Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments. Singing is often done in a group of other musicians, such as in a choir of singers with different voice ranges, or in an ensemble with instrumentalists, such as a rock group or baroque ensemble. As in many respects human song is a form of sustained speech, nearly anyone able to speak can also sing. Singing can be formal or informal, arranged or improvised. It may be done for pleasure, comfort, ritual, education, or profit. Excellence in singing requires time, dedication, instruction, and regular practice. Professional singers usually build their careers around one specific musical genre, such as classical or rock. They typically take voice training provided by voice teachers or vocal coaches throughout their career.

The human voice

In its physical aspect, singing has a well-defined technique that depends on the use of the lungs, which act as an air supply, or bellows; on the larynx, which acts as a reed or vibrator; on the chest and head cavities, which have the function of an amplifier, as the tube in a wind instrument; and on the tongue, which together with the palate, teeth, and lips articulate and impose consonants and vowels on the amplified sound. Though these four mechanisms function independently, they are nevertheless coordinated in the establishment of a vocal technique and are made to interact upon one another. During passive breathing, air is inhaled with the diaphragm while exhalation occurs without any effort. Exhalation may be aided by the abdominal, internal intercostal and lower pelvic muscles. Inhalation is aided by use of external intercostals, scalenes and sternocleidomastoid muscles. The pitch is altered with the vocal cords. With the lips closed, this is called humming.

The sound of each individual's singing voice is entirely unique not only because of the actual shape and size of an individual's vocal cords but also due to the size and shape of the rest of that person's body. Humans have vocal folds which can loosen, tighten, or change their thickness, and over which breath can be transferred at varying pressures. The shape of the chest and neck, the position of the tongue, and the tightness of otherwise unrelated muscles can be altered. Any one of these actions results in a change in pitch, volume, timbre, or tone of the sound produced. Sound also resonates within different parts of the body, and an individual's size and bone structure can affect the sound produced by an individual.

Singers can also learn to project sound in certain ways so that it resonates better within their vocal tract. This is known as vocal resonation. Another major influence on vocal sound and production is the function of the larynx which people can manipulate in different ways to produce different sounds. These different kinds of laryngeal function are described as different kinds of vocal registers. The primary method for singers to accomplish this is through the use of the Singer's Formant; which has been shown to match particularly well to the most sensitive part of the ear's frequency range.

Vocal registration

Vocal registration refers to the system of vocal registers within the human voice. A register in the human voice is a particular series of tones, produced in the same vibratory pattern of the vocal folds, and possessing the same quality. Registers originate in laryngeal function. They occur because the vocal folds are capable of producing several different vibratory patterns. Each of these vibratory patterns appears within a particular range of pitches and produces certain characteristic sounds. The term "register" can be somewhat confusing as it encompasses several aspects of the human voice. The term register can be used to refer to any of the following:

A particular part of the vocal range such as the upper, middle, or lower registers.

A resonance area such as chest voice or head voice.

A phonatory process (phonation is the process of producing vocal sound by the vibration of the vocal folds that is in turn modified by the resonance of the vocal tract)

A certain vocal timbre or vocal "colour"

A region of the voice which is defined or delimited by vocal breaks.

In linguistics, a register language is a language which combines tone and vowel phonation into a single phonological system. Within speech pathology the term vocal register has three constituent elements: a certain vibratory pattern of the vocal folds, a certain series of pitches, and a certain type of sound. Speech pathologists identify four vocal registers based on the physiology of laryngeal function: the vocal fry register, the modal register, the falsetto register, and the whistle register. This view is also adopted by many vocal pedagogists.

Vocal resonation

Vocal resonation is the process by which the basic product of phonation is enhanced in timbre and/or intensity by the air-filled cavities through which it passes on its way to the outside air. Various terms related to the resonation process include amplification, enrichment, enlargement, improvement, intensification, and prolongation, although in strictly scientific usage acoustic authorities would question most of them. The main point to be drawn from these terms by a singer or speaker is that the end result of resonation is, or should be, to make a better sound. There are seven areas that may be listed as possible vocal resonators. In sequence from the lowest within the body to the highest, these areas are the chest, the tracheal tree, the larynx itself, the pharynx, the oral cavity, the nasal cavity, and the sinuses.

Chest voice and head voice

Chest voice and head voice are terms used within vocal music. The use of these terms varies widely within vocal pedagogical circles and there is currently no one consistent opinion among vocal music professionals in regards to these terms. Chest voice can be used in relation to a particular part of the vocal range or type of vocal register; a vocal resonance area; or a specific vocal timbre. Head voice can be used in relation to a particular part of the vocal range or type of vocal register or a vocal resonance area.

History and development

The first recorded mention of the terms chest voice and head voice was around the 13th century, when it was distinguished from the "throat voice" (pectoris, guttoris, capitis — at this time it is likely that head voice referred to the falsetto register) by the writers Johannes de Garlandia and Jerome of Moravia. The terms were later adopted within bel canto, the Italian opera singing method, where chest voice was identified as the lowest and head voice the highest of three vocal registers: the chest, passagio and head registers. This approach is still taught by some vocal pedagogists today. Another current popular approach that is based on the bel canto model is to divide both men and women's voices into three registers. Men's voices are divided into "chest register", "head register", and "falsetto register" and woman's voices into "chest register", "middle register", and "head register". Such pedagogists teach that the head register is a vocal technique used in singing to describe the resonance felt in the singer's head.

However as knowledge of human physiology has increased over the past two hundred years, so has the understanding of the physical process of singing and vocal production. As a result, many vocal pedagogists, such as Ralph Appelman at Indiana University and William Vennard at the University of Southern California, have redefined or even abandoned the use of the terms chest voice and head voice. In particular, the use of the terms ''chest register'' and ''head register'' have become controversial since vocal registration is more commonly seen today as a product of laryngeal function that is unrelated to the physiology of the chest, lungs, and head. For this reason, many vocal pedagogists argue that it is meaningless to speak of registers being produced in the chest or head. They argue that the vibratory sensations which are felt in these areas are resonance phenomena and should be described in terms related to vocal resonance, not to registers. These vocal pedagogists prefer the terms ''chest voice'' and ''head voice'' over the term register. This view believes that the problems which people identify as register problems are really problems of resonance adjustment. This view is also in alignment with the views of other academic fields that study vocal registration including: speech pathology, phonetics, and linguistics. Although both methods are still in use, current vocal pedagogical practice tends to adopt the newer more scientific view. Also, some vocal pedagogists take ideas from both viewpoints.

The contemporary use of the term chest voice often refers to a specific kind of vocal coloration or vocal timbre. In classical singing, its use is limited entirely to the lower part of the modal register or normal voice. Within other forms of singing, chest voice is often applied throughout the modal register. Chest timbre can add a wonderful array of sounds to a singer's vocal interpretive palette. However, the use of overly strong chest voice in the higher registers in an attempt to hit higher notes in the chest can lead to forcing. Forcing can lead consequently to vocal deterioration.

Classifying singing voices

In European classical music and opera, voices are treated like musical instruments. Composers who write vocal music must have an understanding of the skills, talents, and vocal properties of singers. Voice classification is the process by which human singing voices are evaluated and are thereby designated into voice types. These qualities include but are not limited to: vocal range, vocal weight, vocal tessitura, vocal timbre, and vocal transition points such as breaks and lifts within the voice. Other considerations are physical characteristics, speech level, scientific testing, and vocal registration. The science behind voice classification developed within European classical music has been slow in adapting to more modern forms of singing. Voice classification is often used within opera to associate possible roles with potential voices. There are currently several different systems in use within classical music including: the German ''Fach'' system and the choral music system among many others. No system is universally applied or accepted.

However, most classical music systems acknowledge seven different major voice categories. Women are typically divided into three groups: soprano, mezzo-soprano, and contralto. Men are usually divided into four groups: countertenor, tenor, baritone, and bass. When considering voices of pre-pubescent children an eighth term, treble, can be applied. Within each of these major categories there are several sub-categories that identify specific vocal qualities like coloratura facility and vocal weight to differentiate between voices.

