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City of Paso Robles El Paso de Robles
—  City  —
Nickname(s): Paso Robles / 'Paso'
Location in San Luis Obispo County and the state of California
Country	United States
State	California
County	San Luis Obispo
Government
• Mayor	Duane Picanco
• Senate	Abel Maldonado (R)
• Assembly	Sam Blakeslee (R)
• U. S. Congress	Kevin McCarthy (R)
Area[1]
• Total	19.425 sq mi (50.312 km2)
• Land	19.120 sq mi (49.522 km2)
• Water	0.305 sq mi (0.790 km2)  1.57%
Elevation	794 ft (242 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	29,793
• Density	1,500/sq mi (590/km2)
Time zone	PST (UTC-8)
• Summer (DST)	PDT (UTC-7)
ZIP codes	93446, 93447
Area code(s)	805
FIPS code	06-22300
GNIS feature ID	254139
Website	http://prcity.com

Paso Robles (full name: El Paso de Robles) (English: The Pass of the Oaks) is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. Paso Robles is the fastest growing city in San Luis Obispo County: Its population at the 2000 census was 24,297; in 2010 it recorded some 29,793 residents^[2]

Located on the Salinas River north of San Luis Obispo, California, the city is known for its hot springs, its abundance of wineries, and for playing host to the California Mid-State Fair.

Geography[link]

Paso Robles is located at 35°37′36″N 120°41′24″W / 35.62667°N 120.69°W / 35.62667; -120.69, approximately halfway between the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco on what is known as California's "Central Coast." The elevation of Paso Robles ranges from 675 to 1,100 feet (340 m), but the majority of the main downtown area of the city sits at about 740 feet (230 m) above sea level. According to the United States Census Bureau, the Paso Robles city limits contain a total land area of 19.4 square miles (50.3 km²), 98.43% of it land and 1.57% of it water.

The topography of the area consists of gentle rolling hills on the eastern half of the city, and foothill peaks which rise in elevation to the Santa Lucia Coastal Range on the west, which are all blanketed in the Californian chaparral environment, which is mainly dry grassland and oak woodland. Simply "Paso," as it is referred to by locals, sits on the eastern foothills of the Santa Lucia Coastal Mountain Range, which lies directly to the West of the city, and runs in a North-South direction, starting at Monterey, then runs down South to its terminus, in the San Luis Obispo area. The city is located at the southern end of the fertile Salinas River Valley, which is centered in between the Temblor Range (including the San Andreas Fault), which lie about 28 miles (45 km) to the East, and the Santa Lucia Coastal Range, which lie directly west, rising up from the city's western border. Paso Robles sits at the border where northern San Luis Obispo County and southern Monterey County meet, and is situated roughly 24 miles (39 km), or 20 minutes, inland from the Pacific Ocean.

A panoramic view of Paso Robles

Climate[link]

The Paso Robles area actually consists of two different climate types and classifications, as based on the Koppen climate classification (KCC) system, which are KCC type BSk, a semi-arid, dry, steppe-type climate, and KCC type Csb, which is the typical, coastal Californian & 'Mediterranean' type. The area receives a mixture of these two types of climates, but the primary climate is defined by long, hot, dry summers and brief, cool, sometimes rainy winters. Paso Robles enjoys long-lasting, mild autumns and occasional early springs, giving the region a unique climate suitable for growing a variety of crops (ranging from primarily grapes, to olives, to almonds and other tree nuts). The city receives an average annual rainfall of about 14.71 inches (374 mm) per year, and most of this precipitation falls during winter and early spring. Paso Robles often receives less than 10 inches (250 mm) of rain per year and typically, no rain falls from May through September. Summers in Paso Robles tend to be very hot, with daily temperatures frequently exceeding 100 °F (38 °C) from late June to as late as mid September, and occasionally exceeding 110 °F (43 °C). Paso Robles' summers feature an unusually large daytime-nighttime temperature swing, where there may be a profound temperature difference, as much as 50 °F (28 °C), between the daytime highs and the overnight lows. Winters are often very cool and moist, with daytime temperatures reaching into the low 50s°F (10 °C). Mornings and nights differ from the daytime average, as they tend to very frigid (especially in December and January), where lows reach as low as 25 °F (−4 °C). Due to the somewhat close proximity to the Pacific Ocean, the marine layer occasionally makes it over the coast range and into Paso Robles, creating occasional fog. However, unlike typical California coastal marine fog in areas such as San Francisco, this fog is never long lasting, and typically burns off before 10am.

The all-time record high temperature at the National Weather Service cooperative city office was 117 °F (47 °C) on August 13, 1933. The record low temperature was 0 °F (−18 °C) on January 6, 1913, making Paso Robles the lowest elevation in California to reach that low temperature. There are an average of 81.0 days with high temperatures of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher and an average of 64.0 days with low temperatures of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower. The 30-year average (1971–2000) annual precipitation is 15.17 inches (385 mm), falling on an average of 47 days. The wettest year was 1941 with 29.19 inches (741 mm) of precipitation and the dryest year was 1947 with 4.24 inches (108 mm). The most precipitation in one month was 14.76 inches (375 mm) in January 1916. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 5.25 inches (133 mm) on December 6, 1966. Although snow is rare in Paso Robles, 4.0 inches fell on April 5, 1929, and on December 15, 1988.^[3]

At the Paso Robles FAA Airport, the record high temperature was 115F° on June 15, 1961, and July 20, 1960. The record low temperature was 8 °F (−13 °C) on December 22, 1990. There are an average of 86.7 days with highs of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher and an average of 53.6 days with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower. The 30-year average (1971–2000) annual precipitation is 12.57 inches (319 mm), falling on an average of 42 days. The wettest year was 1995 with 25.56 inches (649 mm) and the dryest year was 2007 with 4.20 inches (107 mm). The most precipitation in one month was 12.19 inches (310 mm) in January 1969. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 5.47 inches (139 mm) on March 10, 1995. The record snowfall was 4.0 inches (100 mm) on December 15, 1988.^[4]

History[link]

This area of the Central Coast, known as the City of El Paso De Robles, Paso Robles or simply, "Paso,"^[6] is known for its thermal springs.^[6] The Salinan Indians lived in the area thousands of years even before the mission era. They knew this area as the “Springs” or the “Hot Springs.”

Paso Robles is located on the Rancho Paso de Robles Mexican land grant that was purchased by James and Daniel Blackburn in 1857. The land was a rest-stop for travelers of the Camino Real trail, and was known for its mineral hot springs. In fact, Franciscan priests from neighboring Mission San Miguel constructed the first mineral baths in the area. During this period, Paso Robles began to attract the pioneer settlers who would become the founding members of the community. They would later establish cattle ranches, apple and almond orchards, dairy farms, and vineyards.

In 1864, the first El Paso de Robles Hotel was constructed and featured a hot mineral springs bath house.

• 

  Historic Sulfur Baths

• 

  Paso Robles Clock Tower

• 

  Historic Carnegie Library

James and Daniel Blackburn donated two blocks to the city for a public park to be used for the pleasure of its citizens and visitors. By original deed, the land was to revert to the donors if used for any other purpose than a public park. The grounds were laid out by a Mr. Redington and a planting day was held when each citizen set out his own donation. Originally, the whole park was hedged in by a fence of cactus, and in 1890 a bandstand was built with money raised by private theatricals.

In 1886, after the coming of the Southern Pacific Railroad, work began on laying out a town site, with the resort as the nucleus. Two weeks after the first train arrived on October 31, 1886, a three-day celebration was held including a special train from San Francisco bringing prospective buyers, who toured the area and enjoyed the daily barbecues. On November 17, the “Grand Auction” was held, resulting in the sale of 228 lots.

The local agent for the SPR when it arrived in Paso Robles was R. M. 'Dick' Shackelford, a Kentucky native who had come to California in 1853 to dig for gold. Shackelford had a varied career, going from gold mining to hauling freight by ox team, to lumbering, which took him to Nevada, where he served one term as a delegate in the state's first legislature for Washoe County.^[7] By 1886 Shackelford had returned to California and was living in Paso Robles, where he began buying up extensive property, building warehouses and starting lumber yards along the railroad's route. Shackelford also established the Southern Pacific Milling Company, which had a virtual monopoly on local milling until local farmers, in an effort to break Shackelford's strangehold, themselves organized their own milling cooperative, the Farmers' Alliance Flour Mill.^[8][9]

In 1889, the same year that Paso Robles incorporated as a city, construction began on a magnificent new hotel. The hotel required over one-million bricks and cost a princely $160,000. The new El Paso de Robles Hotel opened for business in 1891. The new hotel was three stories tall and built of solid masonry, set off by sandstone arches. This ensured the hotel was completely fireproof. The hotel also featured a seven acre (28,000 m²) garden and nine hole golf course. Inside there was a library, a beauty salon, a barber shop, and various billiard and lounging rooms. The new hotel also offered an improved hot springs plunge bath as well as 32 individual bath rooms. The 20 by 40-foot (12 m) plunge bath was considered one of the finest and most complete of its time in the United States.

On January 17, 1914, the world's most well-known concert pianist and composer came to the hotel: Ignace Paderewski. After three weeks of treatments at the hotel's mineral hot springs for his arthritis, he resumed his concert tour. He later returned to live at the hotel and bought two beautiful ranches just west of Paso Robles.

