Jane Clayson Johnson is an Emmy-winning journalist and author.

Early life and career[link]

Clayson was born April 25, 1967, and spent most of her childhood in Sacramento, California. She played with the Sacramento Youth Symphony and is an accomplished violinist.

She graduated from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, in 1990 with a degree in journalism.^[1][2]

Clayson began her career at KSL-TV in Salt Lake City, Utah (1990–1996). While at KSL, she traveled to China to write and produce a series of stories about American doctors assisting Chinese children with disabilities. Her work there earned a regional Emmy. She also received the Radio and Television News Directors of America’s Edward R. Murrow Award while at KSL.

ABC News[link]

In 1996, Jane Clayson moved to Los Angeles, California, where she worked as a correspondent for Good Morning America, World News Tonight, and other ABC News broadcasts. Her work included coverage of Senator Bob Dole’s 1996 Presidential campaign, the OJ Simpson civil trial, and NATO’s strikes against Kosovo and the resulting refugee crisis in Macedonia.

[edit] The Early Show and CBS News

In 1999, CBS News launched “Operation Glass Slipper,” the widely publicized search for Bryant Gumbel’s co-host on The Early Show. On November 1, 1999, Clayson was chosen, and joined Gumbel for the show’s first broadcast. From 1999 to 2002 she anchored The Early Show through the new millennium, the inauguration of President George W. Bush, and the attacks on September 11, 2001.

In 2002, Jane Clayson became a correspondent for CBS News. She regularly reported for “Eye on America” segments and contributed to both 48 Hours and The CBS Evening News.

Personal life[link]

In September 2003, Clayson married Mark W. Johnson, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Columbia University (with masters in civil engineering and engineering mechanics) and Harvard Business School. They were first introduced to each other by Jane's sister. Mark had joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints not long before he and Jane first met. She left CBS three months later (December 2003) to join her husband in Boston, where he was for a time president and of the management consulting firm, Innosight, which he co-founded with Clayton M. Christensen.^[3] Innosight is currently headed by Matthew J. Eyring.

Mark has authored or co-authored multiple articles for the Harvard Business Review. He is the author of Seizing the White Space: Business Model Innovation for Growth and Renewal (Cambridge: Harvard Business School Press, 2010).

The couple has two children.

She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

[edit] I Am a Mother!

Clayson occasionally substitutes for host Tom Ashbrook on the public radio program On Point, and has produced specials for the Discovery Channel. She also hosted BYU TV's coverage of the funeral for LDS President Gordon B. Hinckley on February 2, 2008.

Her first book, I Am a Mother! was released in March 2007 and chronicles her decision to leave the network news business to have a family. She regularly speaks on the topic at events across the United States.

References[link]

1. ^ http://cfac.byu.edu/fileadmin/pe/user_files/alumni/pdf/janeclayson.pdf
2. ^ BYU Magazine, Summer 2007
3. ^ bio page on Mark Johnson from Innosite

External links[link]

• Irene Sege, "Jane Clayson Johnson Left It All Behind to Have a Baby," Boston Globe, October 12, 2004. (Accessed March 24, 2007.)
• Official CBS News bio. (Accessed March 24, 2007.)

• Jane Clayson Johnson, "I Am a Mother," 2006 Conference on the Family, American Mothers, Inc. (Accessed March 24, 2007.)

• March for Babies - PSA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQ1CsZbjY0g) 2008 March of Dimes

Brian Stokes Mitchell
Born	(1957-10-31) October 31, 1957 (age 54) Seattle, Washington, USA
Occupation	Actor, composer, vocalist
Years active	1979–present
Spouse	Allyson Tucker (1994–present)
Website
http://www.brianstokes.com

Brian Stokes Mitchell (born October 31, 1957) is an American stage, film and television actor. A powerful baritone, he has been one of the central leading men of the Broadway theatre since the early 1990s. He won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 2000 for his performance in Kiss Me, Kate.

Biography[link]

Mitchell was born in Seattle, Washington, the youngest of four children of George Mitchell, an electronics engineer, and his wife Lillian, a school administrator. Mitchell grew up at various U.S. military bases overseas, where his father was a civilian engineer for the U.S. Navy. As a teenager, he lived in San Diego, California, where he began acting in school musicals.^[1]

Mitchell's Broadway credits include Mail (1988), an all-black revival of George and Ira Gershwin's Oh, Kay! (1990), Jelly's Last Jam (1992) based on the works of jazz artist Jelly Roll Morton, Kander and Ebb's Kiss of the Spider Woman (1993), Ragtime (1998), the 1999 revival of Cole Porter's Kiss Me, Kate, King Hedley II (2001) and Man of La Mancha (2002). He appeared in the City Center Encores! productions of Jule Styne's Do Re Mi (1999), Bob Merrill's Carnival! (2002), and Kismet (2006), and in the title role in the 2002 Kennedy Center revival of Sweeney Todd, part of Stephen Sondheim's 70th birthday celebration.

