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Pair of windows, Old Ship Church, Hingham, Massachusetts

Windows of a brick building in Washington DC

Woven bamboo window in Japan

Church window

Factory site in Berlin-Spindlersfeld: window with letter S for Spindler

Classical Chinese window in Lan Su Chinese Garden

Arab-style windows in Jerusalem

Romanesque/Gothic window from Abbey of St. Maria d'Arles

A half-glazed window of the 17th century from Scotland

A window is a transparent or translucent opening in a wall or door that allows the passage of light and, if not closed or sealed, air and sound.^[1] Windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent material like float glass. Windows are held in place by frames, which prevent them from collapsing in. Many glazed windows may be opened, to allow ventilation, or closed, to exclude inclement weather.^[2]

Etymology[link]

The word window originates from the Old Norse ‘vindauga’, from ‘vindr – wind’ and ‘auga – eye’, i.e. "wind eye". In Norwegian Nynorsk and Icelandic the Old Norse form has survived to this day (in Icelandic only as a less used synonym to gluggi), in Swedish the word vindöga remains as a term for a hole through the roof of a hut, and in the Danish language ‘vindue’ and Norwegian Bokmål ‘vindu’, the direct link to ‘eye’ is lost, just like for 'window'. The Danish (but not the Bokmål) word is pronounced fairly similarly to window.

Window is first recorded in the early 13th century, and originally referred to an unglazed hole in a roof. Window replaced the Old English ‘eagþyrl’, which literally means ‘eye-hole,’ and ‘eagduru’ ‘eye-door’. Many Germanic languages however adopted the Latin word ‘fenestra’ to describe a window with glass, such as standard Swedish ‘fönster’, or German ‘Fenster’. The use of window in English is probably due to the Scandinavian influence on the English language by means of loanwords during the Viking Age. In English the word fenester was used as a parallel until the mid-18th century and fenestration is still used to describe the arrangement of windows within a façade.

From Webster's 1828 Dictionary: Window, n. [G. The vulgar pronunciation is windor, as if from the Welsh gwyntdor, wind-door.]^[3]

History[link]

The examples and perspective in this section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page. (April 2012)

The earliest windows were just holes in a wall. Later^[when?], windows were covered with animal hide, cloth, or wood. Shutters that could be opened and closed came next. Over time, windows were built that both protected the inhabitants from the elements and transmitted light: mullioned glass windows, which joined multiple small pieces of glass with leading, paper windows, flattened pieces of translucent animal horn, and plates of thinly sliced marble. In the Far East, paper was used to fill windows.^[4]

The Romans were the first known to use glass for windows. In Alexandria ca. 100 CE, cast glass windows, albeit with poor optical properties, began to appear. Mullioned glass windows were the windows of choice among European well-to-do, whereas paper windows were economical and widely used in ancient China, Korea and Japan. In England, glass became common in the windows of ordinary homes only in the early 17th century whereas windows made up of panes of flattened animal horn were used as early as the 14th century.^[5]

Modern-style floor-to-ceiling windows became possible only after the industrial glass making process was perfected. Modern windows are usually filled with glass, although a few are transparent plastic.^[6]

Types of windows[link]

Double-hung sash window[link]

A sash window^[7] is the traditional style of window in the United Kingdom, and many other places that were formerly colonized by the UK, with two parts (sashes) that overlap slightly and slide up and down inside the frame. The two parts are not necessarily the same size. Currently most new double-hung sash windows use spring balances to support the sashes, but traditionally, counterweights held in boxes on either side of the window were used. These were and are attached to the sashes using pulleys of either braided cord or, later, purpose-made chain. Double-hung sash windows were traditionally often fitted with shutters. Sash windows may be fitted with simplex hinges which allow the window to be locked into hinges on one side, while the rope on the other side is detached, allowing the window to be opened for escape or for cleaning.

Single-hung sash window[link]

One sash is movable (usually the bottom one) and the other fixed. This is the earlier form of sliding sash window, and is also cheaper.^[8]

Horizontal sliding sash window[link]

Has two or more sashes that overlap slightly but slide horizontally within the frame. In the UK, these are sometimes called Yorkshire sash windows, presumably because of their traditional use in that county.

Casement window[link]

Casement window

A window with a hinged sash that swings in or out like a door comprising either a side-hung, top-hung (also called "awning window"; see below), or occasionally bottom-hung sash or a combination of these types, sometimes with fixed panels on one or more sides of the sash.^[9] In the USA, these are usually opened using a crank, but in parts of Europe they tend to use projection friction stays and espagnolette locking. Formerly, plain hinges were used with a casement stay. Handing applies to casement windows to determine direction of swing; a casement window may be left-handed, right-handed, or double. The casement window is the dominant type now found in the UK and parts of Europe.

Awning window[link]

An awning window is a casement window that is hung horizontally, hinged on top, so that it swings outward like an awning. Emilie Poisson designed this window.^[10]

Hopper window[link]

A hopper window is a bottom-pivoting casement window that opens by tilting vertically, typically to the inside.^[11]

Tilt and slide window[link]

A window (more usually a door-sized window) where the sash tilts inwards at the top and then slides horizontally behind the fixed pane.

Tilt and turn window[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tilt and turn windows

A window which can either tilt inwards at the top, or can open inwards hinged at the side. This is by far the most common type of window in Germany, its country of origin. It is also widespread in many other European countries.^[12]

Transom window[link]

A window above a door; in an exterior door the transom window is often fixed, in an interior door it can open either by hinges at top or bottom, or rotate on hinges. It provided ventilation before forced air heating and cooling. ^[13] A fan-shaped transom is known as a fanlight, especially in the British Isles.

Jalousie window[link]

Jalousie or louvered window

A roof window at the Musée du Louvre (Paris)

Also known as a louvered window, the jalousie window consists of parallel slats of glass or acrylic that open and close like a Venetian blind, usually using a crank or a lever. They are used extensively in tropical architecture. A jalousie door is a door with a jalousie window.^[14]

Clerestory window

Clerestory window[link]

A window set in a roof structure or high in a wall, used for daylighting.^[15]

Skylight[link]

A flat or slope window used for daylighting, built into a roof structure that is out of reach.^[16]

Roof window[link]

A sloped window used for daylighting, built into a roof structure.^[17]

Roof lantern[link]

A roof lantern is a multi-paned glass structure, resembling a small building, built on a roof for day or moon light. Sometimes includes an additional clerestory. May also be called a cupola.^[18]

Bay window

Bay window[link]

A multi-panel window, with at least three panels set at different angles to create a protrusion from the wall line.^[19][20]

Oriel window[link]

A window with many panels. It is most often seen in Tudor-style houses and monasteries. An oriel window projects from the wall and does not extend to the ground. Oriel windows originated as a form of porch. They are often supported by brackets or corbels. Buildings in the Gothic Revival style often have oriel windows.^[21]

Thermal window[link]

Thermal, or Diocletian, windows are large semicircular windows (or niches) which are usually divided into three lights (window compartments) by two vertical mullions. The central compartment is often wider than the two side lights on either side of it.^[22]

Fixed window[link]

A window that cannot be opened, whose function is limited to allowing light to enter (Unlike an unfixed window, which can open and close). Clerestory windows are often fixed. Transom windows may be fixed or operable. This type of window is used in situations where light or vision alone is needed as no ventilation is possible through fixed windows.