During the next 30 years, the hotel was visited by other notables: Boxing champion Jack Dempsey, President Theodore Roosevelt, Adela Rogers - St. John, Phoebe Apperson Hearst (the mother of William Randolph Hearst), actors Douglas Fairbanks, Boris Karloff, Bob Hope, and Clark Gable all stayed at the El Paso de Robles Hotel. And when Major League baseball teams used Paso Robles as a spring training home, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago White Sox stayed at the hotel and soaked in the mineral hot springs to sooth tired muscles.

For a time, Paso Robles was known as the “Almond City” because the local almond growers created the largest concentration of almond orchards in the world. The ranchers in the outlying areas were very important to the Paso Robles area. On these ranches were cattle and horses, grain crops (primarily wheat and barley), garden produce and fruit and nut orchards. Many of these ranch lands and orchards have become vineyards for the many wineries which currently draw tourists to the area.

To show their appreciation to the ranchers, the business people established Pioneer Day in October 1931, which is still a huge annual celebration. Pioneer Day is celebrated every year on the Saturday prior to October 12. It was originally organized by community volunteers working with generous donations of time, materials and money from individuals, businesses, churches and service organizations. Their goal was to provide a day of community friendship and a commemoration of the heritage of the Paso Robles area. It would also become a day set aside to say “Thank You” to all of the people who support the business and professional community of the area throughout the year. Most businesses closed so that their employees could enjoy and participate in the activities and family reunions. There were to be no charges for any of the events, no commercial concessions and lunch would be provided at no cost.

• 

  Vintage Tractor

• 

  View From the Paso Robles Inn

• 

  Vintage Billboard

• 

  Free Bean Feed

• 

  Vintage 1915 Harley Davidson

• 

  True Blue Cowgirl

In December 1940, tragedy struck. A spectacular fire completely destroyed the "fire-proof" El Paso de Robles Hotel. Guests staying the night escaped unharmed. However, the night clerk who discovered the fire suffered a fatal heart attack immediately after sounding the alarm. Within months after the blaze, plans for a new hotel to be built on the site were drawn up. The design was an entirely new concept: A Garden Inn - Hotel, designed to accommodate motor vehicle travellers. By February 1942 construction was complete and the new Paso Robles Inn opened for business.

Through the 1960s and 1970s, few changes occurred at the Paso Robles Inn. However, the City of Paso Robles experienced significant growth. The area's wine industry flourished, the California Mid-State Fair expanded into a regional attraction, local lakes, such as Lake Nacimiento, became family vacation destinations and Paso Robles' reputation as a charming and friendly community grew.

The Waters[link]

As far back as 1795, Paso Robles has been spoken of and written about as “California’s oldest watering place”—the place to go for springs and mud baths. In 1864, a correspondent to the San Francisco Bulletin wrote that there was every prospect of the Paso Robles hot springs becoming the watering place of the state. By 1868 people were coming from as far away as Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, and even Alabama. Besides the well-known mud baths, there were the Iron Spring and the Sand Spring, which bubbles through the sand and was said to produce delightful sensations.

In 1882, Drury James and the Blackburn brothers issued a pamphlet advertising “El Paso de Robles Hot and Cold Sulphur Springs and the Only Natural Mud Baths in the World.” By then there were first class accommodations—a reading room, barber shop, and telegraph office; a general store, a top-of-the-line livery stable, and comfortably furnished cottages for families that preferred privacy to quarters in the hotel. Visitors could stay in touch with the rest of the world, as there were two daily mails, a Western Union telegraph office, and a Wells Fargo agency with special rates for guests. As the springs became more and more a destination of the well-to-do as a place to go to socialize, the original purpose of the springs—to heal—became peripheral.

The bathhouse was erected over the sulphur spring in 1888, with a plunge and thirty-seven bath rooms. In the following year, work began on the large Hot Springs Hotel, (today the Paso Robles Inn), which was completed in 1900 and burned down 40 years later. Since the privileges of using the baths were restricted to guests of the hotel and many sufferers of the ailments the baths cured could not pay the rates of the fashionable hotel, a few businessmen in Paso Robles made arrangements with Felix Liss for the right to bore for sulphur water on a lot which Liss owned. A sulphur well was reached, a bath house built and baths offered at an affordable rate of twenty-five cents. The establishment was later offered to the City and is currently the site of the Municipal Pool.

The Wine[link]

Paso Robles’ growth as industry—wine—has a long history with the area. Wine grapes were introduced to the Paso Robles soil in 1797 by the Spanish conquistadors and Franciscan missionaries. Spanish explorer Francisco Cortez envisioned an abundant wine-producing operation and encouraged settlers from Mexico and other parts of California to cultivate the land. The first vineyardists in the area were the Padres of the Mission San Miguel, and their old fermentation vats and grapevine artwork can still be seen at the Mission, north of the city of Paso Robles.

Commercial winemaking was introduced to the Paso Robles region in 1882 when Andrew York, a settler from Indiana, began planting vineyards and established the Ascension Winery at what is now York Mountain Winery. When York purchased the land, it was primarily apple orchards, with a small plot of wine grape vines. York found that the climate and soil were more suitable for vineyards and he expanded the vineyards. Within a few years, he found that the vines were yielding more than he could market, prompting him to build a small, stone winery.

Following Andrew York’s early success in the wine business, Gerd and Ilsabe Klintworth planted a vineyard in the Geneseo/Linne area in approximately 1886. They were licensed to sell jugs of Zinfandel, Port, and Muscatel, as well as some of the area’s first white wine made from Burger grapes. The Casteel Vineyards in the Willow Creek area were planted just prior to 1908. Casteel wines were stored and aged in a cave cellar. Cuttings from the old vines provided the start for other vineyards, still producing in the area today.

As the popularity of wines began to grow, so did the Paso Robles wine region. Lorenzo and Rena Nerelli purchased their vineyard at the foot of York Mountain in 1917. Their Templeton Winery was the area’s first to be bonded following the repeal of Prohibition.

The early 1920s saw a flurry of winemaking activity when several families immigrated to the area to establish family vineyards and wineries. Sylvester and Caterina Dusi purchased a vineyard in 1924. The old head-pruned Zinfandel vines are now owned and cultivated by their son, Benito. The Martinelli, Busi, Vosti and Bianchi Winery vineyards were also established around this time.

The Paso Robles wine region gained more notoriety when Ignace Paderewski, the famous Polish statesman and concert pianist, visited Paso Robles, became enchanted with the area, and purchased 2,000 acres (8.1 km²). In the early 1920s, he planted Petite Sirah and Zinfandel on his Rancho San Ignacio vineyard in the Adelaide area. Following Prohibition, Paderewski's wine was made at York Mountain Winery. The wines produced from grapes grown on Rancho San Ignacio went on to become award-winners. Paso Robles’ reputation as a premier wine region became firmly established as a result of this and later successes, and through to the late 1960s and early 1970s, a new generation of vineyard pioneers came forth and flourished in the Paso Robles area.

San Simeon Earthquake[link]

At 11:15am PST on December 22, 2003, an earthquake, known as the San Simeon earthquake, struck about 25 miles (40 km) North-West of Paso Robles.^[10] The quake registered a magnitude 6.5 on the Richter Magnitude Scale, and caused two deaths when the roof slid off the clock tower building, a popular landmark in downtown Paso Robles. The dormant underground springs that had once been used for the spa were brought back to life by the quake, causing flooding and a large sinkhole in the parking lot of the city hall and library. Due to lengthy environmental and engineering considerations, it took until December 2010 for the sinkhole to be filled and the parking lot resurfaced. Paso Robles has dedicated a new clock tower in memory of the two women who died on that day.

Demographics[link]

2010 Census[link]

The 2010 United States Census^[11] reported that Paso Robles had a population of 29,793. The population density was 1,533.7 people per square mile (592.2/km²). The racial makeup of Paso Robles was 23,158 (77.7%) White, 622 (2.1%) African American, 297 (1.0%) Native American, 593 (2.0%) Asian, 56 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 3,916 (13.1%) from other races, and 1,151 (3.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10,275 persons (34.5%).

The Census reported that 29,624 people (99.4% of the population) lived in households, 164 (0.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 5 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 10,833 households, out of which 4,104 (37.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 5,721 (52.8%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 1,345 (12.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 603 (5.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 767 (7.1%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 66 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 2,486 households (22.9%) were made up of individuals and 1,192 (11.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73. There were 7,669 families (70.8% of all households); the average family size was 3.19.

The population was spread out with 7,829 people (26.3%) under the age of 18, 2,827 people (9.5%) aged 18 to 24, 7,870 people (26.4%) aged 25 to 44, 7,271 people (24.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 3,996 people (13.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.3 years. For every 100 females there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.

There were 11,426 housing units at an average density of 588.2 per square mile (227.1/km²), of which 6,412 (59.2%) were owner-occupied, and 4,421 (40.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.8%. 16,666 people (55.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 12,958 people (43.5%) lived in rental housing units.

2000 Census[link]

As of the census^[12] of 2000, there were 24,297 people, 8,556 households, and 6,040 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,401.6 people per square mile (541.3/km²). There were 8,791 housing units at an average density of 507.1 per square mile (195.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.70% White, 3.32% Black or African American, 1.30% Native American, 1.89% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 13.68% from other races, and 3.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 27.72% of the population. There were 8,556 households out of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.23. In the city the population was spread out with 29.8% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 102.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $39,217, and the median income for a family was $44,322. Males had a median income of $35,514 versus $24,058 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,974. About 10.7% of families and 13.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.7% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.

