Music – Page 3524 – 105.7 WDNY

Paul McCartney disagrees that The Beatles are the greatest band of all time

November 8, 2021 by WDNY Radio

So, The Beatles are the greatest band of all time, right? Not if you ask Paul McCartney.

Sir Paul himself feels that The Everly Brothers deserve the honor.

British newspaper the Daily Mail reports that, according to a passage in his new book The Lyrics, the former Beatle says he and band mate John Lennon were plenty inspired by the pioneering American rock ‘n’ roll duo.

“The biggest influence on John and me was The Everly Brothers. To this day, I just think they’re the greatest,” McCartney expressed. “And they were different.”

“You’d heard barbershop quartets, you’d heard [British pop trio] the Beverley Sisters — three girls — you’d all heard that. But just two guys, two good-looking guys? So we idolized them. We wanted to be them,” he remarked.

The Everly Brothers, comprised of brothers Don and Phil Everly, are credited for pioneering the country-rock genre. The duo also experimented with infusing pop elements into their music, which include the hit singles “Bye Bye Love,” “Wake Up Little Susie” and many more. Other artists influenced by the duo included Simon & Garfunkel, The Beach Boys, The Bee Gees and The Hollies.

Don passed away in August of this year. He was predeceased by Phil, who died on January 3, 2014.

Elton John is now the oldest person ever to top the Australian charts

November 8, 2021 by WDNY Radio

After topping the charts in this native Britain, Elton John’s “Cold Heart” — his collaboration with Dua Lipa and Australia’s Pnau — has now hit number one in Australia, and it’s earned him yet another chart record.

As Billboard notes, Elton is now, at 74 years and seven months, the oldest person ever to top the official Australian singles chart. The previous record-holder was Paul McCartney, who was 72 when he hit number one with the 2015 song “FourFiveSeconds,” a collaboration with Rihanna and Kanye West.

“Cold Heart” is also Elton’s first number-one in Australia since 1997’s “Something About the Way You Look Tonight”/”Candle in the Wind 1997.” He’s had three there overall. Meanwhile, it’s Dua’s first Australian number one, and the first for Pnau as well.

“Cold Heart” is from Elton’s album The Lockdown Sessions, which features collaborations with Stevie Nicks, Stevie Wonder, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj and other artists.

Camila Cabello lists LA home for $4 million, shows off new tattoo

November 8, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Camila Cabello lists LA home for million, shows off new tattoo

Camila Cabello will soon be looking for a new place to live: She’s selling her Los Angeles home for nearly $4 million, the Dirt website reports.

Camila bought the place in the Hollywood Hills in 2019 for just over $3 million. It’s the same home where she and boyfriend Shawn Mendes were in residence back in March when someone broke in, stole the keys to Shawn’s Mercedes G Wagon and made off with it. The vehicle was later recovered.

As a result of the theft, the 3,500-square-foot residence now features a state-of-the-art security system, as well as a pool, outdoor fireplace and kitchen, two-car garage, fireplaces, spa-like bathroom and recording studio.

As for where Camila will go next, she and Shawn were reportedly house-hunting in her native Miami last year.

In other Camila news, she showed off her new tattoo on Instagram: It’s a coil of braided sweet grass on the nape of her neck. The singer got the ink in honor of the non-fiction 2013 book Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer, which Camila says “changed my life.”

“After I read it, I knew I’d never look at the earth and all of it’s inhabitants the same,” Camila gushed on Instagram. “It taught me about reciprocity, about the gift and wisdom in Mother Nature, and that when we heal the Earth, we heal ourselves,” she wrote, adding a quote from the book: “All flourishing is mutual.”

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Travis Scott to pay for funeral costs of those for victims of Astroworld festival tragedy

November 8, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Travis Scott announced Monday he will pay all funeral costs for those who died during the Astroworld festival last Friday in Houston, Texas.

The “Highest in the Room” rapper, who organized and headlined the event, is also providing free one-on-one online therapy for those in need. BetterHelp, in conjunction with Travis, is offering free counseling sessions with a licensed therapist for those who sign up on its website.

The National Alliance on Mental Health, NAMI, has also established a hotline, available Monday – Friday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET. This hotline can be reached at 1-844-CJ NAMI 1, 844-256-2641.

As the investigation continues into the fatal incident, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner tweeted Monday, “We are asking for everyone to be considerate of the grieving families during this incredibly difficult time. Please continue to lift them up in prayer.”

As previously reported, Scott will issue full refunds for attendees who bought tickets to the event. Festival performer Roddy Rich also announced he is donating his “net compensation to the families of this incident.”

