Tina Turner definitely earned her title as the "Queen of Rock and Roll." Longtime writer/editor Sheldon Zoldan wrote this tribute to Turner, who died on May 24 last year. This is one of 44 short yet illuminating episodes about significant figures in the music industry who passed away in 2023.

Sheldon also writes Song of the Day, a music-related story sent daily to an email list of subscribers. All of those stories and these tributes include links to the featured songs. Here, you can listen to "Nutbush City Limits" on YouTube. It's worth scrolling through the comments below the video. Whether they're in English or another language, the commentators express their love and appreciation for Turner. Very sweet.

The first photo in the Chapters is by an uncredited photographer who took the shot of Turner performing at Tulane Stadium, New Orleans, in October 1970. The other two photos show covers of her books.

To get on the Song of the Day subscriber list, email shzoldan@comcast.net with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.

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Ed Ames, a member of the singing Ames Brothers quartet, later became an actor who was best known for his role on the TV show "Daniel Boone." This tribute is one of 44 short yet illuminating episodes about significant figures in the music industry who passed away in 2023.

The tributes were written and recorded by longtime writer/editor Sheldon Zoldan, who also is the creator behind Song of the Day, a music-related story sent daily to an email list of subscribers. All of those stories and these tributes include links to the featured songs. Here, you can listen to the Ames Brothers singing "Rag Mop" in 1950 on an early iteration of "The Ed Sullivan Show."

The photo of the Ames Brothers in the Chapters was taken in 1955 a couple of years after they signed with the record label RCA Victor. Ed Ames is pictured at the top.

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Cynthia Weil co-wrote a long list of popular songs including the one that was deemed the most-played song on radio and TV in the 20th century. This tribute is one of 44 short yet illuminating episodes about significant figures in the music industry who passed away in 2023.

The tributes were written and recorded by longtime writer/editor Sheldon Zoldan, who also is the creator behind Song of the Day, a music-related story sent daily to an email list of subscribers. All of those stories and these tributes include links to the featured songs. Here, you can listen to the Righteous Brothers singing the number one hit,"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'."

To get on the Song of the Day subscriber list, email shzoldan@comcast.net with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.

This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to the show!

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Pete Brown was a British poet who became a songwriter and collaborator with the supergroup Cream. He wrote the lyrics to “Sunshine of Your Love," one of the band's most successful songs.

This tribute is one of 44 short yet illuminating episodes about significant figures in the music industry who passed away in 2023.

The tributes were written and recorded by longtime writer/editor Sheldon Zoldan, who also is the creator behind Song of the Day, a music-related story sent daily to an email list of subscribers. All of those stories and these tributes include links to the featured songs. Here, you can listen to "Sunshine of Your Love" on YouTube.

To get on the Song of the Day subscriber list, email shzoldan@comcast.net with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.

If you'd like to learn more about Brown, check out his 2010 autobiography, "White Rooms & Imaginary Westerns: On the Road with Ginsberg, Writing for Clapton and Cream — An Anarchic Odyssey."

The tributes in this series are fascinating glimpses into the lives and impact of those who made the soundtracks of our lives. Although some of Sheldon's subjects are less famous than others, you may find that their songs and stories are equally worth your time. I sure did.

This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to the show!

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In today's tribute, writer/editor Sheldon Zoldan shares insights about the life of Gordon Lightfoot, the Canadian singer-songwriter who had his first U.S. hit with "If You Could Read My Mind." This is one of 44 tributes to artists, songwriters and producers who passed away in 2023.

Sheldon also writes Song of the Day, a music-related story sent daily to an email list of subscribers. All of those stories and these tributes include links to featured songs.

You can listen to Sheldon's story about Lightfoot on the WGCU website, where he posts once a week, or hear "If You Could Read My Mind" on YouTube. (And to get on Sheldon’s Song of the Day subscriber list, email shzoldan@comcast.net with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.)

The comments on YouTube are worth reading. There are many expressions of gratitude for Lightfoot's music. One person wrote that Lightfoot had a voice that "makes you feel he's singing just for you." There's a Prime video about him that also looks interesting. It's called "Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind."

This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to the show!

Available on Apple, Spotify, Audible and in other directories, and on YouTube.

In the late 1950s, Clarence “Fuzzy” Haskins started a doo-wop group with George Clinton. Originally called the Parliaments, the group eventually became Parliament-Funkadelic, one of the most influential bands of the 1970s.

Haskins also had a solo career. In the chapters, you'll see an image of the cover of his 1976 album, "A Whole Nother Thang." It has a nice picture of him.

Longtime writer/editor Sheldon Zoldan wrote this tribute to Haskins, who died in March last year. This is one of 44 short yet illuminating episodes about significant figures in the music industry who passed away in 2023.

Sheldon also writes Song of the Day, a music-related story sent daily to an email list of subscribers. All of those stories and these tributes include links to the featured songs. Here, you can link to “I Got A Thing, You Got A Thing, Everybody Got A Thing" on YouTube. On the recording, Sheldon and I both misspoke when we said "Everyone Got A Thing. Sorry about that. I've also seen it referred to as "Everybody's (possessive) Got A Thing." Maybe both are correct!

To get on the Song of the Day subscriber list, email shzoldan@comcast.net with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.

This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to the show!

Available on Apple, Spotify, Audible and in other directories, and on YouTube.

In 1951 when she was only 22, singer April Stevens had her first hit, and the hits kept coming. This tribute to Stevens is one of 44 short yet illuminating episodes about significant figures in the music industry who passed away in 2023.

The tributes were written and recorded by longtime writer/editor Sheldon Zoldan, who also is the creator behind Song of the Day, a music-related story sent daily to an email list of subscribers. All of those stories and these tributes include links to the featured songs. Here, you can watch Stevens and her brother, Nino Tempo, sing the Grammy-winning “Deep Purple" on YouTube.

To get on the Song of the Day subscriber list, email shzoldan@comcast.net with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.

This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to the show!

Available on Apple, Spotify, Audible and in other directories, and on YouTube.

In 1968, singer, actor and civil rights activist Harry Belafonte hosted "The Tonight Show" for a week. He discussed the issues of the day with a stellar list of guests including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The documentary about that week is called "The Sit-In," available on Peacock. Here, you can find out more and scroll down to watch the trailer.

This tribute to Belafonte, featuring writer/editor Sheldon Zoldan, is one of 44 short yet illuminating episodes about significant figures in the music industry who passed away in 2023.

Sheldon also writes Song of the Day, a music-related story sent daily to an email list of subscribers. All of those stories and these tributes include links to the featured songs.

You can listen to Sheldon tell Belafonte's story on the WGCU website, where he posts once a week, or hear today's featured song, “Day-O,” on YouTube. (And to get on Sheldon’s Song of the Day subscriber list, email shzoldan@comcast.net with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.)

If you want to learn more about Belafonte, you can buy his 2012 memoir, "My Song," in paperback or audiobook. It's available on Amazon , which also has quite a few of Belafonte's CDs and a couple of vinyl records. The LP "Best of Harry Belafonte" features "Day-O" on the cover.

This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to the show!

Available on Apple, Spotify, Audible and in other directories, and on YouTube.