Prince's Trust gala draws plenty of celebrities, donations
The star-studded Princeโs Trust Global Gala raised more than $1.7 million Thursday night at Casa Cipriani in New York City, as a wide range of grantees โ past and present โ explained how King Charles IIIโs charity has improved their lives.
Delfonics lead singer William 'Poogie' Hart dead at 77
William โPoogieโ Hart, a founder of the Grammy-winning trio the Delfonics who helped write and sang a soft lead tenor on such classic โSound of Philadelphiaโ ballads as โLa-La (Means I Love You)โ and โDidnโt I (Blow Your Mind This Time),โ has died at age 77.
New this week: 'Interceptor,' Post Malone and 'Fire Island'
This weekโs new entertainment releases include albums from Post Malone and Drive-By Truckers, โFast & Furiousโ alum Elsa Pataky leading her own action picture with โInterceptor,โ and the modern romantic comedy โFire Island,โ set in the iconic LGBTQ vacation spot.
First steps made in Congress to honor pop superstar Prince
Minnesotaโs Congressional delegation on Monday is introducing a resolution to posthumously award the Congressional Gold Medal to pop superstar Prince, citing his โindelible mark on Minnesota and American culture,โ The Associated Press has learned.
Reward increases for information about deadly hit-and-run involving teen on his way to take ACT
The reward for information about a hit-and-run crash near Murray Hill that left a Riverside High student dead earlier this month has increased to $9,500, the Jacksonville Sheriffโs Office announced Wednesday.
US court sides with photographer in fight over Warhol art
FILE - In this 1976 file photo, pop artist Andy Warhol smiles in New York. A federal appeals court sided with a photographer Friday, March 26, 2021, in her copyright dispute over how a foundation has marketed a series of Andy Warhol works of art based on her pictures of Prince. In a statement, Goldsmith said she was grateful to the outcome in the 4-year-old fight initiated by a lawsuit from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. โOver fifty years of established art history and popular consensus confirms that Andy Warhol is one of the most transformative artists of the 20th Century,โ Nikas said in a statement. AdโWe feel compelled to clarify that it is entirely irrelevant to this analysis that โeach Prince Series work is immediately recognizable as a โWarhol,โโ the appeals court said.
Prince's ashes to be displayed marking 5th year of his death
FILE - Amplifiers and a drum kit are on display at Prince's Paisley Park on Nov. 2, 2016, in Chanhassen, Minn. Paisley Park officials are marking the fifth anniversary of Prince's death by offering fans free admission to pay their respects in the suburban Minnesota compound, where his ashes will be on display in the atrium. (AP Photo/Jeff Baenen, File)MINNEAPOLIS โ Paisley Park officials are marking the fifth anniversary of Prince's death by offering fans free admission to pay their respects at the suburban Minnesota compound, where his ashes will be on display in the atrium. A custom-made ceramic urn shaped like Paisley Park with Prince's symbol on top was originally placed in the middle of the atrium when the legend's 65,000-square-foot studio in Chanhassen first opened as a museum in October 2016. At the request of Prince's family, the ashes were moved to a less prominent spot in the atrium and eventually removed entirely from public view, disappointing his legions of fans. AdโWe celebrate his life and legacy every day at Paisley Park, a place that Prince wanted to share with the world,โ Paisley Park Executive Director Alan Seiffert said in a statement.
Still divisive, Dr. Luke resurges at Grammys โ as Tyson Trax
Dr. Luke appeared as Tyson Trax on the Grammy ballot for Doja Cat's Say So," which he produced and co-wrote. But not all of the academy members may have been aware they were voting for Dr. Luke when they completed their ballots this year. AdโI didnโt know that Tyson Trax was Dr. Luke. AdTogether, Martin and Dr. Luke crafted hits for Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry, Pink and Kesha, who he signed in 2005. Eventually Dr. Luke stepped into the forefront, helming successes for Miley Cyrus, Pitbull, Nicki Minaj and Flo Rida, logging 17 No.
