Vedder Interesting!

Few people suspected that rock ‘n' roll--a music form that was born in the early ‘50s and seemed to have a potentially unlimited lifespan--would actually one day peak and never again be as good as it was!

Still, that seems to be precisely the case!

For it is this week when Eddie Vedder--lead vocalist with famous Seattle-based rockers Pearl Jam--has singlehandedly made an album that will likely never be topped by any rock ‘n' roll record ever to come!

A man! A voice! A ukulele!

And while it does seem a tad beholden to famous rapper Jay-Z--I mean, these days, what doesn't?--it still shows a streak of indisputable originality that is bound to be talked about for decades to come!

May 31, 2011: The week everyone stopped buying albums and enjoyed tasty ice cream sodas in their place!

Eddie Vedder: Ukulele Songs (Monkey Wrench)  From its wrenching opening track, an energetic rendition of Tiny Tim's "Tiptoe Through The Tulips," to its heart-rending, mildly hallucinogenic closer, Don Ho's "Tiny Bubbles," Eddie Vedder's unexpected new solo album shows an artist at the peak of his powers! And that's just the cover photo! The Pearl Jam singer's unexpected instrumental dexterity--swinging from Bach and Handel here, Stomu Yamash'ta and Iannis Xenakis there--combined with his ultra-sophisticated taste for unexpected covers, including the themes from TV's Mr. Ed and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, make this an album of a lifetime! Ironically, the life in question belongs to Eldred Meek, a young Vermont boy who, in the early 1700's, fell into a well blindfolded and tragically perished! Even more ironic: He was deaf! Not like the rest of us! I can't wait for this guy's cookbook!

Can't Sleep - Eddie Vedder

Death Cab For Cutie: Codes And Keys (Atlantic)  While they've always seemed a bit overly bright, Death Cab For Cutie return here with an album that, frankly, might take a true genius to appreciate! Apparently taking its cue from the album cover photo, opening track "Home Is A Fire" features a repetitive busy signal as its music base over which various members select either X's or O's for an unexpected game of tic-tac-toe! Weird! Next, the title track blares a police or ambulance siren while a repetitive beeping signal spells out "I am really into McHale's Navy" in Morse code! Huh? Finally, closing track "Stay Young, Go Dancing" features the voice of Hugh "Lumpy" Brannum, TV's celebrated Mr. Green Jeans, mumbling inanities such as "I got the damn keys to the Treasure House right here, Fat Boy" and "It's just a frickin' puppet, man--what are you on?" I think it may be their best album ever!

You Are A Tourist - Death Cab For Cutie

My Morning Jacket: Circuital (ATO)  The sixth studio album by music's marvelous My Morning Jacket simply couldn't be better: Great songs, fine musicianship, challenging themes, a complete disregard for all that is commercial--and, wouldn't you just know it?--all that much more commercial because of it! "I hate the phrase ‘going back to our roots,'" says the band's Jim Jones about this new set--tastefully side-stepping the group's controversial decision to do nothing but eat sweet potatoes and yams for the duration of this album's making! Luckily, the greatness of the end product--and, I mean, this is a fine album--render such points as their rationale for featuring the eye of Blinky The Traffic Light on the new album cover entirely moot! Still, it is odd!

Victory Dance - My Morning Jacket

Kate Bush: Director's Cut (Fish People/EMI)  England's fascinating Kate Bush--an icon whose influence pervades all of contemporary music as we know it--well, except for a few Toby Keith records--returns here with a reworking  of material she's released on her earlier The Sensual World and The Red Shoes albums, and it sounds great! Featuring completely new vocals and drums but retaining some of the original musical backing--and, one suspects, an inescapable fascination with Edward Lear's "The Dong With The Luminous Nose"--Bush has never sounded stronger, better, more convincing, or like a woman who's filthy rich and can do whatever the heck she wants just because she's Kate Bush! Sort of like Eddie Vedder, but she left the ukulele in her wine cellar! I'm completely into this!

Flower Of The Mountain (Director's Cut) - Kate Bush

Dave Matthews Band: Live At Wrigley Field (Bama Rags/RCA) If you like the Dave Matthews band, you're going to love this new 2-CD set, which features the band running through hits old and new in a venue that only a select few artists have ever played! Otherwise, Wrigley Field houses the Chicago Cubs, a baseball team of some repute! As the album cover hints, the band has been accused by the entire city of Chicago of selling out, and on the evidence of much of the between-song patter here--in which Matthews and company are solicited by several large corporations and defense interests to accept large sums of money for public sponsorship, the CEOs of McDonald's and Wendy's "battle it out" for Matthews' approval and signature, etc.--it is puzzling! I'd prefer to assume the shows themselves were sold out and leave it at that! Guess I'm dumb!

You Might Die Trying (Live At Wrigley Field) - Dave Matthews Band

Seapony: Go With Me (Hardly Art)  In a cruel twist offering up an actual good album, Seattle's Seapony here may seem to be following up on the latest musical fad---heavily echoed female vocals over an excessively reverbed guitar and prominent drum mix--but to me seem to be playing music directly in the tradition of the Marine Girls, the Gist, maybe even the Young Marble Giants, which in 2011 means they are actually hip as heck! I like them very much! I suggest buying this album, playing it for all your friends, saying, ‘Yeah, I've always been into stuff like this, man," and then pretending you don't care what anyone else thinks at all! You're your own person, and no one is the boss of you!

Dreaming - Seapony

Primal Scream: Screamadelica Live (Blu-Ray DVD) (Eagle)  Anyone who's been paying attention to wacky Brit bands know that years ago Primal Scream started out sounding like a lot of those Byrdsy early Creation-era bands then suddenly shifted into a sort of magnificently psychedelic mode with their 1991 album Screamadelica! Well, here they are years after the fact, out touring the world performing that same album in its entirety, and as this fab DVD illustrates, it remains quite a good listen! Jam-packed with extras, oodles of charisma, and arguments that were it at all possible for contemporary society to travel in time back to 1991 and make "other" decisions, it would probably be wise, Screamadelica Live is entirely worthy of your purchase! Buy it, play it, and tell "haters" you thought it was a Funkadelic album! Don't forget to make quotation marks with your fingers!

The Vaccines: What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? (Columbia)  Many are calling this Brit band the "band to watch" in 2011, especially if you have a lot of money in your wallet and they're walking behind you! Loud, lo-fi, energetic, charismatic and three more adjectives used to simply make a point, the band are quite good, not terribly trendy--in a good way--and likely to make a deep impression on people of a certain age and social sphere! I like them and, more importantly, like their album title even more! And even if I did ever rotate the album cover 90 degrees for kicks, I wouldn't feel guilty about it!

Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra) - The Vaccines

David Byrne: Ride, Rise, Roar (A Live Concert Film) (Blu-Ray DVD) (Eagle)  A well done, impressive concert film documenting former Talking Head Byrne's 2008/2009 tour, this concert DVD is one of very few I've seen that--from the intelligence and pacing of its construction--would appear to be preferable to actually witnessing the concert firsthand! Especially since when I was watching it, I got two phone calls and would've felt odd yelling up onstage to David Byrne to hold it for a minute so I could answer my phone! It's usually not a problem at smaller gigs, but jeez, I really hate to make a scene! Great DVD!

