Coordinates	34°03′″N118°15′″N
name	Yo-Yo Ma馬友友
background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
born	October 07, 1955Paris, France
instrument	Cello, Piano, Viola, Violin
genre	Classical
occupation	Cellist, composer, pedagogue
years active	''fl. ca.'' 1961–''present''
label	CBS, RCA, Sony Classical
associated acts	Silk Road Ensemble
website	yo-yoma.com
notable instruments	Violoncello''Davydov 1712'' StradivariusDomenico Montagnana 1733Luis and Clark }}

)}} Yo-Yo Ma (born October 7, 1955) is a French-born American cellist, virtuoso, orchestral composer of Chinese descent, and winner of multiple Grammy Awards, the National Medal of Arts in 2001 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011. He is one of the most famous cellists of the modern age.

Early life

Yo-Yo Ma was born in Paris on October 7, 1955, to Chinese parents and had a musical upbringing. His mother, Marina Lu, was a singer, and his father, Hiao-Tsiun Ma, was a violinist and professor of music. His family moved to New York when he was five years old.

At a very young age, Ma began studying violin, and later viola, before finding his true calling by taking up the cello in 1960 at age four. According to Ma, his first choice was the double bass due to its large size, but he compromised and took up cello instead. The child prodigy began performing before audiences at age five, and performed for Presidents John F. Kennedy and Dwight D. Eisenhower when he was seven. At age eight, he appeared on American television with his sister, Yeou-Cheng Ma, in a concert conducted by Leonard Bernstein. By fifteen years of age, Ma had graduated from Trinity School in New York and appeared as a soloist with the Harvard Radcliffe Orchestra in a performance of the Tchaikovsky ''Rococo Variations''.

Ma studied at the Juilliard School with Leonard Rose and briefly attended Columbia University before ultimately enrolling at Harvard University. Prior to entering Harvard, Ma played in the Marlboro Festival Orchestra under the direction of nonagenarian cellist and conductor Pablo Casals. Ma would ultimately spend four summers at the Marlboro Music Festival after meeting and falling in love with Mount Holyoke College sophomore and festival administrator Jill Hornor his first summer there in 1972.

However, even before that time, Ma had steadily gained fame and had performed with most of the world's major orchestras. His recordings and performances of Johann Sebastian Bach's Cello Suites recorded in 1983 and again in 1994–1997 are particularly acclaimed. He has also played a good deal of chamber music, often with the pianist Emanuel Ax, with whom he has a close friendship back from their days together at the Juilliard School of Music in New York.

Ma received his bachelor's degree from Harvard in 1976. In 1991, he received an honorary doctorate from Harvard.

Career

Ma currently plays with his own Silk Road Ensemble, which has the goal of bringing together musicians from diverse countries all of which are historically linked via the Silk Road, and records on the Sony Classical label. Ma's primary performance instrument is the cello nicknamed ''Petunia'', built by Domenico Montagnana in 1733. It was named this by a female student that approached him after one of his classes in Salt Lake City asking if he had a nickname for his cello. He said, "No, but if I play for you, will you name it?" She chose Petunia, and it stuck. This cello, more than 270 years old and valued at US$2.5 million, was lost in the fall of 1999 when Ma accidentally left the instrument in a taxicab in New York City. It was later recovered undamaged. Another of Ma's cellos, the ''Davidov Stradivarius'', was previously owned by Jacqueline du Pré who passed it to him upon her death, and owned by the Vuitton Foundation. Though Du Pré previously voiced her frustration with the "unpredictability" of this cello, Ma attributed the comment to du Pré's impassioned style of playing, adding that the Stradivarius cello must be "coaxed" by the player. It was until recently set up in a Baroque manner, since Ma exclusively played Baroque music on it. He also owns a cello made of carbon fiber by the Luis and Clark company of Boston.

In 1997 he was featured on John Williams' soundtrack to the Hollywood film, ''Seven Years in Tibet''. In 2000, he was heard on the soundtrack of ''Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'', and in 2003 on that of ''Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World''. He collaborated with Williams again on the original score for the 2005 film ''Memoirs of a Geisha''. Yo-Yo Ma has also worked with world-renowned Italian composer Ennio Morricone and has recorded Morricone's compositions of the Dollars Trilogy including ''The Good, the Bad and the Ugly''. He also has over 75 albums, 15 of which are Grammy Award winners. Ma is a recipient of the International Center in New York's Award of Excellence.

Ma was named Peace Ambassador by UN then Secretary-General Kofi Annan in January 2006.

On November 3, 2009, President Obama appointed Ma to serve on the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. His music was featured in the 2010 documentary ''Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story'', narrated by Academy Award winner Dustin Hoffman.

Playing style

thumb|right|Ma with Condoleezza Rice after performing a duet at the presentation of the 2001 National Medal of Arts and National Humanities Medal Awards.Ma has been referred to as "omnivorous" by critics, and possesses a more eclectic repertoire than is typical for classical musicians. A sampling of his versatility in addition to numerous recordings of the standard classical repertoire would include his recordings of Baroque pieces using period instruments; American bluegrass music; traditional Chinese melodies including the soundtrack to the film ''Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon''; the tangos of Argentinian composer Ástor Piazzolla; an eclectic and unusual collaboration with Bobby McFerrin (where Ma admitted to being terrified of the improvisation McFerrin pushed him toward); as well as the music of modern minimalist Philip Glass in such works as the 2002 piece ''Naqoyqatsi''. He is known for his smooth, rich tone as well as his considerable virtuosity, including a cello recording of Niccolò Paganini's 24th Caprice for solo violin, Zoltán Kodály's cello sonata, and other demanding works.

Notable live performances

Ma performed a duet with Condoleezza Rice at the presentation of the 2001 National Medal of Arts and National Humanities Medal Awards. Ma was the first performer on September 11, 2002, at the site of the World Trade Center, while the first of the names of the dead were read in remembrance on the first anniversary of the attack on the WTC. He played the Sarabande from Bach's ''Suite in C minor (#5)''. He performed a special arrangement of Sting's "Fragile" with Sting and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir during the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.

He performed John Williams' "Air and Simple Gifts" at the inauguration ceremony for Barack Obama on January 20, 2009, along with Itzhak Perlman (violin), Gabriela Montero (piano) and Anthony McGill (clarinet). While the quartet did play live, the music played simultaneously over speakers and on television was a recording made two days prior due to concerns over the cold weather damaging the instruments. Ma was quoted as saying "A broken string was not an option. It was wicked cold."

On August 29, 2009, Ma performed at the funeral mass for Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Pieces he performed included the Sarabande movement from Bach's ''Cello Suite No. 6'', and Franck's ''Panis Angelicus'' with Placido Domingo.

