Bob Dylan in Nashville on May 3rd, 1969.

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images.

By Kory Grow

July 1, 2014 3:10 PM ET

Record collector Jeff Gold recently discovered 149 acetates of in-progress versions of songs that Bob Dylan made as he was recording his 1969 LP Nashville Skyline and his two 1970 albums, Self Portrait and New Morning. The rock and folk icon used these acetate recordings, which are cut in real time and can be played on a regular turntable, to figure out what worked and what didn't work in the songs he was writing. The records previously belonged to the woman who owned the Greenwich Village building where Dylan had rented a room to use as a studio. Gold has theorized on the record collectibles website RecordMecca, where he's selling some of the acetates for thousands of dollars, that Dylan had either left them or thrown them away when he moved out of the space. The recordings document the creative period released last year on Another Self Portrait (19...es Vol. 10.

The 10 Greatest Bob Dylan Songs

Gold reported that the records, which range in size from 10-inch to 12-inch, were in excellent condition after being stored in boxes marked "Old Records" for over four decades. The man who sold the record collector the acetates had noticed the address of Columbia Records and a Dylan song title and realized they might be valuable. The sleeves contain notes written by Dylan and producer Bob Johnson, indicating which takes were good, as well as some Dylan doodles. Johnson confirmed his and Dylan's handwriting to the record collector.

When Gold, his friend Zach Cowie and Dylan collector Arie De Reus played back the records, making high-quality digital transfers of the most interesting ones, they discovered unreleased versions and different versions of songs; some had different mixes and edits and others were completely alternate takes altogether. They also found a handful of never-before-released outtakes, such as electric versions of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" and "Folsom Prison Blues" that Dylan recorded while making Self Portrait and a "gospel-tinged" take of "Tomorrow Is Such a Long Time" cut during the New Morning sessions.

The record collector notes that though Dylan once commented that he intended Self Portrait to be an album his fans "couldn't possibly like," the acetates show just how much work he put into refining the LP's songs. He also said that he had discovered 10 different sequences for that album, as well as ones for New Morning including a sequence containing only 10 songs.

Gold and his friends have provided the digital transfers they made to Dylan's office. While Columbia still owns the master tapes for the albums, he postulates that these in-progress mixes might not exist anywhere else.

So far, he has placed six of the acetates up for sale on RecordMecca. Among the recordings are a different mix of "Winterlude" and an unreleased version of "It Hurts Me, Too," which range in price between $1,750 and $2,500. The most expensive item currently up for sale is an acetate containing a different sequence of Nashville Skyline, which is going for $7,000. But, in context, those prices are low compared to the $2.045 million someone recently paid for a draft...n's lyrics to "Like a Rolling Stone."

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Graceland could be forced to remove two tourist attraction aeroplanes once owned by Elvis Presley

• Jets were both owned and used by the King during his heyday

• They have been a tourist attraction at Graceland since the mid-1980s

• Could now be removed from the grounds after owners' request
  

By Travelmail Reporter

Published: 03:58 EST, 2 July 2014 | Updated: 10:19 EST, 2 July 2014

For 30 years, tourists have paid money to get a look at two aeroplanes once owned by Elvis Presley at Graceland in Memphis. But by April of next year, the planes named Lisa Marie and Hound Dog II could be gone.

Elvis Presley Enterprises, which operates Graceland, has notified the planes' owners that they should prepare to remove the jets early next year.

The planes, owned by the OKC Partnership in Memphis, have been a tourist attraction since the mid-1980s.

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On the move?: The Lisa Marie, one of two jets once owned by late singer Elvis Presley, at Graceland

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Flying visit: The two planes are a huge tourist attraction for Elvis fans heading to Graceland

OKC Partnership and Graceland agreed to bring them to Graceland, with OKC getting a share of ticket sales at the mansion.

In a letter to OKC Partnership's KG Coker, Elvis Presley Enterprises CEO Jack Soden said the company was ending the agreement and asked Coker to remove the planes and restore the site by April 26, 2015.

The larger plane, a Convair 880 named Lisa Marie, is like a customised flying limousine, with a large bed, a stereo system, conference room and gold-plated bathroom fixtures.

It was renovated after Presley bought it from Delta Air Lines. Presley took his first flight on it in November 1975.

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Tourist attraction: The Hound Dog II plane which was once used by the King of Rock and Roll Elvis Presley

Home sweet home: Elvis poses outside Graceland in 1957

The smaller jet, a JetStar named the Hound Dog II, was also used by Presley.

Coker, 76, says OKC may sell the planes if they're removed from Graceland, but he still hopes to negotiate a deal to keep the planes there.

‘I would love to see the aeroplanes stay where they are forever,’ he said.

‘Millions of fans have toured those airplanes and there's a real connection between fans and those airplanes. Those aeroplanes are part of the Elvis experience.’

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Perfectly preserved: The seats inside the Lisa Marie jet are covered in plastic wrapping

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KG Coker, whose OKC Partnership owns two airplanes once owned and used by Elvis Presley, stands behind a model of one of the planes in his home in Memphis

Dedicated Elvis fan Paul Fivelson of Algonquin, Illinois, said he expects many fans will be upset to hear the planes may be leaving.

‘The people who come to Memphis for Elvis Week like seeing those planes there because it's just part of the whole aura of what Elvis was about,’ he said.

‘It would be kind of blasphemous to take them away, and I think there are probably a lot of fans who will feel the same way.’

The disclosure also raises questions about the future use of the site where the airplanes now sit, across the street from Presley's long-time home.

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Big draw: Thousands of Elvis fans flock to Graceland every year to see the planes

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Luxury jet: Inside the Hound Dog II plane, which could be removed from Graceland

Elvis Presley Enterprises declined to comment.

In November, New York-based Authentic Brands Group bought Elvis Presley Enterprises and the licensing and merchandising rights for Presley's music and image from CORE Media Group.

As part of the deal, Joel Weinshanker, founder of the National Entertainment Collectibles Association, acquired the operating rights to Graceland, which attracts about 500,000 visitors each year.

Earlier this year, Elvis Presley Enterprises announced plans to build a 450-room hotel, theatre and restaurant, with a projected opening date of August 2015.

Their plan was approved Tuesday by the Memphis City Council.

Today, Graceland visitors can buy a ticket that includes a tour of Presley's home-turned-museum and the interior of the two airplanes.

Bruce Springsteen's 'Born In The U.S.A.' at 30: Classic Track-By-Track Album Review

By Caryn Rose | June 04, 2014 9:28 AM EDT

Bruce Springsteen released the record that would become his biggest-selling album of all time thirty years ago on June 4, 1984. "Born In The U.S.A." would skyrocket Springsteen to global success, get misappropriated by a President, and turn his ass into an international icon. The album featured seven top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, tying Michael Jackson's record set with "Thriller" ("Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814" would later yield seven in 1989-91, as well) and went on to be certified 15-times Platinum by the RIAA.

Bruce Springsteen's 20 Bi...board Hits
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"'Born In the U.S.A.' changed my life and gave me my biggest audience," Springsteen said in his 1998 lyric anthology, "Songs." "It forced me to question the way I presented my music and made me think harder about what I was doing."

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Boss's iconic album, we're taking a track-by-track look -- and listen -- back to each of its twelve tracks.

1. "Born In The U.S.A."
The record opens with majestic synth chords, soon accompanied by Max Weinberg's snap-to-attention snare rim shot, reminiscent of (and influenced by) the Rolling Stones' "Street Fighting Man." And that voice: Springsteen snarls straight out at you: "Born down in a dead man's town / The first kick I took was when I hit the ground / You end up like a dog that's been beat too much / Till you spend half your life just covering up..." The E Street Band comes in like a bulldozer after the first chorus, turning this song into a powerhouse, one that still brings the crowd to their feet night after night no matter whether he's playing it in New Jersey, Barcelona, or Dublin.

With those lyrics, it's hard to imagine how anyone could take this song as a paean to America, but they did, and they still do. The pinnacle of misunderstanding would be reached at a 1984 campaign stop in New Jersey, where Ronald Reagan stated that "America's future rests in the message of hope, in the songs of a man that so many young Americans admire, New Jersey's own Bruce Springsteen."

Springsteen's initial response would come at a concert shortly thereafter, in the form of an introduction to a song off of "Nebraska," "Born In The U.S.A."'s bleak, acoustic predecessor: "Well, I heard that the President was mentioning my name in his speech the other day, and I got to wondering what his favorite album of mine must've been. I don't think it was the 'Nebraska' album; I don't think he's been listening to this one."

He would later specifically address the incident, telling an interviewer, "You see the Reagan reelection ads on TV -- you know, 'It's morning in America' -- and you say, well, it's not morning in Pittsburgh. It's not morning above 125th Street in New York. It's midnight, and there's a bad moon risin'. And that's why when Reagan mentioned my name in New Jersey, I felt it was another manipulation, and I had to disassociate myself from the president's kind words."

"Born In The U.S.A." would ultimately peak at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spend 17 weeks on the chart.

2. "Cover Me"
Originally written for Donna Summer, Springsteen kept "Cover Me" for himself after he recorded a demo and liked it so much he decided to hang onto it. (He would later make up for it by writing her another song, "Protection.") "She could really sing and I disliked the veiled racism of the anti-disco movement," Springsteen noted later. "Cover Me," which would peak at No. on the Billboard Hot 100 and spend 18 weeks on the chart, is a love song, an impassioned plea for his lover to stand by his side against the outside world. The track also features some fiery guitar licks revealing an underlying intensity in the otherwise straight-ahead rocker, highlighted by a compact, tasteful solo halfway through.

3. "Darlington County"
"Darlington County" manages to combine all of the Springsteen tropes: two buddies out on the town, working hard, looking for some pretty girls. In anybody else's hands, the song would feel hackneyed; in Springsteen's hands, he creates a delightful story that's still an audience favorite to this day, right down to the "sha-la-la's" on the chorus, which remain ripe for audience sing-a-longs.

4. "Working On The Highway"
Borrowing lyrics from a "Nebraska" outtake, "Working On The Highway" is a enjoyable, Elvis-tinged romp telling the story of a guy who decides to risk it all on the wrong girl. Musically, it's minimalist, backslap rhythm underscoring a slightly echoey vocal, highlighted by a handful of guitar notes here and there. Garry Tallent joins in 30 seconds later, his bass adding another rhythm line to the song.

