New this week: Harry Styles, 'Angelyne' and 'The Valet'
This week’s new entertainment releases include Harry Styles' third solo album, a reboot of “Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers” that has attracted some top “Saturday Night Live” alums, and Emmy Rossum stars in a series about media personality Angelyne.
Murakami plays antiwar songs on radio to protest Ukraine war
Playing James Taylor’s “Never Die Young” and going back to songs that marked the antiwar movement in the 1960s, Japanese author Haruki Murakami added his voice to protests against the war in Ukraine with a special edition of his Tokyo radio show.
The Smokey Robinson tour stops by the Seminole Casino in Pompano Beach
Last week, the Motown legend Smokey Robinson graced the stage at the Seminole Casino Coconut Creek located in Pompano Beach, FL. “My grandmother used to play Smokey for me all the time” as a kid, mentions Palm Beach County resident Curtis Jones. Next, Smokey Robinson appears on stage looking as smooth as ever, not bad for an 81-year-old. “We came to have a good time”, yelled Robinson to the crowd as he removed his sequined blazer. Smokey Robinson has been revered as one of the greatest songwriters of all time.
thewestsidegazette.comIndian Music Industry Changes Its Tune To Adapt To The ‘New Normal’
Sanjeev Rathod of music composer duo Sanjeev-Darshan says the pandemic hit the Indian music industry but allowed new talent and the established ones to get into online platforms. “Apart from music companies, a lot of new music streaming platforms are coming up,” Rathod told Zenger News. In 2019, Spotify entered the Indian market already served by Amazon Music and home-grown music platforms such as Gaana, Wynk, and Saavn. The rise in music streaming platforms can be credited to listeners whose preferences are no longer limited to Bollywood. “Revenue that we get from online shows is not even 15 percent of what we were getting for live shows,” she said.
thewestsidegazette.comPaul Simon sells song catalog to Sony Music Publishing
Sony Music Publishing announced Wednesday, March. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK – Paul Simon is the latest icon to sell his rich catalog of songs. Sony Music Publishing announced Wednesday that it has acquired Simon's catalog, which includes six decades of music, from his time in Simon & Garfunkel to his solo career. Ad“I’m pleased to have Sony Music Publishing be the custodian of my songs for the coming decades. Sony Music Publishing also represents catalogs by Motown, Michael Jackson, The Beatles, Carole King, Stevie Wonder, Queen, Ashford & Simpson, Leonard Cohen and more.
Poet Amanda Gorman revisits inaugural triumph with Oprah
In this combination photo, Oprah Winfrey, left, attends the premiere of "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" on April 18, 2017, in New York and Amanda Gorman attends Porter's 3rd annual Incredible Women Gala on Oct. 9, 2018, in Los Angeles. Gorman revisits her inaugural poem that wowed observers, among them Oprah Winfrey, in the Apple TV+ series "The Oprah Conversation." (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP, left, and Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)LOS ANGELES – Amanda Gorman revisits her inauguration day poetry reading that wowed observers, among them Oprah Winfrey, in the Apple TV+ series “The Oprah Conversation.”The 23-year-old Gorman “stepped into a moment in history with enormous grace and dignity,” Winfrey said in a statement. The first National Youth Poet Laureate and the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, Gorman recited “The Hill We Climb” for the Jan. 20 swearing-in ceremony for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Others who have been interviewed for “The Oprah Conversation” include former President Barack Obama, Matthew McConaughey, Stevie Wonder and author Ibram X. Kendi.
The joy of music returns for Grammy winners, performers
Beyonce, left, and Megan Thee Stallion accept the award for best rap song for "Savage" at the 63rd annual Grammy Awards at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Sunday, March 14, 2021. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish made history at the Grammy Awards. Just as joyously, dozens of creators largely sidelined for a year due to the pandemic got to make music again. 's topical “I Can't Breathe” won song of the year and Megan Thee Stallion was named best new artist. ___This story has been corrected to show the ceremony was held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, not Staples Center.
Ladies night: Beyoncé, Swift make history as others win big
Four women won the top four prizes Sunday, including Swift, who became the first female performer to win album of the year three times. Beyoncé — with her 28th win — became the most decorated woman in Grammy history. And 9-year-old Blue Ivy Carter — who won best music video alongside her mother — became the second youngest act to win a Grammy in the show’s 63-year history. Megan Thee Stallion, who won three honors, also made history and became the first female rapper to win best rap song. She's also the fifth rap-based act to win best new artist.
Eddie Murphy to be inducted into NAACP Hall of Fame
FILE - In this Jan. 12, 2020, file photo, Eddie Murphy accepts the lifetime achievement award at the 25th annual Critics' Choice Awards in Santa Monica, Calif. Murphy will be inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame this month. The NAACP announced Thursday, March 11, 2021, that Murphy will be inducted during the March 27 ceremony, which will air on CBS. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)LOS ANGELES – Eddie Murphy will be inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame this month. The NAACP announced Thursday that Murphy will be inducted during the March 27 ceremony, which will air on CBS. The NAACP Image Awards honoring entertainers and writers of color will also simulcast on BET, MTV, VH1, MTV2, BET HER and LOGO.