On October 3, 2009, Ma appeared alongside Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper at the National Arts Centre gala in Ottawa. Harper, a noted Beatles fan, played the piano and sang a rendition of "With A Little Help From My Friends" while Ma accompanied him on his cello.

Media appearances

Ma has appeared in an episode of the animated children's television series, ''Arthur'', as well as on ''The West Wing'' (episode "Noël", in which he performed the prelude to the Bach Cello Suite No.1 at a Christmas dinner at the White House), ''Sesame Street'' and ''Mister Rogers' Neighborhood''. In ''The Simpsons'' episode "Missionary: Impossible", Ma, (voiced by Hank Azaria) runs after Homer Simpson along with many other frequent guests of PBS.

He also starred in the visual accompaniment to his recordings of Bach's ''Six Suites for Unaccompanied Cello''.

Ma has also been seen with Apple Inc. and former Pixar CEO Steve Jobs. Ma is often invited to press events for Jobs's companies, and has performed on stage during event keynote presentations, as well as appearing in a commercial for the Macintosh computer.

Ma was a guest on the Not My Job segment of ''Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!'' on April 7, 2007, where he won for listener Thad Moore.

On October 27, 2008, Ma appeared as a guest and performer on ''The Colbert Report''.

According to research done by Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., of Harvard University, in 2010 for the PBS series ''Faces of America'', in which Ma made an appearance, a relative had hidden the Ma family genealogy in his home in China to save it from destruction during the Cultural Revolution. Ma's paternal ancestry can be traced back eighteen generations to the year 1217. This genealogy had been compiled in the 18th century by an ancestor, tracing everyone with the surname Ma, through the paternal line, back to one common ancestor in the 3rd century BC. Ma's generation name, "Yo", had been decided by his fourth great grand-uncle, Ma Ji Cang, in 1755.

Personal life

Ma married his long-time girlfriend Jill Hornor, a German language professor, in 1977. He proposed outside her apartment. They have two children, Nicholas and Emily, and reside in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Ma's elder sister, Yeou-Cheng Ma, who was also born in Paris, is a violinist married to Michael Dadap, a New York–based guitarist from the Philippines.

Discography

Awards and recognitions

Avery Fisher Prize

1978

Presidential Medal of Freedom

2011

Award of Distinction (International Cello Festival)

2007

Dan David Prize

2006

Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) (''honoris causa'')

2005 Princeton University

Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance:

1996 ''Brahms/Beethoven/Mozart: Clarinet Trios'' (Sony 57499)

1993 ''Brahms: Sonatas for Cello & Piano'' (Sony 48191)

1992 ''Brahms: Piano Quartets Op. 25, Op. 26'' (Sony 45846)

1987 ''Beethoven: Cello and Piano Sonata No. 4 in C & Variations'' (CBS 42121)

1986 ''Brahms: Cello and Piano Sonatas in E Minor Op. 38, and F Op. 99'' (RCA 17022)

Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance:

1998 ''Yo-Yo Ma Premieres – Danielpour, Kirchner, Rouse'' (Sony Classical 66299)

1995 ''The New York Album – Works of Albert, Bartók & Bloch'' (Sony 57961)

1993 ''Prokofiev: Sinfonia Concertante/Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme'' (Sony 48382)

1990 ''Barber: Cello Concerto, Op. 22/Britten: Symphony for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 68'' (CBS 44900)

Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance:

1985 ''Bach: The Unaccompanied Cello Suites'' (CBS 37867)

Grammy Award for Best Classical Contemporary Composition:

1995 ''The New York Album'', ''Stephen Albert: Cello Concerto'' (Sony 57961)

Grammy Award for Best Classical Album:

1998 ''Yo-Yo Ma Premieres – Danielpour, Kirchner, Rouse'' (Sony Classical 66299)

Grammy Award for Best Classical Crossover Album:

2010 ''Songs of Joy & Peace'' (Sony Classical B001BN1V8U)

2004 ''Obrigado Brazil'' (Sony 89935)

2001 ''Appalachian Journey'' (Sony 66782)

1999 ''Soul of the Tango – The Music of Ástor Piazzolla'' (Sony Classical 63122)

Glenn Gould Prize

1999

Latin Grammy for Best Instrumental Album

2004 ''Obrigado Brazil'' (Sony 89935)

National Medal of Arts 2001 Presidential Medal of Freedom

·Nominated: November 17, 2010

·Awarded: February 15, 2011

Cultural references

In the movie ''School of Rock'', Jack Black’s character tells the other teachers that he competed in a cello audition--and lost—to Yo-Yo Ma's cousin, who he describes as “Little Nepotiz”, a reference to the audition being on the same orchestral instrument as Yo-Yo Ma plays, and implying that Yo-yo Ma’s cousin won the audition simply by virtue of being related to Yo-Yo Ma. In the sitcom ''Seinfeld'', Kramer exclaims "Yo-Yo Ma!" in two episodes. When Kramer cries out "Yo-Yo Ma!" in The Ticket (Seinfeld), it is attributed to a suspected head injury caused by a kick from "Crazy" Joe Davola. In The Hamptons (Seinfeld), Kramer calls out "Yo-Yo Ma!" when he sees George Costanza's girlfriend, Jane, walking topless on the beach.

References

External links

Official Website

''About Us'', The Children's Orchestra Society, ChildrensOrch.org, 2007

Yo-Yo Ma in Conversation from WGBH Radio Boston

Yo-Yo Ma Interview on Time.com, October 2008

Yo-Yo Ma Podcast Series produced by Sony BMG Masterworks

Yo-Yo Ma TV Interview with Ennio Morricone from C Music TV

2006 Dan David Prize laureate

Category:American classical cellists Category:American musicians of Chinese descent Category:Contemporary classical music performers Category:Child classical musicians Category:Columbia University alumni Category:United States National Medal of Arts recipients Category:Emmy Award winners Category:French emigrants to the United States Category:Gemini Award winners Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Harvard University alumni Category:Juilliard School alumni Category:Musicians from Massachusetts Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States Category:People from Paris Category:Members of Committee of 100 Category:Honorary Members of the Royal Academy of Music Category:1955 births Category:Living people Category:United Nations Messengers of Peace Category:Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients Category:People from Belmont, Massachusetts Category:Child classical musicians

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Coordinates	34°03′″N118°15′″N
name	Nicola Roberts
background	solo_singer
birth name	Nicola Maria Roberts
born	October 05, 1985Stamford, Lincolnshire, England
origin	Runcorn, Cheshire, England
instrument	Vocals
genre	Pop, R&B;, Dance-pop
occupation	Singer, songwriter, actress, presenter
years active	2002–present
label	Polydor, Fascination
associated acts	Girls Aloud
website	}}

Nicola Maria Roberts (born 5 October 1985) is a British recording artist and entrepreneur. After auditioning and successfully completing the reality television series and competition ''Popstars The Rivals'', Roberts became part of girl-group Girls Aloud. Their debut single "Sound of the Underground" topped the UK Singles chart. This success helped them win the competition and they were later entered in ''Guinness World Records'' as the most successful reality television music-group. The five-piece band enjoyed 20 consecutive top ten singles, spawning five albums and positive critical responses. But during her time with the band Roberts was referred to as "the ugly one" for her pale skin tone which left her depressed with her fame derived from the time with Girls Aloud.

