JuicyChitChats

GREETINGS - Happy Resurrection Sunday! Christ Is Risen! Happy Easter!

2017-04-16T06:24:00.001+01:00

Twitter

Christ Is Risen, Christ Is Risen Indeed!

May The Joy of The Savior's Resurrection Be Yours Always.

Happy Easter.

TAGS: JuicyChitChats-Greetings. Easter 2017. LiveTalkLearnProsper!
HASHTAGS: #JuicyChitChatsGreetings #JuicyChitChatsEaster2017 #LiveTalkLearnProsper

BUSINESS - Meet The Indian Technologist Creating Factory Jobs In The USA

2017-04-08T17:32:00.002+01:00

CNN

Suuchi Ramesh, Founder of Suuchi Inc

Suuchi Ramesh was born and educated in India. But her New Jersey-based clothing startup has one core goal: keep all of the manufacturing in-house and in the United States, by making it faster and smarter.

Powered in part by tech tools, Suuchi Inc. runs as a one-stop shop out of North Bergen handling fabric sourcing, product design, manufacturing and sales.

"We are a completely made-in-America operation and proud of it," Ramesh, 36, told CNNMoney.

Suuchi Inc., which launched in early 2015, specializes in limited quantity production of women's clothing, bags and a few home goods like cushion covers. The company sells not to customers but businesses: young designers launching their fashion labels, retailers who want to make private-label clothing in America and large firms supplying uniforms to the casino and hospitality industries.

Ramesh currently employs 55 workers (80% of whom are women) and expects that figure to be higher than 100 by the end of 2017. She credits heavy investment from the beginning in tech and automation for her company's rapid growth.

"We have to use technology to make the process and people smarter. It's where manufacturing is headed," said Ramesh, who has a computer science degree as well as an M.B.A. She first came to the U.S. in 2006 to work as an analyst with Intel (INTC, Tech30).

As a technologist, Ramesh employed modern tools from the start. Suuchi Inc. currently uses 100 different machines that enable 30% to 40% of the clothing production to be automated.

"Our effort is to reduce manual intervention and eventually introduce robotic technology and automation," Ramesh said.

For example, using digital fabric cutters instead of electric cutters creates precisely cut pieces for sewing more quickly. And by automating the process to make buttonholes, Ramesh has reduced labor time on pieces that include buttonholes by 40%.

"Eventually the goal is to move toward a world of reprogrammable robots for these processes," she said. "But it's important to note reprogrammable robots and machines will make our seamstresses smarter -- not replace them."

She's also testing software she created to reduce the design time process and to create a garment sample from a 3D concept within 48 hours. "This is real speed to market," said Ramesh. "We're hoping to have our partners use the software in six weeks."

Speed to market is attracting clients. Even though using Suuchi Inc. costs her customers about 20% more compared to manufacturers in China or India, the math works for small-batch production: "By sourcing domestically, they get their orders faster and they save on shipping costs."

In the last nine months, the manufacturer has boosted production from 3,000 to 20,000 items a month for its nearly 100 clients. Ramesh estimates the company will hit sales of $2.7 million in 2017 and $7.5 million by the end of 2018.

It's a far cry from Suuchi Inc.'s beginnings. Frustrated by the difficulty she experienced finding outfits that fit her petite stature, Ramesh conceived of the startup idea: create custom garments quickly, efficiently and in a cost-effective way. She self-funded the company with $375,000 and leased a 2,000-square-foot space.

Since then, Suuchi Inc. has relocated to a 10,000-square-foot facility and recently received a bank loan to fund further growth.

Suuchi Inc.'s workforce is growing, too. Ramesh personally recruited most of her workers through word-of-mouth inquiries, posting flyers and advertising in local newspapers. The majority of her workforce is women because they have the skills she needs.

"The cut-and-sew talent is the lifeblood of our business and they are the toughest to find," she said, adding that her employees represent 19 nationalities.

Ramesh's own background continues to serve as a driving force for Suuchi Inc.

"Being an immigrant forces something out of you," she said. "I don't think I would have worked as hard in India, and I don't take my opportunities in America for granted."

SOURCE - CNN by Parija Kavilanz @CNNTech

April 6, 2017: 11:25 AM ET

NEWS - W(IE) = Women, Inspiration and Enterprise Network

2017-04-05T01:10:00.002+01:00

WIE is an influential women's leadership network that provides professional women with the motivation and learning to succeed in their careers.

We curate informative and educational conversations with prominent leaders via our global symposiums, salons and dinners, and have established a powerful community of change-makers.

Dee Poku-Spalding

Founder of W(IE)

Dee Poku-Spalding is a social entrepreneur who was born in the UK and raised between London and Accra.

She is the Founder and CEO of WIE, an influential women’s leadership network. WIE connects emerging and established women leaders, and works to equip the next generation with the tools to succeed. The organization has attracted an incredible range of speakers to its global symposiums and salons, including Donna Karan, Arianna Huffington, Queen Rania, Melinda Gates, Diane von Furstenberg, Nancy Pelosi, Jill Biden, Alek Wek, Katie Couric, Tyra Banks, Lauren Bush, Elizabeth Banks, Iman, Rosario Dawson and Christy Turlington.

She is also the founder of The Other Festival, launched in June 2016, a first of its kind all female festival. The Other Festival showcases the talented makers who are breaking the rules and redefining how business is done. The event showcases musicians, designers, artists, chefs, photographers, entrepreneurs, inventors and storytellers

A former Hollywood studio executive, Dee’s background includes senior marketing roles at Paramount Pictures and Focus Features (a division of Universal Pictures), working with the likes of Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Bill Murray, Emily Blunt and Penelope Cruz. She oversaw the international movie release campaigns for films including Al Gore’s ‘An Inconvenient Truth’; the Coen brothers’ ‘No Country For Old Men’ & ‘O Brother Where Art Thou’; Sofia Coppola’s 'Lost in Translation', Alejandro González Iñárritu’s ‘Babel’ & ’21 Grams’ and Ang Lee’s 'Brokeback Mountain'.

Dee began her career in brand marketing and promotions and over the years has worked with renowned brands such as Coca Cola, Absolut Vodka, Crème de la Mer, Stella Artois and London Fashion Week.

Dee was named a CUP Catalyst Changemaker and one of TRUE Africa’s 100 Top Innovators. She is often asked to speak on women’s leadership issues at conferences and events around the world, and has shared her insights at the UN, the Black Girls Rock summit, the Women’s Urban Economic Forum; CUP Women’s Leadership Forum; the Acumen Fund’s New Leadership For Tomorrow; Stern Undergraduate Women in Business, Influencer Con, Women Werk, BAFTA and Her Agenda amongst others.

She serves on the Board of Directors of non-profits, the British Academy of Film & Television (BAFTA) and MAZA, and was previously on the Credit Suisse New Markets Women’s Advisory Board. She is an advisor to beauty brand Tiossan and electronics company Puku and women’s job site Apres. She is a member of the Women’s Forum of New York and CUP. Dee is a Huffington Post blogger and a contributor to Forbes. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics.

She currently lives in New York with her husband and their son Sebastian.

FOR UPCOMING EVENTS PLEASE VISIT WIE NETWORK | EVENTS

SOURCE: Women, Inspiration and Enterprise

NEWS - 25 Iconic Recordings Added To The 2016 National Recording Registry - Library of Congress

2017-04-02T16:11:00.001+01:00

National Recording Registry Picks Are "Over the Rainbow"

Judy Garland’s hit single “Over The Rainbow”; the original-cast album of “The Wiz”; the rap group N.W.A’s seminal album, “Straight Outta Compton”; the Eagles’ 1976 “Their Greatest Hits”; and the national anthem of black America have been designated as aural treasures worthy of preservation as part of America’s patrimony. Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden today named these recordings and 20 other titles to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress because of their cultural, artistic and historical importance to American society and the nation’s audio heritage.

“This year’s exciting list gives us a full range of sound experiences,” said Hayden. “These sounds of the past enrich our understanding of the nation’s cultural history and our history in general.”

Under the terms of the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000, the Librarian, with advice from the Library’s National Recording Preservation Board (NRPB), is tasked with annually selecting 25 titles that are “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and are at least 10 years old. More information on the National Recording Registry can be found here.

The recordings selected for the 2016 registry bring the total number of titles on the registry to 475, a small part of the Library’s vast recorded-sound collection of nearly 3 million items.

The recordings named to the registry feature a rich and diverse array of spoken-word and musical recordings—representing nearly every musical category—spanning the years 1888 to 1997. Among the 2016 selections are Harry Richman’s 1929 “Puttin’ on the Ritz”; Big Mama Thornton’s 1953 “Hound Dog”; Sonny Rollins’ 1956 “Saxophone Colossus”; Wilson Pickett’s 1965 “In the Midnight Hour”; Talking Heads’ 1980 “Remain in Light”; Marty Robbins’ 1959 “Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs”; the 1960 album “The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery”; David Bowie’s 1972 apocalyptic concept album “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars”; and Sister Sledge’s 1979 hit single “We Are Family.”

Barbra Streisand’s 1964 debut hit single, “People,” was also tapped for a place in the registry.

“It is so humbling and gratifying to learn that my recording of the song ‘People’ by composer Jule Styne and lyricist Bob Merrill will be installed in the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress,” said Streisand. “This is the prestigious treasure house in which American art is archived and acknowledged as part of the flow of our nation’s culture. I believe ‘People’ touched our common desire to relate to others with love and caring, and I’ve always tried to express this in my renditions of this magical song.”

Another addition is Don McLean’s 1971 single “American Pie.” “With few exceptions American music is the whole of popular music,” said McLean. “We have done it all. Written the greatest songs and produced the greatest artists. I am so proud to be a part of this creative effort.”

Several gospel songs made the list. The Chuck Wagon Gang’s 1948 version of “I’ll Fly Away” and two renditions of the hymn “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which became the national anthem of the African-American community—the 1923 version by the Manhattan Harmony Four and a modernized 1990 all-star recording, headed by Melba Moore.

Judy Collins’ a capella arrangement of “Amazing Grace” was also named to the registry. “I am so honored that the Library of Congress has chosen my 1970 recording of ‘Amazing Grace’ for its collection of memorable songs of the centuries,” she said.

Spoken-word recordings on the list include two radio broadcasts: the first episode of NPR’s flagship news program “All Things Considered” in 1971 and the Brooklyn Dodgers’ and the New York Giants’ last game at the Polo Grounds on Sept. 8, 1957, announced by Vin Scully. The newest comedy selection to the registry is Richard Pryor’s 1978 double album, “Wanted: Live in Concert.”

