Parade

To solve today’s New York Times Connections puzzle, you’ll need to know a thing or two about summer fruits, be handy with tools, and have an interest in pop culture.

There’s nothing quite as exhilarating as the feeling of completing the daily New York Times Wordle, Strands, Mini Crossword and Connections Sports Edition word games in one fell swoop. But sometimes that can be easier said than done. If you need help with today’s Connections puzzle, keep reading.

Spoilers ahead! We’ve warned you. We mean it. Read no further until you really want some clues or you’ve completely given up and want the answers ASAP. Get ready for all of today’s NYT ‘Connections’ hints and answers for #1168 on Saturday, August 22, 2026.

The New York Times

If you’ve been having trouble with any of the connections or words in Saturday’s puzzle, you’re not alone, and these hints should definitely help you out. Plus, I’ll reveal the answers further down.

Related: The 26 Funniest NYT Connections Game Memes You’ll Appreciate if You Do This Daily Word Puzzle

1. Make sure to wear your goggles.
2. Summer makes them sweeter.
3. Don’t forget to water the plants.
4. Like Destiny’s Child or Living Single.

Related: 300 Trivia Questions and Answers to Jumpstart Your Fun Game Night

Ready for the answers? Scroll below this image (the image that represents your very appreciated patience!).

iStock

1. CARPENTRY TOOLS: CHISEL, HAMMER, PLANE, SAW
2. KINDS OF MELON: BITTER, MUSK, WATER, WINTER
3. GARDEN HOSE SETTINGS: CONE, JET, MIST, SHOWER
4. ___ GIRLS OF POP CULTURE: GILMORE, GOLDEN, MEAN, SPICE

How’d you do?

Up Next:

– 15 Fun Games Like Connections to Play Every Day
– Hints, Clues and Answers to the NYT’s ‘Mini Crossword’ Puzzle

Did You Miss a Few Days? Let’s Catch You Up With Recent Connections Answers

Related: I Made Dolly Parton’s Corn Pone Recipe—and Now I Finally Understand the Hype

Distant, the international downtempo deathcore band, is ready to hit the road as it embarks on an exciting U.S. tour.

In an Instagram update, the band, composed of Alan Grnja on lead vocals, Nouri Yetgin on guitars, Elmer Maurits on bass and René Gerbrandij on drums, shared the schedule for their headlining fall tour.

The 26-date run kicks off on Nov. 16 in Dallas, followed by two more shows in Texas, in Houston and San Antonio.

Adding to the list, Distant will also be performing across major cities in Arizona, California, Washington, Utah, Ohio, Illinois and more before wrapping up the tour in Orlando, Florida, on Dec. 17.

Apart from the band, fans will get to see special guests Heavy//Hitter, Katywentmissing, Torn Open and Squelching as supporting acts on select dates.

The tour comes in support of their new album, Into Despair, a 13-track record under Century Media Records.

Besides the upcoming U.S. tour and new studio album, Distant will be part of a major European festival.

The band will be among the star-studded performers alongside Alpha Wolf, Boston Manor, Paleface Swiss and others at Core Fest 2026 in Germany on Oct. 31.

On Nov. 6, Distant will host their Into Despair album release show in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Nov. 16 Dallas, TX @ TBA
Nov. 17 Houston, TX @ TBA
Nov. 18 San Antonio, TX @ The Rock Box
Nov. 20 Mesa, AZ @ The Rosetta Room
Nov. 21 Anaheim, CA @ The Parish
Nov. 22 Roseville, CA @ TBA
Nov. 24 Portland, OR @ Dante’s
Nov. 25 Seattle, WA @ TBA
Nov. 27 Salt Lake City, UT @ TBA
Nov. 28 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater
Nov. 29 Kansas City, MO @ TBA
Nov. 30 Chicago, IL @ TBA
Dec. 1 Indianapolis, IN @ TBA
Dec. 2 Detroit, MI @ TSDMAAC
Dec. 4 Cleveland, OH @ TBA
Dec. 5 Columbus, OH @ TBA
Dec. 7 Rochester, NY @ Montage Music Hall
Dec. 8 Worcester, MA @ TBA
Dec. 9 Brooklyn, NY @ TBA
Dec. 10 New Kensington, PA @ TBA
Dec. 11 Baltimore, MD @ TBA
Dec. 12 Philadelphia, PA @ TBA
Dec. 14 Nashville, TN @ TBA
Dec. 15 Greenville, SC @ The Radio Room
Dec. 16 Jacksonville, FL @ The Albatross
Dec. 17 Orlando, FL @ The Abbey

Related: Heavy Metal Legends Announced as Headliners for Music Festival in Texas

Today’s NYT Wordle might make you want to fire up the barbie.

But the day just isn’t complete until I’ve solved all of the free word games from the New York Times, including Connections, Connections Sports Edition, Strands, and Mini Crossword. If you’re stuck on today’s Wordle answer, we’re here to help—but beware of spoilers for Wordle #1890 ahead.

Let’s start with a few hints.

🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬

There is one vowel in today’s five-letter word.

Today’s Wordle begins with a consonant.

There are no double letters in today’s Wordle.

A hint for today’s Wordle is: The physical embodiment of the oxymoron “jumbo shrimp.”

OK, that’s it for hints—I don’t want to totally give it away before revealing the answer!

Related: 16 Games Like Wordle To Give You Your Word Game Fix More Than Once Every 24 Hours

We’ll have the answer below this friendly reminder of how to play the game.

SPOILERS BELOW—do not scroll any further if you don’t want the answer revealed.

The New York Times

Today’s Wordle answer on Saturday, August 22, 2026, is PRAWN.

-If you missed it, catch up with the answer to yesterday’s Wordle.

Related: Every 5 Letter Word Wordle Hasn’t Used Yet (Updated Daily)

Her music helped put a little more love into the 1960s.

Jackie DeShannon, the pioneering singer-songwriter behind “What the World Needs Now Is Love” and “Put a Little Love in Your Heart,” turns 85 today, Aug. 21.

Born in Hazel, Kentucky, DeShannon started singing at an exceptionally young age. She performed gospel music on a radio program run by friends of her parents before hosting her own show after her family moved to Illinois.

“I was always singing, since I was three years old,” DeShannon recalled⁠. “Some friends of my parents would pick me up and I would sing on their Gospel radio show.”

Her earliest records drew from country and rockabilly, including the Buddy Holly tribute “Buddy,” which became a regional hit. DeShannon later moved to Los Angeles and signed with Liberty Records, beginning a recording and songwriting career that crossed rock, pop, folk, country, gospel and R&B.

During the early ‘60s, she wrote extensively with Sharon Sheeley, with their work including Brenda Lee’s “Dum Dum” and Irma Thomas’ “Breakaway.” DeShannon also wrote “When You Walk in the Room” and “Come and Stay with Me,” which became hits for the Searchers and Marianne Faithfull, respectively.

In 1964, DeShannon joined the Beatles as an opening act on their first American tour. One year later, she scored her first major pop hit with Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “What the World Needs Now Is Love.”

DeShannon followed that success with the million-selling “Put a Little Love in Your Heart,” which she co-wrote with Randy Myers and Jimmy Holiday. Her influence also extended well beyond her own recordings, with artists including the Byrds, Dolly Parton, Bruce Springsteen and the Temptations performing her songs.

One of her greatest songwriting successes came decades later. DeShannon and Donna Weiss wrote “Bette Davis Eyes,” which became a massive hit for Kim Carnes and earned the pair the 1982 Grammy for Song of the Year⁠.

DeShannon was inducted⁠ into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2010. More recently, a collection of previously unreleased recordings titled Girl of Yesterday (Acoustic Folk Demos) arrived in June 2026⁠, giving listeners another glimpse into her early creative years.

At 85, DeShannon remains an important voice from rock’s formative era and a songwriter whose work continues to travel across generations.

Related: ’70s Music Legend, Nicknamed ‘the Voice of Rock,’ Turns 75 Today

Led Zeppelin’s 1975 song “In My Time of Dying” runs for more than 11 minutes, making it the band’s longest studio recording. Fifty-five years after its release, the song still stands out for its heavy sound, zchanging rhythms and emotional subject: facing death.

The track appeared on Led Zeppelin’s sixth studio album, Physical Graffiti, released in 1975. Built from an older gospel and blues tradition, “In My Time of Dying” became something much bigger in the hands of Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and John Bonham.

The song has also remained highly regarded by rock writers. Goldmine ranked it at No. 2 on its 2024 list of the 20 memorable songs longer than 10 minutes. 

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Goldmine described the song as a “violent, lurching, hard rock classic” and pointed to its changing parts and closing jam. Near the end, everything stops as Plant sings, “Oh don’t you make it my dying, dying dying…” A cough is then heard before the song comes back down.

Meanwhile, Ultimate Classic Rock placed it at No. 6 on its list of the Top 50 Led Zeppelin songs.

“In My Time of Dying” was described as Led Zeppelin’s longest single track and noted how the band used its extended running time to stretch out while still keeping the music focused. The performance sounds loose in places, but the complicated structure shows how much the musicians had to remember.

What makes the track unusual is that it does not follow one simple path. Its music changes speed and shape, moving through pauses, riffs, quiet moments and louder sections. Jimmy Page explained that the song was so complex that even remembering all of its parts could be difficult.

“It’s really, really complicated,” Page admitted in a 2015 interview with Planet Rock. “I was talking about this the other day: I said, ‘Well, there was a lot to remember’. The person who was interviewing me looked as though he didn’t really understand just how much you had to remember when you go, one, two, three, four, and you start and get right through to the end of, as you say, 11 minutes.”

That challenge is part of what has helped “In My Time of Dying” remain memorable decades after Physical Graffiti first arrived.

The story of “In My Time of Dying” began long before Led Zeppelin recorded it.

The song came from an older gospel tradition and was connected to the title “Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed.” According to Far Out Magazine, blind Willie Johnson recorded a version in 1927, while other musicians later created their own versions. The song’s words and theme had been passed through different performers over time.

Bob Dylan also recorded “In My Time of Dyin’” for his 1962 debut album. Dylan had never performed the song before that recording session and did not remember where he first heard it.

Led Zeppelin took the old material and rebuilt it around the band’s own style.

Page had long described his vision for Led Zeppelin as a blend of different sounds. Speaking to Guitar World in 1993, he said: “Ultimately, I wanted Zeppelin to be a marriage of blues, hard rock and acoustic music topped with heavy choruses, a combination that had never been done before. Lots of light and shade in the music.”

More than five decades after Physical Graffiti, the 11-minute track continues to hold attention not because of its length alone, but because it keeps changing. Every section asks the listener to stay with the band as the music moves from blues to hard rock, from quiet tension to powerful release.

That is why “In My Time of Dying” still carries weight 55 years after Led Zeppelin recorded it.

Related: 1980 Rock Song Lasting 17 Minutes, Written by Iconic Band From London, Is Still a Controversial Hit

With both Dermot Mulroney and Joe Miñoso exiting Chicago Fire in Season 15, there’s room for some new faces in the cast. One such face will be Matthew Daddario, who is set to join the upcoming season as a firefighter candidate, TVInsider shared.

The news came from an Instagram post made by already confirmed new series regular Da’Vinchi, who posted a photo of himself, Daddario, and Brandon Larracuente, who plays Vasquez, sitting on Truck 81.

🎬SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬

Daddario, the brother of White Lotus actress Alexandra Daddario, is best known for playing Alec Lightwood on the Freeform series Shadowhunters.

As previously announced, Da’Vinchi joins Chicago Fire as a new firefighter Marcus Burke, also a candidate at Firehouse 51. His character is described as “roguish and funny with a wry sense of humor” but “also a little defiant,” according to AL.com. Da’Vinchi is best known for his role as Darnell Hayes in the CW series All American.

Miñoso, who has played firefighter Joe Cruz since the first responder series premiered in 2012, will exit the series in Season 15, returning long enough to wrap up his storyline. Miñoso is one of the last remaining original cast members on the NBC procedural, along with Taylor Kinney, David Eigenberg and Christian Stolte. 

Related: Original Chicago Fire Cast Member Exits Series in Season 15

Like Miñoso, Mulroney, who joined the cast of the NBC drama Chicago Fire in Season 13 as Battalion Chief Dom Pascal, stepping in to lead Firehouse 51 after Eamonn Walker‘s departure, will exit the series early in Season 15 after wrapping up his character’s storyline.

Another big change for the series is new showrunner, Victor Teran, who replaces Andrea Newman after 14 seasons.

Season 14 of Chicago Fire ended with a cliffhanger as Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) and her team were engulfed in flames while responding to a fire, and then the roof of the same building caved in on Severide (Taylor Kinney) and his crew inside the building, trapping them. The episode ended with: Mayday! Mayday! The only one who was safe wass Pascal, who was outside directing the situation.

Chicago Fire returns for its 15th season on October 7 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

Next,  Chicago Fire Season 15 Is Undergoing a Major Shakeup Ahead of Its Return

Some rock singers command attention from the first note.

Glenn Hughes, the celebrated singer and bassist best known for his time with Deep Purple, turns 75 today, Aug. 21.

A native of Cannock, England, Hughes grew up listening to British rock, the Beatles and American soul and R&B. Those influences would remain central to his sound, setting him apart from many of his hard-rock contemporaries.

Hughes first found widespread success as a member of Trapeze, appearing on early ‘70s albums including Medusa and You Are the Music… We’re Just the Band. In 1973, he joined⁠ Deep Purple as the group’s new bassist and co-lead vocalist alongside David Coverdale.

The new lineup made its debut with Burn in 1974 before recording Stormbringer and Come Taste the Band. Hughes brought elements of funk and soul into the group’s established hard-rock sound, while his powerful upper register became one of the era’s most recognizable voices.

After Deep Purple split in 1976, Hughes released his first solo album, Play Me Out, the following year. He later worked with Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi on Seventh Star, appeared on the KLF’s “America: What Time Is Love?” and formed Black Country Communion with Joe Bonamassa, Jason Bonham and Derek Sherinian.

It was the KLF who dubbed Hughes “the Voice of Rock,”⁠ an enduring nickname that recognized the range and force behind his singing. His contributions to Deep Purple were also honored when he was included among the members inducted⁠ into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.

Hughes returned with Chosen in September 2025, his first solo studio album in nine years. Earlier this month, however, he announced that he was retiring from touring and live performances after doctors determined that he needed another open-heart surgery.

“I really have no option and no choice, as health is my number one priority,” Hughes wrote⁠. “Grateful to have been chosen with a life full with the gift of music. Thank you for walking beside me.”

As Hughes celebrates 75, his nearly six-decade body of work continues to show exactly why the title “the Voice of Rock” stuck.

Related: ’70s Rock Legend, Nicknamed ‘The Quiet One,’ Turns 75

When The Killers released “Mr. Brightside” in 2003, they had no idea the song would become an enduring anthem that would stay on the UK Singles Chart for 512 weeks, becoming the longest-charting song in the history of the U.K. Official Singles Chart. The band’s lead singer, Brandon Flowers, wrote the lyrics, with Dave Keuning creating the iconic guitar riff that became the song’s foundation. Now, Brandon Flowers is sharing what it’s like to have written a record-breaking song, one that he says now belongs to the world.

In an interview with Mark Savage of BBC News, Flowers says he still gets a thrill from hearing fans sing “Mr. Brightside” word for word along with him, saying it “doesn’t get old.” As for the song’s enduring popularity, Flowers says he feels no connection to the song’s charting status, stating that “Mr. Brightside” is the world’s song now.

How does The Killers’ frontman Brandon Flowers feel about Mr Brightside 22 years later? 🤔 #TheKillers #MrBrightside #BBCNews

On a social media video shared from the interview, fans quickly reminisced about “Mr. Brightside.”

“Babies come out of the womb knowing it,” one fan commented. Another added, “That’s an anthem like it or not.”

“Mr. Brightside” first appeared on The Killers’ 2004 debut album, Hot Fuss, which became a major commercial success and catapulted the Las Vegas band to international fame. The album eventually reached No. 1 in the U.K., spawning four successful singles, with “Mr. Brightside” becoming one of the biggest singles from a debut of all time.

The song peaked at No. 10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at No. 10 in the U.K., but the song never really left the U.K. Singles Chart. “Mr. Brightside” officially spent four weeks on the U.K. Top 100, but streaming platforms helped the song find new listeners, who returned it to the charts again and again.

“Mr. Brightside” also became the U.K.’s biggest single ever not to reach No. 1, despite selling millions of copies and being streamed millions of times.

Flowers may feel removed from the song’s longevity after so much time, but he still gets a thrill hearing fans sing the song back to him as if they’re hearing it for the first time. “Mr. Brightside” is the kind of hit that doesn’t remain popular based on nostalgia alone. With each generation, the song takes on new meaning and gains increased popularity. It’s one of those songs that gets played at weddings, sporting events and parties, serving as one song in the soundtrack of listeners’ lives.

Related: 1973 Song Inspired by a Notorious Texas Brothel Became ZZ Top’s First Big Hit

The Killers – Mr. Brightside (Live from Niagara Falls at the OLG Stage) #TheKillers #Viral #Live #FYP #Music

“Mr. Brightside” transformed The Killers from a relatively unknown Las Vegas band into international stars and helped sell millions of copies of Hot Fuss. But ultimately, “Mr. Brightside” has become a generational song, surviving changes in musical trends and continuing to find new listeners who join the millions of fans who can sing every word back to the band, giving them the ultimate thrill.

“Mr. Brightside” has become a generational song. People who were children when it was released now sing it alongside people who weren’t born yet. It has survived changes in musical trends, the collapse of physical music sales, the rise of streaming and the constant turnover of pop culture.

That’s perhaps the strangest legacy of all. A song about jealousy, heartbreak and imagining the worst possible scenario somehow became one of the world’s most reliable communal singalongs.

More than two decades after The Killers first released it, “Mr. Brightside” isn’t simply an old hit that people remember. It’s a song that keeps finding new people to sing it.

And Brandon Flowers is still standing onstage, thrilled to be there.

Related: 1977 Hit With an Uncredited Joe Walsh Guitar Solo Became an Andy Gibb No. 1 Hit

🎬SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword puzzle deals with classic classroom games, Japanese cultural symbols, makeup, and TV’s longest-running scripted primetime series.

Working on the daily Connections, Connections Sports Edition, Wordle, and Strands is a whole ritual for many of us. And we can’t forget about the NYT’s The Mini Crossword, too!

Although the NYT is known for “The Crossword,” a larger puzzle for paid subscribers, The Mini has quite the fan following as well. This particular game resets at 10 p.m., unlike some of the others that start over at midnight.

So, if you’re working on today’s Mini Crossword on Saturday, August 22, and need some help (I’ve been there), get ready to read the clues and solutions for each line. We have them separated into hints first for both “Across” and “Down” words, followed by “Across Answers” and “Down Answers,” so be careful if you want to avoid spoilers as you scroll!

🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬

Here are additional clues for each of the words in today’s Mini Crossword.

