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Alabama's Music Achievers
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MUSIC ACHIEVERS
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JOEL RANEY - Anderson, Alabama
-1993 Silver Cleo and Gold Mobius Awards for American Airlines TV Commercial
-Associate conductor of "Me & My Girl" on Broadway
-Awarded Joseph Jefferson Award for best musical direction
NELL RANKIN - Montgomery, Alabama
-At the Zurich State Opera in one year she gave 126 performances in 16 roles
-Joined the Metropolitan Opera in 1951
RED, WHITE, & BLUE(GRASS) - Birmingham, Alabama
-Formed in 1969 by Grant & Ginger Boatwright and Dale Whitcomb. Later members included Norman Blake and Dave Sebolt
-1973 Country hit "July You're a Woman"
MARTHA REEVES-- Eufaula, Alabama
-Martha and the Vandellas, her powerful backup group, spent their early years at Motown backing up lead singers like Marvin Gaye
-Cut their first big solo charter "Come and Get These Memories" in 1963
-Created some of the most memorable dance and party favorites of the 60s like "Heat Wave," "Nowhere to Run," "Jimmy Mack," and their unforgettable signature tune, "Dancing In The Streets"
SUE RICHARDS - Muscle Shoals, Alabama
-Sun label recording at age 11 as Maggie Sue Wimberly, only the 3rd female act on the label
-Biggest hit "Sweet Sensuous Feelings" in 1976
-Toured for many years as background vocalist with Tammy Wynette
LIONEL RICHIE-- Tuskegee, Alabama
-Wrote and produced the USA For Africa event "We Are The World"
-Currently holds the record for having a number one record for nine consecutive years
-Became the first recording artist to win a Grammy and an Academy Award for two different songs in the same year
GENE "BILL" RICKARD - Tuscumbia, Alabama
-Played with Bobby Denton, Autry Inman, Kitty Wells, Buddy Killen, and others
-Played in Chicago, IL in over 40 bars and night clubs
-Recorded at M.C.I. Recording Co., Cash Recording, Fame Recording
JIMMIE RODGERS-- Geiger, Alabama
-Known as the "Father of Country Music," "The Singing Brakeman," and "The Blue Yodeler"
-One of the first three individuals inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame
WILLIE RUFF - Sheffield, Alabama
-Professor of music at Yale University
-Joined Lionel Hampton's band before forming the Mitchell-Ruff Duo in the 1950's
-Duo was the first jazz ensemble to perform in the Soviet Union
| Achiever | Style | Instrument | Worked With | Date Of Birth | Date Of Death | Place Of Birth | Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radio Toyko | Rock | Group | Jay Johnson | Muscle Shoals, AL | |||
| Ragsdale, Juell | Country Gospel | Vocals | Tammy Wynette, Bobby Bare | Arab, AL | |||
| Raines, Leon | Country | Mobile, AL | |||||
| Rainey, Willie Guy | Blues | Vocals, Guitar | Apr. 17, 1901 | Calhoun City, AL | |||
| Ramsey, Willis Alan | Country | Vocals, Songwriter | Lyle Lovett | 1951 | AL | ||
| Rainy, Leon | Dothan, AL | ||||||
| Randolph, H.L. Raleigh | Jazz | Vocals | Birmingham, AL | ||||
| Randolph, James Jimmy | Jazz | Vocals | AL Jazz Hall of Fame | Brewton, AL | |||
| Ranelli, Sam C. | Jazz | Drums | AL Jazz Hall of Fame | Feb. 21, 1920 | Dec. 30, 1999 | Birmingham, AL | |
| Raney, Joel | Broadway | Piano, Conductor | Commercials for Coca-Cola | 1960 | Anderson, AL | ||
| Range, Bob | Jazz | Trombone | Erskine Hawkins Band | Birmingham, AL | |||
| Achiever | Style | Instrument | Worked With | Date of Birth | Date of Death | Place of Birth | Home |
| Rankin, Nell | Opera | Vocals Mezzo Soprano | Metropolitan Opera | Jan. 3, 1926 | Montgomery, AL | ||
| Rankin, Sylvester | Blues | Performer | Dec. 16, 1932 | Evergreen, AL | |||
| Ravizee Singers | Gospel | Group | Mobile, AL | ||||
