Music

A Young Police Officer Thought She Was Checking a Routine License on a Rainy Night — But the Older Biker Looking Back at Her Could Barely Hold Back Tears When Her Eyes Suddenly Locked on the Name on His License For thirty-one years, Walter Harlan had lived with the same nightmare. It always began with … Read more

The old man was standing beside a wooden FOR SALE sign when twelve motorcycles stopped on the road in front of his farm. He had expected a real-estate agent that morning. He had expected another man in a clean truck to step out, shake his hand, walk around the property, and tell him the same … Read more

The Doors appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show on September 17, 1967, at a time when appearing on Sullivan’s nationally televised program could give a young band an enormous boost. The group was asked to perform their breakthrough hit, “Light My Fire.” There was just one problem. Before the cameras rolled, the show’s producer approached … Read more

Pianist Brad Kella was performing a powerful, genre-bending version of Black Sabbath’s “Changes” on the streets of New York City when an unexpected visitor brought his casual busking session to an emotional standstill. As Sharon Osbourne approached, visibly moved and wiping away tears, Brad suddenly found himself performing one of Ozzy Osbourne’s most heartfelt songs … Read more

Few musicians leave behind a legacy that continues to grow long after they are gone. Kurt Cobain was one of them. More than three decades after his death, the music of Nirvana still resonates with listeners around the world, and the band’s influence can be felt across generations of rock musicians. Now, as Nirvana receives … Read more

At 81, Rod Stewart is preparing to close one of the most remarkable touring careers in music history. From busking on the streets in the 1960s to selling more than 120 million records worldwide, Stewart built a legacy filled with unforgettable songs, No. 1 hits, legendary performances, and honors that include inductions into both the … Read more

Whatever the genre, one of the most important things music is meant to do is entertain. Few artists have understood that better—or done it for longer—than Bruce Springsteen. For decades, “The Boss” has delivered countless unforgettable performances, making it almost impossible to choose the very best. But every now and then, a performance comes along … Read more

Some songs become classics because of their melody. Others endure because of the story they tell. Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” is one of those rare songs that has managed to become both. Written and recorded by Dolly Parton in 1973, “Jolene” quickly became one of the defining songs of her career. The song reached No. 1 … Read more

The origin story of ZZ Top’s recording process in the early 1970s is one of the most specifically American narratives in rock history — three musicians from Texas who understood that the music they were making had a specific relationship with the physical geography of where they came from, and who made the deliberate decision … Read more

Warren Zevon was diagnosed with mesothelioma — an inoperable lung cancer — in August 2002. He was 55 years old. The doctors who delivered the diagnosis told him he had three to six months to live. He lived for thirteen months — thirteen months during which he made an album, gave the last major interview … Read more