Preview: Diana Ross: Special Edition - Diana Ross

Artist: Diana Ross
Title: Diana Ross: Special Edition
Release Date: February 7, 2011
Label: Hip-O Select
Format(s): 2-CDs, DD

Diana Ross' self titled 1976 album gets the Special Edition treatment from Hip-O Select on February 7 with two-CDs of hits and rarities.

The original release peaked at number 5 in the U.S. and 4 in the U.K. and spawned the hits Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To) (1975/#1 Pop/#14 R&B/#1 Adult Contemporary/#5 U.K.), I Thought It Took A Little Time (But Today I Fell in Love) (1976/#47 Pop/#61 R&B/#4 Adult Contemporary), Love Hangover (1976/#1 Pop/#1 R&B/#1 Dance/#1 Disco/#10 U.K.) and One Love In My Lifetime (1976/#25 Pop/#10 R&B).

The Hip-O Select version includes a remastered original album, single-only mixes, non-LP singles, the super-rare promotional single Coming Home, new alternate mixes of nearly the entire album and three never-before-heard performances from the sessions – Harmony, a cover of the Elton John classic; and Go Where Your Mind Is and Le Lo Li, produced by Jeffrey Bowen with help Sly Stone. Rounding out the collection is an excerpt from a Diana Ross interview that hasn’t been heard in 36 years.

The package has a 24-page book with song annotations, the story of the album and rare photos. A total of 10,000 copies are being produced.

Track List:

Disc One

• Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)
• I Thought It Took A Little Time (But Today I Fell In Love)
• Love Hangover
• Kiss Me Now
• You’re Good My Child
• One Love In My Lifetime
• Ain’t Nothin’ But A Maybe
• After You
• Smile
• Sorry Doesn’t Always Make It Right (Single Version)
• Together (Single Version)
• I Thought It Took A Little Time (But Today I Fell In Love) (Single Version)
• Love Hangover (Single Version)
• One Love In My Lifetime (Single Version)
• To Love Again (Alternate Version)
• We’re Always Saying Goodbye (Alternate Version)
• This Christmas (Alternate Version)
• Coming Home

Disc Two

• Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To) (Alternate Version #1)
• I Thought It Took A Little Time (But Today I Fell In Love) (Alternate Version)
• Love Hangover (Alternate Version)
• Kiss Me Now (Alternate Version)
• You’re Good My Child (Alternate Version)
• One Love In My Lifetime (Alternate Version)
• Ain’t Nothin’ But A Maybe (Alternate Version)
• After You (Alternate Version)
• Sorry Doesn’t Always Make It Right (Alternate Version)
• Together (Alternate Version)
• Theme From Mahogany (Alternate Version #2)
• Harmony
• Le Lo Li
• Go Where Your Mind Is
• Diana Ross Interview (Excerpted)

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Oh, For Crying Out Loud...No, Reba is NOT DEAD

Reba McEntire became the latest victim of a fast spreading internet hoax saying that she had been killed in a fall. The country icon wasn't even in Switzerland where the hoaxsters said she took the spill. Here's the complete story courtesy of CMT.

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Alan Lomax' Life Work to Be Made Available on the Internet

Alan Lomax was one of the most important people in music during the 20th century. While he wasn't a recording star, it was the recordings he made in the backwoods of the U.S., Great Britain, the Caribbean and other parts of the world that provides the connections from today's music to it's roots. He was the first to record Woody Guthrie and Muddy Waters and not only studied the music of a vast number of area, but also the language, dance and other arts.

Lomax's huge collection of field recordings, photographs, manuscripts and films are being digitized and put on a new site reflecting his dream of creating a Global Jukebox. It is expected that, by the end of February, the site will have over 17,000 music tracks available to stream for free, just a small part of the 5,000 hours of sound recordings that he amassed during his many trips. In addition, there is 400,000 feet of film, 3,000 video tapes, 5,000 photographs and many manuscripts that could be part of the archive in the future (numerous films of dance from around the world are expected to be added in about a year).

Tom Piazza, a writer on Lomax, told the New York Times "It would be difficult to overstate the importance of what Alan Lomax did over the course of his extraordinary career. He was an epic figure in and of himself, with a musical appetite that was omnivorous and really awe inspiring, who used the new recording technology to go and document musical expression at its most local and least commercial."

Much of the music he recorded on the back roads of America and the British Isles are directly linked to the early days of rock and rhythm and blues, including early forms of blues and "hillbilly" music. The availability of these recordings on the internet will be a boon to educators, researchers and fans who are interested in hearing where it all began.

Today would have been Lomax's 97th birthday and, to celebrate both his birth and the announcement of the new archives, Global Jukebox Records has released The Alan Lomax Collection From the American Folklife Center. The sixteen song collection samples music from the many countries where Lomax did his research that he recorded between 1947 and 1982. It's a great preview of what will be included in the Global Jukebox project.

The track listing:

• John Henry – W.D. Stewart (Bama), Benny Will Richardson (22), unidentified prisoners
• Nottamun Town – Jean Ritchie
• Eilean Mo Chrìdh (Isle Of My Heart) – John Carlin
• Mental Pictures (Interview) – Texas Gladden
• She Moves Through the Fair – Margaret Barry
• Alborada De Vigo – José Maria Rodriguez
• La Partenza (The Parting) – Trallaleri of Genoa
• When The Train Comes Along – Mississippi Fred McDowell, Sidney Carter, Rose Hemphill
• Trials, Troubles, Tribulations – E.C. Ball, Orna Ball
• Joe Turner – Ed Young, Hobart Smith
• The Old Tar River – John Davis and the Georgia Sea Island Singers
• È-Wè È-Wè-Lo, Ogoun Bayamba – Emmanuel McQueen and chorus
• Señorita Panchita – Neville Marcano (The Growling Tiger)
• Jelili (Ielili) – Akbar Jaffarov, Museyib Abbasov
• Just Because – Doodle Thrower & Golden River Grass
• Go to Sleepy Little Baby – Bessie Jones

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John Legend to Reimagine Marvin Gaye's May 1972 What's Going On Concert

John Legend was at the Kennedy Center in Washington on Tuesday surprising a group of students from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. It was all part of the official launch for the center's What's Going On ... Now Project, designed to inspire young people to work with their community in the arts.

Legend rehearsed with students from the school's Show Choir for a Wednesday Night performance where they were singing the Marvin Gaye classic What's Going On. In three months, on May 3 and 4, John will take the stage at the Kennedy Center to recreate the only known concert where Gaye sang his What's Going On album in its entirety. He'll be joined for the show by the National Symphony Orchestra and Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings.

Afterward, Legend talked to the Washington Post about the project.

The Kennedy Center presented this idea and I couldn’t imagine saying no. This album has been really influential to me. And to do it here, in D.C., where [Gaye] is from, that’s quite humbling.

The What’s Going On… NOW project encourages [the students] to know more about their musical and cultural history, so they understand the legacy that they are living. . . . And I like that it’s called What’s Going On . . . NOW because as they think about now, as they think about what they can do in their communities to make their communities better . . . I think this song, this album and this whole project can inspire them.

