name	Rhythm and blues
color	white
bgcolor	#0000E1
stylistic origins	JazzBlues (esp., jump, electric)Gospel
cultural origins	1940s–1950s, USA
instruments	Drum kit – Double bass – Saxophone – Horns – Piano – Organ – Electric guitar – Vocals – Background vocalists
popularity	Significant from 1940s to 1960s; iconic afterwards
derivatives	Funk – Ska – Soul – Rock and roll – Reggae - Disco later: Beat music - Power pop - Psychedelic rock - Garage rock - Pub rock (UK) - Mod revival
subgenres	Contemporary R&B; – Smooth jazz
fusiongenres	Rockabilly
local scenes	New Orleans R&B;
other topics	List of R&B; musicians, British Invasion, Mod (lifestyle) }}

Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B;, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a heavy, insistent beat" was becoming more popular.

The term has subsequently had a number of shifts in meaning. In the early 1950s and beyond, the term ''rhythm and blues'' was frequently applied to blues records. Starting in the 1950s, after this style of music contributed to the development of rock and roll, the term "R&B;" became used to refer to music styles that developed from and incorporated electric blues, as well as gospel and soul music. By the 1970s, ''rhythm and blues'' was used as a blanket term for soul and funk. In the 1980s, a newer style of R&B; developed, becoming known as contemporary R&B;.

Etymology

Jerry Wexler of ''Billboard'' magazine coined the term "rhythm and blues" in 1948 as a musical marketing term in the United States. It replaced the term "race music", which originally came from within the black community, but was deemed offensive in the postwar world. The term "rhythm and blues" was used by ''Billboard'' in its chart listings from June 1949 until August 1969, when its "Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles" chart was renamed as "Best Selling Soul Singles".

Writer/producer Robert Palmer defined rhythm & blues as "a catchall term referring to any music that was made by and for black Americans". He has used the term "R&B;" as a synonym for jump blues. However, Allmusic separates it from jump blues because of its stronger, gospel-esque backbeat. Lawrence Cohn, author of ''Nothing but the Blues'', writes that "rhythm and blues" was an umbrella term invented for industry convenience. According to him, the term embraced all black music except classical music and religious music, unless a gospel song sold enough to break into the charts. Well into the 21st Century, the term R&B; continues in use (in some contexts) to categorize music made by black musicians, as distinct from styles of music made by other musicians.

In the commercial rhythm and blues music typical of the 1950's through the 1970's, the bands usually consisted of piano, one or two guitars, bass, drums, and saxophone. Arrangements were rehearsed to the point of effortlessness and were sometimes accompanied by background vocalists. Simple repetitive parts mesh, creating momentum and rhythmic interplay producing mellow, lilting, and often hypnotic textures while calling attention to no individual sound. While singers are emotionally engaged with the lyrics, often intensely so, they remain cool, relaxed, and in control. Bands dressed in suits, and even uniforms, a practice associated with the modern popular music that rhythm and blues performers aspired to dominate. Lyrics often seemed fatalistic, and the music typically followed predictable patterns of chords and structure.

History

Precursors

The migration of African Americans to the urban industrial centers of Chicago, Detroit, New York, Los Angeles and elsewhere in the 1930s created a new market for jazz, blues, and related genres of music, often performed by full-time musicians, either working alone or in small groups. The precursors of rhythm and blues came from jazz and blues, which overlapped in the 1930s through the work of musicians such as The Harlem Hamfats, with their 1936 hit "Oh Red", as well as Leroy Carr, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, and T-Bone Walker. There was also increasing emphasis on the electric guitar as a lead instrument, as well as the piano and saxophone.

Late 1940s

In 1948, RCA Victor was marketing black music under the name "Blues and Rhythm". In that year, Louis Jordan dominated the top five listings of the R&B; charts with three songs, and two of the top five songs were based on the boogie-woogie rhythms that had come to prominence during the 1940s. Jordan's band, the Tympany Five (formed in 1938), consisted of him on saxophone and vocals, along with musicians on trumpet, tenor saxophone, piano, bass and drums. Lawrence Cohn described the music as "grittier than his boogie-era jazz-tinged blues". Robert Palmer described it as "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a heavy, insistent beat". Jordan's cool music, along with that of Big Joe Turner, Roy Brown, Billy Wright, and Wynonie Harris, is now also referred to as jump blues. Also in 1948, Wynonie Harris' remake of Roy Brown's 1947 recording "Good Rockin' Tonight" hit the charts in the #2 spot, following band leader Sonny Thompson's "Long Gone" at #1.

In 1949, the term "Rhythm and Blues" replaced the Billboard category ''Harlem Hit Parade''. Also in that year, "The Huckle-Buck", recorded by band leader and saxophonist Paul Williams, was the #1 R&B; tune, remaining on top of the charts for nearly the entire year. Written by musician and arranger Andy Gibson, the song was described as a "dirty boogie" because it was risque and raunchy. Paul Williams and His Hucklebuckers' concerts were sweaty riotous affairs that got shut down on more than one occasion. Their lyrics, by Roy Alfred (who later co-wrote the 1955 hit "(The) Rock and Roll Waltz"), were mildly sexually suggestive, and one teenager from Philadelphia said "That Hucklebuck was a very nasty dance". Also in 1949, a new version of a 1920s blues song, "Ain't Nobody's Business" was a #4 hit for Jimmy Witherspoon, and Louis Jordan and the Tympany Five once again made the top 5 with "Saturday Night Fish Fry". Many of these hit records were issued on new independent record labels, such as Savoy (founded 1942), King (founded 1943), Imperial (founded 1945), Specialty (founded 1946), Chess (founded 1947), and Atlantic (founded 1948).

