MusicByMia.com

Beth Gibbons

2007-12-12T17:04:00.000-08:00

If you are not a fan of the trip-hop movement, you may not have heard the name “Beth Gibbons,” but this sultry songstress is more than worthy of worldwide recognition. Gibbons has a way of allowing her soul to speak through her songs, and if you have not listened to her music yet, you are truly missing out on an amazing sound.

Beth Gibbons really broke into the spotlight with the group Portishead during the year 1991, but she has also done many different solo acts throughout her career. Gibbons has worked with many influential artists throughout her career, and her 2002 release of the album entitled “Out of Season” is a true testament to her unmatched talent. Gibbons is praised within musical circles throughout the world, and nearly every singer within the music industry has recognized her gifts as one point or another.

Gibbons recently joined Annie Lennox and twenty-two other female vocalists in order to create the single “Sing,” which will help to send much needed funds to unborn children within Africa that are affected with the HIV virus. Although Beth is an avid smoker, she once told press that “suffering for your art is most definitely overrated but I do get a certain, I don’t know, satisfaction from being able to deal with my paranoia and insecurity.” An artist through and through, Gibbon’s “paranoia” is the precise thing that makes her so incredibly real, and fans all over the world are anxiously awaiting her next album release.

Golden Girl Gwen Stefani

2007-12-11T16:48:00.000-08:00

She’s just a girl with a knack for gaining the spotlight. If there is such as thing as a “woman’s woman,” then Gwen Stafani is it. This actress, songwriter, singer, and fashion designer all rolled into one knows just what girls want, and she aims to give it to them.

Gwen started out as the face of ska band No Doubt back in 1992, and she has been rocking the word of female voice since then. No Doubt’s number one album, Tragic Kingdom, had nearly every girl in the country belting out Stefani’s heart felt tunes to the beat of her soulful voice, but Gwen wasn’t content to stop there. During the year 2004, Stefani released a solo album entitled “Love. Angel. Music. Baby.” that rose to instant start status, and fans simply could not get enough of her talented musical skills.

Stefani release another single album during the year 2006 called “The Sweet Escape,” in which she worked with various other artists in order to produce a truly interesting sound. Unfortunately, Gwen’s last album did not gel well with critics who found it to be far too geared towards the dance club scene, and less towards Stefani’s true vocal talents. Other than being a true role model within the music world, Stefani began a clothing line in 2004 called “L.A.M.B.” Women immediately adored Stafani’s line of whimsical clothes, and many celebrities can be found strutting Stefani’s stuff throughout the streets of Los Angeles. From the start, Gwen was a star, and today this bright rock and roller has found many different niches within the world in which to share her amazing talents.

Fiona Apple

2007-12-10T16:43:00.000-08:00

If ever a female rock star was simply born into musical talent, this famed singer would have the name Fiona Apple, and fans would love her simply for who she is. Fiona was born into a very long line of musicians and entertainers, and from her grandparents to her step brothers this native Manhattanite seems to have notes and chords running through her veins.

When it comes to Fiona Apple, there is really no beginning to her story – nor is there an end in sight. Fiona did not start singing at any age, it seems as though this girl always had a tune on her tongue. However, Apple did gain a “big break” when her record was passed to music producer Andy Slater who just adored her unusual voice. The year 1996 brought a lot of success for Fiona, and her single “Criminal” jumped straight to the top of the charts upon release. Apple released another album entitled “When the Pawn” (the title of this album is actually much longer than this!) during the year 1999, but it did not receive positive reviews, and the album hardly got any play time at all.

Since the year 1999, Apple has been working with other artists and releasing a few albums of her own, but none of her recent work has really gained that much fan attention. Fiona helped record “Sally’s Song” for “The Nightmare Before Christmas” special edition soundtrack during 2006, and today the singer is traveling and touring with other female vocalists. Rumor has it that Fiona will be appearing with Sheryl Crow, Avril Lavigne, and other artists during the First Annual GirlFrenzy Festival, which should be held sometime next year.

PJ Harvey

2007-12-09T16:42:00.000-08:00

Can our childhood influence the type of adult that we become? According to Polly Jane Harvey (PJ), the way in which we grew up has more to do with who we are as adults than one may think. PJ grew up on a sheep farm smack in the middle of the English countryside, but she made her career within the fast pace of the city playing rock and roll music on her guitar. So, how does a small town country girl end up exposing her breasts for all the world to see on the cover of a British magazine? Well, it all begins with the girl’s parents, of course.

