New releases for Nov. 17, 2009: “Star Trek,” American Idols and Coolio’s cookbook
J.J. Abrams’ hit reboot “Star Trek” warps onto DVD and Blu-ray today, just in time for Christmas shopping.
In honor of its 70th anniversary, the film classic “Gone with the Wind” gets an “Ultimate Collector’s Edition” release on DVD and Blu-ray.
Several recording artists are releasing CDs today, again to coincide with the holiday gift-buying season. Among those releases are the self-titled first album from 2009 “American Idol” winner Kris Allen and an expanded re-release of runner-up Adam Lambert’s pre-”Idol” debut record. (Lambert will put out his new album “For Your Entertainment” on Monday.)
In books, most everyone knows that politician Sarah Palin is releasing this week her memoir “Going Rogue.” But did you know that Coolio has a new cookbook out this week? In “Cookin’ With Coolio,” the rapper guides people through his own brand of cuisine: Ghetto Gourmet.
Here is a list of the new CDs, DVDs and books from Amazon.com, VideoETA.com and BarnesandNoble.com:
CDs
Kris Allen, “Kris Allen.”
Adam Lambert, “Take One.”
John Mayer, “Battle Studies.”
Leona Lewis, “ECHO.”
Paul McCartney, “Good Evening New York City” (CD/DVD set).
Janet Jackson, “Number Ones.”
Casting Crowns, “Until The Whole World Hears.”
The Doors, “Live in New York” (Box set).
Rush, “Working Men” (Live).
DVDs
Andy Barker, P.I.: The Complete Series
Bruno
Dane Cook: Isolated Incident
Franklyn
Gone With The Wind
How to Be
Is Anybody There?
It’s A Very Sunny Christmas
My Sister’s Keeper
The Open Road
Star Trek
Thirst
Wild Child
Books
“Going Rogue” by Sarah Palin.
“Art of Living” by Barbel Miebach.
“Cookin’ with Coolio: 5 Star Meals at a 1 Star Price” by Coolio.
“Crocodile Tears” by Anthony Horowitz.
“How to Be Famous: Our Guide to Looking the Part, Playing the Press, and Becoming a Tabloid Fixture” by Heidi Montag.
“I, Alex Cross” by James Patterson.
“The Original of Laura” by Vladimir Nabokov.
“Shadowland (The Immortals Series No. 3)” by Alyson Noel.
“Too Much Happiness” by Alice Munro.
“The Wrecker” by Clive Cussler.
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Carrie Underwood, Leona Lewis to perform at “CNN Heroes” gala
Carrie Underwood (Associated Press photo)
Oklahoma country music star Carrie Underwood and British singer Leona Lewis will perform at the third annual “CNN Heroes: An All Star Tribute,” CNN announced today.
The gala honors everyday citizens who are making a difference in their communities and beyond. Hosted by CNN anchor Anderson Cooper from the Kodak Theater in Hollywood, the program will air globally on Thanksgiving, at 8 p.m. Nov. 26 on CNN/U.S., CNN International and CNN en Español.
Celebrities scheduled to present include Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson, Neil Patrick Harris, Pierce Brosnan, Dwayne Johnson, Eva Mendes, Randy Jackson and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Additional appearances will be announced in days to come.
The Top 10 CNN Heroes, as selected by the Blue Ribbon Panel, were unveiled by Cooper on CNN last month. The public will select the CNN Hero of the Year via voting at www.CNN.com/Heroes, which concludes at 5 a.m. Thursday. During the Nov. 26 broadcast, the Top Ten Heroes will each be awarded $25,000, and CNN will reveal the CNN Hero of the Year, who will receive an additional $100,000.
This Year’s Blue Ribbon Panel judges included Sir Elton John, Colin Powell, Mariane Pearl, Shakira, Wallis Annenberg, Tavis Smiley, Ted Turner, Tory Burch, Kirk Cameron, Whoopi Goldberg, Malaak Compton-Rock, Rossana Rosado, and Masi Oka. In its third year, the CNN HEROES initiative garnered a record number of nominations – more than 9,000 – and a record number of online votes for CNN Hero of the Year, surpassing 2 million votes.
