Music – Page 2876 – 105.7 WDNY

American Federation of Teachers honors Steven Van Zandt with Making a Difference award

July 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

E Street Band guitarist Little Steven Van Zandt was honored by the American Federation of Teachers over the weekend and, during the emotional ceremony, praised teachers for being “on the frontlines against ignorance.”

According to a statement from AFT, Van Zandt, 70, was awarded the organization’s Making a Difference award for his support of teachers, inclusive of his “years of work promoting and appreciating the work of educators” through his philanthropy.

The guitarist appeared virtually at the federation’s TEACH summer educational issues conference on Saturday.

“This is an amazing award, coming from my favorite people — you,” Van Zandt began in his pre-recorded speech. “You, my friends, are the ones who make a difference every day. Teachers are on the frontlines against ignorance. Honestly, we have never needed you more.”

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer also praised the arts-inclusive twist on the STEM acronym, now called STEAM to include arts education.

“There are no wrong answers in the arts,” said Van Zandt. “The arts provide a comfort zone, and that extends to other disciplines.”

He closed his speech by praising all educators, saying, “I can’t overstate my appreciation for all you do and for this award. I salute you. You are helping to create the next generation of engineers, scientists, doctors, nurses, artists, activists, writers and even musicians.”

In the statement, AFT president Randi Weingarten said they chose Van Zandt to receive the honor because he “passionately spreads the gospel of teachers’ tireless work and actively engages with teachers and students during regular classroom visits and through TeachRock.org, his free online music and arts curriculum.”

The statement adds, “He lends his name and notoriety to supporting educators, which is particularly special given everything they’ve done to support students in the last year.”

Country star trivia

July 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

On this date in 2014, “Somethin’ Bad” — a duet between two of country music’s biggest female artists — became a #1 hit. Neither singer was a stranger to the top spot on the chart, but the song was the first chart-topping duet between two female solo acts in two decades. Do you know who sang it? ANSWER: Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert.

Going Dutch: See Ariana Grande’s honeymoon pics

July 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for iHeartMedia

Ariana Grande and her husband Dalton Gomez apparently went Dutch when it came to their honeymoon: The singer has posted a bunch of photos of a trip to Amsterdam and The Netherlands.

Ari captioned the photos with emojis of a snail and a waffle, both of which are apparently associated with Amsterdam. The images include videos of a swan and a ladybug, but what gives their location away is that the two are seen posing inside a set of giant wooden shoes. There’s also a beautiful picture of a windmill and a shot of one of Amsterdam’s famous canals.

The two seem to have taken a boat ride, visited a jazz club and traveled by train while they were there, based on the pictures and some videos on Ari’s Instagram story. It’s not clear when the honeymoon took place, but Ari is still wearing her signature ponytail. There have been reports recently that she’s switched that out for a bob, but that’s unconfirmed.

Ari and Dalton wed in an intimate ceremony in May after they began dating last year.

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Hit the disco with Foo Fighters in new “You Should Be Dancing” live video

July 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Foo Fighters have shared a live performance video for their cover of the Bee Gees song “You Should Be Dancing.”

The clip transports Dave Grohl and company, here referred to as the Dee Gees, back to a ’70s disco straight out of Saturday Night Fever as they funk their way through the song. You can watch it now streaming on YouTube.

The Foos first premiered their “You Should Be Dancing” cover back in February during a BBC Radio 2 performance. It’ll also appear on their upcoming Bee Gees tribute compilation Hail Satin, which will be released in independent record stores for this Saturday’s Record Store Day event.

Hail Satin follows Foo Fighters’ new album Medicine at Midnight, which was released earlier this year. It includes the singles “Shame Shame” and “Waiting on a War.”

Barack Obama unveils summer playlist, “It’s a mix of old and new”

July 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Another summer means another summer music playlist from Barack Obama.

Over the weekend, the former president took to social media to share what he’s listening to these days. Like past playlists, the 2021 edition encompasses a range of genres, with songs from Jazmine Sullivan, Arooj Aftab, Wye Oak, Migos, Joni Mitchell, Chicago, Rihanna, JAY-Z, Erykah Badu, Brandi Carlile, George Harrison and many more.

Alongside the 38-track list, Obama wrote, “With so many folks getting together with family and friends, there’s a lot to celebrate this summer. Here’s a playlist of songs I’ve been listening to lately — it’s a mix of old and new, household names and emerging artists, and a whole lot in between.”

The former POTUS also shared his summer reading list, which includes 11 titles from authors David Diop, Eric Nguyen, Elizabeth Kolbert, Andy Weir, Katie Kitamura and others.

“Whether you’re camped out on the beach or curled up on the couch on a rainy day, there’s nothing quite like sitting down with a great book in the summer,” he shared. “While we were still in the White House, I began sharing my summer favorites — and over the years, it’s become a little tradition that I look forward to sharing with you all. So without further ado, here are some books I’ve read recently.”

Obama concluded, “Hope you enjoy them as much as I did.”

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‘Remember Her Name’: Mickey Guyton announces her new album, due out in the fall

July 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Mickey Guyton has shared plans for a full-length studio album called Remember Her Name. The singer co-wrote 15 of her new project’s 16 tracks, and she says it’s a personal reflection of her journey through Nashville and country music stardom.

“Remember Her Name is a culmination of the last ten years of my life in Nashville,” Mickey says. “…All those years ago, I set out to create music that would make people feel self-empowered, loved and comfortable with being themselves and this album holds true to all of that. I hope everyone who listens finds something that connects and speaks to them.”

