Music News From ABC News Radio - Adult Contemporary

Kelly Clarkson Confirms: I'm Not Judging "American Idol"

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:00:40 +0000

Courtesy Cosmopolitan MagazineEveryone can stop hoping that Kelly Clarkson will return to American Idol in season 13 as a judge. It's not happening, and that's straight from Kelly herself.

On Twitter, Kelly confirmed that she wouldn't be taking on that role on the show that made her a star. When a fan asked her on Twitter, "Are you going to judge idol? I'm hoping for you and Adam [Lambert]! Would be so much fun!," she replied, "I can't because I'm touring this summer w/Maroon 5."

But, Kelly added, "I hope they get some great people though. I'd hate to see my beginning end."

There has been rampant speculation that American Idol producers planned to stock the judges' panel with show alumni like Kelly, Adam, Clay Aiken and Jennifer Hudson. There were even rumors that Hudson had been all but signed to a contract. However, now that several new executives have been put in place to oversee the show, those plans may be abandoned.

In other Kelly Clarkson news, her new wedding-themed country single, "Tie It Up," is now available for streaming online. "I love the ring of your name/You're the ying to my yang/Oh baby let's give it a shot/Every wall needs a frame, every ball needs a chain/I'm talking 'bout tying the knot," sings Kelly, who'll wed her fiance Brandon Blackstock later this year.

Cher Indicates Lady Gaga Duet Won't Appear on Her Album

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:00:48 +0000

Cher.com

Cher has been talking on Twitter for more than a year about a duet that she and Lady Gaga recorded for her new album, but now it appears as though the duet, called "The Greatest Thing," won't appear on the disc after all.

During a special LiveStream chat Cher did Tuesday night, she said, "I did a song with Gaga and I think it's brilliant, and I thought her performance was great, but she didn't like it, so...I'll play it for friends." That seems to indicate that the song isn't going to be publicly released.

Cher did confirm, though, that the album, which is titled Closer to the Truth, will include a song written by Pink called "Lie to Me." Overall, Cher says, "I'm really proud of [this album] and I'm not a Cher fan...I never listen to my albums."

In other Cher news, on June 30, the Oscar-winning diva will perform at Dance on the Pier, a major New York City Gay Pride event. She'll be performing her new single, "Woman's World," as well as her other hits.

Dance on the Pier, now in its 27th year, raises funds for local LGBT charities, as well as New York's annual Gay Pride events. Among the stars who've performed at the event in the past are Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Hudson and Cyndi Lauper. For tickets, visit NYCPride.showclix.com.

Cher's new album is due September 24.

Why Everyone Thinks John Mayer's New Song Is About Taylor Swift

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:01:04 +0000

Facebook.com/JohnMayer; ABC/Lou RoccoJohn Mayer's new single "Paper Doll" was released on Tuesday, and immediately, speculation began that the song was John's response to Taylor Swift's alleged song about him, "Dear John." Why? Let's look at the evidence.

First of all, people are pointing to the line in "Paper Doll" where John sings "Here's a dress of gold and blue/sure was fun being good to you." This is significant, they say, because in "Dear John," Taylor referred to herself as "the girl in the dress."

Next, in the chorus, John sings, "You're like 22 girls in one/ And none of them know what they're running from." Not only did Taylor release a song called "22" not long ago, but in "Dear John," she sings, "I'll look back and regret how I ignored when they said run as fast as you can."

Finally, in "Paper Doll," John sings, "And if those angel wings don't fly/ Someone's gonna paint you another sky." People say this is an answer to Taylor's line in "Dear John" where she sings, "You paint me a blue sky and go back and turn it to rain."

Of course, all of this is pure guesswork. Taylor herself won't even admit that "Dear John" is about John, and called him "presumptuous" in Glamour magazine for thinking that it was. Last year, John told Rolling Stone that "Dear John" "humiliated" him.

