Music, Talk & More

Dance & Disco

Donna Summer-  

LaDonna Adrian Gaines, known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter. She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the “Queen of Disco”, while her music gained a global following. 

Born: December 31, 1948, Boston, MA

Died: May 17, 2012, Naples, FL

 Rihanna-

Rihanna is an international music star that has captivated the hearts of millions around the world. Throughout her career, she has released chart-topping hits and broken barriers for female musicians everywhere. Her unique style of music and powerful lyrics have resonated with audiences from all walks of life. In this article, we will explore Rihanna’s musical journey and uncover what makes her songs so special. From Pop to Reggae to R&B, Rihanna’s sound is ever-evolving. Each album reveals a different side of her artistry while still retaining her signature soulful voice. She often takes influence from Caribbean culture, infusing classic dancehall beats into many of her tracks like “Work” or “Pon de Replay.” And who could forget the iconic hit single “Umbrella?” With its catchy hook and sweet melodies, it quickly became one of Rihanna’s most popular songs ever!

Random Jams

The Heavy- 

The Heavy play a mix of guitar-heavy neo soul and rock using crunchy guitar, funky horns, and raspy James Brown-like vocals. “Oh No! Not You Again” emulates garage rock, and “Girl” is a combination of spoken word and rap sampled from Terry Reid’s “Superlungs”.

Brian Setzer Orchestra-

The Brian Setzer Orchestra (sometimes known by its initials BSO) is a swing and jump blues band formed in 1990 by Stray Cats frontman Brian Setzer. In 1998, for their breakout album The Dirty Boogie, the group covered Louis Prima’s “Jump, Jive an’ Wail”, which originally appeared on Prima’s 1957 album The Wildest!. The BSO’s follow up single, appearing on the album Vavoom!, was “Gettin’ in the Mood.” 

Modern Country

Kenny Chesney-

Kenny Chesney has been a staple name in country music for several years now. From his countless hit songs, and awards to his sold-out tours and the loyal fans he named No Shoe Nation, he is well on his way to going down in history as one of the best in his genre.  

Shania Twain-

She started singing at bars at a young age.

Shania Twain was only eight years old when she began singing at bars to help her family’s needs. She would often earn $20 by performing for the remaining customers between midnight and 1 AM.

Reggae

Ziggy Marley-

Ziggy Marley was actually born David Nesta “Ziggy” on October 17, 1968, before his father’s rise to fame years later. 2) Eager to follow in his father’s footsteps, Ziggy was banned from the recording studio by his parents until the age of 10, after which he began sitting in on sessions with the Wailers.

Jimmy Cliff-

His numerous awards include a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album (1986), induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2010) and he is a recipient of the Order of Merit, the third highest conferred upon a citizen of Jamaica by the Government.

Oldies

Frank Sinatra-

Since the early 1940s, the popularity of Frank Sinatra has remained unwavering. This slim, well-dressed Italian kid from Hoboken, New Jersey took the world by storm with his effortlessly smooth, distinct, and powerful voice, and few have matched his level of stardom since. However, behind the legendary voice and charismatic public image, Sinatra lived one of the most interesting lives of the 20th century—full of fun and games, as well as scandal and heartbreak. Just reading about the ups and downs of Sinatra’s experiences makes for a wild experience of its own! Here are facts offering a behind-the-scenes look at the legendary and unique life of Ol’ Blue Eyes himself.

Elvis Presley-

Every now and then, an artist comes along that defines a generation. Universally known as the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley rose to fame in the 1960s.  With three Grammy awards under his belt, there is no doubting the King’s talents and charm among fans and music critics alike. Many people acknowledge Elvis as a pioneer of rock and roll – not just in the U.S. – but in the entire world. However, there’s still a lot to learn about him. 

Soul

Aretha Franklin-

By the end of that decade, she had earned the title ‘Queen of Soul. ‘ Aretha won 18 Grammys, had 112 singles on the Billboard charts, and sold over 75 million records worldwide. She was the first female performer inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and remains the most charted female artist in history.

GRiZ-

GRiZ is a Michigan-born electronic music producer and musician who has attracted an enormous live following, regularly playing major festivals and selling out headlining tours. Referring to his music as “future funk,” GRiZ produces glitchy, energetic tracks with booming dubstep bass and elements of jazz, hip-hop, and soul. Born Grant Kwiecinski in Southfield, Michigan in 1990, he began playing alto saxophone and piano as a youth, and dropped out of Michigan State University in order to pursue a career as a musician. His debut album, End of the World Party, was released in 2011 by Mochipet’s Daly City label, and its sample-heavy downtempo tracks made a splash online. The saxophone-wielding musician began supporting popular touring electronic acts such as Bassnectar and Pretty Lights, leading to his own successful headlining tours. His self-released second album, Mad Liberation, appeared in 2012, followed by the more socially conscious Rebel Era in 2013. His fourth album, 2015’s Say It Loud, featured numerous guest vocalists (including Talib Kweli and Ivan Neville) and an increased presence of live instrumentation, working toward more of a vintage funk sound while remaining contemporary. GRiZ stuck with the organic funk approach for 2016’s Good Will Prevail. His fifth album, it featured guest appearances from Eric Krasno, Big Gigantic, Muzzy Bear, and others.

