PINK embarks on her first US tour since 2006 later this year as she backs her fifth studio album “Funhouse”
May 25, 2009 by Claudia · Leave a Comment
Dates Scheduled in Other Countries
Sep 30, Wed - 07:30 PM - Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON
Although she was initially viewed as yet another face in the late-’90s crowd of teen pop acts, Pink quickly showed signs of becoming one of the rare artists to transcend and outgrow the label. Born Alecia Moore on September 8, 1979, in Doylestown, PA (near Philadelphia), Pink received her nickname as a child (it had nothing to do with her later shade of hair dye). She grew up in a musical family and by age 13 was a regular on the Philadelphia club scene, first as a dancer, then as a backing vocalist for the local hip-hop group Schools of Thought. At 14, she began writing her own songs; the same year, a local DJ at Club Fever began allowing her on-stage to sing a song every Friday.
Pink was spotted one night by an executive for MCA, who asked her to audition for an R&B group called Basic Instinct; although she got the gig, the group imploded not long after. She was quickly recruited for a female R&B trio called Choice, which signed to L.A. Reid and Babyface’s LaFace label on the strength of their demo; however, they too disbanded due to differences over musical direction. During Choice’s brief studio time, producer Daryl Simmons asked Pink to write a bridge section for the song “Just to Be Loving You”; impressed with the results, Pink rediscovered her songwriting muse and an equally impressed L.A. Reid soon gave her a solo deal with LaFace.
Pink recorded her solo debut, Can’t Take Me Home, with a variety of songwriting partners and dance-pop and R&B producers. Released in 2000, the album was a double-platinum hit; it spun off three Top Ten singles in “There U Go,” “Most Girls,” and “You Make Me Sick.” She toured that summer as the opening act for *N Sync, but soon found herself tired of being pigeonholed as strictly a teen act despite her sassy, forthright persona. As she set about working on her follow-up album, Pink took part in the remake of Patti LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade” featured on the Moulin Rouge soundtrack, which also featured powerhouse divas Christina Aguilera, Mya, and Lil’ Kim. The song was a massive hit, topping the charts in both the U.S. and U.K.
Toward the end of the year, Pink released her next single, “Get the Party Started”; it became her biggest, most inescapable hit to date, climbing into the Top Five. Her accompanying sophomore album, M!ssundaztood, quickly went double platinum; it boasted a more personal voice and a more eclectic sound, plus heavy contributions from ex-4 Non Blondes singer Linda Perry, who helped bring some more rock muscle to Pink’s sound (as did guest appearances by Steven Tyler and Richie Sambora). M!ssundaztood attracted positive critical notices as well, and its second single, “Don’t Let Me Get Me,” became another fast-rising Top Ten hit.
Pink next issued Try This in November 2003. The album was a bit more rock-oriented, due in part to the songwriting collaboration of Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong on eight of the album’s tracks. Try This’ lead single, “Trouble,” cracked into the upper regions of Billboard’s Top 40, and earned Pink a Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. On the home front, Pink wed motocross racer Carey Hart — whom she had initially met at 2001’s X-Games — on January 7, 2006, in Costa Rica. Her next album, I’m Not Dead, appeared that April; its first single, “Stupid Girls,” quickly became a hit, and the album reached the Top Ten. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
Singer/songwriter Gavin DeGraw and alt-rockers Collective Soul will join forces on the road for a co-headlining US summer tour
TOUR DATES, VENUE’S & TIMES:
May 2009
14 - New York, NY - Cipriani (Gavin DeGraw only)
23 - Charlotte, NC - Foodline Speedstreet Festival (Gavin DeGraw only)
23 - Herrin, IL - Herrinfesta Italiana (Collective Soul only)
24 - Simpsonville, NC - Heritage Park Amphitheatre (Gavin DeGraw only)
June 2009
18 - Coeur D’Alene, ID - Coeur D’Alene Casino Resort Hotel (Collective Soul only)
20 - Burlington, IA - Steamboat Days (Collective Soul only)
22 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
23 - Fort Wayne, IN - Piere’s
24 - Indianapolis, IN - The Egyptian Room
26 - Des Moines, IA - Des Moines Arts Festival
27 - Green River, WY - Flaming Gorge Days (Collective Soul only)
29 - Kansas City, MO - The Beaumont Club
July 2009
1 - Calgary, Alberta - Cowboys (Collective Soul only)
3 - Milwaukee, WI - Summerfest (Gaivin DeGraw only)
4 - O’Fallon, MO - Heritage and Freedom Festival
7 - Tulsa, OK - Spirit Bank Event Center
9 - Southhaven, MS - Snowden Grove Amphitheater
10 - Chicago, IL - World’s Largest Block Party
11 - Columbus, OH - Lifestyle Communities Pavilion
13 - Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues
14 - Lake Buena Vista, FL - House of Blues
15 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Revolution
20 - Louisville, KY - Freedom Hall (Gavin DeGraw only)
27 - Syracuse, NY - State Fair Grounds (Gavin DeGraw only)
September 2009
4 - Biloxi, MS - Hard Rock Live (Collective Soul only)
11 - Las Vegas, NV - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Collective Soul only)
Collective Soul on iLike - Get updates inside iTunes
When Seattle grunge went mainstream, it was only a matter of time before the ripple effect was felt in regions other than the Pacific Northwest. Georgia quintet Collective Soul, along with fellow inheritors of the now commercially lucrative post-grunge landscape like Live, Bush, and Candlebox, developed the genre into a more succinct brand of angst, turning the sonic cacophony of bands like Mudhoney and the Melvins into radio-friendly hard rock.
