: Tito Puente, Chet Atkins, George Harrison, Nina Simone, Artie Shaw, Michael Jackson, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles. We could go on with names but it's so much better to hear some of the music they left behind.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC, "OYE COMO VA")
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR")
WILSON PICKETT: (Singing) I'm going to wait till the midnight hour. That's when my love comes tumbling down.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "FEVER")
PEGGY LEE: (Singing) Never know how much I love you; never know how much I care. When you put your arms around me I get a fever that's so hard to bear. You give me fever.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "FOUR WOMEN")
NINA SIMONE: (Singing) My skin is black. My arms are long. My hair is wooly. My back is strong.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "I FEEL GOOD")
JAMES BROWN: (Singing) Whoa, I feel good. I knew that I would now.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "LA DONNA E MOBILE")
LUCIANO PAVAROTTI: (Singing in foreign language)
JOHNNY CASH: Hello, I'm Johnny Cash.
(SOUNDBITE OF APPLAUSE)
(SOUNDBITE OF CHEERING)
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "FOLSOM PRISON BLUES")
CASH: (Singing) I hear the train a comin'. It's rolling round the bend. And I ain't seen the sunshine since I don't know when. I'm stuck in Folsom Prison, and time keeps draggin' on.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "HIT THE ROAD JACK")
RAY CHARLES: (Singing) Whoa, woman, oh woman, don't treat me so mean. You're the meanest old woman that I've ever seen. I guess if you said so, I'd have to pack my things and go. That's right. Hit the road Jack.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "BEAT IT")
MICHAEL JACKSON: (Singing) They told him don't you ever come around here. Don't wanna see your face, you better disappear. The fire's in their eyes and their words are really clear so beat it, just beat it.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "HERE COMES THE SUN")
GEORGE HARRISON: (Singing) Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter. Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here. Here comes the sun. Here comes the sun, and I say it's alright.
: It's a morning of transition, a morning of change. And you can find a more complete timeline of the musical losses of the past decade by going to NPR Music.org.
(SOUNDBITE OF "HERE COMES THE SUN")
HARRISON: (Singing) Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces. Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here. Here comes the sun...
: This is NPR News.