Irma Thomas
Irma Thomas ( Lee; born February 18, 1941) is an American singer from New Orleans. She is known as the "Soul Queen of New Orleans". Thomas is a contemporary of Aretha Franklin and Etta James, but never experienced their level of commercial success. In 2007, she won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album for ''After the Rain'', her first Grammy in a career spanning over 50 years. Life and career Born Irma Lee, in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, United States, she was the daughter of Percy Lee, a steel chipper, and Vader Lee, who worked as a maid. As a teenager, she sang with a Baptist church choir. She auditioned for Specialty Records at the age of 13. By the time she was 19, she had been married twice and had four children. Keeping her second ex-husband's surname, she worked as a waitress in New Orleans, occasionally singing with bandleader Tommy Ridgley, who helped her land a record deal with the local Ron label. Her first single, "Don't Mess with My Man", was released i ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (commonly called Jazz Fest or Jazzfest) is an annual celebration of local music and culture held at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana. Jazz Fest attracts thousands of visitors to New Orleans each year. The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation Inc., as it is officially named, was established in 1970 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (NPO). The Foundation is the original organizer of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell Oil Company, a corporate financial sponsor. The Foundation was established primarily to redistribute the funds generated by Jazz Fest into the local community. As an NPO, their mission further states that the Foundation "promotes, preserves, perpetuates and encourages the music, culture and heritage of communities in Louisiana through festivals, programs and other cultural, educational, civic and economic activities". The founders of the organization ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Virgin Books
Virgin Books is a British book publisher 90% owned by the publishing group Random House, and 10% owned by Virgin Group, the company originally set up by Richard Branson as a record company. History Virgin established its book publishing arm in the late 1970s; in the latter part of the 1980s Virgin purchased several existing companies, including WH Allen, well known among '' Doctor Who'' fans for their Target Books imprint; Virgin Books was incorporated into WH Allen in 1989, but in 1991 WH Allen was renamed Virgin Publishing Ltd. Virgin Publishing's early success came with the ''Doctor Who'' New Adventures novels, officially licensed full-length novels carrying on the story of the popular science-fiction television series following its cancellation in 1989. Virgin published this series from 1991 to 1997, as well as a range of ''Doctor Who'' reference books from 1992 to 1998 under the Doctor Who Books imprint. In recent times the company is best known for its commercial ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Jeannie Seely
Marilyn Jeanne Seely (born July 6, 1940) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and record producer. She also has several acting credits and published a book. Seely found success with the Grammy Award-winning hit " Don't Touch Me" (1966). The song reached the No.2 position on the ''Billboard'' country songs chart and is her highest-charting single as a solo artist. Her soul-inspired vocal delivery was praised by music professionals, who gave her the nickname of "Miss Country Soul". Seely is also known for her membership and presence on the Grand Ole Opry, having appeared more times on the program than any other performer (over 5,000 appearances in her 55-year and ongoing tenure). Seely was born and raised in northwestern Pennsylvania. Developing an early interest in country music, she performed regularly on local radio and television stations. Following high school graduation, she worked at a local bank before moving to southern California. It was on the west coast ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Randy Newman
Randall Stuart Newman (born November 28, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist known for his Southern-accented singing style, early Americana-influenced songs (often with mordant or satirical lyrics), and various film scores. His best-known songs as a recording artist are " Short People" (1977), "I Love L.A." (1983), and " You've Got a Friend in Me" (1995) with Lyle Lovett, while other artists have enjoyed more success with cover versions of his " Mama Told Me Not to Come" (1966), " I Think It's Going to Rain Today" (1968) and " You Can Leave Your Hat On" (1972). Born in Los Angeles to an extended family of Hollywood film composers, Newman began his songwriting career at the age of 17, penning hits for acts such as the Fleetwoods, Cilla Black, Gene Pitney, and the Alan Price Set. In 1968, he made his formal debut as a solo artist with the album '' Randy Newman'', produced by Lenny Waronker and Van Dyke Parks. Four of Newman's non-soundtra ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)
"Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)" is a 1964 R&B song written by Jeannie Seely and Randy Newman. It was recorded by Irma Thomas and released as a single the same year, with " Time Is on My Side" as the B-side. The song is about a woman who stays in a relationship with a man despite his bad behavior. "Time Is on My Side" soon gathered attention when a cover by The Rolling Stones became their first top ten single in the US, while "Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)" peaked at number 52 in the ''Billboard'' Top 100 chart. The song was repopularised by its usage in the science fiction anthology series ''Black Mirror''. First sung by a character for a talent show in " Fifteen Million Merits" (2011), it was used in four subsequent episodes, and began to appear in other films and television programs. In 2018, the song reached number two on ''Billboard''s Top TV Songs. In the 2010s, musicians to cover the song included Seal, Ruby Amanfu and Boyz II Men. Bac ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tracey Ullman
