Curtis or Curtiss is a common given name and surname of English origin derived from the Old French "curteis," which means 'polite, courteous, or well-bred.'^[1] It's related with the Spanish and Portuguese surname Cortes. It was brought to England (and subsequently, the rest of the Isles) via the Norman Conquest. This is evidence to suggest the name itself is a phonetic corruption of Curthose, the nickname ascribed to Robert II or also Curtmantle, the surname used by Henry II, the first of England's Plantagenet kings. It could also be a variation of the established medieval surname, Curthoys. Though it is unclear whether "Curtis" and "Curtiss" are directly related, the latter is also considered here for convenience.

Surname uses: Curtis[link]

People[link]

• Adam Curtis (born 1955), a British television documentarian
• Alison Curtis (born 1977), a Canadian-Irish radio presenter
• Benjamin Robbins Curtis (1809–1874), an American jurist
• Catie Curtis (born 1965), an American singer-songwriter
• Charles Curtis (1860–1936), an American Vice President
• Charles Curtis (botanist) (1853–1928), an English botanist who became the first superintendent of the Penang Botanic Gardens
• Cyrus Hermann Kotzschmar Curtis (1850–1933), an American publisher
• David Curtis (born 1948), a Welsh Gymnast and Trampoline champion
• Edwin Burr Curtiss, the president of A. G. Spalding Bros.
• Edward S. Curtis (1868–1952), a photographer
• Edmund Curtis (1881–1943), a historian and Professor of History
• George Ticknor Curtis (1812–1894), an American politician and lawyer
• George William Curtis (1824–1892), an American writer and public speaker
• Glenn Curtiss (1878–1930), an American aviation pioneer and founder of the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company
• Harriot Curtis (1881–1974), an American golfer
• Heber Doust Curtis (1872–1942), an American astronomer
• Ian Curtis (1956–1980), a British singer-songwriter for Joy Division
• Jamie Lee Curtis (born 1958), an American actress
• John Curtis (disambiguation), several people
• Kathlyn Curtis, a Manitoba judge
• Kelly Curtis (born 1956), an American actress
• Kevin Curtis (born 1978), a professional American football player
• King Curtis (1934–1971), an American saxophonist
• Lee Curtis (born Peter Flannery), a British musician
• Mark Curtis (British author), a British political author
• Mark Curtis (SWP member), a former American Socialist Worker's Party member
• Mary Louise Curtis Bok, the founder of the Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia
• Margaret Curtis (1883–1965) an American golfer and tennis player
• Moses Ashley Curtis (M.A.Curtis, 1808–1872), an American botanist and mycologist
• Norman Curtis (1924–2009), an English football player
• Philip Kenneth Edward Curtis (1926–1951), a decorated English soldier
• Richard Curtis (born 1956), a British comedy scriptwriter
• Samuel Curtis (S.Curtis, 1779–1860), an English botanist
• Samuel Ryan Curtis (1805–1866), a Union General in the American Civil War
• Scott Curtis (born 1984), a Life FM radio presenter
• Tom Curtis (disambiguation), several people
  • Thomas Bradford Curtis (1911–1993), an American Representative from Missouri
• Tony Curtis (1925—2010), an American actor
• William Curtis (1746–1799), an English botanist

Fictional characters[link]

• Randall Curtis, a character on The Simpsons based on George Lucas
• Rey Curtis, a character on Law & Order
• Izumi Curtis, a character in Fullmetal Alchemist
• Sophia Curtis, a character in CSI Las Vegas
• Jade Curtiss, a character in Tales of the Abyss
• Ponyboy, Sodapop, and Darry Curtis, the main characters in The Outsiders

This page or section lists people with the surname Curtis. If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.

Surname uses: Curtiss[link]

People[link]

• Charles Curtiss (1908–1993), American Communist
• David Raymond Curtiss (1878–1953), American mathematician
• Edward Curtiss (1898–1970), American film editor
• Glenn Curtiss (1878–1930), aviation pioneer
• Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company, company Glenn Curtiss founded

This page or section lists people with the surname Curtis. If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.

Given name uses: Curtis[link]

People[link]

• Curtis Armstrong (born 1953), an American actor
• Curtis Enis (born 1976), a retired NFL running back
• Curtis Granderson (born 1981), a New York Yankees center fielder
• Curtis Hanson (born 1945), an American filmmaker
• Curtis James Jackson III (born 1975), an American rapper and actor (known as 50 Cent)
• Curtis Martin (born 1973), an American football player
• Curtis Mayfield, an American soul singer, songwriter and musician
• Curtis Robb (born 1972), a British middle-distance runner
• Curtis Salgado (born 1954), a rhythm and blues musician and singer-songwriter
• Curtis Strange (born 1955), an American professional golfer
• Curtis Warren (born 1963), a British criminal
• Curtis Woodhouse (born 1980), an English football player and boxer

This page or section lists people that share the same given name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change that link to point directly to the intended article.

Fictional characters[link]

• Curtis Manning, a fictional character played by Jamaican-Canadian actor Roger Cross as part of the television series 24
• Curtis, a fictional character played by actor Spencer Breslin as part of 'The Santa Clause 2+3'
• Curtis Wilkins, a fictional character from the comic strip Curtis
• Curtis (Stargate), a recurring character in Stargate Universe
• Curtis Donovan, a fictional character played by actor Nathan Stewart-Jarrett as part of the UK television series Misfits

Companies[link]

• Curtiss Candy Company which made Baby Ruth and Butterfinger candy bars.

Places[link]

• Curtis, Galicia

References[link]

Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Mayfield performing for Dutch television in 1972
Background information
Birth name	Curtis Lee Mayfield
Born	(1942-06-03)June 3, 1942 Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died	December 26, 1999(1999-12-26) (aged 57) Roswell, Georgia, United States
Genres	Soul, Funk, R&B, Chicago Soul, Psychedelic Soul
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, bass, piano, saxophone, drums
Years active	1956–1999
Labels	Curtom, Warner Bros., Rhino
Associated acts	The Impressions, Jerry Butler
Notable instruments
Fender Stratocaster

Curtis Lee Mayfield (June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999) was an African-American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and for composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, Mayfield is highly regarded as a pioneer of funk and of politically conscious African-American music.^[1][2] He was also a multi-instrumentalist who played the guitar, bass, piano, saxophone, and drums. Curtis Mayfield is a winner of both the Grammy Legend Award (in 1994) and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (in 1995), and was a double inductee into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted as a member of The Impressions into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, and again in 1999 as a solo artist. He is also a two-time Grammy Hall of Fame inductee.

Early years and The Impressions[link]

Born on June 3, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois, Mayfield was the son of Marion Washington and Kenneth Mayfield. Mayfield's father left the family when Mayfield was five and his mother moved Curtis and his siblings into various Chicago projects before settling at the Cabrini–Green projects when Mayfield reached his teenage years. Mayfield attended Wells Community Academy High School. He dropped out of high school early to become lead singer and songwriter for The Impressions, then went on to a successful solo career. Perhaps most notably, Mayfield was among the first of a new wave of mainstream African-American R&B performing artists and composers injecting social commentary into their work.^[1] This "message music" became extremely popular during the 1960s and 1970s.

Two significant characteristics distinguish Mayfield's sound. First, he taught himself how to play guitar, tuning it to the black keys of the piano, thus giving him an open F-sharp tuning---F#, A#, C#, F#, A#, F#---that he used throughout his career.^[3] Second, he primarily sang in falsetto register, adding another flavor to his music. This was not unique in itself, but most singers sing primarily in the modal register.

Mayfield's career began in 1956 when he joined The Roosters with Arthur and Richard Brooks and Jerry Butler. Two years later The Roosters, now including also Sam Gooden, became The Impressions.^[4] The band had one big hit with "For Your Precious Love". After Butler left the group and was replaced with Fred Cash, (a returning original Roosters member), Mayfield became lead singer, frequently composing for the band, starting with "Gypsy Woman", a Top 20 Pop hit. Their hit "Amen," (Top 10), an updated version of an old gospel tune, was included in the soundtrack of the 1963 MGM film Lilies of the Field, which starred Sidney Poitier. The Impressions reached the height of their popularity in the mid-to-late-'60s with a string of Mayfield compositions that included "Keep on Pushing," "People Get Ready", "It's All Right" (Top 10),the uptempo "Talking about My Baby"(Top 20), "Woman's Got Soul", "Choice of Colors,"(Top 20), "Fool For You," "This is My Country" and "Check Out Your Mind." Mayfield had written much of the soundtrack of the civil rights movement in the early 1960s, but by the end of the decade he was a pioneering voice in the black pride movement along with James Brown and Sly Stone. Mayfield's "We're a Winner", a Number 1 soul hit which also reached the Billboard pop Top 20, became an anthem of the black power and black pride movements when it was released in late 1967,^[5] much as his earlier "Keep on Pushing" (whose title is quoted in the lyrics of "We're a Winner" and also in "Move on up") had been an anthem for Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement.^[6]

Mayfield was a prolific songwriter in Chicago even outside his work for The Impressions, writing and producing scores of hits for many other artists. He also owned the Mayfield and Windy C labels which were distributed by Cameo-Parkway, and was a partner in the Curtom label (first independent, then distributed by Buddha then Warner Bros and finally RSO.)

Solo career[link]

In 1970, Mayfield left The Impressions and began a solo career, founding the independent record label Curtom Records. Curtom went on to release most of Mayfield's landmark 1970s records, as well as records by the Impressions, Leroy Hutson, The Staple Singers, Mavis Staples, and Baby Huey and the Babysitters, a group which at the time included Chaka Khan. Many of these records were also produced by Mayfield.

The commercial and critical peak of his solo career came with his music album Super Fly, the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film of the same name, and one of the most influential albums in African-American history. Unlike the soundtracks to other blaxploitation films (most notably Isaac Hayes' score for Shaft), which glorified the ghetto excesses of the characters, Mayfield's lyrics consisted of hard-hitting commentary on the state of affairs in black, urban ghettos at the time, as well as direct criticisms of several characters in the film. Bob Donat wrote in Rolling Stone Magazine in 1972 that while the film's message "was diluted by schizoid cross-purposes" because it "glamorizes machismo-cocaine consciousness... the anti-drug message on [Mayfield's soundtrack] is far stronger and more definite than in the film." Along with Marvin Gaye's What's Going On and Stevie Wonder's Innervisions, this album ushered in a new socially conscious, funky style of popular soul music. He was dubbed 'The Gentle Genius' to reflect his outstanding and innovative musical output with the constant presence of his soft yet insistent vocals. The single releases "Freddie's Dead" and "Super Fly" both sold over one million copies each, and were awarded gold discs by the R.I.A.A.^[7]

Super Fly brought success that resulted in Mayfield being tapped for additional soundtracks, some of which he wrote and produced while having others perform the vocals. Gladys Knight & the Pips recorded Mayfield's soundtrack for Claudine in 1974, while Aretha Franklin recorded the soundtrack for Sparkle in 1976. Mayfield worked with Mavis Staples on the 1977 soundtrack for the film A Piece of the Action. He was in danger of overreaching himself being writer, producer, performer, arranger, and businessman but seemed to cope and still produce a remarkable output.

One of Mayfield's most successful funk-disco meldings was the 1977 hit "Do Do Wap is Strong in Here" from his soundtrack to the Robert M. Young film of Miguel Piñero's play Short Eyes. In his 2003 biography of Curtis Mayfield, titled "People Never Give Up", author Peter Burns noted that Curtis has 140 songs in the Curtom vaults. Burns indicated that the songs maybe already completed or in the stages of completion, so that they could then be released commercially. These recordings include "The Great Escape", "In The News", "Turn up the Radio", "Whats The Situation?" and one recording labelled "Curtis at Montreux Jazz Festival 87". Two other albums, featuring Curtis Mayfield present in the Curtom vaults and as yet unissued are, a 1982/83 live recording titled "25th Silver Anniversary" (which features performances by Curtis, The Impressions and Jerry Butler) and a live performance, recorded in September 1966 by The Impressions titled 'Live at the Club Chicago'.

