MUSIC NEWS: MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015
BONO IN OTTAWA
The last time U2 frontman Bono was in Ottawa for a political visit, his duet with Alicia Keys of the Peter Gabriel song ``Don't Give Up (Africa)'' was on the charts.
This afternoon, he was in the nation's capital once again, this time for a meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to talk about maternal and child health aid projects in Africa and elsewhere. The Prime Minister's Office says the Irish singer and humanitarian activist requested the meeting with Harper.
Bono was also to meet with NDP Leader Tom Mulcair and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, according to officials from both parties.
Harper has committed $3.5 billion toward the maternal and child health cause, his signature foreign-aid initiative. It's aimed at reducing the number of deaths of newborns and their mothers in the developing world.
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FOO FIGHTERS' DAVE GROHL BREAKS LEG
Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters is recovering from a broken leg that happened during a concert in Goteborg (yoh-tuh-BOR'-geh), Sweden. Grohl fell off the stage during Friday's show. He was lying on his back on the stage and told the crowd, ``I think I just broke my leg.'' A hospital visit after the show confirmed that, although the full extent of his injuries is being determined. Foo Fighters have cancelled two shows on their European tour this week.
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5 SECONDS OF SUMMER'S MICHAEL CLIFFORD IS BURNED
5 Seconds Of Summer guitarist Michael Clifford has half his face covered in bandages after getting too close to pyrotechnics during the band's London concert on Saturday. Fan footage from the concert shows Clifford walking right past a flame shooting up from the stage, then he frantically runs for a towel and holds his head. The band cut the show short. Clifford has tweeted a photo of his bandaged face while giving the thumbs-up sign with his apologies and a joke: ``At least I look like Two-Face.'' A band spokesperson tells Billboard magazine doctors cleared Clifford to perform for last night's London show, but the band did not use pyrotechnics.
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JIM ED BROWN'S FUNERAL IS TODAY
The Grand Ole Opry hosted a public funeral for Jim Ed Brown today. Brown died of cancer Thursday in Franklin, Tennessee, at the age of 81. Brown's interment at Woodlawn Cemetery following the funeral was also open to the public.
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CARRIE UNDERWOOD RETURNS TO CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL
Ten years ago, Carrie Underwood performed at the Country Music Association Music Festival in Nashville for the first time and had no idea what she was doing. Underwood says she was singing with Phil Vassar on a song she did not know. She was praying not to forget the words. She says they ``somehow pulled it off O-K.'' Underwood performed at the C-M-A Music Festival this weekend, the first time as a new mom. She says her pregnancy helped her focus on new music instead of touring and she spent a lot of time writing and listening to new songs.
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VAN MORRISON NAMED A KNIGHT
Van Morrison will be granted knighthood. Queen Elizabeth will bestow the honour upon Morrison for his services to music and tourism in Northern Ireland. It was announced on Friday as part of the queen's Birthday Honours list.
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SPRITE PRINTS RAP LYRICS ON CANS
For a limited time, Sprite cans will have a hip-hop flavour. Sprite has cut a deal to license 16 rap songs from artists like Drake, Rakim, The Notorious B.I.G. and Nas.
Lyrics will be printed on Sprite cans as part of its ``Obey Your Verse'' campaign that will run this summer.
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ADAM LAMBERT RELEASES ``THE ORIGINAL HIGH'' TOMORROW
The songs on Adam Lambert's album are all about him, and hopefully, all about you, too. Lambert says the songs he co-wrote for ``The Original High'' album are about where he's at in his life and the people around him. He says he wanted songs that were ``about us and not just me.'' However, Lambert also wants listeners to relate to his experience. He says he was a little more vague with the lyrics than he normally is so that everyone can find their own meaning. ``The Original High'' is out tomorrow.
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MUMFORD AND SONS EASE UP WITH ``WILDER MIND''
Marcus Mumford of Mumford and Sons believes they are a more democratic band because they got their egos out on the first two albums. Mumford says they're less self-centred in the studio and more about the team. Mumford says if that means benching himself for the second half, he will. Mumford says they have less urgency for getting their voices heard with their ``Wilder Mind'' album, and it's more about making what he calls ``nice music.''
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NILE RODGERS FOUNDS FREAKOUT! FESTIVAL
Nile Rodgers is getting some of his famous friends to play his very own festival. Rodgers will host the FreakOut! Festival in Riverhead, New York, on August 4th and 5th.
The lineup includes Beck, Duran Duran, Paloma Faith, Grandmaster Melle Mel, Chaka Khan, Janelle Monae, Q-Tip, Keith Urban and Pharrell Williams. Rodgers plans to collaborate with every artist who performs.
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MANILOW, KC, ALABAMA SET FOR ``A CAPITOL FOURTH''
Barry Manilow will return as headliner for the Independence Day celebration on Washington's National Mall. K-C and the Sunshine Band, Alabama, Hunter Hayes, Nicole Scherzinger and Meghan Linsey from ``The Voice'' will also perform. The show will air as ``A Capitol Fourth'' on P-B-S stations.
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