Trivia: Survivor, along with his first wife Molly, of the infamous Hither Green train wreck of 1967, which killed nearly 50 people. Briefly embarked on a solo career between 1969 and 1970, releasing one album, Robin's Reign, and recording a second unreleased record, before reuniting with his band mate brothers, Barry and Maurice. Appeared on the title track of the 1978 children's music album Sesame Street Fever. In 1994, was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame, as a member of the Bee Gees, and in 1997 the group received their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Composed, with his son Robin-John Gibb, his first classical piece, The Titanic Requiem, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the ship, in 2012. In April 2012, developed pneumonia and fell into a two-week coma. He temporarily recovered before passing away in May 2012.

Trivia: Born in Chicago, African-American composer/musician Quincy Jones grew up in Seattle. An alumnus of both the Berklee School and Boston's Schillinger school of music, the 17-year-old Jones became a trumpeter/arranger for Dizzy Gillespie, then toured with Lionel Hampton before organizing his own band. From the late '50s through 1968, Jones held down executive posts at Barclay Records of Paris and Mercury Records of Hollywood. The first of Jones' jazz-dominated movie scores was for 1965's The Pawnbroker; subsequent film assignments included In Cold Blood (1967), In the Heat of the Night (1967), The Wiz (1978) and The Color Purple (1984), which he co-produced. Equally active on the small screen, Jones composed theme and incidental music for the TV series I Spy and Ironside, and in 1978 won an Emmy for his work on the monumental miniseries Roots. A pioneer in the realm of music video, Jones produced and arranged the blockbuster Michael Jackson video Thriller, which earned him one of his two dozen-plus Grammies. Jones also organized and produced the all-star benefit video We Are the World, assembling a fantastic aggregation of top recording talent with the admonition "Check your vanity at the door." In 1990, Jones was the subject of the documentary film Listen Up. Quincy Jones was honored with the Jean Hersholt humanitarian award at the 1995 Academy Awards celebration. He has appeared in numerous documentaries about musicians and celebrities, and lent his vocal talents to Disney's Fantasia 2000 in 1999, and making a cameo appearance in Austin Powers in Goldmember. He contributed to the score of Get Rick or Die Tryin'.

Trivia: At 14, she performed and recorded "Precious Lord" before her father's congregation, Detroit's New Bethel Baptist Church. Columbia Records released her first album, The Great Aretha Franklin, in 1960. In 1972, she had a small role in the TV show Room 222. Made her film debut in 1980's The Blues Brothers, singing "Think." In 1986, Michigan law makers declared her voice the state's greatest natural resource. In 1987, she was the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1994, she was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2005, President George W. Bush awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2006, she became the first female artist to be honored by the United Negro College Fund with the Award of Excellence. Sang at the inauguration of President Barack Obama in 2009. Has been awarded honorary doctorates from Berklee College of Music, Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Trivia: Award-winning composer Marc Shaiman first worked as a music director and arranger for Bette Midler's extravagant live shows. He later supervised the music for the diva's films Divine Madness (1980), Big Business, and Beaches (both 1988). He made his debut as a composer on the soundtrack of Rob Reiner's Misery (1990) and subsequently scored three more films for him. He has also worked with Barry Sonnenfeld on both Addams Family films and with Ron Underwood. In addition to composing music, Shaiman also produces records and, in 1989, earned a gold record for his work on the When Harry Met Sally soundtrack.