Emmylou Harris

Artists that have joined Harris on the road for these dates include Mary-Chapin Carpenter, Bruce Cockburn, Steve Earle, Joan Baez, Patty Griffin and Nanci Griffith. The Jacksons: An American Dream was later rebroadcast on VH-1 and released to VHS and DVD. The tour also benefits the VVAF's work to raise America's awareness of the global landmine crisis. The miniseries was the highest rated show of the week, won an Emmy Award and was nominated for three more, and won two Young Artist Awards. All proceeds from the tours support the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation's (VVAF) efforts to assist innocent victims of conflicts around the world. Williams as Suzanne de Passe, Bumper Robinson as teenage Jackie, Jason Weaver as pre-teenage Michael, and Terrence Dashon Howard as adult Jackie. Since 1999, Harris has been organizing an annual benefit tour called Concerts for a Landmine Free World. Among the actors featured in the miniseries were Angela Bassett as Katherine Jackson, Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs as Joseph Jackson, Billy Dee Williams as Berry Gordy, Vanessa L.

In 2002, Harris joined many of the same artists on the road for the Down From The Mountain Tour. The first installement of the miniseries covered the decades from Katherine and Joseph Jackson's first meeting in 1945 up until the first Jackson 5 releases on Motown in 1969, while the second part covered the years from 1970 to 1984, and the effects of the Jackson 5's phenominal success on the family. A documentary/concert film was also released about the making of the soundtrack, which is entitled Down From The Mountain. In 1992, Suzanne de Passe and Jermaine Jackson worked with Motown to produce The Jacksons: An American Dream, a five-hour television miniseries broadcast based on the history of the Jacksons in two parts on ABC. The same year she joined an all star group of traditional country, folk and blues artists for the T-Bone Burnett produced soundtrack to the Coen Brothers film, O Brother, Where Art Thou?. Main Entry: The Jacksons: An American Dream. In 2000, Harris guested on Alternative country singer Ryan Adams' solo debut Heartbreaker. Two years later, The Jacksons made a reunion appearance on Michael's September 7, 2001 concert at Madison Square Garden, which was later broadcast as a television special on November 13 on CBS.

Also, in 1998, Tara MacLean eventually recorded the cover of the Emmylou Harris christmas single Light of the Stable. The Jackson 5 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999. In 1998, Harris released Spyboy, backed with a new band which included Nashville producer and songwriter Buddy Miller. Marlon unsuccessfully attempted to start a solo career of his own, while Tito, Randy, and Jackie went on to become successful session musicians. An experimental album for Harris to say the least, the record included Harris' rendition of the Neil Young penned title track, Julie Miller's "All My Tears", Jimi Hendrix's "May This Be Love" and Gillian Welch's "Orphan Girl." U2's Larry Mullen, Jr showed up to play drums for the project. Michael and Jermaine resumed their respective solo careers, with Michael becoming one of the most well-known performers in the world. In 1995, Harris released Wrecking Ball, produced by Daniel Lanois, best known for his work with U2, Peter Gabriel, and Bob Dylan. The brothers eventually drifted apart, reuniting only once for the album 2300 Jackson St. in 1989.

They recorded a Grammy-winning live album at the Ryman Auditorium that led to the 8 million dollars restoration of the facility into a premium concert and event venue. The Jacksons released the album Victory in 1984, featuring the hit single "State of Shock" with guest star Mick Jagger, and supported the album with the massively successful Victory tour. In the early 1990s, she dissolved The Hot Band in favour of a carefully selected group of acoustic musicians she named The Nash Ramblers. Michael continued to perform with his brothers, releasing the album Triumph in 1980, which featured the hit song "Can You Feel It." Although Triumph was mildly successful, it was nothing compared to Michael's Off the Wall or its follow-up, Thriller, which went on to become the most successful album of all-new material ever. In 1980, she recorded "That Lovin' You Feelin' Again" with rock legend Roy Orbison for which they would win the Grammy Award for best vocal duo. Quincy Jones was the producer of the film's songs, and he and Michael began work on Michael’s first Epic solo album, Off the Wall, the next year. Off the Wall, released in 1979, sold six million copies and featured four #1 hit singles, causing some speculation about whether Michael would leave the Jacksons. About ten years later, Harris would team up once again with Parton and Ronstadt for the album Trio. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

