Heaven & Earth 

R.I.P. JAMES INGRAM

James Ingram was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer who was born on February 16th, 1952, in Akron, Ohio. Known for his soulful R&B vocals, he gained widespread recognition (in 1983) with his debut studio album, “It’s Your Night”. This album featured the hit single “Yah Mo B There,” a duet with Michael McDonald. Beside his work with McDonald, he also collaborated with Quincy Jones on the song I chose for today. Some of his other well-known duets include “Somewhere Out There” (with Linda Ronstadt) and “Baby, Come to…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH McLACHLAN

Sarah McLachlan is a Canadian singer who’s known for her angelic voice and powerful songwriting skills. Her most notable songs include “I Will Remember You”, “Sweet Surrender”, “Angel”, “Building a Mystery”, and the song I chose for you today. In 1996, she co-founded the “Lilith Fair”, a music festival that showcased female artists and celebrated women in music. Throughout her career, she won multiple Grammy Awards, including “Best Female Pop Vocal Performance” for “Building a Mystery” and “Best Pop Instrumental Performance” for “Last Dance”. In 1999, she was appointed an…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TRACY LAWRENCE

Tracy Lawrence is an American singer and songwriter who rose to fame (in the 1990s) with a series of successful country albums and hit singles. In 1991, he released his debut album that featured the song “Sticks & Stones”, which became his first #1 hit on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. He would go on to release many other popular singles including “Alibis,” “Can’t Break It to My Heart,” and “My Second Home” (just to name a few). Throughout his career, he has received numerous awards including the Academy of…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOM KIEFER

Tom Keifer is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist best known as lead vocalist for the rock band, Cinderella. Throughout the late 1980s and early nineties, this band released several albums, which featured hits like “Gypsy Road”, “Coming Home”, and the song I chose for you today. His enduring presence in the rock music scene, both with Cinderella and as a solo artist, has earned him respect among his fans all around the world. On this very day, January 26th, 1961, Carl Tom Kiefer was born in Springfield, Pennsylvania. In…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALICIA KEYS

Alicia Keys is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and record producer, who gained international fame in the early 2000s with her debut album, “Songs in A Minor”. Some of her most popular singles include hits like “If I Ain’t Got You”, “No One”, “Fallin’”, “A Woman’s Worth”, “You Don’t Know My Name”, and the song I chose for you today. In 2009, she collaborated with Jay-Z and recorded a Billboard #1 hit with “Empire State of Mind”. Throughout her career, she has won numerous Grammy Awards, including “Best New Artist”…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NEIL DIAMOND

Neil Diamond is an American singer and songwriter whose career has spanned over many decades. Over the years he has produced a string of iconic singles, including “I Am… I Said”, “America”, “Song Sung Blue”, “Cracklin’ Rosie”, “Forever in Blue Jeans”, and the song I chose for you today. Throughout his lengthy career, he has received multiple accolades, including a “Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award”, and an induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. On this very day, January 24th, 1941, Neil Leslie Diamond was born in New York City. In…

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Heaven & Earth 

R.I.P. BOBBY FREEMAN

Bobby Freeman was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer who was born in Alameda County, California on June 13th, 1940. He began his music career at a young age, forming a doo-wop group called the Romancers. He later signed with Josie records and embarked on a solo career. Eventually, he appeared on “American Bandstand” and toured with many legendary musicians including Fats Domino, The Coasters, and Jackie Wilson. His iconic hit single, “Do You Want to Dance” (released in 1958), remains a classic that has stood the test of…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEVE PERRY

Steve Perry is an American singer and songwriter who joined the band Journey (in 1977) and quickly became their lead singer. His tenor voice was particularly known for its range, power, and emotional depth. Adding Perry as lead vocalist, Journey released a series of hit albums, including “Infinity” (1978), “Escape” (1981), and “Frontiers” (1983). These albums featured many popular hit singles like “Wheel in the Sky”, “Faithfully”, “Don’t Stop Believin’”, “Open Arms”, and “Separate Ways”. In 1984, Steve Perry decided to pursue a solo career and released his debut album,…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BILLY OCEAN

Billy Ocean is a Trinidadian-English singer and songwriter who achieved worldwide fame in the 1980s. He is known for his soulful voice and a string of hit songs that spanned various genres, including R&B, Pop, and Caribbean music. His career began in the late 1970s when he released his self-titled debut album. However, it wasn’t until the release of his 1984 album, “Suddenly,” that he gained international success. Throughout the 1980s, he enjoyed a series of chart-topping hits with songs like “Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car”, “There’ll…

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Heaven & Earth 

R.I.P. MEAT LOAF

Marvin Lee Aday (better known by his professional name, Meat Loaf) was an American singer and songwriter who was born in Dallas, Texas on September 27th, 1947. He achieved international fame with the release of his crowning achievement, “Bat Out of Hell”. This album, produced by Jim Steinman, went on to become a trilogy with three separate chapters, released in 1977, 1993, and 2006 respectively. Meat Loaf’s true genius was displayed on his signature hit, “Paradise by the Dashboard Light”, released in 1977. His theatrical and powerful performances, coupled with…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOLLY PARTON

Dolly Parton is an American singer and songwriter who gained prominence in the country music scene (during the late 1960s). She is best known for her distinctive style, including signature blonde wigs andflamboyant fashion. Her catalogue of hits includes iconic songs such as “Jolene”, “I Will Always Love You”, “Coat of Many Colors”, and the song I chose for you today. She also had a great working relationship with the late Kenny Rogers. In 1983, the duo released “Islands in the Stream” that went on to top the charts in…

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Heaven & Earth 

R.I.P. GLENN FREY

Glenn Frey was an American singer, songwriter, and founding member of the Eagles, one of the most successful and influential rock bands in music history. Frey co-wrote many of the group’s biggest hits like “Hotel California”, “Take It to the Limit”, and “Lyin’ Eyes”. After the Eagles disbanded (in 1980), he pursued a very successful solo career, releasing singles like “The Heat Is On” and “You Belong to the City” (which was featured in the popular TV series, “Miami Vice”). In 1998, he was officially inducted into the Rock &…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SADE

Sade is a British-Nigerian singer and songwriter who is known for her distinctive voice, which combines elements of Soul, Jazz, R&B, and smooth Adult Contemporary. Some of Sade’s most popular singles include “Hang on To Your Love”, “Sweetest Taboo”, “Your Love Is King”, and the song I chose for you today. In the year 2000, she released “Lovers Rock”, which won a Grammy Award for “Best Pop Vocal Album”. Her ability to create timeless music with universal appeal has solidified her status as one of the most iconic figures in…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PITBULL

Pitbull is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer, who is known for his energetic and dynamic style, incorporating an eclectic mix of hip-hop, reggaeton, and dance music. Due to his global appeal, he is affectionately known to his fans as “Mr. Worldwide”. He initially gained mainstream attention (in 2004) with his debut album “M.I.A.M.I.”, which included the hit single “Culo”. He continued to rise to prominence with popular dancefloor bombs like “Fireball”, “I Know You Want Me”, and “Don’t Stop the Party”. He has also collaborated with a wide…

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