Flogging Molly: Speed Of Darkness (SideOneDummy)  Best known as a "Celtic punk ensemble"--but heck, we all love basketball--Flogging Molly have already noted that this "wasn't the album we set out to write. It became the album we had to write." Yeah, and maybe if they'd been nicer to Molly, she wouldn't be standing over them all with two black eyes and a submachine gun in her hands!

June 13-19: Christina Aguilera On Tumultuous Year

This week, your pals at That's Really Week became even bigger fans of Christina Aguilera. In a candid July 2011 "W" magazine cover story, the "Genie In A Bottle" singer addressed many of the dramas that haunted her last year -- divorce, flopped movie, national anthem lyric flub at the Super Bowl, slipping on stage at the Grammys, and drunk driving arrest. But we are pleased to report that there has been a happy ending.
As Christina was faced with the lukewarm response to last year's "Bionic" album which prompted accusations that she was copying Lady Gaga, her marriage was also falling apart.
Christina and Jordan Bratman had been married for five years and have a 3-year-old son. But as their marital problems ensued, a split was inevitable.
"It got to a point where our life at home was reminding me of my own childhood. I will not have my son grow up in a tension-filled home," Christina told "W," adding that she would not allow negative media coverage to dictate how she lived her life.
But she had also already met another man. Christina was seeing Matt Rutler, whom she met on the set of "Burlesque," her first movie. "I could depend on him for everything," she said about the 25-year-old musician and production assistant. "Matt was working on the movie, and he was so supportive. And he still is."
Despite "Burlesque" being the perfect theatrical vehicle for Christina, the movie did not live up to its hype. Christina confirms that the friction between the director and the head of the studio, who were dating, didn't help matters.
"It was very hard to be in the center of all that," Christina said. "A lot was riding on the film, and I bore the brunt. I was like, 'Hey, stop fighting -- this is my career.'"
Still, Christina had more demons to face. While the success of a new album and movie are measured by the reaction from a fickle public, singing the national anthem at the Super Bowl is arguably the one thing everyone expected Christina to conquer with ease.
But Christina forgot part of the lyrics of the song she has been singing since she was a child. "Everything on the field at the Super Bowl was vividly bright, and I was having a moment," she said. "I got lost in the emotion of being there, and I messed up the lyrics to the song."
A week later, Christina stumbled on stage at the Grammys during the Aretha Franklin tribute. "Note to self: Never wear a train onstage," she said. "My heel got caught in my train, and if it wasn't for Jennifer Hudson, who picked me up as I went down, I would have fallen to the floor."
Christina also dismisses the drunk driving arrest. One, she wasn't driving, or even drives at all. And two, her boyfriend, who was behind the wheel, was cleared of the charges. His blood alcohol level was below California's legal limit of 0.08.
"The police knew my recent history and wanted to jump on the bandwagon," she said. "I was a victim of celebrity."
After nearly a year of bad luck things finally turned around for Christina when she landed a role as a judge on the popular new televised talent competition "The Voice."
Christina wants to share her career experiences with the contestants to help prepare them for the pitfalls of the business. "I don't want to be tough with my singers," she said, "but I do want to tell them on 'The Voice' that if you really want this, you'll be kicked when you're down. You have to be willing to roll with those punches. You have to really want it."
Christina is living proof of such sound advice. Perseverance is absolutely key in the success stories of this week's other newsmakers. People laughed at Lady Gaga last year when she showed up at MTV's Video Music Awards in a dress made of meat. But the edible couture has found a home at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Gaga "Edge Of Glory" collaborator and Bruce Springsteen saxophonist Clarence Clemons died Saturday from complications from a stroke. Congratulations are in order for Stevie Wonder, who was inducted into the Apollo's Hall Of Fame. And Justin Timberlake finally admitted what many of his music fans have been dreading. He has no immediate plans to record music. He is focusing on his acting. This feels like good news for Joe Jonas, who is embarking on a pop-dance solo career, and horrible news for Justin's N'SYNC bandmates, who may have been hoping for a reunion similar to that of New Kids On The Block and the Backstreet Boys.
Get all the details and more on these stories in the links below. Be sure to check back next week for another music news roundup.
THIS WEEK'S TOP 5 MUSIC NEWS STORIES
1) Can't Hold [Her] Down -- Christina Aguilera addresses recent hurdles.
2) Born To Run -- Bruce Springsteen saxophonist Clarence Clemons dies at 69.
3) Where's The Beef? -- Lady Gaga's meat dress heads to Hall Of Fame.
4) Bye Bye Bye -- Justin Timberlake focuses on acting, puts music on hold.
5) Living Legend -- Stevie Wonder is inducted into Apollo Hall Of Fame.

W Magazine photos by Daniele Duella & Iango Henzi.

NBC sorry for cutting 'under God' from pledge

NBC sorry for cutting 'under God' from pledge

June 20, 2011, 1:06 PM EST

By Tim Molloy
TheWrap

NBC says it is sorry it cut "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance during a montage at the start of the U.S. Open Golf Championship.

During the montage, which intercut footage of children and soldiers raising a flag, the children are seen reciting the pledge twice, but "Under God" was omitted both times.

Bing: NBC wins 'My Name Is Earl' lawsuit

Patriotic golf fans took to Twitter to object, and at least one person posted the Godless Pledge on YouTube.

Story continues after the video:

NBC said in an on-air apology that the two-word phrases was cut by accident.

"It was our intent to begin our coverage of this U.S. Open championship with a feature that captured the patriotism of our national championship being here in our nation's capital for the third time. Regrettably, a portion of the pledge of allegiance that was in that feature was edited out. It was not done to upset anyone and we'd like to apologize to those of you who were offended by it."

'Falling Skies' premieres to year's best cable debut ratings

'Falling Skies' premieres to year's best cable debut ratings

June 20, 2011, 1:39 PM EST

By Tim Kenneally
TheWrap

"Falling Skies" brought rising ratings to TNT with its debut episode on Sunday night.

The series, about the aftermath of an alien invasion, drew more than 5.9 million total viewers for its two-hour premiere at 9 p.m., making it the top-rated cable series launch so far this year, the cable outlet said Monday.

Bing: More on 'Falling Skies'

The viewership for the show, which is co-executive produced by Steven Spielberg and stars "ER" alum Noah Wyle as history-professor-turned-resistance-leader Tom Mason, included more than 2.6 million viewers in the adults 18-49 demographic.

Also: Noah Wyle and Moon Bloodgood Talk 'Falling Skies'

Michael Wright, executive vice president and head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies, touted the "Falling Skies" numbers as an example of "what can happen when you partner with the best people in the business and give them what they need to do their very best work."

Following the debut, "Falling Skies" moves to its regular time slot of Sundays at 10/9 c.

