Talkin’ Music with Jack – Performer’s Nicknames

Performer’s Nicknames

By Jack Coll

     It seems to me that at one time in the music/movie business, a performer had to be someone big and important, who had a great body of work, and then when they were big enough, and well known enough, they would take on a nickname, or perhaps be called by their first name only.  You know who I’m talking about, when I say “Cher” most people know that we are referring to Cher, of Sonny and Cher fame.  When you’re listening to the radio and the DJ says “stay with us, we’ll play a little Frank when we come back,” most of us know he’s referring to Frank Sinatra. 

     When talking about movies and you hear the term, “well he’s the Duke,” well John Wayne comes to mind.

How about “The man of a thousand voices,” a lot of us would think Rich Little.  A lot of nicknames are well earned, “The Fab Four,” “The King,” or even Loretta Lynn as “The First Lady of Country.” 

     It can be a little annoying, (at least to me) when artist break onto the scene with their own self title label.  Lady Ga Ga, “The Princess of Pop,” let’s see how that title holds up twenty years from now.  Beyoncé, first name only, how important is that, she goes by “Queen of Pop,” last time I counted there were about 759 queens of pop.  Janet Jackson is also known as the “Queen of Pop” unlike Lil’ Kim, who is “Queen Bitch” or on G-rated shows she goes by “Queen Bee.”

     Getting back to bands, and musicians who deserve a nickname when I say nicknames like “Old Blue Eyes,” “The Boss,” “Slowhand,” “The Killer,” and the “King,” most of you know I’m talking about Sinatra, Springsteen, Clapton, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis.  You might instantly recognize these other accomplished musicians who came into the business with these all-important recognizable nicknames, another “Princess of Pop,” but wait, this artist is so big she has three nicknames, along with her ‘Princess of Pop,” how about “Voice of a Generation,” or/and “Peoples Voice,” and if you haven’t recognized her yet this will tip you off, she’s the “Queen of Reinvention,” got it? Christina Aguilera.  Amy Winehouse, may the Lord rest her soul, everyone knew she was the “Diva of Soul,”  Wow, the Diva of Soul.  Watch out, we have two performers who are vying for the Disney crowd, Hilary Duff is known as “The Queen of Disney,” but apparently that didn’t sit well with Miley Cyrus, who quickly wanted to become known as “The Disney Queen,” no the heck with that Miley later changed that to “Teen Queen,” there you go, we’ll sell a lot more records with that nickname.

      Let’s get back to some well-earned nicknames, as you will see there are a lot of “Kings” and “Queens” like Donna Summer, she earned the title of “Queen of Disco.”  Otis Redding, “ King of Soul,” Carl Perkins was known as “The King of Rockabilly,” Stevie Nicks is “The Queen of Rock and Roll,” George Straight is “The King of Country.”  With George crowned the “King of Country” then we needed a queen so Reba McEntire is “The Queen of Country.” 

     With Elvis crowned “The King,” well Fats Domino became the “King of Rock and Roll.”  Bob Dylan is without doubt “The King of Folk,” Gloria Estefan is known as “The Queen of Latin Pop,” DJ Alan Freed, also known as “The King of Rock and Roll,” and Gloria Gaynor along with Donna Summer is “The Queen of Disco.”  Hey most of us remember that Benny Goodman was “The King of Swing,” and some of us might know that Amy Grant is “The Queen of Christian Pop.”  John Lee Hooker is well deserving of his nickname “King of the Blues,” Janis Joplin, like Stevie Nicks was “The Queen of Rock and Roll,” but most of us that are fans of the late Janis Joplin simply refer to her as “The Pearl.”

