A troubadour (, ; , , originally ) was a composer and performer of Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages (1100–1350). Since the word "troubadour" is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a trobairitz.

The troubadour school or tradition began in the 11th century in Occitania, but it subsequently spread into Italy, Spain, and even Greece. Under the influence of the troubadours, related movements sprang up throughout Europe: the Minnesang in Germany, ''trovadorismo'' in Galicia and Portugal, and that of the trouvères in northern France. Dante Alighieri in his ''De vulgari eloquentia'' defined the troubadour lyric as ''fictio rethorica musicaque poita'': rhetorical, musical, and poetical fiction. After the "classical" period around the turn of the 13th century and a mid-century resurgence, the art of the troubadours declined in the 14th century and eventually died out around the time of the Black Death (1348).

The texts of troubadour songs deal mainly with themes of chivalry and courtly love. Most were metaphysical, intellectual, and formulaic. Many were humorous or vulgar satires. Works can be grouped into three styles: the ''trobar leu'' (light), ''trobar ric'' (rich), and ''trobar clus'' (closed). Likewise there were many genres, the most popular being the ''canso'', but ''sirventes'' and ''tensos'' were especially popular in the post-classical period, in Italy, and among the female troubadours, the trobairitz.

Etymology of name

The name "troubadour" and its cognates in other languages—''trov(i)èro'' and then ''trovatore'' in Italian, ''trovador'' in Spanish, ''trobador'' in Catalan—are of disputed origin.

Latin

The English word "troubadour" comes by way of Old French from the Occitan word ''trobador'', the oblique case of the nominative ''trobaire'', a substantive of the verb ''trobar'', which is derived from the hypothetical Late Latin *''tropāre'', in turn from ''tropus'', meaning a trope, from Greek ''τρόπος'' (tropos), meaning "turn, manner". Another possible Latin root is ''turbare'', to upset or (over)turn. ''Trobar'' is cognative with the modern French word ''trouver'', meaning "to find". Whereas French ''trouver'' became ''trouvère'', the nominative form, instead of the oblique ''trouveor'' or ''trouveur'', the French language adopted the Occitan oblique case and from there it entered English. The general sense of "trobar" in Occitan is "invent" or "compose" and this is how it is commonly translated. (In Latin the verb ''invenire'' meant precisely "to find".) A troubadour thus composed his own work, whereas a ''joglar'' performed only that of others. This etymology is supported by the French dictionaries Académie Française, Larousse, and Petit Robert.

Not surprisingly, the Greek → Latin → Occitan → French → English hypothesis has been widely supported by those who find the origins of troubadour poetry in classical Latin forms or in medieval Latin liturgies, such as Peter Dronke and Reto Bezzola.

Arabic

There is a second, less traditional and less popular, theory as to the etymology of the word ''trobar''. It has the support of some, such as María Rosa Menocal, in the camp which seeks the troubadours' origins in Arabic Andalusian musical practices. According to them, the Arabic word ''tarab'', "to sing", is the root of ''trobar''.

Some proponents of this theory argue, on cultural grounds, that both etymologies may well be correct, and that there may have been a conscious poetic exploitation of the phonological coincidence between ''trobar'' and the triliteral Arabic root TRB when sacred Sufi Islamic musical forms with a love theme first spread from Al-Andalus to southern France. It has also been pointed out that the concepts of "finding", "music", "love", and "ardour"—the precise semantic field attached to the word troubadour—are allied in Arabic under a single root (WJD) that plays a major role in Sufic discussions of music, and that the word troubadour may in part reflect this.

Origins

The early study of the troubadours focused intensely on their origins. No academic consensus was ever achieved in the area. Today, one can distinguish at least eleven competing theories (the adjectives used below are a blend from the Grove Dictionary of Music and Roger Boase's ''The Origins and Meaning of Courtly Love''): #Arabic (also Arabist or Hispano-Arabic) Referring to the songs of the troubadours, Ezra Pound wrote in his ''Canto VIII'' that William of Aquitaine "had brought the song up out of Spain / with the singers and viels". In his study, Lévi-Provençal is said to have found four Arabo-Hispanic verses nearly or completely recopied in William's manuscript. According to historic sources, William VIII, the father of William, brought to Poitiers hundreds of Muslim prisoners. Trend admitted that the troubadours derived their sense of form and even the subject matter of their poetry from the Andalusian Muslims. The hypothesis that the troubadour tradition was created, more or less, by William after his experience of Moorish arts while fighting with the Reconquista in Spain was also championed by Ramón Menéndez Pidal in the early twentieth-century, but its origins go back to the ''Cinquecento'' and Giammaria Barbieri (died 1575) and Juan Andrés (died 1822). Meg Bogin, English translator of the trobairitz, held this hypothesis. Certainly "a body of song of comparable intensity, profanity and eroticism [existed] in Arabic from the second half of the 9th century onwards." #Bernardine-Marianist or ChristianAccording to this theory, it was the theology espoused by Bernard of Clairvaux and the increasingly important Mariology that most strongly influenced the development of the troubadour genre. Specifically, the emphasis on religious and spiritual love, disinterestedness, mysticism, and devotion to Mary would explain "courtly love". The emphasis of the reforming Robert of Arbrissel on "matronage" to achieve his ends can explain the troubadour attitude towards women. Chronologically, however, this hypothesis is hard to sustain (the forces believed to have given rise to the phenomenon arrived later than it). But the influence of Bernardine and Marian theology can be retained without the origins theory. This theory was advanced early by Eduard Wechssler and further by Dmitri Scheludko (who emphasises the Cluniac Reform) and Guido Errante. Mario Casella and Leo Spitzer have added "Augustinian" influence to it. #Celtic or Chivalric-MatriarchalThe survival of pre-Christian sexual ''mores'' and warrior codes from matriarchal societies, be they Celtic, Germanic, or Pictish, among the aristocracy of Europe can account for the idea (fusion) of "courtly love". The existence of pre-Christian matriarchy has usually been treated with scepticism as has the persistence of underlying paganism in high medieval Europe. #Classical LatinThe classical Latin theory emphasises parallels between Ovid, especially his ''Amores'' and ''Ars amatoria'', and the lyric of courtly love. The ''aetas ovidiana'' that predominated in the 11th century in and around Orléans, the quasi-Ciceronian ideology that held sway in the Imperial court, and the scraps of Plato then available to scholars have all been cited as classical influences on troubadour poetry. #(Crypto-)CatharAccording to this thesis, troubadour poetry is a reflection of Cathar religious doctrine. While the theory is supported by the traditional and near-universal account of the decline of the troubadours coinciding with the suppression of Catharism during the Albigensian Crusade (first half of the 13th century), support for it has come in waves. The explicitly Catholic meaning of many early troubadour works also works against the theory. #LiturgicalThe troubadour lyric may be a development of the Christian liturgy and hymnody. The influence of the Song of Songs has even been suggested. There is no preceding Latin poetry resembling that of the troubadours. On those grounds, no theory of the latter's origins in classical or post-classical Latin can be constructed, but that has not deterred some, who believe that a pre-existing Latin corpus must merely be lost to us. That many troubadours received their grammatical training in Latin through the Church (from ''clerici'', clerics) and that many were trained musically by the Church is well-attested. The musical school of Saint Martial's at Limoges has been singled out in this regard. "Para-liturgical" tropes were in use there in the era preceding the troubadours' appearance. #Feudal-social or -sociologicalThis theory or set of related theories has gained ground in the 20th century. It is more a methodological approach to the question than a theory; it asks not from where the content or form of the lyric came but rather in what situation/circumstances did it arise. Under Marxist influence, Erich Köhler, Marc Bloch, and Georges Duby have suggested that the "essential hegemony" in the castle of the lord's wife during his absence was a driving force. The use of feudal terminology in troubadour poems is seen as evidence. This theory has been developed away from sociological towards psychological explanation. #Folklore or Spring Folk RitualAccording to María Rosa Menocal, Alfred Jeanroy first suggested that folklore and oral tradition gave rise to troubadour poetry in 1883. According to F. M. Warren, it was Gaston Paris, Jeanroy's reviewer, in 1891 who first located troubadour origins in the festive dances of women hearkening the spring in the Loire Valley. This theory has since been widely discredited, but the discovery of the ''jarchas'' raises the question of the extent of literature (oral or written) in the 11th century and earlier. #Medieval Latin or Mediolatin (Goliardic)Hans Spanke analysed the intertextual connexion between vernacular and medieval Latin (such as Goliardic) songs. This theory is supported by Reto Bezzola, Peter Dronke, and musicologist J. Chailley. According to them, ''trobar'' means "inventing a trope", the trope being a poem where the words are used with a meaning different from their common signification, i.e. metaphor and metonymy. This poem was originally inserted in a serial of modulations ending a liturgic song. Then the trope became an autonomous piece organized in stanza form. The influence of late eleventh-century poets of the "Loire school", such as Marbod of Rennes and Hildebert of Lavardin, is stressed in this connexion by Brinkmann. #NeoplatonicThis theory is one of the more intellectualising. The "ennobling effects of love" in specific have been identified as Neoplatonic. It is viewed either as a strength or weakness that this theory requires a second theory about how the Neoplatonism was transmitted to the troubadours; perhaps it can be coupled with one of the other origins stories or perhaps it is just peripheral. Käte Axhausen has "exploited" this theory and A. J. Denomy has linked it with the Arabist (through Avicenna) and the Cathar (through John Scotus Eriugena).

History

Early period

The earliest troubadour whose work survives is Guilhèm de Peitieus, better known as Duke William IX of Aquitaine (1071–1126). Peter Dronke, author of ''The Medieval Lyric'', however, believes that "[his] songs represent not the beginnings of a tradition but summits of achievement in that tradition." His name has been preserved because he was the Duke of Aquitaine, but his work plays with already established structures; Eble II of Ventadorn is often credited as a predecessor, though none of his work survives. Orderic Vitalis referred to William composing songs about his experiences on his return from the Crusade of 1101 (c. 1102). This may be the earliest reference to troubadour lyrics. Orderic also provides us (1135) with what may be the first description of a troubadour performance: an eyewitness account of William of Aquitaine.

''Picauensis uero dux ... miserias captiuitatis suae ... coram regibus et magnatis atque Christianis coetibus multotiens retulit rythmicis uersibus cum facetis modulationibus''. (X.21) Then the Poitevin duke ... the miseries of his captivity ... before kings, magnates, and Christian assemblies many times related with rhythmic verses and witty measures.

Spread (''rayonnement'')

The first half of the 12th century saw relatively few recorded troubadours. Only in the last decades of the century did troubadour activity explode. Almost half of all troubadour works survive from the period 1180–1220. In total, moreover, there are over 2,500 troubadour lyrics available to be studied as lingusitic artifacts (Akehurst, 23). The troubadour tradition seems to have begun in western Aquitaine (Poitou and Saintonge) and Gascony, from there spreading over into eastern Aquitaine (Limousin and Auvergne) and Provence. At its height it had become popular in Languedoc and the regions of Rouergue, Toulouse, and Quercy (c. 1200). Finally, in the early 13th century it began to spread into first Italy and then Catalonia, whence to the rest of Spain. This development has been called the ''rayonnement des troubadours'' ().

Classical period

The classical period of troubadour activity lasted from about 1170 until about 1220. The most famous names among the ranks of troubadours belong to this period. During this period the lyric art of the troubadours reached the height of its popularity and the number of surviving poems is greatest from this period. During this period the ''canso'', or love song, became distinguishable as a genre. The master of the ''canso'' and the troubadour who epitomises the classical period is Bernart de Ventadorn. He was highly regarded by his contemporaries, as were Giraut de Bornelh, reputed by his biographer to be the greatest composer of melodies to ever live, and Bertran de Born, the master of the ''sirventes'', or political song, which became increasingly popular in this period.

The classical period came to be seen by later generations, especially in the fourteenth and 15th centuries and outside of Occitania, as representing the high point of lyric poetry and models to be emulated. The language of the classic poets, its grammar and vocabulary, their style and themes, were the ideal to which poets of the troubadour revival in Toulouse and their Catalan and Castilian contemporaries aspired. During the classical period the "rules" of poetic composition had first become standardised and written down, first by Raimon Vidal and then by Uc Faidit.

Who they were

The 450 or so troubadours known to us came from a variety of backgrounds. They made their living in a variety of ways, lived and travelled in many different places, and were actors in many types of social context. The troubadours were not wandering entertainers. Typically, they stayed in one place for a lengthy period of time under the patronage of a wealthy nobleman or woman. Many did travel extensively, however, sojourning at one court and then another.

