Brush Cutters Part Two
Music, especially rock and roll, tend to revolve around the same circuit despite its worldwide boom. In the last article we were introduced to Marion Keisker of Sun Studios. It was in the very early days of Sun Studios that Sam Phillips had recorded what is, arguably the first rock and roll song, "Rocket 88", written by Ike Turner's saxophonist Jackie Brenston. Ike Turner and his band, the Kings of Rhythm, grew a national success after the boom of "Rocket 88". Ike Turner would find himself at Sun Studios on numerous occasions at the beginning of his career, as a session musician. The first woman we look at in Part Two of Brush Cutters, is a force
who's voice, presence and stamina is undoubtedly one of the most
recognizable in music history, Anna Mae Bullock. Who is Anna Mae? This fierce bolt of Tennessee gorgeousness would later be known as Ms. Tina Turner, the woman who first got her start singing with Ike Turner, and then stealing his heart. However, I don't like to say Ike gave her her start, because it was the voice that gave her the start, it's his stage that she would dominated.
In this article we will also be introduced to a new man in music, who would go on to shape the way we hear sounds, Mr. Phil Spector. We will be introduced to some women he worked closely wish in the prime of his game like Carol Kaye. However, we will also see that of whom he took advantage of- women he gave fame to but not claim to- all will make sense later with Ronnie Spector and in some research on your own with The Blossoms, and current age of the man who invented the Wall of Sound.
This point in our time line, we are approaching the evolution of rock and roll into a pop culture phenomenon that would be televised, rioted, and twisted from it's rockabilly roots to Motown, beach vibes, and the counterculture of the sixties.
To reiterate, Brush Cutter's is a quick synopsis of these women's lives and their work in the music and how it defined the genre.
Tina Turner
She has a boisterous voice that could halt time but in the same instant make everything feel new, fresh, fast, as if time seized to exist. Tina Turner had the stage presence, the hair, the passion that when she got going she could break any thermometer and raise the earths core temperature at an alarming rate, activist would start protesting. But she knew how too keep it cool. Whether it was with a subtle glance of vibrant eyeshadow, that still let off a little steam, or by singing a softer, pop-style love song like "The Best" or "Best of My Love".
Below is one of those core raising songs, "Proud Mary" performed by Ike & Tina Turner, 1970 via Youtube. For link click here.
Before Tina Turner took on her now known stage persona she was known as Anna Mae Bullock, born in Nutbush, Tennessee on 26 November, 1939. She started life with two older sisters, a father, a mother, and a complicated childhood of relocating, a mother who ran off to St. Louis, and a father who would remarry leaving behind his three daughters. When her grandmother passed away (the guardian of Anna Mae and her sisters after her father and his new wife moved to Chicago), Anna Mae trailed from her then home in Brownsville, TN to St. Louis to live with her birthmother. This is where our rock and roll fantasy begins.
Once in St. Louis, Anna Mae and her sister would become locals at St. Louis and East St. Louis clubs, favoring towards one, Club Manhattan, home of Ike Turner and The Kings of Rhythm. Gnawing on the energy of the sounds and the men on the stage, she would claimed the shows put her "in a trance". At age seventeen, Anna Mae found herself being the transfixion joining the boys on stage after getting hold of a microphone and Ike Turner's attention, during the bands intermission. She had sang a rendition of B.B Kings "You Know I Love You".
Bullock became part of the band and gained an accidental success with "A Fool In Love", a song written for the vocals of King of Rhythm's Art Lassiter. However, it was on the day of recording that Lassiter was absent and Anne was asked to stand in as a fill. Anne's higher, pitchier, but magnetic, gravtating screeches of the song caught the attention of Sue Records president, Juggy Murray, who reportedly told Ike Turner to make that girl a star. She was given the song credit name of Little Ann, a name that didn't hang around for too long.
On the rise of fame with this gut grueling, hair raising vocals and energy that Little Ann provided, Ike decided that her name needed to change, something memorable. Something that will fit her personality and voice- because Little Ann? There was nothing little about this voice and presence.
The inspiration came from fictional characters Sheena, Queen of the Jungle which he took and rhymed giving the name Tina. In fear of loosing her, and in a possessive style, he added his own last name (Although, they would marry giving her his last name in 1962), giving her the persona as the wild, jungle girl, Tina Turner.
Tina Turner started in a river deep situation but kept climbing higher and higher up that mountain. On her way to the top she and Ike had formed the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, which competed musically with the James Brown Show. Hitting American Band Stand, Shindig!, The Andy Williams Show, and more all before 1965! By 1965, they had a concert filmed for The Big T.N.T Show. Their music revolutionized not only the United States but ran through the courses of English musicians, such as Eric Clapton and The Rolling Stones. In 1966, Phil Spector, notorious in the music industry, had set Tina Turner as lead vocals for the song he thought as as the best song he's done in history, "River Deep, Mountain High", a song that went to #3 in England but barley made it out of the top 90 (placing at #88) on home charts. Spector never signed another act to his Philles label, it destroyed him but filled in the pot holes and paved a new road, once again for the Revue in England.
The Revue came to an end after a reign of opening for The Rolling Stones, television apperances, top hits, and a long battle of drug addiction and abuse. Ike Turner, began to battle heavily with cocaine which lead to canceling shows, dates, and recordings. The two eventually ended their relationship, a marriage that lasted twelve years. Ike Turner had not only been abusing drugs but had a hard hand towards women, including Tina. From age seventeen, when she started her relationship with Ike, she had been under a whirlwind of phsycological and physical abuse that now their relationship was over it was a different kind of whirlwind experience to face. One with a different kind of vulnerability of not being beaten down, but being on your own after building a career with a duo. A lifestyle of learning to trust and what the exactly was again and how to do it, all while throwing caution to the wind, because that what you have to do as a performer sometimes.
As mentioned in this article Tina Turner had been pumping through the veins and arteries of musicians from across the globe, and those in the likes of Rod Stewart and Mick Jagger. After a short cabaret career in Las Vegas, solo albums, and a first solo tour, Tina Turner had found her way performing with Rod Stewart on Saturday Night Live then asked to open for him on his U.S Tour. Later on she opened three shows for The Rolling Stones, became the first African American Women to have a video on MTV, and gained a contract with Capitol Records. Turner swept the Grammy's in 1984 with the success of her solo album Private Dancer.
