Tolkien Reading Day
There is an annual event, launched by The Tolkien Society in 2003, that takes place on March 25. It has the aim of encouraging the reading of the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, and the use of Tolkien's works in education and library groups. The date of March 25 was chosen in honour of the fall of Sauron, in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.
The day was originally suggested by columnist Sean Kirst, of the Syracuse, NY Post-Standard newspaper. He has organized Tolkien Reading Days every year since 2008.
Sir Elton Hercules John
John became famous in the early 1970s when he and songwriter Bernie Taupin wrote several songs which he performed and recorded. John became a huge star, not only for his musical abilities, but for his flamboyant stage personality. He also composed several musicals and the music for the films The Lion King (1994) and The Road to El Dorado 2000) and is active in charity work. In remembrance of Diana, Princess of Wales, John released an altered version of his hit Candle in the Wind in 1997, originally written about Marilyn Monroe. This went on to become the world's biggest selling single of all time with 37 million copies sold within 2 months. In 2005 John entered a civil partnership with David Furnish, after 12 years together.
John became chairman and director of Watford Football Club in 1976, appointing Graham Taylor as manager and investing large sums of money as the club rose three divisions into the First Division. The pinnacle of the club's success was finishing runners up in the First Division in 1983 and reaching the FA Cup Final a year later. He sold the club to Jack Petchey in 1987, but remained their lifelong president. In 1997 he re-purchased the club from Petchey and once again became chairman. He stepped down in 2002 when the club needed a full-time chairman although he continued as president of the club. Although no longer the majority shareholder, he still holds a significant financial interest. In June 2005 he held a concert at Watford's Vicarage Road ground, donating the funds to the club, and another concert in May 2010. For a time he was also a part-owner of the Los Angeles Aztecs of the North American Soccer League.
ReplyDeleteAs for musical style, John's voice was once classed as tenor; it is now baritone. His piano playing is influenced by classical and gospel music. He used Paul Buckmaster to arrange the music on his studio albums during the 1970s.
ReplyDeleteRichard Timothy Smith (born 25 March 1942), better known under his stage name Richard O'Brien, is an English writer, actor, television presenter and theatre performer. He is perhaps best known for writing the cult musical The Rocky Horror Show and for his role in presenting the popular TV show The Crystal Maze. In addition to writing The Rocky Horror Show, O'Brien also co-wrote the screenplay of the 1975 film adaptation The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and appeared in the film himself as the character Riff Raff. The stage show has been in almost continuous production and the cinematic version is one of the best known and most ardently followed cult films of all time. He is also the voice of Lawrence Fletcher, the title characters' father in Phineas and Ferb.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite John's song is "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" .
ReplyDeleteWe sang it at the school days! what a wonderful time it was!
Alan John Percivale Taylor, FBA (25 March 1906 – 7 September 1990) was a British historian who specialised in 19th and 20th century European diplomacy. Both a journalist and a broadcaster, he became well known to millions through his television lectures. His combination of academic rigour and popular appeal led historian Richard Overy to describe him as "the Macaulay of our age".
ReplyDeleteI agree with Vera. This song is very beautiful!
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