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The Forrest Gump soundtrack features iconic songs from a wide variety of music artists, including Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, and Creedence Clearwater Revival. The movie chronicles the life of the title character, a warm-hearted man from Alabama who takes a tour of 20th-century American history. Throughout his travels, he fights in the Vietnam War, meets a handful of U.S. presidents, invests in Apple on the ground level, and exposes the Watergate scandal. Along the way, Forrest Gump uses needle drops on its soundtrack to reflect the changing times.

Some songs on the Forrest Gump soundtrack are used to establish the period setting, like Jimi Hendrix and Buffalo Springfield underscoring scenes of the Vietnam War, while others are more integral to the plot, such as when Elvis sings one of his biggest hits to show off the dance moves he learned from Forrest. The soundtrack of Forrest Gump was a...

George Roy Hill's "Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid" arrived at a moment when the Western, the most American of movie genres, was being appropriated by Italian filmmakers and Hollywood-bred revisionists like Sam Peckinpah and Clint Eastwood. Baby Boomer moviegoers were rejecting the old-fashioned white hat/black hat simplicity of their parents' unquestioning era, and finding resonance in the violent, unsentimental depiction of a manifest destiny recklessly pursued and ruthlessly realized. Tonally and thematically, the new Westerns jibed with their counterculture sensibilities.

While "Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid" wasn't overtly political, it did appeal to the counterculture audience by teaming one of Hollywood's hottest movie stars in Paul Newman with a ready-to-explode Robert Redford as a couple of carefree outlaws. Hill wisely embraced the aesthetic freedom of the burgeoning New Hollywood revolution, and played directly to his target audience's authority-and convention-flouting tastes. He screwed around with camera placement,...

Legendary songwriter Mark James, who penned classic hits such as Elvis Presley‘s “Suspicious Minds” and “Always On My Mind,” as well as the B. J. Thomas/Blue Swede smash “Hooked On a Feeling,” has died. He was 83. As first reported by the Houston Chronicle, James passed away on Saturday, June 8, at his home in Nashville, Tennessee. “Mark’s legacy and zest for life will live on in the hearts of those who loved him, and through his timeless lyrics and melodies that have been the soundtrack of lovers for generations,” his family said in a statement. Born on November 29, 1940, in Houston, Texas, James began his career as a staff songwriter for Memphis producer Chips Moman’s publishing company, where he penned the hits “The Eyes of a New York Woman”, “Hooked on a Feeling”, and “It’s Only Love,” as well as “Suspicious Minds” which would become a Presley...

Mark James, the Grammy-winning Songwriters Hall of Fame member behind hits like “Hooked on A Feeling, “Suspicious Minds” and “Always on My Mind,” has died. He was 83.

James died on June 8 in his Nashville home. The news was first reported by the Houston Chronicle.

“Mark’s legacy and zest for life will live on in the hearts of those who loved him, and through his timeless lyrics and melodies that have been the soundtrack of lovers for generations,” his family said via statement.

James won both of his two Grammys in 1963 for “Always on My Mind,” which he co-wrote with Wayne Carson and Johnny Christopher. The Willie Nelson hit took home trophies for country song of the year and song of the year. James and his co-writers initially wrote the tune for Elvis Presley, who released the track without much fanfare in 1972. Nelson’s version a decade later popularized the song,...

Cynthia Weil, the celebrated songwriter who helped craft timeless hits like the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” the Animals’ “We Gotta Get Out of This Place,” and Chaka Khan’s “Through the Fire,” died Thursday, June 1. She was 82.

Weil’s daughter, Jenn Mann, confirmed her death, though no cause was given. “My mother, Cynthia Weil, was the greatest mother, grandmother and wife our family could ever ask for,” Mann said. “She was my best friend, confidant, and my partner in crime and an idol and trailblazer for women in music.

Cynthia Weil, who teamed with husband Barry Mann to write such pop classics as “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” “On Broadway,” “We Gotta Get Out of This Place” and dozens of other hits for the likes of the Drifters, the Ronettes, Dolly Parton and B.J. Thomas, died Thursday. She was 82.

