Jim Morrison

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Text on Button JIM MORRISON
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Black and white portrait of Jim Morrison above purple text on blue background. 

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Jim Morrison was the lead singer of the rock band "The Doors." Morrison was a mysterious, charismatic, wild, sultry character that personified the quintessential qualities of a rock star. He was a writer and poet who was inspired by the works of Friedrich Nietzsche, Jack Kerouac, Norman Mailer, and Arthur Rimbaud, all of whom share a dark, sarcastic, tortured, and controversial theme in their works. Morrison was a graduate of University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). After graduation he immersed himself in the hippie/bohemian lifestyle. During that time, his fellow UCLA classmate Ray Manzarek suggested that they form a band, using Morrison's poetry and Manzarek's keyboard. They formed The Doors in 1965 with drummer John Densmore and guitarist Robby Kreiger. Morrison is the only performer in rock history to be arrested on stage for indecency. After Morrison's death in 1971, the band continued as a trio. The Doors released ten albums from their inception to dismemberment in 1973, and the majority of their albums reached number one on the music charts.

Morrison was found dead at the age of 27 due to a drug overdoes in 1971 while in Paris, France. He was found by his girlfriend Pamela Courson. He is buried in Paris and his grave site is reportedly the number 4 most visited sites after the Eiffel Towel, Notre Dame, and the Louvre.

Catalog ID MU0193

House of Blues French Quarter

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Text on Button HOUSE OF BLUES LIVE MUSIC BLUES IS BETTER GREATEST HITS WE'RE ON A MISSION FROM GOD IN BLUES WE TRUST French Quarter
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Black and white portraits of the Blues Brothers flank a police car encircled by white text over blue background. 

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This is a merchandise button from the House of Blues New Orleans, a concert venue and restaurant celebrating blues music, Southern Culture, and African American artistic contributions. The button features musical group The Blues Brothers, with John Belushi as Joliet Jake and Dan Aykroyd as Elwood Blues. The duo sang their soul music as a warm-up act before Saturday Night Live episodes, and became legitimate musical artists after the release of their chart-topping album, A Briefcase Full of Blues in the late 1970s. The car and portraits on this button are in reference to The Blues Brothers, the 1981 film featuring the two "brothers."

Sources

About the House of Blues (2015). House of Blues. http://www.houseofblues.com/neworleans/about

John Belushi (JAKE), Dan Aykroyd (Elwood) (2012). Brothers. Blues Brothers Official Site. http://bluesbrothersofficialsite.com/p-9905-the-brothers.html

Catalog ID MU0216

Hawkwind

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Text on Button Hawkwind
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White emblem below white text over black background. 

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Hawkwind is an English heavy metal band that formed in the late 1960s. They are noted for the space and science-fiction motifs in their lyrics combined with bold guitar riffs and synthesizer. The lineup functioned like a revolving door, members changed constantly. The current members consist of Tim Blake, Richard Chadwick, Dead Fred, Dave Brock, Mr Dibbs, and Niall Hone.  

The button is to promote their third studio album "Doremi Fasol Latido" which was released in 1972. The album solidified their science-fiction orientation by presenting an elaborate mythology of the history of the universe. Hawkwind had already established themselves as a live act and they performed extravagant concerts named "Space Ritual" with this album.   

Catalog ID MU0222

Hank Williams Poet of the People

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Text on Button poet of the people Hank Williams 1923-1953
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An illustration of Hank Williams wearing a blue suit and playing guitar with a yellow circle on a red background behind him. He is surrounded by illustrations of records, a beer bottle, stars, and a microphone with blue text underneath. 

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Hank Williams, Sr (September 17, 1927 - January 1, 1953) was a country singer/song writer. He is regarded as country music's first superstar and one of the most influential and significant country musicians of all times. Born Hiram King Williams in Mount Olive, Alabama to Lon and Lillie Williams, the family struggled economically. As a child, Williams met African American street performer, Rufus Payne, who taught him how to pay the guitar and the blues. Payne was a strong musical influence. Williams made his radio debut at the age of 13, and a year later he entered talent contests and formed his own band "Hank Williams and the Drifting Cowboys." When World War II started, the band mates were drafted therefore Williams continues as a solo artist. His major hits were "Your Cheatin' Heart," "I'm So Lonesome I could Cry," and "Honkey-Tonkey."

Williams suffered from alcoholism and drug related issues later in life. He died in 1953 at the age of 29 from cardiac arrest.

The button was to promote a box set of original recording named "The Complete Hank Williams" which was released in 1998. The record company Mercury Nashville produced the button as a promotion for the box set.      

