The Blue Dog Coalition, commonly known as the Blue Dogs, is a group of United States Congressional Representatives from the Democratic Party who identify themselves as moderates.

It was formed in 1995 during the 104th Congress to give more conservative members from the Democratic party a unified voice after the Democrats' loss of Congress in the U.S. Congressional election of 1994. Blue Dog Coalition membership for the 112th Congress is 26 seats, down from 54 seats in the 111th Congress.

History

The term "Blue Dog Democrat" is credited to Texas Democratic Rep. Pete Geren (who later joined the Bush Administration). Geren opined that the members had been "choked blue" by "extreme" Democrats from the left. It is related to the political term "Yellow Dog Democrat," a reference to southern Democrats said to be so loyal they would even vote for a yellow dog if it were labeled Democrat. The term is also a reference to the "Blue Dog" paintings of Cajun artist George Rodrigue of Lafayette, Louisiana, as the original members of the coalition would regularly meet in the offices of Louisiana representatives Billy Tauzin and Jimmy Hayes, both of whom later joined the Republican Party; both had Rodrigue's paintings on their walls. An additional explanation for the term cited by members is "when dogs are not let into the house, they stay outside in the cold and turn blue," a reference to the Blue Dogs' belief they had been left out of a Party that they believed had shifted to the political left.

Although its membership is not exclusively Southern, some view the Blue Dogs as the political successors to a now defunct-in-name Southern Democratic group known as the Boll Weevils, who played a critical role in the early 1980s by supporting President Ronald Reagan's tax cut plan. The Boll Weevils, in turn, may be considered the descendants of the Dixiecrats and the "states' rights" Democrats of the 1940s through the 1960s.

The coalition was notably successful in a special election of February 2004 in Kentucky to fill a vacant seat in the House of Representatives. They were also successful in the November 2004 elections, when three of the five races in which a Democrat won a formerly Republican House seat were won by Blue Dogs. Freshman Blue Dogs in the House are sometimes nicknamed "Blue Pups".

In 2005, the members of the Blue Dog Coalition voted 32 to 4 in favor of the bill to limit access to bankruptcy protection (S 256).

While the Blue Dog Coalition is made up of House members, the term "Blue Dog" is sometimes used informally for Democratic senators, governors, or state legislators who resemble the Blue Dog Coalition positions based on their politics. Current such Senators include Ben Nelson (D-NE) and the newly elected Joe Manchin (D-WV).

110th Congress

In 2006, Blue Dog candidates such as Jason Altmire, Heath Shuler, and Brad Ellsworth were elected in conservative-leaning districts, ending years of Republican dominance in these areas. The group is the rough equivalent of the Republican Main Street Partnership.

In 2007, 15 Blue Dog Coalition Members in safe seats refused to contribute party dues to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. An additional 16 Blue Dogs have not paid any money to the DCCC but were exempt from party-mandated contributions because they were top GOP targets for defeat in 2008. One reason for the party-dues boycott is contained in remarks made by Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) encouraging leaders of anti-war groups to field primary challenges to any Democrat who does not vote to end the war in Iraq. Woolsey later stated that she was misunderstood, but the Blue Dogs have continued with the boycott. Donations to party Congressional Committees are an important source of funding for the party committees, permitting millions of dollars to be funneled back into close races.

111th Congress

In the summer of 2009, The Economist magazine said "[t]he debate over health care... may be the pinnacle of the group’s power so far" and quoted Charlie Stenholm, a founding Blue Dog, as saying that "this is the first year for the new kennel in which their votes are really going to make a difference."

112th Congress

The Blue Dog Coalition suffered serious losses in the 2010 midterm elections, losing over half of its seats to Republican challengers. Its members, who comprised roughly one quarter of the Democratic Party's caucus in the 111th Congress, accounted for half of the party's midterm election losses. Including retirements, Blue Dog numbers in the House were reduced from 54 members in 2008 to 26 members in 2010, and two of the Coalition's four leaders (Stephanie Herseth Sandlin and Baron Hill) failed to secure re-election.

Ideology

Blue Dogs purport to have an agenda that protects the interests of the vulnerable while also respecting traditional cultural values and keeping taxes low. Others, including fellow members of the Democratic Party, have questioned the veracity of this mission statement.

The Blue Dog Coalition is often involved in searching for a compromise between liberal and conservative positions. The Blue Dogs are viewed by some as a continuation of the socially conservative wing of the Democratic party prominent during the presidency of Harry S. Truman. However, the only stated policy position of the Blue Dogs is fiscal conservatism.

Despite the Blue Dogs' differing degrees of economic and social conservatism, they claim they generally work to promote positions within the House of Representatives that bridge the gap between right-wing and left-wing politics. Blue Dogs are an important swing vote on spending bills and as a result have gained influence in Congress out of proportion to their numbers. They are frequently sought after to broker compromises between the Democratic and Republican leadership, generally lending a more centrist character to US politics.

Funding

The biggest single source of finance for the Blue Dog Political Action Committee is the health care industry, which donated $1.2 million in the 2009-10 election cycle. In July 2009, Blue Dog members who were committee members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee successfully delayed the House vote on the Health Insurance Reform Bill (HR3200)) until after the Summer Recess.

Political relationships

New Democrat Coalition

Members of the New Democrat Coalition, an affiliate of the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC), take moderate or liberal positions on social issues and moderate positions on economic issues and trade. The DLC aims to revitalize and strengthen the Democratic party, while the Blue Dogs emphasize bipartisanship.

Democrats who identify with the Blue Dogs tend to be conservatives, but have more divergent positions on social issues than "New Democrats." Reflecting the group's Southern roots, many Blue Dogs are strong supporters of gun rights and receive high ratings from the National Rifle Association, some have pro-life voting records, and some get high ratings from immigration reduction groups. As a caucus, however, the group has never agreed on or taken a position on these issues, and many members favor more socially liberal positions.

On economic issues, Blue Dogs tend to be pro-business and favor limiting public welfare spending. They have supported welfare reduction as well as the Republican-backed Bankruptcy Reform Act of 2005. They have differing positions on trade issues, and include both supporters and strong critics of labor unions, protectionism, and other populist measures. New Democrats tend to favor free trade.

Some Democrats, such as Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona, are members of both the Blue Dog Coalition and the New Democratic Coalition.

Liberals

Some in the Democratic Party's liberal wing promote primary challenges against Blue Dog Coalition members in an effort to unseat Democratic Party members they view as unreliable or too conservative. The editors of the left-wing weblog OpenLeft refer to Blue Dog Democrats who voted for war funding in May 2007 and voted to grant the Executive branch warrantless wiretapping powers as "Bush Dogs". Others in the party view these individuals as "Republicans in Democrats Clothing".

Membership

Blue Dog membership was nearly cut in half by the 2010 Election, in which 26 members were re-elected but 28 were either defeated or chose not to run for re-election.

The membership is expected to decline further in the 113th Congress. Membership is already down to 25 with the resignation of Jane Harman, one of their more liberal members. Furthermore, two prominent remaining Blue Dogs, Dan Boren of Oklahoma and Mike Ross of Arkansas, have announced their retirement; one member, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, is running for Senate; and more members, such as North Carolina's Heath Shuler and Mike McIntyre, have been or will be targeted by Republicans in redistricting efforts.

Members in the 112th Congress

# Jason Altmire (PA-4) # Joe Baca (CA-43) # John Barrow (GA-12), Co-Chair for Policy # Sanford Bishop (GA-2) # Dan Boren (OK-2), Blue Dog Whip # Leonard Boswell (IA-3) # Dennis Cardoza (CA-18) # Ben Chandler (KY-6) # Jim Cooper (TN-5) # Jim Costa (CA-20) # Henry Cuellar (TX-28) # Joe Donnelly (IN-2) # Gabrielle Giffords (AZ-8) # Tim Holden (PA-17) # Jim Matheson (UT-2) # Mike McIntyre (NC-7) # Mike Michaud (ME-2) # Collin Peterson (MN-7) # Mike Ross (AR-4), Co-Chair for Communications # Loretta Sanchez (CA-47) # Adam Schiff (CA-29) # Kurt Schrader (OR-5) # David Scott (GA-13) # Heath Shuler (NC-11), Co-Chair for Administration # Mike Thompson (CA-1)

Members who didn't run for House re-election in 2010

Robert Marion Berry (AR-1)

Brad Ellsworth (IN-8) (ran for Senate in 2010, lost)

Bart Gordon (TN-6)

Charlie Melancon (LA-3), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Communications (ran for Senate in 2010, lost)

Dennis Moore (KS-3)

John Tanner (TN-8)

Members defeated in 2010 election

Mike Arcuri (NY-24)

Melissa Bean (IL-8)

Allen Boyd (FL-2)

Bobby Bright (AL-2)

Chris Carney (PA-10)

Travis Childers (MS-1)

Kathy Dahlkemper (PA-3)

Lincoln Davis (TN-4)

Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD-AL), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Administration

Baron Hill (IN-9), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Policy

Frank Kratovil (MD-1)

Betsy Markey (CO-4)

Jim Marshall (GA-8)

Walt Minnick (ID-1)

Harry Mitchell (AZ-5)

Patrick Murphy (PA-8)

Scott Murphy (NY-20)

Glenn Nye (VA-2)

Earl Pomeroy (ND-AL)

John Salazar (CO-3)

Zack Space (OH-18)

Gene Taylor (MS-4)

Charlie Wilson (OH-6)

Former members

Prominent Blue Dog Coalition members who have left the House or the coalition include:

Brad Carson (OK-2) (retired from the House to run for the Senate in 2004, losing to Republican Tom Coburn)

Gary Condit (CA-18) (defeated by Dennis Cardoza in 2002 Democratic primary)

Bud Cramer (AL-5) (retired from the House in 2009)

Harold Ford Jr. (TN-9) (retired from the House to run for the Senate in 2006, losing to Republican Bob Corker)

Kirsten Gillibrand (NY-20) (appointed to Senate in 2009)

Parker Griffith (AL-5) (became a Republican in 2009, defeated in 2010 Republican primary by Mo Brooks)

Ralph Hall (TX-4) (became a Republican in 2004 and is still a member of the House)

Jane Harman (CA-36) (resigned in 2011)

Nick Lampson (TX-22) (defeated by Republican Pete Olson in 2008)

Bill Lipinski (IL-3) (retired from the House in 2005)

Ken Lucas (KY-4) (retired from the House in 2005)

Tim Mahoney (FL-16) (defeated by Republican Tom Rooney in 2008)

David Minge (MN-2) (defeated by Republican Mark Kennedy in 2000)

David D. Phelps (IL-19) (defeated by Republican John Shimkus following 2002 redistricting)

Owen Pickett (VA-2) (retired from the House in 2001)

Max Sandlin (TX-1) (defeated by Republican Louie Gohmert following 2003 Texas redistricting)

Charlie Stenholm (TX-17) (defeated by Republican Randy Neugebauer following 2003 Texas redistricting)

Billy Tauzin (LA-3) (became a Republican in 1995)

Jim Turner (TX-2) (retired from House following 2003 Texas redistricting)

See also

Boll weevil

Democrat In Name Only

Congressional Progressive Caucus

Dixiecrat

Libertarian Democrat

New Democrat Coalition

Red Tory

Yellow dog Democrat, a person who will vote for any Democratic candidate

References

External links

Blue Dog Coalition homepage

Blue Dog PAC homepage

About.com's Meet the Blue Dog Coalition, Moderate Democratic Members of the House of Representatives

C-Span article by Ilona Nickels on Blue Dogs

Future of American Democracy: Academic site of Dr. Glen Browder, founding member of the Blue Dog Coalition

Texas Blue Dog Coalition

Right-Leaning "Blue Dogs" Lose Seats in 2010 Election - video report by ''Democracy Now!''

Category:Caucuses of the United States Congress Category:Centrist political advocacy groups in the United States Category:Democratic Party (United States) organizations Category:Political party factions in the United States Category:Conservatism in the United States Category:American political terms

cs:Koalice modrého psa de:Blue Dog Coalition fr:Blue Dog Coalition it:Blue Dog Coalition pt:Coalização Blue Dog

name	Terry Scott
bgcolour	silver
occupation	actor, comedian
birth name	Owen John Scott
birth date	4 May 1927
birth place	Watford, Hertfordshire, England, UK
death date	July 26, 1994
death place	Godalming, Surrey, England, UK
other names	}}

Owen John "Terry" Scott (4 May 1927 – 26 July 1994) was an English actor and comedian who appeared in seven ''Carry On films''. He also appeared in BBC1's popular domestic sitcom ''Terry and June'' with June Whitfield. As a regular comedy performer, he went on to become one of Britain's top stars.

Scott was born in Watford and educated at Watford Field Junior School and Watford Grammar School for Boys. He studied accounting and served in the Navy during World War II. With Bill Maynard he appeared at Butlins Holiday Camp in Skegness and partnered him in the TV series ''Great Scott, It's Maynard!''. During the early 1960s, he became well known to television audiences for his role alongside Hugh Lloyd in ''Hugh and I''. Scott later appeared with Lloyd as gnomes in the 1969 sitcom ''The Gnomes of Dulwich''.

Scott is best remembered for starring alongside June Whitfield in several series of the comedy ''Happy Ever After'' and its successor, ''Terry and June''. They also starred together in the film version of ''Bless This House''.