| Raybon, Marty | Country, Christian | Vocals | Shenandoah | Dec. 8, 1959 | Sanford, FL | Tuscumbia, AL | |
| Reagan, Billy Rip | Marching Band | Conductor, Educator | Dec. 22, 1929 | Gadsden, AL | |||
| Reagan, Royce | Marching Band | Conductor, Educator | 1947 | Geneva, AL | |||
| Redd, Jerry | Gospel, Opera | Tenor Vocals | Speer Family, Stamps Quartet | June 22, 1936 | Gadsden, AL | Valley, AL | |
| Reed, Brenda BJ Corder | Gospel | Vocals | Aliceville, AL | ||||
| Reed, Jimmy Little | Blues | Harmonica, Guitar, Vocals | aka Leon Atkins | Baton Rouge, LA | Birmingham, AL | ||
| Reed, John C. | Jazz | Saxophone | Fess Whatley | Birmingham, AL | |||
| Achiever | Style | Instrument | Worked With | Date of Birth | Date of Death | Place of Birth | Home |
| Reed, Randy | Rock | Performer, Producer | Sailcat | April 17, 1950 | Jasper, AL | ||
| Reed, Rick | Rock, Jazz | Drums | Sailcat, Taj Mahal | Nov. 24, 1954 | Tuscaloosa, AL | ||
| Reed, Slaughter B. | Gospel | Songwriter | Dec. 14, 1907 | Nov. 17, 2001 | Gadsden, AL | Birmingham, AL | |
| Reese, Carlton | Gospel | Songwriter, Arranger | Civil Rights Movement | 1943 | July 9, 2002 | Westfield, AL | Birmingham, AL |
| Reese, Hampton | Jazz | Trombone, Arranger | B.B. King | Aug. 1928 | Aug. 1994 | Birmingham, AL | |
| Reese. Vernon Toby | Country | Comedy, Vocal, Guitar | Ernest Tubb | May 1909 | June 1971 | Attalla, AL | |
| Reeves, Chuck | Country | Fiddle | Vern Gosdin | 1932 | Jasper, AL | ||
| Reeves, Hershey | Country, Bluegrass | Engineer, Songwriter | Front Porch Band | 1955 | Huntsville, AL | ||
| Reeves, Martha | R&B | Vocals | Martha & The Vandellas | July 18, 1941 | Eufaula, AL | ||
| Regents | Gospel | Group | Zondervan Records | Huntsville, AL | |||
| Achiever | Style | Instrument | Worked With | Date of Birth | Date of Death | Place of Birth | Home |
| Reminders | Gospel | Group | Dadeville, AL | ||||
| Remy Zero | Rock | Group | Birmingham, AL | ||||
| Renewed | Gospel | Group | Sand Mountain, AL | ||||
| Reynolds, Evelyn Culverhouse | Opera | Vocals, Educator | Birmingham, AL | ||||
| Reynolds, Isham Emmanuel | Classical, Gospel | Educator, Composer | Sept. 27, 1879 | May 10, 1949 | Birmingham, AL | ||
| Reynolds, Lawrence | Gospel, Pop, Country | Vocals, Songwriter | "Jesus Is A Soul Man" | July 13, 1944 | Aug. 15, 2000 | St. Stephens, AL | Pritchard, AL |
| Ribbon Of Blue | Rock | Group | Quinvy Studio | 1966 | Muscle Shoals, AL | ||
| Rice, Aubrey | Country, Gospel, R&B | Lash Larue | April 29, 1936 | Covington, TN | |||
| Rice, D.C. Rev. | Gospel | Vocalion Records | 1888 | 1973 | Barbour City, AL | ||
| suerichards, Jimmy | Country | Muscle Shoals, AL | |||||
| Achiever | Style | Instrument | Worked With | Date of Birth | Date of Death | Place of Birth | Home |
| Richards, Sue | Country | Vocals, Songwriter | Tammy Wynette | Nov. 26, 1941 | Muscle Shoals, AL | ||
| suerichardson, Cindy | Country, Pop, R&B | Background Vocals | Crystal Gayle, Muscle Shoals Studios | TN | Florence, AL | ||
| suerichardson, Johnnie | R&B | Johnnie & Joe | June 29, 1945 | Montgomery, AL | |||
| suerichardson, Woody | Country, Gospel, Bluegrass | Studio Owner, Producer | Woodwich Studio | Oct. 30, 1919 | Manning, TX | Lexington, AL | |
| Richie, Lionel | R&B, Pop | Vocals, Keyboards | Commodores | June 20, 1949 | Tuskegee, AL | ||
| Rickard, Gene "Bill" | Country, R&B, Rock, Blues Western Swing | Vocals, Guitar | Autry Inman, Gene Watson, Kelso Herston | April 8, 1936 | Tuscumbia, AL | Florence, AL | |
| Rickard, Paul | Country, Western Swing | Vocals, Guitar | The Stringsters | Sept. 23, 1923 | Jan. 19, 1962 | Florence, AL | |
| Rieser, Chris | Rock, Country | Drums, Vocals | Neil McCoy | Sheffield, AL | |||
| Rigel, Mitch | Rock, Jazz, R&B | Drums | Gary Rossington, Lynyrd Skynyrd | 1961 | Decatur, AL | ||