Mitchell has a number of television and film credits, including the role of John Dolan in Roots: The Next Generations (1979), and a seven-year stint as Dr. Justin 'Jackpot' Jackson on Trapper John, M.D. from 1979 to 1986. Mitchell made several appearances as a celebrity panelist on episodes of $25,000 Pyramid and $100,000 Pyramid in the 1980s, and was considered one of the game's better celebrity players.^[2][3] He played recurring roles as Hilary Banks' news anchor fiancé Trevor Newsworthy/Collins on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and on Frasier as Dr. Frasier Crane's neighbor and nemesis Cam Winston. He supplied the singing voice of Jethro in the animated feature The Prince of Egypt (1998). He guest starred in March 2010 in Ugly Betty as Wilhelmina Slater's ex boyfriend, Don.^[4]

Marquee outside the Winspear Opera House in Dallas, Texas, promoting the September 1, 2011 appearance of Brian Stokes Mitchell in concert.

He has also done voice-overs for animation including Animaniacs, Capitol Critters, Tiny Toon Adventures, A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, The Further Adventures of SuperTed, Kid 'n Play, The New Kids on the Block, Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf, Gravedale High, Potsworth & Co., Captain Planet and the Planeteers, The Tom and Jerry Kids Show, Yo Yogi!, Fantastic Max, Pound Puppies, The Addams Family, California Raisins, The Angry Beavers, James Bond Jr., Batman: The Animated Series, Paddington Bear, Pinky and the Brain, Defenders of Dynatron City, The Hot Rod Dogs and Cool Car Cats, Droopy, Master Detective, Denver, the Last Dinosaur, Mighty Max, Don Coyote & Sancho Panda and the two Flintstones animated movies Hollyrock-a-Bye Baby and I Yabba-Dabba Do!.

On June 9, 2005, Mitchell appeared in a concert version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific, at Carnegie Hall. He starred as Emile, alongside Reba McEntire as Nellie Forbush and Alec Baldwin as Luther Billis. The production was taped and telecast by PBS on April 26, 2006.

Prior to Ragtime, he had been known professionally as Brian Mitchell. He is currently the Chairman of the Board of the Actor's Fund, and his debut solo CD Brian Stokes Mitchell was released on June 6, 2006 on Playbill Records. Mitchell has also performed in a Christmas concert with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

In the fall of 2010, Mitchell returned to Broadway to star along with Patti LuPone in the musical version of the Pedro Almodóvar film Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.^[5]

He appeared on the 57th episode of Glee, titled "Heart," and the 58th, entitled "On My Way," as one of Rachel's dads along with Jeff Goldblum.

Personal life[link]

He has been married to actress Allyson Tucker since 1994 and has a son, Ellington.

Awards and nominations[link]

• 2003 Tony Award Best Actor in a Musical Man of La Mancha (nominee)
• 2001 Tony Award Best Actor in a Play King Hedley II (nominee)
• 2000 Tony Award Best Actor in a Musical Kiss Me Kate (winner)
• 1998 Tony Award Best Actor in a Musical Ragtime (nominee)

Discography[link]

Brian Stokes Mitchell, June 6, 2006

Track listing

1. Something's Coming (West Side Story)
2. The Best Is Yet to Come (Cy Coleman)
3. Pretty Women (Sweeney Todd)
4. Just In Time (Bells are Ringing)
5. Lazy Afternoon (The Golden Apple)
6. Another Hundred People (Company)/Take the A Train
7. How Long Has This Been Going On? (Funny Face)
8. Life is Sweet (Wonderful Town)
9. Losing My Mind (Follies)
10. Being Alive (Company)
11. How Glory Goes (Floyd Collins)
12. Grateful

Notes[link]

References[link]

• "Playbill Records and Legacy Recordings Present Brian Stokes Mitchell". Playbill Records. 2008. http://playbillrecords.com/bsm.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-09. 
• "Brian Stokes Mitchell". Legacy Recordings. 2008. http://www.legacyrecordings.com/Brian-Stokes-Mitchell.aspx. Retrieved 2008-06-09. 

External links[link]

• Brian Stokes Mitchell official website
• Brian Stokes Mitchell at the Internet Broadway Database
• Brian Stokes Mitchell at the Internet Movie Database

Brian Stokes
Free Agent
Relief pitcher
Born: (1979-09-07) September 7, 1979 (age 32)
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 3, 2006 for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Career statistics (through September 3, 2010)
Win-Loss	6-11
Earned run average	5.27
Strikeouts	137
Teams
Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2006-2007) New York Mets (2008-2009) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2010)

Brian Alexander Stokes (born September 7, 1979 in Montclair, California) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball. He has previously played for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, New York Mets and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Early life[link]

Stokes graduated Jurupa Valley High School and played college ball at Riverside Community College in California.