Scott had played a small role in the very first of the ''Carry On'' series of movies, ''Carry On Sergeant'' in 1958. In 1968 he returned to the series with a role in ''Carry On Up the Khyber'' (1968), playing main roles in six of the films.

In the 1970s, he had a memorable role in TV commercials for a chocolate coated caramel bar called Curly Wurly, in which he appeared dressed as a schoolboy, complete with short trousers and cap.

Scott's novelty record "My Brother" (written by Mitch Murray) was based on this schoolboy character (he dressed in the uniform to sing it on TV) and received regular airplay on BBC radio (in particular Ed 'Stewpot' Stewart's Saturday and Sunday morning programme ''Junior Choice'' which was simulcast on BBC Radio 1 and 2) for many years. In the 1980s, with his distinctive speaking voice, Scott was the voice of Penfold the hamster in the animated series ''Danger Mouse''.

Scott suffered from ill-health for many years. In 1979, he had a life-saving operation after a haemorrhage. He also suffered from creeping paralysis and had to wear a neck brace, even on television. When ''Terry and June'' was axed in 1987, Scott suffered a nervous breakdown. The attack was in part brought on by his public confession that he had had a series of affairs during his marriage to former dancer Maggie Pollen. He was also diagnosed with cancer that same year. Scott had married Pollen in 1957 and they had four daughters.

Scott died from the cancer he had battled for 7 years at the family home in Witley near Godalming in Surrey, on 26 July 1994, aged 67.

Selected films

''Blue Murder at St Trinian's'' (1957)

''Carry On Sergeant'' (1958)

''The Bridal Path'' (1959)

''I'm All Right Jack'' (1959)

''And the Same to You'' (1960)

''Nearly a Nasty Accident'' (1961)

''The Night We Got the Bird'' (1961)

''What a Whopper'' (1961)

''Nothing Barred'' (1961)

''Mary Had a Little...'' (1961)

''Father Came Too!'' (1963)

''Murder Most Foul'' (1964)

''Gonks Go Beat'' (1965)

''Doctor in Clover'' (1966)

''The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery'' (1966)

''Carry On up the Khyber'' (1968)

''Carry On Camping'' (1969)

''Carry On Loving'' (1970)

''Carry On Henry'' (1970)

''Carry On up the Jungle'' (1970)

External links

Category:1927 births Category:1994 deaths Category:English film actors Category:English television actors Category:English comedians Category:English voice actors Category:Old Fullerians Category:People from Watford Category:Cancer deaths in England Category:Carry On films Category:Butlins Redcoats

cy:Terry Scott de:Terry Scott es:Terry Scott fr:Terry Scott

George Rodrigue (born March 13, 1944) is a Cajun artist who grew up in New Iberia, Louisiana. Rodrigue began painting outdoor family gatherings framed by moss-clad oak trees in an area of French Louisiana known as Acadiana.

Biography

Rodrigue attended the Brothers of the Christian Schools all-male high school called St.Peter's College, (now Catholic High School) which was located near St.Peter's Church, and on the banks of the Bayou Teche as it runs through New Iberia. He studied art formally at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (then named the University of Southwestern Louisiana) and the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. He later trained in New York, and became well known for his abstract expressionism of Cajun subjects, inspired by his roots.

Rodrigue’s early notable works include ''The Aioli Dinner'' and ''Three Oaks''. He also designed three posters for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which feature portraits of Louis Armstrong, Pete Fountain and Al Hirt.

More recently and worldwide he is known for his creation of the ''Blue Dog'' series of paintings, featuring a blue-hued dog, attributed to his deceased dog named Tiffany and influenced by the Loup Garou legend—the first painting in the series bears the title ''Loup Garou''. The ''Blue Dog'' was made popular by Absolut Vodka in 1992, when Rodrigue was honored as an Absolut Vodka artist, joining famous artists such as Andy Warhol and glass artist Hans Godo Frabel. The ''Blue Dog'' was used by both Absolut Vodka and the Xerox Corporation through national ad campaigns. The blue-hued, ghostly spaniel/terrier is often featured with a white nose and yellow eyes. His symbol helped coin the term ''Blue Dog Democrat'', which refers to a conservative member of the Democratic Party.

Rodrigue has galleries in Aspen, Colorado; Carmel, California; Lafayette, Louisiana; and New Orleans, Louisiana. He was awarded an honorary doctorate at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette on May 17th 2009.

