Music

Fresh Air's resident rock historian remembers soul singer Lorraine Ellison, who recorded a handful of albums and dozens of singles in the '60s and '70s; though she charted a few R&B hits, she never quite broke through to stardom.

Ellison's biggest success was with the string-saturated ballad "Stay With Me," which topped out at No. 11 on the R&B charts and has since been covered by everyone from Bette Midler to teenybopper idol Rex Smith.

Rock historian Ed Ward says that 1964 was a "magical year" for Motown Records.

Rock historian Ed Ward pays tribute to Floyd Dixon, a pioneering rhythm & blues singer and piano player who died this summer at age 77.

Ever since Chuck Berry, St. Louis has been producing rock music that defies the prevailing norm. But is it possible that in 1969 it also produced America's Beatles, a band no one ever heard? Rock historian Ed Ward investigates the curious case of the Aerovons.

Rock historian Ed Ward profiles the early years of the Franklin sisters. Aretha Franklin is a renowned soul legend, but her two sisters, Carolyn and Erma, were also singers.

In the age of the sampler, three innovative guitar players are taking their instruments to new heights: Richard Leo Johnson, Dominic Frasca, and Jonas Hellborg.

The girl group Reparata and the Delrons worked its forward-looking magic on songs like "Captain Of Your Ship," "Boys and Girls," "Shoes," and "Whenever a Teenager Cries." The band became far more popular overseas than in America, however.

Guitarist and singer Ali Farka Toure of Mali died March 7 at the age of 66. Farka Toure was a booster of Mali's march toward independence.

Reggaeton is an international hybrid of reggae, hip-hop and salsa. Several compilation albums offer an overview of the genre: Mas Flow, Mas Flow 2, and La Trayectoria.

British singer and songwriter Sandy Denny played a seminal role of the folk-revolution in the 1960s. From her solo work to songs like "Who Knows Where the Time Goes," recorded with Fairport Convention, Denny was loved for her wistful, honest singing style.