His Daughter ~ Molly Kate Kestner (Original)
Okay....So this is probably my favorite song I've ever written. I wrote it a year ago but I never posted it because I wanted to save it for my senior solo, but now that's over...so I am FINALLY sharing it with the world. It's called "His Daughter" and it is a story. So I hope you are inspired as I was when I wrote this. Happy Easter:)
~
https://www.youtube.com/user/mollykestnervidz
Facts and Trivia About Being A Lefty
Aug. 13 is International Left Handers day, which means those 10 percent who always feel like they’re getting elbowed aside have a day to feel special. Continue reading to find out some fun facts and trivia about being a lefty.
--Even though the body in generally symmetrical, there are some aspects that leave it one-sided: like whether a person if a lefty or a righty for instance.
--Aug. 13 was designated as Left-Hander’s Day in 1996 to bring awareness to the difficulties of being a lefty in a right-handed world.
--Their hand gestures are perceived as more polite. As per the Telegraph: "Research this week suggested that right-handed politicians have a disadvantagein television debates because their hand gestures are interpreted more negatively by audiences."
--Left-handers are better swimmers. According to LeftHandersDay.com, "Left-handers adjust more readily to seeing underwater." Sorry, they offered no actual proof of this.
--The lot of left-handers are smarter than right-handers. Or their IQ is extremely low. ABCNews touts: "Tests conducted by Alan Searleman from St Lawrence University in NewYork found there were more left-handed people with IQs over 140 than right-handed people." Famous left-handed thinkers include Albert
Einstein, Barack Obama and four of the five original designers of the Macintosh computer.
--Left-handers may be better fighters. "It has long been thought that, in the days when arguments were resolved by hand-to-hand combat, being left-handed gave people the benefit of surprise against a right-handed opponent," according to AnythingLeft-Handed.co.uk.
--They make their family smarter. "Stephen Christman and Ruth Propper at the University of Toledo, Ohio, claim that people with 'lefties' in the family have a larger corpus callosum—the connection between the brain hemispheres. This makes you better at certain memory tasks, but worse at others, they believe," according to AnythingLeft-Handed.co.uk. -Brynn Mannino, Assistant Editor
--Mothers who give birth over the age of 40 are 128 percent more likely to have a child with left-handedness than a woman who has a baby in her 20s.
--Lefties have been traced back to the caveman days. Archaeologists believe that some cave paintings were created by a left- handed artist.
--Lefties are more likely to be geniuses.
--Throughout history, being left-handed was seen as a trait marking creativity and musical ability.
--Left-handedness runs in the family, the British royal family namely. The Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, and Prince William are or were all lefties.
--Lefties are more likely to loathe spiral notebooks.
--It’s not sure what makes a person become a lefty. Some scientists say it could be more testosterone in utero; others say it could be the hand babies prefer to have in their mouths.
--Some researchers believe lefties are better at handling stimuli, which means they’re naturally better at video games.
--Some scholars say lefties are the last unorganized minority in society because they don’t have a collective power or real sense of common identity.
--Lefties tend to be more susceptible to negative emotions like depression and anger because they engage in the right side of their brains more aggressively.
--Some scholars say lefties generally die nine years earlier than righties.
--Nearly 30 million people in the U.S. are left-handed.