Rock hall plans October induction before live audience
Blige made this years list of nominees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK โ The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame said Tuesday that it plans to have a live induction of its 36th class on Oct. 30 in Cleveland โ before an actual audience! โWe are optimistic and hopeful for the ceremony,โ said Greg Harris, president and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. It will be the sixth time the induction ceremony will be held in Cleveland, home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. AdHarris said a fall induction ceremony, moved from the spring last year because of COVID, will become permanent.
Milan designers hit reset button during digital fashion week
MILAN โ Fashion is off the hamster wheel, taking a deep breath that is allowing some freshness to seep into the once relentless cycle. โIt is so weird thinking about fashion, and the kind of hamster wheel of fashion, and how we never had a break and always complained about it,โโ Marc Jacobs said during a Milan Fashion Week video chat with Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons post-digital show. Milan Fashion Week of mostly womenswear previews for next fall and winter wrapped a nearly all-digital edition on Monday. Only one designer โ Daniel Del Core, marking his brand's debut โ held a live runway show for a small number of guests. Milan designer Francesca Liberatore had planned an extravagant show in a Milan theater with holographic effects, but decided against it in solidarity with theater creatives who can't occupy that space.
IRS says executors undervalued Prince's estate by 50%
The IRS determined that Princeโs estate is worth $163.2 million, overshadowing the $82.3 million valuation submitted by Comerica Bank & Trust, the estateโs administrator. Documents show the IRS believes that Prince's estate owes another $32.4 million in federal taxes, roughly doubling the tax bill based on Comericaโs valuation, the Star Tribune reported. The IRS also has ordered a $6.4 million โaccuracy-related penaltyโ on Princeโs estate, citing a โsubstantialโ undervaluation of assets, documents show. Comerica sued the IRS this summer in U.S. Tax Court in Washington, D.C., saying the agencyโs calculations are riddled with errors. A trial could dramatically lengthen the settlement of Princeโs estate and generate more legal fees at the expense of Princeโs heirs, Patrick said.
Final goodbye: Recalling influential people who died in 2020
The world also said goodbye to U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a lion of the civil rights movement who died in July. Other former political figures who died this year include Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, New York Mayor David Dinkins, Arizona Gov. Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2020 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available):___JANUARY___David Stern, 77. The guitarist who supplied the scratching, seething sound that fueled the highly influential British punk band Gang of Four. He fused African rhythms with funk to become one of the most influential musicians in world dance music.
Nothing compares: Sinead O'Connor memoir coming out in June
NEW YORK โ Sinead O'Connor hasn't released any albums in the past few years, but she has been getting some writing done. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books & Media announced Monday that the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter's memoir, โRememberings,โ will come out June 1. I had great fun writing it over the past few years,โ OโConnor said in a statement. O'Connor, who turns 54 this week, is also known for the albums โThe Lion and the Cobraโ and โI Do Not Want What I Havenโt Got." This fall, she released a cover of the late Mahalia Jackson's โTrouble of the World.โ
J Balvin, Bad Bunny set for big night at Latin Grammys
This combination photo shows Natalia Lafourcade, left, and Rosalia. A year after Rosalia made history by becoming the first solo female performer in 13 years to win the top prize at the Latin Grammys, Natalia Lafourcade followed in her footsteps with a big win at the 2020 show, taking home the album of the year honor on Nov. 19, 2020, for "Un Canto Por Mxico, Vol.
J Balvin, Bad Bunny set for big night at Latin Grammys
FILE - Singer J Balvin performs during the Coca-Cola Flow Reggaeton festival in Mexico City on Nov. 23, 2019. Latin trap kings Bad Bunny and J Balvin have a chance of winning the top honors at the Latin Grammy Awards. (AP Photo/Ginnette Riquelme, File)NEW YORK โ A year after they were shut out of major categories, Latin trap kings Bad Bunny and J Balvin have a chance of winning the top honors at the Latin Grammy Awards. It's a far cry from the 2019 Latin Grammys, where popular reggaeton and Latin trap musicians such as Balvin, Bad Bunny, Ozuna, Karol G, Daddy Yankee, Nicky Jam, Maluma and more were dissed in top categories like album, song and record of the year. Bad Bunny will perform from San Juan, Anitta will sing from Rio de Janeiro and Pitbull will be joined by frontline workers to honor their courageous work during the coronavirus pandemic.