Newly inducted opera and choral recordings on the registry include the 1976 Gunther Schuller arrangement of Scott Joplin’s opera “Treemonisha”; soprano Renée Fleming’s 1997 album “Signatures”; and the 1990 Robert Shaw Festival Singers’ performance of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Vespers.”

The 2016 registry also features a collection of wax-cylinder recordings from 1888, which were recorded on the first phonograph to leave Edison’s factory by Civil War hero Col. George Gouraud, who was living in London at the time.

Nominations were gathered through online submissions from the public and from the NRPB, which is comprised of leaders in the fields of music, recorded sound and preservation. The Library is currently accepting nominations for the next registry here.

Some registry titles have already been preserved by the copyright holders, the artists or other archives. In cases where a selected title has not already been preserved, the Library of Congress Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation works to ensure that the sound recording will be preserved by some entity and available to future generations, either through the Library’s recorded-sound preservation program or through collaborative ventures with other archives, recording studios and independent producers.

The Packard Campus is a state-of-the-art facility where the nation’s library acquires, preserves and provides access to the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of films, television programs, radio broadcasts and sound recordings. It is home to more than 7 million collection items.

The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States—and extensive materials from around the world—both on site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov, access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov, and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.

2016 National Recording Registry

The 1888 London cylinder recordings of Col. George Gouraud (1888)Thomas Edison debuted his “perfected” wax-cylinder phonograph in the summer of 1888, rendering obsolete his 1877 tinfoil model and preventing a coup against his “favorite invention” by Bell and Tainter’s insurgent Graphophone. The first phonograph to leave Edison’s factory was sent to his friend and agent, Civil War hero Col. George Gouraud, an American living in London, who had a knack for promoting and marketing new technologies. In the second half of 1888, Gouraud marketed the machine by hosting recording demonstrations with celebrity guests and, perhaps accidentally, preserved for posterity the voices of prominent poets, scientists, musicians and politicians, including future Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone and Sir Arthur Sullivan of Gilbert & Sullivan. The first of these recordings was the Handel Festival at the Crystal Palace. Hugh DeCoursey Hamilton, who worked for Gouraud and Edison, captured a 4,000-voice chorus performing “Israel in Egypt” from the press balcony 100 yards away. Gouraud also recorded his friends, family and business partners.

“Lift Every Voice and Sing” (singles), Manhattan Harmony Four (1923); Melba Moore and Friends (1990)With text written by James Weldon Johnson in 1900 and set to music by his brother John Rosamond Johnson in 1905, the hymn “Lift Every Voice and Sing” has served as the “Black National Anthem” since its adoption by the NAACP in 1919. As with “The Star-Spangled Banner,” no single recording captures the hymn’s essence or its overall meaning to Americans. Therefore, the registry recognizes two recordings: the 1923 version by the Manhattan Harmony Four, one of the last discs issued by the short-lived Black Swan Company—a pioneering African-American-owned record label based in Harlem—and a modernized 1990 version headed by Melba Moore. Moore sought to restore the standing of the song among young African-Americans. Among the many participants in her latter, all-star recording were Stevie Wonder, Anita Baker, Dionne Warwick and Bobby Brown. The resulting single, which benefited charity, made headlines at the time and helped to raise public awareness of the Johnsons’ anthem.

“Puttin’ on the Ritz” (single), Harry Richman (1929)Irving Berlin’s timeless “Puttin’ on the Ritz” has been an enduring hit since its introduction in the film of the same title. This is remarkable given the rhythmic complexities of the first four measures. Musicologist and author Alec Wilder wrote in “American Popular Song,” “It is the most complex and provocative I have ever come upon.” The song was introduced in the film by Harry Richman (1895-1972), a song-and-dance man and star of radio, movies and nightclubs. Although Richman is little remembered today, his top-hatted presence, with cane and tails, set the tone and stage for this swanky tune. His enduring features—a slight lisp and a tendency to over-pronounce the syllable “oo”—have been parodied in animated cartoons and by musician/comedian Spike Jones. On this recording, Richman is accompanied by Earl Burtnett and his Los Angeles Hotel Biltmore Orchestra, who supply sophisticated accompaniment. Since its debut, the song has become a favorite on television and in movies, most memorably in Mel Brooks’ “Young Frankenstein.” International artist Taco also turned it into a Top 10 “Billboard” hit for the MTV generation.

“Over the Rainbow” (single), Judy Garland (1939)One of the best-known ballads of all time, “Over the Rainbow,” from the classic American fantasy film “The Wizard of Oz,” expresses a poignant yearning for escape as sung by the film’s young star, Judy Garland. “Over the Rainbow” became an anthem for Garland, a song she cherished throughout her life as her favorite. “It represents everyone’s wondering why things can’t be a little better,” she said in a 1967 interview, two years before her death. Lyricist E. Y. “Yip” Harburg settled on the image of the rainbow as the “only colorful thing that she’s [the Garland character] ever seen in her life,” he recalled, and created a symbol of hope that also became a reason for the film’s creators to shift its cinematography from sepia tones to Technicolor once Dorothy landed in the Land of Oz. Garland credited the song’s “childlike, wistful quality” to its composer, Harold Arlen. The song won an Academy Award, and the 1939 Decca recording by Garland—released a few weeks after the film’s premiere—with accompaniment by Victor Young and his orchestra, became a best-seller.

“I’ll Fly Away” (single), The Chuck Wagon Gang (1948)The Chuck Wagon Gang—comprised of D.P. “Dad” Carter, his son and two daughters—was already one of the nation’s most beloved country-gospel groups when its members recorded the first version of Albert E. Brumley’s “I’ll Fly Away,” which quickly became a standard. The family group’s strong four-part singing came out of the southern shape-note tradition, though the addition of Jim Carter’s guitar gave their sound a special drive at a time when most other gospel groups favored piano. The original Chuck Wagon Gang stayed with the group into the 1970s, when new participants began rotating in and out of the ensemble. The group continues to this day, currently led by Shaye Smith, granddaughter of original alto Anna Carter.

“Hound Dog” (single), Big Mama Thornton (1953)The original version of “Hound Dog” brought together several key figures from the world of early 1950s rhythm and blues. Bandleader Johnny Otis invited composers Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller, both still teenagers, to his house to hear Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton, a physically imposing singer with a powerful voice. She inspired them to write “Hound Dog” in a matter of minutes. The song was recorded Aug. 13, 1952, with Otis on drums and two members of his band providing backup: guitarist Pete Lewis and bassist Mario Delagarde. It would be six months before the disc was released, but the unique mix of styles, rhythms and rhymes made “Hound Dog” a major hit and an enduring classic. “Hound Dog” became a standard of the rock ‘n’ roll era. The song went on to be recorded by many artists, including Elvis Presley.

“Saxophone Colossus,” Sonny Rollins (1956)To saxophonist Sonny Rollins, the recording of “Saxophone Colossus” didn’t seem that different from any of his previous albums. To jazz fans, however, it would become, along with “Way Out West,” one of the defining albums of Rollins’ career. With only five tracks and under 40 minutes, the album may appear slight, but the quality of the music has earned it a place of honor among jazz fans for more than 60 years. Solidly anchored by a rhythm section of drummer Max Roach, bassist Doug Watkins and pianist Tommy Flanagan, Rollins is able to solo with power, grace and humor. On the calypso-based “St. Thomas,” inspired by a melody his mother sang to him, Rollins is at first playful, then harder-edged as the tune segues from a calypso rhythm to a standard jazz beat. “St. Thomas” went on to become not only one of Rollins’ signature tunes but a jazz standard, with dozens of recorded versions.

The Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds, announced by Vin Scully (September 8, 1957)When two of baseball’s most storied franchises faced each other for the last time in one of the game’s most storied venues, there seemed to be little at stake, as neither team was a pennant contender that year. The Brooklyn Dodgers had announced they would leave for Los Angeles at the end of the season, and the Giants were headed to San Francisco. Dodgers announcer Vin Scully, then in the early years of his more than six decades at the microphone, called the game in his inimitable style, and wove memories of the Dodgers-Giants rivalry and the many other great sports moments seen at the Polo Grounds seamlessly into his play-by-play: “I don't know how you feel about it at the other end of these microphones, whether you are sitting at home, or driving a car, on the beach or anywhere, but I know sitting here watching the Giants and Dodgers apparently playing for the last time at the Polo Grounds, you want them to take their time … 2-0 pitch is low, ball three … you just feel like saying: ‘Now don’t run off the field so fast fellas, let's take it easy, we just want to take one last lingering look at both of you.” It was a masterful example of the artistry that great sports announcers bring to their work, as well as their empathy for players and fans.

“Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs,” Marty Robbins (1959)By 1959, singer Marty Robbins had released several hit singles, but he had a dream to record an album of Western songs, not country songs. He persuaded producer Don Law to let him record what would become “Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs,” arguing that the label owed it to him for his considerable success. Robbins admitted to Law it probably wouldn’t sell five hundred copies, but this would become Robbins’ signature work and greatest success. The centerpiece of the album is “El Paso,” a song years in the making. The idea first came to Robbins in December 1955, while driving to Arizona for Christmas. He saw a sign for El Paso and thought that would be a catchy title, but soon forgot about it. The same thing happened in 1956, but during the trip in 1957, while his wife drove their turquoise Cadillac, Robbins sat in the back seat, furiously writing as the song poured out of him, lyrics and melody all at once. Though he had the song, he couldn’t get it recorded until the April 7, 1959, eight-hour session in which the entire album was done. The now-iconic guitar fills on “El Paso” were played by Nashville legend Grady Martin, who created such a distinctive sound that fans still argue about what kind of guitar he used.

“The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery,” Wes Montgomery (1960)On Wes Montgomery’s second album for Riverside Records, producer Orrin Keepnews encouraged the guitarist to stretch out more than he had previously, and the record they produced has proven to have enduring appeal. Montgomery’s playing is characterized by his trademark thumb-picking technique and frequent use of paired notes an octave apart in his melodic statements, often at staggering speeds. Montgomery’s unique technique was a result of being self-taught which, in the words of saxophonist Ronnie Scott, allowed him to play “impossible things on the guitar because it was never pointed out to him that they were impossible." In fact, his technique is probably the chief reason he was able to achieve such a full and resonant tone, which did not impede his deft, fluid melodies. On this album, he is also able to switch easily between a variety of styles including swing, up-tempo numbers, ballads and blues while also playing standards and original compositions. The album influenced a wide range of guitarists including George Benson, Pat Martino and Larry Coryell.

“People,” Barbra Streisand (1964)Young Barbra Streisand, who set out to be an actress, used her singing voice to become both a famous singer and actress. Streisand eventually got a recording contract, then landed the lead in a Broadway show, “Funny Girl.” Although “People” was taken from that musical, the hit single was released two months before the show opened. According to some accounts, there was a disagreement about whether to cut the instrumental introduction because, at 3:39, the length might discourage radio airplay, but the intro was kept. Arranger Peter Matz remembers that “there was a wrong note” by a French horn, but “Barbra’s vocal on that first take was the best, so they went with it, flaws and all.” “People” found a large and appreciative audience, becoming one of Streisand’s signature songs.