George Floyd kin joins protest anthem album project
Terrence Floyd, brother of George Floyd, plays the drums with other artists during a recording session for an album of protest songs with the Rev. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)NEW YORK – Before a late night rehearsal in December, Terrence Floyd couldn’t remember the last time he squatted on a drum throne, sticks in hand and ready to perform. Surely, he said, it had not happened since his brother, George Floyd, died at the hands of police in Minneapolis last May, sparking a global reckoning over systemic racism and police brutality. Kevin McCall, a civil rights activist who said he believes an album of street-inspired protest anthems does not yet exist. AdSome historians cite Billie Holiday’s musical rendition of the Abel Meeropol poem, “Strange Fruit,” in 1939 as one of the sparks of the civil rights movement.
Chick Corea, jazz great with 23 Grammy Awards, dies at 79
FILE - Jazz pianist and composer Chick Corea poses for a portrait in Clearwater, Fla., on Sept. 4, 2020, to promote his new double album "Plays." Corea, a towering jazz pianist with a staggering 23 Grammy awards who pushed the boundaries of the genre and worked alongside Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock, has died. (Mike Carlson/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK – Chick Corea, a towering jazz pianist with a staggering 23 Grammy Awards who pushed the boundaries of the genre and worked alongside Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock, has died. He recorded and performed classical music, standards, solo originals, Latin jazz and tributes to great jazz pianists. In addition to his Grammy wins, Corea also had four Latin Grammy wins.
PJ Morton 1st artist in residence at Dillard University
Morton is the first artist in residence at a historically Black private university in New Orleans. Dillard University announced that Morton will teach master classes in songwriting, music publishing, studio production and talent management during the 2021-22 academic year. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)NEW ORLEANS – Grammy-winning musician PJ Morton is the first artist in residence at Dillard University, a historically Black private university in New Orleans. “I’m so excited to be partnering with Dillard University. His most recent project, “Gospel According to PJ,” is a Grammy nominee for this year’s best gospel album.
Questlove uncovers 'Black Woodstock' in his hit Sundance doc
The film will debut at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. (Sundance Film Festival via AP)Sundance Institute programs. Known as “Black Woodstock,” the festival occurred during the same summer as Woodstock — and just 100 miles away — but received far less attention. It debuted Thursday night at the Sundance Film Festival where it spawned immediate acclaim and countless at-home dance parties for virtual festivalgoers — a party Questlove extended with a live-streamed after-party DJ set. Morris Park for a celebration of soul, gospel, funk and, most of all of Black identity at a pivotal point in African American culture.
Despite bleak 2020, celebrities make effort to brighten year
(AP Photo)LOS ANGELES – Yes, 2020 may seem like a complete fail with all the constant bad news and tragic moments. It’s been filled with gloom and doom(scrolling), but some celebrities and those inspired by them have tried to brighten a bleak year. He reassigned his 10 seamstresses in New York to produce thousands daily for health care workers on the frontlines. The singer and husband Emilio Estefan's restaurant Estefan Kitchen served up homemade meals for health care workers in Miami. The challenge coordinated offers by celebrities and athletes to raise funds to feed those in need during the pandemic.
Star-studded benefit concert to honor nurses on Thanksgiving
All rights reserved)LOS ANGELES – Stevie Wonder, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan will be among the entertainers honoring nurses in a star-studded benefit virtual concert on Thanksgiving. Nurse Heroes announced Tuesday that the concert called Nurse Heroes Live will stream on the organization’s YouTube and Facebook along with LiveXLive on Nov. 26 at 7 p.m. EST. The benefit will provide money for a variety of programs including scholarships for nurses and their children. Taylor Swift will donate a signed collectible edition “Folklore" guitar, which will be auctioned for the benefit of the Nurses Heroes Foundation. The nurses of New York's Northwell Health will be the first beneficiaries of the concert.
Drake bests Aretha Franklin, Wonder to set Billboard record
1 hit on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart, Drake has bested a record previously held by icons Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder. Drake's “Laugh Now Cry Later," featuring rapper Lil Durk, reached the No. Wonder and Franklin, who died in 2018, each have had 20 songs top the chart. 1 hits on the R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart, 12 include him in the leading role, including “God’s Plan,” “In My Feelings,” “Hotline Bling,” “Hold On, We’re Going Home” and “Best I Ever Had,” his first major hit released in 2009. Earlier this year, 34-year-old Drake made Billboard chart history when he set a new record for most songs on the Hot 100 chart — Billboard's main songs chart that includes all music genres.
The Latest: Biden unleashes scathing attacks on Trump
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)WASHINGTON – The Latest on the presidential campaign (all times local):8 p.m.Joe Biden is letting loose against President Donald Trump in the final days of the presidential campaign. Noting Trump has called himself a “perfect physical specimen,” Biden, a devout Catholic, jokingly made the sign of the cross. The former president spoke Saturday at a drive-in rally at his first joint campaign event with Joe Biden. ___12:20 p.m.President Donald Trump says the nation is at a crossroads as Election Day approaches. But the Biden campaign is looking to capitalize on the favorable political environment in the state as the coronavirus pandemic drags down President Donald Trump in typically GOP-leaning states.
