Music Runs in These Families

By Cameron McIntosh

Motlow Buzz Contributing writer

Some families are lucky to have one famous musician in them. My family was one of them. My grandfather, Lonnie McIntosh, was a hit artist. I can remember singing with him early in my life before he passed. He has inspired me to look at other musical families.

My Grandfather Lonnie McIntosh with Stevie Ray Vaughan

Sometimes a family may have two or more successful musicians pursuing careers at the same time. Some musicians even pass on their musical talents down the family line. In this case, music in fact runs in the family.

            Most people today know musical legend Sir Paul McCartney. He achieved world-renowned success in the 1960s as a singer and song-writer for the British rock band The Beatles. He also found success as a solo artist. He has more than 3,000 copyrights to his name. He has written and performed many hits over the course of the second half of the 20th century and the early 21st century. His contribution to music was so great in fact that he was knighted for it in 1997 by the Queen of England. He is one of the most recognizable faces in music. 
            For more info visit

https://www.celebfamily.com/entertainment/sir-paul-mccartney-family.html.

            What most people don’t know is that Paul McCartney has a son named James McCartney. Although not yet as successful, the apple does not fall far from the tree. He has been performing since the 1990s. He first started playing in the ‘90s on some of his father's solo albums. He mostly provided background music and percussion.

He also co-wrote the songs “Spinning On An Axis" and "Back In The Sunshine Again" on his father's solo album "Driving Rain." He released his first solo album in 2010. It was titled "Available Light." His second album titled "Close at Hand” was released in 2011. His most recent album "Me" was released in 2016.
In a 2012 BBC article, James McCartney praised his father for his positive influence and for the help he has received in trying to make his own legacy. James has said that his father encourages him to pursue a career in music and roots for his success. James McCartney hopes to be as successful as his father's band one day but knows that that he still has a long way to go. 

Visit https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-17547939 for more info.

            Britney Spears was a hit artist in the late 1990s on through the 2000s. She has released several chart-topping hits in the United States and internationally. Spears has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide. She turned into a pop icon during the turn of the 21st century. She is listed as the record holder by Guinness World Records for having the "best-selling album by a teenage solo artist" for her debut album ”Baby One More Time,” which sold more than 13 million copies in the United States. She is credited for paving the way for the pop music that plays on the radio today.

            Jamie Lynne Spears is the younger sister of Britney Spears. Most people know her from the Nickelodeon teen drama "Zoey 101," where she plays the main character Zoey. She started out as a child actress by playing as her older sister's character "Lucy" in “Total Britney Live." She joined Nickelodeon in 2002 as an extra in "All That." She left the network when it was revealed that she was pregnant at 16 years of age with her daughter Maddie.

Jamie began her music career after moving to Nashville. Instead of following her sister by singing pop music, she decided to get into country. 
You can learn more at the following websites: https://www.biography.com/people/jamie-lynn-spears-262390; 

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/see-britney-spears-surprise-sister-jamie-lynn-at-the-opry-20160316; and 

http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/5819624/jamie-lynn-spears-exclusive-qa-there-is-no-rivalry-with-britney.

            She started in 2011 with a small concert at the Rutledge in Nashville, playing a set of songs she wrote herself. In 2013, she released her own first single titled "How Could I Want More." The single hit number 29 on the Billboard’s Hot 100 Country Songs Chart. Her first EP "The Journey," was released in 2014.

In 2016, she performed at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. She also released her second single "Sleepover" later that same year.

It is early in her career, so it is too soon to tell if she will enjoy the same success as her older sister, but that will in no way discount her talent as a musician. 
For more information, visit https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/nov/21/britney-spears-jamie-lynn-spears-country-album.

            Bob Marley was a legendary Jamaican-born reggae performer. He is one of the best-selling artists of all time. His record "Exodus" has sold more than 75 million copies worldwide. Marley also performed with other family members, including his brothers who were part of his background band in the 1970s. Tragically, he was diagnosed with Acral Lentiginous Melanoma (a form of cancer) in 1977 and passed away in 1981 at the prime age of 36.

No one can deny his influence on the reggae genre and music in general. His music also made him a global symbol inspiring a global phenomenon in certain merchandising. He put Jamaica on the musical map and paved the way for other Jamaican performers, including his son Damien Marley. 
You can learn more about him at https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/deadly-profitable-the-13-highest-earning-dead-celebrities/article21112085.

            His son Damien Marley has done well in continuing his father's legacy. Damien has had some hits of his own. He started performing at the age of 13 when he formed his own band called The Shepherds. His first album titled “Mr. Marley” was a collaborative effort between him and his older brother Stephen. Damien’s "Halfway Tree" received praise for its combining of dance and hip-hop styles. The record won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album.

Even with the Grammy, it did not translate into much commercial success. Damien did not receive huge commercial success until the release of the album "Welcome to Jamrock" in 2005. This album won him another Grammy for Best Urban/Alternative Performance, and also peeked at number seven on the Billboard Top 200 album. With that he accomplished one thing that his father did not, winning a Grammy Award. 
You can go to http://www.huffingtonpost.com/varun-soni/bob-marleys-spiritual-leg_b_453614.html and https://www.biography.com/people/damian-marley-297416 for more information.

            Musical talent runs in my family as well. My grandfather, Lonnie McIntosh, had been playing in clubs since the 1950s before his first hit "Memphis" in 1962. His stage name was shortened to Lonnie Mack. He went on to become one of the most influential artists in early blues-rock music. The "whammy bar" is nicknamed after his song "Wham."

My Grandpa Lonnie and Me

His 1958 Gibson Flying V guitar is iconic. His musical career started in the 1950s and lasted until the early 2000s. His brother Bill McIntosh also played alongside him in the original band.

            All these artists have other family members that are in music. They might not be as famous, but there is no denying the talent they have. For these artists, musical talent does in fact run in the family.