Collective Soul — taken from a line in Ayn Rand’s book -The Fountainhead, were formed in the small town of Stockbridge in the early ’90s by principal songwriter Ed Roland (lead vocals/keyboards/guitars), guitarists Dean Roland and Joel Kosche, and rhythm section Will Turpin (bass/percussion) and Shane Evans (drums/percussion). Originally released in 1993 on the Atlanta indie label Rising Storm, Hints Allegations and Things Left Unsaid proved popular enough on the local level that it was picked up the following year by Atlantic. Within months of its release, “Shine” became a modern rock and MTV staple, and Collective Soul found themselves with a platinum debut, playing everywhere from arenas with Aerosmith to Woodstock 1994.
They released the eponymous sophomore effort the following year, which featured the hits “World I Know” and “December,” once again going multi-platinum, but their fan base began to wane upon the release of 1997’s Disciplined Breakdown. Released in 1999, Dosage was a return to form for the group, yielding the hit singles “Run” and “Heavy,” but despite their best efforts, the post-grunge genre was suffering under the weight of the emerging nu-metal scene. In 2000 they released Blender, an image-seeking misfire that saw the group attempting a clean-cut (no facial hair) image and mixing in heavily produced AOR with dance-pop, even performing a duet with Elton John. The following year, fans were treated to 7even Year Itch: Collective Soul’s Greatest Hits 1994-2001. In 2004, the group returned to their roots, bringing on new guitar player Joel Kosche and releasing the stripped-down and dynamic Youth on their own El Music Group imprint. An eight-song EP (From the Ground Up) arrived the following year. In early 2007 it was announced that the band was teaming with the Target chain of stores. Target was to be the “exclusive physical retailer” of the band’s next album, Afterwards. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide
Maxwell DeMille’s CICADA CLUB - Upcoming Events
March 1, 2009 by Claudia · Leave a Comment
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! TONITE, SUNDAY, MARCH 1
THE CICADA CLUB PROUDLY PRESENTS THE RETURN OF JENNIFER KEITH AND THE HIGH SOCIETY BOYS. THE LOVELY SONGBIRD STEMS FROM HOLLYWOOD LINEAGE STARTING WITH HER GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER WHO WAS B.F.KEITH, THE “K” IN RKO!
THE HIGH SOCIETY BOYS FEATURES MANDO DORAME ON TENOR SAXOPHONE, VEIKKO LEPISTO ON UPRIGHT BASS, DANNY GLASS ON DRUMS AND BILL RYAN ON GUITAR PLUS MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL CROWN REVUE BIG BAND
SPECIAL GUEST: MISS CHRISTINE NELSON THE SULTRY SPARROW OF SONG
NOTICE: WE SUGGEST YOU DRESS IN YOUR BEST VINTAGE OR EVENING ATTIRE
NO COVER CHARGE FOR THIS EVENING! A DINNER RESERVATION GUARANTEES
YOUR TABLE FOR THE ENTIRE EVENING HURRY! SOME TABLES STILL AVAILABLE
PHONE 213-488-9488 TO MAKE YOUR DINNER RESERVATION TODAY
MORE INFORMATION AT THE WEBSITE WWW.CLUBCICADA.COM
Maxwell DeMille’sCICADA CLUB, 617 S. Olive St.,Los Angeles, CA 90014.www.ClubCicada.com. DINNER RESERVATIONS: 213-488-9488, MORE INFO: 877-463-7773
MAY 24 - DEAN MORA AND HIS 20-PIECE ORCHESTRA ~ A SALUTE TO THE USO ~ BUY ADVANCE TICKETS HERE - WWW.CLUBCICADA.COM
= COMING SOON! =
MARCH 8 - GINGER AND THE HOOSIER DADDYS WITH SPECIAL GUEST JOHNNY HOLIDAY
MARCH 15 - CASSIE MILLER AND THE GOLD STANDARD
MARCH 22 - THE HOT CLUB QUINTETTE
MARCH 29 - RICHARD HALPERN’S ROARING TWENTIES REVUE
PLEASE MAKE YOUR DINNER RESERVATION TODAY TO GUARANTEE YOUR TABLE FOR THE ENTIRE EVENING
213-488-9488
MAJOR TICKETS ON SALE STARTING THIS WEEKEND - THE WHO’S WHO OF LIVE CONCERTS, TOURS AND SPORTS EVENTS:
February 27, 2009 by Claudia · Leave a Comment
Elton John & Billy Joel Face 2 Face Tour 2009 Foxboro & Washington DC
Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood Chicago, Las Vegas, Oakland, Omaha, Philadelphia, St Paul
George Strait Arlington, Bristow, Charlotte, Chicago, Raleigh
Leonard Cohen on Monday - Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, Morrison, Oakland, San Diego, Seattle & Canada – almost all tickets will call only. Presales begin Monday for LA & New York, Supply is limited.