Picture window[link]

A very large fixed window in a wall, typically without glazing bars or glazed with only perfunctory glazing bars near the edge of the window. Picture windows are intended to provide an unimpeded view, as if framing a picture.^[23]

Multi-lit window[link]

A window glazed with small panes of glass separated by wooden or lead "glazing bars", or "muntins", arranged in a decorative "glazing pattern" often dictated by the architectural style at use. Due to the historic unavailability of large panes of glass, this was the prevailing style of window until the beginning of the 20th century, and is traditionally still used today.

Emergency exit/egress window[link]

A window big enough and low enough so that occupants can escape through the opening in an emergency, such as a fire. In the United States, exact specifications for emergency windows in bedrooms are given in many building codes. Vehicles, such as buses and aircraft, frequently have emergency exit windows as well.^[24]

Stained glass window[link]

A stained glass panel depicting Biblical scenes at a historic church in Scotland

A window composed of pieces of colored glass, transparent, translucent or opaque, frequently portraying persons or scenes. Typically the glass in these windows is separated by lead glazing bars. Stained glass windows were popular in Victorian houses and some Wrightian houses, and are especially common in churches.^[25]

French window[link]

A French window, also known as a French door is really a type of door, but one which has one or more panes of glass set into the whole length of the door, meaning it also functions as a window. In France, they are known as 'porte-fenêtre'. In Italy they are very common, usually overlooking a terrace, known as portafinestra (door-window).^[26]

Technical terms[link]

The term "lite", or "light", refers to a glass pane, several of which may be used to construct the final window product. For example, a sash unit, consisting of at least one sliding glass component, is typically composed of two lites, while a fixed window is composed of one lite. The terms "single-light", "double-light" etc. refer to the number of these glass panes in a window.

The lites in a window sash are divided horizontally and vertically by narrow strips of wood or metal called muntins. More substantial load bearing or structural vertical dividers are called mullions, with the corresponding horizontal dividers referred to as transoms.

In the United States, the term replacement window means a framed window designed to slip inside the original window frame from the inside after the old sashes are removed. In Europe, however, it usually means a complete window including a replacement outer frame.

In the US, the term new construction window means a window with a nailing fin designed to be inserted into a rough opening from the outside before applying siding and inside trim. A nailing fin is a projection on the outer frame of the window in the same plane as the glazing, which overlaps the prepared opening, and can thus be 'nailed' into place.

In the UK and mainland Europe, windows in new-build houses are usually fixed with long screws into expanding plastic plugs in the brickwork. A gap of up to 13mm is left around all four sides, and filled with expanding polyurethane foam. This makes the window fixing weatherproof but allows for expansion due to heat.

A beam over the top of a window is known as the lintel or transom, while a beam below the bottom of a window is known as the sill plate, windowsill or window ledge.

The United States NFRC Window Label lists the following terms:

• Thermal transmittance (U-factor), best values are around U-0.15 (equal to 0.8 W/m2/K)
• Solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC), ratio of solar heat (infrared) passing through the glass to incident solar heat
• Visible transmittance (VT), ratio of transmitted visible light divided by incident visible light
• Air leakage (AL), measured in cubic foot per minute per linear foot of crack between sash and frame
• Condensation resistance (CR), measured between 1 and 100 (the higher the number, the higher the resistance of the formation of condensation)^[27]

Window construction[link]

5-chamber plastic window profile

Examples of modern plastic and wooden window profiles with insulated glazing

Modern wooden framed window fitted in the 14th century Lyme Regis watermill, UK.

Windows can be a significant source of heat transfer.^[28] Therefore, insulated glazing units consist of two or more panes to reduce the transfer of heat.

Grids or muntins[link]

These are the pieces of framing that separate a larger window into smaller panes. In older windows, large panes of glass were quite expensive, so muntins allowed smaller panes to fill a larger space. In modern windows, light-colored muntins still provide a useful function by reflecting some of the light going through the window, making the window itself a source of diffuse light (instead of just the surfaces and objects illuminated within the room). By increasing the indirect illumination of surfaces near the window, muntins tend to brighten the area immediately around a window and reduce the contrast of shadows within the room.

Frame and sash construction[link]

Frames and sashes can be made of the following materials:

* Vinyl and fiberglass frames perform well in accelerated weathering tests. Because vinyl is not as strong as other materials, some vinyl frames are reinforced with metal or composite materials to improve their structural strength.

** Modern aluminium window frames are typically separated by a thermal break made of a polyamide. This greatly increases thermal resistance, while retaining virtually all of the structural strength.

Composites may combine materials to obtain aesthetics of one material with the functional benefits of another.

Glazing and filling[link]

Low-emissivity coated panes reduce heat transfer by radiation, which, depending on which surface is coated, helps prevent heat loss (in cold climates) or heat gains (in warm climates).

High thermal resistance can be obtained by evacuating or filling the insulated glazing units with gases such as argon or krypton, which reduces conductive heat transfer due to their low thermal conductivity. Performance of such units depends on good window seals and meticulous frame construction to prevent entry of air and loss of efficiency.

Modern double-pane and triple-pane windows often include one or more low-e coatings to reduce the window's U-factor (its insulation value, specifically its rate of heat loss). In general, soft-coat low-e coatings tend to result in a lower solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) than hard-coat low-e coatings.

Modern windows are usually glazed with one large sheet of glass per sash, while windows in the past were glazed with multiple panes separated by "glazing bars", or "muntins", due to the unavailability of large sheets of glass. Today, glazing bars tend to be decorative, separating windows into small panes of glass even though larger panes of glass are available, generally in a pattern dictated by the architectural style at use. Glazing bars are typically wooden, but occasionally lead glazing bars soldered in place are used for more intricate glazing patterns.

Other construction details[link]

Many windows have movable window coverings such as blinds or curtains to keep out light, provide additional insulation, or ensure privacy. Windows allow natural light to enter, but too much can have negative effects such as glare and heat gain. Additionally, while windows allow the user to see the outside, there needs to be a way to maintain privacy on in the inside.^[29] Window coverings are practical accommodations for these issues.

Windows and the sun[link]

Sun incidence angle[link]

Historically, windows are designed with surfaces parallel to vertical building walls. Such a design allows considerable solar light and heat penetration due to the most commonly occurring incidence of sun angles. In passive solar building design, an extended eave is typically used to control the amount of solar light and heat entering the window(s).

An alternate method would be to calculate a more optimum angle for mounting windows which accounts for summer sun load minimization, with consideration of the actual latitude of the particular building. An example where this process has been implemented is the Dakin Building, Brisbane, California; much of the fenestration has been designed to reflect summer heat load and assist in preventing summer interior over-illumination and glare, by designing window canting to achieve a near 45 degree angle.

Solar window[link]

Photovoltaïc windows not only provide a clear view and illuminate rooms, but also use sunlight to efficiently help generate electricity for the building.^[30] In most cases, translucent photovoltaïc cells are used.

Window coverings[link]

A window covering is a shading or screening device that can be used for multiple purposes. For example, some window coverings are used to control solar heat gain and glare. Typically, there are external shading devices and internal shading devices.^[31] Low-e window film is a low-cost alternative to window replacement to transform existing poorly-insulating windows into energy-efficient windows.

For high-rise buildings, smart glass can be used as an alternative.

