http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Anderson



Jon Anderson (born October 25, 1944) is a British musician, best known as the lead singer of the progressive rock band Yes. He is also an accomplished solo artist, and collaborated for a number of years with the Greek musician Vangelis, creating the duo “Jon & Vangelis”.



Anderson’s voice is often described as angelic. He considers himself an alto tenor vocalist, capable of hitting very high notes without relying on falsetto while maintaining the softness that is consistently associated with his voice. Even during live performances, such as those recorded and included in the Yessongs album, Anderson never wavers into falsetto, as many other singers frequently do in live performances to conserve their vocal strength.



Anderson is also responsible for most of the mystically-themed lyrics and concepts which are part of many Yes releases. These elements are crucial components of the classic Yes sound, but have occasionally alienated some members of the band (most notably Bruford and Rick Wakeman), causing them to leave the group. The lyrics are frequently inspired by various books Anderson has enjoyed, from Tolstoy’s “War And Peace” to footnotes of the Shastic Scriptures.


Before live performances he often meditates in a tent with crystals and dreamcatchers, a practice he started in the 1980s. Anderson is also a vegetarian, as were most members of Yes during the mid-seventies.



Jon Anderson’s children include daughter Deborah Anderson (who has done work singing for the French Electronica band, Telepopmusik on the album “Angel Milk” released in summer 2005), Jade Anderson (who has released a solo album in Japan) and Damion Anderson (another musician).