For more TV news, check out Penny Soldan’s TV blog at http://blog.newsok.com/television.
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Carrie Underwood continues TV blitz
Checotah native Carrie Underwood is continuing her huge TV blitz in support of her new album, “Play On,” which is currently sitting at No. 1 on the multi-genre Billboard 200 chart as well as on Billboard’s Country Albums list. The “American Idol” winner also has the No. 1 country song in the land with the album’s lead-off single “Cowboy Casanova.”
Today The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien
Nov 18 The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Nov 19 Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Nov 22 American Music Awards
In addition, the country star’s first-ever “Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special” will air at 7 p.m. Dec. 7 on FOX.
For more TV news, check out Penny Soldan’s information-packed blog at http://blog.newsok.com/television.
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Carrie Underwood writes more on new album “Play On”
A version of this story appears in Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Carrie Underwood’s got the write stuff for new album
Underwood co-wrote seven of 13 titles on her New album, ‘Play On’
Between the No. 1 hits and the TV appearances, the magazine covers and the red carpet fashions, music fans can be forgiven for forgetting that country superstar Carrie Underwood was once an aspiring journalist.
But the credits for her new album “Play On” serve as a pointed reminder that the Oklahoma native was sharpening her pen long before she won “American Idol” in 2005.
“I got a lot of practice writing in general, especially in college. You know, in high school I wrote for the school paper, in college I wrote for the school paper, and was always busy writing stories,” she said in a September press conference at her Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame induction in Muskogee.
Underwood, 26, co-wrote seven of the 13 songs on “Play On,” her third album. She helped pen four tracks on her second record, 2007’s “Carnival Ride,” and one on her 2005 debut “Some Hearts.”
“This one, I had a lot more time to do a lot more writing, and I feel like I’m a lot more comfortable in myself as a writer. That just happens — the more you do it, the better, the easier it gets, I suppose,” said Underwood, who received her mass communications degree from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah almost a year after she won the reality TV singing contest.
“Play On,” released Tuesday, has been one of the fall’s most anticipated country albums — for good reason. Since winning the fourth season of “Idol,” Underwood has sold more than 10 million records, notched 10 No. 1 hits from her first two albums and won four Grammy Awards, as well as myriad other industry accolades. On Nov. 11, she will co-host and compete for two honors at the Country Music Association’s 43rd Annual CMA Awards.
While she is best known for belting out feisty breakup songs, uplifting anthems and soaring ballads, Underwood is demonstrating a knack for helping craft her hits. Three songs she co-wrote for “Carnival Ride” — “So Small,” “All-American Girl” and “Last Name” — topped the country charts.
For “Play On,” she set out to stretch her songwriting skills.
“I kind of branched out and wrote with a lot of people that I’ve never even met before — people that weren’t even necessarily involved in country music,” she said. “We’d take like me and a good friend of mine who I’d written with before who is a staple in country music and then kind of bring another element to it, which was a lot of fun.”
For instance, she penned “Cowboy Casanova” with respected Nashville songsmith Brett James, who also co-wrote her Grammy-winning hit “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” and hip-hop writer/producer Mike Elizondo, known for his work with Dr. Dre, Eminem and 50 Cent. The saucy lead-off single zipped into the top five in just seven weeks on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
“This is probably the fifth song I’ve written with Carrie and she’s just delightful. She’s a fantastic person, she’s a fantastic singer, obviously an amazing singer, and she’s a really, really great songwriter,” said James, who grew up in Oklahoma City and Cordell.
The songstress also wrote with rockers Raine Maida of My Lady Peace on the lovely ballad “Unapologize” and Zac Maloy, former frontman of Oklahoma City band The Nixons, on the spiritual tearjerker “Temporary Home.”
“I had to be a fan,” she said of Maloy. “I was like, ‘I saw you when I was in high school.’ So, it was a lot of fun for me to work with him.”
Underwood, who counts fellow Oklahoman Garth Brooks as one of her idols, remains unapologetic for making rock- and pop-flavored country music.