1 Across: Gets right down to business — HINT: Ends with the letter “N”

8 Across: Japanese for “folding paper” — HINT: Ends with the letter “I”

9 Across: _a_er and _encil game — HINT: Starts with the letter “H”

10 Across: “Dee-lish!” — HINT: Ends with the letter “M”

11 Across: Specialized (in), as in college — HINT: Starts with the letter “M”

15 Across: Small hair on which mascara is applied — HINT: Starts with the letter “E”

16 Across: Sloppy smooch — HINT: Ends with the letter “S”

Related: 16 Games Like Wordle To Give You Your Word Game Fix More Than Once Every 24 Hours

1 Down: Homer Simpson’s shout — HINT: Starts with the letter “D”

2 Down: Roth ___ — HINT: Ends with the letter “A”

3 Down: Actor Diesel of the “Fast & Furious” films — HINT: Starts with the letter “V”

4 Down: “Sunny” part of a breakfast order — HINT: Starts with the letter “E”

5 Down: Warrior with a katana — HINT: Ends with the letter “I”

6 Down: “Sorry, my life is all over the place right now” — HINT: Starts with the letter “I”

7 Down: Trent Reznor’s rock band, to fans — HINT: Ends with the letter “N”

11 Down: Call from a kitten — HINT: Ends with the letter “W”

12 Down: Sailor’s assent — HINT: Starts with the letter “A”

13 Down: F-16 Fighting Falcon, e.g. — HINT: Ends with the letter “T”

14 Down: Nonfielding baseball players, for short — HINT: Starts with the letter “D”

Don’t go any further unless you want to know exactly what the correct words are in today’s Mini Crossword.

1 Across: Gets right down to business — DIVESIN

8 Across: Japanese for “folding paper” — ORAGAMI

9 Across: _a_er and _encil game — HANGMAN

10 Across: “Dee-lish!” — YUM

11 Across: Specialized (in), as in college — MAJOR

15 Across: Small hair on which mascara is applied — EYELASH

16 Across: Sloppy smooch — WETKISS

1 Down: Homer Simpson’s shout — DOH

2 Down: Roth ___ — IRA

3 Down: Actor Diesel of the “Fast & Furious” films — VIN

4 Down: “Sunny” part of a breakfast order — EGGYOLK

5 Down: Warrior with a katana — SAMURAI

6 Down: “Sorry, my life is all over the place right now” — IMAMESS

7 Down: Trent Reznor’s rock band, to fans — NIN

11 Down: Call from a kitten — MEW

12 Down: Sailor’s assent — AYE

13 Down: F-16 Fighting Falcon, e.g. — JET

14 Down: Nonfielding baseball players, for short — DHS

Related: I Made Dolly Parton’s Corn Pone Recipe—and Now I Finally Understand the Hype

At first listen, it might not seem like “Black Velvet” was written about Elvis Presley. The massively popular Alannah Myles song, which went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1990, doesn’t sound like anything the King ever sang, and it doesn’t mention his name outright. (Plus, Presley was known for blue velvet, not black.)

But it was in fact a trip to Graceland that inspired the tune, as Christopher Ward, who co-wrote “Black Velvet” with David Tyson, told Billboard Canada in 2023.

“At the time, I was working at MuchMusic; I was sent to Memphis on a Greyhound bus with forty Elvis fanatics and a cameraman on assignment to cover the 10th anniversary of Elvis’ death,” Ward recalled.

On the trip, Ward realized that the pilgrimage to Presley’s home was almost like a religious experience for his fellow passengers.

“As I habitually did, I made notes along the way, bits of which formed the foundation for the lyrics to ‘Black Velvet.’ The ‘new religion’ in the lyric is rock n’ roll,” Ward explained.

Indeed, “Black Velvet” is pretty obviously about Presley, when you take a look at the lyrics (which you’ve probably heard a million times but maybe never thought about that much):

Up in Memphis, the music’s like a heatwave
White lightning, bound to drive you wild
Mama’s baby’s in the heart of every schoolgirl
“Love Me Tender” leaves ’em cryin’ in the aisle

The way he moved, it was a sin, so sweet and true
Always wanting more, he’d leave you longing for

Black velvet and that little boy’s smile
Black velvet with that slow southern style
A new religion that’ll bring ya to your knees
Black velvet if you please

Musically, Ward explained, “Black Velvet” “started with the shuffle groove that anchors the song musically.”

“It was a guitar feel that I’d been messing with for months and likely driving my downstairs neighbors crazy with,” he added, also noting that he and Myles were a couple at the time, “and we’d been working on her music ever since we got together.”

“It was written with her voice in mind, and she’s always loved those bluesy feels,” Ward said.

Bernd Mueller / Getty Images

Myles’ voice was definitely the perfect instrument for “Black Velvet,” which not only held the #1 spot for two weeks but won her the 1991 Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance and the 1990 Juno Award for Single of the Year, per American Songwriter.

“It changed my life,” said Ward. “I’d been writing songs for almost twenty years, and suddenly, music publishers in New York and L.A. were calling and I was being asked to write with songwriters, artists and producers whose work I knew and admired. It was overwhelming, but truthfully, I felt ready.”

While Myles went on to have a few more successful songs in Canada, “Black Velvet” was her last U.S. hit. Unfortunately, as she later explained in a CBC Newsworld interview, she was cheated by her record company and didn’t receive a royalty check until 2008.

On the bright side, “Black Velvet” is still a radio (and karaoke) staple, not to mention a streaming hit. At the time of this writing, the song has 449,026,467 streams on Spotify alone.

Related: 1956 Rock Song, Written by Two 19-Year-Olds in 12 Minutes, Became Elvis Presley’s Longest-Running No. 1 Hit

One little girl had a pretty impressive audience for her first-ever meeting with Goofy.

Comedian Loryn Powell shared an adorable video to her Instagram on Friday, August 21, capturing her young daughter’s first time meeting Goofy at Goofy’s Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel. While the little girl was understandably focused on the Disney character, Matt Damon was seemingly in the background watching the sweet interaction unfold.

In the clip, Powell’s husband kneels beside their blonde daughter as Goofy approaches wearing chef attire. The little girl immediately lights up, smiling as the character waves before eventually wrapping her in a hug.

A post shared by Loryn Powell (@lorynpowell)

But look just behind the family and there’s Damon, dressed casually in a gray shirt, white pants and black baseball cap. With his arms folded, the Oscar winner appears to watch the encounter with a smile on his face.

“POV you’re watching your husband and daughter meet Goofy for the first time but don’t realize Matt Damon is also watching your husband and daughter meet Goofy for the first time,” text over the video reads.

Powell joked at the accidental celebrity cameo in her caption, writing, “When your daughter is more starstruck by Goofy than Matt Damon 😆”

Fans quickly zeroed in on Damon’s unexpected appearance in the background.

READ MORE: Matt Damon and Ben Affleck Sued by Two Miami Police Officers

“Aww and you can tell he was reminiscing on his babies meeting goofy for the first time. 😢” one fan wrote.

