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MUSIC NEWS: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2015

 

GEORGE STRAIT-COMEBACK

 

George Strait never said he was going to retire. Strait says when he announced he was releasing an album and planning to do some concerts next year in Las Vegas, people said, ``I thought you retired.'' Strait says he just wants to shake people like that. He says he always planned to do shows, just not a structured tour. Strait will release a new album called ``Cold Beer Conversation'' tomorrow. Strait says he had considered putting out an album of big-band standards, and that's still a possibility. 

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CHRIS CORNELL-SOUNDGARDEN

 

If Chris Cornell could play the song in his bathroom, it made the record. That was his rule for his new album, ``Higher Truth.'' Cornell says he's written on acoustic guitar before, but this is his first body of work done entirely that way. Cornell says his solo career helps fuel his work with. Cornell says his solo work and Soundgarden couldn't be any more different and it's satisfying on a creative level. It also helps that Soundgarden has a rule about not working to a calendar. Cornell says they don't blow any deadlines because they don't have any and they even probably work a little faster that way. He says they've just started writing the next Soundgarden record. 

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ARETHA FRANKLIN-POPE

 

Aretha Franklin plans to give Pope Francis a gift that's close to her heart after she sings for him this weekend.

Franklin says she will give the pope a boxed set of sermons by her father, Baptist preacher C-L Franklin. She says almost everything her father ever recorded is in that set. Franklin will sing ``Amazing Grace'' and another song for Pope Francis during the Festival of Families concert in Philadelphia on Saturday. 

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MY MORNING JACKET-PATRICK HALLAHAN

 

My Morning Jacket drummer Patrick Hallahan is opening a restaurant. Hallahan has partnered with chef Bobby Benjamin and lawyer Jon Salomon to launch a restaurant called Butchertown Grocery in Hallahan's hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.

It will be a casual dining restaurant with a cocktail lounge and live music. It's set to open in November. 

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LADY ANTEBELLUM'S-HILLARY SCOTT-SCHOLARSHIP

 

Lady Antebellum singer Hillary Scott is sponsoring a scholarship to give women a hand. The Nashville Tennessean reports Lady A's manager, Daniel Miller, has announced a scholarship for women pursuing careers in the music industry at Middle Tennessee State University. Miller says Scott's father is a songwriter who had a track on LeAnn Rimes' debut album, and that made enough money to fund Scott's education at M-T-S-U. Miller says Scott wants to pay it forward to help other young women pursue their dreams. 

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BEN FOLDS-CLASSICAL-NUMBER ONE

 

Ben Folds has the first number-one album of his career in a way he probably did not expect. Folds' new album, ``So There,'' has debuted at the top of Billboard's classical and classical crossover albums charts. It's also number 6 on the alternative album chart. ``So There'' includes a piano concerto that Folds recorded with the Nashville Symphony and what Folds calls ``chamber rock'' songs created with the Brooklyn chamber ensemble yMusic. 

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TREVOR NOAH-RYAN ADAMS

 

Ryan Adams will be the first musical guest when Trevor Noah relaunches ``The Daily Show'' on Comedy Central. Adams will be the sole guest on next Thursday's episode. ``The Daily Show'' debuts on Monday, with comedian Kevin Hart as the first guest. 

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(The Associated Press)

 

Here's a list of some new CD releases for the week ending Sept. 26:

 

Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers _ ``Live in Seattle''

 

Ryan Adams _ ``1989''

 

All Things New _ ``The Good News''

 

Herb Alpert _ ``Come Fly With Me''

 

Anderson Ponty Band _ ``Better Late Than Never''

 

Arcade Fire _ ``The Reflektor Tapes'' (Deluxe Edition) (digital release only)

 

Avant _ ``The VIII''

 

Tony Bennett and Bill Charlap _ ``The Silver Lining - The Songs of Jerome Kern''

 

Big Boi & Phantogram _ ``Big Grams''

 

Bill and Murray _ ``A New Kind of High''

 

Clint Black _ ``On Purpose''

 

Black Breath _ ``Slaves Beyond Death''

 

David Bowie _ ``Five Years 1969-1973'' (12-CD Box Set)

 

BoySetsFire _ ``BoySetsFire''

 

V V Brown _ ``Glitch''

 

Building 429 _ ``Unashamed''

 

Casey Veggies _ ``Live and Grow''

 

Caspian _ ``Dust & Disquiet''

 

Chvrches _ ``Every Open Eye''

 

Coasts _ ``Coasts''

 

The Collingsworth Family _ ``That Day is Coming''

 

Shawn Colvin _ ``Uncovered''

 

Amanda Cook _ ``Brave New World''

 

Darkstar _ ``Foam Island''

 

Dead Letter Circus _ ``Aesthesia''

 

The Dead Weather _ ``Dodge & Burn''

 

Deftones _ ``TBA''

 

Disclosure _ ``Caracal''

 

Dungen _ ``Allas Sak''

 

Darrell Evans _ ``Fearless''

 

Fetty Wap _ ``Fetty Wap''

 

Fever The Ghost _ ``Zirconium Meconium''

 

Theo Fleury _ ``I Am Who I Am''

 

Futurebirds _ ``Hotel Parties''

 

The Game _ ``The Documentary 2''

 

Girl Band _ ``Holding Hands With Jamie''

 

Gloryhammer _ ``Space 1992: Rise of the Chaos Wizards'' (Deluxe

Version)

 

Matthew Good _ ``Chaotic Neutral''

 

Grace & Tony _ ``Phantasmagoric''

 

Patty Griffin _ ``Servant of Love''

 

Emm Gryner _ ``21st Century Ballads''

 

Steve Hauschildt _ ``Where All is Fled''

 

Heaters _ ``Holy Water Pool''

 

Don Henley _ ``Cass County''

 

Julia Holter _ ``Have You in My Wilderness''

 

Huntress _ ``Static''

 

Introverted Dancefloor _ ``Introverted Dancefloor''

 

Kari Jobe _ ``Majestic (Revisited)''

 

Will Johnson _ ``Swan City Vampires''

 

JR JR. _ ``JR JR.'' (formerly known as Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.)

 

Kaskade _ ``Automatic''

 

R. Kelly _ ``Buffet''

 

The Lonely Wild _ ``Chasing White Light''

 

Los Lobos _ ``Gates of Gold''

 

Johnny Mathis _ ``The Singles'' (4-CD Anthology)

 

Bear McCreary _ ``Outlander: The Series, Vol. 2 (Original Television Soundtrack)''

 

John Mclaughlin _ ``Black Light''

 

Rita Moreno _ ``Una Vez Mas''

 

David Myles _ ``So Far''

 

New Order _ ``Music Complete''

 

Danielle Nicole _ ``Wolf Den''

 

Molly Nilsson _ ``Zenith''

 

No Devotion _ ``Permanence''

 

Parkway Drive _ ``Ire''

 

Peaches _ ``Rub''

 

Doe Paoro _ ``After''

 

Thomas Rhett _ ``Tangled Up''

 

Rockett Queen _ ``Goodnight California''

 

Robin Schulz _ ``Sugar''

 

John Scofield _ ``Past Present''

 

Sexwitch _ ``Sexwitch''

 

The Shoes _ ``Chemicals''

 

Silversun Pickups _ ``Better Nature''

 

Sneakers _ ``Sneakers''

 

The Spills _ ``Collecting Dust''

 

George Strait _ ``Cold Beer Conversation''

 

Donna Ulisse _ ``Hard Cry Moon''

 

The Underachievers _ ``Evermore - The Art of Duality''

 

U.S. Girls _ ``Half Free''

 

Various Artists _ ``A Walk in the Woods'' Soundtrack

 

Various _ ``WOW Hits 2016''

 

Kurt Vile _ ``b'lieve i'm going down''

 

Widespread Panic _ ``Street Dogs''

 

Julia Wolfe _ ``Anthracite Fields''

 

The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die _ ``Harmlessness''

 

Wand _ ``1000 Days''

 

Widespread Panic _ ``Street Dogs''

 

Youth Lagoon _ ``Savage Hills Ballroom''

 

Andrea Zonn _ ``Rise'' 

 

(The Canadian Press)

 

MUSIC NEWS: THURSDAY,JUNE 18, 2015

 

JOURNEY DRUMMER ARRESTED

 

Journey drummer Deen Castronovo is out on bail after his arrest for domestic violence in Salem, Oregon. Castronovo was arrested Sunday and charged with misdemeanour assault and menacing. Prosecutors say in court papers that Castronovo knowingly caused physical injury to a woman. Castronovo has been forbidden to have contact with her. Castronovo's attorney, Jeffrey Jones, says his client is deeply saddened by the accusations and confident that no criminal conduct occurred. A plea hearing has been scheduled for June 30th. 

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DIXIE CHICKS

 

It's the return of The Dixie Chicks, or as they describe themselves, ``Superstars, renegades, innovators, heroes, villains, and moms.'' The band will regroup for a tour of Europe beginning next April in Amsterdam. So far, they've only announced dates in Europe. 

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LITTLE BIG TOWN

 

Jimi Westbrook of Little Big Town will have surgery next week to remove a polyp from his vocal cord. The band write on their website Westbrook has been ordered to rest, and he must recuperate fully before they're allowed to tour. Little Big Town have called off all shows through July 30th. Westbrook is expected to make a full recovery. 

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TING TINGS

 

The Ting Tings have called off their American tour because singer-guitarist Katie White has what she calls ``a tendon tantrum'' in her left hand. White says she's had pain in that hand for a while but she's discovered she tore a tendon. Her doctors told her she needs rest and physiotherapy. The tour was supposed to begin today outside Chicago. 

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EDIE BRICKELL-STEVE MARTIN

 

Edie Brickell and Steve Martin have collaborated on a musical. ``Bright Star'' will run in Washington December 2nd through January 10, then move to Broadway.

It's set in the South and it's about a literary editor named Alice Murphy who meets a soldier home from World War Two. Neither Brickell nor Martin appear in the musical. 

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ORNETTE COLEMAN FUNERAL

 

The public is welcomed to attend the funeral service for Ornette Coleman. It will be held at Riverside Church in New York on Saturday. A private burial will follow. Coleman died last week at the age of 85. 

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MUMFORD AND SONS

 

The rain was too big an obstacle for Mumford and Sons and their concert last night on Chicago's lakefront. The band was supposed to perform for about 35-thousand people at Montrose Beach, but several days of rain prevented their crew from setting up the stage. The show has been postponed to tomorrow. 

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MILEY CYRUS

 

Miley Cyrus has been honoured for her work in the fight against AIDS, but it was her date to the event that got all the attention. Cyrus appeared at Tuesday's amfAR Inspiration Gala in New York with Tyler Ford, a photographer and poet who appeared on ``The Glee Project'' on Oxygen. Cyrus describes Ford as ``a queer, biracial, agender person.'' Host Andy Cohen of ``Watch What Happens Live'' was also honoured. 

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TRISHA YEARWOOD

 

Trisha Yearwood once was a tour guide at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Now she's the featured exhibit. The display will include the dress she wore to the 1997 Grammys and the Grammy she won that night for ``How Do I Live.'' It also includes the outfit she wore for her first video, ``She's in Love with the Boy,'' her 1982 yearbook for which she was the editor, the copy of her first album she bought the day it came out, and the wedding dress she wore when she married Garth Brooks. The exhibit opens July 3rd. 

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SHEERAN SURPRISE

British pop star Ed Sheeran is making a big impression during a tour of the Prairies this week.   

First he surprised a young fan in Edmonton by interrupting a shopping trip to West Edmonton Mall to join her onstage while she was singing one of his songs.   And now he's helped a Saskatoon couple facing a difficult time find some joy by helping them to become engaged.  Pablo Benitez tells radio station CKOM his girlfriend, Tanya Prochshyn, is battling brain cancer and was recovering Wednesday after having surgery to remove a portion of a tumour.  

Benitez told his story to Sheeran at a private function, and the singer promised to sing Prochshyn's favourite song, ``Thinking Out Loud,'' at his concert in the city on Tuesday.  When the song began, Benitez got down on one knee and asked Prochshyn to be his wife, and to the thrill of the crowd and a smiling Sheeran, she said yes.

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AVICII

 

The scene in Avicii's (ah-VEE'-chees) video for ``Feeling Good'' in which he's eating dinner with his family really is his family. Avicii says his mother is an actress, his brother used to be an actor and his stepfather is a singer. Avicii says they had a two-hour dinner and filmed them hanging out. He says it was really nice because he has not been able to hang out with his family like that in ages. Avicii's version of ``Feeling Good,'' featuring Audra Mae on vocals, is currently being used in Volvo commercials. 

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DARLENE LOVE

 

Darlene Love has got a record deal. Love signed with Wicked Cool Records, run by Steven Van Zandt of the E Street Band. He's producing the album, called ``Introducing Darlene Love.''

Musicians contributing songs to the album include Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Linda Perry and Joan Jett. The album will come out this fall. 

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MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2015

 

TIM McGRAW DOES BENEFIT FOR SANDY HOOK PROMISE

 

Tim McGraw will give all the proceeds from his July 17th concert in Hartford, Connecticut, to prevent another Sandy Hook tragedy. McGraw will perform as a benefit for Sandy Hook Promise, an organization founded after the Sandy Hook shootings in 2012 that aims TO protect children from gun violence. A friend of McGraw's fiddle player lost a child in the shootings. Billy Currington and Chase Bryant will open the show. 

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FORMER BEATLE AGAIN CALLS FOR AN END TO THE SEAL HUNT

 

Former Beatles frontman Paul McCartney is once again calling for an end to the commercial seal hunt off Canada's East Coast. 

McCartney appeals for a stop to what he calls a ``senseless slaughter'' in a statement released by Humane Society International. 

Anti-sealing campaigns have helped inspire bans on seal product imports in the European Union, the United States, Mexico and other countries. 

The hunt opened Sunday on the Front off northeastern Newfoundland and southern Labrador, as well as in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 

It has dwindled in recent years with fewer than 55,000 harp seals landed last year compared to a federal quota of about 400,000.

