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The Morgan Wallen Foundation is helping music students across the country, donating a total of $500,000 in musical instruments through the “One Instrument at a Time” initiative, in partnership with Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation.
The initiative is donating musical instruments to schools in need across 14 cities Wallen‘s One Night at a Time stadium tour has visited this year. Those cities include Arlington, Texas; Charlotte, N.C.; Denver; East Rutherford, N.J.; Hershey, Pa.; Indianapolis; Kansas City, Mo.; Las Vegas; Minneapolis; Nashville; Oxford, Miss.; Philadelphia; Tampa, Fla.; and Virginia Beach, Va.
Over the past two years, 15-time Billboard Music Awards winner Wallen has donated $3 from every U.S. ticket sold on his 87-concert One Night at a Time World Tour to his nonprofit Morgan Wallen Foundation, which supports programs for youth in music and sports. $1.3 million was distributed to communities across the country in 2023 alone.
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“When I was a kid, access to music profoundly changed my life and gave me a sense of purpose. I want that for others, and I’m blessed to be able to provide instruments to these schools through my foundation,” Wallen said in a statement. “We really wanted to say a big thank you to these awesome communities that welcome us in and let us play for our fans.”
Donelson Middle School Band, led by teacher Laura Shepherd, receives multiple new instruments — including trombones, flutes, saxophones, keyboards, bass drums and more — from the Morgan Wallen Foundation and Mr. Holland’s Opus.
Courtesy of The Morgan Wallen Foundation
“Giving back is an integral part of who Morgan is and how he was raised. So launching ‘One Instrument At A Time’ in conjunction with this tour was incredibly important,” added Kathleen Flaherty, executive director of the Morgan Wallen Foundation. “Partnering with Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation enabled us to utilize their expertise in securing quality instruments and identifying schools in local communities that need them the most. In turn, we hope to impact the lives of kids by giving them access to learn and play music, which is what set the stage for Morgan’s life.”
“Music education plays a crucial role in shaping the development of young minds, nurturing their artistic expression, and instilling a lifelong passion for music. We are grateful to the Morgan Wallen Foundation for their dedication to enhancing music education in our schools,” said Tricia Williams, president/CEO at Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation. “Their generosity will make a profound difference in the lives of students, empowering them to unleash their potential and pursue their dreams.”
The “One Instrument at a Time” initiative is the latest way the Morgan Wallen Foundation is giving back. Last month, the foundation donated $500,000 to the American Red Cross to benefit relief efforts following Hurricane Helene. The Morgan Wallen Foundation also donated $140,000 to Gibbs Youth Sports, coinciding with Wallen’s record-breaking double-header of concerts at the University of Tennessee Knoxville’s Neyland Stadium.
Last year, the Morgan Wallen Foundation made donations that centered on revitalizing baseball parks in touring cities, donating to Chicago Cubs Charities, Atlanta Braves Foundation, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville, Boston Red Sox Foundation.
Shawn Mendes has clearly heard the constant buzz of whispers about his sexuality over the years and on Monday (Oct. 28) the singer addressed the elephant in the room during a quiet moment on his For Friends and Family tour at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Denver.
“I thought about this for a minute today, if I was gonna say something tonight at this part in the set,” Mendes told the crowd while seated on a stool noodling around on his acoustic guitar as seen in a fan’s TikTok video. After the crowd repeatedly shouted “We love you!,” Mendes, 26, continued by describing what it’s been like to grow up in the spotlight.
“I was really young when I started. I was 15 years old… The truth is that I didn’t get to do a lot of 15-year-old things and discover parts of myself that you do at 15,” he explained about going from being a high schooler to traveling the world. “Since I was really young there’s this thing about my sexuality, and people have been talking about it so long. I think it’s kind of silly, because I think sexuality is such a beautifully complex thing, and it’s so hard to just put into boxes.”
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Mendes has kept his dating life pretty private over the past decade, and though he’s been linked with a few other fellow stars, his most high-profile romance was his two-year relationship with Camila Cabello, which inspired a number of his songs, including “Summer of Love” and “Wonder” and their hit 2019 duet, “Señorita.”