Success continued to follow Tina, as she performed at Live Aid with Mick Jagger, released a best selling memoirs on the brutal truth of her life, that also took an in-depth look at the abuse of Ike Turner, as well as an attempted sucicide in the late sixties. Tina and Ike Turner were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, recognized by the Kennedy Center Honors, and has won numerous Grammy's and awards since- including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Currently Tina Turner is working on a biographical musical, Tina, which will release in Fall of 2019.
If you were alive in the sixties you couldn't escape the sound of The Ronettes. From their hits "Be My Baby", "Baby, I Love You" and even providing the iconic vocals on classic Christmas songs that define most of our holiday memories. Before they were a worldwide success, before The Ronettes were the puppets on the strings of the hand of Phil Spector, and before the girl group from Spanish Harlem culture of New York were opening and even forming a relationship with The Beatles, these girls where a trio called the Darling Sisters comprised of Estelle Bennett, Nedra Talley, and lead singer Veronica Yvette Bennett.
Veronica (nicknamed Ronnie), grew an infatuation for the art of singing as her parents persuaded her and her older sister Estelle to use their voices throughout their childhood. She had found her stage presence while jumping around on home furniture during family events where her, Estelle, and cousin Nedra would learn how to harmonize. Ronnie soon was hooked on the sounds of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, even gathering four of her relatives, Estelle, Nedra, their cousins Elaine, Diane and Ira to singing the song made famous by Lymon, "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" at an amateur show put on at the Apollo Theatre. During the performance Ira, was riddled with stage-fright and...
However, their story was just about to begin. Ronnie and The Realitves (then The Ronettes) soon became a household name at New York's Peppermint Lounge to dance the Twist and occasionally sing. They were flown to Miami to open a new branch of the Pepper Lounge franchise when they were introduced to Murray the K, whom soon promoted them at the Fox lounge as dancers, to back-up singers, to sporting and representing the iconic Ronette look and style of bold eyeliner, and high, thick hair.
It was by 1963 with little fate in Colpix Records, that The Ronettes had signed on Phil Spector's record, Philles.
With Phil Spector The Ronettes had gained massive success with songs "Be My Baby", "(The Best Part of) Breaking Up", "Walking In The Rain", and more. While recording with Spector, the girls recorded dozens of songs that were held unreleased for decades, and those that would never see the light of day. Phil had the girls record covers of "The Twist", "Mashed Potato Time", "Hot Pastrami", all tracks that would later be released but credited to another Spector girl group, The Crystals.
In 1966, The Ronettes, on top of the world, were playing gigs with Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones (Keith favoriting Ronnie Bennett in his autobiography, Life), and was personally asked by The Beatles to open for them for fifteen shows on their tour.
The Ronettes said goodbye to the Philles label in 1967 after a tour in England. Their last song was "I Can Hear Music", which would not be known as a hit for the girl group but later a hit for The Beach Boys. As internal issues within the group began to surface The Ronettes broke up in the late sixties. Phil Spector would continue to hold the groups previous unreleased recordings.
The Following is The Ronettes "Be My Baby" via Youtube. Link here.
In 1968, Ronnie Bennett became known as Ronnie Spector as she married Phil, one of the reasons of the groups demise.
Phil Spector had started closely working with The Beatles come the end of the 1960s with their Apple Records label, and then with the Fab Four as individuals. Ronnie began recording George Harrison tracks, such as "Try Some, Buy Some", with the backing band of Harrison himself, John Lennon and Ringo Starr. An album was discussed to release as the first Ronnie Spector solo album, where she recorded more Harrison tracks, such as the popular "You", but in much of an earlier fashion in her career with The Ronettes, the versions of her songs were never released.
Throughout the seventies, Ronnie had recorded with Jimi Hendrix ("Earth Blues"), Southside Johnny with Bruce Springsteen on backing vocals ("You Mean So Much To Me"), nominated for a Grammy with her duet with Eddie Money ("Take Me Home Tonight"), even had a song written about her by fellow New Yorker, Billy Joel ("Say Goodbye To Hollywood"). Her first solo album finally came out in 1980.
In 1972 Ronnie made her escape. She was living with her husband in a mansion in Southern California with reportedly a gold casket in the basement. A casket that represented a threat that if Ronnie had ever left Phil he would be sure to kill her. Following the comment with something like, "if you're dead I can keep an eye on you". You see, in the sixties Ronnie became an infatuation, the love in the eyes of the Rolling Stones, The Beatles, the world. Phil Spector made his mark, steal her shoes so she couldn't leave. Even stories that when she was allowed out she had to drive around with a life size mock-up dummy of Phil himself, cigarette hanging from the lips and all. When she discussed leaving him, Phil adopted twins, human children, for Ronnie as a Christmas present, persuading...manipulating her to stay. During this time living under the barbed wired, "security" of her home, she began drinking heavily, which lead to boldly attending AA meetings. In 1974 the couple legally divorced with a settlement of Ronnie forfeiting all of her future recording earnings from all of those unreleased records Phil had been hoarding.
In 1988 The Ronettes, including Ronnie, sued Phil Spector for income he was making from licensing The Ronettes music, leaving the beehived beauts of his past with nothing. The legal battle lingered for fifteen years with multiple reversals of lower courts who favored The Ronettes. It was brought to the attention that under contract, dating back to 1963, Phil had unconditional rights for their recordings. However, Ronnie was offered her royalties lost in the couples divorce that she had forfeited, and the final outcome had Phil owe The Ronettes 1.5 million dollars.
Now as a Vocal Group Hall of Fame member, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee with The Ronettes, having her vocals for "Be My Baby" in the Library of Congress as work of historical and cultural significance, then the same song was Billboards #1 Greatest Girl Group Song in 2017. Ronnie has published a book in details of her life throughout pop culture, Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness. She also, had a one-woman show, Beyond the Beehive, that dominated the New York scene and following that success to the the UK.
Her striking look of highlighted eyes, heavy hair, and hip shaking vibrations lead Ronnie Spector out of the suburbs of New York and into a world of rock and rollers, of racial disputes, of marriage disputes. She has perfected one of the most iconic voices and looks in music history that had gone on to inspire magnitudes of musicians from Billy Joel, The Beach Boys, Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles for heavens sake! The beehive style and pronounced eyeliner became an inspiration for later sensation, and later "hero" to Ronnie herself, Amy Winehouse.
