By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Vocalist Alecia Nugent thrilled and delighted bluegrass fans with a trio of outstanding LPs on Rounder between 2004 and 2009. Hailed for her assertive, rangy voice and masterful way of storytelling and delivering lyrics, Nugent became a welcome addition to the Nashville music scene. She made some 71 appearances on the Grand Ole Opry, even once joining her father Jimmy Nugent, whose vintage bluegrass and country sound shaped her approach growing up in Hickory Grove, Louisiana. But after being on stage from her childhood days to 2009, Alecia Nugent made a life-altering decision. With…
Author: Ron Wynn
Ordinarily, when a coach gets his first win it’s not that big a deal, but in the case of Mel Tucker at Michigan State, last Saturday’s 27-24 upset victory over arch-rival Michigan in Ann Arbor was huge. First, he became only the second MSU coach to beat Michigan in his first game against them. The only other Spartans’ coach to accomplish that feat was the great Nick Saban some 25 years ago, when his squad also pulled an upset. But the difference there is they were playing at home. Tucker’s squad was on the road, going against a team ranked…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Answers to the question what’s going to be the newest Shonda Rhimes production are about to be partially answered. This week the first trailer for Rhimes’ forthcoming Netflix venture is being released. The main question being explored is who is Lady Whistledown? That one of the issues at the core of the eight-episode drama “Bridgerton.” She’s the mysterious author of a gossip newsletter that has provided much entertainment during the recent years’ social seasons. But now she is naming names. The acclaimed actress Julie Andrews provides narration for “Bridgerton,” the first scripted series to…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — One of the finest pure singers in gospel or any other idiom passed over the weekend. The legendary Rance Allen died Saturday at 71. His cascading, magnificent voice turned such songs as “Ain’t No Need of Crying” and “I Belong To You” into crossover hits. He was a mentor, influence, and precursor to other gospel acts who attracted fans across genres like The Winans and Take 6. Allen’s wife, Ellen Allen, and manager Toby Jackson announced in a joint statement that he had died while recovering from a “medical procedure” at Heartland ProMedica in…
Kevin Warren has found himself in the spotlight much of 2020, and a lot of the time it hasn’t been a good thing. As the first and currently only Black man in charge of a Power 5 conference in his role as commissioner of the Big Ten, Warren got a huge amount of criticism throughout the summer when he announced that the conference would not be playing football this fall. There were protests internally from some coaches, demonstrations led by parents, and an outcry that stretched all the way to the White House. President Donald Trump made public appeals for…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — The estate of the great blues musician B.B. King has clarified some issues regarding the content of a forthcoming King film. Pre-production on the project is set to begin in 2021, with esteemed actor Wendell Pierce set to portray King. Vassal Benford, chairman of King’s estate, told Variety that the Pierce film “The Thrill Is On” was a drama about King’s friendship with drummer Michael Zanetis. It is not a biopic. Questions initially emerged when Pierce announced he would play King via Twitter on Oct. 19. “We are official. Preparation has begun on a…
When the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied Sunday night from an early deficit to defeat the Atlanta Braves 4-3 and advance to the 2020 World Series, it not only marked a team comeback after being down 3-1 in the National League Championship Series. It also provided redemption for manager Dave Roberts, one of only two full-time Black managers in Major League Baseball. The other, the Houston Astros’ Dusty Baker, almost led his team to an even more amazing comeback, as the Houston Astros battled back from a 3-0 deficit to tie the Tampa Bay Rays before losing game 7 of the…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Given the length of his career and the impact he enjoyed in multiple fields, it was probably inevitable that there would be more than one production devoted to chronicling the life and times of Sammy Davis Jr. This week MGM announced it was going to release a film about Davis, making this the second project devoted to him. This one is being inspired by a book that his daughter wrote. Tracey Davis, along with Dolores A. Barclay, penned “Sammy Davis Jr.: My Father,” the volume that’s serving as the foundation for the film. It…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — One of the top Black women executives in the entertainment industry has a major new job. Channing Dungey, formerly vice president of originals at Netflix, will succeed Peter Roth as chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group when he steps down in early 2021. The announcement was carried Monday in various entertainment publications and on multiple websites, though initially reported in Variety. “This is a homecoming of sorts for Channing, who was a production executive at Warner Bros. early in her career, and we’re excited to have her rejoin the Studio,” WarnerMedia studios and networks…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — After five seasons on “Saturday Night Live,” Leslie Jones is enjoying a new role and being more in the spotlight as opposed to being part of an ensemble. The new host of “Supermarket Sweep,” seen Sunday nights at 7 p.m. on WKRN-2, told USA Today that she was a huge fan of the ‘90s version of the show. “I just loved the whole game,” Jones said. “And I had a mission of winning that $5,000 (grand prize). Back in the day, $5,000 was a lot of money. Now, I didn’t know the taxes involved…