1.
Pacific Time Zone
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The Pacific Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time. During daylight saving time, its time offset is UTC−7 and is based on the mean solar time of the 105th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory. In the United States and Canada, this zone is generically called the Pacific Time Zone. Specifically, it uses Pacific Standard Time when observing standard time, most of Canada uses daylight saving time. In Mexico, the UTC−8 time zone is known as the Northwest Zone, the largest city in the Pacific Time Zone is Los Angeles, the citys metropolitan area is the largest in the zone. The following states or areas are part of the Pacific Time Zone, California Washington Oregon – all, except for most of Malheur County, nevada Idaho Panhandle – the northern half of Idaho, north of the Salmon River. The town of Hyder, Alaska, is officially in the Alaska Time Zone, however, most of the town observes the Pacific Time because of strong connections with nearby Stewart, British Columbia, which is in the Pacific Time Zone. The United States Post Office in Hyder strictly adheres to Alaska Time, in Canada, the Pacific Time Zone includes most of British Columbia, all of Yukon, and the townsite of Tungsten. In Mexico, the state of Baja California lies completely within the Pacific Time Zone and this does not include the state of Baja California Sur, which is south of Baja California. Through 2006, the time changed to daylight time at 02,00 LST to 03,00 LDT on the first Sunday in April. The Canadian provinces and territories that use daylight time each adopted these dates between October 2005 and February 2007, in Mexico, beginning in 2010, the portion of the country in this time zone uses the extended dates, as do some other parts. The vast majority of Mexico, however, still uses the old dates
2.
Staples Center
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Staples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street, opening on October 17,1999, it is one of the major sporting facilities in the Greater Los Angeles Area. It is owned and operated by the L. A. Arena Company, Staples Center is also host to over 250 events and nearly 4 million guests each year. The Los Angeles Stadium at Hollywood Park will host both the Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams beginning in 2019, Staples Center measures 950,000 square feet of total space, with a 94-foot by 200-foot arena floor. The arena seats up to 19,067 for basketball,18,340 for ice hockey, two-thirds of the arenas seating, including 2,500 club seats, are in the lower bowl. There are also 160 luxury suites, including 15 event suites, the arenas attendance record is held by the fight between World WBA Welterweight Champion, Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley with a crowd of 20,820 set on January 25,2009. Star Plaza Outside the arena at the Star Plaza are statues of Wayne Gretzky and Magic Johnson, a third statue of boxer Oscar De La Hoya was unveiled outside Staples Center on December 1,2008. On April 20,2010 a fourth statue of the long time Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn. A fifth statue of the Laker legend Jerry West dribbling was unveiled on February 17,2011, a sixth statue of Lakers player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was unveiled on November 16,2012. A seventh statue of former Kings Hall of Fame left wing Luc Robitaille was unveiled on March 7,2015, the Los Angeles Lakers announced that they will honor Shaquille ONeal with a statue that was unveiled on March 24,2017. Construction broke ground in 1998 and Staples Center opened a year later and it was financed privately at a cost of US$375 million and is named for the office-supply company Staples, Inc. which was one of the centers corporate sponsors that paid for naming rights. The arena opened on October 17,1999, with a Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band concert as its inaugural event. Staples Center was named Best New Major Concert Venue for 1999, on October 21,2009, Staples Center celebrated its 10th anniversary. To commemorate the occasion, the official web site nominated 25 of the arenas greatest moments from its first ten years with fans voting on the top ten. The venue opened in 1999 as the home of the Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA, the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA joined in 2001, while the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA D-League joined in 2006. It became home to the Los Angeles Avengers of the Arena Football League in 2000 until the teams discontinuation in 2008. Since its opening day, the Staples Center has hosted seven NBA Finals series with the Lakers, of the teams five NBA championships since moving to the venue, the Lakers have celebrated their 2000 and 2010 victories at Staples Center with series-winning victories at home. Prior to the 2006–07 NBA season, the lighting inside Staples Center was modified for Lakers games, the lights were focused only on the court itself, reminiscent of the Lakers early years at The Forum
3.
Los Angeles
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Los Angeles, officially the City of Los Angeles and often known by its initials L. A. is the cultural, financial, and commercial center of Southern California. With a census-estimated 2015 population of 3,971,883, it is the second-most populous city in the United States, Los Angeles is also the seat of Los Angeles County, the most populated county in the United States. The citys inhabitants are referred to as Angelenos, historically home to the Chumash and Tongva, Los Angeles was claimed by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo for Spain in 1542 along with the rest of what would become Alta California. The city was founded on September 4,1781, by Spanish governor Felipe de Neve. It became a part of Mexico in 1821 following the Mexican War of Independence, in 1848, at the end of the Mexican–American War, Los Angeles and the rest of California were purchased as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, thereby becoming part of the United States. Los Angeles was incorporated as a municipality on April 4,1850, the discovery of oil in the 1890s brought rapid growth to the city. The completion of the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1913, delivering water from Eastern California, nicknamed the City of Angels, Los Angeles is known for its Mediterranean climate, ethnic diversity, and sprawling metropolis. Los Angeles also has an economy in culture, media, fashion, science, sports, technology, education, medicine. A global city, it has been ranked 6th in the Global Cities Index, the city is home to renowned institutions covering a broad range of professional and cultural fields, and is one of the most substantial economic engines within the United States. The Los Angeles combined statistical area has a gross metropolitan product of $831 billion, making it the third-largest in the world, after the Greater Tokyo and New York metropolitan areas. The city has hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1932 and 1984 and is bidding to host the 2024 Summer Olympics and thus become the second city after London to have hosted the Games three times. The Los Angeles area also hosted the 1994 FIFA mens World Cup final match as well as the 1999 FIFA womens World Cup final match, the mens event was watched on television by over 700 million people worldwide. The Los Angeles coastal area was first settled by the Tongva, a Gabrielino settlement in the area was called iyáangẚ, meaning poison oak place. Gaspar de Portolà and Franciscan missionary Juan Crespí, reached the present site of Los Angeles on August 2,1769, in 1771, Franciscan friar Junípero Serra directed the building of the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, the first mission in the area. The Queen of the Angels is an honorific of the Virgin Mary, two-thirds of the settlers were mestizo or mulatto with a mixture of African, indigenous and European ancestry. The settlement remained a small town for decades, but by 1820. Today, the pueblo is commemorated in the district of Los Angeles Pueblo Plaza and Olvera Street. New Spain achieved its independence from the Spanish Empire in 1821, during Mexican rule, Governor Pío Pico made Los Angeles Alta Californias regional capital
4.
LL Cool J
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James Todd Smith, known professionally as LL Cool J, is an American rapper, actor, author, and entrepreneur from Queens, New York. LL Cool J is also known as one of the forefathers of pop rap and he has released 13 studio albums and two greatest hits compilations. His twelfth album Exit 13, was his last for his deal with Def Jam Recordings. His latest album, Authentic, was released in April 2013, in 2010, VH1 considered him to be in their 100 Greatest Artists Of All Time list. LL Cool J has also appeared in films, including In Too Deep, Any Given Sunday. He currently stars in a role as NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna, on the CBS crime drama television series NCIS. LL Cool J is also the host of Lip Sync Battle on Spike, LL Cool J was born James Todd Smith on January 14,1968, in Bay Shore, New York, the son of Ondrea Griffeth and James Louis Smith, Jr. In an episode of Finding Your Roots, LL learned his mother was adopted by Eugene Griffith, the series genetic genealogist CeCe Moore identified LLs biological grandparents as Ethel Mae Jolly and Nathaniel Christy Lewis through analysis of his DNA. LLs biological great-uncle was hall of fame boxer, John Henry Lewis and he began rapping at age 9 and was influenced by hip-hop group The Treacherous Three. His grandfather, a jazz saxophonist, bought him $2,000 worth of equipment, Smith later discussed his childhood background and rapping, stating that By the time I got that equipment, I was already a rapper. In this neighborhood, the kids grow up in rap and its like speaking Spanish if you grow up in an all-Spanish house. I got into it when I was about 9, and since then all I wanted was to make a record and hear it on the radio. In a VH1 documentary, LL Cool J, at 14 years of age, revealed that he wanted to call himself J-Ski. Under his new name, LL Cool J, Smith was signed by Def Jam, which led to the release of his first official record. The single was a hard-hitting, streetwise b-boy song with spare beats, Smith later discussed his search for a label, stating I sent my demo to many different companies, but it was Def Jam where I found my home. That same year, Smith made his debut concert performance at Manhattan Center High School. In a later interview, LL Cool J recalled the experience, stating They pushed the lunch room tables together and me and my DJ, Cut Creator, as soon as it was over there were girls screaming and asking for autographs. Right then and there I said This is what I want to do, LLs debut single sold over 100,000 copies and helped establish both Def Jam as a label and Smith as a rapper
5.
Dan Auerbach
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Daniel Quine Dan Auerbach is an American musician and record producer best known as the guitarist and vocalist for the Black Keys, a blues rock band from Akron, Ohio. As a member of the band, Auerbach has recorded and co-produced seven studio albums with his bandmate Patrick Carney, in 2009, Auerbach released a solo album entitled Keep It Hid. In early 2015, Auerbach announced a new side-project, the Arcs, the group released their debut album, Yours, Dreamily, on September 4,2015, via Nonesuch Records. Alongside with Action Bronson and Mark Ronson, Auerbach created the track Standing In The Rain, in December 2016, Auerbach announced his second album, scheduled for an early 2017 release. In March 2017, Auerbach released the single Shine on Me for his solo album Waiting on a Song scheduled on June 2,2017 on Auerbachs new label Easy Eye Sound. Auerbach was born in Ohio, and is the son of Mary Little, a teacher of French, and Charles Auerbach and his father is of Polish Jewish descent and his mother is of part Manx descent. His maternal cousin, twice removed, was philosopher and logician Willard Van Orman Quine, Auerbach grew up in a family with musical roots. His second concert was a Grateful Dead show with his father at the Richfield Coliseum in Cleveland and he was influenced early-on by his mothers side of the family, notably his uncles who played bluegrass music. Auerbach described himself as a teenager in high school who smoked marijuana. For a year, he attended McGill University in Montreal and he was heavily influenced by Junior Kimbrough in college, eventually resulting in his dropping out to pursue the guitar more seriously. Ive listened to him so much, its just how I hear it, getting Fs in college, when I shouldve been studying, I was listening to Junior Kimbroughs music instead. Auerbach is best known for his work with The Black Keys, Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney first met when they were eight or nine years old while living in the same neighborhood of Akron, Ohio. Carney is the nephew of saxophonist Ralph Carney, who performed on several Tom Waits albums, while attending Firestone High School, Carney and Auerbach became friends, though they were part of different crowds. Auerbach was captain of the school soccer team, while Carney was a social outcast. Encouraged by their brothers, the duo began jamming together in 1996, as Auerbach was learning guitar at the time and Carney owned a four-track recorder and a drum set. After signing with indie label Alive, they released their album, The Big Come Up in 2002. Their third album, Rubber Factory was released in 2004 and received acclaim, it boosted the bands profile. The groups commercial breakthrough came in 2010 with Brothers, which along with its popular single Tighten Up, won three Grammy Awards including Best Alternative Album of the Year
6.
