"If the phrase “salt of the earth” could describe any band, it would be the Drive-By Truckers—one of those rare groups that manage to exude authenticity and humility at the same time. So it was appropriate that the Athens, Ga.-based band was tapped to officially kick off Farm Aid, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this weekend at Miller Park. Like those Farm Aid champions, the Truckers keep their heads down, work hard and turn out amazing products on an almost yearly basis."
"Very few bands have captured my imagination in recent times like Drive-By Truckers. I initially heard the band in my preparation for covering Lollapalooza 2010, and I haven’t looked back. The band’s got an impressively deep discography, and the surface was barely scratched at the festival. Needless to say, I pounced on tickets the second I saw they were giving me a hometown show. I gathered some friends, gathered some whiskey, and made my way to the show."
"There are very few certainties in life, but there's one thing you can always count on: If Athens, Georgia's Drive-By Truckers are in town, you have the opportunity to see one of the best rock n'roll shows money can buy. That situation presented itself Saturday night, and roughly 2,000 folks took advantage of said opportunity -- each of which were rewarded in the form of rock n'roll salvation."
"'Centro-matic is my favorite band,' proclaims Patterson Hood of the Drive-by Truckers, who drafted Johnson and Danbom for his 2009 solo album, Murdering Oscar (And Other Love Songs), and accompanying tour. 'I was a huge fan long before I met them. I don't know if I can even put it into words. Every once in a while, something comes along that's just like nectar music. It's got everything I like in one place, as if I've been hearing it all my life.
'Centro-matic ought to be one of the biggest bands of the world. They're a fourpiece without an ounce of flab, and Will Johnson is just an ungodly great singer and player. I hope I've been influenced by him.'"
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Music I Like - Muscle Shoals Sound
These two groups are from The Shoals and a very worth a look and listen
Check out Doc Daily & Magnolia Devil. They just dropped a new record. Free song download.
The Secret Sisters took their first trip out West recently to perform at the Hardly Strictly Festival with T. Bone and a host of others. I'm very sorry I missed their Friday set, but they are pointed upwards and the skies the limit.
Support 'em! Listen to 'em. Love 'em. And don't keep them or Doc a Secret.
"Adding to the showmanship of the evening, the stage was adorned with colorful and distinctive murals from artist, Wes Freed. Freed's Dali-meets-Pekinpah-style creations have been hugely responsible for the band creating an image above and beyond simply knowing how to down a bunch of Jack Daniels. And, actually, the coordinated illuminations of the murals were a fun part of the well-produced light-show. Such an effort provided a nice bit of extra value to the fans that have witnessed the group play so many times before with only the smell of stale beer adding to the ambience."
"'He went to sleep not knowing if we had invaded Iraq. It was the last thought on his mind. When he woke up, I was sitting by his side. He looked at me and reached over to pull the television over to him. He was looking at me like, 'Did it happen?' I said, 'Dad, it happened.' He went, 'No! No!' Can you imagine? This is the first thing he thought of when he woke up from a weeklong coma.'"
Saw the San Francisco living room show this week. It was amazing. Will and Anders are top shelf. They have to be two of the premiere artists in the land. I saw them in someone's living room. Amazing. Don't miss them if they are near.
"Leonard Skinner, the basketball coach and gym teacher whose name inspired the legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd, died in his sleep early Monday morning, September 20, 2010, at the age of 77."
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You can replace 'musician' with 'contract' or 'self-employed' and it is the same deal. Maybe someday we can have health care reform before we all die prematurely.
"Rock 'n' roll, straight up Drive-By Truckers are intelligent in a way that I really appreciate as a writer. They're just guys being smart in their own space: guitars and drums and big choruses. It's been done before, but they do it well. I've been playing Brighter Than Creation's Dark a lot."
In Barr Weissman’s 2010 documentary, The Secret to a Happy Ending, there’s great balance between live performance and revealing interview. The subject this time is not a blockbuster band that’s topping the charts or selling out arenas and stadiums on their mammoth concert tour. The band is called Drive-by Truckers, and they’ve most likely played a blistering live show within a reasonable driving distance of wherever you are right now. This film about them is without a doubt a new addition to the pantheon of great rock and roll films
"From the audience came a question to Mike Cooley about whether he knows a lot about cars. His response? “These hands don’t work! We write about cars, girls and booze.” Much laughter."
"Now, have a gander at the F-word laced LP Questionnaire and Pick Three of Mr. Patterson Hood. It's a goodie.
