In 2021, Billie Eilish starred in the Disney+ special Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles, which was filmed at the iconic Hollywood Bowl. Now she’ll be returning to the famed venue later this year to pay tribute to one of her biggest musical influences: Peggy Lee.
Billie will be one of the special guests at the Bowl’s Tribute to Peggy Lee & Frank Sinatra, where she’ll be performing alongside the likes of Blondie‘s Debbie Harry, actor and singer Brian Stokes Mitchell, jazz artist Dianne Reeves and more. The event takes place on July 27, and you can buy tickets now.
Last year, it was reported that Billie was in talks to executive-produce a biopic of Lee, who was one of the most popular jazz singers of the big band era. Best known for her song “Fever,” she was the first female artist to be nominated for an award Billie’s won twice: Grammy’s Record of the Year.
The Hollywood Bowl is celebrating its 100th Summer Season this year. Starting June 11, it’ll host concerts by Diana Ross, Duran Duran, Sheryl Crow, Boyz II Men and more, as well as a production of the Broadway musical Kinky Boots and a singalong presentation of The Sound of Music with yet-to-be-announced special guests.
The cover was recorded for the upcoming Ono tribute album Ocean Child, which was curated by Death Cab frontman Ben Gibbard.
You can listen to the DCFC version of “Waiting for the Sunrise” now via digital outlets. Ocean Child, which also features contributions by artists including David Byrne, The Flaming Lips, Sharon Van Etten and Japanese Breakfast, will be released February 18.
Death Cab’s most recent album is 2018’s Thank You for Today.
Five for Fighting‘s most recent tour dates have seen John Ondrasik performing solo with a string quartet backing him up. But he’s just announced a string of tour dates this summer that will feature him performing with a full rock band.
The tour kicks off July 22 in Burnsville, Minnesota, and is scheduled to wrap up August 12 in Bay City, Michigan. Opening the dates will be The Verve Pipe, best known for the 1997 hit “The Freshmen.” Tickets are available at FiveforFighting.com.
“After years of string quartet, symphony, and solo concerts, I’m thrilled to put the Five for Fighting rock band back on the road!” John says in a statement. “It is fitting that we are joined by my good friend Brian Vander Ark‘s [band] The Verve Pipe, as his song, ‘The Freshmen,’ was a brother-in-arms to [my hits] ‘Superman’ and ‘100 Years’ for so many when they were released.”
He adds, “There has never been a time when audiences and musicians need each other more. And I am energized and excited to get back on the bus, and go ‘Back to the Future!'”
If you’d prefer to see Five for Fighting with a string quartet, John is playing a string of dates with that set-up from May 6 through May 21.
Mickey Guyton had a stacked Super Bowl weekend that included crossing paths with royalty.
After her game-opening performance of the national anthem at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, where the Cincinnati Bengals faced off against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Mickey ran into none other than Prince Harry during the weekend’s festivities.
“I met Prince Harry. He was just lovely. I even curtsied in my track suit,” Mickey writes in an Instagram post that also features a photo of the two posing in the backstage area. In the pic, the country singer is donning red sweatpants and a sweatshirt while the masked-up Duke of Sussex is wrapping his arm around her.
2 Broke Girls star Beth Behrs and former Nashville actor Sam Palladio were among those who shared their praise in the comments, with Mickey’s country peers like Lindsay Ell, Grand Ole Opry host Natalie Stovall and Reyna Roberts also commenting on the royal meeting.
Mickey’s rendition of the national anthem also drew praise, with the likes of Reese Witherspoon, Halle Berry and Brothers Osborne commending her performance.
So far, 15 shows have been confirmed for the trek, which has been dubbed “The Boy Named If & Other Favourites,” spanning from an August 6 concert in Huber Heights, Ohio, through a September 3 performance in Las Vegas.
Opening most of the shows will be Elvis’ old pal and collaborator Nick Lowe, who will be performing with the wrestling-mask-wearing surf-rock band Los Straightjackets. This will mark the first time since 1989 that Costello and Lowe have toured together. Singer/songwriter Nicole Atkins, who lends guest vocals to The Boy Named If track “My Most Beautiful Mistake,” will be the support act at the Huber Heights concert and an August 9 show in Buffalo, New York.