5. "Downbound Train"
Beautiful, powerful, heartbreaking, "Downbound Train" is, hands down, the saddest song on the record. A forlorn tale of lost love and hard times, this one is summarized best by the unforgettable line, "Now I work down at the car wash / where all it ever does is rain." This is another number for the rhythm section, drum and bass, moving the lyrics along while synthesizer and acoustic guitar fill out the color and emotion of the track.

6. "I'm On Fire"
Springsteen turns crooner; this number is definitely for the ladies: "Hey little girl, is your daddy home? / Did he go and leave you all alone / I got a bad desire / ohh ohh ohh I'm on fire." The vocals smolder, and the sparse instrumentation constructed out of synthesizer, snare drum, and guitar riff (based, according to Springsteen, off of a Johnny Cash and Tennessee Three rhythm he was playing with in the studio one night) is clearly built to give Springsteen room to do just that.

The video starring Springsteen as a mechanic working on the car of a lonely rich woman of this song plays into that image, "I'm On Fire" would reach No. 6 on the Hot 100 and remain on the chart for 20 weeks.

7. "No Surrender"
"No Surrender" is an anthem of friendship and youth and never giving up, most notable for the lyric, "We learned more from a three-minute record /than we ever learned in school." It was a last-minute addition to the record, included at the urging of Steve Van Zandt even as he left the E Street Band to pursue a solo career. Van Zandt was right: "No Surrender" is a pounding, driving, rollercoaster of positivity, rainbows, blue skies and white fluffy clouds that's become a Springsteen classic.

8. "Bobby Jean"
"Bobby Jean" is a rollicking 4/4 ballad whose highlight is the plaintive sax solo from Clarence Clemons which brings the song to a close. It's deceptively powerful, the story building in momentum from verse to verse, and was absolutely written to be sung in a stadium so the entire crowd could wave their hands in the air back and forth in time. The song is believed to be written in tribute to Steve Van Zandt and his friendship with Springsteen:

"Now there ain't nobody, nowhere
nohow gonna ever understand me the way you did
Maybe you'll be out there on that
road somewhere, in some bus or train traveling along, in some motel room there'll be a radio playing and you'll hear me sing this song
Well, if you do, you'll know I'm
thinking of you and all the miles in between and
I'm just calling one last time
Not to change your mind, but just
to say I miss you baby, good luck, goodbye Bobby Jean"

The liner notes of "Born In The USA" offered the dedication: "Buon viaggo, mio fratello, Little Steven."

9. "I'm Goin' Down"
"I'm Goin' Down" is easily the most underrated song "Born In The USA" despite its chart success -- it reached No. 9 on the Hot 100. It's a prime exemplar of the kind of good-time party song that Springsteen and E Street do best, sliding easily through the verses with a deceptively sad tale of faded love despite the bouncing rhythm. And, yes, there's another golden Clarence Clemons sax solo right in the middle, and a fun, jumping end. It's another song that's still a crowd pleaser around the globe, and with good reason.

10. "Glory Days"
Another one written for a stadium-sized sing-along, "Glory Days" is a tale of lost youth and adult resignation and acceptance of where you've ended up: high school baseball stars, marriages that didn't quite work out, and sitting around talking about the good ol' times.

"I had a friend was a big baseball
player back in high school (yeah)
He could throw that speedball
by you, make you look like a fool boy
Saw him the other night at this
roadside bar, I was walking in, he was walking out
We went back inside, sat down,
had a few drinks, but all he kept talking about was
Glory days"

The video starred Springsteen as the aforementioned baseball player, and also featured his new wife, Julianne Phillips, in a walk-on role. "Glory Days" would peak at No. 5 on the Hot 100 and stay on the chart for 18 weeks.

11. "Dancing In The Dark"
There was a point at which "Born In The U.S.A." was finished, but Springsteen's manager, Jon Landau, told Bruce that he still needed a single. "Dancing In The Dark" was what he came back with. "It went as far in the direction of pop music as I wanted to go -- and probably a little farther," he later said. (That doesn't explain the Arthur Baker 12' remixes, however.) "Dancing In The Dark" was the first single, and the most popular song from the record, reaching No. 2 on the Hot 100 and spending 21 weeks on the chart.

It was helped along by its video, directed by Brian DePalma, and featuring a then-unknown Courtney Cox, pulled out of the audience by her hero to dance onstage. The video inspired hundreds of bad dance moves and hundreds of dreams of dancing onstage for Springsteen fans of both sexes.

12. "My Hometown"
This poignant ballad inspired by events in Freehold, New Jersey, Springsteen's actual hometown, tied back into the themes introduced by the title track -- events that impact a community, such as factory closures and racial incidents -- but with the reminder that no matter what, this was still your hometown, and you should stand by it. "My Hometown" would go to No. 6 on the Hot 100 and remain on the chart for 15 weeks.

[Edited 7/2/14 10:32am]

Bono's daughter Actress Eve Hewson stuns in period costume during wedding scene on set of drama The Knick in snowy New York

By Fay Strang

Published: 13 April 2014

She first made her mark in the movie industry in 2011 starring alongside Sean Penn in This Must Be The Place.

And it seems Bono’s daughter Eve Hewson is here to stay, as she was spotted on the set of period drama The Knick on Thursday.

The 22-year-old was seen in costume on the snowy streets of New York as a wedding scene, featuring Juliet Rylance, unfolded.

Irish beauty: Eve Hewson was seen on the set of The Knick in New York on Thursday

The Irish beauty, whose mother is activist Ali Hewson, looked just the part in her fitted overcoat and a hat perched above her curls.

Eve plays a young, naïve nurse from the South called Lucy who comes to New York for an adventure.

The 10-part Cinemax mini series also stars Clive Owen and is based in and around New York's Knickerbocker Hospital in 1900.

Wedding bells: Juliet Rylance's character was seen getting married in scenes filmed on the same day

Steven Soderbergh has been tasked with directing all 10 episodes of the show's first season.

In a synopsis of the show the cable network said that it would focus on 'the ground-breaking surgeons, nurses and staff, who push the bounds of medicine in a time of astonishingly high mortality rates and zero antibiotics.'

It also stars Andre Holland as a talented surgeon battling race barriers in turn-of-the-century America.

Horsing around: The 22-year-old wore a green fitted coat as she stood in the snow beside a horse

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Making her mark: Mini-series The Knick is Eve's second biggest role other than starring with Sean Penn This Must Be The Place

Nurse: Eve plays a young, naïve nurse from the South called Lucy who comes to New York for an adventure

UK-born actress Juliet will play Cornelia, one of the key figures in charge of bringing the decaying hospital back to life.

In images taken on Thursday Juliet is seen in full wedding attire surrounded by well-wishers, despite the heavy snow underfoot.

Clive, who is also is an executive producer of the Cinemax series, has been seen filming in the American city on numerous occasions.

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Eve made her acting début in 2005 alongside her sister Jordan in Erica Dunton's short film Lost and Found, despite her parents expressing their wish for her not to get into the industry.

In 2010 she appeared in the music video and accompanying short film for Irish band The Script's song For the First Time.

Famous father: U2 front man Bono, with wife Ali (L) and daughters Eve and Jordan (far right)

With Gandolfini In Enough Said

[Edited 7/3/14 17:19pm]

Lady Gaga Duets With Tony Bennett; Elvis Costello Performs at Montreal Jazz Festival (Video)

By Mitch Myers, The Hollywood Reporter | July 03, 2014 10:17 AM EDT

A milestone 35th-anniversary edition, which runs through July 6, brings out big names and surprises.

For those attending the 35th edition of the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal, which runs from June 26 through July 6, it’s been a nonstop party.

Pulling out all the stops for its milestone birthday, this massive musical gathering showcases a wide range of programming with free outdoor concerts as well as ticketed indoor performances. Presenting some 800 shows spanning genres from pop and rock to blues, hip-hop, electronic and world music, as well as a surplus of jazz, the festival's aim — to have something for everyone — has been achieved in the busting, beautifully renovated downtown Montreal hub.

While all this comes under the banner of jazz, the Montreal festival is populist in its appeal and expecting two million attendees over 11 days. Starting things off with a “pre-opening” show featuring Beck, the festival has been trotting out heritage artists like Earth Wind & Fire, singers Tony Bennett (joined by Lady Gaga for a surprise duet), Cassandra Wilson, Dianne Reeves, Bobby McFerrin, hometown favorite Michael Buble (performing July 4 and 5) and solo concerts from pianists Keith Jarrett and Brad Mehldau.

The biggest events have been part of the free outdoor Les Performances series. French artist Woodkid put on a visually mesmerizing performance for the Opening Event, and Sunday night’s Grand Event featured Canadian sweetheart Diana Krall playing her first free concert in Montreal — in front of 100,000 people. Supported by a quintet that included guitarist Marc Ribot, Krall was boosted by a “surprise” appearance from husband Elvis Costello, who’d been playing his own solo concert earlier that evening. Costello accompanied Krall’s encore, which included The Band’s “Ophelia” and Bob Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues.”

Another unexpected appearance came during Bennett’s Sunday night performance at the Wilfrid-Pelletier venue: one Lady Gaga, reportedly wearing a wedding dress. (The two have a forthcoming duet album, "Cheek to Cheek.") Gaga performed a solo version of “Lush Life,” which had the 87-year-old Bennett gushing that she is “one of the best jazz singers I ever heard.” They sang “But Beautiful” together and then Bennett serenaded Gaga with “Sophisticated Lady” and dedicated his version of “The Good Life” to her as well.

Other respected elders The Heath Brothers, singer Sheila Jordan and the Fred Hersch Trio played gigs at the cozy Upstairs jazz venue, while contemporary vocalists like Trixie Whitley, Beth Hart and Jose James played sets at the Club Soda cabaret. Ms. Whitley, daughter of the late Chris Whitley, strangely confessed to being newly pregnant while onstage, and played another show supporting Quebec legend musician Daniel Lanois.

Jarrett’s Saturday concert at the Maison Symphonique was highly anticipated, as the esteemed pianist hadn’t played a solo show in Montreal for 25 years and the event was to be recorded. His performance was completely improvised and quite compelling, providing the audience with three encores. Pianist Mehldau played the same venue in the same solo fashion a few nights later, with equally ecstatic results. Mehldau also appeared at the Gesu theater in a piano duet with featured musician Tigran.