The LP Questionnaire Name: Patterson Hood Pro Wrestling Name: Cardiac Sweet Cakes. I like that. I'm going to ask Cooley to start referring to me as Cardiac Sweet Cakes"
Patterson Hood's solo album 'Murdering Oscar (and other love songs)' will be part of Amazon mp3's "50 for $5" promotion for the Month of March. If you havent already heard Patterson's solo work here is your chance!
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Wes Freed!
Check out this great interview with Wes and Jyl from last year.
"No final tallies yet on the Nuci's Space fundraiser, but I'm suspecting it will end up in the $20,000 range. I will keep everyone posted as those figures come to me. Thanks to everyone who bought tickets to the show and to everyone who came out to Nuci's Space and made bids on the fine art and memorabilia there. I'd also like to thank all of the artists who donated their wares to the cause. Kudos to the Camp Amped Sampler Band that opened Thursdays benefit show. They were amazing. I look forward to seeing what each and every one of them do in the future."
"While the band played nine new tracks from The Big To Do as well as this tribute 7”, they also ensured that the hometown fans received more than their money’s worth, as they played an assortment of songs from across their catalog. Singers Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley alternated on lead vocals for fan favorites including “Three Dimes Down,” “Lookout Mountain” and “Women Without Whiskey,” providing the crowd with plenty a number to sing along with."
"Efter udgivelsen af debuten Gangstabilly i 1998 stod det ikke ligefrem skrevet i stjernerne, at Drive-By Truckers skulle g�hen og blive et af de vigtigste amerikanske southern rock bands i nyere tid, men det er lige pr�cis hvad der er sket!"
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DBT's documentary The Secret to a Happy Ending is being screened at the NoisePop festival in San Francisco. Woot!
"THAT EVENING SUN Opening in theaters in Atlanta and Athens this Friday, January 22nd!
Grand Jury Winner at the 2009 Atlanta Film Festival Starring Hal Holbrook, Ray McKinnon, Walton Goggins, Carrie Preston, Mia Wasikowska, Barry Corbin, and Dixie Carter Featuring music by Patterson Hood of 'Drive-By Truckers' (DOWNLOAD 'Depression Era')
This is a limited engagement so be sure to see it before it leaves theaters!"
"The only thing hotter than the triple-digit temperatures at last year’s Coachella festival in Indio was the music produced by some of the event’s most potent artists. Few of them sizzled as much (or seemed as effortlessly cool) as Memphis soul legend Booker T., who performs Saturday at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts. The results were so joyous and exuberant that it was difficult to determine who was beaming more, the sweat-drenched members of the audience or Booker T. and his band (which at Coachella just happened to be top Southern rock band Drive By Truckers)."
"Undertow Orchestra was a songwriters “supergroup” featuring David Bazan, Vic Chesnutt, Mark Eitzel, and Will Johnson (assisted by multi-instrumentalist Scott Danbom)."
"Meet the most influential man you've never heard of.
Bob Lefsetz, a 56-year-old blogger, is to music what Nikki Finke is to Hollywood -- a reclusive, sardonic writer who has the ear of every exec in the industry, but is little known and of little consequence outside of it.
"The 14-minute 'Thriller' is among 25 films the Library of Congress on Wednesday named to the registry, and it became the first music video included in the 2009 list of cultural treasures that will be preserved for all time."
"2. 25th Hour (2002): Spike Lee filmed this screen version of David Benioff's novel, about a New York drug dealer (Edward Norton) on his last day of freedom, just months after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The first great 21st century film made about a 21st century subject, Lee's movie was a meditation on New York and America, and it captured for all time the spiritual misery and confusion that followed that tragedy. Misunderstood as just a pretty good movie in its time, it's an American masterpiece."
"7. 'Slings and Arrows,' Sundance Channel. Three smart, funny, subtle and emotionally rewarding seasons made this Canadian series one of those rare finds worth seeking out. Set at a troubled Shakespearean theater company, the literate and witty story lines revolved around not only the performers and their backstage antics and offstage personalities but also the overwhelming transformative power of the Bard himself, played by people who really felt the words. A gem."
