Amy Winehouse was an English singer-songwriter who became an international superstar due to her powerful and unique vocals. Her blends of soul, jazz, and rock elements in her song made a distinct musical style that helped with her growth.

Her debut album was released in 2003 and became one of the most successful commercial albums of all time. Most of her songs were related to heartbreaks, addiction, and mental health issues. More than anything, she was known for her wild lifestyle which overshadowed her career.

This was the reason most people knew she needed help with her struggling. She was in a relationship with her then-partner, Blake Fielder-Civil and it was draining for her. Her being impaired could be seen during her on-stage performances.

Many could see her struggles with drug-related problems and Mick Jagger was also one of them. Being a superstar himself, Mick had a knack for it and in 2007 he even commented on her situation. The legendary frontman of The Rolling Stones himself struggled with addiction and while talking with The Sun in 2007, he made quite a prediction.

About her, he said, “Amy is a brilliant artist who makes fantastic music. She has class. But I’m worried she might die if she goes down the road that she has taken. It would have been full circle for the Stones, as she is like some of these classic soul singers from the past that inspired us. To have a woman that sings just like them in this time is wonderful.”

Mick Jagger’s drug addiction was well-publicized back in the day. It also had a great impact on his personal life. Because of his erratic behavior due to drugs, he was arrested several times and suffered from mental health disease. Jagger, later on, sought help and got over his problem. He entered a rehabilitation program in 1969 which had a positive impact on him.

Winehouse was a successful artist but her follow-up albums were getting delayed due to her addiction. She also made a poor decision and replaced her manager with a booking agent who wouldn’t care if she was physically fit or not.

Mick Jagger said he would love to see her sort herself out. He also added that getting over it is a mental thing, which proves to be quite hard for everyone. Mick reflected on his own time and said if his mind hadn’t told him to stop, then he would have ended up like Amy. He recalled he didn’t want to die young.

Mick didn’t want to end up dead and it was a motivation for him to get off that lifestyle. However, Amy was a different case. And, what Mick Jagger said about Amy Winehouse came up true. He said that Amy could end up dead if she keeps up her current lifestyle, and it all came true 4 years later. Winehouse died of alcohol poisoning in her apartment at the age of 27 on 23 July 2011.

John Mayer has just announced on his Twitter that he’ll be doing ‘road testing’; “Solo Tour 2023. Just like the early days. I’ll be playing old songs. Newer songs. Songs you haven’t heard yet that I’ll be road testing – all on acoustic, electric, and piano. Hope to see you there…”

He has announced the 19-date North American tour. Tickets sale will start on Friday, February 3rd at 9:00 a.m. through Ticketmaster, and pre-sale launching will begin on Wednesday, February 1st. John Mayer will also hit the road alongside Dead & Company for their final your in May.

Paul McCartney is known for having a curious and creative mind. He had extensive knowledge in a lot of aspects. His Beatles songs were highly avant-garde and inventive since he was continuously experimenting with various sounds and instruments.

Outside of music, McCartney has worked on numerous projects in fields like fashion design, painting, photography, and video art which makes him a genius. He has always pushed his boundaries when it comes to creativity. Once, he even used his creativity and knowledge of literature, to be precise William Shakespeare to write the last lyrics of ‘The End’.

Paul has credited many literary people from the past as his heroes. He has spoken about Dylan Thomas, Oscar Wilde, Allen Ginsberg, French symbolist writer Alfred Jarry, Eugene O’Neill, and Henrik Ibsen. Paul’s book ‘In The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present’ was the one to document it. Even the editor of the book has said Paul’s ability comes from having a curious and creative mind. According to Penguin Book, “A young McCartney would go to the Royal Court theatre in Liverpool and eavesdrop on other people’s conversations to pick up opinions, criticisms, and turns of phrase.”

It is also revealed that Paul’s appreciation was sparked by his English teacher whose name was Alan Durband. He was a teacher at the Liverpool Institute High School for Boys. Muldoon wrote in the book, “Alan Durband had a very good education himself, He was educated at Cambridge and that was extended to his own classroom. What Paul was exposed to there was really quite phenomenal.”

Paul even wrote, “He inspired my love of reading and opened things up for me so much that I came to live for a while in a fantasy world drawn from books.”

Paul was into literature more than anyone can think. He even believed he would have pursued a career in literature if he hadn’t been in a band. According to him, John didn’t have much interest in literature like he did. He wrote John, “never had anything like my interest in literature, though he was very keen on Lewis Carroll and, in particular, Winston Churchill. His Aunt Mimi had lots of books by Churchill in the front parlour. Not a bad basis for an education.”

