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Olivia Newton-John’s niece says the star’s health had declined “in the past five, six days”

August 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Olivia Newton-John had been fighting cancer for years, but it was only in the past few days that it became obvious that she might die, her niece says.

Totti Goldsmith, the daughter of Olivia’s late sister, Rona, told Australian TV show A Current Affair that her aunt’s death was “not a shock,” adding, “We’ve known how sick she’s been, especially the last five days.”

“It wasn’t just the cancer that got her, it was other complications, being in a hospital and with a very susceptible immune system,” Goldsmith continued. “She got secondary infections. She really went down[hill] in the past five, six days.”

And while Olivia had used cannabinoids to manage her pain, Totti revealed, “later on it wasn’t enough. She’s really struggled with a lot of pain.”

Totti added that she’d FaceTimed Olivia two days ago and essentially said her goodbyes. Reflecting on her mortality, Totti recalled that Olivia told her a few years ago, “I’m not afraid [of dying]. I’ve done more in my life than I could have ever imagined.”

“She was deeply, deeply passionate about what she could give back to this planet, and she did,” Totti added. She also said Olivia’s family will accept Australia’s offer to give the beloved star a state funeral, adding, “I think Australia needs it.”

Carly Pearce doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth, but loves making dessert

August 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Though she loves red wine, Carly Pearce admits she doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth.

In fact, the “Hide the Wine” singer would much rather make sweet treats for the people she loves, but doesn’t often indulge in them herself.

“Something really weird about me is I don’t eat a lot of desserts, but I freaking love making desserts for other people,” she reveals, adding that she enjoys the process of preparing desserts, “especially for my band members and watching them eat it.”

While she may not often eat sweets, when she does, her favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate chip cookie dough. Her go-to place for the frozen treat is Graeter’s Ice Cream, a local staple in her home state of Kentucky.

Among the things she will indulge in is wine and shopping, Carly citing these as her remedies for relieving stress. “I love to shop, it’s a problem,” she confesses.

Dream Theater’s John Petrucci announces full-length solo tour

August 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci has announced a full-length North American tour in support of his latest solo album, 2020’s Terminal Velocity.

The headlining outing will begin October 5 in Providence, Rhode Island, and will wrap up November 17 in Toronto. For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit JohnPetrucci.com.

Petrucci previously announced a trio of solo dates taking place in October in Boston, New York City and Washington, D.C. As with those shows, the tour will feature Petrucci performing alongside his ex-Dream Theater bandmate Mike Portnoy, who also plays on Terminal Velocity.

Dream Theater, meanwhile, released their latest album, A View from the Top of the World, last October. The prog metallers embarked on a U.S. tour in support of the record earlier this year.

Pixies share new ’Doggeral’ song, “Vault of Heaven”

August 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Pixies have shared a new song called “Vault of Heaven,” which will appear on the band’s upcoming album, Doggeral.

The track is available now via digital outlets and is streaming now alongside a video on YouTube.

“Vault of Heaven” is the second track to be released from Doggeral, following the June premiere of “There’s a Moon On.” The album arrives in full on September 30.

Pixies will be playing a short run of headlining U.S. dates in October in support of Doggeral, including three shows in California and one in New York City.

Alice in Chains earns new RIAA Platinum certifications for ‘Dirt,’ ‘Facelift’ & more

August 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Alice in Chains’ discography just got a whole lot shinier, thanks to new Platinum certifications from the RIAA.

The grunge titans’ 1992 sophomore effort Dirt is now five-times Platinum in recognition of 5 million units certified, while their 1990 debut Facelift has been certified triple Platinum.

For Dirt, the new certification comes a month before the album will celebrate its 30th anniversary.

Meanwhile, AiC’s 1994 EP Jar of Flies has been certified four-times Platinum, and their 1996 Unplugged release is now double Platinum.

Additionally, a number of singles have earned new certifications, including the triple-Platinum “Man in the Box,” and the double-Platinum “Would?” and “Rooster.” The songs “Them Bones,” “Down in a Hole” and “Nutshell” have also been certified Platinum for the first time.

Alice in Chains’ most recent album is 2018’s Rainier Fog. The band is set to launch a U.S. tour this Wednesday, August 10, in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, alongside Breaking Benjamin and Bush.

As ‘Prey’ slays on Rotten Tomatoes, the secret’s out about its four-legged scene stealer

August 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

The movie Prey hit Hulu last Friday, and immediately scored with longtime fans of the Predator franchise and critics alike. It’s “Certified Fresh” on the Rotten Tomatoes ratings aggregator, debuting with a 96% critics score, despite little of the marketing blitz that usually accompanies a franchise reboot.

It also became Hulu’s #1 premiere to date, and the most-watched film on Star+ and Disney+ in foreign territories.

Indigenous actress Amber Midthunder plays Naru, a young Commanche woman whose tribe happens to find itself sharing hunting grounds with the series’ titular alien hunter species in the year 1719, as it works its way up the chain to the planet’s apex predators, from animal to man.