Kenny Chesney Darien Center, Kansas City, Pelham AL, Syracuse NY - State Fair
Taylor Swift Glendale, Las Vegas, Seattle, St Louis
Jennifer Hudson & Robin Thicke Chicago, Los Angeles, New York,Keane Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Rascal Flatts Maryland Heights & possibly Wrigley Field
Bon Jovi Las Vegas
Neil Young Canada
Monty Python’s Spamalot San Francisco
Disney Presents the Lion King Las Vegas
Baseball Teams onsale, dates vs Red Sox and Yankees and Opening, Atlanta Braves/Cleveland Indians/Tampa Bay Rays
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Laff Mobb: Capone/Corey Holocomb/Roz G/Lil |
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See Grammy Award-winning Ricardo Arjona on his 5to Piso Tour. Don’t miss out on exclusive ticket offers to the hottest tour of the year! Disfruta al ganador de Premios Grammy, Ricardo Arjona en su Tour 5to Piso. No te pierdas exclusivas ofertas de boletos para la mejor gira del 2009!
February 21, 2009 by Claudia · Leave a Comment
Guatemalan singer/songwriter Ricardo Arjona is one of the more respected Latin artists, mostly for his social conscience and his integrity in writing and performing songs. Born in Antigua, he was interested in music from an early age but later decided to become a rural schoolteacher. He also played basketball for the Guatemalan national team, but continued to play his guitar and write songs in his spare time. After realizing that music was his one true love, he moved to Mexico City; once there, he began looking for a record contract and played at many student festivals, increasing his status as a protest singer.
Arjona finally found a contract through PolyGram, but the label attempted to market him as a Latin-lover type on his debut album, Dejame Decir Que Te Amo (Let Me Say I Love You). Predictably, the album failed, and Arjona spent the next five years teaching and occasionally writing songs recorded by other artists. He moved to Buenos Aires, began playing again, and soon returned to the recording sphere with material more suited to his experiences as a protest singer, namely “Jesus Verbo No Sustantivo,” a controversial song about his experiences at a Catholic school as a child. It gained him a contract with Sony, which released many of his most popular albums, including Animal Nocturno. Adentro, released in late 2005, was nominated for a 2006 Grammy in the Latin Pop Album category. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
Ricardo was born in the village of Jocotenango, Guatemala to Ricardo Arjona Moscoso and Noemí Morales de Arjona. When he was two years old he and his family moved to Guatemala City.
At the age of 8, young Ricardo could already play the guitar. He kept studying and went through a teenage rebel phase which became a problem for him at school, but never put music aside, the only thing that he enjoyed. Time went by and he never forgot the idea of becoming a professional singer.
At age 21, Ricardo Arjona got the opportunity to record his first album “Dejame decir que te amo”. The recording turned out to be a bad experience for him and he decided to leave the music business. He spent some time as a teacher at a rural primary school (Santa Elena III), where he reputedly said he spent three hours giving lessons and the rest of the day playing soccer. This earned him a visit from a Ministry of Education representative, who was sent to evaluate the level of education amongst Ricardo Arjona’s pupils. The representative found that the students’ level of education was actually above average.
Ricardo Arjona was a talented basketball player, and he played for the team Leones de Marte and TRIAS. He also toured Central America as a member of the Guatemalan national basketball team; until recently he held the record for the most points scored (78) in a single game by a Guatemalan player.