In later years, Mayfield's music would be included in the movies I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, Hollywood Shuffle, Friday (though not on the soundtrack), and Short Eyes (1977) where he had a cameo role as a prisoner.^[8]

Social activism[link]

Curtis Mayfield was known for introducing social consciousness into African American music as well as R&B and wrote songs protesting social and political equality. He had written and recorded the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly with The Impressions.^[9] Super Fly is regarded as an all-time great that influenced many and truly invented a new style of modern black music. Just as the Civil Rights Act passed into law in 1964, his group The Impressions produced music that became the soundtrack to a summer of revolution. Black students sang their songs as they marched to jail or protested outside their universities, while King often marched to the peaceful sounds of Mayfield's Keep On Pushing, People Get Ready and We're A Winner. Mayfield had quickly become a civil rights hero.^[10]

Mayfield, along with several other soul and funk musicians, spread messages of hope in the face of oppression, pride in being a member of the black race and gave courage to a generation who were demanding their human rights. Mayfield has been compared to Martin Luther King Jr arguably for making a greater lasting impact in the civil rights struggle with his music. By the end of the decade he was a pioneering voice in the black pride movement along with James Brown and Sly Stone. Paving the way for a future generation of rebel thinkers, Mayfield paid the price, artistically and commercially, for his politically charged music. Irrespective of the persistent radio bans and loss of revenue, Mayfield continued his quest for equality right until his death. His lyrics on racial injustice, poverty and drugs became the poetry for a generation. Mayfield was also a descriptive social commentator. As the influx of drugs ravaged through black America in the late 1960s and 1970s his bittersweet descriptions of the ghetto would serve as warnings to the impressionable. Determined to warn all about the perils of drugs, "Freddie's Dead" is a graphic tale of street life.^[10] In 1965, another gospel song emerged -- "People Get Ready" by Mayfield and the Impressions. "Keep On Pushing" and "People Get Ready" were two songs that became embedded in the national movement for civil and social rights, heard at all the rallies and marches, songs-as-inspiration. His song "People Get Ready" was written in the year after the march on Washington's. For many, it captured the spirit of the march—the song reaches across racial and religious lines to offer a message of redemption and forgiveness. ^[11]

Mayfield produced many of the songs that helped shape and define the Black Power Movement, and exemplify the workings of music in the BPM and their 1967 song "We’re a Winner" can be seen as one defining element of the movement.^{[says who?]} Mayfield's uncompromising look at racism and his calls for black pride and economic determinism place him firmly within the BPM. Significantly, when he and his friend Eddie Thomas founded the Curtom record label to protect black artists from the exploitation that they often suffered with other record labels, not only was the BPM ideal of black entrepreneurship realized but also the BPM had a record label that was synonymous with Black Power. Empowered in part by the ownership of his own label and in part by his affiliations with other artists, Mayfield presented a crucial look at American racism in "This is My Country" with lyrics that spoke of ‘three hundred years of slave driving, sweat and welts on my back’. ‘We’re a Winner’ conveys the essential ideological message of the BPM. By the time We're a Winner was recorded, the BPM was a powerful, complex movement that incorporated politics, capitalism, internationalism and the arts that had its roots in the social circumstances and political opportunities of the post-World War II era. The title itself was a strong statement against inferiority complexes historically propagated among blacks by power brokers representing white social and cultural values, but the lyrics offer more than a critique – they offer an affirmative view of black culture that could foster mobilization and sustain political action under even threatening circumstances. Music, as exemplified by Curtis Mayfield, was to foster mobilization by presenting the political ideology of Black Power that enforced notions of black pride, but it also offered a venue for the creation of black culture that was not defined by the dominant white culture. ^[10]

Later years[link]

Mayfield was active throughout the 1970s and 1980s, though he had a somewhat lower public profile in the 1980s. On August 13, 1990, Mayfield was paralyzed from the neck down after stage lighting equipment fell on him at an outdoor concert at Wingate Field in Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York.^[12] He was unable to play guitar, but he wrote, sang, and directed the recording of his last album, New World Order. Mayfield's vocals were painstakingly recorded, usually line-by-line while lying on his back.^[13]

Mayfield received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995. In February, 1998, he had to have his right leg amputated owing to diabetes. Mayfield was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on March 15, 1999. Health reasons prevented him from attending the ceremony, which included fellow inductees Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Dusty Springfield, George Martin, and 1970s Curtom signee and labelmate The Staple Singers.

His last appearance on record was with the group Bran Van 3000 on the song "Astounded" for their album Discosis, recorded just before his death and released in 2001.

Curtis Mayfield died on December 26, 1999 at the North Fulton Regional Hospital in Roswell, Georgia his health having steadily declined following his paralysis.^[14]

Awards and legacy[link]

Mayfield has left a remarkable legacy for his introduction of social consciousness into R&B and for pioneering the funk style. Many of his recordings with the Impressions became anthems of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, and his most famous album, Super Fly, is regarded as an all-time great that influenced many and truly invented a new style of modern black music.

