‘Loud’: How Rihanna Became Pop’s Favorite Party Girl
During her 2010 Last Girl On Earth Tour, Rihanna wowed audiences not only with her setlist, but with her fiery red hairdo. It signaled a...
‘All Night Long (All Night)’: Lionel Richie Couldn’t Slow Down
“Well my friends, the time has come…” to commemorate a very recognizable lyric and a chart anniversary for Lionel Richie. On November 12, 1983, “All...
‘Love Is A Hurtin’ Thing’: Lou Rawls Lands A Big One At Last
By the second half of 1966, the smoothy soulful Chicago stylist Lou Rawls was five years into his contract with Capitol Records, and seriously in...
JAY-Z’s ‘The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse’ Shows Him In Uncharted Waters
To understand The Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse, one should first know that JAY-Z isn’t particularly proud of it. On his 44th birthday, the...
‘Soul Limbo’: How Booker T And The MGs Set The Bar For 60s Funk’n’Soul
Evoking long summer days in the UK, Booker T And The MGs’ track “Soul Limbo” has long since been known as the theme for the...
‘Into Somethin’’: How Larry Young Reframed The Hammond Organ
Larry Young may have started out as a soul jazz organist in the mold of such redoubtable Hammond heroes as Jimmy Smith, but when, in...