As a child, Harvey “was brought up listening to John Lee Hooker, to Howlin’ Wolf, to Robert Johnson, and a lot of Jimi Hendrix and Captain Beefheart.” Well, if you can picture a small Harvey blasting the guitar chords of Jimi Hendrix amidst a small, sunny, farm full of curious sheep, you can imagine what it must have been like to grow up amidst Harvey’s childhood. Of course, as Harvey grew and her musical taste evolved, she swapped Beefheart for U2, The Police, Duran Duran, and Spandau Ballet. As her teenage years began to pass by, Harvey found herself smack in the middle of a record label contract, a small fan base, and feelings of conflicted feminine anguish.

There is this ridiculous stereotype within the world that goes something like this: if you happen to be a successful female rock and roll star, you are automatically a feminist. This ignorant assumption angers most women, and it definitely struck a chord with Harvey when she was accused of being part of the “riot grrrl” movement. When one journalist penned a story to the effect that Harvey was just another feminist, she responded by stating, “I think I’d find it quite patronising to be called a Riot Grrrl if I was one of them, but they obviously don’t think so. I don’t ever think about (feminism). I mean, it doesn’t cross my mind.” Today, this non-feminist, non-conforming rocker has turned to the piano as a means of inspiration, and her latest album “White Chalk” is almost entirely composed of piano ballads. From sheep farm to rocker to pianist, PJ Harvey is, if nothing else, one woman who consistently challenges herself – and isn’t that what great music is really made of?

The Donnas

2007-12-08T16:41:00.000-08:00

When it comes to rock music, if one woman is good, then four is better. At least that is the case with the female rock group The Donnas. They came into existence in 1993 on the West Coast, and have gone through several names as well as the horrible experience of junior high school together. The group consists of Allison Robertson, Maya Ford, Torry Castellano, and Brett Anderson on lead vocals. They recorded their first album back in 1996, and have been rocking out ever since.

The Donnas signed with the indie record label, Lookout Records, which was once home to punk band Green Day. The record producer that they met through Lookout Records, Darin Rafaelli, was responsible for coming up with the image of The Donnas that we have today. His vision was a kind of Ramones-inspired sound. They released three albums on this label: The Donnas, American Teenage Rock N’ Roll Machine, and Get Skintight. They eventually made the switch to major record label and released their Atlantic Record debut with Spend the Night. The girls had developed an image of hard-partying rocker chicks, although most of that was strictly light-handed sarcasm. Still, they decided a change of pace was in order and released Gold Medal, which was a completely different sound than anything that they had done before.

The direction that they will take next still remains to be seen, but The Donnas have already proved that they have staying power and the artistic talent and vision to rock for a long time.

Amy Winehouse

2007-12-07T16:23:00.000-08:00

While Amy Winehouse has many issues in her life, she remains an astounding musical talent. Her vocals are indicative of the smoky Jazz clubs of New Orleans, her style is soulful and chaotic at the same time.

This talent hails from the Southgate area of Enfield, London where she was born into a family of Jazz musicians. Her father, Michell is a taxi driver, her mother Janis is a pharmacist and she also has one brother, Alex. She grew up in the suburbs of Southgate and was a rebel even at age 12. She was expelled from the Sylvia Young Theatre School for "not applying herself" and of course, for piercing her nose. When she was 13 she received her first guitar and by 16 she was singing professionally. Her friend Tyler James, a soul singer, shopped her demo around and A&R picked it up.

From there it wasn't long before her career blossomed. Her debut album, "Frank" was released in October of 2003 and she has been on the rise since then. In 2004 her album had reached the upper levels of the UK charts and she was nominated for several awards before her album went platinum.

2006 brought her music to the States via the Mark Ronson radio show on East Village Radio. Tracks like "Rehab" and "Wake Up Alone" caught the public's ear and Mark inspired her to work on a second album. Winehouse tells us; "After Frank I didn’t write for 18 months but when I met Mark [Ronson] I pretty much wrote the album in six months — he was so inspiring."

From there was more career success with a bright and shining prospect for even more success. Winehouse is in the news frequently due to alleged drug use, alcohol issues and a fiery temper. In spite of this, Winehouse continues to receive accolades and praise for her work.

"The Wasp", Janis Joplin

2007-12-06T16:23:00.000-08:00

You simply can not talk about women in music without mentioning Janis Joplin, Rock & Roll's first female super star. On January 19th, 1943 the world was given an icon in Janis Lyn Joplin when she was born to Seth and Dorothy in Port Arthur, Texas. No one could have imagined the life that was about to be led by this raw ironed soul.

Playing at college campuses and local bars, she discovered that what she wanted to do was entertain. She left Texas and headed out to L.A. with a few friends in the 60's and once she was there, she changed the face of Rock. Her style could only be described as a psychedelic rock & roll acid trip. She loved the bottle and hated men, although she truly wished for love and her lyrics told her story more than she imagined. Janis struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, but it would be difficult to know if she would have made such a mark without them.

