Artists on Time-Life's Rock n Roll Era compilation
by RaineRP | created - 18 Dec 2015 | updated - 17 Jan 2017 | PublicLists of artists on Time-Life's Rock n Roll Era compilation
1. Bill Haley and the Comets
Soundtrack | Clue
Bill Haley and the Comets is known for Clue (1985), Crawl (2019) and Rogue (2007).
2. Clyde McPhatter
Soundtrack | Nobody
Clyde McPhatter was born in Durham, NC, on November 15, 1932, one of six children. The McPhatters moved to New York City in late 1950 and McPhatter,. after singing for a few years with gospel groups, joined Billy Ward's Dominoes.
The Dominoes signed with King Records in 1950 and recorded the ...
3. The Moonglows
Soundtrack | Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
The Moonglows is known for Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002), Brooklyn's Finest (2009) and Goodfellas (1990).
4. The Cadillacs
Soundtrack | Goodfellas
The Cadillacs were a "doo-wop" group that formed (as The Carnations) in New York City's Harlem area in 1953, with Earl Carroll as lead vocalist. The group almost immediately started going through personnel changes, a problem that would plague it for many years (at one time Teddy Pendergrass joined ...
5. Bo Diddley
Actor | Blues Brothers 2000
Ever heard "I Want Candy" or "Not Fade Away" or "Willie & The Hand Jive", Shirley & Company's "Shame, Shame, Shame" or U2's "Desire" or George Michael's "Faith"? If you have, then you've heard the "Bo Diddley beat", the most famous beat in the world! One of the founding fathers of rock 'n' roll, Bo ...
6. The Spaniels
Soundtrack | 3 Men and a Baby
Thel Spaniels was a vocal group that formed at Roosevelt High School in Gary, IN, in 1952. Originally called Pookie Hudson & The Hudsonaires, they soon changed their name to The Spaniels. After graduating high school, the group signed with Vee-Jay Records. Their first record, "Baby It's You", ...
7. Big Joe Turner
Soundtrack | The Rainmaker
Big Joe Turner was born on May 18, 1911 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. He was an actor, known for The Rainmaker (1997), Uncle Buck (1989) and Lone Star (1996). He was married to Patricia. He died on November 24, 1985 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
8. The Platters
Soundtrack | Brooklyn's Finest
Preeminent vocal group of the late 50s and early 60s, hugely successful in the U.S., as well as in England and Australia. Formed in Los Angeles in 1953, the original line-up of The Platters consisted of Tony Williams (lead vocals), David Lynch (tenor), Alex Hodge (1935-1982, baritone) and Herb Reed...
9. The Midnighters
Soundtrack | Get on Up
10. Hank Ballard & The Midnighters
Soundtrack | Corrina, Corrina
11. The Penguins
Soundtrack | Colors
The Penguins were an early "doo-wop" group that was formed by several classmates at Los Angeles' Fremont High School in the early 1950s (one of its members, Curtis Williams, had previously been a member of The Hollywood Flames). They took their name from the character "Willie the Penguin" on the ...
12. Chuck Berry
Soundtrack | Men in Black
Charles Edward Anderson Berry was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the "Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and developed rhythm and blues into the major elements that made rock and roll distinctive with songs such as "Maybellene" (1955), "Roll ...
13. Little Richard
Actor | Last Action Hero
Richard Wayne Penniman, better known as Little Richard, the self-proclaimed "Architect of Rock 'n' Roll", traveled in his early days with the legendary vaudeville star Spencer "Snake" Anthony. One of Richard's early bands had the young, then unknown singer James Brown (the Godfather of Soul), a ...
14. La Vern Baker
Soundtrack | Angel Heart
La Vern Baker was born on November 11, 1929 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She was an actress, known for Angel Heart (1987), The Departed (2006) and Uncle Buck (1989). She was married to Slappy White and Eugene Williams. She died on March 10, 1997 in New York City, New York, USA.
