CYNDI LAUPER

When Joni Mitchell finally took the stage near the end of an all-star tribute concert honoring her as this year’s recipient of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, she opted to perform a cover rather than one of her own songs.

Popular composer Burt Bacharach has died at 94.

Missy Elliott, Willie Nelson, Kate Bush, Iron Maiden, Cyndi Lauper, Soundgarden, Sheryl Crow and the late George Michael are nominees for 2023 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a list that includes a mix of country, soul, hip-hop, metal, pop, rap-rock and grunge.

This week’s new entertainment releases include an live posthumous album from Tom Petty, the criminal profile spinoff series “Criminal Minds: Evolution,” a documentary about the plucky Mars Rover Opportunity and a TV series that focuses on the backstage melodrama at the Chippendale’s male strip clubs.

Generations of artists paid tribute to the five-decade career of Joni Mitchell, who was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year at a gala two days before the Grammys.

The Grammys might be missing stars like Drake, The Weeknd and Kanye West as a performer, but the biggest night in music could still shine bright on the Las Vegas Strip.

Chaka Khan, Cyndi Lauper and Beck will be among those performing in tribute to Joni Mitchell when she’s honored as the 2022 MusiCares Person of the Year by the Recording Academy.

Ken Kragen, a top entertainment producer, manager and philanthropist who turned to such clients as Lionel Richie and Kenny Rogers in helping to organize the 1985 all-star charity single “We Are the World,” has died.

Lil Nas X won video of the year at Sundays MTV VMAs on a night that Justin Bieber triumphantly returned to the stage as a performer and as winner of the artist of the year.

Dr. Luke appeared as Tyson Trax on the Grammy ballot for Doja Cat's Say So," which he produced and co-wrote. But not all of the academy members may have been aware they were voting for Dr. Luke when they completed their ballots this year. Ad“I didn’t know that Tyson Trax was Dr. Luke. AdTogether, Martin and Dr. Luke crafted hits for Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry, Pink and Kesha, who he signed in 2005. Eventually Dr. Luke stepped into the forefront, helming successes for Miley Cyrus, Pitbull, Nicki Minaj and Flo Rida, logging 17 No.

FILE - In this May 14, 2019 file photo, Ryan Seacrest attends the Walt Disney Television 2019 upfront in New York. Most folks have slowed down in the past nine months but Seacrest says he's been juggling more than normal during the pandemic. This week, he will return to New York's Times Square to host Dick Clark New Years Rockin Eve. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK – Ryan Seacrest will have a special pair of guests alongside the music stars at this year's New Year's Eve celebration on ABC — the president-elect and the future first lady. “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2021" will run until 2 a.m. Eastern on Jan. 1.

Gaynor will sing her anthem, "I Will Survive" during the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square as a celebration of perseverance, honoring essential workers. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK – The New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square will be a celebration of perseverance, honoring essential workers and featuring Gloria Gaynor singing her anthem, “I Will Survive," organizers said Tuesday. The broadcasts that usually set up shop in Times Square will be there, including “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2021,” which will have a performance from Jennifer Lopez. Organizers said they would be honoring essential workers as the “Heroes of 2020" and designate a group of them as Special Guests, an annual tradition since the 1990s. Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance, said in a statement, “This year, it feels most appropriate to shine a spotlight on the individuals who are tirelessly leading our nation through hard times with unshakable strength, determination and poise.”

NEW YORK – Jennifer Lopez will help bring in the New Year with a headlining performance in New York’s Time Square for “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2021." Other performers include Cyndi Lauper, Billy Porter and Jimmie Allen. Lauper and Porter collaborated on the Broadway musical “Kinky Boots" and they will join forces for a special performance during the TV special, which will air on ABC at 8 p.m. Eastern. “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2021" will run until 2 a.m. Eastern on Jan. 1. Seacrest is returning to host the event for a 16th year, and he will be joined by Porter and Lucy Hale in New York.

(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, 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.

On Monday, Collins cast her vote against Trump’s pick without any speech and quickly headed home to Maine to try to save her political career. Her vote in favor of Kavanaugh rallied Democrats against her and angered some moderate supporters, while her vote against Barrett may not do much to win them back. She's also attacking Collins’ vote for Trump's tax cuts that she says favored the rich over working-class Mainers. Collins said she voted against Barrett out of fairness to Democrats, who were denied an election-year vote on then-President Barack Obama’s nominee in 2016. And she’s a Republican,” Lauper told the crowd as she walked Collins to the center of the stage.

NEW YORK – Broadway and the world of drag will combine later this month for a streaming variety show to promote voter participation that promises plenty of show tunes and a lot of fierce lipstick. “Divas For Democracy: United We Slay” will feature Broadway stars such as Chita Rivera and Stephanie J. Block singing theater songs while their drag counterparts from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” “match their vocal prowess with lip sync passion and style,” according to organizers. There's a minimum $5 donation and all proceeds benefit Drag Out the Vote, a national, nonpartisan voter engagement nonprofit. The divas of drag include stars of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” such as Alaska, Jinkx Monsoon, Jujubee, Valentina, Peppermint, Cynthia Lee Fontaine, Shuga Cain, Honey Davenport, Brita Filter, Marti Gould Cummings and Pixie Aventura.

FILE - This May 28, 2019 file photo shows Singer Harry Connick Jr. with his daughter Georgia at a special screening of "Pavarotti" in New York. The special will air June 21 and will follow host Connick Jr. and his filmmaker-daughter Georgia on road trip celebrating and thanking essential workers during the coronavirus pandemic. With the help of his daughter, Georgia Connick, who is a filmmaker, and a bunch of GoPro cameras, he embarked on a pandemic road trip to meet essential workers around the country who were risking their lives during the pandemic. “I just want to reach out and meet some of these folks, sanitation workers or elementary school teachers or people that are working at food banks,” said Harry Connick. “It was highly emotional,” said Harry Connick.

FILE - This May 28, 2019 file photo shows Singer Harry Connick Jr. with his daughter Georgia at a special screening of "Pavarotti" in New York. The Grammys is putting together an event featuring Brad Pitt, Oprah Winfrey, Herbie Hancock and Harry Connick, Jr. to honor essential workers across America. It will follow host Connick Jr. and his filmmaker-daughter Georgia on road trip celebrating and thanking essential workers during the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK – The Grammys is putting together an event featuring Brad Pitt, Oprah Winfrey, Herbie Hancock and Harry Connick, Jr. to honor essential workers across America. Winfrey, Pitt, Sandra Bullock, Queen Latifah, Renée Zellweger and Drew Brees will also deliver special messages to workers.

It's time to thank Jane Lynch and Cyndi Lauper for being a friend. Lynch won an Emmy Sunday night at the Creative Arts Emmys for her guest role in "Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and revealed that she and Lauper (who must be friends) are developing a show together for Netflx, and it will be comparable to the classic show "The Golden Girls," according to Variety. Im almost 60 and shes 65, and were looking for our next act, without ever having had husbands of children, Lynch said of the show. And there will be two other people who havent been cast yet. But its kind of a 'Golden Girls' for today.This sounds wildly fun, and if they want to make every "Golden Girls" fan dreams come true, we'll see Betty White pop up in this.