"It made me feel terrible," he said at the time. "Because I didn't deserve it. I'm pretty good at taking accountability now, and I never did anything to deserve that. It was a really lousy thing for her to do." He added, "It's abusing your talent to rub your hands together and go, 'Wait till he gets a load of this!'"

Backstreet Boys Debut New Single, "In a World Like This" Album Track List

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Facebook.com/BackstreetBoysThe Backstreet Boys' new album In a World Like This will be in stores July 30, but the group has just made the title track, an upbeat pop song, available for streaming online.

Speaking to MTV about the significance of the title In a World Like This, AJ McLean explained, "I think...both in a pop world that we've been living in for the past 20 years, and just the world that we live in, with all the different things, positive things [and] negative things going on in this entire world, we're still here 20 years later, living in this world that we've created. And I think it's positive actually. It does kind of sound a little dark, but I think it's positive."

The group also revealed the track listing for the new disc on their official website.

"In A World Like This"
"Permanent Stain"
"Breathe"
"Madeleine"
"Show 'Em (What You're Made Of)"
"Make Believe"
"Try"
"Trust Me"
"Love Somebody"
"One Phone Call"
"Feels Like Home"
"Soldier"

On August 2, Backstreet will kick off a summer tour in support of the new album. Joining them on the road will be Jesse McCartney and DJ Pauly D.

"The Voice" Recap: Danielle Bradbery Wins Season Four

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 03:05:16 +0000

Trae Patton/NBCDanielle Bradbery was named the fourth-season winner of the NBC singing competition The Voice on Tuesday night.

The 16-year-old country artist from Texas, who was coached by Blake Shelton, received more votes than runner-up Michelle Chamuel, the eclectic, bespectacled pop contestant who was a member of Team Usher.

In a brief speech after host Carson Daly made the announcement, Danielle said she was "so thankful" for the experience.

With her victory, Danielle earns a recording contract. She'll also appear on NBC's The Tonight Show on Wednesday night.

This marks the third consecutive season of The Voice in which Blake coached the winning artist.

Danielle was a stand-out in the competition from the moment she auditioned for Blake, Usher, Adam Levine and Shakira. She shocked them all by telling them she'd never had a vocal lesson and had never performed publicly before.

Danielle wasn't the only success story for Blake on The Voice this season. Blake, who turned 37 on Tuesday, also guided Oklahoma country duo The Swon Brothers to a third-place finish.

Daly said at the start of the telecast that the results were determined via what he described as "unprecedented voting."

Michelle and The Swon Brothers did not leave the finals empty-handed. In a prerecorded segment, Daly surprised Danielle, Michelle, and the Swons with new cars from Kia Motors.

Each of the three remaining acts performed multiple times during the two-hour results show. Danielle joined young country star Hunter Hayes for a rendition of his song "I Want Crazy." She also invited eliminated contestants Amber Carrington, Caroline Glaser and Sarah Simmons onto the stage for a cover of Carrie Underwood's "All-American Girl."

After she was named the new champ, Danielle reprised her performance of Sara Evans' "Born To Fly" from Monday night.

Michelle teamed up with one of her favorite bands, OneRepublic, for a live version of the group's tune "Counting Stars." She also sang Stevie Wonder's version of the Beatles song "We Can Work It Out," alongside eliminated artists Cathia, Josiah Hawley, and Vedo.

The Swon Brothers shared the spotlight with Bob Seger for Seger's "Night Moves." You may recall the Swons played Seger's "Turn the Page" on the show earlier this month. The brothers were also joined by eliminated artists Amber Carrington, Holly Tucker and Justin Rivers on "Stars Tonight," by Lady Antebellum.

Aside from the aforementioned collaborations, the musical guests included Cher, who performed her new single, "Woman's World"; Bruno Mars, who sang "Treasure"; Pitbull and the soon-to-be-returning Voice coach Christina Aguilera, who duetted on their hit "Feel This Moment"; and Florida Georgia Line and Nelly, who performed "Cruise."

