The Lumineers

The Lumineers are a recent  favorite of mine. They are comprised of 3 members (two men and one woman). The one on the right sings and plays guitar. The one in the middle handles percussion. The one on the left plays cello. The cello is the backbone of their sound and is included in one of their best hits Ophelia. The percussionist does not just play the drums, but plays many forms of drums such as the bongos. The singer is very creative and has great lyrics. The Lumineers have very simple songs, but they make them seem so hard and advanced when they blend together. They definitely get the most out of a 3-person band and they all do a great job of picking up multiple roles to make the sound good.

Cat Stevens

Cat Stevens is a very well-known english performer who has created a number of great hits. He has a very gentle and distinct voice. Stevens is a great guitar player who uses simple chords, but blends them together so beautifully that it's almost hard for him to make a bad song. His favorite songs of mine are "Wild World" and "Father and Son." I love "Father and Son" because it shows the relationship between Cat Stevens and his father and how there are good times and  bad times, but in the end they still love each other. "Wild World" is great because I love how Stevens explodes into the chorus, but is very gentle in the verse. 

Cat Stevens was born July 21, 1948. He was born in Maryleborne, United Kingdom. In the middle of Cat's life, he converted to Islam in a sort of retaliation of the Western World. He even went so far as to change his name to Yusuf Islam.

Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson is my favorite country artist of all time. He gained most fame in the 1960s and 1970s, but has collaborated with many great artists his whole life. His favorite songs of mine are Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain and City of New Orleans. Willie also created a  great song with Waylon Jennings called Lucanbach Texas. I love this song because its about how Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings used to be great friends that were all about the music, but the fame that comes along with being a celebrity brought them big egos and hard drugs which separated them. In the song, Willie and Waylon say that they want to go back to Lucanbach Texas where times were simpler and they were not surrounded by riches.
Nelson was born in Abbott, Texas on April 29, 1933. He loved playing the guitar as a kid. Nelson gained fame in Nashville, where he paid his dues as an up-and-coming country star. Willie had a very lovely voice that was separated from all other voices. This is one of the reasons he gained fame.

The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys are one of the most underrated bands of all time. They have created countless hits including Surfin in the USA and Good Vibrations. The Beach Boys have also created one of the most iconic rock and roll albums of all time called Pet Sounds. I think that not enough people truly recognize the importance of the Beach Boy's music and how they revolutionized harmonizing. People just see them as another silly boy band. They have inspired many artists and bands. The Beach Boys have also shown many future artists/bands how to fully use and take advantage of their voices. They seemed to use their voices as instruments by humming low for a bass sound and then going very high for an electric guitar sound. I love the Beach Boys and cherish all of the great songs they have made.

The Who

The Who are one of my favorites. They are possibly some of the best live performers of all time and they really know how to keep people coming to their concerts. They also have made great hits that will stick in your heads for days.
The members are Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Keith Moon, and John Entwistle. The band is based around London and found their first major fame there. Pete Townshend is a very respectable guitar player and came up with a famous strumming motion. Roger Daltrey has a very powerful voice that cannot be copied. Keith Moon was an animal on the drums, but lived fast and died young. John Entwistle could play the bass like his life depended on it. Together they created music loved and respected by all.

The Beatles

The Beatles are a favorite of my mine and almost every human being's on earth. They sparked the British Invasion and inspired, in some way, almost every musician after them. For a month of my life, I claimed to not like the Beatles. After the month, I realized that I was being foolish and deep down, obviously liked the Beatles. I mean how can you not like them. They are 4 fun, loving boys from England who make great music. There is not much to dislike. 

The four members are John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Star. John and Paul met at a Church Festival in Liverpool. After that, Paul introduced his mate George. Ringo fell in later down the line when drummer Pete Best left. 

The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones have been a recent obsession of mine. It seems as if every song they make is a chart topper. All of my older family loves the Stones and have somewhat persuaded me to listen to them. Originally, the band had six members, but their manager said six was to much and they can only have five members, so they cut their pianist. Then there was Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Brian Jones, and Bill Wyman. Mick Jagger is one of my favorite singers and brings a rasping sort of voice. Keith Richards is also one of my favorite guitarists who grew up in a regular blue-collar home. 

The Stones started is Dartford, England but gained a larger reputation in London. Jagger and Richards were childhood friends, but then grew apart. Later, in their early high school years they met again when Jagger had a pile of blues records under his arm. Richards was totally interested and couldn't wait to listen to them with his old friend. Then they started covering some of the songs, and it was history from then on out.