VINCE GILL, BRAD PAISLEY, AND KEITH URBAN PAY TRIBUTE TO GLEN CAMPBELL ON "THE 45TH ANNUAL CMA AWARDS"

NASHVILLE - Reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year Brad Paisley and former CMA Entertainers of the Year Vince Gill and Keith Urban will pay tribute to Country Music Hall of Fame member and former CMA Entertainer of the Year Glen Campbell during "The 45^th Annual CMA Awards." The three guitar virtuosos' performance saluting the legendary singer/musician will be a highlight of "Country Music's Biggest Night(tm)." 

"The 45^th Annual CMA Awards," hosted by Paisley and Carrie Underwood, airs live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Wednesday, Nov. 9 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network. Previously announced performers include Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Sara Evans, Faith Hill, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Thompson Square, Keith Urban, Chris Young, and Zac Brown Band, plus Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter singing their hit collaboration "You and Tequila;" Rascal Flatts and Natasha Bedingfield singing their current hit duet "Easy;" Lionel Richie performing a medley of hits with Little Big Town, Rascal Flatts, and Darius Rucker; and co-hosts Paisley and Underwood in their first live televised-performance of their No. 1 song "Remind Me."    

Campbell was named both CMA Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year in 1968, and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005. The legendary performer has sold more than 45 million albums and recorded such classic hits as "Wichita Lineman," "Gentle On My Mind," "Galveston," "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Southern Nights," and "Rhinestone Cowboy." As a musician, Campbell was part of the much-heralded Wrecking Crew that performed on a variety of artists' albums. His guitar prowess is featured on the Beach Boys' seminal album Pet Sounds and on Frank Sinatra's megahit "Strangers in the Night," among others. He acted alongside John Wayne in the movie "True Grit," and hosted "The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour" on television from 1968-1972. Earlier this year, Campbell announced he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. He is in the midst of his successful Goodbye Tour after releasing his final album, the critically-acclaimed Ghost on the Canvas.  

Gill is No. 3 on the list for the most career wins in CMA Award history, having won 18 CMA Awards thus far, including two Entertainer Awards (1993, 1994), five consecutive Male Vocalist Awards (1991-1995, tying him with George Strait for the most wins in that category), two Album Awards (1993 for I Still Believe in You and 1994 for Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles), and a record-holding four Song of the Year Awards (1991 for "When I Call Your Name," 1992 for "Look at Us," 1993 for "I Still Believe In You," and 1996 for "Go Rest High On That Mountain"). Gill served as host of the CMA Awards for 12 consecutive years (1992-2003), a record for hosts of any nationally televised Awards show. He released his new album, Guitar Slinger, last week.

 The reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year, Paisley received five nominations in 2011 for Entertainer; Male Vocalist; Album for This is Country Music; and Musical Event and Music Video of the Year for "Old Alabama," featuring Alabama. Paisley has won 14 CMA Awards to date, including three consecutive Male Vocalist Awards (2007-2009) and Album of the Year (in 2006 for Time Well Wasted). This is his fourth consecutive year to co-host the CMA Awards with Underwood.  

Urban received two nominations this year: Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year. He has won four CMA Awards to date: Entertainer in 2005 and three consecutive Male Vocalist of the Year Awards (2004-2006). Urban's current album is Get Closer.

 

"The 45^th Annual CMA Awards" is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the Executive Producer, Paul Miller is the Director, and David Wild is the writer. The special will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.

REIGNING CMA “MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR” BLAKE SHELTON HEATS UP CHAIFETZ ARENA JANUARY 13

tickets go on-sale on Friday, november 11 at 10 a.m. at metrotix.com

(St. Louis – October 31, 2011) Country music singer Blake Shelton, the reigning CMA “Male Vocalist of the Year” and “Entertainer of the Year” nominee, heats up Chaifetz Arena with his “Well Lit & Amplified Tour” on Friday, January 13 at 7:30 p.m.  Justin Moore and Dia Frampton from NBC’s “The Voice” are also scheduled to perform.

Tickets are $27 and $51.75 and go on-sale on Friday, November 11 at 10 a.m. at MetroTix.com, charge by phone at 314-534-1111 and the Chaifetz Arena Box Office.  VIP tour packages are available for purchase through BlakeShelton.com.

Blake Shelton heads into next week’s CMA Awards with a total of five nominations including one for “Entertainer of the Year” and looks to repeat as winner of “Male Vocalist of the Year.”  Shelton received nominations for “Album of the Year” for All About Tonight¸ his sixth studio album which was released in July and quickly reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.  Shelton’s hit single from the album, “Honey Bee” yielded CMA Awards nominations for “Single of the Year” and “Music Video.”

Shelton holds the record for the fastest-selling digital Platinum single for a male country solo artist.  The single held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Country chart for four weeks in a row with over 40 million in audience.  No country artist has held this record in almost six years.  The single marks Shelton’s fourth consecutive No. 1 hit “Honey Bee,” “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking,” “All About Tonight” and “Hillbilly Bone.”  Shelton has nine No. 1 hits and has not had a single peak outside the Top Ten since 2007. 

Justin Moore heats up the stage with his recent #1 hit, “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away.”  Having come a long way since his days in Poyen, Arkansas with a population of 300, Moore has been taking country music by storm since the release of his self-titled album in 2008.  Hits such as, “Backwoods”, reaching #6, “How I Got to Be This Way” (#17) and “Back That Thing Up” (#38) have made Justin a true country music contender.  Blake Shelton was the coach of Dia Frampton on the past season of NBC’s hit show “The Voice,” where the Utah-native was the runner-up.

The Rolling Stones Release "No Spare Parts"

LTD EDITION 7" VINYL TO CELEBRATE RECORD STORE DAY'S "BLACK FRIDAY"

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Music Group has announced that The Rolling Stones will issue the previously unreleased track "No Spare Parts" on exclusive limited edition 7" vinyl to mark Record Store Day's "Black Friday", Friday, November 25. A digital download version of the single will be available the week commencing November 14.
"No Spare Parts" is one of twelve bonus tracks that have been unearthed for inclusion on the forthcoming deluxe and super deluxe reissue of The Rolling Stones' Some Girls – widely regarded as one of the band's greatest albums. Some Girls will be released on November 21.
"No Spare Parts" captures the daring and diverse spirit of the album's legendary sessions.  Recorded in Paris in 1978, the song tells the story of a trip from Los Angeles to San Antonio, Texas featuring Mick Jagger on electric piano, Keith Richards on acoustic piano, Ronnie Wood on pedal steel guitar, Charlie Watts on drums and Bill Wyman on bass. With a country guitar twang, subtle groove, and soulful storytelling, it's a powerful and poignant acoustic tune from The Rolling Stones, and an essential addition to any fan's catalogue.
The limited edition 7" version of the single will also include Some Girls album track "Before They Make Me Run" on the B-side.
Other never-heard-before tracks featured on the Some Girls reissue will include "We Had It All", "I Love You Too Much" and "Don't Be A Stranger".
www.rollingstones.com
www.facebook.com/therollingstones
http://twitter.com/Stones_dot_com
SOURCE Universal Music Group

VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul With Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson, Jill Scott, Florence + The Machine, Kelly Clarkson and Jessie J

"VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul" Pays Tribute to the Great Cities of Soul Music Including Chicago, Detroit, London, Memphis and Philadelphia

