Asylum Records is an American record label founded in 1971 by David Geffen and partner Elliot Roberts, who had previously worked as agents at the William Morris Agency. Founded specifically to provide a record contract for Jackson Browne, the label signed Tom Waits, Linda Ronstadt, Joni Mitchell, The Eagles and Bob Dylan for two albums. It was taken over by Warner Communications (now the Warner Music Group) in 1972, and merged with Elektra Records to become Elektra/Asylum Records.

After various incarnations, today it is geared primarily towards hip-hop, along with rock and alternative metal. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and is currently distributed through Warner Bros. Records.

Company history[link]

Formation[link]

Asylum was founded in 1971 by David Geffen, and partner Elliot Roberts, who had previously worked as agents at the William Morris Agency, and operated a folk/rock label. They founded their own management company, and when Geffen was unable to get a recording contract for Jackson Browne, one of his clients at the time, Geffen and Roberts founded Asylum specifically to sign Browne. Asylum's early releases were distributed by Atlantic Records. The same year, Asylum signed John David Souther, Judee Sill, Linda Ronstadt, Joni Mitchell and Glenn Frey (whom Geffen encouraged to form the Eagles, with Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, and Randy Meisner.) In 1972, then folk-based singer/songwriter Tom Waits signed with the label, releasing his debut, Closing Time, in 1973. His fifth and final album for the label, Heartattack and Vine, was released in 1980. The biggest coup for Asylum was signing Bob Dylan, who had been with Columbia Records since the early 1960s but who, after a falling-out with the company, was shopping around for a new label. Dylan recorded two albums, Planet Waves and the live Before the Flood, for Asylum before returning to Columbia. Columbia reissued Dylan's two Asylum albums in 1981.

Merger with Elektra Records[link]

Asylum was taken over by Warner Communications (now Time Warner, who later spun off its music holdings as Warner Music Group) in 1972, and merged with Elektra Records to become Elektra/Asylum Records. David Geffen and Elliot Roberts each received $2 million in cash and $5 million in Warner Communications stock, thereby becoming two of the company's largest shareholders. Geffen served as president and chairman of Elektra/Asylum Records until 1975, when he crossed over to film and was named vice-chairman of Warner Brothers Pictures.

One of Asylum's most prominent signings after Geffen's departure was Warren Zevon, who released a series of successful and critically acclaimed LPs for the label; his self-titled 1976 label debut has been called the best California rock album of the decade.

By the early 1980s, though technically still billed as "Elektra/Asylum Records" or "Elektra/Asylum/Nonesuch Records", Elektra and Asylum began to split off—with the former becoming more dominant and the latter acting as more of an extension. By the middle of the decade, the company was unofficially calling itself Elektra Records, and in 1989 it was renamed Elektra Entertainment. Asylum, meanwhile, broke off into a subsidiary label and subsequently became less active in its own right.

Country format[link]

Asylum was reformatted into a country music label, still operated by Elektra, in 1992. Under the new format, Asylum scored successful recordings by such acts as Brother Phelps, Thrasher Shiver, Emmylou Harris, Kevin Sharp, Bryan White, and Lila McCann. They also produced many critically acclaimed albums by artists such as Mandy Barnett, Guy Clark, The Cox Family, Bob Woodruff, J.D. Myers and Jamie Hartford. By the end of the decade, however, mismanagement and a lack of promotion money led to the dissolution of the Asylum country label.

In 2003, Mike Curb, head of Curb Records, revived the Nashville division of Asylum, forming a new label known as Asylum-Curb. LeAnn Rimes, Clay Walker, Lee Brice, Rio Grand, Hank Williams, Jr. and Wynonna are among the artists on the Asylum-Curb division.^[1]

Relaunch[link]

After being dormant for several years, Asylum Records was revived as an urban music-based label in 2004, with some of its releases distributed in conjunction with Warner Bros. Records and others through Atlantic Records. In 2006, WMG shifted Asylum to operate under their newly created Independent Label Group, which also comprises Cordless Recordings and East West Records. In December 2006, Asylum Records announced the signing of Atlanta, Georgia-based metal band Sevendust, the first non-hip-hop artist to be signed to the newly reconfigured label. In March 2009, Asylum president and CEO Todd Moscowitz was promoted to Executive Vice President of Warner Bros. Records. Subsequently, Asylum was detached from the Independent Label Group and now operates under Warner Bros.^[2] Cee Lo Green was signed to the label as well as New Boyz and Ed Sheeran.

References[link]

See also[link]

• List of Asylum Records artists

Sean Paul
Sean Paul at the International Reggae and World Music Awards.
Background information
Birth name	Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques
Born	(1973-01-09) January 9, 1973 (age 39) Kingston, Jamaica
Genres	Dancehall, reggae, R&B, ragga
Occupations	Musician, singer-songwriter, producer, actor
Years active	1996–present
Labels	VP, Atlantic
Website	allseanpaul.com

Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques^[1] (born January 9, 1973),^[1][2] who performs under stage name Sean Paul, is a Jamaican dancehall and reggae artist.

Life and career[link]

1973–96: Early life[link]

Sean Paul was born in Kingston and spent his early years in Upper Andrew Parish, a few miles north of Kingston.^[2] His parents, Garth and Frances, were both talented athletes, and his mother is a well-known painter.^[3] His paternal grandfather was a Sephardic Jew whose family emigrated from Portugal, and his paternal grandmother was Afro-Caribbean; his mother is of English and Chinese Jamaican descent.^[4][5] Sean Paul was raised as a Catholic.^[6] Many members of his family are swimmers. His grandfather was on the first Jamaican men's national water polo team. His father also played water polo for the team in the 1960s, and competed in long-distance swimming, while Sean Paul's mother was a backstroke swimmer. Sean Paul played for the national water polo team from the age of thirteen to twenty-one, when he gave up the sport in order to launch his musical career. He attended the Wolmers High School for Boys, Belair School, Hillel Academy High School, and the College of Arts, Science, and Technology, now known as the University of Technology, where he was trained in commerce with a view to pursuing an occupation in hotel management.

