Marvin Gaye broke the rules. Sure, Berry Gordy set them, and sometimes – in the 1960s, often – the singer fell into line. But the enigmatic and headstrong “Prince of Motown” constantly sought to chart his own course, even when plagued by a divided soul. Marvin’s ultimate legacy is one of the most socially conscious, […]

Bob Marley, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, is notable not only as the man who put reggae on the global map, but, as a statesman in his native Jamaica, he famously brought together the country’s warring factions and simultaneously became a symbol of freedom and justice globally. Today, Bob Marley remains one […]

Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr and Adam Clayton met at Dublin’s Mount Temple School and formed U2 in 1976  “before they could play.” The band released their first three albums at a rapid clip—Boy (1980), October (1981) and War (1983)—while earning a reputation as one of the world’s most formidable live bands —proof positive came in the form of the 1983 […]

From the first ringing notes of “American Girl” from their debut album in 1976, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers— Mike  Campbell (guitars), Benmont Tench (keyboards), Ron Blair (bass) and Stan Lynch (drums)— resoundingly established themselves as a musical force to be reckoned with. Through the next 40 years filled with hit singles, classic albums and countless […]

The Temptations released their first Motown album, Meet The Temptations, in 1964. In 2018 – 54 years later – they released their latest UMe album, All The Time. For nearly six decades, The Temptations have reigned as one of popular music’s most beloved and successful groups worldwide, lauded by Billboard in 2017 as the Number […]

As leading lady of the Supremes and then throughout her own solo career, Diana Ross defines the music, the style and the cultural ascendancy of Motown Records. She is its Queen. Her multi-media accomplishments span music, film and television, inspiring millions worldwide. And there’s that central characterization of her in one of this century’s most successful stage […]

From the first ringing notes of “American Girl” from their debut album in 1976, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers— Mike  Campbell (guitars), Benmont Tench (keyboards), Ron Blair (bass) and Stan Lynch (drums)— resoundingly established themselves as a musical force to be reckoned with. Through the next 40 years filled with hit singles, classic albums and countless […]

Stevie Van Zandt is a musician, performer, songwriter, arranger, music producer, music supervisor, TV producer, actor, director, Broadway producer, TV and film composer, live event producer, international DJ, activist, historian, teacher, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, and is recognized internationally as one of the world’s foremost authorities on both contemporary and traditional Rock and […]