k.d. lang, Singer/Songwriter

b. November 2, 1961

"I'm proud that I was one of the first ones out, singing loud and proud.”

k.d. lang is a singer/songwriter known for her stunning voice, androgynous look and brilliant performances. She has been a recording artist for over 25 years, winning four Grammy Awards and countless accolades from critics and audiences worldwide. 

Born Kathryn Dawn Lang, she was raised in Consort, Alberta, on the Canadian prairie. After winning a childhood singing competition, Lang knew she was destined for a career as a vocalist. Starting in the country music genre, she earned a Juno Award (Canada’s equivalent to the Grammy) for Most Promising Female Vocalist in 1985. 

“Angel with a Lariat,” her first U.S. album, received critical acclaim. Lang’s duet with Roy Orbison on his 60’s hit, “Crying,” turned her into a bonafide star. In 1989, the pair received a Grammy for Best Country Collaboration 

“Absolute Torch and Twang” (1989), another country album, won Lang her second Grammy. “Ingénue” (1992), a collection of pop contemporary vocals, was Lang’s most successful. The album went platinum, earning her a third Grammy and launching the hit single “Constant Craving.”

After touring with veteran crooner Tony Bennett in 2001, the duo collaborated on “A Wonderful World” (2002), a tribute to the music of Louis Armstrong. The album was honored with a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. 

Bennett described Lang as “a natural in the tradition of Bing Crosby—the best singer since Judy Garland.” 

Lang has contributed music to a number of motion pictures, including Gus Van Sant’s “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues,” Clint Eastwood’s “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” and the James Bond film “Tomorrow Never Dies.” 

In 1992, Lang came out in an interview with The Advocate. She has actively championed GLBT civil rights causes and helps raise funds for HIV/AIDS care and research. 

In 2008, k.d. lang received a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.  

Bibliography

• "k.d. lang." AskMen.com. 12 May 2009
• "k.d. lang." Warner Bros. and Reprise Records. 12 May 2009"
• k.d. lang." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 12 May 2009
• Opie, Catherine. “The second coming of k.d. lang.” Times Online. 12 May 2009
• Saner, Emine. "The return of k.d. lang.” The Guardian. 12 May 2009

Books about k.d. lang

• k.d. lang: All You Get is Me (1995)

CD’s

• Angel with a Lariat (1987)
• Absolute Torch and Twang (1989)
• Shadowland (1990)
• Ingénue (1992)
• Drag (1997)
• Wonderful World (2002)
• Hymns of the 49th Parallel (2004)
• Watershed (2008)

DVD’s

• k.d lang: Harvest of Seven Years (2000)
• k.d. lang Live with the BBC Concert Orchestra (2009)

Films

• In Country (1989)
• It’s My Party (1996)
• Twister (1996)
• Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997)
• Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
• Sweet November (2001)
• Home on the Range (2004)
• Happy Feet (2006)
• The Black Dahlia (2006)
• For the Bible Tells Me So (2007)

Television

• Normal (2003)
• Words to Music: The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (2006)
• Tony Bennett: An American Classic (2006)
• Farrah’s Story (2009)

Videos

• k.d. lang performs “Constant Craving”
• k.d. lang interview with CBS News

Websites

• k.d. lang Official Website
• k.d. lang on The Internet Movie Database
• k.d. lang on Facebook
• k.d. lang on MySpace

Fred Hersch, jazz pianist

b. October 21, 1955, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Fred Hersch is a contemporary American jazz pianist who has become a consistent and highly sought after performer on the international jazz scene.

Hersch began playing piano at a very young age, growing up in the North Avondale neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio, attending Walnut Hills High School. He also had an early interest in mandolin. By age 12, Fred had written his first symphony. He studied at Grinnell College in the mid 1970s and began playing in jazz clubs in Cincinnati. He later graduated from New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. His teachers included Sophia Rosoff. He moved to New York City in the late 1970s where he soon found a place playing with artists including Stan Getz, Joe Henderson, Lee Konitz, Art Farmer, and Charlie Haden.

Hersch soon began recording his own records and composing music. Like a number of jazz pianists who have come of age over the past 20 years, he is strongly influenced by the work of Bill Evans, though Hersch has also been at pains to distance himself from Evans' influence. Although Hersch has played in a number of different instrumental combinations, he also plays as a solo performer, and many of his albums—such as Live at the Bimhuis (2005)--are solo recitals. In 2006 he was invited by club owner Lorraine Gordon to perform the first-ever solo piano booking at the legendary Village Vanguard jazz club in New York City.