     Would anybody argue about BB King being called “The King of Blues,” I didn’t think so.  Nor would anyone argue that Tina Turner is “The Queen of Rock.”  Back in 1968, a Disc Jockey by the name of Perris Spann introduced Aretha Franklin as she walked on stage as “The Queen of Soul,” and I don’t think anyone could ever argue that title.  A lot of people thought this next artist with his title was a little bit of a joke, but I think well deserved, Michael Jackson, “The King of Pop.”  I think the verdict is still out on Michael Jackson, I’ve had a number of friends stating on record how they hated him, but then I would listen to those same friends singing along with a Michael Jackson record.  In my opinion Michael Jackson was a very talented and gifted performer with a voice to match, I don’t think his music is going away any time soon, but in the same breath I will admit he was a very strange, possibly deranged and tortured soul, but will always be, as the title says, “The King of Pop.”

     For those of you that know her, or who have ever listened to her Ruth Brown is without a doubt “The Queen of Rhythm and Blues.”  The same goes for Solomon Burke, he’s been titled “The King of Rock and Soul,” a well-deserved title, Sam Cooke, was “The King of soul.”  There are no less than another two dozen Kings and Queens of music, most of them self-titled and far from superstar status.

      Let’s move onto a few other recognizable nicknames like, “The Man in Black,” that would be Johnny Cash.  Billy Joel would be “The Piano Man” and the “World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band” is the Rolling Stones.  I wonder how many music fans alive today would recognize the nickname “Lady Day?” Music lovers in the 1940’s and 1950’s around the world would recognize that name as that of Billie Holiday, a Blues singer who lit up many a night club in the Philadelphia area in her heyday. 

     “Mr. Excitement” was Jackie Wilson, and I witnessed Mr. Excitement first hand.  A quick story about Jackie Wilson, a few years ago, well OK many years ago maybe the early 1970’s I went to an Oldies Show at the Valley Forge Music Fair.  I remember the reason I bought a ticket was to see Ronnie Spector, man I just loved her music, and she didn’t disappoint.  There were a number of acts on the bill that night, I think Chuck Berry was there and maybe the young Rascals.  It was a very adult crowd, nice to be there, no jumping around, no fans standing in front of you, no screaming and yelling and no drunks to contend with.   Well all of the above was true until Jackie Wilson came out on stage, the entire place went nuts, they were standing and yelling and just like a Tom Jones concert a couple of pairs of ladies underwear hit the stage and I remember thinking “what the hell is going on here.”  I liked Jackie Wilson because he had this hit I think it was 1968 called “Higher and Higher.”  In 1968 this record was just “boss,” (that’s hip talk, cause I was hip back then) so the crowd is going nuts to a song called “Lonely Teardrops” I’ll never forget it.  Well I’m thinking that the song “Higher and Higher” was his only hit record, after all it was the only song I knew that he did, but of course I later found out he was the man throughout the late 1950’s and 1960’s, I mean he was “The Man,” he was truly “Mr. Excitement.”  So this old guy is up on stage in his own zone, he’s making eyes with every female in the audience and sending them into a tizzy, next thing I know he’s dancing, spinning and dropping down into splits about every other note.  I honestly remembering at that moment that I didn’t really know who this guy was, but he was truly “Mr. Excitement.” 

     Once I found out who this guy was I remember thinking I gotta see him again so I can appreciate the show a little more because when I saw him I was stunned and fascinated with the audience.  Most of us know how this story ends, two or three years later on September 25, 1975 Jackie collapsed from a stroke while performing on stage at the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill New Jersey.  He never recovered and passed away from the stroke nine years later in 1984.  He was a 1987 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, to this day I wish I could have seen him perform just one more time.

      I think we can all agree that James Brown was the “Hardest Working Man in Show Business” along with “The King of Soul.”  James Brown was also known as “The Godfather of Soul.”  I remember Donna and I went to see Brown perform in Atlantic City and sat in front with Muhammad Ali sitting at the next table, that’s another story for another time.

     Another Godfather would be Neil Young who’s been tagged as “The Godfather of Grunge.”  The Beach Boys have always been known as “America’s Band.”  Apparently the President of the United States didn’t know that the Beach Boys were “America’s Band” when he banded them from playing in Washington on the Fourth of July.  I wonder how many music fans reading this would know who “Bocephus” is. That would be Hank Williams Jr., a name given to him by his father Hank Sr. when he was a baby.

