Kanye West Has More Yeezus Songs Up His Sleeve

"Kanye excitedly replied, "That's what I came here today to hear! It could be 10 songs!" With that said, Rubin was cautious when he was asked if a second album would be released. He simply replied, "might be." (FMQB)

will.i.am Denies Lawsuit With Pharrell

(Radio.com) will.i.am is taking back previous claims that he is suing Pharrell Williams' "i am OTHER" brand. A lawyer for the Black-Eyed Peas singer insists that there is "misinformation" surrounding the alleged lawsuit in which he said Pharrell's i am OTHER is "confusingly similar" to will.i.am's trademarked phrase "I AM."

In a statement provided to Rolling Stone, will.i.am's attorney Ken Hertz says will.i.am. isn't suing Pharrell. Instead it's a "run-of-the-mill trademark procedure in order to "defend trademarks that have been registered and that [will.i.am] has used widely and continuously for many years." And will.i.am also tweeted out a series of messages stating that "i.am not suing @Pharrell & I NEVER WAS."

Pharrell's attorney, Brad Rose, has his own statement which asserts that will.i.am has "obstructed every overture made by Pharrell to amicably resolve this matter and has steadfastly refused to engage in a dialogue."

Rose continued: "Will and his trademark counsel have instituted no less than eight cases against Pharrell in the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and have also threatened on more than one occasion to sue Pharrell for trademark infringement in Federal District Court for damages and an injunction. All of this because Will misguidedly believes that he has the sole right to the words I AM in commerce, notwithstanding the myriad of I Am compound trademarks that coexist on the trademark register and in the marketplace." more on this story

Jay-Z Planning Surprise Performance?

The New York Post is reporting that Jay-Z is planning a surprise performance atop the marquee of the Ed Sullivan Theater, despite similar plans in 2010 being thwarted by New York City officials.

The paper cites unnamed sources which told them that Jay-Z is close to obtaining the necessary approvals for a July 8 rush hour performance for the David Letterman show that would require shutting down parts of Times Square.

"If he gets permission from the mayor's office, it's going to be off the hook," a law-enforcement source said. "They'll have to shut down Broadway around the Letterman building. They'll have to have a strong police presence. It's going to be chaos with so many fans."

Read the Post's report for more details here.

Snoop Dogg Teams Up With Eddie Murphy

(Radio.com) In a surprising collaboration, Eddie Murphy has collaborated with Snoop Dogg (invoking his Snoop Lion persona) to release a new reggae song, "Redlight."

There's no funny business on the song, which finds Murphy crooning earnestly in an affected Jamaican Patois over an authentic reggae groove. Snoop provides a rap and adds a vocal melody line to the last part of the tune.

The video for the song features a full band with backing vocalists performing in a casual setting. That setting just might be Murphy's residence, if the awards plaque for his 1985 hit "Party All the Time" (written with the late Rick James) hanging on a wall is any indication. The actor/comedian is even shown playing rhythm guitar in the clip.

There is no indication yet if this is just the first salvo from a larger project or simply a one-off release. Either way, "Redlight" is an effectively executed song that wouldn't sound out of place on a summer mixtape or the Billboard Reggae Digital Songs chart. Check it out here.

Beyonce Taps Luke James To Support Her North American Tour

Luke James has announced that he will be the supporting act for Beyonce for the North American leg of her Mrs. Carter Show World Tour 2013 this summer.

James had previously opened for Beyonce in Europe and will rejoin her on the road when the tour kicks off on June 29th in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Arena.

"I am so honored and humbled that Beyonce personally chose me to share the stage with her again," says Luke James. "Being on tour overseas with Beyonce was magical! I learned so much from her in Europe. Her artistry, professionalism and work ethic are incomparable.

"She and Jay-Z gave me great advice about perfecting my live show and connecting with the audience. I am really looking forward to bringing that same energy and performance that I delivered overseas to the U.S. audience."

"Luke James is pure talent. He is a gifted singer and songwriter. I am excited to have him continue on the tour," says Beyonce. more on this story

Kenny Rogers And More Added To Zac Brown's Southern Ground Festivals

(Radio.com) The Zac Brown Band has two big Southern Ground Music and Food Festivals scheduled this fall. And the lineup at each even just got stronger.

Dawes, Blackberry Smoke, The Wood Brothers and Clay Cook are among the artists who've been added to the roster at the Nashville edition of the festival, which takes place Sept. 27-28. They join previously announced acts including Wille Nelson & The Family Band, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, the Eli Young Band, Kacey Musgraves, John Fogerty, and Jason Mraz.

The second festival takes place Oct. 19-20 in Charleston, S.C., where Kenny Rogers, Natalie Maines, Fitz and The Tantrums, and Clare Bowen from the TV show Nashville are among the newly announced performers. They join a roster that already features Nelson, Musgraves, Band of Horses, The Head and the Heart, and Trombone Shorty.

