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Noel Gallagher to be honored with songwriter of the year award at 2026 BRITs

February 4, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Noel Gallagher will receive the songwriter of the year award at the 2026 BRITs, the U.K. equivalent of the Grammys.

The honor recognizes “exceptional songwriting talent, and is decided by a select panel of expert judges.” Gallagher is the fifth songwriter of the year recipient, following Ed Sheeran, Kid Harpoon, RAYE and Charli xcx.

While Gallagher hasn’t actually released any new music over the past year, his reunion with formerly estranged brother Liam Gallagher on the Oasis comeback tour in 2025 was a worldwide phenomenon, selling out stadiums across the globe.

“For more than three decades, Noel has crafted songs that have become part of our collective story – bold, brilliant, and always recognisable,” says 2026 BRIT Awards committee chair Stacey Tang. “His songs have soundtracked memories for multiple generations and defined the spirit of British music globally. Honouring Noel as Songwriter of the Year celebrates a remarkable body of work and a creative force that continues to connect and inspire artists and fans worldwide.”

The 2026 BRIT Awards take place Feb. 28 in Gallagher’s hometown of Manchester, England. Wolf Alice is among the performers.

14-year-old arrested on terrorism charges after allegedly discussing plans to shoot up church in Florida

February 4, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WIMAUMA, Fla.) — A 14-year-old is in custody after allegedly discussing plans to carry out a shooting at a church in Wimauma, Florida, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister announced Wednesday.

The teen suspect allegedly “engaged in an online chat room that’s designed or designated for violent extremists,” Chronister said.

The sheriff said that the suspect is also allegedly linked to a Neo-Nazi Satanic group.

The sheriff’s office served a search warrant at the teen’s residence, where they allegedly found multiple firearms, ammunition, and electronic devices containing child sexual abuse material.

Sheriff Chronister said the firearms recovered included one from his father’s nightstand “that he easily could have had access to.”

“Think about the potential of the violence that could have occurred,” Chronister added.

The suspect was arrested at his home on Jan. 31. Just days earlier, the Joint Terrorism Task Force received information from the Internet Predator Unit that they were investigating a computer at the same residence, Chronister said.

In addition to terrorism charges, the suspect is charged with fourteen counts of solicitation or possession of child pornography.

LaMonte McLemore, founding member of The 5th Dimension, dead at 90

February 4, 2026 by WDNY Radio

LaMonte McLemore, one of the founding members of the popular ’60s/’70s soul and R&B group The 5th Dimension, died Tuesday at the age of 90.

According to McLemore’s representative, he passed away at his Las Vegas home from “natural causes following a stroke suffered several years ago.”

The 5th Dimension, whose original members also included Marilyn McCoo and husband Billy Davis Jr., Florence LaRue and Ronald Townson, scored 20 top-40 hits between 1967 and 1973. Those include the #1 track “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In,” a medley of songs from the musical Hair, which also won the Grammy for record of the year.

Other hits included “Up, Up and Away,” a cover of “One Less Bell To Answer,” “Stoned Soul Picnic,” “Wedding Bell Blues” and “Never My Love.”

“Up, Up and Away” and “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2003 and 2004, respectively.

Remembering McLemore, McCoo and Davis said in a statement, “All of us who knew and loved him will definitely miss his energy and wonderful sense of humor.” Davis added, “[H]e will certainly be missed.”

“We were more like brother and sister than singing partners,” LaRue added. “I didn’t realize the depth of my love for Lamonte until he was no longer here. His absence has shown me the magnitude of what he meant to me and that love will stay in my heart forever.”

In addition to music, McLemore was a well-known photographer in areas of entertainment, sports and editorial portraiture, with his photos featured in Jet magazine.

Supreme Court declines to block California’s new mid-decade congressional map

February 4, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a bid by California Republicans to block a newly redrawn congressional map backed by Democrats and endorsed by voters ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

The move allows the state to move forward with a map enacted by Proposition 50, approved in November, that could potentially allow Democrats to flip five seats currently held by Republicans.

