MUSIC NEWS: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2015
ROCK HALL - INDUCTEES
Ice Cube says N-W-A plan to ask Snoop Dogg if he'll fill in for Eazy-E for their performance at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. Ice Cube tells Rolling Stone he's hoping Snoop will ``do an honorary Eazy'' for them. Steve Miller thanks the hall for his induction on behalf of ``the Space Cowboy, the Joker, Maurice and the Gangster of Luv.'' Cheap Trick will also be inducted, and bassist Tom Petersson says they can't thank the Rock Hall enough. Trumpeter Lee Loughnane of Chicago tells Billboard magazine many people assumed they were already in the Rock Hall, and now that they're being inducted, he had no idea it would be as exciting as it is. Drummer Ian Paice of Deep Purple tells Rolling Stone he's thrilled Deep Purple will be inducted at the same time as Chicago. Paice says they have not had contact with singer Rod Evans in decades and Paice has no idea if Evans is even alive, let alone if he'll show up to the induction in April.
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MEEK MILL - VIOLATED PROBATION
Meek Mill could go back to jail. A judge in Philadelphia has found Mill guilty of probation violations. Common Pleas Judge Genece Brinkley says Mill cannot work or perform before his hearing on February 5th, except for community service. Brinkley sent Mill back to jail for five months last year for similar violations. He was convicted in 2009 on drug and gun charges.
Prosecutors say he ignored rules about letting the court know his travel plans and submitted cold water instead of a urine sample for a drug test. His girlfriend, Nicki Minaj, and music producer Kenny Gamble of Gamble and Huff had testified on Mill's behalf.
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JIMMY BUFFETT SONGS - ORIGINAL MUSICAL
Jimmy Buffett is bringing Margaritaville to the stage. Buffett's songs will be the basis for a stage production that is expected to premiere in 2017. It will feature an original story.
Buffett says the idea of turning Margaritaville into a musical has been ``percolating'' for a while, but it took a while to find the right people to tell the right kind of story. He says he's found his crew and ``it's going to be a fun voyage.''
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THOMAS RHETT - THE EMOTIONAL JOURNEY
A Twitter user once called Thomas Rhett ``an unathletic version of Justin Timberlake.'' Rhett says he'll take anything that puts him even somewhat in the same category as Timberlake. Rhett says the one thing he tries to emulate is Timberlake's versatility. Rhett says he wants his audiences to laugh, dance, jump and possibly cry when they're at his concerts. He says he wants to give people the full spectrum of emotions and not give any chance for them to think, ``Well, this is that ballad where I'm going to go get a beer now.''
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VIOLENT FEMMES - NEW SONGS
Violent Femmes are putting out their first album of new music in 15 years. It's called ``We Can Do Anything'' and it comes out March 4th. Kevin Hearn of Barenaked Ladies plays on several tracks and drew the cover art. The album contains one cover, the song ``What You Really Mean,'' written by folk singer Cynthia Gayneau, the sister of frontman Gordon Gano. Violent Femmes are planning to tour behind the record.
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TEYANA TAYLOR - BABY
Singer Teyana Taylor and her fiance, Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert, are new parents. Taylor went into labour unexpectedly Wednesday morning in their bathroom. Taylor posts on her Instagram account that she didn't initially realize she was in labour. But says Shumpert was ``playing Dr,'' and helped deliver the baby with ``his bare hands.'' Taylor says Shumpert tied a pair of headphones around the umbilical cord while they waited for the ambulance to arrive.
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PUFF DADDY - MIXTAPE
Puff Daddy is surprised to find that even though he gave away a mixtape for free, people are still willing to buy it.
He'll release his ``MMM'' mixtape on iTunes today, even though it was free as of November 4th. The iTunes version has a new interlude and two extra tracks. His final album, ``No Way Out 2,'' will come out next year. He says he'll spend more time with his six children and figure out what he'll do next, but he plans always to be around music.
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DOLLY PARTON - ``COAT OF MANY COLORS'' - SECOND RUN
The T-V movie based on Dolly Parton's song ``Coat of Many Colors'' was such a success, N-B-C is re-running it.
It will air again on Christmas. Parton says she wanted to create something to bring families together, and she hopes her story reaches many more people when it's shown on Christmas night.
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(The Associated Press)