An interesting minor soul performer, Mason initially focused on songwriting when she entered the music business in her teens. As a performer, though, she had a huge hit in 1965 with her self-penned "Yes, I'm Ready" (number five pop, number two R&B),...

Barbra Streisand's status as one of the most successful singers of her generation was remarkable not only because her popularity was achieved in the face of a dominant musical trend -- rock & roll -- which she did not follow, but also because she used her...

Bardeux is a female dance-pop duo from Los Angeles. Original members were Stacy "Acacia" Smith and Jazz. Their album Bold as Love featured the Top 40 hit "When We Kiss." Jazz was replaced by Melanie Taylor in 1989. ~ William Ruhlmann, Rovi

Imagine a shrine for all great sayings, a Pop Psychology Hall of Fame if you will. On these special walls you’d find such stalwarts as “What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger,” “Tomorrow’s Another Day” and “Everything Happens For A Reason.”...

Perry Botkin Jr. must have liked going to work with his father. Perry Botkin was a guitarist and banjo player who became heavily involved in television and film background music in the mid-'40s. His son followed his footsteps right into the same recording...

As a member of the Bee Gees, Barry Gibb sang and played the guitar along with his twin brothers Maurice Gibb and Robin Gibb. Among the group's well-known hits are "How Deep Is Your Love," "Night Fever," and "Run to Me." For more than...

In terms of both record sales and career longevity, Barry Manilow is one of the most successful adult contemporary singers ever. That success hasn't necessarily translated to respect (or even ironic hipster appreciation) in most quarters; Manilow's music has been...

Say the name Barry White and you'd be hard pressed to follow it with the name of any other recording artist with such a huge, cross-sectional following. He was at home appearing on Soul Train, guesting with a full band on The Today Show, and appearing in cartoon...

Polish vocalist Basia Trzetrzelewska spent several years in the pop band Matt Bianco, an offshoot of Blue Rondo à la Turk, before launching a solo career in 1987. With the musical assistance of Matt Bianco's Danny White, she developed a subtle cocktail jazz-pop...

Bazuka was a 1970s New York disco studio group organized by Tony Camillo that had a 1975 Top Ten hit with "Dynomite." ~ William Ruhlmann, Rovi

Although often perceived as England's answer to the Backstreet Boys, O-Town, and other American pop groups, BBMak differentiated themselves by playing their own instruments and writing the bulk of their music. The trio was formed in 1996 by Mark Barry, Christian...

As the first white rap group of any importance, the Beastie Boys received the scorn of critics and strident hip-hop musicians, both of whom accused them of cultural pirating, especially since they began as a hardcore punk group in 1981. But the Beasties weren't...

So much has been said and written about the Beatles -- and their story is so mythic in its sweep -- that it's difficult to summarize their career without restating clichés that have already been digested by tens of millions of rock fans. To start with the...

When the tiny baby boy echoed his first cry on August 22 in Waterhouse, Kingston Jamaica, it was no ordinary sound but a symbol of great things to come. A revolution was on the verge for the dancehall industry on that day when Moses Davis a.ka. Beenie Man was...

Belinda Carlisle pursued a solo career after leaving the Go-Go's in 1984. As her solo career progressed, Carlisle removed any of the rough edges remaining in her style, transforming from a new wave rocker to a polished adult contemporary pop singer. The change...

Drummer/guitarist Leroy Bell met guitarist/bassist/keyboardist Casey James while both were members of Philadelphia band Special Blend. After the band disbanded, the two began a songwriting partnership. Bell's uncle was Philly soul mainstay Thom Bell, a key player...

Best-known for the easy rolling, '70s Southern soft rock classic "Let Your Love Flow," the Bellamy Brothers are the most successful duo in country music history, consistently climbing into the upper reaches of the Billboard country charts during the...

From the groundbreaking orchestrated productions of the Drifters to his own solo hits, Ben E. King was the definition of R&B elegance. King's plaintive baritone had all the passion of gospel, but the settings in which it was displayed were tailored more for...

Over the last 15 years, Ben Folds’ first-class melodic gifts, irony-laced lyrics, and punk-rock tendency to play piano as if it were a contact sport have earned the North Carolina native a legion of devoted fans of all ages. These people, quite simply, are...

Combining shuddering, groove-laden funky soul and folky handcrafted acoustics, singer/songwriter Ben Harper enjoyed cult status during the course of the '90s before gaining wider attention toward the decade's end. As a young artist, Harper combined elements of...