Billie Holiday
Legendary jazz and pop singer Billie Holiday has had an influence on modern music that is impossible to calculate. She had lived in Harlem, New York since her teens, and had been a part of the city’s exciting jazz scene since the 30s. She is also the inspiration to the U2 song “Angel of Harlem.”
A heroic and tragic figure, Billie Holiday could never seem to get her life in order. After a horrific childhood, she finally had a successful music career, which was sadly cut short due to her substance abuse, as well as abusive relationships. She died in 1959 at age 44, leaving us with her beautiful music to remember her by.
Lady Gaga
Known by her stage name, Lady Gaga, this artist is a singer, songwriter, and actress. She is widely recognized for her wild fashion and provocative work. Getting her start performing in school plays and at open mics around NYC, Lady Gaga attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, before dropping out to pursue her music career full time.
Gaga soon began writing songs for Sony/ATV Music Publishing. That is where Akon got her a deal with Interscope Records and his own label, KonLive Distribution. She became a household name the following year, with her album, The Fame. She has sold over 27 million albums and 146 million singles, which makes lady Gaga one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
Donna Summer
Before disco music hit the pop charts, it gained popularity in gay dance clubs featuring D.J.s instead of bands. Donna Summer’s 1975 "Love to Love You Baby" was one of the first songs to make that transition. It hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976. A more contentious transition occurred from clubs to the radio.
Widely known as the Queen of Disco, Summer gained popularity thanks to her impressive vocal range and her sometimes provocative materials. She has won five Grammys and globally sold over 100 million records.
Amy Winehouse
The downward spiral of Amy Winehouse was a difficult thing to watch, as the talented young singer could not harness her demons. Her substance abuse got the best of her and she died at the age of — you guessed it — 27. On July 23, 2011, the singer was found dead in her apartment after a relapse overwhelmed her body.
Winehouse won five Grammys, including the 2008 award for Best Album. “Rehab” had some telling lyrics that help explain why Winehouse was unable to kick her bad habits: “They tried to make me go to rehab. I said, no, no, no… Yes, I been black, but when I come back, you’ll know, know, know…” Her influence lives on with her deep voice still heard on radios all over the world.
Tina Turner
Rising to fame with Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm, Tina Turner was one of the world’s best-selling recording artists of all time. Affectionately referred to as the "Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll", she’s sold over 200 million records globally. Turner began in 1960 as a member of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. The duo is well remembered for "River Deep – Mountain High" and "Proud Mary".
The pair married in 1962, but in a later autobiography, "I, Tina", she revealed that Ike was abusive towards her, which was her reason for her filing for divorce in 1978. As a solo artist, and as a new convert to Nichiren Buddhism, she was renewed, ready for her comeback. The 1984 release of her solo album "Private Dancer" was a worldwide success. Over the years, the artist has won 12 Grammys and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In May 2023, she sadly passed away, leaving behind her a legacy.