ROBERTA FLACK 

      Her incredible voice gave life to songs like "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", "Killing Me Softly with His Song", and "Feel Like Makin' Love" to name a few.  She has received four Grammy awards from thirteen nominations, and is one of only two artists to win the award in back-to-back years.  Her duet partners have included Howard University classmate: Donny Hathaway, Jamaican vocalist Maxi Priest and Peabo Bryson.  She is the one, the only Roberta Flack.  A living legend with a career spanning over four decades, 5 Top 10 singles, and 3 U.S. Top Five albums.

     A multi-talented singer and musician who is notable for her jazz, soul, R&B, and folk music accomplishments.  The daughter of a church organist, Flack started piano lessons at very early age and eventually received a music scholarship to Howard University.  After graduation, she taught music and sang in clubs, where she was discovered by jazz musician Les McCann who helped her land a record deal with Atlantic.  Actor Clint Eastwood had a major impact on the songbirds success, when he chose her version of Ewan MacColl's song "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" as the sound track for the movie "Play Misty for Me", which was his directorial debut. Thus the song became 1972's biggest hit of the year and earned Ms. Flack a million-selling gold disc.  Eastwood remained an admirer and friend and in 1983, Roberta recorded the end music for the film Dirty Harry-Sudden Impact at Eastwood's request.

      
     NBC contracted Ms. Flack in 1986 to sing the theme song entitled "Together Through the Years" for the  television series "Valerie" later known as "The Hogan Family".  All six seasons of the show used Roberts's recording of the theme song.  Ms. Flack was honored with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame in 1999 and that same year, South African President Nelson Mandela attended the final performance of her South African concert tour.  Never one to rest on her laurels, sheis a member of the Artist Empowerment Coalition, which advocates the right of artists to control their creative properties and she is also a spokesperson for the American Society for the prevention of Cruelty to Animals.  Her appearance in commercials for the ASPCA featured the song "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face".   The Hyde Leadership Charter School, located in the Bronx section of New York City is home to an after-school music program called "The Roberta Flack School of Music" and is in partnership with Flack, who founded the school, which provides free music education to underprivileged students. 

    Today, she continues to tour and perform everywhere for the Montreux Festival to the Calgary Folk Festival.  She appeared on the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards in 2010, soaking up the love and admiration of fans and fellow performers as well as pairing with Maxwell for a duet of "Where Is The Love".  Yes, Flack, who was afforded this sort of love when her song 'Killing Me Softly' was resurrected by the Fugees, is clearly back in her element in the spotlight.  To date she has been diligently creating a collection of vocals for SONY ,of Beatles cover songs as a tribute to her old neighbor John Lennon, who lived next door to her in the Dakota Building.  Rumor has it the release date is set for April 21st, 2011.

