BITS AND PIECES 07/10 Part 4
PUSSSYKATT
--Musical legends abound in A&E's concert plans for the fall. Paul McCartney
and Sting will both be featured in world premiere concert presentations. Paul
McCartney's first performance on Russian soil is commemorated in "Paul
McCartney: The Journey to Red Square." Filmed on May 24, 2003 when McCartney's
"Back in the World" tour allowed him to finally sing "Back in the USSR" to the
Russian people, the show was seen live by nearly 100,000 people. A 26 camera
crew caught all the action at the concert, where McCartney performed hits like
"Hello, Goodbye," "Band on the Run" and "Hey Jude." Cameras were also on the
singer as he toured Russia. A&E had similar access to Sting as he prepared his
new album and performed select tracks at the Mayan Theatre in Los Angeles.
"Sting: Sacred Love" will premiere to coincide with Sting's album, also called
"Sacred Love." The documentary crew had unprecedented access to the former
Police frontman as he wrote, rehearsed and played. Premiere dates for both
specials are still to be determined.
--Comedian Dave Chappelle will return to Comedy Central for a second season of
"Chappelle's Show." The second season of the variety show will debut in the
first quarter of 2004 and the run will include 12 new episodes. In its first
season, "Chappelle's Show" averaged two million viewers per episode and became
the network's second highest rated program, performing particularly strongly
among adults 18-49. "'Chappelle's Show' is a breakout hit creatively and
critically and has been a phenomenal addition to the Comedy Central line-up,"
says Lauren Corrao, the cable network's senior vice president of programming.
"Dave is a tremendous talent who possesses the unique ability to make people
laugh while at the same time compelling them to look at the work from a new
perspective." The comedian's film background includes "Half-Baked," a stoner
semi-classic that airs in perpetuity on Comedy Central. He's also appeared in
"Undercover Brother," "You've Got Mail" and "200 Cigarettes." Chappelle
co-created his show with Neal Brennan. The format includes stand-up, sketches,
parodies and musical guests including Busta Rhymes, Fat Joe, The Roots and GZA.
"Through Dave's razor-sharp humor, this series challenges the status quo and
raises questions about the inadequacies of society and viewers have responded
in overwhelming fashion," Corrao adds.
--"American Idol" isn't the only reality talent show with the power to shake up
the music charts. Buddy Jewell, the winner of USA Network's "Nashville Star,"
took the top spot on Billboard's Country Albums list and debuted at No. 13
overall. Jewell's self-titled CD sold 51,765 copies, the most units moved in
the first week by any country debut CD since Leann Rimes' 'Blue' in 1996. "When
I first came to Sony, I talked about how it was our job as a label to enable
artists to create great music," says John Grady, the president of Sony Music
Nashville. "We helped Buddy turn the country into believers." Jewell, whose
first single, "Help Pour Out the Rain (Lacey's Song)," is also performing well,
released his album on Tuesday, July 1 with free concert at a Tennessee
Wal-Mart. "I'm thankful and humbled," Jewell says of his strong debut. "This
shows what happens when you don't give up, and when you have a wonderful team
of people supporting you. Thanks to everyone at Sony and of course, to the
people across America who voted for me as 'Nashville Star.' If it weren't for
you, I wouldn't be here and I hope I never let you down."
--Los Angeles Laker featured player and developing actor Rick Fox will join the
cast of the Lifetime drama "1-800-Missing." Fox, who missed much of the Lakers'
truncated playoff run this spring with an injury, will have a five-episode
story arc on the new series. Fox's character won't appear until the fifth
episode of the series. He'll play Eric Renard, a businessman with political
ambitions who also has feelings for Gloria Ruben's Brooke Haslett, an FBI agent
solving missing persons' cases. "Lifetime is thrilled to expand its family to
include such a popular sports personality as Rick Fox," says Kelly Goode, the
cable network's programming senior vice president. "His charm and charisma will
help to create a wonderful chemistry between these two characters which will be
exciting to watch as the series develops." In addition to playing himself on
"Arli$$" and playing basketball players in "Blue Chips," "Eddie" and "He Got
Game," Fox has expanded his acting range with work on "Oz" as Prisoner#97V588
Jackson Vayhue. Fox is also married to singer-actor Vanessa L. Williams.
--Comic legend Stan Lee will introduce a new slate of characters to a new
generation of television viewers under a partnership with DIC Entertainment.
Lee, who co-created characters ranging from Spider-Man to The Incredible Hulk
to The Fantastic Four, is preparing a television programming stream that will
be called "Stan Lee's Universe." The first project from the partnership will be
"Stan Lee's The Secret of the Super Six," which will be ready for international
TV market MIPCOM this fall. "There aren't many names that are brand names in
themselves," says DIC chairman Andy Heyward. "There's Jim Henson and Disney,
and there's Stan Lee. Everybody knows that Stan is the gold standard for action
comic book superheroes." In addition to creating the series, Lee will appear as
an animated character. "Super Six" focuses on a group of alien teens adapting
to life on Earth with the help of a reclusive cartoonist (Lee), as they also
fight the dark forces from their own planet. "I've been featured as a character
on 'The Simpsons' but have never been a continuing character in a series
before," Lee tells the Hollywood Reporter. "It appeals to me because it's
something that I have not done in the past, and I love doing things that I have
not done before."