During the past 7 years, since the last census was conducted in the year 2000, the city of Paso Robles has experienced phenomenal population growth, with an average annual population growth rate of 3.18%. As calculated by the U.S. Census Bureau and the State Department of Finance, the city limits population of Paso Robles as of early 2007 was 29,934, with a Greater Area/"Metro" population of 41,249.

2007 ACS Census Update[link]

NoteThe following demographics are taken and computed from the United States Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) data profiles. The demographics are compiled by the Census Bureau using data and surveys collected from the ACS, Census Bureau Population Estimates Program Link, and the California State Department of Finance from years 2005-2007. Although these US Census Bureau statistics are Estimates, they have been proven to be incredibly accurate year after year with a very small margin of error. These updated figures, although not necessary, give a better, and more current, idea of statistics such as population percentages, income figures, racial and age makeup, etc.

As of the 2007 ACS Census Update, the city limits population was estimated at 27,868 people, 7,880 families within the city, and an average citizen age of 33.2 years old. The city limits population density was 1,504.2 people per square mile (29.18 km2), there were 11,218 total available housing units with 10,876 of them occupied (total households). The racial makeup of the city was 82.0% White, 2.8% Black or African American, 1.1% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 12.1% from other races, and 3.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 32.9% of the population. There were 10,876 households out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.5% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 2.96. In the city the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.2 years. The median income for a household in the city was $51,172, and the median income for a family was $57,114. Males had a median income of $42,357 versus $29,311 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,544. About 11.4% of families and 13.5% of the population as a whole were below the poverty line, including 18.2% of those under age 18 and 12.2% of those age 65 or over.

Politics[link]

In the state legislature Paso Robles is located in the 15th Senate District, represented by Republican Sam Blakeslee, and in the 33rd Assembly District, represented by Republican Katcho Achadjian. Federally, Paso Robles is located in California's 22nd congressional district, which has a Cook PVI of R +16^[13] and is represented by Republican Kevin McCarthy.

Transportation[link]

Highways[link]

Paso Robles is at the major ground transportation crossroads of U.S. Highway 101 and State Highway 46 East, halfway between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area with direct eastbound access to the San Joaquin Valley and Interstate 5. Paso Robles is currently serviced by 1 freeway and 2 highways:

• U.S. Route 101, is the most frequented and largest road-transportation arterial for the city of Paso Robles and serves as its North-South Gateway. US-101 runs in a North-South direction and bisects the city (along with the Salinas River), into the western and eastern portions of the city. Traveling northward from the city, US-101 North runs up to San Jose, San Francisco, and continues on along the coast up through Northern California, Oregon, and finally ends near Olympia in Washington state. Traveling southward from the city, the "101" South heads down to San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and on to Los Angeles where its south terminus is.

• State Route 46, is the main east-west arterial for the city of Paso Robles and serves as its eastern gateway from the San Joaquin Valley. CA-46 runs in an East-West direction except for a short portion in Paso Robles where it runs North-West, merged with US-101 for 3 miles (4.8 km). Traveling westward, CA-46 West leaves the city and gradually climbs up and over the Santa Lucia Coastal Range, where it then quickly descends and meets the Pacific Ocean, just south of the coastal village of Cambria, California, at its westernmost terminus when it meets Highway 1, better known as the Pacific Coast Highway. Traveling eastward, CA-46 East leaves the city and after traveling through rolling countryside for about 25 miles (40 km), it climbs up the Temblor Range and San Andreas Fault, then 25 miles (40 km) later, crosses Interstate 5 and continues on, later meeting and terminating at State Route 99, about 15 miles (24 km) north of Bakersfield and about 90 miles (140 km) south of Fresno.

• State Route 229, is mainly a inter-county route that is used for traveling between the small rural towns in the eastern part of the county. SR-229 begins in Paso Robles as "Creston Road", then 3 miles (4.8 km) east, as it leaves the city heading south-eastward, turns into SR-229 as it heads to the small rural town of Creston about 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Paso Robles. It then continues on heading southward for 8 miles (13 km), where it ends as it meets State Route 58, about 5 miles (8.0 km) east of the small town of Santa Margarita.

Rail transportation[link]

Southern Pacific steam excursion train in north Paso Robles, 1974.

Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, serves Paso Robles, operating its Coast Starlight daily in each direction between Seattle, Washington and Los Angeles. Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner that operates between San Diego and Paso Robles connects by bus transfer from San Luis Obispo Railroad Station.

Airport[link]

Paso Robles has one airport serving the city, Paso Robles Municipal Airport. Paso Robles Municipal is a regional general aviation airport located about 5 miles (8.0 km) northeast of downtown Paso Robles. Paso Robles Municipal does not currently offer scheduled passenger service, as the scheduled passenger market is already served by nearby San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport, 25 miles (40 km) to the south in San Luis Obispo. Although Paso Robles Airport does not currently offer scheduled passenger service, they do however have a large amount of daily Business Aviation operations, in addition to serving as a large General Aviation base. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) has an air attack base at the airport. Here, aircraft are reloaded with fire fighting chemicals, which are dropped on brush and forest fires. Also, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) house a fixed wing aircraft, used for speed enforcement, and a helicopter, used for search and rescue. The area immediately surrounding the Paso Robles Airport, known as Airport Road Industrial Park, is also home to many aviation maintenance providers and facilities, as well as home to many aviation parts manufacturers and other related businesses including the fine dining restaurant Matthew's. The Paso Robles Airport is also home to the Northern California Regional Aerobatic Contest which is held annually in mid June.

Education[link]

The Paso Robles Public Schools District contains 6 Elementary Schools, 2 Middle Schools, 3 High Schools, and 4 other miscellaneous school sites and programs.

Elementary and middle schools[link]

• Bauer-Speck Elementary (K-5)
• Georgia Brown Elementary (K-5)
• Kermit King Elementary (K-5)
• Pat Butler Elementary (K-5)
• Virginia Peterson Elementary (K-5)
• Winifred Pifer Elementary (K-5)
• George Flamson Middle School (6-8)

• 

  2011 Flamson Middle School

• Daniel Lewis Middle School (6-8)
• Saint Rose of Lima School (Pres.-8)
• Trinity Lutheran School (Pres.-8

High schools[link]

• Paso Robles High School
• Liberty Continuation High School
• PR Independent Study High School

Colleges and adult education[link]

• Cuesta College
• Paso Robles Adult School
• PR Culinary Arts Academy
• University of Phoenix Satellite Office

Sports and recreation[link]

Paso Robles offers its residents and visitors cycling, golfing, tennis and swimming. In 2009 and 2011, Paso Robles was the finish line for Stage 5 of the AMGEN Tour of California.

Lake Nacimiento is an 18-mile (29 km)-long lake located about 13 miles (21 km) north-east of the city up in the Santa Lucia Range. Although Lake Nacimiento is not actually located within the city of Paso Robles itself, it is however located in what is considered the Greater Paso Robles Area. In fact, "The Lake", as it is known to locals, actually shares the 93446 zip code with Paso Robles, due to its proximity to the city. The lake provides ample room for waterskiing, wakeboarding, jetskiing, and other water-related activities, in addition to fishing and swimming.

Parks and recreation[link]

Located just off of Highway 46 East at Union Road is the 42-acre (170,000 m²) Barney Schwartz Park. The park offers baseball, softball and soccer facilities, as well as lake access, picnicking, event pavilions, picnicking and playgrounds. Centennial Park is located in the eastern section of Paso Robles. Besides being the home of all indoor community sports (basketball, volleyball and gymnastics) and many different classes and activities, the 17-acre (69,000 m²) Centennial Park contains a 200,000-gallon swimming pool and wading pool with waterslides, group barbecue areas, grassy picnic and pavilion areas, an amphitheater, walking paths, two outdoor half-court basketball courts, a 1.2-mile (1.9 km) long paved trail, four lighted tennis courts and two playgrounds.

The land upon which City Park sits was donated by the town’s founders, James and Blackburn, for the specific use of a public park. Located in the heart of downtown, the 5-acre (20,000 m²) park provides easy access to the downtown area's amenities. Holiday and festival events are often held at this park, including holidays such as the 4th of July. City Park hosts “Concerts in the Park,” Trading Day, bi-weekly farmers markets, the Wine Festival and several car shows.

Sherwood Park is located on the upper south-east side of town and is used mostly for youth sports. The Little League field was completely redone in April 2002. In addition to the renovated Little League Field, Sherwood Park has one basketball court, horseshoe pits, a sand volleyball court, barbecue areas, three soccer fields and a softball field, and tennis courts. The park also features a playground area with a medieval theme called Sherwood Forest.

Venues[link]

Paso Robles Event Center is home to the California Mid-State Fair.

Wine and vineyards[link]

A vineyard in Paso Robles

The Paso Robles Wine Country has a number of wineries and vineyards in the area. It is the location of the Paso Robles American Viticultural Area. More than 25 different varieties of grapes are grown in the Paso Robles Wine Country and there are over 250 bonded wineries.

In 1993, Paso Robles grape growers, wineries and wine tasting rooms united to form the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. This non-profit trade organization is dedicated to the promotion and education of the Paso Robles premium wine country.

