Look up Michael in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Michael ( /ˈmaɪkəl/) is a given name that comes from the Hebrew: מִיכָאֵל / מיכאל‎ (Mikha'el), derived from the Hebrew question מי כמו אלוהים? (Hebrew pronunciation: [mi kəmo ʔelohim]) meaning "Who is like God?"^[1] In English, it is sometimes shortened to Mike, Mikey, or, especially in Ireland, Mick. In Russian language, it is Mikhail and Mykhailo in Ukrainian.

Female forms of Michael include Michèle, Michelle, Michaela, Mechelle, Micheline, and Michaelle, although Michael is occasionally seen as a female name, with women named Michael including actresses Michael Learned and Michael Michele. Another form is Mychal, which can either be a male or female name. Surnames that come from Michael include Carmichael, Dimichele, MacMichael, McMichael, Micallef, Michaelson, Mikhaylov, Mykhaylenko, Michaels and Mitchell.

Etymology[link]

The name first appears in the Bible, Numbers 13:13, where Sethur the son of Michael is one of twelve spies sent into the Land of Canaan. The Archangel Michael, referred to later in the Bible (Daniel 12:1), is considered a saint by the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church. 29 September is the feast day of the three archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.

Popularity[link]

Michael is a popular name in the United States, and has been in the top three most popular name given to male babies in the U.S. for each year since 1953.^[2] It is in the top 50 most popular boys' names in England and Wales.^[3] The name has been popular in Orthodox Christian countries, and was borne by several rulers of the Byzantine and Russian Empires. In recent years, Michael has been the most popular name in the Philippines,^[4] the second most popular name in Finland (Mikael)^[5] and ranks among the top ten names in Denmark (Mikkel)^[5] and Ireland (Mícheál).^[6] It is the 23rd most popular name in Canada,^[7] and the 37th most popular in Mexico (in the form of 'Miguel').^[8]

Short form and other versions[link]

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2009)

"Mike", "Mick", "Mikiel", "Mikey", "Mikael", "Mic", "Mishka" (common in Russia) and "Mickey" are short forms of, or nicknames for, Michael as a given name. "Mick" is commonly associated with Irish people.

The Irish language version of the name Michael is usually spelt Mícheál but is also sometimes spelt Micheál or simply Micheal. Meik and Maik are German short forms of Michael. The German pronunciation of both variants is identical to the English pronunciation of "Mike", since both are directly derived from their English counterparts. Similarly, the Welsh versions "Meical" and "Meic" are pronounced in the same way as their corresponding English analogues. Another Welsh version of the name is "Mihangel", which is a contracted combination of the name Michael and the word angel. Michiel (mee-KHEEL) is Dutch and the Dutch given name "Chiel" is a variation of Michiel. Mikael, Mikell, Mikkel are Scandinavian.^[9] In Swedish, "Micke" is a nickname for "Mikael" (also spelt "Michael").

In Greek "Μιχάλης" ("Michalis" or "Mihalis") is an everyday common form of the "Μιχαήλ" ("Michail" or "Mihail"). "Miķelis" is the Latvian form for Michael. In Russian, "Миша" ("Mischa" or "Misha") is a shortened form of "Михаил" (Mikhail). "Мишка" (Mishka) is a common diminutive form, "Миха" (Mikha) is an informal shortened form, and "Михайлович" (Mikhaylovich) is a patronymic form that can be shortened to more informal "Михалыч" (Mikhalych). Michal is Czech and Slovak. Michał is Polish; Miko is Slavic.^[9] Mëhill or Mhill is the Albanian for Michael. The first belongs to the southern (Tosk) dialect, the second to the northern (Gheg) dialect. In Hebrew, "מיכה" (Mikha) is a common shortened form of "מיכאל" (Mikha'el). In Arabic," میکائیل" (Mikā'īl).

Miquel (or Quelo in its shortened version) is the Catalan form for Michael.

Miguel is a Spanish and Portuguese form; Michel is French and popular in the Netherlands.^[9] In French, both forms are popular: Michel and Mickaël.