This season of The Voice marked the first for Usher and Shakira, who filled in for Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green. Christina and Cee Lo will return to The Voice this fall, though Shakira and Usher will be back for the spring 2014 season.

Lady Gaga's Dad Fuming After His Restaurant Gets Downgraded by NYC Health Dept.

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 01:00:13 +0000

Lester Cohen/WireImageLady Gaga's been uncharacteristically quiet online over the past few months, but the same can't be said for her dad, Joe Germanotta. He's fuming because his New York City restaurant, Joanne Trattoria, has been downgraded by New York City Health Department inspectors for violations that he feels are unwarranted -- and he's venting about it on Twitter.

Among the violations that Germanotta particularly disagrees with: a "bad potato" in a bin with "40 good ones."

"It wasn't being served to a customer, it was raw, and when the inspector pointed it out we threw it away. How many bad veggies do you toss," he wrote on Twitter. "The inspector gave us 7 points for a bad potato in a storage bin on our health department inspection, that shifted us from an A to a B or Grade Pending...he took our A and left B or Grade Pending sign, our choice to display. Seems a little harsh."

Germanotta also added that he was cited for an ice cream scoop not in a storage holder -- "it was in the dish machine," he says -- and the lack of a "wash hands" sign at a waiters' station. "I'll put one up tomorrow, but we use this as a water station, not a hand sink," he points out.

Gaga's dad then turned his attention to the inspector, the inspector's boss, the Health Department in general -- which he called "corrupt" -- and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who he says he's "met several times." He also invited fans to tweet Bloomberg with their thoughts on the matter.

"Sorry guys and gals, Mister G is angry," he tweeted. No comment yet from Mr. G's his daughter.

Brad Pitt's Response to Melissa Etheridge's Comments on Angelina: "I'm Sure We'll Talk"

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:00:00 +0000

Paul Warner/Getty ImagesBreast cancer survivor Melissa Etheridge raised some eyebrows with her recent interview in the Washington Blade, in which she stated that Angelina Jolie had made the "most fearful" choice, and not the "brave" choice, by having a double mastectomy. Now, Angelina's partner Brad Pitt has responded to Melissa's comments. Sorta.

When asked by US Weekly magazine what he thought about Melissa's comments, Pitt said, "I don't know. Somebody just said that." He added, "Melissa's an old friend of mine. I'm sure we'll talk on the phone. I don't know what it is."

When Pitt says he and Melissa are old friends, he's not kidding: he invited Melissa to perform at his wedding to Jennifer Aniston, and for a while, he was even rumored to be the biological father of Melissa's two oldest children with her ex-partner, Julie Cypher.

In the meantime, Melissa has issued a statement clarifying her remarks. "I don't have any opinion of what she 'should have' done. All are free to choose," she said. "I only objected to the term 'brave' describing it."

Mariah Carey Album Title Confirmed as "The Art of Letting Go"

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:06:21 +0000

Facebook.com/MariahCareyWalmart.com seemed to have inadvertently revealed the title of Mariah Carey's new album a few days ago when it listed the disc for sale under the name The Art of Letting Go. Turns out that is indeed the album's title, as confirmed by Mariah's longtime collaborator and producer, Jermaine Dupri.

On Monday, Jermaine tweeted, "Mariah Carey, July 23: The Art of Letting Go. The new album will be available for all the lambs on July 23."

The Art of Letting Go, Mariah's 11th studio album, will be her first since 2009's Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel. Not many details are known about it, other than it features production work from Jermaine, as well as Bryan-Michael Cox, The-Dream and producer of the moment Hit-Boy.

According to her latest tweet, Mariah is now on her way back home from a vacation in Italy.

John Mayer Announces New Album "Paradise Valley," New Single "Paper Doll" Is Out Now

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:00:00 +0000

Facebook.com/JohnMayerJohn Mayer wasn't kidding when he said he'd have a new album ready to go this year. He's just announced the title: it's called Paradise Valley. What's more, the first single, "Paper Doll," is on iTunes now.

