- GQ
- Gwen McCrae
- Harold Melvin
- Heatwave
- Herman Kelly
- Howard Hewett
- Ike and Tina Turner
- Ike Turner
- Intrigues
- Intruders
- Isaac Hayes
- Isley Bros
- Jackie Moore
- Jackson 5
- Jaheim
- James Brown
- James Mtume
- Janet Jackson
- Jeffrey Osborne LTD
- Jerry Butler
- Jimmy Castor Bunch
- Joe
- Joe Hinton
- John Legend
- Johnnie Taylor
- Johnny Bristol
- Johnny Guitar Watson
- Jr Walker and the All Stars
- Junie Morrison
- Keb Mo
- Kem
- Klymaxx
- Kool and The Gang
- Lakeside
- Lalah Hathaway and Joe Sample
- Larry Graham
- Lenny Williams
- Linda Jones
- Lionel Richie
- Little Anthony and The Imperials
R&B MIDI Files
Jerry Wexler of Billboard magazine coined the term “rhythm and blues” or ” R&B ” in 1948 as a musical term in the United States. It replaced the term “race music”, which originally came from within the black community, but was deemed offensive in the postwar world. The term “rhythm and blues” was used by Billboard in its chart listings from June 1949 until August 1969, when its “Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles” chart was renamed as “Best Selling Soul Singles”.
Writer/producer Robert Palmer defined rhythm & blues as “a catchall term referring to any music that was made by and for black Americans”. He has used the term ” R&B ” as a synonym for jump blues. However, Allmusic separates it from jump blues because of its stronger, gospel-esque backbeat. Lawrence Cohn, author of Nothing but the Blues, writes that “rhythm and blues” was an umbrella term invented for industry convenience. According to him, the term embraced all black music except classical music and religious music, unless a gospel song sold enough to break into the charts. Well into the 21st century, the term R&B continues in use (in some contexts) to categorize music made by black musicians, as distinct from styles of music made by other musicians.
In the commercial rhythm and blues music typical of the 1950s through the 1970s, the bands usually consisted of piano, one or two guitars, bass, drums, and saxophone. Arrangements were rehearsed to the point of effortlessness and were sometimes accompanied by background vocalists. Simple repetitive parts mesh, creating momentum and rhythmic interplay producing mellow, lilting, and often hypnotic textures while calling attention to no individual sound. While singers are emotionally engaged with the lyrics, often intensely so, they remain cool, relaxed, and in control. The bands dressed in suits, and even uniforms, a practice associated with the modern popular music that rhythm and blues performers aspired to dominate.
This excerpt is from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%26B