Next to The Beatles, Bob Dylan was the most influential artist of his generation, writing and performing songs whose poetic, sometimes-abstract, often-philosophical lyrics of astute commentary and therapeutic introspection spoke to the masses during an era of social unrest, political upheaval and radical change. While cross-pollinating folk and country with electric rock, Dylan elevated the role of the singer-songwriter and, in so doing, introduced an entirely new dimension to popular music. From ...
(Vocal/instrumental group, 1966–68) Migrating from New York to Los Angeles, Stephen Stills and Richie Furay rehearsed with a third singing guitarist, Canadian Neil Young, who recommended Bruce Palmer (bass) and Dewey Martin (drums). 1967’s Buffalo Springfield was remarkable for an acoustic bias and clever vocal harmonies. A hit single, ‘For What It’s Worth’, and healthy sales for two further albums did not forestall a rancourous split – though two of them ...
(Guitar, producer, 1924–2001) Tennessee-born Chester Burton Atkins, whose father was a music teacher, was one of the most influential twentieth-century guitarists, and was initially influenced by the finger- and thumb-picking country-style playing of Merle Travis. Signed to RCA from 1947, he made scores of mainly instrumental albums, and in 1955 became the head of RCA’s new Nashville studio, producing artists signed to the label, and working with numerous country artists including ...
In his short life, California guitarist-mandolinist Clarence White (1944–73) conceived innovations that would inspire country and rock guitarists from both a stylistic and technical perspective long after his death. He brought bluegrass picking to the forefront of rock, turning acoustic guitar into a solo instrument. He developed a device for electric guitar that let traditional guitarists sound like pedal-steel players. As a member of The Byrds from 1968 to 1973, ...
(Vocal/instrumental group, 1967–72) If John Fogerty (vocals, guitar), Tom Fogerty (guitar), Stuart Cook (bass) and Doug Clifford (drums) were Californian hippy in appearance, their music harked back to the energy and stylistic cliches of 1950s rock’n’roll, and their spiritual home seemed to be the swamplands of the Deep South, as instanced in titles like ‘Born On The Bayou’. After 1969’s ‘Proud Mary’ all but topped the US chart, they reached a ...
(Vocal/instrumental group, 1968–70) When on a US tour with The Hollies, Graham Nash (vocals, guitar) had sown the seeds of a ‘supergroup’ with ex-Byrd Dave Crosby (vocals, guitar) and Stephen Stills (vocals, guitar) from Buffalo Springfield. The new combine rehearsed in London for an eponymous album that featured hippy lyricism, flawless vocal harmonies and neo-acoustic backing tracks. Its spin-off single, Nash’s ‘Marrakesh Express’, was a worldwide smash, and, if his trio’s ...
Southern blues-rock guitarist Dickey Betts was born in West Palm Beach, Florida in 1943. Betts was leading a group called The Second Coming when he met and jammed with the other members of what soon became The Allman Brothers Band. His role as second lead guitarist and his partnership with Duane Allman gave the band their trademark dual-lead sound, which was captured at its most potent on The Allmans’ seminal double ...
(Singer-songwriter, b. 1947) Possessing the voice of an angel, Harris is one of the most adventurous country artists of the past four decades. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, she released a folk album in 1969; but it was her duets with Gram Parsons in the early 1970s that set her on the road. Fine solo sets with Parsons’ backing musicians, including the legendary James Burton (guitar) and Glen D. Hardin (piano) followed. In ...
(Singer-songwriter, b. 1962) Brooks was pivotal in bringing country music into the mainstream. His warm honky-tonk style and trademark cowboy hat ensured his early material found an audience. The aptly titled No Fences (1990) and Ropin’ The Wind (1991) crossed into the pop charts on the strength of the material and Brooks’ canny employment of theatrical rock devices on his arena tours. By the bizarre concept album In The Life Of ...
Louisiana native James Burton (b. 1939) is one of several guitarists weaned on country music who parlayed his unique talent into session and tour work with rock musicians while maintaining his ties to the country community. Burton first achieved local fame as a backing musician on the popular ‘Louisiana Hayride’ radio show, which spotlighted a young Elvis and rivalled ‘The Grand Ole Opry’ as a radio institution in 1950s America. In ...
A leading figure on America’s West Coast music scene, Jerry Garcia was born in San Francisco in 1942. His father was a retired professional musician, his mother a pianist. The musically inclined Jerry began taking piano lessons as a child. The emergence of Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran inspired him to learn guitar at 15, his first instrument being a Danelectro. He took an arts course at San Francisco ...
‘One Of Us’, 1995 ‘One Of Us’ was a popular radio-friendly hit that Osbourne followed with a few minor singles, though she has never replicated its popularity. Questioning what would happen if God were ‘one of us’, it earned Osbourne a mid-1990s supporting slot for Bob Dylan, while Prince would later take to covering the song in concert. It took until 2000 for Osbourne to release the follow up to Relish ...
(Guitar, vocals, b. 1941) Discovered by TV producer Jack Good, guitarist Brown backed visiting American stars including Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent, before launching his own career as a rocking Cockney with a handful of UK hit singles, before The Beatles changed the world. After appearing in British pop films and London theatre, Brown formed 1970s country rock combo Brown’s Home Brew. His daughter, Sam Brown, had a brief late-1980s UK ...
(Guitar, vocals, b. 1947) An American guitar hero, Walsh was in the James Gang before making his solo bow with Barnstorm (1972). The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get (1973) contained the voice-box classic ‘Rocky Mountain Way’. In 1976, Walsh joined The Eagles, replacing Bernie Leadon. Rekindling his own career with 1978’s But Seriously Folks, featuring the self-mocking ‘Life’s Been Good’, he has since continued to record and has participated ...
(Vocals, b. 1946) A former member of The Stone Poneys, Ronstadt launched a solo career in 1968 with the country-flavoured rock that would characterize her 1970s work. Her third album Linda Ronstadt (1972) featured the core of musicians who would go on to form The Eagles. On 1974’s Heart Like A Wheel, Ronstadt and producer/manager Peter Asher arrived at the blueprint, which was honed to perfection on the triple-platinum Simple Dreams ...
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An extensive music information resource, bringing together the talents and expertise of a wide range of editors and musicologists, including Stanley Sadie, Charles Wilson, Paul Du Noyer, Tony Byworth, Bob Allen, Howard Mandel, Cliff Douse, William Schafer, John Wilson...
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Classical, Rock, Blues, Jazz, Country and more. Flame Tree has been making encyclopaedias and guides about music for over 20 years. Now Flame Tree Pro brings together a huge canon of carefully curated information on genres, styles, artists and instruments. It's a perfect tool for study, and entertaining too, a great companion to our music books.
David Bowie
Fantastic new, unofficial biography covers
his life, music, art and movies, with a
sweep of incredible photographs.