The Roots Confirmed to Perform as House Band

Special will air Monday, December 19 at 9 PM/8c on VH1

NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --
To Tweet This Release: http://bit.ly/divaspr
VH1's beloved, popular franchise, " VH1 Divas ," returns and will pay tribute to the cities where soul gave birth to music's most powerful classics and inspired today's divas. Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson, Jill Scott, Florence + The Machine, Kelly Clarkson and Jessie J will pay homage to these cities and soul music's timeless classics at New York City's Hammerstein Ballroom. " VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul " premieres Monday, December 19 at 9 PM/8c on VH1.
"This year's telecast will showcase the vast impact soul music has had on the 21st century's music and pop culture landscape as our talented and diverse lineup will attest," said Lee Rolontz, EVP, Original Music Production & Development, VH1 and VH1 Classic. "This year's 'Divas' offers a modern twist on soul music, all while tipping its hat to the legacy of key cities that created this musical heritage."
"VH1 Divas Celebrate Soul" will bring together some of the best singers across the globe, men and women alike, to honor the soulful cities that inspired these divas and their art.  The cities honored include: Chicago, Detroit, London, Memphis and Philadelphia. Accompanied by one of the most exciting groups of modern soul, The Roots, with Questlove as musical director, each diva will pay tribute through not only their own soul-inspired songs, but some of the greatest classics that have shaped a genre.
As in previous years, this edition of "VH1 Divas" will benefit VH1 Save The Music Foundation and its programs to restore music education in public schools.  For more information, please visit www.vh1savethemusic.org.
This year's sponsors for "VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul" include: COVERGIRL, GEICO, Hershey ®'s, Old Navy and The Wendy's Company.
Additional performers, presenters, special guests and sponsors will be announced as they are confirmed.
Visit DIVAS.VH1.com and Twitter at @VH1 and #VH1DIVAS for more information.

LIONEL RICHIE TO DEBUT SONGS FROM HIS HIGHLY ANTICIPATED COUNTRY DUETS ALBUM - TUSKEGEE - ON "THE 45th ANNUAL CMA AWARDS" AIRING NOV. 9 ON ABC

 

NASHVILLE, TN- International icon Lionel Richie will release Tuskegee, his much-anticipated Country duets album, in March on Mercury Nashville, after debuting songs on the national broadcast of "The 45^th Annual CMA Awards," airing live Wednesday, Nov. 9 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.

During the broadcast Richie will perform select duets of his runaway hits with Little Big Town, Darius Rucker, and Rascal Flatts. Richie is no stranger to the CMA Awards stage. In 1984, Richie performed "Lady" with Kenny Rogers and in 1986, he performed "Deep River Woman" with Alabama.

"Twenty-five years is too long to wait and we are thrilled to have Lionel back on the CMA Awards stage performing alongside our superstar acts," said CMA Chief Executive Officer Steve Moore. "This is what the CMA Awards are known for. Those one-of-a-kind collaborations you don't want to miss because everyone will be talking about it the next day."

"The 45^th Annual CMA Awards" is hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood and features performances by Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Sara Evans, Faith Hill, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery, Blake Shelton, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Thompson Square, Keith Urban, Chris Young, Zac Brown Band, plus Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter singing their hit collaboration "You and Tequila," Rascal Flatts and Natasha Bedingfield singing their current hit duet "Easy," and co-hosts Paisley and Underwood in their first live televised-performance of their No. 1 song "Remind Me."    

Surpassing his creative and personal boundaries, Richie comes full circle with the innovative and personal Tuskegee, performing 13 of his most revered "anthems of our day" with some of the biggest names in Country Music, including Aldean, Chesney, Billy Currington, Little Big Town, Tim McGraw, Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles, Rascal Flatts, Rucker, and Blake Shelton. On this worldwide, multi-genre album, Richie is also joined by the likes of such superstars as Shania Twain, Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson, and Jimmy Buffett.

Tuskegee is an exciting and transcendent arc in a career that has seen album sales of more than 100 million, 22 Top 10s, five Grammys, an Academy Award for Best Original Song, a Golden Globe, and a host of other awards from virtually every major entertainment organization.

While defying boundaries and breaking barriers throughout his storied career, Richie reveals once again that Tuskegee will join the ranks of his timeless body of work that touches people of all faiths, ages and demographics across the world.

"As my songwriting progressed, I realized that my songs perfectly translated to the Country genre," says the living legend as he taps on the keys of the piano in his state-of-the-art recording studio. It was when Conway Twitty sang "Three Times a Lady" along with songs such as "Lady" and "Deep River Women" that Richie knew Country Music was clearly omnipresent in the lyrics he wrote.

"I was born and raised in Tuskegee, Alabama. I am a country boy and proud of it. To do this project just felt natural," says Richie.

"Growing up with Country, R&B, gospel, and classical music from my grandmother and pop, Tuskegee was the perfect melting pot for my influences as a writer," he says, "and the title, Tuskegee, is a validation of my growing up there-the place I call home."

Envisioning and bringing Tuskegee to life with such grace and passion has been a rewarding, revelatory time for Richie.

"What began as a collaboration of talented people ended up being a great group of friends getting together to make great music," says Richie.

"Tuskegee is a state of mind as it is a place," he adds," a place of possibility, hope, promise, self-empowerment, and where dreams come true."

                                                   

Lionel Richie's Tuskegee Track-Listing:

"You Are" with Blake Shelton 

"Say You, Say Me" with Jason Aldean

"Stuck On You" with Darius Rucker

"Deep River Woman" with Little Big Town

"My Love" with Kenny Chesney

"Dancing On The Ceiling" with Rascal Flatts

 "Hello" with Jennifer Nettles

"Sail On" with Tim McGraw

"Endless Love" with Shania Twain

"Just For You" with Billy Currington

"Lady" with Kenny Rogers

 "Easy" with Willie Nelson

"All Night Long" with Jimmy Buffett

"The 45^th Annual CMA Awards" is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the Executive Producer, Paul Miller is the Director, and David Wild is the writer. The special will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.

CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR THE NATIONAL TOUR OF GREEN DAY'S AMERICAN IDIOT
Casting has been announced for the upcoming North American tour of Green Day’s AMERICAN IDIOT,
the two-time Tony Award®-winning Broadway hit called “wonderfully raucous” and “emotionally charged”
by The New York Times, which will premiere in Toronto December 28 – January 15 before continuing on
to 14 other markets across the United States.
Original Broadway cast member Van Hughes will star as Johnny, the role in which he concluded
AMERICAN IDIOT’s Broadway run, along with Jake Epstein as Will, Scott J. Campbell as Tunny,
original Broadway cast member Leslie McDonel as Heather, Gabrielle McClinton as Whatsername
and Nicci Claspell as The Extraordinary Girl.
AMERICAN IDIOT will also feature ensemble members Talia Aaron, Krystina Alabado, Gabriel
Antonacci, Larkin Bogan, Matt DeAngelis, Dan Gleason, Kelvin Moon Loh, Tommy McDowell,
Jillian Mueller, Vince Oddo, Okieriete Onaodowan and Kaitlyn Terrill. Additional casting will be
announced shortly.
"I am thrilled that soon we will get to share AMERICAN IDIOT with audiences across North America,"
said director Michael Mayer. "The creative team and I couldn't be happier with the stellar group of actors
we've assembled which includes original Broadway cast members Van Hughes and Leslie McDonel along
with many wonderful and talented new additions to the AMERICAN IDIOT family."
AMERICAN IDIOT, a 2010 Tony Award®-nominated Best Musical and 2010 Grammy Award winner for Best
Musical Show Album, features the music of Green Day with lyrics by lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong. The
book is by Armstrong and Michael Mayer and direction is by Tony Award®-winner Mayer (“Spring
Awakening”).
The show is choreographed by Olivier Award-winner Steven Hoggett (“Black Watch”) with music
supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Pulitzer Prize-winner Tom Kitt (“Next to Normal”). The tour
features Tony Award®-winning scenic design by Christine Jones and Tony Award®-winning lighting design
by Kevin Adams.
The acclaimed creative team also includes costume design by Andrea Lauer, sound design by Brian
Ronan, video and projections design by Darrel Maloney, music direction by Jared Stein, associate
choreography by Lorin Latarro and associate direction by Johanna McKeon.
Winner of two Tony Awards®, AMERICAN IDIOT is the story of three boyhood friends, each searching for
meaning in a post 9-11 world. Through incredible spectacle, thrilling performances and with the hope
embodied by a new generation, AMERICAN IDIOT will give audiences the time of their lives night after
night on tour in the same way it did during its acclaimed Broadway run at the St. James Theatre from March
2010 to April 2011.
The musical features the hits “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” “Holiday”
and the blockbuster title track “American Idiot” from Green Day’s 2004 Grammy Award-winning, multiplatinum
album. Also included in the score are several songs from Green Day’s Grammy Award-winning 2009
release “21st Century Breakdown” including “21 Guns” and an unreleased love song, “When It’s Time.”
AMERICAN IDIOT premiered at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in September 2009 and played through
November of that year. In April 2010, the musical opened on Broadway where reviews were unanimously
positive with Charles Isherwood of the New York Times calling the show “the most adventurous musical to
brave Broadway in the past decade” and the Toronto Star naming it “the first great musical of the 21st
century!”
For more information on AMERICAN IDIOT, visit www.americanidiotthemusical.com.
AMERICAN IDIOT 2011-2012 National Tour Dates
Utica, NY 12/21-12/22 Stanley Theatre
Toronto, ON 12/28-1/15 Toronto Centre for the Arts
Detroit, MI 1/17-1/22 Opera House
Boston, MA 1/24-1/29 Opera House
Raleigh, NC 1/31-2/5 Memorial Auditorium
Chicago, IL 2/7-2/19 Oriental Theatre
Minneapolis, MN 2/21-2/26 Orpheum Theatre
State College, PA 2/28-2/29 Eisenhower Auditorium
St. Louis, MO 3/2-3/4 Peabody Opera House
Denver, CO 3/6-3/11 Buell Theatre
Los Angeles, CA 3/13-4/22 Ahmanson Theatre
Tempe, AZ 4/24-4/29 ASU Gammage
Dallas, TX 5/8-5/20 AT&T PAC
Costa Mesa, CA 5/29-6/3 Segerstrom Center
Seattle, WA 6/5-6/10 Paramount Theatre
San Francisco, CA 6/12-7/8 Orpheum Theatre
CAST BIOGRAPHIES
VAN HUGHES (Johnny) recently starred as Johnny opposite Billie Joe Armstrong in the Broadway
production of American Idiot. Other Broadway credits: 9 to 5 and Hairspray. He originated the role of
Patrick in Saved at Playwrights Horizons, NYC and performed in Hairspray Las Vegas. Film: Sex And The
City: The Movie and SATC 2, Tenure, Rachel Getting Married, Book of Love. TV: Royal Pains, voice of
"Chibila" on Nickelodeon, Law & Order: SVU & Criminal Intent, Six Degrees, As the World Turns, One Life
To Live, NASA Connect, Step Toward Tomorrow, and Araby. B.A. in Theatre, Fordham University.
JAKE EPSTEIN (Will) went to see Green Day when he was 12, and it blew his freaking mind. Theatre:
Tony in Billy Elliot and Melchior in Spring Awakening (1st National Tours), Dani Girl (world premiere), Dog
Sees God, Dangerous Liaisons. Film/TV: Craig on Degrassi: The Next Generation (Gemini Award), Charlie
Bartlett, Being Erica, My Babysitter’s a Vampire, Living In Your Car, Radio Free Roscoe, and The Zack
Files. Graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada. Big thanks to Michael, Tom and Ira for the
chance, Shari and Joannie for the support, and Mom, Dad and Gubs for all the love in the world.
SCOTT J. CAMPBELL (Tunny) is thrilled to be part of the 1st National Tour of American Idiot.
Broadway: Jersey Boys; International: Disney Cruise Line; TV: White Collar; Graduate of Sheridan
College, Canada. scottjcampbell.net
LESLIE MCDONEL (Heather). Leslie spent the last exciting year in the Original Broadway Cast of
American Idiot, performing with Green Day at the Tonys, the Grammys, Jets Monday Night Football, and
numerous other TV appearances. Other Broadway/Tours: Hairspray (LouAnn) and Legally Blonde
(Kate/Chutney). Regional: Grease (Marty), Two Gentlemen of Verona: the Musical (Julia), Chicago
(Velma). A Dallas native, she has also appeared numerous times at the Dallas Theater Center and Casa
Manana. BFA from the New School University. Many thanks to Green Day for their heart and the whole
American Idiot family. Missing Sissies, but glad to have lesmueschies.
GABRIELLE MCCLINTON (Whatsername). Gabrielle is a recent graduate of Carnegie Mellon University
with a BFA in Drama and could not be more thrilled or blessed to be a part of American Idiot. Regional:
MUNY-Hairspray, Annie, The Music Man; PCLO- West Side Story, The Producers, Mame, Annie Get Your
Gun, Joseph…, The Student Prince, Oliver. Film: Fun Size, Steel Town. She would like to thank the
American Idiot team for this incredible opportunity, BRS, her teachers, friends, family, boo bear, and
most of all her parents for their constant guidance, support, and endless love.
www.GabrielleMcClinton.com.
NICCI CLASPELL (The Extraordinary Girl). Nicci is a native of California and graduate of AMDA in Los
Angeles & is very excited to be on national tour with American Idiot! She has appeared in regional
productions such as: Rent (Mimi), Chicago (Velma Kelly), and Chess (Florence). Other favorite
performances include City Of Angels, A Midsummer Nights Dream, and West Side Story. Nicci also
continues to build her film/TV work and was the female lead in the award winning musical comedy film
Zombo. Nicci is repped by Shelter Entertainment and would like to extend many thanks to friends, family,
and all those close to her for their constant love and support.
TALIA AARON (Ensemble; u/s Extraordinary Girl). Favorite credits: Scaramouche/Oz understudy in We
Will Rock You (Original Canadian Company, Canon Theatre), Ali/Lisa understudy in Mamma Mia! (Royal
Alexandra Theatre), Ensemble in Grease (Elgin Theatre), Narrator in Joseph… (Leah Posluns Theatre),
three seasons as Madison in Strange Days at Blake Holsey High (NBC/Discovery Kids, Young Artist Award
Nomination). Love and admiration to B&Z, heartfelt gratitude to Mom, Dadheart, Doodle, my beautiful
friends and family, agent Shari Quallenberg at AMI and The Big Light.
KRYSTINA ALABADO (Ensemble; u/s Whatsername, The Extraordinary Girl). Krystina is so happy to be
an Idiot once again!! Broadway: American Idiot. 1st National Tour: Spring Awakening. Off-Broadway:
Camp Wanatachi. NY Workshops: Pregnancy Pact, Freckleface Strawberry. Love love love and thanks to
the incredibly supportive people in my life: my family, Matt (kees kees), my managers Terry and Marilyn,
and the whole Idiot team! I couldn't do it without you guys! Check out www.krystinaalabado.com.
GABRIEL ANTONACCI (Ensemble; u/s Johnny, Tunny) is so excited to be doing this show. Originally
from Toronto, ON Canada. Theatre credits include Hank Majewski in the Original Canadian cast of Jersey
Boys, Big Deal in West Side Story, Ethan in The Full Monty and Richie Cunningham in Happy Days.
Thanks to friends and family for their support and his love Robin for everything always and their best
dogs in the world Sophie and Bella. www.twitter.com/GabrielNacci
LARKIN BOGAN (Ensemble) made his Broadway debut in HAIR and later toured the country with the
show performing eight different roles including Claude and Woof. Having first cultivated his love for
music with a rock band growing up in SC, he is excited to show some of his roots in this show. Love to
Nicolosi, NYC, SC, all the Bogans, and a beautiful Gemini. Proud member of AEA. Buttery beats, crunchy
grooves, tasty tunes.
MATT DEANGELIS (Ensemble; u/s St. Jimmy, Will) comes direct from spreading love on Broadway,
West End, and Nat'l Tour of HAIR as Woof. He's blessed to be performing with this new bunch of crazy
rock stars. He believes in Optimism, Kindness, Spirituality, Marriage Equality, Actors’ Equity Association
and the Red Sox! Thanks to Leading Artists and my amazing family. www.mattdeangelis.com
DAN GLEASON (Ensemble; u/s Tunny). Dan is thrilled to rock out across the country with American
Idiot! Regional credits include My One and Only (Goodspeed Opera House), Shenandoah, The King and I
(Mount Gretna Theatre), and Baby (Pennsylvania Centre Stage). A graduate of Penn State University’s
BFA Musical Theatre program, he would like to thank the faculty and MTX! A special thanks to family,
friends, Julia, Bobbie Merritt and The Entertainment Goup, Jim Carnahan Casting, and FSPA.
KELVIN MOON LOH (Ensemble; u/s Will). After back to back tours in Siam and Saigon, Kelvin is
pumped to represent his surburbia Long Island roots with American Idiot. Kelvin is also a “free”lance
musical librettist, a Marvel comics enthusiast, and a former guy-liner addict. Rage and love to The Mine,
Matt Corozine Studio, Jen Waldman, Sheri Sanders, Peter and Liza, Carnahan/Gardner and co., and the
Idiot crew! NYU Steinhardt. www.kelvinmoonloh.com
TOMMY MCDOWELL (Swing). Credits include -- New York: Urinetown, Hudson Guild Theatre (Bobby
Strong); National Tours: The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley (Flat Stanley), A Year With Frog and
Toad (Snail); Regional: The Who's TOMMY (Tommy), Hairspray (Link Larkin), Grey Gardens (Joe
Kennedy, Jr.), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Levi), A Funny Thing Happened on the
Way to the Forum, La Bohéme, and Sweeney Todd. Many thanks to SG, my loving family, and of course
my lil' onion.
JILLIAN MUELLER (Swing; u/s Whatsername) is ecstatic to finally be able to do this show! Broadway:
Bye Bye Birdie, two holiday seasons of How the Grinch stole Christmas. New York Theatre: Susan
Stroman's new show Dancer Project. TV: A Gifted Man (CBS). Many thanks and love to Carnahan and the
American Idiot team, Liz, Aimee, Erin and everyone at CESD. And of course Mom, Dad and Jack.
VINCE ODDO (Swing; u/s Favorite Son) hails from Buffalo, NY and is a graduate of Fredonia State
University. Favorite credits include: Hairspray (Link Larkin), Cabaret (Cliff/Fight Director), Rocky Horror
Show (Rocky), Little Shop Of Horrors (Orin Scrivello), a few operas, couple plays, and one amazing
journey so far. Would love to thank Matt Farnsworth, The Luedtke Agency, Scotty Kriendler, and of
course my wonderful family, Dad, Momma, and Nicholas, who have supported me through my endeavors.
This one is for my rock, MJ.
OKIERIETE ONAODOWAN (Ensemble; Rock & Roll Boyfriend, u/s Favorite Son). Okieriete is excited to
be going on tour with American Idiot. Off Broadway: Neighbors, The Public; Langston in Harlem, Urban
Stages. Off Off Broadway: The Shipment, Young Jean Lee/The Kitchen; Pontious Pilate The Last Days of
Judas Iscariot, Richmond Shepard Theatre; Regional: Ruined, Huntington Theater Co., Berkely Rep, La
Jolla Playhouse; Coalhouse in Ragtime, NJPAC; Okieriete is excited, enthused and honored to be a part of
this wicked production.
KAITLYN TERRILL (Ensemble; u/s Heather) is excited to be on tour with American Idiot. She has
appeared in various roles in San Diego over the last four years. Roles include Eileen in Irving Berlin's I
Love A Piano, Rosemary in Angel's Arms, Alice in Alice: A Wonderful New Musical, Gertrude McFuzz in
Seussical: The Musical, and Minnie Fay in Hello, Dolly. She could not have gotten this far without the
loving support of her family, agents, and God.
###