Albums Patterson Hood 1. Bloodkin - Baby They Told Us We Would Rise Again On the surface, no frills, meat and potatoes rock (and damn proud of it) but a closer listen reveals the finest songwriting all year as this 24-year-old band sings the horrifying tale of their trip back from the abyss and sees it through to a joyous life-affirming conclusion. It's like that Leaving Las Vegas movie with a happy ending - unbelievable if weren't true. Such well-treaded territory would suck if not for the magnificence of its execution. 'Wild Rhododendrons' is the finest songwriting I've seen all year, and 'The Viper' and 'Heavy With Child' are just as good. Meanwhile 'Easter Eggs' is the best song of man love I've ever heard (including 'Bobby Jean' and 'Angie')."
"Patterson Hood - Drive-By Truckers - Best of Decade List
1. The Glands - The Glands Patterson Hood by Susan J. Weiand My favorite album of the decade and also my all time favorite album ever to come out of Athens, GA. It came out in 2000 and is still growing on me nearly a decade later. Unfortunately it came out on Capricorn in the waning days of their attempt at resurgence and virtually no one outside of Athens heard it, but of those who have there is a cult of us who feel exactly like I do about it. They never released a follow up and Ross now manages a record store in town. A truly timeless masterpiece that gets better with every listen (and I've listened to it weekly for over nine years now)."
"So what does Ray Charles’s Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music have to do with the Drive-By Truckers’ Southern Rock Opera (2001), you might ask?"
"Picking the right ones wasn't such a difficult task, the band tells Spinner. 'It's pretty obvious, really,' guitarist/singer Mike Cooley says. 'It usually is. At some point, you start finding the corner pieces and the ones with the straight edges first.'"
"JASON ISBELL & THE 400 UNIT Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit [Lightning Rod] The former Drive-By Trucker loads his second solo record with a wealth of songwriting gems. No song will ever use the phrase “rolled-up $20 bill” in a lyric any better than “Cigarettes And Wine.”
MAPLEWOOD Yeti Boombox [Tapete] The album title pretty much says it all. Brooklyn boys make good. Harmonies and guitar glitter.
DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS The Fine Print (A Collection Of Oddities And Rarities 2003-2008) [New West] The best way to fulfill a recording contract you’ll ever hear. Seems like some of these should have made a record somewhere along the way."
"“She smelled like cigarettes and wine.” I know that girl, you know that girl– hell, we all know that girl. Well, probably not the exact girl, but we’ve all known a few, and even more so, we all know the feeling he’s singing about. Even if you couldn’t understand English, you’d know exactly what is going on in this song.
If for some reason you don’t own the album, get it here."
"Was there a moment when you were younger where you heard a pop song and the format of that really clicked for you?
Oh yeah. I don’t know what artist in particular but a lot of that probably came from ‘80s radio for me: Prince, Crowded House, Until Tuesday and a lot of those bands they were playing on the radio then—Colin Hay from Men at Work. That kind of stuff really appealed to me when I was really young and first started to write. I loved how those songs all fit together."
"Embedded Tour Stop Special with White Rabbits, Black Lips, Jason Isbell, Fucked Up & Amazing Baby. Premieres December 31 at 10pm EST.
Got big plans for NYE? Catch Embedded on New Year’s Day or over the weekend, too!
Here’s when to turn on the TV:
Thursday night: 12/31 starting at 7pm EST/4pm PST, then again starting at 12 midnight EST/9pm PST. Friday afternoon: 1/1 starting at 4pm EST/1pm PST Saturday morning: 1/2 starting at 10am EST/7am PST Sunday afternoon: 1/3 starting at 5pm EST/2pm EST
And, of course, once they’ve aired you’ll be able to watch all 15 Tour Stops at current.com/tourstop, plus our channels on Hulu, YouTube and MySpace."
"Chesnutt's very real ensnarement in the insurance system lends an uncomfortable yet deeply compelling undertone to his lyrical attempts to make peace with illness, his paraplegism and death. Chesnutt doesn't hold out too much hope for whatever healthcare bill makes it through the Senate, either -- 'What will pass will be weak, the powers that be will be happy and the insurance companies will be thrilled,' he believes. Those facts only remind a listener that the small braveries of an album like 'At the Cut' can, if not offer solutions, at least be a bit of comfort and companionship. Or solace that Chesnutt doesn't have to figure out even bigger problems, like how to fix California's ailing economy.
'You guys are the most screwed of all,' he said, laughing."
"After a few more words, it all clicked. A woman who knew Chanin and worked at the Chicago fashion boutique Ikram had contacted Rogers, who was looking for a designer to make a tree skirt for the White House's Blue Room. Rogers asked Chanin, founder of the Florence-based fashion and lifestyle company Alabama Chanin. She said yes."
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Music
A really marvelous night for a moondance, apparently.
