First Impression

Curtis Mayfield would have been 70 today.  Alas, he was paralyzed in 1990 when lighting equipment fell on him at a concert, and his health declined from then on.  He died in 1999.

He was a singer, songwriter and producer who was able to combine soul, r&b, rock and funk and come up with a sound that's never been diplicated.  He didn't make it to the 21st century, but his music sure did.

He's probably best known for his score to Superfly, but take that out of his catalogue and there's still plenty to go around: