Stories on JFK Radio
Stories about the artists you hear on JFK Radio: where they come from, what made them, and the songs we play.
239 stories
Aaron NevilleThe velvet tenor that crossed every genre line in New OrleansFrom a 1966 soul single to Grammy-winning duets and a country detour, Aaron Neville kept finding new rooms for one unmistakable voice.
AceThe pub-rock band that handed a hit to a future starAce lasted only five years, but one song sung by keyboardist Paul Carrack climbed to number three in America and outlived the band.
AdeleThe London girl who turned sentimental songs into record booksAdele went from a school in Croydon to records that outsold almost everyone, built on a mezzo-soprano voice and sentimental songwriting.
Al GreenAl Green's voice found its own shape in MemphisA teenager thrown out of the house for listening to Jackie Wilson became the soul singer behind “Let's Stay Together” and a pastor's second calling.
Al StewartThe folk singer who put history lessons into pop songsAl Stewart took guitar lessons from a teenage Robert Fripp, shared a flat with Paul Simon, and made “Year of the Cat” a hit built on storytelling.
AlessiTwin brothers from Long Island with a hit that came back in filmsBilly and Bobby Alessi went from Broadway's Hair to a UK top-ten hit with “Oh Lori”, and decades later a song of theirs found new life on screen.
Alicia KeysA classically trained pianist from Hell's KitchenAlicia Keys started composing at twelve and signed at fifteen, then built a career from a debut album that won five Grammy Awards.
Allen ToussaintThe quiet hand behind New Orleans rhythm and bluesFrom a shotgun house in Gert Town, a piano player became the man behind hundreds of New Orleans records without ever needing the spotlight.
Aloe BlaccThe linguist who rapped, then sang a hook heard in 22 countriesBefore his voice carried a worldwide number one, Aloe Blacc spent years in underground hip hop, studying how songs say something beyond ego.
AmbrosiaA nectar-of-the-gods name for a band that blended prog and popAmbrosia grew up on the South Bay of Los Angeles and fused symphonic art rock with polished pop, landing a handful of top 40 singles.
AmericaThe London schoolboys who named their band after a jukeboxThree sons of American airmen met at an English school and, with borrowed guitars and tight harmonies, turned a jukebox into a band name.
Amos LeeThe second-grade teacher who ended up opening for DylanAmos Lee taught school and tended bar in Philadelphia before a four-song demo, Norah Jones and Bob Dylan changed his life.
Anderson .PaakFrom homeless with a baby son to a Grammy-winning number oneAnderson .Paak played drums in his family's church and lost his job and home in 2011; a decade later he topped the Hot 100 with Bruno Mars.
Andy GibbThe youngest Gibb brother, with a debut run no solo act had managedAndy Gibb grew up in the shadow of the Bee Gees, then became the first solo artist whose first three singles all reached number one in America.
Anita BakerAnita Baker was told she lacked star potential, then came RaptureAfter a label dropped her band and a court fight freed her from a bad contract, Anita Baker made the album that defined quiet storm soul.
Aretha FranklinA Detroit preacher's daughter who became the Queen of SoulAretha Franklin sang in her father's church as a child, and her run of records from 1967 made her one of the most decorated artists in American music.
B. B. KingA cotton-field boy who wanted to be on the radioRiley B. King grew up on a Mississippi plantation, learned three chords from a preacher and became the King of the Blues.
Barbra StreisandThe woman who traded her fee for the final cutBarbra Streisand took lower pay for artistic control at the start of her career and built an unmatched record of firsts.
Barry GibbThe last Gibb standingBarry Gibb survived a near-fatal childhood accident, started a brother act and ended up with a songwriting record to rival the Beatles.
Barry WhiteThe boy whose voice dropped overnightFrom a Watts piano stool to a night in jail and a stare at Capitol Records, Barry White's low voice found its way to the world.
Bee GeesThree brothers who kept changing their soundThe Bee Gees went from skiffle in Manchester to Australia, back to Britain and then onto the dance floors of the world.
BeyoncéFrom sweeping hair to headlining stadiumsBeyoncé's career began in a Houston hair salon and has since reshaped how albums are released and what a pop star can attempt.
Big SeanSixteen bars in front of Kanye WestA Detroit teenager rapped his way into a radio interview, and the demo he left behind led to a decade on top of the charts.
Bill LaBountyThe songwriter whose songs found other singersBill LaBounty sang his own soft rock, but his best-known songs were hits in other people's voices, from Michael Johnson to Steve Wariner.
Bill WithersThe aircraft mechanic who sang about sunshineBill Withers kept his day job after a million-seller, then walked away from music in his forties on his own terms.
Billy Davis Jr.The first couple of pop and soul, and one very big night in 1977Billy Davis Jr. left the 5th Dimension with his wife Marilyn McCoo and found a number one all their own.
Billy PaulA voice as silky as butter, and a lesson from Charlie ParkerBilly Paul wanted to sing like a saxophone, and ended up on top of the charts with a song about an affair.
Black Eyed PeasFrom a shelved album to the longest run at number oneBlack Eyed Peas started as an alternative hip hop trio in Los Angeles and became one of the best-selling groups of their era.
Black PumasA busker, a guitarist and a Grammy nod from nowhereBlack Pumas joined a Santa Monica street performer to an Austin guitarist and became a Grammy-nominated name within a year.
Bobby CaldwellThe soul singer nobody knew was whiteBobby Caldwell wrote his signature song in two days, and his label hid his face to keep the audience guessing.
Bobby HebbA brighter day written after the darkest oneBobby Hebb, the son of blind musicians, wrote “Sunny” in a year of grief and watched it climb to number two.
Bobby WomackThe guitar string that a shoelace could not saveBobby Womack learned to play upside-down, followed Sam Cooke, and wrote a song the Rolling Stones took to number one.
Bonnie RaittTwenty years of near-misses, then a Grammy sweepBonnie Raitt spent years as a respected slide guitarist before Nick of Time turned her into a household name.
Boz ScaggsThe schoolboy cellist who gave Toto its startBoz Scaggs went from a Texas classroom to a number two album, and a pickup band for his record became one of rock's best-known groups.
BreadA bread truck, a Beatles hunch and thirteen chart hitsBread picked their name almost by accident, then built a run of soft rock songs that charted on the Hot 100 across the 1970s.
Bruno MarsA three-year-old Elvis from HonoluluPeter Gene Hernandez was performing in Hawaii as a child, and today Bruno Mars has ten number ones and a shelf of Grammys.
Burt BacharachThe composer who turned time-signature changes into hit singlesBurt Bacharach wrote songs with unusual chords and unexpected instruments, and a thousand musicians have recorded them.
Calvin HarrisThe shelf-stacker who became the highest-paid DJCalvin Harris saved up from a fish processing factory job for DJ gear and went on to break records set by Michael Jackson.
Camille YarbroughThe poet whose voice ended up on a Fatboy Slim hitCamille Yarbrough was a dancer, storyteller and activist long before her song “Take Yo' Praise” was sampled by a global dance single.
Carly SimonThe Simon Sister who became a Bond-theme singerCarly Simon started out singing children's songs with her sister and went on to a number one with “You're So Vain”.
Carole KingA child with perfect pitch who wrote 118 Hot 100 songsCarole King learned to name notes by ear at four, wrote for others in the 1960s and then made Tapestry.
Cat StevensThe folk star who auctioned his guitars and walked awaySteven Georgiou grew up above a Soho restaurant, became a global songwriter, left it all behind in 1979, and returned decades later with a new name.
Charles AznavourThe restaurant kid who became France's most Armenian voiceCharles Aznavour left school at nine, sang for more than seventy years and wrote over a thousand songs for himself and others.
Charles BradleyThe James Brown impersonator who found his own voice at 62Charles Bradley lived on the streets, cooked in Maine and played tiny shows for twenty years before Daptone Records turned him into a soul star.
Charlie PuthA YouTube kid with perfect hands on a number one hitCharlie Puth learned piano at four and posted covers online, then co-wrote one of the biggest songs of 2015 before stepping out front himself.
Chris ReaThe ice cream heir who drove home with a slide guitarChris Rea was born into a Middlesbrough ice cream family, became a gravelly-voiced European star and never toured the United States.
Clean BanditA string quartet at Cambridge became a pop hit factoryClean Bandit met at university, mixed classical strings with dance beats and collected four UK number ones with a rotating cast of guest singers.
Colbie CaillatThe girl Idol turned down, and the songs MySpace wouldn't let goTwice rejected on American Idol, Colbie Caillat built her audience online and walked into the charts with a debut called Coco.
ColdplayFour students, a trilogy and a world tour that grossed a billionFrom a first week at University College London to the biggest tour any band has run, Coldplay's story starts with two strangers and a guitar.
CommodoresAlmost the Commodes: the band named by a finger on a dictionary pageSix students at Tuskegee found a name by luck, a manager by parking lots and a sound that moved from funk to ballads.
Corinne Bailey RaeFrom church violin to a debut that went straight to number oneCorinne Bailey Rae learned music in a Leeds church, lost her husband in 2008, and kept writing songs that wouldn't hide the loss.
Craig DavidA bedroom full of 12-inch records and a debut that sold eight millionCraig David grew up in Southampton on a reggae bassist's knowledge of dance floors, then walked from garage vocals to a UK number one.
Crowded HouseA name taken from a cramped house in the Hollywood HillsCrowded House started with a farewell tour, an audition at an after-party and a record label that insisted on a new name.
Curtis MayfieldThe Gentle Genius who put conscience into soul musicCurtis Mayfield grew up in Chicago housing projects, wrote anthems for the civil rights era and kept making records after an accident left him paralysed.
Curtis StigersA Boise kid, a saxophone and a jazz singer in the pop chartsCurtis Stigers moved to New York to be a rock star, got distracted by jazz clubs and still scored an international hit.
Daft PunkTwo robots, one house revolution and a farewell after 28 yearsDaft Punk went from a failed indie band to disguised ambassadors of French house, then called it quits on their own terms.
Daryl Hall & John OatesTwo Philadelphia students, one shared mailbox, six number onesA band competition in 1967 put Daryl Hall and John Oates in the same room, and the names on a mailbox did the rest of the branding.
David GrayA record that took two and a half years to become a number oneDavid Gray spent the 1990s as a respected folk-rock name with modest sales, until one album found its audience on a second try.
Des'reeThe graduate who was meant to study law and sang at the VaticanDes'ree sent a demo tape at the urging of her boyfriend and ended up on stage at the Olympics and in a Baz Luhrmann film.
Detroit SpinnersA Detroit group that spent years carrying other people's bagsThe Spinners waited nearly a decade for their breakthrough, working as Motown road managers and chauffeurs before moving to Atlantic.
Diana RossA birth certificate, a mistake and a name that stuckDiana Ross was named Diane by her mother, and the clerical error that changed it led to one of pop's best-known names.
Dionne WarwickThe gospel teenager who became Burt Bacharach's voiceDionne Warwick began in a family gospel circle and then turned a string of Bacharach and David songs into pop standards.
Donald FagenThe jazz snob from New Jersey who wrote about late-night radioDonald Fagen detested the suburbs, adored the jazz clubs of Manhattan and turned both into The Nightfly in 1982.
Donny HathawayThe choirboy from Carr Square who arranged his own soulRaised by a gospel-singing grandmother in St. Louis, Donny Hathaway became a producer, a duet partner and a soul legend.
Durand Jones & The IndicationsThe one-show soul band that lowrider crews championedThree students in Bloomington loved old soul 45s, played one show, and found their audience in an unexpected place.
Dusty SpringfieldThe beehive, the eyeliner, and the voice behind Dusty in MemphisDusty Springfield was a fixture of 1960s Britain with a voice that moved from pop to soul, and a comeback decades later.
EaglesFour musicians Linda Ronstadt recruited, and the band they becameThe Eagles grew from a Los Angeles backing arrangement into one of the best-selling acts in the world.
Earth, Wind & FireWhy Earth, Wind & Fire has no water in its nameMaurice White read his own astrological sign into the band's name, and built a sound from kalimba, horns and two kinds of voice.
Ed SheeranThe Framlingham kid who wrote his way to a record-breaking tourEd Sheeran started writing songs around eleven and went from independent EPs to the biggest-selling album in the world.
Elton JohnFrom Reginald Dwight to the biggest farewell tour of its dayThe piano scholarship kid from Pinner turned a partnership with Bernie Taupin into one of the longest careers in pop.
England Dan & John Ford ColeyThe overheard demo that made a Dallas duo a hitEngland Dan & John Ford Coley spent years in Texas bands before a song heard through an office wall changed their luck.
Eric ClaptonThe guitarist who turned grief into “Tears in Heaven”From a childhood secret about his own family to three Hall of Fame inductions, Eric Clapton’s story runs through bands, blues and loss.
Erykah BaduHow Erica Wright rewrote her name and led neo soulErykah Badu changed her spelling, her sound and soon the shape of R&B with an album that went triple platinum.
Etta JamesEtta James and the voice that crossed every borderA childhood of choirs and cruelty gave Etta James a voice that bridged R&B and rock and roll, and a comeback no one expected.
Everything but the GirlThe band named after a furniture shop sloganEverything but the Girl began as a university side project in Hull and came back after 24 years with their highest-charting album.
Fleetwood MacA blues band that became a soap opera with hitsFleetwood Mac went from Peter Green’s London blues outfit to Rumours, through departures, arrivals and a move across the Atlantic.
France GallThe 17-year-old who won Eurovision and was told she was out of tuneFrance Gall took the 1965 Eurovision Song Contest for Luxembourg with a Serge Gainsbourg song that was booed in rehearsal.
Frank SinatraFrom a Hoboken tenement to the Chairman of the BoardFrank Sinatra left his first band, built a record label and an Oscar-winning acting career, and retired at least once.
Frankie ValliThe Newark barber whose countertenor powered the Four SeasonsFrankie Valli’s countertenor powered the Four Seasons and a solo career, and a Grammy finally came in 2025.
GabrielleGabrielle: a debut that went straight to number two, then number oneGabrielle’s “Dreams” set a record for a debut act in 1993, and a second chapter followed with “Rise” in 2000.
GallianoGalliano and the spoken-word roots of acid jazzGalliano were the first act on the Acid Jazz label, then Talkin’ Loud’s first signing, and they returned after a long break.
Gare du NordA record-store boss, a guitarist and a lounge album that went goldA Dutch guitarist and a saxophonist who ran a record-store chain turned a Belgian lounge experiment into gold records and film soundtracks.
Gavin JamesThe Dublin songwriter who learned his craft in open mic roomsGavin James grew up in a musical Dublin household and built his career gig by gig before arenas, big tours and an Irish prize came calling.
George BensonThe nine-year-old who cut a record and grew into a guitar greatGeorge Benson recorded his first single as a child in Pittsburgh and went on to merge jazz guitar with pop, R&B and a voice all his own.
George MichaelThe pop duo kid from North London who outgrew his own fameGeorge Michael went from teenage duo Wham! to a solo career that sold in the millions, and used his platform for causes beyond the charts.
Gil Scott-HeronA poet who put a jazz-soul beat under the newsGil Scott-Heron called himself a bluesologist, and his spoken-word records with Brian Jackson became a blueprint for hip-hop and neo soul.
Gordon LightfootA choirboy from Orillia who sang of trains and shipwrecksGordon Lightfoot went from a school intercom to Massey Hall and became one of Canada's most covered songwriters.
Grace JonesThe model who walked out of Paris fashion and into a new-wave soundGrace Jones moved from magazine covers to Studio 54 and then to a stranger, sharper mix of reggae, funk and post-punk.
Gregory PorterA football lineman with a shoulder injury became a jazz baritoneGregory Porter lost a sports scholarship, cooked in his brother's Brooklyn restaurant, and sang his way to two Grammy Awards.
HalseyA violin-playing kid from Central Jersey becomes HalseyAshley Frangipane posted her songs online, signed a deal in 2014, and by 2017 had a number-one album and a worldwide hit behind her.
Harold Melvin & the Blue NotesThe drummer who became the voice of Philadelphia soulTeddy Pendergrass joined Harold Melvin's Blue Notes behind the drum kit in 1970, and two years later they were on Philadelphia International.
Howard JonesSynth-pop's one-man show, with a mime at his sideHoward Jones left classical piano behind, took a mime onto the stage, and in 1984 had the UK's number one album with Human's Lib.
