In no particular order:

Larry Carlton, Ernie Isley, George Benson, Wes Montgomery, Nick Colionne, Jimi Hendrix, Craig Chaquico, Neal Schon, Norman Brown, Phil Upchurch, Carlos Santana, Prince, Leo Nocentelli, David Williams, Johnny “Guitar” Watson, Paul Jackson Jr., Phelps “Catfish” Collins, George Johnson, Gary Shider, Jimmy Nolen, Freddie Stone, Tony Maiden, Nile Rodgers, and Al McKay.

Although I'm NOT a fan of today's rap or heavy metal, here's a very informative article about how White music industry executives created fictional, thuggish rap characters to pander to Whites' basest desires and fantasies, and in the process marginalized rappers who rapped about positive things, such as family, love, marriage, etc., and social issues.
They destroyed the genre.

"How Music Executives Created 'Black' Hip Hop For White Suburban Kids."

"White men — specifically young, suburban white men — consume around 80% of hip-hop music.

This became a recognized industry fact in 1991, and since then, the music industry has crafted mainstream hip-hop culture to appeal to that demographic.

Raps containing gangbangers, drug dealers, pimps, and hoes were pushed to the forefront, as executives believed that the sexiness and danger of these lifestyles were what White audiences craved from the genre.

These stories were crafted, packaged, and sold as representing authentic 'blackness.' (JL: most Whites are easily fooled when they're receptive to racism)

Other core attributes of early hip-hop music, such as its political critique, social commentary, comedy, and spirituality — represented by classic groups such as A Tribe Called Quest, Public Enemy, Mos Def, and Talib Kweli — were pushed to the fringe and are now considered 'alternative' uniquely socially engaged, and, sometimes, 'white.'"

For more see:

http://mic.com/articles/78487/how-music-executives-created-black-hip-hop-for-white-suburban-kids


JL: "as executives believed that the sexiness and danger of these lifestyles were what White audiences craved..."
This, no doubt, led to Whites holding even more stereotypical and/or racist beliefs about African Americans.

As the large, White-owned music companies pushed this **negative rap** ****, Classic R&B groups were pushed out of the industry.

Groups where the personnel could actually play an instrument, such as the bass, drums, guitars(lead or rhythm), horns, keyboards, percussion, etc....were pushed out.

However, I'm glad to write that many of these Classic R&B groups still tour in the U.S., Europe, the Middle and Far East, and other countries around the world.

keyboards

One of my favorites is Marion Meadows' "Suede."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8bUUADNd_I

What are some of your favorite smooth jazz songs?

When replying, please include a link to YouTube or another site so we can listen to them.

Whether the surge is working or not, most Americans in polls are conveying that they want the troops brought home.
They don't want them over there for 100 years, as McCain said he'd do.

So it appears that Obama is going along with the public's wishes. Yet, some are *****ing about that.