The federal government has defended the commercial seal hunt as humane and well regulated. 

McCartney made international headlines in 2006 when he staged a photo-op on the ice floes in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, calling for an end to the centuries-old hunt.

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RINGO STARR TELLS HIS STORY THROUGH MUSIC

 

Ringo Starr has no interest in writing an autobiography, but you can find his life story in his music. Starr considers his songs mini-memoirs. He sings about his hometown in ``Liverpool 8,'' and ``The Other Side of Liverpool.'' He's got a new song called ``Rory and the Hurricanes'' that's about the band he played in before The Beatles. His ``Postcards From Paradise'' song strings together Beatles song lyrics. Starr doesn't even care much if he sells a lot of copies. He says putting out records is ``a great excuse to hang out with a lot of friends and a lot of great musicians.'' Starr will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist on Saturday. 

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JOHN LEGEND STARS FREE AMERICA

 

John Legend's new cause is to end mass incarceration. Legend has announced an initiative called Free America. Legend says the U-S has made choices politically, legislatively, culturally to deal with poverty and mental illness, usually through incarceration. He will perform at a correctional facility in Austin, Texas, on Thursday and do a press conference discussing Texas' criminal justice system. He'll also visit a California state prison and co-host a criminal justice event in Washington later this month. Other artists yet to be announced will also be part of the campaign. 

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ROLLING STONES' ``STICKY FINGERS'' HAS ZIPPER ISSUE

 

The reissue of The Rolling Stones' album ``Sticky Fingers'' has hit a snag, specifically, the zipper. The original version of the album had a working zipper, and Universal Music intends to include that on the reissues. However, the Rolling Stones say the zipper is taking longer than anticipated to manufacture. The ``Sticky Fingers'' reissues were supposed to come out the week of May 24th, when the Stones begin their tour. Instead, ``Sticky Fingers'' will come out June 9th. 

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JIMMY PAGE HAS GREAT HEARING FOR A ROCK STAR

 

Jimmy Page's hearing is amazingly good for someone his age, especially considering most people didn't spend hours at a time in front of John Bonham's drums. Page says Bonham could play an acoustic instrument incredibly loud. Page says Bonham could do an accent on a bass drum that would ``really come right through your stomach as you were playing. It was wonderful.'' Page says sometimes he would have ringing in his ears after a show, but he's really fortunate that he still has good hearing. 

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DAVID LETTERMAN ANNOUNCES LAST MUSICAL GUESTS

 

Elvis Costello, the Dave Matthews Band and Norah Jones will be among the final musical acts on ``Late Show with David Letterman.'' Letterman is retiring next month. Other acts who will appear on his last shows include Emmylou Harris, The Avett Brothers with Brandi Carlile, Mumford and Sons, Ralph Stanley and Amos Lee.

More will be announced. Musical guests this week include Chris Stapleton, Iron and Wine, Tracy Chapman and John Mayer. Letterman's final show is May 20. He has not said who his final guests will be, if he has any. 

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EARTH DAY CONCERT LINEUP ANNOUNCED

 

Usher, Mary J. Blige, No Doubt, Common and Train are among the acts who will perform at an Earth Day concert on the National Mall in Washington this Saturday. Fall Out Boy and My Morning Jacket are also on the bill. Will.i.am and Soledad O'Brien will host. The event is free and open to the public. 

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''AUSTIN CITY LIMITS`` CREATOR DIES

 

The man who founded ``Austin City Limits'' has died. Bill Arhos died Saturday at the age of 80 after a long illness, according to a show spokeswoman. Arhos created ``Austin City Limits'' while running the P-B-S affiliate in Austin in the 1970s. The first performer was Willie Nelson. The show is now in its 41st season. 

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GLORIA ESTEFAN - MUSICAL

 

She's Cuban-American and went to the same Miami high school as Gloria Estefan. Now, Ana Villafane has something else in common with Estefan: she will play the singer in a Broadway musical. Villafane will appear with Josh Segarra in the production, ``On Your Feet!'' Performances begin Oct. 5th at the Marquis Theatre in Manhattan. 

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''THE VOICE``

 

Corey Kent White could be in trouble on ``The Voice.'' His coach, Blake Shelton, concedes Corey ``didn't sing perfectly'' last night. Adam Levine adds that Corey isn't quite there yet. Tonight, two of the Top 12 will be sent home. The coaches agree that 16-year-old Mia Z probably isn't one of them. She did a version of the Rolling Stones ``Miss You'' that hit such high notes Shelton says she was singing in the dolphin range. Tonight's Voice broadcast will also feature a live performance by Nick Jonas.

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MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2015

 

WILLIE NELSON ANNOUNCES POT LINE

 

Willie Nelson is not only creating his own line of marijuana, he says it will be ``the best on the market.'' Nelson has announced the Willie's Reserve line will be grown and sold in Colorado and Washington state, where recreational use of pot is legal. Nelson is collaborating with master growers for what he describes as ``clean and consistent products.'' No word on when Willie's Reserve will be available. 

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LUKE BRYAN SAYS ACMS WERE RUNNING LONG BY THE TIME HE WON

 

If it seemed that Luke Bryan didn't get his full moment in the spotlight after winning entertainer of the year at the Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday, you're right on target. Bryan says even though he had just won the big award, he was given only 18 seconds to make his speech. He says Blake Shelton rushing the stage to celebrate with him was Shelton's way of cutting Bryan's speech short, because the show was already running long.

Bryan says he wouldn't have wanted it any other way and calls Shelton's move a ``perfect situation altogether.'' 

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BLAKE SHELTON RECOMMENDS LUKE BRYAN FOR HIS JOB

 

If Blake Shelton ever takes a break from ``The Voice,'' he thinks Luke Bryan would be an excellent replacement. He's just not sure that Bryan is as lazy as he is.

Shelton says a musician has to give up touring to do the show, and after 15 years of being on the road, he was ready to sit in one spot for months at a time. Shelton keeps in touch with most of the people who have been on his team, so much that he feels like he's adopting half of them. Shelton says he can't be in the trenches with the contestants and just set them loose when the show ends. 

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RANDY TRAVIS ISSUES THANKS FOR OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT

 

Randy Travis has written an open letter thanking fans for their support following his unexpected appearance at the Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday. Travis suffered a stroke two years ago and is unable to speak. He writes on his website his fiancee', Mary, reads every card and letter to him and they've gotten him through the darkest days. Travis says he still has a lot of music he wants to share, and while he works through therapy to regain his strength, he hopes his ``songs of yesterday continue to touch your life in some way.'' 

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JASON ALDEAN AND BRIDE TOUR THE WORLD

 

Jason Aldean is having a working honeymoon. Aldean married Brittany Kerr a month ago and he says they haven't had time for a proper honeymoon. She's been touring with him and he says they've gone all over the country and to Europe. Aldean says Kerr keeps him more focused and grounded and that's what he needs in his life. 

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BRET MICHAELS AND OVERSTOCK JOIN FORCES

 

Bret Michaels wants to help you redecorate.

Michaels has teamed with Overstock.com for a line of products Michaels selected. Michaels says before becoming a professional musician, he painted houses, and when he's not touring, he flips houses. Michaels will be featured in Mother's Day ads for Overstock. 

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JOHN POPPER IS A GROOM-TO-BE AND FATHER-TO-BE

 

John Popper of Blues Traveler has a double dose of big news: he's getting married and he's going to be a dad. Popper tweets he and girlfriend Jordan Auleb are having a baby and he's posted a picture of a sonogram. He adds, ``Soon we're getting married too!!!'' 

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PILGRIMAGE FESTIVAL 

 

Another music festival is making its debut _ this one outside of Nashville, Tennessee, and paying homage to history. 

The Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival will launch this September with a lineup that includes Willie Nelson, Weezer, Sheryl Crow, Neko Case, Iron & Wine and Jimmy Cliff, among others. It will be held in Franklin, just outside Nashville. 

Organizers said Tuesday that many of the acts will be performing acoustically and will do so on wood-clad stages. They'll also have several collaborations among the artists. 

Food will also play a role with a ``Kitchen Stage.'' 

The festival will be held Sept. 26-27 at the Park at Harlinsdale Farm. 

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''THE VOICE``

 

Both Team Adam and Team Pharrell are vulnerable going into tonight's double elimination on ``The Voice.''

Each team has just two singers left and faces a potential wipeout.

Pharrell Williams' two remaining singers have been among the coaches favourites. But it's a different story for Adam Levine. Last week, Deanna Johnson was saved by the instant Twitter vote. And last night, the coaches said Joshua Davis was pushing himself to the limit. Levine told Davis it's make or break time. 

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MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015

 

MIRANDA LAMBERT WRITES FOR REESE WITHERSPOON MOVIE

 

Miranda Lambert never wrote a song for a movie before Reese Witherspoon asked her for one for her upcoming film, ``Hot Pursuit.'' Lambert says as a songwriter, she's used to telling her own story, while this was a case of doing it for a couple of characters. Lambert says Witherspoon was sweet enough to give her some notes about the movie for insight. The result was the song ``Two of a Crime.'' So when will we see Lambert acting in a movie? Probably no time soon. Lambert says she's done enough acting to know that music is her thing. ``Hot Pursuit'' comes out May 8. 

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ERIC PASLAY GETS MARRIED

 

Eric Paslay is a married man. People magazine reports Paslay married music publisher Natalie Harker on Sunday on a farm in Charlotte, Tennessee. Their first dance was to Frank Sinatra's version of ``Moonlight Serenade,'' a nod to Paslay's grandfather and brothers, who played in a band by that name. The couple became engaged in December after dating for two years and knowing each other for seven. They will have a honeymoon in Italy. 

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ELVIS PRESLEY'S AIRPLANES STAY AT HIS HOME

 

Elvis Presley's airplanes will not be leaving Graceland. Elvis Presley Enterprises released a statement saying the Lisa Marie and the Hound Dog II will remain permanently at Graceland. A company called OKC Partnership bought the planes after Presley died in 1977. It had an agreement to park the planes at Graceland in exchange for a cut of the ticket sales to tour the planes. Elvis Presley Enterprises wanted to end the agreement and told OKC to move the planes by yesterday. Lisa Marie Presley tweeted that Graceland now owns the planes and they will stay there forever. 

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STEPHEN HAWKING WEIGHS IN ON ZAYN MALIK

 

If you could ask a question of one of the most brilliant minds in the world, wouldn't you ask about Zayn Malik leaving One Direction? Someone did just that during a lecture given by physicist Stephen Hawking at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday. An audience member asked at the end of the lecture, ``What do you think is the cosmological effect of Zayn leaving One Direction and consequently breaking the hearts of millions of teenage girls across the world?'' Hawking's initial response:

``Finally, a question about something important.'' He advised any heartbroken young girl to pay attention to theoretical physics, because science may someday prove the existence of multiple universes. He says in one of those universes, Malik could still be in One Direction, and in another, he's happily married to that brokenhearted girl. 

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BILLY CORGAN LANDS NEW WRESTLING GIG

 

Smashing Pumpkin Billy Corgan has taken on a new job giving creative input to TNA Wrestling. Corgan will be TNA's senior producer of creative and talent development, effective immediately.

He will develop characters and write story lines for the show ``Impact Wrestling,'' which runs Friday nights on Destination America. Corgan says it's a dream come true, especially because TNA supports him continuing his music career. Corgan had been the creative director for Resistance Pro Wrestling but left in November.

Smashing Pumpkins will kick off a tour with Marilyn Manson on June 16 outside Pittsburgh. 

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MOTORHEAD EXPLAIN LEMMY'S ILLNESS

 

No need to worry that Lemmy from Motorhead is in failing health. Motorhead cancelled their concert in Sao Paolo, Brazil, over the weekend after Lemmy suddenly became sick. Motorhead say on their Facebook page it was ``a food related tummy problem.''

Lemmy is feeling better and Motorhead plan to make up the show. 

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PRIDE-TORONTO

 

Toronto native David Furnish -- best known as the husband of singer Elton John -- will return to his hometown this June 28th to serve as grand marshal of the city's Pride parade.

Furnish says his family is excited to have him home, although John and the couple's two children won't be able to make the trip. He says that while he is thrilled to celebrate his first Toronto pride event, it is important not to become complacent about the issues that face the L-G-B-T community. Furnish says there is a critical need to raise awareness about H-I-V-AIDS, particularly among young men. 

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GHOMESHI-BOOK

 

Kobo and E-C-W Press says they have come to an ``unprecedented agreement'' to co-publish a book on disgraced former radio star Jian Ghomeshi. ``Jian Ghomeshi - Secret Life'' is slated for release in late June, with Kobo offering a digital version while E-C-W Press will release a print copy. The book written by Toronto Star investigative reporter Kevin Donovan promises to reveal details and background about Ghomeshi and explore how he became fired from his post as host of C-B-C Radio's ``Q.'' Ghomeshi was fired in October, and faces seven counts of sexual assault and one of overcoming resistance by choking. His lawyer says he will plead not guilty to all charges. 

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''THE VOICE``

 

Team Adam is down to a single performer as ``The Voice'' heads into a double elimination tonight. Of all the coaches, Blake Shelton is in the best shape with three singers left.

But Pharrell Williams is feeling good about his two remaining singers, Sawyer Fredericks and Koryn Hawthorne. Both have been favourites of the coaches and the viewers. Last night, Koryn turned in a stellar performance of ``Girl on Fire.'' Rival coach Christina Aguilera says Koryn seems to thrive under pressure. Team Xtina has two singers left going into tonight's results show. 

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'Sound & Color' by Alabama Shakes top album on iTunes in Canada (Tab-MUSIC-iTunes-Canada-) iTunes in Canada top 10 for the week ending April 26.

