Sufjan Stevens is relearning to walk after Guillain-Barre Syndrome left him immobile, hospitalized
Grammy- and Oscar-nominated indie musician Sufjan Stevens is relearning how to walk after the autoimmune disease Guillain-Barre Syndrome left him immobile, representatives confirmed to The Associated Press.
Erivo on near-EGOT status: 'Iโm just going to keep working'
FILE - Actress Cynthia Erivo poses for a portrait during the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Sept. 10, 2019. Erivo portrays Aretha Franklin in the National Geographic miniseries Genius: Aretha. (Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK โ โThe Color Purpleโ turned into Grammy, Tony and Emmy gold for Cynthia Erivo. The performerโs brilliant performance in the Broadway revival won her the 2016 Tony for best actress in a musical. โI guess I didnโt expect to be this close this soon,โ Erivo told The Associated Press of her almost-EGOT status.
Odom Jr., H.E.R., Andra Day score Golden Globe music nods
This combination photo shows Leslie Odom Jr. posing for a portrait on Nov. 8, 2019 in New York, from left, H.E.R. On Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021, Leslie Odom Jr., H.E.R. and Andra Day were announced along with Celeste and Diane Warren as the Golden Globe nominees for best original song. Day and Odom Jr. follow the footsteps of Mary J. Blige, Lady Gaga and Cynthia Erivo, who all recently scored acting and music nods in a single year. However, the tracks can compete for best original song at the Oscars.
Her past: Billie Eilish photo book coming in May
FILE - Billie Eilish arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Grand Central Publishing announced Tuesday that the book is called "Billie Eilish." "Billie Eilish" includes text but will mostly consist of photos. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)NEW YORK โ At age 19, Billie Eilish is already looking back. The book is called โBillie Eilishโ and, according to Grand Central, will โcapture the essence of Billie inside and out, offering readers personal glimpses into her childhood, her life on tour, and more.โโBillie Eilish" includes text but is โpredominantlyโ photos, the publisher said.
K.T. Oslin, country singer of โ80's Ladies,โ dies at 78
Oslin, who hit it big with the 1987 hit 80s Ladies and won three Grammy awards, has died. Oslin, who hit it big with the 1987 hit โ80โฒs Ladiesโ and won three Grammy awards, has died. Her albums โ80โฒs Ladiesโ and โThis Womanโ both sold more than 1 million copies. Oslin had one of the most soulful voices in Country Music and was a strong influence for women with her hit โ80โs Ladies,'" said Sarah Trahern, CEO of the Country Music Association. Always outspoken, she said in a 1990 Associated Press interview that country music was not necessarily her favorite genre.
Brandi Carlile memoir 'Broken Horses' coming in April
NEW YORK โ Grammy winner Brandi Carlile has a memoir coming in April. Her publisher calls the book an โevocative and piercingly honestโ journey through the life that has shaped her โvery raw art.โCrown announced Thursday that Carlile's book is called โBroken Horses,โ and that Carlile herself will read the audio edition. The 39-year-old singer-songwriter-instrumentalist is known for such songs as โThe Storyโ and โThe Joke" and for her album โBy the Way, I Forgive You.โAccording to Crown, Carlile will write about her โdysfunctional but loving family,โ her years of โsleepless toursโ and her collaborations with everyone from Elton John to Tanya Tucker.
Lil Baby, Roddy Ricch, Taylor Swift win Apple Music Awards
FILE - Roddy Ricch performs at the 7th annual BET Experience in Los Angeles on June 21, 2019. Ricch, whose successful year included a Grammy win, No. 1 song, won two Apple Music honors that were based on streaming data. His debut album, Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial," has been streamed more than 1.5 billion times on the platform and was named top album of the year. (Photo by Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP, File)
Killer Mike to earn Change Maker Award at Billboard Awards
NEW YORK โ Grammy-winning rapper and social-political activist Killer Mike will receive the first Billboard Change Maker Award at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards. Atlanta-born Killer Mike first made waves in music with his appearance on Outkast's 2000 album, โStankonia." But Killer Mike has made noise outside of music, too. Last year he hosted Netflix's โTrigger Warning with Killer Mike," a 2019 documentary series about issues affected the Black community. The Billboard Change Maker Award will be presented by Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms at the African American Panoramic Experience Museum in Atlanta.