Music was always in him and decided to try again with the launch of his second album, His musical stamp “Jesus verbo, no sustantivo” a definite consolidation as composer and singer. The album was the most sold in history on the Latin market for some Central American countries; but is still not know internationally.
Although he initially enrolled in architecture and engineering subjects, he eventually graduated with a degree from the School of Communication Sciences at the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC).
At USAC there is a library hall that bears his name. There is also a street named for him in his birthplace, Jocotenango, Guatemala.
In the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, he met Puerto Rican Leslie Torres and had two children with her: Adria and Ricardo. Later in 2002 they separated.
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Santa Clarita Valley Historical presents: THE DAM TOUR RETURNS!!
February 16, 2009 by Claudia · Leave a Comment
As they have done for the last several years, the will host a tour of the site of the St. Francis Dam site in San Francisquito Canyon on Sunday, March 15 as a fundraiser for the Society.
The dam break is the second-worst natural disaster in the state of California: the failure of the St. Francis Dam on March 12, 1928 killed more than 450 people, leveled farms and homesteads, destroyed property and livestock and changed the way dam safety was addressed forevermore.
“Dam Man” Frank Rock, considered an expert in the dam disaster who has appeared on the Discovery and History Channels as well as local documentaries of the event, will give a short lecture at the Saugus Train Station with an overview of the dam disaster, followed by a ticketed event, a three-hour motorcoach tour of the dam site.
The bus will leave Heritage Junction Historic park at 2 p.m. and return at approximately 5 p.m. Tour includes snacks and motor coach transportation. Along with the historical narrative, Rock will also talk about some of the changes in the canyons brought about by recent fires and floods. Special thanks to the city of Santa Clarita for providing the buses for the tour.
Tickets may be reserved by calling (661) 254-1275 with credit card and contact information or by mailing your ticket order to P.O. Box 221925, Newhall, CA 91322-1925. Mail orders must be received no later than March 10. Because this tour is a very popular fund-raiser, it is impossible to guarantee that seats will be available for purchase on the day of the tour. Order your tickets now!
THE DAM TOUR RETURNS!!
As they have done for the last several years, the Santa Clarita Valley Historical will host a tour of the site of the St. Francis Dam site in San Francisquito Canyon
on Sunday, March 15 as a fundraiser for the Society.
The dam break is the second-worst natural disaster in the state of California: the failure of the St. Francis Dam on March 12, 1928 killed more than 450 people, leveled farms and homesteads, destroyed property and livestock and changed the way dam safety was addressed forevermore.
“Dam Man” Frank Rock, considered an expert in the dam disaster who has appeared on the Discovery and History Channels as well as local documentaries of the event, will give a short lecture at the Saugus Train Station with an overview of the dam disaster, followed by a ticketed event, a three-hour motorcoach tour of the dam site.
The bus will leave Heritage Junction Historic park at 2 p.m. and return at approximately 5 p.m. Tour includes snacks and motor coach transportation. Along with the historical narrative, Rock will also talk about some of the changes in the canyons brought about by recent fires and floods. Special thanks to the city of Santa Clarita for providing the buses for the tour.
Tickets may be reserved by calling (661) 254-1275 with credit card and contact information or by mailing your ticket order to P.O. Box 221925, Newhall, CA 91322-1925. Mail orders must be received no later than March 10. Because this tour is a very popular fund-raiser, it is impossible to guarantee that seats will be available for purchase on the day of the tour. Order your tickets now! Visit our sites at: www.scvhs.org and www.scvhistory.com.
TAYLOR SWIFT is hitting the road on her FEARLESS Tour 2009 with special guest Kellie Pickler and Gloriana! Take advantage of special ticket offers for an unforgettable experience!!
Taylor Swift has been singing all her life, motivated by her grandmother, who was a professional opera singer. She began performing locally around her town and county at the age of ten, and at age 11 sang the national anthem before a Philadelphia 76ers game. By the time she was 12, she had picked up the guitar and began practicing four hours each day, until her fingers started to bleed. Swift’s parents began to support her music, and recognized her talent, perseverance, and budding future as a professional musician. The family began making regular visits to Nashville, TN, where Swift would perform casually and meet with songwriters in the area. The family decided to move to an outlying Nashville suburb, which accelerated Swift’s career. While performing at a showcase at Nashville’s Bluebird Café, Swift caught the eye of music industry veteran Scott Borchetta. He had plans to create a new label and decided Swift was one of the first acts he wanted to sign. Still a high school student fascinated by love (which she uses as her muse), she released her debut single, “Tim McGraw,” in August 2006, followed by a self-titled album that October. ~ Megan Frye, All Music Guide.
