Music News

03 Apr 2024

Jonathan McReynolds & Marvin Winans’ ‘Able’ Tops Gospel Airplay Chart

Jonathan McReynolds collects his sixth total and consecutive No. 1 on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart (dated April 6) with “Able,” featuring Marvin Winans, who adds his third leader.

During the March 22-28 tracking week, the song drew airplay on 34 stations that report to Gospel Airplay, tying for the most among all titles on the tally, according to Luminate. The 34-year-old McReynolds, from Chicago, co-authored “Able” with Winans, Major Johnson Finley and Dee Wilson.

“At this point I’m surprised when God does not surprise me,” McReynolds tells Billboard. “This is another chapter of my own hard work and His favor giving me something else to thank Him for.”

As McReynolds extends his streak to six straight Gospel Airplay chart-toppers, he ties Todd Dulaney for the longest run of No. 1s since the chart began in 2005. McReynolds’ prior five No. 1s: “Your World,” for five frames beginning in December 2022; “Grace,” for a week in August 2021; “Movin’ On,” with Mali Music, for one frame in October 2020; “Make Room,” for one week in December 2019; and “Not Lucky, I’m Loved,” for a week in September 2018.

Dulaney rang up his sixth uninterrupted Gospel Airplay leader (and seventh overall) last November with his most recent entry, “It’s Working” (with Bishop Hezekiah Walker), which dominated for two weeks.

Recording artist and pastor Winans, originally from Detroit, and a veteran of Billboard’s charts for over 30 years, last led Gospel Airplay as featured on husband-and-wife duo Juan & Lisa Winans’ “It Belongs to Me,” for a week in November 2020. (Marvin Winans is Juan’s uncle.) He first reigned, for four weeks in April-May 2012, as featured on Andraé Crouch’s “Let the Church Say Amen.”

03 Apr 2024

Megan Thee Stallion and GloRilla Tease Collaboration Before Hitting the Road on Hot Girl Summer Tour

Megan Thee Stallion and GloRilla might have something even hotter in store than their upcoming Hot Girls Summer tour. The dynamic duo teamed up on Tuesday (April 2) for a preview of a collaboration due out soon.

“Too thick [crying laughing, peach emoji] glo dropping 4/5 !!! We getting activateddddd,” Meg wrote on Instagram alongside a brief video of the pair looking cozy in sweats in a recording studio. The playful video opens with Glo spinning around and showing her behind to the camera as she exclaims, “Damn!” and Megan laughs before putting a palm to the camera and changing the scenario completely.

When we return, both women are in string bikini tops as a thumping track plays and they take turns cheering each other on with the phrases “Go Meg” and “Get ’em Glo.” At press time the pair had not announced any additional information about the song due out on Friday.

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Megan’s first-ever headlining tour will his 31 cities and arenas in major markets, including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Detroit, Boston, Memphis, Atlanta and Philadelphia, as well as the rapper’s Houston hometown. After the U.S. dates end with a June 22 show at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Megan will head out on an international trek beginning on July 4 in Glasgow, Scotland, with additional shows in England, France, Germany, and Ireland.

After Megan’s bikini-baring tour announcement got flagged by Instagram last month for running afoul of the media company’s decency guidelines, the “Not My Fault” rapper appears to be leaning as hard as possible into the cheeky campaign with a series of Instagram posts over the past few weeks in which she appears to be trying out some provocative stagewear, including a barely-there cowgirl outfit.

Watch the Megan Thee Stallion and GloRilla collab preview below.

03 Apr 2024

Travis Kelce Says So Far This Year He’s the ‘Happiest I’ve Ever Been’

Travis Kelce has a lot to celebrate these days. In addition to coming off his third Super Bowl win with the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this year, the NFL tight end spoke to People about his awesome year, telling the mag that, “I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. I’m a guy that some people say is glass half full, half empty, and my glass is all the way full. It’s all the way full.”