Status

The earliest troubadour, the Duke of Aquitaine, came from the high nobility. He was followed immediately by two members of the knightly class, Cercamon and Marcabru, and by a member of the princely class, Jaufre Rudel. At the outset, the troubadours were universally noblemen, sometimes of high rank and sometimes of low. Many troubadours are described in their ''vidas'' as poor knights. It was one of the most common descriptors of status: Berenguier de Palazol, Gausbert Amiel, Guilhem Ademar, Guiraudo lo Ros, Marcabru, Peire de Maensac, Peirol, Raimon de Miraval, Rigaut de Berbezilh, and Uc de Pena. Albertet de Sestaro is described as the son of a noble jongleur, presumably a petty noble lineage.

Later troubadours especially could belong to lower classes, ranging from the middle class of merchants and "burgers" (persons of urban standing) to tradesmen and others who worked with their hands. Salh d'Escola and Elias de Barjols were described as the sons of merchants and Elias Fonsalada was the son of a burger and jongleur. Perdigon was the son of a "poor fisherman" and Elias Cairel of a blacksmith. Arnaut de Mareuil is specified in his ''vida'' as coming from a poor family, but whether this family was poor by noble standards or more global ones is not apparent.

Many troubadours also possessed a clerical education. For some this was their springboard to composition, since their clerical education equipped them with an understanding of musical and poetic forms as well as vocal training. The ''vidas'' of the following troubadours note their clerical status: Aimeric de Belenoi, Folquet de Marselha (who became a bishop), Gui d'Ussel, Guillem Ramon de Gironella, Jofre de Foixà (who became an abbot), Peire de Bussignac, Peire Rogier, Raimon de Cornet, Uc Brunet, and Uc de Saint Circ.

''Trobadors'' and ''joglars''

The Occitan words ''trobador'' and ''trobaire'' are relatively rare compared with the verb ''trobar'' (compose, invent), which was usually applied to the writing of poetry. It signified that a poem was original to an author (''trobador'') and was not merely sung or played by one. The term was used mostly for poetry only and in more careful works, like the ''vidas'', is not generally applied to the composition of music or to singing, though the troubadour's poetry itself is not so careful. Sometime in the middle of the 12th century, however, a distinction was definitely being made between an inventor of original verse and the performers of others'. These last were called ''joglars'', from the Latin ''ioculatores'', giving rise also to the French ''jongleur'', Castilian ''juglar'', and English juggler, which has come to refer to a more specific breed of performer. The medieval ''jongleur/joglar'' is really a minstrel.

At the height of troubadour poetry (the "classical period"), troubadours are often found attacking ''jongleurs'' and at least two small genres arose around the theme: the ''ensenhamen joglaresc'' and the ''sirventes joglaresc''. These terms are debated, however, since the adjective ''joglaresc'' would seem to imply "in the manner of the ''jongleurs''". Inevitably, however, pieces of said genres are verbal attacks at ''jongleurs'', in general and in specific, with named individuals being called out. It is clear, for example from the poetry of Bertran de Born, that ''jongleurs'' were performers who did not usually compose and that they often performed the troubadour's songs: singing, playing instruments, dancing, and even doing acrobatics.

In the late 13th century Guiraut Riquier bemoaned the inexactness of his contemporaries and wrote a letter to Alfonso X of Castile, a noted patron of literature and learning of all kinds, for clarification on the proper reference of the terms ''trobador'' and ''joglar''. According to Riquier, every vocation deserved a name of its own and the sloppy usage of ''joglar'' assured that it covered a multitude of activities, some which, no doubt, Riquier did not wish to be associated. In the end Riquier argued—and Alfonso X seems to agree, though his "response" was probably penned by Riquier—that a ''joglar'' was a courtly entertainer (as opposed to popular or low-class one) and a troubadour was a poet and composer.

Despite the distinctions noted, many troubadours were also known as jongleurs, either before they began composing or alongside. Aimeric de Belenoi, Aimeric de Sarlat, Albertet Cailla, Arnaut de Mareuil, Elias de Barjols, Elias Fonsalada, Falquet de Romans, Guillem Magret, Guiraut de Calanso, Nicoletto da Torino, Peire Raimon de Tolosa, Peire Rogier, Peire de Valeira, Peirol, Pistoleta, Perdigon, Salh d'Escola, Uc de la Bacalaria, Uc Brunet, and Uc de Saint Circ were jongleur-troubadours.

''Vidas'' and ''razos''

A ''vida'' is a brief prose biography, written in Occitan, of a troubadour. The word ''vida'' means "life" in Occitan. In the chansonniers, the manuscript collections of medieval troubadour poetry, the works of a particular author are often accompanied by a short prose biography. The ''vidas'' are important early works of vernacular prose nonfiction. Nevetheless, it appears that many of them derive their facts from literal readings of their objects' poems, which leaves their historical reliability in doubt. Most of the ''vidas'' were composed in Italy in the 1220s, many by Uc de Saint Circ.

A ''razo'' (from Occitan for "reason") was a similar short piece of Occitan prose detailing the circumstances of a particular composition. A ''razo'' normally introduced the poem it explained; it might, however, share some of the characteristics of a ''vida''. The ''razos'' suffer from the same problems as the ''vidas'' in terms of reliability. Many are likewise the work of Uc de Saint Circ.

''Podestà''-troubadours

A phenomenon arose in Italy, recognised around the turn of the twentieth-century by Giulio Bertoni, of men serving in several cities as ''podestàs'' on behalf of either the Guelph or Ghibelline party and writing political verse in Occitan rhyme. These figures generally came from the urban middle class. They aspired to high culture and though, unlike the nobility, they were not patrons of literature, they were its disseminators and its readers.

The first ''podestà''-troubadour was Rambertino Buvalelli, possibly the first native Italian troubadour, who was ''podestà'' of Genoa between 1218 and 1221. Rambertino, a Guelph, served at one time or another as ''podestà'' of Brescia, Milan, Parma, Mantua, and Verona. It was probably during his three-year tenure there that he introduced Occitan lyric poetry to the city, which was later to develop a flourishing Occitan literary culture.

Among the ''podestà''-troubadours to follow Rambertino, four were from Genoa: the Guelphs Luca Grimaldi, who also served in Florence, Milan, and Ventimiglia, and Luchetto Gattilusio, who served in Milan, Cremona, and Bologna, and the Ghibellines Perceval Doria, who served in Arles, Avignon, Asti, and Parma, and Simon Doria, sometime ''podestà'' of Savona and Albenga. Among the non-Genoese ''podestà''-troubadours was Alberico da Romano, a nobleman of high rank who governed Vicenza and Treviso as variously a Ghibelline and a Guelph. He was a patron as well as a composer of Occitan lyric.

Mention should be made of the Provençal troubadour Isnart d'Entrevenas, who was ''podestà'' of Arles in 1220, though he does not fit the phenomenon Giulio Bertoni first identified in Italy.

Trobairitz

The ''trobairitz'' were the female troubadours, the first female composers of secular music in the Western tradition. The word ''trobairitz'' was first used in the thirteenth-century ''Romance of Flamenca'' and its derivation is the same as that of ''trobaire'' but in feminine form. There were also female counterparts to the ''joglars'': the ''joglaresas''. The number of trobairitz varies between sources: there were twenty or twenty-one named trobairitz, plus an additional poetess known only as Domna H. There are several anonymous texts ascribed to women; the total number of trobairitz texts varies from twenty-three (Schultz-Gora), twenty-five (Bec), thirty-six (Bruckner, White, and Shepard), and forty-six (Rieger). Only one melody composed by a trobairitz (the Comtessa de Dia) survives. Out of a total of about 450 troubadours and 2,500 troubadour works, the trobairitz and their corpus form a minor but interesting and informative portion. They are, therefore, quite well studied.

The trobairitz were in most respects as varied a lot as their male counterparts, with the general exceptions of their poetic style and their provenance. They wrote predominantly ''cansos'' and ''tensos''; only one ''sirventes'' by a named woman, Gormonda de Monpeslier, survives (though two anonymous ones are attributed to women). One ''salut d'amor'', by a woman (Azalais d'Altier) to a woman (Clara d'Anduza) is also extant and one anonymous ''planh'' is usually assigned a female authorship. They wrote almost entirely within the ''trobar leu'' style; only two poems, one by Lombarda and another Alais, Yselda, and Carenza, are usually considered to belong to the more demanding ''trobar clus''. None of the trobairitz were prolific, or if they were their work has not survived. Only two have left us more than one piece: the Comtessa de Dia, with four, and Castelloza, with three or four. One of the known trobairitz, Gaudairença, wrote a song entitled ''Coblas e dansas'', which has not survived; no other piece of hers has either.

The trobairitz came almost to a woman from Occitania. There are representatives from the Auvergne, Provence, Languedoc, the Dauphiné, Toulousain, and the Limousin. One trobairitz, Ysabella, may have been born in Périgord, Northern Italy, Greece, or Palestine. All the trobairitz whose families we know were high-born ladies; only one, Lombarda, was probably of the merchant class. All the tobairitz known by name lived around the same time: the late 12th century and the early thirteenth (c. 1170 – c. 1260). The earliest was probably Tibors de Sarenom, who was active in the 1150s (the date of her known composition is uncertain). The latest was either Garsenda of Forcalquier, who died in 1242, though her period of poetic patronage and composition probably occurred a quarter century earlier, or Guilleuma de Rosers, who composed a ''tenso'' with Lanfranc Cigala, known between 1235 and 1257. There exist brief prose biographies—''vidas''—for eight trobairitz: Almucs de Castelnau (actually a ''razo''), Azalais de Porcairagues, the Comtessa de Dia, Castelloza, Iseut de Capio (also a ''razo''), Lombarda, Maria de Ventadorn, and Tibors de Sarenom.

Works

Schools and styles

There have been three main styles of Occitan lyric poetry identified: the ''trobar leu'' (light), ''trobar ric'' (rich), and ''trobar clus'' (closed, hermetic). The first was by far the most common: the wording is straightforward and relatively simple compared to the ''ric'' and literary devices are less common than in the ''clus''. This style was the most accessible and it was immensely popular. The most famous poet of the ''trobar leu'' was Bernart de Ventadorn. The most difficult style on the other hand was the last. The ''trobar clus'' regularly escapes modern scholarly interpretation. Words are commonly used metaphorically and symbolically and what a poem appears to be about on its surface is rarely what is intended by the poet or understood by audiences "in the know". The ''clus'' style was invented early by Marcabru but only favoured by a few masters thereafter. The ''trobar ric'' style is not as opaque as the ''clus'', rather it employs a rich vocabulary, using many words, rare words, invented words, and unusual, colourful wordings.

Modern scholars recognise several "schools" in the troubadour tradition. Among the early is a school of followers of Marcabru, sometimes called the "Marcabrunian school": Bernart Marti, Bernart de Venzac, Gavaudan, and Peire d'Alvernhe. These poets favoured the ''trobar clus'' or ''ric'' or a hybrid of the two. They were often moralising in tone and critical of contemporary courtly society. Another early school, whose style seems to have fallen out of favour, was the "Gascon school" of Cercamon, Peire de Valeira, and Guiraut de Calanso. Cercamon was said by his biographer to have composed in the "old style" (''la uzansa antiga'') and Guiraut's songs were ''d'aquella saison'' ("of that time"). This style of poetry seems to be attached to early troubadours from Gascony and was characterised by references to nature: leaves, flowers, birds, and their songs. This Gascon "literary fad" was unpopular in Provence in the early 13th century, harming the reputation of the poets associated with it.

In the late 13th century a school arose at Béziers, once the centre of pre-Albigensian Languedoc and of the Trencavel lordships, in the 1260s–80s. Three poets epitomise this "school": Bernart d'Auriac, Joan Esteve, Joan Miralhas, and Raimon Gaucelm. All three were natives of Béziers and lived there. All three were members of the urban middle class and no courtesans: Miralhas was possibly a potter and Bernart was a ''mayestre'' (teacher). All three were supporters of the French king Louis IX and the French aristocracy against the native Occitan nobility. They have been described as "Gallicised". Raimon Gaucelm supported the Eighth Crusade and even wrote a ''planh'', the only known one of its kind, to a burgher of Béziers. Joan Esteve and Bernart both composed in support the French in the Aragonese Crusade. The Béziers are a shining example of the transformation of Occitania in the aftermath of Albigensian Crusade, but also of the ability of troubadours to survive it.

