Under a fingernail moon, surrounded by the silhouettes of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Highlands, North Carolina, JJ Grey & Mofro took a moment to soak in the beauty of this year’s Bear Shadow music festival.
“This song is about my love affair with the ocean,” Grey noted of his native Jacksonville, Florida, before launching into “The Sea,” the first tune from his latest album, Olustee. “And I know y’all got a love affair with these mountains.”
In its fourth installment, Bear Shadow has established itself as one of...
“This song is about my love affair with the ocean,” Grey noted of his native Jacksonville, Florida, before launching into “The Sea,” the first tune from his latest album, Olustee. “And I know y’all got a love affair with these mountains.”
In its fourth installment, Bear Shadow has established itself as one of...
- 5/21/2024
- by Garret K. Woodward
- Rollingstone.com
At A Down-home Eatery near his waterfront home on Florida’s west coast in 2017, Dickey Betts, stout and white-haired but still evoking his youthful intensity, was asked about his imposing reputation. “People are a little bit standoffish because they think if they say something wrong, I’ll be aggressive or something with them,” he told Rolling Stone, adding with his drawl, “But I’m not like that at all. Unless you start saying shit that’s really demeaning, and then I won’t hesitate to …” Betts didn’t finish the sentence,...
- 5/15/2024
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
The only person who believed in David Bowie’s vision of “Young Americans” more than Bowie himself was David Sanborn. The saxophonist, who was trained in jazz, had broken into the pop world as a member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and by guesting on Stevie Wonder’s Talking Book. Sanborn, who died Sunday, was in his late 20s when he linked up with Bowie for the Diamond Dogs Tour — he’s featured on the David Live double-album — and joined him in the studio for the recording of Bowie...
- 5/14/2024
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
David Sanborn, the multi-genre saxophonist who performed with David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Carly Simon, James Taylor, and many more, has died. He was 78 years old.
Sanborn’s passing was confirmed on Monday via a post on his social media. “It is with sad and heavy hearts that we convey to you the loss of internationally renowned, six-time Grammy Award-winning, saxophonist, David Sanborn,” the post read. “Mr. Sanborn passed Sunday afternoon, May 12th, after an extended battle with prostate cancer with complications.”
Born in 1945, Sanbron was introduced to the saxophone during his childhood as a means of recovering from polio. By the time he was 14, he had the opportunity to perform with blues legends like Albert King and Little Milton, the first of his many, many collaborations.
In 1967, he joined The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, whom he played with at Woodstock two years later. In the early ‘70s, he began performing with more artists,...
Sanborn’s passing was confirmed on Monday via a post on his social media. “It is with sad and heavy hearts that we convey to you the loss of internationally renowned, six-time Grammy Award-winning, saxophonist, David Sanborn,” the post read. “Mr. Sanborn passed Sunday afternoon, May 12th, after an extended battle with prostate cancer with complications.”
Born in 1945, Sanbron was introduced to the saxophone during his childhood as a means of recovering from polio. By the time he was 14, he had the opportunity to perform with blues legends like Albert King and Little Milton, the first of his many, many collaborations.
In 1967, he joined The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, whom he played with at Woodstock two years later. In the early ‘70s, he began performing with more artists,...
- 5/14/2024
- by Jo Vito
- Consequence - Music
David Sanborn, beloved jazz saxophonist who is credited on songs for Stevie Wonder, David Bowie and many more, died Sunday. He was 78.
A message posted to the musician’s social media page confirmed the news, noting that Sanborn had been battling prostate cancer for the past few years. “Mr. Sanborn had been dealing with prostate cancer since 2018, but had been able to maintain his normal schedule of concerts until just recently. Indeed he already had concerts scheduled into 2025,” the message reads. “David Sanborn was a seminal figure in contemporary pop and jazz music. It has been said that he ‘put the saxophone back into Rock ’n Roll.’”
It is with sad and heavy hearts that we convey to you the loss of internationally renowned, 6 time Grammy Award-winning, saxophonist, David Sanborn. Mr. Sanborn passed Sunday afternoon, May 12th, after an extended battle with prostate cancer with complications. pic.twitter.com/VyW...
A message posted to the musician’s social media page confirmed the news, noting that Sanborn had been battling prostate cancer for the past few years. “Mr. Sanborn had been dealing with prostate cancer since 2018, but had been able to maintain his normal schedule of concerts until just recently. Indeed he already had concerts scheduled into 2025,” the message reads. “David Sanborn was a seminal figure in contemporary pop and jazz music. It has been said that he ‘put the saxophone back into Rock ’n Roll.’”
It is with sad and heavy hearts that we convey to you the loss of internationally renowned, 6 time Grammy Award-winning, saxophonist, David Sanborn. Mr. Sanborn passed Sunday afternoon, May 12th, after an extended battle with prostate cancer with complications. pic.twitter.com/VyW...
- 5/13/2024
- by Rania Aniftos, Billboard
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Smooth jazz saxophonist David Sanborn, who played on recordings by Stevie Wonder, James Brown, and Carly Simon and performed live with David Bowie and the Rolling Stones, died in Tarrytown, New York, on Sunday afternoon. A rep confirmed the news to Rolling Stone. A message on Sanborn’s social media cited complications after an extended battle with prostate cancer. He was 78.
“Mr. Sanborn had been dealing with prostate cancer since 2018 but had been able to maintain his normal schedule of concerts until just recently,” the message said. “Indeed he already...
“Mr. Sanborn had been dealing with prostate cancer since 2018 but had been able to maintain his normal schedule of concerts until just recently,” the message said. “Indeed he already...
- 5/13/2024
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
G. Love & Special Sauce’s self-titled debut album was an out-of-left-field record upon its release in May 1994. An innovative concoction of rock, hip-hop, blues, and jazz music, its lead single “Cold Beverages” quickly overtook radio stations coast-to-coast that summer, but the band was none the wiser of its unusual, unexpected success.
“It was getting played on MTV, played on Beavis and Butt-Head,” G. Love tells Rolling Stone. “It was a hit record, but we didn’t know it was blowing up ‘cause we were doing 250 shows a year in a...
“It was getting played on MTV, played on Beavis and Butt-Head,” G. Love tells Rolling Stone. “It was a hit record, but we didn’t know it was blowing up ‘cause we were doing 250 shows a year in a...
- 5/5/2024
- by Garret K. Woodward
- Rollingstone.com
Any photographer who shoots what’s happening in the gleaming, raw, people-packed carnival of New York City — the stores and walls and towers and alleyways, the celebrities, the endless cross-section of humanity — already has an artistic leg up. But the other leg is what he or she does with it. Weegee shot the violent night world of sin and crime. Diane Arbus captured the hidden freak show and showed us its humanity. Alfred Eisenstaedt and William Klein caught the hurly-burly of the everyday. But as you watch “Uncropped,” an addictive look at the life and work of the magazine and newspaper photographer James Hamilton, you may think: He’s the greatest New York photographer of them all.
Hamilton’s black-and-white images — in the documentary, we see hundreds of them — have a burnished tactility, and a psychology so effortless that every one of them tells a story. The photographs are gallery beautiful,...
Hamilton’s black-and-white images — in the documentary, we see hundreds of them — have a burnished tactility, and a psychology so effortless that every one of them tells a story. The photographs are gallery beautiful,...
- 4/24/2024
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Ron Weiner, a Daytime Emmy-winning director for Donahue who also worked at WGN Chicago for 25 years, has died. He was 93.
He died in Baltimore on March 18, where he was living in a nursing home, Howard Weiner told The Hollywood Reporter. His cause of death was not immediately available.
