Reba and Kelly Pave Way for Musical Evolution
Cold beer, cowboy hats and toe tapping tunes are the typical staples of a country concert. On the other hand, a fly, eye-catching ensemble and the urge to dance are the only qualifications to be a true-blooded rock concert-goer. Though the lingo of genres are different, the common conclusion of enjoying the art of music and having a good time are identical.
The 2 Worlds 2 Voices tour starring country legend Reba McEntire and original American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson amazed locals at the Taco Bell Arena on Thursday night. In turn, exemplifying the manner in which eclectic styles and tastes of today can be seamlessly presented together.
Various Artists: Billy: The Early Years Of Billy Graham
Some of the recent era top performers of country and Christian music have come together to help honor the life of one of the most prolific ministers in The U.S., Rev. Billy Graham to create the soundtrack to the upcoming film about the start of his ministry on Billy: The Early Years Of Billy Graham.
Melinda Doolittle and Michael W. Smith teamed up for a wonderful duet of …Amazing Love as it brought shivers down your spine as this contemporary worship hit sparkled through crashes of high hats, twinkling of keys, strings and their magical voices hitting close to Heaven. Gregory Page was up with …The Great Wild Beyond and he shined immensely with a raspy lyric and a streaking combnation of rolling breaks, fiddle and guitars bringing us this folksy coffee shop cool. The producers of this release put an old Roy Orbison number with …In Dreams on here as this was the perfect track to add to something that projects what occurred during Graham life in the early 1950s as it quintessentially full of Orbison bluesy baritone-laced falsetto wrapped around a lively orchestra drawing out beauty and grace.
MixFest provides plenty of pop
If radio station Mix 98.5 plans on fleeing north after the upcoming election, Boston can’t say it hasn’t been warned. With Bryan Adams, Sarah McLachlan and Finger Eleven, Saturday’s MixFest at the Bank of America Pavilion featured Canadian artists from the ’80s, ’90s, and now. If it weren’t for the American Idol and the local boy on the bill, you would have almost sworn you were above the 49th Parallel.
Jordin Sparks was an Idol still looking for her artistic voice. With “Permanent Monday, ” she delivered a dramatic ballad that recalled both Kelly Clarkson and prime Elton John, even getting the guitar right. But the self-image hurrah “God Loves Ugly” was mawkish enough to counteract it, and her cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” was spirited but superfluous.
The Secret Life of Bees
Being …moved was a topic I chatted about with two women waiting in line with me to see the sub-par The Secret Life of Bees at this year Toronto International Film Festival. It seemed like everyone I talked to was eager to find a special film with which they could emotionally connect and actually feel something. This was a film that seemed tailor-made to realize those wishes, but it unfortunately did not deliver on the promise that was indicated by the trailers.
Carrie passes muster
IF U.S. PRESIDENTIAL candidate John McCain had ever been to a Carrie Underwood concert like Sunday night at the Halifax Metro Centre, he might have made a very different choice for his running mate.
The Checotah, Okla., country singer is not only more well-travelled than Sarah Palin, her girl-next-door qualities are more genuine, she less scandal-prone, she more popular with a wider base of constituents and, let face it, her vetting by American Idol judge Simon Cowell was more thorough than the Alaska governor screening process.
Mel B chats with the remaining 10 contestants to find out why so many dancers have been injured this season. Is the stage cursed?
Nigel Lythgoe begs So You Think You Can Dance wife Bonnie to stay
BRITISH TV baron Nigel Lythgoe is begging his wife of 33 years to take him back, after the pair separated last year to pursue their So You Think You Can Dance shows.
Insiders say the man dubbed Mr Nasty on American TV has used a trip Down Under to woo back his estranged wife, local So You Think You Can Dance judge Bonnie Lythgoe, from whom he separated last year.
“Nigel wants her back and has basically told her, ‘Please don’t divorce me’, ” a source from the show said.
“They’re estranged, but Bonnie still finds Nigel exciting.
Banderas, Fierstein, Menzel, Peters and Miranda Featured on “Carols for a Cure, Vol. 10”
The tenth edition of “Broadway’s Greatest Gifts: Carols for a Cure” ‘ the annual holiday CD to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS ‘ will be available beginning Oct. 25
The anniversary collector’s edition features holiday music from the stars of the 2008 Broadway season as well as a compilation of the best performances from the past nine years.
The two-disc set features 36 tracks and boasts the voices of Antonio Banderas, Harvey Fierstein, Idina Menzel, Bernadette Peters, Andrà ©a Burns, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Nick Jonas, Constantine Maroulis and Ace Young. One of the highlights of the recording is an original Elton John song, “Cold Christmas, ” performed by the cast of Billy Elliot.