What to do in Oklahoma on May 2, 2012: See “Fiddler on the Roof” at the Civic Center
Today's featured event:
Watch the national touring production of the beloved musical “Fiddler on the Roof” at 7:30 p.m. today and Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday at Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N Walker.
Click here to read The Oklahoman Fine Arts Editor Rick Rogers' interview with John Preece, 64, who has devoted much of his career as an actor to the role of Tevye the milkman.
Information: (800) 869-1451 or www.celebrityattractions.com. For more events, go to www.wimgo.com.
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Avett Brothers ticket giveaway coming to OU Wednesday
The Avett Brothers
NORMAN – Representatives of Chesapeake Energy Arena will be around the campus of the University of Oklahoma Wednesday to give away tickets to see the Avett Brothers in concert at 8 p.m. Friday, July 27 in Oklahoma City.
Tickets will be given away through a scavenger hunt on the arena’s Facebook page (facebook.com/ChesapeakeArena) and Twitter feed (twitter.com/ChesapeakeArena). Pairs of tickets will be hidden on or near OU’s campus and a photo of the location will be posted to Facebook and Twitter. The first person to find the hidden tickets will get the opportunity to see the Avett Brothers in concert at Chesapeake Energy Arena, according to a news release.
Three pairs of tickets will be given away.
Here are the contest rules: Open to everyone, one winner per household, tickets cannot be exchanged for cash or other prizes, contestants are not required to “like” the Chesapeake Energy Arena Facebook page or follow its Twitter feed and are not required to be students or otherwise be affiliated with the University of Oklahoma.
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Woody Guthrie to receive Pioneer Award from Songwriters Hall of Fame
NEW YORK – The grand centennial celebration continues for Woody Guthrie.
The Okemah native will be the recipient of the prestigious Pioneer Award, to be presented at the 43rd Annual Induction and Awards Dinner June 14 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City, Songwriters Hall of Fame Chairman (and fellow Oklahoma native) Jimmy Webb announced today.
The Pioneer Award was established this year to honor the career of a historic creator of a major body of musical work that has been a major influence on generations of songwriters.
“This year, we join musicians and songwriters from around the world in celebrating Woody Guthrie’s 100th birthday,” Webb said in the announcement. “One of the great songwriters of all time, we look forward to acknowledging his brilliance with the first-ever Songwriters Hall of Fame Pioneer Award.”
Guthrie, who died in 1967, wrote more than 3,000 songs throughout his career, including American staples “This Land Is Your Land,” “This Train Is Bound For Glory,” “Pastures of Plenty” and “Pretty Boy Floyd.” First known as “the Dustbowl Balladeer,” his musical and compositional style has influenced generations of contemporary songwriters in every genre, from folk to rock. Recognized for his monumental contributions and achievements in American culture, Guthrie was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters’ Hall of Fame in 1977, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, and the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in 1997. In 1999, he was honored with The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 2012, to commemorate what would be Guthrie’s centennial year, Woody Guthrie Publications and the Grammy Museum are collaborating on a year-long celebration from California to the New York Island and across the pond, with concerts, exhibits, educational conferences and album releases, among other honorary celebrations.
In honor of the Woody Guthrie Centennial, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings will release the new box set “Woody at 100: The Woody Guthrie Centennial Collection” on July 10, 2012, four days before the treasured musician would have turned 100 years old. For a special pre-sale including an instant album download and to hear a previously unreleased Woody Guthrie song, go to folkways.si.edu/woodyat100.
Previously announced inductees at this year’s Songwriters Hall of Fame event include Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Seger, Don Schlitz, Harvey Schmidt & Tom Jones and Jim Steinman. The Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Bette Midler and the Abe Olman Publisher Award will be presented to Lance Freed. “Stand By Me” will receive the Towering Song Award with Ben E. King honored with the Towering Performance Award. The Hal David Starlight Award will be presented to Ne-Yo.