 

ALBUMS

 

1. Sound & Color _ Alabama Shakes

 

2. Love Story _ Yelawolf

 

3. ``Furious 7'' Soundtrack _ Various Artists

 

4. Wilder Mind _ Mumford & Sons (pre-order)

 

5. Whispers II (Deluxe Version) _ Passenger

 

6. Chaos and the Calm _ James Bay

 

7. Legend (Remastered) _ Bob Marley & The Wailers

 

8. Handwritten (Deluxe Edition) _ Shawn Mendes

 

9. If You're Reading This It's Too Late _ Drake

 

10. Native _ OneRepublic

 

 

SINGLES

 

1. See You Again _ Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth

 

2. Shut Up and Dance _ WALK THE MOON

 

3. Want to Want Me _ Jason Derulo

 

4. Cheerleader _ Omi

 

5. Uptown Funk _ Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars

 

6. Sugar _ Maroon 5

 

7. Love Me Like You Do _ Ellie Goulding

 

8. FourFiveSeconds _ Rihanna, Kanye West and Paul McCartney

 

9. Girl Crush _ Little Big Town

 

10. Honey, I'm Good. _ Andy Grammer

 

 

MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2015

 

BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS

 

Taylor Swift's mega-selling ``1989'' album has earned her a nomination for top artist at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards. 

Swift's competition includes Sam Smith, Ariana Grande, One Direction and Katy Perry. Ludacris and Pete Wentz announced some of the nominees Tuesday on ABC's ``Good Morning America.'' 

Swift's ``1989'' is a finalist for top Billboard 200 album, where it will battle efforts from Smith, Ed Sheeran, Maroon 5 and Pentatonix. 

Swift is also up for top female artist and top hot 100 song for the hit ``Shake It Off.'' Smith also earned multiple nominations, including top male artist and top hot 100 song for ``Stay With Me.''

More finalists will be announced later today. 

The show will air live on ABC on May 17 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Ludacris and Chrissy Teigen will host the awards show.

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PRISCILLA PRESLEY WANTS TO MAKE ELVIS CHAPEL CLASSY

 

One thing you will not be able to get at the new Elvis Presley's Graceland Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas: an Elvis impersonator. Priscilla Presley says the chapel is ``all first-class.'' She has helped put the chapel together, which will be part of ``Graceland Presents ELVIS: The Exhibition - The Show - The Experience.'' It opens April 23rd. Whoever has the first wedding at the chapel will not have Elvis, but they will get Presley. Priscilla says she will attend the wedding and give the couple a tour of the exhibit as part of a contest through N-B-C's ``Today'' show. 

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BRIAN WILSON RELEASES ``NO PIER PRESSURE''

 

Brian Wilson didn't need to meet his guest musicians before creating songs for them. He just flipped on the radio. Kacey Musgraves, fun.'s Nate Ruess,  Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward, and Capital Cities' Sebu Simonian are among the artists who perform on Wilson's ``No Pier Pressure'' album. Wilson says he heard their voices on the radio and wrote songs accordingly. Wilson calls the album ``a labour of love'' and says he wanted a sound that was both modern and reminiscent of the 1960s. ``No Pier Pressure'' is out today. 

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JOAN JETT ADVISES HER YOUNGER SELF

 

The advice Joan Jett wishes she could give her 15-year-old self is to document what she was doing. Jett tells Billboard there are very few photos or videos of The Runaways. She says teenagers don't think that far ahead. Jett will be one of the inductees in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later this month and she says the Rock Hall needs to induct more women. She says women in rock are out there and in any city there's an all-girl rock band.

She says female rock musicians don't get the notice that the pop ones do. 

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R.E.M. CHURCH STEEPLE GETS RESTORATION WORK

 

Work has begun on the restoration of the steeple of the old church in Athens, Georgia, where R.E.M. played their first show. The Athens Banner-Herald reports R.E.M. played there on April 5, 1980, under the name Twisted Kites. They renamed themselves a few weeks later. The church was demolished and the steeple left standing, and the current owner is a charity that is restoring it. Workers say it doesn't have any termites but it does have some rot and bug damage. They also had to displace a raccoon that had moved in. 

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JOSH GROBAN SINGS AT KENTUCKY DERBY

 

Josh Groban will perform the national anthem before the Kentucky Derby. His performance will be shown as part of N-B-C's coverage of the race on May 2nd.

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AUCTION OFFERS ITEMS BELONGING TO DAVY JONES OF THE MONKEES

 

Items from the estate of Davy Jones of The Monkees will be auctioned the weekend of May 15th in New York.

Memorabilia for sale include costumes from ``The Monkees'' T-V show and concerts, Jones' tambourine and his gold record for ``Daydream Believer.'' His driver's license and wallet are also for sale, as is a director's chair with The Monkees' logo across the back. 

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MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015

 

PATTI SMITH - YOKO ONO - CALENDAR

 

Patti Smith is posing for the famous Pirelli calendar, but instead of being scantily clad, she's wearing a long-sleeved shirt, a black vest and pants. Smith is one of the professional women photographer Annie Leibovitz chose for the modern version of the Pirelli calendar, which usually features women nude or scantily clad. Comedian Amy Schumer and tennis star Serena Williams are the exceptions -- they're in their underwear. Yoko Ono, film mogul Kathleen Kennedy and director Ava DuVernay are among the other women in the calendar. 

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PAUL McCARTNEY - NAME

 

Paul McCartney is Paul McCartney because his father didn't want people to confuse them. McCartney's given name is James Paul McCartney, and his father has the same name. A fan wrote to McCartney's website asking why he didn't go by James. McCartney says he was told that if letters came to the house for James McCartney, they wouldn't know which one they were for. McCartney says his younger brother is Peter Michael McCartney and always went by Michael, which makes no sense because there was no other Peter in the house. McCartney says he figures it's an Irish thing. 

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CMT - ``NASHVILLE''

 

C-M-T will honour the T-V show ``Nashville'' during its ``Artists of the Year'' special, even though ``Nashville'' runs on A-B-C. Kellie Pickler will present the ``Nashville'' cast with the International Impact Award. C-M-T President Brian Philips says ``Nashville'' is an international ambassador for country music. The special will air tomorrow. Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Florida Georgia Line, Sam Hunt and Little Big Town have been named artists of the year. 

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PINK - UNICEF

 

Pink got to see firsthand the severely malnourished children of Haiti. She also got to see the amazing way they were able to bounce back with the help of a vitamin-rich peanut paste. Pink says within a week, she could see a difference in the children who ate it. Pink has been named a UNICEF ambassador and the national spokeswoman for the UNICEF Kid Power Band. It's a fitness band for kids that encourages exercise. Kids can earn points, and UNICEF's corporate partners will convert the points to money to send food packets to places like Haiti. Pink says the bands help get kids motivated and turn them into global citizens. 

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WORLD AIDS DAY - BONO

 

Bono wants to raise money to fight AIDS so badly, he'll even go on a bike ride with you. People who donate at least 10-dollars to his RED organization to fight AIDS will get a chance to win a bike ride with Bono. He says he'll even visit the spot in New York's Central Park where he had his devastating accident last year. Scarborough, Ontario native The Weeknd is offering a chance to hang out with him backstage and sit in the front row of his Miami concert. The Backstreet Boys are offering to do a video with you and let you be the first to post it on Instagram. Snoop Dogg is offering a day of ``good music and legal relaxation'' in Colorado. Other celebrities offering unique meet-and-greets include George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Matthew McConaughey, James Franco and Ryan Seacrest.

Details are at Omaze-dot-com/Red . 

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BONO - PARIS CONCERTS

 

Bono predicts the U2 concerts in Paris next week will be ``joy as an act of defiance.'' U2 were scheduled to play Paris on November 14 and the show was going to be broadcast that day on H-B-O. U2 cancelled because the attacks at the Eagles of Death Metal concert and at other sites in Paris that left 130 dead the day before. U2 will play Paris on Sunday and Monday. Bono says the gunmen ``took a lot of lives we're not going to get back, but they're not going to change the character of the city of Paris.''

Bono says he expects the audience at the concerts to drown out the band, and he says U2 is ``very loud.'' The concert will be shown on HBO on Monday. 

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ADELE -  ``25'' - PERSPECTIVE

 

Forty-one per cent of the albums sold in the U-S last week were Adele's ``25'' album. Billboard has broken down the sales numbers that show ``25'' did way more than just shatter the first-week sales record with 3.38 million. The ``25'' album sold

335 copies per minute. It also broke the record for most albums sold digitally in a week, with 1.64 million downloads, beating Lady Gaga's ``Born This Way,'' with 662-thousand. The ``25'' album made up 49 per cent of all digital albums bought in the U-S in the last week. It's no surprise it's the number-one album, and it sold more than twice the combined total of numbers 2 through 100. 

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PSY - NEW MUSIC

 

 Psy has a new album coming out and he's not even thinking about another runaway hit like ``Gangnam Style.'' Psy says he plans to focus on his job, not the Billboard charts. OK, he admits he will probably check how many YouTube views he gets every day, but he will try not to focus on rank or numbers. ``Gangnam Style'' was the most-viewed YouTube video ever, with 2.46 billion views. Psy will do a Christmas concert in Korea, and some shows in Asia in the coming month. After that, he'll play wherever people will have him. His seventh album is called ``Chiljip Psy-Da,'' which is Korean for ``This Is Psy's Seventh Album.'' It comes out today. 

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``THE VOICE'' - TOP 10 PERFORM

 

Madi Davis is Team Pharrell's last hope on ``The Voice.'' The 16-year-old Texas native is the only singer Pharrell Williams has left in the competition. Last night, she performed a highly stylized version of ``Girls Just Want to Have Fun,'' which she also arranged. Williams says she's a phenomenal talent, with great potential. Team Blake's 17-year-old Zach Seabaugh had the girls going wild again. Blake Shelton says he's never heard screaming like that on the show before. Team Gwen's Korin Bukowski hopes she's able to stay out of the bottom two this week. She's already survived two instant Twitter votes. Tonight, the Top 10 is cut by one on The Voice. 

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ADELE BLOWS AWAY FIRST-WEEK SALES RECORD

 

Selling a million albums in a week is impressive. Selling two million is jaw-dropping. Adele sold more than three million copies of her ``25'' record in the past week.

Nielsen Music reports ``25'' sold 3.38 million copies, setting a new record for first-week sales. The previous record-holder was ``No Strings Attached'' by 'N Sync, which sold 2.42 million copies in a week in 2000. Adele had broken 'N Sync's record in just four days. 

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Eric Carmen of The Raspberries is accusing his brother of mismanaging his money. Cleveland.com reports Eric Carmen has filed court documents accusing his brother, attorney Fred Carmen, of transferring money without permission, failing to keep proper documentation and paying himself $600,000 in attorney's fees.

Eric Carmen wants to strip his brother of his position as trustee of his trust fund. Fred Carmen says he loves his brother very much and ``there's not a lick of truth'' to the accusations. He plans to file a motion requesting a dismissal. 

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CHRIS BROWN WILL DONATE PROCEEDS FROM ``ROYALTY''

 

Chris Brown will be charitable with the royalties from ``Royalty.'' Brown has posted a video on Instagram saying from now until Christmas, he will donate a dollar from the sale of each copy of his ``Royalty'' album to the Children's Miracle Network Hospital. Brown says, ``The holidays are all about giving back.''

''Royalty`` is also the name of his baby daughter. 

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HALSEY CAN'T BELIEVE SHE SINGS WITH JUSTIN BIEBER

 

Years ago, Halsey had a toothbrush that played a Justin Bieber song. Now she's a featured artist on his new album, ``Purpose.'' Bieber and Halsey duet on the song ``The Feeling.''

Halsey says she was in utter disbelief when Bieber's team asked her to sing on the record. She says in a parallel universe, if she and Bieber were in love, it would be the perfect song. Halsey says she never thought she'd ever be friends with Bieber, and he has her full support. She says she'll battle anyone in a Bieber pros-or-cons conversation any day. 

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(The Associated Press)

MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 20

 

RADIO SHOCK JOCK - ARRESTED

 

A radio shock jock who hosted ``Opie and Anthony'' is facing charges. Police in New York's Nassau County arrested Anthony Cumia over a fight with a woman at his home. He was arraigned on a charge of second-degree strangulation. He was released without bail _ but a judge ordered him to stay away from the woman. Cumia is 54 and is due back in court in January. The woman, who is 26, went to police after the run-in with the ex-shock jock. Cumia was fired by SiriusXM last year after comments he made on Twitter that the company considered ``racially charged'' and ``hate-filled.'' 

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THE GAME - PLEA

 

The Game has pleaded not guilty to charges that he punched and threatened an off-duty police officer during a basketball game. The rapper, charged under his legal name, Jayceon Taylor, entered the plea yesterday in a Los Angeles courtroom. The rapper was charged in June with a felony count of making criminal threats and a misdemeanour assault and battery charge. It all stemmed from a basketball game. The off-duty officer says the rapper slugged him and threatened to kill him after the two beefed over an intentional foul. 

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ADELE - SALES

 

These days, Adele's biggest competition when it comes to album sales _ is herself. Her new release ``25'' continues at the top of the Billboard album charts. Rolling Stone magazine notes that none of the new releases last week could even dent the top-10 on the albums chart. It all adds up to ``25'' being the bestselling album in the U-S since 2011. The album that topped the charts then: Adele's own ``21.'' 

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HIT THE QUAN RAPPER - RAPE ALLEGATION

 

 iLoveMemphis has a big hit on his hands, with ``Hit The Quan.'' But he also has a serious legal issue over his

head: a charge of aggravated rape. Authorities in Shelby County, Tennessee say he and others had non-consensual intercourse with a woman who was intoxicated at a party back in May. The rapper _ whose legal name is Richard Colbert _ denies the charge. He says his attorneys are working to get the charge dismissed _ and that for now, it's something he'll have to deal with. 

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RAPPER - UNLIKELY DANCE HIT

 

It took 35-dollars and an idea _ but iLoveMemphis was able to parlay that into an unlikely hit. He says he was listening to Rich Homie Quan's song ``Flex'' in his backyard.

And as he danced to the tune, he thought he should make up a song based on the dance people were doing to Flex. He says it cost 35-dollars to record ``Hit The Quan.'' He says he laid down the tracks on a Sunday _ and realized by Tuesday that it would be a hit.

