Blues, Jazz and Rock Icons

Louis Jordan - He was a pioneering American jazz, blues and rhythm & blues musician, songwriter and bandleader who was known as "The King of the Jukebox."  Jordan’s popularity lasted through the later years of the Swing Era and, after Duke Ellington and Count Basie, he was probably the most popular and successful Black bandleader of his day.
Muddy Waters - McKinley Morganfield, better known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician and is widely considered "the Father of Chicago blues."  Considered one of the greatest bluesmen of all time, Muddy Waters was a huge inspiration for the British beat explosion in the 1960s and is considered one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.
Piney Brown - He witnessed firsthand the evolution of Black popular music from the earliest jump blues through funk. His uncanny ability to sing not only blues, but also jazz, soul and even country & western, has allowed him to keep the pace with the latest musical trends. As a songwriter, he has written for James Brown, Roscoe Gordon and Little Milton, to name a few.
Ruth Brown - Ruth Alston Weston, better known as R&B singer Ruth Brown, used her influence to press for musicians' rights regarding royalties and contracts, which led to the founding of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. Her performances in the Broadway musical "Black and Blue" earned Brown a Tony Award, and the original soundtrack won a Grammy Award.

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Muddy Waters - McKinley Morganfield, better known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician and is widely considered "the Father of Chicago blues." Considered one of the greatest bluesmen of all time, Muddy Waters was a huge inspiration for the British beat explosion in the 1960s and is considered one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.

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