Marcia Ball infuses "Everybody's Looking for the Same Thing" with Texas twang and a bluesy, rollicking piano style. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

With Jack White's assistance, Wanda Jackson sings a timeless lover's lament in "Like a Baby." Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Ray Charles' gritty voice takes a trifle of a tune and transforms "Isn't It Wonderful" into an intimate and enticing lover's plea. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

The young Hawaiian ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro infuses a rock staple with a moment of tropical island Zen. Danny Clinch/Courtesy of Shore Fire Media hide caption

"I Want to Thank You" shows off the heavenly exuberance that helped make Billy Preston a star in the late '60s. Apple Corps Ltd. hide caption

In "Waltz," Ian Axel's voice possesses the sweetness of youth, the stubbornness of a teenager and the swagger of a rock star. Davey Wilson/Courtesy of Shore Fire Media hide caption

In "Teenage Pregnancy," the genre-less band Cake addresses its topic using only the emotional tug of a haunting melody. Robert McKnight/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Working with reggae legend Toots Hibbert, JJ Grey makes "The Sweetest Thing" sound both gritty and lilting. Tobin Voggesser hide caption

"Losing You" is a prime example of the power Mavis Staples still holds in her vocal cords. courtesy of the artist hide caption

OMD's "soul music" isn't just electronic. Thanks to an Aretha Franklin sample, it's electrifying. Mark McNulty hide caption

Dr. John's "Change of Heart" is a self-written exemplar of classic rhythm and blues with a jaunty New Orleans twist. James Demaria Productions hide caption

Though recorded late in Piano Red's life, "CC Rider" finds the singer/pianist in fine, lusty form. Tony Paris Archives hide caption

Blues singer Eden Brent finds a distinct advantage to feeling poor and lonely. Julia Bailey hide caption

A death in the family inspires Mark Bates to come up with his own plan: "Skip all that, throw me off a hill." courtesy of the artist hide caption

A 32-year-old pianist, Marco Benevento performs Amy Winehouse's "You Know I'm No Good" on a 1927 Wurlitzer. courtesy of the artist hide caption