Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Christmas Eve / Sarajevo (Timeless Version) (...

25 Days of Christmas - Day 21

25 Days of Chistmas

25 Days of Christmas - Day 20

With Christmas Eve only four days away and Christmas Day only five days away, the perfect gift for the musician in your life rests with a gift certificate.  The best option to give and receive is online.

As always, consider zZounds as the clock runs down.

https://www.zzounds.com/a--3960264/item--ZZOGIFT

- Price Range -

$25 ... $50 ... $75

$100 ... $150 ... $200 ... $250

$300 ... $400 ... $500 ... $1,000

BONUS OFFER

zZounds Logo T-Shirt

Navy Blue

Sizes S, M, L, XL, 1X, 2X

https://www.zzounds.com/a--3960264/item--ZZOTLOGO

The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)

25 Days of Christmas - Day 19

Elf Soundtrack | Baby, It's Cold Outside - Zooey Deschanel, Leon Redbone...

25 Days of Christmas - Day 18

1951 Louis Prima - Shake Hands With Santa Claus

25 Days of Christmas - Day 17

Jackson 5 - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (852hz)

25 Days of Christmas - Day 16

Gene Autry - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Audio)

25 Days of Christmas - Day 15

Jingle Bells with Lyrics | Christmas Songs HD | Christmas Songs and Carols

25 Days of Christmas - Day 14

Nat King Cole - Deck The Halls (Lyric Video)

25 Days of Christmas - Day 13

Michael Bublé - It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas [Official HD...

25 Days of Christmas - Day 12

Pennies From Heaven (Remastered)

25 Days of Christmas - Day 11

Michael Bublé - Winter Wonderland [Official HD]

25 Days of Christmas - Day 10

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

25 Days of Christmas - Day 9

WHITE CHRISTMAS - BING CROSBY, OBRAZY THOMAS KINKADE II

25 Days of Christmas - Day 8

Sleigh Ride / Santa Claus Party - Ferrante and Teicher (feat. Les Baxter)

25 Days of Christmas - Day 7

The Nutcracker Suite Full Album Tchaikovsky

25 Days of Christmas - Day 6

25 Days of Christmas

25 Days of Christmas - Day 5

Thanksgiving launches the holiday season.  Television commercials for anything Christmas pick up.  Holiday sales advertise on television and the Internet.  These sales reflect Christmas interest.  Yet, and sadly, other religions are always neglected and silently honored - namely Hanukkah.

With that said, some time ago I designed a Happy Hanukkah notebook to honor the Jewish faith.  I imagine evening service at the local synagogue, excitement for presents in the eight nights of the holiday - this year December 26, 2024 - January 2, 2025, lighting the menorah.  Judaism is as beautiful and treasured as Christianity.

I am a Christian.  I celebrate Christmas.  Yet, I have known people of the Jewish faith.  This entry is dedicated to you.

Happy Hanukkah

by Lauren Hovis

Sold on Amazon

25 Days of Christmas

25 Days of Christmas - Day 4

If you don't have a musician in your life, bypass zZounds.  If you don't have a fashionista in your life, bypass Avon.  However, if you know of someone who likes to write or collect, consider my Happy Holidays book as found on Amazon.  The book can be a Christmas present, a just because gift, or even perhaps a birthday present for someone celebrating their special day during the holiday season.  No reason or any reason is the perfect reason.

Happy Holidays

by Lauren Hovis

Sold on Amazon

25 Days of Christmas

25 Days of Christmas - Day 3

Every family celebrating Christmas has unique traditions, from those attending church service to those opening presents on Christmas Eve and Santa presents on Christmas Day to opening all presents on Christmas Day.  Families may come together once more.  A holiday feast may be just as grand as Thanksgiving.  The tree!  Real or fake?  Decorations!  How detailed do you deck out?  Let's loop back to presents so as not to forget stocking stuffers...

...and this is where Day 3 begins.

I am a new Avon Ambassador with personally curated eStore and customized eStore link (refer to "Avon" in Lauren's Top Links).  Avon is a one-stop shop for nearly anything you may desire and every product is at a reasonable cost.  From basics to luxuries, anything you desire.  When you shop with an Avon Ambassador, you are shopping in a small business.  Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy.  So...in this 2024 holiday season, will you support my small business?  Start with stocking stuffers.

