Tag: music

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Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta to reunite for first time in 30 years

Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta reunite for THIS CHRISTMAS album

John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John reunite for the first time in 30 years for THIS CHRISTMAS Album to be released Nov. 13. Via press release: LOS ANGELES, Oct. 2, 2012— When your first single from the Grease album, the biggest movie musical of all time, is chart-topping “You’re the One That I Want, and it becomes the best-selling duet in pop music history – that’s a tough act to follow. But almost 35 years later, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John have combined their iconic voices for This Christmas, available November 13 from Universal Music Enterprises. A true labor of love made specifically for “the giving season,” Travolta and Newton-John will donate the artist proceeds from the album equally to their respective charities, the Jett Travolta Foundation and the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre in Melbourne, Australia. One of the highlights of the album is the one original song, the aptly titled “I Think You Might Like It.” This is the sequel to John and Olivia’s Grease smash, “You’re the One That I Want,” a new tune by that song’s writer/producer John Farrar, marking yet another This Christmas-spawned reunion. “John Farrar was just as hard on me now as he was then,” laughs Travolta. “We went for perfection on it.” “It was really fun to do that,” says Olivia. “If it wasn’t for that song, we wouldn’t be here talking about it 30 years later.” Produced by veteran keyboardist/arranger/orchestrator Randy Waldman, This Christmas is the audio equivalent of those classic network TV specials hosted from the stars’ homes, an intimate, warm set of traditional holiday songs from an all-star lineup that includes Barbra Streisand (“I’ll Be Home for Christmas”), Tony Bennett and the Count Basie Orchestra (“Winter Wonderland”), James Taylor (“Deck the Halls”), Chick Corea (“This Christmas”), Kenny G (“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”), Cliff Richard (“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”) and the original “I Think You Might Like It” by writer/producer John Farrar. The idea for the collection came from Travolta after receiving a Christmastime text from his old friend Olivia noting that their 1978 smash, “You’re the One That I Want,” had just become the best-selling duet in pop music history. “From the moment we decided to do this, magic happened,” says Travolta. “Everyone we contacted agreed to do it.” “It just fell into place,” added Newton-John, a four-time Grammy® winner, who has scored five No. 1 singles and two chart-topping albums, selling a total of more than 100 million albums worldwide. “With our busy schedules, I don’t know how we got it done. John and I have always connected. That’s never gone away. When we’re together, we have a good laugh and feel bonded to one another. We’ve been through some amazing experiences together.” “My desire was to make This Christmas an intimate album, not something too ostentatious or showy,” says Travolta, who early in his career was featured as an actor/singer/dancer with the touring company of Grease. “I wanted people to be able to play it around the house or in the car during the holidays, and make us part of your celebration. Gathering around house listening to Christmas music has always been an important part of that time of the year to my family.” But the real importance of This Christmas is the money it will raise to fund Travolta and Newton-John’s charities – one to combat children’s disabilities, including autism and seizures, named after John’s late son, Jett; the other to help search for a cure for cancer and to help victims of the disease. “We all felt a wonderful, joyful energy while recording this album,” adds Olivia. “We want to make a lot of people smile and happy. It’s a project that we’re hoping turns into a perennial, one that can continue to raise money for these causes year after year, a gift that keeps on giving.” To pre-order This Christmas, click here. Both of the superstars continue to thrive in their careers and personal lives. Olivia is reportedly in talks to begin a residency in Las Vegas, and Travolta recently won in court against a frivolous lawsuit.

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Christina Aguilera’s new video “Your Body”

Christina Aguilera sings the words so you don’t have to: “All I want to do is love your body!” (That’s the censored version.)

The new video for “Your Body” has her meeting a surprising number of hot men, some of whom explode in neon confetti.

Check out MTV News explains the full menu of her coy nods to pop culture.

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New music: Betty Buckley “Ah Men – the Boys of Broadway”

 
Available today, new music from Tony Award-winning Broadway star Betty Buckley: AH MEN – THE BOYS OF BROADWAY, based on her critically acclaimed concert of the same name.

Like Betty, I’m from Fort Worth, Texas, and we both attended the same high school – although not at the same time.  But in the 1970s – with successes on Broadway and TV already – she made a stop by Arlington Heights High School and spoke to our drama class.  She spoke about acting and then, in an impromptu moment, sang for us unaccompanied.  I was transfixed, and a fan of her voice (and acting) from that moment on.

When I was appearing on Broadway in Hello, Dolly!, Betty was giving her breathtaking performance as “Norma Desmond” in Sunset Boulevard.  During the run of Dolly! many stars came backstage to say ‘hello’ to Carol Channing.  I’d see them meet her on the stage after the curtain came down after the show as I had to cross the stage from my dressing room to the stage door.  The only time I ever stopped and stuttered a ‘hello’ to anyone was when Betty Buckley came backstage. It was my chance and I took it. And she was as gracious then as she is today.

