Timeless Performers
November 28, 2009
I was excited to see that LL Cool J is hosting appearing on the Soul Train Awards. It is so amazing to me that he has been on the scene more than 20 years. He has records that span three decades and he is a hip hop artist. Of course one thinks of Michael Jackson as the ultimate performer who transcended time. He was in the business for over 40 years.
I have been trying to think of musical artists who have appealed to multiple generations. I am not thinking of groups who perform their hits from the sixties over and over again, but artists of days who were still making hits more for more than two decades. Therefore, the Rolling Stones and Frankie Beverly are not on the list.
My list includes:
- Michael Jackson
- Diana Ross
- Prince
- Tina Turner
- Paul McCartney
- U2
- Aretha Franklin
- LL Cool J
- Commodores
- Parliament and Funkadelic
Who is on your list and why?
9 Comments
leave one →
Lessons from an 80's Alumna 
I really need to put Dolly Parton up there too. Sorry Dolly.
Very nice! Definitely a few of these would drinitrly make my list (namely Prince, U2 and MJ). I thought Taraji P. Henson and Terence Howard hosted the Soul Train Awards this year? You didn’t get the idea for this from my ’10 albums that changed my life’ post on FB last week, did you?
You’re right. I saw a commercial with him advertising it. I thought he was going to be the host. Now that I have been watching it, I realize that is not the case. Maybe he is being honored.
You mean across multiple generations, not just multiple decades, right? Artists that dads and their sons, mothers and their daughters could listen to together? (Well, it might be the early stuff vs. the latter stuff.) An interesting corollary to this topic would be artists who cross genres as well, and it would be cool to examine the composers behind the songs they chose. And not necessarily people who are putting stuff out now, but had multi-generational appeal at the time, right?
Ray Charles, across generations and genres
Harry Connick, Jr. is coming up on a couple decades now, just within jazz, but definitely a multi-generational appeal
The O’Jays were the best part of the BET Awards
Luther Vandross
Take 6
Natalie Cole nicely reinvented herself
same for Linda Rondstadt
good call-out to Dolly, she’s had a remarkable career, wonder how many people know / remember the original version of “I Will Always Love You”?
and actually the Rolling Stones would fit your criteria, if I’m not mistaken they played at Woodstock which would’ve been my parent’s generation and were still putting new stuff out when I was in high school and college
Bruce Springsteen and Elton John would fit with the Stones too, maybe John (Cougar) Mellencamp
those are just off the top of my head, if I think of more I’ll come back
Thanks G. I was referring to people who had made music in more than one decade. If we were talking about having appeal to more than one generation, the Beatles would have to be there too.
Yeah, I’m not sure I said it right either. I guess multi-generational appeal from the beginning would be a category as well, but I was thinking of artists a mom or dad would listen to then 20 or 30 years later their kids would be listening to the same. That would be quite an accomplishment just for the longevity.
There’s probably many country artists that fit that, but I never listened to much country so I can’t remember any. I just remember my parents liked Conway Twitty, and I never did. I’m guessing someone classy / timeless like Loretta Lynn might fit that. Such a nice lady, I love her story. I’ve probably seen “Coal Miner’s Daughter” a dozen times over, but every time I flip thru channels and run across it I stop and watch the whole thing again.
Oh, Olivia Newton-John. “Have You Never Been Mellow?” I bet many didn’t know of her country career before she got “Physical.” I’m not sure, but I’m guessing she may be doing some adult contemporary now.
And the Carpenters would’ve been making music even now I’m sure if Karen had not died.
First off, Prince should be at #1! That was my first live experience EVER – Purple Rain Tour 1984. I love MJ to no end, like everyone else… but no one commands a band like Prince…nobody except his predecessors (James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, etc).
KRS-One should make the list for hip hop sake. No glitter, glamour, or explosions.. just raw hip hop energy.
Thanks Patrick. I didn’t think about KRS One. When I heard Chris Cuomo of Good Morning America say something about the Boogie Down Bronx last week, I almost fell off of the couch.
I was thinking about Sting. Even though he was with The Police, he still flourishes as a single artist. I loved “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” when he was with the group. One of his singles I enjoyed is “If I Ever Lose My Faith.” Other artists that came to mind were Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, Anita Baker, and Patti Labelle.
I have to agree about the artists G mentioned. It’s a good list. I’m not able to think of anymore due to an assignment overload. Thank you for sharing your thoughts 🙂