Friday, July 29, 2016

Ian Walters

Headphone Hair: Headphone Hair is something I’ve been building on my own for the past couple of years. Although I’ve been writing songs with friends and other instruments since high school, I learned guitar three years ago when I hurt my knee rock climbing and I’ve started liking my own songs more ever since. Until very recently the project has just been about learning a new instrument and learning/exploring the recording gear, while trying to find a way to relax after teaching during the school year. With the help of two friends, Rob Marshall and Nic Gracia of The Canvas Group in Concord, CA, I’ve been able to improve the production and start making things that I think other people could enjoy. The artwork was made by my good friends Thelonious Elliott and Stacey Gabriel. The project name came from the fact that the only thing I’ve ever been able to show anyone for all the hours of work and frustration has been messy hair. I also connect with music the most after work, when I can just be and listen on my own. At the moment I have the first EP done which I’ll release in late August, but I’ve been working on a full length for about a year, too, and I’m hoping to be able to release that sooner rather than later. I’ll release a second single in a couple of weeks here. But I couldn’t be more excited about the next album, because I think it’s going to sound actually super good. With my current priorities I’m not sure if I will play out anytime soon, but my plan is to just keep making headphone albums and improving.

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Serayah McNeill

Born and raised in Encinitas, CA, Serayah McNeill is a young multifaceted singer, actor and dancer. She began her career in theater, and has starred in numerous productions, all while writing and recording her own music. In addition to EMPIRE, McNeill recently starred in Taylor Swift's music video for her latest chart-topping single, “Bad Blood.” **TWO-HOUR SPECIAL**—“TEEN CHOICE 2016”—(8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) CC-HDTV 720p-Dolby Digital 5.1 JOHN CENA AND VICTORIA JUSTICE HOST THE SUMMER’S BIGGEST PARTY ON “TEEN CHOICE 2016” SUNDAY, JULY 31, LIVE ON FOX WWE superstar John Cena and actress/recording artist Victoria Justice host TEEN CHOICE 2016 to celebrate this year’s teen icons in television, music, film, sports, fashion, comedy and the web. Global superstar Justin Timberlake will be recognized with the Decade Award for his constant evolution as an artist over the last 10 years. 2016 nominee for Choice Music Breakout Artist, Charlie Puth, will perform his hit single, “We Don’t Talk Anymore,” and EMPIRE’s Serayah also will perform. Additional performers, presenters, special appearances and final Wave Three nominees to be announced soon. TEEN CHOICE 2016 airs LIVE Sunday, July 31 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX. (SP-1702) (TV-PG L, V)

Cameron Crowe

Created by Oscar-winning writer-director Cameron Crowe, and executive produced by Crowe, Winnie Holzman, J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk and Len Goldstein, ROADIES is an insider's look at the reckless, romantic, funny and often poignant lives of a committed group of "roadies" who live for music and the de facto family they've formed along the way. The series chronicles the rock world through the eyes of music's unsung heroes and puts the spotlight on the backstage workers who put the show on the road while touring the United States for the successful arena-level group, The Staton-House Band. Luke Wilson (The Royal Tenenbaums, Old School, Enlightened) stars as the band's tour manager opposite Screen Actors Guild® Award nominee Carla Gugino (San Andreas, The Brink, The Space Between Us) as the production manager. Their unique personal and professional relationship is forever crashing and colliding as they guide the daily events of the band and crew of roadies. Imogen Poots (The Look of Love), Rafe Spall (One Day), Academy Award® nominee Keisha Castle-Hughes (Whale Rider), Peter Cambor (NCIS: Los Angeles), Colson Baker a.k.a. Machine Gun Kelly (Beyond the Lights) and Ron White (Blue Collar Comedy Tour) star in the ensemble cast. Jacqueline Byers (The Strain), Finesse Mitchell (Saturday Night Live), Luis Guzmàn (Boogie Nights), Branscombe Richmond (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and Tanc Sade (Matador, Gilmore Girls) guest star.

Anthony C Ferrante from Sharknado

As a student of camp and master of gore, Anthony C. Ferrante spent the majority of his career creating straight-to-video horror films and covering the genre for niche publications. After doing a series of tele-films for the Syfy network, he struck gold with the release of his bizarrely genius film "Sharknado" (2013) that captured the cultural zeitgeist and created one nationwide movie-watching experience, turning Ferrante into a household name. Ferrante was born and raised in the small town of Antioch in northern California. From the early age of 11, he knew he wanted to make movies and this idea was further entrenched after seeing John Carpenter's "Halloween" (1978). With a lenient mother and a subscription to the film magazine Fangoria, Ferrante immersed himself in the horror canon and decided that until he was old enough to make movies of his own, he could write about the genre he loved. He became a film reviewer for his school's newspaper throughout junior high and high school and started a fanzine of his own. While still in high school, Ferrante started taking night classes for video filmmaking at his local community college and learned the tools of the trade, experimenting with shorts before attending film school full time at San Francisco State University. While working on his own film projects, Ferrante was given the opportunity to write for the very publication that inspired him as a child, and he took on assignments covering film sets and interviewing his idols for Fangoria during the 1990s. Ferrante's journalistic experience served both as an education in how these films were made and an entry point into the industry itself. He eventually made the move to Los Angeles and started work as a production assistant on the film "Necronomicon" (1993). Ferrante quickly graduated from PA status after showing the director Brian Yuzna his short films, and was put in charge of coordinating special effects for "Necronomicon" and later working as a full-time supervisor on Yuzna's following feature horror film, "The Dentist" (1996). Ferrante continued to work steadily as a special makeup effects supervisor on various horror films while still working as a journalist before making his directorial debut on the film "BOO" (2005), which he also wrote. "BOO" displayed Ferrante's skills at creating high quality horror films on very meager budgets which earned him plenty of work writing and directing other films for television such as "Headless Horseman" (2007), "Leprechaun's Revenge " (2011) and "Scream of the Banshee" (2012). Inspired by the early films of legendary directors Sam Raimi and Peter Jackson, Ferrante wanted to push the limits in terms of gore, logic and effects in horror films, injecting camp and humor whenever possible. After firmly establishing himself in the televised horror genre, Ferrante was tapped by Syfy to write and direct a visual-effects sci-fi film as part of their original movies series. With one brilliant title and starring two past-their-prime stars in Tara Reid of "American Pie" (1999) fame and Ian Ziering of "Beverly Hills, 90210" (FOX 1990-2000), "Sharknado" was an overnight success. With the viral popularity of the film, Syfy took the unexpected step of releasing the film into theaters for special midnight screenings and almost immediately ordered a sequel: this time, with the storm of sharks descending upon Manhattan. He has also directed the sequels Sharknado 2: The Second One, Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No and the upcoming Sharknado 4: the 4th Awakens, airing Sunday July 31st on SyFy ABOUT SHARKNADO 4: THE 4TH AWAKENS Syfy has announced the final wave of cameos for this summer’s fourth installment, SHARKNADO: THE 4TH AWAKENS, premiering Sunday, July 31 at 8PM ET/PT, including appearances by Carrot Top, the Chippendales Dancers, “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Erika Girardi, Steve Guttenberg (“3 Men and a Baby”) and WWE Superstar Seth Rollins.

Drew Lynch

Born in Indiana and raised in Las Vegas, Drew graduated high school with aspirations of becoming a fully articulate film actor in Los Angeles. At age 19 at a company softball game, Drew got hit in the throat causing some vocal trauma, turning his chattering into stuttering. This life-changing injury and had passion for writing and performing stand up, bringing to life the social hardships of dealing with a newly-found speech impediment. Inspired by Louis C.K. and Bo Burnham, Drew is on a mission to make you laugh.

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Kosha Dillz

Kosha Dillz came on to an underground NYC hip hop scene and had the intent of smashing every cypher he was in. While driving up to "the city", as most NJ kids would call it, he would blast tapes of everything from company flow to wu tang. Somewhere along the way, it clicked that this was his main goal in life...to be an MC. After bouts with drug addiction and stints in jail from his late teens to early twenties, Kosha climbed out of a hole to release his first 12'' vinyl in 2005. Touring for a few years with underground rap legend showed him to the United States, and by 2009, he was on tour with Jewish reggae artists Matisyahu, playing in front of thousands all around the globe. In 2011, Kosha got in his car and begun filming the "Kosha Dillz is Everywhere: The Hustle to Happiness" film, driving his Nissan Pathfinder across the USA hitting every city he could as his move to Los Angeles, left 28 years of New Jersey life behind. In 2012, he secured the biggest deal of his life, landing his song "cellular phone" on the #1 Superbowl commercial (Bud Light's "Here Weego" ) on USAToday.com. The commercial played multiple times a day for the next 6 months and launched him into critical acclaim as one of the most notorious placements ever by an unsigned/independent artist. Besides that, you can find multiple videos of his on MTV and even see Kosha Dillz as the first person to ever rap in Hebrew at the world famous BET Hip Hop Awards. KD is a known cultural phenomenon, rapping in Hebrew Spanish and English during his live shows that include freestyles on freestyles on freestyles. Along the way Kosha has been a self sufficient artist, booking his own tours, publicity, and releasing his own albums/EPs like Freestyle vs Written, Beverly Dillz, Gina and The Garage Sale and The Jet Lag EP to name a few. His next album featuring Murs and Gangsta Boo will be coming out late summer/early fall.

