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  • Was B.B. King Poisoned? Death Will Be Investigated As Homicide

    A new development has been declared by the Las Vegas Police Department regarding the death of blues legend B.B. King. Following the debate between the artist’s daughters and his employees, the cops have now declared that his death will be investigated as a homicide.

    B.B. King died at the age of 89 on May 14 in Las Vegas. He suffered a series of strokes which could have been caused by his Type-2 diabetes. However, his daughters Karen Williams and Patty King are not convinced. They asserted that their father did not die of diabetes complications but was poisoned by two of his closest aides: his business manager LaVerne Toney and personal assistant Myron Johnson.

    In an affidavit provided to The Associated Press by Patty King and Williams’ lawyer, the two claimed, “I believe my father was poisoned and that he was administered foreign substances.”

    The LVPD previously announced that there was no active homicide investigation for B.B. King’s death. Likewise, Brent Bryson, the attorney for King’s estate also called Patty King and William’s allegations as “ridiculous.” However, a recent statement from Nevada coroner’s office confirmed that the police will be looking into foul play.

    An autopsy was performed on B.B. King’s body but the results could take up to two months. Because of this, his funeral in Memphis was postponed.

    Toney and Johnson both declined to discuss the accusations made by B.B. King’s daughters. But this didn’t come as a surprise to Toney who claimed that the artist’s daughters have long been attacking them with allegations.

    “They’ve been making allegations all along. What’s new?” Toney said.

    Bryson also seemed to have taken Toney and Johnson’s side. B.B. King’s attorney told the AP, “I hope they [King’s daughters] have a factual basis that they can demonstrate for their defamatory and libelous allegations.”

    Shortly before B.B. King’s death, his daughters filed an April 29 petition which alleged that Toney blocked King’s friends from visiting him. The petition also accused Toney of taking advantage of the legend financially. Aside from taking large sums of money from his accounts, B.B. King’s daughter insisted that Toney also listed her family members on the artist’s payroll.

    Additionally, a week before B.B. King passed away, his daughter Williams requested to be named as his official guardian. However, a Las Vegas judge dismissed her request retaining Toney as the authority figure over all of the artist’s affairs.

  • Ringo Starr: Not Too Cool To Sell Skechers Shoes

    As a member of The Beatles, Ringo Starr stands to be one of the most recognizable faces of our time. Footwear company Skechers was most likely banking on Starr’s immense popularity when it recently signed him on to represent its Relaxed Fit footwear campaign, which will be released in spring 2015.

    On October 20, Monday, the shoe brand announced that Starr was the newest face of its popular footwear line, which was previously endorsed by sports greats such as Joe Montana, Mark Cuban and Joe Namath. Starr is the first musician to endorse the line, signaling the brand’s crossover from sports into music.

    “Ringo possesses the charm, cool charisma and instant global recognition that will elevate awareness for our popular Relaxed Fit footwear collection both in the United States and around the world,” said Skechers President Michael Greenberg. He said that the campaign for the shoe line is moving from the sports world to the music world, and that “Ringo is the perfect ambassador to illustrate how our comfortable footwear helps keep you relaxed in any situation.”

    — Fashionista.com (@Fashionista_com) October 21, 2014

    The Skechers press release also called Starr “not only a music icon, but also a style icon,” making him the perfect person to represent the brand in ads next spring boasting of a “roomier fit” and “instant comfort” with humor. It referenced Starr’s recent stint as a model for a John Varvatos campaign tied to the drummer’s charity called Peace Rocks.

    For every photo posted on social media of a person flashing the peace sign and captioned with the hashtag #PEACEROCKS, John Varvatos donates $1 to The Ringo Starr Peace and Love Fund at the David Lynch Foundation. The fund helps pay for the teaching of Transcendental Meditation, a stress-relief technique, to beneficiaries such as students of inner-city schools, veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress, and women and children who are victims of violence and abuse.

