Known for her emotive sound and magnetic stage presence, Knight is a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and Grammy Award-winning artist. Her career started in 1963 when she was only 17 and recorded Tell Him. The song became a hit and turned her into a style icon of the decade. These black artists not only dominated the airwaves during the 1960s and paved the way for generations of singers, but many also contributed to a critical social movement that redefined society. Marty Robbins Stevie Wonder Willie Nelson Buddy Holly Chuck Berry Music That Had Them Twistin' The Night Away Sam Cooke. Joan Baez 7. And for good reason the song is not only immensely catchy but is perfectly suited for Ronnie Spectors voice. Unfortunately, the Spectors marriage was tumultuous, as Ronnie suffered abuse at the hands of Phil. But when she was brushed off and told that she needed to audition first before she could be a recording artist, Reeves decided to volunteer as an unpaid secretary in hopes of making connections and a good impression. Lena Horne - Stormy Weather 4. 1. Its easy to understand why Ross made the Supremes so successful. Karen Carpenter was a member of the folk-pop group The Carpenters, which gained widespread popularity during the late part of the decade. Next: Top artists from the 1960s (our list). James got her start in the early 50s when she was only 15 years old. Dionne Warwick did the unthinkable in the '60sshe became the first Black female pop star, make purely smooth traditional pop music unlike many of her counterparts like Franklin. When it comes to iconic African American singers from the 60s, Diana Ross immediately comes to mind as the lead vocal of the popular Motown group, the Supremes, which is still one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. Well take a look at, Read More These 6 Female African-American Rock Stars Will Rock Your WorldContinue, When its time to break out the popcorn and sit down for a great movie night with the family, you really cant get better than these twelve picks. However, Europe also boasts iconic performers from this period. Photo from Amazon. The Supremes were record breakers from the earliest parts of their career. The Clark Sisters The Clark Sisters are an all-black women gospel vocal group consisting of four sisters: Jacky Clark Chisholm, Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark-Terrell, Dorinda Clark-Cole, and Karen. Warwick became the first black solo female artist to receive a Grammy in 1968 for her song Do You Know the Way to San Jose. Although she was not originally a fan of the song, the single showcased her polished, versatile voice and remains one of her most popular songs. Nina was not about to have the lyrics get lost to a melancholy ballad; she knew what she had written was bold, but she sung it loud and proud. Etta James. Ask anyone for the best female vocalists of the 60s, and theres a good chance that they will say, Diana Ross. See more ideas about r&b, soul music, black music. My Favorite Song: Walking In The Rain, which is a delightful track that daydreams about falling in love with the perfect person. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Her final album was released in 2006, and her voice had aged like fine wine. She was a gifted musician and singer who spent her early years playing piano and singing in her church choir. Next: Best and most popular female singers of all time (our list). She quickly became known as a gospel star and began performing when she was 12-years old. Some of the most well-known and best-loved artists of the 60s were African-American singers. Franklin was born in 1942 in Memphis, Tennessee, to a gospel singer and a Baptist preacher. As one of the pioneers of the soul music genre, Ray Charles was known for his upbeat piano-and-vocal performances, though his slower tune Georgia on My Mind is one of his most notable. But it was a unique childhood experience that she claimed gave her her stunning singing voice. Over the course of their career, they released 14 number-one singles on the R&B charts as well as four singles that made it to the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Reeves showed up at the recording studio ready to work the next morning. But even if the world just knew her through Be My Baby, they got a glimpse of one of the most delightful voices of the 60s. But they weren't the only incredible rock'n'roll girl . They were instrumental in providing the world with some of the best songs of the 20th century and successfully paved the way for modern R&B artists. Brenda Lee 9. Diana Ross Next up we have Diana Ross, who is best known as the lead singer of The Supremes, an all-female Motown vocal group that released some of the biggest hits of the 1960s and 1970s. She is refined and polished but has maintained a strong sense of humor and a radiant energy. One of her earliest hits with Cannonball Adderley, Save Your Love For Me, didnt feature her breathy sound, instead sounding full and powerful. With an impressive career that extended far past the 60s, it is easy to understand why Dionne Warwick would rank among the best singers of the decade. Rather than having the backing vocal support of a group or extensive instrumentation through a multi-piece band, he was essentially a one-man show. Together they delivered twelve number one hits, including