The What's Going On ... NOW project (www.whatsgoingonnow.org) invites youths to upload videos, art, poems, music, stories or any other type of art that helps them to identify the differences and similarities between Gaye's "then" at the time of the album's recording and "now."

Darrell M. Ayers, vice president of Education at the Kennedy Center, said "What's Going On is an anthem for today's times. Marvin Gaye's music hit an emotional nerve and awakened many to a new social consciousness. We're seeing that same awakening now across America. Through this project, we are asking young people to capture the spirit of What's Going On....NOW and use the arts to tell us what is happening in their lives and communities today."

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Ian Astbury of the Cult Stands Up For Lou Reed & Metallica

Even though numerous critics lambasted the album Lulu by Lou Reed and Metallica, the Cult's Ian Astbury has come out in its defense.

Astbury was being interviewed by Rolling Stone, ostensibly to discuss The Cult’s forthcoming album.

But while pondering the ‘authenticity’ and ‘life credentials’ of some critics, both professional and otherwise, he took some time out to defend Lulu.

He said that the album was “something I’ve argued with many people about. You know, everyone’s saying ‘Oh, it’s disgusting, it’s an abomination.’ You know the amount of hate they got for that record. Hate! I think Pitchfork gave it like 1, or 0.

“Lou Reed, he’s a 67-year-old man,” Astbury continued, “His body of work is stellar, he is one of our greatest laureates. If you know anything about Lou Reed, he’s not well right now. He’s deteriorating, his body’s sick, he’s getting frail and fragile. He’s chosen Metallica to be his muscle, to be his armor, so he can come out one more time and make a statement of what’s happening in his internal life, and he’s using this Weimar Republic play, Lulu, to put himself over.

“If you actually listen to the record, there’s some phenomenal moments on it, by anybody’s standards. Junior Dad for example, I think is a fucking brilliant piece of music.”

Sounding rather savvy, Astbury also pondered the shamanistic totems of Grinderman and the intimacy of the latest Feist and PJ Harvey albums.

The Cult’s ninth studio album, Choice Of Weapon, recorded with Chris Goss (QOTSA, U.N.K.L.E.) and Bob Rock (Metallica, Aerosmith), is due for release on May 22.

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Madonna Unveils the Cover For MDNA

Get ready for the Madonna onslaught which started today with the unveiling of the cover of her new album MDNA. She posted the artwork on her Facebook earlier on Tuesday.

Madonna who also debut her new song Give Me All Your Luvin’ on American Idol this week, release the single officially on February 3 and perform the song live at the Super Bowl on Sunday.

MDNA is Madonna’s 12th studio album and her first album for Live Nation via Universal since leaving Warner Music.

Producer’s on MDNA include William Orbit, Martin Solveig, Benny Benassi, Alle Benassi, The Demolition Crew, Michael Malih and Indiigo Muanza.

MDNA will be released on March 25, 2012.

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Watch: Paul McCartney Talks "Kisses On the Bottom"; Full Album Stream at NPR

Paul McCartney's new album, Kisses on the Bottom, hits stores next Tuesday and it will be interesting to see how fans react to what is, essentially, a small combo jazz album of standards from the first half of the 20th century.

McCartney does pull off what might be one of the biggest risks of his career. The instrumentation is superb as provided, for the most part, by Diana Krall's group. Paul is very restrained is his singing and it works for this material. There is no need to go over the top with these classic melodies and the arrangements and performances are perfect.

For those who think of Rod Stewart's Great American Songbook series when they think of "standards," give this album a try. It does everything right that Stewart, sometimes, go wrong. To hear the set in its entirety, go to NPR.

Here, McCartney talks about the making of the album.

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Short Takes: Van Halen, Chickenfoot, Happy Mondays, Neil Young, Ryman Auditorium

Michael Anthony is showing no hard feelings toward Van Halen, saying he is looking forward to hearing their upcoming album A Different Kind of Truth.

Anthony told Planet Rock that he wants to hear what they did with material on which he originally played early in the band's career. As far as songwriting credits, "I don’t want to do anything. I just let it be and, hey, it’ll be nice to hear some of those old songs again that I haven’t played in a long time."

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Another ex-Van Halen member (and band member of Chickenfoot with Anthony), Sammy Hagar, is much less kind. He told Radio Metal that, member-for-member, his new band is much better.

If you take Joe Satriani versus Eddie, you take Dave Lee Roth versus me, Wolfie Van Halen versus Mikey Anthony, Chad Smith or Kenny Aronoff versus Al Van Halen…I mean, come on! You know what I mean? Man for man, who can sing the best? Dave or I, today? Who can play the best? Joe or Eddie, today? Who could play or sing the best? Wolfie or Mikey? I think it’s a joke. Sure, I love the comparison as long as it’s fair. Not because you’re a big Eddie Van Halen fan, you think that he’s God, therefore you think that he’s better than Joe; you have to be bipartisan and just listen and watch both of them play. Listen, I played with them both, I can tell you right now: there is no comparison today. Never mind the innovator that Eddie was. I’m talking about what they can play today.

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British band the Happy Mondays are reuniting for a bit of touring starting in May. Even though group representatives insisted that feuding bothers/members Shaun Ryder and Paul Davis were not ready to put their problems behind them, backing vocalist Rowetta Satchell told the BBC that they had all met over the weekend and the entire original lineup would tour the U.K. this summer. "We want to put on a really good show. We decided it would only be special and work if it was the total, original line-up. We're all really excited. They are my family these boys, I've really missed them and I'm sure they've missed each other."

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Neil Young has given permission for the use of his song Heart of Gold in the animated short Cadaver. The film is being made by 15-year-old fashion blogger Tavi Gevinson and will include the voices of Gevinson, Christopher Lloyd and Kathy Bates.

Young has only given permission for the use of the song a couple of times in the past.

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The legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville is getting a new stage. The current one was installed in 1951 and, although refurbished in 1993 and 1994, it has become obvious in recent years that the oak floorboards had seen much better days. 

Tradition is a major part of the Ryman in country music history and the front 18-inch lip at the front of the stage will be retained. A circle was actually taken out of the Ryman stage and moved to the new Opryland complex to be part of the the new Grand Ole Opry house.

Work will start on February 4 and will be done on February 20 for a show by the Band Perry.

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All Four Small Faces Albums Getting Multi-Disk Reissues

They are about to go into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and, on May 7, Universal Music will release deluxe edition of all four albums released by the Small Faces.

The albums in question: Small Faces (April 1966) From the Beginning (June 1967); Small Faces (June 1967) and Ogden's Nut Gone Flake (June 1968) will each be released as deluxe two-disc editions with the notable exception of Ogden's which has now been expanded to three discs.

All newly re-mastered, these definitive editions carry both the mono and stereo versions of the albums, plus related non-album singles and alternate versions many of which are previously unreleased or released for the first time on CD. In the case of Ogden's, there are separate discs for the mono and stereo formats and a third disc of previously unreleased material, early session versions, alternate USA mixes, instrumentals and the previously unreleased backing track Kamikhazi.

Complete with rare photos and memorabilia, each album package includes liner notes by Mark Paytress featuring entertaining and fascinating new interviews with the surviving members of the Small Faces, Ian McLagan and Kenney Jones.

