Friday, January 9, 2009

Music News & Notes

Rascal Flatts Plans New Album, Cover Contest


Rascal Flatts will release its sixth studio album, "Unstoppable," on April 7. The group made the announcement via text message to their fans. The new album, co-produced by Dann Huff and Rascal Flatts, is the band's first studio album since 2007's multi-platinum "Still Feels Good."

Meanwhile, the group, which took favorite group honors on the Jan. 7 People's Choice Awards, announced from the stage that fans could enter a contest to create and vote on the cover art for the set. Submissions will be accepted until Jan. 22 at the People's Choice Web site, pcaVOTE.com The winning designer and image will be revealed in February.

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Sixties pop star Dave Dee dies

Sixties British pop star Dave Dee has died (age 67) after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

He was the lead singer with Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich and enjoyed a string of chart hits including "The Legend of Xanadu," "Bend It, and "Save Me."

He died shortly before 6 a.m. on Friday at Kingston Hospital in southwest London with family members at his bedside, fellow band member Ian "Tich" Amey told Reuters.

Dee had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2001, but continued to tour with the band, which had reformed in the 1990s.

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CS&N News

David Crosby spoke with Britain's Uncut Magazine about the new album Crosby, Stills & Nash are about to start with legendary producer Rick Rubin. One of the things that Rubin wants is for the trio to do a few cover songs.

"...come January, we’re going to pick and learn some songs. I can’t say which ones are going to make the final list, but we have about thirty. There’s all the people you might expect: some Jackson Browne, certainly several Beatles tunes,The Beach Boys, Joni, James, the Stones. There’s a whole shitload of records that we love and think are brilliant. I don’t know how Rick works yet, but I certainly know how we work, so I’m presuming there’ll be some pretty harmonies.

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Brits Bow to Mercury

A recent British poll surveyed more than 4,000 music fans and it revealed that Freddie Mercury is (in their opinion) the Ultimate Rock God. Second was Elvis Presley and third was Jon Bon Jovi. The top ten was filled out by David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, Ozzy Osbourne, Kurt Cobain, Slash, Bono and Mick Jagger.

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Dolly to Gospel Hall of Fame

The Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame have announced that they will induct Dolly Parton, Michael W. Smith, Dr. Bobby Jones, the Dixie Hummingbirds and producer Lari Goss. The ceremony is February 2 in Nashville.

"This year's class of GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductees have all achieved great professional and personal success in many different areas of the music and entertainment industries, but each shares a common heritage of the Gospels' powerful impact on their lives," said John Styll, president of the GMA.

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