Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEFF LYNNE

Jeff Lynne is an English singer, songwriter, and musician who is best known as frontman (and co-founder) of the rock band, Electric Light Orchestra. Some of the group’s best-know tracks include “Mr. Blue Sky”, “Don’t Bring Me Down”, “Evil Woman”, “Telephone Line”, and today’s song choice (that can be listened to by clicking on the provided link). Jeff Lynne was also a member of The Traveling Wilburys, a supergroup (formed in the late 1980s) that included music legends, George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and Roy Orbison. In the year…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEXTER HOLLAND

Dexter Holland is an American singer and songwriter who provides lead vocals for alternative rock band, The Offspring. Formed in 1984, this group had success with songs like “Come Out and Play”, “Pretty Fly for a White Guy”, “Hit That”, and today’s song choice (that can be listened to by clicking on the provided link). As their primary songwriter, Dexter Holland helped the band record a total of 10 albums between the years 1989 and 2021. On this very day, December 29th 1965, Dexter Holland was born in Garden Grove,…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN LEGEND

John Legend is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer who (throughout his career) has won a total of 12 Grammy Awards. In 2015, he won an Academy Award for “Best Original Song” with his passionate anthem, “Glory”, which he performed with rapper, Common. Recorded for the film, “Selma”, this song also won a Golden Globe Award. Among his many accolades, in 2007, he received the Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. On this very day, December 28th 1978, John Roger Stephens (known professionally as John…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICK JONES

Mick Jones is an English musician, songwriter, and record producer who is best known as co-founder and lead guitarist of the rock band, Foreigner. With worldwide sales topping 80 million records, some of their most popular hits include songs like “Feels Like the First Time”, “Cold as Ice”, “Urgent”, “I Want to Know What Love Is”, and today’s song choice (that can be listened to by clicking on the provided link). Throughout Foreigner’s career, there were several lineup changes, but Mick Jones remained a constant and integral part of the…

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Heaven & Earth 

R.I.P. CURTIS MAYFIELD

Curtis Mayfield was an American singer, songwriter, and musician who played a significant role in the development of soul and funk music. He began his music career as a member of The Impressions (in the late 1950s). With Mayfield’s distinct falsetto vocals at the forefront, this group achieved success with hits like “People Get Ready” and “It’s All Right”. Throughout his career, he was inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, (once as a member of The Impressions, and again as a solo artist). He was also…

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Heaven & Earth 

R.I.P. GEORGE MICHAEL

George Michael was a British singer, songwriter, and record producer who rose to fame as a member of the pop group, Wham. Alongside his childhood friend, Andrew Ridgely, this duo recorded many hits like “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”, “Careless Whisper”, “Everything She Wants”, “Freedom”, and today’s song choice (that can be listened to by clicking on the provided link). As a solo artist, George Michael continued his success by releasing many more popular singles, including “Faith”, “I Want Your Sex”, “Father Figure”, and “One More Try” (to name…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RICKY MARTIN

Ricky Martin is a Puerto Rican singer who is often regarded as a pioneer of the Latin pop explosion (in the late 1990s). Some of his most popular songs include “She’s All I Ever Had”, The Cup of Life”, “She Bangs”, and today’s song choice (that can be listened to by clicking on the provided link). Throughout his illustrious career, he has earned many accolades, including 2 Grammy Awards, 2 AMAs, A Guiness World Record, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. On this very day, December 24th…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EDDIE VEDDER

Eddie Vedder is an American Singer, musician, and songwriter who is best known as lead vocalist of the Alternative rock band, Pearl Jam. Dubbed as the “most popular American rock band of the 90s”, this group released many hot tracks, including “Jeremy”, “Even Flow”, “Last Kiss”, and today’s song choice (that can be listened to by clicking on the provided link). Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at #7 on its list of the “Best Lead Singers of All-Time”, and in 2017, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall…

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Heaven & Earth 

R.I.P. JOE COCKER

Joe Cocker was a bluesy-rock singer who was born in Yorkshire, England on May 20th, 1944. He was particularly known for his soulful interpretations of other artists’ songs, including “Unchain My Heart”, “The Letter”, “With a Little Help from My Friends”, and today’s song choice (that can be listened to by clicking on the provided link). In 1983, he won a Grammy Award for his song “Up Where We Belong” (a duet with Jennifer Warnes), and in 2008, Rolling Stone magazine included him on its list of the “100 Greatest…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICK GILDER

Nick Gilder is a British-Canadian singer and songwriter who initially gained attention as a member of the glam rock band, Sweeney Todd. His solo breakthrough came with his 1978 hit single, “Hot Child in the City”. This song topped Billboard’s Hot 100 chart (in the U.S.) and won the Juno Award for “Single of the Year”. In 1979, he also won the Juno Award for “Most Promising Male Vocalist”. In addition to his singing career, he was a proficient songwriter, penning tracks like “The Warrior” (which became a hit for…

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Heaven & Earth 

R.I.P. BOBBY DARIN

Bobby Darin was an American singer and songwriter who explored various music genres, including Rock, Pop, Swing, and folk. Some of his biggest chart hits, include “Dream Lover”, “Beyond the Sea”, “If I Were a Carpenter”, and today’s song choice (that can be listened to by clicking on the provided link). During the 1960s, he became politically active and passionate about social issues. He was particularly involved in the civil rights movement (and was an advocate for racial equality). In 1990, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIMAHL

Limahl is a British pop singer who is best known as lead vocalist for the 1980s band, Kajagoogoo. He gained international fame with the group’s 1983 hit single, “Too Shy”. He also had a successful solo hit with the song, “Never Ending Story” (which was the title track for the film of the same name). On this very day, December 19th 1958, Christopher Hamill (known professionally as Limahl) was born in Lancashire, England. In celebration of his birthday, exactly 66 years ago today, I’ve chosen a track that topped the…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTINA AGUILERA

Christina Aguilera is an American singer and songwriter who is known for her four-octave vocal range (and is often referred to as the “Voice of a Generation”). Her most popular singles include “Genie in a Bottle”, “What a Girl Wants”, “Come on Over Baby”, and today’s song choice (that can be listened to by clicking on the provided link). Having sold over 90 million records worldwide, she is one of the best-selling music artists of all-time. Among her many accolades, she has earned 5 Grammy Awards, and a star on…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAUL RODGERS

Paul Rodgers is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who first gained recognition as lead vocalist of the rock band, Free (whose most famous song was “All Right Now”). After his time with Free, Rodgers formed Bad Company (in 1973) and achieved success with hits like “Can’t Get Enough”, “Shooting Star”, and today’s song choice (that can be listened to by clicking on the provided link). His lifetime collaborations include working with Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, David Gilmour, and Queen. Named as one of the greatest singers of all time…

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Heaven & Earth 

R.I.P. SYLVESTER

Sylvester (often referred to as the “Queen of Disco”) was an American singer and songwriter who was born in Los Angeles, California on September 6th, 1947. Known for his distinctive falsetto voice and flamboyant stage presence, he was a prominent figure in the 1970s dance music scene. His biggest hit singles include “Dance (Disco Heat)”, “Do You Wanna Funk”, and today’s song choice (that can be listened to by clicking on the provided link). In 2023, Rolling Stone magazine included him on their list of the “Greatest Singers of All-Time”.…

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