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Morgan Wallen‘s hasty retreat from the stage at Saturday Night Live over the weekend during the traditional credits roll lovefest raised a lot of eyebrows. After performing two songs as the musical guest on the episode hosted by Oscar-winning Anora star Mikey Madison, Wallen whispered something into the actress’ ear and then abruptly walked off […]
Dua Lipa wrapped the Australian leg of her Radical Optimism world tour on March 29 with one last surprise for Sydney fans: a stripped-back duet of “Big Jet Plane” alongside Angus Stone. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The crowd at Qudos Bank Arena joined in on […]
Over 20 country artists have signed an open letter calling on U.S. Congress to continue funding PEPFAR — the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief — and help bring an end to the global HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2030.
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The letter, drafted by the ONE Campaign and The 2030 Collaborative, was published in the Nashville Tennessean this week and features signatures from major names across country and Americana, including Brad Paisley, Maren Morris, Sheryl Crow, Amy Grant, Darius Rucker, LeAnn Rimes, and members of Little Big Town — Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Philip Sweet, and Jimi Westbrook.
“America, did you know that you have led the world in saving the lives of 26 million people from HIV/AIDS around the world?” the letter begins. “That’s thanks to a program called PEPFAR.”
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Launched in 2003 under President George W. Bush, PEPFAR is credited with drastically reducing global deaths from HIV/AIDS. The bipartisan initiative has provided antiretroviral medications to more than 20 million people globally, making it one of the most successful U.S. foreign aid programs in history.
But with recent political shifts, the future of PEPFAR’s funding hangs in the balance.
“If Congress decides to cut funding for PEPFAR, people will not receive their medication. The virus will rebound. Infections will multiply. Millions will die,” the artists write. “And, the epidemic will grow exponentially worldwide — including a potential explosion in our own backyards.”
The letter emphasizes both the humanitarian and strategic importance of continued investment in the program: “This isn’t just the smart thing to do — for national security, economic, and public health reasons — this is the right thing to do.”
Also lending support is Dr. Bill Frist, the former U.S. Senate Majority Leader and a Middle Tennessee resident who played a key role in passing PEPFAR legislation.
“PEPFAR is the ultimate example of American exceptionalism and compassion,” he said in a statement. “If we back away from this historic, bipartisan commitment to those less fortunate, we are ceding ground to China… and we are turning our back on a successful diplomatic strategy that has fostered unlikely allies, stabilized nations, and strengthened our place in the world.”
Fans and advocates are encouraged to visit ONE.org to send letters of their own to Congress.
Other artists who signed the letter include Brandy Clark, Brittney Spencer, Cam, Cassadee Pope, Drew and Ellie Holcomb, Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush of Sugarland, Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn, and Mickey Guyton.
More than 20 years since it became required listening for any mid-aughts music fan, the artists featured on the soundtrack to acclaimed indie film Garden State have come together in Los Angeles for a one-night only affair.
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Initially released in July 2004, Garden State served as the directorial debut for Scrubs star Zach Braff, and earned itself a nomination for the grand jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Though it avoided much of the Hollywood glitz and glamor, the film developed a cult following, thanks in part to its eclectic soundtrack.
Equally influential and acclaimed, the soundtrack collected names such as The Shins, Coldplay, and Iron & Wine as something of a snapshot of the era’s indie landscape. Ultimately, the soundtrack peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard 200 and won the 2005 Grammy for best compilation soundtrack for visual media.
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In October 2024, it was announced a special concert celebration would take place at Los Angeles’ Greek Theater on March 29, with proceeds from the affair going to benefit The Midnight Mission, a homeless shelter and services provider founded in L.A. in 1914.
Promotion for the event promised appearances from (almost) every artist featured on the soundtrack, along with “very special guests” by way of cast member appearances, and on Saturday (March 29), the full anniversary concert came to fruition.
Artists such as The Shins were on hand to perform the likes of “Caring is Creepy” and “New Slang” (which attained widespread fame thanks to Natalie Portman’s character insisting the song will “change your life; I swear”), while Cary Brothers, Bonnie Somerville, Colin Hay, Thievery Corporation, Cary Brothers, and Sophie Barker of Zero 7 also appeared to perform their respective cuts.
