A woman that has graced the world with music for decades and has been noted for her Broadway, film and television work is Barbra Streisand. The distinctive profile and voice have graced the stage since 1962 as an actress and her career has since been marked with a series of firsts. "The Prince of Tides" was a first, the first movie ever directed by the female lead to receive a nomination for best director from the Director's Guild. Her first Broadway play, "I Can Get It For You Wholesale," was a first, it received a Tony nomination and won the New York Drama Critics award. "The Barbra Streisand Album," Streisand's first album, won three Grammy awards, one of these being best album also marked a first for Streisand. At the time, Streisand was the youngest artist to ever receive the award. Yet another first was a result of the first television special Streisand was featured in. The special, "My Name Is Barbra," won five Emmy Awards and the distinguished Peabody Award. As well, she marked a first with her debut motion picture "Funny Girl," she won an Oscar for best actress, and the motion picture "Yentl," was the first movie ever produced, directed, written and starred in by a woman. Her first didn't stop here. She is also known as the first composer ever to win an Academy Award for a theme song.

Streisand was born Barbra Joan Streisand on April 24, 1942 in Brooklyn, New York to Emanuel and Diana Streisand. Her father died in 1943 and her mother remairried Louis Kind in 1951. Until 1956 Mr. and Mrs. Kind raised Barbra, her older brother Sheldon Jay and had one more child, Rosalind Kind. In 1956 Mr. Kind left the family. Streisand was fourteen and Sheldon was 21. It wasn't long before Streisand started making her mark on the entertainment industry.

Unassisted and un-encouraged the teenage High School Honor student entered the entertainment industry by winning a small Manhattan club singing contest. Streisand's talent attracted a devout and growing following at the clubs the subsequently hired her and as a result the music industries attention was drawn her way. In 1962 she signed a contract with Columbia and there began her career of firsts.