Rulers named "Michael"[link]

Byzantine emperors[link]

• Michael I Rangabe (unknown-844), married the daughter of Emperor Nikephoros I
• Michael II (770–829), also called "the Stammerer"
• Michael III (840–867), also called "the Drunkard", youngest child of Emperor Theophilos
• Michael IV the Paphlagonian (1010–1041), came from a peasant family
• Michael V (1015–1042), nephew of Michael IV
• Michael VI Stratiotikos (unknown–1059), chosen by the empress Theodora as her successor
• Michael VII Doukas (c1050–1078), eldest son of Constantine X Doukas
• Michael VIII Palaiologos (1223–1282), founder of the Palaeologan dynasty
• Michael IX Palaiologos (1277–1320), eldest son of Andronikos II Palaiologos

Abkhazian rulers[link]

• Mikhail, Prince of Abkhazia (died 1866)

Russian rulers[link]

• Mikhail of Vladimir (unknown–1176), eldest son of Yuri Dolgoruky by his second marriage
• Mikhail Yaroslavich (1271–1318), second son of Yaroslav III
• Michael I of Russia (1596–1645), first Russian Tsar of the house of Romanov
• Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia (1917), the younger brother of Tsar Nicholas II

King of Poland[link]

• Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki (1640–1673), King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

King and Princes of Portugal[link]

• Miguel da Paz, Prince of Asturias (1498–1500), son of King Manuel I of Portugal
• Miguel de Bragança (1699–1724), illegitimate son of King Pedro II of Portugal, drowned
• Miguel of Portugal (1802–1866), forced to abdicate in 1834
• Miguel, Duke of Braganza (1853–1927), claimant to the throne in exile
• Prince Miguel, Duke of Viseu (1878–1923), eldest son of Miguel, Duke of Braganza

Rulers of Romania[link]

• Michael the Brave (1558–1601), Prince of Wallachia, Transylvania, and Moldavia
• Michael of Romania (born 1921), forced to abdicate by the communists in 1947

Tsar of Bulgaria[link]

• Boris I of Bulgaria (unknown-907), sometimes known as Boris-Mihail
• Michael Asen I of Bulgaria (1238/1241–1256), son of Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria
• Michael Asen II of Bulgaria (1270-after 1302), only known son of Constantine Tikh of Bulgaria
• Michael Shishman of Bulgaria (after 1280–1330), also known as Michael Asen III

British Royal Family[link]

• Prince Michael of Kent (born 1942), cousin of Elizabeth II
• Princess Michael of Kent (born 1945), author and wife of Prince Michael

See also[link]

• Michael (ship), Carrack of the 16th century Kingdom of Scotland.
• Mike (disambiguation), common name derived from Michael, with other meanings
• Micky (disambiguation), common name derived from Michael
• Mick and similar (disambiguation), other variants, derivations, and similar sounding names
• Michaels (disambiguation)
• Saint Michael (disambiguation)
• Michel, French language variant of Michael
• Mibuel (disambiguation), Spanish and Portuguese language variant of Michael
• Michele, Italian language variant of Michael
• Michela
• Mikko, Finnish (Finno-Ugric) variant of Michael
• Misha (disambiguation)
• List of most popular given names
• Theophory in the Bible

References[link]

This page or section lists people that share the same given name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change that link to point directly to the intended article.

Jimmy Webb
Jimmy Webb, 2011
Background information
Born	(1946-08-15) August 15, 1946 (age 65) Elk City, Oklahoma US
Genres	Popular, country, rock
Occupations	Songwriter, Composer, Singer
Instruments	vocals, piano
Years active	1966–present
Labels	Epic, Reprise, Asylum, Atlantic, Columbia, Elektra
Website	www.jimmywebb.com

Jimmy Webb (born August 15, 1946) is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He wrote numerous platinum-selling classics, including "Up, Up and Away", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", "Galveston", "The Worst That Could Happen", "All I Know", and "MacArthur Park".^[1] His songs have been performed by many popular contemporary singers, including Glen Campbell, The 5th Dimension, Thelma Houston, The Supremes, Richard Harris, Johnny Maestro, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Isaac Hayes, Art Garfunkel, Amy Grant, America, Linda Ronstadt, R.E.M., Michael Feinstein, Donna Summer and Carly Simon. According to BMI, his song "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" was the third most performed song in the fifty years between 1940 to 1990.^[2] Webb is the only artist ever to have received Grammy Awards for music, lyrics, and orchestration.^[3][4]

Early life[link]

Jimmy Layne Webb was born August 15, 1946 in Elk City, Oklahoma. His father, Robert Lee Webb, was a Baptist minister and former member of the United States Marine Corps who presided over rural churches in southwestern Oklahoma and west Texas. With his mother's encouragement, Webb learned piano and organ, and by the age of 12 was playing in the choir of his father's churches, accompanied by his father on guitar and his mother on accordion. Webb grew up in a conservative religious home where his father restricted radio listening to country music and white gospel music.

