Week 1: Leiber and Stoller
Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller wrote rock-and-roll classics like “Hound Dog,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “Yakety Yak.” and “Stand by Me.” Perhaps their favourite singer Peggy Lee recorded definitive versions of Kansas City, “I'm a Woman” and “Is That All There Is?”
Week 2: Leonard Cohen
The Montreal poet-songster Leonard Cohen has never been more popular than he is today. Financial adversity forced him back on the road in his 70s, and audiences realized how unique and rich and his song catalogue is.
Week 3: Antonio Carlos Jobim
The brilliant Brazilian songwriter Antonio Carlos Jobim surprised the pop world when his “Girl from Ipanema” knocked The Beatles off the charts. Musicians love the diversity and originality of his songs, and as Rio hosts the Summer Olympics and World Cup you'll be hearing much more of Jobim.
Week 4: Burt Bacharach
Bacharach ruled the charts for twenty years, in the 1960s writing and arranging hits for Dionne Warwick, Dusty Springfield, Aretha Franklin, Cher, and Herb Alpert. He also had success writing film scores and the 1968 Broadway musical Promises, Promises.
Week 5: Randy Newman
Pianist/singer Randy Newman’s watermark albums Sail Away and 12 Songs showcased his talent for political satire. In the early 1980s, he followed his uncle, Alfred Newman, into the film score business and to date has bagged fifteen Oscar nominations.
Week 6: Carol King
The American icon Carol King wrote countless hits in the 1950s with her first husband, Jerry Goffin. Her album Tapestry, released in 1971, featured her singing, piano, and songwriting skills. Every track is considered a classic, and the album was on the charts for six years.
