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Darius Rucker announces the return of his “Darius and Friends” benefit concert

July 19, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Darius Rucker’s “Darius and Friends” benefit show will return for its 12th annual celebration this year, after taking place virtually in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As has been the case in previous years, the event will benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. To date, the yearly show has raised over $2 million to support the cause.

While the show will return to its usual in-person format at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium in 2021, it’s taking on a new hybrid model: Fans and supporters will be able to tune in from home if they so choose.

“The incredible work being done at St. Jude really made an impact on me when I had a chance to visit and hear the patients’ stories,” explains Darius, who’s been committed to supporting St. Jude ever since he first toured the Memphis, Tennessee hospital in 2008. “They are some of the bravest people I’ve ever met and being able to support them with this event is always a highlight of my year. I’m so glad we’ll be back to performing in front of a full house at the Ryman for such a great cause!”

As always, Darius will bring a star roster of guest artists to the stage for the show. The “Friends” component of Darius’ “Darius and Friends” show hasn’t yet been revealed, but performers are expected to be announced in the weeks ahead.

The event will take place on August 17. Pre-sales begin on Tuesday, and tickets open up to the general public on Friday. Livestream passes will be available, too.

Elton John wasn’t sure he remembered his own hits after being off the road for so long

July 19, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Elton John has played his legendary hits countless times, but he admits that he’s gotten a bit rusty since the pandemic forced him off the road.

In a special 300th episode of his long-running Apple Radio show Elton John’s Rocket Hour, Elton interviews singer-songwriter Yola. While discussing the prospect of returning to live concerts, Elton admits, “Last Saturday I had to do a charity show on my own, just me and the piano. I hadn’t sung for over a year. In the afternoon, I was sitting at my piano at home, which I never play, and I was rehearsing songs.”

“I [was thinking], ‘Even though I[‘ve] played these songs thousands of times, if I go there tonight and I f**k this up, I will look so stupid,” he continues. “So I was quiet, we had house guests, and I was trying to be as quiet as a mouse and I was trying to rehearse stuff.”

“I’m thinking, “God, if they could hear me now,'” he laughs. “They’re thinking, ‘How many times has he sung that? Why is he rehearsing?’ [But] if you haven’t done it for a long time, you got to do it, right?”

Elton is set to resume actual live concerts September 1 in Berlin, Germany. The North American leg of his Farewell Tour arrives in the U.S. in January of 2022.

Idris Elba makes case to verify all social media users, not just public figures

July 19, 2021 by WDNY Radio

To help combat the spread of misinformation and cyberbullying, Idris Elba has a simple suggestion: verify every user, not just celebrities.

Taking to Instagram on Sunday, the actor said the process public figures must go through in order to have a blue checkmark displayed to their name should be expanded to all social media users.

“People in the public eye get verified on social media, (symbolized by a blue tick), the process of verification requires them to prove their IDENTITY, so everyone knows WHO is speaking,” said Elba, 48. “Social media companies should make this mandatory for all users.”

Elba said the current state of social media is “like boarding a plane and not having to show I.D.” To further accentuate his point, the Golden Globe winner quickly noted the practice would “never happen” in real life.

“If cowards are being supported by a veil of privacy and secrecy, then social media is not a safe space,” wrote Elba. “It is an aeroplane that allows travelers to wear balaclavas.”

He signed off his message with, “If cowards want to spout racial rhetoric then say it with your name, not your username.”

The suggestion drew mixed reaction from Elba’s 4.7 million followers. Some applauded his suggestion to make the internet safer, while others admitted they don’t trust social media companies with their personal information.

Kansas founding member and violinist Robby Steinhardt dies at 71

July 19, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Legendary violinist and founding member of the rock band Kansas, Robby Steinhardt, has passed away at age 71, his family confirms.

His widow Cindy shared the news in a statement on Facebook Monday, writing that Steinhardt was admitted to a hospital in Tampa, Florida, with acute pancreatitis in May and later went into acute septic shock and was placed on life support.

She says he bounced back “much to the amazement of his entire medical staff,” but on July 17, the day he was supposed to move to a rehab center, the sepsis returned and he passed away in her arms.

“We are beyond devastated as our lives were about to start a new adventure,” Cindy writes. “Robby just recorded his first solo album with the talented music producer Michael Franklin at Solar Studios. A tour to start in August, Robby was so looking forward to being back on stage doing what he loved.”

She encouraged fans to share pictures and stories of Robby on his page and to “Hug your loved ones, be happy, stay safe and be well.”

Steinhardt made his mark on the music world with violin and vocals on such Kansas classics as “Dust in the Wind,” “Point of No Return” and “Carry on Wayward Son”

In addition to his wife Cindy, he is survived by his daughter Becky. A memorial will be announced at a later date.

You have about 24 hours to watch Bob Dylan’s return to the stage

July 19, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Bob Dylan returned to the stage on Sunday for a special livestream show, but if you missed it, you can still watch it on demand until midnight tomorrow, July 20.

According to the New York Post, Dylan’s Shadow Kingdom show was filmed in black and white. It lasted less than an hour and featured the 80-year-old rock legend performing with a four-piece band in a club located in a wooden hut. The “audience members” — actually actors — didn’t applaud and didn’t appear to pay attention. Dylan himself didn’t speak.

In the show — Dylan’s first since COVID-19 put his so-called “Never Ending Tour” on pause — he ran through 13 songs, many of which were deep cuts. The set list included “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight,” “Queen Jane Approximately,” “Tombstone Blues,” “Forever Young,” “Watching the River Flow,” and “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue.”

According to the New York Post, the most recent song Dylan performed was 1989’s “What Was It You Wanted,” from the Oh Mercy album.