Genres

Troubadours, at least after their style became established, usually followed some set of "rules", like those of the ''Leys d'amors'' (compiled between 1328 and 1337). Initially all troubadour verses were called simply ''vers'', yet this soon came to be reserved for only love songs and was later replaced by ''canso'', though the term lived on as an antique expression for the troubadours' early works and was even employed with a more technically meaning by the last generation of troubadours (mid-14th century), when it was thought to derive from the Latin word ''verus'' (truth) and was thus used to describe moralising or didactic pieces. The early troubadours developed many genres and these only proliferated as rules of composition came to be put in writing. The known genres are:

''Alba'' (morning song)— the song of a lover as dawn approaches, often with a watchman warning of the approach of a lady's jealous husband

''Arlabecca''— a song defined by poetic metre, but perhaps once related to the rebec

''Canso'', originally ''vers'', also ''chanso'' or ''canço''— the love song, usually consisting of five or six stanzas with an envoi

''Cobla esparsa''— a stand-alone stanza

''Comiat''— a song renouncing a lover

Crusade song (''canso de crozada'')— a song about the Crusades, usually encouraging them

''Dansa'' or ''balada''— a lively dance song with a refrain

''Descort''— a song heavily discordant in verse form and/or feeling

''Desdansa''— a dance designed for sad occasions

''Ensenhamen''— a long didactic poem, usually not divided into stanzas, teaching a moral or practical lesson

''Enuig''— a poem expressing indignation or feelings of insult

''Escondig''— a lover's apology

''Estampida''— a late thirteenth-century dance song

''Gap''— a boasting song, often presented as a challenge, often similar to modern sports chants

''Maldit''— a song complaining about a lady's behaviour and character

''Partimen''— a poetical exchange between two or more poets in which one is presented with a dilemma by another and responds

''Pastorela''— the tale of the love request of a knight to a shepherdess

''Planh''— a lament, especially on the death of some important figure

''Plazer''— a poem expressing pleasure

''Salut d'amor''— a love letter addressed to another, not always one's lover

''Serena''— the song of a lover waiting impatiently for the evening (to consummate his love)

''Sestina''— highly structure verse form

''Sirventes''— a political poem or satire, originally put in the mouth of a paid soldier (''sirvens'')

Sonnet (''sonet'')— an Italian genre imported into Occitan verse in the 13th century

''Tenso''— a poetical debate which was usually an exchange between two poets, but could be fictional

''Torneyamen''— a poetical debate between three or more persons, often with a judge (like a tournament)

''Viadeira''— a traveller's complaint

All these genres were highly fluid. A cross between a ''sirventes'' and a ''canso'' was a ''meg-sirventes'' (half-''sirventes''). A ''tenso'' could be "invented" by a single poet; an ''alba'' or ''canso'' could be written with religious significance, addressed to God or the Virgin; and a ''sirventes'' may be nothing more than a political attack. The ''maldit'' and the ''comiat'' were often connected as a ''maldit-comiat'' and they could be used to attack and renounce a figure other than a lady or a lover, like a commanding officer (when combined, in a way, with the ''sirventes'').

Peire Bremon Ricas Novas uses the term ''mieja chanso'' (half song) and Cerverí de Girona uses a similar phrase, ''miga canço'', both to refer to a short ''canso'' and not a mixture of genres as sometimes supposed. Cerverí's ''mig'' (or ''meig'') ''vers e miga canço'' was a ''vers'' in the new sense (a moralising song) that was also highly critical and thus combined the ''canso'' and the ''sirventes''. Among the more than one hundred works of Cerverí de Girona are many songs with unique labels, which may correspond more to "titles" than "genres", but that is debatable: ''peguesca'' (nonsense), ''espingadura'' (flageolet song), ''libel'' (legal petition), ''esdemessa'' (leap), ''somni'' (dream), ''acuyndamen'' (challenge), ''desirança'' (nostalgia), ''aniversari'' (anniversary), ''serena'' (serene).

Most "Crusading songs" are classified either as ''cansos'' or ''sirventes'' but sometimes separately. Some styles became popular in other languages and in other literary or musical traditions. In French, the ''alba'' became the ''aubade'', the ''pastorela'' the ''pastourelle'', and the ''partimen'' the ''jeu parti''. The ''sestina'' became popular in Italian literature. The troubadours were not averse to borrowing either. The ''planh'' developed out of the Latin ''planctus'' and the sonnet was stolen from the Sicilian School. Interestingly, the basse danse (''bassa dansa'') was first mentioned in the troubadour tradition (c. 1324), but only as being performed by jongleurs.

Performance

Troubadours performed their own songs. Jongleurs (performers) and ''cantaires'' (singers) also performed troubadours' songs. They could work from chansonniers, many of which have survived, or possibly from more rudimentary (and temporary) songbooks, none of which have survived, if they even existed. Some troubadours, like Arnaut de Maruelh, had their own jongleurs who were dedicated to singing their patron's work. Arnaut's ''joglar et cantaire'', probably both a singer and a messenger, who carried his love songs to his lady, was Pistoleta. The messenger was commonplace in troubadour poetry; many songs reference a messenger who will bring it to its intended ear. A troubadour often stayed with a noble patron of his own and entertained his court with his songs. At court songs could be used not only as enterntainment but also as propaganda, praising the patron, mocking his enemies, encouraging his wars, teaching ethics and etiquette, and maintaining religious unity.

The court was not the only venue for troubadour performance. Competitions were held from an early date. According to the ''vida'' of the Monge de Montaudon, he received a sparrow hawk, a prized hunting bird, for his poetry from the ''cour du Puy'', some sort of poetry society associated with the court of Alfonso II of Aragon. The most famous contests were held in the twilight of the troubadours in the fourteenth and 15th centuries. The ''jocs florals'' held by the Consistori del Gay Saber at Toulouse, by Peter IV of Aragon at Lleida, and the Consistori de la Gaya Sciència at Barcelona awarded floral prizes to the best poetry in various categories, judging it by its accordance with a code called the ''Leys d'amors''.

Troubadour songs are still performed and recorded today, albeit rarely.

Music

Troubadour songs were usually monophonic. Fewer than 300 melodies out of an estimated 2500 survive. Most were composed by the troubadours themselves. Some were set to pre-existing pieces of music. Raimbaut de Vaqueyras wrote his ''Kalenda maya'' ("The Calends of May") to music composed by jongleurs at Montferrat.

Grammars and dictionaries

Beginning in the early 13th century, the spread of Occitan verse demanded grammars and dictionaries, especially for those whose native tongue was not Occitan, such as the Catalan and Italian troubadours, and their imitators. The production of such works only increased with the academisation of the troubadour lyric in the 14th century.

!Title	!Translation of title	!Author	!Date, place	!Character
''Razos de trobar''	"Explanations of composition"	Raimon Vidal	c.1210		[[Uc Faidit">Image:Razos de Trobar.jpg
''Donatz proensals''	"Provençal Donatus"	[[Uc Faidit	c.1243	An Occitan imitation of Latin grammarian Aelius Donatus. A rhymary and Latin–Occitan dictionary designed for Italians.
''Doctrina de compondre dictats''	"Doctrinal of understanding sayings"	Anonymous,possibly Raimon Vidal	late 13th century	A catalogue and explanation of the different poetic genres. It expands on the ''Razos'' and may be the concluding section of the ''Regles'' of Jaufre de Foixa.
''Lo breviari d'amors''	"Breviary of love"	Matfre Ermengau	begun 1288		[[Terramagnino da Pisa">Image:Ensenhamen.PNG
''Doctrina d'acort''	"Doctrinal of concordance"	[[Terramagnino da Pisa	1282–96, Sardinia	A condensed verse adaptation of the ''Razos'', poorly preserved in the manuscripts.
''Regles de trobar''	"Rules of composition"	Jaufre de Foixa	1289–91, Sicily		[[Berenguer d'Anoia">Image:Regles de Trobar.jpg
''Mirall de trobar''	"Mirror of composition"	[[Berenguer d'Anoia	early 14th century	Image:Mirall de Trobar.jpg
''[[Cançoneret de Ripoll''	"Little Chansonnier of Ripoll"	Anonymous	1346, Roussillon or Cerdagne	A chansonnier containing a unique grammar, including a catalogue of poetic genres, expands on the ''Doctrina de compondre dictats'' and the ''Leys d'amors''.
''Leys d'amors''	"Laws of love"	Guilhem Molinier	1328–37, Toulouse		Anonymous	1337–47, Toulouse	Verse adaptation of the prose ''Leys''.
''Leys d'amors''	"Laws of love"	[[Joan de Castellnou">Image:Leys d'amor, initial.jpg
''Leys d'amors''	"Laws of love"	Anonymous	1337–47, Toulouse	Verse adaptation of the prose ''Leys''.
''Leys d'amors''	"Laws of love"	[[Joan de Castellnou	1355, Toulouse	Final, expanded, prose version of the previous ''Leys''.
''Doctrinal de trobar''	"Doctrinal of composition"	Raimon de Cornet	c.1324(before 1341)	Dedicated to Peter IV of Aragon, identical in structure to the ''Leys'' of Guilhem Molinier.
''Glosari''	"Glossary"	Joan de Castellnou	1341	A commentary on the ''Doctrinal de trobar''.
''Compendi''	"Compendium"	Joan de Castellnou	before 1341	A catalogue of all the "vices" one can commit by transgressing the ''Leys'' etc.
''Libre de concordances''(or ''Diccionari de rims'')	"Book of concordances"(or "Dictionary of rhymes")	Jaume March II	1371	An Occitan rhymary for Catalans.
''Torcimany''	"Translation"	Luys d'Averçó	late 14th century	A rhymary and Catalan–Occitan dictionary.

Legacy

Transmission and critical reception

Some 2,600 poems or fragments of poems have survived from around 450 identifiable troubadours. They are largely preserved in songbooks called ''chansonniers'' made for wealthy patrons.

Troubadour songs are generally referred to by their incipits, that is, their opening lines. If this is long, or after it has already been mentioned, an abbreviation of the incipit may be used for convenience. A few troubadour songs are known by "nicknames", thus ''D'un sirventes far'' by Guilhem Figueira is commonly called the ''Sirventes contra Roma''. When a writer seeks to avoid using unglossed Occitan, the incipit of the song may be given in translation instead or a title may even be invented to reflect the theme of the work. Especially in translations designed for a popular audience, such as Ezra Pound's, English titles are commonly invented by the translator/editor. There are examples, however, of troubadour songs given Occitan titles in the manuscripts, such as an anonymous ''pastorela'' that begins ''Mentre per una ribeira'', which is entitled ''Porquieira''.

