MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2016
OTTAWA-BLUESFEST
About 75 acts have been revealed for Ottawa's Bluesfest in July. They range from 60's icons The Monkees to rapper Nelly and virtually every musical taste in between. The list includes such names as Billy Idol, Duran Duran, John Fogarty, Joe Jackson, Bryan Ferry, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Cult.
Future, who collaborated with Drake, is also set to perform at LaBreton Flats Park between July 7-17. Brad Paisley, Hamilton's City and Colour, the Lumineers and Paul James are also on the roster.
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SONNY JAMES - OBIT
Country singer Sonny James has died. He died yesterday at a hospice in Nashville. During his career, James recorded romantic ballads like ``Young Love'' and converted a number of pop and R&B hits into country tunes like ``Only the Lonely'' and ``Only Love Can Break a Heart.'' Sonny James was 87.
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DON McLEAN ENTERS NOT-GUILTY PLEA IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASE
Don McLean says just because he's facing more domestic violence charges _ that doesn't mean he is guilty of them. Authorities in Maine have slapped another five charges on McLean _ bringing the total number of charges he faces to six.
Through his attorney, he has entered not-guilty pleas to all six charges, which stems from an incident that led to his arrest on Jan.
18. McLean _ best known for the 1972 hit ``American Pie'' _ says the case is ``a tragedy'' for his family _ especially his wife.
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RONNIE WOOD'S PREGNANT WIFE SKIPS PART OF STONES TOUR TO AVOID ZIKA VIRUS
The Zika virus scare is forcing a change for one Rolling Stones member. Guitarist Ronnie Wood says his wife _ who's pregnant with twin girls _ is skipping the Stones' trek through Latin America to avoid exposure to the virus. Wood has tweeted that his wife Sally won't head to Latin America with the band because the virus and excessive flying are ``too dangerous''
for their unborn daughters. Wood says his wife hasn't ``been sent home'' from the tour, as some have reported, but that the decision to skip that leg of the concert series was done for health reasons.
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50 CENT - BANKRUPTCY
If you are going to go around crying that you're broke _ it's probably not a good idea to be photographed lying in bed with bundles of $100 bills. That's a lesson 50 Cent is learning the hard way. The rapper has filed for bankruptcy. But The Wall Street Journal reports the judge handling his case is concerned that Fiddy isn't as bad off as he claims. Judge Ann Nevins notes there are photos of the rapper on social media that indicate he isn't being truthful about his finances. The judge wants the rapper hauled into court to explain. But no date for that hearing has been set. 50 Cent filed for bankruptcy last year after a New York City jury ordered him to pay $7 million to a woman who said he posted her sex tape online.
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ROB THOMAS APOLOGIZES FOR RACIST JOKE
The lead singer of Matchbox 20 says he's sorry. Rob Thomas says he meant no harm when he told a joke in Australia that some took as racist. Thomas was performing Saturday in Melbourne when he made a crack about using booze to ward off jet lag. He said to keep his body clock straight, he drinks until he thinks he's Australian, then he keeps drinking until he thinks he's ``a black Australian.'' That didn't go down well because the Aboriginal population is among Australia's poorest _ and many suffer from alcohol and drug abuse. Thomas says he didn't know that when he made the joke _ and that he's ``incredibly embarrassed'' by his ignorance.
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KESHA'S PRODUCER ISSUES NEW DENIALS
The man who has Kesha under contract is again denying the singer's claim that he raped her. Attorneys for Dr. Luke have issued a statement saying Kesha's accusations are ``outright lies'' that the singer is telling ``to extort a contract renegotiation and money.'' On Friday, Kesha sobbed in court as a judge denied her bid to get out her deal with Dr. Luke who has produced for artists including Britney Spears, Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj. Kesha's plight prompted Taylor Swift to donate a quarter-million dollars to help her fellow pop singer.
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TAYLOR SWIFT - MAID-OF-Honour
It's never a bad thing when your childhood friend turns out to be a superstar singer _ and is willing to stand up for you at your wedding. That's the deal with an old buddy of Taylor Swift's. Swift and Britany Maack literally go back like babies and pacifiers _ with Swift saying on Instagram she first met the bride when she was 10 days old. Swift returned to her hometown of Reading, Pennsylvania this past weekend to be Maack's maid of honour. In her Instagram photos, Swift calls herself ``the happiest maid of honour ever.''
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THE LUMINEERS AND THE PRESIDENT
It's one thing to know the President of the United States listens to your music. But it's another thing to imagine what the president is doing while he's checking out of your song. A member of The Lumineers says now that he knows the group's song ``Stubborn Love'' is on the POTUS Spotify list, he figures Barack Obama must listen to it while he's bowling. Wesley Shultz says he was impressed by the bowling alley at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. He says it was especially cool to see a bowling ball emblazoned with the presidential seal.
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(The Associated Press)
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CELINE DION
Celine Dion will honour her late husband Rene Angelil when she returns to the stage in Las Vegas on Tuesday night.
A post on the pop superstar's Facebook page says viewers can watch a live stream of the opening of Dion's show beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET on her website.
Fans are invited to witness Dion's ``love tribute'' to Angelil at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
Dion spoke publicly at a memorial for Angelil at The Colosseum earlier this month.
He died Jan. 14 after a battle with throat cancer. He was 73.
(The Canadian Press)