ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
RINGO STARR ANNOUNCES STREAMING 80TH BIRTHDAY CONCERT _ Ringo Starr will celebrate his 80th birthday next Tuesday, July 7, with a little help from his musical friends and a star-studded charity concert special called Ringo’s Big Birthday Show that will air on YouTube. Guest artists appearing on the program will include Starr’s Beatles band mate Paul McCartney, Joe Walsh, Sheryl Crow, Sheila E, Gary Clark Jr. and Ben Harper. The event will feature unique home performances, as well as previously unseen concert footage from Ringo and his guests. Proceeds raised by the special will benefit four charities: Black Lives Matter Global Network, the David Lynch Foundation, MusiCares, and WaterAid.
COMPOSER WHO WROTE M*A*S*H THEME SONG DIES AT 94 _ Johnny Mandel, the Oscar- and Grammy-winning songwriter of The Shadow of Your Smile, Emily and the theme from MASH, has died. He was 94. Mandel scored more than 30 films during his Hollywood career.
MICHELLE WRIGHT is 59 today. She’s best-known for the 1992 hit Take It Like A Man, He Would Be 16, One Time Around, When I Found You, Your Love (with Jim Brickman) and others.
COUNTRY MUSIC NEWS
More than 60 artists will take part in the CMA Stay-Cay events today (Wednesday) on the CMA YouTube and Facebook channels. Some of those appearing include LUKE COMBS, RASCAL FLATTS, JASON ALDEAN, CARLY PEARCE, CAYLEE HAMMACK, LADY A, COLE SWINDELL, and BRETT YOUNG. The events will be hosted by JIMMIE ALLEN and LINDSAY ELL.
GARTH BROOKS will play a fan request show July 7 on his Inside Studio G Facebook live series.
Despite some backlash, CHASE RICE won’t be slowing down when it comes to performing. His next show, an outdoor concert, is set for Friday (July 3) at Paramount Arts Center in Ashland, Kentucky. He also has a few drive-in shows on the books.
JAKE OWEN came to the defense of CHASE RICE after songwriter Abe Stoklasa blasted Chase saying he was [bleeping] ignorant and should retire. Jake responded by saying Abe is a talented writer and smart guy, but his comments were out of line and he shouldn’t have sunk to such a level. Stoklasa has penned tunes for CHRIS LANE, MICHAEL RAY, TIM MCGRAW, and BLAKE SHELTON.
MIRANDA LAMBERT’s Bluebird is No. 5 on the Country Airplay (Billboard) chart this week, marking the first time she’s cracked the top five since Automatic in 2014. Miranda’s last solo number one came in 2012 with the song Over You.
RUSSELL DICKERSON and wife Kailey say the baby they’re expecting is a boy. Check out the reveal video.
Instagram post by Russell Dickerson • Jun 30, 2020 at 1:41am UTC
46.4k Likes, 2,212 Comments - Russell Dickerson (@russelled) on Instagram
KENNY CHESNEY has chosen Happy Does as the follow-up single to his latest number one, Here And Now. The tune is about doing what makes you happy and has a positive vibe Kenny felt was needed right now.
CHRIS YOUNG has been teasing the song If That Ain’t God and plans to release it as his next single. The tune will be available on Friday (July 3) and will be Chris’ first new single since Drowning in 2019.
CARRIE UNDERWOOD and hubby Mike Fisher have a new hobby: beekeeping.
LANCO has partnered with Purposity for the Love Runs Deep initiative. They’re striving to help those impacted by the March tornadoes that ripped through the Nashville and surrounding areas as well as those impacted by COVID-19.
MARTINA MCBRIDE, JEWEL, Kenny Loggins, and Barry Manilow will be just a few of the performers taking part in CNN’s 4th In America, airing on the network and across all its social channels this Independence Day. The show will honor the military, those striving for racial equality and front line workers, and will include fireworks from various cities across the U.S.