Today’s Music News: Surviving Highwaymen to reunite for Waylon Jennings tribute
by Staff
June 11, 2015
A July 6 concert celebrating the late Waylon Jennings will reunite the two surviving Highwaymen: Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson. The country supergroup, who released three albums in the 1980s and 1990s, also included Johnny Cash. The Austin, Texas concert will be filmed for later release. (Rolling Stone)
Chance the Rapper is curating a free music festival for teens on June 24 in Chicago. The festival is only open to Chicago residents aged 13-24, but adults can get in if they're accompanying teens. (Pitchfork)
In other country-music news, Carrie Underwood led the CMT Awards on Wednesday night with three trophies, including Video of the Year for "Something in the Water." The awards honor country music videos and televised performances. (Billboard)
Country singer Randy Howard has been killed in a gunfight with a bounty hunter, authorities say. The 65-year-old artist, who had several country hits in the 1980s, was shot at his Lynchburg, Tennessee home by a bounty hunter who was trying to detain Howard on a warrant for a fourth-offense DUI and other charges. According to authorities, Howard opened fire on the bounty hunter and was killed by the return fire. (Billboard)
The global record release day each week will officially become Friday as of July 10. Record labels spanning 45 countries will cooperate on the new release day, eliminating country-by-country differences that led to international music piracy when records were released on different days in different places. (Pitchfork)
In the wake of charges by two of B.B. King's daughters that the blues legend was murdered, a larger group of his children are accusing King's manager of stealing his money and putting his health in jeopardy. There may be, four of King's children suggest, a second will that has not yet surfaced. (Billboard)
Bonnaroo and Twitter are partnering for a new program that will grant wishes to lucky festivalgoers. Selected Bonnaroo attendees who tweet their wishes using the hashtag #RooWish will find that their wishes are magically granted by festival representatives. Among the wishes that might be granted: wishes for food, water, or backstage passes. (Rolling Stone)
Rap lyrics by the Notorious B.I.G., Nas, Rakim, and Drake will appear on Sprite cans as part of a special "obey your verse" summer promotion. (Pitchfork)
Legendary synthesizer company Moog Music has been sold—to its employees. The North Carolina company founded by Robert Moog in 1953 will be gradually sold in shares to its employees, said owner and CEO Mike Adams. (Billboard)
Believe it or not, the decade is half-over. What have been its biggest musical successes? Well, the story of the decade in the U.K., at least judging by album sales, is Adele. No album has moved as many units in the soulful singer's home country as her 2011 release 21, which has sold 4.75 million copies in the U.K. alone. Coming in second: boy band Take That. (Billboard)
This week, we can truly say that viral video success is available to everyone from age 6 to 60. Yesterday, the buzz was spunky six-year-old Johanna Colón and her "Respect" dance; today, everyone's sharing a video of Vancouver dance teacher Shirley Clements, 60, who celebrated her retirement with an energetic boogie to the Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars hit "Uptown Funk." (Billboard)
