Wednesday, 20 April 2011 00:00Written by Spencer Iowa
Country star-turned-actor Billy Ray Cyrus is literally breathing a sigh of relief after getting the all-clear following tests for a respiratory disease that killed his grandfather. The "Achy Breaky Heart" singer chose to get himself tested for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) after signing up as a spokesman for the health initiative hoping to stamp out the killer disease. He took the Tune Up for COPD five-question screener quiz online and found out he's in good shape. He tells CMT, "I didn't have a perfect score, but I passed."
Wednesday, 13 April 2011 00:00Written by Spencer Iowa
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tired of watching "American Idol" to catch the one or two singers who have a bit of a country twang and an appreciation for the genre? Your next stop on the TV dial might be "CMT's Next Superstar." And it isn't just "Idol" with a country flair. Contestants have to prove their singing, songwriting skills as ability to do things like handle the media. The executive producer is Nigel Lythgoe - and yes, that's the same guy who produces Idol.
Tuesday, 12 April 2011 00:00Written by Spencer Iowa
NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Reuters) - Wynonna Judd grew up in front of her fans as half of the country singing duo The Judds. Now she and her mother, Naomi, are revealing some of their secrets on television in a documentary on Oprah Winfrey's OWN network. "I hope this show can be a testimony to what happens when you are ready to show up and roll your sleeves up, and get real and let secrets fly and lift the veil and be known," Wynonna Judd told Reuters.
Friday, 08 April 2011 00:00Written by Spencer Iowa
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - In a major Grammys overhaul designed to reduce the bloated structure of the music industry's top awards, organizers said on Wednesday they would slash the number of categories to 78 from 109 for next year's ceremony. Many existing categories will be merged, while some will be dropped outright with contenders from different musical genres required to compete in new, all-purpose categories. The top awards -- album, record and song of the year, and best new artist -- will remain untouched. Recording Academy president Neil Portnow said the changes followed discussions that involved "some pretty passionate discomfort" and would be "a little unsettling" to some musicians.
Friday, 08 April 2011 00:00Written by Spencer Iowa
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Country singer Chely Wright, who surprised fans by coming out as gay last year, is engaged to a lesbian civil rights activist, People magazine said on Wednesday. Wright, 40, and fiancee Lauren Blitzer, an activist for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, plan to get married in Connecticut in August. "They met through their youth advocacy work, and say that their passion for Scrabble holds them together," Wright's representative told the magazine. Connecticut is one of five U.S. states that has legalized same-sex marriage.
