American Popular Music People

Stephen Collins Foster (July 4, 1826 – January 13, 1864), known as the "father of American music", was the pre-eminent songwriter in the United States of the 19th century. His songs remain popular over 150 years after their composition. Stephen Foster was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970

William Christopher Handy (November 16, 1873 – March 28, 1958) was a blues composer and musician.^[1] He was widely known as the "Father of the Blues". Handy was an educated musician who used folk material in his compositions.

Scott Joplin (between July 1867 and January 1868 – April 1, 1917) was an American composer and pianist. He achieved fame for his unique ragtime compositions, and was dubbed the "King of Ragtime." His composition in 1899 of the "Maple Leaf Rag" brought him fame, and had a profound influence on subsequent writers of ragtime.

John Philip Sousa (pronounced /ˈsuːsə/;^[1] November 6, 1854 – March 6, 1932) was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era, known particularly for American military and patriotic marches. Because of his mastery of march composition, he is known as "The March King" or the "American March King"

Al Jolson (May 26, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was an American singer, comedian and actor. In his heyday, he was dubbed "The World's Greatest Entertainer". Bob Dylan and Bing Crosby were influenced by his music. In the 1930s, he was America's most famous and highest paid entertainer. Yet he's best remembered today for his leading role in the first (full length) talking movie ever made, The Jazz Singer, released in 1927.

Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 – September 26, 1937) was an American blues singer. Sometimes referred to as "The Empress of the Blues," Smith was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s. She is often regarded as one of the greatest singers of her era and, along with Louis Armstrong, a major influence on subsequent jazz vocalists.

Blind" Lemon Jefferson (September 24, 1893 – December, 1929) was a blues singer and guitarist from Texas. He was one of the most popular blues singers of the 1920s, and has been titled "Father of the Texas Blues".

Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was a composer, pianist, and big band leader. A prominent figure in the history of jazz, Ellington's music stretched into various other genres, including blues, gospel, film scores, popular, and classical. Ellington called his music "American Music" rather than jazz, and liked to describe those who impressed him as "beyond category".

James Fletcher Hamilton Henderson, Jr. (December 18, 1897 – December 28, 1952) was an American pianist, bandleader, arranger and composer, important in the development of big band jazz and swing music. His was one of the most prolific black orchestras and his influence was vast. He was often known as "Smack" Henderson.

Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer and actor.^[3] His career stretched more than half a century from 1926 until his death in 1977. Crosby's unique bass-baritone voice made him the best-selling recording artist until well into the rock era, with over half a billion records in circulation.

Irving Berlin (May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was an American composer and lyricist, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in history.

Robert Leroy Johnson (May 8, 1911 – August 16, 1938) was an American blues singer and musician. Johnson's shadowy, poorly documented life and death at age 27 have given rise to much legend. He was ranked fifth in Rolling Stone's list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.

Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat "King" Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres.

Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra (pronounced /sɨˈnɑːtrə/; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998)^[6] was an American singer and actor. Sinatra became a successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s.

James Charles Rodgers (September 8, 1897 – May 26, 1933), known as "Jimmie," was a country singer in the early 20th century known most widely for his rhythmic yodeling. Among the first country music superstars and pioneers, Rodgers was also known as "The Singing Brakeman"