Vince Gill’s Floor Plan for "Guitar Slinger"

By Bob Doerschuk
© 2011 CMA Close Up® News Service / Country Music Association®, Inc.
“And this,” said Vince Gill, “is the LeAnn Rimes Memorial Bathroom.”
It’s a small but comfortable room, just a few steps away from the 32-track recording studio that the CMA Country Music Hall of Fame member built in his Belle Meade, Tenn. home. The only thing that attracts attention is the amplifier positioned just to the left of the doorway.
It seems that Rimes was visiting one day during the sessions for Guitar Slinger, Gill’s new album on MCA Nashville. Musicians were gathered in the studio, going over parts and tweaking their sound. She had just gone into the restroom when a guitarist decided to check his tone. Unfortunately, his microphone and amp were in that restroom, the volume pumped up pretty high.
Gill, remembering that moment, mimed playing a bent-note, upper-neck feedback screech. “And LeAnn said she hit the ceiling,” he remembered. “I don’t know whether that’s true or not, but she was out of there pretty quick.”
Such are the things that can happen when an artist transforms part of his home into a working space. At the very least, you come up with stories you’re not likely to hear about tracking in commercial studios. At best, you save on multiple fronts, including travel time, rental costs and more.
“I haven’t found any minuses to recording at home, to be honest,” Gill said. “My biggest concern is, is it going to sound great? That’s the whole purpose of any studio. At the same time, if you’ve got a great song, it doesn’t matter where you record it. People are going to respond to a great song every time. If the bass sound isn’t just so good, if the kick drum doesn’t sound just so great, or if the guitar tone is a little thin, most people don’t ever hear any of that. The mantra should be ‘serve the song.’”
Gill’s priorities don’t diminish the importance of having a great production with state-of-the-art gear. Rather, they indicate that the purpose of production is to bring out the expressive potential of the tune. This has guided Gill on all of the sessions he’s had, though with Guitar Slinger he took the concept further by doing some of the recording outside the studio doors, in an add-on acoustically dry room, at the end of a hallway, in his living room, even in a closet and of course in the Memorial Bathroom.
To put the conversion of these areas in context, go back to Gill’s and his wife Amy Grant’s decision to make a few changes in their living space. ���We lived here for nine years before we even thought about putting a studio in here,” he recalled. “I said to Amy, after we’d been married a few years, ‘How are things?’ She said, ‘Well, to be real honest, there are times when I still feel like a stranger in my own house.’ So after living here for a little bit of time, we said, ‘Okay, we don’t really need a pool table in this room. Nobody plays pool here.’ We’d go through the house and ask, ‘Do we really need a fancy dining room here? Let’s make it a sitting parlor and I could have my desk in there.’ Little by little, I felt like this part of the house could finally serve what would benefit me the most. You find ways to connect what you do and love and make them a part of your home.”
That meant building a studio. Gill invested in the best equipment, relying on advice from friends who kept informed on gear. Eventually, anchored by a 32-channel API board, it took shape in a high-ceilinged space, with a sunken area next to a big working fireplace. It’s as much a place to hang out with friends as it is a facility for top-notch tracking, with tiny amps and car models, a clock with hands set against a Fender logo and amplifier grill cloth and other details enhancing the cozy, vintage décor. He’s even stowed active amps in the bottom of cabinets that line one wall within soundproofing that allows tracks to be captured without any audio bleed.
Eventually, Gill began thinking about expanding his recording options beyond the studio doors. “I’m grateful that I went up to Sheryl Crow’s house,” he said. “She had a fantastic studio built in her basement. I was working on mine, and I was like, ‘Man, she’s got two rooms to do overdubs in. She’s got a lounge. I could do this too; I could build a room onto the side of my studio.’ I realized that if I didn’t take it to a certain level, I’d always be trapped by headphones. That just didn’t sound like fun to me, so I went further than I probably ever intended. I don’t know if I ever intended to put a whole keyboard world in another room. I didn’t think the API desk would be as big as the one I wound up buying. I wound up buying some really big speakers that could crank it up so it sounds like a million bucks. And I never intended to build an extra room. Why not? I’ll be making music in there for 20 years or more.”
That room, acoustically dry, is lined by amplifier grill cloth on the ceiling and the double walls, one external and the other internal, to keep sound from transferring from the inside or the outside. The floor is similarly layered, with two made of cement and two more of wood. “You can do guitar overdubs in here,” Gill noted. “But I set up the drums in here more often than not. The first thought was that, with these two big windows, it was going to be too reflective and live, but as it turns out drummers freak out about the sound in here. They say there’s a bigger depth in the bottom end of the kick drum. We do a lot of vocals in here too. If you need separation, if something needs to be on its own, this works.”
The selection widened as one room led to the next. Just outside the studio door, the end of a hallway, with high ceilings and wood floor, is live enough to add depth to acoustic guitars and upright basses. A nearby closet proves perfect for miking a Leslie speaker, which connects to the Hammond B-3 organ in the living room, just steps away from a Yamaha concert grand piano.
John Hobbs, who has played piano, organ and other keyboards on many of Gill’s sessions as far back as Turn Me Loose in 1983, sees one reason why the idea of “studio” has morphed into this network of rooms. “People that just have their home studios all in one room aren’t usually cutting a band live, which is very much what the approach to this album was — and it always is with Vince,” he said. “He doesn’t like to do a lot of overdubbing, apart from taking vocal passes and doing the background vocals or maybe allowing for an instrumentalist that’s not available on the day of tracking that he really wants to get on a particular song. But the piano really needs to be in a different room. Acoustic piano mics are really hot, so leakage is always an issue. Even the leakage from my headphones, if they’re turned up loud while I’m sitting at the piano, can be an issue. And with the Leslie in a cabinet by itself, it’s really a function of keeping the leakage down.”
Produced by Gill, Hobbs and Justin Niebank, Guitar Slinger is sonically impressive, intimate and romantic on ballads (“True Love,” written and sung by Gill and Grant), majestic where gospel exultation meets searing lead guitar (“Threaten Me with Heaven,” by Gill, Grant, Will Owsley and Dillon O’Brian) and shimmering with steel and triple fiddles on the waltz-time “Buttermilk John” (Gill). But the composer/ singer/guitarist proves correct in asserting that every note played and every knob turned takes the listener deeper into the music and the lyric.
Much of the material is narrative, from the (true) story of a friend’s sad demise in “Billy Paul” (Gill) to its retrograde, chronicling the salvation of a hopeless man at the end of his journey in “Bread and Water” (Gill and Leslie Satcher). It’s not just the quality of this work that distinguishes Guitar Slinger; it’s the fact of its being done at all.
“That’s important to me because I learned that great stories make great songs,” he explained. “It’s not very prevalent in what’s going on today; instead, it’s a little more attitude and a little more swagger. What shocks me is a song like ‘The House That Built Me’ (Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin), that Miranda (Lambert) recorded. I just want to go, ‘Guys! Look at this! This should teach you. People are still moved.’ Guy Clark taught me that if you’re not able to really see the picture that the words say, then find a way to say it where those pictures come alive. That, to me, is great songwriting: If somebody hears a song, they can perceive it any way they want and paint their own pictures. That’s why I don’t like videos: You don’t give the imagination a chance to work.
“I think it would be so easy to put this music back on a great path with people writing and recording great songs again,” he summed up. “It’s not that hard.”
On the Web: www.VinceGill.com

Christina Aguilera, Justin Bieber, Mary J. Blige, Kelly Clarkson and Maroon 5 to Perform at the "2011 American Music Awards®" November 20th on ABC

