Curtis Mayfield

Curtis Mayfield, 1972

Curtis Lee Mayfield (born June 3, 1942 in Chicago , Illinois , † December 26, 1999 in Roswell , Georgia ) was an American soul musician .

Life

Curtis Mayfield

Mayfield began his musical career at an early age - at the age of seven he sang in a gospel choir with Jerry Butler . Soon after, he joined the band The Alfatones . The guitar playing and songwriting , he taught himself. In 1956 Mayfield joined The Roosters . From then on he played, sang and wrote songs in changing R&B bands in Chicago and New York . From The Roosters , the band was The Impressions had with the Mayfield some of his best-known hits, including For Your Precious Love which is often called the first Soul Single, and It's All Right , I'm so Proud , Keep on Pushing , People Get Ready , We're a Winner and Mighty, Mighty .

From 1970 Mayfield worked as a solo artist as well as with numerous soul legends such as Gladys Knight & the Pips , Aretha Franklin and The Staple Singers . With Superfly he released one of the most influential blaxploitation soundtracks in 1972 . In 1976 he starred in the film Short Eyes , for which he also wrote the soundtrack and of which he was the producer. In the first half of the 1970s he achieved his greatest chart successes with songs like (Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below We're All Going to Go , Move On Up, Future Shock, Kung Fu as well as Freddie's Dead and Superfly from the Soundtrack for the film of the same name, his only two top 10 successes in the USA as a soloist. Both recordings also received gold awards. From 1975 Mayfield was only represented in the US R&B charts.

In the 1980s, sales of his newly released albums fell. However, he continued to tour all over the world. On August 13, 1990 , during an open-air performance in Brooklyn , New York , he was hit by a light beam that had been torn loose by a storm. He was then paralyzed from the neck down, but at least for a short period of time he went to the studio or composed in the hospital bed.

In 1995 Mayfield received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award . In 1996 his last album, the 25th solo album New World Order , came out. Due to his paralysis, he could no longer play the guitar, only sing. In February 1998, his right leg had to be amputated due to diabetes . On March 15, 1999, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . For health reasons, he was unable to attend the ceremony. His last release was a guest appearance with the group Bran Van 3000 on the song Astounded from their album Discosis , which was recorded just before his death and was only released posthumously in 2001.

Curtis Mayfield died of diabetes on December 26, 1999 at North Fulton Regional Hospital in Roswell, Georgia. Since his paralysis, his health had continuously deteriorated. Mayfield was cremated .

The Rolling Stone listed Mayfield ranked 98 of the 100 greatest musicians , ranked 34 of the 100 greatest guitarists , ranked 40 of the 100 best singers and ranked 78 of the 100 best songwriters of all time .

