Month: October 2022

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News Daypop

5.1 magnitude earthquake strikes near San Jose, California

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According to the United States Geological Survey, a 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay Area on Tuesday at 11:42 a.m. The quake was centered 9 miles east of Seven Trees and 12 miles east of San Jose, and was quickly followed by a 3.1 magnitude aftershock. The USGS called the quake the largest to strike since the 6.0 Napa quake in 2014 which damaged hundreds of buildings.

The quake was felt as far away as Salinas, Point Reyes and Stockton, with residents posting videos to social media of the shaking. At of press time there are no reports of any damage or injury from Tuesday’s quake. Public works employees are evaluating infrastructure for any possible damage. All trains for BART, Caltrain and VTA were stopped temporarily right after the quake as a precaution. They have since resumed operations.

Seismologists are warning residents there remains the chance of aftershocks, with the U.S. Geological Survey who predicted 10 to 15 aftershocks greater than 3.0 over the next week. The California Geological Survey tweeted Tuesday: “Additional shaking from aftershocks can be expected. We are continuing to monitor this region.”

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Country Daypop

CMA Awards announce first round of performers including Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, and more

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The Country Music Association has announced the first round of performers for the for the 56th Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning.  Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Morgan Wallen, Carly Pearce, and Carrie Underwood are all set to take the stage to perform during the CMA Awards ceremony.

Lambert will perform her song “Geraldine,” while Bryan will perform “Country On.”  Additionally, Kelly Clarkson and Carly Pearce will join Kelsea Ballerini for “You’re Drunk, Go Home,” while Jimmie Allen and Marcus King will join Zac Brown Band for “Out in the Middle.” Hardy and Lainey Wilson will also perform together.  Additional performers and presenters will be announced in the weeks ahead.

The CMA Awards will also feature an opening tribute to late country music star Loretta Lynn, who died at age 90 earlier this month. The ceremony will broadcast live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday, November 9th from 8-11 pm ET/delayed PT on ABC and available next day on Hulu.

Winners will be determined in a final round of voting by eligible voting CMA members. The third and final ballot is open now for CMA members, with voting for the CMA Awards final ballot closing Friday, October 28th at 6 pm CT.

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Categories
Country Daypop

Scotty McCreery & wife Gabi announce birth of son Merrick Avery

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Scotty McCreery and his wife Gabi announced the birth of their first child, son Merrick Avery McCreery, born Mon, Oct 24th in Raleigh, NC.  Merrick Avery was named after Gabi’s father, Merrick (Tre) Dugal III, and will be called Avery. Young Avery was born weighing 7 lbs, 13 oz and is 21 inches long; mom and baby are doing well.

Said McCreery: “Next to his mother, he is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. We have been waiting and preparing all year, and now we are so excited to have our little man here with us. We have begun a grand new adventure that will continue for the rest of our lives. Gabi was a total rock star during Avery’s birth. I could not be more proud of her  She has already taken to motherhood like a champ. Part of my joy as his Dad is watching Gabi already crush it as his Mom.”

McCreery is taking “paternity leave” from the road until his November 30th show in Las Vegas at the Downtown Hoedown on Fremont Street.  McCreery’s Same Truck: The Deluxe Album will be released on November 18th with six additional new songs. Two of the new bonus tracks from the album, “Nothin’ Right” and “Small Town Story,” are available for streaming now.

BREAKING: Scotty McCreery And Wife Gabi Welcome Their First Child, Merrick Avery McCreery

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Entertainment Daypop

Wayne Brady set to host the 2022 American Music Awards

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Dick Clark Productions and ABC announced on Monday that Wayne Brady is set to host the 2022 American Music Awards. Brady said in a press release: “I’m ecstatic and honored to host this year’s AMAs. As a musician and music lover, it’s amazing to be part of a night where music fans make their voices heard! It’s a big show, so I’m bringing it all… The funny, the music and the moves!”

The AMA ceremony’s executive producer and showrunner Jesse Collins said: “Wayne Brady is undoubtedly one of the most talented people on earth and we are thrilled to have him host this year’s AMAs. Viewers should expect an incredible night of music, comedy and fun!”

