User:Paramount Music

Jason Stan
Early life

Stan was born in Dandenong, Melbourne, Australia to Kazimierz Stan, a Government Chauffer and Barbara Goodier, an office bookeeper. Stan’s father was born in Warsaw, Poland while his mother is of English descent (his maternal grandparents emigrated from England).

His father Kazimierz was stationed at National Mapping in Melbourne Victoria where Stan lived with his father and mother until he was 12 years old. At the age of 16, Stan’s oldest brother Wayne was involved in a tragic diving accident in Seaford Frankston leaving him a quadraplegic. The use of his arms and legs totally destroyed. This was to compound the stress within the family and several years later after trial seperations, Stan’s parents divorced. His mother took him and his older brothers Wayne and Troy to her home in Dandenong, a medium collar suburb of Melbourne while Stan’s father lived alone. The seperation and subsequent divorce of Stan’s parents was to be the catilic in Stan’s troubled and turbulent younger years. The cracks in Stan’s personality began to surface shortly after when Stan certainly realised that there was no longer a hope of a reconciliation between his parents.

Stan attended Dandenong Prmary School in his earlier schooling years and later attended Dandenong High School in the Melbourne suburb of Dandenong. He was seen as a popular outcast because of his handsome looks but never made many friends preferring instead to keep to himself. Throughout his time at Dandenong High School, Stan was subjected to much bullying for his singing ability and only had one girlfriend.

Stan first expressed an interest in show business at the tender age of four appearing in assorted school plays but always aspired to be a singer. His musical influences included Neil Diamond, Billy Joel, Barry Manilow, George Michael and Rick Springfield. He also cites the musical The Sound Of Music as an early inspiration for singing and performing. As a child, he was known locally as "the little boy with the big voice" singing in local talent shows and competitions. In the year 1998 Stan entered a karaoke competition on a wym and at the insistance of friends. The decision didn’t backfire. Although entering in the final night of the competition, he walked away with first prize, an all expenses trip for two to Bali or $2500.00 cash. Stan took the cash. Learning what his voice could earn for him in the following month’s Stan entered more competitions. When competitors learned they would be up against him in any given week, they immediately backed out, prompting insiders to claim it was "like sending a lamb to the slaughter." His peers soon became jealous of him and would frequently subject him to ridicule, ostracism, and, in some instances, attempted assault.

Artist Discovery - The Early Years

He was discovered by program manager Bruce Neels from one of Australia's largest radio stations 7LA in 1996. Neels had been handed a copy of Jason's debut single My Girl and liked what he heard enough to begin airing the song on the national radio station. Neels' efforts would later lead to the Herald Sun reporting on Jason's first ever Top 5 single My Girl and the consequent release of his debut album No Apologies.