    — The Beatles (@thebeatles) September 19, 2014

  • Elton John Reportedly Rescues Child From Ukrainian City Under Threat By Russian Troops

    In 2009, when legendary singer Elton John met Lev Ageyevya for the first time at an orphanage, the six-year-old boy was just a baby. John said at the time, “I would love to adopt him… he has stolen my heart.” However, Ukrainian laws stating that gay parents were not allowed to adopt prevented John and partner David Furnish from pushing through with this intention. Today, John is rumored to be behind the rescue of Ageyevya, his brother and grandmother from Mariupol, a city threatened to be overrun with Russian tanks.

    Even after John was denied adoption rights to the boy in 2009 due to Ukrainian Laws and his advanced age, the musician never lost touch with Ageyevya and his grandmother, Yulia. Having two sons with Furnish, John declared back then that he would never give up on Ageyevya, and he has now made true on that promise.

    Over the weekend, Ageyevya, his seven-year-old brother Artyom and 61-year-old grandmother Yulia were whisked away to Kiev with the help of Ukrainian socialite Olena Franchuk. A close friend of John’s, Franchuk took charge of sending a bus more than 460 miles to Mariupol to bring the family to the safety of the capital before Russian forces were slated to take over their home city.

    “People say Russian tanks will attack soon. I thank God for whoever helped us. We’ve been told we will be moved to a flat and there’s a school not far away,” said Yulia.

    Franchuk reportedly told media outlets that John was behind the dramatic rescue, but a representative of the musician declined to comment on the matter.

    John’s AIDS Foundation has collaborated with Franchuk’s Ukrainian Anti-AIDS Foundation, and he once gave a free concert in Kiev in 2012 to raise HIV and AIDS awareness.

  • Linda Wallem And Melissa Etheridge Marry In California

    Melissa Etheridge, rock singer-songwriter and activist, married her partner of four years Linda Wallem in California on Saturday. The ceremony was held at the San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito.

    Etheridge was excited about her wedding and even tweeted before the ceremony and said, “A gorgeous, perfect, beautiful day to get married.”

    Etheridge and Wallem, both 53, exchanged vows under an arbor decorated with purple and red flowers. Etheridge wore a gray suit and had her hair down, while Wallem donned a sparkly white dress. Witnesses to the union included Whitney Cummings, Chelsea Handler, Peter Facinelli, and Rosie O’Donnell.

    After the wedding, Etheridge tweeted a photo with the caption, “True love… so blessed. ‘By the power invested in me by the state of California…’ Thanks.”

    Wallem is a producer and writer who created Nurse Jackie. She also worked on other notable shows, such as Cybill, That 70’s Show, and Whitney.

    The two got engaged in 2013, a little after the US Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act. When the news was announced, Etheridge said that she was looking forward to marrying her fiancée. “I’m going to get married in the state of California, I woke the kids up this morning telling them the Supreme Court ruling on DOMA… I love everybody out there. It’s a great day,” she said then.

    Etheridge came out in 1993 at the Triangle Ball gay celebration. She has been a gay rights activist since then, and also shows her support for several environmental issues. Just last January, she formed Uprising of Love, in order to support Russian LGBT activists.

    Etheridge and Wallem started dating in 2010. Etheridge has 7-year-old twins with her ex Tammy Lynn Michaels, and she also has a son and a daughter from her previous relationship with Julie Cypher.

    Etheridge will be releasing a new solo album in September.

    Image via YouTube

  • Gwyneth Paltrow Separates From Rock Star Hubby Chris Martin

    Another Hollywood marriage bites the dust.

    Celebrity power couple Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin made a huge announcement Tuesday – they have decided to end their 11-year marriage. The statement, which was entitled “Conscious Uncoupling”, was published on Paltrow’s lifestyle website GOOP.

    The 41-year-old Oscar-winning actress spoke on her and Martin’s behalf, writing that “it is with hearts full of sadness” that they both have decided to part ways. The couple further revealed that they had been trying for more than a year to salvage their marriage before they finally decided to separate. According to the article, they both spent time together and apart “to see what might have been possible” between them while trying to work things out.

    A spokesperson for the Coldplay frontman also confirmed the separation.