Modern soul man Cody ChesnuTT brought his band to Club Soda for a funky late-night set, while reggae mainstay Burning Spear appeared at the Metropolis nightclub along with the supreme Jamaican rhythm team Sly & Robbie. Trombone Shorty returned to rock Montreal for the third year in a row — the New Orleans star is clearly becoming a festival favorite.

Drummers also led the way with performances from the Jack DeJohnette Trio featuring bassist Matt Garrison and saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, the Jeff Ballard Trio featuring guitarist Lionel Loueke and saxophonist Miguel Zenon, and Ginger Baker’s Jazz Confusion featuring Pee Wee Ellis. The aging Mr. Baker led his quartet through some jazz standards and also displayed his love for the music of Lagos and Nigeria. Baker’s interludes with African percussionist Abass Dodoo were faintly reminiscent of his playing with Fela Kuti’s band so long ago.

Hardcore jazz fans were treated to saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa and his Gamak project, fusing Indian classical music with jazz fusion and showcasing drummer Dan Weiss. The Children of Light featuring pianist Danilo Perez, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade dazzled the crowd at the Jean-Duceppe auditorium, and young trumpet sensation Ambrose Akinmusire hosted three nights at the Gesu for his portion of the Invitation Series.

Akinmusire played with his own quintet and hosted duets with both Tigran and veteran guitarist Bill Frisell, calling his show with the latter a “life-changing event.” It would seem like Montreal has more life-changing events planned through Sunday, with the likes of Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Joe Lovano, hip-hop supergroup Deltron 3030, Andrew Bird and many others.

'Smooth' at 15: Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas Reflect on Their Billboard Hot 100 Smash

By Leila Cobo | June 27, 2014 2:10 PM EDT

Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas on the music video set of "Smooth" in 1999.

Courtesy of Santana/Jensen Communications

Back in 1971, guitarist Carlos Santana hit No. 4 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart with “Black Magic Woman.” It would take him nearly three decades to make the top 10 again, but what a comeback it was. “Smooth,” featuring Matchbox Twenty's Rob Thomas on vocals, topped the chart for a stunning 12 weeks and stayed 58 total weeks on the list, making it the No. 2 Hot 100 song of all time. "Smooth" also went on to win three Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.

“Smooth,” released as a single on June 29, 1999, was a magical song. Penned by Itaal Shur and Thomas, it was the first single from ‘Supernatural,’ Santana’s groundbreaking duets album, which also featured collaborations with the likes of Lauryn Hill, Dave Mathews and Eric Clapton. ‘Supernatural’ hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and eventually sold 11.8 million copies in the U.S. alone. according to Nielsen SoundScan.

“’Smooth’ was the last song for 'Supernatural,’ Santana remembers. “I’m very grateful to Clive Davis, Itaal Shur and of course Rob Thomas. All three were supremely successful in bringing this masterpiece that makes women very happy. It makes women go bananas. Every woman claims she is the ‘Spanish Harlem Monalisa’ and rightly so.”

“I look at the whole moment like it was a giant parade -- the ‘Supernatural’ parade -- and 'Smooth' got to be the first float,” recalls Rob Thomas. “Carlos and I have always been kind of precious with what we did with that moment.

Below, Santana and Thomas tell us how the magic came to be, in their own words:

Rob Thomas: I’d just gotten off the road from our first record [with Matchbox Twenty] and was back home in New York. I got a call from our publisher, Evan Lamberg. He said “Itaal Shur lives around the corner, and he’s working on a track for Carlos Santana and we want you to come in and help with some lyrics that work.” It was just dumb luck. The record had already been completed and I knew Dave Matthews had a track, and Lauryn Hill, and I felt this is nice, but maybe this will be the pop song. And when [the press] started writing about the record -- obviously because there were such huge heavy hitters in it --my name never popped up. And I thought, well, at least I got a chance to work with Carlos Santana one of my musical idols.

Carlos Santana: When they sent me the demo, it felt a little like in an embryonic state. I couldn’t tell if it was a boy or a girl singing. By that time, I was getting antsy pantsy -- but it was the last song, we had the album ready and Clive said, “Please be patient. We need a song like this and I think it’s going to surprise everyone.” Clive was always very gentle with his presentation to me, very gracious.

Thomas: I was really aware of the fact that this was something I was writing for Carlos. There’s really few people like that, like Santana and Eric Clapton, where the singer is really secondary to the music. When I got the phrase “Smooth,” it was kind of a double meaning, because it was the girl in the song, but it was also about Carlos. That popped out. I remember my wife [Marisol, who is half Puerto Rican, half Spanish] was out somewhere walking around the city and I had gotten the first verse and chorus and I played it for her, and I said, “I’m not sure about this.” She said, “this is going to be huge.”

When I met Carlos, the first thing he said was, “Hey you must be married to a Latin woman.” Because of the lyrics. He said, “That's the kind of thing a white guy married to a Latin woman would tell her. “

The original plan was I was going to be a writer for it. I thought George Michael should sing it. But I guess they liked my voice in the demo. I don't think Carlos even knew who sang in it.

Santana: I said, “we need to record it live because right now, I don't believe it. I’m gonna play the song the rest of my life and I have to feel that it’s 150% of 100%.” And Clive pushed the button, we got Matt Serletic [who had done the Matchbox 20 album] to produce and we all decided to do it live. And that’s when the energy [kicked in]. As soon as I heard it, even when I was in the middle of the song, I was like, man, this song is big. I didn't know it was going to be that big, but I knew it was big.

Thomas: I flew out to San Francisco and we recorded it together. What’s kind of amazing is the band … felt it out and what you hear there is three takes. That's a big testament to Matt Serletic and the vision he had when heard the track. He didn't want it sound like a dance track. He wanted it to be danceable, but in the context [of Santana and the album]. And Carlos has a signature guitar sound. And then maybe just the excitement. For me, I was in the studio with Carlos Santana, and we’re in the studio playing together. It was an exciting time and that excitement comes through.

Santana: I didn't want [the guitar part] to have brain or mind or energy. I wanted it to be with innocence. Innocence to me is very sacred and very sensual. People should never lose their innocence. So I didn't practice, purposefully. As soon as I found out where my fingers go on the neck, you close your eyes and you complement Rob. Kind of like a minister: He says Hallelujah, and you say your name. As a guitar player, when I’m next to Rob Thomas or Rod Stewart, my role is to be present with love and not step on his vocals.

Everything I’ve ever done with Placido Domingo or Rob Thomas --and I mean that in a very soulful way --I know my place. Not like a maître d or a servant, but I am part and parcel of a complete voice. I’m not anybody’s shadow nor am I not going to disrupt their light. But I am part of their whole song. I learned that from my dad and from BB King. Never compare or compete. That’s ok for soccer or for World Cup. But music is just complementing.

Thomas: I didn’t even know it was going to be a single until one day I was walking in Soho and there was a convertible stopped at the light and these girls were blaring it. And I called Evan.

Santana: When you make it memorable, you hang around with eternity. Eternity doesn't recognize seconds, and minutes and hours and days. There’s two different energies. Bob Marley, Michael Jackson; they’re memorable. And I don’t mean it to sound [conceited], but I say it from my heart. I’m going to be here. I’m going to stay. It’s not just music for Americans or Mexicans; It’s for humans, period. 20 years from now you’re going to say, turn this song up.

Thomas: I’ve been really fortunate over the last 20 years. It’s kind of amazing if you get to be part of something so big; it’s outside of mine or Carlos’ control. It has its own world and its own entity. After 20 years and many singles in the radio, when people say, “Hey I love that song,” I know what song they’re talking about.

I do a version of it solo that's almost devoid of any guitar, because I don't want to try to recreate Carlos’ magic. But whenever we get together, he’ll get on stage. And there’s not one birthday or anniversary that I don't get a giant bouquet of white roses from Carlos. White, which means friendship

Ringo Starr Looks Back On 'A Hard Day's Night': 'It Was Mad, But It Was Incredible'

By Gary Graff, Detroit | July 03, 2014 10:45 AM EDT

Lobby Card for A Hard Day's Night

GAB Archive/Redferns

"Four guys from Liverpool making a movie -- it was so great," says the Beatles of the 50th anniversary of the film.

Ariana Savalas: The Lady Sings The Jazz

Born the youngest daughter of legendary Oscar nominated and Emmy Award winner Telly Savalas, Ariana continues her dad’s legacy of mutual love between artist and audience. She has captivated sold out audiences across the country headlining in some of the nation’s poshest clubs like Herb Alpert’s Vibrato in Beverly Hills, Feinstein’s, the Friar's Club, and Birdland in New York, as well as Palm Beach’s Royal Room. Most recently, she performed for Tiffany & Co's annual gala in Palm Beach, FL.

This seductive chanteuse captivates her listeners with her signature smooth as silk vocals, a quick wit, and a delightfully naughty sense of humor that would make Mae West proud. But adding to this young singer’s successes is her dynamic songwriting talent. Audiences enjoy a potpourri of music in her live shows ranging from timeless classics of the jazz era infused with Ariana's own original compositions, occasionally accompanying herself at piano and even ukulele. Her ability to marry the old with the new results in a timeless show that is enjoyed by audiences ranging anywhere from nineteen to ninety and beyond.

Ariana chose to record her debut album, “Sophisticated Lady”, live with her band in Chicago. The result is an authentic, excitingly intimate sound that highlights her fluidity between music of jazz greats like David Frishberg and Duke Ellington and her own creations of poppy jazz confections. "I wanted whoever was listening to my record to feel like I was sitting with them in their living room, sipping a martini and whispering these stories to them," says Ariana, "and maybe if all goes well, we'll move things into the bedroom..."

Interview by Michael Limnios

We Lost Him On This Day in 1973...

Born on December 8, 1943, in Melbourne, Florida, Jim Morrison was an American rock singer and songwriter. He studied film at UCLA, where he met the members of what would become the Doors. Known for his drinking and drug use and outrageous stage behavior, in 1971 Morrison left the Doors to write poetry and moved to Paris, where he died of heart failure.

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BATMAN - THE COMPLETE TELEVISION SERIES Gets A Stunning Blu-Ray Trailer

Published July 03, 2014 by Evan Saathoff

Wow. This newly remastered version of the '60s Batman show looks amazing. I haven't purchased a DVD in a very long time, but I think I might have to dig in and buy this one.

Batman - The Complete Television Series will hit DVD, Blu-ray, and digital download (maybe that's what I'll do, actually) this November. Hey! That's right before Christmas!

Think of the millions of children who will get this from their grandmothers! They might be a little sore at first, but the more they watch it, the more they will fall in love!

