Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Mayfield was an influential American singer-songwriter and guitarist, renowned for his contributions to soul and rhythm-and-blues music. Growing up in Chicago, he began his musical journey in gospel music before joining and later leading the soul group the Impressions, where he penned many iconic songs. Notably, hits like "For Your Precious Love" and "Gypsy Woman" showcased his talent and creativity. Mayfield was not only a prolific songwriter but also a producer, establishing several record labels, including Curtom, which allowed him to promote his music and that of other artists.
His work often addressed social issues, particularly through his acclaimed album "Superfly," which provided a stark reflection on the struggles faced by the African American community. Mayfield's music is celebrated for its innovative blend of funk, gospel, and socially conscious lyrics, earning him a lasting legacy as a pioneer in the genre. Despite facing personal challenges, including the loss of a leg due to diabetes and being paralyzed after an accident, he continued to inspire through his art until his passing in 1999. His contributions to music not only enriched popular culture but also paved the way for future artists to explore similar themes of empowerment and resilience.
Curtis Mayfield
- Born: June 3, 1942
- Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
- Died: December 26, 1999
- Place of death: Roswell, Georgia
American soul singer, guitarist, and songwriter
Mayfield’s fluid guitar work and sweet falsetto tenor voice helped popularize soul music across racial barriers. His lyrics in the soul genre spoke to the social, economic, and political ills of late twentieth century America.
Member of The Impressions
The Life
Curtis Lee Mayfield grew up in Chicago, Illinois. As a child he formed a gospel singing group, the Modern Jubilaires, with Jerry Butler, another Chicago singer who would become a soul singer in his own right. After that group dissolved, Mayfield formed another gospel group called the Alphatones. When he was fifteen, he left high school to join the soul group the Roosters. This group already included Butler and Arthur and Richard Brooks. Two years later, Sam Gooden joined, and they renamed themselves the Impressions. Mayfield taught himself to play guitar, tuning the strings to the black keys of the piano, known as open F-sharp tuning. The Impressions released their first single, “For Your Precious Love,” on Vee-Jay Records in 1958. In 1960 Mayfield and Butler released another single, “He Will Break Your Heart,” which featured Mayfield playing guitar. By 1961, after Butler had left the group, Mayfield was the primary songwriter and de facto leader of the Impressions. The group without Butler signed with ABC-Paramount and released a Top 20 hit titled “Gypsy Woman.” Not long afterward, the Impressions and Mayfield released several singles and albums produced and written by Mayfield. Many of the singles reached high into the soul and rhythm-and-blues charts and on the pop charts as well, including songs that addressed civil rights and other social-justice issues.
At the same time Mayfield was working as the staff producer for Okeh Records and writing songs for some of that label’s artists. He also formed two of his own record labels: Windy C and Mayfield Records. Both of these labels featured artists performing songs penned by Mayfield. In 1968 he created a third record label, called Curtom, that was distributed by Buddah Records. In 1970 Mayfield left the Impressions and released four albums in quick succession. The fourth was the sound track to the blaxploitation film Superfly (1972). This album put Mayfield at center stage in the world of popular music.
Mayfield continued recording and performing throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s. He scored the film Claudine and wrote the song “On and On,” recorded by Gladys Knight and the Pips in 1974. In 1975 he wrote the title song for the film Let’s Do It Again, and he scored the Aretha Franklin film Sparkle in 1976. In 1977 he scored and acted in the film Short Eyes (1977). Mayfield signed with Boardwalk Records in 1981 and recorded an album, Love Is the Place, and from it two singles made it to the Top 20 on the rhythm-and-blues charts. He joined the Impressions in 1986 for a reunion tour.
His right leg was amputated in 1988 because of diabetes, and further tragedy struck in 1990 when a piece of stage lighting fell on him, paralyzing him from the neck down. After a long period of recovery, Mayfield returned to recording and performing, releasing New World Order in 1996. Mayfield died on December 26, 1999.
