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MUSIC NEWS: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

 

LIVE MUSIC THIS WEEKEND IN THE PARKLAND

This weekend kicks off with JUNO Award winning Blues Artist of the Year, Steve Hill, who plays the Watson Art Centre in Dauphin TONIGHT!

On Saturday night, it's the Chris Barker Band live at the Watson Art Centre for the annual Hoedown for the Manitoba Schizophrenia Society on Saturday night.

Meanwhile, Hoof 'n' Holler Days start today in Ste. Rose du Lac.  Don't miss MCMA nominated recording artist Ryan Keown perform on Sunday night.

 

SELENA GOMEZ - LUPUS

 

Selena Gomez has revealed the reason she went into rehab in January 2014 was not for drugs, but for lupus. Gomez tells Billboard she wanted so badly to lash out at the people who suspected she was on drugs but she felt angry for even feeling the need to say it. She says she locked herself away until she was confident and comfortable again. Her lupus is in remission and she says she controls it with ``diet, routine and medication,'' and by having the right friends. Gomez's new album, ``Revival,'' is out today. 

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SELENA GOMEZ - ``REVIVAL'' - COVER

 

Selena Gomez generated a lot of buzz for her new album, ``Revival,'' and not because of the new music. Gomez appears nearly nude in the cover shot. Gomez defends that choice by saying she could have had designer clothes and had great hair and makeup for the cover photo, but the album is called ``Revival'' and the cover is supposed to be as bare as the music. She says she's proud of that shot and it's one of the best pictures she's ever taken.

``Revival'' is out today. 

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CHIC - ROCK HALL

 

Maybe Nile Rodgers wants Chic (SHEEK) to get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame a little bit more this time. He's encouraging visitors on social media to vote for Chic as part of the fan vote. It's the 10th time Chic has been nominated for the Rock Hall, more than any other artist. N.W.A has been nominated for a fourth time, but the group now has the momentum of a hit movie behind them. Deep Purple and The Spinners have each been nominated for a third time. Nine Inch Nails, The Smiths and Yes are other repeat nominees this year. First-time nominees include Janet Jackson, Steve Miller, Chicago, The Cars, Cheap Trick, Los Lobos, Chaka Khan and James Brown's backing band, The J-B's. The inductees will be announced in December. The Rock Hall inductions are set for April in New York. 

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MELISSA ETHERIDGE - WOMEN'S PRISON

 

Melissa Etheridge was so impressed with a video that female inmates made of her song that she went to the prison to sing for them. The Columbus Dispatch reports Etheridge performed for about 23-hundred inmates at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville, Ohio, on Wednesday. Inmates in an addiction-recovery group had made a video of themselves singing Etheridge's song, ``A Little Bit Of Me.'' Etheridge invited the members of the group to sing it with her. She later visited their dormitory, left her autographed handprints in paint on the wall and encouraged the inmates to contact her when they're released. 

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SCOTTY McCREERY - BOOK

 

Scotty McCreery is writing an inspirational book based on his life. McCreery says his autobiography will be called, ``Go Big Or Go Home: The Journey Toward The Dream.'' It will discuss his life growing up in North Carolina, his win at age 17 on ``American Idol'' and his career in music. It comes out May 3rd.  McCreery turns 22 today. 

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SLIPKNOT - HALLOWEEN MASKS

 

Here's a Halloween costume idea for you: get eight of your friends and go as Slipknot. The band is now offering their masks for sale through their websites. The Sid mask has a removable face plate, and the Corey mask has a removable upper face that reveals another creature. 

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``SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN'' - RIGHTS

 

The rights to the song ``Santa Claus Is Coming To Town'' are back in the family. The 2nd U-S Circuit Court of Appeals in New York has reversed a lower-court ruling and called for the song to go to the family of John Frederick Coots. He co-wrote the song in 1934. The family had gone to court, saying the E-M-I record label was due to lose title to the song in December 2016. E-M-I had argued it could hold the copyright until 2029. The appeals court agreed with the family. 

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JENNIFER HUDSON - FAMILY MURDERS

 

Jennifer Hudson says a simple message to anyone who might want to talk with her about the 2008 murders of her mother, sister and nephew: ``don't even bother.'' She says it's _ quoting here _ ``frustrating as hell'' to have someone who hasn't experienced what she has to start talking to her about the killings.

She made the comments to Glamour magazine. She also says giving birth to her son, David, a year after the tragedy was ``the best therapy'' for her. She also says it was bittersweet, because she went from being an aunt, having a mom and being a child to not having a mom, becoming a mom and raising her own child. 

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NETFLIX - PRICES

 

Want Netflix? It's going to cost you more for a streaming addiction. The site is raising its price for new customers in the Canada, the U-S and some Latin American countries.

The increase means the Netflix standard plan will cost ten-dollars _ up one-dollar from its current monthly fee. Netflix says it is raising prices to cover its costs for original programming like ``House of Cards.'' 

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``STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON'' - DIRECTOR

 

F. Gary Gray is heading from ``Straight Outta Compton'' into the ``Fast and Furious'' franchise. The director has been named to do the eighth installment of the Furious series. He announced the news on his Facebook page _ and Universal Pictures confirms it. The eighth installment of Furious is due out in April, 2017. 

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MUSIC NEWS: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2015

 

KEITH-RICHARDS-TIFF

 

Keith Richards says he thinks the Rolling Stones ``are still sort of finding themselves, in a way.'' The Stones guitarist was at the Toronto International Film Festival on Thursday for the world premiere of a documentary about him. Asked by a reporter what his relationship with frontman Mick Jagger is like these days, Richards gave a broader response about the dynamics within the whole group. His comments came a day after he said the Stones have plans to record next year.

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QUINCY JONES-HOSPITALIZED

 

A rep for Quincy Jones says the musician and producer will be fine -- after a health scare yesterday. Publicist Arnold Robinson says Jones complained of shortness of breath -- and when he was taken to the hospital, he was kept for observation. Says Robinson: ``Quincy is fine.'' Jones is 82 -- and has won 27 Grammys during his long career. He produced the Michael Jackson album ``Thriller'' and also worked with Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra. 

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KID ROCK-JURY DUTY

 

Many are called, few are chosen. And so it was for Kid Rock and his effort to fulfill his duty as a citizen.

The rock star was called for jury duty in suburban Detroit -- but he ended up being excused from actually serving. The Detroit Free Press reports Kid Rock was among 160 potential jurors yesterday for a murder trial at Oakland County Circuit Court in Pontiac, Michigan.

When called on to answer questions, he said he'd be likely to give police ``the benefit of the doubt'' at the trial. He noted he has friends in law enforcement and knows the assistant prosecutor handling the case. 

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LANDMARK MUSIC FESTIVAL

 

More names have been added to the lineup for the Landmark Music Festival next weekend. Joining the mix now will be Drake, The Strokes, alt-J and Ben Howard. Dozens of artists will take part in the event in Washington D-C. The event is set up to raise funds for the restoration of the National Mall. 

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DAVID CASSIDY-HOME SALE

 

There's been a new, higher, bid placed on a home owned by ex-teen idol David Cassidy. An auction company in Florida says the new offer is $2 million for the home, located in Fort Lauderdale. Cassidy bought the home in 2001 for $1.1 million. The five-bedroom, six-bathroom house has been appraised at $1.9 million. A previous bidder had offered $1.8 million -- but that bid was withdrawn on Wednesday. Cassidy is 65 and filed for bankruptcy earlier this year. His lawyer says they are hoping to get more money so Cassidy can pay off his debts. A bankruptcy judge will be asked to approve the new offer. 

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SUGE KNIGHT-HEARING-POSTPONED

 

It's going to take more time to deal with Suge (SHUG) Knight's legal issues. A judge has delayed the proceedings for two cases hanging over the head of the former rap kingpin. In one case, he and comedian Katt Williams are charged with snatching a camera from a celebrity photographer. Knight is also facing murder charges from an incident in January in which he ran over a man in his pickup truck outside a burger joint in Compton, California. Knight has pleaded not guilty in both cases. He could be put away for life if convicted in either case. 

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SELENA-NEW SONG

 

She has been dead for two decades.

But fans will soon be able to hear a bit of new music from Selena.

Her father says he found a recording of a song named ``Oh No (I'll Never Fall in Love Again'' a few weeks ago. She sang the song without instruments during a radio interview which was later posted on YouTube. Selena's dad says fans have been asking to have it released. Now it has. Her dad has released it on his production company's online station. 

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WAYNE NETWON - TOUR GUIDE

 

Imagine if Elvis were around to give tours at Graceland. Fans of Wayne Newton will get to experience the ultimate ``insider'' tour -- when the singer will be serving as a tour guide at a museum opening at his former estate. Starting today, the 52-acre Casa de Shenandoah will be open for tours. The regular tour is $35 -- but a V-I-P package will feature a tour given by Newton himself. Newton lived on the property for 45 years, but he moved out two years ago. Visitors will get to see Newton's memorabilia, house, jet, cars, gift shop -- and some of his pets, including Arabian horses and a capuchin monkey. 

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LIONEL RICHIE LOOKING FORWARD TO VEGAS

 

What 21-year-old kid wouldn't want to hang out with his dad in Las Vegas? Lionel Richie says his son Miles is no exception. He says when he asked his son about doing a residency in Vegas, he said his son declared that ``we are going to have the greatest time.'' Richie will play 20 shows over four months at The Axis at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Tickets go on sale starting today. 

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(The Associated Press)

MUSIC NEWS: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2015

 

ASHLEY MONROE-CANCELS-CONCERTS

 

Ashley Monroe is postponing six dates on her tour due to ``unforeseen circumstances.'' Monroe is calling off shows from October 1 to November 21. She has not announced when they will be rescheduled. 

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FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE-DAYTONA 500

 

Brian Kelley of Florida Georgia Line says it's a dream come true to play at one of his family's favorite sporting events. Florida Georgia Line will perform a concert before the Daytona 500 and Kelley grew up in nearby Ormond Beach, Florida.

Kelley says his life is coming full circle because he used to work the Daytona 500 as a fundraiser for his baseball team. The race is set for February 21. 

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SARA BAREILLES-``WAITRESS''-SONGS

 

Sara Bareilles loved the songs she wrote so much for the musical version of the movie ``Waitress''

she didn't want to give them up just yet. Bareilles is releasing an album called ``What's Inside: Songs From Waitress'' on November 6.

Bareilles says she fell more deeply in love with writing the music for the stage production than she anticipated and she selfishly had to find a way to record the songs herself. She call it a ``deliciously self-indulgent project'' and adds, ``I'm sorry, I'm not sorry.'' The musical is currently running in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and will open on Broadway in April. 

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SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST-CRASH-SUSPECT

 

The man accused of killing four people by driving through last year's South By Southwest festival has pleaded not guilty. Rashad Owens made a brief appearance in court yesterday.

He faces one capital murder count, four murder counts and 24 counts of aggravated assault. Authorities say Owens was intoxicated and accelerated through a crowded street that had been closed off for the festival in Austin, Texas, in March 2014. Jury selection begins October 26. 

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FOSTER THE PEOPLE-CUBBIE FINK-EXITS

 

Foster The People bassist Cubbie Fink has left the band. Foster The People post on their social media sites it was a collective decision for Fink and the band to pursue other opportunities. Fink thanks fans and says he will miss playing for them. Foster The People say Fink will always be part of the family and they wish him the best. 

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VLADIMIR PUTIN-CALLS-ELTON JOHN

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin really has called Elton John and really is planning to meet with him. John posted a message on Instagram last week thanking Putin for calling him, but two Russian pranksters say they called John posing as Putin. Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov tells Russian news agencies Putin talked to John yesterday and told him not to be angry with the pranksters.

Peskov says Putin says he's willing to meet with John when their schedules permit. John has spoken out about Russia's law against gay propaganda and Putin's comments about gay people. 