[edit] 1998–2000: Stage One

Sean Paul's manager and producer Jeremy Harding first heard about the singer when his brother told him about seeing someone at a small open mic event in Kingston who sounded a lot like the popular dancehall DJ and toaster Super Cat.^[7] Harding eventually met the singer when Sean Paul came by his studio to ask for some advice. During the meeting Paul recorded a vocal over Harding's rhythm track and in the process created the song "Baby Girl".^[7] Sean Paul began hanging out at the studio every day, and the pair collaborated on several more tracks. When they recorded "Infiltrate" they decided they had something good enough to get on the radio. As Sean Paul started to attract local attention, Harding began looking after his affairs. He later told HitQuarters that his support of Paul's fledgling career initially led him assuming the roles of "DJ, manager, road manager and security guard."^[7] Sean Paul made a quick cameo appearance in the 1998 film Belly on stage performing. He made a very successful collaboration with DMX & Mr. Vegas (Top Shotter) as a soundtrack of the film. In 2000, Sean Paul released his debut album, Stage One with VP Records.

[edit] 2001–02: Dutty Rock

In 2002, he began working extensively with a team of producers and choreographers from Toronto, namely Jae Blaze and Blaze Entertainment and announced the release of his second album, Dutty Rock. Pushed by the success of the singles "Gimme the Light" and the Billboard Hot 100 topper, "Get Busy", the album was a worldwide success, eventually selling over six million copies. Simultaneously, Sean Paul was heard on Beyoncé's U.S. #1 single "Baby Boy" and Blu Cantrell's "Breathe", a chart hit in Europe. Both helped to push his reputation further still in the United States. He appeared on Punk'd, 106 & Park, Sean Paul Respect, Making the Video ("Get Busy", "Gimme the Light", and "Like Glue") and his music videos have been broadcast on MTV and BET. Paul's biggest hits included "Get Busy", "Like Glue", "Gimme the Light", "Baby Boy", and "I'm Still in Love with You".

[edit] 2003–05: The Trinity

Sean Paul in September 2005.

Sean Paul's third album The Trinity was released in on September 27, 2005. The album produced five big hits, "We Be Burnin'", "Ever Blazin'", "Give It Up to Me", "Never Gonna Be The Same" and the U.S. chart-topping smash hit "Temperature". The video of "Give It Up to Me" (featuring Keyshia Cole) was also featured in the movie Step Up in 2006. He was nominated for four awards at the 2006 Billboard Music Awards, including male artist of the year, rap artist of the year, hot 100 single of the year, and pop single of the year for his hit "Temperature".^[8] He also won an American Music Award for "(When You Gonna) Give It Up To Me" beating Kanye West and Nick Lachey who were also nominated for the award. His song "Send It On" from "The Trinity" featured on the 2005 Vauxhall Corsa advert. Sean Paul often contributes his songs to various Riddim Driven albums (by VP Records). In March 2007, he returned to his native Jamaica to perform at the Cricket World Cup 2007 opening ceremony. Sean Paul appears on the game Def Jam: Fight for NY as part of Snoop Dogg's crew and again in the game's sequel, Def Jam Icon.

[edit] 2006–10: Imperial Blaze

The newest Sean Paul album entitled "Imperial Blaze" was released on August 18, 2009. The lead single, “So Fine”, which was produced by Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor, premiered on Sean Paul's official website on April 26, 2009.^{[9][dead link][10]} Speaking to Pete Lewis of 'Blues & Soul' magazine in August 2009, Sean Paul stated that 'Imperial Blaze' "Actually signifies 'The King's Fire'. It's that thing inside of you that gives you the desire to do whatever you do, and be the best in the world at it."^[11] The new album consists of 20 tracks including "So Fine", "Press it Up", "She Want Me", "Private Party" which are party tracks and also love songs such as "Hold My Hand" (feat Keri Hilson), "Lately", "Now That I've Got Your Love" among others. Producers on the album include Don Corleone, Jeremy Harding, and Sean's brother Jason 'Jigzagula' Henriques.^[11] All the full songs of the album have been added to Sean Paul's Myspace page^[12] on the day of release of the album.

Up until now there have been eight music videos: "Always On My Mind (with Da'Ville)", "Give It To You (with Eve)", "Watch Them Roll", "Back It Up" (with Left Side/Mr. Evil), "(I Wanna See You) Push It Baby" (with Pretty Ricky), "Hit 'Em" (with Fahrenheit and his brother Jason "Jigzagula" Henriques), "Come Over" with Estelle,^[13] and also the video of his first single, "So Fine" from the new album. He has recently been featured in Shaggy's video, "Save A Life", which also includes appearances from Elephant Man and Da'Ville, among others. In an effort to raise money for a children's hospital, Shaggy, Sean Paul and others will be having a benefit concert. All proceeds will go towards getting new equipment and technology 'For Aid to the Bustamante Hospital for Children'. In an interview in 2009 he says he is planning to release a new album in 2011. During the premiere for MNET's Big Brother Africa 5: All-Stars on July 18, 2010, he performed his songs "Temperature", "Hold My Hand", and "So Fine".

[edit] 2011–present: Tomahawk Technique

The first single Got 2 Luv U features vocals from American singer Alexis Jordan. It was released on the July 19, 2011 by Atlantic Records. The song was written by Sean Paul, Ryan Tedder and Stargate, and it was produced by Stargate.^[14][15][16]

She Doesn't Mind is the second single from the album. It was written by Sean Paul, Shellback and Benny Blanco and was produced by Shellback and Benny Blanco. It was released on the September 29, 2011 on NRJ & Skyrock (French radios), and to iTunes on October 31.^[17] Like its proceeder, "Got 2 Luv U", featuring Alexis Jordan, it topped the charts in Switzerland, but it debuted at that spot. Sean appeared on the Never Mind the Buzzcocks episode which aired on November 21, 2011.

Sean Paul is featured in the music video for the Simple Plan song Summer Paradise.

