José Feliciano: Singing Out, in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave

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I generally consider someone a true artist if he or she has the courage to produce straight-from-the-soul work that is so provocative it's likely to offend the masses, incite controversy, and, ideally, inspire people to open their minds and question long-held beliefs. When you think of such artists, Puerto Rican singer/songwriter José Feliciano doesn't immediately spring to mind. Yet, he made an artistic statement 46 years ago this month that was viewed with such contention that it nearly ended his career. His offense? He performed a soulful, Latin jazz version of "The Star Spangled Banner" to kick off the fifth game of the 1968 World Series, a matchup between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Detroit Tigers in the Motor City.

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Ode to Bobbie Gentry…and that Tallahatchie Bridge

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"It was the third of June, another sleepy, dusty Delta day…" I sing in the car. This is about as far as I get before my sweet hubby groans, "Okay, THAT'S enough." He knows what's coming next: the entire five verses of Bobbie Gentry's Southern gothic hit, "Ode to Billie Joe." Yep, I've known the lyrics to that moody little song frontwards and backwards since Daddy first brought home the single in July 1967. The beautiful Bobbie is 70 years old today, and I want to thank her for inspiring me at a young age to write about my life and my observations.

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Sam Cooke: Calling on Cupid

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When you're looking for a last-chance miracle to draw a crush object close to your heart, who do you call upon but Cupid, the god of desire, erotic love, and affection. In 1961, silky-smoky-voiced Sam Cooke penned his soulful plea to the boy with the bow and arrow, asking him to work his magic. Combining Latin rhythms with jazz and R&B, Sam created a perfect pop song. How could Cupid not fulfill his desperate wish? Here's a man who's in distress, in danger of losing all his happiness. For he loves a girl who doesn't know he exists. And it's all up to Cupid to fix. This really hits home, doesn't it? How many of us have pined for someone - a person we probably saw every day at school or at work - who was barely aware of our existence?

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Tom Waits – A Man Named Sue

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Snarly, salty Tom Waits is one of the few singer/songwriters never to sell out by allowing his songs to be used in TV commercials. Through the years he's filed lawsuits against lots of big companies that attempted to use his songs – or rips-offs of his music – in TV ads. And he won every case.

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