The Songwriters Hall of Fame celebrates songwriters, educates the public with regard to their achievements, and produces a spectrum of professional programs devoted to the development of new songwriting talent through workshops, showcases and scholarships. There are fewer than 400 inductees who make up the impressive roster enshrined in the Hall of Fame. The list includes Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland, Albert Hammond, Desmond Child, Paul Williams, Hal David and Burt Bacharach, John Fogerty, Bob Dylan, Isaac Hayes and David Porter, Richard and Robert Sherman, Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Sir Elton John, Bernie Taupin, Brian Wilson, James Taylor, James Brown, Bruce Springsteen, Jim Croce, Phil Collins, Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Loretta Lynn, Jimmy Webb, Van Morrison, Irving Burgie, Kris Kristofferson, Dolly Parton, Diane Warren, Garth Brooks, Leon Russell and Leonard Cohen among many others.
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Rascal Flatts’ latest single “Banjo” reaches No. 1 on country charts
Rascal Flatts (AP file)
Rascal Flatts is having a very good year. In early April, the Big Machine Records superstar vocal trio, which includes Picher-bred guitarist Joe Don Rooney, debuted their eighth studio album, “Changed,” at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums Chart. Today, Rascal Flatts have officially earned their 14th No. 1 single at country radio with “Banjo,” the lead single off “Changed.”
After only being on the charts for 16 weeks, “Banjo” mightily ascended to the top of the Billboard, Mediabase/Country Aircheck and MusicRow charts for the week ending April 28, according to a news release.
“Thanks to country radio and our fans for loving this song,” said Rascal Flatts lead vocalist Gary LeVox in the release. “You guys never cease to amaze us!”
“Banjo”— along with the entire “Changed” album— has received rave reviews from some of the most revered music critics at the Associated Press, New York Times, NPR and USA Today. To read my review of “Changed,” click here.
The accompanying music video for “Banjo” garnered Rascal Flatts a 2012 CMT Music Award nomination for group video of the year. The CMT Music Awards air live on Wednesday, June 6 and fan voting is available now through June 4 at www.cmt.com.
“Banjo,” was written by songwriting veterans Tony Martin, Wendell Mobley and Neil Thrasher. “Changed” was produced by Dann Huff and contains five songs written by the members of Rascal Flatts.
Since their musical debut in 2000, the band has sold more than 21 million albums, 25 million digital downloads and delivered 14 No. 1 singles. As one of the hottest-selling acts on tour in any genre, they’ve sold more than 6 million concert tickets, and counting.
On June 15, the Flatts will kick off their summer tour, Farmers Insurance Presents “Changed Tour,” with Little Big Town, and Big Machine Label Group labelmates Eli Young Band and Edens Edge.
Before launching the tour, the vocal group will help raise money for Folds of Honor by performing a special concert May 28 at The Joint inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa. Tickets are $125 and go on sale April 12. All proceeds from ticket sales will go to the Folds of Honor Foundation. For more information, go to www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com.
For tour dates and album updates, go to www.rascalflatts.com.
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Video: “The Voice” Season 1 finalists Dia Frampton, Vicci Martinez, Beverly McClellan and Javier Colon return to the reality TV show tonight
The four finalists for Season 2 of “The Voice” will be revealed tonight during the live elimination show, airing from 8 to 9 p.m. on NBC. The artist on each of the four team’s – led by celebrity coaches Adam Levine, CeeLo Green, Christina Aguilera and Oklahoma country music superstar Blake Shelton – with the highest score based on a combined percentage of viewer votes and coach’s score from the Monday night’s performance show will move on for a chance to be crowned “The Voice.”
But first, “The Voice” will welcome back its Season 1 finalists, who will join forces with three of music’s biggest talents: Cyndi Lauper, Kid Cudi and Coach CeeLo Green himself.
Blake’s Season 1 finalist, Dia Frampton, is set to perform her single “Don’t Kick the Chair,” featuring Kid Cudi off her debut album, “Red,” while Vicci Martinez sings “Come Along,” featuring her former coach, CeeLo. Also, Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, Cyndi Lauper, graces “The Voice” stage for the first time to perform her classic hit, “Money Changes Everything,” alongside Coach Christina Aguilera’s Season 1 finalist, Beverly McClellan.