IncognitoBluey Maunick's London band and its ever-changing voicesIncognito grew out of Light of the World in 1979 and, with guitarist Bluey Maunick at the centre, turned a rotating cast of singers into a sound.
India ArieA mother who opened for Stevie Wonder, a daughter with a guitarIndia Arie grew up between Denver and Atlanta, found her voice as a songwriter at art school, and made her debut a double-platinum record.
Jack JohnsonThe surfer whose Pipeline accident became a songJack Johnson was a Pipeline Masters finalist at 17; a week later an accident ended that career, and the music took over.
James IngramA fifty-dollar demo that led to a GrammyJames Ingram sang a demo for $50 and ended up on Quincy Jones's The Dude, at a Grammy podium and, in 1990, at number one.
James TaylorFrom a Chapel Hill childhood to a Diamond-certified greatest hitsJames Taylor was born in Boston, grew up in North Carolina, and by 1976 had written the songs that made his Greatest Hits an eleven-million seller.
JamiroquaiA ruined demo turned Jay Kay into a bandleaderJay Kay wanted a proper live sound after a producer gutted his lyrics, and the band that followed became one of Britain’s biggest sellers of the 1990s.
Janet JacksonThe youngest Jackson who decided to run her own showFrom a two-bedroom house in Gary to Control and Rhythm Nation, Janet Jackson built a career on her own terms, and kept going through a very public backlash.
Janis IanThe teenager who wrote about the song nobody wanted to playJanis Ian was fourteen when she wrote “Society’s Child”, and eight years later “At Seventeen” made her one of the defining voices of 1970s songwriting.
Jarabe de PaloA name that means a beating and a band that outlived its labelJarabe de Palo began in Barcelona in 1996, went independent in 2008, and stayed a band built around the voice and guitar of Pau Donés.
Jason MrazFrom school cheerleader to a record-breaking summer songJason Mraz started out in musical theatre and odd jobs, then spent a then-record 76 weeks on the Hot 100 with “I’m Yours”.
JD SoutherThe songwriter whose words made other people’s hitsJD Souther helped define Southern California’s sound by writing for Linda Ronstadt and the Eagles, and he made a few memorable records of his own.
Jess GlynneThe north London voice that landed on two number ones in a yearJess Glynne went from a brand management job to guest vocals on two UK chart-toppers, and then to seven number ones of her own.
Jill ScottThe poet from Philadelphia who found her voice on a Roots sessionJill Scott planned to teach English, performed spoken word, and ended up singing with The Roots and building a career across albums, books and screens.
Jim CroceFive albums, one plane, and songs that kept chartingJim Croce spent years taking odd jobs between records, then everything turned in 1972, only for his life to end a year later.
JJ CaleThe shy engineer whose songs made other people famousJJ Cale avoided the spotlight, yet a demo he cut in Los Angeles ended up shaping the sound of Eric Clapton and the Tulsa style.
Joan ArmatradingThe pawn-shop guitar that built a songwriterJoan Armatrading wrote her first songs on a piano bought as furniture and became a three-time Grammy nominee on her own terms.
Jocelyn BrownThe voice behind a hundred records you already knowJocelyn Brown learned to sing in church, then lent her voice to disco, house and pop for decades, and her words were sampled worldwide.
John LegendFrom uncredited piano player to the EGOT clubJohn Legend started behind the scenes on other artists’ records and ended up with Grammys, an Oscar, an Emmy and a Tony.
Johnnie TaylorThe Philosopher of Soul who took Sam Cooke’s placeJohnnie Taylor moved from gospel to Stax to the top of the pop chart, and was dubbed the Philosopher of Soul along the way.
Johnny "Guitar" WatsonA flashy showman who stressed his strings and his audienceJohnny “Guitar” Watson started in Houston juke joints and reinvented himself as a funk hitmaker, influencing guitarists along the way.
Jon AllenA whisky-soaked voice that Land Rover helped the world findFrom a South Devon childhood to a Glastonbury closing slot, Jon Allen built a career one song, one sync and one tour at a time.
Jonathan JeremiahA North London songwriter who took his strings to HollandJonathan Jeremiah arrived on Island Records with A Solitary Man and soon found a bigger sound with an orchestra from the Netherlands.
José JamesA jazz singer who sings Badu, Billie Holiday and the beat in betweenJosé James has built a catalogue that moves between hip-hop and jazz, from Gilles Peterson's label to Blue Note and his own imprint.
Julia MichaelsThe songwriter behind the hits who finally kept one for herselfJulia Michaels wrote for pop's biggest names for years before “Issues” was too personal to give away.
Kate BushAt nineteen she topped the UK charts with a song she wrote herselfKate Bush taught herself piano at eleven and became the first woman to reach number one in Britain with a fully self-written song.
Katy PerryA gospel debut that flopped and a teenage dream that did notKaty Perry started in church music at sixteen and went on to match a record few pop stars have reached: five number ones from one album.
KC and the Sunshine BandA record-store clerk, a Junkanoo band and five number onesHarry Wayne Casey turned a part-time job at TK Records into some of the most danceable songs of the seventies.
Kenny LogginsFrom garage-band singles to the King of the Movie SoundtrackKenny Loggins wrote for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, split the bill with Jim Messina, then conquered the cinema.
Kim WestonThe Motown singer who gave Marvin Gaye a hit duet, then walked awayKim Weston's “It Takes Two” with Marvin Gaye led Motown to pair him with Tammi Terrell, but her own story ran well beyond the label.
King HarvestA hit recorded with a scrubbing brush, far from homeFour Cornell friends broke up in upstate New York, reunited in Paris, and ended up with a song the whole world knew.