Kelce, 34, who recently returned from a Bahamian vacation with girlfriend Taylor Swift, said he’s “oozing” life right now, as he takes in all the new adventures he’s been offered due to his winning ways. “It’s just so much fun getting into when you win the Super Bowl,” he said after taking him his third NFL championship in the past five years in February. “All these doors open, and so I’ve just been going through all these open doors, experiencing life and just appreciating the people that have got me here and also staying high and meeting new faces.”

Though Kelce did not appear to specifically address his relationship with Swift — which included Travis recently flying to Singapore to take in one of Tay’s Eras Tour shows — the A-list couple’s busy schedules might once again be in the news next month when the tight end is slateed to start pre-season activities. In addition to his day job, this week Kelce also announced the lineup for his second annual Kelce Jam music festival in Kansas City on May 18, which will feature performances from Lil Wayne, Diplo and 2 Chainz.

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As if that wasn’t enough, Kelce is also among the co-producers of an upcoming documentary about late artist Jean-Michel Basquiat called King Pleasure and he and KC teammate QB Patrick Mahomes are opening a steakhouse in their hometown called 1587 Prime next year.

03 Apr 2024

Adele Reschedules 2024 ‘Weekends’ Las Vegas Residency Shows Postponed By Illness

Adele has rescheduled a run of dates of her popular Weekends With Adele Las Vegas residency that were originally slated to take place in March. In a post on X on Tuesday, the singer announced that the postponed dates at the Colosseum in Caesars Palace will now take place on the final weekend of October, as well as every weekend in November.

“The postponed dates for Weekends With Adele at The Colosseum, Caesars Palace from March have been rescheduled to the below dates later this year,” Adele wrote, noting that ticket holders for the postponed dates will be sent an email about their new allocated date.

Back on Feb. 27, Adele announced that due to an unspecified illness she would have to press pause on her Vegas stay-put. “Sadly I have to take a beat and pause my Vegas residency,” she wrote in a statement. “I was sick at the end of the last leg and all the way through my break. I hadn’t quite gotten the chance to get back to full health before shows resumed and now I’m sick again, and unfortunately it’s all taken a toll on my voice.”

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At the time, Adele said her doctor had recommended rest, resulting in the final five weekends (March 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30) of the residency getting pushed to a later date. “I love you, I’ll miss you like mad and I’m sorry for the inconvenience,” Adele captioned the post.

The final run of Weekends With Adele began on Jan. 19 and was originally slated to run through a June 15 date.

Check out the rescheduled Weekends With Adele dates below.

03 Apr 2024

Gale Sparrow, Ex-Director of Artist Relations at MTV, Dies at 74

Gale Sparrow, the former executive who led MTV’s talent and artist relations team during the cable television channel’s golden years, died Sunday (March 31) following a battle with lung cancer. She was 74.

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Born Jan. 20, 1950, Sparrow began her career in the music business at CBS/Epic Records in 1976.

Five years later, in 1981, she was recruited to join MTV’s startup team. MTV switched on in August of that year and started a revolution, one that facilitated a change in the way music was consumed, and how artists and labels presented their music.

Sparrow played her part in that sea change, initially as the talent coordinator. As MTV’s presence and network grew, so did Sparrow’s duties, with a promotion to director of talent and artist relations.

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MTV helped launch, and relaunch, countless careers. Sparrow worked with all of them. Tina Turner’s remarkable solo comeback in the mid-’80s can be attributed, in part, to the late singer’s support from MTV, and savvy guidance from artist manager Roger Davies. Speaking with Billboard in 2023 following the Rock Hall inducted legend’s passing on May 24 at 83, Sparrow recalled Turner as the “hottest ticket in town,” who “just wowed everybody” in person. “She just was a sparkle. She had that spark in her eye,” Sparrow remembered. “Tina gave MTV a kind of second jolt of excitement. It was a whole different persona as an artist: She could have been your best friend. Everybody felt comfortable around her. You don’t have to please her.”

As news spread of Sparrow’s passing, friends and former colleagues paid tribute to the exec and her work. Sparrow was “an integral and passionate part of the original team that launched MTV —and many of those legendary artist moments were directly her contributions,” comments Bob Pittman, former CEO of MTV Networks and co-founder and programmer who led the team that created MTV. “That voice, laugh, and the wickedly mischievous smile will be missed….one of a kind.” The 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards “were in memory of her,” Pittman says.