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DON HENLEY-SOLO ALBUM

 

Don Henley got everyone on his wish list for his new country album, ``Cass County.'' Henley says he was fortunate that nobody he asked turned him down. His guest vocalists include Dolly Parton, Miranda Lambert, Jamey Johnson, Alison Krauss, Vince Gill, Martina McBride, Merle Haggard and Mick Jagger. Henley says Jagger is a good country singer because he used to be married to Jerry Hall and she has a great Texas accent. 

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RINGO STARR-BOOK

 

Ringo Starr says his heart started to sing when he was going through some old junk and found a box of photos of The Beatles he forgot he had taken. The photos have been compiled into a book called ``Photograph By Ringo Starr,'' out this week.

Starr says he used to photograph and videotape his family but stopped doing that 15 years ago. He realized he was always missing the party because he was trying to chronicle it. Even though Starr has no plans to tour with Paul McCartney, he jokes that he should say they will tour and there are clues in the book so he can sell more copies. 

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PATTY GRIFFIN-``SERVANT OF LOVE''

 

Can you find clues to Patty Griffin's breakup with Robert Plant in her new album, ``Servant of Love''?

Maybe, but even she doesn't know what the album is about. Griffin says it's like reading a poem: ``It's not clear to you but it makes you feel a certain way.'' Griffin won't talk about the relationship, but she acknowledges she wrote the album while going through ``a lot of losses.'' She says she's realized ``a lot of seeds just ain't ever going to come up.'' ``Servant of Love'' is out today. 

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TAYLOR SWIFT-``40 UNDER 40''

 

Taylor Swift is considered one of the most influential young people not just in the music world, but in the business world. She's the only professional musician to make Fortune magazine's ``40 Under 40'' list of the people under the age of 40 with the most pull in the business world. Swift is also the youngest person on the list, at 25. She's number 8. Number one is Adam Neumann, the founder of WeWork, a company that provides workspaces for entrepreneurs. 

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NE-YO-WHITE HOUSE-PERFORMANCE

 

Ne-Yo will be the entertainment for the White House state dinner tonight. President Barack Obama will host Chinese President Xi Jinping (shee jihn-peeng). The menu includes Maine lobster, lamb, mushroom soup and lemon sorbet. 

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(The Associated Press)

 

Sharon Lois Bram

By Cassandra Szklarski 

A weekend tribute to children's entertainer Lois Lilienstein of Sharon, Lois & Bram will feature songs, dance, videos and stories. Sharon Hampson says Saturday's memorial ``is intended to be a happy reflection'' on the bubbly blond performer, who died earlier this year at age 78 following a battle with cancer.  Hampson says she and Bram Morrison will host the evening event, set to feature favourites from the trio's beloved songbook and include appearances by longtime personal friends and colleagues.  Lilienstein is credited with providing the special spark that helped make Sharon, Lois & Bram one of the biggest kids' acts of the 1980s.  

The sold-out gathering is slated for a downtown Toronto theatre that holds just under 500 seats. Proceeds will benefit Mariposa in the Schools, a group that provides Ontario schoolchildren with world music, dance, storytelling, spoken word and puppetry. 

(The Canadian Press)

MUSIC NEWS: FRIDAY,OCTOBER 2, 2015

 

LIVE MUSIC THIS WEEKEND IN DAUPHIN

Tonight there is live music at Bruce's Firehouse with Country/Folk singer songwriter Zachary Lucky from Saskatchewan.  Doors 7:30.  Show 8 pm.  $15

 

Meanwhile, Saturday night will be the official CD release of local artist, Marc Clement's debut full length release, "Crooked Journey" at the Watson Art Centre in Dauphin.  

From Marc: I can’t wait to finally bring this music to you all. It will be a special night at The Watson Art Centre including Melisa Stefaniw and Kayla Luky with Ian Macintosh opening the show. You will also be introduced to our amazing band “The Journeymen”, including Shawn Jonasson, John Wilson, Todd Lesage and Jose Cabral. We will also be joined by Levi Winters and the lovely Annette Clement.

October 3, 2015  Watson Art Centre, Dauphin, MB  Doors open: 7:30  Show starts: 8:30

THIS SHOW IS SOLD OUT!  

 

 

EURYTHMICS-DAVE STEWART-MEMOIR

 

Dave Stewart of Eurythmics generally has not said much about his five-year relationship with Annie Lennox, but he's about start talking. Stewart will discuss the relationship in his upcoming autobiography, ``Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This: A Life In Music.'' Stewart also relates what his publisher calls ``high octane adventures'' with Stevie Nicks, Daryl Hall and Bob Dylan, as well as Stewart's spectacular failures in his early career. Mick Jagger wrote the foreword. Stewart's book will be out Feb. 9. 

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RACHEL PLATTEN-LADY GAGA 

Rachel Platten can say with absolute honesty that Lady Gaga once opened for her. Platten wishes she had not. Platten says they both were performing at a showcase for the Songwriters'

Hall of Fame 10 years ago. She says Lady Gaga went on right before her, wearing a leopard leotard and knee-high white boots and playing the piano with her feet. Platten says the crowd's mouths were all open in amazement. Platten looked at her manager and said, ``I don't know how to follow that,'' and he said, ``I don't really think you can.'' 

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JANET JACKSON-CANCELS-VEGAS SHOWS 

Janet Jackson is canceling her Oct. 9 and Oct. 10 shows at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino to rest her vocal cords. She also says the Las Vegas stop on her ``Unbreakable'' tour will move to a new 20,000-seat arena in May. Those holding tickets for the two shows will get their money back -- and get first dibs at buying tickets for the May 14 show. Meanwhile, Jackson's comeback album, ``Unbreakable'' is being released today. 

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WILL SMITH-MUSIC

 

Will Smith has returned to his musical roots.

The Oscar-nominated actor is out with his first music since his 2005 album. He appears on a remix of Colombian band Bomba Estereo's song ``Fiesta'' the remix is out today. Smith raps in both English and Spanish on the song. He also teamed with the group to do the music video for the remix. 

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AFROPUNK-FEST-CALLED OFF

 

Afropunk Fest in Atlanta has been canceled in anticipation of heavy rainfall this weekend. The festival was to feature D'Angelo, Public Enemy, Santigold and Tyler, The Creator. It was supposed to begin tomorrow. All purchased tickets will be refunded. It's the first year Afropunk was going to be staged somewhere besides New York. 

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EAGLES OF DEATH METAL-``ZIPPER DOWN''

 

The title of the new Eagles of Death Metal album ``Zipper Down'' might seem racier than it actually is. Musician Jesse Hughes says it's a phrase meaning ``relax.'' However, he likes the idea of ``Zipper Down'' meaning ``let it all hang out.'' He says they're just making it easier to do that. ``Zipper Down'' is out today.

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GRAND OLE OPRY-FILM

 

 

 

A film about the Grand Ole Opry will hit theaters this winter. The Nashville Tennessean reports ``American Saturday Night: Live From The Grand Ole Opry'' will feature Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Darius Rucker, The Band Perry and Brett Eldredge. In spite of the title, it was filmed on a Monday in August. Eldredge says taking the Opry to the movies will allow people to feel like they're sitting at the Opry, what he calls ``the most magical place on earth.'' The film will be in limited release in December and open in more theaters in January. 

 

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JOSE CUERVO ISSUES COMMEMORATIVE ROLLING STONES BOTTLES

 

 

 

Jose Cuervo tequila is paying tribute to the Rolling Stones 1972 North American tour with a pair of commemorative bottles. That tour was known as the ``Tequila Sunrise'' tour because the Stones had just discovered the drink in a San Francisco bar.

 

Both commemorative bottles feature the Rolling Stones tongue-and-lips logo. The Rolling Stones Jose Cuervo Especial version sells for $17, while the Ultra Premium Rolling Stones Reserva de la Familia Collectors Edition goes for $150. 

 

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(The Associated Press)

MUSIC NEWS: MONDAY, APRIL 13, 2015

 

DALLAS CONSIDERS ART PIECE DEVOTED TO STEVIE RAY AND JIMMIE VAUGHAN

 

A park that's blocks from where Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughan grew up may be the site of an art piece in their honor. The Dallas Morning News reports documentary filmmaker Kirby Warnock is leading the project. The city has set aside money for the piece of public art in Kiest Park, but Warnock still needs to raise $68,000 for the rest of the cost and for 20 years' worth of maintenance. The park board will vote Thursday on an agreement with a foundation regarding the project. What the piece will look like has not been determined. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble will be among the inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday. 

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KINKS MUSICAL WINS FOUR OLIVIER AWARDS

 

The Kinks musical ``Sunny Afternoon'' was one of the big winners at the Olivier Awards, Britain's answer to the Tonys. It won four awards, including best new musical and outstanding achievement in music for Ray Davies for writing the play's score. Davies says people are the source of his material and he adds, ``So the next time you're in a park and you see someone like me looking at you, don't phone the police.'' 

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``MAMMA MIA!'' WILL CLOSE

 

 The ABBA musical ``Mamma Mia!'' will finally end its Broadway run. It will close September 5 after more than 5,700 performances, over 14 years. It's the eighth-longest running show on Broadway. 

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JON BON JOVI WILL PRODUCE REALITY TV SHOW

 

Jon Bon Jovi will put his support behind a show that takes famous musicians back to their hometowns to find out what would have happened had they never left. The Hollywood Reporter reports Bon Jovi will be an executive producer for a reality show called ``If I Wasn't A Rock Star.'' Bon Jovi calls it ``a celebration of the working men and women of this country,'' who he says are ``the real rock stars.'' Details of where and when it will air or which rock stars will be involved have not been given. 

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SONS OF JOHN MELLENCAMP SENTENCED

 

The sons of John Mellencamp have pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery charges. The Bloomington Herald-Times reports 19-year-old Speck Mellencamp will spend four days in jail and 20-year-old Hud Mellencamp will serve 50 hours of community service. They were charged with punching and kicking a 19-year-old man in Bloomington that they believed hit Speck Mellencamp in July 2013. 

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DARIUS RUCKER PLAYS RECEIVER FOR GAMECOCKS

 

Darius Rucker got to live his dream: he caught a pass from the Gamecocks quarterback. South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier holds an annual spring football game, and each year he calls on a guest receiver to come off the sideline and catch a long ball. This year, it was Rucker, who is a South Carolina alumnus. He caught the ball from quarterback Connor Mitch during Saturday's game. 

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PROVIDENCE WILL GIVE DARLENE LOVE HONORARY DOCTORATE

 

Darlene Love will bestow her wisdom upon the graduates at Providence College. Love will give the commencement address at Providence's commencement on May 17. Love will also be given an honorary doctorate of music. 

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NICK JONAS, REBA McENTIRE WILL APPEAR ON ``THE VOICE''

 

Nick Jonas and Reba McEntire will appear on ``The Voice'' this week. Jonas will perform his song, ``Chains,'' on tomorrow's show. McEntire will be a guest mentor on tonight's episode. 

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JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE AND JESSICA BIEL ARE PARENTS

 

Justin Timberlake is a dad. His representative tells People magazine Timberlake's wife, Jessica Biel, gave birth to a boy. They've named him Silas Randall Timberlake. Silas is the middle name of Timberlake's grandfather, and Randall is Timberlake's father's name, as well as Timberlake's middle name. Details of where and when the baby was born were not given. 

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ARGENTINA ISSUES WARRANT FOR JUSTIN BIEBER

 

Justin Bieber is a wanted man in Argentina. An Argentine judge has ordered the immediate detention of Bieber and two of his bodyguards because Bieber failed to respond to allegations that he ordered the bodyguards to attack a photographer outside a Buenos Aires nightclub in 2013. Bieber could face from one month to six years in prison if convicted on a charge of causing injuries. Bieber's representative did not return calls for comment.

Bieber spent the weekend at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. 

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MADONNA TO APPEAR NUDE IN PLAYBOY AGAIN

 

Once again, Playboy is going to publish nude photos of Madonna from before she was a star. The May issue will feature photos of Madonna taken by Martin H-M Schreiber in 1979. The photos also will be included in Schreiber's upcoming book, ``A Retrospective 1966-2014.'' In 1985, both Playboy and Penthouse published nude photos of Madonna from 1978, taken when she was broke and just starting out. 