Scott was scheduled to headline this weekend’s Day N Vegas Festival, but he has cancelled his performance.

In statements on social media, Scott said he was “absolutely devastated” by what happened and is “working closely with everybody to get to the bottom of this.”

Eight people died and hundreds were injured when the crowd of 50,000 rushed the stage during Scott’s performance. Two concertgoers have already filed lawsuits in the festival’s aftermath as of early Monday.

‘Led Zeppelin IV’ RIAA-certified 24x Platinum on 50th anniversary of album’s release

November 8, 2021 by WDNY Radio

With Led Zeppelin celebrating the 50th anniversary today of the release of its classic 1971 untitled studio album, better known as Led Zeppelin IV, comes news that the record has just been certified 24 times Platinum by the RIAA for notching 24 million equivalent album unit sales in the U.S.

This moves Led Zeppelin IV into a tie with The Beatles‘ White Album for the fifth-best-selling album ever in the States.

The only albums ahead of Zeppelin IV are the Eagles‘ Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975, at 38-times platinum; Michael Jackson‘s Thriller, at 34-times platinum; the Eagles’ Hotel California, at 26-times platinum; and AC/DC‘s Back in Black, at 25-times platinum.

Led Zeppelin recorded most of Led Zeppelin IV‘s basic tracks while staying at a country house called Headley Grange in Hampshire, England, using The Rolling Stones‘ mobile studio.

Led Zeppelin IV featured several of the band’s best-known tunes, including perhaps their most famous song of all, the epic rock anthem “Stairway to Heaven.”

Robert Plant recalls that he was at Headley Grange when he began writing the lyrics for “Stairway to Heaven.”

“I was sitting next to Jimmy [Page] in front of the fire…He’d written this chord sequence and was playing it to me,” Plant remembers. “I was holding a pencil and paper and suddenly my hand is writing the words ‘There’s a lady who’s sure all that glitters is gold…’ I sat there, looked at the words and almost leaped out from my seat. Looking back, I suppose I sat down at the right moment.”

Late drummer John Bonham said around the time of Led Zeppelin IV‘s release that he felt it was the best album the band had made up till that time.

“I love it,” he added.

See Tim McGraw and Faith Hill in first look at ‘Yellowstone’ spin-off ‘1883’

November 8, 2021 by WDNY Radio

The teaser for the Yellowstone prequel 1883, starring Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, is finally here.

A preview of the spin-off series debuted Sunday during the Yellowstone season 4 premiere, giving fans a first look at the Grammy-winning country music couple as James and Margaret Dutton.

“I heard a thousand stories, but none could describe this place,” a voiceover says in the minute-long clip. “The road west is filled with failures. It was a dream, and the dream is coming true. We are in the land of no mercy now.”

Tim and Faith, both 54, are joined in the show’s cast by Sam Elliott, Billy Bob Thornton, Isabel May and LaMonica Garrett.

1883 is described as “a stark retelling of Western expansion” and will follow “the Dutton family as they embark on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of untamed America … fleeing poverty to seek a better future in America’s promised land — Montana.”

Tim has previously starred in films such as Friday Night Lights and The Blind Side, while Faith starred in The Stepford Wives and Dixieland.

The series premieres Dec. 19 on Paramount+.

Adele’s UK special taping attracts Dua Lipa, Emma Thompson, Idris Elba, Mel B & more

November 8, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Adele recorded her upcoming special for British TV over the weekend at the London Palladium, and of course, it attracted quite the star-studded crowd.

The British tabloid The Sun reports that the audience included Harry Potter star Emma Watson, Oscar-winner Emma Thompson, Idris Elba, Spice Girl Mel B, Dua Lipa, Boy George, Naomi Campbell and British rapper Stormzy, in addition to a group of “superfans.” Of course, Adele’s boyfriend Rich Paul was also in attendance.

According to The Sun, Adele was very emotional, telling the audience how nervous she was, and even crying at one point. But she also laughed and joked with the audience during a Q&A session.

One attendee told the paper, “Adele was really emotional to be back up on stage again and performing these new songs which are incredibly raw. She sang one track called ‘Hold On,’ which she said had helped her through the toughest times of her divorce.”

The fan added. “She said it makes her feel really proud now when she listens to it because she’s come such a long way to feel happy again.”

The special, An Audience with Adele, will air November 21. According to The Sun, in addition to “Hold On,” Adele sang the new songs “Easy On Me,” “Love Is a Game” and “I Drink Wine,” as well as past hits like “Rolling in the Deep” and “Hello.”

Adele also sang one tune that wasn’t part of the setlist for her upcoming CBS TV special: the London-inspired “Hometown Glory,” which was the first song she ever wrote.

