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Bruce Conte
Bruce Anthony Conte (March 3, 1950 – August 8, 2021) was an American R&B and jazz fusion guitarist, known primarily for his work with the band Tower of Power, of which he was a member from 1972 to 1979. He performed on seven albums, and rejoined the band for live work briefly in 2006-2007. Biography Bruce Conte was born in Sanger, and grew up in Fresno, California USA. Conte and his cousin Victor Conte began playing in a 'family' rhythm and blues band as junior high school students in the early 1960s. Throughout high school they performed in the rhythm sections of several local bands, including Common Ground, playing the local club scene in 1967–69. In 1969 Conte moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and joined The Loading Zone, who shared rehearsal halls with, and regularly opened shows for, Tower of Power. Conte became close to Tower of Power's founder and leader, Emilio Castillo, and to Stephen Kupka—the primary songwriters for the group—and began co-writi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sanger, California
Sanger is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 26,617 at the 2020 census, up from 24,270 at the 2010 census. Sanger is located east-southeast of Fresno, at an elevation of 371 feet (113 m). Eponym Sanger is named for Joseph Sanger Jr., an official of the Pacific Improvement Company, which was an affiliate of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land. History Yokuts inhabited the area. In 1886, the Southern Pacific Company referred to the area as Sanger Junction, concerning plans to improve access to the fertile land. Later the area was known simply as Sanger. The name commemorates Joseph Sanger Jr., secretary-treasurer of the Railroad Yardmasters Association, who visited California in 1887. In 1888, the Pacific Improvement Company owned and sold lots on the site and the first post office opened. In 1890, the Kings River Lumber Company built a 62-m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lenny Williams
Leonard Charles Williams (born February 16, 1945) AllMusic. is an American singer-songwriter and musician, best known as the lead vocalist for the soul/funk group Tower of Power in the early 1970s. As a solo artist, Williams made several hit sound recording and reproduction, recordings, including 1978's "Cause I Love You" and 1977's "Choosing You". Early life and career Williams was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, and moved to Oakland, California, Oakland, California, at an early age. Learning to play the trumpet in elementary school fueled his interest in music; his skills as a vocalist were first nurtured by singing in gospel choirs and groups around the San Francisco Bay Area, Bay Area. He worked with several notable artists, such as Sly ...[...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
James Brown
James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by Honorific nicknames in popular music, various nicknames, among them "Mr. Dynamite", "the Hardest-Working Man in Show Business", "Minister of New Super Heavy Funk", "Godfather of Soul", "King of Soul", and "Soul Brother No. 1". In a career that lasted more than 50 years, he influenced the development of several music genres. Brown was one of the first ten inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on January 23, 1986. His music has been heavily sampled by hip-hop musicians and other artists. Brown began his career as a Gospel music, gospel singer in Toccoa, Georgia. He rose to prominence in the mid-1950s as the lead singer of the Famous Flames, a rhythm and blues vocal group founded by Bobby Byrd. With the hit ballads "Please, Please, Please (James Br ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jimmy Nolen
Jimmy Nolen (April 3, 1934 – December 18, 1983) - accessed November 13, 2011 was an American , known for his distinctive "chicken scratch" playing in 's bands. In its survey of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time," the English magazine '''' ranks Nolen number twelve. ''Rolling Stone'' named Nolen the 12th g ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Benson
George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American jazz fusion guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the 1960s, playing soul jazz with Jack McDuff and others. He then launched a successful solo career, alternating between jazz, pop, rhythm and blues, R&B singing, and scat singing. His album ''Breezin''' was certified triple-music recording sales certification, platinum, hitting No. 1 on the Billboard (magazine), ''Billboard'' album chart in 1976. His concerts were well attended through the 1980s, and he still has a large following. Benson has won ten Grammy Awards and has been honored with a List of stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame#B, star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Biography Early career Benson was born and raised in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At the age of seven, he first played the ukulele in a corner drug s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Grant Green
