MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 2015
BONO IN OTTAWA
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson says Bono's star power helps focus political attention on some overlooked issues. The Irish rocker was at the National Arts Centre near Parliament Hill yesterday to discuss foreign aid with several non-governmental organizations. The U-2 singer also had meetings with Prime Minister Stephen Harper as well as N-D-P Leader Tom Mulcair and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau. Bono's visit sparked more debate over Harper's signature foreign-aid initiative, which focuses on maternal and child health, while freezing overall development spending.
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SHEERAN-SURPRISE
A budding young Edmonton pop singer got a big surprise from one of the world's biggest pop stars while performing at one of the world's largest shopping malls this past weekend.
Thirteen-year-old Sydney Bourbeau was halfway through covering Ed Sheeran's ``Thinking Out Loud'' at West Edmonton Mall on Sunday when Sheeran himself suddenly hopped on stage. It just so happened he was shopping in the mall. With the crowd roaring its approval and people scrambling for their phones, Sheeran and Sydney shared the mic for a verse and a chorus. Then, giving Bourbeau a hug, the British megastar was gone as quickly as he arrived. She says Sheeran's manager got in touch with her later that day to offer her tickets to Sheeran's show in Edmonton that night.
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WHITE HOUSE: PRINCE WHO?
It seems like everyone who saw Prince perform at the White House this weekend was talking about it on social media, except for the White House. White House spokesman Josh Earnest refuses to confirm that Prince played a party for President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle. Earnest will only say the Obamas threw the party on their own dime but won't say how much it cost. The Reverend Al Sharpton tweeted it was awesome to see Prince and Stevie Wonder perform together.
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JOEY FEEK'S CANCER RETURNS
Joey Feek of Joey + Rory is once again dealing with cervical cancer. Her husband, Rory Feek, writes on the group's blog Joey has not been feeling well over the past months and the cancer has returned. She had been in remission since having surgery last year. Rory writes Joey has had a port put in for chemotherapy and radiation, and her treatments start this week. He says doctors hope to treat the cancer with a six-week course, but if they don't work, ``Joey will be in for an even tougher road ahead.''
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COUNTRY MUSICIANS PAY RESPECTS TO JIM ED BROWN
Brenda Lee remembers Jim Ed Brown and his sisters as ``true pioneering legends'' who were her ``road family'' in her early days as a musician. Lee spoke at Brown's memorial service yesterday in Nashville's Ryman Auditorium. Performers included The Oak Ridge Boys, Crystal Gayle and Lady Antebellum.
Brown had been voted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in March, and although the induction is set for the fall, he still lived to see it. A special induction ceremony was held in his hospital room two weeks ago.
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JANET JACKSON PLANS TOUR
Janet Jackson will spend the fall on stage.
Jackson has announced a tour beginning August 31st in Vancouver. Her new album comes out in the fall.
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MAN DIES AT BONNAROO
Officials say a 47-year-old man has died at Bonnaroo. The Nashville Tennessean reports the unidentified man collapsed Friday in the event's main area and was helped by a medical team within minutes. He was transported to a hospital, where he died. Festival officials say the man died of a pre-existing cardiac condition. They say it's the 12th death at Bonnaroo in 14 years.
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ACTS FAIL TO APPEAR AT R-AND-B FESTIVAL
Thousands of people are demanding refunds after a festival promised top R-and-B acts who never appeared.
WAVE-TV reports fans who attended the Midwest Urban Expo and Music Fest in Louisville, Kentucky, Saturday, say several promised performers never appeared on stage. The lineup included The Isley Brothers, Johnny Gill, Kelly Price and Tom Browne. The venue has issued a statement of apology that says the festival experienced ``performance delays.''
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311 GET INTO BEER BUSINESS
If the 3-1-1 song ``Amber'' always makes you think of beer instead of women, 3-1-1 can help. The band has partnered with Rock Brothers Brewing to create 3-1-1 Amber Ale. Rock Brothers Brewing co-founder Kevin Lilly describes the beer as blending roasted caramel malts with Equinox hops, with hints of tropical citrus and ``kush aromatics,'' that is, cannabis. 3-1-1 will debut the beer at their concerts in Las Vegas over Independence Day weekend. It will be available in bars and restaurants in select cities later this year and sold in stores next year.
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LINEUP SET FOR ``MACY'S 4TH OF JULY SPECTACULAR''
Dierks Bentley, Kelly Clarkson, Brad Paisley, Meghan Trainor and Flo Rida will celebrate America's birthday in New York. They will perform as part of the ``Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular'' that will air on N-B-C.
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FIFTH HARMONY EXPLAIN ``WORTH IT''
Don't read too much into the Fifth Harmony song ``Worth It.'' Singer Camila Cabello says it's just a song to groove to before a party or when you're out with friends. Singer Normani Hamilton says they don't want anything handed to them, but the message of ``Worth It'' is that they're demanding respect. So what isn't worth it? Singer Ally Brooke Hernandez says pitting people against each other, especially girls, is not worth it. Singer Lauren Jauregui (hah-REH'-gee) says ignorance and intolerance are not worth it. Cabello says uncomfortable high heels are not worth it, because then you can't dance.
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CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL SETS ATTENDANCE RECORD
The C-M-A Music Festival has broken its attendance record again. This year's attendance was 87,680, a 9.6 per cent increase over last year's festival. More than five-hundred artists performed on 11 stages in Nashville over the last week.
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