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Does color matter, or doesn't it?
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Of course the expression "color" actually means some kind of a cultural heritage into which a person is being programmed by society based on society's reaction to the skin's pigments.
There are some interesting examples around of musicians spending their complete musical life in the other color's area.
Look at white pigment guy Steve Cropper, whose musical roots are black, e.g. his stays in the Mar-Keys and with Booker T. & The M.G.s. But was it really all black? I would say he put a lot of white rock feeling into soul.
Look at black pigment guy Charley Pride, whose roots are clearly white, with him being one of the most famous country singers of all time. But was it really all white? I would say he put a lot of black soul into country.
So with these guys you kinda had a surprise in the surprise.
Besides these pigment vs. culture surprises there also were famous errors.
For example Tina Turner due to her black environment roots often is misconceived as a black soul or R&B singer. Essentially she has always been a white rock singer, and nothing else.
And Elvis Presley due to his white environment roots often is misconceived as a white pioneer of white rock music. In point of fact he always was - BLACK.
There are some interesting examples around of musicians spending their complete musical life in the other color's area.
Look at white pigment guy Steve Cropper, whose musical roots are black, e.g. his stays in the Mar-Keys and with Booker T. & The M.G.s. But was it really all black? I would say he put a lot of white rock feeling into soul.
Look at black pigment guy Charley Pride, whose roots are clearly white, with him being one of the most famous country singers of all time. But was it really all white? I would say he put a lot of black soul into country.
So with these guys you kinda had a surprise in the surprise.
Besides these pigment vs. culture surprises there also were famous errors.
For example Tina Turner due to her black environment roots often is misconceived as a black soul or R&B singer. Essentially she has always been a white rock singer, and nothing else.
And Elvis Presley due to his white environment roots often is misconceived as a white pioneer of white rock music. In point of fact he always was - BLACK.
Comments
But indeed I had to employ examples from pop music's past like Steve Cropper and Charley Pride (although both are alive and kickin') as stand out examples of someone being part of a culture which normally is identified with the other "color". Actually almost all country music IS white skinned musicians and almost all sixties soul WAS dark skinned musicians, so Charley and Steve did stand out. Nowadays though (luckily) it's much harder to identify these color roots, e.g. hip hop being universal.
Anyway the blog entry was mainly about the fun in saying that Elvis was black and Tina is white. I kinda like the idea.