And reigning champ Javier Colon performs his new single, “A Drop in the Ocean,” off his current album, “Come Through for You.”
In this video, the Season 1 finalists sit down with “The Voice’s” social media correspondent Christina Milian to talk about what they’ve been doing since competing on the show last year, share their insights into which of the Season 2 “Elite 8″ semifinalists have impressed them and even play a quick game of song-title charades.
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Video: Carrie Underwood performs, announces new tour on “Good Morning America”
Oklahoma country music superstar Carrie Underwood performed a mini-concert this morning in Time Square on “Good Morning America,” and she also announced on the show that she will launch in fall a headlining North American arena tour in support of her new album, “Blown Away,” released today.
“The Blown Away Tour” will include an Oct. 25 stop at Oklahoma City’s Chesapeake Energy Arena. Tickets for the OKC show will go on sale Friday, May 11. Ticket prices have not yet been announced.
The tour will also include an international run of shows this summer sponsored by Olay, including Underwood’s first-ever United Kingdom concert on June 21 at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London. Her British date sold out in 90 minutes.
Additional international concert dates will be announced soon.
The North American tour dates will be presented and hydrated by vitaminwater, sponsored by Olay, and promoted by AEG Live. Special guest Hunter Hayes will open.
“I can’t wait to get back out on the road and perform new music from my new album for my fans,” said Underwood in the tour announcement. We have a lot of exciting things planned!”
Underwood is donating $1 from each ticket sold on the North American leg of “The Blown Away Tour” to support Red Cross disaster relief. Every year, the American Red Cross prepares for and responds to nearly 70,000 disasters across the United States. This donation will help the Red Cross provide shelter, food, and emotional support for those in need after a disaster. Proceeds from her Canadian concerts will be donated to the Canadian Red Cross.
The 2005 “American Idol” winner’s two previous headline tours, 2008’s “Carnival Ride Tour” and 2010’s “Play On Tour,” performed for a combined total of nearly 250 shows with 2.2 million fans in attendance, and she wrapped both years as the top-ranked female country touring artist.
During her “GMA” show this morning, she also showed off her keen fashion sense in black and white jeans and a tuxedo jacket.
Underwood’s “Blown Away” media blitz continues with an iHeartRadio Live performance streaming live online at 6 tonight at www.iheartradio.com/carrie.
The 2005 “American Idol” winner will head west to Los Angeles to perform on “Idol” Thursday; “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” on May 9; “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on May 10, and “Dancing With The Stars” on May 15, followed by the Billboard Music Awards live from Las Vegas on May 20.
She also will make appearances across various programs on the CMT, GAC, VH1, and MTV networks throughout the month of May, and she earned a leading five nominations for the June 6 CMT Music Awards.
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New releases for May 1, 2012: Albums from Carrie Underwood and Point of Grace
Oklahoma country music superstar Carrie Underwood released today her fourth album, “Blown Away,” on 19 Recordings/Arista Nashville.
Produced by Mark Bright, the Checotah native’s 14-track album already includes a top 10, gold-certified hit in its lead-off single, the feisty rocker “Good Girl.” To read my review of “Blown Away,” click here.
Since releasing “Some Hearts” in 2005, the “American Idol” winner has sold more than 14 million albums with “Some Hearts,” 2007’s “Carnival Ride” and 2009’s “Play On.” She’s amassed 14 No. 1 singles, six of which she co-wrote, and became the first country artist in history and the only ”American Idol” winner ever to achieve 10 No. 1 singles from their first two albums.
In other Oklahoma music news, contemporary Christian trio Point of Grace – Norman native Denise (Masters) Jones, Shelley Breen and Leigh Cappillino – are celebrating 20 years together with today’s release of their new album “A Thousand Little Things.”
