Earl Nightingale (1921-1989) was an American radio speaker and author, best known for his work in personal development and motivation. He was born on March 12, 1921, in Los Angeles, California. Nightingale served as a United States Marine Corps instructor and was aboard the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor. After the war, he transitioned into radio, becoming the voice of the hero in the radio adventure series "Sky King" and later hosting the syndicated radio program "Our Changing World". Nightingale's most famous work, "The Strangest Secret," was a motivational speech that became the first spoken word recording to achieve Gold Record status. He co-founded the Nightingale-Conant Corporation, which produced self-improvement audio programs. His teachings emphasized the power of positive thinking and goal setting. Nightingale passed away on March 25, 1989, in Scottsdale, Arizona.