Weil’s daughter, Dr. Jenn Mann, said via publicist Sarah Schlief: “My mother, Cynthia Weil, was the greatest mother, grandmother and wife our family could ever ask for. She was my best friend, confidante and my partner in crime and an idol and trailblazer for women in music.”

Weil and Mann, who were married for 62 years, were among the most important songwriters in the early days of rock ‘n’ roll. They won a pair of Grammys and were Oscar-nominated for Best Song for “Somewhere Out There,” the Linda Ronstadt-James Ingram duet from An American Tail. The couple would share...

What were the biggest hit songs of the 1970s? The decade was dominated by disco, ballads, pop classics, rock and even country/folk tunes. Tour our gallery below as we reveal the top 20 singles according to our sister Pmc company Billboard.

The decade began with an Oscar-winning song as a holdover from the 1960s, with B.J. Thomas on top with “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head.” Rupert Holmes completed the decade with the final #1 hit song, “Escape (The Pina Colada Song).” Some of the longest-lasting hit tunes were from Simon and Garfunkel, Three Dog Night, Roberta Flack, Rod Stewart, Bee Gees and Debby Boone.

The artists with the most #1 singles were Bee Gees (9), Elton John (6), Stevie Wonder (5), Paul McCartney and Wings (5), Eagles (5), The Jackson 5 (4), Diana Ross (4), John Denver (4), Kc and the Sunshine Band (4), Barbra Streisand (4) and Donna Summer (4).

Which of those artists were the best of the decade for weeks in the #1 position?...

What were the biggest hit songs of the 1970s? The decade was dominated by disco, ballads, pop classics, rock and even country/folk tunes. Tour our gallery below as we reveal the top 20 singles according to our sister Pmc company Billboard.

The decade began with an Oscar-winning song as a holdover from the 1960s, with B.J. Thomas on top with “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head.” Rupert Holmes completed the decade with the final #1 hit song, “Escape (The Pina Colada Song).” Some of the longest-lasting hit tunes were from Simon and Garfunkel, Three Dog Night, Roberta Flack, Rod Stewart, Bee Gees and Debby Boone.

The artists with the most #1 singles were Bee Gees (9), Elton John (6), Stevie Wonder (5), Paul McCartney and Wings (5), Eagles (5), The Jackson 5 (4), Diana Ross (4), John Denver (4), Kc and the Sunshine Band (4), Barbra Streisand (4) and Donna Summer (4).

Which of those artists were the best of the decade for weeks in the #1 position?...

American songwriter and composer Burt Bacharach has unfortunately passed away at the age of 94. A recipient of six Grammy and three Academy Awards, Bacharach was also bestowed with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award when he was proclaimed music's "Greatest Living Composer" in 2008. Bacharach always felt like a man out of time in a sense. His ubiquitous compositions could never really be pinned down to one era, and his innate ability to craft unforgettable memories allowed for his songs to stay relevant over multiple decades.

In Bacharach's autobiography, "Anyone Who Had a Heart: My Life and Music," the iconic songster recalled how he became a part of George Roy Hill's pop Western "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" — a decision that would later shower Bacharach with numerous accolades and unprecedented success. The song "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" was written for the 1969 hit starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford,...

Burt Bacharach, the three-time Oscar-winning and six-time Grammy-winning songwriter, producer, composer and arranger whose vast influence in American popular music stretched from the 1950s into the new millennium, is dead. He passed away Wednesday of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles at 94.

His death was announced by his publicist Tina Brausam.

If you were an avid moviegoer or follower of popular music in the decade between the mid-1960s and the mid ’70s, it was impossible to avoid the massively prolific Bacharach’s compositions. His songs, many done in tandem with lyricist Hal David, included some of the biggest tunes of the era and numerous hits with singer Dionne Warwick: “Walk on By,” “Do You Know the Way to San Jose,” “What the World Needs Now,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” “Anyone Who Had a Heart,” “Don’t Make Me Over” and the 1966 theme to the Michael Caine feature “Alfie.

The prolific American composer Burt Bacharach, author of countless pop songs, classic film scores, and more, has sadly passed away at the age of 94. His contributions to music stretch over multiple decades of pop culture, embedded in cinema thanks to featured songs in the beloved Western "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" in 1969 to "Arthur" in 1981 to even "Spider-Man 2" in 2004. The timelessness and ubiquity of Bacharach's work speaks for itself, but nowhere does that feel more celebratory of his immense influence than in the connective link between "Butch Cassidy" and Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" sequel.

