name	Susan
gender	Female
meaning	Lotus, Lily
origin	Persian
related names	Sue, Susie, Sukie, Susannah, Suzanne
wiktionary entry	Susan
popularity	Susan
articles	Susan
footnotes	}}

Susan is a feminine given name, a form of Susanna, deriving originally from Middle Egyptian "sšn" (lotus flower), first reported on an 11th Dynasty sarcophagus dating from approximately 2000 B.C. However, the Hebrew root for the name for the lily, שושן is derived from the root שוש or ששנ , meaning "to be joyful, bright, or cheerful", which is the basis for the word and name ששון Sasson, meaning "joy of life*". The Persian name for lily is سوسن ''sousan'', ''susan''. The name of Susa, an ancient city of Persia, may be derived from the lilies which abounded in the plain in which it was situated.

Variations

Susana, Susanna, Susannah

Suzana, Suzanna, Suzannah

Susann, Suzan, Suzann

Susanne, Suzanne.

Zozan

Nicknames

Common nicknames for Susan include :

Sue, Suse, Susie, Sukie, Sanna

Suzi, Suzy, Subo, Suzie, suz

In other languages

(Sousan, Susan) / (Savsan), (Süsan) (Sawsan) (Šušan)

Suzanne in French and Dutch

Susanne in German, Danish and Norwegian

(Shoshana) (often shortened to Shosh, Shoshi)

Zsuzsanna in Hungarian

Susanna in Italian

Susanna, Sanna and Susanne in Swedish

Xuxa in Latin origin

Zuzanna or Zane in Latvian

Zuzana in Czech and Slovak

Zuzanna, Zuzia in Polish

Susana or Susianna in Portuguese

Susana in Spanish

Sosamma in Malayalam

Susanna in Estonian

Сузана in Serbian

Сюзанна in Russian

ܫܘܫܢ or ܫܘܫܢܬ (Shushan or Shushaneh) in Assyrian/Chaldean/Aramaic/Syriac

Suzan in Turkish

Сусанна in Ukrainian

See also

Lazy Susan

List of Susans

References

External links

Famous Susans

Etymology of Hebrew "shoshana" - basis of the name "Susan"

Category:English feminine given names

br:Suzana cs:Zuzana da:Susanne de:Susanne es:Susana (desambiguación) eo:Susano fr:Suzanne (prénom) hr:Suzana it:Susanna ka:შუშანიკ hu:Zsuzsanna nl:Susanna ja:スーザン no:Susan nn:Susanne pl:Zuzanna pt:Susana ru:Сьюзан sk:Zuzana sl:Suzana sr:Сузана fi:Susanna sv:Susanna uk:Сусанна vi:Susan

name	Susan Boyle
birth name	Susan Magdalane Boyle
background	solo_singer
born	April 01, 1961
origin	Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland, United Kingdom
instrument	Vocals
genre	Pop
occupation	Singer
years active	2009–present
label	Sony Music, Syco, Columbia
associated acts	Elaine Paige, Geraldine McQueen, Emeli Sandé
website	}}

Susan Magdalane Boyle (born 1 April 1961) is a Scottish singer who came to international public attention when she appeared as a contestant on the TV programme ''Britain's Got Talent'' on 11 April 2009, singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from ''''. Her first album was released in November 2009 and debuted as the number one best-selling album on charts around the globe.

Global interest in Boyle was triggered by the contrast between her powerful mezzo-soprano voice and her plain appearance on stage. The juxtaposition of the audience's first impression of her, with the standing ovation she received during and after her performance, led to an international media and Internet response. Within nine days of the audition, videos of Boyle—from the show, various interviews and her 1999 rendition of "Cry Me a River"—had been watched over 100 million times. Her audition video has been viewed on the internet several hundred million times. Despite the sustained media interest she later finished in second place in the final of the show behind dance troupe Diversity.

Boyle's debut album, ''I Dreamed a Dream'' (2009) remains as the UK best-selling debut album of all time, beating previous record holder, ''Spirit'' by Leona Lewis. ''I Dreamed a Dream'' is ranked fourth in its first week sales according to the Official Chart Company in the United Kingdom. In her first year of fame, Boyle made a fortune of £5 million with the release of ''I Dreamed a Dream'' and its lead off singles, "I Dreamed a Dream" and "Wild Horses". The success was continued with her second album, ''The Gift'' (2010), and was followed by Boyle's third album, ''Someone to Watch Over Me'', released on 31 October 2011.

Life and career

Early life and childhood

Boyle was raised in Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland, by her parents Patrick Boyle, a miner, World War II veteran and singer at the Bishop's Blaize, and Bridget, a shorthand typist, whose family comes from County Donegal, Ireland. She was the youngest of four brothers and five sisters. Boyle was briefly deprived of oxygen during a difficult birth resulting in learning disability. Boyle says she was bullied as a child and was nicknamed "Susie Simple" at school.

After leaving school with few qualifications, she was employed for the only time in her life as a trainee cook in the kitchen of West Lothian College for six months, took part in government training programmes, and performed at a number of local venues.

Early musical training and career

Boyle took singing lessons from voice coach Fred O'Neil. She attended Edinburgh Acting School and took part in the Edinburgh Fringe. Prior to ''Britain's Got Talent'', her main experience had come from singing in her local Catholic church, Our Lady of Lourdes; in local choirs; and in karaoke performances at pubs in and around her village. She had also auditioned several times for ''My Kind of People''. She has also long participated in her parish church's pilgrimages to the Knock Shrine, County Mayo, Ireland, and has sung there at the Marian basilica.

Her repertoire through the years has included songs such as "The Way We Were" and "I Don't Know How to Love Him." British tabloids claimed "exclusives" of video clips of some early performances. In 1995, her audition for Michael Barrymore's ''My Kind of People'' at the Olympia Shopping Centre in East Kilbride was filmedthe amateur video shows Barrymore was more interested in mocking her than in her ability to sing.

In 1999, she submitted a track for a charity CD to commemorate the Millennium produced at a West Lothian school. Only 1,000 copies of the CD, ''Music for a Millennium Celebration, Sounds of West Lothian'', were pressed. An early review in the ''West Lothian Herald & Post'' said Boyle's rendition of "Cry Me a River" was "heartbreaking" and "had been on repeat in my CD player ever since I got this CD..." The recording found its way onto the internet following her first televised appearance and the ''New York Post'' said it showed that Boyle was "not a one trick pony." ''Hello!'' said the recording "cement[ed] her status" as a singing star.

In 1998, Boyle recorded three tracks "Cry Me A River", "Killing Me Softly" & "Don't Cry For Me Argentina"at Heartbeat Studio, Midlothian. She used all her savings to pay for a professionally cut demo, copies of which she later sent to record companies, radio talent competitions, local and national TV. The demo consisted of her versions of "Cry Me a River" and "Killing Me Softly with His Song"; the songs were uploaded to the Internet after her ''BGT'' audition.

After Boyle won several local singing competitions, her mother urged her to enter ''Britain's Got Talent'' and take the risk of singing in front of an audience larger than her parish church. Former coach O'Neil said Boyle abandoned an audition for ''The X Factor'' because she believed people were being chosen for their looks. She almost abandoned her plan to enter ''Britain's Got Talent'' believing she was too old, but O'Neil persuaded her to audition nevertheless. Boyle said that she was motivated to seek a musical career to pay tribute to her mother. Her performance on the show was the first time she had sung in public since her mother died.

''Britain's Got Talent'' (2008–2009)

In August 2008, Boyle applied for an audition for the third series of ''Britain's Got Talent'' (as contestant number 43212) and was accepted after a preliminary audition in Glasgow. When Boyle first appeared on ''Britain's Got Talent'' at the city's Clyde Auditorium, she said that she aspired to become a professional singer "as successful as Elaine Paige". Boyle sang "I Dreamed a Dream" from ''Les Misérables'' in the first round of the third series of ''Britain's Got Talent'', which was watched by over 10 million viewers when it aired on 11 April 2009. Programme judge Amanda Holden remarked upon the audience's initially cynical attitude, and the subsequent "biggest wake-up call ever" upon hearing her performance.

