music
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Stevie Ray Vaughan, one of the most influential guitarists in the history of blues and rock music, died tragically on August 27, 1990, in a helicopter crash. His untimely death at the age of 35 not only ended a promising career but also marked a significant loss to the music world. Vaughan’s death was not…
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“Southern trees bear strange fruitBlood on the leaves and blood at the rootBlack bodies swinging in the southern breezeStrange fruit hanging from the poplar tree.” The lines above are from the song “Strange Fruit,” a beautiful song about a horrific event. It’s very hard to listen to it, but equally, it’s impossible not to listen…
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“The Queen Remembered” Seven years ago today, the world dimmed a little when we lost the incomparable Aretha Franklin—a voice that defined an era and a soul that lifted countless hearts. On this solemn anniversary, we once again celebrate not just her extraordinary talent, but the lasting legacy she left behind. A Voice Like No…
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August 16 is not a good day in Music History. On August 16,1938, legendary Blues musician Robert Johnson died at the age of 27. Making him of the first members of the elusive club of 27. Johnson’s death was not reported publicly. Almost 30 years later, Gayle Dean Wardlow, a Mississippi-based musicologist researching Johnson’s life,…
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I was watching a music quiz show the other day, one of the question was “Can you name the real name of this artist?” For this post I am going to turn it around. I am going to mention the real name, and a music clip, and you can figure out what the artist name…
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Breaking News: This is not a WW2 history blog. I repeat—not about tanks, battles, or Churchill’s cigars. We’re taking a brief detour from my usual deep dives into World War II history. Why? Because aside from my love for history (and my family, of course—hi, Mom), I have two other great passions: Music and Movies.…
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For as long as there has been recorded music, there have been attempts to copy, share, and distribute it without paying for it. Music piracy is often painted as a villain in the story of the modern music industry—accused of draining billions in revenue, shuttering record stores, and crippling artist careers. But is that the…
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It was Billy Joel’s 74th birthday on 9 May, and I was thinking about writing a piece about his musical history, going back to the times when he joined a band called “Echoes,” at age 16 to the times when he joined the bands “The Hassles” and “Atilla.” Then I came across a story which…
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George Kooymans, Golden Earring Guitarist and Co-Founder, Dies at 77 George Kooymans, guitarist and co-founder of the iconic Dutch rock band Golden Earring, has passed away at the age of 77. His family announced on Tuesday that he died as a result of ALS, the progressive muscle-wasting disease he was diagnosed with in 2020. “We…
History of Sorts 