J Balvin, Roddy Ricch no longer performing at MTV VMAs
NEW YORK Grammy-winning rapper Roddy Ricch and Colombian superstar J Balvin will no longer perform at the MTV Video Music Awards. The MTV VMAs will air on Sunday at 8 p.m. My team and I are safe and everyones health is a main priority, as well as giving a quality performance," Ricch said. STAY SAFE.A representative for Balvin confirmed on Monday that he would no longer perform at the event, but no details were provided. This years show introduces two new categories reflecting the current pandemic times: best music video from home and best quarantine performance.
Country group Lady Antebellum changes name to Lady A
NASHVILLE, Tenn. โ Grammy-winning country group Lady Antebellum is changing its name to Lady A, with members saying they are regretful and embarrassed for not taking into consideration the wordโs associations with slavery. The band, made up of Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood, made the announcement Thursday on their social media. 1 country hit โI Run To You," then it achieved crossover success on the pop charts with the nine-times platinum โNeed You Now." They have also won numerous Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music awards during their nearly 14 year career. Band members said that in recent weeks, their eyes have been opened to โblindspots we didn't even know existed" and "the injustices, inequality and biases black women and men have always faced."
Cardi B's pledge to seek Nigerian citizenship sparks rivalry
LAGOS โ Cardi B's announcement that she wants to seek Nigerian citizenship has set off a Twitter feud between her West African fans in friendly rivals Nigeria and Ghana. I'm filing for my Nigerian citizenship," she tweeted. But most Nigerian fans were quick to offer up a passport exchange, underscoring the mix of pride and confusion that the 27-year-old star would prefer Nigeria to America. It was not immediately clear how the rapper might acquire citizenship in Nigeria, though a number of celebrities have recently been given honorary citizenship in other African countries. And fellow rapper Ludacris recently acquired citizenship in Gabon after marrying a woman from the Central African nation.
Michelle Obama, Gaga, J. Lo to join Oprah on wellness tour
NEW YORK, NY โ Oprah Winfreyโs going on tour, and sheโs bringing a rock-star lineup with her, including former first lady Michelle Obama and Grammy- and Oscar-winner Lady Gaga. Live Nation announced Wednesday that Winfreyโs wellness arena tour with WW (Weight Watchers Reimagined) โ dubbed โOprahโs 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focusโ โ will also include guest appearances from Jennifer Lopez, Dwayne Johnson, Amy Schumer, Tina Fey, Tracee Ellis Ross and Kate Hudson. On the tour, Winfrey will hold one-on-one conversations with the superstars, first with Gaga on January 4, 2020, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The nine-city tour will also visit St. Paul, Minnesota (Fey); Charlotte, North Carolina (Schumer); Atlanta (Johnson); Brooklyn, New York (Obama); Dallas (Ellis Ross); San Francisco (Hudson); and Los Angeles (Lopez). Winfrey will wrap the tour on March 7 in Denver with BFF Gayle King.
Brian Setzer cancels Lynchburg performance due to severe case of tinnitus
LYNCHBURG, Va. - An iconic guitarist, songwriter, vocalist and three-time Grammy award-winner has been forced to cancel his performance in Lynchburg due to a severe case of tinnitus. tour, which includes a Nov. 23 performance in Lynchburg at the Academy Center of the Arts' Historic Academy Theatre. "The Academy Center of the Arts says box office staff will refund tickets at the point of purchase. Anyone who purchased with cash or check will be contacted by box office staff within five business days to arrange a refund. For more information, call the Academy Center of the Arts' box office at 434-846-8499.
Now-famous Roanoke restaurant caters Kacey Musgraves' tour after-party
The owner closed down the Roanoke restaurant at the end of last week to cater for his newest regular: Grammy award-winning country singer Kacey Musgraves. That's when Musgraves and the band asked if they'd cater the wrap party after her last tour stop in Nashville on Friday. "Some of the artists don't eat meat, so we had to prepare vegan food, Caribbean food, soul food," Williams said. The Williams family even got to meet Musgraves' whole family. "Good food could bring music and artists together and make things happen like what happened for us."
