Paul McCartney, Tony Bennett, Coldplay, Foo Fighters to Perform @ MusiCares Person of the Year Event
February 1st, 2012
When Paul McCartney is honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year during Grammy week next Friday night, hell be the biggest name in an otherwise stellar lineup of performers. In addition to a special McCartney performance to highlight the night, multiple-Grammy Award winners Tony Bennett, Coldplay, Foo Fighters, Norah Jones, Alicia Keys, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, and current Grammy nominee Katy Perry will all perform at the event, which will be hosted by British comedian Eddie Izzard.
More at Tony Bennett, Coldplay, Foo Fighters to Perform @ MusiCares Person of the Year Event | Billboard.biz.
Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles Records Classic for Pepsi MAX Commercial on Super Bowl XLVI : Sugarland
January 31st, 2012
Jennifer Nettles has paired with Pepsi MAX for a commercial spot during this Sunday’s Super Bowl XLVI! The commercial showcases Jennifer singing the Hank Williams classic “Your Cheatin Heart” while a Coke Zero driver hopes to quickly pay for a delicious Pepsi MAX without anybody noticing. Unfortunately for him, the transaction doesnt go as planned and he wins free Pepsi MAX for life!
Look for the commercial during Super Bowl XLVI this Sunday at 6:30ET on NBC. You can watch it by clicking the link below!
via Jennifer Records Pepsi MAX Commercial For Super Bowl XLVI : Sugarland.
Songwriters: Protecting Your Cellphone Against Hackers Could Be Crucial for Song Protection
January 27th, 2012
We frequently hear from songwriters that they’re highly fearful of their music being stolen. If you fall in that category, now there’s another worry. Your smartphone. We all know about being careful about the websites we visit, the emails we open and links we click, but the dangers of losing data to a smartphone hacker is fairly new. The New York times brings it to our attention in a new tech article as follows:
Chuck Bokath would be terrifying if he were not such a nice guy. A jovial senior engineer at the Georgia Tech Research Institute in Atlanta, Mr. Bokath can hack into your cellphone just by dialing the number. He can remotely listen to your calls, read your text messages, snap pictures with your phone’s camera and track your movements around town — not to mention access the password to your online bank account.
As cellphones have gotten smarter, they have become less like phones and more like computers, and thus susceptible to hacking. But unlike desktop or even most laptop computers, cellphones are almost always on hand, and are often loaded with even more personal information. So an undefended or carelessly operated phone can result in a breathtaking invasion of individual privacy as well as the potential for data corruption and outright theft.
Read more via Protecting a Cellphone Against Hackers – NYTimes.com.
Dumb Rules Eliminate Top Artists/Writers From Oscars
January 25th, 2012
It’s unimaginable how the artists people really want to see and hear have been eliminated from the Academy Awards this year. If a major audience is any part of the show’s goals, then this is a major shot in the foot. As the LA Times puts it,
“The consolation for Elton John, Lady Gaga, Mary J. Blige, Elvis Costello, Willie Nelson, Brad Paisley, Chris Cornell, Zooey Deschanel and other superstar pop, rock and country musicians who got snubbed in the best song Academy Award nominations announced Tuesday is that they’re in pretty stellar company.
With just two songs earning nominations —“Man or Muppet” from “The Muppets” and “Real in Rio” from “Rio” — the list of also-rans includes a bounty of heavyweight performers and songwriters.
via Elton John, Lady Gaga among pop stars snubbed in Oscar best song category – latimes.com.
Academy of Country Music to Announce Nominees for the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards Via First-Ever Digital Press Conference
January 24th, 2012
ENCINO, Calif., Jan. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ –
WHAT: The first-ever ACM digital press conference, hosted by the Academy of Country Music, CBS Television and dick clark productions via ACM social media channels, to announce the nominees for the 47th ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, Country Music’s Party of the Year® to be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 1, 2012 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network.
WHO: Superstar and Academy of Country Music Awards co-host REBA will participate leading up to the event, with more VIP SURPRISE GUESTS to announce categories via videos posted in real time to fans and media simultaneously. The press conference will culminate with country music FANS announcing the nominees for Entertainer of the Year (see below).
WHEN: Thursday, January 26th, 2012
6:30 AM PST Nominations announced via social media followed by a press release posted on the Academy's newly
www.ACMcountry.com ALL DAY Nominee reaction videos will be posted throughout the day!