#M9Q1

Selena Quintanilla was a popular singer, actor, and fashion designer born on April 16, 1971, in Lake Jackson, Texas. Selena was introduced to music at a very early age by her father who was a former musician. Selena made her debut as a singer when she was around 10 years old; performing at her father’s restaurant with her siblings accompanying her with musical instruments [1]. Selena’s father recognized the potential Selena had to become a superstar and started to groom her towards that direction. In the eighth grade Selena was pulled out of school by her father so that she could focus solely on her career. This decision was met by protest from her teachers. At this time Selena’s family was constantly on the move. She was the lead vocal in her father’s band called Selena y Los Dinos; touring and doing small gigs at parties, weddings, and fairs. Her style of music was Tejano music or Tex-Mex music which is a fusion of Pop and R&B sung in Spanish. She is accredited with popularizing Tejano music into the mainstream music scene and would come to be known as the “Queen of Tejano” and “The Mexican Madonna” [2]. Selena recorded her first album in 1984. In 1986 her career really began to take off when she released her second album Alpha. In 1987 she was discovered by Rick Trevino (founder of Tejano Music Awards) she would go on to win “Female Vocalist of the Year” at the Tejano Music Awards multiple times [3]. By 1988 she already had 5 albums under her belt. In 1990 she released Ven Conmigo, which included one of Selena’s most popular songs called “Baila Esta Cumbia”. In 1991 she released another album Nada Se Compara Contigo featuring a duet called “Buenos Amigos” with Alvaro Torres. This song went on to become her first number one single on the U.S Billboard Top Latin Songs chart. 1992 was an even more successful year with the release of her album Entre a Mi Mundo, which stayed at the number one position on the Billboard chart for 19 weeks. In 1993 she won a Grammy Award for her album Live! [4]. 1994 was no different than the previous years in terms of success with Amor Prohibido becoming one of the best selling Latin albums in America. Around this time Selena and her managers felt that she had accomplished her musical aspirations in the Spanish market and wanted to shift focus to the English speaking market. By early 1995 she had began crossing over by putting together a crossover album and even making small appearances in movies for example she was seen in “Don Juan DeMarco” which also featured the likes of Johnny Depp and Marlon Bando [5]. Unfortunately her career was cut short on March 31, 1995 when she was shot and killed by her fan base manager Yolanda Saldivar. The death of Selena Quintanilla came as a shock and had a widespread impact on the public. More than 60,000 mourners gathered at her funeral [6]. She was seen as a symbol of struggle, perseverance, and hope in the Latino community because she had broken barriers such as race, gender, and social class in her path to becoming the Queen of Tejano.

Achievements:

1. Several critically acclaimed, successful albums
2. “Ven Conmigo” went platinum
3. “Entre a Mi Mundo” became the first Tejano album by a female artist to sell over 300, 000 copies
4. “Amor Prohibido” was the second Tejano Album to sell 500,000 copies
5. Selena’s 1993 album “Live!” was named Album of the Year by the Billboard Latin Music Awards
6. She won the Grammy for “Live!” in the category of Best Mexican/American Album
7. “Amor Prohibido” won Record of the Year at the 1995 Tejano Music Awards
8. She won the “best Vocalist of the Year award” 10 times at the Tejano Music Awards
9. Inducted into the Billboard Latin Music hall of Fame, Hard Rock Café Hall of Fame, and South Texas Music Hall of Fame.
10. In 2017 Selena was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Throughout her short yet illustrious career Selena was nominated for 86 awards (winning 67 of them). She won 36 Tejano Music Awards, 14 Billboard Latin Music Awards, 10 Lo Neustro Awards, 5 BMI Awards and 1 award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers [7].

