MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2018
MUSIC-OTTAWA-BLUESFEST
Bryan Adams, Jethro Tull, Beck and the Foo Fighters are some of the headliners signed up to perform over 10 days in July at R-B-C Bluesfest in Ottawa. The roster also includes the Dave Matthews Band, Shawn Mendes, Colin James, 70s rockers Lighthouse and fellow Canadian acts such as rock trio Three Days Grace and The Strumbellas. Other confirmed performers include Reggae star Shaggy _ who just released an album with Sting _ and Montreal electric funk duo Chromeo. General tickets for the festival, which runs from July 5th to 15th, go on sale Friday morning at 10.
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OBIT-DARYLE-SINGLETARY
The country music world is crushed by the news of Daryle Singletary's death. Randy Travis says co-producing Singletary's debut album was a highlight of his career. Luke Combs tweets, ``This one hurts.'' Travis Tritt calls Singletary ``a true country voice,'' while Charlie Daniels says Singletary ``sang country like country should be sung. Josh Turner says Singletary is the one who convinced him to move to Nashville. Terri Clark says Singletary was ''sweet and kind to everybody who he met`` and ''this hits way too close to home.`` Singletary died yesterday at his home in Lebanon, Tennessee, at the age of 46. A cause of death was not given.
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OBIT-VIC-DAMONE
Funeral arrangements are pending for Vic Damone, who died Sunday at a hospital in Miami Beach after suffering a respiratory disease. He was 89. Along with Tony Bennett, Damone was one of the last of the post-war Italian-American crooners. Damone's hits included ``An Affair to Remember,'' ``You're Breaking My Heart'' and ``On The Street Where You Live.'' Damone dabbled in acting and even was supposed to play Johnny Fontane in ``The Godfather'' before Al Martino landed the part.
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SMASHING-PUMPKINS-REUNION
So, do The Smashing Pumpkins want former bass player back with the group on its reunion tour? Depends on who you ask. D'arcy Wretzky says she has been excluded from any reunion effort. But the band has released a statement to The Associated Press saying the band has reached out to Wretzky for nearly two decades, but without success. The statement says multiple efforts to get her back with the group have failed, but ``not for a lack of trying.'' The statement says the band wishes Wretzky the best and hopes to reconnect with its fans soon.
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JUDAS-PRIEST--TOUR
Judas Priest guitarist Glenn Tipton will stop touring because he's got Parkinson's disease. The band's website says Tipton was diagnosed ten years ago. Tipton can play some of the less-challenging songs these days, but he's stepping back from touring as the disease progresses. Tipton says he is not leaving the band, just that his role has changed. He says he will go on stage as he feels he's able. Tipton has chosen guitarist Andy Sneap to take his place. The rest of Judas Priest says they will welcome Tipton back to the stage anytime he wants.
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MARY-J-BLIGE -SERIES
Mary J. Blige will play a role in a Netflix series based on a comic by Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance. The Hollywood Reporter reports Blige will star as a time-traveling assassin in the series ``Umbrella Academy.'' It's about a dysfunctional family of superheroes. A premiere date has not yet been announced.
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(The Associated Press)
