Shania name-droppings... [Archive] - Page 9

FinnFreak

11-15-2007, 9:41am

Irish Independent, Ireland - Thursday November 15 2007

Ghostwriters for hire...

It's publishing's dirty little secret. The autobiographies purportedly written by celebrities from the worlds of business, entertainment and sport are more often than not worded by faceless hacks who only see a small portion of the hefty advance.

The big-selling biographies from celebrities such as Jordan and Louis Walsh were not penned by them, but rather journalists carefully selected by the publisher.

Sometimes the person who coaxed the words out of such high-profile figures either doesn't get mentioned at all or is merely listed in the acknowledgements. Welcome to the world of the ghostwriter, an art that has recently come into the public eye thanks to Robert Harris's latest novel, The Ghost, which concerns a journalist writing a former prime minister's life story.

One publishing insider suggests that there are few celebrities who literally write their own autobiographies -- maybe less than 20pc -- but the book world is often reluctant to let readers in on the fact.

When it came to Paul McGrath's award-winning autobiography, Back From The Brink, no secret was made of the fact that his 'ghost' was Irish Independent sportswriter Vincent Hogan. "Paul approached me to write it," Hogan says. "He had a fascinating story to tell -- a career packed with highs and lows. He's one of the most articulate footballers I've ever met; somebody who can tell anecdotes to interest even the most jaded observer.

"And he was very interested in the process of writing the book -- he read the material as it was being written, and was obsessive about detail." The same cannot be said of Wayne Rooney, who despite an advance of €5 million for five instalments of his autobiography, only met with his ghostwriter, Hunter Davies, six times. Davies, who is renowned as a writer in his own right, as well as the man who penned the Paul Gascoigne autobiography, believes even the most talented writer will be unable to fashion anything interesting from mundane celebrities. "The vital thing a ghostwriter needs," according to Davis, "more than their pots and medals, more even than their so-called celebrity, is a good talker who enjoys telling stories and is not ashamed or scared to reveal himself. And you need a rich life, with a variety of experiences -- ups and downs."

Paul Gorman ghosted the second Boy George autobiography, Straight, and says it is essential to have empathy. "George and I are both London-Irish and the youngest of six, and I ended up living with him in New York for four months. It was an extraordinary time."

Gorman suggests that ghosting an autobiography is almost like therapy for the subject. "They can really pour their hearts out. Sometimes, though, they see it on paper and can't believe what they've said. I think with George there was a worry that I'd got inside his head a bit too much. There wasn't exactly a falling out, but it was a bit awkward afterwards. It would have been like seeing your psychiatrist socially."

Ghostwriting first came to prominence in the 1920s around the time that the notion of celebrity was born. Baseball legend Babe Ruth had syndicated ghostwritten columns published across the US. Such columns appear in the sports columns of newspapers the world over today.

And book publishers soon cottoned onto the fact that celebrity autobiographies would sell even if the celebrity was still in their infancy -- think Kerry Katona and Shayne Ward. (Katona, by the way, will publish a ghosted novel next year.)

Getting into the ghostwriting game is a delicate business. Robin Eggar ghosted Midge Ure's If I Was... and has also written biographies of Tom Jones and Shania Twain. He prefers the latter process. Ghostwriting can be tortuous (and sometimes torturous) even before it starts. Recently he was courted to write a famous rock star's story. He was flown to LA "but the trouble was the star didn't want to do the book. And to be honest, I think if I'd taken it on I'd have gone mad."

"The problem is you are not in control," he says. "It is someone else's story and your job is to make him sound much more articulate than he really is. Midge Ure had been struggling with alcoholism for a while and the experience of exposing his thoughts brought the demons home. It was quite traumatic, but his wife liked the book."

Journalist Bruce Dessau who wrote Blitzed!, the autobiography of Steve Strange, the New Romantic musician, found the experience frustrating. "You really have to check your ego at the door, and my self-obsession was far too big to spend that long listening to someone talk about himself."

Meanwhile, Vincent Hogan has no immediate plans to ghostwrite another book. "I wouldn't just take on any book. It's also a very involving process -- to do it properly you have to spend a long time with the person and tease out as much as you can. I was very fortunate in Paul McGrath and Nicky English [the ex-Tipperary hurler's 1996 autobiography Beyond The Tunnel, was ghosted by Hogan] that both were very open."

However, he would probably drop everything if Roy Keane came calling. "I think he's got a really great book in him. He is still an extraordinarily enigmatic person. He has remained guarded for a long time, but if he opened up it would be a very special read."

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books/ghostwriters--for-hire-1219302.html

John - :)

Troll

11-15-2007, 9:57am

Thanks John

dreamer

11-15-2007, 10:35pm

great one

StarryShania

11-19-2007, 8:31pm

Truro Daily News, Canada - Thursday November 15, 2007

Today in History

1997 – Shania Twain became the first country artist to debut at No. 1 on the Canadian album chart since the introduction of the sales-based Soundscan charts in 1996.

That's great. :)

Proud of Shania.

mcjessica

11-21-2007, 11:16am

I was watching e!Talk today and they were talking about some female Canadian performers like Alanis, Avril and Nelly Furtado and comparing their awards and of course they saved Shania for the end. They called her one of the most "decorated" female Canadian singers in terms of awards and stuff. After that they showed some rising Canadian stars and said "while they're not quite up to Shania's level yet" they're on their way. :love:

Troll

11-21-2007, 2:04pm

That is neat

dreamer

11-21-2007, 11:09pm

they will never be on Shania's level

StarryShania

11-24-2007, 2:53pm

Well I'm sure everyone is this Country will agree Shania Twain has made us all proud. So it doesn't surprise me about all the great comments ETalk ! said.

dreamer

11-24-2007, 3:40pm

she certainly has:love::]

Troll

11-26-2007, 9:59am

Wealthy women

Switzerland's richest woman is Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken with a fortune worth SFr7 billion thanks to her 115 breweries worldwide. The rest of the 300 super-rich listing contains just 24 other women, whose assets are still estimated at SFr34.2 billion.

The stars of the music world also feature in the survey including Canadian pop singer Shania Twain (SFr400-500 million), British pop star Phil Collins (SFr300-400 million) and US singer Tina Turner (SFr200-300 million).

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/business/detail/The_super_rich_just_get_richer.html?siteSect=161&sid=8455740&cKey=1195807410000&ty=st

mcjessica

11-26-2007, 11:51am

haha wow that's a ridiculous amount of money.
Thanks for the article.

Roger

11-26-2007, 12:29pm

Wealthy women

The stars of the music world also feature in the survey including Canadian pop singer Shania Twain (SFr400-500 million), http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/business/detail/The_super_rich_just_get_richer.html?siteSect=161&sid=8455740&cKey=1195807410000&ty=st

That translates into $363 to $454 million US or Canadian dollars.

matty

11-26-2007, 1:41pm

That translates into $363 to $454 million US or Canadian dollars.

Not a bad little nest egg to have. I'm not a financial person, but I'd imagine you can live off the interest of that without really touching your original sum.

Troll

11-26-2007, 2:28pm

That translates into $363 to $454 million US or Canadian dollars.

That is a lot of money

Hockeystick

11-26-2007, 4:00pm

Not a bad little nest egg to have. I'm not a financial person, but I'd imagine you can live off the interest of that without really touching your original sum.

Yeah I don't think Shania or Mutt would ever need to lift a finger again. In such a short time its amazing that much money has been made. I only hope for our sake Shania wants to continue working once in a while. :D

Because truthfully with that kind of money she would never have to work again.

Just think the average person who works for 40 years would be lucky to make a couple million say 2-3 over a lifetime. What a small fraction (percentage) that is to 360-450 million. :eek:

Troll

11-26-2007, 4:25pm

Yeah I don't think Shania or Mutt would ever need to lift a finger again. In such a short time its amazing that much money has been made. I only hope for our sake Shania wants to continue working once in a while. :D

Because truthfully with that kind of money she would never have to work again.

Just think the average person who works for 40 years would be lucky to make a couple million say 2-3 over a lifetime. What a small fraction (percentage) that is to 360-450 million. :eek:

You got that right

Brit_girlAmanda

11-26-2007, 6:31pm

Shania doesn't pay attention to her album sales or how much money she's worth, she's just doing a job what she loves (although she's dealing with the insecurities of fame, which comes with being a famous recording artist).

Troll

11-26-2007, 10:45pm

FinnFreak

11-27-2007, 5:23am

Great American Country, TN - November 26, 2007

Shania Twain's Struggle with Fame

http://img.gactv.com/GAC/2007/03/20/shaniatwain28_e.jpg

Shania Twain, who has spent the past five years out of the spotlight, says she is ready to resume her career.

In the December issue of Redbook, she talks candidly about the issues she's confronted in the last few years. "I struggled a lot internally with my fame, and coping with it has been very difficult," she says. "I was at the point where I would never look anyone in the eye. It was like living in prison."

After retreating to her chateau in Switzerland with her husband and son, Shania is about to re-emerge. In addition to being mom to her 6-year-old, promoting a new perfume and working on an album due that's due out next year, she says she's learning to take care of herself. "I'm not such a slave to pleasing everyone, which I think is a female tendency." she says. "I take more time for myself; that's a very big part of mental, emotional and physical health."

As for getting back into public life, Shania says, "I'm not naturally a spotlight person... I don't mind being the center of attention in a controlled, comfortable environment." She adds that music is an integral part of her life, and she wants "to write and record things that affect people in a positive way." So what does the future hold? She jokes, "I'll probably be in the Canadian wilderness somewhere."

[B]http://www.gactv.com/gac/nw_headlines/article/0,3034,GAC_26063_5754803_,00.html

:rolleyes: - "five years out of the spotlight"..? - The media obviously doesn't follow the media. hah. :p

John - ;)

Troll

11-27-2007, 9:58am

Thanks for the article

mcjessica

11-27-2007, 11:43am

Thanks for posting.

Troll

11-27-2007, 2:12pm

[SIZE="1"]

:rolleyes: - "five years out of the spotlight"..? - The media obviously doesn't follow the media. hah. :p

John - ;)

They never do. :p

StarryShania

11-27-2007, 8:42pm

I like that article.

It was funny how she was like "I'll probably end up in the Canadian Wilderness somewhere" :funny:

Thanks for sharing.

dreamer

11-28-2007, 11:04pm

"I was at the point where I would never look anyone in the eye. It was like living in prison."

:cry: poor thing!

Roger

11-28-2007, 11:10pm

"I was at the point where I would never look anyone in the eye. It was like living in prison."

:cry: poor thing!

This is the essential paradox of Shania Twain. No one has fought harder to gain fame yet once she has it she is not comfortable with it. The reasons for this have to do with her background. I have always considered Sharon the stage mother from hell. She pushed a shy little girl onto the stage at too tender an age. Yet Shania's desire to please her and her sterling work habits meant that she worked her butt off and with luck she made it. Now Sharon is long gone but of course Shania's essentially shy nature remains.

dreamer

11-28-2007, 11:12pm

StarryShania

11-29-2007, 11:43am

Me either Misty. But, that's how she was discovered. Her mother was only trying to get Shania's career started.

Hockeystick

11-29-2007, 4:54pm

Steve F

11-29-2007, 5:42pm

Roger pointed out something that was hiding right in plain sight. I mean Sharon apparently was very driven to have her daughter a star, and in some fashion, it was very hard on Shania.

steve

matty

11-29-2007, 6:44pm

This is the essential paradox of Shania Twain. No one has fought harder to gain fame yet once she has it she is not comfortable with it. The reasons for this have to do with her background. I have always considered Sharon the stage mother from hell. She pushed a shy little girl onto the stage at too tender an age. Yet Shania's desire to please her and her sterling work habits meant that she worked her butt off and with luck she made it. Now Sharon is long gone but of course Shania's essentially shy nature remains.

A good point and one which I've thought about a lot in the past. At least we can say that Shania has handled it well, at least in the public eye. As we all know, other people can't cope, Britney for example.

I really admire Shania for how she copes with her fame. If she has problems, she deals with them privately and that's the right thing to do. She takes her time to care for herself and her family. Although we fans love her, we aren't exactly real, we can't be there for her in her hours of need etc. I like the fact she's grounded. As a young person it's inspiring to look up to someone who is real, not a pretty face and an act.

Troll

11-29-2007, 10:27pm

A good point and one which I've thought about a lot in the past. At least we can say that Shania has handled it well, at least in the public eye. As we all know, other people can't cope, Britney for example.

I really admire Shania for how she copes with her fame. If she has problems, she deals with them privately and that's the right thing to do. She takes her time to care for herself and her family. Although we fans love her, we aren't exactly real, we can't be there for her in her hours of need etc. I like the fact she's grounded. As a young person it's inspiring to look up to someone who is real, not a pretty face and an act.

Totaly agree

dreamer

11-30-2007, 12:54am

Troll

11-30-2007, 10:06am

Shania succeeds Elvis in bushfire fight
Posted Fri Nov 30, 2007 11:28am AEDT

The New South Wales Government has taken possession of a Skycrane helicopter, dubbed Shania Crane, as it prepares for a torrid bushfire season.

The new helicopter replaces Elvis and will be among more than 100 planes and helicopters on call this summer.

It comes straight from firefighting efforts in the US and will support the 4,000 tankers and 71,000 Rural Fire Service (RFS) volunteers on the ground in NSW.

The Skycrane will be based at Granville, in Sydney's west, for the summer months.

It will be the seventh year in a row that such a large-capacity helicopter will be part of front-line bushfire-fighting efforts.

Premier Morris Iemma is upbeat about the added protection Shania Crane will provide.

"Proof that Elvis is dead - a move from the blues to pop," he said. "I'm confident that this Shania will be as big a hit as the real one."

The RFS says while there have been welcome rains across parts of the state, it will only take a few days of hot, dry windy weather for the risk of bushfire to increase dramatically.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/30/2106016.htm?section=australia

mcjessica

11-30-2007, 12:43pm

Shania Crane :funny:.
Thanks for posting.

dreamer

11-30-2007, 3:29pm

lol great thanks

Hockeystick

11-30-2007, 5:30pm

dreamer

12-01-2007, 12:21am

yes ......thank you Eilleen

FinnFreak

12-03-2007, 3:20pm

St. John's Telegram, Canada - Dec 1, 2007

Plenty of holiday musical cheer on offer from Canadian crooners

By CASSANDRA SZKLARSKI, THE CANADIAN PRESS—TORONTO

Canadian musicians are delving into the Christmas classics with a modern twist this season as they spread holiday cheer through several compilations and big-name CD re-issues.

Guitar hero Colin James gets things boppin’ and swingin’ with typical verve on his disc, “Colin James & The Little Big Band Christmas,” a fun collection of traditional and lesser-known tunes that’s sure to warm those chilly winter days.

The celebrated bluesman says he made sure to throw in his personal fave, “Christmas Island,” as an homage to the yuletide album of the same name by Leon Redbone (reissued by Rounder in 2003).

“Leon Redbone has my favourite Christmas record, bar none,” James declares emphatically, noting that the best holiday discs balance tradition with originality.

“You want to make something that doesn’t ignore the old stuff because there are some great songs there, yet you want to make sure it’s not just a carbon copy of every other record that’s been out as well.”

Revisiting classics

Other discs revisit holiday recordings from previous years.

It’s a mish-mash of musical styles on the 12-track “Christmas In Canada” (EMI), featuring legendary songstress Anne Murray on “The Coventry Carol/White Christmas,” veteran Susan Aglukark on “The First Noel” and holiday staple Rita MacNeil with “Good King Wenceslas.”

Other performers include jazz singer Molly Johnson (“Silent Night”), East Coast pop group Shaye (“Winter Wonderland”) and the Toronto Children’s Chorus (“The Huron Carol”).

Country Christmas

Country stars are the focus of “A Canadian Country Christmas” (Universal), with big-hitters including Shania Twain (“God Bless The Child”), Jason McCoy (“Dear Santa”) and George Fox (“When December Arrives”) singing their modern and traditional favourites.

The 18-track disc also features Doc Walker, Michelle Wright, Terri Clark and George Canyon.

It’s an extra merry season for Canyon, who also releases his first-ever televised variety special Dec. 19 on CBC. “My Song is My Gift: A George Canyon Christmas” features guests Johnny Reid, Andrew Menard, Dave Gunning and Jully Black.

The country crooner says he was thrilled to take on the challenge when approached with the idea while on tour this fall.

“It’s an opportunity of a lifetime to get to have Christmas special and especially on CBC,” says Canyon, adding a portion of the broadcast will be dedicated to the Canadian Forces.

“There’s a lot of artists out there they could have picked to have a special, that’s for sure.”

Canyon says he and Tyler Connolly of Theory of a Deadman do a duet on “Seven Spanish Angels,” a song he’s always associated with Christmas.
Meanwhile, Canadian tenor John McDermott augments his annual Christmas concert with a CD/DVD release and a new variety show airing Dec. 18 that he admits is long overdue.

“In 1998, I did a show with Rita MacNeil called ’Rita and Friends.’ And they run it every year. I mean it’s been beaten into the ground,” McDermott says of the CBC-TV special.