 

'Perform This Way': Weird Al debuts Gaga parody video

© Eric Charbonneau/WireImage.com

Weird Al Yankovic

'Perform This Way': Weird Al debuts Gaga parody video

June 20, 2011, 1:58 PM EST

By Liz Kelly Nelson
Zap2it.com

One hasn't truly arrived on the pop culture landscape until he or she is the subject of a parody song by Weird Al Yankovic, who has managed to carve a career out of the genre.

Bing: Lady Gaga goes bald

His latest project is a take-off on Lady Gaga's "Born This Way," cleverly titled "Perform This Way." Much like his earlier songs that poked fun at Michael Jackson and Madonna, Yankovic uses the opportunity to comment on Lady Gaga's trademark trait -- her reputation as an utter oddball.

In the video, Yankovic's head is digitally subbed in on a dancer dressed as Gaga in a series of outlandish wigs and costumes. But does it work? On Sunday, Gaga herself performed at Canada's Much Music Awards sporting a blue merkin and blue armpit hair. We're not sure anyone can do a better job of making Gaga look ridiculous than Gaga herself.

Denis Leary developing new comedy for USA Network

© FX

Denis Leary in 'Rescue Me'

Denis Leary developing new comedy for USA Network

June 20, 2011, 11:10 AM EST

By John Sellers
TheWrap

Denis Leary isn't done rescuing people yet.

USA Network announced Monday that the "Rescue Me" actor will write and develop a half-hour adaptation of the British series "Sirens," a dark comedy about paramedics.

Bing: Final season of 'Rescue Me'

"Sirens" was a six-part Channel 4 series inspired by British paramedic Tom Reynolds' 2006 book, "Blood Sweat & Tea: Real-Life Adventures in an Inner-City Ambulance," and will sound familiar to fans of "Rescue Me."

"Swept along by an endless tide of bodily fluids rarely their own," writes USA Network in an official release, "the 'Sirens' trio bicker, fight and shag their way through the darkly funny maelstrom of their lives. Behind the uniforms, the sirens, and the incredibly fast driving, they are three ordinary blokes trying to make it through yet another shift. But once they've finished saving other people's lives, they need to salvage their own."

The seventh and final season of Leary's critically acclaimed FX series "Rescue Me" begins July 13.

 

Jackie Oh!

Hi! Just came back from one of the more exotic vacations of my lifetime--I can't believe humans can actually fly if they're willing to pay enough money!--and I couldn't be more excited about this week's new album releases!

Especially if I was barely conscious!

Well-known names, superstars, rising talents, obscure bands no one's ever heard of and likely never will--who could deny that this is music's all time peak and we're living through it?

Well, maybe my friend Larry--but that's just because he reads all the Best Buy circulars every Sunday since he's really into getting a new hard drive! What say we ignore his prejudiced opinion and simply drop down the cash to purchase this week's great new hot product? And if you can't make it a tax write-off, that's your problem!

Jackie Evancho: Dream With Me (SYCO/Columbia)  I think we've all been a little taken aback by the spectacular talent displayed by young Jackie Evancho, the unbelievably cute 10-year-old who rose to fame via the best TV show ever--America's Got Talent--and can apparently sing anything ever written as if she were a hyper-sensitive 30-year-old divorcee out of therapy for less than a month and loving it! This new album--in which Evancho has imagined herself a cast member of the same Mary Tyler Moore show that brought both Valerie Harper and Cloris Leachman to their peaks of fame--is a comparative stunner, not least because of Jackie's intriguing fixation on a potential future in which silicon-based life forms have completely defeated the future growth of carbon-based beings--which is, like, us--all the while boosting the comparative relevance of many of the cast members of Sesame Street! It kind of blows my mind and makes me wish I never watched TV! That said, she's quite good and her album deserves to be in the home of millions! Frankly, this was never an issue for Lena Zavaroni!

Dream With Me - Jackie Evancho

Neil Young: A Treasure (Reprise)  I think we can all agree that Neil Young is one of the most talented musicians in pop music and that sometime in the early ‘90s he stopped making records that some of us might consider "essential"--not that they weren't groovy, but, to be polite, their fabness quotient dwindled somewhat. But this new collection, featuring "countrified" tracks recorded between 1984-1985, definitively proves that Young was writing songs and making music that ranks among the best of his career during this period--and that it has been unreleased until now is something of a tragedy! For that matter, so is the fact that a so-called "compassionate" God would allow ugliness, starvation and personal cruelty to reach an all-time high during the past 20 years--but really, how relevant is that? Especially since reality TV is getting better than ever! In sum: A bold, strong album that could only be improved via the use of quotation marks around the word "treasure" in the album title! Quote marks are hipper than ever!

Get Back To The Country - Neil Young

Barry Manilow: 15 Minutes (Stiletto/Fontana)  An unexpected, albeit longish updating of the Cure's classic Seventeen Seconds, this great new concept album by well-known crooner Barry Manilow is thought-provoking, melodic, highly literate (thanks to lyricist Enoch Anderson), and, like most of the singer's past work, directly inspired by Andy Warhol! Taking Warhol's classic "in the future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes" spiel into bold new territory, Manilow explores the unexpected, sometimes deadly price the quest for fame can often bring--with album closer "The Black Angel's Death Song" serving as a terrifying warning of what may come to those who lust after recognition! Continuing Manilow's ascent into complete hipness via association is his co-production here with the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band's Michael Lloyd! Can "Mandy Had A Hard Day Sunday" be right around the corner? This dude writes the songs the whole world sings!

15 Minutes - Barry Manilow

Pat Metheny: What's It All About (Nonesuch)  An excellent showing for the ultra-skilled Metheny, whose jazz guitar prowess over the years continues to be more and more refined. Here he devotes an entire album to acoustic performances of well-known pop classics ranging from "The Sound Of Silence" and "Cherish" to "Pipeline" and "Betcha By Golly Wow," all of them tasteful, wonderfully played, and accessible to longtime fans, jazz neophytes and--perhaps most significantly--music fans who may have never purchased a jazz album in their lives. From some camps this might be seen as a sellout of sorts, but coming from Metheny, it seems a thoughtful diversion likely to bring him fans from entirely new quarters. Slick move, dude!

Alfie - Pat Metheny

Garland Jeffreys: The King Of In Between (Luna Park)  I confess to being one of many who perhaps let my memory lapse about just how inspiring NY-based singer-songwriter Garland Jeffreys can be. But his latest set, his first for a while, drives home the point and more--and in fact sent me back listening to every album the man ever made. An autobiographical piece, the disc is simply outstanding: Superbly written and sung tracks, one or two strangely reminiscent of Van Morrison circa latter-day Them, the collection is one of the more powerful albums I've ever heard from an artist this late in his career. Rocking, lots of fun, and a true return to form, The King Of In Between oozes with meaning and adult-oriented sentiment. Highly recommended!

Coney Island Winter - Garland Jeffreys

Depeche Mode: Remixes 2: 81-11 (Reprise)  A follow-up to the band's previous Remixes 81-04, this collection--available as a single or triple CD set--takes material from as far back as 1981's Speak And Spell and puts it through remix hell; aside from a cast of hipsters including M83, UNKLE and Francois Kevorkian, the presence of former Depeche members Vince Clarke and Alan Wilder as guest remixers is likely to excite longtime fans, perhaps unpleasantly so. Though there's some repetition to be had here--true fans will likely have several of these remixes already, especially if they dropped the big bucks needed for that huge 12-inch box set some years back--the overall effect is still pleasant, and a strong testimonial to the band's long stretch as top-notch music creators.