    The message, which both parties signed, expressed the importance of their roles as parents to nine-year-old Apple and seven-year-old Moses, and requested the media and the public for “space and privacy” as they deal with the split. The post also included an old photo of Paltrow and Martin relaxing together in the countryside as well as some articles on how to effectively handle a separation.

    The Iron Man actress has faced a fair amount of controversy since the start of the year. Paltrow was recently embroiled in a feud with Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter due to rumors about the magazine’s plans of “exposing” the actress’ alleged infidelity. Paltrow retaliated by sending a mass e-mail to her friends in showbiz, informing them of Vanity Fair’s “threat” to feature her on the magazine without her consent or participation. The actress also advised them to boycott the publication.

    Paltrow, who was voted Most Beautiful Woman by People Magazine in 2013, wed the Grammy-winning British singer-songwriter in a private ceremony in December 2003. As one of the most high-profile couples in Hollywood, they spent most of their decade-long marriage eluding the paparazzi in an effort to keep their privacy.

    Image via YouTube

  • Madonna and Lady Gaga Earn Big Bucks This Year

    It’s no secret that Madonna works hard. She’s got a killer body, amazing musical career as well as a handful of successful business ventures. So it’s no doubt the 55-year-old diva has a pretty hefty bank account.

    Madonna has topped Forbes‘ 2013 list of the top-earning women in music making a whopping $125 million this year. While the majority of the money came from the last bit of her MDNA Tour, grossing 305 million overall, she did well with her merchandise sales of her clothing line and fragrance.

    In November, the star claimed the title of highest paid musician, beating out Lady Gaga who made an estimated 80 million.

    So who follows Madonna and Gaga?

    Bon Jovi, Toby Keith and Coldplay came next, bringing in the majority of their money from their tour gigs. After the boys, Justin Bieber follows making $58 million, Taylor Swift ($55 million), Elton John ($54 million), Beyoncé ($53 million) and Kenny Chesney ($53 million.)

    Hey guys, that’s not too shabby!

    Photo Credit: YouTube

  • Robin Thicke’s Wife Reacts to His Sex Appeal

    Robin Thicke’s Wife Reacts to His Sex Appeal

    Actress and beauty, Paula Patton is certainly no stranger when it comes to receiving attention from the opposite sex. Not only is the actress smoldering hot, appearing in films from 2 Guns to Baggage Claim, the 37-year-old took that radiance and hooked herself quite the handsome gentlemen.

    Patton certainly knows how to pick them because her hubby has been gaining the attention of women and magazines alike. People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive was recently announced and Mr. Thicke may not have taken home the ultimate title, but he certainly made his mark on the hunk-worthy list.

    Patton and singer, Robin Thicke hit it off from the start (they started dating at age 14!) and wed in 2005. The happy couple then had son, Julian Fuego Thicke, five years later in April of 2010. The couple seemed to stay pretty off the radar-that is until Mr. Thicke released hit single, “Blurred Lines.” It seems since then Thicke has been the “it” man, grabbing the attention of women everywhere.

    Haven’t watched the video to “Blurred Lines?” Check it out below.

    But with all the spotlight shining ever so brightly on her husband, how does Patton feel?

    According to E! News, Patton said that the news of her love making the list, “just acknowledges what I always knew was true,”

    Awww! how sweet, Paula.

    Photo Credit: YouTube

  • Bon Jovi Is Interested In Buying The Buffalo Bills

    Another musician is interested in owning a sports team. This time, it is aging rocker Bon Jovi, who is somehow managing to continue touring, and making a success out of a career that seemed to have ended years ago. Bon Jovi is interested in the Buffalo Bills, a team that is not far off from his home state of New Jersey.

    The Buffalo Bills certainly need something in order to turn around their franchise, but it is hard to know if an ownership by Bon Jovi would be the answer. It would be an interesting business decision for Bon Jovi certainly, who has spent his career making money off of his music, while also being involved with the NFL in various ways over the years.

    They have been struggling for several years now, and their rookie quarterback EJ Manuel was helping at first, but he is just not good enough to carry the team on his own. The Bills are currently 4-7, but Bon Jovi is not hurting for money by any means, and came in at third in the highest earning musical acts of the year from Forbes Magazine, earning $79 million.