This performance was widely reported and tens of millions of people viewed the video on YouTube. Boyle was "absolutely gobsmacked" by the strength of this reaction. Since the appearance, Paige has expressed interest in singing a duet with Boyle, and has called her "a role model for everyone who has a dream". Boyle's rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" has been credited with causing a surge in ticket sales in the Vancouver production of ''Les Misérables''. Cameron Mackintosh, the producer of the ''Les Misérables'' musical, also praised the performance, as thrilling and uplifting".

She was one of 40 acts that were put through to the semi-finals. She appeared last on the first semi-final on 24 May 2009, performing "Memory" from the musical ''Cats''. In the public vote she was the act to receive the highest number of votes and go through to the final. She was the clear favourite to win the final, but ended up in second place to Diversity; the UK TV audience was a record of 17.3 million viewers.

The Press Complaints Commission (PCC) became concerned by press reports about Boyle's erratic behaviour and speculation about her mental condition and wrote to remind editors about clause 3 (privacy) of their code of press conduct. The day after the final, Boyle was admitted to The Priory, a private psychiatric clinic in London, TalkbackThames explained "Following Saturday night's show, Susan is exhausted and emotionally drained." Her stay in hospital attracted widespread attention, with Prime Minister Gordon Brown wishing her well. Cowell offered to waive Boyle's contractual obligation to take part in the BGT tour. Her family said "she's been battered non-stop for the last seven weeks and it has taken its toll [...but...] her dream is very much alive," as she had been invited to the Independence Day celebrations at the White House.

Boyle left the clinic five days after her admission and said she would participate in the BGT tour. Despite health worries, she appeared in 20 of the 24 dates of the tour, and was well received in cities such as Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Dublin, Sheffield, Coventry, Birmingham and London. The ''Belfast Telegraph'' said "Despite reports of crumbling under the pressure..., she exuded a confidence resembling that of a veteran who has been performing for years".

''I Dreamed a Dream'' and tour (2009–2010)

Boyle's first album, ''I Dreamed a Dream'', was released on 23 November 2009. The album includes covers of "Wild Horses" and "You'll See" as well as "I Dreamed a Dream", and "Cry Me a River". ''I Dreamed a Dream'' became Amazon.com's best-selling album in pre-sales on 4 September 2009, three months before the scheduled release. In Britain, Boyle's debut album was recognised as the fastest selling UK debut album of all time selling 411,820 copies, beating the previous fastest selling debut of all time, ''Spirit'' by Leona Lewis. ''I Dreamed a Dream'' also outsold the rest of the top 5 albums combined in its first week.

In the U.S., the album sold 701,000 copies in its first week, the best opening week for a debut artist in over a decade. It topped the ''Billboard'' chart for six straight weeks and although it narrowly failed to become the best-selling album of 2009, with sales of 3,104,000 compared to 3,217,000 for Taylor Swift's ''Fearless'', it was one of only two albums to sell over 3 million copies in the U.S., and was also the top selling "physical" album of 2009, with only 86,000 of its sales coming from digital downloads. This has in turn garnered more media attention, as mentioned by ''People'' magazine.

In Italy, it was the first album of the month in the Italian No. 1 Account by a non-Italian artist ever. In only a week, it sold more than 2 million copies worldwide, becoming the fastest selling global female debut album.

Boyle gave a U.S. concert tour in November as a lead-up to the album release. On 13 December 2009 she appeared in her own television special "I Dreamed a Dream: the Susan Boyle Story", featuring a duet with Elaine Paige. It got ratings of 10 million viewers in the United Kingdom and in America was the TV Guide Network's highest rated television special in its history.

In November 2009 it was reported that Boyle's rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" would be the theme song of the anime movie ''Eagle Talon The Movie 3'' which was later released in Japan on 16 January 2010. Boyle performed for Pope Benedict XVI on his tour of Britain in 2010. In May 2010, Susan Boyle was voted by ''Time'' magazine as the seventh most influential person in the world.

''The Gift'' (2010–2011)

On 9 July 2010, Boyle announced that her second album would be a Christmas album entitled ''The Gift''. As part of the lead-up to the album, she held a competition called ''Susan's Search'', the winner of which sang a duet with her on her new CD. The album was released on 8 November 2010.

The album was produced by Steve Mac, who said that "Now Susan's used to the studio and the recording process, this time round we might go even further down a traditional route of recording by getting a band together and rehearsing songs before we go into the studio to see what works, how she reacts with certain parts, and so we can change the arrangements that way. I think that’s going to work much better....With Susan it’s very important she connects with the public and the public connect with her. She doesn’t want to sing anything that hasn’t happened to her or she can’t relate to." Boyle has suggested the album will include some jazz numbers now she's "a bit more content" within herself. "My next album has to have an element of surprise in it again. I'm hoping to make it better and a bit extra special."

In November 2010, Boyle became only one of three to ever top both the UK and US album charts twice in the same year. On 30 November 2010, in the United States, Boyle performed on ABC's ''The View'' singing "O Holy Night" and then on NBC's ''Christmas at Rockefeller Center'' program performing "Perfect Day" and "Away in a Manger". During her appearance on ''The View'' she was unable to finish her song, stating that she had a "frog in her throat"; she wanted to start the song over but was not allowed to. The audience applauded her anyway and she later performed an unaired version of the song which was uploaded to ''The View's'' YouTube account.

''Someone to Watch Over Me'' (2011–present)

Emeli Sande was reported to have helped Boyle to write songs for her third studio album, which was released on 31 October 2011. Boyle performed on the second semi-final results show of the sixth season of ''America's Got Talent'', which aired on 31 August 2011.

Boyle made her first appearance in Australia, on ''X Factor Australia'', on 8 November 2011 and sang "Autumm Leaves".

Media impact

Websites such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter have been crucial in facilitating Boyle's rapid rise to fame: The most popular YouTube video submission of her audition garnered nearly 2.5 million views in the first 72 hours. On the day following the performance, the YouTube video was the most popular article on Digg and made the front page of Reddit. Within a week, the audition performance had been viewed more than 66 million times, setting an online record, while on Wikipedia her biographical article attracted nearly half a million page views. A total of 103 million video views on 20 different Web sites was reached within nine days. The ''Los Angeles Times'' wrote that her popularity on YouTube may in part be due to the broad range of emotion packed into a short clip which was "perfect for the Internet". In December 2009 her audition was named the most watched YouTube video of the year with over 120 million viewings, more than three times higher than the second most popular video.

Additionally, Boyle’s first on camera interview with Scots journalist Richard Mooney for her local newspaper the West Lothian Courier, was named as YouTube’s Most Memorable Video of 2009. The video went viral after being uploaded to YouTube on 14 April 2009.

Many newspapers around the world (including China, Brazil and the Middle East) carried articles on Boyle's performance. British tabloid ''The Sun'' gave her the nickname "Paula Potts" in reference to the first series' winner Paul Potts. Later, the British press took to referring to her by a short-form of her name, 'SuBo'. In the U.S., several commentators also drew parallels between Boyle's performance and that of Potts. ''ABC News'' hailed "Britain's newest pop sensation", and its Entertainment section headlined Boyle as "The Woman Who Shut Up Simon Cowell".

Within the week following her performance on ''Britain's Got Talent'', Boyle was a guest on STV's ''The Five Thirty Show''. She was interviewed via satellite on CBS's ''Early Show'', ''Good Morning America'', NBC's Today, FOX's ''America's Newsroom''. and ''The Oprah Winfrey Show''. Via satellite on ''Larry King Live'', Boyle performed an a cappella verse of "My Heart Will Go On". She was also portrayed in drag by Jay Leno, who joked that they were related through his mother's Scottish heritage.

At the invitation of NHK, a major Japanese broadcaster, Boyle appeared as a guest singer for the 2009 edition of Kōhaku Uta Gassen, annual songfest on 31 December in Tokyo. She was introduced as the by the MCs and appeared on the stage escorted by Takuya Kimura, and sang "I Dreamed a Dream".

Although Boyle was not eligible for the 2010 Grammy Awards, its host Stephen Colbert paid tribute to Boyle at the ceremony, telling its audience "you may be the coolest people in the world, but this year your industry was saved by a 48-year-old Scottish cat lady in sensible shoes." There was also earlier controversy, when Boyle was not nominated in any of the categories for the 2010 Brit Awards.

