The Beatles

Merle Haggard’s childhood was becoming increasingly chaotic when something entered his life that would eventually change everything: a guitar. His older brother Lowell gave him one when Merle was around 12. Merle began teaching himself, absorbing the records and styles of country heroes such as Bob Wills, Lefty Frizzell and Hank Williams. There were no expensive lessons preparing him for Nashville. There was simply a troubled California kid listening closely and learning how another man’s sadness could live inside a melody. Merle would still make plenty of mistakes. Music didn’t instantly rescue him from running away, juvenile detention or eventually prison. But the guitar remained. Years later, millions would recognize Merle’s voice within seconds. Perhaps that’s because he wasn’t merely learning how to sing songs as a boy. He was slowly learning how to tell the truth about his own life.

“Juliet” Carried Robin Gibb’s Name, but Its Songwriting Belonged to Both Twins. When Robin Gibb released “Juliet” in 1983, listeners heard his distinctive voice surrounded by bright synthesizers and an insistent rhythm. Behind that solo billing stood a close collaboration with Maurice. The twins wrote all ten songs on How Old Are You?, the album that introduced the single. Maurice also shared production duties, helping shape the setting in which Robin’s voice could work within contemporary pop. The partnership gives this chapter a particular significance within the family’s history. Robin could develop a separate recording identity while continuing to write with the brother whose musical instincts he knew intimately. “Juliet” became a substantial European success, but the album credits reveal the working relationship beneath it. Two brothers who had spent years contributing to a three-way partnership now built an entire collection together, with Robin taking the vocal foreground and Maurice helping construct the music around him.

ONE OF JOHNNY MATHIS’ MOST BEAUTIFUL SONGS ALMOST NEVER MADE IT OUT OF THE RECORDING STUDIO. It was 1959, and Johnny Mathis was recording his album Heavenly when a familiar problem arose: time was running out. Other songs had taken priority, and “Misty,” the beautiful composition by Erroll Garner, was in danger of being left behind. But Johnny wasn’t willing to let that happen. Garner’s manager, Martha Glaser, had come to hear the recording, and Johnny insisted they give the song a chance. What followed became part of music history. According to his official biography, “Misty” was captured in one take, although Johnny later remembered making a few attempts. That recording became one of his most beloved performances. And to think, the song that would touch millions of hearts nearly missed its moment.

“WHILE NASHVILLE WAS POLISHING COUNTRY MUSIC INTO A SMOOTHER SOUND, BUCK OWENS WAS BUILDING SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN CALIFORNIA — AND WHAT BEGAN IN BAKERSFIELD WOULD CHANGE COUNTRY MUSIC FOREVER…” In the early 1960s, Nashville was becoming famous for polished recordings filled with lush arrangements and sophisticated production. But hundreds of miles away, in Bakersfield, California, Buck Owens was helping create a different kind of country music. Born into a struggling farming family in Texas, Buck had experienced poverty long before he found success. After moving west, he developed a sound built around electric guitars, driving rhythms, and the raw energy of honky-tonk music. It was direct, lively, and unmistakably country. With his band, the Buckaroos, Buck helped popularize what became known as the Bakersfield Sound. In 1963, “Act Naturally” became his first No. 1 country hit. More chart-topping songs followed, including “Love’s Gonna Live Here” and “Together Again.” His influence extended far beyond country music. Even the Beatles recorded “Act Naturally,” introducing the song to an entirely different audience. Buck Owens didn’t need to sound like Nashville to become a country music legend. He proved that sometimes the greatest success comes from daring to sound different.