Born in 1930 in Chicago, Weiner was the first in his family to attend college. He completed a two-year undergraduate program at the University of Illinois at Navy Pier before enrolling at Columbia College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in speech.
After attending the Navy’s Officer Candidate School and spending three years at Naval Station Argentia as a communications officer, Weiner began his career in television in 1956 with Chicago Tribune-owned WGN-tv. Starting as a prop man, he eventually worked his way up to staff director by 1960, directing several different WGN programs.
Then in 1974, when Phil Donahue moved his talk show to WGN,...
He died in Baltimore on March 18, where he was living in a nursing home, Howard Weiner told The Hollywood Reporter. His cause of death was not immediately available.
Born in 1930 in Chicago, Weiner was the first in his family to attend college. He completed a two-year undergraduate program at the University of Illinois at Navy Pier before enrolling at Columbia College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in speech.
After attending the Navy’s Officer Candidate School and spending three years at Naval Station Argentia as a communications officer, Weiner began his career in television in 1956 with Chicago Tribune-owned WGN-tv. Starting as a prop man, he eventually worked his way up to staff director by 1960, directing several different WGN programs.
Then in 1974, when Phil Donahue moved his talk show to WGN,...
- 4/13/2024
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
U.K. distribution powerhouse Dcd Rights is announcing strong pre-sales for its musical legend laden slate at MipTV.
The remastered release of “David Bowie: Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders from Mars” in stunning 4K leads the pack with a pre-sale to Nhk Japan already in place. Premiering to market at MipTV is “Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision.” The doc lifts the lid on the creation of the legendary studio, a former nightclub which had played host to Chuck Berry and Bb King before its reincarnation into the recording home of the heir apparent to the guitar god throne. Pre-sold to Sky in the U.K., it will air on Sky Arts later in 2024., James Anderson, sales manager at Dcd Rights, told Variety.
Recent years have seen the Beatles, Bob Dylan, and Leonard Cohen all given the high end doc treatment, nostalgia seeming a powerful draw. Dcd Rights’ slate...
The remastered release of “David Bowie: Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders from Mars” in stunning 4K leads the pack with a pre-sale to Nhk Japan already in place. Premiering to market at MipTV is “Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision.” The doc lifts the lid on the creation of the legendary studio, a former nightclub which had played host to Chuck Berry and Bb King before its reincarnation into the recording home of the heir apparent to the guitar god throne. Pre-sold to Sky in the U.K., it will air on Sky Arts later in 2024., James Anderson, sales manager at Dcd Rights, told Variety.
Recent years have seen the Beatles, Bob Dylan, and Leonard Cohen all given the high end doc treatment, nostalgia seeming a powerful draw. Dcd Rights’ slate...
- 4/8/2024
- by Callum McLennan
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Waves) has been set to lead a new, untitled Universal feature project from director Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) and producer Pharrell Williams (Hidden Figures), according to multiple sources, who also tell us that 2024 Academy Award winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers) is in talks.
Universal declined comment. But the film is said to be a coming-of-age musical, set in 1977 Virginia Beach, which draws inspiration from Williams’ childhood growing up in the city’s Atlantis Apartments.
Martin Hynes (Toy Story 4) and Steven Levenson penned the script. Williams and Mimi Valdés will produce through i am Other, alongside Gil Netter for Gil Netter Productions.
Known for roles in Trey Edward Shults’ Waves, Joe Wright’s Cyrano, Nat Geo’s Genius: MLK/X, which had him playing Martin Luther King Jr., and Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, which had him portraying B.B. King,...
Universal declined comment. But the film is said to be a coming-of-age musical, set in 1977 Virginia Beach, which draws inspiration from Williams’ childhood growing up in the city’s Atlantis Apartments.
Martin Hynes (Toy Story 4) and Steven Levenson penned the script. Williams and Mimi Valdés will produce through i am Other, alongside Gil Netter for Gil Netter Productions.
Known for roles in Trey Edward Shults’ Waves, Joe Wright’s Cyrano, Nat Geo’s Genius: MLK/X, which had him playing Martin Luther King Jr., and Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, which had him portraying B.B. King,...
- 3/21/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
And the Razzie Goes to . . .
As much as we hate to give Razzies any sort of promotion, The Criterion Channel has a new series to show just how wrong the execrable organization has been over the past decades. Launching today, they are spotlighting comedic gems like Tom Green’s Freddy Got Fingered, Elaine May’s Ishtar, and Neil Labute’s The Wicker Man, alongside Cruising, Heaven’s Gate, Xanadu, Querelle, Under the Cherry Moon, Cocktail, Showgirls, Barb Wire, The Blair Witch Project, Swept Away and Gigli.
Where to Stream: The Criterion Channel
BlackBerry (Matt Johnson)
In BlackBerry, the rise of a blue-chip tech company sets the stage for the dissolution of a longstanding friendship. Sound familiar? Just wait ‘til you hear the score.
And the Razzie Goes to . . .
As much as we hate to give Razzies any sort of promotion, The Criterion Channel has a new series to show just how wrong the execrable organization has been over the past decades. Launching today, they are spotlighting comedic gems like Tom Green’s Freddy Got Fingered, Elaine May’s Ishtar, and Neil Labute’s The Wicker Man, alongside Cruising, Heaven’s Gate, Xanadu, Querelle, Under the Cherry Moon, Cocktail, Showgirls, Barb Wire, The Blair Witch Project, Swept Away and Gigli.
Where to Stream: The Criterion Channel
BlackBerry (Matt Johnson)
In BlackBerry, the rise of a blue-chip tech company sets the stage for the dissolution of a longstanding friendship. Sound familiar? Just wait ‘til you hear the score.
- 3/1/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Elvis Presley‘s “Viva Las Vegas” was one one of several songs by the same musical genius that the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll recorded. Bob Dylan had a lot to say about the songwriter in question in his most recent book. Dylan said the songwriter left the world of professional gambling after two of his fellow musicians gave him a wake-up call.
Elvis Presley’s ‘Viva Las Vegas’ was written by an artist who grew sick of songwriting
“Viva Las Vegas” was co-written by Mort Shuman and Doc Pomus. Pomus was known for writing Elvis’ “Kiss Me Quick,” “Little Sister,” “Surrender,” “Suspicion,” “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame,” and “She’s Not You.” Dylan dedicated his 2022 book The Philosophy of Modern Song to Pomus.
In the book, the “Lay Lady Lay” singer compared the hustle of the entertainment industry to the world of faith healers. “Doc Pomus, though also wheelchair-bound,...
Elvis Presley’s ‘Viva Las Vegas’ was written by an artist who grew sick of songwriting
“Viva Las Vegas” was co-written by Mort Shuman and Doc Pomus. Pomus was known for writing Elvis’ “Kiss Me Quick,” “Little Sister,” “Surrender,” “Suspicion,” “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame,” and “She’s Not You.” Dylan dedicated his 2022 book The Philosophy of Modern Song to Pomus.
In the book, the “Lay Lady Lay” singer compared the hustle of the entertainment industry to the world of faith healers. “Doc Pomus, though also wheelchair-bound,...
- 2/16/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Beach Boys‘ Pet Sounds famously inspired The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The influence is most prominent in one of Sgt. Pepper‘s most chaotic songs. Paul McCartney and John Lennon both gave fans insight into the American artists who inspired Sgt. Pepper.
A song from The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ uses pet sounds like The Beach Boys
Pet Sounds includes … pet sounds. The song “Caroline, No” features barking dogs near the end of the track. The use of animal noises in the album was one of Brian Wilson’s most innovative moves. To this day, it inspires musicians to use unusual noises in their work.