“And so last year they called and indicated they were going to extend it for another seven years and I thought: ’Oh, wow, like (why)? So at that point I decided I’m going to take a shot and I’ll do a Christmas show.”

“My hair looks better this time,” adds McDermott, who will also embark on the 18th version of his annual holiday tour.

McDermott’s special, “Sharing Christmas with Friends”, also features performances by funnyman Colin Mochrie, singer/songwriter Ron Sexsmith, soprano Giorgia Fumanti, and guitarist and vocalist Pavlo.Among the other TV music specials on offer are Bravo’s “The Rankin Sisters Home for Christmas” on Dec. 11 and “Barenaked For The Holidays” on Dec. 15.

http://www.thetelegram.com/index.cfm?sid=85472&sc=84

A Canadian Country Christmas

http://umusicimages.ca/canadiancountrychristmas/cd_canadiancountrychristmas.jpg

2007 Universal Music Canada

George Canyon – Frosty The Snowman
Jason McCoy – Dear Santa
Doc Walker – Merry Christmas To All
Shania Twain – God Bless The Child
Sean Hogan - It's Christmas Time
Carolyn Dawn Johnson - I Wouldn’t Want Christmas (Any Other Way)
Terri Clark – Merry Christmas (Wherever In The World You Are)
Michelle Wright - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
Brad Johner - Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
Jessie Farrell – Christmas At My House
George Fox - When December Arrives (Don't It Remind You Of Christmas)
Rita MacNeil – Blue Christmas
John Landry – Christmas Carol
Beverley Mahood - Joy To The World

http://umusic.ca/canadiancountrychristmas/

John - ;)

Troll

12-03-2007, 4:29pm

Thanks for the info

mcjessica

12-03-2007, 8:19pm

Thanks for the info.
I generally find this song too sad for a Christmas song though.

StarryShania

12-03-2007, 10:00pm

Shania did a great job on God Bless The Child.

I was going to say the same Jessica. I don't picture this a Christmas type song. I guess it shows how some children can't afford to have a nice Christmas and it's showing that you need to give to help out maybe ?

dreamer

12-04-2007, 12:04am

Thanks for the info.
I generally find this song too sad for a Christmas song though.

it is hopeful to me, there are childeren suffering but all they need is someone to help them and it could be anyone we all have the power to change lives.....thats how I see it anyway (the song)

Troll

12-04-2007, 10:11am

Isn't it cool when you are a fan of someone before everyone knows them? A friend introduced me to Shania Twain when her first album came out and I remember at first no one knew who I was talking about and of course now she's as big as they get.

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/kitsapandbeyond/archives/127098.asp?from=blog_last3

Troll

12-04-2007, 10:11am

Who would have thought Billy Ray's kid would score as an actress and as a singer? Well, Billy Ray did. From the time she was really little, Billy Ray would talk about Miley's singing. I remember when he was still on Mercury, label head Luke Lewis had a party at his house, and both Billy Ray and Shania Twain attended. Miley was poised and smiling, looking starry-eyed at Shania while her dad chatted on and on to Shania about show biz and how talented Miley was. Even then, Miley had the want-to's. Most kids would've been acting their age -- racing through the house screaming like a banshee. Not Miley. She had her mind on show biz and her eyes set on Shania.

http://www.cmt.com/news/articles/1575524/20071130/cyrus_billy_ray.jhtml

mcjessica

12-04-2007, 5:16pm

Thanks for the articles. :)

Brit_girlAmanda

12-04-2007, 6:00pm

People look up to Shania and she's certainly been inspired by all types of artists over the years.

Troll

12-04-2007, 10:49pm

People look up to Shania and she's certainly been inspired by all types of artists over the years.

Yes they have

StarryShania

12-05-2007, 9:13pm

Great little article.

I'm glad Miley appreciates Shania as much as we do too. :)

Troll

12-06-2007, 10:47am

It was one of those moments you never forget

lot of performers claim not to remember the moment they first realized they were destined for a life on stage.

But not recent Canadian Idol champ Brian Melo.

He credits an onstage gig with country queen (and fellow Canuck) Shania Twain as being the impetus behind his quest for stardom.

"It was one of those moments you never forget," says Melo, who at 17 was part of a backup choir assisting Twain on the standard God Bless the Child during a performance at Copps Coliseum in his hometown of Hamilton. "It's one of those songs where you could hear a pin drop while she was singing, but once the song was over, the crowd just went nuts."

While the singalong with Shania cemented Melo's career aspirations, it wasn't the first time he'd found himself in the spotlight

http://winnipegsun.com/Entertainment/Music/2007/12/06/4710297-sun.html

StarryShania

12-06-2007, 11:20am

Oh yeah Brian Melo is from Hamilton ! :D That's cool how he likes Shania too.

mcjessica

12-06-2007, 12:29pm

That's cool. I didn't know he was on stage with Shania.

dreamer

12-06-2007, 10:41pm

great pieces

Troll

12-07-2007, 10:34am

The little-heard-from Shania Twain is planning a return to the front line next year and is working on a new recording

http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/892997/

dreamer

12-07-2007, 3:42pm

great:D

StarryShania

12-08-2007, 1:16am

Thanks for sharing that ! :D

dreamer

12-08-2007, 1:24am

so excited for that

mcjessica

12-08-2007, 11:49am

Definitely.

shania megafan

12-08-2007, 12:58pm

:bounce: We're getting closer everyday to the BIG year!

Troll

12-08-2007, 2:31pm

:bounce: We're getting closer everyday to the BIG year!

Yes we are.

dreamer

12-08-2007, 4:06pm

:bounce::D

StarryShania

12-09-2007, 8:59pm

:bounce: We're getting closer everyday to the BIG year!

Yes, we are. And I can't wait. I have a feeling next year is going to be great ! :D

shania megafan

12-10-2007, 10:26am

Yes, me too! :D It will be simply awesome. I had a great dream last night that I was checking the official website and there was the official news about it :D I hope it'll happen soon..

orchestragirl

12-10-2007, 1:05pm

:bounce: I'm so excited! This long wait will make Shania's comeback even better when she does come back! :D

tonyme

12-10-2007, 3:20pm

This is what I love every time we wait for a new album... The lonngggg wait makes it THRILLING the day it comes out...

Troll

12-10-2007, 4:43pm

This is what I love every time we wait for a new album... The lonngggg wait makes it THRILLING the day it comes out...

You got that right.

Troll

12-11-2007, 10:33am

tonyme

12-11-2007, 3:13pm

Thanks for the article:D

mcjessica

12-11-2007, 5:52pm

StarryShania

12-11-2007, 9:06pm

Yes, me too! :D It will be simply awesome. I had a great dream last night that I was checking the official website and there was the official news about it :D I hope it'll happen soon..

Wow what a great dream. It'll come true soon ! ...Eventually. :)

StarryShania

12-11-2007, 9:08pm

Buenning Shoots Down Country Boy Cliches

Anwar: Who would you rather meet - Carrie Underwood or Shania Twain?

Dan: I guess I'd say Shania because I've been to her concerts and she's been around longer.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/dec/09/sp-buenning-shoots-down-country-boy-cliches/

I'd say deffinately Shania ! I mean who wouldn't ?! She is an AMAZING singer with so much talent and way more experience. So this Dan guy better re-think the "I guess" part.

Troll

12-11-2007, 10:37pm

BEST BETTS: The Christmas Edition Back To Today's Country Music News
12/11/2007
Stephen L. Betts

I have a birthday that is very close to Christmas, so I always have plenty of reason to celebrate this time of year. But in addition to Christmas and birthday gifts (and the dreaded combo “Christmas/birthday gift” – inevitably wrapped in Christmas paper, but I know you mean well!), I always unwrap and enjoy a few new, or at least unfamiliar, Christmas tunes during the holiday season. I have amassed a collection this year of more than 5,000 Christmas songs (in all musical genres) that I am listening to practically around the clock. That should keep me from having to hear “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer” ever again … all the more reason to celebrate!
Virtually every country artist of the past 30-40 years has recorded at least one Christmas tune, and many have put together entire albums of seasonal favorites. But rather than recommending albums to you this time, or specifically focusing on what’s new for this year, what I’ve come up with is a list of my all-time favorite Christmas songs by country, Americana, and bluegrass artists, from which I hope you’ll pick and choose a few of your own favorites to create your own holiday-themed CD (or MP3 playlist) There should be something for every mood here, from reverent and sweet to cynical and bitter, from traditional to unconventional.

.......

All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Shania Twain (1998)

A modern holiday tune (co-written and first recorded by Mariah Carey) that will no doubt become an enduring classic. Shania performed it on the Today Show in December 1998. Her spirited performance.......You'll want to skip Katie Couric's awkward, inane intro.

http://www.countryhound.com/(X(1)A(WoSdxflyyAEkAAAAZWE4NWE2M2EtNWExOS00M2M0LTg xOTctZGE1ODNiYTNmNDJi4PdVRLgqxIzhiOAXD5uoEI8I6NQ1) )/News/Article.aspx?p=880&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

dreamer

12-12-2007, 12:56am

oh wow that needs to be on a cd so mi can listen thanks

FinnFreak

12-12-2007, 2:40pm

...this is where this post belongs... ;)

PR Newswire (press release), NY - 12th December 2007

VH1's '100 Greatest Songs of the 90s' Grunges Up as
Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' Takes the #1 Spot

VH1 Celebrates the Music that Defined a Generation With a 5-Night Countdown

Event Beginning Monday, December 17 at 10 PM*

NEW YORK, Dec. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The fans have spoken and VH1 is
celebrating the music of the 90s like it never has before. In an online
poll, VH1.com users have voted Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" as the
greatest song from the 90s.

It was the decade that brought you Madonna's "Vogue," Alanis
Morissette's "You Oughta Know" and Hanson's "MMMBop," and once again VH1
taps its collective memories and revisits it all. VH1's "100 Greatest Songs
Of The '90s" premieres Monday-Friday, December 17 - 21 at 10 PM* each
night. With more than 600,000 votes cast, the countdown list was determined
by an online poll at VH1.com where viewers had the opportunity to pick
their favorite songs of the '90s from all genres -- rock, pop, rap or R&B.
The complete list of VH1's "100 Greatest Songs Of The '90s" is attached.

VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the 90s" will let viewers reminisce with
the top 100 songs that have had the greatest influence and effect on music
and pop culture, leaving a lasting impact. Nirvana's "Smell Like Teen
Spirit" takes the honor of being the number one song on the countdown. The
1991 song not only propelled the Seattle grunge group to stardom, but
allowed alternative music to hit the mainstream charts. This five-night
event of "block-rockin' beats" will not only count down your favorite 90s
jams, it will also reveal the story behind each tune and bring you up to
date on what the decade's greatest stars are doing today with all new and
exclusive interviews.

In the tradition of VH1's hit "100 Greatest" specials, the show
features archival clips, classic performances, plus exclusive interviews
from Sinead O'Connor, Backstreet Boys, Salt N' Pepa and Vanilla Ice, among
many others. But most of all, the 90s were ten years of tight music that
was "too legit to quit."

VH1.com will also join the 90s fun with exclusive online content,
extensive music and artist-based programming and more.

VH1.com's Mini- Countdown: VH1.com will host its own mini countdown, of
songs 105-101 that didn't make the on-air list. Did your song not make
the top 100? Don't fret and log on at
http://www.vh1.com/shows/the_greatest/songs_90s/_2007/ to see if it
made this mini countdown and watch their respective music videos along
with the top 100 songs.

Music Playlists: Extensive video playlists compiled from 90s icons.
Playlists that will be featured starting December 7 include "#1 Songs
of the 90s," "90s Alternatives," "Ladies of the 90s: Lilith Fair,"
"Boy Bands and Bubble Gum Pop" and "90s Lollapalooza." New playlists
will be added each week.

For more information on ""100 Greatest Songs of the '90s"," visit
http://www.vh1.com/shows/the_greatest/songs_90s/_2007/.

"100 Greatest Songs of the '90s"," is a production of VH1, with Hilary
Spiegelman serving as Series Producer and Bernie Kaminski Rick Hankey,
Shelly Tatro and Michael Hirschorn serving as Executive Producers for VH1.

* All Times ET/PT

100 GREATEST SONGS OF THE 90S RANKED LIST

**Please embargo rankings until December Wednesday, Dec. 12**

1 Nirvana Smells Like Teen Spirit
2. U2 One
3. Backstreet Boys I Want It That Way
4. Whitney Houston I Will Always Love You
5. Madonna Vogue
6. Sir Mix-A-Lot Baby Got Back
7. Britney Spears ... Baby One More Time
8. TLC Waterfalls
9. R.E.M. Losing My Religion
10. Sinead O'Connor Nothing Compares 2 U
11. Pearl Jam Jeremy
12. Alanis Morissette You Oughta Know
13. Dr. Dre (featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg) Nuthin' but a "G" Thang
14. Mariah Carey Vision of Love
15. Red Hot Chili Peppers Under the Bridge
16. MC Hammer U Can't Touch This
17. Destiny's Child Say My Name
18. Metallica Enter Sandman
19. Beastie Boys Sabotage
20. Hanson MMMBop
21. Celine Dion My Heart Will Go On
22. Beck Loser
23. Salt-N-Pepa with En Vogue Whatta Man
24. House of Pain Jump Around
25. Soundgarden Black Hole Sun
26. Eminem My Name Is
27. Counting Crows Mr. Jones
28. Ricky Martin Livin' la Vida Loca
29. Vanilla Ice Ice Ice Baby
30. *NSYNC Tearin' Up My Heart
31. Radiohead Creep
32. BLACKstreet No Diggity
33. Spice Girls Wannabe
34. Third Eye Blind Semi-Charmed Life
35. Oasis Wonderwall
36. C+C Music Factory Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)
37. Green Day Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
38. Christina Aguilera Genie In A Bottle
39. Goo Goo Dolls Iris
40. Color Me Badd I Wanna Sex You Up
41. Spin Doctors Two Princes
42. Collective Soul Shine
43. En Vogue My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)
44. The Fugees Killing Me Softly With His Song
45. Hootie & the Blowfish Only Wanna Be With You
46. Shania Twain You're Still the One
47. Marky Mark and The Funky Bunch Good Vibrations
48. Matchbox Twenty 3 AM
49. Jewel Who Will Save Your Soul
50. Alice in Chains Man in the Box
51. Tupac (featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman) California Love
52. Sugar Ray Fly
53. Naughty by Nature O.P.P.
54. Joan Osborne One of Us
55. Fiona Apple Criminal
56. L.L. Cool J Mama Said Knock You Out
57. Jay-Z featuring Amil and Ja Rule Can I Get A
58. Sophie B. Hawkins Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover
59. Weezer Buddy Holly
60. Bell Biv DeVoe Poison
61. Sheryl Crow All I Wanna Do
62. Live I Alone
63. The Notorious B.I.G. featuring Mase & Puff Daddy Mo Money Mo Problems
64. The Presidents of the United States of America Peaches
65. Digital Underground The Humpty Dance
66. Edwin McCain I'll Be
67. Deee-Lite Groove Is In The Heart
68. Will Smith Gettin' Jiggy Wit It
69. Korn Freak on a Leash
70. Jamiroquai Virtual Insanity
71. Arrested Development Tennessee
72. Barenaked Ladies One Week
73. Marcy Playground Sex and Candy
74. Cher Believe
75. Kris Kross Jump
76. Blues Traveler Run-Around
77. Ice Cube It Was a Good Day
78. Lenny Kravitz Are You Gonna Go My Way
79. Meredith Brooks B*tch
80. Right Said Fred I'm Too Sexy
81. Paula Cole I Don't Want to Wait
82. Geto Boys Mind Playing Tricks on Me
83. The Breeders Cannonball
84. Snow Informer
85. Cypress Hill Insane In The Brain
86 The Cranberries Linger
87. Billy Ray Cyrus Achy Breaky Heart
88. Duncan Sheik Barely Breathing
89. Liz Phair Never Said
90. New Radicals You Get What You Give
91. Sarah McLachlan Building a Mystery
92. Public Enemy 911 Is A Joke
93. Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories Stay
94. Fastball The Way
95. Montell Jordan This is How We Do It
96. Nelson (Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection
97. Prince & The New Power Generation Gett Off
98. EMF Unbelievable
99. Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)
100. Gerardo Rico Suave

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/12-12-2007/0004721343&EDATE=

John - ;)

matty

12-12-2007, 4:15pm

Interesting list. As I may have mentioned in the past :p I hate lists, but at least Shania and Metallica made it. Enter Sandman has to be one of the best riffs ever written, regardless of genre.

Thanks for the articles, John :)

FinnFreak

12-12-2007, 4:27pm

My favorite has to be Right Said Fred's I'm Too Sexy - it's sheer genius, I tell ya.

John - :p

dreamer

12-12-2007, 4:41pm

thanks

Troll

12-12-2007, 4:45pm

RKSTFan

12-15-2007, 10:06pm

Stars’ demands hit new levels of weirdness

ROWAN PHILP: London
Published: Dec 16, 2007

JENNIFER Lopez wants her coffee stirred anti-clockwise only. Mariah Carey needs an assistant to dispose of her used chewing gum. And Madonna won’t sit on a used toilet seat.

