Jennifer Lopez Biography

Jennifer Lopez Biography
Name : Jennifer Lopez
Nickname : ''La Guitarra'' (guitar shaped body)
Date of Birth : July 24, 1970
Place of Birth : New York, New York USA
Sign : Sun in Leo, Moon in Aries
Height : 5'6''
Eyes : Brown
Hair : Brown
Occupation : Singer, Actress & Model
Father : David Lopez - A computer operator
Mother : Guadalupe Lopez (School Teacher)
Sisters : Lynda & Leslie
Spouse : Ojani Noa [Divorced- February 1997 - 1998]
Fan Mail : Jennifer Lopez
C/O United Talent Agency
9560 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 500
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Jennifer Lynn Lopez was born on July 24, 1970. Her parents came to New York from Ponce, Puerto Rico. She is the middle of three sisters. At the age of 7, young Jennifer went on her first tour - around New York City with her dance class.At the age of 16 Jennifer got a little break with a bit part in the film ''My Little Girl'' (starring Mary Stuart Masterson). But Jennifer's first love was still dance, and when she read about a scholarship to a dance school in Manhattan, she went down and grabbed the opportunity. At this time she was taking a full time course load at Baruch, working in a law office and taking her dance classes. Eventually this would lead to a falling out with her mother, who didn't want Jennifer to pursue dance as a career. When her mother gave her the ever popular ''you live by my rules as long as you live under my roof'' speech Jennifer took that as her cue to break out on her own. Not having anywhere else to live, she took up residence in the building where she took her dance classes. A yea
r and a half of auditioning with no success brought Jennifer to the verge of a breakdown. But salvation would come in the form of a tour that sent her dancing across Japan. Before this, she had auditioned to be a ''Fly Girl'' for the show ''In Living Color'' but she had been turned down.
Upon returning from Japan, she received a call from ''In Living Color'' asking her to audition again. This time she made the cut and it was off to Hollywood. She didn't really enjoy her time on ''In Living Color'', as she longed for an acting career that would put her in the spotlight. Her first television job as an actress, on the Fox series ''South Central'' came her way because the producer of the show was married to one of the other fly girls, and he took notice of Jennifer during a special Fox aired about the Fly Girls. ''South Central'' only survived one season, but she quickly resurfaced on television screens appearing as ''Melinda Lopez'' first in the short lived ''Second Chances'' series, then ''Hotel Malibu.'' In 1995 she jumped onto the big screen in her first major role, opposite Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson in ''Money Train.'' She would go on to work opposite such talents as Robin Williams and Jack Nicholson, but it was her work with Gregory Nava, who directed her in ''My Family, Mi Familia'

' that would lead her to the role that would make her a star.

After an extensive nationwide search, Jennifer was chosen to play Selena Quintanilla Perez, in the official biopic of the life of the fallen Tejano star. Taking part in the production of ''Selena'' would impact Jennifer's life in many ways. On the personal side, Jennifer's fiancéé, Ojani Noa, proposed to her at the wrap party for Selena. The couple had met in Miami while Jennifer was filming ''Blood And Wine'' with Jack Nicholson. Ojani, a Cuban immigrant, was an aspiring model working as a waiter at Gloria Estefan's restaurant, Larios On The Beach. They were married in Miami on February 22, 1997, after knowing each other less than a year. Jennifer's sudden rise to fame with the release of ''Selena'' the following month would put an excessive strain on the marriage, and the couple filed for divorce just a little over a year after they were married.
After news of the divorce made headlines, the gossip papers quickly had her romantically linked to the likes of rap impresario Sean ''Puffy'' Combs, Sony Music President Tommy Mottola and Salsa singer Marc Anthony. Jennifer herself remains tightlipped - and rightfully so - on the subject of her personal life (although she has recently admitted that she is in fact having a relationship with Puffy). Back on the professional level, her role as Karen Sisco in 1998's ''Out Of Sight'', opposite George Clooney, has brought her into the major leagues, making her the highest paying Latina actress in history.
Playing Selena also brought back Jennifer's interests in being the ''all around'' entertainer, and she decided to record a demo of her singing, completely in Spanish. After a bidding war among a number of record companies, Jennifer was signed to Sony Music's Work Group label. Her first CD, a pop album with a Latin flavor (although mostly in English) was released June 1, 1999. Working with the likes of Emilio Estefan, Rodney Jerkins and Sean ''Puffy'' Combs, the music world is buzzing that Jennifer is ''the next Gloria Estefan'' set to become the mainstream Latin crossover star Selena herself surely would have been, had she been given the chance. That early prediction seems accurate, as her first single, ''If You Had My Love'' shot to 1 on the Billboard chart, and has been certified platinum (one million sales).