Discography[link]

Studio albums

• Stage One (2000)
• Dutty Rock (2002)
• The Trinity (2005)
• Imperial Blaze (2009)
• Tomahawk Technique (2012)

Mixtapes

• The Odyssey Mixtape (2009)

Filmography[link]

Bun B
Performing live in August 2007.
Background information
Birth name	Bernard Freeman
Born	(1973-03-19) March 19, 1973 (age 39)
Origin	Port Arthur, Texas, U.S.
Genres	Hip Hop, Southern Rap, Trill
Occupations	Rapper, Songwriter, Producer, CEO
Years active	1987–Present
Labels	Rap-a-Lot
Associated acts	UGK, Slim Thug, Outkast, Scarface, Sean Kingston, Z-Ro, Beyoncé Knowles, Trey Songz, Kirko Bangz, Chamillionaire, Juvenile, Rick Ross, Drake, Usher, Wu-Tang Clan, T.I., Lil Wayne

Bernard Freeman (born March 19, 1973^[1][2]) better known by his stage name Bun B, is an American rapper and was one half of the southern hip hop duo UGK (UnderGround Kingz). He is also a guest lecturer at Rice University located in Houston, Texas.^[3] He recently released his third official solo album Trill OG on August 3, 2010, which received a 5 Mic "Classic" rating in The Source Magazine - the first album in over five years to receive the honor.^[4] Bun B is married with two stepchildren.^[5]

Music career[link]

UGK[link]

In the late 1980s, Pimp C started the rap duo UGK. They then got signed to Jive Records where they released their major label debut album, Too Hard to Swallow, and their sophomore album, Super Tight.... Their third album, Ridin' Dirty reached the R&B Charts in 1996 peaking at number 2 and the Billboard 200 chart peaking at number 15. After releasing their fourth studio album, Dirty Money, Pimp C got sentenced to jail.^[6]

[edit] Trill and beginning of solo career

When Bun B's UGK partner, the late Chad "Pimp C" Butler entered a jail sentence on an aggravated gun assault charge in 2002, Bun B made guest appearances on numerous albums by other rappers and released a 2005 mixtape titled Legends.^[6] Singles featuring a Bun B guest appearance included "They Don't Know" by Paul Wall, "Gimme That" by Webbie and "I'm A G" by Yung Joc. Bun B also appeared in a documentary titled Screwed In Houston produced by VBS/Vice Magazine that details the history of the Houston rap scene.

In October 2005, Bun B's debut solo album Trill was released.^[7] Singles included "Draped Up",^[7] "Git It", and "Get Throwed".^[8] The album peaked at the sixth spot on the American Billboard 200 chart and number one on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart.^[9]

[edit] II Trill

After Pimp C died in 2007, Bun B returned to a solo career. In 2008, he released his second album, II Trill^[6] The first single was "That's Gangsta" featuring Jamaican American artist Sean Kingston. It debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200, selling 98,000 copies.^[10] Other singles were "Damn I'm Cold" featuring Lil Wayne and "You're Everything" featuring Rick Ross, David Banner, DJ Corbett and 8Ball & MJG, the latter of which was dedicated to the late Pimp C.

[edit] Trill OG

Bun B's third album is Trill OG. In an interview with MTV Live, Bun B stated that 2Pac is set to feature on the album, claiming "It's a brand new verse."^[11] The album was released under Universal Music Group^[12] on August 3, 2010.^[13]

4th studio album[link]

On October 28 2011, a song titled "The Life" and produced by 14KT was leaked.

On March 3 2012, Bun B leaked a song featuring Royce Da 5'9 and Redman titled "Stop Playin'" after he reached 400,000 followers on Twitter. He has not announced the song's appearance on his upcoming album ^[14]

Other Ventures[link]

Acting[link]

Bun B recently acted in the Straight-to-DVD movie "Ghetto Stories: The Movie". It is unknown at this time though if he is still pursuing an acting career.

Teaching[link]

At the start of the Spring 2011 semester, Bun B joined the faculty of Rice University as a Distinguished Lecturer. He taught a course in the School of the Humanities on Hip-Hop and Religion.^[15]

Personal life[link]

Family[link]

Bun B is married to Angela Walls with two children.^[5] One of his sons is American rapper Young B, who is currently a member of the rap group Youngest N Charge. Youngest N Charge is currently Bun B's opening act.^[16]

Discography[link]

• 2005: Trill
• 2008: II Trill
• 2010: Trill OG
• 2012: Trill 4 Life

Filmography[link]

Films[link]

• Ghetto Stories (2010)

References[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Bun B

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bun B

• Bun B on Myspace
• Bun B at the Internet Movie Database
• Rap-A-Lot Records
• Discography at discogs.com
• Bun B RBMA lecture

Don Henley
Don Henley performing with the Eagles in 2008.
Background information
Birth name	Donald Hugh Henley
Born	(1947-07-22) July 22, 1947 (age 64) Gilmer, Texas, United States
Genres	Rock, country
Occupations	Musician, songwriter, singer
Instruments	Vocals, drums, percussions, guitar, keyboards, synthesizers
Years active	1970–present
Labels	Asylum, Geffen, Warner Bros.
Associated acts	Eagles, Stevie Nicks, Linda Ronstadt, Trisha Yearwood
Website	donhenley.com

Donald Hugh "Don" Henley (born July 22, 1947, in Gilmer, Texas) is an American singer, songwriter and drummer, best known as a founding member of the Eagles before launching a successful solo career. Henley was the drummer and lead vocalist for the Eagles from 1971–1980, when the band broke up. Henley sings lead vocals on Eagles hits such as "Witchy Woman", "Desperado", "Best of My Love", "One of These Nights", "Hotel California", "Life in the Fast Lane", and "The Long Run". He formed one of the most successful songwriting partnerships with Glenn Frey.

After the Eagles broke up in 1980, Henley pursued a solo career and released his debut album in 1982. He has released four studio albums, two compilation albums, and one live DVD. His solo hits include "Dirty Laundry", "The Boys of Summer", "All She Wants to Do Is Dance", "The Heart of the Matter", "The Last Worthless Evening", "Sunset Grill", "Not Enough Love in the World", "New York Minute" and "The End of the Innocence".

The Eagles have sold over 120 million albums worldwide, won six Grammy Awards, had five #1 singles, 17 Top 40 singles, and six #1 albums. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and are the biggest selling American band in history. As a solo artist, Henley has sold over 10 million albums worldwide, had eight Top 40 singles, won two Grammys and five MTV Video Music Awards. Combined with the Eagles and as a solo artist, Henley has released 25 Top 40 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. He has released seven studio albums with the Eagles and four as a solo artist. In 2008, he was ranked the 87th greatest singer of all time by Rolling Stone magazine.

Henley has also played a founding role in several environmental and political causes, most notably the Walden Woods Project.^[1] Since 1994, he has divided his musical activities between the Eagles and his solo career.

Early life[link]

Henley grew up in the small northeast Texas town of Linden. He initially attended college at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. He then attended North Texas State University (renamed in 1988 as University of North Texas) in Denton, Texas, from 1967 to 1969. Henley left school to spend time with his father, who was dying from heart and arterial disease.

In 1970, he moved to Los Angeles to record an album with his early band, Shiloh. Shiloh's album was produced by fellow Texan Kenny Rogers. Shortly thereafter, Henley met Glenn Frey. They both became members of Linda Ronstadt's backup band. Touring with her was the catalyst for forming the group. As a result, two months later they, along with Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner, became their own act, Eagles.

Tenure with the Eagles[link]

The Eagles were formed in September 1971,^[2] and released their first album in 1972, which contained the hit song "Take It Easy", written by Frey and Jackson Browne. During the band's run, Henley co-wrote (usually with Frey) most of the band's best-known songs.

Henley sang lead vocals on many of the band's popular songs, including "Desperado", "Witchy Woman", "Best of My Love", "One of These Nights", "Hotel California", "The Long Run", "Life in the Fast Lane" and "Wasted Time". The Eagles won numerous Grammy Awards during the 1970s and became one of the most successful rock bands of all time. They are also among the top 5 overall best-selling bands of all time in America and the highest selling American band in U.S. history.^[3]

The band broke up in 1980, following a difficult tour and personal tensions that arose during the recording of The Long Run. The Eagles subsequently reunited in 1994. Henley continues to tour and record with the Eagles. Their latest album, Long Road Out of Eden, was released in 2007.

Solo career[link]

Following the breakup of the Eagles, Henley embarked on a solo career. His first solo release, 1982's I Can't Stand Still, was a moderate seller. The single "Dirty Laundry" was Henley's all-time biggest hit. It reached #3 on Billboard Hot 100 at the beginning of 1983 and earned a Gold-certified single for sales of over a million copies in the US. It was also nominated for a Grammy. Henley and Stevie Nicks (his girlfriend at the time) had duetted on her Top 10 Pop and Adult Contemporary hit "Leather and Lace" a year earlier. Henley also contributed "Love Rules" to Fast Times at Ridgemont High's soundtrack.

This was followed in 1984 by Building the Perfect Beast. A single release, "The Boys of Summer", reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. The music video for the song was directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino and won several MTV Video Music Awards including Best Video of the Year. Henley also won the Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance for the song. Several other songs on the album, "All She Wants to Do Is Dance" (No. 9 on Hot 100), "Not Enough Love in the World" (#34) and "Sunset Grill" (#22) also received considerable airplay.

Henley's next album, 1989's The End of the Innocence, was even more successful. The song "The End of the Innocence", a collaboration with Bruce Hornsby reached No. 8 as a single. "The Heart of the Matter", "The Last Worthless Evening" and "New York Minute" were among other songs that gained radio airplay. Henley again won the Best Male Rock Vocal Performance Grammy in 1990 for the album. Also in 1989, Henley made a brief appearance on MTV's Unplugged series.

In 1995 Henley released the single The Garden of Allah to promote his greatest hits solo album Actual Miles: Henley's Greatest Hits.

In live shows, Henley would play drums and sing simultaneously only on certain Eagles songs. On his solo songs he would either play electric guitar and sing or just sing. Occasionally Eagles songs would get drastic rearrangements, such as "Hotel California" with four trombones.

Geffen[link]

Don Henley spent many years in legal entanglements with record company Geffen Records. Following years of tension between Henley and the label, the dispute went public and the record company filed a $30-million breach-of-contract suit in Superior Court after receiving a notice from Henley saying he was terminating his contract even though he reportedly owed the company two more studio albums and a greatest-hits collection. Henley wanted to sign a publishing deal with EMI that would have been worth a few million dollars. Geffen Records stopped this from happening, which in turn upset Henley.

Geffen Records claimed that Henley was in breach of contract and Henley attempted to get out of his contract in 1993 based on an old statute. Under the statute, a California law enacted over 50 years ago to free actors from long-term studio deals, entertainers cannot be forced to work for any company for more than seven years. Geffen Records did not want Henley signing with any other label, and had an agreement from Sony and EMI that they would not sign Henley. Henley counter-sued Geffen Records claiming he was "blackballed" by David Geffen, who made agreements with other record labels not to sign him. Henley eventually became an outspoken advocate for musicians' rights, taking a stand against music labels whom he feels refuse to pay bands their due royalties. Henley came to terms with Geffen Records when the Eagles reunion took off and the company eventually took a large chunk of the profit from the reunion album. Glenn Frey was also in legal entanglements with his label, MCA Records (whose parent company had also acquired Geffen). Before the Eagles reunion tour could begin, the band had to file suit against Elektra Records, who had planned to release a new Eagles Greatest Hits album. The band won that battle.

Don Henley and Courtney Love testified at a California Senate hearing on that state's contractual laws in Sacramento on September 5, 2001. In 2002 Henley became the head of the Recording Artist's Coalition. The coalition's primary aim was to raise money to mount a legal and political battle against the major record labels. Henley says the group seeks to change the fundamental rules that govern most recording contracts, including copyright ownership, long-term control of intellectual property and unfair accounting practices. This group filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the Napster case, urging District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel not to accept the industry's broad claims of works made for hire authorship.

