60s

The fourth of seven children, John Royce Mathis was born on September 30, 1935 in Gilmer, TX to Clem and Mildred Mathis. As a small boy, the family moved to Post Street in San Francisco. It was there that he learned an appreciation of music from his father who taught him his first song, “My Blue Heaven”. At age eight, his father purchased an old upright piano for $25. When he brought it home, it wouldn’t fit through the front door.

Biography by Nate Cavalieri Few artists have been as crucial to the invention, development, and popularization of Afro-pop than Orlando Julius. Starting in the '60s, Julius was fusing traditional African sounds and rhythms with those of American pop, soul, and R&B. Aside from performing and recording in his native Nigeria, he spent many years in the United States working on collaborations with Lamont Dozier, the Crusaders, and Hugh Masekela. His 1966 effort, Super Afro Soul, made him a national celebrity in Nigeria and even went so far as to influence music in the United States.

Read more about Orlando Julius on Last.fm.

There is more than one group called the Tubes. 1) The Tubes are a San Francisco-based theater rock band, popular in the mid 1970s and early 1980s, known for their live performances that combined music performances with many different unique costumes and in some acts they wore leotards with painted on nipples and pubic hair (neither of which points are relevant for evaluating their artistic/musical/political relevance). They made satires of life in the USA; the media, consumerism, and politics. They were often banned in the Midwest USA.

Cornell, or Cornel, Campbell started recording in 1956, cutting shuffle and early ska tunes like "My Treasure" and "Don't Want Your Loving" at the ubiquitous Studio One for Coxsone Dodd. His singing style is delicate and ephemeral, making heavy use of falsetto. His stint at Studio One produced some beautiful tunes like Stars, Queen Of The Minstrels, Magic Spell, Trick In The Book and many others. His sister, Cecille Campbell, also sang at Studio One and was a member of the Soulettes with Rita Marley.