The great architect of vocal grandeur, Freddie Mercury, born on September 5th, 1946, blessed the world with a voice that seemed to descend from the heavens, only to then tear the earth asunder with its power. His legacy, entwined with the brilliance of Queen, set an unyielding standard for rock 'n' roll. Mercury was more than just a frontman—he was a creator, a visionary, and a spirit that shattered the boundaries of what music could be.

It might be a musical stretch to even think of the British rock-pop band Queen and U.S. folk-rock singer John Sebastian in the same thought bubble. But it’s really an ironic numbers thing about them both that just came to mind. As Sebastian once sang in a Lovin’ Spoonful song, “there’s thirteen-hundred and fifty-two guitar pickers in Nashville.” And, of course, there aren’t that many Queen tribute bands in the world.