KEEPINTOUCH
Did you know?
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Did you know, that Savannah, Georgia is considered to be the place that Medford Massachusetts born James L. Pierpont wrote the famous and popular song Jingle Bells. The original title of the song was The One Horse Open Sleigh, the original song was about sleigh racing. Some people think that Pierpont got home sick and wrote the tune thinking about his days in Medford sleighing through the snow. Pierpont first performed the song at a Sunday school concert on Thanksgiving day. He later play the song at Christmas at the Unitarian Church where he was the music director, and organist, his brother was the minister of that church. Jingle Bells was the first song broadcasted from space on Dec,16 1965 when astronauts Wally Schirra and Thomas Stafford played the tune on harmonica and bells. James Pierpont also wrote songs about the civil war after he enlisted in the Georgia 5th Cavalry. Some of the titles were We Conquer Or Die, Our Battle Flag, and Strike For The South. After the war James taught music in Valdosta and Quitman. Pierpont died in 1893. he is buried in Laurel Grove Cemetery in Savannah,Georgia. source: Georgia magazine. Carolyn Crist, freelance writer
DID YOU KNOW THAT JAMES BROWN WAS BORN IN BARNWELL, SOUTH CAROLINA ON
MAY 3, 1933?
HE WAS MAINLY RAISED IN AUGUSTA GEORGIA. ON HIS WAY TO MUSIC IMMORTALITY
RHYTHM AND BLUES MET ROCK AND ROLL IN THE FORM OF LITTLE RICHARD; AND THE
REST IS THEIR STORY (HISTORY). HIS CAREER TOOK OFF AFTER HIS FIRST HIT
“PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE”HE HAD CLOSE TO 100 SINGLES AND NEARLY 50 ALBUMS
ON THE BEST SELLER CHARTS. AS THE LEADER OF .”THE FAMOUS FLAMES” ALONG
WITH BOBBY BYRD “ MR PLEASE, PLEASE PLEASE”, BECAME KNOWN AS
“THE HARDEST WORKING MAN IN SHOW BUSINESS”, HE WAS “MR. DYNAMITE” THEN HE
WENT ON TO BECOME, “SOUL BROTHER NUMBRS ONE” HE WAS A HUGE PART OF THE
EMERG0ENCE
OF BLACK ART AND BLACK NATIONALISM WITH THE ANTHEM, “SAY IT LOUD, I'M
BLACK AND I'M PROUD” HE MORPHED INTO THE “GOD FATHER OF SOUL” HE WON A
GRAMMY IN 1965. HE PERFORMED IN KINSHASA AS PART OF THE BUILDUP TO THE
GREAT RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE FIGHT BETWEEN MUHAMMAD ALI AND GEORGE
FOREMAN. HE INFLUENCED RAP/HIP-HOP. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE ROCK AND
ROLL HALL OF FAME IN 1986. HE RECIEVED00 A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD IN
1992. AND LET'S NOT FORGET THE KENNEDY CENTER HONORS. THE MAN INVENTED
FUNK, AND PERSONIFIED SOUL. MUSICALLY SPEAKING HE IS ANOTHER GIANT UPON
WHOSE SHOULDERS WE STAND.
DID YOU KNOW THAT THE PIONEER OF ROCK AND ROLL,RICHARD WAYNE PENNIMAN ALSO KNOWN AS LITTLE RICHARD WAS BORN DEC. 5, 1932 IN MACON GA.?
HE IS ALSO CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE THE,”ARCHITECT OF ROCK AND ROLL”. HIS UPTEMPO PIANO PLAYING SOWED THE SEEDS OF SOUL, AND WHAT WAS TO BECOME KNOWN AS FUNK.
WITH HITS LIKE,”TUTTI FRUTTI”, “LONG TALL SALLY”, “LUCILLE”, “GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY” AMONG OTHERS. HE WAS SOMETHING TO BEHOLD. HES' BEEN CALLED “THE INNOVATOR”, BECAUSE OF HIS STYLE, AND FLAMBOYANCE. HE WAS ALSO CALLED ,”THE ORIGINATOR”BECAUSE OF HIS BOOGIE WOOGIE SOUND.
HE SUFFERED INJURIES IN A CAR CRASH IN OCT. 1985, THAT PREVENTED HIS ATTENDANCE TO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INAUGURATION IN 1986 WHERE HE WAS INDUCTED. IN A CAREER THAT COVERS SEVEN DECADES, HE HAS INFLUENCED ALL THE GREATS, AND ALL THE GENRES. TRULY A GIANT UPON WHOSE SHOULDERS WE STAND.