Dream On (Bushwackas Tough Guy Mix) - Depeche Mode

Dean Martin: The Best Of The Dean Martin Variety Show: Collector's Edition (Time Life)  Fans of Y! Music's second-best blog Framed who might wonder what esteemed writer John Kordosh does in his spare time--when he's not driving up and down the West Coast on his moped sampling Michelob Ultra--might find it interesting that once, long ago, he, I and a few others made the inevitable Las Vegas trip to witness the great Dean Martin in action, live, onstage, and almost unbearably funny. Here, packaged up in a variety of formats, comes a sampling of what Dean Martin was all about, taken from his sometimes surrealistic NBC variety broadcast during the late-‘60s and early-‘70s. With a guest cast including nearly everybody you'd ever imagine, music performances cornball or otherwise, and Martin's untouchably cool, drink-in-hand persona, you've got one of the finest slices of TV entertainment ever crafted. Check it out!

The Beau Brummels: Bradley's Barn (Rhino Handmade) Though it's not quite out yet but available for pre-order here, I couldn't resist making note of yet another aesthetic triumph coming courtesy of the crew at Rhino Handmade. In this case it's the spectacular royal treatment given the Beau Brummels' majestic 1968 set Bradley's Barn--which, though critically lauded, sold next to zilch but now, more than 40 years later, sounds like one of the ‘60s' best-ever pop albums. Now two discs, and loaded with previously unissued recordings, excellent liner notes and--the only down side--a horrendous 1968 radio interview that, thanks to the "period" DJ, is almost painful to hear--this is by far one of the year's best reissues, and a welcome supplement to the now out-of-print Magic Hollow collection that Handmade released in 2005. Buy this or live in shame!

Long Walking Down To Misery - The Beau Brummels

Smokey Robinson: The Solo Albums: Volume 5 (Hip-O Select)  While we're talking about welcome reissues, let's not forget the excellent work methodically emanating from Universal's Hip-O Select imprint; in this instance, the label is especially appealing to those collectors out there who simply want everything by artists they admire. Here they can get a reissued version of Smokey Robinson's never-before-on-CD 1978 live set Smokin'. Recorded at LA's Roxy and packed with the hits that made him famous--with the Miracles and otherwise--the collection is a nice snapshot of the man during an interesting time in his career, and a welcome bolstering of his already impressive catalog. Keep it coming, Hip-O!

Tracks Of My Tears (Live) - Smokey Robinson

Vetiver: The Errant Charm (Sub Pop)  I am completely into editing artist bios and sticking in surprise endings! Check this out: "Have you been sitting at that computer all day? You're overdue for a break. The new Vetiver album, The Errant Charm, is a superb soundtrack for an afternoon idyll. Take a moment to load the record on your mp3 player. Hell, if you still have a Walkman, the whole thing fits neatly on one side of a C-90 cassette tape. Select your favorite pair of headphones, and go for a stroll. But...for God's sake...look out for that bus!!" Next week: The Bible (Unpleasant Version)!

Who are Taylor Swift's female rock idols?

Who are Taylor Swift's female rock idols?

May 13, 2011, 12:26 PM EST

Entertainment Tonight

Grammy Award winner Taylor Swift -- who has already established herself as one of today's biggest music stars -- talks about some of her favorite women rockers who influenced her career.

Find: Taylor Swift video, photos and more

Swift was interviewed in conjunction with a new exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum that will showcase artists including Lady Gaga, Madonna, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Cher, Aretha Franklin and Pat Benatar.

Related: Taylor Swift to raise money for tornado victims at tour dress rehearsal

"Looking back, when I think of women who rock, I think of so many different artists -- like Pat Benatar, Shania Twain, Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill, and Stevie Nicks -- people who I can't believe I've gotten to meet now. So it's unbelievable to look back on the music they created and the effect it had on my life," she said.

Swift, 21, said she feels a special connection to the Women Who Rock exhibit, set to open today at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. "When I picture the phrase Women Who Rock, I think of guitars, I think of writing songs, I think of telling stories. I think of connecting with your fans on a level that's very personal -- and you know, hair flying and stuff like that."

The exhibit will spotlight more than 60 artists -- featuring artifacts, video and listening stations -- as well as a recording booth where visitors can film their own moment related to women in rock. A benefit concert will take place on Saturday, with an all-star lineup including Wanda Jackson and Cyndi Lauper.

Britney's Troubled Tour Hits the Discount Market

Britney Spears is apparently not the sure-fire concert draw she once was. A lot of current or former fans have apparently decided not to hit that "BUY" button one more time after all. In what some have seen as a sign of desperation, the web discounter Groupon has been selling 50%-off tickets for more than half the shows on Spears' 33-city tour. And not even all those half-price tickets have gotten snatched up. 

The tour opened Thursday night in Sacramento to what the local paper described as a sell-out crowd. But a week prior to the show, Groupon offered $59 face-value tickets for a bargain basement price of $30. Groupon's web site shows that 1,400 people took the Sacramento offer before it sold out. But since there was a maximum of 8 tickets allowed per sale, that means there could have been anywhere from 1,400 to 11,200 people getting into the arena under the half-price offer.

If you want to see Spears when she comes to your city, there's certainly no need to resort to a scalper. Tickets are still plentiful via Ticketmaster—which may partly be a result of many tickets already seeming scalper-priced, just at face value. If you want to take a date to her June 20 L.A. Staples Centre gig, a pair of seats in the 12th row of the loge section goes for $175 each, plus $18.40 "convenience charge" each, for a total of $386.80. That's an expensive date—or, more likely, expensive girls' night out, judging from the Sacramento Bee's description of a predominantly female crowd on opening night.

With all the bad press Spears has gotten lately for her diminished performing skills, it may be little surprise that tickets are going for half-price via Groupon in so many cities. In some areas, Groupon didn't even sell out their one-day offers. In Atlantic City, only 229 people took up the half-price offer, according to the site. In Seattle, 1,211 took the deal. In Cleveland, it was 921. In Detroit, 1,877 bought anywhere from 1-8 tickets at $30 each, leaving 123 offers still on the table at day's end. In Cleveland. But in Portland, Groupon sold out all 2,000 opportunities to buy tickets at $20 each.

The news isn't any better for Spears' flailing Femme Fatale album. It came out in late March with decent if not overwhelming first-week sales of 276,000. But after 11 weeks in stores, the album has sold only 558,000 copies—meaning almost half the total to date was sold that first week. It's the 11th bestselling album of the year so far, which, in 2011, is not saying a lot. Britney may have legs, but Femme Fatale doesn't. 

If you're looking for any kind of wrinkle in this seemingly inevitable tale of commercial decline it may be this: One-time Britney fans may be avoiding the tour because of the nearly universal expectation at this point that she will be lip-synching every song and doing more of a walk-through than actual choreography. But, based on reports from opening night, everyone may have underestimated her, at least by a little.