Kool & the GangSeven school friends and a godfather named Thelonious MonkFrom a Jersey City jazz outfit to a worldwide party band, Kool & the Gang kept changing shape and never lost the groove.
Kraak & SmaakThree Dutch producers who made funk for the festival crowdKraak & Smaak began with a few 12-inch singles from Leiden and ended up on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and festival stages around the world.
Labi SiffreFrom a Notting Hill record player to an anti-apartheid anthemLabi Siffre was a taxi driver and jazz guitarist before writing songs that others still cover and sample.
Leela JamesA Los Angeles soul singer who duetted with Ray CharlesLeela James grew up in Los Angeles with a voice built on classic soul and made her name the hard way.
Lenny KravitzA jazz promoter's son who banged on pots and pans at threeLenny Kravitz grew up between Manhattan and Brooklyn, surrounded by jazz legends, and built a sound that mixes everything.
Leon BridgesA dishwasher who used to dance, and wrote a song called RiverLeon Bridges studied dance before music, hid his love of R&B, and then revived 1960s soul on his own terms.
Liam BaileyLiam Bailey and the Soul Singer Who Pulled His Own AlbumFrom Amy Winehouse's label to a shelved debut and a late-career reinvention, Nottingham's Liam Bailey has made soul on his own stubborn terms.
Linda LyndellThe Soul Singer Who Vanished, Then Heard Herself SampledLinda Lyndell sang in Black and white churches, cut a Stax-linked single, and stepped away for twenty-five years before a hip-hop hit brought her back.
Lionel RichieLionel Richie Almost Became a PriestA tennis scholarship, a divinity thought and a Motown group led to one of the best-selling balladeers of the 1980s.
Little River BandLittle River Band: An Australian Supergroup Aimed at AmericaSix musicians from prominent Australian bands formed in Melbourne in 1975 with one target: breaking into the United States.
Lou RawlsLou Rawls Survived a Car Crash and Found His VoiceA South Side gospel singer, a paratrooper and a coma survivor, Lou Rawls waited until his thirties for the hit that made him a star.
Lou ReedLou Reed: From Pickwick Hack to Velvet UndergroundA teenage doo-wop guitarist from Long Island wrote pop for hire, then built a band whose influence far outran its sales.
Lukas GrahamLukas Graham: Selling Out Tours Before the First ReleaseA Danish band sold 17,000 tickets before releasing a note, then carried a song called “7 Years” around the world.
Luther VandrossLuther Vandross Sang Behind Everyone Before HimselfBefore he became a solo star, Luther Vandross was the voice quietly filling out records by Bowie, Chaka Khan, Diana Ross and more.
Mama CassA cloakroom attendant who lost a part to StreisandMama Cass won a Grammy with the Mamas & the Papas, after a route that ran through folk trios, Baltimore and a Greenwich Village club.
Manu ChaoManu Chao Learned Every Language in a Paris SubwayBusking in the Paris metro taught Manu Chao to please everybody at once, and that appetite for languages and styles never left his music.
Marc CohnMarc Cohn Wrote Memphis Before He Had a Record DealA session singer in New York turned one trip to Tennessee into “Walking in Memphis” and won a Grammy as Best New Artist.
Maria MuldaurMaria Muldaur Went From Jug Band to Midnight at the OasisA Greenwich Village folk-revival singer turned one hit about an oasis into a long career across blues, gospel, jazz and country.
Marilyn McCooThe three-octave voice that went from the 5th Dimension to Solid GoldMarilyn McCoo rose from a Los Angeles talent show to chart-topping harmonies, a Grammy-winning duet and a television screen of her own.
Mario BiondiThe Sicilian who built a soul voice from his father's exampleMario Biondi borrowed a stage name from his father and spent years as a backing singer before a deep, warm soul voice finally found its audience.
Maroon 5Kara's Flowers grew up: how a school band became Maroon 5Maroon 5 started as four teenagers in Los Angeles, was dropped once, and returned under a new name to sell more than 135 million records.
Martha and the VandellasThe secretary who answered Motown's call and became its lead voiceMartha Reeves came to Motown for an audition and ended up as an assistant, a backing singer and finally the voice of a hit-making trio.
Marvin GayeMarvin Gaye, the Prince of Motown who broke away from the factoryFrom a Washington church household to What's Going On and Sexual Healing: Marvin Gaye reshaped soul and then took control of his own records.
Mary J. BligeMary J. Blige and the day R&B and hip hop shared a recordMary J. Blige grew up in Yonkers housing projects and became the voice who made the mix of R&B and hip hop a mainstream sound.
Matt BiancoMatt Bianco, the spy who never existed and the band that didMatt Bianco borrowed the style of 1960s spy films for a sophisti-pop sound that charted across Europe and let Basia launch a solo career.
Maxi PriestFrom sound-system speaker boxes to reggae fusion's first starsMaxi Priest hauled speakers for South London sound systems before his R&B-tinged reggae made him one of the genre's biggest international names.
Mayer HawthorneMayer Hawthorne wrote his own Motown to dodge the sampling feesA hip hop DJ from Ann Arbor recorded Motown-style tracks to avoid paying for samples, and a label boss insisted they become an album.
Michael BubléA fisherman's son and the plumber who paid for his lessonsMichael Bublé crewed on fishing boats and sang for his grandfather's plumbing favors before becoming a seller of 75 million records.
Michael JacksonGary, Indiana, to the best-selling album in historyFrom a two-bedroom home on Jackson Street to Thriller, Michael Jackson's climb from child lead singer to the self-made King of Pop, told through the records.