During the late 1950s, Webb started writing songs, influenced by the church music he played and also by some of the new music he heard, including Elvis Presley. In 1961, at the age of 14, he bought his first record, "Turn Around, Look at Me" by Glen Campbell. Webb was drawn to the singer's distinctive voice.^[5]

In 1964, Webb and his family moved to Southern California, where he attended San Bernardino Valley College studying music. Following the death of his mother in 1965, his father made plans to return to Oklahoma. Webb decided to stay in California to continue his music studies and to pursue a career as a songwriter in Los Angeles. As father and son said goodbye in San Bernardino, Webb would later recall his father saying, "This songwriting thing is going to break your heart." But seeing that his son was determined to be a success, he gave his son $40. "It's not much", he said, "but it's all I have."^[5]

Early songwriting success[link]

After transcribing other people's music for a small music publisher, Webb was signed to a songwriting contract with Jobete Music, the publishing arm of Motown Records. The first commercial recording of a Jimmy Webb song was "My Christmas Tree" by The Supremes, which appeared on their 1965 Merry Christmas album. The following year, Webb met singer and producer Johnny Rivers, who signed him to a publishing deal and recorded his song "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" on his 1966 album Changes.^[6]

In 1967, Rivers turned to Webb for songs for a new group Rivers was producing called The 5th Dimension. Webb contributed five songs to their début album Up, Up and Away. The song "Up, Up and Away" was released as a single in May 1967 and reached the Top Ten. The group's follow-up album, The Magic Garden, was also released in 1967 and featured eleven Jimmy Webb songs, including "The Worst That Could Happen".^[6] In November 1967, Glen Campbell released his version of "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", which reached No. 26 and became an instant pop standard.^[7] At the 1967 Grammy Awards, "Up, Up and Away" was named Record of the Year and Song of the Year. "Up, Up and Away" and "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" received eight Grammy Awards between them. Webb's success as a new songwriter underscored what became the central dilemma in his career. While his sophisticated melodies and orchestrations were embraced by mainstream audiences, his peers were embracing counter-culture sounds. Webb was quickly becoming out of sync with his times.^[7]

In 1968, Time acknowledged Webb's range and proficiency when it referred to his string of hits, noting "Webb's gift for strong, varied rhythms, inventive structures, and rich, sometimes surprising harmonies."^[4] That year, the string of successful Webb songs continued with The 5th Dimension's "Paper Cup" and "Carpet Man" reaching the Top 40, Glen Campbell's "Wichita Lineman" selling over a million copies, and Johnny Maestro & The Brooklyn Bridge scoring a gold record with "The Worst That Could Happen", a song originally recorded by The 5th Dimension.^[7] Webb formed his own production and publishing company that year, Canopy, and scored a hit with its first project, an unlikely album with Irish actor Richard Harris singing an album of all Jimmy Webb songs. One of the songs, "MacArthur Park", was a long, complex piece with multiple movements that was originally rejected by the group the Association, whose producer had been pushing them to include a Jimmy Webb composition on an album they were working on. Despite the song's seven minute, twenty-one second length, Webb released "MacArthur Park" as a single, and it quickly reached Number 2 on the singles chart. The Richard Harris album A Tramp Shining stayed on the charts for almost a year. Webb and Harris produced a followup album, The Yard Went On Forever, which was also successful. At the 1968 Grammy Awards, Webb accepted awards for "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", and "MacArthur Park".^[7]

In 1969, Glen Campbell continued the streak of Jimmy Webb hits with the gold record "Galveston" and "Where's the Playground Susie". Webb and Campbell had first met during the production of a General Motors commercial. Webb arrived at the recording session with his Beatle-length hair and approached the conservative singer, who looked up from his guitar and said, "Get a haircut."^[5] That same year, two Jimmy Webb songs became hits for the second time with Isaac Hayes' soulful version of "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" and Waylon Jennings' Grammy-winning country version of "MacArthur Park". Webb finished up the year by writing, arranging, and producing Thelma Houston's first album, Sunshower.^[6] As the decade came to a close, so too did Webb's string of hit singles. He began to withdraw from the formulaic process in which he worked and began to experiment with his music. He started work on a semi-autobiographical Broadway musical called His Own Dark City, which reflected the emotional displacement he felt at the time. He also wrote music for the films How Sweet It Is! and Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here.^[7]

MacArthur Park was reprised by Donna Summer in a multi-million selling vinyl single disco version that was number one on the American pop music sales charts for three weeks during 1978.

