Recording artists released by Sony BMG.

Category:Sony BMG Category:Artists by record label Category:Artists by record label

Name	Chantal Kreviazuk
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Chantal Jennifer Thelma-Ramupriya Kreviazuk
Born	May 18, 1974
Origin	Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Instrument	Singing, piano, guitar
Genre	pop, adult contemporary
Occupation	Musician, songwriter
Years active	1996–present
Label	MapleMusic Recordings, Sony BMG Music (Canada)
Associated acts	Rachael Yamagata, Raine Maida, Luigi Masi
Url	http://www.chantalkreviazuk.com/

Chantal Jennifer Kreviazuk

External links

Official site

Chantal Kreviazuk Discography

Category:1974 births Category:Living people Category:Canadian expatriate musicians in the United States Category:Canadian female singers Category:Canadian pop pianists Category:Canadian pop singers Category:Canadian rock pianists Category:Canadian singer-songwriters Category:Canadian people of First Nations descent Category:Canadian people of Métis descent Category:Canadian people of Scottish descent Category:Canadian people of Ukrainian descent Category:Musicians from Manitoba Category:Juno Award winners Category:People from Los Angeles, California Category:People from Winnipeg Category:University of Winnipeg alumni

:Not to be confused with Tom Newman

Name	Thomas Newman
Birth name	Thomas Montgomery Newman
Born	October 20, 1955
Origin	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Film score composer
Afiawards	Best Original Score1997 Oscar and Lucinda
Baftaawards	Best Film Music1999 American Beauty
Emmyawards	Outstanding Main Title Theme Music2001 Six Feet Under
Grammyawards	Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media2001 American Beauty
Background	non_performing_personnel

Thomas Montgomery Newman (born October 20, 1955) is an American composer and conductor, best known for his many film scores. He is one of the most respected and recognized composers for film and has scored over fifty feature films in a career which spans nearly three decades.

Newman has received a total of ten Academy Award nominations, although as of 2010, he has yet to win the award. He has also won a BAFTA, two Grammy's, and has been nominated for a Golden Globe. Newman was honored with the Richard Kirk award at the 2000 BMI Film and TV Awards. The award is given annually to a composer who has made significant contributions to film and television music.

Category:1955 births Category:American composers Category:American film score composers Category:BAFTA winners (people) Category:Emmy Award winners Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Living people Category:People from Los Angeles, California

Name	Natasha Bedingfield
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Natasha Anne Bedingfield
Born	November 26, 1981Surrey, England, UK
Spouse	Matthew Robinson (2009-present)
Genre	Pop, Contemporary Christian, blue-eyed soul, R&B;
Occupation	Singer-songwriter
Years active	2004–present
Label	Phonogenic, Epic (US)
Associated acts	The DNA Algorithm
Url	www.natashabedingfield.com

Natasha Anne Bedingfield (born 26 November 1981) is a British pop singer and songwriter.

Based in Book St., London, Bedingfield debuted in the 1990s as a member of the Christian dance/electronic group The DNA Algorithm with her siblings Daniel Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Bedingfield recorded rock and gospel songs for the Hillsong London Church, while Daniel went on to enjoy success with hits "Gotta Get Thru This" and "If You're Not The One".

Bedingfield released her first album, Unwritten, in 2004. The album contained primarily uptempo pop songs and was influenced by R&B; music; Bedingfield's lyrics focused on independence, opportunism and female empowerment. The album debuted on the UK Albums Chart at number one and reached the top thirty in the United States. Video diaries filmed during her trip were posted on her official website in early 2007. and a member of the (RED) campaign. In a 2008 rockumentary, Call+Response, headed by Justin Dillon, Bedingfield performed acoustic versions of "Unwritten" and "Soulmate" in support of the film's cause: a movement against current slavery and human trafficking. Bedingfield is not set to appear in any forthcoming films in the near future.

She has made an appearance in the seventh season finale of the hit Canadian television series .

She lists Audrey Hepburn, Debbie Harry and Brigitte Bardot as her "celebrity style icons". Bedingfield's second album N.B. yielded the singles "Soulmate"; "Say It Again"; and "I Wanna Have Your Babies", written and produced by Natasha Bedingfield, Wayne Wilkins, Andrew Frampton, and Steve Kipner. As of July 2008, she has won five awards from eleven nominations.

BRIT Awards

The BRIT Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. Bedingfield has received four nominations.

|- |rowspan="4"| ||rowspan="3"| Natasha Bedingfield || Best British Female Solo Artist || |- | British Breakthrough Artist || |- | Best Pop Act || |- | "These Words" || Best British Single ||

BT Digital Music Awards

The BT Digital Music Awards honour music distributed digitally by methods such as mobile devices, online downloads, and blogging. Bedingfield has won one award.

|- | 2007 || Natasha Bedingfield || Best Pop Artist ||

Capital FM Awards

The Capital FM Awards is an annual awards ceremony created by Capital 95.8, a London radio station owned by GCap Media. Bedingfield has won two awards from two nominations.

|- |rowspan="2"| 2005 || "These Words" || Best Single || |- | Natasha Bedingfield || Best Newcomer ||

Glamour Awards

The Glamour Awards is an annual awards ceremony hosted by Glamour, a women's magazine. Bedingfield has won one award.

|- | 2005 || Natasha Bedingfield || UK Solo Artist of the Year ||

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Bedingfield has received one nomination.

|- | || "Unwritten" || Best Female Pop Vocal Performance ||

MTV Europe Music Awards

The MTV Europe Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony established in 1994 by MTV Europe. Bedingfield has received one nomination.

|- | 2004 || Natasha Bedingfield || Best U.K. and Ireland act ||

TMF Awards

The TMF Awards is an annual television awards show broadcast live on The Music Factory. Bedingfield has received one award.

|- | 2005 || Natasha Bedingfield || Best International New Artist ||

References

External links

NatashaBedingfield.com — Natasha Bedingfield official website

Category:1981 births Category:Alumni of the University of Greenwich Category:Blue-eyed soul singers Category:British people of New Zealand descent Category:British rhythm and blues singers Category:British dance musicians Category:British female singers Category:British pop singers Category:British singer-songwriters Category:English-language singers Category:English Pentecostals Category:English Christians Category:Hillsong musicians Category:Living people Category:People from Surrey

Name	Mike Inez
Background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth name	Michael Inez
Born	May 14, 1966 San Fernando, California, USA
Instrument	Bass guitar, guitar, saxophone
Genre	Heavy metal, alternative metal, grunge, alternative rock, hard rock
Occupation	Musician, songwriter
Years active	1990–present
Associated acts	Alice in Chains, Ozzy Osbourne, Slash's Snakepit, Black Label Society, Spys4Darwin, Heart
Notable instruments	Warwick basses

Michael "Mike" Inez (born May 14, 1966, in San Fernando, California) is a rock musician best known for his role as the bassist of Alice in Chains. Inez has also worked with other popular musical acts such as Ozzy Osbourne, Black Label Society, and Heart. Inez is of Filipino ancestry.

Career

Mike Inez began his career in music by playing guitar and saxophone. Since the late 1980s, his career has consisted of the role of bass guitarist in popular hard rock bands.

Ozzy Osbourne (1989–1993)

In 1989, more than 50 musicians auditioned for Ozzy Osbourne's group, and Inez won the spot of bassist. Within a month, Inez was playing live at a gig with Osbourne at Wembley Stadium.

Inez was an official member of Ozzy Osbourne's band during their recording of the No More Tears album. However, Bob Daisley was brought in to record the bass and none of Inez's playing is on the final album. In the liner notes Inez was credited as "bass and music inspiration," as he had written the riff to the title track in a jam session. Inez also appeared on the 1993 Osbourne live album, Live and Loud.

Alice in Chains (1993–2002)

By late 1993 Inez had moved on to his next project. Alice in Chains bassist Mike Starr had left the group after the release of their album, Dirt, and Inez replaced him.

Inez toured throughout 1993 with Alice in Chains on the strength of the Dirt album. The group also participated in the 1993 Lollapalooza Tour.

Alice in Chains' album, Jar of Flies, was released in 1994 with Inez on bass. Jar of Flies debuted at #1 on album sales charts, the first EP ever to do so.

External links

Mike Inez biography

Category:1966 births Category:Living people Category:Alice in Chains members Category:American heavy metal bass guitarists Category:American heavy metal guitarists Category:American rock guitarists Category:American rock saxophonists Category:The Ozzy Osbourne Band members Category:Grunge musicians Category:Heart (band) members Category:Slash's Snakepit members Category:American musicians of Filipino descent

Img alt	A mid-twenties African American man wearing a sequined military jacket and dark sunglasses. He is walking while waving his right hand, which is adorned with a white glove. His left hand is bare.
Landscape	no
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Michael Joe JacksonGary, Indiana, U.S.
Died	June 25, 2009Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Instrument	Vocals, Piano, Drums, Beatbox, Guitar, Bass Guitar
Genre	R&B;, pop rock, electronic
Occupation	Singer-songwriter, record producer, composer, musician, dancer, choreographer, actor, author, businessman, philanthropist
Years active	1964–2009
Label	Motown, Epic, Legacy
Associated acts	The Jackson 5
Url

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist, dancer, singer-songwriter, and philanthropist. Referred to as the King of Pop, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records. His contribution to music, dance and fashion, along with a much-publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. The eighth child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene along with his brothers as a member of The Jackson 5 in the mid-1960s, and began his solo career in 1971.

In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music. The music videos for his songs including "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and "Thriller", were credited with transforming the medium into an art form and a promotional tool, and the popularity of these videos helped to bring the relatively new television channel MTV to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made him a staple on MTV in the 1990s. Through stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style have influenced numerous hip hop, pop, contemporary R&B; and rock artists.

Jackson's 1982 album Thriller is the best-selling album of all time. His other records, including Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and (1995), also rank among the world's best-selling. Jackson is one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. He was also inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame as the first (and currently only) dancer from the world of pop and rock 'n' roll. Some of his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records; 13 Grammy Awards (as well as the Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award); 26 American Music Awards (more than any other artist, including the "Artist of the Century"); 13 number-one singles in the United States in his solo career (more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era); and the estimated sale of over 750 million records worldwide. Jackson won hundreds of awards, which have made him one of the most-awarded recording artist in the history of music. He was also a notable humanitarian and philanthropist, donating and raising hundreds of millions of dollars for beneficial causes and supporting more than 39 charities.

Aspects of Jackson's personal life, including his changing appearance, personal relationships and behavior, have generated controversy. In 1993, he was accused of child sexual abuse, but the case was settled out of court and no formal charges were brought. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further sexual abuse allegations and several other charges after the jury ruled him not guilty on all counts. While preparing for his concert series This Is It, Jackson died on June 25, 2009, after suffering from cardiac arrest. Before his death, Jackson had reportedly been administered drugs such as propofol and lorazepam. The Los Angeles County Coroner declared his death a homicide, and his personal physician pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter. Jackson's death triggered a global outpouring of grief, and as many as one billion people around the world reportedly watched his public memorial service on live television. In March 2010, Sony Music Entertainment signed a US$250 million deal with Jackson's estate to retain distribution rights to his recordings until 2017, and to release seven posthumous albums over the decade following his death. His first posthumous album of new material, simply titled Michael, was released on December 14, 2010.

