MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2015
SAM HUNT - COUNTRY MUSIC
Sam Hunt's advice for people who hate country music: give it another try. Hunt says over the years, certain stereotypes have been attached to country music that were probably wrong and kept people from listening to it. He says one of the most fulfilling things that fans tell him is that they never listened to country music before they heard his record. He says country music is diverse and there's something for everyone.
---
CHARLIE PUTH - MEGHAN TRAINOR - FRIENDS
For as hot as Charlie Puth and Meghan Trainor got at the American Music Awards, it turns out it was just a stunt.
Their representative confirms to Billboard magazine the two are not dating. Puth and Trainor ended their duet of the song ``Marvin Gaye'' with a makeout session. Puth says when he created the song, his intent was for people to make out to it. He says kissing Trainor is like kissing his best friend, but he acknowledges she's a great kisser.
---
ADELE - ``25''
Adele's ``25'' has just reached a major sales milestone and could shatter an all-time record. It's sold 2.3-million copies in just three days, according to Nielsen Music.
It's only the second album to sell more than 2-million copies in a week. The other album is the record holder: 'N Sync's ``No Strings Attached,'' which sold 2.4-million in its debut week in March 2000.
The final numbers will be reported on Sunday.
---
U2 - PARIS DATES
U2 will return to Paris to make up the shows cancelled after the attacks there on November 13th. U2 will perform December 6th and 7th. Bono says for one night, ``the killers took lives, took music, took peace of mind - but they couldn't steal the spirit of that city.'' He says U2 will put on their best for Paris.
The original U2 show was supposed to be broadcast the same day on H-B-O, and the December 7th show will be shown on H-B-O as planned.
---
FETTY WAP - THROWS CASH
Fetty Wap must be doing well for himself. He's throwing away money. Videos posted on social media show Wap tossing cash over a balcony at Garden State Plaza Mall in Paramus, New Jersey, on Saturday. Wap tweeted he was so happy to be shopping with his daughter that he threw two-thousand dollars to fans.
---
ARLO GUTHRIE - ``ALICE'S RESTAURANT''
Arlo Guthrie is back at the Old Trinity Church, and he probably won't be taking out the garbage.
Guthrie played at the former church in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, last night and will play again tonight. Fifty years ago on Thanksgiving, Guthrie was visiting friends who lived there and took out the trash as a favour, but dumped it off a cliff. The ridiculous events that happened after that inspired Guthrie to write his song ``Alice's Restaurant.'' The church now houses The Guthrie Center.
---
JOEY AND RORY - ALBUM
Joey and Rory will put out a new album on Valentine's Day. Rory Feek writes on his ``This Life I Live'' blog it will be called ``Hymns That Are Important To Us.'' He calls it ``Joey's album'' and says it's full of hymns his wife sang while growing up. He says they recorded it at the beginning of the summer, then whenever she felt up to singing. Joey Feek is suffering from terminal cancer and is in hospice care at their home in Indiana.
Rory Feek says it's ``the music that makes this beautiful, tragic, crazy life somehow make sense.''
---
BILLY GIBBONS - JAZZ
ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons didn't really think about ever playing jazz until he was invited last year to play the Havana Jazz Festival. Gibbons says he didn't want to pass up a chance to go to Cuba. The gig fell through, but the jazz idea stuck with him. He says he went into a studio with some friends basically to smoke, drink and make a lot of noise. He says they kept playing music with an Afro-Cuban twist. Even though they didn't intend to make a record, Gibbons thought it was so good it was worth releasing. It's called ``Perfectamundo'' and it's out now.
---
CHARLES AZNAVOUR - SICK
Charles Aznavour has postponed two Amsterdam concerts because of health problems. The concert promoter says Azvanour's concert this past Sunday and one set for December 9th have been called off. Aznavour, who is 91, is suffering from an acute stomach and intestinal infection. The concerts have been rescheduled for January.
---
NEIL YOUNG - CANADA
Canadian music legend Neil Young says ``Canada is back.'' now that Stephen Harper era is over. The 70-year-old singer-songwriter says it's obvious that people are delighted with the change in government and he considers it to be positive news too. Young says he wishes Justin Trudeau and his government the best. He also praises Alberta Premier Rachel Notley's environmental policies.
---
``THE VOICE'' - TOP 10
The kids of ``The Voice'' are fighting above their weight class. The young'uns made a big impression on the coaches last night. Emily Ann Roberts just turned 17. Coach Blake Shelton says America can thank her for bringing a classic country sound to network T-V. Sixteen-year-old Madi Davis got raves from the coaches for her version of U-2's ``Love Is Blindness.'' And 15-year-old Braiden Sunshine did a soaring rendition of a song that is more than twice as old as he is. He did ``True'' by Spandau Ballet, which came out in 1983. Tonight, one hopeful will be sent home, cutting the field to the Top 10.
---
(The Associated Press)