Broadcast Music, Inc (BMI) has named Maroon 5’s lead singer Adam Levine as the winner of their prestigious President’s Award. The award will be given to Levine at BMI’s 61st Annual Pop Awards on May 14, 2013 in Beverly Hills.
The annual gala recognizes songwriters and publishers of the year’s biggest pop songs. Levine will be honored at the black-tie event for his “outstanding achievement in songwriting and his global impact on pop culture and the entertainment industry.”
This year’s guests will include Maroon 5’s James Valentine, Chris Daughtry, Gavin Degraw, Colbie Caillat, RedOne, Hot Chelle Rae’s Ryan Keith Follese & Nash Overstreet, and Christina Perri.
Okay, so I know this is just a commercial for the 2013 Audi S7 – but so what? Audi did everything right with this two and a half minute ad featuring Leonard Nimoy and Zachary Quinto competing to see who will arrive at the country club first. Nimoy even sing/talks “The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins” and administers a Vulcan nerve pinch!
Carrie Underwood - Photo Credit: NBC Sports GroupPink performed it during the 2006 season and Faith Hill has taken on “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” since then, however for the upcoming NFL season it will be Carrie Underwood who’ll be seen each week getting the audience pumped up for the game. Underwood will make her Sunday Night Football premiere on Sunday, September 8, 2013 prior to the Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants game.
SNF producer Fred Gaudelli explained that Hill had called him in February and said it was time for her to “pass the torch.” He only had one person in mind following Hill’s departure: Carrie Underwood. Announcing Underwood as the new singer, Gaudelli said, “Carrie Underwood was our first and only choice to perform the Sunday Night Football opening. She’s one of America’s most popular entertainers and the perfect fit for our show.”
And during a press conference about her new gig, Underwood said, “I’m very excited. I think it’s a perfect fit and I am such a sports fan and football fan, and we love Sunday nights around my household, so for me to be a part of it is something really special.”
Asked how she’ll adapt the song, Underwood replied, “Musically, it’s our first step. We definitely wanted to make it sound different and sound like me. Faith put her stamp on it for a long time and did such a wonderful job and it was totally Faith, she owned it. We wanted to be mindful of that and go in and change things up a little bit. So they’re actually going to be recording that here pretty soon, and then I’ll be able to go in to the studio and do what I do. And then everything after that visually, we’ll lock in. We have to get the song first. It’s the same song, same lyrics, but it’s going to be with my flair.”
And even though her husband Mike Fisher’s a professional hockey player, Underwood said he’s supportive of her involvement in the NFL. “He’s excited. He’s a sports dude. Yes, he plays hockey but he definitely loves football, as do I. He’s really excited. He’s got a lot of friends that play for different teams and I think me being a part of that with them and with a sport that he loves, I think it’ll just make it all the more better for him.”
The LoCash Cowboys perform at CMA Music Festival in 2012. Photo credit: John Russell
The LoCash Cowboys have been down on their luck more than a few times during their 10-year career. But the high-energy, fun-spirited duo is still betting that the odds are in its favor as it prepares to release its first album.
Preston Brust and Chris Lucas met when they were working as DJs at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon. Soon, they landed additional work at Tootsies Orchid Lounge. But when they were offered the coveted Friday night gig at Tootsies, having signed with the booking agency Buddy Lee Attractions, they elected to hit the road.
“I saw a wild side in them that maybe had not happened in Nashville or Country Music for a while — or ever, to be honest,” said Tony Conway, then CEO at Buddy Lee. “I was impressed with their humor and the vision and the dreams they had. Lots of record company folks thought they sounded and looked like the Mötley Crüe of County Music, but in fact they were exploring and developing the style they would fine-tune and have down completely today.”
They landed a deal with DreamWorks and then lost it when the label was sold. But they had made a fan in label head James Stroud, who later offered them a shot on his own Stroudavarious label. Through all of this, Brust and Lucas kept burning up the road. In 2008, they were picked to headline the 12-city Red Man/Maxim Roadhouse Tour. This led them back to the Wildhorse.