Writing from a dress rehearsal show to which he was invited, Perez Hilton said, "I'd say Britney sings at least 40 percent of the show, which is really awesome considering the fact that at the last tour she lip-synched every single song, even the ballads. As a fan, that's a sign to me that she's trying, she's giving, and I love that." Hilton doesn't mean that to sound like damning with faint praise, so take that relative gushing for what you will.

Fan reports from the dress rehearsal and opening night have largely corroborated Hilton's estimation of what is live and what is Memorex. One commenter who seemed to be in the know said that much of the show consists of Spears singing along live with pre-recorded tracks she did especially for the tour (as opposed to the original studio vocals). As anyone who's seen one of Spears' other recent tours can attest, any overtly live singing at all is a big evolution... and perhaps a reaction to the flurry of criticism that has attended all her obviously canned TV appearances of late.

Those dispiriting TV spots also lessened expectations that Spears would be sacrificing the vocals to do what she does (or did) best, dance. But fan reports and YouTube videos suggest that Spears does participate in an extensive amount of choreography in the show, if not necessarily the most demanding moves she's ever done.

Monday morning quarterbacks in the music industry may be debating for quite a while: Did Spears sabotage her own tour with the listless, lifeless TV appearances that were done to promote the album release? Or would the syndrome of diminishing returns just naturally have left her in this position in her career anyway?

Well, those won't be the only questions. In the touring industry, expect plenty of chatter about what constitutes reasonable pricing for a tour that apparently attracts mostly girls and young women, versus guys willing to spend big bucks to impress a date. Anyway, Spears' real demographic may finally have been identified, and it's not necessarily teen girls, gays, or even the aging male critics who largely gave Femme Fatale a pass. It's... coupon cutters.

May 16-22: Justin Bieber Sparks Online Frenzy For Indie Artist, Makes Surprise Visit At Concert

Justin Bieber is a well-known fan of pop superstars Michael Jackson, Usher, and Justin Timberlake. But you'd be incorrect if you assumed the 17-year-old known for his bubblegum chart-topping songs was only interested in mainstream music.

Thursday night, Justin surprised one of his favorite artists, lesser-known indie singer-songwriter Ernie Halter by showing up to Ernie's concert and joining him on stage. The two singers, who had previously never met, performed together Ernie's song "Come Home To Me."

The Rock Ridge Music recording artist was completely blindsided that Justin and Selena Gomez showed up to his concert at the La Cave restaurant in Orange Country, California. "I looked over to my left and saw him sitting there and my jaw dropped," Ernie told Yahoo! Music about Justin, who had just landed in Los Angeles, fresh off of an 11-hour flight from Tokyo.

"I asked him [to perform with me] and he said, 'Yes,' " Ernie told MTV. "It was a little bit of a surprise because I didn't think he would do it." To return the favor, Ernie performed an acoustic version of Justin's hit "Baby."

Ernie was unaware that Justin was a fan of his music until Wednesday when the teen idol tweeted a link to his cover of Ernie's "Come Home To Me." Ernie responded to Justin on Twitter and was shocked to see the number of Justin fans that replied.

"He sent it to me and people were, like, on fire retweeting it," Ernie said. "My Twitter feed on my computer just starts going crazy, like bing, bing, bing, bing. They are all retweets of Justin Bieber. He wrote it to me like, '@ErinHalter come home is such a great song. I thought I would do a little something with it.' "

Justin's tweets to Ernie before and after the meeting prompted an influx of more than 30,000 new Twitter followers for the Los Angeles-based artist. It also helped Ernie's most recent album, "Franklin & Vermont," re-enter the top 50 on iTune's Singer Songwriter chart.

Ernie was also shocked to find out that Justin has been a fan of his music for years. Justin told Ernie that the "Come Home To Me" singer inspired him to make one of the YouTube videos that ultimately helped Justin get discovered.

"[Justin] said, 'When I was first making videos [I saw your] cover of Justin Timberlake's 'Cry Me A River.' ... [When] I saw that song, then I made one,' " Ernie said.

Ernie is not an amateur by any means. He has shared the studio and stage with the likes of Katy Perry, Neil Young, Christina Aguilera, and Lady Antebellum, and his songs have been featured on "General Hospital," MTV's "The Real World," and others, but he says the recognition from Justin was substantial.

"I've played with all these amazing people," he said, "but this is an up that I've never seen before, something on a whole 'nother level."

That's Really Week gives a nod to Justin for inspiring one of our most touching stories. But the news isn't always positive, as is the case with some of the other happenings this week. Lady Gaga's much lauded "Born This Way" album, due out on Tuesday, was leaked. Pete Doherty's battle with drugs landed him in jail. Controversial political television show host Bill O'Reilly debated with Jon Stewart Common's invitation to the White House. But most sadly, we lost M-Bone of the upbeat, Los Angeles, "Teach Me How To Dougie" rap group Cali Swag District. He was fatally shot.

Hopefully, Justin's good deed can keep us afloat until next week's wrapup. See you then.

THIS WEEK'S TOP 5 MUSIC NEWS STORIES

1) Never Say Never -- Justin Bieber surprises favorite indie artist

2) He Was The Greatest Dancer - "Dougie" rapper killed in drive-by shooting

3) Unauthorized Preview -- Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" hits the Internet early

4) Political Rap -- Jon Stewart defends Common's White House visit

5) Libertines And Justice -- Pete Doherty heads to jail on drug charges

Tracy Morgan apologizes for anti-gay comedy rant

© AP

Tracy Morgan

Tracy Morgan apologizes for anti-gay comedy rant

June 11, 2011, 5:15 AM EST

NEW YORK (AP) -- Tracy Morgan said Friday that he was sorry for telling an audience in Nashville, Tenn., that if his son were gay, he would "pull out a knife and stab" him.

Bing: Morgan's anti-gay rant

The comedian and "30 Rock" actor apologized to his fans and the gay and lesbian community for what he called "my choice of words" during his June 3 appearance at the Ryman Auditorium.

Related: George Takei calls Tracy Morgan a 'sad, strange man'

A Facebook account posted by an audience member said Morgan's stand-up performance was full of homophobic references. The Ryman issued its own apology afterward for Morgan's behavior.

Morgan's outbursts triggered heated comment on Twitter, making him a "trending" topic Thursday and Friday.

Meanwhile, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation called on Morgan to remove anti-gay remarks from his show "and send a strong message that anti-gay violence is not something to joke about."

The Human Rights Campaign said apologizing wasn't enough. The gay civil rights organization it said Morgan "now has a responsibility to make amends for his horribly hurtful and dangerous `comedy' routine."

In his statement, Morgan, who has three sons, denied being a hateful person and acknowledged that "even in a comedy club" what he said went too far "and was not funny in any context."