See also[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Windows

• National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC), a non-profit organization, administers an independent, uniform rating and labeling system for the energy performance of fenestration products. NFRC is the "engine" that drives virtually every window energy efficiency program in the country including ENERGY STAR (the U.S Government Sponsored Initiative).
• Roman Glass from Metropolitan Museum of Art
• The history of Metal Window
• The History Of the Box Sash Window

Frank Ocean
Frank Ocean performing at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2012
Background information
Birth name	Christopher Breaux
Also known as	Christopher Francis Ocean, Lonny Breaux, Frank Ocean
Born	(1987-10-28) October 28, 1987 (age 24)[1] New Orleans, Louisiana
Genres	jazz R&B, Neo Soul, Alternative hip hop, hip hop soul[2]
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, rapper, musician, entertainer, vocalist
Instruments	Vocals, Keyboards,
Years active	2007–present
Labels	Odd Future Records, Island Def Jam
Associated acts	OFWGKTA, James Fauntleroy II, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Beyonce
Website	frankocean.com

Christopher Francis Ocean (born Christopher Breaux; October 28, 1987), better known by his stage name Frank Ocean, is an American singer-songwriter from New Orleans, Louisiana. Breaux made an early career as a ghost-writer for artists such as Justin Bieber, Bridget Kelly, Aramide Makinde and John Legend. In mid 2010 he became a member of OFWGKTA premiering on Domo Genesis' track, "SteamRoller". In February 2011, he released his debut mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra to critical acclaim. He released two singles; "Novacane" and "Swim Good". Both singles achieved chart success. Ocean went on a 7 show tour through North America and Europe promoting the mixtape. He is currently located in New York City.

The mixtape caught the interest of recording artists such as Kanye West, Beyoncé Knowles and Jay-Z, and he appeared on Watch the Throne. He co-wrote the popular track "Thinking About You" for Bridget Kelly. On January 5, 2012, the BBC announced that he had finished in second place in the BBC's Sound of 2012 poll.^[3] Ocean is currently working on his debut studio album, set to be released in the first half of 2012, while the same year he appeared at Coachella and he is scheduled to appear at Lollapalooza.

Biography[link]

2005–2010: Career beginnings[link]

Frank Ocean began his career with the producer duo The MIDI Mafia. Ocean joined Los Angeles-based hip hop collective OFWGKTA, whom he met through his connections, at the end of 2009.^[4][5] In late 2009, he met Tricky Stewart, who helped Ocean sign a contract with Def Jam Recordings as a solo artist, however, he was initially unable to build a relationship with the company.^[5][6][7] In 2010, he changed his name from Christopher Breaux to Christopher Francis William Ocean via a legal website.^[5]

[edit] 2011–present: Nostalgia, Ultra and debut album

Ocean has written songs for Justin Bieber, John Legend, Brandy,^[5] and Beyoncé Knowles ("I Miss You" from the album 4),^[8][9] Ocean has also worked with Nas^[10] (on whose 10th studio album Ocean is expected to feature, along with fellow Odd Future members Tyler, the Creator and Hodgy Beats)^[11] and Pharrell Williams.^[12] On February 18, 2011, Ocean released his first mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra, to critical acclaim.^[5][7] His music mostly focuses on interpersonal relationships, personal reflection and social commentary.^[5] NPR's Andrew Noz calls Ocean's songwriting "smart and subtle...setting him apart from the pack."^[13] Rolling Stone magazine's Jonah Weiner calls Ocean a "gifted avant-R&B smoothie".^[14] In an April 2011 interview, Ocean stated that his relationship with Def Jam has strengthened since the release of his mixtape.^[4]

Ocean appeared in Tyler, the Creator's music video for the single "She", from Tyler's second studio album Goblin (2011).^[15][16] Ocean first performed with Odd Future at the Coachella Music & Arts Festival in April 2011, then later joined his OFWGKTA bandmates for the first time on tour from May 12 to May 19, 2011. They toured the eastern seaboard of the United States.^[17] On May 19, 2011 Ocean's record label Def Jam announced its plans to re-release Nostalgia, Ultra as an EP.^[18] The single "Novacane" was released to iTunes on May 31, 2011, and the EP originally was set to be released on July 26, 2011, but through his Tumblr blog on July 24, he stated that it would not be released on that date.^[19][20] In June 2011, Ocean revealed on his Tumblr that he would be working on the upcoming Kanye West and Jay-Z collaborative album, Watch the Throne.^[21] Ocean was ultimately a writer and featured artist on the tracks "No Church in the Wild" and "Made in America".^[22][23] On July 28, 2011 a song titled "Thinking About You"^[24] was leaked on the internet. It was later revealed the song was a reference track and written for Roc Nation artist Bridget Kelly for her debut studio album.^[25] Kelly who has performed an acoustic version of the song, retitled the song "Thinking About Forever".^[26] However, on September 15, 2011, a music video directed by High5Collective for Ocean's version was released, yet the song appeared on Bridget Kelly's debut EP Every Girl.^[27] His debut album is set for a release on Def Jam Records in Spring 2012.^[28] On March 8, 2012, a re-mastered version of "Thinking About You" leaked, intended to be a single.^[29] On April 5, Ocean released the cover art for his upcoming debut studio album's lead single "Thinkin' Bout You", revealing the song would be released to digital retailers on April 10.^[30] "It succinctly defines me as an artist for where I am right now and that was the aim," he said of the follow-up to the acclaimed Nostalgia, Ultra. "It’s about the stories. If I write 14 stories that I love, then the next step is to get the environment of music around it to best envelop the story and all kinds of sonic goodness."^[30]

Ocean used the entire melody and chords of The Eagles' song "Hotel California", without permission, on his own song, “American Wedding.” When asked about it, Ocean stated that Eagles band member "Don Henley is apparently intimidated by my rendition of 'Hotel California'. He threatened to sue if I perform it again." In response to Ocean's comments, The Eagles released a statement: “Frank Ocean did not merely 'sample' a portion of the Eagles’ 'Hotel California,' he took the whole master track, plus the song’s existing melody, and replaced the lyrics with his own. This is not creative, let alone 'intimidating.' It’s illegal. For the record, Don Henley has not threatened or instituted any legal action against Frank Ocean, although the Eagles are now considering whether they should.”^[31] In early 2012, a suit was filed against Frank Ocean for the use of Hotel California.

In March 2012, Coldplay announced that Ocean would perform as an opening act for a number of shows on their European tour in July and August 2012.^[32]

Discography[link]

Collaborative albums[link]

• The OF Tape Vol. 2 (2012)

Mixtapes[link]

• Nostalgia, Ultra (2011)

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

Hodgy Beats
Background information
Birth name	Gerard Damien Long
Also known as	Higashi Miyagi, Hype, Hodgy Long, Bodgy Heats, Hodgy Daddies
Born	(1990-11-09) November 9, 1990 (age 21) Trenton, New Jersey
Origin	Pasadena, California, United States
Genres	Alternative hip hop
Occupations	Rapper, Producer
Instruments	Vocals, Keyboards
Years active	2007–present
Labels	Odd Future Records, Fat Possum Records
Associated acts	Left Brain, OFWGKTA, MellowHype, Pusha T, M.E.D. Juicy J, Dat Nigga DeWayne Ward,
Website	http://www.hodgybeats.tumblr.com

Gerard Damien Long (born November 9, 1990), better known by his stage name Hodgy Beats, is an American rapper and producer. He is a member of the hip hop collective OFWGKTA as the duo MellowHype with Left Brain.

Biography[link]

Gerard Long was born in Trenton ,New Jersey, New Jersey, and was raised in Trenton, New Jersey. He is of African American and Filipino descent. At the age of eight, he moved to Southern California after his mom got married.^[1] He attended Pasadena High School in Pasadena, California.