Response to Hurricane Katrina

Forced to relocate, Rodrigue temporarily moved his base of operations to Lafayette, Louisiana. Days after the disaster, he created ''We Will Rise Again,'' depicting the American flag covered with water, to benefit the Red Cross in response to Hurricane Katrina and the flooding of New Orleans. "The Blue Dog is partly submerged, and its eyes, normally yellow, are red with a broken heart," Rodrigue wrote in September 2005. "Like a ship's S.O.S., the red cross on the dog's chest calls out for help."

"We Will Rise Again" was the first of five works that the acclaimed artist created for his new initiative, Blue Dog Relief: George Rodrigue Art Campaign for Recovery. To directly benefit the New Orleans Museum of Art, which was closed for six months due to flood damage, he also painted ''Throw Me Something FEMA'' and ''You Can't Drown the Blues.''

Following those releases, Rodrigue launched a campaign for New Orleans levee protection. He sent prints of ''To Stay Alive We Need Levee 5'' to every member of the U.S. Congress. Sales proceeds from silkscreen prints and related campaign materials — including T-shirts, lapel pins, bumper stickers and buttons — are donated to NOMA.

Rodrigue donated his ''Cut Through the Red Tape'' image to the United Way for use in promoting the Louisiana 2-1-1 phone system. Louisiana 2-1-1 (an easy to remember Information & Referral phone number) seeks to eliminate the red tape of reaching human-service agencies — particularly in the wake of disasters such as Hurricane Katrina.

As of September 2006, the donation tally to Blue Dog Relief beneficiaries was $700,000 — including a check for $100,000 that Rodrigue presented to NOMA on March 3, 2006, to help kick off its grand re-opening: "The HeART of New Orleans," a three-day weekend celebration of the arts.

Publications

''Le Petit Cajun: Conversations with André Rodrigue'', from his son’s perspective

''Blue Dog'' (Viking / Penguin, 1994; a Book of the Month Club selection)

''George Rodrigue; A Cajun Artist'' (Penguin Studio, 1997)

''Blue Dog man'' (foreword by Tom Brokaw, Stewart Tabori & Chang, 1999)

''A Blue Dog Christmas'' (Stewart Tabori & Chang, 2000)

''The Art of George Rodrigue'' a 40-year retrospective by Ginger Danto & George Rodrigue, Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (November, 2003)

''George Rodrigue Prints: A Catalogue Raisonne'' (Abrahms, 2008)

''Are You Blue Dog's Friend?'' (Abrams, 2009)

Accolades

1986: Commissioned by Republican Party to paint President Ronald Reagan; Reagan later donated painting to Louisiana State University

1988: Commissioned by Republican Party to paint Vice President George Bush and his 10 grandchildren; painting now hangs in Bush's private office

1989: Painted three Cajun Easter eggs for annual White House Easter Egg Roll

1992: Commissioned by Carillon Importers to paint Absolut Louisiana for USA Today

1993: Carillon Importers commissioned Absolut Rodrigue

1995: Commissioned by New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival to paint Louis Armstrong

1996: New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival commissioned portrait of Pete Fountain; and Neiman Marcus commissioned catalogue cover design for the book ''Butterflies Are Free''

1997: Commissioned by Democratic Inaugural Committee to paint President-elect Bill Clinton and Vice President-elect Al Gore

1998: Commissioned by New Orleans Jazz Club to create 50th anniversary poster; and Neiman Marcus commissioned catalogue cover design for the book ''Hawaiian Blues''

2000: Commissioned by Young & Rubicam to create paintings for ads promoting Xerox Color Inkjet Printers; and New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival commissioned painting of Al Hirt

2003: Honored as Outstanding Alum of the University of Louisiana, along with baseball legend Ron Guidry

2003: Raised approximately 1 million dollars for a new habitat for Mike the Tiger, Louisiana State University's live mascot. He did so by painting the Tiger along with Rodrigue's famous oak trees and donated 5,000 silkscreens to the Tiger Athletic Foundation.

2004: Painted official portrait for the inauguration of Louisiana Governor Kathleen Rabineaux Blanco; inducted into Louisiana "Order of Living Legends" by the Acadian Museum; delivered guest lecture at the Great Hall of the Nantucket Atheneum, the historical library on the island of Nantucket; and honored as Artist of the Year by the American Liver Foundation in Birmingham, Al.