Stage musical

A stage musical of Boyle's life was originally planned with Boyle appearing as herself. She said she hated "having to sit watching people up there" who are actors. However it was later decided that actress Elaine C Smith would portray her and Boyle would join the cast of ''I Dreamed a Dream'' for a cameo appearance.

''I Dreamed a Dream'' opened on 27 March 2012 with fans from all over the world occupying the Theatre Royal, Newcastle for the opening week. The musical received rave reviews. David Cavendish wrote in his 5 star review “The overall shape of the show is hard to fault, and in matching the gutsy good humour of its heroine without stooping to hagiography, this is a delight that deserves to go far, and fast, as she has done.” John Dixon from his 5 star review on WhatsOnStage.com wrote "This production is a standalone show that should still play to audiences long after Elaine C Smith and Susan Boyle have left. In fact it deserves to become recognised as the Scottish equivalent to Blood Brothers, so strong are the production values. There is no doubting I Dreamed A Dream is one of the musical events of the year."

The musical will later tour the UK and Ireland.

Social analyses

Judging by appearance

''The Huffington Post'' noted that the producers of the show would have anticipated the potential of this story arc, by deliberately presenting Boyle in a manner that would enhance this initial reaction. ''The Herald'' described Boyle's story as a modern parable and a rebuke to people's tendency to judge others based on their physical appearance. Similarly, ''Entertainment Weekly'' said that Boyle's performance was a victory for talent and artistry in a culture obsessed with physical attractiveness and presentation. ''The Washington Post'' believed that her initial demeanour and homely appearance caused the judges and audience to be "waiting for her to squawk like a duck". New York's ''Daily News'' said that an underdog being ridiculed or humiliated but then enjoying an unexpected triumph is a common trope in literature, and the stark contrast between the audience's low expectations and the quality of her singing made Boyle's performance such an engaging piece of television.

Feminist view

R.M. Campbell, music critic for ''The Gathering Note'' compared her to Ella Fitzgerald, in that "[... it is] really, really hard to make a career if a woman isn't attractive." In another ''Huffington Post'' article, Letty Cottin Pogrebin wrote that although people may "weep for the years of wasted talent", Boyle's performance was a triumph for "women of a certain age" over a youth culture that often dismisses middle-aged women. Tanya Gold wrote in ''The Guardian'' that the difference between Boyle's hostile reception and the more neutral response to Paul Potts in his first audition reflected society's expectation that women be both good-looking and talented, with no such expectation existing for men. Los Angeles vocal coach Eric Vetro stated, "She's an Everywoman as opposed to an untouchable fantasy goddess, so maybe that's why people react to her."

American Dream

Several media sources have commented that Boyle's success seemed to have particular resonance in the United States. An American entertainment correspondent was quoted in ''The Scotsman'' comparing Boyle's story to the American Dream, as representing talent overcoming adversity and poverty. The ''Associated Press'' described this as Boyle's "hardscrabble story", dwelling on her modest lifestyle and what they characterised as urban deprivation in her home town. Similarly, ''The Independent'''s New York correspondent David Usborne wrote that the United States will always respond to "the fairy tale where the apparently unprepossessing suddenly becomes pretty, from ''Shrek'' to ''My Fair Lady''".

Personal life

Boyle still lives in the family home, a four-bedroom council house in Blackburn which she purchased from her earnings in 2010. Her father died in the 1990s, and her siblings had left home. Boyle never married, and she dedicated herself to care for her ageing mother until she died in 2007 at the age of 91. A neighbour reported that when Bridget Boyle died, her daughter "wouldn't come out for three or four days or answer the door or phone." Boyle is a practising Roman Catholic and sang in her church choir at her church in Blackburn. Boyle remains active as a volunteer at her church, visiting elderly members of the congregation in their homes. On a 2010 episode of the ''Oprah Winfrey Show'', Boyle summarised that her daily life was "mundane" and "routine" prior to stardom.

In August 2010, British tabloid, ''News of the World'', reported that Boyle was experiencing financial woes as she was unable to access her fortune, which was being controlled by her management team – consisting of Andy Stephens, Ossie Killkenny and Boyle's lawyer and niece, Kirsty Foy. Boyle's brother Gerry said that his sister was fearful of losing her contract and of returning to her previous financial situation and also that she has been unable to move into her £300,000 five-bedroom house in Blackburn because she does not have the cash to furnish it. He said "[Her] millions are ring-fenced but Susan has no concept of money" and that she was "extremely distressed" at having to live off £300 a week after being banned from withdrawing money from the bank or owning a credit card. This story was contradicted the following day, however, by the news that she had bought two houses. It was also reported that Boyle had been on a spending spree in which she had bought a grand piano, an iPhone and five dresses made by Stewart Parvin, the Queen's dressmaker. The press had previously stated that Boyle was suing her brother Gerry for other stories he had sold to the newspapers.

Cultural references

The American cartoon show ''South Park'' made a reference to the Susan Boyle craze in the episode "Fatbeard", which aired on 22 April 2009; the ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' show aired a comedy sketch showing the "feel good" effect that Susan Boyle's performance has had on people; ''The Simpsons'' aired a new commercial for its 20th-anniversary show "Springfield's Got Talent", in which Homer Simpson talks about his dreams "to be a great singer like Boyle". A European trailer for the video game ''The Sims 3'' includes a character mocked up as Boyle. In June 2009, BBC Radio 4 broadcast a short story called "I Dreamed a Dream" that was based on a combination of Boyle's appearances on ''Britain's Got Talent'' and the political difficulties of Gordon Brown. The 5 November 2009 episode of the show ''30 Rock'' showed recurring character Kathy Geiss (Marceline Hugot) – who has a dowdy appearance – singing in the style of Susan Boyle as Liz Lemon and Jack Donaghy teared up. In a Season 35 sketch on ''Saturday Night Live'', an accountant (Andy Samberg) doing Boyle's taxes, notes that her income for 2008 was $1, $900,000,000 for 2009, and projected to be $1 for 2010. Bobby Moynihan played Boyle in the sketch.

In the ''Futurama'' episode "Attack of the Killer App", Leela has a boil named Susan ("Susan Boil") that can sing show tunes.

Discography

Studio albums

''I Dreamed a Dream'' (2009)

''The Gift'' (2010)

''Someone to Watch Over Me'' (2011)

Awards and nominations

! Year	! Association	! Category	! Result
2011	53rd Grammy Awards
2012	54th Grammy Awards

References

Further reading

Boyle, Susan. ''The Woman I Was Born to Be: My Story'' (2010) Atria Books ISBN 1451609256

External links

Category:1961 births Category:Britain's Got Talent contestants Category:Columbia Records artists Category:Living people Category:People from Blackburn, West Lothian Category:Scottish female singers Category:Scottish mezzo-sopranos Category:Scottish people of Irish descent Category:Scottish pop singers Category:Scottish Roman Catholics Category:Torch singers *

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name	Elaine Paige
img size	180px
background	solo_singer
birth name	Elaine Jill Bickerstaff
birth date	March 05, 1948
origin	Barnet, London, England
occupation	Singer, actress
years active	1968–present
website	ElainePaige.com
laurenceolivierawards	Best actress in a musical 1978 ''Evita'' }}

Elaine Paige OBE (née Bickerstaff; born 5 March 1948) is an English singer and actress best known for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Barnet, North London, Paige attended the Aida Foster stage school, making her first professional appearance on stage in 1964, at the age of 16. Her appearance in the 1968 production of ''Hair'' marked her West End debut.

Following a number of roles over the next decade, Paige was selected to play Eva Perón in the first production of ''Evita'' in 1978, which brought her to the attention of the broader public. For this role, she won the Laurence Olivier Award for Performance of the Year in a Musical. She went on to originate the role of Grizabella in ''Cats'' and had a Top 10 hit with "Memory", a song from the show. In 1985, Paige released "I Know Him So Well" with Barbara Dickson from the musical ''Chess'', which remains the biggest-selling record by a female duo. She then appeared in the original stage production of ''Chess'', followed by a starring role in ''Anything Goes'' which she also co-produced. Paige made her Broadway debut in ''Sunset Boulevard'' in 1996, playing the lead role of Norma Desmond, to critical acclaim. She appeared in ''The King and I'' from 2000 to 2001, and six years later she returned to the West End stage in ''The Drowsy Chaperone''. She has also worked sporadically in television.

