FEATURE:
The Digital Mixtape
only recognise Linda Perry as the lead of the band 4 Non Blondes (whose most famous song is What’s Up? of March 1993), others acknowledge her as one of the most important and acclaimed songwriters ever. Someone who has written songs that we all know and love. The playlist at the end of this feature combines many of those tracks. Linda Perry turns sixty on 15th April. Perry was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015. It is only right that I salute her ahead of her birthday. Before getting to that playlist, it is worth bringing in some biography:
“Linda Perry, as lead singer and main songwriter for 4 Non Blondes, wrote the group’s international 1993 hit “What’s Up?” prior to establishing herself as a major songwriter and producer. Her writer/producer credits including such hits as Pink’s “Get The Party Started” and Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful," both chart-toppers.
Born April 15, 1965 in Springfield, Mass., Perry pursued her interest in music while a teenager in San Diego, then moved to San Francisco in 1986, where she sang original songs and played guitar on the streets, having written her first song by age 15. She joined 4 Non Blondes in 1989 and became its lead singer and chief songwriter. Disappointed with its polished pop sound, she subsequently left to pursue a solo career, commencing with her 1995 solo debut album In Flight, and resulting in her successful songwriting/producing activities.
In 2000, Perry wrote and produced eight tracks for Pink’s Grammy-nominated album M!ssundaztood—including the Grammy-nominated “Get the Party Started.” The following year she wrote "Beautiful," which was nominated for a Grammy for Song of the Year and won Aguilera the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Grammy--and "Cruz," both of which appeared on Christina Aguilera's hit album Stripped.
Since then her name can be found on compositions and recordings by numerous artists including Jewel, Britney Spears, Courtney Love, Gwen Stefani, Alicia Keys, Celine Dion, Blaque, Sugababes, Lillix, Robbie Williams, Melissa Etheridge, Sierra Swan, Solange Knowles, Gavin Rossdale, Juliette and the Licks, Lisa Marie Presley, Fischerspooner, Unwritten Law, L.P., Kelly Osbourne, James Blunt, Cheap Trick, Ben Jelen, Enrique Iglesias, Giusy Ferreri, Faith Hill, Gina Gershon, the Dixie Chicks, Vanessa Carlton, Kelis, Ziggy Marley, Skin, The Format, Goapele, The Section Quartet, Adam Lambert, KT Tunstall, Little Fish, and her band Deep Dark Robot, with which she toured in 2011.
Also in 2011, Perry, who has launched the labels Rockstar Records and Custard Records, began publishing acoustic cover songs that she recorded at the piano with her iPhone, and in 2014, she appeared in the VH1 reality television show Make or Break: The Linda Perry Project, in which she worked with young musicians.
Perry has won two ASCAP awards for her songwriting. Among her other noteworthy compositions are Alicia Keys’ “Superwoman,” Gwen Stefani’s “What You Waiting For?” and “Wonderful Life,” Courtney Love’s “Letter To God,” Christina Aguilera’s “Hurt” and “Candyman,” Kelly Osbourne’s “One Word,” Celine Dion’s “My Love” and James Blunt’s “No Bravery.”
In other activities, Perry works closely with several organizations to promote charity, freedom of expression, individuality and acceptance. These include the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center, and the Art of Elysium, which encourages working actors, artists, and musicians to volunteer their time to creative enrichment programs for children battling serious medical conditions, and named her its Visionary Recipient of 2014”.
On 15th April, the music world will wish a very happy sixtieth birthday to Linda Perry. I hope that radio stations use the day as an opportunity to play songs written by Perry. The vast range of her talent is impressive. I am going to end things there. A genius songwriter who I hope writes a lot more songs yet. The tracks I have included in the mixtape are a combination of songs she either wrote solo or collaborated with other songwriters on. It goes to show that there are few other songwriters…
AS talented as her.