It should be noted that within choral music, singers' voices are divided solely on the basis of vocal range. Choral music most commonly divides vocal parts into high and low voices within each sex (SATB, or soprano, alto, tenor, and bass). As a result, the typical choral situation affords many opportunities for misclassification to occur. Since most people have medium voices, they must be assigned to a part that is either too high or too low for them; the mezzo-soprano must sing soprano or alto and the baritone must sing tenor or bass. Either option can present problems for the singer, but for most singers there are fewer dangers in singing too low than in singing too high.

Within contemporary forms of music (sometimes referred to as Contemporary Commercial Music), singers are classified by the style of music they sing, such as jazz, pop, blues, soul, country, folk, and rock styles. There is currently no authoritative voice classification system within non-classical music. Attempts have been made to adopt classical voice type terms to other forms of singing but such attempts have been met with controversy. The development of voice categorizations were made with the understanding that the singer would be using classical vocal technique within a specified range using unamplified (no microphones) vocal production. Since contemporary musicians use different vocal techniques, microphones, and are not forced to fit into a specific vocal role, applying such terms as soprano, tenor, baritone, etc. can be misleading or even inaccurate.

Vocal pedagogy

Vocal pedagogy is the study of the teaching of singing. The art and science of vocal pedagogy has a long history that began in Ancient Greece and continues to develop and change today. Professions that practice the art and science of vocal pedagogy include vocal coaches, choral directors, vocal music educators, opera directors, and other teachers of singing.

Vocal pedagogy concepts are a part of developing proper vocal technique. Typical areas of study include the following:

Human anatomy and physiology as it relates to the physical process of singing

*Vocal health and voice disorders related to singing

*Breathing and air support for singing

*Phonation

* Vocal resonation or Voice projection

*Vocal registration: a particular series of tones, produced in the same vibratory pattern of the vocal folds, and possessing the same quality, which originate in laryngeal function, because each of these vibratory patterns appears within a particular range of pitches and produces certain characteristic sounds.

* Voice classification

Vocal styles: for Classical singers, this includes styles ranging from Lieder to opera; for pop singers, styles can include "belted out" a blues ballads; for jazz singers, styles can include Swing ballads and scatting.

* Techniques used in styles such as sostenuto and legato, range extension, tone quality, vibrato, and coloratura

Vocal technique

Singing when done with proper vocal technique is an integrated and coordinated act that effectively coordinates the physical processes of singing. There are four physical processes involved in producing vocal sound: respiration, phonation, resonation, and articulation. These processes occur in the following sequence: #Breath is taken #Sound is initiated in the larynx #The vocal resonators receive the sound and influence it #The articulators shape the sound into recognizable units Although these four processes are often considered separately when studied, in actual practice they merge into one coordinated function. With an effective singer or speaker, one should rarely be reminded of the process involved as their mind and body are so coordinated that one only perceives the resulting unified function. Many vocal problems result from a lack of coordination within this process.

Since singing is a coordinated act, it is difficult to discuss any of the individual technical areas and processes without relating them to the others. For example, phonation only comes into perspective when it is connected with respiration; the articulators affect resonance; the resonators affect the vocal folds; the vocal folds affect breath control; and so forth. Vocal problems are often a result of a breakdown in one part of this coordinated process which causes voice teachers to frequently focus in intensively on one area of the process with their student until that issue is resolved. However, some areas of the art of singing are so much the result of coordinated functions that it is hard to discuss them under a traditional heading like phonation, resonation, articulation, or respiration.

Once the voice student has become aware of the physical processes that make up the act of singing and of how those processes function, the student begins the task of trying to coordinate them. Inevitably, students and teachers will become more concerned with one area of the technique than another. The various processes may progress at different rates, with a resulting imbalance or lack of coordination. The areas of vocal technique which seem to depend most strongly on the student's ability to coordinate various functions are: : #Extending the vocal range to its maximum potential #Developing consistent vocal production with a consistent tone quality #Developing flexibility and agility #Achieving a balanced vibrato

Developing the singing voice

Singing is a skill that requires highly developed muscle reflexes. Singing does not require much muscle strength but it does require a high degree of muscle coordination. Individuals can develop their voices further through the careful and systematic practice of both songs and vocal exercises. Vocal pedagogists instruct their students to exercise their voices in an intelligent manner. Singers should be thinking constantly about the kind of sound they are making and the kind of sensations they are feeling while they are singing. Vocal exercises have several purposes, including warming up the voice; extending the vocal range; "lining up" the voice horizontally and vertically; and acquiring vocal techniques such as legato, staccato, control of dynamics, rapid figurations, learning to sing wide intervals comfortably, singing trills, singing melismas and correcting vocal faults.

Extending vocal range

An important goal of vocal development is to learn to sing to the natural limits of one's vocal range without any obvious or distracting changes of quality or technique. Vocal pedagogists teach that a singer can only achieve this goal when all of the physical processes involved in singing (such as laryngeal action, breath support, resonance adjustment, and articulatory movement) are effectively working together. Most vocal pedagogists believe in coordinating these processes by (1) establishing good vocal habits in the most comfortable tessitura of the voice, and then (2) slowly expanding the range.

There are three factors that significantly affect the ability to sing higher or lower:

# The ''energy'' factor — "energy" has several connotations. It refers to the total response of the body to the making of sound; to a dynamic relationship between the breathing-in muscles and the breathing-out muscles known as the breath support mechanism; to the amount of breath pressure delivered to the vocal folds and their resistance to that pressure; and to the dynamic level of the sound. # The ''space'' factor — "space" refers to the size of the inside of the mouth and the position of the palate and larynx. Generally speaking, a singer's mouth should be opened wider the higher he or she sings. The internal space or position of the soft palate and larynx can be widened by relaxing the throat. Vocal pedagogists describe this as feeling like the "beginning of a yawn". # The ''depth'' factor — "depth" has two connotations. It refers to the actual physical sensations of depth in the body and vocal mechanism, and to mental concepts of depth that are related to tone quality.

McKinney says, "These three factors can be expressed in three basic rules: (1) As you sing higher, you must use more energy; as you sing lower, you must use less. (2) As you sing higher, you must use more space; as you sing lower, you must use less. (3) As you sing higher, you must use more depth; as you sing lower, you must use less."

Posture

The singing process functions best when certain physical conditions of the body exist. The ability to move air in and out of the body freely and to obtain the needed quantity of air can be seriously affected by the posture of the various parts of the breathing mechanism. A sunken chest position will limit the capacity of the lungs, and a tense abdominal wall will inhibit the downward travel of the diaphragm. Good posture allows the breathing mechanism to fulfill its basic function efficiently without any undue expenditure of energy. Good posture also makes it easier to initiate phonation and to tune the resonators as proper alignment prevents unnecessary tension in the body. Vocal pedagogists have also noted that when singers assume good posture it often provides them with a greater sense of self assurance and poise while performing. Audiences also tend to respond better to singers with good posture. Habitual good posture also ultimately improves the overall health of the body by enabling better blood circulation and preventing fatigue and stress on the body.

There are eight components of the ideal singing posture:

# Feet slightly apart # Legs straight but knees unlocked # Hips facing straight forward # Spine aligned # Abdomen flat # Chest comfortably forward # Shoulders down and back # Head facing straight forward

Breathing and breath support

Natural breathing has three stages: a breathing-in period, a breathing out period, and a resting or recovery period; these stages are not usually consciously controlled. Within singing there are four stages of breathing: a breathing-in period (inhalation); a setting up controls period (suspension);a controlled exhalation period (phonation); and a recovery period.

These stages must be under conscious control by the singer until they become conditioned reflexes. Many singers abandon conscious controls before their reflexes are fully conditioned which ultimately leads to chronic vocal problems.