Another joked, “She should put that on her resume. 🤗 “Introduction to Goofy, witnessed by Matt Damon.” How many people can say that?! 💙.”

“Did you see his face?! He thought it was just as cute as we all do!,” said a third.

“And him just looking on like a proud dad,” replied a fourth.

While some viewers questioned whether it was really the Odyssey actor in the background, others spotted that his black baseball cap appeared to have “Artists Equity” written across it, the name of the production company Damon co-founded with Ben Affleck.

The Good Will Hunting alum was definitely at Disneyland this week. The actor was photographed at the park with wife Luciana Barroso and their daughters on Thursday, August 20, while celebrating Gia’s 18th birthday. Damon and his family even coordinated for the occasion, wearing matching “Birthday Crew” shirts while posing in front of the park’s giant Mickey Mouse pumpkin. It’s unclear whether Powell’s video was captured during that same Disneyland visit, as Damon appears to be wearing a different shirt.

Damon and Barroso share Gia, Isabella, 20, and Stella, 15. The actor is also stepfather to Barroso’s eldest daughter, Alexia, 27.

In 1960, The Drifters released a sweeping love song that became a hit with Ben E. King on lead vocals. More than six decades later, it’s suddenly finding a new audience.

“This Magic Moment” is climbing TikTok’s Viral 50 chart, where the Drifters’ original recording currently sits at No. 45.

The song’s latest resurgence comes 66 years after it first appeared on the Billboard Hot 100, but “This Magic Moment” has hardly disappeared in the decades since. It has turned up everywhere from The Sandlot and The Sopranos to Ally McBeal and Now You See Me 2, and its romantic grandeur is now providing the soundtrack to a decidedly less serious collection of viral videos.

One popular trend pairs “This Magic Moment” with date-night videos in which a boyfriend offers his girlfriend a bite of his food. After she takes some, she returns the favor, only for him to emphatically decline her offer, leaving her looking crestfallen as the romantic song plays.

✨✨#sigchi

Another video turns an ordinary fundraiser car wash into its own “magic moment,” with girls inside a car filming the shirtless young men washing it as the Drifters croon in the background.

The song is also being used for more bittersweet laughs.

In another video, an aspiring filmmaker shares old footage of the moment he told his mother he was leaving a pre-med program at a state school to study comedy and screenwriting at NYU. His visibly upset mother cries as “This Magic Moment” plays.

The creator reassures viewers in the caption that the footage is from years ago, that he graduated and is now doing what he loves, and that his first film is coming out this fall.

I’m sorry mom. Yes it’s a real major. I made it up in gallatin. #gallatin #nyc #nyu #premed #college 🚨NOTE: guys this is from YEARS ago. I graduated and I am doing what I love & doing well. My first film is coming out this fall so stay tuned!!!

The new viral moment adds another chapter to a song that was already deeply embedded in pop culture.

Written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman and produced by renowned songwriting duo Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, “This Magic Moment” was first recorded by The Drifters with King singing lead. The recording spent 11 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at No. 16 in 1960.

The late rock critic Dave Marsh had particularly high praise for the Drifters’ recording.

In his book “The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made,” Marsh ranked “This Magic Moment” No. 411 on his list.

Marsh praised the songwriting partnership of Pomus and Shuman, noting the Latin influences Shuman brought to the Drifters’ ballads and singling out Pomus’ lyrics. He argued that, for sheer lyric writing, “This Magic Moment” might even surpass another of their best-known Drifters songs, “Save the Last Dance for Me.”

But some of Marsh’s most evocative praise was reserved for the recording itself.

Writing about the work of producers Leiber and Stoller, Marsh described the sound they created around King’s emotional lead vocal as a “virtual cathedral of orchestrated rhythm and harmony.”

Marsh died Aug. 14 at his home in Connecticut at age 76. The influential critic was an early editor at Creem, wrote for publications including Rolling Stone and The Village Voice and became particularly well known for his writing about Bruce Springsteen.

Springsteen remembered Marsh as a “true Rock ‘n’ Roll lifer” in a tribute following his death.

The Drifters weren’t the only group to find success with “This Magic Moment.”

Jay and the Americans released their own version in 1968, and it became the song’s highest-charting rendition on the Billboard Hot 100.

Their recording reached No. 6 in 1969, 10 spots higher than the Drifters’ original, and went all the way to No. 1 in Canada.

But it’s the original Drifters recording that has returned to the charts more than six decades later.

The song has also enjoyed a remarkably long life onscreen. The Drifters’ version was memorably featured in the 1993 movie The Sandlot and later appeared in The Sopranos, while Lou Reed’s rendition was used in David Lynch’s 1997 film Lost Highway.

Now, 66 years after King’s voice first carried “This Magic Moment” onto the charts, a new generation has found another use for it: turning life’s awkward, funny and occasionally genuinely magical moments into their own miniature movies.

Related: ‘Batman’ Legend, One of Two Surviving Stars of the ’60s Series, Turns 93

Brian Wilson’s musical world extended well beyond The Beach Boys in the early 1970s. One of his more intriguing projects from the period was American Spring, the duo featuring his then-wife Marilyn Wilson and her sister Diane Rovell.

Among the duo’s recordings was “Shyin’ Away,” a breezy soft rock song released in 1972 and produced by Wilson. Although the single never came close to reaching No. 1— it didn’t even chart at all, for that matter— the music American Spring made during its brief existence would eventually become highly sought after by collectors and devotees of Wilson’s work.

The collaboration had deep roots.

Marilyn and Diane had previously performed with their cousin Ginger Blake as The Honeys, a vocal group closely connected to The Beach Boys’ circle during the 1960s.

“It came from the Beach Boys song ‘Surfin’ Safari,’ which had the lyrics, ‘early in the morning we’ll be starting out, some Honeys will be coming along …,” Marilyn Wilson and Blake told Rock Cellar Magazine.

After forming Spring, later known as American Spring, the sisters began working with Wilson on material that showcased their harmonies against his characteristically intricate production.

“Shyin’ Away” emerged during those sessions.

Written by Diane Rovell, the track appeared on the duo’s sole studio album, Spring, alongside original material and interpretations of songs including “This Whole World” and “Good Time.” Wilson produced much of the album in his home studio, bringing elements of the layered vocal arrangements and melodic experimentation that had defined his work with The Beach Boys.

“Brian has always recorded in a simple kind of way,” Marilyn said in an interview. “His style changes. It’s basically whatever he feels and what is happening around him.”

“And what kind of mood he’s in,” added Rovell.

Commercial success, however, remained elusive.

“Shyin’ Away” was released as a single but failed to become a major chart hit, while Spring itself received little attention upon its original release. The project soon slipped from public view, and American Spring never released another full-length studio album.

