Barbra Re-ups with Columbia; DVD-Set to Commemorate 50th Anniversary

 

Feb. 22, 2012 This afternoon, The Hollywood Reporter announced that Barbra Streisand has renewed her contract with Columbia Records. According to The Reporter, Barbra released the following statement: "From the day Goddard Lieberson signed me almost 50 years ago, Columbia Records has been my home, and I am thrilled to continue that partnership for many years to come."

Columbia's Goddard Lieberson signs Barbra in 1962

For their part, Columbia's COO Steve Barnett added the following comments: "There are stars and there are superstars, and there's Barbra Streisand .. Columbia Records is proud to play a vital role in her extraordinary career. We're looking forward to the next chapter in our long and fruitful relationship." This is great news for fans who are anxiously waiting to see what Columbia and Sony will do to mark Barbra's 50th anniversary with their label. A 12-set DVD "featuring unprecedented access into Streisand's professional and personal life" is forthcoming, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

"Happy Anniversary, Your Majesty"

Feb. 10, 2012
And so it begins. Piers Morgan became the first mainstream journalist to publicly acknowledge Barbra Streisand's 50th anniversary as a recording artist. The moment came this evening during the closing moments of CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight."

In mentioning the upcoming Grammy awards, Morgan discussed the irony of same-year nominations for both Barbra Streisand (the artist) and "Barbra Streisand" (the song by Duck Sauce). Morgan then closed his show with a tribute to the real Barbra Streisand:

"Nobody in musical history has ever been nominated at the Grammys at the same event where somebody else has also been nominated for a song named in their honor. There is, quite literally, only one Barbra Streisand, the Queen of American Music. Happy anniversary, your majesty."

(Unofficial) Golden Jubilee Begins

June 6, 2010
It happened exactly 50 years ago today. On June 6, 1960, Barbra Streisand entered a talent contest at "The Lion" in New York and won first prize: a two week engagement at the club and a salary of $50 a week. For the first time in her life, this aspiring young performer was being paid to sing. Her extraordinary journey as a professional entertainer had begun.

Over the course of the next half-century, Barbra Streisand's vocal gift would touch the hearts of millions across the globe.

According to a source close to Barbra's management, her team has chosen to acknowledge the signing of her first contract with Columbia Records (in 1962) as the real start of her career. So, we'll just have to wait until 2012 for Barbra and the media world to officially acknowledge her 50 years in show business.

That being said, history can not be rewritten. Barbra Streisand received her first paycheck as a performer at "The Lion" on June 6, 1960. That date, as far as we, and many other fans are concerned, was her first day on the job, a job she's been handling with grace and perfection for exactly 50 years. So we choose to mark 2010 as Barbra's unofficial Golden Jubilee in show business and congratulate her on achieving this most impressive career milestone.

But of course we'll be there in 2012, too, with party hats and streamers, ready to celebrate Barbra's equally important 50th anniversary as a recording artist.