Rock and Roll has a soul: An interview with Michael Johns
Michael Johns has been called a “white soul singer,†a “male Joss Stone,†and vocally, a “modern-day Freddie Mercury.†He first wowed the judges on Idol when he belted out a very smooth version of Otis Redding’s “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long.†During Hollywood week, Michael blew away the competition with his spine-tingling rendition of the Queen classic, “Bohemian Rhapsody.â€
More memorable performances from Michael were his sexy and soulful version of Dolly Parton’s “It’s All Wrong, But It’s All Right†and his sweet, nostalgic take on the Beatles’ “Across The Universe.†He drove audiences wild with more Queen when he rocked both “We Are The Champions†and “We Will Rock You†in one performance. All these have proven that rock-soul has found itself a new hero.
Rock Albums Lead Fall Season, But Record Biz Still Struggles
With Guns N’ Roses and AC/DC releasing new discs, and potential blockbusters from Nickelback, the Killers and Fall Out Boy on the way, retailers say rock albums will lead the holiday music-shopping season. But none of the retailers Rolling Stone spoke to expected the superstar-packed slate to substantially improve the fortunes of the reeling record business, which has seen sales fall 36 percent from 2000 to 2007, according to Nielsen SoundScan. “We’re going to have a solid release schedule,” says Ed Hogan, director of music for Best Buy, which is putting out G n’ R’s long-awaited Chinese Democracy. “I doubt whether it can turn around the overall industry decline and help make up for the fact that the economic time is difficult.”
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
A Dream Day with David Cook
Two extremely lucky female David Cook fans had the experience of a lifetime, as one of them won the contest on David’s web site that sent her and her friend to see him perform in The Big Apple. Check out the details of their unforgettable day below:
I’m sitting on an airplane about to fly to NY to see David Cook perform on Good Morning America. I turn to my friend Susan and make a silly face, she responds with “is this really happening?†I myself still cannot believe it. I won a contest to fly to NY to see David Cook on Good Morning America…um…really??
‘American Idol’ Daily: Digits on the Davids
For David Cook, David Archuleta and every citizen of “American Idol” Nation, the moment of truth is at hand. A superstar (or two, or three) we were promised and now we learn whether a superstar (or two, or three) we have got. The show has ended, the tour has folded up its tent, the tracks recorded, the album shifts and we wait to hear from the marketplace whether it was all for naught.
And today the first album sales numbers for the first David out of the box (Archuleta) were released and for the Chosen One, the fulfillment of Idol prophecies of a ‘tween hero molded from the cradle in the show’s image, the record-buying public finally had their chance to speak and the results were … very respectable.
David vs. David: Idols face off with new albums
Even if you hate American Idol with the passion of a thousand suns, the buzz over the clash of the Davids last May was unavoidable.
You had to pick a side.
After weeks of hardcore campaign tactics from which John McCain probably could have benefited, the show’s fans had their say: Missouri rocker David Cook bested tween dream David Archuleta by 12 million votes during the bloated spectacle that was the Idol finale.
Review: Carrie Underwood hits the big notes
West Valley City » When Carrie Underwood auditioned for “American Idol” nearly five years ago, judge Randy Jackson applauded her voice, then told her she needed to “work a little bit more on the … stage presence.”
At the E Center Nov. 19, Underwood showed she has heeded that advice.
The 25-year-old woman from Checotah, Okla., showed one of the largest E Center crowds in recent memory that she was entirely comfortable onstage, whether sweetly bantering with the crowd, bringing a gushing 14-year-old onstage to help her sing “All-American Girl,” or playing acoustic and electric guitars.
Hanging Out with Carrie Underwood
FOX got to hang out with Carrie Underwood twice during our recent Nashville trip! I interviewed her at the BMI awards, while Fox Entertainment Producer Extraordinaire Ashley Dvorkin talked to her backstage at the Country Music Awards just after her big win (again!) for Female Vocalist of the Year. Carrie also co-hosted the CMAs and told us how fun it was having her mother and aunt cheering her on from the audience!
I’ve heard that Carrie is shy, but she seemed very comfortable when we talked to her. She gave us great interviews! She talked about how much she loves the country community and gave us her reaction to stars from Jessica Simpson to Darius Rucker crossing over from pop to country (She’s happy for them.)
56th Annual Nashville Christmas Parade Hosted by Piedmont Natural Gas
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Nov 20, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ — The 56th annual Nashville Christmas Parade, hosted by Piedmont Natural Gas , will once again help usher in the holiday season in Nashville. The parade, a long-standing Nashville tradition, will showcase Nashville’s rich history of musical entertainment with floats rolling down Broadway, holiday lights illuminating the night sky, and bands immersing the streets with the magical sounds of the holiday season. This year’s parade theme is “Christmas Memories” and will take place on December 5th at 7:00 p.m.