About pursuing literature he disclosed, “I often muse upon what might have happened, had I not ended up in a band that rather took over my life. I wonder about the path I thought I was on with my A level in English literature and where that might have led me.”

And now, how Shakespeare inspired the final lyric in the song “The End”. He explained, “When you think about it, it’s been the workhorse of poetry in English right the way through. Chaucer, Pope, Wilfred Owen. I was particularly fascinated by how Shakespeare used the couplet to close out a scene, or an entire play.”

“Just taking a swing through Macbeth, for example, you’ll find a few humdingers, like: ‘Receive what cheer you may: The night is long that never finds the day.’ Or ‘I go, and it is done; the bell invites me/ Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell/ That summons thee to heaven or to hell.'”

Paul has given an explanation of how this was Shakespeare’s way of saying, “That’s it, folks.” He added, “And in the end, the love you take/ Is equal to the love you make.” The Beatles expressed the same sentiment in their song “The End.”

McCartney held a strong belief in the ability of literature to move and inspire, and he thought that it was an essential component of any person’s education who aspired to true enlightenment. We’re glad he got to pursue both of his passions in one life.

Stevie Nicks has been a gift to the world. With so many of her songs speaking to us filled with emotions, she has also managed to maintain that all her life. Best known as being in the band Fleetwood Mac, she herself has released eight solo studio albums in her career.

The Queen of Rock and Roll has had a long storied career as a rock singer. Her musical style has always been a mix of rock, folk, and pop elements. She also speaks of spiritual elements in her music, which is why she dubbed it ‘mystic rock’. It can be heard in the instrumentation, lyrics, and melodies of her music. She is renowned for her intense intensity when producing and performing music. That gives her performances a distinct and potent energy.

All this talent was inside her even when she was young. The pure craft could be seen and when she had her first experience of heartache at the age of 16. She wrote a song called, ‘I’ve Loved and I’ve Lost, and I’m Sad but not Blue‘. It was the first song she ever wrote, and it was the time she realized she had a great talent for songwriting.

After she realized her songwriting talent, she started to write more and it was very often too. She has disclosed that the song started it all. She said, “On my birthday, I wrote a song about my first love affair, It was a relationship at 15-and-a-half where I was absolutely crazy about this guy. Thank God he broke up with me because if he hadn’t, I wouldn’t have been spurred on to write that song. Because when that song was done, I knew I was going to be a songwriter. I realized right away that I could write songs because I could have experiences without even having them, by just singing about them.”

Her first heartbreak surely helped Stevie and it also reminded her that most things happen for a reason. What if she had never gone through that, maybe we wouldn’t have gotten Stevie Nicks and the rest is history.

She also talked about her performances while she was young. Stevie was very interested in performing since she was very young, While talking with The Huffington Post in 2012, she reflected on her artistic gifts. “I have been a little performer since I was four years old, and you’re going to see that in this film, I was just nuts for the stage. I came into the world dancing and singing, and my mom and dad, I think, knew from the very beginning. My grandfather was a country-western singer and a fiddle player and guitarist, and he wrote songs and traveled all over the United States and played gigs in the forties.”

Nicks also added that her parents were cool and supported Stevie’s love of music. She also maintained her focus from when she was in grade school. She revealed that her parents knew she didn’t want to pursue acting and she just wanted to listen to rock n’ roll and R&B music. Stevie even said that her outfit was planned out all the way back in sixth grade. She said, “I just was in my own little musical world. I had it planned out. In sixth grade, I was wearing a black outfit with a top hat. I had it all planned out.”

Ringo Starr struggled with addiction after the Beatles’ breakup. He had problems with alcohol and drugs even while growing up, but it became a big problem after the band’s breaking. He lost three of his closest friends. In the years since The Beatles chose to disband the group in 1970, Ringo Starr has been outspoken about his sorrow and unhappiness.

His problems with addiction were known to Paul and his other peers but they were afraid to talk about it. Even Ringo himself was aware of his situation. He lived and partied very hard. After realizing his addiction problem, he changed himself and has been sober since 1988. Not only that he also inspired another fellow rockstar to get sober.

That Rock & Roll Hall of Famer is Dr. John. All-Starr Band has been an essential part of Ringo’s life. After the Beatles broke up, Starr created the band and continued his journey in the rock world. This was a very important part of his life. The first ever All-Starr Band Tour was in 1989 and Ringo tested his sobriety right then. He even passed the test though many other musicians didn’t pass the test.

