Curtis Mayfield (1942–1999) was a Chicago-born singer, guitarist, and producer who led the Impressions before a landmark solo run on his own Curtom label. Super Fly (1972) and Curtis (1970) are the essentials — foundational soul and funk that has been sampled ever since. Browse Curtis Mayfield vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Curtis Lee Mayfield was born in Chicago, Illinois on June 3, 1942. He joined the Impressions in 1958 and led the group as principal songwriter and lead vocalist through 1970, writing socially engaged classics including People Get Ready, Keep On Pushing, and We're a Winner. He launched his solo career with Curtis (1970) on his own Curtom Records label and produced the landmark Super Fly soundtrack (1972), which became one of the most acclaimed Black film soundtracks and a defining funk and soul document. On August 13, 1990, he was paralyzed from the neck down when stage lighting fell on him during an outdoor concert in Brooklyn. He continued limited recording while paralyzed (notably New World Order in 1996) before dying on December 26, 1999 in Roswell, Georgia.
Mayfield's solo work spans soul, funk, R&B, gospel, and psychedelic soul, with extensive incorporation of social and political consciousness, gospel-influenced vocal arrangements, and innovative funk and soul production. He is widely cited as a foundational influence on soul, funk, hip hop, and contemporary R&B traditions, with extensive sampling of his work across decades.
Original Curtom Records pressings of the Curtis Mayfield solo catalog are foundational items in soul and funk collecting. Multiple anniversary reissues, audiophile pressings (Mobile Fidelity, Speakers Corner), and box sets have been released across the catalog.
Listeners new to Curtis Mayfield typically start with Super Fly (1972) or Curtis (1970).