On August 1, 2011, his long-time girlfriend Cortney Brown gave birth to their son, named Trenton.^[2]

Music career[link]

Hodgy Beats was an original member of OFWGKTA along with Tyler, the Creator, fellow MellowHype member Left Brain, The Super 3, Jasper Dolphin and Casey Veggies.

Hodgy was the first member of Odd Future to release a solo record, The Dena Tape, in 2009.

On April 5, 2011, MellowHype performed the song "64" on the Fuel TV program The Daily Habit with Bass Drum of Death.

Mellowhype also performed their song "65" for the BBC music showcase.^[3]

Hodgy Beats has been featured on various albums including Bastard, Goblin, Earl, Rolling Papers, and The OF Tape Vol. 2.

He recently worked on a song with Nas for his upcoming album 'Life Is Good'. Hodgy also worked on a song with Pusha T for his upcoming Fear of God 2: Let Us Pray, although it is not featured in the newly released track list. He also appeared on "Outta Control", a song from Stones Throw rapper M.E.D.'s album Classic, produced by fellow Los Angeles native Madlib.

Hodgy released "Untitled EP" on February, 24 2012; it contained 9 songs.^[4]

Hodgy made his television debut on Loiter Squad as an Aztec Warrior, in the ninth episode.

Discography[link]

Solo[link]

• The Dena Tape (2009)
• Untitled EP (2012)
• Rock/Slab (TBA)
• Damien (TBA)

With Left Brain (as Mellowhype)[link]

• YelloWhite (2010)
• BlackenedWhite (2011)
• Numbers (2012)

With OFWGKTA[link]

• The Odd Future Tape (2008)
• Radical (2010)
• 12 Odd Future Songs (2011)
• The Odd Future Tape Vol. 2 (2012)

References[link]

Patti Page
Page circa 1950s.
Background information
Birth name	Clara Ann Fowler
Born	(1927-11-08) November 8, 1927 (age 84)
Origin	Claremore, Oklahoma, U.S. [many sources give Muskogee, OK]
Genres	Traditional pop, country
Occupations	Singer
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1946–present
Labels	Mercury Columbia Epic Avco Plantation
Website	misspattipage.com

Clara Ann Fowler (born November 8, 1927), known by her professional name Patti Page, is an American singer, one of the best-known female artists in traditional pop music. She was the best-selling female artist of the 1950s,^[1] and has sold over 100 million records.^[2] Her nickname is The Singin' Rage (a phrase commonly followed by "Miss Patti Page").

Page signed with Mercury Records in 1947, and became their first successful female artist, starting with 1948's "Confess". In 1950, she had her first million-selling single "With My Eyes Wide Open, I'm Dreaming", and would eventually have 14 additional million-selling singles between 1950 and 1965.

Page's signature song, "Tennessee Waltz", recorded in 1950, was one of the biggest-selling singles of the twentieth century, and is also one of the two official state songs of Tennessee. "Tennessee Waltz" spent 13 weeks atop the Billboard magazine's Best-Sellers List in 1950. Page had three additional #1 hit singles between 1950 and 1953, with "All My Love (Bolero)", "I Went to Your Wedding", and "(How Much Is That) Doggie in the Window".

Unlike most pop music singers, Page blended the styles of country music into many of her most popular songs. By doing this, many of Page's singles also made the Billboard Country Chart. Towards the 1970s, Page shifted her career towards country music, and she began charting on the country charts, up until 1982. Page is one of the few vocalists who have made the country charts in five separate decades.

When rock & roll music became popular during the second half of the 1950s, traditional pop music was becoming less popular. Page was one of the few traditional pop music singers who was able to sustain her success, continuing to have major hits into the mid-1960s with "Old Cape Cod", "Allegheny Moon", "A Poor Man's Roses (Or a Rich Man's Gold)", and "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte".

In 1997, Patti Page was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. In 2007 Patti Page was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.

Early life[link]

Page was born Clara Ann Fowler on November 8, 1927, in Claremore, Oklahoma, (although some sources give Muskogee, Oklahoma).^[1] She was born into a large and poor family.^[3] Her father worked on the MKT railroad, while her mother and older sisters picked cotton. As she related on television many years later, the family went without electricity, and therefore she could not read after dark. She attended Daniel Webster High School in Tulsa, from which she graduated in 1945.^[4]

Fowler became a featured singer on a 15-minute radio program on radio station KTUL, Tulsa, Oklahoma, at age 18. The program was sponsored by the "Page Milk Company."^[5] On the air, Fowler was dubbed "Patti Page," after the Page Milk Company. In 1946, Jack Rael, a saxophone player and band manager, came to Tulsa to do a one-night show. Rael heard Page on the radio and liked her voice. Rael asked her to join the band he managed, the "Jimmy Joy Band." Rael would later become Page's personal manager, after leaving the band.^[6]

Page toured with the "Jimmy Joy Band" throughout the country in the mid-1940s. The band eventually ended up in Chicago, Illinois, in 1947. In Chicago, Page ate with a small group led by popular orchestra leader, Benny Goodman. This helped Page gain her first recording contract with Mercury Records the same year.^[1] Page became Mercury Records' "girl singer."^[3]

Music career[link]

Pop success: 1948 – 1949[link]

Page recorded her first hit single in 1947 titled "Confess," during a strike meaning background singers were not available to provide harmony vocals for the song. Instead, Page and the label decided to overdub her vocals on the song, in harmony.^[7] Mitch Miller, who produced for Mercury Records, was able to overdub Page's voice, due to his well-known use of technology.^[8] Thus, Page became the first pop artist to overdub her vocals on a song.^[1] This idea would later be used on Page's biggest hit singles in the 1950s. In 1948, "Confess" became a Top 15 hit on Billboard magazine, peaking at #12 on the "Best-Sellers" chart, becoming her first major hit on the pop chart. Page followed the single with four more in 1948-1949, only one of which was a Top 20 hit, "So in Love" (1949). Page also had a Top 15 hit on the Billboard magazine country chart in 1949 with "Money, Marbles, and Chalk."

In 1950, Page had her first million-selling single "With My Eyes Wide Open, I'm Dreaming," another song where she harmonized her vocals. Because she was overdubbing her vocals, Page's name would be listed on the Pop charts as a group name. According to one early-1950s' chart, Page was titled as "The Patti Page Quartet," among others. Towards the middle of 1950, Page's single, "All My Love (Bolero)" peaked at #1 on Billboard magazine, becoming her first #1 hit,^[1] spending five weeks there. That same year, she also had her first Top 10 hit with "I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine," as well as the Top 25 single, "Back in Your Own Backyard."

"Tennessee Waltz": 1950[link]

Towards the end of 1950, Page's version of "Tennessee Waltz" became her second #1 hit, and her most-popular and biggest-selling single.^[1] "Tennessee Waltz" was originally recorded by country music band Pee Wee King & His Golden West Cowboys in 1947, becoming a major hit on the country charts for them in 1948. It also became a major country hit for country star Cowboy Copas around the same time. Page was introduced to the song by Jerry Wexler, who suggested she cover a recent R&B version by the Erskine Hawkins orchestra. Page liked the song and she eventually recorded and released it as a single.^[8] The song spent 13 weeks at #1 between 1950 and 1951. "Tennessee Waltz" also became Page's second single to reach the country chart, becoming her biggest hit there, reaching #2. The song would later become one of the best-selling records of the time, selling seven million copies in the early '50s, which prompted various cover versions of the song to appear on the charts during the year.^[1] "Tennessee Waltz" has also represented the biggest commercial success for the overdubbing technique to date.^[8] Today, the song has come close to selling fifteen million copies. It also became the last song to sell one million copies of sheet music, due to the increasing popularity of recorded music. It was featured in the 1983 film The Right Stuff.^[9]

Breakthrough: 1951 – 1965[link]

Page with Frankie Laine, circa 1950s.