“It always felt like such an intrusion on something very personal to me. Something that I was figuring out in myself, something that I had yet to discover and still have yet to discover it,” he told the crowd about writing the confessional new song “The Mountain,” which tackles the persistent rumors about his sexuality head-on with the lyrics: “You can say I’m too young/ You can say I’m too old/ You can say I like girls or boys/ Whatever fits your mold.”
“Writing this song felt really important to me because it felt like a moment where I could address it in a way that felt close to my heart. I guess I’m just speaking freely now because I just want to be able to be closer to everyone and just kind of be in my truth. The real truth about my life and my sexuality is that, man, I’m just figuring it out like everyone,” Mendes said to another round of supportive cheers. “I don’t really know sometimes and I know other times. And it feels really scary because we live in a society that has a lot to say about that. And I’m trying to be really brave and just allow myself to be a human and feel things… And that’s all I really want to say about that for now.”
He then launched into the “You can say I’m too young” verse of “The Mountain,” which is slated for inclusion on the singer’s upcoming fifth studio album, Shawn, which is due out on Nov. 15.
Back in 2019, Mendes told The Guardian that the persistent whispers and speculation about his sexuality was “hurtful… I get mad when people assume things about me because I imagine the people who don’t have the support system I have and how that must affect them.” He said then that the rumors not only hurt him, but also the members of the LGBTQ community who admire him. “That was why I was so angry, and you can see I still get riled up, because I don’t think people understand that when you come at me about something that’s stupid you hurt so many other people,” he said. “They might not be speaking, but they’re listening.”
Mendes discussed the issue in that interview in the wake of a 2018 Rolling Stone cover story in which he addressed the talk head-on, saying, “I feel like I need to go be seen with someone — like a girl — in public, to prove to people that I’m not gay… Even though in my heart I know that it’s not a bad thing. There’s still a piece of me that thinks that. And I hate that side of me.” He later criticized both stories for not painting the full picture of who he is.
The life and legacy of esteemed artist Luther Vandross is the focus of a new exhibit at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. Luther Vandross: Artistry and Elegance will open on Nov. 20 with an exclusive preview of the forthcoming documentary Luther: Never Too Much and a sneak peak of the exhibit. Luther Vandross: Artistry and Elegance is being presented in partnership with Primary Wave Music and The Luther Vandross Estate.
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The screening of the Dawn Porter-directed documentary will be followed by a panel discussion with the filmmakers. Produced by Raindog Films and Foxxhole Productions for Sony Music Entertainment and Sony Music Publishing, in association with Trilogy Films, Luther: Never Too Much will premiere on CNN, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, and Max in 2025.
The exhibit and screening are also in tandem with the Dec. 13 release of the new compilation Never Too Much: Greatest Hits, which features Vandross’ new single: the previously unreleased cover of the Beatles’ “Michelle.” Luther Vandross: Artistry and Elegance will be on display through June 15, 2025.
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“The Luther Vandross Estate is excited to be sharing Luther’s musical legacy with the Grammy Museum and its visitors through this upcoming exhibit,” the estate said in the press release. “It is a special window into all of Luther Vandross’ talents — singer, of course, but also music producer, live performer, stage craft master, wardrobe designer and songwriter. Showcasing all of these amazing elements of Luther the artist via the long-cherished possessions of his personal archives is a treat for die-hard fans and new ones.”
“Luther Vandross is a cherished icon who defined the smooth, jazz-inspired era of R&B and whose timeless love songs have graced countless weddings, graduations, and family reunions for the past several decades,” said Grammy Museum curator Kelsey Goelz. “The Grammy Museum is thrilled to provide fans a close look into his incredible achievements in the studio and onstage.”
Exhibit highlights include hand-beaded suits and jumpsuits that Vandross and his background singers wore during his 1991 Power of Love tour; original fashion sketches of his tour wardrobe; handwritten lyrics and studio notes for the 1996 song “I Can Make It Better” plus an exclusive recording of Vandross crafting the song; original sheet music for “Never Too Much,” the No. 1 R&B hit and title track of his 1981 debut studio album; and six of the artist’s eight Grammy Awards.
Vandross died in 2005 at age 54 due to complications from a stroke.
“I Can Make It Better” Handwritten Lyrics.
Courtesy of The LV Estate
Bassist/songwriter/producer Marcus Miller was a longtime friend and creative collaborator who worked on Never Too Much and other recordings during Vandross’ career. “It’s incredible that with all the gifted singers out there, Luther was able to carve out his own totally unique space,” noted Miller. “No one could replicate Luther’s sound, his songwriting genius or even his covers of other people’s songs. Luther was a complete and utter perfectionist with a very specific vision of how he wanted things to be.
“His shows were theatrical masterpieces, and Luther was involved in every detail of their production: his vocals, his background singers’ harmonies, their choreography and even his background singers’ gowns! The gown beading had to be exquisite and authentic. The furs had to be real. I would say, ‘Luther, no one’s gonna know if the furs are real!!’ To which he would reply: ‘I will know!’ That was part of the magic of Luther, his unyielding commitment to excellence. It was truly an honor to have worked with my friend and big brother, Luther Vandross.”
For tickets and more information about Luther Vandross: Artistry and Elegance, please visit the Grammy Museum website.
Anitta, Edgar Barrera, Becky G, Eladio Carrión, Darumas, Emilia, Leonel García, Grupo Frontera, Danny Ocean, Silvia Pérez Cruz, Carlos Rivera, Pitbull, Reik, and Kali Uchis are expected to perform at the 25th annual Latin Grammy Awards. The Latin Recording Academy announced the new round of performers on Tuesday (Oct. 28) for the upcoming ceremony, which will broadcast from the Kaseya Center in Miami on Thursday, Nov. 14.
The newly announced artists join previously unveiled performers, including David Bisbal, Alejandro Fernández, Luis Fonsi, Juan Luis Guerra, Carín León, Elena Rose, and Ela Taubert, in addition to the 2024 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year, Carlos Vives.
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For the second consecutive year, Mexican hitmaker Edgar Barrera leads the list of nominees for the Latin Grammy Awards, with nine nominations, including songwriter of the year and producer of the year. Brazilian superstar Anitta is nominated for record of the year for “Mil Veces,” and best Portuguese language urban performance for “Joga Pra Lua,” featuring Dennis & Pedro Sampaio. Becky G received a nod for best regional song for “Por El Contrario,” with songwriters Barrera, Kevyn Mauricio Cruz & Elena Rose, performed by her with Ángela Aguilar and Leonardo Aguilar.
Other mentions include Kali Uchis, who garnered four nominations, including record of the year for “Igual Que Un Ángel” with Peso Pluma; and Danny Ocean earned two for song of the year (“Caracas En El 2000,” written by Marvin Hawkins Rodriguez, Jerry Di, La Pichu, Danny Ocean and Elena Rose) and best pop song (“Amor” penned by José Andrés Benitez, Christian Bermudez, Richard Bermudez, Rodney Kumbirayi Hwingwiri, Juan Diego Linares, Luis Alejandro Márquez, Anibal Morin Diaz, Danny Ocean and Rafael Salcedo.
For the complete list of Latin Grammy nominations, click here.
The three-hour telecast will be produced by TelevisaUnivision, and will air live on Univision, UniMás, Galavisión and ViX beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
It’s hard to imagine another celebrity who would make Beyoncé blush. But when Bey met Willie (again) at the Kamala Harris rally in Houston on Friday, the “Texas Hold ‘Em” star could not say enough about how much the country icon means to her.
“The Great Willie! You are the coolest!,” she wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday morning (Oct. 29) featuring a snap of her with Willie Nelson backstage at the event, in which she is wearing her black skirt and jacket ensemble and Nelson is rocking black jeans, a red bandana and a funky Harris/Walz t-shirt. “I admire you, and I sincerely thank you for being the pioneer you are. Thanks for your impactful music, your advocacy, and the gracious way you appreciate and celebrate other artists! You are 1 of 1.”
Bey also recalled that Nelson was “so kind” to her and the other members of Destiny’s Child when they “fanned out” about meeting him years ago. “And you greeted me with the same kindness 20 years later!” she said. “You are one of our national treasures.”
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In addition to meeting up twice in the past 20 years, Bey recruited Nelson for the appropriately toke-tastic “Smoke Hour,” one of the radio-themed interludes on her country-leaning Cowboy Carter album. Both musicians appeared in Bey’s hometown of Houston on Friday (Oct. 25) at a rally for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, where Beyoncé and her Destiny’s Child bandmate, Kelly Rowland endorsed the current Vice President.
