MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY MAY 1, 2018
- R. KELLY GAINS - SOCIAL MEDIA MOVEMENT
The organizer of the social media movement #MuteRKelly is glad that the Time's Up campaign is taking up her cause. Oronike Odeleye (or-eh-NEE'-kay oh-deh-LAY'-ay) says the movement will ``not stop until R. Kelly is held accountable for his sexual misconduct against Black girls and women.'' The movement calls for record companies, radio stations, streaming platforms and concert venues to cut ties with Kelly because of allegations of sexual abuse against him. Kelly has denied the allegations. The Time's Up campaign issued a statement yesterday calling for an investigation into Kelly's behaviour. Over the last year, Kelly has been accused of isolating women in a sex cult and engaging in abusive relationships.
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- R. KELLY - CHICAGO CONCERT CANCELLED
R. Kelly says he doesn't know why his upcoming performance in Chicago has been cancelled but hints legal action may be in order. The Chicago Tribune reports Kelly was dropped from the lineup of the Love Jam concert on the campus of the University of Illinois at Chicago on Saturday. Kelly says in an Instagram video posted Sunday he's ``never heard of a show being cancelled because of rumours.'' He says he doesn't know why he was cancelled, but he and his lawyers will get to the bottom of it. A petition drive on the U-I-C campus called for the cancellation of the show because of sexual abuse allegations against Kelly. The concert will still go on, featuring Xscape, K Michelle and Lyfe Jennings.
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BONNIE RAITT - MEDICAL SITUATION
Bonnie Raitt is giving no clues as to what's wrong with her, only that it requires surgery and she will be fine.
Raitt is pulling out of the first leg of her tour with James Taylor due to an unspecified ``medical situation.'' She says it was discovered during her annual physical. Raitt says in a statement she's feeling strong and the prognosis is good. She intends to be good to go for the second leg of the tour in June.
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KEITH URBAN - ``GRAFFITI U'' - INFLUENCE
Nicole Kidman's influence is all over Keith Urban's new album, ``Graffiti U.'' In fact, she's ON the album. She sings backing vocals on his song ``Female'' because Urban says she happened to be home when he was working on that song. Songwriter Julia Michaels asked Urban what Kidman is like and he said, ``She's a Gemini.'' That's what inspired the song ``Gemini.'' The song ``Steal My Thunder'' was inspired by Kidman. Urban says it's about ``being totally OK with a girl stealing my thunder.'' He adds, ``Many, many guys, I think, will get this song.''
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INTERPRETING JOHNNY CASH - NEW ALBUM
One of the last things Chris Cornell recorded was a Johnny Cash poem for the album ``Johnny Cash: Forever Words.'' On the poem ``You Never Knew My Mind,'' Cornell sings, ``You did not see me well enough to recognize the signs.'' Cash's son, John Carter Cash, says Cornell connected deeply with his father's words. He says Cornell's take on ``You Never Knew My Mind'' tied his own life to Cash's on an honest level. Other musicians on the album include Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Elvis Costello, Jewel, John Mellencamp and Kacey Musgraves and her husband, Ruston Kelly.
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SHANIA TWAIN - JAKE OWEN - ``REAL COUNTRY''
Shania Twain and Jake Owen are on a quest for country music talent. Twain and Owen will head up an eight-episode reality show called ``Real Country'' that will tape this summer in Nashville. Twain and Owen will select country musicians, duos and groups to perform in showcases for specific country traditions or genres. The best musicians will advance to the finale. The show will premiere in the fall. Casting information is at realcountry-dot-castingcrane-dot-com .
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(The Associated Press)