Brian Hastings

Song of the Deep, the newest game from Insomniac Games in partnership with GameStop, is a passion project from Insomniac’s Chief Creative Officer, Brian Hastings. The game has a simple and compelling message: no matter who you are, you have the ability to overcome adversity when you don’t give up. Sterling Children’s Books is proud to be publishing the illustrated tie-in novel that tells the complete story of the game’s heroine, twelve-year-old Merryn. In the book, Merryn lives with her fisherman father in a cottage by the sea. Each day, her father braves the tumultuous waves and returns home in time for dinner. One stormy evening, he doesn’t come back. Merryn has a vision that he’s been dragged underwater by a terrifying sea creature, and he needs her help. Determined to rescue him, Merryn builds a submarine and embarks on a journey through undersea worlds she’s only heard about in her father’s lullabies. As she faces the dangers and wonders of the world below the sea, she realizes that her father’s stories were real.

Corey Feldman

On June 22nd, Corey Feldman released his album Angelic 2 The Core, which has been a decade in the making. The completely eco-friendly and biodegradable DOUBLE CD SET will be available on both physical, & digital platforms, including Amazon, CD Baby and some retail locations, which will soon be posted on Corey’s forthcoming interactive website WWW.ANGELIC2THECORE.COM, which is being built specifically for the album’s release and will be up soon. Angelic 2 The Core contains many Top 40 chart toppers on digital and independent radio, but with 22 songs, there’s plenty of brand new material! The inside features a three page pull out of Corey, plus a sixteen page color booklet with all the lyrics, and exclusive behind the scenes pictures from the recording process at Feldmansion studios. The images were photographed by Maggie St Thomas with graphics by Luke Liblings. All graphic design and layout was created by Grammy award winning design artist Marc London. The album contains a total of 22 songs featuring collaborations with five generations of Hip Hop artists such as Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit), Snoop Dogg, Doc Ice (Whodini/UTFO), Kurupt and up and coming rap artist Demario “SB.” Additionally, Corey has enlisted contributions from incredible recording artists, songwriters and musicians including but not limited to: Kaya Jones (Pussycat Dolls), R1ckone (Black Eyed Peas), Scott Page (Pink Floyd), B.Howard, POET (Black Eyed Peas), Dave Dunn (Infectous Grooves), The Wizards (Production team), Jon Carin (Pink Floyd), Manny Mijaris (EDM Producer), Thomas Van Musser (writer for Black Eyed Peas), Graham Ward (Paul McCartney), Glasses Boys (EDM collective), Michael Debarge (Debarge), Truth Movement, Tommy Daugherty (Death Row recording engineer), Angel Courtney Anne aka DJAC, and of course Corey’s Angels (backing vocalists). Angelic 2 The Core will also serve as a breakout launching pad for the “Corey’s Angel’s” brand, which helps beautiful young women realize their dreams. Disc One: Angelic Funkadelic (2 Dance) is filled with recognizable hits such as “Duh,” “Everybody,” featuring Doc Ice, which climbed all the way to number 13 on Digital Radio. "Ascension Millennium,” which was released on MTV, became such a viral sensation, it was even mentioned on the hit show Glee. Disc Two: Angelic Rockadelic (2 Rock) reveals Feldman’s edgier and more emotional sides as it includes “Remember 222” honoring Corey Haim, Feldman’s best friend and the other half of “The Two Corey’s.” “Remember 222” made it all the way to number 23 on Cashbox Radio Network and hit number 1 on internationally syndicated radio station Lucky Star Radio! This uplifting tribute features actual snippets from Corey Haim and their Lost Boys co-star Jamison Newlander. Although arguably his most ambitious venture, Angelic 2 The Core is actually Corey’s third complete solo album, but the first to be produced under his independent label CiFi Records, which he founded in 2009. Music has always been Corey’s biggest passion and he has produced music for many of his films throughout the years. As this album spans a decade, it includes a few songs that were previously only available on soundtrack albums. These songs include “Negativity,” which appeared in Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, and “Take a Stand, which appeared in Zero Dark Dirty, an independent comedy released last year. CiFi Records also released Corey’s Truth Movement album in 2009 and released digitally remastered versions of his early solo work in 2014. Angelic 2 The Core has truly been a labor of love for Corey. One of its many personal charms is that Corey recorded the album in his own home studio and played all of the instruments himself on some of the tracks showing that in addition to his skills as a singer/songwriter/producer, he is now adding multi-instrumentalist to his resume. The best evidence of his instrumental work can be seen on “Ascension Millennium,” “Test 1,” and his heartfelt rendition of John Lennon’s “Working Class Hero.” In regards to the scope of his upcoming album, Feldman states, “Angelic 2 the Core is my 1st ever double album. I’m excited for people to experience this musical journey. I feel it’s a rare album and there is truly something for everyone as the album covers all fields of the music spectrum: part Pop, part Rock, part EDM, part Hip Hop, and all soul.” Be sure to check out Corey’s website http://coreyfeldman.net/ and follow him on twitter @Corey_Feldman for all angelic updates

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Mark Rampolla

n 2004, Mark Rampolla had made it. He was making $300,000 a year, traveling the world with his family, and poised to rise to the top of a Fortune 100 company. There was just one problem: he had lost his passion at work and was struggling to find his next project. Suddenly Rampolla realized that his big idea was hanging right overhead. From his time in the Peace Corps and now living in Central America, he and his family came to love drinking coconut water, just like the locals. It had long been a staple in Latin American culture, but few had seen any potential in importing it to the U.S. Undeterred, he launched ZICO Coconut Water. In less than a decade, his start-up was one of the global leaders of an $8 billion new beverage category. ZICO’s success brought hundreds of millions of dollars to struggling farmers across the tropical world, while also delighting American consumers with a healthy beverage alternative. Join Mark Rampolla on Thursday, July 21st as he shares the gritty details of ZICO’s rise, and also shares important takeaways about how social responsibility can pay off, including: · The benefits of setting up a business that gives back to everyone involved · The importance of aligning your business with things you personally want in your life · The way that focus on social impact always performs better than traditional models · How big food companies are exacerbating a consumerist problem globally, and what should be done to alleviate the situation. Rampolla’s story is an inspiration to others who want to succeed because of, not in spite of, their values. This book is for people who believe that it’s their duty to reach higher than just the bottom line to build businesses driven by passion, purpose, and integrity. Above all, it’s a call to arms for a new generation of entrepreneurs who want to disrupt the old model and do good by doing business. Mark Rampolla is the cofounder and Managing Partner of Powerplant Ventures, which invests in emerging growth companies that intend to remake our global food system to deliver better nutrition in more sustainable and ethical ways. He was the founder and CEO of ZICO Beverages from 2004 until 2013, when it was purchased by The Coca-Cola Company. Mark has also been a personal investor and advisor to dozens of early stage businesses addressing important social challenges in the food, beverage, and technology industries. He started his career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Central America and later operated packaging businesses across Latin America and the Caribbean for International Paper. He lives just outside of Los Angeles with his family.

Gabriel Chavarria

Rising Star Gabriel Chavarria Takes Hollywood by Storm with Starring Roles in Lowriders, Hunter Killer and War for the Planet of the Apes The Young Actor Stars as Hearthrob Jacob in Hulu's hit series East Los High Now in its Fourth Season At the age of 16, Gabriel Chavarria was playing basketball in a local Los Angeles park when he was discovered by Hollywood producers holding auditions for a new film. After initially turning down the opportunity to audition, Gabriel reconsidered (at the advice of his big brother) and ultimately earned a role in the critically acclaimed film Freedom Writers starring Oscar®-winner Hillary Swank -- which marked the start of a bright new career. Next up, the young actor has three starring roles in major upcoming films including the drama Lowriders with Eva Longoria and Oscar® nominee Demian Bichir; the action thriller Hunter Killer with Gerard Butler, Gary Oldman and Common; and War for the Planet of the Apes, in which he plays one of only two humans in the film alongside Woody Harrelson. Gabriel can now be seen in Hulu's original series East Los High, one of the first series to explore the lives of Latino teens coming of age in East L.A. One of the most popular series on Hulu, East Los High returns for a fourth season with an addictive mix of love, dance, sex and true-to-life drama. Gabriel reprises his role as Jacob, the guy next door who strives to do the right thing, but his good-hearted nature conflicts with a secret affliction.

Scott Crawford Creem Magazine

CREEM! Magazine Documentary 'Boy Howdy' and its Director, Scott Crawford. Here's the link to Kickstarter campaign and trailer, featuring Alice Cooper, Wayne Kramer/MC5, Thurston Moore and others: http://tinyurl.com/gnhxuo5 The agenda is to promote the film and ongoing Kickstarter campaign, which wraps up on August 5th. Director Scott Crawford has spent much of his life devoted to documenting independent culture. He launched Harp Magazine in 2001 and served as its Editor-in-Chief for over 7 years. His 2015 debut feature-length documentary, Salad Days: A Decade of Punk in Washington, DC was critically-acclaimed, receiving accolades from the NY Times, The Washington Post, Variety, Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, Rolling Stone, MTV, and many more. Theatrical screenings sold out worldwide and the DVD debuted in the Billboard DVD Top 10. The film ranked in the Top 50 IMDB documentaries for 2015, was named by Dazed and Confused magazine as the #1 Music Documentary of 2015 and in addition, won the “Audience Award” at the 2015 Noise Pop Festival and “Best Overall Documentary” at the 2015 Asbury Park Film Festival. Crawford’s first book entitled Spoke, will be published by Akashic Publishing in late 2016.

