Soul music open in acknowledging the influence of Pilgrim Travelers vocalist Jesse Whitaker on his singing style. Little Richard, who inspired Otis Redding, and James Brown both were equally influential. Brown was nicknamed the "Godfather of Soul Music", and Richard proclaimed himself as the "King of Rockin' and Rollin', Rhythm and Blues Soulin'", because his music embodied elements of all three, and since he inspired artists in all three genres. Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson also are often acknowledged as soul forefathers. Cooke became popular as the lead singer of the gospel group The Soul Stirrers, before controversially moving into secular music.
The Teacher Who Was Not To Be The Teacher Who Was Not To Be The Teacher Who Was Not To Be () is an opera monologue by Marcus Paus and with a libretto by Olav Anton Thommessen from 2013. It premiered at the concert "Paus & Paus" (with works by Marcus Paus and Ole Paus) in the Atrium of the University of Oslo in connection with the Oslo Opera Festival on 12 October 2013, with renowned opera singer Knut Stiklestad in the role of the eponymous "Teacher." The monologue is based on a letter written by Olav Anton Thommessen to Marcus Paus in 2006, shortly after Paus