Posts for 'Music' Category

In devastating news for pop music in the new year, Beyonce Knowles told USA Today that she'll be taking a break from music in 2010 "to take a break, to recharge [her] batteries." She claims that she won't step a foot inside a music studio for at least six months in an attempt "to be inspired by things again."

Of course, with "Single Ladies" becoming a worldwide phenomenon and I Am... Sasha Fierce blowing up as it did, with a subsequent 110 city tour, Knowles certainly had a busy enough 2009. For her work she also netted 10 Grammy nominations, the most of any artist this year.

But after the Grammy's Knowles intends to relax, "I wrote out a contract with myself. I made a list of everything I want to do that has nothing to do with music... I promised myself that I would not go back on tour or in the studio until I finished these things." With Knowles out of the picture, Lady Gaga's intricate plot for global domination has come one step closer to fruition.

The Halfmoon in Putney, south-west London, was due to close at the end of January and reopen as a gastro-pub following falling sales.  But landlord Young's scrapped the plan after an outcry from music fans and a campaign on Facebook.

Venue tenant James Harris said: "This was never just about jobs but about a part of our music heritage."  X Factor The Halfmoon has hosted live music nearly every night since 1963, including rock band Kasabian and many unsigned artists.

But rising rates and alcohol duty, coupled with the recession, resulted in financial difficulties at the venue, Mr Harris said.  It received notice of closure in November last year, which led to a petition receiving hundreds of signatures and a Facebook campaign backed by 6,500 people.SHOME$

Supporters included X Factor contestant Jamie Archer, solo singer Eddie Reader and Ocean Colour Scene singer Simon Fowler.

The venue will continue to host live music with a new promotions team. It will also now serve food.

Mr Harris said: "We still face tough times ahead, but at least we can move forward now, and my staff and myself are thrilled and excited."

Singer Natalie Ross, who has performed at the venue, said: "I wanted to save the Halfmoon.

"It's the only venue in London that has amazing sound and is also an incredible platform for an unsigned artist like myself."  

First, he was once beautiful, astonishingly beautiful, and that fact contributed so much both to the rapidity of his rise and the awfulness of his decline.

Beauty was almost as important to his success as race was. Same voice, same talent, same songs sung by a white Fats Domino?

The impact would have been nothing like what it was. Music created and drove the phenomenon that was Elvis, but it was only part of what made that phenomenon so overwhelming.

Of course he did end up looking like a white Fats Domino (worse, actually - Fats has never looked swollen or appeared glum), and that’s the second fact: He became - he remains in some measure - a joke.

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Susan Boyle: A  'Dream' come true Pop music's fairy tale story of the year had a most unlikely heroine.

Like many stars spawned by reality TV, Boyle, 48, owed her meteoric rise less to talent -- plenty of middle-aged, plain-looking women can carry a tune just as sweetly -- than a curious mix of audacity and vulnerability.

Fans admired Boyle's pluck in standing up to Simon Cowell at her Britain's Got Talent audition, then watched rapt as the shy spinster struggled with her sudden celebrity.

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You could pick just about any Paul McCartney song at random and be assured of playing a hit. In concert, McCartney can still raise the roof, unless, of course, he happens to be playing on it, CBS News Correspondent Anthony Mason, reports.

On a sleepy summer day in New York, Paul McCartney didn't just want to sing, he wanted to make a statement:

"And they said, well, you could do it outside on Broadway on the marquee. And I got a bit nervous. I said, 'Well, let me think about that,'" McCartney recalled.

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I just glanced at a calendar and noticed that Christmas is this month, which means that it's about time for the Nashville Symphony to play Handel's Messiah.

The long-standing annual tradition continues this weekend, and the sound of Handel's masterpiece has only gotten grander since the NSO's move to the acoustically rich Schermerhorn Center.

The Symphony Chorus is having a busy month—after their splendidly polished renditions of Stravinsky and Rachmaninoff a couple of weeks ago, here's a chance to hear them perform more familiar repertoire. Chorus director George Mabry conducts, and four well-established guest soloists join the festivities.

More than a week after his much-debated performance at the American Music Awards, Adam Lambert says he continues to find himself an unwanted guest on ABC.

Late Wednesday night Mr. Lambert, the singer and “American Idol” runner-up, wrote on his Twitter account that his invitation to two more ABC programs had been withdrawn.

“Yes, sadly friends,” Mr. Lambert wrote, “ABC has canceled my appearances” on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and the annual “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” special.

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While stuffing myself with turkey and all kinds of yummy food this Thanksgiving, I was able to catch the "CNN Heroes" award show.

What an honorable use of a prime-time television slot. Forget so much of the trash that is on television these days.

I would much rather tune in to see everyday heroes receive honors for acts like serving homeless veterans, aiding abuse victims, or helping families to rebuild the lives after Hurricane Katrina.

I was doubly pleased to see Carrie Underwood and Nicole Kidman doing their part to honor these brave men and women.

Both were so classy, as Kidman introduced one of the night's winners, and Carrie Underwood performed the beautiful song, "Change."

If you didn't get to see the telecast, check out Carrie's flawless performance above. Congratulations to all the night's winners for their efforts, and to Carrie and Nicole for making Country Music proud.

Jackson's victories were among the highlights of the evening, which also featured a jaw-dropping performance from Lady Gaga and a special award for Whitney Houston. The late king of pop could not beat Taylor Swift as this year's favourite artist and the evening's top winner. The 19-year-old took the top award on Sunday night, giving Jackson his only loss of the night, and five trophies in all.

The victories came during a performance-filled show that closed with an S&M-themed, sexually charged performance by Adam Lambert (his performance included him shoving a male dancer's face in his crotch). Jackson's trophies were accepted by his brother Jermaine, who paid tribute to his brother by wearing a glittery white glove. He accepted two of his brother's awards, thanking "Allah for blessing my entire family" and naming each of his brothers and sisters.

He said Michael's message is more important than any award. "The message that Michael had will live on forever," he said. "He saw good in everyone and he wanted everyone to do good. He always started with love."

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One of American music's most celebrated songwriters, Kris Kristofferson, continues his renewed commitment to music on "Closer To The Bone," the follow-up to 2006's "This Old Road," his first album in a dozen years.

As with the previous album, Kristofferson works with veteran producer Don Was, who keeps arrangements stripped and focused on Kristofferson's craggy voice and rudimentary yet expressive acoustic guitar.

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