A look at artists who've objected to Trump using their songs
FILE - Pharrell Williams attends the world premiere of "The Black Godfather," in Los Angeles on June 3, 2019. Dozens of artists have objected to Donald Trump using their music in his two presidential campaigns. Williams sent a cease-and-desist letter after his song Happy" was played at a Trump rally in 2018. He was especially angered that the event was hours after a mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue. (Photo by Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP, File)
A look at artists who've objected to Trump using their songs
Dozens of artists have objected to Donald Trump using their music in his two presidential campaigns. Williams sent a cease-and-desist letter after his song Happy" was played at a Trump rally in 2018. (Photo by Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP, File)From classic American rockers to British artists to the estates of late legends, here's a look at some of the musicians who have objected to Donald Trump using their songs at campaign events. JOHN FOGERTY, PHIL COLLINS, BRUCE SPRINGSTEENSome classic rockers say not only do they oppose Trump using their music, the choice of songs is ironic or downright wrong. Eddy Grant sued Trump in September over the use of his 1980s hit โElectric Avenueโ in a Trump campaign animated video that mocked his opponent Joe Biden.
'Brian's Song,' 'Roots,' 'Purple Rain' writer dies at 83
LOS ANGELES โ William Blinn, a screenwriter for the landmark TV projects โBrianโs Songโ and โRootsโ and the Prince film โPurple Rain,โ has died. Blinn died Thursday of natural cases at an assisting living community in Burbank, California, his daughter, Anneliese Johnson, said Saturday. He won Emmy and Peabody honors for the 1971 TV movie โBrian's Song," which dramatized the friendship of Chicago Bears players Brian Piccolo and Gayle Sayers. Last month, Hall of Fame running back Sayers died at age 77. Blinn and Albert Magnoli wrote 1984โฒs โPurple Rain,โ which Magnoli directed.
Chadwick Boseman, who embodied Black icons, dies of cancer
FILE - In this March 4, 2018 file photo, Chadwick Boseman arrives at the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Actor Chadwick Boseman, who played Black icons Jackie Robinson and James Brown before finding fame as the regal Black Panther in the Marvel cinematic universe, has died of cancer. When the former playwright suited up as Black Panther, he brought cool intellectual gravitas to the Marvel superhero whose Wakanda forever! salute reverberated worldwide. You dont have the same exact experience as a Black actor as you do as a white actor. Before an auditorium full of actors, Chadwick Boseman stepped to the microphone.
Pharrell, Beastie Boys, RZA, halftime show score Emmy nods
Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show Starring Jennifer Lopez And Shakira picked up four nominations, including outstanding variety special (live). It was not clear if Lopez and Shakira were specifically nominated, though past halftime singers, including Beyonc, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, have earned Emmy nominations as performers. For their work on Watchmen, they scored a second Emmy nomination for outstanding music composition for a limited series, movie or special. They earned nominations as producers for outstanding documentary or nonfiction special and as writers for outstanding writing for a nonfiction program. Jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington, who composed music for the Michelle Obama documentary Becoming, picked up a nomination for outstanding music composition for a documentary series of special.
New this week: 'Stateless,' 'Palm Springs,' The Dalai Lama
(Netflix via AP)Heres a collection curated by The Associated Press entertainment journalists of whats arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week. Its directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, who also helmed Love & Basketball and the criminally underseen Beyond the Lights (currently available on Kanopy). Palm Springs: If a rom-com is more your speed, theres also Palm Springs, on Hulu Friday, starring Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti as wedding guests who find themselves caught in a time-loop. AP Film Writer Lindsey BahrMUSICThe Dalai Lama: To commemorate his 85th birthday on Monday, the Dalai Lama is releasing his first-ever album. Viewers seeking to stir their hearts and minds should consider Netflixs Stateless, set in an immigration detention center in the Australian desert.