 

She is one of the most influential Latin artist of all time for many reasons including:

1. She used her music to bring communities together and bridge gaps between American and Mexican culture. Having been born in America she started out her musical career singing in Spanish. Her music had its own twist to it where she would fuse Spanish lyrics with English lyrics. I believe she showed her fans that she could achieve mainstream success in the music industry while still staying true to her roots [8].
2. She engaged in social activism for example other than being a champion for women and particularly colored women in the music industry, Selena also raised awareness about social issues such as performing at charity events to fundraise for AIDS patients, visiting schools to encourage children to make positive life choices, raising awareness about abusive relationships, helping out victims of Hurricane Andrew and assisting at homeless shelters [9].
3. She encouraged people from marginalized backgrounds to never give up on their dreams. She was seen as an example to many as to how a coloured women can also achieve the “American Dream”.
4. Selena helped redefine Latin music by pushing it into the mainstream and bringing attention to genres like Tejano, Cumbia, and Latin Pop while also introducing her own unique style.
5. She is still a major influence in Latino communities and is often said to have “paved the way” for Latino artists like Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, and Ricky Martin.

Artists Influenced by Selena:

Numerous artists have been influenced by Selena for example: Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Selena Gomez, Whitney Houston, Demi Lovato, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Daddy Yankee, and Drake. During an interview with People Magazine, Beyonce was quoted saying that “as a child, she listened to Selena’s music and dreamed of fame”[10]. Jennifer Lopez was actually casted to play Selena in a 1997 biopic which would become her breakthrough role. Jennifer Lopez attributed her own success in breaking through as a struggling Latino artist to the charisma and determination displayed by Selena in motivating her to do the same. “She had a sense of living in the moment, living in the present and following her heart” Lopez stated in an interview [11].

Posthumous influence on popular culture:

1. Along with being a singer, Selena was also a fashion icon. Whether it was her outfits or the way she did her makeup and hair it always had her own unique style to it. In 2016 M.A.C. released a makeup line in honour of Selena. The cosmetic items were named after some of Selena’s most famous songs like “Dreaming of You” and “Como La Flor”. Hundreds of fans were seen lined up in front of stores to purchase the collection [12]. Selena was in the process of launching her own perfume and makeup line before her untimely death. It is common to see popular artists wearing clothes sporting her name or face.
2. Selena Gomez was named after Selena and has cited her as being a major influence in her musical style, and image. Selena Gomez was asked to record a song by Selena called “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” for a remix album. In an interview she stated that “I was completely honored when they asked me to be on the tribute CD and when I went into the studio to record they actually had her vocals in the booth that she was in, so I felt like she was singing right next to me” [13].

I do believe Selena Quintanilla-Perez should be included in the textbook. At the age of 23 she was able to accomplish so much and cement a legacy for herself that takes a lifetime to create. She was able to break racial, social and gender barriers to achieve her goals which serves as an inspiration to many. Her music, style, charisma, dance and fashion continue to influence the entertainment industry today.

My favorite song of Selena’s is “Dreaming of You” from her album Dreaming of You. This album was actually released after her death and went on to become the first Tejano album to reach number one in America. I like this song because it reminds me of the classic 90’s love songs. The song is a mid-tempo pop ballad. When I listen to it I feel like I’m fading away or getting sucked into a dream because the tempo of the song along with the music and vocals give it a “sleepy” vibe almost as if you are actually in a dream.

 

Bibliography

[1] Selena. (2017, November 08). Retrieved from https://www.biography.com/people/selena-189149

[2] Ilich, T. (n.d.). Who Was Selena Quintanilla-Perez? Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/biography-of-selena-quintanilla-perez-2141134

[3] Staff, L. (2016, March 09). Selena, the Queen of Tejano Music. Retrieved from http://www.legacy.com/news/celebrity-deaths/article/selena-the-queen-of-tejano-music

[4] Flashback: Selenas First GRAMMY Win | GRAMMY.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.bing.com/cr?IG=662ECD46293142A39331346F7D74CC3D&CID=0AE98A7A3E1163BD227686323FEC623D&rd=1&h=gYGnkEp998_xOkj4Hcnb7pd_2lgWnKUSd0PL3OMVMew&v=1&r=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/remember-when-selena-wins-big-36th-grammys&p=DevEx.LB.1,5069.1

[5] Selena Timeline. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://selenaforever.com/Selena_Timeline/Selena_Timeline.html

[6] Mendoza, M. (2018, April 06). Photos: Selena was buried 23 years ago this week. Retrieved from https://www.mysanantonio.com/lifestyle/article/Selena-was-buried-23-years-ago-today-12802191.php