It was Andrew Oldham who coined the phrase "there are but four Small Faces", the group establishing its familiar line up of Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenny Jones and Ian McLagan in November 1965, once McLagan replaced Jimmy Winston behind the keyboards. McLagan joined within three months of the group's debut single Watcha Gonna Do About It (reaching No. 14 on the U.K. charts in September 1965) adding the final ingredient to their distinctive sound.

Over the next two years The Small Faces achieved truly iconic status with a series of hits that included Sha La La La Lee, All Or Nothing, My Mind's Eye, Itchycoo Park and Lazy Sunday, their celebrity heightened by their flamboyant appearance and bigger than life personalities, their sound shifting from explosive, spirited "mod" anthems to memorable psychedelic pop culminating in the artistic triumph that was Ogden's Nut Gone Flake.

Never short on controversy, following a contractual dispute, The Small Faces left Decca for Andrew Oldham's Immediate label around May 1966, hitting the charts for Oldham's label straight away with Here Comes The Nice. Decca retaliated by releasing the first in a series of spoiler singles and the album From the Beginning. It was a collection of outtakes, singles and works in progress which, despite its untidy origins, more than holds up today. Immediate responded by rush-releasing its own debut album by the group just two weeks later, confusingly titled Small Faces. In the battle of the LP charts, Immediate won out, reaching the No. 12 position to Decca's No. 17.

The most celebrated Small Faces LP, Ogden's Nut Gone Flake was easily their most successful, enjoying a six-week run at the top of the UK charts during June and July 1968. Originally packaged in an elaborately designed round sleeve like a tobacco tin, it signaled the arrival of the Small Faces as a bona fide "album band", a brilliant achievement just months ahead of the group's acrimonious collapse within a year of its release.

The Small Faces have since taken their place alongside the likes The Who or the Kinks as one of the most fondly remembered, original and wonderful British groups of the 60s. Their best loved songs are still on rotation to this day, Itchicoo Park and Lazy Sunday both re-charting in the 70s while the individual reputations of both Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane have grown considerably since their untimely deaths. Kenney Jones and Ian McLagan have enjoyed success in their own right and, of course, with Ronnie Lane, were founder members of members of the Faces.

This series of reissues, the most complete editions to date of the Small Faces four classic albums, is a testimony to a truly original group whose influence is as great today as it was during its lifetime.

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Elton John Rekindles Madonna Feud By Telling Her to "Lip-Synch Good" This Sunday

The Elton John/Madonna feud is back on as Elton has stated that the Material Girls should "lip-synch good" at her Super Bowl performance.

Madonna will perform at this Sunday’s Super Bowl half time show and Elton could not resist making another sarcastic comment about the singer’s live performance skills.

Elton was asked on Good Morning America today what advice he had for Madonna as she prepares for one of the biggest events in the U.S. sporting calendar.

"Make sure you lip-sync good," he said sarcastically. Elton had previously accused Madonna of not singing live at her concerts after she won an award for Best Live Act at the GQ Awards in 2004.

The Super Bowl has a worldwide audience of over a billion people and has seen icons like Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen sing at the prestigious occasion.

But the 64-year-old British musician claims that none of the performances have been memorable.

"I’ve never seen a decent one," Elton said of the half-time show. "Never ever."

And although the Rocket Man claims he would never want to perform himself at the event that is seen by some to be as important as the game, he contends that he does feel for the artists who do step up to the plate to do it.

"You have to play live, but I don’t think you can," he said. "In all fairness to everyone who’s done one before, you may be able to sing live, but it’s really hard to play live."

Madonna, 53, is scheduled to perform four songs including fan favourite Vogue and her recent single Give Me All Your Luvin. She will also have acrobats from Cirque du Soleil on stage with her.

Elton’s husband David Furnish recently apologised to the mother-of-four after going on a Twitter rant when Madonna beat out Elton to win Best Original Song at the Golden Globes earlier this month calling her "embarrassing" and a "narcissist."

Here's the video (the Super Bowl comments are at around the 3:45 mark).

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Newt Gingrich Sued Over Use of "Eye of the Tiger" in His Campaign

When are the candidates going to learn? Music is not without restrictions as far as its use in public places and in videos, especially when it is used by politicians.

Newt Gingrich is the latest pol to be sued over his use of a song, in this case Survivor's classic Eye of the Tiger, in his campaign. Rude Music, Inc. filed the lawsuit on Monday in a Chicago federal court charging that Gingrich has been using the song over the last three years when entering rallies. Rude Music is owned by Frank Sullivan who composed the song in 1982.

The suit also names the American Conservative Union who posted a a number of YouTube videos using the song.

Gingrich may not have a leg to stand on in defending the suit as he recently said that the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) was unnecessary, noting that "We have a patent office, we have copyright law. If a company finds it has genuinely been infringed upon, it has the right to sue."

The number of artists suing politicians has grown over the last few years with many saying it is more an issue of an implied endorsement than simple rights.

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The BBC's Desert Island Discs Turns 70

In the United States, it's hard to imagine many radio and TV shows lasting 70 weeks much less the 70 years that the BBC's Desert Island Discs is celebrating.

Desert Island Discs began on the BBC in 1942 and the format has never changed. The guest picks eight musical works that they would take to a deserted island.

The show’s creator and first presenter was Francis Roy Plomley. He hosted the program for 41 years and 1,791 editions. There have only been three other presenters. Plomley was replaced by Michael Parkinson (1985-1988), then Sue Lawley (1988-2006). The current presenter since 2006 is Kirtsy Young.

In over 70 years around 3000 guests have been on the show. The first guest (or castaway as they are called in the show) was actor and comedian Vic Oliver on January 29, 1942.

Other guests have included Eric Clapton, John Lee Hooker, Phil Collins, Suzi Quatro, Petula Clark and Elvis Costello,

When Paul McCartney was on the show in 1982 he chose:

• Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley
• Sweet Little Sixteen - Chuck Berry
• Courtly Dances - Benjamin Britten
• Be Bop A Lula - Gene Vincent
• Beautiful Boy - John Lennon
• Searchin’ - Coasters
• Tutti Fruiti - Little Richard
• Walking In The Park With Eloise - Country Ham (aka Wings)

Politicians Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair, actors George Clooney, Michael Caine and even royalty Princess Margaret and Princess Grace of Monaco have been on the show.

Since 1942 over 22,000 tracks have been chosen by the castaways. The most picked musical piece is Beethoven's Symphony No 9 in D minor ‘Choral’.

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Listen: Nine-Minute Sampler of Van Halen's New Album

Van Halen has posted an almost nine-minute audio sampler of their new album A Different Kind of Truth. The 8 minute 47 second sampler plays sections of every track on the new Val Halen album.

So far, the first single Tattoo has failed to make an impact for the band. The piece Stay Frosty features in last week’s episode of CSI was so smothered by the dialogue and action in the show that it was almost unrecognisable.

So Van Halen fans finally can have an insight into how A Different Kind Of Truth sounds from the sampler from Van Halen Nation.

Van Halen A Different Kind Of Truth will be available this Friday in Australia and next Tuesday in the U.S. It is the first Van Halen album with David Lee Roth since 1984’s 1984 and first Van Halen album since 1998.