Early to mid 1950s

Johnny Otis, who had signed with the Newark, New Jersey-based Savoy Records, produced many R&B; hits in 1951, including: "Double Crossing Blues", "Mistrustin' Blues" and "Cupid's Boogie", all of which hit number one that year. Otis scored ten top ten hits that year. Other hits include: "Gee Baby", "Mambo Boogie" and "All Nite Long". The Clovers, a vocal trio who sang a distinctive sounding combination of blues and gospel, had the #5 hit of the year with "Don't You Know I Love You" on Atlantic Records. Also in July 1951, Cleveland, Ohio DJ Alan Freed started a late-night radio show called "The Moondog Rock Roll House Party" on WJW-AM (850). Freed's show was sponsored by Fred Mintz, whose R&B; record store had a primarily African American clientele. Freed began referring to the rhythm and blues music he played as "rock and roll".

In 1951, Little Richard Penniman began recording for RCA Records in the jump blues style of late 1940s stars Roy Brown and Billy Wright. However, it wasn't until he prepared a demo in 1954, that caught the attention of Specialty Records, that the world would start to hear his new, uptempo, funky rhythm and blues that would catapult him to fame in 1955 and help define the sound of rock 'n' roll. A rapid succession of rhythm and blues hits followed, beginning with "Tutti Frutti" and "Long Tall Sally", which would influence performers such as James Brown, Elvis Presley, and Otis Redding.

Ruth Brown on the Atlantic label, placed hits in the top 5 every year from 1951 through 1954: "Teardrops from My Eyes", "Five, Ten, Fifteen Hours", "(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean" and "What a Dream". Faye Adams's "Shake a Hand" made it to #2 in 1952. In 1953, the R&B; record-buying public made Willie Mae Thornton's original recording of Leiber and Stoller's "Hound Dog" the #3 hit that year. Ruth Brown was very prominent among female R&B; stars. Ruth Brown’s popularity most likely derived because of “her deeply rooted vocal delivery in African American tradition” That same year The Orioles, a doo-wop group, had the #4 hit of the year with "Crying in the Chapel".

Fats Domino made the top 30 of the pop charts in 1952 and 1953, then the top 10 with "Ain't That a Shame". Ray Charles came to national prominence in 1955 with "I Got a Woman". Big Bill Broonzy said of Charles' music: "He's mixing the blues with the spirituals... I know that's wrong."

In 1954 The Chords' "Sh-Boom" became the first hit to cross over from the R&B; chart to hit the top 10 early in the year. Late in the year, and into 1955, "Hearts of Stone" by The Charms made the top 20.

At Chess Records in the spring of 1955, Bo Diddley's debut record "Bo Diddley"/"I'm A Man" climbed to #2 on the R&B; charts and popularized Bo Diddley's own original rhythm and blues beat that would become a mainstay in rock and roll.

At the urging of Leonard Chess at Chess Records, Chuck Berry had reworked a country fiddle tune with a long history, entitled "Ida Red". The resulting "Maybellene" was not only a #3 hit on the R&B; charts in 1955, but also reached into the top 30 on the pop charts. Alan Freed, who had moved to the much larger market of New York City, helped the record become popular with white teenagers. Freed had been given part of the writers' credit by Chess in return for his promotional activities; a common practice at the time.

Late 1950s

In 1956, an R&B; "Top Stars of '56" tour took place, with headliners Al Hibbler, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, and Carl Perkins, whose "Blue Suede Shoes" was very popular with R&B; music buyers. Some of the performers completing the bill were Chuck Berry, Cathy Carr, Shirley & Lee, Della Reese, the Cleftones, and the Spaniels with Illinois Jacquet's Big Rockin' Rhythm Band. Cities visited by the tour included Columbia, SC, Annapolis, MD, Pittsburgh, PA, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo, NY, into Canada, and through the mid Western US ending in Texas. In Columbia the concert ended with a near riot as Perkins began his first song as the closing act. Perkins is quoted as saying, "It was dangerous. Lot of kids got hurt. There was a lot of rioting going on, just crazy, man! The music drove 'em insane." In Annapolis 70,000 to 50,000 people tried to attend a sold out performance with 8,000 seats. Roads were clogged for seven hours.

Film makers took advantage of the popularity of "rhythm and blues" musicians as "rock n roll" musicians beginning in 1956. Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Big Joe Turner, The Treniers, The Platters, The Flamingos, all made it onto the big screen.

