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Curtis Mayfield (June 3, 1942
- December 26, 1999) was an African
American soul, funk and R&B singer, songwriter and noted guitarist best known for his soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Superfly. Mayfield came to prominence as lead singer/songwriter for The Impressions, then went on to have a
successful solo career. Perhaps most notably, Mayfield was among the first of a new wave of African-American R&B performing artists and composers who injected social commentary into their
music and took this "message music" to mainstream popular music.
Mayfield's career began in 1958 (see 1958 in music), when he formed The Impressions
with Jerry Butler. The band had hits with "For Your Precious Love" and
"Gypsy Woman." After Butler left the group, Mayfield became lead singer, frequently composing for the band, as well. "Amen," an
updated version of an old gospel tune, was included in the soundtrack of 1963 MGM release "Lilies of the Field," which starred
Sidney Poitier. The Impressions reached the height of their popularity
in the mid to late 1960s, with a string of Mayfield compositions that included "Keep On Pushin'," "People, Get Ready," "Choice of
Colors," "This is My Country," and "We People Who Are Darker than Blue." Mayfield's "We're a Winner" became a virtual anthem of
the black pride movement.
In 1970, Mayfield left The Impressions and began a solo career, eventually peaking with
Superfly (1972), one of the most
influential films, soundtracks and
albums in history. The album was influential in the development of funk, rock and roll, R&B, soul, gospel and pop music. Characteristically, Mayfield's lyrics
included hard-hitting commentary on the state of affairs in black, urban ghettos at the
time, previously unheard of in blaxploitation films.
On August 14, 1990, Mayfield was
paralyzed from the neck down after stage lighting equipment fell on him at a concert in Brooklyn, New York. He was unable to perform until 1997, when he released the album "New World
Order." In 1998, he had to have his right leg amputated due to diabetes. He died on
December 26, 1999 in Roswell, Georgia.
The Impressions were inducted into the Vocal Group
Hall of Fame in 2003.
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