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Celine Dion

admin — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 09:14:29 +0000

The story of Celine Dion is not just any rags-to-riches fairytale. This is how she began her music career:

Celine Marie Claudette Dion was born on 30 March 1968 in Charlemagne, Quebec. She is the Canadian singer and entrepreneur who moved even the stoniest of hearts with ‘My Heart will go on’, the hit song from the movie Titanic.

Celine was the youngest of fourteen children and even though they were financially in the pits, music was always an important part of the family. At 12 years, Dion, along with her mother and brother composed her first song called “Ce n’était qu’un rêve” – It Was Only a Dream.

René Angélil, to whom her brother sent the recording, became her manager and launched her career in music. He was so touched by her voice that he decided to make her a star and even went to the extent of mortgaging his house in order to finance her first album.

Celine became a superstar within no time. Her amazingly strong and beautiful voice had Quebec in a trance. In 1982, she competed in the Yamaha World Popular Song Festival in Tokyo, Japan and her song “Tellement j’ai d’amour pour toi” (I Have So Much Love for You) won the gold medal for “Best Song” and she also won the “Top Performer” musician’s award. It was at this point onwards that she started attracting international attention and popularity.

She has risen to the expectations of the music industry and the music-crazy world. The numerous songs she has sung have themes varying from love and peace to hope, loss and life.

Some of her most memorable songs are:

My Heart Will Go On

One of Dion’s most successful songs ever, ‘My heart Will Go On’ is from the Hit movie Titanic. Her super-refined voice vibrates with raw emotion in the touching song, without which the film might not have been the same. This song speaks about love and holding someone in your heart, even after they are gone.
Where Does My Heart Beat Now

This amazing performance was Celine Dion’s English debut.
Beauty and the Beast

This song, a duet by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson is the title song of the Disney Animated movie ‘Beauty and the Beast’. It won the Academy Award for Best Song and also won a Grammy. The smooth, powerful blend of classical and soul music makes this song a memorable one and an all-time Celine Dion Best.
Fly

A very touching and emotional song, ‘Fly’ was sung by Dion after her niece passed away from cystic fibrosis.
An excerpt from the song:

“…Fly, fly, do not fear
Don’t waste a breath, don’t shed a tear
Your heart is pure, your soul is free
Be on your way, don’t wait for me…”
I Drove All Night

This song stayed atop the charts for weeks and featured in commercials too. it’s an intense, romantic song.
That’s the Way It Is

Another inspiring song that rocked the world.
Et je t’aime encore (And I still Love You)

This French number by Celine Dion is from the album ‘1 Fille & 4 Types’. The song climbed to No. 16 position in France and No.2 in Quebec

Celine Dion has entertained the world for more than 2 decades now and has a wide collection of songs in French and English. Hit after hit, the world has enjoyed her performances and has taken delight, hope and found love in her music.

- Kavya Ashok Kumar

Julio Iglesias

admin — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 08:58:25 +0000

Smooth, smart and savvy, that’s Julio Iglesias for you. But he’s one star you can go beyond the looks and personality and look right into his soul just by listening to him sing.

Amongst the most popular and successful Latin singers of the 70s and 80s, the Grammy Award winner has sold more than 300 million albums in 14 different languages.

Julio Iglesias was born in the most splendid city of Madrid, Spain, at 2 in the afternoon on the 23rd of September 1943. Originally planned to become a lawyer with soccer ambitions, Iglesias never thought he would be a singer, a world famous one at that. The Spanish singer still rules the hearts of music-lovers and fans all over the world.

An unfortunate road accident left the twenty-year-old Iglesias semi-paralyzed and doctors voiced that he would never walk again. But sheer will-power and great support from his family had the young Iglesias on his feet after months of hard work and recuperation therapy. It was during these bedridden days of his that he spent lonely hours writing poems. He learned basic chords on a guitar gifted to him and added the music to his poems.

Julio Iglesias continued his studies once he was back to normal health. He travelled to England to learn English and there he took to singing his favorite songs in pubs on weekends. It was here that he met Gwendolyne Bollore, the woman who inspired one of his most popular songs ever Gwendolyne.

It was only a matter of time before Iglesias collaborated with recording companies and started out on the world map of Latin music. Always On My Mind, Moonlight Lady, I Want To Know What Love is, Amor, Crazy, To All The Girls I Have Loved Before, Un Canto A Galicia, Hey, etc are just some of the many, many hugely popular hit songs by Iglesias.
Julio Iglesias is the father of Enrique Iglesias, the super-sexy Spanish singer, actor and song-writer.
Apart from conquering the Music Charts in Spanish and English, Julio Iglesias made his Musical presence known in the German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Tagalog and Japanese Music Scenarios.

Awards & Recognition:

Benidorm International Song Festival a songwriter’s contest in Spain: for the song La Vida Sigue Igual, 1968
Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album: for the album Un Hombre Solo (“A Man Alone”), 1988
Aplauso’92: Artist of the Year, 1988
Guinness Book of World Records Diamond Record Award: for more records in more languages than any other artist in history, 1983
Hollywood Walk of Fame Star, 1985
Named “Universal Spaniard“, Florida, 1992
Spain: “Ambassador of Galicia” to the world.
Monaco World Music Award: for best Latin singer, 1997
Golden Record Award, China: the first time ever a foreign artist received this award, 1995

Julio Iglesias achieved this height of fame and musical power through years of hard work and absolute dedication to his work. He paid attention to the smallest of small details in order to achieve that perfect harmony in all his songs. He is someone who is proud of his music and of what he has done for World Music and his life, heart and soul are all deeply rooted in this passion of his.

