Katy Perry & Kacey Musgraves' Billboard Cover: 5 Things We Learned

By Marc Schneider | May 23, 2014 11:07 AM EDT

Pop princess Katy Perry and country music darling Kacey Musgraves grace the cover of this week's Billboard. The pairing isn't as random as you think: the singers are teaming up for an upcoming "Crossroads" special (June 13 on CMT), and in August Musgraves joins Perry's Prismatic world tour as opener. As Perry points out in the cover story, there's a kinship there that goes beyond their shared backgrounds as All-American girls from conservative worlds.

"I think [Kacey] straddles the line like I straddle the line of appropriateness and still maintaining a sexuality that is healthy and exciting," Perry says. "And it's not all about that. It's about sending inspiring and empowering messages and being a think-for-yourself type of woman."

Go behind the scenes of Katy and Kacey's Billboard cover shoot in the exclusive video interview below, plus check out five things we learned about music's hottest tour coupling of the year.

WHY A KATY/KACEY PAIRING MAKES SENSE. "We're both very whimsical in our own ways, but I think at heart we're both songwriters," says Musgraves. For her part, Perry says she "instantly connected" with her country counterpart after hearing her debut single "Merry Go 'Round." "She struck a chord in me," she says. "I feel like we have the same eyes. Not in a physical sense, but in a way of perception."

KATY STALKED KACEY. After she heard "Merry Go 'Round" Perry did a little bit of ol' fashioned cyberstalking -- "as I do with everyone," she notes -- and reached out to Musgraves about teaming up. The songs they worked on didn't make the cut on "Prism," but a partnership was born.

WHAT YOU'LL HEAR ON THEIR CROSSROADS SPECIAL. Expect songs from each of Perry's three studio albums, encompassing her fun, inspirational and singer-songwriter selves. She'll also take a backseat during Musgraves' set. "You'll hear me doing a lot of background vocals… and a little of that country flair." Musgraves will bring a "storyteller vibe" to her set, which she admits won't have any "super-anthemic, firework-type songs." Hearing a reference to one of her biggest hits, Perry shot back, "are you making fun of my song?"

KATY HAS SEEN KACEY NAKED. "A couple times," Musgraves confirms. "And it won't be the last." They'll have plenty more chances for dressing-room exhibitionism when Kacey joins Katy's "Prismatic" tour in August.

AND EXPECT DUETS APLENTY ON TOUR. Kacey: "For me, you could just put all your songs in a hat and just grab any of them and I would fucking love to sing any of them." Perry reassured her that "we're doing that on tour." Musgraves says that "Teenage Dream" is "obviously the best pop song ever written."

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May 23, 2014 8:55 AM ET

Jack White and Meg White of the White Stripes perform in Manchester, Tennessee.

Douglas Mason/Getty Images

On July 31st, 2007, the White Stripes played their final concert. The duo returned to the stage — with drummer Meg White on guitar — for Conan O'Brien's last Late Night show two years later, and two years after that confirmed their split in a surprise announcement that cited a "myriad of reasons, but mostly to preserve what is beautiful and special about the band and have it stay that way."

We all know what Jack White has been ...since then, but it's been harder to pin down Meg, whose "acute anxiety" was blamed for the early end of the duo's 2007 tour. Contributing editor Jonah Weiner asked Jack if he's still in contact with his onetime wife and bandmate during interviews for our new cover story, and White said Meg is indeed still quite elusive.

"I don't think anyone talks to Meg. She's always been a hermit," he said. "When we lived in Detroit, I'd have to drive over to her house if I wanted to talk to her, so now it's almost never."

Meg married Jackson Smith, the son of Patti Smith and the late Fred "Sonic" Smith of the MC5, in 2005; Rolling Stone learned the two divorced in July. A request for an interview with her, submitted to her lawyer, was not answered.

White declined to discuss his marriage to Meg, but described her as extremely emotionally reserved. That aspect of her personality frustrated him when the two were in a creative partnership. "She's one of those people who won't high-five me when I get the touchdown," he said. "She viewed me that way of 'Oh, big deal, you did it, so what?' Almost every single moment of the White Stripes was like that. We'd be working in the studio and something amazing would happen: I'm like, 'Damn, we just broke into a new world right there!' And Meg's sitting in silence."

White recalled a quote from Ringo Starr that rang true to him druing those moments. "I remember hearing Ringo Starr say, 'I always felt sorry for Elvis, because in the Beatles we had each other to talk about what it felt like. Elvis was by himself.' I was like, 'Shit, try being in a two-piece where the other person doesn't talk!'"

Her lack of loquaciousness aside, however, White praised Meg's drumming and said the world misses her contributions. "I would often look at her onstage and say, 'I can't believe she's up here.' I don't think she understood how important she was to the band, and to me and to music," he added. "She was the antithesis of a modern drummer. So childlike and incredible and inspiring. All the not-talking didn't matter, because onstage? Nothing I do will top that."

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/wheres-meg-white-jack-speaks-out-on-elusive-white-stripes-partner-20140523#ixzz32WUWuNAN

JoeBala said:

Paul McCartney Hospitalized

by Dave Lifton May 22, 2014 10:54 AM

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Paul McCartney has been hospitalized. The 71-year old legend has reportedly checked into an undisclosed Tokyo facility for treatment for an unnamed virus.

What was originally believed to be a minor ailment that merely postponed one of his concerts at Tokyo’s National Stadium last week has resulted in the cancellation of his week-long Japanese tour and next week’s show in Seoul, South Korea. McCartney is still scheduled to bring his ‘Out There’ tour to the U.S. for 19 dates beginning in mid-June, but this new development could possibly put the tour’s fate in doubt.

There has been no official confirmation from McCartney’s people on the subject, and the most recent update to his website was the announcement of the postponement of the first two Tokyo shows. However, U.S.A. Today cites the Sankei Sports newspaper as breaking the news and offers the above video. Fans have already reportedly gathered outside his hospital to show support.

Read More: Paul McCartney Hospitalized | http://ultimateclassicroc...ck=tsmclip

I hope he'll be all right.

^^I think he was released, but no confirmation yet.

Fans Mistakenly Congratulate Meat Loaf for 'American Idol' Win

"You guys are funny," wrote the the singer on his Facebook page.

Meatloaf

All throughout season 13, Caleb Johnson drew comparisons to his rock doppelganger Marvin Lee Aday, otherwise known as Meat Loaf.

Shortly after his American Idol win, there were plenty of kudos to Meat Loaf on his Facebook page.

