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A social and economic model of governance that theoretically creates a classless society through the abolishment of private ownership of land and property, graduated income tax, and inheritance, while controlling the production and transportation of goods, assigning these to the “state,” through the idea “…from each according to his ability, to each according to his need.”

A young man who would accept nothing from his band except perfection provided the drive needed to divert America’s attention to the new style of swing music. He was a clarinetist and bandleader who demanded countless hours of rehearsal to obtain the perfection he was seeking and who first brought the sound of swing to a white teenage audience.

Growing up in Tupelo, Mississippi, he was surrounded by gospel music and exposed to jazz and blues. He was only 13 when his family was uprooted from his Mississippi hometown to move to the western Tennessee city of Memphis. After his discovery Sam Phillips and his recording of “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” he was destined to be the “King” of Rock-n-roll.

“King of the Blues,” was born in 1925 in Indianola, Mississippi. He has had one of the most enduring music careers in existence. He is respected as a blues diplomat and deserves most of the credit for the blues genre entering the mainstream.

This Alabama native is recognized as “The Father of the Blues.” Although this declaration was self-proclaimed, his life-long support of the musical genre established the blues as a part of musical history.

Born in Florence, Alabama in 1925, he began his career as a radio announcer after dropping out of high school in 1941.  He opened his own recording studio and was responsible for signing many artists including Howlin’ Wolf, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Little Milton, James Cotton, Ike Turner, B.B. King and Elvis Presley.

This style extended rock and roll to include heavy metal, grunge, punk and other sub-styles. Artists maintained this style as a reaction against pop, rap and hip-hop.

The instruments responsible for keeping the beat in Dixieland jazz ensembles which includes drums, bass, (or tuba) and piano (guitar or banjo).

The group, Otis, Melvin, Paul and Eddie (later adding David Ruffin) spent forty years creating hits through the song-writing assistance of the Motown collection of writers. Smokey Robinson turned out some of the great hits like, “Just My Imagination” and “My Girl.”  Unlike many other Motown groups, they are still together and touring to this day, doing over 200 shows a year internationally.  

Considered the greatest jazz musician by many, he defined what it is to play jazz. Born on August 4, 1901 and referred to as “Satchmo” or “Satchelmouth” (because of the size of his mouth and smiling teeth,) his influence of technical ability, happiness and spontaneity, and an inventive, musical mind still dominate jazz music even to this day.