| Riley, Doug | Gospel | Drums | Gold City | Oct. 3, 1970 | Gadsden, AL | ||
| Riley, Tim | Gospel | Bass Vocals | Gold City | Sept. 29, 1945 | Gadsden, AL | ||
| Achiever | Style | Instrument | Worked With | Date of Birth | Date of Death | Place of Birth | Home |
| Riser, Nell Temple | Country | Vocals | Elvis Presley, Joan Baez | 1949 | Pell City, AL | ||
| Risher, Tom | Celtic, Jazz | Percussion, Educator | UNA, Full Moon Ensemble | Aug. 3, 1950 | Meridian, MS | Florence, AL | |
| Roberts, Caughey | R&B | Alto Sax, Clarinet | Kid Ory, Roy Milton | Aug. 25, 1912 | Tuskegee, AL | ||
| Robertson, Ed | Classical | Piano, Composer | Richmond, VA | Montevallo, AL | |||
| Robertson, Mae | Folk | Vocals | Children's Records | 1955 | Birmingham, AL | ||
| Robertson, Victoria | Opera | Vocals | Carnegie Hall | Anniston, AL | |||
| Robinson, Johnny | R&B | Vocals | 1939 | Tuskegee, AL | |||
| Robinson, McNeal | Organ | Birmingham, AL | |||||
| Robinson, Roscoe | Gospel, R&B | Vocals | May 22, 1928 | Dumont, AL | |||
| Achiever | Style | Instrument | Worked With | Date of Birth | Date of Death | Place of Birth | Home |
| Roden, Wayne | Classical | Violin | U.S. Army's Strolling Strings | AL | |||
| Rodgers, Jimmie | Country | Vocals, Guitar | Father of Country Music | Sept. 8, 1897 | May 26, 1933 | Geiger, AL | |
| Rodman, Judy | Country | Vocals | Decatur, AL | ||||
| Rogers, Scott | Gospel | Tenor Vocals, Engineer | n'harmony | 1967 | May, 11 2003 | North Alabama | Cleveland, AL |
| Roland, Walter | Blues | Piano | Lucille Bogan | Dec. 4, 1903 | Oct. 12, 1972 | Pratt City, AL | |
| Rollin' In The Hay | Bluegrass | Group | Birmingham, AL | ||||
| Rorex, Ricky | Bluegrass | Mandolin | 1994 National Mandolin Champion | Stevenson, AL | |||
| Rose, Charles | R&B, Country, Rock | Trombone, Arranger | Muscle Shoals Studios, Muscle Shoals Horns | Sheffield, AL | |||
| Rosenbaum, Gerald | Classical | Violin | AL Symphony Orchestra | 9/2/1950 | Birmingham, AL | ||
| Ross, Lewis | Rock | Drums | Wet Willie | Mobile, AL | |||
| Ross, Mark | R&B, Rap | Vocals | 2 Live Crew | 1967 | Attalla, AL | ||
| Rosser, Tolton C. | Jazz, Classical | Trumpet | Lionel Hampton, B'Ham Heritage | July 29, 1932 | Birmingham, AL | ||
| Achiever | Style | Instrument | Worked With | Date of Birth | Date of Death | Place of Birth | Home |
| Rowan, Rusty | Gospel | Piano, Bass | Wilburns | Boaz, AL | |||
| Rowell, Ernie | Country | Vocals, Songwriter, Guitar | George Jones, Ray Price | May 3, 1950 | Auburn, AL | Loachapoka, AL | |
| Rowan, Rusty | Gospel | Piano, Bass, Drums | Wilburns, Naomi and The Segos | June 28,1972 | Boaz, AL | ||
| Rudd, Joe | Rock, R&B, Country | Guitar | Sailcat, Alex Taylor | Dec. 29, 1947 | Tuscaloosa, AL | ||
| Ruff, Willie | Jazz, Classical | French Horn | Mitchell Ruff Trio | Sept. 1, 1931 | Sheffield, AL | ||
| Ruffino, Tony | Pop, Rock, Country | Promoter | Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd | NY | Birmingham, AL | ||
| Rumore, Joe | Country, Pop, Rock | Radio DJ | WVOK Birmingham | Birmingham, AL | |||
| Rushing, Rick | Pop, Rock | Engineer | FAME, Bill Lowery | Sheffield, AL | |||
| Russell, Jenny | Country | Songwriter | Oct. 8, 1941 | Red Bay, AL | |||
| Russell, Lucy Hallman | Classical | Vocals | Feb. 10, 1949 | Guntersville, AL | |||
| Achiever | Style | Instrument | Worked With | Date of Birth | Date of Death | Place of Birth | Home |
| Russell, Max | Rock, Blues | Guitar, Vocals | Sheffield, AL | ||||
| Rutherford, Bruce Alan | Country, Rock, Jazz | Drums, Vocals | Ian Tyson, Keith Whitley | Nov. 9, 1956 | Birmingham, AL | ||
| Rutledge, Jim | Country | Songwriter | AL | ||||
| Rymer, Robert N. | Country, Jazz | A&R | Capital Records | Feb. 17, 1958 | Birmingham, AL |