Music News

PARIS (AP) — Former hostage Ingrid Betancourt took the stage and shook her hips to a Colombian superstar's guitar riffs, leading the crowd in chants of "Freedom for all!" at a concert Sunday dedicated to captives held by Colombia's FARC rebel group.

Los Angeles (E! Online) - DMX couldn't quite keep up with the Joneses. Or at least with the charade of pretending to be one.

PHOENIX (AP) — Rapper DMX was arrested at a Phoenix mall Saturday on suspicion that he gave a gave a false name and Social Security number to a hospital to get out of paying for medical expenses.

NEW YORK (Billboard) - The first chapter of the Black Kids' story reads like an indie rock fairy tale.

MIAMI (Billboard) - Co-headliners of different genres are no longer an oddity in the U.S. Latin market.

NEW YORK (Billboard) - UK Singer/songwriter Cathy Dennis stormed America at the beginning of the '90s with top 10 hits "C'mon and Get My Love," "Just Another Dream," "Touch Me (All Night Long)" and "Too Many Walls," and spent 67 weeks on the Billboard 200 with her debut album "Move to This."

NEW YORK (Billboard) - As music retailers struggle to stay in business, a Los Angeles firm is doing nicely targeting a demographic that gets bigger every year -- prisoners.

MIAMI (Billboard) - Mexico's music from the hotlands -- better-known by its Spanish term, "musica de tierra caliente" -- has long played second fiddle to its more popular cousin, duranguense.

NEW YORK (Billboard) - After moving nearly 3 million copies of its 2005 debut album, "Extreme Behavior," Oklahoma City rock band Hinder is eyeing another big release with its new album, "Take It to the Limit."

NASHVILLE (Billboard) - Country star Miranda Lambert says she is shocked -- pleasantly so -- that her domestic-abuse tale "Gunpowder & Lead" has become her first top 10 entry on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - The left-of-center pairing of Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis finds the country and jazz icons cooking up some sweet music -- as well as notching career milestones on their respective belts.

Rock festival season is underway, with Coachella and Bonnaroo already over, the Warped and Ozzfest tours traveling from coast to coast, and Chicago's Lollapalooza and New Jersey's All Points West events around the corner in early August.

Los Angeles (E! Online) - The Jonas Brothers want their MTV. And MTV wants them.

Los Angeles (E! Online) - Fergie is thisclose to joining the star-studded cast of Nine.

NEW YORK (AP) — Billy Joel bade a stirring farewell to Shea Stadium on Friday during an electrifying, sold-out final show at the same ballpark where the Beatles famously ushered in a new era in rock 'n' roll four decades ago.

Los Angeles (E! Online) - A jury might still get to answer the question, Do ya think Rod Stewart's liable for his son's alleged misbehavior?

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Less than eight months after an epic meltdown that led to a court taking away her children, Britney Spears is reclaiming her role as a mother — to the point where she may be with her boys nearly half the time.

Los Angeles (E! Online) - Darryl McDaniels—the rap progenitor who put the DMC in Run-DMC—has been admitted to a New Jersey hospital, where he is expected to undergo surgery to remove two major blood clots later today, publicist Tracey Miller confirmed to E! News.

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - Veteran rapper Nas is on course to notch his fifth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 when data are issued Wednesday, but sales will likely be considerably lower than those for his previous release.

LOS ANGELES - Jo Stafford, the honey-voiced band singer who starred in radio and television and sold more than 25 million records with her ballads and folks songs, has died. She was 90.

Los Angeles (E! Online) - Paging Dr. Drew. Somebody's been dancing with Mr. Brownstone again.

NEW YORK - Darryl "DMC" McDaniels of the legendary rap group Run-DMC was scheduled to undergo surgery at a New Jersey hospital Friday to remove two major blood clots in his left arm.

Los Angeles (E! Online) - UPDATE: Hours after the arrest warrant was issued, Pete Doherty's rep announced that it has been revoked and that a new hearing has been scheduled for July 24.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Because of his own injuries, Ben Vereen seems like a natural to highlight a fundraiser for an institute that researches brain damage, but it took an introduction from the woman who walks his dog to make it happen.

Los Angeles (E! Online) - Who needs movies on a plane when Whitney Houston's sitting nearby?

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Songwriter Hank Cochran is recovering at a Nashville hospital following surgery to remove cancerous tumors from his pancreas and lymph node.

Los Angeles (E! Online) - Nashville's recent Urban development is making at least two residents very happy.

LOS ANGELES - Former Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler has been arrested in Hollywood for alleged drug possession.

Los Angeles (E! Online) - Papa has fetched a brand new bag—of money.