Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SMOKEY ROBINSON

Smokey Robinson is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and former frontman of the Miracles. Often referred to as the “King of Motown”, he helped the group produce numerous hits, including “Shop Around”, “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me”, “Ooo Baby Baby”, and “The Tracks of My Tears”. In the 1970s, he left the Miracles and pursued a successful solo career. His most popular solo hits include “Cruisin’”, “Just to See Her”, and today’s song choice. Throughout his incredible career, he has received many accolades, including the “Grammy Lifetime…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUICE NEWTON

Juice Newton is an American singer and songwriter who achieved mainstream success (in the early 1980s). Her music blurred the lines between pop and country, making her one of the most prominent figures in the country-pop crossover movement. Some of her most successful singles include “Love’s Been a Little Bit Hard on Me”, “Break it to me Gently”, “Queen of Hearts”, “The Sweetest Thing I’ve Ever Known”, and today’s song choice. In 1982, she won the CMA award for “Female Vocalist of the Year”. On this very day, February 18th,…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ED SHEERAN

Ed Sheeran is a highly successful singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer, who is well known for his melodic and acoustic sound. Influenced by genres like Folk and R&B, he developed an interest in music from a young age. Some of his biggest hits include “The A Team”, “Lego House”, “Sing”, “Thinking Out Loud”, “Perfect”, “Shape of You”, and today’s song choice. Throughout his career, he has received multiple Grammy Awards, including “Song of the Year” for “Thinking Out Loud”. He also earned 5 Brit Awards and 6 Billboard Music Awards, including “Top Artist” (in…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAYTHE WEEKND

The Weeknd is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and record producer whose mysterious persona has garnered widespread acclaim. Over the years, he has produced numerous hit songs, including “Starboy”, “Blinding Lights”, “The Hills”, “Earned It”, and today’s song choice. His unique sound and style helped him win multiple Grammy Awards, including “Best Urban Contemporary Album” for “Starboy”. On top of his 4 Grammy Awards, he has accumulated 20 Billboard Music Awards, 6 AMAs, and 22 Juno Awards. On this very day, February 16th, 1990, he was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.…

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Heaven & Earth 

R.I.P. NAT KING COLE

Nat King Cole was an American vocalist who was born in Montgomery, Alabama on March 17th, 1919. Some of his most popular hit songs, include “Nature Boy”, “Mona Lisa”, “Too Young”, and today’s song choice. Throughout his career, he received numerous awards, including an incredible 21 Grammys. Furthermore, in 1990, he was posthumously awarded the “Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award”. He will always be remembered as a trailblazer (who paved the way for many future black artists). On this very day, February 15th, 1965, Nathaniel Adams Cole died in Santa Monica,…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROB THOMAS

Rob Thomas is an American singer and songwriter who’s known for his soulful voice, and many contributions to the pop-rock genre. He initially rose to fame (in the mid-1990s) as lead singer of Matchbox Twenty. Some of this band’s most noteworthy hits include songs like “Push” “3AM”, “If You’re Gone”, “Unwell”, and “Bent”. In 1999, Rob Thomas collaborated with Santana on the hit single, “Smooth”. This track went on to become a massive success, earning several awards (including the Grammy for “Song of the Year”). On this very day, February…

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Heaven & Earth 

R.I.P. WAYLON JENNINGS

Waylon Jennings was an American singer, songwriter, and musician, who was born on June 15th, 1937. His distinctive voice (and rebellious spirit) made him a legendary figure in country music. In the early 1970s, alongside Willie Nelson, he helped spearhead the “outlaw country movement”. Some of Jennings’ most popular songs include “Good Hearted Woman”, “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way?”, and today’s song choice. Throughout his career, he received multiple Grammy Awards, and in 2001, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. On this very…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHAEL McDONALD

Michael McDonald was an American singer and songwriter who is best known for his work with the Doobie Brothers. During his time with the band, he contributed primarily with hits like “Takin’ It to the Streets”, “Minute by Minute”, and “What a Fool Believes”. In the 1980s, he embarked on a successful solo career, recording hit singles such as “Sweet Freedom” and today’s song choice. Often associated with the blue-eyed soul genre, he has been recognized with multiple Grammy Awards throughout his career, and in 2021, he was inducted into…

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Heaven & Earth 

R.I.P. WHITNEY HOUSTON

Whitney Houston (born August 9th, 1963) was an American singer who was one of the most celebrated vocalists in the history of popular music. She came from a very musical family that included her cousin, Dionne Warwick, and her godmother, Aretha Franklin. Some of her most popular singles include “Saving All My Love for You”, “How Will I Know”, “The Greatest Love of All”, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”, and the song I chose for today. Considered one of the best-selling artists of all time, she received numerous awards throughout…

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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROBERTA FLACK

Roberta Flack is an American singer, songwriter, and musician, who is known for her angelic voice and contributions to various genres, including Soul, R&B, and Pop. Some of her most well-known hits include “Killing Me Softly”, “Feel Like Making Love”, “The Closer I get to You”, and today’s song choice. Throughout her amazing career, she has received multiple Grammy Awards, including four consecutive wins for “Best Female Pop Vocal Performance”. In the year 2020, she also won the “Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award” (in recognition of all her contributions to music).…

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Heaven & Earth 

R.I.P. BILL HALEY

Bill Haley (often referred to as the “father of rock and roll”), was an American musician who was born on July 6th, 1925. He is best known as leader of Bill Haley & the Comets, a band that played a crucial role in the early development of rock music. Formed in 1952, this group became known for hits like “Shake, Rattle and Roll”, “See You Later Alligator”, “Razzle Dazzle”, and today’s song choice. In 1987, he was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On this very…

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Heaven & Earth 

R.I.P. DEL SHANNON

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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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GARTH BROOKS

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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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AXL ROSE

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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Heaven & Earth 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOBBY BROWN

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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