DID YOU KNOW THAT RAY CHARLES ROBINSON WAS BORN IN ALBANY GEORGIA? HE BECAME KNOWN AS THE “GENIUS”. HE MIXED JAZZ, RHYTHM/BLUES, GOSPEL, AND BLUES. HE USE COUNTRY MUSIC AND POP. HIS FIRST HIT SINGLE WAS “GEORGIA ON MY MIND” IN 1960. THAT YEAR HE WON FOUR GRAMMY AWARDS. HIS VERSION BECAME THE OFFICIAL VERSION OF THE STATE SONG.
HE HELPED BRING COUNTRY MUSIC TO THE MAINSTREAM WITH HIS ALBUM,”MODERN SOUNDS OF COUNTRY AND WESTERN”. HE ALSO HAD A JAZZ ALBUM, “ THE GENIUS AFTER HOURS”, A BLUES ALBUM,”THE GENIUS SINGS THE BLUES”; ALONG WITH A BIG BAND ALBUM, “THE GENIUS OF RAY CHARLES”.
HIS MUSICICAL GENIUS BROUGHT HIM MANY AWARDS, 17 FROM 37 NOMINATIONS, THE KENNEDY CENTER HONORS, THE NATIONAL MEDAL OF ARTS, A GRAMMY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, AND ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE LISTED HIM NUMBER TWO ON THEIR TOP 100 SINGERS LIST OF ALL TIME.
HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST MUSICIANS BORN IN THE STATE OF GEORFIA TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE GEORGIA MUSIC HALLOF FAME. HE WAS ALSO ONE OF THE FIRST TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME AT IT'S INAUGURAL CEREMONY IN 1986. TRULY A GAINT UPON WHOSE SHOULDERS WE STAND.
DID YOU KNOW THAT THE DUNGEON FAMILY IS A HIP HOP INSTITUTION BASED IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA? THEY
CONSISTS OF A GROUP OF HIP HOP GREATS WHOSE EARLY SONGS WERE PRODUCED BY THE PRODUCTION
AND SONG WRITING TEAM, ORGANIZED NOISE. THEY
PRODUCED HITS FOR OUTKAST, GOODIE MOB, AND CEE
LO GREEN. THEY ARE INNOVATIVE HIP HOP GIANTS
FROM GEORGIA. 6
Did you know, that Dave Prater of the soul singing duo Sam and
Dave was born in Ocilla, Georgia? Sam Moore was born in Macon
county Georgia. They were a singing duo for Stacks Records out of
Memphis, Tenn. In the 1960s and 70s they were world famous, with
hits songs like Soul Man, Holding I am Coming, along with other hits.
Dave got his start in music singing in the church choir. He also sung
with his older brother J.T. in the group, The sensational
Hummingbirds. The city of Ocilla has a festival honoring the life of
Dave Prater on the 8th and 9th of May every year.
DID YOU KNOW THAT THE ROYAL PEACOCK LOCATED IN
ATLANTA'S SWEET AUBURN HISTORICAL DISTRICT
OPENED IN 1937 AS THE “TOP HAT CLUB?”IT WAS
RENAMED, “THE ROYAL PEACOCK,” IN 1949. IT BECAME
ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR CLUBS IN THE COUNTRY
FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS. IT HAS HOSTED MUSICAL
GIANTS FROM RAY CHARLES, ARETHA FRANKLIN,
MARVIN GAYE, BESSIE SMITH, DIZZY GILLESPIE, B.B.
KING, THE SUPREMES, LOUIS ARMSTRONG, AND GLADYS
KNIGHT AND THE PIPS. A GIANT OF A HISTORY, WHERE
MUSICAL GIANTS PERFORMED. THE CLUB IS STILL IN
OPERATION AT 186 AUBURN AV. ATLANTA, GA. 30303
DOWNTOWN.
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DID YOU KNOW THAT THE FOX THEATRE IN ATLANTA,
GEORGIA OPENED ON CHRISTMAS DAY IN 1929? “THE
FABULOUS FOX” LOCATED AT 660 PEACHTREE STREET
N.E. ATLANTA, GA. 30308 IS ONE OF THE LARGEST
(250,000SF) AND MOST ORNATE MOVIE PALACES IN THE
COUNTRY? IT ALSO HOSTS FIRST CLASS BROADWAY,
COMEDY SHOWS, ROCK CONCERTS, AND R&B SHOWS
OF SOME OF GEORGIA'S GREAT MUSICIANS THROUGH
THE YEARS
DID YOU KNOW? That the annual Blind WIllie Mctell Blues Festival is held in Thomson, Georgia. each May to honor William Samuel Mctell , borned in 1901. WIllie lost his sight as a child, but he still became a blues guitarist He wrote many songs one of his more famous song " Statesboro blues" was recorded by the Allman Brothers Band in the 1970s. Mr. Mctell was consider County-blues guitarist that influenced other musicians.