Two Elvis Presley records made the R&B; top five in 1957: "Jailhouse Rock"/"Treat Me Nice" at #1, and "All Shook Up" at #5, an unprecedented acceptance of a non-African American artist into a music category known for being created by blacks. Nat King Cole, a former jazz pianist who had had #1 and #2 hits on the pop charts in the early 1950s ("Mona Lisa" at #2 in 1950 and "Too Young" at #1 in 1951), had a record in the top 5 in the R&B; charts in 1958, "Looking Back"/"Do I Like It".

In 1959, two black-owned record labels, one of which would become hugely successful, made their debut: Sam Cooke's Sar, and Berry Gordy's Motown Records. Brook Benton was at the top of the R&B; charts in 1959 and 1960 with one #1 and two #2 hits. Benton had a certain warmth in his voice that attracted a wide variety of listeners, and his ballads led to comparisons with performers such as Cole, Sinatra and Tony Bennett. Lloyd Price, who in 1952 had a #1 hit with "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" regained predominance with a version of "Stagger Lee" at #1 and "Personality" at #5 for in 1959.

The white bandleader of the Bill Black Combo, Bill Black, who had helped start Elvis Presley's career, was popular with black listeners. Ninety percent of his record sales were from black people, and his "Smokey, Part 2" (1959) rose to the #1 position on black music charts. He was once told that "a lot of those stations still think you're a black group because the sound feels funky and black." Hi Records did not feature pictures of the Combo on early records.

1960s and later

Sam Cooke's #5 hit "Chain Gang" is indicative of R&B; in 1960, as is Chubby Checker's #5 hit "The Twist". By the early 1960s, the music industry category previously known as rhythm and blues was being called soul music, and similar music by white artists was labeled blue eyed soul. Motown Records had its first million-selling single in 1960 with The Miracles' "Shop Around", and in 1961, Stax Records had its first hit with Carla Thomas' "Gee Whiz! (Look at His Eyes)". Stax's next major hit, the Mar-Keys' instrumental "Last Night" (also released in 1961) introduced the rawer Memphis soul sound for which Stax became known. In Jamaica, R&B; influenced the development of ska.

By the 1970s, the term ''rhythm and blues'' was being used as a blanket term for soul, funk, and disco. Around the same time, earlier R&B; was an influence on British pub rock and later, the mod revival. Now the term ''R&B;'' is almost always used instead of the full ''rhythm and blues'', and mainstream use of the term usually refers to contemporary R&B;, which is a newer version of soul and funk-influenced pop music that originated as disco faded from popularity.

British rhythm and blues

British rhythm and blues developed in the early 1960s, largely as a response to the recordings of American artists, often brought over by African American servicemen stationed in Britain during the Cold War, or merchant seamen visiting ports such as London, Liverpool, Newcastle on Tyne and Belfast. Many bands, particularly in the developing London club scene, tried to emulate black rhythm and blues performers, resulting in a "rawer" or "grittier" sound than the more popular "beat groups". Initially developing out of the trad jazz, skiffle and folk club scenes, early artists tended to focus on major blues performers and standard forms, particularly Alexis Korner, who acted as a mentor to members of The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, Manfred Mann, the Graham Bond Organisation and The Kinks. Blues songs and influences continued to surface in the Rolling Stones' music in later years. Other London-based bands included the Yardbirds, the Kinks, Manfred Mann and the Pretty Things, beside more jazz-influenced acts like the Graham Bond Organisation, Georgie Fame and Zoot Money. As a result a number of bands emerged to fill this gap, including Small Faces, The Creation, and most successfully The Who. The Who's early promotional material tagged them as producing "maximum rhythm and blues", but by about 1966 they moved from attempting to emulate American R&B; to producing songs that reflected the Mod lifestyle. Many of these bands enjoyed national success in the UK, but found it difficult to break into the American market.

The British R&B; bands produced music which was very different in tone from that of African American artists, often with more emphasis on guitars and sometimes with greater energy. They have been criticised for exploiting the massive catalogue of African American music, but it has also been noted that they both popularised that music, bringing it to British, world and in some cases American audiences, and helping to build the reputation of existing and past rhythm and blues artists. Most of these bands rapidly moved on from recording and performing American standards to writing and recording their own music, often leaving their R&B; roots behind. Many helped pioneer psychedelic, and eventually progressive and hard rock, having a major influence of the nature and sound of rock music and meaning that rhythm and blues would be a major component of that sound.

See also

African American music

Music of the United States

Chitlin' Circuit

Rhythm and Blues Foundation

Urban contemporary gospel

List of number-one rhythm and blues hits (United States)