"Some of you guys are funny," he wrote. "I’ve had a lot of congratulations messages and tweets for MY American Idol win!!!"

He then praised the 23-year-old singer from North Carolina: "But jokes aside, let me take a second to really congratulate Caleb Johnson. It's great to see him tearing it up and putting some real rock 'n' roll back on prime time TV! Congratulations Caleb, GOOD LUCK and don’t you ever stop rockin'’!"

Earlier in the week, Johnson joked that he and runner-up Jena Irene would make a movie more like The Rocky Horror Picture Show than From Justin to Kelly.

STORY: 'American Idol' Finale Recap: Season 13 Winner Crowned

Asked if he would sing "Hot Patootie, Bless My Soul," the song Meat Loaf sang as Eddie in the horror musical, Johnson said he would: "I love that song!"

The Early Days Of Van Halen, David Lee Roth's Entrepreneurial Streak And Why Every Creative Team

Ruth Blatt - May 24, 2014 - Forbes

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Entrepreneurial skills aren’t crucial just for starting companies. They are crucial for initiating any creative commercial endeavor. A new biography argues that without the entrepreneurial skills of David Lee Roth, none of us would have heard of Van Halen.

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Histories of Van Halen invariably begin in 1978, when the band released their debut album. Not much is known about the band before then other than that they had gotten their start playing back yard parties and moved up to playing clubs in Los Angeles.

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That is about to change. Greg Renoff, an Associate Professor of History at Drury University and author of The Big Tent: The Traveling Circus in Georgia, 1820-1930, is writing a book about Van Halen’s early days.

David Lee Roth with Eddie Van Halen

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Renoff explores in depth Van Halen’s reluctant journey from back yard band to superstardom and, in particular, the role of David Lee Roth’s ambition and entrepreneurial skills. Unlike the Van Halen brothers (Alex on drums and Eddie on guitar), Roth came from money. He owned amplification equipment, and he used it to work his way into the band.

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“The Van Halens were always looking to scrounge equipment because they didn’t have a lot of money,” told me Renoff. “One thing that Roth did was use his PA system as leverage. He’d say things like, ‘You guys can use the PA system but how about I sing a song tonight?’” Eddie Van Halen was the band’s singer at the time, and even though he didn’t have a great voice, the band was not impressed by Roth’s vocal abilities either. But they eventually let Roth joined the band, which consisted of Eddie and Alex and bassist Michael Anthony, in 1973.

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Roth’s presence stirred up the band. Whereas the Van Halen brothers were into heavy metal, Roth loved the Beach Boys, Motown and funk. “Those guys wanted to have Roth sing Black Sabbath, but Roth can’t sing Black Sabbath. He wanted to do things like James Brown’s ‘Cold Sweat.’” The outcome of this negotiation was a hard rock band with a pop sensibility.

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Roth also began pushing the rest of the band to think beyond playing back yard concerts. According to Renoff, the Van Halens were content making good money playing shows in the Pasadena area that they would promote themselves for thousands of kids at a time. Roth pushed them to audition at clubs and expand their reach. He also pushed them to start dressing up. He wanted them to become rock stars, and for that they needed to look the part.

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“They were wearing jeans and t-shirts, flannel shirts. It was grunge wear before grunge. They would wear Pendleton shirts and overalls,” said Renoff. “Roth told them they needed to glam it up, to wear stage clothes.”

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Eventually they end up getting a gig playing in a Hollywood club called Gazzarri’s, which became the epicenter of hair-metal in the 1980s. “At the time Gazzarri’s was a dying club. Its moment had passed. It was much more of a 1960s go-go dancer place,” said Renoff. “But the owner, Bill Gazzarri, would advertise on a local radio station and they would say ‘Tonight at Gazzarri’s, Van Halen.’ Their name was on the marquee and it was a start for them.”

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Gazzarri’s was a cover band club, not the kind of place where bands that write original songs get discovered and signed by record labels. Record executives look for bands that have an album’s-worth of original material. But at Gazzarri’s, Van Halen was expected to play disco songs and pop hits.

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Yet Roth was a savvy networker and created opportunities where there were none. He would take advantage of the occasional visit to Gazzarri’s from people like radio DJ Rodney Bingenheimer and Kim Fowley, who managed The Runaways. Roth was a relentless self-promoter and got Van Halen on their radar. “I’m not saying the brothers were completely clueless about business, they weren’t,” said Renoff. “But Roth was the guy who was willing to get out front and promote, promote, promote. Of course they never would have made it without Eddie writing the songs and without their talents. But Roth was the guy who said, ‘Look at me!’”

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Van Halen had original songs, and through Bingenheimer they got a gig playing their songs at the Starwood, a club owned by the infamous Eddie Nash. According to Renoff, the Van Halens were again hesitant about leaving their comfortable Gazzarri’s gig. But Roth convinced them to make the leap to a place where they could showcase their original material and play alongside bands like ZZ Top. It wasn’t long before a deal with Warner Brothers materialized.

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David Lee Roth’s entrepreneurial spirit eventually rubbed off on the Van Halen brothers. In the early 1980s, Eddie Van Halen formed a relationship with Kramer Guitars to make the Eddie Van Halen Guitar and later he created the EVH brand that offers a complete line of guitar, guitar straps, amplifiers, strings and other gear.

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“Eddie’s evolution is really interesting in that he went from a guy who was reticent about promotion, who didn’t want to dress up in stage clothes and who didn’t want to take risks to where now he realizes that you’re a business you have to market yourself,” said Renoff.

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When David Lee Roth left Van Halen in 1985 to pursue a solo career, they replaced him with someone just as entrepreneurial: Sammy Hagar. Hagar founded the Cabo Wabo Tequila brand and restaurant chain, in partnership with the Van Halen brothers, as well as Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum, which he sold to Gruppo Campari for $91 million.

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“By the 1990s, Van Halen had gotten religion about how to run a business,” said Renoff. Having an entrepreneur on their team from the start helped Van Halen turn their musical talent into a successful business.

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Greg Renoff’s book, Van Halen Rising, will be published by ECW Press in 2015.

Jazz legend Miles Davis gets Upper West Side block renamed in his honor

The impresario lived on W. 77th St. between Riverside Dr. and West End Ave. One former neighbor fought for years to get Miles Davis' name on the block he called home for nearly 25 years.

BY Beth Stebner

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Wednesday, December 18, 2013, 6:03 PM

Don Hunstein/AP Musician Miles Davis is shown during recording session in 1959 for ‘Kind of Blue.’

The block that was the longtime home to a jazz legend was finall renamed in his honor on Wednesday.