A handful of notable absences did alter the dream lineup, however. While pop heavyweights Coldplay weren’t on hand to perform “Don’t Panic,” neither were Simon & Garfunkel available to run through “The Only Living Boy in New York.” In their absence, Laufey and The Milk Carton Kids got up onstage to cover their songs, respectively. Likewise, Iron & Wine paid tribute to the late Nick Drake by adding a rendition of “One of These Things First” to his scheduled performance.
The event also resulted in a couple of rare performances from the likes of Frou Frou and Remy Zero. While Imogen Heap and Guy Sigsworth of Frou Frou have been active again since 2017, the pair had not performed live since 2019, with the Garden State concert seeing them appear onstage once again.
Remy Zero, meanwhile, broke up in 2010 and reformed exclusively for the Saturday concert. The band largely reunited to play their 1998 track “Fair,” though they also used the opportunity to provide fans with a chance to hear the track “Save Me,” which found fame as the theme to Smallville from 2001 to 2011.
On the non-musical front, the event also featured appearances from both Braff and Portman, while Danny DeVito (an executive producer on the original film), and Braff’s former Scrubs co-stars Donald Faison and Sarah Chalke took to the stage to partake in the festivities and the fundraising efforts.
For those that missed out on the event, the concert will be available to purchase for streaming from April 6. Proceeds from the stream will also be donated to The Midnight Mission.
Longtime REO Speedwagon vocalist Kevin Cronin has taken to social media to share his thoughts on his lack of inclusion in an upcoming one-off reunion event.
Cronin, who has been touring with his own Kevin Cronin Band, addressed a fan on Facebook who noted the singer’s absence from REO Speedwagon’s forthcoming concert in Champaign, Illinois on June 14, responding that organizers of the event could have picked a date when many of the band’s former members were readily available to attend.
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“Instead they chose June 14, 2025, a date where it was public knowledge that I was previously committed to perform with Styx and Kevin Cronin Band in Bend, Oregon,” Cronin wrote. “Bottom line, I am being asked to participate in an event on a date when I can’t possibly be there in-person. And then being falsely accused of turning down the invitation. I am deeply disturbed and hurt by all of this.
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“After all I have done to help build the legacy of REO Speedwagon, I feel I have earned and deserve to be included in any event honoring that legacy. Instead, I have been knowingly excluded.”
Cronin joined REO Speedwagon in early 1972, taking over from Terry Luttrell who reportedly left due to personal issues with guitarist Gary Richrath. Though Cronin was himself briefly replaced by Mike Murphy the following year, he returned in 1976 and remained in the band until their end, performing on tracks such as their two Hot 100 chart-toppers “Keep On Loving You” and “Can’t Fight This Feeling.”
In late 2024, REO Speedwagon announced that they would cease touring as of Jan. 1, 2025. In a note shared to fans, the group explained that bassist Bruce Hall had not recovered sufficiently from previous back surgery and his inability to tour led to “irreconcilable differences” between Hall and Cronin.
REO Speedwagon played their final live performance on Dec. 21 at The Venetian Theatre in Las Vegas, but in March announced they would be playing a special one-off show at the State Farm Center in their hometown of Champaign, Illinois on June 14. Officially titled as an event ‘Honoring the Legacy of REO Speedwagon,’ the show is described as a “concert retrospective featuring special guests & former members.”
Indeed, Hall and Neal Doughty from the final REO Speedwagon lineup are confirmed to attend, as are previous vocalists Luttrell and Murphy. Founding drummer Alan Gratzer and 1969 guitarist Steve Scorfina are also listed as appearing, while a special tribute will be held to late members Gary Richrath and Gregg Philbin.
In his social media comment, Cronin also claimed that the remaining members of the band’s final lineup – who currently perform alongside him in the Kevin Cronin Band – weren’t given the option of appearing at the forthcoming show. “35-year REO veterans Dave Amato and Bryan Hitt were not even shown the respect of being invited to the Champaign event,” he added.
