Elvis Presley

By far Elvis Presley is my all time favorite artist. His work in music and film will forever live on.

In 1954 he began his singing career with Sun Records in Memphis, his recording contract was then sold to RCA records in 1955 and then just one short year later he was an international sensation!

His new and unique sound captured the hearts of millions as he combined his many musical influences and as he challenged the social and racial barriers of his time.

Not only was Elvis a successful musician  he was an actor as well. He starred in 33 films and had many television appearances. It was even stated in one of his interviews that throughout his childhood he wanted to be an actor more than anything. So congrats Elvis! You did it!

This is an example for Elvis’ work called Hound Dog. In my opinion it is one of his best songs, although there are many more. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMmljYkdr-w&feature=related

This is just one link to the rock and roll hall of fame for Elvis but there are plenty more to look at. If you go the search bar and type in Elvis Presley you will be able to find information for days! I did this and thought it was really fun and very informative.  http://rockhall.com/exhibits/featured-collections/elvis-presley/

The most amazing website you will ever come across in your entire life. This website literally has everything you would want to know about the King. It has anything from his biography to photos and quotes. There is even an online gift shop, if you feel so inclined.

http://www.elvis.com/

 

I hope you all will enjoy the wonderful human being that is Elvis Presley as much as I do. And although he may not be around to bless us with his talent anymore he will forever live on in many people's hearts.

 

Bear McCreary: a local hero for geeks and music lovers alike

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0566970/

Bear McCreary 


      I took this photograph of Bear McCreary on 4/17/2011 at the Pickford Film Center, after attending the Craft of Composing Workshop as part of NW Projections, Bellingham's film festival.    He is signing a modified Sunbeam Model T-20 toaster that my boyfriend made to look like a Cylon, a fictional AI creature featured in the universe of the Battlestar Galactica (BSG) series. Bear McCreary scored the most recent rendition of BSG (2003 to 2009).  Music plays an interesting and powerful role in this series, almost forming a character of its own that moved the plot forward in unique ways.
      You can see Bear grow as a composer as the show developed.  When it started he was the secondary composer, under Richard Gibbs, but early in the series he left the show entirely in the hands of the fresh-faced and bushy-tailed Bear McCreary.  The show producers were apprehensive to let this guy, with such little professional experience, be completely responsible for the show's score, but Bear slowly earned their trust and then started getting more exploitative with the work he created for BSG. It is my personal belief that the score he wrote for this show is largely responsible for the huge success of the show.  I have a hard time imagining it being nearly as moving if it were scored by anyone else.
    Since then, Bear has gone on to work on many other TV series and movies. Here is a link to his  IMDd Page, which serves essentially as his resume and lists everything that he has worked on: Bear's IMDd page; As of the writing of this blog entry, there are 54 titles on his page, ranging from the currently very popular TV series The Walking Dead to the video game Dark Void to a short called Geek Like Me to the movie Step Up 3D.
   Another important thing, Bear McCreary was raised right here, in Bellingham, WA.  He graduated from Bellingham High School. A good friend of mine cleans the house of his grandparents. He is a local hero, someone from our own backyard who has made a name for himself that is spoken throughout the world.  If you take note on his home page, Bear's home page, under the "concerts" heading, he has performed in Spain, Germany, and throughout the U.S. This page also has some very good clips of his work as well as a blog that he updates frequently with ideas and thoughts about his work. This is a good place to look for inspiration if you are an aspiring film composer.
   However, if you're looking for less specific information, just a basic introduction to the man and his work, I recommend spending a minute or two here. On this site you can learn that McCreary’s formal training took place at the prestigious Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, where he completed degrees in composition and recording arts. His main professional training came from Elmer Bernstein, who is considered a legend of film music.  Another potentially helpful aspect of this site: several similar artists are named so that you can explore in different directions, if you wish. 

