Search Results for: blog music legends to release new material

Pop Culture Potpourri: Angelina Jolie’s Newest Fans and Billy Joel’s Anti-War Song

Angelina Jolie may not know that some of her most fervent fans live in the Philippines. And they aren’t women who idolize the international film star or men who dream of wooing her away from Brad Pitt, these fans live in rice paddies… and they are asking the 32-year-old actress to lend them a helping hand. A left-wing Filipino farmers group trying to call attention to thousands of rural people who have been displaced by increased military operations wants Jolie to adopt their cause. The Farmers’ Movement of the Philippines, or KMP, wants the United Nations to send Jolie – … Continue reading →

Music Legends To Release New Material

Attention Billy Joel fans: Just in time for Valentine’s Day the award-winning singer is releasing a new single that may assist you in the romance department. Joel says his first pop single in 14 years entitled, “All My Life” is a tribute to the love of his life, his present wife, Katie Lee Joel. The Piano Man recorded the song last year in Manhattan with producer Phil Ramone in honor of his wife (she was the host of the first season of the Bravo TV series “Top Chef.”). But Joel recently told a New York newspaper that fans shouldn’t get … Continue reading →

Rosie O’Donnell Returns to TV and Billy Joel Returns a Favor

You didn’t really think she would stay away forever, did you? The rumors that have been flying around for months have finally been confirmed: Rosie O’Donnell is returning to the airwaves as host of her own TV variety show titled “Rosie’s Variety Hour.” (Original, huh?) According to Variety, O’Donnell’s new show will debut on November 26th on NBC. Right now the peacock network is airing the pre-Thanksgiving show as a network special, but execs say if the ratings are strong the hour-long show could become a permanent part of NBC’s primetime line-up. Producers say the comedian plans to fill her … Continue reading →

Rock Star Babylon: They Did What?

I love the “Babylon” books – those named, of course, after the biblical city Babylon. These books talk about the materialistic and hedonistic pleasures of – you guessed it – celebrities and musicians. The first one I read was “Hollywood Babylon: The Legendary Underground Classic of Hollywood’s Darkest and Best Kept Secrets” by Kenneth Anger. Ah, this one dished a lot of dirt about classic Hollywood stories: Errol Flynn’s brushes with under aged girls (which lead to brushes with the law), Rudolph Valentino (was the “Latin Lover” really gay?), the Fatty Arbuckle scandal (so much for “innocent until proven guilty”), … Continue reading →

The Highs and Lows of Super Stardom

Now this is the way to make the most of a concert stop in Iowa… Billy Joel certainly made the most of his downtime in Des Moines this week. According to local papers, the Piano Man did a little shopping while he was in town for a concert… and when I say little I mean tiny in star terms. Joel reportedly walked into a local shop that specializes in vintage sports and muscle cars and left with a burgundy 1973 VW Beetle. The classic Volkswagen Bug may be small, but shop owners say it came with a hefty price tag, … Continue reading →

Well, That was Quick! TV Shows Cancelled After One Episode

Well, it looks like I will never see Ben Stein dance on television. That was part of the appeal for me of the new reality show “Secret Talents of the Stars.” As it turns out, either the stars didn’t have any secrets or weren’t talented because America was not tuning in. After the first show drew just 4.6 million (I would have thought there would have been at least that many Star Trek fans tuned in just to hear George “Mr. Sulu” Takei sing “On the Road Again”), it was cancelled. However, “Secret Talents of the Stars” is in good … Continue reading →

The Betty Ford Center: 25 Years Later

I don’t even think I knew what a rehab center was until the Betty Ford Center came into being. Former First Lady Betty Ford decided to open the drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in Rancho Mirage, California along with Ambassador Leonard Firestone. It opened its doors in 1982, which makes this year the 25th anniversary of its opening. Why would someone so visible in the public eye open such a center? The First Lady decided to do it because she had fought an addiction and wanted a center that emphasized the needs of women as well as men. The center … Continue reading →

Starbucks Songs?

For all of you Starbucks fans who enjoy listening to tunes while you sip your super duper triple skim lattes-—good news. The company known for its coffee is expanding its’ empire to include a record label and it has already signed a major name. Paul McCartney was just introduced as the first artist signed to Starbucks Corporation’s new record label. Earlier this month the company announced it was partnering with Concord Music Group to launch the Los Angeles-based Hear Music label. Insiders say the McCartney announcement is another major step for Starbucks to spin part of its consumer popularity into … Continue reading →

Will Granny Get Her Grammy?

It’s always big news in our state when a local resident receives national attention. So imagine how excited people in our area were when they found out a local grandma was nominated for a Grammy award. Cathy Friedrich seems like an unlikely nominee, but when you hear her incredible story you can’t help but become a fan. Back in the 1960’s Friedrich was a singer with the girl group “The Tammys.” She was just 16-years-old when her music career took off. Friedrich toured the country with the group and often visited New York City to record new material. “The Tammys” … Continue reading →