Brown-eyed soul is a subgenre of soul or rhythm and blues created mainly by Italian-Americans and Latinos during the 1950s and thriving into the 1980s. The genre of soul music occasionally draws from Latin and Italian folk music, and often contains rock influences. For other uses, see Soul music (disambiguation). ... Doo-wop is a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music popular in the mid-1950s to the early 1960s in America. ... Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of music based on the use of the blue notes and a repetitive pattern that most often follows a twelve-bar structure. ... Rhythm and blues (also known as R&B or RnB) is a popular music genre combining jazz, gospel, and blues influences — first performed by African American artists. ... Latin American music, sometimes simply called Latin music, includes the music of many countries and comes in many varieties, from the simple, rural conjunto music of northern Mexico to the sophisticated habanera of Cuba, from the symphonies of Heitor Villa-Lobos to the simple and moving Andean flute. ... Italian folk music has a deep and complex history. ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... An Italian-American is an American of Italian descent either born in America or someone who has immigrated. ... // The term Latino is a linguistic identity that refers to an individual that has significant ancestry from a nation-state where a Latin derived language is spoken or is the offical language of the government. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The electric bass guitar (or electric bass) is an electrically-amplified string instrument played with the fingers by plucking, slapping, or using a pick. ... Piano, a well-known instance of keyboard instruments A keyboard instrument is any musical instrument played using a musical keyboard. ... For other kinds of drums, see drum (disambiguation). ... In a symphony orchestra the horn section is the group of musicians who play the horn (sometimes referred to as the French horn). ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... The 1980s refers to the years from 1980 to 1989. ... Funk is an African American musical style. ... Latin rap is not a homogeneous musical style but rather a term that covers all Rap music recorded by artists of Latino origin. ... R&B was a term previously used to describe Rhythm and blues music, during the 1940s and 1960s. ... This is a list of soul musicians. ... For other uses, see Soul music (disambiguation). ... Rhythm and blues (also known as R&B or RnB) is a popular music genre combining jazz, gospel, and blues influences — first performed by African American artists. ... An Italian-American is an American of Italian descent either born in America or someone who has immigrated. ... // The term Latino is a linguistic identity that refers to an individual that has significant ancestry from a nation-state where a Latin derived language is spoken or is the offical language of the government. ... Latin American music, sometimes simply called Latin music, includes the music of many countries and comes in many varieties, from the simple, rural conjunto music of northern Mexico to the sophisticated habanera of Cuba, from the symphonies of Heitor Villa-Lobos to the simple and moving Andean flute. ... Italian folk music has a deep and complex history. ... For other uses, see Rock music (disambiguation). ...

Origin

Brown-eyed soul emerged from the 1950s simultaneously on the East Coast United States, in the large Italian American neighborhoods and smaller Hispanic communities, and on the West Coast, in the much larger Hispanic communities. Chicago soul and Motown hits were crowd favorites at dances and clubs during the late '50s and early '60s. Italian American and Latino artists began to imitated and draw from the Motown hits, and as a result, brown-eyed soul began sounding very similar to African American soul. Early brown-eyed soul artists owed little to traditional Latin and Italian music and rarely performed in Spanish or Italian. An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ...