    Bon Jovi is no stranger to the sport of football, and in fact, he was a primary owner and the founder of an Arena Football League team. The rock and roll star been very proactive in meeting NFL owners and general managers, and is seeking their input on all sort of issues related to football. He is aiming to become a primary owner of the team, but it remains to be seen if he has the type of immense capital necessary to meet that threshold of ownership.

    The Bills will be in the market for a new owner soon when Ralph Wilson, the current owner, who is 95-years-old, passes away. He has been the owner of the team since 1960, when it was created.

    Becoming the owner of a sports team has been a business venture for a variety of celebrities over the years, and recently hip hop artist Diddy also came out and said that he wanted to be owner of an NFL team, although he did not clarify which one. One of the other biggest business people in the sports industry to gain attention is Mark Cuban of course, who owns the Dallas Mavericks.

    Jon Bon Jovi is certainly no stranger to the sport, and has been a long time friend of Bill Belichick’s, attending several of the Patriots’ games. While he does not need the extra money, owning the team is a business venture that Bon Jovi seems to be set on, and may go through with the decision soon.

    Image via Facebook

  • Tom Hardy As Elton John In New Biopic

    Tom Hardy has been cast in the role of Elton John in the upcoming film called Rocketman. While it seems a bit soon to make a film about the man who is still making music, Hardy is the one who has been chosen with the honor of portraying the pop icon.

    Hardy, who was most recently seen in the role of Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, has never been seen a role like this before. He will certainly have to significantly alter his appearance for the role, after bulking up to play the tough-looking Bane. His other notable films include Lawless and Warrior, a film where his co-star Nick Nolte was nominated for an Oscar.

    Rocketman will be directed by Michael Grace, with a screenplay from Lee Hall, who was nominated for an Academy Award for his work on War Horse. The film is described as a movie musical spectacle, and will focus on John’s life story from child prodigy to musical superstar.

    Tom Hardy portraying Elton John is an interesting casting choice to say the least. In defending the selection of Tom Hardy, Peter Schlessel, the CEO of Focus Features, said “We are confident that Tom will embody the physicality and spirit of Sir Elton. This, in conjunction with the creative team led by Michael and Rocket Pictures, will provide the foundation for something that will be a unique cinematic event.”

    John is also set to re-recorded a number of his hit songs to align with the emotional beats of the film. Elton John, in addition to the song “Rocket Man” where the film gets its name, is known for such hits as “Bennie And The Jets” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.”

    In addition to the new Elton John biopic, Hardy is set to star in the Mad Max reboot, titled Mad Max: Fury Road.

    The film is scheduled to begin shooting in the fall of 2014. The selection of Tom Hardy as Elton John is a surprise to many who were hoping for Justin Timberlake in the role, and even Elton himself had Timberlake high on his wish list for potential actors.

    Image via Youtube

  • Richie Havens Dies: Woodstock Singer Was 72

    Richie Havens, who was well-known as the first performer at Woodstock, has died of a heart attack. He was 72 years old.

    A folk singer with a love for guitar playing, Havens was first-billed at the enormous music festival after building his reputation in clubs around Greenwich Village and finding a following with his albums. He’d built a solid reputation by then and had signed on with Albert Grossman, who just happened to also be Bob Dylan’s manager.

    Havens gained a huge audience when he took the stage at Woodstock, however, due in part to the fact that he played for nearly three hours as late performers trickled in to the show. The music festival would be a turning point, not just in his career, but in his life.

    “Everything in my life, and so many others, is attached to that train,” he said.

    Over his career, Havens released 25 albums and gained the admiration and respect of some of the biggest names in music, including Stephen Stills of Crosby, Stills and Nash.

    “Richie Havens was one of the nicest most generous and pure individuals I have ever met,” Stills said. “When I was a young sprite in Greenwich Village, we used to have breakfast together at the diner on 6th Avenue next to The Waverly Theatre. He was very wise in the ways of our calling. He always caught fire every time he played.”