A long period without a new recording followed, as Henley waited out a dispute with his record company while also participating in a 1994 Eagles reunion tour and live album. During the hiatus, Henley recorded a cover of "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat" for the film Leap of Faith, provided background vocals for country star Trisha Yearwood's hit single "Walkaway Joe", and duetted with Patty Smyth on "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" and Roger Waters on "Watching TV" on Waters' Amused to Death album, in 1992. Henley provided the voice of Henry Faust in Randy Newman's Faust, a 1993 musical which was released on compact disc that year.

[edit] Inside Job and recent work

In 2000, after 11 years, Henley released another solo studio recording, Inside Job, containing the single "Taking You Home". He performed songs from the album in a VH1 Storytellers episode in 2000. In 2002 a live DVD entitled Don Henley: Live Inside Job was released. In 2005 Henley opened 10 of Stevie Nicks' concerts on her Two Voices Tour.

Henley performed duets with Kenny Rogers on Rogers' 2006 release Water & Bridges titled "Calling Me" and on Reba McEntire's 2007 album, Reba: Duets, performing "Break Each Other's Hearts Again".

In a 2007 interview with CNN, while discussing the future of the Eagles, Henley indicated he still has plans for more records: "But we all have some solo plans still. I still have a contract with a major label [Warner] for a couple of solo albums."^[4]

In January 2011, Henley commenced work on a solo album of country covers featuring special guests. Ronnie Dunn from Brooks & Dunn and Alison Krauss have recorded a song with Henley for the album.^[5]

Political and other causes[link]

In 1990, Henley founded the Walden Woods Project^[6] to help protect "Walden Woods" from development. The Thoreau Institute at Walden Woods was started in 1998 to provide for research and education regarding Henry David Thoreau. In 1993, a compilation album titled Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles was released, with a portion of the royalties from the sales going to the Walden Woods Project. In 2005, he had a fundraiser concert with Elton John and others to buy Brister's Hill,^[7] part of Walden Woods, and turn it into a hiking trail.

Henley co-founded the non-profit Caddo Lake Institute in 1993 with Dwight K. Shellman to underwrite ecological education and research. As part of the Caddo Lake Coalition, CLI helps protect the Texas wetland where Henley spent much of his childhood. As a result of the Caddo Lake Institute's success in restoring and protecting Caddo Lake's wetlands, Caddo Lake was included as the 13th site in the United States on the Ramsar Convention's list of significant wetlands. The Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty that provides a framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

In 2000, Henley co-founded the Recording Artists' Coalition, a group founded to protect musicians' rights against common music industry business practices. In this role he testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary in 2001^[8] and the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation in 2003.^[9]

Henley is not always an idealist. In a March 2001 interview on Charlie Rose, he stated that "rock bands work best as a benevolent dictatorship," with the principal songwriters in a band (in the case of the Eagles, "me and Glenn Frey") being the ones that will likely hold the power.

He has also been a generous donor to political campaigns of Democrats. Henley has always been a supporter of the Democratic Party. The Washington Post found that since 1978, Henley has donated over $680,000 to political candidates.^[10]

During a concert at Chastain Park in 2005, Henley made known his dislike of then president George W. Bush to which he received a mixture of mostly cheers with some boos. Several tracks on the 2007 Eagles album Long Road Out of Eden (including the title track, which Henley co-wrote) are sharply critical of the Iraq War and other policies of the Bush administration.

Personal life[link]

In the late 1970s, early 1980s, Henley dated Fleetwood Mac musician Stevie Nicks. Henley also had a long term relationship with actress/model and Bond girl Lois Chiles.^[11]

In the early 1980s, Henley was engaged to Battlestar Galactica actress Maren Jensen. His first solo album (I Can't Stand Still) is dedicated to Jensen, who also sings harmony vocals on the song "Johnny Can't Read." Henley and Jensen separated in 1986.^[12]

In 1995, Henley married Sharon Summerall, a former model from Texas who had lived in Paris and studied art history. Performers at the wedding included Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Billy Joel, John Fogerty, Jackson Browne, Donna Lewis, Sheryl Crow, Glenn Frey, and Tony Bennett. Henley later wrote the song "Everything Is Different Now" from the album Inside Job for Sharon. Sharon has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.^[13] They have 3 children together, two girls and a boy. Henley also has another child, a daughter, from a previous relationship. His eldest child was born in 1975 near the height of the Eagles fame.

Equipment[link]

Drum Workshop Maple Drums, Black Finish, Black hoops (as of 2008)

• 16 x 22 Bass drum
• 9 x 12 Tom tom
• 10 x 13 Tom tom
• 13 x 16 Floor tom
• 14 x 18 Floor tom
• 14 x 6.5 Ludwig Super Sensitive Snare drum

Various Paiste cymbals custom models 8“ Signature Splash 16“ Signature Crash 18“ Signature Full Crash 16“ Fast Crash 20“ 2002 Ride 14“ 2002 Medium Hi-Hats.

Discography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Don Henley

• Official website
• Don Henley at the Internet Movie Database
• Walden Woods Project website
• Caddo Lake Institute
• Recording Artists' Coalition website

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is an American hip hop band from Cleveland, Ohio formed in 1991. It originally consisted of rappers Layzie Bone, Flesh-n-Bone, Bizzy Bone, Krayzie Bone, and Wish Bone. Rapper Eazy-E of the group N.W.A signed Bone Thugs-N-Harmony to Ruthless Records in late 1993, when Bone Thugs debuted with EP Creepin on ah Come Up. The EP included the hit single "Thuggish Ruggish Bone".

In 1995, the group released its second album, E. 1999 Eternal, which included hits "1st of tha Month" and "Tha Crossroads." A tribute to the recently deceased Eazy-E, "Tha Crossroads," won a Grammy award in 1997. The Art of War, the group's third album, was also released in 1997. Bone Thugs is also the only group that has worked with deceased artists 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G., Eazy-E & Big Pun while they were still alive.