     This could go on all day and night so we’ll just give you a few more like Ricky Nelson who was known as “The Prince of Rock and Roll” and the late Lou Reed who was “The Godfather of Punk.” Joey Ramone carried the same title as Lou Reed.  No doubt about this title, “Godmother of Punk” belongs to Joan Jett, a true female rock and roller. 

 I always liked Dusty Springfield’s stage name, “The White Queen of Soul,” I don’t know about that, I’ve listened to a lot of her music over the years and she had a great voice, but “The White Queen of Soul?”   Now Little Richard, another genuine rock and roller has been given many names over the years, I always liked simply “King of Rock and Roll.”  Marvin Gaye, gone way to soon was “The Prince of Motown” and “The Prince of Soul.”  Another well-deserved name, Gladys’s Knight is “The Empress of Soul.”  Going back to the Valley Forge Music Fair when Bob Frost and I, I don’t remember if Donna and Joann were with us, maybe, maybe not, (the two of them are true rock and roll animals) Gladys’s Knight’s voice would cut through you on the high notes, and take you down with her on the low notes, quite a great performer.

     I think Whitney Houston had the most nicknames but the two most commonly used are ‘Pop Princess” and “First Lady of Rhythm and Blues.”  Someday, someone will need to explain to me how you can wear both of those titles, the first lady of R&B and pop princess just don’t fit.  I’m sure this one doesn’t surprise anyone, Alice Cooper is “the Godfather of Shock Rock.”  Ray Davis is “The Godfather of Brit Pop,” Adele also dubbed “The Queen of Soul” and Garth Brooks, Roy Acuff and about three dozen other County Stars are “The King of Country Music.” 

     We also have Joan Baez, “The Queen of Folk,” did we mention Chuck Berry as “The King of Rock and Roll,” if we already mentioned him he’s worth mentioning twice.  What do you think about this one, Mariah Carey, “Songbird Supreme?”

    We saved the best for last, bigger than Ol’ Blue Eyes, bigger than “The King” and bigger than “The Hardest working Man in Show Business.”  Can you figure out who “The Pop Princess,” is?  Wait a minute there’s more, if that nickname didn’t give it away than this one will, she also goes by “Rock Diva.” OK you didn’t even need the second hint, its Kelly Clarkson of course.

     With that being said I find it very laughable when performers who have paid little or no dues to the profession claiming they are king or queen of anything except in their own mind.  I despise any music artist who comes up with one or two mild hit songs written by someone else and they stake the claim of being on top of the music world.  I despise anyone who self-proclaims that “I Am The Greatest,” (except maybe Ali).  Here’s a little something for all the up and coming artist out there.  You aren’t the “King” of anything until you have risen through the ranks of mediocrity, you aren’t the “Queen” until you have a proven ground breaking sound.  And you sure as hell ain’t the “Boss” of anything at the age of nineteen and a half years old.  As a matter of fact for all the performers who use sound boxes, and or lip sing, you should be embarrassed to stand on a stage with zero talent.

     If you wanna be the next Bruce Springsteen, the next Madonna, or the next king or queen of something, learn how to play an instrument, write a few good songs, hit the road for about ten years playing in front of nobody in the small clubs throughout the country, become an opening act for someone who has paid their dues, and then get ready to start your king and queen career, Good Luck!     

 

               

Answer To Last Week’s Trivia Questions

 

#1   Rod Stewart played with the Band Faces before going solo.

 

#2   “Maggie May” hit Number One on the charts in August 1971

 

#3   “Tonight’s The Night” went to Number One on the charts in the fall of 1976.

 

This Week’s Trivia Questions

 

 

#1  What President of the United States banned the Beach Boys from playing a Fourth of July Concert in Washington D. C.?

 

#2  We mentioned Eric Clapton, “Slowhand,” he got his start in a band called “Cream,” can you name the other two members of that band?

 

#3   Dusty Springfield, the “White Queen of Soul” had six Top Ten hits during her career, can you name two of them?