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The career of Jerry Lee Lewis began in a burst of glory before imploding in scandal; a decade later, he made one of the biggest and most unlikely comebacks in pop music.
On September 23, 1926, John Coltrane was born. Coltrane's career was relatively short—about twenty years as a performer, and recordings from only the last decade—but he was one of the most influential saxophone players in jazz history.
B. B. King was born on September 16, 1925. King was a singer, songwriter, and guitarist who was among the most influential blues musicians of all time, particularly for his skill on the electric guitar.
It is an unusual career that crosses paths with Mary Martin, Berry Gordy, Bugs Bunny, and Devo, but they will all make appearances as we look at the life and music of Raymond Scott.
Leonard Bernstein was born on August 25, 1918. One of the major figures of 20th-century American music, Bernstein was a composer, conductor, and educator whose celebrity extended far wider than was usual for classical musicians. In part, that was because he wasn't only a classical musician.
Alan Jay Lerner was born on August 31, 1918. Lerner wrote the scripts and lyrics for several classic Broadway musicals, finding his biggest success in collaboration with composer Frederick Loewe.
When I heard the news this morning that Aretha Franklin had died at the age of 76, it occurred to me that she was the most universally loved singer I could think of.
Madonna was born on August 16, 1958. She's the most successful female pop star ever, a dominant presence in American music and culture for almost forty years.
Alexa, meet hoopla...hoopla, meet Alexa, your new best streaming friend!
On August 6, 1996, The Ramones performed their final concert, at The Palace in Los Angeles. For more than twenty years, The Ramones had been pioneers of punk rock. They were never a large commercial success, but their influence on punk and rock was enormous.