Michael KiwanukaA session guitarist from Muswell Hill who scrapped an entire albumMichael Kiwanuka's path ran from other people's sessions through a scrapped record to the Mercury Prize and the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury.
Michael McDonaldThe backing vocalist who became the Doobie Brothers' new voiceMichael McDonald drove to a Steely Dan rehearsal with a piano in his Pinto, sang behind them, then took the Doobie Brothers into a new era.
Michel FugainFrom abandoned medical school to the Big Bazar's colorful troupeMichel Fugain left medicine for film, wrote songs for others, then built a troupe of singers and dancers that gave France “Une belle histoire”.
Mr. ProbzA fire took everything, then “Waves” took over EuropeAfter a studio fire destroyed his possessions, Dutch rapper Mr. Probz released a guitar ballad that, once remixed, went to number one across Europe.
Neil SedakaEgg creams in Brighton Beach and a second-hand upright pianoNeil Sedaka's Brooklyn childhood, a Juilliard scholarship and a lifelong partnership with Howard Greenfield shaped one of pop's most durable songwriters.
Neil YoungA boy who survived polio and became the “Godfather of Grunge”Neil Young's loud guitar and deeply personal lyrics grew from a childhood marked by polio, a broken home and an early love of Elvis.
Nelly FurtadoFrom a Portuguese marching band to “I'm Like a Bird”Nelly Furtado grew up singing in Portuguese in Victoria, British Columbia, and reached the top of the charts by refusing to stay in one style.
Niall HoranThe boy band member who picked up a guitar from YouTubeFrom a Mullingar bedroom and a rejected solo audition to One Direction and four albums of his own, Niall Horan took an unusual route to the front.
Nick Cave and the Bad SeedsOut of a broken band came forty years of the Bad SeedsWhen the Birthday Party fell apart in 1983, Nick Cave and Mick Harvey built a new group that would keep changing shape for decades.
Nina SimoneA pianist denied a classical career who became a singer by chanceNina Simone wanted to be a concert pianist, and a rejection from a famed music institute pushed her toward the stage that made her name.
Norah JonesA jazz student from Texas whose debut sold twenty-seven millionNorah Jones left Texas for New York at twenty and turned a quiet fusion of jazz, country and folk into a worldwide success.
OmarOmar, the trumpet-trained soul man who beat a quiz-show jokeOmar Lye-Fook trained classically, released his debut on his father's label, and watched "There's Nothing Like This" reach the UK top 15.
OrleansWoodstock's best unrecorded band finally went into the studioOrleans formed in Woodstock in 1972 and, after years on the club circuit, put two songs into the American top ten.
Paolo NutiniA fish-and-chip shop heir who became a roadie, then a starPaolo Nutini grew up in Paisley expected to join the family chip shop, but left school to carry gear and sell t-shirts for a local band.
Patti LaBelleA girl from Southwest Philadelphia who became the Godmother of SoulPatricia Holte sang in a church choir at ten and was told she looked too plain; she went on to sell more than 50 million records.
Paul SimonThe songwriter who kept changing the sound of his own songsFrom Simon & Garfunkel to Graceland and beyond, Paul Simon never stopped chasing a new rhythm in his songs.
Paul WellerThe mod who never took the scooter off the roadPaul Weller turned a Woking suburb and a Rickenbacker into the Jam, the Style Council and a lifelong solo career.
PharrellHow a Virginia Beach drummer became the sound behind a dozen hitsPharrell met his production partner at band camp, and decades later his name is attached to chart-toppers and a luxury fashion house.
Pink MartiniA little orchestra that began as a cure for boring fundraisersThomas Lauderdale founded Pink Martini in Portland because the music at political fundraisers was loud and dull.
PlayerPlayer and the song that was never a one-hit wonderA Liverpudlian and an American met at a party in Los Angeles and wrote “Baby Come Back”, a US number one in 1978.
PrincePrince: 39 albums, one symbol and a Minneapolis sound all his ownFrom a Warner Bros. contract at 18 to the first number-one film, album and single in one week, Prince wrote his own rules.
Quincy JonesThe boy who listened through the wall and ended up producing ThrillerQuincy Jones heard his first piano through a neighbour's wall in Chicago, and seven decades later his name sat on some of pop's biggest records.
Ray CharlesThe Genius who stitched gospel, blues and country into soulRay Charles mixed gospel, blues and jazz into a new sound in the 1950s, then won over country and pop audiences and a seat at the table of his own masters.
Ray LaMontagneThe shoe-factory worker who woke up to Stephen StillsA song on a clock radio changed Ray LaMontagne's life, and a few years later the album Trouble had turned a Maine factory hand into a recording artist.
Remy ShandA Winnipeg soul prodigy who made one album and then built gearRemy Shand recorded his own songs, signed to Motown, topped the Canadian chart with a single album, and then stepped out of the spotlight altogether.
Rickie Lee JonesThe Duchess of Coolsville arrives by way of a Saturday nightRickie Lee Jones went from coffee houses in Venice to national fame in weeks, with a debut album that mixed jazz, folk and R&B in a voice nobody else had.
Robert CrayThe bassist nobody saw in Animal House became a blues starBefore five Grammys and a Stratocaster with his name on it, Robert Cray played an uncredited part in a college-comedy party band.
Robert PalmerRobert Palmer: from American Forces Radio to Addicted to LoveA boy raised on American Forces Radio in Malta turned soul, funk and reggae into one very polished voice.
Roberta FlackRoberta Flack, the church pianist behind the quiet stormFrom a scholarship at fifteen to back-to-back Record of the Year Grammys, Flack built a career on restraint.
