Music Blog Today
Music News and Commentary.
September 04, 2010
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Grab Our Feed
Music News and Commentary.
September 04, 2010
The youngest artist ever to be nominated for Country music’s highest honor, 19-year old Taylor Swift stands a very good chance of winning the CMA’s Entertainer Of The Year Award.
Talented and surprisingly down to earth, this little girl has got some big boots to fill. Only six other female performers have previously garnered the accolade, and all were far more seasoned (okay, a kind word for age, as well as experience) when they won. Reba McIntire, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn and Faith Hill are four of the big names in that very elite ladies’ club.
Country super stars Kenny Chesney and Garth Brooks have both taken home the title on repeated occasions, as has 22-time winner, George Strait (who may hold the distinction of the artist whose nominations span the longest period of time). Strait won as Country Music’s entertainer of the year in 1989 and is nominated again in 2009.
Swift’s rise through the ranks has been rapid, soaring ahead of the competition with a well mixed formula of talent, ambition, hard work and supremely successful album and concert marketing strategy. Stars and fans alike agree that Taylor Swift would be a deserving recipient. The results are just around the corner, as the CMA awards are set for Wednesday, November 11. Great satellite TV specials from DISH TV are always a winner!
Few female music stars today seem to stir up as much controversy as Shakira. Fans love her and those who aren’t fans are rather vocal about their distaste for the bilingual star.
Love her or hate her (I’m personally in the first camp), the hip-shaking star is proving she’s got staying power. When her first English songs hit the U.S. market, she quickly climbed the charts. Since then she’s consistently stayed in the public eye for the past ten years or so.
Any decline in the quality of her voice or unarguable beauty aren’t likely in the foreseeable future. The latest release, ‘She Wolf’ continues to climb the music and video charts.
One of the things that I love the most about Shakira is that she’s not in the media because of a drug habit, woe-is-me tales of rehab, domestic drama, a recent boyfriend beating (neither given nor received), or any of the other ridiculous theatrics that too frequently put the celebs on our TV screens and magazine covers. Shakira remains in the public eye only because of her musical talent. Now that’s someone who deserves to be famous.
Gospel singer Bebe Winans was arrested a few months ago on a possible domestic violence charge. The case is still pending. He apparently pushed his wife down in front of their kids.
Oprah is reportedly having Winans as a guest on her show, hosting a repeat of the popular karaoke challenge. Bebe’s wife, Debra Winans, has been using her fifteen minutes of fame to feign distress and discuss hurt feelings over Winfrey’s invitation to her gospel music star husband. Oprah has spoken out against domestic violence and was especially vocal about the violent altercation between Chris Brown and then girlfriend, singer Rihanna.
While I am not a great fan of Oprah, I have to take her side on this matter and protest the allegations of hypocrisy. Pushing someone down, if that is indeed what happened, is far different than beating someone deliberately and severely about the head and face. I don’t know anything about the Winans or their domestic history, violent or not, but I cannot recall seeing one photo of Debra with bruised and swollen facial features. Now, had Bebe pushed his wife down with a car, that’s would be a serious issue, but at this point, I don’t believe that’s the case.
Violence is never acceptable. There’s certainly no reason to condone it. But at the same time, it’s important not to condemn the innocent. Let’s let Bebe Winans explain his side of the story, to anyone who deserves to hear it, and leave his public persona alone to enjoy a little karaoke time on Oprah. Check out the show on DISH Network TV channels.
No amount of success, and no degree of failure, can actually alter anything of true importance. The only value of material wealth is in the experiences it affords us. There are a few music stars who seem to understand this.
Despite continued fame and rising celebrity status, country music singer Brad Paisley keeps being the authentic, kind person that he is. Paisley and his lovely wife, actress Kimberly Williams, recently made a generous donation of $10,000 to Camp Sundown.
The organization helps children with a rare dermatological disorder which leads to severe reactions to sunlight. Camp Sundown has been a haven for children with this unfortunate light sensitivity. Can you imagine being a kid and not being able to run and play outdoors, never enjoying the warmth of sunshine?
Not only did the Paisleys contribute money, but they have also donated time and creativity. Kimberly produced and starred in a short film called ‘SHADE’ which delves into the topic of the disease known as XP. She and Brad have visited the camp facility in NY as well.
You can learn more about the XP Society, a non-profit organization, at www.xps.org. Despite many tales to the contrary, some music celebrities don’t lose sight of what’s important in real life, holding onto qualities of kindness and humility and taking advantage, now and then, of opportunities to help others.
In 1953, Patti Page’s song ‘[How Much Is] That Doggie In The Window’ became a huge hit, reaching #1 on both the Billboard and Cash Box music charts. Penned by Bob Merrill in 1952, it was a fun, playful novelty tune with memorable lyrics and lilting musical accompaniment.
Anyone with the depth to comprehend the real value of a dog, with their utter lack of pessimism, overwhelming bounty of forgiveness, enduring love, loyalty and boundless enthusiasm, would know better than to care how much that doggie in the window might be. Such companionship is truly priceless.
U.S. Marine Major Brian Dennis can attest to this fact. Dennis became fast friends with Nubs, an Iraqi street dog who had both ears sliced off and a stab wound in his side when the Major first met him. The pair was separated, then surprisingly reunited, at which time the Marine and friends launched an internet campaign to raise $5,000 and send Nubs state-side.
This morning Major Dennis and his buddy, Nubs, appeared happily on The Today Show, proving that even in the aftermath of war, feel-good stories can arise. Many kudos to the compassionate and admirable Major Dennis. He's a hero in my book. ‘Nubs, The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine and a Miracle’ is the title of the book that tells their heart-warming, tail-wagging, story. Now that’s something to sing about!