Bruce Springsteen Accomplishments

As a child, Prince was often bullied in school and became a recluse. As a result, he turned to music as a source of refuge and started writing some of his own music but he never considered music as a career until he saw James Brown live for the first time when he was 10-years old (GUINESS, 1989). Because of his parents’ separation in 1970, Prince moved away from his home with his mother and stepfather and went to live with his father before drifting off to live

What can be said for the music artist Elvis Presley, other than he is most undoubtedly the reason that Rock and Roll survived past its start, and grew to the massive popularity that it still grasps onto to this day. Although he may have been born a simple white southerner, he masterfully intertwined country music with the raw emotion of gospel and blues in order to create his own breed of unmatchable music. By him taking two vastly different genres of music from two equally different cultures, he successfully managed to blur the prominent color line that divided all of America up until the 1950s. He did all of this while enthralling the youth of America and singlehandedly caused an idea of teenage rebellion that lasted far past his popularity,

He grew up around music. There were two pianos in his house. The passion for music goes as far back as his grandparents. His father was James Edward Ellington. He was not a music reader but could catch tones by ear. His mother, Daisy Kennedy Ellington was also a vital instrument in his musical journey. She was also a pianist. She preferred hymns and Ellington enjoyed them. She was also a very spiritual person and he would often attend church with her. (Lawrence 2015)

Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970) was one of the most influential and important guitarists in rock n’ roll history; as a matter of fact Rolling Stone considers him the greatest guitarist of all time (Rolling Stone Jimi Hendrix: Bio). Hendrix was one of the most notable musicians in the 1960s due to his technical playing style and his unorthodox stage performing. Born in Seattle, he taught himself how to play guitar during his teen years. He was largely influenced by “...blues guitarists Muddy Waters and B.B. King and rockers such as Chuck Berry and Eddie Cochran” (Rolling Stone Jimi Hendrix: Bio). Hendrix had a preference towards the sound or rhythm and blues, and he would gain substantial experience playing in these music based bands in the early 1960s.

what he became and did not let anything get in the way of becoming a musician. In this

Before his successful breakout album, Springsteen endured the uncertain and unstable society created in the wake of World War II. The United States, in the midst of Cold War tensions on a global scale, faced domestic challenges as social reform movements protested for natural rights and American troop removal from Vietnam (“Modern America”). On the musical side of American society, deaths of influential artists, such as legendary rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix and blues singer Janis Joplin, and the demise of the 1960s counterculture soured the entrance into the 1970s. Born in a struggling working-class New Jersey in late 1949, Springsteen observed the nature of blue-collar life first-hand through his family, despite the increase of affluent, suburban life (“Springsteen’s Born to Run”). These early life experiences influenced Springsteen’s songwriting themes and provided an escape through music. Although Springsteen had established his musical career before 1975, he had yet to achieve commercial success (“Springsteen, Bruce”). Destined to become the next icon in the rock genre, Columbia Records allowed Springsteen one final attempt to create a profitable record (“Springsteen, Bruce”). Joined by his E Street Band, which included keyboardists Roy Brittan and Danny Federici, bassist Garry Tallent, backup guitarist Steven Van Zandt, drummer Max Weinberg, and 1950’s R&B-influenced saxophonist Clarence Clemons, Springsteen set out to

then got him signed to Island Def Jam Recordings.  He then released his first album, and went platinum

After finishing High School, he developed a love for music. He wrote and produced all of his own songs performed his music at local talent shows around the Houston area and his music was figured

Louis Daniel Armstrong, “the world’s greatest trumpeter,” once said, “Music is my life and I live to play.” Armstrong dedicated half of his life trying to be the best trumpet player and vocalist he could be. When he was younger times were rough, but he fought through it by playing the cornet. As Louis got better and older he started Scat singing and creating records. By the end of his career he had changed Jazz history for the better. I think Louis Armstrong was a determined man and deserved the recognition he got. Considering that he grew up in a poverty-ridden section of New Orleans, he continued to follow his dream.

There are many phenomenal musicians in the world, but very few as diverse and cultured as Dave Matthews. Matthews was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1967. Matthews and his family then moved two years later to Westchester County, New York, where his dad went to work for IBM. Then, in the early `70s, Matthews and his family moved to Cambridge, England, before returning to New York. It was in Cambridge where Matthews' dad died in 1977 from Hodgkin's disease. After his father's death, the family moved back to South Africa in 1980. It was here that Matthews went to a few different schools and learned more about the evils of government, there and in general.

Michael jackson is one of the best known singers and holds the tenth spot in the most well known singers ever. He has many important achievements and had an outstanding career.

Johnny cash was and still is an amazing man. He was known world wide, he had a large family, and lived an amazing life.

from big band to bebop. He did not always want to play the piano; he also had a love for

On October 9, 1940, while a German air raid over Liverpool, England during World War II was happening, a man was born. Arguably considered one of the most influential people in musical history, up there with Ludwig Van Beethoven, Michael Jackson, and Prince. A peace activist protesting for world peace and against the Vietnam War. John Winston Lennon made an impact on the world because he was a successful English musician and songwriter, a co-founder/member of the Beatles, on of the most influential and important bands in Rock ‘n’ Roll history, an amazing artist, and a peace activist protesting for world peace. John Lennon became a very successful man when it came to music.

“The Beatles shift towards more introspective songwriting in the 60’s would never have happened without him” [V.Bogdanov, 2002]. Artists such as John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Patti Smith, Joni Mitchell and Tom Waits all acknowledge the profound impact Dylan had on the industry and themselves as artists. “Bob Dylan, I'll never be Bob Dylan. He's the master. If I'd like to be anyone, it's him. And he's a great writer, true to his music and done what he feels is the right thing to do for years and years and years. He's great. He's the one I look to”. [Neil Young, 2005]. Dylan encapsulated a generations hunger for change, challenged the social and political status quo but interestingly seemingly rejected this status after receiving the ‘Tom Paine Award’ from the National Emergency and Civil Liberties Committee he drunkenly questioned the role of the committee and claimed to see something of himself and everyone in JFK’s alleged assassin Lee Harvey Oswald [Andrew Loog Olham, 2005]. In 1965 The Byrds cover of his song Mr. Tambourine Man helped to propel not only The Byrds to super stardom but established the folk rock genre. [V.Bogdanov, 2002]. His verbal sophistication drew comparison to the romantic poets and much literary criticism artists still strive to attain today. His launch of Theme Time Radio Hour for XM Satellite Radio helped him to establish