Vibrato

Vibrato is used by singers (and many instrumentalists; for instance, string instruments that are played with a bow can produce vibrato tones) in which a sustained note wavers very quickly and consistently between a higher and a lower pitch, giving the note a slight quaver. Vibrato is the pulse or wave in a sustained tone. Vibrato occurs naturally, and is the result of proper breath support and a relaxed vocal apparatus. Some singers use vibrato as a means of expression. Many successful artists have built a career on deep, rich vibrato.

Vocal music

Vocal music is music performed by one or more singers, with or without instrumental accompaniment, in which singing provides the main focus of the piece. Vocal music is probably the oldest form of music, since it does not require any instrument besides the human voice. All musical cultures have some form of vocal music and there are many long standing singing traditions throughout the world's cultures.

Music which employs singing but does not feature it prominently is generally considered as instrumental music. For example, some blues rock songs may have a simple call-and-response chorus, but the emphasis in the song is on the instrumental melodies and improvisation. Vocal music typically features sung words called lyrics, although there are notable examples of vocal music that are performed using non-linguistic syllables or noises, sometimes as musical onomatopoeia. A short piece of vocal music with lyrics is broadly termed a song.

Genres of vocal music

Vocal music is written in many different forms and styles which are often labeled within a particular genre of music. These genres include: Art music, Popular music, Traditional music, regional and national music, and fusions of those genres. Within these larger genres are many sub-genres. For example, popular music would encompass blues, jazz, country music, easy listening, hip hop, rock music, and several other genres. There may also be a sub-genre within a sub-genre such as vocalese and scat singing in jazz.

Popular and traditional music

In many modern pop musical groups, a lead singer performs the primary vocals or melody of a song, as opposed to a backing singer who sings backup vocals or the harmony of a song. Backing vocalists sing some, but usually not all, parts of the song often singing only in a song's refrain or humming in the background. An exception is five-part gospel a cappella music, where the lead is the highest of the five voices and sings a descant, and not the melody. Some artists may sing both the lead and backing vocals on audio recordings by overlapping recorded vocal tracks.

Popular music includes a range of vocal styles. Hip-hop uses rapping, the rhythmic delivery of rhymes in a rhythmic speech over a beat or without accompaniment. Some types of rapping consist mostly or entirely of speech and chanting, like the Jamaican "toasting". In some types of rapping, the performers may interpolate short sung or half-sung passages. Blues singing is based on the use of the blue notes–notes sung at a slightly lower pitch than that of the major scale for expressive purposes. In heavy metal and hardcore punk subgenres, vocal styles can include techniques such as screams, shouts, and unusual sounds such as the "death growl".

One difference between live performances in the popular and Classical genres is that whereas Classical performers often sing without amplification in small- to mid-size halls, in popular music, a microphone and PA system (amplifier and speakers) are used in almost all performance venues, even a small coffee house. The use of the microphone has had several impacts on popular music. For one, it facilitated the development of intimate, expressive singing styles such as "crooning" which would not have enough projection and volume if done without a microphone. As well, pop singers who use microphones can do a range of other vocal styles that would not project without amplification, such as making whispering sounds, humming, and mixing half-sung and sung tones. As well, some performers use the microphone's response patterns to create effects, such as bringing the mic very close to the mouth to get an enhanced bass response, or, in the case of hip-hop beatboxers, doing plosive "p" and "b" sounds into the mic to create percussive effects.

While some bands use backup singers who only sing when they are onstage, it is common for backup singers in popular music to have other roles. In many rock and metal bands, the musicians doing backup vocals also play instruments, such as rhythm guitar, electric bass, or drums. In Latin or Afro-Cuban groups, backup singers may play percussion instruments or shakers while singing. In some pop and hip-hop groups and in musical theater, the backup singers may be required to perform elaborately choreographed dance routines while they sing through headset microphones.

Careers in singing

The salaries and working conditions for vocalists vary a great deal. While jobs in other music fields such as music education tend to be based on full-time, salaried positions, singing jobs tend to be based on contracts for individual shows or performances, or for a sequence of shows (e.g., a two-week series of performances of an opera or musical theater show). Since income from singing jobs can be unsteady, singers often supplement their performing income with other singing-related jobs, such as vocal coaching, voice lessons, or as working as a choral director in a church. Due to the large number of aspiring vocalists, it can be very competitive to get jobs in singing. Church choir soloists can make from $30 to $500 per performance (all figures in US dollars). Performers in a community choral group can earn from $200–$3,000 yearly; members of a professional concert choral group can make $80 and up per performance. Singers who perform on radio or TV shows can make $75 and up per show on a local station and $125 and up per national network show (e.g., CBS or NBC). Jazz or pop singers who perform with dance bands or nightclub show groups can make $225 and up per week. Professional opera chorus singers can make from $350–$750 per week. Opera soloists, for which the number of job openings is very limited, can make from $350 to $20,000 per performance for the most elite performers. Classical concert soloists, for which the number of job openings is very limited, have approximate earnings of $350 per performance and up.

Aspiring singers and vocalists must have musical talent and skill, an excellent voice, the ability to work with people, and a sense of showmanship and drama. Additionally, singers need to have the ambition and drive to continually study and improve, because the process of studying singing does not end after an initial diploma or degree is finished-even decades after finishing their initial training, professional singers continue to seek out vocal coaching to hone their skills, extend their range, and learn new styles. As well, aspiring singers need to gain specialized skills in the vocal techniques used to interpret songs, learn about the vocal literature from their chosen style of music, and gain skills in choral music techniques, sight singing and memorizing songs, and basic skills at the piano, to aid in learning new songs and in ear training or vocal exercises. In Classical singing and in some other genres, a knowledge of foreign languages such as French, Italian, German, or other languages, is needed. Prior to college or university training, aspiring singers should learn to read music, study basic piano, and gain experience with singing, both in choirs and in solo settings.

College or university degrees are "not always required but the equivalent training is usually necessary". Post-secondary training in singing is available for both Classical and non-Classical singers. In the Classical stream, singing can be studied at conservatories and university music programs; credentials that are available range from diplomas and Bachelor's degrees to Master's degrees and the Doctor of Musical Arts. In popular and jazz styles, college and university degrees are also available, though there are fewer programs.

Once aspiring vocalists have completed their professional training, they must then take steps to market themselves to buyers of vocal talent, by doing auditions in front of an opera director, choirmaster, or conductor. Depending on the style of vocal music that a person has trained in, the "talent buyers" that they seek out may be record company A&R; representatives, opera or musical theater directors, choir directors, nightclub managers, or concert promoters. In addition preparing a resume or CV listing their training and performance experience, singers typically prepare a promotional kit that includes professionally taken photographs (head shots); a CD or DVD with excerpts of vocal performances; and copies of reviews from music critics or journalists. Some singers hire an agent or manager to help them to seek out engagements and other performance opportunities; the agent or manager is often paid by receiving a percentage of the fees that the singer gets from performing onstage.

Health benefits

Scientific studies suggest that singing can have positive effects on people's health. A preliminary study based on self-reported data from a survey of students participating in choral singing found perceived benefits including increased lung capacity, improved mood, stress reduction, as well as perceived social and spiritual benefits. However, one much older study of lung capacity compared those with professional vocal training to those without, and failed to back up the claims of increased lung capacity. Singing may positively influence the immune system through the reduction of stress. One study found that both singing and listening to choral music reduces the level of stress hormones and increases immune function. A multinational collaboration to study the connection between singing and health was established in 2009, called ''Advancing Interdisciplinary Research in Singing'' (AIRS).

Singing in non-human species

Scholars agree that singing is strongly present in many non-human species. Wide dispersal of singing behavior among very different animal species (like birds, gibbons, whales, and humans) strongly suggests that singing appeared independently in different species. Currently there are about 5400 species of animals that can sing. At least some singing species demonstrate the ability to learn their songs, to improvise and even to compose new melodies. In some animal species singing is a group activity (see, for example, singing in gibbon families.)

