Snoop Dogg, Gloria Estefan, Sade make it to Songwriters Hall
NEW YORK — Snoop Dogg, Gloria Estefan, Sade, Jeff Lynne, Glen Ballard, Teddy Riley and Liz Rose have been chosen to join the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a class that includes the writers of such varied hits as “Man In the Mirror,” “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and “Rhythm Is...
Madonna’s global ‘Celebration’ tour announces Pittsburgh dateVideo
Madonna will bring 40 years of her greatest hits to Pittsburgh as part of her “Madonna: The Celebration Tour.” The best-selling female solo touring artist of all time comes to PPG Paints Arena on Aug. 7. It will be her third stop in Pittsburgh, having performed at the Civic Arena...
Pittsburgh Opera debuts Handel’s ‘Ariodante’ in all-new production
Pittsburgh Opera will present the first-ever local performances of Handel’s Baroque opera, “Ariodante,” in an all-new production running Jan. 21-29 at Pittsburgh CAPA Theater. “Ariodante” also will be the debut with the company of costume designer Grace Kang and set designer Ningning Yang, both students at Carnegie Mellon University. “Almost...
‘American Idol’ star CJ Harris dead at 31 of apparent heart attackVideo
CJ Harris, a singer who competed on “American Idol” during the reality competition’s 13th season, has died. The Alabama native was 31 years old. A family member told TMZ that Harris was taken to a hospital via ambulance but died following a suspected heart attack on Sunday in Jasper, Ala....
‘Jagged Little Pill’ crafts Alanis Morissette songs into jukebox musical
Alanis Morissette’s 1995 album, “Jagged Little Pill,” marked an alt-rock, grunge swerve from the Canadian singer-songwriter’s two previous dance-pop albums. Songs like “You Oughta Know” explored hot-button themes like sexuality, sexual harassment, self-help and societal apathy. The songs and themes are incorporated in “Jagged Little Pill,” a jukebox musical that...
Lisa Marie carved her musical path as she bore Elvis’ legacy
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — She was dubbed a “rock princess,” but Lisa Marie Presley staked her own musical claim as a singer-songwriter, allowing her to express herself apart from — but sometimes alongside — her megastar father. Presley, who died Thursday at 54, bore a heavy weight: The daughter of musical...
Jimmy Page, Rod Stewart, others pay tribute after death of Jeff Beck
Reactions to the death of Jeff Beck, rock innovator and guitar virtuoso who died Tuesday. “The six stringed Warrior is no longer here for us to admire the spell he could weave around our mortal emotions. Jeff could channel music from the ethereal. His technique unique. His imaginations apparently limitless....
Jeff Beck, guitar god who influenced generations, dies at 78
NEW YORK — Jeff Beck, a guitar virtuoso who pushed the boundaries of blues, jazz and rock ‘n’ roll, influencing generations of shredders along the way and becoming known as the guitar player’s guitar player, has died. He was 78. Beck died Tuesday after “suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis,” his representatives...
Sting makes beautiful music with Pittsburgh Symphony at Heinz Hall
When Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra first violinist Dylan Naroff found out he was going to have the opportunity to perform with Sting this year, Naroff said he was “geeking out about” it. He learned to appreciate Sting from the vinyl records he inherited from his dad. But the guy he got...
Get the Led Out brings annual 2-night Led Zeppelin tribute to GreensburgVideo
Paul Hammond wasn’t enthralled by Led Zeppelin’s music when he first heard it about age 4. But first impressions don’t always last. Now 57, Hammond has been playing in a Led Zeppelin tribute band for 20 years. Philadelphia-based Get the Led Out will play its annual two-night stint at the...
Hank Williams Jr. coming to Pavilion at Star Lake this summer
Singer, songwriter and Grammy winner Hank Williams Jr. will be in town this summer. Williams announced his 2023 tour Tuesday. It will feature guest Old Crow Medicine Show, an Americana string band. The shows kick off May 12 at Tuscaloosa Amphitheater in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and include a stop June 10...
Aubrey Burchell gets slot in ‘America’s Got Talent’ Las Vegas showVideo
It turns out that Aubrey Burchell’s association with “America’s Got Talent” didn’t end in the September semifinals of the NBC show’s Season 17. The 23-year-old singer from North Huntingdon has been invited to perform in “America’s Got Talent Presents Super Stars Live” at the Luxor Hotel & Casino in Las...