Fun (band)
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Fun is an American indie pop band based in New York City. It was formed by Nate Ruess, former singer of The Format, with Andrew Dost of Anathallo. Fun has released two albums, Aim and Ignite in August 2009 and Some Nights in February 2012, the band is best known for three hit singles from Some Nights, Grammy Award-winning We Are Young, Some Nights, and Carry On. We Are Young reached number one on the U. S. Billboard Hot 100 and it also peaked at number one in the United Kingdom. On February 10,2013, Fun won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist, additionally, Fun was a nominee for four other Grammy Awards, Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo or Group Performance along with Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album. In February 2008, Nate Ruesss former band The Format split up, immediately afterwards, Nate Ruess asked Andrew Dost and Jack Antonoff to join his new project. Dost had toured with The Format and provided instrumentation. The three began working together in New Jersey within a week, Ruess sang melodies while the other two provided music for them. The first demo song the band recorded was Benson Hedges, which was available free in Spins August 20,2008 article on the band. In November of 2008, fun embarked on their first tour opening for Jacks Mannequin and their first show was played in Denver, Colorado on November 5th,2008. A couple of demos and covers from other bands were performed. Fun then approached Steven McDonald, who produced The Formats album Dog Problems with Ruess, McDonald was enthusiastic about the project and stated, I can’t believe what we’re working on here. This crushes anything I’ve ever done, recording took place in the fall of 2008. The bands first single, At Least Im Not as Sad As I Used to Be was made available as a download on the bands Myspace page on April 6,2009. Aim and Ignite was released on August 25,2009 and received positive reviews, absolutePunk. nets Drew Beringer praised the album, stating it was what a pop album should sound like and the most essential pop album of 2009. Estella Hung of PopMatters was less impressed with the album and she praised songs Be Calm and The Gambler, but criticized the lyrics and production of the albums early tracks. Hung concluded that while Aim and Ignite is pretty original to say the least, popdoses Ken Shane called the album an interesting and unusual listen. Shane applauded the albums songwriting and said many of the songs are really good and he ended his review with, I have a similar problem with Dr. Dog, a band that was recommended to me by a number of people
7.
Jay-Z
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Shawn Corey Carter, known professionally as Jay Z, is an American rapper, businessman, and investor. He is one of the musicians of all time, having sold more than 100 million records. MTV ranked him the Greatest MC of all time in 2006, Rolling Stone ranked three of his albums—Reasonable Doubt, The Blueprint, and The Black Album —among the 500 greatest albums of all time. In 2014, Forbes estimated his net worth at nearly $520 million, Jay Z co-owns the New York 40/40 Club sports bar, and is the co-creator of the clothing line Rocawear. He is the president of Def Jam Recordings, co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records. He also founded the sports agency Roc Nation Sports and is a certified NBA, as an artist, he holds the record for most number one albums by a solo artist on the Billboard 200 with 13. He has also had four number ones on the Billboard Hot 100, in 2009, he was ranked the tenth-most successful artist of the 2000s by Billboard as well as the fifth top solo male artist and fourth top rapper behind Eminem, Nelly, and 50 Cent. He was also ranked the 88th-greatest artist of all time by Rolling Stone, Jay Z married Singer-Songwriter Beyoncé in 2008. Shawn Carter was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Marcy Houses and he and his three siblings were raised by their mother, Gloria Carter after their father, Adness Reeves abandoned the family. Reeves would later meet and reconcile with Jay Z before dying from liver failure in 2003, Jay Z claims in his lyrics that in 1982, at the age of 12, he shot his older brother in the shoulder for stealing his jewelry. Along with future rapper AZ, Carter attended Eli Whitney High School in Brooklyn until it was closed down, according to his interviews and lyrics, during this period he sold crack cocaine and was shot at three times. According to his mother, Carter used to wake up his siblings at night banging out drum patterns on the kitchen table and she bought him a boom box for his birthday, sparking his interest in music. He began freestyling and writing lyrics, known as Jazzy around the neighborhood, Carter later adopted the showbiz/stage name Jay-Z in homage to his mentor Jaz-O. He would drop the hyphen in 2013, Jay Z can be briefly heard on several of Jaz-Os early recordings in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including The Originators and Hawaiian Sophie. Jay Z became embroiled in several battles with rapper LL Cool J in the early 1990s and he first became known to a wide audience on the posse cut Show and Prove on the 1994 Big Daddy Kane album Daddys Home. When I would leave the stage to go change outfits, I would bring out Jay Z and Positive K and let them freestyle until I came back to the stage. The young Jay Z appeared on a song by Big L, Da Graveyard, and on Mic Geronimos Time to Build. His first official rap single was called In My Lifetime, for which he released a music video, an unreleased music video was also produced for the B-side I Cant Get with That
8.
Mumford & Sons
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Mumford & Sons are an English rock band from London, formed in 2007. The band consists of Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall, Mumford & Sons have released three studio albums, Sigh No More, Babel and Wilder Mind. The band has issued two live albums, Live at Shepherds Bush Empire and The Road to Red Rocks. The band have won a number of awards throughout their career, with Sigh No More earning the band the Brit Award for Best British Album in 2011. The live performance at the 2011 Grammy ceremony with Bob Dylan, the band received eight total Grammy nominations for Babel and won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. The band also won the Brit Award for Best British Group in 2013, Mumford & Sons were formed in December 2007 by multi-instrumentalists Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall and Ted Dwane. Band members play acoustic guitar, drums, keyboard instruments, bass guitar, the band name originates from the fact that Marcus Mumford was the most visible member, organizing the band and their performances. Lovett indicated that the name was meant to invoke the sense of a family business name. A handful of bands were increasing their visibility in West London around the same time. Mumford downplays that characterisation as an exaggeration—Mumford & Sons and a few other folk acts just happened to be operating in the general area at the time. In an interview with the Herald Sun, Marcus Mumford said, well, some of it is, and its certainly not a scene. Someone got over-excited about a few bands who live in a hundred-mile radius and its a community, not a scene. In early 2008 the band working with manager Adam Tudhope. It was through Tudhopes connection that Mumford & Sons were exposed to their future A&R at Island, Louis Bloom, who began monitoring the band. Bloom told HitQuarters that they were still at a state and not yet ready for a label deal, There was no one there for it, just a few friends. Over the next six months I kept going to see them, in February 2008, the band completed an extensive UK tour with support from Alessis Ark, Sons of Noel and Adrian, Peggy Sue and others. June 2008 marked the bands first appearance at the Glastonbury Festival and they also toured Australia with Laura Marling, whose disinclination to interact with audiences encouraged Mumford into the spotlight. The experience helped inform his attitude towards Mumford & Sons audiences, Mumford & Sons first project was an EP entitled Love Your Ground which took a year to complete and was released in November 2008 on Chess Club Records
9.
Frank Ocean
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Christopher Francis Frank Ocean, is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper. Known for his musical style, Ocean first embarked on a career as a ghostwriter. He released his mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra, to critical acclaim in 2011. It generated his first charting single Novacane, in 2012, Ocean finished in second place in BBCs Sound of 2012 poll. His debut studio album, Channel Orange, was released in July 2012 to critical acclaim and it was promoted with three singles, Thinkin Bout You, Pyramids and Sweet Life. In 2016, Ocean released the visual album Endless alongside his studio album Blonde. Blonde was acclaimed by critics, and debuted at one in the United States. Ocean was born Christopher Edwin Breaux on October 28,1987, in Long Beach, California to parents Calvin Edward Cooksey, when he was around five years old, he and his family moved to New Orleans, Louisiana. He grew up around its local jazz scene and listened to his mothers CDs on her car stereo, including albums by Celine Dion, Anita Baker, as a teenager, he did neighborhood chores and saved up money to rent studio time. As he recalled, Oh man I had numerous hustles, washing cars was one of them, and mowing lawns and walking dogs. He enrolled in the University of New Orleans and moved into its dormitory in 2005, shortly after he enrolled in the university, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and he transferred to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit Oceans hometown of New Orleans and his facility was destroyed by floodwater. He recorded some demos at a studio and shopped them around Los Angeles. After getting a deal, he started working with other record producers and wrote songs for artists such as Justin Bieber, John Legend, Brandy. Ocean later said of his work at the time, There was a point where I was composing for other people, and it might have been comfy to continue to do that and enjoy that income stream and the anonymity. But thats not why I moved away from school and away from family and he has also worked with artists such as Nas and Pharrell Williams. Ocean joined Los Angeles-based hip hop collective Odd Future, whom he had met in 2009 and his friendship with Odd Future member Tyler, The Creator reinvigorated Oceans songwriting. In late 2009, he met Tricky Stewart, who helped him sign a contract with Def Jam Recordings as a solo artist, on February 18,2011, Ocean released his first mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra, to critical acclaim
10.
Kanye West
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Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, fashion designer, and entrepreneur. Intent on pursuing a career as a rapper, West released his debut album The College Dropout in 2004 to widespread critical and commercial success. He went on to pursue a variety of different styles on subsequent albums Late Registration, Graduation, and 808s & Heartbreak. In 2010, he released his fifth album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy to rave reviews from critics, West released his abrasive sixth album, Yeezus, to further critical praise in 2013. His seventh album, The Life of Pablo, was released in 2016, Wests outspoken views and life outside of music have received significant mainstream attention. He has been a frequent source of controversy for his conduct at award shows, on social media and he is the founder and head of the creative content company DONDA. His 2014 marriage to television personality Kim Kardashian has also been subject to media coverage. He has won a total of 21 Grammy Awards, making him one of the most awarded artists of all time, three of his albums have been included and ranked on Rolling Stones 2012 update of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. He has also included in a number of Forbes annual lists. Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2005 and 2015, West was born on June 8,1977 in Atlanta, Georgia. His parents divorced when he was three years old, after the divorce, he and his mother moved to Chicago, Illinois. His father, Ray West, is a former Black Panther and was one of the first black photojournalists at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Ray West was later a Christian counselor, and in 2006, opened the Good Water Store and Café in Lexington Park, Maryland with startup capital from his son. West, was a professor of English at Clark Atlanta University, West was raised in a middle-class background, attending Polaris High School in suburban Oak Lawn, Illinois after living in Chicago. At the age of 10, West moved with his mother to Nanjing, China, according to his mother, West was the only foreigner in his class, but settled in well and quickly picked up the language, although he has since forgotten most of it. When asked about his grades in school, West replied, I got As. West demonstrated an affinity for the arts at an early age and his mother recalled that she first took notice of Wests passion for drawing and music when he was in the third grade. Growing up in Chicago, West became deeply involved in its hip hop scene and he started rapping in the third grade and began making musical compositions in the seventh grade, eventually selling them to other artists
11.