“There’s no doubt in my mind they needed someone up there in rock ‘n’ roll heaven to handle talent and artist relations,” remarks MTV co-founder Les Garland. “After all the years, I’ve never felt closer to Gale than these past three years. Indeed, we all have Gale Sparrow stories, galore. Please let them bring a smile and a grateful feeling to your soul. RIP ‘Sparrow’, I will miss those phone calls! #Love #Respect.”

Sparrow died peacefully at her home in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, according to reps.

No funeral is planned at this time per Sparrow’s wishes.

02 Apr 2024

Will Beyoncé Finally Win Album of the Year Grammy With ‘Cowboy Carter’?

As Jay-Z pointed out at the Grammys in February, Beyoncé has been nominated for album of the year four times but has never won — despite the fact that she’s the awards show’s winningest artist of all time, taking home 32 trophies from 88 nominations.

On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast (listen below), Katie & Keith are talking about whether her brand-new Cowboy Carter album could break that losing streak in the Grammys‘ top category. So far, it’s feeling like a critical and commercial success story that has all the makings of a top album of the year contender. But of course, the eligibility year (Sept. 16-Aug. 30) is young. We even still have new project from the reigning album of the year champ, Taylor Swift, coming later this month.

Listen to the new podcast below to hear our full conversation about Beyoncé’s early Grammy chances, as well as what song could be the next single following the seven-week Hot Country Songs chart-topper “Texas Hold ‘Em.”

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Also on the show, we’ve got chart news on how Future and Metro Boomin debut atop both the Billboard 200 and the Billboard Hot 100 songs charts, how Hozier is suddenly back in the top 10 on the Hot 100 for the first time in nine years with his gone-viral hit “Too Sweet,” and how five songs from Olivia Rodrigo’s new expanded deluxe edition of her Guts album debut on the Hot 100.

The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard‘s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard‘s executive digital director, West Coast, Katie Atkinson and Billboard’s managing director, charts and data operations, Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider. (Click here to listen to the previous edition of the show on Billboard.com.)

02 Apr 2024

Jean-Paul Vignon, Stylish French Vocalist & Actor, Dies at 89

Jean-Paul Vignon, the romantic French vocalist and actor who impressed audiences on both sides of the Atlantic during an eight-decade career, died March 22 of liver cancer in Beverly Hills, his family announced. He was 89.

Performing a repertoire of contemporary pop and American standards, Vignon debuted in the U.S. in 1963 at the famed New York supper club The Blue Angel, where he opened for stand-up comic Woody Allen.

Ed Sullivan would soon showcase him on his Sunday night CBS variety show in eight appearances — including one in which he sang a duet with young Liza Minnelli — and he became a regular guest on Johnny Carson and Merv Griffin’s programs.

Signed to Columbia Records, Vignon released his first U.S. album, Because I Love You, in 1964. Three years later, he had a supporting role opposite William Holden and Cliff Robertson in the World War II film The Devil’s Brigade.

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In a 1994 profile in the Los Angeles Times, reporter Robert Koehler noted, “Vignon fulfilled the American image of the romantic, singing Frenchman. Ironically, rather than compare his voice to such renowned Gallic crooners as Maurice Chevalier and Gilbert Bécaud, Vignon says that he has a Bobby Darin kind of voice, able to sing fast and passionate or gentle and slow.”

He continued to play some of the top rooms in New York, Miami, Los Angeles and other major cities into the early 1970s, and in ’74 he recorded a single, “You,” with Farrah Fawcett, then a relatively unknown young actress and model.

Changing audience tastes stalled his career, but he did host a Canadian TV show produced by Dick Clark called The Sensuous Man, which ended each week with him reclining in a bathtub. And for a Playgirl centerfold in 1973, he sported a sweater once worn in a famous photo shoot by Marilyn Monroe and little else.