Lowe’s association with Costello dates back to the 1970s, and Nick produced Elvis’ first four studios albums and co-produced two others. Elvis also famously covered “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding,” which Nick wrote in 1974 for his early band, Brinsley Schwarz.
Playing with The Imposters on the upcoming trek will be guitarist Charley Sexton, a longtime member of Bob Dylan‘s touring band. Sexton also joined Costello and The Imposters on their 22-date “Hello Again” tour in 2021.
Tickets for the upcoming concerts is year’s outing go on sale to the general public starting this Friday, February 18. Pre-sale tickets for many of the shows also will be available. Visit ElvisCostello.com for more information. More dates will be announced soon.
Arnold Turner/Getty Images for HELLO by Lionel Richi
Lionel Richie has opened up about a scary moment in his life when he thought he had lost his singing voice.
Speaking to People, the “Hello” hitmaker recalled when he was struck by a mysterious throat illness during the height of his career and how he had to undergo multiple surgeries to treat it. “You don’t want anybody fooling around down there. This is your identity,” he said of having doctors operate on his throat four separate times. “I never really thought that it would end.”
Lionel battled his throat condition amid his divorce from ex-wife Brenda Harvey and while grappling with the loss of his father, Lionel Brockman Richie Sr., who passed in 1990. Lionel said during that time, he came “About as close as you ever would’ve come to a nervous breakdown.”
The 72-year-old Grammy winner recalled a chance meeting with a fan that put it all in perspective, saying an elderly Black man walked up to him while he was in Jamaica and told him, “You must survive because you are our beacon of hope…If you make it, we know we can make it. If you accomplish, we know we can accomplish.” Lionel said he “was crying” as the man told him that.
Richie has since discovered it was diet-induced acid reflux that was causing his issues, and has made a full recovery.
Lionel shared the lesson his father taught him about maintaining a positive outlook on life, which is, “Aptitude plus attitude determines altitude.”
“If you happen to have both, sky’s the limit, but if you’re only blessed with one, have the right attitude because people will love to have you around,” Lionel shared.
(MINNEAPOLIS) — A fired Minneapolis police officer charged alongside two former colleagues with violating George Floyd’s civil rights during the fatal arrest took the witness stand in his own defense on Tuesday.
Tou Thao, 35, is the first defendant charged in the high-profile federal case to speak publicly about his actions during the 2020 episode that prompted nationwide protests and resulted in the murder conviction of his then-senior officer Derek Chauvin in state court last year.
Thao’s co-defendants, J. Alexander Kueng, 28, and Thomas Lane, 38, have also informed U.S. District Court Judge Paul Magnuson that they will testify in the trial taking place in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Thao was among the first witnesses called by the defense a day after prosecutors rested their case.
He testified that as part of his training in the Minneapolis Police Department he was taught to use his knees to keep a suspect pinned to the ground, according to ABC affiliate station KSTP in St. Paul.
Thao’s attorney Robert Paule, displayed for the jury a photo of Thao taken during training in 2009 at the police academy. It showed him and another cadet pinning a handcuffed actor posing as a suspect to the ground in a prone position. Thao explained that he and the other cadet were using their knees to restrain the suspect.
Thao testified that using a knee as leverage prevents a suspect from rolling around or getting up.
“Just to be clear, is this something that was typically taught at the academy when you were there?” Paule asked as he showed the jury several photos of police cadets in training sessions with their knees on the backs and necks of actors pretending to be suspects.
Thao replied, “Yes.”
Several training supervisors from the Minneapolis Police Department testified for the prosecution that all three defendants appeared to ignore their training as the handcuffed Floyd was being held to the ground and became unconscious. Kueng was captured on police body-camera footage played for the jury saying he couldn’t detect Floyd’s pulse.
Prosecutors alleged that none of the defendants did anything to stop Chauvin’s excessive use of force or provide medical assistance to Floyd when he needed it most.
Officer Nicole Mackenzie, the department’s medical support coordinator, testified she personally instructed Lane and Kueng, both rookie police officers at the time of the episode with Floyd, in a police academy “emergency medical responder” class that covered first aid and ethics in care. She also said records show that Thao took a refresher course covering the same topics.