Singer-songwriter years[link]

Webb's solo career got off to a rough start with the 1968 "counterfeit" solo album Jimmy Webb sings Jimmy Webb (Epic), which was produced, according to Webb, "by a bunch of ruffians from some old demos of mine and tarted up to sound like 'MacArthur Park'. It was quite a piece of crap and was received with great anticipation and crushing disappointment at the radio level."^[8]

Beginning in 1970, Webb recorded six original albums of his own songs: Words and Music (1970), And So: On (1971), Letters (1972), Land's End (1974), El Mirage (1977), and Angel Heart (1982). Despite the critical reception that followed each of these projects, Webb has never been as successful as a performer as he has been a songwriter and arranger. Each album was noted for its inventive music and memorable lyrics.^[5]

Webb's debut album as a performer, Words and Music, was released in late 1970 to critical acclaim. Rolling Stone writer Jon Landau called one of the album's cuts, "P.F. Sloan," a "masterpiece [that] could not be improved upon." The tune and the lyrics may have been allusions to the singer-songwriter P. F. Sloan, who had helped Webb early in Webb's career; a dispute between the two later led Webb to insist that he made up the title, implying that the title and the name of his former friend were mere coincidences.^{[citation needed]} Webb's 1971 follow up album, And So: On, proved equally appealing to critics. Rolling Stone declared the album "another impressive step in the conspiracy to recover his identity from the housewives of America and rightfully install him at the forefront of contemporary composers/performers." His 1972 album Letters met with similar praise. Peter Reilly of Stereo Review wrote, "Jimmy Webb is the most important pop music figure to emerge since Bob Dylan."^[5]

Throughout the 1970s, Webb lived in Encino, Los Angeles, California, fraternizing with Joni Mitchell and Harry Nilsson. He also struck up a lifelong friendship with actor Michael Douglas. Webb's song "Campo de Encino" chronicled his adventures and misadventures in his park-like hacienda. In 1974, Webb married Patsy Sullivan, a model-cover girl and youngest child of screen actor Barry Sullivan. The couple met posing for the cover of Teen when she was twelve years old. Patsy is featured with Webb on the cover of Webb's 1982 solo album Angel Heart. They have five sons and a daughter together. Two of their sons later formed a rock band, "The Webb Brothers" which later included the couple's third son, James. The Webb Brothers achieved much critical success and had a substantial following in Europe and continue to work in the music industry. Patsy and Jimmy divorced after 22 years of marriage.

Serious composer[link]

Throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s, Webb's songs continued to be recorded by some of the industry's most successful artists. In 1977, the initial release of Art Garfunkel's Watermark album consisted exclusively of Webb's works, and in 1981, Garfunkel recorded "Scissors Cut", "In Cars", and "That's All I've Got to Say" on his album Scissors Cut. In 1980, Thelma Houston recorded "Before There Could Be Me", "Breakwater Cat", "Gone", "Long Lasting Love", and "What Was that Song" on her album Breakwater Cat. Leah Kunkel recorded "Never Gonna Lose My Dream of Love Again" and "Let's Begin" for her album I Run with Trouble. The latter was performed live in 1980 by the born-again Bob Dylan. Tanya Tucker recorded "Tennessee Woman" on her album Dreamlovers. Arlo Guthrie recorded "Oklahoma Nights" on his album Power of Love. In 1982, Linda Ronstadt recorded "The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress" and "Easy for You to Say" on her album Get Closer. Joe Cocker recorded "Just Like Always" on his album Sheffield Steel. The Everly Brothers recorded "She Never Smiles Anymore" on the album Living Legends.