15. Fats Domino
Soundtrack | The Blues Brothers
Antoine Dominique Domino Jr. (February 26, 1928 - October 24, 2017), known as Fats Domino, was an American pianist and singer-songwriter. One of the pioneers of rock and roll music, Domino sold more than 65 million records. Born in New Orleans to a French Creole family, Domino signed to Imperial ...
16. Charms
Soundtrack | Granita apo melani
Charms is known for Granita apo melani (1983), O trellopenintaris (1971) and My Adopted Son the Rally Driver (1971).
17. Johnny Ace
Soundtrack | Back to the Future
Born John Alexander in Memphis, TN, on June 9, 1929, R&B singer Johnny Ace served in the US Navy during World War II, and after his discharge he headed for New Orleans to become part of the Beale Street music scene. He performed as both a singer and pianist, and worked with the top acts of the day,...
18. The Chords
Soundtrack | Angel Heart
The Chords is known for Angel Heart (1987), Cars (2006) and Lovecraft Country (2020).
19. Ray Charles
Actor | The Blues Brothers
A tragic fate may have given this visionary a heightened sensitivity, perception, awareness, even expansion to his obvious musical gifts that he may have never touched upon had he not suffered from his physical affliction. Whatever it was, Ray Charles revolutionized American music and was ...
20. Ruth Brown
Actress | Hairspray
Ruth Brown was born on January 12, 1928 in Portsmouth, Virginia, USA. She was an actress, known for Hairspray (1988), The Hurricane (1999) and My Blueberry Nights (2007). She was married to Earl Swanson, Jimmy Brown, Bill Blunt, Willis 'Gator Tail' Jackson and Jimmy Brown. She died on November 17, ...
21. Etta James
Soundtrack | Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Etta James is an American singer who performed in various genres, including blues, R&B, soul, rock and roll, jazz, gospel. Starting her career in 1954, she gained fame with hits such as "The Wallflower", "At Last", "Tell Mama", "Something's Got a Hold on Me", and "I'd Rather Go Blind". She faced a ...
22. Carl Perkins
Soundtrack | Battleship
Carl Lee Perkins was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist who recorded at the Sun Studio, in Memphis, beginning in 1954. Among his best-known songs are "Blue Suede Shoes", "Honey Don't", "Matchbox" and "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby".
According to Charlie Daniels, "Carl Perkins' songs ...
23. The Five Satins
Soundtrack | Dead Ringers
The Five Satins were a vocal group that formed in New Haven, CT, in 1954. They didn't meet with much success at first, and went through some personnel changes. The reconstituted group recorded what turned out to be a "doo-wop" classic, "In the Still of the Night" for the small local label Standard ...
24. Sanford Clark
Actor | C.H.U.D.
Sanford Clark is known for C.H.U.D. (1984), Win It All (2017) and Un eroe borghese (1995).
25. Mickey & Sylvia
Soundtrack | Men in Black³
Mickey and Sylvia, a NYC based early R n B duo were composed of Mickey Baker B: Oct.15 1925, singer,guitarist and a former music instructor and Sylvia Vanderpool Robinson B:March 26,1936, his pupil. They were heavily influenced by Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame Pop / Country duo, Les Paul and Mary Ford...
26. Gene Vincent
Soundtrack | Wild at Heart
Rock 'n' roll pioneer Gene Vincent was born Eugene Vincent Craddock (Vincent Eugene according to some biographers) on February 11, 1935 in Norfolk, Virginia. He quit school at the age of 17 to join the Navy. His naval career was ended following a motorcycle accident while on shore leave in 1955. ...
27. Bill Doggett
Soundtrack | Blue Velvet
Bill Doggett was a rock-and-roll pioneer; his 1956 hit "Honky Tonk" has been hailed as the first rock instrumental. Raised on the streets of North Philadelphia and a graduate of Central High School, Bill Doggett had been making music from an early age, turning from the trumpet to the piano at age ...
28. The Cadets
Soundtrack | Dead Poets Society
The Cadets were an R&B/"doo wop" group formed in the Los Angeles area in the late 1940s. In addition to their distinctive sound, they also had another distinction--they recorded under two different names for two different labels at the same time (The Jacks for Modern Records, The Cadets for RPM ...