In the mid-1970s, Harris began to work on albums for other major artists including Young, Rondstadt and Bob Dylan. In 1977, Michael starred alongside Diana Ross in the Motown/Universal Pictures motion picture The Wiz, an adaptation of the Broadway musical based upon L. A Christmas single, "Light of the Stable," was released shortly after which featured backing vocals from singers Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Neil Young. The show was the first variety show hosted by an African-American family. The album included a number of cover songs, including The Beatles' "For No One," and Harris's first hit single, The Louvin Brothers' "If I Could Only Win Your Love." She created The Hot Band, a groups of studio and touring musicians that included Elvis Presley band alumni Glen D. Hardin and James Burton. The Jacksons debued on June 16, 1976, and ran on CBS until its cancellation the following March. He produced her debut album, released in 1975 on Reprise Records, entitled Pieces of the Sky. In summer 1976, CBS television executive Fred Silverman signed the Jackson family (including Michael, Marlon, Tito, Jackie, Randy, Rebbie, LaToya, and Janet) to appear in their own variety show, to compete with ABC's The Osmonds.

Eventually, her path crossed with Canadian producer and future husband Brian Ahern (with whom she had another daughter, Meghann). At first part of CBS's Philadelphia International division, and later moving over to Epic Records, the Jacksons continued releasing popular singles such as "Enjoy Yourself" and "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground).". Parsons was found dead in his hotel room on September 19, 1973, from an overdose of drugs including alcohol. The Jacksons were also forced to trade Jermaine for youngest Jackson brother Randy, since Jermaine chose to stay with Motown and the Gordys. Harris toured as a member of Parsons' "Fallen Angels" band, and in 1973, Harris returned to the studio with Parsons to record Grievous Angel. Motown sued for breach of contract, and although they eventually let the group go, the Jacksons were forced to change their name to The Jacksons because Motown owned the "Jackson 5" trademark. Instead, in 1972, Hillman ended up recommending her to Parsons, who was looking for a female vocalist to work with on his first solo album. In 1975, Joe had the group sign with CBS Records, in hopes of getting better royalties and more creative control, angered at Motown's refusal to allow the Jacksons to play their own instruments on record.

Hillman was so impressed by Harris that he briefly considered asking her to join the band. Their albums declined somewhat in critical acclaim and financial success during the latter part of their Motown tenure, although albums such as Lookin' Thru the Windows (1972) and Get It Together (1973) frequently included successful album tracks, including their version of "Hum Along and Dance", a popular number in their live act. One night, in 1971, members of the country group the Flying Burrito Brothers happened to be in the audience, including former Byrds member Chris Hillman, who took over the band after the departure of its founder Gram Parsons. Later Top 20 hits included "Lookin' Through the Windows" (1972) and the disco-styled "Dancing Machine" (1974). Harris soon returned to performing, as part of a trio with local musicians Gerry Mule and Tom Guidera. After 1972, the Jackson 5's releases were less immensely successful, but they still did very well. Harris, who lived for a brief time on her own with her newborn daughter Hallie in Nashville, Tennessee, was forced, after struggling financially, to move back in with her parents, who were now living in Washington, D.C.. Jermaine started a solo career of his own in 1972, and had a Top Ten hit with his Shep and the Limelites cover "Daddy's Home." The following year, Jermaine married Berry Gordy's daughter Hazel, against the wishes of his father.

Around that same time, Harris' marriage to Slocum began to fall apart and the couple were soon divorced. His other successful solo singles included "Rockin' Robin" (1972) and "I Wanna Be Where You Are" (1973). After the album's release, Harris' record label declared bankruptcy. Michael also sung the title track for the 1972 motion picture Ben. Harris married fellow songwriter Tom Slocum in 1969, and recorded her first album the following year, Gliding Bird. In 1971, Motown also began a spin-off solo career for Michael, whose first single, "Got to Be There", was a Top 5 hit. It was around that time that Harris began to study music seriously, heavily influenced by artists like Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. Motown licensed dozens of Jackson 5-related products, and Rankin-Bass produced The Jackson 5ive, a Saturday morning cartoon that debuted on September 11, 1971 and ran for two seasons on ABC.