For example -

(Full Selections)

fmg Glimmer Satin Lipstick

fmg Glimmer Nail Lacquer

On: the Body The Natural Relaxing Lavender Hand Cream

Pearly Wrapped Presents Bracelet

Pearly Wrapped Presents Earrings

25 Days of Christmas

25 Days of Christmas - Day 2

If the perfect gift for the musician in your life is simply too difficult to find, you can never go wrong with a zZounds gift certificate.  Any amount is an awesome amount.

$25 ... $50 ... $75

$100 ... $150 ... $200 ... $250

$300 ... $400 ... $500 ... $1,000

https://www.zzounds.com/a--3960264/item--ZZOGIFT?siid=51380

25 Days of Christmas

25 Days of Christmas - Day 1

The feast and festivities of November are no longer and the best of the holiday season is underway.  The best presents for Hanukkah.  The shopping craze for Christmas.  Every year is memorable.  Capture every moment as you celebrate.  May every moment be perfect.  May this holiday season be no different.  Only the best.

And so to launch the 2024 holidays, consider zZounds and gifts for musicians.  (Affiliate disclaimer applies)

https://www.zzounds.com/a--3960264/lp/gifts-for-musicians/524

Gifts for Guitarists

https://www.zzounds.com/a--3960264/lp/gift-guide-guitar/41

Gifts for beginners & advanced guitarists.

Gifts for Bassists

https://www.zzounds.com/a--3960264/lp/gift-guide-bass/45

Gifts for beginners and essentials for all bassists.

Gifts for Drummers

https://www.zzounds.com/a--3960264/lp/gift-guide-drums/44

Gifts for beginners and advanced drummers.

Gifts for Keyboardists

https://www.zzounds.com/a--3960264/lp/gift-guide-keyboards/37

Gifts for beginners and bonus extras.

Gifts for DJs

https://www.zzounds.com/a--3960264/lp/gift-guide-dj/42

Gifts for the aspiring DJ and those who have everything.

November Set List

 

1.  Clocks

2.  4 Minutes

3.  Arrival

4.  House of Mercy

5.  Wish I Knew You

6.  Don't Wanna Fight

7.  Beautiful Day

8.  Nothing But the Night

9.  Goodbye Stranger

10.  Taps

- United States Fallen & Surviving -

- November for Veterans -

Holiday Break

Dear readers and passersby,

I am taking today off from formal posting on Set List in honor of the holiday break.

The festivities and feast of Thanksgiving may be over but the decorations and shimmer of the season has only just begun.

From my family to yours,

Let the celebrations begin!

Happy Thanksgiving

 

From my family to yours,

Dark Road

2024 Presidential Special

Donald J. Trump - 47th

United States Division

- For Democrats -

The next 4 years will pave a dark road.

Set List Special - Bruno Mars

Peter Gene Hernandez

October 8, 1985

"Pop icon"

From collaborating with Mark Ronson to Rose to others I am certain, here are highlights about Bruno Mars.

Genres considered - Pop, R&B, Funk, Soul, Reggae, Disco, Rock

Doo-Wops & Hooligans (debut, 2010)

No. 1 singles - "Just the Way You Are," "Grenade," "The Lazy Song"

Certified Gold Japan (digital), Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, & Sweden

Certified 5x Gold in Germany 

Certified Platinum in Austria, Belgium, Brazil, & Japan

Certified 2x Platinum in France, Italy, & Switzerland

Certified 3x Platinum in Canada

Certified 4x Platinum in Australia, Ireland, & Singapore

Certified 6x Platinum in Denmark

Certified 7x Platinum in the UK & U.S.

Certified 11z Platinum in New Zealand

Certified 2x Diamond in the Philippines

(Wikipedia)

Unorthodox Jukebox (2nd album, 2012)

No. 1 singles - "Locked Out of Heaven" & "When I Was Your Man"

Certified Gold in Austria & Belgium

Certified Platinum in Brazil, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Spain, & Sweden

Certified 2x Platinum in Ireland, Philippines, & Singapore

Certified 3x Platinum in Australia, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand, & the UK

Certified 6x Platinum in the U.S.