Table of parchment chansonniers

!Image	!Troubadour manuscript letter	!Provenance (place of origin, date)	!Location (library, city)	!Manuscript name/number	!Notes
	A	Lombardy,13th century	Biblioteca Vaticana,Rome	Latin 5232
	B	Occitania,13th century	Bibliothèque nationale de France,Paris	BN f.f. 1592
	C	Occitania,14th century	Bibliothèque nationale de France,Paris	BN f.f. 856
	D	Lombardy,12 August 1254	Biblioteca Estense,Modena	Kg.4.MS2=E.45=α.R.4.4	''Poetarum Provinciali''.
	E	Occitania,14th century	Bibliothèque nationale de France,Paris	BN f.f. 1749
	F	Lombardy,14th century	Biblioteca Vaticana,Rome	Chigi L.IV.106
	G		Biblioteca Ambrosiana,Milan	R 71 sup.	Contains troubadour music.
	H	Lombardy,late 13th century	Biblioteca Vaticana,Rome	Latin 3207
	I	Lombardy,13th century	Bibliothèque nationale de France,Paris	BN f.f. 854
	J	Occitania,14th century		Conventi Soppressi F.IV.776
	K	Lombardy,13th century	Bibliothèque nationale de France,Paris	BN f.f. 12473
	L	Lombardy,14th century	Biblioteca Vaticana,Rome	Latin 3206
	M	Lombardy,14th century	Bibliothèque nationale de France,Paris	BN f.f. 12474
	N	Lombardy,14th century	Pierpont Morgan Library	819	The [[Philipps Manuscript.
	O	Lombardy,14th century	Biblioteca Vaticana,Rome	Latin 3208
	P	Lombardy,1310	Biblioteca Laurenziana,Florence	XLI.42
	Q	Lombardy,14th century	Biblioteca Riccardiana,Florence	2909
	R		Bibliothèque nationale de France,Paris	BN f.f. 22543	Contains more troubadour music than any other manuscript. Perhaps produced for Henry II of Rodez.
	S	Lombardy,13th century	Bodleian Library,Oxford	Douce 269
	Sg	Catalonia,14th century	Biblioteca de Catalunya,Barcelona	146	The famous Cançoner Gil. Called Z in the reassignment of letter names by François Zufferey.
	T	Lombardy,late 13th century	Bibliothèque nationale de France,Paris	BN f.f. 15211
	U	Lombardy,14th century	Biblioteca Laurenziana,Florence	XLI.43
	V	Catalonia,1268	Biblioteca Marciana,Venice	fr. App. cod. XI
	W	perhaps Artois,1254–c.1280	Bibliothèque nationale de France,Paris	BN f.f. 844	Also trouvère manuscript M. Contains the ''chansonnier du roi'' of Theobald I of Navarre. Possibly produced for Charles I of Naples. Contains troubadour music.
	X		Bibliothèque nationale de France,Paris	BN f.f. 20050	Chansonnier de Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Also trouvère manuscript U and therefore has marks of French influence. Contains troubadour music. Owned by Saint-Germain-des-Prés in 18th century.
	Y	France/Lombardy,13th century	Bibliothèque nationale de France,Paris	BN f.f. 795
	Z	Occitania,13th century	Bibliothèque nationale de France,Paris	BN f.f. 1745

References

Notes

External links

Literary Encyclopedia: Troubadour.

Said I. Abdelwahed. Troubadour Poetry: An Intercultural Experience.

Category:Defunct occupations Category:Medieval literature Category:Medieval music Category:Musical performers Category:Occitan literature Category:Occupations in music

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Coordinates	55°47′″N49°10′″N
name	Kelly Clarkson
background	solo_singer
birth name	Kelly Brianne Clarkson
background	solo_singer
birth date	April 24, 1982
birth place	Fort Worth, Texas
origin	Burleson, Texas, United States
genre	Pop rock, pop
occupation	Singer-songwriter, record producer, actress
instrument	Vocals
years active	2002–present
label	RCA/19
associated acts	Reba McEntire
website	}}

Kelly Brianne Clarkson (born April 24, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series ''American Idol: The Search for a Superstar'' in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special ''World Idol'' in 2003.

In 2003, Clarkson released her debut album, ''Thankful'', which was a commercial success and established herself in the pop music industry. The release of its first single, "A Moment Like This" (2002), broke The Beatles' record for the biggest leap to number one, from 52, in the history of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. After parting ways with her management, Clarkson developed a more rock-oriented music with the release of her critically acclaimed sophomore album, ''Breakaway'' (2004), which sold more than 12 million copies worldwide and which garnered Clarkson more worldwide success as a pop rock artist. The album's single, "Because of You" (2005), became the best-selling single by an ''Idol'' contestant worldwide. In 2007, Clarkson took full creative control for her third album ''My December'', which had had a more rock-inspired sound and was met with controversy and moderate success. Clarkson later returned to a more pop-oriented sound with ''All I Ever Wanted'' (2009), which became a commercial and critical success. The album's lead single, "My Life Would Suck Without You" (2009), currently holds the record for biggest leap to number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 Chart, breaking her own record of "A Moment Like This" as well as earning her first number-one single in the United Kingdom. Clarkson's fifth studio album, ''Stronger'', was released on October 24, 2011, preceded by the international hit single, "Mr. Know It All".

In a career spanning a decade, Clarkson has become the most successful ''Idol'' contestant around the world, with over 24 million albums and 37 milion singles worldwide, according to ''Billboard'' and Nielsen SoundScan. Clarkson's work also gained her numerous accolades, including two Grammy Awards, three MTV Video Music Awards, twelve Billboard Music Awards, four American Music Awards and a Women's World Award. ''Billboard'' also ranked Clarkson the number fourteen artist of the 2000s, as well as being also ranked on the top 200 album sellers of the Nielsen SoundScan era at number 187.

Early life

Clarkson was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and grew up in the small town of Burleson, a suburb of Fort Worth. She is the third and youngest child of Jeanne Rose, a first grade English teacher of Greek descent and Stephen Michael Clarkson, a former engineer of English descent.

Clarkson's siblings include her older brother and sister, Jason and Alyssa. When Clarkson was six years old, her parents divorced after seventeen years of marriage. The family settled in Burleson, where Clarkson's mother married her second husband, Jimmy Taylor.

Clarkson's family struggled financially, and after her parents divorced, music became her refuge. Clarkson attended Pauline G Hughes Middle School and Burleson High School. She wanted to become a marine biologist but changed her mind after seeing the movie ''Jaws''. In seventh grade, a teacher (Mrs. Cynthia Glenn) overheard her singing in a hallway and asked her to audition for the school choir; Clarkson told the teacher that she had never received professional vocal training.

In high school, Clarkson performed in musicals such as ''Annie Get Your Gun'', ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'' and ''Brigadoon''. She sang at her high school talent show, after which an audience member shared some inspiring words with her: "God has given you this gift. You've got to sing. You're destined to sing." Clarkson continued singing and soon started classical training, hoping that music would be her ticket to a college scholarship.

Upon high school graduation, Clarkson was offered full scholarships to The University of Texas at Austin, University of North Texas, and Berklee, but decided against college because she had "already written so much music and wanted to try it on her own," and she figured "you're never too old to go to college." Clarkson later turned down two recording contracts from Jive Records and Interscope Records in the late 1990s, stating "They would have completely pigeonholed me as a bubblegum act. I was confident enough that something better would come along." She went to Los Angeles late 2001 to pursue a career in music, but worked as a waitress and appeared as an extra in such shows as ''Sabrina, the Teenage Witch'' and ''Dharma & Greg'' to support herself. She worked with songwriters such as Gerry Goffin and recorded five tracks between January and March 2002 to try to get a record deal, but returned to Texas after four months in Los Angeles.

Music career

2002–03: ''American Idol: The Search for a Superstar'' and ''World Idol''

Clarkson auditioned for the first season of ''American Idol'' (under the full title ''American Idol: The Search for a Superstar'') in May 2002. She subsequently won the competition on September 4, 2002, earning 58% of the vote to 42% for runner-up Justin Guarini. Choking back tears, Clarkson performed the ballad "A Moment Like This", the song written for the winner of ''American Idol'', which would subsequently appear on her debut album, ''Thankful''. When released as a single in October 2002, it set a record on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart when it rose from number 52 to number one. This achievement was largely due to the impact from ''Idol'' as the CD single managed to sell 236,000 copies in its first week of sales in the U.S.; it spent five weeks at number one in Canada.

''American Idol'' season 1 performances and results

{|class="wikitable" |- !Week # !Theme !Song choice !Original artist !Order # !Result |- |Audition |Dallas |"Express Yourself" "At Last" |MadonnaEtta James |rowspan="4"|N/A |rowspan="5"|Advanced |- |Top 121 |Hollywood round 1 |"Respect" |Otis Redding |- |Top 65 |Hollywood round 2 |"I Say a Little Prayer" |Dionne Warwick |- |Top 45 |Hollywood round 3 |"Save The Best For Last" |Vanessa L. Williams |- |Top 30 |Semifinal/Group 2 |"Respect" |Otis Redding |9 |- |Top 10 |Motown |"You're All I Need to Get By" ||Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell |8 |rowspan="7"|Safe |- |Top 8 |1960s |"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" |Aretha Franklin |rowspan="2"|5 |- |Top 7 |1970s |"Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" |Ben E. King |- |Top 6 |Big Band |"Stuff Like That There" |Betty Hutton |6 |- |Top 5 |Burt Bacharach Love Songs |"Walk On By" |Dionne Warwick |1 |- |Top 4 |1980s1990s |"It's Raining Men""I Surrender" |The Weather GirlsCeline Dion |37 |- |Top 3 |Judges' ChoiceIdol's Choice |"Without You""Think Twice" |BadfingerCeline Dion |36 |- |Top 2 |Finale |"A Moment Like This""Respect""Before Your Love" |Kelly ClarksonOtis ReddingKelly Clarkson |246 |Winner |}

''World Idol'' performance and results

9

Song choice !! Germany !! Australia !! Pan-Arabia !! Canada !! Netherlands !! South Africa !! Poland !! USA !! Belgium !! UK !! Norway !! Total !! Result
"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman"	9	|	5	9	9	8	8	12	9	9	10	97	Runner-up

In December 2003, a competition titled ''World Idol'' was held at the ''Pop Idol'' stage in London, gathering the winners of the first seasons of ''Idol series'' around the world. Clarkson was contractually obligated to participate, and placed second behind ''Norwegian Idol'' Kurt Nilsen. She performed Aretha Franklin's "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman". She left immediately after the competition, later explaining to fans that she was not feeling well.

2003–04: ''Thankful''

Shortly after the completion of the first season of ''American Idol'', Clarkson was signed to RCA Records by Clive Davis and Simon Fuller. In 2003, Clarkson was later accused of working with a record company prior to winning ''American Idol''. ''American Idol'''s rules stated that a contestant was not allowed to compete on the program if they had been linked to a record company. However, she was cleared of all allegations, as she only had a contract in order to conduct demonstration work.

Following the release of "A Moment Like This", Clarkson's full-length debut album ''Thankful'' was released in North America by RCA Records on April 15, 2003 with several singers and songwriters including Christina Aguilera, Diane Warren and Babyface contributing on the tracks. It debuted at number one on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200. To promote the album, Clarkson appeared on various episodes of ''American Idol'' in 2003. In October that year she performed in Australia at the 2003 NRL grand final. "A Moment Like This" was certified double platinum by the RIAA for sales of two million copies on December 8, 2003 and platinum by the CRIA for sales of 100,000 copies on February 10, 2004. ''Thankful'' peaked at number 41 on the UK albums chart and at number 33 on the Australian albums chart.

Reviews for the album were generally favorable. However, several critics noted that her early achievement was established due to her performances on ''American Idol''. ''Allmusic'' critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine praised the album for its vocal ability: "throughout this record, [Clarkson] makes it seem effortless and charming. She can croon, she can belt out a song, she can be sexy and sassy while still being graceful and as wholesome as the girl next door". Rachel Kipp of ''JS Online'' criticized Clarkson for not having the same personality on ''Thankful'' that she had on ''American Idol'', and wrote: "on ''American Idol'', Clarkson showcased a great voice and an endearing, 'aw-shucks' personality. That personality is missing on ''Thankful'', and there lies the album's greatest fault". Kipp blamed the producers behind the album for not allowing Clarkson to be herself. Clarkson covered Danielle Brisebois' "Just Missed the Train" on the album.

"Miss Independent" was released as the second single from ''Thankful''. It reached the top ten of the U.S. and Canadian singles charts, and earned Clarkson a 2004 Grammy Award nomination for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance". When the single was released in the United Kingdom and Australia, it reached the top ten of the charts. "Low", the third single from ''Thankful'', reached number two in Canada, but it was unable to make the top 40 of the US chart. The final single, "The Trouble with Love Is", was released as a promotional single for the British romantic film ''Love Actually'' and failed to chart in the United States, she then promoted the song on ''Pop Idol'' in 2003.

2004–06: ''Breakaway''

Distancing herself from her ''American Idol'' image, Clarkson parted ways with 19 Entertainment and took more creative control with her second studio album ''Breakaway'', to develop a more rock-oriented image. Clarkson co-wrote six of the songs with songwriters such as former Evanescence band members Ben Moody, David Hodges and producer Max Martin; the title track was co-written by punk-pop singer Avril Lavigne.

''Breakaway'' was released by RCA Records on November 30, 2004. The album debuted within the U.S. top five and Canadian top ten, but sales were initially low in comparison to ''Thankful''. The singles from ''Breakaway'' were very successful, and the album become only the fourth album in history to stay in the ''Billboard'' 200 top 20 for a consecutive year, as well as being certified six times platinum in the U.S. in late 2007 and five times platinum in Canada in May 2006. With worldwide sales of over 12 million copies, ''Breakaway'' is the most successful album by an Idol.