Among today’s new movie releases are Martin Scorcese’s rock doc “George Harrison: Living in the Material World,” Madonna’s historical romance “W.E.” and Steven Soderbergh’s female-driven espionage actioner “Haywire.” To read my review of “Haywire,” click here.
New on the bookshelf this week are titles from Charlaine Harris, Rick Riordan and Nora Roberts, plus celebrity bios “My Cross to Bear” by Gregg Allman and “Both of Us: My Life with Farrah” by Ryan O’Neal, Jodee Blanco and Kent Carroll.
Here is a list of more new CDs, DVDs and books, from Amazon.com, VideoETA.com and BarnesandNoble.com:
CDs
Carrie Underwood, “Blown Away.”
Point of Grace, “A Thousand Little Things.”
Norah Jones, “Little Broken Hearts.”
George Harrison, “Early Takes Volume 1: Music From The Martin Scorsese Picture Living In The Material World.”
Marilyn Manson, “Born Villain.”
Rufus Wainwright, “Out of the Game” (CD+DVD set).
Santigold, “Master of My Make-Believe.”
“Smash” Cast, “The Music of Smash.”
B.o.B, “Strange Clouds.”
Monkees, “The Birds, the Bees & The Monkees.”
Various artists, “Avengers Assemble.”
DVDs
And They’re Off
Covert Affairs: Season Two
George Harrison: Living in the Material World
Haywire
Joyful Noise
New Year’s Eve
Suits: Season One
W.E.
Books
Deadlocked (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 12) by Charlaine Harris
The Serpent’s Shadow (The Kane Chronicles, Book Three) by Rick Riordan
My Cross to Bear by Gregg Allman
Both of Us: My Life with Farrah by Ryan O’Neal, Jodee Blanco, Kent Carroll
Insurgent (Divergent Trilogy) by Veronica Roth
The Last Boyfriend: Book Two of the Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy (The Inn Trilogy) by Nora Roberts
Are You My Mother?: A Comic Drama by Alison Bechdel
The Passage of Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson by Robert A. Caro
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UPDATED: Carrie Underwood announces “Blown Away” tour in support of new album, including Oct. 25 Oklahoma City show
Carrie Underwood (AP file)
UPDATE: Tickets for Carrie Underwood’s Oklahoma City show will go on sale Friday, May 11, according to a Chesapeake Energy Arena representative. Prices for the OKC show as well as prices and sale date for the Tulsa show are still to be announced.
Oklahoma country music superstar Carrie Underwood announced this morning on “Good Morning America” that she will launch in fall a headlining North American arena tour in support of her new album, “Blown Away,” released today.
“The Blown Away Tour” will include an Oct. 25 stop at Oklahoma City’s Chesapeake Energy Arena.
In addition, she will return to Oklahoma to play Nov. 21 at Tulsa’s BOK Center. I’ll have more information on the Checotah native’s home state tour stops as soon as it becomes available.
The tour will also include an international run of shows this summer sponsored by Olay, including Underwood’s first-ever United Kingdom concert on June 21 at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London. Her British date sold out in 90 minutes.
Additional international concert dates will be announced soon.
The North American tour dates will be presented and hydrated by vitaminwater, sponsored by Olay, and promoted by AEG Live. Special guest Hunter Hayes will open.
“I can’t wait to get back out on the road and perform new music from my new album for my fans,” said Underwood in the tour announcement. We have a lot of exciting things planned!”
Underwood is donating $1 from each ticket sold on the North American leg of “The Blown Away Tour” to support Red Cross disaster relief. Every year, the American Red Cross prepares for and responds to nearly 70,000 disasters across the United States. This donation will help the Red Cross provide shelter, food, and emotional support for those in need after a disaster. Proceeds from her Canadian concerts will be donated to the Canadian Red Cross.
The 2005 “American Idol” winner’s two previous headline tours, 2008’s “Carnival Ride Tour” and 2010’s “Play On Tour,” performed for a combined total of nearly 250 shows with 2.2 million fans in attendance, and she wrapped both years as the top-ranked female country touring artist.