  • Coma Request: Bob Seger Concert Wish Granted

    A Michigan woman who was in a coma for over five years has had her waking request granted: she has gone to a Bob Seger concert.

    According to a report from CBS news station WNEM, a woman named Evie Branon, who fell into a coma following a stroke, recently awoke and issued an odd request. After the 79-year-old turned the page on the coma chapter of her life, she woke one morning and issued a request: “I want to go to a Bob Seger concert.” The staff at the nursing home where she was staying took the request to heart, and arranged for Branon to take a limousine to Thursday’s Bob Seger concert in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

    Branon told WNEM that she has seen Bob Seger in concert before, but that she was hoping the rock star will grant another of her requests on this occasion.

    “I’m learning how to stand up so I can hug him, and I wanna hug him and give him a great big smooch,” said Branon

    WNEM TV 5

    (Image courtesy Adam Freese – Mitchell, SD/Wikimedia Commons)

  • Peter Banks Dies; Yes Guitarist was 65

    Peter Banks, the original guitarist for the rock band Yes, has died at the age of 65. According to a BBC report, the English guitarist was found in his home on March 8, apparently dead from heart failure.

    Banks, along with Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Tony Kaye, and Bill Bruford founded the progressive rock act Yes. The band is often cited as one of the bands at the forefront of the prog-rock scene in the 70s, along with bands such as Genesis and King Crimson.

    Banks left the band in 1970, the first of over a dozen musicians to play with Yes and then depart. After leaving Yes, Banks went on to have a solo career and play as a session artist with bands such as Roger Ruskin Spear. In addition to his solo work, he cut albums with the bands Flash and Empire

    Banks released his first solo album, Two Sides of Peter Banks, in 1973 and did not release another solo album until 1994’s Instinct. His latest release was 1999’s Can I Play You Something? (The Pre-Yes Years Recordings From 1964-1968).

  • Elton John Bassist Bob Birch Dies at 56

    Elton John Bassist Bob Birch Dies at 56

    The music industry mourns today as we learn about the passing of bass guitarist Bob Birch, who was well-known for being one of the main forces who helped drive Elton John’s music into stardom.

    Apart from mainly supplying his unique bass sounds for the Elton John band, Birch also provided his talents for other well-known musicians, such as: Billy Joel, Lionel Ritchie, Melissa Etheridge, Joss Stone, Dolly Parton, and Barry Manilow.

    Birch’s musical talents can be heard on the 1997 version of the classic Elton John ballad “Candle In The Wind.” The song that Elton John rededicated to Lady Diana.

    According to TMZ, Bob Birch unfortunately committed suicide at the age of 56. Law enforcement officials reported that Birch was found dead around the corner from his home with a self-inflected gunshot wound to the head.

    Various fans of Birch’s musical talents have left their respects via Twitter.






  • River St. James Takes Some American Idol Advice and Hits the Promenade

    River St. James is taking the advice he received from American Idol judges prior to being cut from the top 24 contestants. The trio of panel judges told River that he should get more experience and he is trying to boost his resume by performing in the streets of Santa Monica.

    As you can see from the picture above, his career could also be helped with a new haircut.

    The idol castoff has taken his burning love for singing and obtained an L.A. performer’s permit; he is showcasing his talents three or four times a day on the 3rd Street promenade.

    His permit is good until the end of the year and according to TMZ, River has been able to make $1,000 a month. River claims that he sells approximately 30 of his seven track CDs a day.

    The following tweets prove that River has a fan base that could fuel bigger projects in the future:

    (image)@SaraBareilles
    Sara Bareilles    this dude can sang. RT@RivStJames: #whatisliferightnow year = made. Thank you.(image) 2 days ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@kri_sammut
    krissy     @RivStJames Just found you on Youtube thanks to @SaraBareilles.. You are brilliant mate! Love and support all the way from Malta, Europe 🙂(image) 19 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@EmilyGabriele
    Emily Gabriele    @RivStJames I agree, also, you are brilliant. @SaraBareilles turned me on to your music(image) 2 days ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto