Definitely not a superstar, but a somewhat underappreciated “by-the-general-public” musician. He was foundational in creating the funk sound by originating the slap technique for electric bass. Massively influential in a behind-the-scenes sort of way.
Mel Tillis was very famous, even outside of C&W fans.
I never heard of Pam Tillis.
Yeah. I personally like Pam Tillis better, but Mel is more famous.
I thought about this one for a while and Wait a Minute is a better song than anything the Fresh Price did, but I don’t think it’s all that close. You have multiple platinum albums (vs 0 for Willow) and several #1 chart-topping songs (vs 0 for Willow.) Plus Will did it back when hiphop wasn’t the biggest thing in music.
I’d say he’s as responsible as anyone for making hip-hop mainstream.
The band Wilson Phillips is comprised of Carnie and Wendy Williams, the daughters of Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys (way more popular than his children) and Marilyn Rovell of the Honeys (the daughters probably eclipsed their mother).
The other member of Wilson Phillips is Chynna Phillips who at least rivals the fame of her parents Papa John Phillips and Mama Michelle Phillips (of the Mamas & the Papas). I’d say she’s more famous than in infamous father and about the same as her mother.
I would respectfully disagree, regarding the Phillipses.
Even setting aside anything outside of John and Michelle’s music careers for which they were famous (or infamous), The Mamas & the Papas were a hugely popular group for several years in the late '60s: in four years (1965-1968), they had six top 10 singles (and another two which reached the top 20), three top 10 albums, and a Grammy Award; they were elected to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
Wilson Phillips essentially had their massive debut album (which had three #1 singles and a #4 single), but that was their peak. Their second album did not do as well, they broke up soon after, and Chynna’s solo career wasn’t successful.
I might even argue Mackenzie and Bijou Philips are both slightly more prominent than Chynna, Bijou more so. Probably depends on your age for Mackenzie. In addition to the at one time relentless ripped-from-the-tabloids infamy (booze! drugs! disorderly conduct! firings! incest!) she was pretty prominent on the sitcom One Day at a Time which burrowed into the brains of people my age.
Bijou has acted in a ton of films in supporting roles, modeled and has had her own share of infamy (assault, physical and purportedly sexual! formerly married to convicted rapist!).
Regardless, I agree John and Michelle are still are more famous than the kids.
There’s also the fact that Shania’s birth name is Eilleen Edwards. She got the surname Twain from her stepfather, Jerry Twain, when he married her mother and adopted Eilleen and her two sisters.
And his sons Mathew and Gunnar formed the band Nelson which was popular in the 90s and performed until the 2010s. Combined with their parents and grandparents, they’re the only family to hit #1 on the charts in 3 different generations.
I am baffled how anyone could consider Liza Minelli a bigger star than her mother Judy Garland.
I bet there are a lot of people who know Garland play Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz who never even HEARD of Minelli.
Liza is definitely more famous nowadays than her father–director Vincente Minnelli
Sammy Davis was a talented dancer and vaudeville performer, who appeared in two movies, Sweet and Low, and The Benny Goodman Story. I think it’s fair to say that his son surpassed him. I’m assuming that dancing is close enough to music to qualify for this thread.
I just happened to be listening to a Wilson Phillips album when I first opened this thread earlier this week. I thought about if they would fit, but decided against it.
Richard Marx’s father Dick Marx was a jazz pianist, arranger, and composer who made several albums in the 50s and played along with big names, but I’m not sure I would list him as “famous”.
I strongly disagree with all 3. As an aside Nancy was a terrible “singer.”
Pete Townsend of the Who had a musical father. His father Clifford played saxophone in the Royal Air Force band and later had a solo pop hit with a cover version of Unchained Melody. Clifford has his own Wikipedia page.
TCMF-2L
The clavinet thread had me reading about Stevie Wonder. His Mom, Lula Mae Hardaway, had some success co-writing with him during his early years. She was even nominated for a Grammy for co-writing Signed, Sealed, Delivered. However, like Holt, I think their successes were more due to their children.