Jake The Snake

The Bet tells the story of Denton Baker (Alex Klein - NBC’s Community, Guardians of the Galaxy 2), a loser in life and love who gets into a high stakes bet where he has one summer to find and hook up with every girl he had a crush on growing up from 1st grade to 12th grade. With the help of his well meaning but overzealous best friends, (Yassir Lester - HBO’s Girls, Key and Peele), (Jeremiah Watkins - Comedy Central’s Roast Battle) and (Brian Allen - Netflix’s Buddy Thunderstruck), Denton has the added complication of falling in love with his 2nd grade crush (Amanda Clayton - Tyler Perry’s If Loving You Is Wrong, Martin Scorsese's Bleed For This). The Bet also stars wrestling legends “Diamond” Dallas Page as Mr. Baker, an eccentric inventor and the father of Denton, and Jake “The Snake” Roberts as Mr. Lucas, a successful businessman whose company is up for grabs as part of the bet. The Bet also features cameos from, in his final on screen appearance, WWE Hall of Famer, the late “Rowdy” Roddy Piper as Denton’s concerned neighbor, Mr. Jablonski and ECW legend, Tommy Dreamer, as a confused softball umpire. In addition to Page, Roberts, Piper and Dreamer, The Bet features appearances from a host of familiar faces like Chuck D (Public Enemy), Gerry Bednob (The 40 Year Old Virgin), Dave England (Jackass), Dian Bachar (BASEketball) and many more! The Bet was written by Chris Jay and Aaron Goldberg, members of the popular rock band, Army of Freshmen, and the soundtrack features original music from artists like Matt Pryor (The Get Up Kids), Zebrahead, Punchline, Victor Krummenacher (Camper Van Beethoven), Wheatus, Stop Breathing, Phil Cody, Jonny Polonksy and many more. The Bet is scheduled for a July 26th, 2016 release on VOD, DVD/Blu-ray and various streaming services. For more information visit The Bet on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and at www.thebetmovie2016.com.

Matt Titus

Matt Titus is a natonally recognized matchmaker, author, public speaker, dating and relationship coach in New York City. He works with singles to help them find true love and couples to help them keep the passion alive. Matt , aka “The Love Doctor” is ready to take house calls and help cure your listeners’ lonely hearts. Matt knows what men want and what women don’t. He will reveal to your female listeners the true secrets of “The Boys Club,” (how men think, what men want and how to get the right one to fall in love with you). He will tell your male listeners how to get the girl and close the deal (best way to flirt, surefire ways to ask a girl out on a first date and how to get her in bed). Titus is the author of two top-selling datng and relatonship advice books: Why Hasn't He Called? and Why Hasn’t He Proposed? and was the star of Lifetime’s hit reality series Matched in Manhattan, which chronicled Matt helping Manhattan singles find love and couples strengthen their relatonships. Matt starred in NBC’s Match Off, a matchmaker competition show in which two matchmakers were challenged with finding the perfect match for one client. Matt has been a regular guest and relatonship expert on The CBS Early Show, Good Morning America, The Today Show, Fox Business News, The Wendy Williams Show, Dr. Drew on Call, CNN, The Style Network, E! and <,i>The Rachael Ray Show . Matt is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post, Cosmopolitan Magazine, OK! Magazine and has been featured in Elle, Men’s Health, Time Out New York, Forbes and Life & Style as the publication’s “Love Doctor.” He’s also been a Brand Ambassador, Host and Keynote Speaker for companies such as Procter & Gamble, Lord and Taylor, Nokia, Pronovias, Semprae Laboratories, Spark Networks, The Learning Annex, Bergdorf Goodman and Phyto Universe,. and debuted his Fragrance Collection Y.O.U. (Yourself, Outrageous and Unique) on HSN in February 2015.

Friday, July 22, 2016

Don Cheadle

MILES AHEAD is a wildly entertaining exploration of one of 20th century music's creative geniuses, Miles Davis, featuring a career defining performance by Oscar nominee Don Cheadle in the title role. In the midst of a prolific career at the forefront of modern jazz, which Davis referred to as “Social Music,” he virtually disappears from public view for a period of five years in the late 1970s, his musical voice stifled and numbed by drugs and pain medications. Dave Braden (Ewan McGregor), a wily music reporter, forces his way into Davis' life and, over the next couple of days, the two men unwittingly embark on a wild and sometimes harrowing adventure to recover a stolen tape of the musician's latest compositions. Plagued by years of regret and loss, Davis flirts with annihilation until he once again finds salvation in his art. Directed by Don Cheadle and co-written by Cheadle and Steven Baigelman, MILES AHEAD was produced by Darryl Porter, Vince Wilburn, Jr., Daniel Wagner, Robert Ogden Barnum, Don Cheadle, Pamela Hirsch and Lenore Zerman; with Mark Amin, Steven Baigelman, Cheryl Davis, Erin Davis, Robert Lewis serving as executive producers. Blu-ray, DVD & Digital Bonus Materials Include: * Commentary with Director Don Cheadle and Co-writer Steven Baigelman * Featurette - “The Truth: Becoming Miles Davis” * 2016 Sundance Film Festival Q & A with Don Cheadle, Ewan McGregor, Emayatzy Corinealdi and LaKeith Lee Stanfield * Commentary available digitally on iTunes only.

Cass Sunstein

Inspired by conversations with his young son, THE WORLD ACCORDING TO STAR WARS asks: Why have the movies become the defining tale of our time? In answering that question, he offers a deep, timeless, and uncharacteristically personal look at Lucas’s masterpiece as it applies to history, politics, behavioral economics, and of course fatherhood. The STAR WARS series, Sunstein argues, is all about freedom of choice: it explores the clouded nature of the future, the dismal failures of plans, the surprising success of rebellions, and the inevitability, in our lives and our society, of “I am your father” moments, which cast a new light on everything that has gone before. Sunstein illustrates this theme by reference to large and unanticipated movements in our culture, our law, our business, and our politics (including presidential elections) -- and to the genesis of STAR WARS itself. “Impossible to see, the future is,” says Yoda; this is the secret theme of STAR WARS and the foundation of its rousing tribute to human freedom.

Cruisr

CRUISR began in 2012 as the solo project of Andy States and quickly morphed into what it is today; an indie-pop band whose summery, feel-good hooks are infectious and stadium ready. States wrote and recorded the band’s first EP in his Philadelphia bedroom, obsessed with the idea of what it means to craft a pop song. “I have an obsession with writing pop music and the idea that songs can transcend people.,” States says. “I saw that producer Jeremy Park started writing blog articles about how he recorded Youth Lagoon, so I wrote to him and sent him my songs asking for advice and knowledge. He wrote back and loved my stuff and helped me produce the first EP.” The six-song self-titled EP was released in the summer of 2012 and quickly garnered attention online and in the press. With all the newfound awareness Andy promptly realized he needed a band to bring his songs to the stage. “Jon was always my sounding board. I’d show him songs in the making and get his advice. It only made sense that he’d become part of CRUISR,” Andy notes. With the addition of Kyle and Bruno the quartet set out performing whenever possible. And of course, they continued to write. “The writing process definitely changed once we became a full band. I’ll work on my computer and bring the idea to Jon. By that time it’s structured and has a backbone, guitars are figured out etc. Jon elaborates on the idea with drums and it goes from there.” In late 2013 CRUISR released a new track online, “Kidnap Me,” which attracted even more positive attention than the EP. Representative of CRUISR as a cohesive unit, “Kidnap Me” was the first track written as a band and showcases what CRUISR does best; sunny, warm, indie-pop. “It’s funny because we’re from Philadelphia and we write songs that sound like summer, which is a fleeting season here. I guess it’s just because Philly is where we feel happiest, and when we’re happy we write happy music.” Fast-forward to present day when CRUISR is gearing up to release their second EP, All Over, which features definitive recordings of “Kidnap Me” and “Don’t Go Alone” as well as the brand new title track “All Over”; all of which were produced and mixed by Andrew Maury (RAC, Panama Wedding, Ra Ra Riot). All Over demonstrates how fantastically Andy’s mind is able to translate pop hooks. “How does pop music make everyone like it so much?” States laughs, “Little kids hear it on the radio and just go crazy, singing stupid songs. There’s something that’s so smart about it, and a lot of things that people don’t notice are the key ingredients to writing a pop song. I’m just really into trying to decipher what those things are and trying to make pop music in our own way.” All Over will be released on September 23 via Vagrant Records.

Thursday, July 21, 2016

Dominique

She's always a blast no matter where you're breaking out in conversation. Dominque knows how to create laughter and keep it up and alive. Fresh from making a new Tyler Perry movie and on her way to Montreal to record a special. She still had enough time to be Unplugged and Totally Uncut...

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Peter Cambor

PETER CAMBOR was born in Houston, Texas. After receiving his B.A. in English from Wesleyan University, Cambor moved to New York to pursue a career in acting. After two years of waiting tables, Cambor was accepted by the American Repertory Theater’s M.F.A. program at Harvard University and the Moscow Art Theatre in Russia. Upon completing the program, Cambor was cast in the Mark Taper Forum’s production of The Cherry Orchard, starring Annette Bening and Alfred Molina. During the production, a producer saw his performance and asked him to audition for the pilot of ABC’s Notes from the Underbelly, in which he was ultimately cast, starring opposite Jennifer Westfeldt. The series was picked up that summer and ran for two seasons. Cambor was next cast in CBS’s drama NCIS: Los Angeles as “Operations Psychologist Nate Getz.” He still appears as “Nate,” a recurring cast member. Other credits include Grace and Frankie, Wedding Band, Suits, Madam Secretary, Pushing Daisies and Numb3rs.

