John Denver |
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Thu. September 21.2000 6:20 PM EDT |
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COUNTRY BEAT: John Denver, Vince Gill, Faith Hill ...Gill, Amy Grant headline tribute to Denver; Philly fans celebrate Hill's birthday. |
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Faith Hill celebrated her 33rd birthday onstage in Philadelphia on Wednesday night. (Rocco Laspata) |
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Vince Gill and Amy Grant are slated to headline the third annual A Musical Tribute to John Denver, Oct. 13 in Aspen, Colo., according to a spokesperson for Gill. The event runs
Faith Hill was serenaded on Wednesday night (Sept. 20) in Philadelphia when a near-capacity crowd erupted into "Happy Birthday" during her Soul 2 Soul 2000 Tour concert set. Hill turned 33 on Thursday (Sept. 21). In addition, Tim McGraw's father, former pro-baseball player Tug McGraw, was in attendance at the show, as well as Gary LeVox and Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts. ... The Universal Music Group, which includes such artists as rapper DMX, rockers U2 and country singer Shania Twain, has signed a deal with digital media firm Loudeye Technologies to digitize its entire catalog of music and videos. The deal, announced Friday (Sept. 22), is intended to allow Universal and companies who license its content to offer digital downloads and streaming versions of its music. Roots singer Bonnie Bramlett, who recently moved to Nashville, is recording an album for Charlie Daniels' Blue Hat Records, according to the Tennessean. ... The Del McCoury Band, Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time, IIIrd Tyme Out and Lonesome River Band are among the 40-some acts set for this year's Bluegrass Fan Fest by the International Bluegrass Music Association, held Oct. 20–22 in Louisville, Ky., according to a spokesperson for the annual event. ... Opry veteran Little Jimmy Dickens and Martina McBride will be on hand for a Sept. 28 ceremony in which Tennessee Gov. Don Sundquist and Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell will declare October "Grand Ole Opry Month" in honor of the Opry's 75th birthday. The ceremony will be held at Opry Plaza. ... Loretta Lynn appears on "The Larry King Show" on Thursday night (Sept. 21) to discuss why women's votes are important in the upcoming presidential election. ... Singer Bryan White, whose last album, How Lucky I Am (Asylum), was released in the summer of 1999, is embarking on an unusual tour, Pollstar reports. Tickets for most of the 30 dates are available only through telemarketing calls soliciting charity funds. White has been active in a number of charitable drives, including the Federal Employee Education & Assistance Fund, created to provide scholarships to children injured or orphaned by the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. The tour kicks off Thursday (Sept. 21) in Ringgold, Va., and winds through the Midwest and Florida. White launched his career in 1994 with the hit "Someone Else's Star" (RealAudio excerpt). ... Hank Williams III will join Dave Matthews Band, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Beck, along with Crosby, Stills & Nash, the Foo Fighters and Tegan and Sara for Neil Young's 14th annual Bridge School Benefit show, according to a label spokesperson for Williams. The event, held Oct. 28–29 in Mountain View, Calif., raises funds for the Bridge School, which assists children who have learning and speech disabilities. ... Shania Twain will make a rare appearance at this year's Country Music Association Awards on Oct. 4, to present the Entertainer of the Year award. New additions to the performance lineup include George Strait with "Don't Make Me Come Over There and Love You" (from his new self-titled album), Brad Paisley singing a medley of his hits, and Sons of the Desert performing with Lee Ann Womack on their hit "I Hope You Dance." In addition, Charley Pride will be present for his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. ... TNN, The Nashville Network, will undergo major changes in the near future, including a name change to The National Network, Variety reports. The cable network's headquarters will move to New York, but the Nashville production facility will continue to operate. The company hopes to increase its original programming to 50 percent over the next five years, gradually shifting its country music shows, including the Grand Ole Opry broadcast, to sister network Country Music Television. In addition, sports programming is due to increase, with series such as the World Wrestling Federation's "Raw Is War." (Sonicnet.com's parent company, Viacom, also owns TNN and CMT.) ... Emmylou Harris and Koko Taylor will headline the second WorldJam 2000, Oct. 7–8 in Cincinnati. The event is free. Other acts will be singer/songwriter Chantal Kreviazuk, Texas blues guitarist Chris Duarte and New Orleans' Funky Meters. ... Although the original crowd estimate for Farm Aid was about 25,000, Billboard is now reporting the paid attendance at 13,000-plus. The magazine says initial turnstile gross for the event was $477,000, although total monies for the event won't be known for some time, as phone and mail pledges are received and tallied. ... Fans can go behind the scenes on the Dixie Chicks' Fly tour with an NBC special to air in November, according to the Tennessean. The show will feature footage from two Washington, D.C., Chicks concerts (Aug. 24–25), as well as interviews. An airdate has not yet been set for the special. ... Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Joe Ely are among artists slated for Rounder Records' 30th birthday celebration shows, according to a label spokesperson. The Cambridge, Mass., roots label will host at least a dozen shows in October and November, including performances by Tony Trischka, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Slaid Cleaves, the Tarbox Ramblers and Irma Thomas. ... Willie Nelson, Bobby Bare and others are featured on two upcoming EMI compilations, Country Legends Homecoming and Ralph Emery's Country Homecoming. The projects, available Sept. 26 on CD and video, include performances and interviews with Opry veterans, and a taping of the TNN special "Ryman Country Homecoming," to air on Oct. 7, Billboard reports. ... A California judge has allowed a lawsuit filed by family members of the late John Denver against an aircraft-parts manufacturer to proceed, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The lawsuit is against Gould Electronics Inc., makers of a fuel valve used in the experimental aircraft flown by Denver on his fatal crash into Monterey Bay in 1997. The singer's relatives' suit alleges that the valve malfunctioned and caused the crash. ... Wynonna will join Sheryl Crow, Amy Grant, Melissa Etheridge, Cyndi Lauper and Heart on Oct. 12 at Los Angeles' Wiltern Theater to tape "Women Rock!: Girls & Guitars," a breast cancer awareness concert to air on Lifetime later in October, according to a spokesperson for Wynonna. She recorded "Girls With Guitars" on her 1997 album, Collection. — sonicnet.com staff report |
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