Sérgio Mendes had a 60-year career, marked by perseverance and a decision to stay in the U.S. after a lukewarm tour. His success in the U.S. began after being signed by trumpeter Herb Alpert and forming Brasil '66 with two female singers. The group went on to have three Top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 and two Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in the late 1960s. 

Mendes' first American hit was "Mas que Nada," reaching number 47 on the singles chart in 1966. Forty years later, he did the song with the Black Eyed Peas. It reached number six in the UK.

You can go here to watch him perform the song in 1967 with Brasil '66. And there are a few videos on YouTube that feature the version with Mendes and the Black Eyed Peas. Your choice.

I thought it would be fun to also feature a different song, "That Heat," with Mendes, will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, and Erykah Badu. Go here to watch the video. 

The photo in this episode's chapters and thumbnail is of Mendes in 1971. It's attributed to Fotograaf Onbekend / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.

This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. 

Sheldon also created Song of the Day, which was a daily feature delivered to an email list of subscribers. He ended it in early 2026 which, I suppose, means that Song of the Day deserves a tribute of its own. The good thing is that the tributes to music makers live on. Each is a snapshot of the life of one music maker whose work made an impact on the lives of many.

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This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Scott Simon joined Sha Na Na in 1970 after responding to an ad for a keyboard player; he stayed with the group until they stopped touring in 2022.

The image in this episode's thumbnail is the cover of the album "Sha Na Na: Woodstock 20 Years After." Simon is pictured at the far left. In the chapters, there's also a photo of Simon signing autographs in 2009.

To watch Simon and the rest of Sha Na Na perform "Whole Lot of Shakin' Going On," go this video. To learn more about the band, visit the official website.

Simon co-wrote the song "Sandy" for "Grease." To listen to John Travolta sing it, as he did in the 1978 movie, you can go here. 

This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. 

Sheldon also created Song of the Day, which was a daily feature delivered to an email list of subscribers. He ended it in early 2026 which, I suppose, means that Song of the Day deserves a tribute of its own. The good thing is that the tributes to music makers live on. Each is a snapshot of the life of one music maker whose work made an impact on the lives of many.

Send us Fan Mail

This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Actor and singer James Darren's breakthrough role was as Moondoggie in the 1959 film "Gidget," where he also sang the title song. The film was a hit, and he became a heartthrob.

The image in this episode's chapters and thumbnail is an ABC Television photo of James Darren and Shelley Fabares on "The Donna Reed Show" in 1959.

Darren had equal success with acting and singing. His song "Goodbye Cruel World" reached number three on the Billboard charts in 1961. 

When acting roles slowed down, Darren began directing. He returned to music in 1998, portraying a lounge singer on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." In the chapters, you'll see the cover of "This One's From the Heart," which features songs he performed on "Deep Space Nine."

This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. 

Sheldon also created Song of the Day, which was a daily feature delivered to an email list of subscribers. He ended it in early 2026 which, I suppose, means that Song of the Day deserves a tribute of its own. The good thing is that the tributes to music makers live on. Each is a snapshot of the life of one music maker whose work made an impact on the lives of many.

Send us Fan Mail

This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

The music career of Maurice Williams spanned more than six decades, with groups that evolved from the Junior Harmonizers to the Royal Charms, the Gladiolas and, finally, the Zodiacs.

Williams recorded his first hit, "Little Darlin'," with the Gladiolas in 1957. The song reached number four on Billboard's R&B chart.

He was only 17 in 1955 when he wrote "Stay" after unsuccessfully trying to convince a girl to "stay a little longer." At first, Williams didn't like the song but ultimately released it as the B side of a record. "Stay" ended up being the hit, reaching #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 on November 21, 1960. 

To watch the Zodiacs performing "Stay" in 1967, you can go to this video from the Reelin' In The Years Archives.

To listen to Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons doing the song, go here, and for one of Jackson Browne's versions, go here.

The photo in this episode's chapters and thumbnail is a publicity shot of Williams (pictured in the middle of the first row) and the Zodiacs in 1960. It's available on Wikimedia Commons.

This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. 

Sheldon also created Song of the Day, which was a daily feature delivered to an email list of subscribers. He ended it in early 2026 which, I suppose, means that Song of the Day deserves a tribute of its own. The good thing is that the tributes to music makers live on. Each is a snapshot of the life of one music maker whose work made an impact on the lives of many.

Send us Fan Mail

This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

John Mayall's influence extended to such notable musicians of the 1960s and '70s as Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie and Mick Taylor. In October 2024, he was posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a musical influencer.

Mayall was known as the godfather of British blues. His music was not mainstream popular, though his albums performed better than his singles. To hear "Sitting in the Rain," which showcases his songwriting skills and emotional depth in music, you can go to this video, which features Mayall on guitar and vocals, and McVie on bass guitar.

For Mayall's complete discography and to learn more about the man and his music, visit the official website. On the site, there's an announcement that the John Mayall box set "The Second Generation (LIVE, 1968-1993)" is coming in summer 2025.

The photo in this episode's thumbnail is of Mayall performing in Seattle in 2019. It's attributed to Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 4.0 and is available on Wikimedia Commons. In the chapter's closing remarks, there's an image of the cover of Mayall's autobiography, "Blues from Laurel Canyon: My Life as a Bluesman," which he wrote with Joel McIver. The book is available on Amazon.

This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. 

Sheldon also created Song of the Day, which was a daily feature delivered to an email list of subscribers. He ended it in early 2026 which, I suppose, means that Song of the Day deserves a tribute of its own. The good thing is that the tributes to music makers live on. Each is a snapshot of the life of one music maker whose work made an impact on the lives of many.

Send us Fan Mail

This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Duke Fakir and his friends, Levi Stubbs, Obie Benson and Lawrence Payton, formed the Four Tops in Detroit. They became one of the biggest acts of the 1960s.

"Reach Out I'll Be There" was their second #1 hit on the Billboard chart and the second Motown hit to top the UK charts. Go here to watch them performing the song on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1966.

The public domain photo of Fakir in this episode's thumbnail was taken by Jay Godwin at the LBJ Presidential Library in 2019. It's available on Wikimedia Commons. In the chapters, there's also an image of the album "The Best of Four Tops: 20th Century Masters The Millennium Collection," available in audio CD and on Amazon Music.

Fakir was the last surviving member of the group. His 2022 book, "I'll Be There: My Life with the Four Tops," was co-written with Kathleen McGhee-Anderson. It's also available on Amazon.

This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. 

Sheldon also created Song of the Day, which was a daily feature delivered to an email list of subscribers. He ended it in early 2026 which, I suppose, means that Song of the Day deserves a tribute of its own. The good thing is that the tributes to music makers live on. Each is a snapshot of the life of one music maker whose work made an impact on the lives of many.

Send us Fan Mail

This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Sandy Posey began her career as a session singer in Memphis, working with artists such as Percy Sledge and Elvis Presley. She had three top 20 hits in the 1960s: "Born a Woman," which peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold over 1 million copies; "Single Girl"; and "I Take It Back." 

The image of Posey in this episode's chapters and thumbnail is from her album "Single Girl: The Very Best of the MGM Years." Also in the chapters, you'll see an image of Posey's "22 All-Time Favorites: Country, Bluegrass, Gospel." Both CDs are available on Amazon.

To watch a 1967 recording of Posey singing "Single Girl," you can go to this video.

This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. 

Sheldon also created Song of the Day, which was a daily feature delivered to an email list of subscribers. He ended it in early 2026 which, I suppose, means that Song of the Day deserves a tribute of its own. The good thing is that the tributes to music makers live on. Each is a snapshot of the life of one music maker whose work made an impact on the lives of many.

Send us Fan Mail

This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

As a singer, Jerry Fuller had hits early in his career with "Betty, My Angel" and "Tennessee Waltz," but he made it big as a songwriter and producer. He wrote over 400 songs in eight years and discovered several talents, including Glen Campbell, the Knickerbockers, and Gary Puckett & The Union Gap. He produced the top 10 hits "Young Girl," "Lady Willpower" and "Over You'" and wrote two number one songs: "Show and Tell" by Al Wilson and "Travelin' Man" by Ricky Nelson. 

The image in this episode's chapters and thumbnail is of Fuller's "Teenage Love" album. Also in the chapters, you'll find an image of "Four Decades: A Songwriter Sings His Hits." Both of these CDs are on Amazon.

You can listen to him singing "Betty, My Angel" in this video, which also features several vintage photos from the '50s. 

To watch Ricky Nelson perform "Travelin' Man" in 1985, go here.

This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. 

Sheldon also created Song of the Day, which was a daily feature delivered to an email list of subscribers. He ended it in early 2026 which, I suppose, means that Song of the Day deserves a tribute of its own. The good thing is that the tributes to music makers live on. Each is a snapshot of the life of one music maker whose work made an impact on the lives of many.

Send us Fan Mail

This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

In 1961, Bob Newhart won a Grammy for Album of the Year for his first album, "The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart," which topped the Billboard album chart for 14 weeks. His second album, "The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back," was rushed out and reached number two on the Billboard chart.

The 1987 photo in this episode's thumbnail was taken by Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, and is available on Wikimedia Commons. In the chapters, you'll see the cover of "The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back."

To listen to "Retirement Party" from Newhart's second album, you can go to this YouTube video. The well-known comedy bit "The Grace L. Ferguson Airline (And Storm Door Co.)," also from his second album, is available here. And to listen to his first album, go to this video, which includes the very funny "Nobody Will Ever Play Baseball." 

This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. 

Sheldon also created Song of the Day, which was a daily feature delivered to an email list of subscribers. He ended it in early 2026 which, I suppose, means that Song of the Day deserves a tribute of its own. The good thing is that the tributes to music makers live on. Each is a snapshot of the life of one individual whose work made an impact on the lives of many.

Send us Fan Mail

This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Bernice Johnson Reagon was multifaceted: a singer, songwriter, civil rights activist, historian, college professor, and documentarian.

Born in Georgia during the dawning of the modern Civil Rights Movement, she recognized the power of music in activism and co-founded the Freedom Singers. The ensemble performed across the South and at the 1963 Newport Folk Festival.

In 1973, she formed another a cappella group, Sweet Honey in the Rock, which started as a quartet and expanded to five members with Reagon remaining until her retirement in 2004.

She wrote "Ella's Song" in 1988 as a tribute to civil rights pioneer Ella Baker, who was active in the NAACP and other civil rights organizations.

You can go here to watch Sweet Honey in the Rock perform "Ella's Song," and please check out the comments too. Here's a good one: "This group Sweet Honey in the Rock taught me the meaning of a cappella (without instruments) their harmony was amazing...It was a JOY to see them perform live. I sing this song when feeding the birds and they always respond!"

Reagon's many accomplishments included earning a doctorate in 1975 and becoming a cultural historian at the Smithsonian Institution, focusing on music history. She also produced a 26-part series titled "Wade in the Water: African American Sacred Music Traditions."

The image in this video's thumbnail is a photo in the public domain of Reagon. It's available on Wikipedia.

This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. 

Sheldon also created Song of the Day, which was a daily feature delivered to an email list of subscribers. He ended it in early 2026 which, I suppose, means that Song of the Day deserves a tribute of its own. The good thing is that the tributes to music makers live on. Each is a snapshot of the life of one individual whose work made an impact on the lives of many.

Send us Fan Mail

This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.