MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015
TOTO BASSIST MIKE PORCARO DIES
Bassist Mike Porcaro of Toto has died. Toto's publicist says Porcaro died Sunday morning. Porcaro had been battling Lou Gehrig's Disease. He was 59. Porcaro's brother Steve, who plays keyboards for Toto, writes on Facebook his brother died at home surrounded by family. Porcaro joined Toto in 1982. He toured with the band and played on their albums through the mid-2000s, when his declining health forced him to quit. Toto guitarist Steve Lukather tweets he will miss Porcaro more than he can ever put into words.
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FORMER 3 DOORS DOWN BASSIST GETS JAIL TIME
Former 3 Doors Down bassist Todd Harrell has pleaded no contest to a charge of second-offence driving while impaired. The Sun Herald of Mississippi reports Harrell was sentenced to one year in jail, suspended six months with the condition he enrol in rehab and attend a multiple offenders program.
Harrell was arrested in February 2014 after he was found slumped behind the wheel of a car in D'Iberville, Mississippi. He had been convicted on a first offence just a month before. Harrell is also awaiting trial on charges of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol in a crash that killed another driver in Nashville in April 2013.
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AWOLNATION RELEASE ``RUN''
CHICAGO (AP) _ Aaron Bruno of AWOLNation was in unfamiliar territory when it came time to write the ``Run'' record. He had never made a sophomore album before. Bruno says all his previous bands failed, so he only ever made first records. He says this is the first time he has the potential to disappoint fans. He's hoping he did not. Bruno says he was lucky that the song ``Sail'' had longevity, because it meant he had the time to create the music he wanted for ``Run.'' Bruno says the fact that ``Sail'' was a strange song meant he had artistic license to make an even stranger record.
``Run'' is out today.
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WADE HAYES RELEASES SONG AFTER CANCER ALL-CLEAR
Wade Hayes has turned his doctor's advice into a song to help others. Hayes has released a song called ``Go Live Your Life.'' Hayes had colon cancer and he says the day he found out he was all clear, his doctor told him to go live his life. Proceeds from the song's sale will go to the non-profit group Colon Cancer Alliance Blue Note Fund.
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JACK BRUCE TRIBUTE PLANNED FOR OCTOBER
Former Cream drummer Ginger Baker, Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull and Joss Stone are the first acts to sign on for a tribute to late Cream singer Jack Bruce. The ``Sunshine of Your Love'' concert will take place in London on October 24th. It will mark the one-year anniversary of Bruce's death. Proceeds will go to charity.
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DAN AYKROYD STARTS BLUES BROTHERS RECORDS
Dan Aykroyd says he's going to fulfil the true ``mission from God'' -- finding and developing emerging blues players. That's why he's starting Blues Brothers Records with the widow of John Belushi. The label will have distribution and artist support through Blue Note Records. Aykroyd says American music started with the blues and ``now it is in the hands of the next Generation.''
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ZAC BROWN BAND, KACEY MUSGRAVES AMONGST THOSE WHO WILL PLAY MARCH MADNESS FEST
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ Rihanna and Bleachers will perform at the March Madness Music Festival in Indianapolis on April 4th. Zac Brown Band, Lady Antebellum and Kacey Musgraves will perform April 5. The lineup for April 3 has not been announced. All shows will be free.
The N-C-double-A is using Rihanna's song ``American Oxygen'' for March Madness promotions.
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