Joshua Kadison
Encyclopedia
Joshua Kadison is an American
singer-songwriter, pianist, and writer.
and they signed him.
, "His maverick ways paid off in 1993 when EMI released his self-penned debut Painted Desert Serenade, a collection of introspective story songs including the break-through single "Jessie
" and "When a Woman Cries," already covered by legends Joe Cocker and Smokey Robinson. "I was so used to being outside of whatever was going on that I didn't even think I'd get a record deal, much less have my songs played on the radio." This, from the young man who received the BMI Award for one of the most played songs of 1994. His international hit "Beautiful in My Eyes" is often played at weddings and peaked at #19 in the U.S. Billboard charts. Painted Desert Serenade went platinum in the US
and Germany
, and went multi-platinum in Australia
and New Zealand
". According to The "Guinness book of British Hit Singles" both "Jessie" and "Beautiful In My Eyes" reached the UK Top 40 with Jessie spending 15 weeks in the UK Top 75 with the two releases of the song combined and the album reached number 45. "Jessie" is still often heard on UK radio.
His second album, Delilah Blue, was less commercially successful. (The single Take It On Faith failed to reach a high chart position.) His collection of songs were closer to sonic novels than the ballads featured in his first album; he used John Steinbeck's book "The Pearl
" as inspiration for a song of the same name. The single Take it on Faith failed to reach the Billboard Top 10, and shortly after, EMI
voided its contract with Kadison. The title track "Delilah Blue" was released as a single in Australia.
In 1998, he published his book 17 Ways To Eat A Mango: A Discovered Journal of Life on an Island of Miracles and the 5-track-album Saturday Night In Storyville on his own label Storyville Records, selling it predominantly from his website. It was well received in Germany, where he continues to have a huge following. In 1999 he released another album via his website called Troubador In A Timequake, which was the first CD to include "My Father's Son." He is quoted to have said that it was a song written about his father, Ellis Kadison, who had recently died.
Shortly after, he signed a new deal with EMI Germany and his album Vanishing America was released. The album, released in May 2001, dealt with his disillusionment with the lost values of America. The album was a collection of songs that told stories about people not realizing their own beauty and full potential. Ironically, the album was never distributed in the United States. The album also included two selections previously used on his late 90's albums, "My Father's Son" and "Cherry Bowl Drive-In" and a solo version of "Dragonfly Queen," re-titled "Begging For Grace."
In 2005, Kadison relaunched his career on his self-run website "Radio Humanity." He later bought back his previous website address and re-launched it. The Venice Beach Sessions was released as a download-only album in two parts, including a selection titled "Over The Sad Songs;" this was thought to be inspired by his recently dissolved relationship.
In 2006, EMI released Essential a collection which included tracks from all three full-length studio albums and three additional selections that had formerly been B-sides.
In 2007 Joshua continued to update his website with regular letters and toured Germany in the Spring.
In 2008 Joshua released the download-only album Return Of The Dragonfly and toured Germany again. During the tour he announced that he would no longer be performing his older songs and would dedicate his time to studying the bansuri, a simple seven-hole bamboo flute.
Wherever possible at his concerts, he allows audience members to sit on the stage; this is evidenced by various videos on YouTube. He also has a "requests" and "q and a" sessions at the end.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter, pianist, and writer.
Early life
Joshua grew up in and around Los Angeles, California, the younger of two sons. His mother was of Mexican-American Indian descent. At age 12 he started playing the piano and subsequently started to write songs. After his mother died, when he was 15, he received his driver's license and left home (with the blessing of his father) to become a travelling troubadour. He later admitted that anger and confusion over his mother's death drove much of his songwriting during this time. He later wrote "Mama's Arms" about his pain over losing his mother as a teenager; it was featured on his first album, Painted Desert Serenade. He did the rounds of piano bars across the United States for the next decade. Eventually in the early 1990s he caught the attention of EMIEMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
and they signed him.
Career
According to an early press release by EMIEMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, "His maverick ways paid off in 1993 when EMI released his self-penned debut Painted Desert Serenade, a collection of introspective story songs including the break-through single "Jessie
Jessie (song)
"Jessie" is a single from the album Painted Desert Serenade, released in 1993. The song was performed by Joshua Kadison. The song describes the narrator's tumultuous relationship with Jessie and their cat Moses...