Singing in different natural environments

Joseph Jordania suggested that singing behavior is very unevenly distributed among animal species, living in different environments (on the ground, in the water, in trees). Most of the singing species live on the trees (like many bird species, or gibbons), some live in the water (whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions), and there are no animal species who live on the ground and sing except for humans. This uneven distribution of singing can be crucial for our understanding of the origins of the singing behavior in animals and humans. Jordania explains this fact as the result of the pressure from natural selection. Singing is a very costly behavior, not only because of the energy to produce sounds, but primarily for the security reasons, as all the possible predators can easily learn the whereabouts of a singing animal. Singing species that live on the trees are in a much more favourable situation, as trees allow different species to live according to their body weight. So different animals with different body weight live on different "levels" of the tree branches. For example, a 50 kilo leopard can see and hear the sounds produced by a 15 kilo monkey, but as a lighter monkey can live much higher on the tree branches, it is out of reach of a heavier leopard. Therefore tree living (or arboreal) species feel quite secure to sing or to communicate with a wide range of vocal signals. On the other hand, all the ground living (or terrestrial) animal species, despite the huge weight differences between them (ranging from rabbits to lions and elephants) live on the same "ground level", and maintaining silence is crucially important for them. Even most of the birds, the most ardent singers, stop singing and producing other sounds when they sit on the ground. Therefore, predator threat might be a primary reason why tree living species are generally much noisier than ground living species.

See also: art music

A cappella

Aria

Bel canto

Chanson

Chiaroscuro (music)

Choral music

Fach

Group singing

Human voice

Opera

Overtone singing

Recitative

Singer–songwriter

Sprechgesang

Throat singing

Voice pedagogy

Voice projection

Voice type

Yodeling

Winsingad

See also: popular music

Beat boxing

Belt (music)

Death growl

Humming

Lead vocalist

Rapping

Screaming (music)

Vocoder

References

External links

A Brief History of Singing

Category:Occupations in music *

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Coordinates	52°15′″N22°16′″N
Name	John Prine
Landscape	yes
Background	solo_singer
Birth date	October 10, 1946
Origin	Maywood, Illinois, United States
Instrument	VocalsGuitar
Genre	CountryFolkProgressive bluegrass
Occupation	Singer-songwriterGuitarist
Years active	1971–present
Label	Atlantic, Asylum, Oh Boy, Rhino
Associated acts	Steve Goodman
Website	www.johnprine.net }}

John Prine (born October 10, 1946, in Maywood, Illinois) is an American country/folk singer-songwriter. He has been active as a recording artist and live performer since the early 1970s.

Biography

Prine is the son of William Prine and Verna Hamm. Prine started playing guitar at age 14, taught by his brother, David. Prine attended Proviso East High School, and was a member on the school's gymnastic team. He was a postman for five years and served in the Army during the Vietnam War era, serving in Germany, before beginning his musical career in Chicago.

In the late 1960s, while Prine was delivering mail in Maywood, Illinois, he began to sing at open mike evenings at the Fifth Peg on Armitage Avenue. Prine was initially a spectator, reluctant to perform, but eventually did so in response to a "You think you can do better?" comment made to him by another performer. Chicago ''Sun-Times'' movie critic Roger Ebert heard him there and wrote the first review Prine ever received, calling him a great songwriter. He became a central figure in the Chicago Folk Revival, which also included such singer-songwriters as Steve Goodman, Bonnie Koloc, Jim Post and Fred Holstein. Joined by such established musicians as Jethro Burns and Bob Gibson, Prine performed frequently at such clubs as the Earl of Old Town, the Quiet Knight, Somebody Else's Troubles, The 5th Peg, and the Bulls.

John Prine is currently living in Nashville with his third wife, Fiona Whelan. They have three children, stepson Jody Whelan, Tommy and Jack. Prine has a second residence in Pinellas County, Florida.

Recordings

In 1971 Prine's self-titled debut album was released. He and friend Steve Goodman had each been active in the Chicago folk scene before being "discovered" by Kris Kristofferson (Kristofferson remarked that Prine wrote songs so good that "we'll have to break his thumbs"). The album included his signature songs "Illegal Smile," "Sam Stone," and the folk and country standards "Angel from Montgomery" and "Paradise." The album also included "Hello In There", a song about aging that was later covered by numerous artists and "Far From Me," a lonely waltz about lost love for a waitress that Prine later said was his favorite of all his songs. The album received many positive reviews, and some hailed Prine as "the next Dylan." Bob Dylan himself appeared unannounced at one of Prine's first New York City club appearances, anonymously backing him on harmonica.

Prine's second album, ''Diamonds In The Rough'', was a surprise for many after the critical success of his first LP; it was an uncommercial, stripped-down affair that reflected Prine's fondness for bluegrass music and features songs reminiscent of Hank Williams's work as Luke The Drifter. Highlights include the allegorical "The Great Compromise," which features a recitation and addresses the Vietnam War, and the touching ballad "Souvenirs," which Prine later recorded with Goodman.

Later albums include ''Sweet Revenge'' (1973), containing such fan favorites as "Dear Abby," "Grandpa Was A Carpenter," and "Christmas In Prison", and ''Common Sense'' (1975), with "Come Back to Us Barbara Lewis Hare Krishna Beauregard". The latter album was Prine's first to be charted in the US Top 100 by ''Billboard'', reflecting growing commercial success. It was produced by Steve Cropper. Many veteran Prine fans view the release of 1978's ''Bruised Orange'' as a creative highpoint. The Steve Goodman-produced album gave listeners songs such as "The Hobo Song," "Sabu Visits the Twin Cities Alone," and the title track showing that he could capture the human condition as easily as writing politically inspired anthems.

In 1974, singer David Allan Coe achieved considerable success on the country charts with "You Never Even Called Me By My Name", co-written by Prine and Goodman. The song good-naturedly spoofed stereotypical country music lyrics. Prine refused to take a songwriter's credit and the tune went to Goodman, although Goodman bought Prine a jukebox as a gift from his publishing royalties.

The 1979 album ''Pink Cadillac'' features two songs produced by legendary Sun Records founder Sam Phillips, who by this time rarely did any studio work. The first song, "Saigon," is about a Vietnam vet traumatized by the war ("The static in my attic's gettin' ready to blow"). During the recording, one of the guitar amps blew up (which is evident on the album track). The other song Phillips produced is "How Lucky," about Prine's hometown. "Chinatown," the first song on the record, contains what is Prine's most controversial lyrics, including a reference to "a slant-eyed chicky" and the line "I got a sugar rush that'd make a nigger blush." The song initially appears completely at odds with the liberal-minded songwriter's previous work and baffled many fans and critics. It should be noted, however, that other songwriters of the era, such as Randy Newman and John Lennon, also wrote songs using strong, potentially offensive language, and Prine may have been assuming a character in a song whose lyrics did not reflect his own beliefs.

Prine continued writing and recording albums throughout the 1980s and formed his own record label, Oh Boy Records. His songs continued to be covered by other artists; the country supergroup The Highwaymen recorded "The Twentieth Century Is Almost Over," which had been written by Prine and Goodman. Steve Goodman died of leukemia in 1984 and Prine continues to perform many of Goodman's songs in concert to this day, such as "My Old Man."

In 1991, Prine released the Grammy Award-winning ''The Missing Years'', his first collaboration with producer and Heartbreakers bassist Howie Epstein. The title song records Prine's humorous take on what Jesus did in the unrecorded years between his childhood and ministry. In 1995, ''Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings'' was released, another collaboration with Epstein. Prine followed in 1999 with ''In Spite of Ourselves'', which was unusual for him in that it contained only one original song—the rest were covers of classic country songs—and all were duets with well-known female country vocalists, including Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris, Dolores Keane, and Iris DeMent (whom Prine appeared with on the Letterman Show & referred to as his "favorite girl singers".)

In 2001 John co-starred in the Billy Bob Thornton movie Daddy & Them (Alvin Montgomery), and "In Spite of Ourselves" can be heard as the end credits roll .

Cancer

In early 1998, Prine was diagnosed with squamous cell cancer on the right side of his neck. He had surgery to remove the diseased tissue and was left with a substantial loss of tissue. This was followed by six weeks of radiation therapy. Some of Prine's listeners believe that the surgery has added "gravel" to his voice.

Awards and influence

In 2003, he was given a Lifetime Achievement Award for songwriting by the UK's BBC Radio 2 and that same year was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. The following year saw his song "Sam Stone" covered by Laura Cantrell for the Future Soundtrack for America compilation.

Prine has taken his place as one of the most influential songwriters of his generation. In 2009, Bob Dylan told the Huffington Post that Prine was one of his favourite writers, stating "Prine's stuff is pure Proustian existentialism. Midwestern mindtrips to the nth degree. And he writes beautiful songs. I remember when Kris Kristofferson first brought him on the scene. All that stuff about "Sam Stone," the soldier junkie daddy, and "Donald and Lydia," where people make love from ten miles away. Nobody but Prine could write like that." In Johnny Cash's autobiography ''Cash'', he admitted "I don't listen to music much at the farm, unless I'm going into songwriting mode and looking for inspiration. Then I'll put on something by the writers I've admired and used for years (Rodney Crowell, John Prine, Guy Clark, and the late Steve Goodman are my Big Four)..." When asked by ''Word Magazine'' in 2008 if he heard Pink Floyd's influence in newer British bands like Radiohead, Roger Waters replied "I don't really listen to Radiohead. I listened to the albums and they just didn't move me in the way, say, John Prine does. His is just extra-ordinarily eloquent music—and he lives on that plane with Neil Young and Lennon." Prine received the Artist of the Year award at the Americana Music Awards on September 9, 2005. The award was accepted in his name by awards host and long-time friend Billy Bob Thornton.

Recent years

In 2005, Prine released his first all-new offering since ''Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings'', the album ''Fair & Square'', which tended toward a more laid-back, acoustic approach than, for example, ''Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings''. The album contains songs such as "Safety Joe," about a man who has never taken any risks in his life, and also "Some Humans Ain't Human," Prine's protest piece on the album, which talks about the ugly side of human nature and includes a quick shot at President George W. Bush. ''Fair & Square'' won the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. The album contains original songs plus two covers: A.P. Carter's "Bear Creek Blues" and Blaze Foley's "Clay Pigeons."

2010 kicked off with a flurry of Prine activity, as he stopped by ''The Marty Stuart Show'' on RFD-TV in January to perform three of his most popular recordings: "Speed of the Sound of Loneliness," "Souvenirs," & "Paradise." Later in May Prine appeared on Late Night With David Letterman, performing "All The Best" with Jim James of the band My Morning Jacket.

On July 3, 2010, Prine appeared at Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, Illinois, broadcast on American Public Media's A Prairie Home Companion, playing several of his songs.

Discography

Albums

Year	Album	Chart Positions			Label
		! style="width:50px;"	! style="width:50px;"	! style="width:50px;"
1971					rowspan="5"
1972
1973
1975
1976	''Prime Prine: The Best of John Prine''
1978	''Bruised Orange''				rowspan="3"
1979
1980	''Storm Windows''
1984	''Aimless Love''				rowspan="4"
1986	''German Afternoons''
1988	''John Prine Live''
1991
	''Great Days: The John Prine Anthology''
''A John Prine Christmas''				rowspan="8"
1995	''Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings''
1997
1999	''In Spite of Ourselves''
2000
2005	''Fair & Square''
2007	''Standard Songs For Average People''(with Mac Wiseman)
2010	''In Person & On Stage''

References

External links

''A Literary Evening with John Prine and Ted Kooser.'' March 9, 2005. The Poetry and Literature Center at the Library of Congress.

Interview with John Prine - KyndMusic, September 2005

1971 Radio Interview with John Prine on WGLD Oak Park - fr JOHNPRINE.NET

Category:1946 births Category:Living people Category:American country singers Category:American male singers Category:American country musicians Category:American folk singers Category:American singer-songwriters Category:Old Town School of Folk musicians Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Cancer survivors Category:Folk musicians from Chicago, Illinois Category:People from Maywood, Illinois

de:John Prine es:John Prine fr:John Prine sv:John Prine

Coordinates	52°15′″N22°16′″N
name	Georgia Gibbs
background	solo_singer
birth name	Frieda Lipschitz
birth date	August 17, 1919
death date	December 09, 2006
origin	Worcester, Massachusetts, United States
years active	1936–1966
associated acts	Ellis Larkins
notable instruments	}}

Georgia Gibbs (August 17, 1919 – December 9, 2006) was an American popular singer and vocal entertainer rooted in jazz. Already singing publicly in her early teens, Gibbs first achieved acclaim (and notoriety) in the mid-50's interpreting songs originating with the black rhythm and blues community and later as a featured vocalist on a long list of radio and television variety and comedy programs. Her key attribute was tremendous versatility and an uncommon stylistic range from melancholy ballad to uptempo swinging jazz and rock and roll.

Biography

Early life

Gibbs was born Frieda Lipschitz, in Worcester, Massachusetts, the youngest of four children of Russian Jewish descent. Her father died when she was six months old, and she and her three siblings spent the next seven years in a local Jewish orphanage.

Revealing a natural talent for singing at a young age, she was given the lead in the orphanage's yearly variety show. A reunion with her mother(who had visited her once every other month) occurred when the latter found employment as a midwife. However, mother's job often forced her to leave her daughter alone for weeks at a time with only a Philco radio for company.

Career

While still in Worcester and at the age of thirteen, she auditioned for a job at the Plymouth, one of the prime vaudeville houses in Boston. The manager of the Plymouth had already heard her sing on the local Worcester radio station, and Gibbs was hired and moved to Boston, eventually landing at the Raymor Ballroom. She joined the Hudson-DeLange Orchestra in 1936 (age 17), and toured with them for 10 months, under the name of Fredda Gibson. ''"You don't really know loneliness unless you do a year or two with a one-night band."'', Gibbs said of her life on the big band circuit, ''"Sing until about 2 a.m. Get in a bus and drive 400 miles. Stop in the night for the greasy hamburger. Arrive in a town. Try to sleep. Get up and eat."'' (Worcester Telegram & Gazette, May 12, 1994.)

She found steady work on radio shows including ''Your Hit Parade'', ''Melody Puzzles'' and ''The Tim And Irene Show'' and freelanced in the late 1930s and early 1940s singing with the bands of Tommy Dorsey, Hal Kemp, Artie Shaw and Frankie Trumbauer. While a Billboard article reports that it was with Trumbauer's orchestra that she appeared first time on disk with ''The Loneliest Gal in Town'' on Brunswick Records, liner notes from the 1998 Simitar compilation report her appearance on some of DeLange's recordings on Brunswick and, a recording exists with Hal Kemp from 1939. She first charted with Shaw's band in 1942 on ''Absent Minded Moon'' (Victor 27779) which received a lukewarm review at the time.

In 1943, name changed to Georgia Gibbs she began appearing on the ''Camel Caravan'' radio program, hosted by Jimmy Durante and Garry Moore, where she remained a regular performer until 1947. It was Moore who bestowed upon her the famous nickname "Her Nibs, Miss Georgia Gibbs": a playful reference to her diminutive stature of barely over five feet.

Gibbs signed with Majestic Records in 1946 cutting multiple records, but her first solo hit single, "If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake" (on the Coral label) did not come until 1950. During this period she also was the featured vocalist on tours with comedians Danny Kaye and Sid Caesar. Success as a singer outside of radio and variety shows continued to elude her, as noted in a 1952 ''Time'' article:

''"Georgia", they kept telling her, "you gotta get a sound." Musical soothsayers were trying to get Songstress Georgia Gibbs into line with the latest fashion. Perhaps, they thought, she should sing mechanized duets with herself (like Patti Page), or she might try an echo chamber background (like Peggy Lee). But gimmicks were not Georgia Gibbs's cup of tea. She had a big, old-fashioned voice, a good ear, a vivacious personality, and she knew how to sing from the shoulder. She would stick with plain Georgia Gibbs.''