One Sgt. Pepper track, “Good Morning Good Morning,” uses animal noises as well. They seem to represent how the song’s protagonists feel overwhelmed. “Good Morning Good Morning” isn’t one of the more acclaimed songs from Sgt. Pepper but it...
A song from The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ uses pet sounds like The Beach Boys
Pet Sounds includes … pet sounds. The song “Caroline, No” features barking dogs near the end of the track. The use of animal noises in the album was one of Brian Wilson’s most innovative moves. To this day, it inspires musicians to use unusual noises in their work.
One Sgt. Pepper track, “Good Morning Good Morning,” uses animal noises as well. They seem to represent how the song’s protagonists feel overwhelmed. “Good Morning Good Morning” isn’t one of the more acclaimed songs from Sgt. Pepper but it...
- 2/4/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds famously inspired The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The influence is most prominent in one of Sgt’ Pepper’s most chaotic songs. Paul McCartney and John Lennon both gave fans insight into the American artists who inspired Sgt. Pepper.
Pet Sounds is known for including … pet sounds. The song “Caroline, No” features barking dogs near the end of the track. The use of animal noises in the album was one of Brian Wilson’s most innovative moves. To this day, it inspires musicians to use unusual noises in their work.
One Sgt. Pepper track, “Good Morning Good Morning,” uses animal noises as well. They seem to represent how the song’s protagonists feel overwhelmed. “Good Morning Good Morning” isn’t one of the more acclaimed songs from Sgt. Pepper but it’s arguably one of the more experimental.
The Beatles partly recorded the album in character.
Pet Sounds is known for including … pet sounds. The song “Caroline, No” features barking dogs near the end of the track. The use of animal noises in the album was one of Brian Wilson’s most innovative moves. To this day, it inspires musicians to use unusual noises in their work.
One Sgt. Pepper track, “Good Morning Good Morning,” uses animal noises as well. They seem to represent how the song’s protagonists feel overwhelmed. “Good Morning Good Morning” isn’t one of the more acclaimed songs from Sgt. Pepper but it’s arguably one of the more experimental.
The Beatles partly recorded the album in character.
- 2/4/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
One of the ghostwriter’s most valuable skills is getting their subjects to talk. So, when I gathered L.A.’s most successful ghostwriters at the Formosa Cafe to gossip, they knew all my tricks. In desperation, I went with the most transparent of all reporting techniques — buying them all fruity cocktails.
A reputation for discretion is not only how they get work, but how they avoid getting sued; they sign nondisclosure agreements for every memoir they write. But even if they revealed nothing scandalous about their famous clients — or at least nothing that couldn’t be discovered with a Google search — I learned a lot about the curious craft of ghostwriting and the types of personalities drawn to help famous people tell their life stories. Also, I learned why I am far too egotistical to do their job.
Sitting around the table were Neil Strauss (who has written memoirs for Rick Rubin,...
A reputation for discretion is not only how they get work, but how they avoid getting sued; they sign nondisclosure agreements for every memoir they write. But even if they revealed nothing scandalous about their famous clients — or at least nothing that couldn’t be discovered with a Google search — I learned a lot about the curious craft of ghostwriting and the types of personalities drawn to help famous people tell their life stories. Also, I learned why I am far too egotistical to do their job.
Sitting around the table were Neil Strauss (who has written memoirs for Rick Rubin,...
- 1/19/2024
- by Joel Stein
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Elvis Presley‘s “Viva Las Vegas” is one of the most infectious rock songs of the 1960s. According to Bob Dylan, it’s also an advertisement. Dylan had a lot to say about the co-writer of the song. “Viva Las Vegas” went on to have a significant impact on the titular city.
Bob Dylan wrote that Elvis Presley’s ‘Viva Las Vegas’ is a ‘bright and breezy love song’
In his 2022 book The Philosophy of Modern Music, Dylan had plenty of positive things to say about “Viva Las Vegas.” “‘Viva Las Vegas’ is also a commercial,” he opined. Notably, “Viva Las Vegas” was co-written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, the same duo behind other Elvis hits such as “Surrender,” “Little Sister,” and “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame.”
“Of course, when Elvis first recorded this Doc Pomus–Mort Shuman composition in 1963 and released it in 1964, he didn’t know that five years later,...
Bob Dylan wrote that Elvis Presley’s ‘Viva Las Vegas’ is a ‘bright and breezy love song’
In his 2022 book The Philosophy of Modern Music, Dylan had plenty of positive things to say about “Viva Las Vegas.” “‘Viva Las Vegas’ is also a commercial,” he opined. Notably, “Viva Las Vegas” was co-written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, the same duo behind other Elvis hits such as “Surrender,” “Little Sister,” and “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame.”
“Of course, when Elvis first recorded this Doc Pomus–Mort Shuman composition in 1963 and released it in 1964, he didn’t know that five years later,...
- 1/15/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Los Angeles, Jan 6 (Ians) Grammy winner Michael Bolton has revealed that he has been diagnosed with brain tumour and will be taking a temporary break from performing.
The 70-year-old singer took to Facebook to make the announcement about his health, reports deadline.com.
“Just before the holidays, it was discovered that I had a brain tumor, which required immediate surgery. Thanks to my incredible medical team, the surgery was a success,” Bolton wrote.
“I am now recuperating at home and surrounded by the tremendous love and support of my family.”
He told fans he will be taking the “next couple of months” to his recovery and taking a “temporary break” from touring.
“It is always the hardest thing for me to ever disappoint my fans or postpone a show, but have no doubt I am working hard to accelerate my recovery and get back to performing soon,” wrote Bolton.
“Know...
The 70-year-old singer took to Facebook to make the announcement about his health, reports deadline.com.
“Just before the holidays, it was discovered that I had a brain tumor, which required immediate surgery. Thanks to my incredible medical team, the surgery was a success,” Bolton wrote.
“I am now recuperating at home and surrounded by the tremendous love and support of my family.”
He told fans he will be taking the “next couple of months” to his recovery and taking a “temporary break” from touring.
“It is always the hardest thing for me to ever disappoint my fans or postpone a show, but have no doubt I am working hard to accelerate my recovery and get back to performing soon,” wrote Bolton.
“Know...
- 1/6/2024
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Exclusive: Veteran entertainment lawyer and business strategist Jason Beekman has exited his role as VP and Head of Business & Legal Strategy at RadicalMedia to join director and former Imagine Documentaries showrunner Ryan Miller in co-founding new production company, Wise Child Studios.
Intended to marry the robust legal and business acumen of a larger studio with the distinguished creative vision and filmmaker-centric attention of a boutique shop, Wise Child will work with the industry’s best, from award winners to emerging talent, in the telling of thought-provoking and character-driven stories. The company is developing most of its projects from the ground up and will also handle post-production and sales for its titles.
Having already built a robust slate across scripted and non-fiction series, features, and podcasts, Wise Child’s projects in development include an investigative series with AMC; the feature doc Up the River about a 1972 concert at Sing Sing Prison,...
Intended to marry the robust legal and business acumen of a larger studio with the distinguished creative vision and filmmaker-centric attention of a boutique shop, Wise Child will work with the industry’s best, from award winners to emerging talent, in the telling of thought-provoking and character-driven stories. The company is developing most of its projects from the ground up and will also handle post-production and sales for its titles.
Having already built a robust slate across scripted and non-fiction series, features, and podcasts, Wise Child’s projects in development include an investigative series with AMC; the feature doc Up the River about a 1972 concert at Sing Sing Prison,...