In addition to being nominated for five Laurence Olivier Awards, Paige has won many other awards for her theatre roles and has been called the First Lady of British Musical Theatre. She has released 22 solo albums, of which eight were consecutively certified gold and another four multi-platinum. Paige is also featured on seven cast albums and has sung in concerts across the world. Since 2004 she has hosted her own show on BBC Radio 2 called ''Elaine Paige on Sunday''. She is commonly called the First Lady of British Musical Theatre due to her skill and longevity.

Life and career

Background

Elaine Jill Bickerstaff was raised in Barnet, North London, where her father worked as an estate agent and her mother was a milliner. Her mother had been a singer in her youth, and her father was an amateur drummer. Paige stands at just under 5 feet (1.5 m) tall, which she says has caused her to lose out on leading roles. Her original ambition was to become a professional tennis player, at which point her headmistress pointed out to her "they'd never see you over the net", but Paige continued to play tennis and has referred to the sport as one of her passions.

At 14, Paige listened to the film soundtrack of ''West Side Story'', which evoked the desire for a career in musical theatre. Paige's musical ability was encouraged by her school music teacher, Ann Hill, who was also the head of the music department. Paige was a member of Hill's choir, and her first role on stage was playing Susanna in a school production of Mozart's ''The Marriage of Figaro'', which was followed by parts in ''The Boy Mozart'' and solos in Handel's ''Messiah''— "a difficult work for little children". Paige also recalls singing the mezzo role of Bastienne in Mozart's ''Bastien and Bastienne''. After singing the aria, she chose to break down in character and to release a sob much to the audience's shock who, having been convinced by her acting, thought she was in real pain.

Her father later suggested that she should go to drama school, so she attended the Aida Foster stage school. Lacking confidence, she initially disliked stage school; her father encouraged her to endure and she grew to enjoy her time there. After graduating, her first job was modeling children's clothing at the Ideal Home Exhibition. Prior to stage school she attended Southaw Girls' School - a secondary modern in Oakleigh Park in Hertfordshire where she had achieved just two CSE qualifications.

Early career – 1968-1980: West End debut and ''Evita''

Paige's first professional appearance on stage was during the UK tour of the Anthony Newley/Leslie Bricusse musical ''The Roar of the Greasepaint—the Smell of the Crowd'' in 1964, playing the role of a Chinese urchin. To audition for the role she sang "I'm Just a Girl who Cain't Say No" but was rejected the first time. She was successful the second time around after being convinced to re-audition under a new name. Browsing through a phone book for inspiration, she became aware of the "page" she was observing and decided upon that name with the addition of an "i". At the age of 20, she made her West End debut in ''Hair'' on 27 September 1968, remaining in the cast until March 1970. While also being an understudy for the character of Sheila, she played a member of the tribe in the chorus, for which role she was required to be naked on stage in one scene. She also appeared as an urchin in the West End's ''Oliver!''. Over the next decade, she played roles in various musicals, including ''Jesus Christ Superstar''; ''Nuts''; ''Grease'', in which she played the lead role of Sandy from 1973 to 1974; ''Billy'', from 1974 to 1975 playing Rita; and ''The Boyfriend'', as Maisie (1975–1976).

After months of acting and singing auditions, Hal Prince offered the still relatively unknown Paige the title role of Eva Perón in the first stage production of the Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, ''Evita''. Her performance won her critical acclaim and brought her into public prominence at the age of 30. Paige was actually the second choice for the part after Julie Covington, but Covington had turned the opportunity down. For her performance in ''Evita'', she won the Laurence Olivier Award for Performance of the Year in a Musical, which at that time was called the Society of West End Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Musical, and the Variety Club Award for Showbusiness Personality of the Year. She played the role for 20 months in total, from 1978 to 1980. She also released her first studio album in 1978, entitled ''Sitting Pretty''. Just prior to her success in ''Evita'', Paige had strongly considered becoming a nursery nurse, but after she sang for Dustin Hoffman, he made her promise that she would continue in theatre work. She admitted that she was "fed up with the whole thing" and that she could not even afford new clothing or to eat out; "Evita saved me" she stated.

1981–1993: ''Cats'' and ''Chess'' era

Paige went on to portray some of Lloyd Webber's most notable female characters, creating the role of Grizabella in the original production of ''Cats'' from 11 May 1981 to 13 February 1982. She took on the role late in the rehearsal process when the actress Judi Dench had to withdraw due to a torn Achilles tendon. Paige's performance of the song "Memory" from ''Cats'', with which she had a Top 10 hit, is her signature piece. The single reached number 5 in the UK charts and has since been recorded by a further 160 artists. She reprised the role of Grizabella for the video release of ''Cats'' in 1998, one of only two performers in the film from the original London cast, the other one being Susan Jane Tanner as Jellylorum. Paige's website claims that the video soon became the bestselling music video in the UK and America.

The 1983 production of ''Abbacadabra'', written by former ABBA members, Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, saw Paige star in the role of Carabosse. She then originated the role of Florence for the 1984 concept album of ''Chess'', with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Ulvaeus and Andersson. Her albums, ''Stages'' (1983), and ''Cinema'' (1984), rejoined the cast recording of ''Chess'' in the UK top 40 chart, giving her three consecutive successful albums. In 1985, Paige released "I Know Him So Well", a duet from ''Chess'', singing with Barbara Dickson. The single held the number 1 position in the British singles charts for four weeks, and still remains the biggest-selling record by a female duo, according to the ''Guinness Book of Records''. From 1986 to 1987, Paige appeared as Florence in the stage production of ''Chess'', a role that earned her another Laurence Olivier Award nomination in the category of Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Musical. She next sang at the White House in 1988.

Paige then took on the part of Reno Sweeney in the musical production of ''Anything Goes'', which she co-produced and starred in from 1989 to 1990. Patti Lupone was appearing as Sweeney on Broadway around that time, so Paige sought to become the co-producer of the West End production as a way to secure the role there before Lupone could take it. Playing Reno Sweeney was Paige's first experience using an American accent on stage, and the part obtained her third nomination for an Olivier Award. Beyond her theatre roles, she appeared in the television programme ''Unexplained Laughter'' in 1989 alongside Diana Rigg.

In 1993, Paige signed up for a year as French chanteuse Édith Piaf in Pam Gems' musical play, ''Piaf'', to critical acclaim. ''The Guardian'' wrote that Paige was "a magnificent, perfect Piaf". The demanding production required Paige to sing 15 songs, some in French, and to be on stage for 2 hours 40 minutes in total, and forced her to leave early due to exhaustion. Her portrayal of Piaf earned her nomination for a fourth Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical; she subsequently released an album, entitled ''Piaf'', containing Édith Piaf songs.

1994–2001: ''Sunset Boulevard'' and Broadway debut

In 1995, Paige was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth for her contributions to musical theatre.

Paige stepped briefly into the role of Norma Desmond in Lloyd Webber's West End production of ''Sunset Boulevard'' in 1994, when Betty Buckley was taken ill due to her undergoing an emergency appendectomy. The nature of the situation meant that Paige only had two-and-a-half weeks in the rehearsal process before her first performance. She admitted feeling daunted by the task which would follow having seen Glenn Close in the role just prior to entering her own rehearsals. London critics were largely won over by Paige in a performance that "not only wrings out every ounce of dramatic action but delivers some unexpected humor as well" and she took over the part full time the following year. She then won the Variety Club Award for Best Actress of the Year, and was nominated for a best actress Olivier Award in 1996 for her performance in the musical.

During the run of ''Sunset Boulevard'' at the West End's Adelphi Theatre in 1995, Paige discovered a lump in her breast, prompting her to consult her doctor, who at first reassured her there was nothing to be concerned about. She returned twice, and her doctor subsequently sent her for tests that confirmed the lump was cancerous, nine months after she discovered it. Continuing her role in the production Paige did not miss a show, and stated, "When I did the show I became very emotional. Some of the lyrics suddenly took on an entirely different meaning. Words like, 'as if we never said goodbye' became more real". Paige went in for day surgery on a Sunday due to her theatre commitments, had five years of medical treatment and completed a radiation programme. She spoke for the first time of her encounter with breast cancer in a 2004 interview, and has since described the period as "the most awful thing that’s happened to me in my life".