In 1951, Page released the follow-up single to "Tennessee Waltz" called "Would I Love You (Love You, Love You)," which was a Top 5 hit, and also sold a million copies. The next single, "Mockin' Bird Hill," (a cover of the version by Les Paul and Mary Ford was another major hit that year) was her fourth single that sold a million copies. Page had three additional Top 10 hits on Billboard magazine in 1951, starting with "Mister and Mississippi," which peaked at #8, "And So to Sleep Again", and "Detour," which had previously been recorded and made famous by Foy Willing and Elton Britt. Page's version became the most-popular and would become Page's seventh million-selling single.^[9] She also released her first studio album in 1951 titled, Folk Song Favorites, covers of Page's favorite folk songs. In 1952, Page had a third #1 hit with "I Went to Your Wedding," which spent two months at the top spot. Recorded in a country ballad style, the song was the flip-side of one of her other Top 10 hits that year, "You Belong to Me." "I Went to Your Wedding" became more successful, and the single became Page's eighth million-selling single in the United States (ironically, it displaced Jo Stafford's version of "You Belong to Me" at #1 on Billboard's Best Seller chart).^[1] She had continued success that year, with three additional songs in the Top 10 with "Come What May," "Once In a While," and "Why Don't You Believe Me" (the most popular version was recorded by Joni James).

In 1953, a novelty tune, "(How Much Is That) Doggie In the Window" became Page's fourth #1 hit, selling over a million copies, and staying on the best-sellers chart for five months. The song included a dog barking in the recording, which helped make the song popular and one of her best-known and signature songs.^[9] The song was written by novelty tune specialist, Bob Merrill. It was originally recorded by Page for a children's album that year.^[10] She had a series of Top 20 hits that year. A final single that year reached the Top 5 titled "Changing Partners," which peaked at #3 and stayed on the charts for five months. The song was also recorded in a country melody, like many of Page's hits at the time.^[9] Into 1954, Page had further hits, including "Cross Over the Bridge," which also over-dubbed Page's vocals and became a major hit, peaking at #2, nearly reaching the top spot. Other Top 10 hits by Page that year included, "Steam Heat" (from the Broadway musical The Pajama Game) and "Let Me Go Lover" (the best known version of the latter recorded by Joan Weber).^[10] In 1955 Page had one charting single with "Croce di Oro," due to the increasing popularity of Rock & Roll music.^[9] Unlike most traditional pop music singers at the time, Page was able to maintain her success in the late-50s (although not as successful as the early-50s), having three major hits in 1956, including the #2 hit "Allegheny Moon." In 1957 she had other major hits with "A Poor Man's Roses (Or a Rich Man's Gold)" (recorded the same year by Patsy Cline) and the Top 5 hit, "Old Cape Cod."

In 1956 Vic Schoen became the musical director for Patti Page producing a long string of hits that included Mama From the Train, Allegheny Moon, Old Cape Cod, Belonging To Someone, and Left Right Out of Your Heart. Page and Schoen’s most challenging project was a new recording of Gordon Jenkins narrative tone poem Manhattan Tower (recorded September 1956). The album was a tremendous success, both artistically and commercially, reaching No. 18 on the Billboard LP chart, the highest ranking of any album she ever made. Vic Schoen’s arrangements were far more lively and jazzy than the original Jenkins arrangements. Schoen recalled, “Patti was an alto, but I pushed her to reach notes higher than she had sung before for this album. We always enjoyed working together.” Page and Schoen kept in touch and worked together all the way up until 1999.

During the 1950s, Page regularly appeared on a series of network television shows and programs, including The Dean Martin Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, and The Steve Allen Show. This eventually led to Page acquiring some television specials of her own during the 1950s. Page would later have her own series, beginning with Scott Music Hall on NBC in the 1952-53 season, and a syndicated series for Oldsmobile ^[11] in 1955 titled The Patti Page Show. However, the show only lasted one season, as did The Big Record on CBS (1957–58) and ABC's The Patti Page Olds Show (1958–59). Page also acted in fims during this time, given a role on the CBS show, Playhouse 90. Page made her film debut in the 60s, with the 1960 film, Elmer Gantry.^[11] Page also recorded the theme song for the film, Boys Night Out, in which Page also had a role, playing Joanne McIllenny.^[12]

In the early 1960s, Page's success began to decrease,^[5] having no major hits up until 1961's "You'll Answer to Me" and "Mom and Dad's Waltz." Page had her last major hit on the Billboard Pop Chart in 1965 with "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte," from the film of the same name^[11] starring Bette Davis and Olivia De Havilland, which peaked at #8, becoming her last top 10 hit (and her first since 1957).^[10]

Adult contemporary & country music: 1966 – 1982[link]

Before releasing "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte," Page signed with Columbia Records, where she stayed towards the end of the decade. She released a few studio albums for the Columbia label in the 60s. Up until 1970, her singles began to chart on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart. Many of these singles became major hits, peaking in the Top 20, including cover versions of "You Can't Be True, Dear," "Gentle On My Mind" and "Little Green Apples" (the latter being her last pop chart entry). Page, who is a fan of country music, has recorded cover versions of many country songs throughout the years. Some of these songs were recorded under Columbia and were released as Adult Contemporary singles, including David Houston's "Almost Persuaded" and Tammy Wynette's "Stand by Your Man." Page left Columbia at the end of the 60s.

In 1970, Page returned to Mercury Records and shifted her career towards country music. In 1973, she returned to working with her former record producer, Shelby Singleton.^[10] Under Mercury, Columbia, and Epic in the 70s, Page recorded a series of country singles, beginning with 1970's "I Wish I Had a Mommy Like You," which became a Top 25 hit, followed by "Give Him Love," with similar success. In 1971, she released a country music studio album, I'd Rather Be Sorry, for Mercury records. In the early 70s, she had additional charted hits; her most successful was in 1973, a duet with country singer Tom T. Hall titled, "Hello, We're Lonely" which was a Top 20 hit, reaching #14 on the Bilboard Country Chart.

Also, in 1973, Page moved back to Columbia Records, recording for Epic Records (a subsidiary). In 1974 and 1975, she released singles for Avco records again, with country singles "I May Not Be Lovin' You" and "Less Than the Song," both of which were minor country hits. After a five-year hiatus, she recorded for Plantation Records in 1980. In the early 80s, she also performed with major symphony orchestras in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Mexico City, Mexico. She had a Top 40 hit with the Plantation label in 1981 titled "No Aces," followed by a series of minor country hits, including her last-charting single, "My Man Friday," which reached #80.

Later career: 1983 – present[link]

In 1986 Page and arranger Vic Schoen reunited for a stage show in Las Vegas.

In 1988, Page appeared in New York City to perform at the Ballroom, making it the first time she performed in New York in nearly twenty years. She received positive reviews from music critics.^[10] In the 1990s, Page founded her own record label, C.A.F. Records, which released various albums, including a 2003 children's album.^[11] In the early '90s, Page moved west to San Diego, California, and continued to perform live shows at venues across the country.