- 11/15/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
In retrospect, it might look inevitable, the sticky-sweet commercial marriage between soda pop and pop music. (Catchy jingles worked. Why shouldn’t catchy hit songs work even better?) But in actuality, it was far from a sure bet back when Pepsi started formulating their strategic play to become the drink of a “new generation.”
The storied Pepsi pop pivot dates back roughly to 1960 — read: pre-bikini America, still largely an Eisenhower-drab sea of crew cuts, including Elvis, who’d been unceremoniously shorn and shipped off to the army. It was an...
The storied Pepsi pop pivot dates back roughly to 1960 — read: pre-bikini America, still largely an Eisenhower-drab sea of crew cuts, including Elvis, who’d been unceremoniously shorn and shipped off to the army. It was an...
- 11/6/2023
- by Jamie Bryan
- Rollingstone.com
Austin Butler and Kaia Gerber have been dating since December 2021, but for the most part, they prefer to keep their romance away from the spotlight. Other than their casual outings, their red carpet debut as a couple at the 2022 Met Gala, and their loved-up appearance at last year's Cannes Film Festival, neither Butler nor Gerber has publicly revealed much about their relationship.
And they prefer to keep it that way. When Butler was previously asked to comment on his relationship with Gerber in an interview with GQ, he responded, "I don't think there's anything I want to share about that. But thank you for providing the space." However, he did briefly comment on being recently photographed with Gerber. "I go, 'If I don't see the picture, then it doesn't really exist to me,'" he said. "I don't want to be really negative, but there's hardly any job I despise more than paparazzi.
And they prefer to keep it that way. When Butler was previously asked to comment on his relationship with Gerber in an interview with GQ, he responded, "I don't think there's anything I want to share about that. But thank you for providing the space." However, he did briefly comment on being recently photographed with Gerber. "I go, 'If I don't see the picture, then it doesn't really exist to me,'" he said. "I don't want to be really negative, but there's hardly any job I despise more than paparazzi.
- 10/30/2023
- by Monica Sisavat Solís
- Popsugar.com
Elvis Presley‘s “That’s All Right” caused a stir when it was first released in 1954. A contemporary rock ‘n’ roll singer was less impressed with the song. Regardless, it went on to become a standard for later generations of rockers.
Elvis Presley’s ‘That’s All Right’ was born out of a spontaneous moment during a break
According to a 2022 video from the Elvis YouTube channel, record executive Sam Phillips of Sun Records booked a session with Elvis when the singer was trying to break into the industry. Phillips wanted to find the right song for Elvis to sing, but nothing seemed to fit.
During a break, Elvis started singing an uptempo cover of Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup’s blues song “That’s All Right.” Phillips sent the cover to the radio program Red Hot & Blue. The song received an overwhelmingly positive reception and the radio station received 40 phone calls.
Elvis Presley’s ‘That’s All Right’ was born out of a spontaneous moment during a break
According to a 2022 video from the Elvis YouTube channel, record executive Sam Phillips of Sun Records booked a session with Elvis when the singer was trying to break into the industry. Phillips wanted to find the right song for Elvis to sing, but nothing seemed to fit.
During a break, Elvis started singing an uptempo cover of Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup’s blues song “That’s All Right.” Phillips sent the cover to the radio program Red Hot & Blue. The song received an overwhelmingly positive reception and the radio station received 40 phone calls.
- 10/18/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Clockwise from top left: Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (Emi); Stop Making Sense (Palm Pictures); Prince: Sign O The Times (Cineplex Odeon Films); Madonna: Truth Or Dare (DVD: Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment); Homecoming: A Film By Beyonce (Netflix); U2: Rattle And Hum (Paramount Pictures)Graphic: Libby...
- 10/12/2023
- by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
- avclub.com
As Priscilla Beaulieu got to know Elvis Presley, she realized he rarely used people’s first names when addressing them. He invented nicknames for a select few people, but he also relied on a person’s proper title when speaking with them. Priscilla explained that Elvis only used first names for people in his immediate circle. Otherwise, he felt it was impolite and disrespectful, even when he’d known someone for years. Here’s why.
Elvis didn’t often use people’s first names
When Priscilla took Elvis to meet her parents, she was nervous. They didn’t approve of the 10-year age gap between Elvis and 14-year-old Priscilla, and they were unimpressed by his level of celebrity. Elvis’ politeness won them over, though.
“[E]lvis was the perfect gentleman,” Priscilla wrote in her book Elvis and Me. “My father was visibly impressed, and from that moment on, Elvis always addressed...
Elvis didn’t often use people’s first names
When Priscilla took Elvis to meet her parents, she was nervous. They didn’t approve of the 10-year age gap between Elvis and 14-year-old Priscilla, and they were unimpressed by his level of celebrity. Elvis’ politeness won them over, though.
“[E]lvis was the perfect gentleman,” Priscilla wrote in her book Elvis and Me. “My father was visibly impressed, and from that moment on, Elvis always addressed...
- 9/16/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Exclusive: Abramorama founder Richard Abramowitz has elevated longtime business partner Karol Martesko-Fenster to CEO and Co-Chairman of the indie distribution company. Evan Saxon has been promoted to President, Head of International Distribution, in a move meant to double down on their continued emphasis on social impact and music-driven content for theatrical and event releases globally.
Abramowitz continues as Co-Chairman atop the company he founded in 2002.
“Karol, Evan and I have worked closely together for years, with their partnership driving unparalleled results in the event-cinema world,” Abramowitz said. “Their decades-long experience in the music and social impact film genres makes me confident that they will take the company to the next level and continue to dominate, innovate and lead the way as the industry continues to evolve.”
Martesko-Fenster will lead the company in expanding its footprint and partnerships in the filmed entertainment sector while bolstering the strategic services to filmmakers and IP owners across all platforms.
Abramowitz continues as Co-Chairman atop the company he founded in 2002.
“Karol, Evan and I have worked closely together for years, with their partnership driving unparalleled results in the event-cinema world,” Abramowitz said. “Their decades-long experience in the music and social impact film genres makes me confident that they will take the company to the next level and continue to dominate, innovate and lead the way as the industry continues to evolve.”
Martesko-Fenster will lead the company in expanding its footprint and partnerships in the filmed entertainment sector while bolstering the strategic services to filmmakers and IP owners across all platforms.
- 9/13/2023
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Rockstar and composer Gary Wright, known for composing songs, such as ‘Dream Weaver’ and ‘Love is Alive’, has passed away at the age of 80. Confirming the news of his passing, his son Justin, revealed that the singer and songwriter had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia for a longtime, and died in his house on Monday morning.
Following news of his death, fellow singer and songwriter Stephen Bishop shared a tribute in honour of Wright, giving his condolences and posting old pictures of himself and Wright.
“It is with great sadness that I received the news of my dear friend Gary Wright’s passing,” Bishop posted on X (formerly Twitter).
“The attached photos hold precious memories from the very first and last time we shared the stage together, alongside our mutual musical pal John Ford Coley.”
Bishop continued: “Gary’s vibrant personality and exceptional talent made every moment together truly enjoyable.
Following news of his death, fellow singer and songwriter Stephen Bishop shared a tribute in honour of Wright, giving his condolences and posting old pictures of himself and Wright.
“It is with great sadness that I received the news of my dear friend Gary Wright’s passing,” Bishop posted on X (formerly Twitter).
“The attached photos hold precious memories from the very first and last time we shared the stage together, alongside our mutual musical pal John Ford Coley.”
Bishop continued: “Gary’s vibrant personality and exceptional talent made every moment together truly enjoyable.
- 9/5/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Classic rockers Foghat have announced their first album in seven years. The 12-song LP, Sonic Mojo, will be released November 10th, and features the first single, “Drivin’ On.”
The new album includes three songs co-written by late Savoy Brown singer-guitarist Kim Simmonds, who passed away in December 2022. One of those songs is the aforementioned single, “Drivin’ On.”
“A song like ‘Drivin’ On’ celebrates the swamp funk blues of Slim Harpo and the cosmic boogie of John Lee Hooker,” said Foghat singer-guitarist Scott Holt in a press release.
Drummer Roger Earl, the lone original member left in Foghat, spoke of recording with the band’s current lineup, declaring, “I love playing and working with this band. During my almost 60-year music career, I have had the honor of playing with some really great musicians. Lonesome Dave, Rod Price, Craig MacGregor, Erik Cartwright, Nick Jameson, Tony Stevens and Jeff Howell to name...
The new album includes three songs co-written by late Savoy Brown singer-guitarist Kim Simmonds, who passed away in December 2022. One of those songs is the aforementioned single, “Drivin’ On.”
“A song like ‘Drivin’ On’ celebrates the swamp funk blues of Slim Harpo and the cosmic boogie of John Lee Hooker,” said Foghat singer-guitarist Scott Holt in a press release.
Drummer Roger Earl, the lone original member left in Foghat, spoke of recording with the band’s current lineup, declaring, “I love playing and working with this band. During my almost 60-year music career, I have had the honor of playing with some really great musicians. Lonesome Dave, Rod Price, Craig MacGregor, Erik Cartwright, Nick Jameson, Tony Stevens and Jeff Howell to name...
- 8/25/2023
- by Spencer Kaufman
- Consequence - Music
B.B. King was one of many classic rock stars who paved the way for Elvis Presley. King thought Elvis was different from several of his contemporaries. Despite this, King did not fully buy into the mythology surrounding the “Heartbreak Hotel” singer.
B.B. King said Elvis Presley didn’t give him the chill that Johnny Cash did
According to the 2021 book King of Blues: The Rise and Reign of B.B. King, King met Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash. Each artist was a member of The Million Dollar Quartet, a group of famous musicians who were each signed to Sun Records at one point.
King discussed the performers. “I saw all of them, but they didn’t have much to say,” he said. “It wasn’t anything personal, but I might feel a little chill between them and me.” He didn’t reveal why he felt this “chill,...
B.B. King said Elvis Presley didn’t give him the chill that Johnny Cash did
According to the 2021 book King of Blues: The Rise and Reign of B.B. King, King met Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash. Each artist was a member of The Million Dollar Quartet, a group of famous musicians who were each signed to Sun Records at one point.
King discussed the performers. “I saw all of them, but they didn’t have much to say,” he said. “It wasn’t anything personal, but I might feel a little chill between them and me.” He didn’t reveal why he felt this “chill,...
- 8/22/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Ringo Starr had a solid relationship with all of his Beatles bandmates, but he was incredibly close to John Lennon. Even after Lennon’s murder, the drummer showed respect by refusing to record a song of his that became a hit. The song we really want to hear, though, is the extended jam Ringo and John played on that Yoko Ono interrupted.
An impatient Yoko Ono broke up a lively jam with Ringo Starr, John Lennon, and Eric Clapton
Members of the Fab Four didn’t stop working together even though the band broke up. Ringo drummed on albums by each of his former bandmates. That included the simultaneous John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band projects in 1970.
The drummer was an early member of the rotating supergroup that orbited around John and Yoko.
Ringo, Eric Clapton, and longtime Beatles friend Klaus Voormann joined Lennon and...
An impatient Yoko Ono broke up a lively jam with Ringo Starr, John Lennon, and Eric Clapton
Members of the Fab Four didn’t stop working together even though the band broke up. Ringo drummed on albums by each of his former bandmates. That included the simultaneous John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band projects in 1970.
The drummer was an early member of the rotating supergroup that orbited around John and Yoko.
Ringo, Eric Clapton, and longtime Beatles friend Klaus Voormann joined Lennon and...
- 7/23/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Nils Lofgren Is in the E Street Band and Crazy Horse — and He Still Found Time to Make a New Solo LP
In the early months of the pandemic, Nils Lofgren didn’t know what to do with himself. The guitarist had been on the road since the Sixties, when his band Grin took off, and in the years that followed he’d launched many solo tours between stints with Bruce Springsteen in the E Street Band, Ringo Starr in the All Starr Band, and Neil Young in the Santa Monica Flyers, the Trans Band, and Crazy Horse.
“Covid threw me for a loop,” he tells Rolling Stone via Zoom from a...
“Covid threw me for a loop,” he tells Rolling Stone via Zoom from a...
- 7/21/2023
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
“Carlos” has one of the best openings I’ve ever seen — or heard — in a music documentary. We hear Carlos Santana, waxing philosophical and wise (as he’s prone to do). Intercut with his words, at throbbing intervals of about 20 seconds (and at top volume), are the iconic organ-and-bass notes — Bom Bom!…Bom Bom! — that open “Oye Como Va,” the 1971 hit by Santana. I’ll confess that “Oye Como Va” is one of those classic-rock radio staples I feel like I’ve heard more times in my life than I ever need to. (Sort of like “Moondance” and “Tempted” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”) Yet “Carlos,” instead of assaulting you with the song, severs those four notes from it (Bom Bom!…Bom Bom!) and blows them up into a piece of pop art, like a Warhol sound painting. It asks us to hear the magic of what Carlos Santana...
- 6/25/2023
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
There is a reason for the Carlos Santana documentary, “Carlos,” to take its title not from the guitar legend’s last name and that of his eponymous band. The film, which received a gala world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, focuses more on Santana’s biographical details recounted previously in his 2014 memoir, “The Universal Tone,” than his illustrious career. Of course, music is inseparable from the life of a Rock & Roll Hall of Famer born into a musical family, but the documentary is more about wrestling with success, spirituality, addiction and childhood trauma from sexual abuse.
Filmmaker Rudy Valdez unfurls a chronological narrative, from Santana’s formative years in Tijuana, Mexico, to his triumphant 1999 “Supernatural” album, employing archives of photos, concert footage, talk-show appearances, home videos and a few newly conducted interviews, including a roundtable of Santana’s immediate family members. But amid the narrative progression Valdez has occasionally...
Filmmaker Rudy Valdez unfurls a chronological narrative, from Santana’s formative years in Tijuana, Mexico, to his triumphant 1999 “Supernatural” album, employing archives of photos, concert footage, talk-show appearances, home videos and a few newly conducted interviews, including a roundtable of Santana’s immediate family members. But amid the narrative progression Valdez has occasionally...
- 6/18/2023
- by Martin Tsai
- The Wrap
Tina Turner, the singer and actress known as the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll, has died at the age of 83.
Turner passed away following a long illness, her representatives announced on Wednesday, May 24th. “There will be a private funeral ceremony attended by close friends and family,” the statement added. “Please respect the privacy of her family at this difficult time.”
Turner was born Anna Mae Bullock on November 26th, 1939 in Brownsville, Tennessee. Growing up during World War II, she had a strained relationship with her parents, and spent the majority of her childhood and teenage years living with her grandparents. A self-described tomboy, she sang in her church choir as a young girl, and went on to join both the cheerleading squad and girls’ basketball team in high school. After graduating in 1958, she worked as a nurse’s aide.
In the mid-1950s, Turner and her sister began regularly...
Turner passed away following a long illness, her representatives announced on Wednesday, May 24th. “There will be a private funeral ceremony attended by close friends and family,” the statement added. “Please respect the privacy of her family at this difficult time.”