Left-Handed U.S. Presidents
James A. Garfield (1831-1881) 20th
Herbert Hoover (1874-1964) 31st
Harry S. Truman (1884-1972) 33rd
Gerald Ford (1913- ) 38th
Ronald Reagan (1911 - ) 40th
George H.W. Bush (1924- ) 41st
Bill Clinton (1946- ) 42nd
Barack Obama (1961- ) 44th
Left handed celebraties
Albert Einstein, really smart guy
Napoléon Bonaparte, French emperor
Prince Charles of England
Prince William of England
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime-minister
Henry Ford, automobile manufacturer
David Rockefeller, banker
Helen Keller, advocate for the blind
Edwin Buzz Aldrin, astronaut
Wally Schirra, astronaut
Paul Prudhomme, chef
Cecil Beaton, photographer/costume designer
Lord Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scouts (ambidexterous)
Dave Barry, journalist
David Broder, journalist
Edward R. Murrow, correspondent
Ted Koppel, journalist
Forrest Sawyer, journalist
Ray Suarez, journalist
John F. Kennedy, Jr., lawyer/publisher
Caroline Kennedy, lawyer/author
Ron Reagan, son of Ronald Reagan
Vin Scully, sports broadcaster
David Letterman, host
Jay Leno, host
Lenny Bruce, comedian
Allen Ludden, host
Joel Hodgson, host of Mystery Science Theater 3000
Wink Martindale, game show host
Euell Gibbons, naturalist
General H. Norman Schwarzkopf
F. Lee Bailey, lawyer
Marcia Clark, lawyer
Alan Funt, television producer
Left handed artists
Michelangelo
LeRoy Neiman
Raphael
Leonardo da Vinci
Milt Caniff, cartoonist
Bill Mauldin, cartoonist
Cathy Guisevite, cartoonist
Matt Groening, cartoonist
Jean Plantureux (Plantu), political cartoonist
Pat Oliphand, political cartoonist Ronald Searle, cartoonist
Pat Robertson, evangelist/politician
John Dillinger, criminal/bank robber
Bart Simpson, cartoon character
Ray Tharaldson, artist, photographer & videographer
Left-Handed Musicians
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, composer
David Byrne (Talking Heads)
Glen Campbell
Vicki Carr
Natale Cole
Kurt Cobain (Nirvana)
Phil Collins (Genesis)
Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins)
Dick Dale (guitarist)
Don Everly (The Everly Brothers)
Phil Everly (The Everly Brothers)
Bela Fleck, jazz musician
Glenn Frey (the Eagles)
Eric Gale, guitarist
Noel Gallagher (Oasis)
Errol Garner, jazz pianist
Judy Garland
Crysal Gayle
Kevin Griffin, guitarist & lead singer (Better than Ezra)
Thomas Hedley, vocalist/musician
Jimi Hendrix
Isaac Hayes
Tony Iommi, guitarist (Black Sabbath)
Albert King, guitarist
Melissa Manchester
Chuck Mangione, trumpet
Martina McBride, country music singer
Paul McCartney (the Beatles; Wings)
Christie Marie Melonson (opera)
George Michael (Wham!)
Peter Nero, conductor
Joe Perry (Aerosmith)
Robert Plant (Led Zepplin)
Cole Porter, song-writer
Sergei Rachmaninoff , composer
Maurice Ravel, composer
Lou Rawls
John Lydon a.k.a. Johnny Rotten (Sex Pistols / Public Image Ltd.)