On the face of it, both movies might not immediately come to mind as ones sharing a similar strain of DNA. The 1969 Western, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, stands the test of time as a thoroughly revisionist take on the popular genre depicting the two famous outlaws constantly on the run from their pursuers.

When the sad news of Burt Bacharach’s death came down Thursday morning, your first memories of the songwriting genius likely depended on your age. If you grew up in the Sixties, you probably remember the hits he wrote with Hal David for artists like Gene Pitney, Dionne Warwick, and B.J. Thomas. Children of the Eighties are likely more familiar with Christoper Cross’ “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do),” Neil Diamond’s “Heartlight,” and the Dionne Warwick charity single “That’s What Friends Are For.”

But if your...

Burt Bacharach, the singer, songwriter and composer of hundreds of beloved pop hits, has died. He was 94.

Burt Bacharach won three Academy Awards throughout his extensive career, two for 1969’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid–Best Original Score and Best Original Song–and his last for 1981’s Arthur, also Best Original Song. Both winning songs–“Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head” (performed by B.J. Thomas) and “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” (performed by Christopher Cross), were named by the American Film Institute as two of the greatest movie songs in history, placing #23 and #79, respectively.

In addition to those wins, Burt Bacharach received Oscar nominations for numbers written for What’s New, Pussycat? (1966), Alfie (1966) and Casino Royale (1967), although his contribution here is of course typically shunned from the Bond canon. He also received seven Golden Globe nominations over the course of his career, in addition to numerous Grammys,...

Burt Bacharach, the massively influential composer of dozens of hits like “Walk on By,” “Do You Know the Way to San Jose,” Alfie,” “I Say a Little Prayer” and “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” died of natural causes Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 94.

His death was announced by his publicist Tina Brausam to the Associated Press today.

Bacharach, whose elegantly melodic compositions, arrangements and production seemed an effective and calming response in the 1960s and ’70s to ever-louder rock music, collaborated with lyricist Hal David to provide Dionne Warwick with career-making hits in the early to mid-’60s, including now classics “Don’t Make Me Over,” “Anyone Who Had a Heart,” “Walk On By,” “Alfie,” “I Say a Little Prayer” and “Do You Know the Way to San Jose.”

Along with delivering signature hits to groups like The Carpenters (“Close To You”), Tom Jones (“What’s New Pussycat?...

Burt Bacharach, the velvety smooth composer and orchestrator whose partnership with lyricist Hal David brought swanky sophistication to pop music in the 1960s, has died. He was 94.

Bacharach died Wednesday of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles, publicist Tina Brausam announced.

Bacharach composed the music for some 50 top 10 hits, including six that reached No. 1. Among his most celebrated efforts were “Walk on By,” “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” “What the World Needs Now Is Love,” “What’s New Pussycat?” “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” “Alfie,” “This Guy’s in Love With You” and “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?”

He and David were dubbed the “Rodgers & Hart of the ’60s.” Many of their songs were popularized by Dionne Warwick, whose singing style inspired Bacharach to experiment with new rhythms and harmonies, composing innovative melodies for such tunes “Anyone Who Had a Heart” and “I Say a Little Prayer.

1969's "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" was a massive success, not just in the box office, but as a piece of pop culture. Bj Thomas's song "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" was playing on every radio station, it won multiple Oscars, and it solidified its leading men, Paul Newman and Robert Redford, as not only some of the biggest stars in the world but also a pair that audiences wanted to see in more movies. 

The chemistry between Newman and Redford would prove to be box office gold one more time, in 1973's "The Sting," however this particular pairing almost didn't happen. They weren't the first choice for producers. Studio execs wanted Warren Beatty to star in "Butch and Sundance," and for good reason. Beatty was on a meteoric rise, having just wowed audiences with 1967's "Bonne and Clyde," and the man seriously considered the offer.

The...