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JASON ALDEAN IS HIT BY BEER

 

There are better ways to get Jason Aldean's attention than the way one man did at Aldean's concert in Wichita, Kansas, on Thursday. The Wichita Eagle reports Aldean was beaned in the head with a cup of beer thrown from the audience. The man, who was not named, was escorted out by Aldean's security. He told police his friend had just gotten engaged and he wanted Aldean to acknowledge it from the stage. Aldean later told the crowd, ``It took everything I had not to go kick that guy's teeth in.'' Tour managers have declined to press charges. 

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A-AND-M RECORDS SUES OVER TEMPLE OF THE DOG MASTER TAPES

 

A-and-M Records is suing the co-founder of a Seattle studio to make him turn over the master recording tapes from Temple Of The Dog, which featured Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. The Seattle Times quotes the lawyer for Rajan Parashar as saying his client has the master tapes and they are his. A-and-M's lawsuit says Parashar's late brother Rick had agreed to turn over the tapes to the musicians for $35,000. Parashar says he was not part of the deal with his brother and A-and-M.

Temple Of The Dog had a hit with ``Hunger Strike'' in 1992.

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ECHOSMITH'S SYDNEY SIEROTA LOVES HER BABY BEAN

 

 If Echosmith singer Sydney Sierota is not on a tour bus, she's probably with her Baby Bean. That's the name she gave her espresso-brown Mini Cooper. Sierota says she'll go to the beach by herself, just so she can drive her car. She says sometimes alone time is good after being cooped up on a bus with her brothers for weeks. She says some people are conscious of their gas usage, but she's always willing to drive because she never gets to do it. 

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NELLY ARRESTED

 

Nelly's attorney says his client will be exonerated of felony drug charges once the facts come out. The Tennessee Highway Patrol says Nelly's bus was pulled over Saturday morning because it did not have a required U.S. Department of Transportation and International Fuel Tax Association sticker.

Troopers say they smelled marijuana coming from the bus, and upon searching it, they found marijuana, drug paraphernalia and five rocks that tested positive for meth. They say they also found several handguns. Attorney Scott Rosenblum says Nelly will ``not be associated with the contraband'' once the facts of the case come to light. Nelly was released from jail on a $10,000 bond. He's due in court June 19.

 

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MUSIC NEWS: MONDAY, APRIL 20,2015

 

ROCK HALL INDUCTS JOAN JETT, RINGO STARR

 

For as tough as Joan Jett is, she cried while accepting her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Jett's black mascara ran down her face during the ceremony in Cleveland Saturday. The two surviving Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, jammed out together on ``With A Little Help From My Friends'' for Starr's induction. Bill Withers, another inductee, rarely performs in public anymore, but he helped sing ``Lean On Me'' with John Legend. Green Day, Lou Reed, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and The ``5'' Royales were also inducted. The ceremony will be broadcast on HBO May 30. 

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TAYLOR SWIFT, LUKE BRYAN, MIRANDA LAMBERT HAVE ACM MOMENTS

 

Taylor Swift has not forgotten where she came from. She was one of seven recipients of the milestone award at the Academy of Country Music Awards last night. Swift says when she announced she was making a pop record, the country music world accepted it with grace, and she's grateful she learned to treat people with kindness and respect from country music. Luke Bryan was named entertainer of the year. Miranda Lambert won female vocalist, song of the year for ``Automatic'' and album of the year for ``Platinum,'' as well as a milestone award. Jason Aldean won male vocalist, and Little Big Town won the vocal group award. Cole Swindell won for new artist. 

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TIM McGRAW DEFENDS CONCERT FOR SANDY HOOK

 

Tim McGraw is coming under fire for headlining a concert to benefit a group aimed at preventing gun violence against children because he's a gun owner. McGraw will play a concert July 17 in Hartford, Connecticut, to benefit Sandy Hook Promise, a non-profit group formed by families of the children and educators shot at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012.

Gun rights advocates criticized McGraw online and called him a hypocrite. Others tweeted messages of support. McGraw tells The Washington Post he supports gun ownership and with that comes the responsibility of education and safety. McGraw's opening act, Billy Currington, has pulled out of the concert, saying he doesn't want to be part of the debate over guns. 

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ROLLING STONES MOBILE STUDIO

 

A piece of music history is being revived in Calgary. 

In 1968, the Rolling Stones installed a recording studio in the back of a truck.  

That way, they could record whenever and wherever they wanted.  

The Rolling Stones Mobile Studio has also been used by an impressive roster of other rock royalty, including Fleetwood Mac and Led Zeppelin.  Deep Purple made reference to it in the lyrics to ``Smoke on the Water.'' 

The National Music Centre acquired the truck in 2001, but only began restoring it in 2013. 

Electronics technician John Leimseider says the idea isn't to replace the gear with newfangled recording equipment. Rather, he's aiming to make the original set up as functional as possible. 

The studio will be attached to the National Music Centre's new building, which is now under construction in Calgary's East Village. 

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EARTH DAY CONCERT DRAWS THOUSANDS TO WASHINGTON

 

Train singer Pat Monahan says fixing the environment means ``getting our hands dirty because it's not going to be an easy thing.'' Monahan was one of the performers at Saturday's Global Citizen 2015 Earth Day rally on the National Mall in Washington, along with Usher, Mary J. Blige, Gwen Stefani, Common and Fall Out Boy. Usher took the stage on crutches after fracturing his foot but got big cheers for dancing anyway. Will.i.am, one of the rally's hosts, says he hopes people walk away from the rally and talk about solutions, go online for answers and hold leaders accountable for the things they're pledging. 

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DON HENLEY GETS APOLOGY FROM DULUTH TRADING COMPANY

 

Don Henley and a clothing company have settled a dispute over a pun on Henley's name. The Duluth Trading Company had emailed an ad for shirts to its customers that said, ``Don a Henley and Take It Easy.'' Henley sued, claiming trademark infringement. The Wisconsin State Journal reports the company may no longer use the words ``Don'' and ``Henley'' in close proximity in its ads, according to court documents. The company also issued an apology to Henley and made a contribution to Henley's non-profit organization, the Walden Woods Project. 

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JOHNNY KEMP DIES

 

Johnny Kemp, who had a number-one R-and-B hit in 1989 with ``Just Got Paid,'' was found dead in Jamaica. Police say Kemp was found floating at a beach in Montego Bay on Thursday morning. The cause of death has not been determined.

Kemp was 55. Kemp also had R-and-B hits with ``Dancin With Myself'' and ``Just Another Lover.'' 

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BOBBY BROWN SAYS BOBBI KRISTINA IS AWAKE

 

Bobby Brown has said the words so many have been waiting to hear: ``Bobbi is awake.'' Brown broke the news to the audience at his concert in Dallas about his daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, and he added, ``She is watching me.'' Brown's daughter was found face down and unresponsive in a bathtub at her home outside Atlanta nearly three months ago. She has been at an undisclosed location since being released from a hospital last month. 

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OZZY OSBOURNE AND BILL WARD DUKE IT OUT ONLINE

 

Ozzy Osbourne's response to Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward: ``Stop playing the victim and be honest with yourself and our fans.'' Osbourne wrote a response on his website to Ward's demand that Osbourne apologize for comments he made about Ward.

Osbourne says he cannot apologize because Black Sabbath knew Ward was not capable of making an album and doing a tour, so the band moved on without him. Osbourne offers Ward's hospitalizations in 2013 as proof, including one for shoulder surgery that would have derailed a tour. Ward has already responded to Osbourne's response, saying the shoulder surgery was elective, his health is fine and ``sorry I can't love you back, Oz.'' 

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JACK WHITE RE-ISSUES ELVIS ORIGINAL RECORD

 

Hundreds of people waited hours in line to get a vinyl record full of pops and crackles. It was the vinyl rerelease of Elvis Presley's ``My Happiness'' backed with ``That's When Your Heartaches Begin,'' the first record Presley made. Presley paid $4 to make it and Jack White bought it recently for $300,000. White reissued it Saturday at his Third Man Records store in Nashville for Record Store Day. A store spokesman says the reissue was transferred digitally from the original without cleaning up the sound, and it was sold in a plain paper sleeve because that's how Presley would have carried it out after making it. 

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THE OFFSPRING SET BILLBOARD CHART RECORD

 

The Offspring have set a record for the longest span between number-one songs on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart. ``Coming For You'' is number one this week.

Eighteen years ago, The Offspring hit number one with ``Gone Away.''

It beats the previous record-holder, Stone Temple Pilots, who went 16 years between number-one songs on that chart with ``Lady Picture Show'' and ``Out of Time.'' 

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PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL RECORDS TORN DOWN

 

The building that was home to ``The Sound of Philadelphia'' is coming down. Demolition work has begun on the former headquarters of Philadelphia International Records to make way for a complex of luxury condos and a hotel. The label was home to acts like Teddy Pendergrass, Patti LaBelle, Lou Rawls and The O'Jays. The building was heavily damaged by arson in 2010. 

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JUSTIN BIEBER SETTLES WITH PHOTOGRAPHER

 

Canadian mega-pop-star Justin Bieber has reached a settlement with a photographer who claimed he was assaulted by Bieber's bodyguard outside a South Florida recording studio. An attorney for photographer Jeffrey Binion confirms the settlement, and terms of the agreement are confidential. Binion sued Bieber in 2013, claiming he was roughed up while shooting pictures from a sidewalk outside the studio. 

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LIL WAYNE'S BUSES ARE TARGETED

 

Police are investigating an incident in which Lil Wayne's two tour buses were hit by gunshots while travelling on a highway near Atlanta early yesterday. A Cobb County police spokesman tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution no one was injured. Lil Wayne was on one of the buses at the time. Authorities do not have any suspects. 

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AMY WINEHOUSE FAMILY BLASTS DOCUMENTARY

 

The family of Amy Winehouse is criticizing a documentary about her. Family spokesman Chris Goodman says the film ``Amy'' is ``misleading and contains some basic untruths.'' The statement suggests the film makes it look like Winehouse's family did not do enough to help her with her drug and alcohol addictions.

The makers of the film say in a statement they worked with ``total objectivity'' and with the support of the Winehouse family. They say their film is the result of interviews with about 100 people who knew Winehouse. 

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JUDGE: MOM WAS OK IN TAKING DAUGHTER TO PINK CONCERT

 

Pink is not bad for an 11-year-old kid, according to a judge. N-J-dot-com reports New Jersey Superior Court Judge Lawrence Jones has rejected a complaint from a father who says his ex-wife abused her parental discretion by taking their daughter to a Pink concert in December 2013 in Newark. Jones says Pink may have some suggestive moves and lyrics, but he sees nothing inappropriate about Pink's art for preteens. Jones says he found the mother did not compromise the girl's safety or health, and it sounds like they had ``a really great time.''

 ---

 

OBIT - SONGWRITER SID TEPPER DIES

 

The man who wrote ``The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane'' and ``Red Roses For A Blue Lady'' has died. Billboard reports songwriter Sid Tepper died of natural causes Friday at his home in Miami Beach, Florida. He was 96. Tepper and songwriting partner Roy C. Bennett wrote 45 songs for Elvis Presley, including ``G.I. Blues'' and ``The Lady Loves Me.'' They also wrote the novelty holiday song ``Nuttin' For Christmas.'' 

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BILLY IDOL IS STILL A PUNK

 

Billy Idol thinks it's ``amusing'' to look at videos he made in the 1980s. Idol says they were clearly having a lot of fun in those days before computers. He says if the Internet had existed then, he would have loved to release music that way, because that's what punks would have embraced. Now that the Internet does exist, Idol is still a punk. He says he released a bunch of songs that Capitol Records rejected as a sort of kiss-off to the label. 

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BILLY JOEL WILL PLAY NASSAU COLISEUM'S LAST SHOW

 

Billy Joel will close down the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in New York. Newsday reports Joel will make his 32nd appearance at the venue before it shuts down for a major renovation. Joel will play a concert there on August 4. Banners hang inside the venue commemorating Joel's record-setting run of nine sold-out shows there in 1998. Joel also played the last concerts at Shea Stadium in 2008. 