Since releasing her debut “Some Hearts” in 2005, Underwood, 29, has sold more than 14 million albums with “Some Hearts,” 2007’s “Carnival Ride” and 2009’s “Play On.” She’s amassed 14 No. 1 singles, six of which she co-wrote, and became the first country artist in history and the only “American Idol” winner ever to achieve 10 No. 1 singles from their first two albums.
She is a five-time Grammy winner, a two-time Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year, a three-time Country Music Association and ACM Female Vocalist winner, and a proud member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Underwood currently leads the nominations for the upcoming CMT Music Awards with five. The fan-voted awards will be handed out June 6 in Nashville, Tenn. To vote, go to www.CMT.com.
Hunter Hayes, the multi-talented writer, musician, producer, and performer, is the only country artist to play every instrument, write/co-write every song, and co-produce his critically acclaimed self-titled debut album. As a 2012 ACM New Artist of the Year nominee, Hunter has been touring and performing live for decades, most recently selling out venues across the US and Canada on his “Most Wanted” headline tour. This multi-instrumentalist continues to garner praise from fans and critics alike as he made his world-premiere national television debut on CBS’ “Late Show with David Letterman” and also performed with The Roots on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” and on “Good Morning America.” The Louisiana native has shared the stage with Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Trace Adkins, Brad Paisley, and Hank Williams, Jr. to name a few. His current Top 40 hit “Wanted” is quickly climbing the radio charts and holds the unprecedented No. 1 slot for three weeks in a row on GAC’s Top 20 Countdown. For more information on Hunter Hayes, go to www.HunterHayes.com.
For more information on “The Blown Away Tour,” go to www.carrieunderwood.fm.
See her full schedule of 2012 shows, including “The Blown Away Tour” dates and additional festival dates, after the break.
What to do in Oklahoma on May 1, 2012: Hear Van Halen at Tulsa’s BOK Center
David Lee Roth, left, and Edd Van Halen of Van Halen perform in this 2011 photo. (AP file)
Today’s featured event:
TULSA – Hear Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Van Halen will perform their first show at the BOK Center, 200 S Denver, at 7:30 tonight. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
R&B group Kool & the Gang will be special guest for the Tulsa date.
Van Halen is legendary for its multiple personnel changes, and like the band’s 2007-08 trek, this tour will feature three-fourths of the original lineup: Singer David Lee Roth, guitarist Eddie Van Halen, his drummer brother Alex Van Halen and Eddie Van Halen’s song Wolfgang Van Halen on bass. Original bassist Michael Anthony was dropped from the band in 2006.
The tour is supporting “A Different Kind of Truth,” Van Halen’s first album of new material with Roth since 1984, which was released in February.
For more information, go to www.bokcenter.com.
For more events, go to www.wimgo.com.
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Video: Carrie Underwood performs “Good Girl” on “Letterman”
Due to severe storms here in Oklahoma, primetime and late-night network programming tonight (Monday) was preempted by weather coverage.
That included Oklahoma country music star Carrie Underwood’s performance as the musical guest on “The Late Show with David Letterman.” She belted out her latest hit “Good Girl,” the lead single off her fourth album, “Blown Away,” due out Tuesday, and I’m posting it here so her home state fans can see it.
Since it’s after midnight, “Blown Away” is now available on iTunes at http://smarturl.it/blownaway. To read my review of “Blown Away,” click here.
On Tuesday, Underwood will return to Good Morning America to perform a special live outdoor concert in Times Square, followed by an iHeartRadio Live performance streaming live online that night.
The 2005 “American Idol” winner will then head west to Los Angeles to perform on “Idol” Thursday; “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” on May 9; “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on May 10, and “Dancing With The Stars” on May 15, followed by the Billboard Music Awards live from Las Vegas on May 20.
She also will make appearances across various programs on the CMT, GAC, VH1, and MTV networks throughout the month of May.
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