In 2008, after releasing a pale skin make-up collection titled Dainty Doll, Roberts advocated the ban of underage usage of tanning beds with the documentary ''Nicola Roberts: The Truth About Tanning''. Her public stance with a British MP led to a bill which banned under 18's from using tanning beds. In 2011 Roberts released her debut album ''Cinderella's Eyes'' with her debut single "Beat of My Drum" with both earning acclaim commercial success was mixed. Two follow-up singles "Lucky Day" and "Yo-Yo" both gained equally positive critical responses but failed commercially. The album was described as electronic-influenced and garnered positive reviews and peaked at number 17 in the United Kingdom.

Life and career

Early life and ''Popstars'' (1985-2002)

Nicola Roberts was born on the 5, October 1985 in Stamford, Lincolnshire when her mother was just 17. At the time of her birth her father was working within the RAF and the resulting pay led to financial struggles which saw her father move to work for company Ford whilst her mother became a photographer to help the family monetary problems. Roberts grew up in a "rough" council estate, despite this she never felt threatened but expressed concern with her younger siblings exploring the area as they "probably wouldn't come back". Despite a history of drugs in the estate she called the situation a minority and found that estates in [2010] were much worse than her own. Aged 11 Roberts and her family moved from her council estate into a middle class area which Roberts believed was "too posh" for her and she found herself returning to the council estate spending time with "mischievous" children from lower class backgrounds. In school Roberts found herself shying away in contrast to her home life where she was outgoing even gaining the nickname Cilla from her family after the diva-like behaviors of singer Cilla Black. Academically Roberts performed well leaving school with ten GCSE's but declared her dislike with school and began discussing a musical career which led her to work with several girl groups recording demo tracks in several cases. Roberts acknowledged she had always wanted to be a singer and had been entering competitions and auditions with her father accompanying her and gaining support from other family members also.

''Popstars The Rivals''

Still a teenager Roberts auditioned for the reality television series ''Popstars The Rivals'', participants checked into a Kensington hotel in London before performing to a panel of celebrity judges with Roberts finding she "didn't really have much life experience" up to that point. During the auditions Roberts co-incidentally sat next to Kimberley Walsh who completed the competition to become one of five in the final line-up of the girl-band, and the two spent time rehearsing before their solo audition. Roberts felt confident before the audition but in contrast during the actual audition she was "terrified" and was unable to smile until celebrity judge Geri Halliwell complimented her performance stating "I think you're great, you're an individual, you really stand out". Roberts found her clothing and personality was different to the other participants of ''Popstars The Rivals'', most were well-trained vocalists and were well dressed whilst Roberts clothing was less fashionable due to lack of funds and she was not as vocally well-trained as the others. Further down the process of the competition Roberts was left as one of 15 remaining participants but found that the reality show was becoming increasingly based on personality instead of vocals, Roberts found her personality to be more concealed than others but was "confident" with her performances. One notable incident during the competition was when a show-producer expressed to Roberts' mother that she wouldn't win as she was not "outrageous" or as outgoing as others stating that vocals were secondary in the show which left her mother shocked with the politics of the show. After the final ten participants were selected Roberts was eliminated from the competition but in the following weeks she was enlisted as a wild-card to return to the show despite conflicts from judge Louis Walsh who didn't want her to return but he was overruled by judges Geri Halliwell and Pete Waterman. Her return to the show stemmed from participant Nicola Ward quitting and Roberts then made it through to the finale where she sang the track "I'm So Excited" by The Pointer Sisters and she was the second contestant to be selected for the group after member Cheryl Cole. That night the band was formed, and a party involving promotional photographs saw their introduction to band manager John McMahon who would become more of a personal friend for the group.

Career with Girls Aloud, personal struggles and Dainty Doll (2003-2010)

After winning ''Popstars: The Rivals'' the group went onto record their debut music video in addition to a large stint of publicity which left the band exhausted with band manager John McMahon continually pressuring them to promote single "Sound of the Underground". At this point the competition with ''Popstars: The Rivals'' was still ongoing with the two bands; Girls Aloud and boy-band One True Voice competing to outsell each other with their debut single releases. Girls Aloud ultimately won the competition with their single topping the UK Singles Chart and gaining a record deal from Polydor records but in the following days news broke that the group's manager John McMahon had died in a car accident shortly after texting Roberts who was too busy to respond. The death of McMahon had a large impact on Roberts who found herself increasingly emotionally unstable and came at a time when she moved in with colleague Cheryl Cole becoming the first time she had lived without her family. It was at this time that Roberts was in the midst of several problems including the death of McMahon, leaving home but the most problematic was the constant media criticism of her image in which critics labelled her "unattractive". Girls Aloud as a group enjoyed many successes including two entries into the ''Guiness Book of World Records'' for "Most Successful Reality Television Group" and "Most Consecutive Top Ten Entries in the UK by a female group" in addition to this the band gathered five BRIT Award nominations winning Best British Single in 2009 for "The Promise". The group earned for UK number one singles, twenty consecutive UK top ten singles and critically they have been well-received with most albums although Roberts found at times critical opinion was "less than desirable". Their debut album ''Sound of the Underground'' peaked at number two in the UK and was certified Platinum, their second album ''What Will the Neighbours Say?'' was certified double platinum peaking at number six, their third album ''Chemistry'' saw a critical improvement but failed to enter the UK top ten and third album ''Tangled Up'' became another Platinum certified album peaking at number four and their fifth record ''Out of Control'' became their first UK number one album.

