Music Assignment and List: Music Assignment (150 points)
The purpose of this assignment is to learn about musicians from the United States.
These musicians make music unique. The list of 81 artists runs the gamut from obscure
to popular to mainstream musicians. The vast list highlights musicians of swing, jazz,
country, hip hop, gospel, opera, folk, blues, rock and roll, and even an accordion artist.
After a thorough reading of the list, you will select three artists who belong in three of
the assignment’s criteria.
Many or even most of these artists are perhaps new to you. Take your time perusing the
extensive list of talented musicians.
Artist category:
- Select an artist who in your opinion is obscure or unique to you. The purpose is to
learn more about new musicians. (50 points from prompts A, B, and C) - Select and artist who you never heard of. Step out of your “comfort zone” with an
artist who represents a music genre that most likely you would never listen to.
This is an artist who you would never think to add to your play list. The purpose
is to learn more about new musicians. (50 points from prompts A, B, and C) - For the third, you may select a popular artist (they are underlined). There’s a
caveat with the popular artist. Select a popular artist who is perhaps not on your
play list. For example, Leon Bridges is one of my favorite popular artists.
Therefore, I would select another popular artist from the list who isn’t on my play
list. The purpose is to learn more about new musicians. (50 points from prompts
A, B, and C) - Important: Only use artists who are on the list.
The prompts:
A. Paragraph 1: For each of these prompts, you will conduct research about the
artist who you select. Next, in your own words, write a brief bio about each of the
three. Include: full name, where they were born, date of birth and if they are
dead, their date of death, and their music genre. What instrument(s) do they
play? Are they a vocalist? Are they in band or did they appear on a television
variety show? If they performed at Woodstock, tell me about it. Next, include any
other facts that you find interesting about the musician. Include the name of the
website and web address from your research. Do not use Wikipedia for your
research.
B. Paragraph 2: After the bio, tell me what you like or dislike about this artist?
Now that you completed the research for the artist, will you add them to your
playlist? Why or why not?
C. Paragraph 3: Last, go to YouTube or another music streaming website and
listen to a song or three of the artists. Attach a link of the song to your
assignment. Give the artist’s name, song title, when it was published. If it’s an
MTV video, concert, etc.…, tell me about it.
2 Rizos, History 1023
Do steps A-C from the prompts for each of the three artists. AND have fun!!
The List:
- Al Green (1946 -): Arkansas, R&B, soul
- Alicia Keys (1981 -): New York, R&B, soul
- Alison Krauss (1971 -): Illinois, pop, rock, bluegrass
- Aretha Franklin (1942 – 2018): Tennessee, R&B, gospel, rock, soul
- Art Garfunkel (1941 -): New York, pop, folk, folk rock
- Big Bill Broonzy (1893 – 1958): Arkansas, Blues
- Billie Holiday (1915 – 1959): Pennsylvania, jazz, swing
- Billy Joel (1949-): New York, singer, songwriter
- Blind Willie Johnson (1897 – 1945): Texas, blues
- Bob Dylan (1941 -): Minnesota, blues, folk
- Bonnie Pointer (1951 – 2020): California, disco, funk, soul, R&B
- Buddy Rich (1917 – 1987): New York, jazz drummer
- Carrie Underwood (1983 -): Oklahoma, pop, gospel, country
- Cass Elliot (1941 – 1974): Maryland, folk, rock
- CeCe Winans (1964 -): Michigan, gospel, pop
- Chaka Khan (1953-): Illinois, funk band
- Charles Mingus (1922-1979): Arizona, jazz
- Cher Bono (1946 -): California, disco, pop, rock, folk
- Chris Stapleton (1978 -): Kentucky, country
- Dave Grohl (1969-): Ohio, rock
- Diana Ross (1944 -): Michigan, Motown, R&B
