BEGIN:VCALENDAR PRODID;X-RICAL-TZSOURCE=TZINFO:-//com.denhaven2/NONSGML ri_cal gem//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN VERSION:2.0 BEGIN:VEVENT DESCRIPTION:Jon Anderson \;has one of the most recognizable voices in progressive rock. As the lead vocalist and creative force behind the ba nd Yes\, Jon Anderson was central to that band&rsquo\;s phenomenal succe ss.\nAnderson was the author and a major creative influence behind the s eries of epics produced by Yes and his role in creating such complex pie ces as "Close to the Edge"\, "Awaken"\, and especially "The Gates of Del irium.&rdquo\; Additionally\, Anderson co-authored the group's biggest h its\, including "I've Seen All Good People\," Roundabout\," and "Owner O f A Lonely Heart." Jon was born John Roy Anderson in Accrington\, Lancas hire\, England\, to Albert and Kathleen Anderson\, who were of Irish anc estry. Anderson dropped the "h" from his first name in 1970. In 1962\, A nderson joined The Warriors\, where he and his brother Tony shared the r ole of lead vocalist. He quit this band in 1967\, released two solo sing les in 1968 under the pseudonym Hans Christian Anderson\, and then brief ly sang for the bands The Gun and The Open Mind. In March 1968\, Anderso n met bassist Chris Squire and joined him in a group called Mabel Greer' s Toyshop\, which had previously included guitarist Peter Banks. Anderso n fronted this band\, but ended up leaving again before the summer was o ver. He remarks on his website that his time with the band consisted of "too many drugs\, not enough fun!".\nAnderson\, Squire and Banks went on to form Yes\, with drummer Bill Bruford and keyboardist Tony Kaye. Thei r debut album was released in 1969. He stayed with the group until 1980\ , and this period is now known as the classic period of Yes. Jon was a m ajor creative force and band leader throughout the period (describing hi mself as the 'team captain'\; nicknamed by his bandmates "Napoleon" for his diminutive stature and leadership of the band) and is recognized as the main instigator of the series of epics produced by Yes at the time. His role in creating such complex pieces as "Close to the Edge"\, "Awake n"\, and especially "The Gates of Delirium" is central\, despite his lim ited instrumental abilities.\nHe rejoined a reformed Yes in 1983\, which produced their most commercially successful album 90125 with newcomer T revor Rabin\, and departed again in 1988 over the band's continued pursu it of major commercial success and mainstream radio play. In 1989\, Ande rson and other former Yes members formed the group Anderson\, Bruford\, Wakeman\, Howe (ABWH)\, augmented by bassist Tony Levin who had played w ith drummer Bill Bruford in King Crimson. After the successful first ABW H album\, a series of business deals caused ABWH to reunite with the the n- current members of Yes\, who had been out of the public eye while sea rching for a new lead singer. The resulting eight- man band assumed the name Yes\, and the album Union (1991) was assembled from various pieces of an in-progress second ABWH album as well as recordings that "Yes prop er" had been working on\, without Anderson. A successful tour followed\, but the eight- man lineup of Yes never recorded a complete album togeth er before splintering in 1992. Many more personnel changes followed\, bu t Anderson has been with the band ever since. He appears on all Yes albu ms except their 1980 album Drama.\nIt is a commonly held misconception t hat Jon Anderson sings falsetto\, a vocal technique which artificially p roduces high\, airy notes by using only the ligamentous edges of the voc al cords\; however\, Jon Anderson does not sing falsetto. His normal sin ging (and speaking) voice is naturally above the tenor range. In a 2008 interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette\, Jon stated\, "I'm an alto t enor and I can sing certain high notes\, but I could never sing falsetto \, so I go and hit them high." He is also noted for singing in his origi nal Lancastrian accent.\nAnderson is also responsible for most of the my stically-themed lyrics and concepts which are part of many Yes releases. These elements are crucial components of the classic Yes sound\, but ha ve occasionally alienated some members of the band (most notably Bruford and Rick Wakeman)\, contributing to their leaving the group. The lyrics are frequently inspired by various books Anderson has enjoyed\, from To lstoy's War and Peace to Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha. A footnote in Param ahansa Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi inspired an entire double alb um Tales from Topographic Oceans (1973). Recurring themes include enviro nmentalism\, pacifism and sun- worship.\nOne of Anderson's passions is p ainting\, and he uses his art as another channel for his creativity and self- expression. His artwork is available to view on his website. On 13 May 2008\, Anderson suffered a severe asthma attack which required a st ay in hospital. According to Yes' website\, he was later "at home and re sting comfortably." Yes' planned summer 2008 tour was subsequently cance lled\, with the press release saying\, "Jon Anderson was admitted to the hospital last month after suffering a severe asthma attack. He was diag nosed with acute respiratory failure and was told by doctors to rest and not work for a period of at least six months or suffer further health c omplications."\nIn September 2008 Jon wrote that he's "so much better... so grateful and so blessed...I look forward to 2009 for the "Great Work" to come." In 2009 he returned to touring (solo) and continued touring i n 2010\, even with Rick Wakeman for an exclusive UK tour. Anderson is a supporter of Accrington Stanley football club.\nAnderson was a smoker in the 1960s and 70s\, but now prides himself on a much healthier lifestyl e. In the mid 70s\, Anderson became a vegetarian\, as did most members o f Yes\; however in a recent interview he stated\, "I was a veggie for a while\, but again I grew out of that. But I do eat very healthy." In an 16 August 2006 interview on The Howard Stern Show Jon said he eats meat\ , mostly fish\, on occasion. In the interview\, he also stated he had a spiritual adviser that "helped him see into the fourth dimension".\nTo this day\, before live performances\, he often meditates in a tent with crystals and dreamcatchers\, a practice he started in the 1980s. Anderso n's religious beliefs are syncretic and varied\, including respect for t he Divine Mother Audrey Kitagawa. He has worked with the Contemporary Ch ristian music band 4HIM: in 1999\, his vocal was featured on the song "T he Only Thing I Need"\, which appeared on a 'various artists' CD entitle d Streams. URL:http://buffalogrove.patch.com/events/jon-anderson-the-voice-of-yes-74 ba4b4c SUMMARY:Jon Anderson: the voice of YES LOCATION:275 Parkway Dr\, Lincolnshire\, IL 60069: 275 Parkway Dr\, Linco lnshire\, IL END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR