Listen and Learn

Record Covers

The Two Lives of Sara takes place in 1960s Memphis. Like many cities in early 1960s America, Memphis was segregated, but change was in the air. News spread of the Freedom Riders. Across the country, people like Martin Luther King Jr. were leading the fight for equal rights. Black literature and music provided the stories and soundtrack for these turbulent and hopeful times.

Discover the sounds and music of this era through a Spotify playlist that features the songs mentioned in The Two Lives of Sara. Click on the play button on the playlist to hear a portion of the song or use your Spotify app to listen to the full playlist.

As you listen, read along and learn more about the musicians included in this playlist. Click on the links in the artists' profiles to take a look at more related materials in the library's collection.

 

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The Mar-Keys

A group of white teenagers formed The Mar-Keys in 1958 and helped establish the sound of Memphis soul and Southern soul for Stax Records. Although they only had one big hit, “Last Night,” the song featured a unique combination of instrumentals with the guitar, organ and horns. Many members in this group went on to play in other bands for this influential label.


In the Library's Collection
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Nina Simone

Nina Simone was a brilliant singer, songwriter and musician who defied categorization through her iconic blend of classical, jazz and gospel-influenced music. In the early 1960s as her popularity grew, Simone joined the civil rights movement and became a friend of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X and other prominent leaders of the time. Her song lyrics called out racism, segregation and injustice and became the music of the movement.


In the Library's Collection
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Big Mama Thornton

Big Mama Thornton (born Willie Mae Thornton) was a pioneer in blues and R&B genres. In 1952, she released her first single, “Hound Dog,” and the song was a hit, later made even more famous when it was covered by Elvis Presley. Thornton released several other hit singles, including "Ball and Chain" and "I'm Gonna Rock You Right.” She was a powerful and charismatic performer, known for her strong vocals and energetic stage presence.


In the Library's Collection

 

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Ike and Tina Turner

Known for their seductive R&B style, this American husband-wife duo formed one of the most dynamic groups of the 1960s and early 1970s. Their first hit single was “A Fool in Love” in 1960. Other enduring hits included “It’s Gonna Work Out Fine,” “River Deep – Mountain High” and “Proud Mary.” After divorcing, Tina Turner launched her solo recording career, and she went on to become a global superstar and icon. They were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.


In the Library's Collection

 

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Ray Charles

A gifted pianist, songwriter and vocalist, Ray Charles pioneered soul music and performed in styles spanning R&B, gospel, jazz, country, popular music and rock and roll. By age seven, he was permanently blinded after contracting glaucoma and learned to read braille music in school. He became a professional musician in the 1950s and had many hits throughout his career including “I Got a Woman,” “Hit the Road Jack,” “Georgia on My Mind” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You."


In the Library's Collection

 

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The Marvelettes

In 1961, a group of suburban Detroit high school friends formed the Marvelettes (originally named the Casinyets as in “can’t sing yet”). This all-girl band became the first Motown group of any gender to have a #1 hit with “Please Mr. Postman,” released as their single debut. Other successful singles followed, including “Playboy,” “Beechwood 4-5789,” “Too Many Fish in the Sea” and “Don’t Mess with Bill.” The group drifted apart in the late 1960s.


In the Library's Collection

 

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Dee Clark

Dee Clark was a versatile singer who blended gospel, blues and jazz influences into his music. He was also a gifted songwriter, penning many of his own hits. Clark's music has been covered by many top bands including The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. While his fame was short-lived, he is often regarded as a pioneer of soul music and best remembered for his song “Raindrops,” a major hit released in 1961.


In the Library's Collection

 

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James Brown

James Brown was a singer, songwriter, dancer and record producer who is widely considered one of the most influential figures in the history of popular music. Throughout his lengthy career, he earned many honorific nicknames including "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr. Dynamite" and "Soul Brother Number One.” Brown was a master of funk music, a genre that he helped to define. His music was characterized by its driving rhythms, complex horn arrangements, and Brown's energetic vocals and flashy dance moves.


In the Library's Collection

 

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Freddie King

Known for his soulful and powerful voice and distinctive guitar playing, Freddie King was a major influence on electric blues music and on many blues guitarists. He was renowned for melding Texas blues and Chicago blues into a unique sound. That style helped him become a prominent guitarist on the west side of Chicago’s blues scene, which led to recording deals and extensive touring. King was also one of the first bluesmen to play in front of a racially integrated group of musicians.


In the Library's Collection

 

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Bobby Bland

Bobby “Blue” Bland was a blues singer who developed a new sound by mixing gospel music with blues and R&B. As an aspiring musician in the late 1940s, he was a Beale Streeter, hanging out with B.B. King, Rosco Gordan and Johnny Ace and recording for Chess Records and Modern Records. He found commercial success in the late 1950s with hits including “Farther Up the Road,” “Turn on Your Love Light” and “I Pity the Fools.”


In the Library's Collection

 

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Sam Cooke

Sam Cooke was a singer and songwriter often referred to as the “King of Soul.” He sang in the gospel quartet The Soul Stirrers before beginning his solo career in 1957. He had 29 singles that hit the Billboard Top 40 Chart including “You Send Me," "A Change Is Gonna Come," "Cupid," "Wonderful World," "Chain Gang," "Twistin' the Night Away," "Bring It On Home to Me" and "Good Times.” He was also important in the Civil Rights Movement, using his popularity to promote racial equality.


In the Library's Collection

 

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Chubby Checker

Chubby Checker was a rock and roll singer and dancer. He was born Ernest Evans in South Carolina and raised in the projects of South Philadelphia. He popularized many dances in the early 1960s through his songs “The Twist,” “Pony Time,” “Limbo Rock” and “Let’s Twist Again.” His hit song “The Twist” revolutionized dance floors, enabling men and women to dance separately.


In the Library's Collection

 

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The Flamingos

The Flamingos are a doo-wop group formed in Chicago in 1951. They are most known for their 1959 hit, “I Only Have Eyes for You.” The group had success in the mid-1950s to late 1960s with records that included “I’ll be Home,” A Kiss from Your Lips,” “The Vow,” “Lovers Never Say Goodbye,” among others. The Flamingos lost members and added new members starting in the early 1960s. They became a revival act by the early 1970s and are currently performing throughout the U.S.


In the Library's Collection

 

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Solomon Burke

Crowned the “King of Rock 'n' Soul,” Solomon Burke sold 17 million albums over 55 years of his career. Burke developed his own style of R&B that drew on his background of gospel, jazz, country and blues. He had a string of hits from 1961 to 1965 that helped keep Atlantic Records in business. His hits included “Just Out of Reach (Of My Two Open Arms),” “Cry to Me,” “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love” and “Got to Get You Off of My Mind.”


In the Library's Collection