Jennifer Hudson to Record New Version of One Shining Moment
In the years since, “One Shining Moment, ” which made its debut in 1987, has become as much a part of the NCAA tournament as Selection Sunday and first-round upsets.
But even iconic songs need updating. Enter Mason, Hollywood music producer.
From Harvey Mason Media in North Hollywood, he has spent the past few weeks producing music for an updated version of the song, commissioned by CBS.
In 10 days, Jennifer Hudson – an Oscar and Grammy winner -will record lead vocals.
The new version will be used at this year’s tournament.
One major change – Mason is adding a 50-person choir he said “will sound amazing.”
Super Bowl ratings poised for all-time high
Super Bowl XLIV may be one for the record books.
Early CBS estimates show Sunday’s big game rising from last year’s record high.
The New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts showdown drew 46.4 metered-market household rating.
That’s up 10% from 2009’s Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Arizona Cardinals nail-biter, which was seen by an all-time high of 98.7 million viewers.
Super Bowl XLIV may be the first sports program to ever domestically crack 100 million viewers.
Danny Gokey – 3/6
WITI-TV, MILWAUKEE – Danny Gokey is launching his debut album in Milwaukee with a free concert for fans. To attend, all you have to do is purchase Gokey’s album. The concert starts at 7 p.m. March 6 at the Turner Hall Ballroom. There will be a CD signing after the show.
For more information, visit http://pabsttheater.org/gokey
Simon Cowell’s Helping Haiti charity single tops download charts
The Helping Haiti charity single topped the download charts last night after more than a million sales. Simon Cowell, behind the all-star cover of REM’s Everybody Hurts, said: “The people of Haiti need as much help as we can give them.”
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
Video premiere for Haiti charity single
The music video for Simon Cowell’s Haiti charity single, featuring Leona Lewis and Mika, has been released.
The cover of REM’s Everybody Hurts was made available as a download on Sunday and is expected hit number one.
In the video, footage of the song’s vocalists in the recording studio is intercut with images of the aftermath of the devastating earthquake.
The magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti in mid-January, killing more than 200, 000 people.
Singers including Rod Stewart, James Blunt, Robbie Williams, Cheryl Cole and Susan Boyle all feature in the five-and-a-half minute promo, which opens with a statement recalling the events of 12 January.
Idol airplay: Kris Allen, Adam Lambert and more
There’s not a lot of movement on the American Idol airplay chart this week. But, according to Mediabase, Kris Allen and Adam Lambert continue to add spins for their singles, with Adam’s Whataya Want From Me moving into the top 30 (N0. 26) at Hot AC. Whataya Want From Me moves from No. 7 to No. 6 for overall Idol airplay. Kelly Clarkson’s Already Gone remained the most-played Idol song last week.
On the country side, Carrie Underwood’s Temporary Home goes Top 10, and Danny Gokey makes its debut inside the top 40 ( No. 38).
Carrie Underwood’s Super Bowl ‘National Anthem’: Another touchdown for the country powerhouse!
You want your National Anthem sung right? You call an American Idol alum. At least that seems to be the consistent (and, to be honest, correct) message brought to you by the good folks of the NFL. Last year’s Super Bowl found Jennifer Hudson singing “The Star-Spangled Banner, ” while this year’s NFC and AFC conference championship games brought Kris Allen and Jordin Sparks to the mic to get in touch with their inner patriots (national, not New England). And for tonight’s all-eyes-are-locked-on-it game, we got Idol’s season 4 champ and ubiquitous country queen Carrie Underwood offering her own (not-surprisingly) exquisite twist on the National Anthem.
Carrie Underwood takes on Britney, Whitney
Carrie Underwood entered a very exclusive club last night when she performed the National Anthem at the start of Super Bowl XLIV. Clad in a sequined white catsuit, Carrie ensured that we’d not only be comparing her to consummate Anthem-er, Whitey Houston, but also Britney Spears this morning.
I can’t be the only one who had Elvis flashbacks as soon as the “American Idol” winner strode onto the stage in her high ass heels — the look was very reminiscent of Britney’s ads for her 2002 HBO special, “Live from Las Vegas.”.
Carrie Underwood’s National Anthem Kicks Off Super Bowl XLIV
Carrie Underwood excels no matter what the context. Fresh off her headline-grabbing contribution to the Michael Jackson tribute at this year’s Grammy Awards (where she adroitly weaved her way through Jackson’s “Earth Song”), Underwood took the microphone in front of a sold-out Sun Life Stadium in Miami to deliver a killer rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the kickoff to Super Bowl XLIV.
Before Underwood performed, Queen Latifah sang “America the Beautiful” flanked by a children’s choir. Latifah broke it down during the tune’s finale for a jazz-inflected, gospel-tinged capper.
Daughtry meets challenge of satisfying football-centered crowd during pre-show festivities
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — They are on opposing sides, but Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints fans found something to bond over at the Super Bowl on Sunday — a Daughtry (daw-TREE’)concert.
Black and gold mixed with Colts blue as the rockers performed before the game. Lead singer Chris Daughtry joked that he was able to bring together a rowdy group.
