Died On This Date (December 26, 1999) Curtis Mayfield / Soul Music Pioneer
themusicsover Curtis Mayfield
June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999
Curtis Mayfield was a pioneering soul and funk musician who became a voice for Civil Rights during the ’60s. Mayfield was still in high school when he began playing in local bands. After dropping out, he joined the Impressions, a band he would soon front and become the main songwriter for. The band would become popular during the late ’60s thanks to Mayfield-penned songs like “People Get Ready,” “Keep On Pushing,” and “We’re a Winner.” Anthemic songs like these came at a time when African-Americans were looking for a voice, and artists like Mayfield, James Brown and Sly Stone provided it. After going solo, Mayfield released his most popular album, the soundtrack to Superfly. With hit songs like “Pusherman,” “Freddie’s Dead,” and “Superfly,” the album is considered one of the most influential in African-American history. It was also one of the earliest soul concept albums. Mayfield stayed active throughout the ’80s, but in August of 1990, he was struck by falling lighting gear while backstage at a concert. The accident left him paralyzed from the neck down. Amazingly, he was able to create one last album – writing the songs, directing the musicians and crew from a bed, and painfully recording the vocals while flat on his back. The album was 1997’s New World Order. On December 26, 1999, Curtis Mayfield, age 57, passed away following a decade of poor health and complications from the accident.
What You Should Own
Vic Chesnutt was a respected singer-songwriter from the Athens, Georgia area. Chesnutt began writing songs when he was just five years old. He’s one of those rare talents that was rightfully called a songwriter’s songwriter. When he was 18, Chesnutt was involved in a car accident that left him confined to a wheelchair and in need of medical care through the rest of his life. His big break came in the late ’80s when R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe discovered his talent and produced his first two albums. Over the course of his career, he released over a dozen studio albums. In 1996, artists like Madonna, R.E.M., and the Smashing Pumpkins came together to record his songs for an album that was to help him with his skyrocketing medical bills. Ironically, he wasn’t eligible to collect the funds since he had medical insurance. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough to cover the expenses. On December 24, 2009, Vic Chesnutt was reported to have been in a coma following an overdose of muscle relaxants. He died on Christmas Day at the age of 45.
Robert Ward was a respected blues and R&B guitarist who came to prominence during the ’60s. After moving to Dayton, Ohio from his home in Georgia, Ward formed a group called the Ohio Untouchables which eventually morphed into the popular funk group, the Ohio Players. He later moved to Detroit where he collaborated with many of R&B’s greatest acts, including 