June Carter Cash? Norah Jones?

Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach and his brother Johann Christian surpassed the old man's fame in their time, although history has changed its mind.

Hank Williams, Jr.

Kidding!

Now you've got me combing my brain to come up with a n example....

* Hank Williams Jr (for career longevity, though never created the standards his dad did)
* Ricky Nelson (his mother, Harriet, sang in big bands)

I have the feeling there's an obvious one hanging out there that I'm missing...

offhand, W.A. Mozart, Jacob Dylan, Ziggy Marley, Liza Minelli? Rock is a relatively new genre and perhaps hasn't had much time to harbor enough generations to provide an adequate sample size.

Just like me to come up with the Bach boys and not Mozart.

Adam Guettel is arguably more accomplished than his mother, or soon will be, but he's not liable to touch his grandfather anytime soon.

Pete Seeger is an interesting case.

Arlo Guthrie

Jacob and Ziggy's careers were bigger than the respective Bob's? I don't think so.

Johann Strauss, Jr.

Bonnie Raitt. Her father John Raitt was a Broadway singer and actor of some note, but not in her class.

Elvis Costello's dad was a bandleader.

Kim Wilde's average success in the 80s outstripped by some way the success of her rock star father Marty in the 60s.

Hank Williams Jr.?

Oh, and Stella McCartney's fashion career has *definitely* outshone that dude who used to lead Wings.

Seriously though, countless actors and musicians come from show-biz families, and any mega-star who comes out of such a family would by-definition meet the criteria, no matter how small-time the parents. The question is: Has a gigantic star ever given birth to an even bigger star, or at least as-big a star?

How about the Barrymores?

Also, in the 'minor star fathers major star' category, you've got Angelina Jolie and her father, Jon Voight.

Then there's lots of cousins, nieces, nephews, like Rosemary Clooney and George Clooney...

I wonder if all the children of stars feel like failures however well they do -- like if they hadn't had the connections, they'd never have gotten album deals, etc.

Bob Dylan has a son who has done pretty well with his band, The Wallflowers, but nothing like as well as his dad. I think that it happens more often that children of stars become superstars in the acting world -- Angelina Jolie as given above, Kate Beckinsale, etc.

non-music entry (movies) - how about Nicolas Cage & his uncle Francis Ford Coppola, but interesting that he purposely did not use his original last name of Coppola, to avoid the problem of which you speak?

I think that Moreno Veloso (some songs of his band's latest album available to listen on luakabop) is as worthy of musical respect as Caetano Veloso. Both have a great voice, a knowledge about musical culture, and tremendous curiosity. Only, Caetano has a 30 year headstart.

It's the only pair that I can think of, in terms of similar worth.

enya?
maybe?

Bonnie Raitt. Her father John Raitt was a Broadway singer and actor of some note, but not in her class.

To the contrary, in his genre, John Raitt's acheivements far outshine those of Bonnie Raitt (I'll bet Bonnie would agree). John Raitt was the pre-eminent singing broadway actor of his day, the very top of the heap.

I agree that this seems a lot more common in the acting world.

The other interesting factor is that there are so many more sources of celeb gossip and it's easier to become a star. Measuring fame might not be accurate when measured over a long period of time but measuring accomplishments would be. Some "celebs" of today such as Paris Hilton have outshone their parents by doing nothing worth remembering. Music genres have split up so much that we likely won't see another Elvis or the Beatles again. The population is larger now and the young have more buying power but it would be difficult to gain such a strong percentage of the population following one band.

In terms of records sold and crossover appeal, Joey DeFrancesco has certainly done better than his dad, fellow B3 monster, Papa John DeFrancesco.

Similarly, Wynton and Branford Marsalis outshone their dad, Ellis.

Speaking of the Marsalis family, in New Orleans it's all about family and continuity (not about which generation is better). I just saw Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk last Sunday at the Howlin' Wolf. Ivan is Aaron's son. His cousin Ian Neville is in the band. Ian is Art's son. Is Dumpstaphunk better than the Neville Brothers? No. But that's not a question anyone is asking. Probably because of the community nature of the scene.

In related news, Jerry Garcia far surpassed his father's achievements as a musician.

In yet another interesting family, Lucinda Williams tells stories equally as well as her renowned poet dad, Miller Williams.

How about Weird Al Yankovic and his polka king father Frankie Yankovic? Weird Al is definitely more famous, but Frankie ruled as well.

Both Prince's and Michael Jackson's fathers were musicians who had paying gigs at night after their day jobs, but aspired to more. We just notice the ones whose parents were legends more than the ones who realized the dreams their parents never could.

Jeff Buckley was amazing.
and his Father Tim's music is divine, he is got real soul-rock-country music that rocks ones body and soul

Jeff Buckley was amazing.
and his Father Tim's music is divine, he is got real soul-rock-country music that rocks ones body and soul

Cuba Gooding Jr. is more famous than his father. The younger won an Oscare while his dad was the lead singer for the Main Ingredient.

Selena and her siblings far outstripped her father's band's popularity.

Would be a very annoying to be a child of a famous person.
They must feel like an inmate of a zoo around them.
I guess it is better not to think about this at the mornings.

It would be the worst to be Lionel Ritchie's daughter because she hangs out with Paris Hilton.

I submit country/bluegrass musician and producer Lloyd Maines, and his daughter, Dixie Chicks singer Natalie Maines.

Merle Watson, son of Doc Watson, might also qualify in that I think he won some "bluegrass musician of the year"-type awards before his untimely death. And now he has Merlefest named after him, whereas there is no Docfest.

Doc started "Merlefest" in honor of his son, which is why there is no "Docfest". I believe Doc and Merle were symbiotic - neither one was better than the other. I've seen Doc since Merle's death, and he has found very talented partners.