Sources:
Carol Kaye
You've heard Ritchie Valens upbeat take on "La Bamba" fusing his Mexican roots with the attitude of the times, rock'n'roll. The heart-grieving but lust of the Righteous Brother's harmonies on "You've Lost The Loving Feeling". You have most likely strutted to Nancy Sinatra's threatening "These Boots Are Made For Walking", Or tried to hit the high notes on The Beach Boys most compelling songs like "Good Vibrations", . Maybe you're all knew to these songs and the rock'n'roll phenomenon that once swept the earths core, well if that's the case, you may remember first woman rocker mentioned on this article, Tina Turner and the anticipated hit "River Deep, Mountain High". These songs are just used as a lick for the several course meal, the feast that session musician, Carol Kaye, would contribute to- adding a dash of her flawless, revolutionary style to each dish served on a vinyl plate.
Carol Smith was born March 24, 1935 (already on the right path for rock'n'roll, as 1935 gave us Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Ronnie Hawkins), in the Washington state town, Everett. Unlike other female rockers who we've looked at who had the desire of music that was nurtured in chapel or church seatings, or a passion that was brewing and had to enduring rock bottom before they climbed their way to world renowned status, Carol Smith was born into a family with both parents as musicians. At the age of thirteen she was given her first guitar, a steel string from her mother. Just a year later she had mastered the vibrations, frets, sounds and feels of the guitar's body and mind that she was teaching guitar lessons.
The love of music ran through her veins and DNA, a DNA dynamic that wasn't always blissful like the musical family The Partridge Family. Carol recalled her father often being abusive but music was the one thing that could calm the hostile hand and bring the family together again. Taking the energy and infatuation with music, Carol Kaye found her self playing in local jazz clubs on the Los Angeles club circuit after her family moved to Wilmington, California. She backed names like Lenny Bruce, Bob Neal's jazz group, Billy Higgins, Teddy Edwards and Jack Sheldon. In the mid-50s she began touring with the Henry Busse Orchestra.
In 1957, Carol had already endeavored her first marriage and divorce with two children where she had adopted the name Kaye. During one of her performances she was approached by producer Robert Blackwell whom asked her to play on Sam Cooke's "Summertime". This recording was a career change for Carol as she decided to follow the money and become a full-time session musician, taking hiatus from the jazz club scene.
Her connections in the music industry began to boom during the time she recorded with Ritchie Valen's on the worldwide phenomenon "La Bamba" with Gold Star Records. During the session she worked with up and coming producer, Phil Spector, who gave her work with The Crystals, The Righteous Brothers, Bob B. Soxx and The Blue Jeans. Her guitar work was impeccable but nothing compared to the steady, but playful hand she provided when asked if she could play bass. She made the decision she wanted to be a bass player primarily and not a guitar in 1963.
During this time Carol Kaye had also became a staple amongst a crew of other session musicians, later coined as "The Wrecking Crew" from session drummer Hal Blaine. The Wrecking Crew, also known as "The Clique", or "The First Call Gang", were a loose group of jazz and classical musicians in Los Angeles whom would record dozens upon dozens Top 40 hits throughout the 60s and 70s, as well as film scores and television themes. The group consisted of members that included Glen Campbell, Leon Russell, Earl Palmer, even Teddy Tedesco- and that's just to name a few. In a group dominated by men, Carol Kaye had managed to become a dominating force in the free-lance session game, using her strong opinionated mind and wit to remind the room that she may be built differently than the others but her talent, passion and drive was just as high as theirs and to be taken just as serious- because after all music isn't necessarily male or female. A bass is still a bass whether its being plucked by a male or a female. But just to clarify, the Wrecking Crew was not a band,
At a period in the sixties, she was the most sought after bass player for television, films, music, and other works. Her discography spans from Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Barbara Streisand, Simon and Garfunkel, The Monkees, Cher and some of her most notably playing being when she caught the attention of Beach Boys Brian Wilson, having her record on the Beach Boys Today! Summer Days (and Summer Nights!), Pet Sounds, and even Wilson later album Smile. During Pet Sounds, an album that redefined the sound of the sixties, her bass playing was brought forward on tracks like "Sloop John B." and "Wouldn't It Be Nice". Beatles bass player and well, living legend himself, Paul McCartney once said,
After the frenzy of the 60s, the burnt out long hour days that turned into long hour nights, Kaye decided to slow down. She was still a mother to her children, had bills to pay and need to refuel if she was going to burn the midnight oil again. During this time Kaye wrote her first book, How To Play Electric Bass. She also took this time to delve more into film and television, continuing with her works that spanfrom the iconic bomp- bomp- bomp of the sixties Mission: Impossible theme, as well as the themes for M.A.S.H, Hawaii Five-O, and Shaft. Her playing can be heard on The Brady Bunch, Cannon, Wonder Woman, and several other film and movie productions. She worked with Quincy Jones on numerous occasions as well.
The Following is a video Via Youtube of the Mission:Impossible theme. Link Here.
In 1976, after being on tour with Joe Pass and Hampton Hawkes, Kaye was involved in a car accident which lead to another hiatus from the music scene, only performing on a few occasions, including J.J Cales album Shades. She would later, in 1994, undergo surgery stemming from the accident and would begin playing and recording again, including reconnecting with Brian Wilson for the album The Wilsons.
Kaye's legacy cannot be put into an article, especially one this short. She has reportly played on 10,000 recordings! We didn't delve into her work with Frank Zappa, Ray Charles, Barbara Streisand, her other writing works and film adventures. The more jazz side of Kaye's playing, and a deeper look at the session recordings she was involved in. Musicians like Carol Kaye are hard to find and only come once in a life- maybe once in a human race and the next evolution will have their own Carol Kaye adaptation, but even that evolved specimen surely wouldn't be able to touch the work Carol has done.
Carole King
Imagine being part of the stage crew for years. Working behind the scenes, maybe seen between acts as one dressed in black to set up the stage props for the next stage sequence; but the show wouldn't go on without you. Now what if that crew member became the star of the show? Was the director, the play writer, and even the lead singer in the next act. Not the understudy who has been dressed and casted for the roll and for the last few shows has had her stage time as villager #3. For years Carole King wrote the songs that many grew up with, many sang to, danced, and even cried to but many hadn't perceived and still are yet oblivious that it was the sweet but feisty, dreamer from Brooklynn, New York, behind the hits. These songs include the iconic pop numbers like "Take Good Care Of My Baby" by Bobby Vee, "Up On The Roof" performed by The Drifters and "I'm Into Something Good" made famous by Hermans Hermits, to more powerful tunes like "(Your Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman" as done by Aretha Franklin, as well as The Righteous Brothers "Just Once In My Life".