Sammy Blue a nationally known Atlanta guitarist passed away in March 2021. Mr. Blue co-starred in the stage play Spunk, and appeared in Clint Eastwood movie Trouble With The Curve. In the movie Sammy sing his original song " Everythang and Mo" the title track to his 2003 album. For more info visit, http://www.sammyblue.com
Did You Know? Trixie Smith, a vocalist, was born in Atlanta, Georgia. in 1895 and lived up to 1943. Ms. Trixie was a vaudeville trouper, she cut her first record on the Black Swan label in 1922. Trixie recorded steadily until 1926, many times with top jazz orchestras like Fletcher Henderson. Ms. Trixie also appeared in musical revues and films.
Did you know that Mr. Fletcher Henderson was a Georgia native, born in 1897 and left us in 1952. Mr. Henderson, played the piano, and he was also an arranger and a band leader. Mr. Henderson went to New York in 1920 and worked at a music publishing co. owned by Harry Pace and W. C. Handy. In 1921 Pace left to form Black Swan record label, Fletcher followed him as house pianist and arranger. In 1924 Henderson's session band played steadily at Club Alabama and had a extended engagement at the Roseland Ballroom. Mr. Henderson's band included Coleman Hawkins and Louis Armstrong and from 1925 through1928 his band was said to be one of the best jazz bands in America. Fletcher Henderson also wrote arrangements for the Benny Goodman orchestra in 1935. During the 1940s and 50s Fletcher led his small groups along with Lucky Thompson Henderson.
Did you know, that the poet, rapper ,musician, actor and young dj. Chris Lova Lova name at birth was Chris Bridges. Born in Chamagne, Ill. and moved to Atlanta, Georgia to live with his dad as a teenager. Chris became a young dj at an Atlanta radio station Hot 97.5 fm after becoming an intern for dj Felicia Love for several months. He got a opportunity to produce shows, his job was to schedule the guests pick the music and pull the commercials to be played. Later in his tenure he was given a chance to pair with another young dj Poone Daddy the two had a Sunday night show called Future Flavor that featured Hip-Hop and R n B. And did You know that Chris Bridges or Ludacris received a honorary bachelor degree from Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia, the school he attended as a young man. After graduation Chris gave himself a gift worthy of all his grand accomplishments. He gave himself a airplane, yes he purchased a airplane and while on the runway at the airport Chris was heard singing the theme song from the television show the Jeffersons We are moving on up. and yes Chris Bridges has.
Christopher Bridges
Stephenson High School in Stone Mountain, Georgia has one of the largest pipe organs in Georgia in its auditorium. This organ journey started in 1927 as entertainment in a Chicago radio station.Then it moved to a theater in Flint, Michigan and then to a private home in the 1950s.Twenty later a Atlanta pizza restaurant owner bought it to use it as an attraction for his business, but sold it to a sound engineer. He sat it up in a warehouse, and according to Ken Double of the Atlanta chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society or ATOS,they used the warehouse as a saturday night party room. When the owner gave the organ to them they gave it to Stephenson High School. In 1996 a group of volunteers began installing it, with the hope of future organist training on it. source,georgia magazine.2019 H.M.Cauley.
Otis Redding purchased a building in Macon Georgia in 1967 for a recording studio to record the other artists that was signed to his Redding music publishing firm. The building later became the home of Capricorn Records,co-founded by Phil and Alan Walden, brothers and friends of Otis. to find more about Otis Redding, visit otisreddingfoundation.org
DID YOU KNOW THAT JOHN CARSON MADE COUNTRY MUSIC'S FIRST HIT RECORD IN DOWNTOWN ATLANTA? A NATIVE GEORGIAN HE WAS THE FIRST COUNTRY ARTIST TO SELL A MILLION RECORDS. HE WAS BORN IN FANNIN COUNTY, GA. IN 1868. HE LEARNED TO PLAY FIDDLE AT AN EARLY AGE. HE ROAMED AROUND THE STREETS OF COPPERHILL PLAYING FOR CHANGE. HE GOT MARRIED IN 1894 AND SOON STARTED WORKING FOR THE EXPOSITION COTTON MILLS IN CABBAGE TOWN ATLANTA. IN 1914, THE WORKERS WENT ON STRIKE TO FORM A UNION; AND HE STARTED PERFORMING FOR A LIVING IN THE STREETS OF NORTH ATLANTA.