“John Rich was host of our concert that night,” Brust said. “He brought Jeffrey Steele with him. We start singing a Jeffrey Steele song that we love, so that perked him up. He works his way to the front and waves me down in the middle of the song. I’m like, ‘Who is the crazy guy with the crazy hair?’ So I go down there and he screams, ‘Man, I get it! Call me and let’s get this thing together! All you need is the songs.’”
Calling Sony/ATV the next day to locate Steele, the guys were offered a publishing deal, thanks to Steele’s interest. That same day, they headed over to his house. “There was something bigger than the music going on with the three of us,” Brust said. “Not only did we find our producer and he found an artist to work with, but we found a brother and we began to lean on each other for the next four years.”
”That’s the cool thing about having a duo,” Lucas agreed. “When I would be down, Preston would be there to cheer me up. And I would do the same for him. The most important thing in this industry is to have a backbone and be ready to be stomped on. When I say I lost a house and a car, I really lost a house and a car. I lived on tuna fish and mustard for two years.”
“You can’t have a Plan B,” Brust added. “You just have to go for it and know it’s going to work, because if you have a backup plan, you’re going to go to it because this gets grueling sometimes. We’ve never had a backup plan. I was with my dad the other day, showing him the parking lot where I lived in my car for a while.”
“During that time I had my lovely wife and a little baby, but we lost our fiddle player (Ryan ‘Troop’ Jones) at 28, and before that I lost my dad, who was my best friend and my backbone,” Lucas said. “So I’m sitting there on my couch in our apartment that was too small. I remembered my dad saying, ‘Never give up! Stay positive!’ But it’s hard to stay positive in this business when I don’t know where I’m going to get the money to take care of my child. I’m in tears, looking up and saying, ‘You gotta give me something.’ And I promise you, five minutes later, I get this call from a DJ in California who says, ‘I’m sitting here with Keith Urban and he wants me to tell you he’s making your song his next single.’ And I jumped up and screamed as loud as I could, hugged my wife and said, ‘Thanks, Dad. I don’t know what you did, but you did good.’”
That cut — “You Gonna Fly,” written by Brust, Lucas and Jaren Johnston — lodged for two weeks at No. 1. Brust and Lucas followed with “Truck Yeah,” which they wrote with Chris Janson and Danny Myrick and went Gold for Tim McGraw. They’ve struck gold as artists too, having signed with Average Joes Entertainment, which released their newest single, “Chase a Little Love” (Jaron Boyer and Brust) this week.
“I’ve always told these guys, ‘You are going to be great songwriters,” said Steele. “’I know you want that ride, the fame and the big thing, but whatever happens to you on the other end of this thing, remember, it all starts with the song. It all ends with the song. And if it’s good, you’ll rise.’”
The real trailer has arrived… Finally Ender’s Game fans will be able to check out the big screen adaptation of the popular books with this two minute trailer. Starring Asa Butterfield, Hailee Steinfeld, Ben Kingsley, Harrison Ford, and Viola Davis, and directed by Gavin Hood, Ender’s Game will head to theaters on November 1, 2013.
The Plot:
In the near future, a hostile alien race called the Formics have attacked Earth. If not for the legendary heroics of International Fleet Commander Mazer Rackham (Ben Kingsley), all would have been lost. In preparation for the next attack, the highly esteemed Colonel Hyrum Graff (Harrison Ford) and the International Military are training only the best young minds to find the future Mazer.
Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield), a shy but strategically brilliant boy, is recruited to join the elite. Arriving at Battle School, Ender quickly and easily masters increasingly difficult challenges and simulations, distinguishing himself and winning respect amongst his peers. Ender is soon ordained by Graff as the military’s next great hope, resulting in his promotion to Command School. Once there, he’s trained by Mazer Rackham himself to lead his fellow soldiers into an epic battle that will determine the future of Earth and save the human race.
It’s a bit freaky and I’m thinking that if you look at it too long, you could drive yourself a little crazy. What? Obviously I’m talking about the new motion poster for Now You See Me. Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, and Dave Franco, the dramatic thriller will appear in theaters on May 31, 2013.
