Desmond Child News

Tootsie officially opened last night, April 23! BroadwayWorld was there for the big night and you can check out photos of all the red carpet action below!

Last night, Ariana Grande took the stage at Coachella! Joining her were NSYNC, Nicki Minaj, and more, which sent social media into a frenzy!

Today's subject, Kristin Chenoweth, has been living her theatre life to the fullest since 1993 when Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ cast her as the ingénue in their production of Animal Crackers. The show effectively launched her career and she went on to become a Tony Award-winning actress, and a highly successful recording and concert artist. She has also made many appearances on television and in film. On April 8th you will have the privilege of seeing this immense talent live onstage at The Music Center at Strathmore and, judging from past performances, it's going to a great evening of music.

The fifth annual “The First And The Worst”played to a packed house last night at Nashville's City Winery for an unforgettable evening of music. The one-of-a-kind event brought together Country Music Hall of Fame inductee and radio personality KIX BROOKS, Grammy-winning and Emmy-nominated songwriter DESMOND CHILD, edgy storytelling hitmaker LUKE DICK, The Last Songwriter and Real Country featured artist JAMIE FLOYD and four-week #1 smash “Speechless” co-writer LAURA VELTZ to perform the very first and worst songs they've ever written as they divulged the stories and the songs that led to their biggest hits, all to benefit MUSIC HEALTH ALLIANCE.

In January, Ariana Grande dropped her latest single, and its accompanying music video, '7 Rings.' The song features her sampling the famous Sound of Music number, 'My Favorite Things.' According to The New York Times, the song just topped Billboard's singles chart for the sixth time. The song is credited to 10 writers, but Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, who wrote the original 'My Favorite Things,' control 90% of the songwriting royalties. That makes this chart-topping hit not only a huge victory for Grande, but a huge victory for the musical theatre legends as well!

 Music Health Alliance (MHA) is excited to announce the addition of country music icon and radio personality KIX BROOKS and edgy storytelling hitmaker LUKE DICK to the 5th Annual “The First And The Worst” musical event at Nashville City Winery on March 26, 2019.  The pair join previously announced Grammy-winning and Emmy-nominated songwriter Desmond Child, The Last Songwriter and Real Country featured artist Jamie Floyd and four-week #1 smash “Speechless” co-writer Laura Veltz to perform the very first and the very worst songs they ever wrote, in addition to their biggest hits, all in support of Music Health Alliance. “The First And The Worst,” now in its fifth year, is a one-of-a-kind event only Nashville can deliver as our greatest talents come together to showcase their silliest and most shameful songs, all while competing for the audience-voted “Crappy” trophy.   Tickets to the event are available at https://citywinery.com/nashville/firstandtheworst032619.html.

Martin Bandier, Chairman and CEO of Sony/ATV Music Publishing, will be awarded the Visionary Leadership Award at the 50th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Dinner slated for Thursday, June 13th at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.  

On Monday, February 18th (Presidents' Day) you'll find Richard Jay-Alexander at Midtown's Urban Entertainment Hall, The Greenroom 42, as Co-Producer and Director of HONEY BEAVERS: IT'S 9:30 PM. DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR CHILDREN ARE? It's a headlining debut for the downtown artist, but what many of you don't know is that the same girl, by day, is Jay-Alexander's Assistant, Nellie Beavers.

Grammy-winning and Emmy-nominated songwriter Desmond Child, The Last Songwriter and Real Country featured artist Jamie Floyd and four-week #1 smash "Speechless" co-writer Laura Veltz will take the stage at Nashville's City Winery on March 26, 2019 to perform the very first and the very worst songs they ever wrote, in addition to their biggest hits, all in support of Music Health Alliance. "The First And The Worst," now in its fifth year, is a one-of-a-kind event only Nashville can deliver as our greatest talents come together to showcase their silliest and most shameful songs, all while competing for the audience-voted "Crappy" trophy.

Next week, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com/Feinsteins or call (646) 476-3551.

