Dr. John’s funky Nola street dance anthem has rarely been covered with as much festive spirit as it has from New Orleans’ own Mardis Gras Indian funk collective Cha Wa.

Maurice White, who died today, was the mastermind behind Earth Wind and Fire’s focused, soul-lifting horns, sunburst harmonies and a thrilling propensity for shaken-up textures and rhythms.

George Harrison paid tribute to Smokey Robinson both with the Beatles and as a solo artist, including a key cut on ‘Thirty Three and 1/3’ from November 1976.

The Blues Brothers’ ‘Briefcase Full of Blues,’ released on Nov. 28, 1978, was all but complete when Steve Cropper made a career-changing suggestion.

With the release of their inspirational first album ‘Abundance’, the soul-funk-rock jam band the Nth Power has been a triumphant musical story so far.

When I think of the genius of the late, great Allen Toussaint, I think of the masterpiece he made with Lee Dorsey in 1970.

‘Innervisions’ arrived on Aug. 3, 1973 amidst an almost-unfathomable run of important recordings from Stevie Wonder, but it may well be his best.

John Belushi actually met Stax legend Steve Cropper early into putting together the Blues Brothers band. But he assumed Cropper was someone else.

This Mid-Year Best of 2015 list also includes Boz Scaggs, Pops Staples, Papa Mali, Wes Montgomery, Robben Ford, the Word, Steve Earle and Beth Hart.

Lost R&B legend Carl Hall gives each performance a gospel-infused, four-octave charge. And yet he somehow remains stubbornly obscure.