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In the early 1990s I heard a young British tenor sax player called Johnny Lippiett play in a small restaurant in Salcombe, Devon. The food and wine as excellent, and the playing of young Mr Lippiett was completely out of this world.

And very young he seemed to be at the time too – he looked about sixteen – and was, I now realise, probably either waiting to, or already studying music at the Dartington College of Arts at Plymouth University, which is effectively the only remaining link with the famous, and educationally progressive, Dartington Hall School (created by Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst in 1926), which finally closed its doors in 1987.

Afterwards I wrote a short, and glowing, review of his playing (the food and wine got a mention too), a copy of which I sent to Johnny. I received back a charming letter saying no one had ever written about him like that before, and that he had some, I think, family connection with Stratford-upon-Avon.

Over the years I listened out for him and his playing, but heard nothing more – he just seemed to vanish off the radar, at least off my radar.

I got on with other things but often thought about his innovative playing and how it reminded me (the more I thought about it) of Tubby Hayes and less that of John Coltrane, which was a blessing as just about every young tenor player in the ’90s seemed to have been grafted off that giant of the internal musical monologue.

Miley Cyrus (otherwise known as Hannah Montana ) from the Disney show which launched her to fame, is a talented young woman indeed. Born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992 in Nashville Tennessee, Miley is an American singer, songwriter actress. Daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus and Leticia Cyrus, Miley whose nickname “Smiley” was soon shortened to Miley, is now contemplating moving on from her Hannah Montana character and hoping to launch a career in acting alone.

Most young girls have a poster of Hannah Montana gracing their bedroom walls. The Hannah Montana Disney show which is her claim to fame, is known throughout most countries. But it appears that Miley wishes to spread her wings. She wishes to show the world that she has other talents other than simply playing the role of Hannah Montana for ever and a day. Miley Cyrus is now staring in a movie very different to her role as Hannah Montana. She does no singing within this movie and that is a shame indeed. While it is natural for a young woman to wish to spread her wings and prove herself in other areas, the world would be very saddened if they never heard Miley Cyrus sing again.

Quitting music to focus on acting alone would be such a shame. Miley Cyrus has the voice of an angel, a voice which has the potential to be one of the most famed voices in the world. Yet she wishes to throw this God given talent to the wind? Miley Cyrus has not even given herself the opportunity to see where her singing abilities could lead. Miley Cyrus has talent which her father also had, yet she has the ability to be so much more than he ever was. Her voice has such strength, her pitch and diction are excellent. A voice which is gentle yet holds such strength within. In vocal ability Miley Cyrus has it all. Her projection is perfect, her ability to mesmerize her audience is faultless.

An American Idol must have the four main criteria, the voice, style, presence and commands the attention of the audience. Melinda Doolittle check listed all of these requirements and been on almost every single American Idol viewer top five since her first time auditioning. Doolittle’s voice not only won the heart of the judges but has gain an overwhelming loyal fan base, including myself who is part of it. As a huge R&B listener, Doolittle has that natural powerful voice that can be compared to legendary singers such as Gladys Knight and Whitney Houston but what most important is the emotion she bring to her songs that gives her extra points as being a phenomenal singer.

Doolittle comes across as a very humble girl appreciative to the judges comments and yet to show A.I viewers that she is too big for her bridges, despite her being a fan favorite and that to me scores big points when I am choosing which contestant should go further in the competition. Also she somewhat has a edge on the other contestants (the exception of booted Idol Brandon Rogers) as a professional background singer which clearly shows Melinda knows how to use her voice, when to hit a certain note and more importantly, what particular song to sing that will accentuate her voice. Thanks to her already formal training, she knows what it takes to be a real singer and performer and being on a show such as American Idol will be almost a walk in the park for Doolittle.

But I also knows she is a very smart girl that will not become a one-trick pony for weeks to come; though she knows what song suits her voice best and how to move the audience; Doolittle also strikes me as a reserve and quiet girl that can surprise the audience with a song no one ever expect of her performing. She also has that likability factor and is a cute young woman which doesn’t hurt either.

As I watched Tina Turner’s recent appearance on Oprah, I was awed by a few things. She is still one of the most beautiful women in the world, at nearly 70 years old, and I was struck by how elegant and strong she is. She’s a different woman from the girl who first gained prominence in the 1960s. Turner proved that a woman can overcome a number of obstacles with grace and fortitude and maintain a great pair of legs.

I remember the first time I’d heard of Tina Turner. It was 1984, I was about 10 or 11, and I was watching the “What’s Love Got to Do With It” music video with my family. She had this wild hairstyle and was wearing a short skirt that revealed legs that I haven’t been able to attain after years in the gym. During the video, my parents informed me that she wasn’t a new singer; they told me that she’d been around since the 1960s. Of course, my dad commented on how good she looked. Then, my parents talked about the physical abuse she received from her ex-husband, Ike Turner. Years later, while watching a documentary, I saw an old picture of her with a black eye, probably as a result of a beating.

Born Anna Mae Bullock on November 26, 1939 in Nutbush, Tennessee, she never intended to be a singer. Anna Mae and her sister were abandoned by their feuding parents and cared for by their grandmother until her death. In 1956, the girls reunited with their mother in St. Louis. It was there that 16-year-old Anna Mae met Ike Turner in a nightclub. According to some reports, one night he called her on stage and let her sing. He was surprised such a powerful voice from such a young girl.