Born on Jan. 30, 1935, in the port city of Dire-Daou in the colonial territory of French Somaliland (later known as Djibouti), Vignon was schooled in Avignon, France. He briefly studied medicine in Marseille and law at the Sorbonne in Paris but decided to pursue music full time.

He was in his early 20s when, on the recommendation of Belgian singer-actor Jacques Brel, he secured a prestigious cabaret job in Paris that would launch his career.

The baritone debuted in front of the cameras as the star of the 1956 feature Les Promesses Dangereuses, then followed with a performance opposite Francoise Arnoul in the romantic drama Asphalte (1959).

Meanwhile, he had signed as a vocalist with France’s Disques Vogue, which aimed to develop him as an artist along the lines of such balladeers as Charles Trenet (his idol), Yves Montand and Charles Aznavour. His first album was 1957’s autobiographical Djibouti.

His career in France began to lag after he served 17 months of compulsory military service, but after opening for Edith Piaf and performing on board the French liner Liberté before such ocean-going celebrities as Ernie Kovacs, Edie Adams and Carol Burnett, he decided to try his luck in the States.

As he wrote in his 2018 memoir, From Ethiopia to Utopia, “My adventurous spirit was telling me, ‘Marco Polo did not hesitate to go to China, Henry Morton Stanley did not hesitate to presume exploring Central Africa and find Dr. Livingston, Christopher Columbus did not hesitate to sail west to discover America … so it is your turn to discover the United States.’”

After years of career ebbs and flows, he returned to the L.A. cabaret scene in 1993, encouraged by such pop vocalists as Harry Connick Jr., Michael Feinstein and Tony Bennett and the smash success of “Unforgettable,” which paired the late Nat King Cole and his daughter Natalie. He would remain active into his 80s with appearances at Feinstein’s at Vitello’s and the Catalina Jazz Club.

Along the way, he would also appear on such shows as The Rockford Files, Hotel, Falcon Crest, L.A. Law, Columbo, Days of Our Lives and Gilmore Girls; voice one of the Merry Men in Shrek (2001); and narrate the romantic comedy 500 Days of Summer (2009).

Meanwhile, his company, Côte d’Azur Productions, provided French audiences with translations and overdubs of Scarface and other American films.

Survivors include his longtime partner, Suzie Summers; daughters Marguerite Vignon Gaul (from his marriage to late American actress Brigid Bazlen) and Lucy Brank; and granddaughters Leah and Hannah.

This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.

02 Apr 2024

Beyoncé Thanks Jack White for Inspiring ‘Cowboy Carter’

The friendship between Beyoncé and Jack White is still going strong.

Following the release of her Cowboy Carter album on Friday (March 29), Bey sent a bouquet of flowers to rocker Jack White. The White Stripes songwriter took to Instagram to share the sweet gift, which featured a note that reads, “Jack, I hope you are well. I just wanted you to know how much you inspired me on this record. Sending you my love, Beyoncé.”

“What a sweet gesture to receive here in Nashville this morning from the talented and gracious @beyonce celebrating her new Cowboy Carter album,” White wrote in the caption. “Much love and respect to you Madam, and thank you kindly. Keep making beautiful and powerful music, nobody sings like you.”

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See the post here.

The duo previously worked together on the scorching “Don’t Hurt Yourself,” off Bey’s 2016 album, Lemonade. White also co-produced the raging track. “You know, I just talked to her and she said, ‘I wanna be in a band with you.’ I said, ‘Really? Well, I’d love to do something,’ ” White told NPR at the time about how the collaboration came to be. “I’ve always loved her voice — I mean, I think she has the kind of soul singing voice of the days of Betty Davis or Aretha Franklin.”

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White continued, “She took just sort of a sketch of a lyrical outline and turned into the most bodacious, vicious, incredible song. I don’t even know what you’d classify it as — soul, rock and roll, whatever. ‘Don’t Hurt Yourself’ is incredibly intense; I’m so amazed at what she did with it.”