Bad Bunny leads the nominations for the 2022 American Music Awards with eight nods, including his first for artist of the year. Beyoncé, Drake and Taylor Swift are close behind with six nods each. That makes Bey and Swift the year’s top female nominees.

Fan voting is now open via VoteAMAs.com and Twitter in all award categories, except favorite K-pop artist, which will open on Nov. 1.  The AMAs will air from the Microsoft Theater at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles on Sunday, Nov. 20, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

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Entertainment Daypop

Adidas cuts ties with Kanye West after recent antisemitic comments

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On Tuesday, shoe company Adidas said it will be cutting ties with rapper Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) after his recent antisemitic comments in interviews and on social media.

Adidas said in a statement that it was ending production of Yeezy-branded products and stopping all payments to Ye and his companies. The company statement read in part: “Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech. Ye’s recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and they violate the company’s values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness.”

The 45-year-old West was worth around $2 billion for his music and sneaker brand Yeezy, as well as his former partnership with Gap which ended recently. He has lost multiple sponsors after tweeting he wanted to go “death con 3” on Jewish people. Balenciaga stopped working with West, and JPMorgan Chase also severed ties with him.  Creative Artists Agency also dropped West as a client earlier this month.

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News Daypop

Gunman is killed after 2 are fatally shot at St. Louis high school

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Authorities confirm that a woman and a teenage girl were killed Monday morning in a shooting inside a St. Louis high school, adding that the gunman was also killed in the shooting, and six others were taken to hospitals with injuries.  The gunman was about 20 years old and hasn’t been positively identified.

St. Louis Police Commissioner Michael Sack said at a news conference that the injuries ranged from gunshot wounds to shrapnel wounds:  “This is a heartbreaking day for all of us. It’s going to be tough. While on paper we might have nine victims … we have hundreds of others. Everyone who survived here is going to take home trauma, even the officers who responded here and the firefighters and the paramedics who worked on people here are going to experience some degree of trauma.”

The shooting just after 9 a.m. at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School forced students to barricade doors and huddle in classroom corners, jump from windows and run out of the building to seek safety. St. Louis Public Schools said on Twitter that the shooter was “quickly stopped” by police and Superintendent Kelvin Adams said seven security guards were in the school at the time, each at an entry point of the locked building. One of the guards noticed the man was trying to get in at a locked door, but couldn’t. The guard notified school officials and ensured that police were contacted.

Central Visual and Performing Arts High School is a magnet school specializing in visual art, musical art and performing art. The district website says the school’s “educational program is designed to cre­ate a nurturing environment where students receive a quality academic and artistic education that prepares them to compete successfully at the post-secondary level or perform competently in the world of work.”

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News Daypop

DOJ announces arrest of Chinese nationals charged with stealing confidential information

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U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Monday the arrest and indictment of Chinese nationals accused of stealing confidential information and harassing Chinese victims living in the United States to return to China.

Garland said, “Over the past week, the Justice Department has taken several actions to disrupt criminal activity by individuals working on behalf of the government of the People’s Republic of China.  The defendants believed they had recruited the U.S. employee as an asset, but in fact, the individual they recruited was a double agent working on behalf of the FBI. As the complaint alleges, the defendants paid a bribe to the double agent to obtain non-public information, including files from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District.”

Garland said that the Chinese spies had sought confidential information on witnesses, trial evidence and potential new charges to be brought against the company, “The double agent provided the defendants with documents that appeared to present some of the information they sought. In fact, the documents were prepared by the U.S. government for this investigation and did not reveal actual meetings, communications or strategies. This was an egregious attempt by PRC intelligence officers to shield a PRC-based company from accountability and to undermine the integrity of our judicial system.”

An indictment also was unsealed Monday in New Jersey charging four individuals including three Chinese intelligence officers with conspiring to act in the United States as illegal agents on behalf of a foreign government. Separately, the Justice Department charged seven people in New York for working on behalf of China “in a multi-year campaign of threats and harassment” to force a U.S. resident to return to China. Two of those defendants were arrested last Thursday.

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Categories
Country Daypop

Wynonna Judd extends ‘The Judds: The Final Tour’ into 2023

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Wynonna Judd is extending The Judds: The Final Tour into 2023. Judd made the announcement on Monday morning (Oct. 24) during an appearance on NBC’s TODAY Show, and also posted to social media. The Judds: The Final Tour kicked off on September 30 and serves as a tribute to the legacy of The Judds and the late Naomi Judd.

Judd shared on Instagram: “IT WAS A NO-BRAINER TO ADD 15 MORE SHOWS!!! 🤩 In my 39 years of performing, this tour has truly been one of my favorite experiences ever. You all have been such a gift during my time of grieving and honoring my mother in song. Getting to experience all the different generations of Judds fans each night (with your vintage tees, homemade signs, flashlights in the air, singing every word to every song), has been other-worldly. I look so forward to continuing this celebration of the music that has changed my life forever. 💙 Tickets & info at the link in bio! *Presale begins TODAY at 12pm for select dates! Use code: JUDDS23″

The upcoming leg of  The Judds: The Final Tour kicks off on January 26 in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and runs through February 25 in Hollywood, Florida. The newly added dates follow the current run, which has featured Wynonna singing alongside artists such as Ashley McBryde, Brandi Carlile, Kelsea Ballerini, Little Big Town, and Martina McBride, all of who will be returning for the just-announced second leg.

Citi card members have access to presale tickets beginning Monday, October 24th at 10 AM local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com. The Judds artist presale for fans begins at 12 PM local time. Tickets go on sale to the general public starting Friday, October 28th at 10 AM local time at TheJudds.com.

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Categories
Country Daypop

Russell Dickerson shares video for ‘Big Wheels’

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Russell Dickerson has released a music video for the new track, “Big Wheels,” written by Dickerson, Ashley Gorley, Hunter Phelps and Ben Johnson. The new release is the third song to be released from Dickerson’s self-titled, upcoming third studio album, joining the other tracks “I Wonder” and “She Likes It,” featuring Jake Scott. Dickerson’s album will be available November 4th. Fans can pre-save/pre-order the album here,

In addition to new music, Dickerson will launch his headlining She Likes It Tour throughout the US starting in November; for tickets, head to Dickerson’s website.

Check out the video for ‘Big Wheels’ – here.

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Entertainment Daypop

Actor Leslie Jordan of ‘Will & Grace’ and ‘American Horror Story’ fame dies in car accident at age 67

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Emmy-winning actor Leslie Jordan, perhaps best known for his roles in “Will & Grace,” and “American Horror Story”, has died in a car accident at age 67.   Jordan was behind the wheel of his BMW in Hollywood on Monday morning when he crashed into the side of a building at Cahuenga Blvd. and Romaine St. It was suspected he suffered some sort of medical emergency.  Jordan’s agent David Shaul said in a statement: “The world is definitely a much darker place today without the love and light of Leslie Jordan. Not only was he a mega talent and joy to work with, but he provided an emotional sanctuary to the nation at one of its most difficult times. What he lacked in height he made up for in generosity and greatness as a son, brother, artist, comedian, partner and human being. Knowing that he has left the world at the height of both his professional and personal life is the only solace one can have today.”

The diminutive Jordan (who stood 4-foot-11) was a veteran actor, writer and singer whose credits also included “Hearts Afire,” “The Help,” “The Cool Kids” and “Call Me Kat,” which is currently airing its third season on Fox. He won the Emmy Award for guest actor in a comedy series for his work on “Will & Grace” in 2006 where he played socialite Beverly Leslie, ‘frenemy’ of Karen Walker (Megan Mullally).  Jordan also played three different characters on three different seasons of Ryan Murphy’s “American Horror Story,” recurring in the “Coven,” “Roanoke” and “1984” installments.

Jordan became hugely popular to an entire new generation of fans in 2020, gaining millions of Instagram followers due to his humorous videos posted throughout the pandemic. He released a gospel music album titled “Company’s Comin’” in 2021 and, later that year, appeared as a guest panelist on “The Masked Singer,” where he performed gospel standard “This Little Light of Mine.”

Jordan was also an LGBTQ icon: during the AIDS crisis, he was involved with the AIDS Project Los Angeles and Project Angel Food, and he received the GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics’ Timeless Star award in 2021.  Jordan also appeared on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” as a guest judge in 2013, and again in 2022 as a guest director.

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