Search Results for: The Maine

The story of The Jacksons, the most successful musical family in history, is the stuff of which dreams are made. In 1992, the four-hour ABC miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream chronicled the rags-to-riches tale of that Gary, Indiana family who conquered the music world. Now this Emmy Award-winning production starring Oscar- nominated Angela Bassett, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Vanessa Williams and Billy Dee Williams premieres on DVD. The Jacksons: An American Dream (Motown/UME), released December 11, 2001, is presented in a two-disc DVD package. With Michael Jackson’s Invincible album debuting at #1 in early November, the broadcast of this fall’s Madison… Read more »

Would you trust an 11-year-old rapper when big money is on the line? A game show contestant faced that predicament recently when rapper Lil’ Romeo participated in “Young Stars Week” on “Hollywood Squares.” Luckily, the contestant didn’t trust him. “I bluffed,” Romeo said in a “Hollywood Squares” press release. “They didn’t believe me, but even if they did, it’s a game so it’s cool.” Lil’ Romeo fans can see the young rhyme slinger’s bluffing skills when the segments air December 24-28. Country music star Billy Gilman and opera singer Charlotte Church also took part in “Young Stars Week,” along with… Read more »

Dave Matthews Band proved nearest and dearest to the hearts of fans, as their votes gave the Virginia group the bulk of the glory at the My VH1 Music Awards Sunday. Matthews and violinist Boyd Tinsley, accepting on behalf of their bandmates, left Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium with three awards – My Favorite Group, Must Have Album for Everyday and Damn I Wish I Wrote That! (Song of the Year) for “The Space Between.” The group was also honored via a win for their fan site nancies.org in the Coolest Fan Website category. DMB and U2 had a pack-leading six… Read more »

Jermaine Dupri says fame has not gone to his protégé Lil’ Bow Wow’s head. On the contrary, in a couple of weeks the rhyming teen titan will be letting everyone know just how grateful he is for his success when he releases “Thank You,” the first single off his Doggy Bag album. “It’s a song directed to the fans,” Dupri said Wednesday from his Atlanta studio. “The song is thanking everybody, not just the fans. [He’s thanking the] mom-and-pop retail stores, just everybody who had a hand in helping Bow sell 3 million records.” The producer said he’s been working… Read more »

More than 25 artists – from boys (of the Backstreet, ‘NSYNC and O-Town variety) to men (elder statesmen such as Aerosmith, James Brown and Rod Stewart), from vocal queens (Destiny’s Child, Mariah Carey, Carole King) to the King of Pop – took the stage Sunday at RFK Stadium for the all-day United We Stand – What More Can I Give benefit concert for victims of September’s terrorist attacks. Themes of unity and perseverance permeated every performance, with artists often thanking the sold-out crowd for the message they were sending to the rest of the country – that no matter the… Read more »

The Dixie Chicks have earned their spot in the 2002 edition of Guinness World Records for having the all-time best-selling country album by a group with their debut effort, Wide Open Spaces. “When I read all the outrageous things people have done to make it into the book, I feel guilty that we did it by selling records,” says lead singer Natalie Maines. “No one else had 11 million people help them like we did.” The trio’s combined sales of their two albums, Wide Open Spaces and Fly, total more than 20 million copies worldwide. Published since 1955, Guinness World… Read more »

Pop / R&B superstar Usher has just announced his plans to headline his own U.S. Tour to kick-off in November 2001 in support of his explosive album, 8701. Usher fans worldwide have been anxiously anticipating a concert tour from the talented superstar. At last, they’ll get a chance to see Usher perform in major cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington DC and Miami, among others. The tour will kick-off in Baltimore, MD on November 29. Opening acts and venues will be announced shortly. Usher is set to play theatre-sized venues and will roll-out the second leg of the… Read more »

British music giant EMI Group Plc on Monday appointed former PolyGram president Alain Levy as the new chief of its recorded music division in a move aimed at reversing the decline at one of its main operations. EMI, home to such acts as Mariah Carey, Radiohead, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and David Bowie, said Levy would become the new chairman and chief executive officer at EMI Recorded Music, replacing Ken Berry, who had left the group by “mutual agreement.” Levy also will take up a position on the main board. The company added in a statement its trading remained… Read more »

It’s been nearly four years since R&B star Monica released her last CD, 1998’s The Boy Is Mine, which featured the chart-topping title track, a duet with Brandy. Her fans won’t have too much longer to wait for new music. “I hope to have the record ready by the beginning of the year,” she says. “I’m working with Jermaine Dupri, and right now we have three songs done.” In addition to reuniting with prolific producer Dupri (Ludacris, Mariah Carey, Destiny’s Child, Lil’ Bow Wow), with whom she worked on The Boy Is Mine, Monica is getting production help from Dallas… Read more »

A fire erupted Tuesday afternoon (October 9) at the building housing Hit Factory Recording Studios, birthplace of records by artists ranging from John Lennon to Notorious B.I.G., causing an unknown amount of damage. No one who worked in the building was hurt in the blaze, according to police on the scene, though the section of the building that faces West 54th Street appeared severely damaged. The fire was contained chiefly to the fourth-floor offices of SESAC, a performing-rights organization representing songwriters and publishers that leases space in the building, according to Hit Factory executive Troy Germano. The Hit Factory has… Read more »