Albums

• 1999 'On the 6' #8 US, US sales: 3,000,000
• 2001 'J. Lo' #1 US, #2 UK, US sales: 4,000,000
• 2002 'J to tha L-O! The Remixes' #1 US, #4 UK, US sales: 1,500,000
• 2002 'This is Me... Then' #2 US, #13 UK, US sales: 2,500,000
• 2005 'Rebirth'

Hit singles

• 1999 'If You Had My Love' #1 US, #4 UK
• 1999 'Waiting for Tonight' #8 US, #5 UK
• 2000 'Feelin' So Good' #52 US, #15 UK
• 2001 'Love Don't Cost a Thing' #3 US, #1 UK
• 2001 'Play' #10 US, #3 UK
• 2001 'Ain't It Funny' #3 UK
• 2001 'I'm Real' #1 US, #4 UK
• 2002 'Ain't It Funny' (remix) #1 US, #4 UK
• 2002 'I'm Gonna Be Alright' #10 US, #3 UK
• 2002 'Jenny from the Block' #3 US, #3 UK
• 2002 'All I Have' (feat. LL Cool J) #1 US, #2 UK (2003 release in the UK)
• 2003 'I'm Glad' #32 US, #11 UK
• 2004 'Baby I Love You' #72 US, #3 UK
• 2005 'Get Right' #13 (5 weeks in) US, #1 UK

Year Movie Name

*2006 -American Darlings (pre-production)
*2006 -Tick-Tock (pre-production)
*2005 -Bordertown (filming)
*2005 -An Unfinished Life
*2005 -Monster-in-Law
*2005- Lost in the Wild
*2004- Shall We Dance?
*2004 -Jersey Girl
*2003 -Gigli
*2002 -The Chambermaid
*2002- Maid In Manhattan
*2002 -Enough
*2001 -The Wedding Planner
*2001 -Angel Eyes
*2000 -The Cell
*1998 -Out of Sight
*1998 -Antz (voice)
*1997 -Anaconda
*1997 -Selena
*1997 -U-Turn
*1996 -Blood and Wine
*1996- Jack
*1995 -My Family
*1995 -Money Train
*1994- Hotel Malibu (TV Series)
*1994 -South Central (TV Series)
*1993-Second Chances (TV Series)
*1993 -Nurses on the Line : The Crash of Flight 7 (TV)
*1990 -In Living Color (TV Series)
*1990 -Lambada (1990/I)
*1990- Lambada
*1987 -My Little Girl
*1986 -My Little Girl

DVDs

• 1999 'Feelin' So Good'
• 2001 'Let's Get Loud', US sales: 500,000
• 2003 'The Reel Me', US sales: 1,500,000