Certified Diamond in France

Certified 2x Platinum+Gold in Mexico 

(Wikipedia)

24K Magic (3rd album, 2016)

7 Grammy Awards -

Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year

No. 1 single - "That's What I Like" ... "24K Magic"

Certified Gold in Hungary, Japan, & Portugal

Certified Platinum in Australia, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, & Spain

Certified 2x Platinum in Denmark, Singapore, & the UK

Certified 3x Platinum in Canada, France, New Zealand, & the U.S.

(Wikipedia)

An Evening with Silk Sonic (Collaborative album, 2021)

Recorded with Anderson Paak, as Silk Sonic duo

"Leave the Door Open" 

- No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 & 4 Grammy Awards

- Record of the Year & Song of the Year

Certified Gold in Canada, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, & the UK

Certified Platinum in Brazil & the U.S. 

(Wikipedia)

"Die with a Smile" - 2024 duet with Lady Gaga

No. 1 on Billboard Global 200

One of the best-selling music artists of all time - over 130 million records sold worldwide

8 songs reached No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100

15 Grammy Awards

4 Brit Awards

11 American Music Awards

13 Soul Train Awards

3 Guinness World Records

Featured on Music Week's Best Songwriters (2011)

Featured on Billboard's Greatest of All Time Artists (No. 41, 2019)

Featured on Time 100

Featured on Forbes Celebrity 100

No. 1 on Forbes "30 Under 30" (2014)

Billboard Artist of the Year (2013)

Innovator Award - iHeartRadio Music Awards (2017)

Visionary Award - Teen Choice Awards (2017)

6 Diamond-certified songs (first artist to achieve)

(As of 2023, Post Malone holds the record with 9 Diamond certifications.)

"Uptown Funk" 

No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 & UK Singles Chart

Major impact on pop culture

One of the most recognizable pop songs of the century

Partnerships -

Lacoste sportswear

Fender "Bruno Mars Stratocaster"

(Wikipedia)

What else...

ROSÉ & Bruno Mars - APT. (Official Lyric Video)

This Day in Musical History

 November 25th

Billboard Hot 100 - 2023

"Cruel Summer" by Taylor Swift...No. 1

No. 2 - "Lovin On Me" by Jack Harlow

No. 3 - "Paint The Town Red" by Doja Cat

No. 4 - "Snooze" by SZA

No. 5 - "Is It Over Now?" by Taylor Swift

No. 6 - "I Remember Everything" by Zach Bryan (featuring Kacey Musgraves)

No. 7 - "Fast Car" by Luke Combs

No. 8 - "Greedy" by Tate McRae

No. 9 - "Last Night" by Morgan Wallen

No. 10 - "Thinkin' Bout Me" by Morgan Wallen

(Billboard Hot 100)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

"Apt." 

by New Zealand & South Korean singer, Rose and Bruno Mars

Released in October 2024 - Critical acclaim in reviews

Lead single from Rose's debut album, Rosie

Genres considered - Pop, Pop-Punk, Pop Rock, Indie Rock, Electropop

No. 1 on Billboard Global 200

No. 1 on Circle Digital Chart (Top 200 in South Korea)

No. 1 in New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan

Top 10 on Billboard Hot 100 & UK Singles Chart

Certified Gold in Canada and New Zealand

Certified Platinum in Australia

(Wikipedia)

The Sunday Before

Happy Thanksgiving

Mark Ronson - Uptown Funk (Live on SNL) ft. Bruno Mars

"Uptown Funk" live on SNL

Put "happy" in happy holidays!

Music History - November 1963

 1963

Highlights

November 30, 1963 -

The Beatles album, Please Please Me, spent 30 weeks at No. 1 on UK Albums Chart.  On November 22, The Beatles released With the Beatles, becoming No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart.