And in addition to showing off a new poster, Summit Entertainment’s announcing the “Diamond Heist Challenge.” Discover clues hidden online and unlock special video content with the cast via Blippar (an image-recognition phone app).
Here’s the scoop on the Diamond Heist Challenge:
“In this magical challenge, all thirteen diamond playing cards – from the Ace through the King – have been hidden in various places online, from various websites to social media platforms, even in the New York Times crossword puzzle from Friday, May 3 (your first hint!). Like the characters in the film, players will have to look closely to uncover the mystery. Discover the hidden diamonds and join the ranks of the world’s greatest illusionists!
Once each of the thirteen diamond playing cards are found, participants can unlock exclusive video content featuring the stars of Now You See Me utilizing Blippar, the image-recognition phone app. Each of the thirteen images, whenBlipped, will unveil a unique video.”
The Plot: Now You See Me pits an elite FBI squad in a game of cat and mouse against “The Four Horsemen”, a super-team of the world’s greatest illusionists. “The Four Horsemen” pull off a series of daring heists against corrupt business leaders during their performances, showering the stolen profits on their audiences while staying one step ahead of the law.
This year’s Gigantour will begin in Gilford, New Hampshire on July 3rd with stops throughout the US and Canada, ultimately wrapping things up in Toronto on August 11th. The 2013 lineup includes headliner Megadeth and Black Label Society, Device, Hellyeah, Newsted, and Death Division, with Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine – who founded the tour in 2005 – hand-picking the acts.
“This year’s power-packed lineup is probably the best Gigantour yet, and we’ve had some pretty massive Gigantours over the years. Gigantour 2013 brings four of my favorite bands, each centered around a superstar. With Zakk, David, Vinnie, and Jason there are going to be fans from Ozzy to Disturbed to Pantera to Metallica and everything that’s metal in between! Don’t miss the metal festival of the summer!,” said Mustaine.
Tickets go on sale at gigantour.com on May 10, 2013 (with a special pre-sale on May 9th).
In addition to announcing the new tour, Megadeth confirmed the release on June 4th of their 14th studio album, Super Collider.
Gigantour 2013 Tour Dates
7/3/13 – Gilford, NH at Meadowbrook
7/5/13 – Uncasville, CT at Mohegan Sun Arena
7/6/13 – Canadaigua, NY at Marvin Sands PAC
7/8/13 – Clarkston, MI at DTE Energy Music Theatre
7/9/13 – Chicago, IL at Allstate Arena
7/10/13 – Youngstown, OH at Covelli Center
7/12/13 – Dallas, TX at TBA
7/13/13 – Lubbock, TX at Lonestar Amphitheatre
7/14/13 – Corpus Christi, TX at Concrete Street Amphitheatre
7/16/13 – Oklahoma City, OK at Zoo Amphitheatre
7/18/13 – Bloomington, IL at US Cellular Coliseum
7/19/13 – Milwaukee, WI at Eagles Ballroom
7/20/13 – Cadott, WI at Chippewa Valley Music Festival
7/22/13 – Winnipeg, MB at MTS Center
7/23/13 – Regina, SK at Brandt Centre
7/25/13 – Calgary, AB at Stampede Corral
7/26/13 – Edmonton, AB at Rexall Place
7/27/13 – Dawson Creek, BC at EnCana Events Centre
7/29/13 – Abbotsford, BC at Abbotsford Entertainment Center
7/30/13 – Everett, WA at Comcast Arena
8/1/13 – West Valley City, UT (SLC) at Maverik Center
8/2/13 – Denver, CO at 1st Bank Center
8/4/13 – Fargo, ND at Scheels Arena
8/7/13 – New York, NY at TBA
8/9/13 – Camden, NJ at Susquehanna Bank Center
8/10/13 – Montreal, QC at Heavy Metal 2013
8/11/13 – Toronto, ON at Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
Frightened Rabbit at SXSW - Photo by Kyle Dean Reinford
The Scottish quintet Frightened Rabbit just announced they’ll be joining The National on tour this summer. The group just finished up their North American tour and will be back out on the road again in September for a series of concerts that includes performances in Nashville, Atlanta, and Chicago. They’re also scheduled to perform at both the Lollapalooza and Osheaga festivals.