List of artists who reached number one on the Billboard R&B; chart

Museum of African American Music

References

Category:African American music Category:African-American culture Category:African American history ar:ريذم أند بلوز az:R&B; bn:রিদম এ্যান্ড ব্লুজ br:Rhythm and blues bg:Ритъм енд блус ca:Rhythm and blues cs:Rhythm and blues cy:Rhythm a blŵs da:Rhythm and blues de:Rhythm and Blues et:Rhythm and blues el:Rhythm and blues es:Rhythm and blues eo:Ritmenbluso fa:ریتم و بلوز hif:Rhythm and blues fr:Rhythm and blues fy:Rhythm and blues gl:Rhythm and blues ko:리듬 앤 블루스 hi:रिद्म एंड ब्लूज़ hr:Ritam i blues id:R&B; is:Ryþmablús it:Rhythm and blues he:רית'ם אנד בלוז ka:რიტმ ენდ ბლუზი sw:Rhythm na blues lv:R&B; lt:Ritmenbliuzas hu:Rhythm and blues mk:Ритам и Блуз ms:Rhythm and blues my:Rhythm and blues nl:Rhythm-and-blues ja:リズム・アンド・ブルース no:Rhythm and blues nn:Rhythm and blues pl:Rhythm and blues pt:Rhythm and blues ro:Muzică rhythm and blues ru:Ритм-н-блюз sah:R&B; sq:Rhythm and blues scn:Rhythm and blues simple:Rhythm and blues sk:Rhythm and blues sl:Ritem in blues sr:Ritam i bluz sh:Rhytm and blues fi:Rhythm and blues sv:Rhythm and blues tl:Rhythm and blues ta:ரிதம் அண்ட் புளூஸ் th:ริทึมแอนด์บลูส์ tr:Rhythm and Blues uk:Ритм-енд-блюз vi:Rhythm and blues yo:Orin Rhythm and blues bat-smg:Rėtmabliozos zh:节奏布鲁斯

name	R.B. Greaves
background	solo_singer
birth name	Ronald Bertram Aloysius Greaves III
born	November 28, 1944
origin	Georgetown, Guyana
instrument	Vocals
genre	Pop
occupation	Singer
years active	1969-197x
label	Atco, Bareback, Sunflower
associated acts	Sam Cooke
website	}}

Ronald Bertram Aloysius "R. B." Greaves III (born November 28, 1944, Georgetown, Guyana) is a singer who had chart success in 1969 with the pop single "Take a Letter Maria". A #2 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, this single sold one million copies and earned a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. Greaves also had a Top 40 pop hit a year later with "Always Something There to Remind Me".

Biography

Greaves was born in 1944 on the United States Air Force base at Georgetown, Guyana. A nephew of Sam Cooke, he grew up on a Seminole Indian reservation in the United States, but moved to England in 1963. Greaves had built a career both in the Caribbean and in Great Britain, where he performed under the name Sonny Childe with his group The TNTs. His debut single "Take a Letter Maria", released under the name R.B. Greaves, had been recorded by both Tom Jones and Stevie Wonder before the author recorded it himself at the insistence of Atlantic Records president Ahmet Ertegün, who produced it. The song is the story of a man who learns of his wife's infidelity the night before and dictates a letter of separation to "Maria", his ostensibly Hispanic secretary. The song has a distinct Latin flavor, complete with a mariachi-style horn section. This disc stayed in the Billboard chart for 15 weeks, selling a million copies with the gold record from the R.I.A.A. on 11 December 1969. By 1970 sales of the record totalled 2.5 million.

Greaves recorded a series of cover versions as follow-ups, including Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" and Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale". Greaves left the label in the 1970s in favor of Bareback Records, and then signed to Sunflower Records. His only chart release for the latter label was "Margie, Who's Watching the Baby".

Discography

Albums

Year	Album	Peak chart positions
		! width="45"	! width="45"
1969	''R.B. Greaves''	*Released: 1969	*Label: Atco Records	*Format: LP album	85	24

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions			RIAA	Album
		! width="45"	! width="45"	! width="45"
1969		2	10	3	Gold
	align=left	27	50	—	—
	82	—	—	—
1972		115	—	—	—

"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not certified

References

External links

Category:1944 births Category:American soul singers Category:Guyanese musicians Category:Living people Category:American male singers

Name	Chris Wells
Width	300px
Currentteam	Arizona Cardinals
Currentnumber	26
Currentposition	Running Back
Draftyear	2009
Draftround	1
Draftpick	31
Birth date	August 07, 1988
Birth place	Akron, Ohio
Debutyear	2009
Debutteam	Arizona Cardinals
College	Ohio State
Heightft	6
Heightin	2
Weight	235
Draftyear	2009
Draftround	1
Draftpick	31
Pastteams	Arizona Cardinals (–present)
Status	Active
Highlights	2006 ''Parade'' All-American 2006 U.S. Army All-American Bowl MVP 2007 All-Big Ten first team 2007 Rivals.com Second team All-American
Statweek	17
Statseason	2010
Statlabel1	Rushing Yards
Statvalue1	1,190
Statlabel2	Rushing Average
Statvalue2	4.1
Statlabel3	Rushing TDs
Statvalue3	9
Nfl	WEL350689 }}

Chris "Beanie" Wells (born August 7, 1988 in Akron, Ohio) is an American football running back for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was selected in the first round (31st overall pick) of the 2009 NFL Draft out of The Ohio State University.

High school career

Wells was a highly touted player out of high school, where he played at Akron Garfield High School. His high school running back coach Ben Dunn said that Beanie was one of the most explosive play-makers he had seen in his 28 years at the school. He was often considered the best recruit out of Ohio. Wells played at Akron Garfield High from 2002 to 2005, graduating early in December. He was listed as the top running back and All-American by Parade in 2006.

