Entertainment – Mr. Music

Ground Control to Major Tom

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield is famous for his viral, modified cover of David Bowie‘s “Space Oddity,” which he performed and filmed on the International Space Station (ISS). Released on May 12, 2013, the video has garnered over 55 million views (as of February 2025) and is considered one of the coolest covers ever.

Beyond the viral hit, Hadfield‘s time during Expedition 35 made him an important figure in music history.

In October 2015, Hadfield released “Space Sessions: Songs from a Tin Can,” an album consisting of songs he had recorded aboard the ISS using a Larrivée Parlor guitar. This became the first album ever recorded in space.

During his free time, he recorded several other notable songs:

“Jewel in the Night,” the first song recorded in space, was released on YouTube on Christmas Eve, 2012.

He collaborated with Ed Robertson of the Barenaked Ladies for “Is Somebody Singing?” (I.S.S.), which premiered on CBC Radio in February 2013.

In addition to his musical feats, Hadfield is recognized as the first Canadian to walk in space.

Prince was a multi-instrumentalist

In 1979, Prince was 20 years old when he released his debut album For You.

All tracks were composed, produced, arranged and performed by Prince himself.

But did you know that he also played all the instruments on the album?

To be more precise, he played 27 different musical instruments, including electric and acoustic guitars, piano, Fender Rhodes piano, clavinet, ARP Pro Soloist, ARP String Ensemble, Minimoog, Polymoog, Oberheim Four Voice, bass guitar, drums, Pollard Syndrums, slapstick, wind chimes, glockenspiel, finger cymbals, handclaps, fingersnaps, water drums, bongos, congas, brush trap, bell tree and wood block.

This is just one of the many reasons he is regarded as one of the greatest musicians of all time.

Daddy sang bass

Johnny Cash took three singing lessons as a child. At the end of the third, his teacher told him he didn’t need them, to stop coming, and to never let anyone change his natural singing style.

According to biography research, Johnny began writing poems and songs as early as 12-years-old, honing in on his love for music and lyrics at an early age, which undeniably gave his talent more decades to develop. But what Johnny came by naturally was the unequaled lilt of his voice.

His mother, Carrie, sensed his vocal ability and scraped together enough cash to send him to singing lessons.

After only three lessons with his new vocal coach, his teacher found his voice so electrifyingly special that she told him to stop taking lessons and never pursue further vocal instruction.