1000 Giants Of Black Music

[stepping razor]

DON & JUAN:
Their classic ballad "What`s Your Name" (Big Top) proved to be one of the last doo-wop hits (1962) and the only real success for this duo.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JULY 1974: - PART FIVE
Black Music July 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 8

peace

[stepping razor]

LOU DONALDSON:
Alto saxist who through his numerous Bluenote albums has helped fuse jazz and instrumental R&B into an inseparable whole. Influenced hosts of other "Soul jazzmen".

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JULY 1974: - PART FIVE
Black Music July 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 8

peace

[stepping razor]

KENNY DORHAM:
One of jazz`s great trumpeters. Worked in the immediate postwar years with a series of great bop and modern jazz units. Formed own group in 1956. Scored numerous films. Toured and recorded extensively.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JULY 1974: - PART FIVE
Black Music July 1975: - Vol. 1 / Issue 8

peace

[stepping razor]

ERIC DONALSON:
Earned a place in the history of Jamaican music with the 1970 JA Song Festival winner "Cherry Oh Baby", the all time biggest seller on the island.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JULY 1974: - PART FIVE
Black Music July 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 8

peace

[stepping razor]

LEE DORSEY:
The nasal voice of this New Orleans ex-boxer sprang to national U.S. prominence in 1961 when the nursery rhyme-styled "Ya Ya" and "Do-Re-Mi" became massive hits for Lee and Fury Records. Four years later Lee returned to the charts. He was still singing novelty numbers, still backed by a rolling New Orleans Band and still sang songs written and produced by genius/pianist Allen Toussaint. "Ride Your Pony", "Get Out Of My Life Woman", "Working In The Coal Mine" and "Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky" brought Lee success till the `70s.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JULY 1974: - PART FIVE
Black Music July 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 8

peace

[stepping razor]

Correction: Our last issue went to press before we learned of the death on March 28 of Arthur `Big Boy` Crudup, mentioned in part five of 1000 Giants.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - AUGUST 1974: - PART SIX
Black Music August 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 9

peace

[stepping razor]

THOMAS A. DORSEY:
After recording some particularly salacious blues as Georgia Tom in the `20s and `30s, Thomas Dorsey was converted and went on to become possibly THE most important writer of gospel songs, writing a staggering number of songs which form a large portion of today`s gospel repertoire.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - AUGUST 1974: - PART SIX
Black MUsic August 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 9

peace

[stepping razor]

BIG AL DOWNING:
Veteran R&B artist who always maintained a sizeable audience in the Southern States without breaking through nationally. Connoisseurs remember his rockabilly "Down On The Farm" while his numerous Fats Domino impersonations and straight ahead soul (he`s now on Janus) are other sides to Al`s complex musical development.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - AUGUST 1974: - PART SIX
Black Music August 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 9

peace

[stepping razor]

DON DOWNING:
A mass of obscure recordings made over a couple of decades ended in success-of-a-kind for Don (brother of Al) when "Lonely Days Lonely Nights" became a British hit.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - AUGUST 1974: - PART SIX
Black Music August 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 9

peace

[stepping razor]

LAMONT DOZIER:
As a third of the legendary Holland-Dozier-Holland Detroit writing/producing machine he made a million dollars before breaking clear of Motown in a flurry of law suits. Continued with his partners to be successful with Invictus/Hot Wax but finally split last year to follow a solo career as an artist with ABC/Dunhill.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - AUGUST 1974: - PART SIX
Black Music August 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 9

peace