29. Sonny James
Soundtrack | The Devil All the Time
Sonny James was born on May 1, 1928 in Hackleburg, Alabama, USA. He was an actor, known for The Devil All the Time (2020), Kleptomania (1993) and Young Ones (2014). He was married to Doris Shrode. He died on February 22, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
30. Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers
Soundtrack | This Boy's Life
Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers were formed by a group of students at Edward W. Britt Junior High School in New York City's Washington Heights district. Originally called The Earth Angels, the group went through a string of name changes--among them The Coupe de Villes, The Ermines--before settling ...
31. Little Willie John
Soundtrack | Her
Little Willie John was born on November 15, 1937 in Cullendale, Arkansas, USA. He was married to Darlynn. He died on May 26, 1968 in Walla Walla, Washington, USA.
32. Ivory Joe Hunter
Soundtrack | Lone Star
Born in Weirgate, TX, in 1914, blues/R&B singer Ivory Joe Hunter is probably most famous for writing and recording the hit "Since I Met You, Baby". He learned to play piano at an early age and by his mid-teens was performing in the Beaumont, TX, area. He made some recordings in the 1930s (under the...
33. James Brown
Actor | The Blues Brothers
James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 - December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer, and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the honorific nicknames "Godfather of Soul", "Mr. Dynamite", and ...
34. Bobby Helms
Soundtrack | Logan
Bobby Helms was born on August 15, 1933 in Bloomington, Indiana, USA. He was a music artist and actor, known for Logan (2017), Vanilla Sky (2001) and Lethal Weapon (1987). He was married to Rita Jane Long, Doris Ann Young and Esther Jeanette Hendrickson. He died on June 19, 1997 in Martinsville, ...
35. Chuck Willis
Soundtrack | Primal Fear
Chuck Willis was an R & B singer songwriter who crossed over into pop in the mid 1950s. He had hit recordings with "Oh What a Dream", "It's Too Late", "C.C. Rider", "Hang Up My Rock & Roll Shoes", "Betty and Dupree" and "What Am I Living For". He wrote and first recorded "I Feel So Bad" which was a...
36. The Heartbeats
Soundtrack | American Graffiti
Members have included Wally Roker (d. 12/2/2015), Vernon Sievers, Albert Crump (d. 10/3/2012), Robbie Tatum, James Sheppard (d. 1970), Walter Crump, Ron Bassett, Randy Reid, Robbie Brown.
37. Roy Orbison
Soundtrack | Love and Monsters
Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 - December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. His music was described by critics as operatic, earning him the nicknames "The Caruso of Rock" and "...
38. Otis Williams
Soundtrack | Goodfellas
Otis Williams was born on October 30, 1941 in Texarkana, Texas, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Goodfellas (1990), Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007) and The Last Dragon (1985). He has been married to Arleata Carter since January 28, 1983. They have one child. He was previously ...
39. The Five Keys
Soundtrack | Cool and the Crazy
The original group members were Rudi West, Bernie West, Ripley Ingram, Edwin Hill.
40. The Dells
Soundtrack | Original Gangstas
The Dells is known for Original Gangstas (1996), Dinner Rush (2000) and No Way Back (1976).
41. The Drifters
Soundtrack | Superman Returns
The Drifters is known for Superman Returns (2006), Wild Card (2015) and Now You See Me 2 (2016).
42. Johnny Cash
Soundtrack | The Johnny Cash Show
Johnny Cash was born February 26, 1932, in Kingsland, Arkansas, to Carrie Cash (Rivers) and Raymond Cash. He made his first single, "Hey Porter", for Sun Records in 1955. In 1958 he moved to Columbia Records. He had long periods of drug abuse during the 1960s, but later that decade he successfully ...
43. The Clovers
Soundtrack | Carol
The Clovers is known for Carol (2015), Green Book (2018) and Friends with Kids (2011).