• Mayfield's solo Super Fly is ranked #69 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time).
• The Impressions' album/CD The Anthology 1961–1977 is ranked at #179 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of all time.
• As a member of The Impressions, he was posthumously inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003.
• Along with his group The Impressions, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.
• In 1999, he was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist making him one of the few artists to become double inductees.
• Posthumously, in 2000, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
• He was a winner of the prestigious Grammy Legend Award in 1994.
• He received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995.
• He is a 2-time Grammy Hall of Fame inductee: for the song People Get Ready with The Impressions, and for the award-winning album Super Fly as a solo artist.
• The Impressions' 1965 hit song, "People Get Ready", composed by Mayfield, has been chosen as one of the Top 10 Best Songs Of All Time by a panel of 20 top industry songwriters and producers, including Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson, Hal David, and others, as reported to Britain's Mojo music magazine.
• The Impressions hits, People Get Ready and For Your Precious Love are both ranked on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, as #24 and #327 respectively.
• In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Mayfield #98 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.^[15]
• "Impressions of Curtis Mayfield" - a jazz instrumental album of Mayfield songs is set for release in late April 2012 and features unique performances recorded for this tribute by Terri Lyne Carrington, Russ Ferrante, Master Henry Gibson, Bob Hurst, Wallace Roney, Phil Upchurch and Ernie Watts aka the Jazz Soul Seven. The album was produced by Brian Brinkerhoff.

Filmography[link]

• Movin' On Up- "The Music and Message of Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions" (DVD-2008)
• Super Fly (1972) as himself
• Short Eyes (1977) (Role - Pappy)
• Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (film) (1978) (Role - Guest)
• Curtis Mayfield Live at Ronnie Scotts - issued on VHS and DVD (2002)

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

• Curtis (1970)
• Roots (1971)
• Back to the World (1973)
• Got to Find a Way (1974)
• Sweet Exorcist (1974)
• There's No Place Like America Today (1975)
• Give, Get, Take and Have (1976)
• Never Say You Can't Survive (1977)
• Do It All Night (1978)
• Heartbeat (1979)
• Something to Believe In (1980)
• The Right Combination (with Linda Clifford) (1980)
• Love is the Place (1982)
• Honesty (1983)
• We Come in Peace with a Message of Love (1985)
• Take It to the Streets (1990)
• New World Order (1997)

Soundtrack albums[link]

• Super Fly (1972)
• Claudine (1974)
• Let's Do It Again (1975)
• Sparkle (1976)
• A Piece of the Action (1977)
• Short Eyes (1977)
• The Return of Superfly (1990)

Live albums[link]

• Curtis/Live! (1971)
• Curtis in Chicago (1973)
• Live in Europe (1988)
• Live at Ronnie Scott's (1988)

Compilations[link]

• The Anthology 1961-1977 (1992)
• People Get Ready: The Curtis Mayfield Story (1996)
• Get Down to the Funky Groove (1996) [Charly]^[16]
• The Very Best of Curtis Mayfield (1997)
• Beautiful Brother. The Essential Curtis Mayfield (2000)
• Soul Legacy (2001)
• Greatest Hits (2006)

Chart hits by other artists written by Mayfield[link]

Mayfield was a prolific composer. In addition to writing or co-writing almost all of the hit singles he had as a member of The Impressions and as a solo artist, Mayfield also wrote (and sometimes produced) numerous hits for other artists. The following is a list of chart hits, arranged chronologically, that were written (or co-written) by Curtis Mayfield and performed by artists other than Mayfield and/or The Impressions:

* Billboard magazine did not publish an R&B chart during 1964; these chart positions are from Cashbox magazine.
** This hit charted three to four years later in the UK.

References[link]

External links[link]

This article's use of external links may not follow Wikipedia's policies or guidelines. Please improve this article by removing excessive or inappropriate external links, and converting useful links where appropriate into footnote references. (November 2011)

Biography portal

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Curtis Mayfield

• Curtis Mayfield at the Internet Movie Database
• Curtis Mayfield at Allmusic
• "Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions perform 'We're a Winner' " for the WGBH series, Say Brother
• Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time
• Obituary from Socialist Action
• BBC Obituary
• RBMA Radio On Demand - Across 135th Street - Volume 10 - Curtis Mayfield Tribute - Chairman Mao (RBMA, Egotrip)
• Entry in New Georgia Encyclopedia
• Curtis Mayfield and the Impact of His Music on the Civil Rights Movement A Conversation with Mr. Howard Dodson and Dr. Portia K. Maultsby at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum
• Curtis Mayfield at Find a Grave
• Curtis Mayfield accepts The Grammy Living Legend Award with original Impressions Jerry Butler, Sam Gooden, and Fred Cash - 1994

Curtis Ousley (February 7, 1934 – August 13, 1971), who performed under the stage name King Curtis, was an American saxophone virtuoso known for rhythm and blues, rock and roll, soul, funk and soul jazz. He was adopted, alongside with his adopted sister, Josephine Ousley Allen. They both grew up in Texas, together. Variously a bandleader, band member, and session musician, he was also a musical director and record producer. Adept at tenor, alto, and soprano saxophone, he was best known for his distinctive riffs and solos such as on "Yakety Yak", which later became the inspiration for Boots Randolph's "Yakety Sax" and his own "Memphis Soul Stew".^[1]

Career[link]

King Curtis started playing saxophone at the age of twelve in the Fort Worth area. Josephine, took interest in him, knowing that she was also into music and singing as well. He took interest in many musical genres including jazz, rhythm and blues, and popular music. As a student pursuing music he turned down college scholarships in order to join the Lionel Hampton Band.^[2] During his time with Lionel Hampton he was able to write and arrange music and learn guitar.^[2] In 1952 Curtis decided to move to New York and became a session musician, recording for such labels as Prestige, Enjoy, Capitol, and Atco. He recorded with Nat Adderley and Wynton Kelly,^[2] Buddy Holly and Andy Williams.^[3]

Stylistically, Curtis took inspiration from saxophonists Lester Young, Louis Jordan, Illinois Jacquet, Earl Bostic, and Gene Ammons.^[2] Known for his syncopated and percussive style, he was both versatile and powerful as a musician. He put together a group during his time as a session musician including Richard Tee, Cornell Dupree, Jerry Jemmott, and Bernard Purdie.^[3]

Move into Rock[link]

King Curtis enjoyed playing jazz and rock but decided he would make more money as a rock musician. From the 1950s until the mid 1960s, he worked as a session player, recording under his own name and with others such as the Coasters, with whom he recorded "Yakety Yak." Buddy Holly hired him for session work, during which they recorded "Reminiscing." Buddy wrote this song, but gave Curtis the songwriting credit for flying down to the session. His best-known singles from this period are "Soul Twist" and "Soul Serenade."