Its obscurity ultimately became part of its appeal.

As appreciation for Wilson’s work beyond The Beach Boys grew, original copies of Spring became desirable among collectors, while the album developed a cult reputation among fans fascinated by the lesser-known corners of his catalog. Subsequent reissues helped make the recordings easier to discover, giving songs like “Shyin’ Away” an audience they largely missed the first time around.

More than five decades later, “Shyin’ Away” offers a fascinating glimpse into Brian Wilson’s creative life during the early 1970s. It never became a No. 1 hit, or even a major commercial success, but its place within an elusive, collectible chapter of the Wilson story has given the song an enduring appeal all its own.

Related: 1973 Country Hit, With Iconic Nashville Singer, Became One of the ‘Greatest’ Songs of All Time

Toto, the iconic California rock band featuring Steve Lukather, David Paich, Bobby Kimball, David Hungate, Steve Porcaro and Jeff Porcaro, solidified its place in music history with global pop-rock hits like “Africa” in 1982, which became their signature anthem.

More than four decades later, the ’80s track continues to resonate with listeners and has earned a place among the greatest soft rock songs of all time.

In a list revealed by Amazon Music, Toto’s song “Africa” topped the 100 Most Beloved Soft Rock Songs of All Time, followed by The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” at No. 2 and Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” at No. 3.

Written by Paich, “Africa” was part of the band’s acclaimed fourth studio album Toto IV.

Angelo Deligio/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images

The keyboardist spent about six months refining the lyrics before showing them to the band, but it only took him ten minutes to work on the chorus melody and lyrics.

“I was hearing the melody in my head and I sat down and played the music for about 10 minutes. And then the chorus came out. I sang the chorus out as you hear it. It was like God channeling it,” he shared in the 2005 interview with Mix magazine, via Music Radar. “I thought, ‘I’m talented, but I’m not that talented. Something just happened here!'”

The songwriter was moved by a documentary he watched about Africa as well as the UNICEF ads and images of the region, despite having never set foot on the continent.

“At the beginning of the ’80s I watched a late-night documentary on TV about all the terrible death and suffering of the people in Africa,” he mentioned in the commentary of Toto’s Best Ballads compilation, according to Songfacts, adding, “It both moved and appalled me and the pictures just wouldn’t leave my head. I tried to imagine how I’d feel about if I was there and what I’d do.”

For Paich, the song wasn’t about personal romance but about a man’s love for the continent of Africa. It also draws on his workaholic lifestyle and desire for a personal life.

At the time of its release, the California-based band experienced massive success with “Africa” after it peaked at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, making it their first and only No. 1 hit on the U.S. charts.

In 2024, the song reached a new peak on the Billboard Global 200, climbing to No. 174 from No. 183 on the chart.

This only further proved that Toto’s iconic hit continues to stand out not just in the band’s legacy but also in rock and pop music history.

Related: 1971 Hit by The Doors, Originally Disliked by Producer, Ranked Among ‘Greatest American Rock Albums’ of All Time

Fontaines D.C. is heading to the U.S. for two special headlining shows this fall, giving fans in New York and Los Angeles a chance to see the Irish rock band in more intimate venues as it enters a new era.

The band announced the dates on Instagram, writing: “US. We’re playing intimate shows in New York and Los Angeles next month. Registering via the link in bio is the only way to get pre-sale access.”

Fontaines D.C. will perform at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn on Sept. 21 and Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles on Sept. 25.

Photo by Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage

Fans must register by 6 p.m. on Monday to get access to the pre-sale. The general ticket sale begins at 10 a.m. on Aug. 28.

The newly announced U.S. concerts come as Fontaines D.C. prepares to release its fifth studio album, Dopamine Chamber, on Oct. 16. The shows will also take place between the group’s appearances at Sea.Hear.Now in New Jersey and Ohana Fest in California.

Produced by James Ford, the album follows the band’s 2024 release, Romance. That record earned major recognition, including a Mercury Prize nomination and Grammy nominations for Best Rock Album and Best Alternative Music Performance for its single “Starburster.”

“Marianne” was partly inspired by the 2024 thriller series Ripley. The song also received a live debut during one of the band’s 2026 headline performances.

The upcoming album was recorded in several locations, including London, the English countryside, and Palermo, Italy. Frontman Grian Chatten also traveled through Venice, Vienna and Sicily while searching for ideas for the lyrics, per Rolling Stone.

“The album itself is a dopamine chamber,” Chatten said in a statement. “You step inside and we test these different mind or mood-altering pieces of music on you.”

Chatten also described how the new album differs from Romance.

“I think Romance was maybe 60 per cent human and 40 per cent corrupted by automation, and a loss of feeling,” he said in a press release, according to Pitchfork. “This one feels more like 60 per cent corrupted, the mask is wearing the face a little more. I felt it would be more powerful to leave the hope out and reflect the ugliness honestly. This one needed to feel more like a catastrophic warning.”

Fontaines D.C. formed in Dublin in 2014 after the members met at music college. The band includes Grian Chatten on vocals, Conor Curley on guitar, Conor “Deego” Deegan III on bass, Tom Coll on drums and Carlos O’Connell on guitar.

More than a decade after forming, the group has released four studio albums: Dogrel in 2019, A Hero’s Death in 2020, Skinty Fia in 2022 and Romance in 2024. 

Their early albums helped establish Fontaines D.C. as one of the major names in the modern Irish and British post-punk wave. A Hero’s Death received a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Album, while Skinty Fia reached No. 1 on both the Irish and U.K. album charts.

The band’s audience continued to grow with Romance, which became its first album to enter the Billboard 200.

Related: 1991 Hit Song, Reimagined by Japanese Singer in Music Festival, Grabs Metallica’s Attention

Evangeline Lilly is back in her bikini and thriving after recovering from brain damage.

Lilly, 47, rose to stardom as Kate Austen on the hit ABC drama Lost. While she announced she would be taking a bit of an acting hiatus back in 2024, the star has been living the good life in Hawaii. However, that doesn’t mean she hasn’t faced obstacles. After a horrific injury, the star is thriving once again and sharing stunning bikini photos.

“When it’s just too hot to keep working and you have to go for a swim! 🥵💦👙 Might as well ride my bike to the post office to mail in my property taxes while I’m at it 🚲. #hawaiilife #thegoodlife #theslowlife #beachlife #islandlife,” Lilly captioned her photo, which showed her standing in the mirror in a knit white bikini.

🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 

Back in January, Lilly opened up about how she had suffered brain damage following a fall.

