-
Duke Ellington Orchestra Formed
Duke Ellington- Jazz Pianist/Composer formed the Duke Ellington Orchestra in NewYork -
Rhapsody in Blue
George Gershwin composed a symphonic jazz piece 'Rhapsody in Blue.' Jazz was now led into the Concert Halls. -
Solist in Jazz
Louis Armstrong Trumpet solist brings relevance to jazz as solist with 'hot fives and sevens.' -
Blues Guitarist
Jazz guitarist Robert Johnson improves his playing dramatically. -
Father of Gospel Music
Thomas Dorsey's video about Precious Lord Thomas A.Dorsey Blues/Pianist Composer writes the song "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" and started a new career as the father of Gospel music. -
Swing Era Hit
Duke Ellington's song- 'It Don't Mean A Thing , If It Ain't Got That Swing started the Swing Era. Blues pianist/composer Thomas A.Dorsey writes the song 'Take My Hand Precious Lord' which started him on a new career as the "Father of Gospel Music.' -
Billie Holiday Disvovered
Billie Holiday sings "Strange Fruit", one of the first anti-racism songs Bille Holiday was discovered by Columbia Records impressario John Hammond at Monette's in New York. -
Gospel Music Leaves the Church
Sister Rosetta Tharpe brings Gospel Music out of the church to secular music venues. -
Bebop Movement Begins
Charlie Parker while playing on Cherokee, founded a new method of soloing by building on the extemded intervals of chords. This started the Bebop Movement.'
Oscar PetersonJazz Pianist wins CBC amateur contest at theage of 14, and gets a reguilar 15- minute gig playing live on air. -
Muddy Waters
Folkloricist Alan Lomax records "Muddy Waters" on Stovall's Plantation in Mississippi. -
Label & Publishing Firm Begins
Entrepreneur R&B Crooner Sam Cook started his own Label and Publishing Company by using proceeds from his hit song "You Send Me" This set the stage for the Soul boom of the 60's. Charles Mingus recirds -'The Clow & East Coasting.
Norman Mailer records 'The White Negro' -
Motown Label Begins
The classic Motown sound changed music forever. Berry GordyJr. a former assembly line worker started founded the Motown Label Company. This started the mass-marketing of Black popular music . He was assisted by Miracles, Mabel John, Andre Williams, and Marvin Gaye. -
Quartet Starts New Thing Movement
John Coltrane started his own quartet -
UK Charts Taken Over
The Beatles and the Rolling Stones go off the charts by playing American R&B songs. -
Aretha Makes a Hit
Aretha Franklin makes a hit when Jerry Wexler records her accompanying herself on piano. -
Hendrix on the Scene
Jimi Hendrix playing "Hey Joe" Jimmy Hendrix song-'Are You Experienced' shocks musicians. -
Oscar Winner
Isaac Hayes performing Shaft in Los Angeles in 1972 Isaac Hayes composes arranges, produces and records the symphonic soul soundtrack to Shaft. This became the number one pop album and won him an Oscar. -
Jamaicn Sounds
Clive Kool Herc describes how he fused two breakbeats Jamaican immigrant Clive Kool Herc Campbell brings the jamaican sounds to South Bronx to rock block parties. -
House Music Is Born
Frankie Knuckles a DJ from Chicago plays heavy drum machine-based music which becomes know as 'House.' -
Thriller Album Makes History
Michael Jackson's iconic music video " Thriller" Michael Jackson's new album Thriller sells 25 million copies making it the top-selling album in music history. -
Rap Hits The Pop Charts
Run DMC's song 'Walk This Way is the first Tap Song to hit the pop charts and MTV. -
Top Selling Canadian Single
Maestro Fresh Wes's single "Let Your backbone Slide' becomes a top selling Canadian Hiphop single. this solidifies Hiphop music in Canada. -
Hip Hop Takes Over the Radio
New York's Hot 97 Radio Station begins to play hiphop, instead of dance music. this launches Funkmaster Flex's radio DJ career. -
Tupac is Shot
Tupac's poetry Rapper Tupac is shot in Las Vegas and dies in hospital six days later. This escalated the East Coast West Coast feud. -
Notorious BIG is Shot
Notorious BIG is shot after the Soul Train Awards in retaliation for Tupac's death. Neither of these two murders have been solved. -
Flow 93.5
Flow 93.5 becomes the first Urban Music Radio Station in Canada. -
Confessions Sells !
Usher' album 'Confessions' becomes the first R&B album to sell 1.1 million in the first week. -
Jazz Great Dies
Oscar Peterson's soloCanadian Jazz pianist dies from kidney failure at the age of 82.