Biden, Obama make a final appeal to Michigan’s Black voters
Throughout the day, Trump and Biden, both septuagenarians, threw stinging barbs at one another that at moments verged into schoolyard taunt territory. I love Joe Biden, and he will be a great president," Obama said Saturday. The press for Michigan’s Black voters comes after voting was down roughly 15% in Flint and Detroit four years ago — a combined 48,000-plus votes in a state Trump carried by about 10,700 votes. Trump told Pennsylvania voters that his administration has done “an incredible job” dealing with the pandemic. “We’re gonna beat this virus and get it under control and the first step to doing that is beating Donald Trump," Biden said.
Obama skewers Trump while joining Biden on the campaign trail in Michigan
Former President Obama joined Joe Biden, his former vice president, on the campaign trail in Michigan on Saturday, calling this the "most important election of our lifetimes" and skewering President Trump. These were the first joint appearances by Mr. Obama and Biden during the 2020 election. Mr. Obama called Biden his "brother," and said his former running mate "will be a great president." Mr. Obama talked about the importance of down ballot races, from congressional races to local district attorney races. Not making things perfect, but making things better," Mr. Obama said.
cbsnews.comStevie Wonder releases 2 new songs, gives health update
Wonder released two new songs Tuesday reflecting the current times that he hopes inspires change. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK – Stevie Wonder released two new songs Tuesday reflecting the current times that he hopes inspires change. Wonder said he started writing “Where Is Our Love Song” when he was 18. It’s just a hard break.”All proceeds from “Where Is Our Love Song” — which features Grammy-winning guitarist Gary Clark Jr. — will benefit Feeding America. You see color, don’t act like you don’t see color, you do.
Japanese fashion designer Kansai Yamamoto dies at 76
TOKYO Japanese fashion designer Kansai Yamamoto, known for his avant-garde and colorful work that included flamboyant costumes of the late rock icon David Bowie, has died of leukemia, his company said Monday. Yamamoto developed leukemia in February and was determined to recover and come back with renewed energy, said the company, Kansai Yamamoto. Born in 1944 in Yokohama, near Tokyo, Yamamoto debuted in 1971, becoming the first Japanese fashion designer to hold a show in London. He became internationally known for blending traditional Japanese motifs with brilliant colors and bold designs. He contributed to collections in Tokyo, New York and Paris for nearly two decades until 1992 and produced the Kansai Super Show and Nippon Genki Project."
Get ready: Motown Museum reopens after 4-month closure
Studio A is seen at the Motown Museum, Wednesday, July 15, 2020, in Detroit. The Detroit building where Berry Gordy Jr. built his music empire reopened its doors to the public on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)DETROIT Get ready, because the Motown Museum is back in business. The Detroit building where Berry Gordy Jr. built his music empire reopened its doors to the public on Wednesday. That's probably the most celebrated change at Motown Museum, Terry said.
The Five Best Concerts in South Florida This Week
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 18 at Culture Room, 3045 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale; 954-564-1074; cultureroom.net. Stay ahead of upcoming shows with New Times' South Florida concert schedule. 8 p.m. Friday, February 21 at Broward Center for Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954-462-0222; browardcenter.org. 8 p.m. Friday, February 21 at Invasive Species Brewing, 726 NE Second Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 754-666-2687; invasivespeciesbrewing.com. 8 p.m. Saturday, February 22 at Broward Center for Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954-462-0222; browardcenter.org.
browardpalmbeach.comFoolish Advice November 24 at Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center
In Search of Inspiration: Berry Gordy Jr.By Spence Finlayson NASSAU, Bahamas Imagine a world without Diana Ross and The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Gladys Knight and The Pips, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles and The Four Tops. You have just imagined a world without Berry Gordy Jr. I grew up in the Bahamas []
sflcn.comReggae Jam 2019 Meeting of the Legends Steele Pulse and Inner Circle | South Florida Caribbean News
In Search of Inspiration: Berry Gordy Jr.By Spence Finlayson NASSAU, Bahamas Imagine a world without Diana Ross and The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Gladys Knight and The Pips, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles and The Four Tops. You have just imagined a world without Berry Gordy Jr. I grew up in the Bahamas []
sflcn.comIn Search of Inspiration: Berry Gordy Jr.
You have just imagined a world without Berry Gordy Jr. I grew up in the Bahamas in the sixties and seventies listening to the wonderful sounds of Motown, the record company that Berry Gordy founded. Berry Gordy and his Motown music have always been a source of inspiration for me. Berry Gordy Jr was born to a middle-class family and he shattered the color barrier in the American entertainment industry. And after five and twenty years, theres a chance and everyone wants it, that it will happen to them and all will live happily ever after. We love you Berry , very much.In 1988 Berry Gordy sold Motown Records to MCA for $61 million.
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