Officials renamed a stretch of W. 77th St. “Miles Davis Way” Wednesday, resolving a lengthy battle for the jazz impresario’s neighbor, Shirley Zafirau, who fought for years to get the street name changed.

Video of Ceremony: http://www.ny1.com/content/news/209300/upper-west-side-street-renamed-in-miles-davis--honor

Davis, who died in 1991, lived at 312 W. 77th St., between Riverside Dr. and West End Ave., for a quarter century, and was known to hold jam sessions on his stoop, much to the chagrin of his silence-loving neighbors.

David Handschuh/New York Daily News NYC Landmarks Preservation Center marks Miles Davis' home at 312 W 77 st as a historic site Thursday, May 16.

Davis’ nephew, Los Angeles-based drummer Vincent Wilburn Jr., was on hand Wednesday to watch outgoing Mayor Bloomberg sign the bill.

The jazz great was also honored in May when the Historic Landmarks Preservation Center placed a cultural medallion outside the Upper West Side brownstone.

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Preservationists honor Miles Davis at his former home on W. 77th St.

Jazz legend wasn't always loved on the block. Music kept up the neighbors.

Peter Carrette Archive/Getty Images Jazz legend Miles Davis performed the world over, but lived on W. 77th St. The site will soon be marked with a cultural medallion.

When Miles Davis lived on the upper West Side, he was hated by his neighbors. But the city has finally embraced the late jazz legend.

Davis irritated his W. 77th St. neighbors by inviting other local jazz artists to jam on his stoop, said Shirley Zafirau, who still lives on the block.

“All of these really important musicians would come here and rehease — and some of the stuff that got shouted by the neighbors was really ugly,” Zafirau said at last week’s ceremony to put a commemorative plaque on the residence at 312 W. 77th St., where Davis lived from 1958 to 1983.

It didn’t take too long before neighbors realized they had a friendly genius in their midst.

“He would sit outside and we would walk by and he would say ‘Hey, how’s it going?’ And we would sit and talk,” Zafirau remembered.

David Handschuh/New York Daily News Jazz musicians Wallace Rooney, left, and Gary Bartz were on hand for a ceremony last week.

The complaints stopped. And finally, 21 years after Davis’ death, the Historic Landmarks Preservation Center will honor the jazz legend with the medallion.

Jazz artists said the long overdue recognition would extend Davis’ legacy beyond music.

“I wouldn’t call him just a musician,” Gary Bartz, Grammy award-winning saxophonist, said. “He was an artist. We will always love Miles Davis.”

[Edited 5/26/14 15:43pm]

The Inside Story of Steve Perry’s Return to the Stage

by Corbin Reiff May 28, 2014 7:48 PM

YouTube

Former Journey lead singer Steve Perry shocked the world last weekend by performing onstage for the first time in eighteen years. Near the end of a set by alternative rock band the Eels in St. Paul, Minnesota, Perry emerged from behind the curtains to sing one of their songs followed by snippets of ‘‘Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin” and ‘Open Arms.’

Now, Eels front man E has gone on the record to explain just how this momentous event came together. “It started because he’s been coming to our shows for a long time,” he explained in an interview with Stereogum. “I avoided him for years, and then one day I had lunch with the film director Patti Jenkins, who made the Charlize Theron movie ‘Monster.’ She happened to be good friends with Steve, and she said, ‘You should really meet Steve. He’s the greatest guy.’ So I did, based on that recommendation, and found that she was absolutely right. Steve’s the greatest guy.”

After having broken the ice, E and Perry became tight friends, and the Journey singer became a regular visitor to the band’s rehearsals. “He would just sit there and watch us,” E noted. “Over the years, guys in the band would try to bait him by playing a Journey song hoping he would grab the microphone and start singing, but he never would…and then one tour rehearsal probably three or four years ago, it happened, where he surprised us all and grabbed the microphone. And for the first time in 18 years or something, he started singing a Journey song. And it sent shivers down my spine.”

Once they finally managed to get him in front of a microphone, a new mission began to get him onstage, but it took time. “We started talking to him about it, like, ‘Hey maybe you’d want to do this on stage with us sometime.’ And he’d say, ‘Nah, too much pressure,’ recalled E. “This year it was different. He showed up to our tour rehearsals like he always does, but on the second day he came in carrying his own microphone that he brought with him.”

Still, until he actually emerged from the shadows, nobody was entirely convinced it was actually going to happen. “It wasn’t until he actually got on the stage and he started singing that I realized, ‘Oh wow, it’s really happening!’ And it was such a beautiful moment. Again, it sent chills down my spine just to be there with him in his element doing what he was made to do. And as my friend, it felt good to see him feeling so good about that.”

As far as any future plans Perry might have to get back in front of a crowd on a regular basis, E could only guess. “Steve does what Steve does, and you either go along for the ride or you don’t. I would love to do it again because it was such a fun experience, and I hope he will, but I totally understand if he doesn’t. It’s all up to him. I’m at least glad it happened this one time. In the meantime, I’ll just try to not stop believing. I mean, for now, he’s on the midnight train going anywhere. I don’t know where it’s going to stop.”

Read More: The Inside Story of Steve... the Stage | http://ultimateclassicroc...ck=tsmclip

[Edited 5/28/14 17:34pm]

JoeBala said:

Steve Perry Returns to the Stage, Performs Journey Classics Live

by Ken Kelley May 26, 2014 9:31 AM

Steve Perry performed publicly on Sunday (May 25) evening for the first time since the ’90s in an unusual setting. The former Journey vocalist made a surprise appearance at a concert by alternative rock band Eels during their show at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, MN.

Together, Perry and Eels delivered faithful renditions of Journey’s hits ‘Open Arms,’ and ‘Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’, the latter of which prompted a hearty sing-along from those in attendance. Whether they appreciated that they were witnessing a historic event of sorts or not, the audience ate up every moment of Perry’s appearance on stage.

Steve Perry originally left the ranks of Journey in 1986 but reunited with the group a decade later for ‘Trial By Fire.’ Perry again departed the band once the promotional and touring cycle for the album was complete. Though there were many rumors flying around that Journey were looking to reconcile with Perry, the band’s management denied that any such discussions were taking place.

Perry has maintained a relatively low profile since his departure from Journey. With only two solo records to his credit (1984′s ‘Street Talk‘ and 1994′s ‘For The Love Of Strange Medicine’), the singer has hinted that he has new music in the works but few further details have been made available. He did, however, reportedly collaborate with electronic band AWOLNATION for a track on their next record.

