Latest news with #Imagination
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Editorial: The influence of Brian Wilson, Sly Stone and … St. Charles?
Brian Wilson, the musical mastermind behind the Beach Boys, died at the age of 82, his family announced Wednesday. Earlier this week came news of the passing of Sly Stone, 82, whose startling originality combining elements of gospel, rock and soul enthralled audiences and fellow artists alike in the late '60s and early '70s recordings of Sly and the Family Stone. Both men were bona fide musical giants. Though their music was similar only in being groundbreaking, Wilson and Stone's lives followed similar, tragic narrative arcs. Both reached artistic peaks achieved by few others in pop music over periods of just a few years. Both were masters of the recording studio at a time when most artists left that part of their work to producers and focused on live performance. And both suffered from the ravages of drug abuse and mental illness for much of the remainder of their lives, making their many fans mourn for what more they could have offered. But what they created in their primes served as inspiration for legions of artists to come. Prince, Public Enemy and OutKast counted Sly Stone as a major influence. Wilson's lush, deceptively sophisticated harmonies and instrumentation were foundational for too many orchestral pop artists to count, and thanks to his epic rivalry with the Beatles in the mid-'60s, they pushed each other to greater heights. The Beatles' 'Rubber Soul' stirred Wilson to create his masterpiece, the Beach Boys' 'Pet Sounds,' which then inspired the Beatles' 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.' Speaking of 'Rubber Soul,' Wilson told the Tribune a little over a decade ago, 'I was so blown away by that damn album that I went and wrote ('God Only Knows.')' Paul McCartney subsequently called Wilson's work of genius possibly the greatest song ever written. Wilson set out to top the Fab Four yet again with what would have been 'Smile,' but threw in the towel on that legendary 'lost album' amid intra-band acrimony and debilitating mental health issues. Stone and Wilson both were children of California, but we choose to remember the brief but fascinating role of west suburban St. Charles in Wilson's life. Having remarried and feeling revived, Wilson moved to the suburb in the late 1990s to live near producer Joe Thomas, who worked on Wilson's 1998 comeback album, 'Imagination.' Wilson, an iconic Southern Californian, didn't learn to love Midwestern winters and in a few years' time moved back to where he once belonged. But we like to think our slightly less glamorous region played a significant role in Wilson's latter-years career resurgence that followed from what we'll call 'the St. Charles years,' topped by his 2004 celebrated re-creation with a stellar band of his vision for 'Smile.' God only knows what we'd do without the immense musical legacies Wilson and Stone left us this week. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Editorial: The influence of Brian Wilson, Sly Stone and … St. Charles?
Brian Wilson, the musical mastermind behind the Beach Boys, died at the age of 82, his family announced Wednesday. Earlier this week came news of the passing of Sly Stone, 82, whose startling originality combining elements of gospel, rock and soul enthralled audiences and fellow artists alike in the late '60s and early '70s recordings of Sly and the Family Stone. Both men were bona fide musical giants. Though their music was similar only in being groundbreaking, Wilson and Stone's lives followed similar, tragic narrative arcs. Both reached artistic peaks achieved by few others in pop music over periods of just a few years. Both were masters of the recording studio at a time when most artists left that part of their work to producers and focused on live performance. And both suffered from the ravages of drug abuse and mental illness for much of the remainder of their lives, making their many fans mourn for what more they could have offered. But what they created in their primes served as inspiration for legions of artists to come. Prince, Public Enemy and OutKast counted Sly Stone as a major influence. Wilson's lush, deceptively sophisticated harmonies and instrumentation were foundational for too many orchestral pop artists to count, and thanks to his epic rivalry with the Beatles in the mid-'60s, they pushed each other to greater heights. The Beatles' 'Rubber Soul' stirred Wilson to create his masterpiece, the Beach Boys' 'Pet Sounds,' which then inspired the Beatles' 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.' Speaking of 'Rubber Soul,' Wilson told the Tribune a little over a decade ago, 'I was so blown away by that damn album that I went and wrote ('God Only Knows.') Paul McCartney subsequently called Wilson's work of genius possibly the greatest song ever written. Wilson set out to top the Fab Four yet again with what would have been 'Smile,' but threw in the towel on that legendary 'lost album' amid intra-band acrimony