In 1965, he moved to Atlantic Records and recorded his most successful singles, "Memphis Soul Stew" and "Ode to Billie Joe" (1967). He worked with The Coasters, led Aretha Franklin's backing band The Kingpins. The Kingpins opened for The Beatles during their 1965 performance at Shea Stadium. Curtis produced records, often working with Jerry Wexler and recorded for Groove Records during this period.^[4]

In 1970, he appeared with Aretha Franklin and The King Pins on Aretha Live at Fillmore West, and another record, Live at Fillmore West, which included a version of "Memphis Soul Stew" and covers of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love", Isaac Hayes' "I Stand Accused" and Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours". The line-up for these performances included: Hammond organ player Billy Preston, bassist Jerry Jemmott, guitarist Cornell Dupree, Pancho Morales (percussion), drummer Bernard "Pretty" Purdie and The Memphis Horns. A cover of Procol Harum's "Whiter Shade of Pale" was taken from this album, and used as the title music in the cult British comedy film, Withnail & I. In July 1971, Curtis recorded saxophone solos on "It's So Hard" and "I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier Mama I Don't Wanna Die" from John Lennon's Imagine.^[5] Along with The Rimshots, he recorded the original theme song for the 1971 hit television show, Soul Train, titled "Hot Potatoes."

Death[link]

Around midnight on August 13, 1971^[6] Curtis was lugging an air-conditioning unit towards his brownstone apartment on West 86th Street in New York City when he noticed two junkies were using drugs on the steps to his home. When he asked them to leave, an argument started.^[7] The argument quickly became heated and turned into a fist fight with one of the men, 26-year old Juan Montañez. Suddenly, Montañez pulled out a knife and stabbed Curtis in the chest. Curtis managed to wrestle the knife away and stab his assailant four times before collapsing. Montañez staggered away from the scene and Curtis was taken to Roosevelt Hospital, where he died from his wounds less than an hour later.^[8]

Montañez was arrested at the same hospital Curtis had been taken to. When police officers investigating the murder learned that another man had been admitted to Roosevelt hospital with stab wounds around the same time as Curtis, they quickly realized that the two events were connected. Montañez was charged with Curtis' murder and subsequently sentenced to a term of imprisonment.^[9]

On the day of Curtis' funeral Atlantic Records closed their offices.^[10] Jesse Jackson administered the service and as the mourners filed in, Curtis's band 'The Kingpins' played "Soul Serenade". Amongst those attending were his close family, sister Josephine Ousley Allen, other family members, Aretha Franklin, Cissy Houston, Brook Benton and Duane Allman.^[11] Franklin sang the closing spiritual "Never Grow Old" and Stevie Wonder performed "Abraham, Martin and John and now King Curtis".^[12]

Curtis was subsequently buried in a red granite-fronted wall crypt in the 'West Gallery of Forsythia Court' mausoleum at Pinelawn Memorial Park in Farmingdale, New York, the same cemetery that holds Jazz greats Count Basie and John Coltrane.^[13]

Awards[link]

In 1970, Curtis won the Best R&B Instrumental Performance Grammy for "Games People Play".^[14]

Curtis was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 6, 2000.^[15]

Discography[link]

^[16]

King Curtis[link]

• The Good Old Fifties (1959)
• Have Tenor Sax, Will Blow (1959)
• Azure (1960)
• King Soul (1960)
• Soul Meeting (1960)
• Party Time (1961)
• Trouble in Mind (1961)
• Old Gold (1961)
• Night Train (1961)
• Doin' the Dixie Twist (1962)
• Country Soul (1962)
• Soul Twist and other Golden Classics (1962)
• It's Party Time (1962)
• The Best of (1962)
• Soul Serenade (1964)
• Plays Hits made by Sam Cooke (1965)
• That Lovin' Feeling (1966)
• Live at Small's Paradise (1966)
• Play Great Memphis Hits (1967)
• Memphis Soul Stew (1967) #33 Pop, #6 R&B
• Sweet Soul (1968)
• Sax in Motion (1968)
• Instant Groove (1969)
• Everybody Talkin (1970)
• Get Ready (1970)
• Blues at Montreux (1971)

King Curtis and The Kingpins[link]

• Soul Twist (1962) with The Noble Knights
• The Shirelles & King Curtis Give A Twist Party (1962) with The Shirelles a/k/a Eternally, Soul (1968)
• King Size Soul (1967)
• Live at Fillmore West (1971)

References[link]

Bibliography[link]

• Clifford, Mike: Futrell, John and Bonds, Ray. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Black music. Harmony Books (1982). Digitized 29 Dec (2006)
• Kernfield, Barry Dean. Newgrove Dictionary of Jazz. Grove's Dictionaries (2002). Digitized 21 Dec 2006. ISBN 978-1-56159-284-5
• Shaw, Arnold. Honkers and Shouters. Macmillan Publishing Company (1978). Macmillan Publishing Company. ISBN 0-02-061740-2
• Poe, Randy and Gibbons, Billy F. Sky Dog. Backbeat Books (2006) ISBN 978-0-87930-891-9

Christina Aguilera
Aguilera attending the launch of the Montblanc John Lennon edition in September 2010.
Background information
Birth name	Christina María Aguilera
Born	(1980-12-18) December 18, 1980 (age 31) Staten Island, New York, U.S.
Origin	Wexford, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genres	Pop, R&B, soul, dance-pop[1]
Occupations	Singer-songwriter,[2][3][4] record producer, dancer, television personality,[5] actress
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1993–present
Labels	RCA
Website	christinaaguilera.com

Christina María Aguilera (born December 18, 1980) is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993 to 1994. Aguilera signed to RCA Records after recording "Reflection",^[6] the theme song for the animated film Mulan (1998).