“In the Midnight Hour” (single), Wilson Pickett (1965)Though he was only 24 in 1965, Wilson Pickett had already logged 10 years as a singer in Detroit gospel and R&B groups and had some intermittent success as a solo artist. When he arrived in Memphis, Tennessee, he found a chemistry that had eluded him in earlier recording sessions. Pickett and Stax Records session guitarist Steve Cropper, of the house band Booker T. and the M.G.s, had never met before, but in barely an hour, the pair wrote Pickett’s first hit. Atlantic producer Jerry Wexler, whose idea it was to bring Pickett to Stax, suggested a rhythm based on the teenage dance the Jerk, and an arrangement was quickly realized. “In the Midnight Hour” clicked with audiences across the country in the summer of 1965 and firmly established Pickett as a major artist.

“Amazing Grace” (single), Judy Collins (1970)“Faith’s Review and Expectation,” a hymn written in 1779 by Anglican clergyman and former slave ship captain John Newton, has become one of the most famous hymns in the world, better known by its opening words “Amazing Grace.” Originally published without music, it was not until 1835 that South Carolina singing instructor William Walker paired Newton’s words to an existing tune, “New Britain,” to create the song we know today. “Amazing Grace” has been recorded many times, beginning in the 1920s, but Judy Collins’ deeply heartfelt 1970 recording became one of the best-known versions and unexpectedly her second-biggest hit. “When I sang ‘Amazing Grace,’ my heart soared. My soul seemed to heal ...,” Collins confided. Using a simple a cappellaarrangement, Collins was beautifully recorded at Columbia University’s St. Paul’s Chapel, accompanied by a choir of friends, including her brother and her then-boyfriend, actor Stacy Keach. Her recording seemed to spark a newfound interest in “Amazing Grace,” with treatments ranging from mournful to joyous. Collins’ slow arrangement was likely the basis for arguably one of the second-best-known versions of “Amazing Grace,” recorded in 1972 by the Pipes and Drums of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.

“American Pie” (single), Don McLean (1971)Don McLean had been singing “American Pie” in concert for several months when his album and single of the same name began to reach a wider audience in the fall of 1971. After a decade of social and musical tumult, new affection for ‘50s rock and roll was growing not only among its original fans but with new generations. “American Pie” seemed to reach all of them with its cascade of images from 1959 to 1969 and a chorus that was both playful and ominous. At the time, McLean mostly declined to confirm the many interpretations and analyses of his lyrics. However, the album was dedicated to Buddy Holly and McLean acknowledged that his description of reading of Holly’s death in a plane crash in the newspaper he delivered as a boy was from personal experience.

“All Things Considered,” first broadcast (May 3, 1971)The National Public Radio flagship news program “All Things Considered” launched on May 3, 1971, one month after the network itself began broadcasting. With an emphasis on “interpretation, investigative reporting on public affairs, the world of ideas and the arts,” in the words of programming head Bill Siemering, “All Things Considered” aimed to give voice to diverse segments of American society in a relaxed, conversational mode. The first broadcast, however, featuring recorded excerpts from a huge antiwar protest in the nation’s capital that took place the same day, was “raw, visceral, and took listeners to the heart of America’s agonies over the war in Vietnam,” remembered Susan Stamberg, an NPR staffer at the time, who became a co-host of the show the following year. While the inaugural program was broadcast to approximately 90 stations across the nation, reaching only a few hundred thousand listeners, “All Things Considered” has since become, according to NPR, “the most listened-to afternoon drive-time news radio program in the country.”

“The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars,” David Bowie (1972)On this apocalyptic concept album, Bowie combined several themes from his previous work to create the persona of Ziggy Stardust, an androgynous rock star who communicates with space aliens and whose rise and fall heralds the end of the world. While the album fits squarely in the glam-rock genre of the time, it incorporates influences from soul (“Soul Love”), blues, cabaret, garage rock, proto-punk (“Suffragette City”) and stadium rock guitar (“Moonage Daydream”). Bowie’s knowledge of theater is also on display with his voice ranging from sneering and outrageous to sincere and mellow. Aided by Mick Ronson’s blistering guitar, at least two of the songs—“Ziggy Stardust” and “Suffragette City”—can be considered rock standards.

“The Wiz,” original cast album (1975)An urbanized retelling of Baum’s classic “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” “The Wiz” (as both show and cast album) has endured as a family favorite and cultural touchstone since its debut on the New York stage in 1975. One of the first musicals with an all-black cast in the history of the Great White Way, the musical would go on to win seven Tony Awards, including for best musical. Along with showcasing the talents of Dee Dee Bridgewater, Ted Ross and Mabel King, the show made an instant star of its original “Dorothy,” Stephanie Mills. The original-cast album from the show included well-known songs as “Home,” “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News,” “So You Wanted To Meet The Wizard” and, of course, “Ease On Down the Road.”

“Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975),” Eagles (1976)It’s unusual for a group to be best known for a greatest-hits compilation, especially for the Eagles who, at the time, were thought of as an album band, not a singles band. It’s even more surprising because the members of the group had no say in the decision to release such an album and didn’t want one released. Against a backdrop of lawsuits, their record company decided to put out a greatest-hits package while the Eagles worked on their next studio album. The supposed potboiler, “Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975),” was intended merely to generate income and buy the Eagles some time while they worked on what would become “Hotel California.” Instead, the overwhelming response thrilled the record company—less so some members of the band. Don Henley complained that cobbling together a hits package diminished the artistic integrity of a concept album like “Desperado,” from which two songs were taken. Nevertheless, fans loved “Their Greatest Hits” and it undeniably elevated the stature of the Eagles, making them one of the most successful and best-loved groups of their era.

“Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha,” Gunter Schuller, arr. (1976)Scott Joplin’s operatic swan song “Treemonisha” languished in obscurity for decades before a renewal of interest in ragtime spurred scholars to reconstruct the work from surviving vocal and piano scores and perform and record it in the 1970s. Until then, the lone performance of the 1911 work had been a concert read-through with only Joplin on piano for accompaniment. The first of these was presented at Morehouse College in 1972 with orchestration by T.J. Anderson and stage direction by Katherine Dunham. In 1975, the Houston Grand Opera presented a new version orchestrated and conducted by Gunther Schuller. Deutsche Grammophon’s 1976 recording of this version sold well and increased audience exposure to Joplin’s “Treemonisha.”

“Wanted: Live in Concert,” Richard Pryor (1978)At the height of his career in 1978, Richard Pryor recorded a rare double album of fresh comedy, “Wanted: Live in Concert.” While a version was also released successfully as a theatrical film, “Wanted,” the album, epitomizes the art of Pryor’s verbal comedy unleashed. Raised in Peoria, Illinois, Pryor grew up in the family “house of ill-repute.” His genius was to live on the edge and manage to laugh about it. His hilarious characterizations of Jim Brown (“Give me the ball”) and Leon Spinks (“Ain’t got no teefes”) were only second to his universe of monkeys making love in trees; German Shepherds that psychoanalyze (“Hey, Rich, what’s the matter?”); and Dobermans snarling (“I want to play!”). Pryor even personified his own heart in a heart attack (“Don’t breathe no more!”) and examined the woods (“Snakes make you run into trees. Snake!... Pow!”). Pryor did not avoid talking about the harder aspects of life, but his sensitivity made him one of the greatest stand-up comedians of all time. This album captures all the hilarity and vulnerability that propelled Pryor to the top of the 1980s comedy boom.

“We Are Family” (single), Sister Sledge (1979)The four members of Sister Sledge were veteran performers by their early 20s, but as 1979 dawned, they had enjoyed only intermittent success in eight years of recording. A collaboration with the members of the disco powerhouse Chic proved to be the turning point for the family group, and they scored their first major hit early that year with “He’s the Greatest Dancer,” setting the stage for the release of the album and single “We Are Family,” written by Chic founders Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, in May. Twenty-year-old lead singer Kathy Sledge nailed the eight-and-a-half-minute song entirely on the first take, and it seemed to be everywhere through the summer and fall of 1979. Baseball’s Pittsburgh Pirates made it their theme song, and the group’s performance of it at the opening game of the World Series and the Pirates’ subsequent come-from-behind victory to win the championship made “We Are Family” an anthem, with its own status and meaning.

“Remain in Light,” Talking Heads (1980)“Remain in Light” presents the Talking Heads at their most essential—contradictory. Layers of driving dance rhythms balance vague postmodern lyrics about the body and mind. Accessible pop-music structures make room for experimental instrumental breaks and electronic noise. The album builds on the successes of the band’s previous three albums while distinguishing them as innovators even among the new wave. “Remain in Light” fully embraced and assimilated funk and African styles with an expanded ensemble that included guest musicians such as Adrian Belew, Nona Hendryx and Jon Hassel, and David Byrne drew inspiration from rap and preaching for his lyrics. “Remain in Light” was unlike anything else released in 1980, and little else since then.

“Straight Outta Compton,” N.W.A (1988)N.W.A’s seminal album “Straight Outta Compton” signaled not only a seismic shift in rap from East Coast to West Coast sensibilities, but also a startling socio-political shot across the bow of the culture. With its at times alarmingly blunt, raw language, imagery and subject matter, the musical partnership of Arabian Prince, Dr. Dre (who co-produced the album), Eazy-E, Ice Cube, DJ Yella and MC Ren ignited controversy (via tracks like “F—the Police”) and ample doses of inspiration with the creative rhymes they delivered and the honesty and force with which they were delivered. Even within the fast-moving, ricocheting world of hip-hop, “Compton” remains—30 years after its arrival—one of the definitive works of the genre.

“Rachmaninoff’s Vespers (All-Night Vigil),” Robert Shaw Festival Singers (1990)By age 75, the conductor Robert Shaw had already attained the heights of musical performance, both as an expert choral conductor with his Robert Shaw Chorale and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. After retiring from the latter group, in 1988 he founded a festival in the rural Quercy region of southwest France, called the Robert Shaw Institute of Music, where he brought together singers, teachers and conductors to study and perform choral masterworks in historic, acoustically resplendent Romanesque churches dating from the 12th and 13th centuries. During the second festival, Shaw conducted Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Russian Orthodox “Vsenschchnoye bdeniye” (“All-night Vigil,” more commonly known as “Vespers”) evening service in the Church of St. Pierre in Gramat, France. The work’s texts come from the Psalms and Orthodox versions of the “Magnificat” and “Nunc dimittis,” often adapting melodies from three styles of plainchant: Znamennïy, Greek and Kiev.

