Lady A‘s uptempo hit, “Like a Lady,” has been one of country music’s stand-out, feel-good songs of the summer.
It’s the first release from the trio’s seven-track What a Song Can Do (Chapter One) collection, which came out in June. But when Lady A’s full-length eighth album arrives next month, we’ll get a better look at what Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood have been feeling, amid both the COVID-19 pandemic and the controversy over their name change.
“The songwriting, the songs that we wrote and recorded, were our way of really, I think, trying to just cope with really uncertain months,” Hillary explains. “And it was our way to really have a creative outlet.”
“I think it was therapeutic for all of us,” she reflects. “I think we wrote a lot about just how we were feeling about a lot of things.”
Hillary adds: “I think the whole album, when it comes out in October, you’ll get to hear some of the outliers of where we kind of explored and took some risks from a song standpoint and production.”
More than anything, the three friends are thankful for the way music has transformed their lives.
“Ultimately, I think it’s just so present for us, and we are just so grateful,” Hillary says of the record. “The reason why we named the album What a Song Can Do is because these songs and the songs of our career have gotten us through such hard times.”
“And then they’ve also allowed for us the greatest times, you know, in the live show, and all of the years of being a band,” she points out.
What a Song Can Do doubles in size, growing to fourteen cuts when the full record arrives October 22.
Bebe Rexha makes her acting debut in Queenpins, a new comedy that arrives today on the Paramount Plus streaming platform. Bebe plays a computer hacker who helps launder money for two housewives who are running a multi-million-dollar coupon scam. Bebe says the movie’s star, Kristen Bell, gave her the secret to improving her performance: sugar.
“She just told me to relax and then also, like, 10 minutes before going on camera, I was like, ‘I need energy,’ because after a while…I kinda felt like my energy was getting low,” Bebe tells ABC Audio. “So she was like, ‘Go get like an M&M or whatever…just eat some sugar,’ and that actually really helped!”
She laughs, “Thanks Kristen, that was a good tip!”
In fact, the “Jealous” singer admits she was “eating the whole time” she wasn’t on camera, because the food on set was so “magnificent.” And while she says she also got “some advice on some girl stuff” from her female cast members, she didn’t seek out any acting advice prior to taking the role from other pop stars-turned-actors, like Lady Gaga.
“I haven’t gotten any acting advice from anybody famous, to be quite honest with you,” she admits. “I just got the script and I was like, ‘I like this. I’m going to do it, why not?'”
However, Bebe says she doesn’t plan to pursue acting as a career — because, she says, it’s difficult.
“Acting is honestly…it’s not just something you can pick up and do,” she tells ABC Audio. “It’s actually quite hard…you have to be really focused on your intentions and where your mind’s at and how you want to say something.”
Guess Bebe will just have to stick to her day job as a global pop star.
The record, which will be the veteran German hard rocker’s 19th studio effort, is a follow-up to 2015’s Return to Forever.
The album’s first single, “Peacemaker,” will be released on October 21.
The project was mostly written and recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, with The Scorpions working at their Peppermint Park Studios in Hanover, Germany.
“The album was written and recorded in the Scorpions DNA with core Schenker/Meine compositions,” says frontman Klaus Meine, referring to himself and founding guitarist Rudolf Schenker. “We recorded the album as a band live in one room, like we did in the ’80s.”
Rock Believer will be the first studio album by the group to feature ex-Motörhead drummer Mikkey Dee, who joined The Scorpions in 2016.
After the album’s release, The Scorpions will launch their Rock Believer World Tour, which will kick off with the band’s previously announced nine-date Las Vegas residency at The Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood that runs from March 26 through April 16. Queensrÿche will open the Vegas shows.
Following the residency, The Scorpions will head back across the pond, where a European leg of the trek will get underway on May 10 in Lisbon, Portugal.
Pre-sale tickets and VIP packages for the European concerts went on sale today, are available for members of the Scorpions Rock Zone fan community. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, October 1.
It’s an exciting day for diehard film fans! The long-awaited Academy Museum of Motion Pictures opens to the public Thursday in Los Angeles. Dedicated to the art and process of filmmaking, the museum is run by the organization that puts on the Oscars. And assistant curator Raul Guzman gave ABC Audio a sneak peek at one of the most talked about exhibits, which contains props and costumes from The Wizard of Oz.