He said: “There was a lot of segregation … a lot of fights getting ready to break out.”
Guitarist Josh Steely interjected: “He eased that crowd though.”
Up close with Kris Allen
HE has been dubbed the “most successful underdog” in American Idol history. In the beginning, no one remembered who Kris Allen was – he just managed nine seconds of screen time during the audition stage while his opponent, Adam Lambert, dominated the screen. And yet, he won.
And now, he’s right here in Malaysia!
How’s he been coping?
“It’s been crazy. My life has changed completely. I live in a different place now … my wife and I just moved into a place in LA and I’m never at home.
‘Idol’ finalist records in Nashville
Add Anoop Desai to the increasingly long list of American Idol finalists making connections in Music City.
Desai, who took sixth place in last year’s season of Idol, was is in Nashville last week wrapping up work on his upcoming single, “My Name.”
“Name” will be featured on All Is Fair, a six-song EP due in May. Desai plans to release a new EP every six months.
The North Carolina native isn’t in town to stay, however; he’s now based in Los Angeles. Still, he wouldn’t be out of place in Nashville, as he’s well known for his smooth soul version of the country standard “Always On My Mind.”
HOT DISH
Kellie Pickler says she prefers traditional country music and only listens to older country music. “Willie’s Place on Sirius XM Satellite Radio is all I listen to, ” said the North Carolina native. Willie said, “Well, she’s my newest hero!”:
Did you feel you were watching CMT Crossroads during the Michael Jackson tribute that allowed Carrie Underwood to perform with Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson and Usher. Carrie proved she sings as good as the best.
Kellie Pickler and the Universal Language
Music and love have both been hailed as a universal language, but Kellie Pickler discovered there’s one more: tag.
That’s right, the kids game. And Kellie discovered that when her nine-year-old brother, Eric, tagged along at the video shoot for “Didn’t You Know How Much I Loved You, ” which took place in the Dominican Republic.
“There were two little boys there, ” she recalls. “One was French, and the other was Spanish, and they could not understand a word each other was saying. And the most beautiful thing I think I’ve ever seen: I saw them tryin’ to communicate, but there was that communication barrier there, and Eric finally just ran up to me, he’s like, ‘Sissy, I want to play with them, but they can’t understand me.’ And I went, ‘You’ll figure out a way to communicate with them.’”
Edited to Add:
An apology to Allison Iraheta
We recently sat down with Season 8 finalist Allison Iraheta for a video interview (portions to be posted later today) and were surprised — nee, horrified — to learn that yours truly, along with much of the “Idol”-loving world and Ryan Seacrest, have all been pronouncing her last name wrong!
We discovered this by having Allison do the standard sign-off, so there must be radio listeners out there who also have taken notice. Still, it’s been nearly a year since she first graced the Hollywood stage, you’d think at some point it would have been corrected on a wider scale, even if she had gotten used to the, er, misnomer.
Check out our good-natured exchange with Miss (Eye)-ra-heat-a. And on behalf of all those still in the dark, our apologies, Allison.
Kellie Pickler Has Just Two Words for Her Upcoming Tourmate!
Kellie Pickler’s goals for this year clearly do not include much time for relaxation! The singer has a lot planned for 2010, which suits her just fine.
“Taylor [Swift], Gloriana and myself are touring together again this year on the Fearless tour, ” she writes in her blog. “After the Fearless tour I am hopping on another tour … which I have not yet been given permission to talk about.”
Kellie does reveal that the act she’ll be hitting the road with has two words, further fueling rumors that she’ll be the opening act on Rascal Flatts’ American Living Unstoppable tour this year.
Keith Urban Lends Gravity to People Country
And then Kellie Pickler dishes on the dishes she served at her recent book club party to discuss the bestseller, The Help. They had cherry tomatoes with broccoli filling, baked Vidalia onion dip and pound cake with Kahlua cream. (Hopefully, all prepared by Pickler and not by “the help.”)
Kris Allen live in KL! (the press conference)
At the press conference for his showcase performance later tonight, the latest American Idol winner Kris Allen was given a framed decorative keris. (So punny la!) “Ah, so this is so I can stab the competition, ” Kris quipped. Ha ha ha.
(Keris? A bit salah, right?)
Anyway, Keris Allen (he he he) — mostly famous for beating out the more fabulous Adam Lambert in American Idol Season 8 — is here to meet shrill fans. Also to perform — at 8pm, 8 February 2010, in The Gardens @ Mid Valley’s ballroom. Lucky folks will get to see the budding star perform his earnest “Live Like We’re Dying” and “Red Guitar”.
Kris Allen talks about fame and Simon Cowell
Winning the eighth season of American Idol has turned Kris Allen into a household name, but he is still very much the guy next door.
Here we are not just referring to his looks – a casual combination of a light blue shirt, jeans and sneakers at MOnday’s press conference – but also the way he carried himself in a roomful of adoring sponsors and media people, who whistled and cheered at nearly everything he said.
“I have no idea what I’m doing. What do we do?” he said, when Hitz.FM’s Jin, who hosted the press conference, passed him the microphone.