Career[link]

On October 2, 1998, Stokes was first signed as an amateur free agent by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He spent his first professional season with the Princeton Devil Rays in 1999. While with Princeton, he led the Appalachian League in games finished with 35. He pitched for Charleston (Single-A) in 2000, allowing one home run in 70.1 innings pitched. Stokes pitched his first complete game at Mudville on June 23, 2001, but lost the game. He played for Bakersfield during the 2002 season, leading the team in wins (10) and strikeouts (154). He threw his first professional shutout on July 14 against San Jose. Stokes started ten games for Orlando (Double-A) before undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2003, resulting in his missing the entire 2004 season. In 2005, Stokes pitched for both Visalia (Single-A) and Montgomery (Double-A). A hamstring injury sidelined him for the month of July. He was recalled from Durham (Triple-A) on September 2, 2005. Stokes made his major league debut on September 3, 2006. In 2007, Brian's 59 appearances were fourth among American League rookies.^[1]

New York Mets[link]

On November 28, 2007, Stokes was sent from Tampa Bay to the New York Mets for cash considerations and was added to the Mets' 40-man roster.^[1] During spring training on the last day, he was designated for assignment. He started the season with the Mets Triple-A affiliate, the New Orleans Zephyrs. He was called up to the Mets on August 9, 2008, to start in place of injured starting pitcher, John Maine.^[2]

Los Angeles Angels[link]

On January 22, 2010, Stokes was traded to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for Gary Matthews, Jr.^[3] He was released by the Angels on September 7, 2010 after making 16 appearances with an 8.10 ERA.^[4]

Toronto Blue Jays[link]

On December 21, 2010, Stokes signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the Toronto Blue Jays.^[5]

On February 14, 2011, Stokes' contract was voided by the Blue Jays "due to the results of his physical".^[6][7]

Arizona Diamondbacks[link]

Stokes signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks on August 1, 2011, and assigned to the Triple-A Reno Aces.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)

Katherine Jenkins
Background information
Born	(1980-06-29) 29 June 1980 (age 31)
Origin	Neath, Wales
Genres	Crossover, classical, operatic pop
Instruments	Voice (mezzo-soprano)
Years active	1998–present
Labels	Universal Warner Music Group
Website	KatherineJenkins

Katherine Jenkins (born 29 June 1980) is a Welsh lyric mezzo-soprano. She is a classical-popular crossover singer^[1][2] who performs across a spectrum of operatic arias, popular songs, musical theatre and hymns.^[3]

After winning singing competitions in her youth, Jenkins studied at the Royal Academy of Music, modelled and taught voice. She came to wide public attention in 2003 when she sang at Westminster Cathedral in honour of Pope John Paul II's silver jubilee. Since 2004, she has released numerous albums that have performed well on UK and foreign charts. In both 2005 and 2006, her albums received Classic Brit Awards as Album of the Year. She has also been seen widely in concert, including concerts for UK troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and has sung at sporting events, on television shows and in support of many charities. In Spring 2012, she competed on the US television show Dancing with the Stars, finishing in second place, behind NFL Super Bowl champion Donald Driver.^[4]

Early life and education[link]

Jenkins was born in Neath, Wales,^[5] where she and her sister Laura were raised by their parents Selwyn John and Susan. She has half-sisters from her father's first marriage, neither of whom she has met.^{[citation needed]}

She attended Alderman Davies Church in Wales Primary School in Neath and later Dwr-y-Felin Comprehensive School, received A grades in GCSEs and A Levels and participated in productions such as Calamity Jane and Guys and Dolls.^[6] She attended singing lessons with John Hugh Thomas and passed her Grade 8 examinations with distinction in both singing and piano.

Between 1990 and 1996, Jenkins was a member of the Royal School of Church Music Cathedral Singers and passed the St Cecilia Award, the highest RSCM award for female choristers.^[6] She was also a member of the National Youth Choir of Wales for three years,^[7] won the BBC Radio 2 Welsh Choirgirl of the Year contest (twice), and the BET Welsh Choirgirl of the Year competition. She was also awarded the Pelenna Valley Male Voice Choir Scholarship for the most promising young singer. At the age of 17 she won a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music,^[6] where she studied Italian, German, French and Russian, graduating with honours^[7] and receiving a music teacher's diploma.

After working as a freelance singing teacher, a tour guide on the London Eye and as a model,^[8] she entered a modelling competition and became the Face of Wales 2000. She then decided to follow a musical career.^[6] Universal Classics and Jazz heard her demo and she was invited to an interview at which she sang Rossini's "Una voce poco fa".^[8] Universal offered Jenkins a six-album deal,^[8] the most lucrative in the United Kingdom's classical recording history, reportedly worth £1 million.^[6][9][10]

Record success[link]

Six out of seven of Jenkins's studio albums reached number one in the UK classical charts between 2004 and 2008, selling a total of more than 4 million copies. After her first album, Premiere, made her the fastest-selling mezzo-soprano to date^[6] she became the first British classical crossover artist to have two number one albums in the same year.^[11] She is the first female artist to win two consecutive Classical BRIT Awards: her second album, Second Nature, reached number 16 in the UK Albums Chart,^[9] and was Album of the Year in the 2005 BRIT Awards.