The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance is a cooperative marketing alliance made up of Paso Robles Wine Country wineries, vineyards and related businesses. They host many of the festivals in the Paso Robles Area, and strengthn brand awarenes locally, regionally and nationally. The wine alliace focuses on trade and consumer outreach, media relations, buyer tours, educational and research programs and giving back to education and health organizations in the Paso Robles community.

Festivals and events[link]

Every year in March, the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance hosts the Zinfandel Festival, during which Central Coast Zinfandel producers and the public visit the area to enjoy the wine of the area. The Wine Country Auction and Dinner is also held during the Zinfandel Festival, which offers a variety of unique lifestyle and wine auction lots, including winemaker dinners, VIP tours, verticals, special blends, spa packages, and more from Paso Robles This event is held by the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, a non-profit cooperative marketing alliance looking to not only educate the community and surrounding communities of the excellence and heritage of Paso Robles wine, but to also give back to the community. In 2011, the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance donated a large sum of money to a variety of Paso Robles health and education organizations. To see more information about the 2012 Zinfandel Festival, visit the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance Zinfandel Festival page. The Paso Robles Wine Festival takes place in May and an olive festival takes place yearly also. In October is the Harvest Wine Weekend, celebrating the wine harvest in the region. The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance is also hosting a Grand Tasting Tour, which is taking the wines of the Paso Robles area to other areas in California, and other states such as Washington DC. To see more about the Grand Tasting Tour and other events here.

Sustainable building[link]

Several companies in the area specialize in straw-bale construction, insulating concrete forms, rammed earth, super insulated buildings, and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (L.E.E.D) construction. Within a 15-mile (24 km) radius of downtown Paso Robles there are twelve straw bale homes, six insulated concrete homes, and several straw bale wineries/tasting rooms.^[14]

Wind farms[link]

Situated in a pass with rather reliable winds from the West, Paso Robles hosts several wind farms which generate electric power with wind generators. See^[15] or^[16] especially.^[17]

Notable residents[link]

• Casey Biggs, Professional Actor, best known for his work on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Has a home in Paso Robles. Currently does commercials for Paso Robles Wine.^[18]
• Jason Botts, born July 26, 1980, in Paso Robles, California, was a Designated Hitter and outfielder for the Texas Rangers.
• Erich Chase, champion international sailing canoeist.
• Haldon Chase is famous for being one of the Denver boys, pseudonym Chad King, in Jack Kerouac's classic novel On The Road (References in On the Road).
• Jesse James Stayed in Paso Robles at his uncle Drury James' ranch. He worked at the Paso Robles Hotel occasionally, as a stable boy taking patrons on picnics near Chimney rock. When law enforcement came looking for him, he used Paso's extensive tunnel system to get back to his uncle's house.
• Ignacy Jan Paderewski, world famous Polish pianist; was elected Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1919 of Poland; planted extensive orchards and vineyards in Paso Robles.
• Hampton John "Hamp" Pool (March 11, 1915 - May 26, 2000) was a football player, coach and scout who was part of two National Football League championship teams during his playing career and served as head coach for three professional teams.
• Robert Rader, member of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, Easy Company, during World War II, better known as the "Band of Brothers." Was a teacher and coach in the Paso Robles School System. The 13th Street bridge was dedicated to him.
• Hal Rhyne (1899–1971), shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1926–1927), Boston Red Sox (1929–1932) and Chicago White Sox (1933), and just one of only two major leaguers to have been born in Paso Robles, California.
• Jesús Solorio, contemporary dancer who competed in the third season of So You Think You Can Dance.
• Elena Verdugo, born April 25, 1925, in Paso Robles, California, co-starred on the television series Marcus Welby, M.D. and has a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.
• King Vidor (deceased), pioneering film director.
• Jake Zemke, Professional Motorcycle Racer.

References[link]

External links[link]

• City of Paso Robles Website
• Paso Robles Downtown Main Street Association
• PasoRobles-USA.com Nostalgia Website
• Paso Robles Events Calendar
• Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance
• Paso Robles Wineries at the Open Directory Project

v t e Municipalities and communities of San Luis Obispo County, California, United States County seat: San Luis Obispo Cities Arroyo Grande Atascadero Grover Beach Morro Bay Paso Robles Pismo Beach San Luis Obispo CDPs Avila Beach Blacklake Callender Cambria Cayucos Creston Edna Garden Farms Lake Nacimiento Los Berros Los Osos Los Ranchos Nipomo Oak Shores Oceano San Miguel San Simeon Santa Margarita Shandon Templeton Whitley Gardens Woodlands Unincorporated communities Adelaida Asuncion Baywood-Los Osos Bee Rock Bern Bromela California Valley Cambria Pines Cholame Chorro Halcyon Harmony Huasna Pozo

Adam Lambert
Adam Lambert at the 21st GLAAD Media Awards (2010)
Background information
Birth name	Adam Mitchel Lambert
Born	(1982-01-29) January 29, 1982 (age 30) Indianapolis, Indiana
Origin	Rancho Peñasquitos, San Diego
Genres	Pop,[1] pop rock[1]
Occupations	Musician, singer-songwriter, actor
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2009–present
Labels	19, RCA
Associated acts	Queen
Website	adamofficial.com

Adam Mitchel Lambert (born January 29, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter and stage actor. Born in Indianapolis but raised in San Diego, Lambert had dreamed of becoming a performer after appearing in numerous amateur productions in his childhood and adolescence. His passion overtook him when deciding to drop out of college, pursue his career, and perform in various professional theatrical productions across the world.

Lambert came to prominence following his appearance on the eighth season of American Idol.^[2] Although he was runner-up, Lambert launched a music career with the release of his debut studio album For Your Entertainment (2009) after signing with 19 in a joint venture with RCA. Debuting at number three on the Billboard 200, selling 198,000 copies in the U.S. in its first week, and reaching the top 10 in several countries worldwide, the album subsequently achieved international success with its singles "For Your Entertainment", "Whataya Want from Me" and "If I Had You".^[3][4][5] Soon after, he embarked on his first headlining worldwide concert tour, Glam Nation, making him the only American Idol contestant to do so in the year following his Idol season. The tour was followed by two live releases: an extended play entitled Acoustic Live! (2010), and a live CD/DVD Glam Nation Live (2011), which debuted at number one on the SoundScan Music Video chart.^[6] Lambert took executive producer credit and was a principal writer on his second studio album, Trespassing, which was released to critical acclaim on May 15, 2012.^[7] Trespassing made its debut in the number one spot on the Billboard 200 album chart,^[8] also topping the Billboard Digital Albums Chart and Canada's Digital Albums Chart.^[9][10]With this accomplishment, Lambert makes music history as the first openly gay artist to achieve the top charting position.^[11][12][13]

Citing influence from various artists, Lambert has become recognized for his flamboyant, theatrical and androgynous performance style, and his powerful and technically skilled tenor voice with multi-octave range.^[14][15] He has accrued numerous awards and nominations, including a Grammy nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, and has sold nearly two million copies of his debut album worldwide as of April 2012^[16] and 4.2 million singles worldwide as of January 2011.^[17] The Times identified Lambert as the first openly gay mainstream pop artist to launch a career on a major label in the U.S., while The LA Times ranked him fifth in its list of the top 120 American Idol contestants.^[18][19]

Biography[link]

Early life (1982–2000)[link]

Adam Lambert was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on January 29, 1982, to mother Leila (née Mitchel), an interior designer; and father Eber Lambert, a program manager for Novatel Wireless.^[20] He has a younger brother, Neil.^[20] His father is of mostly Norwegian descent and his mother is Jewish. Lambert was raised in his mother's religion^[21][22][23] and has since performed in Hebrew at Jewish events, singing songs such as "Shir LaShalom" at a 2005 tribute concert to assassinated Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin^[24] and performing at the San Diego Temple of the Arts multiple times, including at the Kol Nidre service on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.^[25]

Shortly after Lambert's birth, his family moved to California when a job opportunity opened for his father in San Diego.^[26] At first, they lived in Rancho Bernardo but settled in Rancho Peñasquitos after his brother was born.^[26] Attending Deer Canyon Elementary School, Lambert began performing with Metropolitan Educational Theatre network from the age of nine and appeared in local productions of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown and Fiddler on the Roof with the company.^[26][27] Around this age, he also received voice coaching and continued his passion for performing while he attended Mesa Verde Middle School.^[20]

While attending Mount Carmel High School (MCHS), he became heavily involved with theater and choir, frequently performed vocals with the school's jazz band, MC Jazz, and loyally competed in the local Air Bands competitions.^[26] Some of his memorable MCHS performances included Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance and "It's Only a Paper Moon" with MC Jazz.^[28] Still thrilled by the stage, Lambert auditioned for Starlight Theatre, a professional outdoor theater company in Balboa Park, where he performed in the ensemble for Hello, Dolly!, Camelot, The Music Man, Grease and as Captain Hook in Peter Pan.^[20][26] After graduating in 2000, he moved to Orange County to attend college. Shortly after enrollment, Lambert had a change of heart, pushed by his intense desire to perform. He left school after only five weeks and moved to Los Angeles. "I just decided that what I really wanted to do was try to work in the real entertainment world," he said. "Life is all about taking risks to get what you want."^[28]

Career beginnings (2001–2008)[link]

At 19, Lambert landed his first job, touring on a cruise ship with Anita Mann Productions for ten months.^[29] Afterwards, he began auditioning again and performed in light opera in Orange County, California.^[29] By 21, he was signed with a manager and cast in a European tour of Hair for six months.^[29] "That was a huge turning point for me personally, because I finally got comfortable in my own skin. I was discovering a lot about myself. Sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, a lot of it."^[29] He dyed his hair black, and while in Germany, reportedly started smoking cannabis and tried ecstasy.^[30] In 2004, he appeared in the Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) production of Brigadoon^[31] and a Pasadena Playhouse production of 110 in the Shade,^[32] before being cast in the role of Joshua in The Ten Commandments: The Musical at the Kodak Theatre alongside Val Kilmer. Lambert, still unknown, was one of the few facets of the production to garner a positive review.^[32][33] After coming to the attention of the casting director for the musical Wicked, he was hired as the understudy for the role of Fiyero in addition to being an ensemble member in the first national touring production of the musical from 2005, and the Los Angeles production from 2007. He finished performances with the musical in 2008.^[32] Beginning in 2004, he regularly performed at the Upright Cabaret and the Zodiac Show, which was co-created by Carmit Bachar of the Pussycat Dolls.

