MUSIC NEWS: OCTOBER 31, 2017
MICHAEL JACKSON IS THE TOP-EARNING DEAD CELEBRITY
Even in death, Michael Jackson is raking in the cash. Forbes estimates Jackson's estate earned 75-million dollars million in the past year. That puts Jackson on top of the Forbes list of top-earning dead celebrities for a fifth year in a row.
Jackson's earnings come from a new greatest hits album, a Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas and a stake in the E-M-I music publishing catalogue. In second place is golfer Arnold Palmer, with 40-million dollars. His earnings come from big sales of his clothing line in Asia and from Arizona Beverages selling his lemonade-and-ice tea blend. Charles Shultz is third with 38-million dollars. Elvis Presley is number four with 35-million dollars, and Bob Marley is fifth with 23-million dollars.
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JOHN McEUEN LEAVES NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND
Multi-instrumentalist John McEuen has parted ways with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, the band he co-founded 50 years ago. McEuen writes on Facebook he was informed two years ago he was voted out of the company that the band formed and he was considered an employee. He says he still did the 50th anniversary shows for the fans. McEuen will do his first show since his departure on Friday in Plymouth, New Hampshire. His band includes former Nitty Gritty Dirt Band members Les Thompson and John Cable.
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KELLY CLARKSON EXPLAINS HER ``KILL MYSELF'' COMMENT
When Kelly Clarkson said she wanted to kill herself during the darkest parts of her career, she meant that metaphorically. Clarkson had told the British magazine Attitude, ``When I was really skinny, I wanted to kill myself.'' Clarkson says what she meant is that it was ironic that people thought she was the picture of health because she was thin, when really she was sick all the time. Clarkson says she didn't take care of herself because she was worried about people depending on her. Clarkson says no matter what people say about her weight or her hair or her singing, she doesn't let it get to her. She jokes, ``I don't know if it's a bad thing, but I have a really really good level of self-confidence going.'' Clarkson just released a new album called ``Meaning of Life.''
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GLAMOUR MAGAZINE HONORS SOLANGE KNOWLES
Solange Knowles is one of Glamour magazine's women of the year. She tells the magazine her goal with her ``A Seat at the Table'' album was to reclaim and change her own narrative.
Other honorees include actress Nicole Kidman, comedian Samantha Bee, supermodel Gigi Hadid and ``Wonder Woman'' director Patty Jenkins.
The honorees will be featured in Glamour magazine and will attend a November 13th gala in New York.
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THREE PRINCE HEIRS ASK COURT TO REMOVE ESTATE EXECUTOR
Three of Prince's half-siblings want a judge to remove the company that manages his estate because they say master tapes of unreleased music were taken without permission.
Sharon, Norrine and John R. Nelson have filed a motion to remove Comerica Bank and Trust as estate executor. The three say Comerica removed the contents of Prince's vault, including the tapes, from his Paisley Park home outside Minneapolis and shipped them to California. Comerica says it did discuss the move with the heirs.
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(The Associated Press)