Paige transferred to the American production of ''Sunset Boulevard'' to make her Broadway debut at the Minskoff Theatre on 12 September 1996, staying with the show until it closed on 22 March 1997. On the ''Sunset Boulevard'' set in Broadway, the staircase steps had to be raised six inches (15 cm) in order to accommodate Paige's short stature, or it would have been hard to see her behind the banister. Paige was welcomed to the Broadway stage with a long standing ovation from the audience, and received largely positive reviews for her New York performance as Norma Desmond: "The lush sound and the sheer power of her voice are, to put it simply, incredible", wrote one critic, whilst another said "Her voice has great range, remarkable clarity and emotional force". Paige was the first Norma Desmond in ''Sunset Boulevard'' to sing one of the show's key songs, "With One Look", which she did first at Lloyd Webber's wedding to Madeleine Gurdon, although at the time the song was called "Just One Glance". Lloyd Webber noted, regarding Paige's performance of one of the show's other prominent songs, "As If We Never Said Goodbye", that it was "as good, if not the best, of anything I've ever heard of mine". Regarding the key lyric in the song, "This world's waited long enough. I've come home at last", Paige had sought to change the way the melody was sung, despite being fully aware of Lloyd-Webber's fastidious tendencies. To her, the moment was not exploited to its fullest potential, so she approached the show's director, David Caddick, and expressed her wish to hold the word "home", to which he agreed. Although she had been disappointed when she hoped to perform on Broadway in ''Evita'', ''Cats'' and ''Chess'', Paige stated of her debut there, "It was just the most perfect time to go with that particular show". After ''Sunset Boulevard'' finished, she suffered from depression, commenting that the show's closing "was the most terrible feeling. ... I'd felt I'd lost something so very important to me. I thought it had died and gone away".

Arts commentator Melvyn Bragg hosted a special edition of ''The South Bank Show'' about Paige's career in 1996, entitled ''The Faces of Elaine Paige''. The episode saw her visiting parts of the world where plays she had starred in had been set.

In 1997, Paige made her United States concert debut when she opened the Boston Pops season, which was aired on WGBH in America. The following year, she made a guest star appearance at Andrew Lloyd Webber's 50th birthday celebration at the Royal Albert Hall. During the birthday tribute show, she sang "Memory" and "Don't Cry for Me Argentina", two songs from her past musical productions by Lloyd Webber. Paige's next role was Célimène in the non-musical play ''Le Misanthrope'' in 1998, but she admitted that she missed the musical element and that the silence was slightly unsettling to her. A Lifetime Achievement Award from The National Operatic and Dramatic Association soon followed. She later performed alongside Bette Midler in a 1999 New York concert to raise money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

From 2000 to 2001, she starred as Anna Leonowens in a revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's ''The King and I'' at the London Palladium. Paige had turned down an offer for the role the first time she was approached, but later accepted, admitting that she had "forgotten what a fantastic score it was", although she did question her own suitability for the role. Before the opening, the box office had already taken in excess of £7 million in ticket sales. The critic for ''The Independent'' commented, "It may well be impossible to be a success as Evita and a success as Anna" complaining that Paige was not refined enough for the role, whereas ''The Spectator'' asserted that the role further strengthened her title as the "First Lady of British Musical Theatre". During her time in ''The King and I'', her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Despite Paige wanting to pull out of the show, her mother insisted that she should continue until her contract had finished, and Paige's sister, Marion Billings, admitted, "That was very hard for Elaine, having to go on stage night after night knowing she wanted to be with Mum".

2002–present: Radio and return to West End and Broadway

Paige sang at the opening of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, and then made her Los Angeles concert debut at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. In 2003, she played Angèle in ''Where There's a Will'', directed by Peter Hall. She next sang the role of Mrs Lovett in the New York City Opera production of Stephen Sondheim's ''Sweeney Todd'' in March 2004, earning positive reviews from critics, and a nomination for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical. Paige then embarked upon a UK tour which was entitled "No Strings Attached".

In September 2004, Paige began a weekly radio show, ''Elaine Paige on Sunday'', on BBC Radio 2, featuring music from musical theatre and film. In an unfavourable review, the show was described by Elisabeth Mahoney of ''The Guardian'' as "a chilly, alienating listening experience" and a "rare wrong move" on the part of Radio 2. Lisa Martland of ''The Stage'' agreed that "it is by far the music that brings me back to the programme ... and not her lightweight presenting style". However, the show regularly attracts 3 million listeners, and interviews are also featured each week. Paige also focused on television appearances, playing Dora Bunner in the 2005 ITV adaptation of Agatha Christie's ''A Murder is Announced'' in the ''Marple'' series, before performing a guest role as a post mistress in ''Where the Heart Is''. The episode of ''Marple'' was watched by 7.78 million viewers.

The release of Paige's first full studio album of new recordings in 12 years was marked in 2006, entitled ''Essential Musicals''. The album included popular songs from musicals identified by a poll on her radio show, in which 400,000 listeners voted. At this point, Paige had recorded 20 solo albums in total, of which eight were consecutively certified gold and another four multi-platinum, and she had been featured on seven cast albums. Paige also appeared in concert in Scandinavia, Hong Kong, Europe, the Middle East, New Zealand, Australia and Singapore. On 20 and 21 December 2006, she performed in concert in Shanghai, extending her concert tour to two dates to satisfy demand. With a noticeable absence from musical theatre, having not taken a role for many years, she explained in 2006 that "there's been nothing that I've wanted to do, and if you're going to commit to a year at the theatre, six days a week, and have no life, then it's got to be something that you want to do with all your heart". She also affirmed that she believes for older actors it becomes harder to obtain theatre roles.

In 2007, Paige made a return to the West End stage for the first time in six years, as the Chaperone/Beatrice Stockwell in ''The Drowsy Chaperone'' at the Novello Theatre. The production ran for a disappointing 96 performances, although it had opened to a standing ovation from the audience and a generally optimistic reaction from critics. ''The Daily Telegraph'' wrote, "Elaine Paige is a good sport ... enduring jokes about her reputation for being 'difficult' with a grin that doesn't seem all that forced. ... Only the self-importantly serious and the chronically depressed will fail to enjoy this preposterously entertaining evening". Paul Taylor from ''The Independent'' was less impressed and wrote "a miscast Elaine Paige manages to be unfunny to an almost ingenious degree as the heroine's bibulous minder". For her performance, Paige was nominated for a What's On Stage Award in the category of Best Supporting Actress in a Musical. She next collaborated with the duo Secret Garden in recording the song "The Things You Are to Me" for their 2007 album, ''Inside I'm Singing''.

To raise money for Sport Relief Paige danced the Tango on ''Sport Relief does Strictly Come Dancing'' with Matt Dawson in March 2008, where they were voted second overall. She opened the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in July 2008, performing some of her well-known songs from her 40-year career. She next started her world tour, with dates in China, America and Australia. To further celebrate 40 years since her professional stage debut, in October 2008 Paige released a picture-based autobiography entitled ''Memories''. The book took around eight months to compile; "Since ''Evita'' I suppose, I had kept a yearbook. My parents always kept cuttings and things like that for me. I did have quite a lot of reference material to work out" Paige commented.

An album entitled ''Elaine Paige and Friends'' was produced by Phil Ramone in 2010. The album features duets with Paige and artists such as Johnny Mathis, Barry Manilow and Olivia Newton John as well as a duet with Sinéad O'Connor on a new song 'It's Only Life' penned by Gary Barlow and Tim Rice. Having entered the top 20 of UK album charts, ''Elaine Paige and Friends'' went on to achieve gold status.

Paige played the role of Carlotta Campion in the Kennedy Center production of ''Follies'' in May and June 2011 at the Eisenhower Theatre in Washington, DC, receiving favorable reviews for her performance of the showstopper, "I'm Still Here." The principal cast starred Bernadette Peters, Jan Maxwell, Ron Raines and Danny Burstein. She reprised this role in the Broadway transfer of the musical at the Marquis Theatre beginning 7 August 2011 and ending on 22 January 2012. Paige will play Carlotta when this production transfers to the Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, California from May 3, 2012 through June 9, 2012.