Hersch's also works as a vocal accompanist and has recently recorded duo work with Jay Clayton, Nancy King, and Karin Oberlin.

In 1986 he was diagnosed with HIV. Since then, Hersch has campaigned and performed for several AIDS-related charities and causes. Along with Gary Burton and Andy Bey, Hersch is one of the few openly gay jazz musicians.

He is also a music educator, having taught at the New School University, Manhattan School of Music, Western Michigan University, and his alma mater, the New England Conservatory.

Christian Cávez, Mexican singer and actor

b. August 7, 1983

Christian Chávez (born José Christian Chávez Garza) is a singer and actor best known for his role as Giovanni Méndez López in the telenovela Rebelde and its spin off teen band RBD. Since 2007 he has been open about his homosexuality.

". This is a name you won’t know, unless you’re a fan of Mexican telenovelas. He played Giovanni Méndez López in the 2004-2006 series Rebelde. The plot centered around a group of high school students at a private boarding school in Mexico City who formed a pop band. Several cast members including Chávez went on to form a real two-time Latin Grammy nominated band known as RBD. In March 2007, a magazine published photos of Chávez getting married to his Canadian boyfriend. He promptly acknowledged his homosexuality, asking his fans for their understanding and acceptance. But in true pop music fashion, Chávez and his husband divorced in 2009 after an apparently stormy two years."

-Box Turtle Bulletin

Sir Elton John – Singer

born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947) is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor. He has worked with lyricist Bernie Taupin as his songwriter partner since 1967; they have collaborated on more than 30 albums to date.

19 on the DS list of the "50 Most Influential Gays", 2011

The Godfather of all creatures gay and small has seen and done it all – and often, to excess. Major drug addiction, failed relationships with men and women and even a marriage came and went before Sir Elton came to terms with being gay. And since then, he’s lead the parade up the yellow brick road as the rest of us follow behind. He’s raised and donated millions to AIDS research (even setting up his own foundation), married partner David Furnish, has helped celebs with their addictions and recently became a father to son Zachary. And through all that, he’s transcended sexual orientation when it comes to popularity. He’s loved by everyone – and even performed live with Guns ‘n’ Roses and Eminem.

David Geffen

b. February 21, 1943

"Happy is harder than money. Anybody who thinks money will make them happy, hasn't got money."

David Geffen is a legendary music, theater, and film mogul. He supports philanthropic causes through the David Geffen Foundation.

He has shaped popular culture for more than 30 years by launching the careers of many of the greatest performers of our time. His success in the entertainment business has come from his exceptional ability to spot and develop creative talent. Geffen began his career working in the mail room at the William Morris Agency, from which he rose rapidly to become an agent. In the 1960's Geffen brokered the deal for Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young to appear at Woodstock.

In 1971 Geffen founded Asylum Records, where he launched the careers of Jackson Browne and The Eagles and produced albums for stars including Bob Dylan, Linda Ronstadt, and Joni Mitchell, whose song "Free Man in Paris" is a tribute to Geffen. In 1980, he formed Geffen Records, producing John Lennon's last album and fostering the careers of such artists as Cher, Bob Dylan, Ashlee Simpson, Aerosmith, Guns N' Roses, Nirvana, Weezer, and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young.

In the 1980's Geffen was a backer of the musical Cats, which became the longest-running show on Broadway. During the same period, he founded the Geffen Film Company, producing films such as Beetlejuice, Little Shop of Horrors, and Risky Business, the film that launched Tom Cruise's career.

In 1994 Geffen partnered with Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg to create DreamWorks SKG. DreamWorks won three consecutive best picture Oscars forAmerican Beauty (1999), Gladiator(2000), and A Beautiful Mind (2001). More than ten DreamWorks films have box office grosses totaling over $100,000,000.

Geffen is reputedly "one of the most brilliant dealmakers ever to work in Hollywood." He became a billionaire after selling Geffen Records in 1990 and is listed by Forbes Magazine as one of the world's wealthiest individuals.

Geffen has become known for his support of medical research, AIDS organizations, and the arts. His $200 million unrestricted gift to UCLA Medical School in 2002 was the largest bequest ever given to an American medical school. He has said, "I have no interest in making money any more. Everything I make in the entertainment business will go to charity."

Bibliography:

• Hollywood.com profile
  
• Singular, Stephen. The Rise and Rise of David Geffen. Birch Lane Press, 1997.

