NEIL SEDAKA - He was born in Brooklyn on March 13, 1939. He first demonstrated musical aptitude in his second-grade choral class, and when his teacher sent a note home suggesting he take piano lessons, his mother got a part-time job in a department store for six months to pay for a second-hand upright. In 1947, he auditioned successfully for a piano scholarship to the prestigious Juilliard School of Music's Preparatory Division for Children, which he began to attend on Saturdays.

He also maintained an interest in popular music, and when he was 13, a neighbor heard him playing and introduced him to her 16-year-old son, Howard Greenfield, an aspiring poet and lyricist; the two began writing songs together.

In high school, Sedaka formed a vocal group, the Tokens. After singing at local functions, they got an audition with a music publisher in Manhattan at the famed Brill Building. This, in turn, led to an audition with the head of a small label, Melba Records, which released a single containing two Sedaka/Greenfield compositions, "I Love My Baby" and "While I Dream," in 1956.

Around the same time, another song written by Sedaka, "Never Again," was recorded by Dinah Washington for Mercury Records. Singer, songwriter, and pianist Neil Sedaka enjoyed two distinct periods of commercial success in two slightly different styles of pop music: first, as a teen pop star in the late '50s and early '60s, then as a singer of more mature pop/rock in the 1970s. In both phases, Sedaka, a classically trained pianist, composed the music for his own hits, and served as a songwriter for other artists, resulting in a string of hits year in and year out.

He wrote eight U.S. Top Ten pop hits, including the chart-toppers "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do," "Laughter in the Rain," and "Bad Blood." Over the years, his songs were recorded by a wide range of pop, rock, country, R&B, and jazz performers including ABBA, LaVern Baker, Shirley Bassey, Glen Campbell, the Carpenters, Nick Carter, Cher, Petula Clark, Patsy Cline, Rosemary Clooney, Sheryl Crow, Bobby Darin, Neil Diamond, Gloria Estefan, the 5th Dimension, the Four Seasons, Connie Francis, Crystal Gayle, Lesley Gore, the Happenings, Engelbert Humperdinck, Wanda Jackson, Jan & Dean, Tom Jones, Carole King, Earl Klugh, Peggy Lee, Little Anthony & the Imperials, Johnny Mathis, Clyde McPhatter, Maria Muldaur, the Monkees, Bernadette Peters, Wilson Pickett, Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard, the Searchers, Sha Na Na, and Glenn Yarbrough, among many others. The most successful cover of one of his compositions was Captain & Tennille's recording of "Love Will Keep Us Together," charting at number one.

To this day, Sedaka continues to compose, perform and tour.
Performances on YouTube Here, Here and Here.
www.neilsedaka.com

BEVERLY SILLS - Born Belle Miriam Silverman to first generation immigrants of Russian-Jewish background, and was raised in a working-class neighborhood of Brooklyn, Beverly's mother was convinced of her daughter's musical talents when the three-year-old won a talent contest, and so the youngster was provided with lessons in dance, voice and elocution.

In the 1930s, Sills performed professionally on radio and in the 1936 short film "Uncle Sol Solves It". In 1936, she auditioned for CBS Radio's Major Bowes' Amateur Hour, became a member of his company, and was heard every Sunday across the nation.

In 1945, Sills made her professional stage debut with a Gilbert & Sullivan touring company and sang operetta for several years. In 1947, she made her operatic stage debut as Frasquita in Bizet's Carmen with the Philadelphia Civic Opera. In 1955, she first appeared with the New York City Opera as Rosalinde in Strauss's Die Fledermaus. The performance drew raves from the newspaper critics, as did her follow-up work in the title role in Douglas Stuart Moore's The Ballad of Baby Doe.

In 1956, Beverly married publisher Peter Greenough, and the couple had two children. Upon learning that one was virtually deaf and the other mentally challenged, she temporarily retired from the stage in order to care for them.

Sills resumed her career in January 1964 in Boston. In 1966, the New York City Opera revived Handel's then virtually unknown opera masterpiece Giulio Cesare, and Sills' performance as Cleopatra made her an international opera star. In subsequent seasons, Sills took on many varied and prestigious roles with the company. In April 1975, Sills made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in The Siege of Corinth, receiving an eighteen-minute ovation.

Although essentially a "dramatic coloratura" as a voice type, Sills took on a number of heavier roles as she grew older, including Violetta in Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata and Gaetano Donizetti's Maria Stuarda, and Roberto Devereux. Sills later commented that Roberto Devereux "shortened her career by four years."

