On October 14, 1977, Harry Lillis “Bing” Crosby, Jr. died aged 74. Being singer and actor, Crosby is the best-selling recording artist of the 20th century. He has sold over one billion records, tapes, compact discs and digital downloads worldwide. Crosby is one of the 22 people to have three stars on the “Hollywood Walk of Fame” (a star for motion pictures, radio, and audio recording); in 1944, he won an “Academy Award for Best Actor” for his role as Father Chuck O’Malley in the movie “Going My Way” and he received the first “Grammy Global Achievement Award”.
Tag Archives: singer
Louis Armstrong
On July 4, 1971, Louis Armstrong died aged 69. He was musician (trumpet) and singer, brought various inventions in jazz music, including shifting the focus from collective improvisation to solo performance, bringing improvisation to singing (scat singing) and “reviving” the stage performance with charismatic and expressive stage presence. Armstrong became one of the first African-American artists that were popular among wide “white” audience. His influence extended far beyond jazz music and he is regarded as one of the most influential artists in the history of the 20th Century popular music.
Jim Morrison
On July 3, 1971, James Douglas “Jim” Morrison, died aged 27. He was a singer, songwriter, and poet, best known as the lead singer of The Doors. His poetic odes to rebellion, his charismatic, wild personality, and his mysterious death made him one of the most legendary, Influential, and best-loved rock artists of all times. On the “Rolling Stone” magazine list of “100 Greatest Singers of All Time” Morrison was ranked 47.
Michael Jackson
On June 25, 2009, Michael Joseph Jackson died aged 50. He was singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer, and actor, named the “King of Pop” and regarded as one of the most important artists in the history of the popular music and culture. His 1982 album “Thriller” is the best-selling album of all time and the video clips for his songs “Beat It”, “Billie Jean” and “Thriller” turned down the racial barriers and transformed the music videos into an art form. Jackson is the most awarded artists in the history of the modern music – he was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”, he was inducted into the “Songwriters Hall of Fame” and in to the “Dance Hall of Fame” as the first and only dancer from pop and rock music. He is multiple winner of “Guinness World Records”, he won thirteen “Grammy Awards”, the “Grammy Legend Award”, the “Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award”, twenty six “American Music Awards”, he was voted the “Artist of the Century” and “Artist of the 1980s”. In his solo career, Jackson had thirteen number-one singles in the US, he is the only artist to have top ten singles in the “Billboard Hot 100” and sold more than four hundred millions records worldwide. For his humanitarian job and activities, in 2000, Jackson was recognized by the “Guinness World Records” as the most humanitarian entertainer in the history, supporting 39 various charities.
B. B. King
On May 14, 2015, Riley B. King alias B.B. King died aged 89. He was musician (guitar), singer and songwriter, known as the “King of the blues” and one of the most important artists in the history of modern music.
Frank Sinatra
On May 14, 1998, Francis Albert “Frank” Sinatra died aged 82. He was singer, actor, director and producer, regarded as one of the most popular and important artists in the history of the modern music.
Bob Marley
On May 11, 1981, Robert Nesta “Bob” Marley died aged 36. He was singer, songwriter, musician (guitar), regarded as the most important artist in the reggae history and achieved status as one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time, with sales of more than 75 million records.
Phoebe Snow
On April 26, 2011, Phoebe Ann Laub aka Phoebe Snow died aged 61. She was musician (guitar),singer and songwriter, described by “The New York Times” as a “Contralto grounded in a bluesy growl and capable of sweeping over four octaves.”
T-Bone Walker
On March 16, 1975, Aaron Thibeaux “T-Bone” Walker died aged 64. He was musician (guitar, various instruments), singer and songwriter, an influential pioneer and innovator of the jump blues and electric blues sound. In 2011 “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked him at number 67 on the list of “The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”.
Serge Gainsbourg
On March 2, 1991, Lucien Ginsburg aka Serge Gainsbourg died aged 63. He was musician (piano), singer, songwriter, film composer, poet, painter, screenwriter, writer, actor and director, regarded as one of the most important figures in French popular music.
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