Seems like one of the five musicians was Dr. John who was inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2011. About it, he said, “I got inspired to actually get myself clean off of drugs. Touring with Ringo, all little weird things happened when I made a decision toward [getting sober]. And that was a big thing for me. Ringo really did inspire me to get clean. So December 17 of that year, that’s the day I got clean. That’s the day I celebrate my birthday now.”

Ringo Starr, a former Beatle, and singer is the drummer and lead vocalist of the revolving musical ensemble known as The All-Starr Band. Starr would frequently perform his own songs as well as those of his old comrades from The Beatles at an All-Starr Band concert. Joe Walsh, Levon Helm, Billy Preston, Mark Farner, Eric Carmen, Todd Rundgren, Dr. John, and other artists have all played with the All-Starr Band. The first All-Starr Band tour would have been in shambles if Ringo had not remained sober, but his consistency was there, and it was one big factor that inspired Dr. John to follow Ringo.

Dr. John was never a full-time member of the band but made a guest appearance at a show on the 2008 tour. Dr. John passed away in 2019, but the way Ringo Starr inspired him to get off drugs and be sober was a big thing that he would never forget.

Stevie Nicks and Buckingham came a long way after their venture started all the way back in the late 1960s. Nick’s started making progress with her music when she joined the band Fritz in 1968 where she learned a lot of things about commercial music.

Lindsey and Stevie met during Stevie’s senior year at Menlo-Atherton High School in California. Both left their home to study at San José State University but dropped out to pursue their passion for music. That’s when they made their appearance with the rock band Fritz. However, the band disbanded in 1972 and they became a duo and released Buckingham Nicks which was not successful.

After that, in late 1972, Lindsey was on tour with the Everly Brothers to play the guitar. At the same time, Nicks wrote two of her most loves songs ‘Landslide’ and ‘Rhiannon’. Forward to 1974 and that’s when producer Keith Olsen introduced the pair to Mick Fleetwood. Initially, Buckingham was the only one invited to the band but he insisted that the duo was a package deal. Mick agreed and it was one of his best decision. Later on, her strong and emotive vocal style also caught his attention. Fleetwood Mac then became one of the best bands in the history of rock.

Stevie, being such a great vocalist, and musician has shared her own fair share of her favorite songs. Everyone is inspired or influenced by someone else, and when she first started it was the same for her. While promoting her album, In Your Dreams back in 2011 she shared some songs which are her favorites.

The very selection was Eagles’ ‘Witchy Woman‘ which was released in 1972. Explaining her choice, she said, “The Eagles were famous before Lindsey and I moved to Los Angeles, We drove to LA, and I remember listening to that song, thinking what a great song it was, and of course, I’m sure as all women my age did at that point, we were all hoping that we would actually be the witchy woman. Premonition-wise I would come to know Don Henley quite well. In fact, even do know who the actual witchy woman was; it was someone who became a very famous jeweler.”

She even revealed that Lindsey and she both found great inspiration in The Eagles since they enjoyed their music and their skillful blending of country and rock & roll. She thinks that ‘Witchy Woman’ is just the perfect mix of country and rock and roll.

Another iconic singer she talked about was Kate Bush. She picked her 1985 hit song, ‘Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)‘. She revealed when she first heard the song she was like, ‘Oh I wanna record that song someday’. Stevie appreciated Kate’s song and admired how much of a great writer she is. She even said, “I just really loved her because she was a woman songwriter, and she was really standing out from the fray… a real serious writer who could compare with any of the guys. And then you’d see her in her videos, she’s kind of like a ninja. So she was tough, and yet she was a beautiful dancer. And she wrote beautiful songs. She wrote interesting, on-the-edge songs. As a writer, I really respected her because of that.”

Nicks displayed a broad taste spanning the decades later in the discussion, with picks from Pat Benetar to Justin Timberlake. Her list also consisted of artists like Jackson Browne, The Beach Boys, and Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers. Here is the full list.

Stevie Nicks’ Favorite Songs

• Eagles – ‘Witchy Woman’
• Kate Bush – ‘Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)’
• Dan Fogelberg – ‘Same Old Lang Syne’
• Pat Benetar – ‘Love Is A Battlefield’
• Jackson Browne – ‘Somebody’s Baby’
• Chicago – ‘Hard Habit To Break’
• The Beach Boys – ‘Sail On, Sailor’
• Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers – ‘Don’t Come Around Here No More’
• Vanessa Carlton – ‘A Thousand Miles’
• Justin Timberlake – ‘Cry Me A River’

Classic rock music is often considered “nice” because it is nostalgic and evokes memories for many people. It is also often associated with a simpler time and can evoke feelings of happiness and nostalgia. The music itself is often well-written and composed with memorable melodies and catchy lyrics.

