60 Years of Rhythm and Blues

Welcome to the Rhythm and Blues Season, a celebration of 60 years of the most influential music genre the world has and ever will see.

My love affair with R&B began when, as a teenager I heard the likes of Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Earth Wind and Fire coming out of the radio. Initially the music was just something to enjoy but over time I began to delve deeper into its history and discovered its roots in blues and gospel. Very soon the incredibly far reaching influence of R&B really began to dawn on me and I realised that literally every form of popular music is in some way a derivative. From soul to funky house, hip hop to funk, all owe their existence to Rhythm and Blues.

The thing that I love most about R&B is the sheer amount of music that there is to explore. Even after 25 years of solid record collecting I still come across undiscovered gems and yearn for other hard to find classics. I envy young people who are just beginning their journey into the R&B universe and the feeling they'll get when hearing such classics as "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" and "Superstition" for the first time.

Most recently I had the honour of interviewing the original members of the Stax Record label which in its heyday included such legends as Otis Redding and Isaac Hayes. To say that the experience was surreal is an understatement as I spoke one on one with people such as Steve Cropper, co-writer on the seminal Otis Redding track "Dock Of The Bay".

So all that's left for me to say is have a look around the site and enjoy the ride that is the Rhythm and Blues season. And for those just beginning their exploration of the diverse history of this music I hope this site serves as a good launch pad.

Trevor


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2007 marks the 60th anniversary of the creation of the term Rhythm and Blues, which was first coined by Billboard magazine journalist Jerry Wexler in 1947. Since then R&B has become the cornerstone of contemporary music. Derivatives of R&B include soul, funk, disco, hip hop and funky house and its influence was strongly felt in the early emergence of Rock & Roll. To mark 60 years of this seminal musical genre, the Arts Council of England is presenting a celebratory season of events in London. These will include concerts, exhibitions and educational sessions with some of the genres leading figures and exhibitions. The season will be chiefly organised by London based music consultancy Music Matrix in partnership with a variety of other organisations (please see partners section). For details of the R&B season, please visit the Schedule and Timeline pages.