The Music
Keep on Pushing.The Impressions’ second album with Mayfield as the driving force features many black-pride songs for which Mayfield became noted. Anthemic in nature, the title track was one of Mayfield’s signature tunes. The album reached number four on the black album charts and number eight on the pop charts.
People Get Ready.This work showcased Mayfield’s songwriting and arranging talents. The gospel-influenced title track was another in his string of freedom songs and featured Mayfield’s guitar playing, lead singing, and the Impressions’ incredible vocal harmonies.
Curtis.Released in 1970, Curtis was Mayfield’s first solo work. A natural progression from his work with the Impressions both lyrically and musically, the album featured lush orchestration, solid percussion that harked back to African beats, a new funkiness, and socially aware lyrics that in Mayfield’s hopeful voice brought light to the despair and struggle he saw all around him. The band behind Mayfield was a solid rock-funk force that interacted seamlessly with Mayfield’s lead guitar.
Superfly.Mayfield’s masterpiece was also his best-selling work. Funky and soulful, the guitar work on this album was as powerful as the lyrics. The lyrics reflected Mayfield’s views on the drug abuse and the woes that were decimating African American society. Bleak and angry, Mayfield’s message was considerably less hopeful than in his previous work.
Musical Legacy
Mayfield’s legacy is political as well as musical in nature. His songwriting blazed musical trails not often traveled in African American and pop music of the 1960’s and 1970’s, mixing funk, string lead guitar solos, and sweet, forceful harmonies. His lyrics pushed popular black music into political and social commentary, as Bob Dylan pushed rock music in a similar direction. His early 1970 albums were groundbreaking in their portrayal of African American life. His compositions for the Impressions, especially the songs “People Get Ready” and “This Is My Country,” are arguably the rhythm-and-blues forerunners of the social commentary to come from the Temptations and Marvin Gaye.
Principal Recordings
albums (solo): Curtis, 1970; Roots, 1971; Rapping, 1972; Superfly, 1972; Back to the World, 1973; Got to Find a Way, 1974; Sweet Exorcist, 1974; Let’s Do It Again, 1975; There’s No Place Like America, 1975; Give Get Take and Have, 1976; Never Say You Can’t Survive, 1977; Short Eyes, 1977; Do It All Night, 1978; Heartbeat, 1978; Something to Believe In, 1979; The Right Combination, 1980; Honesty, 1982; We Come in Peace, 1985; The Return of Superfly, 1990; Take It to the Streets, 1990; Love Is the Place, 1996; New World Order, 1996; Give It Up, 1998; Man of Inspiration, 1998.
albums (with the Impressions): The Impressions, 1963; Keep on Pushing, 1964; The Never Ending Impressions, 1964; People Get Ready, 1965; Ridin’ High, 1966; The Fabulous Impressions, 1967; This Is My Country, 1968; Young Mods’ Forgotten Story, 1969; Check out Your Mind, 1970; The Vintage Years, 1976 (with Jerry Butler).
Bibliography
Burns, Peter. Curtis Mayfield: People Never Give Up. London: Sanctuary, 2003. Well-researched and informative account of Mayfield’s life and career.
Curtis, Anthony. “Curtis Mayfield.” Rolling Stone, February 3, 2000: 50. Curtis outlines Mayfield’s legendary career and describes his impact on modern popular music. In addition, he writes about Mayfield’s positive spirit and outlook even after the accident that paralyzed him.
Gordon, Robert. “The Original Superfly Guy.” Q Magazine, July, 1993. This interview looks at Mayfield’s career and his mind-set in the mid-1990’s.
Scaggs, Boz. “Curtis Mayfield: The Immortals.” Rolling Stone, April 21, 2005: 108. Tribute to Mayfield is part of Rolling Stone’s list of the Top 100 rock, blues, and soul artists. Scaggs focuses on the inspirational force of Mayfield’s music and the nature of Mayfield’s voice.
Werner, Craig. Higher Ground: Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, and the Rise and Fall of American Soul. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2005. A triple biography by one of soul music’s better historians, this book contrasts and describes the lives and careers of Mayfield and the others. He places the music in the social context of the 1960’s and assesses the influence of gospel music.