name	Soldier
official names
type	Profession
activity sector	Military
competencies	PhysicalStaminaMindset
employment field	Army
related occupation	CommandoSWATPolice officerMercenary
average salary	}}

A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary. The majority of cognates of the word "soldier" that exist in other languages have a meaning that embraces both commissioned and non-commissioned officers in national land forces.

Etymology[link]

The word ''soldier'' entered modern English in the 14th century, from the equivalent Middle English word ''soudeour'', from Anglo-French ''soudeer'' or ''soudeour'', meaning mercenary, from ''soudee'', meaning shilling's worth or wage, from ''sou'' or ''soud'', shilling. The word is also related to the Medieval Latin ''soldarius'', meaning soldier (literally, "one having pay"). These words were ultimately derived from the Late Latin word ''solidus'', referring to an Ancient Roman coin used in the Byzantine Empire.

Occupational designations[link]

In most armed forces use of the word soldier has taken on a more general meaning, due to the increasing specialization of military occupations that require different areas of knowledge and skill-sets. As a result, "soldiers" are referred to by names or ranks which reflect an individual's military occupation specialty arm, service or branch of military employment, their type of unit, or operational employment or technical use such as: trooper, tanker, commando, dragoon, infantryman, marine, paratrooper, ranger, sniper, engineer, sapper, medic, or a gunner.

Other terms[link]

In many countries soldiers serving in specific occupations are referred to by terms other than their occupational name. For example military police personnel in the UK are known as "redcaps" from the colour of their berets or other headwear.

In the United States Army, infantrymen are called "grunts", while artillerymen are sometimes referred to as "redlegs", from the branch color for artillery. US soldiers are often called "G.I.s".

French Marine Infantry are called marsouins () because of their amphibious role. Military units in most armies have nicknames of this type, arising either from items of distinctive uniform, some historical connotation or rivalry between branches or regiments.

Career soldier[link]

Most soldiers serve a single term, especially draftees. Others choose to serve until retirement; then they receive a pension and other benefits. In the USA, servicemembers can retire at 20 years. In other services, 30 years (hence the term "30-year man").

See also[link]

Seaman

Airman

Marine

References[link]

External links[link]

Category:Military life Category:Military personnel Category:Military occupations Category:Soldiers Category:Combat occupations

ar:جندي (رتبة عسكرية) az:Əsgər bn:সৈনিক be:Салдат be-x-old:Салдат bg:Войник bo:དམག་མི། bs:Vojnik br:Soudard ca:Soldat cs:Voják cy:Milwr da:Soldat pdc:Soldaat de:Soldat et:Sõdur es:Soldado eo:Soldato fa:سرباز fr:Militaire#Fonctions dans l'armée ga:Saighdiúir gd:Saighdear ko:군인 hr:Vojnik io:Soldato is:Hermaður it:Soldato he:חייל jv:Prajurit kn:ಸೈನಿಕ kk:Әскер ht:Solda ku:Leşker (leşkerî) la:Miles lv:Kareivis lt:Karys hu:Katona mk:Борец nl:Soldaat ne:सैनिक ja:軍人 ce:Сурхо no:Soldat nn:Soldat tpi:Solija pl:Żołnierz pt:Soldado ro:Militar qu:Awqaq ru:Солдат simple:Soldier sk:Vojak sr:Војник sh:Vojnik fi:Sotilas sv:Soldat tl:Kawal th:ทหาร tg:Аскар tr:Asker uk:Солдат vi:Người lính yi:סאלדאט diq:Esker zh:军人

name	Robin Gibb
background	solo_singer
birth name	Robin Hugh Gibb
birth date	December 22, 1949
birth place	Douglas, Isle of Man
death date	May 20, 2012
death place	London, England
instrument	Vocals, piano, violin, guitar, bass
genre	PopSoft rockAdult contemporaryDiscoSynthpop
occupation	Singer-songwriter
years active	1958–2012
label	Polydor, RSO, Mirage
associated acts	Bee Gees
website	Official website }}

Robin Hugh Gibb, CBE (22 December 1949 – 20 May 2012) was a singer and songwriter, best known as a member of the Bee Gees, co-founded with his fraternal twin brother Maurice and older brother Barry. Their younger brother Andy was also a singer.

Born in the Isle of Man to English parents, the family later moved to Manchester before settling in Brisbane, Australia. Gibb began his career as part of the family trio and when the group found their first success they returned to the United Kingdom where they achieved worldwide fame. In 2004, the Bee Gees received their CBEs from the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace for their "contribution to music". With record sales estimated in excess of 200 million units, the Bee Gees became one of the most successful pop groups of all time. Music historian Paul Gambaccini described Gibb as "one of the major figures in the history of British music" and "one of the best white soul voices ever".

After a career spanning six decades, Gibb last performed on stage in February 2012 supporting injured British servicemen and women at a charity concert at the London Palladium. On 20 May 2012, Gibb died at the age of 62 from liver and kidney failure.

Early life[link]

Born to Barbara and Hugh Gibb (d. 1992) on the Isle of Man, Robin was the fraternal twin of Maurice Gibb, and the older of the two by 35 minutes. The third-born of five children, Gibb had one older sister, Lesley (b. 1945), and three brothers: Barry (b. 1946), fraternal twin Maurice (1949–2003), and Andy (1958–1988).

Gibb was the subject of an edition of the BBC genealogy documentary series ''Who Do You Think You Are?'' first broadcast on 21 September 2011. The programme revealed that Gibb's paternal great-grandfather was born into poverty in Paisley and went on to become a decorated soldier and his paternal great-grandmother was a midwife.

Gibb's mother Barbara was born in Worsley, Salford, and in 1953 the family returned to Manchester, England. The family lived on Keppel Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy and it was here that the young Gibb brothers sang together and performed in local theatres. In late 1958, the family moved to Brisbane, Australia. The family travelled to Australia on the same ship as Australian musician Red Symons. The brothers' music careers began in Australia and flourished when they returned to England in 1967.

Solo career[link]

Traditionally, Gibb's role in the Bee Gees was lead singer, for which he vied with Barry during the group's first period of British success in the late 1960s. This rivalry eventually prompted Gibb to leave the group and begin a solo career. The final irritant was when his song "Lamplight" was relegated to the B-side of Barry's song "First of May". Meanwhile, there were rumours during this period that Gibb was dealing with drug abuse problems, leading Gibb's parents to allegedly threaten legal action to make him a ward of court (the UK age of majority at that time being 21, and Gibb was only 19).

In his solo career, Gibb was initially successful with a number 2 UK hit, "Saved by the Bell", which sold over one million copies and received a gold disc. However, Gibb's first solo album, ''Robin's Reign'', was less successful and he soon found that being a solo artist was unsatisfying. Maurice played bass guitar on the song "Mother and Jack", but was subsequently removed from the project by producer Robert Stigwood. Despite having almost completed a second solo album, ''Sing Slowly Sisters'', Gibb reunited with his brothers, who then revived the Bee Gees. The group came back on a high note, reaching No. 3 on the US charts with the song "Lonely Days" in 1970. In 1971, the Bee Gees had their first US No.1 hit, "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart", but after that their popularity started to ebb.

