caption associated_acts death_date death_place years_active birth_place notable_instruments label name background birth_date instrument genre image article_title birth_name occupation
mayfield performing for dutch television , 1972 . the impressions , jerry butler 26 december 1999 roswell , georgia , united states 1956 -- 1999 chicago , illinois , united states fender stratocaster curtom , warner bros. , rhino curtis mayfield solo_singer 3 june 1942 vocals piano keyboards guitar soul soul jazz chicago soul funk r & b gospel psychedelic curtis mayfield.png curtis mayfield
 curtis lee mayfield singer-songwriter guitarist record producer
curtis mayfield

curtis lee mayfield -lrb- june 3 , 1942 -- december 26 , 1999 -rrb- was a soul , r&b , and funk singer-songwriter , guitarist , and record producer , who was one of the most influential musicians behind soul and politically conscious african-american music .
he first achieved success and recognition with the impressions during the civil rights movement of the late 1950s and 1960s , and later worked as a solo artist .
born in chicago , illinois , mayfield started his musical career in a gospel choir .
moving to chicago 's north side he met jerry butler in 1956 at the age of 14 , and joined vocal group the impressions .
as a songwriter , mayfield became noted as one of the first musicians to bring more prevalent themes of social awareness into soul music .
in 1965 , he wrote `` people get ready '' for the impressions , which displayed his more politically charged songwriting .
ranked at no. 24 on `` rolling stone '' 's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time , the song received numerous other awards , and was included in the rock and roll hall of fame 500 songs that shaped rock and roll , as well as being inducted into the grammy hall of fame in 1998 .
after leaving the impressions in 1970 in the pursuit of a solo career , mayfield released several albums , including the soundtrack for the blaxploitation film `` super fly '' in 1972 .
the soundtrack was noted for its socially conscious themes , mostly addressing problems surrounding inner city minorities such as crime , poverty and drug abuse .
the album was ranked at no. 72 on `` rolling stone '' 's list of 500 greatest albums of all time .
mayfield was paralyzed from the neck down after lighting equipment fell on him during a live performance at wingate field in flatbush , brooklyn , new york on august 13 , 1990 .
he continued his career as a recording artist , releasing his final album `` new world order '' in 1997 .
mayfield won a grammy legend award in 1994 and a grammy lifetime achievement award in 1995 , and was a double inductee into the rock and roll hall of fame , as a member of the impressions in 1991 , and again in 1999 as a solo artist .
he was also a two-time grammy hall of fame inductee .
he died from complications of diabetes in 1999 at the age of 57 .
