Tony Joe White was an American singer-songwriter and swamp-rock guitarist, best known for his 1969 hit “Polk Salad Annie” and for “Rainy Night In Georgia.” Many of his songs have been recorded by others, including Elvis Presley and Tina Turner.
Lari White was an American country music artist and actress. She first gained national attention in 1988 as a winner on You Can Be A Star, a talent competition which aired on The Nashville Network. A recording contract followed a year later.
James Rodford was an English musician, who played bass guitar for several British rock bands. He was a founding member of Argent, and performed with them from their formation in 1969 until they disbanded in 1976. Rodford joined the Kinks as a bassist in 1978 and played with them until 1996.
Geoff Emerick was an English sound engineer who worked with the Beatles on, among others, their legendary Revolver, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Abbey Road albums. He was an imaginative talent and one of the primary architects of the Beatles’ sound over the years.
Roy Clark was an American singer and musician. He is best known for having hosted Hee Haw, a nationally televised country variety show, from 1969 to 1997. Clark was an important and influential figure in country music, both as a performer and in helping to popularize the genre.
Cecil Taylor was an American pianist and poet. Taylor was classically trained and was one of the pioneers of free jazz. His music is characterized by an energetic, physical approach, resulting in complex improvisation often involving tone clusters and intricate polyrhythms.
Clarence Fountain was a Gospel legend. He was a founding member of the Blind boys of Alabama, a five-time Grammy Award-winning gospel group who first sang together in 1939.
Dennis Edwards was an American soul and R&B singer who was best known as the front man in The Temptations, on Motown Records. Edwards sang with the group from 1968 to 1976, 1980 to 1984 and 1987 to 1989.
Aretha Franklin was an American singer, songwriter, civil rights activist, actress, and pianist. She began her career as a child singing gospel. At the age of 18, she embarked on a secular career, first recording for Columbia Records, and later with Atlantic Records.
Hugh Masekela was a South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer and singer. He has been described as “the father of South African jazz.” Masekela is known for his jazz compositions and for writing well-known anti-apartheid songs.