“Right now in country music is a great time for a lot of different kinds of country music,” she said. “If you turn on the radio you can find something you like, whether you like things that are more kind of contemporary country, or you find more things that are traditional country or more kind of rock-influenced.”
But she acknowledged her mix-and-match approach to choosing songwriting partners didn’t always work.
“Sometimes we’d get things that were like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is new and fresh and awesome,’ and sometimes it was like, ‘Whoa — what have we done?’ she said. “Most of those you’ll probably never hear — that’s why they were ‘whoa, what have we done moments.’ But it was a great learning experience.”
Among the collaborations that didn’t make it onto the album were songs she co-wrote with fellow Oklahoma native and Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill.
“It was still an investment in somebody you like, and a neat kid who’s got her head on straight. And you just root for her,” said Gill, who sings on her new track “Look at Me.”
“She’s all things good.”
Contributing: Assistant Entertainment Editor George Lang.
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Carrie Underwood announces more TV appearances
Carrie Underwood (Associated Press photo)
Music superstar Carrie Underwood, who is celebrating the release of her new album “Play On” this week in New York City, is announcing additional television appearances coming up later this month.
The Oklahoma native has set several added appearances for the week after she co-hosts the Country Music Association’s 43rd Annual CMA Awards with Brad Paisley on Wednesday Nov. 11.
Underwood will make her first-ever appearances on “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” on Monday, Nov. 16, and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (where she will perform an outdoor concert) on Thursday, Nov. 19.
On Wednesday, Nov. 18, Underwood will take over the “Ellen DeGeneres Show” with special live performances, talk time and more.
To wrap her week, the Checotah native will perform on the American Music Awards live from the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles on Nov. 22. She is nominated as Favorite Female Artist – Country.
During the week of the CMA Awards, Underwood will make a second appearance on “Good Morning America” live from downtown Nashville on Nov. 10. Later that evening, Underwood will be featured on Robin Robert’s ABC Special “In The Spotlight with Robin Roberts: Bright Lights. Big Stars. All Access Nashville.”
On Thursday, Nov. 12 the A&E network will debut “Biography- Carrie Underwood.”
Tonight, Underwood will appear on “The Late Show with David Letterman.” She will be on ”Good Morning America” Tuesday live from outside Lincoln Center, and she will appear on “Live! with Regis and Kelly” on Thursday.
Here is a list of Underwood’s upcoming TV appearances, starting tonight:
Nov. 2 The Late Show with David Letterman
Nov 3 Good Morning America- live in New York
Nov 5 Live! with Regis & Kelly
Nov 10 Good Morning America- live in Nashville
Nov 10 “In The Spotlight with Robin Roberts: Bright Lights. Big Stars. All Access Nashville”- ABC Special
Nov 11 43rd Annual CMA Awards
Nov 12 A&E “Biography- Carrie Underwood”
Nov 16 The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien
Nov 18 The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Nov 19 Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Nov 22 American Music Awards
A four-time Grammy Award winner, ACM (Academy of Country Music) Entertainer of the Year, and reigning, three-time CMA (Country Music Association) and ACM Female Vocalist winner, Underwood re-teams for the upcoming “Play On” with producer Mark Bright, who helmed her “Carnival Ride” collection as well as seven tracks from her 2005 album debut, “Some Hearts.”
“Play On” will be released Tuesday, and the album’s debut single, “Cowboy Casanova,” is the fastest-rising hit of the year at country radio. It exploded with massive first-week sales of 110,236 digital copies. With this achievement, Underwood remains the only solo country artist this year to debut a digital single above the 100,000 mark – a feat she’s accomplished not once, but twice in 2009, having also hit the six digits with her recording of this past season’s “American Idol” farewell theme, “Home Sweet Home.”
Earlier this year, Underwood became the first country artist in history to achieve 10 No. 1 singles from their first two albums when “I Told You So” became the fifth consecutive chart-topper from “Carnival Ride,” which also included the smash, “Just a Dream,” and three hits Underwood co-wrote: “So Small,” “All-American Girl,” and “Last Name.” To date, Underwood is the U.S. best-selling “Idol” winner with album sales of more than 10 million.
