- published: 22 Sep 2014
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Eric Roth (born 22 March 1945) is an American screenwriter. He won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for Forrest Gump (1994). He also co-wrote the screenplay for Michael Mann's The Insider (1999), the Steven Spielberg film Munich (2005), and David Fincher's film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), all of which were nominated for Oscars.
Roth was born in New York City, New York, the son of Miriam "Mimi", a teacher, studio executive, and radio writer, and Leon Roth, a university teacher and film producer. He has a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) from UCLA Film School as well as a degree from University of California, Santa Barbara.
Roth is one of the investors defrauded by Bernard Madoff in a "Ponzi Scheme" via Stanley Chais. He stated that his losses were heavy and he has lost his retirement money, although the full extent is unknown. As a result of the fraud and the associated losses, Roth is suing the estate of Chais, who died on September 26, 2010. Roth is rumored to be writing a screenplay dealing with the Madoff-Chais scandal.
Steven Siro Vai (born June 6, 1960) is an American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. After starting his career as a music transcriptionist for Frank Zappa, Vai recorded and toured in Zappa's band for two years, from 1980 to 1982. He began a solo career in 1983, has released eight solo albums and won three Grammy Awards. He has also recorded and toured with Public Image Ltd., Alcatrazz, David Lee Roth and Whitesnake. Vai has been a regular touring member of the G3 Concert Tour which began in 1996. In 1999 Vai started his own record label Favored Nations, intending to showcase as he describes, "...artists that have attained the highest performance level on their chosen instruments."
Vai began playing guitar in 1973, at the age of 13. In 1974, he took guitar lessons from guitarist Joe Satriani and played in local bands, one of which was called "The Steve Vais". He was influenced by guitarists including Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Brian May, Jimmy Page, Glen Buxton, and jazz fusion guitarist Allan Holdsworth. Vai attended the Berklee College of Music, afterwards recording a promotional piece for them in which he spoke about auditioning for Frank Zappa at age 20.
Steven J. "Steve" Morse (born 28 July 1954) is an American guitarist and composer, best known as the founder of the Dixie Dregs, and the guitar player in Deep Purple since 1994. Morse's career has encompassed rock, country, funk, jazz, classical, and fusion of these musical genres. In addition to a thriving solo career, he enjoyed a brief stint with Kansas in the mid 80s.