In 1998, Page recorded her first live album. It was performed at Carnegie Hall in New York and titled, Live at Carnegie Hall: The 50th Anniversary Concert. The album won Page a Grammy Award the following year for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance which, despite her prolific career, was her first Grammy.^[10] In 2000, she released a new album, Brand New Tennessee Waltz, which consisted of new music. Harmony vocals were provided by popular country stars, including Suzy Bogguss, Alison Krauss, Kathy Mattea, and Trisha Yearwood. The album was promoted at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee in 2000.^[13] On October 4, 2001, Bob Baines, the mayor of Manchester, New Hampshire declared the day "Patti Page Day" in the town. Miss Page was in Manchester to perform a sold-out concert at the Palace Theatre to benefit Merrimack Valley Assistance Program.^[14]

In 1998, a sample of Patti Page's recording of "Old Cape Cod" formed the basis of Groove Armada's 1998 UK hit "At the River". The lines "If you're fond of sand dunes and salty air, / Quaint little villages here and there..." sung in Page's multi-tracked close-harmony, are repeated over and over, with the addition of synthesizer bass, slowed-down drums and a bluesy trombone solo to produce a chill-out track. The success of this track exposed Page's music to a younger audience.

In 1999, Vic Schoen reunited with Page to record a CD for a Chinese label.

In 2005, she performed a series of engagements at a theatre in Branson, Missouri, starting on September 12.^[15]

Until recently, Page was a host of a weekly Sunday program on the "Music of Your Life" radio network. She and Jack White of The White Stripes were interviewed in January 2008, after the White Stripes recorded Page's early '50s hit, "Conquest" on their 2007 studio album, Icky Thump. Page and White were put together on the phone during the interview, talking to each other about their views on "Conquest."^[7] In 2007, Page was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.

Now in her mid-80s, Page continues to tour, performing 50 select concerts a year across the United States and Canada.^[16]

Style[link]

During the time of Page's greatest popularity (the late '40s and '50s), most of her traditional pop music counterparts included jazz melodies into their songs. Page also incorporated jazz into some of her songs; however on most of her recordings, Page added a country music arrangement.

During the '50s, Mercury Records was controlled by Mitch Miller^{[citation needed]}, who produced most of Page's music. Miller found that the simple-structured melodies and storylines in country music songs could be adapted to the pop music market. Page, who was born in Oklahoma, felt comfortable using this idea.^[8] Many of Page's most successful hits featured a country music arrangement, including her signature song, "Tennessee Waltz," as well as "I Went to Your Wedding" and "Changing Partners." Some of these singles charted on the Billboard Country Chart during the '40s, '50s, and early '60s for this reason.

Many other artists were introduced to Page's style and incorporated the same country arrangement into many of their songs, including The Andrews Sisters and Bing Crosby, who together had a #1 hit on the country charts in the late '40s with "Pistol Packin' Mama."

Personal life[link]

In his autobiography, Lucky Me, published in 2011, former major league baseball star and front-office executive Eddie Robinson discloses that he dated Page during the period before her first marriage.

Page has been married three times. She married University of Wisconsin student Jack Skiba in May 1948 and moved with him to New York, but asked for and received a no-fault divorce in Wisconsin within a year. Her second husband was Charles O'Curran, a choreographer, whom she married in 1956. Together, Page and O'Curran adopted two children: a son, Danny, and a daughter, Kathleen. They divorced in 1972.

Page married her third husband, Jerry Filiciotto, in 1990.^[17] Filiciotto died on April 18, 2009. They ran a maple syrup business in New Hampshire and resided in Solana Beach, California.^[11][18]

One of legendary Hollywood arranger Vic Schoen’s favorite singers for whom he arranged songs was Patti Page. Schoen once recalled, "She was one of the nicest and most accommodating singers I've ever worked with." She and Schoen remained close friends and spoke regularly until his death in 2000.

Discography[link]

(For a more complete collection, see List of songs recorded by Patti Page.)

Television appearances[link]

• What's My Line? (CBS, September 22, 1955) (Episode # 381) (Season 9, Ep 4) Mystery Guest
• Appointment with Adventure ("Paris Venture", CBS, February 26, 1956)

Filmography[link]

• Elmer Gantry (1960)
• Dondi (1960)
• Boys' Night Out (1962)
• 2004: The Patti Page Video Songbook^[19]
• 2004: Patti Page - Sings the Hits
• 2005: In Concert Series: Patti Page

See also[link]

• List of the best-selling music artists
• List of popular music performers

Bibliography[link]

• Once Upon a Dream: A Personal Chat With All Teenagers (1960)
• This is My Song: A Memoir - Patti Page with Skip Press (2009)

References[link]

External links[link]

• The Official Patti Page Website
• Patti Page Official Biography
• Interview with Patti Page
• Songwriters' Hall of Fame article on Patti Page

Josh Groban
Josh Groban, February 6, 2009
Background information
Birth name	Joshua Winslow Groban
Born	(1981-02-27) February 27, 1981 (age 31) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Easy listening, vocal, operatic pop, pop rock
Occupations	Singer, songwriter, musician, actor, record producer
Instruments	Vocals, piano, drums, percussion
Years active	1997–present
Labels	143, Reprise
Associated acts	Tenacious D
Website	joshgroban.com

Joshua Winslow "Josh" Groban (born February 27, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. His first four solo albums have been certified multi-platinum, and in 2007, he was charted as the number-one best selling artist in the United States with over 21 million records in that country.^[1][2] To date, he has sold over 24 million albums worldwide,^[3] and is the top selling classical artist of the 2000s in the US, according to Nielsen SoundScan.^[4]

Groban originally studied acting, but as his voice changed, it developed into a "significant instrument". Groban attended the Los Angeles High School for the Arts, a free public school where students received a conservatory-style education. His life changed when his vocal coach, Seth Riggs, submitted a tape of Josh singing "All I Ask of You", from The Phantom of the Opera, to Riggs' friend, producer, composer and arranger David Foster.^[5][6] Foster called him to stand in for an ailing Andrea Bocelli to rehearse a duet, "The Prayer," with Celine Dion at the rehearsal for the Grammy Awards in 1998.^[7] Rosie O'Donnell immediately invited him to appear on her talk show.^[8] Foster asked him to sing at the California Governor's Gray Davis' 1999 inauguration.^[5][9] He was cast on Ally McBeal by the show's creator, David E. Kelley, performing "You're Still You" for the 2001 season finale.^[10]

Early life and education[link]

Groban was born in Los Angeles, to Lindy (née Johnston), a school teacher and full time mother, and Jack Groban, a businessman.^[11][12] He has a younger brother, Chris, who shares the same birthday, four years later.^[13] Groban's father was born Jewish, and is a descendant of Russian and Polish immigrants;^[14] he converted from Judaism to Christianity when marrying Groban's mother.^[13] Groban's mother's ancestry includes Norwegian (from Toten), German, and English; one of her own grandfathers had been Jewish.^[15][16][17] Groban's parents practiced in the Episcopal Church.^[8]

Groban debuted as a singer in the fifth grade. His music teacher chose him to sing a solo of "S'wonderful" at the school's Cabaret Night, where he sang alone on stage for the first time. At this time, he was more focused on theatrical arts.^[8] In the summers of 1997 and 1998, he also attended the Interlochen Center for the Arts Camp in Michigan,^[14] majoring in music theatre, and began taking vocal lessons. Groban went on to attend the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts as a theatre major and graduated in 1999.^[14] He was admitted to Carnegie Mellon University, intending to study drama, but he left four months into his first semester. Offered a recording contract, he decided to pursue his singing career.^[14]