There's also a bizarre lyric video for the song, in which a woman named Joanna Rohrback, the inventor of an actual fitness workout dubbed "Prancercise," encourages everyone watching to "Prancercise" to the song. As the song plays, she literally prances down a random suburban street. It's so deeply weird that one viewer commented, "I switched to porn when my dad came into the room because it was easier to explain than this."

As for the song itself, it's a mellow ballad. "You're like 22 girls in one," sings John. "And none of them know what they're running from/Was it just too far to fall/For a little paper doll?" Let the speculation begin as to which one of John's famous girlfriends may have inspired the track; some believe it's about Taylor Swift.

John is currently putting the finishing touches on Paradise Valley, on which he worked with famed producer Don Was, just as he did last year's Born and Raised album. He'll kick off his first tour in nearly three years on July 6 in Milwaukee, with Phillip Phillips opening. A dollar from each tickets sold will raise funds to combat and raise awareness of the effects of post traumatic stress on military veterans.

Katy Perry Says Russell Brand Asked for Divorce via Text; Reveals She's "Still Madly in Love" with John Mayer

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:23:15 +0000

Facebook.com/VogueKaty Perry's never really dished all the details about her split with ex-husband Russell Brand, but she's now revealed that Brand did the actual breaking up, and in a very impersonal way: via text.

In her new Vogue cover story, Katy says of Brand, "He’s a very smart man, and I was in love with him when I married him. Let’s just say I haven’t heard from him since he texted me saying he was divorcing me December 31, 2011.”

But wait, it gets worse: apparently, Brand used to use Katy as fodder for his comedy act. When the Vogue writer says that Brand is "hysterical," she replies, "Hysterical in some ways. Until he started making jokes about me and he didn’t know I was in the audience, because I had come to surprise him at one of his shows."

Katy says she has to take some responsibility for the marriage's failure, telling Vogue, "I do admit that I was on the road a lot. Although I invited him time and time again, and I tried to come home as much as I possibly could. You saw that in the movie,” referring to her concert documentary Katy Perry: Part of Me. But, Katy explains, "At first when I met him he wanted an equal, and I think a lot of times strong men do want an equal, but then they get that equal and they’re like, I can’t handle the equal-ness. He didn’t like the atmosphere of me being the boss on tour."

Even so, that apparently isn't what destroyed their relationship, and Katy's not revealing anything more. "I felt a lot of responsibility for it ending, but then I found out the real truth, which I can’t necessarily disclose because I keep it locked in my safe for a rainy day," Katy tells Vogue. "I let go and I was like: This isn’t because of me; this is beyond me. So I have moved on from that.”

As for John Mayer, Katy tells the magazine that it's "over" between them, but the interview was done before Memorial Day, when the two reportedly started hanging out again. "I was madly in love with him. I still am madly in love with him," Katy says of John. "All I can say about that relationship is that he’s got a beautiful mind. Beautiful mind, tortured soul."

"I do have to figure out why I am attracted to these broken birds," Katy adds. "I believe that I will be loved again, in the right way. I know I’m worth it.”

Read the entire interview with Katy at Vogue.com.

Cher to Answer Fans' Questions Online Backstage During "Voice" Finale

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:58:47 +0000

Warner Bros. RecordsThe finale of The Voice is on Tuesday night, and in addition to finding out who the winner will be, we'll also get the first live TV performance in a decade from Cher, who'll be performing her new single "Women's World." Not only that, but she'll chat with fans online during the evening.

At 9:15 p.m. PT, Cher will participate in a 30-minute online event while backstage at The Voice, and you can watch it at Livestream.com. She'll be answering fans' questions, which they've submitted on Twitter, so if you want to ask one yourself, submit one at Twitter.com/Cher using the hashtag #CherLivestream or #AskCher.

And Cher isn't the only star who'll be performing on Tuesday night's finale: as previously reported, coach Christina Aguilera, who took a year off from the show this season, will take the stage to perform "Feel This Moment," her collaboration with rapper Pitbull.