Baby Love, Come See About Me, and Where Did Our Love Go, which dominated the airwaves during this era of music. Anita Baker Soundtrack | Blockers He amassed 17 number-one singles on the Billboard R&B charts and has been initiated into numerous musical halls of fame. She was often referred to as the Queen of Soul, and for good reason. Like many other musical artists of the time, Springfield played a role in ending racial segregation; she was not only one of the earliest R&B singers in the United Kingdom but also sang duets with black solo artists and groups on her show Ready Steady Go! But this left no mark on her love of music, which continued growing throughout her adolescence. Respect became a feminist anthem, and for good reason. Gaye began his career as part of the vocal quartet the Marquees, but he rose to solo fame in the early 1960s after the group disbanded. She had 8 Billboard Hot 100 singles in the 60s and went on to release an impressive 70+ albums over her career. The influence of these incredible artists can still be felt to this day. Her most famous song Mississippi Goddam is about the murders of Emmett Till and Medgar Evers and was widely used by civil rights activists. She was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer in 1990, which effectively put an end to her singing career. She has been nominated to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice and was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame in 2006. emerged during this era to become two of the most popular categories of the time. Her most significant accomplishment was her first single I Will Follow Him, which she released in 1963 at the age of only 14. Besides numerous awards during his lifetime, Gaye has also multiple posthumous accolades, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Race & Ethnicity RevealedContinue, If you thought that black women only sing jazz, R&B and soul, youre definitely wrong. Her deep, powerful voice brought her fame in the 60s and would carry her through a lifetime of personal and professional challenges. Curtis Mayfield. , his contribution during this era set the tone during this time of change in America. Brenda Lee was one of the most popular and influential singers of the 60s, although history doesnt remember her as well as many other musicians of the same era. With gospel roots, she embarked on a soul-singing career at the age of 18. Source: Instagram. In 1969, Ross made the transition to a solo career. Here are 10 famous black singers who died before age 40. hollywoodlife.com, cnn.com, allmusic.com, rollingstone.com, en.wikipedia.org NEXT > Throughout the decade, she would go on to release ten more, providing a constant background of classic musical theater and traditional songs while genres such as rock and roll, R&B, and Motown were centerstage. Tragically, she passed away in 1983 from complications of anorexia. Old school music has an amazing charm and quality to it, and theres no doubt that black female singers of the 60s had a lot to do with that. James had won 17 Blues Music Awards and six Grammys during her career. In 1967, she released the album I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You. Big Joe Turner. Nina Simone - Mississippi Goddam 6. My Favorite Song: Aint No Mountain High Enough. By far her most popular song and also the one that launched her partnership with Gaye, its a hard track not to love. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. As a youth, Ross had dreams of being a fashion designer, and The Supremes glamorous style became their trademark along with their powerful vocals. Later in her career, she moved to Memphis to record another album. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. 1 single was 1971s Me and Bobby McGeethree months after she passed away from a heroin overdose at the age of 27. However, it was his single Shop Around, which debuted in 1960 that became the first million-selling hit record for the Motown label, and started the spark of 26 top 40 hits with the Miracles, including I Second That Emotion and Tears of a Clown.. When she began writing her own songs, her lyrics were often about current events. How could this list be complete without the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin? Gloria Gaynor Chaka Khan Joan Armatrading Roberta Flack Natalie Cole Dionne Warwick Patti LaBelle Whitney Houston Diana Ross Gladys Knight Female Rock Singers of the 70s Ike and Tina were one of the most popular double acts of the 60s and 70s, releasing songs such as River Deep Mountain High, Proud Mary, and many more. My Favorite Song: Guess Who I Saw Today? You know exactly from the beginning of the song where it is going, but Wilson keeps you on the edge of your seat. There were so many great black female singers of the 1960s. He wrote and produced hits for other major artists during the decade, including The Four Tops, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, and The Marvelettes. They racked up dozens of hits on the country charts and won multiple Grammy Awards between them. He was signed at the incredibly young age of 11 in the early 1960s, and by the end of the decade, Wonder had already written and released multiple number one and top 100 hits. When she was 13, Cline came down with rheumatic fever, which spread to her throat, causing a severe infection.