IN: Lemon Henry "Blind Lemon" Jefferson (September 24, 1893 - December 19, 1929) was an American blues and gospel singer, songwriter, and musician. He was one of the most popular blues singers of the 1920s and has been called the "Father of the Texas Blues". Jefferson's performances were distinctive because of his high-pitched voice and the originality of his guitar playing. His recordings sold well, but he was not a strong influence on younger blues singers of his generation, who could not imitate him as easily as they could other commercially successful artists.

Jefferson was born blind (or possibly partially blind), near Coutchman, Texas. He was the youngest of seven (or possibly eight) children born to Alex and Clarissa Jefferson, who were sharecroppers. Disputes regarding the date of his birth derive from contradictory census records and draft registration records. By 1900, the family was farming southeast of Streetman, Texas, and his birth date is indicated as September 1893 in the 1900 census. The 1910 census, taken in May, before his birthday, further confirms his year of birth as 1893 and indicated that the family was farming northwest of Wortham, near his birthplace.  In his 1917 draft registration, Jefferson gave his birth date as October 26, 1894, further stating that he then lived in Dallas, Texas, and had been blind since birth. In the 1920 census, he is recorded as having returned to Freestone County and was living with his half-brother, Kit Banks, on a farm between Wortham and Streetman.  Jefferson began playing the guitar in his early teens and soon after he began performing at picnics and parties. He became a street musician, playing in East Texas towns in front of barbershops and on street corners. According to his cousin Alec Jefferson, quoted in the notes for Blind Lemon Jefferson, Classic Sides:  They were rough. Men were hustling women and selling bootleg and Lemon was singing for them all night... he'd start singing about eight and go on until four in the morning... mostly it would be just him sitting there and playing and singing all night.  In the early 1910s, Jefferson began traveling frequently to Dallas, where he met and played with the blues musician Lead Belly. Jefferson was one of the earliest and most prominent figures in the blues movement developing in the Deep Ellum section of Dallas. It is likely that he moved to Deep Ellum on a more permanent basis by 1917, where he met Aaron Thibeaux Walker, also known as T-Bone Walker. Jefferson taught Walker the basics of playing blues guitar in exchange for Walker's occasional services as a guide. By the early 1920s, Jefferson was earning enough money for his musical performances to support a wife and, possibly, a child. However, firm evidence of his marriage and children has not been found.

Where was he born?

OUT: near Coutchman, Texas.


IN: Kara (Hangul: kara, Japanese: kara, often stylized as KARA) was a South Korean pop girl group formed by DSP Media in 2007. The group's final lineup was composed of Park Gyuri, Han Seungyeon, Goo Hara and Heo Youngji. Members Nicole Jung and Kang Ji-young officially departed from the group in 2014, while Kim Sung-hee left in 2008. The group's name comes from the Greek word "chara" (khara, lit. "joy"), which they interpreted to mean "sweet melody".

The group was scheduled to have their comeback in March 2008 with their second album, however, member Kim Sung-hee suddenly announced that she would be leaving the group due to parental pressure because her participation in the group was contingent on the maintenance of her grades. In response, DSP stated that the second album that was recorded would be shelved and replaced by a mini-album to come in May; in addition, two members would join the group. Auditions were held, and the two new members were eventually revealed to be Goo Ha-ra and Kang Jiyoung. The group made their return in the music industry as a quintet on July 24, 2008 with "Rock U" on M! Countdown. They made their comeback with the "cute" and "playful" image which was the complete opposite of the group's original image from their debut. In the same month, their first mini-album titled Rock U was also released. The second season of Kara Self Camera was premiered on August 18, 2008, which chronicled how the group was adapting to their two new members.  On November 29, 2008, DSP released a teaser video for their upcoming single, "Pretty Girl", which received over 40,000 hits within 12 hours. The full video was released on December 2, 2008 online and was positively received by the public. The EP, Pretty Girl, was released on December 4, embodying a "fun-party" concept. The group began its comeback on all major music shows on December 4, 2008, starting with M! Countdown. During their first national performance on KBS's Music Bank, member Goo Hara accidentally gasped "ah!" live on air due to slipping on falling confetti, and reportedly cried profusely afterwards. The incident became a hot issue to many viewers, but Goo Hara received comfort instead of criticism from the general public.  Park Gyuri attributed their popularity increase to their "pretty but natural" appeal, while media reports gave credit to the band for finally finding its own identity in the music industry since the group's debut and to older male fans, most notably singer Shin Hae Chul. Due to their increasingly hectic schedule as their popularity rose, a few of the group's members were taken to the hospital on December 19 after a Music Bank rehearsal for cold symptoms and exhaustion.

What career break though did they have?

OUT:
On November 29, 2008, DSP released a teaser video for their upcoming single, "Pretty Girl", which received over 40,000 hits within 12 hours.