Miranda Lambert‘s magical trip across the western part of the U.S. continues!
Miranda, husband Brendan McLoughlin, and their friends Gwen Sebastian and Louis Newman are venturing on a cross-country road trip together in their respective campers, and the country star is taking fans along for the ride via social media.
The lively crew has spent the past several days making their way across Utah, with stops in Moab and, most recently, Strawberry Bay. Miranda shared a photo of the group standing arm in arm as they gaze out at a stunning lake, along with a sunset over the mountains.
She also shared snaps of a dinner setting in front of their Airstream, Wanda the Wanderer, complete with roses and a waterfront view, and one of her husband donning a pair of rainbow sunglasses. Miranda ends the gallery with a video of them boating on the water, with tree-covered mountains in the distance.
“Strawberry Bay Utah, thanks for the memories!” she writes, adding #tourist.
(UVALDE, Texas) — Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin made his stance on the premature publication of the surveillance video at Robb Elementary School abundantly clear to community members in attendance at the city’s council meeting Tuesday, calling the way it was released “one of the most chicken things I’ve ever seen.”
Two Texas news outlets published disturbing surveillance video Tuesday from inside Robb Elementary School during the May 24 mass shooting, as Uvalde officials and families debate the sensitive footage’s release.
Austin ABC affiliate KVUE and the Austin American-Statesman both released an edited portion of the never-before-seen footage on Tuesday, ahead of the planned release of the video by state lawmakers.
The mayor spoke to a crowd of angry citizens, including elderly women who pounded their fists and family members of victims who shouted from the gallery.
The crowd was in agreement with the mayor, as was a fellow council member, Ernest W. “Chip” King III, who claimed the outlets’ “only reason” for releasing the video was for “ratings and money.”
The hallway footage captures the 77 minutes between when the shooter first entered Robb Elementary and when he was shot.
The edited surveillance footage shows dozens of law enforcement officers, including some with protective shields, waiting in the hallway of the school. Officers didn’t breach the classroom for more than 70 minutes, even as four additional shots were fired from the classrooms 45 minutes after police arrived on the scene, the footage released by the news organizations shows.
During the time he was inside, the gunman killed 19 children and two teachers.
The Austin American-Statesman, which is part of the USA Today network, wrote a detailed opinion piece on why it chose to publish the video.
“That video was obtained by Austin American-Statesman and KVUE Senior Reporter Tony Plohetski,” KVUE said in its reporting. “Both media outlets have elected to release that footage Tuesday to provide transparency to the community, showing what happened as officials waited to enter that classroom.”
In addition, it wrote: “KVUE and our partners have kept the families in Uvalde at the forefront in our decision-making process. Several families were included in that process and were briefed on what can be heard and seen in the video. All but one agreed the video should be made public.”
During the city council meeting Tuesday, the motion to accept council member Pete Arredondo’s resignation was also carried. Arredondo, the embattled police chief for the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District, was elected to the Uvalde City Council in early May and was sworn in days after the school shooting.
McLaughlin on Tuesday again expressed frustration toward the investigation, calling it “the most unprofessional” he’s “ever seen.”
“I have said from day one, that every agency that was in that hallway has to be accountable for their actions that day. Everyone. No one will be exempt. That includes local school, federal, state — everyone has to explain their actions that day. Everybody has to be accountable,” he said.
The meeting began on a positive note as a community member thanked the council and McLaughlin for attending the Unheard Voices March and Rally on Sunday in “105-degree” weather.
Another community member had questions for the council regarding who the police department reports to and how the city plans to handle security and safety as the school year approaches.
McLaughlin said “the chief of police answers to the city manager who answers to the city council.” He then said he had not spoken to the school district yet, but he has “requested to have extra law enforcement… on the first two weeks of school.”
Most people in attendance were critical as they spoke before the council members.
One woman became passionate and said she was “furious” as she described a lack of a memorial in the town to pay respects to the victims. Additional community members echoed this, questioning the city’s decision to have the flowers, crosses and other gifts removed from the original memorial area.
Confusion ensued, as the mayor admitted his understanding of the removal process might not have been correct. Another council member claimed that families were asked to clear their family member’s memorial plot, which they willingly did. The crowd at the meeting questioned the truth of this, citing mumblings in the community that contradicted the claim, including Tess Mata’s mother. The council calmed the crowd by apologizing and assuring that families would be asked of their wishes and a memorial would be recreated at a location of their choosing.
