Curtis Mayfield

Back to Soul

vocals
born: June 3, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois
died: December 26, 1999
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Motown Revue - At the Whiskey A-Go-Go
Loren, Dennis
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Curtis was the leader of The Alphatones at a very early age.
He met Jerry Butler, who sang in his grandmother's choir, in 1956
The two decided to form a group, called The Roosters, later renamed to The Impressions.
The group had a hit in 1958 with "For Your Precious Love" co-written by Jerry, who also was the lead singer. It launched Jerry's solo career.
Curtis kept working with Butler writing songs together and as his guitarist on tours.
He returned to The Impressions to become their lead singer on recordings up till 1970.

His own label (Curtom) was launched in 1968, his debute solo on it in 1970: "Move On Up".
Through the 70's he released records for the label and also wrote/produced with artists he signed to Curtom.

Mayfield wrote/produced for other artists including: The Staple Singers, Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin, Mavis Staples and M.F.S.B.

In 1990 Curtis had a hit with "Superfly 1990" (together with rapper Ice-T).
However, while doing a concert in New York later that year, Curtis was hit by lighting that fell. It left him paralysed.
Curtis Mayfield passed away December 26, 1999.

Singles:
Move On Up [Curtom, 1970]
Future Shock [Curtom, 1973]
Kung Fu [Curtom, 1974]
Soul Music [Curtom, 1976]
No Goodbyes [Curtom, 1978]
Hey Baby, Give It All To Me [Boardwalk]
Baby It's You [CRC]
Superfly 1990 [Capitol, 1990] with rapper Ice-T
- New World Order [Warner Bros., 1996]
- No One Knows About a Goood Thing [Warner Bros., 1997]
- Back to Living Again [Warner Bros., 1997]

Bran Van 3000 (featuring Curtis Mayfield)
- Astounded

Essential Curtis Mayfield album: The Anthology 1961-1977

Albums:
- * Curtis [Curtom, september 1970]
- Curtis Live [Curtom, 1971] Deluxe edition
- Roots [Curtom, 1971]
- Superfly [Curtom, 1972]
- Back To The World [Curtom, 1973]
- Curtis In Chicago [Curtom, 1973]
- America Today [Curtom, 1974]
- * Got To Find A Way [Curtom, 1974]
- Sweet Exorcist [Curtom, 1974]
- Move On Up [Buddah, 1974]
- There's No Place Like America Today [Curtom, 1975]
- Let's Do It Again [Curtom, 1975]
- Give, Get, Take And Have [Ichiban, 1976]
- ** Never Say You Can't Survive [Ichiban, 1977]
- Short Eyes [Curtom, 1977]
- ** Do It All Night [Curtom, 1978]
-*** Heartbeat [RSO, 1979]
-*** Something To Believe In [Ichiban, 1980]
- The Right Combination [RSO, 1980]
- Honesty [Broadwalk, 1983]
-**** We Come in Peace With A Message Of Love [CRC, 1985]
- Live In Europe [Curtom, July 1987]
- People Get Ready Live At Ronnie Scott's [Castle 8003, July 1988]
-**** Take It To The Streets [Curtom, 1990]
- The Greatest Hits of All Time: Classic Collection [Ichiban 2902, 1990]
-***** Live [Griffin Music, 1994]
- Get Down to the Funky Groove [Charly 8034, May 1994]
- BBC Radio 1 in Concert (live) [Windsong, 1994]
- Live In New York City [ITM/Traditional, 1994]
- Mayfield [Alex, 1994]
- Tripping Out [Charly 8065, December 1994]
- Live At The Bitter End [CTM, 1995]
- Living Legend [Curtom 9502, August 1995]
- Groove on Up [Charly 8043, 1995]
- New World Order [Warner Bros., October 1996] with Mavis Staples, Narada Michael Walden
- People Get Ready: The Curtis Mayfield Story [WEA/Atlantic/Rhino, February 1996] 3 CD Box set compilation album with Paulinho Da Costa, Sonny Seals, Michael Sembello, Julia Tillman Waters, Earl Young and many others
- The Very Best Of Curtis Mayfield [WEA/Atlantic/Rhino, March 1996] compilation album
- Love Is The Place/Honesty [April, 1996]
- The Definitive Collection [Charly 8189, 1996] 2CD set
- The Masters [Eagle 054, 1997]
- Superfly Deluxe 25th Anniversary [WEA/Atlantic/Rhino, November 1997] 2 CD set reissue of soundtrackalbum with unissued material, interviews etc. added
- Man Of Inspiration [Castle 1056, January 1998]
- The Masters [Cleopatra, 1998] 2CD-set compilation album
- The Ultimate Curtis Mayfield [Recall, January 1998] 2 CD set compilation album
- Groovy Curtis [July 1998] Japanese import
- Mellow Curtis [July 1998] Japanese import
-***** Live in Chicago [March, 1999]
- Gospel [WEA/Atlantic/Rhino, January 1999] compilation album of gospel songs
- Superfly [Rhino 1999]
- Superfly - O.S.T. [July 1999]
- Never Say You Can't Survive [Sequel, 1999] 2 CD set
- Superfly [Dressed To Kill, February 2000]
- Love's Sweet Sensation [Phantom, February 2000]
- The Singles Anthology [Sequel, March 2000] 2 CD set
- Beautiful Brother: The Essential Curtis Mayfield [April 2000]
- Superfly (and More) [Neon, April 2000] Dutch import
- Give It Up: The Best of the Curtom Years 1970-1977 [Empire Music 314, June 2000]
- Love Is The Place [June 2000] with Paulinho Da Costa, Michael Sembello, Julia Tillman Waters
- Nobody But You [BCI Music, July 2000]
- Love Songs [January 2001]
- Move on Up [Armoury 14, May 2001]
- Soul Legacy [Import (Generic) 53902, July 2001] 4CD Box set
- Free Soul: Classics of Curtis Mayfield [Phantom, 2001] 2 CD set
- Superfly + 13 [Phantom 52507, December 2001] The classic original 'Superfly' album coupled with a bonus CD featuring 13 unissued alternate versions & additional tracks.
- The Essentials [Rhino 76046, June 2002]
- Superfly & Other Hits [Rhino Flashback 75710, August 2002]
- Soul Music [Planet Media 1065, February 2003]