Neal Gabler

There is no one quite like Barbra Streisand. She has been called the “most successful...talented performer of her generation” by Vanity Fair. Her voice, said pianist Glenn Gould, is “one of the natural wonders of the age.” She has scaled the heights of entertainment—moving from popular vocalist to first-rank Broadway star to Oscar-winning actress to producer and director. And she has become something much more than a performer. She is a cultural icon whose life and work resonate deeply in the hearts and minds of audiences. To achieve her astonishing success, Streisand had to overcome tremendous odds, not the least of which was her Jewishness. Dismissed, insulted, even reviled for acting too Jewish and looking too Jewish, she brilliantly converted her Jewishness into a metaphor for outsider-ness that would eventually make her the avenger for anyone who felt marginalized and powerless. In Barbra Streisand: Redefining Beauty, Femininity, and Power, to be published April 26 by Yale University Press, Neal Gabler examines Streisand’s life and career through this prism of otherness—a Jew in a gentile world, a self-proclaimed homely girl in a world of glamour, a kooky girl in a world of convention—and shows how central it was to Streisand’s triumph as one of the voices of her age. Gabler makes vivid Streisand’s nearly unbelievable perseverance. She would not be wrenched from her chosen course by the early death of her father, a childhood of poverty and neglect, or the active discouragement of her mother and teachers. Told throughout her youth that she was unattractive, rejected by her high school chorus, discounted at auditions for being too Jewish, Streisand nevertheless demanded space, opportunity, attention. She refused to be cowed by critics or directors. Rather than change her looks, she demanded that the world change its view of beauty. Instead of following the rules, she challenged discriminatory ideas wherever she encountered them, breaking ground for women producers and directors, embracing political and social causes, and offering public critiques of behavior and practices that undermine women’s achievement. The latest volume in the award-winning Jewish Lives series, Barbra Streisand is an extraordinary story of a living legend whose remarkable toughness, otherworldly talent, and profound difference have reshaped American culture.

Rilan

After relocating to Los Angeles from New Orleans in early 2014, nineteen year old Rilan Roppolo dove head first into his music, dance and acting career. The results after just one year prove that a kid's dream of moving to Hollywood to become successful in the entertainment business is alive and well and completely possible with the combination of a serious work ethic and incredible talent. As a singer/musician, Rilan has recorded over a dozen songs and worked with an impressive group of producers and songwriters in the studio including Dallas Austin (Michael Jackson, Madonna, Lady Gaga), Damien Page Lewis (Rihanna, Katy Perry, Beyonce) and Justin Warfield (She Wants Revenge). His first music video for the song, "Chemical", directed by Ethan Lader, is in regular rotation on MTVU and reached over 1.7 million views in less than 6 months on YouTube. While performing on the live club circuit in Los Angeles, Rilan's music continued to be discovered and praised by some of the top taste makers in the media, adding him to the select list of "artists to watch" for 2015. Rilan's history with dance and acting landed him the coveted role as a Warbler in multiple episodes of the 2015 final season of Fox's hit show Glee. With this much accomplished in his first year in Los Angeles, his fans are looking forward to what 2015 will bring for this triple threat talent.

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Laura Vandervoort

As the Thrilling Series Ends, Can the World’s Only Female Werewolf Protect Her Bloodline? Watch and Find Out in This Entertainment One Collector’s Set Featuring All 10 Unedited Episodes and Extras on 3 DVDs Based on the “Otherworld” novels by New York Times best-selling author Kelley Armstrong, BITTEN stars Laura Vandervoort (“Smallville”, “V”, “Haven”, Ted) as Elena Michaels, the world’s only female werewolf. For three seasons, the show’s rabid followers have tuned in as Elena evolved from a photographer who hides her dark secret after being bitten, to a ferocious leader of the Stonehaven pack. BITTEN: THE FINAL SEASON picks up several months after the harrowing battle in the season two finale. Bolstering their ranks in the wake of the carnage, the Stonehaven Pack is on the hunt for the Russian Alpha and his brethren, seeking to end a decades-old vendetta. Meanwhile, Elena struggles with Pack Alpha Jeremy Danvers’ new draconian leadership style, and makes a shocking and surprising discovery about herself. Following its April 2016 Syfy premiere, BITTEN: THE FINAL SEASON arrives to the home entertainment marketplace from show co-producer Entertainment One in a three-disc collector’s set. Featuring all 10 unedited, action-packed episodes, the final BITTEN installment is also highlighted by a collection of howlingly good extras including the featurette, “A Look at the Final Season”.

Olsen

"'I Remember' sounds like summer to me.” Yolanda Be Cool "absolutely brilliant! ful support from me - let me know if you can come on my pioneer dj radio show? : )" Kissy Sell Out “Will definitely be smashing this” Colour Castle “This EP is fuckin’ dope” Pantheon Sydney based producer and one half of the infamous Fear Of Dawn duo, OLSEN, is sure to gain some local and international attention with his debut EP “Chapter One” on Tinted Recordings. This well rounded collection of house music encapsulates his percussive influence but also shows of his musical side. The lead single from the EP, ”What The” flaunts an unmistakable vocal hook, and Hot Creations inspired groove, while still keeping things interesting with 90’s chord stabs and clever use of a twisted horn. Next up is “I Wanna Be Your Lover” featuring Muma Megs. Megs vocal sets the perfect tone with this funky Shiba San style groove. “Baby This, Baby That” picks up the pace with a loopy cut up vocal sample and funky 808 sub bass line. With plenty of drums, percussion, and bass, this one is a club weapon. Rounding out the EP is “I Remember”. Slowing things down but by no means losing interest, “I Remember” sounds like summer. Olsen draws on tropical influences while still keeping his percussive background present.

Eric Millegan

The Fox series “Bones” may be nearing its series end with the show’s upcoming season 12. For the show’s finale, it appears that Executive Producer Michael Peterson is thinking to re-introduce an original character back to the series. Loyal viewers of the show will soon see a fan favorite return to the series in “Bones” season 12. Showrunner Peterson has confirmed in an interview with TVLine that he plans to bring back the character Zack Addy for the series’ final season. Avid fans may recall that Zack (Eric Millegan) has been one of the show’s original characters. Zack was Hodgins (T.J. Thyne) regular lab partner until he was influenced by the killer Gormogon in season 3. When Zack ended up confessing to a murder, he was sent to the asylum as part of a plea deal. Despite Zack’s departure, Millegan’s character managed to appear in several “Bones” episodes. Showrunner Peterson commented during his interview that bringing Zack back “seems like the right thing to do.” He also mentioned that he and the show’s team would like to give fans what they wanted for the series’ final season. “I will say this: I know what the fans want, and as much of a roller coaster ride as we may put them through, we want to deliver,” Peterson stated. He also recounted the times when he watched “Bones” even before he started writing episodes for the series. Peterson even complimented Millegan for his portrayal of the character Zack. “I think what Eric brought to that character was fantastic,” he said.

Chad Dundas

In the summer of 1921, disgraced former lightweight champion Pepper Van Dean has spent the past two years on the carnival circuit performing the dangerous "hangman's drop" and taking on all comers in nightly challenge bouts. But when he and his cardsharp wife, Moira, are marooned in the wilds of Oregon, Pepper accepts an offer to return to the world of wrestling as a trainer for Garfield Taft, a down-and-out African American heavyweight contender in search of a comeback and a shot at the world title. At the training camp in rural Montana, Pepper and Moira soon realize that nothing is what it seems: not Taft, the upcoming match, or the training facility itself—and they must carefully navigate the world of gangsters, bootlegging, and fixed competitions, in the hope that they can carve out a viable future.

Monday, July 18, 2016

The Knowmads

Born one day apart, Northwest hip hop duo KnowMads began their movement almost a decade ago and have been cultivating one of the most diehard independent followings in the region ever since. They began making music purely out of love. As their passion grew, so did their fan base. Tom Pepe and Tom Wilson went to rival high schools in Seattle where their infamous rap battles during football games were often more of a spectacle than the game itself. Wilson had a makeshift studio in his attic where they recorded their first songs at age 15. “We used to take the metro bus around the city, traveling from place to place,” recalls Wilson. “We were nomadic in the sense that we were always on the go, yet felt at home wherever we were…as long as we were performing and creating music.” They released their first album, self-titled KnowMads, as juniors in high school and followed up with their 2009 LP, SEATTLE, selling over 2000 copies and creating a global awareness that follows them to this day. Their third LP, 2012’s The Knewbook, landed at #7 on the iTunes Hip Hop Charts, solidifying their grassroots movement. Their significant online presence brought forth opportunities to open for Macklemore, Chance The Rapper and landed them slots at major music festivals such as Bumbershoot and Sasquatch! Their live performances have brought them up and down the West Coast, from Vancouver to Los Angeles, where they now reside. Their current release, Knew School, represents their migration, not only to Los Angeles, but also into the mainstream music industry. Producer Peter Lee Johnson (Atlantic Records) was brought on board to lend his classically trained ear and experience to the project. The process began with Johnson sending the duo loops, which they would play endlessly, working together to determine themes based on the feeling of the tracks. Knew School was conceptualized around their formative high school days, but laced with broader themes and life lessons, which emerged in the succeeding years. KnowMads have a synergy that can only come with a decade’s worth of writing and performing together. Their sound encompasses two unique personalities and tones, but the message of their music has one voice. “Our fans often tell us they feel like we put their thoughts into words," Pepe says. "It makes us realize how universal our message is. We've created a cultural outlet for those who don’t feel they have a culture to connect to.”