Power Ballads

Luciano Pavarotti-

In 1968 he made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City, and from 1971 he was a regular performer there. Pavarotti toured the world, performing to as many as 500,000 fans at a time in outdoor venues, as a solo performer or as one of the “Three Tenors” (with Plácido Domingo and José Carreras).

Kelly Clarkson-

She became the first artist in history to top each of Billboard’s pop, adult contemporary, adult pop, country, and dance charts. Clarkson also served as a coach on The Voice from its fourteenth season to the twenty-first season, and since 2019, has hosted her own talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Positive Rap & Hip Hop

Zuby-

Zuby is an independent rapper, author, podcast host, public speaker and creative entrepreneur, with over 1.7 million followers on social media. He was born in England, raised in Saudi Arabia and is a graduate of Oxford University.

He has sold tens of thousands of albums independently, performed in 8 countries, and gained 25 million+ online video views. His podcast ‘Real Talk with Zuby’ has surpassed 5 million downloads and reaches thousands of listeners every week.

Eminem-

Eminem, byname of Marshall Bruce Mathers III, (born October 17, 1972, St. Joseph, Missouri, U.S.), American rapper, record producer, and actor who was known as one of the most-controversial and best-selling artists of the early 21st century.

Lifestyle Comedy

Michael Jr.-

Known as one of today’s most gifted communicators, Michael Jr brings laughter and encouragement to audiences all over the world. Using comedy and dynamic storytelling he inspires audiences to discover and activate their purpose.  This unique skill set has landed him on stages like The Tonight Show on NBC, TEDx talks and Jimmy Kimmel Live. His mission to make laughter commonplace in uncommon places means that he also seeks opportunities to share his gift with those in homeless shelters and prisons. You can find him in Sony Pictures’ feature film War Room, as well as starring roles in Selfie Dad, Laughing on Purpose, and More Than Funny.

Josh Blue- 

Josh Blue is an American comedian. He was voted the Last Comic Standing on NBC’s reality show Last Comic Standing during its fourth season, which aired May–August 2006. Blue has cerebral palsy, and much of his self-deprecating humor is centered on this. 

Brilliant Minds

Elon Musk-

Elon Musk is a South African-born American entrepreneur and businessman who founded X.com in 1999 (which later became PayPal), SpaceX in 2002 and Tesla Motors in 2003. Musk became a multimillionaire in his late 20s when he sold his start-up company, Zip2, to a division of Compaq Computers.

Steve Jobs-

Steven Paul Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011) was an American business magnate, industrial designer, media proprietor, and investor. He was the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Apple; the chairman and majority shareholder of Pixar; a member of The Walt Disney Company’s board of directors following its acquisition of Pixar; and the founder, chairman, and CEO of NeXT. He was a pioneer of the personal computer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s, along with his early business partner and fellow Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

Well-Respected Health Info

Dr. Mark Hyman-

Mark Hyman, MD is a practicing family physician and an internationally recognized leader, speaker, educator, and advocate in the field of functional medicine. He is the founder and director of The UltraWellness Center, Founder and Senior Advisor for the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine, a fifteen-time New York Times best-selling author, and Board President for Clinical Affairs for The Institute for Functional Medicine.  He is the founder and chairman of the Food Fix Campaign, dedicated to transforming our food and agriculture system through policy. He is the host of one of the leading health podcasts, The Doctor’s Farmacy with 150+ million downloads.

Dr. Daniel Amen-

Dr. Amen is a physician, psychiatrist, teacher, and multiple New York Times best-selling author. He is widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost experts on applying brain imaging science to clinical psychiatric practice.

Entrepreneurial

Ed Mylett-

Ed Mylett is a globally recognized entrepreneur, performance coach, and speaker. He got his start in the financial services industry, achieving incredible success that eventually earned him a spot on the Forbes “50 Wealthiest Under 50” List.

Gary Vaynerchuk-

He is a venture capitalist, four-time New York Times bestselling author, and an early investor in companies such as Twitter, Tumblr, Venmo and Uber. In addition to running VaynerMedia, Vaynerchuk also serves as the CEO of holding company VaynerX, which houses VaynerMedia and new publishing company, The Gallery.

Inspirational Legends

Martin Luther King Jr.-

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a civil rights activist in the 1950s and 1960s. He led non-violent protests to fight for the rights of all people including African Americans. He hoped that America and the world could form a society where race would not impact a person’s civil rights. He is considered one of the great orators of modern times, and his speeches still inspire many to this day.

Muhammad Ali-

 One of the greatest boxers in history, the first fighter to win the world heavyweight championship on three separate occasions. In addition, he was known for his social message of black pride

Iconic Celebrity Speeches

Matthew McConaughey-

McConaughey, the youngest of three sons born to an oil pipeline supplier and a teacher, was raised in Longview, Texas. He enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin, originally intending to study law. He ultimately switched to film production and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1993.

Denzel Washington-

Denzel Washington is an American actor known for his engaging and powerful performances. Throughout his career he has been regularly praised by critics, and his consistent success at the box office has helped to dispel the perception that African American actors cannot draw mainstream white audiences.