“We get to showcase the pair of ruby slippers,” he shares. “We have two dresses of Judy Garland — one was used by her and one was used by the extra in that iconic moment when she enters that magical world of Oz, the lion’s mane, the tin can, and also the witch’s hat.”
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is the first of its kind showcasing props, costumes, and other memorabilia from Orson Welles to Spike Lee to The Wizard of Oz, which Guzman says will give people a thrilling look into the moviemaking process.
“I think our goal is really to be able to showcase the different facets of cinema,” he explains. “Both how it’s made, celebrating different parts of it, the craftsmanship of cinema, but also really highlighting different communities and really how cinema has empowered and really continues to be an incredible art form that really has touched all of us.”
Tickets to visit the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures are on sale now with prices set at $25 for adults, $19 for seniors, and $15 for students. Children are free. Memberships are also available starting at $100 for an individual and comes with complimentary admission, early access, discounts and more. Visit AcademyMuseum.org for more information.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Wednesday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
Chi White Sox 6, Cincinnati 1
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Toronto 6, NY Yankees 5
Boston 6, Baltimore 0
Minnesota 5, Detroit 2
Tampa Bay 7, Houston 0
LA Angels 7, Texas 2
Kansas City 10, Cleveland 5
Seattle 4, Oakland 2
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Colorado 10, Washington 5
Miami 3, NY Mets 2
Chi Cubs 3, Pittsburgh 2
Atlanta 7, Philadelphia 2
Milwaukee 4, St. Louis 0
San Francisco 1, Arizona 0
San Diego 11 L.A. Dodgers 9
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PRESEASON
Columbus 5, St. Louis 2
Toronto 4, Ottawa 0
New Jersey 5, Washington 4
Winnipeg 5, Edmonton 1
Florida 4, Dallas 3 (SO)
Detroit 4, Chicago 3 (SO)
Seattle 4, Calgary 3 (SO)
Arizona 4, Anaheim 1
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Toronto FC 3, Cincinnati 2
Atlanta 1, Miami 0
New England 4, CF Montréal 1
D.C. United 3, Minnesota 1
Philadelphia 1, New York 1 (Tie)
Sporting Kansas City 3, FC Dallas 1
Chicago 2, New York City FC 0
Orlando City 2, Nashville 2 (Tie)
Colorado 3, Austin FC 0
Vancouver 0, Houston 0 (Tie)
Real Salt Lake 2, LA Galaxy 1
Portland 2, Los Angeles FC 1
Seattle 3, San Jose 1
Jethro Tull will belatedly mark the 50th anniversary of their third studio album, 1970’s Benefit, by releasing an expanded, four-CD/two-DVD version of the record on November 5.
The Benefit (The 50th Anniversary Enhanced Edition) collection’s CDs feature stereo mixes of the original album and associated tracks done in 2013 by acclaimed studio whiz Steven Wilson; mono and stereo mixes of various single A-sides and B-sides, radio spots and more; a previously unreleased Wilson remix of a 1970 Jethro Tull performance at Massachusetts’ Tanglewood venue; and a newly remastered mono recording of a previously unreleased 1970 Tull show at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom.
The DVDs feature high-res versions of Wilson’s 2013 remix of Benefit and associated tracks, a video of the 1970 Tanglewood concert, and more.
The reissue also comes packaged with a 100-page book, featuring a new essay about Benefit; commentary about each of the album’s tracks from frontman Ian Anderson and former Tull members Martin Barre, Glenn Cornick and Clive Bunker; and interviews with Benefit studio engineer Robin Black, executive producer Terry Ellis, and others.
Released in April 1970, Benefit peaked at #11 on the Billboard 200 and #3 on the U.K. album chart. The record included one hit U.K. single, “Witch’s Promise,” which reached #4 on the chart. The album’s best-known song in the U.S. likely is “Teacher,” which went on to become a classic rock radio staple.
Benefit has gone on to be RIAA-certified Gold in the U.S. for sales of over 500,000 copies.
