Tragically Hip's Gord Downie diagnosed with terminal cancer
The Tragically Hip says lead singer Gord Downie has been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.
The Canadian band made the announcement on its website and Facebook page Tuesday.
A message posted on the sites says Downie was diagnosed with the condition in December. It says ``he's endured a lot of difficult times, and has been fighting hard.''
The band says in the note that it plans to tour this summer, because it ``feels like the right thing to do now, for Gord, and for all of us.'' The message says dates and details for the tour will be coming this week.
The Tragically Hip formed in 1984 and has garnered more than a dozen Juno awards in Canada.
AUCTION - RAMONES - TUPAC SHAKUR
Johnny Ramone's widow has bought back a guitar he traded to a friend more than three decades ago. R-R Auction in Boston says the Hamer guitar that was designed specifically for Ramone's playing style was sold to his widow, Linda, for more than 55-thousand dollars last week. She plans to have it added to the Ramones exhibit at the Grammy Museum. A Hummer once owned by Tupac Shakur sold for more than 337-thousand dollars. It was expected to go for 100-thousand. Shakur bought the vehicle about a month before he died in 1996.
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DEAD AND COMPANY - FREE SHOW
The Grateful Dead offshoot Dead and Company will play a free show tonight in San Francisco and all they want in return is a good deed. The band, consisting of Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann and John Mayer, gave away tickets for tonight's show at the Fillmore. Their asking price was for fans to ``pay it forward'' somehow and let the band and the cosmos know how they did it.
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BALLET - BOWIE - METALLICA
The Music Hall in Detroit has commissioned a ballet that will feature the music of David Bowie and Metallica.
Complexions Contemporary Ballet will debut the ballet on June 18th in a rock opera-style production. Bowie is getting a lot of tributes in Michigan. The Detroit Symphony will do ``The Music of Davie Bowie'' on July 10th, and the Grand Rapids Symphony will do a tribute August 2nd.
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AEROSMITH - RUMOURS
Aerosmith touring without Steven Tyler just isn't happening, according to Aerosmith themselves. Guitarist Joe Perry has issued a statement saying any rumour about Aerosmith looking for another singer is completely untrue. He says all five of them were just on the phone together talking about how excited they were to go to South America and Mexico City in the fall.
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BEYONCE'S - COUNTRY MUSIC
It's not unusual to hear a song about guns and the Second Amendment and the Bible on country radio. It is unusual to hear Beyonce singing about that on country radio. Her song ``Daddy Lessons'' references her Texas roots and is getting love from the country music community. Dierks Bentley says ``Daddy Lessons'' is ``a real story that she tells about what's going in her life growing up.'' Karen Fairchild of Little Big Town says it would be a perfect song for Beyonce and Miranda Lambert to duet on, but if that happens, Fairchild wants in on it too. If the song cracks the top 50 of the Billboard country singles chart, it would even be eligible for the Country Music Association Awards song or single of the year.
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AUCTION - ELVIS - LADY GAGA
The guitar that Elvis Presley's father built for him was a hot item at auction, but Lady Gaga's childhood piano was a dud. Julien's Auctions says the 1969 Gibson Dove guitar that Presley's father made for him sold for 334-thousand dollars over the weekend. The piano upon which Lady Gaga wrote her first song at the age of five was expected to sell for at least 100-thousand dollars but it failed to meet its reserve price. The auction house did not say what the reserve price was.
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HANK AZARIA - COMMENCEMENT
Some people give a commencement address. In Hank Azaria's case, it was a commencement performance. The actor and voice star trotted out several of his well-known characters in addressing graduates of Tufts University. But in his own voice, he reminded the grads at his alma mater that they should trust their instincts - and follow their leanings.
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BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS - KESHA
LAS VEGAS (AP) _ For all the fuss that was made about Kesha's performance at the Billboard Music Awards, she kept it low-key. Kesha performed ``It Ain't Me, Babe,'' accompanied by Ben Folds on the piano during last night's show. She got a standing ovation. Kesha's performance had been cancelled after reports came out that she was going to reference her legal problems with music producer Dr. Luke. He and his record label refused permission for her to perform, then granted it again when she promised she would not talk about their fight.
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BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS - CELINE DION
Celine Dion couldn't hold back the tears at last night's Billboard Music Awards. Dion was given the Icon Award by a surprise presenter, her son, Rene-Charles. Dion performed her new single, ``The Show Must Go On.'' She lost both her husband and her brother in the same week in January. Dion apologized for crying because she wanted to be strong for her family. She says she knows her husband ``will continue to watch over me from above.''