Jan 07: Jann Wenner, Publisher

b. January 7, 1946

"I had a dream. And a vision. And a lot of passion. I was a rock and roll fan and there was no publication for me."

Jann Wenner changed rock and contemporary music coverage when he launched Rolling Stone magazine.  His eye for talent, knack for business and passion for music has kept the magazine on the cutting edge for more than 40 years.

Born in New York City, Wenner was raised in Marin County, California. He began writing about rock in The Daily Californian at the University of California, Berkeley.Frustrated that the genre was not being taken seriously in the media, Wenner left college to start his own magazine.

In November 1967, Rolling Stone was launched with Wenner as cofounder and publisher. He described it as part magazine and part newspaper, with coverage of music, politics and culture.

Wenner conducted interviews with music icons and prominent politicians, including Bob Dylan, Pete Townshend, Mick Jagger, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Barack Obama, and John Lennon after the breakup of the Beatles.

Wenner emphasized on the visual content of Rolling Stone, with celebrities photographed by Annie Leibovitz, Mark Seliger and Richard Avedon. Wenner’s publications include Us Weekly and Men’s Journal. 

In 2007, the company grossed more than $33 million.

Wenner played himself in the film "Perfect" (1985) and a sports agent in "Jerry Maguire" (1996).  He served as executive producer of MTV’s reality show "I’m From Rolling Stone."

In 1967, Wenner married a woman and had three sons. The couple separated in 1995.  Wenner and his partner, fashion designer Matt Nye, have one son together.

In 1983, Wenner cofounded the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.  He received its Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994. In 1997, he was inducted into the American Society of Magazine Editors Hall of Fame, making him the youngest honoree.

Bibliography

“Jann S. Wenner.”  Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. 2004

Kaczorowski, Craig. “Wenner, Jann.” GLBTQ: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture. March 4, 2006

Lee, Stephiane M. “The Origins of Rolling Stone: Music Magazine Grew From Bay Area Roots.” The Daily Californian. August 20, 2007

Articles
“Times Topics: Jann Wenner.” The New York Times.

Books
Gonzo: The Life of Hunter S. Thompson (2007)

Ricky Martin – Pop Star

b.December 24, 1971

Enrique "Ricky" Martín Morales better known as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican pop singer and actor who achieved prominence, first as a member of the Latin boy band Menudo, then as a solo artist since 1991.
During his career he has sold more than 60 million worldwide.

23 on the DS list of the "50 Most Influential Gays", 2011

No straight man could ever shake his bon-bon like Ricky Martin could. Despite years denying he was gay, eventually the Latin lovely fessed up and told us what we knew long before he did. In 2008, Ricky became a father to twin boys via a surrogate mum. And that spurred him on to post on his website in 2010 that he was, indeed, gay. “I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man,” he wrote. “If I’d known how good it was going to feel, I would have done it ten years ago.” His admittance made him a trailblazer as the first multi-million selling Latino artist to come out.

Sia Furler, Australian. Singer/songwriter.

b. 18 December 1975

"I've always been honest if anyone ever asked me. Before I was actually successful I'd always said I've always dated boys and girls and anything in between. I don't care what gender you are, it's about people.

Pop, down tempo, and jazz singer and songwriter. In 2000, her single, "Taken for Granted" was a top 10 hit in the United Kingdom. Her 2008 album, Some People Have Real Problems peaked in the top 30 on the Billboard 200. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2009, she won the award for 'Best Music DVD' and received six nominations at the ARIA Music Awards of 2010 and won 'Best Independent Release' and 'Best Pop Release' for We Are Born and 'Best Video' for the song "Clap Your Hands".

In 2008, Furler discussed her bisexuality in interviews with Scotland on Sunday and AfterEllen.com. In June 2010, Furler expressed a wish to marry her then girlfriend JD Samson of electro-punk band Le Tigre. The couple have since broken up.

She was included on a list of gay entertainers in the June–July 2009 issue of The Advocate, and was nominated for the Australian "SameSame25" awards as among the 25 "most influential" gay and lesbian Australians in 2010, 2009

"My name is Sia Furler. I am a unicorn fart. I was born out of the butthole of a unicorn called Steve. Someday I'll die. Between now and then I'm going to keep my shit together and sing my fucking heart out."

Clap Your Hands for our favourite singing star! The mega-successful yet humble Sia had unprecedented success in 2010 as the Adelaide-born songbird returned to Australia to accept ARIAs for her latest tracks.