California’s mid-decade map change was backed by Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Democratic Party in response to efforts by Texas and other Republican-led states to redraw their maps — at President Donald Trump’s urging — in order to give Republicans a better chance at retaining majority control of Congress.

“Donald Trump said he was ‘entitled’ to five more Congressional seats in Texas. He started this redistricting war. He lost, and he’ll lose again in November,” Newsom posted on X on Wednesday after the Supreme Court’s order.

The California Republican Party in January filed an emergency application with the nation’s high court to try to prohibit California from using the map while their appeal moved forward, arguing it was drawn predominantly based on race.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday did not explain its decision in a single-sentence order. There were no noted dissents.

Late last year, the Supreme Court declined to block the Texas map, citing a desire to refrain from interference in the political process too close to an election and broad deference to state legislators who insisted they acted in good faith and no racial animus.

Lil Jon’s family asks for privacy, continued prayers after his son Nathan Smith reported missing

February 4, 2026 by WDNY Radio

The Milton Police Department in Milton, Georgia, has issued a missing person alert for Nathan Smith, the 27-year-old son of Lil Jon, born Jonathan Smith.

According to a post on the department’s Facebook, Nathan is 5 feet, 9 inches tall, weighs approximately 150 pounds and has short black hair. He was last seen Tuesday around 6 a.m. ET after running out of his house. Authorities say he left on foot without a phone and warn that he “may be disoriented and in need of assistance,” noting his family is concerned for his well-being.

“The family is asking for privacy at this time,” a representative for Lil Jon said in a statement to ABC News. “We are also asking for continued prayers for Nathan to come home safe. Thank you.”

Anyone with information or tips that could help locate Nathan is asked to contact the Milton Police Department.

Nathan, Lil Jon’s son with ex-wife Nicole Smith, has followed in his father’s footsteps as a DJ named Young Slade. “When my son graduated from DJ academy, I teared up to see him following in my footsteps,” Lil Jon told Huff Post in 2014, one of the few times he has spoken publicly about his son.

Nathan has discussed his father’s legacy on several occasions, most notably as a cast member on MTV Family Legacy in 2025. That same year, the two appeared together on an episode of Celebrity Family Feud.

Nick Jonas reveals traumatic details of daughter Malti’s birth ‘under very intense circumstances’

February 4, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Nick Jonas‘ daughter, Malti Marie Jonas, whom he shares with wife Priyanka Chopra Jonas, just turned 4. But the singer has revealed that when she was born in 2022, things were pretty touch-and-go.

Appearing on the On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast, Nick says, “She came to the world under sort of very intense circumstances, which I’ve not really talked about ever.” He went on to explain that Malti, who was born via surrogate, was expected to arrive in April; instead, she came in January.

“We got to the hospital, and she came out, she was 1 pound, 11 ounces,” Nick said. “And purple, basically. They — these angels at the NICU — kind of resuscitated her in that moment and got her taken care of really quickly and intubated and everything else.”

“My wife and I, we basically shared 12-hour shifts at the hospital for 3 1/2 months,” Nick added. After “six blood transfusions,” he said, “She was doing great and we got to take her home.”

Nick believes that because of that experience, “I feel like she knows how she entered the world and what that first chapter of her life was like. And so every day is a gift, and you can actually feel it on her in the way that she behaves and how exciting everything is.”

“I don’t know how much she remembers,” he added. “Probably nothing. But spiritually I believe that there’s gratitude in her and, you know, she’s incredible.”

Nick also described Malti as “magic in every sense of the word.” He said, “It blows my mind, I look at her and I can see her future. I just know she’s going to do amazing things, and I’m awestruck that I get to experience her magic.”

Ratt’s Stephen Pearcy announces 2026 tour dates, including shows with Warren DeMartini

February 4, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Ratt frontman Stephen Pearcy has announced the first set of dates for his 2026 tour.

Dubbed The Undercover Tour, the trek will feature some performances with his former RATT bandmate, guitarist Warren DeMartini.