Actor/writer/director Ethan Hawke discusses a few of his favorite films with Josh Olson and Joe Dante.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Explorers (1985) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

The Verdict (1982)

The Color Of Money (1986) – Rod Lurie’s trailer commentary

Nobody’s Fool (1994)

Three Faces Of Eve (1957)

Mr. And Mrs. Bridge (1990)

North By Northwest (1959)

Torn Curtain (1966)

Psycho (1960) – John Landis’s trailer commentary

Frenzy (1972) – Joe Dante’s trailer commentary

Topaz (1969)

Boyhood (2014)

An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)

Blue Collar (1978) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary

First Reformed (2017) – Glenn Erickson’s trailer commentary

Taxi Driver (1976) – Rod Lurie’s trailer commentary

The Left Handed Gun (1958)

Hombre (1967)

Hud (1963)

Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969)

The Life And Times Of Judge Roy Bean (1972) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Buffalo Bill And The Indians, Or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson (1976) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

The Outrage (1964)

Rashomon (1950) – Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary,...

Bill Pitman, a guitarist whose work as part of the legendary recording session group The Wrecking Crew made an invaluable contribution to countless radio hits, TV series and films, died yesterday at his home in La Quinta, California. He was 102.

His death was announced to The New York Times by wife Janet Pitman, who told the publication her husband died after four weeks of hospice care following a fall that fractured his spine.

Pitman’s guitar playing was ubiquitous, if largely anonymous, for decades beginning in the 1950s. Just a sampling of the songs he played on: The Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations,” Frank Sinatra’s “Strangers in the Night,” Barbra Streisand’s “The Way We Were, The Ronettes’ “Be My Baby” and The Monkees’ “Papa Gene’s Blues.” He played the ukelele on the B.J. Thomas hit “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,...

It was another Year of Covid in 2021, and the sadness extended to many beloved and groundbreaking people in the show business and media worlds who died during the past 12 months.

Scroll through a photo gallery above.

The acting world lost such giants as Betty White who died on New Year’s Eve eve, Ed Asner, Cicely Tyson, Charles Grodin, Jessica Walter, Christopher Plummer, Michael K. Williams, Hal Holbrook, George Segal, Yaphet Kotto, Jane Powell and Ned Beatty.

We also pay tribute to filmmakers including Melvin Van Peebles, Jean-Marc Vallée, Bertrand Travernier, Richard Donner, Michael Apted and Roger Michell.

The executive and producing worlds lost the likes of Jamie Tarses, Chuck Fries and public television’s Pete Noyes and Bill Kobin.

Musicians who left us this past year include Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, Don Everly, Vicente Fernandez, Dmx, Chick Corea, Biz Markie, B.J. Thomas, the Monkees’ Mike Nesmith, the Supremes’ Mary Wilson,...

One of the biggest all-star lineups ever will celebrate the 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees this weekend. The ceremony filmed October 30 in Cleveland, Ohio, and now airs this Saturday, November 20, on HBO and HBO Max.

The event clocking in at 3 hour and16 minutes honors Foo Fighters, The Go-Go’s, Jay-Z, Carole King, Todd Rundgren and Tina Turner in the performer category. Kraftwerk, Charley Patton and Gil Scott-Heron were chosen for early influence induction. LL Cool J, Billy Preston and Randy Rhoads were honored in the musical excellence category. Clarence Avant received the Ahmet Ertegun Award.

King had been previously inducted as a songwriter. Turner is now a solo artist inductee after going in with Ike Turner the first time around.

SEEThe Go-Go’s, Foo Fighters, Tina Turner, Jay-Z among 16 artists eligible for 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

While the order of inductions was different during filming, here...

“The Jesus Music,” a film about the Christian music scene that earned more than half a million dollars over its opening weekend, is about as friendly and far removed from being an expose as a documentary can get, but that doesn’t mean the filmmakers want fans to think they’re getting anything but unvarnished truth. So the opening moments feature some of the movie’s primary participants — including Kirk Franklin, the three former members of DC Talk, Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith (the last two of whom are also among its executive producers) — sitting down for their interviews with tight faces and grim demeanors, as if about to be forced to spill their darkest secrets. But this introductory sequence doth protest too much: “The Jesus Music” is an altogether celebratory film made by the industry for its fans and, as with a lot of contemporary Christian music, throwing...