Tabla player Zakir Hussain has equalled and likely surpassed his father Alla Rakha, who was Ravi Shankar's accompanist. Rakha was thought to be one of the best on his instrument during his time.

Sitarist Anoushka Shankar is already very close to being at her father Ravi's level and may develop a reputation that shines as bright as his if her career is long.

In both of those cases, the fathers were intimately involved in their child's musical training. In both cases, the child wanted to play the same instrument as the father.

Norah Jones, another of Ravi's daughters and Anoushka's half-sister, is interesting because she's excelled in a different field of music without Ravi's nurturance, since she grew up in America away from him.

Saxophonist Ravi Coltrane probably won't surpass the accomplishments of his father, John Coltrane, but is doing as well or better in his career than his mother, pianist/harpist Alice Coltrane, who raised him after John's death. He's a very interesting musician and seems comfortable with his heritage.

Tenor saxophonist Dewey Redman had a very respectable career playing with Ornette Coleman, Keith Jarrett and his own bands. His son Joshua Redman has probably surpassed him, playing the same instrument.

Gwyneth Paltrow? Angelina Jolie? They seem to be doing pretty well on their own.

In France, Michel Sardou.

Aaah, it is about musicians:) Michel Sardou then!

Maybe we should ask Julian Lennon if it sucks to be Julian Lennon .. :-). Perhaps it only seems to us that it may be hard to be the son of John Lennon.
If Julian Lennon is trying ( or has tried ) to be John Lennon, it's certainly very hard. As it is always very hard trying to be another person ( be it your own father ) than oneself.
Hope that my english is understandable .. :-)

How about Rufus Wainwright? His father, Loudon Wainwright III is (in my opinion) a better musician but not as well known.

Arlo ? Nahh...I like Arlo, but without Woody his catalog would be pretty small....

Mozart !

Young Skywalker eventually defeated his father, but it was a long climb... Or, are we only talking reality?

There aren't many examples are there? And it's interesting that the few examples we have come from traditional music (classical, Indian and Western, and folk), passed down through many generations of the same family.

It seems easier for famous actors to have successful children than for famous musicians. Perhaps that's because actors are worse parents, or worse role models. Would you want to be Judy Garland's daughter?

Not musicians - but what about Michael & Kirk Douglas?

A couple I can think of off the top of my head:

* Femi Kuti (son of Fela Kuti)
* Bebel Gilberto (daughter of Joao Gilberto) - arguable, but I think Bebel was very successful in bringing bossa nova to the masses in a similar way as her father

I have a feeling there are many more in jazz and world music than there are in pop or rock - I would assume that jazz and world music tends to have a much richer tradition of "passing it down" to the younger generations.

Natalie Cole is probably better-known in her time than was Nat, simply because music is now more integrated. Nat was not always welcome, even if he was popular. Deana Carter has had a few big country hits ("Strawberry Wine," etc). Her father was a well-respected Nashville studio musician but not a big star. Same for Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks, whose dad is Lloyd Maines, well-known (to the biz) steel guitaist and producer. Same for guitarist and drummer Cody and Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi AllStars. Their dad is Jim Dickinson, an influntial roots musician.
Maybe not June Carter, though. The Carter family was a huge phenon in it's time.
And yes, I probably should get a life, but I became a musician instead.

sorry rickfle, nat was WAY WAY better known than natalie cole in spite of segregation and that's what was sssooo amazing about his career, flourished internationally also. he got his own tv show b/c of his popularity even tho he couldn't keep sponsors it was a popular show.

really she's not in the same league in terms of success.

Ustad Allah Rakha and Zakir Hussain.

Frankie Yankovic was NOT the father of Weird Al - no relation at all. See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weird_Al_Yankovic

Stephen Stills(Chris Stills)
James Taylor & Carly Simon(Ben Taylor/Sally Taylor)
Harry Chapin(Jen Chapin)
Pete Townshend(Emma Townshend)
John Lennon(Julian & Sean)
Ringo Starr(Zak Starkey)
Frank Sinatra(Nancy & Frank,Jr,)hahaha
Nice to see the kids carry on......

For about a hot 15 minutes Gary Lewis of Gary Lewis and the Playboys seemed to have a moment over his famous Dad, Jerry Lewis.

Carrie Rodriguez, singing partner to Chip Taylor, has bested her father, also a songwriter/musician.

I think Rufus' mother had a better career than him, let alone his father, although his sessions on the John Peel show were always good.

In most of these examples I think fame is being considered to be more important than artistry.

The Trio of Wilson-Phillips One daughter had John Phillips of Mama's & Papa's fame for a father - the other two were the daughters of Brian Wilson

I wonder if all the children of stars feel like failures however well they do -- like if they hadn't had the connections, they'd never have gotten album deals, etc.

I wonder if all the children of stars feel like failures however well they do

Billder,where did you get ur info on Weird Al being the son of Frank Yankovic, the Polka King?
Its not true. I knew his son Frank Jr. and his grandson, Frank Yankovic III.

Did I miss Enrique Iglesias son of Julio Iglesias. I think there is another son but he hasn't been as successful yet...

Sinatra has two musician children: Frank Jr. and Nancy. Also, Rufus Wainwright's father, Loudon Wainwright III, was quite popular late 60s early 70s.

Jeff Buckley was amazing.

Carrie Rodriguez, singing partner to Chip Taylor, has bested her father, also a songwriter/musician.thanks

Ok, I have an inkling (pun not intended) to modify that book image to the right to say "Schneier on Squid."

"The closest the squid industry has to a rock star."

Ok, I have an inkling (pun not intended) to modify that book image to the right to say "Schneier on Squid."

"The closest the squid industry has to a rock star."

Rufus and Martha Wainright? I think that it is the best.