- Dolly Parton (1946 -): Tennessee, country, pop
- Donna Summer (1948 – 2012): Michigan, disco, R&B
- Duke Ellington (1899 – 1974): Washington, D.C. Jazz
- Eddie Vedder (1964-): Illinois, rock
- Elizabeth “Libba” Cotton (1893 – 1987), North Carolina, Blues, folk
- Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996): Virginia, jazz
- Estaban “Steve’ Jordan (1939-2010): Elsa, TX, known as the “Jimi Hendrix of
the accordion.” - Faith Hill (1967 -): Missouri, country, pop
- Fergie Duhamel (1975 -), California, hip-hop, R&B, pop
- Fontella Bass (1940 – 2012): Missouri, R&B, soul
- Gladys Knight (1944 -): Georgia, Soul, R&B
- Glenn Campbell (1936 – 2017): Tennessee, country, folk, rock
- Hank Williams (1923 – 1953): Alabama, country
- Harry Chapin (1942 – 1981): New York, folk rock, pop rock
- Henry Louis Reginald De Koven (1859 – 1920): Connecticut, opera composer
- Hilary Hahn (1979 -), Virginia, Classical violinist
- J.R. Gomez: Texas, Tejano music, folk, polka
- Janai Brugger (1983 -): Illinois, opera
2 Rizos, History 1023
- Jennifer Hudson (1981 -): Illinois, soul, R&B, pop
- Jim Croce (1943 – 1973): Philadelphia, folk, rock
- Jimi Hendrix (1942 – 1970): Washington, rock
- Joan Baez (1941 -): New York, folk
- Joan Jett (1958 -): Pennsylvania, rock and roll
- Joe Cocker (1944 – 2014): Colorado, rock
- Joe Ely (1947-): Texas, honky-tonk, Tejano, rock and roll
- John Philip Sousa (1854 – 1932) Washington, D.C. composer and conductor
- Johnny Cash (1932 -2003): Arkansas, country, folk, blues,
- Justin Timberlake (1981 -), Tennessee, R&B, funk, pop
- Kurt Cobain (1967 – 1994): Washington, rock, grunge
- Lacrea (1979 -), Texas, Christian, hip-hop
- Lady Gaga (1986 -): New York, pop, dance,
- Lenny Kravitz (1964 -): New York, Soul, R&B, funk, jazz, rock
- Leon Bridges (1989 -): Georgia, soul, neo soul
- Lionel Richie (1949 -): Alabama, funk, balladeers, soul, pop
- Loretta Lynn (1932-); Kentucky, country, pop
- Lori Goldston (1963 -), New York, Seattle grunge, punk, classical cellist
- Lou Reed (1942-2013): New York, rock, soul
- Ma Rainey (1886 – 1839): Georgia, “Mother of the Blues”
- Marvin Gaye (1939 – 1984): Washington, D.C., Motown, R&B, soul
- Mary J. Blige (1971 -): New York, R&B, Motown, soul, Hip-hop soul
- Mary Wilson (1944 – 2021): Motown, soul
- Miles Davis (1926 – 1991): Illinois, jazz
- Miley Cyrus (1992 -): Tennessee, rock, hip hop, country pop
- Minnie Riperton (1947 – 1979): Illinois, R&B, soul
- Nancy Sinatra (1940 -), New Jersey, pop
- Grace Slick (1939 -), Illinois, Psychedelic rock, hard rock, blues rock
- Nat King Cole (1919 – 1965): Alabama, jazz
- Neil Diamond (1941-) New York, pop, folk, soft rock
- Nina Simone (1933 -2003): North Carolina, jazz, R&B, blues, gospel
- Pat Benatar (1953 -): New York, rock and toll, hard rock
- Patsy Cline (1932 – 1963): Virginia, country, pop
- Phoebe Snow (1950 – 2011): New York, blues, pop
- Renee Fleming (1959 -): Pennsylvania, opera
- Richie Havens (1941 – 2013): New Jersey, soul, pop, R&B, folk
- Rick James (1948 – 2004): California, R&B, soul, funk
- Sarah Vaughan (1924 – 1990): New Jersey, jazz
- Scott Joplin (1868 – 1917): Texas, Pianist
- Selena Gomez (1992 -): Texas, pop, R&B pop rock
- Sister Rose Tharpe (1915 – 1973): Arkansas, gospel, rock and roll
- Stevie Nicks (1948 -): Arizona, rock, pop
- Stevie Wonder (1950 -): Michigan, R&B, soul, pop
- Taylor Swift (1989 -): bluegrass, pop, folk, alternative rock
2 Rizos, History 1023
- Taylor Swift (1989-): Pennsylvania, pop, country, alternative rock, folk,
bluegrass - Thelonious Monk (1917 -1982): North Carolina, jazz
- Tim McGraw (1967 -): Louisiana, country
- Tina Turner (1939 -): Tennessee, Queen of Rock n’ Roll, R&B, soul
- Trini Lopez (1937 – 2020), Texas, pop, rock and roll
- Uncle Dave Macon (1870 – 1952): Tennessee, banjo player
- Woody Guthrie (1912 – 1967): Oklahoma, folk, blues
- Yolanda Adams (1961): Texas, gospel, soul