Search Results for: the early november

Versatile soul icon Rufus Thomas, a pioneering radio DJ and a singer/songwriter famed for the R&B standard “Walking The Dog,” has died in Memphis at age 84, his family said Sunday. Over a 70-year career, which took off in a segregated minstrel show, Thomas was a key player in the rise of rock ‘n’ roll and soul. He recorded for the two greatest record labels to come out of Memphis, Sun and Stax, and performed into his 80s. Thomas died Saturday at St. Francis Hospital of apparent heart failure, his family said. He had been receiving treatment at the hospital… Read more »

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 »

Hip Hop’s most notable duo – Def Jam artists Method Man and Redman hit the road this holiday season to support the release of their first feature film How High, which will be released by Universal Pictures on December 21st and soundtrack, hitting stores on December 11th. The tour will begin on December 2nd in Phoenix, AZ and end on December 30th in Miami, FL. The two pair up to perform such classic hits as “How High” the duos first collaboration, “Bring Da Pain,” a Method favorite, and “How To Roll A Blunt” a Redman club banger along with brand… Read more »

XM Satellite Radio today announced that it placed 10 million shares of its common stock in a public offering underwritten by Morgan Stanley resulting in gross proceeds of $112.5 million to the company. In addition, XM has granted the underwriter an over-allotment option to purchase an additional 1.5 million shares of common stock. The offering is expected to close early next week. Separately, XM today also announced that it has closed a $66 million funding package with Boeing announced in October. The financing package included $35 million in new debt financing with Boeing Capital Services Corporation and $31 million in… Read more »

After several days off back home in Southern California, Hoobastank hits the road again as of tonight (November 29) in support of its self-titled Island Records debut album, featuring the single “Crawling In The Dark.” The group plays at Graceland in Seattle and has shows lined up through December 20 across the West and Midwest parts of the country. With “Crawling In The Dark,” people have compared Hoobstank’s sound to that of Incubus, and that might not be just coincidental. Hoobstank guitarist Dan Estrin says he’s known the members of Incubus since his early teen years growing up in the… Read more »

MeasureCast yesterday reported that web radio fans increased listening to stations streaming Christmas music during the week of November 12 – 18 but the availability of holiday music did not mean more people listened to web radio than did the previous week. In fact, the weekly listening index dipped 10 percent to 282 during the week beginning November. This marks the second consecutive week of online listening declines, which were preceded by seven straight weeks of increases. “Web radio just enjoyed seven consecutive weeks of audience growth beginning in September,” MeasureCast CEO Ed Hardy told Gavin. “However, we’re likely to… Read more »

With their second album perched at #10 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and their most recent single, “How You Remind Me,” topping the Modern Rock Tracks chart while sitting in the top 10 on five other Billboard charts, Nickelback are demonstrating an across-the-board appeal that confirms these Canadians have arrived in the U.S. And with a new single from Silver Side Up and a new video waiting just around the bend, the band isn’t likely to disappear anytime soon. “Too Bad” officially hits radio this week, though many stations have already been playing it. Veteran director Nigel Dick shot… Read more »

Out Tuesday (November 13) is Driving Rain, the latest album from ex- Beatle Paul McCartney. Much attention has been paid to the fact that McCartney made the album-his first since 1999’s cover-heavy Run Devil Run, and his first release of all-new music since 1997’s Flaming Pie-with an entirely new creative team, including producer David Kahne and a group of young studio musicians that includes guitarist Rusty Anderson, keyboardist Gabe Dixon, and drummer Abe Laboriel Jr., the son of the famed session bassist. However, McCartney said that he doesn’t think fans will find the sound of Driving Rain foreign. “It sounds… Read more »

“This Way,” the eagerly awaited new album from Atlantic recording artist Jewel, arrives in stores across North America today, November 13th. The new collection is Jewel’s fourth album and her first set of all-new, self-penned material since 1998’s RIAA quadruple-platinum “SPIRIT.” “This Way” was produced by Dann Huff and Jewel, marking her first work as a producer. “This Way” is already reaping critical praise, highlighted by Rolling Stone’s recent 3 1/2-star rave review. “The apparent simplicity of folk presents wondrously complex and sexy possibilities for Jewel. She’s one of the most richly idiomatic female pop singers of her generation,” writes… Read more »

Almost a week late, Britney Spears finally kicked off her Britney 2001 Tour Thursday night after the flu and a kink in her pre-production held her up. Obviously the fans who flooded the Nationwide Arena expected the concert to be all about Britney – the person, that is. And sure, she explored some personal issues/interests, appearing with a bald head at one point, bungee jumping and fighting off faceless nemeses during her performance, but the singer kept true to her promise to make a large portion of the show about Britney, the album. She previewed several cuts off of her… Read more »