These are among the outrageous backstage demands revealed in a new book, The Little Red Riders Book, released in the UK last week.

Compiled from the accounts of music promoters, news clippings and tour contracts, the book reveals the dressing-room riders in the performance contracts of 145 stars and bands.

According to principal researcher Malcolm Croft, some are clearly fanciful — such as Vanilla Ice’s demand for “two dwarves and a shotgun”, Macy Gray’s desire for “a chimpanzee”, Marilyn Manson’s need for a “bald hooker with no teeth” and piano showman Liberace’s request for “two assistants — preferably boys between the ages of 15 and 19, of Filipino descent”.

Said Croft: “ The mega rock groups of the ’70s and ’80s were famous for making brazen demands for drugs, cars and groupies, and the new bands are mimicking them by asking for absolutely stupid things. But a lot of the riders are dead serious.”

Among the mind-boggling backstage demands are:

* Van Halen’s insistence on “a bowl of M&Ms with the brown ones taken out”;

* James Brown’s desire for “Two girls under the age of 21 and a hair dryer”;

* David Hasselhoff’s request for a life-size cut-out photo — of himself;

* Bon Jovi’s request for cleaning equipment, including two squeegees;

* Lily Allen’s hankering for “a puppy [for one night only]”; and

* Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ instruction that “all triangular objects be removed from the dressing room”.

Some wishes are surprisingly banal, said Croft.

“There is so much excess demanded that some of these demands surprised me for being so mild — like Coldplay, who you would expect to make really debauched riders, asking for organic soup and Tabasco sauce.

“A side from booze, the most common demand is for fresh socks — it seems like almost every performer wants to change socks constantly.”

The demands also provide revealing clues about the stars’ true character — often in stark contrast to their public image.

Snarling rapper 50 Cent, for instance, is revealed to have a wish list that could come straight from the head of Homer Simpson: “Two buckets of KFC; creamy peanut butter; one jar of grape jelly; five dozen assorted doughnuts.”

By contrast, the supposedly wholesome James Blunt won’t walk into a dressing room unless its pre-stocked with 120 bottles of beer, 12 bottles of cider and four bottles of vodka.

Others reinforce the public image: hard-living Amy Winehouse wants what amounts to a small liquor store, while squeaky clean Shania Twain and Beck request “no-sugar orange juice” and houmous, respectively.

Rapper Eminem is the juvenile delinquent he portrays, pre-ordering video games and ping pong for his rooms.

Ozzy Ozborne requires “a real ear, throat and nose doctor” be on hand at his gigs in case he needs a “(vitamin) B12 shot and decadron);

* Sheryl Crow insists that a different brand of booze be stocked in her dressing room for each day of the week — with, for instance, Bombay gin on Tuesdays, and Courvosier brandy on Wednesdays. (Crow apparently ran out of favourites for Sundays, for which she merely repeats her Friday order of bottles of Silver Tequila and Margarita mix); and

* In addition to teams of police sniffer dogs, Barbra Steisand’s obsession with security includes a stipulation insists that dressing room doors be fitted with steel hasps — for which she provides the padlocks. and

* Tiger Woods’ new private plane crew were instructed that "Mr Woods likes to have a cranberry juice as well as a gingerale. He sometimes snacks on a bagel with peanut butter and a sliced banana. Mr Woods is ALLERGIC to garlic. Please make sure you have playing cards on board."

The website reveals that Keith Richards traditionally calls his dressing room “Camp-X Ray", after the Guantanamo Bay prison compound, and suggests that "Keith and Ronnie (Wood) each opt for a 45 "medium white Casablanca lilly arrangement with weeping eucalyptus" (for their rooms) to mask the vomit smell.

Significantly, however — when comparing both lists — it becomes clear that the most common demands of the world’s superstars are sadly ordinary and familiar: peanut butter, Snapple cooldrinks; peanut butter, chocolate, Marmite, cornflakes — and clean socks.

Source (http://www.thetimes.co.za/PrintEdition/News/Article.aspx?id=662082)

faithfully

12-15-2007, 10:10pm

Whats wrong with no sugar orange juice:D I'm surprised it doesn't mention that maybe she wants a Timmies :funny:

Troll

12-15-2007, 11:47pm

Thanks for the article.

StarryShania

12-16-2007, 1:47pm

Thanks for the article.

:)

Hockeystick

12-16-2007, 10:49pm

That's our good and decent healthy Shania. :)

dreamer

12-16-2007, 10:57pm

good for her

Hockeystick

12-16-2007, 11:22pm

good for her

An inspiration.

She has such dedication and discipline for so many things unlike many celebrities.

Fine example she is. :)

Troll

12-17-2007, 10:09am

An inspiration.

She has such dedication and discipline for so many things unlike many celebrities.

Fine example she is. :)

You got that right.

dreamer

12-17-2007, 12:41pm

An inspiration.

She has such dedication and discipline for so many things unlike many celebrities.

Fine example she is. :)

yes quite wonderful

Troll

12-27-2007, 1:45pm

Shania Twain changes her image, refuses to show any flesh, and sells seven records.

http://www.hfxnews.ca/index.cfm?sid=92769&sc=93

Hockeystick

12-27-2007, 5:01pm

Shania Twain changes her image, refuses to show any flesh, and sells seven records.

http://www.hfxnews.ca/index.cfm?sid=92769&sc=93

See there we have it. What I've been saying. Critics taking shots at her image and constant opinion of the sex appeal.

Shania covers up her flesh, she'll sell 7 records. :rolleyes: :mad:

dreamer

12-27-2007, 5:32pm

can't the just leave her alone!

Troll

12-27-2007, 5:47pm

can't the just leave her alone!

Nope they never will.

dreamer

12-27-2007, 6:02pm

wishful thinking I know

Troll

12-27-2007, 10:36pm

.....Ashley Stenabaugh, 21, youngest chef in a dining room on Parliament Hill......

During the summers off, she returns home to work at a steakhouse at Deerhurst Resort, whipping up culinary dishes at the same lakeside property where Canadian country music sensation Shania Twain honed her singing skills and tied the knot.

http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5iTKIQvJnOjqR1ePZqE5Yu48D21RQ

dreamer

12-28-2007, 12:26am

so cute!

Troll

01-01-2008, 10:41pm

During treatments for her life-threatening medical condition, 14-year-old Courtney listened to pop artist Shania Twain. According to her mother, Pam, Shania’s music “lifted her up” during the treatments and during rides home from the hospital. When wish granters explained to Courtney that she qualified for a wish with the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Georgia & Alabama, the teen thought about the woman who gave her strength during her most trying times. She wished to meet Shania Twain.

An opportunity presented itself, and wish granters nailed down the details. Shania would be performing during the halftime show of Super Bowl XXXVII at San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium. Along with three other Make-A-Wish® children and their families, Courtney traveled to San Diego for the much-anticipated meeting.

The excited girl’s wish experience began when she and her family – including older brother Austin, dad Kent, mom Pam, and younger sister Kaylee – were picked up in a limo and taken to Qualcomm Stadium the day before the Super Bowl. Security escorts began Courtney’s adventure with a tour of the stadium. The family watched workers paint the field’s end zones and took Super Bowl-themed photos. Suddenly, Shania came out for her rehearsal, waved to the Make-A-Wish families, and said she would be over to talk to them when she was done. After running through her performance three times, she kept her promise.

Shania sat down with each Make-A-Wish child in attendance, and Courtney was the fourth and last of the bunch. The nervous fan brought CDs and picture frames with mats for autographs. Shania happily obliged and asked what was Courtney’s favorite song. Meanwhile, Courtney’s family took pictures of the interactions. Those pictures were later framed using the autographed frames and mats. In an act of generosity, Courtney asked Shania to sign a message to her extended family and friends back in Georgia. When the wish experience was done, Courtney made copies of the autographed message and shared them with people in her community.

In addition to her “super” experience, Courtney and her family visited the San Diego Zoo, which Mom called “wonderful.” They also took in movies and toured the region’s coastline. Since then, Courtney’s mother reports that her daughter has entered high school, plays the piano, sings, runs, and “enjoys life.”

http://www.wish.org/var/wish_user/storage/images/stories/sports_entertainment/music/courtney_shania_twain_frame/7108-2-eng-US/courtney_shania_twain_frame.jpg

http://www.wish.org/stories/sports_entertainment/music/courtney_shania_twain_frame

FinnFreak

01-02-2008, 5:44am

:D - Great pic.

John - ;)

matty

01-02-2008, 8:10am

Thanks, Troll. Lovely picture :)

Troll

01-02-2008, 9:10am

:D - Great pic.

John - ;)

Yes it is a great pic

faithfully

01-02-2008, 11:47am

Amazing pic :) thanks for the snippet:]

dreamer

01-02-2008, 2:06pm

thanks.....

Hockeystick

01-02-2008, 2:07pm

Great story, lovely photo. :love:

FinnFreak

01-03-2008, 4:07am

The Daily Press, Timmins, ON, Canada - Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Editorial

Let's see some resolve in '08

We are already into the second day of 2008 and many Timmins-area residents have likely already broken the resolutions they adopted mere hours ago.

Still, we thought it would be fun to come up with a few resolutions we would like to see adopted by various individuals:

MPP David Ramsay (Liberal - Timiskaming-Cochrane). It would be nice to see everybody's favourite former natural resources minister resolve to become a lumberjack upon his retirement from politics ... that way he could cut down trees in Quebec and ship them to mills in Ontario. There still are a few mills left in Ontario, aren't there? Timmins natives and NHL legends Frank Mahovlich and Alan Stanley. Mahovlich and Stanley were members of the last Toronto Maple Leafs team to win the Stanley Cup and it would be nice to see them both resolve to come out of retirement and help their former team end a 41-year drought. Oh sure, they are both a little long in the tooth but even at their advanced ages they could likely still skate circles around most of the stars(?) currently wearing the blue and white.

Shania Twain. With a new CD scheduled to be released shortly, it would be nice to see everybody's favourite country singer resolve to move back to the City With the Heart of Gold and transform the Shania Twain Centre into Branson North (you know, that place in Missouri that's home to all those country and western attractions). Guys like Michael Byrnes wouldn't dare refer to it then as a white elephant, would they?

Premier Dalton McGuinty. It would be nice to have him see the error of his ways and resolve to do away with his diamond royalty tax. The cash grab may not have killed De Beers Victor diamond mine project, near Attawapiskat, but it has taken much of the sheen off exploration for new diamond deposits.

Ontario Energy Minister Gerry Phillips. With both Quebec and Manitoba able to offer better hydro electric rates than our province, it would be nice to see Phillips resolve to make Ontario's rates more competitive and stable. Mines and mills are major hydro electric consumers and more competitive rates would make it easier to attract new projects to the North and keep existing mines and mills open.

Ontario Transportation Minister Jim Bradley. Timmins-area residents would love to see him resolve to make significant improvements to Highway 144 - the major link between our city and Sudbury. Never mind four-laning the connection, it would just be nice to make it wide enough so people could pull their vehicles safely over to the side of the road.

Indian Affairs and Northern Development Minister Chuck Strahl. Residents of many First Nations - including a number in the Timmins area - continue to live in Third World conditions. It would be nice to see Strahl resolve to take steps to improve living conditions - including housing and safe drinking water - for all First Nations residents across Canada in 2008.

Minor hockey players and parents. It would be nice - really, really nice - if they would resolve to show respect and appreciation for all the volunteers who make the sport so great. In the words of hockey god Don Cherry: "Without them (volunteers) there wouldn't be any hockey."

http://www.timminspress.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=839141

John - ;)

Troll

01-03-2008, 9:30am

Thanks for the article.

dreamer

01-03-2008, 1:41pm

great stuff! thanks

Hockeystick

01-03-2008, 3:09pm

favourite country singer...

transform the Shania Twain Centre into Branson North (you know, that place in Missouri that's home to all those country and western attractions).

^^ I like the charm of that. :)

tonyme

01-03-2008, 3:45pm

Thanks a lot for the article

FinnFreak

01-04-2008, 3:00am

Undercover HD, NY - January 3 2008

Shania Twain Maintains Biggest Album of the SoundScan Era

http://g8.undercoverhd.com/imgsresized/article/070104shaniatwainpromouni2002.jpg

by Paul Cashmere

The top 10 best selling albums of the SoundScan era did not change last year. Shania Twain still has the biggest selling album of the SoundScan era.

The SoundScan era accounts for sales from 1991 until now.

Last year, Shania Twain's 'Come On Over' sold an additional 41,000 units bringing total sales to 15,449,000.

Metallica's 'Metallica' sold 258,000 units in 2007 to bring total sales to 15,077,000 and closing the gap to Shania by 372,000 units. If these percentages keep up, 'Metallica' will overtake 'Come On Over' during 2009. It looks like Shania is safe for '08.

While the top 10 albums stayed in the same 10 positions, sales for the albums varied dramatically.

The biggest seller of the Top 10 was The Beatles '1'. It sold 276,000 units last year.

The slowly mover of the 10 was N Sync's 'No Strings Attached'. It sold just 5,000 units in 2007. Backstreet Boys 'Millennium' and the 'Bodyguard' soundtrack also registered less than 10,000 sales with 8,000 and 9,000 respectively.

The Top 10 albums of the SoundScan era as of close of business 2007 are:

1 Come On Over/ Shania Twain (15,449,000)
2 Metallica/ Metallica (15,077,000)
3 Jagged Little Pill/ Alanis Morissette (14,557,000)
4 Millennium/ Backstreet Boys (12,099,000)
5 Soundtrack/ Bodyguard (11,798,000)
6 Supernatural/ Santana (11,643,000)
7 Human Clay/ Creed (11,504,000)
8 No Strings Attached/ N Sync (11,104,000)
9 Beatles 1/ Beatles (11,097,000)
10. Falling Into You/ Celine Dion (10,768,000)

http://www.undercoverhd.com/news/Story.aspx?id=3769

John - ;):up:

FinnFreak

01-04-2008, 5:55am

Globe and Mail, Canada - January 4, 2008

TWAIN STOMPING GROUND

Storied tavern burns down

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v434/FinnFreak/Palmour1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v434/FinnFreak/Palmour2.jpg

By UNNATI GANDHI

The venue where Shania Twain's old band played its final show before the country singer skyrocketed to fame was gutted by fire yesterday, bringing down with it a storied history.

The Palmour Tavern in South Porcupine, Ont., was the place to be on Friday, Jan. 14, 1983.

Longshot, the hottest rock band in Timmins at the time, and its lead female vocalist, Ms. Twain, were calling it quits.

"We got to the bar, as usual two hours before the show, and the place was already packed, just jam packed," former Longshot male vocalist Dave Hartt recalled last night. "They covered the pool table with plywood so people could sit on it.

"It was a lot of energy, and the band, it was probably the best we've ever played."

The band ended up playing their longest set ever, did four encores and ended the show with the drummer driving his two drumsticks into the snare, and the guitarist and bassist breaking their strings.

Yesterday, that tavern - which has in the 25 years since become an unofficial tour stop for many of Ms. Twain's loyal fans - went up in smoke, said Timmins Fire Chief Mike Pintar.

"It hasn't burned to the ground, but it's fully destroyed."

The blaze started about 9:30 a.m.

It wasn't until 3 p.m. that 30 firefighters from several fire halls were able to bring it under control.

The fire marshal is investigating, but Timmins mayor Tom Laughren, also a volunteer fire fighter, said the flames started in the basement's electrical panel, and with the building's foundation dating back to at least the 1940s, there is no way to salvage the remains. It will be torn down next week.

Although it has been a quarter century since Ms. Twain performed covers of rock and Top 40 hits at the bar, the Palmour remained popular among locals.

"It was a small bar, but it was a nice bar," Mr. Hartt said.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080104.FIRE04/TPStory/TPNational/Ontario/

John - :sad:

Troll

01-04-2008, 9:29am

Thanks for the articles.

dreamer

01-04-2008, 1:34pm

so sad:(

Hockeystick

01-04-2008, 3:27pm

This is sad. It seems all the historical early day Shania landmarks are disappearing. First the Maple Leaf goes out in sad fashion, now this. What's next?

dreamer

01-04-2008, 3:37pm

I know:nono:

Hockeystick

01-04-2008, 8:40pm

I know:nono:

There's also her childhood church, her parish, which has been closed for some time now. That too comes to mind. So much is changing over the years and its been so difficult to preserve all this history and everything associated. :(

StarryShania

01-04-2008, 10:24pm

This is not any good news at all. :(

Does any one know how The Palmour Tavern got on fire ?

Troll

01-04-2008, 11:25pm

There's also her childhood church, her parish, which has been closed for some time now. That too comes to mind. So much is changing over the years and its been so difficult to preserve all this history and everything associated. :(

Totaly agree.