Turner was born Anna Mae Bullock on November 26th, 1939 in Brownsville, Tennessee. Growing up during World War II, she had a strained relationship with her parents, and spent the majority of her childhood and teenage years living with her grandparents. A self-described tomboy, she sang in her church choir as a young girl, and went on to join both the cheerleading squad and girls’ basketball team in high school. After graduating in 1958, she worked as a nurse’s aide.
In the mid-1950s, Turner and her sister began regularly...
- 5/24/2023
- by Abby Jones
- Consequence - Music
Keith Richards shot to fame as the hard-living guitarist for The Rolling Stones. That’s been his main gig for more than 60 years, the band for whom he wrote what might be his favorite song. Still, Richards’ first solo album proved to be a hit even though he had to be pressured into making it.
Keith Richards | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Keith Richards felt ‘like a turncoat’ making his first solo album
Richards was a rock star and a musical trendsetter with The Rolling Stones. He was also late to the party among members of his band — Richards was the last to go solo.
The guitarist focused his energy on the Stones for decades. For better or worse, Richards gave everything he had to the band. He never really considered going it alone until the late 1980s.
While working on the 1987 movie Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock ‘n’ Roll...
Keith Richards | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Keith Richards felt ‘like a turncoat’ making his first solo album
Richards was a rock star and a musical trendsetter with The Rolling Stones. He was also late to the party among members of his band — Richards was the last to go solo.
The guitarist focused his energy on the Stones for decades. For better or worse, Richards gave everything he had to the band. He never really considered going it alone until the late 1980s.
While working on the 1987 movie Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock ‘n’ Roll...
- 5/23/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tl;Dr:
Paul McCartney wanted the solo on a song from The Beatles’ Revolver to sound like Eric Clapton. Paul put a lot of feedback on his solo. He said he played the guitar differently from how George Harrison would have done it. Eric Clapton | Michael Ochs Archives / Stringer
Paul McCartney put an Eric Clapton-inspired guitar solo in a song from The Beatles’ Revolver. Subsequently, some fans mistakenly thought George Harrison played the solo. Paul said George didn’t want to admit he didn’t play the riff.
Paul McCartney listened to Eric Clapton and B. B. King during The Beatles’ ‘Revolver’ era
During a 1990 interview with Guitar Player, Paul discussed how a friend of his indirectly influenced The Beatles’ “Taxman.” “I had this friend in London, John Mayall of the Bluesbreakers, who used to play me a lot of records late at night,” Paul said. “He was a kind of DJ-type guy.
Paul McCartney wanted the solo on a song from The Beatles’ Revolver to sound like Eric Clapton. Paul put a lot of feedback on his solo. He said he played the guitar differently from how George Harrison would have done it. Eric Clapton | Michael Ochs Archives / Stringer
Paul McCartney put an Eric Clapton-inspired guitar solo in a song from The Beatles’ Revolver. Subsequently, some fans mistakenly thought George Harrison played the solo. Paul said George didn’t want to admit he didn’t play the riff.
Paul McCartney listened to Eric Clapton and B. B. King during The Beatles’ ‘Revolver’ era
During a 1990 interview with Guitar Player, Paul discussed how a friend of his indirectly influenced The Beatles’ “Taxman.” “I had this friend in London, John Mayall of the Bluesbreakers, who used to play me a lot of records late at night,” Paul said. “He was a kind of DJ-type guy.
- 5/14/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Willie Nelson celebrated his 90th birthday last weekend with some of his talented friends and admirers — from Keith Richards to Billy Strings — at the Hollywood Bowl in L.A. Just a few days later, the iconic singer-songwriter also added to his accolades by becoming a newly elected member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. From covering rock and pop classics to collaborating with non-country acts both live and on record, here are 10 of the mercurial master’s best rock-influenced performances.
“All Things Must Pass” (with Lukas Nelson)
Ex-Beatle George Harrison...
“All Things Must Pass” (with Lukas Nelson)
Ex-Beatle George Harrison...
- 5/4/2023
- by Stephen L. Betts
- Rollingstone.com
NBC’s The Voice Season 23 spoilers are here regarding the upcoming Playoffs. The Playoffs begin on Monday, May 1, 2023, and fans get to see 10 competitors from Team Blake Shelton and Team Chance the Rapper take the stage in the hopes of moving forward. Unfortunately, only four competitors on the first episode of the Playoffs will move on. Here are the competitors who wow Shelton and Chance.
[Spoiler alert: The Voice Season 23 spoilers ahead regarding the Playoffs.]
Chance the Rapper on ‘The Voice’ Season 23 | Trae Patton/NBC ‘The Voice’ Season 23 spoilers: The 4 singers to move on after the Playoffs on Monday, May 1, 2023
The Voice Season 23 spoilers for the Playoffs are here, and fans might be surprised by who moves on after the performances on Monday, May 1, 2023. The first night of the Playoffs features Team Chance the Rapper and Team Blake Shelton.
For Team Chance, Jamar Langley takes the stage with “The Thrill is Gone” by B.B. King,...
[Spoiler alert: The Voice Season 23 spoilers ahead regarding the Playoffs.]
Chance the Rapper on ‘The Voice’ Season 23 | Trae Patton/NBC ‘The Voice’ Season 23 spoilers: The 4 singers to move on after the Playoffs on Monday, May 1, 2023
The Voice Season 23 spoilers for the Playoffs are here, and fans might be surprised by who moves on after the performances on Monday, May 1, 2023. The first night of the Playoffs features Team Chance the Rapper and Team Blake Shelton.
For Team Chance, Jamar Langley takes the stage with “The Thrill is Gone” by B.B. King,...
- 5/2/2023
- by Lauren Weiler
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
NBC’s The Voice Season 23 Playoffs are officially here, and fans can’t wait to see how the top 20 contestants do. The singers worked hard in the Knockouts and Battles to make it all the way here, and they have plenty of stellar songs lined up during the Knockout rounds. Here are the songs fans can expect to hear in the Knockouts, according to The Voice Season 23 spoilers.
[Spoiler alert: The Voice Season 23 spoilers ahead regarding the songs in the Playoffs.]
Blake Shelton’s team on ‘The Voice’ Season 23 | Trae Patton/NBC ‘The Voice’ Season 23 spoilers: Every song in the Playoffs
The Voice Season 23 spoilers are here regarding what songs fans will hear during the Playoffs. Heading into the Playoffs, here are the teams:
Team Chance the Rapper:
Jamar Langley
Manasseh Samone
Kala Banham
Ray Uriel
Sorelle
Team Kelly Clarkson:
Cait Martin
D. Smooth
Neil Salsich
Ali
Holly Brand
Team Niall Horan:
Ross Clayton
Gina Miles
Tasha Jessen
Michael B....
[Spoiler alert: The Voice Season 23 spoilers ahead regarding the songs in the Playoffs.]
Blake Shelton’s team on ‘The Voice’ Season 23 | Trae Patton/NBC ‘The Voice’ Season 23 spoilers: Every song in the Playoffs
The Voice Season 23 spoilers are here regarding what songs fans will hear during the Playoffs. Heading into the Playoffs, here are the teams:
Team Chance the Rapper:
Jamar Langley
Manasseh Samone
Kala Banham
Ray Uriel
Sorelle
Team Kelly Clarkson:
Cait Martin
D. Smooth
Neil Salsich
Ali
Holly Brand
Team Niall Horan:
Ross Clayton
Gina Miles
Tasha Jessen
Michael B....
- 5/1/2023
- by Lauren Weiler
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
When Marty Stuart was growing up in Philadelphia, Mississippi, the Ellis Theater downtown could practically qualify as his second home. He watched the 1969 film Johnny Cash! The Man, His World, His Music in the old movie house, and lived to tell the Man in Black about it after joining his band in 1980.
