Aretha Franklin News

Arcadia Performing Arts Foundation continues its 2015 Season with The Four Tops on Saturday, February 21 at 8pm. The Four Tops is one of soul's most legendary groups and shaped the Motown sound, as we know it.

Cafe Carlyle will welcomed back iconic R&B songstress Bettye LaVette last night for a two-week engagement, January 27-February 7, where she will showcase her inimitable style, gut wrenching vocals and songs from throughout her five decade career, as well as the world premiere of selections from her new album, Worthy.The album, which Cherry Red releases on January 27, features Bettye's reflective, visceral interpretations of classic tracks by Bob Dylan, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones amongst others.

The estate of Henry Mancini has chosen leading independent music publisher Spirit Music Group to administer the prestigious music publishing catalog of Henry Mancini for North America as announced today by David Renzer, Chairman, Spirit Music Group. The catalog was previously administered by Universal Music Publishing Group (the company retains admin rights to the catalog outside of North America).

Live From Lincoln Center - the pioneering, award-winning performing arts series - today unveiled programming for the second half of its 40th anniversary season on PBS.

Live From Lincoln Center - the pioneering, award-winning performing arts series - today unveiled programming for the second half of its 40th anniversary season on PBS.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents the legendary musician Maceo Parker and his funk-filled band tonight, January 16, 2015 at 8:00pm. This performance will take place at the Byham Theater, located at 101 Sixth Street, downtown Pittsburgh. The presentation is part of the 2014-15 Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents series.

Two superb jazz singers will share the stage at Segerstrom Center as four-time Grammy winner Dianne Reeves and rising vocalist and Grammy winner Gregory Porter perform tonight, January 16 in the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall.

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL, the hit musical featuring the music of the legendary Motown catalogue and a book by Berry Gordy, ends its Broadway run today, January 18 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. MOTOWN is set to return to Broadway at a Nederlander theatre to be announced in July 2016. Last spring, the first National Tour of Motown the Musical opened to critical acclaim, grossing an impressive $20 Million dollars during a packed sixteen-week run, and is now heading to major markets across the US. MOTOWN will also head to London's West End this summer.

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) observes its Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, "Keeping the Dream" on Friday, January 16 and Saturday, January 17 with performances, a Ninth Annual Girl Scout Sleepover, and student/family arts education workshops.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts presents the third in a popular series of Blues at the Crossroads concerts on February 7, 2015 with The Soul of the Blues, a musical celebration of songs by Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Booker T. & The M.G.'s, Etta James, Sam & Dave, Bobby Womack, James Brown and others. Performing on the Rene?e and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall stage are 'Soul Queen of New Orleans' Irma Thomas, vocalist Lee Fields, up-and-coming star Alecia Chakour and jazz/funk guitarist Eric Krasno, all backed by The Dynamites.

Oscar nominee Queen Latifah ('Chicago') stars as legendary blues singer Bessie Smith in the HBO Films drama BESSIE, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Dee Rees ('Pariah') from a screenplay by Rees and Christopher Cleveland & Bettina Gilois. With a story by Rees and Horton Foote, the film focuses on Smith's transformation from a struggling young singer into 'The Empress of the Blues,' one of the most successful recording artists of the 1920s and an enduring icon today.

Hotel Nikko San Francisco and Michael Feinstein are honored to welcome Tony and Grammy Award-winning singer, composer, actor, playwright and director Billy Porter to Feinstein's at the Nikko for three performances only - Friday, January 30 (8 p.m.); Saturday, January 31 (7 p.m.) and Sunday, February 1 (7 p.m.). Porter will perform songs from his new critically acclaimed album, "Billy's Back on Broadway," as well some of his other favorites!

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents the legendary musician Maceo Parker and his funk-filled band on Friday, January 16, 2015 at 8:00pm. This performance will take place at the Byham Theater, located at 101 Sixth Street, downtown Pittsburgh. The presentation is part of the 2014-15 Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents series.

Broadway In Chicago and producers Paul Lambert, Jonas Neilson and Elizabeth Williams announced today the full cast for the premiere of the new Broadway-bound musical First Wives Club, which begins this winter at the Oriental Theatre (24 West Randolph St.).

Motown legends, THE TEMPTATIONS and THE FOUR TOPS, begin their special one-week engagement on Broadway from tonight, December 29, 2014. The show runs through January 4, 2015.

Film and Broadway Star and now 57TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARD NOMINEE ANTONIQUE SMITH is celebrating her first GRAMMY NOMINATION in the Best Traditional R&B Performance category, in addition to the ascent of her debut single "Hold Up Wait A Minute (Woo Woo)". This is ANTONIQUE SMITH's first nomination. Antonique Smith, a native of East Orange, NJ, first garnered attention in her buzz-worthy leading role in 'RENT' on Broadway as Mimi Marquez.

Electric Youth (EY) 2015, the international touring ensemble of talented singer-dancers trained at the Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA), will debut at THE BLACK BOX in downtown Franklin on Saturday, January 10, performing two shows at 7:00 and 9:30 p.m. Backed by an eight-piece band of world-class musicians, Electric Youth delivers a fun, high-energy evening of family entertainment with an extensive range of contemporary pop, classic rock, Broadway and country hits for audiences all ages. The EY shows at THE BLACK BOX will feature fully choreographed performances of Adele, The Beatles, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Jason Mraz, Frank Sinatra, Styx and more.

The Palace Theatre Box Office (1564 Broadway @ 47th street) opens today at 12 noon for the original Motown legends, THE TEMPTATIONS and THE FOUR TOPS, special one-week engagement on Broadway from December 29, 2014 - January 4, 2015. Tickets, priced from $52 - $142, are also available at ticketmaster.com/tnt. This special limited engagement is presented by Robert Ahrens, Eva Price, Manny Kladitis, A Broadway Concert Event and Live Nation Entertainment.

In a tribute to a woman who has long been an icon of pop music and vocal ability, The Greatest Love Of All - The Whitney Houston Show celebrates Whitney Houston's most loved songs with the breathtaking voice of South African singer Belinda Davids (pictured above).

The Commitments has been bringing the people's music to the people of London, playing to packed houses since the show opened at the Palace Theatre in September 2013. Due to overwhelming popular demand, the show is to extend its current booking period for the second time to 13th September 2015.