In 1974, with new producer Arif Mardin, the Bee Gees reinvented themselves with the song "Blue-Eyed Soul". The group now entered their second period of phenomenal success in the disco-era late 1970s.

In 1978, Gibb performed on the ''Sesame Street Fever'' album for the Sesame Street children's TV program. He was one of the singers on the "Sesame Street Fever" title track, he sang a song called "Trash" for the character Oscar the Grouch, and spoke with Cookie Monster at the beginning of "C is for Cookie".

While continuing in the Bee Gees, Gibb also promoted his new solo career. During the 1980s, Gibb released three solo albums (''How Old Are You?'', ''Secret Agent'', and ''Walls Have Eyes''). These three albums were more successful in Europe than in the UK or US, with ''How Old Are You?'' spawning the hit single "Juliet". However, Gibb's 1984 single "Boys Do Fall in Love" did reach the ''Billboard'' Magazine top 40 list of hits. Gibb also recorded several extended versions of dance songs, including "Boys Do Fall in Love", "Secret Agent", "Like a Fool" and the rarest, "You Don't Say Us Anymore"; many of these extended versions were released to radio disc jockeys only.

On 27 January 2003, fifteen days after Maurice died, Gibb released a new solo album, ''Magnet'' in Germany on SPV GmbH, and worldwide shortly afterwards. ''Magnet'' featured the Bee Gees song "Wish You Were Here" (from the 1989 album ''One'') in a new acoustic version. The lead single, "Please", had coincidental lyrics about "loss". After Maurice's death, Gibb and Barry again disbanded the Bee Gees; however, in late 2009, the two brothers announced that they would reform and perform again as the Bee Gees whenever they could. In recent years, Gibb sang the vocals to the opening titles to the British ITV show ''The Dame Edna Treatment''.

On 18 May 2008, Gibb released the song "Alan Freeman Days" in tribute to the Australian DJ Alan Freeman. The song was issued as a download only track, although a promotional CD was issued by Academy Recordings. In December 2008, "Alan Freeman Days" was followed by another downloadable song titled "Wing and a Prayer", which shared the same name as a song from the 1989 ''One'' album. However, the new song was actually a reworking of the song, "Sing Slowly Sisters", that had remained unreleased since 1970. Later in December, Gibb issued another song, "Ellan Vannin (Home Coming Mix)", featuring the King William's College Choir from the Isle of Man. ("Ellan Vannin" is the Manx name for the Isle of Man.)

In 2008, Gibb completed a new solo album entitled ''50 St. Catherine's Drive'', but it was never released. However, in August 2009, a 50-second video clip of "Instant Love" from ''50 St. Catherine's Drive'' appeared as a preview. "Instant Love" was a collaboration with Gibb's son Robin-John. A second version of "Instant Love" featuring Robin-John on vocals appeared in a short film called ''Bloodtype: The Search'' in which Robin-John appeared.

Gibb and Robin-John also wrote the score for ''The Titanic Requiem'', recorded by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for the 2012 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the ''Titanic''. Gibb was due to attend the piece's premier on 10 April 2012 at the Central Hall, Westminster, London but his failing health kept him away.

In 2010, Gibb was also a guest mentor on the Australian version of ''The X Factor'', alongside TV host Kyle Sandilands, actress/singer Natalie Imbruglia, and singers Ronan Keating and Guy Sebastian.

Collaborations[link]

In August 2003, Gibb announced the release of a new single of "My Lover's Prayer", a song first recorded by the Bee Gees in 1997, with vocals by Gibb and singers Wanya Morris and Lance Bass. "My Lover's Prayer" was played on the radio, but was never actually released. In October 2003, Gibb recorded a second version of this song as a duet with singer Alistair Griffin, a runner-up in the UK television program ''Fame Academy'' on which Gibb had appeared as a judge. In January 2004, the new "My Lover's Prayer" was released in the UK as a double A side CD single. It eventually reached number 5 in the UK music charts.

In January 2005, Gibb joined his brother Barry and several other artists under the name ''One World Project'' to record a charity single in aid of Asian tsunami relief, titled "Grief Never Grows Old". Other artists who performed on the single included Boy George, Steve Winwood, Jon Anderson, Rick Wakeman, Sir Cliff Richard, Bill Wyman, America, Kenny Jones, Chicago, Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, Russell Watson and Davy Spillane.

In June 2005, Gibb joined X Factor runner up band G4 at a sell-out concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London, singing the Bee Gees song "First of May". In December 2005, a recording of this performance was released as part of a double A side single, credited as "G4 feat Robin Gibb" together with G4's cover version of the Johnny Mathis song "When a Child is Born". "First of May" also appeared on the platinum selling album ''G4 & Friends'', which reached number 6 in the UK album charts.

In November 2006, Gibb released an album of Christmas carols called ''Robin Gibb – My Favourite Carols'', backed by The Serlo Consort, a London choir. The Serlo Consort. The album also featured a new song by Gibb called "Mother of Love", which was released in Europe as a download single. The song was inspired by Maurice and was Gibb's first new composition since Maurice died. Gibb donated all royalties from "Mother of Love" to the "Janki Foundation for Global Healthcare", and dedicated the song to Dadi Janki, the organisation's spiritual leader. Gibb dedicated the album to his mother, Barbara Gibb. ''Robin Gibb – My Favourite Carols'' has a bonus DVD disc titled ''A Personal Christmas Moment with Robin Gibb''.

Gibb went back to the top of the UK charts in 2009 when he collaborated with singers Ruth Jones, Rob Brydon, and Tom Jones on a new version of "Islands in the Stream", written by Gibb, Barry, and Maurice. The new version, inspired by the BBC comedy TV show ''Gavin & Stacey'', was created to benefit the charity Comic Relief.

In September 2011, Gibb recorded the Bee Gees classic "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" with British Army men The Soldiers for a charity single in the UK, the video for which was produced by Vintage TV.

Concerts[link]

In late 2004, Gibb embarked on a solo tour of Germany, Russia and Asia, with singer Alistair Griffin as the opening act. On his return to the UK, Gibb released a CD and DVD of live recordings from the German leg of the tour, backed by the Frankfurt Neue Philharmonic Orchestra of Frankfurt, Germany. In 2005, Gibb made a solo tour of Latin America.

