The Sun (in Greek: Helios, in Latin: Sol) is the star at the center of the Solar System and is by far the most important source of energy for life on Earth. It is a nearly perfect spherical ball of hot plasma, with internal convective motion that generates a magnetic field via a dynamo process. Its diameter is about 109 times that of Earth, and it has a mass about 330,000 times that of Earth, accounting for about 99.86% of the total mass of the Solar System.About three quarters of the Sun's mass consists of hydrogen; the rest is mostly helium, with much smaller quantities of heavier elements, including oxygen, carbon, neon and iron.

The Sun is a G-type main-sequence star (G2V) based on spectral class and it is informally referred to as a yellow dwarf. It formed approximately 4.567 billion years ago from the gravitational collapse of matter within a region of a large molecular cloud. Most of this matter gathered in the center, whereas the rest flattened into an orbiting disk that became the Solar System. The central mass became increasingly hot and dense, eventually initiating nuclear fusion in its core. It is thought that almost all stars form by this process.

Jazz By Sun Ra (later titled Sun Song) is the debut album to be released by Sun Ra. The record label for the first pressing says "07-12-56", presumably when it was recorded. The LP originally appeared on Tom Wilson's short-lived Transition Records. In the mid-1960s it was purchased (along with much of the Transition catalog) by Delmark Records owner Bob Koester, finally being reissued in 1967.

When originally released, it came with an extensive booklet featuring words and photos of Sun Ra and his Arkestra. The LP featured original compositions by Sun Ra along with one by Arkestral bassist Richard Evans. Another composition by Arkestra member Julian Priester has been included in reissues from the session, and additional unreleased tracks (all Ra originals) are known to survive. The single non-Arkestral composition was Possession, by Harry Revel, which had been written for Les Baxter's album Perfume Set to Music; Possession was arranged for the Arkestra by the Texan pianist and composer Prince Shell.

John Andrew "Andy" Hummel (January 26, 1951 – July 19, 2010) was an American songwriter, bassist, singer, best known as the bass player of Big Star. He was born Jan 26, 1951, in Valley Forge, Pa., to John Vernon and Barbara Walker Hummel, who was crowned Miss America in 1947. He was raised in Memphis, Tennessee, and graduated high school in 1969 from Memphis University School.

Hummel became good friends with Chris Bell during high school, and the pair frequently performed along with several other musicians, including drummer Jody Stephens, whom they had known since junior high school, in a band known as Icewater. In 1971, Bell asked singer Alex Chilton to join him, Hummel and Stephens in a group that would eventually be named Big Star.

Hummel recorded with Big Star on two of their three albums, #1 Record and Radio City. Hummel contributed as bass player as well as writer on "The India Song" on #1 Record. On Big Star's Radio City album, he wrote "Way Out West" and co-wrote on "Life Is White", "What's Going Ahn", "Back of a Car", and "Daisy Glaze."