In 1999, Aguilera came to prominence following her debut album Christina Aguilera, which was a commercial success spawning three number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100—"Genie in a Bottle", "What a Girl Wants", and "Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)."^[7] Her sophomore and her debut Latin-pop album, Mi Reflejo (2000), a Christmas third studio album, My Kind of Christmas (2000), and several collaborations followed which garnered Aguilera worldwide success, though she was displeased with her lack of input in her music and image.^[8] After parting from her management, Aguilera took creative control over her fourth studio album, Stripped (2002).^[9] The album's second single, "Beautiful", was a commercial success and helped the album's commercial performance amidst controversy over Aguilera's image.^[10][11][12] Aguilera followed up Stripped with the soul, jazz and blues inspired, Back to Basics (2006), released to positive critical acclaim.^[13] The album produced three singles "Ain't No Other Man", "Hurt" and "Candyman". Four years later Aguilera released her sixth studio album, Bionic (2010), which incorporated aspects of R&B, electropop, and synthpop and was met with mixed reviews and low sales.^{[14][15][16][17]} Aguilera's seventh studio album is set to be released in 2012.

Aside from being known for her vocal ability, music videos and image, musically, she includes themes of dealing with public scrutiny, her childhood, and female empowerment in her music.^[18] Apart from her work in music, she has also dedicated much of her time as a philanthropist for charities, human rights and world issues which include her work as a UN ambassador for the World Food Programme.^[19][20] She made her feature film debut in the musical Burlesque (2010), earning Aguilera a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song. Aguilera's work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, four Grammy Awards and one Latin Grammy Award, amongst seventeen and three nominations respectively. Rolling Stone ranked her number fifty-eight on their list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time, ranking as the youngest and only artist on the list under the age of thirty.^[21] She was ranked the 20th Artist of the 2000–09 decade by Billboard^[22] and is the second top selling single artist of the 2000s behind Madonna.^[23] Aguilera's albums sales are estimated at over 50 million units worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time.^[24][25] Aguilera is currently a coach and judge on The Voice.

Life and career[link]

1980–98: Early life and career beginnings[link]

Aguilera was born in Staten Island, New York, to Fausto Wagner Xavier Aguilera, a sergeant in the US Army at the time, and Shelly Loraine (née Fidler), a Spanish teacher. Aguilera's father was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador^[26] and her mother, who is American, is of German, Irish, Welsh, and Dutch ancestry.^[27] Her father was stationed at Earnest Harmon Air Force Base in Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador and Japan. Aguilera lived with both her father and mother, up until their divorce when she was seven years old. Aguilera then lived with her mother, and her younger sister Rachel, at her grandmother's home in Rochester, Pennsylvania, a town outside Pittsburgh. According to both Aguilera and her mother, her father was very controlling, as well as physically and emotionally abusive. In an interview with Rolling Stone Aguilera revealed, "there was so much domestic violence going on when I grew up with my dad travelling in the military. I think the reason that my drive was so strong and I was so passionate about music was because I grew up in an environment of domestic violence."^[28] She later sang about her difficult childhood in the songs "I'm OK" on Stripped, and "Oh Mother" on Back to Basics. Even though he has made several attempts to reconnect with her, Aguilera ruled out any chance of a reunion.^[29] Since then, her mother has married a paramedic named Jim Kearns, and has changed her name.^[30]

As a child, Aguilera aspired to be a singer. She was known locally as "the little girl with the big voice",^[29] singing in local talent shows and competitions. She attended Rochester Area School District, Marshall Middle School near Wexford and North Allegheny Intermediate High School. On March 15, 1990, she appeared on Star Search singing "A Sunday Kind of Love", but lost the competition at number 2. Soon after losing on Star Search, she returned home and appeared on Pittsburgh's KDKA-TV's Wake Up With Larry Richert to perform the same song. Throughout her youth in Pittsburgh, Aguilera sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" before Pittsburgh Penguins hockey, Pittsburgh Steelers football and Pittsburgh Pirates baseball games, including during the 1992 Stanley Cup Finals.^[31] Her talent was kept a secret to avoid bullying of other children. Following her television appearances Aguilera experienced resentment and bullying including an incident in which her peers slashed the tires on her family's car.^[32] Following several incidents Aguilera was later home schooled.^[29] Aguilera recalls, "doing what I did and maybe being a little smaller, I was definitely picked on and bullied for the attention that I got. It was definitely unwanted attention and there was a lot of unfairness about it."^[33]

In 1991, Aguilera auditioned for a role on The Mickey Mouse Club; however, she did not meet the age requirements. Two years later, she joined the cast, performing musical numbers and sketch comedy, until the show's cancellation in 1994.^[34] Her co-stars included Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Ryan Gosling and Keri Russell where they nicknamed her "the Diva"^[35] for her performance style and voice. At the age of fourteen, Aguilera recorded her first song, "All I Wanna Do", a hit duet with Japanese singer Keizo Nakanishi.^[36] In 1997, she represented the United States at the international Golden Stag Festival with a two-song set.^[37] Aguilera entered talent contests on "teen night" at the Pegasus Lounge, a gay and lesbian nightclub in Pittsburgh,^[38] and later at Lilith Fair.^[39] In 1998, Aguilera sent in a demo of her singing Whitney Houston's "Run to You" to Disney who were looking for a singer to record the song "Reflection" for their animated feature film Mulan (1998).^[40] The demo caught the attention of producer and label executive Ron Fair who would later mentor her throughout her career and led to Aguilera earning a contract with RCA Records the same week.^[9] "Reflection" peaked within the top twenty on the Adult Contemporary Singles Chart, and it was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.