We don't know what special features this set will offer.

Apparently, more about that will be revealed at this summer's SDCC. There's going to be a Warner Bros. Home Entertainment panel in Hall H. with Adam West, Burt Ward, and Julie Newmar in attendance. That is going to be cool.

But even without special features, look how beautiful this looks! Man, I can't wait.

Happy Independence Day!

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The Doors

Jordan Sparks and Sara Evans

Chris Cornell, Matt Cameron and Jimmy Page in Hyde Park

Joss Stone at Beiteddine Festival on the 2nd of July 2014

More Pics here: http://glamroz.com/joss-s...-festival/

July 6, 2014 2:27 PM

The Essence Music Festival turned into a funk royalty jam on Friday night when Prince and Nile Rodgers teamed up to cover David Bowie. Before taking the stage for his own 24-song headlining set, Prince made an appearance at Rodgers' show and the two busted out a cover of Bowie's 1983 hit "Let's Dance," from the Rodgers-produced album of the same name.

Prince has made no secret of his admiration for Rodgers, and he interviewed the disco legend for the June issue of Essence magazine. Rodgers talked about how his work producing Bowie's album helped him bounce back from the infamous Disco Demolition Night. He echoed that sentiment on Facebook Saturday in the caption of a photo he posted of himself onstage with Prince. "How Proud Am I at This Moment?" he wrote. "Playing 'Let's Dance' w Prince is so symbolic. That album w Bowie changed my life after Disco Sucks." He also posted the same photo on Twitter:

Rodgers just dropped his first solo track in quite some time. He recorded "Do What You Wanna Do" in Ibiza last summer, and the song was released by Cr2 Records at the beginning of the month to celebrate the label's 10th anniversary.

Prince, meanwhile, just celebrated the 30th anniversary of Purple Rain with a surprise concert for his ...nia Kotero. He's also got a new album completed that he hopes to release soon.

Nile RodgersVerified account ‏@nilerodgers

I'm still reliving last night's show: #nilerodgers @3RDEYEGIRL http://on.fb.me/1j5E6rK pic.twitter.com/QL28rA8cXP

Essence Festival 2014 Day 2 Highlights: Prince, Janelle Monae, Nile Rodgers & More

By Andrew Hampp | July 05, 2014 11:29 AM EDT

Prince performs during the 2014 Essence Music Festival on July 4, 2014 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Josh Brasted/Getty Images

Essence Festival 2014 Day 3 Highlights: Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott, Marsha Ambrosius & More

By Andrew Hampp | July 06, 2014 11:19 AM EDT

Mary J. Blige performs at the 2014 Essence Music Festival on July 5, 2014 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Josh Brasted/Getty Images

[Edited 7/6/14 19:57pm]

Alicia Keys Empowers Black Women To End AIDS At 20th Annual Essence Festival

Prince may have been the headliner for this year's Essence Music Festival but it was Alicia Keys who stole the show during her appearance on one of the festival's panel discussions.

The Grammy-award winning singer joined MSNBC's Melissa Harris-Perry and took the opportunity to address the issue of AIDS among African-American women.

According to The Grio, Keys participated in a special Essence Empowerment Experience panel on Friday, July 4th called "Through Love of Self, Family and Community, Empowering Black Women to End AIDS."

During the hour long discussion, Keys spoke with various women whose lives have been impacted by the virus, including a young professional who found out she was positive when her new husband became sick and died as a result of HIV/AIDS, and a mother who has dedicated her life to helping her HIV positive son maintain his treatment and thrive despite the disease.

Keys has been a long time supporter of HIV/AIDS awareness and has often used her celebrity to draw attention to the epidemic.

"It doesn't matter if you're positive, if you're negative, whatever the case, you're at risk, your children are at risk," Keys told ABC back in 2013. "We have to talk about it, and we have to be able to dialogue [about] it again. ... I think we've gotten a bit complacent, just feeling like it's not something that will happen to us."

Keys currently runs an organization, Keep a Child Alive, in the towns and villages of Africa.

by The Tennessean, WBIR

Posted on July 5, 2014 at 3:30 PM

Updated yesterday at 5:15 PM

On this day, 60 years ago — July 5, 1954 — Scotty Moore and a few of his friends changed your life and shaded almost everything you know.

Moore did this with two hands, six strings and a crafted wooden plank called a Gibson ES-295. He did this with an emphatic upright bass player named Bill Black; a singing, swiveling teenager named Elvis Presley; and a producer named Sam Phillips who disdained familiarity. He did this at 706 Union Ave. in Memphis. That's where your life changed, all those years ago.

Moore is 82 now and lives in Nashville. He was 22 then, and he worked as a hatter at Memphis' University Park Cleaners. He didn't want to make hats for the rest of his life.

Black didn't want to work at the Firestone Tire and Rubber Plant for the rest of his life. Presley could see some future for himself at Crown Electric, but mostly he wanted to sing. Phillips was in his 30s and was having success producing blues, R&B and country, but he sought something more: "I was looking for that damn row that hadn't been plowed," Phillips told biographer Peter Guralnick.

Presley had been at Moore's house on Independence Day of 1954, running through songs — nothing special, mostly slow ballads — with Moore and Black at Phillips' suggestion. After that uneventful rehearsal, Moore called Phillips and told him the boy had a good voice. Phillips then called for an "audition" the following evening at Sun Records, 706 Union.

The men and the boy gathered at Sun on Monday, July 5, at 7 p.m. The evening began in self-conscious discomfort as Presley stumbled through versions of pop and country songs.

Moore and Black were good enough musicians to replicate famous recordings, but Presley was raw and green and nervous.

Phillips wasn't interested in replication. The room filled with frustration, with failure in sight. This wasn't working. It was getting late, and early morning would mean hats and tires to make, and a Crown Electric truck to drive. The men took a break, and Presley started fooling around and banging on his guitar. If he was going to blow his big audition, he might as well act like it was no big deal.

That night, in staunchly segregated Memphis, Presley started goofing on an old blues song, "That's All Right, Mama," by Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup. Black jumped up and grabbed his bass, and Moore started playing some speedy guitar fills.

"Fast music was what I liked," Moore wrote in his memoir, "Scotty & Elvis: Aboard the Mystery Train." "For years I had been making up guitar licks for uptempo music. ... It wasn't until Elvis was flailing away at his guitar that I suddenly knew where those licks belonged."

Turns out, those licks belonged everywhere. Phillips rushed to turn the microphones back on and captured the sound of the world's shifting axis.

"Man, that's good," Moore recalls Phillips saying. "It's different. What is it?"

That night, nobody knew the answer. Now, everyone knows. "That's All Right" (as Phillips would title Presley's version) was probably not the first rock 'n' roll song, but it was the beginning of the rock 'n' roll revolution and the beginning of Presley's rise to popular ubiquity.

When Moore added his electric guitar licks to those teenage guitar strums and Black's bass slaps, he created Elvis Presley music. In so doing, he created The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Woodstock and U2. He created a subculture that soon became the mainstream and that altered everything from civil rights and politics to the ways in which we look, dress, communicate, buy and sell.

The revolution was not televised or even photographed. But Phillips met two nights later with Memphis disc jockey Dewey Phillips (no blood relation), and by Thursday, Dewey was playing "That's All Right" on the radio and interviewing Elvis Presley. On air, he asked Elvis what high school he attended. Presley said "Humes," which tipped listeners that he was white.

Every significant American cultural, social and musical movement of the past 60 years is colored by the sound those men and that boy created on July 5, 1954, and Moore is the only living member of that hallowed crew.

"He is the 'Big Bang,' and the universe he detonated is still expanding, the pieces are still flying," wrote Greil Marcus about Elvis, and, thus, about Scotty Moore.

Moore didn't make hats for the rest of his life. He became Presley's first manager and toured and recorded with him for the first three years of his career.

In 1964, he moved to Nashville and released an album of instrumentals rightly called "The Guitar That Changed the World." He has been here for the past half-century, working most of that time as a recording engineer, session musician, recording artist and tape duplication shop owner. He rarely does interviews these days, which is OK because he told his side of the story in full in the pages of "Scotty & Elvis."

Whatever you're doing today, Scotty Moore is a part of it. Curse him, bless him or thank him, but consider him. He invented what you now think of as rock 'n' roll guitar. Sixty years ago, he changed your life.

Reach Peter Cooper at 615-259-8220 and on Twitter@TnMusicNews.

Special events will mark first Presley recording

A variety of special events will celebrate the 60th anniversary of Elvis Presley's first rock 'n' roll recording in Memphis.

Sun Studio will hold an event today that will include a cake-cutting and an exhibit tied to the recording's anniversary. On the same day, musicians will play Presley songs at a concert at the Levitt Shell, the site of his first professional performance.

Visitors to Graceland, Presley's longtime home, can see an exhibit showcasing Presley's impact on music and popular culture.

Lifetime Launching Talk Show With Amanda de Cadenet

The British TV personality, who toplined the network's 2012 series "The Conversation," gets an eight-episode order for this summer.

Norman Jean Roy/Lifetime

Amanda De Cadenet

Who doesn't want to be in the talk-show game? Lifetime is the latest network to make moves in the arena with an order for the live talker Undone With @AmandadeCadenet.

The weekly series, hosted by British TV personality Amanda de Cadenet, has received an eight-episode order set to begin July 24. It's not technically late-night, airing at 10:30 p.m., but it marks yet another development in the busy arena of talk. And it also will tape live, with de Cadenet exploring hot topics, pop culture and interviews with celebrities or newsmakers.

“I am extremely excited to rejoin forces with Lifetime to make Undone With @AmandadeCadenet, a new and innovative live primetime talk show," said de Cadenet. "Lifetime proves once again that it really does listen to its audience and has paid attention to the demand that there be another female voice in the talk space."

Perhaps best known in the U.K., this is not de Cadenet's first effort on Lifetime. She had her own interview series, The Conversation, which focused on long sit-down interviews with such luminaries as Jane Fonda, Lady Gaga and Gwyneth Paltrow.

A weekly talker, rather than a nightly show, is not uncommon as a starting ground for a cable network. FX employed a similar strategy with Russell Brand in 2012, and HBO recently had John Oliver join Bill Maher on its roster of weekly talk series. Andy Cohen's Bravo series, Watch What Happens Live, started out as a weekly when it debuted in 2009.

