Meet Van Darien

Subtance & Soul, Eclectic & Energetic. A rollercoaster of emotion, passionate highs, heartbreaking lows & occasionally, on a special night, a few tears.. From the pit of her soul with songs written straight from the heart, Weatherford, Texas native, Van Darien delivers powerful, soulful vocals with such passion, you have no choice but to feel it. After just one year of playing live shows, Van has opened for artists such as Josh Grider, Joey Green, Deryl Dodd & Ian Moore. With influences like Patty Griffin, Guy Clark & Odis Redding, Van Darien's sound is more than eclectic. This folk/pop/soulsinger engages crowds & lures them in so one can't help but to feel good.

Check out North Texas artist Van Darien:

Official Site:

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Born This Way

I'm all about finding great covers especailly when it's young kids doing them. I heard about this talented 10 year old from Canada who was born...to play. Just the way one song can be changed up & sound different is cool. Check out her cover of GaGa's born this way.





Speaking of (since everyone else is), there's been lots of discussion over how similar Gaga's latest tune is to Madonna's Express Yourself. Take a listen:

A Dying Industry

A friend of mine wrote a great blog about the effects of illegal downloading & how it's threatening the music industry. Below is an excerpt followed by a link to the article.  Great read!

How to Support the Music -- and Musicians -- You Love]

We talk often about what we can do to help the artists we support, whether it's a newly-signed or a more established, but still needing our help.   It's actually simple.  The number one thing music fans can do to support the musicians they love is to BUY their records. Illegal downloading of music is threatening to kill (if it hasn't already killed) the music industry.....Read More

Check out some of the comments made on this subject


Danny: waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa; not enough $$ for entertainers to sling around??BULL!!


Debby: Thats like saying aspirin is killing the need for doctors. I dont believe it. We have people starving out here and this is nonsense!!!!


John:  Would you shop lift a candy bar from Wal-Mart even though they make billions? It's a moral thing. .99 to $1.25 is pretty affordable per download. You can hardly get a coke for that price. lol

Most musicians will perform in hole-in-the-wall clubs their entire lives & barely make ends meet. Very few will get an opportunity to be signed to a record label, & even if they do that doesn't mean they will sell enough units to get signed again.

Shari: From my daughter (the writer of the article): You say "moralizing" as if we're "bedazzling" the issue. As John said, it IS a moral issue. Also, theft should not be put in quotes...just because it's not a tangible theft doesn't make it any better than walking into Wal-Mart and stealing a CD off the shelf. And also, just because they choose to be an artist doesn't mean they should have to conform to these thefts. The public should conform to the law, plain and simple.

Debbie: Wow i wish we could get this fired up when a Soldier dies. Yes they choose that job also but it still devastates their loved ones. Do you see a priority issue here

Deborah: Everyone gets very upset when our soldiers die. When a family member dies or our pet dies for heaven sake. Of course we do. This is just a seperate issue and it is stealing and it is a moral issue. Lots of issues here.

Brandi: I am one who can see both sides of this issue. It is theft if the cd or song is not purchased legally. Most cds you buy now,however, have an anti-theft program imbedded in them to disable the ability to copy them. Most websites where you can download music require a membership of some kind. That being said, if we are to include sharing of music by copying an album and giving it to friends, then that too should include, recording shows from television, giving a friend a magazine or book that you have finished reading, or even bluetoothing a ringtone to friend. If one area is covered then so should all media. Like someone else stated previously...theft...is theft.

Danny: it ain't theft if I leave the keys in my truck and put a sign on it test drive at will; if I was that concerned I would take other measures to ensure MY STUFF stayed mine so I could continue to live as extravagant a lifestyle as I chose. I'll say this to, even musicians that won't copy others music for their own pleasure are in the minority.

Cheryl:  Plain and simple. Theft is theft and don't do to others what you wouldn't want done to you! : ) Everyone deserves payment for their hard work. If they want to give it away then it should come from them and no one else.

Wow, there's nothing like a good debate about a touchy subject. Something to think about!

