Taylor Swift wins big at CMA; Black Sabbath new album and tour; Heavy D dead
Heavy D
MANILA, Philippines Country and pop music superstar Taylor Swift wins big at the recent 45th Country Music Awards where she took home the much coveted Entertainer of the Year plum.
Im so happy right now...youve made my year. Thank you so much said the 21-year-old singer songwriter as she received the award.
This is the second time the Fifteen singer had won the award, following 2009 where she became the youngest country artist ever to have done so.
Earlier in this year's awards show, Swift was passed over for the Female Singer of the Year and in three other categories.
Taylor Swifts Speak Now album is one of the biggest selling releases of 2011.
Also taking home big wins from the Country Music Awards are Tennessee-based sibling trio The Band Perry, who took home the Single of the Year and Song of the Year awards for their hit If I Die Young. The act also aced the Best New Artist award.
The duo Sugarland won Best Vocal Duo while Jason Aldean won Album of the Year for My Kind Of Party. Lady Antebellum won Best Vocal Group while The Voice judge Blake Shelton picked up the Best Male Vocalist award. Miranda Lambert is Best Female vocalist.
The nights performances included one from Swift and another from soul and pop legend Lionel Richie who sang three songs from his upcoming album of country duets.
Last years Entertainer of the Year awardee Brad Paisley and "American Idol" alumnus Carrie Underwood hosted the nights festivities.
***
Classic rock fans and metal heads rejoice! This new year, four of the original lineup of heavy metal masters Black Sabbath are reuniting and will release their first album in 33 years followed by a 2012 world tour.
Singer Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bass player Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward announced the news at a press conference at the legend! ary Suns et Strip club Whisky a Go Go. The band will also warm up for their world tour at the Download Festival in England in June2012.
The band said they are working on new material that is slated for a fall 2012 release. Yet untitled, it will be produced by veteran rock producer Rick Rubin.
"It's now or never. We are getting along great. Everything's really good," Iommi told the press at the club where Black Sabbath played their first show in Los Angeles 41 years ago. "It's like putting on an old glove. It's fantastic," Iommi added.
The album of originals from Black Sabbath before this was 1978's Never Say Never.
"It's just time," singer Ozzy Osbourne said, noting that all the members have tried working together before it finally happened. "This time, for some magical reason, we have written about seven or eight songs."
Though nothing has been recorded yet and dates for the tour have still to be mapped out, the band did announce the launch of its first official website www.blacksabbath.com and said they will also be making its foray into social media sites via Twitter and Facebook.
The band formed in 1969 and is widely hailed as the godfathers of heavy metal. The bands hits include War Pigs, Iron Man, and Sweetleaf to name a few. After Osbourne was fired from the group in 1979, the band forged on with the late vocalist Ronnie James Dio. The original members have reunited first in 1998 and played sporadically in the early 2000s.
Black Sabbath was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.
***
The world of hip hop is mourning the loss of rapper Heavy D who died Tuesday after collapsing outside his Beverly Hills home. He was 44.
Beverly Hills police said in a statement that the rapper, whose real name is Dwight Arrington Meyers, was found on a walkway near around noon outside his condominium. The rapper was still conscious and talking but was having difficulty breathing. Par! amedics were called and the singer was brought to a nearby hospital.
Lt. Mark Rosen, the officer on site said that the individual ultimately died at the hospital. The police also said that there were no signs of foul play and that the death is believed to be medically related. An official cause of death is pending an autopsy by Los Angeles County coroners.
The heavy set rapper started his career with the group Heavy D & The Boyz and released their first album in 1987. The groups breakout album came with 1989s Big Tyme. Some of the groups hits included Somebody for Me and We Got Our Own Thang.
After the death of group member Trouble T-Roy in an accident, Heavy D and the remaining members of his group scored big with the album Peaceful Journey and the single Now That We Found Love which charted high on the R&B charts and crossed over to pop mainstream audiences. The group sang the theme for popular 90s comedy show In Living Color and Heavy Ds solo album Heavy became the singers seventh album to chart the R&B charts top ten.
The rapper began acting around this time and worked small roles in TV eventually landing a role in the TV drama Boston Public. Heavy Ds film work included the The Cider House Rules, Big Trouble, and Step Up.
Musicians mourned the loss of Heavy D and took to Twitter: "U will be missed Heavy D so many laughs we've shared but your Music is Timeless and will Always be Around 4ever Love u Heav...," read rapper Missy Elliots tweet. While rapper and "NCIS: Los Angeles" star LL Cool J posted "May GOD embrace the soul of Heavy D and Bless his family. I respected you Heavy and I always will." R&B singer-songwriter Ne-Yo, who was with the rapper in London recently, said "Had I known it'd be the last time I'd see him, I woulda told him he was truly great. RIP..."
AttachmentSizeHeavy D10.9 KB