Carol Joan Klein was born February 9, 1942 to a need to help everyone, firefighting father and an ambitious, English major mother turned keeper of the house. Growing up Carole recalls her father's job requiring him to be gone for several days and nights but on days he was home the trio would venture to Coney Island. It was on Coney Island that she had her first experience recording.
At the age of four Carole had possessed the talent of matching absolute pitch and by the age of ten she was already an accomplished pianist. Throughout her teenage years Carole King had written a plethora of songs and melodies, which she would later own her talent of pitch and melody with her high school vocal group, The Co-Sines. It was also while attending James Madison High School Carole changed her name from Klein to King.
Excelling in school at an early age, starting pre-school at age of four advancing into second grade. At the premature age of At Queen's College, an attendee at the age most of those amongst her age were getting their drivers license, sixteen. King never graduated from Queen's College, by the age of seventeen she had dropped out but her short-lived time studying there had proved to be a life-long influenced. At college King had met not only singer-songwriter Paul Simon, but she had met and caught the attention of upper class-men, Gerry Goffin. The two formed a bond over arts, writing, and music. Their relationship surpassed dictation and sound, tumbling into romantic gestures. The couple fell pregnant leading to their marriage in 1959.
After leaving their position as a full time student the pair became full time parents as well as each taking full time jobs; Carole a secretary and Gerry an assistant chemist. After a long day at work the pair would come home and fall into music to write together. It was with their determination and strong work ethic that the two would soon write a #1 Hit, 'Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" in 1961, and quit their jobs picking up phones and talking about elements to pursue song writing full-time.
The duo impressed and signed with The Man with the Golden Ear, Mr. Don Kirshner. Throughout the 60s the couple wrote songs that stand the test of time. Songs that continue to stir the pot, crushing the flakes of bay leaves and spices that lie there adding stronger but classic flavors to the sauce. These songs would be recorded by the likes of The Drifters, The Monkees, The Ronettes, Herman's Hermits, Bobby Vee, The Righteous Brothers, Aretha Franklin, and others. Their songs were then re-recorded by artist and bands like Aaron Neville, The Carpenters, Dion Celine, The Beatles, the list goes on and continues to do so.
In 1968, after writing dozens upon dozens of love songs Gerry and Carol had divorced. King and their two daughters moved to Laurel California conquering the music scene on the west coast. She started a trio by the name The City with Charles Larkey and Danny Kortchmar. The group released a single that wasn't as well received as they had hoped until the following decade when it was rediscovered and was given more radio air time.
After The City, King had married bandmate Charles Larkey, and had embarked on her own solo journey all while playing alongside some of musics biggest names such as James Taylor and Joni Mitchell. James Taylor provide back up vocals for Kings first solo album after her break from Goffin, the 1970 album Writer. The album had put Carole back in charts, placing at #84 in Billboards top 200 list.
In 1971, King had released what is often seen as as the highlight of her career, Tapestry. Tapestry, well I'll let Carole King's official website explain it;
In 1987 Carole King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as the partnership Goffin-King (but as we have seen this year, with the distinctive Stevie Nicks- whom we'll get to very shortly on Brush Cutters- women are now being inducted twice into the Hall of Fame. Be patient, Carole. Your time is coming). She also worked on soundtracks, as well as made cameo appearances on television shows. In 1988 she starred in the off-broadway play, A Minor Incident and in 1994 she was back in theatre in Blood Brothers. Instead of being in the musicals themselves, Carole King is now main focus on Broadways, current, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical .
Carole King has released a memoir, Natural Women, in 2012 and also received a star on Hollywoods Walk of Fame the same year. In 2013, she became the first female singer-songwriter to be honored in the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song category, also earned an Honorary Doctorate from Berklee School of Music. 2014 earned King the title of MusiCares Person of the Year and a year later she was honored as a Kennedy Center Honoree.
Carole King is rock and roll, she is soul, she is pop, she is feelings, emotions, everything that is joy, everything that brings you comfort in the time you need it most, that is Carole King. As a piano player, a music writer for some of the most influential songs of all time, King went to show the world that she not only can write music but can sing, and write lyrics that are empowering and hold substance. Her realness, raw, and vulnerability but also her spunk, resilience, and class put Carole King as one of the redefining women of Rock and Roll.
In this article we will also be introduced to a new man in music, who would go on to shape the way we hear sounds, Mr. Phil Spector. We will be introduced to some women he worked closely wish in the prime of his game like Carol Kaye. However, we will also see that of whom he took advantage of- women he gave fame to but not claim to- all will make sense later with Ronnie Spector and in some research on your own with The Blossoms, and current age of the man who invented the Wall of Sound.
This point in our time line, we are approaching the evolution of rock and roll into a pop culture phenomenon that would be televised, rioted, and twisted from it's rockabilly roots to Motown, beach vibes, and the counterculture of the sixties.
To reiterate, Brush Cutter's is a quick synopsis of these women's lives and their work in the music and how it defined the genre.
Tina Turner
She has a boisterous voice that could halt time but in the same instant make everything feel new, fresh, fast, as if time seized to exist. Tina Turner had the stage presence, the hair, the passion that when she got going she could break any thermometer and raise the earths core temperature at an alarming rate, activist would start protesting. But she knew how too keep it cool. Whether it was with a subtle glance of vibrant eyeshadow, that still let off a little steam, or by singing a softer, pop-style love song like "The Best" or "Best of My Love".
Below is one of those core raising songs, "Proud Mary" performed by Ike & Tina Turner, 1970 via Youtube. For link click here.
Before Tina Turner took on her now known stage persona she was known as Anna Mae Bullock, born in Nutbush, Tennessee on 26 November, 1939. She started life with two older sisters, a father, a mother, and a complicated childhood of relocating, a mother who ran off to St. Louis, and a father who would remarry leaving behind his three daughters. When her grandmother passed away (the guardian of Anna Mae and her sisters after her father and his new wife moved to Chicago), Anna Mae trailed from her then home in Brownsville, TN to St. Louis to live with her birthmother. This is where our rock and roll fantasy begins.
