Donna Summer has died at 63
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Pictures
Donna Summer, a platinum recording artist and queen of the disco era, has passed away at the age of 63 following a extended battle with cancer. Her publicist confirmed the news to CNN.com.
Born LaDonna Gaines in Boston on New Year’s Eve, 1948, she started her profession as a session singer for the likes of 3 Canine Night prior to a innovative partnership with Italian producer and disco pioneer Giorgio Moroder led to her 1st hit, the breathy 1976 cultural lightning-rod “Love to Really like You Infant.”
Large-ranking singles like “I Feel Love” “MacArthur Park,” and “Heaven Knows” followed, and the 1978 anthem “Last Dance” earned the growing star her very first Grammy award. 1979′s idea album Negative Girls yielded more smashes, such as “Hot Stuff” and “Dim All the Lights,” and that year also saw the well-known Barbra Streisand collaboration “No Far more Tears (Sufficient Is Adequate).”
After browsing for a new submit-disco identity for numerous many years, Summer time identified her stride yet again with “Love Is In Management (Finger on the Set off)” and the title track of her 1983 album She Functions Challenging for the Cash. Numerous followups, however (with the exception of the best-10 1989 hit “This Time I Know It’s For Real”) failed to attain the gold and platinum standing of her previous releases.
Her immersion in born-again Christianity in the mid-’80s also alienated some followers, as did her alleged statements about AIDS becoming a just punishment for homosexuality. She later denied those remarks, telling The Advocate in 1989,”I’ve lost a lot of friends who have died of AIDS… people who ran my first album, who were genuinely shut to me, stunning guys … I never mentioned, ‘If you are gay, God hates you. Come on. Be real. I really don’t understand that. Anyone who truly understands me is aware of I wouldn’t say that.”
Chris Moyles, Mel C To Take On ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’
Posted by James Buckley 
Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles, along with former spice lady Mel C, have signed to join the cast of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar.
Moyles will star as King Herod, although the Mel C will portray the function of Mary Magdalene. Myoles was selected by Webber personally to seem as the king, something that the DJ who has no stage encounter, located to be “pretty incredible.” He graciously accepted the function, gushing about how excited his mom will be.
SEE ALSO: Adele Will take the Lead For AMA Nominations
The play was written by Webber and characteristics lyrics by Tim Rice. The display 1st launched in 1971, focusing on the various struggles that consider location among and for Jesus Christ and Judas Iscariot. The display functions numerous anachronisms with lyrics that make references to the twentieth century, as effectively as the use of props that had been non-existent throughout the time period.
Gary Barlow’s Diamond Jubilee song to get first play on Friday morning
Gary Barlow‘s collaboration single with Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber will obtain its 1st play tomorrow (Friday) morning.
The Take That singer has been working with the composer for a new song to celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year.
The track will be very first heard on Chris Evans’s BBC Radio 2 show at 8am tomorrow, Barlow confirmed.
He tweeted: “Our Jubilee song gets its initial play tomorrow morning on @achrisevans 8am.”
Barlow also revealed that the song’s video will get its initial play on the BBC Radio two internet site at the very same time.
Alicia Keys to Perform with Stevie Wonder at Billboard Music Awards
Alicia Keys is the latest artist to join the lineup for the 2012 Billboard Music Awards. The Grammy-winning singer will duet with the legendary Stevie Wonder at Sunday’s show.
Keys, a 10-time Billboard winner, will also present the Billboard Icon Award to Wonder, reports Entertainment Weekly. The two previously carried out “Higher Ground” with each other at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards.
Other performers consist of Chris Brown, Usher, Nelly Furtado, Kelly Clarkson, Linkin Park, Carrie Underwood, Justin Bieber, LMFAO, and The Wanted, with presenters Swizz Beatz, Wiz Khalifa, Robin Thicke, Brandy, Monica, Taio Cruz, Natasha Bedingfield, and a lot more.
John Legend and Jordin Sparks will participate in a musical tribute to the late Whitney Houston, who will acquire the Millennium Award. Her daughter Bobbi Kristina and sister-in-law Patricia Houston will be present to accept the honor.
The 2012 Billboard Music Awards will air live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Sunday at 8 p.m. on ABC. Adele, LMFAO, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and Lil Wayne are amongst this year’s finalists.
Alicia Keys to perform with Stevie Wonder at Billboard Music Awards — EXCLUSIVE
Image Credit score: Bob Riha Jr/WireImage
Grammy-winning “Fallin’” singer Alicia Keys will present the Billboard Icon Award to Stevie Wonder — and perform with the legendary artist — at Sunday’s Billboard Music Awards, EW has realized exclusively.
There’s no word on what song — or medley of songs — the pair will complete. Wonder and Keys have had a lengthy-running kinship and respect for every other, as they carried out “Higher Ground” together at the 2004 MTV VMAs and presented together at the 48th Grammy Awards in 2006 (pictured right here). Keys has won ten Billboard Music Awards during her career.
Present day Loved ones acting duo Ty Burrell and Julie Bowen are taking on hosting duties at the awards display, which will broadcast reside on ABC from the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas this Sunday at 8 p.m. Top nominees for the awards include Adele, LMFAO, and Rihanna.
Just-announced presenters at the display consist of Whoopi Goldberg, Swizz Beatz, and Charlie Sheen. They join previously announced presenters Lisa Marie Presley, Wiz Khalifa, Luke Bryan, Robin Thicke, Brandy, Monica, Miley Cyrus, Taio Cruz, Gavin DeGraw, Gladys Knight, Julianne Hough, Natasha Bedingfield and Jeremy Sisto, along with musical acts Jordin Sparks, John Legend, Kelly Clarkson, Linkin Park, Nelly Furtado, Usher, Carrie Underwood, Justin Bieber, LMFAO, and The Wished.
Tanner on Twitter: @EWTanStransky
Adele Wins At The Ivor Novellos
She’s picked up Songwriter of the Year and Most Carried out Function at the prestigious songwriting awards…
However she missed out on Greatest Album – which went to PJ Harvey for Let England Shake.
Lana Del Rey got Finest Contemporary Song for Video Games even though Ed Sheeran got Best Song Musically and Lyrically for The A Team.
The Ivors Inspiration Award went to Siouxsie Sioux.
Chuck Brown, pioneer of go-go funk music, has died at 75
Picture Credit: http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/i/2012/05/16/CHUCK-BROWN_320.jpg
Chuck Brown, a singer and guitarist recognized as “the godfather of go-go,” passed away in Baltimore nowadays. He was 75.
Go-go by no means really gained nationwide recognition on the charts, but it became a phenomenon in the Washington D.C. place in the mid-’70s, with Brown at its (really funky) center. His profession, which stretched across 4 decades and much more than 20 albums, easily transcended the genre — to numerous in the region, he was a beloved figure and a resource of local pride.
Brown also recorded the theme song for the Fox sitcom The Sinbad Display in the ’90s, and his early hit “Bustin’ Loose” is the property-run song for the Washington Nationals baseball group (you can hear elements of its distinctive melody and lyrics in Nelly’s 2002 chart topper “Hot in Here”). In 2009, a block in D.C. was renamed Chuck Brown Way in his honor.
Listen to Brown’s “Blow Your Whistle” under:
A lot more on EW.com:
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