Joplin's life was full of rejection and pain; she could never seem to get out from under the throws of deep depression. She was rejected by her peers when she was young due to her acne scarred face and the personality that emerged because of her self image. This continued on as the 'norm' for her life experiences and later her career. This is how she became known as a blues momma, and true to blues momma form, she was hard lining, hard loving, and a hard substance user.

After leaving us with such industry changing songs like "Me and Bobby McGee", the a cappella "Mercedes Benz" and the unforgettable "Piece of My Heart", Janis succumbed to her addiction. She died of a drug overdose on October 4th, 1970 at the age of 27.

Alanis Morissette

2007-12-05T16:22:00.000-08:00

Isn’t it ironic how a girl from Ottawa, Canada, suddenly took the world by storm when she was just a small girl? Well, it isn’t really ironic, per se, but it is still quite a remarkable feat. Alanis Morissette is best known for her songs that showcase enormous vocal skills along with words that speak to the many hearts of American women.

Unbeknownst to many of her fans, Alanis began her career on the children’s television show “You Can’t Do That on Television” during the year 1986. Gathering up all the money that she saved working as a television actress, Alanis released the single “Fate Stay With Me,” and this single actually got a bit of airplay. From her first single release to her spot on Star Search, Morissette was able to launch herself into super stardom from the time that she was just a teenager. Throughout her younger teenage years, Alanis would battle with various eating disorders, which would, in turn, effect her musical career. Thankfully, she was able to seek help and to continue down the path to success.

During the year 1995, Alanis release her most popular album entitled “Jagged Little Pill,” which received a large amount of recognition from fans all around the world. Nearly overnight, Alanis gained super stardom, and her fans have not let go of her yet. Rumors have been circulating that Morissette will be releasing a new album entitled, “Flavors of Entanglement” sometime within the next few months, and she can currently be seen now and again within the world of television and film. From a small town Canadian girl with big dreams, to the world of super celebrity status, Alanis Morissette is really what making it on your own is all about.

Kelly Clarkson

2007-12-04T16:21:00.000-08:00

As true music lovers we can appreciate the way that Kelly Clarkson was discovered. Initially people were leery of the songstress because of the reality show, but she shattered any image issues she may have had from her American Idol win. Her first album took off like no other reality TV star ever had.

Given her virtual over night success, Clarkson had a few hurtles to jump as she rose to a Grammy Award winning career. There was certainly no shortage of struggles through her childhood either. When she was only six years old, this Texas native's family split up due to her parents divorce. Her brother Jason went to live with her father, Michael and her sister, Alyssa moved in with an aunt. Kelly stayed with her mom, Jeanne who worked three jobs to support them and they moved a lot. They finally settled in Burleson, TX where her mother eventually met and married her second husband, Jimmy Taylor.

This "new" family often had financial issues which were intensely argued about. She experienced her second parental divorce at age 19. She discovered that music was an escape after the first divorce and she embraced it as a refuge during the turmoils of her teenage years. She sang Mariah Carey's "Vision of Love" in front of her Pauline G. Hughes Middle School alumni. Here she heard the words that concreted her decision to pursue music; "God has given you this gift. You've got to sing. You're destined to sing."

On September 4th 2002, Kelly won the first ever American Idol competition and sang "A Moment Like This", which went on to top music charts. Even though Kelly was first labeled a "Pop" singer, she grew into her own style and has even begun including Country music in her stylings. Kelly is nominated for another Grammy in 2008 for her collaboration with Country music star Reba McEntire.

Meg White

2007-12-03T14:45:00.000-08:00

Meg White isn't your typical rock star. The 32-year-old native of Detroit, Michigan, is almost painfully shy, seemingly doing whatever she can to avoid attention. Quiet and demure, Meg rarely grants interviews or even speaks above a whisper. But as one half of The White Stripes, she's become an inspiration to countless young female musicians.

Meg's musical career began completely by accident in 1997. Her husband Jack was playing his guitar one day when Meg decided to join him on the drums. She had no musical background whatsoever, and her drumming was almost child-like. But her overly simplistic style was a perfect compliment to Jack's thrashing guitar chords, creating one of the most dynamic duos in music history.

While Meg and Jack's marriage would last only a few years, with the couple divorcing in 2000, their musical partnership continues to this day. They've produced six albums and a string of alternative rock hits, such as "Fell in Love with a Girl," "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground," "Seven Nation Army," and "The Hardest Button to Button."