Through 1949 and 1950 she appeared on TV shows ''Cavalcade of Stars'' and ''All Star Revue''. In 1951 she signed with Mercury Records where she ultimately had success "sticking with plain Georgia Gibbs". Possessed of a versatile voice, she cut a long list of well-received records in every category from torch songs to rock-and-roll, to jazz, swing, old fashioned ballads and cha-chas. The most successful,1952's ''Kiss Of Fire'', which she performed on the Milton Berle Show in that spring, reached #1 on the pop music charts. ''Kiss of Fire'' was adapted from the Argentinian tango ''El Choclo'' and the lyrics, arrangement and delivery communicate passion on a Wagnerian scale. It immediately became one of the defining songs of the era.

Sultry and throbbing, with a touch of vibrato, Georgia Gibbs' voice is best showcased on romantic ballads and torch songs like ''Melancholy Baby'', ''I'll Be Seeing You'', ''Autumn Leaves'' and ''You Keep Coming Back Like A Song''. Yet she could be equally thrilling belting out steaming jazz numbers like ''Red Hot Mama'', ''A-Razz-A-Ma-Tazz''; jiving with tunes like ''Ol Man Mose'', ''Shoo Shoo Baby''; or rocking out with ''I Want You To Be My Baby''. Her ''Swingin' With Her Nibs'' album (1956) demonstrated her natural affinity for improvisation as well.

In 1957, Gibbs signed with RCA Victor going on to chart with over 40 songs before retirement from singing, and was briefly successful doing rock 'n' roll songs as well. She continued to appear on many television shows including the Ed Sullivan show, and hosted one of her own, ''Georgia Gibbs And Her Million Record Show''. She cut her final album ''Call Me'', in 1966 and rarely performed after that.

Some notoriety followed Gibbs for her cover versions of music popularized by black performers such as Etta James' ''The Wallflower'' (recorded by Gibbs with modified lyrics under the title ''Dance With Me Henry'') and of LaVern Baker's ''Tweedle Dee'' (which outsold Baker's version, prompting complaint from Ms. Baker) and for her novelty number ''The Hula Hoop Song'', which was her last hit, in 1958. Decades later Gibbs commented that she, like most artists of the day, had no say in their choice of material and arrangements.

Personal life

In the late 1950s she married respected foreign correspondent and author Frank Gervasi, biographer of Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin, and whose books include ''To Whom Palestine?'', ''The Case for Israel'', ''The Real Rockefeller'' and ''The Violent Decade''. They had first met in Paris in the 1930s, but lost touch with one another for twelve years. The marriage lasted until his death in 1990; they had one child who predeceased Georgia.

Georgia Gibbs died of leukemia on December 9, 2006, aged 87, at New York's Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Survivors included grandson Sacha Gervasi (from her husband's previous marriage), her brother Robert Gibson and nieces Patty Turk, Jody (Babydol) Gibson. and Jody's sister Amy.

Recent years

Interest in Gibbs' work has enjoyed a revival with the re-issue on CD of long unavailable material. In her recent book, ''Great Pretenders: My Strange Love Affair With 50s Pop Music'', ''Newsweek'' music critic Karen Schoemer wrote: ''"What really turned me around, though, were her R&B; covers ... Georgia was the rare fifties canary with a genuine flair for rock and roll ... ''[b]y the time I was through listening ... I had a healthy new respect for Georgia, and a sense of indignation over her neglect by critics."''

Hit records

Year	Single	Chart positions
		! style="width:40px;"	! style="width:40px;"
		5	-
	25	-
		18	-
	21	-
	21	-
	6	-
	24	-
		1	-
	21	-
	22	-
		5	-
	21	-
	30	-
	30	-
		18	-
	21	-
	24	-
		2	-
	1	-
	12	-
	14	-
	51	-
	74	-
		36	-
	30	-
	20	-
	24	-
		68	-
	92	-
1958		32	-
1965		132	-
1966		-	37

# "Tweedle Dee" charted at #20 in the UK Singles Chart; "Kiss Me Another" at #25 UK

Selected records

1939: ''If It's Good (Then I Want It),'' (with Hal Kemp and his Orch.)

1940: ''The Laziest Gal In Town'' (as "Fredda Gibson"), (with Frankie Traumbauer and his Orch.)

1942: ''Absent Minded Moon'' (with Artie Shaw's Orch.)

1944: ''Milkman, Keep Those Bottles Quiet'' (V Disc with Tommy Dorsey's Orch.)

1946: ''Feudin' And Fightin', Ballin' The Jack (Majestic), Is It Worth It?,'' (Orch. directed by Earle Hagen), ''Ol' Man Mose, Put Yourself In My Place Baby, Willow Road, You Keep Coming Back Like A Song''

1947: ''Fool That I Am, How Are Things In Glocca Morra?, I Feel So Smootchie, Necessity, You Do'' (Orch. directed by Glenn Osser)

1948: ''The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else, The Things We Did Last Summer, Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams''

1950: ''A-Razz-A-Ma-Tazz, Ballin' The Jack (Coral), Cherry Stones'' (with Bob Crosby and The Mellomen, Orch. dir. by George Cates), ''Dream A Little Dream Of Me'' (with Bob Crosby and The Mellomen, Orch. dir. by George Cates), ''Get Out Those Old Records'' (with the Owen Bradley Sextet), ''I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine, I Was Dancing With Someone, I'll Get Myself A Choo Choo Train, I'll Know, A Little Bit Independent (with Bob Crosby), Looks Like A Cold Cold Winter, Red Hot Mama, Simple Melody (with Bob Crosby), Stay With The Happy People, Then I'll Be Happy''

1951: ''Be Doggone Sure You Call, Be My Life's Companion'' (Orch. directed by Glenn Osser), ''Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White, Cry, Good Morning Mister Echo, Got Him Off My Hands, I Still Feel The Same About You, I Wish I Wish'' (with Glenn Osser and his Orch.), ''My Old Flame, The Oklahoma Polka'' (Orch. and Chorus directed by Glenn Osser), ''Once Upon A Nickel, Shoo Shoo Baby, Tom's Tune, What Does It Mean'' (Orch. directed by Glenn Osser), ''(Ooh-oo, Ooh-oo, Ooh-oo) What You Do To Me'' (Orch. directed by Glenn Osser), ''While We Danced, While We're Young, While You Danced Danced Danced''

1952: ''Kiss Of Fire, A Lasting Thing, Make me Love You, A Moth And A Flame, My Favorite Song, The Photograph On The Piano, Sinner Or Saint, So Madly In Love, Winter's Here Again'' (Orch. directed by Glenn Osser)

1953: ''Autumn Leaves, The Bridge Of Sighs, For Me For Me, He's Funny That Way, Home Lovin' Man, How Long Has This Been Going On, I Love Paris, If I Had You, If You Take My Heart Away'' (Orch. directed by Glenn Osser), ''I'll Always Be In Love With You, It Had To Be You, My Blue Heaven, Regret If You Can, Say It Isn't So, Seven Lonely Days, Somebody Loves Me, That's All, Thunder And Lightning'' (Orch. directed by Glenn Osser), ''What Does It Mean To Be Lonely''

1954: ''After You've Gone, All Alone, Baby Won't You Please Come Home?, Baubles Bangles and Beads, Every Road Must Have A Turning'' (Orch. directed by Glenn Osser), ''How Did He Look, I'll Always Be Happy With You'' (Orch. directed by Glenn Osser), ''I'll Be Seeing You'' (Orch. directed by Glenn Osser), ''It's The Talk Of The Town, Love Me'' (Orch. directed by Glenn Osser), ''Mambo Baby, The Man That Got Away, Melancholy Baby, More Than Ever'' (Orch. directed by Glenn Osser), ''My Sin, Somebody Bad Stole De Wedding Bell, Tweedle Dee, Wait For Me Darling, What'll I Do, Whistle And I'll Dance, You're Wrong, All Wrong''

1955: ''Blueberries'' (with Hugo Peretti and his Orch.), ''Come Rain or Come Shine, Dance With Me Henry, Goodbye To Rome (Arrivederci Roma), I Want You to Be My Baby, Kiss Me Another, Sweet And Gentle, 24 Hours A Day''