Ben Lindbergh

It all started when a listener of their daily baseball podcast, EFFECTIVELY WILD, turned out to be an executive of the Sonoma Stompers, a team in the independent Pacific Association. He invited Ben Lindbergh and Sam Miller out to a game, to see what indy ball was all about. Miller took him up on this offer and was entranced by the experience; before long, Lindbergh and Miller had volunteered their services to run the team’s baseball operations. To their amazement, the Stompers said yes. Enjoy the Cracker Jack as you watch Lindbergh and Miller apply their number-crunching insights to all aspects of assembling and running a team, always hewing to the one cardinal rule for judging each innovation they try: IT HAS TO WORK. Lindbergh and Miller partnered with baseball technology companies to collect data that had never been available at this level. The project offered them the chance to attempt many of the advanced analytical prescriptions that they and other bloggers had promoted for years. More than that, though, it challenged them to convince the players and coaches to trust the numbers and the wisdom of “nerds” with no high-level playing experience themselves. Filled with larger-than-life characters and hilarious absurdities, Lindbergh and Miller put their statistical theories to the ultimate test, in order to discover if sabermetrics will bring the Stompers a championship. You’ll have to read the book to find out if they succeed. About the authors: BEN LINDBERGH is a staff writer for FiveThirtyEight and, with Sam Miller, the cohost of Effectively Wild, the daily Baseball Prospectus podcast. He is a former staff writer for Grantland and a former editor in chief of Baseball Prospectus. He lives in New York City. SAM MILLER is the editor in chief of Baseball Prospectus, the coeditor of Baseball Prospectus’s annual guidebook, and a contributing writer at ESPN The Magazine. He lives on the San Francisco peninsula with his wife and daughter.

Jesse Ventura

From the moment a Founding Father first asked for a vote, politicians have been saying dumb stuff. From George Washington to George Bush (both of them!) right on to present-day pundits like Donald Trump, Sarah Palin, and Hillary Clinton, political leaders can always be counted on to say funny, exasperating, and nonsensical things, often unintentionally. In Sh*t Politicians Say, Jesse Ventura shares the most entertaining and disturbing “thoughts” from his political brethren, including these winners: “The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.” —Donald Trump “I am not worried about the deficit. It is big enough to take care of itself.” —Ronald Reagan “I think gay marriage is something that should be between a man and a woman.” —Arnold Schwarzenegger “I love California, I practically grew up in Phoenix.” —Dan Quayle “A zebra does not change its spots.” —Al Gore “People have got to know whether or not their president is a crook. Well, I’m not a crook. I’ve earned everything I’ve got.” —Richard Nixon “Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war.” —former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld “I’ll be long gone before some smart person ever figures out what happened inside this Oval Office.” —George W. Bush From bigoted statements to outright lies . . . flip-flopping to just TMI, Sh*t Politicians Say will provide readers with a welcome respite from the presidential campaigns.

Thursday, July 14, 2016

Keisha Castle Hughes

SHOWTIME has debuted the new trailer for its highly-anticipated comedy ROADIES, the first original series from creator, executive producer, writer and director Cameron Crowe. With an ensemble cast headed by Luke Wilson (Old School, Enlightened) and Screen Actors Guild Award nominee Carla Gugino (San Andreas), the one-hour music series will premiere on Sunday, June 26th at 10 p.m. ET/PT on air, on demand and over the internet. ROADIES gives an insider’s look at the reckless, romantic, funny and often poignant lives of a committed group of roadies who live for music and the de facto family they’ve formed along the way. The series chronicles the rock world through the eyes of music’s unsung heroes and pays homage to the backstage workers who put the show on the road while touring for the successful arena-level group, The Staton-House Band.

Foghat

Back in the ‘70s, Foghat was a regular presence on the Billboard charts - on the strength of such hit albums as ‘Fool for the City’, ‘LIVE’, ‘Stone Blue’ and many others. And now, the veteran classic rock act is back where they belong - for the first time since 1983, Foghat is back on Billboard with ‘Under the Influence’ (debuting at #17 on “Hard Rock Albums,” and at #40 on “Independent Albums”). Released on June 24th, ‘Under the Influence’, produced by Grammy winner Tom Hambridge, draws from Foghat’s collective musical influences, as the band not only brought in some special guests from their past, who helped launch and inspire the Foghat story, but also invited some new friends into the mix to continue the journey of this never idle band. And the album has already received rave reviews from the music press: "… Foghat's current lineup makes for one, damn good rock and roll band. In today's awful musical landscape, where "rock and roll" has been replaced by "cut and paste" it seems like a good, blue-blooded rock and roll album can be hard to find, especially if you're looking for new stuff from the bands we grew up on.” Mark Cartwright, Q957.com “….It’s therefore loaded with up-tempo guitar rock that fizzes out of the speakers …. The whole thing is stuffed full of potential radio hits and I can imagine this album will be a staple of American radio for years to come.” Bernard Baker, MaximumVolumeMusic.com “Foghat has delivered a huge slab of bluesy, boogie rock that rivals any of their previous releases. This is an album of music, each song standing on its own merits with no filler. There is passion, honesty and most of all, a bunch of kick-ass, feel-good rock ‘n’ roll.” Jeb Wright, Classic Rock Revisited And to celebrate this welcome chart positioning and critical success of ‘Under the Influence,’ the band will be doing what they’ve done best for decades - hitting the road hard, and bringing their unmistakable rock to a concert venue near you.

Underline

With great passion for funky beats and a desire to give the audience that wowexperience, Underline delivers danceable pop music with influences from disco and house. Grown up in the nightclubs and with inspiration from a variety of genres, Underline works hard in the studio as well as the club to get the best out of each production. Underline, or Behshad Ashnai, is in addition to being a producer and DJ, also a songwriter. Most recently, he was one of the songwriters behind Ace Wilder’s song ”Don’t Worry” in the Swedish Eurovision Song Contest qualifier that ended in 3rd place. His first single as a solo artist is called ”Stranded” with almost 190,000 streams on Spotify since the release in July 2015. Now it’s time for the next release, called ”Can’t Keep My Cool” featuring Prince Prime.

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Gregory Maquire

He changed the way we forever imagine The Wizard of OZ…with WICKED - the multi-million copy bestseller-turned-Broadway play-turned-cultural phenomenon! Now author Gregory Maguire takes a magical new twist on Lewis Carroll’s 150 year old, children’s book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland….in AFTER ALICE. In AFTER ALICE, Maguire tells the story of Wonderland and beyond from the perspective of Ada, Alice’s friend who is mentioned briefly in Carroll’s original book, with appearances made by The White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat and the still-bloodthirsty Queen of Hearts, of course.

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Lenny Dykstra

In HOUSE OF NAILS: A Memoir of Life on the Edge (William Morrow, on sale June 28, 2016, ISBN: 9780062407368, $27.99), former All Star centerfielder, world champion, multimillionaire entrepreneur, and imprisoned felon, Lenny Dykstra opens up, for the first time, about his outrageous rise and spectacular fall—a tale that The Daily Show'sJon Stewart once declared was "the greatest story that I have ever seen in my lifetime." Nicknamed “Nails” for his hustle and grit, Lenny Dykstra approached the game of baseball—and life—with mythic intensity. During his decade in the majors, a legendary member of the 1980s Mets and ‘90s Phillies, he was named to three All-Star teams and played in two of the most memorable World Series of modern the era (1986 and 1993). Known for his clutch hits, high on-base percentage, and aggressive defense, Lenny was later identified by his former minor league roommate Billy Beane as a prototypical “Moneyball” player in Michael Lewis’s bestseller. Tobacco-stained, steroid-powered, and booze-and-drug-fueled, “Nails” also defined a notorious era of excess in baseball. Then came a second act no novelist could plausibly conjure: After retiring, Dykstra threw his energies into several lucrative businesses, was touted as “one of the great ones” by Jim Cramer, called “baseball’s most improbable post-career success story” by the New Yorker, and purchased a $17.5mm mansion. But when the real estate bubble burst in 2008, Lenny lost everything, eventually serving two-and-a-half harrowing years in prison for bankruptcy fraud. Now Lenny opens up, for the first time, about his tumultuous career.

Kevin Lacz

THE LAST PUNISHER: A SEAL Team THREE Sniper’s True Account of the Battle of Ramadi by Kevin Lacz (Threshold Editions; on sale July 12th; Hardcover $28.00) is a gripping and intimate on-the-ground memoir from a Navy SEAL who was part of SEAL Team THREE with American Sniper Chris Kyle. A bold, no-holds-barred first-person account of the Iraq War, with wry humor and moving testimony, Kevin Lacz tells the story of his tour in Iraq with SEAL Team THREE, the warrior elite of the Navy. This legendary unit, known as “The Punishers,” included Chris Kyle (American Sniper), Mike Monsoor, Ryan Job, and Marc Lee. These brave men were instrumental in securing the key locations in the pivotal 2006 Battle of Ramadi, told with stunning detail in these pages. Minute by minute, Lacz relays the edge-of-your-seat details of his team’s missions in Ramadi, offering a firsthand glimpse into the heated combat, extreme conditions, and harrowing experiences they faced every day with anecdotes including: •The story of The Battle of Ramadi, which took place during the summer of 2006, was the most dangerous time in the Iraq War and was the time of Kevin’s first deployment. •Chris Kyle giving Kevin his nickname, “Dauber,” early on in his SEAL career. •Kevin’s first task in Iraq was to drive in a massive convoy for several hours along a road littered with hundreds of IED craters. His driver was Michael Monsoor, who was later posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. •Kevin was the medic to care for Marc Lee when he was shot on a house clearing operation on August 2nd, 2006. Marc’s wounds are fatal, and he becomes the first Navy SEAL to be killed in Iraq. Kevin is later awarded a Bronze Star with a combat ‘V’ for carrying Marc’s body through enemy gunfire to safety. •Working as the SEAL technical advisor to Bradley Cooper on the set of American Sniper, where he later joins the cast, playing himself in the film. Experience his deployment, from his first mission to his first kill to his eventual successful return to the United States. THE LAST PUNISHER brings the reader into the life and mind of a SEAL, demonstrating the tough realities of war. At the same time, Lacz shares how these experiences made him a better man and how proud he is of his contributions to one of this country’s most difficult military campaigns.