Tina Fey, NBC apologize for Tracy Morgan's anti-gay rant

© Retna Ltd.
Tina Fey, NBC apologize for Tracy Morgan's anti-gay rant
June 10, 2011, 8:40 PM EST
By Wrap Staff
TheWrap
"30 Rock" creator Tina Fey and NBC chairman of entertainment Robert Greenblatt have issued statements censuring Tracy Morgan for anti-gay remarks during a recent stand-up performance.
Bing: Morgan's anti-gay rant
The statements followed a day of outcry after an anti-gay rant by the "30 Rock" star went viral on Facebook.
STATEMENT -- Bob Greenblatt, Chairman NBC Entertainment:
I speak for NBC and myself personally when I say we do not condone hate or violence of any kind and I am pleased to see Tracy Morgan apologizing for recent homophobic remarks in his standup appearance. We will always recognize an artist's freedom to express him or herself, but not when reckless things are said no matter what the context. Unfortunately, Tracy's comments reflect negatively on both "30 Rock" and NBC -- two very all-inclusive and diverse organizations -- and we have made it clear to him that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated.
STATEMENT -- Tina Fey, Executive Producer, "30 Rock"
I'm glad to hear that Tracy apologized for his comments. Stand-up comics may have the right to "work out" their material in its ugliest and rawest form in front of an audience, but the violent imagery of Tracy's rant was disturbing to me at a time when homophobic hate crimes continue to be a life-threatening issue for the GLBT Community.
It also doesn't line up with the Tracy Morgan I know, who is not a hateful man and is generally much too sleepy and self-centered to ever hurt another person.
I hope for his sake that Tracy's apology will be accepted as sincere by his gay and lesbian coworkers at "30 Rock", without whom Tracy would not have lines to say, clothes to wear, sets to stand on, scene partners to act with, or a printed-out paycheck from accounting to put in his pocket.
The other producers and I pride ourselves on "30 Rock" being a diverse, safe, and fair workplace.

Beyonce is grateful for positive response, despite album leak

Beyonce is grateful for positive response, despite album leak

June 9, 2011, 12:42 PM EST

WENN

The warm response from fans about her new album "4" is helping Beyonce recover from the news her latest album has leaked online -- two weeks before its release.

Tracks from the much-anticipated album hit websites on Tuesday, leaving the R&B superstar frustrated,  but she's philosophical about the leak, thanks to the reaction of fans.

In a post on her Facebook page, the singer writes, "My music was leaked and while this is not how I wanted to present my new songs, I appreciate the positive response from my fans ... When I record music I always think about my fans singing every note and dancing to every beat. I make music to make people happy and I appreciate that everyone has been so anxious to hear my new songs."

June 3-12: Lady Gaga's Sister Joins Her On CFDA Red Carpet

Lady Gaga's 10-inch platform shoes, spiked bustier, and turquoise wig weren't the only things that got the Web talking this week when she arrived at the Council Of Fashion Designers Of America Awards (CFDA) in New York to pick up her style-icon honor. The woman in black who escorted her across the red carpet also sparked a buzz.

The woman's name is Natali Germanotta, and she is Lady Gaga's 19-year-old sister. Natali bears a strong resemblance to the sibling six years her senior. Dressed in a simple pants suit, gold necklace, bustier, and black lipstick, Natali looks like Lady Gaga without the rock star costumes and hair.

Natali has been photographed at other Gaga events. She was in the front row when Lady Gaga performed on "Today" last year. And she even has a cameo in the epic Lady Gaga and Beyonce video "Telephone." In the video, when Lady Gaga enters the jail holding cell, she stands directly beside then-17-year-old Natali, who is wearing dark shades and big '80s hair.

Months after the "Telephone" video debuted, Gaga made news when attending Natali's high school graduation.

Based on the activity on her @germmonster318 Twitter page, Natali seems to live a regular life. She tweets about college. She's a first-year fashion design student at Parsons design school in New York. Her profile picture is from a flick with her boyfriend. In her 99 tweets to date, she comments about college, missing her girls from high school, and going to Pinkberry with her mom, and sometimes she sends love to her world-famous sister.

The night Gaga entered the Grammys in an egg, Natali sent her support. "My little fetus in the egg is gonna kill it tonight," she tweeted. She later added, "Couldn't ask for a better person for me to call my sister and best friend," she wrote. "@ladygaga- stefi, I love you with all my heart an I am so proud of you. X."

In January, Natali revealed her favorite Gaga song, a mellow '80s dance track called "So Happy I Could Die" from "The Fame Monster." Lady Gaga's fans love Natali, too. They send her messages about Gaga. When Natali tweeted that she needed more followers, Perez Hilton responded and helped spread the word.

That's Really Week is definitely impressed by the sisterhood between these ladies. And there's more good music news this week. Aerosmith announced that its returning to the studio to record its first album in 10 years. Ludacris made a surprise appearance during Jason Aldean's performance on the CMT Awards. Gwen Stefani fans weren't so happy, though, to hear that she would no longer pursue her solo career. And lastly, Flo Rida was charged with driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license.

Get more details on these stories in the links below. Flo Rida tried to talk his way out of the citation, and we have an excerpt of the hilarious quote. Be sure to check back next week for another news roundup.

THIS WEEK'S TOP 5 MUSIC NEWS STORIES

1) Sister Gaga -- Meet Lady Gaga's CFDA red carpet escort

2) Walk This Way -- Aerosmith is preparing to record new album

3) Sweet Escape -- Gweni Stefani says her "Hollaback" days are over

4) Southern Hospitality -- Ludacris joins Jason Aldean on CMT stage

5) Man Down -- Flo Rida gets arrested for drinking and driving

May 23-29: Jay-Z Captures Beyonce's Subtler Side In Dressing-Room Rehearsal Footage

It's been a great week for Beyoncé's confident, fist-pumping, female-anthem-making alter ego Sasha Fierce. She rocked three major stages to rave reviews: the "Billboard Music Awards", "Oprah's Farewell Spectacular," and "American Idol." But she's also receiving some deserved attention for her impressive acoustic rehearsal footage.

Following the "Idol" broadcast, Beyoncé's husband, Jay-Z, posted behind-the-scenes footage of his wife singing her new emotional ballad "1+1" in her dressing room. Accompanied by a pianist and her background singers, Beyoncé simply stands in front of a vanity mirror with her head humbly held low and eyes closed as she belts her way through the lyrics while her mother, nephew, and cousin, among others, watch in awe.

In the song, Beyoncé pledges her unconditional love for someone special. "We ain't got nothing but love, and darling you've got enough for both of us," she sings.

Jay-Z, who actually videotaped the clip, stressed the uniqueness of the stripped-down run-through. "This is the dressing-room rehearsal for 'American Idol,'" he wrote on his Life+Times website under the pseudonym Andy WarHOV. "'NO MICROPHONE. No effects."

Fans online are equally pleased, saying this raw performance reflects the depths of Beyoncé's talent. "Amazing pitch! Great control over her voice. No reverb, microphone, fade-in/out, vocaline, compressor, emlodyne, autotune, logic audio or protools needed," Denasimone commented on popular urban blog Concrete Loop, one of the first sites to post the video.

Jay-Z described Beyoncé's "pregame" show as refreshing. "Sometimes you need perspective," he wrote. "You've been right in front of greatness so often that you need to step back and see it again for the first time."