2005: Created official 25th anniversary artwork for the Musical Arts Society of New Orleans

2010: Honored as inaugural Forum35 Art Melt Louisiana Art Legend

External links

Rodrigue Studio

George Rodrigue Art Campaign for Hurricane Recovery

Rodrigue's Louisiana

Audio Interviews with George Rodrigue

Southern Living web profile

Rodrigue Receives Honorary Doctorate from the University of Louisiana

Category:1944 births Category:Cajun people Category:Living people Category:University of Louisiana at Lafayette alumni Category:American painters Category:Artists from Louisiana

de:George Rodrigue simple:George Rodrigue

team	Belfast Giants
league	EIHL
position	Defense
shoots	Right
height ft	5
height in	10
weight lb	195
nationality	USA
birth date	August 11, 1981
birth place	Easthampton, MA, USA
draft	Undrafted
career start	2005 }}

Jeff Mason (born August 11, 1981) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Belfast Giants of the Elite Ice Hockey League.

After four years in Providence College, Mason began his professional hockey career with the ECHL's Augusta Lynx in 2005. The next season he signed with the Long Beach Ice Dogs and was the team's highest scoring defenceman, scoring 11 goals and 31 assists for 42 points in what was a difficult season for the Ice Dogs as they finished bottom of the Pacific Division. Mason then spent the next two seasons playing for the Gwinnett Gladiators. In his second season in 2008-09, Mason scored 14 goals and 22 assists for 36 points and was the teams top scoring defenceman. In 2009-10, Mason split the season with the Kalamazoo Wings and in the German 2nd Bundesliga for the Heilbronner Falken. In 2010, Mason signed with the Belfast Giants.

Career statistics

{| BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="0" width="75%" style="text-align:center" |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" |   ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |   ! colspan="5" | Regular Season ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |   ! colspan="5" | Playoffs |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! ALIGN="center" | Season ! ALIGN="center" | Team ! ALIGN="center" | League ! ALIGN="center" | GP ! ALIGN="center" | G ! ALIGN="center" | A ! ALIGN="center" | Pts ! ALIGN="center" | PIM ! ALIGN="center" | GP ! ALIGN="center" | G ! ALIGN="center" | A ! ALIGN="center" | Pts ! ALIGN="center" | PIM |- | 2001-02 | Providence College | HE | 34 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 10 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2002-03 | Providence College | HE | 21 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 10 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |- | 2003-04 | Providence College | HE | 33 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 10 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2004-05 | Providence College | HE | 37 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 20 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |- | 2005-06 | Augusta Lynx | ECHL | 46 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 12 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2006-07 | Long Beach Ice Dogs | ECHL | 71 | 11 | 31 | 42 | 62 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |- | 2007-08 | Gwinnett Gladiators | ECHL | 70 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 44 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 0 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2008-09 | Gwinnett Gladiators | ECHL | 71 | 14 | 22 | 36 | 26 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |- | 2009-10 | Kalamazoo Wings | ECHL | 36 | 7 | 16 | 23 | 6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |- | 2009-10 | Heilbronner Falken | 2.GBun | 16 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |-|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" | ECHL Totals ! 287 ! 41 ! 88 ! 129 ! 144 ! 11 ! 4 ! 2 ! 6 ! 0 |}

References

External links

Category:1981 births Category:American ice hockey defencemen Category:Augusta Lynx players Category:Gwinnett Gladiators players Category:Living people Category:Long Beach Ice Dogs players Category:Providence Friars men's ice hockey players

name	Bill Withers
background	solo_singer
birth name	William Harrison Withers, Jr.
born	July 04, 1938Slab Fork, West Virginia, U.S.
origin	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
instrument	Vocals, guitar, keyboards
genre	Soul, R&B;, blues
occupation	Singer-songwriter, musician
years active	1967–1985
label	Sussex RecordsColumbia Records
website	billwithersmusic.com }}

William Harrison "Bill" Withers, Jr. (born July 4, 1938) is an American singer-songwriter and musician who performed and recorded from 1970 until 1985. Some of his best-known songs are "Lean on Me", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Use Me", "Just the Two of Us", "Lovely Day", and "Grandma's Hands". His life was recently the subject of the documentary film ''Still Bill''.

Early life

Withers was born the youngest of thirteen children in the small coal-mining town of Slab Fork, West Virginia. Raised in nearby Beckley, West Virginia, Withers was thirteen years old when his father died. He enlisted with the United States Navy at age eighteen and served for nine years, during which time he became interested in singing and writing songs. Soon after his discharge from the Navy in 1970, he relocated to Los Angeles for a musical career.

Withers worked as an assembler for several different companies, including Douglas Aircraft Corporation, while recording demo tapes with his own money, shopping them around and performing in clubs at night. When he debuted with the song "Ain't No Sunshine" he refused to resign his job because of his belief that the music business was a fickle industry and that he was still a novice compared to other acts.