Undone will tape in Los Angeles and is executive produced by de Cadenet and Embassy Row’s Michael Davies (The Talking Dead, Watch What Happens Live) as well as Eli Lehrer, Mary Donahue and David Hillman of Lifetime.

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Actress Emma Watson Named U.N. Goodwill Ambassador

Emma Watson Paul Hackett—Reuters

Hermione would approve

British actress Emma Watson is the new Goodwill Ambassador for the U.N.’s gender-equality arm, U.N. Women, the organization announced Monday.

The Harry Potter alumna and recent graduate of Brown University is the first ambassador appointed under the leadership of Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the Under Secretary-General and executive director of U.N. Women.

“Women’s rights are something so inextricably linked with who I am, so deeply personal and rooted in my life that I can’t imagine an opportunity more exciting,” Watson, who will work on the organization’s women’s-empowerment campaign, HeForShe, said in a statement.

Mlambo-Ngcuka said Watson’s “intellect and passion” as well as her experience promoting girls’ education in countries such as Bangladesh and Zambia will help the organization spread its messages around the world.

“I still have so much to learn, but as I progress I hope to bring more of my individual knowledge, experience and awareness to this role,” Watson said.

Trending News

Jack White Announces Two New Dead Weather Singles, 'Buzzkill(er)' And 'It's Just Too Bad' [LISTEN]

The Dead Weather(Photo : Twitter: @thirdmanrecords)

Amid the whirlwind of his new solo album and upcoming world tour, Jack White hasn’t forgotten about his project with The Dead Weather. As previously reported, The Dead Weather are releasing a series of two-song singles leading up to a 2015 album release.

The first installment was released in January with "Open Up (That's Enough)" and "Rough Detective." Now White has announced the next release, a track titled "Buzzkill(er)" and "It's Just Too Bad."

The new 7-inch will be available first through Third Man Records' Vault Subscription series before later being released digitally.

In a statement, Third Man explained that the series is "unlike anything else the band has ever done and are both ample reminders of the ferocity of this motley collection of low-lifes, grifters and ne'er-do-wells. These songs are not throw-aways. These songs are not demos. These songs are not outtakes."

The band will continue to release songs in sets of two until 2015 at which time they will release a full-length album containing the previously released singles as well as "many more album-only tracks."

You can stream a preview of "Buzzkill(er)" below.

https://soundcloud.com/th...package-21

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https://soundcloud.com/th...package-21

The 21st Vault Package also includes a new vinyl live album called Live Under The Lights Of the Rising Sun, which features two recordings of The White Stripes' first trip to Japan in October 2000. You can preview "Hello Operator" from the LP below.

The subscription deadline for Vault No. 21 is July 31. Sign up for it here.

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Paul McCartney, Johnny Depp: Beatle Jams With Actor In ‘Early Days’ Video, Discusses Growing Up With John Lennon

Back from his recent illness, it looks as if Paul McCartney is ready to return to music!

The legendary Beatle released his newest album New just last year, and now, he's dropped the video for one of the album's highlights, "Early Days," featuring another familiar face –– Academy Award Nominee Johnny Depp.

McCartney recently told Rolling Stone that "Early Days" is a memory song about he and John Lennon growing up in the days of their youth. The video, which was directed by Vincent Haycock, was originally something the "Yesterday" crooner never planned to do. "When I've got a song, I don't think about the video. I'm sure some people do, but I don't. I just think about the song, first writing it, then recording it."

However, when Haycock sent over the treatment for the video, McCartney was hooked. "Instead of having young lookalikes of me and John walking in the streets of Liverpool, guitars slung over our backs, and literally acting out the song, what if it was any two aspiring musicians? I thought that was such a cool idea."

Depp's appearance in the video, which sits as his third in a Paul McCartney vid, is getting to be a "running gag," as the Beatle puts it. "I happened to ring Johnny Depp. I said, 'Come along and we'll sit around and jam with these blues guys.'"

"I knew it was an offer he couldn't refuse," the singer continued, calling Captain Jack Sparrow the Alfred Hitchcock of his videos. "And he's good!"

Depp previously appeared in 2012's "My Valentine" and 2013's "Queenie Eye."

Watch the video for "Early Days" at Rolling Stone.

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July 7, 2014 10:00 AM

"Early Days" is one of the highlights of Paul McCartney's most recent album, 2013's New, but its music video — which you can watch exclusively here — might never have happened if it was left up to McCartney. "When I've got a song, I don't think about the video," the singer says. "I'm sure some people do, but I don’t. I just think about the song, first writing it, then recording it."

Behind Beatlemania: Intimate Photos of Paul McCartney

Earlier this year, though, director Vincent Haycock sent over a video treatment for "Early Days" that caught his eye. "It's a memory song for me, about me and John in the early days," McCartney says. "But Vince came up with this great idea: Instead of having young lookalikes of me and John walking the streets of Liverpool, guitars slung over our backs, and literally acting out the song, what if it was any two aspiring musicians? I thought that was such a cool idea."

Haycock spent a month scouting locations in Natchez, Mississipi, and Faraday, Louisiana, and casting local actors for the video's main storyline, set in the American South in the 1950s. He also traveled to Los Angeles to film a jam session between McCartney and some special guests. "I happened to ring Johnny Depp," McCartney says. "I said, 'Come along and we'll sit around and jam with these blues guys.' He said, 'Yeah, OK, count me in, man.' I knew it was an offer he couldn't refuse." (Other musicians at the session included Roy Gaines, Al Williams, Dale Atkins, Henree Harris, Motown Maurice, Lil Poochie and Misha Lindes; see an exclusive photo from the video shoot below.)

Paul McCartney at Early Days music video shoot in Los Angeles, California.

MJ KIM/MPL Communications

"Early Days" marks the third McCartney video Depp has appeared in, after 2012's "My Valentine" and 2013's "Queenie Eye." "It's getting to be a running gag," McCartney says. "He's like the Alfred Hitchcock of my videos. And he's good! He used to be a musician before he was an actor, you know. One of his old bandmates actually organized getting me that cigar-box guitar that I played with Dave Grohl on 'Cut Me Some Slack,' that we ended up getting a Grammy for. So I knew he could play."

Music and acting, McCartney notes, often go hand in hand. "They're similar gigs, really. Ringo used to know Peter Sellers very well, and Peter wanted to be a drummer – that was his secret closet ambition. You run into a lot of guys who play who are actors. There a bunch you can think of. Bruce Willis does it. Then there are people who do both, like Jared Leto."

As for himself, the former Beatle disavows any interest in taking up acting. "No, I don't think it's my thing," he says. "I get self-conscious in front of a movie camera. Off-camera, I can impersonate, I can do this and that, and I'll think, 'I could be such a great actor.' Then they say 'Action!' and turn the camera on, and I go uh-uh-uh-uh-uh…I just don't think I'm a natural.

"But you know what?" he adds with a laugh. "I've got enough to do."

Katie Holmes Poses Topless for Glamour, Talks About Dating and Parenting After Divorcing Tom Cruise

by Zach Johnson 7/8/14 6:52 AM PDT

Tom Munro

Who knew Katie Holmes had it in her?

The actress, who typically wears modest clothing on the red carpet and in her everyday life, poses topless for Glamour's August 2014 issue. Striking a seductive pose while wearing belted denim pants, the 35-year-old Giver actress tells the magazine, "I have a tightly edited closet. I like what I like. And I repeat a lot. But I'm always comfortable in jeans—I feel like I can really do anything when I'm in them."

In the cover story, Holmes also opens up about the idea of dating after divorcing Tom Cruise two years ago. "I am really focused on motherhood and work right now," the single star insists. "Motherhood is the greatest gift," Suri Cruise's mom continues. "When I became a mother, my life completely changed."

What's been the biggest change? "I've seen Frozen a lot," she says of watching the animated Disney musical. "But the biggest change? I think you don't know—I didn't know how much love I had in me. It's overwhelming. Every day I discover more about this spectacular human being I get to be the mother of."

VIDEO: Katie Holmes talks about embracing her inner badass

Tom Munro

Holmes takes pride in being a hands-on mom. "Plain pasta with butter is a hit," she says. "Chocolate-chip pancakes are a hit—together with chocolate-chip cookies. I do a homemade chicken finger. That's a hit."

The movie star cherishes such moments of normality with her 8-year-old daughter. "My family has been so crucial to my outlook on life. I started acting at 17 and had success at an early age, where all of a sudden people knew who I was," the Dawson's Creek veteran explains. "But my parents always treated me the exact same way at home and reminded me of gratitude. And that's been a grounding force."

NEWS: Katie Holmes opens up about life as a single mom in New York City

Tom Munro

Holmes next appears in The Giver, which was adapted from the popular young adult novel. "I loved the Lois Lowry book," she shares. "There's this community that has decided to create a life that has no pain but also has no real joy. The director, Phil Noyce, created a society that's so 'ideal'—it's pretty sci-fi."

Though she didn't read Lowry's novel during her youth, Holmes says it's "a really important read." She adds that her favorite authors growing up were Maya Angelou, Somerset Maugham and J.D. Salinger.

Bringing a modern literary classic to life on the big screen was a thrill for Holmes, particularly because of the A-list cast. "Being in a movie with Meryl Streep was a huge dream come true. When the cameras rolled, she was spot-on and such a pro," she tells Glamour . "It was just a thrill to walk on set with her."

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Kristen Stewart Chops Off Her Hair—See the Pic!

by Zach Johnson Today 4:56 AM PDT

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

Like Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Watson before her, Kristen Stewart is a shear beauty!

The 24-year-old Clouds of Sils Maria actress lopped off her locks and debuted her much shorter hairstyle Tuesday during Paris Fashion Week at Chanel's Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2014-2015 runway show. Stewart is apparently growing out her roots after dyeing her hair orange for the movie American Ultra.

No word yet what inspired Stewart's shorn style—but the cut certainly flatters her face!

Stewart's ads for Chanel's Métiers d'Art Collection...4 campaign debuted in May. In a Q&A with Grazia, the actress praised Karl Lagerfeld, the label's head designer and creative director. "The only intimidating thing about him really is that scary unapproachable façade, which is something people project onto him, I think," she said. "Because when you meet him or you have the opportunity to watch him work, or in my case 'work with him,' he is so awesome. And you can really reap the benefits of being around someone who knows so much and is so creative and driven and excited."

Stewart, who has attended several Chanel events, tries to experience each show "with all of my senses."