Nicki Minaj and her husband accused of being gang members during sexual assault case

November 8, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Nicki Minaj and her husband, Kenneth Petty, were accused of being members of one of New York City’s most dangerous gangs during his sexual assault trial.

Petty, who is married to the “Anaconda” rapper, is on trial for allegedly threatening and attempting to bribe Jennifer Hough, who accused him of raping her in 1994. During court testimony, Hough’s attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, said Minaj, born Onika Maraj, and her husband, belonged to the Makk Balla Brims gang, according to court documents obtained by AllHipHop.com.

“[Kenneth] Petty and Maraj were both in this district, in Jamaica, Queens, New York. As seen on an Instagram Live video currently up on Maraj’s Instagram page, both Maraj and Petty were seen associating with members of the Makk Ballers set of the Bloods Gang. Petty and Maraj are both members of this gang,” Blackburn told Judge Eric Vitaliano.

“Shortly after Petty and Maraj are spotted with their gangster colleagues, a member of the gang posted a death threat to Ms. Hough on Twitter, stating: ‘Jennifer if you see this, the Makks are coming to get you,’” Blackburn added.

As previously reported, Hough filed a $20 million civil suit against Petty. She accused him, and his wife, of threatening her to retract her allegations that he raped her in 1994. Hough also says in her lawsuit that Petty and Minaj offered up $500,000 to recant her story.

Petty was convicted of first-degree attempted rape in the case in April 1995 and sentenced to 18 to 54 months in prison. In January 2020, he was indicted by a federal grand jury for failing to register as a sex offender when he moved to Los Angeles. In August, Petty plead guilty to the charge. His sentencing is set for January 24, 2022.

Kelsea Ballerini, Katy Perry & more among vast CMA Awards presenters list

November 8, 2021 by WDNY Radio

The CMA Awards have unveiled a star-studded list of presenters including Kelsea Ballerini, Darius Rucker, Florida Georgia Line and American Idol judges Katy Perry and Lionel Richie.

The lineup boasts a wide variety of singers, actors and major names in country music including Lady A, Russell Dickerson, Scotty McCreery, Ingrid Andress, Lainey Wilson and Miranda Lambert‘s “Drunk And I Don’t Wanna Go Home” duet partner Elle King, along with country icons Trisha Yearwood, Alan Jackson, Trace Adkins, Amy Grant and “Strawberry Wine” singer Deana Carter.

Academy Award-winning actress Susan Sarandon is also set to present, along with The Goldbergs’ actress-turned-country singer Hayley Orrantia, The West Wing star Dulé Hill, Chuck actor Zachary Levi and Tony Award-nominated Broadway performer Saycon Sengbloh.

“You Say” singer Lauren Daigle, social activist Faith Fennidy, MLB player Freddie Freeman and former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner round out the presenters.

Luke Bryan hosts the 2021 CMA Awards live from Nashville on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Van Morrison sued for libel by Northern Ireland’s Health Minister over singer’s critical comments

November 8, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Van Morrison is being sued for libel by Northern Ireland Health Minister Robin Swann after the singer called the politician “dangerous” in a series of recent outbursts criticizing Swann over his policies related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sunday Life newspaper reports.

According to the paper, Swann has hired libel lawyer Paul Tweed, who has represented such high-profile clients as Harrison Ford, Justin Timberlake and Jennifer Lopez, and is preparing for a High Court showdown with Morrison this coming February, unless the case can be settled before that.

Swann’s lawyers claim that Van’s public comments were equivalent to accusing the minister of misusing his office and endangering the public, and maintain that the singer falsely suggested that Swann had misrepresented facts regarding the pandemic.

The lawsuit stems from three separate incidents where Morrison verbally attacked Swann. The first occurred at a June concert in Belfast where Morrison, angered that some of his upcoming concerts had been canceled because of the pandemic, attempted to lead the audience in a chant of “Robin Swann is very dangerous.”

The second incident occurred when a Sunday Life reporter asked Van to comment about whether he regretted his remarks about Swann at his Belfast show and Morrison responded, “No, no I don’t regret it…Of course he’s dangerous.”

The third instance cited was a pair of videos Van posted on his YouTube channel in which he explains why he feels Swann is dangerous, while also expressing disdain for the politician over a then-recent op-ed piece Swann wrote for Rolling Stone in which he criticized Van’s anti-lockdown views and his series of recent protest songs he’d released in which he expressed those views.

Starting last year, Morrison began releasing songs protesting U.K.-imposed regulations meant to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. Van believes the regulations are taking away people’s freedoms and destroying musicians’ livelihoods.

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