Music Biz Headlines, Jan. 4, 2021
A new book explores the life of Ruth Lowe, the adventurous compositions of Alexina Louie (pictured), and the vocal influences of The Weeknd. Also in the headlines are Kye Clayton, Jeffery Straker, more 2020 lists, Richard Flohil, Ratatouille, Jimmy Iovine, Lanie Gardner, Tony Rice, Paul McCartney, Kathy Valentine, and Paula Abdul.
By FYI Staff
A new book tells the story of Ruth Lowe, a pioneering Canadian songwriter
Toronto-based songwriter and big-band pianist Ruth Lowe’s composition I'll Never Smile Again rocketed both Lowe and Frank Sinatra to stardom in 1940. She is the subject of Until I Smile at You: How One Girl’s Heartbreak Electrified Frank Sinatra’s Fame!, a biography written by Peter Jennings with Tom Sandler, Lowe’s son. – Brad Wheeler, The Globe and Mail
The Weeknd: “My natural singing voice was inspired, shaped by Ethiopian music”
Ethio-Canadian singer, songwriter, and record producer Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, known professionally as The Weeknd, shares that his “natural singing voice was inspired" and "shaped by Ethiopian Music”. In a recent interview with the music and culture magazine TMRW discussing his upcoming album, the artist added: "The older I got, I was exposed to more music, and my voice became a chameleon going into different characters." – Tadias.com
It's Kye Clayton's time
The young rapper and beatmaker is sharing his story to connect with yours. – Morgan Mullin, The Coast
Alexina Louie’s ‘Take the Dog Sled’ blends orchestral music with Inuit throat singing
— and it’s now immortalized on the Centrediscs label. – William Littler, Toronto Star
A lot of listening happened to dig up these local gems
With so many fine local records to choose from it was hard to whittle them down to just a handful each, but here are our five favourite Edmonton releases in 2020. – Staff, Edmonton Journal
Jeffery Straker: The arts made us 'feel' in a year we needed to more than ever
The arts will emerge from this pandemic in a different shape and government help is needed to regain firm footing, writes singer/songwriter Jeffery Straker. – Regina Leader-Post
Best new Toronto music: Start 2021 on a high note with these six songs
Our favourite songs of December come courtesy of Roam, Alex Porat and Puffy L'z. Plus: a Drake Underground live series. – Richard Trapunski and Kelsey Adams, NOW
Brutal year, brilliant sounds
Free Press music writers pick their top Manitoba offerings and the best pop/rock, jazz and classical albums of 2020. – Winnipeg Free Press
Q&A with Canadian music promoter, publicist, Richard Flohil - for more than 55 years, he has been committed to the blues
"That the music industry is not full of fools and flakes and greedy bastards and crooks. Most people in the business are in the business because they can’t sing or play (and in my case, can’t even dance), but they are passionate about music. If you can’t make music, do what you can to make music happen." – Michael Limnios, Blues Network
Would you like a musician with your fries? (No, seriously.)
Musicians taking a horrible hit with the pandemic are looking for any way to replace lost revenue. Some downtown bars in Windsor, Ontario, have come with an odd but perhaps effective idea. Meteor and Phog Lounge are offering a side of live music with the food they deliver. I quote from the Windsor Star: When customers buy one of three poutine and beer packages, a local musician will come to their house and play three songs. In a nod to the popular poutine, they call it The Gravy Train. – Alan Cross, A Journal of Musical Things
God help the opening act
All you need to know about choosing, hiring, feeding and taking care of the artist/band who’ll open the show. – Richard Flohil, The Sound Cafe
International
Events horizon: the films, music, art and more to get excited about in 2021
From the return of live comedy to a cornucopia of video game releases, and new albums from major stars, it’s going to be a big year for ... pretty much everything. – Staff, The Guardian
The 'Ratatouille' musical that began as a TikTok trend earned over $1 million in ticket sales
"Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical" earned over $1 million in ticket sales from its virtual New Year's Day stream, according to The Hollywood Reporter. What started as a TikTok trend became a Broadway-scale online production featuring Tony-, Emmy- and Grammy-nominated performers like Wayne Brady, Tituss Burgess, André De Shields, and Ashley Park. – Dan Whateley, Business Insider
Jimmy Iovine sells producer catalog royalties to Hipgnosis (so he can build a school)
Hipgnosis Songs Fund has struck another big-money deal to acquire a valuable asset from a major name in the music business. This story comes with a couple of twists, though, as it sees a deal with legendary music executive and producer Jimmy Iovine. Iovine won't be using the money to feather his own nest: he's going to invest the undisclosed fee into building a high school in South LA under the USC Iovine And Young Academy initiative.- MBW
Music: Kitty Empire's 10 best of 2020
Our critic picks her favourite albums, from euphoric retro pop to classic American songwriting. – Kitty Empire, The Guardian
Man legally changed his name to Céline Dion while drunk, says he doesn't 'remember doing it'
Never underestimate the power of boredom and alcohol. While watching the illustrious Céline Dion at home with a bottle of champagne, one 30-year-old Dion stan in the United Kingdom legally changed his name to Céline Dion. – Complex
Predictions 2021: Lanie Gardner gets set for breakout year after millions see her covers of Stevie Nicks hits
As this is the time we are publishing predictions in a variety of areas, here’s one for the music world. I’m going to suggest that 2021 is the year when 21-year-old Nashville artist Lanie Gardner hits the big time. Her stunning cover of Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams attracted more than nine million views on YouTube since being posted in early Oct. and more than 40 million views across a variety of social media platforms. – Charlie Smith, Georgia Straight
A look back at some of the biggest music stories of 2020
Taylor Swift, Kanye West and Mariah Carey were among the acts making waves. – Belfast Telegraph
Tony Rice was my guitar hero
Tony Rice was my first guitar hero. He inspired me and so many others to strive for excellence on the acoustic flat-top, explore new genres and never be afraid to take risks. To discover Rice's playing and singing is to discover his deep love for music that oozes out of every note, and his passion for sharing that beautiful gift with the world. – Molly Tuttle, NPR
The Go-Go's Kathy Valentine talks risks, rewards and relationships in memoir
A member of the groundbreaking female rock combo, she opens up in an illuminating memoir. – Tom Murray, Calgary Herald
My 2020 musical moment
The year 2020 was daunting for the local entertainment industry. With the pandemic raging and restrictions on mass gatherings in full effect, the music industry in Jamaica was set to suffer. However, there were moments. We sought the views of local industry players and affiliates as to what that light in the dark was for the music industry during the year just ended. – Jamaica Observer
Paul McCartney goes shirtless with a tiny ponytail in St. Barts
Macca soaks up the Caribbean sun over the holiday season. – Hannah Southwick, Page Six
‘This is going to be so damn hard’: Paula Abdul on Fox spinoff ‘Masked Dancer’
When performer, choreographer and veteran talent competition judge Paula Abdul received a call from Fox asking her to be part of “The Masked Dancer,” a spinoff to wacky competition show “The Masked Singer,” her first reaction was laughter. “I’m like, ‘Oh, how brilliant is this,’” Abdul said. “And then I thought, wait a minute, this is going to be so damn hard.” – Makeda Easter, LA Times