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| Photo By Neal Preston. Via DailyMail Article |
Bullock became part of the band and gained an accidental success with "A Fool In Love", a song written for the vocals of King of Rhythm's Art Lassiter. However, it was on the day of recording that Lassiter was absent and Anne was asked to stand in as a fill. Anne's higher, pitchier, but magnetic, gravtating screeches of the song caught the attention of Sue Records president, Juggy Murray, who reportedly told Ike Turner to make that girl a star. She was given the song credit name of Little Ann, a name that didn't hang around for too long.
On the rise of fame with this gut grueling, hair raising vocals and energy that Little Ann provided, Ike decided that her name needed to change, something memorable. Something that will fit her personality and voice- because Little Ann? There was nothing little about this voice and presence.
The inspiration came from fictional characters Sheena, Queen of the Jungle which he took and rhymed giving the name Tina. In fear of loosing her, and in a possessive style, he added his own last name (Although, they would marry giving her his last name in 1962), giving her the persona as the wild, jungle girl, Tina Turner.
Tina Turner started in a river deep situation but kept climbing higher and higher up that mountain. On her way to the top she and Ike had formed the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, which competed musically with the James Brown Show. Hitting American Band Stand, Shindig!, The Andy Williams Show, and more all before 1965! By 1965, they had a concert filmed for The Big T.N.T Show. Their music revolutionized not only the United States but ran through the courses of English musicians, such as Eric Clapton and The Rolling Stones. In 1966, Phil Spector, notorious in the music industry, had set Tina Turner as lead vocals for the song he thought as as the best song he's done in history, "River Deep, Mountain High", a song that went to #3 in England but barley made it out of the top 90 (placing at #88) on home charts. Spector never signed another act to his Philles label, it destroyed him but filled in the pot holes and paved a new road, once again for the Revue in England.
The Revue came to an end after a reign of opening for The Rolling Stones, television apperances, top hits, and a long battle of drug addiction and abuse. Ike Turner, began to battle heavily with cocaine which lead to canceling shows, dates, and recordings. The two eventually ended their relationship, a marriage that lasted twelve years. Ike Turner had not only been abusing drugs but had a hard hand towards women, including Tina. From age seventeen, when she started her relationship with Ike, she had been under a whirlwind of phsycological and physical abuse that now their relationship was over it was a different kind of whirlwind experience to face. One with a different kind of vulnerability of not being beaten down, but being on your own after building a career with a duo. A lifestyle of learning to trust and what the exactly was again and how to do it, all while throwing caution to the wind, because that what you have to do as a performer sometimes.
As mentioned in this article Tina Turner had been pumping through the veins and arteries of musicians from across the globe, and those in the likes of Rod Stewart and Mick Jagger. After a short cabaret career in Las Vegas, solo albums, and a first solo tour, Tina Turner had found her way performing with Rod Stewart on Saturday Night Live then asked to open for him on his U.S Tour. Later on she opened three shows for The Rolling Stones, became the first African American Women to have a video on MTV, and gained a contract with Capitol Records. Turner swept the Grammy's in 1984 with the success of her solo album Private Dancer.
Success continued to follow Tina, as she performed at Live Aid with Mick Jagger, released a best selling memoirs on the brutal truth of her life, that also took an in-depth look at the abuse of Ike Turner, as well as an attempted sucicide in the late sixties. Tina and Ike Turner were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, recognized by the Kennedy Center Honors, and has won numerous Grammy's and awards since- including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Currently Tina Turner is working on a biographical musical, Tina, which will release in Fall of 2019.
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| Photo By David Redferns |
Sources:
Ronnie Spector- Brooks, Daphne A. “Tina Turner: the Making of a Rock'n'roll Revolutionary.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 22 Mar. 2018, www.theguardian.com/music/2018/mar/22/tina-turner-the-making-of-a-rocknroll-revolutionary.
- “Tina Turner.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 16 Jan. 2019, www.biography.com/people/tina-turner-9512276.
- “Tina Turner.” Razor Tie Artery Foundation Announce New Joint Venture Recordings | Razor & Tie, Rovi Corporation, 2001, web.archive.org/web/20080618073142/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/tinaturner/biography.
If you were alive in the sixties you couldn't escape the sound of The Ronettes. From their hits "Be My Baby", "Baby, I Love You" and even providing the iconic vocals on classic Christmas songs that define most of our holiday memories. Before they were a worldwide success, before The Ronettes were the puppets on the strings of the hand of Phil Spector, and before the girl group from Spanish Harlem culture of New York were opening and even forming a relationship with The Beatles, these girls where a trio called the Darling Sisters comprised of Estelle Bennett, Nedra Talley, and lead singer Veronica Yvette Bennett.
Veronica (nicknamed Ronnie), grew an infatuation for the art of singing as her parents persuaded her and her older sister Estelle to use their voices throughout their childhood. She had found her stage presence while jumping around on home furniture during family events where her, Estelle, and cousin Nedra would learn how to harmonize. Ronnie soon was hooked on the sounds of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, even gathering four of her relatives, Estelle, Nedra, their cousins Elaine, Diane and Ira to singing the song made famous by Lymon, "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" at an amateur show put on at the Apollo Theatre. During the performance Ira, was riddled with stage-fright and...
Ronnie Spector
"I strutted out across the stage, singing as loud as I could," Ronnie later recalled. "When I finally heard a few hands of scattered applause, I sang even louder. That brought a little more applause, which was all I needed." - Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness.After the show Elaine, Diane and Ida left the group leaving the trio Taking singing lessons, the trio began performing at local sock hops, parties, and bah mitzvahs until they met Phil Halikus whom introduced them to Stu Phillips, producer of Colpix Records. On this new deal, the group, now known as Ronnie and The Relatives, released their first two singles by January 1962. The singles failed in charts and later on when the group dropped the name Ronnie and The Relatives and changed to The Ronettes, their next two singles on Colpix flopped as well.
However, their story was just about to begin. Ronnie and The Realitves (then The Ronettes) soon became a household name at New York's Peppermint Lounge to dance the Twist and occasionally sing. They were flown to Miami to open a new branch of the Pepper Lounge franchise when they were introduced to Murray the K, whom soon promoted them at the Fox lounge as dancers, to back-up singers, to sporting and representing the iconic Ronette look and style of bold eyeliner, and high, thick hair.
It was by 1963 with little fate in Colpix Records, that The Ronettes had signed on Phil Spector's record, Philles.
With Phil Spector The Ronettes had gained massive success with songs "Be My Baby", "(The Best Part of) Breaking Up", "Walking In The Rain", and more. While recording with Spector, the girls recorded dozens of songs that were held unreleased for decades, and those that would never see the light of day. Phil had the girls record covers of "The Twist", "Mashed Potato Time", "Hot Pastrami", all tracks that would later be released but credited to another Spector girl group, The Crystals.