Jenkins's Italian-language version of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" ("L'Amore Sei Tu"), first performed live at Nostell Priory, West Yorkshire on 28 August 2005, was the first cut on her third album Living a Dream. After that album was released, uniquely, she held the top three positions in the classical crossover music chart.^[6][12] The album held the number one position for nearly a year and reached number four in the pop album charts.^[12] Jenkins repeated the success of Second Nature with her Living a Dream album when she won the classical BRIT award for Album of the Year for a second time.^[13][14]

Her fourth album, Serenade was released on 6 November 2006 and reached number five in the mainstream charts selling more than 50,000 copies in its first week, a record in the genre.^[6] The top four albums on HMV's classical charts were hers.^[15]

Her fifth album, Rejoice, was released on 19 November 2007 and included songs written specially for her,^[16] two by Take That's Gary Barlow.^[17] The album entered the pop album charts at number three,^[18] beating the Spice Girls and Girls Aloud.^[19] Jenkins commented "I never imagined when I was a young girl listening to them on the radio that I would outsell the Spice Girls and Celine Dion. It’s almost too much to take in. I can’t thank my fans enough for all their support."^[19]

On 20 October 2008 Jenkins released Sacred Arias, which is her last album with Universal Music. On 19 October The Daily Telegraph stated that Jenkins had signed the biggest classical recording deal in history, for US$10 million (£5.8 million), with Warner Music.^[20]

Jenkins released her next album, Believe, on 26 October 2009, the first with Warner Music. This album featured Andrea Bocelli and other musicians like André Rieu and Chris Botti. She made various TV appearances such as GMTV, Something for the Weekend and Piers Morgan's Life Stories on 24 October 2009 and on The Graham Norton Show on 2 November 2009. She performed the theme from The Godfather, Parla Piu Piano at Gary Barlow's Children In Need Rock The Albert Hall with cellist Julian Lloyd Webber. Later in December 2009, she performed a cover of Evanescence's "Bring Me to Life" at The Royal Variety Performance. On 23 May 2010, she went to Argentina for the first time and sang Parla Piu Piano in the popular Argentinian show Susana Giménez.^[21]

In 2011, Jenkins released another album, Daydream.

Concerts[link]

Jenkins first came to public attention when she sang at Westminster Cathedral honouring Pope John Paul II's silver jubilee in October 2003 and then supporting Aled Jones on tour.^[7][9] At the Rugby World Cup in 2003 she made her Sydney Opera House debut^[8] and, in August 2004, her first USA appearance, supporting Hayley Westenra at Joe's Pub in New York City.^[7]

Jenkins was the first person to perform the Home Nations anthem "The Power of Four" and began to appear regularly to sing the Welsh national anthem "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau" at Welsh international rugby union matches, singing with Bryn Terfel at the 2005 Wales vs. England Six Nations match at the Millennium Stadium.^[8] She is now the official mascot for the Wales rugby union team.^[10]

On 22 January 2005 Jenkins sang in Cardiff at the Tsunami Relief Concert^[10] and in April and May of that year supported Irish tenor Ronan Tynan on his first US tour as a solo artist. That May she sang at Trafalgar Square to a 15,000-strong audience celebrating the 60th Anniversary of VE Day.^[22][23] At the Berlin stage of Live 8 in 2005, Jenkins sang the hymn "Amazing Grace",^[24] and she later helped to launch The Royal British Legion's poppy appeal at Covent Garden whilst wearing a dress made of 2,500 poppies.^[25]

With the Blue Man Group, Jenkins sang "I Feel Love" in front of the Queen at the Royal Variety Performance on 21 November 2005.^[26] She performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway, on 11 December 2005.^[27]

In November 2006 she performed before the Queen at the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall and joined fellow Welsh singer James Fox in the final verse of "Anthem" from the musical Chess.^[28]

In July 2007 Jenkins gave a concert at Margam Park in south Wales, performing alongside Paul Potts and Juan Diego Flórez.^[29] Jenkins extended a personal invitation to Potts to sing "Nessun dorma" at the concert.^[30]

In September 2007 Jenkins catwalk modeled at Naomi Campbell's Fashion Relief event for charity in a Julien Macdonald dress which was then bought by Sir Philip Green for £10,000.^[31]

In November 2007 she sang again at the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall and was named classical performer of the year at the Variety Club Showbiz Awards.^[32]

With Darcey Bussell she has appeared in a stage song-and-dance production, entitled Viva la Diva, paying tribute to stars^[33] including Madonna and Judy Garland.^[16] The show opened in Manchester in November 2007.^[33][34] Jenkins learned to tap dance, spending eight hours a week learning the choreography and running three miles a day to get fit.^[16] She performed the Welsh National Anthem on 17 May 2008 at the 2008 FA Cup Final between Cardiff City and Portsmouth, becoming the first person to do this at an FA Cup Final.^[35]

Jenkins sings the Welsh national anthem at Sophia Gardens before the start of the 2009 Ashes.