Troll

01-04-2008, 11:26pm

Even after all these years, Toby Keith remembers in detail where he was the first time he heard himself on country radio. "Me and Shania [Twain] were on a bus, heading out on our first tour together," he says. "She had a song out and I had a song out; mine was 'Should've Been a Cowboy.' We were in the back lounge with the windows up. We went up through Bowling Green, Kentucky, and the deejay came on and said, 'Here's a brand new record that's lighting the phones up,' and it came on. I remember she jumped up and down, and I was just in shock. She was going, 'That's your song.' And I was going 'I know.' And I remember that was my first one and it could have ended right there."

http://www.gactv.com/gac/nw_headlines/article/0,3034,GAC_26063_5778985_,00.html

StarryShania

01-04-2008, 11:45pm

What a great story. :)

Hockeystick

01-05-2008, 9:51am

Ahh new beginnings. :)

FinnFreak

01-07-2008, 3:52am

The London Free Press, Canada - Monday, 7 January, 2008

Country Gentleman on road again

By SUN MEDIA NEWS SERVICES

Tommy Hunter is stuck in the past -- and that's exactly where he wants to be.

The iconic country musician, who hosted The Tommy Hunter Show on CBC for nearly three decades, says he can't pluck songs from the music charts to add to his repertoire.

Instead, the 70-year-old singer says his job is about "triggering memories."

"I can't be up to date," Hunter says in a telephone interview from his home in the Guelph area. "The people who watched my television show, I've got to do the things that they remember, tell them stories about the show and weave a thread all the way through memory lane."

Hunter, who has been dubbed "Canada's country gentleman" is on a Canadian tour. He plays Blyth on Thursday and Centennial Hall on Friday.

He still calls London his hometown in interviews. There is a street here named for him.

Tommy Hunter Way is in the old Ealing area of London where the entertainer grew up. Not far from Hamilton Road, the way runs for a few hundred metres along the edge of St. Julien Park from St. Julien Street to East Street.

"I was extremely pleased and flattered and honoured. I thought that was absolutely wonderful," Hunter told The Free Press in an earlier interview. "To have the street named in that part of town, it was good."

In 1997, Hunter was celebrating his 50th anniversary as a professional entertainer. As part of the festivities surrounding Tommy Hunter Week here, city council approved the naming of a street for the country music TV, recording and performing star. In choosing to rename the Crossway, city hall staff selected an area they knew was near the 140 Brisbin St. home where Hunter's parents had raised the country gentleman to be.

What city officials may not have known is an old gravel pit near the Crossway (or Crossways) was a childhood playground for Hunter. Born in London on March 20, 1937, the young Hunter used to play in a long-vanished construction firm's gravel and sand pit at what is now St. Julien Park.

He began taking guitar lessons as a nine-year-old. At the old London Arena, Hunter was enjoying concerts by his country and western heroes, including Hank Snow, Roy Acuff and Gene Autry. It was the Acuff concert that turned him to country music, Hunter writes in his autobiography My Story. Hunter left London in the 1950s. His role as a featured performer with King Ganam's Country Hoedown began a 36-year run on television, including 27 years as the star of CBC-TV's The Tommy Hunter Show. It became the longest-running show of its kind, until CBC abruptly cancelled it in 1992.

The program often featured performances by country music giants like Johnny Cash, Alan Jackson and Reba McEntire, and helped launch the careers of musicians including Shania Twain.

"Of course she wasn't Shania back then. As a teenager, we knew her as Ellie," Hunter says.

Hunter says he always tried to mix popular acts with lesser-known talent, giving upstart musicians a chance to share the spotlight.

"We always introduced Canadian performers, every single solitary week, plus we'd bring in an established Canadian, somebody who was selling records and had a pretty good name here in Canada," he says. "There was always a variety."

After more than 10 years away from the CBC studios, Hunter returned to the network in 2003 for Talk About the Good Times, an hour-long special.

Each concert performance still features Hunter's hallmark collection of country gems by the likes of Hank Williams, Acuff and Snow.

And he always appears in familiar form, dressed in his usual three-piece suit, all the while focusing on recreating the old Tommy Hunter.

"The show to me was like an old slipper with our audience -- they knew what they were going to get week after week," he says. "And did we make changes? We sure did. I changed drastically, but we didn't do it from one week to the next, so that old slipper still felt like that old slipper."

Even when younger crowds show up at his performances, Hunter says, they're still drawn there by the same sense of nostalgia that would also bring their parents or grandparents.

"They come to the show because it's a memory for them when they were a little girl curled up on the sofa watching the show," says Hunter. "And sometimes, mom and dad have passed on, and the young girl will bring her husband and the kids."

Hunter has also recorded for several labels in Canada and the U.S. His recordings now appear on his own label, Edith, named for his late mother.

Through it all, he's stayed in touch with his London roots. One night after the street was officially named Tommy Hunter Way on Sept. 20, 1997, Hunter's band asked to see the actual road.

Hunter knew just what to do. He directed the big tour bus through his old neighbourhood, including a drive along Tommy Hunter Way.

"We took the tour bus. I think it was one or two o'clock in the morning. They got a big kick out of it."

On the web

www.tommyhunter.com

IF YOU GO

What: London-region concerts by Tommy Hunter this week.

Thursday: Blyth Memorial Hall, 7 p.m., $35 in advance, $37.50 at door (if available), in-person outlets include Blyth Festival box office and the Blyth general store or call 1-800-465-7829 for credit card orders.

Friday: Centennial Hall, 7 p.m., $36, $38.50, plus applicable charges. Call 519-672-1967.

http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/Today/Music/2008/01/07/4756134-sun.html

John - ;)

Troll

01-07-2008, 9:33am

Thanks John.

StarryShania

01-07-2008, 1:29pm

Thanks for that article.

nds76

01-07-2008, 1:46pm

The title for this thread is well umm...odd....:shocked:

dreamer

01-07-2008, 9:05pm

you arent the first to say that...

thanks john

FinnFreak

01-07-2008, 11:38pm

The title for this thread is well umm...odd....:shocked:

Well, I thought it would describe (with a pun) ;) how the media and journalists conveniently "drop" Shania's name here and there, in all these articles... in good - and in bad... which in my opinion shows, what an essential name in this world's pop culture she has: it's mentioned in stories, even when it really has nothing to do with her... those songs of her have become a part of language, how people express themselves... just a mention of her name - or a line from her song, and people instantly know, what the writer is trying to say...

I think that's one great reward, when one's songs live on & have a meaning for the people.

John - ;)

dreamer

01-08-2008, 12:50am

so wait you started this thread?

FinnFreak

01-08-2008, 3:05am

so wait you started this thread?

What, you didn't see my post on the first page..?

:p

ok - the thread name looks funny..? ;) - you should see my original idea...

This is the "Articles Where Shania's Name Is Briefly Mentioned, As Her Name Sells, Though The Article In Question Might Not Have Anything To Do With Shania At All, So We Don't Actually Consider It As News" -thread

So, that's what this thread is for - instead of filling the News & Articles forum with threads - post the less newsworthy mentions of Shania in here...

John - ;)

John - :p

FinnFreak

01-08-2008, 3:30am

;)

Channel 4 News, UK - 07 Jan 2008

International politics

Obama is Moving on Up

When Kool and the Gang invite you to celebrate and Curtis Mayfield tells us we are "Moving on Up" it feels like it might be true.

By Sarah Smith

Covering this election requires hours and hours of standing around in school gyms and town halls waiting for candidates to arrive (often over an hour late).

As you wait you can learn more about each campaign listening to the music they play to entertain their waiting supporters than you learn from their stump speeches.

Obama's music is every bit as cool as you might expect. But not so achingly hip that it might exclude anyone, obviously. When Kool and the Gang invite you to celebrate and Curtis Mayfield tells us we are "Moving on Up" it feels like it might be true.

It's bad news for all of us that Hillary is usually very late for her appearances because of the MOR rock we are subjected to. Most tracks seem to have been picked for their titles or lyrics and their unlikely references to Hillary.

The Police sing "Every little thing she does is magic". The Monkeys claim "Then I saw her face now I'm a believer". It gets worse the later she is. Over an hour late and you know you'll have to suffer Shania Twain trying "Rock This Country".

They even play "Who says you can't go home" by Jon Bon Jovi. Presumably it is meant to herald a return to the White House. But the line "Who says you can't go back" does seem to be at odds with her supposedly forward looking message.

The old Clinton theme used to be Fleetwood Mac "Don't stop thinking about tomorrow". Now the music sounds more like "don't stop thinking about yesterday".

Bad music and American politics do seem to go hand in hand. I'll never forget three hours of listening to Jon Bon Jovi endlessly repeat the same set in a town square in Boston three years ago.

Then we were waiting for John Kerry and John Edwards to take the stage. When they eventually did it was to admit they'd lost the presidential election. There could be a lesson in that. Maybe this is one aspect of presidential politics where Barak Obama really can bring real change.

http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/politics/international_politics/obama+is+moving+on+up/1285747

:huh: - Suffer...?!? :really: - c'mon now... :smirk:

I heared McCain is playing Journey's Don't Stop Believing - excellent choice. :up:

How about Starship's Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now - or, perhaps something more contemporary: Alicia Keys' No One*..?

* Keys told MTV News Canada that the song "is really talking about the way that in relationships, the way that so many things are around you all the time to try to distract you. And even though people may talk and say whatever they may want to say, but then no one can get in the way of this."

;)

Hey, Sen. Obama - here's one: Thunderstruck by AC/DC

John - :p

Troll

01-08-2008, 9:55am

Thanks John.

faithfully

01-08-2008, 4:33pm

I heared McCain is playing Journey's Don't Stop Believing - excellent choice

McCain chips:phttp://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb286/tanktopshania/crinkle_img.jpg

MusicIsGreat

01-08-2008, 7:22pm

Shania is such an easy target to bash because nobody defends her and she doesn't defend herself.
People take cheap shots at Shania all the time in the press as if it is cool or something.
Just the fact that she is named all over the world in articles good and bad proves her impact on the music world.

Hockeystick

01-08-2008, 7:54pm

Shania doesn't defend herself in the sense people would expect. She has too much class and self dignity to step down to low levels and partake in petty bickering and nonsense.

For these type of people, she is an easy target.

suffer? :mad:

dreamer

01-08-2008, 10:53pm

I agree

Troll

01-09-2008, 9:58am

More than 41 million albums sold in the U.S.; the top selling female artist in history; multi-platinum album sales in 32 countries including Canada, Australia, the UK, Indonesia, Holland and Norway; the sixth-biggest selling album of all time and 17 top ten songs, half of which reached #1. Shania Twain is a phenomenon.

Most amazing of all, Shania has reached beyond all feasible music boundaries with just three albums — all of which have received Diamond certification by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for sales of 10 million copies in the U.S. She is the only artist to have three consecutive albums sell more than 10 million copies.

http://www.gactv.com/gac/ar_az_shania_twain

dreamer

01-09-2008, 12:01pm

she has more then 3 :uhh: but thanks andrew

StarryShania

01-09-2008, 5:37pm

she has more then 3 :uhh: but thanks andrew

Yes, she does have more than 3. I think Andrew only counted The Woman In Me, Come On Over and Up! though. ;)

Troll

01-09-2008, 10:39pm

she has more then 3 :uhh: but thanks andrew

I know that but they were talking about the albums that sold over 10 million.

FinnFreak

01-10-2008, 6:32am

The Vancouver Sun, Canada - Thursday, January 10, 2008

Big & Rich find success in crossover country rock

Country duo have their share of detractors who have branded them as a slick novelty act, robbing the genre of its dignity

By Heath McCoy

Depending on who you talk to, those country-rapping cut-ups in Big & Rich are either the best thing to emerge from Nashville's Music Row in years or, they're the very reason the contemporary country music scene is going to hell in a hokey, bling-filled handbasket.

On one hand, Big Kenny (Kenny Alphin) and John Rich have proven to be a commercial gold mine for country music, bringing the sort of crossover mainstream success usually reserved for the likes of Shania Twain, Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney.

And it's not just the pair themselves who have benefited from their partnership as songwriters and producers. They've also done a little something for "redneck woman" Gretchen Wilson, whose anthemic tunes and wild but down-to-earth tomboy image has made her one of the biggest stars in the industry.

Recruiting Wilson into their MuzikMafia -- a motley posse of singers and songwriters who have set out to put their stamp on Nashville -- Big & Rich helped push Wilson to the top, with Rich producing her albums and the two acts making guest appearances on each other's albums.

Such is their crossover success that Big & Rich, who play Friday at Pacific Coliseum, now appear as guests on Bon Jovi's Lost Highway disc and the John Lennon tribute album Instant Karma: Save Darfur. On their latest album, Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace, such stars of the hip-hop-R&B world as John Legend and Wyclef Jean make cameos.

But Big & Rich also have their share of detractors. Their campy, clownish shtick and glossy hybrid of country, rock and, God forbid, hip hop has many a country music purist cursing their names, branding them a slick novelty that's ultimately robbing the genre of its dignity.

Rich, 33, has felt such barbs and he answers their sting with a few jabs of his own.

"Who do you think these country music purists would consider pure country singers then?" he asks defiantly. "Johnny Cash? Conway Twitty? Merle Haggard? Willie [Nelson] and Waylon [Jennings]? When they showed up in Nashville every one of them were completely and utterly discouraged from living here. Conway was considered a pop artist. Willie was thought of as jazz-folk and Johnny Cash was considered rock 'n' roll."

"These are the same types who told Johnny Cash to go back to Memphis because he was a rock 'n' roll act. These are the same types who told Shania Twain she was a pop artist and she shouldn't be in Nashville and next thing you know she sold 40 million records."

"See, the words music and business don't belong together. That's a dangerous thing." Big Kenny says it best when he says there should be no bureaucracy in creativity.

"But people can say whatever they want. We're gonna write what we write and sing what we sing and as long as the fans buy it and show up to our shows, that's the critics we're gonna worry about."

Big & Rich come by their quirky chemistry naturally.

When they met in a Nashville bar in 1998, Rich had just been fired from that band of country-rock ballad-meisters Lonestar, (who would soon go on to much fame of their own), while his long-haired partner Big Kenny was a member of a rock band called LuvjOi.

For fun the two of them began jamming together and writing music but for years neither of them thought of becoming an act on their own.

"He was a rock artist and I was a country artist," Rich says. "We really didn't want to be a duo. We just didn't see how it would work."

But gradually their jam sessions became something bigger as more and more musicians began sitting in. Soon a clique was formed, which Big & Rich nicknamed the MuzikMafia.

- - -

AT A GLANCE

Big & Rich

Pacific Coliseum

Friday, 7 p.m.

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastlife/story.html?id=ec3edee1-066f-482d-a0b7-ac58b465b7ee

John - ;)

Troll

01-10-2008, 9:38am

Thanks John.

tonyme

01-10-2008, 2:02pm

Thanks for these great articles:D

tonyme

01-10-2008, 2:44pm

Mini-Vanilli steal the show at 'Little Legends' show in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS - A little Milli Vanilli goes a long way. Same for Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson, Cher, Shania Twain and the Village People.

That's the premise behind "Little Legends," a show that combines little people doing impersonations with a dash of old-school Vegas comedy and magic.

"It's half-sideshow-carny and then half-Vegas," explained Jeff Hobson, the average-sized MC who's been with the show since it debuted in mid-August at the Harmon Theater adjacent to the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino on the Strip.

The concept has already drawn the likes of Elton John and Naomi Campbell to the audience. "Entertainment Tonight" and "Good Morning America" have also been there.

As one might expect in Sin City, it's also drawn a seedier crowd.

"We get people from all around the world flying in because they have a fetish for little people," said Hobson. "Really. I've asked people. ... Some people really get into it."

Hobson would know. Clad in one of his colourful array of jackets, the show's host works the room before the lights go down, pumping the spectators for information as he welcomes each table in the converted nightclub. Some later find themselves part of his act between numbers.

The festive season and other engagements took their toll on the show over the holidays. The cast of six "littles" is reduced to three, so a leggy Cher is recruited as a big ringer from the neighbouring Lucky Chengs dinner drag show to help pump up the crowd with a kickass version of "If I could Turn Back Time."

There's no mini-Britney, Elvis or Dean Martin this night. But Maxie Feuerstein and brothers Abdoule and Adama Kone give it their best, with the flamboyant Hobson providing the glue for the program between the acts with his comedy and magic.

The Kone brothers from the Ivory Coast - Abdoule is 32 and Adama 34 - steal the little part of the show this night.

MC Hammer is a hoot. The lip-synching brothers follow that with the Temptations, Michael Jackson and then the piece de resistance - Mini-Vanilli. Wearing colourful headbands and banging bodies, the dreadlocked Kones' impassioned faux version of Milli Vanilli's original faux version of "Girl You Know It's True" is hilarious.

No lip-synching for Feuerstein. Despite being under the weather, she belts out hits as mini-Gloria Estefan, Shania (in top hat, shorts, white shirt and bustier), Sonny (with a dress-wearing, wig-wearing Hobson as Cher) and Jessica Simpson.

The audience includes visitors from South America, Russia, Ireland, Sweden and Canada, and the three little legends, Hobson and big Cher have more than a few on their feet for the Village People's "YMCA" as the evening's entertainment wraps up after a little more than an hour.

The show usually closes with Elvis.

"I don't care where you are in the world. You can almost dress anybody up as Elvis and make a hit," Hobson said. "But especially when you have a little person doing Elvis. That pretty much puts the capper on it."

It's a show still finding its feet, especially on an evening when not all the cast is in action. But the slick Hobson is funny and - at their best - the little performers are unique entertainment.

"Little Legends" producer Joceylne Uy, a Toronto native with past experience at Mirvish Productions, has high hopes for the show and is looking to take it international.

"We're looking for more 'littles,"' she explained.

They held auditions in November in Los Angeles and plan to bring the talent search to the Little People of America conference in Detroit in June.

But finding performers isn't easy, according to the 45-year-old Hobson.

"You think regular people, it's tough to find talent, but try that with a niche of little people," he said.

Uy and Hobson say the show's strength is that it's different from traditional Vegas fare. With tickets starting at US$43, it's also a lot cheaper than many of the Strip's big shows.

Both believe the little performers are being treated with respect, although Uy allows that the show may not have worked a few years ago. She credits the TV show "Little People, Big World" on the Learning Channel for demystifying little people.

"They don't feel the least bit taken advantage of. They're just doing their thing," said Hobson, a veteran performer who bills himself as "The Hilarious Host of Las Vegas."

For Feuerstein, "Little Legends" is a step up from performing in Mini Kiss, a little tribute band. She quit that about a year ago to return to her psychology degree in her native South Carolina.

"Then I got a call to do this and decided why not. Who gets to perform in Vegas in their life? Not many."

Feuerstein, who stands four feet, started dance training at age three with experience in jazz, tap and ballet before turning to theatre and voice training.

Interviewed after the show, the 25-year-old is poised and well-spoken with a distinct sense of style. Her entertainment journey may have been different than most, but she has no complaints.

"Well, of course there are more obstacles being a little person. You get turned down a lot and rejected a lot going into normal auditions. But there also are many different and unique opportunities for little people that other people can't have".

"It has been difficult but it's been a great experience. I wouldn't change who I am for the world. I felt I was born this way for a reason and that it doesn't have to be considered a disadvantage."

If you go . . .

"Little Legends" is just one of several shows at the Harmon Theater. In addition to the Lucky Chengs dinner drag show, there is also an afternoon dog show called "Dog Gone Silly" plus two adult evening shows: "Hypnosis Unleashed (Dirty Sexy Fun)" and Fashionistas," which bills itself as a "gender-blending erotic extravaganza."

For more information, go to www.harmontheater.com, www.littlelegends.com or call 702-836-0836. "Little Legends" is billed for all ages, but some of Hobson's humour - gender-bending in its own right - might have some younger kids asking questions after the show.

Troll

01-10-2008, 2:45pm

Thanks for the article

dreamer

01-10-2008, 8:48pm

good stuff ps andrew the rolleyes were for the dumb article not you

FinnFreak

01-11-2008, 6:29am

The Economist, UK - Jan 10th 2008

The music industry

From major to minor

Last year was terrible for the recorded-music majors. The next few years are likely to be even worse

http://www.economist.com/images/20080112/D0208WB1.jpg
Illustration by Claudio Munoz

IN 2006 EMI, the world's fourth-biggest recorded-music company, invited some teenagers into its headquarters in London to talk to its top managers about their listening habits. At the end of the session the EMI bosses thanked them for their comments and told them to help themselves to a big pile of CDs sitting on a table. But none of the teens took any of the CDs, even though they were free. “That was the moment we realised the game was completely up,” says a person who was there.

In public, of course, music executives continued to talk a good game: recovery was just around the corner, they argued, and digital downloads would rescue the music business. But the results from 2007 confirm what EMI's focus group showed: that the record industry's main product, the CD, which in 2006 accounted for over 80% of total global sales, is rapidly fading away. In America, according to Nielsen SoundScan, the volume of physical albums sold dropped by 19% in 2007 from the year before—faster than anyone had expected. For the first half of 2007, sales of music on CD and other physical formats fell by 6% in Britain, by 9% in Japan, France and Spain, by 12% in Italy, 14% in Australia and 21% in Canada. (Sales were flat in Germany.) Paid digital downloads grew rapidly, but did not begin to make up for the loss of revenue from CDs. More worryingly for the industry, the growth of digital downloads appears to be slowing.

“In 2007 it became clear that the recorded-music industry is contracting and that it will be a very different beast from what it was in the 20th century,” says Mark Mulligan, an analyst at JupiterResearch. Last year several big-name artists bypassed the record labels altogether. Madonna left Warner Music to strike a deal with Live Nation, a concert promoter, and the Eagles distributed a bestselling album in America without any help from a record label. Radiohead, a British band, deserted EMI to release an album over the internet. These were isolated, unusual deals, by artists whose careers had already brought years of profits to the big music companies. But they made the labels look irrelevant and will no doubt prompt other artists to think about leaving them too.

The smallest major labels, EMI and Warner Music, are struggling most visibly. Warner Music's share price has fallen to $4.75, 72% lower than its IPO price in 2005, and it is weighed down by debt. EMI's new private-equity owner, Terra Firma, paid a high price for the business in August 2007. Now, having got rid of most of EMI's senior managers and revealed embarrassing details of their spending habits (£200,000 a year went on sundries euphemistically referred to in the music business as “fruit and flowers”), Terra Firma is due to produce a new strategy later this month. But many observers reckon the private-equity men are out of their depth.

The two biggest majors—Universal, which is owned by Vivendi, a French conglomerate, and Sony BMG, a joint venture between Sony and Bertelsmann, a German media firm—derive some protection from their parent companies. Universal is the strongest and is gaining market share. But people speculate that Bertelsmann may want to sell out to Sony next year.

Three vicious circles have now set in for the recorded-music firms. First, because sales of CDs are tumbling, big retailers such as Wal-Mart are cutting the amount of shelf-space they give to music, which in turn accelerates the decline. Richard Greenfield of Pali Research, an independent research firm, reckons that retail floor-space devoted to CDs in America will be cut by 30% or more in 2008. The pattern is likely to repeat itself elsewhere as sales fall.

Circular arguments

Second, because the majors are cutting costs severely, particularly at EMI and Warner Music, artists are receiving far less marketing and promotional support than before, which could prompt them to seek alternatives. “They've cut out the guts of middle managers and there are fewer people on the ground to promote records,” says Peter Mensch, manager of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Shania Twain.

Third, record companies face such hostile conditions that their backers, whether private equity or corporations, are loth to spend the sums required to move into the bits of the music industry that are thriving, such as touring and merchandising. The majors are trying to strike “360-degree” deals with artists that grant them a share of these earnings. But even if artists agree to such deals, they will not hand over new rights unless they get better terms on recorded music, so the majors may not see much benefit overall. Tim Renner, a former boss of Universal Music in Germany, says the majors should have acted years ago. “Then they had the money and could have built the competence by buying concert agencies and merchandise companies,” he says. Now it may be too late.

By mid-2007, when the majors realised that digital downloads were not growing as quickly as they had hoped, they landed on a more adventurous digital strategy. They now want to move beyond Apple's iTunes and its paid-for downloads. The direction of most of their recent digital deals, such as with Imeem, a social network that offers advertising-supported streamed music, is to offer music free at the point of delivery to consumers. Perhaps the most important experiment of all is a deal Universal struck in December with Nokia, the biggest mobile-phone maker, to supply its music for new handsets that will go on sale later this year. These “Comes With Music” phones will allow customers to download all the music they want to their phones and PCs and keep it—even if they change handsets when their year's subscription ends. Instead of charging consumers directly, Universal will take a cut of the price of each phone. The other majors are expected to strike similar deals.

“‘Comes with Music' is a recognition that music has to be given away for free, or close to free, on the internet,” says Mr Mulligan. Paid-for download services will continue and ad-supported music will become more widespread, but subsidised services where people do not pay directly for music will become by far the most popular, he says. For the recorded-music industry this is a leap into the unknown. Universal and its fellow majors may never earn anything like as much from partnership with device-makers as they did from physical formats. Some among their number, indeed, may not survive.

http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10498664

John - :smirk:

faithfully

01-11-2008, 1:48pm

Wow great article;)

tonyme

01-11-2008, 2:37pm

Cool article:D

dreamer

01-11-2008, 3:17pm

cool...

Troll

01-11-2008, 4:38pm

Thanks for the article.

FinnFreak

01-16-2008, 3:06am

Canada.com, Canada - Monday, January 14, 2008

Eight Canadian female musicians to watch in 2008

By Lynn Saxberg, For Canwest News Service

In the cycle of rock ‘n’ roll, the last few years have been marked by reunion tours and comebacks of classic-rock giants. U2, Bruce Springsteen and The Stones have recently lumbered around the world and last year the Police, Van Halen and Genesis resurfaced after long absences. Even Led Zeppelin made an appearance that everyone’s hoping will lead to a tour.

Given all that retro-rock swagger, it’s amazing a young woman from Canada has managed to emerge as one of the freshest new voices in the industry. Leslie Feist, the artist better known as Feist, has been working on her craft for years, but last year’s excellent disc, The Reminder, is proving to be her breakthrough. That catchy iPod commercial didn’t hurt, either.

Feist ended the year with a slew of Grammy nominations, and the disc was included on hundreds of Top-10 lists (including mine). Sure, she’s a talented singer-songwriter with a great album, but now millions recognize her as “the iPod girl.” Thanks to that exposure, the musical misfit from Calgary is well on her way to superstardom.

In 2008, we’ll see how she handles the fame. We’ll be watching the Grammy and Juno telecasts to see how she does. And we’ll see if Feist’s emergence signals a change in public taste, a shift from macho rock to softer, gentler sounds.

As I peer into the future, by perusing tour schedules and release dates for 2008, it looks like we’ll be hearing from a lot of other Canadian women this year. In a few months time, Feist might be seen as the tip of the iceberg, the beginning of an onslaught of female voices from Canada.

Not only are world tours by Avril Lavigne and Celine Dion coming soon to a territory near you, but some of our most successful musical exports also are due to deliver fresh product. We can expect new discs by k.d. lang and Alanis Morissette by spring, and maybe even something from Shania Twain later in the year (but I doubt it, word is she’s still working on it). New releases also are expected from Ottawa sweetheart Kathleen Edwards, as well as from piano gal Sarah Slean and newlywed rocker Bif Naked.

To help you prepare for what’s sure to be declared a trend, I’ve taken the liberty of identifying eight Canadian women artists to watch in 2008. Most of the names you’ll recognize.

1. Alanis Morissette: It’s been several tumultuous years since we’ve had a new record from the Ottawa-born superstar. In that time, she turned 30, got engaged, survived a breakup and learned to ride a motorcycle. Her new disc, Flavours of Entanglement, is due for release in April, and she is previewing new material on a tour with Matchbox 20. The only Canadian cities on the schedule so far are Toronto and Vancouver.

2. k.d. lang: The Alberta-raised vegan has a quietly powerful album in Watershed, due for release next month. Anticipation is high Ñ it’s her first recording of new material in eight years, and her first self-production job. Lang’s tour schedule is beginning to fill in: next month includes two nights at New York’s Lincoln Center, both already sold out.

3. Avril Lavigne: The mall-punk princess with the skull fetish bounces back to home turf with a Canadian tour that starts March 5 in Victoria. Her latest disc is titled Best Damn Thing because she says it’s the best damn thing she’s ever done. Although entertainment media are on alert for signs of a bulging tummy, Lavigne and her Sum 41 hubby are so far resisting the temptation to add little ones to their rock ‘n’ roll lives.

4. Celine Dion. After a lengthy stint in Las Vegas, the Dion family caravan is hitting the road for a world tour that is expected to last well into 2009. The global adventure includes six concerts at Montreal’s Bell Centre between Aug. 15 and 25.

5. Kathleen Edwards: Ottawa’s alt-country sweetheart releases her fourth disc, Asking for Flowers, on March 4.

6. Bif Naked: The left-coast rocker, who married a sportswriter last summer, is working on two new albums, one of her own and one with Jakkarta, a collaboration with death-metal guitarist La Machina. The muscular, tattooed frontwoman recently revealed she’s been diagnosed with breast cancer but I wouldn’t be surprised if she got the records out anyway. Our prayers are with her.

7. Sarah Slean: An engaging pianist with a flair for drama, the sweet-voiced Slean will send a chill down your spine with her haunting new single, Get Home, the first song from her forthcoming disc, The Baroness, due for release March 8. “It will be my honour to present to you another studio album, full of Paris, disastrous affairs, meditations on struggle, moments of clarity and maybe even a nod to Dostoevsky,” Slean writes in a message to fans on her website. Sounds like a hit to me.

8. Anne Murray: Canada’s silver-haired crooner soared to the top of the Canadian charts last year with the collaborative project, Duets Friends and Legends, a disc of songs that pair her sterling pipes with those of artists such as Shania Twain and Martina McBride. The disc comes out in the U.S. this month; it’s sure to be popular among the boomer masses. Which will make it even more difficult to score concert tickets for your mom when Murray tours this spring.

http://www.canada.com/globaltv/globalshows/et_story.html?id=fcec8dfd-b109-456f-907c-56f41422f1fb

John - ;)

tonyme

01-16-2008, 5:58am

Thanks for the article... If only Shania had announced something officially

FinnFreak

01-16-2008, 6:11am

She will... when she's got something to announce - right..?

John - ;)

Troll

01-16-2008, 10:16am

Thanks for the article

dreamer

01-16-2008, 9:55pm

:sad::cry:

FinnFreak

01-18-2008, 5:49am

Billings Gazette, MT, USA - Friday, January 18, 2008

Billings fans tip hats to country music

Crossover appeal broadens audience for musical style

By JACI WEBB
Of The Gazette Staff

Behold the power of the cowboy hat.

Alan Jackson wrote "Gone Country" a dozen years ago, and since then, a growing number of music fans are following his advice.

Tickets for Merle Haggard's show at the Alberta Bair Theater last year sold out in less than two hours, and by Thursday morning, fans had snatched up most of the tickets to tonight's Brad Paisley concert.

The biggest concert event in MetraPark's 32-year history was country superstars Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood's four sold-out shows in 1998, when they performed for more than 42,000 people.

"The people have spoken with their billfolds," said MetraPark's marketing director, Sandra Hawke.

MetraPark struck gold twice in 2007 with sold-out shows by rock band Nickelback in February and the king of shock, Ozzy Osbourne, in October, but music fans told Hawke that they were still craving some country. MetraPark obliged by booking Paisley, the Country Music Association's performer of the year.

Lest the stereotyping begin, however, modern country music like Paisley's isn't just for cowboys.

"It's not the lost-my-dog-and-my-Bible-and-my-wife-left-me music," Hawke said. "Just look at country performers like Shania Twain. Country music isn't country-western anymore; it's got a much broader appeal."

Country music has become music for the masses. You don't have to wear a Stetson to connect with the stories behind the chords. The songwriting is honest, and that's what appeals to music fans like Mike Dickerson, 26. He said he can't get through Rodney Atkins' "Watchin' You" when it comes on the radio without tearing up.

"That song reminds me so much of my Dad. It just hits home," Dickerson said.

Chad Herbst, 22, said Bucky Covington's song "A Different World" takes him back to simpler days, when he was a kid growing up in Billings.

"He sings about drinking straight from the hose, doing things I did when I was a kid, when you still had the freedom to be a kid. Things are so different now," Herbst said.

Family-friendly format

Susie Taylor sat in a smoky bar Tuesday night, sipping a soda and crossing her fingers. Her son, Tate Kattenhorn, is turning 13 today, and all he wanted for his birthday was a ticket to Brad Paisley's concert. Along with 100 or so other fans, Taylor put her name in a drawing at Bugz's Casino, trying to win tickets to Paisley's show.

"I'm not one to hang out in bars, but it was important to him. He's been wanting to see a concert, and I told him when he's a little older. I figured this is one I feel comfortable with him seeing," Taylor said.

Of course, Taylor said she wouldn't mind accompanying Tate to this one. Tate likes Paisley's "Me Neither," and Taylor prefers "I'm Gonna' Miss Her (The Fishing Song)."

"Country music reaches your heart," Taylor said. "It brings you back home. That's the first thing I think of when I hear a country song. They make me cry a lot."

She might be crying a lot anyway tonight after the Paisley concert. She didn't win the tickets.

Over at Montana Chads, country fans routinely pack the place because it hosts live country music six nights a week. Owner Cam Schieno said rodeo nights are huge at his Montana Avenue club, and the place fills up with real cowboys. The rest of the time, Chads draws a diverse mixture of people, including college students looking for a good dance band and retirees enjoying a beer at the neighborhood bar. He expects a packed house tonight after the concert lets out.

Pop goes the country

Billings radio personality Jack Seymour, of KPBR Radio, said pop artists are tapping into country because it fits so well with what they're already doing.

"It's family-friendly, and it tells a story," Seymour said. "A lot of artists, including Carrie Underwood, Shania Twain and LeAnn Rimes, are cross-over artists. And now Jewel is about to release a country album."

Seymour credited "American Idol" with helping generate a wider country fan base by discovering new talent, including Underwood and Josh Gracin, who played MontanaFair in 2007.

"It would be great to see more country shows here. If you want 'em, support 'em by going out and buying tickets to these concerts," Seymour said.

Country is the most-listened-to music in the U.S., according to KCTR Radio program director Mark James. In Billings, 30 percent of radio listeners are tuned in to the city's four country stations. KCTR Radio alone has 20 percent of the radio market. Its closest rival, classic rock station KRKX Radio, has a 7.1 share of the market, according to the latest Arbitron ratings.

"In the '70s, there was Top 40, and now that's split so many ways," James said. "Country became the new Top 40. And the person who did the most to make that happen, to bring country to the mainstream, was Garth Brooks. He didn't like the sound that was coming out of Nashville, so he changed it. His favorite groups were rock bands like KISS. There is so little twang left."

3 chords and the truth

The late country singer-songwriter Harlan Howard once defined country music as "three chords and the truth." In a telephone interview with The Gazette, Rodney Atkins said that's the creed he's been writing songs by since he entered the music business. Atkins will open Paisley's show tonight along with Chuck Wicks.

"I appreciate all kinds of music, but country music is what I've always wanted to do because, lyrically, it says what I want songs to say," Atkins said. "It's the one thing that's who I am. It's about being real, being yourself."

Atkins described country music as an extension of such acts as the Eagles and James Taylor, whom he called forerunners of modern country music.

"A lot of '70s rock and pop is what country is now. That's why there are radio stations that are dedicated to that kind of music; it lasts," he said. "That's why country performers can have long careers. Our fans grow up with us."

http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/01/18/news/local/18-country.txt

John - ;)

tonyme

01-18-2008, 7:47am

Thanks for the article... Another "Shania ain't country" critic...

FinnFreak

01-18-2008, 7:50am

Yep. She's MORE than just country.

John - ;)

tonyme

01-18-2008, 8:46am

You got that right, John:)

Troll

01-18-2008, 10:10am

Thanks John

mcjessica

01-18-2008, 11:33am

Intresting article.
Thanks for posting.
...isn't "Three Chords and the Truth" also the name of Sara Evans' debut album?

Hockeystick

01-18-2008, 11:35am

Good article and it states a lot of the things I've been saying in several threads around here.

It surely isn't all about rock, pop, hip hop, rap... country music is not dead and it ain't goin no where. It's here to stay.

Country music is a special genre. As real as it gets.

mcjessica

01-18-2008, 11:39am

Country music is a special genre. As real as it gets.

So true. :)

dreamer

01-18-2008, 1:25pm

:uhh:

FinnFreak

01-23-2008, 3:48am

The Spoof (satire), UK - 22 January 2008

Engelbert Humperdinck to change name

http://www.thespoof.com/sitepics/pdi/9707-4916Donnyosmond.jpg
Singer Donny Osmond has
a relatively normal name

By Max Von Stroodle

Engelbert Humperdinck, the heavily moustached singer, has announced he is to change his name by deed poll to avoid a string of recent insults.

The Russian born singer revealed a daily tirade of abuse just because of his stupid name. "There is only so much of it you can take. I phoned up to pay my gas bill the other day and as soon as I gave my personal details the giggling started on the other end of the telephone."

The ludicrously named singer continued "Two days later I needed to check out the bus route from my home in the States to my home town of Leicester in England. The operator nearly collapsed laughing at this request, and that's all to do with my name. Well I've had enough."

The laughably named singer most famous for his 1950's hit My Way explained that he had mused over various names and has come up with a shortlist.

"I quite like the more traditional names such as George, Albert and Shania" said the absurdly named entertainer. "I feel though I have come up with a name that will give me a sound foundation from which to continue with my career and hopefully have another couple of hits."

And this name? Arnold Dorsey.

Well best of luck to him I say. With a name like that he's going to need it.

The story above is a satire or parody. It is entirely fictitious.

http://www.thespoof.com/news/spoof.cfm?headline=s4i29244

John - :p

FinnFreak

01-23-2008, 4:41am

San Francisco Chronicle - Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Stop the insanity, Tom. You can't handle it.

"My therapist sighs every time I bring up my love of Shania Twain" - Mark Morford, San Francisco Chronicle columnist

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/23/DDEMUJ5NI.DTL

John - :p

FinnFreak

01-23-2008, 5:53am

Bridgwater Mercury, UK - Wednesday, January 23, 2008

College worker slims down for charity

A BRIDGWATER College worker shed more than two and a half stone in a six-month lifestyle change - and raised cash for charity in the process.

Sam Stirling, 33, who works in the finance department at the college, decided to change her tomboyish look and slim down, completing a range of challenges - all in aid of the NSPCC.

She said: "Back in June I decided I needed to go on a diet, but I did it properly and got sponsored, because otherwise I would be the only one to benefit.

"My hair has always been short and I've always been a bit of a tomboy so I decided to pull out all the stops."

The Taunton resident began going to Slimming World in Cannington to lose weight and grew her hair, which had been short for eight years.

In her final task Sam went to The Cross Rifles pub in Bridgwater and sang the Shania Twain hit Man! I Feel Like a Woman, wearing make-up and in heels and a dress, made especially for the occasion by her mum.

Her six-month long exploits raised £550 for the NSPCC and left Sam delighted with the results.

She said: "I'm amazed as it has been quite a journey, but I have kept up my new healthy lifestyle. I set myself a goal and was determined to achieve it."

http://www.bridgwatermercury.co.uk/display.var.1983847.0.college_worker_slims_down_fo r_charity.php

John - :D:up:

Troll

01-23-2008, 9:51am

Thanks for the articles.

dreamer

01-23-2008, 10:59am

thanks

Hockeystick

01-23-2008, 2:40pm

The name change line was amusing. :p

tonyme

01-23-2008, 4:09pm

All great articles:D

FinnFreak

01-28-2008, 7:23am

The Cornwall Standard Freeholder, ON, Canada - Monday, January 28, 2008

Finding an outlet in art

http://www.davidswitzersculptures.com/Shania_Thin_op_288x600.jpg
Shania ‘Thin’

By Michael Peeling

The therapeutic merits of the local art scene haven't gone unnoticed by the next generation.

Fourteen-year-old Justin Deschamps, who suffers from bi-polar disorder, has spent his fair share of time at the Cornwall Regional Art Gallery. After seeing a photo of a large model sailing ship made entirely of matchsticks last September in the Standard-Freeholder, he knew he had to pay the gallery another visit.

"When I saw the boat, I wanted to get into doing stuff like that," Justin said. "I thought a lot about how long it must have taken and how he did it."

Justin went home with a plan to build his own take on the ship using popsicle sticks. The result is an 800-piece ship that took him two months to build.

Its inspiration, the matchstick ship, is just one of area artist David Switzer's elaborate creations. It took Switzer, 56, three years to complete the project.

More than just an erector of matchstick replicas, Switzer won Sylvie Lizotte, executive director of the art gallery, as a fan when he showed her "Shania Thin," an ode to country singer Shania Twain. The model reminded Lizotte of a character from Tim Burton's stop-motion animated film "The Nightmare Before Christmas."

"When I saw her, I loved it," Lizotte said. "It's so creative... Shania Thin is 100 per cent pure fantasy."

Justin agrees. Up until he saw the matchstick ship, he usually expressed his artistic side through sketching. He had dabbled in sculpture with Lego, even building his sister a doll house out of popsicle sticks once, but his love of sculpture took over after seeing Switzer's work in the Apples and Art studio and heritage show.

Switzer and Justin have met before, but the meeting had nothing to do with art and pre-dated the showing last fall. Also a barber, Switzer cut Justin's hair once.

Justin said he would like to meet all of the artists whose work he has seen at the gallery because they all inspire him in different ways.

His first visit to the art gallery at age five occured the same year he was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis, the genetic disorder that afflicted John Merrick, who was known as the "Elephant Man."

Mom Theresa Plain said her son could one day look like Merrick, but he hasn't developed any serious tumours or cysts in five years. A doctor once told her Justin would likely be dead by the time he turns 18. That prognosis has been dismissed by doctors since the boy had a large tumour in his knee removed.

Justin says art helps him focus his energies.

"I feel normal and relaxed when I build things," Justin said. "It's not challenging to me. I just see what I want to make in my head and I make it."

Plain has found letting her son indulge his artistic leanings is the best way for him to succeed in school.

"(Art) is usually the only way I can get him to do his school work," Plain said. "It helps him deal with school. I just put a thousand popsicle sticks in front of him and he starts working... I've tried a lot of other things. He's been medicated for the last year and a half, but I find this relaxes him more."

As happy as building the boat made him, Justin wants to improve in his next attempt at the craft. He's already planning out a larger boat with sails and cannons.

http://www.standard-freeholder.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=876991

Shania ‘Thin’

Inspired by Shania Twain video, "I Feel Like a Woman", David took pride in expressing the sensuality of the performer. Over 2,000 pieces of wood were used.

www.davidswitzersculptures.com

John - ;)

tonyme

01-28-2008, 7:52am

Thanks for the article:)

Troll

01-28-2008, 10:08am

That is interesting

dreamer

01-28-2008, 11:36am

creepy

Hockeystick

01-28-2008, 1:15pm

Very unusual and interesting.

dreamer

01-28-2008, 9:57pm

sort of

tonyme

01-29-2008, 12:02pm

She doesn't look a bit artistic :funny:

dreamer

01-29-2008, 10:00pm

:eek:

Troll

01-30-2008, 4:56pm

Nash Shakes Music's "Foundations"
By Parker Fishel
PUBLISHED JANUARY 28, 2008

With sincerest flattery, Kate Nash is the new Shania Twain.

If her show at Bowery Ballroom proved anything, it was that Nash is the real deal. It’s clear that she is more in the vein of Twain—despite their extreme stylistic differences—than of Lily Allen or Regina Spektor, although she is often compared to these far-hipper songstresses. Can you hear the furor erupting in Brooklyn?

As in the case of Twain, a super-producer (Paul Epworth) is behind Nash, and with him comes the ability to craft a pop song that is unabashedly commercial but still imbued with the unique artist’s stamp. The transition of these songs onto the live stage can be a difficult task. In Twain’s case, producer Mutt Lange assembled a band and dictated the live sound engineering. Considering the caliber of her live show and the fact that Nash is making the same commercial push, it can only be speculated that the Nash/Epworth team has taken note and acted similarly.

Performing at her American CD release show at Bowery Ballroom on Jan. 9, Nash transcended the hype, impressively rendering her buoyant melodies and observant, witty lyrics to a sold-out crowd heavily populated by industry types from around the world. Onstage, humble to the point of coy in the midst of drunken shouts of “mad *****,” she sang her playful songs earnestly but with a grin, clearly comfortable with the stage and working the crowd with her girl-nextdoor charm. The smart pairing of keyboard/guitarist Nash with two multi-instrumentalists and an energetic drummer made it clear that Nash and Epsworth have their sights set on breaking the American charts. With live standouts such as “Birds” and “Foundations,” both of which exemplify some of her perfect quirky hooks, Nash seems poised for pop-stardom.

What is certain, however, is that Nash has a talent for songwriting that makes boys swoon and girls sing along. This fact should not be criticized by the false guardians of aesthetics and authenticity on the indie blog radar. Nash, who is only 20 years old, has managed to translate this craft into a live show that offers more than a current “it” girl with bangs and songs about boys. Nash may never achieve the international sales of Twain, but hopefully this live show is the final step for Nash to become a viable starlet with the ability to silence naysayers.

http://www.columbiaspectator.com/node/28822

FinnFreak

01-31-2008, 2:31am

Kate Nash..? :huh: - I don't see it. Maybe I'm blind. And deaf.

John - :p

tonyme

01-31-2008, 5:40am

I don't see it either...
But thanks for the very interesting article, Andrew!

dreamer

01-31-2008, 11:41am

thanks

Troll

01-31-2008, 2:30pm

Kate Nash..? :huh: - I don't see it. Maybe I'm blind. And deaf.

John - :p

That would stink

faithfully

01-31-2008, 10:26pm

A new Shania Twain :eek: where, when and how:uhh: eh I don't think so:funny:

mcjessica

01-31-2008, 11:17pm

A new Shania Twain :eek: where, when and how:uhh: eh I don't think so:funny:

Nah! I don't think so either. :p
I've honestly listened to so many artists looking for people with her style but none of them come close.
I don't know what it is but it really is like nothing else out there.
There are some songs that have a Shania sort of attitude to it but I have yet to hear an artist who consistantly produces music similar to hers.

dreamer

02-01-2008, 12:06am

i agree

FinnFreak

02-01-2008, 2:41am

Sault Star, Canada - Friday, February 1, 2008

Why not Elton in The Sault?

Promoter hopes Rocket Man to perform here 'within 3 or 4 years'

By Frank Dobrovnik

The question would have seemed absurd a week ago: Why is Elton John not playing Sault Ste. Marie?

But now that the rocket man is touching down in the Nickel City, it's a credible query. And one that Trevor Zachary has had to answer countless times this week.

Simply put, the Steelback Centre's marketing and events manager doesn't know. "Why isn't he in Toronto, why isn't he at ScotiaBank Place? He picked two dates in Ontario," Zachary said.

The City of Greater Sudbury announced Monday the 60-year-old British superstar will play Sudbury Arena March 2. In Toronto March 1 to play a private charity fundraising event, he will also play Kitchener March 3. He then heads to New Hampshire March 6 before returning to his regular gig in Las Vegas March 19.

What is sure is that he will definitely not add any other Canadian dates to his schedule,said Riley O'Connor, chair of promoter Live Nation Canada.

The artist formerly known as Reginald Dwight rarely tours extensively, preferring to play just a handful of shows, and in smaller venues he hasn't played before.

"I've worked with Elton John for the last 25 years, and his touring window, wherever the region he decides to play, is always small," said O'Connor from Toronto.

Zachary said many more factors than people realize goes on behind the scenes in snagging an act. Sometimes it just comes down to who you know. Last September, John performed in the tiny Swiss village where Shania Twain lives, and some have speculated Timmins-born Twain put a bug in his ear about her former home of Sudbury.

"When it comes down to it, it comes down to the tour, it comes down to Elton John's people and Elton John himself."

With a brand new arena here and an enthusiastic response to many shows in over the last year, the city has formed a good relationship with Live Nation, Zachary said. "It's all about trust now. They believe we can put on these shows here in the Sault, so that's why we're getting all these acts."

Unfortunately, those shows could temporarily dry up in the near future. Zachary had to turn down offers from three big-name acts that will be touring later this year because of potential construction of more luxury suites at the Steelback: Kid Rock, Lenny Kravitz and a reunited Backstreet Boys.

Construction could close up the arena for three or four months.

But having additional seating will pay off in the end, he said. He added that if construction goes ahead, the city may also also add some rigging in the ceiling, which would accommodate even bigger shows.

"We're showing them we're bringing improvements to our facility and adding capacity."

Saultites can still see Sir Elton's Sudbury show, of course — but they'll have to be quick about it. Tickets for the show go on sale today at 10 a.m. The city is discouraging people from lining up outside the Sudbury Arena, as the show's expected to sell out extremely quickly online. Go to www.tickets.com/ca and click on "Sudbury Arena" on the right side of the screen. Tickets can be purchased using Visa or American Express. Prices including fees and taxes are $98 and $140.

And if you don't score tickets this time out, O'Connor expressed hope he will come to the Sault "within three or four years. When the new John Labatt Centre opened up in London, that's what I told them: I will get you Elton John in three or four years, and I did."

— With files from The Sudbury Star

http://www.saultstar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=882741

...tsk, tsk..! Somebody hasn't done their homework...

John - ;)

Troll

02-01-2008, 10:05am

Thanks John

dreamer

02-01-2008, 1:14pm

cool thanks

Troll

02-03-2008, 9:46am

The 20 bestselling albums

1 Michael Jackson, Thriller As thrilling today as it ever was.

2 Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin IV Still worth a listen? Ask the millions who fought for tickets last year.

3 Pink Floyd, The Wall The alienation of the modern world? Yup, still relevant.

4 AC/DC, Back in Black A great guitar riff never really goes out of fashion.

5 Shania Twain, Come on Over Er, actually, we’re kind of busy right now . . .

6 The Beatles, The Beatles (White Album) Its eclectic brilliance is still the target that ambitious bands aim for.

7 Fleetwood Mac, Rumours You can still feel the intra-band heartbreak behind the smooth pop songs.

8 Whitney Houston, Bodyguard OST You may think you’ve heard that song enough now.

9 Boston, Boston Has found its rightful home on classic rock stations.

10 Alanis Morissette, Jagged Little Pill We thought it was going to be the beginning of a brilliant career. Oh, well.

11 Led Zeppelin, Physical Graffiti Many people’s favourite Zep album.

12 Eagles, Hotel California Overexposed, and soon to be over here again.

13 Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon The album that shot the Floyd into the super league.

14 Bruce Springsteen, Born in the USA Far from his best work (try Nebraska), but still capable of setting off those “fist pumping in the air” reflexes.