In 1966, The Ronettes, on top of the world, were playing gigs with Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones (Keith favoriting Ronnie Bennett in his autobiography, Life), and was personally asked by The Beatles to open for them for fifteen shows on their tour.
The Ronettes said goodbye to the Philles label in 1967 after a tour in England. Their last song was "I Can Hear Music", which would not be known as a hit for the girl group but later a hit for The Beach Boys. As internal issues within the group began to surface The Ronettes broke up in the late sixties. Phil Spector would continue to hold the groups previous unreleased recordings.
The Following is The Ronettes "Be My Baby" via Youtube. Link here.
In 1968, Ronnie Bennett became known as Ronnie Spector as she married Phil, one of the reasons of the groups demise.
"I was the one who flew out to California and sang lead on all our records. I was the one deejays wanted to talk to. And I was the one o fgewqa¸ ur producer was in love with, which meant I get the preferential treatment in all kinds of other ways which (quite understandably) drove them crazy." - Ronnie Spector, Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness.
Throughout the seventies, Ronnie had recorded with Jimi Hendrix ("Earth Blues"), Southside Johnny with Bruce Springsteen on backing vocals ("You Mean So Much To Me"), nominated for a Grammy with her duet with Eddie Money ("Take Me Home Tonight"), even had a song written about her by fellow New Yorker, Billy Joel ("Say Goodbye To Hollywood"). Her first solo album finally came out in 1980.
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| Stevie Van Zandt, Ronnie Spector, Bruce Springsteen, Johnny Lyon (Southside Johnny) |
In 1972 Ronnie made her escape. She was living with her husband in a mansion in Southern California with reportedly a gold casket in the basement. A casket that represented a threat that if Ronnie had ever left Phil he would be sure to kill her. Following the comment with something like, "if you're dead I can keep an eye on you". You see, in the sixties Ronnie became an infatuation, the love in the eyes of the Rolling Stones, The Beatles, the world. Phil Spector made his mark, steal her shoes so she couldn't leave. Even stories that when she was allowed out she had to drive around with a life size mock-up dummy of Phil himself, cigarette hanging from the lips and all. When she discussed leaving him, Phil adopted twins, human children, for Ronnie as a Christmas present, persuading...manipulating her to stay. During this time living under the barbed wired, "security" of her home, she began drinking heavily, which lead to boldly attending AA meetings. In 1974 the couple legally divorced with a settlement of Ronnie forfeiting all of her future recording earnings from all of those unreleased records Phil had been hoarding.
In 1988 The Ronettes, including Ronnie, sued Phil Spector for income he was making from licensing The Ronettes music, leaving the beehived beauts of his past with nothing. The legal battle lingered for fifteen years with multiple reversals of lower courts who favored The Ronettes. It was brought to the attention that under contract, dating back to 1963, Phil had unconditional rights for their recordings. However, Ronnie was offered her royalties lost in the couples divorce that she had forfeited, and the final outcome had Phil owe The Ronettes 1.5 million dollars.
Now as a Vocal Group Hall of Fame member, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee with The Ronettes, having her vocals for "Be My Baby" in the Library of Congress as work of historical and cultural significance, then the same song was Billboards #1 Greatest Girl Group Song in 2017. Ronnie has published a book in details of her life throughout pop culture, Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness. She also, had a one-woman show, Beyond the Beehive, that dominated the New York scene and following that success to the the UK.
Her striking look of highlighted eyes, heavy hair, and hip shaking vibrations lead Ronnie Spector out of the suburbs of New York and into a world of rock and rollers, of racial disputes, of marriage disputes. She has perfected one of the most iconic voices and looks in music history that had gone on to inspire magnitudes of musicians from Billy Joel, The Beach Boys, Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles for heavens sake! The beehive style and pronounced eyeliner became an inspiration for later sensation, and later "hero" to Ronnie herself, Amy Winehouse.
Sources:
- Music Ladyland. “1950s Female Artists - The Ronettes.” Music Ladyland, 23 Mar. 2015, www.musicladyland.com/bands/the-ronettes.html.
- Anson, Robert Sam. “Legend with a Bullet.” The Hive, Vanity Fair, 27 Mar. 2015, www.vanityfair.com/news/2003/06/spector200306. <---- Highly recommended for those interested in the abusive relationship of Phil Spector.
- Bio.” Ronnie Spector, www.ronniespector.com/new-page.
- Staff, MOJO. “Ronnie Spector: ‘Amy Winehouse Saved Me!".” Mojo, Mojo, 29 Jan. 2015, www.mojo4music.com/articles/18704/ronnie-spector-amy-winehouse-saved.
- PhilSpectorVEVO. “The Ronettes - Be My Baby (Audio).” YouTube, YouTube, 7 June 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV5tgZlTEkQ.
- Spector, Ronnie, and Vince Waldron. Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness, or My Life as a Fabulous Ronette. Word in Edgewise Books, 2015
Carol Kaye
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| Source: Twitter |
You've heard Ritchie Valens upbeat take on "La Bamba" fusing his Mexican roots with the attitude of the times, rock'n'roll. The heart-grieving but lust of the Righteous Brother's harmonies on "You've Lost The Loving Feeling". You have most likely strutted to Nancy Sinatra's threatening "These Boots Are Made For Walking", Or tried to hit the high notes on The Beach Boys most compelling songs like "Good Vibrations", . Maybe you're all knew to these songs and the rock'n'roll phenomenon that once swept the earths core, well if that's the case, you may remember first woman rocker mentioned on this article, Tina Turner and the anticipated hit "River Deep, Mountain High". These songs are just used as a lick for the several course meal, the feast that session musician, Carol Kaye, would contribute to- adding a dash of her flawless, revolutionary style to each dish served on a vinyl plate.
Carol Smith was born March 24, 1935 (already on the right path for rock'n'roll, as 1935 gave us Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Ronnie Hawkins), in the Washington state town, Everett. Unlike other female rockers who we've looked at who had the desire of music that was nurtured in chapel or church seatings, or a passion that was brewing and had to enduring rock bottom before they climbed their way to world renowned status, Carol Smith was born into a family with both parents as musicians. At the age of thirteen she was given her first guitar, a steel string from her mother. Just a year later she had mastered the vibrations, frets, sounds and feels of the guitar's body and mind that she was teaching guitar lessons.
The love of music ran through her veins and DNA, a DNA dynamic that wasn't always blissful like the musical family The Partridge Family. Carol recalled her father often being abusive but music was the one thing that could calm the hostile hand and bring the family together again. Taking the energy and infatuation with music, Carol Kaye found her self playing in local jazz clubs on the Los Angeles club circuit after her family moved to Wilmington, California. She backed names like Lenny Bruce, Bob Neal's jazz group, Billy Higgins, Teddy Edwards and Jack Sheldon. In the mid-50s she began touring with the Henry Busse Orchestra.
In 1957, Carol had already endeavored her first marriage and divorce with two children where she had adopted the name Kaye. During one of her performances she was approached by producer Robert Blackwell whom asked her to play on Sam Cooke's "Summertime". This recording was a career change for Carol as she decided to follow the money and become a full-time session musician, taking hiatus from the jazz club scene.
Her connections in the music industry began to boom during the time she recorded with Ritchie Valen's on the worldwide phenomenon "La Bamba" with Gold Star Records. During the session she worked with up and coming producer, Phil Spector, who gave her work with The Crystals, The Righteous Brothers, Bob B. Soxx and The Blue Jeans. Her guitar work was impeccable but nothing compared to the steady, but playful hand she provided when asked if she could play bass. She made the decision she wanted to be a bass player primarily and not a guitar in 1963.
During this time Carol Kaye had also became a staple amongst a crew of other session musicians, later coined as "The Wrecking Crew" from session drummer Hal Blaine. The Wrecking Crew, also known as "The Clique", or "The First Call Gang", were a loose group of jazz and classical musicians in Los Angeles whom would record dozens upon dozens Top 40 hits throughout the 60s and 70s, as well as film scores and television themes. The group consisted of members that included Glen Campbell, Leon Russell, Earl Palmer, even Teddy Tedesco- and that's just to name a few. In a group dominated by men, Carol Kaye had managed to become a dominating force in the free-lance session game, using her strong opinionated mind and wit to remind the room that she may be built differently than the others but her talent, passion and drive was just as high as theirs and to be taken just as serious- because after all music isn't necessarily male or female. A bass is still a bass whether its being plucked by a male or a female. But just to clarify, the Wrecking Crew was not a band,
"Yeah, but there wasn't really a set bunch of people in that ensemble. I know Hal called it The Wrecking Crew, but we never called it that, nor were there only so many people in the gang. There was never a band. Never. Different people were used for different dates. If we called the group of musicians anything, it might have been 'The Clique.'"The group of people that Hal is referring to wasn't some small little thing, it was more like 50 or 60 people, all of them the premier players in Los Angeles at the time. We were totally freelance, and we never worked at the same time." - Carol Kaye, in Interview with Joe Bosso, 2011The following "The Beat Goes On" by Sonny & Cher, a song which was one song Carol Kaye claims made her recognize just how important the bass can be in a song. Video via Youtube. Link here .
At a period in the sixties, she was the most sought after bass player for television, films, music, and other works. Her discography spans from Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Barbara Streisand, Simon and Garfunkel, The Monkees, Cher and some of her most notably playing being when she caught the attention of Beach Boys Brian Wilson, having her record on the Beach Boys Today! Summer Days (and Summer Nights!), Pet Sounds, and even Wilson later album Smile. During Pet Sounds, an album that redefined the sound of the sixties, her bass playing was brought forward on tracks like "Sloop John B." and "Wouldn't It Be Nice". Beatles bass player and well, living legend himself, Paul McCartney once said,
"It was Pet Sounds that blew me out of the water. I love the album so much. I’ve just bought my kids each a copy of it for their education in life ... I figure no one is educated musically ‘til they’ve heard that album ... I love the orchestra, the arrangements ... it may be going overboard to say it’s the classic of the century ... but to me, it certainly is a total, classic record that is unbeatable in many ways ... I’ve often played Pet Sounds and cried. I played it to John so much that it would be difficult for him to escape the influence ... it was the record of the time. The thing that really made me sit up and take notice was the bass lines ... and also, putting melodies in the bass line. That I think was probably the big influence that set me thinking when we recorded Pepper, it set me off on a period I had then for a couple of years of nearly always writing quite melodic bass lines. ‘God Only Knows’ is a big favorite of mine ... very emotional, always a bit of a choker for me, that one. On ‘You Still Believe in Me,’ I love that melody - that kills me ... that’s my favorite, I think ... it’s so beautiful right at the end ... comes surging back in these multi-colored harmonies ... sends shivers up my spine.”Ironically, talking about education on Pet Sounds, when he was listening to the album he always thought it was Brian Wilson on bass and not Carol Kaye.
After the frenzy of the 60s, the burnt out long hour days that turned into long hour nights, Kaye decided to slow down. She was still a mother to her children, had bills to pay and need to refuel if she was going to burn the midnight oil again. During this time Kaye wrote her first book, How To Play Electric Bass. She also took this time to delve more into film and television, continuing with her works that spanfrom the iconic bomp- bomp- bomp of the sixties Mission: Impossible theme, as well as the themes for M.A.S.H, Hawaii Five-O, and Shaft. Her playing can be heard on The Brady Bunch, Cannon, Wonder Woman, and several other film and movie productions. She worked with Quincy Jones on numerous occasions as well.
The Following is a video Via Youtube of the Mission:Impossible theme. Link Here.
In 1976, after being on tour with Joe Pass and Hampton Hawkes, Kaye was involved in a car accident which lead to another hiatus from the music scene, only performing on a few occasions, including J.J Cales album Shades. She would later, in 1994, undergo surgery stemming from the accident and would begin playing and recording again, including reconnecting with Brian Wilson for the album The Wilsons.
Kaye's legacy cannot be put into an article, especially one this short. She has reportly played on 10,000 recordings! We didn't delve into her work with Frank Zappa, Ray Charles, Barbara Streisand, her other writing works and film adventures. The more jazz side of Kaye's playing, and a deeper look at the session recordings she was involved in. Musicians like Carol Kaye are hard to find and only come once in a life- maybe once in a human race and the next evolution will have their own Carol Kaye adaptation, but even that evolved specimen surely wouldn't be able to touch the work Carol has done.