On 20 February 2006, Gibb and Barry performed at a concert for the Diabetes Research Institute of the University of Miami in Hollywood, Florida. This was their first joint performance since Maurice's death. In March 2006, Gibb announced plans for more solo concerts in Shanghai, China and Portugal. In May 2006, Gibb took part in the Prince's Trust 30th Birthday Concert at the Tower of London along with Barry. They sang three songs: "Jive Talkin'", "To Love Somebody" and "You Should Be Dancing". In September 2006, Gibb performed "Stayin' Alive" at the Miss World 2006 contest finals in Warsaw, Poland. In November 2006, Gibb performed a solo concert, entitled "Bee Gees – Greatest Hits", at the Araneta Coliseum in Manila, Philippines.

Gibb marked his return to his birthplace by playing a concert at the Isle of Man TT festival in 2007. Gibb donated all of his share of the money from this concert to the children's ward at Noble's Hospital, Isle of Man, and invited all emergency service staff and marshals for the TT to attend for free.

On 8 September 2007, Gibb performed a concert in Salt Lake City, Utah at EnergySolutions Arena for the Nu Skin Enterprises Convention, singing a set of Bee Gees hits. On 25 October 2007, Gibb performed a concert at the National Palace of Culture in Sofia, Bulgaria and sang the Bee Gees' most famous songs. On 25 October 2008, to mark the 30th anniversary of the song "Saturday Night Fever" topping the UK charts, Gibb performed with special guests including Ronan Keating, Stephen Gateley, Sam Sparro, Sharleen Spiteri, Gabriella Cilmi and Bryn Christopher at the London music festival BBC Electric Proms. In 2010, Gibb toured Australia with Bonnie Tyler as his supporting guest. Together they performed at Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. On 30 January 2012, Gibb announced his intention to appear on stage at the Coming Home Concert at the London Palladium in February to benefit British soldiers returning home from Afghanistan. It would be his last performance on stage.

Personal life[link]

In 1968 Gibb married Molly Hullis, a secretary in Robert Stigwood's organisation. The couple had both survived the Hither Green rail crash, which killed 49 people on 5 November 1967. They had two children together, Spencer (b. 1972) and Melissa (b. 1974). The couple divorced in 1980 after years of living separate lives, with Gibb almost permanently in the U.S. and Hullis remaining in the UK.

Gibb's second marriage, from 1985 until his death, was to Dwina Murphy Gibb, an author and artist. She is interested in the Druidry religion and is a follower of the neo-Hindu Brahma Kumaris movement. The couple has a son, Robin-John (known as RJ (b. 1983). Gibb and his wife divided their time between their homes in Peel, Isle of Man, their mansion in Miami, Florida (which was as of November 2011 up for sale) and their main residence in Thame, Oxfordshire.

On 10 March 1988, Andy Gibb died in Oxford, England, of myocarditis. On 12 January 2003, Maurice Gibb died in Miami Beach, Florida of complications from a twisted intestine.

On 4 November 2008, he had a fourth child, Snow Evelyn Robin Juliet Gibb, born out of a private relationship with a housekeeper, Claire Yang.

Gibb was "an ardent vegan and teetotaller".

In politics, Gibb was a vocal supporter of the British Labour Party and launched a rally in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, ahead of the 2005 General Election. He was a close friend of the former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair, who was criticised for staying over at Gibb's Miami mansion during Christmas 2006. In 2008 Gibb publicly stated that he continued to get on "like a house on fire" with Blair, and claimed that the then Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown regularly listened to the Bee Gees. "He listens to our music every day. Gordon likes our music and I like Gordon," he told The Times. In a tribute upon his death, longtime friend Tony Blair said: "Robin was not only an exceptional and extraordinary musician and songwriter, he was a highly intelligent, interested and committed human being. He was a great friend with a wonderful open and fertile mind and a student of history and politics."

Health problems and death[link]

On 14 August 2010, while performing in Belgium, Gibb began to feel abdominal pains. On 18 August, he was rushed to a hospital in Oxford, England and underwent emergency surgery for a blocked intestine, the same condition that killed Maurice. Gibb recovered and returned to perform concerts in New Zealand and Australia. During this time, Gibb was also involved in promoting fund-raising for the memorial dedicated to RAF Bomber Command in Green Park, London. Gibb also wrote ''The Titanic Requiem'' with his son Robin-John, which was recorded by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic in 2012. Gibb continued to make television appearances and other events following his surgery, but in April 2011 he was forced by health problems to cancel his tour of Brazil. Another concert in Paris was cancelled in October 2011. On 14 October, Gibb was due to perform the charity single with The Soldiers, but was again rushed to hospital with severe abdominal pains. On 18 October, following his release from the hospital, Gibb appeared on ITV's ''The Alan Titchmarsh Show'' looking gaunt and frail.

On 27 October 2011, Gibb cancelled an appearance only minutes before he was due to perform at the Poppy Appeal Concert in London. Later the same week however, Gibb was seen in London and quoted as saying he felt "absolutely great".

In November 2011, Gibb said he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer which metastasised to his liver several months earlier. A source close to the singer stated that his condition was "not good" and that his family rushed to the UK to be with him. In an interview published in ''The Mail on Sunday'' on 22 January 2012, Gibb spoke for the first time of the cancer.

"For more than 18 months, I had lived with an inflammation of the colon; then I was diagnosed with colon cancer, which spread to the liver. I have undergone chemotherapy, however, and the results — to quote my doctor — have been 'spectacular'. It’s taken a toll, naturally, but the strange thing is that I've never felt seriously ill. I’ve mostly felt great. There have been many false claims around, which I'd like to dispel. I am not and have never been 'at death's door'. Nor do I have a team of alternative doctors working on my health. That's not true, although I'm not averse to healthy remedies for any illness. I feel they can go together with conventional medicine. I do eat health foods and drink herbal teas made for me by Dwina, my wife and RJ's mother. Other than that, I am under the care of Dr. Peter Harper at The London Clinic".

In March 2012, Gibb was hospitalised for intestinal surgery and cancelled scheduled appearances while recovering. In April, however, he contracted pneumonia and fell into a coma. Although he came out of his coma later in April, his colorectal cancer had advanced and he died suddenly in London on 20 May 2012 at the age of 62 from liver and kidney failure.

His funeral will be held near his home in Thame, Oxfordshire, and a memorial service will take place at St Paul's Cathedral, London.

Acclaim and recognition[link]

In 1994, Gibb was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, California. In 1997, the Bee Gees were inducted as a group into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, US. At the 1997 BRIT Awards held in Earls Court, London on 24 February, the Bee Gees received the award for Outstanding Contribution to Music.

In 2002, Gibb was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2002 New Year Honours, along with his brothers Maurice and Barry. However, the official presentation ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London was delayed until 2004 due to Maurice's death.

In May 2004, Gibb and his brother Barry both received honorary doctorates of music from The University of Manchester, England. In 2005, Gibb received the Steiger Award (Miner Award) in Bochum, Germany for accomplishments in the arts. On 10 July 2009, both Gibb and Barry were made Freemen of the Borough of Douglas, Isle of Man. The award was also bestowed posthumously on Maurice, therefore confirming the freedom of the town of their birth to Gibb, Barry and Maurice.

The radio and television presenter, Paul Gambaccini has stated that the Bee Gees were "second only to Lennon and McCartney as the most successful songwriting unit in British popular music", and recognised Gibb as "one of the major figures in the history of British music [and] one of the best white soul voices ever". Gibb was a fellow of the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA).

Discography[link]

Gibb's entire song catalogue is published by Universal Music Publishing Group.

Albums[link]

!Year ! style="text-align:center;" ''How Old Are You?'' ''Secret Agent (Robin Gibb album) ''Walls Have Eyes'' ''Magnet'' ''Live with the Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt Orchestra'' ''My Favourite Christmas Carols'' ''Titanic Requiem''

Title !! UnitedKingdom !! Germany !! UnitedStates !! Switzerland !! Canada !! NewZealand !! Italy
1970	''Robin's Reign''	– ||	19	–	–	77	–	–
1983	|	–	6	–	26	–	22	13
1984	Secret Agent'' ||	–	31	97	20	–	–	–
1985	|	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2003	|	43	10	–	–	–	–	–
2005	|	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2006	|	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2012	|	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Singles[link]

!Year ! style="text-align:center;" "One Million Years" "August October" "Oh style="text-align:center;" "Help Me!"(Robin Gibb with Marcy Levy) "Juliet (Robin Gibb song) "How Old Are You (Robin Gibb song) "Another Lonely Night in New York" "Boys Do Fall in Love" "Secret Agent (song) "In Your Diary" "Like a Fool" "Toys (song) "Please" "Don't Wanna Wait Forever" "Bring It On/My Lover's Prayer "First of May"(G4 (band) "Mother of Love" "Too Much Heaven#US5 "Islands in the Stream"(Comic Relief with Robin Gibb) "I've Gotta Get a Message to You"(The Soldiers with Robin Gibb) "Don't Cry Alone"(promotional video only)

Title !! UnitedKingdom !! Germany !! UnitedStates !! Austria !! Switzerland !! SouthAfrica !! NewZealand !! Italy
1969	Saved by the Bell (song)>Saved by the Bell"	2 ||	3	–	–	–	1	1	–
1969	|	–	14	–	–	6	–	–	–
1970	|	45	12	–	–	–	–	11	–
1978	Darling"	– ||	–	15	–	–	–	–	5
1980	|	–	–	50	–	–	–	–	–
1983	Juliet" ||	94	1	104	2	1	–	–	1
1983	How Old Are You" ||	92	37	–	–	–	–	–	–
1983	|	71	16	–	–	19	–	–	–
1984	|	70	21	37	36	–	7	–	10
1984	Secret Agent" ||	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
1984	|	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
1985	|	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
1986	Toys" ||	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2002	|	23	51	–	–	–	–	48	–
2003	|	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2004	My Lover's Prayer"(Robin Gibb and Alistair Griffin) ||	5	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2005	G4 feat. Robin Gibb) ||	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2006	|	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2007	Too Much Heaven"(Robin Gibb and US5) ||	–	7	–	–	–	–	–	–
2009	|	1	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2011	|	75	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2012	|	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

References[link]

External links[link]

Robin Gibb's personal website

Robin Gibb's MySpace page

Gibb Songs ''Magnet'' by Joseph Brennan

Words & Music, Fans Of The Brothers Gibb

Promo Video, My Lover's Prayer

Category:1949 births Category:2012 deaths Category:Bee Gees members Category:Cancer deaths in England Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:Deaths from colorectal cancer Category:Deaths from renal failure Category:Deaths from liver cancer Category:English child singers Category:English expatriates in Australia Category:English expatriates in the United States Category:English male singers Category:English pop singers Category:English record producers Category:English singer-songwriters Category:English tenors Category:English vegans Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Ivor Novello Award winners Category:Manx musicians Category:Musicians from Manchester Category:People from Brisbane Category:People from Thame Category:Reality television judges Category:RSO Records artists Category:Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees Category:Twin people from England

af:Robin Gibb ar:روبن غيب ca:Robin Gibb cs:Robin Gibb cy:Robin Gibb da:Robin Gibb de:Robin Gibb et:Robin Gibb es:Robin Gibb eo:Robin Gibb eu:Robin Gibb fa:رابین گیب fr:Robin Gibb ko:로빈 깁 hr:Robin Gibb id:Robin Gibb it:Robin Gibb he:רובין גיב pam:Robin Gibb ka:რობინ გიბი la:Robertinus Gibb lb:Robin Gibb hu:Robin Gibb ml:റോബിൻ ഗിബ്‌ nl:Robin Gibb ja:ロビン・ギブ no:Robin Gibb pl:Robin Gibb pt:Robin Gibb ru:Гибб, Робин simple:Robin Gibb sk:Robin Gibb sh:Robin Gibb fi:Robin Gibb sv:Robin Gibb th:โรบิน กิบบ์ tr:Robin Gibb vi:Robin Gibb zh:羅賓·吉布

name	Toby Keith
background	solo_singer
birth name	Toby Keith Covel
birth date	July 08, 1961
origin	Clinton, Oklahoma, U.S.
instrument	Vocals, guitar
genre	Country
occupation	Singer-songwriter, record producer, actor
years active	1993–present
label	Mercury Records NashvillePolydorA&M;DreamWorks NashvilleShow Dog-Universal (formerly of Show Dog Nashville)
associated acts	Carter's Chord, Scotty Emerick, Lindsey Haun, Mac McAnally, Bobby Pinson, Trailer Choir, Stephen Cochran, Willie Nelson, Sting, Jewel Kilcher, Krystal Keith
website	TobyKeith.com }}

Toby Keith Covel (born July 8, 1961) best known as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer and actor. Keith released his first four studio albums — 1993's ''Toby Keith'', 1994's ''Boomtown'', 1996's ''Blue Moon'' and 1997's ''Dream Walkin''', plus a Greatest Hits package for various divisions of Mercury Records before leaving Mercury in 1998. These albums all earned gold or higher certification, and produced several chart singles, including his debut "Should've Been a Cowboy", which topped the country charts and was the most played country song of the 1990s. The song has received three million spins since then, according to Broadcast Music Incorporated.

Signed to Nashville DreamWorks in 1998, Keith released his breakthrough single "How Do You Like Me Now?!" that year. This song, the title track to his 1999 album of the same name, was the Number One country song of 2000, and one of several chart-toppers during his tenure on DreamWorks Nashville. His next three albums, ''Pull My Chain'', ''Unleashed'', and ''Shock'n Y'all'', produced three more Number Ones each, and all of the albums were certified multi-platinum. A second Greatest Hits package followed in 2004, and after that, he released ''Honkytonk University''.

