Two artists deeply inspired by John Prine, Allison Russell and JT Nero, share memories for what would have been Prine’s 80th birthday.

Sheik had been best known for his lasting radio hit “Barely Breathing” when he turned his sights on Broadway with “Spring Awakening,” resulting in the envelope-pushing show that musicalized teenage angst.

"I've always believed that a part of my magic, if there was any, was the fact that I look so artificial — but I am so totally real," Parton said in 2001.

Known for her curvy physique, massive blonde wigs and skin-tight outfits that served her self-deprecating wit, she was among the most beloved personalities in music and beyond — the rare celebrity whose appeal transcended generations, geography and politics.

The artist was a star performer in country music, and went on to become one of the genre's most recognizable and universally adored ambassadors to broader popular culture.

He was a First Avenue DJ whose deep crates and openness to new music made him a club mainstay for nearly 50 years.

Frank Beard, the drummer for ZZ Top, has died at 77. He passed away Tuesday at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, with family by his side.

David Rivkin also worked with Etta James, Lipps Inc., Fine Young Cannibals, and the Jets.

Glen Hansard, the Irish singer who won an Oscar for the musical movie Once and the led the bands The Frames and The Swell Season, died on Wednesday. He died following a motorcycle crash in Dublin.

Tyler died "unexpectedly" in a hospital in Portugal where she was being treated for an illness, her family said Thursday in a statement on her website.