Category: Heaven & Earth

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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