But of course, Beyoncé's "Idol" experience wasn't the only cool "Idol" news to break this week. On Wednesday night, the show named its 10th winner, Scotty McCreery. Elsewhere in the latest happenings in the music world, Justin Bieber and girlfriend Selena Gomez confirmed their boyfriend-girlfriend status when they shared an on camera kiss as the 17-year-old pop singer headed to the stage to receive a Billboard Music Award. The demand for Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" album caused the servers at online retailer Amazon to crash, as eager fans rushed to take advantage of the 99-cent presale promotion. And the Grammys caught flack from music veterans Carlos Santa and Paul Simon who demanded that the respected National Academy Of Recording Arts And Sciences reinstate the 30 categories it eliminated earlier this year.

Hopefully, this recap gives you the information you need to be pop culture experts at Memorial Day barbecues this weekend. Enjoy. We'll see you back next week.

THIS WEEK'S TOP 5 MUSIC NEWS STORIES

1) Sasha Humble -- Beyoncé's dressing room-rehearsal amazes

2) And The Winner Is -- "American Idol" names its latest winner, country singer Scotty McCreery

3) Status Update -- Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez confirm relationship with a kiss

4) Best Deal In Town -- 99-cent Lady Gaga album sales overload Amazon servers

5) A Change Is Gonna Come -- Paul Simon and Carlos Santa want the old Grammys back

'Oprah' finale raked in more than 16M viewers

© WENN

Oprah Winfrey
More photos

'Oprah' finale raked in more than 16M viewers

June 8, 2011, 3:13 PM EST

By John Sellers
TheWrap

"The Oprah Winfrey Show" finale attracted 16.4 million viewers, the long-running daytime talk program's production company announced Wednesday.

Bing: 'Parks and Recreation' wants Oprah

This figure makes the TV icon's May 25 sign-off the show's most-watched episode in more than 18 years -- since February 15, 1993, to be exact, when Oprah entertained the cougar-centric topic "Why I Love Older Women" and scored 17.3 million viewers.

The final three episodes of the show, including the May 23 and 24 "farewell spectaculars," collectively drew an average of 13.9 million total viewers.

Lady Gaga Greenlights Weird Al Yankovic's "Born This Way" Parody After Big Misunderstanding

Weird Al Yankovic has forged a three-decade career by covering A-list artists, everyone from Madonna to Michael Jackson to Diddy. But one artist who didn't apparently appreciate his sense of humor is Lady Gaga, who had allegedly rejected Al's parody of her song "Born This Way." But it turns out it was all one big misunderstanding--and it was her manager's fault! Apparently Gaga never even heard Al's parody until he came forward and put it online in protest.

"My parodies have always fallen under what the courts call 'fair use,' and this one was no different, legally allowing me to record and release it without permission," Al wrote in a post called "THE GAGA SAGA" on his blog Wednesday. "But it has always been my personal policy to get the consent of the original artist before including my parodies on any album, so of course I will respect Gaga's wishes. However, given the circumstances, I have no problem with allowing people to hear it online, because I also have a personal policy not to completely waste my stinking time."

Al said he had no idea why Gaga supposedly objected ("obviously I take a few jabs at her, but y'know, it's satire--that's how it's supposed to work"), and expressed frustration that Gaga hadn't been able to make her decision based on reading his lyrics alone, before he went to the trouble of entering the studio.  But his greatest regret seemed to be that there would be no music video. "Man, I wish you all could have had a chance to see the video we were going to do for this thing. It was going to be BEYOND AWESOME, and disturbing on many levels. Oh well," blogged Al.

However, it turns out Gaga had never even heard the song she supposedly rejected. In a second, later blog, titled "GAGA UPDATE," Al wrote: "After putting my Lady Gaga parody on YouTube this morning--and announcing that it wouldn't be on my next album because Gaga didn't approve it--there was a huge outpouring of disappointment from the Internet. Apparently the fact that she didn't approve it was news to Lady Gaga herself! Gaga's manager has now admitted that he never forwarded my parody to Gaga--she had no idea at all. Even though we assumed that Gaga herself was the one making the decision (because, well, that's what we were TOLD), he apparently made the decision completely on his own. He's sorry. And Gaga loves the song."

Added Al: "I'm thrilled on many levels to hear this, because 1) I truly respect and admire Gaga as an artist and it pained me to think of her as having less than a great sense of humor, and 2) it means I GET TO PUT OUT MY ALBUM!"

So now that Gaga has given Al the thumbs-up, get ready to see Al outdo himself in the "I Perform This Way" video. We shall soon see Al's poker face onscreen!

Mariah Carey And Nick Cannon Announce Names Of Their Twins

Mariah Carey, 41, and Nick Cannon, 30, didn't immediately name their boy and girl twins, who were born Saturday, at an undisclosed hospital in Los Angeles.

But that issue has been resolved, according to CNN. The daughter, who was reportedly born first, is named Monroe Cannon. And the son is Moroccan Scott Cannon. Mariah decided not to give Monroe a middle name because she herself doesn't have one.

Monroe is named after Mariah's idol, Marilyn Monroe. Mariah is such a huge Marilyn Monroe fan that she purchased the late star's white piano from an auction. In her will, Mariah leaves the prized possession to the Smithsonian.

Moroccan's first name was inspired by his father's proposal. Nick asked Mariah to marry him in the Moroccan Room on the top tier of Mariah's apartment in New York City. Moroccan's middle name Scott is also the middle name of his father and maiden name of Nick's grandmother.

Monroe weighed 5 pounds and 3 ounces, and Moroccan weighed 5 pounds and 6 ounces.

Mariah's publicist, Cindi Berger, said she was excited for the family. "It has been a long, emotional journey for this family, and I couldn't be happier for all of them," she told CNN.

The twins were born on the couple's third wedding anniversary. In upholding their tradition of renewing their vows annually, Reverend Al Sharpton officiated an intimate ceremony in the hospital.

Meet Paul McCartney's Fiancée, Businesswoman Nancy Shevell

He loves her, yeah, yeah yeah.

Paul McCartney is getting married. The Beatles legend recently announced his engagement to New York businesswoman Nancy Shevell. The news was first published in People magazine, which quoted an unidentified source. McCartney's publicist later confirmed the report.

Almost immediately, online interest in McCartney's future bride zoomed up the charts. Unlike her soon-to-be hubby, there isn't much information about Shevell. According to the official website of her place of work, New England Motor Freight (NEWF), Shevell works as a vice president and is "responsible for accounts receivable, corporate communications, benefits administration, purchasing of all supplies and equipment -- with the exception of trucks -- and overall office management." In other words, she's not in show business.

Again, according to NEWF, Shevell earned her Bachelor's Degree from Arizona State University, where she majored in transportation. She also serves as co-chairperson of the Arlene Walters Shevell Endowment Scholarship Fund, "a family foundation which provides self-help groups for parents of addicted children and financial support for individuals in accredited rehabilitation programs."

The AP reports that Shevell was married for over 20 years to Bruce Blakeman, a lawyer. Blakeman is a "close friend of former New York Gov. George Pataki, who appointed her to the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Agency." New York Magazine writes that Shevell, a well known socialite, is cousin to Barbara Walters.