Despite a large amount of success as part of Girls Aloud Roberts found time away from her family increasingly difficult but after her parents divorced and conflicts with her boyfriend she found herself in a depressed state. Her hectic schedule led her to dissolve relations with family members and after stating her frustration at her living situation she started frequently returning to her home town in Liverpool. Her work-life and home-life saw her split into two different personalities and despite appreciating a career in the music industry the conflicts with her personal life made her question her career. Throughout her music career Roberts was coping with hypoglycemia which restricted what foods she could eat, and whilst spending time on the road touring she found it difficult not to divulge into convenience food. Her illness was diagnosed after extensive touring in which time Roberts complained of weakness and sickness which made it difficult to perform live concerts. Whilst she was on her Tangled Up Tour her dog named Elvis died just months after he was given as a gift to Roberts who found his death troubling finding she couldn't cope as she was on her Tangled Up Tour at the time. After her split from long-time boyfriend Carl Egerton in 2006 which ended amicably Roberts struggled with being single but found herself evolving into a more "independent" and "mature" woman and in 2008 she met Charlie Fennel and slowly built a relationship with him. In 2009 Girls Aloud took a break after embarking on their 2009 Out of Control Tour in support of the ''Out of Control'' album which became their most extensive tour and following this each band-member took time to work on solo projects. In 2008 Roberts had started a limited production of a make-up range called Dainty Doll aimed at the pale-skinned market whilst producing the Girls Aloud-related television series ''The Passions of Girls Aloud''. Then in the following 18 months Roberts expanded the collection which saw a major release with prestigious store Harrods in London exclusively stocking the items. The success led to a release across the United Kingdom with Roberts explaining the concept of Dainty Doll saying "The reason behind me doing this is because I had a point of difference and that was because of the pale skin and it was something I obviously felt really passionate about. I was aware that there weren't many make up brands that catered for women for extra pale skin so I feel proud that I've been the person to do it."

Solo debut with ''Cinderella's Eyes'' (2011-present)

In the Girls Aloud 2008 biography Roberts expressed an interest in writing and recording her own material, wanting to experiment in the studio for better understanding of the process. She then started work in the recording studio, with producers such as; Dragonette, Diplo and Joseph Mount. Roberts after a year of recording announced that she would be releasing her debut album, ''Cinderella's Eyes''. The first single "Beat of My Drum" had an on-sale release meaning it had little promotion beforehand and commercially it peaked at number 27 in the United Kingdom but critically it garnered acclaim from critics which Roberts described as "amazing". A second single "Lucky Day" was released shortly after and whilst gaining positive reviews it failed to make an impact commercially peaking at number 40 in the UK. The album was then released on 23 September 2011, Roberts described the album as "electronically lead", and the album was inspired by her time performing with Girls Aloud - "It would have been stupid for me to make an album that meant nothing" she said. For Roberts the album was about making a risky record, where there wasn't a guaranteed commercial success, explaining to ''The Guardian'': "It's taken every last bit of confidence just to release this record, or maybe I've just brainwashed myself into feeling more confident. I don't know if it's good, or if I've just told myself it's good." The album was released to universal positive reviews from critics, reviewers such as Ludovic Hunter-Tilney of the ''Financial Times'', James Lachno of ''The Daily Telegraph'', Emily Mackay of ''NME'', Hugh Montgomery of ''The Independent'' and others hailed it as the best solo record from a member of Girls Aloud. Commercially in the United Kingdom the album peaked at number 17 whilst on the Digital charts it peaked at number 13, in Scotland it charted at number 21 whilst in Ireland it peaked at number 48.

In 2012 a third single from the album was released, titled "Yo-Yo" the song was described as a "shining example of her pop sensibilities". During the same month singer Rihanna chose Roberts to co-host a fashion talent show for Sky Living HD, Roberts will act as an executive-producer and will search "for the next generation of undiscovered designer talent". The show will last ten weeks premiering in summer 2012, Roberts discussed the show saying "I am so excited to be working with Rihanna on finding a new British up and coming designer. I was so flattered when she asked me to work with her on this show. I'm so excited for us to get started on finding a new up and coming British designer who just needs a chance, a little bit of help in getting their skills noticed."

Philanthropy

With the start of her music career, Roberts starting noting that other girls were dressing more "glamorous" than she was, and at aged 16 during her auditions for ''Popstars The Rivals'' she wished to look like them. It was at these times that Roberts would feel unattractive due to her pale complexion and soon began using fake-tan to darken her skin tone into what she later described as a "dirty mess" but at the time made her feel more attractive. Due to her pale skin tone Roberts found herself easinly burning in the sun which led to chronic pain and during the shoot of the Girls Aloud single "Love Machine" she had trouble filming due to severe burns which left her wanting to visit the hospital. During her time with Girls Aloud she filmed a television special titled ''Passions'' for which she travelled to Taiwan where she learnt about natural skin products, something she had been interested in due to her pale complexion and led her to develop the make-up line Dainty Doll. Following this Roberts began a stance against tanning which saw her produce and star in a BBC Three investigative documentary titled ''Nicola Roberts: The Truth About Tanning'' in which she revealed her own personal tanning issues and those of men and women throughout the UK who have excessively used tanning bed's. She met families of those deceased from melanoma who were actively pushing for a change in law for a ban on tanning bed's for under 18's which provoked Roberts to become an advocate for the ban of underage usage of tanning bed's, and with the help of British MP Julie Morgan the pair produced a bill to ban under 18's from using sun-bed's. At the launch of the bill Roberts said "Going into the streets of Liverpool and interviewing the young girls who are obsessed with having a tan and feeling like they had to be brown to be seen as attractive, that whole mentality that they had gathered was just a bigger problem than I ever thought it was."

After winning ''Popstars The Rivals'' becoming one fifth of Girls Aloud Roberts soon found herself subject to bullying. She was branded "the ugly one" of the group, and would often "cry herself to sleep" finding herself to be a victim of "faceless" bullying fueled by celebrities such as Chris Moyles and Lily Allen. Soon after the comments had an effect on her menatal stability after suffering from an "identity crisis" the taunts brought her close to a breakdown leaving her feeling "miserable and confused" and finding comfort in alcohol. Prior to her fame Roberts never found flaws with her red hair calling it a "prized possession" but after critics picked up on her image she saw it as a flaw with Roberts explaining "I hated it and I hated people judging me. I'd put on the telly and there'd be someone saying something cruel, or I'd open up a magazine and read it. Normal people don't have people telling them day to day they're ugly or miserable. [...] I'd think, "stop being so vain, you've got this amazing job" but it wasn't enough. It didn't stop me feeling bad". "People feel they can say nasty things and have anonymity behind the net – as they did with all the nasty comments about me – without fear of recrimination", Roberts said, and five years after the bullying she found herself in a "better place", with critics commenting on her image positively with writers such as Clemmie Moodie from British newspaper ''Daily Mirror'' saying "the 25-year-old radiates confidence and, with a string of fashion successes has blossomed."

