-
Period: to
Minnesota Music
-
Andrew Sisters
The song was written by Don Raye and Hughie Prince, and was recorded at Decca's Hollywood studios on January 2, 1941, nearly a year before the United States entered World War II but after the start of a peacetime draft to expand the armed forces in anticipation of American involvement. The flipside was "Bounce Me Brother With a Solid Four". The Andrews Sisters introduced the song in the 1941 Abbott and Costello film, Buck Privates. -
Augie Garcia
In 1955, Augie cut a single, "Hi Yo Silver," which many consider to be Minnesota's first rock and roll record. A year later, he opened for Elvis Presley, and was pulled from the stage by Presley's manager for whipping the crowd into a frenzy. (A clause in Presley's contract cited that the opener couldn't upstage the headliner.) Garcia released three more singles - 6 songs total - then returned to his day job as an iron-worker, occasionally playing around town into the 1990s. -
Bob Dylan
His most famous song at this time, "Blowin' in the Wind", partially derived its melody from the traditional slave song "No More Auction Block", while its lyrics questioned the social and political status quo. The song was widely recorded and became an international hit for Peter, Paul and Mary, setting a precedent for many other artists who had hits with Dylan's songs. "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall" was based on the tune of the folk ballad "Lord Randall". -
The Trashman
"Surfin' Bird" is a song performed by the American surf rock band The Trashmen, and it is also the name of the album that featured this hit single. It was released in 1963 and reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.[1] It is a combination of two R&B hits by The Rivingtons: "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" and "The Bird's the Word",[2] which was influenced by Red Prysock's "What's the word? Thunderbird!" -
The Suburbs
The Suburbs were formed in the western suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1977 following introductions by Chris Osgood of the Suicide Commandos. Following live performances, they released The Suburbs on the Twin/Tone label (the label's first release) in early 1978. The record was a nine-song 7-inch red vinyl EP. The band also saw two songs, "Urban Guerrillas" and "Ailerons O.K.", included on the compilation Big Hits of Mid-America, Volume Three. -
Prince
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Prince developed an interest in music at an early age, writing his first song at age seven. After recording songs with his cousin's band 94 East, seventeen-year-old Prince recorded several unsuccessful demo tapes before releasing his debut album, For You, in 1978. His 1979 album, Prince, went platinum due to the success of the singles "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" and "I Wanna Be Your Lover". -
Lipps, Inc
"Funkytown" is a 1980 disco hit song written by Steven Greenberg and performed by the band Lipps Inc. with Cynthia Johnson as the lead singer. The song expresses the singer's pining for a metaphorical place that will "keep me movin', keeps me groovin' with some energy". It is said that the song was written while the band lived in Minneapolis, MN and with dreams of moving to New York City, NY. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Dance charts in 1980 -
Husker Du
Hüsker Dü /ˈhʊskərˈduː/ was an American rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1979. The band's continual members were guitarist/vocalist Bob Mould, bassist Greg Norton, and drummer/vocalist Grant Hart.
Hüsker Dü first gained notice as a hardcore punk band with thrashing tempos and screamed vocals. The band developed a more melodic musical style as they drifted away from their early sound, helping to develop the alternative rock sound in the process. Mould and Hart split the songwriting. -
The Replacements
The Replacements are an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1979, and are considered[by whom?] pioneers of alternative rock. The band was composed of the guitarist and vocalist Paul Westerberg, guitarist Bob Stinson, bass guitarist Tommy Stinson and drummer Chris Mars for most of its career. Following several critically acclaimed albums, including Let It Be and Tim, Bob Stinson left the band in 1986. -
The Jets
The original band consisted of the eight oldest children of Maikeli "Mike" and Vaké Wolfgramm, who have 17 children in total, fifteen by birth and two (Eddie and Eugene) by adoption, were originally from the South Pacific island kingdom of Tonga. The family is of Tongan, British, and German ancestry -
Babes in Toyland
Babes in Toyland was an American punk rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1987. The band was formed by Oregon native Kat Bjelland (lead vocals and guitar), with Lori Barbero (drums) and Michelle Leon (bass), who was later replaced by Maureen Herman in 1992. Courtney Love had a very brief stint in the band in 1987 as a bass player, before being kicked out and forming Hole in 1989. -
Trip Shakespeare
Are You Shakespearienced?, on the Minneapolis-based independent label Gark Records in 1988. Recorded live in the studio without headsets,[8] the album featured "Toolmaster of Brainerd," a song that "insanely links dairyland folklore with the enduring rock myth of guitar-hero supremacy."[6] Hailing from "Brainerd where the children go to milking school," the Toolmaster
learned to play the Gibson that his dog had found
And he came to haunt the bars of Minneapolis town -
The Gear Daddies
The Gear Daddies are a rock band originally from Austin, Minnesota. Randy Broughten (electric and steel guitar), Nick Ciola (bass), Billy Dankert (drums and vocals), and Martin Zellar (guitar, harmonica and vocals) played their first shows together in 1984. They released singles and albums between 1986 and 1992 and became an important part of the Twin Cities music scene. Most songs were written by Zellar, though Dankert also had several of note, including crowd favorite "Time Heals". -
Soul Asylum
Soul Asylum is an American alternative rock band that formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1983.[1]
The band originally formed in 1981 under the name Loud Fast Rules, with the original line-up consisting of Dan Murphy, Dave Pirner, Karl Mueller and Pat Morley.[2] The latter was replaced by Grant Young in 1984. In 1992, they released the triple-platinum album Grave Dancers Union -
Semisonic
Semisonic is an American alternative rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1995. The band has three members: Dan Wilson (lead vocals, guitar), John Munson (bass guitar, backing vocals, keyboard), and Jacob Slichter (drums, percussion, keyboard). They are best known for their late 1990s singles "Closing Time", "Singing in My Sleep" and "Secret Smile". -
Brother Ali
Ali was born with the rare genetic condition of albinism, a disorder characterized by a lack of pigment in skin, eyes, and hair. Brother Ali often makes fun of the media's constant urge to mention his condition in the first lines of their reviews or newspaper articles. He is also legally blind which is caused by his albinism. -
Atmosphere
Atmosphere is an American hip hop group from Minneapolis, Minnesota, consisting of rapper Slug (Sean Daley) and DJ/producer Ant (Anthony Davis). Since its formation in 1989, the group has released six studio albums and ten extended plays. -
Dessa
Margret Wander (born 23 May 1981), better known by her stage name Dessa, is a rapper, singer, spoken word artist, and writer from Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is a member of the indie hip hop collective Doomtree. -
Trampled by Turtles
Trampled By Turtles (TBT) is an American band from Duluth, Minnesota. The band members have referenced inspirations such as Townes Van Zandt, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Rolling Stones, Nirvana and Ralph Stanley -
Doomtree
Doomtree is an indie hip hop collective based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The collective has seven members, rappers P.O.S, Dessa, Cecil Otter, Sims, and Mike Mictlan; and producers Lazerbeak and Paper Tiger. The collective is known for incorporating a wide range of musical influences into their work with lyrical complexity and wordplay, and their annual "Doomtree Blowout" events held in Minneapolis venues to showcase their group performances and the Twin Cities music scene.