November Albums Released -

November 11, 1963 

The Miracles Doin' Mickey's Monkey - The Miracles

November 15, 1963

Fun in Acapulco - Elvis Presley 

November 18, 1963

Romantically - Johnny Mathis

November 22, 1963

A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector - Phil Spector

With the Beatles - The Beatles

- November Births -

11/1/1963 - Rick Allen (British drummer for Def Leppard)

11/2/1963 - Bobby Dall (American rock bassist for Poison)

11/12/1963 - Sam Lloyd (American actor and singer for The Blanks)

- November Passing -

11/1/1963 - Elsa Maxwell (Songwriter)

11/15/1963 - Fritz Reiner (Hungarian Conductor)

11/19/1963 - Carman Amaya (Flamenco dancer & Singer)

11/26/1963 - Amelita Galli-Curci (Operatic soprano)

11/29/1963 - Ernesto Lecuona (Cuban composer, pianist, bandleader)

(Wikipedia)

5th Annual Grammy Awards - May 15, 1`963

Record of the Year - "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" (Tony Bennett...Second win - Best Solo Vocal Performance, Male)

Album of the Year - The First Family (Vaughn Meader)

Song of the Year - "What Kind of Fool Am I?" (Songwriters - Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley ... Performed by Sammy Davis Jr.)

Best New Artist - Robert Goulet

(Wikipedia)

21st Century Pop Culture - Justin Timberlake

 

Justin Randall Timberlake

January 31, 1981

"Prince of Pop"

One of the best-selling recording artists with over 117 million records sold worldwide

Honors -

Solo career - over 32 million albums sold/over 56 million singles sold 

10 Grammy Awards

4 Primetime Emmy Awards

3 Brit Awards

9 Billboard Music Awards

7 American Music Awards

11 MTV Video Music Awards

Contemporary Icon Award by the Songwriters Hall of Fame

MTV's Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award (2013)

Innovator Award at 2015 iHeartRadio Music Awards

Inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame (2015 - Youngest recipient)

Timberlake and the original members of NSYNC received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (2018)

Honorary Doctor of Music from Berklee College of Music (2019)

All of Timberlake's albums certified Platinum or higher by RIAA.

As of 2014, seven songs with over 3 million in digital downloads.

In the U.S. alone, 5 songs at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100.

NSYNC formed in 1997 

4 commercially successful albums 

One of the best-selling boy bands of all time with over 70 million in sales worldwide

Justified (debut, 2002)

Solo hits - "Cry Me a River" & "Rock Your Body"

Future Sex/Love Sounds (second album, 2006)

No. 1 on Billboard 200

3 consecutive Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles - "SexyBack," "My Love," "What Goes Around...Comes Around"

Debut & second albums sold in excess of 10 million/3x Platinum in the U.S.

No. 1 on nine Billboard Year-End charts (2013)

Billboard Top Male Artist (2014)

No. 5 on Billboard's Greatest of All Time Pop Songs Artists/No. 1 soloist (2017)

No. 25 on Billboard's Top 60 Male Artists of All Time (2018)

Filmography - (Recording break to act in film)

The Love Guru (2008)

The Social Network (2010)

Bad Teacher (2011)

Friends with Benefits (2011)

In Time (2011)

The 20/20 Experience (third album, 2013...Best selling in 2013)

The 20/20 Experience - 2 of 2 (fourth album 2013)

Both peaked at No. 1 on Billboard 200

Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 singles - "Suit & Tie," "Mirrors," Not a Bad Thing"

Voiced "Branch" in the Trolls film franchise

"Can't Stop the Feeling!" - On soundtrack from first film, Timberlake's fifth No. 1 ... Academy Award nomination

Man of the Woods (fifth album, 2018)

No. 1 album

Everything I Thought I Was (sixth album, 2024)

Sixth consecutive Top 5 album

Justin Timberlake's early years, career to date, further honors, and more can be found on Wikipedia.  The source will say the rest of it.  Follow the link above.

Burn It to the Ground

 2024 Presidential Special

Donald J. Trump - 47th

United States Division

Will the country burn itself to the ground?

Special Edition - His & Hers Fashion

 His & Hers Fashion

Her - Beauty in Stone

Blue Sodalite Stretch Bracelet

Sodalite is a gemstone that brings confidence.

White howlite is a gemstone that brings calm.

(The coin bracelet is a custom piece.)

Announcement

Dear readers and passersby,

I will not be available on Monday, November 18th for personal reasons.

With regards to The Wizard of Oz Sunday series - The film airs every November leading up to Thanksgiving.