Life and career

Early life and The Jackson 5 (1958–1975)

, showing floral tributes after his death.]] Michael Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, the eighth of ten children in an African American working-class family, in Gary, Indiana, an industrial suburb of Chicago. His mother, Katherine Esther Scruse, was a devout Jehovah's Witness, and his father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, was a steel mill worker who performed with an R&B; band called The Falcons. Jackson had three sisters: Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet, and five brothers: Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy. Joseph acknowledged in 2003 that he regularly whipped Jackson as a child. The band toured the Midwest extensively from 1966 to 1968, frequently performing at a string of black clubs known as the "chitlin' circuit", where they often opened stripteases and other adult acts. In 1966, they won a major local talent show with renditions of Motown hits and James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)", led by Michael. Rolling Stone magazine later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts," writing that he "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer." Between 1972 and 1975, Jackson released four solo studio albums with Motown, among them Got to Be There and Ben, released as part of the Jackson 5 franchise, and producing successful singles such as "Got to Be There", "Ben", and a remake of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin". The group's sales began declining in 1973, and the band members chafed under Motown's strict refusal to allow them creative control or input. Although they scored several top 40 hits, including the top 5 disco single "Dancing Machine" and the top 20 hit "I Am Love", the Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975. and renamed themselves the Jacksons. Younger brother Randy formally joined the band around this time, while Jermaine left to pursue a solo career. In 1978, he starred as the scarecrow in the musical, The Wiz, a box-office disaster. It was here that he teamed up with Quincy Jones, who was arranging the film's musical score. Jones agreed to produce Jackson's next solo album, Off the Wall. In December 2009, the music video for "Thriller" was selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, "Thriller" is the first music video ever to be inducted. The New York Times wrote that, "in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else". Jackson never recovered from this injury. Pepsi settled out of court, and Jackson donated his $1.5 million settlement to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California, which now has a "Michael Jackson Burn Center" in honor of his donation. When they were unable to make the joint purchase, McCartney let the offer fall through, not wanting to be the sole owner of the Beatles' songs.

According to a negotiator for Holmes à Court in the 1984 sale, "We had given Paul McCartney first right of refusal but Paul didn't want it at that time." But there were several other companies and investors bidding. In September 1984, Jackson was first informed about the sale by Branca and sent a bid of $46 million on November 20, 1984. Jackson's agents thought they had a deal several times, but encountered new bidders or new areas of debate. In May 1985, Jackson's team walked away from talks after having spent over $1 million on four months of due diligence and on the negotiations.

In June 1985, Jackson and Branca learned that Charles Koppelman's and Marty Bandier's The Entertainment Co. had made a tentative agreement with Holmes à Court to buy ATV Music for $50 million. But in early August, Holmes à Court's team contacted Jackson and talks resumed. Jackson raised his bid to $47.5 million and it was accepted because he could close the deal more quickly, having already completed due diligence of ATV Music. He also agreed to visit Holmes à Court in Australia, where he would appear on the Channel Seven Perth Telethon. Jackson's purchase of ATV Music was finalized August 10, 1985.

Appearance, tabloids, Bad, autobiography and films (1986–87)

Jackson's skin had been a medium-brown color for the entire duration of his youth, but starting in the mid 1980s, it gradually grew paler. The change gained widespread media coverage, including rumors that he was bleaching his skin. Although initially he saw these stories as opportunities for publicity, he stopped leaking untruths to the press as they became more sensational. Consequently the media began making up their own stories. In the same year, Jackson won an Award of Achievement at the American Music Awards because Bad is the first album ever to generate five number one singles in the US, the first album to top in 25 countries and the best-selling album worldwide in 1987 and in 1988. In Japan alone, the tour had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record of 200,000 in a single tour. He attributed much of the change in the structure of his face to puberty, weight loss, a strict vegetarian diet, a change in hair style, and stage lighting. Moonwalk reached the top position on The New York Times best sellers' list.

In March 1988, Jackson purchased land near Santa Ynez, California, to build Neverland Ranch at a cost of $17 million. He installed Ferris wheels, a menagerie, and a movie theater on the property. A security staff of 40 patrolled the grounds. In 2003, it was valued at approximately $100 million. Shortly afterwards, he became the first Westerner to appear in a television ad in the Soviet Union.

His success resulted in his being dubbed the "King of Pop".

Dangerous, Heal the World Foundation and Super Bowl XXVII (1991–93)

In March 1991, Jackson renewed his contract with Sony for $65 million, a record-breaking deal at the time, The album's second single "Remember the Time" spent eight weeks in the top five in the United States, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. At the end of 1992, Dangerous was awarded 1992's best-selling album worldwide and "Black or White" was awarded 1992's best-selling single worldwide at the Billboard Music Awards. Additionally, he won an award as best-selling artist of the '80s.

Jackson founded the Heal the World Foundation in 1992. The charity organization brought underprivileged children to Jackson's ranch to enjoy theme park rides that Jackson had built on the property. The foundation also sent millions of dollars around the globe to help children threatened by war, poverty, and disease. In the same year Jackson published his second book, the bestselling collection of poetry, Dancing the Dream. While it was a commercial success and revealed a more intimate side to Jackson's nature, the collection was mostly critically unacclaimed at the time of release. In 2009, the book was republished by Doubleday and was more positively received by some critics in the wake of Jackson's untimely death. The Dangerous World Tour grossed . The tour began on June 27, 1992, and finished on November 11, 1993. Jackson performed to 3.5 million people in 67 concerts. In his trip to Côte d'Ivoire, Jackson was crowned "King Sani" by a tribal chief. He then thanked the dignitaries in French and English, signed official documents formalizing his kingship and sat on a golden throne while presiding over ceremonial dances.