44. Jesse Belvin
Soundtrack | Back to the Future
Jesse Belvin was born on December 15, 1932 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. He was married to Jo Ann Belvin. He died on February 6, 1960 in Fairhope, Arkansas, USA.
45. Jerry Lee Lewis
Soundtrack | Grease
Jerry Lee Lewis was born on September 29, 1935 into a very religious family . His family, though not very wealthy, sold their house when he was a child to get their son a piano. He loved to play piano. He was sent to a religious school, but was soon thrown out shortly thereafter -- he did a boogie ...
46. The Del Vikings
Soundtrack | Stand by Me
The Del Vikings is known for Stand by Me (1986), Set It Up (2018) and Joe Versus the Volcano (1990).
47. Danny and the Juniors
Soundtrack | Christine
Initially formed and named "The Juvenairs" in 1955, this Philadelphia quartet comprised of Danny Rapp, Dave White, Frank Maffei and Joe Terranova. They are widely recognized for their hit single "At the Hop," which was released in 1957. They followed it up with "Rock and Roll Is Here To Stay" a ...
48. The Everly Brothers
Soundtrack | Bull Durham
The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly (February 1, 1937 - August 21, 2021) and Phillip "Phil" Everly (January 19, 1939 - January 3, 2014), the duo combined elements of rock and...
50. Dale Hawkins
Soundtrack | Frequency
Dale Hawkins was born on August 22, 1936 in Goldmine, Louisiana, USA. He was a composer, known for Frequency (2000), Apocalypse Now (1979) and To Die For (1995). He died on February 13, 2010 in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
51. The Diamonds
Soundtrack | Beautiful Girls
The Diamonds, four gentlemen from Toronto, Canada, were one of the most popular singing groups of the 1950s. This versatile group was signed to Mercury Records and was designated to cover the recordings of black artists, as was often the practice in those days because many radio stations wouldn't ...
52. The Coasters
Soundtrack | Death Proof
This seminal close-harmony singing group began in the late 40s as The Robins, a Los Angeles-based vocal quartet. Mentored by R&B bandleader Johnny Otis, they recorded several hits for the Savoy label, including a #1, "Double Crossing Blues", in 1950. They were one of the first African-American ...
53. Buddy Holly
Soundtrack | Big Fish
Charles Hardin Holley, known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer and songwriter who was a central and pioneering figure of mid-1950s rock and roll. He was born in Lubbock, Texas, to a musical family during the Great Depression, and learned to play guitar and sing alongside his siblings. His ...
54. Buddy Knox
Soundtrack | American Graffiti
Buddy Knox was born on July 20, 1933 in Happy, Texas, USA. He was an actor, known for American Graffiti (1973), Look Who's Talking Too (1990) and Hexed (1993). He died on February 14, 1999 in Bremerton, Washington, USA.
55. Larry E Wiliams
Soundtrack | American Made
Larry E Wiliams was born on May 10, 1935 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for American Made (2017), Christine (1983) and Mr. Church (2016). He was married to Julia Ann Williams. He died on January 2, 1980 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
56. The Dubs
Soundtrack | Coupe de Ville
Members have included Bernard "BJ" Jones, Richard Blandon (1934-1991), Cleveland Still, Billy Carlisle, James "Jake" Miller, Thomas Gardner, Tommy Grate, Cordell Brown, Kirk Harris, Dave Shelley, Jay McKnight, Kenny White, Danny Foy, Michael Smith, Doretha Gills, Darryl Blandon.
57. The Crickets
Soundtrack | October Sky
The group were awarded a star on the Music City Walk of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee on April 22, 2007.
58. Paul Anka
Soundtrack | No Way Out
Canadian-born Paul Anka first achieved success in the 1950s as a teenage singing star (and, for the times, an unusual one in that he wrote many of his own songs). Although he appeared in several films, and was quite believable as a nervous, hyper young soldier in The Longest Day (1962) (for which ...
