Category: Heaven & Earth

Del Shannon was an American musician, singer, and songwriter who was born in Coopersville, Michigan on December 30th, 1934. His music was known for its innovative use of instruments, and his experimentation with various sounds. His most popular hits include “Hats Off to Larry”, “Hey Little Girl”, “Little Town Flirt”, “Keep Searchin’”, and today’s song choice. In the year 1999, he was posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. On this very day, February 8th, 1990, Charles Weedon Westover (better known as Del Shannon) died by suicide,…

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Garth Brooks is an American singer and songwriter, who’s had a profound impact on the country music genre. He is considered as one of the best-selling all-time music artists in the U.S. Some of his most popular singles include “The Dance”, “Thunder Rolls”, “If Tomorrow Never Comes”, “Shameless”, and today’s song choice. Throughout his career, he has received numerous accolades, including multiple Grammy, CMA, and ACM Awards. On this very day, February 7th, 1962, he was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In celebration of his birthday, I have chosen the song…

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Axl Rose is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is best known as lead vocalist of the hard rock band, Guns N’ Roses. His unique vocal style is characterized by his wide vocal range and ability to switch between registers. Founded in 1985, Guns N Roses went on to release many popular tracks like “Sweet Child o’ Mine”, “Welcome to the Jungle”, “November Rain”, “Don’t Cry”, and “Patience”. In the year 2012, Guns N’ Roses was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a ceremony Axl Rose…

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Bobby Brown is an American singer and songwriter who rose to fame as lead vocalist of the R&B group, New Edition. In 2017, this unique boy band was honored with a BET “Lifetime Achievement Award”. By the late 1980s, Bobby Brown decided to embark on a solo career, and produced hits like “My Prerogative”, Humpin’ Around”, and today’s song choice. His marriage to singer Whitney Houston (in 1992) garnered significant media attention throughout the couples’ tumultuous relationship (that would last for many years). On this very day, February 5th, 1969,…

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Alice Cooper, is an American singer and songwriter who became a prominent figure in the rock music scene during the 1970s. He is credited for being one of the pioneers of shock rock, with his on-stage persona being characterized by dark and macabre themes (often featuring guillotines, fake blood, and other theatrical elements). Some of the songs that made Alice Cooper famous include “I’m Eighteen”, “School’s Out”, “Only Women Bleed”, “No More Mr. Nice Guy”, and “Poison” (to name just a few). Known for his unique impact in the hard…

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Buddy Holly, a central figure in the early development of rock and roll, was born in Lubbock, Texas on September 7th, 1936. His music and style influenced many legendary artists, including the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan. In 1957, he formed the Crickets, and (together) they went on to release their breakthrough hit, “That’ll Be the Day”. His song catalog also includes many other hits, such as “Everyday”, “Peggy Sue”, “Not Fade Away”, “Rave On”, and the song I chose for today. On this very day, February 3rd, 1959,…

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Shakira is a Colombian singer, songwriter, and record producer who is known for her distinctive voice, unique dance style, and a fusion of various musical influences, including Pop, Rock, and Latin. Often referred to as the “Queen of Latin Music”, some of her most popular songs include “Whenever, Wherever”, “La Tortura”, “Underneath Your Clothes”, “Waka Waka”, “Chantaje”, and today’s song choice. On this very day, February 2nd, 1977, she was born in Barranquilla, Colombia as Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll. In celebration of her birthday, I’ve chosen the song she is…

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Harry Styles is an English singer and songwriter who initially gained fame as a member of the boy band, One Direction. Originally formed (in 2010) on the British music competition, “The X Factor”, this group went on to become one of the best-selling boy bands of all time. After One Direction went on hiatus (in 2016), Harry Styles decided to launch a solo career by releasing hit singles like “Sign of the Times”, “Adore You”, and the song I chose for today. Known for his distinctive fashion sense, he often…

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Justin Timberlake is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer who rose to fame (in the late 1990s) as a member of the boy band, NSYNC. This group achieved immense success with hits like “Bye Bye Bye”, “It’s Gonna Be Me”, “Tearin’ Up My Heart”, and “This I Promise You”. After the hiatus of NSYNC in the early 2000s, Justin Timberlake pursued a solo career. Some of his most popular hit singles include “Cry Me a River”, “Rock Your Body”, “Sexyback”, “My Love”, and “Can’t Stop the Feeling” (to name…

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Phil Collins is an English singer and musician, who gained fame (in 1970) after becoming drummer for the progressive rock band, Genesis. Over time, he took over as lead vocalist, and would go on to play a key role in the band’s transition from progressive rock to a more pop-oriented sound. In the 1980s, he embarked on a successful solo career producing multiple chart-topping hits like “Against All Odds”, “One More Night”, “Another Day in Paradise”, and today’s song choice. Throughout his career, he has won numerous awards, including several…

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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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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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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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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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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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