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NEW ORLEANS JAZZ FEST OPENS

 

Keith Urban took the stage early at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival but still couldn't beat the rain.

Urban was four songs into his headlining set on Friday when the skies opened up, but he kept playing. Last night's Jazz Fest had Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga playing at one end and Jimmy Buffett playing the other. Clarinetist Michael White and pianist David Boeddinghaus perform a tribute to Jelly Roll Morton. Other acts included The Who, Trombone Shorty, Irma Thomas, Allen Toussaint, Cassandra Wilson, Ryan Adams, Wilco, Hozier (HOH'-zee-er), Jimmy Cliff and John Legend. Jazz Fest continues next weekend. 

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NHL COMMISSIONER: GO AHEAD AND CHANT ``KATY PERRY''

 

N-H-L Commissioner Gary Bettman really doesn't care if fans of other teams taunt Anaheim Ducks forward Corey Perry by calling him Katy Perry. During the Associated Press Sports Editors meeting on Friday, Bettman was asked if the taunts are sexist and he said no. He says no one is taking it seriously and the league will not intervene as long as it's clean. He says he doubts Katy Perry is particularly upset about it. Katy Perry is on tour in Asia and has not said anything on social media about it. 

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Music News: Monday, April 6, 2015

 

LITTLE BIG TOWN HAVE A HIT WITH ``GIRL CRUSH''

 

Either people are rallying around Little Big Town's song ``Girl Crush'' or there was no controversy around it to begin with. Billboard reports the song has jumped from number 17 to number 3 on the Hot Country Songs chart. The song came under fire when media reports said listeners were calling radio stations in protest, mistakenly thinking ``Girl Crush'' was a lesbian song.

``Girl Crush'' is Little Big Town's biggest song since ``Pontoon.''

 

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LYNYRD SKYNYRD DRUMMER ROBERT BURNS JUNIOR DIES

 

Original Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Robert Burns Junior has died in a single-vehicle wreck. Police in Cartersville, Georgia, say Burns was not wearing a seat belt when his vehicle went off a road just before midnight Friday and hit a mailbox and a tree. Further details were not immediately available.

Burns was 64. He was with Lynyrd Skynyrd when they recorded ``Sweet Home Alabama,'' ``Gimme Three Steps'' and ``Free Bird.'' He left the group in 1974 but would play with them from time to time. Guitarist Gary Rossington writes on Facebook he remembers Burns as a guy who made them laugh all the time. He says just last week he went by Burns' old house, where the band used to practice in the carport when they first started. He calls Burns ``a great great drummer.'' 

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JONI MITCHELL IMPROVING

 

Canadian folk icon Joni Mitchell is still in hospital but getting better. Her website reports she remains under observation and continues to improve every day. The 71-year-old singer-songwriter was found unconscious in her home on Tuesday and taken to a Los Angeles hospital by ambulance. Last year, she told Billboard magazine she has a rare skin condition which prevents her from performing. 

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WILCO REVERSE STANCE ON INDIANA AFTER LAW IS TWEAKED

 

Wilco will no longer boycott Indiana after the state changed its law that critics say would have allowed discrimination against gays and lesbians. Wilco had called off their May 7 show in Indianapolis after the passage of the law intended to protect religious freedom. Wilco say it will now play the May 7 show because Indiana lawmakers approved changes to prevent discrimination. Wilco say it's a good first step and they will donate some of the proceeds from the concert to groups ``fighting to build on the progress we hope this change makes in Indiana and beyond.''

 ---

 

SPENCER SMITH EXITS PANIC AT THE DISCO

 

Panic At The Disco drummer Spencer Smith has left the band. Smith went public with his struggles with addiction in

2013 and took a break from the band. Now he writes on the Panic website he realizes he is not able to be there for Panic the way he wanted to be and the way they needed him to be. He says they could have kicked him out when his addictions took hold, but they encouraged him to get treatment. Smith says the thing he will miss most is the incredible moments between the band and the audience. 

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JON BON JOVI WILL SPEAK AT RUTGERS

 

Jon Bon Jovi will give words of wisdom to the graduating class at Rutgers University. He will speak at the school's commencement on May 21. Bon Jovi will also be given an honorary doctor of letters degree. 

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'THE VOICE'-LIVE ROUNDS

 

The live rounds begin on ``The Voice'' tonight. Tonight and tomorrow, this season's Top-20 will be performing for viewer votes. Wednesday, eight of the 20 will get the bad news and be sent home. Maroon 5 will perform on tonight's show.

The band, of course, is fronted by Voice coach Adam Levine.

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SNOOP DOGG PHOTO GETS STATE TROOPER REPRIMANDED

 

A Texas state trooper has gotten in trouble for posing for a photo with Snoop Dogg. Billy Spears worked security when Snoop appeared at the South By Southwest festival last month.

Snoop asked to take a photo with him and posted it on his Instagram account with the comment, ``Me n my deputy dogg.'' Spears' bosses saw it and cited Spears because Snoop has been convicted on drug offences. Spears' attorney says his client did not know about Snoop's drug convictions. 

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VANILLA ICE ENTERS PLEA DEAL

 

Vanilla Ice will perform community service for Habitat For Humanity as part of a plea deal for his arrest over a break-in at an abandoned house next to one he was renovating. Vanilla Ice also agreed to pay a fine of more than one-thousand dollars as part of his plea to avoid charges of grand theft and burglary. He was accused of being involved in a theft of furniture, a pool heater, bicycles and other items from the home in Lantana, Florida, in February. Vanilla Ice tells the Palm Beach Post he's glad to put the incident behind him and working for Habitat For Humanity is ``like asking the Pope to pray.'' 

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ANDY SUMMERS RELEASES FILM ON THE POLICE

 

Police guitarist Andy Summers needs to set the record straight: they were not a reggae band. Summers says he hates it when people call them ``white reggae.'' Another thing he wants to set straight: he loves Sting but he's not holding anything back about their relationship in the new documentary, ``Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police.'' The film gives the history of The Police from Summers' point of view. Summers says Sting and he have a great love because they experienced something incredible together. He says the film is more like dishing the dirt on a beloved brother rather than bashing him. 

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DAVID BOWIE PREPARES STAGE ADAPTATION OF ``THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH''

 

David Bowie is working on a stage production based on ``The Man Who Fell To Earth.'' The New York Theatre Workshop will put on ``Lazarus,'' written by Bowie and Enda Walsh, the playwright who wrote ``Once.'' It will feature new songs as well as previously recorded ones. Bowie will not appear in the show, which premieres later this year. Bowie starred in the 1976 film version of ``The Man Who Fell To Earth.'' 

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SARA BAREILLES' MUSICAL WILL PREMIERE THIS SUMMER

 

The musical based on the movie ``Waitress'' that Sara Bareilles (bah-REL'-ihs) has been writing will make its premiere in New York in August. Bareilles wrote the music for ``Waitress,'' while Jessie Nelson wrote the book. 

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FILTER REMEMBER THE RECORDING OF ``TAKE A PICTURE''

 

Richard Patrick of Filter never really intended to keep one of his most famous lines ever. Patrick says he was just scatting when they recorded ``Take A Picture'' and he screamed, ``Hey, dad, what do you think about your son now?''

Patrick says he intended to change it but no one ever asked him to do it. The band later said it sounded good, so he left it. Patrick says it wasn't until he had been sober for six or seven years later that he realized he was crying for help by singing that. 

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MUSIC NEWS: MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2015

 

RED MOON ROAD - DANIEL PELOQUIN-HOPFNER


Former Ste. Rose du Lac resident, Daniel Peloquin - Hopfner will return to the Parkland this weekend with the Folk/Roots trio, Red Moon Road.  The successful group has toured both North America and Europe and will play the Watson Art Centre in Dauphin this Friday night in support of their brand new release, "Sorrows and Glories".  Tickets are still available from Dauphin Music and Electronics, The Dauphin Coffee Company in the Dauphin Market Place Mall and at the Watson Art Centre.  Charge by phone at 204.638.6231.

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PARIS - PAUSES TO REMEMBER

 

Yesterday marked the one-month anniversary of the attacks on Paris that left 130 people dead, including 89 at an Eagles of Death Metal concert. Mourners left flowers and candles in front of the Bataclan concert hall. Eagles of Death Metal performed their first show since the attacks when they joined U2 onstage in Paris last week.

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MIRANDA LAMBERT, MEGHAN TRAINOR  -  OSCAR

 

It may not seem possible, but Miranda Lambert and Meghan Trainor are Oscar contenders. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced 74 songs on the short list for consideration for the best original song Oscar. Lambert wrote ``Two of a Crime'' from the film ``Hot Pursuit,'' and Trainor wrote ``Better When I'm Dancin''' from ``The Peanuts Movie.'' Lady Gaga's song ``Til It Happens To You'' from ``The Hunting Ground'' makes the list. Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth co-wrote ``See You Again'' from ``Furious 7.'' Meek Mill is a contender for ``Fighting Stronger'' from ``Creed.'' Eminem wrote ``Phenomenal'' from ``Southpaw.'' He already has an Oscar for writing ``Lose Yourself'' from ``8 Mile.''

The nominations will be announced January 14th. The Oscars are February 28th. 

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VINCE NEIL - E-40 - WATER GUZZLER LIST

 

Motley Crue singer Vince Neil and rapper E-40 are on the list of the San Francisco area's biggest guzzlers of water. KNTV-TV reports the East Bay Municipal Utility District put Neil and E-40 on its list of violators of water restrictions for the month ending November 20th. Neil is cited for using 8683 litres of water a day. E-40 is accused of using more than 829-thousand litres over a two-month period. Other notable people who are on the violation list include Olympic skater Kristi Yamaguchi, San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey and Oakland A's executive Billy Beane. 

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ADELE - SALES

 

Adele continues to dominate album sales in the U-S Billboard reports her ``25'' album moved another 728-thousand units in its third week of release, putting it at number one on the album chart. By comparison, the number two album, Coldplay's ``A Head Full of Stars,'' moved 210-thousand units. Adele has sold a total of 5.19-million copies in the U-S in just three weeks. 

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TAYLOR SWIFT - CONCERT SPECIAL

 

If you want to see the who's who of celebrities who showed up at one time or another on Taylor Swift's tour, your opportunity is coming up in a week. Swift has announced she will release a concert special from her ``1989 World Tour'' on Apple Music. The concert was taped in Sydney on November 28th. It will also include a segment on the surprise guests on the tour, including Toronto native The Weeknd, Mick Jagger, Fetty Wap (WOP), Justin Timberlake, Lorde , Alison Krauss, Steven Tyler, Miranda Lambert and Selena Gomez. The concert will stream for free for Apple Music users beginning this coming Sunday. 

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BEN FOLDS  - PRIVACY

 

Ben Folds doesn't understand the face-screamers.

Folds says there are some fans who will just come up to him and scream ``Aaaaaa!'' in his face. Folds says it's rare, but it was more common when he was on T-V with ``The Sing-Off.'' Once the show went off the air, Folds says the face-screamers forgot about him. On the whole, Folds' fans are polite. Folds says they usually just wave or smile at him, and if they stop to talk, they often apologize for taking up his time. 

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RED MOON ROAD

 

Winnipeg based Red Moon Road is on the road promoting their brand new disc "Sorrows + Glories" and passed through Dauphin Friday night with a truly inspired presentation of folk/roots music and a wealth of entertaining and informative stories. The crowd was heavy with Ste. Rose music lovers who came out to support, see and hear former Ste. Rose du Lac resident Daniel Peloquin-Hopfner who plays mandolin, guitar, keys and also sings. The rest of the talented trio is made up or vocalist, percussionist and keyboard player Sheena Rattai and Daniel Jordan who also sings and plays guitar and mandolin in the talented trio.

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REBA McENTIRE-DIVORCE

 

Reba McEntire confirms her divorce has been finalized for some time. McEntire posted a photo of her management team on Facebook and it includes her ex-husband, Narvel Blackstock.

