Afrikitty

Gene Rockwell (1944–1998) was a South African singer. His 1965 rendition of "Heart" went directly to the top of the LM Radio Top 20. (Lourenço Marques radio) History Gene was born Gert Smit in 1944 in the town of Krugersdorp in the then Transvaal province of South Africa. He died at the age of 53 years, on July 3, 1998, of cancer. He won his first talent competition at the age of 15, in Durban's "Little Top". Still in his teens, Gene formed The Blue Angels, later to become The Falcons, in 1963, with whom he played guitar and sang his famous gritty-blues-style songs. The original line up of the Falcons were George Usher (lead guitar), Jannie Heynes (bass guitar), Clive Swegman (rhythm guitar), Frank Rickson (drums). They played many packed out shows, becoming a staple of the dance scene in South Africa, particularly Durban.

This video was made using MAGIX Movie Edit Pro MX Plus. Mammy Blue is a very beautiful, yet extremely sad song. It tells the story of a wayward son, who left home at the age of 21. He comes home some time later after his mother had passed away. The song is mournful and the son expresses his grief at the loss of his mother, with the sharing of his memories. The song draws the listener in and affects their mood like a classical piece of music that has been written in a minor chord. The bass guitar draws them in like a magnet and drags the song along like a horse pulling a cart. I experienced this phenomenon back when it was on the South African charts in 1971, and again while I was making this video. As an aside, the lyrics proper in the first stanza of the song, are written like this: I may be your forgotten son (Oh, mammy) That wander'd off at twenty one (Oh, mammy, mammy) It's sad to find myself at home (Oh, mammy) And you, you′re not around However, that is not quite how Paddy Powell sang them. Here are the lyrics in that stanza as he is singing them, and they are posted in the video as such. Perhaps Paddy just had a memory ping at the time: I may be your forgotten son (Oh, mammy) The one that's over twenty one (Oh, mammy, mammy) It's sad to find myself at home (Oh, mammy) And you, you′re not around Charimsa was not really a band, but rather a group of session musicians under the leadership of Graeme Beggs, one of the leading producers in the country. He has been responsible for producing Clout’s Substitute, The Soweto String Quartet, Una Valli, The Dream Merchants, The Flames and Gene Rockwell to name a few. He also played with the Apaches, Dickie Loader and the Shangaans. It is not surprising then, that he was involved in the song that spent the most number of weeks by a South African band at the top of the Springbok charts (12 weeks in total, 1 week less than the all time record by Johnny Nash’s ‘I Can See Clearly Now’). ‘Mammy Blue’ was originally a French song written by Hubert Giraud and was a minor hit in the US for the Pop Tops in 1971 (peaking at number 57) and later in 1973 The Stories took it to number 50. It has also recorded by Roger Whittaker, Dennis East, Ken Boothe and in more recent times, Steve Hofmeyr and Kurt Darren. The song hinges around the chorus of ‘Oh mammy, oh mammy…’ and is a relaxed, almost mystic song. The chorus featuring the female vocals of Stevie van Kerken sort of swirls around in the clouds with Paddy Powell’s vocals floating over the top of them. It was a worthy number 1 and also worthy of the lengthy stay at the top. Charisma features Paddy Powell on lead vocals and guitar, Stevie van Kerken on backing vocals, *Morris Fresco on drums, Grahame Beggs on piano and Nippy Cripwell on bass. It entered the South African Top 20 on 17 October 1971 in position #7, reached #1 the next week, remained at #1 until 7 January 1972 (12 weeks in total), and charted for 20 weeks. *According to a conversation online between Linda Powell, Paddy's wife, and others in the thread, it was Ivan Beck who played drums for Charisma. (Written by Phil Trim & Hubert Giraud)

This video was made using MAGIX Movie Edit Pro MX Plus. The Marbles were an English rock duo that consisted of Graham Bonnet and Trevor Gordon, who operated between 1968 and 1969. Their only well-known singles were "Only One Woman" and "The Walls Fell Down". They also became associated with the Bee Gees members Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb at that time. "Only One Woman" reached number 5 in the UK Singles Chart in November 1968. The duo disbanded in 1969. Shortly after their split, in 1970, they released their only self-titled album. History Bonnet and Gordon are cousins. They were born in Skegness, Lincolnshire, England, although his webpage, In Memory Of, states Gordon was born 18 May 1948, in Blackpool, Lancashire, England. While Bonnet stayed in England, Gordon grew up in Australia where he met the Bee Gees for the first time in 1964, on which Gordon recorded "House Without Windows" and "And I'll Be Happy"; both songs were written by Barry Gibb. In 1965, Gordon recorded two other Barry Gibb compositions: "Little Miss Rhythm and Blues" and "Here I Am". Gordon returned to England in 1966 and recorded one single as 'Trev Gordon' then returned to Australia, and returned to England again in 1967 to join Graham's band the Graham Bonnet Set. In 1968, they became the Marbles, and signed a recording contract with the Australian record label impresario, Robert Stigwood. Although Stigwood signed only Bonnet and Gordon, drummer Steve Hardy from the Blue Sect/the Graham Bonnet Set, continued to work with them. Hardy's vocal work was on the song "By the Light of the Burning Candle" (with vocals by Gordon originally, later, the song was reworked in July 1968 with Bonnet on vocals). They were befriended by the Gibb brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees who wrote six songs for them, and provided some backing vocals. "Only One Woman" was released in the UK and the U.S. in August 1968; the single reached the top 5 in the UK and was their biggest hit. Following the release of the group's debut single, Bonnet made a remark to a reporter as to "Only One Woman" being a bit boring, angering Barry. Their second single, "The Walls Fell Down" only reached number 28 on the same chart. But in the Netherlands it was more successful, where it reached number 3 in their top 40 in April 1969. Their third single, "I Can't See Nobody", a cover of the 1967 Bee Gees song which was arranged by Jimmy Horowitz, was only released in Europe, except in the UK. By 1969, the Marbles had split. Their fourth and last single, "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" (third in Britain) did not chart internationally. "I Can't See Nobody" was chosen as the B-side in the UK, "Daytime" in Europe and "Little Laughing Girl" in America. In August 1970, Cotillion Records released their only self-titled album in the United States. After the split, Bonnet started a lengthy solo career. From 1979 to 1980, he was the lead singer with Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. While Gordon released one solo album Alphabet, he later became a music teacher and died in 2013 in London.

Driving on the roads of my country, South Africa. My family owned a Mercedes 200S for many years. It took us from Windhoek, Namibia to Cape Town, South Africa at least twice a year, sometimes more often. The distance between the two cities is 1500 kilometers. We would leave Windhoek at about 06H00 and depending on our mood, we could make it in anything, from between 11 hours and 15 hours, depending on how many stops we made. 11 hours was the fastest time we clocked that trip. From Windhoek to the border at Vioolsdrift (+- 8 hours), it was a mind-numbingly monotonous trip. Hypnosis was a serious problem on that road. But it was straight down through desert, with a one second respite when arriving at Keetmanshoop to change direction slightly, to the border at Vioolsdrift, where, more often than not, snotty indigenous border officials on the Namibian side, liked to make our lives as difficult as possible. Passing through Vioolsdrift and crossing the bridge over the Orange River, was like walking onto another planet. The countryside and the vegetation changed within yards of the border post. From there on down to Cape Town, the road was more winding instead of monotonously straight Memories of going into Angola one time, when I travelled up north to see one Pastor Peter Kalangula, come to mind. Crossing that old border (Oshikango) from Namibia into Angola brought the same kind of sights. Old buildings shot to pieces -- the sights of a war torn country all over the place -- thicker vegetation that had not been chewed down by goat farming as it was on the Namibian side. Driving on the right side of the road with cars built to drive on the left. Quaint little shops where you could buy old Angolan money. I remember giving the woman behind the counter two South African Rands (R2.00), and having her come out with a wad of bank notes known as Kwanzas, which she proudly counted out to me ... in their MILLIIONS. And ALWAYS the danger of hitting an old landmine... Life in Africa -- never a dull moment! Africa -- it's in my blood -- if I cut my finger, Africa bleeds out. I can't get rid of it.

