Best Male+ Voice in Music: The Finals

All right all. It’s been a long, strange journey, but here at last, on the shores of the Sea, we come to the end.

The final round pits two men who were both tragically gunned down in their prime. Marvin Gaye Jr (1939-1984) was shot and killed by his father after an argument, one day shy of his 45th birthday.

Sam Cooke (1931-1964) died at 33 after being shot by the manager of a Los Angeles motel. The circumstances have been a subject of controversy, with the shooting being deemed a justifiable homicide by the police department, while Cooke’s friends and associates have disputed this.

The battle for bronze pits Little Stevie Wonder against Bill Withers. Withers’ career spanned a mere 15 years, from about 1970-1985. Withers’ dislike for the music industry led him to cease recording and to elect not to re-sign with Columbia Records.

Stevie Wonder, on the other hand, has a discography spanning over five decades, from The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie in 1962, to 2005’s A Time to Love, and has released several singles since.

Voting begins now, and will close at 9PM Eastern, on Sunday, 10/16.