Roberts then wrote the track "Sticks + Stones" in response to these times, finding herself cautioned by the serious subject matter, she wanted to write a track that was not self-indulgent featuring a "universal" chorus" and lyrics such as "I was too young for so many things. Yet you thought I’d cope with being told I’m ugly.". After the release of her debut album ''Cinderella's Eyes'' which featured the track Roberts appeared on the British television show ''BBC Breakfast'' to discuss bulluing in relation to the track. Soon after she advocated the issue on ''BBC News'' where they discussed the lyrical themes of the track, and during the interview Roberts named social networking site Twitter as being a tool of which highlights the severity of the bullying issue finding the problem to be "out of control" in a schooling environment. Roberts continued to advocate the bullying-issue and with an interview to ''Rolling Stone'' Roberts stated she was "sick" of an image-driven society. After her success with the anti-tanning bill Roberts took a similar stance with bullying saying "it doesn't need to happen" and found that British laws were failing to combat the issue with Roberts saying "People are still scared to go to school, kids are threatening to kill themselves; it's disgusting that it persists. So, again, I'm giving a voice to a cause, to hopefully affect change." Roberts then progressed to the British education secretary Michael Gove to raise the issue.

Discography

''Cinderella's Eyes'' (2011)

References

External links

Category:1985 births Category:Living people Category:Reality show winners Category:Girls Aloud members Category:English female singers Category:Musicians from Cheshire Category:People from Runcorn Category:People from Stamford, Lincolnshire Category:Cosmetics businesspeople

bg:Никола Робъртс es:Nicola Roberts fr:Nicola Roberts it:Nicola Roberts hu:Nicola Roberts nl:Nicola Roberts pl:Nicola Roberts pt:Nicola Roberts ru:Робертс, Никола sv:Nicola Roberts

Coordinates	34°03′″N118°15′″N
Name	The Osmonds
Landscape	yes
Backgroun	group_or_band
Origin	Utah, United States
Genre	R&B;, pop, disco, Soft rock, rock
Years active	1958–present
Label	MGMUniMGM/Polydor RecordsMercuryElektra/Asylum Records Warner Bros. MGM/Kolob Records
Associated acts	''Donny & Marie, 1976''''Donny & Marie 1998''
Website	Osmond.com
Current members	Alan OsmondWayne OsmondMerrill OsmondJay Osmond Donny OsmondMarie OsmondJimmy Osmond
background	group_or_band }}

The Osmonds are an American family music group with a long and varied career—a career that took them from singing barbershop music as children, to achieving success as teen-music idols, to producing a hit television show, and to continued success as solo and group performers. The Osmonds are devout members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and their religious values have influenced their careers.

When it began as a barbershop quartet, the group consisted of brothers Alan Osmond, Wayne Osmond, Merrill Osmond, and Jay Osmond. They were later joined by younger siblings Donny Osmond and Jimmy Osmond. Their only sister Marie Osmond, who never sang with her brothers at that time, would launch a successful solo career in the '70s. Older brothers George Virl Osmond, Jr. (Virl) and Tom Osmond were born deaf and did not originally perform, although they later made occasional appearances, most notably on the family Christmas specials from the '70s. All of the Osmonds were born in their hometown of Ogden, Utah except the youngest, Jimmy, who was born in Canoga Park, California. The group have sold 102 Million records worldwide.

The Osmonds' Story

Early years: barbershop and variety shows

The Osmond Brothers' career began in 1958 when Alan, Wayne, Merrill, and Jay began singing barbershop music for local audiences in and around their hometown of Ogden, Utah. In the made-for-TV movie "Inside the Osmonds," the Osmonds explain that they originally performed to earn money to support Virl and Tom in buying hearing aids and serving missions for their church. Despite their young ages (in 1958 Alan was 9, Wayne 7, Merrill 5, and Jay 3), within a few years, the boys' talent and stage presence were strong enough that their father, George Osmond, took them to audition for Lawrence Welk in California. Welk turned them down, but on the same trip, they visited Disneyland and were hired to perform there after joining an adult barbershop quartet for some impromptu singing.

While the Osmond Brothers were performing on a televised Disney special, Andy Williams' father saw them and was so impressed he told his son to book them for his television show. Andy did, and the Osmond Brothers were regulars on Andy Williams' show from 1962–1969, where they earned the nickname "one-take Osmonds" because of their professionalism and tireless rehearsing. Donny soon joined them on the show, making the Osmond Brothers a 5-member group. Marie and Jimmy were also introduced on the show as the years went by. During this time, the Osmonds also toured Europe, performing with Sweden's most popular singer, Lars Lönndahl, and even releasing a single where they sang a swedish version of "''Two dirty little hands''" ("''Fem smutsiga små fingrar''").

Somehow they achieved something of extreme difficulty, they made the suit uncool!

The Osmond Brothers were regulars on the ''Jerry Lewis Show'' in 1969, and they continued to tour and perform with Andy Williams. But soon the Osmond Brothers decided they wanted to perform popular music and shed their variety-show image. They wanted to become a rock-and-roll band. This change was a difficult one for their father, who was suspicious of rock and roll. But he was persuaded, and the boys began performing as a pop band. They achieved only modest success at first, but in 1971, everything changed.

The Osmonds: a pop music success - 1971 - 1972

Record producer Mike Curb saw the Osmonds (no longer called "The Osmond Brothers") perform as a band and recognized that they combined a rare mix of polished performing style, instrumental skill, and vocal talent. He helped the Osmonds get a record contract with MGM, and arranged for them to record at Muscle Shoals with R&B; producer Rick Hall. Under Hall's guidance, the Osmonds hit the top spot on the pop chart with "One Bad Apple" (Billboard #1) in 1971. The Osmonds soon had hits with other light, R&B-style; pop numbers like "Double Lovin'" (Billboard #14) and "Yo-Yo" (Billboard #3). In each of these hits, the formula was the same; Merrill sang lead, and Donny was "co-lead" in essence, singing the "hook" or "chorus" of the song.

At this time the Osmonds also recorded several hits that were billed to "Donny", since he was the solo lead singer on these songs. The songs included "Sweet and Innocent" (Billboard #7), "Go Away Little Girl" (Billboard #1), "Hey Girl"/"I Knew You When" (Billboard #9), and "Puppy Love" (Billboard #3). It was at this time, 1971 and 1972, that the Osmonds were at their peak of popularity.

After this early "bubblegum soul" phase, the Osmonds began writing their own music, and their sound moved towards rock and roll with hits like "Down by the Lazy River" (#4), "Hold Her Tight" (Billboard #14), and "Crazy Horses" (#14). The ''Crazy Horses'' album was the band's first really personal statement—the brothers have been quoted as saying that the title song refers to air pollution from cars. They wrote all the songs and played all the instruments with Alan on rhythm guitar, Wayne on lead guitar, Merrill on lead vocals and bass, Jay on drums, and Donny on keyboards. All the brothers sang back-up, with Jay and Donny sometimes singing lead parts.

