Curtis Mayfield

On August 13, 1990, a tragedy struck Mayfield. During a stage show at Wingate Field in Flatbush, Brooklyn, lighting equipment fell on him. As a result of this accident, he became paralyzed from the neck down.

Even after being bedridden, he had the determination to compose and sing. He learnt how to sing while lying on his back, allowing gravity to create the pressure on his lungs. He also directed the recording of his last album, ‘New World Order,’ after he was bedridden.

Curtis Mayfield was born on June 3, 1942, in Chicago, Illinois, to Marion Washington and Kenneth Mayfield. He had four siblings. His father left them when he was only five. His mother and maternal grandmother moved the children from one place to another, and finally settled at Cabrini-Green in Chicago.

He went to Wells Community Academy High School, but soon dropped out. While his mother taught him the piano, he learnt to play the guitar on his own. When he was seven, he sang at the church with the gospel singers. When he was 14, he formed his own gospel and soul group, the Alphatones.

In 1956, Curtis Mayfield joined his friend Jerry Butler's group, The Roosters, which was later renamed to the Impressions. During that time, he started composing music and writing songs. In the initial years, the Impressions churned out two hit singles—‘For Your Precious Love’ and ‘Come Back My Love’.

After Jerry Butler left the band and started a solo career, Mayfield co-wrote songs with him, and also performed on his hit single, ‘He Will Break Your Heart’. Mayfield was now the lead singer of the Impressions, and he composed several hits for the band including ‘Gypsy Woman’ and ‘Amen’.

In 1964, with the hit song ‘Keep on Pushing,’ he became a hit for giving a racial and political touch to his music.The songs ‘People Get Ready’ and ‘I'm So Proud’ made him even more popular among the socially conscious population. The band continued to enjoy success with hits like ‘Fool For You’, ‘This is My Country’, ‘Choice Of Colors’, and ‘Check Out Your Mind’.

In 1968, Mayfield formed his own label, Curtom Records, and in 1970, he left the Impressions to start a solo career. In the same year, he released his first solo album, ‘Curtis’ which became a hit.

He contributed to the soundtrack of the film ‘Super Fly’ in 1972. After the success of ‘Curtis’ and ‘SuperFly’, he was much in demand. While Gladys Knight & the Pips recorded his music for the soundtrack of the film ‘Claudine’ in 1974, Aretha Franklin recorded him for the soundtrack of the film ‘Sparkle’ in 1976.

The single ‘Keep on Pushing’, written by Curtis Mayfield, was the title song from the Impressions’ hit album of the same name. The song became so popular that it was sung during the Civil Rights Movement demonstrations in America in the 1960s. It was a Top 40 single and a Top 10 Pop hit.

His solo album, ‘Curtis’, which reached the Top 20 in the US Billboard Pop Albums Chart, was critically praised. Released by Curtom Records, it reached the No.1 spot on the Billboard Black Albums Chart.

His ‘SuperFly’ (soundtrack) was commercially successful and critically acclaimed. It peaked at the No. 1 position on the Pop Albums Chart and remained there for four weeks. His hard-hitting lyrics beautifully explained the status of the black people in the United States, and the album was considered a classic of the 1970s’ soul music.