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- dick clark productions (dcp) president and executive producer Orly Adelson announced that Christina Aguilera, Justin Bieber, Mary J. Blige, Kelly Clarkson and Maroon 5 will perform at the "2011 American Music Awards®". They join previously announced acts including Katy Perry and Pitbull. Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera will team up to perform "Moves Like Jagger." In keeping with recent tradition, the "American Music Awards" is a host-free event that highlights music's biggest artists performing on one stage.
The show will be broadcast live from the NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE on SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20th (8:00-11:00 pm ET/PT) on ABC.  Tickets are now on sale (please visit www.ticketmaster.com or call 1-877-234-8425.). This year, ABC will air a live pre-show "Countdown to The American Music Awards" starting at 7:00 pm ET/PT. In addition, the online pre-show "Coca-Cola Red Carpet LIVE! @ the 2011 AMAs" hosted by Lance Bass, Michael Buckley, Estelle, Sarah Hyland, Josh Sussman and Xzibit will stream live for fans worldwide starting at 2 pm PT / 5 pm ET.
For the fifth year, winners will be determined by online voting. Fans can vote at the Coca-Cola AMA voting website, amavote.com, as well as AMA.abc.com. Artists will be honored in the categories of Pop/Rock, Country, Rap/Hip-Hop, Soul/R&B, Alternative, Adult Contemporary, Latin, and Contemporary Inspirational.  Fans can go to the official homepage of the "2011 American Music Awards," AMA.abc.com, to find performer and presenter announcements, artist information, and more.
Orly Adelson and Larry Klein, AMA producer, jointly stated, "The AMAs have always showcased the biggest acts on one stage and this year is no exception with a diverse and talented group of musicians."
About Christina Aguilera
One of the most accomplished performers of the last decade, she has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, achieved four #1 singles on the Billboard hot 100 chart, and has won five Grammy Awards, as well as three top five albums in the United States. She has collaborated with other legendary artists including Herbie Hancock, Andrea Bocelli, Tony Bennett, Elton John and The Rolling Stones.  Aguilera was also the only artist under 30 to make Rolling Stone Magazine's list of 100 greatest singers of all time.
About Justin Bieber
In less than two years Justin Bieber has sold over 12 million albums worldwide. He is the youngest male solo artist in Billboard 200 chart history to score a #1 album, since thirteen year old Steve Wonder. His album My Worlds 2.0 is the first album since 'N Sync's "No Strings Attached" in 2000 to spend its first 27 weeks in the Billboard 200 Top 10. Justin has reached almost 2.2 billion views on YouTube, over 36 million Facebook fans, and over 13 million followers on Twitter. With the release of Never Say Never, Justin's concert documentary, he had the biggest first week ever for a documentary and went on to become the highest grossing concert film in US history. Justin Bieber's new Christmas album "Under The Mistletoe" will be released on November 1st, 2011. The album features Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, Usher, The Band Perry and Busta Rhymes.  Justin has received multiple prestigious awards including Four American Music Awards, Two MTV Europe Awards, Two MTV Video Music Awards, Four Much Music Awards, Four Teen Choice Awards, A Brit Award, Two Juno Awards, Two Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, Six Billboard Awards as well as a CMT Award.
About Mary J. Blige
Iconic, Multi Grammy winning artist, singer/songwriter, producer and actress Mary J. Blige has announced plans to release her highly anticipated 10th studio album, "My Life II...The Journey Continues (Act 1)," on November 21, 2011.  Mary J. Blige has sold over 50 million albums worldwide.  Among her many accolades, Blige can claim eight multi-platinum albums, 1 platinum album, 9 Grammy Awards (she has been nominated for a staggering 29) and 4 American Music Awards.  She stars opposite Tom Cruise and Alec Baldwin in Warner Bros' Rock of Ages which will be released in June 2012.
About Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson just released her highly anticipated 5th studio album, Stronger. Since bursting onto the music scene 10 years ago, Kelly Clarkson has released 5 studio albums (Thankful, Breakaway, My December, All I Ever Wanted, Stronger), sold over 20 million albums worldwide, 10 million albums in the US and has had 7 singles in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart.  She is the recipient of 2 Grammy Awards, 2 American Music Awards, 2 MTV Awards and 11 Billboard Awards.
About Maroon 5
Capturing their first of 3 GRAMMY Awards as "Best New Artist" of 2005 and going on to sell more than fifteen million albums worldwide, Maroon 5 has won over fans and critics alike with the hybrid rock/R&B sound they introduced on their debut album "Songs About Jane." The band recently released their third studio album "Hands All Over," which spawned the Grammy nominated single "Misery."  Maroon 5's latest hit "Moves Like Jagger" reached the number one spot on the Top 40 and Billboard Hot 100 charts.  In addition, Adam Levine will return in February as one of the celebrity coaches on NBC's "The Voice."
About the Voting –
American Music Awards® nominees are selected from both BigChampagne's Ultimate Chart and Mediabase. The Ultimate Chart is a ranked list of the most popular artists and songs based on a weighted combination of music sales, radio and TV broadcast, internet streaming and video viewing, and incorporating additional online metrics, including activity on social networks. Mediabase monitors more than 1,800 radio stations in 180 U.S. and Canadian markets, 24 hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week and provides vital airplay and programming information to more than 1,700 affiliate radio stations and every major broadcast group.  Winners are chosen by public vote online.
About dick clark productions, inc. –
Founded in 1957, dick clark productions, inc. (dcp) is a leading independent producer of television programming. dcp produces perennial hits such as the "American Music Awards," "Golden Globe Awards," "Academy of Country Music Awards," and "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest."  dcp also produces popular weekly television programming, including "So You Think You Can Dance," and owns and maintains one of the world's most unique and extensive entertainment libraries, which includes more than 30 years of "American Bandstand" footage.  For additional information about dcp, please visit www.dickclarkproductions.com
About the American Music Awards –
In 1973 Dick Clark created the American Music Awards to pay tribute to popular musicians from various genres of music and to put audiences in touch with the latest phenomena in American music.  Since its founding, the AMAs have honored and showcased the talents of some of the biggest names in the music industry.

Legendary Etta James Retires With the Release of Her Final Studio Album The Dreamer on October 25

"The essence of blues and soul that had been lived in, with lust and heartache, pain and tenacity and spunk, all in a single voice...." - The New York Times

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- For over half a century, Etta James has all but defined the role of the quintessential rhythm & blues vocalist. She transcends all musical categories and styles with a recording career that spans more than five decades. On October 25, 2011, Etta James will release The Dreamer, her new album through Verve Forecast. This monumental release not only marks her first album in five years, it will be her final studio album before she retires, capping off an incredible fifty-year recording career.  James remarks, "I wish to thank all my fans who have shown me love and support over all these years.  I love you all."
The album features her one-of-a-kind renditions of Otis Redding's "Cigarettes and Coffee" and Bobby "Blue" Bland's "Dreamer" to Ray Charles' "In The Evening" and Guns N' Roses' "Welcome To The Jungle."
The great Etta James has been a musical force and a major hit-maker since the '50s earning numerous accolades including six Grammy Awards®, among them the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, a Best Jazz Vocal Performance and two Hall of Fame Awards. In 1993, James was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2001 she was inducted by both the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame and the Rockabilly Hall Of Fame. She also is immortalized in Hollywood with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Throughout her career, James created a remarkably deep and diverse catalog of R&B, blues, soul, pop and jazz recordings. James crossed all musical genres and styles and has been cited as a major influence by a wide range of singers from Janis Joplin to Irma Thomas to Christina Aguilera and Adele.
Many have tried to copy or follow her style, but there is only one Etta James.
Etta James – The Dreamer

1. Groove Me (King Floyd)
2. Champagne and Wine (Otis Redding/Roy Johnson/Alan Walden)
3. Dreamer   (Jerry Zaremba)
4. Welcome To The Jungle (William Rose/Saul Hudson)
5. Misty Blue (Bob Montgomery)
6. Boondocks (Karen Fairchild/Wayne Kirkpatrick/Kimberly Roads/Phillip Sweet/Jimi Westbrook)
7. Cigarettes and Coffee  (Jerry Butler/Jay Walker/Eddie Thomas) no Otis as writer
8. In The Evening (Ray Charles)
9. Too Tired (Maxwell Dixon/Sam Ling/Johnny Watson)
10. That's The Chance You've Got to Take (Johnny Watson)  
11. Let Me Down Easy (James Milton Campbell Jr.)

Produced by: Etta James, Donto James, Josh Sklair, Sametto James
SOURCE Universal Music Enterprises

he Soggy Bottom Boys Reunite as O Brother, Where Art Thou? Turns 10

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- This year marks the 10 year anniversary of O Brother, Where Art Thou?, the landmark film and soundtrack that sparked a cultural phenomenon. To this day it still has a significant influence and impact on modern pop as evident in some of today's top acts, from Neo-traditional Americana bands from The Secret Sisters, The Civil Wars and Carolina Chocolate Drops to alternative mainstays Mumford & Sons, and Fleet Foxes.
For the first time since their notable O Brother, Where Art Thou? appearance, the fictional Soggy Bottom Boys reunite with original cast member Tim Blake Nelson joined by the scene stealing yodeler Pat Enright (guitar), Alan O'Bryant (banjo), and Mike Compton (mandolin), all from the Grammy® Award-winning Nashville Bluegrass Band, for a video shoot at the Tennessee State Prison for the song "In The Jailhouse Now" from the original motion picture soundtrack. Director Stephen Shepherd, who has worked with numerous artists including country star Gary Allan, was called in to direct the video making its world premiere October 19th on AOL.
Produced by 12-time GRAMMY® Award- and Academy Award-winner T Bone Burnett, the original O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack from the 2000 film—written, directed and produced by the Coen Brothers and starring George Clooney, Tim Blake Nelson and John Turturro—shot to No.1 on the Billboard Top 200 and Country charts and became a bona fide music phenomenon.  Along with ALBUM OF THE YEAR honors, the album won GRAMMYs® for "I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow" performed by Dan Tyminski, Harley Allen and Pat Enright, and "O Death" by the legendary Dr. Ralph Stanley.
Earlier this year, UMe celebrated the 10th Anniversary with an expanded two-CD set, O Brother, Where Art Thou? – Deluxe Edition, with legendary original producer T Bone Burnett personally involved in all aspects of this release.
The album that rocketed bluegrass, roots and even Americana music from the 20th Century into the new millennium features a 14-track bonus disc.  Twelve of these newly-released songs were recorded during original sessions for the film, most of which went unheard on-screen.  This release marks the first time these tracks have been made available in any format.
The second disc of the O Brother, Where Art Thou? – Deluxe Edition features artists who appeared on the original album (John Hartford, Norman Blake, the Fairfield Four, the Cox Family and the Peasall Sisters) plus some who did not (Colin Linden, Alan O'Bryant, Ed Lewis and Van Dyke Parks). The disc's previously recorded tracks are "Tom Devil" by Ed Lewis and the Prisoners, and "I'll Fly Away" by the Kossoy Sisters.  An alternative version of "In the Jailhouse Now", sung by the late Harley Allen, with Pat Enright's signature yodel, is also on the bonus disc.
SOURCE Universal Music Enterprises