[7] List of awards and nominations received by Selena. (2018, July 27). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_awards_and_nominations_received_by_Selena

[8, 9] 5 Reasons Why Selena Quintanilla Remains An Inspirational Latina Today. (2017, November 13). Retrieved from https://www.theodysseyonline.com/5-reasons-selena-quintanilla-remains-inspirational-latina-today

[10] Alvarez, A. (n.d.). That One Time Beyoncé Met Selena. Retrieved from https://www.buzzfeed.com/alexalvarez/memorieeees

[11] Cobo, L. (2018, March 31). Jennifer Lopez on Playing Selena: ‘She Had a Sense of Living in the Present & Following Her Heart’. Retrieved from https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/latin/7728858/jennifer-lopez-selena-film-anniversary-interview

[12] Shropshire, C. (2016, October 06). Fans wait overnight to purchase MAC’s Selena makeup line. Retrieved from http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-mac-selena-makeup-1007-biz-20161007-story.html

[13] Cerón, E. (2017, May 25). Selena Gomez Opens Up About Meeting Her Namesake’s Family. Retrieved from https://www.teenvogue.com/story/selena-gomez-namesake-selena-quintanilla

Pictures:

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiW_YaUguTcAhVxHzQIHc3XA4MQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSelena&psig=AOvVaw0HYEJVvbbSp6LirCo6EKQd&ust=1534043068723875

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwigjKaoguTcAhVkIDQIHV2sC-QQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.neontommy.com%2Fnews%2F2014%2F03%2Ftop-5-selena-songs&psig=AOvVaw0HYEJVvbbSp6LirCo6EKQd&ust=1534043068723875

https://www.upi.com/Selena-Quintanilla-honored-with-a-star-on-the-Hollywood-Walk-of-Fame/7441509813039/

 

 

#M6Q3

Payola is a term used in the music industry which refers to the act of record labels or other groups paying DJs, and radio stations to play a certain song, singer, or company affiliate on the commercial radio more than that particular song may have been normally playing, therefore increasing its exposure to the mainstream media.

The term Payola really became popularized in the American public due to the 1958 federal investigations into rigged game shows such as “twenty-One” and “$64,000 Question”. The game show scandals shined a light onto illegal activities going on in the broadcasting industry and led to further investigations, particularly on commercial radio.

 

In 1959 a Congressional investigation headed by Congressman Oren Harris was launched into the Payola scandals, in which hundreds of DJs were implicated with taking bribes from record labels in return for playing specific songs. In 1960 the Payola scandal reached new heights when President Eisenhower publicly addressed the nation calling Payola “an issue of public morality” [1].

In February of 1960 the Payola hearing were in full force. Alan Freed and Dick Clark were two prominent DJs at the time who also got caught up in the scandal and became synonymous with the Payola investigations

Alan Freed was a popular Cleveland DJ who is often said to have coined the term “Rock-N-Roll” however Freed is more infamously known for his participation in the payola scandals. In 1960 Alan Freed faced hearings from the U.S. House Oversight committee for his alleged role in taking bribes from record labels. He was charged with 26 counts of commercial bribery. He was given multiple fines including a suspended jail sentence [2]. Due to the bad publicity he received from the investigations he was fired from his television and radio shows. He was effectively bankrupt as a result of the scandal and died five years later.

 

 

Dick Clark was another popular radio and television broadcaster who was summoned by the committee for suspicions of accepting bribes. Unlike Alan Freed, Clark cooperated with the investigations and by the end of the investigations he was let off on all charges and walked out with a slap on the wrist [3]. It should be noted that at the time of the scandal Dick Clark partially owned 7 indie labels, 3 record distributors, 6 publishers and 2 talent agencies. He was able to discretely sell and distance himself from these businesses as they would’ve caused damage to his case in front of the federal investigation.

“Dick Clark discusses the Payola Scandal”

The differences in the outcomes of the investigations into Dick Clark and Alan Freed have often been attributed to Clark’s willingness to cooperate, charm, good manners while Alan Freed was seen as a deviant who refused to accept guilt, was outspoken about his beliefs, and morally corrupt.

