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6 Things You Might Not Know About Led Zeppelin

March 17, 2016 by

From their almost unbelievable guitar licks to their groovy blues background, Led Zeppelin forged their own path through the rock and roll world of the 1970s. Here are some of the most interesting highlights from the iconic band’s explosive history.

  1. Guitarist Jimmy Page achieved success with his first band, The Yardbirds, throughout the 1960s. When the band broke up in 1968, they still had a number of tour dates to complete, so Page enlisted John Paul Jones, Robert Plant, and John Bonham to fill in for the estranged members. They completed the tour obligations under the name the New Yardbirds before switching to the name Led Zeppelin in 1969.
  2. Led Zeppelin recorded their first album in under 30 hours. It entered the Billboard Top 10 in just two months.
  3. Throughout the band’s history, every one of their albums of new material has gone platinum.
  4. When Led Zeppelin released their fourth album, they refused to give it a title or even print any words at all on the sleeve. The band members were angry at the media for continually referring to their music as a hype, so they wanted to create confusion and disorder.
  5. Led Zeppelin might have never become as popular as they did if it wasn’t for English pop singer Dusty Springfield. Page and Jones played on some of her albums, and she recommended the band to their first record label, Atlantic Records.
  6. In 1975, Led Zeppelin became the first band ever to have six albums on the Billboard charts at the same time.

Are you a Zeppelin fan? Which of the band's songs is your favorite?

Led Zeppelin [Rolling Stone]
The 10 Wildest Led Zeppelin Legends [Rolling Stone]
Led Zeppelin [Artist Facts]

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Interesting Facts About Music Icon Ray Charles

January 21, 2016 by

One of soul music’s most influential pioneers, Ray Charles overcame a number of personal and professional battles during his rise to stardom. Here are some of the most important highlights from his lengthy musical career.

  1. Though Ray Charles is known for being blind, he wasn’t born that way. Charles began to gradually lose his sight as a child, and he didn’t become fully blind until age seven.
  2. When he moved to Seattle at age 16, Charles befriended Quincy Jones. The legendary songwriter, trumpet player, and music producer often credits Charles for getting him into music. The two remained lifelong friends.
  3. Just one year after his first record deal with Atlantic Records, Charles saw his first number one single with “I Got a Woman." The song is now one of his most legendary.
  4. Charles has had a lot of nicknames throughout his career. When he first started to become successful, fellow musicians called him “The Genius” because of the previously unheard of way in which he blended musical styles. Later, he became known as “The Father of Soul."
  5. Charles was among the first group of musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1986, he received the honor with fellow musicians like Elvis, Chuck Berry, and James Brown.

Ray Charles [Rolling Stone]
Ray Charles [Biography]
Ray Charles Biography [Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]

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5 Interesting Facts About Frank Sinatra

August 20, 2015 by

Frank Sinatra’s voice made him quite possibly the most popular singer of the 20th century, delivering personal lyrics and irresistible melodies with command and flair. He was a tough guy with a softer side, and American audiences simply couldn’t get enough of Ol' Blue Eyes. Here are some of the most interesting facts about Frank Sinatra.

  1. Frank Sinatra was so inspired by Bing Crosby that he dropped out of high school to pursue singing as a career. He performed at local nightclubs in the Hoboken, New Jersey, area and even got some air time on the city’s radio stations.
  2. After noticing his local success, bandleader Tommy Dorsey invited Sinatra to join his band. Sinatra and Dorsey enjoyed two years of hit songs together, but eventually Sinatra quit to pursue a solo career.
  3. In just three short years between 1943 and 1946, Sinatra released 17 Top 10 singles.
  4. In addition to his incredible voice, Sinatra was also a talented actor. He made his film debut in 1943 with the movie Higher and Higher, and in 1953 he won an Oscar for From Here to Eternity.
  5. Though Sinatra was signed to Capitol Records for the beginning of his recording career, he left the label to start his own label, Reprise, in the late 1950s. Warner Bros. bought Reprise, and Sinatra then started his own film production company, Artanis.

Are you a Sinatra fan? Tell us which song by Ol' Blue Eyes is your favorite!

Frank Sinatra [Biography]
Frank Sinatra Biography [Rolling Stone]
About Frank Sinatra [MTV]

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Two of Television’s First Game Shows

February 20, 2014 by

If you love to watch Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? or Family Feud, you have television’s original game shows to thank for the popular host and contestant format. Here are two of the very first game shows to appear TV screens:

Truth or Consequences
Truth or Consequences began as a radio program, and it first aired on television in 1950. Its contestants had to answer trivia questions in no more than two seconds (the show’s "Truth" portion), but the questions were almost always ridiculous or incredibly difficult. Once the contestant inevitably could not answer, they were faced with a "Consequence," typically an embarrassing stunt or physical activity. Truth or Consequences was particularly beloved for its sentimental surprise appearances, often a long-lost family member or a son returning from Vietnam. 

What’s My Line?
This 1950 panel-style game show featured a panel of celebrities who had to question contestants about their professions. The contestants could only respond with “yes” or “no” answers, and the panelists aimed to guess the contestant’s occupation based on the obtained answers. Occasionally a celebrity mystery guest appeared on the show, in which case the panel attempted to guess the person’s identity instead. What’s My Line? eventually spawned international versions and, later on, U.S. revivals, a radio version, and even a live stage version. 

 

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