.

500 Greatest Albums

179

The Anthology 1961-1977 - Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions


The Anthology 1961-1977 - Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions
179/500
Mayfield was professor Soul, teaching sociocultural awareness while dispensing hard lessons and tough love. Starting with the gospel-rooted vocal group the Impressions, he crafted romantic ballads ("I'm So Proud"), inspirational anthems ("People Get Ready"), orchestrated funk workouts ("Move On Up") and edgy street narratives ("Superfly"). When Mayfield died in 1999 — nine years after being paralyzed in a stage accident — his manager, Marv Heiman, offered this epitaph: "He wanted people to think about themselves and the world around them, making this a better place for everyone to live." Amen.

blog comments powered by Disqus