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BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS - WINNERS
Canadian pop star Justin Bieber says he's not much of a talker, but he had to thank everyone who believed in him when he won the male artist award at last night's Billboard Music Awards. Toronto's The Weeknd won eight awards and dedicated his win for top hot 100 artist to Prince for being an inspiration. Adele was another big winner of the night, winning for artist of the year, female artist, top songs sales artist, top Billboard 200 album for ``25,'' and top hot 100 song, top radio song and top-selling song for ``Hello.'' Rihanna won the chart achievement award, which was voted on by fans. Thomas Rhett won top country song for ``Die A Happy Man.'' Fetty Wap (WOP) won top new artist. One Direction won the group award. Madonna performed a tribute to Prince by singing ``Nothing Compares 2 U'' and brought out Stevie Wonder as a surprise guest for ``Purple Rain.''
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CALVIN HARRIS - INJURED
Calvin Harris is recovering from minor injuries suffered in a car accident in Los Angeles Friday. His publicist says Harris was a passenger in a vehicle that was struck. He was treated at a hospital and released. Further details were not given. Harris called off shows in Las Vegas and in Gulf Shores, Alabama, over the weekend.
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OBIT - FORMER MEGADETH DRUMMER
Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine says, ``Shocked, devastated, and saddened don't begin to describe'' his feelings upon hearing of the death of former Megadeth drummer Nick Menza. A family spokesman says Menza died Saturday night after collapsing on stage during a concert for his progressive jazz trio OHM at a Los Angeles-area club. He was 51. The family says it appears Menza suffered a massive heart attack. Menza was Megadeth's drummer from 1989 to 1998. He performed on the albums ``Rust in Peace,'' ``Countdown to Extinction,'' ``Youthanasia'' and ``Cryptic Writings.'' After leaving the band, he pursued jazz music and woodworking. He nearly lost an arm in a 2007 accident with a power saw. Former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman writes on Facebook Menza was ``a trustworthy friend, a hilarious bandmate, as well as a very loving dad.''
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OBIT - JOHN BERRY
You may have heard that John Berry has died.
That's the guitarist who was an original member of the Beastie Boys, not the country singer who sang ``Your Love Amazes Me.'' Berry the country singer says he's alive and well, and he's offering his condolences to the family of the other Berry. Berry the guitarist was part of the pre-Beasties group Young Aborigines that featured M-C-A, Mike D and future Luscious Jackson drummer Kate Schellenbach.
He's credited with coming up with the name Beastie Boys. He left the band in 1982 and was replaced by Ad-Rock.
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BAD BOY - REUNION TOUR
It didn't take much for the Bad Boy Family Reunion tour to come together. Puff Daddy says everyone thinks because they called it a reunion tour, there was some kind of problem. He says it's just that everyone was doing their own thing, like raising families or finding God. He says it was one of the smoothest tours to put together because everyone said yes immediately. The tour kicked off over the weekend in New York featuring Puffy, Lil Kim, French Montana, Mase, 112, The Lox, Total and Faith Evans. Guest performers included Jay Z, Mary J. Blige, Nas , Usher, Rick Ross and Busta Rhymes.
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JUSTIN BIEBER - ARGENTINIAN RALLY
Hundreds of Justin Bieber fans marched in Argentina's capital to push authorities to let him perform there. The fans marched in central Buenos Aires on Saturday carrying signs that said ``Argentina Needs Justin'' and ``Right To Music.'' The Canadian pop star has said he will not perform in Argentina until ``legal conditions change there.'' Bieber is charged with sending his bodyguards to attack a photographer outside a Buenos Aires nightclub in 2013.
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(The Associated Press)
BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS - CANADA
It was quite a night for Canadians at the Billboard Music Awards.
While Britain's Adele claimed the most coveted Top Artist title, The Weeknd was certainly the most prolific winner with eight awards in all, including Top Hot 100 Artist and Top R&B Artist.
The Toronto-bred sensation dedicated one award to Prince, saying that while he didn't know him, he would always be inspired by the music icon who died last month.
Madonna was among the many others who paid homage, at one point sharing the stage with Stevie Wonder to sing the Prince classic ``Purple Rain.''
Justin Bieber, who won Top Male Artist and Top Social Media Artist, also performed last night, singing his hits ``Company'' and ``Sorry,'' while fellow Canadian, Drake, was honoured with the Top Rap Artist award.
And it was an especially emotional evening for Celine Dion, who lost both her husband Rene Angelil and her brother in January.
Dion performed a stirring rendition of Queen's ``The Show Must Go On,'' and afterward was presented with the Billboard icon award by her son Rene-Charles Angelil.
A tearful Dion apologized for crying, and said her late husband would -- as she put it -- ``continue to watch over me from up above.''
(The Canadian Press)