The tour will kick off with a Percy/DeMartini show on Feb. 26 in Highland, California, and then resume May 9 in Tulare, California, with a solo show. Pearcy will also play solo shows in Iowa, Louisiana and Wisconsin, followed by two more Pearcy/DeMartini shows: Aug. 21 in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and Aug. 23 in Orlando, Florida. More dates are expected to be added.

A full list of shows and ticket information can be found at OfficialStephenPearcy.com.

Pearcy and DeMartini reunited for the first time back in May 2025 at the annual M3 Rock Festival in Columbia, Maryland. It was the first time they had performed together in eight years. They went on to play several other shows together in 2025.

Willie Nelson shows you ‘The Heart of America’ ahead of ‘The Gray House’

February 4, 2026 by WDNY Radio

On Feb. 26, the eight-part Prime Video series The Gray House arrives, along with a soundtrack that boasts Lainey Wilson, Shania Twain and Willie Nelson.

Executive produced by Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman, among others, it stars Mary-Louise Parker and Ben Vereen in the “extraordinary true story of the unsung women who helped turn the tide of the American Civil War in favor of the Union,” according to a news release.

Willie’s track “Heart of America” is the soundtrack’s lead single.

“I’m not sure what Willie’s process is,” Costner says, “but it’s clear that Willie was ready and willing to go deep when thinking about that terrible moment in American history where our country was divided and at war with itself, a moment in time that I believe we still have not fully recovered from. Willie’s talent, while always on display, found a new depth at least for me.”

You can check out the “Heart of America” music video now.

Lainey contributes “Dead End Red Dirt Road,” while Shania teams with Drake Milligan on “I’ll Be Here with You.” The War and Treaty, Yolanda Adams, Scott Stapp and Larkin Poe also contribute tracks to the soundtrack, which arrives Feb. 26.

Hear The Linda Lindas cover Ramones’ ‘California Sun’

February 4, 2026 by WDNY Radio

The Linda Lindas have released a cover of the Ramones song “California Sun.”

Along with paying tribute to the legendary punk group, the cover’s single artwork is inspired by the iconic Ramones logo.

“California Sun” was originally written by Henry Glover and recorded by Joe Jones in 1960. The Ramones’ version was released in 1977 on the album Leave Home.

The Linda Lindas’ most recent album is 2024’s No Obligation.

Bruce Hornsby reveals details of upcoming album, ‘Indigo Park’

February 4, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Bruce Hornsby has shared details about his upcoming album, Indigo Park, which will be released April 3.

The album will be made up of 10 songs, with Hornsby backed by his band The Noisemakers, along with guitarist Blake Mills, bassist Pino Palladino and drummer Chris Dave. The record will feature guest appearances by the late Bob Weir, Bonnie Raitt and Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig. It also contains two songs co-written by the late Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter.

According to a press release, with Indigo Park, Hornsby is looking back on “formative moments from his past, sometimes trying to resolve them, and other times looking for clues about his current-day outlook.”

“It’s just an old bastard, looking back,” says Hornsby. “To be honest, I’ve found a way, a path to grow old gracefully, with help from some newborn friends of mine.”

As a preview, Hornsby has released the album’s title track to digital outlets.

Hornsby and The Noisemakers are set to hit the road in support of Indigo Park. The tour kicks off April 9 in Cincinnati, Ohio, and wraps July 25 in Patchogue, New York. A complete list of dates can be found at BruceHornsby.com.

Here is the track list for Indigo Park:
“Indigo Park”
“Memory Palace” (feat. Ezra Koenig)
“Entropy Here (Rust In Peace)”
“Silhouette Shadows”
“Ecstatic” (feat. Bonnie Raitt)
“Alabama”
“North Dakota Slate Roof”
“Sliver of Time”
“Might As Well Be Me, Florinda” (with Bob Weir & feat. Blake Mills)
“Take a Light Strain”

(Video includes uncensored profanity.)

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