Photo: AVRO / CC BY-SA 3.0 nl (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Curtis Mayfield is, for me, the conscience of soul music. The Chicago-born Gentle Genius wrapped hard truths about race and injustice in melodies so warm you almost forget how radical they are, scoring the civil rights era from the inside. The Superfly soundtrack still feels electric decades on. What moves me most is his resilience: paralyzed from the neck down after a 1990 stage accident, he kept recording lying flat on his back, sheer will overriding his body. The Grammy Lifetime Achievement honor and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are deserved, but his real legacy is that prayer-like voice and its refusal to be silenced.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Curtis Mayfield
- Name (Japanese)
- カーティス・メイフィールド
- Reading
- かーてぃす・めいふぃーるど
- Born
- June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Horse
- Origin
- Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- guitarist / singer / singer-songwriter / pianist / songwriter
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Wells Community Academy High School
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 1995 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
- 1994 Grammy Legend Award
- 1999 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Curtis Mayfield born?
June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999.
Where is Curtis Mayfield from?
Curtis Mayfield is from Chicago, Illinois, United States.
What does Curtis Mayfield do?
Curtis Mayfield works as guitarist, singer, singer-songwriter, pianist, songwriter.
Guitarist — see all → · Singer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.