McEntire says in the comments section their divorce was finalized October 28. She says they are friends and always have been. They were married for 26 years. 

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3 DOORS DOWN-BASSIST-SENTENCED

 

This is the last week that former 3 Doors Down bassist Todd Harrell will be a free man for a while. The Nashville Tennessean reports a judge sentenced Harrell to a two-year prison sentence that will begin next Monday. Prosecutors say Harrell was high and driving more than 160 kilometers per hour on a Tennessee highway in April 2013 when his vehicle clipped a pickup truck. Its driver, Paul Shoulders Junior, later died of his injuries. While that case was pending, Harrell was charged with D-U-I in another incident. Harrell's sentence could be reduced to one year with good behavior. 

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THE KINKS-DAVIES BROTHERS

 

For all the teasing Ray and Dave Davies of The Kinks have done about possibly playing together again, they finally have done it. Ray showed up at Dave's show in London on Friday, and they performed ``You Really Got Me.'' They ended the song by shaking hands. Dave later tweeted, ``We had a great night - it was a fun show - had a blast with Ray.'' The brothers have not performed in public together in nearly 20 years. 

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NICKI MINAJ-ANGOLA CONCERT

 

Nicki Minaj performed a concert in Angola over the weekend, in spite of calls from human rights groups that she cancel it. Minaj posted a photo of herself with Isabel dos Santos, the daughter of Angolan president Jose Eduardo dos Santos and the co-owner of mobile phone company Unitel, who sponsored the concert.

The Human Rights Foundation and the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights group say Angola's government is a corrupt dictatorship. Minaj's representative could not be reached for comment. 

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NICKI MINAJ-SITCOM-CAST

 

The child actress who portrayed Left Eye as a girl in ``CrazySexyCool: The T-L-C Story'' will play young Nicki Minaj in the sitcom based on Minaj's life. Ariana Neal will portray Minaj in the A-B-C Family comedy ``Nicki.'' Whoopi Goldberg will guest star as Nicki's neighbor. Minaj is the show's executive producer and will appear in the show. Filming begins this winter and the show is expected to air sometime next year. 

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PETE SEEGER-FBI FILE

 

Pete Seeger's 1942 letter to the California American Legion denouncing a proposal to deport all Japanese-Americans triggered an F-B-I investigation that lasted three decades. Nearly 1,700 pages from Seeger's F-B-I file have been released by the National Archives under the Freedom of Information Act. Seeger had been drafted and the Army intercepted Seeger's mail to his fiancee. Authorities also scoured his school records, talked to his father, interviewed an ex-landlord and questioned his pal Woody Guthrie. Investigators raised red flags over Seeger's association with Lead Belly, who was labeled a ``negro murderer.''

More documents on Seeger are expected to be released later. 

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ELLE KING

 

Elle King is just starting to get used to people looking at her. Now she's trying to figure out why. King says it wasn't until this past summer that she started being recognized as the singer of ``Ex's and Oh's.'' When she catches someone staring at her, King says she wonders if it's because she's got food on her face or because her eyelashes are falling off. She says it may also be because she's a ``weirdo'' who wears velvet pants or bell bottoms. 

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EAGLES OF DEATH METAL-COVER REQUEST

 

Eagles of Death Metal issued a request to their musician friends to do some good, and they responded. Eagles of Death Metal had asked musicians to cover their song ``I Love You All The Time,'' and the band would donate 100 percent of their publishing income to the Sweet Stuff Foundation. It's a non-profit founded by Eagles of Death Metal's Josh Homme (HOH'-mee) to provide assistance to musicians in time of need. Among the acts who took up the challenge are Florence and the Machine, Imagine Dragons, Kings of Leon, My Morning Jacket, Jimmy Eat World and Deen Ween Group. The artists are donating their profits from the covers as well. The songs are available on iTunes, Spotify and Prime Music. 

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JASON DERULO-PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS

 

Jason Derulo will be part of the entertainment at the People's Choice Awards. Derulo joins Shawn Mendes as the musical guests. Jane Lynch will host. The People's Choice Awards will be shown live on C-B-S on January 6. 

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(The Associated Press)

MUSIC NEWS: MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2015

 

CANADIAN GRAMMY NOMINATIONS

Toronto's The Weeknd is in the running for seven Grammys including the Record of the Year and Album of the Year awards. 

The breakout R&B star, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, was also nominated for best pop solo performance, best R&B performance, best R&B song, best contemporary album and best song written for visual media. 

Nominated are his album ``Beauty Behind The Madness,'' the chart-topping hit single ``Can't Feel My Face,'' and ``Earned It'' from the ``Fifty Shades Of Grey'' soundtrack. 

Fellow Toronto native Drake is nominated for best rap performance, best rap song and best rap album. 

And Stratford, Ont.'s Justin Bieber is nominated for best dance recording. 

The Grammys will be handed out on Feb. 15, 2016.

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BIEBER CONCERT

 

Justin Bieber is set to perform in Toronto tonight to benefit an outreach centre in his hometown of Stratford, Ont. 

Proceeds from the acoustic concert at the Danforth Music Hall will go the Stratford House of Blessing, which has a food bank and services to help those in need. 

The organization says Bieber's mother used its services when he was little. 

The 21-year-old pop superstar has helped out the group before. 

Last year, he and his grandmother donated several of his childhood items for the group to auction off on eBay. 

Bieber has also donated $10,000 to the group.

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COCAINE FOUND ON SCOTT WEILAND'S BUS

 

Police in Bloomington, Minnesota, say they have found a small quantity of cocaine in the bedroom of the tour bus where Scott Weiland (WY'-land) was found dead last week.

Investigators say they also found a small amount of cocaine elsewhere in the bus. A California man travelling with Weiland has been arrested but not charged. Police will not say anything else about Weiland's cause of death, saying the local coroner will release that information. 

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SCOTT WEILAND, IN HIS OWN WORDS

 

In a February interview with The Associated Press, Scott Weiland (WY'-land) described his health in one word: ``excellent.'' Weiland was found dead on his tour bus Thursday night outside Minneapolis. Police say cocaine was found on the bus but they have not given a cause of death. Weiland said in a 1998 Associated Press interview he wanted to be remembered as a person who wrote great music and an artist who was in no way mediocre. He said, ``I would rather be loved and hated than not thought about at all.'' 

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STP, VELVET REVOLVER PAY THEIR RESPECTS TO SCOTT WEILAND

 

The surviving members of Stone Temple Pilots and of Velvet Revolver have issued statements about Scott Weiland's death. Eric Kretz, Dean DeLeo and Robert DeLeo of STP say Weiland was ``gifted beyond words'' and part of that gift was part of his curse. They say together they crafted a legacy of music together that has given so many people happiness and great memories. Slash, Matt Sorum, Duff McKagan and Dave Kushner of Velvet Revolver say they experienced a good chunk of life with Weiland, and even in his darkest times they ``all had hope and love for him.''

They say there is no doubt that Weiland's artistry will live on.

Weiland was found dead on his tour bus Thursday night at the age of 48. 

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MUSICIANS MOURN SCOTT WEILAND

 

Billy Corgan says he initially wrote off Stone Temple Pilots when they first came out, but Scott Weiland's phrasing made him a fan. Corgan writes on his website he considers the great voices of our generation to be Kurt Cobain, Layne Staley and Scott Weiland. Courtney Love is offering her deepest condolences for her ``amazing talent and friend.'' Ryan Adams tweets, ``RIP Scott Weiland. Universe, please take care of him.'' Foster The People tweet, ``Just heard some news that broke my heart. May heavens doors be wide open for you friend.'' Brandon Boyd of Incubus tweets condolences to Weiland's family and friends and adds he is ``sending love and light.'' 

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RINGO STARR'S WHITE ALBUM SELLS FOR $790,000

 

An anonymous buyer paid $790,000 for Ringo Starr's copy of the White Album with serial number 1. Julien's Auctions reports the sale beats the record for the highest amount paid for a record, which was set in 2015 when Jack White bought Elvis Presley's acetate recording of ``My Happiness'' for $300,000.

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay confirms he paid $1.75 million for Starr's first Ludwig drum set. More than 800 items owned by Starr and his wife, Barbara Bach, were sold in a two-day auction.

Part of the proceeds will benefit the couple's Lotus Children Foundation. 

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ADELE'S ``25'' ALBUM SELLS ANOTHER MILLION COPIES

 

Adele's ``25'' album is still a huge seller.

Billboard reports it sold another 1.11 million copies in its second week of release. It's the first album to sell more than a million copies in two separate weeks. In two weeks, it has sold 4.49 million copies. The ``25'' album became the bestselling album in all of 2015 in just three days. 

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CAROLE KING - KENNEDY CENTER HONORS

 

Carole King has won numerous Grammys, sold millions of albums and has had her songs covered by a host of artists along the way. And last night, she picked up the Kennedy Center Honor. So what does she feel is her greatest accomplishment?

She had them with her last night: her children. She says they are the thing in life that she is most proud of. As for her music, King says she's pleased that she was able to write music that so many people feel means something to them. Honored along with King last night in Washington were actress, singer and dancer Rita Moreno, ``Star Wars'' creator George Lucas and actress Cicely Tyson. 

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ARETHA FRANKLIN - ON CAROLE KING

 

It didn't take very long for Aretha Franklin to come up with the Carole King song she likes best. And that's probably because it's one she has ended up being associated with herself. Franklin says ``(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman''

is her favourite King tune. Franklin performed the tune during last night's tribute to King at the Kennedy Center in Washington.

Accompanying her on the red carpet was veteran music mogul Clive Davis. 

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(The Canadian Press)

MUSIC NEWS: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

 

 

OBIT- ORIGINAL JEFFERSON AIRPLANE SINGER - SIGNE ANDERSON

 

The same day Jefferson Airplane guitarist Paul Kantner died, so did the band's original lead singer. Rolling Stone reports Signe Anderson died Thursday at the age of 74. A cause of death was not given. Kantner also died Thursday at the age of 74. His cause of death was organ failure and septic shock. Their bandmate, Marty Balin, writes on Facebook Anderson and Kantner probably woke up in heaven and said, ``Hey what are you doing here?

Let's start a band,'' then they were joined by late drummer Spencer Dryden. Anderson appeared on Jefferson Airplane's debut album, then left after she gave birth to a child. She was replaced by Grace Slick. 

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DAVID BOWIE - WILL

 

 David Bowie's will calls for his body to be cremated and his ashes scattered on the Indonesian island of Bali.

Bowie's will, which was written in 2004, called for the ashes to be scattered in accordance with Buddhist rituals. The will was filed Friday in New York with his death certificate, which indicated Bowie was cremated in New Jersey two days after his death. The will states Bowie's estate was worth about 100-million dollars. His son, director Duncan Jones, gets 25 per cent, and his 15-year-old daughter, Alexandria, gets 25 per cent and a house. Bowie also left money to his personal assistant and to Alexandria's nanny. He left the rest to his supermodel wife, Iman. 

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OZZY OSBOURNE - ILL

 

Even the Prince of Darkness gets sick every now and then. Black Sabbath postponed Saturday's show in Edmonton and tonight's show in Calgary because Ozzy Osborne has extreme sinusitis, according to his website. Black Sabbath are on a farewell tour and plan to make up those dates. 

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HAYLEY WILLIAMS - CHAD GILBERT - MARRIAGE LICENSE

 

A wedding could be coming soon for Paramore singer Hayley Williams and New Found Glory singer Chad Gilbert. The Nashville Tennessean reports Williams and Gilbert have applied for a marriage license at the clerk's office in Williamson County, Tennessee. They have 30 days to use the license. They announced their engagement on New Year's Eve 2014. 

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RACHEL PLATTEN - SECOND SINGLE

 

Rachel Platten is not worried if her follow-up single to ``Fight Song'' is not a hit. Platten says she might feel a little pressure for ``Stand By You'' to do well, but she's just grateful that years of hard work paid off with ``Fight Song.'' She says she feels she won already. She's still proud of ``Stand By You,'' which she describes as ``a love song at its core.'' Platten says it's about ``being strong enough to hold someone when they need to fall.'' 