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Rolling Stone Picks Great Super Bowl Star Spangled Banners; Billboard Picks Best Madonna TV Performances

It's less than a week until this year's Super Bowl and the major sites are getting into the spirit by naming some of the great performances at the game and by this year's half-time performer, Madonna.

Rolling Stone took a look back at the many artists who have performed the Star Spangled Banner, a notoriously tough song to sing, much less doing it in front of a global audience of over 100 million. Some have flubbed majorly (Christina Aguilera) but they found ten that stand out:

• Whitney Houston (1991)
• Dixie Chicks (2003)
• Faith Hill (2000)
• Beyonce (2004)
• Cher (1999)
• Carrie Underwood (2010)
• Jennifer Hudson (2009)
• Aretha Franklin, Aaron Neville and Dr. John (2006)
• Garth Brooks (1993)
• Mariah Carey (2002)
• Luther Vandross (1997)

There's little doubt that the magazine's pick as the greatest is, in fact, the performance that set the standard.

Over at Billboard, the list is the greatest TV performances by Madonna, who will try to top herself this Sunday at half-time.

1. Express Yourself (MTV Video Music Awards 1989)
2. Sooner or Later (23rd Academy Awards 1991)
3. Like a Virgin (MTV Video Music Awards 1984)
4. Hung Up (48th Annual Grammy Awards 2006)
5. Vogue (MTV Video Music Awards 1990)

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Watch: Elton John & X-Factor Winner Melanie Amaro Make Super Bowl Commercial For Pepsi

Elton John and X-Factor winner Melanie Amaro came together to make a commercial for Pepsi that will air during Super Bowl XLVI on February 5.

In their first encounter on the set, Melanie and Elton hugged and kissed as the rock superstar congratulated her on winning The X Factor in the United States. Between takes, Elton expressed his admiration for Amaro’s considerable vocal talents and her “cheeky” personality, noting that she has a bright future as a live performer.

King’s Court, takes place sometime during the Middle Ages, and opens with a series of court jesters trying in vain to entertain and amuse the ornately attired King atop his throne, portrayed by Elton John. None of them succeed...until Melanie Amaro appears!

Amaro removes her hood and belts out a funky rendition of the classic Otis Redding penned Aretha Franklin hit Respect. (Respect is also Amaro’s new single. Viewers who “Shazam” the spot during game will receive a video of the song on their smart phone.)

Also, pay attention to towards the end of the spot during the broadcast, when you see a celebrity make a surprise appearance.

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Chambers Brothers to Reunite

The Chambers Brothers, who scored a major hit in 1968 with Time Has Come Today, are reuniting for a new album and summer tour.

Being voted as one of Los Angeles' top 50 bands was such an honor for them that they made the decision to bring the band back together. Tour and concert dates are soon to be announced which will be used to make a behind the scenes DVD of their journey.

Some other greatest hits of The Chambers Brothers include I Can't Turn You Loose, Love Peace and Happiness, and Funky. Getting their start in their hometown church choir, The Chambers Brothers went from hometown legends to one of the biggest rock groups in 1968 throughout the 70's with the release of Time Has Come Today.

Their new official website (chambersbrothersreunited.com/) says of their new album "Other things that we’ve got going on is the release of a new CD with all new songs. We will be, of course, re-recording some of our greatest hits including “Time Has Come Today,” “People Get Ready,” and “Love Peace and Happiness.” We are looking forward, and are super excited to be getting back into the studio to record. Look for our new CD coming out in the later part of 2012."

In speaking with The Chambers Brothers regarding their reunion, Joe Chambers said "We are so excited to get back into the studio to rehears again. It's been awhile and now, as the song says, time has come today."

Willie Chambers agrees: "Time has definitely come for us to get back out there touring and seeing our fans again. We are really happy to be doing this. Rehearsals are going well and we are having so much fun."

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Preview: A Singer and His Songs: The Very Best of Gilbert O'Sullivan

Artist: Gilbert O'Sullivan
Title: A Singer and His Songs: The Very Best of Gilbert O'Sullivan
Release Date:
March 5, 2012
March 13, 2012 (as import through Amazon)
Label: Union Square Music
Format(s): CD, DD

Gilbert O'Sullivan is celebrating 45 years in the music business with A Singer and His Songs: The Very Best Of Gilbert O'Sullivan, coming March 5, 2012 through Union Square Music.

Part of a major Gilbert O'Sullivan reissue campaign, the album chronicles songs from his debut album, Himself in 1971, through to his most recent album Gilbertville and features no less than 14 top 10 UK hits, including the multi-million US selling and Grammy-nominated, Alone Again (Naturally), the unforgettable UK number 1 Clair and Get Down, for which he won two Ivor Novello Awards in 1973, for Best Song and Best Songwriter.

Gilbert's first two albums, Himself and Back To Front both stayed in the UK chart for over a year (86 and 64 weeks respectively) and in 1972 Gilbert was the biggest selling UK artist in the world. The incredible success of Alone Again (Naturally) in America catapulted Gilbert into stardom and he made several appearance on US shows hosted by music legends such as Dean Martin and Burt Bacharach.

Gilbert's songs have appeared in TV series including The Simpsons and Life On Mars and in films such as The Virgin Suicides, Stuart Little, Margot At The Wedding and Stuck On You. His songs have been covered by acts as diverse as Elton John, Bobby Darin, The Feeling, Nina Simone, Har Mar Superstar, Sarah Vaughan, Andy Williams, The Pet Shop Boys, Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones, and Herb Alpert, and at a recent live show in Dublin Morrissey performed a version of Nothing Rhymed .

Nothing Rhymed was also name-checked by Richard Curtis, who on accepting a Bafta for Comic Relief, recited the following lyrics as a motivating factor behind his setting up of the charity: 'When I'm drinking my Bonaparte Shandy, eating more than enough apple pies, will I glance at my screen and see real human beings starve to death right in front of my eyes?' Then he added in his own words 'Eat your heart out, Bob Dylan!'

More recently Gilbertville, which was released in January 2011, was hailed as one of his finest albums to date, which led critics and the media to suggest maybe it was time to revisit O'Sullivan's career for re-appraisal.

"Smart kitchen-sink lyrics, super melodic songs, his new stuff just as good as his old; if he'd never had a hit, or worn an oversize flat cap, he'd be hailed as our own Randy Newman, one who references tea (frequently) and frozen peas (occasionally). At his best, he is the missing link between the Kinks and Squeeze" - The Guardian

Along with the release of the album, fans will be delighted to know that Gilbert will be touring with A Singer and His Songs, performing 18 live dates across the UK from March 17, 2012. He will be joined by his amazing 11 piece band, including a string quartet, to present a stunning two hour plus performance.

Track List:

• Nothing Rhymed
• Alone Again (Naturally)
• Clair
• Get Down
• We Will (Remixed by Gus Dudgeon)
• No Matter How I Try
• Matrimony
• Ooh Baby
• Why, Oh Why, Oh Why
• Houdini Said
• Happiness Is Me And You
• Ooh-Wakka-Doo-Wakka-Day
• What's In A Kiss
• A Friend of Mine
• Dear Dream
• At The Very Mention Of Your Name (Produced by David Foster)
• I Don't Love You (But I Think I Like You)
• Taking A Chance On Love (Remixed by Jon Kelly)
• All They Wanted To Say
• That's Love
• You Are You
• Lost A Friend

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Madonna Rushes Out New Single Before Super Bowl

Madonna is taking full advantage of her half-time show at next Sunday's Super Bowl by rush releasing the first single from MDNA.