Keep Going: Mike Posner Completes Walk Across America
Taking his own advice, Mike Posner has just completed his walk across America. The caption simply reads, My name is Mike Posner and I walked across America. It was so severe he had to be hospitalized before learning to walk again through physical therapy. I wanted to stay broken so everyone could keep spoiling me.In all, Posner says he walked nearly 3,000 miles. Keep going, Posner said.
busbee, Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer, dies
(CNN) - Grammy-nominated U.S. songwriter and producer busbee has died, music publishing company Warner Chappell Music (WCM) confirmed. "Our hearts are broken by the loss of our friend busbee," WCM said in a statement posted to Twitter on Monday. The Californian songwriter and producer, whose name was Michael James Ryan, was known professionally as "busbee," and worked with artists including Pink, Shakira, and Keith Urban, Variety magazine reported. As well as finding success in pop music, busbee was also recognized in country music. The-CNN-Wire & 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company.
'Queen of Bluegrass' questioned by FBI after scammers strike
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Rhonda Vincent, the singer known as the Queen of Bluegrass, now knows that the nerves of performing for videos, going on tour and waiting to see if she won a Grammy scarcely compares to being questioned by the FBI. But the reason she had been called in to the Nashville FBI headquarters was no laughing matter. Turns out Rhonda Vincent had made the request, just not the real Rhonda Vincent. Vincent is among the celebrities that are being spoofed by online scammers. While the FBI couldn't address Vincent's case, Richard Baer, a supervising special agent said overseas scammers are trolling celebrity interactions.
How Kacey Musgraves Turned a Struggling Mom-and-Pop Shop Into an Overnight Sensation
Country-music star Kacey Musgraves just turned a struggling mom-and-pop photo shop into an overnight sensation. We were just in LA and needed to find a One Hour Photo place quick. His new Instagram account, which Musgraves and her team created, has gained more than 40,000 followers in just three days. "Kacey posted the Instagram yesterday and my friend sent it to me and was like, You have to go, immediately,'" she said. Tom told Inside Edition that Musgraves promised to help him.
Tool releases first album in 13 years
FreeImages.com/paolo ferla(CNN) - It's been 13 long years for fans of the American rock band Tool but finally, the wait for new music is over. 'Fear Inoculum,' Tool's first album since 2006's '10,000 Days,' was released on streaming platforms at midnight, and fans can listen on Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal. "We all have our own things going on lives, families, other projects, other interests so it's ready when it's ready. I think that's what we all wanted." As if that's not enough, Tool also announced a series of North American tour dates this fall.
Ciara and Macklemore bring new vibe to Seattle Sounders
(CNN) - Grammy award-winning singer Ciara and rap star Macklemore of "Thrift Shop" fame have joined Seattle Sounders' new ownership group. Ciara's husband Russell Wilson, the 2014 Super Bowl winning quarterback with the Seattle Seahawks, is also part of the group. "It's an honor to join the Sounders team and have the unique opportunity to represent female ownership within major league sports," said Ciara, who entered mainstream prominence with her platinum-selling debut album "Goodies" in 2004. Seattle native Macklemore was equally excited. "We want to bring the best soccer players in the world to Seattle," he said.
Singer Mike Posner suffers snakebite
David McNew/Getty Images(CNN) - Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Mike Posner says he was airlifted to a Colorado hospital after he was bitten by a baby rattlesnake. Posner, who is known for writing songs such as "Cooler Than Me" and "I Took a Pill in Ibiza," posted an Instagram video of himself Friday on a hospital gurney. Posner said he was able to get the anti-venom in time, but will have to stay in the hospital for a couple of days and will not be able to walk for weeks. According to his social media, Posner is walking across the US and releasing a song in each state. But for now, he says he is taking a break from the walk to enjoy a bed and air conditioning.
Elton John celebrates 29 years of sobriety
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty ImagesLONDON - Elton John already has a list of accomplishments to be proud of. The Grammy winner celebrated 29 years of being sober by looking back at a time he said he was a "broken man." "Thank you to all the selfless people who have helped me on my journey through sobriety," he said on Instagram. And according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, about 88,000 people die across the country from alcohol-related causes each year. In May, the film "Rocketman," which depicts John's rise to fame and stars British actor Taron Egerton, debuted at the US box office.