Read More: Steve Perry Returns to th...ssics Live | http://ultimateclassicroc...ck=tsmclip

It's so fucking ridiculous.... Journey without Steve Perry is like Queen without Freddy Mercury...

^^I think it's a one time thing, but there are rumors of a solo album.

Howard Stern Star-Studded Tribute To Billy Joel & Interview Part 1 of 2.

Legendary author Maya Angelou dies at age 86

Legendary author Maya Angelou dies

Share your tributes, memories, favorite Angelou quotes and stories with CNN iReport.

(CNN) -- A literary voice revered globally for her poetic command and her commitment to civil rights has fallen silent.

Maya Angelou died at her home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on Wednesday, said her literary agent, Helen Brann.

The 86-year-old was a novelist, actress, professor, singer, dancer and activist. In 2010, President Barack Obama awarded her the Medal of Freedom, the country's highest civilian honor.

One of Angelou's most revered books was "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings."

Writer Julian Mayfield is said to have described the autobiography as "a work of art which eludes description."

Angelou spent her early years studying dance and drama in San Francisco but dropped out at age 14, instead becoming the city's first African-American female cable car conductor.

Angelou later returned to high school to finish her diploma and gave birth a few weeks after graduation. While the 17-year-old single mother waited tables to support her son, she acquired a passion for music and dance, and toured Europe in the mid-1950s in the opera production "Porgy and Bess." In 1957, she recorded her first album, "Miss Calypso."

In 1958, Angelou become a part of the Harlem Writers Guild in New York and played a queen in "The Blacks," an off-Broadway production by French dramatist Jean Genet.

Affectionately referred to as Dr. Angelou, the professor never went to college. She has more than 30 honorary degrees and taught American studies for years at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem.

"I created myself," she has said. "I have taught myself so much."

Angelou spoke at least six languages and worked at as a newspaper editor in Egypt and Ghana. It was during that time that she wrote "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," published in 1969, the first in a series of autobiographical books.

"I want to write so well that a person is 30 or 40 pages in a book of mine ... before she realizes she's reading," Angelou said.

Angelou was born April 4, 1928, in St. Louis. She grew up between St. Louis and the then-racially segregated town of Stamps, Arkansas.

The famous poet got into writing after a childhood tragedy that stunned her into silence for years. When she was 7, her mother's boyfriend raped her. He was later beaten to death by a mob after she testified against him.

"My 7-and-a-half-year-old logic deduced that my voice had killed him, so I stopped speaking for almost six years," she said.

From the silence, a louder voice was born.

Her list of friends is as impressive as her illustrious career. Talk show queen Oprah Winfrey referred to her as "sister friend." She counted Martin Luther King Jr., with whom she worked during the civil rights movement, among her friends. King was assassinated on her birthday.

In an interview with CNN in January 2009, just days before President Obama was inaugurated for his first term, she gave her thoughts about the United States' election of its first black president.

"It was as if someone in the outer sphere said, 'What can we do to really show how important Martin Luther King was?' "

Seeing Obama about to take office made her feel proud, she said.

"I'm excited. I'm hopeful. I'm talking all the time to people, and sometimes I've really said it so many times I wonder if I'm coming off like a piece of tape recording, but I'm very proud to be an American.

"In 30 or 40 years, (the election) will not be considered so incredibly important. ... There will be other people in those next three or four decades who will run for the presidency -- some women, some native American, some Spanish-speaking, some Asian. We're about to grow up in this country."

Then Angelou spoke in the way that she came to be famous for, each sentence a crescendo of emotion, a call to everyone to act and to be better.

"Our country needs us all right now to stand up and be counted. We need to try to be great citizens. We are necessary in this country, and we need to give something -- that is to say, go to a local hospital, go to the children's ward and offer to the nurse in charge an hour twice a month that you can give them reading children's stories or poetry," she said. "And go to an old folks' home and read the newspaper to somebody. Go to your church or your synagogue or your mosque, and say, 'I'd like to be of service. I have one hour twice a month.'

"You'll be surprised at how much better you will feel," she said. "And good done anywhere is good done everywhere."

Angelou was also one of the first black female film directors. Her work on Broadway has been nominated for Tony Awards.

Before making it big, the 6-foot-tall wordsmith also worked as a cook and sang with a traveling road show.

"Look where we've all come from ... coming out of darkness, moving toward the light," she once said. "It is a long journey, but a sweet one, bittersweet."

I never knew that Maya Angelou was a singer... What an amazing life she lived! RIP Ms. Angelou...

JoeBala said:

Steve Perry Returns to the Stage, Performs Journey Classics Live

by Ken Kelley May 26, 2014 9:31 AM

Steve Perry performed publicly on Sunday (May 25) evening for the first time since the ’90s in an unusual setting. The former Journey vocalist made a surprise appearance at a concert by alternative rock band Eels during their show at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, MN.

Together, Perry and Eels delivered faithful renditions of Journey’s hits ‘Open Arms,’ and ‘Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’, the latter of which prompted a hearty sing-along from those in attendance. Whether they appreciated that they were witnessing a historic event of sorts or not, the audience ate up every moment of Perry’s appearance on stage.

Steve Perry originally left the ranks of Journey in 1986 but reunited with the group a decade later for ‘Trial By Fire.’ Perry again departed the band once the promotional and touring cycle for the album was complete. Though there were many rumors flying around that Journey were looking to reconcile with Perry, the band’s management denied that any such discussions were taking place.

Perry has maintained a relatively low profile since his departure from Journey. With only two solo records to his credit (1984′s ‘Street Talk‘ and 1994′s ‘For The Love Of Strange Medicine’), the singer has hinted that he has new music in the works but few further details have been made available. He did, however, reportedly collaborate with electronic band AWOLNATION for a track on their next record.

Read More: Steve Perry Returns to th...ssics Live | http://ultimateclassicroc...ck=tsmclip

STEVE PERRY!!!! Love this man! He still sounds golden to this very day!!!!

© AP/ Billy Idol performs at fan's party

Billy Idol returning with new album and book deal

June 1, 2013, 8:21 AM EST

WENN

Rocker Billy Idol is set to burst back onto the music scene with his first new album in eight years and a tell-all book charting his rise to fame.

Find: Idol's drug battles

The "White Wedding" star has revealed he is about to start work on a new record, his first album of original material since 2005's Devil's Playground, and he hopes to release it next year.

He tells Billboard.com, "We're building up to make a new album in the autumn. I've been gradually putting new songs together... It's as easy and as difficult as it's always been.... I still find it really exciting."