How Was Your Trip?

Hopefully by now all touring artists are getting accustomed to the having a bazillion camera phones focused on them on a daily basis. Every move they make is being watched & in the unlikely event they may take a tumble on stage...they WILL be YouTubed!


I think it's funny how the other two just look at her without offering a hand...

Did You Know

Usher’s “OMG” sounds a lot like a song Homer Simpson wrote in 2003. 

DJ's from Y101.7, a radio station in Jackson, Mississippi, discovered the similarities earlier this year. If you listen to the two songs together, it's pretty hilarious. 

CDs were designed to hold 74 minutes of music because that’s the length of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. 
When designing the compact disc, the engineers at Philips originally based their work on the playing time of an hour, which meant that all existing albums could potentially fit (double-sided LPs were a few minutes short of an hour). However, Sony vice-president Norio Ohga, who was responsible for the project and had studied at the Conservatory in Berlin, did not agree. During his time at the conservatory, Ohga had grown quite fond of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. 
A performance of the Ninth by the Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Herbert von Karajan, lasted for 66 minutes and would not fit on their protypical CD. The other engineers agreed that a few extra minutes of space could be spared. To be safe, they also checked all other known recordings of the symphony with PolyGram, a Philips subsidiary. The longest known performance was recorded during the Bayreuther Festspiele in 1951 and conducted by Wilhelm Furtwängler. The 74-minute running time of this rendition therefore became the industry standard for compact discs and only added half a centimeter to the diameter of the previous model! 

Who's A Fool

Take a look back at the break-out hit that introduced the world to Texas girl Lee Ann Womack.  I definitely  ran out to the store to get her debut record that year. This is a live performance from TNN's Music City Tonight...I grew up glued to The Nashville Network all my life. Too bad its a page in country music history.  Enjoy this look back.



Check out the site Today's Country Music Videos where they feature all the videos from this talented artist.
LeeAnn on the net:
Official Web Site      Twitter

Country & Pop Collide

One of my favortie country songs today is a power ballad with Jason Aldean & Kelly Clarkson. "Don't You Wanna Stay" pairs up the country sounds of Aldean & the power voice of Miss Clarkson & makes a perfect combination. Check out their performance on the CMA awards last Fall.



Some behind the scenes of the recording.



I really enjoy pulling up YouTube clips of everyday people doing covers of todays big hits. Here's one I found of "Dont You Wanna Stay"


On the subject of Kelly.  I have a feeling that she is getting her Burleson, Texas toes wet in the country music pond.  After she parted ways with her first manager she partnered up with the co-founder of Nashville based Starstruck Entertainment, Narvel Blackstock.  Here's a look back at Kellys country ties.

 Off the heels of her American Idol win in 2001,  AI aired a special allowing Kelly to sing with one of her biggest idols. It seemed to be an unlikely choice, but this feisty soulful sounding girl chose Reba McEntire. The AI audience is primarily young & maybe not big fans of country music. Having always been a fan of McEntire, I was glad she got her chance to show a whole other generation that country was cool.  The two singers battled it out with one of Reba's Grammy winning hits. 'Does He Love You' which was a great choice as it really features the range in Kelly's voice. Here's a clip from that night.


CMT liked the chemistry enough to pair the two up again several years later on the show Crossroads. A great concept where artists from different genres cover each others songs in a live setting. That opened a whole other avenue as Reba recorded Kelly's "Because of You" for her Duets album project.

Jamming it out on Crossroads to her signature hit Fancy


During that time Kelly was having some trouble in her own career as she was butting heads with many of the record execs & her manager. Not seeing eye to eye with her current manager Kelly turned to the likes of Reba's husband/manager Narvel Blackstock.  This is a guy that knows how things should be done in the music industry. Putting all that into perspective, I think it's just a matter of time before we hear a solo record being played on country radio from Kelly.