Country music icon Willie Nelson will tour this year. “Shotgun Willie” has been making music for over six decades. Don’t miss the chance to see this living legend live!
February 3, 2009 by Claudia · Leave a Comment
As a songwriter and a performer, Willie Nelson played a vital role in post-rock & roll country music. Although he didn’t become a star until the mid-’70s, Nelson spent the ’60s writing songs that became hits for stars like Ray Price (”Night Life“), Patsy Cline (”Crazy”), Faron Young (”Hello Walls”), and Billy Walker (”Funny How Time Slips Away”) as well as releasing a series of records on Liberty and RCA that earned him a small, but devoted, cult following. During the early ’70s, Willie aligned himself with Waylon Jennings and the burgeoning outlaw country movement that made him into a star in 1975. Following the crossover success of that year’s The Red Headed Stranger and “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain,” Nelson was a genuine star, as recognizable in pop circles as he was to the country audience; in addition to recording, he also launched an acting career in the early ’80s. Even when he was a star, Willie never played it safe musically. Instead, he borrowed from a wide variety of styles, including traditional pop, Western swing, jazz, traditional country, cowboy songs, honky tonk, rock & roll, folk, and the blues, creating a distinctive, elastic hybrid. Nelson remained at the top of the country charts until the mid-’80s, when his lifestyle — which had always been close to the outlaw clichés with which his music flirted — began to spiral out of control, culminating in an infamous battle with the IRS in the late ’80s. During the ’90s, Nelson’s sales never reached the heights that he had experienced a decade earlier, but he remained a vital icon in country music, having greatly influenced the new country, new traditionalist, and alternative country movements of the ’80s and ’90s as well as leaving behind a legacy of classic songs and recordings.
Nelson began performing music as a child growing up in Abbott, TX. After his father died and his mother ran away, Nelson and his sister Bobbie were raised by their grandparents, who encouraged both children to play instruments. Willie picked up the guitar, and by the time he was seven, he was already writing songs. Bobbie learned to play piano, eventually meeting — and later marrying — fiddler Bud Fletcher, who invited both of the siblings to join his band. Nelson had already played with Raychecks’ Polka Band, but with Fletcher, he acted as the group’s frontman. Willie stayed with Fletcher throughout high school. Upon his graduation, he joined the Air Force but had to leave shortly afterward, when he became plagued by back problems. Following his disenrollment from the service, he began looking for full-time work. After he worked several part-time jobs, he landed a job as a country DJ at Fort Worth’s KCNC in 1954. Nelson continued to sing in honky tonks as he worked as a DJ, deciding to make a stab at recording career by 1956. That year, he headed to Vancouver, WA, where he recorded Leon Payne’s “Lumberjack.” At that time, Payne was a DJ and he plugged “Lumberjack” on the air, which eventually resulted in sales of 3,000 — a respectable figure for an independent single, but not enough to gain much attention. For the next few years, Willie continued to DJ and sing in clubs. During this time, he sold “Family Bible” to a guitar
Image via Wikipediainstructor for 50 dollars, and when the song became a hit for Claude Gray in 1960, Nelson decided to move to Nashville the following year to try his luck. Though his nasal voice and jazzy, off-center phrasing didn’t win him many friends — several demos were made and then rejected by various labels — his songwriting ability didn’t go unnoticed, and soon Hank Cochran helped Willie land a publishing contract at Pamper Music. Ray Price, who co-owned Pamper Music, recorded Nelson’s “Night Life” and invited him to join his touring band, the Cherokee Cowboys, as a bassist. Arriving at the beginning of 1961, Price’s invitation began a watershed year for Nelson. Not only did he play with Price — eventually taking members of the Cherokee Cowboys to form his own touring band — but his songs also provided major hits for several other artists. Faron Young took “Hello Walls” to number one for nine weeks, Billy Walker made “Funny How Time Slips Away” into a Top 40 country smash, and Patsy Cline made “Crazy” into a Top Ten pop crossover hit. Earlier in the year, he signed a contract with Liberty Records and began releasing a series of singles that were usually drenched in strings. “Willingly,” a duet with his then-wife Shirley Collie, became a Top Ten hit for Nelson early in 1962, and it was followed by another Top Ten single, “Touch Me,” later that year. Both singles made it seem like Nelson was primed to become a star, but his career stalled just as quickly as it had taken off, and he was soon charting in the lower regions of the Top 40. Liberty closed its country division in 1964, the same year Roy Orbison had a hit with “Pretty Paper.”