Robin ThickeRobin Thicke wrote for others long before “Blurred Lines”A sixteen-year-old with an Interscope deal and a famous father spent years behind the scenes before his biggest single arrived.
Rod StewartRod Stewart began as a busker with a harmonicaThe raspy voice that sold more than 120 million records first earned its keep on the street in 1962.
Roxy MusicRoxy Music began with a list of old cinemas and a synthesizerA fired ceramics teacher, an oboe player and a non-musician with a tape machine started a band that glam rock could not contain.
Rufus & Chaka KhanHow the Chicago band Ask Rufus found Chaka KhanA name from an advice column and a friend's recommendation put Rufus on course for four straight R&B number-one albums.
SadeSade named the band after its singer and quietly took over the chartsFrom a London support slot at Ronnie Scott's to Live Aid and a Rock Hall induction, the group's calm sound found a global audience.
Sam SmithSam Smith went from Cambridgeshire choirs to a Bond themeA jazz-trained teenager became a household voice after a guest spot on “Latch” and never let the ballads go.
SantanaSantana: fired from the Fillmore in 1967, a Woodstock name by 1969Carlos Santana's first group was dismissed by promoter Bill Graham in 1967, then conquered Woodstock two years later.
SealSeal wandered through clubs, Japan and India before “Kiss from a Rose”A former architecture student drifted through clubs, Japan, Thailand and India before Adamski's “Killer” changed everything.
Seals & CroftsSeals & Crofts: two Texans, a hit about summer and a faith they sharedTwo Texans who once played with the Champs and Glen Campbell became California's gentlest hitmakers.
Selena GomezFrom Barney & Friends to a $2 billion beauty brandSelena Gomez began as a child on a kids' TV show and grew into a teen idol, a chart-topping singer, a producer and a businesswoman.
Sérgio MendesFrom a childhood in a cast to bossa nova on the American chartsSérgio Mendes trained as a classical pianist, moved to the United States in 1964 and found his audience once his band started singing in English.
Simon WebbeThe Blue singer who scored two solo Top 10 hitsSimon Webbe became famous in the boy band Blue, then went solo in 2005 and became the only member of the group with more than one top-ten single.
Simply RedA punk band's last single became Simply Red's breakthroughMick Hucknall's old punk group split in 1984, but its final song, “Holding Back the Years”, was reborn as a soul ballad and a hit for Simply Red.
Sister SledgeFrom a Philadelphia church to the top of the UK chartsFour sisters trained by their grandmother in Philadelphia became one of the highest-selling female groups of the 1970s, with hits that returned in the 1980s.
Sly and the Family StoneSly Stone spun the Beatles on R&B radio before he formed his bandBefore Sly and the Family Stone, Sylvester Stewart was a DJ and a record producer, and the band he built became the first major integrated American rock group.
Smokey RobinsonSmokey Robinson walked into an audition with a notebook of 100 songsWilliam Robinson Jr. failed one audition, met Berry Gordy and went on to lead the Miracles, become a Motown vice president and write for decades.
Smokey Robinson & The MiraclesFive Detroit teenagers who became Motown's first big actSmokey Robinson and the Miracles began as high-school friends in 1955 and went on to record more than fifty chart hits for Motown.
Solomon BurkeThe boy preacher who became the King of Rock 'n' SoulSolomon Burke started preaching at seven in a West Philadelphia church and became a founding father of soul with a voice few could match.
Sophie Ellis-BextorAfter the Indie Band Folded, a Dancefloor Was WaitingSophie Ellis-Bextor started out fronting an indie rock band, then found her second act on a Spiller track and kept finding new ones.
Soul II SoulFrom a Sound System at the Africa Centre to a Number One AlbumSoul II Soul began as a London sound system with queues outside the door, then took a Brixton club night to two UK number one albums.
StarbuckThe Marimba Solo That Carried a Band to Number ThreeStarbuck's breakout hit rode on a marimba instead of a guitar solo, a sound shaped by a drummer who once played for Liberace.
Steely DanTwo Bard College Misfits Who Traded the Stage for the StudioWalter Becker and Donald Fagen quit touring by the end of 1974 and still built one of rock's most admired catalogues, one session player at a time.
Stephen BishopEight Lean Years, a Demo Tape, and a Friend Who Passed It OnStephen Bishop was rejected by nearly every label until a demo reached Art Garfunkel, and that tape changed what came next.
Stevie WonderThe Boy Who Topped the Charts at Thirteen and Never StoppedBorn six weeks early and blind, Stevie Wonder signed with Motown at eleven and went on to run a three-album Grammy streak.
StingA Wasp Jumper, a Milk Round and a Teaching CertificateBefore the Police, Gordon Sumner delivered milk, conducted buses and taught school, and picked up his famous name from a striped sweater.
SWVDemo tapes and Perrier: how SWV talked their way into a record dealSisters with Voices began as a gospel group in 1988 and became one of the most successful R&B trios of the 1990s, with a Hot 100 number one.
T.I.The Atlanta trap pioneer who topped the Hot 100 three timesClifford Harris Jr., known as T.I., turned a stumbling debut into a run of chart-topping albums and became a leading voice of Southern hip-hop.
Tammi TerrellTammi Terrell, the voice that carried Marvin Gaye's best duetsTammi Terrell started singing as a teenager, signed with Motown on her 20th birthday, and left a handful of duets that still define the label's sound.
Tasmin ArcherThe sewing machine operator whose first single went to number oneTasmin Archer worked as a clerk in Leeds before “Sleeping Satellite” reached No. 1 and won her a Brit Award, then chose her own path afterward.