Rich Szabo, trumpeter
Seal
Ringo Starr (the Beatles)
Paul Simon (Simon & Garfunkel)
Tiny Tim
Rudy Valee
Lenny White, drummer
Paul Williams, song-writer
Left-Handed Actors
Don Adams
Dan Aykroyd
Eddie Albert
Tim Allen
June Allyson
Harry Anderson
Robert Blake
Matthew Broderick
Carol Burnett
George Burns, comedian
Ruth Buzzi, comedienne
Keith Carradine
Charlie Chaplin
George Gobel, comedian
Chuck Conners
Tom Cruise
Matt Dillon
Marty Engles, comedian
Olivia de Havilland
Robert DeNiro
Fran Drescher, comedian
Richard Dreyfuss
W.C. Fields
Larry Fine (of the Three Stooges)
Peter Fonda
Greta Garbo
Terri Garr
Paul Michael Glaser
Whoopie Goldberg
Betty Grable
Cary Grant
Peter Graves
Mark Hamill
Rex Harrison
Goldie Hawn
Jim Henson, puppetteer
Kermit the Frog
Rock Hudson
Angelina Jolie
Shirley Jones
Gabe Kaplan
Danny Kaye
Diane Keaton
George Kennedy
Nicole Kidman
Lisa Kudrow
Michael Landon
Hope Lange
Joey Lawrence
Peter Lawford
Cloris Leachman
Hal Linden
Shirley MacLaine
Kristy McNichol
Steve McQueen
Howie Mandel, comedian
Marcel Marceau, mime
Harpo Marx
Marsha Mason
Marilyn Monroe
Robert Morse
Anthony Newley
Kim Novak
Ryan O'Neal
Sarah Jessica Parker
Estelle Parsons
Anthony Perkins
Ron Perlman
Luke Perry
Bronson Pinchot
Joe Piscopo, comedian
Robert Preston
Michael J. Pollard
Richard Pryor, comedian
Robert Redford
Keanu Reeves
Don Rickles, comedian
Julia Roberts
Mickey Rourke
Eva Marie Saint
Telly Savalas
Jean Seberg
Jerry Seinfeld, comedian
Christian Slater
Dick Smothers, comedian
Slyvester Stallone
Rod Steiger
Alan Thicke
Terry Thomas, comedian
Emma Thompson
Rip Torn
Peter Ustinov
Rudy Vallee
Dick Van Dyke
James Whitmore
Bruce Willis
William Windom
Oprah Winfrey
Joanne Woodward
Keenan Wynn
Stephanie Zimbalist
Left-Handed Athletes
Francis X. Gorman (diving)
Greg Louganis (diving)
Mark Spitz (swimming)
Bruce Jenner (decathlon)
Dorothy Hamill (skating)
Phil Esposito (hockey)
Oscar de la Hoya (boxing)
Reggie Johnson (boxing)
Rafael "Bazooka" Limon (boxing)
Freddie Miller (boxing)
Jacker Patterson (boxing)
Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker (boxing)
Actor Bob Hoskins, known for 'Roger Rabbit,' dies at 71
By Todd Leopold
(CNN) -- Bob Hoskins, the pugnacious British actor known for playing gangsters, tough guys and working-class gentlemen in such films as "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," "The Long Good Friday" and "Mermaids," has died, publicist Clair Dobbs said Wednesday.
Hoskins was 71.
His passing comes nearly two years after he retired from acting following a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease.
Hoskins was perhaps best known for 1988's live-action and animation hybrid "Who Framed Roger Rabbit." In the comedy, he played detective Eddie Valiant, who hates "toons" -- cartoon figures who live in a separate showbiz world bordering Valiant's 1940s Los Angeles -- and takes up the task of proving the innocence of the cartoon title character, accused of murder. The film was the second-highest grossing movie of 1988, after "Rain Man."
He followed the turn with performances in a variety of films, including 1991's "Hook" in which he played Smee, the pirate assistant of Captain Hook; 1995's "Nixon" as FBI Director J.
Edgar Hoover; and 2001's "Last Orders" as the gambler friend of protagonist Michael Caine, whose pals gather to spread his ashes after his death.
Hoskins was nominated for an Oscar for 1986's "Mona Lisa" as a cabdriver who establishes a relationship with a high-priced call girl. Caine was also in the film. Hoskins won both a BAFTA and Golden Globe for his performance.
Robert Hoskins was born on October 26, 1942, in Bury St. Edmunds, England, the only child of a bookkeeper and a cook. He dropped out of school at 15 and took jobs as a truck driver and window cleaner, among others, before falling into acting by accident: A friend was auditioning for a part and Hoskins, who was waiting nearby, was asked to try out. A natural, he got the role.
"I fit into this business like a sore foot into a soft shoe," he told the UK paper The Telegraph in 2009.
In Britain, he gained fame for his performance as a Depression-era song-plugger in Dennis Potter's miniseries "Pennies From Heaven," later turned into a 1980 movie starring Steve Martin.