In 2000 BTNHResurrection reached platinum in one month and Thug World Order (2002) received more moderate sales and promotion. After the album the group went on hiatus and released their sixth studio album Thug Stories independently before returning in 2007 with the major label release Strength & Loyalty, this time released by Swizz Beatz's label Full Surface Records. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony officially returned with their new album Uni-5: The World's Enemy, released in 2010 by their own record label, BTNH Worldwide, with distribution by Warner Bros.. Due to internal conflicts with the group, longtime members Krayzie Bone and Wish Bone officially left the group in April 2011. Despite speculation that the group was splitting up, Flesh-n-Bone announced that a new album with him, Layzie and Bizzy will be released soon. Krayzie and Wish are currently working with upcoming artists on their label The Life Ent.

Style and technique[link]

Bone's style and technique can be described as melodic, yet rapid-fire and aggressive. Their flow is often interwoven at a high-speed, melodic pace or slow, harmonic pace. They also tend to ride the beat that they're rapping over. Sometimes there are very few choruses separating their verses from one another. In the beginning, circa Faces of Death, Bone used a pseudo-Jamaican patois delivery with their trademark style, though they rarely do this now. Bone's subject matter has both spiritual and occult undertones (e.g., "Hell Sent", "Intro", "Mr. Ouija", "Mr. Ouija 2" and "Da Introduction"). At first, their subject matter was almost always exclusively about violence and smoking marijuana. Today, however, their subject matter includes other topics such as urban socio-political issues, their old friend and mentor Eazy-E and religion. Besides minor changes to subject matter and sound, their lyrical style, elocution, and overall methodology remain intact and have influenced many new artists today who have picked up this unique style.

B.O.N.E Enterprise Early years[link]

Formed in the early 1990s, the group was originally called "The Band-Aid Boys". The group formed the band B.O.N.E. Enterpri$e, which consisted of five members: Krayzie Bone, Layzie Bone, Bizzy Bone, Wish Bone and later Flesh-n-Bone and recorded an album entitled Faces of Death in the studio of their then mentor, Kermit Henderson (Krayzie Bone's younger brother) on his indie label Stoney Burke in 1993. In hopes of securing a record deal the group was given an audition over the phone receiving an unfulfilled promise from rapper Eazy-E to call them back. Diego Blak (born Diego hodge), a marketer and promoter and co-executive producer of Faces Of Death introduced them to Eazy-E at a concert he promoted in Cleveland, Ohio where they auditioned for him in his dressing room and then traveled back to Los Angeles, California after the show to seal the deal. On November 2nd 1993, the group auditioned backstage for Eazy-E. Krayzie Bone performed his verse of "Flow Motion" from the Faces of Death album and Eazy-E was impressed.^[1] At this point Eazy named them Thugs-n-Harmony, but they wanted to keep the bone name so they renamed themselves Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Eazy-E signed the group (minus Flesh-n-Bone) to his label Ruthless Records.^[2]

Ruthless Records[link]

[edit] Creepin on ah Come Up

Released in June 1994, the EP Creepin on ah Come Up, was Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's debut with Ruthless. The album subject matter was focused almost entirely on violent criminal activity. Peaking at #12 on the Billboard 200 album chart and #2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart,^[3] it included the hit singles "Thuggish Ruggish Bone" and "Foe tha Love of $", the second of which featured a verse by Eazy-E. "Thuggish Ruggish Bone" peaked at #22 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #2 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart, and "Foe tha Love of $" peaked at #41 on the Hot 100 and #4 on the Rap Tracks.^[4] After a slow start that saw the album's success limited to gangsta rap audiences, it broke through to the mainstream. The EP marked a major change in style for the group, as they now fully embraced the G-Funk common in West Coast hip-hop of the time. Beats were supplied by DJ Yella, Rhythum D, Kenny McCloud, and it was the group's first collaboration with newcomer producer DJ U-Neek, who would craft the group's signature sound by producing the majority of their next two albums.

[edit] E. 1999 Eternal

In 1995, the group's second album E. 1999 Eternal was released. It included the singles "1st of tha Month", which peaked at #14 on the Hot 100 and #4 on the Hot Rap Tracks, and "Tha Crossroads", which reached #1 on the Hot 100 and Hot Rap Tracks charts. The album saw Bone diversify its content and musical style. A considerable portion of the album's concept was built upon violent subject matter, yet Bone also incorporated deeper themes, as its songs dealt with more spirituality and occult mysticism. The album was produced by DJ U-Neek (with co-production from Tony C. and Kenny McCloud). E. 1999 Eternal also introduced Bone's trademark tracks devoted entirely to the use of marijuana. The album name originated from one of the street names of a corner (E. 99th street & St. Clair) that was a familiar hangout to Bone members, as well as Eazy-E's album, Eternal E. Naming it after Eazy-E's album was just another way of showing respect and tribute to the rapper that helped them reach heightened success. In the same year, Flesh-n-Bone would become the first member of the group to release a debut album entitled T.H.U.G.S, which was certified gold according to the RIAA. In 1996 due to their success the Cleveland clan established their own Mo Thugs Records and released the Mo Thugs Family Scriptures compilation album to introduce many of the Cleveland-based and other artists that they were developing. E. 1999 Eternal is the group's most commercially successful album, it has since been certified 4x Platinum by the RIAA.

[edit] The Art of War

In 1997, the group released the double-disc set The Art of War. The album saw Bone further explore a wide variety of subjects and styles, with even more focus on God and family and an overall more ambient, mellow sound. The group still incorporated violent lyrics, though, with a large portion of the album dedicated to what they labeled "clones" who claimed Bone had stolen their quick-tongued rapping style and vice-versa. The album was rumored to be called "DNA Level C" which is Cleveland backwards. The single "Look into My Eyes" appeared on the soundtrack of the film Batman & Robin. It peaked at #4 on the Hot 100 and #2 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart.^[4] "If I Could Teach The World", the other single from The Art of War, peaked at #27 on the Hot 100 and #3 on the Hot Rap Tracks.^[4] and won an American Music Award. The album also included "Thug Luv" with Tupac Shakur. The group's efforts were though dampened by the absence of Bizzy Bone from the album's videos and large portions of the ensuing tour and public appearances. This absence by that time fueled rumors of a break-up.