You can pre-order the deluxe reissue and check out the full track list at BurningShed.com.
(BLOOMINGTON, Ill.) — The family of Jelani Day, an Illinois grad student and aspiring doctor whose body was found floating in the Illinois River five days ago, is desperately searching for answers.
Day’s body was found on Sept. 4 and was identified by the LaSalle County Coroner on Sept. 23 through forensic dental identification and DNA testing.
“Jelani did not just disappear into thin air. Somebody knows something, somebody seen something and I need somebody to say something,” Day’s mother, Carmen Bolden Day, told “Good Morning America” on Wednesday.
“I’m very upset because I can’t even look at my son’s body. His body has deteriorated to the point where I can’t say a proper goodbye to him,” she said.
The 25 year-old was living in Bloomington, Illinois, and studying at Illinois State University and was reported missing by his family on Aug. 25 — two days after they had last spoken with him, according to a joint press release from police and the LaSalle County Coroner’s Office.
He was last seen at the university campus on Aug. 24 and his car was found two days later in Peru, Illinois.
Family attorney Hallie Bezner told “GMA” that Day has never been to Peru before and his family suspects foul play.
“The wallet was found in a different area. The lanyard, which it had a school ID on it was not found with the wallet, it was found in a different area — the area with some clothes that were found last week,” Bezner said.
Police in Peru are working to identify a man captured on security cameras knocking on the front door of a home that is close to the location where Day’s body was found. The video was captured a day after Day was last seen and police are urging the public to help identify the man.
The home is in an area that is predominantly white and the owner of the property said that he did not know the male captured on the home security video but after seeing images of Day on the news, sent the video to the police, thinking it could be Day.
Bolden Day said that the Black male seen in the footage is not her son, but wondered whether the man in the video could be connected to her son’s death and said she wished the video had been shared with the public sooner.
Day’s cause of death has not been determined and authorities have not yet named any suspects in Day’s death.
Bolden Day said it was frustrating to see cases like 22-year-old Gabby Petito, a travel blogger whose body was found in Wyoming, get media immediate attention, while her son’s death did not get widespread coverage until his body was identified weeks later.
“I see that Gabby is missing and I see [her] getting the help. I wasn’t getting that attention,” she said.
Since his body was identified, Day’s death has garnered the attention of celebrities like Viola Davis and Lizzo, who have helped share his story and urged the public to help in getting answers surrounding his death.
“Jelani was ambitious. He was driven. He was focused. He was energetic. He was full of life. Jelani was a person that you couldn’t help but love,” Bolden Day said.
ABC News’ Vera Drymon and Jessy Mendoza contributed to this report.
(WASHINGTON) — The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack issued 11 subpoenas Wednesday to organizers of the pro-Trump rally outside the White House that turned into a march on the U.S Capitol.
The committee, which recently subpoenaed Trump’s closest aides and advisers for records and depositions by mid-October, is seeking documents and testimony as part of its investigation into the insurrection at the Capitol and Trump’s actions before, during and after the riot, along with Trump’s broader campaign to challenge the election results from inside and outside the federal government.
Trump himself addressed the rally, which was held just south of the White House on the National Mall.
As part of their inquiry, investigators are reviewing ties and communications between Trump White House associates and organizers of the “Stop the Steal” rally, which was planned for the day Congress convened to affirm the election results. Thousands of people traveled to D.C. for the event, with many going on to assault police officers and forcibly enter the U.S. Capitol, temporarily disrupting the electoral count.
Conservative activist Amy Kremer, who founded “Women for America First,” the group that put together the rally supporting Trump on the day of the electoral vote count, was singled out by the panel in their second tranche of subpoenas, along with her daughter, Kylie.
Caroline Wren and Maggie Mulvaney, who were listed on the event permits with the National Park Service, were also subpoenaed, the committee said. Mulvaney is the niece of former Trump chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and worked on Trump’s presidential campaign.
“The Select Committee is investigating the facts, circumstances, and causes of the January 6th attack and issues relating to the peaceful transfer of power, in order to identify and evaluate lessons learned and to recommend to the House and its relevant committees corrective laws, policies, procedures rules, or regulations,” Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson wrote in the letter to each subpoena recipient. “The inquiry includes examination of how various individuals and entities coordinated their activities leading up to the events of January 6, 2021.”