Legacy

Having had so many starring roles in famous musicals, many to critical acclaim, Paige is often referred to as the First Lady of British Musical Theatre. In 2008, she celebrated the 40th anniversary of her professional debut on the West End stage debut. Paige has never married nor had children, although she had an 11-year affair with the lyricist Tim Rice throughout the 1980s. She has said that she wanted to have children, but "it's a wonderful life I have, so I'm very fulfilled in other ways".

Paige's singing abilities have won her worldwide praise, as have her acting skills with Andrew Gans of ''Playbill'' magazine writing that "Paige's gift is to dissect a role and determine what phrasing, gesture or emotion can bring a scene to its fullest dramatic potential". Mark Shenton also highlighted her voice in 2008 as "one of the most distinctive and impressive voices in the business". Lloyd-Webber insists that her rendition of "As If We Never Said Goodbye" is one of the best interpretations of a song by him.

Paige has gained herself a reputation as someone who can be "difficult". ''The Times''' Brian Logan wrote, "Paige is not exactly known for her humility. In newspaper profiles, that dread word 'difficult' is often applied". On one occasion, she told a male interviewer that she was going to stop giving interviews to female reporters because, in her own words, "I don't trust other women in these situations. They establish a sisterhood with you and then betray it every time". What has been seen as a cold side to her personality was also noted by Logan, but Paige has said that a common misconception of her is that she is confident and very serious. Another editor found her "refreshingly down-to-earth" and "very friendly".

Views on theatre

Though Paige has enjoyed a long career in musical theatre, she rarely goes to watch musicals, much preferring to watch films or plays. Furthermore, she considers herself primarily an actress before a singer, stating, "I really prefer to be in character". Comparing the work of Rodgers and Hammerstein to that of Lloyd Webber, Paige has said that she finds Rodgers and Hammerstein songs more difficult to sing, and described them as challenging. She concluded, "it's a quieter kind of singing, more controlled, not belting it out".

In light of the physical demands of performing in theatre Paige has said "Musical theatre is the hardest thing any actor will ever do. You become obsessive about sleeping, eating the right food, not speaking and giving yourself vocal rest and keeping exercised". Regarding the pressure of having to be in a fit condition to perform in theatre each night, she remarked "you wouldn't want to read the letters people write when you're off and they're disappointed — it's so awful, the guilt one feels for not being there". As part of a rigorous routine before musical roles to look after her voice, Paige stops eating dairy products and drinking alcohol and also focuses on keeping fit. After about three months into the production when her voice is tiring from performing, she even gives up her social life, sometimes only communicating by notepad and fax. The rehearsal process is when Paige is most contented, using the valuable time to "delve and discover" without the need to feel embarrassed. She also never reads her reviews from critics, finding that it is not helpful to have too many opinions.

Paige has named reality television series such as ''Any Dream Will Do'', which aim to find an unknown actor to play the lead role in a musical, as the greatest threat to theatre today, believing that "actors already striving in the theatre wouldn't dream of putting themselves on these shows". In a later interview, she questioned the seriousness of the actors auditioning for these types of shows: "you wouldn't put yourself up for one of those shows in case you got bumped off the first week and all your colleagues saw it". She has also expressed a wish for more new musicals to be put into production, instead of frequent revivals.

Stage roles

{| class=wikitable ! width="7%"| Duration ! width="20%"| Production ! width="15%"| Role ! width="20%"| Theatre ! width="38%"| Awards |- | align="center"| 1968–1970 | ''Hair'' | Member of the Tribe |

Shaftesbury Theatre

| |- | align="center"| 1973–1974 | ''Grease'' | Sandy |

New London Theatre

| |- | align="center"| 1974–1975 | ''Billy'' | Rita |

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

| |- | align="center"| 1975–1976 | ''The Boyfriend'' | Maisie |

Haymarket Theatre, Leicester

| |- | align="center"| 1978–1980 | ''Evita'' | Eva Perón |

Prince Edward Theatre

|

Won: Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical

Won: Society of West End Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Musical

Won: Variety Club Award for Showbusiness Personality of the Year

|- | align="center"| 1981–1982 | ''Cats'' | Grizabella |

New London Theatre

| |- | align="center"| 1983–1984 | ''Abbacadabra'' | Miss Williams / Carabosse |

Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith

|

1984: Rear of the Year Award

|- | align="center"| 1986–1987 | ''Chess'' | Florence Vassy |

Prince Edward Theatre

|

Variety Club Award for Recording Artiste of the Year

Nomination: Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical

Head of the Year Award

|- | align="center"| 1989–1990 | ''Anything Goes'' | Reno Sweeney |

Prince Edward Theatre

| Nomination: Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical |- | align="center"| 1993–1994 | ''Piaf'' | Édith Piaf |

Piccadilly Theatre

|

Gold Badge of Merit Award BASCA

Nomination: Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical |- | align="center"| 1994, 1995–1996, 1996–1997 | ''Sunset Boulevard'' | Norma Desmond |

Adelphi Theatre (West End)

Minskoff Theatre (Broadway)

|

Variety Club Award - Best Actress of the Year

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) Queen's Birthday Honours Nomination: Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical

HMV Lifetime Achievement

|- | align="center"| 1998 | ''Le Misanthrope'' | Célimène |

Piccadilly Theatre

|

Lifetime Achievement National Operatic and Dramatic Association

|- | align="center"| 2000–2001 | ''The King and I'' | Anna Leonowens |

London Palladium

| |- | align="center"| 2003 | ''Where There's a Will'' | Angèle |

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre

Theatre Royal, Brighton

| |- | align="center"| 2004 | ''Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'' | Mrs. Lovett |

New York City Opera

|

Nomination: Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical

|- | align="center"| 2007 | ''The Drowsy Chaperone'' | The Drowsy Chaperone / Beatrice Stockwell |

Novello Theatre

| Nomination: What'sOnStage Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical |- | align="center"| 2011 | ''Follies'' | Carlotta Campion |

Kennedy Center (Washington DC)

Marquis Theatre (Broadway)

|

Pending: Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical

|}

TV roles

In the 1980 ITV drama series, "Lady Killers", Paige played convicted murderer Kate Webster.

Discography

Solo albums

{| class=wikitable width="75%" ! width="15%"|Year ! width="30%"|Album title ! width="30%"|Other notes |- | 1978 || ''Sitting Pretty'' || First solo album release, issued by EMI |- | 1981 || ''Elaine Paige'' || First album released on WEA charted in the UK at #56 in May 1982 |- | 1983 || ''Stages'' || Second album released on WEA charted in the UK at #2 in 1983 |- | 1984 || ''Cinema'' || |- | 1985 || ''Love Hurts'' || |- | 1986 || ''Christmas'' || |- | 1987 || ''Memories: The Best Of Elaine Paige'' || Compilation album with material from albums recorded at WEA; includes one new recording. |- | 1988 || ''The Queen Album'' || Issued on Siren Records, Virgin Vip label. Features songs previously recorded by Queen |- | 1990 || ''The Collection'' || Second compilation album with material from albums recorded at WEA; No new material. |- | 1991 || ''Love Can Do That'' || Elaine Paige's first album on RCA Records, reached #36 in the UK album chart. |- | 1991 || ''An Evening With Elaine Paige'' || Live recordings of her 1991 UK Tour |- | 1993 || ''Romance & the Stage'' || |- | 1994 || ''Piaf'' || Songs featured in the musical ''Piaf'' |- | 1995 || ''Encore'' || Compilation album with material taken from the WEA albums; 1981 to 1994. Includes three new recordings from the musical ''Sunset Boulevard'' |- | 1996 || ''Performance'' || Live recordings of her 1991 UK Tour |- | 1997 || ''From a Distance'' || A compilation of ''Love Can Do That'' and ''Romance & the Stage'' plus two tracks from the 1991 UK Tour |- | 1998 || ''On Reflection: The Very Best Of Elaine Paige'' || |- | 2004 || ''Centre Stage: The Very Best Of Elaine Paige'' || Including 9 previously unreleased studio recordings and 3 live recordings |- | 2006 || ''Essential Musicals'' || A collection of songs from Musical theater, issued on Universal Music TV label, W14. Charted at #46 in UK album charts. |- | 2007 || ''Songbook'' || |- | 2009 || ''Elaine Paige Live'' || Live recording made as part of Paige's tour celebrating 40 years since she first appeared in the West End |- | 2010|| ''Elaine Paige and Friends'' || |}

Cast recordings

{| class=wikitable width="75%" ! width="15%"|Year ! width="30%"|Album title ! width="30%"|Other notes |- |- | 1970 || ''Fresh "Hair"'' || Original London Cast Recording |- | 1974 || ''Billy'' || Original London Cast Recording |- | 1978 || ''The Barrier: A Love Story'' || 1978 London Studio Cast Recording |- | 1978 || ''Evita'' || Original London Cast Recording |- | 1981 || ''Cats'' || Original London Cast Recording |- | 1984 || ''Chess'' || |- | 1989 || ''Anything Goes'' || 1989 London Cast Recording |- | 1992 || ''Nine'' || |- | 2000 || ''The King and I'' || 2000 London Cast Recording |- | 2011 || ''Follies'' || 2011 Broadway Revival Cast Recording |}

Other albums and guest appearances

Elaine featured with the group 'The Colors of Love' on three singles in 1968/9 on the label 'Page One' with three records written by Mike Hazelwood and Alan Hammond.