Claims to fame

• Lopez was the first Latina to get paid over a million dollars for a project.
• Lopez was the first Latina actress to star in a leading role in film since Rita Hayworth retired in the 1970s.
• Lopez is (in 2003) the highest paid Latina actress in Hollywood.
• Lopez's first album On The 6 went platinum 8 times.
• Lopez's first single 'If You Had My Love' was #1 for more than 9 weeks.
• Lopez is the first actress and singer to have a movie ('The Wedding Planner') and an album ('J.Lo') at #1 in the same week.
• Lopez's second album J.Lo went platinum 9 times.
• Lopez's third album J To Tha L-O! The Remixes was the first album of remixes to hit #1, because no other album of remixes had climbed the chart.
• Lopez's perfume Glow made history in 2001, by being the #1 perfume in more than 9 countries in more than 4 months.
• Lopez is the only woman who has been #1, 3 years in a row in the FHM list of the 100 Sexiest Females in the world.
• Lopez made the 2004 Fortune list of the wealthiest entertainers under the age of 40. Her wealth is estimated at $255 million.
• Lopez's butt is often an object of admiration as well as the brunt of many jokes in popular culture.
• Lopez made the highest debut of 2003 on the US charts with All I Have debuting at #17.
• Lopez has sold over 35 million records worldwide.

Fashion

Lopez owns a clothing line called J.Lo By Jennifer Lopez. Her line is the most successful clothing line of artists on the industry market. Furthermore, she is planning to launch a jewelry line, hats, gloves, and a scarves line.
Lopez also launched a new clothing line called Sweetface which hit stores in November 2003, as well as a new perfume called Still, which was introduced in October 2003.
She did a photoshoot to represent the Louis Vuitton winter 2003 campaign, in which the pictures would be seen all over the world through TV commercials, billboards, ads, newspapers, magazines and more.
Other merchandise includes clothing for men and a cologne line for men due for release in winter 2004/05.
She does have a perfume line out right now called Glow, and she was in question before, because the name came from another patented perfume.

J.Lo Inc.

Jennifer Lopez owns a production company Nuyorican Productions, in which she is expected to produce some of her upcoming movies. Some of the projects are Carmen, Dirty Girls Social Club, and The Hector Lavoe Project. This company was founded together with her manager, Benny Medina, against whom she filed a lawsuit because of alleged fraud in July 2003.
The company produced the commercially successful movies The Cell, The Wedding Planner, and Maid In Manhattan. These three movies put together made more than $500 million worldwide.

Upcoming movies

• An Unfinished Life (December 24, 2004)
• Tick Tock (Spring 2005)
• Monster In Law (July 2005)

Relationships

Lopez has been in two short-lived marriages. The first one, which was with Ojani Onoa, ended in divorce in 1998 after 21 months, and the second, in 2001-2002, was with Chris Judd, her former backup dancer. Between marriages, in 1999-2000, she dated singer and designer Puff Daddy, breaking up after a shooting incident in a New York night club. Recently, Lopez has been engaged to Ben Affleck, but the marriage planned for September 13, 2003 was called off a few days before the event. In January 2004 the couple split.
News media reported that on June 5, 2004, Lopez married singer Marc Anthony. However, after more than half a year of matrimony, it has been rumoured that the Lopez-Anthony marriage may be on the rocks. Next .. Jennifer Lopez Biography

American Popular music Before 1900

AMERICAN POPULAR MUSIC BEFORE 1900

One of the really neat things about music, and there are many, is that it reflects the times. Lyrics tell how people feel and describe events. Through music we can celebrate, lament, or send messages. In many ways, music can offer a more accurate picture of people and events than any other method available. Once you visit the music collected here, you will be amazed at how musicendures throughout the centuries.

This chronologically arranged page is intended as an overview of American History through its music. Please write us if you have information or links which would supplement this information. Later, visit our 19th Century Popular Culture pages for backgroun on the century by decade.

LYRICS - ALL PERIODS

19th century Sheet Music Links and music of the 19th century - from UNC at Chapel Hill.
Sheet Music - Historic American From the library of Congress American Memory collection.
Folk Music of America and the British Isles Beautifully site arranged chronologically. Arranged also by country. Information about the origin of the songs is included. Thanks!
Scouting Songs Collected song lyrics for scout troups. Great collections of old songs. Many from early American History.
A-Z Lyrics Universe Very neat site - wiki - Hit or miss on early music, but right on with today's lyrics. Some midis. Search by performer or lyrics.
Hymn Search New Song's Old Songs has a nice long list of midi soundbytes for hymns.
American Religious Music Links to American gospel music sites from U of Indiana.