Give Me All Your Luvin’ features Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. It was written by Madonna with Martin Solveig and Michael Tordjman and produced by Madonna and Martin Solveig.

The video for Give Me All Your Luvin’ is football themed to tie in with Madonna’s Super Bowl appearance. It will debut this coming Thursday night on American Idol.

A remix of the song has also been produced and will be available via iTunes for four days only from this Friday, February 3 until Monday, February 6.

MDNA was recorded in New York and Los Angeles and brings Madonna back together with William Orbit (Ray of Light) who co-wrote and co-produced a lot of the album.

Other producers on the album are Martin Solveig, The Demolition Crew, Marco “Benny” Benassi and Alessandro “Alle” Benassi, Hardy “Indiigo” Muanza and Michael Malih.

MDNA also includes Masterpiece, the song Madonna won the Golden Globe for a few weeks back from her new movie W.E.

Madonna will appear on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno Monday night.

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Watch: Christina Aguilera Sings "At Last" at the Funeral of Etta James

The great Etta James was eulogized earlier today at the Greater Bethany Community Church City of Refuge in Gardena, CA. The Reverend Al Sharpton officiated, reading a letter from President Obama that said "Etta will be remembered for her legendary voice and her contributions to our nation’s musical heritage."

Performers included Stevie Wonder, who performed The Lord's Prayer and his own Shelter in the Rain and this gospel take on James' classic, At Last, by Christina Aguilera.

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Chart Watch America: Chart of January 28, 2012

Our weekly recap of veteran artists on the current American music charts. Chart highlights:

• Dolly Parton, Queen Latifah and the rest of the artists in Joyful Noise continue to have the biggest selling album by a veteran artist, moving from 21 to 12.
• Etta James music is selling big in the aftermath of her passing with her 20th Century Masters album jumping from 162 to 46 and the debuts of two other albums, Her Best (59) and At Last! (96). As a side note, At Last! did chart back when it was first released but, for some reason, Billboard is counting it as a debut and not a reentry. In addition, her song At Last returns to the Digital Songs chart at 29.
• Also new this week is a new Greatest Hits package from Janis Joplin at 91 and the first charting of the 1999 album 20th Century Masters: The Millenium Collection: The Best of Buddy Holly at 195.
• George Strait's Love's Gonna Make It Alright continues to inch up the Country Singles and has now entered the Hot 100 at 99.
• Gloria Estefan scores her seventh number one Dance Single with Hotel Nacional. Previously she had hit the top with Tradicion (1993), Turn the Beat Around (1994), Everlasting Love (1994), Tres Deseos (1995), Oye! (1998) and Wepa (2011).

TW = This Week, LW = Last Week, N = New, R = Returning to Chart. The highest charting entry by a veteran artist is shown in red.

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Comprehensive

Top 200 Albums

TW	LW	Title	Artist
1	1	21	Adele
2	N	Kidz Bop 21	Kidz Bop Kids
3	3	El Camino	Black Keys
4	4	Take Care	Drake
5	7	Talk That Talk	Rihanna
12	21	Joyful Noise	Soundtrack (Dolly Parton, Queen Latifah)
46	162	20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of	Etta James
48	62	Greatest Hits	Journey
59	N	Her Best	Etta James
64	42	Ultimate Hits: Rock and Roll Never Forgets	Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
66	118	Icon	George Strait
83	73	The Very Best of	Neil Diamond
85	180	Rocket Man: Number Ones	Elton John
88	76	Duets II	Tony Bennett
91	N	Greatest Hits	Janis Joplin
94	132	Here For a Good Time	George Strait
96	N	At Last!	Etta James
104	149	Dark Side of the Moon	Pink Floyd
107	58	Music by Bacharach	Various Artists (Starbuck's Exclusive)
109	107	20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of	Lynyrd Skynyrd
114	135	20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of	Temptations
117	R	Rumours	Fleetwood Mac
121	R	Greatest Hits	Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
122	84	Chronicle: 20 Greatest Hits	Creedence Clearwater Revival
128	141	Greatest Hits	Guns N' Roses
134	140	20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of	Lionel Richie
138	142	20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of	Three Dog Night
139	R	The Best of	Simon & Garfunkel
142	200	Greatest Hits	James Taylor
143	154	20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of	Barry White
148	185	20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of	Aerosmith
149	R	Boston	Boston
151	71	Number Ones	Michael Jackson
163	182	Super Hits	Willie Nelson
166	116	I'm With You	Red Hot Chili Peppers
167	R	Greatest Hits	Styx
169	155	Legend: The Best of Bob Marley & the Wailers	Bob Marley & the Wailers
170	197	20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of	Jackson 5
171	160	Greatest Hits	Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
172	R	20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of	George Strait
173	195	Elvis: Best of Love	Elvis Presley
176	177	The Very Best Of	Daryl Hall & John Oates
177	R	Greatest Hits	Huey Lewis & the News
178	100	Immortal	Michael Jackson
184	114	Sinatra: Best of the Best	Frank Sinatra
186	145	An Afternoon in the Garden	Elvis Presley
190	137	A Foot in the Door: The Best of Pink Floyd	Pink Floyd
191	173	Greatest Hits: We Will Rock You	Queen
195	N	20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of	Buddy Holly
197	161	The Goat Rodeo Sessions	Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edger Meyer, Chris Thile
200	R	The Wall	Pink Floyd

The balance of the American charts are after the cut.

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Preview: U22 - U2...Fan Picked Live Album For U2 Subscribers

Artist: U2
Title: U22
Release Date: TBD
Label: TBD
Format(s): CD

U2 spent a couple of years on the road for the U2360° tour and, as a thank you to their biggest fans, they are releasing a 22-song compilation from the tour.

The limited edition disc will be made available to subscribers of u2.com only.

U2 performed 46 different songs during the U2360° tour spanning nine albums over 30 years and invited fans at u2.com to shortlist them for this release.

“This is really going to be a special CD,” said Adam Clayton tells U2.com. “I wasn’t expecting some of these tunes, it’s a really fresh collection and it’s going to make very interesting listening.”

Track List:

• Bad
• Where The Streets Have No Name
• Magnificent
• One
• Ultraviolet
• Even Better than The Real Thing
• With or Without You
• Beautiful Day
• City of Blinding Lights
• The Unforgettable Fire
• I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
• All I Want is You/Love Rescue Me
• Moment of Surrender
• Until The End of the World
• The Fly
• One Tree Hill
• Stay (Faraway, So Close)
• Walk On
• Zooropa
• Elevation
• Out of Control
• Mysterious Ways

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Dick Kniss, Bassist for Peter Paul & Mary and John Denver, Passes Away at 74

Dick Kniss, the bassist for two of the biggest folk artists in history, has passed away at the age of 74. Kniss died of chronic pulmonary disease in Kingston, NY near his home in Saugerties.