During this same period, Lambert briefly moonlighted as the front man for underground rock band The Citizen Vein with Steve Sidelnyk, Tommy Victor and Monte Pittman.^[34] He remembers, "We did three gigs and that was it and we recorded a couple things, like rough recordings, and I don't know, it didn't quite click."^[35] He also worked as a demo singer and a session musician; a compilation of his 2005 recordings were later released on the album Take One (2009)^[36] by Hi Fi Recordings and Wilshire Records. Upon their release, Lambert issued a statement: "Back in 2005 when I was a struggling artist, I was hired as a studio singer to lend my vocals to tracks written by someone else. I was broke at the time and this was my chance to make a few bucks, so I jumped at the opportunity to record for my first time in a professional studio. The work I did back then in no way reflects the music I am currently in the studio working on."^[37]

[edit] American Idol (2009)

Lambert singing the national anthem during his visit to MCAS Miramar (2009)

Lambert auditioned for the eighth season of American Idol in San Francisco, California. He recalls his decision to audition for the show came after a week at Burning Man where he experimented with "certain funguses." He went on to say that "I had a psychedelic experience where I looked up at the clouds and went, 'Oh!' I realized that we all have our own power, and that whatever I wanted to do, I had to make happen."^[38] During his initial audition, Lambert sang the songs "Crazy", "Rock With You" and "Bohemian Rhapsody".^[35] Although advancing to Hollywood week and performing "What's Up" and "Believe" as solos and "Some Kind of Wonderful" in the group performance,^[39] judges Simon Cowell and Kara DioGuardi feared he was too theatrical.^[35] Nonetheless, he advanced to the top 36 where contestants were split into three groups of 12. Lambert was in group 2 and performed "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction",^[39] after which, he was voted into the top 13, joining fellow group 2 performers Allison Iraheta and Kris Allen. Lambert and Allen became roommates in the Idol mansion.^[21]

The first week of live shows, Lambert sang Michael Jackson's "Black or White", leading to praiseful support from all four judges.^[40] The following week, Lambert sang a version of "Ring of Fire". While Randy Jackson, DioGuardi, and Paula Abdul all liked his performance, Cowell called it "indulgent rubbish".^[40] On Motown night, Lambert sang an acoustic version of The Miracles' "The Tracks of My Tears". The judges all liked it, and Smokey Robinson, the week's mentor and the original singer-songwriter, gave Lambert a standing ovation. When Lambert performed "Play That Funky Music", DioGuardi capped the judge's across-the-board positive reaction with: "Every week I cannot wait to get to the show and see what you’re going to do next."^[40] Advancing to the top 8, he sang the 2001 Michael Andrews and Gary Jules arrangement of "Mad World". Because the show had exceeded its time slot, only Cowell gave a critique, which he did by simply giving Lambert a standing ovation. During the results the next night, the other judges agreed that a standing ovation was the best critique of Lambert's performance.^[40] The next week, he performed "Born to Be Wild" to which Abdul responded, "You're one of the bravest contestants I've ever witnessed", but Cowell questioned the performance's overall likability factor in the general public.^[40]

Photos of Lambert romantically kissing another man surfaced in the midst of the American Idol competition. Highlighted as controversial, they were presented and discussed by conservative commentators on The O'Reilly Factor, who called them "embarrassing", but did not agree that the images would impact the competition.^[41] Lambert confirmed that the photos were of him, stating he had nothing to hide and has always been open about his life.^[42] Mainstream media speculation centered on Lambert's sexuality; presuming he was gay, he would be the first gay American Idol.^{[43][note 1]} Much of the media focus regarded the readiness of American Idol voters for an openly gay winner.^[43] Asked by Rolling Stone whether the speculation surrounding his sexual orientation impacted the final vote, Lambert laughed and said "probably".^[44] He confirmed that he was gay in a Rolling Stone cover story interview shortly after he was named the American Idol runner-up.^[30]

For his second top 7 performance, Lambert sang "If I Can't Have You", delivering what DioGuardi described as his "most memorable performance", while Cowell described his vocals as "immaculate" and Abdul was reduced to tears.^[40] A week later, he returned with "Feeling Good" which received mixed reception from the judges who felt his edgy and dramatic theatrical performance was "a little too Broadway." For the first and only time, he ended up in the bottom two after the public vote, but received enough votes to remain in the competition.^[40] Down to the top 4, Lambert was the first to perform and sang "Whole Lotta Love". Cowell commented, "that was one of my favorite performances" admitting that "nobody can top that now", while Abdul described Lambert's performance as "a whole lotta perfect." He followed it by "nailing" his duet of "Slow Ride" with fellow competitor Allison Iraheta later in the night.^[40] For the top 3 show, he performed "One" before Cowell declared, "If you are not in the final next week, it will be one of the biggest upsets", and followed it with "Cryin' before Abdul affirmed, "we'll be seeing you next week and many years after that."^[40] He also visited his hometown and reprised his earlier successes of "Black or White" and "Mad World" at his alma mater, Mount Carmel High School.^[45] Afterwards, San Diego mayor Jerry Sanders declared May 8, 2009, "Adam Lambert Day."^[46]

Friends from the start, Lambert and Kris Allen were safe, and into the final. Lambert performed three solo songs in the final, reprising "Mad World" as his choice. He followed this by the 1960s civil rights anthem "A Change Is Gonna Come", picked by producer Simon Fuller, to a tremendously positive judge reaction. "That was the best I've EVER heard you sing, EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER!" cooed Abdul. "Whatever happens with this Idol journey, I know you're going to be iconic."^[40] The mandatory winner's single, "No Boundaries", was then performed by both Lambert and Allen. After the performance, Cowell summed up Lambert's journey, "Over the entire season, you've been one of the best, most original contestants we've ever had on the show. The hope and whole idea of a show like this is to find a worldwide star, and I truly believe we've found that in you."^[40] Alongside the usual solo performances, Lambert also performed a medley of "Beth", "Detroit Rock City", and "Rock and Roll All Nite" with rock band Kiss and joined with Kris Allen, Brian May and Roger Taylor (of Queen) to perform the anthem "We Are the Champions" during the final episode before the results were announced.^[47] Lambert was announced as the runner-up for the eighth season of American Idol but, upon winning, Kris Allen stated, "Adam deserved this." Explaining this remark later, Allen said that he thought Lambert deserved to win as much as he did, and that Lambert "was the most consistent person all year. He was seriously one of the most gifted performers that I've ever met."^[48] Lambert's version of the winner's single was released alongside Allen's version. The LA Times later ranked Lambert 5th in its list of the top 120 American Idol contestants, selected from seasons 1 to 9 of the show, above Allen.^[49]

[edit] American Idol season 8 performances and results

• ^ Note A: Due to the judges using their one save to save Matt Giraud, the Top 7 remained intact for an additional week.
• ^ Note B: It was only announced that Allison Iraheta received the lowest number of votes this week. The other member(s) of the bottom two or three were never revealed, and the safe contestants were announced in random order.

