Category: Heaven & Earth

Felix Mendelssohn was a German composer, pianist, and conductor who was born in Hamburg, Germany on February 3rd, 1809. A key contributor to the “Romantic Period” in classical music history, he’s regarded as one of the most celebrated and versatile composers of his time. Initially born into a wealthy and cultured Jewish family, Mendelssohn’s father Abraham later had his family baptized as Lutheran Christians. This was partially decided as a way to facilitate their integration into German society. By the age of 12, Felix composed his first symphony, and by…

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Adam Ant is an English singer and musician who gained fame as lead vocalist of the new wave and post-punk band, Adam and the Ants. This group achieved commercial success with their second album, “Kings of the Wild Frontier”, which included singles like “Antmusic” and “Dog Eat Dog”. He later pursued a solo career and released his 1982 album, “Friend or Foe”, which includes the song I chose for you today (which you can listen to by clicking on the provided link). On this very day, November 3rd 1954, Stuart…

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Urban artist, Nelly, is an American rapper and songwriter who started his career (in 1993) as a member of the mid-west Hip-Hop group, St. Lunatics. Several years later, he embarked on a solo career and released a string of hit singles, including “Hot in Here”, “Grillz”, “E.I.”, “Just a Dream”, and today’s song choice (that can be listened to by clicking on the provided link). Throughout his career, he has won multiple accolades, including 9 Billboard Music Awards and 3 Grammys. On this very day, November 2nd 1974, Cornell Iral Haynes Jr. (known…

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Sophie B. Hawkins is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who gained recognition (in 1992) with her debut album, “Tongues and Tails”. Her biggest singles include songs like “Right Beside You”, “As I Lay Me Down”, and today’s song choice (that can be listened to by clicking on the provided link). On this very day, November 1st 1964, Sophie Ballantine Hawkins was born in New York City. In celebration of her birthday, exactly 60 years ago today, I’ve chosen a contemporary track that Slant Magazine included on their list of…

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Vanilla Ice is an American rapper who gained fame with his hit single, “Ice Ice Baby” (which became the first hip-hop single to top Billboard’s Hot 100 chart). Along with the Beastie Boys and House of Pain, he was one of the earliest white rappers to attain major success. For 8 months (between 1991-1992), he dated the legendary Madonna, while they were both at the peak of their careers. In 1991, Vanilla Ice won a total of two American Music Awards, including “Favorite New Pop Artist”. On this very day, October 31st…

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Pop artist, Snow, is a Canadian rapper who is best known for his unique blend of reggae and hip-hop. His most notable songs include “Girl, I’ve Been Hurt”, “Everybody Wants to Be Like You”, and today’s song choice (that can be listened to by clicking on the provided link). Among his accolades, he has won a Juno Award and a Billboard Music Award. He also won 8 Billboard Latin Music Awards for Daddy Yankee’s 2020 song, “Con Calma” (which samples Snow’s biggest hit, which happens to be today’s song choice).…

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Duane Allman was an American rock and blues guitarist who was born in Nashville, Tennessee on November 20th, 1946. Co-founder of the Allman Brothers Band, his exceptional slide guitar playing made him a key contributor to the Southern rock genre. In 1995, he was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as a member of the Allman Brothers). On this very day, October 29th 1971, Howard Duane Allman died in a motorcycle crash (at the tender age of 24). In memory of his passing, exactly 53 years…

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Jerry Lee Lewis (also known as the “Killer”) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist who was born in Ferriday, Louisiana on September 29th, 1935. Known for his energetic performances and flamboyant piano-playing style, he emerged (in the 1950s) as one of the pioneers of rock and roll. Some of his most well-known songs include “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On”, “Breathless”, “High School Confidential”, and today’s song choice (that can be listened to by clicking on the provided link). Throughout his career, he won 4 Grammy Awards, and in 1986,…

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Simon Le Bon is an English singer who is best known as lead vocalist for legendary new wave band, Duran Duran. Some of this group’s biggest hits include “Rio”, “Notorious”, “The Reflex”, and today’s song choice (that can be listened to by clicking on the provided link). Throughout their illustrious career, Duran Duran went on to win 2 Grammy Awards, 2 Brit Awards, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2022, Simon LeBon was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (along with his fellow…

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Keith Urban is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist who’s known for his unique contributions to country music. Some of his most popular songs include “Day’s Go By”, “Blue Ain’t Your Color”, “Who Wouldn’t Wanna Be Me”, and today’s song choice (that can be listened to by clicking on the provided link). Among his many accolades, he has won 4 Grammys, 15 ACM Awards, and 13 CMA Awards. In 2023, Rolling Stone magazine added him to their list of the “Greatest Guitarists of All-Time”. On this very day, October 26th 1967,…

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Katy Perry is an American singer and songwriter who rose to fame (in the late 2000s) with her breakthrough single, “I Kissed a Girl”. With momentum on her side, she would go on to release a string of popular hits like “Teenage Dream”, “Last Friday Night”, “Roar”, and today’s song choice (that can be listened to by clicking on the provided link). With more than 143 million records sold worldwide, she is one of the best-selling artists of all-time, and is one of the most popular celebrities on Twitter (with…

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Music artist, Drake, is a Canadian rapper, singer, and songwriter who initially gained recognition as an actor on the 2000s TV series, “Degrassi: The Next Generation”. However, his music career didn’t take off until he released his mixtapes (and debut studio album). Some of his most notable songs include “Hotline Bling”, “God’s Plan”, “In My Feelings” “Started from the Bottom”, and today’s song choice (that can be listened to by clicking on the provided link). Throughout his incredible career, he has won 5 Grammys, 2 Brit Awards, 2 Juno Awards,…

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Dwight Yoakam is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who emerged (in the 1980s) as part of a new movement which sought to bring a more traditional sound back to country music. Some of his more popular songs include “Honky-Tonk Man”, “Fast as You”, “A Thousand Miles from Nowhere”, and today’s song choice (that can be listened to by clicking on the provided link). Throughout his career, he has received many accolades, including 2 ACM Awards, and a Grammy. On this very day, October 23rd 1956, Dwight David Yoakam was…

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Shaggy is a Jamaican-American reggae artist who is best known for his smooth voice (and songs that blend dancehall with elements of hip-hop and pop). His most well-known singles include “Boombastic”, “Oh Carolina”, “Angel”, and today’s song choice (that can be listened to by clicking on the provided link). Throughout his career, he has received many accolades, including 2 Grammys, 2 Billboard Music Awards, and a Juno Award. On this very day, October 22nd 1968, Orville Richard Burrell (known professionally as Shaggy) was born in Kingston, Jamaica. In celebration of…

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Doja Cat is an American singer, rapper, and songwriter who rose to prominence (in the mid-2010s) with her unique blend of Pop, R&B, and Hip-Hop influences. Some of her most popular songs include “Woman”, “Streets”, “Say So”, “Kiss Me More”, and today’s song choice (that can be listened to by clicking on the provided link). Throughout her career, she has received many accolades, including 5 Billboard Music Awards, 5 AMAs, 4 Video Music Awards, and a Grammy. On this very day, October 21st 1995, Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini (known professionally as Doja…

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