Roberta Flack Web page

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     Just as crooners before him, he mastered the microphone and combined that talent with his vocal depth and technique made possible by classical training, and the image of innocence projected by his peers at the time, the teen idols of the 1950s and 1960s, Johnny Mathis has been one of the twentieth century's most beloved vocalists.
     The fourth of seven children born September 30, 1935 to Clem and Mildred Mathis, John Royce Mathis. His father (a chauffeur/handyman and former Vaudevillian) and his mother ( a housekeeper) moved to San Francisco when John was young. It was there his love and aptitude for music blossomed.   When Johnny was eight years old, his Father Clem brought home and old upright piano that he had purchased for around $25 and began teaching his young son songs and routines.  A few years later at 13 yrs. old, Clem took him to see Connie Cox, a Bay Area voice teacher, who agreed to take on the youngster in exchange for his doing odd jobs around her house.  Johnny studied with Connie for six years, learning vocal scales and exercises, voice production, classical and operatic skills.  Young Mathis also sang in church, at school functions, at community events and amateur shows all over San Francisco.  At George Washington H.S., he was very popular, well known for his singing abilities, and also a star athlete on the track and field team, as well as on the basketball team.  
     Enrolling at San Francisco State College with the intention of being an English and physical education teacher, Johnny set a high jump record of 6' 5-1/2", only 2 inches short of the Olympic record of the time. A feat which is still on the College's Top 15 list.  He was often referred to as "the best all-around athlete to come out of the San Francisco Bay Area."  A fellow SFSC student and member of a jazz sextet, talked Johnny into coming to a Sunday afternoon jam session at the BlackHawk nightclub and singing with the group.  When Helen Noga, who co-owned the club heard Johnny sing, she immediately decided that she wanted to manage his career and push him to the top. In early September of 1955, Johnny landed a job singing weekends at Ann Dee's 440 Club. Helen contacted George Avakian, then head of Jazz A & R at Columbia Records while he was vacationing in San Francisco and got him to agree to come to the 440 Club to hear Johnny sing.  When he did, Avakian, he sent the now famous telegram to his record company: "Have found phenomenal 19-year old boy who could go all the way.  Send blank contracts."
     In early 1956, Johnny was asked to attend the trials for the 1956 Olympic teams that would travel to Melbourne, Australia that summer. At the same time, Columbia Records requested that Johnny come to New York to start arrangements for his first recording session. Clem helped his son decide that his future and best interests were with the recording company, and so Johnny gave up his chance to become a member of the USA Olympic Team. He went to New York to record his first album, in March of 1956. It was a decision that he would never regret.  In 1958, Johnny left San Francisco along with his managers Helen and John Noga, and moved to Beverly Hills where he shared a home with them. Six years later, he and the Nogas ended their business relationship. Johnny purchased a home in the Hollywood Hills, one that was originally built by Howard Hughes, and still resides there today.
     Johnny's accomplishments are numerous and varied.  As a Pop vocalist; Johnny Mathis has recorded over 75 albums and sold over 100 million recordings worldwide; sang with jazz groups in college, mid-1950s; nightclub performer, San Francisco area, mid-1950s; signed by Columbia Records, 1956.  In June of 1957, Johnny appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show, where he was introduced to the record-buying public, and became a national celebrity and a household name.  He followed up by working with Columbia pop producer Mitch Miller, late 1950s; recorded breakthrough hit "Wonderful! Wonderful!," 1957; released Greatest Hits, which remained on charts for 490 weeks, 1958.   Subsequently, MGM Studios signed Johnny to sing "It's Not For Me To Say" in the film Lizzie, in which he played a tavern piano-bar singer. In 1958, Johnny made another motion picture appearance, this time for 20th Century-Fox in A Certain Smile, where he sang the title song, playing himself in an elegant nightclub scene.  Mathis also made extensive concert and nightclub appearances; established own production company, Rojon Productions, 1964; presented three sellout concerts, Carnegie Hall, New York, 1993; and performed live concert on A&E cable television, 1998.  In June of 1972, he was awarded his own star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame.   
