MUSIC NEWS: MONDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2017
LL COOL J, GLORIA ESTEFAN, LIONEL RICHIE GET KENNEDY CENTER HONORS
LL Cool J says he can think of other musicians who could have received the first Kennedy Center Honor for a rapper.
But he says he thinks he deserves it most. LL Cool J said while he's a modest guy, he doesn't want to be ``pseudo humble'' so he says when it comes to being the first rapper to get the Kennedy Center Honor, ``I'm the one!'' He, Gloria Estefan and Lionel Richie all got their Kennedy Center Honors last night. The event was notable because President Donald Trump stayed away _ after some artists expressed concern about his policies and his criticism of pop culture.
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JASON ALDEAN IS A NEW FATHER
Jason Aldean is a dad again. He writes on social media his wife, Brittany, gave birth to a boy on Friday. They've named him Memphis. Aldean says, ``In a year that has been a rollercoaster ride, this is what it's all about.'' Aldean has two daughters from a previous marriage.
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KELSEA BALLERINI'S WEDDING WAS SATURDAY
Kelsea Ballerini is a married woman. Her representative tells People magazine Ballerini married musician Morgan Evans on a beach in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on Saturday. They met in March, 2016 when they co-hosted the CMC Awards in Australia.
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TAYLOR SWIFT KEEPS LEAD ON BILLBOARD ALBUM CHART
Taylor Swift's ``reputation'' album notches a third week at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart. It moved
131,000 units. The number-two album on the chart is one that's more than a year old: ``A Pentatonix Christmas'' by Pentatonix. It moved
70,000 units. It enjoyed a sales boost because of the group's special on NBC last week and an iTunes sale that offered the album for $6.99. Sam Smith's ``The Thrill of It All'' is third, moving 62,000 units.
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BLEACHERS GO DARK TO MAKE MUSIC
Musicians who collaborate with Jack Antonoff of Bleachers often are confronted with an uncomfortable question from him: what's the worst thing ever to happen to you? Antonoff says he doesn't believe in being a hero in a song, or discussing the new pair of pants he just bought. He says it's far more interesting to discuss why he feels alone on this earth. Antonoff says people will lie to their therapists, but songwriters either have to go to that dark place or not, and they can't fake it. Antonoff says people can tell when they're not getting the truth, even if they're not sure how they know.
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HUNTER HAYES CREATES SHOE FOR CHARITY
Hunter Hayes is promoting a shoe line that will benefit charity rather than himself. Hayes' ``Rescue Collection'' features two Superga sneaker designs based on the David Garibaldi paintings created in Hayes' video for ``Rescue.'' Each purchase comes with a lyric sheet autographed by Hayes. All of the proceeds from the sale of the shoes will go to North Shore Animal League America. The shoes sell for $95 a pair on Zappos.com.
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JOSH GROBAN, KELLY CLARKSON WILL SING ON ``A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS''
Josh Groban will headline the annual CBS special aimed at promoting foster care. Kelly Clarkson, Kacey Musgraves and Kane Brown also will perform for the ``A Home For The Holidays'' special. The show features the inspirational stories of foster families and the kids they took in. The special runs Dec. 19.
(The Canadian Press)
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