".. women like... Fender bass player Carol Kaye... could do anything and leave men in the dust."- Quincy Jones, QSources:
- Murphy, Bill. “Forgotten Heroes: Carol Kaye.” Premier Guitar, Premier Guitar, 16 July 2013, www.premierguitar.com/articles/Forgotten_Heroes_Carol_Kaye.
- “The Official Carol Kaye Web Site.” The Official Carol Kaye Web Site, www.carolkaye.com/.
- Bosso, Joe. “Interview: Carol Kaye - the Queen of Bass.” MusicRadar, MusicRadar The No.1 Website for Musicians, 24 Oct. 2011, www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/interview-carol-kaye-the-queen-of-bass-508217.
- “SONNY & CHER ‘THE BEAT GOES ON’ (1967) ORIGINAL RECORDING.” YouTube, YouTube, 28 Apr. 2011, www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfbmjUQOFxs.
- “‘Who Played That Theme?" #29 - ‘Mission: Impossible’ (1966).” YouTube, YouTube, 12 July 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmwlAsP2eY8.
Carole King
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| via BandsinTown |
Carol Joan Klein was born February 9, 1942 to a need to help everyone, firefighting father and an ambitious, English major mother turned keeper of the house. Growing up Carole recalls her father's job requiring him to be gone for several days and nights but on days he was home the trio would venture to Coney Island. It was on Coney Island that she had her first experience recording.
"But the thing I remember most about Coney Island is Daddy, Mommy, and me crowded into one of those primitive audio recording booths to record my voice on a black acetate disc so they could preserve the moment for posterity. That was my first recording experience. I no longer have that disc, but I still remember my three-year-old baby voice saying, “My name is Carol Joan Klein, and I live at 2466 East 24th Street in Brooklyn, New York.” I sang “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” And then I began to cry." -Carole King, A Natural Woman
At the age of four Carole had possessed the talent of matching absolute pitch and by the age of ten she was already an accomplished pianist. Throughout her teenage years Carole King had written a plethora of songs and melodies, which she would later own her talent of pitch and melody with her high school vocal group, The Co-Sines. It was also while attending James Madison High School Carole changed her name from Klein to King.
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| Carole and Gerry. Via pophistorydig.com |
After leaving their position as a full time student the pair became full time parents as well as each taking full time jobs; Carole a secretary and Gerry an assistant chemist. After a long day at work the pair would come home and fall into music to write together. It was with their determination and strong work ethic that the two would soon write a #1 Hit, 'Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" in 1961, and quit their jobs picking up phones and talking about elements to pursue song writing full-time.
The duo impressed and signed with The Man with the Golden Ear, Mr. Don Kirshner. Throughout the 60s the couple wrote songs that stand the test of time. Songs that continue to stir the pot, crushing the flakes of bay leaves and spices that lie there adding stronger but classic flavors to the sauce. These songs would be recorded by the likes of The Drifters, The Monkees, The Ronettes, Herman's Hermits, Bobby Vee, The Righteous Brothers, Aretha Franklin, and others. Their songs were then re-recorded by artist and bands like Aaron Neville, The Carpenters, Dion Celine, The Beatles, the list goes on and continues to do so.
To date, more than 400 of her compositions have been recorded by more than 1,000 artists, resulting in 100 hit singles. -From Carole King's websiteThe Following video (Via Youtube) is Goffin-King's song "Locomotion" Link here.
In 1968, after writing dozens upon dozens of love songs Gerry and Carol had divorced. King and their two daughters moved to Laurel California conquering the music scene on the west coast. She started a trio by the name The City with Charles Larkey and Danny Kortchmar. The group released a single that wasn't as well received as they had hoped until the following decade when it was rediscovered and was given more radio air time.
After The City, King had married bandmate Charles Larkey, and had embarked on her own solo journey all while playing alongside some of musics biggest names such as James Taylor and Joni Mitchell. James Taylor provide back up vocals for Kings first solo album after her break from Goffin, the 1970 album Writer. The album had put Carole back in charts, placing at #84 in Billboards top 200 list.
In 1971, King had released what is often seen as as the highlight of her career, Tapestry. Tapestry, well I'll let Carole King's official website explain it;
Carole's 1971 solo album, Tapestry, took her to the pinnacle. While she was recording Tapestry, James Taylor recorded King’s “You’ve Got A Friend,” taking the song all the way to No. 1. In a first for a female writer/artist, Tapestry spawned four GRAMMY Awards® — Record, Song and Album Of The Year as well as Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female honors for Carole. With more than 25 million units sold worldwide, Tapestry remained the best-selling album by a female artist for a quarter century, and Carole went on to amass three other platinum and eight gold albums. Tapestry was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame® in 1998.Following the success of Tapestry came Music, another chart topping, intact a platinum record for King. The following years provided consecutive well-received albums; Rhymes and Reasons, Fantasy, and Wrap Around Joy, all gold albums!
In 1987 Carole King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as the partnership Goffin-King (but as we have seen this year, with the distinctive Stevie Nicks- whom we'll get to very shortly on Brush Cutters- women are now being inducted twice into the Hall of Fame. Be patient, Carole. Your time is coming). She also worked on soundtracks, as well as made cameo appearances on television shows. In 1988 she starred in the off-broadway play, A Minor Incident and in 1994 she was back in theatre in Blood Brothers. Instead of being in the musicals themselves, Carole King is now main focus on Broadways, current, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical .
Carole King has released a memoir, Natural Women, in 2012 and also received a star on Hollywoods Walk of Fame the same year. In 2013, she became the first female singer-songwriter to be honored in the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song category, also earned an Honorary Doctorate from Berklee School of Music. 2014 earned King the title of MusiCares Person of the Year and a year later she was honored as a Kennedy Center Honoree.
Carole King is rock and roll, she is soul, she is pop, she is feelings, emotions, everything that is joy, everything that brings you comfort in the time you need it most, that is Carole King. As a piano player, a music writer for some of the most influential songs of all time, King went to show the world that she not only can write music but can sing, and write lyrics that are empowering and hold substance. Her realness, raw, and vulnerability but also her spunk, resilience, and class put Carole King as one of the redefining women of Rock and Roll.
The Below video (Via Youtube) is Carole King Live 1971, "I Feel The Earth Move" Link here.
- Carole King, www.caroleking.com/.
- “Carole King.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 3 Mar. 2016, www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/carole-king-timeline/5843/.
- Ferry, Ellen. “Carole King.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 7 Feb. 2019, www.britannica.com/biography/Carole-King.
- King, Carole. A Natural Woman. Grand Central Publishing, 2012.