     He has appeared many times at the White House, starting in June of 1973, he sang at the State Dinner held in honor of the President of Liberia, again in April of 1987, he sang for President and Mrs. Reagan at the State Dinner held in honor of the Prime Minister of Japan, and again in April of 1991 for President and Mrs. Bush in honor of the President of Nicaragua.  In October of 1987, he was invited to the White House to sing at a Jerome Kern Tribute. Most recently, in May of 1994, Johnny performed for President and Mrs.Clinton at a very special First Ladies Tribute. In 1978, Johnny sang for the British Royal Family at a Command Performance held at the London Palladium.  He has participated in the Academy Awards presentations, as well as received two Grammy nominations.  Over the years, Johnny has been a frequent guest on all of the well-known talk shows of the day. On the "Tonight Show" alone, he has guested over 50 times since 1962.
     When Johnny was celebrating his 25th Anniversary as a Recording Artist in 1981, the City of Hope/Music Industry Chapter paid tribute to him at a gala dinner held at the Century Plaza Hotel, where he was presented with the "Spirit of Life" award. Johnny was among the first major singers to become a member of the Society of Singers (SOS), and gives generous support to this organization.  By some estimates Mathis has been, next to Frank Sinatra, the most consistent album seller of the modern era.  With his wavy hair and California good looks that suggested no affiliation with a particular ethnic group, Mathis's music cultivated a soft romantic appeal that transcended social and racial barriers.
     Numerous concept albums, such as one based entirely on different fairy tales and another that explored the songs of composer Burt Bacharach, appealed primarily to middle-of-the-road white audiences. Throughout the 1960s, Mathis connected less with African American audiences than with other groups. During the 1970s, however, Mathis began to seek out original material from African American composers like Linda Creed and Thom Bell.  In 1978, Mathis recorded a duet with rhythm-and-blues singer Deniece Williams, whose vocal virtuosity matched his own. Their duet, "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late," rocketed to number one on both the rhythm-and-blues and pop charts. Mathis and Williams also recorded a successful album, That's What Friends Are For, in 1981.
      Mathis went on to record duets with other popular female vocalists, including Gladys Knight, Jane Olivor, Angela Bofill, and Dionne Warwick. He continued to enjoy considerable chart success well into the 1980s. In 1993, Mathis enjoyed immense critical acclaim for the compilation album A Personal Collection, which brought together favorites from the singer's many albums. This album also included a duet with Barbra Streisand, who had often claimed Mathis as an inspiration and influence.  He is truly an International Superstar, who has performed in North America, South America, Europe, Australia, Africa and the Far East.
     Sports are still a major part of Johnny's life. He continues to be extremely health conscious and remains in excellent physical condition. He especially enjoys golf, plays nearly every day, and participates in golf tournaments throughout the year, and is also often asked to sing at the golf banquets of the major Golf Tournaments, such as the Ryder Cup. In 1985 and 1986, Johnny hosted his own golf tournament, The Johnny Mathis Seniors PGA Classic, held in Los Angeles.    Thousands of words have been written about Johnny's superb artistry and musicianship, his stunning song interpretations, his incomparable phrasing and articulation, his remarkable professionalism, impeccable and youthful appearance, his shy and innocent charm. Many have said that Johnny sings right from the heart, from deep within his soul, that he projects a warm, sincere and sensitive personality through his incredibly beautiful sound.  Johnny celebrated the year 2000 with the release of a new CD of show tunes, Mathis On Broadway.    
     The latest CD, released in October of 2002, is a delightful selection of Christmas songs, The Christmas Album.    At San Francisco State College, The Johnny Mathis Invitational Track & Field Meet has been held annually since 1982. Besides his interest in sports, and his love for golf, Johnny has developed his talents as a cook and enjoys preparing meals for himself and his friends and family, especially on special occasions and Holidays.  Music though, is still one of the most important things in his life and Johnny has enjoyed his career and the accompanying opportunities to do the many things that otherwise might not have been possible. 
     Although he no longer goes on tour, Mathis maintains a regular schedule of live appearances.  Although he has been called by many: "The World's Greatest Romantic Singer." Johnny Mathis is a legendary performer and considered a pop music legend, who has uniquely and endearingly communicated with all audiences through his timeless music, true class and voice of romance. The year 2006 marked Mathis' 50th anniversary as a recording artist. 