"It's about the music, the feeling in the room," she said. "Everything about a show is supposed to evoke a feeling and not all of them do. Sometimes it's just about the clothes, and when you see a show that tells a story and has a setting and it has a context, it's like watching a film. And so to be around that energy, that's what I look for in my job...When you go to a good show, it's like you are watching history.

It's like you are watching something that is like lightning a bottle—you know they hit something," she added. "I've been to two of the shows and each time it was a full experience. It wasn't about the clothes or picking out what dresses you liked—it's about watching it as a whole, watching the story unfold."

'Welcome to Sweden': TV Review

Benjamin Thuresson/NBC

"Welcome to Sweden"

The Bottom Line

The warm and subtle comedy from Greg Poehler makes a bold choice with subtitle usage that pays off by adding to the series' humor.

Airdate

9 p.m. Thursday, July 10 (NBC)

Executive Producer

Amy Poehler

NBC's charming new comedy series is based on the real-life experiences of creator Greg Poehler's leap of love across the Atlantic.

The biggest hurdle facing NBC's new comedy Welcome to Sweden is whether or not Americans are willing to read. The series, created by Greg Poehler (brother of Amy, and based on his experiences) follows New York accountant Bruce (Poehler) as he takes a leap of love, moving to Sweden to live with his girlfriend, Emma (Josephine Bornebusch). But one of the show's many charms is how Emma and her family — and essentially everyone else — drift in and out of speaking Swedish.

Some series, like FX's The Americans, have allowed foreign characters to speak in their native language in order to illustrate the realistic differences and barriers in communication and nationalities. On The Americans, though, the scenes are usually clearly delineated — it's rare for characters to switch back and forth between English and Russian at length in the same scene. On the other end of the spectrum, another FX series, Tyrant, made the (somewhat controversial) choice to have all of its characters speak English, just with heavy accents to denote "otherness." The American family on that show might be fish out of water, but language-wise, you'd never know it.

Welcome to Sweden's decision to come in and out of subtitle use, sometimes mid-dialogue, is a bold one. It creates a viewing experience that requires active watching. The show is laden with jokes, but they're often subtle. Taking its time, it builds its humor in each episode, and is self-referential with sight gags (like a small red wooden horse that appears in the background of every new location) as well as capitalizing on Bruce's discomfort in his new home. To keep up is demanding, but worse is to miss any of the great humor.

The show is well worth any extra effort to watch, though. It's immediately warm and intimate, as Bruce and Emma land in Stockholm and are taken to her parents' summer house where the couple will live for a few weeks before moving into their apartment. The family is reliably quirky, but refreshingly not over-the-top: there's a kind, quiet father Birger (Claes Mansson), a critical mother, Viveka (Lena Olin), a sloppy brother in a stunted adolescence (Gustaf, played by Christopher Wagelin) and an America-obsessed uncle, Bengt (Per Svensson).

Each contributes to the show's humor in distinct ways, but one of the best running jokes is Viveka's disappointment with Bruce's height (or lack thereof, compared with Swedish men). When Emma tries to reassure her mother he's average, she replies, "He's average if you include Asian people and children." Later, Emma recounts the first time she saw Bruce, "from across the room." "He must have been standing on a chair," Viveka mutters.

The fish-out-of-water premise of Welcome to Sweden may be a familiar launch pad on which to build a comedy series, but very little of the show feels familiar. The episodes are beautifully directed by Carl Astrand, who makes it easy for viewers to get caught up in the lush backdrops and minimalist styles of Swedish aesthetics. As Bruce, Greg Poehler is goofy and likable, while Bornebusch, who helped co-write the series, is a vision as Bruce's Beatrice, guiding him through some of the nuances of Swedish culture, even though the more the two begin to settle down the more they begin to clash.

Despite its delights, it would be easy to see Welcome to Sweden getting lost in the summer shuffle as a niche show with a cult following (NBC's specialty), which is why Amy Poehler appears to do what she can to boost it with guest appearances, including her own (what else is family for?). Poehler, along with Aubrey Plaza, Will Ferrell and many others (some with Swedish family connections, some not), appear as fictionalized versions of themselves, all looking for Bruce after he left them in New York, accountant-less (the horror!)

This fuzzy plot device doesn't really matter, though, in the glossy world of Welcome to Sweden, especially since the appearances are all (in Curb Your Enthusiasm-style) strange and heightened to the point of surrealism. It's not just a way to attract audiences to the series; it actually works well in giving Bruce an interesting background, especially given the curiosity of those he meets about why he would move across the Atlantic to be friendless, jobless — without knowing the culture or language of his newly chosen country. As the episodes wear on, Bruce begins to wonder this himself.

Running a conservative 10 episodes (the show already has been picked up for a second season in Sweden, where it aired earlier this year), Welcome to Sweden knows how not to overstay its welcome. Greg Poehler's personal connection to the material is clear both in his comfort in the role (a big leap for him out of relative obscurity) and in the show's strong sense of itself. Welcome to Sweden knows the story it wants to tell, and it does so in tightly crafted half-hour blocks that are fjords full of charm.

UPDATE Sunday 5/11, 11 a.m.: NBC has renewed “Parenthood.”

Over the next two weeks, the broadcast networks will announce most of their 2014-15 schedules. TheWrap has your full rundown of what's staying, what's going, and what new shows are being picked up on all five of the broadcast networks.

See photos: 2014-15 TV Season: First ... New Shows

ABC
New Renewed Canceled

CBS
New Renewed Canceled

The CW
New Renewed Canceled

FOX
New Renewed Canceled

NBC
New Renewed Canceled
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ABC

NEW SERIES

SELFIE (Warner Bros. Television, Piece of Pie Productions)
Writer: Emily Kapnek
Producer: Emily Kapnek, Julie Anne Robinson
Director: Julie Anne Robinson
Logline: Comedy inspired by “My Fair Lady” tells the story of a self-obsessed 20-something woman who is more concerned with “likes” than being liked. After suffering a very public and humiliating breakup, she becomes the subject of a viral video and suddenly has more social media “followers” than she ever imagined — but for all the wrong reasons. She enlists the help of a marketing expert at her company to help repair her tarnished image.
Cast:
“Eliza Dooley” – Karen Gillam
“Ethan” – Tim Peper
“Charmonique” – Da'Vine Joy Randolph
“Bryn” – Allyn Rachel
“Sam” – David Harewood
“Henry” – John Cho

FRESH OFF THE BOAT (20th Century Fox Television, Popular Misconception)

Writer: Nahnatchka Kahn
Producers: Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, Jack Whitehall, Ben Cavey
Director: TBA
Logline: It's the 90s, and hip-hop loving Eddie is growing up in suburban Orlando, raised by an immigrant father who is obsessed with all things American and an immigrant mother who is often bewildered by white culture. With his father owning and operating an All-American Steakhouse chain, this loving family of FOB (“fresh off the boat”) Taiwanese Americans try to live the American dream while still maintaining their cultural identity and sense of family. Based on chef Eddie Huang's memoir, “Fresh Off the Boat.”
Format: Single camera
Cast:
“Mr. Huang” – Randall Park
“Mrs. Huang” – Constance Wu
“Freddy Huang” – Forrest Wheeler
“Gary Huang” – Ian Chen
“Eddie Huang” – Hudson Yang

CRISTELA

The series will chronicle the life of a Mexican-American law school graduate who must balance her chance to live the American Dream by working as a unpaid intern at a law firm, with the concerns of her family, including her sister (a call center operator at a cable TV company who wants her to get a real job), her brother-in-law (who sees her as a freeloader and wants her to find another place to live), and her mother (who wants her to settle down).

MARVEL'S AGENT CARTER

SECRETS & LIES (ABC Studios, Hoodlum, Kapital Entertainment)
Writer: Barbie Kligman
Producers: Barbie Kligman, Aaron Kaplan, Tracey Robertson, Nathan Mayfield
Director: Charles McDougall
Logline: Based on an upcoming Australian series starring Martin Henderson, the drama centers on a patriarch who becomes the prime suspect in the murder of a young boy when he finds the body.
Order: Ten episodes
Cast:
“Ben” - Ryan Phillippe
“Jess” – Natalie Martinez
“Detective Cornell” – Juliette Lewis
“Abby” – Belle Shouse
“Christy” – KaDee Strickland
“Dave” – Clifton Collins, Jr
“Natalie” – Indiana Evans

HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER (ABC Studios, Shondaland)

Writer: Peter Nowalk
Producers: Peter Nowalk, Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers
Director: Michael Offer
Logline: A sexy, suspense-driven legal thriller that centers on ambitious law students and their brilliant and mysterious criminal defense professor. They become entangled in a murder plot that could rock their entire university and change the course of their lives.
Cast:
“Asher Millstone” – Matt McGorry
“Michaela” – Aja Naomi King
“Wes” – Alfred Enoch
“Laurel” – Karla Souza
“Conner” – Jack Falahee
“Frank” Charlie Weber
“Professor Annalise DeW...iola Davis
“Bonnie” – Liza Weil
“Rebecca” – Katie Findlay
“Nate” – Billy Brown

THE CLUB (CBS Television Studios, ABC Studios, Timberman/Beverly)

Writer: David O. Russell, Susannah Grant
Producers: Susannah Grant, Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly
Director: TBA
Logline: An upstairs/downstairs soap centered around a private country club.
Order: 13 episodes
Cast:
“Ana” – Callie Hernandez
“Forty Holbrooke” – Chris Conroy

GALAVANT (Abbey C Studios Ltd. for ABC)

Writer: Dan Fogelman, Alan Menken (original music), Glenn Slater (original lyrics)
Producers: TBA
Director: TBA
Logline: The fairy-tale musical centers on handsome Prince Galavant and his quest for revenge against the king who stole his one true love.
Format: Single camera
Cast:
“Galavant” – Joshua Sasse
“Gareth” – Vinnie Jones
“Isabella” – Karen David
“Madalena” – Mallory Jansen
“Sid” – Luke Youngblood
“King Richard” – Timothy Omundson

THE WHISPERS (ABC Studios, Amblin TV, Grady Girl)

Writer: Soo Hugh
Producer: Soo Hugh, Dawn Olmstead
Director: Mark Romanek
Logline: A race against the clock to defeat an unseen alien enemy out to destroy the world, using our most precious resource against us.
Cast:
“Wes Lawrence” - Barry Sloane
“John Doe/Drew Bennigan” - Milo Ventimiglia
“Jessup Rollins” – Derek Webster
“Henry” – Kyle Harrison Breitkopf
“Dr. Maria Martinez” – Catalina Denis
“Minx Lawrence” – Kylie Rogers
“Claire Bennigan” – Lily Rabe
“Lena Lawrence” – Brianna Brown