The issue of the legal purchasing age for an assault rifle was also brought up by Precinct 4 County Commissioner Ronnie Garza, who is “asking Gov. [Greg] Abbott to call a special session of the legislature to consider raising the minimum age of purchase from 18 to 21 for semi-automatic assembly.”
Garza asked the mayor if he would consider adding it to the agenda of the next council meeting, to which McLaughlin agreed. The mayor also said that while he won’t attend the next meeting on July 26, the county commissioner has his vote for the anticipated movement to ask Abbott to hold a special session.
Highly Suspect has announced a fall tour in support of the band’s upcoming album, The Midnight Demon Club.
The headlining outing kicks off September 16 in Minneapolis and will wrap up November 5 in Houston. Tickets go on sale this Friday, July 15, at 10 a.m. local time.
The tour also includes a previously announced show at Colorado’s iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre, which will also feature iann dior and Spiritbox on the bill.
For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit HighlySuspect.net.
The Midnight Demon Club, the fourth Highly Suspect album, will be released September 9. It includes the lead single “Natural Born Killer.”
Nicky Youre’s song “Sunroof” first blew up on TikTok and is now all over radio. The California native says when he first wrote the song in his college bedroom in April 2021, he knew it was good, but he never expected this level of success — or the pride he feels over how the song is affecting people.
“It’s been cool just seeing reactions,” Nicky tells ABC Audio. “Like, some people leave comments about how it makes their day so much better and cheers them up and, like, gets them out of like depressive mental states, you know?”
“And so for me, I’ve kind of realized that’s, like, a really powerful thing that I can do as an artist — which is, like, super sick,” Nicky continues. “Because I’m just some random dude that makes music and now I’m able to really have an impact on people, so I’m pretty proud of that.”
Nicky says he’s also proud that a few people have reached out to tell him that he’s “their favorite new artist,” which he also deems “super sick.” But he laughs, “I only have three songs out so I think I gotta put some more out to, like, claim that title for some more people!”
But don’t worry about that — Nicky says he’s got a lot more music coming.
“I have literally so many songs,” he teases. “I have at least 10 that I feel good about putting out, probably … I was doing, like, three or four [writing] sessions a week for the past couple of months, so [I’m] just, like, sitting on a bunch of new stuff.”
For starters, Nicky tells ABC Audio he’s got a remix of “Sunroof” coming, plus “hopefully an EP this summer and all that good stuff.”
Elton John‘s won Oscars and Grammys, but he’s also written the scores for three Tony-winning musicals: The Lion King, Billy Elliott and Aida. His latest musical, a stage version of the hit 2006 Meryl Streep/Anne Hathaway film The Devil Wears Prada, opens July 19 in Chicago, but you can hear a preview of some of the new songs he’s written for the project now.
People has a video that features a sneak peek of Elton singing a few of the songs, including the title theme, “When a Legend Is Born” and “Dress Your Way Up.” Elton calls the movie “one of my favorite films,” adding, “The subject matter [the world of high-fashion magazines] screams out for music.”
But speaking to the Chicago Tribune, Elton says some of the elements of the movie — based on the novel by Lauren Wiesberger — have been updated to reflect things that didn’t exist 20 years ago, like social media and #MeToo.
“We thought, we just can’t put in this scenario from 20 years ago. We have to make it modern,” Elton notes. “We have to bring it up to date. And that appealed to me as well because I wanted to make the music modern. And it’s a woman’s story. So I said I’d like to have a woman as the lyric writer.”
Elton co-wrote the score with lyricist Shaina Taub, marking the first time he’s composed with a woman. “She’s brilliant at bringing characters to life,” he says in People‘s video. He predicts that after seeing the finished product, audiences will “walk out elated.”
Elton plays Chicago’s Soldier Field on August 5 and will likely drop by rehearsals. But there won’t be a performance of The Devil Wears Prada that night: the Chicago Tribune reports the whole cast is going to Elton’s concert.
Here’s wishing a happy 80th birthday to The Byrds‘ Roger McGuinn this jingle-jangle morning.
The singer, guitarist and songwriter, who was born James McGuinn, started his career working with such folk artists as The Limeliters, The Chad Mitchell Trio and Judy Collins.
In 1963, McGuinn relocated to Los Angeles, and after seeing The Beatles‘ George Harrison playing a 12-string Rickenbacker guitar in the 1964 movie A Hard Days Night, he took up the same instrument. McGuinn co-founded The Byrds that year with singer Gene Clark, singer/guitarist David Crosby, bassist Chris Hillman and drummer Michael Clarke.
Considered one of the originators of folk rock, the group showcased the harmonies of McGuinn, Clark and Crosby, while combining folk influences with Beatles-inspired rock.