Career

Sussex Records

During early 1970, Withers' demonstration tape was audited favorably by Clarence Avant of Sussex Records. Avant signed Withers to a record deal and assigned Booker T. Jones to produce Withers' first album. Four three-hour studio sessions were planned to record the album, but funding caused the album to be recorded in three sessions with a six-month break between the second and final sessions. ''Just as I Am'' was released in 1971 with the tracks "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Grandma's Hands" as singles. The album features Stephen Stills playing lead guitar.

The album was a success and Withers began touring with a band assembled from members of The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band: drummer James Gadson, guitarist Benorce Blackmon, keyboardist Ray Jackson, and bassist Melvin Dunlap.

At the 14th annual Grammy Awards on Tuesday, March 14, 1972, Withers won a Grammy Award for Best R&B; Song for "Ain't No Sunshine." The track had already sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in September 1971.

During a hiatus from touring, Withers recorded his second album, ''Still Bill''. The single "Lean on Me" went to number one the week of July 8, 1972. It was Withers' second gold disc awarded track with confirmed sales in excess of three million. His single "Use Me" released in August 1972, became his third million seller, with the R.I.A.A. gold disc award taking place on October 12, 1972. A Friday, October 6, 1972 performance on a rainy night was recorded for the live album ''Bill Withers, Live at Carnegie Hall'' released November 30, 1972. In 1974 Withers recorded the album ''+'Justments.'' But he became involved in a legal dispute with the Sussex company and was unable to record thereafter.

During this time, he wrote and produced two songs on the Gladys Knight & the Pips record ''I Feel a Song'', and in October 1974 performed in concert together with James Brown, Etta James, and B. B. King at the historic Rumble in the Jungle fight between Foreman and Ali in Zaire. Footage of his performance was included in the 1996 documentary film, ''When We Were Kings'', and he is heard on the accompanying soundtrack.

Columbia Records

Withers signed with Columbia Records in 1975. His first release with the label, ''Making Music, Making Friends'', included the single "She's Lonely" which was featured in the film ''Looking for Mr. Goodbar''. During the next three years he released an album each year with ''Naked & Warm'' (1976), ''Menagerie'' (1977, containing the successful ''Lovely Day'') and ''Bout Love'' (1978) and ''Get On Down'', the latter song was also on ''Looking for Mr. Goodbar'' soundtrack.

Due to problems with Columbia, he concentrated on joint projects between 1977 and 1985, including the successful "Just the Two of Us", with jazz saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr., which was released during June 1980. It won a Grammy on February 24, 1982. Withers next did ''Soul Shadows'' with The Crusaders, and ''In the Name of Love'' with Ralph MacDonald, the latter being nominated for a Grammy for vocal performance.

In 1985 came ''Watching You, Watching Me'', which featured the Top 40 rated Rhythm&Blues; single "Oh Yeah". Withers ended his business association with Columbia Records after this release, which as of 2010 is his last studio album.

In 1988, a new version of "Lovely Day" from the 1977 ''Menagerie'' album, titled "Lovely Day (Sunshine Mix)" and remixed by Ben Liebrand, reached the Top 10 in the United Kingdom, leading to Withers' performance on the long-running ''Top of the Pops'' that year. The original release had scored #2 in the UK in 1973, and the re-release scored to #1.

In 1987, he received his ninth Grammy award nomination and on March 2, 1988 his third Grammy for Best Rhythm and Blues Song as songwriter for the re-recording of ''Lean On Me'' by Club Nouveau on their debut album ''Life, Love and Pain'', released in 1986 on Warner Bros. Records.

In 1996, a portion of his song "Grandma's Hands" was sampled in the song "No Diggity" by BLACKstreet, featuring Dr. Dre. The single went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and sold 1.6 million copies and won a Grammy in 1999 for Best R&B; Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

Withers contributed two songs to Jimmy Buffett's July 13, 2004 release ''License To Chill''. Following the reissues of ''Still Bill'' on January 28, 2003 and ''Just As I Am'' on March 8, 2005, there was speculation of previously unreleased material being issued as a new album. In 2006, Sony gave back to Withers his previously unreleased tapes.

In 2007, "Lean On Me" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Personal life

Withers married actress Denise Nicholas in 1973, during her stint as the main actress of the popular sitcom, ''Room 222''. The couple did not have any children and divorced the next year.

During the professional semi-hiatus which began in the late 1970s, Withers concentrated more on personal matters than professional recording. In 1976, he married Marcia Johnson and they had two children, Todd and Kori. Marcia eventually assumed the direct management of his Beverly Hills-based publishing companies, in which his children also became involved as they became adults.