He was right. Celebrities from Dwayne Johnson to Chris Brown, Kendrick Lamar and Terry Crews _ along with people from teens to police officers _ have posted online videos of themselves hitting the Quan. 

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FRED DURST - UKRAINE

 

He wanted to buy property in Crimea. But now the leader of Limp Bizkit is banned from the disputed region. Reports in the Ukrainian news media say the nation's national security service has banned Fred Durst from entering the country for five years. Back in October, Durst was quoted as saying he wanted to buy land in Crimea, the Black Sea region that was annexed by Russia in 2014. An online publication quotes a security official as saying Durst's ban is ``in the interests of guaranteeing the security of our state.'' 

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(The Associated Press)

MOTORHEAD'S LEMMY - OBIT

 

Heavy metal icon and Motörhead frontman Ian Fraser "Lemmy" Kilmister died from cancer on Monday (Dec. 28), the band's management has confirmed. He was 70. Since founding Motörhead in 1975, Kilmister was the band's sole constant member, known for his powerful bass playing, gravelly vocals, his massive mutton chops and seemingly indestructible constitution, which somehow weathered more than 50 years of hard living, hard touring, cigarettes, alcohol and amphetamines. 

The band's longtime manager Todd Singerman praised Kilmister for mustering the energy to finish the Motörhead's recent European tour, saying his passing has caught them all by surprise. He said that neither Kilmister nor anyone on his team knew the rock star had cancer until just a few days ago. 

Kilmister's health issues caused Motörhead to cancel or cut short several shows on the band's fall U.S. tour, citing "altitude issues" at the time. Kilmister was a diabetic and in 2013 suffered a hematoma. 

Kilmister was famously gruff, quick with his fists and did not suffer fools gladly, but for every story of his badassedness, there were others of him taking the time to sign autographs, make sure his opening acts got decent time for their sets, or giving thoughtful interviews to young rock writers (including this one, several times, many years ago).  

"There is no easy way to say this…our mighty, noble friend Lemmy passed away today after a short battle with an extremely aggressive cancer," Motörhead said in astatement posted to Facebook. "He had learnt of the disease on December 26th, and was at home, sitting in front of his favorite video game from The Rainbow which had recently made its way down the street, with his family."

The post continued, "We cannot begin to express our shock and sadness, there aren’t words.... We will say more in the coming days, but for now, please…play Motörhead loud, play Hawkwind loud, play Lemmy’s music LOUD."

(Billboard)

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BIG DAVE MCCLEAN/KEN HAMM

 

Legendary Blues artists Big Dave McLean and Ken Hamm will bring their most recent tour to the Watson Art Centre's Old Fire Hall on Friday, February 5th.  

Ken Hamm is one of Canada's foremost interpreters of traditional roots and blues music. Since 1978, when he began touring solo, Hamm has won a wide following for his stellar guitar work, as well as for his original songs that reflect his rural westcoast life. Along the way Hamm was awarded a Juno for Best Roots & Traditional CD and has been nominated for Recording of the Year and nominated several times for Best Acoustic Act of the Year by the Toronto Blues Society. Hamm was also nominated three years running as Best Acoustic Blues Guitarist by North America's "Guitar Player" magazine and he was the Canadian representative to the Festival of Plucked Strings in Morocco.

A masterful guitarist and top notch harpist, Big Dave McLean’s raw and gravelly vocals bespeak of a life lived to the fullest, and a career spent performing in and around those countless small towns that dot the Canadian prairies. When it comes to the blues, however, McLean’s heart firmly beats to the ghosts of the delta greats--especially the incomparable Muddy Waters, with whom he toured over two decades ago.

Tickets are $26 and should be available soon from the Watson Art Centre.  For more info or to charge by phone call the WAC at 204.638.6231.

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Jonathon Byrd/Corin Raymond Tour Hits Dauphin April 8th

 

Winnipeg born singer-songwriter Corin Raymond, well known for his Canadian Tire Money fundraising is touring this spring in support of his forthcoming disc, "Hobo Jungle Fever Dreams".  

Also on the bill will be North Carolina native Jonathon Byrd.  In 2014, Byrd released You Can't Outrun The Radio, a collection of songs inspired by an impromptu song circle in 2009 at the Green Room in Montreal.

Tickets for the WACPAC double bill on April 8th will be available soon from the Watson Art Centre, Dauphin Music & Electronics and the Dauphin Coffee Company (in the mall).  You can charge by phone at 204.638.6231.  

 

 

MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2015

 

JOHN LENNON

 

It's hard to believe, but it was 35 years ago today John Lennon was shot and killed. Lennon was gunned down outside of his New York City apartment building. It was the end of an era for many shocked fans. Lennon and the Beatles redefined rock and roll. Later, Lennon became icon of the peace movement. His killer, Mark David Chapman, is still in prison, after being sentenced to 20 years to life. Chapman was last denied parole in August of 2014. 

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TWITTER USERS - ONE DIRECTION

 

Four of the five most retweeted messages of the year on Twitter involved One Direction. The most recirculated tweet was Harry Styles saying, ``All the love as always. H'' after Zayn Malik (MAL'-ihk) quit the band. It was retweeted more than 730-thousand times. Malik's message of support for One Direction's new single, ``Drag Me Down,'' was second with 567-thousand retweets.

It read, ``Proud of my boys the new single is sick. Big love.''

Number three was Liam Payne's message to his bandmates congratulating them on their five-year anniversary. President Obama's announcement about the Supreme Court's decision legalizing gay marriage was fourth. Number five was Louis (LOO'-ee) Tomlinson saying, ``Our fans support really has been a different class ! Huge love to you guys !!'' 

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KANYE WEST - SAINT

 

Kanye West has named his baby Saint. West and his wife, Kim Kardashian, have announced they named their baby boy Saint West. He joins his two-year-old sister, North West. Saint was born Saturday. 

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JASON ISBELL - GRAMMYS

 

Jason Isbell spent yesterday celebrating his Grammy nominations by going dress shopping. Isbell says his wife is always looking for an excuse to get a new dress and that's what they were going to do yesterday. Isbell has been nominated for best Americana album for ``Something More Than Free'' and best American roots song for ``24 Frames.'' 

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USHER - WISDOM

 

Usher is teaching a class on how he does what he does so well. Usher has released a series of videos through the online teaching site MasterClass-dot-com that gives viewers instruction on captivating an audience, building a brand and other aspects of being an entertainer. Usher says it's not like anyone who watches his videos will be an overnight success, because any success earned that way will not last. Usher says part of being a master is trial and error and the tenacity to keep going. Sixteen video classes cost 90-dollars.

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EAGLES OF DEATH METAL - U2 - PARIS

 

U2 were not lying when they said Eagles of Death Metal would not appear at their Paris concert on Sunday. They said nothing about the concert on Monday. Eagles of Death Metal were U2's special guests at last night's show on the song ``People Have The Power.'' It was the band's first performance since the attack on their concert in Paris on November 13th in which three gunmen killed 89 people. Bono introduced them by saying, ``They were robbed of their stage three weeks ago, and we would like to offer them ours tonight.'' Eagles of Death Metal singer Jesse Hughes expressed his love for the people of Paris and added, ``I will never stop rocking and rolling.'' 

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ALABAMA SHAKES - GRAMMYS

 

Alabama Shakes say they are at a loss for words knowing they're up for the album of the year Grammy. They write on Instagram they are proud of their ``Sound and Color'' album and they add, ``To see it recognized in this way means the world to us.'' Their competition is Taylor Swift's ``1989,'' Toronto native The Weeknd's ``Beauty Behind The Madness,'' Chris Stapleton's ``Traveller'' and ``To Pimp A Butterfly'' by Kendrick Lamar. The Grammys are February 15 in Los Angeles. 

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BEST NEW ARTIST - GRAMMYS

 

Meghan Trainor says she was crying all day yesterday after finding out she was nominated for the best new artist Grammy. She's up against James Bay, Tori Kelly, Sam Hunt and Courtney Barnett. Hunt says he's so grateful and it's been ``just the most amazing year.'' Kelly writes on Instagram her heart is heavy and she's speechless at being nominated. The Grammys are February 15th in Los Angeles. 

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ED SHEERAN - GRAMMYS

 

Ed Sheeran says he wasn't expecting any Grammy nominations and he offers his thanks. ``Thinking Out Loud'' is up for record of the year, up against ``Uptown Funk'' by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars, ``Really Love'' by D'Angelo and the Vanguard, ``Blank Space'' by Taylor Swift and ``Can't Feel My Face'' by Toronto native The Weeknd. ``Thinking Out Loud'' is also up for song of the year and best solo pop performance. Sheeran could also win for album of the year but not for his own album. He's eligible because he's a featured artist on The Weeknd's ``Beauty Behind The Madness'' album. 

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ELLE KING 

 

Elle King says she is ``humbly elated'' to be nominated for two Grammys but she has to keep her eyes on the important things. She says, ``The real question is, what the hell am I going to wear?'' Her song, ``Ex's and Oh's'' is up for best rock performance, up against ``Don't Wanna Fight'' by Alabama Shakes, ``What Kind of Man'' by Florence and the Machine, ``Something From Nothing'' by Foo Fighters and ``Moaning Lisa Smile'' by Wolf Alice.

``Ex's and Oh's'' is also up for best rock song. 

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JOEY FEEK - GRAMMYS

 

Rory Feek of Joey and Rory says he made his wife cry yesterday. Feek writes on their Facebook page he told Joey their version of ``If I Needed You'' was nominated for the country duo/group Grammy. He says her tears flowed into his own and she said, ``How can this be?'' Feek says the song got no radio play and no critical acclaim. Joey Feek is in hospice care with terminal cancer. ``Stay a Little Longer'' by Brothers Osborne, ``The Driver'' by Charles Kelley, Dierks (DURKS) Bentley and Eric Paslay, ``Lonely Tonight'' by Blake Shelton and Ashley Monroe and ``Girl Crush'' by Little Big Town are also up for this award. 

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LITTLE BIG TOWN - GRAMMYS 

 

Karen Fairchild of Little Big Town says the two Grammy nominations for their song ``Girl Crush'' says a lot about the Nashville community. She says it shows that instead of artists being competitive, they are cheering each other on. ``Girl Crush''

is up for two Grammys, including song of the year. Little Big Town are also up for two Grammys as well. 

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BIEBER - CONCERT

 

Justin Bieber fans lined up for over 24 hours to get a prime seat at a sold-out benefit concert in Toronto. Proceeds from last night's acoustic show will go the Stratford House of Blessing in Bieber's hometown of Stratford, Ontario. The outreach centre 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 lineup to get into the approximately 14-hundred-seat venue stretched around the block before the doors opened. Tickets quickly sold out when they went on sale last Tuesday. 

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GRAMMYS - CANADA

 

For years, The Weeknd has loomed large on the fringes of mainstream music -- fast track to 2015, and the future has certainly brightened for the R&B sensation, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye. The Toronto native dubbed ``The Prince of Darkness''

has ascended into the pop stratosphere with a chart-topping album and a steady stream of infectious hit singles. He cemented his breakout year yesterday with seven Grammy nominations, including nods for record and album of the year. The Weeknd leads a strong Canadian contingent into the 57th annual Grammys, including Drake and Justin Bieber. 

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  (The Associated Press)

 

 

MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

 

NEW MUSIC IN STORES TODAY FROM ALBERTA'S BOOM CHUCKA BOYS

Recent ACMA Award Winners for Group of the Year and Rising Star and 2014 Canadian Country Music Association's Group/Duo Of The Year nominees, The Boom Chucka Boys (with former Dauphinite Joel Rathjen amongst their ranks) aren’t typical in any way. They walk the fine line between many musical stylings. But make no mistake. They are first, and foremost a country band!

They release their new album “RAMBLE” TODAY, February 10th, 2015 which was produced by Gord Bamford and the group will be touring with Bamford throughout February and March 2

 

BEIBER - ATV CHARGES

Justin Bieber's A-T-V assault case is set for July 14th in his hometown of Stratford, Ontario. Bieber, who was not in court Monday, was arrested and charged with dangerous driving and assault last August after a collision between a minivan and an A-T-V near Stratford. A lawyer for the 20-year-old pop star said Bieber was with his on-again, off-again girlfriend Selena Gomez and that the pair was disrupted by paparazzi. Police say the driver of the A-T-V and an occupant of the minivan ``engaged in a physical altercation.''

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BEIBER - ROAST

Standup star Kevin Hart will host Comedy Central's upcoming roast of Canadian pop sensation Justin Bieber.  Bieber has revealed on his Twitter account that Hart will serve as Roast Master in the special, writing ``This is gonna be good.'' 

The ``Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber'' will air on the Comedy Network in Canada on March 30 (at 10 p.m. ET/PT). 

The annual televised roast sees panellists skewering a featured celebrity with biting remarks. 

In a posting on his Twitter account last month, Bieber said he's long wanted Comedy Central to roast him. 

He said the channel told him he needed to provide more material _ and he ``worked hard'' to provide it for the past year.

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KANYE WEST - COMPLAINT 

You might have thought Kanye West was being playful when he acted like he was about to bum-rush the stage _ again _ because an artist other than Beyonce got an award he felt she deserved. The Grammy people sure seemed to think so, with Recording Academy president Neil Portnow calling it ``a fun moment.'' But after the Grammys, West made it clear he was seriously upset that Beck was the surprise winner of the best album Grammy.

West complained to E! Entertainment after the show that Beck should have given his award to Beyonce. West declared awards like the Grammys ``keep on diminishing art'' after artists deliver what he calls ``monumental feats of music.'' He adds if the Grammys want ``real artists'' _ as he called them _ to return, they need to ``stop playing with us,'' apparently including himself in the pantheon of great artists disrespected by the Grammys.  Kanye has won 21 Grammys during his career.

 

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SAM SMITH - TOUCH, BUT DON'T LOOK? 