''Breakaway'' received different responses from critics; ''Rolling Stone'' commented that "on Kelly Clarkson's second album, ... she embraces her rock side rather than the pop pageantry that put her on top of the ''American Idol'' heap". ''TeenInk'' noted the strength of her vocals on ''Breakaway'', and praised the change from pop music to contemporary rock: "[Clarkson] retains the incredible power and beauty of her voice while switching to rock". ''Stylus'' magazine also enjoyed Clarkson's foray into rock music, however, she was called out because of her ''American Idol'' image, which reviewer Charles Merwin believed she had yet to lose. He praised the non-singles and wrote that they "maintain a quality high". ''Allmusic'' called the album "a nice, low-key relief". "Breakaway" served as the original song for ''The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement'' (2004) and achieved considerable success across the world; it became Clarkson's third top-ten single in the U.S. and fourth top-ten single in Canada. It reached number ten in Australia, and number 22 in the UK. The second single, "Since U Been Gone", which was produced by Max Martin, became the most successful release from the album. It reached number two in the U.S. and the top five across the world. It also earned Clarkson her first Grammy Award for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance"; she won a second award for "Best Pop Vocal Album".

The third and fourth single releases, "Behind These Hazel Eyes" and "Because of You", also followed with chart success. The video for "Because of You" won the 2006 MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video, her second consecutive win in that category (following "Since U Been Gone"). Clarkson was the most-played artist of 2006 on American radio, despite releasing only one single in the entire year, "Walk Away" (the fifth single from ''Breakaway''). She was also the most radio-broadcasted artist of 2006 in Australia and "Because of You" was the third most broadcast song of the same year, despite being released in 2005.

In 2005, Clarkson made a performance during the 2005 NBA All-Star Weekend as part of the festivities leading up to the All-Star Game. Later that year, she performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons She also performed that spring as part of the 2005 NCAA Final Four festivities in St. Louis, Missouri.

Clarkson performed during the festivities of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. In mid 2006, Clarkson lent Ford Motor Co. a song titled "Go", written by Clarkson and Rhett Lawrence ("Miss Independent"). The song was used in the company's advertising campaign in 2006, "Bold Moves" and the song, along with its music video, was made available free at Ford's ''AddictedtoKelly.com'' website (now defunct).

2006–08: ''My December''

During her tour in Europe in 2006, Clarkson began writing songs for her third album, ''My December''. The first single from ''My December'' was "Never Again", which peaked on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number eight. Clarkson released "Sober" as the second single. She returned to ''American Idol'' for the season 6 finale, performing "Never Again" and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" with Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry during a Beatles medley.

Clarkson parted with her management, The Firm, in June 2007, amid low radio airplay for "Never Again" and low ticket sales for her then-upcoming tour. Clarkson would then sign with Starstruck Entertainment, run by Narvel Blackstock — the husband of Reba McEntire – on July 2, 2007. The same month, Live Nation announced that the tour—her first nationwide arena tour—had been canceled due to underwhelming ticket sales, to be rescheduled after the release of the ''My December'' album at smaller, more intimate concert environments. Clarkson reinstated plans to tour the U.S. during 2007, with a much smaller tour than the one she canceled in June. She began her My December Tour in October 2007 in venues significantly smaller than those previously booked. The August 2007 issue of ''Blender'' included a feature on Clarkson and her new album, as well as her music label woes.

''My December'' was released in the U.S. on June 26, 2007. The album debuted at number two in the U.S. with 291,000 albums sold, a slightly higher debut than Clarkson's previous album, ''Breakaway'', which debuted at number three. In Canada, the album was awarded a platinum certification for shipments of more than 100,000 copies. ''My December'' was certified platinum in December 2007 by the RIAA. It has sold more than three million copies worldwide.

In April 2007, Clarkson appeared on the ''American Idol'' ''Idol Gives Back'' charity show aimed at raising money for tackling poverty, hunger and AIDS in Africa, as well as the Hurricane Katrina appeal. Clarkson noted that she was in a dispute with her record label bosses and executives as to which song to perform for the event. Clarkson refused to perform her new single "Never Again" viewing it as simple self-promotion through a charitable event. She is quoted as saying,

She opted to perform Patty Griffin's "Up to the Mountain". After the performance, the audience who watched Clarkson perform live gave her a standing ovation. ''American Idol'' judge Simon Cowell described her as "incredible", saying, "When you let her [Clarkson] come back on the show it makes everybody else look like an amateur." Clarkson later sang "Never Again" in the ''American Idol'' grand finale on May 23, 2007. On July 7, 2007, Clarkson performed on the American leg of Live Earth. Clarkson was invited to be a celebrity mentor for ''Canadian Idol'' during its Top 5 week of the fifth season, aired on the CTV network on August 20, and she performed on the results show the next night. Clarkson also performed the grand finale of ''Swedish Idol'' in December 2007. Clarkson also performed at the 2007 NFL opening kickoff where she sang the national anthem and songs from ''My December''. Clarkson also performed in the halftime show for the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets game on Thanksgiving Day.

In addition to her roles as spokeswoman for the acne treatment Proactiv as well as Vitaminwater, Clarkson partnered with NASCAR for the 2007 season. She appeared in televised advertising spots, performed at pre-race concerts, promoted NASCAR Day, and appeared at the Champions' Banquet in December. In April 2008, Clarkson participated in a Papal Youth Rally at the campus of St. Joseph's Seminary, Dunwoodie in Yonkers, New York performing a mini-concert for those in attendance. This was the Papal Visit of Pope Benedict XVI. She performed Schubert's "Ave Maria" for the Pope later in the day following the Pope's speech. Clarkson, raised a Baptist, was said to be honored by the invitation and appreciative of the rosary given to her and her band by the Pope, who were invited over by the Pope immediately following the performance for the rosary honor.

Clarkson performed "What Hurts the Most" with Rascal Flatts at the ACM Awards in 2006 and returned again to sing a duet with Reba McEntire in 2007. This was her second performance on a country music award show, even though she is in the pop/rock genre. Along with her performance with Rascal Flatts, Clarkson also performed "Cigarettes", with the country duo The Wreckers during one of their shows in Texas.

Building on her country music status, Clarkson and Reba McEntire, who first met after Clarkson won the first season of ''American Idol'', recorded an hour-long ''CMT Crossroads'' special at Nashville's famed Ryman Auditorium on February 22, 2007. It aired on CMT and Palladia (then known as MHD) on June 24, 2007. Previously, Clarkson was a performer on CMT's ''Giants: Reba McEntire''. where she sang McEntire's hit song "Why Haven't I Heard From You", introduced Dolly Parton, and later also sang McEntire's hit "Does He Love You" with Martina McBride. Clarkson also appeared on an episode of McEntire's sitcom ''Reba'', that aired on January 14, 2007.

At the Academy of Country Music Awards on May 16, 2007, Clarkson and McEntire sang a duet of Clarkson's own 2005 single, "Because of You", which also became the lead single from McEntire's album of all-star duets. The music video for this version of the song later debuted on June 20, 2007. This collaboration with McEntire earned Clarkson a CMA Award nomination for "Musical Event of the Year" in 2007 and a Grammy Award nomination for "Best Country Collaboration With Vocal" in 2008. Additionally, the song was featured on ''Now That's What I Call Country'', which was released in August 2008.

Clarkson was a surprise guest at the 2007 CMA Music Festival in Nashville on June 7, 2007, where she performed "Does He Love You" and "Because of You" with Reba McEntire during the internationally-renowned annual event. The performance of "Because of You" was taped and aired as part of the "CMA Music Festival: Country's Night To Rock" television special that aired on ABC on July 23, 2007.

On January 17, 2008, Clarkson embarked on the 2 Worlds, 2 Voices Tour 2008, a co-headlining tour with Reba McEntire. Reba and Clarkson have since stayed in touch and Clarkson is now managed by McEntire's husband Narvel Blackstock.

On May 18, 2008, Clarkson performed on stage at the Academy of Country Music Awards All-Star Jam with Reba McEntire and Ronnie Dunn of Brooks and Dunn. The All-Star jam is the final event of the week taking place immediately after the awards show. Clarkson was not announced ahead of time for an appearance.

2008–10: ''All I Ever Wanted''

Clarkson's fourth album, ''All I Ever Wanted'', was released on March 10, 2009. During recording of the album, Clarkson worked closely with producer-songwriters Ryan Tedder, Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and Howard Benson, among others. In its first week of sales, it sold 255,000 copies in the U.S., debuting at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200; it stayed at number one for two weeks. ''All I Ever Wanted'' received a Grammy Award nomination for "Best Pop Vocal Album". Clarkson was placed eighth on ''Billboard'' Magazine's Top Female Artists of 2009 and ninth on ''Billboard'' Magazine's Top Hot Artists of 2000s. She was ranked second on ''Billboard'' Magazine's Best of 2000s: Pop Song Artist, behind Pink.

The first single from ''All I Ever Wanted'', "My Life Would Suck Without You", entered the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number 97 and rose to number one the following week; this broke the record for the largest leap to the top spot, formerly held by Britney Spears' "Womanizer".This was the second time Clarkson broke this record. Moreover, "My Life Would Suck Without You" was Clarkson's first number one in the United Kingdom and it made her the first ''American Idol'' winner to achieve a number one single in the UK. The album's second single, "I Do Not Hook Up", peaked at number 20 in the U.S. "I Do Not Hook Up" did not fare very well overseas and the believed reason for this is due to a lack of radio support because a previous version had been recorded by Katy Perry. The third single, "Already Gone", reached number 13 in the USA but failed to achieve international success, attaining only number 66 in the UK.

"Already Gone" sparked another conflict between Clarkson and her label. There was a widely reported scandal with the album's third single, which Clarkson wrote with OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder. Many critics had noticed that the backing track and style of the song sounded similar to Beyoncé's "Halo". After becoming aware of the comparisons, Clarkson did not want to release the song out of respect for Beyoncé, instead requesting release for a self-penned song, "Cry", which later hailed extremely positive reviews, most notably from the BBC. However, her record company refused, publishing "Already Gone" against Clarkson's wishes. In response to the entire fiasco, Clarkson penned a song called "Wash Rinse Repeat" in which she states her view on the lack of creativity record labels give their artists; it is widely believed the song is an attack on Ryan Tedder.

The fourth single was "All I Ever Wanted". Clarkson performed as one of many guests for the return of ''VH1 Divas'' in September 2009. Clarkson also became a guest mentor on the Dutch television series ''X Factor'' in November 2009.

Clarkson was announced as one of the VH1 Save the Music Foundation ambassadors for 2009–2010. She began her 32-date ''All I Ever Wanted'' tour in October, following a string of summer concerts around the United States. Clarkson toured all over the world with the album, reaching territories such as Europe, South Africa, Oceania and Asia.The fall tour shows were performed in arena/theater type venues, with the summer tour being performed in outdoor amphitheatres. Her Indonesia show was initially sponsored by tobacco company Djarum, but after complaints from some fans and anti-tobacco groups, the promoter removed the sponsor. The tour ended in May 2010 in China.

2010–present: ''Don't You Wanna Stay'' and ''Stronger''

On August 23, 2010, it was announced that Clarkson had recorded a duet called "Don't You Wanna Stay" with country star Jason Aldean for Aldean's upcoming album, ''My Kinda Party''. They performed the song at the 2010 CMA Awards on November 10, 2010 and again on April 14, 2011 during the elimination show of ''American Idol'' season ten. On the week ending February 27, 2011, the song moved to number one on ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs, making Clarkson her first number one hit on the chart. As of July 21, 2011, "Don't You Wanna Stay" has sold nearly 1.9 million digital singles, becoming the most downloaded country music collaboration of all time. "Don't You Wanna Stay" is nominated for a 2012 Grammy Award for "Best Country Duo/Group Performance".

Clarkson's fifth studio album, ''Stronger'', was released on October 24, 2011. Clarkson began writing the material on November 2009 and was originally intended for a late 2010 release. Clarkson collaborated with several producers including Greg Kurstin, Ester Dean, Darkchild, Toby Gad, Steve Jordan and Howard Benson. Clarkson completed recording on February 28, 2011, and stated that it "was influenced by Prince, Tina Turner, Sheryl Crow, Radiohead and there's a little bit of a country vibe/influence on a couple of songs." On March 15, 2011, she announced that the album had been pushed back to September 2011. Rodney Jerkins told ''The Hollywood Reporter'' that it was a "smart decision", while Claude Kelly, said to MTV News that the move could work in her favor. ''Associated Content'' also reported that the delay was caused by the company restructuring at Sony Music with the former Universal Music Group chairman Doug Morris entering as its new CEO. The release of the album was accompanied by a limited release of Clarkson's first extended play, ''The Smoakstack Sessions'', which featured alternate versions of ''Stronger'' and ''All I Ever Wanted'' songs.