When Dreamworks closed in 2005, Keith founded his own label, Show Dog Nashville, which became part of Show Dog-Universal Music in December 2009. He has released five studio albums on this label: 2006's ''White Trash with Money'', 2007's ''Big Dog Daddy'', 2008's ''That Don't Make Me a Bad Guy'', 2009's ''American Ride'' and 2010's ''Bullets in the Gun'' as well as the compilation ''35 Biggest Hits''. He has also signed several other acts to the label, including Trailer Choir, Carter's Chord, Flynnville Train, Trace Adkins, Mac McAnally and Mica Roberts. Keith also made his acting debut in 2005, starring in the film ''Broken Bridges'' and co-starred with comedian Rodney Carrington in the 2008 film ''Beer for My Horses''.

Keith has released thirteen studio albums, two Christmas albums, and multiple compilation albums. He has also charted more than forty singles on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs charts, including nineteen Number One hits and sixteen additional Top Ten hits. His longest-lasting Number One hits are "Beer for My Horses" (a 2003 duet with Willie Nelson) and "As Good as I Once Was" (2005), at six weeks each.

Early life[link]

Keith was born in Clinton, Oklahoma, the son of Carolyn Joan (''née'' Ross) and Hubert K. Covel Jr. He has a sister, Tonni, and a brother, Tracy. The family lived in Fort Smith, Arkansas, for a few years when Keith was in grade school, but moved to Moore, Oklahoma (a suburb of Oklahoma City) when he was still young. Before the family moved to Moore, he visited his grandmother in Fort Smith during the summers. His grandmother owned Billie Garner's Supper Club in Fort Smith, where Keith became interested in the musicians who came there to play. He did odd jobs around the supper club and started getting up on the bandstand to play with the band. He got his first guitar at the age of eight. After the family moved to Moore, Oklahoma, Keith attended Highland West Junior High and Moore High School, where he played defensive end on the football team.

Keith graduated from Moore High School and worked as a derrick hand in the oil fields. He worked his way up to become an operation manager. At the age of 20, he and his friends Scott Webb, Keith Cory and Danny Smith, with a few others, formed the band Easy Money, which played at local bars as he continued to work in the oil industry. At times, he would have to leave in the middle of a concert if he was paged to work in the oil field.

In 1982, the oil industry in Oklahoma began a rapid decline and Keith soon found himself unemployed. He fell back on his football training and played defensive end with the semi-pro Oklahoma City Drillers while continuing to perform with his band. (The Drillers were an unofficial farm club of the United States Football League's Oklahoma Outlaws; Keith tried out for the Outlaws but did not make the team.) He then returned to focus once again on music. His family and friends were doubtful he would succeed, but in 1984, Easy Money began playing the honky tonk circuit in Oklahoma and Texas. The band cut a single titled "Blue Moon" which received some airplay on local radio stations in Oklahoma.

Career[link]

In the early 1990s, Keith went to Nashville, Tennessee, where he hung out and busked on Music Row and at a place called Houndogs. He distributed copies of a demo tape the band had made to the many record companies in the city. There was no interest by any of the record labels, and Keith returned home feeling depressed. He had promised himself and God to have a recording contract by the time he was 30 years old or give up on music as a career, and had already passed that age without any prospects for a contract.

Fortunately for Keith, a flight attendant and fan of his gave a copy of Keith's demo tape to Harold Shedd, a Mercury Records executive, while he was traveling on a flight she was working. Shedd enjoyed what he heard, went to see Keith perform live and then signed him to a recording contract with Mercury. His debut single, "Should've Been a Cowboy" (1993), went to number 1 on the Billboard country singles chart, and his self-titled debut album was certified platinum. Other hit singles included "A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action" and "Wish I Didn't Know Now".

Keith was moved to Polydor Records and released his next album, ''Boomtown'' (1994), then was moved to A & M Records Nashville, as those two labels merged and released ''Blue Moon'' (1996). The albums went gold and platinum, respectively. In 1996, Keith was also featured on the Beach Boys' now out-of-print 1996 album ''Stars and Stripes Vol. 1'' performing a cover of their 1963 hit "Be True to Your School" with the Beach Boys themselves providing the harmonies and backing vocals.

A & M decided to fold their country division and Keith moved back to Mercury Records (now called Mercury Nashville), and released his fourth album, ''Dream Walkin'''' (1997). The album featured a duet with Sting, "I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying", which had previously been a hit for Sting himself.

The first single off ''How Do You Like Me Now?!'' failed to make the Top 40 on the country charts. However, the follow-up single, which was the album's title track, went on to spend five weeks at number one, helping boost the album's sales to double platinum.

In 2002, he released the ''Unleashed'' album which included hit singles, "Who's Your Daddy?", "Beer for My Horses", and "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue".

On November 9, 2004, Keith released a remake of James Taylor and Carly Simon's "Mockingbird", a duet with his daughter, Krystal. They performed the song on the 2004 Country Music Awards. The song reached top 25 on the charts.

Keith was the subject of the January 2005 issue of ''Playboy''s Playboy Interview. That year, Keith toured with rock guitarist Ted Nugent, whom Keith met in Iraq while they were both performing in USO-sponsored shows for the coalition troops.

On August 31, 2005, Keith parted ways with Universal Music Group — which had since bought DreamWorks — and launched his own record label, Show Dog Nashville. Its first release was Keith's album ''White Trash with Money'', followed by the soundtrack to ''Broken Bridges''. ''Big Dog Daddy'', which featured his single "High Maintenance Woman", was released on June 12, 2007. The album debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 charts, his third album to reach this feat, after ''Unleashed'' and ''Shock'n Y'all''.

He recorded a duet with Jimmy Buffett, "Piece of Work", which was featured on Buffett's album ''License to Chill''.

In 2008, Keith completed his Biggest and Baddest Tour. On May 6, 2008, he released his ''35 Biggest Hits'' 2CD set. The set was certified Platinum in August 2008.

In July 2008, Keith released a single, "She Never Cried in Front of Me". An album, ''That Don't Make Me a Bad Guy'', followed on October 28, 2008.

In 2009, Keith toured the U.S. with fellow country star Trace Adkins on a tour known as America's Toughest Tour. The concert series was kicked off on June 18, 2009 at PNC Bank Performing Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey. Keith did a free show earlier in the day at Asbury Park's famous Stone Pony.

Keith's thirteenth studio album, ''American Ride'', was released on October 6, 2009.

In 2010, Keith performed on another USO tour, this time in South Korea.

A studio album, ''Bullets in the Gun'', was released on October 5, 2010.

A new studio album, ''Clancy's Tavern'' was released on October 23, 2011. One of its songs, "Red Solo Cup", became a viral hit and gave Keith his biggest hit on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, peaking at #17.

In December 2011, Keith was named "Artist of the Decade" by the American Country Awards.