Fresh from the competition, Lambert participated in the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2009 with his fellow top 10 contestants which visited 50 cities in the United States and Canada from July 5 to September 15, 2009 and was the recipient of two 2009 awards: the Young Hollywood Award for Artist of the Year and the Teen Choice Award for Male Reality/Variety Star.^[50][51] He reteamed with fellow American Idol contestants Kris Allen and Allison Iraheta for a special Idols Rock My Town concert in February which was held at the Highline Ballroom in New York City.^[52] When Lambert appeared a guest on Larry King Live (guest-hosted by Ryan Seacrest) along with Kris Allen, judge Paula Abdul, and the rest of the top ten finalists, he stated that he planned to create a pop rock, multi-genre album fused with electronic production.^[53] Lambert stuck to those intentions; the album he subsequently released conformed highly to his description of the album he planned to make.^[54]

[edit] For Your Entertainment and touring (2009–2011)

Lambert at the 16th Screen Actors Guild Awards (2010)

For Your Entertainment, Lambert's debut studio album, was released in 2009. Number three on the Billboard 200^[55] and selling 198,000 copies in the United States in its first week,^[5] the album sees Lambert in collaboration with a number of producers, majorly Rob Cavallo, and a string of writers that includes Matthew Bellamy, Ryan Tedder, Rivers Cuomo, Justin Hawkins, P!nk, Linda Perry and Lady Gaga.^[56] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 71, which indicates "generally favorable reviews" with Entertainment Weekly writing, "he's still the belle of what turns out to be one heck of a glitter-pop ball," and All Music Guide stating, "there's a lot of pure pop pleasure here, more than any immediate post-Idol album has ever delivered." But Rolling Stone gave it a more mixed review: "The songs sound great but feel strangely stuffy--[it] seems like a disc that was overthought."^[57] Its Claude Kelly and Dr. Luke-produced lead single "For Your Entertainment" preceded the album's release but was not as successful as its second single "Whataya Want from Me" which impacted on charts worldwide, became his highest-peaking single (at number 10) on the Billboard Hot 100, and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 53rd awards ceremony. Another notable single included on the album was "Time for Miracles", which was originally intended as only the ending theme for the disaster movie 2012; Queen guitarist Brian May lauded the "truly sensational" song, admitting that he was "completely blown away" upon hearing the track.^[58] Since its release, For Your Entertainment has sold nearly 2 million copies worldwide ^[59] and was certified gold in the US.^[3][60][54]

On November 22, Lambert performed "For Your Entertainment" at the American Music Awards of 2009. The controversial performance, which was the night's finale, showed Lambert kissing a male bassist, grinding a dancer's head against his pelvis, and grabbing the crotch of another.^[61] In response, the Parents Television Council, a conservative decency campaigning group,^[62] urged viewers to complain to the FCC,^[63] despite the fact that the performance occurred "outside the FCC's usual 6am-10pm time frame prohibiting the broadcast of indecent material".^[64] ABC received about 1,500 telephoned complaints and cancelled Lambert's scheduled November 25 performance on Good Morning America.^[65][66] Consequently, CBS invited Lambert to perform on The Early Show instead, on the same date, in New York City.^[67] When discussing the incident in a backstage Rolling Stone interview after the performance, Lambert stated: "Female performers have been doing this for years—pushing the envelope about sexuality—and the minute a man does it, everybody freaks out. We're in 2009—it's time to take risks, be a little more brave, time to open people's eyes and if it offends them, then maybe I'm not for them. My goal was not to piss people off, it was to promote freedom of expression and artistic freedom."^[61] Lambert returned to the AMA's two years later as a presenter, and was warmly received.^[68]

In the months surrounding his album release, Lambert appeared on the cover of a number of high-profile magazines including Entertainment Weekly in May 2009,^[69] Rolling Stone in June 2009^[70] and Details in November 2009.^[71] In his Details shoot he was photographed with a nude woman, sparking controversy.^[72] His Rolling Stone cover story became the magazine's best selling issue of the year.^[73] He appeared on the cover of Out magazine in their "Out 100" issue (11/09),^[74] again sparking controversy when Out's publisher issued him an open letter questioning the "gayness" of his image.^[75] The Canadian website and magazine Rockstar Weekly published an Adam Lambert fan magazine in February 2010 featuring fun and inspirational stories from Lambert fans around the world. The issue sold out quickly in its limited first run and was re-issued in October 2010 with extra pages.^[76] In April it was revealed that Lambert had been chosen one of People Magazine's Most Beautiful People 2010.^[77] He appeared on the cover of Japan's May 2010 issue of Rolling Stone magazine, after his single "For Your Entertainment" reached its fifth consecutive number-one spot on their radio airplay charts.^[78] In November 2011, Lambert appeared on the cover of The Advocate, which included an in-depth interview about his upcoming album and other topics.^[79] The issue immediately became a sought-after item, since the magazine is available by subscription only.^[80]

In support of the album, Lambert performed at various events since its release, both in the US and internationally. These included radio-sponsored events, live concerts, and televised events. In December 2009, he hosted and performed at a number of radio-sponsored Jingle Balls, in New York, Miami, and Tampa, Florida.^[81] And, to ring in the New Year, he headlined the Gridlock New Year's Eve 2010 festival at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, CA. The event, hosted by Pamela Anderson, benefited the American Red Cross.^[82] In February 2010, AOL Music unleashed a special, intimate, five-song mini-concert on AOL Sessions where Lambert performed "Whataya Want from Me", the Lady Gaga-written "Fever", "Strut", "If I Had You" and "Soaked".^[83] The same month, he performed another intimate acoustic concert for IHeartRadio where he stopped the performance of "Whataya Want from Me" to ask an audience member to stop talking on her cell phone.^[84] Later that month, Lambert performed his first official solo concert, held at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California,^[85] where played to a sold-out audience of 3,500 fans, some of whom came from as far away as Thailand and Australia to attend the concert.^[86] On March 31, 2010, Lambert performed  a set in Berns, Stockholm, Sweden.^[87] In April 2010, he performed two concerts in British Columbia, Canada; the first on April 8 in Coquitlam, BC, and another concert at the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond B.C. the following night.^[88] A year later in May 2011, Lambert performed at the Maxidrom Festival in Moscow, Russia, to an estimated crowd of 50,000 people^[89] while July saw him at the Ste Agathe en Feux Festival in Quebec, Canada.

At the start of June 2010, Lambert embarked on his debut headlining concert tour Glam Nation, playing throughout the United States with Allison Iraheta and Orianthi before performing throughout Europe and Asia. His concert in Malaysia on October 10, 2010, went ahead as planned, despite protests from an Islamist political party.^[90] Lambert performed a total of 113 shows; nearly all of them sold out.^[91] The concert performed at Indianapolis was filmed for Lambert's first video release Glam Nation Live, a package included a 13-track CD with a DVD which featured the concert and behind-the-scenes footage.^[92] The concert, which MTV called "out of this world", and his subsequent video release, were well-received, with Entertainment Weekly saying that it "sizzles" with the energy that Lambert's vocals bring in a live concert setting.^[93] Glam Nation Live debuted at number one on the SoundScan Music Video chart^[94] and landed in the number-12 spot on Billboard's 2011 year-end chart for music video sales.^[95] This followed the release of his first extended play (EP), titled Acoustic Live!, which included acoustic versions of his songs recorded live in various countries. The EP garnered excellent reviews and was called "electrifying" by the New York Daily News.^[96][97][98]

On November 6, 2011, Lambert joined the legendary band Queen as lead singer for a special performance at the MTV Europe Music Awards held in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where the band was honored with the Global Icon Award. In a "spectacular" performance that closed the show, Lambert and Queen presented a medley of the classic hits “The Show Must Go On”, "We Will Rock You", and "We Are the Champions".^[99] On December 9, Roger Taylor was quoted as saying they are in talks with Lambert about fronting some more live shows for Queen, calling the artist "a really great performer with an astonishing voice."^[100]

[edit] Trespassing (2012–present)

After changing management from 19 Entertainment to Direct Management Group in August 2011,^[101] Lambert announced that his second studio album, Trespassing, would be released on March 20, 2012; and that he would serve as executive producer.^[102] In mid-February, he reported that the release had been delayed to "Mapril", citing last minute additions of new songs and collaborations.^[103] After unveiling snippets of four more album tracks, Lambert announced in late March that the album would drop on May 15, 2012.^[104][105] Anticipation for the release has been building and is considerable.^{[106][107][108]} The title track was co-written with Grammy Award winning Pharrell Williams,^[109] while the album's lead single, "Better Than I Know Myself", a collaboration with Dr. Luke and Claude Kelly,^[110] was released on December 20, 2011 to all digital retailers.^[102] His debut live performance of the single on January 17, 2012, on the The Tonight Show with Jay Leno received overwhelmingly positive reviews, focusing on Lambert's soaring and impeccable vocals on this melodically challenging song, as well as his more stripped down and sophisticated look.^{[111][112][113][114]} Its reprise on the The Ellen DeGeneres Show two days later, brought equally favorable reviews as well as an interview.^[115][116] The commanding album cover art by Lambert's friend and Art Director/Photographer for Trespassing, Lee Cherry, was revealed on January 24. The image is a dramatic departure from Lambert's depiction on the 2009 cover of For Your Entertainment, signaling a new era in his career.^[117][118]

On January 29, Lambert's 30th birthday, he was the first American artist to play the Q-Snowcase in Zell Am See, Austria. In a five-song acoustic set, he performed three songs from the new album—including a debut unplugged version of the title track "Trespassing," described as "fierce and funky" in this rendition.^[119]

Lambert premiered his provocative and "stunningly art-directed" video of "Better Than I Know Myself" on his Vevo channel on February 3, 2012.^[120] Directed by Ray Kay, the video provides the viewer with split screen and split personality entree into an interpretative world where dark and light collide and coalesce. The multiple meanings attached to the work serve as the introduction to the theme of the album Trespassing, which Lambert says reflects the dark and light sides of himself through song.^[121][122]