Jack has emerged as the best guitarist of his generation, lifting The White Stripes into the pantheon of legendary bands. Yet Meg's pounding beats provide the backbone for the twosome's unique sound. She's as thunderous on stage as she is quiet off it, even overcoming her shyness long enough to sing a handful of songs over the years.

Meg White proves yet again there's beauty in simplicity.

Talking Tanya Donnelly

2007-12-02T14:45:00.000-08:00

Do you know the name “Tanya Donnelly?” If you have ever listened to the former band “Belly” perform, or if you happened to be a fan of “Throwing Muses,” chances are you have heard Donnelly’s voice at least once before. Though Donnelly was once a small town Rhode Island girl, this rebellious rock and roller has ventured out into the world of music on her own, and her fans are still hanging onto every one of her words.

Donnelly grew up in a rather unconventional way due to her “hippie” lifestyle. Her parents often shuffled her between Rhode Island and California, and as a result Tanya spent most of her school days in lonely solitude. When Donnelly was fourteen years old, a guitar gift from her father sparked the young girl’s musical interested, and the band “Throwing Muses” was formed. When the year 1990 rolled around, Tanya started to form a small band called “The Breeders” with former Pixie’s star Kim Deal. Eventually, The Breeders gained a lot of popularity, and Donnelly enjoyed this success for quite some time. Finally, she began to break away from The Breeders in order to form the band “Belly.”

Eventually, Donnelly broke away from all her previous musical connections to form a solo career of her own, and this is where the singer can be found today – making her own music, the way that she sees fit. Tanya’s most recent release was the album “Heart of Gold,” that features her breathy voice filled lyrics, and soulful guitar riffs. Donnelly’s music can still be found in record shops all around the country today, though her audience is certainly a lot less mainstream than it once was. Tanya Donnelly may not be a well known household name, but this rocker “grrrl” is still one of the nation’s top singers.

Gloria Estefan

2007-12-01T11:41:00.000-08:00

Gloria Estefan was born Gloria Fajardo in Havana, Cuba on September 1, 1957. Her father, Josè Manuel Fajardo was a Cuban soldier and bodyguard to the then president Fulgencio Batista. When the communist dictator, Fidel Castro, rose to power, Gloria and her family fled Cuba. Gloria was just a toddler at the time. Once the family arrived in the United States, her father was recruited into a Central Intelligence Agency and was involved in the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961. He later joined the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam.

After her father returned from Vietnam, he was diagnosed as having multiple sclerosis most likely as a result of being exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam. Gloria’s mother, who had been a teacher in Cuba, worked all day and attended school at night. That meant that Gloria was the caregiver to her father and younger sister. Gloria loved to write poetry and it was during this time with her father that she turned to music to cope.

Gloria met keyboardist Emilio Estefan in 1975. Emilio was a sales manager for Barcardi and led a band called the Miami Latin Boys. A mutual friend of the two asked Emilio to talk to Gloria and her friends about forming a band for a special event. When he heard her sing, he asked her to sit in with the band and a few weeks later, asked her to join the band as the lead singer.

After several months working together on a professional level, Emilio and Gloria’s relationship turned personal. They were married in September of 1978 and their son, Nayib was born two years later. The band had been renamed to Miami Sound Machine and they had recorded their first album. Between 1981 and 1983 the Miami Sound Machine recorded four Spanish-language albums made up of ballads, disco, pop, and sambas.

The band began to develop a split personality but Gloria was the common denominator. She became the star attraction and the act became billed as Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine. While traveling together on the tour bus, the bus was involved in an accident on a snowy interstate in Pennsylvania. Gloria’s son suffered a fractured shoulder and Emilio suffered minor head and hand injuries. Gloria was the more critical because she suffered a broken vertebra in her back. She had extensive surgery to realign her spine and had steel rods implanted. The prognosis for a complete recovery was doubtful. Gloria retired to begin her long recovery.

Thanks to extensive physical therapy and support of her family and fans, Gloria made a miraculous comeback with her appearance on the American Music Awards in January of 1991.

Reba McEntire

2007-11-30T11:40:00.000-08:00

Reba Nell McEntire was born to parents Clarke Vincent McEntire and Jacqueline Smith McEntire on March 28, 1955 in McAlester, Oklahoma. Reba was named after her grandmother, Reba Estelle Brassfield. She has a brother and two sisters.

Reba was just 4 years old when she sang “Jesus Loves Me” for a nickel at the Cheyenne, Wyoming rodeo. When she was 6 years old, Reba started gathering cattle on her dad’s ranch and she competed in rodeos by the time she was eleven. She sang “Away in the Manger” at her first grade Christmas program. Reba formed a singing group with her brother and sister Susie. They were called The Singing McEntires and had a local hit with “The Ballad of John McEntire”, which was a tribute to their grandfather. They played at all the local honky-tonks and dance halls. Reba got her big break when she performed the Star Spangled Banner at the National Finals Rodeo in 1974.