CHICKENFOOT DEBUTS MUSIC VIDEO FOR "THREE AND A HALF LETTERS (I NEED A JOB)"GROUP TEAMS WITH FEEDING AMERICA TO MOTIVATE FANS TO HELP THE NEARLY 49 MILLION AMERICANS FACING HUNGER

LOS ANGELES, CA—Chickenfoot, the supergroup featuring guitarist Joe Satriani, drummer Chad Smith, and former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony and frontman Sammy Hagar, debuts their music video for the song "Three and a Half Letters (I Need a Job)” today.  The song, from their recent release, Chickenfoot III ( eOne Music/Edel/EarMusic), is  motivated by the dismal economy, which has led to problems such as hunger and job loss, and features letters that were sent to Hagar as pleas for help.  Chickenfoot is partnering with Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity, to encourage fans to help alleviate some of the effects of the economy.  The band will perform “Three and a Half Letters” on Jimmy Kimmel Live on the evening of November 3rd.

"I received a lot of letters from people over the years who were looking for help or work and recently I received one from an Afghan War Veteran that ended with 'Can you help? I need a job.’  That really hit me and the song came together," said Hagar.  "We really want to encourage people to help where they can, and I think one of the easiest ways is by making contributions to a local food bank. I hope we get this message across in this video and while we are on tour."

"I Need a Job," directed by Arthur Rosato (Springsteen, Bonnaroo), features the real life letters received by Hagar and closes with a call to action from the band and Feeding America.  Beginning today, the band is inviting fans to post their own letters and stories to their website in hopes it will help them find employment and continue to shed light on the critical condition in America.  The band is also planning on additional outreach to bring more awareness to the issue in each city on their upcoming “Road Test Tour.”  While those who are better off may not be able to offer actual jobs, Chickenfoot believes that contributions to food banks in their hometowns is one simple way, among many others, that fans can help those struggling on a local level. To find your Feeding America member food bank, visit http://feedingamerica.org/foodbank.

The band is set to embark on the recently announced “2011 Road Test Tour,” beginning November 1st at the Warfield Theatre, San Francisco.  The tour will take the band (Satriani, Anthony, Hagar and touring drummer Kenny Aronoff) through five US and five European cities in support of their most recent release Chickenfoot III, which debuted on the Billboard album chart at #9.   Chickenfoot III, has continued to receive critical acclaim:

 

“It’s a rare case of a group that’s equal to – or perhaps even greater than - the sum of its parts…this is an album that really wins hearts with its granite thump’n’roll.”  - Gary Graff, Billboard

Chickenfoot III features 10 tracks with so many moments of epiphany that one can barely take them all in on first listen.  Colossal, stadium-shaking riffs abound on earth-movers such as “Alright, Alright,” “Last Temptation” and “Lighten Up.” Tradition meets innovation on the Nashville pop-tinged “Different Devil,” the Delta-blues flavored “Something Going Wrong” and the aching rock ballad “Come Closer.”  Chickenfoot III follows the band’s 2009 debut album, which debuted at #3 on the Billboard Top 100 and was certified gold for sales of over 500,000 units by the Recording Industry Association of America.

THE 2011 ROAD TEST TOUR DATES:November 1                       Warfield Theatre              San Francisco, CA           
November 2                       Avalon Hollywood           Los Angeles, CA
November 4                       The Pageant                       St. Louis, MO
November 5                       Metro                                   Chicago, IL
November 8                       Webster Hall                      New York, NY

**European dates available at www.chickenfoot.us       

 

For the “Three and a Half Letters (I Need a Job)” music video, more information about Chickenfoot, please visit the band’s webpage www.chickenfoot.us, as well as their podcast http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/chickenfoot-podcast/id306051384, YouTube http://www.youtube.com/ichickenfoot, Facebook www.facebook.com/chickenfoot and Google+ pages.  

 

About Feeding America
Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks support 61,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit www.feedingamerica.org. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow our news on Twitter at twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.

 

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS' First Two Groundbreaking Albums 'GISH' and 'SIAMESE DREAM' to get the Fully Remastered Treatment

EMI MUSIC TO RELEASE BOTH REISSUES ON NOVEMBER 29 IN NORTH AMERICA AND DECEMBER 5 INTERNATIONALLY

BOTH ALBUMS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN CD, DELUXE 2CD/DVD, VINYL LP AND DIGITAL CONFIGURATIONS

On November 29 in North America and December 5 internationally, EMI Music will launch an extensive campaign honoring the legacy of THE SMASHING PUMPKINS by reissuing the iconic alternative band's first two albums-- GISH (1991) and SIAMESE DREAM (1993), certified platinum and 4X platinum respectively--in CD, deluxe 2CD/DVD,  vinyl LP, and  digital configurations. Both albums, each with bonus content and special features that were curated from the band's archives by founding member Billy Corgan , have been painstakingly remastered for the first time from the original master tapes by Bob Ludwig .   *See all track listings below.

With the full support and guidance from THE SMASHING PUMPKINS--who've created one of the most acclaimed bodies of work in musical history, selling over 30 million albums--EMI's global catalog reissue campaign will last through 2013; it will encompass all the band's albums and B-sides from 1991-2000, with other release dates to be announced.  The pivotal group's many hits defined the alternative music era and continue to resonate on modern rock radio, influencing a whole new generation.   Gish highlights include "I Am One," "Siva" and "Rhinoceros," while Siamese Dream features "Cherub Rock," "Today" and "Disarm."  Both groundbreaking albums were produced by Butch Vig and Billy Corgan.
As THE SMASHING PUMPKINS get the fully remastered treatment via these reissues, the band is excited to be moving forward by creating new music.  After touring America and Europe this fall--the trek launched October 5 in Los Angeles and wraps December 8 in Lisbon --they will release OCEANIA , "an album within an album," as part of their in-progress 44-song work TEARGARDEN BY KALEIDYSCOPE .  Featuring 13 new songs, OCEANIA will be released in early 2012 (further details TBA).
For the GISH and SIAMESE DREAM liner notes, Billy Corgan was interviewed by journalist/author David Wild.  Corgan reflects on why these albums were hard-won triumphs for the band and discusses the origins of the songs. In the SIAMESE DREAM liner notes, Corgan says: "We start the album out with 'Cherub Rock' which is basically my big F.U. to the indie world. If you read the lyrics, that was basically me railing against the hipper than thou New York indie mentality."
Here are the special features about both reissues:

• Deluxe versions of Gish and Siamese Dream will each include a bonus disc of rare and previously unreleased audio content.
• Deluxe versions of Gish and Siamese Dream also contain a never-before-released live show from the Metro in Chicago on DVD. The 10-song live show in the Gish package is from 8/25/90; the 17-song live show in the Siamese Dream package is from 8/14/93. Both DVDs feature introductions by Joe Shanahan, owner of the Metro in Chicago.
• The Gish bonus disc will include brand new Butch Vig mixes of the original Sub Pop single tracks "Tristessa" and "La Dolly Vita."
• Vinyl has been mastered specifically for the format.
• Housed in special lift-top box packaging, the deluxe versions feature liner notes and track by track commentary from Billy Corgan , never-before-seen collages and photos, postcards and more.