02 Apr 2024

Lizzo Clarifies What She Meant With ‘I Quit’ Statement: ‘I’m Going to Keep Being Me’

When Lizzo posted a frank statement to Instagram last week declaring “I QUIT,” many fans assumed that the “Truth Hurts” singer meant that she was stepping away from the public eye for good. That’s why, when just two days later she started posting promo photos for her shapewear brand Yitty, some people were a little confused.

But in a new video posted Tuesday (April 2), Lizzo cleared things up for good. “I just need to clarify — when I say I quit, I mean, I quit giving any negative energy attention,” she said, facing the camera in an aquamarine bodysuit. “What I’m not gonna quit is the joy of my life, which is making music, which is connecting with people.”

“I know I’m not alone,” she continued. “In no way, shape or form am I the only person who is experiencing that negative voice that seems to be louder than the positive … I’m going to keep moving forward, I’m going to keep being me.”

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The video comes about four days after the singer shared a message to Instagram signed, in all-caps, “I QUIT.” “I’m getting tired of putting up with being dragged by everyone in my life and on the Internet,” read the note, posted March 29. “All I want is to make music and make people happy and help the world be a little better than how I found it. But I’m starting to feel like the world doesn’t want me in it.”

“I’m constantly up against lies being told about me for clout & views…,” she continued at the time. “Being the butt of the joke every single time because of how I look… my character being picked apart by people who don’t know me and disrespecting my name. I didn’t sign up for this sh–.”

Though the Grammy winner never specified which instances of “being dragged” she was referring to, it’s true that she’s been the subject of much scrutiny in recent months. In August last year, three of her former tour dancers filed a harassment lawsuit against her, alleging sexual misconduct and hostile work conditions.

Lizzo has been adamant that the accusations are false, deeming them “sensationalized stories” in a statement shortly after news of the suit went public. Following her “I QUIT” message last week, the plaintiff’s attorney Ron Zambrano issued the following statement: “It’s a joke that Lizzo would say she is being bullied by the internet when she should instead be taking an honest look at herself … Her latest post is just another outburst seeking attention and trying to deflect from her own failings as she continues to blame everyone else for the predicament she is in.”

However, the musician’s own lawyer followed up with a response shared with Billboard, “With nearly half his case dismissed, 18 independent witnesses siding with Lizzo and no settlement on the way to get him his tasty contingency fee, Ron has started making wild personal attacks that have absolutely nothing to do with the clients who he is supposedly representing.”

No matter what happens, it looks like Lizzo is determined to stay focused on the positive going forward. “I just want to say thank you,” she added in her new video, getting choked up. “The love that I’ve received, it means more than you know.”

See Lizzo’s post below.

02 Apr 2024

Travis Kelce Opens Up About 2024 Kelce Jam Music Festival, His ‘Last Hoo-rah’ Post-Super Bowl

Ask Travis Kelce about his favorite music, and his face will light up. The outer corners of his eyes crinkle with excitement, and he talks with overflowing glee through a wide, toothy smile.

It’s the same expression that the lovable Chiefs tight end might wear after scoring an unbelievable touchdown at Arrowhead Stadium, or while joking about being the Yoko Ono to girlfriend Taylor Swift‘s John Lennon alongside his brother, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce, on their joint podcast, New Heights. It’s definitely the same passion with which he’s known for discussing his love for Kansas City, for whom the Ohio native secured a second Super Bowl win in a row this February.

Now, in his latest love letter to the city he currently calls home, Travis is bringing back Kelce Jam — a self-curated music festival he launched last year in honor of the Chiefs taking home the 2023 Lombardi Trophy. Following the inaugural event’s lineup of Machine Gun Kelly, Rick Ross and Loud Luxury, this year’s offering will feature headliners Lil Wayne, Diplo and 2 Chainz, plus performances from Irie and E-V, as announced by the athlete Tuesday (April 2).

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“I’m super excited for it,” a charged-up Travis tells Billboard the same day, rocking a baseball cap emblazoned with “L.A.,” the initials of his whereabouts at the time of our Zoom call. “We got Jim Beam as the big sponsor, and they’re bringing so many cool new things to it, like a drone show. They’ll be out there giving out free barbecue — you know how much Kansas City loves their barbecue.”

Slated for the evening of Saturday, May 18, at Azura Amphitheater, the 2024 Kelce Jam is also backed by Medium Rare, this year’s partner, as well as an array of other brands like Takis, which will livestream the festival globally across Travis’ socials. Fans can already register online for an event pre-sale starting Friday (April 5), with Travis advertising plainly and confidently on Instagram, “All tickets will sell out.”

Much like last year, the festival will serve as one last celebration of the Chiefs’ incredible season before Travis and his teammates, led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, start the process over again in training camp this summer. Unlike 2023, however, this year’s Kelce Jam comes in the wake of a community tragedy, with the Feb. 14 Super Bowl parade ending in a deadly shooting that killed one person and injured 22 others.

The gravity of this isn’t lost on Travis, but neither is the real importance of coming together in the face of tragedy (or, as he likes to put it, fighting for his right to party). Below, he catches up with Billboard about his favorite artists, Chiefs Kingdom, playing the role of festival curator and more ahead of 2024’s Kelce Jam:

This year’s Kelce Jam is billed as featuring some of your own personal favorite artists. What was the process of curating the lineup like?

When it came to this year’s lineup, I wanted to keep it fresh, keep it new and keep everybody coming back for something. We got Lil Wayne – Tunechi — who’s been one of my favorites since I was in high school. 2 Chainz as well, another one that’s been one of my favorites since high school. And then Diplo, who I’ve gotten to know, and I’ve gotten to appreciate his music so much. One of my favorites in the game as well.

It’s just so much fun being able to bring this to Kansas City, because of how much Kansas City shows out for me and the Chiefs every single game day. To be able to bring this to them, a music and food fest, something where we can all celebrate and have a great time — I’m just so blessed and so fortunate to be able to do this. It’s gonna be exciting.

This year’s Super Bowl parade in Kansas City obviously ended in a deeply upsetting way. (After gunfire broke out at the celebration, which Travis attended on a float with his teammates, he tweeted that he was “heartbroken.”) How has that experience affected your approach to putting on an event like this?

The parade was very sad on our hearts, and our hands are still out to everybody involved in terms of what went down. It’s not easy to deal with stuff like that as a community.

Security is going to be something that I take seriously, so that everybody feels safe when they’re there. But also, I think it is another chance to be able to celebrate. Last year I was fortunate to be able to do this for the first time after we won the [2023] Super Bowl. It was kind of like my last hoo-rah, the last time I was going to celebrate that Super Bowl. I think this is going to be the last hoo-rah for me this year, celebrating the [2024] Super Bowl with the city of Kansas City because of how much I appreciate and love them.

If you ever host a third Kelce Jam, which artists would be your dream headliners?

Woo! I got a list of about a hundred people that I absolutely – music is one of my favorite things. On top of that, live music is something I never pass up on. The Chainsmokers are my brothers, I love those guys. Marshmello is one of my brothers. T-Pain is one of my favorite performers of all time. I’ve gotten to love guys like Morgan Wallen.

The list just goes on, and the genres vary everywhere. I’m a real music lover. I’m just fortunate we got the guys that we have this year, and I think it’s going to be a blast.

Do you plan to make Kelce Jam its own annual festival independent of your football career? Or do you plan on keeping it as a post-Super Bowl event that’s special to Kansas City?

That’s been in talks, to see where [Kelce Jam] fits and where we could go with it. I know one thing, and it’s that I love celebrating with Kansas City. I don’t know what the future holds or how much more fun we could have with it outside of KC, but it’s interesting, and I guess we’ll have to see where it takes us.

Will your Chiefs teammates be in attendance? How about the Kelce family?

I’ve got my fingers crossed that I can have the whole shebang, have all my teammates, even my coaches – Andy Reid, come on down baby, have some fun with us. Anybody that shows up, I’m just ultimately appreciative of.

It’s such a unique opportunity for me to be able to host an event like this – on May 18! I don’t know if I plugged that [date] yet. [Laughs.] Hopefully I can get everybody to sign up for this one, knowing how much fun last year’s was.

Travis Kelce

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