Additionally, many classic rock songs have stood the test of time and continue to be popular decades after their initial release. The musicianship and production quality of the era was also often high. All these factors contribute to why classic rock is still widely loved by many people today.

Classic rock is considered important, one of the main reasons is that it was a defining musical genre for a specific period of time, the 60s and 70s, and it helped shape the musical landscape of the time and influence the music that came after it. Many of the bands and artists that defined classic rock, such as The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, and Pink Floyd, have become iconic figures in popular culture, and their music continues to be influential and popular even decades after their peak.

Additionally, classic rock is often seen as a reflection of the social and cultural changes of the time, such as the Civil Rights movement, the Vietnam War, and the counterculture movement. The lyrics and themes of many classic rock songs were often a reflection of these issues, and the music was a way for people to express themselves and connect with others.

Finally, classic rock has had a lasting impact on the music industry, with many of the bands and artists still inspiring new musicians today. Many modern bands cite classic rock as an influence on their music and the genre continues to be popular among music fans of all ages.

But sadly, classic rock has seen a decline in popularity in recent years, but it is still widely loved and respected by many people. The genre has been around for several decades, and it’s normal for musical tastes to evolve and change over time.

There are a few factors that have contributed to the decline in classic rock’s popularity. One is the rise of digital streaming platforms, which have made it easier for people to discover new music and have led to a diversification of musical tastes. Additionally, many classic rock artists and bands have retired or stopped releasing new music, leading to a decrease in new material for fans to enjoy.

However, classic rock still has a strong presence in popular culture and continues to be featured in movies, television shows, and commercials. Some classic rock bands and artists continue to tour and draw large crowds, and many continue to release new music. The music continues to be widely listened to and loved by a large number of fans and enthusiasts.

John Lennon criticized many Beatles songs, and there was a particular song that he didn’t ‘even want to think about’. It was the infamous “Honey Pie” and Lennon wasn’t a fan of the song.

Paul McCartney wrote the 1967 Beatles song “Honey Pie,” which was included in the group’s 1968 album The Beatles (also known as The White Album). The song “Honey Pie” by The Beatles was created by Paul McCartney as a tribute to a genre he adored. However, John was not pleased with the song and even laugh at the mention of it.

‘Honey Pie’ was made to be a vaudeville/music hall song. According to Paul’s book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, he revealed John and he shared a love for music hall. He wrote, “Both John and I had a great love for music hall, what the Americans call ‘vaudeville,’ I’d heard a lot of that kind of music growing up with the Billy Cotton Band Show and all of that on the radio. I was also an admirer of people like Fred Astaire; one of my favorites of his was ‘Cheek to Cheek’ from a film called Top Hat that I used to have on an old 78.”

Although Lennon loved music hall songs, Lennon didn’t like the song. Paul while talking about the song said, “I very much liked that old crooner style, the strange fruity voice that they used, so ‘Honey Pie’ was writing one of them to an imaginary woman, across the ocean, on the silver screen, who was called Honey Pie. It’s another of my fantasy songs, We put a sound on my voice to make it sound like a scratchy old record. So it’s not a parody, it’s a nod to the vaudeville tradition that I was raised on.”

Lennon had a different idea about the song. Back in 1980 when he was interviewed, John was asked about many songs from the band. He was happy with it and talked a lot about other songs, but it came to “Honey Pie”, he always said, “I don’t even want to think about that.” He said Even the concept of the music made him giggle.

According to Cheatsheet, ‘Honey Pie’ was not the only song in the genre. Some of his other songs such as “Martha My Dear,” “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer,” and “When I’m Sixty-Four” are all examples of the genre. Paul even compared songs to furniture. He said the same way that someone who wants fine furniture may be interested in Thomas Chippendale’s work as a craftsman, he claimed that someone who wants to listen to fine music might be interested in The Gershwin Brothers and Cole Porter.

October 26, 1961, was the fateful day, Bob Dylan signed for Columbia Records. Now, it’s part of history, cause of what happened next.

Dylan was born in Duluth, Minnesota, and grew up in the city of Hibbing. He was aware of music and a wider way of life from an early age. Dylan was constantly singing, and playing the guitar and piano, and was extremely passionate about music from an early age. He was influenced by folk singer Woody Guthrie and also by the early authors of the Beat Generation.