Catalog ID MU0194

Go Go's Beauty and the Beat Anniversary

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Text on Button GO-GO'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAT 30TH ANNIVERSARY
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Black and white photograph of The Go-Go's on blue background, with blue text on a white background around the edge of the pin.

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Beauty and the Beat is the debut album from Californian all-female band The Go-Go's. The album was released in 1981, and included the hit single "We Got The Beat." Beauty and the Beat climbed the Billboard 200 chart until it hit number one, where it remained for six consecutive weeks. The album sold over two million copies and reached double platinum status, making it one of the most successful debut albums of all time.

Catalog ID MU0190

Garth Brooks

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Text on Button GARTH BROOKS FRESH HORSES
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A closeup blue photograph of Garth Brooks eye with blue text. 

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This is a promotional button for Garth Brooks 1995 album "Fresh Horses". Reaching number two on the billboard charts and number one on country music charts it was commercially successful.  To date the album has sold over seven million copies featuring singles such as "She's Every Woman" and "The Fever". It it Brooks sixth studio album
Garth Brooks is an American country musician who become active in 1989 with the release of his first (self-titled) album. One of the highest selling musicians of all time, Brooks boasts six albums that have reached Diamond status. In 2012 he was inducted into the country music of Hall of Fame. 
Brooks has had two brief stints in Professional Baseball, his first with the San Diego Padres and shortly after the New York Mets and later on his second with the Kansas City Royals. 
Catalog ID MU0182

Elvis GI Blues

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Text on Button Elvis G.I BLUES
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The right side of the button features a blue background with blue and white text. The right side features a yellow background with a picture of Elvis Presley in military regalia.

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This is promotional button for Elvis Presley's 1960 album "G.I Blues". A smash hit, the album went to number one on the billboard charts. The first single of the album, "Wooden Heart", remained at number one for six weeks. Featuring songs from the Elvis Presley film of the same name, it managed to win two Grammy Awards. 

The film G.I Blues was a Paramount Studios production and reached the second place spot in national box office rankings. Presley served as the film's star alongside Juliet Prowse and Robert Ivers.

Elvis Presley is an American rock and roll musician active from 1954 until his death in 1977. Considered one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century and of the modern United States he is one of the highest selling musicians of all time. Additionally Presley's career served as one of the most influential of the 20th as his he pushed musical, racial, and sexual boundaries through music and television. 

Catalog ID MU0181

Eddie Van Halen

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Text on Button eddie Van Halen
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Photograph of Eddie Van Halen playing guitar with a black background and white text over the image.

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Eddie van Halen is the lead singer, guitarist, keyboardist, and co-founder of the rock band Van Halen. He popularized the "tapping" technique, where both hands are utilized on the guitar neck. The intro to "Eruption" showcased such technique. Eddie van Halen is also known for "volume swells" where the music amplifies and mimics the sound of a keyboard. This is exemplified in the song "Cathedral." Eddie van Halen is considered as one of the most influential rock guitarist of the century, and Rolling Stone's magazine ranked him at number eight in the list of 100 Greatest Guitarists.

Catalog ID MU0188

Donny Osmond Believe It

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Text on Button BELIEVE IT! BAKER & TAYLOR AUDIO Capitol RECORDS DONNY OSMOND
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Purple text over white background. 

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This button likely dates from singer Donny Osmond's 1989 come back album Donny Osmond.  It had been over a decade since Osmond's voice had been heard on a new recording.  The album was the first of two recordings he made with Capital Records.  It was distributed by Baker and Taylor.  Donny Osmond reached number fifty-four on the Billboard 200 in 1989 and contained three hit singles.  "Hold On" reached number seventy-three on the Billboard 100 and number thirty-six on the Billboard's Dance Music Singles list.  "Sacred Emotion" was thirteen on the Billboard 100 and four on the Adult Contemporary list.  The highest charting single was "Soldier of Love," which reached number two on the Billboard 100.

Catalog ID MU0214

Diana Ross Caesars Palace

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Text on Button DIANA ROSS CAESARS PALACE
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Pink and white text on a red background.

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Diana Ernestine Earle Ross, born March 26, 1944, is an American singer, actress, record producer and an occasional songwriter. Born and raised in Detroit, she rose to fame as a founding member and lead singer of the vocal group The Supremes, which, during the 1960s, became Motown's most successful act and is to this day America's most successful vocal group. Live at Caesars Palace is a 1974 live album released by Diana Ross during her performance at Las Vegas' Caesars Palace. It was Ross' first of two live albums that she recorded for the Motown label.

Catalog ID MU0205