Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake

In late 2002 Justin Timberlake managed to make the leap that many young stars never accomplish—the leap from teen idol to full-fledged, adult artist. In the late 1990s, he was one-fifth of the wildly popular boy band 'N Sync, considered to be the cute, funny one, and a headline maker thanks mostly to his on-again, off-again romance with pop princess Britney Spears. But, having hit the ripe old age of twenty-one, Timberlake decided to leave the safety of his supergroup to launch a solo career. His debut CD, called Justified, was released in December of 2002, and its funky mix of hip-hop and R&B clicked with both old fans and new. More importantly, Timberlake gained the respect of critics and peers. In 2003 he took home several awards for his freshman effort, including three MTV Video Music Awards, and in February of 2004, Timberlake snagged two Grammies, considered the highest achievement in the music industry. It seemed the pop idol had grown up, and as Jenny Eliscu commented in Rolling Stone, Timberlake "attained the one thing he wanted more than anything else: credibility."

From singing toddler to Mouseketeer

Justin Randall Timberlake was born on January 31, 1981, in Memphis, Tennessee, considered to be the home of the blues and the birthplace of rock and roll. From the very beginning, Timberlake's mother, Lynne, knew her son would be a performer. He was dancing along to the radio when he was just a toddler, and by the age of two and a half, Timberlake (nicknamed Curly) could sing in perfect harmony. As Timberlake later recalled in a Time for Kids interview, "Ever since I was a little boy I always sang. So I figured out that was sort of my calling."

When Timberlake was three his parents divorced. He remained friends with his father, but he grew up with his mother and his stepfather, Paul Harless, who Lynne married when Timberlake was five years old. Young Justin was, and is, extremely close to his mother. In fact, he has a small tattoo on his back of an angel holding a banner that bears her initials. In addition, Lynne later became her son's manager. Timberlake started out singing in the church choir; he began his stage career by performing in countless local talent contests. In 1992, after several years of voice lessons, he appeared on Star Search, a televised tournament-style talent competition that helped launched the careers of many top entertainers. The eleven-year-old sang under the name of Justin Randall, and although he received high marks from the judges, he did not win the contest.

"I know people have an image of me in their head, but I want them to be able to see past that. I want them to see the musicality of what I'm doing."

Timberlake was not discouraged. He continued to make the rounds of auditions, and in 1993, at age twelve, he landed a spot on The Mickey Mouse Club, a half-hour show for kids that blended singing, dancing, and comedy sketches. Competition to be a Mouseketeer was high, considering thousands of hopefuls tried out for the show, and Timberlake was thrilled to be added to the program. He and his mother moved to Orlando, Florida, where the series was produced, and for two years he appeared as a regular along with fellow cast members, including up-and-coming stars, Britney Spears (1981–), Christina Aguilera (1980–), and future bandmate Joshua Scott (J. C.) Chasez (1976–). When the show was cancelled in 1994, Timberlake was disappointed, but he already had his sights on his next move. He and Chavez had been contacted by a young singer named Christopher Kirkpatrick (1971–) who had seen them on Mickey Mouse and now wondered if the two ex-Mouseketeers would be interested in joining a band he was putting together. Timberlake and Chavez joined forces with Kirkpatrick, Joseph (Joey) Fatone (1977–), and Jason Allen Alexander (1981–) to become one of the most successful pop groups ever, 'N Sync.

The Justin Timberlake Foundation

Pop idol Justin Timberlake may spend his money freely on clothes, cars, and plenty of bling, but he is also committed to helping youngsters fulfill their dreams. In 2000 Timberlake established the Justin Timberlake Foundation, with the goal of funding and supporting music programs in public schools. As the performer told Time for Kids, "This is about an opportunity that every young person should enjoy, no matter what career they aspire to. I want to do everything I can to make sure other people can benefit from music education." In May of 2000, the foundation's first grant was awarded to Timberlake's own Memphis elementary school, E. E. Jeeter. In addition to money, the pop performer donates his time to help schools integrate music into the curriculum. He also helps others raise funds for what he considers to be an important initiative. For example, the foundation regularly auctions off items online, including Timber-lake concert tickets and some of the star's own belongings, such as his sneakers.

In 2002, the Timberlake Foundation joined forces with the American Music Conference (AMC), a national, nonprofit organization, which according to its Web site at http://www.amc-music.org, is "dedicated to promoting the importance of music, music-making, and music education to the general public." That same year, Timberlake partnered with AMC to urge Congress to support music education in U.S. schools. Thanks to Timberlake's involvement, millions of people visited the AMC Web site, kids and adults wrote letters to their congressmen, and by late 2002, Timberlake's mother, Lynn Harless, delivered a petition containing thousands of signatures to Capitol Hill. As Timberlake explained on the AMC Web site: "The main purpose of this petition drive is to show the people on Capitol Hill how important music education is to the people they're working for. The publicity that surrounded the petition has reached millions of people and gotten them talking. I think we've laid a foundation for more public activism in the future, and I hope people start in their own home towns."

source:notablebiographies.com