The group consisted of Elaine Paige, Jill Longstaff, Joan Knighton, Terry Pritchard, John Shepherd and Russel Stone.

POF060: I'm A Train / Up On A Cotton Cloud

POF086: Just Another Fly / 2010

POF124: Mother of Convention / Songs Mother Made

{| class=wikitable width="75%" ! width="15%"|Year ! width="30%"|Album title ! width="30%"|Other notes |- |- | 1972 || ''Hatching Out'' || With the group ''Sparrow''; lead vocals on "Don't Ask", "Many Things Are Clear", "Dream Song", Rainsun Song" and "Hello Goodbye". The last track was unreleased until the album was re-issued on CD in 1995. |- |- | 1998 || ''Songs from Whistle Down the Wind'' || Recording of the song "If Only" |- |- | 2000 || Michael Ball - ''Christmas'' || Duet on "As Long As There's Christmas" |- | 2001 || ''Andrew Lloyd Webber — Masterpiece'' || Live recording of concert at the Great Hall of the People, Beijing, China. |- | 2010 || ''I Dreamed a Dream - The Susan Boyle Story'' || Live duet with Susan Boyle |}

Videos and DVDs

{| class=wikitable width="75%" ! width="15%"|Year ! width="30%"|Album title ! width="30%"|Other notes |- | 1985 || ''Lyrics by Tim Rice'' || Performances of "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" and "I Know Him So Well" |- | 1998 || ''Cats'' || Reprising her role as Grizabella |- | 1991 || ''Elaine Paige in Concert'' || Live recording at the Birmingham Symphony Hall of 1991 concert tour |- | 1998 || ''Andrew Lloyd Webber — Celebration'' || Live performances of "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" and "Memory" |- | 2001 || ''Andrew Lloyd Webber — Masterpiece'' || Live performances of "Don't Cry for Me Argentina", "The Heart is Slow to Learn", "Memory", "The Perfect Year", "As If We Never Said Goodbye", "No Matter What" and "Ni Yong You Wo De Wei Lai — Friends for Life" (The Chinese translation of "Amigos Para Siempre") |- | 2009 || ''Elaine Paige Live — Celebrating A Life On Stage'' || A live recording from Elaine`s `40th Anniversary Tour` including "Don't Cry for Me Argentina", "Tomorrow", "Memory", "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien", "As If We Never Said Goodbye", "I Get A Kick Out Of You" and "Broadway Baby" |}

References

External links

Official website

BBC Radio 2 - Elaine Paige at bbc.co.uk

Elaine Paige at the Internet Broadway Database

Category:1948 births Category:Breast cancer survivors Category:People with lupus Category:English female singers Category:English musical theatre actors Category:English television actors Category:Living people Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire Category:Laurence Olivier Award winners Category:People from Barnet Category:BBC Radio 2 presenters Category:Cats (musical)

af:Elaine Paige ca:Elaine Paige cy:Elaine Paige da:Elaine Paige de:Elaine Paige es:Elaine Paige fr:Elaine Paige it:Elaine Paige lt:Elaine Paige nl:Elaine Paige ja:エレイン・ペイジ pl:Elaine Paige pt:Elaine Paige ru:Пейдж, Элейн simple:Elaine Paige fi:Elaine Paige sv:Elaine Paige th:เอเลน เพจ vi:Elaine Paige zh:伊蓮·佩姬

name	Susan Justice
background	solo_singer
birth name	Susan Cagle
birth date	1981
Birth place	Aruba
origin	New York City, NY, USA
instrument	Vocals, guitar
genre	pop rock
occupation	Singer-songwriter, guitarist
years active	2002–present
label	Columbia Records, Warner Bros. Records, EMI
website	MySpace page
notable instruments	}}

Susan Cagle (born 1981 in Aruba) is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, known by her stage name Susan Justice. She is known best for her debut self-recorded album, ''The Subway Recordings''.

Biography

Cagle is the second-oldest of ten children. Accompanied by several of her siblings as The Susan Cagle Band, she started performing in subway stations in New York City as part of the Music Under New York program. In addition to singing, Cagle plays the guitar in the majority of her performances, with her sister Caroline playing bass and her brother Jesse on second guitar.

As a child, Cagle traveled the world with her family, living in or visiting countries including Venezuela, Mexico, Greece, Italy, France, Germany, England, Scotland, and Ireland. Her parents were members of the Children of God new religious movement, widely referred to as a cult, and like actors River Phoenix and Rose McGowan (who also spent their early childhood in the group), she and her siblings would often busk on street corners for passers by.

Career

Music career

Cagle began playing guitar at the age of 7, and by the age of 14 was writing poetry and songs. When older, she decided to leave her family and the Children of God group, at odds over their beliefs, and moved to New York. She soon began writing, recording music and performing in subway stations (her album, ''The Subway Recordings'', is cut from live shows).

During a show in the 34th Street – Herald Square subway station, Cagle was discovered by producer Jay Levine, who introduced her to then new president of Columbia Records, Steve Greenberg. She soon became his first signing in this placement. Cagle released her debut album, ''The Subway Recordings'', in 2007 with Lefthook Entertainment and Columbia Records.

After leaving Columbia Records in 2009 and signing to Warner Bros., Cagle changed her stage name to ''Susan Justice'', saying it happened "of its own accord" and it (the name change) was something she felt she "needed to do". Her second album remains unnamed and currently does not have a release date. Released tracks from the upcoming album are "Eat Dirt", "I Wonder" and "Forbidden Fruits". The album will be released as a joint venture with Warner Bros. Records and Kite Records.

Notable performances

On May 10, 2007, Cagle and her band performed "Dear Oprah", an ode to billionaire talk show host Oprah Winfrey, on ''The Oprah Winfrey Show''. "Dear Oprah" features such lyrics as: "Dear Oprah, Have you ever felt like breakin’ down/ when there ain't no one who cares around/did you ever feel this way back in the day so blue/ what did you do?"

The band appeared in the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards warm up in the "You Hear It First".

She appears in the Gary King independent film ''New York Lately'' as Truly Hanssen. The film was released in 2008 to generally favorable reviews.

Her life and music were the subject of a profile and interview on the NPR program Morning Edition that aired Monday, March 26, 2012.

References

External links

Official Myspace page

Official Facebook page

Official YouTube page

Official Twitter

MTV News: You Hear It First: Susan Cagle

MTV Overdrive: Susan Cagle

Susan Cagle's family and former band

New York Lately Official Site"

Category:Living people Category:Female rock singers Category:Former members of the Family International Category:1981 births Category:American singer-songwriters Category:American pop musicians

ja:スーザン・ケイグル

Name	Susan Tedeschi
Background	solo_singer
Birth date	November 09, 1970
Birth place	Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Instrument	Vocals, guitar
Genre	Blues, blue eyed soul, blues rock, R&B;
Occupation	Musician, songwriter
Years active	1998–present
Label	Verve Forecast, Rounder Records, Mercury, Tone-Cool
Associated acts	Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Derek Trucks Band
Website	www.susantedeschi.com
Past members	Tom Hambridge, Adrienne Hayes, Tyler Greenwell, Ron Holloway, Matt Slocum (keyboardist), Dave Yoke, Ted Pecchio
Notable instruments	}}

Susan Tedeschi (; born November 9, 1970, Boston, Massachusetts, United States) is an American blues and soul musician, who has received multiple Grammy Award nominations, and is well known for her singing voice, guitar playing, stage presence, and marriage to blues guitarist Derek Trucks. She is also known for her performances as part of "Soul Stew Revival", a conglomeration of her band, The Derek Trucks Band, and assorted other personnel.