Television appearances[link]

Keith performed on a series of television advertisements for Telecom USA for that company's discount long distance telephone service 10-10-220. He also starred in Ford commercials, singing original songs such as "Ford Truck Man" and "Field Trip (Look Again)" while driving Ford trucks.

Keith made an appearance at the very first Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (then NWA-TNA) weekly pay-per-view on June 19, 2002, where his playing of "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" was interrupted by Jeff Jarrett. He would later enter the Gauntlet for the Gold main event, suplexing Jarrett and eliminating him from the match. A short video of the suplex is seen in the clip package when he goes onstage. He would appear the next week, on June 26, and help Scott Hall defeat Jarrett in singles action.

Keith received the "Colbert Bump" when he appeared on Comedy Central's ''The Colbert Report''. He holds the distinction of being the only musical artist to have received a five star rating from Stephen Colbert on iTunes. Keith furthered this connection when he appeared in Colbert's 2008 Christmas Special as a hunter. Keith also made an appearance as a musical guest on the October 27, 2011 episode of the Colbert Report. Oct. 29, 2011 Toby Keith appeared on Fox Channel's "Huckabee" with former Gov. Mike Huckabee. He played "Bullets in the Gun" and he joined with Huckabee's house band to play a song at the end of the show.

Acting[link]

In the Autumn of 2005, he filmed ''Broken Bridges'', written by Cherie Bennett and Jeff Gottesfeld, and directed by Steven Goldmann. This feature film from Paramount/CMT Films was released on September 8, 2006. In this contemporary story set in small-town Tennessee, Keith plays Bo Price, a washed-up country musician. The movie also stars Kelly Preston, Burt Reynolds, Tess Harper, and Lindsey Haun.

Keith wrote and starred in the 2008 movie ''Beer for My Horses'', which is based on the 2003 hit song of the same name recorded by Keith and Willie Nelson.

Other business ventures[link]

In 2005, Keith opened Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, as well as Tulsa, Oklahoma, and now also has restaurants in Thackerville, Oklahoma; Auburn Hills, Michigan; Kansas City; Las Vegas; Mesa, Arizona; St. Louis Park, Minnesota; Foxborough, Massachusetts;Cincinnati, Ohio and Denver, Colorado. Keith does not actually own the new restaurants; the new restaurant is the first in a franchise under Scottsdale, Arizona-based Capri Restaurant Group Enterprises LLC, which purchased the master license agreement to build more Toby Keith restaurants nationwide. Capri Restaurant Group is owned by Frank Capri, who opened the restaurant in Mesa in the shopping center known as Mesa Riverview and is planning on opening multiple locations across the country. In 2009, Capri Restaurant Group announced that it will open another I Love this Bar & Grill location in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's South Side Works shopping and entertainment district.

February 2010 marked the opening of the Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill in the Winstar World Casino, exit 1 on Interstate 35 in Oklahoma. Other locations opened in 2010 by the Capri Restaurant Group included those in Great Lakes Crossing in Auburn Hills, Michigan and in the Shops at West End in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. Expected to open in late 2011 is the location at The Shops at Oyster Point in Newport News, Virginia.

Keith also established a line of clothing, "TK Steelman", in early 2009.

Keith also supports Ally's House, a non-profit organization in Oklahoma designed to aid children with cancer. Of the charity, Keith said:

In 2011, Keith also started showing his love for the flavors of Mexico by introducing a new drink named “Wild Shot". At first it was only available in Mexico, but now is sold and served in America. It is also a featured drink in his restaurant chain "I Love this Bar and Grill".

Political beliefs[link]

Since 2002, Keith has made numerous trips to the Middle East to bring entertainment and encouragement to US men and women serving on or near the front lines. “My father was a soldier. He taught his kids to respect veterans,” said Keith. “It’s that respect and the thank-you that we have a military that’s in place and ready to defend our nation; our freedom.”

In 2004, Keith called himself "a conservative Democrat who is sometimes embarrassed for his party". He endorsed the re-election of President George W. Bush in the 2004 presidential election and performed at a Dallas, Texas, rally on the night before the election. Keith also endorsed Democrat Dan Boren in his successful run in Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district and is good friends with former Democratic New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. In a January 2007 interview with ''Newsday'', Keith was asked whether he supported the Iraq War. He responded with "Never did," and said he favors setting a time limit on the campaign. He also said, "I don't apologize for being patriotic... If there is something socially incorrect about being patriotic and supporting your troops, then they can kiss my ass on that, because I'm not going to budge on that at all. And that has nothing to do with politics. Politics is what's killing America."

In April 2008, Keith said that Barack Obama "looks like a great speaker and a great leader. And I think you can learn on your feet in there, so I don't hold people responsible for not having a whole bunch of political background in the House and Senate." At the same time he remarked, "I think [John] McCain is a great option too." In August 2008, he called Obama "the best Democratic candidate we've had since Bill Clinton".

In October 2008, Keith told CMT that he had left the Democratic Party and has re-registered as an independent. "My party that I've been affiliated with all these years doesn't stand for anything that I stand for anymore," he says. "They've lost any sensibility that they had, and they've allowed all the kooks in. So I'm going independent." He also told CMT that he would likely vote for the Republican ticket, partially because of his admiration for Sarah Palin.

In March 2009, Keith received the Johnny "Mike" Spann Memorial Semper Fidelis Award during a New York ceremony held by the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation. The trophy is named for the CIA operative (and former Marine Corps captain) who was the first U.S. casualty in the war in Afghanistan. "Spending time with our soldiers around the world is something I've always regarded as a privilege and honor," he said. "I'm certainly happy to accept this award, but I won't forget for a second who's really doing the heavy lifting to keep this country safe. And that's why I'll keep going back and spending time with those good folks every chance I get."

In April 2009, he voiced support for Obama on Afghanistan and other decisions: "He hired one of my best friends who I think should run for president someday...Gen. James Jones as a national security adviser. He's sending troops into Afghanistan, help is on the way there. And I'm seeing some really good middle range stuff. I'm giving our commander in chief a chance before I start grabbing. So far, I'm cool with it."

Courtesy of the Red, White & Blue[link]

On March 24, 2001, Keith’s father, H.K. Covel, was killed in a car accident. That event and the September 11 attacks in 2001 prompted Keith to write the song "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue", a song about his father’s patriotism and faith in the United States. At first, Keith refused to record the song and sang it only live at his concerts for military personnel. The reaction to the song, the lyrics of which express clear nationalistic and militaristic sentiments, was strong in many quarters, even to the point that the Commandant of the Marine Corps James L. Jones told Keith it was his "duty as an American citizen" to record the song. As the lead single from the album ''Unleashed'' (2002), "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue" peaked at number one over the Fourth of July weekend.