MANHATTAN LOVE STORY (ABC Studios, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, Robin Schwartz, Jon Liebman)

Writer: Jeff Lowell
Producers: Peter Traugott, Jeff Lowell, Robin Schwartz, Rachel Kaplan
Director: Michael Fresco
Logline: A romantic comedy that exposes the unfiltered internal monologues of a young couple embarking on a new relationship.
Format: Single camera
Cast:
“Dana” – Analeigh Tipton
“Peter” – Jake McDorman
“Amy” – Jade Catta-Preta
“David” – Nicolas Wright
“William” – Kurt Fuller
“Chloe” – Chloe Wepper

FOREVER (Warner Bros. Television, Lin Pictures)

Writer: Matt Miller
Producers: Matt Miller, Dan Lin, Jennifer Gwartz
Director: TBA
Logline: Dr. Henry Morgan is New York City's star medical examiner. But what no one knows is Henry studies the dead because he is immortal. With the help of detective Jo Martinez, we will peel back the layers of Henry's colorful and long life through their cases.
Cast:
“Abe” - Judd Hirsch
“Henry” – Ioan Gruffudd
“Lt. Marcia Roark” – Barbara Eve Harris
“Det. Jo Martinez” – Alana de la Garza
“Detective Hanson” – Donnie Keshawarz
“Lucas” – Joel David Moore

AMERICAN CRIME (ABC Studios, Stearns Castle)

Writer: John Ridley
Producers: John Ridley, Michael McDonald
Director: John Ridley
Logline: The personal lives of the players involved in a racially charged trial are examined as their worlds are turned upside-down.
Cast:
“Chuck” – Timothy Hutton
“Barb” - Felicity Huffman
“Carter” – Elvis Nolasco
“Aubry” – Caitlin Gerard
“Hector Tonz” – Richard Cabral
“Tony Gutierrez” – Johnny Ortiz
“Alonzo Gutierrez” – Benito Martinez
“Tom” – W. Earl Brown
“Eve” – Penelope Ann Miller

BLACK-ISH (ABC Studios, Cinema Gypsy, Principato-Young)

Writer: Kenya Barris
Producers: Laurence Fishburne, Kenya Barris
Director: TBA
Logline: An upper-middle class black man struggles to raise his children with some sense of cultural identity despite constant contradictions and obstacles coming from his liberal wife, old school father and his own assimilated, color-blind kids.
Order: TBA
Cast:
“Dre” – Anthony Anderson
“Rainbow” – Tracee Ellis Ross
“Jack” – Miles Brown
“Andre Jr.” – Marcus Scribner
“Zoey” – Yara Shahidi
“Diane” – Caila Martin
“Pops” – Laurence Fishburne

RENEWED SERIES
“The Middle”
“Grey's Anatomy”
“Marvel's Agents of SHIELD”
“Scandal”
“Dancing With the Stars”
“Revenge”
“The Goldbergs”
“Modern Family”
“Castle”
“Once Upon a Time”
“Resurrection”
“Last Man Standing”
“Nashville”

CANCELLATIONS
“Lucky 7”
“Back in the Game”
“Betrayal”
“Killer Women”
“Once Upon a Time in Wonderland”
“Mind Games”
“The Neighbors”
“Mixology”
“Trophy Wife”
“Suburgatory”
“Super Fun Night”

CBS
NEW SERIES

CSI: CYBER

THE McCARTHYS (Sony Pictures Television, Olive Bridge Entertainment)

Writer: Brian Gallivan, Mike Sikowitz (Showrunner)
Producers: Will Gluck, Richie Schwartz
Director: TBA
Logline: Family comedy about a loud, sports-crazed Boston clan.
Cast:
Jack McGee
Joey McIntyre
Laurie Metcalf
Jimmy Dunn
Kelen Coleman

NCIS: NEW ORLEANS

THE ODD COUPLE (CBS Television Studios)

Writers: Matthew Perry, Joe Keenan
Producers: Matthew Perry, Eric Tannenbaum, Kim Tannenbaum, Carl Beverly, Sarah Timberman
Logline: Matthew Perry stars in half-hour multi-camera comedy pilot based on Neil Simon's The Odd Couple
Cast:
Matthew Perry

SCORPION (CBS Television Studios)

Writer: Nick Santora
Producers: Nick Santora, Justin Lin, Walter O'Brien, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Heather Kadin, Scooter Braun (co-executive producer), Danny Rose (co-executive producer), Danielle Woodrow (co-executive producer), Troy Craig Poon (co-executive producer), Scott Manson (producer)
Director: Justin Lin
Logline: An eccentric genius and his international network of super geniuses form the last line of defense against the complex threats of the modern age.
Cast: TBA

MADAM SECRETARY (CBS Studios Television Studios)

Writer: Barbara Hall
Producer: Barbara Hall, Morgan Freeman, Lori McCreary Tracy Mercer
Director: TBA
Logline: About the personal and professional life of a maverick female Secretary of State as she drives international diplomacy, wrangles office politics and balances a complex family life.
Cast:
Tea Leoni
Tim Daly as “Henry”

STALKER (Warner Bros. Television, Outerbanks Entertainment)

Writer: Kevin Williamson
Producer: Kevin Williamson
Director: TBA
Logline: Psychological thriller centered around a pair of detectives who handle stalking incidents for the Threat Management Unit of the LAPD.
Cast:
Dylan McDermott as Det. Jack Larsen

RENEWED SERIES
“The Mentalist”
“The Big Bang Theory”
“Blue Bloods”
“Criminal Minds”
“CSI”
“Elementary”
“The Good Wife”
“Hawaii Five-0”
“Mike & Molly”
“The Millers”
“Mom”
“NCIS”
“NCIS: Los Angeles”
“Person of Interest”
“2 Broke Girls”
“Two and a Half Men”

CANCELLATIONS
“The Crazy Ones”
“We Are Men”
“Bad Teacher”
“Intelligence”
“Friends With Better Live”
“Hostages”

The CW
NEW SERIES

THE FLASH (Warner Bros. Television, Berlanti Productions)
Writers: Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, Geoff Johns
Producers: Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, David Nutter, Melissa Kellner Berman
Director: David Nutter
Logline: Based upon characters published by DC Comics. Through a freak accident, scientist Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) is given the power of super speed, which transforms him into the Fastest Man Alive.

Cast:
“Barry Allen AKA The Flash” - Grant Gustin
“Iris West” - Candice Patton
“Detective West” - Jesse L. Martin
“Detective Eddie Thawne” – Rick Cosnett
“Caitlin Snow” – Danielle Panabaker
“Harrison Wells” - Tom Cavanagh

JANE THE VIRGIN (CBS Television Studios)

Writer: Jennie Snyder Urman
Producers: Ben Silverman, Gary Pearl, Jorge Granier, Jennie Snyder Urman
Director: TBA
Logline: Adapted from the successful Venezuelan telenovela. A series of surprising and unforeseen events causes a hard-working, religious young Latina woman to be accidentally artificially inseminated.
Cast: TBA

THE MESSENGERS (CBS Television Studios and Thunder Road)
Writer: Eoghan O'Donnell
Producers: Basil Iwanyk, Eoghan O'Donnell, Kent Kubena, Ava Jamshidi, Eoghan O'Donnell
Director: TBA
Logline: When a mysterious object crashes down to earth, a group of seemingly unconnected strangers die from the energy pulse, but then awaken to learn that they must prevent the Apocalypse.
Cast: TBA

iZOMBIE (Rob Thomas Productions, Warner Bros. Television)

Writer: Rob Thomas, Diane Ruggiero
Producers: Rob Thomas, Diane Ruggiero, Danielle Stokdyk, Dan Etheridge
Director: TBA
Logline: A med student-turned-zombie takes a job in the coroner's office to gain access to the brains she must reluctantly eat to maintain her humanity. But with each brain she consumes, she inherits the corpse's memories. With the help of her medical examiner boss and a police detective, she solves homicide cases in order to quiet the disturbing voices in her head. Based on the characters created by Chris Roberson and Michael Allred, and published by DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint.
Cast: TBA

RENEWED SERIES

“Arrow”
“The Originals”
“Reign”
“Supernatural”
“The Vampire Diaries”
“The 100”
“Hart of Dixie”
“Beauty and the Beast.”

CANCELLATIONS
“Carrie Diaries”
“The Tomorrow People”
“Star-Crossed”
“Nikita”

FOX
NEW SERIES

WAYWARD PINES

GRACEPOINT

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RED BAND SOCIETY (ABC Studios, Dreamworks)
Writer: TBA
Producers: Margaret Nagle, Steven Spielberg, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Sergio Aguero
Director: TBA
Logline: A group of teenagers meet as patients in the children's wing of a hospital and become unlikely allies and friends in this comedic young soap.
Order: Series
Cast:
“Nurse Jackson” - Octavia Spencer
“Charlie” – Griffin Gluck
“Leo” – Charlie Rowe
“Nurse Brittany” – Rebecca Rittenhouse
“Kara” – Zoe Levin

EMPIRE (20th Century Fox Television, Imagine)

Writers: Lee Daniels, Danny Strong
Producers: Danny Strong, Lee Daniels, Brian Grazer, Francie Calfo
Director: Lee Daniels
Logline: A family drama set in the world of a hip-hop empire featuring original and current music.
Order: 13 episodes
Cast:
“Lucious Lyon” – Terrence Howard
“Cookie Lyon” – Taraji P. Henson
“Jamal Lyon” - Jussie Smollet

LAST MAN ON EARTH

Writer: Will Forte
Producers: Forte, Phil Lord, Chris Miller, Seth Cohen
Director: Lord & Miller
Logline: Will Forte is the last man on Earth
Order: Series
Format: Single cam
Cast:
“Last Man on Earth” – Will Forte

MULANEY (Universal)

Writer: John Mulaney
Producers: John Mulaney, Lorne Michaels, Dave Becky, Andrew Singer
Director: Andy Ackerman
Logline: Follows an aspiring comedian (Mulaney) coming of age under the influence of his boss (Martin Short), his roommates and his neighbors.
Order: 16 episodes
Form: Multi-camera
Cast:
“Mulaney” – John Mulaney
“Lou” – Martin Short
“Oscar” – Elliott Gould
“Andre” – Zack Pearlman
“Motif” – Seaton Smith
“Jane” – Nasim Pedrad

