Aerosmith's lead singer Steven Tyler underwent throat surgery last week and his band has cancelled the remaining North American shows on its current tour. Details of why he needed the surgery haven't been disclosed. Aerosmith's publicist, Marcee Rondan, released a statement that said, "Despite Aerosmith's desire to keep the tour going as long as possible, Tyler's doctors advised him not to continue performing to give his voice time to recover."
Whitney Houston's husband Bobby Brown will reunite with his vocal group New Edition for an appearance at this summer's Essence Music Festival. The festival will take place July 1-3 in Houston, Texas. Bobby left New Edition in 1986 to pursue a solo career. Other artists scheduled to appear at the Essence Music Festival include Chris Brown, Diddy, Mary J. Blige, Yolanda Adams and Earth, Wind & Fire.
On March 28, Curb Records will release Country superstar Tim McGraw's new compilation, Reflected: Greatest Hits, Volume 2. Ten of his solo hits are among the album's 16 tracks. They include "Not A Moment Too Soon," "She's My Kind of Rain" and "Live Like You Were Dying." Also featured is Tim's 2005 duet with his wife Faith Hill "Like We Never Loved At All," and his 2004 duet with Nelly, "Over and Over." Four new songs round out the collection. The first single, "When The Stars Go Blue," is currently climbing the Country chart. On April 5, he'll promote the album during his NBC-TV special, Tim McGraw: Reflected. Tim and Faith's "Soul 2 Soul II" tour begins on April 21 in Columbus, Ohio.
Latin pop star Gloria Estefan recently donated $1 million to the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. The center performs clinical trials to find a cure for paralysis. Estefan was temporarily paralyzed after breaking her back in a 1990 tour bus accident.
On March 30, Country vocal trio 4Runner will head to Greenland on a nine-day USO tour. One of the song's 4Runner will perform is "We Will Hope With You," which is dedicated to military troops and their families.
This year's American Idol competition is down to ten finalists and they are the singers who will tour together after the fifth season American Idol is named on May 24. From youngest to oldest, they are Lisa Tucker (16), Paris Bennett (17), Kellie Pickler (19), Katharine McPhee (21), Ace Young (25), Chris Daughtry (26), Elliott Yamin (27), Bucky Covington (28), Taylor Hicks (29) and Mandisa (29).
MUSICAL EVENTS/FESTIVALS/BENEFITS
Nashville's Tin Pan South festival will take place March 28-April 1. More than 250 singers and songwriters from Country, rock, folk and pop will perform 70 club shows at eight different venues throughout the city. Among this year's established performers are Lonestar's lead singer Richie McDonald, Suzy Bogguss, Richard Marx and Rodney Crowell. Each year, the festival draws more than 8,000 people. Proceeds go to the Nashville Songwriters Association International and its legislative efforts in Washington, D.C.
TOUR DATES AND INFORMATION
John Mellencamp will kick off a U.S. spring tour on March 30 in Evansville, Indiana. The Indiana native will be supporting his 2005 double CD Words & Music: John Mellencamp's Greatest Hits. The 37-track collection includes such classics as "Jack & Diane," "Pink Houses" and "Rain On The Scarecrow." Country group Little Big Town will open shows on the three-week tour, which wraps up on April 18 in South Bend, Indiana.