This video was made using MAGIX Movie Edit Pro MX Plus. To my way of thinking, this is BY FAR THE BEST version of "Georgia on my Mind" that has ever been recorded. The great Neville Whitmill is doing the singing and Nol Klikhamer is the magician on the Hammond Organ. The South Africans had a way of making these songs their own, so the lyrics in this version of the song might not be true to the writer's lyrics. The Square Set was a 1960s rock band from Cape Town South Africa, known for their songs Silence is Golden (SA number 1 Hit (1967)) "Carol Corina" (SA number 10 hit (1968)), and "That's What I Want" (international number 1 hit in Brazil, Argentina, and Portugal (1971-1972)). The band formed in March 1966 and was called Neville Whitmill and the Humans. Founder members Nol, Neville, Derek and Keith rehearsed daily for 6 months composing new songs and covers before contracting their first professional gig at the Clifton Hotel. Nol Klinkhamer hailed from the Conservetoire of Music in Holland having a degree in Jazz played piano, organ and the vibraphone. Neville Whitmill a Soul singer from Cape Town had influences from Buddy Holly, Ray Charles, Ottis Redding, Marvin Gaye. Derek Marks from Cape Town enjoyed rock bass playing with influences from bands like The Beatles, Small faces, Dave Clark 5 and Keith Moffat from Cape Town also enjoy playing Rock music. During the rehearsal stage they landed a gig at the "Stables nite Club" in Church Street Cape Town which gave them a venue to hone and perfect their craft. The venue was usually packed to capacity to hear the band. At this time the band decided to record their music and in August 1966 met Ian Martin (recording engineer) and Lindsay du Plessis (owner) of A.V.S studios Bree Street CT. It was at this time that a name change was much needed. During a studio break the four got together to thrash out names and it was Nol Klinhamer who suggested "The Square Set". The band combined soul vocals and jazz organ (with the Hammond organ growing in popularity at the time) with rock bass and drums. The Hammond sound can be heard on most of The Square Set songs. The previously unreleased 'Silence Is Golden' had a makeover with Graham Beggs at the helm and was released on Gallos Continental label in or about March 1967. It reached number 4 on the Springbok radio charts in August 1967. This led to the release of the band's first full album, 'Silence Is Golden'. 'That's What I Want', a song first recorded by UK group The Marauders in 1963, was also recorded by The Ronnie Singer Sound, a Cape Town band Marks had previously worked with. The latter version was given to The Square Set to record. The song was changed to accommodate the lineup and added to the 'Silence Is Golden' album. This song was later released in South America on the Decca label and rose to number 1 in Brazil, Argentina 1971 and number 1 in Portugal in 1972. The band went on to record a follow-up album, Loving You is Sweeter than Ever, with the original members, but then the band took a break. Nol Klinkhamer went to study jazz at Berklee college of music in California, after which Nol Klinkhamer and Neville Whitmill were joined by Johnny Boshoff and Tony Moore on Bass and drums to record Those Many Feelings in 1972, an album influenced by contemporary jazz rock musicians like Michael Colombier. Derek has released a memoir called 'That's What I Want' on Amazon. The book encompasses the lives and times in personal detail of exactly what transpired during his time with The Square Set. The story continues from 1958 to 2018 5 decades of live and recorded performance during the SA apartheid era as well as The Mandela era. Derek on recommendation from drummer and friend Dave Evans also on the insistence of Gordon Mackay in 2013 to reform the band. A difficult decision without the original founder member each deceased. The reformed band went on to show success as the music never died. A resurgence in the band's popularity can be seen on YouTube with numerous videos uploaded by their worldwide fan base. The Best of The Square Set cd was remastered and released on Apple music, Spotify, Amazon. With the advent of Derek's book, The Square Set will live on forever. Derek Members Nol Klinkhamer, Dutch born Jazz piano/organ, left October 1968, rejoined 1972 Neville Whitmill, Cape Town born lead vocals, left October 1968, rejoined 1972 Keith Moffat, Born Port Elizabeth drums on first album Derek Marks, bass on first two albums, Carol Carina. Left October 1968 Mercia Love, vocals, joined November 1967 Don Robertson, drums, left September 1967, ex Gene Rockwell and the Falcons Malcolm Postlethwaite, drums, joined September 1967 Mike Faure, sax, 1968 Johnny Boshoff, bass, 1972 Tony Moore, drums, 1972 Discography Albums Silence Is Golden, Continental ZB 8167, 1967 Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever, Gallotone GALP 1573, 1968 That's What I Want, Continental/Sony SZB 8221, 1969 Those Many Feelings, Gallotone SGALP 1657, 1972 Singles The Square Set "Silence Is Golden"/"It's A Man's World", Continental PD 9222, 1967; SA no. 3 "Carol Corina"/"U", Continental PD 9284, 1967 "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever"/"Georgia (On My Mind)", Continental PD 9348, 1968 "That's What I Want"/"Come On", Jazzville SL.5, 1968 Neville Whitmill "Have Mercy On Me"/"Get Me Some Help", Continental PD 9773, 1971; SA no. 2 "That's Why"/"Gone Those Days", Continental PD 9796, 1971 "Silence Is Golden"/"One More Tear, One More Heartache", Continental 9982, 1974 Nol Klinkhamer "The In Crowd / Critics Choice", Smanje Manje SJM 12, 1967

Hellfire" was written by Mickey Vilakazi, who was the band's trombonist and eldest member until his death in June 1988. The song's lyrics speak of an interracial love that is misunderstood and forbidden. The music video for "Hellfire" concerns the Group Areas Act, a racial segregation measure enacted by the apartheid government. The video begins in Alexandra Township in 1989—a time by which the government's "urban renewal plan" for Alexandra had already demolished buildings and displaced or killed many black people. An elderly black man reads a newspaper article about the backlash against the Group Areas Act; he then spots a clipping about kwela musician Spokes Mashiyane. A newspaper photo of a street scene transitions into a sepiatone flashback: Outside a Sophiatown nightclub called The Land Lady, the words "No passes" are painted on the wall. Inside, Mango Groove plays to black and white patrons. At the end of the video, a caption explains that Sophiatown (a venerable black neighbourhood and cultural hotspot just outside of Johannesburg) was demolished in 1954 to allow for the construction of a white suburb called Triomf (the Afrikaans word for triumph). These scenes were censored by the SABC, changing the context and meaning of the rest of the video. In South Africa, "Hellfire" was released as a 7-inch single by Tusk Music in 1989, with the 1988 recording of "Move Up" on the B-side. LYRICS: [Verse 1] I remember moments No sentiment or mystery Incidents in your life Like pages in our history There's a roadblock late at night And a military man Can see that we're together But he doesn't understand [Chorus] (That) your love (burns me like a hellfire) Your love (burns me like a hellfire) [Verse 2] There's a song called 'Hellfire' That everybody plays Striking chords of memory In so many different ways [Chorus] Your love (burns me like a hellfire) Your love (burns me like a hellfire) [Bridge] (Hellfire) (Hellfire) (Hellfire) (Hellfire) [Chorus] Your love (burns me like a hellfire) Your love (burns me like a hellfire) Hellfire, hellfire Your love (burns me like a hellfire) Oh yeah (Burns me like a hellfire) Your love (burns me like a hellfire) Your love (burns me like a hellfire)

From the Horses mouth, so to speak: "I don't know where these lyrics come from? I write a tune and the words flow out of the pen? sort of scribble then set!" This song is "Dystopian view of the last few year of crazy people believing and doing dangerous things" I have been creating music since 1978. Punk music I formed a band "4 Minute Warning" in 1979 and we toured and recorded a few things. Here is a picture of me singing and a recording of our most popular song. This was in 1980. I have played in many other bands . But since the Covid pantomime I lost my job for not complying and concentrated on writing and recording music again. I want to play live but there seems to be some energy or force stopping me from going out and gigging. Locally I go against the grain of the woke Communist ideal here in Oxford and some musicians call me islamophobic and racist. My wife is of Caribien origen and one of my best friends is Bangladeshi and I have dreadlocks. This is how insane it is in this country!! So these songs are written about what has been happening world wide since the governments lost any ounce of what little sense the had!! This Is The Time is about a dystopian place where people are just treated like cattle and everybody celebrates lies and wrong speak (I read that in a book in 1984) and are frightened to argue with the program. If you argue they shoot you in the street

Hometalk is the second album by South African Afropop fusion band Mango Groove. The album was released in November 1990 by Tusk Music. It went gold upon release in South Africa, and has since reached platinum status. The title track, "Hometalk", was released as a single, followed by "Island Boy", "Taken for a Moment", and "Moments Away". The band recorded music videos for all four singles. One song, "We Are Waiting", was released several months early, in advance of Nelson Mandela's release from prison. Hometalk was the first South African album to receive the Ampex Golden Reel Award. Songs The song "We Are Waiting" was released several months before the album's debut, since it was written in anticipation of Nelson Mandela's release from Victor Verster Prison. When Mandela was freed on 12 February 1990, after 27 years of imprisonment, the US news program Nightline used "We Are Waiting" as a musical score for their coverage of the event. The number of US viewers who watched the broadcast was estimated at 30 million. When the band were invited to perform at Mandela's inauguration concert, they played another selection from Hometalk: "Love Is (The Hardest Part)". One album track, "Shoo-roop!", was not written by Mango Groove band members, but by Dolly Rathebe and Johannes Monaheng of the Elite Swingsters jazz band. Singles When the album was released in November 1990, the title track, "Hometalk", was released as a single, followed by "Island Boy", "Taken for a Moment", and "Moments Away". "Island Boy" is a pop song that was issued as a CD single in France (on Carrère Records' Cent Pour Cent imprint). "Taken for a Moment" is a ballad written in memory of the anthropologist and anti-apartheid activist David Webster. Dr. Webster was assassinated in 1989 by agents of the Civil Cooperation Bureau, a state-sponsored death squad. "Moments Away" was also a tribute of sorts. In the song, Alan Lazar plays a grand piano in which thumbtacks are attached to the hammers. The thumbtacks give the notes a "metallic timbre", but damage the piano. The band did all of this in imitation of Abdullah Ibrahim's 1974 recording of "Mannenberg", a Cape jazz song that has come to be regarded as a classic. Ibrahim had used thumbtacks when recording the song in order to evoke the sound of marabi music. The band recorded music videos for all four singles. The dances in "Hometalk" were choreographed by Wendy Ramokgadi, who previously choreographed the video for "Special Star".The video for "Island Boy" was hot on location in Mozambique. "Moments Away" later became the title track of Mango Groove's 2006 compilation album, Moments Away: Love Songs and Lullabies, 1990–2006. The album's notes describe "Moments Away" as the band's "biggest-selling love song". Production Hometalk was arranged by band member Alan Lazar and bandleader John Leyden. It was produced and mixed by Alan Lazar, John Leyden, and Chris Birkett. Recording took place at AudioLab in Johannesburg, and mixing was done at Eden Studios in London. Since the album was recorded and mixed on Ampex tape, its sales figures qualified it for an Ampex Golden Reel Award, making Mango Groove the first South African band to receive this particular accolade. Releases In South Africa, Tusk Music released Hometalk on CD, cassette, and LP record. In France, Hometalk was released on cassette (by Cent Pour Cent) and golden CD (by Totem Records) in 1991. These French releases included two previously released singles as bonus tracks: "Special Star" and "Dance Some More". The Gallo Record Company reissued the album (without bonus tracks) in a broader digital distribution in 2013. It has been marketed through Amazon Music, eMusic, iTunes, Rhapsody, and Spotify. Track listing No. Title Writer(s) Length 1. "Tsa-oo!" Sipho Bhengu, Alan Lazar, John Leyden 4:16 2. "Hometalk" Sipho Bhengu, Kevin Botha, "Big Voice Jack" Lerole, John Leyden 4:14 3. "Do You Dream of Me?" Sipho Bhengu, Kevin Botha, Edward Jordan, Alan Lazar, John Leyden 2:44 4. "Moments Away" Kevin Botha, Claire Johnston, Alan Lazar, John Leyden 5:23 5. "Marabi Party" Alan Lazar, John Leyden, Mduduzi Magwaza, Marilyn Nokwé 3:03 6. "Island Boy" Kevin Botha, Banza Kgasoane, Alan Lazar, John Leyden 4:49 7. "Shoo-roop!" Johannes Monaheng, Dolly Rathebe 3:49 8. "Uzongikhulula" Claire Johnston, Alan Lazar, "Big Voice Jack" Lerole, John Leyden, Alfred Nokwe 3:23 9. "Trouble Tonight" Kevin Botha, Alan Lazar, John Leyden, Mduduzi Magwaza, Marilyn Nokwé 5:36 10. "Taken for a Moment" Alan Lazar, Mduduzi Magwaza 3:47 11. "We Are Waiting" Sipho Bhengu, Alan Lazar, John Leyden, Mduduzi Magwaza 4:39 12. "Special Star" (1991 French releases only) Sipho Bhengu, Kevin Botha, Alan Lazar, John Leyden, Mduduzi Magwaza 5:47 13. "Dance Some More" (1991 French releases only) Kevin Botha, "Big Voice Jack" Lerole, B. G. Lewis, John Leyden, Meshak Mtswala 3:18 Total length: 54:32