59. Joe Bennett
Soundtrack | The Rescuers Down Under
60. The Sparkletones
Soundtrack | The Rescuers Down Under
The Sparkletones are a terrifically talented and dynamic rockabilly group from Spartanburg, South Carolina. The band was first formed in 1956 at Cowpens High School in Spartanburg; the members when the Sparkletones first came together ranged between 13 and 16 years old. In addition, all the members...
61. Bill Justis
Composer | Smokey and the Bandit
Bill Justis was born on October 14, 1926 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. He was a composer, known for Smokey and the Bandit (1977), Nowhere Boy (2009) and Camp X-Ray (2014). He died on July 15, 1982 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
62. Sam Cooke
Soundtrack | Innerspace
Sam Cooke was born January 22, 1931 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. He was one of eight children of Charles Cook Sr., a Baptist minister. When Sam sang as a little boy in church, everyone made note that his voice had "something special". He sang in church and in local gospel choirs until a group called...
63. The Hollywood Flames
Members have included David Ford, Willie Ray Rockwell, Curley Dinkins, Earl Nelson, Donald Height, Curtis Williams, Gaynel Hodge. Bobby Day (as Robert Byrd).
64. Jimmy Bowen
Soundtrack | Vanishing Point
Jimmy Bowen was born on November 30, 1937 in Santa Rita, New Mexico, USA. He is a producer and actor, known for Vanishing Point (1971), Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987) and American Graffiti (1973). He was previously married to Keely Smith.
65. Clarence 'Frogman' Henry
Soundtrack | The Fast and the Furious
R&B singer/piano player Clarence "Frogman" Henry was born in Algiers, LA--a suburb of New Orleans--in 1937. He grew up in the New Orleans blues/R&B scene, and in his late teens moved to New Orleans to get into the music business. He got work as a musician and singer, and eventually joined up with ...
66. Lloyd Price
Soundtrack | Green Lantern
Although most of Lloyd Price's hits occurred in the late 1950s and early 1960s, he actually had his first hit in 1952, with "Lawdy Miss Clawdy", which became a major R&B hit. However, his budding career came to a quick halt in 1954 when he was drafted into the army. Because of his musical ...
68. Eddie Cochran
Soundtrack | Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Eddie Cochran was born as Ray Edward Cochran on October 3, 1938 in Albert Lea, Minnesota. When Eddie was 14, his parents moved to Bell Gardens, California where he began playing the guitar. In 1954, Eddie joined a local band with songwriter Hank Cochran where Eddie performed as the second vocalist....
69. Ricky Nelson
Actor | The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
Ricky Nelson was born on May 8, 1940 in Teaneck, New Jersey, USA as Eric Hilliard Nelson. He was an actor, known for The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet (1952) and Rio Bravo (1959). He was married to Kristin Harmon. He died on December 31, 1985 in De Kalb, Texas, USA.
70. Conway Twitty
Soundtrack | Limitless
Conway Twitty was born on September 1, 1933 in Friars Point, Mississippi, USA. He was a music artist and actor, known for Limitless (2011), Punch-Drunk Love (2002) and Hollywoodland (2006). He was married to Dolores Virginia Henry, Temple Medley and Ellen Matthews. He died on June 5, 1993 in ...
71. Little Anthony and the Imperials
Soundtrack | Peggy Sue Got Married
Little Anthony and the Imperials is known for Peggy Sue Got Married (1986), The Secret Life of Bees (2008) and Crank: High Voltage (2009).
72. Duane Eddy
Soundtrack | Natural Born Killers
Duane Eddy was born on April 26, 1938 in Corning, New York, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for Natural Born Killers (1994), Forrest Gump (1994) and Broken Arrow (1996). He was married to Diane Mary 'Deed' Abbate, Maureen A Power, Jessi Colter and Carol Fowler. He died on April 30, 2024 in...
73. The Silhouettes
Soundtrack | Stand by Me
The Silhouettes was a black R&B group that formed in Philadelphia, PA, in the mid-1950s, consisting of Bill Horton, Earl Beal, Raymond Edwards and Richard Lewis. They hit the #1 spot on the pop and R&B charts in 1958 with the amusing and catchy "Get a Job", written by the group's members. It became...