Like Adele before him, Sam Smith is a British singer who has spun his tales of lost love into Grammy gold. And while he isn't putting his former lover out there _ Smith says he does want to thank the guy who inspired the music that helped him win four Grammys on Sunday. Smith says once he gets home he'll be seeing his ex again _ so he ``can let him touch the Grammys _ once.'' Smith isn't giving up on the idea of love. Asked what could have topped his four-Grammy night, Smith said: ``A boyfriend would be nice.'' He says he once met a boyfriend at a video shoot _ but they aren't together anymore, either.---

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BARRY GIBB - NO CELL PHONE

 

If you want to take a selfie with Barry Gibb, better bring your own cellphone. He won't have one. Gibb says he has no use for the smartphones that most people tote around with them these days. He says he doesn't like to be flooded with information _ so he doesn't need to have stuff piped to him endlessly through a cellphone. Same goes for email. Gibb has an email address _ but doesn't send them and rarely checks his inbox. He says people tend to misunderstand each other in emails. He says he'd rather hear a voice or see a face _ so he can tell whether they're being funny or sarcastic. He says those qualities don't translate well through email. 

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LEDISI - DISAPPOINTED 

Looks like Kanye West wasn't the only person bothered by the way things went down at the Grammys. Ledisi says she was ``a little disappointed'' she didn't get to take the stage and sing the song she did for the movie ``Selma.''

Ledisi was up for a Grammy for her rendition of the gospel tune, ``Precious Lord, Take My Hand.'' But she wasn't asked to sing it; Beyonce was. Ledisi says she understands why Beyonce was asked to do the song for the nationally televised TV show _ and has gotten over her disappointment. As for her turn in the spotlight, she says: ``My time will come when it's time.''

MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

 

GRAMMYS-CANADA

 

It was a night of career firsts for Canadian artists at the Grammy Awards. Justin Bieber and the Weeknd walked away as winners during the pre-telecast ceremony. Bieber scored the best dance recording honour as part of a collaboration with Skrillex and Diplo on the song ``Where Are U Now.'' The Weeknd, a-k-a Abel Tesfaye, nabbed two trophies -- one for best urban contemporary album for ``Beauty Behind the Madness'' and another for best R-and-B performance for ``Earned It (Fifty Shades Of Grey)'' from the original soundtrack for the film ``Fifty Shades Of Grey.'' Toronto hip-hop star Drake lost all five awards he was nominated for. 

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KENDRICK LAMAR WINS FIVE GRAMMYS

 

Kendrick Lamar was the night's biggest winner at the Grammys. He takes home five _ though none in the biggest categories. He also provided one of the more poignant moments of the show _ when he took the stage to perform ``Alright.'' He came on the stage looking as if he had been beaten, chains around his hands and blackened eyes. The audience looked on in awe. Lamar had promised that his Grammy performance would be controversial _ and it's sure to have people talking well beyond the next few days. 

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TAYLOR SWIFT - GRAMMYS

 

Taylor Swift is dedicating her album of the year Grammy to women who feel they are picked on or discouraged by others. And though she didn't mention him by name, it seemed her remarks at least were a subtle reference to Kanye West _ who disses her in a new song on his album. Swift told young women ``there will be people along the way that will try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame.'' Her advice to them: ``just focus on the work and don't let those people sidetrack you.'' West boasted in his new song that he made Swift famous after bum-rushing the stage during the 2009 VMAs and snatching her microphone out of her hand. On the night, Swift takes home three awards, including pop vocal album and music video for ``Bad Blood.'' 

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BRUNO MARS, MARK RONSON WINS RECORD OF THE YEAR

 

It was the song it seemed everyone knew, sang _ and, for the most part liked. And now ``Uptown Funk'' has the official Grammy stamp of approval to go along with all that. Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars won two awards for the song _ including one of the night's biggest prizes, record of the year. As he accepted the award, Ronson gave a shout-out to Prince, James Brown and George Clinton for being leaders in funk. Mars says the win is dedicated to music fans everywhere. 

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TRIBUTES TO LATE ARTISTS HIGHLIGHT GRAMMYS

 

It could have made for a sombre affair. But the tributes to the big-name musicians who have died in the past year turned out to be more of a celebration of their lives than a downer. There were separate tributes to David Bowie, Maurice White, Glenn Frey, B.B. King and Motorhead's Lemmy Kilmister. Lady Gaga transformed herself into a Bowie lookalike and sound alike as she did a medley of his hits, including ``Space Oddity,'' ''Changes,`` ''Fame,`` and ''Let's Dance.`` Bonnie Raitt pitched in on a performance to honour B.B. King. And Stevie Wonder teamed up with Pentatonix for a tribute to Maurice White, who founded Earth Wind and Fire. The group also received a special honour during the show _ and spoke of their love and appreciation for White's work. 

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RIHANNA, LAURYN HILL BOTH MISS GRAMMYS

 

Both Rihanna and Lauryn Hill ended up missing their performances at the Grammys. But they didn't take the stage for different reasons. Rihanna was sick _ very sick. She had been suffering from respiratory problems and tried to tough it out. But after she rehearsed, Grammy chief Neil Portnow told reporters that her doctor told her she risked damaging her vocal cords if she tried to perform. For Lauryn Hill, the problem was the clock, not her throat. Portnow says Hill had been asked to perform with The Weeknd and had been at the day's rehearsal _ but never made it back to the Staples Center in time for the performance. Despite that, Portnow said The Weeknd ``killed it.'' 

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ALABAMA SHAKES - TRIPLE GRAMMY WINNERS

 

A huge night for Alabama Shakes. The group captured three Grammys last night _ their first ever. Another first-time winner who was also a multiple winner was Ed Sheeran. He won song of the year for ``Thinking Out Loud'' _ and also scored a win for best pop solo performance. He says he wrote the song with Amy Wadge on a couch in his house. 

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LADY GAGA DOES DAVID BOWIE TRIBUTE

 

Sure looks like the Grammy people got it absolutely right when it asked Lady Gaga to do the tribute to the late David Bowie. Much as she wowed the audience at the Oscars last year, she mesmerized the people packed into the Staples Center last night. She deftly plowed through 10 of Bowie's hits -- and even transformed herself to resemble Bowie with her all-white costume and bright red wig. Lady Gaga had already been tabbed to perform at the Grammys this year. But after Bowie's death, producers said they felt they had to get her to handle the Bowie tribute -- and she did it masterfully. 

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TAYLOR SWIFT EMPOWERS YOUNG WOMEN

 

Kanye West may know how to start a feud with Taylor Swift. But Swift sure knows how to end one. Without mentioning the rapper by name, Swift delivered a telling verbal blow to West's latest diss, in which the rapper claims on his new album that he made Swift famous -- and that he thinks he has a shot at sleeping with her. In accepting her Grammy for album of the year, Swift didn't mention West by name -- but warned women that there will always be someone who tries to take credit for their success -- or put them down. Swift says to be successful, you have to tune out the negative people and focus on your work. 

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CAST OF ``ALEXANDER HAMILTON'' ROCKS GRAMMYS

 

It's been the Broadway hit people have been dying to see -- and if you caught the Grammys last night, it was easy to see why ``Alexander Hamilton'' is such a hot ticket. The Recording Academy made room for the musical on the show -- the first time in six years that it shared a stage with a New York-based stage production. The crowd at the Staples Center and in New York enjoyed the performance and minutes later, the Hamilton cast was back on stage, accepting the Grammy for best musical theatre album.

Playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda did his acceptance speech in rhyme. 

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GRAMMY MISHAPS

 

There were a lot of big stories that came out of this year's Grammys. But there were also a series of issues that took some of the focus from what took place during the show. Rihanna was supposed to perform _ but didn't because of doctor's orders.

Grammy chief Neil Portnow said Rihanna has throat problems and has been taking antibiotics. But after rehearsals, her doctor ended up shutting her down, ordering her to bed. 

Then, there was Lauryn Hill. She was invited to perform with Canada's The Weeknd _ but she never made it. Portnow says she was at rehearsals _ but never made it back to the Staples Center for the show, which went on without her. 

And, there was the Adele deal. Viewers at home heard what sounded like a chord from a badly-tuned guitar, followed by silence. Turns out that a microphone mounted inside the piano was jostled loose in a set change and fell onto the steel strings of the instrument.

Adele appeared to be distracted for a bit, but gathered herself and finished her performance of ``All I Ask.'' 

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(The Associated Press)

JUNOS By David Friend

 

After a blockbuster year of global hits, some of Canada's biggest artists are expected to be recognized back home when the Juno Award nominations are announced later today. 

International chart-toppers Drake, Justin Bieber and the Weeknd are likely to dominate the nominations, alongside a lineup of breakthrough newcomers. The nominees will be  announced at 11 a.m. ET. 

Last year was a record-breaker for Canadian performers as a handful of homegrown musicians traded spots in the upper echelons of the Billboard Hot 100. 

Pop singers Alessia Cara of Brampton, Ont., and Shawn Mendes of Pickering, Ont., are two other likely contenders for the top Juno categories. 

Carly Rae Jepsen has also gained widespread critical acclaim for her second album ``E-mo-tion,'' making her a potential contender too. 

The Juno Awards will air live on CTV on April 3. 

(The Canadian Press)

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DIERKS BENTLEY

 

Dierks Bentley figured he was invited to New York to read the nominations for the Academy of Country Music Awards because he's co-hosting the show. It didn't occur to him that the academy might nominate him until his name came up for male vocalist of the year. Bentley says it's going to be tough to win that award and he's honoured just to be included. Eric Church and Chris Stapleton lead the nominations with five each. Bentley will co-host with Luke Bryan, who has hosted before. Bentley says he loves Bryan and they both like to have a few drinks, ``so what could go wrong?'' The ACMs will be April 3rd in Las Vegas and shown live on CBS. 

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RUSSELL SIMMONS

 

Russell Simmons is not just promising to send water to the residents of Flint, Michigan. He's actually going door to door to deliver it. The Flint Journal reports Simmons has been personally delivering water to Flint households on behalf of AQUAhydrate, a bottled water company partly owned by Sean ``Diddy'' Combs and Mark Wahlberg. Flint's water supply has had high levels of lead since officials started drawing water from the Flint River in a cost-cutting measure in 2014. Simmons says he has a lot of love for Flint and fondly recalls the reception Flint gave Run-DMC decades ago. 

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MERLE HAGGARD

 

Merle Haggard says he's ``really lucky to be alive.'' Haggard tells Rolling Stone magazine he was coughing all the time while travelling last year and blamed it on old buildings.

He was diagnosed with double pneumonia. Haggard says when he asked a doctor what was the pain going from his belly button to his back, the doctor told him, ``It was death.'' Haggard, who is 78, spent 11 days in a hospital and more time recovering in another facility. He feels good enough to perform again, starting tonight in Riverside, California. Haggard says he will appear different onstage because he's lost a lot of weight, but his wife has fed him well. 

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TANYA TUCKER

 

What was supposed to be a routine chemical peel on Tanya Tucker's face nearly burned her to disfigurement. Tucker tells Dan Rather on ``The Big Interview'' she was getting the peel in 2008 when the laser made contact with an oxygen supply. She says the only thing she remembers hearing is, ``Get the ambulance, we've got a fire.'' She says she suffered second- and third-degree burns on her face and felt flames going up her nose. Tucker's interview runs tonight on A-X-S T-V. 

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PANIC AT THE DISCO

 

David Bowie knocking Adele off the top spot on the Billboard album chart makes complete sense. Panic At The Disco knocking Bowie off the top spot -- well, that's a surprise even to Panic's Brendon Urie. He says he's not worthy to be mentioned in the same sentence as Bowie. ``Death of a Bachelor'' is number on this week, moving 190-thousand units. Urie says he's glad his album was able to pop into the top spot, even if it was at the expense of Bowie. He says Bowie has had so many hits and it's not like Panic will hurt Bowie's career by any means. 

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ELLE KING

 

Elle King had a meta moment at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Friday. She visited a display that featured the red kimono dress she wore when she performed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in June. King says she was ``super choked up'' to see her dress there. It's part of a display about the evolution of rock and how it impacts the current generation of musicians. 

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SUPER BOWL CONCERTS

 

Hunter Hayes, Fall Out Boy and Skrillex will be joining the festivities surrounding the Super Bowl. They will each hold free concerts leading up to the Super Bowl in San Francisco, with Hayes on Thursday, Fall Out Boy on Friday and Skrillex on Saturday. The concerts will be streamed live at http://www.go90sanfrancisco.com. Other acts who will perform concerts leading up to the Super Bowl include the Dave Matthews Band, Alicia Keys, OneRepublic, The Band Perry, Avicii,  Elle King, Travis Scott, Metallica and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. 

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(Associated Press)

 

MIDNIGHT SHINE SIGNS WITH UNITED TALENT AGENCY 

Northern Ontario rockers Midnight Shine arepleased to announce they’ll be working with agent Ralph James and United Talent Agency out of Toronto to help put their music on the map. 

Hailing from the James Bay region, Midnight Shine is turning heads with a sound that seamlessly mixes roots, classic and modern rock. When Ralph James first heard the band’s single Since You Been Gone from their debut self-titled album, he knew they had something special. “I heard one track and thought, if these guys play live as well as they sound on the recording, I think we’re on to something here,” says James. “And they do.” 

Adrian Sutherland from Midnight Shine says the band is looking forward to developing the relationship, and seeing what can be done together. “We know that a music career takes a team effort, and we couldn’t be happier with Ralph James and United Talent being on our team.”  

Also on the team is RoseAnna Schick of RAS Creative in Winnipeg, taking on the role of Midnight Shine’s manager. Schick began working as the band’s publicist in 2013, and their working relationship evolved organically to what it is today. “The guys in Midnight Shine have a ton of talent, dedication and determination. I can’t wait to see how far they can go,” says Schick.  

Midnight Shine released sophomore album Northern Manin 2014at Toronto’s Hard Rock Café, kicking off with a national television appearance on Canada AM. Now, the band is ready to take their sound coast-to-coast.  

 

ABOUT NORTHERN MAN 

The album Northern Man was recorded at Noble Street Studios in Toronto. The title track is a tribute to the band’s home and culture, driven by a catchy rock beat, heavy bass, and traces of pow wow stylings. It will be released this spring as the band’s next radio single.   

Listen to Northern Man here:

http://midnightshine.bandcamp.com/track/northern-man 

Theirvery first single Since You Been Gone, from debut album Midnight Shine, received spins across the nation, reaching #170 on the Rock Charts. It’s in rotation on CBC Radio’s rock music stream. Renowned music journalist Alan Cross selected Since You Been Gone as one of his favourite new tracks in April 2014, citing the band’s “rootsy rock-pop.” 

Listen to Since You Been Gone here:

http://midnightshine.bandcamp.com/track/since-you-been-gone

 

 

ABOUT MIDNIGHT SHINE

www.midnightshineonline.com 

 

Not many bands play their very first show opening for legendary Canadian rockers. Then again, not many bands are quite like Midnight Shine.

 

When Trooper invited charismatic singer/songwriter Adrian Sutherland to open their Timmins concert in 2011, there was one condition: he perform with a band. So Sutherland pulled together Zach Tomatuk (guitar), Stan Louttit (bass), and George Gillies (drums) – a winning combination of energy and experience, resulting in an impressive and compelling sonic identity.

 

The Northern Ontario foursome has been developing a sound ever since, that seamlessly blends roots, classic and modern rock, and is anchored by captivating vocals and eloquent lyrics. A strong sense of melody is at the heart of Midnight Shine's material, attributable to Sutherland's background as a solo artist used to crafting songs on acoustic guitar.

 

Setting Midnight Shine apart from other rock bands is the depth of Sutherland's lyrical exploration of his First Nations’ culture. He hails from the remote community of Attawapiskat, and his experiences are reflected in his songs – making them all the more meaningful. "There are good stories to be told from Attawapiskat. I hope we're one of them," says Sutherland.

 

Indeed they are. In fact, the name Midnight Shine is highly appropriate, given that the band and their music shine a bright and positive light on places often depicted as dark and troubled.

 

They’re a “must-hear” band you’ll take a real shine to.

MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2016

 

OTTAWA-BLUESFEST

 

About 75 acts have been revealed for Ottawa's Bluesfest in July. They range from 60's icons The Monkees to rapper Nelly and virtually every musical taste in between. The list includes such names as Billy Idol, Duran Duran, John Fogarty, Joe Jackson, Bryan Ferry, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Cult.

Future, who collaborated with Drake, is also set to perform at LaBreton Flats Park between July 7-17. Brad Paisley, Hamilton's City and Colour, the Lumineers and Paul James are also on the roster. 

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SONNY JAMES - OBIT

 

Country singer Sonny James has died. He died yesterday at a hospice in Nashville. During his career, James recorded romantic ballads like ``Young Love'' and converted a number of pop and R&B hits into country tunes like ``Only the Lonely'' and ``Only Love Can Break a Heart.'' Sonny James was 87. 

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DON McLEAN ENTERS NOT-GUILTY PLEA IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASE

 

Don McLean says just because he's facing more domestic violence charges _ that doesn't mean he is guilty of them. Authorities in Maine have slapped another five charges on McLean _ bringing the total number of charges he faces to six.

Through his attorney, he has entered not-guilty pleas to all six charges, which stems from an incident that led to his arrest on Jan.

18. McLean _ best known for the 1972 hit ``American Pie'' _ says the case is ``a tragedy'' for his family _ especially his wife. 

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RONNIE WOOD'S PREGNANT WIFE SKIPS PART OF STONES TOUR TO AVOID ZIKA VIRUS

 

The Zika virus scare is forcing a change for one Rolling Stones member. Guitarist Ronnie Wood says his wife _ who's pregnant with twin girls _ is skipping the Stones' trek through Latin America to avoid exposure to the virus. Wood has tweeted that his wife Sally won't head to Latin America with the band because the virus and excessive flying are ``too dangerous''

for their unborn daughters. Wood says his wife hasn't ``been sent home'' from the tour, as some have reported, but that the decision to skip that leg of the concert series was done for health reasons. 

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50 CENT - BANKRUPTCY

 

If you are going to go around crying that you're broke _ it's probably not a good idea to be photographed lying in bed with bundles of $100 bills. That's a lesson 50 Cent is learning the hard way. The rapper has filed for bankruptcy. But The Wall Street Journal reports the judge handling his case is concerned that Fiddy isn't as bad off as he claims. Judge Ann Nevins notes there are photos of the rapper on social media that indicate he isn't being truthful about his finances. The judge wants the rapper hauled into court to explain. But no date for that hearing has been set. 50 Cent filed for bankruptcy last year after a New York City jury ordered him to pay $7 million to a woman who said he posted her sex tape online. 

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ROB THOMAS APOLOGIZES FOR RACIST JOKE

 

The lead singer of Matchbox 20 says he's sorry. Rob Thomas says he meant no harm when he told a joke in Australia that some took as racist. Thomas was performing Saturday in Melbourne when he made a crack about using booze to ward off jet lag. He said to keep his body clock straight, he drinks until he thinks he's Australian, then he keeps drinking until he thinks he's ``a black Australian.'' That didn't go down well because the Aboriginal population is among Australia's poorest _ and many suffer from alcohol and drug abuse. Thomas says he didn't know that when he made the joke _ and that he's ``incredibly embarrassed'' by his ignorance. 

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KESHA'S PRODUCER ISSUES NEW DENIALS

 

The man who has Kesha under contract is again denying the singer's claim that he raped her. Attorneys for Dr. Luke have issued a statement saying Kesha's accusations are ``outright lies'' that the singer is telling ``to extort a contract renegotiation and money.'' On Friday, Kesha sobbed in court as a judge denied her bid to get out her deal with Dr. Luke who has produced for artists including Britney Spears, Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj. Kesha's plight prompted Taylor Swift to donate a quarter-million dollars to help her fellow pop singer. 

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TAYLOR SWIFT - MAID-OF-Honour

 

It's never a bad thing when your childhood friend turns out to be a superstar singer _ and is willing to stand up for you at your wedding. That's the deal with an old buddy of Taylor Swift's. Swift and Britany Maack literally go back like babies and pacifiers _ with Swift saying on Instagram she first met the bride when she was 10 days old. Swift returned to her hometown of Reading, Pennsylvania this past weekend to be Maack's maid of honour. In her Instagram photos, Swift calls herself ``the happiest maid of honour ever.'' 

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THE LUMINEERS AND THE PRESIDENT

 

It's one thing to know the President of the United States listens to your music. But it's another thing to imagine what the president is doing while he's checking out of your song. A member of The Lumineers says now that he knows the group's song ``Stubborn Love'' is on the POTUS Spotify list, he figures Barack Obama must listen to it while he's bowling. Wesley Shultz says he was impressed by the bowling alley at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. He says it was especially cool to see a bowling ball emblazoned with the presidential seal. 

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(The Associated Press)

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CELINE DION

 

Celine Dion will honour her late husband Rene Angelil when she returns to the stage in Las Vegas on Tuesday night. 

A post on the pop superstar's Facebook page says viewers can watch a live stream of the opening of Dion's show beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET on her website. 

Fans are invited to witness Dion's ``love tribute'' to Angelil at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. 

Dion spoke publicly at a memorial for Angelil at The Colosseum earlier this month. 

He died Jan. 14 after a battle with throat cancer. He was 73. 

(The Canadian Press)

MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2015

 

JUNOS - HOGGARD

Hedley's Jacob Hoggard will host this year's Juno Awards.  

The 30-year-old will steer the live broadcast from Hamilton's FirstOntario Centre on March 15th. 

His band will also perform during the show, along with Hamilton's Arkells and Vine sensation Shawn Mendes. 

Hedley has three nominations this year, but in the past the Vancouver pop outfit has won only twice out of 26 nominations. 

Toronto pop act Magic leads with five nominations going into the show, while Montreal's Leonard Cohen and Calgary's Kiesza (KY'-zuh) picked up four apiece. 

Alanis Morissette will be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, while Toronto trio Rush will receive the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award.

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ADAM LEVINE, LADY GAGA HAVE VERY DIFFERENT OSCARS PERFORMANCES

 

Adam Levine may not have been too pleased with his performance at the Oscars. His first word after coming off stage after performing ``Lost Stars'' from the film ``Begin Again'' was an expletive, followed by ``God!''  Lady Gaga had a wonderful time at the Oscars. She says her favourite moment was a selfish one: when Julie Andrews came out after she sang a tribute to ``The Sound of Music.'' She says she didn't know Andrews was going to do that. 

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LADY GAGA IS BIG TREND FROM OSCARS

 

 Lady Gaga stole the show at the Oscars. Both Twitter and Facebook report the biggest individual moment from the Oscars on both sites was Lady Gaga's tribute to ``The Sound of Music.'' 

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JOHNNY ROTTEN WRITES BOOK

 

Johnny Rotten is preparing to unleash his life story. Rotten, AKA John Lydon, will publish ``Anger Is An Energy: My Life Uncensored'' on April 28. He will cover his time in The Sex Pistols and in Public Image Ltd., as well as his life as a sickly child and his current adventures. Lydon also co-wrote a book about The Sex Pistols in 1994 called ``Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs.''

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JOE COCKER'S HOME IS ON THE MARKET

 

Joe Cocker's ranch is for sale, and it's dropped in price. The real estate site Zillow.com reports Cocker's Mad Dog Ranch in the small Colorado town of Crawford is on the market for $7 million. Cocker was in the process of building a smaller home down the road when he died in December. The Mad Dog Ranch has a seven-bedroom home on 243 acres. He had listed it for $7.85 million last spring. 

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``METALLICA: SOME KIND OF MONSTER'' FILMMAKER DIES 

 

The creator of the film ``Metallica: Some Kind of Monster'' has died. Filmmaker Bruce Sinofsky died at his home in Montclair, New Jersey, on Saturday of complications from diabetes. He was 58. Metallica write on their website Sinofsky was with them almost every day in the early 2000s during unhappy times.

They say he was not very welcomed sometimes, but he was there through some of Metallica's darkest days.

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JOHN LEGEND AND COMMON WIN BEST ORIGINAL SONG OSCAR

 

John Legend and Common are Oscar winners. They won the best original song Oscar for writing ''Glory'' from the film Selma.'' Common said in his acceptance speech he and Legend recently go to perform on the same bridge that was featured in ``Selma.'' He said it transcends the times, connecting a kid in Chicago to protesters in Hong Kong. Legend said they wrote the song for a film chronicling events of 50 years ago, but the struggle for justice continues today. 

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OBIT-CLARK TERRY DIES

 

Jazz trumpeter Clark Terry has died. His wife announced his death on his website Saturday but did not give details. Terry was 94. Terry joined Count Basie's orchestra in 1948 and Duke Ellington's orchestra in 1951. He was in the ``Tonight Show'' house band for 12 years and was its first black member. He recorded with Ray Charles, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonius Monk. Terry was also a big supporter of jazz education and taught at camps and festivals. 

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KID ROCK PLAYS DAYTONA 500

 

Kid Rock says he feels right at home at the Daytona 500 because it's ``the redneck Super Bowl.'' Rock headlined a pre-race concert yesterday, including his new single, ``First Kiss.'' His new album of the same name is out tomorrow. Rock says he's still lucky that when he announces he's going to play new music, people still don't head to the bathroom or get a beer. He says he hopes he knows when that day comes so he can be courteous enough to play the old stuff as much as fans want. 

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NICK GORDON SAYS BOBBY BROWN SET CONDITIONS FOR BOBBI KRISTINA VISIT

 

Bobby Brown has offered to let his daughter's partner visit her in the hospital as long as he meets certain conditions. Nick Gordon is refusing those conditions. Bobbi Kristina Brown, Brown's daughter with Whitney Houston, has been hospitalized in Atlanta since she was found unresponsive in a bathtub in her home January 31. Gordon's lawyers say they advised Gordon to reject the conditions. It's not known what those conditions are. Gordon's lawyers also say Gordon has offered to talk with Bobby Brown without lawyers present but that's been rejected. Bobbi Kristina Brown has said Gordon is her husband, but Bobby Brown denies that. 

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LES PAUL'S ``BLACK BEAUTY'' SELLS AT AUCTION

 

The 1954 Les Paul Gibson guitar known as ``Black Beauty'' has sold at auction for just over 335-thousand dollars.

Guernsey's auction house will not reveal the name of the buyer.

Guernsey's called the guitar a ``holy grail'' among musicians because it was a prototype for thousands of others. 

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BONNIE TYLER'S POSTCARD COMES BACK TO GREET HER

 

Bonnie Tyler's friend recently came to her with a postcard Tyler had sent in the 1980s that proved to be quite prophetic. Tyler had written on the card that she had just recorded a song called ``Total Eclipse Of The Heart.'' She loved the song, but she didn't think it would be a hit because it was too long, but she wrote, ``Time will tell.'' Tyler asked her friend for the postcard and her friend said, ``No way! I'm keeping this!'' Tyler says she never gets tired of singing that song. She says she loves when the intro starts and everyone in the audience yells, ``Yeah!'' 

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GRATEFUL DEAD'S BILL KREUTZMANN PLANS MEMOIR

 

Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann  is writing his life story. His memoir will be called

``Deal: My Three Decades of Drumming, Dreams, and Drugs with The Grateful Dead.'' It comes out May 5. 

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ANTHRAX'S SCOTT IAN MAKES APPEARANCE ON ``THE WALKING DEAD''

 

Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian will be an undead thing on ``The Walking Dead'' on A-M-C. His appearance is set for Sunday. Ian appeared in a ``Walking Dead'' webisode in 2011. 

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RUSH CREATE HOLOGRAM ON VINYL VERSION OF ``2112''

 

The reissue of Rush's ``2112'' album on vinyl will have an unusual feature. Listeners who shine a light on side two while the album is playing will see holograms of the ``Red Star of the Federation,'' the album's symbol from its cover. The Hologram Edition of ``2112'' comes out March 17.