Kniss began his career playing in jazz bands but, in 1964, was hired by Peter, Paul and Mary to play on their albums and tours. He stayed with them throughout the rest of the decade, recording numerous classics with the trio including the iconic opening of their 1969 hit Leaving on a Jet Plane.

When the group broke up in 1970, Kniss began an eight year working relationship with John Denver including being listed as a co-writer on his number one hit Sunshine On My Shoulder.

In 1978, when Peter, Paul and Mary reformed, he returned to work with them, staying until Mary Travers death in 2009.

Peter Yarrow told the New York Times "Basically he was a jazz bassist who didn’t think in terms of the pop point of view and he really would develop melodic lines to complement our voices."

Paul Stookey added "He had this capacity to weave counter-melodies. He was the master of when to answer. In folk music, we’re telling a story. The guitars would begin it, but Dick was an orchestrator, and his entry often signified a particular turning point in a song."

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Brian May Fights Breading Beagles For Experiments

The esteemed Dr. Brian May of Queen has joined the BUAV campaign against a proposed beagle breeding facility in Yorkshire, England that would provide the dogs for experimentation.

May stated: "Beagles, indisputably, are highly intelligent sentient creatures, friends of Man for centuries. It is completely morally unjustifiable for these animals to be made to suffer in the name of science, and I am shocked to learn of plans to set up a facility in Yorkshire to breed and supply beagles to the research industry. We at SAVE-ME support the BUAV campaign, and I urge The Right Hon, Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, to listen to the concerns of the British public, and to reject this appeal - thereby preventing this facility from being built."

The proposal to build the farm in Grimston would result in the breeding of thousands of beagles to be used in experiments both in the UK and overseas. Following the BUAV campaign, these plans were initially rejected by the local planning authorities. The applicant, Bantin & Kingman Ltd. (B&K), one of the UK's largest suppliers of animals to laboratories, subsequently appealed the decision which will now be decided by Eric Pickles, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. A decision is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

In 2010, over 5,000 experiments were carried out on dogs in UK laboratories. Beagles are largely used in toxicity (poisoning) testing both for human and veterinary drugs, as well as agrochemicals. They can be force fed chemicals and drugs in capsules or via plastic tubes inserted through their mouths, directly into their stomach or strapped into a harness for hours at a time while substances are pumped directly into their bloodstream. Animals can suffer adverse effects that result in vomiting, diarrhoea, weight loss and lethargy. Some dogs may become so ill that they either die or have to be euthanased for welfare purposes.

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Preview: The Visitors: Deluxe Edition - ABBA

Artist: ABBA
Title: The Visitors: Deluxe Edition
Release Date: April 23, 2012
Label:
Format(s): CD/DVD, DD

ABBA fans are about to hear the first "new" music from the group since the Thank You For the Music box set in 1994 with the release of a rare and previously unreleased piece.

From A Twinkling Star To A Passing Angel was a medley of demos recorded but not used on the final Abba album The Visitors in 1981.

A remastered version of the album was released in 1997 and contained extra tracks but not this one. The new Deluxe edition of The Visitors is scheduled for April 23, 2012.

Abba recorded The Visitors between March 16 and November 14, 1981 and released the album on November 30, 1981.

The album was the very first CD pressed at Polygram’s CD plant in Europe.

Since the original 1981 album release, The Visitors has been reissued three times, first in 1997, then 2001 and again in 2005 as part of The Complete Studio Recordings.

For the record, Abba never officially broke-up but their last appearance together was on the British TV program The Late, Late Breakfast Show on December 11, 1982. Throughout 1983 and 1984, Anna and Frida still talked about another Abba album but it never happened.

The four members have only been seen together twice since the British TV show, once in 1986 and again for the Mamma Mia movie premiere in Sweden in 2008.

Track List:

CD

• Original Album
• The Visitors
• Head Over Heels
• When All Is Said And Done
• Soldiers
• I Let The Music Speak
• One Of Us
• Two For The Price Of One
• Slipping Through My Fingers
• Like An Angel Passing Through My Room
• Bonus Tracks
• Should I Laugh Or Cry
• I Am The City
• You Owe Me One
• Cassandra
• Under Attack
• The Day Before You Came
• Previously Unreleased Bonus Track
• From A Twinkling Star To A Passing Angel (demos)

DVD

• Two For The Price Of One (Dick Cavett Meets ABBA)
• Slipping Through My Fingers (Dick Cavett Meets ABBA)
• When All Is Said And Done (Original Promo Clip)
• ABBA In London, November 1982 (The Late Late Breakfast Show, BBC)
• ABBA In Stockholm, November 1982 (Nöjesmaskinen, SVT)
• The Visitors TV commercial I (UK)
• The Visitors TV commercial II (Australia)
• The Singles – The First Ten Years TV commercial I (UK)
• The Singles – The First Ten Years TV commercial II (Australia)
• International Sleeve Gallery

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Short Takes: Merle Haggard, America, Glen Campbell, Peter Hook, Academy of Country Music, Miles Davis

Merle Haggard is once again out of the hospital and has traveled from Macon, GA to his home in Redding, CA to recuperate. Haggard had been hospitalized twice in the last week in Macon for treatment of pneumonia and a number of other ailments.

Merle will recuperate for a number of weeks before going back on the road in late-February.

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America will receive the 2,459th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 6. Gary Beckley and Dewey Bunnell will be honored in front of the Musician's Institute surrounded by the likes of Motley Crue, Ozzy Osbourne, Rush, Al Jolson and Hal David. 

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The great Glen Campbell will perform on this year's Grammy broadcast with Blake Shelton and the Band Perry. Glen is a Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient and is currently out on the road with his Goodbye Tour. He recently revealed that he is in the early stages of Alzheimers.

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Sergio Mendes, who is up for an Academy Award for best song for Real in Rio from the animated film Rio, says that there will most likely be a sequel to the film. He said on Tuesday "I think the plan is for the movie to come three or four months before the World Cup. Fox has been talking about (it) and it looks like it's going to happen. We're going to have a meeting I think next week and Carlos [Saldanha, the director] is coming to town to tell us the story, and it looks like it's a go."

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Peter Hook, formerly of Joy Division, doesn't seem too upset with the whole Disney/Unknown Pleasures T-Shirt controversy. He told Billboard, "It's a funny one. I suppose you would have to say it's a compliment coming from an organization like Disney. When you consider that Joy Division were only together for three years, it's certainly a fantastic compliment 34 years later to still be able to make a splash like this is. The fact that it's sold out is an even greater compliment. I tried to get one but it seems that they're all gone."

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CBS, the Academy of Country Music and Dick Clark Productions have announced that they have agreed to a ten year deal that will keep the awards on CBS through 2021. CBS has carried the annual affair since 1998.

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Finally, here is the official designs for the Edith Piaf and Miles Davis commemorative stamps we reported earlier this week.

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Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder Back Together For New Track

It was thirty years ago that Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder went to the top of the charts with Ebony and Ivory. Now, they've gotten back together in the studio to record one of the original tracks for McCartney's new standards album, Kisses on the Bottom.  Only Our Hearts is one of two McCartney originals on the album.

Photo: M.J. Kim

Paul said of working again with Stevie for the album:

Stevie came along to the studio in LA and he listened to the track for about ten minutes and he totally got it. He just went to the mic and within 20 minutes had nailed this dynamite solo. When you listen you just think, 'How do you come up with that?' But it's just because he is a genius, that's why.