The ASCAP Foundation honored R&B and pop icon Valerie Simpson with its George M. Cohan Friars Foundation Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Melinda Wagner with The ASCAP Foundation Masters Award at the 2018 ASCAP Foundation Honors tonight. The ceremony took place at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall, Broadway at 60th Street, in New York City. The ASCAP Foundation 2018 scholarship recipients were also recognized in an evening brimming with talent and inspiration.

Fresh from her Birdland Theater concert on Saturday night when Kristen Chenoweth and Desmond Child 'dropped in' to her show, country music star Victoria Shaw dropped by The Carlyle for the Sunday night Stritch/Caruso musical fun.

It wasn't the Country Music Awards or Grammy Awards at the new Birdland Theater last night but it sure seemed like it. An overflow audience for the Victoria Shaw concert got a surprise as Victoria called up two of her friends who were in the audience……..Desmond Child, and then Kristin Chenoweth each sang a number. Even Jim Caruso who has hosted every famous person on the planet whipped out his cell phone camera for this one.

Tomorrow, Nov. 2, the legendary Barbra Streisand will release 'Walls,' her first album primarily consisting of original songs since 2005. But, today, BroadwayWorld has an exclusive FIRST LISTEN to one of the songs on the album, 'The Rain Will Fall.'

Today, Lincoln Center has announced the 20th season of American Songbook, celebrating the ever-expanding American musical canon from January 30 to March 4, 2019. This year's 15-concert series includes legendary songwriters, contemporary storytellers and interpreters of song, and musical projects by multitalented performers pushing the boundaries of pop, alternative, soul, folk, musical theater, jazz, and more.

City of Hope, the cancer research and treatment center, announced that Stephen Schwartz will be the recipient of the Warner/Chappell Music 'Icon of Hope' Award at the 14th annual Songs of Hope event.