Cronin spoke to Billboard ahead of REO Speedwagon’s final show in December, explaining that the circumstances behind the band’s ending were less than ideal, and admitted there is still a level of acrimony between he and Hall. “It’s kind of like a divorce of sorts,” he explained, “and during a divorce things get a little muddy and things get a little sticky. I wish it could’ve been more amicable, but the minute attorneys get involved it just changes the atmosphere of things.”
“I think it’s unfortunate that some fans were kind of brought into something that I really feel should’ve been kept as a private, personal matter,” he continued. “It’s never thrilling when things are said that are inaccurate and hurtful. My hope is that there will come a time where the dust will have settled. My intention is to ask forgiveness for anything that I’ve done or any hurt that I have caused Bruce. I don’t like to have grudges with people. I like to forgive and be forgiven.”
Ariana Grande‘s deluxe edition of her Eternal Sunshine album, Brighter Days Ahead, tops this week’s new music poll. Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (March 28) on Billboard, choosing the pop star’s refreshed set, which adds six new tracks to the original studio album that arrived last year, as their favorite new music release of […]
Remember Hilary Duff‘s 2007 performance for the Today show’s summer concert series? SNL‘s Barry the Midwife (Bowen Yang) and Dr. Richards (Mikey Madison) do. In “Barry the Midwife” on the latest episode (March 29) of Saturday Night Live, the midwife-and-doctor duo at first have an awkward run-in when their patient is giving birth and the […]
While Morgan Wallen was the official musical guest on SNL this weekend, Joe Jonas co-starred in a musical sketch poking fun at New Yorkers waiting in stupidly long lines just to try a trendy new treat they’ve heard about on TikTok.
Picture this: It’s spring in New York City. It’s the weekend. It’s a beautiful day. You don’t have work. Your friends don’t have work.
As Mikey Madison, Ego Nwodim, Chloe Fineman, Bowen Yang and Sarah Sherman — the stars of one of SNL‘s latest spoofs to make use of a catchy pop tune — point out, you could go to brunch, see a movie, ride a bike, have a fling.
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Or you could wait in a big, dumb line.
That’s right. You could spend your day waiting in a line that goes around the block — for a limited-supply bagel, slice of pizza or creamy taco that showed up on your “For You” feed. While you’re waiting, you could sing about it like they do in Saturday night’s (March 29) “Big Dumb Line” sketch.
“Must be worth it — it’s a really long line,” Fineman emphasizes in an ad-lib directed straight to the viewer.
Perhaps there will be cronuts (the croissant-donut hybrid), or a concoction one can only hope was dreamt up an SNL writer: palad (pizza and salad combined), frasca (fries as pasta), fandy (fish that’s candy) or choda (cheese that’s soda).
“Big Dumb Line,” a sketch that was pre-taped ahead of the live show, is all good fun until Bowen Yang cracks under the pressure of the line, to his own horror and that of his pals. “I’m leaving. I’m leaving!” he screams.
That’s where Joe Jonas pops in with a motivational ballad, urging the NYC line dropout to trust the process. “Believe in the line/ You deserve this viral Greek yogurt/ Or to try Lisa Rinna’s wine,” the Jonas Bro sings with feeling in a surprise cameo.
Watch the “Big Dumb Line” sketch from Saturday Night Live below.
Congratulations are in order for Dave Navarro and Vanessa DuBasso, who tied the knot in Scotland on Saturday (March 29).
The 57-year-old Jane’s Addiction guitarist and 31-year-old actress and fashion designer exchanged vows at Dunskey Estate in Stranraer, Scotland, People reports. The couple’s gothic-inspired ceremony took place within a castle nestled at the secluded coastal estate, surrounded by lush greenery and views of the sea.
“It exudes a moody, ethereal charm,” DuBasso told the publication. “Surrounded by a towering forest, a serene lake and the ruins of a castle along the shoreline, it felt like stepping into a fairytale.”
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Navarro added, “We wanted our wedding to feel like a dream. It was important to us to find a place that felt unlike anywhere we had ever been, a place that embraced nature and transported us to another world. We wanted our loved ones to share in this intimate experience.”