The track was recorded at the legendary Capital Records studios in Los Angeles. Look for the album on February 7.

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Second Rewind the 80's Festival Announced

The second Rewind the 80's Festival has been announced in England. For the fourth year in a row, the festival will be at the Temple Island Meadows, Henley-on-Themes, England. The dates for this year's show are August 17 to August 19.

As with the sister show in Perth, Scotland (July 20 to 22), the organizers are occasionally playing a little loose with what they consider artists of the 80's (e.g., Kool & the Gang) but there is no doubt that the lineups are stellar.

Saturday, August 18

• Bangles
• Kool & the Gang
• Grandmaster Flash
• Rick Astley
• Soul II Soul
• 5 Star
• Starship
• Heather Small
• Jimmy Sommerville (Bronski Beat)
• Sinnita
• Right Said Fred
• Doctor & the Medics

Sunday, August 19

• Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark 
• Lightning Seeds
• Roland Gift (Fine Young Cannibals)
• Tony Hadley (Spandau Ballet)
• Straits
• Wang Chung
• Marc Almond (Soft Cell)
• John Parr
• Midge Ure (Ultravox)
• Christians
• T'Pau
• Special Guest T.B.A.

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Rory Gallagher's First Six Albums Being Reissued by Sony

Rory Gallagher's first six albums are being remastered released by Sony Music in association with Capo Records and Legacy.

Each of the six milestone albums were released during Rory's most prolific years (1971-74), when he recorded and produced them in the short space of three years. The albums are re-released in digipack form, with newly restored original cover art. The audio has been re-mastered from the original ¼” inch tapes, true to how Rory intended it to sound. Each album includes exclusive sleeve notes personally written by Rory’s brother and former tour manager Donal Gallagher, journalist Roy Hollingworth, and legendary rock photographer Mick Rock.

As Daniel Gallagher, Rory’s Nephew and producer of the re-issues states, “It's fantastic that 40 years since the original release of these albums the interest in Rory's music is still so strong and vibrant that we can celebrate the man's music by re-issuing his first six classic solo albums. We've aimed to release them in the spirit of the original release by going back to the vinyl artwork and original 1/4" tapes so that they look and sound exactly as Rory intended. It's also great to see in a digital world that the demand for a physical copy of Rory's music means we can release these albums on vinyl for the first time in over 30 years.”

The albums are:

• Rory Gallagher (1971)
• Deuce (1971)
• Live! in Europe (1972)
• Blueprint (1973)
• Tattoo (1973)
• Irish Tour '74 (1974)

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Preview: Older Than My Old Man Now - Loudon Wainwright III

Artist: Loudon Wainwright III
Title: Older Than My Old Man Now
Release Date: April 17, 2012
Label: 2nd Story Sound Records
Format(s): CD, DD

Loudon Wainwright III will release his 22nd album on April 17. Older Than My Old Man Now will be issued by 2nd Story Sound Records.

The title is reference to the fact that Wainwright, at 65, has reached an age that his father never attained. "Contemporaries of mine have recently taken to writing memoirs and autobiographies. I decided I would try to tell the story of my swinging life in a 3 and a 1/2 minute song," says Loudon of The Here & the Now, the album's first track.

Truly a family affair, Older Than My Old Man Now features contributions from all four of Loudon's children - Rufus and Martha Wainwright, Lucy Wainwright Roche and Lexie Kelly Wainwright - as well as two of their three mothers, Suzzy Roche and Ritamarie Kelly. Also included are recitations of passages written by Loudon Wainwright Jr., Loudon's father and famous LIFE Magazine columnist, and a recording of Over The Hill, the only song Loudon co-wrote with his first wife, the late great Kate McGarrigle.

"One voice singing a lot about death n' decay can be a bit wearing so I brought in other singers to help with the heavy lifting," says Loudon. Other guests include Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Dame Edna Everage, John Scofield and Chris Smither.

Loudon was awarded a GRAMMY for his 2009 release, High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project. He is also an accomplished actor and has appeared in films directed by Martin Scorsese, Judd Apatow, Tim Burton, and Cameron Crowe.

Track List:

• The Here & the Now
• In C
• Older Than My Old Man Now
• Double Lifetime
• Date Line
• All in a Family
• My Meds
• Interlude
• Over the Hill
• Ghost Blues
• I Remember Sex
• Somebody Else
• The Days That We Die
• 10
• Something’s Out to Get Me

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Recording of New AC/DC Album Delayed by Band Member Illness

We don't know who it is, but Brian Johnson has told an American radio program that the recording of a new AC/DC album has been delayed due to the illness of a band member.

Johnson spoke with The Cowhead Show out of St. Petersburg, FL, saying "One of the boys is a little sick and I can't say anything, but he's getting better. He's doing wonderful. Full recovery fully expected."

Brian also talked about the joy of getting back to work with the rest of the band. "It's a wonderful thing when we get in a room. Whenever the boys get back together, I get all excited. The boys, after a while, pick the guitars up, Phil will make his way to the drums, Cliff will pull his bass out and then all of a sudden this noise comes out and I sit there with just this big old grin on my face."

AC/DC's last album was 2008's Black Ice. You can hear the entire interview at the Cowheed Show website.

Johnson, himself, will be practicing another one of his passions on January 28 when he runs in the 50th Rolex 24 Auto Race at Daytona Speedway. Shortly afterwards, he will be undergoing wrist surgery.

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Journey's Deen Castronovo Arrested for Assaulting Girlfriend

Deen Castronovo, the drummer for Journey for more than a decade, was arrested last Saturday in Salem, Oregon after an argument with his girlfriend got physical.

According to TMZ, Castronovo not only had the altercation, but received additional charges when he took the phone away from the woman while she was trying to call her father. He was booked into the Polk County Jail on charges that included assault in the 4th degree, criminal mischief in the 2nd degree, harassment, coercion and interfering with making a report.  Bail was set at $52,500.

A source told the site that Castronovo believes it was "a misunderstanding that should not have been escalated to such a level in the first place."

Castronovo has played on albums from a multitude of artists including Bad English, Ozzy Osbourne, Steve Vai and Social Distortion. He has been on all five of Journey's albums released since 2000.

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Academy of Country Music Announces Nominations

The Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards nominations were announced on Thursday morning via a digital press conference introduced by Reba McEntire and fearturing announcements by Lionel Richie, Beth Behrs (2 Broke Girls), Nancy O'Dell (Entertainment Tonight) and Michael Ausiello (TVLine.com).

Kenny Chesney lead the way with nine nominations including Entertainer of the Year which he has previously won four times. Jason Aldean was second with six followed by Lady Antebellum with five, Brad Paisley with four and Toby Keith, Taylor Swift (the current Entertainer of the Year), the Eli Young Band and the normally not very country Grace Potter with three.

As happened with the rival CMA Awards, nominations for veteran performers were few and far between in the major categories. Vince Gill and Amy Grant are up for Song of the Year for Threaten Me With Heaven (recorded by Gill) and Alabama is up for Vocal Event of the Year for Old Alabama which they recorded with Brad Paisley.

