Aretha Franklin News

Following in the footsteps of Beyone and U2, legendary singer Aretha Franklin is set to release her own surprise album this month, according to Showbiz411.

Florida Studio Theatre announces its 2014-2015 Cabaret season. Starting off the season are the full-bodied vocal stylings in Dancing in the Street with the Prima Donnettes. Next up is the heartfelt and unforgettable music of American Pie. Concluding the season is the entertaining and honest Never Marry a Girl With Cold Feet: And Other Life Lessons from Vaudeville.

Joe's Pub at the Public has announced its performances, September 17 through the 28th. Details below!

The Marsh presents the return of award-winning performer Brian Copeland in two of his acclaimed solo pieces: NOT A GENUINE BLACK MAN returns to The Marsh for a 10th anniversary revival performed in rep with THE WAITING PERIOD, Copeland's acclaimed, unflinching look at depression. Says Copeland, 'With the devastating loss of Robin Williams, I hope we can now finally start a national dialogue about this largely misunderstood disease.' Performances of THE WAITING PERIOD will honor the families of those who have lost loved ones to depression. Both shows, featuring humorous, poignant, and riveting insights, are written by Brian Copeland and directed by David Ford. Performances will take place Thursdays and Fridays at 8pm and Saturdays at 5pm at The Marsh San Francisco, 1062 Valencia Street. For tickets (individual shows: $30-$40, reserved: $60-$100), the public may visit www.themarsh.org or call 415-282-3055.

Performance Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark announces two new shows that go on sale this week, Men Are From Mars - Women Are From Venus LIVE! This one-man fusion of theater and stand-up, starring Peter Story, is a light-hearted theatrical comedy based on the No. 1 best-selling book by John Gray. When Mars and Venus collide, the adventures are Earth-shatteringly hysterical! Don't miss the Queen of Soul- Aretha Franklin, 19-time Grammy winner Aretha Franklin ("Respect," "Chain of Fools") is one of the most influential and important voices in the history of American music. Tickets for these performances go on sale on Friday, September 19th, 2014 at 10AM. Get your tickets now at NJPAC.org or 888.GO.NJPAC (888.466.5722)

In June 2013, Christina Holmes, a singer/songwriter originally from New Jersey, now based in Rhode Island, was presented with the opportunity to record her debut album with multi-platinum producer Narada Michael Walden after he heard some of her demos and was blown away by her raw talent.

With a unique vocal sound she calls, 'Contemporary Blues,' Billie Williams has been conquering the nightclub and cabaret rooms of New York City-from the Metropolitan Room and Iridium Jazz Club, to Joe's Pub- and now The Cutting Room tonight, September 13 at 9:30 pm.

After two weeks stuck in the house with a bad back, it was time to venture out and see a play. BEEHIVE at the Virginia Samford Theatre was exactly the prescription I needed. High energy and fast paced, it made me forget about my troubles for awhile and focus on the great music of the 60's. From the beautiful giant jukebox set, to the talented musicians who make up the band, every aspect of this presentation is spot on. The show really has no story line and although I am a believer in plays having a message and teaching us a lesson, there are those times you just want to be entertained by the music and smile with the cast. This offering makes you smile from start to finish and although I am in no shape to dance, makes you want to tap your toes and sing along, something the older ladies beside me certainly did a few times. The first act began on this particular night with Tony Award winner Louise Beard crossing the stage with a giant dime to feed into the jukebox and begin the show. That first act is comprised of songs from 1960- 1962 and is loosely held together by the ladies telling tales of when they were preteens, daydreaming of boyfriends and being BFF's to the singers they idolize. But the major focus is always the music. Act Two starts off strong with, in my opinion, the best number of the night. Alexis Marcus, far and away the youngest cast member, sings a sultry rendition of "The Beat Goes On", the old Sonny and Cher song. During the song she tells the history of 1963 and beyond, discussing the assassination of President Kennedy, the Civil Rights movement and the start of the war in Vietnam. Her sexy delivery of the song, juxtaposed with her wide eyed innocent view of some of our countries toughest times, makes for a thought provoking and beautiful presentation. I would have paid the ticket price and gotten out of the house again on a rainy night just to see that one performance. The rest of the second act continues on a tiny bit more serious note than the first due to the times it portrayed, although it is still focused on the music of the time. My second favorite number of the night is sung by Joycelyn Whatley, a real life music teacher, who is one of the most amazing singers I have ever heard. She sings many memorable songs during the evening including some Aretha Franklin that was superb, but "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" stuck with me the most. Carl Dean, who I know best as a talented choreographer, serves as director and choreographer for BEEHIVE. Although he has done some brilliant work as a director (last year's JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR at VST in particular) this current job seems like it should have been easy with so much talent singing and dancing on that stage. Kudos to him and everyone else who handles the technical side of the night. With so many different cues and so much background singing from offstage it could have been a technical mess. Instead, at least from the audience's perspective, it happens flawlessly. After an extra long curtain call (I guess 7 divas need their applause) I hobbled back to my car, still sore but with a little more spring in my step. If you need a little fun in your life and a super entertaining night out, I highly recommend BEEHIVE, showing now through September 28 at Virginia Samford Theatre.

