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Today, we turn to an artist who never seemed entirely earthbound.David Bowie.For some listeners, Bowie is the sound of discovery: that first moment you realize a song, a costume, a performance can make the world feel bigger than the town you’re standing in.

For others, he’s a gallery of snapshots:

Ziggy Stardust in orange hair and stardust makeup.

The Thin White Duke in a waistcoat and a stare like a searchlight.

Jareth in Labyrinth, juggling crystal balls and rewiring childhoods.

And finally, the enigmatic figure of Blackstar, composing a farewell while the rest of us didn’t yet know to call it goodbye.

Tonight, I’d like to walk through Bowie’s life and work in a way that fits this series:

his background,

his influence,

his first appearances in the United States,

and the movies that made him more than “just” a rock star.

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