The first single, "Mr. Know It All", premiered via a live webcast on on August 30, 2011 and was commercially released on September 5, 2011. The song entered the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number 18, becoming her second highest debut since "Never Again" (2007); On November 3, the song ascended to number 10, earning Clarkson her ninth top ten single. On October 2, 2011, Clarkson performed the song at the 2011 NRL Grand Final in Sydney, Australia, marking Clarkson's first appearance at the event since the 2003 NRL Grand Final. The following week, "Mr. Know It All" hit #1 on the Australian charts, the first single of her career to top the charts in that country. 'Mr Know It All charted at number 4 in the UK and 8 in New Zealand. The song recieved 2x Platinum in Australia and Gold in New Zealand. The album's second single, "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)", was released in December 2011 and impacted radio on January 17, 2012. The song has charted at number 2 in the United States, 4 in both New Zealand and Poland and 8 in the UK.

The song "Tell Me A Lie" on the debut album by the boy band One Direction was co-written by Clarkson, which was originally intended for ''Stronger''. The song was leaked onto the internet a few months before. Clarkson's second extended play, ''iTunes Session'', was announced on November 23, 2011, and was released on December 27, 2011. On December 2 Clarkson released her first Christmas single, a cover of "I'll Be Home For Christmas" which is included on ''iTunes Session'' EP.

Clarkson is also confirmed to mentor country singer Blake Shelton's contestants on the second season of ''The Voice'' in its live shows in 2012. With this feat, Clarkson becomes the only reality singing competition contestant to appear on ''Idol'', ''The X Factor'' and ''The Voice''. Also, at Super Bowl 46 Clarkson sang the American National Anthem.

Politics

On December 29, 2011, Clarkson posted on Twitter her endorsement of US Congressman Ron Paul as a 2012 presidential candidate, saying, "I love Ron Paul. I liked him a lot during the last Republican nomination and no one gave him a chance. If he wins the nomination for the Republican Party in 2012 he's got my vote. Too bad he probably won't."

Film career

Soon after the first season of ''American Idol'' ended, Clarkson starred with ''Idol'' runner-up Justin Guarini in the movie ''From Justin to Kelly'' (2003). The film was poorly received by critics and grossed only $5 million at the North American box office, less than half its reported budget. Clarkson has mentioned in interviews that she is shocked when people send her scripts after ''From Justin to Kelly'', often citing contractual obligation as her sole reason for involvement in the film. Clarkson was quoted telling ''People'', "I knew when I read the script it was going to be real, real bad, but when I won, I signed that piece of paper and I could not get out of it." The script was written by Kim Fuller, Simon Fuller's brother.

She played Brenda Lee in the television drama ''American Dreams'' and appeared in the sitcom ''Reba''. She also participated in sketch comedy on ''MADtv'' (2002) and ''Saturday Night Live'' (2005).

Filmography (acting roles only)

Source: IMDb {|class="wikitable" border="1" |- ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" | Episode |- |rowspan=5|2002 ||''Sabrina the Teenage Witch'' ||rowspan=3| as an extra (uncredited) || "The Whole Ball of Wax" |- |''Dharma & Greg'' || |- |''That '80s Show'' || "Valentine's Day" (S1, Ep2) |- |''Issues 101'' ||Crystal (as an extra) || Theatrical film |- |''MADtv'' ||Herself / Skits || Season 8, Ep 1 |- |rowspan=2|2003 ||''From Justin to Kelly'' ||Kelly Taylor|| Theatrical film |- |rowspan=2| ''American Dreams'' ||rowspan=2| Brenda Lee || "And Promises To Keep" |- |rowspan=2|2004 || "Tidings of Comfort and Joy" |- |''King of the Hill'' || Herself/Dawn|| "Stressed For Success" |- | rowspan=2|2005 || ''Saturday Night Live'' ||Herself / Skits / Musical Guest|| Host – Jason Bateman |- |''Damage Control'' ||Herself||Season 1, Ep. 1 |- |2007 ||''Reba'' ||Kelly|| "As We Forgive Those" |- |2009 || ''Saturday Night Live'' ||Herself / Musical Guest|| Host – Tracy Morgan |- |2011|| ''Phineas and Ferb'' ||Herself || "A Phineas and Ferb Family Christmas" |- |2012 || ''Saturday Night Live'' ||Herself / Musical Guest|| Host – Charles Barkley confirmed on air |}

Vocal ability

Clarkson possesses the vocal range of a soprano; her vocal talents and abilities have been met with praise from critics and celebrities alike. On an interview with ''Good Morning America'', Simon Cowell was asked of the then six ''American Idol'' winners, who he thought had the best voice. Cowell immediately answered that Clarkson did "by a mile", noting that she was "up there" with other great singers such as Celine Dion.

Arion Berger of ''Rolling Stone'' has said of Clarkson that "her high notes are sweet and pillowy, her growl is bone-shaking and sexy, and her midrange is amazingly confident for a pop posy whose career is tied for eternity to the whims of her ''American Idol'' overlords."

Dr. Luke, a songwriter and producer of some of Clarkson's hits stated that "She has powerful lungs. She's like the Lance Armstrong of vocal cords."

''Esquire'' wrote that Clarkson has “the best voice in the history of pop music".

Discography

''Thankful'' (2003)

''Breakaway'' (2004)

''My December'' (2007)

''All I Ever Wanted'' (2009)

''Stronger'' (2011)

Tours

;Headlining

Breakaway World Tour (2005–2006)

My December Tour (2007–2008)

All I Ever Wanted Tour (2009–2010)

Stronger Tour (2012)

;Promotional

Kelly Clarkson in Concert (2003)

Kelly Clarkson: Live in Concert (2009)

;Co-headlining

American Idols LIVE! Tour 2002 (with the American Idol Season 1 Finalists) (2002)

Independent Tour (with Clay Aiken) (2004)

2 Worlds 2 Voices Tour (with Reba McEntire) (2008)

Awards

See also

List of artists who reached number one in the United States

List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart

List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart

List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. dance airplay chart

List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Adult Top 40 chart

List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. country chart

List of artists who reached number one on the Australian singles chart

List of best-charting music artists in the U.S.

List of Idol series winners

References

Further reading

Phares, Heather. [ "Kelly—Biography"]. ''Allmusic''. Retrieved February 11, 2006.

Lamb, Bill. "Kelly Clarkson—Profile". About.com. Retrieved February 11, 2006.

Phares, Heather. "Kelly Clarkson—Biography". Yahoo LAUNCHcast. Retrieved February 11, 2006.

International charting information. ''Top40-Charts.com''. Retrieved February 12, 2006.

''Kelly Gets Cocky''. ''Idol'' winner fires Simon Fuller. PopSugar.com. ''Blog Archives''. Retrieved February 25, 2006.

. ''E! Online''. [''Some films defy criticism''.] Retrieved May 4, 2006.

Croatto, Pete. ''From Justin to Kelly''. [''Watching From Justin to Kelly, one question looms over the entire production: Why was this movie made?''] Retrieved May 4, 2006.

External links

Category:1982 births Category:Actors from Texas Category:American Christians Category:American female singers Category:American film actors Category:American Idol winners Category:American people of Greek descent Category:American people of Irish descent Category:American people of Welsh descent Category:American pop singer-songwriters Category:American record producers Category:English-language singers Category:American sopranos Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Texas Category:People from Fort Worth, Texas Category:RCA Records artists

ar:كيلي كلاركسون az:Kelli Klarkson bg:Кели Кларксън ca:Kelly Clarkson cs:Kelly Clarkson co:Kelly Clarkson da:Kelly Clarkson de:Kelly Clarkson et:Kelly Clarkson el:Κέλι Κλάρκσον es:Kelly Clarkson fa:کلی کلارکسون fr:Kelly Clarkson ko:켈리 클락슨 hy:Կելլի Քլարկսոն hr:Kelly Clarkson id:Kelly Clarkson is:Kelly Clarkson it:Kelly Clarkson he:קלי קלרקסון jv:Kelly Clarkson ka:კელი კლარკსონი csb:Kelly Clarkson la:Kelly Clarkson lv:Kellija Klarksone lt:Kelly Clarkson hu:Kelly Clarkson ms:Kelly Brianne Clarkson nl:Kelly Clarkson ja:ケリー・クラークソン no:Kelly Clarkson nn:Kelly Clarkson uz:Kelly Clarkson pl:Kelly Clarkson pt:Kelly Clarkson ro:Kelly Clarkson ru:Кларксон, Келли simple:Kelly Clarkson sk:Kelly Clarksonová sl:Kelly Clarkson sr:Keli Klarkson fi:Kelly Clarkson sv:Kelly Clarkson tl:Kelly Clarkson th:เคลลี คลาร์กสัน tr:Kelly Clarkson uk:Келлі Кларксон vi:Kelly Clarkson yi:קעלי קלערקסאן bat-smg:Kelly Clarkson zh:凱莉·克萊森

Lenny Kuhr (born 22 February 1950 in Eindhoven) is a Dutch singer-songwriter.

In 1967 she started a singing career in the Netherlands, performing songs in the French chanson tradition. In 1969 she represented the Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest with her own composition ''De Troubadour'' (lyrics by David Hartsema; orchestra conducted by Franz de Kok). She was one of the four winners that year.

In the early seventies Kuhr was more successful in France than in her home country. She topped the French charts in 1972 with the song ''Jesus Christo'' and performed in the shows of Georges Brassens.

In 1980 she had her biggest hit in the Netherlands: ''Visite'', a song she performed together with the French group les Poppys. She has been releasing records ever since, though without major chart success.

1982 saw Kuhr host the Nationaal Songfestival, the Dutch national heat for Eurovision.

Lenny Kuhr converted to Judaism. She is married to Rob Frank and has two daughters from an earlier marriage, who live in Israel. For a while, she lived in Israel herself.

Discography

1969: ''De troubadour''

1971: ''De zomer achterna''

1972: ''Les enfants''

1972: ''De wereld waar ik van droom''

1974: ''God laat ons vrij''

1975: '''n Avondje Amsterdam''

1976: '''n Dag als vandaag''

1980: ''Dromentrein''

1981: ''Avonturen''

1982: ''Oog in oog''

1983: ''De beste van Lenny Kuhr''

1986: ''Quo vadis''

1990: ''Het beste van Lenny Kuhr''

1990: ''De blauwe nacht''

1992: ''Heilig vuur''

1994: ''Altijd heimwee''

1997: ''Gebroken stenen''

1997: ''Stemmen in de nacht''

1998: ''De troubadour''

1999: ''Oeverloze liefde''

2000: ''Visite''

2001: ''Fadista''

2004: ''Op de grens van jou en mij''

2005: ''Panta Rhei''

References

Category:1950 births Category:Living people Category:Converts to Judaism Category:Dutch Eurovision Song Contest entrants Category:Dutch female singers Category:Dutch Jews Category:Dutch singer-songwriters Category:Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 1969 Category:Eurovision Song Contest winners Category:Jewish musicians Category:People from Eindhoven

af:Lenny Kuhr cs:Lenny Kuhr de:Lenny Kuhr es:Lenny Kuhr fr:Lenny Kuhr it:Lenny Kuhr hu:Lenny Kuhr nl:Lenny Kuhr no:Lenny Kuhr pt:Lenny Kuhr ro:Lennie Kuhr ru:Кюр, Ленни sl:Lenny Kuhr sh:Lenny Kuhr fi:Lenny Kuhr sv:Lenny Kuhr tr:Lenny Kuhr

Coordinates	55°47′″N49°10′″N
name	Ali Project
background	group_or_band
genre	Pop, neoclassical dark wave, progressive rock, darkwave
years active	1988–present |
label	Toshiba-EMI Victor EntertainmentTokuma Japan CommunicationsMellow HeadGlory Heaven
website	http://aliproject.jp/
current members	Arika TakaranoMikiya Katakura
past members	}}

Ali Project (typeset as ALI PROJECT) is a Japanese band with a strong Japanese Aristocrat-style image, consisting of and .

