MUSIC NEWS: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 2017
MICHAEL BUBLE'S WIFE SAYS SON IS DOING WELL
Michael Buble's son is responding positively to cancer treatments. The Canadian crooner's wife, Luisana Lopilato (loo-ee-SAH'-nah lo-pih-LAH'-toh), held a press conference in her native Argentina to announce their three-year-old son, Noah, has been doing well. She says he has a way to go still. She adds the family is happy and they look forward to seeing their children grow up. Buble and Lopilato also have a one-year-old son, Elias. They revealed in November Noah had cancer but did not say what kind or when he was diagnosed.
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ALANIS MORISSETTE'S EMBEZZLING MANAGER SAYS HE WAS A GAMBLER
Canadian singer Alanis Morissette's former manager says he stole from her because he was a problem gambler.
Jonathan Schwartz has written an open letter in The Hollywood Reporter apologizing for his behaviour. Schwartz says he kept thinking he'd borrow a little money from his clients and pay them back when he won big, but he never did. He pleaded guilty to criminal charges and will be sentenced May 3rd. He settled a lawsuit Morissette filed against him. Morissette's response to Schwartz's letter is, ``I would be apprehensive to believe any words that come out of Jonathan Schwartz's mouth.''
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JOHN GEILS DEAD
Musician J Geils, founder of The J Geils Band known for such peppy early 80s pop hits as ``Love Stinks,'' ''Freeze Frame`` and ''Centerfold,`` has died in his Massachusetts home at 71. Groton police say officers went to Geils home yesterday for a well-being check and found him unresponsive and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Police say it appears he died of natural causes.'' The J Geils Band was founded in 1967 in Worcester, Massachusetts, while Geils, whose full name was John Warren Geils Jr, was studying at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
The band, whose music bridged the gap between disco and new wave, released 11 studio albums before breaking up in 1985. They reunited off and on over the years.
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LIL BOOSIE ASSAULTS-JEWELRY
A Mississippi police department denies that officers took a rapper's jewelry. Boosie Badazz -- formerly known as Lil Boosie -- says in a video that Biloxi police seized a bag of jewelry on Sunday when they arrested five members of his entourage for assault. Biloxi Police Lieutenant Christopher De Back says police found no jewelry. City spokesman Vincent Creel says Biloxi didn't learn of the claim until the video. The trouble began when a store security guard squirted pepper spray toward Boosie and others.
Three men and two juveniles are charged with assaulting the guard and a Biloxi officer outside the store. De Back says Boosie didn't participate in the assault. Police say the assailants left in a van and were arrested a short time later. Police say Boosie wasn't in the van. The van driver was arrested for stolen gun possession.
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PRINCE-PAISLEY PARK-ANNIVERSARY
Musicians who played on stage with Prince will speak at a four-day celebration of the ``Purple Rain'' superstar at Paisley Park. Organizers of ``Celebration 2017'' announced speakers for the event yesterday. It's scheduled to run April 20th-23rd, being held during the anniversary of Prince's death. Among the speakers are Lisa Coleman, Wendy Melvoin, drummer Bobby Z, keyboardist Matt Fink and bassist BrownMark from Prince's 1980s band, The Revolution. Other speakers include Levi Seacer from Prince's 1990s band, New Power Generation, keyboardist Morris Hayes, costume designer Stacia Lang and singer Shelby J. Tickets are nearly sold out. Only certain general admission passes are still available, at 549- dollars each.
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SUGE KNIGHT
A California judge says murder trial of former rap mogul Marion ``Suge'' Knight will begin in January without any further delays, a move that was welcomed by Knight. The Death Row Records co-founder has changed attorneys several times since he was arrested in early 2015 after he ran over two men outside a Compton burger stand, killing one. His Death Row label fueled gangster rap's popularity in the 1990s, with a roster of artists that included Dr Dre, Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg. He lost control of the company after it was forced into bankruptcy.
Superior Court Judge Ronald Coen told Knight the timeframe of his trial was set ``in stone'' and it would begin within 10 days of January 8th. Knight has pleaded not guilty to murder and attempted murder charges and his lawyers have said he was fleeing armed attackers when he struck the men. Businessman Terry Carter was killed and Cle ``Bone'' Sloan was seriously injured. Knight could face life in prison if convicted.
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ALABAMA'S JEFF COOK HAS PARKINSON'S DISEASE
Guitarist and fiddle player Jeff Cook of the band Alabama has revealed he has battled Parkinson's disease for the past four years. The Nashville Tennessean reports Cook immediately told bandmates Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry when he was diagnosed, but they kept it private. Cook says his disease has progressed to where it's hard for him to play instruments, so he's going to step back from touring for a while. He says he's tried not to burden people with the details of his condition because he doesn't want ``the music to stop or the party to end.'' Cook will do shows as his health allows. Owen and Gentry say they will keep Cook's microphone on stage, even if he's not there to use it.
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SHERYL CROW LONGS FOR GOOD OLD DAYS
Sheryl Crow gets a bit nostalgic for the days when kids used to play outside more than they would hunch over a blue screen. Crow wrote a song called ``Roller Skate'' on her upcoming album, ``Be Myself,'' that discusses ditching the phone in favour of playing. Crow says people stuck on digital screens all the time are missing out on life experiences. As a result, getting ahold of Crow by phone is not easy. Crow says her kids will call her out if she's on the phone, and she admits she's ``a terrible communicator because of it.'' ''Be Myself`` will be out April 21st.
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IGGY AZALEA AND NICK YOUNG PUT HOUSE ON MARKET
Iggy Azalea and Los Angeles Lakers player Nick Young are selling their house because, well, they sort of don't need it anymore. Zillow reports Azalea and Young have listed their 6,630-foot Los Angeles house for 3.595-million-dollars. It's 100-thousand dollars more than they paid Selena Gomez for the house in 2014. It has six bedrooms, nine bathrooms, a pool and a basketball court. Azalea and Young were engaged but Azalea broke it off last June. A few months later, news broke of Young having a baby with his ex-girlfriend.
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(The Associated Press)
