A judge in the Britney Spears/Kevin Federline custody battle suspended all of Britney's visitation rights after the pop star neglected to follow through on court orders. She's required to undergo weekly drug tests and attend parenting classes. Just a week ago, Britney appeared in court and was given monitored day visits and one overnight stay each week with her two sons. She's scheduled to be back in court on October 26.
On October 18, reggae star Lucky Dube was shot and killed in Johannesburg, South Africa. He was the victim of an apparent carjacking. According to police reports, the 43-year-old singer attempted to drive away, but succumbed to his injuries and crashed his car into another vehicle and a tree. Dube launched his career in 1982 with the release of a Zulu music album. Three years later, he switched to recording reggae music. His biggest hits include "Together As One," "Prisoner" and "Taxman." South Africa is known for having one of the highest crime rates in the world. During the past year, the country reported close to 20,000 murders, and statistics show one in three residents have been robbed.
Kid Rock earned his first Number One debut on the Billboard 200 chart with his latest release "Rock 'N Roll Jesus." In other news, Kid Rock and his long-time manager Ed Andrews have ended their working relationship. The split was said to be amicable. Kid Rock is now signed to Ken Levitan's Nashville-based company, Vector Management.
On October 23, New West Records will release Dwight Sings Buck, Dwight Yoakam's tribute to the late Buck Owens. Yoakam says, "After his death, it was the clearest way I could express my love for him and acknowledge the depth of our friendship." A portion of the proceeds from sales of the album will go to the Buck Owens American Music Foundation, which is devoted to preserving the Bakersfield sound. In 1988, Buck and Dwight re-recorded Owens' "Streets Of Bakersfield." Their duet version climbed to Number One on the Country chart. Buck died at age 76 in March 2006.
The artist lineup has been announced for the December 11 Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway. This year's entertainment includes performances by Melissa Etheridge, Annie Lennox, Alicia Keys, Juanes, K.T. Tunstall and Earth, Wind & Fire. The 2007 Peace Prize winner is former Vice President Al Gore and the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
NEW ALBUM RELEASES
New albums scheduled for release on October 23 include: "Carnival Ride" by Carrie Underwood, "See The Light" by Bo Bice, "Let It Snow, Baby…Let It Reindeer" by Relient K, "This Moment" by Steven Curtis Chapman, "Living Hard" by Gary Allan, "Finding Beauty In Negative Spaces" by Seether, "Raising Sand" by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, "Back To Front" by The Temptations and "Welcome To My Living Room" by Carole King (DVD of her 2005 concert, which took place at her Southern California home).
MUSICAL EVENTS/FESTIVALS/BENEFITS
On October 27, the inaugural Girlfrenzy Music Festival will take place in Irvine, California. Headliners include Avril Lavigne, Fiona Apple and Sheryl Crow. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and St. Jude Children's Hospital.
The 2007 Voodoo Music Festival will be held in New Orleans' City Park October 26-28. On the bill are Rage Against the Machine, the Smashing Pumpkins, Dr. John, Fall Out Boy, Wilco, Plain White T's, and more than one hundred other regional and national acts
.The 21st annual Bridge School Concerts will take place October 27 and 28 just outside of San Francisco, California. Joining Bridge School founder Neil Young are John Mayer, Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, Tom Waits, Metallica, Tegan and Sara and Jerry Lee Lewis. The Bridge School, which benefits from the annual concerts, is for children with physical and speech problems.
TOUR DATES AND INFORMATION
2006 American Idol finalist Bucky Covington and Country newcomer Jason Michael Carroll will co-headline the "Raisin' the Bar" tour, which begins in Corpus Christi, Texas on October 25. Appearing as a special guest on the 19-date outing is Cole Deggs & The Lonesome, a five-man-band whose self-titled debut album was released earlier this year.
On October 26, John Mellencamp will kick off a 22-city U.S. tour in support of his new album, Freedom's Road. Shows begin in Terre Haute, Indiana and wrap up on December 15 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.