After Sills retired from the stage in 1980, she served as general director of the New York City Opera until 1991, where she helped turn what was then a financially struggling opera company into a viable enterprise. From 1994 to 2000, she was chairman of the Lincoln Center. She also devoted herself to various arts causes and such charities as the March of Dimes. Beverly returned from retirement in 2002 to serve as chairman of the Metropolitan Opera, but resigned the position in January 2005 to spend more time with her family.

During her illustrious operatic career, Sills recorded eighteen full-length operas. She also starred in eight opera productions televised on PBS and participated in such specials as Sills and Burnett at the Met, with Carol Burnett, Profile in Music, which won an Emmy Award, and A Conversation with Beverly Sills. In 1976, Sills published a memoir, Bubbles: A Self-Portrait, which she followed up with Beverly: An Autobiography, written with Lawrence Linderman.

Beverly Sills died at age 78 on July 2, 2007.

Beverly Sills - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverly_Sills and http://www.greatwomen.org/women.php?action=viewone&id=144 and http://www.frenchculture.org/people/honorees/sills.html

Beverly Sills Performances on Video Here.
http://www.vodpod.com/pod/show_video/142501 and
http://www.vodpod.com/pod/show_video/116505 and
http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=1106407687&fr=yfp-t-501 and
http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=751583&fr=yfp-t-501.

GENE SIMMONS - 'The Demon' of the band KISS - was born Chaim Witz in Israel and raised in Brooklyn. Along with Paul Stanley (Starchild), Peter Criss (The Cat) and Paul "Ace" Frehley ('The Spaceman') he formed the original version of KISS after his earlier band, Wicked Lester, called it quits in the early 70s.

The self-proclaimed "hottest band in the land" had its humble beginnings playing Long Island and New York clubs. Simmons' group found a sound that united British glam with New York rock and roll sensibility, and their stage personas gave them a unique identity. After releasing three studio albums that developed a cult following, the group scored a major chart hit in 1975 with a live version of their anthem "Rock and Roll All Nite". KISS quickly became known worldwide for its elaborate stage shows, driving music, and extravagant costumes. The members would also become rock's most mysterious figures; managing to prevent the press from getting photos of them without their trademark stage make-up for nearly ten years.

Thirty-two years after the release of the band's first album, the "KISS Army" - as their fans became affectionately known - marches on, and the band continues to thrill audiences with its powerful stage show. Gene Simmons' thunderous bass, demonic growl during crowd favorites like 'God of Thunder', and outrageous stunts remain constants. Between KISS tours, Simmons managed to branch out as an actor on both the big and small screen. He is also a best-selling author, and a multi-faceted entrepreneur who has turned the KISS franchise into a multi-million dollar industry.

He has been happily unmarried to Shannon Tweed, the mother of his two children, for twenty-two years. The family is currently the focus of the reality series 'Family Jewels' on A&E.

Performances on YouTube Here, Here and Here.

SIMON AND GARFUNKEL - In the mid-1950s, two teenagers from Forest Hills, Queens struck up a friendship that led to an incredible musical journey. "Tom and Jerry", known to their families as Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, found fame with the regional hit "Hey Schoolgirl" in 1957. The song managed to get them a spot on American Bandstand - every young pop star's dream. But after struggling both together and individually for over six years to record a successful follow-up, the two went their separate ways.

Paul Simon spent the years that followed honing his craft as a songwriter, working in the famed Brill Building alongside other greats like Doc Pomus and Carole King. Paul and Art decided to try again in 1964, and they released an album for Columbia Records under their given names. They had become darlings of the Greenwich Village crowd, but while their new acoustic "folk" recording attracted a larger and hipper audience, it was not going to make them pop stars.

Feeling that the two had done all they could with the album, Paul headed off to England and Art returned to his plans to become an architect. Simon developed a strong following as a solo artist in the U.K. during his numerous visits. He was invited to play on BBC radio, and even recorded a solo acoustic album that included a few of the compositions songs that he would later re-record with his gifted musical associate, Art Garfunkel.

Fate, luck, and a clever producer named Tom Wilson intervened to help catapult Simon and Garfunkel - the duo - onto the charts. Wilson hired a group of studio musicians to put electric instrumental backing behind the album's closing song "Sounds of Silence", reasoning that the new arrangement could cash in on the "folk-rock" sound being popularized by groups like The Byrds and the newly-"plugged-in" Bob Dylan. The gamble paid off. Paul Simon was summoned back from England with the news that he had a number one single. Much to their surprise, the duo was back on top.