Lineup to include Maryland's own Martin O'Malley, 7-piece Irish rock band O'Malley's March. BlackRock Center for the Arts has officially announced their annual Summer Concert Series line up on their outdoor stage. Shows are free and will be held for five consecutive Saturdays at 7 pm beginning June 30. New this summer: a variety of food trucks, and an exclusive Beer and Wine Garden for guests over 21. Family-friendly activities such as face painting, henna art, and caricature portraits will take place during the Family Fun Festival on July 28 starting at 5 pm and will include performances and workshops for kids by Culkin School of Irish Dance and an opening act by MacMillan Pipe Band. BlackRock's Concert Series celebrates Montgomery County's diverse population with an array of music including Irish Rock, Reggae, Salsa and Soul. The summer concert series showcases a distinctly diverse array of musical offerings that Blackrock Center for the Arts will present throughout the year. All Summer Concerts will be performed on the BlackRock front lawn, weather permitting - picnic blankets and low-back chairs will be allowed. In the case of inclement weather, the concert will move inside to the BlackRock Mainstage. More information can be found on the BlackRock website: blackrockcenter.org Saturday, June 30 | Soul Crackers | Soul Music Formed in 1982, the Soul Crackers were a full time performing powerhouse on the East Coast bar circuit for many years. Headlining shows such as the Adams Morgan Day Festival and clubs like the Bayou and the Wax Museum led to a command performance at the White House in 1994. They have played every type of function possible and specialize in parties, anniversaries, corporate events, weddings and festivals. Soul Crackers has two recent recordings Soul Crackers, 30 Years of Soul Parts 1 and 2. Saturday, July 7 | Britishmania| Beatles Tribute The legend lives on with Britishmania the World's Best Beatles Tribute Band. With mind blowing performances, and true to era attire, Britishmania recreates the Beatles revolution that changed the world. This legendary foursome delivers note for note theatrical performances that will take you back in time. Experience the worlds' most iconic band today Saturday, July 14 | Lenny Kurlou & the Reggae Allstars | Reggae Jamaican sensation Lenny Kurlou has captivated audiences with his sultry, sexy voice. Born in Kingston, he began singing early in life, starting his career on dancehall sound systems then later joining many different bands. He has over 15 years of experience. Saturday, July 21 | Sizzlin' Salsa| Salsa Not your everyday salsero, Marlow Rosado is a producer, composer, and pianist who incorporates elements of rock, hip-hop, reggaeton, and bachata into his salsa recordings and performances. After moving to Florida to earn a master's degree in jazz education, Rosado began to share his love of music as a teacher while moonlighting conducting orchestras, producing recordings, and writing arrangements. A gig singing for Desmond Child - Songwriting Hall of Fame inductee and frequent associate of Aerosmith and Bon Jovi - led to work with Ricky Martin and Alejandra Guzmán. Rosado's second solo album, Retro earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Tropical Latin Album. Saturday, July 28 | O'Malley's March | Irish Rock Martin O'Malley has brought together a band of diverse musicians some born and raised in the traditions of Irish music, some classically trained, some life-long students of blues, rock, jazz. Jared Denhard, Jim Eagan, Pete Miller, Ralph Reinoldi, Jamie Wilson and Martin O'Malley are O'Malley's March. You could call it Celtic Rock- but it is so much more. This band has refused to stand in one place and simply play the usual fare. Mixing the hauntingly beautiful, soulful and rousing music of Irish tradition with the music that was created out of the Irish Diaspora with original songs by Martin O'Malley, they continue to grow, listen, go beyond what they know, to share their intimate connection with the music they have written and the music that has written them. About BlackRock BlackRock Center for the Arts is a cultural cornerstone and the leading venue for the performing and visual arts in Upper Montgomery County Maryland. Since 2002, the nonprofit arts center has been providing the community with diverse performing arts programs, free gallery exhibitions and arts education experiences in a welcoming and intimate setting close to home. The dynamic facility houses two art galleries, two theaters presenting more than 40 performances per year, and numerous classrooms and studios where year-round classes in the arts are offered for all ages. Parking is available & Ride On offers 15-minute express bus service from Shady Grove Metro (Red Line): BlackRock Center for the Arts is centrally located in the heart of Germantown, next to the Germantown Branch Montgomery County Public Library, at 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown, MD 20874. Free parking is available in the lot adjacent to our building. Ride Metrorail to Shady Grove Station (Red Line) and transfer to Ride On Bus Route 100 (15-minute Express Bus Service from Metro Shady Grove Station to the Germantown Transit Center [GTC] on Aircraft Drive). From GTC, walk four blocks following Century Boulevard to our front door, or transfer to Ride On Bus Route 97 which stops in front of BlackRock. Check schedules by calling 240-777-7433 or visiting: www.rideonbus.com and www.metroopensdoors.com

Award-winning songwriters will convene on Capitol Hill tomorrow, May 17, to meet with elected officials as part of the annual American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers' (ASCAP) 'Stand with Songwriters' Advocacy Day. They will ask senators to cosponsor the Music Modernization Act, the bipartisan music reform bill that passed unanimously in the U.S. House of Representatives on April 25 and was recently reintroduced in the Senate.

ASCAP has added multi-platinum songwriter and artist Ne-Yo and Grammy-winning artist-producer Jermaine Dupri to the 2018 ASCAP 'I Create Music' EXPO lineup, joining an illustrious roster of Hall of Famers and chart-topping music creators set to appear. The country's largest conference for music creators, May 7-9 at the Loews Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles, has also released its full schedule of programming at https://2018ascapexpo.sched.com/. The 13th annual event will feature three days of panels, workshops, master classes, keynotes and one-on-one sessions with the industry's top hitmakers.

The ASCAP Pop Awards are always a good time, but this year's ceremony on April 23 was truly a night to remember. We gave out special honors to some of the brightest lights in music: iconic hitmaker Desmond Child (Founders Award), Portugal. The Man (Vanguard Award) and pop chanteuse Lana Del Rey (Global Impact Award), plus our four Songwriter of the Year honorees, Starrah, Drew Taggart, Steve Mac and Max Martin - and celebrated the writers and publishers of the most-performed songs of 2017. Universal Music Publishing Group was named Publisher of the Year, and BMG took home Independent Publisher of the Year honors for the third consecutive year.