Music Fever

It seems that the biggest music news these days is about a teenage kid from Canada. Like it or not, any parent with young children do know who Justin Bieber is.   I do wonder what the shelf life of this newest teen star will be.  Some seem to expire quickly in about 15 minutes & some will go on for decades aka Michael Jackson. We all know what losing your childhood did for MJ as an adult.   I've only seen bits & pieces of this kid & really thought he was cheesy. After seeing a little more from him on the talk show circuit lately, it looks like he has real talent. Maybe since he's established himself, he can gradually begin to peal away all that manufactured bubblegum pop fluff. Interesting to see how all that will play out.

Check out a small excerpt from a blog written about a Mom's Bieber experience so far:

From Chaterbox Blog:

I will admit it,  I was one of those people who had doubts as to how talented he was.  Was it his talent, or more because of young girls thinking he's cute and many having an extreme,and almost disturbing crush on him?  Also, can a teenager seriously have a biography?  Is his talent truly deserving of all this "Bieber Fever"?  Well, yes and no. READ MORE......

Hide yo Kids!

Unless you have been under a rock, you have heard the intruder song that was created by the Gregory Brothers. Antoine Dodson became a YouTube sensation when his over the top news interview blew up on YouTube. This prompted the brothers to turn this comical clip into auto-tune gold. I admit it's a catchy little ditty & some days can't seem to get the tune out of my head. Here's the vidoe that has been hit nearly 72 MILLION times. Yes MILLION. You can even purchase this song on iTunes! Please don't do that though...lol Especailly when you can view this clip for free all day long here. :) Enjoy


You may be thinking, Really...this on a music blog?? Well obviously.... this has sparked some kind of movement for real people, with real voices to make their own covers from this catchy tune. Here's a few versions I found that are sound good.

From Vektormusic on YouTube

Tyler Ward

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Official Site  YouTube  FaceBook  Twitter

Biography

Passion is what drives Tyler Ward to write, produce and perform music; however, music wasn’t always his focus. Encouraged by his father at a young age to pursue athletics, Tyler spent his time working towards scoring touchdowns and winning football games rather than chasing his musical dream. After completing high school, Tyler was accepted to the United States Air Force Academy where he started his collegiate football career. Tyler never adjusted to the military lifestyle, “I smiled too much,” he said. It was because of his excessive smiling and creative expression that Tyler found himself scrubbing toilets and cleaning floors on the weekends. Despite the intensive janitorial experience, Tyler decided to move on. He transferred to the University of Northern Colorado and once again played football. Several concussions later, he decided to leave the sport and follow his passion for writing music. Tyler’s realization of becoming a successful national artist arose when he first started playing with national acts such as The Fray, The Jonas Brothers, Gavin DeGraw, Augustana and Ryan Cabrera. “After that first big show with The Fray, I was sold on doing music for the rest of my life,” Tyler says. Playing shows for thousands of people fueled Tyler’s drive and creativity. It drove him to write and record several demos that have attracted attention throughout the major music industry. Now, you can find Tyler writing, recording and performing music all over the state of Colorado. Tyler has become a well known local artist who is heavily pursued to perform live. “I love playing and it’s by far the best job I’ve ever had.” Tyler credits his musical talents to his mother Susan Ward, who is a classically-trained musician. Tyler notes, “My mom rocks.”

Indian Outlaw

OFFSTAGE: Tim McGraw's Ancestors Suffer Wrath of Indian Outlaw

February 14, 2011; Written by Alison Bonaguro

Tim McGraw

Oh, the irony! To learn that Tim McGraw's sixth great grandfather was likely killed by some angry Indians made my Friday night (Feb. 11) so very interesting. I was watching McGraw on Who Do You Think You Are, the TV series that helps celebrities explore their family trees, when he stumbled upon the fact that one of his distant grandpas -- Isaac Chrisman -- was living on his 220 acres in southwest Virginia in the early 1770s, minding his own business. But, he'd settled pretty close to Indian territory, right near the line of the Proclamation of 1763. So Chrisman was a bit of an outlaw himself. Then a historian broke the news to McGraw that by 1777, Chrisman and his two sons were deceased. Why? Because in 1776, an alarm went out to alert the settlers that Indians were in the territory, and they were ordered to evacuate and head to a safer place. But Chrisman went back to check on his crops. Then things got ugly with a band of Cherokees. "He was sorta playing with fire," McGraw says. Kind of makes you wonder about the coincidence that more than 200 years later, McGraw's "Indian Outlaw" put him on the country music map.