Johannes "Spokes" Mashiyane (born Vlakfontein (Mamelodi), Pretoria 20 January 1933; died at Baragwanath Hospital of cirrhosis of liver 9 February 1972) was regarded as one of the greatest pennywhistle artists who graced the South African kwela music scene from the 1950s to (approximately) the 1970s. Arriving on the pennywhistle band scene as a juvenile domestic servant from the northern Sotho communities in the Transvaal alongside contemporaries of Alexandra boys such as Lemmy Mabaso, Barney Rachabane, Elias and Jack Lerole. He stated that the pennywhistle's simplicity allowed for greater freedom to bend and blend notes. The success of his recordings provided significant revenue for his recording company, Gallo Record Company, to which he had switched in 1958. His success gained international notice by the 1960s - he played with Bud Shank among others during their visit to South Africa - and in July 1965 he was invited to the Newport Folk Festival. This festival gained notoriety for the Electric Dylan controversy, but Spokes performance at the festival did receive notice and praise from Robert Shelton. Spokes's work also had an influence on the Music of Zimbabwe. He claimed that the inspiration for his songs were from his dreams. He played with other kwela greats of his time and his music is enjoyed by many to this day. He married his wife Mary in 1964, and they had two sons, Frederick and Eugene. In 1989, South African band Mango Groove released Special Star as a tribute to Mashiyane. What is Kwela? Kwela is a pennywhistle-based street music from southern Africa with jazzy underpinnings and a distinctive, skiffle-like beat. It evolved from the marabi sound and brought South African music to international prominence in the 1950s. The music has its roots in southern Africa but later adaptations of this and many other African folk idioms have permeated Western music (listen to the albums A Swingin' Safari by the Bert Kaempfert Orchestra (1962) and Graceland by Paul Simon (1986)), giving modern South African music, particularly jazz, much of its distinctive sound and lilting swagger. The Piranha's 1980 UK Top Ten hit 'Tom Hark' was based on an earlier 1950's Kwela hit song. One reason for the use of the pennywhistle is that it is cheap and portable, but it also lends itself as a solo or an ensemble instrument. The popularity of the pennywhistle may have been based on the fact that flutes of different kinds have long been traditional instruments among the peoples of the more northerly parts of South Africa and the pennywhistle thus enabled the swift adaptation of folk tunes into the new marabi-influenced music. Origin The most common explanation for the word "khwela" is that it is taken from the Zulu for "climb", though in township slang it also referred to police vans, the "khwela-khwela". Thus, it could be an invitation to join the dance, as well as serving as a warning. It is said that the young men who played the pennywhistle on street corners also acted as lookouts to warn those enjoying themselves in the shebeens of the arrival of the police. White people, unaware of its meaning, then thought that it referred to the music when they heard people shouting "Here comes the kwela, kwela!" warning of the police's presence. Kwela music was influenced by blending the music of Malawian immigrants to South Africa with the local South African sounds.In Chichewa, "khwela" has a similar meaning to the South African one: "to climb". The music was popularised in South Africa and then brought to Malawi, where contemporary Malawian artists have also begun producing khwela music.

This video is made using MAGIX Move Edit Pro MX Plus. Earlier in this series of videos, I published, then rescheduled, David Phelps' short adaptation of this Sonata called Moonlight with lyrics. However I have rescheduled it for Friday 20th October, 2023. Here, now, is the full First Movement of this Sonata for your enjoyment. The 'Sonata quasi una fantasia,' now commonly known as the 'Moonlight Sonata', was Ludwig Van Beethoven's 14th piano sonata, Opus 27, Number 2. He wrote and published it in 1801-1802 during the Classical music era. Beethoven wrote this masterpiece at a difficult time when his hearing had begun to deteriorate seriously. There were many speculations on the cause of his deafness, but many people thought that it could have been a consequence of his habitual plunging his head into cold water to remain awake. Beethoven had mastered almost every keynote despite his deafening ears and could make out most of what the music would sound like. Beethoven dedicated the 'Moonlight' sonata to his 16-year old lover and student, Giulietta Guicciardi, whom he had fallen in love with at around that time. He proposed marriage to her, but her father forbade her from marrying him as he was without rank. Even though their love didn’t prosper, Giulietta admits that the Sonata always reminded her of Beethoven. Beethoven composed the 'Moonlight' sonata like he would write other songs and gave it a pedestrian title that would describe a fantasy style. He didn't think that the piece would become as popular as it did. In this unpleasant surprise, he wrote to his friend expressing his disappointment. Part of the letter read, "Everybody is talking about the C-sharp Minor Sonata! Surely, I have written better things.” There are three movements in this 14th Piano Sonata - They are 1. Adagio Sostenuto 2. Allegreto 3. Presto Agitato The first movement of the Moonlight sonata was more popular than the other two movements. Probably because of the style of creation and the atmosphere it brought. While this could be true, it's difficult to tell whether the listeners were triggered by the music itself or how Beethoven distorted the whole sonata pattern and created a unique piece. Beethoven had designed this composition to be like a fantasy, just like he described it in the title. That's why he used contrasting textures that listeners would easily pick up on. The theme-filled first movement allowed the audience to grasp the theme of the Sonata and could easily flow with it. The popularity of the Moonlight sonata peaked after the nickname ‘Moonlight’ was invented. The handle easily creates imagery in people's thoughts and associates the song with the beautiful moonlight shining over the vast waters, which is a great starting point for a song. It's also possible to associate the song's popularity with Beethoven's deafness, as people wondered how he could create such a masterpiece without proper hearing. Even though the deafness was at its early stages, the progression was pretty fast as he's reported to break several pianos trying to make out the sound of the keys. Link to the movie on Ludwig van Beethoven, called "Immortal Beloved" and starring, Garry Oldfield as Beethoven. Worth watching. • Immortal Beloved

Mango Groove is an 11-piece South African Afropop band whose music fuses pop and township jazz music—especially marabi and kwela. Since their foundation in 1984, the band has released six studio albums and numerous singles. Their most recent album, 2016's Faces to the Sun, was more than four years in the making. This group is fronted by singer, Claire Johnston. This song is from their "Another Country" album, which was released in 1993. This song features the ubiquitous and ever mournful Pennywhistle at the end, which sets off the mood of the song nicely.

This video was made for me by Venus DeArt way back in 2015. I had no clue she even knew who I was....certainly not enough to paint a picture of me. However, we were friended to each other on Google Plus when it was still going and it was while I was on that social media platform that Venus graciously made this painting. Thank you, Venus wherever you are. She made this painting and called it "Made In The USA", after she had found a video that I had made on another website. In this video, I tell how I had won a coffee mug from Louis, who ran the webite, "Zippcast". However, when I opened the package, I noticed a sticker on it which said, "Made in China". Playfully, i chastised Louis and said he should only buy things that are made in the USA. And so was born this painting called "Made in the USA. Venus also had a YouTube channel, but for some reason that channel was terminated by YouTube and today I have absolutely no clue as to where she is or what she is doing with her life. I have tried to look for her online, but it is as if she has disappeared off the face of the earth. She was such a lovely lady and I do miss seeing her on her YouTube channel. Thank you very much, Venus.

This video tells the story of how God used a friend to help me be reconciled to myself, and in a greater way to Himself. It will never cease to amaze me how God uses the most unlikely people of this world to accomplish His purposes in the lives of His children. I have witnessed this phenomenon, not only in my own life, but in the lives of my brothers and sisters in Christ on more occasions than I care to admit. I've been so loved, that I'll risk loving too! "Nonetheless, the Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." - Job 1:21 To my friend: "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." - Numbers 6:24-26 "But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith..." Philippians 3:7-9 (❥ˆ◡ˆ) "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. HE WILL WIPE AWAY EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore..." - Revelation 21:3-5 The Scottish Fantasy in E-flat major (German: Fantasie für die Violine mit Orchester und Harfe unter freier Benutzung schottischer Volksmelodien), Op. 46, is a composition for violin and orchestra by Max Bruch.: 164  Completed in 1880, it was dedicated to the virtuoso violinist Pablo de Sarasate. It is a four-movement fantasy on Scottish folk melodies. The first movement is built on "Through the Wood Laddie". This tune also appears at the end of the second and fourth movements. The second movement is built around "The Dusty Miller", the third on "I'm A' Doun for Lack O' Johnnie", and the fourth movement includes a sprightly arrangement of "Hey Tuttie Tatie", the tune in the patriotic anthem "Scots Wha Hae" (with lyrics by Robert Burns). Although Bruch visited Scotland for the first time only a year after the premiere of the work, he had access to a collection of Scottish music at Munich Library in 1868. In paying homage to Scottish tradition, the work gives a prominent place to the harp in the instrumental accompaniment to the violin. The Scottish Fantasy is one of several signature pieces by Bruch that is still widely heard today, along with his first violin concerto and Kol Nidrei for cello and orchestra. Composition Bruch composed the work in Berlin during the winter of 1879–1880. Despite the dedication to Sarasate, Joseph Joachim was involved in the fingering and bowing of the solo part. It was published by Simrock as Fantasie: für die Violine mit Orchester und Harfe unter freier Benutzung schottischer Volksmelodien, Op. 46.: 168  Premiere Bruch premiered the Scottish Fantasy with the Liverpool Philharmonic Society in 1881 The premiere was in Liverpool on 22 February 1881 with Bruch (who was then director of the Liverpool Philharmonic Society) conducting, and Joachim as the soloist. Bruch was unhappy with Joachim’s performance, describing him as having "ruined" the work.: 152 : 168–169  When Bruch conducted the work with Sarasate as the soloist at a Philharmonic Society concert in St. James’s Hall on 15 March 1883, it was titled Concerto for Violin (Scotch). At a concert that Bruch conducted in Breslau, also with Sarasate as the soloist, the work was titled Third Violin Concerto (with free use of Scottish melodies, Op. 46).