Idol has also been working on his autobiography over the last few years and he hopes to have the book finished soon so he can release it along with the album in 2014.

He adds, "I'm three-quarters of the way through it (the book); we're actually editing at the moment. It's sort of my recollections, which is almost a massive joke 'cause I don't remember anything! The bits I do remember... I've tried to give an overview of my career or my love of music or whatever, my personal way through life, maybe some thoughts about what I've done right or wrong in my life. In general it's a bit of a walk through my career, just said in my own words, really."

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Billy Idol Autobiography Slated for Publication

Courtesy of Touchstone/Simon & Schuster

'Dancing with Myself' comes out October 7 through Simon & Schuster’s Touchstone imprint.

[Edited 5/28/14 17:36pm]

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Mmm mmm mmm....

missfee said:

JoeBala said:

STEVE PERRY!!!! Love this man! He still sounds golden to this very day!!!!

I edited the article to include how it came about. Check it out.

Exclusive: The Monkees’ Micky Dolenz Will Star in New Play by “Simpsons” Writer

Here comes Micky Dolenz, actor, singer, and most importantly, star of The Monkees, our favorite group from the mid 60s. Micky has signed to star in a new play by four time Emmy winner Mike Reiss, one half of the famous duo (with Al Jean) who has been writing and producing “The Simpsons” since George Bush was president. The first George Bush.

“Comedy Is Hard” will premiere at the Ivorytown Playhouse in Centerbrook, Connecticut on September 24th. The Playhouse is one of the main local theaters that feeds Broadway, so watch out that we don’t see “Comedy Is Hard” in New York some time next year.

Reiss’s play is set in a home for retired actors and the play takes an affectionate look at the relationship and rivalry between a retired stand-up comedian and a classical actress.

Micky has a lot of theater experience, you know. A child star before the Monkees, his credits include Elton John/Tim Rice production of “Aida”; “Grease”; “Pippin”; “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum.” Most recently he starred in “Hairspray” in the West End playing Wilbur Turnblad.

Guns N' Roses Frontman Axl Rose has responded to an unscientific, albeit virally popular, list of "The World's Greatest Singers," which placed him in the top spot. The list claimed he had a range that spanned nearly seven octaves, with his lowest note allegedly appearing in the 2008 Chinese Democracy song "There Was a Time" and his highest in his cover of the Dead Boys' "Ain't It Fun," which appeared on the group's 1994 covers album "The Spaghetti Incident?". He said that he found the recognition flattering and humbling, according to Spin, though he wouldn't top his own list of the greatest singers.

Where Did Axl Rose Rank on Rolling Stone's List of the 100 Greatest Singers?

"If I had to say who I thought the best singers were, I'd say first that I don't know there's a definitive answer as in my opinion it's subjective, and second that my focus is primarily rock singers," he told Spin. "That said, I enjoy Freddie Mercury, Elvis Presley, Paul McCartney, [Nazareth singer] Dan McCafferty, Janis Joplin, Michael Jackson, Elton John, Roger Daltrey, Don Henley, [Electric Light Orchestra frontman] Jeff Lynne, Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra, [jazz singer] Jimmy Scott, Etta James, Fiona Apple, [Pretenders frontwoman] Chrissie Hynde, Stevie Wonder, James Brown and a ton of others (predominantly Seventies rock singers) and would rather hear any of them anytime rather than me!"

Guns N' Roses are currently in the middle of a 12-date residency at Las Vegas' Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. In April, Rose was honored at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards with a Lifetime Achievement Award and performed with his band. While there, guitarist Richard Fortus told The Associated Press the group was "working on stuff." He said he hoped the band would have new music "in the next year."

Britt/Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images

By Evan Serpick

Marvin Gaye was one of the most consistent and enigmatic of the Motown hitmakers, with a career that exemplified the maturation of black pop into a sophisticated form spanning social and sexual politics. Blessed with a mellifluous tenor and a three-octave vocal range, Gaye was among the most gifted composers and singers of his era.

Gaye's moodiness contributed to his legend: He regularly avoided TV, rarely performing live, and sometimes not showing up for the few concerts he did schedule. But from "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" to "Heard It Through the Grapevine," "What's Going On" to "Sexual Healing," Gaye sang some of the most memorable pop of all time. He was nominated for eight Grammys before winning one in 1983.

His life ended tragically one year later—and one day before his 45th birthday—when he was shot to death by his father, an Apostolic preacher, after a violent argument. In many respects, Gaye was, as his friend, the cowriter of "Sexual Healing," and author David Ritz titled his biography of him, a divided soul.

Gaye started singing at age three in church and was soon playing the organ as well. After a stint in the Air Force, he returned to DC and started singing in street-corner doo-wop groups, including a top local group, the Rainbows. He formed his own group, the Marquees, in 1957. Under the auspices of supporter Bo Diddley, they cut "Wyatt Earp" for the Okeh label. In 1958, Harvey Fuqua heard the group and enlisted them to become the latest version of his ever-changing backing ensemble, the Moonglows. As such, Gaye was heard on "Mama Loocie" and other songs for the Chess label in 1959.

By 1961, the group was touring widely. Detroit impresario Berry Gordy Jr. heard the group and quickly signed Gaye to his fledgling Motown organization later that year. Soon after, Gaye married Gordy's sister Anna. Gaye's first duties with the label were as a session drummer (he played on all the early hits by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles).

Gaye got his first hit with his fourth release, "Stubborn Kind of Fellow," in 1962. Over the next 10 years, working with nearly every producer at Motown (including Smokey Robinson, Norman Whitfield, and the Holland-Dozier-Holland team), he enjoyed over 20 big hits. He had dance hits: "Hitch Hike" (Number 30, 1963), the 12-bar blues "Can I Get a Witness" (Number 22, 1963), which became a virtual anthem among the British mods, and "Baby Don't You Do It" (Number 27, 1964). But by and large he favored romantic, sometimes sensual ballads. He felt that his desire to move into a more mainstream, sophisticated style was hindered by Motown's emphasis on hits. For a performer as unenthusiastic about some of his material as Gaye later claimed to be, he gave almost every song he ever recorded an inspired reading. His Top Ten hits included "Pride and Joy" (Number 10, 1963), "I'll Be Doggone" (Number Eight, 1965), "Ain't That Peculiar" (Number Eight, 1965), and "How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You" (Number Six, 1965). Among his 39 Top Forty singles were also such unlikely hits as "Try It Baby" (Number 15, 1964, with background vocals by the Temptations), "You're a Wonderful One" (Number 15, 1964, with backing vocals by the Supremes), "One More Heartache" (Number 29, 1966), "Chained" (Number 32, 1968), and "You" (Number 34, 1968).