But today, with decades of success in Nashville to his credit — first as a sideman to bluegrass legend Lester Flatt, then Cash, and finally as a bandleader in his own right — Stuart has reclaimed the 500-seat venue in...
But today, with decades of success in Nashville to his credit — first as a sideman to bluegrass legend Lester Flatt, then Cash, and finally as a bandleader in his own right — Stuart has reclaimed the 500-seat venue in...
- 5/1/2023
- by Jim Beaugez
- Rollingstone.com
Image Source: Getty / Axelle/Bauer-Griffin
Kelvin Harrison Jr. is currently making music magic as the talented violinist Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges in the film "Chevalier." The 28-year-old actor has been steadily building his résumé for a while now, appearing in hit titles like "Elvis" and "The Trial of the Chicago 7," but "Chevalier" - which released in theaters on April 21 - is poised to be his biggest star turn yet.
Bologne was a French violinist and composer who worked to take leadership of the Paris Opera during the onset of the French Revolution. Harrison Jr. himself is a talented musician and plays violin, jazz and gospel piano, and trumpet, in addition to being a vocalist. For his role in "Chevalier," though, he had to take his violin skills to a new level. A violinist named Ronald Long was originally brought on to be Harrison Jr.'s hand double -...
Kelvin Harrison Jr. is currently making music magic as the talented violinist Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges in the film "Chevalier." The 28-year-old actor has been steadily building his résumé for a while now, appearing in hit titles like "Elvis" and "The Trial of the Chicago 7," but "Chevalier" - which released in theaters on April 21 - is poised to be his biggest star turn yet.
Bologne was a French violinist and composer who worked to take leadership of the Paris Opera during the onset of the French Revolution. Harrison Jr. himself is a talented musician and plays violin, jazz and gospel piano, and trumpet, in addition to being a vocalist. For his role in "Chevalier," though, he had to take his violin skills to a new level. A violinist named Ronald Long was originally brought on to be Harrison Jr.'s hand double -...
- 4/21/2023
- by Eden Arielle Gordon
- Popsugar.com
On May 13, 1975, Ray Benson, leader of the Western-swing heroes Asleep at the Wheel, was readying his band to make their stage debut at the Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas, Texas, when he received the news that Bob Wills, the “King of Western Swing,” had died that morning in nearby Fort Worth.
“An AP reporter told me as I got off the bus,” the 72-year-old tells Rolling Stone backstage at the recent grand reopening of the Longhorn. “He says, ‘Are you going to cancel?’ I said, ‘Cancel? We’re going to glorify this and play his music.
“An AP reporter told me as I got off the bus,” the 72-year-old tells Rolling Stone backstage at the recent grand reopening of the Longhorn. “He says, ‘Are you going to cancel?’ I said, ‘Cancel? We’re going to glorify this and play his music.
- 4/14/2023
- by Garret K. Woodward
- Rollingstone.com
Exclusive: Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Chevalier) and Murray Bartlett (The White Lotus) have closed deals to star opposite Stranger Things breakout Sadie Sink in Searchlight Pictures’ original rock opera O’Dessa from Patti Cake$ filmmaker Geremy Jasper. It is heading into production in Croatia in May.
Set in a post-apocalyptic future, O’Dessa follows Sink’s farm girl of the same name on an epic quest to recover a cherished family heirloom. Her journey leads her to a strange and dangerous city where she meets her one true love – but in order to save his soul, she must put the power of destiny and song to the ultimate test.
While no details as to Bartlett’s role have been disclosed, sources tell Deadline that Harrison will play O’Dessa’s love interest, Euri Dervish — a punk performer described as an “unholy mix of Iggy Pop, Marlene Dietrich and Prince.”
Written and to be directed by Jasper,...
Set in a post-apocalyptic future, O’Dessa follows Sink’s farm girl of the same name on an epic quest to recover a cherished family heirloom. Her journey leads her to a strange and dangerous city where she meets her one true love – but in order to save his soul, she must put the power of destiny and song to the ultimate test.
While no details as to Bartlett’s role have been disclosed, sources tell Deadline that Harrison will play O’Dessa’s love interest, Euri Dervish — a punk performer described as an “unholy mix of Iggy Pop, Marlene Dietrich and Prince.”
Written and to be directed by Jasper,...
- 4/4/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Kelvin Harrison Jr. spent up to six hours a day playing the violin in preparation for his latest film “Chevalier.” The period drama, set before the French Revolution, follows the life of composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, also known as Black Mozart. The Searchlight Pictures film also stars Samara Weaving, Lucy Boynton, Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo, Marton Csokas, Alex Fitzalan and Minnie Driver.
Speaking with Variety, Harrison Jr. said despite being raised in a musical family (his father was a classical musician and a music teacher) he didn’t know about Chevalier. “I had no clue who he was, but he was pretty bold, and I was blown away by him,” he says.
Harrison Jr. already knew how to play violin; as a young boy, he was playing the adult size. “I had a handle for it and went straight into playing in the orchestra. I was the first chair and...
Speaking with Variety, Harrison Jr. said despite being raised in a musical family (his father was a classical musician and a music teacher) he didn’t know about Chevalier. “I had no clue who he was, but he was pretty bold, and I was blown away by him,” he says.
Harrison Jr. already knew how to play violin; as a young boy, he was playing the adult size. “I had a handle for it and went straight into playing in the orchestra. I was the first chair and...
- 3/27/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
You know what you’re getting with Ringo Starr. As a musician, he proved to be a groundbreaking drummer and one of the best to ever hit the skins in a rock ‘n’ roll band. As a person, Ringo’s sharp and funny but deeply emotional, as he revealed when Paul McCartney threatened him in 1970. He’s also self-aware. Ringo’s reaction to having his drumming deleted from a Yusuf / Cat Stevens album says everything about The Beatles drummer’s personality.
Former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr | Michael Putland/Getty Images Ringo Starr resented Cat Stevens ‘wiping him off’ a record but then understood the reason
Ringo hardly slowed down when The Beatles broke up. He released four solo albums by 1974 and played on George Harrison, John Lennon, Stephen Stills, B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf, and Harry Nilsson in the early part of the decade.
His output, both his own albums and playing on others’ records,...
Former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr | Michael Putland/Getty Images Ringo Starr resented Cat Stevens ‘wiping him off’ a record but then understood the reason
Ringo hardly slowed down when The Beatles broke up. He released four solo albums by 1974 and played on George Harrison, John Lennon, Stephen Stills, B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf, and Harry Nilsson in the early part of the decade.
His output, both his own albums and playing on others’ records,...
- 3/17/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Baz Luhrmann’s latest project “Elvis” marks his glamorous return to filmmaking, almost a decade after his last feature film, “The Great Gatsby,” was released in 2013.
Luhrmann’s portrayal of The King will tell the musician’s story with the backdrop of a powerful soundtrack — including Austin Butler singing as Elvis — with other star singers covering The King’s discography from Kacey Musgraves to Eminem and Ceelo Green. Black musicians like Little Richard, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and B.B. King played a major role in influencing Elvis’ development as a singer.
Whether it be fans of Elvis, Butler or Luhrmann (or all three), many may be wondering how to watch “Elvis,” so we’ve gathered all the details below.
Also Read:
Cannes Report Day 10: Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Elvis’ Makes a Star Out of Austin Butler When Did “Elvis” Come Out?
The glitzy biopic, which has a run-time of 2 hours and 39 minutes,...