This video was made using MAGIX Movie Edit Pro MX Plus. This song is adapted from Ludwig van Beethoven's 1st Movement of a three part piano sonata. The first movement is known as the Adagio Sostenuto, or, as Beethoven himself named it, “Sonata quasi una fantasia”. And yet the world of music knows it as the “Moonlight Sonata” – an epithet that was already around during the composer's lifetime. The entire three part Sonata is fully known as "The Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, marked Quasi una fantasia, Op. 27, No. 2. This video is taken from the Moonlight Sonata 1st Movement in a much shortened form. I will, in a few weeks from now, post the entire 1st Movement, or the Adagio Sostenuto, in full. For more information on David Phelps, please see his Wikipedia page at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Phelps_(musician)

This video was made using MAGIX Movie Edit Pro MX Plus. This is a cover by David Phelps of Foreigner's song of the same name. Foreigner member Mick Jones wrote this song for the band's 1984 album Agent Provocateur. It was sung by their frontman, Lou, Gramm. This is a cover of their song sung by David Phelps The Story of, "I want to know what love is", by Foreigner: What inspired the song? Like the lyrics suggest, the song was born out of Mick Jones's frustration with not finding a perfect relationship. He told Songfacts: "'I Want To Know What Love Is' started off on more of a personal level. I'd been through a lot of relationships that eventually failed, and still searching for something that could really endure. And that sort of took a life of its own as well. It became more of a universal feeling. "I adjusted that during the recording of it, and ended up putting a gospel choir on it. And you know, realized suddenly that I'd written almost a spiritual song, almost a gospel song. "Sometimes, you feel like you had nothing to do with it, really. You're just putting it down on paper, or coming up with a melody that will bring the meaning of the song out, bring the emotion out in the song." The song by Foreigner also features backing vocals from the New Jersey Mass Choir affiliated with the Gospel Music Workshop of America. There are also backing vocals from Dreamgirls star Jennifer Holliday, and keyboard work by Thompson Twins frontman Tom Bailey. Jones said of the choir: "We did a few takes, and it was good, but it was still a bit tentative. So then they all got round in a circle, held hands and said The Lord's Prayer. "And it seemed to inspire them, because after that they did it in one take. I was in tears, because my mum and dad were in the studio too, and it was so emotional." Lou Gramm wasn't happy with the song at first. Up to that point, most of Foreigner's songs were co-written by Jones and Gramm, but this was largely a solo composition for Jones. Gramm felt it might send the band into an adult contemporary sound and away from their rock background. Jones told Billboard: "If you look at our whole history, each album had a couple of ballads on it. I think that Lou aired his opinion about it at the time, and that's what led to people jumping on it as a reason for our differences. But I can never really think that having a worldwide #1 song would be detrimental to a band." The song reached number one in the UK Singles Chart in January 1985, dethroning Band Aid's 'Do They Know It's Christmas?', and staying there for three weeks. It also knocked Madonna's long-running 'Like a Virgin' off number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US in February 1985. It was Foreigner's first and only chart topper in either country, and it was also a big hit in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, and Sweden. To read more on David Phelps himself, please see his Wikipedia page at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Phelps_(musician)

This video was made using MAGIX Movie Edit Pro MX Plus. This song was written by Jess Cates, Ty Lacy and Dennis Matkosky. David Norris Phelps (born October 21, 1969) is an American Christian music vocalist, songwriter, vocal arranger, and producer who is best known for singing tenor in the Gaither Vocal Band. He has also released several solo albums, including four Christmas collections. On January 13, 2008, Phelps appeared on Extreme Makeover Home Edition for the Woodhouse family. Biography David Phelps was born in Tomball,Texas, to Gene and Mary Ella Phelps. Gene is a former accountant/banker who currently teaches business and finance at a college in Houston. Mary Ella is a retired English Professor. He has two older sisters, Sherri Proctor (who sang backup vocals for him on tour, before dying from cancer in September 2012 and Kari Lee (a professional trumpeter who tours with the Chicago-based Millar Brass Ensemble). Phelps grew up in Tomball, Texas and graduated from Tomball High School in 1988. He attended Baylor University, (where he directed the Baylor Religious Hour Choir) graduating in 1992 with a degree in music and vocal performance. Phelps was part of the Gaither Vocal Band from 1997 to 2005 and again from 2009 to 2017. He shared the tenor part with Wes Hampton from 2009 to 2017. In early 2017, he left the group to focus on his solo career. He was replaced by Reggie Smith. Phelps has won twelve Dove Awards (with the Gaither Vocal Band), is a four-time Grammy Award nominee and has had several platinum-selling projects. His recent Classic has aired on PBS. In 2019, Phelps' song "Catching Santa" from his 2018 album It Must Be Christmas was featured in an advertisement for Google's Pixel smartphone. Personal life David's wife is Lori Purtle Phelps (also born on October 21, 1969). They have four children: Callie, Maggie Beth, David Grant and Coby. Callie, Maggie and Grant can be seen on the Gaither Homecoming videos Christmas in the Country and A Time for Joy. The whole family is featured on the video, The Best of David Phelps from the Homecoming Series. All four children sing on the Classic video, as well. For more information on David Phelps please see his Wikipedia page at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Phelps_(musician)

This video was made using MAGIX Movie Edit Pro MX Plus. The Latin phrase, "per fretum febris", in the 5th line of the secocnd stanza means, "by way of a fever" or, "because of a fever". This poem is in the public domain. The music used in this video, that features the poem by John Donne, was composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff. This is the 2nd Movement, also known as the Adagio Sostenuto, of his Piano concerto no 2 in C minor, Opus 18. It is performed by the Royal Theater Orchestra in Turin, Italy. The orchestra is conducted by Gianandrea Noseda, and the piano solo is played by Khatia Buniatishvili. John Donne (pronounced Dun) (1571 or 1572 – 31 March 1631) was an English poet, scholar, soldier and secretary born into a recusant family, who later became a cleric in the Church of England. Under royal patronage, he was made Dean of St Paul's Cathedral in London (1621–1631) Donne was born in London in 1571 or 1572, into a recusant Roman Catholic family when practice of that religion was illegal in England. Donne was the third of six children. His father, also named John Donne, was married to Elizabeth Heywood. He was of Welsh descent and a warden of the Ironmongers Company in the City of London. He avoided unwelcome government attention out of fear of religious persecution. His father died in 1576, when Donne was four years old, leaving his mother, Elizabeth, with the responsibility of raising the children alone. Heywood was also from a recusant Roman Catholic family, the daughter of John Heywood, the playwright, and sister of the Reverend Jasper Heywood, a Jesuit priest and translator. She was a great-niece of Thomas More. A few months after her husband died, Donne's mother married Dr. John Syminges, a wealthy widower with three children of his own. Donne was educated privately. There is no evidence to support the popular claim that he was taught by Jesuits. In 1583, at the age of 11, he began studies at Hart Hall, now Hertford College, Oxford. After three years of studies there, Donne was admitted to the University of Cambridge, where he studied for another three years. Donne could not obtain a degree from either institution because of his Catholicism, since he refused to take the Oath of Supremacy required to graduate. In 1591 he was accepted as a student at the Thavies Inn legal school, one of the Inns of Chancery in London. On 6 May 1592, he was admitted to Lincoln's Inn, one of the Inns of Court. In 1593, five years after the defeat of the Spanish Armada and during the intermittent Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604), Queen Elizabeth issued the first English statute against sectarian dissent from the Church of England, titled "An Act for restraining Popish recusants". It defined "Popish recusants" as those "convicted for not repairing to some Church, Chapel, or usual place of Common Prayer to hear Divine Service there, but forbearing the same contrary to the tenor of the laws and statutes heretofore made and provided in that behalf". Donne's brother Henry was also a university student prior to his arrest in 1593 for harbouring a Catholic priest, William Harrington, and died in Newgate Prison of bubonic plague, leading Donne to begin questioning his Catholic faith. For more information on John Donne, please see his Wikipedia page at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Donne

The Square Set was a 1960s rock band from Cape Town South Africa, known for their songs Silence is Golden (SA number 1 Hit (1967)) "Carol Corina" (SA number 10 hit (1968)), and "That's What I Want" (international number 1 hit in Brazil, Argentina, and Portugal (1971-1972)). The band formed in March 1966 and was called Neville Whitmill and the Humans. Founder members Nol, Neville, Derek and Keith rehearsed daily for 6 months composing new songs and covers before contracting their first professional gig at the Clifton Hotel. Nol Klinkhamer hailed from the Conservetoire of Music in Holland having a degree in Jazz played piano, organ and the vibraphone. Neville Whitmill a Soul singer from Cape Town had influences from Buddy Holly, Ray Charles, Ottis Redding, Marvin Gaye. Derek Marks from Cape Town enjoyed rock bass playing with influences from bands like The Beatles, Small faces, Dave Clark 5 and Keith Moffat from Cape Town also enjoy playing Rock music. During the rehearsal stage they landed a gig at the "Stables nite Club" in Church Street Cape Town which gave them a venue to hone and perfect their craft. The venue was usually packed to capacity to hear the band. At this time the band decided to record their music and in August 1966 met Ian Martin (recording engineer) and Lindsay du Plessis (owner) of A.V.S studios Bree Street CT. It was at this time that a name change was much needed. During a studio break the four got together to thrash out names and it was Nol Klinhamer who suggested "The Square Set". The band combined soul vocals and jazz organ (with the Hammond organ growing in popularity at the time) with rock bass and drums. The Hammond sound can be heard on most of The Square Set songs. The previously unreleased 'Silence Is Golden' had a makeover with Graham Beggs at the helm and was released on Gallos Continental label in or about March 1967. It reached number 4 on the Springbok radio charts in August 1967.[1] This led to the release of the band's first full album, 'Silence Is Golden'. 'That's What I Want', a song first recorded by UK group The Marauders in 1963, was also recorded by The Ronnie Singer Sound, a Cape Town band Marks had previously worked with. The latter version was given to The Square Set to record. The song was changed to accommodate the lineup and added to the 'Silence Is Golden' album. This song was later released in South America on the Decca label and rose to number 1 in Brazil, Argentina 1971 and number 1 in Portugal in 1972. The band went on to record a follow-up album, Loving You is Sweeter than Ever, with the original members, but then the band took a break. Nol Klinkhamer went to study jazz at Berklee college of music in California, after which Nol Klinkhamer and Neville Whitmill were joined by Johnny Boshoff and Tony Moore on Bass and drums to record Those Many Feelings in 1972, an album influenced by contemporary jazz rock musicians like Michael Colombier. Derek has released a memoir called 'That's What I Want' on Amazon. The book encompasses the lives and times in personal detail of exactly what transpired during his time with The Square Set. The story continues from 1958 to 2018 5 decades of live and recorded performance during the SA apartheid era as well as The Mandela era. Derek on recommendation from drummer and friend Dave Evans also on the insistence of Gordon Mackay in 2013 to reform the band. A difficult decision without the original founder member each deceased. The reformed band went on to show success as the music never died. A resurgence in the band's popularity can be seen on YouTube with numerous videos uploaded by their worldwide fan base. The Best of The Square Set cd was remastered and released on Apple music, Spotify, Amazon. With the advent of Derek's book, The Square Set will live on forever. Derek Members. Nol Klinkhamer, Dutch born Jazz piano/organ, left October 1968, rejoined 1972 Neville Whitmill, Cape Town born lead vocals, left October 1968, rejoined 1972 Keith Moffat, Born Port Elizabeth drums on first album Derek Marks, bass on first two albums, Carol Carina. Left October 1968 Mercia Love, vocals, joined November 1967 Don Robertson, drums, left September 1967, ex Gene Rockwell and the Falcons Malcolm Postlethwaite, drums, joined September 1967 Mike Faure, sax, 1968 Johnny Boshoff, bass, 1972 Tony Moore, drums, 1972 Discography. Albums. Silence Is Golden, Continental ZB 8167, 1967 Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever, Gallotone GALP 1573, 1968 That's What I Want, Continental/Sony SZB 8221, 1969 Those Many Feelings, Gallotone SGALP 1657, 1972 Singles. The Square Set "Silence Is Golden"/"It's A Man's World", Continental PD 9222, 1967; SA no. 3 "Carol Corina"/"U", Continental PD 9284, 1967 "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever"/"Georgia (On My Mind)", Continental PD 9348, 1968 "That's What I Want"/"Come On", Jazzville SL.5, 1968 Neville Whitmill "Have Mercy On Me"/"Get Me Some Help", Continental PD 9773, 1971; SA no. 2 "That's Why"/"Gone Those Days", Continental PD 9796, 1971 "Silence Is Golden"/"One More Tear, One More Heartache", Continental 9982, 1974 Nol Klinkhamer "The In Crowd / Critics Choice", Smanje Manje SJM 12, 1967