BETWEEN 1914 AND 1922 HE WAS PROCLAIMED “CHAMPION FIDDLER OF GEORGIA: SEVEN TIMES.HIS FAME SPREADED NATIONALLY AFTER HIS DEBUT BROADCAST AT WSB; THE FIRST RADIO STATION OF THE SOUTH. IN 1923 HE RECORDED HIS FIRST SONGS AT 152 NASSAU STREET IN ATLANTA. THE SONGS WERE, “THE LITTLE OLD LOG CABIN IN THE LANE” AND “THE OLD HEN CACKLED AND THE ROOSTER'S GOING TO CROW”.
HE THEN WENT TO NEW YORK AND RECORDED,”YOU WILL NEVER MISS YOUR MOTHER UNTIL SHE IS GONE” AND “OLD JOE CLARK”. BOTH SOLD OVER A MILLION COPIES IN A EIGHT YEAR SPAN; FROM 1923 TO 1931.
HE RECORDED CLOSE TO 150 SONGS. HE WAS A PIONEER OF WHAT WAS TO BECOME COUNTRY MUSIC.
DID YOU KNOW THAT THE GREAT JOHNNY HERNDON MERCER WAS
BORN IN SAVANNAH, GEORGIA IN NOV. 18, 1909? HE WAS ONE OF
AMERICA'S GREATEST LYRICIST SINGER, AND SONGWRITER. HE WAS A
SAVVY BUSINESS MAN AND AS A RECORD EXECUTIVE HE CO-FOUNDED
CAPITAL RECORDS.
HE WAS KNOWN AS A TIN PAN ALLEY LYRICIST. THOSE WERE THE
SONGWRITERS, ARRANGERS, AND MUSIC PUBLISHERS WHO HUNG OUT IN A
DISTRICT IN NEW YORK CITY AROUND 28TH STREET BETWEEN 5TH AVE.
AND BROADWAY.
DURING THE 1930S THRU THE 1950S HIS SONGS WERE AMOUNG THE BEST
LIKED AND MOST POPULAR SONGS OF THE DAY. HE HAD HITS LIKE
”AUTUMN LEAVES”, “DAYS OF WIND AND ROSES”, AND THE WONDERFULL,
”MOON RIVER”, PERHAPS INSPIRED BY MERCERS' SPENDING MANY
SUMMERS ON THE TIDAL WATERS OF HIS FAMILYS' SUMMER HOME.
SURELY HE MUST HAVE REMEMBERED THOSE SALT WATER MARSHES,
WITH IT'S MOSSY TREES, AND SEEING A BILLION STARS AT NIGHT.
HE WROTE OVER 1,500 SONGS INCLUDING MOVIES, AND BROADWAY
SHOWS. HE WON FOUR BEST ORIGINAL SONG OSCARS. THROUGH THE
YEARS HE TEAMED UP WITH MANY OF THE GREAT TALENTS OF HIS TIME;
PEOPLE LIKE PORTER, BERLIN, GERSHWIN, HOAGY CARMICHIAL, HENRY
MANCINI. HE APPEARS ON A POSTAGE STAMP, HE HAS A STAR ON
HOLLYWOODS WALK OF FAME, HE HAS A STATUE IN ELLISS SQUARE; NEAR
DOWN TOWN SAVANNAH, GA. HE IS TRULY A GEORGIA GIANT.
Did you know, that Berry Gordy Jr. the founder of Motown Records
and former president of the United States Jimmy Carter are cousins.
You see James Thomas Gordy, a plantation and slave owner on Deep step road in Washington county, Georgia,had a son with Ms. Esther Johnson; a slave on his farm in 1854. She named their son BerryGordy1. Her son had a boy whom he named Berry Gordy 2nd also known as Berry Gordy Sr. or Pop. Pop was a successful farmer, and after selling over two thousand dollars worth of timber, and on the advice of his sister; he followed his brother and moved to Detroit in 1923. His wife and six children came up to Detroit about a month later. Berry Gordy Sr. and his wife Bertha had a seventh child, Berry Gordy 3rd or Berry Gordy Jr. He was born November 28 1929 in Detroit. Berry Gordy Jr. Founded Motown Records in 1959. Berry Gordy Jr. great grand daddy, a slave owner was married to Harriet Emily Helms. They had a child name James Jackson Gordy. He was Berry Gordy Jrs'. grand daddy's half-brother.
