Curtis Mayfield's raspy bellow, sterling songwriting, fleet-fingered guitar playing, and strong political convictions made him one of the most important musicians of the rock era. Both with The Impressions in the '60s and as a solo artist, he wrote soul anthems that still resonate through generations: the pulse-quickening, bouncing “Move On Up,” the chilled-out yet politically astute “Superfly,” the swaying, gospel-rich “People Get Ready.” He constantly pushed forward, bringing in ideas from funk and psychedelia (“Future Shock,” “Get Down”) to build dense musical worlds.