Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Ritchie Valens
Read interesting biographical details on Fifties rock and roll artist, Ritchie Valens, a 2001 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key events, recommended reading list, and essential songs.
Kids' Wings
Texas Bluebonnet Books: "Ereth's Birthday"
Here teachers and students will find many useful extension activities for the book "Ereth's Birthday."
British Library
British Library: Discovering Literature: John Gay
Familiarize yourself with the life and works of John Gay. This source contains a quick fact sheet, a short biography, links to related articles, collection items, and works.
Curated OER
The Carter Family Album of Smokey Mountain Ballads
A feature on NPR probes the roots of country music beginning with the Carter Family. You can click on the titles and actually listen to them sing their famous songs. Also provides great links to further information.
University of Pittsburgh
U. Of Pittsburgh: "The Skeleton in Armor" Text & Notes
From the Norse Ballads of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow website at the University of Pittsburgh, this web page contains the text of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, "The Skeleton in Armor" and editor's in-text notes. Also includes...
My Hero Project
My Hero: Christine De Pisan
Use this site to learn about Christine de Pisan, a writer of the Middle Ages well known for her poems, songs, and ballads.
Other
Bonnie & Clyde's Hideout: The Poems of Bonnie Parker
Written one week before their capture, Bonnie Parker penned "The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde," a poem she gave to her mother for safe keeping. Read many of her poems here, including the first draft of "Suicidal Sal."
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Guide to Black History: Berry Gordy, Jr.
This entry from Encyclopedia Brittanica's Guide to Black History features Berry Gordy, Jr., an American businessman, founder of the Motown Record Corporation (1959), which became the most successful black-owned music company in the...
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Prince
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Prince, a singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer, dancer, and performer on keyboards, drums, and bass who was among the most talented American musicians of his generation. Like Stevie...
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Etta James
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Etta James, a popular American rhythm-and-blues entertainer who in time became a successful ballad singer.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Usher
Learn about the life and career of Usher, the American musician whose smooth vocals and sensual ballads helped establish him as a rhythm-and-blues superstar beginning in the late 1990s.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Shirley Horn
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Shirley Horn, an American jazz artist whose ballads, sung in a breathy contralto to her own piano accompaniment, earned her both critical acclaim and popular renown. This site, rich in...
Other
David Holt: The Roots of Mountain Music
This is a short history of the major influences that have combined to create mountain music, one of which is minstrel music. Provides a good decription of minstrel music in general. Includes names and descriptions of specific songs,...
Contemplator
Folk Music of England, Scotland,ireland, Wales & America
Fine comprehensive intro to folk music of English-speaking countries. Lyrics, background and midi files make this a useful site.
Other
Bob's Byway: Glossary of Poetic Terms
Calling itself "unique," Bob's is easy to use, with cross-links throughout, phonetic pronunciation guides when necessary, and many examples and quotations. Click on the letter and scroll for the word.
English Verse
English Verse: Oscar Wilde (1854 1900)
A wealth of full text poems, along with a brief biography and a recommended book, makes up this site.
Ted Nellen
Cyber English (By Ted Nellen): Literary Terms a E
The first of three pages of simple definitions for literary terms. This page, A - E, covers forty-four terms from "Allegory" to "Exposition."
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Cross Curricular Music Lessons From Frontline/world
Three cross-curricular lessons that explore the cultural and social content of music.
Other
The Oscar Wilde Collection
Full-text collection of the works of Oscar Wilde. Easy to read and find, but there is no commentary offered.
Bartleby
Bartleby.com: Familiar Quotations From Sir John Suckling
This site has ten famous quotes from Sir John Suckling's plays and poems are featured here.
Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies
Mocomi: Types of Poems
Explores poetry terms and the different types of poetry.