The panel also subpoenaed Hannah Salem, a GOP operative who was listed on the paperwork and previously served as a senior Trump White House press aide.
Katrina Pierson, a former Trump campaign adviser and Tea Party activist who served as a campaign spokesperson in 2016 and spoke at the Jan. 6 rally was also subpoenaed by the committee.
“Americans will stand up for themselves and protect their rights, and they will demand that the politicians that we elect will uphold those rights, or we will go after them,” Pierson said at the rally.
The others subpoenaed were Cynthia Chafian, who submitted the first permit application for the event, and Justin Caporale, Tim Unes, Megan Powers and Lyndon Brentnall, all of whom were listed on permit paperwork.
The committee said Wednesday it had notified the recipients of the subpoenas within the past 24 hours.
Thompson told reporters last week that the committee could also issue subpoenas to former President Trump’s children as part of its investigation. Trump’s two eldest sons, Donald Jr., and Eric, spoke at the rally, as did his daughter-in-law Lara Trump, and Don Jr.’s girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle, a former Fox News host and Trump campaign adviser.
Judge Brenda Penny — whose main role at today’s hearing in L.A. was determining what is in Britney’s best interests — said that the “toxic environment” between Jamie Spears and his daughter required that he be suspended as her conservator, effective immediately.
“I believe suspension is in the best interest of Britney Spears,” said Penny. As per the request of Britney’s lawyer Mathew Rosengart, a CPA named John Zabel has been appointed temporary conservator of Britney’s estate.
Zabel will now take over control of Britney’s finances, until a decision about terminating the conservatorship is made. Jodi Montgomery, who is Britney’s conservator of the person — meaning she’s in charge of her medical decisions — will remain in her position.
Rosengart told ABC as he left the courtroom, “I left it all out on the field and [the judge] did the right thing.” During the hearing, he relied on Britney’s own words from previous hearings, repeating Britney’s belief that Jamie is “abusive, cruel and toxic.”
“Britney Spears, Jamie Spears’ daughter, wants him to be suspended,” Rosengart told the judge. “She will be incredibly distraught if he remains conservator another day. Please hear the plea of my client.”
Rosengart has accused Mr. Spears of “reaping millions of dollars from his daughter’s estate”; Jamie has denied all wrongdoing. In his latest filing, Rosengart said that Mr. Spears had “crossed unfathomable lines,” if recent reports that he’d hired a security firm to monitor his daughter’s communications were, in fact, true.
As for when the 13-year conservatorship will end, a hearing has been scheduled for November 12 to decide on that. Another hearing on December 13 will focus on financial and accounting matters.
Judge Brenda Penny — whose main role at today’s hearing in L.A. was determining what is in Britney’s best interests — said that the “toxic environment” between Jamie Spears and his daughter required that he be suspended as her conservator, effective immediately.
“I believe suspension is in the best interest of Britney Spears,” said Penny. As per the request of Britney’s lawyer Mathew Rosengart, a CPA named John Zabel has been appointed temporary conservator of Britney’s estate.
Zabel will now take over control of Britney’s finances, until a decision about terminating the conservatorship is made. Jodi Montgomery, who is Britney’s conservator of the person — meaning she’s in charge of her medical decisions — will remain in her position.
Rosengart has accused Mr. Spears of “reaping millions of dollars from his daughter’s estate”; Jamie has denied all wrongdoing. In his latest filing, Rosengart said that Mr. Spears had “crossed unfathomable lines,” if recent reports that he’d hired a security firm to monitor his daughter’s communications were, in fact, true.
Mr. Spears had petitioned for the immediate termination of the conservatorship, which would have rendered moot the question of his suspension. Rosengart said Spears’ petition was just a “desperate effort” to deflect attention from Spears’ “egregious incompetence” [and] “gross misconduct.”
Earlier this year, Britney told Penny that her father “ought to be in jail.”
As for when the 13-year conservatorship will end, Rosengart suggested a hearing within the next 45 days to determine that.