“Verdict’s in…I do have brain damage from my tbi,” she shared on Instagram. “Comforting to know my cognitive decline isn’t just peri-menopause, discomforting to know what an uphill battle it will be to try to reverse the deficiencies.”

“The results came back from the scans, and I missed every area, and my brain is functioning at a decreased capacity,” she continued.

The fall occurred when Lilly fainted during a trip to the beach and hit a boulder, causing serious facial injuries, Fox News previously reported. On her Substack, Lilly went into more detail about the horrific moment.

“I fainted at the beach. And fell face first into a boulder,” she wrote. “At the hospital, the nurses and doctor went straight into action, more determined to find the cause of my blackout than to stitch up the hole punctured into my face by the rock.”

In a photo posted on her Substack, Lilly can be seen with dried blood on her face.

Back in June, Deadline reported that Lilly has joined the feature documentary Farmacy of Light as narrator and executive producer. Here’s the documentary’s official logline: “With chronic disease and malnutrition rates skyrocketing, a renegade farmer uncovers the link between human health and the dire need for local, light-filled food. Will society align with the quantum physics of healing before it’s too late?”

If you head to the documentary’s website, you can watch it for free. Check out the trailer below:

Related: ‘Lost’ Star Evangeline Lilly Shares Heartbreaking Update Months After Devastating Fall

Sometimes, when it comes to songwriting, two heads are better than one. (Hey, it worked for John Lennon and Paul McCartney.) Such was the case with one of The Band’s most memorable and beautiful ballads, “Whispering Pines.”

Released on The Band’s 1969 self-titled debut album, “Whispering Pines” started out with a melody written keyboardist/singer Richard Manuel on a piano with one bad key.

“Richard had briefly lived in a house in Woodstock that once belonged to the painter George Bellows,” The Band’s manager, Joe Forno, was quoted as saying in Across the Great Divide by Barney Hoskyns.

“There was an old piano in the house which had been left behind and Richard wrote ‘Whispering Pines’ on it,” Forno continued. “It had one key that was out of tune, and when he came to record the song he had the studio piano tuned the same way, so that one key was still out. That’s what’s responsible for the vamp figure at the beginning and end of the song.”

While writing the music wasn’t a challenge for Manuel, he struggled to find the right lyrics.

“I lean more into chord changes and melodic stuff,” Manuel explained in a 1970 interview with William Bender for Time magazine. “I can write music very easily, but when it comes to words, I cringe. It’s hard to get those words in the right slot, to just get going.”

Finally, Manuel brought the song to bandmate Robbie Robertson and asked for help writing the lyrics. Robertson took inspiration from the sound of Manuel’s voice.

“Richard always had this very plaintive attitude in his voice, and sometimes just in his sensitivity as a person,” he said later, per Across the Great Divide.

“I tried to follow that, to go with it and find it musically,” he continued. “We both felt very good about this song.”

The resulting lyrics were the perfect fit for Manuel’s mournful melody:

Whispering pines, rising of the tide
If only one star shines
That’s just enough to get inside
I will wait until it all goes round
With you in sight
The lost are found

Related: 1975 Rock Ballad, ‘One of Pop Music’s Saddest Songs,’ Was Inspired by a Heartbreak That Wouldn’t Heal

“The hurt in his voice…there’s a certain element of pain in there, that you didn’t know if he was trying to reach the note or he was just a guy with a heart that had been hurt,” Robertson reflected in a 1997 interview for the British documentary series Classic Albums.

Eric Clapton, also interviewed for Classic Albums, likewise reflected on the unique quality of Manuel’s voice.

“He had this amazing power to move you with his voice and his presence even,” Clapton said.

“I suppose it’s just that thing that when he came into a room…you were just drawn to the amount of energy there was in his music. He was very shaky and fragile and scared, and sometimes, in a reverse way, that had a lot of power, that drew you and attracted you.”

Fans and critics alike found “Whispering Pines” just as moving.

In a piece written after Manuel’s death in 1986, Billboard called it one of The Band’s “most haunting ballads,” while author George Case took it one step further in the book Out of Our Heads: Rock ‘n’ Roll Before the Drugs Wore Off, declaring “Whispering Pines” to be “one of the most haunting ballads in rock ‘n’ roll.”

Related: 1969 Rock Classic, Initially Disliked by the Band, Became a Timeless Road Trip Anthem

Some songs become bigger than the moment that inspired them.

Such was the case with Buffalo Springfield’s 1966 psychedelic folk rock anthem “For What It’s Worth,” written by 21-year-old singer and guitarist Stephen Stills. Released during a period of enormous social and political upheaval, the mesmerizing pop song would become the band’s biggest hit and one of the most recognizable protest songs of the 1960s.

And it all began with a kid from Texas.

Born in Dallas, Texas, Stills spent part of his childhood in Latin America as his military family moved around, living in places including Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Panama. The experience would have a profound effect on the young musician.

As a teenager, he witnessed political instability and violence firsthand. Years later, Stills recalled being caught amid gunfire while traveling with his father and desperately trying to make it safely back to their hotel. The frightening memory gave Stills an early and unique personal perspective on what political unrest actually looked and felt like.

“‘For What It’s Worth’ was a result of the fact that [I] was brought up partially in Latin America, and saw governments fall and rise and fall again,” Stills revealed in a 1970 interview with UK music journalist, historian, and radio presenter Charlie Gillett for Sounding Out. “And, you know, dodged machine-gun bullets myself, because me and my dad were in a town, and everybody started shooting, and I was off hanging out and I was trying to get home, and it was one of those get back to the hotel alive kind of things… It was nitty gritty… That was when I was 14, 15 years old, right? Younger even.”

By 1966, the ambitious singer and songwriter had landed in Los Angeles, where he joined forces with Neil Young, Richie Furay, Bruce Palmer and Dewey Martin to form Buffalo Springfield. And it would be here that Stills witnessed another kind of unrest.

The Sunset Strip, an area in West Hollywood, had become the beating heart of the Los Angeles rock scene in the 60’s, packed nightly with young people drawn to its clubs and burgeoning counterculture. Increasingly frustrated local businesses and residents pushed back, claiming that the presence of these crowds was hurting local business. As a result, authorities imposed restrictions aimed at curbing the crowds.

Tensions came to a head on Nov. 12, 1966, when close to 1,000 young people gathered to protest restrictions and the planned demolition of Pandora’s Box, a popular nightclub and coffeehouse. And Stills was there.

“What actually happened was just a bunch of kids got together on a street corner and said we aren’t moving,” said Stills. “Then about three busloads of Los Angeles police showed up who look very much like stormtroopers, which is what the Guardia Civil in Nicaragua looks like. And I looked at it and I said, Jesus, America is in great danger of turning politically to the fascist right.”