We'll also see Bruno Mars in a pre-taped performance of his new single "Treasure," as well as country music duo Florida Georgia Line and rapper Nelly, who together have a hit pop single called "Cruise" on the charts right now. In addition, OneRepublic will perform their latest hit "Counting Stars" with one of the finalists.

The festivities get underway Tuesday night at 9 p.m. ET.

Jason Mraz Goes Country, Pops Up on New Album by Hunter Hayes

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

ABC News RadioWhile you're waiting for Jason Mraz to release some new music, you can check him out this week in an unexpected place: a new album by country star Hunter Hayes, best known for his hit "Wanted."

Jason and Hunter first met at the Grammy Awards earlier this year, where Hunter was nominated for three trophies, including Best New Artist. Jason says he agreed to join Hunter on his new album, which is called Hunter Hayes (Encore), because Hunter's such a talented musician.

"What I find in this genre is an intense musicality, especially from the songwriters who can dig into their instruments and dig into melody and dig into story and dig into spirit. I dig on that," explains Jason.

Jason, who's performed in the past with country group Zac Brown Band, says another reason why he enjoys collaborating with country stars is because he likes that genre's feeling of community: he feels that's missing in the pop music world.

"It's really inspiring," he says. "Y'know, a lot of us in the pop scene, we live inside of our own bubbles, and we don't get to interact with each other too much. It seems like on the West Coast, it's just too far away from this community out here [in Nashville].. So, it's a real honor...to be considered [and], to be tapped to lend my voice to the work that they're doing."

Jason and Hunter team up for a track called "Everybody's Got Somebody but Me" on Hunter's album, which is actually an expanded edition of his debut record. Jason will also be performing this September at Zac Brown Band's annual Southern Ground Music & Food Festival in Nashville.

Adam Levine to “Chillax” Post-Voice Before New Maroon 5 Tour

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:00:46 +0000

Trae Patton/NBCSeason four of The Voice ends Tuesday night, and you'd think that the rest of Maroon 5, who've got a big summer tour coming up, would be thrilled about the fact that they'll finally get their lead singer Adam Levine back full-time. But it turns out they'll have to wait a little longer before they can regroup and focus on music.

"When they wrap on Tuesday, we don't get him back," guitarist James Valentine says of Adam, telling ABC News Radio,"I know he's going straight to go golf. I don't think anyone will see him for a while. He's just going to go chillax."

And that's got to be frustrating for the band, since James admits that, while The Voice has done amazing things for Maroon 5's career, it has made it extremely difficult to get any time with Adam for band business while the show is on.

"If there is one downside of Adam doing the TV show, it's that he's been pulled in a million different directions," James tells ABC News Radio. "And scheduling for our management and our agent and all the people who make this stuff work has become sort of a nightmare, because he's in such high demand and every day there's something for him."

He adds, "I feel very sorry for him just in that when I look at his schedule, it's pretty insane."

But rest assured that Maroon 5 will be well-prepared for their summer tour with Kelly Clarkson, which kicks off August 1 in Missouri. James says, "We've already been rehearsing for that, and putting a new set together, and doing some new set design. And that's going to be really cool."

Melissa Etheridge Says Angelia Jolie's Choice to Have Double Mastectomy Was "Fearful," Not "Brave"

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:00:42 +0000

Facebook.com/MelissaEtheridgeBrad Pitt says his partner Angelina Jolie is "heroic" because she decided to get a double mastectomy after she found out she carried the BRCA-1 gene, which carries a high risk of breast cancer. But another celebrity with the exact same issue isn't so sure that Jolie's brave for doing what she did: Melissa Etheridge.

Melissa, a breast cancer survivor, tells the Washington Blade, "I have that gene mutation too and it’s not something I would believe in for myself. I wouldn’t call it the brave choice. I actually think it’s the most fearful choice you can make when confronting anything with cancer."

