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Marvin Gaye Photo: Redfern/Redferns/Retna Born April 2nd, 1939 (died April 1st, 1984) Key Tracks “What’s Going On,” “Let’s Get It On,” “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” Influenced D’Angelo, R. Kelly, Usher There’s no sound like Marvin Gaye: the way he sang so softly, almost gently — but also with so much power. That came [...]
Photo: Farrell/Redferns/Retna Born October 9th, 1940 (died December 8th, 1980) Key Tracks “I Feel Fine,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “Imagine,” “Instant Karma” Influenced Bono, Neil Young, Liam Gallagher There was a tremendous intimacy in everything John Lennon did, combined with a formidable intellect. That is what makes him a great singer. In “Girl,” on Rubber Soul, [...]
Photo: RB/Redferns/Retna Born January 22nd, 1931 (died December 11th, 1964) Key Tracks “A Change Is Gonna Come,” “Bring It on Home to Me,” “You Send Me” Influenced Otis Redding, Art Garfunkel, Rod Stewart If a singer is not singing from the soul, I do not even want to listen to it — it’s not for [...]
Photo: Time & Life Pictures/Getty Born January 8th, 1935 (died August 16th, 1977) Key Tracks “Mystery Train,” “Hound Dog,” “Suspicious Minds” Influenced Bono, Bruce Springsteen There is a difference between people who sing and those who take that voice to another, otherworldly place, who create a euphoria within themselves. It’s transfiguration. I know about that. [...]
Photo: Redfern/Redferns/Retna Born September 23rd, 1930 (died June 10th, 2004) Key Tracks “What’d I Say, Pts. 1 & 2,” “I Got a Woman,” “You Don’t Know Me,” “Georgia on My Mind” Influenced Van Morrison, Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder Ray Charles had the most unique voice in popular music. He would do these improvisational things, a [...]
Born March 25th, 1942 Key Tracks “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “Respect,” “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You),” “Think,” “Chain of Fools” Influenced Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys, Aaron Neville, Annie Lennox You know a force from heaven. You know something that God made. And Aretha is a gift [...]