All three men are charged with using the “color of the law,” or their positions as police officers, to deprive Floyd of his civil rights by allegedly showing deliberate indifference to his medical needs as Chauvin kneeled on the back of the handcuffed man’s neck for more than nine minutes, ultimately killing him.
Kueng and Thao both face an additional charge alleging they knew Chauvin was kneeling on Floyd’s neck but did nothing to stop him. Lane, who appeared to express concern for Floyd’s well-being during the encounter, does not face the additional charge.
They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Chauvin was convicted in Minnesota state court in April of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison.
Chauvin, 45, also pleaded guilty to federal civil rights charges stemming from Floyd’s death and the abuse of a 14-year-old boy he bashed in the head with a flashlight in 2017. He admitted in the signed plea agreement with federal prosecutors that he knelt on the back of Floyd’s neck even as Floyd complained he could not breathe, fell unconscious and lost a pulse.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
John Legend is focusing more on his overall health and has made some changes in his life, which includes his relationship with alcohol.
Speaking to People, the “All of Me” singer revealed, “I’m definitely trying to drink less.” Legend explained, “There are times when I don’t drink at all, like I don’t really drink when I’m on tour so there are times where I go long stretches without drinking. And then even when I’m off tour, I try to do it in moderation.”
The Voice coach added that his wife, Chrissy Teigen, was a positive influence in his decision. “Chrissy of course has been sober for over six months now and I’m very proud of her,” said Legend. “She finds that it’s healthier and better for her to just not drink at all. For me, I feel like I can do it in moderation, but I’m also mindful that if I overdo it, it’s going to have negative effects on my body, including my sleep.”
Legend explained cutting back on alcohol is one of several changes he made to improve his self-care. He’s also working on getting the appropriate amount of sleep every night — and that effort extends to his two young children, five-year-old Luna and three-year-old Miles.
Legend says he and his wife read to their kids every night, “Usually, by the time we’re into like the second and third book, they’re falling asleep.”
He adds that being “good parents” can be challenging, especially when Luna wakes up around midnight and tries crawling into bed with them. “It’s the hardest thing that we’ve got to tell her no and go back to her bedroom,” John admitted.
(HOUSTON) — A 9-year-old girl is in critical condition after being hit by a bullet while riding in the back of her parents’ truck, police said.
A man making a transaction at a drive-thru ATM located at 2900 Woodridge Drive said he was robbed at gunpoint Monday night and exchanged gunfire with the suspect, according to Houston police.
One of those rounds struck the back window of a pickup truck, police said. The truck was occupied by a family of four — a mother, father and two children.
It’s not clear whether the robbery suspect returned fire, according to police.
The 9-year-old girl was shot and transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital. No one else was harmed in the incident, police said.
Charges are currently pending against a suspect arrested in the shooting, police said. The suspect’s name and booking photo will be released once charges are finalized.
Houston Chief of Police Matt Slinkard told reporters at a press conference that all evidence was being reviewed.
Today marks 30 years since Rivers Cuomo and Patrick Wilson joined up with then-members Jason Cropper and Matt Sharp for their first official rehearsal on February 15, 1992.
In an Instagram post, unofficial fifth Weezer member Karl Koch reflects on the anniversary and all that the band’s been through in the past three decades since that fateful day.
“So much has happened,” Koch writes. “So many songs, albums, singles, soundtracks, fans, tours, shows, photo shoots, interviews, so many good times — and a few bad ones here and there of course.”
Koch details Weezer’s shifting lineup, which now includes guitarist Brian Bell and bassist Scott Shriner, and mourns the passing of some of the band’s “dearest friends,” including former bassist Mikey Welsh and The Cars‘ Ric Ocasek, who produced Weezer’s debut album.
“So much has changed, and yet, having been there for it for every step of the way I can truly say that for all the changes and amazing adventures that have happened, the spirit of Weezer has not changed hardly, if at all,” Koch writes. “Everyone still just wants to make great music, rock out and keep things interesting. And 30 years on, we are nowhere near the end of the story.”
“Thank you for sticking with us,” he adds. “2022 is going to be another fascinating year for Weezer and you.”
Weezer’s 2022 plans so far include releasing four albums, timed to each of the year’s four seasons.