Rock and roll and Osmondmania

With their clean-cut image, their talent, and their energetic pop-rock sound, the Osmonds toured to crowds of screaming fans in the U.S., and they even had a short-lived Saturday-morning cartoon series on ABC-TV during 1972-1974. By this time the Osmonds had broken through in the UK as well: all members of the Osmond family, counting group and solo recordings, charted 13 singles on the UK charts during 1973. Some observers coined a new word, "Osmondmania," to describe the phenomenon.

But changes and challenges soon arrived. The older boys were of age to go on church missions, yet they believed they could reach more people through their music. The Osmonds viewed their music as their mission. As a part of their mission, they recorded an ambitious album in 1973 called ''The Plan'', perhaps best described as a Mormon concept album with progressive rock aspirations. One reviewer suggested that ''The Plan'' carried a too-strong religious message—Mormonism is, after all, fairly conservative and not usually associated with the themes of rock and roll. He likewise suggested that the music was too varied and experimental. The album produced only two modest hits: "Let Me In" and "Goin' Home" both peaked at #36 on the Billboard charts. Furthermore, the older boys may have wanted to reduce the regular touring that is a necessity in popular music but not so good for marriage and "settling down."

Solo careers take off

Donny, and to a lesser extent, Marie and Jimmy, began to soon emerge as solo artists. Jimmy had hits in Japan, and in 1972 had a #1 hit in the United Kingdom with "Long Haired Lover from Liverpool." Marie hit #1 on the U.S. country charts in 1973 with "Paper Roses"--she was only 13 at the time. And Donny achieved near-superstar status. He had a string of pop hits in the early 1970s, including "Go Away Little Girl" (Billboard #1), "Puppy Love" (#2), and "The Twelfth of Never" (#8). From 1971 to 1976, he had 12 top-40 hits, including 5 in the top 10.

Donny's popularity, and his numerous solo hits, have led many to assume he was the group's lead. But Merrill was the lead singer, although Donny would usually sing the chorus of the songs, therefore being a "co-lead" in the group. Donny's emergence as a solo star, and the record-company's desire to appeal to the teen-girl audience, often thrust Donny out in front of the group.

By now the family was touring, recording, creating, and producing for 5 technically separate artists: The Osmonds, Donny Osmond, Marie Osmond, and Jimmy Osmond—plus Donny and Marie had begun recording duets and had hits with "I'm Leaving It Up to You" (Billboard #4) and "Morning Side of the Mountain" (#8). Through all the stress and pressures created by these many efforts, the family hung together. "Inside the Osmonds" depicts the family mottoes as being "It doesn't matter who's out front, as long as it's an Osmond" and "Family, faith, and career. In that order."

The original Osmonds as a group still produced hits. In 1974, "Love Me for a Reason" reached #10 on the U.S. pop charts and went to #1 in the U.K. The Irish boy band Boyzone took the song to #2 on the U.K. charts in 1994.

Donny and Marie: the show and its challenges

By 1976, though, the group's record sales were softening, and the Osmonds poured themselves into a new venture: The older brothers began producing ''The Donny & Marie Show'', which was a hit on ABC from 1976-1979. But the success came at a cost. The family built and operated, at great expense, a first-class television studio in Orem, Utah, where the show was produced. As a result, the Osmonds as a performing band became a third or fourth priority to the careers of Donny and Marie, the success of the show, and the operation of the family studio. The older brothers deferred or gave up their dreams of being a rock-and-roll band. Donny experienced stage anxiety, a type of social phobia, and Marie had a brief bout with an eating disorder after a network executive told her she looked heavy. When the show was canceled, the Osmonds found themselves in debt and without a clear direction.

They recovered and eventually paid their debts and re-established their careers. But the various Osmond artists and enterprises began to operate separately.

After ''The Donny and Marie show''

Jimmy worked as a businessman and manager. He eventually moved to Branson, Missouri, and opened the Osmond Family Theater, where he and his brothers performed until 2002. They now appear in Branson during the Christmas season.

Marie recorded a number of successful duets with Donny and continued to sing country music; she had several top-40 country hits in the mid 1980s, the biggest of which was "Meet Me in Montana" with Dan Seals (country #1). She starred in the Broadway musicals The King and I (as Anna) and The Sound of Music (as Maria) in the mid-1990s. She returned to television first in the short-lived 1995 ABC sitcom ''Maybe This Time'' and then with Donny in 1998 to co-host Donny & Marie, a talk/entertainment show that lasted two seasons.

Donny returned to the pop-music scene in 1989 and had two Billboard Top-40 hits: "Soldier of Love" (#2) and "Sacred Emotion" (#13). He performed on Broadway as Gaston in the stage production of ''Beauty and the Beast'', and also gave over 2,000 performances as Joseph in the touring production of ''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat''. He has hosted games shows, continues to appear on television, winning the ninth season (Fall 2009) of ABC's ''Dancing with the Stars'' and still tours in the US and England. He currently performs dates in Las Vegas with Marie.

Alan, Wayne, Merrill, and Jay formed a country group and returned to using the name "The Osmond Brothers." They had two Billboard Country hits in the early 1980s: "I Think About Your Lovin'" (#17) and "It's Like Fallin' in Love (Over and Over)" (#28). They had other country successes, but mostly did not tour, preferring to stay in Branson and perform. The brothers continue to perform with various line-ups and sometimes with their children in Branson. Merrill performs and records as a solo artist as well. Alan has multiple sclerosis, and does not perform as often today. All of the brothers are married, some with large families. Alan's eight sons started performing in the mid-1980s as "The Osmond Boys," now known as "The Osmonds--Second Generation."

In 2007-2008 all of the Osmonds went on a tour of Europe to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of their career in show business. A special televised concert in Las Vegas (the only tour stop in the US), commemorating the anniversary, aired on US PBS stations on March 10, 2008. Alan played piano with the orchestra for most of the show and Virl and Tom provided signed lyrics for two songs. The Osmonds' long time friend and mentor Andy Williams made a surprise appearance, reminiscing about how his father had told him to put the brothers on his variety show.

In 2009, Donny and Marie Osmond will record a television special for the British channel ITV1. ''An Audience with Donny and Marie'' is the latest in ITV's long running ''An Audience with...'' series and will be based on their Las Vegas stage show.