"In the past our band never played many new songs before records were 'officially' released. We always felt new albums/new songs were best absorbed as complete thoughts...records had sequence and rhythm, each song made more sense propped up by its fellow jams, and as the final guitars or bagpipes rang out you could feel like you'd been on a kinda rock & roll journey. We still feel that way. But...
Considering it's been such a long time since we shared a song and dance together we wanna put this out there for y'all...something new to enjoy and discuss while we wait for the other shoe to drop. We also promise that your $contribution will not be blown in some smoky pub but will aid us greatly in bringing a lot more 'unreleased' Marah music into the world this year. Think of the mix tape possibilities."
"In 2009 as FAME approaches its 50th Anniversary we still look to the future as we upgrade and reload our facilities and staff for the next 50 years. We have two studios both equipped with Analog and Pro-Tools gear. We are loaded with Most every plug-in imaginable. Neve 8232 console in one room, the other an Amek Angela. Record where Duane Allman, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Little Richard, Etta James and many more recorded.
Lastly, FAME is proud to announce the addition of multi-Grammy award winning engineer Tom Swift to our staff as chief engineer. Tom has worked with the likes of Eric Clapton, Don Henley, AC/DC, Miles Davis, BB King, to name a few. Tom is an expert in the art of recording both Analog and with most any DAW. So if you want to record in one of the best sounding rooms in the world. With one of the top engineers in the world, FAME is for you.
Like to have some of that 'Muscle Shoals Sound' without leaving home? Call us and we will setup an account for your recordings online. Want legendary bassist David Hood, to play on your track? No Problem."
"A teenage folk singer hailed as a rising star in Canada has been mauled to death by two coyotes while hiking alone in woods during a solo tour. The attack took place as Taylor Mitchell, 19, was walking on a trail in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia."
I've noticed that the media have often mentioned that Taylor was hiking alone when the coyote attack occurred. I want people to know that Taylor was a seasoned naturalist and well versed in wilderness camping. She loved the woods and had a deep affinity for their beauty and serenity. Tragically it was her time to be taken from us so soon.
We take a calculated risk when spending time in nature's fold-- it's the wildlife's terrain. When the decision had been made to kill the pack of coyotes, I clearly heard Taylor's voice say, 'please don't, this is their space'. She wouldn't have wanted their demise, especially as a result of her own. She was passionate about animals, was an environmentalist, and was also planning to volunteer at the Toronto Wildlife Centre in the coming months."
"The Mitchell family has set up a Memorial Fund in Taylor's name. It hasn't yet been decided exactly how the fund will be used but some ideas being discussed include: a yearly scholarship to a songwriting student at Etobicoke Shool for the Arts (Taylor's alma mater); a yearly prize for an outstanding young performer at the Canadian Folk Music Awards; a bursary for a young touring performer; a donation to charity.
Give her music a listen today to honor her and her talent.
"A four-story fall from a hotel balcony in 2006 gave Creed star Scott Stapp his life back, according to the rocker himself.
As the third anniversary of his near-death dive comes around next month, the singer is back with the band he quit and insists he's born-again after years of binge drinking, substance abuse and womanizing turned him into a wreck."
I'll let Denis Leary handle by response to the above:
"We live in a country, where John Lennon takes six bullets in the chest, Yoko Ono was standing right next to him and not one fucking bullet! Explain that to me! Explain that to me, God! Explain it to me, God! I want it! God! Jesus! Now we've got twenty-five more years. Yeah, I'm real fucking happy now, God. I'm wearing a huge happy hat, Jesus Christ! I mean Stevie Ray Vaughan is dead, and we can't get Jon Bon Jovi in a helicopter. Come on, folks. 'Get on that helicopter John. Shut the fuck up and get on that helicopter! There's a hair dresser in there. Yeah, go ahead in there, yeah yeah.'
"The project, possibly called 'One Box,' will reportedly use the popular sites Lala, iLike and others to stream songs based on user searches. The company has not commented on the possible announcement, and a spokesperson did not return requests for comment at press time.
"LOS ANGELES — Headbangers will have a reason to steady their gaze a bit starting Tuesday, when rock band Metallica makes its way onto iPhones with a finger-tapping music app called 'Tap Tap Revenge: Metallica.'
In the game, players tap areas on the screen in time with the music, much like players strum or drum plastic instruments in video games such as 'Rock Band' and 'Guitar Hero,' except on a smaller scale.