“I’m not here as a celebrity,” Beyoncé said. “I’m not here as a politician. I’m here as a mother. A mother who cares, deeply, about the world my children and all of our children live in. A world where we have the freedom to control our bodies. A world where we’re not divided. Our past, our present, our future merge to meet us here.”
Nelson, 91, opened the event for tens of thousands by asking the crowd, “Are we ready to say Madam President?” before playing his classic hits “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” and “On the Road Again.”
Beyoncé didn’t just share the stage with Nelson, though. In her photo roll, Bey also appeared to model a very special souvenir from Nelson — his branded “pretend it never happened” red bandana — smiling broadly with her hands on her head as she showed off the one-of-a-kind keepsake.
The photo series also featured a moody black-and-white snap of Nelson performing, a GIF of the country legend blowing a kiss to the audience, another shot of her and mother, Tina Knowles, posing with Willie, a throwback image of a 2004 Texas Monthly cover story in which Queen Bey wore a Nelson T-shirt and red bandana and a final GIF of her snuggling up to her Nelson headgear.
Nelson and Beyoncé are just the latest in a growing roster of A-listers who have thrown their support behind Harris in her battle against convicted felon Donald Trump. Among the others who’ve endorsed Harris are: Taylor Swift, Usher, Eminem, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cher, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, Billie Eilish and Finneas, Charli XCX, George Clooney, Barbra Streisand, Megan Thee Stallion, Stevie Wonder, John Legend and many more.
On Monday, a number of artists born in Puerto Rico, including Ricky Martin, Bad Bunny and Luis Fonsi — and Jennifer Lopez, whose parents were born in P.R. — also threw their support behind Harris in the wake of the racist, misogynistic and antisemitic comments made by a comedian at twice impeached former President Trump’s rally at New York’s Madison Square Garden over the weekend. Among the off-color jokes made by podcaster Tony Hinchcliffe was one in which he said, “There’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico.”
Britney Spears has three million reasons to be thankful. The singer took to X on Monday (Oct. 28) to thank her fans for being so supportive of her 2023 tell-all memoir, The Woman in Me, while also encouraging anyone who hasn’t picked up a copy yet to get out there and grab one right now. […]
Liam Payne’s voice will grace the airwaves once again as his first posthumous release, “Do No Wrong,” drops this Friday, Nov. 1.
The single, a collaboration with Grammy-winning producer Sam Pounds, comes just weeks after Payne’s sudden passing, sparking an outpouring of tributes and memories from friends and fans around the world. Pounds announced the release on social media, calling it a tribute to Payne’s spirit and talent and sharing a personal message to Payne’s family and fans.
“I pray that this will be a blessing to the world like Liam has always dreamed,” Pounds wrote on X. “I pray angels will comfort you all every day while listening. I pray that this song will be a blessing to Ruth, Bear, and the entire family,” Pounds wrote.
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“I pray that this song eclipses the negative echoes. I pray supernatural positive healing power will embrace each and every one of you.”
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The release announcement included a video clip from a recent studio session, shared by Payne’s sister, Ruth Gibbons, capturing the two musicians listening to the track together. The clip also shows Pounds and Payne discussing possible collaborators, with a shoutout to Chris Brown, hinting at the project’s ambitions to bring in a high-profile feature.
Pounds has posted multiple tributes to Payne following his death on social media, describing him as a talented artist, devoted father, and friend. “This is how I’ll always remember you, brother,” he shared alongside a video of their time in the studio. “The happy, funny, and talented brother, father, and friend.”
He added that they “made some awesome and beautiful music together that will live on forever.”
Payne, 31, died after falling from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Oct. 16. An autopsy report revealed that he died from a number of injuries, including internal and external bleeding caused by the fall.
Liam Payne first rose to fame as a member of the U.K. boyband One Direction, joining fellow members Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson in 2010.
Together, the group achieved massive global success, with four of their albums reaching No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and their final release hitting No. 2. After One Direction went on hiatus in 2016, Payne launched a solo career, debuting with the single “Strip That Down” featuring Quavo, which reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Pop Airplay chart for two weeks in 2017.
His first album, LP1, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart in December 2019. Payne continued to make his mark with singles like “Get Low,” “Bedroom Floor,” and “Familiar,” each charting on various Billboard lists.
Sean “Diddy” Combs is accused in one of two lawsuits filed Monday (Oct. 28) of drugging and sexually assaulting a 10-year-old boy in a New York City hotel room in 2005.
