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Posted on Jun 2, 2014

14 Black Musicians In Rock You Should Know

June is Black Music Month. Chill out and rock out with these musicians.

TonyaPenn

Community Contributor

1. Ma Rainey

Future Influences: Bessie Smith (who was her pupil), Janis Joplin — Via YouTube

Future Influences: Bessie Smith (who was her pupil), Janis Joplin

Via YouTube

Future Influences: Bessie Smith (who was her pupil), Janis Joplin

2. Bessie Smith

Future Influences: Billie Holiday, Janis Joplin — Via YouTube

Future Influences: Billie Holiday, Janis Joplin

Via YouTube

Future Influences: Billie Holiday, Janis Joplin

3. Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Future Influences: Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley — Via YouTube

Future Influences: Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley

Via YouTube

Future Influences: Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley

4. Fats Domino

Future Influence: Big Al Downing — Via YouTube

Future Influence: Big Al Downing

Via YouTube

Future Influence: Big Al Downing

5. Big Al Downing

While he was too little known to have much influence, he would go on to have hits in multiple genres. Early in his career, he worked with rockabilly singer Wanda Jackson and they recorded the rockabilly song "Let's Have A Party". — Via YouTube

While he was too little known to have much influence, he would go on to have hits in multiple genres. Early in his career, he worked with rockabilly singer Wanda Jackson and they recorded the rockabilly song "Let's Have A Party".

Via YouTube

While he was too little known to have much influence, he would go on to have hits in multiple genres. Early in his career, he worked with rockabilly singer Wanda Jackson and they recorded the rockabilly song "Let's Have A Party".

6. Chuck Berry

Future Influences:The Rolling Stones, The Beatles — Via YouTube

Future Influences:The Rolling Stones, The Beatles

Via YouTube

Future Influences:The Rolling Stones, The Beatles

7. Little Richard

Future Influences: David Bowie, Paul McCartney — Via YouTube

Future Influences: David Bowie, Paul McCartney

Via YouTube

Future Influences: David Bowie, Paul McCartney

8. Jimi Hendrix

Future Influences: Vernon Reid of the band Living Colour, Stevie Ray Vaughan — Via YouTube

Future Influences: Vernon Reid of the band Living Colour, Stevie Ray Vaughan

Via YouTube

Future Influences: Vernon Reid of the band Living Colour, Stevie Ray Vaughan

9. Poly Styrene and her band X-Ray Spex

Future Influence: Tamar-Kali, Kim Gordon of the band Sonic Youth, Noisettes — Via YouTube

Future Influence: Tamar-Kali, Kim Gordon of the band Sonic Youth, Noisettes

Via YouTube

Future Influence: Tamar-Kali, Kim Gordon of the band Sonic Youth, Noisettes

10. Bad Brains

Future Influences: The Beastie Boys, The Foo Fighters — Via YouTube

Future Influences: The Beastie Boys, The Foo Fighters

Via YouTube

Future Influences: The Beastie Boys, The Foo Fighters

11. Living Colour

Future Influences: Rage Against The Machine, Limp Bizkit — Via YouTube

Future Influences: Rage Against The Machine, Limp Bizkit

Via YouTube

Future Influences: Rage Against The Machine, Limp Bizkit

12. Death

Future Influence: Rough Francis, whose band members are the sons and nephews of Death's original lead singer David Hackney. For more info, check out the documentary A Band Called Death (it's on Netflix). — Via YouTube

Future Influence: Rough Francis, whose band members are the sons and nephews of Death's original lead singer David Hackney. For more info, check out the documentary A Band Called Death (it's on Netflix).

Via YouTube

Future Influence: Rough Francis, whose band members are the sons and nephews of Death's original lead singer David Hackney. For more info, check out the documentary A Band Called Death (it's on Netflix).

13. Tamar-Kali

Influenced by: Poly Styrene, Betty Davis, Bad Brains, P. J. Harvey — Via YouTube

Influenced by: Poly Styrene, Betty Davis, Bad Brains, P. J. Harvey

Via YouTube

Influenced by: Poly Styrene, Betty Davis, Bad Brains, P. J. Harvey

14. Divinity Roxx

Influences: Jimi Hendrix, Outkast, Foo Fighters — Via YouTube

Influences: Jimi Hendrix, Outkast, Foo Fighters

Via YouTube

Influences: Jimi Hendrix, Outkast, Foo Fighters

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