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TONY BENNETT - GRAMMY

 

Tony Bennett thinks he's competing in the wrong category at the Grammys. He's up for best traditional pop vocal album for ``The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern.'' Bennett says it should be a jazz album because he's accompanied by a great jazz pianist, Bill Charlap. He says Charlap is the reason he made the album. Bennett shouldn't be too worried about his chances. In the 24 years that the best traditional pop vocal album Grammy has existed, he's won it 12 times. 

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MUSIC NEWS: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2015 

 

KATY PERRY SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOW

 

Aside from a brief twerk moment and a bit of jiggling, Katy Perry didn't do anything that would make anyone too upset during the Super Bowl halftime show. She entered the stadium singing ``Roar'' on a giant gold tiger that appeared to be a big robot, which led to ``Dark Horse.'' Her brief twerking was with Lenny Kravitz as they dueted on ``I Kissed A Girl.'' Perry was backed by dancing sharks and smiling beach balls for ``Teenage Dream'' and ``California Gurls.'' Her special guest was Missy Elliott, who did a medley of her own hits. Perry ended the show with ``Firework'' as she was raised on a star above the stadium.

 

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IDINA MENZEL, JOHN LEGEND PERFORM AT SUPER BOWL

 

It's not Idina Menzel's fault that people booed while she sang the national anthem at the Super Bowl yesterday. Patriots coach Bill Belichick was shown on the big screen in the stadium while she sang, which prompted the booing. Menzel seemed happy with her performance, though. She shouted out ``yes!'' at the end. Afterwards, Menzel says she wasn't worried the booing was for her because she knew that she hit the note well and she was given a warning such a thing might happen. John Legend also performed during the pregame show, singing ``America The Beautiful.''

 

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STEVEN TYLER - HEADLINES PRE-GAME EVENT

 

For Steven Tyler, it was a good weekend.  Not only did the Aerosmith frontman turn it out at the Rolling Stone party - but his beloved New England Patriots won the Super Bowl.

 

During his show, Tyler did hits like ``Dream On.'' But he could have kept the mic off, as the audience sang along with him most of the time. British singer Charli X-C-X also performed. She said she didn't realize the Super Bowl was about football until a few months ago.

 

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SUPER BOWL - CELEBRITIES

 

It's always a big-ticket game. And that means the Super Bowl is always a safe bet to draw big-name stars.  That was the case yesterday in Glendale, Arizona. Among the celebrities spotted during the T-V coverage of the Super Bowl were Kevin Hart, Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg and John Travolta -- as well as singers Kenney Chesney, Steven Tyler and Paul McCartney. 

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ERIC PASLAY IS ENGAGED

 

Eric Paslay is engaged. The Nashville Tennessean reports Paslay proposed to girlfriend Natalie Harker on December 30.

 

They met when Harker worked at Paslay's previous publishing company.

 

They've been dating for about two years. They plan to marry in the Nashville area in the spring. Paslay says he's in charge of the music for the wedding and he's already decided none of his music will be played.

 

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DAUGHTER OF WHITNEY HOUSTON AND BOBBY BROWN FOUND UNRESPONSIVE

 

Almost exactly three years after Whitney Houston was found unresponsive in a bathtub, her daughter was also found unresponsive in a bathtub. Police outside Atlanta say the husband of Bobbi Kristina Brown and a friend found her face down in a tub Saturday. Her husband, Nick Gordon, performed C-P-R while the friend called for help. Brown is still in a hospital but her condition is not known. Detectives were at the home Saturday trying to figure out what happened. Police had been called to the home less than two weeks ago on a report of a fight, but no one was there when they arrived.

 

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JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE AND JESSICA BIEL EXPECTING?

 

Justin Timberlake appears to have a baby on the way. Timberlake posted a photo on Instagram that shows him next to a bulging belly, presumably that of his wife, Jessica Biel. Timberlake posted on Saturday, his 34th birthday, and he says he's getting the greatest gift ever this year. He added, ``Can't wait.'' The baby will be their first child.

 

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SHAKIRA HAS ANOTHER BOY

 

Shakira is a mom for the second time. She tweets she gave birth to a boy Thursday night in Barcelona. She and her boyfriend, Spanish football star Gerard Pique (PEE'-kay), have named him Sasha Pique Mebarak. She says ``Sasha'' is a name of Greek and Russian descent and means ``defender of mankind'' and ``warrior.''

 

Shakira and Pique also have a two-year-old son, Milan.

 

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MICHAEL JACKSON'S MOM LOSES APPEAL OF AEG LIVE CASE

 

A California appeals court upheld a jury's decision that concert promoter AEG Live was not responsible for the death of Michael Jackson. His mother, Katherine, had argued for a new trial, claiming A-E-G was negligent in hiring Dr. Conrad Murray, who was convicted in causing Jackson's death. The court disagreed with her claims that the verdict was not legal and that the instructions and verdict form confused the jury. Katherine Jackson's attorney says his office is still reading the ruling and did not have immediate comment. An A-E-G attorney says the appeals court found what the jury found: that A-E-G is not responsible for Michael Jackson's death.

 

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JOURNALIST ORDERED TO SAY HOW SHE ACQUIRED DIARY OF JAMES BROWN'S WIDOW

 

A judge has issued a restraining order against a journalist covering the fight over James Brown's estate to make her reveal how she got ahold of the diary of Brown's widow. Sue Summer has been ordered not to publish anything from Tomi (TAH'-mee) Ray Hynie's diary, but the order came after Summer already posted portions on her Facebook page. Summer has been ordered to bring her notes and phone records to a court hearing today. Summer has said the diary was sent to her anonymously. Hynie and Brown's children have been fighting over Brown's estate for eight years.

MUSIC NEWS: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2016

 

RICHARD INMAN


Winnipeg based singer/songwriter Richard Inman returned to Dauphin last night with accompanied by Simon Davis at Bruce's Firehouse.  

Although Inman was suffering from a bit of a cold last night he was able to locate a couple of helpful cups of tea and made it through a rather lengthy set of both songs from his previous 3 recordings as well as many of the new songs that will be on his forthcoming album.

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BEYONCE - POLICE

 

Will they or won't they? Police unions in a number of cities are calling for a boycott of officers working security for Beyonce's concerts because of her new song ``Formation.'' Unions in Miami; Tampa, Florida; and Nashville, Tennessee want members to skip volunteering to do security for her shows in those cities. This all started after Super Bowl Sunday when Beyonce performed ``Formation,'' a day after releasing the video online. Because the performances feature pro-black images and denounced the shooting of unarmed black citizens, some critics considered it ``anti-police.'' Beyonce's tour kicks off with a show in Miami on April 27th. A Tampa police spokeswoman says there's no indication officers are heeding the call to skip the voluntary shifts for the show _ and that the idea of a widespread boycott ``has been blown way out of proportion.'' 

(NOTE: Toronto Police Association President Mike McCormack confirmed to T-V station CP-24 on Sunday that Toronto police will not boycott Beyonce's performance at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on May 25th) 

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TAYLOR SWIFT - KESHA

 

Taylor Swift is among the stars giving both support and money to help Kesha's cause. Kesha has been involved in a drawn-out court battle to get out of a contract with Dr. Luke _ who she claims sexually assaulted her. A representative for Swift has confirmed that the singer has donated a quarter-million dollars to Kesha as part of what Swift calls a ``show of support.'' On Friday, a judge in New York denied her effort to get out of her contract with Dr. Luke, who has denied the allegations. While the ruling isn't the final judgment in the case, the decision has led to an outpouring of support from Kesha on social media from other celebrities. 

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JOHN LENNON - HAIR- AUCTION

 

A lock of John Lennon's hair snipped as he prepared for a film role has sold for 35-thousand dollars. The auction house that ran the sale says the 11.4-centimetre lock was purchased by a U-K-based memorabilia collector. The hank of hair was kept by a German hairdresser after giving the former Beatle a trim. The haircut came before Lennon began work on the comedy ``How I Won the War.'' The hair was one of the more interesting pieces in the lot.

But it wasn't most expensive one. A photo of the Beatles signed by all four members went for $42,500. 

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J-LO AND SAOIRSE RONAN

 

Jennifer Lopez might have declared that she's ``from the block.'' But she isn't the only one to claim the New York City borough of The Bronx as her home. That point was driven home recently when actress Saoirse Ronan met Lopez on a red carpet. Ronan says she called out to J-Lo _ and let her know she was from the Bronx, too. Ronan says Lopez acknowledged the shout-out, but didn't say more. Ronan says doesn't think Lopez understood what she meant _ but says she's ``delighted'' she and J-Lo share a Bronx connection. 

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(The Canadian Press)

 

RAY CHARLES - TRIBUTE

 

A bunch of big recording artists will be in Washington this week to celebrate the musical legacy of the late Ray Charles. The White House says Usher, Demi Lovato, Andra Day and The Band Perry will be taking part in the Charles celebration. The performers will be around Wednesday to tape ``Smithsonian Salutes Ray Charles: In Performance at the White House.'' The program is to be broadcast Friday on PBS stations nationwide. It's the 16th such program held under President Barack Obama. The day of the taping, first lady Michelle Obama has planned a daytime workshop with some of the invited artists for more than 130 middle, high school and college students from around the country. Ray Charles died in June, 2004. 

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Simple Plan-New Album

 

Montreal pop-rockers Simple Plan don't mind rattling their fans a little bit, and their new album ``Taking One for the Team'' is sure to rile some listeners. 

Their fifth studio release includes a pair of collaborations that stray pretty far from the band's angsty teenage roots. 

``I Don't Wanna Go to Bed'' pairs them with the rapper Nelly, while ``Singing in the Rain'' is a reggae-infused pairing with R. City.  (The Canadian Press)

 

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Kesha-Producer Clash

 

Pop star Kesha has appeared in a New York courtroom, as part of her long-running legal dispute with the music producer Dr. Luke. 

The singer claims she's trying to regain control of her career after the producer drugged, sexually abused and psychologically tormented her. 

Dr. Luke, whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald, accuses Kesha of making up that story in an attempt to ruin his reputation and back out of her recording contract.  (The Associated Press) 

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(The Associated Press)

 

MUSIC NEWS: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

 

OSCARS - MUSIC

 

Lady Gaga provided the emotional drama for the night. But it was Sam Smith who ended up with gold, winning the Oscar for best original song. Gaga's performance was introduced by Vice-President Joe Biden, who said the nation needs to change the way it thinks about sexual assault cases. Gaga's performance of ``Til It Happens To You'' was punctuated by an on-stage appearance of dozens of people _ male and female _ who were victims of sexual assault. On their forearms were messages such as ``I'm a survivor'' and ``I've been assaulted.'' But Smith's song for the James Bond movie ``Spectre'' _ ``The Writing's on the Wall'' ended up with the surprise win. He dedicated his triumph to the LGBT community. 

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A$AP ROCKY -  FIGHT

 

Most of us would call it a plain ol' fight. But A$AP Rocky says what he had in a hotel elevator was a ``fist exchange.'' The rapper tells The Associated Press the fight went down Thursday in Auckland, New Zealand _ a few hours after he performed in the city. He says he was in an elevator with some women and his ``security,'' when a man tried to ride with them. When they refused to let him on, a scuffle followed. No one in his party was hurt. He says no one pressed charges _ and he doesn't understand why people were making a big deal out of it. 

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YOKO ONO - RELEASED AFTER HOSPITALIZATION

 

Yoko Ono is said to be on the mend after being hospitalized in New York City for flu-like symptoms. A rep for the musician and widow of John Lennon says Ono was hospitalized on the advice of her doctor. There had been reports that she had a stroke _ but her son Sean Lennon said that wasn't true _ but that his mom was dehydrated and tired. In a tweet, she said the ``only stroke'' his mom had ``was a stroke of genius.'' 

In a bit of irony, Ono was hospitalized at the same hospital where her husband was taken and pronounced dead after being shot in 1980, though it went by a different name at the time. 