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The second lawsuit accuses the jailed hip-hop mogul of similarly assaulting a 17-year-old would-be contestant on the reality television series Making the Band in 2008.
The lawsuits filed in state Supreme Court in New York are the latest in a wave of lawsuits in which accusers allege they were sexually assaulted by Combs at parties and meetings over the last two decades.
Combs’ lawyers denied the two new claims Monday and accused the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Anthony Buzbee, who also represents accusers in earlier lawsuits, of seeking publicity.
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“Mr. Combs and his legal team have full confidence in the facts and the integrity of the judicial process,” an emailed statement said. “In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr. Combs never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone—man or woman, adult or minor.”
Combs, 54, is incarcerated in a New York City jail after pleading not guilty to federal sex trafficking charges contained in an indictment unsealed the day after his Sept. 16 arrest. Charges include allegations he coerced and abused women and silenced victims through blackmail and violence.
The 10-year-old boy who was not identified in the lawsuit was an aspiring actor and rapper who had traveled with his parents from California for meetings with music industry representatives. During what was supposed to be an audition for Combs, he was given a drug-laced soda by a Combs’ associate and sexually assaulted by the Bad Boy Records founder, according to the lawsuit.
The boy eventually lost consciousness. When he awoke, Combs threatened to badly hurt the child’s parents if he told anyone what happened, the filing said.
In a second lawsuit, a 17-year-old unidentified male said Combs forced him into sexual acts with Combs and a bodyguard during a three-day audition for the “Making the Band” television show, which Combs produced.
When the aspiring contestant expressed reservations, he was eliminated from the competition and unable to return to the music industry for seven years, according to the filing.
Both lawsuits were brought under New York City’s Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act, which allows survivors to bring lawsuits even if the statute of limitations has passed.
Bob Weir is voting for Kamala Harris and her vice presidential pick, Tim Walz, in the upcoming election. The Grateful Dead rocker took to Instagram on Monday (Oct. 28) to share a photo of himself wearing a Dead-inspired Harris-Walz 2024 shirt, alongside a snap of Walz holding the tee and another with his wife, Natascha […]
Hip-hop changed the course of Tim Hinshaw’s life in more ways than one as explained in the music executive’s new profile in partnership with Billboard and INFINITI.
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As an honoree of the 2024 R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players list and our 2022 Executive of the Year, the Compton native opened up about his family, humble beginnings, and relationship with hip-hop. “One of my best memories as a kid was my first road trip. My dad had the INFINITI Q45. He loved that car. It had gold BBS’s. It was like my first introduction to a luxury vehicle.” Hinshaw admitted in his interview in front of the all-new 2025 INFINITI QX80.“I grew up on the west side of Compton. I could find a CD and what they were saying on the songs was stuff I was going through in my everyday life. It was almost like a therapy session.” Hinshaw, the former Head of Hip-Hop & R&B for Amazon Music, has experienced his share of professional hurdles. In fact, some of his earliest memories of the music industry involved multiple accounts of rejection. “I just don’t accept ‘no’ and I think that’s just about how I came up,” he recalled. “I’ve seen my mom make her way around so many different ‘no’ situations, so you can’t tell me ‘no.’” Fast forward to 2023 and Hinshaw launched his own creative agency, Free Lunch. “I’ve always had a unique way of bridging culture and corporate. That is my superpower,” he admitted.
As a tastemaker in the industry, the exec admitted the car is his ideal setting to press play and turn the volume up. “The car test is the most important test, I think. I can’t really give an opinion until I hear it in the car,” he said.
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While the INFINITI QX80 boasts a range of features perfect for a road trip for eight, Hinshaw has his own relationship with the concept of luxury. “I’m a simple person. Being able to wake up with my kids, take them to school and having premium sound while driving, that’s luxury,” he told us.
Regarding his advice to folks hoping to make a mark on the industry, Hinshaw said it all boils down to redefining yourself. “You gotta tinker with yourself every day from a personal standpoint, from a career development standpoint, from a money management standpoint. You really have to take the time and effort to pick yourself apart and put yourself back together,” he explained.
Click here for the latest announcements on Hinshaw’s Free Lunch agency.
Photo: Rashida Zagon
Photo: Rashida Zagon