Funkiest Man Alive

Matthew Ruddick

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Language: English

Published by University Press of Mississippi, US, 2023

1496838408 / 9781496838407

Series: Book 117 of 150 - American Made Music

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Seller: Rarewaves.com USA, London, London, United KingdomRarewaves.com USA

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Rufus Thomas may not be a household name, but he is widely regarded as the patriarch of Memphis RandB, and his music influenced three generations. His first singles in the early 1950s were recorded as blues transitioned into RandB, and he was arguably one of the founding fathers of early rock 'n' roll. In the early 1960s, his songs "The Dog" and "Walking the Dog" made a huge impact on the emerging British "mod" scene, influencing the likes of the Georgie Fame, the Rolling Stones, and the Who. And in the early 1970s, Thomas rebranded himself as the "funkiest man alive" and recorded funk classics that were later sampled by the likes of Public Enemy, Missy Elliot, and the Wu-Tang Clan. In Funkiest Man Alive: Rufus Thomas and Memphis Soul, Matthew Ruddick reveals the amazing life and career of Thomas, who started as a dancer in the minstrel shows that toured the South before becoming one of the nation's early African American disc jockeys, and then going on to record the first hit singles for both Chess Records and Stax Records. Ruddick also examines the social fabric of the city of Memphis, analyzing the factors behind the vast array of talent that appeared in the late 1950s, with singers like Isaac Hayes, William Bell, Maurice White (Earth, Wind and Fire), and Thomas's older daughter, Carla Thomas, all emerging from the tightly knit African American community. He also tells the story of Memphis-based Stax Records, one of the nation's leading RandB record labels. From the earliest blues, the segregated minstrel shows, and the birth of rock 'n' roll through to the emergence of RandB and funk, Rufus Thomas saw it all.…

Seller Inventory # LU-9781496838407

Title
Funkiest Man Alive
Author
Matthew Ruddick
Publisher
University Press of Mississippi, US
Publication year
2023
Condition
New
Binding
Hardback
Language
English
ISBN 10
1496838408
ISBN 13
9781496838407
Item weight
272 grams
Dimensions
6.38 x 1.23 x 9.51 inches
Series
Book 117 of 150: American Made Music

Rarewaves.com USA

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