Music career[link]

1998–2001: debut[link]

In late 1998, the 17-year-old Groban was introduced by his vocal coach to Grammy-winning producer/arranger David Foster and future manager Brian Avnet.^[18] At the time Groban had no recording experience and was preparing to begin studying at Carnegie Mellon University.^[18] Groban worked for David Foster as a rehearsal singer on a series of high-profile events, including the January 1999 inauguration of Gray Davis as Governor of California and the 1999 Grammy Awards where—as a stand-in for Andrea Bocelli—he rehearsed Foster's "The Prayer" with Céline Dion. According to manager Avnet, Groban was very nervous about standing in for Bocelli and had to be talked into it, but his performance prompted the show hostess, Rosie O'Donnell, to ask him to appear on her show the following week, which then led to an appearance on the Ally McBeal show.^[18] David E. Kelley, creator of the television series Ally McBeal, created a character, Malcolm Wyatt, for Groban in the season finale aired in May 2001. The character of Malcolm Wyatt was so popular, prompting 8,000 emails from viewers,^[19] that Groban was asked to return the next season to reprise his role and perform "To Where You Are." Avnet claims this sequence of events effectively got Groban's career off the ground.^[18]

Groban was offered a recording contract at Warner Bros. Records through Foster's 143 Records imprint. Avnet told HitQuarters that Warner initially proved resistant to the deal because "They were afraid they wouldn’t be able to get a voice like that on radio."^[18] Explaining his reasons for signing the artist, Foster said: "I love his natural ability in the pop and rock arena, but I love his sense of classics even more. He's a true musical force to be reckoned with."^[19] Under Foster's influence, Groban's first album focused more on classics such as "Gira Con Me Questa Notte" and "Alla Luce Del Sole."

Groban performed "There For Me" with Sarah Brightman on her 2000–01 La Luna World Tour, and was featured on her "La Luna" concert DVD. He recorded "For Always" with Lara Fabian on the movie soundtrack to A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001). Groban performed in many benefit shows, including: "The Andre Agassi Grand Slam Event For Children," singing alongside Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Don Henley, and Robin Williams; "Muhammad Ali's Fight Night Foundation" which honored Michael J. Fox and others; "The Family Celebration" (2001), which was co-hosted by President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and David E. Kelley and his wife, Michelle Pfeiffer; and Michael Milken's CapCure event, which raises funds for cancer research.

The singer's self-titled debut album Josh Groban was released on November 20, 2001. Over the next year, it went from gold to double-platinum.^[20]

[edit] 2002–05: Closer

On February 24, 2002, Groban performed "The Prayer" with Charlotte Church at the closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, and by November, he had his own PBS special, "Josh Groban In Concert" (2002). In December 2002, he performed "To Where You Are" and sang "The Prayer" in a duet with Sissel Kyrkjebø at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway. He joined The Corrs, Ronan Keating, Sting, Lionel Richie, and others for a Christmas performance at the Vatican in Rome, Italy. In 2003, Groban performed at the David Foster concert for World Children's Day, singing "The Prayer" with Celine Dion and the finale song, "Aren't They All Our Children?" with artists including Yolanda Adams, Nick Carter, Enrique Iglesias, and Celine Dion.

Groban in concert at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, NH

Groban's second album Closer, produced and written by Foster, was released on November 11, 2003. Groban said that he believed that this second album was a better reflection of him, and that his audience would be able to get a better idea of his personality from listening to it. "What most people know about me, they know through my music. This time, I've tried to open that door as wide as possible. These songs are a giant step closer to who I really am and what my music is all about. Hence the title."^[19]

Two months after Closer was released, it rose on the Billboard charts from number 11 to number one.^[6] His cover of "You Raise Me Up" became very popular on the adult contemporary charts. Groban also performed the song "Remember" (with Tanja Tzarovska) on the Troy soundtrack, "Believe" on the soundtrack to the 2004 animated film The Polar Express, and a cover of Linkin Park's "My December".

In the summer of 2004, Groban returned to Interlochen, performing and discussing his earlier experiences with local residents and campers. On November 30, 2004, his second live DVD, Live At The Greek, was released; it was also shown as a Great Performances special on PBS. Also in 2004, Groban performed "Remember When It Rained," backed by a full orchestra, at the American Music Awards, where he was nominated for Favorite Male Artist in the pop category; he was also nominated for a People's Choice Award in that year. His recording of "Believe" secured a 2005 Academy Award nomination for the song's two writers, Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri,^[21] and earned them a Grammy in the category Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media at the ceremony held in February 2006.^[22]

[edit] 2005–10: Awake

Groban earned his first Grammy nomination in 2005 for his single "You Raise Me Up", in the category of "Best Male Vocal Performance". During the first week of September 2006, Groban's single entitled "You Are Loved (Don't Give Up)" was released exclusively on AOL's First Listen. His third studio album Awake was officially released on November 7, 2006. Groban performed "You Are Loved (Don't Give Up)" as well as two other tracks from Awake at his recording session for Live from Abbey Road at Abbey Road Studios on 26 October 2006. On that album, Groban also collaborated with British musician and songwriter Imogen Heap, on the single "Now or Never". He performed two tracks with the South African group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, "Lullaby" and "Weeping." Groban's "Awake" world tour visited 71 cities between February and August 2007, and travelled further to Australia and the Philippines with Lani Misalucha as his special guest in October 2007. He performed a duet with Barbra Streisand ("All I Know of Love") and with Mireille Mathieu ("Over the Rainbow"). As to his future, Groban is open to a plethora of possibilities. He said, "I am fortunate enough to have had many really big moments in my career. I think the mistake a lot of people in my position make is to always search for the next big thing. I am looking forward to playing some small theaters. I'm looking forward to writing more. I want to delve further into my acting career and explore some of the film and TV opportunities that I haven't had time for. My outlook is to expect the unexpected. And when the next step comes, I'm prepared to take it."^[10] Groban has also expressed an interest in performing on Broadway.^[23]

2010–present[link]

Groban finished his fifth studio album, entitled Illuminations, and the album was released on November 15, 2010.^[24] Most of the songs on the album are about "specific situations that I've had where love has existed and ultimately failed," Groban told The New York Times, adding: "And other songs are about the quest, and it just not working out." Groban wrote 11 of the 13 songs on the album.^[25] The first single from the album, "Hidden Away," was made available for free download via Facebook on September 8.^[26] “For me to sit in a room with a piano in one take with some of Johnny Cash’s musicians — that was totally new for me.” Josh added. “and I think that excitement is on the record.”^[25] On October 12, a second single from the upcoming album, "Você Existe Em Mim", was made available on iTunes.^[27] This song is sung in Brazilian Portuguese and was written by Brazilian artist Carlinhos Brown. The Washington Post said: "Illuminations" is not a revelation, but it offers a perfectly fine, and often quite lovely, glimpse at a pop-classical crossover artist in the middle of crossing over."^[28] Josh plans on making one more record with Rick Rubin.^[29] Beginning May 12, 2011 and continuing through December of that year, Groban undertook the 81-city Straight to You Tour to promote Illuminations, encompassing appearances in North America, Europe, and South Africa.^[30]

Notable performances[link]

Groban at the ET Post-Emmys Party, Walt Disney Concert Hall, September 21, 2008

On April 14, 2008, Groban joined Idina Menzel for a PBS Soundstage taping. The next day, he held his own taping for the same PBS TV series at Lincoln Center's Rose Hall at Jazz in New York City.