Harris graduated high school as class valedictorian and won a dramatic scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Other early Top 5 hits included "Mama's Pearl" and "Never Can Say Goodbye." "Jacksonmania" swept the nation, with thousands of young girls falling in love with the Jackson brothers, especially Jermaine and little Michael. Emmylou Harris (born April 2, 1947) is a country music singer, songwriter and musician from Birmingham, Alabama, USA. The Jackson 5 became an instant sensation, with "I Want You Back" and its 1970 follow-ups "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There" all going to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. ISBN 067941567X. Most of the early Jackson 5 singles were written and produced by The Corporation, who crafted for the Jackson 5 a combination of the "Motown Sound" and bubblegum pop that they termed "bubblegum soul". In The Country of Country: A Journey to the Roots of American Music, Nicholas Dawidoff, Vintage Books, 1998. "I Want You Back" was the only single from the Jackson 5's first album, Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5, which was released in December 1969.

the Jackson 5 performed it and Sly & the Family Stone's "Sing A Simple Song" as part of their television debut on The Hollywood Palace as special guests of Diana Ross & the Supremes. A week after "I Want You Back" was released asa single on October 7. The Jackson 5's first single, "I Want You Back," was written and produced by a collective of Motown songwriters and producers, including Berry Gordy, Alphonso Mizell, Deke Richards, and Freddie Perren, who were collectively known as The Corporation. Diana Ross formally introduced the Jackson 5 to the public on August 11, 1969, at a Beverly Hills, California club called The Daisy.

In 1969, Gordy moved the entire Jackson family to California, and he and de Passe began the process of grooming them as the label's next big act. The early Taylor-produced Jackson 5 records were all covers of both contemporary hits and Motown-standards, including Sly & the Family Stone's "Stand!" and their famous rendition of The Miracles' "Who's Lovin' You", written by Smokey Robinson. recording studio in Detriot. Motown began negotiations to buy out the Jackson 5's Steeltown contract; in the meantime, Bobby Taylor began producing the group's first recordings at Motown's Hitsville U.S.A.

Gordy's initial reluctance disappeared when he finally saw the boys perform, and decide to sign them to Motown. Taylor was also very impressed with the boys, and he and Motown executive Suzanne de Passe arranged for the Jackson 5 to audition for Berry Gordy in person that summer. For one of their performances in 1968, the Jackson 5 opened for Motown group Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers at Chicago's Regal Theater. That same year, the Jackson 5 made their first recordings for the Steeltown label in 1967; one of them, "Big Boy," became a regional hit.

Knight recommended the group to Motown chief Berry Gordy, but Gordy, who already had Stevie Wonder on his roster, was hesitant to take on another child act because of the child labor laws and other problems involved. In 1967, the Jackson 5 won the Amateur Night competition at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, impressing Motown Records artist Gladys Knight. During this period, the boys toured Indiana extensively, and after winning a major local talent show in 1966 with a rendition of The Temptations' "My Girl", led by Michael, they began playing professional gigs. Already showing talent as a singer and dancer, Michael eventually replaced Jermaine as lead vocalist, and Joe soon renamed the band The Jackson 5..

Jermaine sang lead and played bass, and Tito played guitar. Johnny and Ronnie were replaced the next year by Marlon and Michael, who was only 5 years old. Joe Jackson served as the manager, at first only part-time, and then eventually quitting his job at the steel mill. In 1962, Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine began performing around the Gary area with two neighborhood children, Johnny Jackson and Ronnie Rancifer, in a group called The Jackson Brothers. Joe eventually discovered that the older three boys were playing his guitar when one of the strings broke [5] (http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0311/30/lkl.00.html); although he was furious at first, he realized the boys had talent, and began making plans to create a musical act for them.