At the beginning of 2009, Jenkins performed in South Korea with Plácido Domingo. This was Jenkins's third concert with Domingo having performed with him in Hong Kong in 2008 and Athens in 2007. They then performed together in May 2009 at The Classical Brit Awards.

On 8 July 2009 Jenkins performed at the opening ceremony of the Ashes Test Series between England and Australia at Sophia Gardens cricket ground in Cardiff. On Saturday 12 September 2009 she performed in Hyde Park for the Last Night of the Proms. On Monday 21 September she performed at the memorial service for Sir Bobby Robson, singing "Pie Jesu" at the request of Lady Robson.

On 12 November 2009, Jenkins performed a duet with cellist Julian Lloyd Webber for Children in Need at the Royal Albert Hall. The same month, Jenkins performed "I Believe" (from Believe) with Andrea Bocelli on his PBS Christmas Special. The duet appears in his album, My Christmas. Jenkins was scheduled to do her first Arena tour in March 2010.

On 24 May 2010, as part of the Argentina Bicentennial‎ she performed the Canadian Anthem at the Argentina VS. Canada World Cup warm-up football match in the River Plate Stadium at Buenos Aires.^[36] On 11 June 2010, Jenkins performed a live comedy routine with Armenian comedy pianist Kev Orkian for a private birthday party at which Motown legend Lionel Richie performed, along with the LSO (London Symphony Orchestra) and comedians Bobby Davro and Jethro.^[37] The comedy sketch was an updated version of an old Victor Borge routine which Orkian had written and developed with Jenkins. In her official blog, Jenkins mentions that she may one day perform the routine in public. On 3 July 2010, Jenkins took the stage at Cheltenham Racecourse, with the National Symphony Orchestra. She was supported by violinist Diana Yukawa.^[38]

Television[link]

On 23 December 2006, Jenkins appeared on ITV's Parkinson show, backed by the Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir and a brass band.^[39]

She made a cameo appearance in two episodes of Emmerdale which saw 11.6 million viewers tune in to find out who killed popular character Tom King who was murdered on Christmas Day. She appeared in the show on 16 and 17 May 2007 which saw her opening the village pageant.^[40]

In July 2007, she performed live on Saving Planet Earth on BBC 1 to raise money for the BBC Wildlife Fund.^[41]

On 12 August 2007 she appeared on ITV's Britain's Favourite View, nominating Three Cliffs Bay on the Gower Peninsula as Britain's favourite view.^[42] She commented; "I grew up on the edge of the Gower, but it was still a holiday place for our family. We’d go on weekend breaks to Three Cliffs Bay – six miles down the road! That’s how gorgeous it is."^[43]

Jenkins live at Clumber Park in 2011.

On 21 October 2007 she sang "Time to Say Goodbye" with Andrea Bocelli on the Strictly Come Dancing results show. Jenkins and Darcey Bussell performed a segment of their show Viva la Diva before the Queen at the 79th Royal Variety Performance, televised on 9 December 2007.^[44] On 15 December, Jenkins performed on The X Factor final with contestant Rhydian Roberts, performing the song "You Raise Me Up".^[45] Jenkins made an appearance on Saturday Kitchen LIVE in December 2008.

Jenkins appeared in episode 3 of the fifth series of The Apprentice, performing Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" as part of a private recital to winning team Ignite. The programme was aired on BBC One on 8 March 2009. 2009 saw Jenkins performing on a large number of TV shows – The Royal Variety Performance, Children In Need Rocks The Albert Hall, The Alan Titchmarsh Show, This Morning, GMTV, Something for the Weekend, The Paul O'Grady Show, presenting for the BBC the week long series The Week We Went To War, Piers Morgan's Life Stories for ITV1, Strictly Come Dancing, The Graham Norton Show and The Andrew Marr Show.

Jenkins started 2010 by appearing as one of two mentors on ITV1s prime time Friday night show, Popstar to Operastar. She appeared in the 2010 Christmas Special of Doctor Who, "A Christmas Carol", in which she played Abigail Pettigrew – her first major acting role. Jenkins appeared as the featured singer on the 11 April 2011 episode of ABC's show Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) singing "Con te partirò" (Time to Say Goodbye) and "O mio babbino caro". She later sang "The Flower Duet" with DWTS regular Beverley Staunton.

On 23 October 2011, Jenkins appeared live on US television network, FOX from Wembley Stadium, performing "God Save the Queen" before the NFL game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Chicago Bears.^[46]

Jenkins appeared in season 14 of the U.S. TV series Dancing with the Stars, paired with a two-time champion of the show, Mark Ballas. The pair came in second place.^[4]

Personal life[link]

Her father, Selwyn, died of lung cancer at age 70 when she was 15.^[6][47] She has dedicated each award she received to him.^{[citation needed]} While Jenkins was studying at the Royal Academy of Music, at 19 years of age, she was attacked, beaten and robbed by an unknown assailant who attempted to rape her, but she fought the man off.^[48][49]

