Contemporary Musicians

by Deremer, Leigh Ann

• ISBN13: 9780787663599
• ISBN10: 078766359X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-03-01
• Publisher: Gale / Cengage Learning

Summary

While popular music in all its varied forms is a source of common interest and an insatiable curiosity among readers of all ages, thorough biographical information about its stars and superstars can be difficult to find. Consult this ongoing reference series for biographical information on more than 3,600 important figures in today's musical arena. Covering all genres of modern music, Contemporary Musicians profiles artists involved in rock, jazz, pop, rap, rhythm and blues, folk New Age, country, gospel and reggae.

Table of Contents

Introduction	ix
Amber
Dance music with lyrical depth	1	(3)
A-Mei
Popular Asian pop singer	4	(3)
David Arkenstone
New Age storyteller creates vivid soundscapes	7	(3)
Derek Bailey
Radical innovator of guitar technique	10	(3)
Patricia Barber
Highly regarded jazz pianist	13	(3)
David Benoit
Versatile pianist and composer	16	(3)
Alpha Blondy
Politically conscious reggae star	19	(3)
Michael Bloomfield
1960s blues and folk guitarist	22	(3)
Miguel Bose
Spanish singer a cultural icon	25	(3)
Chris Botti
Contemporary jazz trumpeter	28	(3)
Boyzone
Irish ``boy band''	31	(3)
Bread
``Timeless'' soft-rock group	34	(3)
Brinsley Schwarz
British pub-rock group	37	(3)
Shirley Caesar
``Queen of Gospel''	40	(3)
Capleton
Reggae artist's lyrics address social issues	43	(2)
Michael Card
Respected Christian musician, author, and theologian	45	(4)
Neko Case
Alternative country songstress	49	(3)
Petula Clark
Top-selling British female musician in the world	52	(3)
Rita Coolidge
Music reflects Native American ancestry	55	(3)
Elvis Costello
Innovative, eclectic rocker	58	(5)
Cristian
Long-standing Latin star	63	(3)
Sheryl Crow
One of rock music's major talents	66	(4)
Brian Culbertson
Chart-topping smooth jazz musician	70	(2)
George Dalaras
The ``Greek Bruce Springsteen''	72	(3)
Eddie ``Lockjaw'' Davis
Quintessential jazz saxophonist	75	(3)
Def Leppard
Veteran pop-metal rockers	78	(4)
Jackie DeShannon
Creative, ambitious songwriter	82	(5)
Everything But The Girl
Relentlessly relevant electronica duo	87	(4)
Charlie Feathers
``Father of rockabilly music''	91	(4)
Edith Frost
Emergent star on the independent music scene	95	(3)
Jerry Goldsmith
Versatile film composer	98	(4)
Susan Graham
Mezzo-soprano opera star	102	(3)
Green Day
Led 1990s punk resurgence	105	(4)
Andy Griggs
Hit-making country singer	109	(3)
Charlie Haden
Innovative master of the string bass	112	(4)
Louis Hayes
Jazz drummer contributed to hundreds of albums	116	(3)
Stephen Hough
Accessible contemporary pianist	119	(3)
Humble Pie
Called the first ``supergroup''	122	(3)
Giya Kancheli
Important Georgian composer	125	(3)
Toby Keith
Honky tonk country crooner	128	(4)
Paul Kelly
Popular Australian singer-songwriter	132	(3)
The Limeliters
1960s folk group	135	(2)
Lynn Morris Band
Traditional bluegrass group	137	(3)
Masta Ace
East Coast rapper uses streetwise wordplay	140	(2)
Sergio Mendes
Brazilian jazz bandleader	142	(3)
Edgar Meyer
Critically lauded double-bass player	145	(3)
Undine Smith Moore
Inspired African American musicians	148	(3)
Allison Moorer
Country-pop singer	151	(3)
Idris Muhammad
Drummer of great stylistic range	154	(3)
Muse
Dynamic group with lyrical bravado	157	(3)
Musiq
R&B singer-songwriter with soul	160	(2)
Nelly
Rap star put the fun back in rhyming	162	(2)
Nickel Creek
Contemporary bluegrass group	164	(3)
The O.C. Supertones
Use music to share their religious beliefs	167	(3)
Patrick O'Hearn
Electronic composer creates ``mood'' music	170	(3)
Arvo Part
Composer's work reflects study of medieval music	173	(3)
Prince
Consistent hitmaker fuses soul, funk, and pop	176	(5)
Radio Tarifa
Middle East-influenced Spanish group	181	(3)
Rainbow
A revolving door of heavy-metal talent	184	(3)
Create beautifully minimalist songs
Red House Painters	187	(3)
Respected British ``shoegazer'' group
Ride	190	(3)
Amalia Rodrigues
Beloved Portuguese fado singer	193	(3)
Famed Australian punk group
The Saints	196	(3)
David Sanchez
Jazz saxophonist with Afro-Caribbean rhythms	199	(3)
Dreampop group with an atmospheric sound
Slowdive	202	(2)
``Loudest band in Britain''
Status Quo	204	(5)
Improvisational chamber jazz group
String Trio of New York	209	(2)
Cosmopolitan British group
Swing Out Sister	211	(3)
Successfully fuse bluegrass with gospel
IIIrd Tyme Out	214	(2)
Prototype of Southern rock `n' roll
38 Special	216	(3)
``A stone groove to behold''
Tower of Power	219	(3)
Mark Turner
Saxophonist known for intense style	222	(3)
``King of Rhumba Rock''
Papa Wemba	225	(4)
Jim White
Composes haunting, moody songs	229	(2)
Rachel Z
Jazz keyboardist with crossover appeal	231	(4)
Cumulative Subject Index	235	(32)
Cumulative Musicians Index	267