AP - Jerry Reed, a singer who appeared in the "Smokey and the Bandit" movies, has died of complications from emphysema at age 71, his longtime booking agent said Tuesday. -- read full article
Reuters - The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization
is in talks to sell its catalog of Broadway musical show tunes
and standards to major music companies for between $150 million
and $200 million, according to people familiar with the matter.
AP - The dramatic struggle played out backstage, pitting the great-grandchildren of composer Richard Wagner for control of the legendary festival dedicated to his music.
Reuters - AC/DC fans in Australia are
stocking up on the hard rock band's back catalog in preparation
for the October 18 release of its first album in eight years.
Reuters - A year after the release of his new
album, singer/songwriter Matt Nathanson is seeing a fresh round
of old-fashioned attention turn toward the project. -- read full article
AP - When Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans three years ago, celebrities reacted with a mix of grief, outrage and generosity. All-star telethons raised millions for storm victims, Kanye West and others derided the government's response — even Sean Penn went to the region to personally assist in rescue efforts. -- read full article
Reuters - With inspiring lyrics and
easy-to-sing melodies, Chris Tomlin creates music that has
saturated church worship services and Christian radio airwaves.
Reuters - The biggest metalcore band in the
land happens to be a Christian sextet that, for a second time,
is primed to crash into the upper echelons of the Billboard
200. -- read full article
Reuters - For 10 years, Lila Downs has
crisscrossed the continent in the traditional Oaxacan garb of
her mother's homeland, singing rancheras and cumbias to
performing arts center patrons and regular folks alike. -- read full article
Reuters - Mellow music king Jack
Johnson gave summer a gentle sendoff Sunday night, turning a
massive stage at UCLA's Intramural Field into a breezy
beachfront shack. All that was missing was the sound of rolling
waves and grains of sand, though some women kicked off shoes or
sandals to dance slowly in the grass anyway.