After Jenkins and Dame Vera Lynn were together at centre stage at the 60th Anniversary of VE Day in 2005 during the song "We'll Meet Again", the newspapers dubbed Jenkins "the new Forces' Sweetheart", a nickname given to Lynn during World War II.^[23] Lynn had said to Jenkins that she should "go out and entertain the troops," which Jenkins promised she would.^[23] In December 2005 and 2006 Jenkins travelled to Iraq to entertain the soldiers for Christmas.^[11][50] On her first visit to Iraq in 2005, when travelling to Shaibah, the largest British base in Southern Iraq, the helicopter she was travelling in was targeted by missiles. Anti-missile flares were deployed and the group landed safely.^[23]

In November 2008 Jenkins revealed to the Daily Mail that when she was a student she had taken class A drugs (cocaine and ecstasy) and cannabis. She noted that she was introduced to them by people she socialized with at the time and that she stopped taking them after signing her record deal in 2003.^[51] In the article Jenkins said "taking drugs is the biggest regret of my life".

Jenkins's autobiography, Time to Say Hello, was released on 28 January 2008, and was also serialized in The Mail on Sunday.^[49]

At the start of 2007 Jenkins made her first appearance in the British young people's Sunday Times Rich List which ranked her as the sixty-second richest young person in Britain with an estimated wealth of £9 million.^[52] In 2010, the Sunday Times Rich List placed her at joint 11th in the Top 20 Young Millionaires list alongside Leona Lewis and Charlotte Church with an estimated wealth of £11 million.

In July 2010, Jenkins was reported to have bought a house with TV presenter Gethin Jones.^[53] In February 2011, they became engaged, but on 30 December 2011, Jenkins and Jones announced that they were no longer together.^[54]

Discography[link]

Studio albums:

• Premiere (2004)
• Second Nature (2004)
• Living a Dream (2005)
• Serenade (2006)
• Rejoice (2007)
• Sacred Arias (2008)
• Believe (2009)
• Daydream (2011)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Katherine Jenkins

• Katherine Jenkins Official Site
• Katherine Jenkins at the Internet Movie Database
• Katherine Jenkins biography from BBC Wales
• Katherine Jenkins on Classicalx
• Official Record Label Website
• Katherine Jenkins Interview

Olive Marie Osmond (born October 13, 1959) is an American singer, actress, doll designer, and a member of the show business family The Osmonds. Although she was never part of her family's singing group, she gained success as a solo country music artist in the 1970s and 1980s. Her best known song is a cover of the country pop ballad "Paper Roses." In 1976, she and her singer brother Donny Osmond began hosting the TV variety show Donny & Marie.

Early life[link]

Born Olive Marie Osmond in Ogden, Utah to Olive and George Osmond, Marie Osmond was raised as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The only daughter of nine children, her brothers are Virl, Tom, Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, Donny, and Jimmy Osmond. From an early age, her brothers maintained a career in show business, singing and performing on national television. Osmond debuted as part of her brothers' act The Osmond Brothers on the The Andy Williams Show when she was three, but generally did not perform with her brothers in the group's television performances through the 1960s.

Music career[link]

1970s[link]

Aside from her two older brothers (who are deaf), Marie was soon the only family member not involved in the music business. After the initial success of The Osmonds in 1970, Marie's older brother Donny was gaining success as a solo artist on the Pop Music charts and was becoming a teen idol. The Osmonds' management convinced Marie to try her hand as well. She signed with the family's record label, MGM Records and began making concert appearances with The Osmonds. Her style was more directed towards country music, in contrast with her brothers' pop music.

In 1973, Osmond cut her first single as a solo artist, "Paper Roses". The recording became a #1 country hit, reached the Top 5 on the Billboard magazine pop chart, and achieved crossover success. The song earned a gold record as did the album of the same name. Osmond released another single, "In My Little Corner of the World", and a same-name album in 1974, with both entering the Billboard Top 40 in 1974. The title song on her next album Who's Sorry Now, released in 1975, went to #20 the month after its release. The title song from Osmond's final solo album of the seventies, This Is The Way That I Feel, reached #39 within two months of its 1977 release.

In 1974, Osmond had two pop music duet hits with brother Donny: "I'm Leaving It All Up to You" and "Morning Side of the Mountain." The former song was a Top 20 country hit.

1980s[link]

In the early 1980s, Osmond's music career went into a brief hiatus while she pursued a career in acting. She turned down the lead role as Sandy in Grease because she didn't approve of the script's moral content,^[1] and the role went to Olivia Newton-John. She appeared in some TV movies and did voice-over work for children's cartoons. Prior to the comeback success of her brother Donny in the late 1980s, Marie made a comeback in country music as a solo artist by signing a deal with Curb Records in Nashville. In 1985, Marie and Dan Seals sang a duet called "Meet Me in Montana" which became a #1 country hit that year.