Grant Green (June 6, 1935 – January 31, 1979) was an American jazz guitarist and composer. Green has been called one of the "most sampled guitarists." Biography Grant Green was born on June 6, 1935, in St. Louis, Missouri, to John and Martha Green. At various times his father was a laborer and a Saint Louis policeman. Grant began studying guitar while he was in primary school. He received early instruction in guitar playing from his father, who played blues and folk music. Grant studied for a year with Forrest Alcorn, but he was mostly self-taught, learning from listening to records. Grant Green first performed in a professional setting at the age of 13 as a member of a gospel music ensemble. Through his 20s, he was a member of jazz and R&B bands. His influences were Charlie Christian, Charlie Parker, Lester Young, and Jimmy Raney. Green's style mimicked that of a saxophonist playing single note rather than chords. His first recordings were at the age of 24, in St. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Albert King
Albert King ( Nelson; April 25, 1923 – December 21, 1992), was an American guitarist and singer who is often regarded as one of the greatest and most influential blues guitarists of all time. He is perhaps best known for his popular and influential album ''Born Under a Bad Sign'' (1967) and its Born Under a Bad Sign (song), title track. He, B. B. King, and Freddie King, all unrelated, were known as the "Three Kings of the Blues". The left-handed Albert King was known for his "deep, dramatic sound that was widely imitated by both blues and rock guitarists". He was once nicknamed "The Velvet Bulldozer" because of his smooth singing and large size – he stood taller than average, with sources reporting or , and weighed – and also because he drove a bulldozer in one of his day jobs early in his career. King was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1983. He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. In 2023, he was ranked number 22 on ''Rol ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robb Lawrence
Robb is a surname of Scottish origin, formed from a diminution (reduction) of the name Robert. Robert was a popular name, especially after its use by three Scots Kings in the fourteenth century. Rob is first recorded as a surname in the mid-15th century, with a handful of individuals recorded in the decades either side of 1500. As the 16th century progressed there were early groupings in Aberdeenshire, Lanarkshire and later in Perthshire/Stirlingshire. It is likely that the name originated with the offspring of a Robert or Rob, when surnames began to flourish, but unlike some surnames there is no one source for the name. The surname was originally spelled Rob, sometimes Robe, but by 1800 the vast majority of families had added an extra 'b' in common with some other three letter surnames. Despite a number of early English families named Robe, Robb, Robbe and Robbes the surname did not develop in the same way as it did in Scotland. Robe or Robbe is a popular surname in Germany, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
We Came To Play!
''We Came to Play!'' is an album by the American band Tower of Power, released in 1978. It marked the debut of singer Michael Jeffries, who would stay with T.O.P. through the mid-1980s. Steve Cropper produced the album. It peaked at No. 89 on the ''Billboard'' 200. ''We Came to Play!'' features Victor Conte, the future founder of the controversial BALCO, on bass, and who is also the cousin of band guitarist Bruce Conte. Drummer Ron Beck takes a lead vocal spot on "Love Bug", which features founding T.O.P. drummer David Garibaldi on second drums. Garibaldi would return to the band on the next album, but neither Conte, Bruce or Victor, would after this album. Critical reception ''The Globe and Mail'' noted that "the band has traded away some distinction in dispensing with the patented horn parts (above all else, one knew it was the Tower of Power Horns when they played), but it has gained style in both the up-tempo numbers in the ballad which will please mainstream listener ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ain't Nothin' Stoppin' Us Now
''Ain't Nothin' Stoppin' Us Now'' is an album by Tower of Power released in 1976, the band's first record on Columbia Records. Ron Beck takes up the drummers spot after David Garibaldi exited for a second time. This also would be the last album to feature bassist Francis "Rocco" Prestia as he would go on an extended hiatus from the band until his return in 1986. It is also the only album to feature vocalist Edward McGee. Release history In addition to the standard 2 channel stereo version the album was also released by Columbia in a 4 channel quadraphonic version in 1976 on LP and 8-track tape. The quad LP was encoded with the SQ matrix. This album was reissued in the UK on the Super Audio CD format in 2016 by Dutton Vocalion. This release contains the complete stereo and quad recordings. Track listing # "Ain't Nothin' Stoppin' Us Now" (Emilio Castillo, Stephen "Doc" Kupka, David Bartlett) – 3:58 # "By Your Side" (Edward McGee, Clifford Coulter) – 4:30 # "Ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