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BRUCE DICKINSON COMPLETES CANCER TREATMENT

 

Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson is recovering from treatment for a small cancer at the back of his tongue. The band say on their website the tumour was discovered during a routine checkup in December. Dickinson completed a seven-week course of chemotherapy and radiology on Wednesday. He's expected to make a full recovery, but he'll need some time off. Dickinson is expected to get an all-clear by late May, but he'll need a few months more to get back into shape. 

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GARTH BROOKS' IRELAND SHOWS ARE SUBJECT OF PLAY

 

Garth Brooks' failed attempt to start his tour in Ireland is now the subject of a play that's about to run there. The Irish Independent reports dramatist Fiona Looney has written the play, ``Are You There Garth? It's Me Margaret.'' Brooks had wanted to do five concerts in Dublin to kick off his tour, but the city council would only approve three, so he cancelled the whole thing. The play focuses on a country music fan during the time of the city council's debates with Brooks. Looney says the play will run later this year in Galway, Cork, Limerick and Dublin. 

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MICHELLE BRANCH IS GETTING DIVORCED

 

Michelle Branch's marriage is falling apart.

People magazine reports Branch filed for divorce from her husband and former bassist, Teddy Landau, on February 9th, citing irreconciliable differences. They separated in January 2014. They have a nine-year-old daughter and are seeking joint custody. Branch and Landau married in 2004, in spite of a 19-year age difference. 

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WILLIE NELSON WILL APPEAR IN MOVIE

 

At the age of 81, Willie Nelson will once again be a movie star. Rolling Stone reports Nelson will play a retired vaudeville star in the film ``Waiting For The Miracle To Come.''

It's about a young girl who finds a letter from her late father directing her to a gold mine in California. Bono is an executive producer on the film and will write a song for Nelson to sing on the soundtrack. Filming begins next month.

 

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 MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

 

DIERKS BENTLEY ROOTS FOR MIRANDA LAMBERT 

Dierks Bentley hopes his longtime friend Miranda Lambert wins at the Grammys -- even if it means he loses. Bentley and Lambert supported each other early in their music careers. They're both nominated for best country album. Bentley says any time Lambert wins anything, he's usually the first to stand up to applaud. He says, ``A win for her is a win for everyone.''

Lambert already has one Grammy, but Bentley has none. 

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JENNIFER NETTLES DEBUTS IN ``CHICAGO'' 

Jennifer Nettles pursued a career on Broadway because of her 2-year-old son. Nettles made her Broadway debut last night in the production of ``Chicago'' as Roxie Hart. She says she decided to take on the role to challenge herself but also for her son, Magnus. She says she hopes he can be fearless and pursue his passions too. 

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WHITNEY HOUSTON'S FAMILY SAYS DAUGHTER IS IN BAD SHAPE 

The daughter of Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown is fighting for her life, according to Houston's family. A family representative says 21-year-old Bobbi Kristina Brown is surrounded by immediate family and they are requesting privacy. Bobby Brown has also issued a statement saying, ``Please allow for my family to deal with this matter and give my daughter the love and support she needs at this time.'' Bobbi Kristina Brown was found unresponsive in a bathtub over the weekend outside Atlanta. 

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KATY PERRY GETS SUPER BOWL TATTOO 

Katy Perry will carry the mark of her Super Bowl halftime show with her the rest of her life. She posted a photo on Instagram of her getting a tattoo with the caption, ``I thought it would be appropriate to draw blood tonight... XLIX.'' She posted another photo that shows ``XLIX'' tattooed on her finger.

Perry is also auctioning off the guitars that her band used during the halftime performance as part of NFLAuction.com. All the proceeds will benefit the anti-domestic violence charity Break The Cycle. 

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AUTHORITIES CONSIDER SUGE KNIGHT A FLIGHT RISK 

Bail has been revoked for Death Row Records founder Suge Knight because he's considered a flight risk. A Los Angeles County sheriff's spokeswoman says detectives asked a bail commissioner to keep Knight behind bars because he also has a history of violent crimes and could possibly intimidate witnesses.

Knight is accused of hitting two men with his pickup truck Thursday, killing one of them. His attorney says it was an accident and Knight was trying to escape a vicious attack. Knight will appear in court today. 

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COMMON IS THANKFUL FOR PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION 

Common never assumes he'll get award nominations but he's thrilled when he does. Common says he's grateful for his Grammy nominations for best rap album and best rap/sung collaboration, especially since there are only four rap categories. He says his ``Nobody's Smiling'' album is ``important.''

Common also has an Oscar nomination for co-writing the song ``Glory'' from the movie ``Selma.'' The Grammys are on Sunday. The Oscars are February 22. 

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GIRL FROM SIA VIDEOS STILL LOVES SIA'S MUSIC 

The girl who has become the face of Sia's videos is grateful that Sia gave her a new identity. Maddie Ziegler also appeared on the reality show ``Dance Moms'' and she says she loves it when people recognize her for the Sia videos instead of that. She hears Sia's music all the time, but Ziegler says she doesn't find it annoying. She says she listens to Sia's music even when she's just hanging out with friends. 

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FAMILY OF BOBBY VEE WORKS ON ARCHIVE PROJECT 

Bobby Vee's sons are racing against time to preserve his musical legacy. The St. Cloud Times reports Vee's sons Tommy and Jeff are archiving hundreds of hours of Vee's analog recordings. Many of the recordings are on cassettes, reels and acetate discs, and the goal is to transfer them to a digital format before they deteriorate. Radio producer Al Neff is helping with the project and says they've uncovered an acetate of Vee doing a half hour radio show and what may be some rare Buddy Holly recordings.

Vee retired in 2011 after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. 

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BOB DYLAN ADORES FRANK SINATRA AND CHUCK BERRY

Bob Dylan gets a bit starry-eyed by the work of Frank Sinatra and Chuck Berry. Dylan tells AARP The Magazine he must have listened to Sinatra's version of ``Ebb Tide'' a hundred times and it's ``spellbinding.'' He says he doesn't know how he did it.

Dylan also says Berry could have been anything in the music business, including a jazz singer, a ballad singer and a guitar virtuoso. He says there's a spiritual aspect to Berry and in 50 or

100 years, ``He might even be thought of as a religious icon.'' AARP just published an extended version of Dylan's interview at AARP.org/Dylan. The print edition will appear in the February/March issue of AARP The Magazine. 

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BACKSTREET BOYS: ART IS ALWAYS AT RISK 

The Backstreet Boys still have nerves any time they put out something new. Singer Kevin Richardson says any time they create art and let it go, there's the risk that it will fly or that it will fall to the ground. He says they put a lot of time and effort into it and it becomes a piece of them. He says every album from their first to their most recent one has been a scary process and it still is to this day. The Backstreet Boys have released a documentary called ``Backstreet Boys: Show 'Em What You're Made Of.''

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JUSTIN BIEBER APOLOGIZES ON ``ELLEN'' SHOW 

Justin Bieber is sorry for acting like a jerk.

Bieber told ``The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' he was nervous because he has not appeared on T-V in some time and not used to being in front of people without singing. Bieber later posted a video to his Facebook page saying he felt people were judging him. He says he didn't want to come off as ``arrogant or conceited or basically how I've been acting the past year.'' He says he genuinely cares about people and wants to make the best impression. 

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MANDRELL SISTERS COME TOGETHER FOR ANIMAL FUNDRAISER 

Barbara Mandrell and her sisters will reunite for a fundraiser this weekend in Nashville. The Nashville Tennessean reports Mandrell and her sisters Louise and Irlene will host an event for the Nashville Humane Association Saturday. Mandrell says she and her sisters are best friends but they will not be singing.  She says she retired 17 years ago and has not sung or played a note since. 

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MORE PERFORMERS ADDED TO STEVIE WONDER TRIBUTE 

Lady Gaga, The Band Perry, Ariana Grande and John Legend will be part of the group that will pay tribute to Stevie Wonder. The Recording Academy says they will be part of the salute to Wonder in Los Angeles that will air as a C-B-S special on February 16. Ed Sheeran, Janelle Monae, Usher and Chris Martin are also part of the lineup, but Willie Nelson has dropped out. 

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OBIT-ROD MCKUEN 

Oscar-nominated poet and songwriter Rod McKuen has died. He turned out hundreds of songs, poems and records in the 1960s and '70s. He earned an Academy Award nomination for the song ``Jean,'' from the 1969 film ``The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.''

McKuen was 81.

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TOM PETTY SAYS SAM SMITH SONG IS ``A MUSICAL ACCIDENT'' 

Tom Petty writes on his website the word ``lawsuit'' was never said in regards to Sam Smith. Petty calls the similarities between his song ``I Won't Back Down'' and Smith's song ``Stay With Me'' ''a musical accident.`` Petty says Smith's people were very understanding and they easily came to an agreement. Petty says he has no idea how the press found out about it and he considers it ''hardly news.`` He says there are no hard feelings and he wishes Smith the best. 

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GEEZER BUTLER ARRESTED

 

Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler was arrested for allegedly being involved in a bar fight. The sheriff's office in Inyo County, California, says it got a call regarding a fight in a bar in Death Valley National Park early Wednesday. Authorities say a window was broken and an individual was struck. Butler was booked for misdemeanour assault, public intoxication and vandalism under his given name, Terence Michael Butler. He has been released from jail. Butler tweets he's thankful for the support following ``the unfortunate altercation.''

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MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2016

 

JUSTIN BIEBER - SINGLES CHART

 

For the first time in 10 weeks, Adele's ``Hello'' is not the number-one song in the nation. Canadian mega-pop star Justin Bieber's ``Sorry'' takes over the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. ``Sorry'' ties a record for most weeks at number two before hitting number one. OutKast's ``The Way You Move'' was stuck at number two for eight weeks in 2003 and

2004 before taking over the top spot. It was kept out of the number-one position by their own song, ``Hey Ya.'' 

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ALANIS MORISSETTE - ADVICE COLUMN

 

Canadian songstress Alanis Morissette is becoming an advice columnist. Morissette will dispense her wisdom in the Guardian Weekend magazine's January 16th edition. Morissette will also put out a book in May that's part memoir, part self-help book.

It's called ``Perpetual Becoming.'' 

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DAVID BOWIE-TRIBUTE

 

A band featuring David Bowie's longtime collaborator Tony Visconti and former drummer Mick (Woody) Woodmansey plans to go ahead with a tribute concert in Toronto tonight. Visconti wrote on Twitter that the group Holy Holy will celebrate the late Bowie's life with its show at the Opera House.

During the show on Tuesday, which is part of a North American tour, the band plans to play Bowie's 1970 album ``The Man Who Sold The World'' in its entirety. Woodmansey said Holy Holy was in Toronto when he learned that Bowie had died Sunday, after an 18-month battle with cancer. He was 69. 

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DAVID BOWIE-``BLACKSTAR''

 

David Bowie wasn't just creating new music with his ``Blackstar'' album. He was telling the world he was dying.

Bowie released ``Blackstar'' on Friday, and he died Sunday. Most of his close musician friends did not know he was dealing with cancer for the past 18 months. The ``Blackstar'' album discusses life, death and the afterlife. The video for the single ``Lazarus'' shows Bowie in a hospital bed with his eyes bandaged, singing, ``Look up here, I'm in heaven/I've got scars that can't be seen.'' Yesterday, ``Blackstar'' hit number-one on the U.S. iTunes albums chart. ``Best of Bowie'' was second and two other Bowie albums have reached the Top 10. 

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NILE RODGERS, BRIAN ENO - REMEMBER BOWIE

 

Even frequent David Bowie collaborators Nile Rodgers and Brian Eno had no idea he was sick. Rodgers says he suspected something was up with Bowie a few years ago when Bowie presented Rodgers with an award but had to give it by film. Rodgers says Bowie was charming and big-hearted but Rodgers could see he was not well. Rodgers says he didn't want to pry because everyone deals with their health in their own way. Eno tells Rolling Stone magazine Bowie sent him an email just a week ago that was full of inside jokes. He says it ended with Bowie saying, ``Thank you for our good times, Brian. They will never rot.'' Eno says he realizes now Bowie was saying goodbye. 

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WORLD LEADERS - RESPECTS - BOWIE

 

How big was David Bowie's influence? He's getting tributes from major world leaders. The White House is saluting Bowie's contribution to the arts, and spokesman Josh Earnest says people across the world are talking about how Bowie inspired them.

British Prime Minister David Cameron calls Bowie's death ``a huge loss'' and says Bowie was a ``master of reinvention.'' Germany's Foreign Ministry tweeted a video for Bowie's song ``Heroes'' with a thank you for Bowie's help in bringing down the Berlin Wall. Berlin Mayor Michael Mueller says ``Heroes'' was the hymn for a once-divided city longing for freedom. The Vatican's culture minister, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, tweeted the lyrics to ``Space Oddity'' and ended with, ``May God's love be with you.'' 

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DAVID BOWIE - MEMORIAL

 

What was planned as a tribute concert to David Bowie has now become a memorial concert. New York's Carnegie Hall had planned to host a concert featuring Bowie's music with acts like Cyndi Lauper, Perry Farrell, Ann Wilson of Heart and The Roots on March 31st. The concert's website says the timing of the tickets going on sale is ``bizarre'' and the show is taking on many more emotions now. 

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MIA - CEASE-AND-DESIST

 

The soccer club Paris Saint-Germain is threatening to take M.I.A. to court over her latest video for ``Borders.'' She's wearing a P-S-G shirt that contains the ``Fly Emirates'' sponsorship logo, but she changed it to read ``Fly Pirates.'' The song discusses the ordeal of refugees in Europe. M.I.A. has posted online P-S-G's letter ordering her to stop broadcasting the video and to stop using the club's image. P-S-G is not even sure why M.I.A. is lumping the club in with the migrants' treatment. P-S-G deputy C-E-O Jean-Claude Blanc says nothing in the club's activities suggest it has anything to do with the problems M.I.A. highlights in the video. 