Though he had a handful of recognizable roles in films after "Pennies" -- including 1980's "The Long Good Friday," 1982's "Pink Floyd the Wall" and 1985's "Brazil" (in which he played a gleefully malevolent repairman), it wasn't until "Roger Rabbit" that he broke through to mainstream American audiences.
That film drove him a bit nuts, he told The Telegraph.
"I think I went a bit mad while working on that. Lost my mind. The voice of the rabbit was there just behind the camera all the time," he recalled. "The trouble was, I had learnt how to hallucinate. My daughter had an invisible friend called Jeffrey and I played with her and this invisible friend until one day I actually saw the friend."
It was his daughter, however, who set him straight.
"My daughter, when I came back from filming in San Francisco, she said 'Dad, slow down, slow down. You're going barmy, mate.' And I was."
Always a steady and straightforward worker -- no "Method acting" for Hoskins -- he appeared in at least one production every year from 1972 until his retirement in 2012.
"There's two things I love about this business. One's acting and the other one's getting paid for it," he told the UK paper The Guardian in 2007. "The rest of it is a mystery to me."
In one of his last roles, he played the elf Muir in 2012's "Snow White and the Huntsman." In the 2011 TV miniseries and Peter Pan prequel "Neverland," he played Smee -- a character he had portrayed in "Hook."
But true to his working-class roots -- The Telegraph described his natural voice as "cockney as jellied eels" -- he hated to put on airs.
"I met a little old fella in Regent's Park when I was walking a character around. He said, 'You are who you are, ain't you?' and I said, 'Yeah, I am who I am.' And he said, 'That's good. I grow roses,' " Hoskins recalled. "And we sat talking about roses all afternoon. It was wonderful."
Hoskins is survived by his wife, Linda Banwell, and four children.
L.A. Clippers Owner to GF: Don't Bring Black People to My Games ... Including Magic Johnson
BY TMZ STAFF
L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling told his GF he does NOT want her bringing black people to his games ... including Magic Johnson ... and it's ALL on tape.
TMZ Sports has obtained audio of Sterling making the racist declaration during a heated argument on April 9th with V. Stiviano ... after she posted a photo on Instagram posing with Magic.
Sterling rails on Stiviano -- who ironically is black and Mexican -- for putting herself out in public with a black person (she has since taken the pic down). But it doesn't end there. You have to listen to the audio to fully grasp the magnitude of Sterling's racist worldview. Among the comments:
-- "It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with black people. Do you have to?" (3:30)
-- "You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote it on that ... and not to bring them to my games." (5:15)
-- "I’m just saying, in your lousy f******* Instagrams, you don’t have to have yourself with, walking with black people." (7:45)
-- "...Don't put him [Magic] on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me. And don't bring him to my games." (9:13)
Sterling has a documented history of allegedly racist behavior -- he's been sued twice by the federal government for allegedly refusing to rent apartments to Blacks and Latinos.
He was also sued by former Clippers exec Elgin Baylor for racial discrimination -- though a jury was ultimately not convinced and shot down Baylor's case.
Sterling has been separated from his wife Shelly for years. She remains a key player in running the team and sources tell us she's "mortified" by Sterling's comments.
We have made several calls to Sterling and his people ... so far, no word back.
Pet Duck Attack Leads To Neighbor's $275,000 Injury Lawsuit
(KATU) A Washougal woman is suing the owner of a pet duck in Estacada, Ore.
Cynthia Ruddell claims Lolita Rose's duck attacked her after it wandered down the street.
Ruddell's attorney, Gregory Price, told KATU, "... The duck flapped its wings at her and knocked her back and she fell down on an outstretched hand and fractured her wrist in two spots."
The incident happened May 7, 2012. Ruddell broke her right wrist, sprained or strained her elbow and shoulder, and suffered a rotator cuff injury.
