Entertainment News:
Keyboardist Ray Manzarek of The Doors dies at age 74
By Eric Kelsey LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Ray Manzarek, a founding member and keyboardist of 1960s rock group The Doors, died on Monday at a medical clinic in Germany at age 74 following a battle with cancer, the group's manager Tom Vitorino said. Manzarek, who lived in Northern California's Napa Valley wine country for the past decade, had been seeking treatment in Germany for bile duct cancer, Vitorino said. He died in Rosenheim, Germany, surrounded by his wife and brothers. ...
Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift big winners at Billboard Awards
(Reuters) - Pop stars Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift won the big prizes on Sunday at the Billboard Music Awards, which also honored legendary performers Madonna and Prince. Bieber, who was named top male artist, also performed at the show at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. He also took home Billboard's first Milestone Award, chosen by fans, for musical innovation and ingenuity. "I'm 19 years old. I think I'm doing a pretty good job, Bieber said. "It should really be about the music. This is not a gimmick. I'm an artist and I should be taken seriously. ...
Conductor Gilbert fights 'Bolero effect' - in a car factory
By Michael Roddy DRESDEN, Germany (Reuters) - A concert in a car factory using parts of a luxury sedan as percussion instruments is one thing, but a Volkswagen suspended above the New York Philharmonic creates another level of musical drama entirely. The NYPO under its first native New York music director, Alan Gilbert, showed during two concerts this week at the Dresden Music Festival in central Germany why the 46-year-old conductor has a reputation for brushing off the cobwebs at one of America's most distinguished orchestras. ...
Cee Lo Green, Miley Cyrus, Hayden Panettiere to present at Billboard Music Awards
By Tim Kenneally LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Past (and future) "Voice" coach Cee Lo Green will be on hand to dole out a trophy at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards, along with a slew of other presenters that includes Celine Dion, Kelly Rowland, Hayden Panettiere, Kid Rock, Chloe Grace Moretz and Miley Cyrus. The presenters will also include Shania Twain, Ke$ha, Carly Rae Jepsen, Alyssa Milano, Jenny McCarthy, Emmy Rossum, Stana Katic, Gabriel Mann, Jennifer Nettles, Psy, Sky Blu, Jennifer Morrison, Florida Georgia Line, Wiz Khalifa and Alanis Morissette. ...
Why YouTube cover sensation Sam Tsui turned down record labels for his debut album
By Lucas Shaw NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - Michael Jackson landed Sam Tsui on Oprah, but now Tsui must rely on someone else's music - his own. A 24-year-old Pennsylvania native, Tsui blossomed into one of the most popular cover artists on YouTube while at Yale, covering everyone from Jackson to Britney Spears to Adele. His channel amassed more than 500,000 subscribers with the help of childhood friend and producer Kurt Schneider, who helped deliver Tsui's covers and mash-ups to millions of fans. ...
Singer George Michael gets medical treatment after car crash
LONDON (Reuters) - British singer George Michael has received medical treatment after a car crash on Thursday, his publicist said. The 49-year-old former Wham! frontman was being treated for "minor cuts and bruises" after the accident, Michael's spokeswoman said. "George Michael was a passenger in a vehicle involved in a traffic accident yesterday evening, no third party was involved," a spokeswoman said on Friday. "He is being treated for superficial cuts and bruises but is fine." British media reported that the accident occurred just outside London on a motorway during rush hour. ...
Beatles' guitar auctioned to the tune of $408,000
By Alex Dobuzinskis LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A custom-made electric guitar played by the late John Lennon and George Harrison of the Beatles sold at a New York auction on Saturday for $408,000, said officials with the company behind the event. The semi-hollow-body guitar, manufactured by the VOX company, was sold to an unidentified U.S. buyer at the "Music Icons" event organized by Beverly Hills, California-based Julien's Auctions and held at the Hard Rock Cafe in Manhattan. ...
Denmark's Emmelie de Forest wins Eurovision Song Contest
MALMO, Sweden (Reuters) - Denmark won the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday before an international TV audience of around 125 million, winning with the annual competition with a barefoot performance backed by flutes and drums. The 20-year-old won with the song "Only Teardrops", competing against 25 other countries in a final held in Malmo in southern Sweden. (Reporting by Mia Shanley)