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BEATLES RECORD - AUCTION

 

An acetate record cut by the Beatles before the band hit it big is going up for auction. The record was made in 1962 at a London record store. And it's believed to be the only copy. The recording had been in the loft of Les Maguire, a member of another Liverpool band, Gerry and the Pacemakers. The 10-inch demo record is expected to fetch at least 14-thousand dollars when it goes on auction March 22nd. 

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PHIL COLLINS - RE-RELEASING ALBUMS

 

So much for retirement. Phil Collins is taking one tentative step out of his musical exile _ by re-releasing all eight of his solo albums. Each of the discs will be remastered and accompanied by a second C-D of demos and live recordings, many previously unreleased. Collins has said he was shutting down his career. But he suggests that may not always be the case. He notes that other singers like Billy Joel have been able to keep performing in short bursts, followed by rest _ and he's thinking about doing the same. 

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STEW DEEZ - ARREST

 

Stew Deez has been busted after police say he fired a gun outside of a concert venue on New York's Long Island.

Police say the rapper was taken in on Friday on reckless endangerment _ and weapons possession charges. Investigators say Deez fired a gun in the air as a group of people fought in the parking lot of a music venue. No one was injured. Newsday reports that Stew Deez was travelling as the opening act for Grammy Award-winning hip-hop group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. 

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(The Associated Press)

DAVID BOWIE - OBIT


Singer David Bowie, one of the most influential musicians of his era, has died of cancer at the age of 69.

A statement was issued on his social media accounts, saying he "died peacefully, surrounded by his family" after an "18-month battle with cancer".

Tributes have been paid from around the world to the "extraordinary artist" whose last album was released days ago.

Sir Paul McCartney described him as a "great star" who "played a very strong part in British musical history".

Bowie's son Duncan Jones, who directed Bafta-winning film Moon, wrote on Twitter: "Very sorry and sad to say it's true. I'll be offline for a while. Love to all."

(BBC NEWS)

 

CANADIAN RESPONSE TO BOWIE'S PASSING

Canadian celebrities including the Weeknd, Will Arnett, Chantal Kreviazuk and former astronaut Chris Hadfield have posted tributes to David Bowie on social media. 

Singer-songwriter Kreviazuk posted a photo of Bowie on Instagram and wrote she felt the ``tragic and permanent impact of death'' when she head the news. 

Others quoted song lyrics, like Toronto-born comedian and actor Will Arnett, who picked Bowie's 1971 track ``Quicksand.'' 

A more straightforward tribute came from singer the Weeknd _ who posted a simple ``Rest in peace'' message. 

Hadfield, who became a viral sensation in 2013 for his acoustic rendition of Bowie's ``Space Oddity,'' tapped into the star's intergalactic persona. 

He wrote: ``Your brilliance inspired us all. Goodbye Starman.''

 

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TROY SHONDELL - OBIT

 

The man who sang ``This Time (We're Really Breaking Up)'' has died. A family friend says Troy Shondell died Thursday of complications related to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases at a nursing facility in Picayune, Mississippi. He was 76.

Shondell hit number 6 with ``This Time'' in 1961 but never had another top 40 hit. However, his lasting influence may be his name.

Tommy James named his band The Shondells after him, and The Ides of March were originally called The Shondels -- with one ``L'' -- but changed it after hearing about James' band. 

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RED SIMPSON - OBIT

 

One of the architects of the Bakersfield sound who created songs for truckers has died. Billboard reports Red Simpson suffered a heart attack while on tour in the Pacific Northwest last month, then fell ill again and died on Friday. He was 81. Simpson had a number-four country hit with ``I'm A Truck'' in 1971. His follow-up singles included ``Country Western Truck Drivin' Singer,'' ''Awful Lot to Learn about Truck Drivin',`` ''Truck Driver's Heaven`` and ''The Flying Saucer Man and The Truck Driver.`` Merle Haggard writes on his Facebook page Simpson played a huge part in the Bakersfield sound and was a dear friend. 

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OTIS CLAY - OBIT

 

One of the big players in the Chicago blues scene has died. Otis Clay died suddenly of a heart attack on Friday at the age of 73, according to his daughter. Clay's best-known song is ``Trying To Live My Life Without You'' from 1972, which Bob Seger later turned into a hit. Clay first released a string of gospel-tinged soul records in the 1960s. He never stopped recording and touring and he was nominated for two awards at the Blues Music Awards in May. Clay was also an active player in charity projects in Chicago. 

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NATALIE COLE - FUNERAL - TODAY

 

Natalie Cole's funeral is set for today in Los Angeles. A Cole family representative says Chaka Khan will sing at the service at West Angeles Church of God in Christ, where Cole was once a member. Cole will be buried next to her parents, sister and brother at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in nearby Glendale, California. 

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DAN AUERBACH -  ``MAKING A MURDERER''

 

Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys is so into the Netflix documentary series ``Making a Murderer'' he wrote a song about it. Auerbach has posted the song ``Lake Superior'' to the website of his other band, The Arcs. ``Making A Murderer'' is about the Wisconsin legal trials of Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey, who were convicted of killing a woman. The series suggests authorities planted evidence, but those involved in the case say the series omits crucial facts. Auerbach says the series is moving and disturbing, regardless of how you feel about the men. Auerbach says The Arcs put together the song in just a day and a half. Proceeds from the sale of the song will go to the Innocence Project, which uses DNA evidence to exonerate prisoners. 

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A TRIBE CALLED QUEST- 25 YEARS

 

If you enjoyed the 25th anniversary release of A Tribe Called Quest's album ``People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm,'' be prepared for other 25th anniversary editions.

Q-Tip says they're planning similar treatments for ``The Low End Theory,'' ''Beats, Rhymes and Life`` and ''Midnight Marauders.`` But what about a 25th anniversary tour? It depends who you ask. Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Jarobi White are all for it. Q-Tip says everyone makes it look like he's the one who's not open to a tour but he just doesn't know. 

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ELTON JOHN - ``WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY''

 

Elton John will debut his new song in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle on ``The Wonderful World of Disney:

Disneyland 60.'' He will sing ``Wonderful Crazy Night'' and ``Circle of Life'' during the ABC special on February 21st. 

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``ADELE: LIVE FROM LONDON'' - BBC AMERICA

 

Adele's ``Live from London'' special will air in the U-S on Valentine's Day. She'll perform hits from ``25''

and her earlier albums on the show, which will air on B-B-C America. 

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CHARLES KELLEY - SOLO RECORD - BABY

 

Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum has two major events happening at the same time. His first solo record, ``The Driver,'' will come out February 5th, and his first child is due around the same time. Kelley says it's either great timing or poor timing. He says you can't predict when a baby will arrive, but he's so excited. Even though he's well-known for his work with Lady A, Kelley feels he's kind of a new artist and has to introduce himself.

One thing that has been a tough adjustment is playing to crowds that are not in the thousands. Kelley says Lady A never played many small clubs because they opened for bigger acts like Martina McBride and Tim McGraw, then they had enough hits to play amphitheatres and arenas on their own. 

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(The Associated Press)

 

Music News: Monday, January 12, 2015

 

VAN HALEN NAME DISPUTE SETTLED

 

Van Halen has settled a lawsuit with the ex-wife of drummer Alex Van Halen over the use of her name. An attorney for Kelly Van Halen tells The Hollywood Reporter she may use her full name for her business but she must stay away from music-related ventures. Kelly Van Halen fought for four years for the right to use the name for her construction and interior design company, even though she and Alex Van Halen divorced twenty years ago. The band had argued her trademarks were confusingly similar to theirs and she was diluting the Van Halen brand. A band attorney says the dispute has been ``amicably resolved.'' 

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LADY ANTEBELLUM GROW IN MANY WAYS

 

Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum came back from maternity leave more creative than ever. Scott says she grew more in the break before their ``7-47'' album than she has in years. She says part of it is because she had a baby girl, and part because the band had serious conversations about where they wanted to go as artists. Scott says her daughter inspired her to work, not just because Scott has to pay for diapers, but because of her daughter's ``little personality.'' 

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LENNY KRAVITZ JOINS KATY PERRY FOR SUPER BOWL

 

 

 

Lenny Kravitz will help Katy Perry with her Super Bowl halftime performance. Perry has invited Kravitz to appear with her during the performance on February 1 in Phoenix. 

 

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GOLDEN GLOBES-SONG 

 

Common and John Legend are sharing a Golden Globe award. They win for best original song, ``Glory,'' from the movie ``Selma.'' Common told the crowd that after working on the civil rights drama, he knows the struggle isn't over. 

 

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MAN PLEADS NOT GUILTY IN MILEY CYRUS BREAK-IN 

 

A convicted burglar has pleaded not guilty to charges he broke into Miley Cyrus' home in Los Angeles on December 16. Rusty Sellner was arrested last Monday and entered his pleas Thursday. Prosecutors say he broke into Cyrus' home and stole a large amount of property belonging to Cyrus and her brother. Sellner has previous convictions for burglary and evading arrest. If convicted in the Cyrus burglary, he faces seven years and eight months in prison. 

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 iTunes in Canada top 10 for the week ending Jan. 11.

 

ALBUMS

 

1  1989 _ Taylor Swift

 

2  Hozier _ Hozier

 

3  Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix, Vol. 1 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) _ Various Artists

 

4  X _ Ed Sheeran

 

5  In the Lonely Hour _ Sam Smith

 

6  Much Dance 2015 _ Various Artists

 

7  The Pinkprint (Deluxe Version) _ Nicki Minaj

 

8  NOW: 25 Top Hits _ Best of Country, Vol. 1 _ Various Artists

 

9  American Beauty / American Psycho _ Fall Out Boy (pre-order)

 

10  2014 Forest Hills Drive _ J. Cole

 

 

 

SINGLES

 

1  Uptown Funk _ Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars

 

2  Take Me to Church _ Hozier

 

3  Thinking Out Loud _ Ed Sheeran

 

4  Blank Space _ Taylor Swift

 

5  Lips Are Movin _ Meghan Trainor

 

6  Love Me Like You Do _ Ellie Goulding

 

7  I'm Not the Only One _ Sam Smith

 

8  All About That Bass _ Meghan Trainor

 

9  Only One _ Kanye West featuring Paul McCartney

 

10  Shake It Off _ Taylor Swift

MUSIC NEWS: MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 2016

 

 

DAVID BOWIE - ``BLACKSTAR''

 

David Bowie's final album is number one. It's also his first number-one album ever. ``Blackstar'' debuts at the top of the Billboard 200 album chart, moving 181-thousand units its first week. It knocks Adele's ``25'' down to second after seven weeks at number one. 

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MOS DEF - ARRESTED

 

Mos Def's attempt to leave South Africa improperly could get him banned from the country. Mos Def has 14 days to leave South Africa after he was arrested for violating local immigration laws while trying to leave the country. He was arrested at Cape Town International Airport on Thursday. A spokesman for South Africa's Department of Home Affairs says Mos Def produced an unrecognized ``world passport'' when he tried to leave the country.

Mos Def had previously overstayed his visitor's permit in 2014 after entering with an American passport. The spokesman says the court order to leave South Africa means he's banned for five years but he can appeal that. 

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CHER - FLINT - MICHIGAN

 

The residents of Flint, Michigan, are getting clean drinking water thanks to Cher. She is sending more than 180-thousand bottles of water to Flint starting today. Flint has not had safe drinking water since 2014, when officials started drawing water from the Flint River as a cost-saving measure. However, the city did not treat corrosive water properly, and the old pipes leached metal into the water. Cher says it's a ``tragedy of staggering proportion and shocking that it's happening in the middle of our country.'' 

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50 CENT - APPEALS COURT

 

50 Cent has won an appeal concerning a dispute over his song ``I Get Money.'' An appeals court in New York agreed with a judge who rejected a copyright lawsuit filed by rapper Young Caliber against 50 Cent on the grounds that it was filed too late.

