MUSIC NEWS: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2017
JOHN ONDRASIK - CHRISTMAS EVE BABY
Christmas holds a special place in the heart of John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting. His son, Johnny, was born on Christmas Eve. Ondrasik says he and his wife started a tradition of wrapping Johnny and putting him under the tree as their little Christmas present. Ondrasik says it was great when he was a baby, and even a toddler. Ondrasik says, ``To his credit, at 17, he still lets us wrap him up and put him under the Christmas tree.''
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GAYLA PEEVEY - OKLAHOMA CITY ZOO - HIPPO
The Oklahoma City Zoo has welcomed a hippo with the help of the singer of ``I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas.'' Gayla Peevey was on hand as a 26-year-old pygmy hippopotamus named Francesca made its debut at the Oklahoma Zoo on Saturday. Francesca had been at the San Diego Zoo. Saturday was also Gayla Peevey Day in Oklahoma City. In 1953, after Peevey's song became a hit, children in Oklahoma donated dimes to buy Peevey a hippo named Mathilda, which she donated to the Oklahoma City Zoo.
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CHRISTINA PERRI - MARRIED
Christina Perri says she got married four years to the day after meeting Hollywood Reporter on-air personality Paul Costabile. Perri posted a black-and-white photo of herself with Costabile on social media yesterday that says, ``Today we got married!'' Perri is wearing a black dress and shoes and holding a small bouquet of flowers while Costabile holds her stomach. She is pregnant with the couple's first child.
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HANSON - ``STAR WARS'' VERSION OF ``MMMBOP''
Hanson says the ``Star Wars'' remix of ``MmmBop'' is ``the best cover of 'MmmBop' ever!'' They write on Instagram, ``Who knew we had a hit in a galaxy far, far away!'' The remix edits together characters from the ``Star Wars'' movie so they appear to be singing the song. It ran Monday on ``The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.''
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``NEW YEAR'S ROCKIN' EVE'' - WEST COAST ENTERTAINMENT
Kelly Clarkson, Khalid and Kane Brown will join the West Coast party for ``New Year's Rockin' Eve'' on A-B-C. Fitz and the Tantrums, Marshmello, Ontario native Shawn Mendes, Charlie Puth and Korean pop group B-T-S also are part of the lineup. Ciara will host the West Coast party. Ryan Seacrest hosts from New York's Times Square, where Camila Cabello, Nick Jonas and Sugarland will perform.
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HERB ALPERT - A&M ARTISTS
Herb Alpert thought Joan Armatrading would have been bigger. Alpert, who was the ``A'' in A&M Records with business partner Jerry Moss, says that's the one artist A&M signed that he figured would have resonated with listeners more than she did.
Alpert also admits he did not care for another infamous A&M artist, the Sex Pistols. They were on his label for all of a week in 1977 before A&M broke their contract to get rid of them. Alpert says the Sex Pistols had ``negative energy,'' and he's all about ``positive energy.''
(The Associated Press)