CBS
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CBS is an American commercial broadcast television network that is a flagship property of CBS Corporation. The company is headquartered at the CBS Building in New York City with major facilities and operations in New York City. CBS is sometimes referred to as the Eye Network, in reference to the iconic logo. It has also called the Tiffany Network, alluding to the perceived high quality of CBS programming during the tenure of William S. Paley. It can also refer to some of CBSs first demonstrations of color television, the network has its origins in United Independent Broadcasters Inc. a collection of 16 radio stations that was purchased by Paley in 1928 and renamed the Columbia Broadcasting System. Under Paleys guidance, CBS would first become one of the largest radio networks in the United States, in 1974, CBS dropped its former full name and became known simply as CBS, Inc. In 2000, CBS came under the control of Viacom, which was formed as a spin-off of CBS in 1971, CBS Corporation is controlled by Sumner Redstone through National Amusements, which also controls the current Viacom. The television network has more than 240 owned-and-operated and affiliated stations throughout the United States. The origins of CBS date back to January 27,1927, Columbia Phonographic went on the air on September 18,1927, with a presentation by the Howard Barlow Orchestra from flagship station WOR in Newark, New Jersey, and fifteen affiliates. Operational costs were steep, particularly the payments to AT&T for use of its land lines, in early 1928 Judson sold the network to brothers Isaac and Leon Levy, owners of the networks Philadelphia affiliate WCAU, and their partner Jerome Louchenheim. With the record out of the picture, Paley quickly streamlined the corporate name to Columbia Broadcasting System. He believed in the power of advertising since his familys La Palina cigars had doubled their sales after young William convinced his elders to advertise on radio. By September 1928, Paley bought out the Louchenheim share of CBS, during Louchenheims brief regime, Columbia paid $410,000 to A. H. Grebes Atlantic Broadcasting Company for a small Brooklyn station, WABC, which would become the networks flagship station. WABC was quickly upgraded, and the relocated to 860 kHz. The physical plant was relocated also – to Steinway Hall on West 57th Street in Manhattan, by the turn of 1929, the network could boast to sponsors of having 47 affiliates. Paley moved right away to put his network on a financial footing. In the fall of 1928, he entered talks with Adolph Zukor of Paramount Pictures. The deal came to fruition in September 1929, Paramount acquired 49% of CBS in return for a block of its stock worth $3.8 million at the time
12.
54th Annual Grammy Awards
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The 54th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 12,2012, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles being broadcast on CBS. LL Cool J hosted the show and it was the first time in seven years that the event had an official host. Nominations were announced on November 30,2011 on prime-time television as part of The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live, – Countdown to Musics Biggest Night, a one-hour special broadcast live on CBS from Nokia Theatre at L. A. Live. Kanye West received the most nominations with seven, adele, Foo Fighters, and Bruno Mars each received six nominations. Lil Wayne, Skrillex, and Radiohead all earned five nominations, wests album went on to win Best Rap Album. A total of 78 awards were presented following the Academys decision to restructure the Grammy Award categories, paul McCartney received the MusiCares Person of the Year award on February 10,2012, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, two nights prior to the Grammy telecast. On February 8,2012, the Academy announced that the 54th Grammy Pre-Telecast Ceremony would stream live internationally, the ceremony took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center and was streamed live in its entirety internationally at Grammys official website and CBS Television Network. The ceremony was co-hosted by Dave Koz and MC Lyte, a total of 68 awards were presented in the Pre-Telecast ceremony. The official poster was designed by Architect Frank Gehry, the day before the ceremony, Whitney Houston died in Los Angeles, and the shows producers quickly planned a tribute in the form of Jennifer Hudson singing Houstons I Will Always Love You. The awards show began with a Bruce Springsteen performance followed by an LL Cool J prayer for Whitney Houston, adele won all of her six nominations, equalling the record for most wins by a female artist in one night, firstly held by Beyoncé Knowles. Foo Fighters and Kanye West followed with five and four awards, the 54th Grammys were the second-highest rated in its history with 39.9 million viewers, second only to the 1984 Grammys with 43.8 mil. viewers. The rating was 50% higher than in 2011. o, – Chris Brown Second Chance – El DeBarge Love Letter – R. Dre, Eminem & Skylar Grey Whats My Name. J. Chenier Wao Akua, The Forest of the Gods – George Kahumoku, grand Isle – Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys Not Just Another Polka – Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra Best Reggae Album Revelation Pt 1, The Root of Life – Stephen Marley Harlem-Kingston Express Live. Big and Small – Various Artists Producers Steve Pullara, Jim Cravero, Pat Robinson, Kevin Mackie, – The Papa Hugs Band Fitness Rock & Roll – Miss Amy GulfAlive – The Banana Plant I Love, Tom T. K. 140 & Nonet in F Major, Op.3 &4 Arne Akselberg, engineer Weinberg, hirsch Notable Women – Trios by Todays Female Composers The Soviet Experience, Vol.1 – String Quartets by Dmitri Shostakovich & His Contemporaries Speak. World Tour – Beyoncé Beyoncé, Ed Burke & Frank Gatson, Jr. video directors, Beyoncé & Camille Yorrick, video producers Talihina Sky, The Story of Kings of Leon – Kings of Leon Stephen C
13.
Grammy Award
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A Grammy Award, or Grammy, is an honor awarded by The Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the mainly English-language music industry. The annual presentation ceremony features performances by prominent artists, and the presentation of awards that have a more popular interest. It shares recognition of the industry as that of the other performance awards such as the Emmy Awards, the Tony Awards. The first Grammy Awards ceremony was held on May 4,1959, to honor, following the 2011 ceremony, The Academy overhauled many Grammy Award categories for 2012. The 59th Grammy Awards, honoring the best achievements from October 2015 to September 2016, was held on February 12,2017, the Grammys had their origin in the Hollywood Walk of Fame project in the 1950s. The music executives decided to rectify this by creating a given by their industry similar to the Oscars. This was the beginning of the National Academy of Recording Arts, after it was decided to create such an award, there was still a question of what to call it, one working title was the Eddie, to honor the inventor of the phonograph, Thomas Edison. They finally settled on using the name of the invention of Emile Berliner, the gramophone, for the awards, the number of awards given grew and fluctuated over the years with categories added and removed, at one time reaching over 100. The second Grammy Awards, also held in 1959, was the first ceremony to be televised, the gold-plated trophies, each depicting a gilded gramophone, are made and assembled by hand by Billings Artworks in Ridgway, Colorado. In 1990 the original Grammy design was revamped, changing the traditional soft lead for a stronger alloy less prone to damage, Billings developed a zinc alloy named grammium, which is trademarked. The trophies with the name engraved on them are not available until after the award announcements. By February 2009,7,578 Grammy trophies had been awarded, the General Field are four awards which are not restricted by genre. Album of the Year is awarded to the performer and the team of a full album if other than the performer. Record of the Year is awarded to the performer and the team of a single song if other than the performer. Song of the Year is awarded to the writer/composer of a single song, Best New Artist is awarded to a promising breakthrough performer who releases, during the Eligibility Year, the first recording that establishes the public identity of that artist. The only two artists to win all four of these awards are Christopher Cross, who won all four in 1980, and Adele, who won the Best New Artist award in 2009 and the other three in 2012 and 2017. Other awards are given for performance and production in specific genres, as well as for other such as artwork. Special awards are given for longer-lasting contributions to the music industry, the many other Grammy trophies are presented in a pre-telecast Premiere Ceremony earlier in the afternoon before the Grammy Awards telecast
14.
Taylor Swift
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Taylor Alison Swift is an American singer-songwriter. One of the most popular contemporary female recording artists, she is known for songs about her personal life. Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Swift moved to Nashville, Tennessee at age 14 to pursue a career in country music and she signed with the independent label Big Machine Records and became the youngest artist ever signed by the Sony/ATV Music publishing house. Her eponymous debut album in 2006 peaked at five on Billboard 200. The albums third single, Our Song, made her the youngest person to single-handedly write, Swifts second album, Fearless, was released in 2008. Buoyed by the pop success of the singles Love Story and You Belong with Me. The album won four Grammy Awards, with Swift becoming the youngest Album of the Year winner, Swift was the sole writer of her 2010 album, Speak Now. It debuted at one in the United States and the single Mean won two Grammy Awards. Her fourth album, Red, yielded the successful singles We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, with her fifth album, the pop-focused 1989, she became the first act to have three albums sell a million copies within one week in the United States. Its singles Shake It Off, Blank Space and Bad Blood reached number one in the US, Australia, the album received three Grammy Awards, and Swift became the first woman and fifth act overall to win Album of the Year twice. The 2015 eponymous concert tour for 1989 became one of highest-grossing of the decade, as a songwriter, Swift has received awards from the Nashville Songwriters Association and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Swift is one of the artists of all time, having sold more than 40 million albums—including 27.1 million in the US—and 130 million single downloads. She has appeared in Times 100 most influential people in the world, Forbes top-earning women in music, Forbes 100 most powerful women and she was the youngest woman to be included in the third of these and ranked first in Celebrity 100. Taylor Alison Swift was born on December 13,1989, in Reading and her father, Scott Kingsley Swift, was a financial advisor, and her mother, Andrea Gardner Swift, was a homemaker who worked previously as a mutual fund marketing executive. She has a brother named Austin. Swift spent the years of her life on a Christmas tree farm in Cumru Township. She attended preschool and kindergarten at the Alvernia Montessori School, run by Franciscan nuns, the family then moved to a rented house in the suburban town of Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, where she attended Wyomissing Area Junior/Senior High School. At the age of nine, Swift became interested in musical theater and she also traveled regularly to New York City for vocal and acting lessons
15.