It said Young Caliber brought his lawsuit after the three-year statute of limitations had expired. Young Caliber had sought unspecified damages because he said he bought the exclusive rights to a beat in 2006 that was used in ``I Get Money'' in 2007. 50 Cent's attorney says the ruling vindicates his client. Young Caliber's lawyer did not return a message seeking comment. 

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JESUS' LIFE - YEARWOOD - ROYCE

 

Trisha Yearwood and Prince Royce will star in the story of Jesus that will run on Fox on Palm Sunday, March 20th. Yearwood plays Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Royce plays the disciple Peter. Tyler Perry will host and narrate. The show is a musical that will focus on the last hours of Jesus' life.

It will be staged live in New Orleans, with a procession of hundreds of people carrying a 20-foot illuminated cross from the Superdome to the live stage at Woldenburg Park near the Mississippi River. 

(The Associated Press)

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RENE ANGELIL - FUNERAL

 

The funeral for Rene Angelil, husband and manager of Canadian superstar Celine Dion, will be held next Friday in the same Montreal church where the couple married 21 years ago. 

Angelil died Thursday morning at his home in Las Vegas after a long battle with throat cancer. He was 73. 

Dion's publicist, Francine Chaloult, says Angelil wanted to have his funeral at the same church. 

A wake will be held a day earlier where the public will be able to pay their respects, and a celebration of Angelil's life will also be held on February 3rd in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace Colosseum. 

 

OBIT Daniel Dion

Daniel Dion, the brother of Canadian singer Celine Dion, has died of cancer at age 59. 

The death was announced two days after Celine Dion's husband, Rene Angelil, died at age 73 after a long battle with throat cancer. 

A news release from one of Celine Dion's publicists says Daniel was the eighth of 14 Dion children and a father of two. 

The release says he died Saturday morning in a palliative care residence outside Montreal. 

A viewing will take place next Saturday, the day after Angelil's funeral is set to take place in Montreal.   

(The Canadian Press) 

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(MUSIC-Billy-Talent)

 

The drummer for Canadian punk rock band Billy Talent is stepping away from recording with the group to deal with a health setback. 

In a video posted on the band's YouTube channel, Aaron Solowoniuk says he's been living with multiple sclerosis for more than 15 years. 

Solowoniuk says the disease hadn't previously stopped him from recording music or touring, but he's been dealing with a relapse and won't be able to play drums on Billy Talent's forthcoming record. 

Alexisonfire drummer Jordan Hastings will be filling in for him on the new album. 

In the meantime, Solowoniuk says he'll be switching his medication and doing everything he can to get back to drumming.

(The Canadian Press)

 

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MUSIC NEWS: MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2015

 

GRATEFUL DEAD PLANS FAREWELL SHOWS 

The Grateful Dead will play a series of 50th anniversary shows, and that will be it for them. The surviving members of the Dead will play three concerts at Chicago's Soldier Field July 3-5. They say those will be their final performances.

Soldier Field is the site of their last show with Jerry Garcia, who died a month later in 1995. Trey Anastasio of Phish and Bruce Hornsby will be guest musicians, as will keyboardist Jeff Chementi from Bob Weir's side project, Rat Dog. In keeping with their roots, the Dead will sell tickets through a mail order system beginning tomorrow. They will go on sale online February 14. 

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MUSICIANS REMEMBER KIM FOWLEY 

Joan Jett says she's ``very sad'' to learn of the death of music producer Kim Fowley, the man who created The Runaways. Jett tweets Fowley was a friend and taught her so much.

Fowley's wife says he died Thursday morning at their home in Los Angeles after a long battle with bladder cancer. He was 75. Runaways singer Cherie Currie thanks Fowley on Facebook for starting her career and calls him a ``genius.'' E Street Band guitarist Little Steven says Fowley was working on his Underground Garage radio show as late as last week and says Fowley had ``Rock Gypsy D-N-A.'' 

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RICK SPRINGFIELD'S HINDQUARTERS TRIUMPH IN COURT 

Rick Springfield's behind is in the clear. A New York State Supreme Court jury had decided against Vicki Calcagno, who said Springfield fell during a concert at the New York State Fair in 2004 and his rear end hit her in the head. She said she suffered serious injuries. Springfield testified he did not fall on Calcagno. His lawyer said during closing arguments there are no witnesses, photos or video to support Calcagno's claim. Springfield says he's relieved by the verdict.

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MICK FLEETWOOD IS SICK 

Fleetwood Mac ended their show early Saturday in Lincoln, Nebraska, because drummer Mick Fleetwood was sick with stomach flu. Singer Stevie Nicks told the crowd Fleetwood was throwing up backstage. Fleetwood Mac cut the show an hour short. A drum technician filled in on ``Go Your Own Way,'' then keyboardist Christine McVie and guitarist Lindsey Buckingham did ``Songbird'' before ending the show. Fleetwood Mac plan to keep their date tomorrow in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 

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WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE BLACK CROWES 

Guitarist Rich Robinson says the reason The Black Crowes are broken up is because his brother, singer Chris Robinson, is too demanding. Rich Robinson says he loves his brother, but Chris wanted him to give up his equal share of the band and drummer Steve Gorman give up all of his share, effectively making Gorman a salaried employee. Rich Robinson says he could not agree to that.

The band has gone on hiatus twice in the past 12 years, most recently in December 2013. Chris Robinson could not be reached for comment. He is currently touring with his new band, The Chris Robinson Brotherhood. 

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DOLLY PARTON WILL PRODUCE FOR TV 

Dolly Parton has signed a deal with N-B-C to turn her songs, stories and life into T-V programming. N-B-C plans to develop a slate of two-hour T-V movies based on content from Parton.

She will be a producer on the projects. Parton says she intends to create shows that are ``fun and inspirational with a family audience in mind.'' 

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STEVIE WONDER WORKING ON UNDERGROUND RAILROAD PROJECTS 

Stevie Wonder will be the executive producer for an N-B-C eight-hour miniseries about the Underground Railroad. It will be called ``Freedom Run'' and it will be based on author Betty DeRamus' book, ``Forbidden Fruit: Love Stories From The Underground Railroad.'' It's also in the works as a stage musical, and Wonder is writing the score. 

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MARTINA McBRIDE WILL GET CHARITY AWARD 

Martina McBride is being singled out for her good works. The Music Business Association will give McBride its Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award at a luncheon in Nashville on May 14. McBride is being recognized for her work against domestic violence and cancer. McBride says in a statement her goal was never to be recognized for her charitable efforts but the award is proof everyone can make a difference. 

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MOTLEY CRUE MOVIE GETS A DIRECTOR 

The man who directed the ``Jackass'' movies is now taking on another group of notorious misbehavers: Motley Crue. The Hollywood Reporter reports Jeff Tremaine will direct the movie version of Motley Crue's autobiography ``The Dirt.'' Casting will begin soon. 

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''WEIRD AL`` YANKOVIC IS VOICE IN BATMAN MOVIE

``Weird Al'' Yankovic will be the voice of a villain in an upcoming Batman animated movie. Billboard reports Yankovic will play The Dollmaker, a villain who is the son of a serial killer and cannibal. The movie is called ``Batman vs. Robin'' and will be released this spring. 

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 IDINA MENZEL, JOHN LEGEND WILL SING AT SUPER BOWL 

Idina Menzel will get to sing something besides ``Let It Go'' for once. She will perform the national anthem before the Super Bowl. John Legend will sing ``America the Beautiful.'' The Super Bowl is February 1st in Glendale, Arizona. 

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BRET MICHAELS WILL PLAY AT PISTONS-CAVALIERS GAME 

Bret Michaels will perform at the halftime show when the Detroit Pistons host the Cleveland Cavaliers. The game is January 27th. 

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CLAY AIKEN DOCUMENTARY FOLLOWS HIS CONGRESSIONAL RUN 

The Esquire Network will run a four-hour documentary about Clay Aiken's failed run at a U-S congressional seat. ``The Runner-Up'' follows Aiken as he runs as an openly gay Democrat in a mostly conservative district in North Carolina. It premieres in April.

 

 

MUSIC NEWS: MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2016

 

MICHAEL BUBLE - BABY

 

Canadian crooner Michael Buble' is a dad again. He tweets his wife, Luisana, gave birth to a boy last week. They've named him Elias. They also have a two-year-old son, Noah. 

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MARIAH CAREY - ENGAGED

 

Mariah Carey is hoping her third walk down the aisle will be the one. She is engaged to Australian billionaire James Packer. Her representative says they got engaged in New York on Thursday. Carey's divorce from Nick Cannon was finalized last April. Previously she was married to record executive Tommy Mottola.

Carey has a boy and a girl from her marriage to Cannon. Packer was married twice before and has three kids. Forbes magazine says Packer's net worth is 3.5-billion dollars, making him the fourth richest person in Australia. 

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ONE DIRECTION - LOUIS TOMLINSON

 

The attitude of Louis Tomlinson of One Direction can be summed up by his recent Twitter post: ``Daddy daddy cool.'' Tomlinson tweeted on Saturday his baby boy was born Friday.

He describes his son as ``healthy and pretty amazing'' and Tomlinson describes himself as ``very happy!'' The baby's mother is Briana Jungwirth. 

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THOMPSON SQUARE - BABY

 

Keifer and Shawna Thompson of Thompson Square are new parents. Their representative tells People magazine Shawna Thompson gave birth yesterday to their first child, a boy. They've named him Rigney Cooper Thompson. ``Rigney'' is Shawna Thompson's grandmother's maiden name, but they plan to call him Cooper. 

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YOUNG DRO - DRUG CHARGE

Young Dro was arrested on a drug charge at Atlanta's airport Thursday. Police say they found a pill and a half of Xanax during a search of Young Dro after learning he was wanted for a traffic offence. It's illegal to possess Xanax without a prescription. Young Dro has been charged with possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested in a separate incident in March for theft. Young Dro's biggest hit was ``Shoulder Lean'' in 2006. 

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MACKLEMORE AND RYAN LEWIS - IGGY AZALEA

 

If Macklemore and Ryan Lewis wanted to start a dialogue with their new song ``White Privilege II,'' Iggy Azalea certainly has a lot to say about it. The song is nine minutes long and explores a white person's place in society as black people fight injustice. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis name-check Iggy Azalea as well as themselves for appropriating black culture. Azalea tweets Macklemore shouldn't have spent the last three years having friendly conversations and taking pictures with her if those were his feelings. 

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X AMBASSADORS - BROTHERLY LOVE

 

X Ambassadors don't consider themselves a band with brothers in it as much as a band of brothers. Keyboardist Casey Harris says he spends as much time with the other members of the band as he does his brother, singer Sam Harris. In fact, he says he spends more time with the band members than he does with any other member of his family or even his girlfriend. Casey Harris says they fight like brothers, regardless of who is involved, but they also resolve things quickly and it's never been a major problem. 

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ZAC BROWN - WINE BUSINESS

 

Zac Brown is creating his own line of wines.

Brown is collaborating with Napa Valley winemaker John Killebrew for Z. Alexander Brown wines. So far they have a cabernet sauvignon and a proprietary red blend. They each sell for about 20-dollars. Find out more at ZAlexanderBrown-dot-com. 

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BILLY JOEL -  MUSIC SCHOOL

 

Billy Joel is making a deal with local education authorities: if they promise to keep a music school open, he'll donate a million dollars to fund it. New York's Newsday reports Joel is pledging one million dollars to the Long Island High School for the Arts if the local board of education will keep it open for three years. School officials say the school is facing closure because of low enrolment, and it's running a deficit of about 400-thousand dollars. 

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NHL - ALL-STAR CELEBRITY COACHES

 

Dierks Bentley, Vince Gill, Charles Kelley, and Chris Young act as celebrity coaches for the N-H-L All-Star Game. The teams also will have coaches who have more experience in these matters: Gerard Gallant of the Florida Panthers, Lindy Ruff of the Dallas Stars, Darryl Sutter of the Los Angeles Kings, and Barry Trotz of the Washington Capitals. The game is Sunday in Nashville and will be shown live on C-B-C. 

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(The Associated Press)