ONTD Original: A Brief History on Musical Obscurity
Consider this a follow up to my previous post about The Vespertines, an indie rock act that features a black drummer and WoC on vocals. Cultural criticism is a facet of my degree (ONTD does read!) so I thought I'd join my fellow educators by imparting a lesson online. Here is a sample of a lecture I'd give on:
Black Artists that the Music Industry Allowed to Fade into Obscurity While Simultaneously Plundering Their Work
1. Ed Lewis (1909-1985)
Click to viewSadly, digging up the lifestory of Ed Lewis has led me down a number of dead ends. His wikipedia page is brief and describes a modest career as a member of a number of backing bands. It's easy to surmise that Lewis was a victim of the era he was born into, especially considering the ~not gonna mince words~ approach to the subject matter of slavery. I'll let the writeup on Lewis be a brief one because this relic is more than enough of a reminder that the United States is still at odds with its own history.
[Spoiler (click to open)]
2. Elizabeth Cotten (1893-1987)
Whew! Everyone should know about Elizabeth Cotten for developing the "Cotten Picking" bass style that plucks at the strings with the forefinger and thumb, a maneuver any seasoned player knows all too well (I don't know how to play any instruments, I'm just here to read and lecture, thanks). Cotten was known to play string instruments "backwards" rather than restringing the instrument to fit her needs. Cotten showed promise at a young age but took up a job young, married young, had children, and faded into obscurity until she was rediscoverd late in her life, much like a number of artists I plan on mentioning.
3. Junior Kimbrough (1930-1998)
Discovering Kimbrough is what most likely got me into music, and I mean really got me into music. I was at a job where I could listen to music while I worked and Pandora showed me the way when it kept playing Kimbrough's music because Kimbrough, as a matter of fact, developed a style that The Black Keys utilized to hone their own sound. This isn't a secret because The Black Keys released Chulahoma, a cover album in the mid 2000s. Kimbrough spent the majority of his life spoiling his local music scene, choosing not to pursue fame in lieu of a grungey atmosphere that, ironically enough, laid the groundwork for his inevitable late-in-life success in the 90s. Kimbrough died of a heart attack in 1998, after someone had the good sense to create a decent archive of his life's work. RIP, Kimbrough. Thanks for turning me into a snob about humility.
4. Mulatu Astatke (1943-present)
If there is any takeaway from this godforsaken lesson, it's THIS LITTLE JINGLE. It was used in Fleet Foxes' On Another Ocean (January/June), found on the 2017 release Crack-Up. I rarely get to enjoy "gotcha" moments like this one. Astatke is still alive, isn't American, and is most likely enjoying the royalties from being sampled so often. Ethiopiques is a staple in music communities and is a form of significant clout if mentioned or recognized, much like Otis Redding whose own noteriety shot up when he was featured on the Jay Z/Kanye West collab, Watch the Throne. I don't have much else to say about Astatke only because I think it's necessary to recognize this sound.
5. Lead Belly (1888-1949)
I can't say that Lead Belly faded into obscurity only because Lead Belly has been inducted into five different halls of fame as per his tombstone. Kurt Cobain famously covered Lead Belly during the MTV Unplugged recording, citing his desire to purchase Lead Belly's 12 string guitar. I don't understand the significance of this, but when people say the origins of rock are black, there's no doubt in my mind that they're talking about this guy. Reading into his backstory, the atmosphere surrounding him would quickly earn the label of "toxic" by modern standards which should come as no surprise. Cobain, pulling a real Peter Parker move with his power, played the part of "responsible" musician by taking time to educate his audience while simultaneously telling someone to fuck off.
That's the end of the lesson! I don't want to go overboard with the videos. If I don't obtain employment in the coming weeks, I'll probably whip up another deconstructed power point if this post goes well.
Do you know any acts like the ones mentioned above? Influential but ignored?
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