Beginning in 1964 Gaye was teamed with Mary Wells for "Once Upon a Time" (Number 19, 1964) and "What's the Matter With You" (Number 17, 1964), and with Kim Weston for "It Takes Two" (Number 17, 1967). But his greatest duets were with Tammi Terrell: "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (Number 19, 1967), "Your Precious Love" (Number Five, 1967), "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (Number Eight, 1968), and "You're All I Need to Get By" (Number Seven, 1968), all penned and produced by Nicholas Ashford and Valerie Simpson.

During a 1967 concert, Terrell collapsed into Gaye's arms onstage, the first sign of the brain tumor that killed her three years later. Although, contrary to popular belief, Gaye and Terrell were not romantically involved (she was involved with Temptation David Ruffin), he was deeply affected by her illness and death. Shortly thereafter Gaye had his biggest solo hit of the Sixties with a dejected, paranoid reading of Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" (Number One, 1968), a song that had already been given a fiery treatment by another Motown act, Gladys Knight and the Pips.

The second, quite distinct phase of Gaye's career—and black popular music—began in 1971 with What's Going On. Along with Stevie Wonder, Gaye was one of the first Motown artists to gain complete artistic control of his records. What's Going On was a self-composed and produced concept album. Berry Gordy Jr., who still maintains that he didn't understand the record, was reluctant to release it. Gaye was vindicated when the album hit Number Six and spun off three Top 10 singles: "What's Going On" (Number Two, 1971), "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" (Number Nine, 1971), and "Mercy Mercy Me (the Ecology)" (Number Four, 1971) were impassioned, timeless statements on Vietnam, civil rights, and the state of the world. "What's Going On" has been covered many times in the ensuing years, including a Top 20 version by Cyndi Lauper in 1986.

In 1972 Gaye scored the 20th Century–Fox film Trouble Man, and the dark, minimalist title track gave him yet another Top 10 hit (Number Seven, 1973). By 1973, he had shifted his attention to pure eroticism with Let's Get It On, with a title track that went to Number One. His late-1973 album with Diana Ross, Diana and Marvin, produced three fairly successful singles: "You're a Special Part of Me" (Number 12, 1973), "Don't Knock My Love" (Number 46, 1974), and "My Mistake (Was to Love You)" (Number 19, 1974), but this project was one of many things Gaye did with Motown that he felt were forced upon him.

Gaye's rocky marriage of 14 years to Anna Gordy Gaye was the subject of Here, My Dear. Gaye was left reeling from the divorce settlement; he filed for bankruptcy, and his ex-wife later considered suing him for invasion of privacy over the content of Here, My Dear. (The album had been precipitated by court hearings in 1976, when a judge instructed Gaye to make good on overdue alimony payments by recording an album and giving his wife $600,000 in royalties.) With Gordy he fathered a son, Marvin Gaye III. He married his second wife, Janice, in 1977 and that year had a Number One hit, "Got to Give It Up, Pt. 1." They had two children: Nona, who has since become a recording artist in her own right, and Frankie. Janice was Gaye's muse, but he became obsessed with her, and the relationship was tumultuous.

Under pressure from the Internal Revenue Service, Gaye moved to Europe to record his 1981 release, In Our Lifetime, which concentrated on his philosophies of love, art, and death. The next year, he left Motown for Columbia. His first album for the label, Midnight Love, sold 2 million copies and included the hit "Sexual Healing," which won a Grammy for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. He sang live on the Grammy broadcast and, in 1983, in concert at Radio City Music Hall. During his Sexual Healing Tour, Gaye closed the show singing his hit in a silk robe, often stripping down to bikini underwear. Fan reaction was mixed. Also in 1983, he appeared in one of the more memorable segments of Motown's 25th-anniversary television special, obviously disoriented but riveting nonetheless. His a cappella version of "The Star-Spangled Banner," performed before the 1983 NBA All-Star game, became an instant classic and is included on The Marvin Gaye Collection.

Gaye's comeback was one for the record books. But even with the recognition he longed for, Gaye was depressed, and his cocaine abuse was escalating, despite several attempts to clean up. He returned to the U.S. and moved into his parents' home—where he often quarreled with his father, with whom he'd been at odds since his teenage years. As Gaye later confessed to David Ritz, his internal life was marked by what Gaye viewed as an irreconcilable conflict between good (as represented by his strict religious upbringing) and evil (sex and drugs). In early 1984 Gaye reportedly threatened suicide several times and had become paranoid and irrational. Following a Sunday morning shouting match in his parents' home, Gaye's father shot him to death at point-blank range, he later claimed, in self-defense. Gaye's father was charged with and convicted of involuntary manslaughter. He was found to have a brain tumor, and was given a six-year suspended prison sentence.

After Gaye's death Motown and Columbia collaborated to produce Dream of a Lifetime and Romantically Yours, both based on unfinished recordings from the Sexual Healing sessions. Among the tracks on the first album were the ribald, "Savage in the Sack" and "Masochistic Beauty," and some questioned whether Gaye had intended to release them at all. Since then, Gaye's work has been repackaged in a steady stream of new compilations. In addition, his work has been the subject of several tribute projects. In 1987, Gaye was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Tonys: Neil Patrick Harris, Idina Menzel, Sting to Perform

Alan Cumming, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight and Sutton Foster will also perform, as will the casts of "Aladdin," "Les Miserables" and "Wicked" for a 10th-anniversary tribute.

The Tony Awards revealed on Thursday its star-studded list of performers: Neil Patrick Harris, Idina Menzel, Alan Cumming, Sutton Foster, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight and Fantasia, among others.

Nominee Harris will take the stage with the cast of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, as will nominee Foster with Violet. Cumming, who is currently reprising his Tony-winning role in the revival of Cabaret, will also perform, while nominee Menzel will sing a number from If/Then.

PHOTOS: Tony Awards 2014: The Nominees

The ceremony celebrating Broadway's best will also include performances by the casts of this year’s best musical and best musical revival nominees, as well as other new musicals: Aladdin, Les Miserables, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder, Bullets Over Broadway and Rocky.

Additionally, the cast of Wicked will return to Radio City Music Hall for the first time since 2004 -- when they won 3 Tony Awards -- for a performance honoring the production's 10th anniversary. Music legends LaBelle, Knight and Fantasia will join for a number with the After Midnight cast, and Sting will share a song from his upcoming musical, The Last Ship.

