by Britt Ryan | Sep 4, 2020 | Today in Music History
Destiny had something special in store for a child born in Houston on this day in 1981 — Beyoncé Knowles. Here, Beyoncé channels blues legend Etta James, whom she portrayed in the 2008 film “Cadillac Records.” She also performed “At Last” for First Couple Barack and...
by Britt Ryan | Sep 3, 2020 | Today in Music History
Born in Gilmer, Texas, on this day in 1934 and raised in the South Side of Chicago, Freddie King was a famed blues guitarist known for his powerful, soulful voice, distinctive guitar style and hard-partying lifestyle (he died at 42 in 1976). His Rock & Roll Hall...
by Britt Ryan | Sep 2, 2020 | Today in Music History
OK, you knew that Billy Preston had several huge hits during the 1970s and that he was famous for performing with The Beatles (“Get Back”) and other top acts. But did you know that he jammed with the legendary Nat King Cole at age 11? Here, he nails a duet of...
by Britt Ryan | Sep 1, 2020 | Today in Music History, Uncategorized
Willie Ruff wasn’t just a jazz man. He was also a Yale man who served his country alongside the famed Tuskegee airmen. He enlisted in the Army at age 14 and was inspired by an article he read about Charlie Parker to attend the Yale School of Music, where he earned a...
by Britt Ryan | Aug 31, 2020 | Today in Music History
Sir Van Morrison — that’s what the blue-eyed soul singer from Belfast, Northern Ireland, is known as in the U.K., where in 2016 he was knighted by the Prince of Wales. Born on this day in 1945, his path to musical fame started as the lead singer for Them (or “Les...