In June 2007, Groban recorded a Christmas album in London with the London Symphony Orchestra and the Magdalen College Choir, which he discussed on the DVD from "The Making of Noël". It was released on October 9, 2007, and is titled Noël.^[31] The album has been highly successful in the US, breaking numerous records for a Christmas album, as well as becoming the best selling album of 2007 in only its tenth week of release, at sales of 3.6 million.^[32]

On July 1, 2007, Groban performed with Sarah Brightman at the Concert for Diana at Wembley Stadium; it was broadcast to over 500 million homes in 140 countries.

On February 10, 2008, Groban performed at the 2008 Grammy Awards with Andrea Bocelli in a tribute to Luciano Pavarotti.

On May 12 and 13, 2008 At Royal Albert Hall, London, Groban performed as "The Russian" Anatoly Sergievsky; joining with Broadway stars Idina Menzel and Adam Pascal in "Chess in Concert" a live concert version of the musical Chess composed by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus of ABBA fame. This performance has since been made into a DVD and CD recording.^[33]

On September 21, 2008, Groban performed a comical medley of well-known TV theme songs at the 60th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.

In December 2008, Groban appeared on Never Mind the Buzzcocks. He performed a duet with Only Men Aloud! at the Royal Variety Show at the London Palladium for the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.^[34]

On January 18, 2009, Groban performed as part of the Presidential Inauguration ceremonies, performing "My Country 'Tis of Thee" in duet with Heather Headley.^[35]

On January, 19. 2009, Groban performed with Herbie Hancock as part of Feeding America's Rally Against Hunger in Washington DC. The event was also attended by Martin Luther King III and actor Ben Affleck.

At the 2010 BCS National Championship Game, he performed the Star Spangled Banner on Jan. 7, 2010, with Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, at the historic Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California.

Film and television appearances[link]

Groban has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show six times,^[10] as well as on The Ellen Degeneres Show, Larry King Live, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,^[36] 20/20, Today, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Super Bowl XXXVIII, and the Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade, the Rockefeller Tree Lighting. He has also been a guest co-host on Live with Regis and Kelly many times from 2006 to 2012.

Groban played Malcolm Wyatt, a preacher's son, on Ally McBeal, episodes "The Wedding" and "Nine One One" (2001).

Groban has made two guest appearances on the series Glee as himself.^[37]

Groban appeared on BBC Two's hit British music quiz Never Mind the Buzzcocks. His first appearance was as a guest on Omid Djalili's team. On December 21, 2010, he returned to Never Mind the Buzzcocks, this time as guest host/quiz master and ending the show duetting with Michael Ball in a version of "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables.

Groban appeared in The Office as Andy Bernard's brother in the episode "Garden Party" (2011).^[38]

On Tuesday, May 24, 2011, Groban appeared as a mystery guest star on the season 12 finale of Dancing With the Stars to surprise Petra Nemcova by singing "You Raise Me Up" to her dance. When she saw that it was he who was actually singing the song and not one of the usual performers, she momentarily was too stunned to continue dancing.

In the comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love., a film starring Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling, released on July 29, 2011, Groban played a character named Richard, a caddish and nerdy attorney.^[39][40]

In 2012, he appeared in episode 5 of series 12 of the revived British comedy panel show Room 101.

Voice type[link]

Various music critics have described Groban's voice in different ways, with some referring to him as a tenor^[41][42] and others as a baritone.^[43][44] In performance, Groban's music goes as low as G₂ (as in the songs "To Where You Are" and "Higher Window") and extends up to at least B♭₄^[45] (as heard in "You Raise Me Up" or in "February Song").^[46] This places his voice lower than the tenor range on the low end, and just short of Tenor C, and therefore above the baritone range, on the high end.^[47][48] There is currently no authoritative system of voice classification in non-classical music. The problem lies in the fact that classical terms are used to describe not merely various vocal ranges, but specific vocal timbres each unique to those respective ranges, and produced by the classical training techniques with which most popular singers are not intimately familiar and which are not universally employed by the few that are. In a 2002 New York Times article, Groban described himself as a "tenor in training".^[49]

Charity[link]

Josh Groban in concert at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall

Under the guidance of his mentor David Foster, Groban performed for many charity events that included VH1 Save the Music (2005), Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope (2005), Fifth Annual Adopt-A-Minefield concert (2005), 2nd Annual Grammy Jam (2005), Live 8 (2005), The Heart Foundation Gala (2005), and David Foster and Friends Charity Gala (2006). He also sang a solo on the recording of We Are The World 25 for Haiti (2010). Inspired by a visit with Nelson Mandela during a 2004 trip to South Africa, he established the Josh Groban Foundation to help children in need through education, healthcare and the arts. Mandela appointed Groban as an Official Ambassador for Mandela's Project 46664, a campaign to help raise Global awareness of HIV/AIDS in Africa. On April 25, 2007, Josh Groban performed with the African Children's Choir on American Idol's "Idol Gives Back" episode. Also on September 2, 2007, Groban donated $150,000 to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to fund music education.^[50] On February 28, 2008, he appeared in One Night Live at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada with Bryan Adams, Sarah McLachlan, Jann Arden and RyanDan in aid of the Sunnybrook Hospital Women and Babies Program. In honor of his 27th birthday, his fans set out to raise $27,000 in a project called "Raise 27". They ended up raising a total of $44,227 for the Josh Groban Foundation, to benefit the Noah's Ark children's orphanage called Siyawela in South Africa. Groban has since referred to this donation as "the best birthday present ever".^[51] For those who could afford the $1500 ticket, Josh Groban performed at the The Angel Ball on October 21, 2010. Proceeds went to the Gabrielles Angel Foundation for cancer research.^[52]

Impact[link]

Some of Groban's musical influences have been Radiohead, Steve Perry, Paul Simon, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Freddie Mercury^[53] and Björk. He cites as vocal influences "anyone who told a story with their songs," including Mandy Patinkin, Klaus Nomi, George Hearn, and Luciano Pavarotti.^[54]

He was named the #1 Best Selling Artist of All Time on Barnes & Noble in 2007. Groban has sold more than 20 million albums in less than ten years.

In 2002, Groban was listed as "100 Sexiest Newcomer" and in 2008, he became one of People's "100 Most Beautiful People".

Personal life[link]

Groban dated actress January Jones from 2003–06.^[55] Although maintaining a home in Los Angeles, he recently moved his primary residence to New York City, where he indicates that "dating can be very easy or very tough."^[56][57]

Discography[link]

• 2001: Josh Groban
• 2003: Closer
• 2006: Awake
• 2007: Noël
• 2010: Illuminations

Concert tours[link]

• Closer Tour (2004–2005)
• Awake Tour (2007)
• Before We Begin (2010)
• Straight to You Tour (2011)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Josh Groban

• Official website
• BroadwayWorld: Idina Menzel & Josh Groban to Star in 'Chess' Musical UK Concert?
• Chess in Concert (2008)
• Brown, Bob. "A Star in the Making: Who is Josh Groban?."^{[dead link]} ABCNews. com: 20/20
• Josh Groban at the Internet Movie Database
• Josh Groban video interview on Virgin Red Room
• Watch Josh Groban make a northern cuppa in this exclusive interview with Virgin Red Room