1956: ''Comes Love, 'Deed I Do, Fool Of The Year'' (Orch. directed by Glenn Osser), ''The Greatest Thing'' (with Hugo Peretti and his Orch.), ''Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe, Happiness Street, I Get A Kick Out Of You, I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good), Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love), Lonesome Road, Morning Noon And Night'' (Orch. directed by Glenn Osser), ''On The Sunny Side Of The Street, One For My Baby, The One I Love (Belongs To Somebody Else), Pretty Pretty'' (Orch. directed by Glenn Osser), ''Rock Right, Silent Lips'' (Orch. directed by Glenn Osser), ''Tra La La'' (Orch. directed by Glenn Osser), ''Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams (And Dream Your Troubles Away), You've Got To See Mama Ev'ry Night''

1957: ''Fun Lovin' Baby, Great Balls of Fire, Hello Happiness Goodbye Blues, I Am A Heart A Heart A Heart, I Never Had The Blues, I'll Miss You, I'm Walking The Floor Over You'' (with Joe Reisman and his Orch. and Chorus), ''It's My Pleasure, The Sheik of Araby, Sugar Candy'' (with Joe Reisman and his Orch. and Chorus)

1958: ''The Hula Hoop Song, Keep In Touch, Way Way Down, You're Doin' it''

1959: ''Better Loved You'll Never Be, Hamburgers Frankfurters And Potato Chips, Pretend, The Hucklebuck''

1960: ''Do It Again, Fin Jan, Hush-A-Bye, In Other Words, Last Night When We Were Young, Loch Lomond, So In Love, Something's Gotta Give, Stay Here With Me, Tammy, Willow Tit Willow''

1963: ''Arrivederci Roma (Epic), Ballin' The Jack (on the Epic label), Baubles Bangles And Beads (Epic), Candy Kisses, Dance With Me Henry (Epic), How About Me, I Will Follow You, Kansas City, Kiss Of Fire (Epic), Nine Girls Out Of Ten Girls, Nobody's Asking Questions, Sugar Puff, Tater Poon, Tweedle Dee (Epic), When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You)''

1965: ''Don't Cry Joe, I Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way, In Time, Let Me Dream, You Can Never Get Away From Me''

1966: ''Blue Grass, Call Me, Kiss Of Fire '66, Let Me Cry On Your Shoulder, Mon Coeur A Tant De Peine Laisse-Moi Pleurer, Northern Soul, Venice Blue''

TV appearances

''American Bandstand''

*Guest - December 18, 1957 (1957)

''The Big Record''

*Herself - Patti Page (Host); Johnnie Ray; Errol Garner (1957)

''The Cavalcade of Stars''

*Herself - Jackie Gleason; Art Carney (1951)*''Frankie Laine Time'' - Guest - Jack E. Leonard; Jerry Vale (1956)

''The Ed Sullivan Show''

*scheduled guest - The Sparkletones; Mills Brothers; Sammy Kaye (1957)

*Herself - Gene Vincent & the Blue Caps; Carol Burnett (1957)

*Herself - Everly Brothers; Sal Mineo; Teresa Brewer (1958)

*scheduled guest - scheduled: Johnnie Ray; Jane Morgan; Ice Capades (1958)

*scheduled guest - scheduled: Charlton Heston; Eartha Kitt (1959)

*Herself - Fabian; John Wayne (on tape) (1959)

*Herself - Carol Channing; Wayne & Shuster (1959)

*scheduled guest - scheduled: Suzanne Pleshette; Tom Poston (1959)

*scheduled guest - scheduled: Red Buttons; Rowan & Martin (1960)

*scheduled guest - Oscar Hammerstein tribute: Della Reese; Jill Corey (1960)

''The Ed Wynn Show''

*Herself - Ed Wynn; Buster Keaton; The Keystone Kops (1950)

''Four Star Revue''

*Herself - Ed Wynn; Eddie Cantor; Jack Carson; Jack Gilford; Bob Sweeney; Hal March; Spike Jones Orchestra (1951)

''The Garry Moore Show''

*Guest - December 2, 1958

''The Shower of Stars''

*guest star - Frankie Laine; Gene Austin; Gary Crosby; Red Skelton (1956)

*guest star - Jack Benny; Yvonne De Carlo; Van Johnson (1957)

''The Steve Allen Show'' - guest star - Fats Domino; Steve Lawrence; Smith and Dale (1956)

''Toast of the Town''

*guest star - 1956 Ice Capades (1955)

*Herself - scheduled: Eartha Kitt; Lionel Hampton; Phil Foster (1955)

*Herself - Errol Flynn; Paulette Goddard (1952)

*Herself - Bunny Briggs; Nancy Andrews (1949)

Footnotes

References

''Time'', "From The Shoulder", July 28, 1952.

Top 50 Era-Defining Songs of the 1950s list

Review, ''So Hot It Sizzles!'', Michael Pendragon, 2/14/2004.

''Great Pretenders: My Strange Love Affair with 50s Pop Music'', Karen Schoemer, Free Press, 2006

External links

Discography

Category:1919 births Category:2006 deaths Category:American female singers Category:American Jews Category:Jewish American musicians Category:American singers Category:Deaths from leukemia Category:People from Worcester, Massachusetts Category:Traditional pop music singers Category:Mercury Records artists Category:Imperial Records artists Category:Bell Records artists Category:Apex Records artists Category:Cancer deaths in New York

fr:Georgia Gibbs fi:Georgia Gibbs sv:Georgia Gibbs

Healey Willan, (12 October 1880 in Balham, London – 16 February 1968 in Toronto, Ontario) was an Anglo-Canadian organist and composer. He composed more than 800 works including operas, symphonies, chamber music, a concerto, and pieces for band, orchestra, organ, and piano. He is best known for his religious music.

Biography

Willan was born in England, and he began musical training at age eight, with studies at St. Saviour's Choir School in Eastbourne. He continued at St. Saviour's until 1895, when he began working as organist and choirmaster at several London-area groups. He was admitted to the Royal College of Organists in 1897 (Associate) and in 1899 was made Fellow. In 1903 he became the organist and choirmaster of St. John the Baptist Church on Holland Road in London. He became a member of the London Gregorian Association (a society to preserve and revive "plain-chant") in 1910. He continued at St. John the Baptist Church until 1913, when he emigrated to Canada.

In 1920 Willan moved to Toronto to assume the title of Head of the Theory Department of the Toronto Conservatory of Music (now the Royal Conservatory of Music), of which he was advanced to Vice-Principal. He remained as Vice-Principal until 1936. Among his notable pupils were pianist Howard Brown, tenor Gordon Wry, and composers Patricia Blomfield Holt, Walter MacNutt, and Kenneth Peacock. In addition to his duties at the Toronto Conservatory, Willan became organist and choirmaster at the church of St. Paul's, Bloor Street. In 1914 he was named Lecturer and Examiner at the University of Toronto. In 1921 he was named as Precentor of the church of St. Mary Magdalene, Toronto, which became a mecca for church musicians (he retained that title until his death). In 1934 he founded the Tudor Singers, which he conducted until 1939 (when it disbanded). In 1937 he was appointed Professor of Music at the University of Toronto, which post he retained until his 1950 retirement; he also served as organist for the University.

In 1956 Willan received the Lambeth Doctorate, Mus. D Cantaur from the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Willan was made a Companion of the Order of Canada at its inception in 1967. He is frequently called "the Dean of Canadian composers."

Compositions

While serving as the organist and choirmaster at St. Paul's Bloor Street, Willan became interested in the music program at another Anglican church, the Church of St. Mary Magdalene. St. Paul's was an evangelical, low church; St. Mary Magdalene's, while much smaller, was notably high church or Anglo-Catholic. By 1920 Willan was assisting with choir practice. In 1921 he resigned his post at St. Paul's and turned his attention to St. Mary Magdalene's. He set about creating a great many liturgical works for use in the church's services. He remained at St. Mary Magdalene's until shortly before his death, last directing the choir in 1967.