The iconic rockers could probably make more money performing one or two shows live, with 10 playable songs on the game, including 'Enter Sandman,' selling for $4.99."
"Watkins has now spoken about the band's past, admitting they once resorted to violence in a bid to claim their fair share of the profits from their hugely successful 1994 album 'CrazySexyCool.'
The singer claims the trio burst into a meeting between Davis and Sean 'Diddy' Combs, throwing the rapper out and threatening the record executive with guns.
She tells talk show host Mo'Nique, 'We held the record company, Clive Davis, hostage with guns. Guns with bullets. Because TLC had generated on 'CrazySexyCool' $75 million and they gave us $50,000 a piece and I was like, 'What the hell!' So, of course Lisa was the ringleader. We had a limo driver, and he was the getaway car."
"Last week was a big week for the Georgia Theatre. They received their official approval to rebuild, and the Theatre released information on how to contribute to rebuilding this venerable music establishment.
Here's a link to the Georgia Theatre's fundraising brochure. Here's a link to the donation page at the Georgia Trust. Look for my recent interview with Theatre owner Wilmont Greene in a day or so."
Not much DBT content this week, but next week I'll have a special Hardly Strictly post with video from Booker and DBT's set along with some other amazing stuff from other artists.
First time out with a new video camera, so lots to clean up. My rookieness will be apparent, but some good stuff to be seen. Mo' later.
Here are a couple of pics.
On stage (no shit. I could have picked up an instrument and played along) with Billy Joe Shaver.
And here's backstage at the main stage. This is quickly become on of the all time favorite pictures I've ever taken. I've got a big ass version on my MAC desktop and I find something new in the pic everyday.
Lee Anne Vavra - Hi! I wanted to show you my "Sweet Annette" painting I just finished. I have the words to the song in the background and a dedication to DBT on the back. xo
Excellent, excellent work, Lee Anne!
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OK, since you asked nice and all.....
Here's a fan YouTube from Hardly Strictly.
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Dexateens
NBA Playa Paul Shirley's got great taste in music, but he's off about Dexateen's studio work. That shit is the bomb.
I rush into the grounds with visions of greatness in my head. Chris has been raving about a band he helps manage, The Dexateens, for months. I've listened to two of their albums, but left each encounter with their recorded work thoroughly underwhelmed.
Lee Bains leans into the mike and says, "We're the Dexateens, and we're from Alabama." Thirty seconds later, I can tell that the Dexateens are what the kids call the real deal. I decide that the band needs to hire a new recording engineer because whatever it is that they are doing onstage has not yet been translated to an album. Aping the Drive-By Truckers' legendary Three-Axe Attack (which I've always wanted to write -- it means there are three guitars), the 'teens form a wall of dirty Southern rock sound that is complemented by the harmonizing of Bains, John Smith and Elliott McPherson. I like the band's sound. I like their happy, dancing bassist. I like that most of the group is driving to New Orleans for a show that night. And I really like that they have to be back in Alabama by tomorrow morning, because one of their members has to play in church.
Thursday night, beneath the banner of the Arkansas state flag on the back wall of White Water’s stage sat Brian Gosdin, drummer for the Dexateens, BAMA emblazoned across his T-shirt, attending his houndstooth-adorned drum kit, just in case there was any confusion about where these boys hail from.
Typically, the Tuscaloosa country-rockers’ lineup has featured three guitarists, but last night, founding member John Smith was nowhere to be found. Pre-set, front man Lee Bains III admitted that Smith had abruptly split from the band not days ago, this just before their first showing at the Austin City Limits music festival. It was clear Smith’s exit had rocked them, but luckily for us, as musicians are wont to do, the Dexateens managed to unload all that anxiety into their show
Jason Molina and Will Johnson Collaborate on New LP, Plot European Tour
Call this the Phantoms of Folk. Call this two lone wolves running together for one dark blissout of a night. Two of the finest indie-folk songwriters of the last decade come together under the Texas sky to quietly lay to tape 14 crushing, haunting tunes, leaving space enough in each to match their surroundings. In this collaboration between Jason Molina and Will Johnson, each seem to hold the other’s talents to fire and elevate both performance and creativity. In the friendly sharing of ideas, Molina and Johnson become two poet’s poets in a workshop, aimed to craft a singular, searing elegy.
Will Johnson describes this alignment of two red stars: “For ten days we wrote, co-wrote, workshopped, complimented, scrutinized, drank, invited friends to come play music, smoked, made lots of notes and drawings, drank a little more and shot the BB gun off the back porch when we just needed some time and space. In the throes of all this, our record was made in the late February sun.”
