Some context: Stevens was born in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of nine, when his family moved to Petoskey, in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. He was raised by his father Rasjid and his stepmother Pat, only occasionally visiting his mother, Carrie, in Oregon after she married her second husband Lowell Brams. His mother is deceased. Brams later became the head of Stevens' record label Asthmatic Kitty.
On January 12, 2015, Asthmatic Kitty Records announced that Stevens would release a new LP called Carrie & Lowell on March 31, 2015 (Europe: March 30, 2015). On 16 February 2015, Stevens shared the first single from the record, 'No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross'.  The album met with critical acclaim on release, receiving a 9.3 from Pitchfork under "best new music", and an initial score of 90 from Metacritic. UK retailer HMV named it the best album of 2015. The album follows the nuances and trials of life with Stevens' mother, Carrie, who was diagnosed bipolar and schizophrenic, suffered from drug addiction and substance abuse, and abandoned him when he was a year old; it also includes Stevens' stepfather, Lowell Brams.  On January 26, 2015, Asthmatic Kitty Records announced a tour of North America, which began in April 2015, to coincide with the new album. Stevens also headlined the End of the Road Festival in the United Kingdom in September. On July 21, a second set of U.S. tour dates, which took place in October and November 2015, was announced.  On April 28, 2017, a live album and concert film, Carrie & Lowell Live was released, featuring new interpretations, re-workings and expansions of the songs from Carrie & Lowell. In addition to the live album, Sufjan has announced another Carrie & Lowell companion piece. The Greatest Gift Mixtape -- Outtakes, Remixes, & Demos from Carrie & Lowell -- was released on November 24. It includes unreleased songs from the album sessions, as well as iPhone recordings and remixes from Helado Negro, Doveman, and more.
what was the greatest gift?
A: The Greatest Gift Mixtape -- Outtakes, Remixes, & Demos from Carrie & Lowell -- was released on November 24.
Some context: Geoff Tate (born Jeffrey Wayne Tate, January 14, 1959; he later changed his first name to Geoffery or Geoffrey) is a German-born American singer and musician. He rose to fame with the progressive metal band Queensryche, who had commercial success with their 1988 album Operation: Mindcrime and 1990 album Empire. Tate is ranked fourteenth on Hit Parader's list of the 100 Greatest Metal Vocalists of All Time.
While Tate was in the band Babylon, he was asked to sing with the cover band The Mob (who would later start writing original material and become Queensryche) at a local rock festival. After Babylon broke up, Tate performed a few shows with The Mob, but left because he was not interested in performing heavy metal cover songs. Tate then joined the progressive metal band Myth as lead vocalist and keyboardist. Other band members of Myth included Kelly Gray, who was later one of the replacements for Queensryche guitarist Chris DeGarmo, and Randy Gane, both of whom joined Tate's version of Queensryche in 2012.  The Mob again called on Tate in 1981, this time to record a demo tape, which he accepted, convincing his bandmates in Myth that getting professional recording experience would benefit all of them in the future. The band already had a set of songs, but one song was still left without lyrics. Tate was asked to write lyrics to this song, which would become the song "The Lady Wore Black", Tate's first penned song with the band. The demo tape was widely circulated, and was released as an EP in 1982 on the 206 Records label. Around this time, the name The Mob was changed to Queensryche, and Tate left Myth to become Queensryche's permanent lead singer. Myth went on to record the album Arabia after Tate had left.  Queensryche was signed to EMI in the summer of 1983, with a contract spanning 15 years and encompassing seven albums. EMI re-released the EP, Queensryche, to moderate success, peaking at No. 81 on the Billboard charts. With Queensryche, Tate had great successes, especially with the concept album Operation: Mindcrime, which was released in 1988, and 1990's Empire. The band has sold over 20 million albums worldwide.  On June 20, 2012, it was announced that Queensryche had fired Tate, replacing him with Crimson Glory vocalist Todd La Torre. Soon after, Tate and his wife Susan (who served as the band's manager from 2005-2012) filed a lawsuit in a Washington court, saying that he was wrongfully terminated from the group. They also filed a preliminary injunction in an attempt to prevent either side from using the band's name and likeness until the lawsuit was settled, but this was denied by a judge who decided that both parties can use the name Queensryche until a settlement or a court verdict determines who gets the name. It was revealed to the public on April 28, 2014 that Rockenfield, Wilton and Jackson were given the exclusive rights to the Queensryche trademark and that Tate received the rights to Operation: Mindcrime.
Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?
A:
On June 20, 2012, it was announced that Queensryche had fired Tate, replacing him with Crimson Glory vocalist Todd La Torre.