! Year	! Attempts	! Yards	! Average	! TD
Freshman	43	573	13.6	7
Sophomore	90	900	10.0	15
Junior	212	1,939	9.1	20
Senior	223	2,134	9.6	27

College recruiting

Wells was offered to play at schools such as Michigan and USC, but Wells always knew he was going to play at Ohio State, saying "I think I came out of my mom’s womb wanting to go to Ohio State."

College career

Wells' arrival at Ohio State had been one of the most anticipated running back recruits to come to Ohio State. Beanie lived up to the hype on his first play of his first practice where he bowled over a tackler on a nine-yard rush.

Beanie's number during his career at Ohio State was 28.

Freshman year

During Wells' freshman year, he shared carries with Antonio Pittman but still had a solid freshman year, and was a big part of the 2006 Buckeyes. The highlight of his freshman year came in the Ohio State-Michigan game where he broke a 52 yard run for a TD that put the Buckeyes up for the rest of the game.

Wells' Freshman Stats

! Stat	! Number	! Yards	! Average	! TD
Rushing	104	576	5.5	7
Receiving	2	16	8.0	0

Sophomore year

With Antonio Pittman going into the NFL Draft, Wells became the starting running back and started every game in his sophomore year for Ohio State. He was followed by Junior Maurice Wells in the depth chart. Wells rushed for 222 yards in the annual rivalry game against Michigan, more than any other Ohio State running back against Michigan.

His stats for this season are as follows

! Stat	! Number	! Yards	! Average	! TD
Rushing	274	1609	5.9	15
Receiving	5	21	4.2	0

Junior year

Wells rushed 13 carries for 111 yards and a touchdown in his first game against the Youngstown State Penguins on August 30, 2008. He also suffered a foot injury. After missing three games, he returned to the starting lineup September 27, 2008 against Minnesota, where he rushed for 105 yards on 14 carries. He then followed that performance up with a 22 carry, 168 yard effort against Wisconsin, which included a 33-yard touchdown on the game's first possession and a 54-yard run to start the second half. In the November 15 game against Illinois, Wells leaped over an Illini defender, images of which were re-broadcast widely. He entered the NFL Draft, and was drafted 31st overall by the Arizona Cardinals.

! Stat	! Number	! Yards	! Average	! TD
Rushing	207	1197	5.8	8
Receiving	7	26	3.7	0

Awards and honors

2006 ''Parade'' All-American 2006 U.S. Army All-American Bowl MVP 2007 All-Big Ten first team 2007 Rivals.com Second team All-American 2008 team MVP

31st overall pick by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2009 NFL draft.

Professional career

2009 NFL Draft

{{nfl predraft | height ft = 6 | height in = 1 | weight = 238 | dash = 4.62 | ten split = | twenty split = | shuttle = | cone drill = | vertical = 33½ | broad ft = | broad in = | bench = 25 | wonderlic = | arm span = | hand span = | note = All values from NFL Combine }}

Arizona Cardinals

Wells was drafted 31st overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2009 NFL Draft. He competed for the starting running back job with Tim Hightower.

On August 1, 2009, Wells was signed to a 5 year contract. Later that same day, he was carted off from practice with an ankle injury.

On August 28, 2009, Wells made his professional debut with the Arizona Cardinals in a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers. He ended the night with 7 carries for a total of 46 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a 20-yard score in the second quarter.

On October 25, 2009, in the second quarter against the New York Giants, Wells ran 13 yards for his first NFL touchdown. In that game vs New York, Wells ran for 67 yards on 14 attempts.

On December 20, 2009, Wells ran for his first career 100-yard game against the Detroit Lions. In that game, he had 17 carries for 110 yards and a touchdown.

On January 16, 2010, Wells scored his first postseason touchdown, a 4-yard rush against the New Orleans Saints. He ended the season with 793 yards rushing second best among rookies second to Knowshon Moreno. He also caught 12 passes for an 11.9 average.

Personal

He was born August 7, 1988 in Akron, Ohio and is one of eleven children. His parents are James and Paulette Wells.

;Nickname The nickname Beanie was given to him by his family at a young age and he is quoted as saying, "I got the nickname because when I was young, my big brother said I was skinny like a bean pole."

References

External links

Arizona Cardinals bio

Ohio State Buckeyes bio

ESPN stats profile

Category:1988 births Category:Living people Category:People from Akron, Ohio Category:African American players of American football Category:Ohio State Buckeyes football players Category:American football running backs Category:U.S. Army All-American football players Category:Arizona Cardinals players

fr:Beanie Wells it:Beanie Wells

Name	Bryce Brown
School	Kansas State Wildcats
Currentnumber	8
Currentposition	Running back
Class	15px|Redshirt Sophomore
Major	Undecided
Birth date	May 14, 1991
Birth place	Wichita, Kansas
Heightft	6
Heightin	0
Weight	216
Highschool	Wichita High School EastWichita, Kansas
Pastschools	University of Tennessee (2009) Kansas State University (2010–present)
Highlights	2008 Hall Trophy 2× ''USA Today'' All-American (2007, 2008) 2006 ''ESPN RISE'' Sophomore of the Year
Cbs	1682191
Espn	480207
Rivals	418806 }}

Bryce Lee Brown (born May 14, 1991) is an American football running back. He attended the University of Tennessee his freshman year, but decided to leave the football program in March 2010. However, Volunteers coach Derek Dooley decided not to release Brown from his scholarship, which means Brown will have to pay his own way at Kansas State University in 2010 as he sits out due to NCAA transfer rules.