Discography

→ Main article : Curtis Mayfield / Discography

• See also : The Impressions

Studio albums

year	Title music label	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes)			Remarks
		UK	US	R&B
1970	Curtis curtom 8005	UK30 (1 week) UK	US19th gold (49 weeks)US	R&B1 (43 weeks) R&B	First published: September 1970 Producer: Curtis Mayfield
1971	Roots Curtom 8009	-	US40 (19 weeks) US	R&B6 (18 weeks) R&B	First published: October 1971 Producer: Curtis Mayfield
1972	Superfly Curtom 8014	UK26 (2 weeks) UK	US1 gold (46 weeks)US	R&B1 (36 weeks) R&B	First release: July 1972 Soundtrack for the film of the same name Producer: Curtis Mayfield
1973	Back to the World Curtom 8015	-	US16 gold (26 weeks)US	R&B1 (25 weeks) R&B	First published: May 1973 Producer: Curtis Mayfield
1974	Claudine Buddah Records 5602	-	US35 gold (34 weeks)US	R&B1 (34 weeks) R&B	First release: April 1974 with Gladys Knight & the Pips soundtrack for the film of the same name. Producer: Curtis Mayfield
	Sweet Exorcist Curtom 8601	-	US39 (22 weeks) US	R&B2 (27 weeks) R&B	First published: May 1974 Producer: Curtis Mayfield
	Got to Find a Way Curtom 8604	-	US76 (7 weeks) US	R&B17 (12 weeks) R&B	First published: November 1974 Producer: Curtis Mayfield
1975	(There's No Place Like) America Today Curtom 5001	-	US120 (11 weeks) US	R&B13 (17 weeks) R&B	First published: May 1975 Producer: Curtis Mayfield
	Let's Do It Again Curtom 5005	-	US20 (18 weeks) US	R&B1 (23 weeks) R&B	First release: September 1975 with The Staple Singers soundtrack to the film of the same name. Producer: Curtis Mayfield
1976	Give, Get, Take and Have Curtom 5007	-	US171 (8 weeks) US	R&B16 (15 weeks) R&B	First published: June 1976 Producer: Curtis Mayfield
1977	Never Say You Can't Survive Curtom 5013	-	US173 (3 weeks) US	R&B32 (8 weeks) R&B	First published: March 1977 Producer: Curtis Mayfield
	Short Eyes Curtom 5017	-	-	R&B59 (3 weeks) R&B	First release: November 1977 Soundtrack for the film of the same name Producer: Curtis Mayfield
1978	Do It All Night Curtom 5022	-	-	R&B52 (6 weeks) R&B	First published: August 1978 Producer: Curtis Mayfield
1979	Heartbeat RSO 3053	-	US42 (16 weeks) US	R&B19 (25 weeks) R&B	First published: July 1979 Producers: Curtis Mayfield, Bunny Sigler, Norman Harris, Ronald Tyson
1980	The Right Combination RSO 3084	-	US180 (4 weeks) US	R&B53 (4 weeks) R&B	First published: June 1980 with Linda Clifford Producers: Curtis Mayfield, Bruce Gray, Gil Askey, Norman Harris
	Something to Believe In RSO 3077	-	US128 (10 weeks) US	R&B33 (15 weeks) R&B	First published: July 1980 Producers: Curtis Mayfield, Gil Askey
1981	Love Is the Place Boardwalk 33239	-	-	R&B39 (24 weeks) R&B	First published: September 1981 Producers: Dino Fekaris, Curtis Mayfield
1982	Honesty Boardwalk 33256	-	-	R&B49 (10 weeks) R&B	First published: September 1982 Producer: Curtis Mayfield
1988	Superfly (Reissue) Curtom 2002	-	-	R&B88 (8 weeks) R&B	First published: August 1988 Producer: Curtis Mayfield
1990	Take It to the Streets Curtom 2008	-	-	R&B59 (17 weeks) R&B	First published: February 1990 Producer: Curtis Mayfield
	The Return of Superfly Capitol 94244	-	-	R&B72 (9 weeks) R&B	First release: August 13, 1990 various artists including five tracks from Curtis Mayfield Soundtrack to the film producer of the same name : Curtis Mayfield
1996	New World Order Warner 46348	UK44 (2 weeks) UK	US137 (18 weeks) US	R&B24 (50 weeks) R&B	First published October 1, 1996 Producers: Brian Fleming, Carlos Glover, Curtis Mayfield, Narada Michael Walden

More studio albums

• 1981: Your Precious Love ( The Impressions feat. Curtis Mayfield and Jerry Butler ; Reissue of the Impressions album from 1963; Charly Records 2023)
• 1985: We Come in Peace with a Message of Love (Curtom 2001)
• 2005: Mayfield: Remixed The Curtis Mayfield Collection (Release: July; Rhino 79542)

literature

• Stambler, Irwin: The Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock and Soul . 3rd Revised Edition, New York City, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989, pp. 448-450 - ISBN 0-312-02573-4 .

swell

1. ↑ Curtis Mayfield Songs ••• Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts. Retrieved May 8, 2020 . 
2. ↑ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Curtis Mayfield in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
3. ↑ Jet . Johnson Publishing Company, Jan. 17, 2000, pp. 55, ISSN  0021-5996 (accessed January 18, 2011).
4. ↑ 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Rolling Stone , December 2, 2010, accessed August 8, 2017 . 
5. ↑ 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Rolling Stone , December 18, 2015, accessed August 7, 2017 . 
6. ↑ 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. Rolling Stone , December 2, 2010, accessed August 7, 2017 . 
7. ↑ The 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time. Rolling Stone , August 2015, accessed August 7, 2017 . 
8. ↑ Chart sources: Singles Albums UK US
9. ^ Joel Whitburn : Top R&B Albums 1965–1998, ISBN 0-89820-134-9 .

Web links

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