Discography

Studio albums

rowspan="2"	Year	Album	Chart positions			UScertifications	Record label
! style="width:40px;"	! style="width:40px;"		! style="width:40px;"
	1971	style="text-align:left;"	''Just as I Am''	35	9	—	—	rowspan="3"
	1972	style="text-align:left;"	''Still Bill''	4	1	—	Gold
	1974	style="text-align:left;"	''+'Justments''	67	7	—	—
	1975	style="text-align:left;"	Making Music (Bill Withers album)>Making Music''	81	7	—	—	rowspan="5"
	1976	style="text-align:left;"	''Naked & Warm''	169	41	—	—
	1977	style="text-align:left;"	''Menagerie''	39	16	27	Gold
	1979	style="text-align:left;"	'''Bout Love''	134	50	—	—
	1985		143	42	60	—

Live albums

rowspan="2"	Year	Album	Chart positions		Record label
! style="width:40px;"	! style="width:40px;"
	1973	style="text-align:left;"	''Live at Carnegie Hall''	63	6		Sussex Records>Sussex

Compilation albums

rowspan="2"	Year	Album	Chart positions			UScertifications	Record label
! style="width:40px;"	! style="width:40px;"		! style="width:40px;"
	1975	style="text-align:left;"	''The Best of Bill Withers''	182	33	—	—		Sussex Records>Sussex
	1980		—	—	—	—	rowspan="2"
	1981	style="text-align:left;"	''Greatest Hits''	183	58	90	Gold
	1994	style="text-align:left;"	''Lean on Me: The Best of Bill Withers''	—	—	—	—	rowspan="2"
	2000	style="text-align:left;"	''The Best of Bill Withers: Lean on Me''	—	—	—	—
	2005	style="text-align:left;"	''Lovely Day: The Very Best of Bill Withers''	—	—	35	—		Sony Music Entertainment>Sony Music
	2008		—	—	—	—		Music Club Deluxe
	2009		—	—	—	—		Sussex/Columbia/Legacy

Singles

rowspan="2"	Year	Single	Chart positions
! style="width:40px;"	! style="width:40px;"		! style="width:40px;"	! style="width:40px;"
rowspan="2"	1971		3	6	2	40 1
	42	18	16	—
	style="text-align:left;"	1	1	4	18
style="text-align:left;"	2	2	14	—
	47	17	33	—
		31	12	—	—
	80	25	—	—
		50	10	—	—
	—	15	—	—
	89	13	—	—
		—	68	—	—
	76	10	—	—
		—	54	—	—
	—	—	—	—
	—	74	—	—
		—	88	—	—
style="text-align:left;"	30	6	25	7
	1978		—	75	—	—
		—	30	—	—
	—	85	—	—
	style="text-align:left;"	2	3	2	34
	—	—	—	—
	—	83	—	—
	1984	style="text-align:left;"	"In the Name of Love" (with Ralph MacDonald)	58	13	6	95
		106	22	40	60
	—	46	—	—
	—	—	—	—
	1987	style="text-align:left;"	"Lovely Day" (re-release)	—	—	—	92
		—	—	—	4
	—	—	—	82
	1990		—	—	—	98

¹ The original version of "Ain't No Sunshine" did not chart on the UK Singles Chart until 2009, 38 years after its original release.

Awards

WinWinWinNAACP Image Awards

style="background:#bcbcbc;"	Year	Award	Result	Category	Song
1971	Grammy Award	|	Grammy Award for Best R&B; Song>Best Rhythm & Blues Song	"Ain't No Sunshine"
1981		|	Best Rhythm & Blues Song	Ralph MacDonald and William Salter (songwriter)>William Salter)
1987		|	Best Rhythm & Blues Song	"Lean On Me" (as covered by Club Nouveau)
1972	|	Win	Male Singer of the Year	-

Honors

2002: Honorary doctorate from Mountain State University

2005: Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee

2006: ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Heritage award 2007: Inducted into West Virginia Music Hall of Fame

References

External links

Biography at Soultracks.com

Bill Withers Biography with photos

''Still Bill'' documentary

Extensive 2009 audio interview with Withers on public radio program ''The Sound of Young America''

Category:African American musicians Category:African American singer-songwriters Category:American male singers Category:American rhythm and blues musicians Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Musicians from West Virginia Category:People from Raleigh County, West Virginia Category:Columbia Records artists Category:Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees Category:United States Navy sailors Category:1938 births Category:Living people

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