[edit] BTNHResurrection

In 2000, the group released BTNHResurrection. The album featured the single "Resurrection (Paper, Paper)", which peaked on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at #52.^[4] The album's first half featured a slew of hardcore and dark tracks, with the second half being considerably more introspective and soft. Other two singles from the album including "Can't Give it Up" failed to crack the Billboard Hot 100 and the big-budget video for "Change The World" failed to receive any rotation. Their first group album to prominently feature Flesh-n-Bone, whose presence was limited on previous releases because he had never signed with the group's label Ruthless Records. Flesh-n-Bone was convicted for assault with a firearm and criminal possession of a weapon in June 2000.^[5] Pleading guilty, Flesh was sentenced to 11 years in prison.^[6] The group again began having public disputes with Bizzy Bone. Bizzy Bone abstained from promoting BTNHResurrection because he felt that Ruthless Records owed him money. He dropped a million-dollar lawsuit he filed against Sony Music and Loud Records in exchange for a termination of his Sony contract.^[7] Three members of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony released solo albums in 2001: Bizzy Bone with The Gift, Layzie Bone with Thug by Nature, and Krayzie Bone with Thug on da Line.^[8]

[edit] Thug World Order

In 2002, the group released Thug World Order. The album, made up of supposedly overly-violent and political songs, saw a drastic change in subject matter and tone for the group. The lyrics were almost completely void of any violence, while a larger number of tracks focused on the group itself. In contrast, several songs originally intended to be included on the album that were leaked after its release portray a much different album. The album debuted at #12 on the Billboard 200.^[3] The first single released from the album was "Get Up & Get It", featuring 3LW. The second single "Home" that featured Phil Collins performing part of his song "Take Me Home" peaked at #33 on the Rhythmic Top 40 impacting the charts in a number of countries, most notably the United Kingdom.^[4] Bizzy Bone was expelled from the group in January 2003 thus leaving only 3 active members Krayzie Bone, Layzie Bone & Wish Bone.^[9]

After Ruthless[link]

[edit] Thug Stories

Thug Stories, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's sixth album was recorded on Koch Records and released on September 19, 2006. It marked the first time Bone Thugs-n-Harmony recorded as a trio after they released an internet-only EP album called '"Bone 4 Life" in September 2005. The album featured a slightly more mature style and the group leaned heavily towards its harmonic roots than its "thug" origins. Thug Stories sold 38,000 in its first week and peaked at #25 on the Billboard 200 and #1 on the Independent Album Chart.

[edit] Strength & Loyalty

Originally to be called The Bone Thugs Story, Strength & Loyalty was released on May 8, 2007 on Interscope Records imprint Full Surface Records. Being their first major album after an absence of nearly five years, the album debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 and #1 on iTunes and the Billboard Urban Music charts. The album contains guest appearances by Mariah Carey, The Game, will.i.am, Akon, Twista, Bow Wow, Yolanda Adams, and Felecia.

Producers on the album included Swizz Beatz, Akon, Pretty Boy & Bradd Young, DJ Toomp, Jermaine Dupri, will.i.am, and others. The executive producer of the album was Swizz Beatz. The first single was "I Tried", which was their first top 10 hit in 10 years, having peaked at number 6 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The second single was "Lil Love", which failed to reach the success of their first single. The album has been certified Gold by the RIAA.^{[10][dead link]}. The group also released a movie called "I Tried" that same year.

[edit] T.H.U.G.S.

T.H.U.G.S. is an album featuring previously unreleased, largely remixed Bone Thugs-n-Harmony songs that didn't make the final cut of BTNHResurrection and Thug World Order albums. It was released on November 13, 2007 by their former record label, Ruthless Records. Although the album embodies old tracks, there are some new notable changes: new beats, distorted production, voice manipulation, and new song titles. The sole single off the album was "Young Thugs", which was accompanied by a newly-filmed music video featuring Krayzie, Layzie, Bizzy and Wish.

Reunion[link]

In November 2007, Layzie Bone confirmed that he had completed the Bone Brothers III album with Bizzy Bone, spurring speculation of a full Bone reunion. In a video interview,^[11] Krayzie Bone stated that they all wanted to reunite but that record label issues may prevent an official reunion. Bizzy Bone had attended a Bone Thugs performance during the time and he and the three then-standing members had a "good conversation".

After nearly a decade of incarceration, Flesh-n-Bone was released from prison on July 13, 2008. In an interview, Bizzy confirmed his return to the group, after them all getting together by the time of Flesh's release.^[12]

[edit] Uni5: The World's Enemy

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony five members officially returned with their new album Uni-5: The World's Enemy, released in 2010 by their own record label, BTNH Worldwide, with distribution by Warner Bros. Uni5 also marks the return of long-time collaborator, DJ U-Neek, who was absent from 2007's Strength & Loyalty and has produced for the group throughout their career, including hits such as "Thuggish Ruggish Bone" and "Tha Crossroads." This studio effort leans toward radio-friendly numbers and proper grown-man tracks, with the core four members offering life lessons as Bizzy gives his Biblical perspective. They released the singles "See Me Shine" featuring Jay Rush and Lyfe Jennings and "Rebirth" featuring Thin-C.^[13] A third single, "Meet Me in the Sky", was released on March 22. Uni-5: The World's Enemy was released on May 4, 2010.