Over the next four years, Simon's well-written songs, presented in transcendent two-part harmony with his childhood friend Art, would top the pop music charts. And songs like "The Boxer", "Bridge Over Troubled Water" "Homeward Bound" and "I Am A Rock" remain radio staples nearly thirty five years later. Unfortunately, the harmony found in these recordings did not always cross over into the duo's personal relationship. But after splitting initially in 1970, the two have reunited on a number of occasions, most notably for the 1975 hit "My Little Town" and for their 1981 performance in Central Park that was attended by over 500,000 fans. In 2003 Simon and Garfunkel launched their hugely successful 'Old Friends' tour, which was documented on DVD and CD. Their set captured highlights of their entire career, touched upon their solo works, and delighted audiences comprised, in part, of fans that hadn't even been born when two teenagers from Queens first called out to that schoolgirl in the second row.

Simon and Garfunkel - http://www.simonandgarfunkel.com/ and
http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=188 and http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1951161
and http://www.paulsimon.com and http://www.artgarfunkel.com/

Simon & Garfunkel Performances on Video Here.
http://www.vodpod.com/pod/show_video/116787 and
http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=14135&fr=yfp-t-501 and
http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=465927&fr=yfp-t-501 and
http://www.vodpod.com/pod/show_video/15305

STANLEY HARVEY EISEN (AKA PAUL STANLEY) - He was born in Queens in 1952. The guitarist and vocalist in KISS is also the writer or co-writer of most of the band's highest-charting hits, including "Rock And Roll All Nite", "Hard Luck Woman", "I Was Made For Lovin' You", and "Forever". Through a mutual friend of Gene Simmons, Stanley joined Simmons' band Wicked Lester in the early 1970s. The band recorded an album in 1971, but later disbanded, and Simmons and Stanley formed KISS with Peter Criss and Ace Frehley shortly thereafter. The new group felt they needed an 'angle', so they adopted unique personas and began experimenting with stage make-up.

After an apprenticeship playing clubs around Queens and Manhattan, KISS landed a deal with the newly formed Casablanca Records, and released their self-titled debut in February 1974. Wearing spandex and platform boots, Stanley's persona became that of a Don Juan-esque lover - dubbed 'Starchild'.

Paul's powerful stage voice has incited audiences to 'Rock and Roll All Nite' for over thirty years. In 1999 Stanley drew favorable reviews playing the title role in a Toronto production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera. While in Toronto, Stanley was contacted by AboutFace, an organization that provides support and information to individuals with facial differences. He has since appeared at fundraising events and in videos to help raise awareness for the organization. In 2005, Stanley made his debut as a painter, exhibiting and selling original works of art.

Performances on YouTube Here, Here and Here.

STRAY CATS - In 1979, guitarist/vocalist Brian Setzer, along with Massapequa school friends Lee Rocker (born Leon Drucker) and Slim Jim Phantom (born James McDonnell) formed the rockabilly band, The Stray Cats. The group's style was based upon the sounds of Sun Records artists from the 50s - Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash - with a nod to the late Swing Era style of Bill Haley and the Comets.

The Stray cats had little initial success in the New York music scene, and had to move to England before they saw any success at all within the nascent rockabilly revival there. The group had several hit singles in the U.K. and the U.S. during the early 1980s. After a gig in London, the Stray Cats met producer Dave Edmunds, well known as a roots rock enthusiast for his work with Rockpile and as a solo artist. Edmunds offered to work with the group, and they entered the studio to record their self-titled debut album, Stray Cats, released in England in 1981 on Arista Records. They were popular immediately, scoring three straight hits that year with "Runaway Boys," "Rock This Town," and "Stray Cat Strut."

The band returned home, signed with EMI America, and, in 1982, released Built For Speed, a combination of their first two British albums. They had two number one singles on the charts, and charted again in 1983 with "(She's) Sexy+17" and the doo-wop styled "I Won't stand in Your Way".

The Stray Cats' first split was in 1984, but the band regroups periodically to record and tour with great success, and the individual members have enjoyed successful solo careers. Phantom and Rocker formed the trio Phantom, Rocker & Slick, and Brian Setzer has returned to his roots as the leader of the Brian Setzer Orchestra.

Performances on YouTube Here, Here and Here.

www.straycats.com

BARBRA STREISAND - Barbra Streisand (born Barbara Joan Streisand on April 24, 1942 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn) was educated at Beis Yakov School and then famed Erasmus Hall High School, where she graduated fourth in her class in 1959, and overlapped by a year future collaborator (and 2007 LIMHOF classmate) Neil Diamond.

In 1962, she signed with Columbia Records and her debut album, "Pins and Needles", became the nation's top-selling record by a female vocalist. Since then, she has released more than 60 chart-topping albums.