I recently discovered that Tennessee Williams admired Betty’s work. On the blog “Follies of God,” James Grissom shared with his readers that Tennessee had this to say about Betty Buckley:

Her singing voice is a wonderful example of that intercourse that exists only with a singer: When a singer is in possession of a great talent and an honest intensity of purpose, nothing can prevent the relationship between song and singer from taking place, with all of us voyeurs to the consummation.

She owns her material, but she doesn’t grasp it so tightly that we can’t also share in it, love it, feel to it. I find her a radiantly pure singer.

She helps me to the fog. I feel she belongs to me now.

I recently had the chance to interview Betty about her new CD, her current appearances around the country and her upcoming UK premiere of Jerry Herman’s Dear World at Charing Cross Theatre.

You can listen to the interview tomorrow night on The Candi & Randy Show, but here are just a few of Betty’s thoughts on the new CD:

• The inspiration for the new CD goes back to her young crush on Russ Tamblyn in the movie of West Side Story: “When I first saw the movie of West Side Story, I was about 14 and I was just in love with Russ Tamblyn who played “Riff.”  Everything about him as “Riff” – I thought he was the coolest guy ever.  And it went way beyond a crush.  I wanted to dance like him, walk like him, talk like him.  I wanted to be a Jet.”

• Betty had a short list of songs she knew she wanted to sing in this show/CD: “I knew I wanted to sing “I Can See It” from The Fantasticks, I knew I wanted to sing “Hey There” from The Pajama Game, “Corner of the Sky” from Pippin… I knew I wanted to sing “Venice” from Elegies and “Maria” from West Side Story, and I knew I wanted to sing “I Won’t Dance.”

• When asked if there’s a male role in the music theatre catalog she’d like to do, she doesn’t hesitate: “I think I could be a really dangerous Sweeney Todd.”

• On heading to London to star in the UK premiere of Dear World: “I’m really excited about it.  I’ve known about this for about a year and a half.   It will be a revised/new version of the show.  It’s going to be really beautiful, I think.  I’m really excited.”

I reached out to Broadway legend Jerry Herman for his thoughts on Betty starring in the new production and Jerry had this to say:

“Dear World requires a superb singer; Dear World requires a superb actor; and Betty Buckley is both. I so look forward to the London premiere with Gillian Lynne at the helm.”

Betty has been appearing across the country singing songs from the new CD.  Find the nearest concert date on her website – www.BettyBuckley.com. 

Lucky for me, she’ll be performing at The Smith Center here in Las Vegas November 15-18.  Can’t wait to see her sing these great songs.

You can hear the full interview and several of the songs from the new CD by listening tomorrow night on The Candi & Randy Show – 9pmEST/6pmPST.

Check out the new CD on Amazon by clicking here.

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Leslie Ellis on The Candi & Randy Show

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Grammy Award winning vocalist Leslie Ellis joined us on The Candi & Randy Show to talk about life as a working singer/songwriter in “music city” – Nashville.

Through her career Leslie has sung with many artists including Celine Dion on “My Heart will Go On” – from the movie “Titanic” (for which Leslie won the Grammy) and Thomas Dolby on his latest album “Forty” (featured on “Hyperactive”). She sang the original soundtrack song, “Six Times Around the Sun” for the CBS mini-series, “Perfect Murder, Perfect Town.” Four of Leslie’s original songs appeared in the musical “Cowboy Cafe” and were performed live at the show’s premiere in North Carolina.

Her self penned “Flyer Song” was adopted by the US Navy and made into a video as a tribute to the troops and their families. She’s also written songs that were recorded by The Bellamy Brothers and NYC based recording artist David Ippolito.

As an actress, Leslie has appeared on television and the Broadway stage – CATS, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES and CITY OF ANGELS.

In 2007, she starred in an independent film called, “My Name Is Wallace” which was invited to the Cannes Film Festival; and in 2009 appeared in “The New, True Charlie Wu” as Eudiamonia.

Throw into the mix that she’s developing a new cooking show and you have a real achiever with a great amount of charm.

More info about the fantastic Leslie Ellis at www.LeslieEllis.com

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The power of music – a man, an iPod and Cab Calloway

The brain amazes me everyday.

The fact that music – tone, rhythm, volume, lyrics – has the power to reach deep into our histories and emotions to awaken dormant parts of us is truly beautiful.

Sad to say, music classes – which I think played a big part in who I am, how I developed as a person and why I love music so much – are no longer a regular part of curriculum in public schools.

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Bonnie Raitt “Right Down The Line”

The lead music video from Bonnie Raitt’s extraordinary new album “Slipstream,” shown here in the director & artist’s cut.

Steve Lippman (aka FLIP) directed Bonnie Raitt’s new video “Right Down the Line” on location at the abandoned New Mission Theater in San Francisco and shot portraits of gay and straight couples in San Francisco’s Noe Valley neighborhood for this beautiful track about love, commitment, and equality. It was shot on Super 8mm and 16 mm film.