Hi, everyone. Welcome to this week’s edition of Music Monday.

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

One of the most influential jazz vocalists in history was born 110 years ago. Eleanora Fagan-better known as Billie Holiday or “Lady Day”- was born on April 7, 1915, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. An unstable & tumultuous childhood led her to join her mother in Harlem in 1929 where Holiday soon began singing in nightclubs, inspired by the music of Bessie Smith and Louie Armstrong. Ten years later, Holiday recorded what is arguably considered to be the first civil rights protest song, “Strange Fruit”. Her unique interpretation & phrasing on jazz standards & original music helped elevate her recordings and performances to legendary moments. Although she died in 1959 at age 44, she is still considered to be one of the greatest voices in music.

Top: Billie Holiday circa 1947 with her dog, Mister. Bottom: The singer at Carnegie Hall circa 1948. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

Sixty-five years ago on April 14, 1960, Sam Cooke released “Wonderful World”. He co-wrote the song with business owner & music producer Lou Adler and trumpet player extraordinaire Herb Alpert, who went on to become a co-founder of A & M Records in 1962. The track hit the charts by May 1960 and peaked at #12 a month later. If any of you think you have never heard this fabulous song, think again. It plays in the 1978 movie, “Animal House”, underscoring the iconic scene where Bluto (John Belushi) is going through the cafeteria line, then squeezes a chunk of Jell-O into his mouth just before the food fight scene (“That boy is a P-I-G PIG!!!”).

Top: Sam Cooke circa 1960. Middle: Lou Adler (L) and Herb Alpert (R) circa 2010. Bottom: John Belushi as “Bluto” in “Animal House” (1978). (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

Today is the last day to cast your vote for this year’s Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame nominees (find the ballot here). While the place has lost so much of it luster over the years given the list of unworthy people who have been inducted, one person who has deserved the honor for decades is Paul Rodgers. The singer-who celebrated birthday #75 last December-and the rest of Bad Company are finally in the running for the Class Of 2025 (and currently in second place in the voting). There have been rumors for years that Rodgers himself wanted no part of the HOF, but according to a Billboard story from February 2025, both he & bandmate Simon Kirke are thrilled to have finally received the nomination.

They were in a group together previously-Free-with Rodgers on vocals & piano and Kirke on drums before forming the Bad Company supergroup in London in 1973 along with Mick Ralphs from Mott The Hoople on guitar and King Crimson’s Boz Burrell (1946 – 2006) on bass. Kirke is the only continuous member of Bad Company in its 52 year history. Their self-titled debut album was released in the UK in May 1974 (a month later in the U.S.). Fifty years ago, the band released their second album, Straight Shooter, on April 2, 1975. The band recorded on Led Zeppelin’s own label, Swan Song Records.

This is a long time coming for the group and Rodgers specifically as his voice became one of the definitive ones in rock music nearly 60 years ago thanks to his tenure in Free (1968-1973, most notably as the co-writer & voice behind their anthem, “All Right Now”), Bad Company (1973-1982, 1998-present), The Firm (1984-1986), his turn with Queen (2004-2009) and numerous solo projects over the years. Maybe now that Bad Company has secured its own nomination, Rodgers’ individual achievements will soon be recognized by the hall as well.

Top: Bad Company circa 1974 (L-R): Boz Burrell, Mick Ralphs, Paul Rodgers, Simon Kirke. Bottom: Kirke, Rodgers and Ralphs circa 2012. Both pictures courtesy of the band’s website. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

Billie Holiday: “All of Me” (1941, written by Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons).

Billie Holiday: “God Bless The Child” (1942, written by Arthur Herzog Jr. and Billie Holiday).

Billie Holiday: “Good Morning Heartache” (1946, written by Ervin Drake, Dan Fisher and Irene Higginbotham).

Sam Cooke: “Wonderful World” (1960, written by Lou Adler, Herb Alpert and Sam Cooke).

Bad Company: “Bad Company” (1974, written by Simon Kirke and Paul Rodgers).

Bad Company: “Shooting Star” (1975, written by Paul Rodgers).

Bad Company: “Rock & Roll Fantasy” (1979, written by Paul Rodgers).

Stay safe & well.