Born 1941, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa Died June 1995, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa Member of, The Settlers, The Square Set, Impi This song was released on the album "Neville Whitmill" in 1972. Neville Whimill and the Square Set The Square Set was a 1960s rock band from Cape Town South Africa, known for their songs Silence is Golden (SA number 1 Hit (1967)) "Carol Corina" (SA number 10 hit (1968)), and "That's What I Want" (international number 1 hit in Brazil, Argentina, and Portugal (1971-1972)). The band formed in March 1966 and was called Neville Whitmill and the Humans. Founder members Nol, Neville, Derek and Keith rehearsed daily for 6 months composing new songs and covers before contracting their first professional gig at the Clifton Hotel. Nol Klinkhamer hailed from the Conservetoire of Music in Holland having a degree in Jazz played piano, organ and the vibraphone. Neville Whitmill a Soul singer from Cape Town had influences from Buddy Holly, Ray Charles, Ottis Redding, Marvin Gaye. Derek Marks from Cape Town enjoyed rock bass playing with influences from bands like The Beatles, Small faces, Dave Clark 5 and Keith Moffat from Cape Town also enjoy playing Rock music. During the rehearsal stage they landed a gig at the "Stables nite Club" in Church Street Cape Town which gave them a venue to hone and perfect their craft. The venue was usually packed to capacity to hear the band. At this time the band decided to record their music and in August 1966 met Ian Martin (recording engineer) and Lindsay du Plessis (owner) of A.V.S studios Bree Street CT. It was at this time that a name change was much needed. During a studio break the four got together to thrash out names and it was Nol Klinhamer who suggested "The Square Set". The band combined soul vocals and jazz organ (with the Hammond organ growing in popularity at the time) with rock bass and drums. The Hammond sound can be heard on most of The Square Set songs. The previously unreleased 'Silence Is Golden' had a makeover with Graham Beggs at the helm and was released on Gallos Continental label in or about March 1967. It reached number 4 on the Springbok radio charts in August 1967.[1] This led to the release of the band's first full album, 'Silence Is Golden'. 'That's What I Want', a song first recorded by UK group The Marauders in 1963, was also recorded by The Ronnie Singer Sound, a Cape Town band Marks had previously worked with. The latter version was given to The Square Set to record. The song was changed to accommodate the lineup and added to the 'Silence Is Golden' album. This song was later released in South America on the Decca label and rose to number 1 in Brazil, Argentina 1971 and number 1 in Portugal in 1972. The band went on to record a follow-up album, Loving You is Sweeter than Ever, with the original members, but then the band took a break. Nol Klinkhamer went to study jazz at Berklee college of music in California, after which Nol Klinkhamer and Neville Whitmill were joined by Johnny Boshoff and Tony Moore on Bass and drums to record Those Many Feelings in 1972, an album influenced by contemporary jazz rock musicians like Michael Colombier. Derek has released a memoir called 'That's What I Want' on Amazon. The book encompasses the lives and times in personal detail of exactly what transpired during his time with The Square Set. The story continues from 1958 to 2018 5 decades of live and recorded performance during the SA apartheid era as well as The Mandela era. Derek on recommendation from drummer and friend Dave Evans also on the insistence of Gordon Mackay in 2013 to reform the band. A difficult decision without the original founder member each deceased. The reformed band went on to show success as the music never died. A resurgence in the band's popularity can be seen on YouTube with numerous videos uploaded by their worldwide fan base. The Best of The Square Set cd was remastered and released on Apple music, Spotify, Amazon. With the advent of Derek's book, The Square Set will live on forever. Derek Members. Nol Klinkhamer, Dutch born Jazz piano/organ, left October 1968, rejoined 1972 Neville Whitmill, Cape Town born lead vocals, left October 1968, rejoined 1972 Keith Moffat, Born Port Elizabeth drums on first album Derek Marks, bass on first two albums, Carol Carina. Left October 1968 Mercia Love, vocals, joined November 1967 Don Robertson, drums, left September 1967, ex Gene Rockwell and the Falcons Malcolm Postlethwaite, drums, joined September 1967 Mike Faure, sax, 1968 Johnny Boshoff, bass, 1972 Tony Moore, drums, 1972 Discography. Albums. Silence Is Golden, Continental ZB 8167, 1967 Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever, Gallotone GALP 1573, 1968 That's What I Want, Continental/Sony SZB 8221, 1969 Those Many Feelings, Gallotone SGALP 1657, 1972 Singles. The Square Set "Silence Is Golden"/"It's A Man's World", Continental PD 9222, 1967; SA no. 3 "Carol Corina"/"U", Continental PD 9284, 1967 "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever"/"Georgia (On My Mind)", Continental PD 9348, 1968 "That's What I Want"/"Come On", Jazzville SL.5, 1968 Neville Whitmill "Have Mercy On Me"/"Get Me Some Help", Continental PD 9773, 1971; SA no. 2 "That's Why"/"Gone Those Days", Continental PD 9796, 1971 "Silence Is Golden"/"One More Tear, One More Heartache", Continental 9982, 1974 Nol Klinkhamer "The In Crowd / Critics Choice", Smanje Manje SJM 12, 1967

This video was made using MAGIX Movie Edit Pro MX Plus. The Music on this video was composed by Jules Massenet - Meditation from Thais - Yo Yo Ma on Cello and Kathryn Stott on Piano. Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton, Lady Stirling-Maxwell (née Sheridan; 22 March 1808 – 15 June 1877) was an active English social reformer and author. She left her husband, who was accused by many of coercive behaviour, in 1836. Her husband then sued her close friend Lord Melbourne, then the Whig Prime Minister, for criminal conversation (adultery). Although the jury found her friend not guilty of adultery, she failed to gain a divorce and was denied access to her three sons due to the laws at the time which favoured fathers. Norton's campaigning led to the passage of the Custody of Infants Act 1839, the Matrimonial Causes Act 1857 and the Married Women's Property Act 1870. She modelled for the fresco of Justice in the House of Lords by Daniel Maclise, who chose her as a famous victim of injustice. Caroline Norton was born in London to Thomas Sheridan and the novelist Caroline Henrietta Callander. Her father was an actor, soldier and colonial administrator, the son of the prominent Irish playwright and Whig statesman Richard Brinsley Sheridan and his wife Elizabeth Ann Linley. Caroline's Scottish mother was the daughter of a landed gentleman, Col. Sir James Callander of Craigforth and Lady Elizabeth MacDonnell, sister of an Irish peer, the 1st Marquess of Antrim.[ Mrs. Sheridan authored three short novels described by one of her daughter's biographers as "rather stiff with the style of the eighteenth century, but none without a certain charm and wit...." In 1817, her father died in South Africa while serving as colonial secretary at the Cape of Good Hope. His family was left almost penniless. Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, an old friend of her grandfather, arranged for them to live at Hampton Court Palace in a "grace and favour" apartment for several years. The combined beauty and accomplishments of the Sheridan sisters led to their being collectively referred to as the Three "Graces". The eldest, Helen, was a songwriter who married Price Blackwood, the 4th Baron Dufferin and Claneboye. Through her, Caroline became the aunt of Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava, later the third Governor General of Canada and eighth Viceroy of India. Her younger sister, Georgiana, seen as the prettiest, later married Edward Seymour, 12th Duke of Somerset. In 1827, she married George Chapple Norton, barrister, Member of Parliament for Guildford, and the younger brother of Lord Grantley. George was a jealous and possessive husband given to violent fits of drunkenness. The union quickly proved unhappy due to his mental and physical abuse. To make matters worse, George was unsuccessful as a barrister, and the couple fought bitterly over money. During her early married years, Caroline used her beauty, wit and political ties to set herself up as a major society hostess. Her unorthodox behaviour and candid conversation raised many eyebrows in 19th-century English high society; she made enemies and admirers in almost equal measure. Among her friends were literary and political luminaries such as Samuel Rogers, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Edward Trelawny, Abraham Hayward, Mary Shelley, Fanny Kemble, Benjamin Disraeli, the future King Leopold I of Belgium and William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire. She also claimed in later life to have taken part in the Tolpuddle Martyrs protest march in 1834. Despite his jealousy and pride, George encouraged his wife to use her ties to advance his career. It was through her influence that in 1831 he was made a Metropolitan Police Magistrate. During these years, Caroline turned to prose and poetry as means of releasing her inner emotions and earning money. Her first book, The Sorrows of Rosalie (1829), was well received. The Undying One (1830), a romance founded on the legend of the Wandering Jew, soon followed.] From 1832 to 1837, she edited The Court Magazine and Belle Assemblée. In 1843, she petitioned Sir Robert Peel for the post of Poet Laureate after the death of Robert Southey, but was unsuccessful. Separation and Melbourne scandal In 1836, Caroline left her husband. She managed to subsist on her earnings as an author, but George claimed these as his, arguing this successfully in court. Paid nothing by her husband and her earnings confiscated, Norton used the law to her own advantage. Running up bills in her husband's name, she told the creditors when they came to collect, that if they wished to be paid, they could sue her husband. For a more complete biography of Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton, please see her Wikipedia page at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caroline_Norton

This video was made using MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 17 HD. I have changed the aspect ratio in this upload from 4:3 to 16:9. I had wanted the other video to have a vintage look about it, but I do also like the video done in this manner. I hope you will like it. (^_^) As a rule, I try to put the lyrics to the song I am featuring in a video on the screen. However, this time, the format I have used with which to tell this story make it impossible to situate the lyrics on screen without ruining the look of the video. So, I am putting those lyrics here in the description area. Dare – We Were Friends - Lyrics There were times we could never say no There were times the cold wind will blow, yeah, yeah. And I wonder where you are tonight? Do you ever really think about the times, I believed in you? We were friends but how we soon forget And I was wondering how you are And the words we never said Were locked inside your head, for the rest of your life Did you know that nothing stays the same? Have you heard the bird has flown And I'll dream the dream for you The way you asked me to For the rest of my days Can you hear the last song is over? Just another day that's gone And I'll watch the sun go down You broke your precious crown, with your own bare hands Now the endless trial is over We had before the trial was done I heard the cries of false devotion and you were gone We were friends but how we soon forget And I was wondering how you are, my friend And I'll dream the dream for you The way you asked me to Before I die, before I die That was then, a long, time ago We were friends but how we soon forget And I was wondering how you are, my friend And I'll dream the dream for you The way you asked me to Before I die We were friends, mm We were friends yeah We were friends, we were friends Dare is a Rock band from Oldham, England, fronted by Thin Lizzy keyboard player Darren Wharton. They formed in 1985, and have released eight albums to date, including the #48 UK album Blood from Stone. Dare was formed in 1985 by Darren Wharton after Thin Lizzy had broken up. By 1987, Dare had gained a local following in Oldham and they were offered recording contracts from A&M, RCA and MCA Records. The band's debut album, Out of the Silence, was released in 1988 on A&M Records. Dare had minor success in Europe, but album sales flagged and the band was dropped from their label after their second album Blood from Stone (1991). The band have had four songs in the UK Singles Chart: "The Raindance" (#62, 1989), "Abandon" (#71, 1989), "We Don't Need a Reason" (#52, 1991) and "Real Love" (#67, 1991). The band continues to this day, but have departed from their hard rock and melodic rock roots, and now feature a heavy Celtic influence. The original lineup featured Brian Cox who played keyboards on the records Out of the Silence and Blood From Stone. Cox later played with D:Ream before becoming a particle physicist and science communicator. Dare appeared at the Firefest Festival in October 2010 and are set to appear again this year. Dare Band on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/darebandoffi...

Michael Whitaker Smith (born October 7, 1957) is an American musician who has charted in both contemporary Christian and mainstream charts. His biggest success in mainstream music was in 1991 when "Place in This World" hit No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. Over the course of his career, he has sold more than 18 million albums. Smith is a three-time Grammy Award winner, an American Music Award recipient,and has earned 45 Dove Awards. In 1999, ASCAP awarded him with the "Golden Note" Award for lifetime achievement in songwriting, and in 2014 they honored him as the "cornerstone of Christian music" for his significant influence on the genre. He also has recorded 31 No. 1 Hit songs, fourteen gold albums, and five platinum albums. He has also starred in two films and published 14 books including This Is Your Time, which he worked with Christian author Gary Thomas to write. Early life Michael Whitaker Smith was born to Paul and Barbara Smith in Kenova, West Virginia. His father was an oil refinery worker at the Ashland Oil Refinery, in nearby Catlettsburg, Kentucky. His mother was a caterer. He inherited his love of baseball from his father, who had played in the minor leagues. As a child, he developed a love of music through his church. He learned piano at an early age and sang in his church choir. At the age of 10, he had "an intense spiritual experience" that led to his becoming a devout Christian. "I wore this big cross around my neck," he would recall, "It was very real to me." He became involved in Bible study and found a group of older friends who shared his faith. After his older Christian friends moved away to college, Smith began to struggle with feelings of loneliness and alienation. After graduating from high school, he gravitated toward alcohol and drugs.[9] He attended Marshall University while developing his songwriting skills but dropped out after one semester. He also played with various local bands around Huntington, West Virginia. During that time, his friend Shane Keister, who worked as a session musician in Nashville, encouraged him to move to Nashville, the Country Music capital, and pursue a career in music. In 1978, Smith moved to Nashville, taking a job as a landscaper to support himself. He played with several local bands in the Nashville club scene. He also developed a problem with substance abuse. I really started losing touch when I moved to Nashville, around April of '78. I was smokin' marijuana, drinking, doing some other drugs; just being crazy, you know. My mom and dad knew what I was doing. But they never hassled me; they just prayed for me. And I felt convicted by God. Every time I'd wake up I knew: This isn't me. But I couldn't change myself. After a breakdown in November 1979, Smith decided to recommit to Christianity. The next day he auditioned for a new contemporary Christian music (CCM) group, Higher Ground, as a keyboardist and got the job. His lead vocals were heard on much of CCM radio with the single, "I Am". It was on his first tour with Higher Ground, playing mostly in churches, that Smith was finally able to put the drugs and alcohol behind him. Music career Beginning (1981–1989) In 1981, while he was playing keyboards for Higher Ground, Smith was signed as a writer to Meadowgreen Music, where he wrote numerous gospel hits penned for artists such as Sandi Patty, Kathy Troccoli, Bill Gaither and Amy Grant, to the effect that some of these popular worship songs can now be found in church hymnals. The following year, Smith began touring as a keyboardist for Grant on her Age to Age tour. He became Grant's opening act and recorded his first Grammy-nominated solo album The Michael W. Smith Project (which he also produced himself) in 1983 on the Reunion Records label. This album contained the first recording of his hit "Friends", which he co-wrote with his wife Deborah. By the time Smith's second album Michael W. Smith 2 was released in 1984, he was headlining his own tours. In 1986, Smith released The Big Picture. After the release of his 1988 effort, i 2 (EYE), Smith once again collaborated with Grant for her "Lead Me On" world tour. The following year, Smith recorded his first Christmas album, simply titled Christmas (1989). Mainstream venture and inspirational pop albums (1990–1999) Michael W. Smith and TobyMac with evangelist Billy Graham in 1994 In 1990, Smith released Go West Young Man, his first mainstream effort, which included the mainstream crossover hit single "Place in This World". The song peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1992, he released Change Your World, which included the No. 1 adult contemporary hit "I Will Be Here for You". In 1993 Smith released his first box set, The Wonder Years and his first greatest hits album, The First Decade (1983–1993). The latter also includes two new songs, "Do You Dream of Me?" and "Kentucky Rose". In 1994, Smith appeared as a guest pianist on the album Swing, Swang, Swung by Christian rock band Guardian. In 1995, Smith released his eighth album I'll Lead You Home, which combines the pop style of his secular albums with a touch of religious feel. Live the Life (1998) and This Is Your Time (1999) follow the same style. In 1998, Smith also released his second Christmas album, Christmastime. Smith collaborated with Jim Brickman on "Love of My Life", a romantic love song for Brickman's album Destiny in 1999. The song went to chart at No. 9 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks. Also in 1999, he became the first Christian artist to receive the ASCAP "Golden Note" Award for lifetime achievement in songwriting. Instrumental and live worship albums (2000–2003) Nearly all of Smith's albums include at least one instrumental track, and in 2000 Smith recorded his first all instrumental album, Freedom. The following year, Smith released his first all-worship music album, Worship, on September 11. This album was followed by a sequel, Worship Again in 2002. Both albums were recorded live in concert. Worship Again also includes a song that Smith wrote called "There She Stands", inspired by the September 11, 2001 attacks. He performed this song live for the 2004 Republican National Convention,[14] saying that President George W. Bush, who he said is a fan and a family friend, had asked him to write a song about the attacks. In 2002, Smith released a live concert DVD titled Worship, filmed live in Edmonton, Alberta at YC Alberta. The concert includes songs from both Worship (2001) and Worship Again (2002). It immediately topped the Billboard video charts and went gold in both the U.S. and Canada. Smith won the Male Vocalist of the Year award at the GMA Music Awards in 2003.[16] The same year he also released his second greatest hits album, The Second Decade (1993–2003), which includes a new single called "Signs". Contemporary Christian albums (2004–2010) Michael W. Smith during a concert in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania in 2005 Smith's album, Healing Rain, was released in 2004 and debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 200 Chart. The title track rose to No. 1 on the Radio & Records Charts and a music video for the song was released. The album combines the pop style of his previous recordings with the religious feel of his two live worship albums. It was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album. In 2006 he released Stand, which is similar to Healing Rain (2004) in style and genre but with more Christian-themed songs. Also in 2006, Smith did the score and soundtrack to the film The Second Chance, which he also starred in. He also released a single from the soundtrack album, "All in the Serve". In October 2007, he released his third Christmas album, It's a Wonderful Christmas. On June 20, 2008, Smith recorded his third live Worship album at the Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, titled A New Hallelujah. It was released in October 2008. That same month he began a tour with Steven Curtis Chapman. In September 2010, he released Wonder, which follows the CCM style of Healing Rain (2004) and Stand (2006). Orchestral instrumental, hymns, and studio worship albums (2011–2016) Smith's second instrumental album, Glory, was released on November 22, 2011. Unlike his first instrumental album, Freedom (2000), this album features a 65-piece orchestra at AIR Studios Lyndhurts Hall in London and Wildwood Recording Studio in Nashville. The following year he released his third compilation album, Decades of Worship (2012). Smith's concert in Draper, Utah, on July 24, 2012 was almost canceled due to a complaint filed by a Utah resident on July 16, 2012. He claimed that a show "conflated with prayer and worship" should remain in church or private property, not in the "public's backyard". The following day the city council decided to cancel the concert, but a day later they decided to host the show as planned after all, following a criticism from a Utah evangelical group that equated cancelling the concert to an assault on religious liberty. The Mayor of Draper and several city council members were present at the event and were recognized for their support. Michael W. Smith performing in June 2014 In 2014, Smith released three albums, Hymns, Sovereign, and The Spirit of Christmas. Hymns is Smith's first effort at doing his own rendition of traditional hymns, and it was released exclusively at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store on March 24, 2014.[20] The album sold 12,000 copies in its first week of release and debuted at No. 24 on the US Billboard 200. It was also the best-selling Christian music album for the week of April 19, 2014, and won a 2014 Dove Award for "Inspirational Album of the Year". Sovereign, released on May 13, 2014, is his first studio worship album and his first album released through Capitol Records, after leaving his long-time label Reunion Records in 2013. The album sold almost 16,000 copies in its first week, and debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200, making it the highest-charting album in his career as of 2014. The Spirit of Christmas, officially released as Michael W. Smith & Friends: The Spirit of Christmas, is Smith's first duet album. Released on September 30, 2014, it features duets with Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Jennifer Nettles, Martina McBride, Vince Gill, Bono, Amy Grant, and Michael McDonald. The album marks Smith's third new album in 2014 to enter the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 16 as of December 2014. It also won a 2015 Dove Award for "Christmas Album of the Year". Smith, along with Amy Grant, was honored as the "cornerstone of Christian music" by ASCAP in 2014 for his significant influence on the genre. In 2015, Smith and his son Tyler wrote the score and soundtrack for the film 90 Minutes in Heaven, which he also has a small acting role in. In November 2015, Smith and Amy Grant started their annual Christmas tour again after a roughly 15-year break.[30] Smith's second hymns album, called Hymns II - Shine on Us, was released on January 29, 2016. Like his first hymns album released in 2014, the album was sold exclusively at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. On June 21, 2016, Smith released a new single titled "He Will Never End" which was originally released in March 2016 as a bonus track on the Target exclusive edition of The Passion: New Orleans soundtrack CD (2016). On June 27, 2016, he released the music video for the single which was filmed entirely in Israel in April 2016. Later in 2016, Smith released a Christmas musical project in a collaboration with Wes King, Bradley Knight, and Luke Gambill called Almost There – A Christmas Musical. The musical is named after a song Smith wrote a few years ago for his Christmas album The Spirit of Christmas (2014). A Million Lights and Surrounded (2017–present) On August 11, 2017, Smith released a new single, "A Million Lights", which marks a departure from his previous sound. It is the lead single and title track from his pop album released on February 16, 2018. A week after, on February 23, 2018, Smith released another album called Surrounded which is his first live worship album in ten years. The two albums became his 30th and 31st top 10 entries in Billboard's Top Christian Albums chart, the most among solo artists in the span of his career. In May 2018, Smith launched a new children's book series, Nurturing Steps, which he created with VeggieTales co-creator Mike Nawrocki. The first book, Nighty Night and Good Night, was released May 8. He also released his first children's album, Lullaby, to accompany the book. On August 30, 2018, Smith hosted a free event at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena called "Surrounded: A Night to Pray, Worship and Be Awakened". The event will be broadcast on TBN later this year in 175 countries worldwide. On February 22, 2019, Smith released Awaken: The Surrounded Experience, a live worship album. Smith released a live album of worship music, Worship Forever, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11, which is also the date in which his original album Worship was released. It was also accompanied by a live concert on TBN. Acting career In 1994, Smith made his acting debut as Billy Holden in Secret Adventures: "Shrug". In 2006, Smith was the lead actor in The Second Chance, a film directed by Steve Taylor. He also did some of the score and soundtrack for this film. In 2015, Smith starred as Cliff McArdle in the film adaptation of the best-selling book 90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper.[44] In addition, he collaborated with his son on the score and soundtrack for this film. Smith also starred as James the disciple in The Passion, a live musical film that was aired on FOX on March 20, 2016. Other ventures In 1994, Smith opened a teen club, named Rocketown, in Nashville, Tennessee (6th Avenue). Later in early 2003, the club was moved to a new location—a renovated warehouse in downtown Nashville. The venue offers a large dance floor, extensive indoor skate park, and a café hosting live acoustic music. In 1996, Smith opened his own record label, Rocketown Records. The label was named after a song on his third album The Big Picture. The first artist signed was Chris Rice, who had written "Go Light Your World", a No. 1 hit song by Kathy Troccoli, in 1995. Smith didn't record under the label himself until 2018. Smith is actively involved in volunteer service and is vice chair of the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, which is chaired by Jean Case of the Case Foundation. He is also an avid spokesperson for sponsoring children through Compassion International. Smith was active in Billy Graham Crusades as well as Samaritan's Purse. Smith sang "Just As I Am" in a tribute to Graham at the 44th GMA Dove Awards.[48] He also sang it at the memorial service honoring Graham at the United States Capitol rotunda on February 28, 2018. Personal life Smith is married to Deborah "Debbie" Kay Davis and has five children. He lives in the Nashville suburbs. Smith attended Belmont Church in Nashville, Tennessee, and is mentored by its long-time pastor, Don Finto. Smith is also the founding pastor of New River Fellowship Church in Franklin, Tennessee, where he was the lead pastor from 2006 to 2008. Smith was a friend of former President George H. W. Bush and is a friend of his son, former President George W. Bush. Smith was invited to play at the 2004 Republican National Convention singing "There She Stands",[citation needed] as well as the state funeral of George H. W. Bush at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC, on December 5, 2018, singing "Friends". Smith is also friends with U2 singer Bono and they have collaborated on a Christmas album[58] as well as One Campaign. Alderson-Broaddus College awarded Smith the degree Doctorate of Music honoris causa in 1992.[60][61] Smith was also named one of People magazine's "Most Beautiful People" in 1992. In 2018, he performed at Billy Graham's memorial and funeral. In June 2019, Smith signed a declaration by Franklin Graham, that called for a special day of prayer for President Donald Trump, that God would protect, strengthen, embolden, and direct him.