Reba has been married twice. Her first marriage to Charlie Battles lasted from 1976 until 1987. In June of 1989, Reba married her band manager, Narvel Blackstock in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. She and Narvel have one child, Shelby Steven McEntire Blackstock who was born on February 23, 1990.

Over the course of her career, Reba has issued 31 albums with over 50 million sold. With her fierce and powerful, yet clear and passionate voice, Reba is often referred to as “The Queen of Country Music” for the lively shows and pop-tinged ballads.

In September of 1998 Reba received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Taylor Swift

2007-11-29T11:40:00.000-08:00

Taylor Swift was born in Reading, Pennsylvania and lived her first 12 years on a farm in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. She joined a local children’s theater group when she was eight years old and her first role was in Grease. When she was ten years old, Taylor began to perform around town at karaoke contests, festivals, and county fairs and even at a Philadelphia 76er’s game.

Taylor got her first guitar at the age of twelve and began writing her own songs. She learned to channel emotions of growing up into her writing. Before long, she was spending every waking moment writing and playing. She has been quoted as saying “I was playing for four hours a day until my finger were bleeding and my mom called me to dinner.”

Her family had been making regular trips to Nashville so Taylor could perform and meet other songwriters. The family relocated to a suburb of Nashville, which helped to get her career moving. Taylor was performing at a local café called Nashville’s Bluebird Café and she caught the eye of music industry veteran Scott Borchetta. Scott had planed to create a new recording label and decided that he wanted Taylor to be his first act. Taylor has over 200 compositions which are filled with drama of everyday adolescent life.

In August of 2006, Taylor released her debut single entitled “Tim McGraw”. On May 15, 2007, Taylor performed “Tim McGraw” at the Academy of Country Music Awards. She sang the song to Tim McGraw who was in the audience.

Carrie Underwood

2007-11-28T11:40:00.000-08:00

Carrie Underwood was born Mary 10, 1983 to parents Stephen and Carole Underwood. She was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma but her family lived on a farm in Checotah, Oklahoma. Her father worked at a paper mill and her mother was an elementary school teacher. Carrie has two older sisters, Shanna who is 13 years older and Stephanie, who is 10 years older and they are both elementary school teachers in Oklahoma just like Mom.

Carrie started singing at church when she was just 3 years old. When she started school, she would sing solo’s in school plays. By the time she was in the seventh grade, Carrie was entering local talent shows. Carrie likes a variety of music from the oldies to the 80’s pop but she listened to country music in the car. She told people in high school that she was going to become a famous singer one day.

She enrolled at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma and chose broadcast journalism for her major. She produced a student-led television program and wrote articles for the school newspaper. In 2004, she was named Miss NSU runner-up. She graduated in 2006 from Northeastern State University with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication with an emphasis in journalism. She graduated magna cum laude and is a member of the Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority. Carrie is also a tribal member of the Muscogee Creek Nation.

While she was still attending Northeastern, her friends encouraged her to audition for American Idol. She hesitated at first but then was afraid if she didn’t at least try, she would never have another chance like that again. The audition was in St. Louis and Carrie, her mom and a friend drove all night to get to St. Louis at 6 am in the morning. The audition started at 8am. Needless to say, Carrie won the fourth season of American Idol and gone on to release an award winning CD and has received numerous awards.

LeAnn Rimes

2007-11-27T11:39:00.000-08:00

LeAnn Rimes was born Margaret LeAnn Rimes on August 28, 1982 in Jackson, Mississippi but was raised in Garland, Texas. LeAnn is the only child of Wilbur and Belinda Rimes. LeAnn started singing before she even reached the age of two.

LeAnn appeared on Star Search in 1990 when she was just eight years old. Before she celebrated her 11th birthday, LeAnn released her first album entitled “Everybody’s Sweetheart”. The album got attention from label executives and disc jockeys and one disc jockey, Bill Mack, was captivated by the way Rimes sounded so much like Patsy Cline. Between 1992 and 1994, LeAnn released albums under an independent label but really didn’t gain much success in the Country music arena.

To promote her skills as a country artist, LeAnn began performing on Johnnie High’s Country Music Revue, which was a popular show featuring local artists and national acts. Her career continued to gain momentum, performing at more than 100 concerts and television shows across Texas. By the age of 13, LeAnn had become a teenage Country music star. She was compared to previous teen stars such as Brenda Lee.