[edit] 1999–01: Christina Aguilera, Mi Reflejo and new management

Under the exclusive representation of Steve Kurtz, Aguilera's self-titled debut album Christina Aguilera was released on August 24, 1999. It reached the top of the Billboard 200 and Canadian album charts, shipping eight million copies in the US^[41] and over seventeen million copies worldwide.^[42] The album is also included in the Top 100 Albums of All Time list of The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) based on US sales.^[43] Released during the teen pop era of 1999 the album was well received by several critics, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic writes that Aguilera's debut "remains firmly within the teen-oriented dance-pop genre, but done right." Concluding that the album is "lightweight in the best possible sense – breezy, fun, engaging, and enjoyable on each repeated listen. Out of the deluge of teen-pop albums in 1999, this feels like the best of the lot."^[44] Her debut single, "Genie in a Bottle" was an instant hit reaching No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and in several countries worldwide. Her follow-up singles "What a Girl Wants" and "Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)" topped the Hot 100 as well during 1999 and 2000 while "I Turn to You" reached number three. She is one of the few artists to have multiple No.1 singles from a debut album in Billboard's history.^[45] She made a cameo appearance on an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210, performed on MTV's New Year's Special as MTV's first artist of the millennium, and the Super Bowl XXXIV halftime show. Aguilera wanted to display the range and audacity in her voice during the promotion of the album, and performed acoustic sets and appeared on television shows accompanied only by a piano. At the 42nd Grammy Awards Aguilera received a Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Grammy nomination for "Genie in a Bottle" and despite earlier predictions, she won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist.^[46]

In 2000, Aguilera began recording her first Spanish-language album with producer Rudy Pérez in Miami.^[47][48] Later in 2000, Aguilera, first emphasized her Latin heritage by releasing her first Spanish album, Mi Reflejo on September 12, 2000. This album contained Spanish versions of songs from her English debut as well as new Spanish tracks. Though some criticized Aguilera for trying to cash in on the Latin music boom at the time. According to Pérez, Aguilera was only semi-fluent, while recording. She understood the language, because she has grown up with her father, who is a native of Ecuador. He added "Her Latin roots are undeniable".^[47] The album peaked at number twenty-seven on the Billboard 200 and went No.1 on the Billboard Latin charts for a record 20 weeks. In 2001, it won Aguilera a Latin Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Album. The album was later certified 6× Platinum (Latin field) in the US Aguilera won the World Music Award and Billboard award as the best selling Latin artist that year. Aguilera also released a Christmas album, My Kind of Christmas, on October 24, 2000 and performed "The Christmas Song" at the White House that year.^[41] The album's only single, "The Christmas Song" made Aguilera one of three artists to take the song into the top twenty on the Billboard Hot 100.^[49] The single and My Kind of Christmas were both certified Platinum in the US^[50][51] Aguilera was Billboard's top female artist for 2000.^[52]

Aguilera's first concert tour, Christina Aguilera: In Concert (also known as "Sears & Levis Tour ") began in the summer of 2000 in the US and ended early 2001 where she toured South America and Asia. A concert special aired on ABC titled My Reflection which was released to DVD and certified Gold in the US.^[53] Aguilera was rumored to have dated MTV VJ Carson Daly.^[54] Rumors of their relationship were fueled after the release of Eminem's song, "The Real Slim Shady" in which he also insinuated a romance between her and rocker Fred Durst. Aguilera responded saying the lyrics were "disgusting, offensive and, above all, not true."^[55] Their feud ended two years later backstage at the Video Music Awards after Aguilera presented the rapper an award onstage.^[56] She dated Puerto Rican dancer Jorge Santos. Santos appeared on her tour and music videos throughout 2000. They dated for nearly two years until the relationship ended on September 11, 2001.^[57] He remained her dancer well into 2002.^[58]

Ricky Martin asked Aguilera to duet with him on the track "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely" from his album Sound Loaded; released in 2001 as the album's second single. The single reached No.1 on the World Chart and top ten in several countries. In 2001, Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mýa, and Pink were chosen to remake Labelle's 1975 single "Lady Marmalade" for the film Moulin Rouge! and its soundtrack. The song peaked at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks and was the most successful airplay-only single in history.^[59] It also reached number one in eleven other countries and earned all four performers a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. Aguilera's appearance in the music video was compared to that of Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider.^[60] The video won two MTV Video Music Awards including Video of the Year in 2001, where Aguilera accepted the award saying, "I guess the big hair paid off."^[61]

That same year, the single "Just Be Free" emerged into record stores which was one of the demos Aguilera recorded when she was around fifteen years old. When RCA Records discovered the single, they advised fans not to purchase it.^[62] Months later, Warlock Records was set to release Just Be Free, an album which contains the demo tracks. Aguilera filed a breach of contract and unfair competition suit against Warlock and the album's producers to block the release.^[63] Instead, the two parties came to a settlement to release the album. Aguilera lent out her name, likeness and image for an unspecified amount of damages. Many of the details of the lawsuit remain confidential. When the album was released in August 2001, it had a photograph of Aguilera when she was fifteen years old.^[64]

Although Aguilera's debut album was commercially successful, she was dissatisfied with the music and image her management had created for her. Aguilera was marketed as a bubblegum pop singer because of the genre's upward financial trend.^[65] She mentioned plans of her next album to have much more depth, both musically and lyrically.^[66] Aguilera's views of Steve Kurtz's influence in matters of the singer's creative direction, the role of being her exclusive personal manager and overscheduling had in part caused her to seek legal means of terminating their management contract. In October 2000, Aguilera filed a breach of fiduciary duty lawsuit against her manager Kurtz for improper, undue and inappropriate influence over her professional activities, as well as fraud. According to legal documents, Kurtz did not protect her rights and interests. Instead, he took action that was for his own interest, at the cost of hers. She petitioned the California State Labor Commission to nullify the contract. Aguilera revealed while recording her then upcoming album, "I was being overworked. You find out that someone you thought was a friend is stealing money behind your back, and it's heartbreaking. I put faith in the people around me, and unfortunately, it bit me in the butt."^[67] After terminating Kurtz's services, Irving Azoff was hired as her new manager.