In January 1993, Jackson made a memorable appearance at the halftime show at Super Bowl XXVII. The performance began with Jackson catapulting onto the stage as fireworks went off behind him. As he landed on the canvas, he maintained a motionless "clenched fist, standing statue stance", dressed in a gold and black military outfit and sunglasses; he remained completely motionless for a minute and a half while the crowd cheered. He then slowly removed his sunglasses, threw them away and sang four songs: "Jam", "Billie Jean", "Black or White" and "Heal the World". It was the first Super Bowl where the audience figures increased during the half-time show, and was viewed by 135 million Americans alone; Jackson's Dangerous album rose 90 places up the album chart. Jackson was given the "Living Legend Award" at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. "Black or White" was Grammy-nominated for best vocal performance. "Jam" gained two nominations: Best R&B; Vocal Performance and Best R&B; Song. The Dangerous album won a Grammy for Best Engineered – Non Classical, awarding the work of Bruce Swedien and Teddy Riley. In the same year, Michael Jackson won three American Music Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Album (Dangerous), Favorite Soul/R&B; Single ("Remember the Time") and was the first to win the International Artist Award, for his global performances and humanitarian concerns. This award will bear his name in the future.

In the summer of 1993, Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy named Jordan Chandler and his father, Dr. Evan Chandler, a dentist. Jackson later used the recording to argue that he was the victim of a jealous father whose only goal was to extort money from the singer.

Later that year, on December 20, Jackson's home was raided by the police, and Jackson submitted to a 25-minute strip search. Jordan Chandler had reportedly given police a description of Jackson's intimate parts, notably claiming that his bleach-damaged penis was circumcised; the strip search revealed, to the contrary, that Jackson was actually uncircumcised,

, daughter of Elvis Presley, in 1994.]] In May 1994, Jackson married the daughter of Elvis Presley, Lisa Marie Presley. They had first met in 1975, when a seven-year-old Presley attended one of Jackson's family engagements at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, and were reconnected through a mutual friend.

Jackson proposed to Presley over the telephone towards the fall of 1993, saying, "If I asked you to marry me, would you do it?" They married in the Dominican Republic in secrecy, denying it for nearly two months afterwards. The marriage was, in her words, "a married couple's life ... that was sexually active".

The first single released from the album was the double A-side "Scream/Childhood". "Scream" was a duet, performed with Jackson's youngest sister Janet. The song fights against the media, mainly for what the media made him out to be during his 1993 child abuse allegations. The single had the highest debut on the Billboard Hot 100 at number five, and received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals". It was seen as a major artistic and commercial success, receiving a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Vocal Performance". In late 1995, Jackson was rushed to a hospital after collapsing during rehearsals for a televised performance; the incident was caused by a stress-related panic attack. The track "They Don't Care About Us" became controversial when the Anti-Defamation League and other groups criticized its allegedly anti-Semitic lyrics. Jackson quickly put out a revised version of the song without the offending lyrics.

In 1997, Jackson released , which contained remixes of hit singles from HIStory and five new songs. Worldwide sales stand at copies as of 2007, it is the best selling remix album ever released. Forbes placed his annual income at $35 million in 1996 and $20 million in 1997. Throughout June 1999, Jackson was involved in a number of charitable events. He joined Luciano Pavarotti for a benefit concert in Modena, Italy. The show was in support of the non-profit organization War Child, and raised a million dollars for the refugees of Kosovo, FR Yugoslavia, as well as additional funds for the children of Guatemala. Jackson was also concerned about the fact that for a number of years, Sony had been pressuring him to sell his share in their music catalog venture. Jackson feared that Sony might have a conflict of interest, since if Jackson's career failed he would have to sell his share of the catalog at a low price. Jackson sought an early exit from his contract. Just before the release of Invincible, Jackson informed the head of Sony Music Entertainment, Tommy Mottola, that he was leaving Sony. As a result, all singles releases, video shootings and promotions concerning the Invincible album were suspended.

In September 2001, two were held at Madison Square Garden to mark the singer's 30th year as a solo artist. Jackson appeared onstage alongside his brothers for the first time since 1984. The show also featured performances by Mýa, Usher, Whitney Houston, 'N Sync, Destiny's Child, Monica, Luther Vandross, and Slash, among other artists. The second of the two shows took place the night before the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Jackson's solo performances were omitted from the televised version of the benefit concert, although he could still be seen singing background vocals. This omission happened because of contractual issues related to the earlier 30th Anniversary concerts: those concerts were boiled down into a two-hour TV special entitled which debuted in November 2001.

In spite of the events preceding its release, Invincible came out in October 2001 to much anticipation. Invincible proved to be a hit, debuting atop the charts in 13 countries and going on to sell approximately 13 million copies worldwide. It received double-platinum certification in the US. The album cost to record, not including promotional expenditures. Invincible spawned three singles, "You Rock My World", "Cry" and "Butterflies", the latter without a music video. Jackson alleged in July 2002 that Mottola was a "devil" and a "racist" who did not support his African-American artists, using them merely for his own personal gain. Jackson denied the allegations, saying the sleepovers were not sexual in nature. The People v. Jackson trial began on January 31, 2005, in Santa Maria, California, and lasted five months, until the end of May. On June 13, 2005, Jackson was acquitted on all counts. Jackson agreed to a Sony-backed refinancing deal in April 2006, although the exact details were not made public. Jackson performed at the World Music Awards, in London on November 15, 2006, and accepted a Diamond Award for selling over records.

Death and memorial

On June 25, 2009, Jackson died in his bed at his rented mansion at 100 North Carolwood Drive in the Holmby Hills district of Los Angeles. Attempts at resuscitating him by Conrad Murray, his personal physician, were unsuccessful.

The news spread quickly online, causing websites to slow down and crash from user overload. Both TMZ and the Los Angeles Times suffered outages. Overall, web traffic ranged from 11% to at least 20% higher than normal. As a musician, he ranged from Motown's dance fare and ballads to techno and house-edged new jack swing to work that incorporates both funk rhythms and hard rock guitar.

According to Huey, Thriller refined the strengths of Off the Wall; the dance and rock tracks were more aggressive, while the pop tunes and ballads were softer and more soulful. Notable tracks included the ballads "The Lady in My Life", "Human Nature" and "The Girl Is Mine"; the funk pieces "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"; and the disco set "Baby Be Mine" and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)". With Thriller, Christopher Connelly of Rolling Stone commented that Jackson developed his long association with the subliminal theme of paranoia and darker imagery. Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted this is evident on the songs "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'". In "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" he argues against gossip and the media. He also observed that the title track "Thriller" began Jackson's interest with the theme of the supernatural, a topic he revisited in subsequent years. In 1985, Jackson co-wrote the charity anthem "We Are the World"; humanitarian themes later became a recurring theme in his lyrics and public persona.

In Bad, Jackson's concept of the predatory lover can be seen on the rock song "Dirty Diana". "Smooth Criminal" was an evocation of bloody assault, rape and likely murder. Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine states that Dangerous presents Jackson as a very paradoxical individual. The first half of the record is dedicated to new jack swing, including songs like "Jam" and "Remember the Time". The album is Jackson's first where social ills become a primary theme; "Why You Wanna Trip on Me", for example, protests against world hunger, AIDS, homelessness and drugs. The title track continues the theme of the predatory lover and compulsive desire. The second half includes introspective, pop-gospel anthems such as "Will You Be There", "Heal the World" and "Keep the Faith"; these songs show Jackson opening up about various personal struggles and worries. In the ballad "Gone Too Soon", Jackson gives tribute to his friend Ryan White and the plight of those with AIDS. In the track "D.S.", Jackson launched a verbal attack against Tom Sneddon. He describes Sneddon as an antisocial, white supremacist who wanted to "get my ass, dead or alive". Of the song, Sneddon said, "I have not—shall we say—done him the honor of listening to it, but I've been told that it ends with the sound of a gunshot". With the arrival of Off the Wall in the late 1970s, Jackson's abilities as a vocalist were well regarded. At the time, Rolling Stone compared his vocals to the "breathless, dreamy stutter" of Stevie Wonder. Their analysis was also that "Jackson's feathery-timbred tenor is extraordinarily beautiful. It slides smoothly into a startling falsetto that's used very daringly".

When singing of brotherhood or self-esteem the musician would return to "smooth" vocals. When commenting on Invincible, Rolling Stone were of the opinion that—at the age of 43—Jackson still performed "exquisitely voiced rhythm tracks and vibrating vocal harmonies".

In the 19-minute music video for "Bad"—directed by Martin Scorsese—Jackson began using sexual imagery and choreography not previously seen in his work. He occasionally grabbed or touched his chest, torso and crotch. When asked by Oprah in the 1993 interview about why he grabbed his crotch, he replied, "I think it happens subliminally" and he described it as something that was not planned, but rather, as something that was compelled by the music. "Bad" garnered a mixed reception from both fans and critics; Time magazine described it as "infamous". The video also featured Wesley Snipes; in the future Jackson's videos would often feature famous cameo roles. It featured scenes construed as having a sexual nature as well as depictions of violence. The offending scenes in the final half of the 14-minute version were edited out to prevent the video from being banned, and Jackson apologized.

The music video for "Scream", directed by Mark Romanek and production designer Tom Foden, is one of Jackson's most critically acclaimed. In 1995, it gained 11 MTV Video Music Award Nominations—more than any other music video—and won "Best Dance Video", "Best Choreography", and "Best Art Direction". Jackson's music and videos, such as Thriller, fostered racial diversity in MTV's roster, helped to put the relatively new channel into public awareness, and steered the channel's focus from rock to pop music and R&B;, shaping the channel into a form that proved enduring. Jackson's work continues to influence numerous hip hop, rock, pop and R&B; artists, including Beyoncé, Madonna, and Ludacris, among others. In the mid-1980s, Time magazine's pop music critic, Jay Cocks, noted "Jackson is the biggest thing since The Beatles. He is the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley. He just may be the most popular black singer ever". In 1990, Vanity Fair cited Jackson as the most popular artist in the history of show business. In 2007, Jackson said, "Music has been my outlet, my gift to all of the lovers in this world. Through it, my music, I know I will live forever." This speculation however is contradicted by financial documents obtained by the Associated Press, which showed that as of March 31, 2007, Jackson's 50 percent stake in the Sony/ATV Music Publishing catalog (his most prized asset) was worth $390.6 million and Michael Jackson's net worth was . Billboard has estimated that Jackson has generated at least in revenue in the year following his death.

Discography

Got to Be There (1972)

Ben (1972)

Music & Me (1973)

Forever, Michael (1975)

Off the Wall (1979)

Thriller (1982)

Bad (1987)

Dangerous (1991)

(1995)

Invincible (2001)

Filmography

{| class="wikitable sortable" |- !Year!!Film!!Role!!Director |- style="text-align:center;" ||1978||The Wiz||Scarecrow|| |- style="text-align:center;" ||1986||Captain EO||Captain EO|| |- style="text-align:center;" ||1988||Moonwalker||Himself|| |- style="text-align:center;" ||1997||Michael Jackson's Ghosts||Maestro/Mayor/Ghoul/Skeleton|| |- style="text-align:center;" ||2002||Men in Black II||Agent M (cameo)|| |- style="text-align:center;" ||2004||Miss Cast Away and the Island Girls||Agent MJ (cameo)|| |- style="text-align:center;" ||2009||Michael Jackson's This Is It||Himself|| |}

Tours

Bad World Tour (1987–89)

Dangerous World Tour (1992–93)

HIStory World Tour (1996–97)

This Is It (2009–10) (cancelled)

See also

Honorific nicknames in popular music

List of best-selling music artists

List of best-selling music artists in the United States

List of unreleased Michael Jackson material

Notes

Bibliography

Further reading

External links

Michael Jackson Hip Hop influence & samples

Michael Jackson Live: Best Pics - slideshow by Life magazine

Michael Jackson sample map, depicting the influence Jackson's work has had on other users.