74. Bobby Darin
Soundtrack | Come September
Walden Robert Cassotto, nicknamed "Bobby", was born in The Bronx, New York, in 1936. Severe rheumatic fever as a child scarred his heart and led to an overprotected and pampered childhood. He was the focal point of a family that fostered and encouraged his love of music. His music career started ...
75. The Champs
Soundtrack | Overboard
Band member Danny Flores (aka Danny Flores), who wrote and sang their 1958 hit song "Tequila", died in September 2006 at the age of 77, in Huntington Beach, CA. His wife Sharee said "he never got tired of playing that song". He is also survived by seven children and 15 grandchildren.
76. The Chantels
Soundtrack | Her
The Chantels came out of the Bronx, NY, in the early 1950s. The group's members were students at St. Anthony of Padua School, and they took their name from that of another Catholic school, St. Francs de Chantal. They signed their first recording contract, with End Records, in 1957, but the record, ...
77. The Elegants
Soundtrack | Inventing the Abbotts
The Elegants began life in Staten Island, NY, in the mid-1950s. In 1958 the group--consisting of lead singer Vito Picone, Carmen Romano, James Moschella, Frank Tardogno and Arthur Venosa--scored a #1 hit with the doo-wop classic "Little Star", which had a catchy beat, smooth harmonies and was based...
78. The Monotones
Soundtrack | Stand by Me
The 1950s R&B group The Monotones was formed in 1955 by a group of friends living in the Baxter Terrace housing project in Newark, NJ. The original group consisted of Warren Ryanes, John Ryanes, Charles Patrick, Warren Davis, George Malone, Frankie Smith and Charles Patrick's brother James, who ...
79. Jody Reynolds
Soundtrack | Apollo 18
Jody Reynolds was born on December 3, 1932 in Denver, Colorado, USA. He was married to Judy Reynolds. He died on November 7, 2008 in Palm Desert, California, USA.
80. Bobby Day
Soundtrack | The Iron Giant
Bobby Day was born on July 1, 1928 in Fort Worth, Texas, USA. He is known for The Iron Giant (1999), Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) and Stand by Me (1986). He died on July 27, 1990 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
81. The Big Bopper
Soundtrack | True Romance
The Big Bopper (real name: Jiles Perry Richardson Jr. ) was an American singer, songwriter, and disc jockey from Texas. His best known song compositions were" Chantilly Lace" (featuring a flirtatious phone conversation) and "White Lightning" (a rockabilly hit). Richardson was killed in an airplane ...
82. The Teddy Bears
Soundtrack | Hardcase and Fist
Members have included Phil Spector, Carol Connors, Marshall Leib, Harvey Goldstein.
83. Bobby Freeman
Soundtrack | American Graffiti
Bobby Freeman was born on June 13, 1940 in San Francisco, California, USA. He is known for American Graffiti (1973), Bio-Dome (1996) and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004). He died on January 23, 2017 in Anson, Texas, USA.
84. Jimmy Clanton
Soundtrack | Peggy Sue Got Married
Jimmy Clanton was born on September 2, 1940 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Peggy Sue Got Married (1986), Go, Johnny, Go! (1959) and Teenage Millionaire (1961). He has been married to Roxanne Faye Edtmiller since December 8, 1962. They have three children.
85. Johnny Otis
Soundtrack | Back to the Future
Johnny Otis was involved in virtually every aspect of the music business: he was a singer, musician, composer, producer, record company owner, arranger and talent scout, among others. He helped to shape the R&B genre starting in the late 1940s and stayed involved in it for over 30 years.
Otis was ...
86. The Chordettes
Soundtrack | Deadpool
Close harmony barbershop-style vocal quartet of the 1950s, noted for their folksy or swinging a capella renditions. Formed in 1946, their original line-up consisted of Jinny Osborn (1927-2003), Janet Ertel, Dorothy Schwartz and Carol Bushman (1927-2023). Later members included Lynn Evans, Margie ...