While playing at Wichita High School East, he won the 2008 Hall Trophy for the best high school player in the United States and was ranked atop of the ''Rivals.com'' ranking of his class, the first running back to do so since Adrian Peterson in 2004. In 2008, he was also dubbed the best high school running back prospect of the last five years. In 2008, ''Rivals.com''′s Barry Every compared Brown to Miami Dolphins player Ronnie Brown.

High school career

Brown has been clocked in the 40-yard dash at 4.32 seconds. A First Team All-Wichita selection as a freshman, he rushed for 1,472 yards and 12 TDs. He followed that up with an even more impressive sophomore campaign, rushing for 2,039 yards and 26 TDs. Brown was a consensus First Team All-State selection as well as ''EA Sports'' National Sophomore of the Year. He amassed more than 50 scholarship offers. He wore #24 in his Freshman and Sophomore seasons.

During his junior year, Brown rushed for 1,825 yards on 207 carries (8.8 avg) and 23 touchdowns, earning him All-City and All-State honors. He wore #5 in his Junior year. He was also recognized as a member of the Kansas “Fab 11” and was the lone junior that was named a ''USA Today'' Prep All-American. For his senior season, he wore #11 in honor of his brother, Arthur Brown. Tom Lemming of CSTV considered Brown to be better than all of the 2008 running back crop (which includes Darrell Scott and Jermie Calhoun). Brown is believed to be the top running back prospect from Kansas since Barry Sanders.

Arthur Brown committed to the University of Miami in December 2007, which led to rumors whether Bryce may complete his high school in Coral Gables, Florida, since their mother once told ''USA Today'' that Bryce “is wanting to go to high school wherever Arthur chooses to go to college.” Bryce Brown, however, eventually decided to remain in Wichita for his senior season.

In October 2008, Brown was selected to the 2009 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Brown finished the 2008 season with a Wichita City League regular-season record 1,873 yards rushing, giving him 7,209 rushing yards overall, also a City League record. He was named to the ''USA Today'' All-USA First Team for the second successive time.

Recruiting

His workouts, recruiting and news media requests are handled by Brian Butler, a former felon, rapper, and mobile phone salesman who identifies himself as Brown's trainer and handler. Butler sold updates of Brown's recruitment via website for $9.99 a month or $59 a year and sought contributions that he says are used to take players on a tour of colleges each summer. At one point, Butler announced Brown was considering entering the Canadian Football League (CFL), but Brown backed down from that claim. , Brown is being investigated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s amateurism certification staff to determine whether Butler has done anything to jeopardize the amateur status of the players he advises.

On February 22, 2008, Brown chose to follow his brother and orally committed to the University of Miami. However, Brown did not sign a letter of intent on National Signing Day 2009, but instead planned to announce his decision on March 16, naming five other "finalists" despite his oral commitment to Miami: LSU, Tennessee, Oregon, USC, and Kansas State. Said ''ESPN.com''′s Tom Luginbill: “If I was Randy Shannon and the Miami staff, I would tell the kid and Brian Butler to go jump in a lake. I got to imagine that deep down, Miami's coaches have to be thinking, ‘This is getting ridiculous.’” Prior to his announcement, Brown paid official visits to Oregon and Clemson, and finally took an impromptu visit to Tennessee on March 13.

Citing an anonymous source, the ''Associated Press'' reported the University of Miami would not reissue a national letter of intent to Brown to replace the one that expired Wednesday, February 18. Brown's advisor Brian Butler told AP he was unaware those scholarship offers have an expiration date, but reiterated that Brown would not sign until March 16. According to ''Palm Beach Post''′s Jorge Milian UM coach Shannon called Brown on Tuesday, February 17, and allegedly told him the University of Miami was no longer interested in his services. However, Brown later told ''Wichita Eagle'' that Shannon still wanted him to be a Hurricane. Due to NCAA rules, Shannon was not allowed to comment.

On March 16, 2009, Brown announced at a press conference at the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in Wichita, Kansas, that he will attend the University of Tennessee. "I feel that's the school that's gonna prepare me the best to go to the next level," Brown said at the press conference.

College career

Entering college with an enormous amount of hype, Brown was expected to see considerable playing time during his true freshman year and spent the 2009 season in the top two running back rotation. His amateur status was under investigation by the NCAA prior to the season, but Brown was cleared only a few days later.

Brown spent the season as a backup to senior Montario Hardesty. Brown finished the season with 460 yards rushing, second on the team behind Hardesty. He also had three rushing touchdowns.

On the first day of Tennessee's 2010 spring practice, Brown announced his decision to leave the program. Volunteers' coach Derek Dooley said that Brown will remain enrolled at Tennessee for the rest of the spring semester but did not indicate if he would then transfer. His brother Arthur recently transferred from the University of Miami to Kansas State University and on August 15, 2010, Brown decided to join his brother at Kansas State.

Brown, along with his brother Arthur, were named in a report from ''Yahoo! Sports'' alleging that student-athletes, coaches and administrators were aware and received impermissible benefits from an ex-booster and convicted felon Nevin Shapiro. "Kansas State University has been in communication with the NCAA," the university said in a release. "Regarding Arthur Brown and Bryce Brown, the NCAA staff has informed the institution that it has no concerns about their eligibility to compete at K-State. "

Personal

Bryce is the son of Arthur Sr. and Lelonnie Brown. His uncle Lawrence Pete is a former Detroit Lions player.

His older brother Arthur is a former five-star linebacker recruit and currently attends Kansas State University. According to Jeremy Crabtree of ''Rivals.com'', the Browns were the first brothers ever to be both ranked five-star recruits.

References

External links

Kansas State Wildcats bio

Tennessee Volunteers bio

Rivals.com profile

TAKKLE.com profile

Scout.com profile

Category:1991 births Category:Living people Category:People from Wichita, Kansas Category:American football running backs Category:U.S. Army All-American football players Category:Tennessee Volunteers football players

Name	C. J. Spiller
Width	300px
Currentteam	Buffalo Bills
Currentnumber	28
Currentposition	Running back
Birth date	August 05, 1987
Birth place	Lake Butler, Florida
Heightft	5
Heightin	11
Weight	196
College	Clemson
Draftyear	2010
Draftround	1
Draftpick	9
Debutyear	2010
Debutteam	Buffalo Bills
Pastteams	Buffalo Bills (–present)
Status	Active
Highlights	College Awards
Statweek	17
Statseason	2010
Statlabel1	Rushing yards
Statvalue1	283
Statlabel2	Average
Statvalue2	3.8
Statlabel3	Rushing TDs
Statvalue3	0
Statlabel4	Kick Return Yards
Statvalue4	1014
Statlabel5	Kick Return TDs
Statvalue5	1
Nfl	SPI347627 }}

Clifford "C.J." Spiller Jr. (born August 5, 1987 in Lake Butler, Florida) is an American Football running back for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was an All-American at Clemson University and was drafted 9th overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. On October 16, 2010 his number 28 jersey was retired at Clemson University. On November 26, 2010 he donated $100,000 to the school's "One Clemson Fund".

High school career

Spiller attended Union County High School in Lake Butler, where he excelled at track, as well as football, posting the fourth fastest time in the nation over 100 meters in his senior year with a time of 10.42. At Union County High School, Spiller played alongside fellow Clemson teammate, Kevin Alexander. During his senior year at Union County, he rushed for 1,840 yards on 176 carries for 30 touchdowns. He also had fifteen receptions for 249 yards.

In his entire high school career, Spiller rushed for 5,511 yards on 541 carries.

Honors

Selected to play in 2006 U.S. Army All-American Bowl #1 player in Florida, #1 all-purpose running back, and #8 overall player by Rivals.com First-team ''PARADE'' All-American Florida 2A state 100 and 200–meter champion

College

Freshman

As a true freshman, Spiller immediately made himself known to the Clemson fans. In the season, he rushed for 938 yards and ten touchdowns on 129 rushes, despite being the second-team running back behind James Davis. He scored his first collegiate touchdown in a 34–33 overtime loss to Boston College on an 82–yard touchdown reception from quarterback Will Proctor. After struggling versus Florida State the following week, Spiller turned it around against North Carolina by rushing for fifty-eight yards and two touchdowns in a 52–7 rout of the Tarheels. In the following weeks, Spiller had two triple-digit rushing games as the Tigers defeated Louisiana Tech and Wake Forest. Against Louisiana Tech, he rushed for 127 yards and two touchdowns on eleven attempts, in a 51–0 rout of the Bulldogs, in which the entire Clemson team rushed for 393 yards. Clemson finished the season with a 8–5 overall record, losing four of their final five games, including a 31-28 loss to archrival South Carolina, and ended the season in a 28–20 Music City Bowl loss to the Kentucky Wildcats. Spiller rushed for only twenty-four yards on five attempts in the loss.

Sophomore

In his second season for the Tigers, Spiller had a less productive rushing season with only 768 yards and three touchdowns. He did, however, gain more receiving yards, with 271 yards and two additional touchdowns. In the opening three games of the season, Spiller rushed for only eighty-five yards, including a career-worst –1 yards in a 38–10 victory over Furman. In a 13–3 loss, he was again stopped by the Georgia Tech defense, rushing for only two yards. His best statistical game came against rivals South Carolina, which Clemson won 23–21. Spiller ran for a team-high 122 yards on twenty-three attempts in the victory. In the team's bowl game, he rushed for 112 yards on eight attempts, including one touchdown, in a 23–20 loss to Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

Junior

With Spiller and fellow running back James Davis, the Clemson Tigers were favored to win the opening game of their 2008 season against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Chick-fil-A College Kickoff. However, a stingy Alabama defense held Spiller to just seven yards on two attempts. He did score though, on a kickoff return for a touchdown. In his second game, however, he rushed for seventy-five yards on six carries, which included three touchdowns in a 45–17 victory over The Citadel. On January 15, 2009, he announced he would remain for his senior year at Clemson instead of entering the 2009 NFL Draft.

