Some context: William James Dixon (July 1, 1915 - January 29, 1992) was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. He was proficient in playing both the upright bass and the guitar and was a capable singer, but he is perhaps best known as one of the most prolific songwriters of his time. Next to Muddy Waters, Dixon is recognized as the most influential person in shaping the post-World War II sound of the Chicago blues. Dixon's songs have been recorded by countless musicians in many genres as well as by various ensembles in which he participated.
Dixon left Mississippi for Chicago in 1936. A man of considerable stature, standing 6 and a half feet tall and weighing over 250 pounds, he took up boxing, at which he was successful, winning the Illinois State Golden Gloves Heavyweight Championship (Novice Division) in 1937. He became a professional boxer and worked briefly as Joe Louis's sparring partner, but after four fights he left boxing in a dispute with his manager over money. Dixon met Leonard Caston at a boxing gym, where they would harmonize at times. Dixon performed in several vocal groups in Chicago, but it was Caston that persuaded him to pursue music seriously. Caston built him his first bass, made of a tin can and one string. Dixon's experience singing bass made the instrument familiar. He also learned to play the guitar. In 1939, Dixon was a founding member of the Five Breezes, with Caston, Joe Bell, Gene Gilmore and Willie Hawthorne. The group blended blues, jazz, and vocal harmonies, in the mode of the Ink Spots. Dixon's progress on the upright bass came to an abrupt halt with the advent of World War II, when he refused induction into military service as a conscientious objector and was imprisoned for ten months. He refused to go to war because he would not fight for a nation in which institutionalized racism and racist laws were prevalent. After the war, he formed a group named the Four Jumps of Jive. He then reunited with Caston, forming the Big Three Trio, which went on to record for Columbia Records.
did anything else important happen in his adulthood?
A: World War II, when he refused induction into military service as a conscientious objector and was imprisoned for ten months.
Some context: Steel (John Henry Irons), also known as the Man of Steel, is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Universe. Introduced in 1993 as one of several replacements for the then-deceased Superman, Steel continued to be an independent superhero after his inspiration's resurrection. He received his own ongoing series which saw him move from Metropolis to Washington, D.C. and join the Justice League of America in Grant Morrison's JLA. He later mentored his niece Natasha who became a superheroine herself.
In 1997, a feature film was produced based on this version of the character. The film Steel stars professional basketball player Shaquille O'Neal in the title role and Judd Nelson as a new villain named Nathaniel Burke. The film was originally designed to be a spin-off of the new Superman film that used the "Death of Superman" storyline that first introduced the character in the comics. The project languished in development hell for so long the spinoff moved forward without the film it was to be attached to. The movie (released on August 15) was considered a flop both critically and financially. Steel was produced for an estimated $16,000,000 but grossed $1,686,429 at the box office. A very young John Henry Irons appears in the animated film Justice League: The New Frontier reading a comic book nearby the gravestone of the "DC: The New Frontier" version of John Wilson, also known as John Henry, who is reportedly killed in the film. John Henry Irons appears in Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, voiced by Khary Payton. He is seen wielding a hammer and is seen defending a colleague from an Atlantean before he is saved by Superman. An alternate universe version of John Henry Irons appears in Justice League: Gods and Monsters, voiced again by Khary Payton. He is depicted as a scientist who is a member of LexCorp's "Project Fair Play." John was discussing with the other scientists involved (consisting of Will Magnus, Michael Holt, Karen Beecher, Pat Dugan, Kimiyo Hoshi, Emil Hamilton, Thomas Morrow, and Stephen Shin) before they are all killed by the Metal Men with the exception of Will Magnus (who secretly orchestrated the attack).
Was the film a success?
A: Steel was produced for an estimated $16,000,000 but grossed $1,686,429 at the box office.
Some context: Glen Travis Campbell was born on April 22, 1936 in Billstown, a tiny community near Delight in Pike County, Arkansas, to John Wesley (a sharecropper) and Carrie Dell (Stone) Campbell. Campbell was the seventh son of 12 children. The family lived on a farm where they barely got by growing cotton, corn, watermelons and potatoes. "We had no electricity," he said, and money was scarce. "
After the cancellation of his CBS series in 1972, Campbell remained a regular on network television. He co-starred in a made-for-television movie, Strange Homecoming (1974), with Robert Culp and up-and-coming teen idol, Leif Garrett. He hosted a number of television specials, including 1976's Down Home, Down Under with Olivia Newton-John. He co-hosted the American Music Awards from 1976 to 1978 and headlined the 1979 NBC special Glen Campbell: Back to Basics with guest-stars Seals and Crofts and Brenda Lee. He was a guest on many network talk and variety shows, including: Donny & Marie and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, where he performed "Rhinestone Cowboy". He has also appeared on Cher, the Redd Foxx Comedy Hour, The Merv Griffin Show, The Midnight Special with Wolfman Jack, DINAH!, Evening at Pops with Arthur Fiedler and The Mike Douglas Show. From 1982 to 1983, he hosted a 30-minute syndicated music show, The Glen Campbell Music Show. In the mid-1970s, he had more hits with "Rhinestone Cowboy", "Southern Nights" (both U.S. number one hits), "Sunflower" (U.S. number 39) (written by Neil Diamond), and "Country Boy (You Got Your Feet in L.A.)" (U.S. number 11). "Rhinestone Cowboy" was Campbell's largest-selling single and one of his best-known recordings, initially with over 2 million copies sold. Campbell had heard songwriter Larry Weiss' version while on tour of Australia in 1974. Both songs were in the October 4, 1975, Hot 100 top 10. "Rhinestone Cowboy" continues to be used in TV shows and films, including Desperate Housewives, Daddy Day Care, and High School High. It was the inspiration for the 1984 Dolly Parton/Sylvester Stallone movie Rhinestone. The main phrase of Campbell's recording was included in Dickie Goodman's Jaws movie parody song "Mr. Jaws". Campbell also made a techno/pop version of the song in 2002 with UK artists Rikki & Daz and went to the top 10 in the UK with the dance version and related music video. "Southern Nights", by Allen Toussaint, his other number one pop-rock-country crossover hit, was generated with the help of Jimmy Webb, and Jerry Reed, who inspired the famous guitar lick introduction to the song, which was the most-played jukebox number of 1977. From 1971 to 1983, Campbell was the celebrity host of the Los Angeles Open, an annual professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour.
Did his songs get on the top charts
A:
). "Rhinestone Cowboy" was Campbell's largest-selling single and one of his best-known recordings,