Contrary to earlier reports, Whitney Houston's latest trip to rehab was not voluntary. People magazine reports that a spokesperson for the Fulton County Sheriff's Office in Georgia said the pop diva was taken to a clinic because they received an order from the county probate court. No further details have been released.
Mariah Carey's much-anticipated new album, The Emancipation of Mimi, was released on April 12. Streets surrounding New York's Times Square were shut down that morning while Carey performed on ABC's Good Morning America. The album's first single, "It's Like That" fell to Number 30 on this week's Hot 100 chart. A second single, "We Belong Together," makes its debut on the same chart this week at Number 81.
Britney Spears and her husband Kevin Federline will star in a UPN reality show. The six-episode series will document the newlyweds' courtship, engagement and wedding. Spears released a statement that said, "I feel that last year the tabloids ran my life and I am really excited about showing my fans what really happened rather than all the stories, which have been misconstrued by journalists in the past."
Legendary rocker Neil Young was treated for a brain aneurysm on March 29. Following his performance at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions in New York on March 14, he began experiencing blurred vision. An MRI scan detected the aneurysm and doctors treated Young with "minimally invasive neuroradiology." Young's agent said in a statement, "The procedure corrected the problem and has been characterized as a complete success with a total recovery." The 59-year-old singer is out of the hospital and continuing his recovery in New York.
On April 12, Lost Highway Records will release Willie Nelson's Songs for Tsunami Relief: Austin to South Asia on CD and DVD. Willie recorded the charity concert in Austin, Texas on January 9. The event raised $130,000 for tsunami relief in Southeast Asia. Proceeds from sales of the CD and DVD will also go to tsunami relief and rebuilding efforts in that region.
MUSICAL EVENTS/FESTIVALS/BENEFITS:
VH1 will hold its 2005 Save The Music benefit concert on April 11 at New York's Beacon Theater. This year's performers include Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, Rod Stewart, Joss Stone, John Legend and Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20. The show will raise money for music programs in America's public schools. VH1 will air the concert on April 17.
Some of Country music's biggest stars will take part in the Country Thunder USA festival in Florence, Arizona, which takes place April 14-17. They include LeAnn Rimes, Brooks & Dunn, Rascal Flatts, Big & Rich and Blake Shelton. The event is expected to draw more than 150,000 Country fans.
AWARDS PRESENTATIONS/WINNERS:
Avril Lavigne was the top winner at the 2005 Juno Awards, Canada's equivalent of the Grammys. Her three wins included Artist of the Year, Pop Album of the Year for Under My Skin and the Juno Fan Choice Award. Punk rock group Billy Talent was a double winner, taking home the Album of the Year trophy for its self-titled debut, as well as the Group of the Year honor. Rock singer-songwriter Feist also won two awards. She was named New Artist of the Year and won the Alternative Album of the Year award for her second solo CD, Let It Die. The International Album of the Year award went to the California-based modern rock band Green Day for "American Idiot." Complete list of winners at www.juno-awards.ca.
On April 11, the CMT 2005 Music Awards were presented in Nashville. Toby Keith and Kenny Chesney were the top nominees for the fan-voted video awards. They each received five nominations, including Male Video of the Year, which Kenny Chesney won, Hottest Video of the Year, which Toby Keith won, and Video of the Year, which Keith Urban won. Other multiple nominees included Gretchen Wilson, Tim McGraw and Big & Rich with four mentions. Close behind were Alison Krauss and Brad Paisley, who received three nominations for the video to their duet "Whiskey Lullaby." During the ceremony, Loretta Lynn was presented with the CMT Johnny Cash Visionary Award for her influence and contributions to American music. Previous recipients include Johnny Cash, the Dixie Chicks and Reba McEntire. Comedian Jeff Foxworthy will host the CMT Music Awards ceremony.
The 36th annual GMA (Gospel Music Association) Awards, previously known as the Dove Awards, will be handed out on April 13 at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry House. Michael W. Smith leads this year's contenders with eight nominations, including Artist of the Year, Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year for Healing Rain and Song of the Year for the album's title track. Other frontrunners include gospel rock band Casting Crowns with seven mentions, sibling Southern gospel group the Crabb Family with six nominations and Israel Houghton, Switchfoot, MercyMe and Matthew West, with five nods apiece.
TOUR DATES AND INFORMATION:
On April 15, Matchbox 20 lead singer Rob Thomas will begin a brief solo club tour in support of his new album Something To Be. The outing begins in San Francisco and is scheduled to wrap up in Washington, D.C. on April 30. Thomas' first hit from his solo debut is a track called "Lonely No More." The week ending April 16, the single climbs to Number 13 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart.
Rappers Snoop Dogg and the Game will begin their "How the West Was One" tour on April 15 in West Valley City, Utah. The Game will be promoting his debut album The Documentary, which is approaching the two million mark in sales. Snoop Dogg will support his latest million-selling studio project R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece. They're scheduled to perform in 30 North American cities through May 29.
On April 15, Country stars Brad Paisley and Reba McEntire will kick off their 25-city co-headlining "Two Hats and a Redhead Tour" in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Joe Nichols will open the first three shows and award-winning Canadian Country singer Terri Clark will be the special guest on the rest of the tour. Reba has long been associated with the Habitat For Humanity charity. One dollar from each ticket sold will go to support the organization, which works to eradicate substandard housing.