James Married Mary Ida Nicholson. Their second child Bessie Lillian
Gordy was born in 1898 in Rich land Georgia; four miles north of
Plains, Georgia. Bessie was Berry Gordy Jr. grand daddy's first
cousin. Bessie Lillian Gordy married J. Earl Carter. They had four children. The oldest, James Earl Carter Jr. became the 39th president of the United States of America. That makes Jimmy Carter Jr. and Berry Gordy Jr. second cousins because they have a common great grand daddy in James T. Gordy. Info source Georgia Backroads magazine,
summer 2019,L. Smith
DID YOU KNOW THAT ALEX COOLEY, KNOWN AS
THE
UNOFFICIAL MAYOR OF ATLANTA MUSIC WAS BORN IN
ATLANTA? HE WAS AN INTENATIONAL CONCERT AND
MUSIC PROMOTER. HIS NATIONAL LEGACY BEGAN WITH
THE LEGENDARY ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL POP
FESTIVAL IN 1969, AND A BIGGER ONE IN 1970 FESTIVAL.
THEY FEATURED TOP OF THE LINE ACTS LIKE JIMI
HENDRIX, B.B. KING, JANIS JOPLIN, THE ALLMAN
BROTHERS BAND, AND LED ZEPPELIN. COOLEY ALONG
WITH CONLON HELPED PROMOTE THE INAUGURAL
MUSIC MIDTOWN IN 1994, HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE
GEORGIA MUSIC HALL OF FAME IN 1987. I SAY GIANT,
WHAT SAY YOU?
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DID YOU KNOW THAT OUTKAST, THE LEGENDARY HIP HOP
DUO WAS FORMED IN EAST POINT, GEORGIA IN 1992?
THE DUO CONSISTS OF ANDRE “3000” BENJAMIN, AND
ANTWAN “BIG BOI” PATTON.OUTKAST IS RESPECTED AS
ONE OF THE GREATEST AND MOST INFLUENTIAL HIP HOP
DUOS OF ALL TIME. THEY HELP POPOLARIZE SOUTHERN
HIP HOP WITH JAZZ, TECHNO, AND FUNK. THEY WERE
INSPIRED BY GEORGE CLINTON AND SLY STONE.
THEYWON THEIR FIRST GRAMMY AWARD FOR ALBUM OF
THE YEAR IN 2003 FOR SPEAKERBOXX/THE LOVE BELOW.
ALONG WITH SCHOOLMATES GOODY MOB, THEY WERE
THE NUCLUES OF THE DUNGEON FAMILY. THEY HAVE
WON SEVERAL AWARDS INCLUDING THE AMERICAN
MUSIC AWARDS, BET AWARDS, THE SOUL TRAIN AWARDS,
AND THE SOURCE AWARDS. THEY ARE GIANTS IN THE HIP
HOP WORLD. UPON THEIR SHOULDERS WE STAND.
Did you know ? Thomas A. Dorsey was born on July 1, 1899 in Villa Rica, Georgia. Thomas started playing the family organ at the age of 6 and by the age of 8 he was creating his own songs. At the age of 13 he started developing his professional music skill in Atlanta playing piano, Thomas was known as " Barrelhouse Tom". In 1916 Thomas moved to Chicago and began playing with local groups. He study music at the Chicago school of composition and arranging , and began traveling with Ma Rainey and her troupe in the 1920s. Dorsey compositions were being recorded for Paramount label by Alberta Hunter and others. Thomas Dorsey started out playing jazz and blues that was influence by religious music. Dorsey first attempt to blend 2 styles of music he called "Gospel Songs" got him toss out of several churches because the music sounded like the blues. In 1931 Dorsey form one of the FIRST U.S. gospel choirs at Chicago Pilgrim Baptist Church.
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William Bell was born and raised in Memphis, Tenn. Bell was the first male solo performer signed to Memphis legendary Stax Records in1961, Stax Records was also home to Otis Redding and Sam and Dave, two other great groups from Georgia.Two of Bells hit songs were "You dont miss your water" Stax Records first major hit and Born under a bad sign, the latter song was made famous by blue man Albert King and later recorded by the rock band Cream. Mr. Bell moved to Atlanta, Georgia in 1974 after Stax Records closed down. William Bell received a National Heritage Fellow Award for his work in Memphis, working with the youth at the Stax Music Academy.Mr. Bell was very instrumental in starting this academy that has expanded into the Stax Museum. William Bell was awarded a grammy in 2017 for Best Americana Album. "This is where I live." Atlanta has been Bells creative base of operation since the mid seventies, he is another fixture in the Georgia musical landscape.