To learn about other celebs making TV appearances, check out Penny Soldan’s always-informative TV Blog at http://blog.newsok.com/television.
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David Cook to play Friday at Shawnee casino
David Cook (Associated Press photo)
A version of this story appears in Saturday’s The Oklahoman.
SHAWNEE – “American Idol” David Cook will return to Oklahoma to perform at 7 p.m. Nov. 6 at Firelake Grand Casino.
Born in Houston and raised in Blue Springs, Mo., Cook was working on his music career in Tulsa when he won a spot on the reality TV singing contest. Just a week after he won “Idol” in May 2008, he had 14 songs listed on Billboard’s Hot Digital Songs Survey and 11 on the Hot 100.
His self-titled debut album, released almost a year ago, has been certified platinum.
Cook credits his parents with enriching his musical beginnings. His parents had an eclectic record collection, so he listened to many different genres. He also grew up watching his dad play guitar. When he was in high school, he formed the band Axium with a friend.
After he graduated from Central Missouri State with a degree in graphic design, Cook chose to follow his passion for music rather than get a job in his degree field. He moved to Tulsa to play with regional band Midwest Kings.
By 2007, he had launched a solo career, playing gigs in bars and clubs around Tulsa. When his brother, Andrew, decided try out for the seventh season of “American Idol,” Cook went along for moral support. Cook opted to try out himself at the last minute.
When his sibling didn’t make the cut, Cook offered to quit, too, but his brother and mother insisted that he go on. He emerged as a dark horse favorite, winning the “Idol” title.
Cook, 26, embarked earlier this year on his first headlining tour, playing colleges, ballrooms and theaters. The tour has been extended several times, with the singer/songwriter/guitarist recently adding dates through the end of the year.
He also will appear on fellow Oklahoma “Idol” winner Carrie Underwood’s first holiday TV special, airing Dec. 7 on Fox.
For information or tickets to the Shawnee show, call 964-7263 or go to www.firelakegrand.com. Ticket prices start at $44. According to the casino, tickets are still available.
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David Cook to return to Oklahoma for Nov. 6 Shawnee show
SHAWNEE – David Cook, the 2008 winner of “American Idol,” will return to Oklahoma to perform at 7 p.m. Nov. 6 at Firelake Grand Casino.
Born in Houston and raised in Blue Springs, Mo., Cook was working on his music career in Tulsa when he won a spot on the reality TV singing contest. Just a week after winning “Idol,” he had 14 songs on Billboard’s Hot Digital Songs Survey and 11 on the Hot 100.
His self-titled debut album, released last fall, has been certified platinum.
However, music wasn’t the only career Cook considered.
“I thought I wanted to be a pro baseball player, but my fastball wasn’t fast enough and I couldn’t hit to save my life,” he says in a news release. “Performing was the only thing I ever felt I was great at.”
Cook can credit his parents with enriching his musical beginnings. His parents had an “eclectic record collection,” so he listened to many different genres. And he grew up watching his dad play guitar. When he was in high school, he formed a band with a friend. He continued to focus on music.
After he graduated from Central Missouri State with a degree in graphic design, he chose to follow his passion for music rather than get a job in his degree field. He moved to Tulsa to pursue his music career.
When his brother Andrew went to try out for “American Idol,” Cook went along for moral support. He decided to tryout himself at the last minute. When his brother didn’t make the cut, Cook offered to quit too, but his brother and mother insisted that he go on. He emerged as a dark horse favorite and eventually won the contest.
For tickets or information, call 964-7263 or go to www.firelakegrand.com. Ticket prices start at $44.
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First presenters announced for 43rd Annual CMA Awards
Julianne Hough
The first group of presenters has been announced for the 43rd Annual CMA Awards, which will hosted by Brad Paisley and Oklahoma native Carrie Underwood, and air live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Tenn., on Nov. 11 on ABC.