That night, the young songwriter took that feeling home with him and wrote a song about it.

Stills later explained that several things were swirling around in his mind at the time, including the Vietnam War and what was happening on the Strip.

“But I knew I had to skedaddle and headed back to Topanga, where I wrote my song in about 15 minutes,” Stills said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. “For me, there was no riot. It was basically a cop dance. … Riot is a ridiculous name. It was a funeral for Pandora’s Box. But it looked like a revolution.”

“For What It’s Worth” emerged from the experience, its ominous guitar harmonics, restrained beat and Stills’ quietly commanding vocal perfectly capturing the sense that something was happening and no one quite knew where it might lead.

And what happened next was history.

Buffalo Springfield quickly recorded the song, and it was rushed into release while the events on the Strip were still fresh. “For What It’s Worth” climbed to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967, becoming Buffalo Springfield’s biggest hit.

For Stills, it was only the beginning.

After Buffalo Springfield disbanded in 1968, he joined David Crosby and Graham Nash to form Crosby, Stills & Nash, with Young later joining the legendary supergroup. Between 1970-2005 Stills released 8 studio solo albums. He would ultimately be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice, as a member of Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash.

If you didn’t know better, you might just hear “For What It’s Worth” as the pulsing, dreamy, catchy sing-a-long that it is. While the chorus lyrics Stop children, what’s that sound, everybody look what’s going down hint at something gone awry, the song itself is famous for its excellent song craft. It’s the kind of song that quiets a room and gets people singing. And that is what makes “For What It’s Worth” a timeless favorite.

Sixty years later, “For What It’s Worth” has long outgrown the Sunset Strip confrontation that inspired it. What began with a gifted 21-year-old songwriter recognizing something unsettlingly familiar in the chaos around him became an anthem for the ages—and an early glimpse of the extraordinary career Stephen Stills had waiting ahead.

Related: 1974 Iconic Ballad, Originally by Scott English, Became a Career-Defining No. 1 Hit 

Former Guiding Light star Hayden Panettiere died at the age of 36 earlier this week. Now, on what would have been the beloved actress’s 37th birthday, her former on-screen television father, Grant Aleksander, has paid tribute to the star.

Aleksander spoke with former Procter and Gamble publicist Alan Locher, of The Locher Room podcast, to share his message on social media.

“When I think of Hayden, the first image that comes is of her running down the hall in the studio with a huge, toothy grin on her face,” he began.

Reflecting on his time with Panettiere, who played his daughter Lizzie Spaulding between 1996 and 2000, Aleksander shared that she was always “Pure, infectious joy.”

The Daytime Emmy-nominated actor explained that Panettiere was a “natural” talent who exhibited “an instinctive understanding of acting that most adult actors can only dream of possessing.”

He added that wasn’t the aspect that he will remember most about her. “It’s that sunshine she brought to all of us who were lucky enough to be in her orbit that will stay with me.”

🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬

Aleksander shared that he will “always cherish the years I got to be her TV, Dad.”

He added that he wished he could have seen her once again to tell her how proud he was of her, and hoped that she had found the peace that had eluded her in her short life.

The actor ended his tribute, adding, “Rest in peace, Princess!”

In the comment section, Aleksander’s scene partner Beth Chamberlain gave context to the bond that Panettiere and Aleksander shared, adding, “To give you an idea of how special this picture is, Grant rarely smiled in photos.”

Aleksander portrayed the legacy character Philip Spaulding from his arrival in 1982 until the series’ ultimate cancellation and final episode in 2009. Since then, Aleksander has appeared on the web soap Tainted Dreams and has taken to the stage, performing in productions such as Mary, Mary and Perfect Crime.

It was 1952, and Kitty Wells was about to make country music history with a song that some radio stations considered too controversial to play. 

“It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” became a groundbreaking hit for Wells, making her the first solo female artist to reach No. 1 on the country charts. But the song did more than make history on the charts. It challenged the double standard surrounding men and women in country music and opened the door for generations of female artists who followed. 

The song was also an answer to one of the biggest country hits of the year, Hank Thompson’s “The Wild Side of Life.” 

Thompson’s song tells the story of a husband whose wife leaves him for “the places where the wine and liquor flow.” He laments, “I didn’t know God made honky tonk angels,” adding, “I might have known you’d never make a wife.” 

Wells wasn’t willing to let that stand. Written by J.D. Miller and set to the same melody, “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” pushed back against the idea that women should take all the blame for broken relationships. 

“It’s a shame that all the blame is on us women,” Wells sings, arguing that “most every heart that’s ever broken / was because there always was a man to blame.” 

The response was bold enough to spark real backlash. NBC banned the song from its radio network for being too “suggestive,” while the Grand Ole Opry initially refused to let Wells perform it onstage. The Opry eventually gave in after audiences demanded to hear the song. 

“The Wild Side of Life” had already spent 15 weeks at No. 1 before Wells ended its run at the top. On August 23, 1952, “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” reached No. 1, where it remained for six weeks. The song also topped the country jukebox chart and made the pop Top 40. 

The hit sold more than 800,000 copies during its first year and later became one of the first million-selling singles by a solo female country artist.

But Wells almost didn’t record it. By May 3, 1952, Wells was so discouraged about her career prospects that she was considering retirement. Female singers weren’t getting much support from country music promoters, and the Nashville native was seriously thinking about leaving the business. 

She still needed the money, though, so she headed to Nashville’s Castle Studios to cut what she figured would be a minor addition to her repertoire. “I wasn’t expecting it to make a hit,” Wells said. “I just thought it was another song.”

Instead, the song became the biggest hit of her career and a turning point for women in country music.

Wells’ record made an impression on young girls who dreamed of singing country music, including Jeannie Seely, who was 12 and living in rural Pennsylvania when she first heard it. 

“I was absolutely thrilled, of course, to hear another girl was a big thing, because there weren’t that many at that time,” Seely told Rolling Stone in 2022.

Seely eventually found success herself with the 1966 hit “Don’t Touch Me,” going on to win a Grammy and spend more than 50 years as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. But Wells’ record was one of the first things that made a career in country music feel possible to her. 

​​“I didn’t have a lot of mentors back then,” Seely said. “So when [Wells] came along, and that record hit, I was like, ‘Wow, this opens a whole new world to me.’” 

Wells’ success helped open the door for women in country music to push back against male infidelity and the double standards surrounding relationships. Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette would later address many of those themes in their music. 

Related: 1964 Rock Song, Written by Carole King, Launched a 16-Year-Old Singer’s Career