MUSIC NEWS: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2017
Downie Donations
A doctor in Toronto is comparing Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie to another Canadian icon -- Terry Fox.
Dr. Arjun Sahgal of Toronto's Sunnybrook Hospital says Downie's openness about his diagnosis with terminal brain cancer will leave a lasting legacy.
The Tragically Hip frontman died Tuesday night at age 53.
In the 24 hours after his death was announced, donations to a research fund named in his honour increased notably.
As of yesterday afternoon, donations for the Gord Downie Fund for Brain Cancer Research had reached 1.8 million dollars, up about 100-thousand dollars from the previous day.
The fund will support the Gord Downie Fellowship in Brain Oncology and construction of the G. Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre.
Downie's determination to embark on a cross-country tour, release various music projects, and press politicians on Indigenous issues throughout his treatment has also inspired other cancer patients.
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LAS VEGAS SHOOTING - CONCERT
A concert Thursday benefiting victims of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U-S history brought out a crowd -- including many who had been present Oct. 1st when 58 people were killed and hundreds more were wounded. Jason Aldean was on stage at the time. Aldean says security for this latest concert was a concern, as it will be for other concerts going forward. He said ``I would like for a bad guy to look up and see snipers.'' The tickets for the concert were free and all were taken. Organizers accepted donations and profit from food and beverage sales go to a victims'fund.
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CHANCE THE RAPPER - GRAMMYS
Chance The Rapper has offered a glimpse into the actual moment he got his Grammys. The ceremony in February is when everyone saw him win, but prop trophies are handed out and the real ones are mailed later. Chance tweeted a video of the unboxing of his three Grammys with the help of his two-year-old daughter, Kensli. He took the opportunity to test Kensli on her numbers as they counted 1-2-3. His Grammys are for best rap album, best rap performance and best new artist.
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LUKE BRYAN - ``AMERICAN IDOL'' JUDGE
In the words of Luke Bryan, ``No big feuds yet.'' Bryan says the new version of ``American Idol'' has visited only two cities so far, but he's loving it. Bryan says there's ``lots of cutting up'' with fellow judges Lionel Richie and Katy Perry. Bryan says Carrie Underwood set the benchmark for future ``Idols,'' and he feels their role is to find someone who can make a difference in music.
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THE ECLIPSE - WALK THE MOON VIDEO
Walk The Moon had an unintended special effect in the video for ``One Foot'': the solar eclipse in August. Singer Nicholas Petricca (peh-TREE'-kah) says it was coincidence that they scheduled the video shoot for that day in Joshua Tree National Park.
Petricca says the part of the video when he's dancing on the mountain is when the eclipse is behind him. Bassist Kevin Ray says Joshua Tree is such a surreal place anyway, with weird trees that are hundreds of years old in a barren wasteland. He says the eclipse on top of that was inspiring. Walk The Moon's ``What If Nothing'' album comes out November 10th.
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PETER WOLF - ``DON'T DO ME LIKE THAT''
Had things been slightly different, ``Don't Do Me Like That'' could have been a hit for the J. Geils Band instead of Tom Petty. J. Geils Band singer Peter Wolf tells Rolling Stone magazine he had been friends with Petty since they toured together in the 1970s. Wolf got a cassette from Petty with the song on it, saying, ``I think this would be a cool song for you.'' Wolf says Petty was not so sure of himself in those days. Wolf says he loved the song but the J. Geils Band just did not get to it. Wolf says in the last conversation he had with Petty, they talked about that song. Petty thanked Wolf for not recording it and instead giving him one of his biggest hits.
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(The Associated Press)
