One week after the death of TLC's Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, the remaining two members of the trio announced they will continue performing. Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas and Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins won't replace Lopes because they say, "The chemistry we have is something God gave us. You can't put that together." The funeral for 30-year-old Lopes, who died April 25 in a car accident in Honduras, took place on May 1 in Atlanta, Georgia. Ten thousand of her fans attended the service. TLC's fourth album is scheduled for release later this year.
Scott Stapp, lead singer of the rock band Creed, was injured in a car accident on April 19. He was driving near Orlando, Florida when his car was struck by another automobile at a high speed. The group was to begin the second North American leg of its "Weathered Tour" on April 29. Stapp's doctors advised him to cancel the concerts while he recuperates from back and neck injuries. Creed hopes to resume the tour in a few months.
On May 7, Columbia Records will release Lauryn Hill's MTV Unplugged album. The double CD contains new, solo acoustic songs that she performed on the "MTV Unplugged" series in March. May 11, Lauryn is scheduled to appear at the St. Lucia Jazz Festival in the Caribbean.
Elektra Records will release the live album Family Values Tour 2001 on May 7. The set includes tracks by Stone Temple Pilots, Linkin Park, Staind and Static-X, among others. It's the third in a series of Family Values Tour releases. Both previous collections have sold more than one million copies in the U.S.
NEW ALBUM RELEASES / MAY 7:
MUSICAL EVENTS/FESTIVALS/BENEFITS:
May 10 - cable music channel MTV will present a free concert in New York's Battery Park. The three-hour show will include performances by Sheryl Crow, Counting Crows and Wyclef Jean. Comedians Robin Williams and Jimmy Fallon will also appear. MTV plans to air a portion of the concert later this month.
AWARDS PRESENTATIONS/WINNERS:
The 2002 Billboard Latin Music Awards will take place in Miami Beach, Florida on May 9. Mexican artist Lupillo Rivera leads this year's finalists with six nominations, followed by singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel, who received five. This year's ceremony will feature performances by Marc Anthony, Celine Dion, Jaci Velasquez, Thalia, and many others.
LOOK WHO'S GOING ON TOUR!
May 5 - singer-songwriter Jackson Browne will begin a solo acoustic tour in Concord, New Hampshire. He'll be performing at small theaters and halls along the East Coast through the end of May. Browne's spokesperson says he has been working on a new studio album, but there's no word on when it will be released.
May 8 - Rhythm-and-blues star Usher will kick off a North American concert tour in Seattle, Washington. He'll be promoting his latest album 8701. Also on the bill are Faith Evans, Nas and Mr. Cheeks. Usher planned to launch the tour last November, but was forced to cancel the outing after dislocating his shoulder during rehearsals.
May 10 - pop singer-songwriter Jewel will begin a three-week European concert tour in Milan, Italy. She's still recuperating from a horse riding accident that left her with a broken collarbone and rib. Jewel won't be able to play the guitar for a few weeks, so she'll have her band fill in for her. In addition to Italy, Jewel is scheduled to perform shows in Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Spain and the U.K. U.S. dates will begin on June 14.
Irish rock band the Cranberries will begin a North American tour in Montreal, Quebec. The trek is in support of the group's fifth album, Wake Up and Smell the Coffee. Concerts are currently scheduled through early July.