Beyonce, Luther Vandross the big winners on Grammy night
We are in the midst of the awards season with the Oscars just around the corner and last night saw the music industry's biggest night unfolded in Los Angeles with the handing out of the Grammys.
- The 46th edition of the awards ceremony taking place at the Staples Center (home of the LA Lakers) began with an rare appearance from the elusive 'his purple badness', Prince (no longer sporting the name of 'the Artist formally known as Prince') and was joined on stage todays reigning R&B 'princess' Beyoncé who together sang his hit 'Kiss'.
Beyoncé's night was one to remember too as she walked away with 5 of the 6 awards she was nominated for with wins in the Best R&B Female Performance and Best Contemporary R&B Album categories. She ties the record for the most awards won by a female artist matched only by last years Norah Jones and Lauryn Hill (she has she been as of late?).
Also winning big on the night was Luther Vandross who won the coverted 'Song of the Year' for 'Dancing with my Father' among others and Outkast who won 'Album of the Year' both winning four and three awards respectively. For Vandross it was his first win in a major category in his 20 year career winning before on collaborations and understandedly was not present to accept his awards as he is still recovering from his stroke he suffered last April but sent a vidoetaped message thanking everybody for their support and that he believes in the 'Power of Love' (a line from one of his memorable songs)
Eminem, Jay-Z, June Carter Cash, Warren Zevon and Justin Timberlake all took home a pair of awards while alternative rockers Evanescence beat out favourite 50 Cent for the Best New Artist award. Coldplay won Record Of The Year for 'Clocks'.
- - Source: grammy.com
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Diana Ross found guilty of DUI
Legendary soul diva Diana Ross was found guilty of DUI and will go to jail...........for 2 days. The former Supremes lead vocalist was convicted today (Feb. 9) in Tucson, Ariz., of driving under the influence and ordered to spend two days in jail. The R&B diva, who telephoned into the city court hearing from New York, pleaded no contest to DUI. Two related charges were dropped.
Tucson Magistrate T. Jay Cranshaw found Ross guilty of DUI and sentenced her to serve 48 hours in jail before March 9. In addition, she must complete at least 36 hours of alcohol abuse treatment by Aug. 9. She also was sentenced to a year of unsupervised probation and fines and fees totaling $852.
Ross, 59, originally was charged with driving under the influence, driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or more and extreme DUI with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.15 percent or more.
Tucson police arrested her Dec. 30, 2002, after a driver called to report a car traveling southbound in the northbound lanes just outside the city's northeast limits. Breath test results howed Ross had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.20 percent. Arizona's legal limit is 0.08.
- Source: soulnotes.net
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Beyoncé, Missy Elliott and Alicia Keys headline Lilith Fair
The line up for Lilith Fair normally has a more pop/rock feel to them in years past but not this years event as it will have a more urban feel to it. The likes of Beyoncé, Missy Elliott and Alicia Keys will be co-headliners at this prestigious event with Tamia in support. Dubbed the Verizon Triple Theat tour, it kicks off in Ft. Lauderdale Fla. on March 12 and wraps April 18 in Oakland, Calif.
"This is history in the making," Elliott said "I've always wanted to do a Lilith Fair on the urban side." and Beyoncé added "It's all about the ladies," who said she began thinking about the idea eight months ago and then contacted Elliott and Keys. "We're fans of each other."
They declined to reveal specifics about the show and whether there'll be special guests, but Alicia Keys did say the performances will be exciting. "We're all different women with different styles of music," she said. "The shows will be exciting just for that fact.
Here are the tour dates:
March 12: Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (National Car Rental Center)
March 14: New Orleans (Arena)
March 17: San Antonio (SBC Center)
March 19: Houston (Reliant Stadium, Beyoncé only)
March 21: Greensboro, N.C. (Greensboro Coliseum)
March 23: Philadelphia (Wachovia Center)
March 24: Boston (FleetCenter)
March 26: Hampton, Va. (Coliseum)
March 27: Charlotte, N.C. (Charlotte Coliseum)
March 28: Atlanta (Phillips Arena)
March 30: Cleveland (Gund Arena)
April 1: Minneapolis (Target Center)
April 2: Chicago (Allstate Arena)
April 3: Detroit (Palace of Auburn Hills)
April 4: St. Louis (Savvis Center)
April 6: Pittsburgh (University of Pittsburgh Arena)
April 9: Hartford, Conn. (Civic Center)
April 10: Uniondale, N.Y. (Nassau Coliseum)
April 12: New York (Madison Square Garden)
April 15: Phoenix (America West Arena)
April 16: Las Vegas (Mandalay Bay)
April 18: Oakland, Calif. (Oakland Arena)
- Source: billboard.com
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Teena Marie, Musiq, Alicia Keys and others to 'Slow Jam' in Chicago
It's the pre-Valentines event for all those who are in love, both couples and lovers alike. If you're in Chicago next week you might want to check this one out. Local top radio station WGCI-FM will be hosting 'Slow Jam', a concert presented by Budweiser True Music next Friday (Feb 13th) at the citys United Center.
Scheduled to appear and perform on the bill will be former soul child Musiq, crooner Keith Sweat, lady funkster Teena Marie, the lovely Alicia Keys, JS (aka The Johnson Sisters) Chicago Idol Winner Maurice and Jaheim.
The show kicks off at 6.30pm - be there or be square!
.- Source - wgci.com