Undoubtedly the most famous disability endured by any classical composer was Ludwig van Beethoven's total deafness, which he overcame through his genius and force of will. But there are many other cases where composers have persevered through grave illnesses and devastating conditions that would have stopped lesser artists. Follow Blair Sanderson as he goes on music history's medical grand rounds.

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Coal Miner's Daughter: A Tribute to Loretta Lynn, will be released early next month on Columbia Records. Miranda Lambert and Sheryl Crow both appear on the album's lead single, an updated version of "Coal Miner's Daughter" featuring Lynn herself, while a host of country artists put their own stamp on Lynn's other hits. Paramore, one of the album's only non-country acts, will also make an appearance, having previously covered "You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My Man)" in concert. [Billboard.com]

Lady Gaga and Elton John, who sang a duet earlier this year at the Grammy Awards, have teamed up for another project. "Hello, Hello," their second collaboration, will appear on the soundtrack for the Disney film Groneo and Juliet, which hits theaters next February. [RollingStone.com]

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Well, it's 1969 OK, and contrary to what Iggy & the Stooges sang, it wasn't quite just another year with nothing to do. Certainly the musicians of 1969 found plenty to do, seizing the revolutionary spirit of the times by creating adventurous music that still resonates today. Miles Davis opened up jazz with In a Silent Way, Buck Owens decked out his Bakersfield twang with fuzz guitars, the Who released the groundbreaking rock opera Tommy, Sly & the Family Stone brought funk to pop, and Led Zeppelin virtually created heavy metal with a pair of LPs, while the Flying Burrito Brothers pioneered country-rock with The Gilded Palace of Sin. Even Elvis took chances again on his tremendous From Elvis in Memphis; it was just that kind of year. But while some looked forward to the future, others got back to basics, whether it was Bob Dylan going country, the Band creating a mythic America, or the Stooges and MC5 getting raw and primitive, making music that wound up every bit as timeless as the revolutionary sounds that characterized this final year of the '60s.

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