Visit Veeps.com to purchase a $25 ticket to watch the show yourself.

Nick Cannon cuddles with girlfriend and twins in new pics

July 19, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Proud papa Nick Cannon showed off the latest additions to his family in a new set of photos with girlfriend Abby De La Rosa and their month-old twins, Zion Mixolydian and Zillion Heir Cannon.

Abby shared three pictures of her and Nick snuggling with the napping boys — dressed in matching pajamas — on her Instagram page.

“ONE MONTH OLD,” Abby celebrated, including two heart emojis in the simple caption.

Cannon, 40, shares two children each with exes Mariah Carey and former Miss Arizona U.S.A. Brittany Bell. With Carey, Cannon is the father of 10-year-old twins Monroe and Moroccan. The Drumline star also shares four-year-old Golden with Bell and, last December, the two welcomed a daughter, Powerful Queen. In addition, he recently welcomed a baby boy named Zen with model Alyssa Scott.

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More than 20 pieces of Jerry Garcia’s digital artwork to be sold as NFTs

July 19, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Jerry Garcia. ‘Junglescape.’ 1992. Courtesy Yellowheart

In May, artwork by the late Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia was put on sale as an NFT, or non-fungible token, which is a unique digital collectible. Now, an entire collection of Garcia’s digital artwork is going on the block in the NFT format.

The three-part collection will be sold via YellowHeart, a platform that accepts both cryptocurrency and credit card payments. It’s a digital artwork series called An Odd Little Place: The Digital Works of Jerry Garcia (1992-1995), featuring 20 pieces from the late legend, created on his Apple computer.

Of the 20 pieces, 17 are limited edition pieces of original digital artwork, and the other three are additional works found in the Garcia Archives in a folder called “Last 48 Hours.” Two of the three date from August 7 and August 8, 1995, while the third is believed to be unfinished. Garcia died on August 9, 1995.

You can get a glimpse of the collection now on YouTube. Yellowheart is also teaming with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for a preview event on August 5, which will be attended by members of Garcia’s family. An exhibit of the artwork opens to the public the next day.

The first part of the collection launches today, along with ticket sales to the Rock Hall preview event. There are five VIP Vault Tour Experiences, which cost $10,000 each, and 20 Exhibition Preview Experiences, which cost $2,500 each.

The second partof the exhibition will be revealed August 1, which would have been Jerry’s 79th birthday. The third part is an auction of those three final works, starting August 5 at 3 p.m. ET.

To lessen the environmental impact of creating NFTs, the Garcia Family will donate a portion of the proceeds to charity.

Halsey welcomes first child: “The most ‘rare’ and euphoric birth”

July 19, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Halsey is officially a mom.

The singer announced Monday that she gave birth to her first child with boyfriend Alev Aydin. She posted two black-and-white photos on social media: one of her cradling the newborn and looking lovingly at Alev, and another a close-up shot of the baby breastfeeding.

“Gratitude. For the most ‘rare’ and euphoric birth,” Halsey captioned the photos. “Powered by love.”

She then revealed the child’s name, Ender Ridley Aydin, and date of birth as July 14, 2021. She did not reveal the gender.

Halsey, 26, first announced her pregnancy in January with a photo showing off her baby bump, and the caption, “surprise!” Her new album, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, in which she explores “the joys and horrors of pregnancy and childbirth,” is due out August 27.

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Report: Kanye West to release new album this week

July 19, 2021 by WDNY Radio

It’s seems Kanye West‘s highly-anticipated album, DONDA, might finally see the light of day.

On Sunday, Justin Laboy shared to social media that the oft-delayed record would be released this week. Alongside a meme that read, “He kills every beat, every hook, and every verse who is he?,” Laboy answered, “LETS ARGUE His name is @kanyewest & this week he’s dropping another classic album. DONT @ ME #Respectfully.”

In two prior tweets, Laboy shared that he’d already heard the album, courtesy of Kanye.

“Kanye played his new album for me & @KDTrey5 last night in Vegas,” Laboy wrote. “Man listen! The production is light years ahead of it’s [sic] time, and the bars sound like he’s broke & hungry trying to get signed again. Any artist who plan on dropping soon should just push it back #Respectfully.”

He added, “ALBUM OF THE YEAR. DONT @ ME.”

Laboy isn’t the only one to tease Kanye’s new music. On Saturday, Consequence shared a muted clip of the rapper and Tyler, the Creator in the studio. He captioned the clip, “ConsTV Exclusive Ye x Tyler Epic Level Summer 21.”

Fans also noticed what appeared to be a track list of about 10 songs in the background of the video, some of which were the same as the track list that surfaced over a year ago, including “24” and “Hurricane,” as Hiphop-N-More notes.

Kanye first announced DONDA would be released on July 24, 2020, before several delays plagued the project. The title of the album, which is a follow-up to 2019’s Jesus Is King, honors his late mother, Donda West, who died in 2017 from surgery complications.

Journey escaping to Las Vegas for symphony performance

July 19, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Journey has scheduled a one-night-only performance in Las Vegas this December.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers will take the stage at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on Saturday, December 18, but what makes the show special is that they’ll be performing with a symphony orchestra.

The show will feature Journey’s new lineup, which includes former American Idol judge Randy Jackson on bass and famed producer Narada Michael Walden on drums, along with Neal Schon on guitar, Jonathan Cain and Jason Derlatka on keyboards and Arnel Pineda on vocals.

As previously reported, Journey’s classic 1981 album Escape was recently RIAA-certified Diamond for more than 10 million sales.

Journey will be one of the headliners at Lollapalooza on July 31.

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