The group’s fourth studio album Pedestrian Verse was released earlier this year and was labeled by Paste Magazine as Frightened Rabbit’s “most comprehensive album” of their decade-long recording career.
FRIGHTENED RABBIT ON TOUR:
7/28 – Seattle, WA @ Capitol Hill Block Party
7/30 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
7/31 – Boulder, CO @ Etown Hall
8/2 – Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
8/2-4 – Montreal, QC @ Osheaga Festival
9/8 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium *
9/9 – Atlanta, GA @ Cobb Energy Centre *
9/11 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore Charlotte *
9/12 – Asheville, NC @ Thomas Wolfe Auditorium *
9/13 – Louisville, KY @ Iroquois Amphitheater *
9/15 – Madison, WI @ Orpheum Theatre *
9/17 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre *
9/21 – Troutdale, OR @ Edgefield Winery *
9/22 – Vancouver, BC @ PNE Amphitheatre *
* w/ The National
Frightened Rabbit is Scott Hutchison (lead vocals/rhythm guitar), Billy Kennedy (bass), Andy Monaghan (guitar/keys), Grant Hutchison (drums), and Gordon Skene (guitar/keys).
Adam Levine and Usher perform on 'The Voice' (Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC)
Team Adam and Team Usher battled it out on stage on The Voice, but the coaches played nice by teaming up to tackle “Superstition.” Complete with dancing horn players, Adam Levine and Usher got the crowd amped up on the Monday, May 6, 2013 episode of the singing competition.
Competing on the May 6th episode were:
Team Adam
Amber Carrington
Judith Hill
Sarah Simmons
Caroline Glaser
Team Usher
Cathia
Vedo
Josiah Hawley
Michelle Chamuel
In The Ophelia Cut, John Lescroart gives us another exciting, suspenseful mystery. In this one, Dismas Hardy returns again to the courtroom. This time, he’s a defense attorney embroiled in the case of his life. This case will impact his family, his friends, his practice, and his own life. This time in court, Hardy has to defend one of his best friends, who also happens to be his brother-in-law, Moses McGuire.
The evidence against McGuire is strong. His daughter, Brittany, had been roughed up by Rick Jessup. After McGuire sees the injuries Jessup caused his daughter, he goes to Jessup’s office, causes a scene, and punches Jessup. Brittany tells Jessup she will not see him again, but Jessup, assistant to an important city councilman, won’t give up so easily. Shortly afterward, Brittany agrees to meet Jessup after he says he will press charges against her father if she doesn’t. The next thing she knows, she wakes up in his bed, and she has been raped. The next day, Jessup is found dead in his living room. The victim of a brutal attack, he has died from blunt-force trauma.
The questions asked in Lescroart’s book lead the reader to answers that aren’t black and white; there are moral complexities that the reader is faced with, and you will likely wonder what you would do if you found yourself in the same situation as many of the characters. And speaking of the characters, Lescroart once again performs his magic of bringing us characters that are very real; we get to know them as people who could be someone we know, or us, and they are facing very real struggles. The beginning of the book may seem a bit bogged down in setting up the main characters, but it soon becomes obvious why their backgrounds need to be laid out for the reader.
The trial is the highlight of the book, but to say it is just a legal murder mystery does not come close to describing it. Along with the murder mystery, we have a former hit-man who is now a Federally protected witness in a big case back East, and we gradually learn the facts regarding a homicide involving all of the major protagonists. A homicide they want to keep buried. As an attorney and career prosecutor, I appreciated and enjoyed the fact that Lescroart so accurately described the procedures of a California criminal trial. Lescroart also magnificently wove many stories and characters into what turns out to be not only a great, suspenseful murder mystery, but also a book that presents the reader with interesting, complex moral issues.
Thought-provoking and thrilling, The Ophelia Cut is sure to rank among Lescroart’s top works. I highly recommend it.
Broadcast Music, Inc (BMI) has named Maroon 5’s lead singer Adam Levine as the winner of their prestigious President’s Award. The award will be given to Levine at BMI’s 61st Annual Pop Awards on May 14, 2013 in Beverly Hills.