“Signatures,” Renée Fleming (1997)Renée Fleming ranks as one of the best sopranos of our time and, in the course of her career, has been seen on cultural stages from the Metropolitan Opera to “Sesame Street” and from “The Prairie Home Companion” to the Super Bowl. Her ability to bring beautiful singing in a variety of styles to mainstream audiences has been extraordinary. Her first recordings were all signals to the wider public that this voice could go places, and while most of those early recordings dealt with a particular aspect of her abilities, the “Signatures” recording from 1997 showed a variety of strengths in her voice: beautiful sound, excellent support, ability to project and a thorough understanding of the characters she’s portraying.

2016 National Recording Registry(Listing Titles in Chronological Order)

1. The 1888 London cylinder recordings of Col. George Gouraud (1888)

2. “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (singles), Manhattan Harmony Four (1923); Melba Moore and Friends (1990)

3. “Puttin’ on the Ritz” (single), Harry Richman (1929)

4. “Over the Rainbow” (single), Judy Garland (1939)

5. “I’ll Fly Away” (single), The Chuck Wagon Gang (1948)

6. “Hound Dog” (single), Big Mama Thornton (1953)

7. “Saxophone Colossus,” Sonny Rollins (1956)

8. The Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds, announced by Vin Scully (September 8, 1957)

9. “Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs,” Marty Robbins (1959)

10. “The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery,” Wes Montgomery (1960)

11. “People” (single), Barbra Streisand (1964)

12. “In the Midnight Hour” (single), Wilson Pickett (1965)

13. “Amazing Grace” (single), Judy Collins (1970)

14. “American Pie” (single), Don McLean (1971)

15. “All Things Considered,” first broadcast (May 3, 1971)

16. “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars,” David Bowie (1972)

17. “The Wiz,” original cast album (1975)

18. “Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975),” Eagles (1976)

19. “Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha,” Gunter Schuller, arr. (1976)

20. “Wanted: Live in Concert,” Richard Pryor (1978)

21. “We Are Family” (single), Sister Sledge (1979)

22. “Remain in Light,” Talking Heads (1980)

23. “Straight Outta Compton,” N.W.A (1988)

24. “Rachmaninoff’s Vespers (All-Night Vigil),” Robert Shaw Festival Singers (1990)

25. “Signatures,” Renée Fleming (1997)

###

PR 17-029
2017-03-29
ISSN 0731-3527

Press Contact: Sheryl Cannady (202) 707-6456
Public Contact: Steve Leggett (202) 707-5912
Website: National Recording Registry Information | Nominate to the National Recording Registry

For More Information

Office of Communications
Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20540-1600
Voice: 202.707.2905
Fax: 202.707.9199
Email: news@loc.gov

MONEY | LIFESTYLE - 9 Habits of Highly Successful People, From a Man Who Spent 5 Years Studying Them

2017-03-29T18:28:00.003+01:00

ottoradio

Tom Corley, Accountant & Financial Planner

Building wealth takes years of smart decisions, both professionally and financially. But according to according to one man who interviewed hundreds of self-made millionaires, getting rich also means keeping certain lifestyle habits.

Tom Corley, an accountant and financial planner, surveyed 233 wealthy individuals, mostly self-made millionaires, on their daily habits. He compared those answers to responses from 128 lower-earning individuals, or those with less than $35,000 in annual gross income.

In his best-selling book "Change Your Habits, Change Your Life," Corley explains that wealthy people set themselves up for success in a few specific ways. Here are the habits they have in common:

1. They get up early

Nearly 50 percent of the self-made millionaires in Corley's research got out of bed at least three hours before their workday actually started. Many of them use the free time to tackle personal projects, plan their day, or make time for exercise.

"Getting up at five in the morning to tackle the top three things you want to accomplish in your day allows you to regain control of your life," he writes. "It gives you a sense of confidence that you, indeed, direct your life."

2. They read, a lot

A whopping 88 percent of Corley's wealthy respondents say they devote 30 minutes or more each day to education or self-improvement through reading.

Most do not read for entertainment; they prefer biographies, history, and self-help books.

If you enjoy a good novel, that can help you too. Science shows that reading for pleasure can also boost your career. And Corley's point holds for many kinds of narratives. "There are important life lessons to be learned in biographies of people with rags-to-riches stories," he writes.

Legendary investor and self-made billionaire Warren Buffett says that reading has been the most crucial habit he's developed. If you're looking to pick up a new book, check out the business classics Buffett and other leaders love.

3. They spend 15 to 30 minutes each day on focused thinking

Many of the self-made millionaires Corley interviewed said they make time to process everything that's going on in their lives.

"The rich tend to think in isolation, in the mornings," he writes "and for at least 15 minutes every day."

Often they'll reflect on their career, their health and their personal relationships. Having quiet time to analyze your thoughts is associated with stress reduction.

In fact, taking two minutes at work to focus on nothing but your breathe will help you relax , a Harvard-trained doctor tells CNBC.

4. They make exercise a priority

Working out regularly clears your head and makes you feel more motivated, studies show .

According to Corley, 76 percent of his survey respondents carve out 30 minutes or more for aerobic exercise like jogging, biking or walking each day.

Many successful business leaders make sure to workout. Billionaire Richard Branson, for example, says that his morning routine of waking up at 5 am to play tennis or bike, has doubled his productivity.

5. They spend time with people who inspire them

"You are only as successful as those you frequently associate with," Corley says.

If you don't have highly-motivated people in your personal network yet, fear not. Self-made millionaires volunteer, which is a great way to meet other positive, motivated individuals. You could also join groups for people who share your same career or personal interests, Corley suggests. Then develop the relationship by keeping in touch.

And be choosy about who you spend your time with. "[Successful people] also make a point to limit their exposure to toxic, negative people," says Corley.

6. They pursue their own goals

Most self-made millionaires plan to get rich and then make it happen, Corley's research finds.

Eighty percent of the wealthy are "obsessed with pursuing goals," he writes. They refer to both daily and long-term goals regularly.

"I'm here to tell you to avoid putting your ladder on someone else's wall and then spending the best years of your life climbing it," Corley says. "Find your own wall, your own dreams, and your own goals, and pursue them."

7. They get enough sleep

Albert Einstein reportedly preferred to get at least ten hours of sleep a night. If you too function best when you're well-rested, Corley has some good news.

An overwhelming 89 percent of self-made millionaire sleep seven or eight hours each night or more.

"Sleep is critical to success," he writes, citing its effects on memory function and creative thinking.

8. They have multiple incomes

"Self-made millionaires do not rely on one singular source of income," Corley says. "They develop multiple streams."

So how many sources of income do they have?

"Sixty-five percent had at least three streams of income that they created prior to making their first million dollars," Corley says, such as a side-business or income generating investments like REITs or real estate.

"Diversifying sources of income allows you to weather the economic downturns that inevitably occur," he writes.

9. They avoid time-wasters

Money isn't the only important resource for wealthy people. Time is crucial too.

"When we invest our time in anything, it's lost forever," Corley writes.

Be choosy about the apps you spend your time with, too, instead of spending hours on end watching Netflix or scrolling through Instagram.

"When you see time as the greatest risk of all, it will force you to become more aware of exactly how to invest your time," says Corley.

SOURCE - cnbc.com

BY - Marguerite Ward | @ forwardist | Tuesday 28th March 2017 | 12.12 ET

FAREWELL - Chuck Berry 1926-2017: Rock and Roll Pioneer | Founding Father of Rock and Roll

2017-03-19T17:41:00.003+01:00

chuckberry.com
Chuck Berry

"We are deeply saddened to announce that Chuck Berry - beloved husband, father, grand-father and great-grandfather - passed away at his home today at the age of 90. Though his health had deteriorated recently, he spent his last days at home surrounded by the love of his family and friends. The Berry family ask that you respect their privacy at this difficult time." - chuckberry.com

"Chuck Berry rolled over everyone who came before him - and he turned up everyone who came after. We'll miss you, Chuck. Be good." - Barack Obama.

"Chuck Berry's life was a treasure and a triumph, and he'll never be forgotten." - Bill Clinton.

"Chuck Berry died. This breaks my heart, but 90 years old ain't bad for rock and roll." - Stephen King

For additional coverage, please click the links below:

BBC

NEW YORK TIMES

CNN

LA TIMES

How Chuck Berry Managed To Look and Sound So Good Even in His Later Years - LA Times

10 Chuck Berry Songs That Inspired The Rest of Rock 'n' Roll - LA Times

TAGS: JuicyChitChats-Farewell. Chuck Berry. Rock 'n' Roll Pioneer. JuicyChitChats3192017
HASHTAGS: #JuicyChitChatsFarewell #ChuckBerry #JuicyChitChatsObituary #RocknRollPioneer #JuicyChitChats3192017

NEGATIVE RELATIVES - How Could This Be Possible?

2017-03-13T22:39:00.002+01:00

Daily Mail

Ashley and Stevie-Nia Combs

CNBC's American Greed deals with scams, scoundrels and suckers, quadrupled with an interesting adage as narrated by prolific Actor, Stacey Keach: "if it's too good to be true, it probably is."

All the way in Swansea, England, happily married Ashley and Stevie-Nia are accused of defrauding their family and friends to the tune of two hundred million pounds. Really, how so? Simply fast forward to UK'S THE DAILY MAIL

OBITUARIES - Joni Sledge (1956-2017): Member of Sister Sledge

2017-03-12T18:28:00.000+01:00

rateyourmusic
Joni Sledge

Twitter

Joni, on the right, with her Sisters.

LA TIMES - OBITUARY

WASHINGTON POST - OBITUARY

LEGACY - OBITUARY

ROLLINGSTONE - OBITUARY

Joni Sledge, who has died aged 60 of unknown causes, was one of four siblings who banded together to create the music group Sister Sledge. Formed in Philadelphia in 1971, their career really lifted off after they were put together with the writer-producers Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards (the masterminds of Chic). With the sisters, the prolific pair set about creating We Are Family(1979): it became one of their most memorable achievements, and the group’s definitive album.

The women had been touring regularly on the US east coast in the early 1970s and, after releasing their first album, Circle of Love, in 1975, had begun to build a following in Europe too. Yet they had no idea what Rodgers and Edwards had in mind until they arrived at the recording studio that day.

As Rodgers recalled in his book Le Freak: “The first time we met Sister Sledge was also the first time they heard the song We Are Family. When they walked into the studio, we were still writing the song as it was blasting over the loudspeakers … Once we had finished, we gave it to them and basically said: ‘Here it is and here’s how it goes!’”

