NASHVILLE, TN — CMA Music Fest 2017 had the best of both worlds this year. For sports fans, notably Predators hockey fans, the beginning of the fest activities featured a blending of both country music and hockey fans who filled every nook and cranny of downtown Nashville and surrounding areas. In the end, unfortunately, the Predators lost out on winning their first Stanley Cup, but the good news is the bands played on. As always, CMA Fest broke its own attendance record, with thousands of fans from all 50 states and at least 18 foreign countries. Among the many highlights…
Author: Janice Malone
NASHVILLE, TN — One of the many highlights of this year’s CMA Music Festival 2017 was the HGTV Lodge. This was the sixth consecutive year the venue’s been a part of CMA Fest. It’s now become a popular stop-by venue for many of country music’ hottest stars. The 3,500-square-foot HGTV Lodge offered Festival-goers the Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience™, including live musical performances by popular artists Keith Urban, Darius Rucker and Maren Morris as well as special appearances by HGTV stars Jonathan and Drew Scott (Property Brothers), Mina Starsiak and Karen E. Laine (Good Bones) and Dave and Kortney Wilson (Masters of Flip). Until Beyoncé officially introduces her new born…
By Janice Malone NASHVILLE, TN — All Eyez on Me is the highly anticipated upcoming American biographical drama film about hip-hop artist Tupac Shakur. The film, which opens this week, chronicles the life and legacy of Tupac Shakur, including his rise to superstardom, as well as his imprisonment and prolific, controversial time at Death Row Records. The two leading roles feature actors who are not household names yet but this film could change all of that. Demetrius Shipp, Jr. stars as the iconic Tupac Shakur, with Dominic Santana starring as Marion “Suge” Knight–record producer and former CEO of Death Jam Records, who became famous for also becoming…
By Janice Malone NASHVILLE, TN — According to government statistics and key research institutes such as Politifact, more than 72 percent of children born in African American homes are born out of wedlock. Among those numbers are large percentile are single -mothers have custody and are the head of the households. Those are not great numbers but there is some surprising good news to report when it comes to single parenting and the African American community. According to Josh Levs, author of the book “All In,” about 2.5 million black fathers are living with their children. William Miller III is…
By Janice Malone NASHVILLE, TN — Last week the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM), kicked off Black Music Month 2017 with a luncheon celebration to honor music legends Patti LaBelle, Kirk Franklin, King of New Jack Swing Teddy Riley and Stax Records music producer David Porter. Actor/comedian David Mann served as host, and music executives Phil Thornton of RCA Inspiration and Catherine Brewton of BMI served as co-chairs. H. Beecher Hicks, president and CEO of National Museum of African American Music. “The luncheon presents an opportunity to pay tribute to musicians who have had an enduring impact on American culture, and what better time to host such an important event…
The multi-talented Paul Shaffer, with The World’s Most Dangerous Band, will be performing at the Ryman Auditorium June 9th. Nashville is one of the stops for Shaffer’s first ever North American tour. The show features special guest’s vocalist Valerie Simpson (Ashford &Simpson) and legendary guitarist Steve Cropper, along with Paul’s former “Late Show” bandmates. After performing on national TV five nights a week for more than three decades as David Letterman’s show musical director and sidekick, Paul really missed playing in front of an audience. What better reason to hit the road than to support his latest Sire Records album, Paul Shaffer & The World’s Most Dangerous Band (which features appearances by Bill Murray, Jenny Lewis, Shaggy,…
NASHVILLE, TN — Multi-Grammy nominated R&B powerhouse Ledisi was in Nashville earlier this week, as part of Maxwell’s “blacksSummers’ Tour ‘17” along with recording artists Common and LeeLa James. In fact, Nashville was the kickoff city that launched this fabulous tour! Ledisi is a nine-time Grammy-nominated R&B artist who has wowed fans ever since she came onto the scene. In 2008, she received a Grammy nod for “Best New Artist,” as well as performed eight times at the White House for President and Mrs. Obama, and earned a place in the pantheon of the best soul singers of her generation.…
NASHVILLE, TN — JK Hunter is one of entertainment’s premiere celebrity makeup artists since 1994. The Nashville-based artist is a native of Jackson and Brownsville, TN. Hunter graduated from Tennessee State University with a BA in Business Administration and Management. A short time later she studied makeup artistry at the prestigious Joe Blasco Make Up School in Los Angeles. She overlapped her makeup jobs with work in the corporate world where she went from Executive assistant to purchasing director of a major corporation. Eventually, Ms. Hunter finally left to work only as a Makeup Artist. Over the years her repertoire…
By Janice Malone NASHVILLE, TN — GRAMMY-winning artist Amy Grant and renowned Nashville philanthropist Martha R. Ingram will receive stars on the Music City Walk of Fame during an induction ceremony on last week (April 27, 2017), at the Walk of Fame Park. The ladies received the 75th and 76th stars on the Walk of Fame. Inductees are recognized for their significant contributions to preserving the musical heritage of Nashville and for contributing to the world through song or other industry collaboration. The Music City Walk of Fame was created in 2006 on Nashville’s Music Mile, a roughly one-mile stretch that connects…
By Janice Malone NASHVILLE, TN —How many of us have sat in our living rooms with our loved ones and had a blast watching and playing along with the hit game show Family Feud with funny man host Steve Harvey? For one Nashville area family, that long awaited dream has finally come true. The Ellis family, parents Richard and Susan, along with their children Jeremy, Savannah, and Emily will make their grand premiere on the syndicated game show May 2, 2017 on FOX (WZTV) at 11am. Even though the show was taped last summer, the fun and memories everyone experienced…