I can't stop watching this video of an Italian nun on The Voice of Italy. Sister Cristina, 25, shocked judges J-Ax, Noemi, Piero Pelù and Raffaella Carrà with her version Alicia Keys' song No One. I love everything about this video. First off, I love Sister Cristina. She's fantastic and she looks so at ease in front of an audience. As one of the judges said, "If I had found you at Mass I would always be in church." Sister [...]
When I first heard Will Smith was producing an update version of Annie I moaned and smacked my head. That was back when it was going to be a vanity project for his daughter and the Will Smith family was everywhere. Every. Where. Now I like Will Smith as much as the next guy but I was on Will Smith family overload. I was wondering how he was going to fit Whip My Hair into the script. But [...]
Bruce Springsteen played Stayin' Alive!? Holy moly I'd never thought I'd see the day. Springsteen is certainly stayin' alive these days. On the final night of his tour in Australia, Bruce played a marathon show that included a fantastic cover of the Bee Gees hit song Stayin' Alive, teaming up with Eddie Vedder for a cover of the AC/DC hit Highway to Hell, and what could possibly be world record group twerk. I've been a huge Springsteen fan [...]
Over the years there have been many terrific covers of the beautiful Rodgers and Hart song My Funny Valentine: Chet Baker, Elvis Costello, Sarah, Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Chris Botti with Sting, and of course Miles Davis. But I think the most mesmerizing (albeit controversial performance) of the song was by Alice Fredenham. Alice Fredenham Wows on Britain's Got Talent Alice Fredenham sang My Funny Valentine on Britain's Got Talent in 2013. She appeared nervous and insecure but then sang the daylights out [...]
Neon Trees has released their new single Sleeping With A Friend, from their album "Pop Psychology," which will be released on April 22, 2014. I like Neon Trees. Their last cd had some catchy tunes. (Suddenly I sound like I'm a 75-year old man in 1972). They had huge hits with Everybody Talks and Animal and Sleeping With a Friend should be another huge hit for them. Both the song and the video have a mid-80s feel about it but with [...]
It's Friday so here's a little Friday I'm in Love by The Cure. When did they get so old? Have a great weekend.
Frozen, Disney's animated-musical phenomenon, is about to kick it up a notch. Disney announced that it will be releasing a sing-along version of the film starting Jan 31. This new version of the film will include the lyrics of each musical number on the screen, with a bouncing snowflake to help audiences follow along as they sing out loud together. With the Frozen soundtrack topping the charts, we’re willing to bet that a lot of you already know all the [...]
Carolina Philharmonic Pinehurst Pops: A Night on Broadway with Janine LaManna Hey North Carolinians, on Saturday, February 1, the Carolina Philharmonic presents Pinehurst Pops: A Night on Broadway with Janine LaManna. If you're in the greater Fayetteville, NC you should run to this event. Why? Because Janine LaManna will knock your socks off. Even if you're not wearing socks, the next time you put some socks on they'll immediately be blown off. Here's what Maestro David Wolff, principal conductor of the Carolina Philharmonic, [...]
The other day I posted about how years ago I recorded some of my songs in my living room. The songs were mostly meditations about loss and loneliness. I grouped them under an imaginary CD entitled The Ghosts That Haunt Me. I am probably the least knowledgable person about home recording but I recorded them for fun and to see what I could create. Here's The Isle of Memories. I hope you like it.
Years ago I wrote and recorded songs to while away the time between auditions and acting gigs. I was digging through the vault today and found this one. It's called "Muriel," about a guy finally able to say goodbye to his past and move on with his life. It was part of my imaginary album entitled The Ghosts That Haunt Me. Cheery, huh? Well, that's what a lifelong battle with depression will do to you. I've always wanted to bribe someone like [...]