In the band's earlier days, their musical style tended towards light, cheerful and/or refreshing songs. However, the sound has changed in recent times to take on a darker and more mysterious tone. Takarano Arika, lead singer/lyricist, has termed this change as a transition from to . Though there has been a general shift towards performing songs in the "Black Alice" phase, Ali Project has occasionally sung in the White Alice style as well.

Career

They made their indie debut in the charts in 1988 as with their album . The album was later included in Tatsumi Takayuki's book , which led to the band being classified under the progressive rock genre.

Four years later in 1992 they changed their name and made their major debut with their single .

Most of their records are released by Toshiba-EMI, Victor Entertainment and Tokuma Japan. The band is notable in the anime community for having their songs featured in several anime sequences, most notably in the series ''Noir'', ''Rozen Maiden'', ''Kamichama Karin'', ''.hack//Roots'', ''Linebarrels of Iron'', ''Code Geass'' and ''Fate/Extra''. Additionally, Mikiya Katakura has also provided the soundtrack to several anime series, such as ''Kaibutsu Oujo'' and ''Avenger''.

First U.S. concert

Ali Project played their debut concert in the United States at the 2008 Sakura-Con in Seattle, Washington. Reportedly, the band itself insisted on making their debut performance in North America at the convention. After the performance, there was a signature session where fans could personally talk to Arika Takarano and get her signature on CDs sold at the convention.

Discography

Singles

1988-07-25: released under Polydor Records

Albums

Studio albums

1992-12-09: [TOCT-6008] [ZZCA-2002] [TOCT-11247]

1994-02-16: DALI [TOCT-8296] [ZZCA-2003] [TOCT-11248]

1995-12-06: [TOCT-9273] [TOCT-11249]

1998-11-21: Noblerot [COCP-50006]

2001-04-25: Aristocracy [TKCU-77082]

2002-07-24: EROTIC & HERETIC [VICL-60903]

2005-06-22: Dilettante [TKCU-77126]

2007-08-22: Psychedelic Insanity [TKCU-77129]

2008-08-27: [TKCU-77132]

2009-08-26: Poison [TKCU-77133]

2010-09-29: [TKCU-77137, TKCU-77135]

Best albums

2000-08-04: jamais vu [ZZCA-2004]

2006-03-08: Déjà vu ~THE ORIGINAL BEST 1992-1995~ [TOCT-25923]

2006-07-26: COLLECTION SIMPLE PLUS [VIZL-198, VICL-61999] 2007-04-04: [LHCA-35070, LHCA-5070] 2008-12-10: [VTZL-6, VTCL-60080]

2010-01-13: La Vita Romantica [LHCA-5112, LHCA-35112]

2011-05-25: QUEENDOM [LHCA-5127, LHCA-35127]

Strings albums

2003-04-23: [AECP-1008]

2004-06-23: Etoiles [TKCU-72691]

2005-12-07: [TKCU-77127]

2006-12-06: Romance [TKCU-77128]

2007-12-12: Grand Finale [TKCU-77130]

2010-03-17: Gothic Opera [TKCU-77134]

2011-06-29: Les Papillons [TKCU-77138]

Other albums

1987-04-27: Some Girls -Rebel Street IV- (Album of the disorderly bloom of cherry blossoms)

1988-01-25: 1996-11-11: [H33W-20004] [VMCH-1008] [PFR-6020] [ZZXA-2007]

2001-07-25: CLASSICS [ZZCA-2006]

Singles

"Wish" "LABYRINTH" "pastel pure"

# !! Title !! Release Date !! Theme song featured in
1		1992-07-07
2	|	1993-06-09	—
3	|	1994-01-19	—
4	|	1995-10-18	—
5	|	1996-07-01	—
6	|	1996-12-04	Wish (manga)>Wish
7	|	1997-05-21	Clamp School Detectives
8	|	1998-10-21	St. Luminous Mission High School
9	|	2001-05-23	Noir (anime)>Noir
10	|	2003-11-05	Avenger (anime)>Avenger
11	|	2004-08-25	Maria-sama ga Miteru
12	|	2004-10-22	Rozen Maiden
13	|	2005-06-08	My-HiME>My-HiME Unmei no Keitouju
14	|	2005-10-26	Rozen Maiden#Rozen Maiden: Träumend>Rozen Maiden Träumend
15	|	2006-05-24	.hack//Roots
16	|	2006-10-25	Code Geass>Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
17	|	2006-12-06	Rozen Maiden#Rozen Maiden: Ouvertüre>Rozen Maiden: Ouvertüre
18	|	2007-05-23	Kamichama Karin
19	|	2007-06-13	Princess Resurrection>Kaibutsu Ōjo
20	|	2008-01-23	Shigofumi: Letters from the Departed
21	|	2008-07-30	Code Geass>Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2
22	|	2008-11-19	Linebarrels of Iron>Kurogane no Linebarrel
23	|	2009-01-21	Sora Kake Girl
24	|	2009-05-27	Phantom of Inferno>Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom
25	|	2009-08-19	Phantom of Inferno>Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom
26	|	2009-10-21	Tatakau Shisho>Tatakau Shisho: The Book of Bantorra
27	|	2010-07-14	Fate/Extra
28	|	2010-08-25	Katanagatari

Other

1989-11-25: Kiki's Delivery Service Vocal Album

1995-12-06: Midoriyama High School Original Soundtrack [TYCY-5457]

1996-08-01: Birth of the Wizard (Eko Eko Azarak II Soundtrack) [POCX-1047]

1997-02-05: music tracks from Wish [VICL-2181]

1997-06-21: CLAMP School Detectives Original Soundtrack 1 [VICL-60046]

1997-10-22: CLAMP School Detectives Original Soundtrack 2 [VICL-60060]

1997-12-17: CLAMP School Detectives Vocal Collection

2003-12-03: Avenger O.S.T. [VICL-61218]

2006-06-21: .hack//Roots O.S.T. 1 [VICL-61989]

:vocal tracks [GOD DIVA] [In The World] [Hakua Byōtō] and [Junkyōsha no Yubi], all instrumental tracks in the album done by Katakura Mikiya.

2006-09-21: .hack//Roots O.S.T. 2 [VICL-62089]

:vocal tracks [KING KNIGHT] [Maisō no Mori no Tasogarezaka] and [Kegare Naki Akui], all instrumental tracks in the album done by Katakura Mikiya. 2006-11-22: from Rozen Maiden Träumend Character Drama CD Vol.4 - Souseiseki [LHCA-5055] 2007-01-24: from Rozen Maiden Träumend Character Drama CD Vol.5 - Shinku [LHCA-5056] 2007-03-07: from Rozen Maiden Träumend Character Drama CD Vol.7 - Barasuishou [LHCA-9003]

2007-10-03: Kaibutsu Oujo O.S.T. - Sympathy for the Belonephobia, vocal tracks: [Outeki Ketsuzoku] [Oumagakoi] and [Hizamazuite Ashi wo Oname], all instrumental tracks done by Katakura Mikiya.

2009-01-14: CODE GEASS COMPLETE BEST (includes their songs ''Yūkyō Seishunka'' and ''Waga Routashi Aku no Hana'') [SMCL-163]

References

External links

ALI PROJECT OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Salon d'ALI PROJECT

蜜薔薇翠星館

ALI PROJECT dilettante NET

Category:Japanese musical groups Category:Musical duos

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Coordinates	55°47′″N49°10′″N
name	Steve Earle
landscape	yes
background	solo_singer
birth name	Stephen Fain Earle
born	January 17, 1955Hampton, VirginiaU.S.
origin	San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
instrument	Vocals, guitar, mandolin, harmonica, banjo, bouzouki, bass
genre	Americana, alt.country, folk, country rock, roots rock, heartland rock
occupation	Musician, Singer-songwriter, Author, Playwright
label	MCA Nashville, New West, E² Records, Warner Bros.
associated acts	Allison Moorer, Justin Townes Earle, Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Buddy Miller, Joan Baez, Del McCoury Band, Lucinda Williams, Stacey Earle
website	SteveEarle.com
notable instruments	}}

Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle (; born January 17, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play.

Personal life

Earle was born on January 17, 1955, at Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia. He is the eldest son of Jack Earle, an air traffic controller, and Barbara Earle. Although he was born in Virginia where his father was stationed in the military, the family returned to Texas before Earle's second birthday. His ancestry is Irish Catholic on his mother's side and Scotch-Irish on his father's side. They moved often during his childhood, primarily within Texas, but spending several of his formative years in and around San Antonio, Texas including East Terrell Hills, Converse, and Schertz. He dropped out of school in the 9th grade to move to Houston and learn more about the music business. Earle released his first album, ''Guitar Town'', in 1986. His sister, Stacey Earle, is also a musician, having toured with Steve in the 1990s and sung on the song "When I Fall" on Steve's 2000 album ''Transcendental Blues''.

Earle has been married seven times, including twice to the same woman. His wives were Sandra "Sandy" Henderson, Cynthia Dunn, Carol-Ann Hunter (with whom he had his first child, Justin), Lou-Anne Gill (with whom he had a second son, Ian and a stepdaughter, Amy), Maria Teresa Ensenat, Lou-Anne Gill a second time, and finally, in 2005, singer-songwriter Allison Moorer. His first son, Justin Townes Earle, is also a musician, and is named for Townes Van Zandt. Earle and Moorer had their first child together, John Henry Earle, on April 5, 2010.

Career

Musical career

In 1975, Earle moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he met Guy Clark and his wife Susanna. He appears in the 1975 film ''Heartworn Highways'', which documents the songwriting scene in Nashville around Clark, including fellow Texas musicians Townes van Zandt and Rodney Crowell. Earle had already met Van Zandt in Texas, and refers to Clark and Van Zandt as his mentors and teachers. Clark was instrumental in Earle being hired as a songwriter by the Sunbury Dunbar publishing division of RCA. There he wrote songs for the likes of Carl Perkins, Johnny Lee, Vince Gill and Steve Wariner. His song "Mustang Wine" was due to be recorded by Elvis Presley in 1975, but Presley did not turn up for the recording session. The song was released as a single by Carl Perkins. He also wrote the Patty Loveless hit "A Little Bit in Love." Earle did backing vocals on "Desperados Waiting for a Train" (together with Emmylou Harris) on Clark's first album ''Old No. 1'' and toured in Clark's band. In 1981 Earle achieved a top-ten cut with "When You Fall in Love," which was recorded by Johnny Lee. In 1985 one of his compositions "A Far Cry from You" was recorded by Connie Smith, who made the song a minor hit that year.

Earle's early work as a recorded performer was in the rockabilly style, and can be heard on the ''Early Tracks'' album. ''Early Tracks'' was recorded for Epic Records, but the company dropped Earle, only releasing the album in 1987 after he found success with MCA Nashville. Earle had to wait until 1986 before his first album, ''Guitar Town'', was released by MCA. It was a critical success and was eventually certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. The follow-up albums ''Exit 0'' in 1987 and the certified-gold ''Copperhead Road,'' 1988, built on this success. With ''Copperhead Road'', Earle moved to MCA Los Angeles and drew increasingly on rock influences.

Earle had been a substance abuser since an early age and was addicted to heroin for many years. By the time of his 1990 album ''The Hard Way'', it started to become clear that the drugs were seriously affecting him. By 1992, his drug problems resulted in his effectively stopping performing and recording for two years, a period he refers to as his "vacation in the ghetto." He eventually ended up in jail on drug and firearms charges. Kicking the drug habit while in jail, Earle came out a new man and released two albums within 18 months of his release in late 1994. His comeback album, ''Train A Comin' '', was nominated for the Best Contemporary Folk Album Grammy Award in 1996. ''Train A Comin''' was a return to the country blues-influenced folk of Earle's early career and drew on his older catalogue of unrecorded material.

Earle's post-jail musical career has been more diverse than his early work. He set up his own record label with producer and engineer Ray Kennedy, allowing him increasing artistic control. This has led to experimentation with a range of styles from country and bluegrass music to folk and hard rock music. He has maintained a strict work ethic. Several albums have been released since. Earle also tours often, playing over 200 shows per year. His concerts tend to be either solo acoustic shows or ensemble affairs with one of his two backing bands, the Dukes or the Bluegrass Dukes.

