Lil Wayne's manager, Cortez Bryant, has announced his plan to release a new EP by the jailed rapper. Bryant told Vibe.com, "I'm putting out an album called 'I'm Not A Human Being' and I'll probably drop it on his birthday, September 27." He added that the collection would first be released online and possibly in stores in time for the Christmas holidays. Lil Wayne is serving a one-year prison sentence for a 2007 weapons charge.
Michael Jackson's Tomb Defaced
Vandals recently defaced Michael Jackson's tomb at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California. Some fans wrote tributes with permanent ink markers. Members of the Official Michael Jackson Fans of Southern California have offered to clean the markings so fans won't be banned from visiting his resting place.
Underwood Enjoys Tahitian Honeymoon
Country star Carrie Underwood married professional hockey player Mike Fisher on July 10. The ceremony took place at a plantation in Greensboro, Georgia. The couple was later spotted honeymooning on the Pacific island of Tahiti. Carrie is taking the next few months off from touring to spend time with her new husband. Her fall concert tour begins on September 25.
Boyle Launches 'Susan's Search' Contest
Scottish singer Susan Boyle has launched the contest "Susan's Search" to give a newcomer the chance to record a duet with her. The 2009 winner of "Britain's Got Talent" invited interested singers to upload a video of themselves performing "Silent Night" to her YouTube page. The winner's duet with Boyle will appear on her upcoming second album. In a video posted on her official website, Susan said, "When I did 'Britain's Got Talent,' I was given a chance by Simon Cowell to show what I could do. 'Susan's Search' is about giving other people an opportunity. It's about letting them live the dream that they have always wanted to do."
Roy Rogers' Horse's Remains Fetch Over $200,000 at Auction
The preserved remains of Roy Rogers' horse Trigger sold for more than $266,000 at Christie's auction house in New York. A television station in Omaha, Nebraska bought the stuffed horse. Hundreds of other items from the now-closed Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum in Branson, Missouri were also up for auction. They included the late film cowboy's 1964 Bonneville convertible, the preserved remains of his dog Bullet, the Rogers family dining table, hand-drawn music for his signature song "Happy Trails," guitars and 60 pairs of cowboy boots.
Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Album to be Sold at Wal-Mart Exclusively
Randy Houser, the Eli Young Band, Jamey Johnson and Uncle Kracker are among the artists featured on the new album, "Sweet Home Alabama - The Country Music Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd." The tribute will be released on July 20 exclusively through Wal-Mart. Lynyrd Skynyrd's lead singer, Johnny Van Zant, told Billboard.com, "It gives me great pleasure, because they're doing older stuff…my brother (Ronnie Van Zant) wrote while he was still alive. People still love that stuff. They did what he did. He was a poet for the common people, and it's always great when other people are interested enough to re-do the songs."
New Album Releases July 20:
"Jonas L.A." by The Jonas Brothers
"Body" by Jamie Foxx
"100 Miles From Memphis" by Sheryl Crow
"Jazzmasters VI" by Paul Hardcastle
"Rocksteady" by Big Head Todd & The Monsters
Musical Events/Festivals/Benefits:
Faith Hill and Tim McGraw's June 22 "Nashville Rising" benefit concert raised $2.2 million for flood relief in Tennessee. Other performers at the event included Miley Cyrus and her father Billy Ray Cyrus, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, LeAnn Rimes, Miranda Lambert, Taylor Swift, Toby Keith, ZZ Top, Luke Bryan, Michael W. Smith and Jason Aldean. Nashville sustained over $2 billion in damage from the May floods.
Twin Lakes, Wisconsin will host the second 2010 Country Thunder festival July 22-25. The first took place in Florence, Arizona April 14-17. Appearing in Wisconsin are Kenny Chesney, Sugarland, Billy Currington, Jo Dee Messina, Jason Aldean, and Kevin Costner and his band Modern West, among others.
The 2010 HullabaLOU music festival will be held July 23-25 at the Louisville, Kentucky Churchill Downs racetrack. Headliners include Bon Jovi, Kenny Chesney and the Dave Matthews Band. More than 65 artists from pop, classic rock, bluegrass and Country music will perform at the three-day event.
