The Best Sesame Street Musical Guests

Like its sister program The Muppet Show, Sesame Street has attracted an astounding array of performers from all over the world of music. Starting with legends like Lena Horne when the show debuted and spreading out into rock, R&B, country and pretty much every other branch of musical expression, a guest spot on Sesame Street was proof positive that you'd made it. Here is the first installment my favorites from the show's history.

Ray Charles - I've Got A Song It's a great performance of a classic tune by one of R&B's most famous showmen, but what really puts this one over the top is the backing band - Ernie on drums and Bert on guitar. They take solos, sing a little scat and generally make this a jam that I can listen to over and over again.

Feist - Counting To Four Canadian indie songstress Feist once roomed with filthy electro queen Peaches, who we don't see showing up on Sesame Street anytime soon (unless they need a song about not shaving your armpits). But "Counting To Four" is a rare modern Sesame Street song that stands with the classics, with an insanely infectious melody and quirky lyrics in the classically absurdist mode.

Paul Simon - Me & Julio If there's any one clip that illustrates the magic of Sesame Street, it's this one - a young Paul Simon sitting on the stoop playing his hit "Me & Julio" is unexpectedly interrupted by the little girl sitting next to her, who starts freestyling her own lyrics. Throw in some robot dancing kids breaking it down to the whole deal and you have a priceless TV moment.