15 Bee Gees, Saturday Night Fever OST Silly hair, silly voices, yet somehow magnificent.

16 Guns N’ Roses, Appetite for Destruction It certainly sounds dated now; mind you, it sounded dated even then.

17 Santana, Supernatural A remarkable resurgence late in his career, but head instead for the early albums.

18 Meat Loaf, Bat out of Hell More is more.

19 Britney Spears, Baby One More Time Back when she was a singer, not an increasingly distressing news story.

20 Prince, Purple Rain Before the squiggles and record-company wrangles, he was capable of timeless genius

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article3277332.ece

mcjessica

02-03-2008, 10:31am

5 Shania Twain, Come on Over Er, actually, we’re kind of busy right now . . .

Oh look, more criticism from the industry :rolleyes:.

tonyme

02-03-2008, 10:48am

The Robin Eggar book says COO is the #2 best-selling album ever... Which source should we trust?

mcjessica

02-03-2008, 11:54am

I'm pretty sure it isn't.
Many more sources say it's between 5&7.
The albums ahead of COO seem to be the ones consistantly ahead of it too in other sources.

tonyme

02-03-2008, 12:33pm

I guess you're right Jessica... I wonder why Eggar would state such information without being 100% sure about it...

StarryShania

02-03-2008, 12:45pm

Thanks for the article. :)

dreamer

02-03-2008, 5:41pm

hmmm:dunno:

FinnFreak

02-04-2008, 8:06am

The Michigan Daily - 2/4/08

Ringo's latest is solid despite overproduction

By Matt Roney

For an album so thematically obsessed with peace and love, Liverpool 8 traveled something of a rocky road to release. Initially, the record was set to come out last June, but after a bit of a falling out between Ringo and his long-time producer Mark Hudson, the release was pushed back to January. According to one story, the two rock veterans disagreed on synthesized sounds - Ringo is apparently quite taken with them, while Hudson prefers good old bass, guitar and drums.

No offense to Ringo, but in this case, he should've listened to his producer. Though Liverpool 8 is certainly a good album, with the roots-rock feel you'd expect from a man with Ringo's background, it suffers from a bad case of overproduction. It's so slick that it can feel too canned for rock'n'roll. The most grating issue here is an odd penchant for way-too-filtered group backing vocals. This makes the otherwise fine and bluesy "Think About You" sound disturbingly like a Shania Twain single. Sometimes you just want to shake him, because, in this case, less would have been more.

Click Here To Read Full Article (http://media.www.michigandaily.com/media/storage/paper851/news/2008/02/04/Music/Ringos.Latest.Is.Solid.Despite.Overproduction-3185538.shtml)

:rolleyes: - ...there's that same old "overproduced" nonsense again... I guess Leonardo da Vinci should've used fewer brush strokes and colours too..? ...not to mention them darn motion pictures - technicolour ain't nothing compared to how studios totally sold out when they brought sound into the cinemas... *sigh*... bring back the good ol' silent black 'n' whites..!

hah.

John - :p

greek fanatic

02-04-2008, 9:13am

here we go AGAIN!:mad:
some old jealous guy bashing Shania for no reason.for years now shania has been a scapegoat like she's the worst artist ever .:rolleyes:
BUT we all know why this is happening:huh:she is the best selling female of her era and some people still haven't come to terms with that.
well,they can't turn back time and that's their problem not ours.:p:D

Troll

02-04-2008, 9:37am

Thanks John.

dreamer

02-04-2008, 12:09pm

thanks

tonyme

02-04-2008, 4:17pm

thanks for the article...

mcjessica

02-04-2008, 10:50pm

Thanks for the article.
They actually need to stop with the bashing though :rolleyes:.

FinnFreak

02-05-2008, 6:08am

Now Toronto, Canada - Monday, February 4, 2008

Pity it was Petty

By Susan G. Cole

You know you're in trouble when the Super Bowl half-time show - delivered by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - can't hold a candle to the Grey Cup's halftime blowout featuring Lenny Kravitz. Petty's snooze-worthy set looked like a sleepwalk compared to Kravitz's energized set last fall.

What were the Super Bowl suits thinking? Past performers have included legends with substance - McCartney, Michael Jackson, Prince. Even Shania Twain had more going on than Petty and company in their Matrix-reminiscent long black jackets.

After last year's incendiary performance from Prince, we got a middling songwriter, giving us his whiniest offerings. I Won't Back Down - there's an intelligent thought - typifies the dumb, macho songbook from this three-chord wonder.

And if we have to get this tired guy at all, can we at least get the song that made him a rock star. Or is the Super Bowl just too corporate to tolerate a lyric like "Everybody's got to fight to be free."

That's from Don't Have To Live Like A Refugee, a song the band didn't play at half-time and the only tune Tom Petty wrote that really matters.

http://www.nowtoronto.com/blog/view_post.cfm?post=594

:uhh: - Wow. I also appreciate Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' "Damn The Torpedoes" (1979) album - but: "middling", "whiniest offerings", "dumb, macho songbook from this three-chord wonder"..?!? :shocked:

:smirk: - Ms. Cole... you're the one who's tired: The man is a legend. :cool::up:

Here's a few Tom Petty quotes:

Young people are very cynical now, you know? Very cynical! They've been taught cynicism, they've been — they've been bred cynicism. So, I think it's important to give them hope and realism in the same package, you know? You can be realistic but there should be — there should be hope in it. Because hope's what we're about. If we don't have hope then we don't go on.

This is an emergency crisis we're in. The entertainment media is affecting everything on the planet in a very negative way. I'm only interested in rock 'n' roll. Rock 'n' roll is a music that represents truth. Your TV channel (VH1) has taken the word "rock" and knocked the "roll" off the end. You made rock this umbrella term for everything. That's wrong. Shakira isn't rock. These country artists with fur coats aren't rock - or country. I offered a video to VH1 of my band playing in the studio and they don't want to air it because it had musicians playing in it. They want some babe walking on the beach or whatever. I got turned onto this music by watching the Beatles and the Rolling Stones actually on TV playing their guitars. It completely took me over. When you can't see musicians playing any more, I'm not interested any more.

"I'll endeavor to deserve it and may I remind you that this ain't the end. I can still kick some @ss." - Tom Petty in his Billboard Century Award acceptance speech.

John - ;):up:

FinnFreak

02-05-2008, 6:17am

Toronto Star, Canada - Feb 05, 2008 04:30 AM

Fan blows lid on 'nude' Shania Twain calendar

(The Canadian Press) - A German music fan found more than he bargained for while shopping on eBay for Shania Twain collectibles.

Peter Werner got an eyeful of a racy calendar featuring his favourite artist. Someone was selling what was purported to be a calendar with photographs of Twain posing in the nude.

The photos were actually doctored so that the head of the Timmins, Ont., songstress appeared on the body of a nude model.

Werner felt the manipulated photos were degrading to Twain.

"The item was posted ... last week on eBay.de, the German branch of the worldwide online shopping and auction website," Werner said. "It has since been removed from the site."

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/300396

:sad: - *sigh* - what ever happened to respect..? :rolleyes:

:huh: - ...is it a limbo competition..? - how LOW can you go..?

REPORT the IDIOTS :up:

John - :smirk:

FinnFreak

02-05-2008, 8:00am

;)

...or, are people just generally cranky because of Super Tuesday..? :p

Timmins Daily Press, Canada - Tuesday February 5, 2008

Venter holds nose while taking taxi

Road cleanup needs better planning. On my street during the last storm, a sander went by, followed almost immediately by a plow. Shouldn't the sander follow the plow? That sand is now buried under heaps of snow.

Scrap the money-losing Shania Twain Centre, pour all we have left into the majestic McIntyre Arena, add a gallery and museum and Twain memorabilia. Have some artistic vision and preserve the only history we have left.

Before council spends thousands of dollars for sidewalks on Airport Road, they should drive along Melrose Boulevard after school. The high school kids walk on the road and don't move for traffic and they do have a sidewalk. They have no respect for traffic.

Passenger vans have been banned in the U.S. because they are unsafe. After the tragic accident in Bathurst, provinces are asked to ban them as well. We beg all parents to write letters to your principal asking for a total ban.

I guess the city is waiting for the effects of global warming to eliminate the need for snow removal. Bus routes are almost impassable, while less-travelled streets get all the attention. Buses scream past seniors and children because they are hardly visible over snowbanks.

It's 5:30 a.m. and I'm sitting on the highway stopped at a red light at the Mac arena intersection. Not a car or person anywhere in sight. Same thing at the Porcupine Mall. Why do the lights turn red with nobody around?

Can anything be done about the reek of stale cigarette smoke in some city taxis? Not a very nice welcome for visitors.

Ontario can no longer afford the ridiculous number of school boards. French public, French separate, English public, English separate, coupled with the duplication of administration at unbelievable expense. One school board, period!

All city employees make enough money, why are they taking after-hour jobs? Either you work for the city or you don't - make your choice! Retail salespeople have a tough job and not all customers are satisfied. However, when a customer gets poor and incompetent service, well we react. Find another job!

Dear Mom and Dad, please check my Facebook profile pics and wall posts from time to time. You might find out I'm not the perfect angel I appear to be.

The city must get with the times and plan for a new recreational/arts facility. It is long overdue, and should house multiple ice pads, a replacement home for the museum, a Timmins Hall of Fame, and other athletic facilities.

http://www.timminspress.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=889055

:smirk: - hmmm... it was Shania who put Timmins on my map... and I bet for a whole lot of other people too... ;)

Timmins was so nice, I've visited it twice - so, please: no smoking in the taxis. (thanks for the consideration towards us visitors) :D:up:

And I agree with the sander following the plow. There should be a law on that. Still, if one wants something done - better do it yourself.
Get involved. Get into politics. Run for parliament. People WILL vote for you. But keep the hands off the STC.

John - :p

Troll

02-05-2008, 10:26am

Thanks for the articles John.

dreamer

02-05-2008, 11:21am

thanks and i agree

Hockeystick

02-05-2008, 5:07pm

The Robin Eggar book says COO is the #2 best-selling album ever... Which source should we trust?

Worldwide or in the States?

I have seen it mentioned that way before. COO would be considered #2 if you counted it as a solo artist effort. The others ahead of COO are bands besides Michael Jackson and you'd also have to consider RIAA numbers and having double discs counted twice like Billy Joel's Greatest Hits which is ahead of COO (and Pink Floyd is counted twice). Kind of like when they say UP only sold 5.5 million in the US and not the RIAA certified 11 million for a double disc.

Confusing eh? :) I guess it's all in which source you look at.

mcjessica

02-05-2008, 6:34pm

Thanks for the article.
I hope they don't get rid of the STC.
I have to go at least once for Fancon.

Hockeystick

02-05-2008, 7:26pm

Too bad there is so much hostility with some locals of the STC.

And too many cheap shots at Shania in these articles lately. :mad:

StarryShania

02-05-2008, 7:30pm

And too many cheap shots at Shania in these articles lately. :mad:

I know. They're probably just all jealous. ;)

Hockeystick

02-05-2008, 7:31pm

I know. They're probably just all jealous. ;)

I would think most of them have to be. :D

dreamer

02-05-2008, 8:13pm

yeah:furious:

FinnFreak

02-06-2008, 9:35am

Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Saskatchewan, Canada - Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Sask. artists Juno bound

http://www.songoftheyear.com/images/2004_winner_pics/churko.gif
www.kevinchurko.com (http://www.kevinchurko.com)

By Cam Fuller

Saskatchewan is going to the Junos thanks to country, blues, rock and Joni.

Receiving nominations for the awards on March 6 are Donny Parenteau from Prince Albert, Little Miss Higgins from Nokomis, Kevin Churko originally from Moose Jaw and Joni Mitchell, who once lived in Saskatoon.

...

Churko is also up for producer of the year for the songs I Don't Wanna Stop and God Bless the Almighty Dollar from Ozzy Osbourne's album Black Rain. Osbourne is the co-producer.

Churko co-wrote the album and produced and engineered every track. He's based in the United States after spending years with Mutt Lange in Switzerland working on albums by Shania Twain, Britney Spears and the Corrs.

...

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/arts/story.html?id=2139fc85-4930-4dd7-be14-69ed426a43dc

John - ;)

Troll

02-06-2008, 10:17am

Good for him

FinnFreak

02-06-2008, 10:42am

Good for him

Looks a lot like his brother, doesn't he..? - or, is it the other way around..? :D

http://www.songoftheyear.com/images/2004_winner_pics/churko.gifhttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v78/Finn5/FinnFreakTimmins/CoryBus/fanconcory05.jpg

The Churko Brothers

John - ;)

dreamer

02-06-2008, 11:16am

wow he does

StarryShania

02-06-2008, 1:06pm

Yep they do look alike ...

tonyme

02-06-2008, 2:35pm

Thanks for the article:)

mcjessica

02-06-2008, 8:24pm

They really do look alike.

uniquestar

02-06-2008, 9:59pm

Yeah..

FinnFreak

02-07-2008, 6:55am

Pioneer Press Online, IL - February 7, 2008

Davy Jones: Don't call him an old guy

By DEBBIE BEHRENDS, Chicago Sun-Times Media Group Staff Writer

With an off-the-chart energy level after three cups of Cuban java, Davy Jones refuses to be unhappy and he refuses to be grouped with "a bunch of old guys."

Perhaps best known as the cute little Englishman of The Monkees, Jones hasn't stopped moving for long. He's performed on TV, Broadway and onstage; has written three books with a fourth one under way; and he raises and races horses. All the while he's raised four daughters and is a grandfather twice -- actually delivering his 5-year-old grandson.

"I've delivered cows, sheep, pigs, horses, cats and dogs. Why not a real baby?"

And even he can't believe he's 62.

"There must be a mistake. I've got so much more to do," he joked during a phone interview from his home in Hollywood, Fla. He also proceeded to joke about snow in Chicago while he looked out at the beach, palm trees and 72-degree weather in mid-January.

Does he keep in touch with any of those "old guys?"

Monkees business

"Yeah, I went to see them at the old actors' home in Hollywood last week. Are you kidding? I'm not hanging out with a bunch of old guys," he said.

Jones said he got a phone call from Peter Tork recently. Jones had mentioned in an interview that Tork "never really got in touch with his inner celebrity. He thanked me. I guess he thought that was a compliment."

He said Mickey Dolenz is always off doing his own thing. "He's a different kind of a guy. He's always working on the next project while we're working on this one."

He called Mike Nesmith "very aloof."

But, he said that doesn't mean he wouldn't work with them again.

Always on the move, Jones was preparing for a cruise with other '60s acts including Bill Medley and the Lovin' Spoonful. The week before, he was performing and golfing at charity benefits in Las Vegas.

After becoming virtually a household name with the popularity of The Monkees, Jones said he lost interest in performing for a while.

"I got more interested in the mid-80s after looking at all the garbage out there," he said.

Record deal

Jones says he likes a variety of music. He said the last record (yes, he used the word record) he bought was Tony Bennett doing duets with Tim McGraw, Bono, James Taylor and a wide variety of entertainers. He also likes Macy Gray and likes "to listen to the expertise of Mutt Lange and Shania Twain."

He admits he loves to perform and will work harder for an audience of 10 than 10,000. Jones said he left home at 14 and "got exactly what I asked for.

"When you become a celebrity, you become recognized, more articulate, better looking ... taller ... . And that's not always a good thing."

He said he would like to "have a sit down, a walk on the beach, a swim" with some of today's celebrities and tell them "come on, get over it.

"I'm sorry I'm happy. Happiness is the way. I get up in the morning and say I love my life," he said. "Never give up on your dreams."

http://www.pioneerlocal.com/777666,db-davyjones-020708-s1.article

John - :)

Troll

02-07-2008, 9:54am

That is neat.

mcjessica

02-07-2008, 10:39am

Cool, thanks for the article.

tonyme

02-07-2008, 1:57pm

Great:D Thanks for sharing!

Hockeystick

02-07-2008, 9:30pm

I know a guy who loves the Monkees and dislikes Shania and her voice so much. :mad:

I should share this with him. :smirk:

It might turn his world upside down hehe. :cool: :]

dreamer

02-08-2008, 1:07am

:rolleyes: thanks

mcjessica

02-09-2008, 2:29am

The bio from Jessie Farrell's website:

I know exactly what I want to do: I want to hear my music on the radio, I want to tour. I want people weaving up and down the grocery store isles to sing along to my songs. I have put every single cell of my body into this; I feel like I’ve put my recipe together, and this is my cake.

Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Jessie Farrell.

Jessie is passionate about her music, and that emotion infuses her whole musical package, whether listening to her powerfully-candid melodies or by witnessing one of her goose-pimple-inducing live performances. As the loyal fan base she has cultivated would attest to, Farrell makes the kind of imprint that keeps people interested and inspired.

In recording Nothing Fancy (604 Records/Universal Music Canada), the CD that now sits within your reach, Jessie was clearly focused on her gut instinct when it came to capturing these new songs. The result is a wonderful collection of joyful country -pop that is often attempted, but rarely successfully attained; a Dixie Chicks/Shania/Alison Kraus-esque magic that a wide variety of ages and audiences are drawn into. Mix that cross-genre appeal with Jessie’s chemistry and magnetism and you have a force to be reckoned with; radio has warmly embraced this young artist, and her live show – which includes opening slots for Tim McGraw/Faith Hill, Johnny Reid and Emerson Drive – continues to draw excitement and attention to her career.