The lawsuit claims Rose knew the duck had, "Abnormally dangerous propensities in attacking people."
Rose is accused of "needlessly endangering the public" because she didn't keep the duck contained and didn't warn neighbors about the danger.
"We had neighbors that indicated this duck was a crazy duck that attacked kids at the school bus stop and other people before," Price told KATU.
The suit seeks $25,000 for medical expenses and $250,000 for her pain, her suffering and the interference her injuries have had on her normal, daily activities.
Ruddell and Rose both declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Price told KATU he hopes to settle the lawsuit out of court within the next 60 days.
Cynthia Ruddell claims Lolita Rose's duck attacked her after it wandered down the street.
Ruddell's attorney, Gregory Price, told KATU, "... The duck flapped its wings at her and knocked her back and she fell down on an outstretched hand and fractured her wrist in two spots."
The incident happened May 7, 2012. Ruddell broke her right wrist, sprained or strained her elbow and shoulder, and suffered a rotator cuff injury.
The lawsuit claims Rose knew the duck had, "Abnormally dangerous propensities in attacking people."
Rose is accused of "needlessly endangering the public" because she didn't keep the duck contained and didn't warn neighbors about the danger.
"We had neighbors that indicated this duck was a crazy duck that attacked kids at the school bus stop and other people before," Price told KATU.
The suit seeks $25,000 for medical expenses and $250,000 for her pain, her suffering and the interference her injuries have had on her normal, daily activities.
Ruddell and Rose both declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Price told KATU he hopes to settle the lawsuit out of court within the next 60 days.
Mark Burnett and Roma Downey Joining MGM and Paramount's 'Ben-Hur'
UPDATED: The Christian couple produced the hit History miniseries "The Bible" and big-screen adaptation "Son of God," mobilizing faith-based audiences to flood theaters for the latter.
Mark Burnett and Roma Downey are bringing their experience with faith-based content to MGM and Paramount's Ben-Hur.
Burnett is joining as a producer while Downey joins as an executive producer.
The Paramount and MGM co-production is being directed by Wanted helmer Timur Bekmambetov.
The film is based on Lew Wallace's 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ about the nature of faith. The story focuses on a falsely accused nobleman who survives years of slavery to take vengeance on his best friend who betrayed him, but both have to choose between retribution and forgiveness.
Keith Clarke (The Way Back) wrote the screenplay with 12 Years a Slave screenwriter John Ridley revising the script.
"We are thrilled to have Mark and Roma join the production team to bring such an indelible classic story to the big screen," MGM CEO Gary Barber said in a statement. "Their unrivaled passion, creativity and success in the faith-based content space will be a huge asset to the film, and we look forward to working together."
Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore added: "A timeless film of this scale and scope requires an incredibly dedicated team of filmmakers, and the opportunity to have visionary talents like Mark and Roma be a part of the making of the film, and knowing their incredible dedication to their own faith, made them the ideal partners to help bring this story authentically to life."
Burnett and Downey co-produced History's hit miniseries The Bible, which also became the best-selling miniseries DVD of all time, and repackaged the parts about the life of Jesus for the 20th Century Fox-distributed film Son of God. With the latter, the pair reached out extensively to churches and religious groups, many of whom bought out entire theaters for showings of the film. Prior to the film's release, nearly half-a-million tickets had been purchased by churches and religious groups.
The two are currently producing A.D., a new drama series for NBC, and The Dovekeepers, a four-hour miniseries on the story of Masada for CBS, both set to air in 2015.
"What an honor it will be to help bring this epic film back to the big screen" said Burnett and Downey. "When Gary Barber allowed us to read John Ridley's amazing script, we immediately knew we had to join this team. We are thrilled to be able work with Timur, Sean, John and the entire MGM and Paramount teams. General Lew Wallace’s Ben-Hur is one of the most important Christian works of fiction ever written and this script is astounding. It will be the most anticipated movie release of 2016."
The movie is set for release on Feb. 26, 2016. Burnett joins producers Sean Daniel and Joni Levinand Downey joins Ridley, Clarke and Jason F. Brown as executive producers.
Paramount will distribute the film worldwide with MGM handling select international territories and all television distribution.
9 Facts About YouTube on Its 9th Anniversary
By Kyli Singh
YouTube, with its bottomless supply of videos, is turning nine.
YouTube, with its bottomless supply of videos, is turning nine.
The first video ever uploaded to YouTube went up on April 23, 2005, nine years ago Wednesday. To commemorate YouTube's ninth anniversary, we've put together nine fun facts about the video sharing site we all know and love.
The first video ever uploaded to YouTube went up on April 23, 2005, nine years ago Wednesday. To commemorate YouTube's ninth anniversary, we've put together nine fun facts about the video sharing site we all know and love.
1. Paypal brought founders together
YouTube was founded in 2005 by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim. The trio met at PayPal, where they were all former employees. YouTube's first headquarters sat above a pizzeria and Japanese restaurant in San Mateo, Calif.
2. It was originally a dating site
2. It was originally a dating site
An earlier version of YouTube was a dating site called "Tune In Hook Up," influenced by the site "Hot or Not," which let users rate the attractiveness of potential partners. But the idea of a video version of Hot or Not failed to catch on after a couple of months.
3. What inspired YouTube as we know it
3. What inspired YouTube as we know it
YouTube's founders say two key experiences inspired them to turn what had been a dating site into the video sharing site we all know. Karim had had trouble finding footage online of Janet Jackson's Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction and, later, of the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. And Hurley and Chen had difficulty sharing a video shot at a dinner party in San Francisco in 2005.
4. YouTube? Or Utube?
4. YouTube? Or Utube?
The domain name YouTube.com was activated on Valentine's Day in 2005 and the site was developed months after. But the domain name didn't sit well with an Ohio-based industrial equipment supplier called Universal Tube and Rollform Equipment, with the domain "utube.com." Utube.com was flooded with traffic from people trying to spell the video site, and its owners sued YouTube saying its business was hurt. Claims were dismissed, though, and Utube has changed its site to utubeonline.com.
5. And the first-ever YouTube video upload was...
The first video uploaded to YouTube, titled "Me at the zoo," made its online debut on April 23, 2005. The 19-second video was shot by Yakov Lapitsky and shows YouTube co-founder Karim at the San Diego Zoo. It has racked up 14 million views in its nine years online.
6. April Fools!
6. April Fools!
Since 2008, YouTube has featured an April Fools' Day prank on April 1 of every year. The first prank, known as "rickrolling," remains a classic: The featured videos on YouTube's main page linked to the music video for Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up." From turning the site upside-down in 2009 to allowing users to submit ideas for memes in 2014, YouTube knows how to pull a great prank.
7. Surprising stats
YouTube says users worldwide upload 100 hours of video each minute, and more than 6 billion hours of video are watched each month. More than 1 billion unique users visit YouTube each month, and 80 percent of traffic comes from outside the U.S.
8. Most Viewed Music Video of All Time
According to Videotrine, the nod for the most viewed video of all time goes to the music video for PSY's "Gangnam Style," with 1.9 billion views:
9. Most Viewed Viral Video of All Time
Not counting music videos, the most viewed viral video is the classic "Charlie Bit My Finger," which clocks in at 6.9 million views, according to Videotrine:
Meb Keflezighi first American to win Boston Marathon since 1983
Not only did Boston reclaim its marathon today, but for the first time in 31 years, an American man earned the winner’s laurel wreath in the historic run from Hopkinton to Boston.
Meb Keflezighi sped to an impressive 2:08:37 finish to become the first American man to win Boston since Greg Meyer did it in 1983. He is the first American runner to win since Lisa Larsen Weidenbach won the women’s race in 1985.
