Sunday June 2nd, 2002
New CD's this week:
None to report
Short news stories this week:
Diana Ross Enters Rehab
Diana Ross checked herself into an
addiction rehabilitation clinic in Malibu, California,
more than 10 days ago, according to her publicist Paul Bloch. The former
Supremes
frontwoman is currently in the care of the Promises Center, which specializes in
the
treatment and recovery of those addicted to alcohol, drugs, and other chemical
vices.
When asked for the specific reasons behind Ross's stay at Promises, Bloch's
prepared
statement read that the singer "wants to be in great shape because she is
someone who
feels a sense of responsibility to her family and her fans." While Bloch
did not say when
he expects Ross's discharge, he did hint that the start date for her summer tour
should not
be affected. Ross is set to begin a European and U.S. tour on June 26 in
Germany.
Craig David all over the States
Craig David is back in the States on a
whistle-stop tour of ten major cities in less than
two weeks. This time he's promoting his latest US release 'Walking Away'.
While most British acts are being ignored in America, Craig says he's determined
to cash
in on the world's biggest music market.
The R'n'B superstar is at No.50 on the US singles chart this week, and he admits
he's
grateful for the attention:
"It's been amazing to see how the American audience have started to embrace
what I've
been doing. They've been very kind. Whenever I do a show, there's always
something,
some thongs being thrown up."
"Most of the time I usually humour it, and because I'm never really in one
place long
enough to kind of go with the full chat-up line - I'm always being ushered
off."
"So it always kind of gets to the point 'Yeah, yeah, we'll see how it goes,
yeah.' Next
thing I'm in some next place doing something else so I kind of get away with it
which is
cool."
Craig is also putting the finishing touches to his second album, and reckons
he's in no
hurry:
"I don't want to rush the second album in any way. I want to make sure that
it's a
progression from 'Born to do it', which I think naturally it will be just from
things I've
experienced."
"I'm working with the same people as on the first album, also with Fraser T
Smith who I
do my acoustic performances with and some other guys in the UK."
Michael Jackson Under The Knife Again?
It appears that Michael Jackson has done it
again: The "King Of Pop" recently underwent
his sixth nose job, according to reports in Wednesday's (May 29) New York Post.
Jackson's next public appearance is at a London charity event hosted by his
friend,
mentalist Uri Geller. With the infamous London paparazzi following his every
move,
fans can likely expect photos of Jackson's newest nose in a few short weeks.
The Grammys To Introduce New R&B Categories
The Recording Academy plans to announce new
categories in the field of R&B music
Thursday (May 30), according to a spokesperson who said she could not confirm
any of
the changes or additions at press time.
However, a LAUNCH source confirmed that the organization's trustee's board voted
last
week to add two new categories, and to alter another. According to a unnamed
source, the
new R&B Grammy awards would include best contemporary R&B album and best
urban
alternative performance. Additionally, the best traditional R&B vocal album
award has
been changed to best traditional R&B performance.
The best contemporary R&B album category would recognize R&B and hip-hop
hybrids
from the likes of Missy Elliott, 112, and Nate Dogg. The best urban alternative
performance field would highlight singles and tracks from alternative R&B
and hip-hop
acts such as Meshell Ndegeocello, Dakota Moon, and the Black Eyed Peas.
While the best traditional R&B vocal album category previously recognized
albums
encompassing rhythmic, blues-influenced music and gospel-rooted vocals, the
reworked
best traditional R&B performance category will acknowledge singles and
tracks that meet
that same criteria.
The remaining unchanged R&B categories include best R&B performance by a
duo or
group with vocal, best female R&B vocal performance, best male R&B vocal
performance, best R&B song, and best R&B album.
Last year, the Recording Academy introduced the new rap category, best rap/sung
collaboration.
Tweet Gets Tapped To Open For Mary J. Blige
Newcomer Tweet was recently forced to
cancel her scheduled tour with Glenn Lewis due
to soft tickets sales, but she has since been tapped to fill the opening slot
for Mary J Blige
on her forthcoming tour. The Blige tour is scheduled to kick off June 1 in
Mansfield,
Massachusetts, and will wrap August 7 in Wantagh, New York.
Tweet's debut album, Southern Hummingbird, was recently certified gold for sales
of
500,000 copies--the set currently sits at Number 34 on the Billboard 200 albums
chart.
The singer recently released her second Timbaland-produced single, "Call
Me," which is
now Number 67 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.
Upcoming Jimi Hendrix Tribute Album To Feature R&B Stars
An upcoming Jimi Hendrix tribute album will
focus on the R&B aspects of the legendary
rock guitarist's repertoire. George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Earth, Wind &
Fire (EWF),
and Chaka Khan have all signed up for the as-yet-untitled album, which is due
this fall,
commemorating what would have been Hendrix's 60th birthday on November 27.
Hendrix's sister Janie is producing the tribute along with her husband, EWF
guitarist
Sheldon Reynolds, for the family-owned Experience Hendrix label. The two are
currently
soliciting other R&B artists to be part of the tribute and determining which
songs the
performers will cover.
Experience Hendrix is also planning special celebrations this fall in Seattle,
Washington,
and Paris, France, to mark Hendrix's birthday, and it's likely other
releases--audio and
video--will be part of the observance.