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BEN FOLDS - WEDDING SONG

 

If there was a chart for wedding songs, Ben Folds thinks he might be a contender on it. Folds says every day or so, some couple will tell him they got married to his song ``The Luckiest.'' Folds considers that one of his more obscure songs, but he feels everyone between the ages of 25 and 40 seem to find it. He says it must be on some list somewhere. 

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KEITH URBAN  - TOUR DATES

 

Keith Urban has announced a summer tour in support of an album he's not quite sure if he's going to finish in time. Urban's RipCORD World Tour will start June 2nd in Kansas City, Missouri. Urban says he still thinks he'll get the ``RipCORD'' album out before the tour. He'd rather have it out six months before the tour, but he says he doesn't want to wait just because the record isn't done. Brett Eldredge and newcomer Maren Morris will be the opening acts. 

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(The Associated Press)

 

MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015

 

NASHVILLE'S MUSIC ROW GETS ``NATIONAL TREASURE'' STATUS

 

Ben Folds feels if Music Row disappears, Nashville will lose part of its identity. He doesn't have to worry any more. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has announced it's placing Music Row on its ``National Treasure'' list of historically significant sites threatened by development. Folds has rented R-C-A Studio A for 12 years and lead the effort in keeping a developer from razing it to build luxury condominiums. The studio was developed by Chet Atkins and has been the site of recording sessions by Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, among others. Philanthropist Aubrey Preston bought the property from the developer in October to preserve it. 

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MELISSA ETHERIDGE STAYS TRUE TO HERSELF 

Melissa Etheridge figures it's easier to be honest about who she is instead of having to keep track of what stories she's telling. Etheridge says if she's truthful, she doesn't have to remember what she's told people. Etheridge knew she would be making herself vulnerable when she came out as a lesbian, but she says she knew she couldn't show just the good parts of her life and refuse to talk about the tabloidy parts. She says whenever a young person tells her, ``You saved my life,'' it's totally worth it. 

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VOTE OPENS FOR FANS TO VOTE ON ACM NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR 

C-M-T and the Academy of Country Music want you to decide who should be up for the new artist of the year A-C-M Award. The semifinalists are Dan and Shay, Brett Eldredge, Tyler Farr, Sam Hunt, Kip Moore, Thomas Rhett, Chase Rice and Cole Swindell (swin-DEL'). Fans can choose their favorites at VoteACM.com and VoteACM.CMT.com. The top three will compete for the award, which will be chosen by fan vote and A-C-M professional membership vote.

The winner will be revealed at the ACMs on April 19. 

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 ERIC CHURCH SETS RECORD IN NASHVILLE 

Eric Church has set a new record at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena. He performed for 18,411 fans on Saturday, setting a new attendance high for the venue. The previous record-holder was The Blue Collar Comedy Tour in February 2006. 

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POPS STAPLES ALBUM SET FOR RELEASE NEXT MONTH 

 Pops Staples was working on an album the year before he died and he told his daughter Mavis, ``Don't lose this.''

That's now the title of the album, set for release February 17. Pops Staples had recorded 10 songs in 1999 and died in 2000. Mavis Staples teamed up with Jeff Tweedy of Wilco to finish the album last year.

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DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE PLAN ALBUM RELEASE 

Death Cab For Cutie have announced a release date for their first album since the departure of Chris Walla.

``Kintsugi'' will come out March 31. The title comes from the Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics with precious metals and highlighting the cracks rather than hiding them. Bassist Nick Harmer says considering what they were going through internally, and what the lyrics are about, that term had a great deal of resonance for them. 

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NEW ORLEANS JAZZ FEST ANNOUNCES LINEUP

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- The last time The Who played a festival in the U-S, Pete Townshend was kicking Abbie Hoffman off the stage at Woodstock. The Who will break their more than 40-year streak of avoiding American festivals when they take the stage at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Elton John, Keith Urban and Jimmy Buffett are also headliners. Other performers include Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, No Doubt, Keith Urban, Pitbull, John Legend, Ed Sheeran, T.I., Chicago, Hozier and Jerry Lee Lewis. Jazz Fest is set for the weekends of April 24 and April 30.

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MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

 

OBIT - GLENN FREY

 

Glenn Frey has died. The Eagles say Frey passed away yesterday in New York of complications from rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis and pneumonia. He was 67. Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner were hired by Linda Ronstadt to be her backing band. They continued as a band and formed The Eagles, which became one of the top touring acts in the world.

The Eagles' greatest hits collection and their ``Hotel California''

album are among the bestselling albums ever. When the band broke up in 1980, Frey enjoyed a solo career with hits like ``The Heat Is On,'' ''You Belong To The City`` and ''Smuggler's Blues.`` He also took on acting roles, appearing on T-V in ''Miami Vice`` and ''Nash Bridges`` and on film in ''Jerry Maguire.`` The Eagles were supposed to be honoured at the Kennedy Center Honors last month but it was postponed because of Frey's health problems. 

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OBIT- GLENN FREY - DON HENLEY REACTS

 

Don Henley says he and Glenn Frey were like brothers, and like many families they had dysfunction, but they had a bond that was never broken. Henley says in a statement Frey was the ``spark plug, the man with the plan'' who started The Eagles, with ``an encyclopedic knowledge of popular music and a work ethic that wouldn't quit.'' Henley says crossing paths with Frey in 1970 changed his life forever, and it impacted millions of people. He says he's grateful for every day Frey was in his life. 

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OBIT- GLENN FREY - REACTION

 

Musicians in all genres are mourning the death of Glenn Frey. Huey Lewis says Glenn Frey was ``a brilliant songwriter and a really good guy.'' Micky Dolenz of The Monkees expresses his condolences and notes that Henley has ``joined the heavenly band.''

OneRepublic say Frey's music is imbedded in their heads until the day they die. Questlove says ``Frey belongs to the city still'' and mourns the fact that legends keep dying. Hilary Scott says The Eagles were one of the biggest influences on Lady Antebellum and they're heartbroken to hear of Frey's death. Brad Paisley says Frey's music paved the way for so many others. Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue thanks Frey for all the great songs and powerful lyrics and asks the Grim Reaper to please take a break. 

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OBIT - GLENN FREY - HOLLYWOOD

 

Hollywood is remembering Glenn Frey. The co-founder of the Eagles died yesterday of complications from rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis and pneumonia. He was 67. He appeared on episodes of ``Miami Vice'' and ``Nash Bridges,''

both featuring his friend Don Johnson. Frey also was in the film ``Jerry McGuire,'' directed by friend Cameron Crowe. Frey's ``The Heat Is On'' was a hit from the ``Beverly Hills Cop'' soundtrack, and his ``Smuggler's Blues'' inspired a ``Miami Vice'' episode.

Steve Martin tweets Frey was a friend from the early days. Martin adds, ``We loved you, Glenn Frey.'' Comedian Richard Lewis tweets, ``Say it ain't so.'' 

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OBIT - DALE GRIFFIN - MOTT THE HOOPLE DRUMMER

 

Drummer Dale Griffin of Mott The Hoople has died.

Peter Purnell of the band's label, Angel Air Records, tells the B-B-C that Griffin died Sunday after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease a decade ago. Griffin was 67. Mott The Hoople's biggest hit was the 1972 song ``All The Young Dudes,'' written by David Bowie. The band split in the mid-1970s, and Griffin worked as a producer for B-B-C live music sessions. Mott The Hoople reformed in 2009, but Griffin would appear only in encores because he was already sick. 

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DON McLEAN - ARRESTED

 

Don McLean has been arrested for misdemeanour domestic violence. Details of the incident are not known. McLean posted 10-thousand dollars bail early Monday at the Knox County Jail in Maine. He lives in Camden. Messages seeking comment left through the singer's website and with two representatives were not answered. 

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MEL TILLIS - RECOVERS FROM SURGERY

 

Mel Tillis is on the road to recovery after colon surgery Friday afternoon. His representatives tell Rolling Stone magazine Tillis is not in critical condition, in spite of a tweet last week from Tony Orlando that said Tillis was in critical condition. Tillis was supposed to be part of the Country Music Cruise that sets sail this weekend, but organizers say he will need several weeks to recover. Bobby Bare will take his place. 

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DAVID BOWIE

 

David Bowie's son has broken his social media silence by sharing a blog from a British doctor who works with terminally ill patients. Duncan Jones posted a blog by Dr. Mark Taubert, who says Bowie is helping doctors like him talk about death with patients. He describes telling a woman with cancer she had less than a year to live. Taubert says his patient talked about Bowie's music in her life and was able to discuss dying moments and what they will look like. He thanks Bowie for helping his patient communicate her feelings to him. 

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IRON MAIDEN

 

Iron Maiden is launching a free smartphone game in which players get to be Eddie, the band's mascot. ``Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast'' will follow Eddie in his many forms as he explores new worlds, travels through time and battles a cast of characters drawn from Iron Maiden's music and art. The soundtrack will include previously unheard live recordings of Maiden classics as supervised by bassist Steve Harris. The game will be available for iOS and Android this summer. 

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WYNTON MARSALIS

 

Wynton Marsalis will take the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra on a tour of ten countries. The Blue Engine International Tour will begin February 4th in Paris. Wayne Shorter will join the orchestra for the February 18th show in London.

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STEPHANIE SEYMOUR

 

GREENWICH, Conn. (AP) _ Supermodel Stephanie Seymour was busted over the weekend and charged with drunken driving. Police say Seymour backed her S-U-V into another car Friday evening, at an exit ramp on Interstate 95 in Greenwich, Connecticut. No one was hurt in the crash. Troopers say Seymour refused field sobriety tests. The 47-year-old cover model was released on a five-hundred dollar bond.

 

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LINDA PERRY - LADY GAGA

 

Linda Perry says she's sorry for saying Lady Gaga doesn't deserve an Oscar nomination. Lady Gaga is nominated for co-writing the song ``TIl It Happens To You'' from the documentary ``The Hunting Ground'' with songwriter Diane Warren. Perry had tweeted she has Warren's original demo of the song and the final version only changes one line. Perry had said Warren knew that attaching Lady Gaga to the song would improve her chances of winning, and Lady Gaga knows that a Warren song would get nominated.

Now Perry says she wasn't in the room when the song was written and she was wrong to comment. Warren herself simply states that the song is a result of ``a special collaboration'' between herself and Lady Gaga. Lady Gaga's representative could not be reached for comment. 

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``VINYL'' - MICK JAGGER

 

James Jagger did not have to go far to research his role as a singer in 1970s New York for the upcoming H-B-O series ``Vinyl.'' His dad is Mick Jagger. James Jagger says his father's best advice was to try to enjoy himself, because a big production can be overbearing. Mick Jagger says he talked a lot with his son about what his character's back story would be for a person living in that time, but he says James did most of the research himself.

``Vinyl'' premieres February 14th. 

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(The Associated Press)

MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015

 

CROSBY, STILLS AND NASH WILL PLAY THE QE2 

Crosby, Stills and Nash are about to become cruise line entertainment. They will be the featured performers aboard the Queen Mary 2 during its trans-Atlantic crossing September 4th to the 11th. They will perform concerts, do question-and-answer sessions and sign autographs. Graham Nash says it will be a unique experience for the band and they look forward to making music, bringing back memories and making new ones. Find out more at www.Cunard.com .

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BEASTIE BOYS WANT MORE MONEY FROM MONSTER 

The Beastie Boys won a court victory against Monster Energy drink. Now they're going back to court to get Monster to pay up even more. In June, a federal court jury in New York awarded The Beastie Boys 1.7-million dollars after Monster used five of the group's songs without permission in a video that was online for five weeks. A judge upheld that ruling in December. The Beasties say the award doesn't even cover their legal fees because Monster failed to engage in good-faith negotiations and ran up the legal bill by trying to overturn the verdict after an eight-day trial. The Beasties say they should be awarded 2.38-million dollars in attorney's fees. Lawyers for Monster did not respond to calls for comment. 

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TLC LAUNCH KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN FOR NEW ALBUM 

TLC are asking fans to help fund their next record. T-Boz and Chilli are already writing it, and they're hoping to raise 150-thousand dollars through Kickstarter. Chilli says people may say, ``Hey, you are celebrities. Why can't you just pay for it yourself?'' She says it doesn't work that way. She says they also want to bring their fans into the process so they can see how it's done. Supporters of the album can make donations that will get them free music, VIP concert tickets, a custom-recorded voicemail from Chilli and T-Boz, or even an in-person fitness class taught by Chilli. They hope to have the record out by May when their tour starts. 

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AARON TIPPIN GETS HIS OWN WINE 

Aaron Tippin has now become Aaron Tippin'-one-back. Tippin has teamed with Stonehaus Winery in Crossville, Tennessee, for the Aaron Tippin Country Jam wine. It's a blackberry wine that will be on sale Valentine's Day. Tippin will perform at the winery and meet with fans on that day.

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 JIM ED BROWN RELEASES FIRST ALBUM IN THREE DECADES 

It's a big week for Jim Ed Brown. For one thing, Brown is releasing his first album in 30 years. It's called ``In Style Again'' and it features Vince Gill, Bobby Bare, The Whites, the rest of The Browns and his longtime duet partner, Helen Cornelius. For another thing, Brown also had a follow-up C-T scan yesterday to see how his cancer treatments have been going. Brown is feeling good and is hoping for a clean bill of health. 

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KONGOS ARE CITIZENS OF THE WORLD 

If you listen to the way the brothers in Kongos talk, it's hard to tell where they're from. Bassist Dylan Kongos says they have ``messed-up accents'' because three of them were born in London, then they moved to South Africa, where guitarist Danny Kongos was born, and now they live in Phoenix. Danny Kongos says Phoenix is home but he gets the most nostalgic for South Africa. He says they're stuck with the background they have, but he thinks a diverse background would help anybody. 

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PJ HARVEY RECORDS ALBUM AS PUBLIC ART PROJECT 

P-J Harvey is letting fans watch her create a new album without being able to see them. Harvey is recording an album at London's Somerset House within a glass box that has one-way glazing so she and her producers won't be distracted. She is selling tickets that allows fans to watch for 45 minutes at a time. No word on when Harvey plans to release the album.