More Information About the Rock Beat and What One Very Famous and Admired Pop Singer Said About It

Image : http://www.flickr.com

I have read that the Beatles said that the name Beatles intentionally has within it the spelling of the word beat. They sang a song, written by Chuck Berry, called "Rock and Roll Music." In the chorus John Lennon sang about rock and roll music and that, "its got a back beat..." This is part of a series of articles investigating the rock-n-roll backbeat.

There is an old book from 1970, entitled "The Enjoyment of Music," in which Joseph Machlis covered the musical subject of rhythm. He explained that a song, in its rhythm, usually has "accented or strong beats" among the regular beats. He wrote that syncopation (a term for the rock beat) is a "deliberate upsetting of the normal accent" where "the accent is shifted to the weak beat of off-beat." Hence, the term back beat. Rock musicians and drummers know that this is true.

Michael Jackson has been on our minds off and on recently. A short newspaper article, dated February 11, 1993, was circulated by the Associated Press. It was from an exclusive interview that Oprah had with Michael. The article covers two subjects: his skin color changes and the grabbing of his private parts while singing and dancing in his concerts. The response he gave to Oprah, about why he did that, would have taken me by surprise if I had not seen what many other rock and rollers said, too. He said that the beat had a "subliminal" effect on him, that he was "a slave to the beat," implying that he could not help himself. That was quite a statement if you are thinking about the beat itself.

See my next article with more information about the rock beat and a quote by another rock personality.

Rhythmically, Dexter Cabbott

Famous Acoustic Artists of the 20th Century

Image : http://www.flickr.com

There is a certain charm and allure added when it comes to an acoustic guitar. Only when you witness a frenzied crowd of fans immersed in the music do you start truly comprehend the acoustic guitar's power. Though an electric guitar can be argued to be more popular due to its glitz and glamour, it can never replace the charm of the acoustic guitar. Thanks to the talent of certain acoustic artists, this special instrument has gained in popularity since the first string was strummed. Listed below are some of those artists.

Nobody can be unfamiliar with the name Johnny Cash who rocked the music scene till his death in 2003. A Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, Mr. Cash is one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Lasting a full fifty years of his incredible career, Mr. Cash sold over 90 million albums. This acoustic artist mainly believed in the success of cross genre and his portfolio includes several art form like gospel, blues, rock and roll, folk, country music etc. Till date he is considered to be the most famous Acoustic artist.

Bonnie Raitt is one another Acoustic artist who still continues to make sure of the popularity of this instrument. Her music primarily deals with blues rock, blues and country genres. Like Mr. Cash, Raitt also has enjoyed success with cross-over music and her songs topped the chart many a times. With a total of 9 Grammy Awards, she has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Sheryl Crow first grasped the attention of the public in 1994 when her solo "All I Wanna Do" hit the top positions of the music charts. She has had many years of continuous success since then and has been associated with great artists like Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, and The Rolling Stones. She has done her bit to the popularity of Acoustics guitar and her music portfolio includes folk, pop rock, country, rock, blues rock etc. In spite of various genres, she is well known for her pop music more than anything else.

Jewel Kilcher, proves her name by being a jewel among the famous acoustics artists of the 20th century. With three Grammy award nominations so far, Jewel has sold more than 30 million albums world over. Her music portfolio includes adult contemporary, country, pop, folk and rock. Though she has commercial success in other genres of music, she is mainly known for her passionate acoustic guitar music which she recites beautifully. Though many feel her recent works are not of the same values, her initial albums are permanently listed in the playlists of various famous radio stations across the world.

Apart from these there are several other acoustics artists who did big in the music scene and are still creating an uproar with their music. Though there are several other instruments trying to take over the acoustic world, this beautiful instrument will never go out of fashion thanks to these great acoustics artists.