Even as a teenager, He participated in a number of bands, and as time went on, his passion for music grew, with an emphasis on American folk and blues music in particular. Dylan was on his way to becoming a folk musician. That’s when he cut his studies and headed off at the age of 19. After arriving in New York, he quickly learned how to write folk songs and started playing shows in Greenwich Village. Everyone was surprised by his performances. Dylan always worked his way and made something original, which was his own. He said,

“I always kind of wrote my own songs but I never really would play them. Nobody played their own songs, the only person I knew who really did it was Woody Guthrie. Then one day, I just wrote a song, and it was the first song I ever wrote, and it was ‘A Song for Woody Guthrie’. And I just felt like playing it one night and I played it. I just wanted a song to sing and there came a certain point where I couldn’t sing anything, I had to write what I wanted to sing because what I wanted to sing nobody else was writing, I couldn’t find that song someplace. If I could’ve I probably wouldn’t have ever started writing.”

Bob Dylan‘s originality was great enough to get him in touch with Columbia recording studio. Back then, John Hammond was the man in charge and he happened to be on during Dylan’s session. He was bought in with Carolyn Hester. John was more interested in social change, as he had returned from his service in World War II. Dylan’s originality had a chance at it.

About Dylan, John said, “Dylan was a born rebel, and I figured that you know, Dylan could capture an audience of kids that Columbia had lost years before.” Just like that Dylan was signed with Columbia. There, Dylan was also called, “Hammond’s Folly”. John recalled, “The vice president of Columbia Records said just right off, the most horrible thing he’d ever heard in his life, Hammond’s folly.”

John had a plan for Bob. Hammond recalled, “What I wanted to do with Bobby was just to get him to sound in the studio as natural, just as he was in person, and have that extraordinary personality come through. After all, he’s not a great harmonica player, and he’s not a great guitar player, and he’s not a great singer. He just happens to be an original. And I just wanted to have that originality come through.”

His debut album was not received well. It failed to chart in the US and was only popular among some folk circles in the UK. But, it was a good thing as it led Dylan to his future manager Albert Grossman. Albert became the manager and launched his career.

That’s when Dylan released his second studio album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. It was released on May 27, 1963, and is regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time. It also features Dylan’s then-girlfriend, Susan Rotolo on the cover art. The album featured some of his greatest songs like ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ and ‘Girl from the North Country’. Since then, Bob has been in the music world for a very long time. From getting paid $2500 for his first album to having billions of fans who adore him, Dylan changed the way music works today.

Christine McVie continues to win hearts around the globe with her poetry on the pleasures and pains of love. McVie, a singer, lyricist, and keyboardist is best known for being a former Fleetwood Mac member. When it comes to her contribution to the success of Fleetwood Mac, her ability to write songs filled with such emotions is enough to justify that.

She sang some of the band’s best-known songs, such as “Say You Love Me”, “Don’t Stop”, and “You Make Loving Fun”. She had a warm, rich vocal which bought depth and texture to the band’s sound. Also, Her keyboard skills contributed significantly to the distinctive Fleetwood Mac sound. Her inclusion in the ensemble gave them the freedom to experiment with a larger variety of musical genres and elevate their sound.

Prior to joining Fleetwood Mac in 1970, McVie began her musical career by performing with Chicken Shack and later blues guitarist Spencer Davis. She stayed in Fleetwood Mac for 15 years, left the band in 1995, and released her first solo album.

When she passed away last year, it was shocking news to everyone. She was here and now gone leaving behind her music. When she left the band in 1995, it was all due to creative challenges and to live an ordinary simple life away from the limelight.

Before she passed away, she had talked about her latest release, ‘Songbird’. In her solo career, she released three albums. Her new release was a collection of material drawn from her previous albums. She also had an interview with Uncut in May where she talked about it. The singer said she would be up for reuniting the band if there were ever a call for it. She foretold during the talk what her final creative endeavor would be before she passed away in November.

McVie had also said that she would be okay with ‘Songbird’ being her ‘swansong’. And she was right about it, it became her last material before her passing. She was a key factor that contributed to the success of Fleetwood Mac. The band’s ability to write catchy songs and be versatile like McVie was a major factor in their success.

McVie was honored by many people who are involved in the music business. Stevie Nicks, her sister-in-arms, couldn’t make it in time but nevertheless left a heartfelt tribute on social media. Many musicians like Marc Maron, Duran Duran’s John Taylor, Sheryl Crow, and even former president Bill Clinton expressed their love for her McVie.