and debilitating mental health issues. Stone and Wilson both were children of California, but we choose to remember the brief but fascinating role of west suburban St. Charles in Wilson's life. Having remarried and feeling revived, Wilson moved to the suburb in the late 1990s to live near producer Joe Thomas, who worked on Wilson's 1998 comeback album, 'Imagination.' Wilson, an iconic Southern Californian, didn't learn to love Midwestern winters and in a few years' time moved back to where he once belonged. But we like to think our slightly less glamorous region played a significant role in Wilson's latter-years career resurgence that followed from what we'll call 'the St. Charles years,' topped by his 2004 celebrated re-creation with a stellar band of his vision for 'Smile.' God only knows what we'd do without the immense musical legacies Wilson and Stone left us this week.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
United Way Muscatine County steps in to provide for local families
When a reorganization of Early Childhood Iowa left Muscatine County without local leadership for coordinating key early childhood and family programs in fall 2024, United Way Muscatine County stepped in to ensure vital services for families remained intact, according to a news release. As Muscatine County became part of a five-county Early Childhood Iowa (ECI) region, the absence of a local director jeopardized access to preschool tuition and transportation scholarships. United Way Muscatine County assumed responsibility for managing these funds and preserving equitable access to preschool for local families, the release says. United Way also took on oversight of the Muscatine County Community Partnerships for Protecting Children (CPPC) funds, which provide funding to strengthen local child abuse prevention efforts. This role positioned the organization to apply for the newly restructured Iowa Child Abuse Prevention Program (ICAPP) grants on behalf of the region—a shift that now favors more collaborative, regionally organized applications. 'Our community has long-standing relationships and a shared vision for child and family success,' said Kim Warren, executive director of AIM at United Way Muscatine County. 'That level of collaboration allowed us to move quickly and effectively when the structure changed. It's a testament to how united our local partners are around supporting children and families.' Thanks to strong community partnerships and an existing network of service providers, United Way Muscatine County successfully secured ICAPP and ECI funding for a range of programs including: ● Family Program Services delivered through the Muscatine Community YMCA, supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Teen Parents, and Mujeres Latinas—along with offering free childcare during program participation. ● Sexual Abuse Prevention Training provided to the community by Muscatine Community YMCA facilitators. ● Coordinated Intake through Public Health, which assesses newborn families for risk factors and connects them quickly to the services they need, including home visitation, parenting programs, and more. ● Preschool Tuition and Transportation Scholarships for families whose income falls below 200% of the federal poverty level, reducing barriers to early education. 'Receiving this funding is absolutely vital to the operation of our essential family support programming,' says Bret Olson, Executive Director of the YMCA. 'Without these crucial funds, it simply wouldn't be possible to provide this invaluable support to our community. We're especially grateful for Kim Warren from AIM, whose leadership was instrumental in ensuring these funds remain right here in our community.' Muscatine County continues to outperform in key early childhood metrics, including home visitation participation, in part due to the strong integration of coordinated intake efforts. These services, combined with wraparound supports like the preschool scholarships, Imagination Library, CPPC mini-grants, and Y Family Program Services, create a robust safety net for families with young children. Thanks to the work of Aligned Impact Muscatine County, an education initiative of United Way Muscatine County, $192,759 will continue to fund services for children and families in Muscatine County through fiscal year 2026. 'While some regions in our state were unable to form the collaborations needed to mobilize applications, Muscatine County's existing collaboration, shared goals, and trust allowed us to respond immediately,' Warren added. 'We are proud to be a trusted leader in maintaining and expanding these essential programs.' United Way Muscatine County is committed to continuing its leadership in managing state-funded early childhood and family support services—ensuring every child and family in the county has the opportunity to thrive. For more information, contact Kim Warren at kim@ or 563-594-6835. About United Way Muscatine County United Way Muscatine County is a nonprofit organization with a mission to mobilize resources to empower the greater Muscatine community to improve the lives of people in need. Through partnerships with local organizations, United Way Muscatine County focuses on increasing household independence through education and housing. The organization mobilizes volunteers, donors, and advocates to make a lasting difference across the whole county. About Aligned Impact Muscatine County: Aligned Impact Muscatine County (AIM) is a cradle-to-career collective impact initiative of United Way Muscatine County that partners with over 35 organizations to align community resources and identify effective practices for implementation to reduce achievement gaps and improve outcomes for all students and families. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Times
