Curtis Mayfield (born June 3, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois; † 26 December 1999 Roswell, Georgia) was an American soul musicians.
Life
Mayfield began his musical work early - at age seven he sang in a gospel choir along with Jerry Butler. Soon after, he joined the band The Alfa tone. The guitar playing and songwriting, he taught himself. In 1956 he joined the Roosters. From then played, sang and wrote songs in changing rhythm and blues bands in Chicago and New York. From the Roosters, the band was impressions with which he wrote some of his best known hits such as For Your Precious Love, which is often called the first Soul Single, and It's allright, I'm so Proud, Keep on Pushing, People Get Ready, We're a Winner and Mighty, Mighty.
From 1970 he worked as a soloist and with numerous soul legends such as Gladys Knight & the Pips, Aretha Franklin and The Staple Singers. With Superfly 1972 he published one of the most influential blaxploitation soundtracks. In 1976, he played with in the movie Short Eyes, for which he also wrote the soundtrack and its producer he was. In the first half of the 1970s, he scored his biggest chart success with songs such as Move on Up, Gimme Your Love or Superfly.
In the 1980s, declined sales of his newly released albums. However, he toured continue through the whole world. On August 13, 1990, during an open-air presence in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, met him one of a storm torn off light beam. He was then paralyzed from the neck down, but went at least for short periods of time even in the studio or composed in the hospital bed.
1995 Mayfield was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1996, his last album, the 25th solo album, New World Order, out. Due to his paralysis he could no longer play guitar, but only sing. In February 1998, his right leg had to be amputated because of diabetes disease. On 15 March 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 at the group Bran Van 3000 Astounded on the song from their album Discosis, which was recorded just before his death and published posthumously in 2001.
Curtis Mayfield died on 26 December 1999 North Fulton Regional Hospital in Roswell, Georgia, diabetes. Since his paralysis, his health had steadily deteriorated. His remains were cremated.
Life
Mayfield began his musical work early - at age seven he sang in a gospel choir along with Jerry Butler. Soon after, he joined the band The Alfa tone. The guitar playing and songwriting, he taught himself. In 1956 he joined the Roosters. From then played, sang and wrote songs in changing rhythm and blues bands in Chicago and New York. From the Roosters, the band was impressions with which he wrote some of his best known hits such as For Your Precious Love, which is often called the first Soul Single, and It's allright, I'm so Proud, Keep on Pushing, People Get Ready, We're a Winner and Mighty, Mighty.
From 1970 he worked as a soloist and with numerous soul legends such as Gladys Knight & the Pips, Aretha Franklin and The Staple Singers. With Superfly 1972 he published one of the most influential blaxploitation soundtracks. In 1976, he played with in the movie Short Eyes, for which he also wrote the soundtrack and its producer he was. In the first half of the 1970s, he scored his biggest chart success with songs such as Move on Up, Gimme Your Love or Superfly.
In the 1980s, declined sales of his newly released albums. However, he toured continue through the whole world. On August 13, 1990, during an open-air presence in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, met him one of a storm torn off light beam. He was then paralyzed from the neck down, but went at least for short periods of time even in the studio or composed in the hospital bed.
1995 Mayfield was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1996, his last album, the 25th solo album, New World Order, out. Due to his paralysis he could no longer play guitar, but only sing. In February 1998, his right leg had to be amputated because of diabetes disease. On 15 March 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 at the group Bran Van 3000 Astounded on the song from their album Discosis, which was recorded just before his death and published posthumously in 2001.
Curtis Mayfield died on 26 December 1999 North Fulton Regional Hospital in Roswell, Georgia, diabetes. Since his paralysis, his health had steadily deteriorated. His remains were cremated.