Russell Dickerson is “honored” to be featured on a song on Thomas Rhett‘s new album.
Russell and Florida Georgia Line‘s Tyler Hubbard sing with Thomas on “Death Row,” a tune inspired by their experience visiting inmates in a Tennessee prison. In a vulnerable Instagram post, Russell opens up about how meeting the prisoners impacted him, and explains that he’s humbled the experience was turned into a song co-written by Thomas, Ashley Gorley and Zach Crowell.
“I’ll always remember the day TR, T Hubb and I went to death row. We played a bunch a songs we thought they might know. But by the end we were all singing ‘Amazing Grace’ together. And in that moment you realize…we need that amazing grace just as much as they do,” Russell shares in the caption. “Beyond honored to be a part of this one @thomasrhettakins @tylerhubbard.”
“Death Row” is on Thomas’ new album, Where We Started, out on April 1.
The Swedish metallers are set to perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live! this Thursday, January 20, airing at 11:35 p.m. ET on ABC.
We don’t know yet what Ghost will be playing on Kimmel, but we’d guess they’ll be rocking their current single “Hunter’s Moon,” which premiered last fall. The track, which hit number one on Billboard‘s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, was recorded for Halloween Kills, the latest entry in the legendary Halloween horror film franchise.
If you like what you see on Kimmel, you can catch Ghost live on their co-headlining tour with Volbeat, launching January 25 in Reno, Nevada.
The Houston Police Department is asking people who attended the Astroworld Festival on November 5, 2021, to submit photos and videos to an FBI website to assist in the investigation into the tragedy that left 10 people killed.
“Houston Police Detectives have already viewed countless hours of video evidence as part of our ongoing investigation into the Astroworld event,” a department spokesperson said in a statement, according to Billboard. “To ensure that we have captured all possible evidence for a complete investigation, we have partnered with the Federal Bureau of Investigation for additional technical assistance.”
Authorities are specifically interested in photos and videos taken between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. at the festival. Concertgoers can upload a maximum of four files.
As previously reported, Congress announced in December that it was studying the role of the event’s promoter, Live Nation, in the disaster. The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform sent a letter to Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino requesting information about the deadly November event, during which 10 people died of “compression asphyxia.”
Also, festival organizer and headliner Travis Scott has been meeting with mayors across the country in an effort to improve concert safety. The “Highest in the Room” rapper is working with the United States Conference of Mayors to implement new safety procedures at festivals. The plan to be developed is titled “Festival Safety,” and is expected to be compiled by June.
A snippet of a new song from the “Summertime Sadness” singer can be heard in a preview for the next episode of the Zendaya-starring teen drama series.
No official details for the track have been announced, but fans are hoping to hear the full tune this Sunday when the new episode premieres on HBO.
With a new song to kick off 2022, Del Rey is continuing to build on her prolific 2021, which included the release of two albums: Chemtrails Over the Country Club and Blue Banisters. Meanwhile, her breakout 2012 album Born to Die celebrates its 10th anniversary next Thursday, January 27.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for God’s Love We Deliver
Heart‘s Ann Wilson has released a music video for her cover of Alice in Chains‘ 1993 grunge classic “Rooster” that you can watch now at her official YouTube channel.
The clip mixes visually distorted footage of Wilson singing the song with a variety of disturbing images and segments, including new and archival photos and film of soldiers, a baby doll set on fire, maggots feeding on a dead fly, a depressed looking older man drinking a bottle of liquor, a military drone and more.
Alice in Chains guitarist/singer Jerry Cantrell wrote “Rooster” about the psychological scars his father experienced while serving in the Vietnam War.
Wilson first released her version of “Rooster” in December 2020 as the B-side of a limited-edition vinyl single that also featured her rendition of the 2004 Steve Earle song “The Revolution Starts Now.”
A video of Ann performing “Rooster” also was shown during the virtual Founders Award tribute honoring Alice in Chains that was presented by Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture, a.k.a. MoPOP, in December 2020.