The conclusion of the payola investigation in 1960 resulted in Congress declaring Payola as a criminal act and introducing new laws and recommendations for existing laws under the Federal Communications Act [4]. These rules and regulations can be read at the link posted below:

https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/fccs-payola-rules

 

Payola Today:

Unfortunately occurrences of Payola continue to exist today. George Howard a Professor in music management has written about the practice in today’s age and states in his essay that “labels hire promoters to flog records to radio stations, radio stations are then paid by promoters, and the same promoters collect a second salary from the stations themselves disguised as consultation fees on which songs to include on the daily roster” [5].

However commercial radio isn’t the only major player in the world of music. The internet is a powerhouse like no other for creating music, downloading music and of course listening to music. Today playlists found on apps like Spotify, Vevo, and Youtube are viewed by millions of people all around the world and due to the influence that these platforms have, they are instrumental in setting trends in music, launching artists, and promoting specific genres. These playlist aren’t left ungoverned, in fact the content of the playlists is rigorously controlled by major labels such as Sony, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group [6]. The competition today isn’t over who can control the most DJs and radio stations, but who exacts the most influence on playlists.

In my opinion Payola is unjust and the practice is really a disservice to the consumers of music. In reality payola only benefits the record labels who see an increase in profits because of increased exposure and the artists themselves, who are given a boost in popularity [7]. However the general public suffers. For example the public isn’t exposed to a wide variety of music simply due to the fact that smaller companies or independent artists are not able to front large amounts of cash in exchange for airtime. The public image of the music industry takes a hit when these practices come to the lime light. Artists can potentially lose millions of dollars in album sales for instance, say two artists are releasing an album at the same time and one artist engages in payola to boost sales, the other artist will suffer financial losses due to a lack of exposure on one side and over-exposure on the other side. Furthermore radio stations can get boring and lose viewership for continuously playing specific songs.

Citations:

[1] “The Payola Scandal Heats up.” History.com. Accessed July 19, 2018. https://www.history.com/this-      day-in-history/the-payola-scandal-heats-up.

[2] Kelly, Kim. “A Brief History of American Payola.” Noisey. February 14, 2016. Accessed July 19, 2018. https://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/64y8y9/a-brief-history-of-american-payola.

[3] “Dick Clark Survives the Payola Scandal.” History.com. Accessed July 19, 2018. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dick-clark-survives-the-payola-scandal.

[4] Coase, R. H. “Payola in Radio and Television Broadcasting.” The Journal of Law and Economics22, no. 2 (1979): 269-328. doi:10.1086/466944.

[5] “How Payola Works Today… Or Why You Only Hear Major Label Songs On The Radio.” Techdirt. Accessed July 19, 2018. https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110916/03140815978/how-payola-works-today-why-you-only-hear-major-label-songs-radio.shtml.

[6] “Major Label CEO Confirms That ‘Playlist Payola’ Is Real.” Digital Music News. April 13, 2017. Accessed July 20, 2018. https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2016/05/20/playlist-payola-real-killing-artist-careers/.

[7] McDonald, Heather. “Pros and Cons of Payola.” The Balance Careers. Accessed July 19, 2018. https://www.thebalancecareers.com/payola-influencing-the-charts-2460759.

#M2Q3

William Christopher Handy was born on November 16^th, 1873 in Florence, Alabama. W.C. Handy grew up in a deeply religious family with his father working as a pastor at the local church. Handy was exposed to music at an early age through his church where he sang. His interest in music only increased as he grew older. In his youth he bought a guitar without his parents consent and practiced in secret. However once his father came to know of it he was forced to return it as it was his father’s belief that musical instruments were “of the devil”. His passion for music didn’t go unnoticed and his father signed him up for organ lessons. In 1892, Handy formed a band called the Lauzette Quartet to perform at the World’s Fair Chicago, however he was able to perform at the show until the following year. W.C. Handy hit his first major milestone in his musical career at the age of 23 when he became the bandmaster of the Mahara’s Colored Minstrels. With this group Handy was able to travel the country extensively and even performed in Cuba with the band. Throughout his travels he was able to pickup on the rural African-American folk songs that would inspire his     mainstream blues music in the future.