The significance of an American winning the race a year after bombs marred the event and stunned the entire country was not lost on the 38-year-old from San Diego.
"Every day since (the bombings), I wanted to come back and win it," Keflezighi said. "Since the Red Sox won and put the trophy right there (at the finish line), I wanted to do it."
Keflezighi kissed the ground and let out a victorious scream after crossing the line, bowing to the hysterical throngs lining Boylston Street at the finish, tears streaming down his face.
Kenya’s Wilson Chebet who finished fifth in the 2012 Boston Marathon, closed the gap to eight seconds on Beacon Street near Kenmore Square, but couldn’t get the kick needed to catch the American, who surged down Boylston Street to a deafening reception from the crowd.
"The last three to four miles, (the crowd) pushed me through it," Keflezighi said. "I'm so lucky to be the champion.
"It's not about me," he continued. "It's Boston Strong. Meb Strong."
Chebet finished second in 2:08:48. Frankline Chepkwony of Kenya finished third in 2:08:50. Americans Nicholas Arciniaga and Jeffrey Eggleston finished seventh and eighth, respectively.
Keflezighi seemed to take control of the race at the 25K mark in Newton.
Keflezighi won the 2009 New York City Marathon in 2009 (2:09.15) and has some impressive Olympic performances on his resume. He finished fourth in the 2012 marathon at the London Summer Games and won the silver medal in the 2004 Summer Games in Athens.
Country music singer Kevin Sharp dead at 43
photo COURTESY OF SUE VELDKAMP/AP
FAIR OAKS, Calif. - Kevin Sharp, a country music singer who recorded multiple chart-topping songs and survived a well-publicized battle with cancer, has died. He was 43.
The singer, author, and motivational speaker made his big debut in Country music in 1997 with the No. 1 hit, “Nobody Knows,” a cover of a song originally made popular by R&B artist Tony Rich. The single topped the Billboard country charts for four weeks. Sharp’s debut album Measure of a Man was released the same year, producing additional Top 5 singles “If You Love Somebody” and “She’s Sure Taking It Well.”
Being a cancer survivor, he was an active supporter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He authored an inspirational book, Tragedy’s Gift, about his experience and toured the U.S. as a motivational speaker.
Born December 10, 1970, Sharp grew up in Weiser, Idaho in a musical family of seven children and many foster children. They moved to Sacramento, California as Sharp was entering his second year of high school. A gifted athlete who excelled in several sports, he began experiencing fatigue and unexplained pain that was later diagnosed as a rare form of bone cancer (Ewings Sarcoma) that had spread to his lungs. During his senior year of high school, Sharp was told that his chance of survival was slim.
Uncertain if he would live six months, he was introduced to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses. They honored his wish of meeting producer/performer David Foster. That friendship sustained Sharp through two grueling years of chemotherapy, experimental drugs, and radiation treatments. It also opened the door for Sharp to pursue his dream of becoming a Country artist, and he eventually landed a deal with Asylum Records in Nashville.
To the surprise of many, he went into remission in 1991 and the disease did not return. However, he experienced lifelong health issues as a result of the aggressive treatment.
Sharp’s musical career garnered many accolades including New Male Vocalist from the Academy of Country Music, New Male Touring Artist of the Year from the Country Music Association/SRO, Favorite New Country Artist from the American Music Awards, Billboard Magazine’s Best New Country Video and TNN/Music City News Male Star of Tomorrow.
His last single was 2011’s “Let Me Rock You To Sleep.”
Donations can be made in his memory to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Memories of Sharp can be emailed to sharp@kevinsharp.com, and cards for the family can be sent to:
Kevin Sharp
c/o Cupit Music Group
7309 Tidwell Road
Nashville, TN 37209
A memorial service celebrating Sharp’s life is being planned for Nashville. More information will be released in the near future.
He is survived by his mother, and siblings Lisa, Mary, Ron, Gregg, Richard, Larry and Genni.
