Phenom

The phenom is Josh Groban. I'm sure you are all aware of who he is, but I just wanted to share my love of Josh.

I discovered Josh Groban years ago while I was watching Jay Leno randomly and this boyishly good-looking young man was singing a kick ass song with a kick ass voice. I didn't catch his name and vowed to find out who it was, I just knew it was someone I shouldn't forget. I have since picked up everything he has put out.

He has his self-titled debut album out with the most famous song on there being "To Where You Are" but there's also "The Prayer" with Charlotte Church, "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" and "Starry, Starry Night"

His live PBS concert is on DVD with bonus CD of some of the songs from the special and "O, Holy Night"

Closer, his second album which has his famous song, "You Raise Me Up"

His live DVD of his 1st tour this year just came out, with bonus CD...I'm getting it for Christmas so I don't know what's on it for sure without looking on the internet

He was in Chess for a one-night only AIDS benefit concert on Broadway -- he played the Russian, Anatoly -- VERY good job

He had a recurring role on Alley McBeal - caught those re-runs with my TiVo -- very good too!

He is also currently on tour still

Sang "Believe" on the Polar Express soundtrack. Apparently it's played during the ending credits, but I haven't seen the movie. I have heard the song on the radio though and it's not near as good as his songs from his albums and live DVDs so get those instead.

He was discovered by producer/pianist/etc. David Foster and was taking lessons from him at age 17 (he's now 23) when Andrea Bocelli (famous operatic tenor) couldn't make it to dress rehearsals for the '99 Grammys where he was performing "The Prayer" with Celine Dion so David Foster brought in Josh Groban to fill in during rehearsal with Celine Dion -- very impressive, and he just took off from there.

Now to the GOOD story :-) The story that makes me smile non-stop :-)

V, myself and a friend of ours were at the Aerosmith concert in Ames (didn't know when we got our tickets that Josh's concert was the next night or I would have spent my money on that instead!) and I knew by this time that Josh's concert was the next night. Well, were just sitting there waiting for the concert to start and I'm perusing the floor of the auditorium just seeing what's going on and all of a sudden I fricking see Josh walk in with some people and his girlfriend, January!!! I FREAK OUT because I absolutely love him and so I hit V and Allison and I say, "It's Josh Groban, it's Josh Groban, he's down on the floor, look, look!" and I finally get them to see him and so THEY'RE excited because they love him too and so I say,"Ok, on the count of three we yell 'HEY JOSH' and wave our arms about!" and so we agree to do so.

I count one, two, three, "HEY JOSH!" I start waving my arms waving my hands "HI!" and he looks up and you can tell he is surprised that someone at an Aerosmith concert knows who he is. I'm grinning from ear to ear, V and Allison are doing the same, he looks up, smiles, waves back and then goes about his normal business.

Ah............ :-) I waved at Josh Groban! and he waved back! :-) Best "famous person" story of my life. If I wasn't in the damn balcony area I would have ran to the wall and seen if I could reach down and shake his hand.

His concert is rolling through MNPLS again, and Sioux City, in February of '05 and I want to be at it so bad!

He's amazing, if you don't know his music you need to. Go to your local record store and get some of his CDs, you wont regret it. Go to www.joshgroban.com and check it out. There are whole complete songs on there to listen to as well. Give it a try!

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