Though Joni commented in the Guardian last year that “recording We Are Family was like a one-take party”, Rodgers and Edwards had a specific way of working that did not leave much space for different ideas from the artists. However nobody could argue with the results. The first single, He’s The Greatest Dancer, was a No 9 pop hit in the US and No 1 on the R&B chart. We Are Family went to No 2 on the pop chart and again topped the R&B listing, with both tracks entering the British Top 10.

A third single, Lost in Music, fared poorly on the US charts (though it made the UK Top 20), despite being a haunting, trance-like piece of work. Joni sang the lead vocal on it and, as her sister Debbie commented, “the words are about determination, not giving up, so they kind of fitted where we were at the time”. The We Are Family album went to No 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the US soul albums chart. Rodgers remarked: “Pound for pound, I think We Are Family is our best album hands down.”

Born in Philadelphia, Joni was the second of four daughters of Edwin, a tap dancer on Broadway, and his wife, Florez (nee Williams), an actor. Joni and her sisters, Debbie, Kim and Kathy, received voice training from their grandmotherViola Williams, a former operatic soprano, and gained early experience singing at the family church, Williams Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal.

After forming Sister Sledge, they recorded their first single, Time Will Tell (1971), for the Money Back label and had their first UK Top 20 hit in 1975 with Mama Never Told Me. Also that year, they made Circle of Love, from which the single Love Don’t You Go Through No Changes on Me was a breakthrough hit in Japan, then recorded a second long-player, Together (1977), in Germany.

We Are Family elevated their career to a new plane, but they could not sustain its enormous success. The follow-up album, Love Somebody Today (1980), fell far short of its predecessor, though it delivered modest hits with Got to Love Somebody and Reach Your Peak, and helped to sustain the sisters on a three-year campaign of international touring. They switched to producer Narada Michael Walden for All American Girls (1981), and the following year self-produced The Sisters, which brought them a Top 30 pop hit with a version of the old Mary Wells track My Guy.

In 1984, they enjoyed a fresh spurt of chart activity with a re-release of Lost in Music, which had been remixed by Rodgers and reached No 4 in the UK, and also had a UK No 11 hit with Thinking of You, belatedly extracted from the We Are Family album. In 1985 they topped the British chart with Frankie, from their album When the Boys Meet the Girls.

In 1996, Joni wrote the song Brother, Brother Stop after witnessing a shooting incident in Los Angeles, and it was recorded for a Sister Sledge greatest hits collection. She also wrote several of the songs on, and produced, their album African Eyes (1997), which was nominated for a best-production Grammy.

In 2001, Sister Sledge (including Kathy, who had left to pursue a solo career in 1989) recorded an all-star version of We Are Family as a post-9/11 benefit disc. Joni and Debbie performed on the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury festival in 2005, with Kim, now an ordained minister, rejoining them to perform forPope Francis at the World Meeting of Families festival in Philadelphia in 2015, alongside Andrea Bocelli and Aretha Franklin.

Kim said of Joni: “She’s always been able to hear and see more and also know what’s coming, and I think it’s because she’s got that pulse within.”

Joni is survived by her son, her sisters, Debbie, Kathy and Kim, and their half-sister, Norma Carol.

Joni Sledge, singer and songwriter, born 13 September 1956; found dead 10 March 2017

SOURCE - The Guardian - By Adam Sweeting of The Guardian

MUSIC - How We Made Sister Sledge's We Are Family

2017-03-12T18:05:00.000+01:00

soulwalking
Sister Sledge
Debbie, Joni, Kathy and Kim.

amazon.com
Sister Sledge

Please read The Guardian's: HOW WE MADE SISTER SLEDGE'S WE ARE FAMILY

TAGS: JuicyChitChats-Music. Sister Sledge. Joni Sledge.
HASHTAGS: #JuicyChitChatsMusic #SisterSledge #JoniSledge

(c) 2017. JuicyChitChats. All Rights Reserved.

ROYALTY | PHOTONEWS - Princess Angela of Leichtenstein: Europe's First Black Princess

2017-03-05T19:03:00.003+01:00

Princess Angela of Leichtenstein

Prince Maximilian and Princess Angela of Leichtenstein

Angela and Maximilian, The Princely Couple

Marie-Algae, The Princess Consort, Hans-Adam II, The Prince of Leichtenstein
Prince Maximilian and Princess Angela

Princess Sophie, Prince Constantin, Princely Couple, Princess Marie, Prince Altois

Princess Maximilian and Princess Angela

Princess Angela and Prince Maximilian

Princess Angela and Prince Maximilian

Prince Maximilian, Princess Angela & their Son, Prince Alfons

The Princely Couple & Prince Alfons

Prince Alfons, Prince Maximilian and Princess Angela

Prince Afons With Mom & Dad

Prince Alfons of Leichtenstein

What a beautiful Family.

TAGS: JuicyChitChats-Royalty. Europe's Princess of African Descent. Princess Angela of Leichtenstein. Prince Maximilian of Leichtenstein. Prince Alfons. Princess Consort Marie, Hans-Adams II, Prince Altois, Princess Sophie, Prince Constantin, Princess Marie, LiveTalkLearnProsper!
HASHTAGS: #JuicyChitChatsRoyalty #EuropesPrincessOfAfricanDescent #PrincessAngelaOf Leichtenstein #PrinceMaximilianOfLeichtenstein #PrinceAlfons #PrincessConsortMarie, #Hans-AdamsII #PrinceAltois, #PrincessSophie, #PrinceConstantin #PrincessMarie #LiveTalkLearnProsper

ROYALTY - Princess Angela of Leichtenstein: Europe's First Black Princess

2017-03-05T18:51:00.000+01:00

Youtube

HSH Princess Angela of Leichtenstein, Countess Reitberg

alchetron

TSH Prince Maximilian and Princess Angela

Incredibly, people do not realize that Europe has been home to a Princess of African descent for over seventeen years.

HSH Prince Maximilian of Leichtenstein met Afro-Panamanian, Angela Gisela Brown in the USA. She graduated as a Fashion Designer from the Parsons School of Design. They were married January 29th, 2000, at the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer, New York City.

HSH Princess Angela (born in Bocas Town, Bocas del Toro, Panama on February 3rd, 1958) is 11 years older than her husband, HSH Prince Maximilian (born May 16th, 1969). The Princely Couple's son, Prince Alfons was born in 2001.

TAGS: JuicyChitChats-Royalty. Europe's Princess of African Descent. Princess Angela of Leichtenstein. Prince Maximilian of Leichtenstein. Prince Alfons. LiveTalkLearnProsper
HASHTAGS: #JuicyChitChatsRoyalty #EuropesPrincessOfAfricanDescent #PrincessAngelaOf Leichtenstein #PrinceMaximilianOfLeichtenstein #PrinceAlfons #LiveTalkLearnProsper

(c) 2017. JuicyChitChats. All Rights Reserved.

OSCAR 2017 - "Moonlight" Oscar Winners Weigh In On Best Picture Mix-up

2017-02-28T12:45:00.002+01:00

CBS NEWS

Writer-Director Barry Jenkins and co-writer Terell Alvin McCraney

Hollywood’s top movies racked up honors last night at the Academy Awards ceremony, with “La La Land” taking home six Oscar, and “Moonlight” following with three, including best supporting actor and best adapted screenplay.

And “Moonlight” won the most prestigious award, best picture, after a now-infamous, on-stage mix up, when the wrong envelope was given to presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway. After announcing “La La Land” had won, the envelope containing the Best Picture winner was brought on stage, and the stunned crowd watched as the “Moonlight” filmmakers were announced the winners.

“Very clearly, very clearly, even in my dreams, this could not be true,” said the film’s writer-director Barry Jenkins. “But to hell with dreams, I’m done with it, ‘cause this is true. Oh my goodness!”

On “CBS This Morning,” Jenkins and co-writer Tarell Alvin McCraney were asked if the mix-up diminished their celebration.

“I don’t know if it diminished the celebration for us; it just made it much more complicated,” Jenkins replied. “As you said, I think the celebration is bound up now between our film and ‘La La Land’ and the Academy in a very complicated way.”

He likened the turn of events to a “Shakespearean tragedy.”

McCraney said, “It was difficult to say all the thank-yous we had to say, but at the same time it showed the camaraderie and love we have for both of the films.”

“Did you think it was a joke?” asked co-anchor Gayle King.

“I didn’t think it was a joke at all,” Jenkins said. “I could see in Jordan [Horowitz]’s face that he was telling the truth. The first thing I did was give him a hug. I’ve probably given him too many hugs at this point because they were so gracious and compassionate in the way they handled it.

“But backstage, it was just -- there were two things. One, we were trying to find each other, you know, to sort of share the moment, but also, two, to find the other side of the aisle, to give them whatever comfort they needed.”

Co-anchor Anthony Mason asked, “Did the Academy in any way try to explain what happened to you at that point?”

I think everybody was just trying to make sure we were all on the same page and safe,” McCrary said. “When something like that happens, you want to make sure that everybody is categorically okay, and I think they did a great job of that. At one point this guy, Thomas, held my hand and walked me through the back. I was like, I don’t know what’s going on, help me out! Once I found Barry, I think everything sort of settled in.”

“I thought it was so great how the ‘La La’ team handled it, too,” King said. “There they were on stage in the middle of an acceptance speech and everyone tried to correct the problem right away. I thought your side was gracious, I thought their side was gracious. It was nice to see something good come out of really an awful moment.”

“I think that goes back to the award season,” Jenkins said. “Typically the award season is very contentious, but we’ve been spending a lot of time together going through the same trials and tribulations, I would say. And so I looked up at the stage and saw Jordan’s face. I could see if I was in his place how they would feel, and I think they looked over at us and they saw how we had felt as well.”

“Moonlight,” adapted from McCraney’s story “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue,” is a coming-of-age tale of a black man in Florida, told in three stages with three actors of different ages.

Shot in just 25 days for less than $5 million, the film also won the Golden Globe for Best Picture-Drama.

Of Jenkins’ film, McCraney said, “I think what Barry did in the film that’s so impressive, that’s served as a lightning rod, he put his full self in it. He really took a story about memories that I had given to him and made it an experience about those memories, made it an intimate experience. And I think that will (and continues to) be the reason why people have seen the film and will continue to see it. I hope more people see it now. That’s really exciting.”

He said that the first time he saw the film, “I felt like he had gone into my head and took pictures in my memories and spread them across the screen. So now to have it out in the world and have it be -- it won best picture! You did that, brother! Sort of amazing!”

When asked what the accolades the film has received from critics, the industry and audiences mean to him, Jenkins replied, “In a certain way, everything. Maybe I have to think more of myself. I don’t mean that in the sense that the movie won Best Picture, but, you know, I had all these hopes of what I could do with my life, and now the ceiling on that has been radically changed.”