Monday, July 11, 2016

Andi Dorfman

Bachelorette star Andi Dorfman is the ultimate girl’s girl, beloved by fans for her relatability and frank honesty. Millions of people tuned in to see her chosen suitor get down on one knee and propose. But in reality, her journey to find love was no bed of roses . . When the cameras turned off and the dust (or rose petals) had settled, Andi found herself engaged to a man she’d known for barely two months. And as they endeavored to return to “normal life” (while still not allowed to reveal their relationship to anyone, since the show was still airing), they discovered that “happily ever after” wasn’t as easy as it looked. Now, in IT’S NOT OKAY: Turning Heartbreak into Happily Never After (Gallery Books; on-sale May 17th; Hardcover), Andi tells the unvarnished truth about her entry into the exclusive “Bachelor family,” her experience on the show, and most of all, what happened to make it all fall apart. But this is much more than the diary of a very public breakup—Andi shares her story along with some no-nonsense, straight-talking advice to other women dealing with their own romantic issues. As the supremely relatable contestant on season 18 of The Bachelor, Andi won the hearts of millions when she dumped the star of the show after their fantasy-suite date. In It’s Not Okay, Andi tells readers everything they’d hear from their best friends—the good, the bad, and the ugly truth—so that they’ll already know what she had to learn the hard way. Whether on a reality show or behind closed doors, breakups are hard. But it’s going to be okay. Whether you’re a rabid fan of The Bachelorette, or just someone who knows what it feels like to be in love, Andi will show you how to go from “It’s Not Okay” to “Happily (N)ever After.” ABOUT ANDI DORFMAN Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Andi Dorfman earned a law degree from Wake Forest University. Later, she went on and served as an Assistant District Attorney specializing in Gang Crimes at the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office in Atlanta, Georgia. She starred on season 10 of The Bachelorette and was a finalist on season 18 of The Bachelor.

Lt General Michael Flynn

In the wake of the massive Paris bombing, the horrific airport bombing in Brussels, the attack on the Radisson Blu Hotel in Mali, the deadly attack in San Bernardino, California, the devastating bombings in Baghdad, the massive international refugee crisis and the worsening situations in Israel, Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, comes a new book on how to win the global war against radical Islamism. The Field of Fight: How We Can Win the Global War Against Radical Islam and Its Allies (St. Martin’s Press, On Sale Date July 12, 2016, $26.99), written by retired Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. General Michael T. Flynn and historian Michael Ledeen. Flynn’s purpose in this book is twofold: one, to show the type of war that is being waged against us (it is a World War); and, two, formulating a truly winning strategy. How can we win? Flynn believes we must organize all our national power from military to economic to intelligence gathering to tough-diplomacy. In the book he describes how we must deny all terrorists safe houses, as well as tackling countries that shelter them, and how those countries must be presented with a brutal choice – either eliminate radical Islamists or risk being attacked themselves. We also must go hard after radical Islamists everywhere and in every way. Flynn acknowledges that just going after the bad guys is not enough. An over-riding theme in the book is that US forces need to listen to the civilians in countries dominated by Islamists and show these people respect. Flynn knows from experience what happens when you don’t work to win the trust of the people in these distressed nations. Could a regime change in Tehran be the best answer? Flynn feels there is no way to make any type of meaningful deals with the current Iranian leadership and its hard line Ayatollah’s. He points to one of the great missed opportunities in recent times for the US: the 2009 uprising in Iran where the people protesting in the streets seemingly were waiting for the United States to back them in any way possible to shift the tide. Alas, to no avail, for those opposing their autocratic leaders. Flynn commented, “We’re in a world war, but very few Americans recognize it, and fewer still have any idea how to win. I am writing this book for two reasons: first, to show that the war is being waged against us by enemies this administration has forbidden us to describe: radical Islamists. Second, to lay out a winning strategy that is not passively relying on technology and drone attacks to do the job. We could lose this war; in fact, right now we are losing. THE FIELD OF FIGHT will give a view on how to win.”

Rob Sheffield

On his sixty-ninth birthday, David Bowie released his latest masterpiece, Blackstar. Two days later, on the morning of January 10th, 2016, the world found out that this would be his last. Every major news outlet broke the news that Bowie had died of the cancer few knew he had. Shock was the first response from fans and media alike. Then came the grief. “It was like losing a member of my family” was the phrase pinged around social media over and over, and in the months since, the flood of emotions hasn’t stopped. Over fifty years, Bowie changed lives with his innovative, iconic, wholly original style. His life was spent striving to find new ways to surprise and challenge our sense of what was possible in art, music and living. Ever changing, always experimenting, Bowie brought his fans along on his journey of discovery, building a unique community around the world. Being a Bowie fan was a lifelong adventure like none other. In this short, spare book, highly regarded Rolling Stone critic, bestselling author and lifelong Bowie fan Rob Sheffield explores the enduring and powerful connection the icon shared with his audience. ON BOWIE is a thoughtful and tender meditation on Bowie’s legacy—a love letter to a legend who touched so many lives. Sheffield explores crucial moments of Bowie’s career, from his scandalous glam-rock breakthrough to Blackstar, and delivers a passionate celebration o this artist and his music—summing up why he remains unforgettable. ABOUT ROB SHEFFIELD Rob is a longtime columnist for Rolling Stone, where he has been writing about music, TV, and pop culture since 1997. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller Love Is a Mix Tape: Love and Loss, One Song at a Time, Talking to Girls About Duran Duran: One Young Man’s Quest for True Love and a Cooler Haircut as well as the critically acclaimed Turn Around Bright Eyes: A Karaoke Journey of Starting Over, Falling in Love, and Finding Your Voice. Sheffield’s forthcoming title, Dreaming the Beatles, is a celebratory look at the lasting significance of the band. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Joe Perry Cardiac Arrest

Hall of Fame Rocker Joe Perry has been hospitalized. The cause is cardiac arrest. The Aerosmith guitarist has been on the road with Alice Cooper's Hollywood Vampires. Fans knew of something not being right when the normally vibrant six strings that Joe brings was being played from the drum riser. Joe left the stage on his own.

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Mark Altman

On September 8th, 2016, Star Trek will be celebrating its 50th anniversary. In these past five decades, the show has turned into a worldwide phenomenon, spawned five spin-off television series, 12 feature films, and has never been off the air. In The Fifty-Year Mission: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Star Trek: The First 25 Years (Thomas Dunne Books; on-sale June 28th) Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman have penned the unbelievable true story behind the making of a pop culture phenomenon. Hailed by Booklist as “breathtaking in scope and depth, this is a must-read for Star Trek lovers as well as anyone who wants a better understanding of how television and film production works.” Written by two veteran entertainment journalists and including a foreword by Seth MacFarlane, The Fifty-Year Mission: The First 25 Years is the first book in a two part series (The Next 25 Years will be released on August 30th). Hear from the hundreds of television and film executives, programmers, writers, creators, and cast, including William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and Chris Pratt, as they unveil the oftentimes shocking story of Star Trek's ongoing fifty-year mission, including: • The true story behind William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy’s stormy Paul McCartney & John Lennon-like relationship • What was in the top-secret memo Gene Roddenberry only sent to William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley in which he accused them of threatening the future of the show with their childish antics • Why everyone involved with Star Trek loves Lucy and how the legendary redhead comedian determined the series original fate • The lost "prequel" film developed years before J.J. Abrams rebooted the franchise The Fifty-Year Mission is the true bible for Star Trek fans and pop culture junkies alike. MORE ABOUT THE BOOK This is the unauthorized, uncensored, and unbelievable true story behind the making of a pop culture phenomenon. The original Star Trek series debuted in 1966 and has spawned five TV series spin-offs and a dozen feature films, with an upcoming one from Paramount arriving in 2016. The Fifty-Year Mission is a no-holds-barred oral history of five decades of Star Trek, told by the people who were there. Hear from the hundreds of television and film executives, programmers, writers, creators, and cast as they unveil the oftentimes shocking story of Star Trek's ongoing fifty-year mission - a mission that has spanned from the classic series to the animated show, to the many attempts at a relaunch to the beloved feature films. Make no mistake; this isn't just a book for Star Trek fans. Like Saturday Night Live's bestselling Live From New York, here is a volume for all fans of pop culture and anyone interested in the nuts and bolts of a television touchstone.