A Chronological History of American Music to 1900

1606-1776 THE COLONIAL ERA
Religious music was the first music of early colonists. Traditional English hymns were brought to America. Singing the Psalms was an early form for hymns. Pilgrims from Southhampton and Plymouth brought with them the Ainsworth Psalter imprinted in 1612 in Amsterdam. Music of the war was popular. It was used until 1667 when The Bay Psalter was adopted (Wikipedia says 1840.) . Benjamin Franklin wrote and published a book of Ballads. Operas appeared. A Mighty Fortress is Our God, The Eighth of January and Yankee Doodle are good examples of this period. The Trinity Psalter has examples of early singing of the Psalms.Early Music of America and The Music of Early America offer links to early music and essays in Early American Music Journal.InfoPlease - InfoPlease's American Music Timeline. Mappamundi's Colonial American Music Performing group. Interesting site.

Religious Music
The Bay Psalm Book Cambridge 1640 The first book published in British Colonial America.Hymn Search Listed above, use here for the Old Methodist Hymnal. Lyrics and music. Sacred Harp Singing Information regarding shape note singing, a style that began in early 1800s. Various other links to other music sources here as well. Early hymnals were printed in 4 shape notion system. At least 38 were published before 1856.

Nursery Rhymes
Rhymes and Nonsense Rhymes, wonderful illustrations, a little history and dates. Delightful - don't miss Three Little Mice. Links to other pages.
Nursery Rhymes Many Nursery Rhymes were set to music and sang to the children during this period. A huge listing of rhymes from all periods. Historical notes are being added.

Ballads and Political Songs
Popular Songs in American History Great site with songs, lyrics and a little history. Arranged chronologically. Political Sheet Music Early 1800s brought about political music. Usually sung to familiar music.

1776-1860 REVOLUTIONARY WAR /POST-COLONIAL ERA
The printing of individual items of music began in North America only after the Revolution. Music still closelylinked to England. The Star Spangled Banner was written in 1814. Other songs of this period include Rock of Ages, America, Oh Shenandoah!, Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes and Johnny's Gone For a Soldier . Folk music and ballads were the rage. Negro spirituals and slave music came from the African slaves. Revolutionary War
Loyalists Songs Songs and lyrics to songs the British loyalists sang. Loyalist and British Songs of the American Revolution a .pdf file with lyrics. Fiddle Tunes from the American Revolution From minuets to airs.

Negro Spirituals and Slave Songs
History of Slave Spirituals An article by Radno in Critical Inquiry Journal.
Origin of Black Spirituals From Info, Please: Black Spirituals: A History.
Lift Every Voice - University of Virginia Library - broader than spirituals, excellent history. Don't miss the Lift Every Voice midi.
Negro Spirituals Lyrics of many of the negro spirituals of the 19th century.
Essay - Negro Spirituals Essay by Thomas Wentworth Higginson from the Atlantic Monthly, June 1867. Includes lyrics of several songs of the time. Very good.
Georgia Sea Island Singers - St. Simons Island Gullah African American Music Performing group relate the history of the natives of the Georgia Sea Island through their music. See Slave Songs of the Georgia Sea Islands on the American Music Path finder. Gullah Network Enjoy this fun site which tells about the African slaves in South Carolina. Fun and the music will wake you up.

Folk Music
Stephen C. Foster (1813-1893) Camptown Races, Old Folks at Home, Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair, and My Old Kentucky Home are songs by Foster during his short life.
Folk Music and 19th Century Folk Music Many lyrics to folk music of the period and a bit later. Mid-Century folk music here - browse further on the 19th Century page.
American Folklife Center Photographs and annotations from American Folklife, Library of Congress. Includes 18 hrs. of audio recording, graphics, texts. Wonderful archives.
The Yellow Rose of Texas AND the Yellow Rose of Texas written in 1858. Since we are Texans, we can't miss this one!