FAIR OAKS, Calif. - Kevin Sharp, a country music singer who recorded multiple chart-topping songs and survived a well-publicized battle with cancer, has died. He was 43.
His sister Mary Huston said Sharp died at his mother's Fair Oaks home at 10:49 p.m. Saturday of complications from past stomach surgeries and digestive issues.
"He had a strong heart, that's what kept him alive, (but) I'm so happy for him, that there's no more suffering," Huston said through tears and exhaustion. She had cared for her brother since his return home to Northern California last Friday after 10 weeks in the hospital.
The singer, author, and motivational speaker made his big debut in Country music in 1997 with the No. 1 hit, “Nobody Knows,” a cover of a song originally made popular by R&B artist Tony Rich. The single topped the Billboard country charts for four weeks. Sharp’s debut album Measure of a Man was released the same year, producing additional Top 5 singles “If You Love Somebody” and “She’s Sure Taking It Well.”
Being a cancer survivor, he was an active supporter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He authored an inspirational book, Tragedy’s Gift, about his experience and toured the U.S. as a motivational speaker.
Born December 10, 1970, Sharp grew up in Weiser, Idaho in a musical family of seven children and many foster children. They moved to Sacramento, California as Sharp was entering his second year of high school. A gifted athlete who excelled in several sports, he began experiencing fatigue and unexplained pain that was later diagnosed as a rare form of bone cancer (Ewings Sarcoma) that had spread to his lungs. During his senior year of high school, Sharp was told that his chance of survival was slim.
Uncertain if he would live six months, he was introduced to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses. They honored his wish of meeting producer/performer David Foster. That friendship sustained Sharp through two grueling years of chemotherapy, experimental drugs, and radiation treatments. It also opened the door for Sharp to pursue his dream of becoming a Country artist, and he eventually landed a deal with Asylum Records in Nashville.
To the surprise of many, he went into remission in 1991 and the disease did not return. However, he experienced lifelong health issues as a result of the aggressive treatment.
Sharp’s musical career garnered many accolades including New Male Vocalist from the Academy of Country Music, New Male Touring Artist of the Year from the Country Music Association/SRO, Favorite New Country Artist from the American Music Awards, Billboard Magazine’s Best New Country Video and TNN/Music City News Male Star of Tomorrow.
His last single was 2011’s “Let Me Rock You To Sleep.”
Donations can be made in his memory to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Memories of Sharp can be emailed to sharp@kevinsharp.com, and cards for the family can be sent to:
Kevin Sharp
c/o Cupit Music Group
7309 Tidwell Road
Nashville, TN 37209
A memorial service celebrating Sharp’s life is being planned for Nashville. More information will be released in the near future.
He is survived by his mother, and siblings Lisa, Mary, Ron, Gregg, Richard, Larry and Genni.
Former Oak Ridge Boys' bass Noel Fox passes away
By Jerry Kirksey
Noel Fox was one of the Oak Ridge Boys' most beloved singers. In the four years Noel sang bass he won the hearts of Oak Ridge fans across America. Noel replaced Herman Harper when Herman decided he wanted to come off the road to be with his family. Noel was with the Oaks from 1969-1972.Before joining the Oaks Noel sang in the Tennesseans Quartet with Dale Shelnut. He joined the Harvesters Quartet in 1964.
Noel suffered a massive stroke several days ago. After surgery, his condition deteriorated. Yersterday the decision was made to remove him from life support. He died mid afternoon on April 10, 2003.
Douglas Noel Fox was born October 31, 1939 in Columbia, Tennessee. He was the son of T.P. and Elizabeth Fox. Noel is survived by his wife, two daughters, and a son.
Noel was with the Oak Ridge Boys while they were still full time in Southern Gospel Music. He sang on Oak hits such as, "Jesus Is Coming Soon", "I Know", "House of Gold", and "Wings of A Dove."
Current Oak Ridge Boys
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)