Where veterans do shine is behind the scenes as producers, engineers and, especially, instrumentalists. They have 23 nominations in those "off-camera" categories, just over 50% of all of the nods.

Two awards, Entertainer of the Year and New Artist of the Year are voted on by the public at the ACM Awards site (VoteACM.com). The first round of New Artist voting has already begun with the second round and Entertainer voting scheduled to start on March 19.

The awards will be aired on CBS on Sunday April 1 at 8 PM and will be hosted once again by Reba McEntire and Blake Shelton.

The nominees with veteran artists in bold:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

• Jason Aldean
• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• Blake Shelton
• Taylor Swift

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

• Jason Aldean
• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• Blake Shelton
• Chris Young

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

• Sara Evans
• Miranda Lambert
• Martina McBride
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR

• Love and Theft
• Montgomery Gentry
• Steel Magnolia
• Sugarland
• Thompson Square

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

• The Band Perry
• Eli Young Band
• Lady Antebellum
• Rascal Flatts
• Zac Brown Band

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

• Chief – Eric Church
• Four The Record – Miranda Lambert
• Hemingway's Whiskey – Kenny Chesney
• My Kinda Party – Jason Aldean
• Own The Night – Lady Antebellum

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR

• Crazy Girl – Eli Young Band
• Don't You Wanna Stay – Jason Aldean With Kelly Clarkson
• Red Solo Cup – Toby Keith
• Tomorrow – Chris Young
• You And Tequila – Kenny Chesney Featuring Grace Potter 

SONG OF THE YEAR

• Crazy Girl – Eli Young Band - Composers: Lee Brice, Liz Rose
• Home – Dierks Bentley - Composers: Brett Beavers, Dierks Bentley, Dan Wilson
• Just A Kiss – Lady Antebellum - Composers: Dallas Davidson, Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott
• Threaten Me With Heaven – Vince Gill - Composers: Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Dillon O'Brian, Will Owsley
• You And Tequila – Kenny Chesney Featuring Grace Potter - Composers: Matraca Berg, Deana Carter

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

• Homeboy – Eric Church
• Just A Kiss – Lady Antebellum
• Mean – Taylor Swift
• Red Solo Cup – Toby Keith
• Tattoos On This Town – Jason Aldean

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR

• Country Boy – Aaron Lewis Featuring George Jones & Charlie Daniels
• Don't You Wanna Stay – Jason Aldean With Kelly Clarkson
• Old Alabama – Brad Paisley Featuring Alabama 
• Remind Me – Brad Paisley Duet With Carrie Underwood 
• You And Tequila – Kenny Chesney Featuring Grace Potter 

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

• Rhett Akins
• Dallas Davidson
• Ben Hayslip
• Luke Laird
• David Lee Murphy

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

• Mark Bright
• Buddy Cannon
• Nathan Chapman
• Jay Joyce
• Frank Liddell

AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

• Jeff Balding
• Derek Bason
• John Kelton
• Mills Logan
• Justin Niebank

BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Mike Brignardello
• Kevin "Swine" Grantt
• Mark Hill
• Michael Rhodes
• Jimmy Lee Sloas

PERCUSSIONIST/DRUMMER OF THE YEAR

• Matt Chamberlain
• Chad Cromwell
• Shannon Forrest
• Chris McHugh
• Greg Morrow

FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Glen Duncan
• Stuart Duncan
• Larry Franklin
• Joe Spivey
• Jonathan Yudkin

GUITARIST OF THE YEAR

• J.T. Corenflos
• Kenny Greenberg
• Jay Joyce
• Brent Mason
• Adam Shoenfeld

PIANO/KEYBOARD PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Tony Harrell
• John Hobbs
• John Jarvis
• Charlie Judge
• Michael Rojas

SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT(S) PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Eric Darken
• Aubrey Haynie
• Ilya Toshinsky
• John Willis
• Jonathan Yudkin

STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Paul Franklin
• Mike Johnson
• Greg Leisz
• Russ Pahl
• Scotty Sanders

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Reg Presley of the Troggs Announces Cancer Diagnosis, Retirement From Music

Reg Presley, lead singer of the Troggs, has announced that he is suffering from lung cancer and retiring from the music business.

On the group's official website, Presley wrote:

As you all know I was taken ill whilst doing a gig in Germany in December. During my stay in hospital tests showed that in fact I have lung cancer. I am receiving chemotherapy treatment and at the moment not feeling too bad.

However I’ve had to call time on The Troggs and retire. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for the cards and calls and for your love, loyalty and support over the years.

A big thank you to Jackie for running the fan club and keeping you all up to speed, and a huge and special thank you to Chris, Pete and Dave.

I shall miss you all.

Lots of Love

Reg.

The group formed in 1964 and had a series of hits in both the U.S. and Britain including Wild Thing, With a Girl Like You, I Can't Control Myself and Love is All Around.

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Short Takes: Joy Division, Bachman-Turner, Miles Davis, Alice Cooper

Disney has pulled the T-Shirts that they released in their stores and on their website on Monday with a variation on Joy Division's album Unknown Pleasures. The shirt depicted Mickey's head with the waves produced by a pulsar from space.

A Disney spokesman said "As soon as we became aware there could be an issue, we pulled it from our shelves and our online store to review the situation further."

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Randy Bachman and Fred Turner (aka Bachman-Turner) will appear in the upcoming Will Farrell/Zach Galifianakis film Dog Fight. The pair play themselves at a political celebration playing their classic Takin' Care of Business.

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The U.S. Postal Service is issuing a commemorative stamp for jazz great and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Miles Davis. The stamp will be part of a joint release with the French Postal Service whose stamp will feature Edith Piaf.

Lee Barham, chairman of the steering committee for the Miles Davis Jazz Celebration, said "Miles Davis was one of the greatest jazz musicians and trumpet players in the world. Before Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley, there was Miles Davis."

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Alice Cooper makes a guest appearance on his son's band's new EP. Dash Cooper is part of the group Runaway Phoenix and their new EP has Dad playing on the opening track Tug of War. 

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Iggy Pop Named the Official Ambassador for Record Store Day 2012

Iggy Pop has been named ambassador for Record Store Day 2012. The annual event, this year falling on April 21, is used to publicize and drive business to independent record stores who continue the fight against internet sales.

Pop said of his new "position:"

A person should have a personality. You won't get one dicking around on a computer. It helps to go somewhere where there are other persons. Persons who are interested in something you are. That's how a record store or any shop that's got some life to it should work. It's not about selling shit.

I got my name, my musical education and my personality all from working at a record store during my tender years. In the 50s and 60s the teen kids used to gather after school at these places to listen free to the latest singles and see if they liked the beat. You could buy the disc you liked for 79 cents and if you were lucky meet a chick. Clerks in these places became managers, (like Brian Epstein), label heads (Jack Holzman) and Faces on album covers (like me).

Personally I feel best in a store that, while staying small and socially relaxed, still keeps a complete variety of music types and non musical recordings on offer… All of this is cool and has a much bigger future than most people realize today.

As Record Store Day Ambassador for 2012 I feel like a representative from some exotic jungle full of life and death and sex and anger, called upon to wear a leopard skin and translate joy to the world of the dead.

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