Mickey’s new album will include a number of songs already familiar to fans, including “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?” and “Black Like Me” as well as “Rosé,” from her Bridges EP.

The project also includes Mickey’s version of Beyoncé’s 2008 hit, “If I Were a Boy,” a cover version the country singer first shared earlier in 2021. It’s also the only track on Remember Her Name that Mickey didn’t have a hand in writing.

According to CMT, Remember Her Name‘s title track was inspired by Breonna Taylor, the Louisville, Kentucky Black woman who was unintentionally shot and killed by police officers in her home in March 2020.

“When I was thinking about…Breonna Taylor, and seeing inaction regarding her murder, I thought, ‘I need to bring justice to her life,’” Mickey told CMT. “…The frustration that I’ve felt as an African-American has been a part of my process for a while. So the song, and album, are dedicated to Breonna Taylor and giving her the justice that she deserves.”

Remember Her Name is due out September 24. It’s available for pre-order now.

Mark Hoppus to take important test “that may very well determine if I live or die” amid cancer battle

July 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Blink-182‘s Mark Hoppus will be undergoing an important test this week that he says may determine the fate of his cancer battle.

In a tweet over the weekend, Hoppus wrote, “Apologies if I’m oversharing but it’s so surreal to think that this week I’ll take a test that may very well determine if I live or die.”

“Thanks to everyone for the positive thoughts and encouragement,” he added. “I read all your replies and it means the world to me. Thank you.”

Hoppus, who revealed news of his cancer diagnosis in June, also shared a photo from a recent X-ray, which seems to indicate a tumor that’s grown in his shoulder. He hasn’t revealed what kind of cancer he has, but he did share that a bone marrow transplant might be a possible treatment.

“I’m going to beat this through chemotherapy or through bone marrow transplants, but either way I’m determined to kick cancer’s a** directly in the nuts,” Hoppus wrote. “Love to you all. Let’s. Heckin. Go.”

Backstreet Boys returning to Las Vegas for ‘A Very Backstreet Christmas Party’

July 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Backstreet Boys are heading back to the site of their super-successful Las Vegas residency for a series of 12 holiday-themed shows.

A Very Backstreet Christmas Party will launch at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on November 11 and run through December 23. This is the first time Backstreet has done a holiday show, and it’ll feature them performing holiday favorites, hits and new original songs.

While it hasn’t been officially announced yet, AJ McLean recently said that the group’s been working on their first-ever Christmas album, so it’s a good bet these shows will feature songs from that project.

Tickets go on sale to the public Friday, July 16 at 10 a.m. PT via Ticketmaster. There’s a presale available for Live Nation, Ticketmaster and Caesars Rewards members on Thursday, while Citi cardmembers can grab them on Wednesday. Visit CitiEntertainment.com for more information.

VIP meet and greet opportunities will be available at BSB’s website. One dollar from every ticket sold will be donated to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada. During the group’s Larger Than Life residency, which rain from 2017 to 2018, they donated $180,000 to the organization.

Here are the dates:

11/11
11/12
11/13
11/14
11/18
11/20
11/21
12/16
12/18
12/19
12/22
12/23

Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘SOUR’ returns to top of ‘Billboard’ 200 for third non-consecutive week

July 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

After spending last week in third place on the Billboard 200 chart, Olivia Rodrigo‘s SOUR has reclaimed the top spot.

The singer’s debut album sold an additional 88,000 units, bumping last week’s chart leader — the new album from Tyler, the Creator — to sixth place. This latest move marks SOUR‘s third non-consecutive week at number one since its May 21 release.

Most of SOUR‘s 11 tracks are also charting on the Billboard Hot 100, with “good 4 u” leading the pack in the number-two spot.

“Deja Vu” ranks 10th while “Drivers License,” which peaked at number one and remained there for eight weeks, has fallen out of the top 25 and is now idling in 29th place.

“Traitor,” “Happier,” “Favorite Crime,” “Brutal,” and “Jealousy, Jealousy” are also charting on the Hot 100.

Scooter Braun and Yael Cohen reportedly separating after seven years of marriage

July 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Music mogul Scooter Braun and wife Yael Cohen are reportedly separating after seven years of marriage.

Page Six, which was first to report on the split, says Braun, 40, and Cohen, 34, are not heading toward divorce but will be using the time spent apart to work on their marriage.

“They’re friends,” an insider told the publication, explaining that the two are still living together. The source also claims that the couple’s close friends have been aware of their relationship struggles for about a month.

Braun is the manager of Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato and Ariana Grande, among other stars, but he may be best known for his ongoing feud with Taylor Swift, after he acquired, and later sold, the rights to her master recordings.

Braun and Cohen wed in 2014 and share three children: Jagger Joseph, 6, Levi Magnus, 4, and Hart Violet, 2. Last week, Braun publicly celebrated his and Cohen’s anniversary by sharing a throwback photo of their wedding: In the picture, it appears that Ed Sheeran is serenading them as they dance together.

“If just for the kids, you have given me everything. But thanks to you I have grown, I have been pushed to be the best version of myself and to continue growing and learning,” he wrote. “That all happened because you came in to my life. 7 years. The adventure is just beginning. Thank you Yae. I love you . Happy anniversary.”

Cohen commented, “A Team 4lyfe.”

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