GISH (DELUXE EDITION)
Disc 1:

1. I am one
2. Siva
3. Rhinoceros
4. Bury me
5. Crush
6. Suffer
7. Snail
8. Tristessa
9. Window paine
10. Daydream

Disc 2:

1. Starla (2011 mix)
2. Siva (Peel session)*
3. Honeyspider (Reel Time demos / 2011 mix)
4. Hippy Trippy (Crush Music Box demo)
5. Snail (live radio performance)
6. Plume (2011 mix)
7. Bury Me (Reel Time demos / 2011 mix)
8. Daydream (Old House demo)
9. Tristessa (Sub Pop single / 2011 mix)
10. Girl Named Sandoz (Peel session)*
11. Jesus Is The Sun (Apartment demo)
12. Blue (Gish sessions demo)
13. Smiley (Gish sessions demo)
14. I Am One (Reel Time demos / 2011 mix)
15. Seam (Suffer / Apartment demo)
16. La Dolly Vita (2011 mix)
17. Pulseczar (Gish sessions demo)*
18. Drown (alternate guitar solo)

All songs previously unreleased except where indicated.*
DVD
Live at The Metro, Chicago, IL 8/25/90
Introduction

1. I am one
2. Snail
3. Rhinoceros
4. Bury Me
5. Tristessa
6. Window Paine
7. Razor
8. Sookie Sookie
9. Godzilla
10. Crush - Acoustic

SIAMESE DREAM (DELUXE EDITION)
Disc 1:

1. Cherub rock
2. Quiet
3. Today
4. Hummer
5. Rocket
6. Disarm
7. Soma
8. Geek U.S.A
9. Mayonaise
10. Spaceboy
11. Silverfuck
12. Sweet sweet
13. Luna

Disc 2:

1. Pissant (siamese sessions rough mix)
2. Siamese dream (broadway rehearsals demo)
3. STP (rehearsal demo)
4. Frail and bedazzled (soundworks demo)
5. Luna (apartment demo)
6. Quiet (bbc session/bc mix)
7. Moleasskiss (soundworks demo)
8. Hello kitty kat (soundworks demo)
9. Today (broadway rehearsal demo)
10. Never let me down again (bbc session)*
11. Apathy's last kiss (siamese sessions rough mix)
12. Ache (silverfuck rehearsal demo)
13. U.S.A. (soundworks demo)
14. U.S.S.R. (soundworks demo)
15. Spaceboy (acoustic mix)
16. Rocket (rehearsal demo)
17. Disarm (acoustic mix)
18. Soma (instrumental mix)

All songs previously unreleased except where indicated.*
DVD
Live At The Metro, Chicago, 8/14/93
Introduction

1. Rocket
2. Quiet
3. Today
4. Rhinoceros
5. Geek U.S.A.
6. Soma
7. I am one
8. Disarm
9. Spaceboy
10. Starla
11. Cherub rock
12. Bury me
13. Hummer
14. Siva
15. Mayonaise
16. Drown
17. Silverfuck

About THE SMASHING PUMPKINS:
The Smashing Pumpkins continue to be a unique and imaginative musical force.  They are deep into recording a 44-song work TEARGARDEN BY KALEIDYSCOPE , the first nine songs from which are available via their website (two elaborately packaged limited edition EPs were made available and quickly sold out). As part of this project, they will release the 13-song OCEANIA , "an album within an album," in early 2012 (details TBA). The group's leader BILLY CORGAN has said the band's new music "harkens back to the original psychedelic roots of The Smashing Pumpkins; atmospheric, melodic, heavy, and pretty."  The Smashing Pumpkins have created one of the most acclaimed bodies of work in musical history and sold over 30 million albums.  Formed in Chicago in 1988, they released Gish, their influential (and platinum) debut in 1991, which was followed by more platinum and multi-platinum albums including the nine-time platinum Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness and the four-time platinum Siamese Dream as well as the platinum certified 1998 album Adore.   The pivotal group's many hits defined the alternative music era and continue to resonate on modern rock radio, influencing a whole new generation.   The Pumpkins returned in 2007 with their gold-certified and acclaimed sixth album Zeitgeist, which entered the charts at Number 2 in the U.S. and in the Top Ten internationally.    Since their triumphant return to the stage in 2007, the Pumpkins have headlined some of the biggest events around the globe including the Reading Festival, Rock Am Ring, and the V fest.  In 2008, the band was inducted into Hollywood's RockWalk. Their first post-major label release was the song "Superchrist," issued via the Guitar Center CD Fresh Cuts Vol. 2.  They subsequently recorded the song--the modern rock hit--"G.L.O.W." for the Guitar Hero® World Tour game, marking the first time a band has recorded a new song exclusively for the franchise. In November 2008, the band released their first live DVD, If All Goes Wrong. 
www.smashingpumpkins.com
http://www.facebook.com/smashingpumpkins
http://twitter.com/#!/billy
http://www.myspace.com/smashingpumpkins
SOURCE EMI Music

Dixie Chicks' VH1 Storytellers Available November 29

AVAILABLE ON DVD AND BLU RAY INCLUDING 3 NEVER BEFORE BROADCAST PERFORMANCES

NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2011 Columbia Records proudly presents Dixie Chicks Storytellers , available for the first time ever on DVD and Blu Ray on Tuesday November 29, 2011.  Recorded live in September 2006 at the historic Los Angeles Theater, Dixie Chicks Storytellers was the grand finale in the whirlwind that surrounded the release of the band's 5x Grammy Award winning album Taking the Long Way.  Fans are treated to personal anecdotes and inspiration around some of the band's biggest hits including "Not Ready to Make Nice," "Cowboy Take Me Away" and "Wide Open Spaces." Dixie Chicks Storytellers will also feature three never before seen performances from the original broadcast including "Lullaby," "Easy Silence" and "So Hard" (see below for full track list).
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111018/NY88254)
The Dixie Chicks are witty, charming and sometimes irreverent, but above all, incredible musicians and songwriters.  With over 25 million albums sold, Dixie Chicks are the biggest selling female band of all time in the U.S.  Dixie Chicks are Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire and Emily Robison.
Watch the trailer and pre-order now on www.dixiechicks.com
Dixie Chicks Storytellers

1. The Long Way Around
2. Truth No. 2
3. Silent House
4. Cowboy Take Me Away
5. Lullaby
6. Lubbock or Leave it
7. Not Ready to Make Nice
8. Easy Silence
9. So Hard
10. Wide Open Spaces
11. Sin Wagon

www.dixiechicks.com
www.ColumbiaRecords.com
SOURCE Columbia Records