Luhrmann’s portrayal of The King will tell the musician’s story with the backdrop of a powerful soundtrack — including Austin Butler singing as Elvis — with other star singers covering The King’s discography from Kacey Musgraves to Eminem and Ceelo Green. Black musicians like Little Richard, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and B.B. King played a major role in influencing Elvis’ development as a singer.
Whether it be fans of Elvis, Butler or Luhrmann (or all three), many may be wondering how to watch “Elvis,” so we’ve gathered all the details below.
Also Read:
Cannes Report Day 10: Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Elvis’ Makes a Star Out of Austin Butler When Did “Elvis” Come Out?
The glitzy biopic, which has a run-time of 2 hours and 39 minutes,...
- 3/4/2023
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
If J.B Smoove had it his way, he’d cast himself as the lead in a biopic about the late comedian Dick Gregory. “In another world, another life, if I was 20 years younger, I would love to play that man,” says the Emmy-winning actor and stand-up comic. “He really had an amazing, fascinating life.”
Smoove (né Jerry Brooks) did a deep dive on Gregory’s life when he narrated the six-part Audible Originals podcast Funny My Way, uncovering the lives of six Black comedy legends: Gregory, Flip Wilson, Paul Mooney, Moms Mabley, Rudy Ray Moore and Redd Foxx. His performance has earned the Curb Your Enthusiasm star an Ambie nomination for best podcast host.
When Conan O’Brien — whose podcast production juggernaut, Team Coco, developed the show — approached him with the idea, the veteran comedian was intrigued primarily as a fan of the series’ legendary subjects. “It’s like what Mike Tyson...
Smoove (né Jerry Brooks) did a deep dive on Gregory’s life when he narrated the six-part Audible Originals podcast Funny My Way, uncovering the lives of six Black comedy legends: Gregory, Flip Wilson, Paul Mooney, Moms Mabley, Rudy Ray Moore and Redd Foxx. His performance has earned the Curb Your Enthusiasm star an Ambie nomination for best podcast host.
When Conan O’Brien — whose podcast production juggernaut, Team Coco, developed the show — approached him with the idea, the veteran comedian was intrigued primarily as a fan of the series’ legendary subjects. “It’s like what Mike Tyson...
- 2/24/2023
- by Cori Murray
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The NAACP Image Award-nominated film “Memory Builds the Monument” was acquired by Paramount for continuous airings on BET throughout Black History Month. The documentary short, which spotlights the vibrant community of Black artists in the Historic 5th Ward of Houston, Texas, will also be available for streaming on BET+ starting Feb. 1.
The 11-minute film centers around the Houston-based concert venue Club Matinee, which was founded in 1936 amid rampant segregation and racially-driven violence. The musical hotbed became known for hosting legends like Ray Charles, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, Louis Armstrong, Sam Cooke, Little Richard and B.B. King in the early stages of their careers. Simultaneously, director Isaac Yowman uses the short as a vehicle to explore the sociopolitical hardships faced by African Americans living in the South during the civil rights movement.
Yowman, who also doubles as a Grammy-nominated music producer, partnered with nonprofits like Fifth Ward Crc and...
The 11-minute film centers around the Houston-based concert venue Club Matinee, which was founded in 1936 amid rampant segregation and racially-driven violence. The musical hotbed became known for hosting legends like Ray Charles, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, Louis Armstrong, Sam Cooke, Little Richard and B.B. King in the early stages of their careers. Simultaneously, director Isaac Yowman uses the short as a vehicle to explore the sociopolitical hardships faced by African Americans living in the South during the civil rights movement.
Yowman, who also doubles as a Grammy-nominated music producer, partnered with nonprofits like Fifth Ward Crc and...
- 1/31/2023
- by Julia MacCary, Katie Reul and Charna Flam
- Variety Film + TV
Ronnie Wood and Jimi Hendrix might be two of the most recognizable classic rock guitar players ever. Wood played a stolen bass alongside Jeff Beck in his group in the late 1960s, was a creative driving force in Faces, and found worldwide fame with The Rolling Stones. Hendrix became a legend almost as soon as people heard his masterful guitar playing. Yet when they shared an apartment, Wood said Hendrix confessed that he hated one aspect of his music.
Jimi Hendrix; Ronnie Wood | CA/Redferns via Getty Images; Evening Standard/Getty Images Ronnie Wood and Jimi Hendrix took different paths to guitar stardom
He was born and raised in the United States, but Hendrix had to go to England to find an appreciative audience. But they definitely appreciated him.
Three of his early singles — “Hey Joe,” “Purple Haze,” and “The Wind Cries Mary” — were top-10 hits in Britain in early 1967, per the Official Charts Company.
Jimi Hendrix; Ronnie Wood | CA/Redferns via Getty Images; Evening Standard/Getty Images Ronnie Wood and Jimi Hendrix took different paths to guitar stardom
He was born and raised in the United States, but Hendrix had to go to England to find an appreciative audience. But they definitely appreciated him.
Three of his early singles — “Hey Joe,” “Purple Haze,” and “The Wind Cries Mary” — were top-10 hits in Britain in early 1967, per the Official Charts Company.
- 1/28/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Ronnie Wood found worldwide fame with The Rolling Stones, but he was a well-known musician who played with world-class musicians before that. He stole a bass and played it in the Jeff Beck Group. Playing Guitar alongside Rod Stewart in Faces came next. Though known, he wasn’t Rolling Stones famous yet, and Wood got kicked out of his apartment as he was trying to be a friend to Jimi Hendrix and his dog.
(l-r) Ronnie Wood; Jimi Hendrix | George Wilkes/Hulton Archive/Getty Images; Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images Ronnie Wood and Jimi Hendrix lived in the same flat in London
Wood’s commitments and Hendrix’s career kept both guitarists busy. Yet they hung out in the same circles outside of gigs, and they also shared a living space.
As Wood writes in his autobiography Ronnie, he and Hendrix lived in soul singer P.P. Arnold’s building in London.
(l-r) Ronnie Wood; Jimi Hendrix | George Wilkes/Hulton Archive/Getty Images; Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images Ronnie Wood and Jimi Hendrix lived in the same flat in London
Wood’s commitments and Hendrix’s career kept both guitarists busy. Yet they hung out in the same circles outside of gigs, and they also shared a living space.
As Wood writes in his autobiography Ronnie, he and Hendrix lived in soul singer P.P. Arnold’s building in London.
- 1/27/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Ronnie Wood didn’t have to wait long to become a notable musician. Before joining The Rolling Stones, he was a teenage star in The Birds, who had some success in England, played a stolen bass in the Jeff Beck Group, and then switched to guitar in The Faces. But that progression might not have happened if Wood’s guitar playing hadn’t been inspired by Jimi Hendrix’s gift.
(l-r) Ronnie Wood; Jimi Hendrix | Robert Knight Archive/Redferns; Mirrorpix; Getty Images Ronnie Wood and Jimi Hendrix shared a flat in London
Wood’s commitment to The Faces and Hendrix’s career kept both guitarists busy. They hung out in the same circles outside of gigs, and they also shared a living space.
As Wood writes in his autobiography Ronnie, he and Hendrix lived in soul singer P.P. Arnold’s building in London. Hendrix resided in the basement, Wood on the first floor,...
(l-r) Ronnie Wood; Jimi Hendrix | Robert Knight Archive/Redferns; Mirrorpix; Getty Images Ronnie Wood and Jimi Hendrix shared a flat in London
Wood’s commitment to The Faces and Hendrix’s career kept both guitarists busy. They hung out in the same circles outside of gigs, and they also shared a living space.
As Wood writes in his autobiography Ronnie, he and Hendrix lived in soul singer P.P. Arnold’s building in London. Hendrix resided in the basement, Wood on the first floor,...
- 1/25/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
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