Gospel Goes to Hollywood Luncheon
February 20, 2012Terrance J – 106 & Park
February 20, 2012
Verizon Wireless, provider of America’s largest 4G LTE network, announced today that is has launched “A Day in the Life of a History Maker” program to celebrate Black History Month. The program, a partnership with the UNCF, Teacher Planet, and Get Schooled, was developed to inspire and motivate high school students across the Washington, DC/Maryland/Virginia region by highlighting some of today’s most influential African American historymakers.
NATCHITOCHES JAZZ/R&B FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES LINEUP
February 20, 2012
The 17th annual Natchitoches Jazz / R&B Festival will be held on March 30 & 31 on the downtown riverbank in Natchitoches and will have a “hall of fame” flair to it.
This years festival will be headlined by rock & roll hall of fame group The Family Stone, and will also feature Satisfaction, a tribute to the rock & roll famers The Rolling Stones.
The festival will also host The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame Bayou Bicentennial Caravan, which is traveling the state spotlighting Louisiana music.
The Family Stone originated in the San Franciso Bay area in 1967, and they went on to become one of the most popular groups of the late 60′s and early 70′s, striking gold with such million selling hits as “Dance to the Music, ” (I want to take you) Highter”, “It’s a Family Affair”, “Sing a Simple Song”, and many many more.
The festival, which is a 2 day event, will kick off Friday afternoon with “free Friday” meaning that, as the name suggests, there will be no admission. There will be several bands performing on Friday evening. Admission on Saturday will be $8.00 in advance and $10.00 at the gate for adults, $4.00 in advance and $5.00 at the gate for students, and children 12 and under get in free.
For more information concerning the 2012 Natchitoches Jazz / R & B Festival, go to www.natchjazzfest.com or call the Natchitoches Tourist Commission at (318)352-6398
Whitney Houston – Phone Cover
February 20, 2012
Whitney Houston Dead at 48
February 12, 2012
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LOS ANGELES – Legendary pop singer Whitney Houston has died at age 48, representative Kristen Foster said Saturday night.
The entertainer was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. (6:55 p.m. ET) at the Beverly Hilton Hotel despite resuscitation efforts, a police spokesman said.
The cause and location of her death was not immediately known.
According to her official website, Houston, who struggled with addiction problems over the years, sold more than 170 million albums, singles and videos over her career.
Houston was set to appear in this year’s “Sparkle,” a remake of the 1976 hit, which was loosely based on the story of The Supremes. It was her first movie role since 1996′s “The Preacher’s Wife.”
News of her death elicited a flood of reaction on social media, from fans and fellow celebrities alike.
Whitney Houston seemed ‘in good spirits’
Music producer Russell Simmons wrote he was “deeply saddened by the death of Whitney Houston,” while singer Gloria Estefan said she was “shocked we’ve lost the immensely talented” entertainer.
Houston’s body of work includes seven straight Billboard No. 1 hits in the 1980s, including “Saving All My Love for You,” “How Will I Know,” “Greatest Love of All” and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go.”
Billboard put her soundtrack to the movie “The Bodyguard” as one of the top 10 biggest-selling albums of all time. She also starred in the film.
The daughter of singer Cissy Houston, Whitney was born on August 9, 1963, in Newark, New Jersey. Famed music producer Clive Davis reportedly spotted Houston 20 years later in a New York nightclub, signing her on the spot, according to her website.
The singer’s rendition of the national anthem at the 1991 Super Bowl, days into the first Persian Gulf War, earned raves and cemented her place in the American musical landscape.
After “The Bodyguard,” Houston went on to appear in several more films in the 1990s, including “Waiting to Exhale.”
In 2000, Houston earned her sixth Grammy for best female R&B performance and, a month later, she was named female artist of the decade at the “Soul Train” Music Awards. Houston died on the eve of this year’s Grammy Awards.
Her career stalled, however, in subsequent years as she entered rehab for addiction problems.
In May 2011, Houston got help for her much-publicized struggle with drugs and alcohol, her representative said at the time.
In a 2009 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Houston recalled how her mother arrived one day at her doorstep at her daughter’s house with sheriff’s officers and a court order in a drug intervention. She talked about doing cocaine and smoking marijuana.
“(My mother) says, ‘I have a court (injunction) here,” Houston said. “Either you do it my way, or we’re just not going to do this at all. We are both going to go on TV, and you’re going to retire.’”
Houston had a high-profile and tumultuous marriage to Bobby Brown, a former “New Edition” star who has had multiple brushes with the law. The couple appeared together in the mid-2000s on the reality show “Being Bobby Brown.”
Producer Clive Davis steered Houston’s career for more than 25 years, also serving as a mentor.
Beyonce Announces “End Of Time” Remix Competition
February 9, 2012
Starting today, Beyonce is giving music fans from around the world an opportunity to remix “End Of Time,” the #1 UK Urban and Pop Club single from her critically acclaimed album, “4.”
Described as “rapturous,” “apocalyptic” and “percussion-driven” by music critics, “End Of Time” is an enormous fan favorite that incites spontaneous choreography and top-of-voice song belting in clubs from Los Angeles to London.
Beginning today, February 8, 2012, music lovers can create their own version of the song and upload it to SoundCloud, the leading social sound platform with over 10 million registered users. The contest ends on March 9, 2012 and is opened to entrants in 25 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Brazil, Canada and Australia.
To enter the competition, visit www.beyonceonline.com and download the audio stems of “End Of Time.” Then, using the stems, entrants can create a remix of the song and follow the instructions for uploading.
Entries will be voted on by SoundCloud community and the top 50 ranked eligible remixes will be reviewed by a panel of judges, including Beyonce and a team of music industry experts made up of DJs, performers and producers. All eligible entries will be judged on the basis of originality, creativity and musicality. The entrant with the highest overall score will be the grand prize winner.
In honor of Beyonce’s album, “4,” the grand prize winner will receive $4,000 USD and the opportunity to have his/her remix appear on an upcoming Beyonce release. The winner will be announced two weeks after the close of the competition.
Here is a list of the 25 countries participating in the “End Of Time” Remix Competition:
Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States.