--Perhaps she was a contract incentive? Less than a week after Ashton Kutcher
agreed to extend his deal with "That '70s Show," Shannon Elizabeth is being
brought onboard to cuddle with him. According to The Hollywood Reporter,
Elizabeth will play a new love interest for Kutcher's character, Michael Kelso.
She'll appear in two episodes of the FOX comedy, with an option for two more.
The deal is similar to the one given to pop star Jessica Simpson, who appeared
early last season (also as a paramour for Kutcher's character) and then
returned in the middle of the year. "That '70s Show" is entering its sixth
season this fall. Elizabeth is best known for her role as exchange student
Nadia in "American Pie" and its sequel. The actress and former Playboy model
has also appeared in "Scary Movie" and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back." She
has appeared on episodes of "Off Centre" and, most recently, UPN's new edition
of "The Twilight Zone."
--Jada Pinkett Smith and Queen Latifah are doing some breaking and entering --
as cops -- into the boys' club. According to industry sources, the two
actresses will play the traditionally male roles of cop-buddies in an untitled
action-comedy for Paramount Pictures. The pair previously teamed together on
New Line's "Set It Off" in 1996. Will Smith, Pinkett Smith's husband whose own
cop-buddy film "Bad Boys II" opens July 18, will produce under his Overbrook
Entertainment banner with partner James Lassiter and studio-producer Lorenzo di
Bonaventura. Production is set in Los Angeles and may begin as early as January
2004. Plot details are murky so far besides the usual themes of friendship and
fighting crime. Pinkett Smith recently appeared in "The Matrix Reloaded" in May
and will reprise her role in "The Matrix Revolutions" this November. Latifah is
riding a high this year after starring in the successful comedy "Brining Down
the House" in March for Buena Vista Pictures and garnering an Oscar nomination
for her supporting role in Miramax's "Chicago." The actress is set to shoot a
cameo this month for MGM's "Barbershop 2" which will spin-off to her own film,
"Beauty Shop."
Neil Haislop's Nashville Update
--The Toby Keith/Willie Nelson duet, "Beer For My Horses," stays at #1
Billboard for a 6th consecutive week, setting new personal bests for both
artists. Last week, "Beer For My Horses'" 5th week at Number One surpassed
Willie Nelson's longest stay at the top of Billboard's country chart and
equaled Toby Keith's personal best of 5 consecutive weeks at #1. Willie's
previous best was 4 weeks with "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be
Cowboys" in 1978. Toby's "How Do You Like Me Now," "I Wanna Talk About Me" and
"My List" all stayed at #1 for 5 weeks.
--Lyric Street recording artist Aaron Tippin celebrated the 4th of July the
American way, spending Independence Day performing for an audience of about
500,000 people at the Sylvan Theater in Washington, D.C. "I have performed many
memorable shows in my life, but to be performing in our nation's capital on
July 4th is something I will never forget," exclaimed Tippin.
--The staying power of this record is helping set the stage for the launch of
the rest of Toby Keith's touring this year, his "Shock'N Y'all Tour" with Blake
Shelton opening. The "Shock'n Y'all" Tour kicks off in Toronto on July 25, and
will travel to more than 60 cities across the United States. Blake Shelton will
support Keith as the tour's opening act. Ford is sponsoring the tour as part of
its launch of the next 2004 Ford F-150. The truck will arrive in dealer
showrooms this fall, but Toby Keith fans will have an opportunity to see a
one-of-a-kind version at his show (tour schedule below).
--Trace Adkins first Greatest hits album is in stores this week containing his
steadily rising hit, "Then They Do." When asked if he felt like the hits album
was a closing of a chapter in his career Trace said, "It doesn't seem like to
me that it's a closing of a chapter. Maybe every album is a closing of a
chapter and then the Greatest His album is just the cliff notes of what's
happened so far." Unlike some hits package that are a kiss-off from a label, or
contain few great hits, Trace says his label genuinely felt like he was ready
to celebrate his successes. "I guess it was legitimate, Capitol (Nashville)
felt like I was a legitimate artist and could have a greatest hits package
because hey said they'd pay for me to do another album and I've already started
working on it," says Trace proudly. TRACE'S FAVORITE GREAT HIT? "(This Ain't)
NoThinkin' Thing" (#1-'97) will always be my love child because it was really
that song that opened the door for us and sold a million records. That one
really got things going for us and will always stand out as one of my all time
favorites." Trace Adkins says he was emotional when he first heard the single,
"Then They Do," and, as the father of four daughters, he still gets emotional
when he sings it. His first thought was "God, why didn't I write that, here I
am a man with four daughters." His daughters, it turns out, have never seen him
sing the song live. "Even now when I do it and Rhonda (his wife) is there and
she's got the girls, I tell her 'Take them away.' I can't look at them and sing
this song." "The little book we got coming out is made up of fan reactions to
the song. They wrote in relating their own family experiences. And those are
kind of the 'best of' that we used to make this book," says Trace.