When the Monument recordings failed to become hits, Nelson moved to RCA Records in 1965, the same year he became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Over the next seven years, Willie had a steady stream of minor hits, highlighted by the number 13 hit “Bring Me Sunshine” in 1969. Toward the end of his stint with RCA, he had grown frustrated with the label, which had continually tried to shoehorn him into the heavily produced Nashville sound. By 1972, he wasn’t even able to reach the country Top 40. Discouraged by his lack of success, Nelson decided to retire from country music, moving back to Austin, TX, after a brief and disastrous sojourn into pig farming. Once he arrived in Austin, Nelson realized that many young rock fans were listening to country music along with the traditional honky tonk audience. Spotting an opportunity, Willie began performing again, scrapping his pop-oriented Nashville sound and image for a rock- and folk-influenced redneck outlaw image. Soon, he earned a contract with Atlantic Records.
Shotgun Willie (1973), Nelson’s first album for Atlantic, was evidence of the shift of his musical style, and although it initially didn’t sell well, it earned good reviews and cultivated a dedicated cult following. By the fall of 1973, his version of Bob Wills’ “Stay All Night (Stay a Little Longer)” had cracked the country Top 40. The following year, he delivered the concept album Phases and Stages, which increased his following even more with the hit singles “Bloody Mary Morning” and “After the Fire Is Gone.” But the real commercial breakthrough didn’t arrive until 1975, when he severed ties with Atlantic and signed to Columbia Records, which gave him complete creative control of his records. Willie’s first album for Columbia, The Red Headed Stranger, was a spare concept album about a preacher, featuring only his guitar and his sister’s piano. The label was reluctant to release with such stark arrangements, but they relented and it became a huge hit, thanks to Nelson’s understated cover of Roy Acuff’s “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.”
Following the breakthrough success of The Red Headed Stranger as well as Waylon Jennings’ simultaneous success, outlaw country — so named because it worked outside of the confines of the Nashville industry — became a sensation, and RCA compiled the various-artists album Wanted: The Outlaws!, using material Nelson, Jennings, Tompall Glaser, and Jessi Colter had previously recorded for the label. The compilation boasted a number one single in the form of the newly recorded Jennings and Nelson duet “Good Hearted Woman,” which was also named the Country Music Association’s single of the year. For the next five years, Nelson consistently charted on both the country and pop charts, with “Remember Me,” “If You’ve Got the Money I’ve Got the Time,” and “Uncloudy Day” becoming Top Ten country singles in 1976; “I Love You a Thousand Ways” and the Mary Kay Place duet “Something to Brag About” were Top Ten country singles the following year.
Nelson enjoyed his most successful year to date in 1978, as he charted with two very dissimilar albums. Waylon and Willie, his first duet album with Jennings, was a major success early in the year, spawning the signature song “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.” Later in the year, he released Stardust, a string-augmented collection of pop standards produced by Booker T. Jones. Most observers believed that the unconventional album would derail Nelson’s career, but it unexpectedly became one of the most successful records in his catalog, spending almost ten years in the country charts and eventually selling over four million copies. After the success of Stardust, Willie branched out into film, appearing in the Robert Redford movie The Electric Horseman in 1979 and starring in Honeysuckle Rose the following year. The latter spawned the hit “On the Road Again,” which became another one of Nelson’s signature songs.
Willie continued to have hits throughout the early ’80s, when he had a major crossover success in 1982 with a cover of Elvis Presley’s hit “Always on My Mind.” The single spent two weeks at number one and crossed over to number five on the pop charts, sending the album of the same name to number two on the pop charts as well as quadruple-platinum status. Over the next two years, he had hit duet albums with Merle Haggard (1983’s Poncho & Lefty) and Jennings (1982’s WWII and 1983’s Take It to the Limit), while “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before,” a duet with Latin pop star Julio Iglesias, became another major crossover success in 1984, peaking at number five on the pop charts and number one on the country singles chart.
Following a string of number one singles in early 1985, including “Highwayman,” the first single from the Highwaymen, a supergroup he formed with Jennings, Johnny Cash, and Kris Kristofferson, Nelson’s popularity gradually began to erode. A new generation of artists had captured the attention of the country audience, which began to drastically cut into his own audience. For the remainder of the decade, he recorded less frequently and remained on the road; he also continued to do charity work, most notably Farm Aid, an annual concert that he founded in 1985 designed to provide aid to ailing farmers. While he career was declining, an old demon began to creep up on Willie: the IRS. In November 1990, he was given a bill for $16.7 million in back taxes. During the following year, almost all of his assets — including several houses, studios, farms, and various properties — were taken away, and to help pay his bill, he released the double album The IRS Tapes: Who’ll Buy My Memories? Originally released as two separate albums, the records were marketed through television commercials, and all the profits were directed to the IRS. By 1993 — the year he turned 60 — his debts had been paid off, and he relaunched his recording career with Across the Borderline, an ambitious album produced by Don Was and featuring cameos by Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Paul Simon, Sinéad O’Connor, David Crosby, and Kris Kristofferson. The record received strong reviews and became his first solo album to appear in the pop charts since 1985.