This video was made using MAGIX Movie Edit Pro MX Plus. Thomas John Woodward was born at 57 Kingsland Terrace in Treforest on 7 June 1940, the son of Freda Jones (1914–2003) and coal miner Thomas Woodward (1910–1981). He is primarily of English descent; his maternal grandfather was Welsh, his maternal grandmother was born in Wales to English parents from Somerset and Wiltshire, his English paternal grandfather was from Gloucestershire, and his English paternal grandmother was from Wiltshire. He attended Wood Road Infants School, Wood Road Junior School, and Pontypridd Central Secondary Modern School. He began singing at an early age; he would regularly sing at family gatherings, weddings, and in his school choir. He did not like school or sports, but gained confidence through his singing talent. At the age of 12, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Many years later, he said, "I spent two years in bed recovering. It was the worst time of my life." During this time, he could do little else but listen to music and draw.: 9–10  Career Rise to fame Jones's voice has been described as a "full-throated, robust baritone". According to Jones himself, his young voice was a tenor voice. He said: "What you lose on the top end, you gain on the bottom end. I used to be able to hit a top C when I was young now it's a B flat." He became the frontman in 1963 for Tommy Scott and the Senators, a Welsh beat group. They soon gained a local following and reputation in South Wales. In 1964, the group recorded several solo tracks with producer Joe Meek, who took them to various record labels, but they had little success. Later that year, Decca producer Peter Sullivan saw Tommy Scott and the Senators performing in a club and directed them to manager Phil Solomon, but the partnership was short-lived. The group continued playing gigs around South Wales. Gordon Mills met Jones, became his manager, and introduced him to London, where Mills worked in music. Mills renamed him "Tom Jones", to exploit the popularity of the Academy Award-winning 1963 film. Eventually, Mills got Jones a recording contract with Decca. His first single, "Chills and Fever", was released in late 1964. It did not chart, but the follow-up, "It's Not Unusual", became an international hit after offshore pirate radio station Radio Caroline promoted it. The following year was the most prominent of Jones's career, making him one of the most popular vocalists of the British Invasion. In early 1965, "It's Not Unusual" reached No. 1 in the United Kingdom and the top ten in the United States. During 1965, Mills secured a number of film themes for Jones to record, including the James Bond film Thunderball, and What's New Pussycat? (written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David). Jones was skeptical about the latter song when first approached about it. He said when it was offered to him, he felt it was "sort of a backhanded compliment: 'I've got to have you, but this is the song.'" Jones said it took convincing from Bacharach to perform "What's New Pussycat?": "When I first heard it I thought, 'Christ! What the bloody hell do they want me to sing this for?' But Burt Bacharach explained, 'I want the big voice to sing this bloody crazy song.' And you put it on, it's a classic." Jones was awarded the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1966. During a filming break at Paramount Studios (1965) in Hollywood, Jones met Elvis Presley for the first time; he recalls Presley singing, 'With These Hands' as he walked towards him from the film set. The two men became good friends. In 1966, Jones's popularity began to slip somewhat, causing Mills to reshape the singer's image into that of a crooner. Jones also began to sing broader material. Jones soon topped UK charts and reached the top 40 in US charts. Over the next few years he scored a string of hits on both sides of the Atlantic, including "I'll Never Fall in Love Again", "I'm Coming Home", and "Delilah", each of which reached No. 2 in the UK chart. For a more vast amount of information on Tom Jones, please go to his Wikipedia site @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Jones_(singer)