Her follow-up to "Meet Me in Montana" was a solo hit called "There's No Stopping Your Heart," which reached #1 in early 1986 for Marie. Her singles mainly focused on the more-popular Countrypolitan style. In late 1985, she released the "There's No Stopping Your Heart" album of the same name. In 1986, the single "Read My Lips" became a Top-20 country hit. She hit #1 again with a duet with Paul Davis with the song "You're Still New to Me." The Top-10 hit "I Only Wanted You," became her last major hit on the Country charts, to date. Osmond continued to release singles throughout much of the '80s, including "I'm In Love And He's In Dallas". In 1984, Marie had a single on RCA Records called, "Whos Counting." The single charted to only #82 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles. The single did receive a significant amount of airplay for a couple of weeks.

1990s[link]

The last charting single came in 1995 with "What Kind of Man (Walks On a Woman)".

Acting career[link]

In 1976, Osmond and brother Donny began to host their variety show Donny & Marie, which ran on ABC until 1979.

Osmond's first "made for TV" movie was The Gift of Love which originally aired on ABC December 5, 1978. The movie was loosely based on the O. Henry story "The Gift of the Magi." Her co-star in the movie was Timothy Bottoms and she received her first on-screen kiss in this movie.

In 1978, she and Donny released their film Goin' Coconuts, which was not a financial success. The following year, Marie starred in a sitcom pilot titled "Marie." which did not make the new season schedule and in 1980 she had her own variety show on NBC, also titled Marie, which only ran for half a season.

Osmond had a recurring role as co-host with Jack Palance on ABC's documentary series Ripley's Believe It or Not! for two seasons (1985–86), replacing Jack's daughter Holly Palance. She introduced and narrated segments based on the travels and discoveries of oddity-hunter Robert Ripley.

The singer played her mother, Olive, in the TV movie Side By Side: The True Story Of The Osmond Family. She also starred in the TV movie I Married Wyatt Earp.

She returned to television first in the short-lived 1995 ABC sitcom Maybe This Time and then with brother Donny in 1998 to co-host Donny And Marie, a talk/entertainment show that lasted two seasons.

She appeared as herself in the 2001 TV movie Inside The Osmonds, which showed how the brothers' egos, their father's fiscal mismanagement, and the family's quest to build a multimedia empire led to their downfall. The film was produced by her younger brother, Jimmy Osmond.

In 2006, she was a judge on the short-lived Fox celeb reality show competition Celebrity Duets.

Osmond had a radio show syndicated to adult contemporary radio stations, Marie And Friends that was canceled after 10 months.

It is reported by Entertainment Tonight that Marie will join the daytime cast of The Bold and the Beautiful, a long running CBS soap opera.^[2] A date has not been announced.

Broadway[link]

She appeared in the Broadway musicals The King and I (as Anna) and The Sound of Music (as Maria) in the mid-1990s. Marie and her brother Donny recently starred in a new holiday production called Donny & Marie – A Broadway Christmas, which was originally scheduled to play on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre from December 9– 19, 2010. The show was then extended till December 30, 2010 and again till January 2, 2011.^[3][4][5]

Other work[link]

Marie![link]

Osmond will be premiering "Marie!", a new sixty minute talk show on the Hallmark Channel in the fall season of 2012.

[edit] Donny & Marie in Las Vegas

The 750-seat showroom at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada is currently home to "Donny & Marie", a 90-minute variety show. The singing siblings are backed by eight dancers and a nine piece band. Donny and Marie sing together at the beginning and end of the show, and have solo segments in between. They recently extended their contract until October 2012.

[edit] The Marie Osmond Show

In 2008, Osmond had a new talk show in the works that was to have been taped in Las Vegas, Nevada. However, this project was canceled before airing.

[edit] Dancing with the Stars

On August 29, 2007, it was announced that Osmond would appear as a celebrity contestant on the fifth season of the ABC show, paired with Jonathan Roberts, 2004 US Rising Star Latin Champion. On November 27, 2007, Osmond came in third place on the fifth season of Dancing with the Stars.

Doll business[link]

In 1991, Osmond debuted her doll line on QVC. While QVC continues to be a primary source of distribution for her dolls, Osmond also carries her line in retail stores, through internet sales in the USA and worldwide, and direct response. In 2009, Osmond also debuted her dolls on The Shopping Channel in Canada.

Her first sculpture, a toddler doll she created and named after her mother, "Olive May," set a collectible record on QVC. Since then, Osmond has sculpted several dolls, including "Remember Me," "Baby Adora Belle," "Kissy and Huggs" and her hallmark doll, "Adora Belle."

In 2006, Osmond launched an embroidery machine line, a sewing machine line, and embroidery designs through Bernina. She has been featured on the cover of Designs in Machine Embroidery.

In 2009, a 16" vinyl Fashion Doll of Marie Osmond "Grand Finale Fashion" was debuted at Osmond's 50th Birthday party in Las Vegas in celebration of her 50th birthday.

