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Best known for his 1993 ballad "Jessie," Joshua Kadison began playing piano and writing songs when he was 12 years old. Influences on his songwriting included Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart, and Gershwin, although Kadison's melancholic brand of adult contemporary pop was just as indebted to Elton John. After his mother's death, he left his Hollywood Hills home and resettled in Nashville, where he signed a contract with SBK Records. His debut album, Painted Desert Serenade, was released in 1993 and went platinum within two years, largely driven by the Top Ten single "Jessie." The song was also a hit in Europe, where Kadison's subsequent albums found a more welcome audience than they did at home. ~ John Bush