1958) would be allowed to watch, as long as they didn't tell. Younger brothers Marlon (b. 1957) and Michael (b. 1954) borrowing their father's guitar without his pernmission and playing along to the radio. 1953), and Jermaine (b.

The children found an outlet in music, with elder brothers Jackie (born 1951), Tito (b. Joe, a steel mill employee who often performed in an R&B band called "The Falcons" with his brother Luther, was a strict disciplinarian; many of the Jackson children recall being severely beaten by Joe for misbehaving. The Jacksons were a working-class family from Gary, Indiana. Katherine raised the children as Jehovah's Witnesses, and they therefore were not allowed to have many leisure activities. The Jackson 5 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, and have two songs ("ABC" and "I Want You Back") that are among the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

Their influence on later performers has been profound, inspiring a number of performers from diverse fields, including indie rock band Dashboard Confessional [2] (http://www.dashboardconfessional.com/index.cfm/action/info./), New Jack Swing group New Edition [3] (http://www.andwedanced.com/charts/apr1983.htm) and boy band Hanson [4] (http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/hanson/bio.jhtml). Coming after the label's most famous acts, the Jacksons were "the last big stars to come rolling off (the Motown) assembly line" (Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records). At the time of their early success, soul and funk stars, especially coming from Motown Records, were among the most popular musicians; Motown had launched the careers of dozens of the decade's biggest stars. The Jackson 5's sound was influenced by many of the biggest stars of the 1960s, especially including family funk band Sly & the Family Stone, album-oriented soul pioneer Marvin Gaye, doo wop boy band Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers and soul shouters like Jackie Wilson, Joe Tex, Stevie Wonder and James Brown [1] (http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0311/30/lkl.00.html).

Originally signed to the Motown label before switching to CBS Records in 1975, the Jackson 5 were one of the most popular groups of the era, eventually selling over 100 million records worldwide and becoming the only performers to have their first four singles reach the top of the American charts. All but two members of the group (early members Johnny Jackson and Ronnie Rancifer) were the male children of Katherine and Joseph Jackson (who served as the boys' manager): Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, Michael, and Randy, who replaced Jermaine in 1975. The Jackson 5 (also spelled The Jackson Five or The Jackson 5ive, abbreviated as J5, and later known as The Jacksons) were an American popular music act, active from 1962 to 1990, whose repertoire combined R&B, soul, funk, and later disco. Ronnie Rancifer (1962-1975): An original member of the Jackson 5, Ronnie remained the group's on-stage keyboardist from its inception unti lthe end of its Motown tenure.

Johnny Jackson (1962-1975): An original member of the Jackson 5, Johnny remained the group's on-stage drummer from its inception unti lthe end of its Motown tenure. He became an official member of the group in 1975, after Jermaine departed and the group switched to CBS. Randy Jackson (1972-1989): Randy unofficially began performing with the Jackson 5 in 1972, playing congas. He was the only one of the brothers to have a consistent solo career, and has become one of the most famous musicians in the world.

Michael Jackson (1963-1989): During his tenure with the Jackson 5, Michael was clearly the most popular member. Marlon then became a real estate broker and co-owner of Major Broadcasting Corporation. He released one solo LP. He eventually eloped with a fan, Carol, and, due to friction with his brothers, did not perform on the group's last album.

Marlon Jackson (1963-1989): Joing the year after the band was formed along with Michael, Marlon was sometimes beaten for his failure to live up to his brother's dancing skills. He stayed with Motown to pursue a solo career, achieving moderate success. Jermaine Jackson (1962-1975; 1984-1989): A singer, Jermaine stayed with the group until the others switched from Motown to CBS Records. Tito Jackson (1962-1989): Another original member, Tito has enjoyed a solo career as a blues musician.

He had a solo career, releasing three albums, and eventually married Enid Jackson, also later having an affair with singer Paula Abdul. Jackie Jackson (1962-1989): The eldest brother, Jackie was a singer and, prior to a musical career, a baseball player.