Osmond's doll collection has garnered numerous award nominations, including "Trendsetter of the Year" and Dolls magazine's "Awards of Excellence."^[6]

Crafting[link]

In 2010, Osmond published a book of handcrafted project designs, Marie Osmond’s Heartfelt Giving: Sew and Quilt for Family and Friends^[7] (Martingale & Company,^[8]). The book contains step-by-step instructions for more than 20 projects, all designed by Osmond. Projects include her “Paper Roses” quilt, bags, aprons, and gifts for babies, teens, friends, and pets. The book also features several childhood photos.

Osmond has a line of sewing machines with Janome and a fabric line with Quilting Treasures.

Children's Miracle Network[link]

Along with actor John Schneider, Osmond co-founded the non-profit organization Children's Miracle Network in 1983. The CMN is dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children's hospitals across North America.

Nutrisystem spokesperson[link]

As part of the Slimsational Stars, Osmond is currently promoting the Nutrisystem brand of weight loss meals. She has starred in a number of commercials over the past five years.

Personal life[link]

Osmond has been married three times, to two different men. She remarried her first husband, Stephen Lyle Craig, in 2011, after splitting from her second husband.

Osmond first married Craig, a Brigham Young University basketball player, in 1982. Their only child, Stephen James Craig, was born on April 20, 1983, and they divorced in 1985. On September 24, 2011 Marie's son Stephen James married Claire Olds.^[9]

On October 28, 1986, Osmond married Brian Blosil. Osmond and Blosil had two biological children, Rachael Lauren (b. August 1989) and Matthew Richard (b. July 1999), and also adopted five children: Jessica Marie (b. December 1987), Michael Bryan (May 4, 1991– February 26, 2010), Brandon Warren (b. November 1996), Brianna Patricia (b. November 1997), and Abigail Michelle (b. September 2002). On March 30, 2007, Osmond and Blosil announced they were divorcing.^[10]

On May 4, 2011, Osmond remarried Craig in a small ceremony in the Las Vegas Nevada Temple wearing her dress from the 1982 wedding.^[11]

In 1999, Osmond revealed that she had suffered from severe postpartum depression.^[12] She co-authored a book called Behind the Smile with Marcia Wilkie and Dr. Judith Moore which chronicles her experiences with the illness. In August 2006, it was suggested by several U.S. tabloids that she had attempted suicide. These reports were denied by her publicity team, which claimed she had suffered an adverse reaction to a medication she was taking.^[13]

On April 29, 2009, Osmond revealed that her oldest daughter, Jessica, is a lesbian and had been living in Los Angeles with her girlfriend for the past three years. In interviews Osmond has expressed support for her daughter and for same sex marriage rights.^[14]

On February 26, 2010, Osmond's son Michael committed suicide by jumping from the eighth floor of his apartment building in Los Angeles.^[15] He had reportedly battled depression for most of his life and had been in rehabilitation at the age of 12.^[16] The autopsy released on April 21, 2010 revealed that no drugs were found in his system.^[17]

Marie Osmond is a Republican.^[18]

Discography[link]

• 1973: Paper Roses
• 1974: In My Little Corner of the World
• 1975: Who's Sorry Now
• 1977: This is the Way That I Feel
• 1985: There's No Stopping Your Heart
• 1986: I Only Wanted You
• 1988: All in Love
• 1989: Steppin' Stone
• 2010: I Can Do This^[19]

Filmography[link]

• Perry Como Sunshine Show (1974) – Guest
• Hugo the Hippo (1975) – Vocalist
• Donny and Marie (1976) – Herself
• Goin' Coconuts (1978) – Marie
• The Gift of Love (1978) – Beth Atherton
• "The Big Show" (1980) – Host
• "Marie" (1980) TV Series – Herself
• The Osmond Family Christmas Special (1980) – Herself
• Side by Side: The True Story of the Osmond Family (1982) – Olive Osmond
• Rooster (1982) – Sister Mae Davis
• "The Love Boat" (1982) – Maria Rosselli (2 episodes)
• I Married Wyatt Earp (1983) – Josephine 'Josie' Marcus
• Rose Petal Place (1984) – Rose Petal
• The Velveteen Rabbit (1984) – Fairy Princess and Velveteen Rabbit
• Ripley's Believe It or Not! (1985–86) – Co-Host
• Rose Petal Place: Real Friends (1985) – Rose Petal
• Marie Osmond's Merry Christmas (1986) – Herself
• Television's Christmas Classics (1994) – Host
• "Maybe This Time" (1995–96) – Julia Wallace
• Buster & Chauncey's Silent Night (1998) – Queen (voice)
• O' Christmas Tree (1999) – Star (voice)
• "Donny & Marie" (1998) – Host
• "Dancing With The Stars" (2007) – Third Place
• "Dr.Phil" (2007) – Guest
• "The Paul O'Grady Show" (2009) – Guest
• "The Oprah Winfrey Show" (2010) – Guest
• "The Rosie Show" (2011) – Guest

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Marie Osmond

• Marie Osmond at the Internet Movie Database
• Marie Osmond at the Internet Broadway Database
• Marie Osmond – Official Website
• Marie Osmond Dolls – Marie Osmond Dolls News
• Marie Osmond Getting Divorced – People Magazine, March 30, 2007