On January 10th, 2016, one of his times greatest British rock’n’roll icons David Bowie peacefully passed away at the age of 69, just two days after his birthday. Leaving us with his one last present, and his last album Blackstar.

David Bowie, born on January 8, 1947 was a popular music icon all over the world for over five decades. A singer, songwriter, record producer, painter and an actor, he was the man of all trades. At a young age Bowie showed a passion for performing arts, as a kid his voice was considered “adequate”, and his dancing very imaginative and vividly artistic for his age. Forming his first band at the age of 15, and having his first television appearance at the age of 17, as he was interviewed by BBC as the founder of the society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Long-haired Men, Bowie had already started going on his dreams and on his career.

Bowie has always inspired countless celebrities and influenced their styles. He always brought out the best work of people. According to New Musical Express (NME) Lady Gaga said “I look at Bowie as an icon in art. It’s not just about the music. It’s about the performance, the attitude, the look. And that is where I live as an artist.” David Bowie is a shining example of what many singers and performers stride to become and it is really becoming obvious how influential he was since so many famous people dedicate their work to be inspired by David Bowie. Paul McCartney even mentioned him as “a great star” and then added “I treasure the moments we had together. His music played a very strong part in British musical history and I’m proud to think of the huge influence he has had on people all around the world.”

Following Bowie’s death, Blackstar his last album, raised him to the top of the charts, in the U.S. Blackstar became his first number one single in the U.S. His past success led magazines and journals all around the world to feature David Bowie on their cover pages. Many of his fans and Lincoln faculty are mourning his death.  Mr. Burnett, an AP Literature teacher at Lincoln, said, “It was surprising. I think he meant a lot to people my age. He was a very inspirational figure. If there was no David Bowie there would be no Lady Gaga.”