Senior

In the Tiger's 40-24 victory over the Florida State Seminoles on November 7, 2009, Spiller and Jacoby Ford became the leading all-purpose duo in NCAA history (a record previously held by Marshall Faulk and Darnay Scott of San Diego State).

On November 28, 2009. C.J. set the FBS record for kickoff return touchdowns with seven during his career. He also earned his spot in the record books in another way on that kickoff return, by being only one of five players to ever gain 7000 all-purpose yards.On November 23, 2009, Spiller was named as one of the three finalists for the 2009 Doak Walker Award. Spiller, along with Mark Ingram of Alabama and Toby Gerhart of Stanford, was selected by a vote of the 130-member Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee.

On December 2, 2009, Spiller was voted the 2009 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year. The all-purpose threat was named as the league's top player following a vote of 40 members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. Spiller received 29 votes to outdistance Georgia Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt, who had eight. Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams, the league's rookie of the year, had two votes and Yellow Jackets defensive end Derrick Morgan had one. Spiller was the nation's only player this season to account for touchdowns five different ways—rushing, passing, receiving, and on kick and punt returns—and had passing, rushing and receiving TDs in one game, a victory against North Carolina State. He returned four kickoffs and a punt for scores this year and has eight total returns for TDs during his career. He scored at least once in every game this season while leading Clemson to the Atlantic Division title and a spot in the league title game against Georgia Tech. Spiller led the ACC with an average of nearly 184 all-purpose yards and was the league's fourth-leading rusher, averaging 76 yards. Spiller is the seventh Tiger to be named player of the year and the first since Michael Dean Perry in 1987. But, he got less than 20 rushing yards in the 2009 34-17 South Carolina loss, after returning the opening kickoff for an NCAA record-setting 7th career kickoff return for touchdown.

Even though Spiller had a stellar career in the ACC and at Clemson, he was not invited to the 2009 Heisman Trophy ceremony in New York City. He ended up placing 6th in the voting behind Tim Tebow.

Spiller graduated from Clemson in December 2009, becoming the first person in his family to receive a four-year college degree. Also his #28 is now retired as of December 27, 2009 on his game versus Kentucky in the Music City Bowl.

Spiller was the only player in the FBS to score a touchdown in every game in the 2009 season.

College Awards and Highlights

2009 All-American (unanimous)

2006 High School All-American (''Parade'')

2009 ACC Championship Game MVP

Had his number retired for Clemson on October 16, 2010.

Statistics

{| class=wikitable style="text-align:center;" ! rowspan=2|Season !! colspan=5|Rushing !! rowspan=6| !! colspan=5|Receiving |- ! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !!Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD |- | 2006 | 129 || 938 || 7.3 || 80 || 10 | 19 || 210 ||11.1 || 82 || 2 |- | 2007 | 145 || 768 || 5.3 || 83 || 3 | 34 || 271 || 8.0 || 68 || 2 |- | 2008 | 116 || 629 || 5.4 || 57 || 7 | 34 || 436 ||12.8 || 83 || 3 |- | 2009 | 201 || 1212 || 5.6 || 66 || 12 | 36 || 503 ||14.0 || 63 || 4 |- ! Total ! 591 !! 3,480 !! 5.9 !! 83 !! 32 ! !! 120 !! 1,362 !! 11.4 !! 83 !! 11 |}

Professional career

2010 NFL Draft

Despite being projected as a first-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, Spiller decided to return for his senior season in January 2009. He was projected as a first-round draft choice in the 2010 NFL Draft and was listed as the No. 1 running back of the 2010 class by ESPN. Spiller was selected 9th overall in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. He was the highest drafted Clemson player since Banks McFadden 1940 NFL Draft and Gaines Adams 2007 NFL Draft both went fourth overall.

Buffalo Bills

On September 8, Spiller was given the nod for the starting running back position on the Bills roster, over veterans Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson for the 2010 season. On August 6, 2010 Spiller signed a five year $25 million deal ($20.8M guaranteed).

On August 19, 2010 Spiller ran 31 yards for his first NFL touchdown in week two of the preseason at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada against the Indianapolis Colts.

Spiller finished the 2010 preseason with 26 carries for 122 yards (4.69 average per carry) and three touchdowns. He also caught three passes for 35 yards. Spiller was named the #1 running back on Buffalo's final depth chart, ahead of the recently-injured Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson.

Spiller has been named Special Teams player of the week for September 26, 2010 for a 95 yard touchdown return against the New England Patriots. Spiller also had a touchdown off a pass by Ryan Fitzpatrick. However, his rookie season was marked with disappointment as he accumulated fewer yards than running backs taken after him in the draft including Ryan Mathews, Jahvid Best, and Toby Gerhart.

In 2011 it was announced that Spiller would trade with Leodis McKelvin for number 28, the same number he wore at Clemson.

References

External links

Clemson Tigers profile

Category:1987 births Category:Living people Category:Players of American football from Florida Category:Clemson Tigers football players Category:All-American college football players Category:American football running backs Category:U.S. Army All-American football players Category:Clemson Tigers track and field athletes Category:Buffalo Bills players Category:Clemson University alumni

fr:C. J. Spiller