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Leee John: I outbid Toyah to buy my first house, for £44,000
Leee John is best known as the lead singer with the soul band Imagination, who have been described as Britain's first black supergroup. The three-piece scored a string of hits with songs like Body Talk and Just an Illusion, both of which were Top 5 UK hits in the early Eighties. They sold 30 million albums worldwide. Since Imagination split up in 1992, the flamboyant 67-year-old has appeared on the reality TV show Reborn in the USA and worked with Gorillaz on their Song Machine project. He also took part in this year's New Year's Eve concert in front of the Arc de Triomphe, which was broadcast live on French TV. John lives in London with his ginger cat, Skippy. Fifty quid, because a
Sharjah 24
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Sharjah 24
Heroes, villains, power of imagination take centrestage at SCRF
Titled 'Beyond Imagination' and moderated by Dr Lamya Tawfik, the panel discussion saw Sarwat Chadda, Dr Fatima Al-Zahra' bin 'Arab, Maitha Al Khayyat, and Hessa Al Muhairi share the secrets behind building unforgettable heroes, crafting thrilling worlds, and turning simple ideas into extraordinary stories. A hero often believes they want something badly, but the real story lies in discovering what they truly need Al Khayyat, the author of The Pearl Diver's Daughter and The Cowrie Necklace among others, spoke passionately about the emotional journey of heroes. 'A hero often believes they want something badly, but the real story lies in discovering what they truly need,' said the Emirati author while using her own narrative to illustrate how her protagonist's dream of finding a pearl transforms into a deeper understanding of sacrifice and family legacy. 'In my book, the young girl dreams of finding a pearl to prove her worth, especially as others taunt her for not having one despite her father's legacy. But by the end, she realises that the true treasure is not the pearl itself, but the sacrifice her father made for her.' The best thing you can do is connect the hero and the villain's journeys Al Muhairi, known for titles like Whose Footprints Are These? and Dinoraf - which won the Sheikh Zayed Book Award in the Category of Children's Literature, said: 'The best thing you can do is connect the hero and the villain's journeys,' she said. 'They might believe in the same goal, but the way they act on it is different — the hero uses it for good, while the villain twists it for control. In my latest book, my character comes from a planet where knowledge is collected to benefit everyone, but in another world, that same knowledge is used to dominate others.' Meanwhile Dr Al-Zahra' bin 'Arab, an academic and author skilled in weaving complex narratives, shed light on the meticulous art of crafting children's stories. "Writing a children's book differs from writing a novel," she said. "I arrange events carefully to build a logical progression towards the end." She described her process as a 'spiral' – drafting, revisiting, and reshaping characters until they live and breathe on the page. Dr Fatima also stressed the importance of authentic dialogue, noting, 'Each character must have their own voice, accent, and freedom to live or die. Dialogue should never be imposed.' Sarwat Chadda, the internationally renowned author of Ash Mistry and the Savage Fortress and other gripping fantasies, brought a lively energy to the discussion. Speaking about the timeless appeal of powerful antagonists, he said, 'Wisdom is often in the enemy. Think of Hannibal Lecter – he's the smartest man in the room. In the Ramayana, Prince Ram seeks blessings from his enemy because wisdom demands respect, even from a rival.' Dialogue in romance is often the opposite of what characters actually mean On a lighter note, Chadda admitted that romance, not horror or monsters, terrifies him the most as a writer. 'Dialogue in romance is often the opposite of what characters actually mean,' he quipped. "Pride and Prejudice is the perfect example – just say you love her! That tension, that subtext, that's the real challenge.' The session concluded with a spirited Q&A, where the authors encouraged young writers to trust their instincts, embrace imperfections, and above all, dare to dream beyond imagination.