WEIRD LONERS (20th Century Fox TV)

Writer: Michael Weithorn
Producers: Michael Weithorn, Jake Kasdan
Director: Jake Kasdan
Logline: The story of four relationship-phobic people who are unexpectedly thrust into each other's lives and form an unlikely bond in a Queens, N.Y., townhouse.
Order: Six episodes
Format: Multi-camera
Cast:
“Stosh Lewandowski” – Zachary Knighton

GOTHAM (Warner Bros. Television, DC Comics)

Writer: Bruno Heller
Producer: Bruno Heller
Director: Danny Cannon
Logline: Explores the origin stories of Commissioner James Gordon, a detective with the Gotham City Police Department, and his battle with the villains who made Gotham City famous.
Order: Series
Cast:
“Detective James Gordon” - Ben McKenzie
“Oswald Cobblepot” – Robin Lord Taylor
“Alfred Pennyworth” – Sean Pertwee
“Capt. Essen” – Zabryna Guevara
“Barbara Kean” – Erin Richards
“Detective Harvey Bullock” - Donal Logue
“Fish Mooney” - Jada Pinkett Smith

BACKSTROM (20th Century Fox Television)

Writer: Hart Hanson
Producers: Leif G.W. Persson, Niclas Salomonsson, Rainn Wilson, Josh Levy, Mark Mylod (EP on Pilot)
Director: Mark Mylod
Logline: Based on renowned Swedish criminologist and novelist Leif G.W. Persson's hit series of books of the same name. Created and executive-produced by Hart Hanson, the series centers on Detective Everett Backstrom, an offensive, irascible detective, as he tries, and fails, to change his self-destructive behavior. Throughout the series, Backstrom leads his team, the Serious Crimes Unit, as they navigate Portland's most sensitive cases.
Order: Thirteen episodes
Cast:
“Everett Backstrom” – Rainn Wilson
“Peter Niedermayer” – Kristoffer Polaha
“John Almond” – Dennis Haysbert
“Frank Moto” – Page Kennedy
“Nadia Paquet” – Beatrice Rosen

HIEROGLYPH (20th Century Fox Television, Chernin Entertainment)

Writer: Travis Beachman
Producers: Travis Beacham, Miguel Sapochnik, Peter Chernin, Katherine Pope
Director: Miguel Sapochnik
Logline: Set in ancient Egypt, where fantasy and reality intertwined, the show follows a notorious thief who is plucked from prison to serve the Pharoah, navigating palace intrigue, seductive concubines, criminal underbellies and even a few divine sorcerers.
Order: Thirteen episodes
Cast:
“Shai” – Reece Ritchie
“Nefertari” – Condola Rashad
“Lotus” – Kelsey Chow

RENEWED SERIES
“Bones”
“Bob's Burgers”
“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”
“Family Guy”
“The Following”
“Glee”
“The Mindy Project”
“New Girl”
“The Simpsons”
“Sleepy Hollow”

CANCELLATIONS
“Raising Hope”
“Almost Human”
“Dads”
“Surviving Jack”
“Enlisted”

NBC
NEW SERIES

STATE OF AFFAIRS (Universal Television, Bob Simonds Company, Abishag)
Writer: Alexi Hawley
Producers: Alexi Hawley, Joe Carnahan, Katherine Heigl, Nancy Heigl, Bob Simonds, Sophie Watts, Henry Crumpton, Rodney Faraon, Julia Franz
Director: Joe Carnahan
Logline: Katherine Heigl portrays a key CIA attaché who counsels the president on high-stakes incidents around the world. She balances her intense political responsibilities with a complicated personal life.
Cast:
“Charleston Whitney Tucker” – Katherine Heigl

BAD JUDGE (Universal Television, Gary Sanchez Productions)

Writer: Chad Kultgen
Producers: Chad Kultgen, Kate Walsh, Chris Henchy, Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, Anne Heche, Jill Messik
Director: TBA
Logline: Centers on a hard-living, sexually unapologetic woman (Kate Walsh) who plays with the law and whose life on the edge is constantly in balance, as she also happens to be a judge in the San Bernardino criminal court system.
Format: Single camera
Cast:
Kate Walsh

MISSION CONTROL (Universal Television, Gary Sanchez)

Writer: David Hornsby
Producers: David Hornsby, Adam McKay, Will Ferrell
Director: TBA
Logline: Set in 1962, a workplace ensemble in the tone of “Anchorman” that examines what happens when a strong woman butts heads with a macho astronaut in the race to land on the moon.
Cast: Krysten Ritter

CONSTANTINE (Warner Bros/DC Comics)

Writer: Daniel Cerone
Producers: Daniel Cerone, David Goyer
Director: TBA
Logline:Based on the wildly popular comic book series “Hellblazer” from DC Comics, seasoned demon hunter and master of the occult John Constantine specializes in giving hell… hell. Armed with a ferocious knowledge of the dark arts and his wickedly naughty wit, he fights the good fight — or at least he did. With his soul already damned to hell, he's decided to leave his do-gooder life behind, but when demons target Liv, the daughter of one of Constantine's oldest friends, he's reluctantly thrust back into the fray – and he'll do whatever it takes to save her. Before long, it's revealed that Liv's “second sight” — an ability to see the worlds behind our world and predict supernatural occurrences — is a threat to a mysterious new evil that's rising in the shadows. Now it's not just Liv who needs protection; the angels are starting to get worried too. So, together, Constantine and Liv must use her power and his skills to travel the country, find the demons that threaten our world and send them back where they belong. After that, who knows… maybe there's hope for him and his soul after all.
Cast: Matt Ryan
Harold Perrineau
Charles Halford

ONE BIG HAPPY (Warner Bros. Television, A Very Good Production)

Writer: Liz Feldman
Producers: Ellen DeGeneres, Jeff Kleeman
Director: TBA
Logline: When gay and straight best friends decide to have a baby together, things get complicated when one of them finds the love of their life.
Format: Multi-camera
Cast:
“Lizzy” — Elisha Cuthbert
“Luke” – Nick Zano
“Prudence” — Kelly Brook

ALLEGIANCE (FKA “Coercion”) (Universal Television, Keshet Media)

Writer: George Nolfi
Producers: George Nolfi, Avi Nir
Director: George Nolfi
Logline: Based on Israeli format “The Gordin Cell,” this high-octane thriller revolves around the O'Connor family and their son, Alex, a decorated American war hero and CIA analyst who is a true patriot and loves his country and family. Unbeknownst to him, both of his parents and his sister are part of a dormant Russian sleeper cell that has just been reactivated. Once the parents get reluctantly pulled back in, the stakes rise they are coerced into spying on their own son and turning him against his country.
Cast:
“Alex” – Gavin Stenhouse
“Mark” – Scott Cohen
“Katya” – Hope Davis

MYSTERIES OF LAURA (Warner Bros. Television, Berlanti, Kapital)

Writer: Jeff Rake
Producers: Jeff Rake, Greg Berlanti, Aaron Kaplan
Director: McG
Logline: Based on a Spanish format, this is a procedural drama with a sharp sense of humor following a quirky female homicide detective who juggles high-stakes crime as well as her ex-husband and devilish twin boys.
Cast:
“Laura” – Debra Messing
Laz Alonso
Janina Gavankar

A TO Z (Warner Bros. Television, Le Train Train)

Writers: Ben Queen, Rashida Jones, Will McCormack
Producers: Ben Queen, Rashida Jones, Will McCormack
Director: TBA
Logline: A whimsical romantic comedy set in the world of an online dating company that details the “A to Zs” of a relationship, from meeting to break-up. Our ensemble navigates the complicated world of modern dating and poses the question: Is there such a thing as destiny?
Format: Single camera
Cast:“Zelda” - Cristin Milioti
“Andrew” – Ben Feldman
Henry Zebrowski
Lenora Crichlow
Christina Kirk

MARRY ME (Sony Pictures Television, FanFare)

Writer: David Caspe
Producers: David Caspe, Jamie Tarses, Seth Gordon
Director: Seth Gordon
Logline: Centers on a longtime couple who get engaged — only to quickly realize that it's harder than it looks.
Format: Single camera Comedy
Cast:
Casey Wilson
Ken Marino
Sarah Wright
John Gemberling
Tymberlee Hill
Tim Meadows

MR. ROBINSON (Universal Television, 3 Arts)

Writer: Mark and Robb Cullen
Producers: Mark and Robb Cullen, Howard Klein, Mark Schulman
Director: TBA
Logline: A journeyman musician gets a job as a music teacher at a middle school. While teaching the kids everything from rock to the blues, he simultaneously learns how to put the school's rules to the test.
Order: Series
Format: Single camera
Cast:
Craig Robinson

UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT (Universal Television, Little Stranger)

Writer: Tina Fey, Robert Carlock
Producers: Tina Fey, Robert Carlock, David Miner
Director: TBA
Logline: Centers on a woman who escapes from a doomsday cult and starts life over in New York.
Order: Series
Format: Single camera
Cast:
Ellie Kemper

ODYSSEY (Universal Television, Fabrik Entertainment, Red Arrow Entertainment Group)

Writer: Adam Armus, Kay Foster
Producers: Adam Armus, Kay Foster, Peter Horton, Mikkel Bondesen, Kristen Campo, Simon Maxwell, Henrik Bastin
Director: Peter Horton
Logline: A “Traffic”-like thriller that centers on three families who are torn apart when a stranded female soldier (“Pushing Daisies” star Anna Friel), a disillusioned corporate attorney and a disrespected political activist are pulled into the same shocking international military conspiracy.
Cast:
Anna Friel
Jake Robinson
Nate Mooney

One Big Happy

Writer: Liz Feldman
Producers: Ellen DeGeneres, Jeff Kleeman
Director: TBA
Logline: When gay and straight best friends decide to have a baby together, things get complicated when one of them finds the love of their life.
Format: Multi-camera
Cast:
“Luke” - Nick Zano

Elisha Cuthbert

RENEWED SERIES
“The Blacklist”
“Chicago Fire”
“Chicago PD”
“Grimm”
“Parks and Recreation”
“Law & Order: SVU”
“About a Boy”
“Parenthood”

CANCELLATIONS
“Dracula”
“Ironside”
“Michael J. Fox Show”
“Sean Saves the World”
“Welcome to the Family”
“Revolution”
“Growing Up Fisher”
“Community”
“Crisis”
“Believe”