The awards show will be hosted by Hugh Jackman and feature appearances by Bradley Cooper, Kevin Bacon, Carole King, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Will Ferrell, Liev Schreiber, Emmy Rossum, Kate Mara, Zachary Quinto, Zachary Levi, Lucy Liu, Clint Eastwood, Patricia Clarkson, Leighton Meester, Ethan Hawke, Zach Braff, Matt Bomer, Anna Gunn, Gloria Estefan, Tony nominee Audra McDonald, Fran Drescher, Wayne Brady, Emilio Estefan, Kenneth Branagh, Tony Goldwyn, Vera Farmiga and Alessandro Nivola.

PHOTOS: Denzel Washington...n Broadway

The 68th annual Tony Awards, presented by the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing, will broadcast live from New York City's Radio City Music Hall on June 8 on CBS.

Random Pic of R&R Hall Of Famer Linda Ronstant...

This Saturday May 31st, some of the biggest names in rock & roll come together in the HBO debut of the 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. This year's inductees include Peter Gabriel, Daryl Hall & John Oates, KISS, Nirvana, Linda Ronstadt, Cat Stevens, The E Street Band, Brian Epstein and Andrew Loog Oldham. Don't miss it, Saturday May 31st at 8pm. Only on HBO.

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Aretha Franklin Honored At Harvard Graduation

Harvard Honorands (front left to right) Seymour Slive, Provost Alan Garber, Michael Bloomberg, President Drew Faust, former President George H.W. Bush. (Back row, left to right) Peter Raven, Patricia King, Joseph Stiglitz, Isabel Allende, and Aretha Franklin. (Photo credit: Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photographer/ via Facebook)

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — A former president and the Queen of Soul have received honorary degrees from Harvard University.

George H.W. Bush, Aretha Franklin and six others were honored at Thursday’s commencement.

Harvard President Drew Faust poked fun at the 89-year-old Bush’s Yale University credentials, saying his “cap was blue, his house was white and now his robe is crimson,” but added that Bush “piloted our nation though changeful skies.”

Bush smiled and gestured to the crowd as he received the doctor of laws degree, but did not stand.

The 72-year-old Franklin accompanied herself on piano to perform the National Anthem. She later received an honorary doctor of arts degree.

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg also received an honorary degree.

Harvard awarded more than 7,300 degrees and certificates at its 363rd commencement.

News May 29, 2014

NEW YORK – May 29, 2014 – In an NBC primetime special with Matt Lauer, global superstar Mariah Carey does something she has never done before. For the first time, Carey performs in a one-of-a-kind special concert from the house she shares with husband Nick Cannon in Bel-Air, overlooking the Hollywood Hills. Carey sat down with Matt Lauer in a personal interview and opens up about her childhood, her family life, and her critically-acclaimed, autobiographical new album, “Me. I Am Mariah…the Elusive Chanteuse," which has received reviews that surpass her biggest selling albums. The album was released on May 27, 2014.

NBC takes you on a musical journey with Mariah, highlighting tracks from the new record and going inside the global icon’s home, showing glimpses of her life with exclusive home video with her friends and family, including twins Moroccan and Monroe. The concert includes special performances by artists Fabolous and Wale.

Mariah Carey got home from Monaco and the World Music Awards just in time yesterday. Last night at Chelsea Piers Mariah was toasted by the Fresh Air Fund for 20 years of her Camp Mariah in upstate New York. It was a poignant event as Carey, who arrived in a black Rolls Royce, arrived with “The Butler” director Lee Daniels and record producer Jermaine Dupri and many of the gang from DefJam Records including president Steve Bartels.

Inside the packed dining hall, Carey was toasted by emcee Al Roker, followed by a few graduates of her Camp Mariah. Believe it or not, Mariah started the camp two decades ago and has never let go of it whether in good times or bad. Now a former camper is the leader of the camp, and he spoke beautifully introducing Mariah. Carey sat at the center front table dressed in a powder blue gown designed by Donatella Versace. She blushed as one by these high school kids paid homage to her.

At one point, Roker made a joke purposely confusing Dupri for P Diddy. That got some chuckles. But Dupri is having the last laugh. The album he’s made with Carey has gotten more good reviews than any of her previous ones in two decades.

In a crush of fans and former campers, Mariah and I did have a chance to talk. I told her I was impressed with all the detail in her new album. She told me: “That’s why it took so long. Now you can see.” I told her I particularly liked the track “Thirsty.” She said: “I wrote that so long ago. I don’t know what Nick [husband Nick Cannon] was talking about the other day. That song is not about him.”

Mariah fans can see more of her and the making of her album tomorrow night on NBC at 8pm. Matt Lauer hosts a special taped at Mariah and Nick’s home in Bel-Air, California.

Meantime, sales of “Me. I am Mariah” are just fine, says Bartels, who will launch the first official single, “You Don’t Know What to Do,” featuring rapper Wale, very shortly. I love this track, although fans are divided about which single should come first. There are too many to choose from!

NBC’s primetime special, “Mariah Carey: At Home In Concert With Matt Lauer” airs Saturday, May 31 at 8pm/7c.

'Arsenio Hall Show' Canceled; CBS TV Distribution Backpedals on Second Season

The syndicated late-night series will not continue on after Tribune, Sinclar and LIN station groups downgraded the series.

Arsenio Hall

The Arsenio Hall Show will not continue on for its second season.

Despite renewing the late-night s...homore run in February, CBS Television Distribution has instead opted to cancel the series.

“Unfortunately, The Arsenio Hall Show will not return for a second season; while there are many loyal fans of the show, the series did not grow its audience enough to continue," CBSTVD said in a statement Friday. "Arsenio is a tremendous talent and we’d like to thank him for all the hard work and energy he put into the show. We’d also like to thank Tribune and all our station group partners for their support of the show.”

PHOTOS: Saying Goodbye: TV Shows Signing Off in 2014-15

Added Hall: "When I started this adventure with CTD and Tribune, we all knew it would be a challenge -- I’m gratified for the year we’ve had and proud of the show we created. I’d like to thank everyone on my staff for rallying around me and striving to make the best show possible every night."

The decision to backpedal on a renewal comes as station groups Sinclair Broadcast Group, Tribune Co. and LIN Television all downgraded the series from its respective time slots. CBSTVD originally announced a second-season pickup in February, citing that the series is the youngest-skewing late-night talk show and that Hall was "reaching a new generation."

