Friday, October 9, 2009

Artist of the day (Elliot Yamin) Courtesy of Wikipedia.com

born Efraym Elliott Yamin on July 20, 1978. A Jewish-American singer known for his hit single "Wait for You" and placing third on the fifth season ofAmerican Idol. His self-titled album, released March 20, 2007, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Independent Albums chart and at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. The album was certified gold in the United States in October 2007. Retitled Wait for You, the album was released in Japan in May 2008 and certified gold in that country in September 2008. Yamin was born in Los Angeles, California, to father Shaul Yamin, a Jewish Israeli of Iraqi Jewish descent, and mother Claudette Goldberg Yamin (d. March 31, 2008, age 65), a Jewish American of Ashkenazi descent and former professional singer known for her "fiery spirit" and for receiving the "Golden Idol for Proudest Family Moment Award" from Ryan Seacrest during her son's American Idol competition. His family relocated to Richmond, Virginia when Yamin was 11, and his parents divorced when he was 14, his father returning to Los Angeles. Yamin has lived in Los Angeles with his girlfriend, model Jaime Paetz, since competing in the fifth season of American Idol in 2006.

Yamin has an older half-sister on his mother's side, Jodi Queen, a married mother of two children (Yamin's niece Sophia and nephew Jed) who lives in Encinitas (San Diego), California; and a younger brother, Scott Yamin, in pharmacy school at Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina. A history of ear infections as a child and eardrum replacement surgery at 13 left Yamin with 90% hearing loss in his right ear. He was diagnosed with Type I diabetes at the age of 16 and wears an insulin pump to help him manage his diabetes. Yamin is 5'6" tall.Yamin first discovered his vocal talent while singing karaoke in his late teens. Although he had not been musically trained, he sang in a local jazz band and in amateur performance forums emulating Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, and Donny Hathaway. He attended Douglas S. Freeman High School in Richmond, Virginia. Dropping out of high school in his sophomore year, he later achieved a high school GED while working at Foot Locker (in their management program), a pharmacy, and as an on-air disc jockey for local R&B radio station WCDX/Power 92 FM, using the name E-Dub— before auditioning for American Idol.


American Idol

Yamin auditioned in Boston, Massachusetts, singing Leon Russell's "A Song for You", but his audition was not aired. He performed the song again in front of the judges during Hollywood rounds, as well as Rascal Flatts's "Bless the Broken Road". During the group auditions, Yamin and his group performed "It's In Her Kiss" (aka "The Shoop Shoop Song") from The Hollies;Simon Cowell disliked the group performance, but Randy Jackson said Yamin was the best one in his group, and Paula Abdul said it was a good thing she could look past two left feet, in a way of saying he did not dance well but he could definitely sing. He was sent through by the judges and made it through to the finals of the competition.

During one weekly rehearsal, guest coach Stevie Wonder told Yamin that he should definitely pursue a career in music. Simon Cowell stated that he thought Yamin was "potentially the best male vocalist" in five seasons on American Idol and later, after Yamin's "A Song for You" performance, he declared that it was a "vocal masterclass". His performance of "A Song for You" ranked third on Entertainment Weekly's countdown of the 16 best American Idol performances in the series history.

On the May 10, 2006 results show Yamin, Taylor Hicks, and Katharine McPhee were announced as the top three finalists. All three returned to their respective hometowns for a day of festivities in their honor. Yamin's homecoming visit included radio and television interviews; performing "Home" for more than 4,000 fans, capped by Mayor Douglas Wilder presenting the key to the city; and meeting Governor Tim Kaine, whom Yamin greeted with a hug. Yamin threw out the first pitch before a sold-out crowd at The Diamond for a Richmond Braves game and sang a verse a cappella of "A Song for You". Video highlights were shown on the top three results show.

Yamin was eliminated from American Idol on May 17, 2006, after the tightest race; each of the three top contestants received an almost exactly equal percentage of the viewer votes necessary for advancement to the remaining two spots.



Advocacy

As a diabetic, Yamin supports and works as a spokesman for various organizations, including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation(JDRF). In October 2006, Yamin sang the national anthem at the Dodger Stadium (LA) and cut the ribbon during the JDRF International Walk to Cure Diabetes. In addition, a portion of the proceeds from his Virginia State Fair concert benefitted the JDRF. The Central Virginia Chapter of the JDRF honored Yamin for his commitment to diabetes awareness and research at its 8th Annual Spring Gala on March 1, 2008; more than $400,000 was raised at the event. He returned for the 9th Annual Spring Gala on April 4, 2009.

In August 2007, Yamin visited Capitol Hill as International Celebrity Advocate Co-chair of the Promise to Remember Me Campaign to petition Representatives for their support to extend the Special Diabetes Program, which provides federal funding for type 1 diabetes research.

In October 2007, Yamin was named Global Ambassador to promote the Inspired by Diabetes Creative Expression Competition, a global contest in which people with diabetes, as well as their friends and families, can share through art, music, or essay how the disease has impacted their lives.

During his fall 2007 concert tour, Yamin announced that 100% of proceeds from the sale of designated T-shirts and pins would benefit the Life for a Child Program, which provides insulin, as well as diabetes-related care and supplies, for children in developing countries.

On World Diabetes Day, November 14, 2007, Yamin was joined by children with diabetes for a performance of the song "Promise to Remember Me" in the United Nation's Rose Garden. Following the World Diabetes Day ceremonies, Yamin taped a segment of the Montel Williams Show during which he shared his experiences learning to live with the disease and performed "Wait for You." The 30-minute segment was aired on November 29, 2007.

Idol Performances and results

Week #ThemeSong ChoiceOriginal ArtistOrder #Result
AuditionN/A"A Song for You"Donny HathawayN/AAdvanced
HollywoodN/A"Bless the Broken Road"Rascal FlattsN/AAdvanced
Hollywood – Group PerformanceN/A"The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in Her Kiss)"Betty EverettN/AAdvanced
Top 50N/A"A Song for You"Donny HathawayN/AAdvanced
Top 24 (12 Men)N/A"If You Really Love Me"Stevie Wonder9Safe
Top 20 (10 Men)N/A"Moody's Mood for Love"James Moody2Safe
Top 16 (8 Men)N/A"Heaven"Bryan Adams7Safe
Top 12Stevie Wonder"Knocks Me Off My Feet"Stevie Wonder3Safe
Top 111950s"Teach Me Tonight"The DeCastro Sisters9Safe
Top 102000s"I Don't Want to Be"Gavin DeGraw10Safe
Top 9Country"If Tomorrow Never Comes"Garth Brooks3Bottom 2
Top 8Queen"Somebody to Love"Queen6Bottom 3
Top 7Great American Songbook"It Had to Be You"Frank Sinatra4Safe
Top 6Love songs"A Song for You"Donny Hathaway2Safe
Top 5Year They Were Born (1978)
Current Billboard Top 10		"On Broadway"
"Home"		George Benson
Michael Bublé		1
6		Bottom 2
Top 4Elvis Presley"If I Can Dream"
"Trouble"		Elvis Presley3
7		Top 2
Top 3Clive Davis's Choice
Judge’s Choice (Paula Abdul)
Contestant's Choice		"Open Arms"
"What You Won't Do for Love"
"I Believe to My Soul"		Journey
Bobby Caldwell
Ray Charles (Donny Hathaway’s version)		1
4
7		Eliminated
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Our Arayat Duty

Our Arayat Duty
This picture was taken at Dr. Emigdio C. Cruz Sr. Memorial Hospital at San Agustin, Arayat, Pampanga last August 23, 2009 while the members of Group 8a were conducting their OR/DR duty on the said institution.