ABC invited Keith to sing "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue" on a 2002 Fourth of July concert it was producing, then rescinded the invitation after host Peter Jennings heard the song and vetoed it. Jennings said the song "probably wouldn’t set the right tone". "I find it interesting that he's not from the U.S.", Keith said of Jennings, who was Canadian. "I bet Dan Rather'd let me do it on his special."

Feud with the Dixie Chicks[link]

Keith had a public feud with the Dixie Chicks over the song "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue", in 2003 as well as over comments they made about President George W. Bush on stage during a concert in London. The lead singer of the Dixie Chicks, Natalie Maines, publicly stated that Keith's song was "ignorant, and it makes country music sound ignorant". Keith responded by belittling Maines' songwriting skills, and by displaying a backdrop at his concerts showing a doctored photo of Maines with Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. On May 21, 2003, Maines wore a T-shirt with the letters "FUTK" on the front at the Academy of Country Music Awards. While a spokesperson for the Dixie Chicks said that the acronym stood for "Friends United in Truth and Kindness," many, including host Vince Gill, took it to be a shot at Keith ("Fuck You Toby Keith"). In an October 2004 appearance on ''Real Time with Bill Maher'', Maines finally confessed that it was indeed a shot at Keith, and that she "thought that nobody would get it".

In August 2003, Keith's representation publicly declared he was done feuding with Maines "because he's realized there are far more important things to concentrate on". Keith was referring specifically to the terminal illness of a former bandmate's daughter, Allison Faith Webb. However, he continues to refuse to say Maines' name, and claims that the doctored photo was intended to express his opinion that Maines' criticism was an attempt to squelch Keith's free speech.

In April 2008, a commercial spot to promote Al Gore's "We Campaign", involving both Keith and the Dixie Chicks, was proposed. However, the idea was eventually abandoned due to scheduling conflicts.

Personal life[link]

On March 24, 1984, Keith married Tricia Lucus. He is the father of three children—two daughters, Shelley Covel Rowland(born 1980, adopted by Keith in 1984) and Krystal "Krystal Keith" LaDawn Covel Sandubrae (born 1985), and one son (Stelen Keith Covel, born 1997). He also has one granddaughter (born 2008; mother is Shelley) and one grandson (born 2010; mother is also Shelley). Daughter Krystal Keith has been known to sing with her father on stage and is an aspiring country singer, following in the footsteps of her dad. An avid University of Oklahoma sports fan, Keith is often seen at Oklahoma Sooners games and practices. He is also a fan of professional wrestling, being seen in the front row of numerous WWE shows that take place in Oklahoma, as well as performing "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue (The Angry American)" live at the first ever TNA Wrestling show on June 19, 2002. He is also a Free Will Baptist.

On March 24, 2001, Keith's father was killed in a car accident on Interstate 35. On December 25, 2007, the Covel family was awarded $2.8 million for the wrongful death of H.K. Covel. Elias and Pedro Rodriguez, operators of Rodriguez Transportes of Tulsa, and the Republic Western Insurance Co. were found liable as they failed to properly equip the charter bus with properly working air brakes.

Keith has an honorary degree from Villanova University, which he attended for one year.

Tours[link]

Brooks & Dunn's Neon Circus & Wild West Show 2001

Unleashed Tour 2002

*with Jamie O'Neal and Emerson Drive

Big Throwdown Tour 2004

Shock'N Y'all Tour 2005

White Trash With Money Tour 2006

Hookin' Up & Hangin' Out Tour 2007

*with Miranda Lambert

Big Dog Daddy Tour 2007

Biggest & Baddest Tour 2008-2009

*with Montgomery Gentry and Trailer Choir

America's Toughest Tour 2009

*with Trace Adkins Also Julianne Hough(Few Dates)

Toby Keith's American Ride Tour 2010

*with Trace Adkins & James Otto

Locked & Loaded Tour 2011

*with Eric Church & JT Hodges

Live in Overdrive Tour

*with Brantley Gilbert

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

''Toby Keith'' (1993)

''Boomtown'' (1994)

''Blue Moon'' (1996)

''Dream Walkin''' (1997)

''How Do You Like Me Now?!'' (1999)

''Pull My Chain'' (2001)

''Unleashed'' (2002)

''Shock'n Y'all'' (2003)

''Honkytonk University'' (2005)

''White Trash with Money'' (2006)

''Big Dog Daddy'' (2007)

''That Don't Make Me a Bad Guy'' (2008)

''American Ride'' (2009)

''Bullets in the Gun'' (2010)

''Clancy's Tavern'' (2011)

Compilation albums[link]

''Greatest Hits Volume One'' (1998)

''20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection'' (2003)

''Greatest Hits 2'' (2004)

''35 Biggest Hits'' (2008)

Christmas albums[link]

''Christmas to Christmas'' (1995)

''A Classic Christmas'' (2007)

Number one singles[link]

"Should've Been a Cowboy"

"Who's That Man"

"Me Too"

"How Do You Like Me Now?!"

"You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This"

"I'm Just Talkin' About Tonight"

"I Wanna Talk About Me"

"My List"

"Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue (The Angry American)"

"Who's Your Daddy?"

"Beer for My Horses" (duet with Willie Nelson)

"I Love This Bar"

"American Soldier"

"Whiskey Girl"

"As Good as I Once Was"

"Love Me If You Can"

"She Never Cried in Front of Me"

"God Love Her"

"American Ride"

"Made in America"

Notable awards[link]

American Music Awards

2002 Favorite Country Album - "Unleashed"

2003 Favorite Country Album - "Shock'n Y'all"

2003 Favorite Country Male Artist

2005 Favorite Country Male Artist

Academy of Country Music

2000 Album of the Year - "How Do You Like Me Now?!"

2000 Top Male Vocalist

2002 Entertainer of the Year

2003 Album of the Year - "Shock'n Y'all"

2003 Entertainer of the Year

2003 Top Male Vocalist

2003 Video of the Year with Willie Nelson - "Beer for My Horses"

Country Music Association

2001 Male Vocalist of the Year

Billboard

Country Artist Of The Decade

American Country Awards

Visionary Artist Award at the Inagural American Country Awards, given out on Monday, December 6, 2010.

References[link]

External links[link]

Toby Keith official website

Category:1961 births Category:Actors from Oklahoma Category:American baritones Category:American country singer-songwriters Category:American record producers Category:Country musicians from Arkansas Category:DreamWorks Records artists Category:Living people Category:Mercury Records artists Category:Musicians from Oklahoma Category:Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame inductees Category:People from Custer County, Oklahoma Category:Show Dog-Universal Music artists Category:Villanova University alumni

cs:Toby Keith da:Toby Keith pdc:Toby Keith de:Toby Keith et:Toby Keith es:Toby Keith fr:Toby Keith no:Toby Keith pt:Toby Keith ru:Кит, Тоби simple:Toby Keith sv:Toby Keith

Name	Drowning Pool
Background	group_or_band
Origin	Dallas, Texas,
Genre	Alternative metal, heavy metal, post-grunge
Years active	1996–present
Label	Eleven Seven Music, Wind Up Records (1999-2006)
Associated acts	VooDoo Corps, Soil, AM Conspiracy
Website
Current members	C.J. PierceStevie BentonMike Luce
Past members	Dave Williams (deceased)Jason JonesRyan McCombs }}

Drowning Pool is currently a three-piece alternative metal band from Dallas, Texas. The band has had guitarist C.J. Pierce, bassist Stevie Benton and drummer Mike Luce for its entire career, however it has had several vocalists, including Dave "Stage" Williams, Jason Jones and recently Ryan McCombs of Soil.

History[link]

Dave Williams era (1996–2002)[link]

Drowning Pool rose to fame while playing along with Ozzy Osbourne during an Ozzfest tour. Their 2001 debut album ''Sinner'' was certified platinum within six weeks. On August 14, 2002, the band's lead singer Dave Williams was found dead inside his tour bus. He died from an undiagnosed heart condition.

A spokesperson for the Northern District of the Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said he suffered from a form of heart disease. Many of their songs are featured in the Dragon Ball Z soundtracks. When asked if the band had any unreleased songs, according to a 2002 Blabbermouth article, drummer Mike Luce replied that "only 3–4 songs were done, including one called "Heroes," which is a tribute to dead rock musicians such as Layne Staley. I don't know if we will ever release them."

Jason Jones era (2003–2005)[link]

After Williams' death, the band tried to carry on and begin searching for a new singer. Many were considered, such as Ben Schigel of Switched, Vince Mullins of Haji's Kitchen, Robb Flynn of Machine Head and many others. But in 2003, the band decided on Jason 'Gong' Jones to replace Williams and released the album ''Desensitized'' in 2004. During this era, Drowning Pool also experienced a considerable shift in visual style: rather than the dark, grimacing, anti-social demeanor seen with Williams as the frontman, they shifted toward rock star vanity and sex appeal. Despite the success of the album's lead single, "Step Up," the album was not nearly as successful as ''Sinner''. Jones' departure from Drowning Pool was publicly announced on June 14, 2004, due to irreconcilable differences.

Ryan McCombs era (2006–2011)[link]

Drowning Pool announced that the new singer would be formally announced at Ozzfest in Dallas, Texas, where Drowning Pool did a one-off performance on the main stage.

On July 20, 2005, the website SMNNews received word from close sources that McCombs was indeed the new singer. According to their manager, McCombs was "really good" and someone the band had wanted when they first set out to replace original vocalist Dave Williams nearly two years prior.

In spring of 2006, Drowning Pool announced that they had parted ways with Wind-up Records. In October 2006, the new song "No More" was announced to be released on the ''Saw III'' soundtrack, their first track (besides the second version of "Rise Up") with McCombs on vocals.

On February 26, 2007, the band announced it signed a new deal with Eleven Seven Music. It was also confirmed that Drowning Pool would have a new management company, Tenth Street Entertainment.

The band's third album, ''Full Circle'', was released on August 7, 2007 and met with moderate success. While some easy to please fans might have pointed out that they favored McCombs' vocals over previous vocalist Jason Jones, most people thought McCombs' voice didn't suit the band. Two songs on the album were produced by Funny Farm Records, owned by Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx and former Beautiful Creatures guitarist DJ Ashba. The remaining tracks have been recorded with producer Ben Schigel at the Ohio-based Spider Studios.

In January 2008, the band members announced that they would be touring North America as special guests of Saliva. On July 26, 2008, in Dubuque, Iowa, Drowning Pool played at the Dubuque County Fair alongside the bands Sick Puppies and Seether.

In September 2008, McCombs said in a statement that Drowning Pool will be recording its next album after it finishes touring with Saliva. According to an article from the El Paso Times, Drowning Pool has written material for its new album, and the band will be in the recording studio following the holidays.

On December 9, 2008, bassist Stevie Benton was quoted by the ''Associated Press'' as considering it an honor that the U.S. military was using Drowning Pool's music to bother captured prisoners. On December 13, 2008, Stevie Benton issued an apology on Drowning Pool's MySpace page about his comment on musical torture, stating his comment had been "taken out of context".

On March 3, 2009, the band released its live album, ''Loudest Common Denominator'', which featured two bonus tracks of acoustic versions of "Shame" and "37 Stitches".

According to a blog posted by the band members on the website SMNNEWS, they have hinted at having six songs already completed, and they just need to finish the other half of the album. McCombs dropped teasers of possible titles to two of the songs, "L.O.M.L" and "Regret". Guitarist C.J. Pierce also said he is bringing back some effects used on debut album ''Sinner'', but not on the previous two albums.

Drowning Pool finished recording their latest album with Kato Khandwala producing at House of Loud in New Jersey, which will be the first album in the band's history featuring the same vocalist twice since Dave Williams, who recorded two pre-Sinner albums as well as Sinner itself.

The first single off the band's upcoming self-titled album, titled "Feel Like I Do", is available as a free download on their official website, and the album was released on April 27, 2010.

Search for fourth singer and VooDoo Corps[link]

On November 29, 2011 it was announced that Ryan McCombs had left the band to rejoin SOiL on their European tour to promote the 10th anniversary of their Scars album and maybe even to record a new record. Drowning Pool is currently writing new material for a fifth studio album and holding auditions to find their fourth vocalist.

On November 7, 2011, it was announced that C.J. Pierce and Mike Luce have diverted their attention towards a new project with ex–Nonpoint members Zach Broderick and Ken McMillan titled Voodoo Corps.

The band are currently working on a new album, although a new singer has not been announced.

Members[link]

;Current members

C.J. Pierce – guitars, (1996–present)

Stevie Benton – bass guitar (1996–present)

Mike Luce – drums, percussion, vocals (1996–present)

;Former members

Dave Williams – lead vocals (1999–2002)

Jason Jones – lead vocals (2003–2005)

Ryan McCombs – lead vocals (2005–2011)

Discography[link]

''Sinner'' (2001)

''Desensitized'' (2004)

''Full Circle'' (2007)

''Drowning Pool'' (2010)

References[link]

External links[link]

Interview with Drowning Pool on ARTISTdirect.com

Category:American alternative metal musical groups Category:American nu metal musical groups Category:Musical groups established in 1996 Category:Musical quartets Category:Musical groups from Dallas, Texas

da:Drowning Pool de:Drowning Pool es:Drowning Pool fr:Drowning Pool hr:Drowning Pool it:Drowning Pool ms:Drowning Pool nl:Drowning Pool ja:ドラウニング・プール no:Drowning Pool uz:Drowning Pool pl:Drowning Pool pt:Drowning Pool ro:Drowning Pool ru:Drowning Pool simple:Drowning Pool fi:Drowning Pool sv:Drowning Pool tr:Drowning Pool uk:Drowning Pool