She goes on to says that she believes that "cancer comes from inside you and so much of it has to do with the environment of your body. It’s the stress that will turn that gene on or not," adding, "Plenty of people have the gene mutation and everything but it never comes to cancer."

The singer cautions anyone in the same situation should "really consider the advancements we’ve made in things like nutrition and stress levels," and notes, "I’ve been cancer free for nine years now and looking back, I completely understand why I got cancer. There was so much acidity in everything. I really encourage people to go a lot longer and further before coming to that conclusion."

On the music front, Melissa tells the Blade that she's currently working on a 25-year box set retrospective package that will include eight CDs, featuring live cuts, covers, demos, pictures and videos.

"The Voice" Recap: The Three Finalists Perform

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:00:38 +0000

NBCThe three finalists on NBC's The Voice made one last bid for viewers' votes on Monday night, 24 hours before the fourth-season champion was set to be crowned.

Blake Shelton has a leg up on the other coaches, with two artists still in the running: 16-year-old Danielle Bradbery, and Oklahoma country duo The Swon Brothers.

The other remaining artist, eclectic pop singer Michelle Chamuel, belongs to Team Usher.

Though they had no contestants left to mentor, Adam Levine and Shakira sat in their usual chairs Monday night to cheer on the finalists.

Aside from the typical solo performance, the artists reprised a "defining moment" of theirs from earlier in the season, and also duetted with their respective coach.

The first act to take the stage was The Swon Brothers, who strayed a bit from their country/folk rock leanings by covering the Eagles' "I Can't Tell You Why." Usher joked that the duo finally found the "girl part" in their voices. Shakira called herself a huge fan of the Swons, and proved it by waving an "Okies" pennant, a nod to the group's native state. Adam, noting that the Swons dedicated the song to him because he's an Eagles fan, said they did a great job with it. Blake complimented them for expanding their audience by constantly evolving as an act.

Michelle Chamuel tackled Taylor Swift's "I Knew You Were Trouble" for her defining moment. While preparing to perform the tune for the first time earlier this month, Michelle had received a surprise visit from Taylor. Usher clearly enjoyed Michelle's performance Monday; he had a smile on his face and was clapping throughout. Both he and Adam said it was no coincidence that the audience screams whenever the spotlight is on Michelle. Shakira added that Michelle's energy is "crazy" and "contagious."

For their defining moment, The Swon Brothers again played "Danny's Song" by Kenny Loggins. Adam said it didn't feel like an old song, the way the Swons performed it. Blake concurred, telling them that he could imagine hearing their rendition on Oklahoma radio.

Michelle returned to the stage with a theatrical version of Annie Lennox's "Why," which involved her singing into a "mirror" that actually projected a prerecorded image of her. Shakira donned Michelle-style glasses in support of the artist. Usher said Michelle brings both "likeability" and "capability" to the show.

Danielle Bradbery reprised her performance of "Maybe It Was Memphis," by Pam Tillis, as her defining moment. Shakira donned a cowboy hat in approval of Danielle. Adam predicted that Danielle will win the competition. Blake said she's one of the most important artists the show has ever had.

Danielle delivered the final solo performance of the night, with her take on Sara Evans' "Born To Fly." Adam quipped that her "perfection was boring" him. Blake again stressed how important he feels she is to the competition.

The coaches duets consisted of Danielle joining Blake on "Timber, I'm Falling In Love," by Patty Loveless; The Swon Brothers and Blake covering Brad Paisley's "Celebrity"; and Michelle teaming up with Usher on U2's "One."

In addition, all three finalists welcomed back previously-eliminated artists from the current season for a big group performance of "Home," by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.

The broadcast began with all four coaches performing "With a Little Help from My Friends." Their rendition was closer to the Joe Cocker version than the original Beatles recording.

The winner will be announced Tuesday on the two-hour season finale of The Voice, airing at 9 p.m. Eastern time on NBC. Musical guests include Cher, Bruno Mars, Christina Aguilera, Pitbull, Florida Georgia Line, and Nelly.

