Known as the Mother of Blues, Gertrude "Ma" Rainey performed in a traveling minstrel show for over twenty years before recording over 100 songs for Paramount records. Because of her legacy as a blues singer, she has been inducted into...

Features biographical information on the award winning Canadian Aboriginal singer and artist, Buffy Sainte-Marie. Includes art and photo galleries, discography, and audio clips.

This interesting site features the life and music of Woody Guthrie. Explore this online exhibit showcasing one of America's great folk singers.

Jazz singer Billie Holiday is featured on this Down Beat website with a biography, pictures and a discography of her recording career.

An informative biography of jazz singer Sarah Vaughan (1924-1990 CE) is presented highlighting her long musical career.

PBS profiles American jazz singer and actress Lena Horne's life and music. Includes video.

PBS profiles the life of African American actor, athlete, singer, author, and political activist, Paul Robeson. Click on the timeline to see highlights of his often turbulent career.

An interview with playwright August Wilson about the people who most influence his writing. He includes Amiri Baraka, Jorge Luis Borges, and Romare Bearden, and most especially, blues singer Bessie Smith. In addition to the interview,...

[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the Quabbin Lake Singers of the Nipmuc Tribe who sing at powwows. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.

Covers biographical details on Grammy winning blues singer Bonnie Raitt, a 2000 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key events and essential songs list.

Read an interesting biographical essay on Fifties R&B singer Clyde McPhatter, a 1987 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key events, essential songs, and recommended reading list.

Uncover many fascinating facts about the life of singer, songwriter, producer and talent scout, Smokey Robinson who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. He had 27 Top Forty hits!

This resource provides extensive information on the life and career of country music star, Dolly Parton. As a singer, songwriter, and actress she has been entertaining people for almost fifty years.

A reproduction of a study made by John Singer Sargent in preparation for painting his famous "Portrait of Mme Gautreau." The "Portrait of Mme Gautreau," or, as it is more commonly called, "Madame X," closely parallels the finished portrait.

John Singer Sargent painted this full-size portrait of Pauline Astor, which has been compared to Thomas Gainsborough's The Blue Boy and to the work of Sir Anthony Van Dyck. The similarities to The Blue Boy are explained in this article.

One of the premier songwriters of his time, one cannot think of folk music without thinking of Bob Dylan. This legendary singer was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988 and has five songs on the top 500 list of most influential songs.

This encyclopedia entry details the life of Ella Fitzgerald, the incredible jazz singer.

Read biographical information and interesting facts about famous Motown legend, Smokey Robinson, award winning soul singer and songwriter.

Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald is featured on this PBS site. Find out about her life and musical career. Be sure to check out the interactive career timeline as well.

Explores the life and career of singer and actress, Diana Ross. As part of the group The Supremes and on her own, she defined the Motown sound in the Sixties and has won numerous entertainment awards.

View a picture and read a description of John Singer Sargent's painting "The Daughters of Edward Boit". This was a commissioned life-sized portrait of a wealthy Bostonian's four daughters.

John Singer Sargent considered his painting Madame X "the best thing I have done.". View pictures of this painting and read a description in this essay.

View pictures and read a description of John Singer Sargent's painting El Jaleo.

The third lesson deals with the emergence of gospel as a form of popular music among a general public. Gospel is a musical genre with roots in the African American church, particularly in the South. Between the 1940s and the 1960s,...