It was announced in February that Lambert would take the stage with Queen to headline the U.K.'s Sonisphere Festival on July 7, 2012. The performance was to have particular significance as its location at Knebworth Park marks the site of Freddie Mercury's final performance with the band in August 1986. In announcing the lineup, Sonisphere cited the "potent chemistry" between Lambert and Queen at the EMAs, as well as the event's historic significance.^[123][124] Discussing the date, Brian May remarked that he expected Lambert to be a "great interpreter" of Mercury's songs: “It will be challenging – my God, it will be challenging," said May.^[125] Queen announced an additional appearance with Lambert in Moscow's Olympic Stadium, on June 30, 2012.^[126][127] Subsequently, the Sonisphere Knebworth festival was cancelled due to logistics and "circumstances,"^[128] with both Queen and Lambert expressing disappointment and sadness respectively, but also hope for "redress" in the future.^[129][130] Days later, Roger Taylor announced that Queen and Lambert would perform three summer dates in addition to their Moscow show: two in London in early July and one in Kiev that would also feature Elton John as a headliner.^[131][132] In late April, another concert was added in Wrocław, Poland, for July 7, where Queen and Lambert will headline a new rock festival.^[133] Queen announced that a third London show would be added on July 14, as a result of the instantaneous sell-out of the earlier two London dates.^[134][135]

Lambert performed "Trespassing" on April 9, 2012, at the Logo channel's fifth annual NewNowNext Awards, where he closed the show with a "rousing" and "in-your-face" performance.^[136][137] On April 11, he announced via twitter, that the album's next single would be Never Close Our Eyes, written by Bruno Mars and produced by Dr. Luke.^[138][139] Reviews for the song, which was released digitally on April 17,^[140] have been overwhelmingly positive.^[141][142] "Never Close Our Eyes" debuted on national television on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on April 27, 2012, when Lambert performed for their concert series, again garnering positive reviews.^[143][144] He appeared on Good Morning America -- the show from which he was cut following his controversial American Music Awards of 2009 performance—on May 14, to sing "Never Close Our Eyes" and co-host the Pop News segment.^[145] He announced via Twitter that he would return to the American Idol stage for his third consecutive year to perform "Never Close Our Eyes" on the results show that precedes Idol's final week.^[146] The May 17 performance was touted for its vibrant energy and dazzle, as well as for the powerhouse vocals that have become Lambert's signature.^{[147][148][149]}

Trespassing was released on May 15, 2012, following more than a week of major news stories and a preponderance of positive reviews.^{[150][151][152][153]} Lambert tweeted his excitement at finding that the album had spent its first day at the top of the U.S. iTunes album chart.^[154][155]On May 23, the album debuted in the number one position on the Billboard 200 chart, selling upwards of 77,000 copies.^[156][157]Lambert again took to twitter, referencing the historic significance of being the first openly gay artist to reach this pinnacle, and as usual, acknowledging the help of his fans.^[158]

The video for "Never Close Our Eyes," released on May 29, flipped the song's more personal, manifest content on its head, as Lambert had done with "Trespassing"'s first video release, "Better Than I Know Myself." Directed by Dori Oskowitz, it depicts a a drab, futuristic, Orwellian-type landscape which becomes transformed through rebellion, visually represented by dazzling neon color and celebratory dance. The latter signify the return (and triumph) of individual expression, advancing the album's themes of dark vs. light, and suppression vs. self-affirmation.^{[159][160][161]}

Television (2009–2011)[link]

Lambert has made numerous television appearances since leaving the American Idol stage.

In May 2009, he performed outdoors at the Fifth Avenue studios of CBS' The Early Show with his rendition of "Mad World".^[162] The following morning, he was interviewed on Live with Regis and Kelly, and again performed “Mad World.”^[163]

He was interviewed for a segment of the ABC News magazine show 20/20 in June 2009, which was promoted as the first televised discussion by Lambert of his sexuality. The interview reviewed much of his musical career, leading into the up-coming 2009 Idol Tour.^[164]

In August 2009, he appeared with fellow Idols David Cook and Kris Allen on the Good Morning America televised concert series held in Central Park, New York City. He sang a nearly acoustic version of Muse’s “Starlight,” which had become part of his set list for the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2009, then running concurrently.^[165][166]

On November 25, 2009, Lambert performed his single "Whataya Want from Me" on The Late Show with David Letterman. Earlier that day, he had debuted the song live on The Early Show, where he also sang "Music Again" from the newly released For Your Entertainment album. The appearances provided a segue from his controversial American Music Awards performance that had occurred only days earlier.^[167]

Lambert began December 2009 with an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The interview segment covered his AMA performance as well as the newly released For Your Entertainment. Lambert later performed his new single "Whataya Want from Me",^[168] which he reprised in an acoustic version on Ellen’s February 10, 2011 show, soon after being nominated for a Grammy Award for his vocal performance of the song.^[169] In May 2010, he returned to perform a new single, "If I Had You".^[170]

Lambert was chosen for Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009, and appeared on the December 10 show to be interviewed by Walters.^[171] That same morning, he appeared on The View, another interview format which also included a performance of "Whataya Want from Me".^[172] Both the Barbara Walters special and The View are ABC shows: the same network which had reacted by banning Lambert after receiving complaints following his November American Music Awards appearance. As a result, the performance on The View was pre-recorded.

Lambert appeared on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien on December 14, 2009, and performed his single.^[173] He provided another live performance two days later on the season finale of So You Think You Can Dance. Appearing with other superstar artists, Lambert's "Whataya Want from Me" stole the show, according to an MTV review. Earlier that day, he appeared on Chelsea Lately, with host Chelsea Handler.^[174]

Lambert appeared for the first time on The Jay Leno Show on December 21, 2009, giving a lengthy interview and performing "Whataya Want from Me".^[175] He was invited back in March 2010 to close the second episode of The Tonight Show featuring Jay Leno, with a performance of the song "Sleepwalker" from his debut album.^[176] Lambert performed his newly released single "If I Had You" on Leno's May 21, 2010, show.^[177]

Lambert began 2010 with a January interview and performance of "If I Had You" on The Oprah Winfrey Show.^[178] A few days prior, he was interviewed for the Fuse TV "On the Record" segment.^[179] In February, he could be seen as Grammy correspondent on the Red Carpet for Entertainment Tonight.^[180] In March, as part of his swing through Australia to promote his album, he performed on "So You Think You Can Dance", as well as the popular morning show "Sunrise".^[181] Lambert also did a series of television appearances in Japan,^[182] as part of his Asian and European promotional tour.

In the same month, Lambert was selected to inaugurate the newly resurrected award-winning VH1 Unplugged concert series, for which he interviewed as well as performed stripped-down versions of five songs from For Your Entertainment.^[183] March 2010 also saw him as a featured artist on the ABC News Nightline "Playlist" segment, in which he discussed his musical influences and favorite tracks.^[184]

In April 2010, Lambert returned to American Idol as the first former contestant to mentor during an Elvis Presley themed week, followed by a performance of "Whataya Want from Me".^[185] His contributions drew praise, including from then Idol musical director Rickey Minor.^[186] In May, continuing his swing though Europe, he gave a guest interview for Finland X Factor 's the "Chaos Tube," also performing "Whataya Want from Me" on the show.^[187]

Lambert appeared on Canada's MuchMusic Video Awards on June 20, 2010, picking up the UR Fav International Video award for "Whataya Want from Me" which he also performed.^[188] On November 11, 2010 he was the subject of his own E! True Hollywood Story, which included in-depth interviews with family members, friends, music journalists and others.^[189] In December, Lambert was the subject of another in-depth interview for CNN Talk Asia, which he recorded while on the international leg of his tour.^[190]

Lambert walked the 2011 Grammy Awards red carpet on February 13, 2011, in honor of his nomination in the Best Male Pop Vocal category for "Whataya Want from Me". He was also one of five participants in the Grammy Social Media Rock Stars Summit, which kicked off a three-day online Grammy event preceding the show. Other participants included senior executives from Facebook, Pandora and Foursquare, and Grammy award winner Chamillionaire. The summit focused on issues relevant to music and its interface with social and new media platforms.^[191][192]

In the February 19, 2011, episode of MTV’s “10 0n Top”, Lambert was interviewed during a limo ride to the Grammy Award event, where he discussed his nomination, fashion and favorites for the evening. The show focusses on the ten “most texted and talked about young celebs at the moment.”^[193][194]

Lambert returned to the American Idol stage for the March 10, 2011, results show, singing an acoustic version of his song "Aftermath", accompanied only by guitar. The track appears in its original form on his debut album For Your Entertainment. After the performance, a dance remix version was made available for purchase, with proceeds benefitting The Trevor Project.^[195]

Lambert was profiled in an episode of VH1's celebrated Behind the Music series, which premiered on August 7, 2011. The hour-long documentary featured never-before-seen home video, as well as interviews with friends, family, and music industry experts. Lambert revealed details about a broad range of topics, including early struggles with his sexuality, his experience in the theater, the circumstances that led to his American Idol audition, and the events surrounding the release of his debut album For Your Entertainment.^[196]

MTV's "Talk@Playground" presented Lambert with an opportunity to fuse two of his passions, fashion and music. In a piece that aired internationally in September 2011, Lambert was paired with friend and founder of Skingraft Designs, Jonny Cota, to discuss their growth as artists as well as what inspires them creatively. Lambert had worn Skingraft designs on American Idol and his Glam Nation Tour.^[197][198]

On September 22, 2011, Lambert again put his flair for fashion and music to work as guest judge on Project Runway. Contestants were charged with designing attire for the Rolling Stone cover shoot of emerging rock band The Sheepdogs. Lambert offered constructive critique that was well received by both contestants and judges.^[199]

Lambert donned his mentor cap on November 13, 2011, when he appeared as a "Major" in an episode of The Hub TV Network's Majors & Minors. As they rehearsed and performed his platinum hit "Whataya Want from Me", the young singing contestants were provided with expertise focused on the importance of stage presence and emotional engagement with the audience.^[200]