Tears for FearsPrimal therapy, synthesizers and a name that stuck: Tears for FearsCurt Smith and Roland Orzabal left a mod revival band in Bath and built one of the defining pop acts of the 1980s, then split, reunited and returned.
Teddy SwimsFrom football field to musical theater to a Hot 100 number oneJaten Dimsdale swapped high-school football for the stage, built an audience with YouTube covers, and reached the top of the Hot 100 as Teddy Swims.
TexasA hairdresser, a bassist and a Glasgow band that outlasted its slumpsTexas grew from a Glasgow salon employee and two musicians into a band with six-times-platinum album sales, a long hiatus and an unlikely second wind.
The BeatlesFour Liverpool musicians and the album era they startedThe Beatles went from clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg to the studio, building a catalog that reshaped how songs, records and covers were made.
The Blow MonkeysA Scottish-born doctor, a London band and a song that argued backThe Blow Monkeys came out of London in 1981 and hit big in 1986 with a single about the backlash against gay people.
The Brand New HeaviesHow a nightclub demo and a James Brown title gave acid jazz its nameThe Brand New Heavies started as Brother International, borrowed a nickname of James Brown for their new name and helped build a genre.
The Brothers JohnsonThunder Thumbs, Lightnin’ Licks and the Quincy Jones connectionGeorge and Louis Johnson went from backing other acts to topping the R&B charts with funk and ballads of their own.
The ChainsmokersFrom indie remixes to the highest-paid DJs on Forbes’ listAlex Pall and Drew Taggart began with remixes of indie bands and ended up with a number one single and a Grammy.
The Doobie BrothersA band that kept changing its voice, from San Jose to the Hall of FameThe Doobie Brothers began in San Jose in 1970 and reinvented themselves more than once, from boogie rock to blue-eyed soul.
The Isley BrothersSix decades of hits, from a church in Cincinnati to the 2000sThe Isley Brothers charted in six different decades, and the band that made Between the Sheets began as a gospel quartet of boys.
The Jones GirlsThree Detroit sisters who sang behind the stars firstBrenda, Shirley and Valorie Jones sang backup for Diana Ross and Aretha Franklin before their own gold record.
The Mamas & the PapasFour voices, one folk habit that John Phillips had to breakJohn Phillips resisted leaving folk behind, but with Cass Elliot, Michelle Phillips and Denny Doherty he built one of the 1960s' most recognizable vocal sounds.
The O'JaysFrom a Canton high school to the Philadelphia soundThe O'Jays spent a decade without a Top 40 hit before Gamble & Huff turned them into one of Philadelphia soul's leading groups.
The Real ThingLiverpool soul that waited years for its number oneThe Real Thing spent years on covers, talent shows and touring as David Essex's backing group before 'You to Me Are Everything' reached number one.
The Staple SingersA family choir that carried gospel into the soul chartsPops Staples built a group around his children and took it from Chicago churches to the top of the pop and R&B charts.
The Style CouncilPaul Weller's answer to the end of The JamAfter The Jam split, Paul Weller and Mick Talbot formed The Style Council to explore soul, jazz, funk and pop without any rock myth.
The SupremesThree Detroit teenagers who made twelve number onesThe Supremes started as the Primettes in Detroit in 1959 and became Motown's most commercially successful act of the 1960s.
The TemptationsFive voices, one step: how the Temptations were assembledTwo rival Detroit groups merged into a quintet that gave Motown its choreography, its harmonies and a run of number-one singles.
The Teskey BrothersBusking, a home studio and a soul sound from MelbourneJosh and Sam Teskey made their first album at home and, within a few years, were collecting ARIA awards for the follow-up.
The WeekndFrom anonymous mixtapes to the biggest streaming numbers on recordAbel Tesfaye began by releasing music without showing his face and ended up with one of the most-played songs in Billboard history.
Thee Sacred SoulsA San Diego soul trio signed to Daptone after two showsThee Sacred Souls began as an instrumental oldies band, found a singer, and soon caught the ear of the label behind modern vintage soul.
Todd RundgrenThe musician who produced hits and built the futureTodd Rundgren wrote one of the best-loved songs on classic rock radio, then spent decades chasing whatever came next.
Tom MischA violin at four, a jazz course dropped, and a SoundCloud startTom Misch left conservatoire after six months to follow his own sound, and has moved between bedroom production and jazz collaboration.
Toni BraxtonThe pastor’s daughter who sang her way into Babyface’s studioToni Braxton grew up singing in church, was spotted at a Maryland gas station and became a multiple Grammy winner.
TotoSession players who became a band and named it after a dogToto began as the people behind the records of the 1970s, then wrote songs that went to number one around the world.
UsherA choir boy from Chattanooga who became a decade's biggest chart actUsher started in a church youth choir and a five-piece R&B group, then went on to top the Billboard Hot 100 in three decades.
Van MorrisonVan the Man and the record collection that raised himBefore Astral Weeks and Moondance, a Belfast boy absorbed blues, gospel and jazz from his father's shelves.
YebbaThe singer whose stage name is her own nickname spelled backwardsYebba went from a YouTube channel to Saturday Night Live to a Grammy, carrying a song written in grief.
Young DisciplesA London acid jazz trio that gave Carleen Anderson her startYoung Disciples made one album and one memorable single before its singer left for a solo career with Virgin.
Young Gun Silver FoxMet on Myspace, they rebuilt the West Coast sound in LondonAndy Platts and Shawn Lee spent years circling each other online before forming a duo devoted to 1970s soft rock.