June 18 - MTV will premiere a documentary mini-series on Brandy's pregnancy. "Diary Presents: Brandy Special Delivery" will air for four or five weeks, depending on when she gives birth. The 23-year-old singer and actress says, "It's my hope that MTV viewers will take away a greater appreciation of the responsibilities of a young woman balancing career and family," says the 23-year-old singer and actress.
June 17 - The 15th annual ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Celebration will take place in Beverly Hills, California. During the ceremony, Stevie Wonder will present Earth, Wind & Fire with the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Heritage Award. Multi-million-selling newcomer Ashanti and DJ Quik will co-host the event, which will include performances by Mary Mary, Chante Moore, and others.
'N Sync's Justin Timberlake is promoting music education with his support to an online petition by the American Music Conference (AMC). The petition opened on the American Music Conference website June 12 and will run until June 30. Timberlake says, "This is about an opportunity that every young person should enjoy, no matter what career they aspire to. I want to do everything I can to make sure other people can benefit from music education." In 1999, he created the Justin Timberlake Foundation to promote music education and its importance to a child's development.
Two Philadephia songwriters are suing pop star Britney Spears. Michael Cottrill and Lawrence Wnukowski allege that two songs on Britney's Oops I Did It Again album were based on a tune they submitted to Spears' representatives. The song was rejected, but Cottrill and Wnukowski claim Britney's recordings of What U See (Is What U Get) and Can't Make You Love Me were "virtually identical" to their 1999 copyrighted song, What You See Is What You Get. Also named in the lawsuit are Spears' record label, management firm and the BMG publishing company. Spears' publicist hasn't responded to the allegation.
NEW ALBUM RELEASES / JUNE 18:
MUSICAL EVENTS/FESTIVALS/BENEFITS:
June 20-21 - The 6th annual City Lights Festival will take place in Commerce, Georgia. This year's lineup of talent includes Vince Gill, Ray Price, Bill Anderson and Jimmy Dean.
June 20-23 - The 12th Janus Jazz Aspen at Snowmass Festival will be held in Snowmass Village, Colorado. Dr. John, John Hiatt, Earth, Wind & Fire, Patti Austin, Herbie Hancock and Robert Cray are among the artists scheduled to appear. The event will also feature tributes to Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis and John Coltrane.
AWARDS PRESENTATIONS/WINNERS:
Country Music Television's inaugural Flameworthy Video Music Awards were presented on June 12 in Nashville. Young by Kenny Chesney and I Wanna Talk About Me by Toby Keith each won two awards. Other winners included Martina McBride for Blessed," Brooks & Dunn for Only In America, Brad Paisley for I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song), Willie Nelson and Lee Ann Womack for Mendocino County Line, Chris Cagle for I Breathe In, I Breathe Out, Tim McGraw for The Cowboy In Me, and Chely Wright for Jezebel.
LOOK WHO'S GOING ON TOUR!
June 18 - Peter Frampton will begin a U.S. concert tour in Oroville, California. On the tour, the British rocker will play While My Guitar Gently Weeps as a special tribute to the late George Harrison. Frampton will also include the song on his next album, due out in early 2003. The CD will mark his first new studio collection in nine years.
Latin star Alejandro Sanz will perform a series of U.S. concerts June 21 through June 30. His Live USA 2002 tour will begin in San Diego and also stop in Los Angeles, New York and Miami. Sanz will be promoting his 2001 MTV Unplugged album. Earlier this year, the set topped Billboard's Latin Albums chart for two weeks.
June 22 - Country artists Mark Chesnutt, Tracy Lawrence and Joe Diffie will kick off their "Rockin' Roadhouse" tour in Fargo, North Dakota. The 5-month trek is scheduled to run through November 16. They'll play more than 75 dates at arenas, fairs, amphitheaters and festivals.