Ritchie Valens, one of the original pioneers of brown-eyed soul music, also became one of the first brown-eyed soul artists to bring traditional Latin music and rock and roll influences into the genre. Meanwhile, the popular Italian American crooner Dean Martin began to bring Italian and Hispanic influences into his soul records. On the East Coast, the Italian American Newark soul group, Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, as well as their fellow East Coast Italians, The Elegants and The Mystics, brought Italian Doo-Wop influences to brown-eyed soul. Still other Italian American and Latino groups on the East Coast drew from the funk-influenced Philadelphia soul, or "Philly" soul. Richard Steven Valenzuela (May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959), was a pioneer of rock and roll. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Nickname: Map of Newark in Essex County County Essex Founded/Incorporated 1666/1836 Government  - Mayor Cory Booker, term of office 2006–2010 Area [1]  - City 67. ... Frankie Valli (born May 3, 1934[1] in the First Ward of Newark, New Jersey as Francis Stephen Castelluccio) is best known as the lead singer of The Four Seasons, a music act of the 1960s, which continued from then to the 1970s disco scene to the present day. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Elegants is a doo-wop band that was started in 1958 by Vito Picone, Arthur Venosa, Frank Tardogano, Carmen Romano and James Mochella in South Beach, Staten Island. ... The Mystics are a singing group which began in Brooklyn, New York, USA in the late 1950s. ... Doo-wop is a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music popular in the mid-1950s to the early 1960s in America. ... Funk is an African American musical style. ... Nickname: Motto: Philadelphia maneto - Let brotherly love continue Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country United States Commonwealth Pennsylvania County Philadelphia Founded October 27, 1682 Incorporated October 25, 1701 Government  - Mayor John F. Street (D) Area  - City 369. ... For the American indoor football team, see Philadelphia Soul. ...

Inspired by Ritchie Valens, 1960s and 70s bands such as Cannibal & the Headhunters ("Land of a Thousand Dances") and Thee Midniters played brown-eyed R&B music with a rebellious rock and roll edge. Many of these artists drew from the frat rock and garage rock scenes. However, the large Hispanic population on the West Coast began gradually moving away from energetic R&B to romantic soul, and the results were "some of the sweetest soul music heard during the late '60s and '70s." (Allmusic Guide) Cannibal & The Headhunters are one of the fist Mexican-American groups to have a hit record - and its one of the catchiest and most-recorded songs of the Rock n Roll era - Land of 1000 Dances. Theyre still big favorites of many oldies disc jockeys. ... Land of A Thousand Dances is a song by Wilson Pickett. ... Thee Midniters were amongst the first Latino rock bands to have a major hit in the United States, and one of the best known acts to come out of East Los Angeles in the 1960s, with a cover of Land of a Thousand Dances and the instrumental Whittier Boulevard in... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... Frat rock is a subgenre of rock and roll / roots rock. ... Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that enjoyed its original period of wide success in the United States and Canada, from 1963 to 1967. ...

Despite the movement to smoother soul, War, Malo, El Chicano, and other brown-eyed soul bands of the 1970s continued to create soul more influenced by funk, rock, and Latin folk music. Funk-influenced brown-eyed soul anthems continued to breach the charts during the mid-'70s (a good example being Bloodstone's "Natural High"), but the genre began to waver during the 1980s. War was a multiracial, multicultural American funk band of the 1970s from Southern California, known for the hit song Low Rider. Formed in 1969, War was the first and most successful musical crossover, fusing elements of rock, funk, jazz, Latin music, R&B, and even reggae. ... Malo was a Latin based Rock and Roll group. ... El Chicano is a Latin R&B band from Los Angeles, whose influences can be found in rock, funk, soul, blues, jazz, and salsa. ...

Early Brown-Eyed Soul Artists

• The Belmonts
• Tony Bennett
• The Elegants
• The Four Aces
• Dean Martin
• The Mystics
• Ritchie Valens

The Belmonts are a doo wop group that originated in the 1950s. ... For other persons named Tony Bennett, see Tony Bennett (disambiguation). ... The Elegants is a doo-wop band that was started in 1958 by Vito Picone, Arthur Venosa, Frank Tardogano, Carmen Romano and James Mochella in South Beach, Staten Island. ... The Four Aces were a pop singing group. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Mystics are a singing group which began in Brooklyn, New York, USA in the late 1950s. ... Richard Steven Valenzuela (May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959), was a pioneer of rock and roll. ...

Brown-Eyed Soul Artists from the 60s Onward

• The Blendells
• Bloodstone
• Brothers of Soul
• Cannibal & the Headhunters
• The Duprees
• El Chicano
• The Four Seasons
• Malo
• The Premiers
• The Romancers
• Thee Midniters
• Tierra
• Frankie Valli
• Vito & the Salutations
• War