Search Results for: GRAMMYs

Country pop trio the Dixie Chicks are suing Sony Music Entertainment, seeking to terminate their contract and accusing the Japanese recording giant of cheating the singers out of more than $4 million. The lawsuit, filed Monday in U.S. District Court in New York and made public Tuesday, charges that Sony engaged in “systematic thievery” to underpay royalties owed the Grammy-winning act since 1998 for two multiplatinum albums released by Sony’s Monument imprint. The Dixie Chicks – Natalie Maines and sisters Martie Seidel and Emily Robison – are the latest in a growing list of recording stars to rebel against the… Read more »

Soul Train mastermind, Don Cornelius, has sent a letter to the Justice Department alleging that MTV is violating antitrust laws, according to the Los Angeles Times. Cornelius is accusing the music network of pressuring performers who appear on MTV shows not to perform on rival shows for a 30-day period. For example, Cornelius says, MTV won’t let artists booked on next month’s Video Music Awards to appear on his upcoming Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards. The veteran music-TV exec’s Lady of Soul show tapes next Tuesday and begins airing in syndication on Saturday. MTV’s Video Music Awards are September… Read more »

Hoteliers, restaurateurs and tourism promoters mourned the loss of the $40 million bonanza that the now-decamped Latin Grammy awards show was expected to bring to the Miami area. But what really has them crying in their Cristal Roederer is the blow to the city’s image. The Latin Grammy organizers said Monday that they were moving the glitzy Sept. 11 award show to Los Angeles because of worries that protests against artists from communist Cuba could threaten the safety of performers and spectators. “The perception of Miami in the international community is greatly damaged by this,” said Leslie Zigel, vice president… Read more »

R&B quartet Boyz II Men has leapt to BMG imprint Arista Records for a new multialbum contract, following the completion of its deal with Universal Music. The Philadelphia-based group, which has sold more than 60 million albums, plans to head into the studio in mid-September and expects to release its first disc under the new pact in the first half of next year. The move reunites the foursome with Arista president Antonio “L.A.” Reid, who produced several records for the group and co-wrote one of its biggest hits, “The End of the Road,” which topped the singles charts for a… Read more »

Influential guitarist Chet Atkins, who helped modernize country music in the 1960s, paving the way for the massive commercial force that it is today, died in Nashville Saturday. He was 77. In 1973 and in 1997, Atkins had fought both colon cancer and brain cancer, surviving a number of surgeries. Atkins, enjoyed a multi-faceted career: as a sought-after session musician for the likes of Elvis Presley and the Everly Brothers; as a prolific recording artist in his own right; and as a veteran Nashville talent scout. His discoveries included Charley Pride and Waylon Jennings. Atkins was one of the most… Read more »

After spending more than three decades dealing with the business that is rock ‘n’ roll, Aerosmith co-founder Joe Perry dreams of a time when he can focus on nothing but playing his guitar. Dream on. With a new album and summer-long U.S. tour that kicked off earlier this month in Hartford, Conn., Perry and the Boston-based quintet has been busy – making videos, contributing to movie soundtracks, going to awards ceremonies, performing at sporting events and working with other artists. While it’s the kind of success most bands dream of, for Perry, it’s become another day at the office. “It… Read more »

Rock superstars U2 launched their first U.S. tour in nearly four years in classic form in Florida Saturday night, treating 20,000 devoted, delirious fans to a crowd-pleasing mix of old and new songs delivered with their legendary energy free of the extravagances of their most recent tours. The Irish rockers hit the stage of the National Car Rental Center arena at Sunrise, near Miami, with the house lights still on and launched into a swinging “Elevation” for their new album “All That You Can’t Leave Behind”. For the next two hours they put on a performance in which the songs,… Read more »

In Mishawaka, Indiana, 250 students staged a walkout to protest a no-music rule, while a music teacher in Tipton, Iowa, resigned after administrators asked her to halt a student-group research project on Eminem. Music was banned on all Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp. buses February 23 in Mishawka, after a parent complained that her child, an elementary student, was exposed to the graphic lyrics of Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me” on the bus radio. Last week, the ban was widened to include music played in all district buildings, including music usually played during study halls and gym classes. In response, about 250 of… Read more »

Eminem, less than a week after picking up three Grammy Awards, grabbed best international male solo artist honors Monday night at the 21st Brit Awards. Local favorite Robbie Williams was the night’s big winner, taking home three Brits, including best male solo artist. Madonna, who was not at the ceremony, was named best international female solo artist, while U2, which closed the show with a performance, was named best international group. A small group of gay rights activists gathered in the rain outside Britain’s biggest pop music awards ceremony to protest against Eminem, who performed “The Real Slim Shady” during… Read more »

Eminem’s hotly debated duet with Elton John at this week’s Grammys is turning up on radio stations across the country, and the Recording Academy and Interscope Records are making plans to release the live “Stan” as a benefit single, an academy spokesperson said Friday (February 23). A portion of the proceeds will benefit MusiCares, established by the academy in 1989 to offer emergency financial assistance and addiction recovery programs to musicians. However, Eminem’s Interscope spokesperson said there were “no plans [for a commercial release] on this end.” The academy serviced the rendition to radio stations via satellite, and the tune… Read more »