Category:1958 births Category:1960s singers Category:1970s singers Category:1980s singers Category:1990s singers Category:2000s singers Category:2009 deaths Category:African American dancers Category:African American music Category:African American non-fiction writers Category:African American poets Category:African American record producers Category:African American rock singers Category:African American singer-songwriters Category:American businesspeople Category:American child singers Category:American choreographers Category:American dance musicians Category:American disco musicians Category:American expatriates in Ireland Category:American humanitarians Category:American male singers Category:American philanthropists Category:American pop singers Category:American rhythm and blues singers Category:American soul singers Category:American vegetarians Category:Beatboxers Category:Boy sopranos Category:BRIT Award winners Category:Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) Category:Drug-related deaths in California Category:English-language singers Category:Epic Records artists Category:Former Jehovah's Witnesses Category:Grammy Award winners Michael Jackson Category:Motown artists Category:Musicians from Indiana Category:People from Gary, Indiana Category:People from Santa Barbara County, California Category:Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Category:Songwriters from Indiana Category:Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees Michael Jackson Category:World Music Awards winners Category:World record holders

Name	James McMurtry
Background	group_or_band
Born	March 18, 1962
Origin	Leesburg, Virginia
Genre	Americana, Folk Rock, Rock
Occupation	Singer, songwriter, guitarist & bandleader
Years active	1989–present
Url	www.jamesmcmurtry.com

James McMurtry (born March 18, 1962 in Fort Worth, Texas) is a Texas rock and Americana music singer, songwriter, guitarist, bandleader and occasional actor (Daisy Miller, Lonesome Dove). He performs with veteran bandmates and rhythm section The Heartless Bastards (Darren Hess and Ronnie Johnson - not to be confused with the Cincinnati, OH, band of the same name).

His father, novelist Larry McMurtry, gave him his first guitar at age seven. His mother, an English professor, taught him how to play it: "My mother taught me three chords and the rest I just stole as I went along. I learned everything by ear or by watching people."

Biography

McMurtry spent the first seven years of his boyhood in Ft. Worth but was raised mostly in Leesburg, Virginia. He attended the Woodberry Forest School, Orange, Virginia. He began performing in his teens, writing bits and pieces. He started performing his own songs at a downtown beer garden while studying English and Spanish at the University of Arizona in Tucson. After traveling to Alaska and playing a few gigs, he returned to Texas and his father's "little bitty ranch house crammed with 10,000 books". After a time, he left for San Antonio, where he worked as a house painter, actor, bartender, and sometimes singer, performing at writer's nights and open mics.

In 1987 McMutry's career entered an upswing. A friend in San Antonio suggested McMurtry enter the New Folk songwriter contest; he became one of six winners that year. Also around this time John Mellencamp was starring in a film based on a script by McMurtry's father, which gave McMurtry the opportunity to get a demo tape to Mellencamp. Mellencamp subsequently served as co-producer on McMurtry's 1989 debut album, Too Long in the Wasteland. McMurtry also appeared on the soundtrack of the film Falling from Grace, working with Mellencamp, John Prine, Joe Ely, and Dwight Yoakam in a "supergroup" called Buzzin' Cousins.

McMurtry released follow-up albums in Candyland (1992) and Where'd You Hide the Body (1995). Walk Between the Raindrops followed in 1998 and 2002 brought St. Mary of the Woods. In April 2004, McMurtry released a tour album called Live In Aught-Three.

In 2005, McMurtry released his first studio album in three years. Childish Things again received high critical praise, winning the song and album of the year at the 5th Annual Americana Awards in Nashville, Tennessee. The album was perhaps McMurtry at his most political, as his working-class anthem "We Can't Make It Here" included direct criticism of George W. Bush, the Iraq War, and Wal-Mart.

McMurtry released his follow up album to Childish Things in April 2008. Just Us Kids continued with the previous album's political themes and included the song Cheney's Toy, McMurtry's most direct criticism of George W. Bush so far. Like We Can't Make It Here from the previous album, Cheney's Toy was made available as a free Internet download.

McMurtry currently resides in Austin, Texas. When in Austin McMurtry and The Heartless Bastards play a midnight set at The Continental Club on Wednesday nights. He is usually preceded by another Austin roots rock legend, Jon Dee Graham.

Discography

External links

Official site

One on One with James McMurtry

Interview and Live Performance on Chicago TV show "Corporate Country Sucks"

BBC News: Rocker Young wins Americana award

Media

Video of James McMurtry

References

http://www.hobotrashcan.com/2008/04/17/one-on-one-with-james-mcmurtry/

Category:1962 births Category:American folk guitarists Category:American male singers Category:American singer-songwriters Category:Kerrville New Folk Competition finalists Category:Living people Category:People from Austin, Texas Category:People from Fort Worth, Texas Category:Musicians from Texas

Name	Elena Paparizou Έλενα Παπαρίζου
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Eleni Paparizou
Alias	Helena Paparizou
Born	January 31, 1982 Borås, Västergötland, Sweden
Origin	Stockholm, Sweden
Instrument	Vocals
Genre	Laïko, pop-folk, pop, dance
Occupation	Singer, songwriter, model
Years active	1999–present
Label	Sony Greece, Bonnier Amigo, Moda, AATW
Associated acts	Antique
Url	www.HelenaPaparizou.com

Eleni "Elena" Paparizou Her parents both originate from the Karditsa region, with her father being from a nearby village, Toxias. She has a sister named Areti, known as "Rita" and a brother Konstantinos, known as "Dinos". In 1985, the family moved to Greece to live in Volos with relatives because Paparizou suffered from asthma and her lungs could not endure the cold Scandinavian climate. They returned after two years when the problem was resolved, thereon living in the town of Örgryte, Gothenburg. Because of this early move, Paparizou spoke Greek as a first language. As a child, she did not hang out with many Swedish children, Throughout her childhood, she continued suffering from breathing problems, was once rushed to the hospital because of them, and recalls feeling like she had left her body at least twice. She continues to suffer from the issue and often carries an inhaler onstage for when she loses her breath.

Paparizou became interested in the arts at a young age and her parents soon involved her in singing, dancing and acting training in combination with her academic studies at school. At age seven she began lessons in piano, ballet and traditional dances. She performed for the first time in front of a Greek audience at age 11 singing Christos Dantis' "Moro Mou". By age 13, Paparizou had realized she wanted to become a singer and decided to take a serious approach in preparation for it, her first experiences being with Greek music. At the age of 14, Paparizou formed her first group Soul Funkomatic with three Hispanic teenagers and only played hip hop music, while saving money to record songs; two years later the group disbanded. On 29 October 1998, 13 of Paparizou's close friends died in the Gothenburg nightclub fire during a hip hop party that left 63 people dead and more than 200 injured. Paparizou had begged her mother to let her go to the party, but was not allowed to attend.

Recording career

1999–2003: Antique era

as Antique.]] In 1999, some DJ friends of her brother's asked her to make a demo of the Notis Sfakianakis hit "Opa Opa". Paparizou told them that the lyrics are for a man, so she asked to sing it with childhood friend Nikos Panagiotidis, At that time, some record producers were undergoing a project to sign a duo consisting of a male and a female that would sing covers of traditional Greek hits. They came into contact with Paparizou who recommended Panagiotidis, and together they formed Antique, signing to the newly-formed independent label Bonnier Music. Paparizou admitted that Greek music had been something of an acquired taste for her, and that the name was probably a reflection of her childhood impression of it being something rather distant and old-fashioned; something that she only really associated with her summer vacations in Greece. Their debut single "Opa Opa" became a hit in Sweden and eventually entered the top ten in Sweden and Norway, Their later singles "Dinata Dinata", "Follow Me" and "Moro Mou" also charted well.

Although relatively unknown in Greece, The song placed third in the actual contest with 147 points; although equaled by later entries, it was the best placing Greece had ever received until Paparizou won the contest as a solo artist in 2005. Initially, negative criticism relating to the disbandment centered around Paparizou, who was accused of abandoning her friend for her own career interests; however, Paparizou responded by saying that the split was not permanent, but rather a mutual decision to try other things, with plans of a reunion in mind. On 21 May she won the contest for Greece for the first time in history, earning 230 points and the maximum 12 points from ten nations—tied for the most in one night up until that point. The moment of the victory garnered the highest television viewing ratings in Greek history On 14 July she performed at the birthday gala of Princess Victoria of Sweden where while ascending the stage to greet the royal family, King Carl XVI Gustaf stood to embrace Paparizou instead of offering a handshake, causing controversy for putting his hand on her back, lower than what is socially acceptable. The Royal Court later issued a statement that his hand slipped. A cover of Celine Dion's "Just Walk Away" was released as a promo single, while the Greek version of "Mambo!" was also included. Paparizou won MAD VMAs for Best Video by a Female Artist ("Gigolo") and Best-Dressed Artist in a Video ("An Ihes Erthi Pio Noris") out of five nominations and also opened the show singing "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" and "Min Fevgeis"; followed by a physical release the next day in standard and deluxe editions, the latter featuring video. 11 days following its release, it was announced that the album had achieved total shipments of 140 thousand units physically and via newspaper. In her teenage years, she began listening to a broad range of music including R&B; and soul, however, some critics attribute this to a lack of personal style and following trends of the times in order for commercial success rather than it being a form of artistic expression. Paparizou has also been known to follow the trends of international female pop stars of the time with some comparissons having been made by music critics. Songs like "The Light in Our Soul" to Celine Dion's love-themed pop ballads, "Let's Get Wild" to Anastacia, Paparizou has contributed a couple of tracks as a songwriter on all of her studio albums with the exception of Iparhi Logos (although she did write the lyrics of the Antique song "Why?" which was one of the album's live covers), with these writing ventures being nearly universally collaborations with at least one other songwriter. She has contributed lyrics to "Treli Kardia" (Protereotita), "Carpe Diem" and "Teardrops" (The Game of Love), and "Mathe Prota N'agapas" (Vrisko To Logo Na Zo), while on Vrisko To Logo Na Zo she made her first musical contributions on the afforementioned track and "Den Tha 'Mai 'Do" and later on "Filarakia" (Giro Apo T' Oneiro), which was also her first solo writing credit. with Zervas being most commending of her vocal abilities in the dance-pop genre, adding that in her live covers of "Don't Speak" and "Just Walk Away" she gave her best vocal performance. Nitro criticized Paparizou's musical abilities overall, saying that if the world was fair, it would be widely acknowledged that she "has simply a pretty face, while the voice behind that belongs to a less pretty singer." In 2008, Evianna Nikoleri noticed an improvement in Paparizou's voice, suggesting that Vrisko To Logo Na Zo contained her best vocal performance on an album. Makis Kalamaris, who believed the album to be quite mediocre, saying it was based mostly on "beatless rock scratches and mellow ballads", said that Paparizou saved most of the material just with her interpretation of it. However, in a number of tracks, most notably from that album, Paparizou's vocals were criticized for oversinging in an attempt to show her full volume and yelling excessively as a result of pushing her range to reach high notes. This was most notably observed on the tracks "Eisai I Foni" and "Den Tha 'Mai 'Do", with Nikoleri saying that with the idea that yelling is synonymous with singing well she was doing her voice injustice.