On her socialmediapages, Wilson has posted a screen grab of a Seattle Times interview from December 2020 in which she explains that the “Rooster” music video originally was created to be shown at the Founders Award tribute to Alice in Chains, noting that the organizers decided not to use it because they preferred live footage of artists performing.
Ann added, “[S]ometime I’ll put that video out because it’s really cool. Just maggots and war stuff and darkness and insanity.”
Wilson’s “Rooster” cover also is available as part of a five-song EP compiling some of her recent solo recordings titled Sawheat 8 that she released last June.
(Video contains images that may disturb some viewers.)
A lengthy feature piece published Monday in New York magazine tracks the meteoric rise, and public fall, of Joss Whedon, who created the TV shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly, and directed blockbusters including Avengers and its sequel Age of Ultron.
As previously reported, Whedon had been accused of bullying behavior on the sets of his former shows. His reshoots of Justice League, following the death by suicide of director Zack Snyder‘s daughter, resulted in a box office failure, and later, more accusations were leveled against Whedon.
Co-star Gal Gadothad accused Whedon of threatening her career and her life. To New York, he claimed his argument with the Israeli actress was lost in translation. “English is not her first language, and I tend to be annoyingly flowery in my speech,” he insisted.
“I understood perfectly,” Gadot replied to that comment.
Actor Ray Fisher played Cyborg in Justice League, and he blamed racism for his role being cut down significantly. Fisher had called Whedon’s behavior “gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable.”
To New York, Whedon said the Cyborg character was cut because test audiences hated it, and that the role — restored in the so-called Snyder Cut — “made no sense.”
He added that Fisher was a “malevolent force,” jumping on the bandwagon in part to bolster support for the eventual release of the Snyder Cut: “We’re talking about a bad actor in both senses.”
Joss admitted to multiple affairs that led his wife, Kai Cole, to divorce him — and publicly out him as a hypocrite — but he also added he “felt powerless” not to sleep with some of the people working under him.
Whedon told New York he felt he was “made a target” by his ex-wife, and claimed that people, in turn, used “every weaponizable word of the modern era to make it seem like I was an abusive monster.” He added, “I think I’m one of the nicer showrunners that’s ever been.”
The one-time critical and geek-sphere darling, noted, “The beginning of the internet raised me up, and the modern internet pulled me down. The perfect symmetry is not lost on me.”
In a Twitter Q&A with fans, Maren Morris offers new insight into her upcoming album, Humble Quest.
“It’s the happiest music I’ve made, in a very trying time,” Maren describes to one fan inquiring about the album. As for her favorite lyric, Maren reveals, “Now your heart beats in me.”
Things get interesting when the singer is challenged to explain Humble Quest with emojis, using symbols of an open road, water droplets, a pair of women dancing in leotards and bunny ears, and a mother holding a baby.
As for what song Maren thinks will become a fan favorite, she replies, “I never know. I was floored ‘The Bones’ did what it did so I clearly have zero compass. I will say, I love them all.” And while her favorite song off the album changes daily, she says her current favorite is “Nervous.”
This is Maren’s third studio album following 2019’s Girl that was named Album of the Year at the CMA Awards. “The Bones” was nominated for Best Country Song at the 2021 Grammy Awards.
Humble Quest is available on March 25. The lead single, “Circles Around This Town,” is quickly climbing up the charts, currently in the top 30 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.
The late Aaliyah would have turned 43 on Sunday, and her family, along with close friend Missy Elliott, paid tribute to the Romeo Must Die star.
“To You Our Love Flowers From Above Candles From The World We Will See You Again Bask In The Day God Sent You We Will See You And Your Comrades Again Not Yet, Not Yet,” the family posted on her official Instagram page with a photo of a floral arrangement surrounded by candles set to an unreleased track of Aaliyah singing “Ave Maria.” “Mom, Dad, Ra, All Who Truly Loved You and Love You Still. Forever More.”
They also shared a photo of the three-time American Music Award winner with another message. “Happy Birthday, baby girl! Today, we celebrate your life, legacy, and beautiful soul. You brought so much light and passion to everyone you met and everything you did. You remain forever in our hearts and minds.”