OSCARS 2017 - Apologies From PriceWaterhouseCoopers

2017-02-28T12:24:00.003+01:00

AMPAS

STATEMENT FROM PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS

Posted Monday, February 27, 2017 - 00;30

We sincerely apologize to "Moonlight," "La La Land," Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, and Oscar viewers for the error that was made during the award announcement for Best Picture. The presenters had mistakenly been given the wrong category envelope and when discovered, was immediately corrected. We are currently investigating how this could have happened, and deeply regret that this occurred.

We appreciate the grace with which the nominees, the Academy, ABC, and Jimmy Kimmel handled the situation.

---PwC

OSCAR 2017 - Moonlight: When Mistake Was Corrected

2017-02-27T06:41:00.001+01:00

abc/twitter

MOONLIGHT

BEST PICTURE

WATCH: 'La La Land' announced as #Oscars Best Picture winner, but only until a mistake is realized with 'Moonlight' being the real winner. pic.twitter.com/BUnehZV5WB

— Good Morning America (@GMA) February 27, 2017

WATCH: Moment where crew/cast of 'La La Land' realizes a mistake had been made and 'Moonlight' actually won Best Picture. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/WCCopwsJ66
— Good Morning America (@GMA) February 27, 2017

OSCARS 2017 - The Academy Awards: Complete Winners List

2017-02-27T04:45:00.004+01:00

Oscar.go.com
BEST PICTURE

Best Supporting Actor - Moonlight - Mahershala Ali

Best Supporting Actress - Fences - Viola Davis

Animated Feature Film - Zootopia - Byron Howard, Rich Moore, Clark Spencer

Costume Design - Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them - Colleen Atwood

Documentary (Feature) - O.J.: Made In America - Ezra Edelman, Caroline Waterlow

Film Editing - Hackshaw Ridge - John Gilbert

Foreign Film Language - The Salesman - Iran: Directed by Asghar Farhadi

Makeup and Hairstyling - Suicide Squad - Allessandro Bertolazi, Giorgio Gregorini, Christopher Nelson

Production Design - La La Land - David Wasco (Design), Sandy Reynolds-Wasco (Set Decoration)

Short Film (Animated) - Piper - Alan Barillaro, Marc Sondheimer

Short Film (Live Action) - Sing (Mindenki) - Kirstof Deak, Anna Udvardy

Sound Editing - Arrival - Sylvain Bellemare

Sound Mixing - Hacksaw Ridge - Kevin O'Connell, Andy Wright, Robert Mackenzie, Peter Grace

Visual Effects - Jungle Book - Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones, Dan Lemmon

Documentary Short Subject - The White Helmets - Orlando von Einsiedel, Joanna Natasegara

Cinematography - La La Land - Linus Sandgren

Original Music Score - La La Land - Justin Hurwitz

Original Song - "City of Stars" La La Land - Justin Hurwitz, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul

Original Screenplay - Manchester By The Sea - Kenneth Lonergan

Original Adapted Screenplay - Moonlight - Barry Jenkins, Tarell Alvin McCraney

Directing - La La Land - Damien Chazelle

Actor in a Leading Role - Manchester By The Sea - Casey Affleck

Actress in a Leading Role - La La Land - Emma Stone

Best Film - Moonlight - Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Adele Romanski

(c) 2017. JuicyChitChats. All Rights Reserved.

OSCARS 2017 - The Academy Awards Winners ... As It Happens

2017-02-27T03:22:00.002+01:00

oscar.go.com

To see the 89th Academy Awards winners ... as it happens please visit:

OSCAR

USA TODAY

LA TIMES

WATCH | OSCARS 2017 - LIVE ... Happening Now ... All Access

2017-02-27T03:05:00.001+01:00

Official Poster

The Oscars

WATCH The 2017 Academy Awards as it happens ... listen to the acceptance speeches, get all the access and go behind the scenes right here at ABC NEWS ACADEMY AWARDS

OSCARS 2017 - On The Red Carpet

2017-02-27T01:56:00.001+01:00

oscar.go.com

Emma Stone in Givenchy Haute Couture

For all the views from The 2017 Oscars Red Carpet, please visit the all the Galleries by clicking each link below:

OSCAR

VOGUE

VARIETY

CNN

HARPERS BAZAAR

BUZZFEED

CBS NEWS

OSCARS 2017: The Academy Awards Nominees Class Photo

2017-02-26T16:28:00.004+01:00

AMPAS

These 163 Are The Nominees For Oscar 2017.

Can you name those faces?

AMPAS

WATCH | OSCARS 2017 - The Nominations Announcement

2017-02-26T16:10:00.001+01:00

wikipedia

"Oscar" - The Academy Award

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) gives Academy Awards for excellence in cinematic achievements. The Academy's announced the Nominees on Tuesday January 24th.

Youtube/Oscars

The 89th Academy Awards takes place at The Dolby Theatre, Hollywood & Highland, 6801 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, California 90028. The entire event will be aired live on ABC tonight at 8.30pm ET/7.30pm CT/5.30pm PT. The red carpet coverage will begin at 7pm ET/6pm CT/4pm PT.

OSCARS 2017 - The List of The Academy Award Nominees

2017-02-26T15:39:00.000+01:00

oscar.go.com

Oscar Nominations 2017

Best Supporting Actor

Mahershala Ali (Moonlight)

Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water)

Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea)

Dev Patel (Lion)

Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals)

Achievement in Costume Design

Allied

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Florence Foster Jenkins

Jackie

La La Land

Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling

A Man Called Ove

Star Trek Beyond

Suicide Squad

Best Foreign Language Film

Land of Mine

A Man Called Ove

The Salesman

Tanna

Toni Erdmann

Best Live Action Short

Ennemis Entreniers

La Femme et le TGV

Silent Nights

Sing

Timecode

Best Documentary Short Subject

Extremis

4.1 Miles

Joe's Violin

Watani: My Homeland

The White Helmets

Achievement in Sound Mixing

Arrival

Hacksaw Ridge

La La Land

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

Achievement in Sound Editing

Arrival

Deepwater Horizon

Hacksaw Ridge

La La Land

Sully

Best Supporting Actress

Viola Davis (Fences)

Naomie Harris (Moonlight)

Nicole Kidman (Lion)

Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures)

Michelle Williams (Manchester by the Sea)

Achievement in Visual Effects

Deepwater Horizon

Doctor Strange

The Jungle Book

Kubo and the Two Strings

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Best Animated Short

Blind Vaysha

Borrowed Time

Pear Cider and Cigarettes

Pearl

Piper

Best Animated Feature

Kubo and the Two Strings

Moana

My Life as a Zucchini

The Red Turtle

Zootopia

Best Production Design

Arrival

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Hail, Caesar!

La La Land

Passengers

Cinematography

Arrival

La La Land

Lion

Moonlight

Silence

Best Film Editing

Arrival

Hacksaw Ridge

Hell or High Water

La La Land

Moonlight

Best Documentary Feature

Fire at Sea

I Am Not Your Negro

Life Animated

O.J.: Made in America

13th

Best Original Song

Audition (La La Land)

Can't Stop the Feeling (Trolls)

City of Stars (La La Land)

The Empty Chair (Jim: The James Foley Story)

How Far I'll Go (Moana)

Best Original Score

Jackie

La La Land

Lion

Moonlight

Passengers

Best Original Screenplay

Hell or High Water

La La Land

The Lobster

Manchester by the Sea

20th Century Women

Best Adapted Screenplay

Arrival

Fences

Hidden Figures

Lion

Moonlight

Best Director

Denis Villeneuve (Arrival)

Mel Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge)

Damien Chazelle (La La Land)

Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea)

Barry Jenkins (Moonlight)

Best Actor

Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea)

Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge)

Ryan Gosling (La La Land)

Viggo Mortensen (Captain Fantastic)

Denzel Washington (Fences)

Best Actress

Isabelle Huppert (Elle)

Ruth Negga (Loving)

Natalie Portman (Jackie)

Emma Stone (La La Land)

Meryl Streep (Florence Foster Jenkins)

Best Picture

Arrival

Fences

Hacksaw Ridge

Hell or High Water

Hidden Figures

La La Land

Lion

Manchester by the Sea

Moonlight

SOURCE - abc.net.au

OSCARS 2017 - The Making of 'La La Land': Why It's Important To Modern Cinema

2017-02-26T15:29:00.001+01:00

imbd.com
La La Land Official Poster

Malorie Cunningham explains why The Making of La La Land is so important to modern day cinema. Read further at THE MAKING OF LA LA LAND

OSCARS 2017 - Oscar Campaigns: How They Work Why They Matter and Their Questionable Tactics

2017-02-26T15:23:00.000+01:00

Official Poster

Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences

The 89th Academy Awards takes place at The Dolby Theatre, Hollywood & Highland, 6801 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, California 90028. The entire event will be aired live on ABC tonight at 8.30pm ET/7.30pm CT/5.30pm PT. The red carpet coverage will begin at 7pm ET/6pm CT/4pm PT.

Malorie Cunningham's interesting perspective deals with the marketing techniques of Oscar Campaigns.

For further insight please read at OSCAR CAMPAIGNS

MUSIC - Songwriters Hall of Fame Announces 2017 Inductees

2017-02-23T15:03:00.003+01:00

songhall.org

Berry Gordy, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Robert Lamm, James Pankow & Peter Cetera, P/K/A “Chicago,” Max Martin and Shawn “Jay Z” Carter To Be Inducted June 15, 2017, New York City.

New York, NY – February 22, 2017 – Musical titans Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Robert Lamm, James Pankow & Peter Cetera, p/k/a “Chicago,” Max Martin, andShawn “JAY Z” Carter will become the latest inductees of the Songwriters Hall of Fame at the organization’s 48th Annual Induction and Awards Dinner. Berry Gordy, who deferred his induction in 2016, will also be part of the 2017 class. These legendary songwriters wrote mega-hits such as, “I’ll Make Love to You,” “Money (That’s What I Want),” “Tender Love,” “25 or 6 to 4,” “...Baby One More Time” and “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem).” The star-studded induction event is slated forThursday, June 15th at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. Additional special award honorees will be announced soon.

“With our 2017 roster of inductees, the Songwriters Hall of Fame moves definitively into recognizing music creators of the 21st century while continuing to honor the greats of earlier decades. The combination of contemporary sounds and timeless hits of the past is certain to make for an unforgettable evening,” said SHOF co-chairs Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff and PresidentLinda Moran. “The songwriters we honor cross genres, regional and even national boundaries - R & B, Rap, Pop and Rock & Roll from both coasts, the American heartland and Sweden. We are thrilled to once more have the opportunity to preside over an event that recognizes the convergence of song craft and musical performance at the very highest level.”

Established in 1969, the Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) serves as a vital bridge between music’s past and future. In the Hall, musical pioneers are enshrined and celebrated, while the organization’s outreach to the music community grooms the next generation of troubadours.

Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds
Babyface’s award-winning, multi-faceted pop/urban career includes the consecutive multi-platinum landmark albums Tender Love, For the Cool in You (including signature hits “Never Keeping Secrets” and “When Can I See You”) and The Day (”Every Time I Close My Eyes”). As co-founder with L.A. Reid of LaFace Records in 1989, Babyface nurtured the careers of megastars such as TLC, OutKast, Usher and Toni Braxton. An 11-time Grammy Award winner, Babyface most recently released Return of the Tender Love in December 2015, his first solo album in seven years. This latest project introduces a freer, less structured Babyface putting his stamp on a contemporary sound he describes as “unapologetic R&B.” This album follows up the critical and commercial response to his and Toni Braxton’s 2014 Grammy-winning album Love, Marriage & Divorce.

Paralleling those achievements is Babyface’s extensive songwriting and production credits from the ‘90s forward. He has produced and written/co-written hits for everyone from Whitney Houston’s “I’m Your Baby Tonight” which was his first number one Top 40 hit in the US and the number one hit “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” as the rest of the critically acclaimed 10 million-selling Waiting to Exhale soundtrack, which spawned additional hits for Houston, Brandy and Mary J. Blige, to Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey, P!nk and Beyoncé, among countless others. That hit list boasts smashes such as Madonna’s “Take a Bow,” which had a seven-week run at number one the charts, Clapton’s chart-topping Grammy winner “Change the World,” and Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road” and “I’ll Make Love to You”, both of which established records for the longest stay at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. His most recent productions include collaborations with Bruno Mars, Kat Graham, Johnny Mathis, music for a new Adam Sandler film and BET’s New Edition Story, Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Ledisi, Colbie Caillat, Jennifer Hudson, Ariana Grande, After 7, and Toni Braxton.

The prolific music man counts more than 200 top 10 R&B and over 50 top 10 pop hits (including 16 No. 1’s). In turn those stats have generated cumulative single and album sales of more than 500 million units worldwide. He has won numerous awards and honors including the Soul Train Music Awards, BMI Awards, NAACP Image Awards, American Music Awards, BET Walk of Fame Award, and receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013.

New solo CD is coming in 2017.

Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy founded Motown Records, the hit-making enterprise birthed in 1959, in Detroit, Michigan, that nurtured the careers of Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, Diana Ross and The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, The Temptations, Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5, and many other music greats. First and foremost Gordy was a songwriter, a dreamer who wanted to write about what people felt, needed and wanted. Songwriting was his love and motivation for everything he did. The basis of his approach was in simple, lyrical concepts.

Jackie Wilson’s first five singles including hits “Reel Petite,” To Be Loved” and “Lonely Teardrop” were the results of his co-writing with his sister Gwen Gordy Fuqua and Roquel Billy Davis. Prior to starting Motown, Gordy further collaborated on “Come To Me” and “You’ve Got What It Takes” for Marv Johnson, and in 1959 the first hit for Gordy’s new Tamla label and what he needed most - “Money (That’s What I Want),” co-written with Janie Bradford, recorded by Barrett Strong at Hitsville’s Studio A. The song was later covered by the Beatles on their second album.

Gordy’s protégée and the first writer he signed was William “Smokey” Robinson. Most notable was their catchy “Shop Around,” the first million-selling single for Tamla. In 1962, Gordy’s song, “Do You Love Me?” became the Contours’ only Top 40 single on Billboard’s Hot 100 U.S. chart. In 1988 its inclusion in the soundtrack of More Dirty Dancing, revived the record’s popularity.

As business took off, Gordy continued writing songs for his artists, Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Martha & the Vandellas and more. In 1967, his work with Brenda Holloway, Patrice Holloway and Frank Wilson earned Brenda her third top 40 single with “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy.” The song was covered in 1969 by Blood, Sweat & Tears and went to #2 on the charts. In 1970 his newly-signed group, The Jackson 5, topped the Billboard Hot 100 with “I Want You Back,” followed by three more number one singles, also co-written by Gordy, “ABC,” “The Love You Save,” and “I’ll Be There.”

A number of Gordy’s songs and collaborations have been included in Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time,” they’ve been used in television and film and have been covered by artists from various genres: John Fogerty, Cee Lo Green, Brian Hyland, Joe Tex, the Dave Clark Five, the Flying Lizards, Captain & Tennille, Lou Rawls, Michael Buble, Johnny Gill and more. Among the awards recognizing Gordy’s songwriting accomplishments are ASCAP’s American Legend Award, Songwriters Hall of Fame’s Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award and Pioneer Award and numerous Citations of Excellence from BMI and ASCAP.

With many careers to handle, develop and manage, Gordy’s songwriting soon gave way to running the business. He became a producer, director, innovative entrepreneur, teacher and visionary and has received four honorary doctorates, including one in music from Eastern Michigan University. Last year he was the recipient of the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama.

Berry Gordy’s unparalleled contribution to music and popular culture is chronicled in his autobiography, To Be Loved: The Music, The Magic, The Memories of Motown. It is the basis for his play, Motown the Musical, which premiered on Broadway in 2013. It garnered 4 Tony nominations, with The New York Times calling it Broadway’s “biggest box office hit of the year.” The London production, which opened in 2016, continues to draw packed houses and has been extended to 2018. One of Gordy’s many joys in creating the Musical was returning to his first love—songwriting. When he couldn’t find songs to fit some key scenes, he co-wrote three new ones. The musical, currently touring across America to sellout crowds through 2018, proves that Berry Gordy, songwriter, is still working his magic.

Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
As one of the most successful songwriting/production teams in modern musical history, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis have penned hits for music superstars including Michael Jackson, Gwen Stefani, Usher, Mary J. Blige, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Kanye West and many more.

The 5-time Grammy winning duo has crafted distinctive, memorable and instantly engaging songs for over three decades. Crossing stylistic boundaries, from pop, rock, and soul, to rap, hip-hop and dance they have fashioned a sound completely their own. With more Billboard number ones than any other songwriting and production team in history, they have produced 16 Billboard Hot 100 number one hits, and 26 Billboard R&B number one hits. They are among a handful of producers to have number one records in three consecutive decades and have had 41 songs reach the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100.

They first met in Minneapolis in 1972 and were discovered and signed by Prince 1981 as members of the seminal group, The Time. While members of The Time, the pair was tapped by Tabu Records Chairman Clarence Avant to produce the SOS Band, which resulted in chart topping hits, “Just Be Good To Me,” and “Tell Me if you Still Care,” launching them into full time producers.

By the mid-eighties they became the most sought-after collaborators in music, thanks largely to their work with Janet Jackson on her 1986 breakthrough album, Control, which earned them a Producer of the Year Grammy. Three years later Jimmy and Terry followed it up with another multi-platinum smash for Janet, Rhythm Nation 1814. By that time they had also racked up chart toppers such as Force M.D.’s “Tender Love” and legendary trumpeter Herb Alpert’s chart toppers “Keep Your Eye On Me” and “Diamonds.”

The duo formed Flyte Tyme Productions and publishing company Flyte Tyme Tunes as well as their own label, Perspective Records, which included the powerful gospel choir Sounds of Blackness, whose debut release, The Evolution of Gospel, was another Grammy winner.

The two also composed Oscar and Golden Globe nominated music for films and a song for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Jam served as the Chairman of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the first and only African American to be elected to that esteemed position. They have been named ASCAP Songwriters of the Year nine times, are recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the NAACP and have a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Robert Lamm, James Pankow & Peter Cetera p/k/a “Chicago”
Singer-songwriter-instrumentalists Robert Lamm, James Pankow and Peter Cetera either singly or in collaborations, were the chief songwriters of supergroup Chicago. Their enormously influential work helped pave the way for jazz-oriented rock.

Robert Lamm has been with Chicago since the beginning. Chicago’s first album Chicago Transit Authority contained seven of his songs, “Beginnings,” “Poem 58,” “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It is?,” “Questions 67 & 68,” “Listen,” “South California Purples,” and “Someday.” He continued writing for the band, throughout the 70’s and 80’s with hits, “25 or 6 to 4,” “Wake Up Sunshine,” “Dialogue,” “Saturday in the Park,” “Another Rainy Day in NYC,” and “Getaway.”

James Pankow, trombonist, arranger and composer, is also one of the bands founding members. As the band’s principal arranger, he created the trademark signature style of Chicago’s horns and composed many of their songs, including the hits “Make Me Smile”, “Colour My World,” “Just You ‘N’ Me,” “Searchin’ So Long,” “Old Days,” “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day” and “Alive Again.” One of his most acclaimed pieces is “Ballet For A Girl In Buchannon,” which he wrote when he was 22-years-old. The band was constantly on the road and Pankow became drawn to Bach, whose technical perfection and melodic genius inspired him immeasurably. He began experimenting with arpeggios and the result was a key moment in the ballad, “Colour My World.”

Peter Cetera, singer, songwriter and bassist was a member of Chicago from 1967-1985 and the last original member to join the band. During his tenure with the band he wrote hits such as “If You Leave Me Now,” (his first major hit with the band, which appeared on the band’s tenth album) and garnered the band’s first Grammy Award. The platinum-certified hit was number one worldwide. Other notable songs were “Wishing You Were Here,” “Happy Man,” and “Baby, What A Big Surprise.” In 1982 he co-wrote “Hard to Say I’m Sorry,” which reached number one on the charts and was certified Gold, as well as “Love Me Tomorrow.” In 1984 Chicago 17 became the band’s most successful selling album, eventually going on to sell over six million copies in the United States alone. Its four singles, which charted in the top 20, were sung by Cetera, including three that he co-wrote, “Stay the Night,” “You’re the Inspiration,” and “Along Comes a Woman.”

Pankow and Lamm have gone on as Chicago members and have continued to release albums into the 2000’s. Lamm is a prolific composer, with seven solo albums, and Cetera has had a successful solo career.

Chicago’s lifetime achievements include two Grammy Awards (one is for Chicago’s first album,Chicago Transit Authority, which was inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 2014), multiple American Music Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. Record sales top the 100,000,000 mark, and include 21 Top 10 singles, 5 consecutive Number One albums, 11 Number One singles and 5 Gold singles. An incredible 25 of their 36 albums have been certified platinum, and the band has a total of 47 gold and platinum awards. Chicago are celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2017, and are working onChicago XXXVII.

Max Martin
When a teenage Swedish metal band front man made the choice to drop out of school and pursue his dream of making music, no one could have guessed that he would go on to shape the face of popular music over the next several decades.

But Max Martin, born Karl Martin Sandberg, would have never made the jump from glam metal to pop had he not been recruited by Swedish DJ, producer and songwriter, Denniz PoP. Under PoP’s tutelage, Martin sunk his teeth into learning the ins and outs of composing a contemporary radio hit, stressing the power of a memorable melody.

