Black Innovators in Music
By Kimberly Seals
Black artists have undeniably shaped and influenced the landscape of music worldwide. You would be hard pressed to find a genre of music that hasn’t been created, improved, or touched by black creatives in some way. This Black History Month, let’s celebrate some of the innovators of music!
Sister Roseta Tharpe
Sister Roseta Tharpe, born in 1915, was one of the architects of rock n roll during the 1940’s. She was a trailblazer and innovator in more ways than one. She broke color lines throughout her career and regularly challenged gendered expectations. Her blend of blues and gospel combined with her hard hitting electric guitar shaped rock n roll as a genre, and Sister Roseta Tharpe became one of the first true “rock stars”. Today, she is known as the “godmother of rock n roll”, and she was very deservedly inducted into the rock n roll hall of fame in 2018.
Francis Nicholls Jr.
Francis Nicholls Jr, professionally known as Frankie Knuckles, was a DJ and producer who pioneered the evolution of disco to house music. Born in 1955, Frankie came up in the ballroom scene of New York. In the late 1970’s he moved to Chicago, where he developed house music and the groundwork for electronic and dance music culture.
Clive Campbell (DJ Cool Herc)
Clive Campbell was born in Jamaica in 1955, and migrated to the Bronx, New York when he was 12. Like Frankie Knuckles, Clive, professionally known as DJ Cool Herc, also used technology to innovate in music. He is credited with creating break-beat DJing, the act of isolating and repeating the break of a song. This style is what became the backbone of hip-hop.
Why we Celebrate
The above artists are just a few of many who have helped to shape our music, culture, and society. Appreciating and celebrating the artistry of others, both our peers and those who came before us, is how we develop into rich unexplored territory!
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