LeAnn tried to take the reins of her career from her father and in 2000, she filed a suit against her father. The suit claimed that her father and his partner stole $7 million of her earnings and that they kept tens of thousands of dollars in cash hidden in a safe on her tour bus. During her legal battle with her father, LeAnn met and fell in love with backup dancer Dean Sheremet. He had danced during her performance when she hosted the Academy of Country Music Awards in 2001.

LeAnn and her husband, Dean, have written several children’s books. She is involved in charitable events and donated her artist fee and royalties from the single “I Need You” to build a wing at the Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Tennessee. LeAnn is also a spokeswoman for the Children’s Miracle Network.

Terri Clark

2007-11-26T11:38:00.000-08:00

Terri Clark was born Terri Lynne Sauson on August 5, 1968 in Montreal, Quebec. She has a brother, Peter, Jr. and a sister, Tina. Her parents are divorced and have both remarried. Terri’s grandparents were both noted Canadian country musicians and her mother was involved with the folk scene.

When Terri was growing up, all she liked to wear were cowboy outfits, which is a trait that she retained until later years. She played in the church bell choir and in junior high, she learned to play the clarinet. In 1987, after Terri graduated high school, she moved from Canada to Nashville. It was there that she got her start singing and playing guitar at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge.

Terri has been married and divorced two times. First she married a fiddle player, Ted Stevenson, in 1991. After five years of marriage, they divorced in 1996. Terri married her tour manager, Greg Kaczor, on September 17, 2005. Right after the wedding, she and Greg relocated to Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The marriage did not last long and the couple filed for divorce on February 16, 2007.

Earlier in 2007, while Terri was in the middle of producing her latest CD, her mother was diagnosed with cancer but the tumor has been removed and her mother is recovering.

Terri is truly an accomplished guitar player, which is rare in today’s country music. In addition to the guitar, Terri plays the drums, bass, clarinet and cowbell. Terri is a creative writer and continues to write many of the songs she performs.

Faith Hill

2007-11-25T16:35:00.000-08:00

Faith Hill was born Audrey Faith Perry on September 21, 1967 in Ridgeland, Mississippi. Faith was adopted when she was one week old and was raised by Ted and Edna Perry in the town of Star. Her adoptive parents had two biological sons and the couple raised them all in a very Christian environment.

Faith began singing at a very early age and made her first public performance at a 4-H luncheon when she was seven years old. Faith was raised singing in her Baptist church and by the time she was a teenage, she performed at area churches (some that weren’t Baptist) and at seventeen, she formed her own band to play at local rodeos. Faith attended college for a short period of time but dropped out at 19 to move to Nashville to pursue her dream of becoming a country singer.

Faith auditioned to be a backup singer for Reba McEntire but did not get the job. She sold t-shirts for Fan Fair for a while and then landed her first job as a secretary with Gary Morris’ office. Gary was a well known singer and songwriter. Gary heard Faith singing to a song on the radio, like what he heard and asked her to make a demo tape. Faith began to sing back up for singer and songwriter, Gary Burr. She was singing backup for Burr in a Nashville Café and was discovered by a Warner executive.

In 1987, Faith married songwriter and music executive Dan Hill and they divorced in 1991. In October of 1996, Faith Hill married country singer, Tim McGraw and the couple had three daughters Gracie Katherine (b. 1997), Maggie Elizabeth (b. 1998) and Audrey Caroline (b. 2001).

Melissa Etheridge- A Woman's Journey of Life

2007-11-24T16:34:00.000-08:00

With a music career spanning nearly two decades, Melissa Etheridge had offered the experiences of her life to her audience. Her music tells the stories of so many people. Relationship troubles, accepting who you are, showing others who you really are, finding emotional happiness, and having the strength and determination to face personal hardships have been strong themes in her music over the years. Listening to her music, hearing the passion she puts in to her performances, you can feel her reach out to you to make you understand what she wants you to know.

Her early music speaks of troubled relationships, and the emotional turmoil they caused. She’s offered hope and encouragement to many listeners when she came out as a lesbian, giving people a positive image of a successful gay person. Recently, she’s battled breast cancer and shown another level of the strength and courage she brings to her life. Her Greatest Hits collection gives examples of the places she’s visited on her journey through life. Her newest album, “The Awakening” released in September of 2007, offers insights of a spiritual nature following her fight with and triumph over breast cancer.

If you were to listen to her albums in order from beginning to end, you would hear the life story of a woman willing to take risks to get what she. You would hear of triumph and disappointment, joy and heart ache, and you would also hear the strength that carried her through. The music of Melissa Etheridge is the story of a strong woman’s journey to achieve what she wants in life.