After releasing her first, independent CD in 2002,, Jessie found an ally and fan in the form of songwriter Jim Vallance, whose music has been recorded by everyone from Tina Turner to Bryan Adams to Bonnie Raitt and beyond. “I say that I went to the school of Jim Vallance,” laughs Jessie, “because I spent a good solid year with him, working regularly and learning a lot. I wanted to make pop radio-friendly music, and to learn from somebody who obviously had some kind of ability to write strong hooks. A song from our writing sessions will appear on this new record. I’m very grateful for that opportunity.”

Nothing Fancy was recorded in a number of studios, from Vancouver’s The Armory and Nashville’s Sound Emporium to Naval bases and basement apartments. “It was about the musicians,” explains Farrell. “It was about finding them and going to where they were.” From Paul Franklin (Sting, Barbara Streisand) to Rob Hajacos (Garth Brooks, Shania Twain) and beyond, the quality of the production and performances all collectively contribute to the strength of Nothing Fancy. Farrell admits that the greatest thrill in the recording process was working with legendary producer Garth Fundis (Emmylou Harris, Alison Kraus) laying down the vocals for four of Farrell’s songs – including the infectious first single “Let’s Talk About Love” -- at his legendary Nashville recording studio. “I sang that in the room where “The Gambler” was sung! It was really magical to be in such a special place with such an amazing producer.”

Farrell was very involved in all aspects of the CD, working closely with both Fundis and the disc’s other producer, Jared Kuemper (Tegan and Sara.) “I really love pop music and wanted to do something that sounded intimate, but at the same time, wanted to make it as radio friendly as possible. We obsessed about it, and wanted to be able to compete with the big records that are out there. In the end, I truly believe we accomplished that.”

With her future bright and opportunities wide open, Farrell is very excited to take her new music out on tour, giving her the chance to interact with those who have been affected by her songs. “I love going out into the audience after a set to talk with people who have connected with my music! There’s a real interaction that goes on and it allows some form of closure at the end of the night. I don’t feel empty, I leave feeling full.”

Okay so I know it's not actually news but I thought I'd share. She's one of my favourite artists :). You should check out her myspace and give her a listen. She mentions Shania as one of her influences ;).

http://www.myspace.com/jessiefarrell

Troll

02-09-2008, 9:24am

Thanks for that

greek fanatic

02-09-2008, 6:32pm

i just did a litle research about Jessie and saw her "let's talk about love "video.
she's really good she plays guitar and she's good looking too.
thanks for the heads up.
i wonder will i be able to find her cd from a US on-line store?
i also like the fact that she's has no shame about wanting to be commercial
she's not one of those pseudo important artists.

mcjessica

02-09-2008, 6:59pm

Yeah she's awesome haha. ;)
& you should be able to.
They probably have it on amazon or something.

dreamer

02-09-2008, 7:38pm

coooool

greek fanatic

02-10-2008, 11:22am

Yeah she's awesome haha. ;)
& you should be able to.
They probably have it on amazon or something.

hey,the more i listen to her songs the more i like her,she's really good.:)
and that "let's talk about love "song it has such a great melody it makes you wanna dance.
i wish her a great career.:]

FinnFreak

02-11-2008, 2:59am

CMT.com, TN - Monday February 11 2008

CMT News

Vince Gill Wins Best Country Album Grammy

Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Eagles, Willie Nelson Among Other Winners

http://www.cmt.com/sitewide/assets/img/events/2008/grammys/show/vince_gill_02-280x210.jpg
Ringo Starr and Vince Gill

By: Calvin Gilbert

Accepting his best country album award for These Days, Vince Gill delivered the funniest line at Sunday night's (Feb. 10) Grammy Awards when he said, "I just got an award presented to me by a Beatle. Have you had that happen yet, Kanye?"

Even Kanye West seemed amused by Gill's joke. By that point in the awards show, West had already won several Grammys, including best rap album for Graduation.

In addition to Gill, other winners in country-related categories included Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, the Eagles, Ricky Skaggs and the Whites, Willie Nelson and Ray Price, Alison Krauss and Robert Plant, Jim Lauderdale and Steve Earle.

Gill's award was presented by Ringo Starr and British singer-songwriter Dave Stewart, best known for his work in the Eurythmics. These Days is a four-CD set of original songs that Gill recorded in a variety of country, rock, pop and bluegrass styles. It's his 19th Grammy.

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20080211/i/r3711108983.jpg

Carrie Underwood followed soon thereafter with "Before He Cheats." Clad in thigh-high boots and a short black jumpsuit, Underwood seemed to be taking a fashion cue from Shania Twain.

Read The Complete Article Here (http://www.cmt.com/news/articles/1581299/20080211/gill_vince.jhtml)

John - ;)

FinnFreak

02-11-2008, 7:47am

Kirkland Lake Northern Daily News, Canada - Monday, February 11, 2008

Town approves $15,000 HHN marketing initiative

Posted By Rick Owen

Despite the fact it isn't budget deliberations time Kirkland Lake council approved an expenditure of $15,000 so Hockey Heritage North can take part in ONE Attractions a $666,875 marketing and promotion strategy.

The money needed to be approved so the application process for the bulk of the $666,875 could proceed with the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation and FedNor.

ONE Attractions stands for Ontario North East Attractions and in addition to Hockey Heritage North and Town of Kirkland it is partnered with The City of Timmins and the Shania Twain Centre and Underground Mine Tour, Town of Cochrane and the Polar Bear Habitat and the ONTC and the Polar Bear Express.

Director of Corporate Affairs don Studholme explained that about a year ago the town got together with the other attractions who also had concerns about the cost of operating their facilities. He continued that they are trying to attract more people and put a working group together to do this.

The money that the town is putting into the project along with the money being put in by its partner municipalities and the senior levels of funding will be used to promote ONE Attractions. This involves developing a three-year marketing plan, brand development, signage, a trade show booth and printing.

The largest puck is included in this as a signage tool.

To date the project has received NOHFC approval and the working group is waiting for FedNor approval. FedNor is the agency that requested the commitment from the partners. The two senior levels of funding will account for 90 percent of the cost of the project.

Studholme believes the town's investment "will payoff big time."

http://www.northernnews.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=897775

John - :)

shania megafan

02-11-2008, 8:40am

Avril Lavigne:

I'm the one with the stalkers. I get these weirdo, crazy guys. There are a lot of AVRIL MARRY ME! signs. I've had fans tatoo my face on them, or get the same tatoos I have, I've had women tell me they named their daughters after me, which is kind of weird, because I think people will hear their name and totally think of me. If someone were named Shania, I'd think, Shania Twain.

- Maxim, March 2008

FinnFreak

02-11-2008, 8:53am

:shocked: - Some logical thinking there... Avril is smarter than the image she portrays..? heh.

John - :p

Troll

02-11-2008, 9:39am

Thanks for articles.

Troll

02-11-2008, 9:39am

Carrie Underwood channeled her inner Shania Twain walking down stairs in her stilettos and short-shorts singing “Before He Cheats.” Although not the biggest country fan, the American Idol champion blew off the doors of the Stapes Center with her voice.

http://www.sheknows.com/articles/entertainment/802566-Grammys-rock-the-Winehouse.htm

dreamer

02-11-2008, 10:24am

thanks

tonyme

02-11-2008, 1:16pm

Thanks for the articles. It's kinda weird seeing Carrie take Shania's place in country music fans' hearts

mcjessica

02-11-2008, 1:44pm

Thanks for the articles.

dreamer

02-12-2008, 12:00am

Thanks for the articles. It's kinda weird seeing Carrie take Shania's place in country music fans' hearts

NEVER:scowl::scowl::scowl::scowl::scowl:
cARRIE isn't 1/10000000000000000 as good as Shania

FinnFreak

02-12-2008, 2:41am

Carrie who..? - This is NOT some contest.

John - :p

FinnFreak

02-12-2008, 9:31am

;)

The Sudbury Star - Local News - Tuesday, February 12, 2008

What was city council thinking?

By Denis St. Pierre

There are public relations fiascos and there are political misjudgments.

And then there's this. This one is a doozie, folks. This one could be added to the 'how-not-to-alienate-voters-and-risk-your-reputation-on-a-petty-perk' section of the Politics 101 handbook.

This one begs a whole lot of questions, such as:

How could our illustrious mayor and councillors not see this coming? How could they not have recognized the depth of their miscalculation? Or that it would be perceived by constituents as a most-unseemly example of a politician's sense of entitlement?

Four days after The Star broke the story, public indignation over Ticket Gate shows little sign of subsiding.

Since we reported that council quietly gave itself first crack at scores of tickets to the March 2 Elton John concert, the controversy has prompted the largest and fiercest response by The Star's readers in a long time.

"It is appalling to me the preferential treatment our city 'leaders' are giving themselves," writes Kelly Wilson.

"We should be outraged at the secret deal the mayor and council made to get advance tickets to the Elton John concert," says Ron Martin. "I respectfully suggest that the politicians who participated in this fraud should return their tickets and that they be offered up for sale to the public," says an angry Marion Roberts.

"For me and all the others in this city, it is our elected officials saying they are better than us and therefore ethics and morals don't apply to them. I am beyond angry," writes Shawn Donohoe.

"I cannot believe that officials would stand by their word that no tickets were made available, which we all knew was a lie, and now the inevitable truth comes out," says Cynthia Fairbairn.

And neither last nor least, Greg Lee wrote to all city councillors Monday: "You shame your office by this blatant personal gain by use of your office."

On and on it goes. And perhaps the most-surprising aspect of this scandal is that it was entirely predictable and, therefore, preventable.

Sure, hindsight is 20/20. But even 20/100 political foresight should have been enough to see this was a faux pas in the making.

First of all, it was a given that the Elton John tickets would be next-to-impossible to come by - at least for the average schmuck on the street. Literally, tens of thousands of would-be buyers were rebuffed in an online free-for-all that took only 45 minutes to sell out more than 6,000 tickets.

But somehow, the mayor and councillors not only decided it was appropriate to jump the queue, they also thought it proper to snag more than a dozen tickets each, in some cases.

You read that right, folks. One councillor purchased 13 tickets, while another is reported to have taken even more, but this councillor ain't talking about it, yet. Initially, the mayor and councillors each had the opportunity to buy eight tickets. They were later allowed to make additional purchases after some councillors opted not to buy all eight tickets at their disposal.

To make matters worse, even after this secret queue-jumping occurred, a city manager repeatedly told the disgruntled hordes of empty-handed fans that no such preferential treatment had been accorded anyone. No way, no how.

Once the cat was out of the bag, just about everybody ran for cover. Some councillors still refuse to discuss the matter with reporters or their constituents.

The Star has twice contacted the entire council to inquire about the volume of their ticket purchases, yet more than half of our elected worthies have failed to respond. The Silent Seven list consists of: Joe Cimino (Ward 1), Jacques Barbeau (Ward 2), Ron Dupuis (Ward 5), Russ Thompson (Ward 7), Doug Craig (Ward 9), Frances Caldarelli (Ward 10) and Janet Gasparini (Ward 11).

A highly placed and well-informed source at the city has told The Star that Gasparini purchased the most tickets of any councillor.

The councillor has to date refused to confirm or deny the report.

Other sources reported a bit of a scene last weekend at a city restaurant involving Coun. Russ Thompson.

Thompson was standing in line, waiting for a table, when a taxpayer had the temerity to ask how many tickets he had purchased for next month's concert. Thompson angrily retorted that the number of tickets he bought was nobody's business, then he stormed out of the restaurant, sources said.

Thompson refused The Star's request Monday for a comment on the incident.

To their credit, Mayor John Rodriguez (10 tickets) and a few councillors - Claude Berthiaume (seven tickets), Andr‚ Rivest (two), Ted Callaghan (eight) - responded almost immediately to The Star's inquiries last week regarding Ticket Gate. Councillors Evelyn Dutrisac (13) and Joscelyne Landry-Altmann (three) responded Monday. Ironically, it is Rivest - often regarded by some of his colleagues as anything but - who appears to have been the most-restrained and savvy of the bunch by taking only two tickets.

Meanwhile, few citizens appear to be accepting the position adopted by the city's leadership to justify the advance ticket purchases.

As the hard-working "board of directors" of a large municipal corporation that has secured the Elton John concert, it's only fair that city council receive such a benefit, Rodriguez said.

What's more, such a practice has been in place for a long time in Sudbury, as well as other municipalities, says Mark Mieto, the city's chief administrative officer.

That comes as a surprise to a former city councillor and a former high-ranking official in the mayor's office.

In fact, such preferential treatment was debated and rejected by council a decade ago, when some politicians wanted first crack at Shania Twain tickets, says former councillor Mike Petryna.

"When Shania Twain came to Sudbury (in 1998) the subject came up if council and staff could get tickets before anyone else," Petryna recalls.

After considering the obvious pitfalls of such a decision - the ones we're witnessing now - the majority of councillors decided against a me-first policy, he says.

That also was the case as recently as 2006, says Paul Demers, who was principal advisor to Mayor David Courtemanche during the previous term of council.

"As an employee for three years in the mayor's office, never, never was there such a policy," says Demers. "So, I find it a little bizarre that suddenly, when Elton John comes into town, there's a policy that allows the 'board of directors' of the corporation to access tickets before everyone else."

Also on Monday, The Star was able to get an updated figure on the number of tickets that were set aside prior to the public sale.

There were 104 tickets reserved for council (13 council members multiplied by eight tickets each), as well as 120 for city employees who work at the arena, for a total of nearly 224. Employees who work at the arena, including part-timers, have long had the option to buy two event tickets each as a perk of their employment, Mieto said.

However, no tickets were set aside for senior managers, or any other city employees, he said.

Furthermore, there were 192 tickets set aside for holders of box seats, as part of a long-term arena agreement negotiated between the city and the Sudbury Wolves hockey club, Mieto noted. That arrangement, at least, was publicly known before the concert tickets went on sale.

The City Hall column runs Tuesdays. You can reach Denis St. Pierre at 674- 5271, ext. 235, or by e-mail at dstpierre@thesudburystar.com.

http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=898449

Mieto - now there's a fine Finnish name... heh.

John - :p

Troll

02-12-2008, 10:15am

Thanks John.

Hockeystick

02-12-2008, 11:06am

Carrie can try to emulate, but she will never duplicate. :D

dreamer

02-12-2008, 11:24am

yep!!!!

mcjessica

02-12-2008, 11:27am

Carrie can try to emulate, but she will never duplicate. :D

haha exactly. ;)

Troll

02-12-2008, 2:04pm

Carrie can try to emulate, but she will never duplicate. :D

You got that right.

StarryShania

02-12-2008, 4:58pm

Carrie can try to emulate, but she will never duplicate. :D

Never. :D

FinnFreak

02-14-2008, 4:07am

23/6 - Some Of The News / Most Of The Time - Thu, Feb 14, 2008

What You'll Find in Karl Rove's Dressing Room

By Lauren Kirchner

From: Traci@RoveStaff.gov
To: all@foxnews.com
Subject: Karl Rove Dressing Room Rider
Importance: High

We look forward to a successful visit to Fox News (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/04/karl-rove-goes-to-fox-th_n_84917.html) for Tuesday's Potomac Primary coverage. The following instructions will ensure a smooth evening for all at Team Rove!!!

Mr. Rove's dressing room must be soundproofed, lit by a single light bulb hung from the ceiling, with the temp set to 45 degrees. The following items are REQUIRED upon his arrival:

Pumpkin pie filling (6 cans)
Bowl of water chestnuts, cooked
Bowl of creamed corn, uncooked
One can Old Bay Seasoning
One salt lick
Extra Blackberry charger
Refill for his sweat meds
Box of various eyeglasses, all with Mr. Rove's correct prescription
A stereo (American-made, please!), turned on and playing Ace of Base Greatest Hits CD as he arrives
Two pairs of brass knuckles
Poster of Shania Twain with Mr. Rove photoshopped into it
Pope hat (just to try on)
Photograph of the president, taped to Mr. Rove's mirror at eye-level
Liberty-Bell or eagle-themed boxers (4 pair)
Brand new 160GB video iPod
A portrait painter, just in case he wants his portrait painted.
A guy who beatboxes
Brooke Shields (has always wanted to meet her)

Special instructions:

Please address Mr. Rove as Your Honor, and tell him frequently that he has strong-looking hands. It should go without saying that eye contact is forbidden?! While Mr. Rove is on air with Mr. Wallace, his coffee mug must be filled with Long Island iced tea (recipe attached), and refilled throughout the evening without his having to ask. In addition to a (red) ballpoint pen & scratch pad (of NON-recycled paper), he will require a can of mace, just to hold onto. Also, please inform the studio engineer that, while Mr. Rove is on camera, the news ticker at the bottom of the screen must not use any words containing the letter "S," as Mr. Rove believes that the letter "S" looks feminine.

Call with questions. Thanks!!!!

-Traci

http://www.236.com/blog/w/lauren_kirchner/what_youll_find_in_karl_roves_4374.php

John - :p