- Kavya Ashok Kumar

Elton John

admin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 10:52:09 +0000

Who hasn’t heard about Elton John? His name is synonymous to his deep, baritone singing and classic music. John was born on 25th March 1947 to Sheila Eileen (Harris) and Stanley Dwight in Pinner, Middlesex. His birth name was Reginald Kenneth Dwight which he later officially changed to Elton Hercules John.

Elton’s passion for music was evident from his very early childhood when he started playing the piano at the age of three. He composed melodies while in school and played beautiful, complicated numbers for school functions. The Royal Academy of Music extended a scholarship to him when he was just 11 years old. John’s father was hardly at home and he was raised primarily by his mother. His parents got divorced when he was 15 and Sheila then got remarried to Fred Farebrother, a local painter. Fred was affectionate and a strong relationship grew between Elton and his stepfather.

The Elton John album was released in 1970 and it set a model/style for many other songs of his that followed. The second single “Your Song” from the album featured in the U.S. Top Ten after which the album also came under the top ten. From then on, Elton John’s life and music career has been one, big roller-coaster ride.

John’s voice was unique and when he started out, his Piano-based style was radically different from the rock and roll based music world of the 70s. The emotionally charged, multi-layered meanings of the lyrics and his resonating sound together carved a huge niche in the history of music.

In the 40 years spanning his music career, Elton John has won an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and has been nominated for the Grammy. His hit single ‘Candle in the Wind’ (1997 version) became the best selling of all time and was on the No. 1 position in many countries. It sold 37 million copies.

Here is excerpt from ‘Candle in the Wind’:

And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never knowing who to cling to
When the rain set in
And I would have liked to have known you
But I was just a kid
Your candle burned out long before
Your legend ever did

The lyrics are by Bernie Taupin. He and Elton John made a great combination with amazing meaning and beautiful sound.

Elton did the music for The Lion king ‘94 and performed the song ‘Can you feel the love tonight’ which earned him his Oscar for Best Original Score. The Lion King, an animated feature film, combines amazing story and action with wonderful, passionate music. Apart from this, he also did the music for the Disney Theatrical ‘Aida’, a rock-musical.

Among popular Elton John songs are ‘Don’t go breaking my heart’, ‘Bennie and the Jets’, ‘That’s what friends are for’, ‘Sacrifice’, etc.

Elton John was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992 and in 1994 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. John was also Knighted (Knight Bachelor), which means his official title is Sir Elton John!

Elton John’s music has achieved an immortal status today. Thousands of people all over the world worship him and make his music an intimate part of their lifestyle. An autobiographical film ‘Elton John: Me, Myself and I’ (2007) was made in which John starred as himself.

- Kavya Ashok Kumar

Billy Joel

admin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 08:28:17 +0000

William Martin Joel or Billy Joel as he is widely known as is, according to the RIAA, the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist of all-time. He is perhaps known for first hit “The Piano Man”. His early influences were Ray Charles, The Beatles, Dave Brubeck, Sam Cooke and the Rolling Stones. In his 4 decade plus career he has sold more than 100 million records and has won 6 Grammy Awards.

Joel was born on May 9, 1949 in the Bronx and brought up in Levittown, Hicksville, New York. Billy discovered classical music at a early age and this classical piano training provided him with a strong foundation for his future career. At age 14, on seeing The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show, Billy joined his first band – The Echoes (later known as the Lost Souls). Billy’s parents had divorced around this time his mother was struggling to make ends meet. During junior high school, Billy took professional music jobs at night to supplement the income. However, Joel found it difficult to attend classes due late night performances. He was not allowed to graduate from high school because of too many absences.

Family Productions signed Joel and subsequently recorded his first solo album. Cold Spring Harbor was released in 1971. It was here that he recorded his hit ‘Piano Man’, his signature tune. He got to executives of recording companies and soon he Columbia records signed him during the years 1973-1975. Billy’s lyrical themes have references made to locations in the metropolitan area of New York, particularly Long Island. The album Kohuept (Russian : “Concert”) was released in October 1987. Joel covered versions of The Beatles classic “Back In The U.S.S.R.” and Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’”. It is probable that Joel lost about $1 million of his own wealth on the trip and concerts, however he said the goodwill generated was definitely worth it . Celebrating the 151st anniversary of the Academy of Music on January 26, 2008, Joel performed his new classical piece entitled, “Waltz No. 2 (Steinway Hall)”, and also played some of his more obscure pieces with full orchestral backing. Some of them were the rarely performed “Scandinavian Skies” and “Where’s the Orchestra?”of the Nylon Curtain songs.

Joel’s first wife was, Elizabeth Weber Small, who he married on September 5, 1973. He married her after an affair while in the band Attila (She was the wife of fellow the drummer Jon Small ). She continued to be his business manager although she divorced on July 20th ,1982. This turned out to be a mistake as her brother Frank Weber embezzled his savings later. On October 2, 2004, Joel married 23-year-old Katie Lee and the time of the wedding Joel was 55-years-old. Joel’s 18-year-old daughter Alexa served as the maid-of-honor. But after Five Years of marriage, on June 17, 2009 both confirmed that they have split.

Billy Joel has been awarded many Honorary Doctorates, some of which include Doctor of Humane Letters from Fairfield University (1991) and Doctor of Music from Berklee College of Music (1993).

Billy Joel remains one the most influential and well known personalities in music. With over 20 Grammy nominees he created a niche for himself. Billy Joel’s music is enjoyed by millions of fans throughout the world.

- Kevin Lobo