Her early music career led to her appearance on stage in the musicals "I Can Get It For You Wholesale" and the 1964 comedy "Funny Girl" (the film version of which would garner her an Academy Award in 1968). Shortly after receiving widespread recognition for her stage success, Barbra was offered a 10-year contract with CBS television to produce and star in a variety of TV specials including "My Name is Barbra" and "Color Me Barbra".

Starting in 1969, Streisand tackled contemporary songwriters; and found success with the pop and ballad-oriented, Richard Perry-produced "Stoney End" in 1971, whose Laura Nyro-written title track was a big hit. During the 1970s she was highly prominent in the pop charts, with number-one records like "The Way We Were", "Evergreen" (for which she received her second Academy Award in 1976), "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" and "Woman In Love"; some of which came from the soundtracks to her films.

Streisand returned to her musical theater roots with 1985's "The Broadway Album". This held the #1 Billboard position for 3 weeks straight, and was 3x Platinum. The album featured songs reworked by Stephen Sondheim especially for this recording, was critically acclaimed, nominated as Album of the Year and landed Streisand her 8th Grammy as Best Female Vocalist.

In 1991 she released a four-disc box set, entitled "Just for the Record". A separate disc, entitled "Highlights from Just for the Record" featured two dozen tracks, including live material, greatest hits, and rarities, from her early recordings up to 1991.

Recent albums have included "Christmas Memories" (2001), "The Movie Album" (2003), featuring famous movie themes and backed by a large symphony orchestra, and "Guilty Pleasures" (2005), a collaboration with Barry Gibb and a sequel album to their previous "Guilty".

During the course of her 45-year career, Barbra has become recognized as a dedicated spokesperson and fundraiser for a variety of social causes. The Streisand Foundation has raised money for various causes including human rights and the preservation of the environment. The majority of her concerts over the past 30 years have been devoted to supporting and raising money for important issues such as AIDS.

Barbra Streisand - www.barbrastreisand.com

Barbra Streisand Performances on Video Here.
http://barbrastreisand.vodpod.com/video/219634-barbra-streisand-my-man
http://barbrastreisand.vodpod.com/video/219653-barbra-streisand-people
http://barbrastreisand.vodpod.com/video/219590-barbra-streisand-tony-bennett-smile
http://barbrastreisand.vodpod.com

STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT STONY BROOK - The State University of New York campus at Stony Brook became a popular concert venue several years after it opened in 1962.

In the fall of 1967, Sandy Pearlman, Alan Shapiro, Howie Klein, Mary Beth Olbrych, Moyssi and others who were active in the Student Activities Board began presenting concerts in different buildings on campus, starting with Soft White Underbelly, the group which later evolved into Blue Oyster Cult. The admission price was only fifty cents for student.

Between 1967 and 1971, the Student Activities Board presented such rock legends as Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Janis Joplin, The Moody Blues (with guest Timothy Leary), Pink Floyd, and The Who. The Allman Brothers took up residence at Stony Brook in April of 1970, where they rehearsed and performed on campus in preparation for their now legendary stint at the Fillmore East. Other shows that year included Santana, B.B. King, Small Faces and the Grateful Dead, who performed four shows over the Halloween weekend. But the high point of the 1970 season was the May 1st outdoor concert on the Athletic Field featuring the Jefferson Airplane, which drew a crowd of close to 50,000 fans who came to celebrate the first Earth Day.

At one time, Stony Brook was known as "The Fillmore East East". Fillmore owner Bill Graham was one of several New York area promotors with contractual clauses that prevented headliners from performing within a 50-mile radius of their venues. Long Islanders had the geographic good fortune to have Stony Brook sit 52 miles away from the Fillmore, which assured the campus its place in music history.

The concerts continued through the '70s and beyond with appearances by: Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, The Band, Phish, Busta Rhymes, Hot Tuna, Miles Davis, The Ramones, The Psychedelic Furs, Peter Gabriel, U.K., King Crimson, Jerry Garcia, Jimmy Cliff, Frank Zappa, Judy Collins, Gil-Scott Heron, and many others. In 1978, an inaugural concert by Pat Metheny launched The Staller Center, a new venue featuring regular performances on campus._Stony Brook is the home of the world-renowned Emerson String Quartet, considered to be one of the best chamber ensembles in the world. They have won an unprecedented six Grammy Awards. In 2002, the Emerson joined Stony Brook as Quartet-in-Residence, coaching chamber music, teaching master classes and providing instrument instruction.

Audio Portrai

http://www.wusb.fm/concerts/