Marc Anthony Announces World Tour

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 01:00:55 +0000

Facebook.com/MarcAnthonyYou "need to know" that Marc Anthony has just announced a world tour that includes a string of dates in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

The tour, dubbed "Vivir Mi Vida," which means "Live My Life," will kick off August 6 in Colombia, but the North American dates begin August 23 in Miami and wrap up October 5 in Puerto Rico. Marc is also visiting many countries in South America, as well as Australia, Mexico and Central America on this tour.

In a statement, J-Lo's baby daddy says, "I am really excited to meet again with all my fans and look forward to sharing with them my music's journey." He'll release a brand new album on July 23.

Tickets to the U.S. shows go on sale on Thursday at 10 a.m. local time.

Here are the North American dates, including Mexico:

8/23 -- Miami, FL, American Airlines Arena
8/24 -- Miami, FL, American Airlines Arena
8/25 -- Orlando, FL, Amway Center
9/1 -- Long Island, NY, Nassau Coliseum
9/5 -- Houston, TX, Toyota Center
9/7 -- Chicago, IL, Allstate Arena
9/8 -- Toronto, Canada, TBD
9/10 -- Vienna, VA, Filene Center
9/13 -- Las Vegas, NV, Mandalay Bay
9/14 -- Tucson, AZ, Anselmo Valencia Amphitheatre
9/27 -- Oakland, CA, Oracle Arena
9/28 -- Los Angeles, CA, Nokia Theatre
9/29 -- Los Angeles, CA, Nokia Theatre
10/4 -- San, Juan, Puerto Rico, Choliseo
10/5 -- San Juan, Puerto Rico, Choliseo
10/19 -- Guadalajara, Mexico, Arena VFG
10/23 -- Mexico City, Mexico, Auditorio Nacional
10/24 -- Mexico City, Mexico, Auditorio Nacional
10/25 -- Mexico City, Mexico, Auditorio Nacional

Want to Buy Elton John's "Honky Château"?

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:00:36 +0000

EltonJohn.comThinking about new digs? The French château where Elton John recorded his classic 1972 album Honky Château can now be yours.

According to the European news service AFP, the 18th century Château d'Hérouville, located about 20 miles outside of Paris, has been put up for sale for the bargain price of $1.73 million. That'll get you 30 rooms, a 42,000-acre park, a pool and a tennis court.

French composer Michel Magne built a famous recording studio in the château in 1969, and many top artists recorded there, including Elton, who dubbed it the "Honky Château" and also traveled to there to record his albums Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player.

In addition, the Bee Gees recorded "Stayin' Alive" and "How Deep Is Your Love" at the château, and Fleetwood Mac made their 1982 album Mirage there as well. Other artists who recorded at the château until it closed in 1985 include David Bowie, Pink Floyd, Cat Stevens and Bad Company.

Elton's Honky Château produced the hits "Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time)" and "Honky Cat," as well as the fan favorite "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters."

Has Mariah Carey's Album Title Been Revealed?

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:00:19 +0000

Facebook.com/MariahCareyMariah Carey's album titles used to be one word, but in recent years, they've been getting more complex, such as The Emancipation of Mimi and Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel. And it appears that the title of her forthcoming album, due July 23, may continue that trend.

A listing for the album on Walmart.com has the title as The Art of Letting Go, but this has not yet been confirmed by Mariah or her record company. However, on Instagram, Mariah provided a photo caption which seems to refer to that title.

Next to a shot of herself in the pool, she wrote, "A much needed splash after hours pon de mic singing for my #beautiful #lambily! Melancholic moment letting go of something this personal to me, yet I couldn't be more excited to give three years of my soul to the fans."

Mariah's reportedly been vacationing in Capri, Italy, lately, where she's been putting the finishing touches on the new project.

Alicia Keys on a Music Career for Her Son: "If It Makes Him Light Up, Hell Yeah!"