Charlize Theron hopes daughters are represented in Hollywood
FILE - This Feb. 9, 2020 file photo shows actress Charlize Theron at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills, Calif. Theron stars and produces the Netflix action thriller "The Old Guard," streaming on July 10. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK Charlize Theron says shes making choices as a producer and actor to ensure her two small, beautiful African American daughters will feel represented on-screen. Im in therapy over it, Theron said in an interview promoting her action thriller The Old Guard, which hits Netflix July 10. Theron says shes been watching recent protests around racial injustice in the U.S. through the lens of her home countrys history. She hopes the current movement leads to lasting change, particularly in promoting diversity within Hollywood.
Cobain 'MTV Unplugged' guitar sells for sky-high $6 million
(AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. โ Grunge became gold Saturday as the guitar Kurt Cobain played on Nirvana's 1993 โMTV Unpluggedโ performance months before his death sold for an eye-popping $6 million at auction. The 1959 Martin D-18E that Cobain played in the band's rare acoustic performance and subsequent live album was sold to Australian Peter Freedman, owner of Rรธde Microphones, at the Music Icons event run by Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills, California. The bids opened at $1 million for the sale that ended up breaking several world records. Cobain used it to play tunes including โAbout a Girlโ and โAll Apologiesโ at the Nov. 18, 1993, show in New York that came less than five months before the singer and songwriter died at age 27. A day earlier at the same auction event, a custom guitar played by Prince at the height of his stardom in the 1980s and 1990s sold for $563,500, a small sum compared with the Cobain guitar but well over the $100,000 to $200,000 it was expected to fetch.
Prince and the Revolution concert from 1985 to stream on YouTube all weekend
Well, in this case, party like itโs 1985, but regardless, youโll be dancing to some classic Prince hits, thanks to his official YouTube channel. A live concert of Prince and his legendary band, The Revolution -- in Syracuse, New York in 1985 toward the end of their โPurple Rainโ tour -- will be available to stream on YouTube all weekend beginning Friday, May 14 and continuing through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, May 17. Viewers can donate money while watching the stream, and Google will match it. The concert was originally released as a VHS back in the day, so Prince fans who have been there from the very beginning might have seen this show. It should be a treat for newer Prince fans who never got to see the man himself in action, especially at the height of his career, when โPurple Rainโ was first released.
APโs top albums of 2019: Ari Lennox, Summer Walker, Anitta
(Republic Records via AP)NEW YORK, NY โ The top 10 albums of the year by Associated Press Music Editor Mesfin Fekadu:1. A nomination โ or eight โ isnโt necessary for any real music fan to realize how outstanding, soulful and poignant Lennoxโs debut album is. Lennoxโs โShea Butter Babyโ is the best album of the year, no matter if awards shows think differently, including you, the Soul Train Music Awards. Summer Walker, โOver Itโ: Summer Walkerโs debut album is perfect, as she spits matter-of-fact lyrics over some beats that borrow from classic โ90s R&B hits including Usher, Destinyโs Child and 702. But even when sheโs not sampling a song, Walker can hold her own, delivering a flawless album thatโs easy to obsess over.
What we learned from Prince's memoir
Three years on and, with the help of Prince's chosen collaborator Dan Piepenbring, "The Beautiful Ones" has been completed and was released on Tuesday by Cornerstone. Detailing how he carefully curated material for the book, Piepenbring told The Guardian: "The sheer quantity of paper was surprising. From Piepenbring's humorous anecdotes to Prince's own moments of self-reflection, here are a few revelations to come from "The Beautiful Ones." Prince's writing style was uniqueOne of the most revealing features of the book is the reproduction of some of his personal letters and musings. Piepenbring writes that Prince told him: "All artists should own their masters... especially black artists."
Extremely rare purple lobster caught by lobsterman
WINTER HARBOR, Maine - A recent haul by a lobsterman brought in a rare crustacean that only a Prince fan could love. Keith Potter got a shock last week when he netted an extremely rare purple lobster off the coast of Winter Harbor (Maine), WMTW reports. Through the years, marine biologists have seen blue, yellow and red lobsters; but the purple variety is unique. "Blue lobsters show up frequently, sometimes red, sometimes yellow and even white. Steneck guessed the purple lobster was a one-in-a-million catch.