Bridgestone Arena
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Bridgestone Arena is an all-purpose venue in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, that was completed in 1996. The Predators hosted the NHL Entry Draft here in 2003, in 1997, it was the venue of the United States Figure Skating Association national championships, and in 2004 hosted the U. S. It was the home of the Nashville Kats franchise of the Arena Football League from 1997 until 2001, and hosted the revival from 2005 to 2007. Nashville will serve as a venue for the SEC Mens Basketball Tournament nine times between 2015 and 2025 after the SEC signed a long-term agreement with the Nashville Sports Council in 2013. It hosted the 2014 NCAA Womens Final Four and will host womens tournaments in 2018,2022, since 2002, it has also hosted a PBR Built Ford Tough Series bull riding event every year until 2010. It was replaced in the summer of 2007 by a new $5 million scoreboard, the NCAA Tournament returned to Nashville in 2012. Due to the 2012 NHL Lockout, the Predators could not host a game until January 19,2013 and it has also hosted several professional wrestling events and a boxing card since its opening. The arena also features 43,000 square feet of space in a trade show layout, during construction of the arena there was a major time loss accident October 5,1995 when a temporary column collapsed. Lead ironworker connector Daniel Lane Foreman suffered a shattered pelvis and was hospitalized for 10 days at Vanderbilt University Hospital, ironworker Raymond Vance Foreman received minor injuries and was treated and released. This is the time the venue has been nominated. The first was in 1998 as the Nashville Arena, and then in 1999 and 2000 as the Gaylord Entertainment Center, the arenas original name when opened in 1996 was Nashville Arena. As a result, many in the Nashville media quickly reverted to calling the facility by its original name, with the beginning of the 2006 season, the Predators began referring to the arena by its original name as well. In doing so, the replaced the Gaylord Entertainment Center wordmark on the center ice circle with the original Nashville Predators wordmark from the inaugural season. The Gaylord Entertainment Center name, however, was displayed on the buildings exterior signage at that point. The facility was officially renamed Nashville Arena again, and all Gaylord signage was removed from the exterior on March 16,2007. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, the company had previously been the corporate title sponsor for the Predators during the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs. As part of the suit, the Predators stated intentions to seek a new sponsor for the arena. Sommet Groups headquarters were raided by the FBI and IRS due to suspicion of fraudulent activities
16.
Nashville, Tennessee
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Nashville is the capital of the U. S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in the central part of the state. The city is a center for the music, healthcare, publishing, banking and transportation industries and it is known as a center of the country music industry, earning it the nickname Music City, U. S. A. Since 1963, Nashville has had a consolidated city-county government which includes six municipalities in a two-tier system. Nashville is governed by a mayor, vice-mayor, and 40-member Metropolitan Council, thirty-five of the members are elected from single-member districts, five are elected at-large. Reflecting the citys position in government, Nashville is home to the Tennessee Supreme Courts courthouse for Middle Tennessee. According to 2015 estimates from the U. S. Census Bureau, the balance population, which excludes semi-independent municipalities within Nashville, was 654,610. The 2015 population of the entire 13-county Nashville metropolitan area was 1,830,345, the 2015 population of the Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Columbia combined statistical area, a larger trade area, was 1,951,644. The town of Nashville was founded by James Robertson, John Donelson, and it was named for Francis Nash, the American Revolutionary War hero. Nashville quickly grew because of its location, accessibility as a port on the Cumberland River, a tributary of the Ohio River. By 1800, the city had 345 residents, including 136 African American slaves and 14 free blacks, in 1806, Nashville was incorporated as a city and became the county seat of Davidson County, Tennessee. In 1843, the city was named the permanent capital of the state of Tennessee, by 1860, when the first rumblings of secession began to be heard across the South, antebellum Nashville was a prosperous city. The citys significance as a port made it a desirable prize as a means of controlling important river. In February 1862, Nashville became the first state capital to fall to Union troops, the state was occupied by Union troops for the duration of the war. Within a few years after the Civil War, the Nashville chapter of the Ku Klux Klan was founded by Confederate veteran John W. Morton, meanwhile, the city had reclaimed its important shipping and trading position and developed a solid manufacturing base. The post–Civil War years of the late 19th century brought new prosperity to Nashville and these healthy economic times left the city with a legacy of grand classical-style buildings, which can still be seen around the downtown area. Circa 1950 the state approved a new city charter that provided for the election of city council members from single-member districts. This change was supported because at-large voting diluted the minority populations political power in the city and they could seldom gain a majority of the population to support a candidate of their choice
17.
Gotye
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Wouter Wally De Backer, better known as Gotye, is a Belgian-Australian multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter. The name Gotye is a respelling of Gauthier, the French cognate of Gotyes given Dutch name Wouter. Gotye has released three albums independently and one album featuring remixes of tracks from his first two albums. He is a member of the Melbourne indie-pop trio The Basics. His voice has been compared to those of Peter Gabriel and Sting, Gotyes 2011 single Somebody That I Used to Know reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making him the fifth Australian-based artist to do so and the second born in Belgium. He has won five ARIA Awards and received a nomination for an MTV EMA for Best Asia, Gotye has said he sometimes feels less of a musician, more of a tinkerer. Born in Bruges, Belgium, in 1980, two years later De Backer emigrated to Australia with his family and they first resided in Sydney before settling in Montmorency, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria. His parents chose to use the English equivalent of his name, Walter, as a youth, De Backer displayed a passion for music, learning various instruments, most notably piano and drums. In his teens, De Backer formed the band Downstares with three of his school friends, including Lucas Taranto. After high school, the members of Downstares went their separate ways, in 2001, his parents moved into a new home, leaving their old family house in Montmorency, so he could continue his studies at the University of Melbourne where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts. Two friends moved in him and the house became affectionately known as The Frat House. The first seeds of Gotye were planted when De Backer was given a collection of old records. An elderly neighbour, having heard Downstares rehearsing over the years, in 2001, De Backer recorded his first tracks primarily using samples. He put together a four-track CD which included the song Out Here in the Cold and he made approximately 50 copies of this first collection, handwriting the track list and colouring in the cover sleeve in pencil. He drew on his history for inspiration when naming his new project, Wouter translates into French as Gaultier. He chose his own spelling of this variation and named the project Gotye and he sent the CDs out to every radio station and recording industry contact he could find in the phonebook, then followed each up with phone calls to ensure they were delivered. Around this time, Gotye met fellow singer-songwriter Kris Schroeder at a party in Mt Eliza, and they formed an enduring songwriting and performing partnership and became regulars on the live music scene, giving De Backer an outlet for his passion for live performance. The Basics have continued to tour and record alongside Gotye, releasing four albums between 2004 and 2010, De Backer went on to produce two more four-track Gotye collections which were met with positive reviews, with several tracks getting onto the rotation at youth radio station Triple J
18.
Kimbra
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Kimbra Lee Johnson, known mononymously as Kimbra, is a New Zealand singer and actress who mixes pop with classic R&B, jazz and rock musical elements. Her musical influences range from Prince and Minnie Riperton, to Björk and her debut album, Vows, was released in Australia in 2011. Singles from the album include Settle Down, Cameo Lover, Good Intent, a reworked version of the album was released in Europe and the United States in 2012. It featured several new songs, including Come into My Head, Warrior, Vows reached the top 5 in New Zealand and Australia, on 22 May 2012, the album was released in North America, debuting at number 14 on the Billboard charts. Vincent Fantauzzos portrait of Kimbra was a finalist for the 2012 Archibald Prize, the portrait was painted in conjunction with the making of a video featuring Kimbras song The build up. Kimbra is featured in the 2012 multi-platinum single Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye, on 10 February 2013, she and Gotye won the Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance awards at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards for Somebody That I Used to Know. This achievement made her only the third New Zealand singer to win a Grammy Award, Kimbras second studio album, The Golden Echo, was officially released on 19 August 2014 to positive critical reception. Kimbra Lee Johnson was born on 27 March 1990 and grew up in Hamilton and her father, Ken Johnson, was the head doctor at the University of Waikatos student health centre, and her mother was an orthopaedic nurse. At the age of 10, Kimbra began writing songs, when she was 12, her father bought her a guitar and after a few years of lessons, she was on stage, performing with her guitar tutors. Kimbra attended Hillcrest High School, competing in the schools musical competition Rockquest for three years running, where she was awarded second place in 2004 at the age of 14. Kimbra made her first music video, Smile, for the childrens TV show What Now, Kimbra was a member of the Hillcrest High jazz choir, Scat. She signed with Richardson and in 2008 she moved to Melbourne, in June 2010, Kimbras first single on Forum 5, Settle Down, was released. She had started writing the track four years earlier – it was finished with François Tétaz, the music video was directed by Guy Franklin. On 10 December, the Australian indietronica group Miami Horror released their single, Kimbra also stars in its music video, which features wide-angle and kaleidoscope shots of her in face paint and dresses walking through golden fields. Early in 2011, Kimbras song Cameo Lover was a finalist for the 2011 Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition, in March she issued Cameo Lover as her next single, its music video was released in April and was directed by Franklin. On 13 March, Kimbra went to perform for Moomba Festival and ChillOut Festival in Sydney at Oxford Arts Factory to welcome the release of her next single, Cameo Lover. On 15 July 2011, Cameo Lover won the competition, ahead of third placed song, Somebody That I Used to Know, written by Australian musician. On 7 June Kimbra signed to Warner Bros. Records New Zealand for distribution in New Zealand and Australia, on 5 July Kimbra sang in Gotyes single, Somebody That I Used to Know, which was mixed by Tétaz
19.
Somebody That I Used to Know
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Somebody That I Used to Know is a song written by Belgian-Australian singer-songwriter Gotye, featuring New Zealand singer/guitarist Kimbra. The song was released in Australia and New Zealand by Eleven Music on 5 July 2011 as the single from Gotyes third studio album. It was later released by Universal Music in December 2011 in the United Kingdom, Somebody That I Used To Know was written and recorded by Gotye at his parents house on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria and is lyrically related to the experiences he has had with relationships. Somebody That I Used to Know is a mid-tempo ballad and it samples Luiz Bonfás song Seville from his 1967 album Luiz Bonfa Plays Great Songs. The song received a reception from critics, who noted the similarities between the song and works by Sting, Peter Gabriel, and American folk band Bon Iver. The song came ninth in the Triple J Hottest 100 of the Past 20 Years,2013, in 2013, the song won two Grammy Awards for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Record of the Year. Commercially, Somebody That I Used to Know is Gotyes most successful and it has topped charts in the US, UK, and Australia, as well as 23 other national charts, and reached the top 10 in more than 30 countries around the world. The song has more than 13 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling digital singles of all time. It was also placed at the top of a number of charts by Billboard Magazine. Somebody That I Used To Know has been performed several times on major US TV shows such as The Voice, American Idol and it was covered by Canadian indie rock group Walk off the Earth using a single guitar played simultaneously by all five band members. The hit songs accompanying video was directed by Australian artist Natasha Pincus. The video, which has received over 880 million views on YouTube as of April 2017 and it shows Gotye and Kimbra naked against a white backdrop. While they sing, a pattern of paint gradually covers their skin, Gotye discussed writing Somebody That I Used to Know in an interview with Sound on Sound, Writing Somebody was a gradual and linear process. I started with the Luiz Bonfa sample, then I found the drums, and after that I started working on the lyric and the melody, at that point I hit a brick wall. I was thinking, This is pretty good, how can I get to the end really quickly, and I was trying to take lazy decisions to finish the song. I considered repeating the chorus, a bridge, a change in tempo or key. But nothing felt like it was strong enough, so the third session was all about writing the female part and changing the perspective. I guess the balance of sounds taken from records and samples I created myself is perhaps 50-50, Somebody That I Used to Know is four minutes and five seconds long
20.