Missy Elliott, who wrote several Aaliyah songs with Timbaland, including “One in a Million” and “Are You That Somebody?,” also remembered her close friend.
“Babygirl even though you are not here in physical form your SPIRIT still lives on! Your IMPACT is FOREVER! You are still (TIMELESS) Your work & STYLE still INFLUENCING a new generation,” Missy tweeted. “Happy BornDay Aaliyah You are Loved & missed by many. Love you.”
As previously reported, the Aaliyah posthumous Unstoppable album will be released later this month. “Poison” featuring The Weeknd, dropped on December 17. Drake, Ne-Yo, Snoop Dogg, and Future will also be featured on the album.
August 25, 2021 marked the 20th anniversary of Aaliyah’s death at the age of 22. She died in 2001 with eight other people in a plane crash after shooting the “Rock the Boat” video in the Bahamas.
“Better Days” singer Mae Muller admits she’s superstitious about her music. Speaking with Liam Payne, the British artist said she has yet to celebrate her breakout hit because she’s afraid of the karmic consequences.
The two chatted on Instagram Live about her collaboration with NEIKED and Polo G, which is currently at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100, and the former One Direction singer wondered how Mae’s feeling about her big break.
“People keep on saying to me, ‘You’re having a hit! You’re having a hit!’ and… I really don’t know what I’m meant to feel when the penny drops,” the 24-year-old confessed before revealing she’s not paying too close attention to the song’s performance on the charts.
“If you told me this a year ago, I’d be like, ‘Okay, when I get a top 10 or, like, especially when it starts happening in America, you’ll be good. You’ll be happy.’ Now I’m like, ‘Okay, but what next?,'” she confided.
Liam noted artists “always want more” — especially if they’re a a solo act. He said One Direction “really didn’t pay attention to any charts,” but when he released his first single “Strip That Down,” he wanted to celebrate the song’s success.
Mae admitted she has yet to do that for “Better Days” because, “I’m always too scared to celebrate early.” When the song first began climbing the charts, she wanted to go out for drinks with friends but held back because, “I don’t want to jinx it! I’m scared.”
Liam said the song’s continual rise on the charts mean she’s due for a “group party” and offered to set something up. She jumped at the opportunity and declared, “I feel like I’ve now earned a party!”
Mae, who joined the IG live from a recording studio, is currently working on her sophomore album.
Prince‘s estate has finally reached a value that has been approved by all parties — thus averting a court showdown. After spending nearly six years in limbo following the “Purple Rain” singer’s untimely death, the Internal Revenue Service declared his estate is worth $156.4 million.
Minnesota’s Star Tribune reports the settlement was years in the making, which estate administrator Comerica Bank and Trust called a “fair and reasonable” settlement.
Charles F. Spicer Jr., who represents Prince’s heirs, confirmed the news Entertainment Weekly and said, “We’re looking out for the best interest of fans [and to] ensure that Prince’s legacy remains for generations to come.”
The matter nearly went to trial after Comerica and the IRS provided conflating numbers about how much Prince’s music and other abstract assets are worth. Comerica originally estimated the estate to be valued $82.3 million, but the IRS countered in a court filing that it was worth $163.2 million.
Prince’s half-sister Sharon Nelson lambasted Comerica’s “thousands of court filings” in 2019, saying they were amounting to “millions in legal fees.” Nelson also stated to Billboard the infighting prevented the estate from distributing its assets to its beneficiaries.
Prince, who died in 2016, did not leave behind a will — leading his five surviving siblings in charge of divvying up the singer’s estate.
His sister, Tyka Nelson, previously agreed it would be divided between his eldest three siblings and the music and talent agency company Primary Wave, the latter of which has a majority stake after striking an agreement with the Grammy winner’s youngest siblings to acquire their shares for an undisclosed amount.
Prince died in April 2016 after accidentally overdosing on Fentanyl, a powerful opiate, at his Paisley Park home in Minnesota. He was 57.