" and "When a Woman Cries," already covered by legends Joe Cocker and Smokey Robinson. "I was so used to being outside of whatever was going on that I didn't even think I'd get a record deal, much less have my songs played on the radio." This, from the young man who received the BMI Award for one of the most played songs of 1994. His international hit "Beautiful in My Eyes" is often played at weddings and peaked at #19 in the U.S. Billboard charts. Painted Desert Serenade went platinum in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and went multi-platinum in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
". According to The "Guinness book of British Hit Singles" both "Jessie" and "Beautiful In My Eyes" reached the UK Top 40 with Jessie spending 15 weeks in the UK Top 75 with the two releases of the song combined and the album reached number 45. "Jessie" is still often heard on UK radio.
His second album, Delilah Blue, was less commercially successful. (The single Take It On Faith failed to reach a high chart position.) His collection of songs were closer to sonic novels than the ballads featured in his first album; he used John Steinbeck's book "The Pearl
The Pearl (novel)
The Pearl is a novella by American author John Steinbeck, published in 1947.- Analysis :A story based on a Mexican folk tale, The Pearl explores the secrets of man's nature, the darkest depths of evil, and the disastrous effects of stepping out of an established system...
" as inspiration for a song of the same name. The single Take it on Faith failed to reach the Billboard Top 10, and shortly after, EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
voided its contract with Kadison. The title track "Delilah Blue" was released as a single in Australia.
In 1998, he published his book 17 Ways To Eat A Mango: A Discovered Journal of Life on an Island of Miracles and the 5-track-album Saturday Night In Storyville on his own label Storyville Records, selling it predominantly from his website. It was well received in Germany, where he continues to have a huge following. In 1999 he released another album via his website called Troubador In A Timequake, which was the first CD to include "My Father's Son." He is quoted to have said that it was a song written about his father, Ellis Kadison, who had recently died.
Shortly after, he signed a new deal with EMI Germany and his album Vanishing America was released. The album, released in May 2001, dealt with his disillusionment with the lost values of America. The album was a collection of songs that told stories about people not realizing their own beauty and full potential. Ironically, the album was never distributed in the United States. The album also included two selections previously used on his late 90's albums, "My Father's Son" and "Cherry Bowl Drive-In" and a solo version of "Dragonfly Queen," re-titled "Begging For Grace."
In 2005, Kadison relaunched his career on his self-run website "Radio Humanity." He later bought back his previous website address and re-launched it. The Venice Beach Sessions was released as a download-only album in two parts, including a selection titled "Over The Sad Songs;" this was thought to be inspired by his recently dissolved relationship.
In 2006, EMI released Essential a collection which included tracks from all three full-length studio albums and three additional selections that had formerly been B-sides.
In 2007 Joshua continued to update his website with regular letters and toured Germany in the Spring.
In 2008 Joshua released the download-only album Return Of The Dragonfly and toured Germany again. During the tour he announced that he would no longer be performing his older songs and would dedicate his time to studying the bansuri, a simple seven-hole bamboo flute.
Wherever possible at his concerts, he allows audience members to sit on the stage; this is evidenced by various videos on YouTube. He also has a "requests" and "q and a" sessions at the end.
Personal life
In 2004, Kadison came out as being bisexual on his personal website, at which time he also stated he had recently left a long-term relationship.Discography
- 1993: Painted Desert SerenadePainted Desert SerenadePainted Desert Serenade is the debut studio releasse from pianist/singer-songwriter Joshua Kadison, released in 1993 on SBK...
- 1995: Delilah Blue
- 1998: Saturday Night In Storyville
- 1999: Troubadour In A Timequake
- 2001: Vanishing America
- 2005: The Venice Beach Sessions - Part 1
- 2006: The Venice Beach Sessions - Part 2
- 2008: Return Of The Dragonfly
Book
- 17 Ways To Eat A Mango: A Discovered Journal of Life on an Island of Miracles, Hyperion, New York 1999. ISBN 0-7868-6457-5