After the release of Across the Borderline, Nelson continued to work steadily, releasing at least one album a year and touring constantly. In 1993, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, but by that time, he had already become a living legend for all country music fans across the world. Signing to Island for 1996’s Spirit, he resurfaced two years later with the critically acclaimed Teatro, produced by Daniel Lanois. Nelson followed up that success with the instrumental-oriented Night and Day a year later; Me and the Drummer and Milk Cow Blues followed in 2000. The Rainbow Connection, which featured an eclectic selection of old-time country favorites, appeared in spring 2001.
Amazingly prolific as a recording artist, Nelson released The Great Divide on Universal in 2002. A collection of his early-’60s publishing demos for Pamper Music called Crazy: The Demo Sessions came out on Sugar Hill in 2003. Later in 2003 Nelson released Run That by Me One More Time, which reunited him with Ray Price and kicked off a relationship with Lost Highway Records. It Always Will Be and Outlaws and Angels both appeared on Lost Highway in 2004, followed by the release of Nelson’s long-delayed attempt at a country-reggae fusion, Countryman, also on Lost Highway, in 2005. You Don’t Know Me: The Songs of Cindy Walker arrived the following year, along with Songbird, Nelson’s collaboration with alt-country singer/songwriter Ryan Adams and his band the Cardinals. The double-disc Last of the Breed, an ambitious project that paired Nelson with Merle Haggard, Ray Price, and Asleep at the Wheel, was released by Lost Highway in 2007, followed by the Kenny Chesney/Buddy Cannon-produced Moment of Forever a year later in 2008. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
David Archuleta on Tour!
January 29, 2009 by Claudia · 2 Comments
David Archuleta was born in Miami, Florida, to Jeff Archuleta and Lupe Marie, a salsa singer and dancer from Honduras. Archuleta has four siblings. Archuleta’s family moved to the Salt Lake Valley, to the city of Sandy, Utah, when Archuleta was six. He currently lives in Murray, Utah where he attended Murray High School Archuleta is a member of the Boy Scouts of America. Archuleta started singing at age six, inspired by a Les Misérables video. “That musical is what started all of this”, he said. He started performing publicly at age ten when he participated in the Utah Talent Competition singing “I Will Always Love You” by Dolly Parton; he received a standing ovation and won the Child Division. Archuleta was inspired by watching both Tamyra Gray and Kelly Clarkson to “see what performing and really getting into a song was like” during the beginning weeks of the premiere season of American Idol. He later made his television debut, at eleven years old, singing “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” on The Jenny Jones Show show for future Latino stars alongside season one finalist A.J. Gil. Through A.J. Gil he was able to meet and sing for Gray who had sung the song on American Idol as well as Clarkson (that year’s winner) and Justin Guarini (the runner up).
Musical influences: Archuleta’s mother is from Honduras, and much of the music he listened to as a child was Latin-influenced including watching his mom sing at events with her sisters. She also “was big on dancing” according to Archuleta, and would “make” him dance to traditional music with his older sister. He also listened to jazz music, he said, from his father’s collection as well as gospel, pop, rock and “soulful music.” In a later interview, he revealed that his father was a jazz musician. Archuleta also said he enjoys Broadway musicals. On his American Idol “Fast Facts” page, Archuleta cited his musical influences as Natalie Cole, Stevie Wonder, Kirk Franklin and Bryan Adams. When he listed his top pop music artists, he cited Natasha Bedingfield, Natalie Cole, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Bryan Adams, Kirk Franklin, and Robbie Williams. Like Elliott Yamin and another singer he admires, John Mayer, Archuleta tries to infuse his pop selections with a soulful vibe. In a Seventeen interview he cites Sara Bareilles as a clever singer-songwriter he looks up to.