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The pair exchanged handwritten vows in a forest ceremony officiated by Dunskey Estate owner Ali Orr Ewing. Among the guests was comedian Pete Davidson. It’s unclear if any members of Jane’s Addiction were in attendance.
The Grammy-nominated guitarist, who also played with the Red Hot Chili Peppers from in the 1990s, shared glimpses of the magical weekend on his Instagram Stories the following day. Among the behind-the-scenes moments were photos of the couple skeet shooting in the countryside, a heartwarming video of them exchanging smiles during a candlelit dinner, and a stunning clip of a fireworks display.
Navarro and DuBasso met eight years ago after the veteran musician saw a movie trailer featuring the actress. Navarro reached out to the film’s director, a friend of his, asking if DuBasso would be interested in going on a date with him, according to People.
This marks Navarro’s fourth marriage. He was previously married to Tania Goddard in the early ’90s, followed by a brief marriage to Rhian Gittins in the mid-’90s, and then to Carmen Electra in the early 2000s.
Richard Chamberlain, who died on Saturday (March 29) night at age 90, will be remembered as a TV icon, but he was a hot recording artist for a time. His debut album, Richard Chamberlain Sings, released on MGM Records, made the top five on the Billboard 200 in 1963.
In addition, he had three top 30 hits on the Billboard Hot 100: “Theme From Dr. Kildare (Three Stars Will Shine Tonight” (No. 10 in 1962), a cover version of the Elvis Presley smash “Love Me Tender” (No. 21 in 1962) and a cover version of the Everly Brothers smash “All I Have to Do Is Dream” (No. 14 in 1963).
He was also the first artist to record “They Long to Be Close to You,” a Burt Bacharach/Hal David song that went on to become a pop standard when it was recorded by the Carpenters. The duo’s version was Billboard’s Song of the Summer for 1970 and received a Grammy nod for record of the year. Chamberlain’s version, conducted by Bacharach, went relatively unnoticed. It was featured on the B side of his Hot 100 single “Blue Guitar” (No. 42 in 1963).
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Chamberlain died in Waimanalo, Hawaii, of complications from a stroke, according to his publicist, Harlan Boll.
Chamberlain received a Grammy nomination in 1972, but not for his music. He was nominated for best spoken word album for an RCA Recordings recording of a production in which he played Hamlet.
While Chamberlain’s recording career was short-lived, his status as a TV star spanned decades. He starred in Dr. Kildare from 1961-66. The medical drama ranked in the top 10 in the Nielsen ratings in its first season and remained in the top 20 for its second and third seasons.
In 1975, he received his first Primetime Emmy nomination for starring in The Count of Monte Cristo. He was nominated for outstanding lead actor in a special program (drama or comedy).
In the early 1980s, Chamberlain gained a reputation as the king of the miniseries for his starring roles in Shogun, The Thorn Birds and Wallenberg: A Hero’s Story. He received Primetime Emmy nods for outstanding lead actor in a limited series or a special for all three productions.
Chamberlain also acted in film and on Broadway. His first attempt at Broadway — in a legendarily troubled 1966 production of a musical adaptation of the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s with Mary Tyler Moore — ended when producer David Merrick pulled the plug on the musical after only four preview performances in New York. (Happily, both stars survived the high-profile flop.)
Chamberlain went on to star on Broadway in revivals of The Night of the Iguana (1976-77), Blithe Spirit (1987), My Fair Lady (1993-94) and The Sound of Music (1999).
Born George Richard Chamberlain in Los Angeles on March 31, 1934, Chamberlain was named after his grandfather but was always called Dick or Richard. Chamberlain was gay, which was known in the industry but kept from the public in the years he was a romantic leading man. He came out in 2003, at age 68, in his memoir Shattered Love: A Memoir.
Chamberlain’s fears of rejection by his fans proved unfounded. “Everyone has been so supportive, so positive,” he told The Los Angeles Times in an interview to promote the book. “In New York, people walked up to me in the street, and in theaters. Strangers gave me the thumbs up, wished me well, said, ‘Good for you.’ I’m just awestruck by the change in the way I feel about life now.”