Image

Fashion and style

as part of her Arhizei To Party tour in 2008.]] During her career as Antique, Paparizou was known to have a simplistic look with a lack of styling, representing a young girl; she made a transition into a more feminine and sexualized style after going solo. Paparizou was known for a revealing style of dress, which was a contrast from her "good girl" image. She made hot pants her signature look, showcasing her legs as her most prominent physical feature, In promotion of the album Vrisko To Logo Na Zo, Paparizou promoted a more rock-inspired image than she had previously been associated with, appearing more aggressive in dark tones in both wardrobe and make-up. Despite this, Paparizou has said that she avoids extremeties in her fashion choices. In The Game of Love, Paparizou gives credit to Al Giga, her stylist, for making her love fashion and herself, while she also acknowledges Roberto Cavalli —who has provided the majority of her wardrobe since Eurovision 2005— for his input. However, she has also spoken candidly to reporters about issues concerning her personal life, plastic surgery, and weight. She has also been referred to as an anti-star, while Ivi reportedly selected her to be the face of their "Fersou Fisika" (act natural) campaign for representing all of the corresponding qualities, such as freshness, naturalness, authenticity, good will, and humour. Paparizou has said that she likes to present herself in moderation; she herself ranked her star power as moderate in the Greek star system, the level she finds appropriate for artists, adding that she believed that her public image would never be able to overcome that of the girl next door in the eyes of the Greek public. However, E! Entertainment Television also described her as "sultry," ranking her at number 16 on their 25 Sexiest Women and 25 Sexiest Pop Divas of 2008, This made her the first Greek female celebrity to admit having undergone the afforementioned procedure, something which was reviewed positively by some media personalities. She has been involved in a long term relationship with fellow Swedish-born Greek Toni Mavridis, Mavridis became an impresario for Antique and has written songs on all of Paparizou's solo albums, while he also serves as her manager. Mavridis had approached Paparizou for only one month before their relationship commenced and she left her parents' home to live with him in Stockholm. The two had a traditional Greek engagement celebration with their relatives on December 24, 2000 and have been engaged since; however, Paparizou has said that Mavridis has never officially proposed to her and that she would prefer that he do this in the Western tradition of going down on one knee. although she began to improve it following her Eurovision win, having bought a home with Mavridis in the Athens suburb of Glyfada in 2006. On many occasions, Paparizou has commented on starting a family with Mavridis; in Celebrity, Paparizou was quoted as saying "I believe that family is the most natural thing, the thing I want in my life. And what is my preference? To not have kids so I can continue my career? One day it will end. I cannot be on stage everyday, like I am now at 25," In the August 2010 issue of Life & Style, Paparizou revealed that she would like to have a child within the next year to two years. She has been suffering from depression since, citing it as the second occurrence since she was a teenager.

Discography

Protereotita (2004)

Iparhi Logos (2006)

The Game of Love (2006)

Vrisko To Logo Na Zo (2008)

Giro Apo T' Oneiro (2010)

Tours

Concert tours

Headlining

"My Number One" Eurovision Promo Tour (2005)

Eurovision Winner's Tour (2005)

To Party Arhizei (2008)

Joint

North American and Australian Tour (with Nikos Kourkoulis) (2005)

Fisika Mazi (with Onirama) (2010)

Resident shows

Main act

Fever (with Giorgos Tsalikis and Christos Pazis) (2005–06)

Iera Odos (with Paschalis Terzis and Nino) (2006–07)

Odeon (with Paschalis Terzis and Nino) (2007)

Iera Odos (with Paschalis Terzis and Manos Pirovolakis) (2008–09)

Thalassa: People's Stage (with Stavento and 15:50, Pt.2: Loukas Giorkas and 15:50) (2009)

Diogenis Studio (with Antonis Remos) (2010–11)

Opening act

Studio Piraios (opening act for Antonis Remos and Giannis Spanos) (2003–04)

Fever (opening act for Sakis Rouvas and Giorgos Mazonakis) (2004–05)

Thalassa (with Apostolia Zoi, Nino, and Thanos Petrelis) (2004)

Awards

See also

List of Greeks

List of Swedes

Notes

Citations

External links

Official Elena Paparizou websites: ProfessionalFacebookMySpaceTwitterYouTube

Helena Paparizou on the Internet Movie Database

Elena Paparizou at Sony Music Entertainment Greece

Elena Paparizou at MAD TV (Greece)

Category:1982 births Category:1990s singers Category:2000s singers Category:2010s singers Category:Antique (duo) Category:Arion Music Awards winners Category:Bonnier Amigo Music Group artists Category:Eastern Orthodox Christians from Greece Category:Eastern Orthodox Christians from Sweden Category:Elena Paparizou Category:English-language singers Category:Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 2001 Category:Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 2005 Category:Eurovision Song Contest winners Category:Greek dance musicians Category:Greek Eurovision Song Contest entrants Category:Greek female models Category:Greek female singers Category:Greek laïko singers Category:Greek lyricists Category:Greek pop singers Category:Greek songwriters Category:Living people Category:MAD Video Music Awards winners Category:Modern Greek-language singers

Category:People from Gothenburg Category:People from Borås Municipality Category:Pop folk singers Category:Sony Music Greece artists Category:Swedish dance musicians Category:Swedish female models Category:Swedish female singers Category:Swedish people of Greek descent Category:Swedish pop singers