Prince's anticipated, posthumous memoir is ready for fans
NEW YORK - The memoir Prince started but didn't finish before his 2016 death is ready for his fans to read. And his collaborator, Dan Piepenbring, is telling all on how "The Beautiful Ones" finally came together. Prince had written just 28 pages, leaving Piepenbring searching for a way to complete the book. He found it at Prince's Paisley Park, using photos and other artifacts from the icon's childhood and early career. In the book, Prince looks back on how conflicts between his parents played out in his life.
Prince estate releases unheard track
(CNN) - The Prince estate decided to bless fans with unreleased music in honor of the 40th anniversary of the singer's self-titled second album. The recording was created in the winter of 1978-79 around the time Prince was preparing to make his solo debut at the Capri Theater in North Minneapolis, according to the singer's website. The fully produced studio recording for "I Feel For You" was on the album "Prince," which was released October 19, 1979, the singer's website said. Chaka Khan's version won two Grammys, including Best R&B song that honored Prince as a songwriter. The release of the new acoustic version of the record comes three years after Prince's death in April 2016 from an accidental overdose of the opioid fentanyl.
Prince's estate objects to Trump campaign using 'Purple Rain' at rally
MINNEAPOLIS - President Donald Trump's musical selection during a rally in Minneapolis didn't sit well with Prince's estate Thursday night. "Purple Rain" was played during the rally in the music legend's hometown and the estate was quick to respond with a tweet. "The Prince Estate will never give permission to President Trump to use Prince's songs." This isn't the first time the estate has asked the Trump campaign to stop playing Prince's music. In the same tweet, the estate embedded a letter dated "October 15, 2018," showing the Trump campaign agreed to stop using Prince's music.
Jennifer Lopez, Shakira to headline Miami Super Bowl halftime show
MIAMI - The Super Bowl has been set. Well, at least the Super Bowl halftime show. Jennifer Lopez and Shakira, two of the biggest names in entertainment, were announced Thursday as the headliners for the Super Bowl LIV halftime show next February at Hard Rock Stadium. Lopez had long been rumored to be in conversations with NFL officials to perform, but the Shakira announcement was the big surprise. Here's a list of Super Bowl halftime in Miami performers:Super Bowl II - 1968 - Grambling marching bandSuper Bowl III - 1969 - Florida A&M marching bandSuper Bowl V - 1971 - Southeast Missouri State marching bandSuper Bowl X - 1976 - Up with PeopleSuper Bowl XIII - 1979 - Ken Hamilton (Salute to the Caribbean)Super Bowl XXIII - 1989 - Elvis Presto (1950s Rock and Roll)Super Bowl XXIX - 1995 - Patti Labelle, Teddy Pendergrass, Tony Bennett, Miami Sound MachineSuper Bowl XXXIII - 1999 - Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan, Big Bad Voodoo DaddySuper Bowl XLI - 2007 - PrinceSuper Bowl XLIV - 2010 - The WhoCopyright 2019 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.
Taylor Swift isn't alone in label battle
CNN image(CNN) - Taylor Swift may feel that she's been burned, but she's far from the only one. From 2006's self-titled debut to 2017's "Reputation," Swift was with country-pop record company Big Machine Label Group. And every time you stream or download a track, it's the holder of the master rights -- often the label -- that gets paid first. Swift could reclaim her music rights, but it would take decadesAnd though it might feel like Swift and her old music are never, ever getting back together, she has longer-term options. The-CNN-Wire & 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company.
Taylor Swift's Record Label Drama: 7 Other Artists Who Have Fought For Their Music Catalog
At the time, Prince was signed to Warner Music Group and was fighting with the label over the various demands of his contract. Prince then temporarily left Warner Music and established NPG Records, but reconciled with the label in 2014 after working out their differences. While Sony argued that they would have allowed Kesha to record music with Kemosabe Records under the auspices of a different producer, Kesha rejected this possibility. Without being legally allowed to break her contract, Kesha released a new single "Praying" in July 2017, and her third album, Rainbow, the following August. The move came after a major dispute with Arista Records and LaFace Records over the contract they intially signed in 1991.