Star Search: In 2003, at age twelve, Archuleta sang on several episodes of the television show Star Search. He ended up as the Junior Vocal Champion on Star Search 2. On one episode, he sang against then-11-year-old Alexandréa Lushington, who became a “top 20″ semi-finalist on American Idol alongside Archuleta. Around the second year of being on Star Search he started focusing on the lyrics, “I didn’t even pay attention to the lyrics when I was 12, 13″. Archuleta’s competing on Star Search led to appearances on The
Jenny Jones Show and CBS’ The Early Show, and meeting the finalists from American Idol’s first season, for whom he performed a spontaneous a cappella rendition of “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” from Dreamgirls, and received enthusiastic praise from Season 1 winner Kelly Clarkson. The year after Star Search he found out he had partial vocal paralysis but declined risky surgery and has said he feels he is almost fully recovered. He limited his singing for specific occasions like Stadium of Fire, the Independence Day celebration at Brigham Young University Stadium. Archuleta made initial attempts at songwriting and arranging music after his Star Search experience and has written at least three songs. His first singles in 2002 included “Dream Sky High” and “Don’t Tell Me”.
American Idol: Overview - Archuleta won his ticket to the Hollywood final auditions at the San Diego tryouts - held at Qualcomm Stadium at the end of July 2007 - with a performance of John Mayer’s “Waiting on the World to Change” with judge Randy Jackson spontaneously joining in to sing the background “waiting” in the song.) He was 16 during the Hollywood auditions (where his renditions of Bryan Adams’ “Heaven” and Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” were well-received by the judges) and attended school while a part of American Idol’s seventh season. His parents were there because he was a minor. Archuleta also took advantage of the decision to allow contestants to play musical instruments when he accompanied himself on piano for his performances of “Crazy”, “Another Day in Paradise“, and “Angels.” A Los Angeles Times article speculated that Archuleta avoided singing the first verse of “Imagine”: because “of his religion (Mormonism), he’s unlikely to espouse the song’s agnostic ideal . . . with the line about ‘no religion too.’” Archuleta did, however, sing the entire song on Good Things Utah when he was 13. During his first performance of “Imagine” on American Idol, when asked by judge Randy Jackson why he didn’t sing the first verse, Archuleta said the third verse was his favorite because it has “a great message.”
After his performance of “We Can Work It Out”, which judge Simon Cowell called “a mess”, Entertainment Tonight reported that Archuleta was feeling pressure from his father, Jeff Archuleta, who “reportedly yelled at” his son after a recording session the previous night. Jeff Archuleta, in an interview with Us Magazine, denied the claim. A May 2008 Associated Press article reported that Jeff Archuleta had his son add a lyric from the Sean Kingston song “Beautiful Girls” into a rendition of “Stand by Me” (from which “Beautiful Girls” samples its bass line), increasing the costs for licensing, and that this had resulted in Jeff Archuleta being banned from American Idol backstage rehearsals.[30] David defended his father calling him “a great guy” who keeps him grounded. During the Top 7 results show, the contestants were split into two groups. In one group was Syesha Mercado, Brooke White, and Kristy Lee Cook. In the other group was David Cook, Carly Smithson, and Jason Castro. Archuleta was the only one not sorted into a group. He was declared safe after the groups were formed, then was asked to choose the group he thought was safe. He refused, and sat down on the floor of the stage, much like Melinda Doolittle had done the previous season.
In the finale he sang “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me”, “In This Moment” and “Imagine”. Judge Simon Cowell declared that Archuleta won the evening and even David Cook, who ultimately won, thought Archuleta would win: “I have to concede it, the kid came out all three songs and nailed it”, said Cook. In the final tally, Archuleta received 44 percent of the votes. During the finale show, identical commercials featuring Archuleta and fellow finalist Cook mimicked the Tom Cruise scene from Risky Business where he dances in his underwear playing an air guitar; they were promoting the game franchise Guitar Hero.
Downtown Waterfront Market
January 19, 2009 by Claudia · Leave a Comment
A weekly celebration of local foods, crafts and activities! Cooking and arts-and-crafts demonstrations! Music and live performances! On the green at Mariner’s Wharf Park on Saturdays from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., May 24 - October 25.
Experience the bounty of the county every Saturday morning at the Downtown Waterfront Market, on the green at Mariners’ Wharf Park in Elizabeth City, overlooking one of the most picturesque harbors on the Eastern seaboard. Make new friends or meet your neighbors as you stroll among tents offering seasonal local produce, baked goods, plants and flowers, historic Stock’s and City Cut Rate orange ades, ice cream, gourmet coffee and gallery-quality arts and crafts. The market also features live music, live performances by artisans and cultural groups, and pets available for adoption.
Hope to see you there!! For more information, please call Denise Richards, Marketing Coordinator, at 252-338-0169. Admission: Free to visit, Event Dates: May 24, 2008 - Oct 25, 2008 - Saturday, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Event location: Mariner’s Wharf Park - South Water Street, Elizabeth City NC, 27909, 252-335-5330 More contact info: Denise Richards - Phone: 252-338-0169 - URL: Event web site