Nicholas David Kershaw (born 1 March 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. Kershaw came to prominence in 1984 as a solo artist. He released eight singles that entered the Top 40 of the UK Singles Chart during the decade, including "Wouldn't It Be Good", "Dancing Girls", "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", "Human Racing", "The Riddle", "Wide Boy", "Don Quixote" and "When a Heart Beats". His 62 weeks on the UK Singles Chart through 1984 and 1985 beat all other solo artists. Kershaw appeared at the multi-venue benefit concert Live Aid in 1985 and has also penned a number of hits for other artists, including a UK No. 1 single in 1991 for Chesney Hawkes, "The One and Only". Early years Nicholas "Nik" Kershaw was born on 1 March 1958 in Bristol, England, and grew up in Ipswich, Suffolk. His father was a flautist and his mother was an opera singer. He was educated at Northgate Grammar School for Boys where he played the guitar – he was self-taught on this instrument. He left school in the middle of his A-Levels and got a job at an unemployment benefit office. He also sang in a number of underground Ipswich bands. However, when the last of these, Fusion, broke up in 1982, he embarked on a full-time solo career as a musician and songwriter. Career 1980s Kershaw was unemployed for a year after leaving Fusion, but during this time he found manager Mickey Modern after placing an advertisement in the magazine Melody Maker. Modern secured a recording contract for Kershaw at MCA. In September 1983, Kershaw released his first single "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", which reached No. 47 in the UK Singles Chart. It became a major hit in Scandinavia, Switzerland and the Netherlands. At the beginning of 1984, Kershaw released his breakthrough song "Wouldn't It Be Good", which reached No. 4 in the UK, and was a big success in Europe, particularly in Ireland, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Scandinavia, and also in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The music video, featuring Kershaw as a chroma key-suited alien, received heavy rotation from MTV, helping the song to reach No. 46 in the United States. He enjoyed three more Top 20 hits from his debut solo studio album Human Racing, including the title track and a successful re-issue of "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". This track ultimately proved his biggest hit as a performer when it reached No. 2 in the UK. Kershaw's second studio album was The Riddle. The title-track, released in November 1984, proved to be his third international hit single, reaching No. 3 in the UK and Ireland, and No. 6 in New Zealand. The album also spawned two more UK Top 10 hits, "Wide Boy" and "Don Quixote", as it went multi-platinum. During this time, Kershaw toured extensively with his backing band the Krew, consisting of Keith Airey, Tim Moore, Mark Price and Dennis Smith. In July 1985, Kershaw was among the performers at Live Aid, held at Wembley Stadium. He described the experience as "absolutely terrifying". The concert turned out to be the peak of his career, as his stardom began to wane soon afterwards and he enjoyed only one more UK Top 40 hit with "When a Heart Beats". He continued to record and release records and collaborated with others on a number of projects, including playing guitar on Elton John's hit single, "Nikita". A cover version of "Wouldn't it be Good" by the Danny Hutton Hitters appeared on the soundtrack of the 1986 teen romantic comedy drama film Pretty in Pink. Later that same year, Kershaw's third solo studio album, Radio Musicola, was released to critical acclaim but to little commercial success. The Works was released in 1989, also to little success. Two singles were released from the album, "One Step Ahead" and "Elisabeth's Eyes". 1990s Kershaw's prowess as a songwriter served him well in 1991, when his song "The One and Only" appeared on the soundtrack to the British film Buddy's Song, and in the American movie Doc Hollywood. "The One and Only" proved to be a UK No. 1 hit for the star of Buddy's Song, Chesney Hawkes. During 1991, he worked with Tony Banks, the keyboardist of Genesis, on Banks' third solo studio album Still. Kershaw co-wrote two songs with Banks, providing lead vocals on both. He also sang on the Banks composition "The Final Curtain". In 1993, the Hollies had a minor hit with another of Kershaw's songs, "The Woman I Love". During the mid-1990s he also wrote and produced material for the boy band Let Loose, with two of the tracks ("Seventeen" and "Everybody Say Everybody Do") achieving reasonable success. Following this year, Kershaw appeared on Elton John's 1993 Duets studio album, where Kershaw not only wrote the song but produced, and played all the instruments on the track. The year 1999 saw the release of his fifth studio album, 15 Minutes. Kershaw decided to record the tracks himself, when he could not envisage them being recorded by other artists. The album spawned two singles, "Somebody Loves You" and "What Do You Think of It So Far?", the latter a song described as "an elegant and soaring ode to the transience of time, infused with both self-doubt and an acceptance of life that can only come with maturity". 2000–present Kershaw performing in 2013 The follow-up studio album, To Be Frank, was released in 2001. Over the years, Kershaw has collaborated on albums with artists such as Elton John, Bonnie Tyler, Sia and Gary Barlow. In 2005, Kershaw released Then and Now, a collection of earlier material with four new tracks. In 2006, he completed another solo studio album, You've Got to Laugh, available only through his website or digitally through iTunes. This album contained twelve tracks and was released Kershaw's own label, Shorthouse Records. Neither Then and Now nor You've Got to Laugh was promoted by a tour. The year also saw the digital re-release of his 1980s back catalogue including Human Racing, The Riddle, Radio Musicola and The Works. In August 2009, Kershaw performed at Fairport's Cropredy Convention and the Rewind Festival on Temple Island Meadows at Henley-on-Thames. On 13 May 2010, Kershaw appeared on stage and hosted "Our Friends Acoustic" in aid of Mencap. He performed "The Riddle", "Wouldn't It Be Good", "Dancing Girls" and "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". Other 1980s performers joined him and performed their own songs, including Howard Jones, Andy Bell of Erasure, Carol Decker of T'Pau and Jimmy Somerville of Bronski Beat and the Communards at The O2 in London. Kershaw wrote songs and performed for the soundtrack of the 2010 film, Round Ireland with a Fridge by Tony Hawks. He wrote and sang the theme song, "If It Gets Much Better Than This". He also appeared as an extra in the penultimate scene, presenting a copy of the book to Hawks for signing in the book shop. Following the release of his eighth studio album in 2012 (Ei8ht, his first release to reach the UK Albums Chart since 1986), Kershaw undertook a small tour of the UK, with some European dates. As part of each show he played the entirety of his debut studio album, which had been re-mastered and re-released in March 2012. In 2012, Kershaw was featured as the lead vocalist on a new recording of "The Lamia", originally recorded by Genesis for their studio album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974), with Steve Hackett for the latter's Genesis Revisited II studio album. He is also featured as a guest performer on the same song on Hackett's Genesis Revisited: Live at Hammersmith CD and DVD, released November 2013. Kershaw performed a solo acoustic set at Fairport's Cropredy Convention in August 2013. He was on tour in the UK and Ireland in Autumn 2014. He continues to perform at 1980s revival events and festivals each year. In the latter part of 2015 he performed a 31-date tour of the UK, on a double bill with Go West, supported by Carol Decker of T'Pau. On 11 November 2016, Kershaw performed in Reykjavík, Iceland, together with the pop rock band Todmobile. He joined them after a short set of eight songs and played guitar on three Todmobile songs. In June 2020, Kershaw released an extended play (EP) of six new songs, These Little Things. Oxymoron is Kershaw's most recent full studio album, which was released in October 2020. It features 16 songs, which were recorded at Abbey Road Studios. Personal life Kershaw's first wife was Canadian Sheri Pogmore, herself a musician who featured on several of Kershaw's early studio albums. The couple married in July 1983, had three children together, and divorced in 2003. Their second son was born with Down syndrome. Kershaw remarried in 2009 and has also had a child with his second wife Sarah. In 2019, Kershaw received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Suffolk for his services to the music industry. Discography Main article: Nik Kershaw discography Studio albums Human Racing (1984) The Riddle (1984) Radio Musicola (1986) The Works (1989) 15 Minutes (1998) To Be Frank (2001) You've Got to Laugh (2006) Ei8ht (2012) Oxymoron (2020)

Cock Robin is an American pop rock band, mostly popular in the 1980s, particularly in continental Europe, where it achieved major success, notably with the single "The Promise You Made". The band was founded by singer-songwriter Peter Kingsbery in 1982, disbanded in 1990, and reformed in 2006. Theirs most successful singles from the period also include "When Your Heart Is Weak", "Just Around the Corner", "Thought You Were on My Side", "Every Moment", "El Norte" and others. History 1985–1990: European success Named after a 17th-century story titled "The Marriage of Cock Robin and Jenny Wren", the band formed in San Francisco, California and was signed to CBS Records. Cock Robin's eponymous debut album was produced by Steve Hillage. Released in 1985, it had a limited impact in their native country, as with the majority of their output, but was an overnight success in Europe, especially in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands, where the singles "When Your Heart Is Weak", "The Promise You Made" and "Thought You Were On My Side" became big hits (with for example the latter two singles peaking at number 1 and number 4 respectively in Flanders, Belgium), and the album itself a chart-topper. "When Your Heart Is Weak" was the band's only chart single in the U.S., where it reached No. 35 in the late summer of 1985. It also became a radio favorite in South Africa in early 1986. In mid-1987, the band, reduced from the original quartet to the duo of Peter Kingsbery and Anna LaCazio, released a second album, After Here Through Midland, produced by Don Gehman, who had previously worked with John Mellencamp, among others. As with their debut, Cock Robin's second album attracted much attention in continental Europe where it reached the Top 5 and also scored hits with the singles "Just Around the Corner" (again a European Top 20 hit, from Scandinavia to Italy), "The Biggest Fool of All" and "El Norte". Two years later, in 1989, the band released their third, and, to many critics, most accomplished album, First Love/Last Rites, with Roxy Music veteran Rhett Davies in the role of producer. As with their previous releases, the LP fared well in mainland Europe (especially in France), but, due to poor management and promotion, failed to make an impact in the USA. On 30th April 1990 while on tour, the band recorded their only and rare live VHS video at the Grand Rex theatre in Paris, France, titled 'Cock Robin Live in Concert' also known as 'Live au Grand Rex'. The 14 track 66 minute video is intertwined between the tracks with a Kingsbery and LaCazio interview. Shortly after the European Tour Kingsbery and LaCazio split, with Kingsbery releasing a string of solo projects (three albums in English, one in French) in France, most notably a hit single "Only the Very Best" (English version of a Daniel Balavoine's song and a Top 10 hit in France and Belgium in 1993) recorded for the Michel Berger & Luc Plamondon concept musical album "Starmania", with English lyrics by Tim Rice in 1992. Anna LaCazio recorded her own solo album (Eat Life) circa 1992–93; but it was only officially released in its entirety for download in 2009. Recent years On 20 June 2012, Peter Kingsbery announced in his blog on the official Cock Robin website Cockrobinmusic.com that "there will be a new tour next Summer 2013 with a new album". Another Cock Robin remix by Umpff, "Extraordinary Thing", appeared on Mixtape from Mabel the Label in October 2012. The November 2015 issue of the French magazine Topo, reported that Anna LaCazio had left Cock Robin in May 2015. Kingsbery had relocated to France and LaCazio preferred to remain in the United States and be close to her family. Peter Kingsbery announced that Coralie Vuillemin had been chosen as the new female voice in the group. The band released on 11 March 2016 their sixth studio album called "Chinese Driver". A 5-track EP was released as download only in April 2017. The first track ("Roman Holiday [The Making Of]") is an original song, whereas the second one ("Just Before It Begins") is an original instrumental track. The last three tracks however ("The Long Last Second", "Thought You Were On My Side" and "White Folks") are reprises of Peter Kingsbery's solo albums or of Cock Robin songs, with new arrangements and vocals by Peter Kingsbery and Coralie Vuillemin. With the current line-up, Cock Robin has performed in France, Portugal, Iceland, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Luxembourg, Denmark. May 2020 : the band is currently mixing their new album. On 17 September 2021 the band released a seventh studio album called "Homo Alien". In September 2022 it was announced on their Facebook account "COCK ROBIN The Band" that they have had to withdraw from their planned 2023 tour but still hope to release their newly penned album of original material called "Part of Your Tribe" in conjunction with an autobiographical lyric book of the same name at some point during the year. Cock Robin have no current plans for future tour dates in 2024 or beyond. Band members Peter Kingsbery: lead vocals, keyboards, bass, guitar Coralie Vuillemin: lead vocals, keyboards, percussion Didier Strub: Drums, backing vocals Ex-members Anna LaCazio: lead vocals, keyboards, percussion (1982–1990, 2006–2015) Clive Wright: guitars (1982–1988) Lou Molino III: drums, percussion, backing vocals (1982–1987) Other members Stéphane Bonacci : guitars Pat Mastelotto: drums, percussions Tris Imboden: drums Hervé Koster: drums Corky James: guitars John Pierce: bass Lise Anderson: keyboards, backing vocals