Earle is the subject of the documentary film ''Just an American Boy'', directed by Amos Poe, which explores his political views as well as his music. The film was shot while Earle was touring in support of his 2002 release ''Jerusalem''. In 2005, he caused consternation among his fans by allowing the song The Revolution Starts Now to be used by General Motors in a TV advertisement for pick-up trucks. In 2006, Earle contributed a cover of Randy Newman's song "Rednecks" to the tribute album ''Sail Away: The Songs of Randy Newman''. Earle is also the subject of two biographies, ''Steve Earle: Fearless Heart, Outlaw Poet'', by the noted New York-based music writer David McGee and ''Hardcore Troubadour: The Life and Near Death of Steve Earle'' by Lauren St. John.

In September 2007, Earle released his twelfth studio album, ''Washington Square Serenade'', on New West Records. Earle recorded the album after relocating to New York City, and it was his first attempt at using digital audio workstation ProTools, as opposed to traditional analog recording techniques. The disc features wife Allison Moorer on "Days Aren't Long Enough" and "Down Here Below." The album includes Earle's version of Tom Waits' song "Way Down in the Hole" which is featured as the theme song for the fifth season of ''The Wire'' in which Earle himself appears as Walon. In 2008, Earle produced Joan Baez's album ''Day After Tomorrow''. (Prior to their collaboration on ''Day After Tomorrow'', Baez had covered two Earle songs, "Christmas in Washington" and "Jerusalem," on previous albums.) In the winter, he toured Europe and North America in support of ''Washington Square Serenade'', performing half the set solo and the other half with a DJ. On May 12, 2009, Earle released a tribute album, ''Townes'', on New West Records. The album contains 15 songs written by his late friend and musical mentor Townes Van Zandt. Guest artists appearing on the album include Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, Earle's wife Allison Moorer, and his son Justin Townes Earle. Both ''Washington Square Serenade'' and ''Townes'' also earned Grammy awards in the contemporary folk category.

Earle released his first novel and fourteenth studio album, both entitled ''I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive'' after a Hank Williams song, in the spring of 2011. The album was released on April 26, 2011 and was produced by T-Bone Burnett. Earle describes it as dealing with questions of mortality and having a "more country" sound than his recent work. He plans a full band tour in support of the album in the summer of 2011.

Since his emergence as a performer, his songs have been covered by various well-known artists, including Joan Baez, The Pretenders, The Proclaimers, Eddi Reader, The Highwaymen, Waylon Jennings, Levon Helm, Emmylou Harris, Percy Sledge and Johnny Cash. Travis Tritt had a #7 country hit in 1995 with Earle's "Sometimes She Forgets."

Writing career

In addition to music, Earle has written a collection of short stories called ''Doghouse Roses,'' several of which draw on his personal experiences as a musician and addict. The book was published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in June 2001. Earle has also written poetry and wrote and produced a play about the death penalty entitled ''Karla''. The play was produced off-Broadway and focuses on the death of Karla Faye Tucker, who was the first woman excuted by the state of Texas since the death penalty was reinstated.

Earle's first novel, entitled ''I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive'' after a Hank Williams song, was published the spring of 2011. The novel is set in San Antonio in 1963, and tells the story of a defrocked doctor and morphine addict. The doctor makes a living by performing illegal abortions and is haunted by the ghost of Hank Williams, with whom he was traveling when Williams died of an overdose. The novel is published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt1.

Acting career

Earle portrayed a recovering drug addict named Walon in several episodes of the HBO television series ''The Wire'', created by David Simon. He appears first in season one where he addresses a 12-step-type meeting with an account of how he lost everything to addiction: "I pawned my bike, my pickup truck, a National steel guitar, a stamp collection that my grandpa left me; lost a good wife, a bad girlfriend, and the respect of anyone who ever lent me money." His story affects Bubbles and appears to spur him towards recovery. After season one, Walon does not return until Bubbles hits rock-bottom hard in the season four finale. Picking up the thread, he then appears throughout season five as sponsor, as Bubbles attempts to overcome his heroin addiction and its consequences. Earle's song "I Feel Alright" is used in a montage to close out season two. He also performs the opening theme of the fifth season, performing "Way Down in the Hole," a song written by Tom Waits.

Earle also played a supporting role as a drug dealer in Tim Blake Nelson's 2009 movie ''Leaves of Grass'', starring Edward Norton. His most recent role was that of a street musician in the HBO series ''Treme'', set in post-Katrina New Orleans. Earle's song "This City" can be heard over the closing credits of the first season finale. He was also one of several musicians who sang a mock charity appeal in the final episode of Season 3 of ''30 Rock''.

Radio shows

Earle's radio show on Air America began in August 2004 and last aired on June 10, 2007, and that was a rebroadcast of a past episode. Shortly thereafter, he started DJing on a show on Sirius Satellite Radio called Hardcore Troubadour on their Outlaw Country channel.

Political views

Since early in his career, Earle has been involved in a number of political causes. In his first public performances, Earle was unable to play in bars due to his age and took to playing in coffeehouses alongside anti-Vietnam War campaigners. These experiences had a strong effect on him, most recently evidenced by his opposition to the Iraq War. He is also a regular participant in the "Concerts for a Landmine Free World," benefiting the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation.

Earle's mother took part in anti-death penalty vigils, a cause that has been taken up by Earle. He has worked to abolish the death penalty and has recorded several songs about this cause, including "Billy Austin," "Over Yonder (Jonathan's Song)" and "Ellis Unit One" for the 1995 film ''Dead Man Walking''. Ellis Unit, located in Huntsville, Texas, previously housed the Texas male death row convicts, until it was moved to Polunsky Unit near Livingston, Texas. He exchanged letters with a prisoner on death row named Jonathan Wayne Nobles, the subject of "Over Yonder", and, at the request of Nobles, attended his execution in 1998. In 2010 Earle was awarded the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty's Shining Star of Abolition award.

In the early 2000s Earle's music was more explicitly political. His 2002 album, ''Jerusalem'', was largely inspired by the US-led War on Terrorism. This album featured "John Walker's Blues," which was about the captured American Taliban fighter John Walker Lindh. Many accused Earle of sympathizing with terrorists as the song was written from Lindh's perspective. Earle responded that he was simply empathizing with Lindh and attempting to understand his motivation through song rather than glorifying or forgiving terrorism. He said that, as a parent, he was moved by pictures of Lindh bound to a stretcher. "For some reason when I saw him on TV, I related it to my son. That skinny and that age, exactly. I thought, he's got parents somewhere, and they must be sick."

His 2004 album, ''The Revolution Starts Now'', which features several songs relating to the Iraq War, was deliberately released to coincide with the run-up to the 2004 US presidential election, with the aim of encouraging votes for John Kerry. The song "The Revolution Starts Now" was used in the promotion of Michael Moore's anti-war documentary film ''Fahrenheit 9/11'' and appears on the album ''Songs and Artists That Inspired Fahrenheit 9/11'', the songs for which were selected by Moore. The song also opened Earle's weekly Sunday-night show on Air America Radio. He appears in the 2008 political documentary ''Slacker Uprising''.

Discography

Use in media

Steve Earle's songs have appeared in many major motion pictures and television as writer and performer.

As performer and writer

''The Beverly Hillbillies'' (1993) ("Honey Don't")

''Dead Man Walking'' (1995) ("Ellis Unit One")

''The Horse Whisperer'' (1998) ("Me and the Eagle")

''Pay It Forward'' (2000) ("Open Your Window")

''You Can Count on Me'' (2000) ("I'm Still In Love With You", "Harlan Man", "Texas Eagle", "The Mountain", "Pilgrim")

''The Pledge'' (2001) ("The Other Side of Town")

''Last Party 2000'' (also known as ''The Party's Over'' (2001) ("Over Yonder (Jonathan's Song)")

''Big Bad Love'' (2001) ("Goodbye")

''The Rookie'' (2002) ("Some Dreams")

''Stevie'' (2002) ("I Ain't Ever Satisfied")

''The Wire'' (2004) ("I Feel Alright"), ("Down in the Hole" as performer only, written by Tom Waits)

''Silver City'' (2004) ("Amerika v. 6.0")

''Brokeback Mountain'' (2005) ("Devil's Right Hand")

''Talladega Nights'' (2006) ("Valentine's Day", "Hard-Core Troubadour", "I Feel Alright")

''The Guardian'' (2006) ("Home To Houston")

''Bridge to Terabithia'' (2007) ("Someday")

''Leaves of Grass'' (2009) ("Lonely Are the Free")

''Treme'' (2010) ("This City")

As writer

''Sgt. Bilko'' (1996) ("Sometimes She Forgets")

''G.I. Jane'' (1997) ("Goodbye")

''P.S. I Love You'' (2007) ("The Galway Girl")

Awards

Steve Earle has received a total of fourteen nominations for Grammy Awards.

He was named Country Artist of the Year for 1986 by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine.

In 2004, he was given a Lifetime Achievement Award for songwriting by the UK's BBC Radio 2.

In February 2005, he received a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album for ''The Revolution Starts Now''.

In February 2008, he received a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album (Vocal or Instrumental) for ''Washington Square Serenade''.

In January 2010, he received a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album for ''Townes''.

In July 2010, Earle was nominated for an Emmy Award in the Music and Lyrics category, for the song "This City," which was written for the television series ''Tremé.''

On May 13, 2011, Earle was granted an honorary degree from the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law.

Collaborations

Recorded and performed "Johnny Come Lately" with The Pogues.

Performed a duet with Iris DeMent on "I'm Still In Love With You".

Co-wrote the Jason & the Scorchers song "A Bible & A Gun".

Sang on Jason Ringenberg's re-recording of "A Bible & A Gun" in 2002.

Worked with the Supersuckers, recording their song "Creepy Jackalope Eye" and his song "NYC" (1996)

With the Rolling Stones, "Before They Make Me Run"

Sang backup vocals and played the harmonica on the Indigo Girls song "Shame on You", on their 1997 album ''Shaming of the Sun''.

Recorded "The Galway Girl" and "Dominick Street" with Sharon Shannon and The Woodchoppers.

Recorded covers of Alejandro Escovedo's "Paradise" and Warren Zevon's "Reconsider Me" with Reckless Kelly, for Escovedo and Zevon tribute albums.

Collaborated with the Del McCoury Band on 1999's ''The Mountain''.

Performed a duet with Lucinda Williams on "You're Still Standin' There".

Performed a duet with Chris Hillman on "High Fashion Queen" for the Gram Parsons tribute album ''Return of the Grievous Angel: A Tribute to Gram Parsons''.

Performed a duet with Siobhan Maher Kennedy on "Poison Lovers".

Performed a duet with Emmylou Harris on "Comin' Around", "Goodbye", and "I Remember You".

Performed a duet with Stacey Earle on "When I Fall".

Played guitar and sang backup on Emmylou Harris's version of "Goodbye" (from her ''Wrecking Ball'' album.)

Co-wrote "Go Amanda" with Sheryl Crow (on ''Jerusalem'').

Sang with Sheryl Crow on his cover of "Time Has Come Today" on ''Sidetracks''.

Covers the Son Volt classic "Windfall"

Played banjo on Patti Smith's cover of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit".

Produces and collaborates on Joan Baez's album ''Day After Tomorrow''.

Performed a duet with Jill Sobule on her song "Love is Never Equal"

Covered NRBQs "A Girl Like That" on the NRBQ tribute album The Q People

Performed with Allison Moorer on the song "After The Fire Is Gone" from Coal Miner's Daughter: A Tribute To Loretta Lynn (2010).

Sources

McGee, David. ''Steve Earle: Fearless Heart, Outlaw Poet,'' Backbeat, 2005.

Schone, Mark. (1998). "Steve Earle." In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Ed. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 160–1.

St John, Lauren. ''Hardcore Troubadour: The Life and Near Death of Steve Earle'', Fourth Estate, 2002 ISBN 1-84115-611-6

References

External links

Steve Earle Official website

"Death in Texas" Article By Earle On Witnessing The Execution Of A Friend

Just an American Boy

Interview with Steve Earle

Features, CD and concert reviews with Steve Earle at Country Standard Time

GM commercial featuring ''The Revolution Starts Now''

Steve Earle to Release Townes Van Zandt Tribute Album

Freeing a Mentor From His Mythology

Steve Earle Lays it Down

Category:1955 births Category:Living people Category:People from Hampton, Virginia Category:American country singers Category:American country guitarists Category:American folk guitarists Category:American rock guitarists Category:American male singers Category:American singer-songwriters Category:Kerrville New Folk Competition finalists Category:American mandolinists Category:Grammy Award winners Category:American anti-war activists Category:American anti–death penalty activists Category:Musicians from Virginia Category:New West Records artists

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