In conjunction with this year’s event, Mayor Karl Dean will hold the Annual City Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony on the Public Square at 6:00 p.m. with a short ceremony and musical performances by Barbershop Harmony Society member quartet “Lunch Break” and by Phil Stacey, American Idol Finalist and the Nashville Christmas Parade’s Grand Marshal for 2008. Following the tree lighting ceremony, the parade festivities will move to the intersection of 6th and Broadway where the opening ceremonies, complete with Ribbon Cutting and Fireworks, will take place at 6:45 p.m., just prior to the start of the parade.
The Latest on Bo Bice
An interview with Bo Bice is not just an information gathering session, but rather a chat about life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. The season four runner-up refers to himself as “just a redneck kid from Alabama,†but he is far from it. It would be hard to find a musician as ambitious as Bo yet, at the same time, with an unmatched passion for the industry.
Life is most certainly good for Bo right now, as he has his very own studio on his property. He admits that it can be a blessing and a curse at times, and he even goes so far as to say that the main reason that he did it is because he is a “control freak.†He is out there all the time, working away on his music. However, with two little boys (Aidan and Caleb) who also enjoy hanging with Daddy in the studio, Bo makes sure that things shut down when they decide to enter. If the red recording light is on, they know to stay out for the meantime. But once the red light goes off, it’s as much their studio as it is his. That’s Bo’s one rule.
Crazy - Film Inspired by the Life of Guitar Legend Hank Garland
The award-winning film will be screened on Saturday, November 22 at 6PM at the Martin & Weyrich Winery Tasting Room (2610 Buena Vista Drive Paso Robles, 93446). CRAZY’s associate producer Joel McDonell will introduce the film on behalf of director Rick Bieber, who is currently wrapping production on the forthcoming film The 5th Quarter (2009).
Payne headlines CRAZY opposite Ali Larter (Heroes, Legally Blonde, etc), who plays Hank’s beautiful but deeply troubled wife Evelyn Garland. Among the other cast members are: Lane Garrison as Billy Garland; Scott Michael Campbell as fellow guitar ace Billy Byrd; singer Stacy Earl, as country crooner Goldie Hill; Evans Forde as Nashville legend Chet Atkins; Ryan Cross, as jazz bassist Joe Benjamin; and Shawn Colvin and Katharine McPhee in cameo roles. CRAZY was directed by Rick Bieber, and produced by Ray Scherr and guitar hero Steve Vai (who also performs a cameo as Hank Williams) under the Favored Nations Films mantle.
Clarkson, McEntire blend seamlessly
It could have been a dud: Two singers, of different generations and musical styles, attempting to coexist on a single stage for the sake of amping up ticket sales.
Instead, it was a giddily pleasing example of two musicians playing off each other. Longtime traditional country-western singer Reba McEntire and relative newcomer Kelly Clarkson, who won American Idol in 2002, sounded as if they’d grown up singing together, and when McEntire said, “We’ve been havin’ a blast,” it was impossible not to believe her.
They know a twang or two about pop
It’s billed as “The 2 Worlds 2 Voices Tour†with the tagline of “1 Stage 1 Band 1 Night 2 Superstars.â€
The superstars are, of course, country music veteran Reba McEntire and pop star Kelly Clarkson, and the 1 Night for Charlotte-area fans is tonight at Time Warner Cable Arena.
Touring in support of their hit single duet, “Because of You,†which was featured on McEntire’s “Duets†album as well as her new 3-CD box set compilation “50 Greatest Hits,†the two stars come together as a brilliant marketing plan. They not only bridge the worlds of country and pop, but they also span the generations; Clarkson wasn’t yet born when McEntire released her major-label debut album in 1977.
Catching up with Chris
“American Idol†season six top 10 finalist and Christian recording artist Chris Sligh took a few minutes this week to talk with the Star-Exponent.
CSE: How would you describe the balance of secular and religious influences in your music?
Chris Sligh: I’m not a big fan of genres; they corner people in. I’m in the Christian genre just because I’ve been told I’m in the Christian genre. I don’t feel like that’s my thing. I write about life and my faith is part of that. I’m not the normal Christian artist from what I understand in that sense.
‘So You Think You Can Dance’ stars to appear at Kodak Theatre
If you missed the (amazing) “So You Think You Can Dance†tour when it plowed through L.A., don’t worry. You can still catch up with some of the stars from “Dance†on Dec. 14 at Kodak Theatre for an evening sponsored by the C.S. Mott Foundation benefiting LA’s BEST.
LA’s BEST (Better Educated Students for Tomorrow) is an afterschool program for needy children, advocated by “Dance†titan and do-gooder Nigel Lythgoe.
