Month: March 2023

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3 students and 3 adults dead, suspect killed in Nashville school shooting

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Three adults and three children are confirmed dead following a mass shooting Monday morning at The Covenant School, a private Christian school in Nashville. The 28-year-old female suspect was killed in an altercation with police.

Don Aaron, a spokesman for the Metro Nashville Police Department, said during a press conference that three adults and three students were killed in the shooting at The Covenant School.  The female shooter had entered the school through a side entrance armed with at least two “assault-type rifles” and a handgun and moved from the first floor to the second floor, firing multiple shots. The suspect was fatally shot by two of five-member police team around 10:27 a.m. in a second floor lobby.  Police said that the shooter was a former student of the school.

The Covenant School was founded in 2001 as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church and has students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. Enrollment fluctuates between 195 and 210 with 33 teaching faculty members. On a normal day, the school has about 200 students and 40 staff members on campus.  Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk said the investigation remains ongoing: “While I cannot comment on the ongoing nature of the investigation, I’m really impressed with the work that’s being done by law enforcement. This is the ultimate crime when school children and caregivers are the victims of senseless gun violence.”

The school shooting is believed to be the fifth in the Nashville area since 2011, and first since 2018. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., tweeted: “Chuck and I are heartbroken to hear about the shooting at Covenant School in Nashville. My office is in contact with federal, state and local officials and we stand ready to assist. Thank you to the first responders working on site. Please join us in prayer for those affected.”

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Country Daypop

Lukas Nelson and Lainey Wilson release the duet ‘More Than Friends’

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Willie Nelson’s son Lukas Nelson has teamed up with Lainey Wilson on the new duet “More Than Friends,” written by Nelson. “More Than Friends” arrives ahead of Nelson’s upcoming album, Sticks and Stones, due out on July 14.  To pre-order, head here.

Said Lukas in a press release: “When I wrote ‘More Than Friends,’ I had always envisioned it as a duet. I am a big fan of Lainey, and she was at the top of my list of artists I wanted to sing with me on this track. When we sent her the song, I was thrilled to hear back that she loved it and wanted to do it.”

Wilson adds: “‘More Than Friends’ is a modern-day take on the musical, kindred spirits of icons like Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. I’m so honored to be able to work with someone as talented as Lukas. His artistry and storytelling within music is unlike any other.”

Check out the video for “More Than Friends” – here.

Editorial credit: Carl Beust / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

The Band Perry announce their breakup

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The Band Perry announced that they are breaking up, sharing in a statement they want to pursue “individual creative pursuits.”

The trio – comprised of siblings Kimberly, Reid, and Neil Perry — took to social media to share the news: “To our TBP friends and family. We wanted to let you know that the three of us have decided to take a creative break as a group and each focus on our individual creative pursuits … During this season we will continue to support each other as artists and family in all we do. Thank you for making our childhood dreams come true! Love you all.”

The Band Perry formed in 2005 after Kimberly began performing in a band as a teenager, and her brothers Reid and Neil served as road crew. After launching The Band Perry in 2005, three years later Garth Brooks’ manager Bob Doyle discovered the group and sent their recorded music to Scott Borchetta, who was the head of the newly-established Republic Nashville label at the time. The group later signed with Borchetta in August 2009 and soon after debuted their first single, “Hip To My Heart,” earning them their first Top 20 hit at Country radio.

BREAKING: The Band Perry Announces Split

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Entertainment Daypop

Take a look at Keri Russell in the Netflix series ‘The Diplomat’

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Netflix shared a first-look photo of their upcoming new drama series The Diplomat, featuring Keri Russell.  The streaming service tweeted the photo with the caption: “Keri Russell stars in The Diplomat, a new series created by Debora Cahn (Homeland, The West Wing), premiering April 20. She plays a career diplomat who lands a high-profile job she’s unsuited for, with seismic implications for her marriage and political future — “

Russell plays Kate Wyler, the new U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom. Wyler must handle international crises and build alliances while also navigating her rocky marriage to her husband and fellow diplomat, Hal (Rufus Sewell).