On November 20, 2011, after a two-year absence, Lambert returned to the American Music Awards, introducing a performance by the group OneRepublic. Rejecting claims that the singer was banned from the show in 2009, Executive Producer Larry Klein said that he's anticipating future Lambert performances: “Adam Lambert is a friend of ours, he's talented and I like everything about him."^[201]

Lambert made his third fashion-related television appearance of Fall 2011 when he appeared on the Sundance Channel program All on the Line with Joe Zee on December 9. Fast becoming a fashion icon himself, Lambert was chosen as the subject around which the show's young designers created a suitably modern look, which was then critiqued by Lambert and the hosts.^[202][203]

Artistry[link]

Voice[link]

Critics, celebrities and colleagues have been outspoken in their praise for Lambert’s vocal abilities. In a 2009 Associated Press interview, Wicked casting director Bernard Telsey, who recalled Lambert's audition and his amazing voice, said: "I literally remember saying, 'Oh my God, this guy has the highest range’.”^[204] Record producer Rob Cavallo once described Lambert as having an unlimited range, as well as being able to sing every note on a guitar from the lowest to the highest.^[205][206] David Stroud, a Los Angeles based vocal teacher, coached Lambert for his 2010 international Glam Nation Tour, in which he performed 113 shows without vocal rest.^[207] Stroud described Lambert as being able to "do extreme things with his voice that most singers will probably never be able to do.” ^[208] In a March 2012 interview, rock legend Meat Loaf rated Lambert's voice in the company of only two others, Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin, based on "that jet pack quality to their voice that just lets it take off."^[209]

In 2011, when he took the stage at the MTV Europe Music Awards alongside honoree Queen, it was a fitting match for Lambert, whose theatrical style and vocals have often been compared with Freddie Mercury's.^[210] Brian May, legendary guitarist for Queen, noted that Lambert’s voice has “sensitivity, depth, maturity, and awesome range and power which will make jaws drop”;^[211] while Roger Taylor added that Lambert had "the best range I've ever heard" in a BBC interview in 2012.^[212] Pharrell Williams, after collaborating with Lambert on his Trespassing album, commented, “This kid has a voice like a siren – there’s no guys singing in that Steve Winwood-Peter Cetera range.”^[213]

Style and Image[link]

Lambert is best known for his theatrical performance style, which draws upon his personal eye for presentation and extensive stage experience. Kathie Bretches-Urban, co-founder of the Metropolitan Educational Theatre (now MET2) where Lambert performed as a youth, said Lambert “has invested his entire life in music and performing. He worked, much like an athlete would do, on his singing with voice lessons for his entire life.” ^[204] Lambert honed his theatrical style and stage swagger further, experimenting with outrageous makeup, hair, costumes, jewelry and fingernail polish when he became a regular featured performer in the L.A. glam-rock stage spectacle The Zodiac Show.^[204] While a contestant on Idol, Lambert's meticulous and varied stagings of himself in each of his performances, kept audiences and judges glued as much to his presence and stylings as to his powerful voice.^[214]

Influences[link]

Lambert was inspired when his father gave him access to his large record collection of 70’s music. He quickly gravitated towards theatrical rock from artists such as Madonna, David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Queen, Aerosmith, and Led Zeppelin.^[215][216] Lambert has recognized Michael Jackson and Madonna as musically influential for him, saying they were the “King and Queen” because they both creatively merged their music with makeup, outfits and theatrical music videos.^[217] He has often cited that many of his strongest influences have been British singers, such as Freddie Mercury, David Bowie and Robert Plant. He told the Daily Star, “Those are the people I really gravitate towards.” ^[218] When asked who his favorite performer of the glam rock era is, Lambert answered David Bowie: “he took costumes and story concepts for his Ziggy Stardust character to the next level. His music is amazing, and his lyrics are really intelligent.”^[219] In an interview with NPR, Lambert said he spent hours upon hours listening to Queen, trying to figure out how Freddie Mercury did what he did with his voice. “His voice has so much texture to it, he kind of grabs at everything and squeezes it.” Lambert says that Mercury was “completely over the top in the best possible way” and as an openly gay performer, "he owes a debt to Mercury's flamboyance decades ago."^[220]

Lambert’s own music has been influenced by numerous genres including classic rock, pop, and electronic music. His theatrical performance style draws heavily from his stage experience.^[221] The type of artist Lambert sees himself as being is “one that creates from the ground up, not only an amazing song, but one with a beat, and a story, and a look, and a theme.”^[217] For his sophomore album, he used inspiration from classic disco, 90’s electronica, funk and dubstep music.^[213]

Philanthropy[link]

Since his appearance on American Idol, Lambert has supported various charitable organizations and raises money through donations by fans. As of October 2011, these donations reached $1,000,000.^[222] In January 2009, Lambert asked fans to donate in his name to DonorsChoose.org, an online education charity that allows the public to directly donate to school projects instead of giving him gifts for his 28th birthday. 2,435 fans showed their support, donating $322,700, which provided resources and supplies to nearly 332,527 students.^[223] In June 2010, Lambert again teamed up with charity and asked fans to join his "Glam A Classroom" campaign to support music and arts programs in high-need public schools. By the end of the campaign, 3,020 fans had donated $208,590, reaching 284,672 students,^[224] and bringing total contributions for DonorsChoose to $531,290. In October 2010, Lambert collaborated a second Signature Collection design with The Pennyroyal Studio, the Infinity pendant, which raised an additional $43,092 for the DonorsChoose charity. The pendant design was retired in October 2010.^[225]

Lambert has also contributed to the MusiCares charity when he and The Pennyroyal Studio collaborated the design of an Eye of Horus pendant. The sale of this Eye of Horus pendant raised $32,000 in 7 days. The pendant design was retired in August 2009.^[226] In January 2011, he started a campaign to raise $29,000 for charity: water to commemorate his 29th birthday. Funds raised by charity: water go towards bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. Fans surpassed the goal set by Lambert in less than five hours, and donations reached $60,000 by the end of the next 24 hours. On Lambert's birthday, more than $115,000 in donations came in. According to the charity, that amount broke the record for most donations in a single day, and crashed their servers. By the end of the campaign, Lambert's fans had raised $323,803, which helped 16,190 people receive clean water.^[227]He continued his efforts for his 30th birthday, at the end of January 2012, this time asking fans to "give up" their birthdays in an ongoing fundraiser that had raised 82,000 by May 2012.^[228]

Lambert is one of several artists to perform at Royal Albert Hall on June 7, 2012 in a concert benefiting the Rays Of Sunshine Children's Charity. The charity grants wishes to seriously ill children.^[229]

LGBT advocacy[link]

Lambert at the 21st GLAAD Media Awards (2010)

Lambert, himself openly gay, has contributed to the advancement of social acceptance towards LGBT people. He was presented the "Equality Idol Award" by Sam Sparro at the Equality California Los Angeles annual Equality Awards in August 2011 for being an exemplary role model for the LGBT community.^[230] He was honored with his mother the following month at the PFLAG National Los Angeles event for his "authentic" voice.^[231] He and his mother were presented awards which together interlocked to compose the PFLAG logo, symbolizing support by and for families and friends of LGBT individuals.^[232] Lambert received a GLAAD Media Award nomination for Outstanding Music Artist in 2010. The same year, he lent his voice to a one-and-a-half minute video message on YouTube for the It Gets Better campaign – a project created by columnist Dan Savage in response to school bullying and a rash of suicides among young LGBT people aiming to "provide hope to youth struggling with their identity." Recorded while he was touring, the clip shows Lambert encouraging viewers to take pride in themselves, and not allow bullies to prevail.^[233]

The following March, he released a Billboard remix version of his For Your Entertainment song "Aftermath" with a portion of the proceeds going to support The Trevor Project, the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBT youth.^[234] He raised an additional $43,500 for The Trevor Project after collaborating with The Pennyroyal Studio to make his own Peace pendant.^[235] In October 2011, he raised another $2,100 from donations given on behalf of the Adam Lambert Glambert Fan Army for the MTV Dance Party Marathon. This raised funds to combat bullying in honor of National Bullying Prevention Month and was split between the LGBT charities GLSEN, It Gets Better Project, GSA, HRC, The Trevor Project and GLAAD.^[236][237]

In January 2012, in an exclusive interview with UK music news magazine Pressparty, Lambert recognised that despite the social progress made in the United States, there is still a long way to go, particularly in the music industry. “I still long for the LGBT community's diversity to be more broadly represented in the entertainment industry. I think larger strides have been made in film and TV but we still are just at the beginning with mainstream music. I consider myself a post-gay man working in a pre-gay industry”, he said.^[238]

Personal life[link]

Lambert is currently in a relationship with Finnish reality TV personality Sauli Koskinen.^[239]

Discography[link]

• For Your Entertainment (2009)
• Trespassing (2012)

Concert tours[link]

• American Idols LIVE! Tour 2009 (2009)
• Glam Nation Tour (2010)

Awards and nominations[link]

Billboard Year-End Chart Awards

Billboard Japan Music Awards

BMI Pop Music Award

Bravo Otto Awards

CMA Wild and Young Awards

EMMA Award Finland

Flecking Records

Fonogram – Hungarian Music Awards

GLAAD Media Awards

Grammy Awards

Mashable Awards

MTV O Music Awards