Copycat

Rihanna's 'S&M' Video Prompts Photographer To Sue

Posted Mon Feb 14, 2011 4:08pm PST by Billy Johnson, Jr. in Hip-Hop Media Training

Famed fashion photographer David LaChapelle is suing Rihanna. According to Reuters, LaChapelle claims that the pop star based her controversial video "S&M" on eight of his photos.

In the lawsuit made public Monday, LaChapelle says, "The music video is directly derived from and substantially similar to the LaChapelle works."

Days after the video was released, LaChapelle accused Rihanna via Twitter of using his ideas without his consent. "The next time you make a David LaChapelle music video you should probably hire David LaChapelle," the photographer wrote. Perez Hilton, who appears in the video which attacks media outlets for negative coverage of the "Only Girl (In The World)" singer, posted a copy of the tweet which has since been deleted from LaChapelle's Twitter page.

LaChapelle has directed dozens of music videos, including Britney Spears' "Everytime," Christina Aguilera's "Dirrty," and Gwen Stefani's "Rich Girl."

In one of LaChapelle's photos, a woman lays on a gurney and is attended to by a staff of clowns. By comparison, the Melina Matsoukas-directed video features the Barbados native resting on a desk, surrounded by clowns that happen to be reporters.

Another LaChapelle photo features a group of women with poufy red hair, romping around a room decorated with bright pink and white striped wallpaper and matching furniture. In a scene in Rihanna's video, she's also wearing big red hair and playing around with lady friends in room with hot pink and white striped wallpaper, and black and yellow pictures on the wall.

Each image uses a similar forced and distorted camera perspective. According to LaChapelle, the "S&M" video duplicated the "composition, total concept, feel, tone, mood, theme, colors, props, settings, decors, wardrobe, and lighting" of his images.

The damages LaChapelle seeks have not been specified.

Before LaChapelle expressed his frustration with the short, "S&M" had already sparked controversy because of its overtly sexual content. Matsoukas said she was not bothered by criticisms. "The song is called 'S&M,'" she toldMTV. "So I think that the imagery follows suit with what the song is. I wouldn't play down the imagery for a song that's so strong. It makes sense to develop it further and really take it there."

A spokesperson for Rihanna has not yet responded to Yahoo! Music's request for a statement.

[Photo credit: David LaChapelle, Island Def Jam]

Battle Studies

John Mayer

Battle Studies is on sale in the iTunes store today for $7.99!
Click Here To Order

The Avett Brothers

I was introduced to this group by a  buddy of mine last summer. I heard the Avett Brothers & couldn't get enough.

Comments for this News article

GRAMMY MAGIC!

MON, 02/14/2011 - 5:47AM — CARMEN

What an inspiring night! I've never been so excited and full of joy to hear someone sing as I was for all of you this evening, I was so proud, it felt like a victory for good music, seeing you shine on that stage! I started listening back in college thanks to Pandora and I remember from there your music being passed around the school in this amazing kind of grassroots, word of mouth way. After a good friend of mine shared a couple of your albums with me via his flash drive I couldn't get enough, there's not a song you've sang that I don't love. You're melody and lyrics seep deep into the human spirit.

You're my favorite band and it's not just because of your incredible talent as musicians - you've got heart and soul and passion that can't help but shine through all you sing. Stay genuine and humble and good-hearted, I know I love you for that, the world needs more rock stars like you! It's been an Avett Brothers celebration night at my house out here in the peaceful California foothills and I just wanted to express my sincere gratitude for your music and congratulations for a magical night!

- Carmen


Avett Brothers online:
Official Site
Facebook
MySpace Music


I found another great clip on YouTube but the embed was disabled. Click here to see it.