Detroit area drummer, songwriter, and producer Drew Schultz entered the music industry at the age of 19, performing with legendary Motown group, the Four Tops, and appearing on stage with countless iconic soul artists, including The Temptations, Aretha Franklin, Martha Reeves, The Dramatics, The Miracles, The Contours, Harold Melvin's Blue Notes, and more. In 2012 he released his debut album, 'Back To Class.'

This fall acclaimed singer-songwriter Rachael Yamagata will hit the road for an extensive run of headlining live dates in North America.

Bergen Performing Arts Center located at 30 North Van Brunt Street in Englewood, New Jersey presents Michael Mcdonald and Toto tonight, September 3, 2014 at 7:30PM.

MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL standout, notable rising Broadway player and Epic Records recording artist Morgan James performs an impressive cover of R&B classic 'Baby, I Love You' in a new video now available to view exclusively on BroadwayWorld.

With a unique vocal sound she calls, 'Contemporary Blues,' Billie Williams has been conquering the nightclub and cabaret rooms of New York City-from the Metropolitan Room and Iridium Jazz Club, to Joe's Pub- and now The Cutting Room on September 13 at 9:30 pm.

It's a garden of love. It's a garden of temptation. It's Cinnabar Theater's annual garden concert! The beloved professional theater in Sonoma County invites audiences to When A Man Loves A Woman, a luscious outdoor concert at 4:00 PM on Sunday, September 14. Enter the gorgeous grounds of an exclusive Petaluma estate to savor R&B classics from a smoking eight-piece band led by legendary singers Pamela Rose and Glenn Walters.

Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College continues its 60th Anniversary Season on Saturday, November 22, 2014 at 2pm with Black Violin. Three-time winners of Amateur Night at the Apollo, this classically trained violin duo inspires young people to get fired up about classical music with their unique fusion of classical, hip-hop, jazz, blues, and R&B. Recommended for ages eight and up. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at BrooklynCenter.org or by calling the box office at 718-951-4500 (Tues-Sat, 1pm-6pm).

Sultry, sweet sounds of saxophone superstar Kenny G mellifluously meld with the full orchestra, when Pacific Symphony delivers a jazz-infused summer evening of music, led by guest conductor Albert-George Schram. In a recording career that spans three decades and 23 albums, the Grammy Award-winning Kenny G has sold more than 75 million records worldwide (45 million in the U.S. alone) and enjoyed more than a dozen climbs to the top of Billboard's contemporary jazz chart. By grafting elements of R&B, pop and Latin to his smooth jazz foundation, Kenny G has solidified his reputation as the premier artist in contemporary jazz. Having made his debut with Pacific Symphony in February 2013 for a romantic Valentine's Day weekend celebration, Kenny G returns to Orange County tonight, Aug. 23, at 8 p.m., to perform at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine as part of Mercedes-Benz presents Summer Festival 2014.

A fresh and powerful new voice on the contemporary jazz scene, Cheryl Barnes (www.cheryldbarnes.com) - whose new full-length album Listen To This is scoring airplay everywhere from KCRW in Los Angeles to WNVW (The Wave) in Cleveland - will be sharing a 'Hot Night of Cool Jazz' with renowned R&B/Jazz singer Johnny Britt tonight, August 16 in Port Hueneme, Calif.

Accidents can happen—and sometimes they bring good things. When Brazilian singer Glaucia Nasser appeared at a concert at WDNA's Jazz Gallery in Miami, she had no idea that a chance meeting there would change her life.

The Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, celebrating their 125th Anniversary Season, has been chosen as one of five honorees for the City of Chicago and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) inaugural Fifth Star Awards, celebrating the city's creativity through artists, arts advocates and cultural institutions. The free public celebration, also honoring dancer Lou Conte, artist Richard Hunt, Grammy-winning composer, pianist and radio personality Ramsey Lewis and arts advocate Lois Weisberg, will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 7:00 pm at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park (201 E. Randolph St.) and will feature live performances and tributes throughout the evening.

Gary Naylor sees a spectacularly entertaining show in which the laughs and the learning keeps coming and coming and coming - though Cher fans may wish to take a raincheck.