From 1982 to 1992, Webb turned his focus from solo performing to larger-scale projects, such as film scores, Broadway musicals, and classical music. In 1982, he produced the soundtrack for the film The Last Unicorn, an animated children's tale, with the musical group America performing Webb's songs. That same year, he composed the soundtrack to all episodes of the TV series Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

In 1985, Glen Campbell recorded Webb's "Cowboy Hall of Fame" and "Shattered" for the album It's Just a Matter of Time. And heavyweights Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson recorded "Highwayman" on the album Highwayman. In 1988, Toto recorded "Home of the Brave" on the album The Seventh One. Kenny Rankin recorded "She Moves, Eyes Follow" for the album Hiding in Myself. And in 1989, Linda Ronstadt recorded the album Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind, which featured four Jimmy Webb songs: "Still Within the Sound of My Voice" (with Webb playing piano), "Adios" (with orchestral arrangement by Webb), "I Keep It Hid" (with Webb playing piano), and "Shattered". In 1990, John Denver recorded "Postcard from Paris" on the album The Flower That Shattered the Stone. In 1991, Kenny Rogers recorded "They Just Don't Make Em Like You Anymore" on the album Back Home Again.

In 1986, Webb produced the cantata The Animals' Christmas, with Art Garfunkel, Amy Grant, and the London Symphony Orchestra, which tells the Christmas story from the perspective of animals.

In 1987, Webb produced the soundtrack for the film The Hanoi Hilton. That same year, he reunited with Campbell for the album Still Within the Sound of My Voice, for which he wrote the title song. They followed this up in 1988 with an album composed almost entirely of Jimmy Webb songs, Light Years. The album included the title song, as well as "Lightning in a Bottle", "If These Walls Could Speak" (which was recorded by Amy Grant that year) and "Our Movie". Two songs from 1982's Seven Brides for Seven Brothers also appear on the album. The record also included the songs "Other People's Lives", "Wasn't There A Moment", "I Don't Know How To Love You Anymore", and "Is There Love After You". Several of these songs later ended up on Webb solo albums.

In 1992, Webb completed a musical called Instant Intimacy, which he developed with the Tennessee Repertory Theatre. The musical contained new songs that he and others would later record, including "What Does a Woman See in a Man", "I Don't Know How to Love You Anymore", and "Is There Love After You". That same year, Webb performed live at the club Cinegrill, performing "What Does a Woman See in a Man" and introducing several additional new songs, including "Sandy Cove" and an old folk hymn, "I Will Arise".

In 1994, Webb teamed up with Nanci Griffith to contribute the song "If These Old Walls Could Speak" to the AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Country produced by the Red Hot Organization.

Solo artist[link]

Since 1993, Jimmy Webb produced four critically acclaimed solo albums: Suspending Disbelief (1993), Ten Easy Pieces (1996), Twilight of the Renegades (2005), and Just Across the River (2010). He has continued to expand his creative landscape to include musicals, commercial jingles, and film scores. More recently, he has written music for television, including the show E/R.

In 1998, Webb completed his first book, Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting, which was published by Hyperion Books. It was well received by songwriters and performers and became a best-seller.^[9] One book reviewer described it as "a companion every serious songwriter should read, and read again, and keep handy for referral."^[10]

In the 2000s, Webb has talked more openly about his return to the Christian faith of his upbringing and the role it has played in his music. In addition to his cantata, The Animals' Christmas, he has always included religious songs in his albums—"Psalm One-Five-O", "Jerusalem", and "I Will Arise" are a few examples—and his lyrics have included biblical verses and allusions. In an October 2007 interview with Nigel Bovey, editor of The Salvation Army newspaper The War Cry, Webb was quite explicit about his renewed faith.

I couldn't write a song without God. Sure, I could hack out hackneyed phrases and clichés, but to write anything meaningful I have to be in tune with God. He is the great source, my inspiration, the current that I have to connect to. Sadly I've not always used the gift He's given me—the answered prayer—as best as I could or should have. I've made mistakes. I've done things I wish I hadn't done.^[11]

Webb has stated, "I am a strong believer in God... God is important to me. God is bigger than any one particular denomination. I don't like it when people try to confine Him. I don't put any limits on God." Webb reads the King James Version of the Bible.^[11]

In 2004, Webb married Laura Savini, who appeared nationally for several years on PBS in pledge-drive programs. From 1996–2011, Savini was Vice President of Marketing and Communications at WLIW, a PBS station in New York City.^[12] The couple first met backstage on New Year's Eve 1999 at Billy Joel's 2000 Years: The Millennium Concert at Madison Square Garden. They met again when Savini interviewed Webb for her local television show and the two soon started dating. They settled on the North Shore of Long Island. The couple do not have children.