New York Bee Gees bring ‘Saturday Night Fever’ to The PalaceVideo
The Bee Gees rode the disco wave of the late 1970s, with hits like “Stayin’ Alive,” “You Should Be Dancing” and “Night Fever.” But there’s more to the catalog of the three Australian Gibb brothers than those catchy, danceable tunes. The New York Bee Gees tribute band will plumb the...
‘AGT’ veteran Sal Valentinetti brings ‘little big band’ sound to The PalaceVideo
When “America’s Got Talent” veteran Sal Valentinetti comes to Western Pennsylvania, he doesn’t just come to perform. He’ll be crooning the classics at 8 p.m. Friday in The Palace Theatre in Greensburg, but, before then, he’ll visit some favorite people and places, including Pittsburgh’s Strip District and Dom’s Pizzeria in...
Singer Anita Pointer of The Pointer Sisters dies at age 74
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Anita Pointer, one of four sibling singers who earned pop success and critical acclaim as The Pointer Sisters, died Saturday at the age of 74, her publicist announced. The Grammy winner passed away while she was with family members, publicist Roger Neal said in a statement....
AP’s top albums 2022: ‘Renaissance,’ ‘Motomami,’ Bad Bunny
Ten of the best albums of the year, as selected by The Associated Press entertainment journalists. Beyonce, ‘Renaissance’ Few would be shocked that Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” would makes our top albums list, but just because it’s low hanging fruit doesn’t negate how delicious it is. Dropping her first album in six...
2023 public domain debuts include last Sherlock Holmes work
WASHINGTON — Sherlock Holmes is finally free to the American public in 2023. The long-running contested copyright dispute over Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s tales of a whipsmart detective — which has even ensnared Enola Holmes — will finally come to an end as the 1927 copyrights expiring Jan. 1 include...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Dec. 30-Jan. 1
This weekend begins in 2022 and ends in 2023 and there’s plenty to do in Pittsburgh in between, especially when it comes to ushering in the New Year. Highmark First Night Pittsburgh 2023 Produced by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, this year’s First Night festivities get underway at 6 p.m. Saturday...
Here are 10 concerts that rocked the Pittsburgh region in 2022
It’s never easy to narrow down a list of anything to the 10 best. When it comes to putting together a list of the Top 10 musical acts to pass through the Pittsburgh area in 2022, it’s an especially daunting task with the embarrassment of riches we saw this year....
Family files missing persons report for Theophilus London
LOS ANGELES — The family of rapper Theophilus London filed a missing persons report with Los Angeles police this week and are asking for the public’s help, saying he hasn’t been seen in months. London’s family and friends believe someone last spoke to the musician in July in Los Angeles,...
The Year of the Slap: Pop culture moments in 2022
Taylor Swift was up. Elon Musk was in, out, in and maybe out again. Tom Cruise was back. BTS stepped aside, and so did Serena Williams, and Tom Brady too — oops, scratch that. But the slap? The slap was everywhere. Ok, so maybe it wasn’t on the level of...
Check out new music, upcoming live shows around Pittsburgh area during the holidays
Looking for some holiday entertainment to wind down the year? Here are a few recommendations of new music from artists native to the Pittsburgh area, as well as upcoming performances over the holidays. Leo P, ‘Comin’ Up Aces’ From performing onstage with Beyonce and the Dixie Chicks at the 2016...
Charlie Gracie, Philadelphia’s first rock and roll star, dies at 86
PHILADELPHIA — Charlie Gracie, 86, the South Philadelphia singer and guitarist whose 1950s hits made him an international star, has died. His music had a major impact on the Beatles and many other British acts of the 1960s. Gracie died Friday in Aldan, Delaware County, his son, Charlie Gracie Jr.,...
The holiday music playlist you need, want and deserve
Holiday music is a big business that generates $170 million a year, according to Billboard. The rulers of the season are Mariah Carey (whose 1994 “All I Want For Christmas Is You” is again topping the charts), Michael Buble (whose 2011 “Christmas” is the biggest selling holiday album of 2022),...
Terry Hall, singer with ska icons The Specials, dies at 63
LONDON — Musician Terry Hall, who helped create of the defining sounds of post-punk Britain as lead singer of The Specials, has died. He was 63. The band announced late Monday that Hall had died after a brief illness. It called him “our beautiful friend, brother and one of the...