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:00:29 +0000

James Devaney/WireImage)Alicia Keys was just four when she appeared on The Cosby Show, and when she was around 14, she linked up with her longtime manager Jeff Robinson. But when Alicia thinks of her two-year-old son, Egypt, going into the music business in about a decade, it kind of freaks her out.

She jokingly shrieked at the idea when it was suggested by a reporter for the U.K.'s London Evening Standard, but then admitted that it probably wouldn't be fair if she didn't support Egypt, should he decide to make music his career. But would she actually encourage it? That's a tough question for Alicia, who says, "Jesus... Well, he has crazy rhythm. So, yeah, man. But he has to do what makes him happy. And if it makes him light up, hell yeah, I want him to do it."

Not only that, but Alicia says she and her husband, producer Swizz Beatz, wouldn't be above using their music industry connections to smooth the path to stardom for little Egypt. "If my husband and I can fast-track him past the bulls**t a little bit, that would be cool," she told the Evening Standard.

Egypt is well on his way to a music career: he's already made his recording debut. The toddler shares a few words -- "Mommy," "I love you" and "bye-bye" -- on Alicia's track "When It's All Over," from her current album Girl on Fire.

Ariel-Obsessed Carly Rae Jepsen Thrilled to Remake "Part of Your World" for The Little Mermaid Diamond Edition

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:00:58 +0000

Sara De Boer/STARTRAKS PHOTO via ABCGrowing up in Canada, Carly Rae Jepsen fantasized about being Ariel, from the Disney animated film The Little Mermaid. Now, she's getting to fulfill her childhood dreams: Disney chose her to remake The Little Mermaid song "Part of Your World" for the upcoming Diamond Edition Blu-ray release of the movie.

"Every girl that I know has a Disney princess that they relate to," laughs Carly. "For me, I always wanted to be The Little Mermaid. In fact, when I was swimming in lakes as a child, I full-on pretended I was Ariel!"

Carly says that when she got the call out of the blue from Disney to remake the song, she immediately asked them if she could use the same arrangement she remembered as a child -- the one that was sung in the movie by actress Jodi Benson. "When they approached me, I'm, like, 'Do I get to do the original Jodi version, with the strings? And they're like, 'You are a geek! How do you know all this?' And I'm like, "Oh, I know! I loved it!'"

"Part of Your World" is a Broadway-style ballad, and is very different from "Call Me Maybe," but Carly said she really enjoyed tackling the tune. "It was fun to just kinda sing that way. I was in musicals as a child, so there's a little part of me that totally gets off on the theatrics of it all!" she laughs.

But overall, Carly says that she enjoyed doing the song because it was like a trip back to her childhood. "It was so nostalgic and one of those moments you'll never forget," she tells ABC News Radio. "To even, like, be in the recording booth, listening to those strings from back in the day...there's a bit of magic to that song."

The Little Mermaid Diamond Edition Blu-ray Combo Pack, featuring Carly's new music video for "Part of Your World," will be out October 1.

The Lumineers Jam with Star of "The Hangover" at Bonnaroo

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:00:53 +0000

Tim Mosenfelder/Getty ImagesThe annual Bonnaroo festival in Tennessee, which wrapped up on Sunday night, often hosts unique musical collaborations, but one of the most bizarre ones was surely The Lumineers jamming with Ed Helms, star of The Office and The Hangover films.

In his spare time, Helms plays banjo and guitar in The Lonesome Trio, a band he originally formed with some friends back in college. According to Yahoo! Music, Helms and his group were hosting a vaudeville-style variety show in Bonnaroo's comedy tent on Saturday, and as a surprise, he invited the Lumineers, who were performing later that night on one of the festival's main stages, to join him for a performance of their smash hit "Ho Hey." Of course, the crowd ate it up.

Now that they've got Bonnaroo under their belts, the Lumineers have nearly twenty additional festival appearances lined up during the rest of the summer, both in the U.S. and overseas, including Lollapalooza and the Newport Folk Festival. In September, the band will be on a regular headlining tour of the U.S., which wraps in Florida in October.