[edit] 2002–05: New image, Stripped and marriage

On October 26, 2002, Aguilera's fourth studio album, Stripped, was released. The album sold more than 330,000 copies in the first week and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. Unlike her previous work, the album showcased Aguilera's raunchier side.^[68] The majority of Stripped was co-written by Aguilera (who had recently signed a global music publishing contract with BMG Music Publishing), and was influenced by many different subjects and music styles, including contemporary R&B, gospel, soul, balladry, pop rock, and hip hop.^[69] The majority of the album was produced by Scott Storch and singer-songwriter Linda Perry who produced her more personal records. Rockwilder and singer Alicia Keys also contributed a track each. Upon initial release, the album was very well received by critics, although Aguilera's vocals were overlooked as she began to cultivate a more sexually provocative image.^[70] After the release of the album, she took part in photoshoots for magazines, many of these photographs featured her nude or semi-nude. Her cover for Rolling Stone,^[71] featured the singer only wearing boots and a well-placed electric guitar. It was during this time Aguilera referred to herself as "Xtina", even getting a tattoo of her nickname on the back of her neck and several piercings.^[72]

Aguilera performing during during Stripped Live... on Tour in 2003

Initially, the raunchy image had a negative effect on Aguilera in the US, especially after the release of her controversial "Dirrty" music video.^[11] She denied that this change was a matter of publicity, claiming that the image better reflected her true personality than did the image she cultivated back in 1999. Aguilera defended the video stating it was about power and control adding, "I'm also at the forefront. I'm in the power position, in complete command of everything around me."^[41] While the video for "Dirrty" became very popular on MTV, it disappointed on the US singles chart. However, the single was a hit worldwide, reaching No.1 in the UK and Ireland. The second single, "Beautiful" received critical praise. The classically influenced ballad reached number one in several countries and peaked at No.2 in the US. "Beautiful" earned Aguilera the Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Three more singles ("Fighter", "Can't Hold Us Down" featuring Lil' Kim, "The Voice Within") were released in the following two years and were hits that helped the album stay on the charts for the next two years. Stripped stayed on the U.S. and UK album charts well into 2004, and went on to be certified four-times platinum in the US with over thirteen million copies sold worldwide.^[73] It appeared at number ten on Billboard's year-end album chart and Aguilera was the top female artist for 2003.^[74] Kelly Clarkson's second single "Miss Independent" was co-written by Aguilera, having been half-finished for Stripped.

Aguilera performing during Stripped Live... on Tour in 2003

Aguilera joined Justin Timberlake that June on the final leg of his international Justified tour, held in the US. This portion of the tour became a co-headliner called the Justified/Stripped Tour. In August, an overhead lighting grid collapsed from the ceiling of the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, causing major damage to the sound and video equipment below. Because the collapse occurred hours before the show, only a few stagehands were injured, but a few shows were cancelled or postponed. In the fourth quarter of that year, Aguilera continued to tour internationally without Timberlake, and changed the name of the tour to the Stripped World Tour. She also dyed her hair black. It was one of the top-grossing tours of that year, and sold out most of its venues. Rolling Stone readers named it the best tour of the year.^[75] That same year she hosted the 2003 MTV Europe Music Awards and was a special guest performer with the Pussycat Dolls' dance troupe performing at the Roxy Theatre and Viper Room in Los Angeles. She also appeared on a Maxim spread alongside them, her second Maxim cover that year set record sales for the issue making it the top selling issue to date. By the end of the year she topped the annual Hot 100 list saying, "we had fun working with certain clothes, or the lack thereof."^[76][77][78]

Aguilera's first DVD live-recording from a concert tour, Stripped Live in the U.K., was released in November 2004. In light of the tour's success, another U.S. tour was scheduled to begin in mid-2004 with a new theme. The tour however was scrapped because of the vocal cord injuries Aguilera suffered shortly before the tour's opening date. In a tribute to Madonna's performance at the inaugural MTV Video Music Awards, Aguilera performed a kiss with the singer-actress at the 2003 edition of the ceremony in August. The incident occurred during the opening performance of Madonna's songs "Like a Virgin" and "Hollywood" with fellow popstar Britney Spears.^[41] Also in 2004, she hosted a Saturday Night Live episode which included a Sex & The City skit where she portrayed Samantha Jones revealing to everyone she was a man the entire time.^[79]

Aguilera later decided to embrace a more mature image; this move was met with more praise than criticism, with articles using punch lines such as "From Crass to Class."^[80] She eventually dyed her hair cherry blonde and recorded a jingle, "Hello", for a Mercedes-Benz ad. Shortly after, she dyed her hair flaxen blonde and cut it short, and took on a Marilyn Monroe look; she is one of the main proponents (along with Dita Von Teese, Gwen Stefani, and Ashley Judd) in bringing back the 1920s–1940s Hollywood glamour look.^[81][82] In late summer 2004, Aguilera released two singles. The first, "Car Wash", was a remake of the Rose Royce disco song recorded as a collaboration with rapper Missy Elliott for the soundtrack to the film Shark Tale. She voiced a small singing part in the film playing a Rastafarian jellyfish in the film's closing musical number. The second song was also a collaboration, but this time as a second single from one of Nelly's double-release albums, Sweat, titled "Tilt Ya Head Back". Both singles failed commercially in the US, but did considerably better in other parts of the world. Aguilera collaborated with jazz artist Herbie Hancock on a cover of Leon Russell's "A Song for You" recorded for Hancock's album Possibilities, released in August 2005. Aguilera and Hancock were later nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. She helped open the 50th Anniversary for Disneyland performing "When You Wish upon a Star", and she also collaborated with Andrea Bocelli on the song "Somos Novios" for his album Amore. Aguilera began dating music marketing executive Jordan Bratman in 2002. Their engagement was announced in February 2005,^[83] and they married on November 19, 2005, in a Napa Valley estate.^[84]