2005

Nellie McKay Splits From Record Label – Album Fate Uncertain

Less than two weeks before the planned Jan. 3 release of her sophomore Columbia album, “Pretty Little Head,” singer/songwriter Nellie McKay has voluntarily left the label, sources tell Billboard.com. At deadline, the fate of the album is unknown; a spokesperson for the artist had no comment and McKay could not be reached.

The parties apparently reached an impasse over the length of the project. McKay insisted the label release her 23-song, 65-minute version, while Columbia sent out promotional copies of a 16-song, 48-minute album. Reviews of the set, which features guest appearances from Cyndi Lauper and k.d. lang, have already begun appearing in music magazines.

At recent shows, McKay had given out the personal email address of Columbia chairman Will Botwin from the stage, encouraging fans to press for the release of the longer version of the album. Botwin left the company earlier this month.

Source billboard.com.

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New York Guitar Festival To Salute Springsteen’s “Nebraska”

Bruce Springsteen’s celebrated 1982 album, “Nebraska,” will be performed in its entirety by a host of notable artists next month as part of the New York Guitar Festival. Dubbed the Nebraska Project, the event will serve as the kick-off for the Guitar Festival, which will open Jan. 14 at the World Financial Center Winter Garden.

A different artist will perform each album track, beginning with Michelle Shocked on the title cut and also including the National (“Manson on the Hill”), Martha Wainwright with Marc Ribot (“Highway Patrolman”), Meshell Ndegeocello (“Up All Night”) and Dan Zanes with Vernon Reid (“State Trooper”).

Other performers set to appear are Jesse Harris (“Atlantic City”), Chocolate Genius (“Johnny 99”), Laura Cantrell (“Used Cars”), Mark Eitzel (“My Father’s House”) and Kevn Kinney with Lenny Kaye (“Reason To Believe”). Additional instrumental interludes will be provided by Ribot, Gary Lucas and Harry Manx.

“Nebraska” was previously the subject of a 2000 Sub Pop tribute album that featured Johnny Cash, Aimee Mann, Ben Harper, Ani DiFranco and Los Lobos, among others.

The New York Guitar Festival, which runs through Feb. 8, will feature 60 artists at seven venues, including Daniel Lanois, Bill Frisell, Jorma Kaukonen and Taj Mahal.

Source billboard.com.

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Beastie Boys: Solid Gold Hits

This album is a walk down memory lane from the birth and early adolescence of rap and hip-hop, to the modern mind-melting compositions that are quickly becoming staples of my play lists.

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Live 8: Various Artists

This is much more than a stocking stuffer for your resident music fan, its history, it is prolific in a worldly sense of the word, and above all, the statement made on this great day hopefully opened some ears and eyes to the horrid truth of world hunger in a day and age when it is not necessary.

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Van Morrison Signs With Lost Highway Records

Veteran singer/songwriter Van Morrison has aligned with Lost Highway for the release of his next studio album, the country-dominated “Pay the Devil.” Due March 7, the 15-track set features the Morrison originals “This Has Got To Stop,” “Playhouse” and the title cut.

“Pay the Devil” is rounded out by songs popularized by Webb Pierce (“There Stands the Glass”), Hank Williams (“Your Cheatin’ Heart”), Conway Twitty (“What Am I Living For”), Emmylou Harris (“‘Til I Gain Control”), Big Joe Turner (“Don’t You Make Me High”) and George Jones (“Things Have Gone to Pieces”), among others.

Morrison most recently recorded for Geffen, which released his “Magic Time” album in May. The set debuted at No. 25 on The Billboard 200. Prior to that, he was with Blue Note for the 2004 release “What’s Wrong With This Picture?”

The artist has been previewing some of the “Pay the Devil” material at recent live shows. His schedule will resume Jan. 3 on Spain’s Grand Canary Island; it is unknown if North American dates are in the works.

Here is the track list for “Pay the Devil”:

“There Stands the Glass”
“Half As Much”
“Things Have Gone to Pieces”
“Big Blue Diamonds”
“Playhouse”
“Your Cheatin’ Heart”
“Don’t You Make Me High”
“My Bucket’s Got a Hole In It”
“Back Street Affair”
“Pay the Devil”
“What Am I Living For”
“This Has Got To Stop”
“Once a Day”
“More and More”
“‘Til I Gain Control Again”

Source billboard.com.

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Johnny Cash Biopic To Be Screened At Folsom Prison

Nearly four decades after Johnny Cash recorded his groundbreaking live album “Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison,” 20th Century Fox will screen its Cash biopic “Walk the Line” at the California state prison.

Film star Joaquin Phoenix, who received a Golden Globe nomination last week for his portrayal of the late “Man in Black,” will be on hand for the Jan. 3 screening. The film begins and ends with Cash’s electrifying performance at the prison.

“We invited 20th Century Fox to screen ‘Walk the Line’ at Folsom because the lesson of Johnny Cash is that it’s never too late for a man to turn his life around, and that’s a story these men need to hear,” said Joe Avila, California executive director of the nonprofit Prison Fellowship.

Added Phoenix: “[Cash] believed in the power of redemption and offered his unique gift to anyone who needed to find it within them, and in the process, he inspired millions. I can think of no greater way to honor him than to carry on his legacy of using music to connect to all people.”

Founded in 1976 by Chuck Colson, Prison Fellowship partners with local churches nationwide to aid prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families.

Source billboard.com.

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