Tracey Ullman (born Trace Ullman, 30 December 1959) is a British-American actress, comedian, singer, writer, producer, and director. Her earliest mainstream appearances were on British television sketch comedy shows '' A Kick Up the Eighties'' (with Rik Mayall and Miriam Margolyes) and '' Three of a Kind'' (with Lenny Henry and David Copperfield). After a brief singing career, she appeared as Candice Valentine in '' Girls on Top'' with Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. She emigrated from the United Kingdom to the United States and she starred in her own network television comedy series, '' The Tracey Ullman Show'' from 1987 until 1990, which also featured the first appearances of the long-running animated media franchise ''The Simpsons''. She later produced programmes for HBO, including '' Tracey Takes On...'' (1996–99) garnering numerous awards. Her sketch comedy series '' Tracey Ullman's State of the Union'' ran from 2008 to 2010 on Showtime. She has appeared in sever ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Breakaway (Irma Thomas Song)
"Breakaway" (spelled "Break-a-Way" on the original 45 RPM label, but usually spelled "Breakaway" on most subsequent releases and compilations) is a song written by Jackie DeShannon and Sharon Sheeley. It was originally recorded by Irma Thomas in 1964 and released as the B-side of her biggest hit, the US No. 17 single "Wish Someone Would Care". A demo version performed by DeShannon was also recorded but remained unreleased until a 1994 compilation. The original version of "Breakaway" was never a hit, not making the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Nevertheless, "Breakaway" is today generally a better-remembered song than the A-side of Thomas' record, which might be partly due to Tracey Ullman's 1980s hit cover. It has become a staple in Thomas' live performances and appears on several recent Irma Thomas and "New Orleans music" compilations. "Breakaway" was Tracey Ullman's 1983 debut single in the UK, and reached No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart. The track then appeared on Ullman's ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Otis Redding
Otis Ray Redding Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an American singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. Nicknamed the " King of Soul", Redding's style of singing gained inspiration from the gospel music that preceded the genre. His singing style influenced many other soul artists of the 1960s. Redding was born in Dawson, Georgia, and at age two, moved to Macon. Redding quit school at age 15 to support his family, working with Little Richard's backing band, the Upsetters, and by performing in talent shows at the historic Douglass Theatre in Macon. In 1958, he joined Johnny Jenkins's band, the Pinetoppers, with whom he toured the Southern states as a singer and driver. An unscheduled appearance on a Stax recording session led to a contract and his first hit single, " These Arms of Mine", in 1962. Stax released Redding's debut album, '' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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It's Raining (Irma Thomas Song)
"It's Raining" is a soul/ R&B ballad, written by Allen Toussaint under the name "Naomi Neville". It was first recorded in November 1961 by Irma Thomas, and produced by Allen Toussaint. The song has emotional ties to Louisiana, having been written and sung by people born in that state, being released on a New Orleans–based record label and enduring in the Deep South as a regional classic. "It's Raining", alongside "Ruler of My Heart" and "I Done Got Over It", remain some of Thomas' best–known recordings. History Initially Thomas recorded for Ron Records but, in 1961, she left for Minit Records, feeling that her original label did not pay her due royalties. This move paired her with Allen Toussaint, who both wrote and produced most of her work with Minit. As well as "It's Raining", Thomas recorded other notable tracks such as " Time Is on My Side" and "Ruler of My Heart." The name "Naomi Neville" was Toussaint's mother's name, which he used on many of his early compositions. ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Allen Toussaint
Allen Richard Toussaint (; January 14, 1938 – November 10, 2015) was an American musician, songwriter, arranger and record producer. He was an influential figure in New Orleans rhythm and blues from the 1950s to the end of the century, described as "one of popular music's great backroom figures".Richard Williams"Allen Toussaint obituary" '' The Guardian'', November 11, 2015. Retrieved November 15, 2015. Many musicians recorded Toussaint's compositions. He was a producer for hundreds of recordings, among the best known of which are " Right Place, Wrong Time", by his longtime friend Dr. John, and " Lady Marmalade" by Labelle. Biography Early life and career The youngest of three children, Toussaint was born in 1938 in New Orleans and grew up in a shotgun house in the Gert Town neighborhood, where his mother, Naomi Neville (whose name he later adopted pseudonymously for some of his works), welcomed and fed all manner of musicians as they practiced and recorded with her son. H ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 positions but was shortened to 50 positions in October 2012. The chart is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, rock and roll, soul, and funk, it is today dominated by contemporary R&B and hip hop. Since its inception, the chart has changed its name many times in order to accurately reflect the industry at the time. History Beginning in 1942, ''Billboard'' published a chart of bestselling black music, first as the Harlem Hit Parade, then as Race Records. Then in 1949, ''Billboard'' began publishing a Rhythm and Blues chart, which entered "R&B" into mainstream lexicon. These three charts were conso ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Billboard (magazine)
''Billboard'' (stylized as ''billboard'') is an American music and entertainment magazine published weekly by Penske Media Corporation. The magazine provides music charts, news, video, opinion, reviews, events, and style related to the music industry. Its music charts include the Hot 100, the 200, and the Global 200, tracking the most popular albums and songs in different genres of music. It also hosts events, owns a publishing firm, and operates several TV shows. ''Billboard'' was founded in 1894 by William Donaldson and James Hennegan as a trade publication for bill posters. Donaldson later acquired Hennegan's interest in 1900 for $500. In the early years of the 20th century, it covered the entertainment industry, such as circuses, fairs, and burlesque shows, and also created a mail service for travelling entertainers. ''Billboard'' began focusing more on the music industry as the jukebox, phonograph, and radio became commonplace. Many topics it covered were spun-off int ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |