Amoeba Music

By Lee Hildebrand

As a performer and record producer—and especially as a songwriter and businessman—Curtis Mayfield was ahead of his time. Mayfield became the leader of The Impressions during the 1960s, on the strength of an uncanny gift for rhyming and for producing melodies that were derivative of gospel music. Mayfield used those talents in composing songs of hope (“People Get Ready”), pride (“I’m So Proud,” “Choice of Colors”), and struggle (“Keep on Pushing,” “We’re a Winner”). His songs accentuated the words and actions of such African American leaders of the era as Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Like those leaders, Mayfield had a... Read More

City Of Origin:

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Genre:

Soul, Funk

Birthdate:

06/03/1942

Death date:

12/26/1999