One hundred years ago, Billie Holiday, as she later became known, was born in Philadelphia.The legendary singer would have an enormous impact on jazz and pop music. But that wasn't her goal. She simply wanted to make her music, her way. Billie lived a troubled childhood but by 18 had found her way into a recording studio. The producer John Hammond said, "She was the first girl singer I'd come across who actually sang like an improvising jazz genius." She would soon cut her fi

In 2000, NPR’s listeners voted Al Green’s 1971 hit “Let’s Stay Together” one of the 100 best songs of the 20th century. With its plea for two people to hang in there, whether times are good or bad, it quickly became an anthem for lovers. But it was what Green learned about delivering a song that made this one work and gives us some clues about our own path to greatness. By the time he was 20, Green had already formed his own group, the Soul Mates, who scored a minor hit wit