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           Don Glen Vliet aka Captain Beefheart was one of the most eclectic musicians of his or any other time.  His voice was gruff and ruff and his playing was precise and immaculate.  In the words of great French scholars it was a life lived fortissimo!!!  
        After being dropped by two consecutive record labels, he signed to Frank Zappa's newly formed Straight Records.  Zappa as producer granted Beefheart the unrestrained artistic freedom in making 1969's "TROUT MASK REPLICA", achieving a legendary rank of fifty-eight in Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
            The association he formed with Frank Zappa was a seminal peak of his career.  The opportunity to work with one of the greatest guitarists of all time rubbed off well, allowing Captain Beefheart to become the funkiest melomaniac ever!  In the words of the immortal Hunter S. Thompson:  "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro!".  Goodnight my friend.........    

January 15, 1941 – December 17, 2010



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     Pamplona, a city of 300,000 is located in the northern Spanish province of Navarra, about 1 hour from the Pyrenees Mountains and the border with France, and is the capital city of Navarre, Spain. The city is famous worldwide for the San Fermín festival, held every year from July 6-14, during which Europe's most dangerous tradition - The running of the bulls - takes place.  The tradition dates back to medieval times when bulls were herded through Pamplona’s streets to the bullring by locals who helped drive the bulls. Over time running behind the bulls became running in front of the bulls.    
      Pamplona’s old city is transformed into a 24 hour fiesta. Streets are packed with revelers, music booms from nightclubs 24 hours a day, and brass bands play in the streets at all hours.  There is endless entertainment for festival goers of all ages, including children: a midway; rock concerts; traditional basque dancing; parades, processions; religious ceremonies; fireworks every night; outdoor cafes; and bullfights are a few. 
     Tourists and Spanish families alike dress head to toe in white with a red scarf and red sash. The scarf should only be worn after the festival’s opening ceremony, held every year at 12 p.m. July 6.  Like many things about the festival, there are differing opinions as to why the scarf and sash are part of the traditional costume.  Some say it is to mask the blood from gorings, yet another version is that the sash (worn around the waist) distracts the charging bulls from the runner. Either way the scarf and sash became a festival tradition in the 1960s.      
             More than a million people attend the festival each year and on any given day during the festival, an estimated 1500 to 3500 people (locals and tourists) run with the bulls.  The entire run lasts only 2 - 3 minutes, and is probably the longest 2 - 3 minutes of some runners lives!  The runs are held every morning at 8am from July 7-14.

The course of the bull run stretches for a 0.5 mile through the small cobblestone streets of Pamplona and it ends at the municipal bullring.  The path of the run, no wider than an alleyway, approximately 20-25 feet wide, is lined with apartment buildings or 8-foot high double security gates line the entire course making it impossible to watch it from street level. The best vantage point are the second floor balconies.  There is no cost to participate in the run and it is open to anyone sober over the age of 18, although it is extremely dangerous. 

      The native language spoken in Iruna, (which is Basque for Pamplona) is Spanish and Basque, though English is spoken in most hotels and restaurants.
Travel to Pamplona, Spain

 

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"The Master of Life's been good to me. He has given me strength to face past illnesses, and victory in the face of defeat. He has given me life and joy where other saw oblivion. He has given new purpose to live for, new services to render and old wounds to heal. Life and love go on, let the music play."

Johnny Cash

He was and will forever be the god of country!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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HER MUSIC REMINDS US OF VOICES LONG SINCE GONE; TIME IS SOMETHING THAT MAKES US FORGET. THERE ARE FEW WHO ARE SENT, BUT MANY SAY THEY WERE CALLED.  KERI HILSON WAS NOT ONE OF THEM.  HER MUSIC SPEAKS TO US OF A TIME WHEN SHOWMANSHIP WAS KING.  SO OOOOOOOOOOO WHAT A NIGHT!!  HER TALENT IS TO LIFT THE SOULS OF THOSE WHO HEAR  HER SING, IT'S  DONE WITH GRACE AND SKILL.
 
SO NEXT TIME SHE COMES TO YOUR TOWN GO TAKE A LISTEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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HELLOFRIENDZ is the fastest and most accurate Myspace Mp3 Plays and Views Increaser for Myspace Bands & Artists by which you can easily increase your myspace plays and boost UNLIMITED

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Try our DEMO of 1500 hits FREE and then BUY.

Here is the link you are looking for : http://www.hellofriendz.com

Customer's Satisfaction is our only motto and Simplicity is our virtue on which we are working

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A German co-worker shared this video with me during a discussion focused on Kitsch 90s music. If you're looking for creepy euro-industrial dancing set to schlocky bass beats, you've come to the right place!

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This bullshit about the Supreme something or other is #1 on Memeorandum? It must be a pretty slow day.

The guys at TAH have some choice words about Major Bonehead who refused to deploy because he hasn't seen Obama's birth certificate, but other than that, it's pretty dull out here on the internet. So here's an old Gwar video to get over the hump. And if you know who Gwar is (or have ever been showered in fake blood at one of their concerts), then you probably have a VHS copy of Army of Darkness sitting around and are wondering why kids today are such little weenies.

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Lit A Candle Before Michael Jackson Funeral Time... http://www.hothollywoodcelebrities.com is the site where many people has gathered from the very morning at this day 7th of July to dedicate a candle for Great Micheal Jackson..

In photo : The MJ Fan Club where you can dedicate a candle in memory of Great Michael Jackson,in case you can't make it to his funeral on 7th july 2009, at the staples. Please send this atleast to 10 of your friends and relatives for good luck and blessing from Michael Jackson!!

In photo : From the very morning on this great day people from all over the World has gathered here in this site to lit a candle for the peace of his soul.. Around 200 of Fans gathered here in this site to bless.

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Baby Jackson ... he sure was a cute kid. Jackson is pictured here in the early 1960s.

Baby Jackson ... he sure was a cute kid. Jackson is pictured here in the early 1960s.

Early days ... Jackson's solo career took off in 1971. He sure scrubbed up well back then

King Of Cool ... Jackson knew how to rock it even back in the day. He's pictured in his limo outside the Palace Hotel in New York during the 1980s

Thrilling ... Thriller was Jackson's sixth solo album and cemented his place as one of the biggest pop stars of the late 20th century. According to The Guiness Book of World Records it's the world's best selling album of all time

Music Greats ... friends with the best, Jackson is pictured with music diva Diana Ross

Changing Face ... In the mid 1980s Jackson was diagnosed with Vitiligo - a chronic skin disease that causes loss of pigment, resulting in irregular pale patches of skin. It was around this time he embarked on a series of plastic surgery procedures, dramatically changing the shape of his nose and chin

Divorce ... Jackson and Presley divorced in 1996, less than two years after their marriage. They're pictured here visiting a cancer ward in 1995

King of Pop ... you'd be sweaty too performing in front of 60,000 people. Jackson is one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. He's pictured performing in Brunei for the 50th Birthday of the country's ruler in 1996 .

Commanding presence ... Jackson is pictured conducting a military band during is visit to Moscow in 1996

Globe Trotter ... Jackson's History world tour consisted of 82 concerts in over 38 countries. He is pictured here in Bangkok .

Wax on ... Michael Jackson and mime artist Marcel Marceau perform in Paris during the unveiling of Jackson's wax double

Second Marriage ... Jackson married dermatologist nurse Deborah Jeanne Rowe in Sydney in 1996. The pair called it quits after three years and two children together.

Love of children ... Jackson, pictured in Soweto, South Africa, has been involved with many children's charities over the years. In 2005 he was aquited of child molestation charges .

Friends in High Places ... Pictured with South African President Nelson Mandela, Jackson performed two charity concerts in 1999 of which profits went to the Nelson Mandela children's fund.

Bizarre Behaviour ... Jackson's third child Prince Michael Jackson II was born in 2002. The singer was widely criticised for dangling his newborn son over the balcony of his hotel room in Berlin
Arrested ... in 2003 Jackson was charged with several child molestation offences .

Sigh of Relief ... a jury deliberated for about 32 hours over the course of seven days before acquitting Jackson of the child molestation charges in 2005. Jackson is pictured leaving the Santa Barbara County Courthouse.

Jackson Today ... pictured recently at Heathrow airport, Jackson regularly travels with an extensive entourage including 10 or more security guards.

Is that you? ... Jackson's face is almost unrecognisable from his Thriller days.

A Music Era Has Come To Close - Mickel Jackson Died ( Funeral Pics )

Michael Jackson has passed away. He was pronounced dead some time back. I have compiled some pictures below. Check them out and leave your condolence messages below.

Please respect the dead. Michael was a world wide phenomenon and last of the breeds. They don’t make em like that any more.

Michael Jackson today that all their fans for the demise of a really bad news. That Thursday afternoon (June 25), UCLA Medical Center in the Air takes last. He was age 50.

According to TMZ.com website, Michael suffered a cardiac arrest at his Holmby Hills home and paramedics couldn’t reanimate him.When he was brought to hospital he was already dead, the staff tried to resuscitate him but in vain.

The Funeral for Michael Jackson has not been scheduled yet but as and when the autopsy reports are in and when the family schedules it, I will post the details here. Please keep in touch and hold your patience ..

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