Based in New York, she's enjoying making key music industry contacts - and can now name-drop with the very best of them - but often says in interviews that she misses Australia and one day hopes settle back down here with her DJ partner JD Samson.

Last year she released her fifth album which includes singles Clap Your Hands, Bring Night and You've Changed. The album, which is noticeably more upbeat than her previous few, was honoured picked up three ARIAs, including Best Pop Release and Best Independent Album.

Sia is currently touring Australia and NZ as part of the Big Day Out line-up.

-SameSame 25, 2010 

Kele Okereke – Singer, Bloc Party

b, 13 October 1981

British musician, best known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the indie rock band Bloc Party.

Okereke was born in Liverpool to Roman-Catholic Igbo Nigerian parents, and attended Trinity Catholic High School, Woodford Green for sixth form. He lived in Bethnal Green, and in 1998 he became friends with Russell Lissack, who would become Bloc Party's guitarist. A year later, Okereke met Lissack again at Reading Festival, where the band was officially formed under the title of 'The Angel Range'. In 2001, Okereke moved out of his parents' home. He went on to meet Gordon Moakes and Matt Tong who became the band's permanent bass guitarist and drummer, respectively. In 2003, the band changed its name to Bloc Party after briefly being called Union.

Okereke is extremely shy. He has expressed disdain for interviews, asking one interviewer from Skyscraper magazine, "Why is it important to know what I had for breakfast? Or who I went to bed with? Or whatsneakers I am wearing? " However, in March 2010 Okereke came out as gay in a Butt magazine article,and he then gave an interview and appeared on the front cover of the June 2010 issue of Attitude magazine. He also discussed the homoerotic story behind the Bloc Party song "I Still Remember" and the semi-autobiographical nature of it. In June 2010 Okereke was named as the Sexiest Out Gay Male Artist by music website LP33 in its annual survey.

He was listed at number 35 on the DS list of "50 Most Influential Gays", 2011:

How many gay, black, lead singers of Indie bands can you name? Probably just the one. Bloc Party had hit albums like A Weekend In The City and Silent Alarm before Kele released his debut solo album in 2010, and first discussed his homosexuality. “I’m always stopped by young, gay kids who say it’s really refreshing and encouraging to see someone like me being out in a relatively mainstream band,” says Kele. “If I’d have had someone saying it’s okay to be you when I was a teenager, I’d probably be a very different person. That is why I’m doing this now. It’s good to show that gays come in all shapes and sizes."

Jake Shears, US/UK. Singer, Scissor Sisters

b. October 3, 1978

Jason F. Sellards, aka Jake Shears, is the lead male vocalist for the American music group Scissor Sisters.

Born in Arizona as the son of an entrepreneur father and a Baptist mother, Shears grew up on San Juan Island, north of Seattle. While living on San Juan Island, he attended school at Friday Harbor High School, where he was bullied. At 18, he moved into a dorm at The Northwest School in Seattle and finished high school there.Shears came out to his parents at the urging of Dan Savage, who later called his advice "the worst I've ever given". (In 2010, he participated in Savage's It Gets Better Project.)

At 19, he was introduced to Scott Hoffman (Babydaddy). Shears and Hoffman hit it off immediately and, a year later, both moved to New York. For a while, Shears was a fixture on the New York gay and electroclash scene.

Shears and Hoffman formed the Scissor Sisters in 2001 as a kind of performance art lark, playing outrageous shows in clubs like Luxx, the heart of the electroclash scene in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where Shears lived. After a couple years struggling in New York (working with record label A Touch of Class, who produced "Comfortably Numb" and "Filthy/Gorgeous"), the Sisters finally found success in the UK and Ireland—ending 2004 with the biggest-selling album of the year in the UK.

He was listed at number 45 on the DS list of "50 Most Influential Gays", 2011:

Flamboyant, talented and a dab hand with a sequined costume wouldn’t even begin to do him justice. The Scissor Sisters front man came out to his parents as a teenager and has never looked back. Although the band’s hits may have dried up in recent years, his determination not to shy away from challenging his audience hasn’t. Take the artwork for their last album Night Work, for example, which featured the clenched buttocks of a male ballet dancer. “I had to fight like hell for that picture,” he says. “I had one of the guys from my record company call me up and tell me it was going to be one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made in my whole career. I just thought if it was going to pose any challenges for us, then those are challenges we can transcend.”