"WUTK radio show and more.. This friday we will be at Barley's Taproom in Knoxville, Tn. opening for the Dirty Guv'nahs. They are a great band with a great following in the Knoxville area. We are very excited to have the opportunity of being exposed to their fanbase.
For those of you in Knoxville that can't make the show we will be promoting it with an interview and live performance that afternoon around 4 p.m. (eastern time) on 88.7 WUTK.
For those of you outside of the area the radio show can be streamed live at www.wutkradio.com Assuming that most of you listening will be from our neck of the woods, that will be the central time zone, so you'll want to tune in around 3 p.m.
We will be perfoming several songs from our upcoming album that has yet to be released. This might be the only chance to hear a good quality recording of these songs for quite some time so check it out.
lauderdale."
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Muscle Shoals Sound
Can't remember if I posted this previously and too lazy to look at the last couple of WIRs, so...
"Donnie Fritts only had two conditions that had to be met before he agreed to perform a series of shows in Japan.
Because of his health, he needed a break between shows and he insisted he be joined by the The Decoys, the local rhythm-and-blues band that frequently serves as his backup band.
A Japanese concert promoter Fritts has known for more than 35 years agreed, and now Fritts and The Decoys will be taking Muscle Shoals R&B and funk to audiences in five Japanese cities beginning Saturday.
'I called him and told him what I had in mind,' Fritts said. 'I'd love to do some shows in Japan, but I had to bring The Decoys. I don't want to play with anyone else. I know these guys, we play well together and they know my songs.'"
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Last, but certianly not least..... Peter Grumbine.
I'll have more on this guy next week. He's alright for a South Carolinian... If yer into that type of thing.
"A few years ago I heard about a band that was doing a kind of updated country-rock thing and went to seem them play Irving Plaza. They played for about an hour and half, dazzling what otherwise would have been a jaded New York crowd with their proud, aggressive songs and the brutal realism of their lyrics. After the last chord was struck and the world started spinning again, I went over to their merch booth to pick up as many of their records as I could fit in my pockets."
"Baseball through the eyes of Centro-matic singer/guitarist Will Johnson looks like that. On panels of wood, he paints portraits of the men who've served the beloved sport with their life stories, such as Willie Mays and Cool Papa Bell. Johnson frames their faces with words, sometimes words the players famously said and sometimes Johnson's own wide-eyed biographies of the figures.
The night before they set out to record Centro-matic's next record, Johnson and drummer Matt Pence, who's a photographer, will share their work Sunday from 7 t"
A couple of us from the band have started blogs so that we can share our photos, stories and whatnot. We're always taking photos on the road and elsewhere. If you're interested in seeing what's going on inside and outside of the band check them out.
"Bob Dylan, the singer-songwriter who has taken his fans down Highway 61 by way of Lonely Avenue and Desolation Row, is in negotiations to voice a satellite navigation system.
"Bob Dylan has made his latest unpredictable career move: Rolling Stone has learned that Bob Dylan will release a Christmas album October 13th. Entitled Christmas in the Heart, the collection will feature holiday standards including “Must Be Santa,” “Little Drummer Boy,” “Winter Wonderland” and “Here Comes Santa Claus.” All U.S. royalties from the collection will benefit the charity Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity. Other proceeds from the disc will benefit hunger relief organizations around the world. Get a first look at the album art here."
"A 24-year-old police officer apparently was unaware of who Dylan is and asked him for identification, Long Branch business administrator Howard Woolley said Friday.
'I don't think she was familiar with his entire body of work,' Woolley said."
"But Shante, then 19, remembered a clause in her Warner Music recording contract: The company would fund her education for life.
She eventually cashed in, earning a Ph.D. in psychology from Cornell to the tune of $217,000 - all covered by the label. But getting Warner Music to cough up the dough was a battle.
"Please note: The Fine Print: A Collection of Oddities and Rarities CD is available for pre-order and will ship on or around August 28, 2009. Orders containing this item will ship on or around August 28, 2009. To receive your order on the release date, you must select EXPRESS SHIPPING (U.S. addresses only).
Pre-Order The Fine Print: A Collection of Oddities and Rarities CD and save 10% on t-shirt & CD purchases!"
"Les Paul, the virtuoso guitarist and inventor whose solid-body electric guitar and recording studio innovations changed the course of 20th-century popular music, died Thursday in White Plains. He was 94."
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