Esperanza Who?

I was not the only one who was confused when the winner of Best New Artist was announced. Like most, went right to work to see who this (not so) New Artist was.

Esperanza Spalding may have won the Grammy for Best New Artist, but some have reveled in her talent for years.

A 26-year old, classically trained jazz/chamber music fusion musician and singer, Spalding has been making headlines in the jazz world since before her 2006 debut solo album, "Junjo." Having attended the Berklee Academy of Music, where she immediately became a professor after graduating at 20 years old, she began to travel with well known jazz musicians -- and then, the President.

Showing prescient hipness, President Obama selected Spalding to perform at the Oslo City Hallwhen he accepted his 2009 Nobel Prize, as well as at a White House poetry jam.

"Chamber Music Society" is actually her eighth overall album, including her teenage band and collaborations with famous jazz musicians. But she's still excited to be considered Best New Artist.

"I feel really lucky that I got to be acknowledged on this stage in front of so many people who hopefully will get to experience my music, and I got there by doing what's really dear to my heart," she told the AP after her win.

To earn the Grammy, she beat out an impressive field, including teen idol Justin Bieber, rapper Drake and band Florence + The Machine. Beliebers, as Bieber's are known, hacked into her Wikipedia page after the upset win, making changes such as saying she won, "even though no one has heard of her."

Clearly, that's not the case.

Grammy Winners

Article By PopEater Staff 

Before last night, there were parts of the county who probably thought Lady Antebellum was some sort of degenerative bone condition. Now, the pop-country group has emerged as the king of Grammy night and a force to be reckoned with on the music stage, outshining 10-time nominee Eminem, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry to win multiple awards. But in the end, the top prize (best album) was a bombshell, going to Montreal indie-rockers Arcade Fire for their hit, 'The Suburbs.'

Out of 109 awards, only ten are given out on Grammy night, so the real focus is on the performances. The show kicked off with a rousing tribute to soul legend Aretha Franklin with Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson, Martina McBride, Florence Welch and Yolanda Adams tackling Franklin's classics.

The ladies kicked things off with a group performance of '(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman' before launching into solos of 'Ain't No Way,' 'Until You Come Back to Me,' 'Think,' 'Respect' and 'Spirit in the Dark.' The divas closed with 'Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves.'

The standout performance of the night belonged to Cee-Lo Green when he and Jim Henson's puppets broke out a hilarious version of 'F**k You.' As the AP notes, "It was easily the show stopper in a night of performances that included a tribute to Aretha Franklin, a retro performance from Bruno Mars, a dazzling number by newcomer Janelle Monae that was James Brown-esque, a collaboration with Mumford & Sons, the Avett Brothers and a very raspy Bob Dylan."

As big as an upset that Arcade Fire's Album of the Year was, the topper of the evening probably belonged to Esperanza Spalding, who beat out Justin Bieber for best new artist.

Album of the Year

Arcade Fire, The Suburbs (For more on the indie rockers’ surprise win, see Surprise! Arcade Fire’s ‘The Suburbs’ wins!)

Record of the Year

Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”

Best Rap Album

Eminem, Recovery

Best New Artist

Esperanza Spalding

Song of the Year

Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”

Best Country Album

Lady Antebellum, Need You Now

Best Pop Vocal Album

Lady Gaga, The Fame Monster

Best Rock Album

Muse, The Resistance

Best Female Country Vocal Performance

Miranda Lambert, “The House That Built Me”

Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group

Train, “Hey Soul Sister”

Female Pop Vocal Performance

Lady Gaga, “Bad Romance”

Male Pop Vocal Performance

Bruno Mars, “Just the Way You Are”

Alternative Album

the Black Keys, Brothers

Country Performance by a Duo or Group

Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”

Rap Song

Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, “Empire State of Mind”

Rap Solo Performance

Eminem, “Not Afraid”

Dance Recording

Rihanna, “Only Girl (In the World)

Electronic Dance Album

La Roux, La Roux

Visit the Grammys website for the complete list of winners.