The Wizard of Oz Honors

The Wizard of Oz is a well known musical fantasy adaptation of the children's fantasy novel written by L. Frank Baum under the working title The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.  

Main Cast -

Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Berg Lahr, Jack Haley, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton

The screenplay was written by Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson, & Edgar Allan Woolf.

The musical composition was by Harold Arlen.  The lyrics were written by Edgar "Yip" Harburg.

Awards & Nominations - 

5 Academy Award Nominations ... Best Original Song Win ("Over the Rainbow") ... Best Original Score Win .., Academy Juvenile Award presented to Judy Garland

Box office success ... Fail to profit - $2.7 million budget/$3 million earned ... MGM's most expensive production at the time

1956 television broadcast premiere of the film on CBS ... Most seen film in movie history

Preserved in the United States National Film Registry (1989)

No. 2 on Variety's inaugural 100 Greatest Films of All Time (2022)

"Over the Rainbow" listed on the Recording Industry Association of America's 365 Songs of the Century

From production to release and every aspect in between to create a landmark film receiving global acclaim, The Wizard of Oz has a history that would exhaust this post.  And so read more on Wikipedia where there is so much to learn and explore.

Happy Holidays

Enjoy the holiday season

Happy Holidays

by Lauren Hovis

Sold on Amazon

Music History - November 1956

 1956

Highlights

November 5, 1956 -

Nat King Cole was the first black performer to host a variety show on national television - The Nat King Cole Show.

November 28, 1956 -

After John Lennon's death, Yoko Ono married twice - First to Japanese composer, Toshi Ichiyanagi, and second to American film producer, Anthony Cox.  Neither marriages lasted.  Lennon and Ono were married from 1969 until his passing in 1980.

- Hit singles in 1956 -

"Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)" - Doris Day

"Blueberry Hill" - Fats Domino

"Hound Dog" - Elvis Presley

"Heartbreak Hotel" - Elvis Presley

"Don't Be Cruel" - Elvis Presley

- November 3, 1956 -

"Love Me Tender" - Elvis Presley

- Loss in November 1956 -

November 1 - Tommy Johnson, Blues musician

November 5 - Art Tatum, Jazz pianist

November 10 - Victor Young, Violinist/Conductor/Composer

November 24 - Guido Cantelli, Conductor

November 26 - Tommy Dorsey, Bandleader

November 30 - 

Ludvik Kuba, Artist & Musician 

Jean Schwartz, Songwriter

(Wikipedia)

21st Century Pop Culture - Christina Aguilera

 

Christina Maria Aguilera

December 18, 1980

Influential figure in music 

Well-known for 4-octave vocal range

"voice of a generation"

"Disney legend"

Genres considered - Pop, R&B, Soul, Hip Hop

Christina Aguilera - Debut album (1999)

No. 1 singles on Billboard Hot 100 -

"Genie in a Bottle," "What a Girl Wants," "Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You"

Stripped (2002) 

One of the best-selling albums of the 21st Century

Worldwide hits - "Lady Marmalade," "Dirty," "Beautiful"

Starred in the 2010 film, Burlesque, & contributed to the soundtrack

Golden Globe nomination 

One of the best-selling music artists of all time

Over 100 million records sold worldwide 

One of the greatest vocalists of all time - Billboard

One of the most influential Latin artists in the entertainment industry

"Latin explosion" in the early 2000s

- Awards -

- 5 Grammy Awards

(Including Best New Artist at age 19 - one of the youngest to receive)

- 2 Latin Grammy Awards

- 6 ALMA Awards (American Latino Media Arts)

- 2 MTV Video Music Awards

- 1 Billboard Music Award

- 3 Billboard Latin Music Awards

- (Including a Spirit of Hope Award)

- 2 People's Choice Awards

(Including the Inaugural Music Icon Award)

- 3 World Music Awards

- Guinness World Record

- Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

- Discography -

Christina Aguilera (1999)

Mi Reflejo (2000)

My Kind of Christmas (2000)

Stripped (2002)

Back to Basics (2006)

Bionic (2010)

Lotus (2012)

Liberation (2018)

Aguilera (2022)

- Filmography -

Burlesque (2010)

The Emoji Movie (2017)

Zoe (2018)

(Wikipedia)