Curtis Mayfield

If there were ever an artist who refused to give up in the face of catastrophe, it would be Curtis Mayfield. You’ll find the story here in this unit, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Curtis Mayfield was a singer, songwriter, music innovator, producer, businessperson, and keen observer of his world – an unusual combination. Kids will come to appreciate these qualities as they explore Mayfield’s life and read the lyrics to some of his songs. Everyone will want to listen to samples of his music wherever a Spotify player appears.

Future performing artists will connect to Curtis Mayfield as a natural performer. He started at the age of three when he stood on a tree stump singing to the engineers of trains that passed by. From there, kids explore Mayfield’s musical undertakings as a preteen and teenager, when he formed groups and joined with others who would become as famous – or almost as famous – as he.

Known to many as the “Gentle Genius,” Mayfield used lyrics, melody, and his unique falsetto voice to tell hard-to-hear stories about aspects of Black life in America. Kids may be surprised to discover that some of those songs comprise the soundtrack for a movie that outsold the movie itself. History buffs will be interested to discover that many of Mayfield’s songs became anthems of the civil rights movement in the 1960s. Those with a strong interest in music genres will want to dive into the story of Chicago soul and funk music. Many will be fascinated by the distinctive way Mayfield tuned his guitar and inspired by the story of his comeback after a devastating accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down. It’s all here.

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