Joe Turner

A monumental figure in American music, Big Joe Turner was the premiere blues shouter of the post-war era with a roaring voice and hard-swinging style that prefigured rock & roll. Turner started performing in the late 1920s as a singer for Bennie Moten, Count Basie, and others. Over the next couple of decades, he helped define the boogie-woogie, R&B, and jump-blues styles, alongside the likes of Louis Jordan, Wynonie Harris, and Roy Brown. In the early '50s, he laid down the template for rock & roll with hits like "Chains of Love," "Honey Hush," and the landmark "Shake, Rattle & Roll." His style proved an enormous influence on the first generation of rock & roll artists (many of whom covered the songs Turner made famous). Turner continued to perform well into the '70s, having solidified his legendary status by the time of his passing in 1985.