Isabelle Fuhrman

Isabelle Fuhrman is making a name for herself as a talented young actress. Isabelle was most recently seen in Showtime’s critically acclaimed series MASTERS OF SEX, which just wrapped Season 3. She plays Tessa Johnson, Virginia’s troubled and rebellious teenage daughter. Upcoming, Isabelle will star in the film CELL as Alice Maxwell set to release in 2016. She will also be seen starring in the adventure comedy, DEAR ELEANOR, alongside Jessica Alba and Patrick Schwarzenegger. The story follows two teenage girls travelling across the U.S. in 1962, during the chaos of the Cuban missile crisis, in search of Eleanor Roosevelt. Additionally, she recently wrapped production in HELLBENT and ONE NIGHT. Fuhrman also starred as ‘Clove’ in Lionsgate's THE HUNGER GAMES, the first installment of the big screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins' novel trilogy. Directed by Gary Ross, the film grossed over 700M in worldwide box office receipts. Fuhrman appeared in THE WILDERNESS OF JAMES opposite Virginia Madsen and Kodi-Smit McPhee, and Giorgio Serafini's THE BETWEEN opposite Joel Courtney. In THE WILDERNESS OF JAMES, Fuhrman portrays ‘Val’ in the coming-of-age drama by first-time director Michael Johnson. Set in Portland, the script follows a young boy dealing with the absence of his father. THE BETWEEN tells the story of an ailing father who takes his teenage kids into the woods to recapture their early closeness before undergoing a potentially life-threatening surgery. Fuhrman has also signed on to star in David Gordon Green’s SUSPIRIA, which follows a newcomer to a fancy ballet academy who gradually comes to realize that the staff of the school are actually a coven of witches bent on chaos and destruction. In 2011, Fuhrman appeared in an all-star ensemble cast opposite Pierce Brosnan, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Marisa Tomei and Greg Kinnear in the dark comedy, SALVATION BOULEVARD. Fuhrman’s 2009 starring role in ORPHAN earned her rave reviews from movie critics around the world with a performance that was hailed as “one of the most momentous examples of acting from a child performer in years.” Fuhrman was cast through an exhaustive nationwide search of young actresses to portray the lead in the Warner Bros. collaboration between Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way and Joel Silver's Dark Castle Entertainment. Beginning her acting career at the age of seven, Fuhrman appeared on Cartoon Network's CARTOON FRIDAYS, and made her big screen debut in the drama, HOUNDDOG. She has also guest starred on the CBS hit series GHOST WHISPERER which earned her a Young Artist Award nomination, and the ABC drama THE WHOLE TRUTH. Fuhrman has lent her voice to a number of projects including the 3D animated feature SAMMY'S ADVENTURES: THE SECRET PASSAGE, and Nickelodeon's WINX. Fuhrman currently resides in Los Angeles and is a skilled guitar player and singer. ABOUT DEAR ELEANOR, AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL AND DVD JULY 5th From director Kevin Connolly (Entourage) comes the heartwarming coming-of-age adventure with an all-star ensemble cast, DEAR ELEANOR, debuting on digital and DVD July 5 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Set in 1962, the film stars Liana Liberato (If I Stay) and Isabelle Fuhrman (The Hunger Games) as two teen-age friends who set out on a cross-country road trip to meet their heroine, former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. On their inspiring journey, Ellie and Max encounter an entertaining mix of characters, including a glamorous showgirl played by Jessica Alba (Fantastic Four), a mysterious ex-con played by Josh Lucas (TV’s “The Mysteries of Laura”) and a handsome cowboy played by Patrick Schwarzenegger (Grown Ups 2). The film also stars Luke Wilson (Concussion, Old School) and Joel Courtney (Super 8).

Dave Holmes

From pop-culture personality, Esquire.com columnist, and former MTV VJ Dave Holmes, the hilarious memoir of a perpetual outsider trying to find his way in, set to the soundtrack of the ’80s, ’90s, and ’00s. Dave Holmes knows a little something about being an outsider. Growing up in the Midwest, he was the artsy son in an athletic family—more likely to be found roller-skating to the Xanadu soundtrack or dressing up as Mick Jagger than playing sports with his older brothers. At his all-boys high school and Catholic college, he was the closeted gay kid surrounded by crush-worthy straight guys right out of a J.Crew catalogue. And in the MTV era of slick boy bands and glossy pop stars, he was the chubby second-place VJ who got hired because he actually knew music. In his delightfully charming memoir, PARTY OF ONE: A Memoir in 21 Songs (Crown Archetype; $26.00; On Sale June 28, 2016), Dave takes readers on his fumbling journey to self-acceptance, from a youth spent dreaming of the inner circle to a job that skirted the edge of fame and fortune. And through it all, he turns to the music that’s playing in his head and on the radio to understand his place in the world. Full of humor, heart, and nostalgia, and pulsing with the soundtrack of the’80s, ’90s, and ’00s, PARTY OF ONE is an ode to never fitting in, never giving up, and letting good music guide the way. “In Party of One, Dave Holmes goes deep into all the ways loving music warps you for life, from shaping your teen crush on Huey Lewis to putting you on MTV at the peak of the TRL era. But his book is also a tenderly hilarious and moving tale of trying to grow up—whether that means coming out at your Catholic college, hitting the hot tub with Kid Rock, or getting that sensation that the singer on your radio is the only soul who truly understands you.” —Rob Sheffield, New York Timesbestselling author of Love Is a Mix Tape “Who better to marry great storytelling with great songs? Dave Holmes’s love of music and pop culture is infectious, and his stories are hilarious!” —Andy Cohen, New York Times bestselling author of Most Talkative “Party of One is a perfect memoir—hilarious, moving, and full of beauty. Holmes writes at all times with great heart, brains, and courage.” —Darin Strauss, National Book Critics Circle Award–winning author of Half a Life “Holmes is all charm. . . . A hilarious and touching coming-of-age story that will strike a particular nerve among Generation Y.” —Kirkus Reviews Since his days as a VJ, Dave has made a name for himself as a funny and thoughtful writer on pop culture, news, politics, and more. And in PARTY OF ONE, he writes winningly about his own story, from his fruitless attempt to find a gay community in college to his disastrous first career in advertising to his days juggling celebrity interviews on MTV. He relives the Wanna Be a VJ contest that accidentally catapulted him to fame (you know, almost), the most important videos from his tenure at TRL, and the oddity known as Jesse Camp. Along the way, Dave shares tales of awkwardness, heartache, and trying to grow up, infusing them with candor and self-deprecating wit, not to mention a deeply impressive knowledge of music. PARTY OF ONE is structured like an album, with a mix of hits and deep cuts from the last forty years providing the framework, and fun interludes like “So You’ve Had Your Heart Broken in the ’90s: A Playlist” that add extra color. Dave’s stories are peppered with references to the music that has shaped his taste or resonated at important moments—whether it’s Lisa Loeb’s “Stay (I Missed You)” helping him through heartbreak or Billy Joel’s “Just the Way You Are” injecting irony into his tales of growing up gay. Like many of us, Dave has crushed on rock stars, raved about his favorite albums, or found solace in music when he felt different or alone. But unlike most of us, he can also recount a life-affirming run-in with the Indigo Girls, Lance Bass’s Y2K New Year’s Eve party, and the most quintessentially Kid Rock story that you’ll ever hear. And whether he’s dissecting a Toad the Wet Sprocket song (“I picture them all in windbreakers, on a late autumn afternoon, just having finished crying”), sharing his thoughts on Limp Bizkit’s popularity (“Nobody ever went broke overestimating teenage boys’ need to upset their little sisters”), or describing listening to Wilson Phillips while on ecstasy (“I know there’s pain, Chynna Phillips told me. You do know it, sister”), Dave’s observations are spot-on and hysterical. Among his many pitch-perfect reflections on life, music, and minor celebrity: * On family: “The main thing my parents and brothers taught me by example was how to appreciate pop culture and music. I want to thank them and also explain to them that I am their fault.” * On handling a bad breakup: “One never knows when one is behaving like a creep; probably even that astronaut lady who drove for two days to beat up her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend didn’t think twice when she bought those adult diapers. It just felt right.” ’ * On the moment he gave up on a college diversity seminar: “Listen: you can condescend to me. You can cut me off and treat me like an injured baby bird when I try to start a dialogue with you. But don’t you dare think you have anything to teach me if you don’t know who Elvis Costello is.” * On moving to New York: “This is what Friends gets right about living in cities in your twenties: for at least a little while, you live as a tribe. . . . We showed up at one another’s apartment parties that were impenetrably crowded if more than nine people showed up. We made runs to Key Food for Top Ramen together. . . . We met at brunch and acquired appetites for Bloody Marys and pieced together our Saturday nights over Eggs Benedict and let our waitresses sit down with us for a moment because they were inevitably as hung over as we were. We were, as Des’ree commanded, bad and bold and wiser.” * On communication in the ’90s: “There were not emojis or even emoticons; if you wanted to wink at someone you had to actually wink right at them in real life, which is a thing we can all agree is gross.” * On his MTV audition: “I didn’t tell anybody what I was doing, because what I was doing was ridiculous. I was a twenty-seven-year-old man, with bills in my name and a job that people would give an arm for. I was going to stand in a line and audition to be an MTV VJ? Preposterous. It was so stupid I had to do it.” * On becoming a little bit famous: “The morning after Wanna Be . . people started to whisper and stare and point [and] I instinctively checked my zipper. I still do, if people seem to be looking at me. That’s what mild television fame is like: it’s like walking through the world with your fly down.” Whether you’re looking for thoughtful musings on growing up, spot-on dissections of the pop-music canon, or wild anecdotes from the MTV Beach House, PARTY OF ONE has it all. This book is a treat for pop-culture obsessives and music geeks, and a salve for anyone who’s ever felt like a square peg—especially those who tend to turn, in their time of need, to a band, an album, or that perfect song.