In 2007, he released a live album of his show, Live and at Large (2007), which was recorded in the United Kingdom. The album included personal stories and anecdotes about Richard Harris, Waylon Jennings, Harry Nilsson, Glen Campbell, Art Garfunkel, Frank Sinatra, and Rosemary Clooney.

In June 2010, Webb released Just Across the River, an album of newly-arranged Webb song that featured guest appearances by Vince Gill, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, Lucinda Williams, Jackson Browne, Glenn Campbell, Michael McDonald, Mark Knopfler, J. D. Souther, and Linda Ronstadt.

In 2011, Webb was unanimously elected Chairman of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, replacing Hal David who retired after ten years in that position.^[13]

Webb continues to record and perform in the United States and abroad.^{[citation needed]}

Honors and awards[link]

• 1967 Grammy Award for Song of the Year (for "Up, Up, and Away")
• 1969 Oklahoma Baptist University Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia honorary membership, Pi Tau Chapter
• 1986 National Academy of Popular Music Songwriter's Hall of Fame inductee
• 1990 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee
• 1993 National Academy of Songwriters Lifetime Achievement Award
• 1999 Oklahoma Hall of Fame inductee
• 1999 ASCAP Board of Directors member (As of June 2009^[update])
• 2000 Songwriters Hall of Fame Board of Directors member
• 2003 Songwriters Hall of Fame Johnny Mercer Award
• 2006 ASCAP "Voice of Music" Award

Discography[link]

• Jimmy Webb discography

Original albums

• Jim Webb sings Jim Webb (1968)
• Words and Music (1970)
• And So: On (1971)
• Letters (1972)
• Land's End (1974)
• El Mirage (1977)
• Angel Heart (1982)
• Suspending Disbelief (1993)
• Ten Easy Pieces (1996)
• Twilight of the Renegades (2005)
• Live and at Large (2007)
• Just Across the River (2010)

Albums of Jimmy Webb songs

• Up, Up, and Away (1966) by The 5th Dimension
• The Magic Garden (1967) by The 5th Dimension
• A Tramp Shining (1968) by Richard Harris
• The Yard Went On Forever (1968) by Richard Harris
• Sunshower (1969) by Thelma Houston
• The Supremes Produced and Arranged by Jimmy Webb (1972) by The Supremes
• Reunion: The Songs of Jimmy Webb (1974) by Glen Campbell
• Watermark (1977) by Art Garfunkel
• The Animals' Christmas (1986) by Art Garfunkel and Amy Grant
• Still Within the Sound of My Voice (1989) by Glen Campbell
• Light Years (1988) by Glen Campbell
• Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind (1989) by Linda Ronstadt
• The Last Unicorn (1998)
• And Someone Left the Cake Out in the Rain... (1998)
• Reunited with Jimmy Webb 1974–1988 (1999) by Glen Campbell
• Tunesmith: The Songs of Jimmy Webb (2003)
• Only One Life: The Songs of Jimmy Webb (2003) by Michael Feinstein
• Cottonwood Farm (2009) by Jimmy Webb and The Webb Brothers

Compilation albums

• Tribute to Burt Bacharach and Jim Webb (1972)
• Archive (1994)
• The Moon's A Harsh Mistress: Jimmy Webb in the Seventies (2004) (a limited edition boxed set, including Live at the Royal Albert Hall from 1972)
• Archive & Live (2005) (including Live at the Royal Albert Hall from 1972)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Jimmy Webb official website
• Audio interview with Jimmy Webb on the Sodajerker on Songwriting podcast
• Jimmy Webb on National Public Radio in 2010

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (January 2010)

Kenny Garrett
Background information
Born	(1960-10-09) October 9, 1960 (age 51) Detroit, Michigan United States
Genres	Jazz Post bop
Occupations	Musician Bandleader
Years active	1978–present
Labels	Atlantic Records, Warner Bros. Records, Mack Avenue Records, Criss Cross Jazz
Associated acts	Five Peace Band, Miles Davis, Woody Shaw, Art Blakey, Marcus Miller
Website	Official Site

Kenny Garrett (born October 9, 1960)^[1] is a Grammy Award-winning American post bop jazz saxophonist and flautist who gained fame in his youth as a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra and of Miles Davis's band. He has since pursued a critically acclaimed solo career. Most recently he joined a supergroup of jazz musicians, the Five Peace Band.

Biography[link]

Kenny Garrett was born in Detroit, Michigan, on October 9, 1960; he is a 1978 graduate of Mackenzie High School. His father was a carpenter who played tenor saxophone as a hobby. Garrett's own career as a saxophonist took off when he joined the Duke Ellington Orchestra in 1978,^[2] then led by Duke's son, Mercer Ellington. Three years later he played in the Mel Lewis Orchestra, playing the music of Thad Jones, and also the Dannie Richmond Quartet, focusing on Charles Mingus's music.

In 1984, he recorded his first album as a bandleader, Introducing Kenny Garrett, on the CrissCross label. He then recorded two albums with Atlantic Records: Prisoner of Love and African Exchange Student. Garrett signed to the Warner Bros. Records label, and beginning with Black Hope, in 1992,^[2] he has continued to record with them. Among his notable recordings on Warner Bros. are Pursuance: The Music of John Coltrane, recorded in 1996, and Songbook, his first album made up entirely of his own compositions, recorded in 1997 and nominated for a Grammy Award. During his career, Garrett has performed and recorded with many jazz greats such as Miles Davis, Art Blakey, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, McCoy Tyner, Pharoah Sanders, Brian Blade, Marcus Miller, Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, Herbie Hancock, Bobby Hutcherson, Ron Carter, Elvin Jones, and Mulgrew Miller. Garrett's music sometimes exhibits Asian influence, an aspect which is especially prevalent in his 2006 recording, Beyond the Wall.

While Garrett is best known in many circles for the five years he spent playing with Miles Davis during Miles' electric period, he states that he has become accustomed to the association:

"I was in Miles' band for about five years. I think that tag will always be there. That is five years of my life. That's the only musical situation that I was there longer than a year. It was a good five years. I have gotten used to that. Some people became aware of me through Miles and then they would come to my concerts. I think that is part of my history and I am proud of that. I am still trying to carve out my own name and my own music. I just look at it as a part of history and it is going to be there. Every time they mention Kenny Garrett, there will probably be some association with Miles Davis, but at the same time, when they mention Herbie Hancock, they always mention Miles Davis, or Wayne Shorter. You get used to it after a while." (allaboutjazz.com)

Christian McBride, John McLaughlin, Vinnie Colaiuta and Kenny Garrett Photo: Pierre Corbucci

Garrett's latest album is Sketches of MD: Live at the Iridium, featuring Pharoah Sanders. It was released on September 23, 2008. On his website, KennyGarrett.com, he states that his current band consists of electric bass and organ.

Garrett performed in a world tour, 2008-2009 with Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, Christian McBride and Brian Blade/Vinnie Colaiuta as the "Five Peace Band". The CD "Five Peace Band - Live" won a GRAMMY Award on January 31, 2010.

On May 7, 2011 Kenny Garrett was presented an Honorary Doctorate in Music Degree from Berklee College of Music, Boston, Massachusetts. Garrett was the Commencement Speaker. There were 908 graduates - the largest graduating class in Berklee history. The commencement ceremony took place at the Agganis Arena (Boston University). Four thousand people were in attendance.

This biographical section of an article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (April 2012)

Discography[link]

As leader[link]

• Introducing Kenny Garrett, 1984
• 5 Paddle Wheel, 1988
• Prisoner of Love, 1989 (Atlantic)
• African Exchange Student, 1990 (Atlantic)
• Black Hope, 1992 (Warner)
• Introducing Kenny Garrett, 1994
• Threshold, 1994
• Triology, 1995
• Stars & Stripes Live, 1995
• Pursuance: The Music of John Coltrane, 1996
• Songbook, 1997 (GRAMMY nomination)
• Simply Said, 1999
• Old Folks, 2001
• Birds of a Feather: A Tribute to Charlie Parker, 2001
• Happy People, 2002
• Standard of Language, 2003
• Beyond the Wall, 2006 (GRAMMY nomination)
• Sketches of MD - Live at the Iridium, 2008
• Seeds from the Underground, 2012

As sideman[link]

With Miles Davis

• Amandla (1989)
• Miles & Quincy Live at Montreux (1991)
• Live Around the World (1996)

With Marcus Miller

• The Sun Don't Lie (1993)
• Tales (1995)
• Live & More (1998)
• M² (2001)
• Panther/Live (2004)

With other artists (selected)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kenny Garrett

• Official Site