The Zac Brown Band will close each night, and their feature will feature special sit-in guests (Rogers, Bowen, and Fogerty are among the announced sit-in guests). more on this story

JD McPherson and Pokey LaFarge Record Classic For Tornado Relief

JD McPherson and Pokey LaFarge have released a new digital charity single. The two recorded a cover of Bob Wills' classic "Good Old Oklahoma" with proceeds to benefit the Oklahoma City Community Fund's Tornado Relief endowment.

McPherson explains why they picked that organization, "This charity does the best work possible by contributing to dozens of local Oklahoma charities directly related to tornado damage relief: rebuilding, clean up, food and water disbursement, pet recovery... you name it. This fund applies to possible future tornadoes, as well as what we're dealing with now."

McPherson also explained in the announcement how the recording came about: "Pokey and I had been speaking in the days following the May 19th tornadoes about the possibility of recording a benefit song.

"He came up with the brilliant idea to record Bob Wills' 'Good Old Oklahoma' as a duet. Pokey is from Missouri, but each time he plays in my home state, his band performs that tune and brings the house down. It was a perfect fit."

A few days following the devastating Oklahoma tornados this spring, LaFarge and his band were scheduled to record a Daytrotter and LaFarge decided that the session would be the perfect time to record the song.

McPherson says "I don't consider myself to be versatile enough a singer to hold a candle to Tommy Duncan's original vocal, but Pokey's sublime, informed performance on the second verse and harmony make the track for me. Though I'm not built (unfortunately) to sing Oklahoma Jazz, I hope that what comes through the speakers is an audible love letter to my beloved home state."

LaFarge adds "It's with great pleasure that I get to work with one of Oklahoma's finest, JD McPherson. To be able to record this Bob Wills tune is all too fitting for a good cause. We hope this helps. We love Oklahoma!"

Fans can purchase the single at JD McPherson and Pokey LaFarge's official websites here and here.

Janelle Monae Teases New Album As Prince Remixes Her Song

(Radio.com) Janelle Monae is teasing fans with some Electric Lady surprises as the album's September 10 release approaches. The singer just put out a preview video for new track, "Dance Apocalyptic," with the full-length clip set to premiere tomorrow, July 2.

The teaser sees Monàe performing the 1960s-inspired pop track on an American Bandstand-style stage in front of a live audience, complete with backup dancers and retro-style get-ups.

The song's sound stands in contrast to funky Electric Lady lead single "Q.U.E.E.N.," which Prince recently remixed. The Purple One debuted his version of the girl-power track, which features Erykah Badu, on his 3rdEyeGirl TV live stream Wednesday (June 26), taking the beat up a notch to transform the song into a bona fide dance jam.

Monàe recently revealed to Billboard that Prince will also be lending his vocals to a track on the album, saying the two have become "great friends."

"It's a beautiful thing to have a friend — someone who cares about your career, and wants to see you go far and to push boundaries and shake up the world — give whatever they possibly can to the cause," she said in the interview. more on this story

Earl Scruggs' Banjo Part of Country Hall of Fame Exhibit

(Gibson) Legendary musician Earl Scruggs' Gibson RB-Granada Mastertone banjo is to be part of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's "Precious Jewels" display. The banjo, Scruggs' primary instrument, has never before been exhibited. It will go on display July 12.

The "Precious Jewels" display is part of the Nashville museum's core exhibition, Sing Me Back Home: A Journey Through Country Music. It spotlights a handful of seminal instruments upon which much of the foundation of American music was created. Other Gibson instruments on display as include Mother Maybelle Carter's Gibson L-5 guitar and Bill Monroe's Gibson F-5 mandolin.

The Granada was acquired by Scruggs in a trade with Don Reno in the late 1940s, and he used it on the 1949 recording of his composition "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" by Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs & the Foggy Mountain Boys. The song was a showcase for Scruggs' astonishing dexterity. He continued to use the Granada on the road and in the studio with Flatt & Scruggs and the Earl Scruggs Revue, and he played it for the rest of his life.

Over the years, modifications and repairs to Scruggs' favorite banjo included refitting it with nickel-plated hardware, replacing a warped neck, and adding cam-style "Scruggs tuners" to the peghead that were subsequently replaced by mechanical D-tuners. In 1988, Gibson restored the Granada's resonator to its original sunburst finish and installed a curly maple neck in the style of the original. more on this story

True Blood Adds Music To The Plot This Week

(Radio.com) Over the course of its five seasons, "True Blood" has consistently been one of the best shows on television not only for fans of vampires but for music fans as well. Each episode is named after a song title, and a number of artists have contributed new recordings to the show. Every week during season six, Radio.com will check in with "True Blood" Music Supervisor Gary Calamar, who has been nominated for GRAMMYs twice for his work on the show.

After the first two episodes of season six of True Blood didn't feature music until the end credits, episode three — "You're No Good" — added a bit to the show itself.