Hall's second time as the host of a syndicated talk show launched in September and was anchored on 17 stations owned by Tribune Broadcasting -- a partner in the production of the show -- including markets in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. The series had aired in most markets starting at 11 p.m., going head-to-head with local news and off-network syndicated shows. The second half-hour of Hall's show faced stiff competition from the likes of the newly reinvigorated Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live and CBS' Late Show With David Letterman.

Despite premiering to optimistic numbers, 1.5 rating with households (and, more importantly, a 1.0 rating among adults 18-49), the ratings took a dive. The talker dropped 60 percent in the key demo within its first several months. There were bright spots along the way. A visit from prince Prince saw ratings surge 56 percent in March, tying even ABC's Jimmy Kimmel that night, but the pressure cooker of the Jimmy Fallon era late night was ultimately too much. Arsenio was further walloped in the ratings when David Letterman's April 3 announcement of his retirement drove up attention on CBS.

The Arsenio Hall Show joins fellow late-night talker The Pete Holmes Show in the canceled heap, with TBS axing the latter after two seasons. For her part, Chelsea Handler will also end her E! late-night show in August.

Freddie Mercury of Queen performs in Paris, France.

Georges De Keerle/Getty Images

Queen guitarist Brian May stopped by BBC Radio ostensibly to discuss Diableries: Stereoscopic ...es in Hell, his new book on 19th century French stereoscopic cards. But after detailing his lifelong love of the cards and their odd visions of hell, May revealed plans for a new Queen album featuring unreleased Freddie Mercury vocals from the Eighties.

Readers' Poll: 10 Greatest Queen Songs
Asked what his favorite Queen song ever recorded was, May said the answer changes every time, but "my favorite at the moment is 'Made in Heaven,' which was never a single but it's the title track off the [1995] album we made after Freddie was gone with all the pieces that were left.

"I've just been doing something very similar because we found a few more tracks with Freddie singing and all of us playing and they're quite beautiful. People will be hearing this work toward the end of the year."

May revealed the album will "probably" be called Queen Forever, with the material primarily taken from the Eighties "when we were in full flight." "It's a compilation but it will have this new material on which nobody in the world has ever heard and I think people will really enjoy it," said the guitarist. "It's the big, big epic sound. It wouldn’t have been if we hadn’t have done this restoration job. We only had scraps, but knowing how it would've happened had we finished it, I can sit there and make it happen with modern technology."

The guitarist also admitted that he has "secretly and quietly workshopped" a follow-up to We Will Rock You, the wildly successful musical based on the band's songs. "We are working on a sequel, yes," said May. "In fact, we've already very secretly and quietly workshopped, which means you stand it up and get people to sing it and act it. Everybody loved it, so we're looking for a theatre and we hope to have a sequel out there at some point. More than this, I cannot say. It's a little naughtier than the first one." We Will Rock You author Ben Elton will return for the sequel.

But before any of that, Queen will embark on a 19-date cross-country tour with Adam Lambert kicking off June 19th at Chicago's United Center and wrapping up July 20th at Washington D.C.'s Merriweather Post Pavilion. "This is the closest that you'll ever get to see Queen as it was in our golden days, but it's not a reproduction," May told Rolling Stone. "It's not an imitation. We're here live and real and we have a great singer. They'll be a lot of newness about this. I think that's very exciting. It'll be loud and dangerous and all the things that people used to look for in us."

Black Celebrities Support UNCF 35th Annual “An Evening Of Stars” Event tonight June 1st on local TV stations(Listings below).

» by Trent Clark (@ItsMeTC15) May 31 2014, 3:17pm

While most of the entertainment world murmured over the 2014 MTV Movie Awards this past weekend (and all the struggle that came along with it), the good folks over at The United Negro College Fund, BET and Centric were going the distance in brightening the future of our young leaders with their “An Evening Of Stars” 2014 event in Atlanta.

Yes, this is the same event where Jill Scott inhaled online traffic with her uncanny working of a black dress, yet there were plenty of other main attractions to that boosted the 35th annual gala. Scholarships were presented young adults–a.k.a. “Rising Stars” to either help with their advancement in college or to get them there in the first place. Among the presenters were the Big Snoop Dogg, Usher, and Trey Songz.

The pool of talent on hand was equally impressive as Songz-alleged rival, August Alsina, Isley Bros, Alice Smith, August Alsina, Marsha Ambrosius and naturally, Ms. Scott brought down the house. Funnyman turned slim funnyman Anthony Anderson also returned as master of the ceremony for the second straight year.

Although it aired up against the MTV circus, fans will get their chance to see nobility and Black excellence once again if they missed it. The show will re-air on May 31 and June 1 on BET in congruence with the local listing times.

Check your Local Listings:

http://www.uncf.org/sites...stings.htm

JoeBala said:

Steve Perry Joins Eels On Stage Again

by Ken Kelley June 1, 2014 9:48 AM

For the second time in a week, Steve Perry joined Eels onstage. This time it was at Washington, D.C.’s historic Lincoln Theatre, with Perry now sitting in on four songs. The video is embedded above.

In this latest performance, Perry is rather chatty with the crowd, introducing Eels’ track ‘It’s a Motherf—er’ by solemnly stating, “There is a song that really spoke to me. It is a song about profound loss. I recently lost someone who is the love of my life and I revisited that song. It meant even more to me.”

The overall atmosphere lightens from there, however. Perry took shared with those gathered how the perhaps unlikely collaboration between himself and Eels came to fruition:

“For years we have been friends,” Perry says, motioning to Eels leader E. “And for years, we have played croquet, we have gone to dinners, we hang out. ‘Why don’t you come out sometime and sing?’ I haven’t done it in a long time…I want to thank the Eels for getting my ass out and singing with them.”

He then covered Sam Cooke’s ‘Only Sixteen’ before moving on to the same two Journey classics as last week, ‘Open Arms’ and ‘Lovin,’ Touchin,’ Squeezin’.’

Last Sunday night, he joined the group at their show in St. Paul, MN., marking the first time in almost two decades that Perry had performed live. Afterwards, E called it “such a beautiful moment. Again, it sent chills down my spine just to be there with him in his element doing what he was made to do. And as my friend, it felt good to see him feeling so good about that.”

Current Journey vocalist Arnel Pineda went on record inviting Perry reclaim his rightful spot in the Journey lineup. “He should come back. His voice is still there..missed that voice,” Pineda said in a tweet to a fan. “He can take over too. It’s his righteous place anyway..wanna see them happy together.”

Read More: Steve Perry Joins Eels On Stage Again | http://ultimateclassicroc...ck=tsmclip

Muthafuckin' Steve Perry is on a roll isn't he???!!! His voice is flawless, even gave me chills down my spine.