- Curtis Mayfield [Phantom, ????]
- Best of 1968-1975 [Phantom, ????]

- * reissued as 2 CD set Curtis/Got to Find a Way [Sequel, 1999]
- ** reissued as 2 CD set Never Say You Can't Survive/Do It All Night [Sequel, 2000]
- *** reissued as 2 CD set Heartbeat/Something To Believe In [Sequel, 1999]
- **** reissued as 2 CD set We Come in Peace, With A Message Of Love/Take It To The Streets [Sequel, 2000]
- ***** reissued as 2-on1 Live/Live In Chicago [Sequel, June 2000]

Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions:
- The Anthology 1961-1977 [MCA, December 1992] 2 CD set
- Further Impressions [Hip-O Records, July 1996]
- The Best Of Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions (Millennium Collection-20th Century Masters) [MCA, June 2000]

The Impressions:
- A Tribute to the Memory of Curtis Mayfield [Edeltone 11239, August 2000]
- Tribute to Curtis Mayfield [Delta 32125, January 2004]

Curtis Mayfield tribute albums:
- People Get Ready: A Tribute to Curtis Mayfield [1993] with Jerry Butler, Steve Cropper, Don Covay, Michael Hill, Delbert McClinton, Angela Strehli, Bunny Wailer, Kim Wilson, Huey Lewis & The News
- Tribute To Curtis Mayfield [1994] paying tribute are: Gladys Knight, Steve Winwood, Lenny Kravitz, Whitney Houston, Phil Collins, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, The Isley Brothers, Branford Marsalis, Tevin Campbell, Aretha Franklin, B.B. King, Rod Stewart, Narada Michael Walden, Stevie Wonder and Elton John.
- Curtis Mayfield's Chicago Soul [1995] with Gene Chandler, Walter Jackson, Major Lance, The Opals, The Artistics and Billy Butler & The Enchanters.
- I'm So Proud, A Jamaican Tribute to Curtis Mayfield [1997] with Jamaican artists (Bob Marley, The Heptones, Dennis Morgan, Marcia Griffiths, Dennis Alcapone, The Silvertones, The Uniques, The Gaylads and The Progressions) covering Mayfield songs

He appears on the following albums:
Various Artists - Funk Soul Brothers [Metro 28, October 2000]
Various Artists - Back to Black: 1900-1999 [Universal 541518, February 2001] 10 CD Box Set
Various Artists - Can You Dig It? The '70s Soul Experience [Rhino 74346, October 2001] 6 CD Box Set
Various Artists - Superstars of Seventies Soul [Sony 34027, March 2004] 3 CD Box Set

U.K. visitors looking for Curtis Mayfield albums? - Canadian visitors looking for Curtis Mayfield albums?

Video:
- Curtis Mayfield Live at Ronnie Scotts [Rhino 2013, July 1988] DVD with exclusive backstage interviews. On VHS
- In Concert [Music Video Distributors INAK6504, October 2001] DVD German concert, filmed on April 28, 1990; incl. interview with producer and Marvin's biography

Curtis wrote the music for various movies:
Superfly [1972] VHS
Superfly T.N.T. [1973] VHS
Let's Do It Again [1975] VHS
Sparkle [1976] VHS Sountrack album (Curtis Mayfield and Aretha Franklin)
Piece Of The Action [1977] VHS
The Return Of Superfly [1989] VHS

His songs are also used in other movies:
Hairspray [1988] DVD - On VHS
Flashback [1989] DVD - On VHS

Books:
- Poetic License: In Poem and Song - Curtis Mayfield [April 1996]
- Curtis Mayfield - Peter Burns [January 2003]

Looking for Curtis Mayfield sheetmusic?

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