Willan composed some 800 musical pieces, the majority sacred works for choir such as anthems, hymns and mass settings. His non-sacred opus includes some 50 choral works, 100 song arrangements for voice with piano accompaniment, many works for piano solo, for voice with instrumental accompaniment, two symphonies, a piano concerto, chamber works, incidental music for stage works, ballad operas, and at least one important opera (''Deirdre'').

In 1953 Willan received a commission to write an anthem for the coronation of Elizabeth II. The resulting anthem, ''O Lord Our Governour'', continues to be frequently performed.

:''Willan’s considerable output includes orchestral, choral, organ and piano, and chamber works, as well as music for plays and one opera. He is best known for his organ and sacred works, which show evidence of his love for plainsong and Renaissance music. For example, many of his liturgical compositions are based on church modes that date back 500 years. Also, his vocal lines are more melismatic and his style more contrapuntal and rhythmically free than those of his contemporaries. Willan’s larger choral works, however, were very Romantic in nature. His rich harmonic palette and luxuriant, soaring melodies stand as testament to his admiration of both Brahms and Wagner. His music represents a unique and beautiful combination of styles: both an homage to the sacred music of five centuries ago and a reflection of the innovations of the Romantic/post-Romantic period in which he lived.''

Personal

People who remember Willan from his time at St Mary Magdalene's like to moderate his somewhat dourly pious public image by quoting him—it was a mainstay of concert talks by Robert Hunter Bell—as to his provenance: "English by birth; Canadian by adoption; Irish by extraction; Scotch by absorption."

Sample Works

''Introduction, Passacaglia and Fugue in E flat minor'' (1916)

''Passcaglia and Fugue''

Epilogue

Operas

''L'Ordre du bon temps'' (1928)

''Prince Charlie and Flora'' (1929)

''The Ayrshire Ploughman'' (?)

''Maureen'' [lost]

''Indian Christmas Play'' [lost]

''Transit through Fire'' (1942, written for Canadian Radio)

''Deirdre'' (1946, written for Canadian Radio, revised for stage in 1965)

References

Church of Saint Mary Magdalene

Encyclopedia of Music in Canada article

Government of Canada site

Opera Glass

Canadian Music Centre article

Bibliography

Recordings

Healey Willan, ''In the Heavenly Kingdom'' Elora Festival Singers; Noel Edison, conducting; Matthew Larkin, organ; Joseph Schnurr, tenor. Naxos 8.557734. 2006.

Healey Willan, ''Organ Works'' Patrick Wedd, organ; Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church, Montreal. Naxos 8.557375. 2005.

Healey Willan, ''Faire is the Heaven'' The Choirs of the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Toronto; Directed by Giles Bryant. SMM7504

Healey Willan, ''Tenebrae Responsaries, Missae breves'' The Choirs of the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Toronto; Robert Hunter Bell, conducting. Virgin Classics/EMI, CDC 7243 5 45260 2 2. 1997.

Healey Willan, ''An Apostrophe to the Heavenly Hosts'' Vancouver Chamber Choir; Jon Washburn, conducting. Virgin Classics/EMI, VC 5 45183 2 4. 1996.

Healey Willan, ''Masses and Motets'' The Choirs of the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Toronto; Robert Hunter Bell, conducting. Virgin Classics/EMI, VC 5 45109 2. 1994.

Healy Willan, ''Selected Organ Works" Dr. Francis Jackson, Organist. York Minster, England. Columbia Records LP-ML6198, 1960s.

See also

Music of Canada

List of Canadian composers

Category:1880 births Category:1968 deaths Category:Canadian Anglicans Category:Canadian classical musicians Category:Canadian composers Category:Companions of the Order of Canada Category:People from Balham Category:Opera composers Category:The Royal Conservatory of Music faculty Category:National Historic Persons of Canada

de:Healey Willan ja:ヒーリー・ウィラン ru:Уиллан, Хили

Coordinates	52°15′″N22°16′″N
Name	Diego Torres
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Diego Antonio Caccia Torres
Born	March 09, 1971
Website	http://www.diegotorres.com/
Origin	Buenos Aires, Argentina
Genre	Pop, latin, rhumba, flamenco
Occupation	Singer, songwriter, actor
Years active	1988–2003 (acting)1992–present (singing)
Label	RCA (1993-1996)Sony Music Ariola (1996-2008)Universal Music Latin (2010-present)
associated acts	}}

Diego Antonio Caccia Torres (born March 9, 1971), is an Argentine Grammy Award-nominated pop singer and composer.

Biography

Diego Torres was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the son of Argentine singer Lolita Torres. In 1991, Torres' music career began with a band called ''"La Marca."'' Later, he began his first steps on TV starring in the successful TV series ''"La Banda del Golden Rocket"'' which stayed on air for three years. He loved soccer.

In 1992, he launched his first album, ''"Diego Torres,"'' produced by Cachorro López. This album was rewarded 3 times platinum. Two years later, and a little distant from TV, he launched his second album called ''"Tratar de estar mejor"'' which received 5 platinum albums in Argentina and gold and platinum albums in other Latin American countries. This album launched Torres to the international scene.

In 1996, the Italian producer Celso Valli produced Torres' third album, ''"Luna Nueva"'', and months later Diego started touring with his band all across Latin America, United States, and Spain. The album went on sale, soon becoming gold and quickly being rewarded with the platinum in Argentina.

In 1999, he recorded his fourth album called ''"Tal Cual Es"'', produced by Cachorro López. This album showed Diego's talent and creativity to compose and mix different Latin sounds, such as flamenco guitars as well as various other tropical sounds.

His next album was named ''"Un Mundo Diferente"'' which was recorded in the second half of 2001 in Buenos Aires and Miami. This album presents a variety of styles and merges with several Latin rhythm styles in most songs, such as in his most successful song so far, "Color Esperanza", which stayed at the top of the Argentine Singles/Airplay Chart for twelve consecutive weeks. The album received a Grammy Award nomination in 2003.

In 2004 brought a new challenge to Diego: the possibility of recording an MTV Unplugged, which would be aired in the MTV networks of Brazil, Latin America, Spain and United States. The reconversion of the acoustical in some of his hits along with the presentation of his new themes are part of this show, which is also produced on CD and DVD.

In 2006 he released his sixth studio album ''"Andando"'', proceeded by the lead single "Abriendo Caminos" featuring Dominican singer-songwriter Juan Luis Guerra. In 2005 he received the Platinum Konex Award as best Argentine male pop/ballad singer, shared with Sandro de América.

In 2010 he released his seventh studio album ''"Distinto"'' featuring his first the number-one ''Billboard'' Hot Latin Song single "Guapa".

Filmography

TV

1989: ''Nosotros y los Otros''

1990: ''El Gordo y el Flaco''

1992: ''La Banda del Golden Rocket''

1996: ''Luna Nueva ''

Theater

1990: ''Pajaros in the Nait''

1991: ''El Zorro''

1992: ''La Banda del Gordo Roque''

Discography

Studio albums

1992: ''Diego Torres''

1994: ''Tratar de Estar Mejor''

1996: ''Luna Nueva''

1999: ''Tal Cual Es''

2001: ''Un Mundo Diferente''

2006: ''Andando''

2010: ''Distinto''

Live albums

2004: ''MTV Unplugged''

Compilation albums

2008: ''Un Cachito de Mí: Grandes Éxitos''

2008: ''Todos Éxitos''

Other albums

1991: ''Compañías Indias'' (with his former group La Marca)

See also

List of singer-songwriters

References

External links

Official Site

Diego Torres fan page

Diego Torres - Interview to Diagonal (Spanish)

Category:1971 births Category:Living people Category:Argentine male singers Category:People from Buenos Aires Category:Argentine pop singers Category:Argentine people of Italian descent

de:Diego Torres es:Diego Torres fr:Diego Torres ko:디에고 토레스 it:Diego Torres pl:Diego Torres pt:Diego Torres ru:Торрес, Диего tr:Diego Torres