Eric Bolling

Rising Fox News Channel star Eric Bolling knows first-hand what makes America great. Brought up in a struggling blue-collar family in Chicago, his parents showed him that hard work and firm values can get you far in life. Those values drove him to become a national success as a Fox News Channel personality and co-host of the highly rated show The Five. As Bolling posits in his new book WAKE UP AMERICA: The Nine Virtues that Made Our Nation Great – and Why We Need Them More Than Ever (St. Martin’s Press, on sale date June 28, 2016, $25.99), those strong values, virtues he once saw in America, are now under a tremendous attack by leftist politicians, cultural elites, media, and self-proclaimed educators who have forgotten what made our country strong. Bolling notes that at one time our nation was the embodiment of greatness and always strived for exceptionalism. This is far from the case today. There are those that will argue America is still the finest nation on earth and yet she is nowhere near as great as she can be. Our nation does not seem to live up to its potential. What can lead America back to that path of true greatness and leadership? The nine distinct virtues which Eric Bolling extols are what America was built on and shaped the character of our country. They are: • Grit – the soul of the American spirit, a never-say-die attitude, the backbone in many ways of the American economy • Profit – despite those trying to give it a bad name, profit is success, is jobs, is security, is the foundation of a hopeful future • Manliness – more than masculinity or pure physical strength it is a mindset and a way of behavior that exudes strength and confidence without having to say you’re strong…and when you have to “say” you’re strong you’re usually NOT • Thrift – not to be confused with cheap or stingy, because being thrifty displays the wit to understand the value of your – and others – money and way of avoiding crushing societal debt • Individuality – our nation was founded on the individual work ethic and individual spirit of all Americans and today that individual maverick spirit is under attack by those stifling creativity as well as free thought and actions • Dominion – in emphasizing human kind’s “dominion” over other beings on earth comes the responsibility of well-placed strength and righteousness rather than destructive behavior and this ability to use our powers of dominion for enhancing our world is being stagnated • Merit – the success of our nation is rooted in a simple formula where people succeed based on their own skills, talents and efforts, not because of some arbitrary societal or governmental standard – in other words, the opposite of a “participation trophy society.” • Pride – James Monroe said, “National honor is national property of the highest value.” Bolling talks about the strength of personal and national pride displayed and acted upon the right way showing the right path to take as a nation – hard work, character, and national resourcefulness • Providence – one of the book’s most powerful chapters: that of remaining true to our religious beliefs and maintaining the strength of the American family while a plethora of the media wish to tear religion down, especially at a time of Christian bashing in the press Eric Bolling delivers this much-needed celebration of our nation’s founding values, urging U.S. citizens to preserve and protect our country’s present and future. ABOUT ERIC BOLLING Eric Bolling has rapidly become a national success as a Fox News Channel personality and co-host of the highly rated show The Five, as well as his own show, Cashin’ In. He frequently appears on other Fox News Channel programs including as substitute host for Bill O’Reilly on The O’Reilly Factor. Prior to his meteoric rise as a television news host he worked for years on the floor of the New York Stock Market. Married with one son, he lives in Demarest, New Jersey.

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Darryl McDaniels from Run DMC

Legendary artist Darryl DMC McDaniels had it all—public adulation, the respect of his peers, money, and celebrity status. But, it all imploded when, overwhelmed by such success at a young age, he sank into a world of depression, alcoholism, and regular thoughts of suicide. In his brutally frank memoir, TEN WAYS NOT TO COMMIT SUICIDE (Amistad/an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers/on sale July 5, 2016; $26.99), McDaniels recounts his slide into emotional darkness and the ways he worked to rise out of his depression and embrace the gift of life. McDaniels’s story has particular resonance in our time, with a rising epidemic of suicide among black men. Indeed, suicide is the #3 leading cause of death among African Americans. McDaniels was just a kid from Queens, New York when he exploded on the music scene as part of the superstar rap group Run-DMC. But, “for years, I hated waking up,” he writes. Depression became McDaniels’s constant companion. He started to drink heavily after years of being sober. He found himself contemplating suicide on almost a daily basis. “I suffered all this in silence, which is the worst thing to do if you want relief,” he writes. “I avoided people, because I wanted to make sure that nobody really knew what I was going through. I didn’t know how to express my pain, my anger. Not only did I bottle up my feelings, but I also made sure that I kept myself far enough away from everyone regardless of whether they loved me or not, so that nobody could ever get an accurate gauge on how deep my despair ran.” But isolation, he would discover, was absolutely the wrong move. McDaniels chronicles the sources of his depression. There was the substance abuse he dealt with for years. The pressures of the music business and the strain of touring and performing. The internal strife within Run-DMC, where he often felt like a third wheel. And, then there was the startling revelation that he was adopted, a secret his parents kept from him until he was an adult. He found himself flailing artistically. As he reached his lowest point, he decided he needed to get off the treadmill and embrace some hard truths about how he had fallen so far. Rebuilding his life, McDaniels turned to those who could help, and he offers an informal blueprint for others seeking to combat depression. He returned to rehab to tackle his addiction. He turned to friends and family for support, and rebuilt relationships. Honoring himself, he worked toward building a strong body and mind, and found spiritual contentment through faith. He coped with the death of his former band mate and best friend, and discovered love through family and fatherhood, as well as by forging a connection with his biological mother. As McDaniels shares his story with others who may be going through similar difficulties, he inspires with his forthrightness. “It’s been an interesting journey,” he writes, “my passage from emotional turmoil to the peaceful and honest place I occupy now. It’s been long and hard, fueled by fear and anger and, later, love. It’s taken me to places I could’ve never imagined visiting, both out in the world and within my own soul. It’s like I’ve come full circle, running away from myself then returning better than when I started.” TEN WAYS NOT TO COMMIT SUICIDE speaks to anyone battling depression and thoughts of ending it all, with a special shout out to young black men like McDaniels once was himself—lost, with no guidance, and seemingly no place to turn. ABOUT DARRYL McDANIELS Darryl McDaniels or “DMC” first made his start in the music business in 1981 as one third of the groundbreaking rap group Run-DMC, which he formed with Joseph (Rev. Run) Simmons and the late, great Jason (Jam Master Jay) Mizell. This multi-platinum music group sold over 30 million singles and albums worldwide, leaving an indelible mark on popular culture. Inducted into the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, DMC helped transform Rap and Hip Hop into the most popular music in the world, while building a fan base that rivals the biggest acts in Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Jett Williams

Being Released in Conjunction with the DVD/BD of the Williams’ Biopic I Saw the Light, HANK WILLIAMS: THE COMPLETE MOTHER’S BEST COLLECTION the Singular 15 CD + 1 DVD Collection From One of America’s First Country Music Superstars Features 142 Performances from the Mother’s Best Flour Radio Shows (1951) and a DVD Featuring Behind-the-Scenes Conversations with Williams’ Daughter and Bandmates Long regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century, Hank Williams was one of America’s first country music superstars. Before his tragic, early death at 29, Williams’ almost singlehandedly set the agenda for country songcraft with classic standards such as “Cold, Cold Heart,” “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” “Hey, Good Lookin’,” and “I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive.” His life story was recently put on the big screen in I Saw the Light, a biopic starring Tom Hiddleston as the father of contemporary country music; it’s being released to the home entertainment marketplace on July 5. But for a rare, informal glimpse into the heart and soul of country music’s greatest star look no further than HANK WILLIAMS: THE COMPLETE MOTHER’S BEST COLLECTION from Time Life®. At the peak of his career in 1951, Williams recorded 142 songs for the Mother’s Best Flour Company. The best-known and most sought-after Williams recordings, The Mother’s Best Flour Shows featured the legendary musician and his studio band laying down his chart-busting hits, as well as songs he never recorded commercially anywhere else. Broadcast over the Grand Ole Opry’s parent station, WSM, in Nashville every morning at 7:15am, the format was consistent: each 15-minute show consisted of one country song, one instrumental or guest vocal and a gospel song to close the show. Recorded in an intimate and casual setting, The Mother’s Best Shows highlighted Williams personality, and his relaxed patter was filled with wry, self-deprecating wit. For the very first time, THE COMPLETE MOTHER’S BEST COLLECTION brings together all of the surviving recordings in a single set across 15 CDs. Featured among the 142 rare performances are Hank’s greatest hits including “Cold, Cold Heart,” “I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still In Love With You),” “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” “Move It On Over,” and many more. Hank also sings then-current hits by other artists, including “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain,” “On Top Of Old Smoky,” “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You” and “Cherokee Boogie” among others. Williams also loved the old hymns, and here he sings sacred classics like ‘Softly and Tenderly,’ shouts out Southern gospel classics like ‘I’ll Have a New Life’ and ‘When the Saints Go Marchin’ In,’ and many he never sang anywhere

Saturday, July 2, 2016

Tobias Wade

The journey of a writer is often challenged not necessarily by those around us. But how we grow within our imaginations. Tobias lets nothing stand in his way of taking readers to a newer level of discovery.

Deon Cole

Actor/Comedian Deon Cole continues to wow the world of television as well as live on stage. Working each level of the performance requires a keen sense of visions. But where did the process of success begin?