Curtis Mayfield, musician, 57

["Deathwatch Central" <cdw@slick.org>]

Sunday December 26 5:20 PM ET

R&B Star Curtis Mayfield Dies in Georgia at Age 57

ROSWELL, Ga. (Reuters) - Rhythm and blues legend Curtis Mayfield, whose
music helped define the Chicago sound in the 1960s and whose style
influenced artists from pop to hip hop, died on Sunday, a North Fulton
Regional Hospital spokeswoman said. He was 57.

A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Mayfield's hits included the
soundtrack from ``Superfly'' and the seminal singles ``People Get Ready''
and ``Keep On Pushing.''

``He expired in this hospital at 7:20 a.m. this morning,'' said hospital
spokeswoman Jan Potts. She could offer no information on the cause of death.

Mayfield suffered a serious accident in August 1990. While performing at an
outdoor concert in New York a lighting rig collapsed on him, damaging his
spine and leaving him a quadriplegic.

He had toured in the United States, Europe and Japan, up until his accident,
but even after leaving the stage his presence continued to be felt in the
work of other artists.

In 1994, Whitney Houston, Elton John, The Isley Brothers and Aretha Franklin
recorded his composition in a special tribute called, ``All Men Are
Brothers: A Tribute to Curtis Mayfield.''

Herbie Hancock, Deniece Williams and En Vogue have recorded covers of his
works, as have many hip hop and rap artists.

Mayfield is one of the few people to have been inducted more than once into
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was first inducted with his gospel-soul
group, the Impressions, in 1991. He was inducted again in 1999 for his solo
career, which began in 1970 after he left the Impressions.

Mayfield was too ill to attend the 1999 Hall of Fame ceremony, which also
inducted Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney.

Mayfield was born in Chicago on June 3, 1942, and began singing by the age
of seven. He taught himself to play the guitar and began writing and
composing music, under the influence of his mother, who loved poetry.

His talents led him into a career in music, which began in 1957, and lasted
nearly 40 years.

As a singer, songwriter, composer and producer, Mayfield was a driving force
in the African American music scene through the 1960s and 1970s, in part
through the group, The Impressions.

Among his hits during the period were ``Gypsy Woman,'' and ''He Will Break
Your Heart.''

Mayfield's efforts epitomized the Chicago sound that rivaled Detroit's
Motown in the 1960s, producing such classics as ``It's All Right, and
``People Get Ready.''

His soundtrack to the film ``Superfly'' sold more than a million copies and
received four Grammy nominations. It also solidified Mayfield's position in
the pantheon of contemporary musical talent.

He lived in Atlanta with his wife and family.

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