Krayzie Bone & Wish Bone Departure[link]

On the 14th of April 2011, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony member Krayzie Bone announced he left the group after 20 years citing uncontrollable circumstances along with Wish Bone to pursue their solo careers further and release records on their label, The Life Entertainment.^[14] Flesh-n-Bone stated that him leaving the group was a serious disrespect mark towards Eazy-E and says "He might as well say fuck Eazy!" and that he (Krayzie) knows where home is if he wants to come back to the group. Due to Flesh being angered, his retaliation led him towards the idea of an album titled "Majority Rules" but Bizzy Bone dismissed this claiming it was just Flesh-n-Bone's anger towards Krayzie leaving. In more recent interviews it seems Krayzie Bone has made amends to the rest of Bone Thugs (since he was featured on Flesh-n-Bone's new album for example) and is still planning things with the rest of the group, but he needed his time and space to do his own thing, but he'll always be 'Bone'^{[citation needed]}.

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony announced on their blog over the summer that they're planning a new album for 2012 and it will be the last album with all 5 members of the group. They reiterated those facts in a November interview. Krayzie Bone has also stated that he will again be a part of the group for touring purposes only, after announcing his departure this past April.

Future Projects[link]

Krayzie Bone, Bizzy Bone and Layzie Bone more recently have spoken of many new projects coming in 2012. Those projects include an anniversary album featuring all 5 members, a Bizzy & Krayzie duet album, and unreleased compilation albums of unreleased Bone Thugs-n-Harmony material from the mid to late 90's.

Discography[link]

1993: Faces of Death 1994: Creepin on ah Come Up (EP) 1995: E. 1999 Eternal 1997: The Art of War 2000: BTNHResurrection 2002: Thug World Order 2006: Thug Stories 2007: Strength & Loyalty 2007: T.H.U.G.S. 2010: Uni5: The World's Enemy Awards[link] Award Category Song/Album Year Result Grammy Awards "Best Rap Album" E. 1999 Eternal 1996 Nominated "Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group" 1st of tha Month Nominated Tha Crossroads 1997 Won American Music Awards "Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist" Bone Thugs-n-Harmony 1996 Nominated 1997 Nominated 1998 Won "Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Band, Duo or Group" 2007 Won MTV Video Music Awards "Best Special Effects" Tha Crossroads 1996 Nominated "Viewer's Choice" Nominated "Video of the Year" Nominated "Best Group Video" Nominated References[link] ^ "Krayzie Bone - Audition To Eazy E". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDXJZ7yz9Gc.  ^ "Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Biography". Interscope Records. Archived from the original on August 22, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080822005656/http://www.bonethugsnharmony.com/bio/default.aspx.  ^ a b "Bone Thugs-n-Harmony: Charts & Awards: Billboard Albums". allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p44741. Retrieved January 17, 2010.  ^ a b c d e "Bone Thugs-N-Harmony: Charts & Awards: Billboard Singles". allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p44741. Retrieved January 17, 2010.  ^ Basham, David (June 16, 2000). "Flesh-N-Bone Convicted On Assault, Weapons Charges". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1426320/20000616/bone_thugs_n_harmony.jhtml. Retrieved January 17, 2010.  ^ Johnson, Tina (September 22, 2000). "UPDATE: Flesh-N-Bone Gets 11 Years In Assault Case". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1426317/20000922/bone_thugs_n_harmony.jhtml. Retrieved January 17, 2010.  ^ Baker, Soren (March 22, 2001). "Bizzy Bone Has A Gift For Negotiation". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1441984/20010321/bizzy_bone.jhtml. Retrieved January 17, 2010.  ^ Baker, Soren (March 13, 2001). "Three Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Members Dropping Solo LPs". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1441484/20010312/bone_thugs_n_harmony.jhtml. Retrieved January 17, 2010.  ^ Reid, Shaheem (January 31, 2003). "Bone Thugs Say Bizzy Is Out For Good This Time". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1459799/20030131/bone_thugs_n_harmony.jhtml. Retrieved January 17, 2010.  ^ "Bone Thugs-N-Harmony: News: "Strength & Loyalty" Certified Gold". http://www.bonethugsnharmony.com/news/default.aspx?nid=9429.  ^ "ThugLine TV- Krayzie Bone speaks on reunion". YouTube. 2008-06-12. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-25OrAQ_gM. Retrieved 2012-03-29.  ^ Jasarevic, Mina (2008-08-01). "Bizzy Bone: Thicker Than Water | Rappers Talk Hip Hop Beef & Old School Hip Hop". HipHop DX. http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/features/id.1185/title.bizzy-bone-thicker-than-water/p.all. Retrieved 2012-03-29.  ^ "See Me Shine [feat. Lyfe Jennings, Phaedra & J Rush] [Explicit]: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002U1HKB4. Retrieved 2012-03-29.  ^ Burgess, Omar (2011-04-14). "Krayzie Bone Splits From Bone Thugs-N-Harmony | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales". HipHop DX. http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.14757/title.krayzie-bone-splits-from-bone-thugs-n-harmony. Retrieved 2012-03-29.  External links[link] Book: Bone Thugs-n-Harmony Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print. Official website Official Myspace page Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's ArtistDirect page Exclusive Interview in Complex magazine I Tried Movie Bone Thugs-n-Harmony at Allmusic v t e Bone Thugs-n-Harmony Bizzy Bone Layzie Bone Flesh-n-Bone Wish Bone Krayzie Bone Studio albums Faces of Death Creepin on ah Come Up E 1999 Eternal The Art of War BTNHResurrection Thug World Order Thug Stories Strength & Loyalty Uni5: The World's Enemy Compilations The Collection, Volume 1 The Collection, Volume 2 Greatest Hits Greatest Hits (Chopped & Screwed) T.H.U.G.S. Thug Smoke Fest Thuggish II Singles "Thuggish Ruggish Bone" "Foe tha Love of $" "1st of tha Month" "East 1999" "Tha Crossroads" "Days of Our Livez" "Look into My Eyes" "If I Could Teach the World" "War" "Resurrection (Paper, Paper)" "Change the World" "Money, Money" "Home" "Take the Lead (Wanna Ride)" "I Tried" "Lil' L.O.V.E." Related articles Discography Bone Brothers Mo Thugs ThugLine Records Ruthless Records BTNH Worldwide Book:Bone Thugs-n-Harmony