McCartney and Shevell met in 2007 in the Hamptons and have been an item ever since. This will be McCartney's third marriage and Shevell's second. A source told People, "They have the right chemistry. They're both cool, chilled-out, and optimistic."

Paul was married to Linda McCartney for 29 years until her death in 1998. He then married Heather Mills, which ended in a messy divorce in 2008. But we have reason to be optimistic about this union. According to the New York Post, Shevell is already quite popular with McCartney's five children. Always important to get the kids' blessing.

Sonny Rollins takes top honors at Jazz Awards

© AP

Sonny Rollins

Sonny Rollins takes top honors at Jazz Awards

June 11, 2011, 4:55 PM EST

NEW YORK (AP) -- Saxophone colossus Sonny Rollins isn't slowing down at age 80, winning musician of the year honors at the Jazz Awards.

Rollins, currently touring New Zealand, was also named best tenor saxophonist at Saturday's awards ceremony at the City Winery club.

Saxophonist Joe Lovano's Charlie Parker tribute, "Bird Songs," is the year's best jazz recording and his band Us Five, including surprise Grammy-winner Esperanza Spalding on bass, the top small ensemble.

Other double winners include Ambrose Akinmusire for up-and-coming artist and trumpeter, and saxophonist Jimmy Health for lifetime achievement and best jazz book ("I Walked With Giants").

The winners, chosen in voting by the Jazz Journalists Association, include Dee Dee Bridgewater (female singer), Kurt Elling (male singer), Anat Cohen (clarinet), Russell Malone (guitar) and Fred Hersch (piano).

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Jon Bon Jovi: Still Rockin, And Making A Killing

The next time you play Rock Band don't invite Jon Bon Jovi. The 49- year-old singer's wife and kids recently convinced him to give the popular videogame a try. So he picked up the microphone and launched into a rendition of his classic "Wanted Dead or Alive," backed by family on virtual guitars and drums. He never made it through the song.

"I failed--it buzzed me down," Bon Jovi admits over lunch in Manhattan.

Fortunately for Bon Jovi, audiences in real arenas around the world are kinder. His eponymous band took home $125 million over the past 12 months by FORBES' estimates, more than any other music act besides U2--and more than relative whippersnappers Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and Kanye West combined. In the past year the band has played 74 gigs in 15 nations, grossing $203 million in ticket sales and $20 million in merchandise; Bon Jovi ranks No. 8 on this year's Celebrity 100.

Gallery: The Celebrity 100

The 10 Most Powerful Musicians

Surprised? Bon Jovi out-earns younger, glitzier acts thanks to a relatively affluent, aging fan base who turn out to hear the ballads of their youth and see a tightly run touring machine built on decades of experience.

"They're one of the highest-grossing bands every year," says veteran concert promoter Ron Delsener. "Jon is a workaholic, constantly touring, constantly making loads of money."

Whereas Lady Gaga schleps dozens of dancers from town to town and needs 28 trucks to cart her equipment, Bon Jovi typically plays with six people. A dozen trucks carry the gear, including a circular stage and 192 double-sided LED video screens connected with a specially designed motion control system, which allows them to come together to form a screen 13 feet high and 40 feet wide. At arenas like Montreal's 21,500-capacity Bell Center, the in-theround setup lets the band sell up to 5,500 more tickets than a traditional arena stage would. Wherever possible Bon Jovi plays consecutive nights at the same venue to cut back on setup and strike costs. By playing 12 shows in 19 days at London's O2 arena the band saved $300,000.

"It wasn't some conscious decision to be penny-pinching. I think it's just wise to be efficient," says Bon Jovi. "I know big bands where each of them has personal assistants on the road, each of them has a security guard. We don't have a security guard. Take your own friggin' bags!"

On the revenue side the band's U.S. fans sport an average household income of $78,989, slightly higher than the mean for the 350 music groups tracked by research firm NPD's Brand Link database. The economic difference between Bon Jovi's fans and those of, say, Justin Bieber ($71,389) or Metallica ($71,089) is more than enough to cover a pricey special like the Crush Package, which comes with a grab bag of perks and tchotchkes, including souvenir lanyards, autographed lithographs and two front-row seats that you can fold up and take home after the show. The average cost for this VIP treatment is $2,550 per couple; lowend alternatives set you back $450. Bon Jovi sells an average of 600 individual special package tickets per arena show.

Though regular tickets start at $20, these packages push Bon Jovi's average price to $95, about 50% higher than acts like the Dave Matthews Band ($59) and the Black Eyed Peas ($63). Bon Jovi shows have up to 20 different price points, including special packages; on a recent tour AC/DC offered only one.

"Jon is a businessman," says co-manager David Munns. "He knows what it takes to have a great-quality show, but he also knows how to be efficient with money."

Born in 1962 in Perth Amboy, N.J., a rough port town just south of New York City, Bon Jovi decided to be a rock star at age 13 after seeing the Doobie Brothers in Erie, Pa. His break came when he wrote and recorded the song "Runaway." He sent his tape out to record labels but didn't receive any responses. So in 1983 he took his cassette to Long Island's WAPP, a station so new it didn't yet have a receptionist. He banged on the window of the DJ's booth and convinced him to play the song. Within months it hit number 39 on the Billboard charts. "That same cassette that was sitting on every record guy's desk was suddenly getting me phone calls," he says.

Mercury Records signed Bon Jovi that year. He clipped his name from John Francis Bongiovi Jr. and recruited guitarist Richie Sambora, drummer Tico Torres, keyboardist David Bryan and bassist Alec John Such to form his band. They're still together (minus Such, who left the band in 1994), but it isn't an equal partnership: Bon Jovi keeps the bulk of the earnings, whereas bands like U2 split proceeds evenly.

Celebrity Entrepreneurs

Celebrity 100 Drop Offs

Slippery When Wet, released in 1986, secured his career. Anthems "Livin' on a Prayer" and "Wanted Dead or Alive" helped sell 28 million copies of the album worldwide and still get standing ovations. In the two years that followed Bon Jovi played 480 shows around the world and released another album. In 1992 an increasingly ambitious Bon Jovi took the group's business into his own hands, forming Bon Jovi Management with longtime tour manager Paul Korzilius-- and dismissed manager Doc McGhee. "It just got to a point where I said, 'I can't pay you 20% of the gross, and I can't see this vision,'" Bon Jovi says. "My peers wanted to be on the cover of Circus. I wanted to be on the cover of Time."

Since then the band has produced hits like "It's My Life" in 2000 and the country-leaning "Who Says You Can't Go Home" in 2006. Last year the band released Greatest Hits: The Ultimate Collection, which reached number one on Billboard's rock charts. It hasn't been all smooth sailing: In April Bon Jovi confirmed Sambora would be "absent from upcoming shows" after the guitarist reportedly checked himself into a rehab center.

But the tour rolls on, at least for now. "I don't know if I want to be 68 and doing 140 shows in a year," Bon Jovi admits. Even if the crowds--and the profits-- are still there.