Tedeschi served as a judge for the 7th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers.

Early life

Susan Tedeschi was born on November 9, 1970, in Boston, Massachusetts to a family of Italian ancestry, (''Tedeschi'' means ''Germans'' in Italian) and was raised in Norwell, Massachusetts. She is the daughter of Dick Tedeschi, granddaughter of Nick Tedeschi and great-granddaughter of Angelo Tedeschi, of the supermarket and convenience store family well known in Massachusetts. Tedeschi has always been musically inclined, and made her debut public performance as a six-year old understudy in a Broadway musical. Also, she sang for family members and listened to her father's record collection of old vinyl recordings, like Mississippi John Hurt and Lightning Hopkins. Raised as a Catholic, she found little inspiration in the church choir, and so attended predominantly African-American Baptist churches, feeling the music was "less repressed and more like a celebration of God." She has played in bands since the age of 13. At the age of 18, she formed her first all-original group, The Smokin' Section, in the nearby town of Scituate, Massachusetts.

After graduating Norwell High School, Tedeschi attended the Berklee College of Music where she sang in a Gospel choir. She performed show tunes on the ''Spirit of Boston'' and received her Bachelor of Music degree in musical composition and performance at age 20. During that time, she began sitting in on blues jams at local venues and immersed herself in the Boston music scene.

Career

Early career

Tedeschi formed the Susan Tedeschi Band in 1994, featuring Tom Hambridge and Adrienne Hayes. In 1995 her then boyfriend, Boston musician Tim Gearan taught Tedeschi how to play blues guitar. It was then she really began to hone her skills on the instrument. In December the band released ''Better Days'' to regional audiences. Record contracts were difficult to keep together; however, recording sessions from 1997 were acquired by Richard Rosenblatt and the band was signed to indy label Tone-Cool Records and ''Just Won't Burn'', featuring young guitarist Sean Costello, was released in February 1998 to very positive reviews, particularly from blues critics and publications.

In 1999, Tedeschi played several dates in the all-woman travelling festival Lilith Fair organized by Sarah McLachlan. Throughout 1998 and 1999 she toured extensively throughout the United States and drew larger crowds.

Opening acts

Eventually Tedeschi was opening for John Mellencamp, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, The Allman Brothers Band, Taj Mahal and Bob Dylan. In 2000, ''Just Won't Burn'' reached Gold record status for sales of 500,000 in the United States, rare for a blues production. She recorded two tracks with Double Trouble band members Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon for their album.

She opened for The Rolling Stones in 2003 and played in huge venues, gaining national exposure. Somewhat surprisingly, the gig wasn't financially lucrative. According to Tedeschi,

"They pay, but it's not great. I don't make any money 'cause I've got to pay all my sidemen. I'll be lucky if I break even."

In 2004, Tedeschi was featured on the PBS show ''Austin City Limits'', flanked by William Green, on Hammond organ, Jason Crosby, playing keyboards, violin, and vocals, bassist Ron Perry, and Jeff Sipe, on drums. The performance was extremely well received.

Influences

Susan Tedeschi's voice has been described as a blend of Bonnie Raitt and Janis Joplin, which she maintains is not surprising given that both have been her influences. Her guitar playing is influenced by Buddy Guy, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Freddie King and Doyle Bramhall II.

Personal life

In 2001, she married Allman Brothers Band slide guitarist Derek Trucks, who is bandleader and lead guitarist of The Derek Trucks Band. Tedeschi and Trucks met in New Orleans when she was the opening act on the Allman Brothers Band's 1999 Summer Tour. They have two children; Charles Khalil Trucks, born in December 2001, is named for saxophonist Charlie Parker, guitarist Charlie Christian, and author Khalil Gibran. Sophia Naima Trucks, born in 2004, takes her unusual middle name from the John Coltrane ballad, which was also the jazz legend's first wife's name. They reside in Jacksonville, Florida.

Soul Stew Revival

thumb|right|230px|Soul Stew Revival at Mizner Park with Derek Trucks December 28, 2007Tedeschi, with her powerful vocals and Trucks on guitar complement one another, and have toured together frequently under the name "Soul Stew Revival". This includes the members of The Derek Trucks Band, the members of Susan Tedeschi's band, and other musicians who travelled with them, including Trucks' younger brother, drummer Duane Trucks. In 2008, they added a three-piece horn section.

Tedeschi Trucks Band

In 2010, both Susan Tedeschi and her husband Derek Trucks announced a hiatus for their solo bands, and formed a new group called Tedeschi Trucks Band. The group performed at a number of festivals including Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival, Fuji Rock Festival and others. Unlike their previous collaborative project - Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi's Soul Stew Revival - the Tedeschi Trucks Band focuses on writing and performing original material, and is the focus of both Trucks and Tedeschi for the foreseeable future.

Grammy nominations

2000 Grammy nomination for Best New Artist

2003 Grammy nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance

2004 Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album for ''Wait For Me''

2006 Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album for ''Hope and Desire''

2010 Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album for ''Back to the River''

Won 2012 Grammy for Best Blues Album for ''Revelator (Tedeschi Trucks Band album)''

Discography

''Better Days'' (Oarfin, 1995)

''Just Won't Burn'' (Tone Cool, 1998)

''Wait for Me'' (Tone Cool, 2002)

''Live from Austin, TX'' (New West, 2004)

''Hope and Desire'' (Verve, 2005)

''Back to the River'' (Verve, 2008)

Collaborations and Guest Appearances

"It Hurt So Bad", Track 14, ''On the Mountain 4'' (1998), compilation by Seattle radio station KMTT

"You Need to be With Me", Track 12, ''On the Mountain 5'' (1999), compilation by Seattle radio station KMTT

"It Hurt So Bad" (Tom Hambridge), Track 3, ''Live From The Archives 7'' (2000), compilation by Seattle radio station KMTT

"It Hurt So Bad", Track 3, ''Farm Aid Vol. 1 LIVE - Disc 2'' (2000), compilation by Redline Ent

"Kansas City" (Leiber/Stoller) with Willie Nelson, Track 9, and "Opposites Attract" with Tom Hambridge, Track 14, ''New Names, New Music'' (2000), compilation by San Francisco radio station KFOG

"Angel From Montgomery" (John Prine), Track 9, ''Live From The Archives 8'' (2001), compilation by San Francisco radio station KFOG

"Tired Of My Tears", Track 5, ''Broadcasts Vol. 14'' (2006), compilation by Austin radio station KGSR

"People", Track 1, ''Live From The Archives 16'' (2009), compilation by San Francisco radio station KFOG

''Joyful Noise'' (2002), Derek Trucks Band

''Already Free'' (2009), Derek Trucks Band

'' Truth'' (2006), Robben Ford

''Bug - original motion picture soundtrack'' (Various Artists, Lionsgate Records 2007) - track #5 "I Fell in Love"

''Skin Deep'' (2008), Buddy Guy

Tedeschi performed the Clapton song "Anyday" with The Derek Trucks Band while opening for Eric Clapton's touring band at the Crossroads Guitar Festival on July 28, 2007, in Chicago, Illinois,

"Space Captain", Track 4, ''The Imagine Project'' (2010), Herbie Hancock (with Derek Trucks)

References

External links

Susan Tedeschi official site

Derek and Susan.net/ Official site for both Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi

DerekTrucksBand.com – official site

Category:1970 births Category:American blues guitarists Category:American blues singers Category:American female guitarists Category:American female singers Category:Berklee College of Music alumni Category:Blues rock musicians Category:Contemporary blues musicians Category:Living people Category:Verve Forecast Records artists Category:Mercury Records artists Category:Rounder Records artists Category:American musicians of Italian descent Category:People from Norwell, Massachusetts Category:Grammy Award winners

de:Susan Tedeschi es:Susan Tedeschi fa:سوزان تدسکی fr:Susan Tedeschi fi:Susan Tedeschi sv:Susan Tedeschi