From a father in Oklahoma:
"What a song and what timing! My son who is now 22 years of age wanted to be in
the military ever since he was old enough to wear cammies. In May 2001 he
reported to boot camp of the United States Marines. He received word he was
being deployed on March 5th and would ship out March 9th. The night before he
shipped out I heard the song on the radio. It nearly tore the heart right out
of my chest because that song said everything that needed saying."
And a mother in Illinois:
"We were high school sweethearts, got married at 19 and had our son. We were
young inexperienced parents. Two years later we had a daughter too. Now I thank
God everyday that we had our kids early in life because at age 45 - the kids'
dad lost a fight with a brain tumor. He got to experience the joys and
tribulations to see them both grow up, graduate from college, and get married.
He was able to walk our daughter down the wedding aisle just six weeks before
he passed away. It was like he held on to life just for that moment because his
health really deteriorated after the wedding. I regret he wasn't able to
experience the joy I now have of having a precious granddaughter."
--Sara Evans is teaming up with Fox News personality Sean Hannity ("Hannity &
Colmes") and Freedom Alliance to perform at "Hannity Freedom Concert," a
special benefit concert funding scholarships for children of military personnel
killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty. The event will take place
Friday, July 11 at Six Flags Great Adventure Theme Park in Jackson, New Jersey.
Prior to the concert, Evans will appear on Hannity's Fox TV show, "Hannity &
Colmes," Thursday night at 9 p.m.EST, performing her Top 20 single, "Backseat
Of A Greyhound Bus," (from her forthcoming album, "Restless,") and then visit
Hannity's WABC radio show during his live remote the following day at Six
Flags.
--With his debut single, "What Was I Thinkin,'" succeeding at radio and on the
sales charts, Capitol recording artist Dierks Bentley is on the radar in 2003,
thanks to increasing major market airplay, says his label citing airplay in
Seattle, Dallas, Phoenix, Houston & Miami. A native Arizonan, Dierks doesn't
come from a long line of musicians. He didn't start singing in the church choir
at five or start honing his career skills in kindergarten. He plays country
music because it's the kind of music he loves, and he doggedly set his mind to
mastering it. At 19, he moved to Nashville, where he discovered the city's
uncelebrated music scene, far from the bright lights and big contracts of Music
Row. Dierks took his cues from those devoted musicians in town who play simply
for the love of music, and spent years performing at all types of local venues.
That unadorned passion for country music is what fuels his self-titled debut
album, due in stores August 19.
--Randy Owen is officially helping Alabama's farmers since being appointed to
the Alabama Board of Agriculture and Industries. Randy is at the forefront of
the department's plans to help struggling Alabama farmers, who are suffering
after a soggy spring that brought flooding through much of the state. Randy is
starring in a new television commercial urging consumers to buy products grown
in Alabama.
--When tickets to a concert to benefit Tennessee tornado victims (storms
occurred on May 4th) went on sale recently, they sold out in five hours. That's
thanks to the star power of the performers, Vince Gill, Amy Grant and Darryl
Worley. Organizers put a five-thousand-ticket limit on the August 12th show in
case bad weather forces the event inside. If the weather is good, more tickets
will be made available, reports MJI.
--Rebecca Lynn Howard was personally invited by General Tommy Franks to open
the U.S. Central Command change of command ceremony Monday, July 7, in Tampa.
Howard awed the crowd with an acapella version of "God Bless America," and the
National Anthem, after which General Franks commented about her amazing vocal
talent. Howard also received a very special and rare gift from the Chief of
Staff of the U.S. Army, General John Keane -- the Chief of Staff Gold Coin. The
ceremony marked the changing of command from General Tommy Franks to General
John P. Abizaid.
--Mickey Gilley knows he's a lucky man. The entertainer is alive and resting at
home after undergoing an emergency appendectomy last Thursday. Having a
ruptured appendix is bad news, but in Gilley's case it could have been worse.
He was preparing to climb behind the controls of his airplane when his appendix
burst. "I just folded up like a dollar bill," Gilley says. "If I'd been in the
air, I don't know that I could have landed the plane. The pain was
excruciating." A friend rushed Gilley to the hospital, where he was sent
immediately to surgery. Afterwards, he was put on IV antibiotics for four days.
He had been feeling ill for a couple of days before his appendix burst, but he
dismissed it as a flu bug and performed his show Wednesday night.
--THE BELLAMY BROTHERS have again proved their staying power as one of the most
celebrated duos in Country Music, as witnessed by their win in the 1st Annual
New Music Weekly Awards, in the Group/Duo Of The Year category. Joining The
Bellamys in the "winners circle" in the Country categories were fellow artists
Toby Keith (Male Artist Of The Year), Faith Hill (Female Artist Of The Year),
and Alan Jackson (Single Of The Year with "Drive"). Arista/Nashville took top
label honors. The Awards were presented in Los Angeles by industry voice, New
Music Weekly magazine.
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