Gotta Love Courtney Love

2007-11-23T16:23:00.000-08:00

Dig past all the makeup on Courtney Love’s face, and you will have the epitome of a true rock star. From her childhood beginnings, Courtney Love was never anything but herself. Love pushed through a rough childhood, a rougher youth, and through the death of her one true soul mate – ever since she was born, Love has been trying to swim through rough currents, and she still continues to barely hold her head above water.

Some may hate her, but Courtney Love is a girl with grit for good reason. Working her way through her teenage years as a stripper, she struggled all of her life to get closer to the one thing that she truly adored – music. While it would be easy to talk about Love’s affairs, flings, mishaps, and misdemeanors, it is equally as easy to talk about her fan club, her many admiring fans, and her passionate character that never wavers.

Love’s life has been a whirlwind that spins tragically out of control at nearly every turn, but she is still continuing to tour to this day. As Courtney once told Rolling Stone magazine, “I need to be saved,” it appears as though Love has finally started to swim through life with more confidence. The year, 2005 marked a turning point in Courtney’s life, as she exited rehab and began to write songs about her drug addiction, her fans are still following her career. No longer with famed band “Hole,” Love has formed a new band and is currently touring Europe. If you are a Courtney Love fan, you can also pick up a copy of her autobiography “Dirty Blonde,” which promises to be one book that you will not soon forget. As photographer Dave LaChapelle put it, “the thing about Courtney Love is that she is one of the most referenced, smart, and charismatic women I have ever met.”

Sheryl Crow

2007-11-22T16:22:00.000-08:00

Sheryl Crow is living proof that even a high school cheerleader can turn out to be a true rock n’ roller. Born in Kennett, Missouri, Crow was anything but the unpopular girl in her home town, and this popular rocker has come a long way from her “Freshman Maid” days.

Sheryl Crow was born into music, since both of her parents were musicians themselves. While Sheryl always had a love for anything melodic, she was also interested in exploring all that her small town had to offer. While in high school, Crow was part of many different groups from an integral part of the track team, to “Paperdoll Queen,” and college would prove to be no different for this belle. Sheryl was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority while in college, and she also played the part of lead singer in a band called “Cashmere.” Though music had her heart, Crow sought a day job teaching with her college degree.

The life of a teacher seemed to suit Sheryl’s musical ambitions, since she could play music at night and work during the day. One evening, Sheryl met producer Jay Oliver who heard her voice and brought him to work in his studio singing jingles for commercials. After her stint singing about McDonald’s cheeseburgers, Crow joined forces with Michael Jackson during the BAD tour of 1989, and made a name for herself on stage with the legendary Jackson star. From that day forward, Crow has been a role model for girls of all ages, and she is something of a staunch political activist as well. Sheryl is still recording her music for all to hear, and her newest album “Shine Over Babylon” is available at retailers now.

Patsy Cline

2007-11-21T16:22:00.000-08:00

Some say that only the good die young, and Patsy Cline was amongst those fabulous sixties stars that died tragically in a plane crash at the young age of thirty. Though her life was short lived, her music continued to grow and inspire many people throughout the years. Today, Patsy Cline is known as one of the most influential female country artists of all time, and for good reason.

Patsy herself believe that her deep and soulful voice was a direct result of throat infection that she was inflicted with as a child, and once her sore throat had healed Patsy hardly went one day without singing. As a child, Patsy often looked up to stars such as Judy Garland and Shirley Temple, and she would often tell her young mother that she would be a star one day too. Patsy never forget her childhood ambition, and throughout her teenage years she began to enter various variety and talent shows in her area. Cline received her biggest break when she barged into DJ Jimmy McCoy’s radio show and asked him to let her sing on the radio – McCoy couldn’t resist, and Patsy enjoyed an instant fan base.

Although Patsy was actually born “Virginia,” a man she met while in her twenties, Bill Peer, would become her future manager, and he would also slap the name “Patsy” on the young star in recognition of her mother’s maiden name “Patterson.” The rest of her young life would mean great success for Patsy, and she enjoyed bouts on the Grand Ole Opry stage as well as performances for many influential television hosts. Sadly, during the month of March, 1963, while on her way home after performing in a benefit concert, Patsy’s plane crashed somewhere over Camden, Tennessee -- a mere 90 miles from the airport. Though her death was tragic, Patsy told those around her that she expected to die soon approximately two months before her death. Patsy was so sure of her impending doom that she wrote her last will, gave away personal items, and made arrangements for her children. Although her bright smile is long gone, her voice still haunts the walls of country music.