The first celebrities announced as presenters for the Country Music Association’s award show: NASCAR superstar driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.; stars of ABC’s “The Middle” Neil Flynn and Patricia Heaton; Julianne Hough; nominee Randy Houser (for both New Artist and Music Video of the Year for “Boots On”); nominee Jake Owen (New Artist of the Year); Kellie Pickler; CMA Award winner LeAnn Rimes; and ABC News’s Robin Roberts, co-anchor of “Good Morning America” and host of the upcoming “Robin Roberts: Bright Lights. Big Stars. All Access Nashville” ABC television special (airing Nov. 10).
In addition, hot emerging trio Love And Theft will host the pre-telecast awards, which are given out during the half-hour before the televised event begins. Among the awards presented during this time are the CMA Broadcast Awards, which recognize the Broadcast Personality and Station of the Year in four categories (small, medium, large, and major market) as well as the National Broadcast Personality of the Year.
Performers already announced include Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney and Dave Mathews, Billy Currington, Vince Gill and Daughtry, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, and Zac Brown Band, with more to be named soon.
Tickets for the 2009 CMA Awards can be purchased by logging on to www.ticketmaster.com; calling (800) 745-3000; or in person at the Sommet Center box office, 501 Broadway (corner of Fifth Avenue and Broadway, in Nashville). Ticket prices begin at $110 for Upper Level. Lower Level seats are also available.
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Carrie Underwood to perform at American Music Awards
Oklahoma country star Carrie Underwood, along with Kelly Clarkson and Daughtry, has been added to the performance lineup of the American Music Awards, according to CMT.com.
The American Music Awards will air Nov. 22 on ABC.
The award show is shaping up to be a sort of “American Idol” alumni reunion: Underwood and Clarkson are both “Idol” winners, while Daughtry frontman Chris Daughtry was a finalist in 2006.
As previously announced, “American Idol” runner-up Adam Lambert will perform on the show as well.
The Black Eyed Peas, Jennifer Lopez, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys also have been added as AMA performers.
It’s turning into a hectic fall for Underwood, who is planning a flurry of TV appearances next week to go with the release of her third album, “Play On.” The Oklahoma native and Brad Paisley will co-host the 43rd Annual CMA Awards Nov. 11 on ABC.
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Carrie Underwood will promote “Play On” with Big Apple publicity blitz
Carrie Underwood (Photo by Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman Archives)
Country music star Carrie Underwood will head to New York City to celebrate and promote her new album “Play On,” due in stores Nov. 3. While in the Big Apple, the Oklahoman native will perform on “The Late Show with David Letterman” on Nov. 2, perform a special outdoor concert at Lincoln Center on “Good Morning America” on album release day, and will round out her week with a visit to “Live with Regis and Kelly” on Nov. 5.
After closing out the album release week, Checotah’s favorite daughter will prepare for her performance and co-hosting duties at this year’s 43rd Annual Country Music Association Awards, airing Nov. 11 live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Tenn.
A four-time Grammy Award winner, Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year, and reigning, three-time CMA and ACM Female Vocalist winner, Underwood re-teams for the upcoming “Play On” with producer Mark Bright, who helmed her “Carnival Ride” album as well as seven tracks from her 2005 album debut, “Some Hearts.”
“Play On”’s debut single, “Cowboy Casanova,” is the fastest-rising hit of the year at country radio and exploded with massive first-week sales of 110,236 digital copies. With this achievement, Underwood remains the only solo country artist this year to debut a digital single above the 100,000 mark – a feat she’s accomplished not once, but twice in 2009, having also hit the six digits with her recording of this past season’s “American Idol” farewell theme, “Home Sweet Home.”
Earlier this year, Underwood became the first country artist in history to achieve 10 No. 1 singles from their her two albums when “I Told You So” became the fifth consecutive chart-topper from “Carnival Ride,” which also included the smash, “Just a Dream,” and three hits Underwood co-wrote: “So Small,” “All-American Girl,” and “Last Name.” To date, Underwood is the U.S. best-selling “Idol” winner with album sales of more than 10 million.
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