Babel (album)
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Babel is the second studio album by British rock band Mumford & Sons. As with Sigh No More, the album was produced by Markus Dravs, the vinyl LP version of the record was pressed by United Record Pressing in Nashville, Tennessee. It was released on 21 September 2012 in Ireland, Germany, Belgium and it was released on 24 September 2012 in the United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Spain, Italy, Eastern Europe, South America, and on 25 September 2012 in the United States and Canada. Upon its release, Babel debuted at one on both the UK Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200. The album received positive reviews from music critics and was nominated in the category of Album of the Year for both a Brit Award and Grammy Award, winning the latter. In late 2010, Mumford & Sons had already begun road-testing new material that they had working on. Most of these songs, including Broken Crown and Below My Feet, had already played live on numerous occasions before the albums release. Mumford & Sons decided not to change their sound on Babel, which is the follow-up to 2009s highly successful Sigh No More and they did, however, admit that they purposely took their time in order to perfect the sound that they had already developed. A final track list and album art were revealed, as well as a 30-second promo. The albums official single is I Will Wait. The band premiered the song on Zane Lowes BBC Radio 1 show on 7 August 2012, on 29 August 2012, Mumford & Sons recorded their live performance of I Will Wait at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. The performance was released on 9 September as the official video for the song. The albums second single is Lover of the Light, the music video was released on 7 November and stars actor Idris Elba who also directed the short film. The song was released on 3 December 2012. The third single from the album is Whispers in the Dark, the music video premiered on 11 March 2013. The title-track Babel is their fourth single off the album and it has already made it into the BBC Radio 1 Playlists A list. A music video for the song Hopeless Wanderer premiered on 4 August 2013 and it featured Jason Sudeikis, Jason Bateman, Ed Helms and Will Forte as Marcus Mumford, Winston Marshall, Ben Lovett and Ted Dwayne, respectively. The video was released on both Vevo and YouTube, within less than four days on the site, the video already had over 3 million views
21.
We Are Young
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We Are Young is a song recorded by American band Fun featuring Janelle Monáe, for their second studio album, Some Nights. It was released on September 20,2011, as the single from Some Nights. The song received positive reviews from music critics, with many noting the song as a breakthrough for the indie genre. We Are Young has attained commercial success worldwide, reaching one in several countries. The track initially only gained attention from media, although it did receive its first commercial radio airplay on Tampa Bay alternative radio station, 97X. However, it was covered by the television show Glee. With the Glee version having success on the charts, the song was licensed for use in a Chevrolet Sonic commercial that aired during Super Bowl XLVI. It is also the first song to log seven weeks of 300,000 or more in digital sales, the song also topped the Hot 100 Airplay chart with 120 million impressions in seven weeks, becoming the first group since Destinys Childs Survivor to do so. The song was named 99th on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs of All-time, an accompanying music video was directed by Marc Klasfeld at David Sukonick Concert Hall in Los Angeles. It features the group performing on a stage at a bar where a riot breaks out, the song is featured in the music video game, Rock Band Blitz. The song won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year at the 55th Grammy Awards, after the poor commercial performance of their debut album, Aim and Ignite, Fun decided to put Jeff Bhasker as producer for their second studio effort. The bands frontman, Nate Ruess, met with Bhasker at his hotel in New York City in February 2011. Ruess was anxious about meeting Bhasker, so he arrived early at the bar in the Bowery Hotel on the Lower East Side and had a little to drink just to make sure I was loosened up. According to Bhasker, he wasnt really wanting to meet the band, as he was working with Beyoncé, and also with Alicia, Kanye and Jay-Z, I had no intention of being distracted. Bhasker had just finished a day in the studio with Beyoncé. He had previously already canceled two meetings with him, slightly tipsy and feeling inspired, Ruess belted out the chorus for We Are Young, which at that time was an unfinished composition. Bhasker was taken aback and automatically freaked out, demanding he see the band for studio time in the few days. The next day, Bhasker and Ruess booked a New York studio, on the first day of recording at Jungle City, Bhasker programmed the drums on his Akai MPC3000 machine, a moog bass and maybe using my little Juno 106, and we added vocals and piano
22.
Grammy Award for Best New Artist
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The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, the award was not presented in 1967. The official guidelines are as follows, For a new artist who releases, during the Eligibility Year, note that this is not necessarily the first album released by an artist. It is sometimes asserted, with varying degrees of sincerity, that winning the award is a curse, as several award winners were never able to duplicate the success they experienced in their debut year. This viewpoint was expressed by former Starland Vocal Band member Taffy Danoff in a 2002 interview for VH1s 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders, so that was basically the kiss of death and I feel sorry for everyone whos gotten it since. The category is also notable for being the one of its kind in which a Grammy Award was vacated. This occurred in 1990 after it was revealed winners Milli Vanilli did not contribute their own vocals on their debut album, the award was revoked, but was not handed out to another artist. Of the 54 awards presented in the category since its inception, the honor has been presented to 25 solo female artists,18 duos or groups, between 1997 and 2003, all the winners were solo female artists. Also, from 1993 to 2005, no winner was a male artist. In 2006, John Legend broke this trend, which started with Marc Cohn in 1992. Only four artists have won both Best New Artist and Album of the Year in the year, Bob Newhart in 1961, Christopher Cross in 1981, Lauryn Hill in 1999. Of all the winners, only three have been country artists, in 1997, LeAnn Rimes became the first country artist to win the award. She was followed by Carrie Underwood in 2007 and Zac Brown Band in 2010, additionally,2017 marked the first time that two country artists were nominated in this category in the same year. 1984 marked the first time all of the nominees were from outside of the United States. Over the years, the eligibility rules for this category have changed several times, in 2010, Lady Gagas exclusion from the Best New Artist category caused the Recording Academy to change eligibility requirements for the next ceremony. She was ineligible for the nomination because her hit Just Dance had been nominated in 2008, the new rule stated that an artist can be nominated as long as that artist has not previously released an entire album and has subsequently not won a Grammy. To be eligible in the category of Best New Artist, the artist, duo, or group, Must have released a minimum of five singles/tracks or one album, but no more than 30 singles/tracks or three albums. May not have entered into this more than three times, including as a performing member of an established group
23.
Kelly Clarkson
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Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American singer and songwriter. She rose to fame in 2002 after winning the first season of American Idol, Clarksons debut single, A Moment Like This, topped the Billboard Hot 100 and became the best-selling single of 2002 in the U. S. It was followed with her studio album, Thankful, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. Trying to reinvent her own image, Clarkson decided to part ways with American Idol management and developed a pop sound for her second album. It sold over 15 million copies worldwide and earned Clarkson two Grammy Awards and she took further creative control for her third album, My December, by becoming the executive producer and co-writing the entire material. However, it caused feud with her label, that was dissatisfied with her darker, less commercial rock music, Clarkson returned to the top of the charts with her more mainstream-oriented fourth album, All I Ever Wanted. Its lead single, My Life Would Suck Without You, holds the record for the biggest jump to one on the Billboard Hot 100. She scored another Hot 100 number-one single with Stronger from her studio album. Clarkson also became the first act to win the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album twice. Her sixth studio album and first Christmas record, Wrapped in Red, ended up as the holiday album of the year. Her seventh and final album under RCA, Piece by Piece, was her album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200. Its title track became her eleventh single on the Hot 100. She signed with Atlantic Records in 2016 and has prepared a soul-influenced album for a 2017 release, Clarkson has sold over 70 million records worldwide and scored a total of 100 number ones on the Billboard charts. Her accolades include three Grammy Awards, three MTV Video Music Awards, twelve Billboard Music Awards, four American Music Awards, and two Academy of Country Music Awards. Often called one of the best vocalists in the industry, Clarkson is known for her powerhouse voice and she became the first artist in history to top each of Billboards pop, adult contemporary, country and dance charts. She was ranked nineteenth on VH1s list of 100 Greatest Women in Music, Clarkson has also ventured into television and film, as well as writing childrens book. Clarkson was born in Fort Worth, Texas, to Jeanne Ann, a first-grade English teacher, and Stephen Michael Clarkson and she is the youngest of three children with a brother named Jason and a sister named Alyssa. Clarkson also has two half brothers from her fathers second marriage
24.
Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album
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The honor was first presented in 1968 at the 10th Grammy Awards as Best Contemporary Album to The Beatles for Sgt. The category was discontinued until 1995 where it emerged with the new name Best Pop Album. In 2001, the became known as Best Pop Vocal Album. According to the category description guide for the 52nd Grammy Awards, kelly Clarkson and Adele are the only artists to win the award twice. ^ Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year, billboard 200 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album List of popular music genres Official site of the Grammy Awards
25.
Stronger (Kelly Clarkson album)
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Stronger is the fifth studio album by American singer Kelly Clarkson, released on October 21,2011 by RCA Records. The thirteen-song track-list features Clarkson collaborating with new producers as well as with Howard Benson. The album also marked the first release by Clarkson that did not cause a conflict with RCA, her previous records, most notably My December, were released amidst conflict and controversy. The albums lyrical content mainly explores themes about heartbreak, vengeance, forgiveness, Clarkson began writing new material for the album in November 2009 while touring and finished recording in February 2011. Despite its original intent to be released in late 2010, the date of the album was pushed back several times. Upon its release, Stronger received generally favorable reviews from critics, who praised Clarksons vocal performance, internationally, it debuted within the top-ten in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Mr. Know It All topped the charts in Australia and South Korea and attained positions in four countries. Stronger became the albums most successful release and Clarksons most successful single overall and it topped the charts in the United States, Poland, Denmark, and Slovakia and attained top-ten positions in over twenty countries around the world. The final single, Dark Side, was released to moderate success, Clarkson promoted Stronger in two concert tours, the Stronger Tour and the 2012 Summer Tour with American alternative rock band, The Fray. Stronger received four nominations at the 55th Grammy Awards, It won Best Pop Vocal Album and was nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, later, during the Chart Show TV, Clarkson revealed that she wanted to do something different for the album. Her label felt the same way, on March 4,2010, Clarkson was announced to perform on the revived Lilith Fair music festival. However, low sales and scheduling conflicts led Clarkson and Norah Jones to cancel their upcoming performances. Clarkson remarked she would focus on recording for her album instead. Clarkson took a break from her music career in 2010. I learnt well under pressure, but, like, four years passed by and I hit rock bottom, everyone was making a lot of money, so everyone was pushing the train. Thats when it all caught up with me. I came down with walking pneumonia for the time in a year. My body was giving up
26.