A Few Facts about Fergie

2007-11-20T16:37:00.000-08:00

Born Stacy Ann Ferguson in 1975, Fergie is an American pop/rock, hip hop, and R&B singer, songwriter, and actress. She was a member of the 80s hit kids’ television show “Kids Incorporated” and later, the girl group Wild Orchid. She was also a co-host of the television show “Great Pretenders.” Currently, Fergie is a vocalist for the hip hop/pop group “Black Eyed Peas,” as well as a solo artist. She released her own debut album “The Duchess” in 2006. That album has generated three US Billboard Hot 100 number ones, making Fergie the first female solo artist to have three number ones from the same album since Christina Aguilera in 1999.

As a child actress, Fergie (then Stacy) appeared on “Kids Incorporated” for several years with Renee Sandstrom. Both girls later became members of the group “Wild Orchid.” Stacy’s clean-cut girl image on the show is a major contrast with the current “ghetto-funk” image of the Fergie we know today. She was the voice of Sally Brown in two Charlie Brown specials in 1984 and 1984, and she also voiced Sally in the 1985 version of “The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show.”

Fergie had a guest role on Nickelodeon’s “Rocket Power” special in 2005 and then returned again to acting in 2006 with a minor role in the movie “Posiedon.” She appeared in “Grindhouse” in 2007.

Fergie has been dating Josh Duhamel of the Fox TV series “Las Vegas” since 2004. She appeared, along with the Black Eyed Peas, in an episode of the series in November of 2004. She was featured on Maxim’s Hot 100 Women of 2006 at #36, and in 2007 was voted #10. She is expected to release her second solo album, produced by fellow BEP member will.i.am, in 2008.

Madonna in the 80’s—her Early Career

2007-11-19T05:21:00.000-08:00

Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone was born in Bay City, Michigan on August 16, 1958. In 1977, she dropped out of college to move to New York where she studied for a career as a dancer. By 1979 she had signed on to dance and sing behind Disco performer Patrick Hernandez. When she returned to New York, she helped to form the Breakfast Club pop/dance group.

Madonna left the Breakfast club in 1980 to work with drummer Steven Bray, and they soon began shipping their demos to record labels. In 1982, Sire Records signed Madonna and her first dance single “Everybody” hit #3 on the dance chart. After two more dance hits, her third single, “Holiday,” became a pop AND dance hit.

1985 and ’86 were very successful years for Madonna. “Like a Virgin” released at the end of 1984, and the title single of that album was one of the biggest hits of 1985. She appeared in her first movie in ’85, as well, called “Desperately Seeking Susan.” She also toured (her first concert tour) with the Beastie Boys, appeared in the Live Aid concerts to raise money to relieve famine in Africa, and married actor Sean Penn.

The next album, “True Blue,” continued her success with major pop hits like “Open Your Heart” and “La Isla Bonita.” Her film career, however, suffered a setback when her first starring role in “Who’s That Girl” flopped miserably. A remix album appeared in 1987 but failed to sell very well, and without the release of anything new in 1988, Madonna was seen by some as a has-been.

In March of 1989 Madonna released “Like a Prayer,” which was one of the most accomplished albums of her career. The album topped the charts with “Like a Prayer” and “Express Yourself,” two of her all-time biggest hits. The video for “Like a Prayer” was showered with controversy, but fans didn’t seem to mind. Madonna’s success, however, was tarnished to some extent when her marriage ended in September of 1989.

Madonna has shown amazing resilience throughout her early career, as well as into the 90s and even today. But to some fans, the early hits will always be our favorites!

Sarah McLachlan

2007-11-18T05:21:00.000-08:00

Sarah McLachlan ruled the music charts in the 90's and she has become a household name not only for her music but also for her activism. All during her childhood it was obvious that she was talented and that music was her dream. Sarah studied music and learned to play classical guitar, piano and the ukulele. She also took voice lessons and she formed her first band, October Game, while she was in high school. She was "discovered" when she was 17 and was offered a recording contract. Sarah waited to officially get into the business for two more years, appeasing her parents who were reluctant to allow her to enter the industry at such a young age.

She did finally sign with Nettwerk Productions in October, 1987 and later with Arista in December, 1988. She released a number of albums during the 90's, the most popular of which was "Surfacing," released in 1997. Her biggest single was "I Will Remember You", released in 1999. The song is a staple in America today: everyone knows the lyrics (or at least pretends to) and just hearing this beautiful song can evoke many emotions.

One thing that Sarah will always be remembered for was her involvement with the Lilith Fair, the female Lollapalooza, which featured female artists in an outdoor concert tour setting. The Lilith fair not only created an awareness of the talented women in music, it also helped women outside of the industry. One dollar from every ticket sold in each city was donated to a charity in that city. The beneficiaries were domestic violence programs and women's shelters.

Sarah has won three Grammys, twice for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance (for "I Will Remember You" - 1999 and "Building a Mystery" - 1998) and once for Best Pop Instrumental Performance ("Last Dance" - 1998).