    Though, if you wish to dig deeper into the world of Bear McCreary, you may want to
check out Bear's facebook page; Here you can get the most up-to-date peak into his world. He'll let you know when he's updated in blog on his webpage, share some random thoughts, share links that relate to him, etc.  Also, this is a good place to send him a question or just a fan letter, if you are so inclined. From my limited personal experience, he's good about reading the letters people send and getting back to them.
   Thank you for ready my blog on Bear McCreary.  I am going to see him in two days (on 2-17-12) at the Experienced Music Project in Seattle for the closing day of BSG: the Exhibition.  I hope you check him out.  He really is a very talented and down-to-earth geeky guy that I think you'll like at least as much as I do, if you give him a try. 

So say we all,
-Holli

50 Cent: Revolutionary and a Believer

50 cent (Curtis James Jackson III): American rapper, actor, record producer, and entrepreneur  

50 Cent or Curtis Jackson was born and raised in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens in New York City. He is regarded as the number one rap artist of the 2000's. He is most recognized for changing the way rap music was portrayed by introducing dark and funky grooves that have never been heard before. One interesting fact about 50 cent is that during an incident in 2000, he was shot and hit 9 times, but still survived. To me this signifies a warrior, someone who didn't give up, but still kept trying to showcase his envision in changing the music industry. His first album "Get Rich or Die Tryin" was the most anticipated album in 2003 in over a decade. This album is regarded as the twelfth best album of the 2000's. Other than being a musical artist, he produced a record label called G-Unit, which also founded many successful rappers such as Young Buck and Juelz Santana. 

I find 50 cent a musical sensation worth sharing because of his work ethic and talents. A lot of people don't like him, but I think if you look at his music, and think deeply about his lyrics, there are a lot of metaphors. His lyrics run deep, and you definitely need skill to write something like that. Another reason why I like 50 cent is because he overcame problems that he had as a kid. As a kid, he would deal drugs in high school, but as he matured he overcame that problem and now he is an international sensation and a successful individual.

-"Get Rich or Die Tryin"-50 Cent's Debut album cover-

I love going to concerts of my favorite artists. This is the official website for 50 cent which contains his tours that he has going on, and concerts that are up and coming. There is also a section which has the lyrics for all the songs he has ever written. It also has many pictures and a store to buy 50 cent certified clothing.

This song here on YouTube called "Many Men", is my all time favorite song of 50 cent. The lyrics run so deep and I just never get tired of this song. This song was featured  on his debut album "Get Rich or Die Tryin" in 2003.

To keep up current with 50 cent, he has a twitter account which anybody can follow and read. It allows us to see what 50 cent has to say beyond his music and relate to him on a personal level.

Jason Hummel - Washington Based Photographer & Ski-Mountaineer

Although largely unknown to the mainstream public, Jason Hummel, Washington-based photographer and ski-mountaineer, has been making a name for himself among the ski-mountaineering and backcountry skiing/snowboarding community, with an ever increasing check-list of ambitious backcountry adventures and publications in various magazines. Hummel's talents, both as a ski-mountaineer and photographer are impressive and inspiring to say the least. His February 2010 ski-traverse of the Picket Range, located within the North Cascades National Park, had only been accomplished once before in the 1980s. Hummel's photographs of the dramatic landscapes and towering peaks of the Picket Range personally inspired me to embark on my own climbing adventure into the Picket Range in August of 2011.

http://alpinestateofmind.smugmug.com/

Alpine State of Mind showcases Jason Hummel's photography. Photographs can be purchased directly from this website, which is ran by Jason Hummel. All photographs included in this blog can be found at this website.

http://cascadecrusades.org/index.htm

Cascade Crusades is a website dedicated to the memory of Ben Colin Manfredi, a friend of Jason Hummel's who passed away in 2003. The site documents various backcountry explorations of Jason Hummel and friends, in addition to showcasing Jason's poetry and photography of plants and animals, all inspired by the nature of the Pacific Northwest.

http://www.doglotion.com/adventure-photographer-profile-jason-hummel

This article/interview discusses Jason Hummel's transformation from working full time as a financial advisor to being a ski mountaineering photographer whose exploits have been published in numerous outdoor magazines.

http://www.cascadecrusades.org/SkiMountaineering/pickettraverse/pickettraverse2010/pickets2010.htm

This article, written by Jason Hummel, recounts his traverse of the remote Picket Range, located in the North Cascades of Washington state, in the dead of winter 2010. A feat previously accomplished only by the Skoog party in the 1980s. This article was featured in the December 2010 issue of Backcountry magazine.