Olive and George Osmond (aka Mother and Father Osmond)

Olive Osmond, mother of the Osmond siblings, died on May 9, 2004 at age 79. Their father, George Osmond, died on November 6, 2007 at age 90. The couple were survived by their nine children and 55 grandchildren as well as a number of great-granchildren; Olive by 22, George by 48. Before Mr. Osmond's death, plans were being made for him and the 120+ members of the Osmond family to appear on ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' to celebrate the family's 50th anniversary in show business. He died just a few days prior to the show being taped. The family ultimately decided to go on with the show as scheduled, and on Thursday, November 9, the entire Osmond family appeared on stage with Oprah Winfrey as a tribute to their father. The show aired the following day, the same day as Mr. Osmond's funeral.

Hollywood Walk Of Fame

In 2003, the Osmond Family were honored for their achievements in the entertainment industry with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Discography

Albums

Year	Album details	Peak chart positions
		! style="width:45px;"	! style="width:45px;"	CAN
1962	''Songs We Sang on The Andy Williams Show''	*Label: MGM Records E(mono)/SE(stereo)-4146
1962	'''''We Sing You A Merry Christmas	*Label: MGM Records E/SE-4187
1963	'''''Preview: The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters	*Label: MGM Records PM-7
1964	''The New Sound of The Osmond Brothers SingingMore Songs They Sang on The Andy Williams Show''	*Label: MGM Records E/SE-4291
	''Hello! The Osmond Brothers''	*Label: Denon International CD-77
''Osmonds''	*Label: MGM Records SE-4724
	''Homemade''	*Label: MGM Records SE-4770
''Phase III''	*Label: MGM Records SE-4796
	''The Osmonds Live''	*Label: MGM Records 2SE-4826
''Crazy Horses''	*Label: MGM/Kolob Records SE-4871
1973	''The Plan''	*Label: MGM/Kolob Records SE-4902
1974	''Love Me for a Reason''	*Label: MGM/Kolob Records SE-4939
	''The Proud One''	*Label: MGM/Kolob Records M3G-4993
''Around the World: Live in Concert''	*Label: MGM/Kolob Records M3JB-5012
	''Brainstorm''	*Label: Polydor/Kolob Records PD-1-6077
''The Osmonds Christmas Album''	*Label: Polydor/Kolob Records PD-1-6083
1977	''The Osmonds Greatest Hits''	*Label: Polydor Records PD-2-9005
1979	''Steppin' Out''	*Label: Mercury SRM-1-3766
1982	''The Osmond Brothers''	*Label: Elektra Asylum Records 60180
1984	''One Way Rider''	*Label: Warner Bros. Records 1-25070
2000	''The All-Time Greatest Hits of the Osmond Family (Box Set)''	*Label: Curb Records
2008	''50th Anniversary Reunion Concert''	*Label: Denon 17678

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions						Album
		! style="width:45px;"	! style="width:45px;"	! style="width:45px;"	CAN	CAN AC	! style="width:45px;"
		1	37	—	1	—	—
	14	—	—	9	—	—
style="text-align:left;"	3	—	—	1	—	—
		4	—	—	1	—	40
	14	—	—	6	—	—
	68	7	—	—	—	—
style="text-align:left;"	14	—	—	12	—	2
		36	—	—	30	91	4
	36	4	—	15	5	2
		—	—	—	—	—	12
	10	2	—	18	5	1
		—	—	—	—	—	28
	22	1	—	25	4	5
	—	38	—	—	—	32
		46	38	—	70	35	37
	—	—	—	—	—	—
		—	—	17	—	—	—
	—	—	28	—	—	—
	—	—	43	—	—	—
1983		—	—	67	—	—	—
		—	—	43	—	—	—
	—	—	—	—	—	—
	—	—	39	—	—	—
	style="text-align:left;"	—	—	54	—	—	—
	—	—	56	—	—	—
		—	—	45	—	—	—
	—	—	69	—	—	—
	—	—	70	—	—	—
1987		—	—	—	—	27	—

References

External links

www.osmond.com Official Web site

Behind the Teeth: Know Your Osmond at Confessions of a Pop Culture Addict

The Osmonds Biography on YouTube

Category:American boy bands Category:American country music groups Category:American Latter Day Saints Category:American musicians of English descent Category:American people of Welsh descent Category:American pop music groups Category:Asylum Records artists Category:Elektra Records artists Category:Families from Utah Category:Family musical groups Category:Mercury Records artists Category:MGM Records artists Category:Musical groups from Utah Category:Polydor Records artists Category:Show business families Category:Warner Bros. Records artists

bg:Озмъндс da:The Osmonds de:The Osmonds nl:The Osmonds pl:The Osmonds ru:The Osmonds fi:The Osmonds sv:The Osmonds th:ดิ ออสมอนด์ส uk:The Osmonds

Coordinates	34°03′″N118°15′″N
name	Tom Smothers
alt	Head shot of Tom Smothers outdoors at night
birth name	Thomas Bolyn Smothers III
birth date	February 02, 1937
birth place	New York City, New York, USA
occupation	Comedian, musician, composer, actor
background	solo_singer
genre	folk
instrument	guitar, singing
associated acts	The Smothers Brothers
spouse	Stephanie Green (1963–1967)Rochelle Robley (1974–1976)Marcy Carriker (1990–present)
years active	1959–2010
website	http://www.smothersbrothers.com/ }}

Tom Smothers (born Thomas Bolyn Smothers III on February 2, 1937) is an American comedian, composer and musician, best known as half of the musical comedy team The Smothers Brothers, alongside his younger brother Dick.

Early life

Smothers was born in New York City, the son of Ruth (''née'' Remick), a homemaker, and Thomas B. Smothers, an army officer. After moving to California, he graduated from Redondo Union High School in Redondo Beach, California. He was a competitive unicyclist, and a state champion gymnast in the parallel bars. Smothers later attended San José State University, then known as San Jose State College. At SJSC, Smothers participated both in gymnastics and pole vault for the track team (coached by Lloyd (Bud) Winter).

Career

The Smothers Brothers initially wanted to be folk musicians. Tom didn't feel that he was good enough to be a professional musician, but he was funny enough to do comedy. The two began adding comedy bits to their act.

Tom's first foray into the medium of television was as a regular on the ''The Steve Allen Show'' in 1961. He followed that role with a single episode of ''Burke's Law''.

The Smothers Brothers next appeared on in the CBS sitcom, ''The Smothers Brothers Show'' from 1965 to 1966. Tom felt that the show didn't play to the brothers' strengths and wanted creative control over their next venture.