Midthunder recently told Good Morning America‘s Ginger Zee that the 1987 original starring Arnold Schwarzenegger came out in theaters some 10 years before she was even born and that she didn’t even realize she was trying out for a Predator movie.

“I mean, it’s very exciting. It’s only now … kind of setting in,” she told GMA.

She also shared a secret about the movie’s scene stealer, Coco, the American dingo dog who played her faithful furry companion, Sarii. “She’s not a trained movie dog, she was a dog [adopted and] trained for this movie because she happened to be the right breed for the time period and the location,” Midthunder explained.

“So they had to teach her all the movie things. And a huge part of it is, like, I talk to her a lot, so she had to look me in the eyes. So to teach her to look me in the eyes, I had a pair of glasses with the eyes popped out and a nail on the front and they would stick a piece of meat on it. So she would stare at it … and then … eat the meat off my face.”

“It was very high tech,” Midthunder giggled.

Busta Rhymes to be honored with 2022 BMI Icon Award

August 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Busta Rhymes has been named the recipient of the 2022 BMI Icon Award. The honor, presented annually at the BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards, is awarded to “songwriters to honor their ‘unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers,'” according to BMI. Busta joins a list of past honorees that includes Janet Jackson, Patti LaBelle, Snoop Dogg, Babyface and James Brown.

“We are excited to honor Busta Rhymes as a BMI Icon,” said Catherine Brewton, vice president of BMI. “Through his award-winning solo work, countless collaborations and acting, Busta is a true innovator in every sense of the word and has made a dynamic impact on legions of fans and music creators worldwide. His quick wit and intricate rapping style have made him legendary, inspiring many young performers to follow in his footsteps.”

The 2022 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards is set to take place September 7 at the LIV Nightclub in Miami Beach.

Anthrax cancels show on 40th anniversary tour because of “medical concern”

August 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Anthrax canceled the band’s show Monday in Dallas as a result of a “medical concern.”

The thrash metallers have been touring in celebration of their 40th anniversary alongside Black Label Society and Hatebreed, who still performed at the Dallas concert.

“We’ve waited so long to be able to celebrate our 40th anniversary,” guitarist Scott Ian said in a statement. “[We] are so disappointed that we won’t be able to do so [Monday] — frankly, it blows.”

Ian added, “Thank you for your support and understanding, and stay safe.”

The tour is set to continue Tuesday in Austin, Texas.

“The saddest of news:” Elton, John, Mariah Carey & more stars mourn Olivia Newton-John

August 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Tributes continue to pour in for singer, actress and activist Olivia Newton-John, who diedMonday at age 73 after a years-long battle with cancer.

Fellow 1970s icon Elton John posted several photos of himself with Olivia, including one from the mid-’70s of him with Olivia and Stevie Wonder. “The saddest of news to wake up to,” he captioned the post. “Olivia was a beautiful and courageous woman, who I never heard complain about her illness. A beautiful voice and a warm and loving friend. I will miss her so much. Condolences to her family and loved ones.”

Elton co-wrote the title track of Olivia’s 1988 album The Rumour.

Mariah Carey also posted several photos of herself with Olivia and wrote a heartfelt message about how much the star meant to her as a kid.

“I first fell in love with Olivia’s voice when I was a little girl and heard ‘I Honestly Love You,'” Mariah wrote. “Songs like ‘Magic,’ ‘Suddenly’ and ‘Have You Never Been Mellow’ showcased her beautiful airy tone and signature sound. And THEN there was GREASE. I was obsessed.”

She continued, “I dressed up as Bad Sandy for Halloween in 5th grade and thought I was everything. Years later, THE one and only Olivia Newton-John actually walked out onto my stage in Melbourne, Australia and we sang our hearts out together to ‘Hopelessly Devoted To You.’ This is a moment I will never ever forget.”

Mariah goes on to praise Olivia as “one of the kindest, most generous and lovely people I’ve ever met,” adding, “She will be missed. She will be remembered. She will be loved.”

Barbara Streisand, Peter Frampton, ABBA‘s Agnetha Faltskog and Frida Lyngstad, Sheryl Crow, Kylie Minogue, and Cliff Richard also posted tributes to Olivia.

Darryl Hunt, bassist for The Pogues, dead at 72

August 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Darryl Hunt, bassist for the Celtic punk band The Pogues, has died. He was 72.

In a tweet posted Tuesday, the “Fairytale of New York” outfit writes, “We are saddened beyond words. Our Darryl passed away yesterday afternoon in London.”

The post also quotes the lyrics “I know you want to hear me catch my breath/I love you till the end” from the 1996 Pogues tune “Love You ‘Till the End,” which was written by Hunt.

Hunt joined The Pogues in 1986, four years after the group formed. He played with them throughout their initial run, which ended in 1996, and rejoined the group for their reunion in 2001 and through their most recent show, which took place in 2014.

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