MUSIC NEWS: THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2015
CMT AWARDS ANNOUNCE NOMINEES
Twelve videos are up for video of the year at the C-M-T Music Awards. Carrie Underwood is nominated twice in that category, for ``Something in the Water'' and for her duet with Miranda Lambert, ``Somethin' Bad.'' The competition includes videos by Darius Rucker, Lee Brice, Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley, Florida Georgia Line, Maddie and Tae, Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt and Jason Aldean. Underwood leads the nominations with five. Lady A and Chesney have four each. The C-M-T Awards will air live on June 10th from Nashville.
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THOMPSON SQUARE PLAY AT COLLEGE WORLD SERIES
Thompson Square will headline a concert to celebrate the College World Series. The concert will be held next to T-D Ameritrade Park in Omaha on June 12th. The College World Series begins the next day.
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BLAKE SHELTON DOES COMMERCIAL FOR MONTREAL CLOTHING COMPANY
Apparel maker Gildan Activewear says it's getting an early buzz from the first commercials featuring country music star Blake Shelton, one of the coaches on ``The Voice.''
Gildan CEO Glenn Chamandy says the singer resonates strongly with its target consumer market _ women.
He also says there's been very positive social media response to spots with Shelton that first aired last month.
The Montreal-based company's Gildan branded underwear is currently ranked No. 3 in terms of U.S. market share.
Chamandy says he hopes the Gildan branded product will have 10 per cent of the U.S underwear market by the end of 2015, up from 7.3 per cent, helped by increased consumer awareness thanks to Shelton's involvement.
In addition to TV spots, Gildan is using Shelton's image on in-store displays, sponsorships and signage.
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SCOTT STAPP SAYS HE'S BIPOLAR
Creed singer Scott Stapp says his recent bizarre behaviour is a result of bipolar disorder. He tells People magazine he had a psychotic break brought on by alcohol and drug abuse. Last fall, he posted a video that his bank accounts had been frozen for no reason and he was under vicious attack. His wife, Jaclyn, called 9-1-1 after Stapp believed he was part of the C-I-A and made threats against U-S President Barack Obama. Stapp is in therapy, takes medication for his bipolar disorder and is in a 12-step program for his sobriety. He and Jaclyn are still together.
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SARAH BRIGHTMAN POSTPONES TRIP TO ISS
Sarah Brightman is putting off her space trip.
Space Adventures, the company helping Brightman prepare her flight to the International Space Station, says Brightman is delaying the trip ``for personal family reasons.'' Brightman had planned to blast off in a Russian Soyuz rocket on September 1st. She had intended to be the first professional musician to sing in space and was working with her ex-husband, composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, to create a song for the event.
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AMY WINEHOUSE MOVIE WILL BE RELEASED IN JULY
The Amy Winehouse documentary will hit theatres on July 10th. The film ``Amy'' will open in New York and in Los Angeles on July 3rd. The film uses archive footage and features previously unheard Winehouse tracks.
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AMERICAN IDOL FINALE
And the winner is: Nick. Nick Fradiani (frah-dee-AHN'-ee), the 29-year-old rock performer from Connecticut was picked as the new ``American Idol.'' He says this is ``the best day'' of his life. Fradiani outscored the soulful 22-year-old Clark Beckham of Tennessee, to win the 14th edition of the Fox talent competition. The two-hour finale was packed with star power, kicking off with Fradiani and Beckham joining Fall Out Boy on their song ``Centuries.'' That was followed by performances by Ricky Martin, former judge Steven Tyler, and current judge, Jennifer Lopez, singing with Prince Royce and Pitbull. Fox just announced this week that the next season of ``Idol'' will be the last.
LICHEN NAMED FOR DOLLY PARTON
Dolly Parton has a species of lichen named after her. Scientists Jessica L. Allen and James C. Lendemer at The New York Botanical Garden have named the lichen Japewiella dollypartoniana. It was a previously known species but it could not be formally identified until it was discovered in fruit. Allen and Lendemer discovered it that way in western North Carolina. They chose to name it after Parton because she is a champion for Appalachia and that's where the lichen is found.
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MUMFORD AND SONS HIT NUMBER ONE
Mumford and Sons have scored another number-one album. ``Wilder Mind'' moved 249-thousand units in its first week of release, according to Billboard. That puts it at the top of the Billboard 200 album chart. Their ``Babel'' album also was number one in 2012.
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ELTON JOHN WANTS TO MAKE ``BILLY ELLIOT'' MUSICAL INTO FILM
Elton John would love to make a movie of a musical based on a movie. John tells the B-B-C he'd like to make a movie version of the stage musical ``Billy Elliot.'' John wrote the songs for the musical. He says a film version would be ``lovely'' and he'd love to include songs that don't fit in the stage version. When asked if he'd like a role in the movie, John jokes he'd love to play the eccentric grandmother.
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PINK CALLS OUT ONLINE BULLIES
If you happened to see Pink out and about, would you walk right up to her and tell her she's fat? Pink says no one would say that kind of thing to her face, but they have no problem doing it on social media. Pink recently wrote a long response to fat-shamers online. Pink says bullies give too much credit to their opinions and they think it's okay to say things like that. She says she doesn't like when other people are bullied, and bullies do not alter her life in any way. This week, Pink received the President's Award from music publisher B-M-I, honouring her songwriting and music success.
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OAK RIDGE BOY JOE BONSALL WRITES BOOK ABOUT THE GROUP
Joe Bonsall of The Oak Ridge Boys is telling their stories to the world. Bonsall has written a book called ``On the Road with The Oak Ridge Boys: Forty Years of Untold Stories and Adventures.'' He tells the stories of backstage at their shows, what they do on their tour bus, big name celebrities who are fans and the story of how ``Elvira'' came to be. The book is on sale now.
The Oak Ridge Boys play the Club Regent Event Centre in Winnipeg on May 30th.
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'Wilder Mind' by Mumford & Sons tops HMV Canada CD sales chart
The following is HMV Canada's top 10 CDs based on national sales for the week ending May 16.
CDs
1. Wilder Mind _ Mumford & Sons
2. Under One Sky _ The Tenors
3. Just the Hits 2015 _ Various Artists
4. Stages _ Josh Groban
5. Hozier _ Hozier
6. Jekyll + Hyde _ Zac Brown Band
7. If You're Reading This It's Too Late _ Drake
8. X _ Ed Sheeran
9. Love Songs for Robots _ Patrick Watson
10. Straight Outta Compton (20th Anniversary Edition) _ N.W.A.
COUNTRY
1. Jekyll + Hyde _ Zac Brown Band
2. 1989 _ Taylor Swift
3. Gypsy Road _ Dean Brody
4. Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell _ ``The Traveling Kind''
5. Love Somebody _ Reba McEntire
6. Spring Break...Checkin' Out _ Luke Bryan
7. Montevallo _ Sam Hunt
8. Painkiller _ Little Big Town
9. Country Hits 2015 _ Various Artists
10. Bringing Back the Sunshine _ Blake Shelton