Martin’s first big break came on The Backstreet Boys eponymous album, on which he penned the hit single, “Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)” reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. He went on to craft some of the band’s biggest hits from later albums like Millennium,including “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” and “I Want It That Way.” Martin’s success snowballed into collaborations with other up-and-coming pop icons, including Britney Spears and NSYNC.

Notoriously promotion-shy, Martin’s all about the creation process. His dedication and passion for the craft is why he has had a major role in shaping today’s biggest acts, like Katy Perry, The Weeknd and Taylor Swift, contributing to many of their most commercially successful hits.

In 1999, Martin became the first ever non-American to win the ASCAP’s “Songwriter of the Year” Award, after writing Britney Spears’ runaway hits “...Baby One More Time,” and “(You Drive Me) Crazy.” He has gone on to win the award nine times in total, and since 2011, has won six consecutively.

Martin has also had writing credits on twenty-two songs that topped the Billboard Hot 100, the third most of any songwriter after John Lennon and Sir Paul McCartney. Martin’s two most recent Hot 100 hits are The Weeknd’s 2015 hit, “Can’t Feel My Face,” and Justin Timberlake’s 2016 single “CAN’T STOP THE FEELING!,” which won a Grammy in 2017. With sales in the hundreds of millions, Max Martin is considered as one of the most successful producers and songwriters of the 21st century.

Shawn “JAY Z” Carter
Since 1996, 21-time Grammy award winner, Shawn “JAY Z” Carter has dominated an evolution in popular culture. With more than 100 million records sold he is one of the best-selling musicians of all time. Also a powerful entrepreneur across the music/entertainment, fashion and sports industries, JAY Z personifies the “American Dream.”

The accomplished lyricist co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records in 1995, and dropped his debut album,Reasonable Doubt the following year. It reached number 23 on the Billboard 200 chart and was later included in Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” In 1997, JAY Z released his follow-up In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, which went platinum. In 1998, he released Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life, earning him his first Grammy and spawning his biggest hit at the time, “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem).” The album became his most commercially successful album, certified 5x platinum. 1999 saw the release of Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter, featuring the hit “Big Pimpin’.”

Recognized for his remarkable wordplay, JAY Z’s success continued to grow in the new millennium. In 2000 JAY Z released The Dynasty: Roc La Familia featuring the track “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)”. In 2001 JAY Z released his sixth studio album, The Blueprint, also named one of Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” Written in just two days and soared to the top of the charts, with smash hits “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” and “Girls, Girls, Girls”, “Jigga That Ni**a”, and “Song Cry”. 2002’s The Blueprint2: The Gift & The Curse also debuted at number one, selling over 3 million units in the U.S. alone. The album spawned two massive hit singles, “Excuse Me Miss” and “‘03 Bonnie & Clyde”, featuring Beyoncé. Plus other notable tracks including “Guns & Roses,” featuring Lenny Kravitz, “Hovi Baby,” “A Dream”, featuring Faith Evans and The Notorious B.I.G. and “The Bounce”, featuring Kanye West. The Black Album was released in 2003 and included notable tracks “What More Can I Say”, “Dirt Off Your Shoulder”, “Change Clothes”, and “99 Problems” and was named one of Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In 2006 he released Kingdom Come featuring the track “Show Me What You Got,” followed by 2007’s American Gangsterfeaturing the single “Blue Magic.” The following year he became the record holder for most number one albums on the Billboard 200, with the release of The Blueprint3, which was also named album of the year by Billboard. It included smash hits “Run This Town” ft. Rihanna and Kanye West, “Empire State of Mind,” featuring Alicia Keys and “On To The Next One,” featuring Swizz Beatz. JAY Z’s 2010 album with Kanye West, Watch the Throne, broke the record for most albums sold in one week on iTunes and also became his 12th number one Billboard album release. In 2013 he came back to the top of the chart with Magna Carta Holy Grail, which included three successful singles, “Holy Grail”, “Tom Ford” and “Part II (On the Run)” featuring Beyoncé.

Ticket Information:
Tickets for the Songwriters Hall of Fame event begin at $1,250 each, and are available through Buckley Hall Events, 914-579-1000. Net proceeds from the event will go toward the Songwriters Hall of Fame programs. Songwriters Hall of Fame is a 501(c)3 organization. The non-deductible portion of each ticket is $170. Contributions, for which no goods or services are received in exchange, are fully tax-deductible as provided by law.

Contact:
Fran Curtis
Rogers & Cowan
212-878-5002
fcurtis@rogersandcowan.com

Cara Hutchison
Rogers & Cowan
212-878-5026
chutchison@rogersandcowan.com

SOURCE - Songhall.org

Songwriters Hall of Fame

NEWS - Nigerians Displeased With Top Politicians Visit To President Buhari in London

2017-02-16T09:27:00.003+01:00

Bukola Saraki/Twitter

President Buhari Shakes Hands With Senate President Saraki

The Senate President Bukola Saraki, the Speaker Yakubu Dogara and the Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan visited President Buhari in London.

Post the Presidential visit, Bukola Saraki tweeted:

"Delighted to see President @mbuhari doing well, was cheerful and in good spirits. The President I saw today is healthy, witty and himself.

President @mbuhari's absence and imminent return shows there is no vacuum in government and our system of democracy is working.

Our system of democracy is working with all organs of govt fulfilling their mandate. Let me use the time tested cliche, no cause for alarm ... Emoji Thumbs Up."

Nigerians have expressed their displeasure on social media belong to Buhari, Saraki, Dogara and Lawan:

Time 4 Truth replied: "Glad the old man is alive. Hope he knows since he's been in the UK, he never put on generator or power failure like Nigeria."

Onuche Unekuojo replied: "Healthy witty and himself" yet not in Nigeria.

Focus replied: "at what cost to the economy he sent spiraling down to our worst recession ... shameless lot. One that banned medical tourism is now the ambassador of medical tourism."

Jaspa Jacksparo replied: "What is he still doing in London then??? Is he now a tourist attraction over there???"

Mr Malcolm replied: "I hate to be a doubting Thomas but something doesn't look right."

Ehisosara replied: "We can clearly say Buhari is our president at our UK branch."

Arinze Onwe Pius replied: "How can a President be missing from his own country for over 3 weeks and all you guys got is cover ups."

HIGHNESS replied: "Pls am disappointed in our leaders why don't you move #asorock to a foreign country."

Afolayan Olajide G. replied: "It is only in this country that corruption can stay with impunity."

Emma Salifu replied: "Indeed our system of democracy! Akin to George Orwell's animal farm."

Michael Unadike replied: "Pls stop tweeting."

Jobina replied: "Our system is working yet the president jets out for medical checks. Well done Sir."

John Mills replied: "Tell him to return home, his country has no electricity but he is busy enjoying other people's ideals and structures."

Babasola Kuti actually said: "Busted again. Pictures of Senate President and Speakers were from 2015. What is the presidency hiding?"

ETC.

TAGS: JuicyChitChats-News. President Buhari, Bukola Saraki. Yakubu Dogara. Ahmed Lawan. LiveTalkLearnProsper! JuicyChitChats2162017.
HASHTAGS: #JuicyChitChatsNews #PresidentBuhari #BukolaSaraki #YakubuDogara #AhmedLawan #LiveTalkLearnProsper #JuicyChitChats2162017

(c) 2017. JuicyChitChats. All Rights Reserved,

JuicyChitChats

GREETINGS - Happy Resurrection Sunday! Christ Is Risen! Happy Easter!

BUSINESS - Meet The Indian Technologist Creating Factory Jobs In The USA

Suuchi Ramesh was born and educated in India. But her New Jersey-based clothing startup has one core goal: keep all of the manufacturing in-house and in the United States, by making it faster and smarter.

NEWS - W(IE) = Women, Inspiration and Enterprise Network

WIE is an influential women's leadership network that provides professional women with the motivation and learning to succeed in their careers.

We curate informative and educational conversations with prominent leaders via our global symposiums, salons and dinners, and have established a powerful community of change-makers.

Dee Poku-Spalding is a social entrepreneur who was born in the UK and raised between London and Accra.

Dee began her career in brand marketing and promotions and over the years has worked with renowned brands such as Coca Cola, Absolut Vodka, Crème de la Mer, Stella Artois and London Fashion Week.

She currently lives in New York with her husband and their son Sebastian.

​

NEWS - 25 Iconic Recordings Added To The 2016 National Recording Registry - Library of Congress

National Recording Registry Picks Are "Over the Rainbow"

For More Information

MONEY | LIFESTYLE - 9 Habits of Highly Successful People, From a Man Who Spent 5 Years Studying Them

FAREWELL - Chuck Berry 1926-2017: Rock and Roll Pioneer | Founding Father of Rock and Roll

NEGATIVE RELATIVES - How Could This Be Possible?

OBITUARIES - Joni Sledge (1956-2017): Member of Sister Sledge

MUSIC - How We Made Sister Sledge's We Are Family

ROYALTY | PHOTONEWS - Princess Angela of Leichtenstein: Europe's First Black Princess

ROYALTY - Princess Angela of Leichtenstein: Europe's First Black Princess

OSCAR 2017 - "Moonlight" Oscar Winners Weigh In On Best Picture Mix-up

OSCARS 2017 - Apologies From PriceWaterhouseCoopers

OSCAR 2017 - Moonlight: When Mistake Was Corrected

OSCARS 2017 - The Academy Awards: Complete Winners List

OSCARS 2017 - The Academy Awards Winners ... As It Happens

WATCH | OSCARS 2017 - LIVE ... Happening Now ... All Access

OSCARS 2017 - On The Red Carpet

OSCARS 2017: The Academy Awards Nominees Class Photo

WATCH | OSCARS 2017 - The Nominations Announcement

OSCARS 2017 - The List of The Academy Award Nominees

Best Supporting Actor

Achievement in Costume Design

Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling

Best Foreign Language Film

Best Live Action Short

Best Documentary Short Subject

Achievement in Sound Mixing

Achievement in Sound Editing

Best Supporting Actress

Achievement in Visual Effects

Best Animated Short

Best Animated Feature

Best Production Design

Cinematography

Best Film Editing

Best Documentary Feature

Best Original Song

Best Original Score

Best Original Screenplay

Best Adapted Screenplay

Best Director

Best Actor

Best Actress

Best Picture

OSCARS 2017 - The Making of 'La La Land': Why It's Important To Modern Cinema

OSCARS 2017 - Oscar Campaigns: How They Work Why They Matter and Their Questionable Tactics

MUSIC - Songwriters Hall of Fame Announces 2017 Inductees

NEWS - Nigerians Displeased With Top Politicians Visit To President Buhari in London