Taylor Swift: Loved or Hated

Taylor Swift: singer, songwriter, actress

Love her or loathe her, there is no escaping Taylor Swift. Many will argue Swift's ability as an artist, but the facts are the same: at just 22, Swift has sold over 20 million albums worldwide. Perhaps the most endearing thing about Swift is her approach to music. While it is true that nearly all her songs deal with feelings of love or a broken heart, I think that is part of the appeal that draws so many people into her music. She has a way of emotionally connecting with her intended audience in a way that not a lot of mainstream female artists are able to do. Through her lyrics, she is able to convey universal emotions and situations that many people have felt or experienced. In turn, people feel as if they can relate and connect with her in a way that goes beyond just her music.

Another thing I find fascinating about Taylor Swift is her fan base, or lack thereof. People absolutely love her, or cannot stand her. Many of the individuals I have met who dislike her say how “fake” she is in interviews, and to a degree, I see their point. Despite her obvious success, Swift often comes off as this naïve, starstruck woman who just so happens to be incredibly famous. And while this part of her personality even annoys me at times, there is no denying that she knows exactly what she is doing. I really enjoyed this interview (below) because it shows just that… it shows just how involved, driven, and open-to-change Swift is when it comes to being an artist in the music industry.

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1679271/taylor-swift-safe-and-sound.jhtml

Another website worth noting is Swift’s “My Life” tab on her official website, written by the woman herself. In it, Swift basically writes about her life in a very personable way that shows off her sense of humor and personality.

http://www.taylorswift.com/about

Finally, Taylor Swift’s biography.com page does an excellent job of giving a rundown of Swift largest accomplishments. To know that one person has already accomplished so much at the age of 22 (one year older than I am) is incredibly intimidating but oddly inspiring at the same time.

http://www.biography.com/people/taylor-swift-369608

Jay-Z: Rapper and Visionary

Jay-Z (Shawn Carter): Rap artist, record producer and entrepreneur

Shawn Carter, or Jay-Z, is an inspirational rap artist and entrepreneur who worked his way from the streets of Brooklyn, NY to the big-time life of success. Jay-Z is best known for his mainstream music, which is both catchy and deep. His raps describe the hardships he went through growing up in a gangster environment, and shows his love for his hometown of Brooklyn and the city of New York. 

On the web, Jay-Z is portrayed as a successful mainstream rapper who founded his own record label Rock-A-Fella (named after Rockefeller, a New York icon) and is married to R&B artist Beyonce, and recently released his newest album with Kanye West Watch The Throne. He is also has his own clothing line and is part owner of the NY Jets football team.

Mr. Carter's story is an interesting one, dealing with growing up around (and abusing) drugs and violence. He is a true Gangster, and has written many autobiographical songs on his albums American Gangster, The Blueprint, and The Blueprint 3. To know more about his upbringing here is a biography from his tour site:

http://thejayztour.com/biography.html

To check out some of his singles and music and read about his enterprises here is a useful website:

http://rocnation.com/jayz/

My all time favorite Jay-Z song, Heart Of A City (Ain't No Love), featured on his album "The Blueprint".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QePjIIBI-sI

Jay-Z has continued to be one of my favorite artists, because he grew up with so little and now holds so much. He always keeps a fresh beat, and is never afraid to keep his lyrics real and true. Also, no matter how successful he becomes, he always makes reference to where he's from and gives credit to the streets of New York (for example, his popular track "Empire State of Mind"). Even if you don't appreciate rap music and industry, you can appreciate Jay-Z's drive and hard that leads to his success.