Lil Wayne

Rapper Lil Wayne has become the first artist in three years to sell more than one million albums in a week.  His new CD, Tha Carter III, sold 423,000 copies its first day of release.  First week sales reached 1.01 million copies.  The last artist to achieve that feat was 50 Cent, who sold a little more than 1.1 million copies of  Massacre its first week of release in 2005.  According to Billboard, the debut single from Lil Wayne's new album has sold 2.14 million digital downloads.  "Lollipop" also spent four weeks at Number One on the Hot 100 chart.

Deborah Harry, lead singer of Blondie

Blondie is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its breakthrough album Parallel Lines.  The album sold more than 20 million copies worldwide and included the hits "Heart of Glass" and "One Way or Another."  On June 24, an expanded version of  Parallel Lines will be released.  The anniversary edition includes a DVD with videos and television performances.  Earlier this month, Blondie kicked of a U.S. concert tour.

Nelson Mandela

On June 27, "The 46664 Concert Honoring Nelson Mandela at 90" will take place at London's Hyde Park.  Among the many artists taking part in the concert are Leona Lewis, Amy Winehouse, Annie Lennox, Queen + Paul Rodgers and Simple Minds.  VH1 will tape the event for broadcast as a two-hour special on June 30.  Nelson Mandela will turn 90 years old on July 18.

Jamie Lynn Spears (file photo)

Britney Spears' younger sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, delivered a baby girl in a Mississipppi hospital on June 19.  She and fiancé Casey Aldridge named their daughter Maddie Briann.  The day before Maddie's birth, Jamie Lynn's father, her brother Bryan and Britney all flew from California to the Spears home in Louisiana to be with Jamie Lynn.

The original members of the 1980s funk group The Time will reunite on June 24 to begin a series of shows at The Flamingo in Las Vegas.  According to the band's publicist, this marks the first time in nearly 20 years that original members Morris Day, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, Jesse Johnson, Jerome Benton, Jellybean Johnson and Monte Moir have performed in concert.  The Time's R&B hits include "777-9311," "Jungle Love" and "Jerk Out."


NEW ALBUM RELEASES

New albums scheduled for release on June 24 include: "Brass Knuckles" by Nelly, "Tales From The Beach" by Incognito, "Duchess" by Deborah Bonham (younger sister of Led Zeppelin's late drummer John Bonham), "Delta" by Delta Goodrem, "Saints of Los Angeles" by Motley Crue, "Real Animal" by Alejandro Escovedo, "Superhero Brother" by G. Love & Special Sauce, "Nobody's Fault But Mine" by Edwin McCain, "Patriotic Country 3" by various Country artists, "Sax For Stax" by Gerald Albright and "Fire Songs" by The Watson Twins.

MUSICAL EVENTS/FESTIVALS/BENEFITS

B.B. King on stage

The 2008 Monterey Bay Blues Festival will take place in Monterey, California June 27-29.  This year's event will feature appearances by B.B. King, Charlie Musselwhite, Bettye LaVette, Keb Mo, Susan Tedeschi and many others.

The Rock in Rio festival will take place June 27 and 28 in Madrid, Spain.  This is the first time the festival has been held in Spain's capital city.  A second weekend of festival dates is schedule for July 4, 5 and 6.  This year's lineup includes appearances by Alanis Morissette, Neil Young, Shakira, The Police, Alejandro Sanz and Lenny Kravitz, among others.


AWARDS PRESENTATIONS/WINNERS

On June 23, performing rights organization ASCAP will hold its 21st annual Rhythm & Soul Music Awards in Beverly Hills, California.  The awards recognize ASCAP's top songwriters and publishers in rap and hip-hop music.  New Edition will receive this year's Golden Note Award, which is given to "songwriters, composers and artists who have achieved extraordinary career milestones."  Previous Golden Note Award winners include Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Jay-Z, Quincy Jones, Jermaine Dupree and LL Cool J.


TOUR DATES AND INFORMATION

On June 27, the Black Crowes will begin their 90-city "Euphoria or Bust Tour" in Hershey, Pennsylvania.  The rock band will support Warpaint, its first studio album in nearly seven years.