87. Ritchie Valens
Soundtrack | La Bamba
Ritchie, the 'California Kid' was from a family of poverty stricken fruit pickers and was the first rock star to originate from the West Coast and one of the innovators of 'Latino rock. In an eight month career he scored three hits with 'Come On Let's Go', 'Donna' and 'La Bamba' before being killed...
88. Robert & Johnny
Soundtrack | After Hours
Robert & Johnny is known for After Hours (1985), The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) and La Bamba (1987).
89. The Olympics
Soundtrack | Peggy Sue Got Married
Members have included Walter Ward (d. 2006), Eddie Lewis, Charles Fizer (d. 8/14/65 at 25 in race riot), Walter Hammond, Melvin King.
90. Dion DiMucci
Soundtrack | The Long Kiss Goodnight
Dion DiMucci was born on July 18, 1939 in Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996), Behind Enemy Lines (2001) and Road House (1989). He has been married to Susan Butterfield since March 23, 1963. They have three children.
91. The Belmonts
Soundtrack | Flipped
The Belmonts were a "doo-wop" group that formed in the Bronx, New York, in the 1950s. It was named after the street several of its member lived on, Belmont Avenue. The original members were Dion DiMucci, Carlo Mastrangelo, Freddie Millano and Angelo D'Aleo.
The group had recorded several songs for ...
92. Jimmy McCracklin
Soundtrack | Ride Along
Pianist/singer Jimmy McCracklin was born in 1921 in Arkansas but raised in St. Louis, MO. He served in the US Navy during World War II, and after the war he moved to Los Angeles, CA, to become a professional boxer, using the name Jimmy Mackey. He fought as a light-heavyweight, and won nearly two ...
93. Jerry Butler
Soundtrack | Hollywoodland
Jerry Butler got his start in the music business at age 18 when he and his friend Curtis Mayfield formed a singing group and named them The Impressions. They had an almost immediate hit with a song Butler wrote, "For Your Precious Love", which became the group's first gold record. Nicknamed "The ...
94. The Impressions
Soundtrack | Vanilla Sky
The Impressions is known for Vanilla Sky (2001), Murder Mystery (2019) and Phenomenon (1996).
95. Link Wray
Soundtrack | Independence Day
Rock'n'roll musician Link Wray reigns supreme as one of the best, most important, influential, and innovative guitarists to emerge from the 1950's. Wray was the creator of the power-chord and was one of the first musicians to experiment with both distortion and the burning fuzz-tone guitar sound in...
96. The Crests
Soundtrack | American Graffiti
The Crests, one of the most popular of the '50s "doo-wop" vocal groups, formed in 1955 in Manhattan, NY. They were quite unusual for their time in that they were a thoroughly integrated group--two black males (J.T. Carter and Talmadge Gough), a black female (Patricia Van Dross, sister of Luther ...
97. Phil Phillips
Soundtrack | Frequency
Phil Phillips was born on March 14, 1926 in Crowley, Louisiana, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for Frequency (2000), Sea of Love (1989) and The Protégé (2021). He was married to Bell Baptiste. He died on March 14, 2020 in Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA.
98. The Twilights
Soundtrack | A Most Wanted Man
The Twilights is known for A Most Wanted Man (2014), The Go!! Show (1964) and Once Upon a Twilight (1975).
99. Frankie Ford
Actor | Ben Casey
New Orleans R&B singer Frankie Ford was born on August 4, 1939 in Gretna, Louisiana. He was the adopted son of Vincent and Anna Guzzo. He studied singing and dancing as a boy and made his stage debut at age five in 1945. He performed on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour in New York City in 1952 and won ...
100. Wilbert Harrison
Soundtrack | Big Fish
R&B singer Wilbert Harrison was born in 1929 in Charlotte, NC. He had been making records for a variety of small labels since the early 1950s, but never had a hit. That changed in 1959, when he recorded "Kansas City"--written by legendary songwriting team Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller--and it ...
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