“If we can change the lives of our children, if we can give them hope for their future and pride not only in their lives but in their community too, then we can change L.A. and bring sunshine into everyone’s life,†Lythgoe said in a statement. Some contestants from Lythgoe’s other show, “American Idol†(which he recently stepped down from), will also appear.
Lance Bass, Brooke Burke or Warren Sapp will be next ’Dancing’ winner
Time to pick another winner on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars.” Will it be the best dancer (Brooke Burke), the best entertainer (Warren Sapp) or the coming-on-strong dark horse (Lance Bass)?
They perform at 8 p.m. Monday. The results unfold in a two-hour finale — Miley Cyrus performs — at 9 p.m. Tuesday.
More randomness, LOL. I love this picture of Jason with Steven Van Zandt from last Sunday. I love Bruce Springsteen and his band so knowing that Jason was hanging with Steven by invitation just makes me smile.
http://thumbsnap.com/v/AagZIZqr.jpg
Just Jason:
http://thumbsnap.com/v/nsElwj4b.jpg
Credit: Amanda Schwab - startrakphoto
David Cook interview - Includes his thoughts on Prop 8.
And another mention to the now very famous video of the Archie fans. Said video went from 10,000 views to more than 100,000 since David talked about it.
Oh, I guess I never paid attention before. It’s literally driving me up the wall.
I kind of recognize the review for Archie’s album, but this just popped up on Google News and it’s attributed to a writer at the Chicago Sun-Times, so I’ll post it anyway.
Reviews for both Davids albums from the Chicago Sun-Times:
http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/music/poprock/1284500,CST-FTR-idol18.article
Edit: the date says November 18–so it may have been posted before and that’s where I’ve seen it. Odd that Google News would pick it up again just today.
I’m not clear on why the music business is suffering so, when they can now sell cds digitally, as well as single songs. And they don’t have to pay for the costs of the hard copy cds, when they’re sold digitally. I think they have to adjust to the new reality (internet) and find ways to make it work for them.
I always thought cds were over-priced anyway … they used to be almost $20 each. It’s great for consumers that we can buy cds for $10 on itunes, or just buy the songs we like. In other words, they better make great songs if they want people to buy the cds.
I want the artists to be well paid of course …
leome- I had never seen that video until Cook mentioned it. It is all over the DA fansites now.
Archie’s interview with CHUM FM in Calgary this afternoon…
http://www.mediafire.com/?hw02oyintjj
Archie will be performing in Toronto, Canada, on the morning of December 9th, at the annual Christmas Wish Breakfast sponsored by the C24-CHUM radio station. It’s a charity event. Attendees are asked to bring an unwrapped toy or a cash donation (this is in addition to the $10 admission price).
Incidentally, on that same day Archie will also be performing at the KISSmas Bash in Buffalo, New York, during the evening. Toronto and Buffalo are pretty close in proximity, so I guess it’s doable, but that surely will be one heck of a busy day for David.
Holiday of Hope Tree Lighting Celebration with David Archuleta
Saturday, December 6 at 6:30pm
Bringing families all over Los Angeles to the heart of Hollywood, Hollywood & Highland Center hosts a FREE evening filled with musical entertainment, celebrity guests, an appearance by Santa Claus and the lighting of the Hollywood Christmas Tree under the stars.
Hosted by Ellen K of 102.7 KIIS FM and KTLA Entertainment Anchor, Ross King; this event will also feature a special musical performance by American Idol finalist and Jive Recording Artist David Archuleta. Kids are invited to get creative by decorating an ornament, button or holiday cookie at the Ralphs Decoration Station. Delicious holiday treats including hot cocoa and coffee hosted by Starbucks, as well as photos with Santa will round out the evening.
Guests are invited to support One Heartland, an organization committed to improving the lives of children impacted by HIV/AIDS, through sponsorship of one of the 30,000 lights on the 35-foot high Christmas Tree in Hollywood & Highland Center’s Central Courtyard. To further support One Heartland, there will also be a VIP Pre-Reception for guests who donate $100 or more via the website at www.oneheartland.org. This private VIP Pre-Reception will include a private performance by David Archuleta as well as the opportunity to mix and mingle with celebrity guests in attendance at the event.
The tickets already sold out, they sold out in 5 hrs after they announce David was going…
Thanks purplesmile for that video and the pic. I think all future MJ concerts must come with a warning ‘ Not for the faint-hearted ‘ and not for all ages either.
Some of the things he did with the mike ………. 
And the heading for the piece “Rock and Roll has a Soul”.. Indeed. It has a generous, gifted, genuine, beautiful soul that is called “from the M.. to the J”