Black History Month: Influential African American Singers with Awesome voices

[smahala1991]

In the 1950's and 1960's the Civil Rights Era was gaining momentum throughout the US. Jim Crow was finally being brought down. One of the biggest influences was music. Here are some great Black singers who had great voices.

Ben E King

Sam Cooke

Ray Charles

Louis Armstrong

Etta James

Otis Redding

Charley Pride

Aretha Franklin

Clyde McPhatter

Brook Benton

Darius Rucker

Beyonce Knowles

These are only a FEW of the many talented African American artists who influenced music. If I didn't list one you like feel free to mention them but, don't be like where's so and so or how about etc...

#BlackHistoryMonth

[Electric_Dreams]

Yes you given a shout out to the wonderful Sam Cooke and Otis Redding! Sam Cooke's death was mega suspicious. Now check this lesser known great song by Otis...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKv0W_HaP2M

This song is everything that was great about Otis.

But, there were an often under appreciated fella' called Arthur Alexander. Do you know who he is? Such good tunes AND he wrote numerous songs that went on to be huge hits covered by others. Great song writer. Check it..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RosiKzxRJghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c7Z4k-_JyI&list=PLYdbzPWX1nDP5SsU3MFT_k8lewKk7l5-khttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4-2pRMgXzUhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rHcvYa93sUhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN0x180tG0whttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR0-PW0YLkA

Oh and check this classic..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_SXJ18EkNw

These lasses are less black, a little Native-American n' Irish like, but significantly black...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV5tgZlTEkQ

[Electric_Dreams]

Thanks GAG for actually embedding ALL the videos properly.

Anyway...

Four Tops though. Mate they was boss. Especially this first one is the shit hot hot shit!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnDm3qr1Knk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wYoLQc-x5g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3bksUSPB4c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pVM00eoohI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeuchNoc0y8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joqjBAJx4ZA

Temptations...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swSytFVMHuU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNn361umypM

Oh check this I KNOW YOU WANNA' LEAVE ME BUT I REFUS TO LET YOU GO, IF I HAVE TO BEG AND PLEAD FOR YOUR SYMPATHY I DON'T MIND 'CAUSE YOU MEAN THAT MUCH TO ME, AIN'T TOO PROUD TO BEG...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s0TkufXA38

[Electric_Dreams]

Oh yay thanks GAG for embedding ALL the videos properly again!

My favourite band Dexys Midnight Runners covered these next few songs, introduced me to a few of them before I hit up the originals...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3ZRDeKLyqk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYTqTPmTZ0o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AREppyQf5uw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvC9V_lBnDQ

That's right Otis Redding was the first to record RESPECT

I love that there is such an overwhelming abundance of Black American musicians throughout this period that had tremendous influence, popularity, success. It's so satisfying given the way Black Americans were still treated at this time but the ultimate truth that can never be taken away from them is that they were better and more influential in music, they are better at football, better at basketball, better at track sports. One of the great American traditional sports is now dominated by talented Black Americans hahaha! Love it.

And back to the music, dear gosh these talented musicians really stuck it to the narrow and feeble minded white Americans (not to say all White Americans were, I'm saying they stuck it to those that were).

It's a shame the direction music has gone in now. These people were pioneers in amazing genres such as blues, jazz, R&B, soul... their descendants pioneered rap.. trap.. garage... grime... errr grime.. ewwwww.. if you want to try and defend let me remind you that many attack or murder each other because of hostilities arising directly from this ridiculous music. Stupid.

[Electric_Dreams]

Oh, some of them have now embedded properly just a little later...

[RolandCuthbert]

A young little lady put me on to old Sam Cooke. I downloaded as many of his songs as I could to my phone.

Thanks for the take.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfdBGieMR04

[kira992]

I liked James Brown and this song, "It's a Man's World"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb-B3lsgEfA

[Sixgun77]

John Lee Hooker is my favorite blues man.
Robert Cray has a very good voice.
Chuck Berry had a big part in rock and roll being invented (in my opinion)
Howling Wolf and Muddy Waters are favorites.
I liked seeing Sam Cooke and Ben E. King on this list.

[wankiam]

for me being a singer is one thing but i prefer the likes of k-rino because he actually has something to say

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0E3jCf77uk8

[Barrabus_the_Free]

Beyonce does not belong on the same list with the likes of Louis Armstrong, Aretha Franklin, and Ray Charles. Simply being black and 'singing' does not put her ANYWHERE near their league. If you needed another black woman, there are plenty of other choices. Hell, Tina Turner would have been a vastly better choice than Bubblegum Pop Bullshit Black Girl.

Other than that, good take. It's been a while since I listened to Aretha, Ray, or Louis.

[madhatters4]

good list. i'd add must haves like ella fitzgerald, sarah vaughan and the amazing billy holiday

[Liam_Hayden]

Billy Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and one of my all-time favorites Mavis Staples of the Staple Singers, the voice of the Civil Rights Movement. Her dad, "Pops" was pretty cool, too:

https://youtu.be/RcFvyp8SlLA

[SirRexington]

I never listen to any of this stuff. Not my style at all. But they changed the game musicals, black or not. Gotta give them that.

[ChiPaPa]

I like a lot of them. I am a fan of Darius Rucker, but only when he was with Hootie and the blowfish.

[LuvAsh]

What about Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, James brown, etc

Anyways i loved the mytake. Thanks for sharing!!

[Nadim171]

Isn't Michael Jackson white?

[LuvAsh]

No... he is black

[Thotkiana]

😂😂😂😂

[Nadim171]

www.google.com/search

How is this black 😂

[LuvAsh]

Look at his earlier years. He has a skin disease but when he was younger he was black! U obviously don't know what ur talking about...

[LuvAsh]

I just realized u are 13😂😂 that explains why u don't know.

[Nadim171]

Oh... jesus you're right I'm sorry I didn't know he just changed his skin color then. Well then... he's like half black half white lol

[davidnoxier]

Lol this is so funny

[Curmudgeon]

Beyonce and Darius Rucker were not in that time period, and accordingly do not belong there, however talented both may be.

[EmbraceThePain]

Ben E. King’s “Spanish Harlem” is so good

[smahala1991]

I can see where Jimmy Buffett got the opening melody for Margaritaville from

[ImFromReddit]

My dad looks like Darius Rucker.

[Marti434]

Great discussion, thanks for sharing!