The Black Keys
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The Black Keys are an American rock band formed in Akron, Ohio, in 2001. The group consists of Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney, the bands raw blues rock sound draws heavily from Auerbachs blues influences, including Junior Kimbrough, Howlin Wolf, and Robert Johnson. Friends since childhood, Auerbach and Carney founded the group after dropping out of college, after signing with indie label Alive, they released their debut album, The Big Come Up, which earned them a new deal with Fat Possum Records. Their third album, Rubber Factory, received acclaim and boosted the bands profile. The groups commercial breakthrough came in 2010 with Brothers, which along with its popular single Tighten Up, won three Grammy Awards. Their 2011 follow-up El Camino received strong reviews and peaked at two on the Billboard 200 chart, leading to the first arena concert tour of the bands career. The album and its hit single Lonely Boy won three Grammy Awards, in 2014, they released their eighth album, Turn Blue, their first number-one record in the US, Canada, and Australia. Guitarist/vocalist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney first met when they were eight or nine years old living in the same neighborhood of Akron. Auerbach and Carney both come from musical backgrounds, Auerbach is the cousin of guitarist Robert Quine, a veteran of New Yorks avant-rock scene. Carney is the nephew of saxophonist Ralph Carney, who performed on several Tom Waits albums, while attending Firestone High School, they became friends, though they were part of different crowds—Auerbach was captain of the high school soccer team, while Carney was a social outcast. Encouraged by their brothers, the duo began jamming together in 1996, as Auerbach was learning guitar at the time and Carney owned a four-track recorder, after graduating, both briefly attended the University of Akron before dropping out. Auerbach attempted to make a living performing at small bars in town. To record one, he asked for help from Carney, who agreed to recording equipment. However, none of Auerbachs backing band showed up on the recording date, instead, Carney and Auerbach jammed, eventually leading to the duo forming a band in mid-2001. Together, they recorded a demo consisting of old blues rip-offs. On March 20,2002, the duo played their first live show at Clevelands Beachland Ballroom and Tavern to an audience of approximately eight people. The bands debut album, The Big Come Up, was recorded entirely in Carneys basement on an 8-track tape recorder in lo-fi and was released in May 2002, three months after they signed to Alive. Two tracks, covers of the blues standard Leavin Trunk and The Beatles song She Said
27.
Skrillex
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Sonny John Moore, known professionally as Skrillex, is an American electronic dance music producer, DJ, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He began his first tour as a solo artist in late 2007, after releasing the Gypsyhook EP in 2009, Moore was scheduled to record his debut studio album, Bells, with producer Noah Shain. However, he ceased production of the album and began performing under the name Skrillex, subsequently, he released the Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites EP in late–2010 and More Monsters and Sprites EP in mid–2011, both of which have since become moderate commercial successes. On December 5,2011, the BBC announced that he had nominated for their Sound of 2012 poll. On December 12,2011, he was also named MTVs Electronic Dance Music Artist of the Year, Skrillex has won a total of eight Grammy Awards and holds the world record for most Grammys won by an Electronic Dance Music artist. Skrillex has collaborated with Diplo, Boys Noize to form the groups of Jack Ü, on Moores 29th birthday in 2017, he reunited with From First To Last to release a single named Make War. Moore was born in the Highland Park neighborhood of Northeast Los Angeles, but moved to the Forest Hill neighborhood of San Francisco at the age of 2, where he attended elementary school. At the ages of 9 and 10, Moore attended a boarding school located in the Mojave Desert LV. By the time he was 12, his family moved back to his birthplace of Northeast Los Angeles, There he enrolled in a private academy school specializing in arts, the school used some of L Ron Hubbards teachings. Later he was schooled at the age of 14 due to bullying. In 2004, he learned he was adopted and dropped out of the program when he was 16, in 2004, Moore contacted Matt Good of From First to Last about playing guitar for the band on their debut album. After flying out to Georgia, Moore was heard singing by three producers, Derrick Thomas, Eric Dale, and McHale Butler, and was then made lead singer. In June 2004, Epitaph Records released the bands first full-length record with their new bandmate, Dear Diary, after performing on several successful tours, two being the Vans Warped Tour and Dead by Dawn tour, they began recording their second album, Heroine with producer Ross Robinson. The album was released in March 2006 on Epitaph, with high record sales once again, the band found themselves part of many successful tours, until Moore started suffering vocal problems, causing the band to resign from several tours. After going through a successful surgical procedure, Moore informed the band he would be permanently resigning to work on a solo career. FFTLs last show performed with Moore was in their hometown of Orlando at The House of Blues while touring with Atreyu, Moore announced he had left From First to Last to pursue a solo career. He then launched a Myspace page displaying three demos and this led to Moores first performance since his leaving From First to Last. On April 7,2007, alongside harpist Carol Robbins, Moore played several songs at a local art building
28.
Chick Corea
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Armando Anthony Chick Corea is an American jazz and fusion pianist, keyboardist, and composer. Many of his compositions are considered jazz standards, as a member of Miles Daviss band in the late 1960s, he participated in the birth of the electric jazz fusion movement. In the 1970s he formed Return to Forever, along with Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, and Keith Jarrett, he has been described as one of the major jazz piano voices to emerge in the post-John Coltrane era. Corea continued to other collaborations and to explore various musical styles throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He is also known for promoting and fundraising for a number of social issues, armando Corea was born in Chesterfield, Massachusetts. He is of southern Italian and Spanish descent and his father, a jazz trumpet player who had led a Dixieland band in Boston in the 1930s and 1940s, introduced him to the piano at the age of four. Growing up surrounded by music, he was influenced at an early age by bebop and stars such as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Horace Silver. At eight Corea also took up drums, which would influence his use of the piano as a percussion instrument. Corea developed his skills by exploring music on his own. He also spent several years as a performer and soloist for the St. Rose Scarlet Lancers, given a black tuxedo by his father, he started playing gigs when in high school. He enjoyed listening to Herb Pomeroys band at the time, and had a trio that played Horace Silvers music at a jazz club. He eventually decided to move to New York City, where he studied education for one month at Columbia University. He quit after finding both disappointing, but liked the atmosphere of New York, and the scene became the starting point for his professional career. Coreas first major gig was with Cab Calloway. Corea started his career in the 1960s playing with trumpeter Blue Mitchell and Latin musicians such as Herbie Mann, Willie Bobo. One of the earliest recordings of his playing is with Mitchells quintet on The Thing To Do. His first album as a leader was Tones for Joans Bones in 1966, two years before the release of his album Now He Sings, Now He Sobs, with Roy Haynes on drums and he made another sideman appearance with Stan Getz on 1967s Sweet Rain. From 1968 to 1971 Corea had associations with avant garde players, in September 1968 Corea replaced Herbie Hancock in the piano chair in Daviss band and appeared on landmark albums such as Filles de Kilimanjaro, In a Silent Way, and Bitches Brew
29.
Matt Redman
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Matt Redman is an English Christian worship leader, singer, songwriter and author now based in Brighton, East Sussex, United Kingdom. An artist for sixstepsrecords, he is also a member and trustee of Compassionart and he has been involved in a number of events for the Passion Conferences and worked with Hillsong London. He co-wrote the 2005 Dove Award-winning Blessed Be Your Name and the Grammy Award nominated Our God and his collaboration with LZ7 for the charity single Twenty Seven Million charted in the UK. The single of 10,000 Reasons, co-written with Jonas Myrin, Redman began leading worship at St Andrews, Chorleywood, moving to help found Soul Survivor alongside Mike Pilavachi, then becoming worship leader for the Soul Survivor Church in Watford. According to Pilavachi, the Soul Survivor festivals grew out of sessions with him. Redman led worship at the early Soul Survivor festivals, returning to lead again in 2011 and 2014. In 2002, after a sabbatical in America recording Where Angels Fear to Tread, Redman moved to Brighton to work with Terry Virgo at the Newfrontiers church and he has been involved in their Newday and Together on a Mission conferences. In 2004 Redman joined a new plant, The Point, also in West Sussex. In 2008 Redman, along with his wife Beth and their three children, moved to Atlanta, Georgia, to plant a church with Louie Giglio. In August 2010 the Redman family returned to the UK and they have since joined St Peters Church, Brighton, and by 2015, the Redmans had five children. On 18 and 19 February 2011, Redman joined Chris Tomlin, Louie Giglio and his 2011 live album,10,000 Reasons was recorded during this event. On 28 July 2012,10,000 Reasons, the track of Redmans new album topped the Billboard Christian Songs chart. It was Redmans first No.1 hit on American Contemporary Christian radio, the record in support of the A21 Campaign, and to abolish modern day slavery ad charted on the UK Singles Chart reaching No.12. The single also charted in Scotland, Redman toured internationally with the band, to raise awareness through worship/gig nights. He has authored and edited books on Christian worship, including The Unquenchable Worshipper. His book Mirror Ball relays his thoughts and experiences of living boldly and he has worked with numerous conferences including Newfrontiers, Passion Conferences, Hillsong London, and Soul Survivor. He has regularly collaborated with other Christian musicians including Chris Tomlin, Redman was born in Watford, England in 1974. His father suffered from depression and committed suicide when Matt was just seven and he said in an interview with CCM magazine that he only discovered the actual cause of death of his father when he was about 10
30.
Esperanza Spalding
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Esperanza Emily Spalding is an American jazz bassist and singer. Spalding was raised in Portland, Oregon and was a musical prodigy and she was later both self-taught and -trained on a number of instruments, including guitar and bass. Her proficiency earned her scholarships to Portland State University and the Berklee College of Music and she has won four Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Award for Best New Artist at the 53rd Grammy Awards, making her the first jazz artist to win the award. Spalding was born in Portland, Oregon, to an African-American father and a mother of Welsh, Native American and she was raised in the King, Alberta neighborhood in North-East Portland which at that time was at its height of gang violence. Her mother raised her and her brother as a single parent, Spaldings mother shares her interest in music, having nearly become a touring singer herself. Spaldings mother took note of her musical proclivity when Spalding was able to reproduce Beethoven by ear on the familys piano. Spalding has credited watching classical cellist Yo-Yo Ma perform on an episode of Mister Rogers Neighborhood as an part of her childhood. By the time Spalding was five, she had herself to play the violin and was playing with the Chamber Music Society of Oregon. Spalding stayed with the group until she was fifteen years old, due to a lengthy childhood illness, Spalding spent much of her elementary school years being home-schooled, but also attended King Elementary School in northeast Portland. During this time, she found the opportunity to pick up instruction in music by listening to her mothers college teacher instructor. According to Spalding, when she was eight, her mother briefly studied jazz guitar in college. Spalding says, Going with her to her class, I would sit under the piano, then I would come home and I would be playing her stuff that her teacher had been playing. Spalding also played oboe and clarinet before discovering the bass in high school. She sings in English, Spanish and Portuguese, Spalding began performing live in clubs in Portland, Oregon, as a teen-ager, securing her first gig at fifteen years old in a blues club, when she could play only one line on bass. According to Spalding, it was a chance for her to stretch as a musician and her early contact with these phenomenal resources, as she calls the musicians who played with her, fostered her sense of rhythm and helped nurture her interest in her instrument. The school was not a fit, but the bass was. Spalding found high school easy – and boring and dropped out, when she was 15 or 16 years old, she started writing lyrics for music for the local indie rock/pop group Noise for Pretend, touching on any topic that came to mind. And being an effective bassist/band leader, although she lacked the training of her fellow students, she feels that her teachers nevertheless recognized her talent
31.
Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album
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Originally called the Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Performance, the award was first presented to Arturo Sandoval in 1995. Beginning in 1998, members of the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences are eligible to vote in the Latin categories including Best Latin Jazz Album, as of 2016, Paquito DRivera and Chucho Valdés share the record for the most wins in this category, with three each. Two-time recipients include Sandoval, Charlie Haden, and Eddie Palmieri, since its inception, the award has been presented to musicians or groups originating from Brazil, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and the United States. Ray Barretto and Wayne Wallace hold the record for the most nominations without a win, however following protests and a lawsuit made by Latin jazz musicians, the Recording Academy announced it would be bringing back the category for the 55th Grammy Awards. ^ Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year, afro-Cuban jazz List of Grammy Award categories Tango Official site of the Grammy Awards
32.
Microsoft Theater
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The Microsoft Theater is a music and theatre venue in downtown Los Angeles, California at L. A. Live. The theatre auditorium seats 7,100 and holds one of the largest indoor stages in the United States, the theatre was designed by ELS Architecture and Urban Design of Berkeley, California on a commission by the Anschutz Entertainment Group in 2002. It opened on October 18,2007 with six concerts featuring The Eagles, in June 2015, the venue was re-branded as Microsoft Theater as part of a new naming rights deal with AEG Live. Microsoft had acquired Nokias mobile device business in 2014, as part of the new naming rights deal, the L. A. Live plaza was also renamed Microsoft Square, and Microsoft provided upgrades to the venues technology, since its opening, the Microsoft Theater has been a popular venue for award shows. The theatre has hosted the ESPY Awards since 2008 as well as the American Music Awards since 2007, the venue has been the home to the Primetime Emmy Awards since 2008 and will continue to do so until at least 2018. It hosted the MTV Video Music Awards in 2010,2011 and 2015, in 2008 and 2011, the venue hosted The Grammy Nominations Live, a concert announcing the nominees for the Grammy Awards were announced. The Microsoft Theater has hosted the Peoples Choice Awards since 2010 and it has also been used by Nintendo multiple times for press conferences during E3. It was also the venue for the finale of American Idol from seasons 7–13 as well as the 2015, vocaloid character Hatsune Miku made her US debut at Microsoft Theater on July 2,2011, as part of Anime Expo. She returned to the venue on October 11–12,2014 as part of Miku Expo LA2014, Hatsune Miku returned for another performance on May 6,2016 as part of her first North American tour. The 28th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions were held at the Microsoft Theater on April 18,2013, the BET Awards moved to the Microsoft Theater in 2013. Since 2013, the Microsoft Theater has hosted the Radio Disney Music Awards, the Microsoft Theater most recently hosted the 58th Annual Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony on February 15
33.
Bruce Springsteen
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Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for his work with the E Street Band, Springsteens recordings have included both commercially accessible rock albums and more somber folk-oriented works. His most successful albums, Born to Run and Born in the U. S. A. find pleasures in the struggles of daily American life. He has sold more 120 million records worldwide and more than 64 million records in the United States, in 2009, Springsteen was a Kennedy Center Honors recipient, in 2013 was named MusiCares person of the year and in 2016 was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He married Patti Scialfa in 1991, and the couple have had three children – Evan James, Jessica Rae and Sam Ryan, Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen was born on September 23,1949, at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, New Jersey. He was brought home from the hospital to Freehold Borough where he spent his childhood and he lived on South Street and attended Freehold Borough High School. His father, Douglas Frederick Springsteen, was of Dutch and Irish ancestry, Springsteen said his mother, Adele Ann, a legal secretary and of Italian ancestry, was the main breadwinner. His maternal grandfather was born in Vico Equense, a town near Naples and he has two younger sisters, Virginia and Pamela. Pamela had a film career, but left acting to pursue still photography full-time, she took photos for his Human Touch, Lucky Town. The Springsteens are among the early Dutch families who settled in the colony of New Netherland in the 1600s, raised a Roman Catholic, Springsteen attended the St. In a 2012 interview, he explained that it was his Catholic upbringing rather than political ideology that most influenced his music and he noted in the interview that his faith had given him a very active spiritual life, although he joked that this made it very difficult sexually. He added, Once a Catholic, always a Catholic, in the ninth grade, Springsteen transferred to the public Freehold High School, but did not fit in there either. Former teachers have said he was a loner, who wanted nothing more than to play his guitar and he completed high school, but felt so uncomfortable that he skipped his own graduation ceremony. He briefly attended Ocean County College, but dropped out, Springsteen grew up hearing fellow New Jersey singer Frank Sinatra on the radio. He became interested in being involved in music himself when, in 1956 at the age of seven, in 1964, Springsteens mother bought him his first guitar for $18. 1964 was also an important year for Springsteen, having seen The Beatles appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, thereafter he started playing for audiences with a band called the Rogues at local venues such as the Elks Lodge in Freehold. In 1965, Springsteens mother took out a loan to buy her 16-year-old son a $60 Kent guitar, in the same year, he went to the house of Tex and Marion Vinyard, who sponsored young bands in town. They helped him become the lead guitarist and subsequently one of the singers of the Castiles
34.
MusiCares Person of the Year
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The awards name reflects the non-profit health care organization known as MusiCares, established by the academy to provide health and medical assistance to needy musicians. Chosen by the MusiCares Foundation, award recipients are honored during Grammy week with a tribute concert that helps to raise money for the foundation. From 1991 to 1993, the first three MusiCares Person of the Year awards were presented to American musicians David Crosby, Bonnie Raitt, cuban American singer Gloria Estefan received the award in 1994, followed by Americans Tony Bennett and Quincy Jones. A string of Americans were presented the award between 2005 and 2009—Brian Wilson, James Taylor, Don Henley, Aretha Franklin, and Neil Diamond. Canadian Neil Young received the 2010 award while Barbra Streisand, Sir Paul McCartney, carole King was honored in 2014 and was followed by Bob Dylan. Lionel Richie was named the 2016 honoree, ^ Each year is linked to an article about the Grammy Awards ceremony of that year. Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year List of Grammy Award categories Grammy Awards official website MusiCares feature in L. A
35.
Los Angeles Convention Center
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The Los Angeles Convention Center is a convention center in the southwest portion of downtown Los Angeles. The LACC hosts annual events such as the Los Angeles Auto Show and Anime Expo and its newest major events are the Primetime Emmy Awards Governors Ball, Microsoft WPC, Abilities Expo, and frequent TV show and movie filmings. The Convention Center, designed by architect Charles Luckman, opened in 1971 and it was originally built as a rectangle building, between Pico Boulevard and 11th Street on Figueroa Street. The northeast portion of the Center was demolished in 1997 to make way for the Staples Center, the Convention Center Annex of green glass and white steel frames, mainly on the south side of Pico, was designed by architect James Ingo Freed. The area in front of the Convention Center is known as the Gilbert Lindsay Plaza, a 10-foot -high monument honoring The Emperor of the Great 9th District was unveiled in 1995. The drive between Figueroa Street and the Convention Center building is named after Councilman Lindsay. On March 1,1983, a tornado caused damages to the roof, the building was repaired and new Convention Center lettering signs were installed at a total cost of $3 million. Since 2005, the center has hosted the MusiCares Person of the Year tribute two nights prior to the Grammy Awards. It also hosted the pre-telecast portion of the Grammy Awards until 2013, in 2013, the Los Angeles City Council voted to let Anschutz Entertainment Group manage the Convention Center. The LACC is one of the largest convention centers in the United States with over 720,000 sq ft of space,147,000 sq ft of meeting space,1,960,000 sq ft of parking. The lobby floors in the half of the building feature two large 140,000 sq ft multicolor maps of inlaid terrazzo. The project was installed by artist Alexis Smith in 1993, a map of the world centered on the Pacific Rim covers the entire floor of the main lobby, while a map of the constellations around the north celestial pole covers the floor of the upstairs lobby. The development proposal was abandoned in March 2015, a new proposal was developed in 2015, approved by city hall and a design team was chosen. A new convention hall, called LACOEX, would be built, construction and approval is set to commence by 2019. Los Angeles 2024 organizers plan to use the center for various sports. It will be apart of the Live Site Olympic Zone down Figueroa St. William M
36.
Krishna Das (singer)
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Krishna Das is an American vocalist known for his performances of Hindu devotional music known as kirtan. He has released fourteen albums since 1996 and he performed at the 2013 Grammy Awards, where his album, Live Ananda, was nominated for the 2013 Grammy Award for Best New Age Album. Krishna Das traveled to India in August 1970 where, as Ram Dass had done, Krishna Das has studied ancient Indian meditation practices, Bhakti Yoga - in Hinduism this is the yoga of devotion, and is now devoted to singing and teaching. He has released several CDs, and he travels around the world giving performances and teaching, in recent years he also has often led workshops in combination with meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg. He has also offered workshops with yoga teacher Dharma Mittra, in India, he visits Rishikesh for practicing Yoga and meditation. Krishna Das is arguably the best known U. S. singer of Indian kirtan-style devotional music, other artists working within this genre include Bhagavan Das, Jai Uttal, Ragani, Sean Johnson and The Wild Lotus Band, Shyamdas, Lokah Music, Wah. Deva Premal, Girish, Shantala and David Newman and he was referred to as the Rockstar of Yoga by the Grammys when he was nominated for a 2013 Grammy Award. Krishna Das has recorded numerous variations of Hanuman Chalisa, a 40 stanza Hindi devotional poem to Hanuman by Tulsidas, in recent years, he has also performed and recorded the traditional gospel song, Jesus is on the Mainline. Krishna Dass harmonium bears an image of Hanuman, and he wears red T-shirts when he performs. Krishna Dass musical style is distinctly Western, using chord progressions typical of Western popular music, the kirtans he leads often build from a slow, meditative tempo to a high paced catharsis. It is common for his audiences to stand up and dance during some of his Hare Krishna chants, the ensembles with which Krishna Das performs change frequently. He is usually accompanied by a player, other percussions, strings, or electric bass guitar. Often, he is accompanied on kartals by Nina Rao, Krishna Das has been associated with many other artists. Two of his albums have featured Hans Christian as a guest multi-instrumentalist and he has also appeared on an album with Baird Hersey & Prana entitled Gathering In The Light. Walter Becker of Steely Dan plays bass guitar on and Co-produced All One, ty Burhoe plays tabla on several albums. Rick Rubin produced Breath of the Heart. S, I hadnt worn a pair of jeans or shoes for such a long time that I couldnt imagine what it would be like. I didnt want to ask Maharaj-ji what I should do in America, how can I serve you in America. He looked at me with mock disgust and said, What is this, If you ask how you should serve then it is no longer service
37.