A new storyline this season is that of the Vampire Unity Society, an organization of humans trying to open a dialog in order to prevent a human/non-human war. Previously, co-founder Nicole Wright tried to get Sam to "come out" of the closet as a shape-shifter. No big spoilers here, but the organization — who seem a bit conflicted about their goals — drove up to Alcide and the wolf pack's compound (where the frequently shirtless pack leader has had tensions with his self-described "No. 1 B*tch," Rikki). The VUS were listening to industrial-sounding music on their car stereo. "The song they were playing in the car was '7 Discos Of The World' from a great Bay Area band called L'Avventura," Calamar told Radio.com.

The San Francisco group has been around since the mid-2000s, and previously contributed a cover of the Zombies' "She's Not There" to an episode in season four.

"They write amazing songs and have a super cool sound," Calamar said. But, more importantly, "We wanted something that these hipsters would be listening to on their quest for werewolves."

The episode's title track ended up being the classic song written by Clint Ballard Jr., as well as a hit for Betty Everett in 1963, a No. 1 for Linda Ronstadt in 1975, and eventually covered by Van Halen. Another option Calamar looked at was a more recent song of the same name, by Major Lazer. more on this story

Alpine Putting A Different Spin on Australian Music

(Radio.com) When you think Australia, here are a list of things that likely don't come to mind: ethereal music, glitter, synchronized dancing, and Kate Bush. But that is exactly what the members of the band Alpine are bringing to the table.

The group's album A Is For Alpine is similar in sound to the music of Canadian bands like Stars and Broken Social Scene. In their native country, The Age said Alpine had created one of the best albums of 2012. They were nominated for two ARIAs (Australia's GRAMMYs), while iTunes Australia dubbed A Is For Alpine the Alternative Album of the Year.

And this is only their debut record.

A six-piece group, Alpine is driven by a songwriting style that deftly blends their playful, dyadic vocals into their melodies and rhythms ("one of us can hold the melody, and the other can do some kind of…decorating," says Alpine vocalist Phoebe Baker). The music is intense but at the same time stays light. Hand claps and other small sounds that usually get buried in the mix are distinct here; and the bandmembers aren't afraid to push the levels on the whole thing up or down to enhance the mood.

The single "Gasoline" makes a great summer jam. In an interview with Radio.com, Alpine singers Baker and Lou James talked about writing it.

"It was written about having a crush on somebody, somebody who had a girlfriend, and it was kind of a fun, exciting crush. An unattainable crush that was really intense," James said, smiling at the memory. "It was a crush attack." more on this story

Singled Out: Lissie's Shameless

Lissie has released a brand new single and a new music video for the song "Shameless" ahead of her new album release. To celebrate the release of the new song we asked her to tell us a little bit about the track. Here is the story:

I wrote "Shameless" in February of 2011 when I had been spending lots of time in london co-writing for my latest album (out September 2013). My approach to music and why i do it and love it so much is as a means of processing my emotions and feeling understood. I write songs about all kinds of things.. mostly romance if I'm honest. But another great thing about being a songwriter is being able to take my observations and frustrations and sort of summarize them, make a statement in this small amount of concise space.. a song. In this new album campaign, we led with "Shameless." I wanted to get this song's sentiment out there as almost a starting point, a clean slate, a mission statement. I was actually kinda nervous because I'm not a particularly angry person, but definitely outspoken. Already I can see it confused some people about who I am and what I do. But it's all part of a process of trying to cut through the crap and let people know what I am about. Straight forward.

So when I wrote "Shameless" I was feeling very disheartened by how much hype and frivolity surrounds what makes an artist successful or interesting. I witness people who will do anything it takes to make it, whether it's dating the right people, cozying up to the right people and using them to further their agenda or altering their appearance. You have this culture where people are famous for being famous and rewarded for vile behavior. What makes a person newsworthy isn't necessarily skill but ruthlessness. Another gripe I have while I'm at it, haha, is where people are perceived as say, edgy, not for their minds and opinions but simply for their appearance. All this nonsense has nothing to do with what I think music is for.. again to help folks process their emotions and life experiences.

However, as I was feeling all bothered, I admitted that maybe my own insecurities and how I feel about my own career led to me wanting to have a bit of an outburst and rant. It felt good to get these feelings off my chest and into a song so that I can just let it go. If I stay away from people who make me feel queasy and bad and focus on what i like in life and am good at, iIm pretty sure I'll do well and enjoy my life. It's a bit bratty to say "you dont know what my name is, name is, so what" but it's that defiance that made the song exciting for me. I feel like I'd rather be respected and happy than to get all the attention and fame. Hopefully there is a balance to be found. I'm not singling out a particular person because I think theres room and a need for lots of different kinds of entertainment and art. Yet I think what's interesting in an artist is someone who has a point of view and is true to themselves and their vision, artists who are life long touchstones for people, making timeless music that isn't just part of some current trend. There are a lot of great ones out there who embody that and I'm always happy to see them get the proper exposure so that their music can get to the masses who I think are in desperate need of some truth and a vehicle for sorting through all the facets of this crazy life we live.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and watch the video here learn more about Lissie right here!

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