The Diplomat is created and executive produced by Debora Cahn (writer and producer of ‘Homeland’, ‘The West Wing’ and ‘Grey’s Anatomy’.). Cahn said in a statement: “‘The Diplomat’ is a show about the transcendence and torture of long-term relationships. It’s hard to keep a relationship going, be it a marriage or a military alliance. We change, the world changes, and yet we want these relationships to go on forever … It’s a show about a bunch of good people doing their best to keep their global and personal partnerships intact without killing each other. In the world of diplomacy, you’re dealing with a lot of rule-bound, protocol-driven behavior, but underneath all that, these are people who sweat, and spill coffee on their clothes, and forget the name of the person they’re talking to. All of that is always bubbling under the grandeur and majesty of working with heads of state.”

The Diplomat premieres April 20 on Netflix.

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Entertainment Daypop

Producer Steven Spielberg bringing ‘Smash’ musical to Broadway

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A stage musical adaptation of the NBC series “Smash” is heading to Broadway, expected to debut during the 2024-2025 season.  The new stage musical will be based on the NBC series of the same name, which aired for two seasons from 2012-2013.

Steven Spielberg, Robert Greenblatt and Neil Meron, who produced the original TV series, will serve as lead producers on the musical. Theater veteran Susan Stroman (“The Producers”) is directing the production, with a score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (“Some Like It Hot,” Hairspray,” “Mary Poppins Returns”), who wrote “Let Me Be Your Star” and dozens of more songs for the television show, many of which will be used in the musical. Additional new material will be added to the Broadway production; additional details, including the cast, have yet to be announced.

Debra Messing, Jack Davenport, Megan Hilty, Katharine McPhee and Christian Borle starred in “Smash,” which was created by Theresa Rebeck.  The stage version (like the TV version) will follow the process of mounting the musical “Bombshell,” about the life of Marilyn Monroe; however, producers say the Broadway adaptation will “depart liberally from the series.”

‘Smash’ Musical Heading To Broadway With Steven Spielberg, Neil Meron & Robert Greenblatt Producing

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News Daypop

Seven confirmed dead after fatal explosion at chocolate factory in Pennsylvania

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Authorities in West Reading, PA confirmed on Sunday night that the remains of two more victims of the chocolate factory explosion in Pennsylvania were discovered, bringing the death toll from the explosion on Friday at the R.M. Palmer Co. chocolate factory to seven. West Reading Police Chief Wayne Holben said at an evening news conference that this closes search operations at the R.M. Palmer Company, as no other people connected to the location were missing.

Identities of the dead were unavailable. West Reading Mayor Samantha Kaag said Sunday that the White House reached out on Saturday: “They’ve offered condolences, asked us that if we need anything, to please reach out. So we are getting calls from numerous sources and we’re grateful for all of them. We’re grateful the resources that they’re offering. Right now we’re just kind of trying to get our feet on the ground and figure out where we can put them and how we can delegate them.”

A facility spokesperson said 10 people who survived with injuries were taken to Reading Hospital in the West Reading borough, an area of Berks County about 63 miles northwest ofaPhiladelphia. Two were transferred to other facilities, two were in good or fair condition at Reading Hospital, and the others were treated or checked out and released.

R.M. Palmer Company employs 850 people today, according to the company’s website. In a statement, the company expressed anguish, said it has lost “close friends and colleagues …Everyone at RM Palmer is devastated by the tragic events at one of our West Reading facilities and we are focused on supporting our employees and their families.”

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News Daypop

President Biden approves Mississippi disaster relief as tornado death toll rises

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President Joe Biden declared a major disaster in Mississippi, in the aftermath of the deadly tornado that ripped through the Mississippi Delta late Friday, leaving the region  — one of the poorest in the country — devastated. At least 25 people were killed in Mississippi, and one man died in Alabama.

Early Sunday, Biden ordered federal aid to supplement recovery efforts, the White House said in a statement.  As recovery efforts continued, the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center warned that severe thunderstorms would bring “the possibility of a couple of strong tornadoes” across the central Gulf states on Sunday. As a result, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency tweeted that residents should “have a plan” and “know their safe place.”

