Briefly: Janet Jackson, Billy Gilman, Celine Dion, Ray Charles, Andre 3000
Janet Jackson issued an apology on Monday night (2/2) for exposing her bare breast for a moment during the Super Bowl halftime show.
"The decision to have a costume reveal at the end of my halftime show performance was made after final rehearsals," she said. "MTV was completely unaware of it. It was not my intention that it go as far as it did. I apologize to anyone offended--including the audience, MTV, CBS and the NFL."
Yesterday, Federal Communications Commission chief Michael Powell said that his office was opening an investigation of the incident.
Singer Billy Gilman , who scored a multi-platinum hit five years ago--when he was just 10 years old--with his album "One Voice," has spent the last two years waiting out his voice change.
"It was very frustrating to go through this process," Gilman, now 15 years old, said in a statement. "Even knowing that it was coming, I had no idea that it would take this long to complete."
According to a press release, Gilman is slowly making his comeback. He played two live casino shows at the end of last year, and recently performed for Celine Dion at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas as she was named Woman of the Year at the Black and White Ball.
He has parted ways with his previous label Sony, and hopes to record a new album this year.
"I can't wait to get back in the studio and make new music," he said. "Even though I'm still very young in this business, I feel that my experience over the last five years will help me make the best record of my career."
Celine Dion has called off her performances in the Las Vegas production "A New Day ..." through Feb. 5 due to illness.
According to a press release, the singer "has been battling a sinus infection all weekend and is on doctor's orders to continue resting over the next few days."
Ray Charles duets with a long list of stars including Norah Jones, B.B. King, Willie Nelson, Michael McDonald, Bonnie Raitt and James Taylor on a new, as-yet-untitled album that will be released by Concord Records on Aug. 31.
On March 2, Charles returns to stage after an eight-month absence with a performance at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall in New York. Charles canceled several concert dates last year to recover from hip surgery.
Rapper Andre 3000 of OutKast has been cast in a role for the movie "Be Cool," a sequel to "Get Shorty." He'll pay a member of Dub MDs, a rap group.
Andre 3000--whose real name is Andre Benjamin--made his big-screen debut in last year's Harrison Ford flick "Hollywood Homicide."
- Artist Links:
Janet Jackson shelves more shows [October 2008]
Janet Jackson released from hospital, postpones more shows [October 2008]
Report: Janet Jackson hospitalized [September 2008]
Janet Jackson postpones Detroit-area show [September 2008]
Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band confirmed for Super Bowl performance [September 2008]
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Calico Horse: Live And Acoustic At LiveDaily Sessions
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco 2008
David Byrne in San Francisco CA 2008
John Legend in Berkeley California 2007
The Pretenders in Sacramento CA 2007
Nikka Costa in Los Angeles CA 2008
Jonas Brothers at Mountain View CA 2008
Butthole Surfers in Austin Texas 2008
Cowboy Mouth at Voodoo Fest New Orleans 2006
Austin City Limits Music Festival 2008
Ben Folds in Boston MA 2008