1860-1900 CIVIL WAR / RECONSTRUCTION ERAS
Popular music just before and during the Civil War concerned itself with political and military events. Songs included Amazing Grace , Battle Hymn of the Republic , Dixie, I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen, When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again, Old Black Joe, Carry me Back to Old Virginny, and Marching Through Georgia. Religious songs were popular including He Leadeth Me , Go Tell it on the Mountain, and My Faith Looks Up to Thee . Folklore music started during this period and included the music of the Indians, negroes, mountainneers, cowboys, lumberjacks, sailors and others. How about listening to Oh My Darling, Clementine!

Civil War
Civil War Poems and Songs - a small collection of each. Links back to a hodgepodge of Civil War links. Civil War Music Good site
Civil War Poetry and Music Information regarding the purpose of poetry and song in war. Also contains list of Union and Confederate song lyrics. Poetry's music too...
Gospel

Gospel Music Midis, information
Gospel and History of Gospel
An essays about gospel . There is controversy about the early history - but its all good.
Gospel music - history and links

Mother Goose - Sarah Josepha Hale
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Lyrics and midi
The Lyrics for ...
First Mother Goose. Written by Sara Josepha Hale. Follow the lamb to school.

Work Songs - Railroad and Westward Expansion

She'll be Coming Round the Mountain An old-time Negro spiritual. The Railroad work gangs in the west sang it. Casey Jones Home Page We've broken our own rule. This research done by a first grade class: The story of Casey Jones. I Been Wukkin' on de Railroad This old song originated in a tramp minstrel show. Westward Movement - music This neat school site teaches history through music.

Ragtime
Scott Joplin Don't miss listening to some of the ragtime of Scott Joplin. Maple Leaf Rag was his most famous. Ragtime Home Page

The "Big Three" Fathers of Ragtime and more. (Scott Joplin, James Scott and Joseph Lamb)
Ragtime Story Essay about Ragtime and information about the influence of Ragtimeon other music. Ragtime Music Midis available.

Broadway Musical

American Variety Stage Vaudeville & Popular music 1870-1920. This is a Library of Congress Memory Project.
Gilbert and Sullivan Archive This is a terrific page - information, midis, lyrics, plot summaries..and more.
The Pirates of Penzance The web opera by Gilbert & Sullivan. With music and Lyrics.
John Philip Sousa The March King and sound for downloading of all his works.
Bab Ballads from W.S. Sullivan W. S. Gilbert (of Gilbert and Sullivan fame) wrote a large number of "ballads" for the magazine Fun using his pen-name "Bab." These Bab Ballads became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plots and songs for the G&S operas. Lyrics and information at this site.

Texas
Texas Music of the 19th Century Music published in Texas during this period. Some midis and lyrics.. Handbook of Texas Wonderful source for the history of Texas music. Use search word music or gospel music or blues. Completely searchable and hyperlinked. You'll never leave this site.

Old Time Music
The Southern Folklife Collection
The Southern Folklife Collection on the fourth floor of Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill houses one of the world's largest collections of Southeastern-tradition derived music. This page has information about early country, old-time string bands, gospel and spirituals, and southeastern blues.
Old Time Music Home Page Old Time Music is a collection of great websites you can browse. Includes newsgroups, instruments, vendors, personalites, and links to magazines. Very good.
Old Time Music Another website filled with links to browse for Anglo-American ("old-time") music.

Minstrelry
Al Jolson Award Winning Page
Take a look at this great page. Take the Al Jolson Journey. Toot, toot, Tootsie, Goo'Bye!
Al Jolson - Wikipedia Contains biographical information and more

JAZZ
Jazz Roots Great site - take a look at the time line and all of the great information there. History of New Orleans Jazz where jazz roots really reside.

Next .. American Popular music Before 1900