It's a very sad day for the music world, as legendary singer B.J. Thomas has passed away. Known for a variety of hits including "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" and "Hooked On a Feeling," Thomas had a voice that's been heard by millions of fans over the past several decades. Sadly, Thomas reportedly died on Saturday at his home in Arlington, Texas, due to complications from lung cancer. He was 78 years old.

"It is with profound sadness we confirm the passing of Bj Thomas," posted the official Facebook page for Thomas, confirming the news.

An all-time great in the history of rock music, Thomas's voice can be recognized from many classic hit songs. He is particularly celebrated for his 1966 cover of the Hank Williams song "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," which was the singer's first million-selling single. Some of his other well-known favorites include "(Hey Won't You Play...

B.J. Thomas, the vocalist who mixed the stylish sophistication of a pop crooner and the down-home soul of a country singer on songs like the 1969 smash “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” died Saturday in his Arlington, Texas home at the age of 78. A rep for Thomas confirmed the singer’s death. The cause of death was lung cancer, which Thomas had publicly revealed he had in March.

Thomas’ multi-genre success included major hits on the adult contemporary and Christian music charts, the latter of which would earn him five...

Five-time Grammy award winner and Grammy Hall of Fame inductee B.J. Thomas died today at his home in Arlington, Texas at 78. His death was confirmed on his official Facebook page and was attributed to complications from lung cancer.

A versatile songwriter, Thomas’s career spanned country, pop and gospel, earning him CMA, Dove and Grammy awards. He sold more than 70 million albums worldwide, scored eight No. 1 hits, and had 26 Top 10 singles over his 50 years in the music business.

His hits included a cover of the Hank Williams song “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” the Grammy winning “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song” and the monster hit, “Hooked On A Feeling.”

Thomas was also named one of Billboard’s Top 50 Most-Played Artists Over The Past 50 Years. Other hits by the artist included “I Just Can’t Help Believing,” “Don’t Worry Baby,” “Whatever Happened To Old Fashioned Love,...

B.J. Thomas, the Grammy-winning singer known for “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,’ died Saturday at his home in Arlington, Texas, from complications due to stage four lung cancer. He was 78.

Thomas’ death was announced via his official Facebook page. “It is with profound sadness we confirm the passing of Bj Thomas,” read the post.

Among his hits were the 1966 cover of Hank Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” — which was released by Skepter Records and became Thomas’ first million-selling single — and “(Hey Won’t You Play) ...

B.J. Thomas, the Grammy-winning singer known for “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,’ died Saturday at his home in Arlington, Texas, from complications due to stage four lung cancer. He was 78.

Thomas’ death was announced via his official Facebook page. “It is with profound sadness we confirm the passing of Bj Thomas,” read the post.

Among his hits were the 1966 cover of Hank Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” — which was released by Skepter Records and became Thomas’ first million-selling single — and “(Hey Won’t You Play) ...

B.J. Thomas has Stage 4 lung cancer, the Grammy-winning singer said today though his reps. The man who topped the Hot 100 with “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” from the Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and had four other top 10 singles is receiving treatment in a Texas health care facility and is hopeful for a complete recovery.

Saying he plans to continue to interact with industry colleagues and fans and remains optimistic about his availability to make public appearances, Thomas released this statement via his publicists at 2911 Media:

“I just wanted to take this unique opportunity to share my gratitude to Gloria, my wonderful wife and my rock for over 53 years, my family, friends, and fans. I’m so blessed to have had the opportunity to record and perform beautiful songs in pop, country, and gospel music, and to share those wonderful songs and memories around the world with millions of you.

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By Fred Blosser

In Bryan Forbes’ “The Raging Moon” (1971), a sudden, devastating illness leaves 24-year-old Bruce Pritchard (Malcolm McDowell) a paraplegic. A friend asks if he was stricken by polio. “I don’t know what it is,” Bruce answers. “I can’t pronounce it, but it’s not polio.” Whatever the nature of his life-altering blow, he reacts the same way that most of us would probably react, with stony, simmering self-pity and anger. McDowell is at his intense best in those scenes, calling to mind the all-time master, James Cagney, in portraying a volatile character whose temper threatens to explode through his edgy quiet any moment. Now confined to a wheelchair, Bruce becomes a charity case and moves into an assisted-living facility. There, he sullenly brushes off overtures by the staff and the other residents. “How do you think you’ll like being here?...

Country Music Hall of Fame, Grand Ole Opry member and southern rock legend Charlie Daniels passed away this morning, Monday, July 6th at Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tennessee.

Doctors determined the cause of death was a hemorrhagic stroke. Daniels was 83.

Charlie Daniels was a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist known for his contributions to Southern rock and bluegrass in addition to country. From his Dove Award-winning gospel albums to his genre-defining southern rock anthems and his Cma Award-winning country hits, few artists have left a more indelible mark on America’s musical landscape than Charlie Daniels. An outspoken patriot, beloved mentor, and a true road warrior, Daniels parlayed his passion for music into a multi-platinum career and a spotlight supporting the military, underprivileged children, and others in need. The Charlie Daniels Band has long populated radio with memorable hits such as the signature song, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.

A host of stars will join today’s Rock For Relief virtual benefit concert for Feeding America’s Covid-19 Response Fund.

B.J. Thomas, Lisa Loeb, George Thorogood, Corey Taylor alongside Gavin Rossdale, Don Felder (a former lead guitarist of the Eagles), Myles Kennedy (Alter Bridge),Lzzy Hale & Joe Hottinger (Halestorm), Jesse Hasek (10 Years), Filter, The Dead Daisies, Chris Robertson (Black Stone Cherry), Starset, Brandon Saller (Atreyu), Ricky Byrd, Bobby Whitlock & CoCo Carmel, Joe Grushecky, Kathy Sledge, Bones Owens, Danielia Cotton, Matt Bigland (Dinosaur Pile-Up) and more set to perform during United Stations Media Networks and Storic Media Podcast Network present “Rock For Relief” benefit concert supporting Feeding America's Covid-19 Response Fund on July 3 at 8pm Et and again at 11pm Et broadcasted here.

United Stations Media and Storic Media are teaming up with Feeding America to raise awareness and donations for families in local communities across the nation. The “Rock...

In mid-January 1969, Elvis Presley and his entourage arrived at American Sound Studios in Memphis for a scheduled 10-day recording session with studio producer Chips Moman and Presley’s longtime RCA producer Felton Jarvis. These would be the first sessions Presley had done outside of Nashville or Hollywood since his last Sun Records sessions in 1955 and would take place just weeks after Presley’s triumphant 1968 comeback special. Aired on NBC during the Christmas season, the special fueled a renewed interest in Presley to shift his focus in the studio from movie-soundtrack...

Singer-songwriter Tony Joe White, a prolific tunesmith whose swamp-soaked 1968 pop hit “Polk Salad Annie,” reflected his Louisiana upbringing, died yesterday, Wednesday, October 24th, of natural causes at his home in Leipers Fork, Tennessee, just outside Nashville. He was 75.

White, who had a Top Ten record with “Polk Salad Annie,” also saw it popularized by Elvis Presley. He was also perhaps best known as the writer of the deeply atmospheric and soulful “Rainy Night in Georgia,” a Number Four pop hit for Brook Benton in 1970 and covered by a number of...

In the summer of 1979, Conway Twitty earned his 22nd Number One hit with “I May Never Get to Heaven,” written by longtime friends Bill Anderson and Buddy Killen. Anderson had been enshrined in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame four years earlier, but has continued to have hits into the 21st century, including the multi-award-winning “Whiskey Lullaby,” written with Jon Randall. “I May Never Get to Heaven,” however, took a long, circuitous route to the top of the charts, yet along the way ended up being recorded by numerous artists — including the late Aretha Franklin,...

A song can become just as iconic as the film in which it’s playing. Try to remember “Aladdin” without thinking of “A Whole New World,” or “Casablanca” without briefly humming “As Time Goes By.” Many of these tunes are justly rewarded with an Academy Award for Best Original Song, but which ones are the all time best? Burt Bacharach and Hal David teamed up to write “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” for the 1969 Western “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” Originally offered to Ray Stevens and Bob Dylan, the song was finally sung by B.J. Thomas and became,...