In 1896 W.C. Handy married Elizabeth Price. In the 1910s Handy had moved to Memphis, Tennessee and wrote “Memphis Blues” which would become a blues hit. By 1918 Handy had moved to New York where he would be instrumental in promoting blues. In 1928 he was accredited with setting up the first blues concert in New York City’s Carnegie Hall. W.C. Handy was constantly producing work throughout the 1920s and 1930s including publications such as Blues: An Anthology, Negro Authors and Composers of the United States and W.C. Handy’s collection of the Negro Spirituals. In 1941 W.C Handy published his autobiography titled Father of the Blues. By the mid 1940s Handy’s eyesight began to deteriorate and he eventually became blind. In 1958, W.C. Handy passed away due to complications from pneumonia. Thousands of people came to his funeral services to pay respects. Challenges Faced by W.C. Handy:

1. Upbringing: W.C. Handy was born into a family of pastors and was expected to follow suit. He often said about his family that “if there was any musical talent, it remained buried”. Non-religious music and musical instruments were considered taboo by his church and father. So he wasn’t able to musically express himself until he left his parents home to work and eventually pursue music.
2.  Racism: Handy lived at a time in the South where people were having a hard time digesting the reality of slavery being over and transitioning into a new society where all were equal in the eyes of the law. W.C. Handy faced racism in general while growing up in Alabama and even more so when he began touring with the Mahara’s Minstrels. During performances the group was threatened by lynch mobs, humiliation, and racial violence. It was also because of racism he experienced in the South that he decided to move to New York later in his career.
3. Business Exploitation: “Memphis Blues” was one of Handy’s most famous and financially successful songs however he was never able to benefit financially from its sales because he had signed over rights to the song without fully understanding the consequences it entailed. Handy let this be a lesson for himself and decided to protect his songs by opening up his own publishing company called Pace and Handy Music Company.
4. Poverty: W.C. Handy wasn’t from a very well-off background. He did small jobs just to stay afloat while trying to pursue a career in music. There was a period of about 2 years where he was homeless living under a bridge in St. Louis, after his band Lauzette Quartet became defunct.

Contributions towards music:

1. W.C. Handy was the first to systematically record and log Blues music.
2. He was a skilled songwriter and composer which allowed him to produce legendary hits by combining his own compositions with blues music he had heard while travelling across the country.
3. He played a crucial role in helping blues music achieve mainstream success and exposure by being one of the first artists to publish blues as sheet music.
4. His efforts of preserving blues and folk music from the rural south and working to legitimize blues music as an exclusive musical form. Due to these contributions W.C. Handy came to be popularly known as “Father of the Blues”.

 

Famous Songs:

“Memphis Blues” was written by W.C. Handy in 1912 and was one of the first blues songs published that pushed blues into the mainstream scene. This song was originally written as a campaign song for mayor candidate Edward Crump. Memphis Blues became an instant hit. I chose this song because of its importance in launching W.C. Handy’s career and blues music in general. It became an instant hit.

 

Saint Louis Blues

Arguably W.C. Handy’s most famous song is “Saint Louis Blues”. It was called “the jazzman’s Hamlet” because it was sung by many famous artists including Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, and Guy Lombardo. Bessie Smith’s version of the song was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The song form is 12-Bar blues written in a tango rhythm.

 

“Beale Street Blues”

Released in 1916, Beale Street Blues was a successful song by Handy that was characterized by being a hybrid between classic blues and the popular ballad style of the day.

 

Legacy:

W.C. Handy undoubtedly had a massive impact on the emergence of Blues music into mainstream America. By helping to create a Blues industry and establishing publishing companies he was able to pave a way for struggling black musicians to produce music and be rewarded justly for their craft. W.C. Handy has been honored by having roads, parks, theatres, statues, scholarships, and festivals named after him.

References:

Robertson, D. (2011). W.C. Handy: The Life and Times of the Man Who Made the Blues. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press.

Summer, L. S. (2002). W.C. Handy: Founder of the blues. Chanhassen, MN: Childs World.

Yeager, A. (2003). W.C. Handy, Father of the Blues. Birmingham, Alabama: Seacoast Publishing.

W.C. Handy. (2015, October 27). Retrieved from https://www.biography.com/people/wc-handy-39700

 

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