John Fullbright
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John Fullbright is an American singer-songwriter from Okemah, Oklahoma. While still in school, Fullbright performed at the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival in Okemah. He has been the subject of two segments on NPR and was a 2012 winner of ASCAP Foundations Harold Adamson Lyric Award, Fullbright grew up on an 80-acre farm in Okemah, Oklahoma. He began playing the piano at age five and taking lessons at the age nine. Fullbright attended public school in Okemah, Oklahoma, and graduated from Okemah High School, while still in high school he performed in an Okemah restaurant using an amplifier borrowed from the school band and made his debut performance at the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival. Fullbright briefly attended Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, Oklahoma, a year later, after appearing on McClures 2008 release did7, Fullbright began his solo career. Fullbright performed an Oklahoma City venue called The Blue Door for the first time in April 2008. Live at the Blue Door was recorded by Travis Linville on February 17,2009, his appearance at the venue. The owner of the later became Fullbrights manager. In 2012 Fullbrights performance at the SXSW was described as being as perfect as if it were a Jonathan Demme concert film, in June, he played the main stage at the Kerrville Folk Festival and in July at the Woody Guthrie Folk Festivals Pastures of Plenty main stage. Fullbrights debut studio release From the Ground Up – released on May 8,2012 – was recorded and mixed at 115 Recording in Norman, the title of the release pays homage to the farmhouse where he grew up. Fullbright states, Every song on record was written in that house. In the studio with his musicians, Fullbright was almost immediately captivated by what he was hearing. Although he initially thought he would leave the studio with a record, he says. We all looked at other and thought, ‘No, this is the record. It’s not going to get any better than anywhere else. Favorable reviews include The Washington Times which said, From the Ground Up proves to be a killer debut, the album peaked at #10 on the Billboard Top Folk Albums chart for the week of June 9,2012. Fullbright performed at a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tribute concert honoring Chuck Berry on October 27,2012, the concert – part of the Halls American Music Masters Series – took place in Cleveland at the State Theater
38.
Hugh Masekela
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Hugh Ramopolo Masekela is a South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer and singer. He is the father of American television host Sal Masekela and he is known for his jazz compositions, as well as for writing well-known anti-apartheid songs such as Soweto Blues and Bring Him Back Home. Masekela was born in Kwa-Guqa Township, Witbank, South Africa and he began singing and playing piano as a child. At the age of 14, after seeing the film Young Man with a Horn and his first trumpet was given to him by Archbishop Trevor Huddleston, the anti-apartheid chaplain at St. Peters Secondary School. Huddleston asked the leader of the then Johannesburg Native Municipal Brass Band, Uncle Sauda, soon, some of his schoolmates also became interested in playing instruments, leading to the formation of the Huddleston Jazz Band, South Africas first youth orchestra. By 1956, after leading other ensembles, Masekela joined Alfred Herberts African Jazz Revue, since 1954, Masekela has played music that closely reflects his life experience. The agony, conflict, and exploitation South Africa faced during the 1950s and 1960s inspired and influenced him to make music and he was an artist who in his music vividly portrayed the struggles and sorrows, as well as the joys and passions of his country. His music protested about apartheid, slavery, government, the individuals were living. Masekela reached a population that also felt oppressed due to the countrys situation. Following a Manhattan Brothers tour of South Africa in 1958, Masekela wound up in the orchestra of the musical King Kong, written by Todd Matshikiza. King Kong was South Africas first blockbuster theatrical success, touring the country for a year with Miriam Makeba. The musical later went to Londons West End for two years and he was helped by Trevor Huddleston and international friends such as Yehudi Menuhin and John Dankworth, who got him admitted into Londons Guildhall School of Music. During that period, Masekela visited the United States, where he was befriended by Harry Belafonte and he attended Manhattan School of Music in New York, where he studied classical trumpet from 1960 to 1964. In 1964, Makeba and Masekela were married, divorcing two years later and he had hits in the United States with the pop jazz tunes Up, Up and Away and the number-one smash Grazing in the Grass, which sold four million copies. He also appeared at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, and was featured in the film Monterey Pop by D. A. Pennebaker. In 1974, Masekela and friend Stewart Levine organised the Zaire 74 music festival in Kinshasa set around the Rumble in the Jungle boxing match and he has played primarily in jazz ensembles, with guest appearances on recordings by The Byrds and Paul Simon. In 1984, Masekela released the album Techno Bush, from that album, in 1987, he had a hit single with Bring Him Back Home, which became an anthem for the movement to free Nelson Mandela. Here he re-absorbed and re-used mbaqanga strains, a style he has continued to use since his return to South Africa in the early 1990s and he also collaborated in the musical development for the Broadway play, Sarafina
39.
Tyrese Gibson
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Tyrese Darnell Gibson, also known mononymously as Tyrese, is an American Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, actor, author, television producer, former fashion model and MTV VJ. He is best known for his roles as Joseph Jody Summers in Baby Boy and as Roman Pearce in the Fast, after releasing several albums, he transitioned into films, with lead roles in several major Hollywood releases. Gibson was born and raised in Watts, Los Angeles, California and his mother, Priscilla Murray Gibson, raised him and his three older siblings as a single parent after Gibsons father, Tyrone Gibson, left. Gibsons career began when he auditioned for a Coca Cola commercial at the suggestion of his school music teacher. An appearance in a 1994 Coca-Cola advertisement, singing the phrase Always Coca-Cola and it led him to other appearances for Guess and Tommy Hilfiger. In early 1998, Gibson was signed as an artist to early RCA Records, afterwards, he released his debut single Nobody Else. It quickly rose on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at #36, on September 29,1998, he released his self-titled album Tyrese at the age of 19. It debuted on the Billboard charts at #17, in late 1998, Gibson became the new host of the weekday music video show MTV Jams on MTV and a host and VJ for the channel. Afterwards, he released the single from the album Lately. It made it to #56 on the Billboard charts, then, the albums third single and highest charting single Sweet Lady became the albums biggest hit, reaching #9 on the R&B charts. The single earned Gibson a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Male Vocal Performance, the album eventually went on to be certified Platinum. Gibson along with singers Ginuwine, RL of Next and Case were featured on the soundtrack of the The Best Man on the single The Best Man I Can Be, on May 22,2001, Gibson released his second studio album,2000 Watts. The first single off the album was I Like Them Girls, the album went on to be certified Gold, selling over 500,000 copies. The third single off the album, Just a Baby Boy, with Snoop Dogg and Mr. Tan, was featured on the soundtrack to the film Baby Boy, after RCA Records was disbanded Gibson went on to sign to J Records. There he released his studio album I Wanna Go There on December 10,2002. His first single from the album and arguably his most successful single to date How You Gonna Act Like That debuted on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at #7, on December 12,2006, Gibson released his fourth studio album Alter Ego, his first double disc album. It was also his first album in which he debuts his rapping persona, the first single off the album was One debuting on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at #26. The album itself is considered Gibsons lowest selling album to date, in 2007, Gibson, Ginuwine and Tank founded TGT
40.
Elle Varner
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Gabrielle Serene Elle Varner is an American Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Born into a family in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Los Angeles, California. In October 2009, she signed with RCA Records along with an agreement with Sony Music. Varner released her album, Perfectly Imperfect, on August 7,2012. The album debuted at four on the US Billboard Hot 200. Varner is of African American, White American and Cape Verdean descent, Roderick was a backup vocalist for Barry White, and has written and recorded with Tevin Campbell and Rahsaan Patterson. Roderick released an album on the Dome label in 2007, Jimmy Varner is a songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist who has collaborated with Gerald Alston, Kool & the Gang, and Will Downing. Her parents, together with Stan Sheppard, formed the group By All Means which was a minor success, Elle Varner spent most of her childhood sleeping on studio couches, running around green rooms, and watching her parents struggle to make a name in the industry. At age six she began to play instruments, beginning with the flute. She attended several music programs including actress Wendy Raquel Robinsons Amazing Grace Conservatory starting at age 11 and it was there she penned her first song, “Thankful”. The song, which she played with one string on the guitar, at age 16, Varner picked up a guitar for the first time. She dropped the guitar and became a part of Alexander Hamilton High Schools Academy of Musics Vocal Jazz Group, once there, she learned about the complexity of the voice, jazz music and talented jazz artists like Ella Fitzgerald. Varner was surprised to discover that she had chosen to be a part of the Grammy in the Schools Mentoring Program. Through this program she was taken weekly to the Fox Studio, where she met with mentor Kelly Burgos, soon after, Varner hesitantly applied to NYU with her C average and was surprisingly accepted. Not only did she get in, but also she was admitted into the class of the Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music. Upon graduating, she was awarded most likely to get signed, four years later she finds herself a well-rounded and cultured singer-songwriter. In 2008 Varner graduated from NYUs renowned Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music, in October 2009 she signed with MBK/J-RCA Records along with a co-publishing agreement with Sony Music. After honing her skills further, Varner became one of the first artists featured in BET’s Music Matters campaign for 2010
41.
We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
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We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her fourth studio album, Red. Swift co-wrote the song with its producers, Max Martin and Shellback, the song was released as the lead single from Red on August 13,2012, by Big Machine Records. Its lyrics depict Swifts frustrations at an ex-lover who wants to re-kindle their relationship, Rolling Stone magazine named the song the second best song of 2012 while it took the fourth spot in Times end-of-year poll. It has received a Grammy Award nomination for Record of the Year and it also received a Peoples Choice Awards nomination for Favorite Song of the Year. A music video for the song was released in August 2012 and it was the first music video to be presented in 4K resolution and received positive reviews from critics. A CD single was released in September 2012 by Swifts official store, Amazon. com, the single has been certified Quintuple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The song is one of the singles worldwide, with worldwide sales reaching 7 million copies to date. After writing Speak Now entirely solo, Swift opted to collaborate with different songwriters and producers for Red, thus, she called Max Martin and Shellback, two songwriters and producers whose work she admired, to discuss a possible collaboration. When Martin suggested that they write about the incident, Swift began playing the guitar and singing, We are never ever. And the song flowed rapidly afterwards and she described the process as one of the most humorous experiences she had while recording, and said the musical partners matched her expectations. An audio clip of her sarcastically speaking about breakups can be heard before the final chorus, the song is reportedly about Swifts ex, Jake Gyllenhaal, as the two had broken up in January 2011 but had been seen on a date a few days later. A lyric video premiered on Swifts official Vevo that same day. The song was released to Adult Contemporary radio stations on August 13,2012 with it being released to radio stations the next day. The song was released to country radio on August 21,2012. The music video for the song premiered on August 30,2012, a limited edition individually numbered CD single was released to Swifts official store and Amazon. com on September 4,2012. The limited edition CD single was packaged with a We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together T-shirt, the CD single was also able to be bought individually. The CD single was released exclusively to US Walmart stores the same day. The three-minute-and-twelve-second song features heavy production and a pop music vocal styling