The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and aftermath

Tom Smothers negotiated creative control over their next CBS show, a variety show entitled ''The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour'' in 1967. The documentary ''Smothered'' describes how the brothers (particularly Tom) fought CBS censors to sneak in references to religion, recreational drugs, sex, and the Vietnam War. Smothers is widely quoted as saying: "The only valid censorship of ideas is the right of people not to listen." The brothers' oppositional politics led to their show's demise with David Steinberg later claiming "The most innovative variety show on television shut down because of political pressure". Tom has since stated "When the Smothers Brothers came on the air we had no political point of view or social consciousness, it just evolved as the show was on the air."

"Give Peace A Chance"

As Tom became more politically active, he befriended other political celebrities like John Lennon. In 1969, Smothers played guitar on John Lennon's recording of his single "Give Peace a Chance". The song was written during Lennon's ‘Bed-In’ honeymoon. Smothers can be seen in the documentary film about Lennon "Imagine" in the hotel room.

Political involvement

After the show was canceled, Tom became more strident in his politics.

In the 1970s, Smothers chided popular comedian Bill Cosby for not taking a stand on political issues of the day like civil rights.

In October 1976, both Cosby and Smothers were in attendance at a Playboy Mansion party. The tension between the two culminated in Cosby punching Smothers in the head.

Motion picture roles

In motion pictures, Tom Smothers portrayed corporate-executive-turned-tap-dancing-magician Donald Beeman in one of Brian De Palma's earlier films, ''Get to Know Your Rabbit'' (1972). He also played a banker in ''Silver Bears''. He later portrayed Spike in ''Serial'' (1980).

In 1973, he voiced Ted E. Bear (Theodore Edward Bear) in the DePatie-Freleng NBC animated Christmas special ''The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas''. Ten years later, he voiced Ted E. Bear again for its Halloween sequel The Great Bear Scare.

Later work

In 2007, Tom and Dick filmed a series of 30-second commercials and promotional spots for the River Rock Casino in Geyserville, California.

To augment their act in recent years, Tom Smothers created the mostly non-speaking character "Yo-Yo Man", a surprisingly expert performer of difficult tricks using a yo-yo. In their 2008 tour, Yo-Yo Man was listed as the group's opening act. The name is possibly a reference to the folk song "Yo-Yo Man," which the brothers sang together on ''The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour''.

In 2008, during the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards, Smothers was awarded a special Emmy. In 1968, when he was head writer of ''The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour'', the writing staff was awarded the Emmy for Outstanding Writing In A Comedic Series. Smothers had refused to let his name be on the list of writers nominated for the Emmy, because he felt his name was too volatile. The award at the 2008 ceremony was presented by Steve Martin, who was once a writer on the program.

On May 6, 2011, the American Civil Liberties Union's Sonoma County chapter honored Smothers with their Jack Green Civil Liberties Award for his work against television censorship and for speaking out for peace and civil liberties.

Personal life

Smothers is the owner of Remick Ridge Vineyards in Sonoma County, California with his wife Marcy Carriker and two children, Bo (born 1993), and Riley Rose (born 1996). He also has a son, Thomas Bolyn Smothers IV (Tom Jr.), from his first marriage, and one grandson, Phoenix Parrish-Smothers. There is a Smothers sister - Sherry - born September 1941, in Pasadena, CA.

See also

List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards

References

Sources

The Smothers Brothers at TV Party

Archive of American Television interview

Tommy Smothers quotes at ThinkExist

Tom Smothers 'Speaking Freely' transcript

Tom Smothers interview in 'Being There'

Tom Smothers interviewed by 'Jerry Jazz Musician'

Category:1937 births Category:American comedians Category:American comedy musicians Category:American composers Category:American television personalities Category:Living people Category:People from New York City Category:People from the Greater Los Angeles Area Category:San Jose State University alumni

Coordinates	34°03′″N118°15′″N
name	Gippy Grewal
background	solo_singer
birth name	Rupinder Singh Grewal
born	January 02, 1982 ''Koom Kallan'' Punjab
origin	Punjab
genre	Bhangra & Pop
occupation	Singer, Actor
years active	2005-Present
label	Planet Recordz (North America) Speed Records (India) Movie Box (UK) T-Series India
spouse	Ravneet Grewal
url	GippyGrewal.com
official facebook
notable instruments	}}

Gippy Grewal a.k.a. Rupinder Grewal is a Punjabi singer and actor. He was born in village Koom Kallan, Ludhiana, Punjab on January 2, 1982.

Biography

Gippy Grewal is one of the best recent Punjabi singers. The real name of Gippy Grewal is Rupinder Singh Grewal. He was born in village Koom Kallan, Ludhiana, Punjab on January 2, 1982.

Gippy Grewal has carefully developed a diver and successful musical career since his induction to the world of Bhangra by his first album called “Chakk Lai”. Gippy has proven his extraordinary talents to be musical. Gippy Grewal pushes every beat in his own unique style. Gippy Grewal has released many solo albums like “Chakk Lai”, “Nasha”, “Phulkari” and “Phulkari 2 Just Hits” Countdowns @ Top Place. And the “Phulkari” song become favorite to every bhangra lover and Punjabi DJ’s across the globe. The “Phulkari” Track becomes one of the biggest hit of 2004-05. The highly acclaimed track got played in every car, every club, every party, every wedding, across everywhere. So the Punjabi Bhangra fans, critics, composers use to call “Phulkari” track the Monster Track. This time Gippy Grewal is the favorite artist of young generation of Punjab. His big helping hands his brother “Sippy Grewal”. The upcoming efforts of Gippy Grewal have been set to repeat the history. He has also made an entry into Punjabi cinema. He debuted in the superhit film Mel Karade Rabba opposite Jimmy Shergill and Indo-Canadian actress Neeru Bajwa.

Discography

! Year	! Album	! Record Label	! Notes
	''Chakk Ley''	Anand	Debut Album
	''Nasha''	Nupur Audio	Music : Atul Sharma
2004	''Mele Mittaran De''	Finetone	Music : Kiss'n'Tell
2005	''Phulkari 2''	Speed Records	Music : Kiss'n'Tell
2006	''Akh Larh Gaya''	Speed Records	Music : Sukhpal Sukh
2007	''Chandi De Challe''	Speed Records	Music : Bhinda Aujla
2008	''My Time To Shine''	Speed Records	Music : Bhinda Aujla
2010	''Desi Rockstar''	Speed Records / Music Waves / Moviebox (U.K)	Music: Aman Hayer
2011	TBA	N/A	Religious cum Social Album.

Filmography

!Name	!Year	!Role	!Notes
Mel Karade Rabba	2010	Nihaal	Debut Film
Jihne Mera Dil Luteya	2011	Yuvraaj	Releasing Worldwide On 29th July 2011

References

"Gippy's Act 'Mel Karade Rabba",

Category:1982 births Category:Living people Category:Indian singers