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves issued a state of emergency and vowed to help rebuild the region, with more than half a dozen shelters opened in the state to house those displaced. According to early data tweeted from National Weather Service office in Jackson, Friday’s tornado received a preliminary EF-4 rating. An EF-4 tornado has top wind gusts between 166 mph and 200 mph, according to the service.

Lance Perrilloux, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s office in Jackson, told the Associated Press that preliminary information based on estimates from storm reports and radar data indicate the tornado was on the ground for more than an hour and traversed at least 170 miles. He added that preliminary findings showed the tornado began its path of destruction just southwest of Rolling Fork before continuing northeast toward the rural communities of Midnight and Silver City, and onward toward Tchula, Black Hawk and Winona.

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Categories
Country Daypop

Carly Pearce shares ‘Should’ve Known Better (Live From Music City)’

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Carly Pearce is sharing “Should’ve Known Better (Live From Music City),” off her album 29: Written In Stone (Live From Music City). The album marks Pearce’s first live album, closing the chapter on her ’29’ journey.

29: Written In Stone (Live From Music City) is a live retelling of Pearce’s album 29, recorded during an intimate concert event at Marathon Music Works in Nashville. The concert featured appearances from special guests Ashley McBryde, Lee Brice, The Isaacs, Matthew West, and Jenee Fleenor. Previously released tracks from the upcoming album include “What He Didn’t Do (Live From Music City)” and “Never Wanted To Be That Girl (Live From Music City).”

Pearce will perform at this year’s CMT Music Awards, airing Sunday April 2 on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ at 8/7c.  Ahead of the show, Pearce will kick off CMT’s all-new series of specials with “CMT Defining: Carly Pearce” airing March 30, where she will give fans a one-of-a-kind look back at her career.  In addition, Pearce is currently on the road as direct support on Blake Shelton’s Back To The Honky Tonk Tour.

Take a listen to ‘Should’ve Known Better (Live From Music City)’ – here.
To stream ‘29: Written In Stone (Live From Music City)’, head here.

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Categories
Country Daypop

Morgan Wallen, Lainey Wilson and more to perform at ACM Lifting Lives concert

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ACM has announced the line-up for its 2023 Lifting Lives Live event, taking place on May 10 at Topgolf in The Colony, Texas.   The concert will feature Morgan Wallen along with Lainey Wilson, Ernest, HARDY and Bailey Zimmerman. General admission tickets are available now via AXS.  

ACM Lifting Lives was created as the charitable partner of the Academy of Country Music, and is designed to utilise the power, strength and popularity of the country music industry as a means of aiding those struggling with health-related issues. The concert portion of the fundraiser will take place after the celebrity Topgolf tournament, with all proceeds from the event going towards the ACM Lifting Lives organization’s philanthropic work.  Said Wallen: “ACM Lifting Lives does great work providing aid in times of need to folks inside and outside of the music industry. My band and I are excited to help them raise funds to continue doing this amazing work.”

ACM Lifting Lives Topgolf Tee-Off and Rock On precedes the 58th ACM Awards, airing live from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, TX Thursday, May 11th at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT, exclusively on Prime Video.

Morgan Wallen headlining ACM Lifting Lives Topgolf fundraiser

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Categories
Entertainment Daypop

‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ leads the weekend box office with $73.5M in domestic earnings

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‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ took first place at the box office, earning $73.5 million domestically in its opening weekend. The film easily beat ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods,’ now in its second weekend.

In North America, the fourth installment in the John Wick franchise bested the $56.8 million opening of 2019’s John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum — and marked Lionsgate’s biggest domestic opening of the pandemic era.

Directed by Chad Stahelski, ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’  once again stars Keanu Reeves as the expert assassin nicknamed Baba Yaga.  The cast also features Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgard, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, Rina Sawayama, Ian McShane and the late Lance Reddick, who died earlier this month. The film is produced by Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee and Stahelski.

‘Scream VI’ took the No. 3 spot, with ‘Creed III’ following at No. 4, and ’65’ rounding out the top five.

Editorial credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com