Applying his folk techniques to the electric 12-string, McGuinn developed what became The Byrds’ signature jangly sound, which has influenced countless artists over the years.
The Byrds’ debut single, a cover of Bob Dylan‘s “Mr. Tambourine Man,” topped the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1965. The band reached #1 again in December ’65 with their version of Pete Seeger‘s “Turn! Turn! Turn!“
McGuinn also wrote or co-wrote a few Byrds hits, including the influential psychedelic tune “Eight Miles High,” the country-flavored “Mr. Spaceman” and the horn-driven “So You Want to Be a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star.”
The Byrds also pioneered country rock with the 1968 album Sweetheart of the Rodeo. From 1968 to ’73, McGuinn was the only founding member who remained in the group. The original lineup reunited for a final album, 1973’s The Byrds, before breaking up.
In the late 1970s and early ’80s, McGuinn teamed up with two former Byrds band mates in the group McGuinn, Clark and Hillman, which scored a top-40 hit with 1979’s “Don’t You Write Her Off.”
Since the ’80s, Roger has mainly focused on his solo career, although he teamed with Hillman and Crosby in 1990 to record four songs for a Byrds box set.
McGuinn was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with The Byrds in 1991.
Steve Martin and Martin Short expressed their appreciation at receiving Emmy nominations for their performances in the Hulu comedy series Only Murders in the Building on Tuesday, but they were disappointed that their co-star Selena Gomez did not.
“We’re thrilled at the nominations, not only for us, but for the show. We’re dismayed that Selena was not nominated because she’s so crucial to our performances, really,” Martin, 76 told The New York Times following the announcements.
Short, however, was quick to note that the 29-year-old “Lose You to Love Me” singer was “nominated as an executive producer.” She’s the first Latina to be nominated as a producer in the Comedy category.
Only Murders in the Building, currently in its second season, was just picked up for a season 3. New episodes air on Tuesdays.
Michaels, who grew up in the central Pennsylvania borough of Mechanicsburg, is being recognized individually for his contributions as a solo entertainer, philanthropist and entrepreneur.
Michaels will be performing with Poison Tuesday night in Hershey, Pennsylvania, as part of The Stadium Tour with Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts. He plans to return to his home state in the fall to accept the honor.
“Being born and bred in Pennsylvania, I am proud to be inducted as an individual into the Central Pennsylvania Music Hall of Fame, with Poison also having also been inducted on the first-ever ballot,” Michaels says in a statement. “I am beyond excited to be playing Hersheypark Stadium this evening. Come rain or shine, it’s going to be a party and the people of Pennsylvania always rock my world.”
Adds Central Pennsylvania Music Hall of Fame President Brandon Valentine, “As a non-profit organization focused on music education for the local youth, the CPMHOF is honored to recognize Bret Michaels in a positive light. Bret has always held a special place in the hearts of Central Pennsylvanians.”
In addition to his achievements as a member of Poison and a solo artist, Michaels is a reality TV star and producer, and a successful businessman who displayed his entrepreneurial savvy as a winner of Celebrity Apprentice. In addition, Michaels, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a child, has long been involved in helping support people with the disease, which is a main focus of his Life Rocks charitable foundation.
Gwen Stefani is loving that singer Halsey wore a shirt with her face on it. Halsey dubbed Gwen a “Queen,” and Gwen not only commented with a bunch of heart emojis, she also shouted her out via Instagram Stories, writing, “Omg luv ur shirt” along with a winky face emoji.
Nick Jonas played the AC Championship alongside Colin Jost and Miles Teller, and said on Instagram, “We may not have played (our best) but we sure had a good time and looked damn good doing it.”
Meanwhile, Joe Jonas is giving fans a glimpse of his mind. He couldn’t help but parody a mashup of Joji‘s “Glimpse of Us” and Rednex‘s “Cotton Eyed Joe,” which has been renamed “Glimpse of Joe.” “In my feels leave me alone,” Joe wrote on TikTok while sharing a video of him sadly staring out the window and singing.
Justin Bieber is out in Idaho with wife Hailey Bieber as he recovers from Ramsay Hunt syndrome. Page Six reports the two had a passionate make out session on a boat while relaxing in Coeur d’Alene. The two also snuggled close together and enjoyed swimming with friends in the lake.
Christina Aguilera is hosting her own MasterClass dedicated to elevating your singing and stage presence. According to a press release, the “Beautiful” singer will teach you how to properly warm up and understand your voice, as well as share her breathing exercises. Classes go live August 3. You can sign up now on MasterClass.
