About 500 U.S. leaders recently attended a two-day summit to celebrate and discuss more opportunities for volunteer service. Multi-Grammy-winning R&B singer-songwriter Alicia Keys was one of the speakers, one of her many talents, including acting.
The next day she was inducted into the All Time Hot 100 Artists by Billboard Hot 100. Not many artists of her generation made that list. Keys performs Saturday at WaMu in Seattle.
Keys, who has been mentioned by name in at least seven songs, describes her current album, “Yes I Am,” as “Janis Joplin meets Aretha Franklin.” Keys made her film debut in 2007 as an assassin in “Smokin’ Aces,” 22 years after her debut in the “Cosby Show.”
Journey, Heart, Cheap Trick: The bands have been touring together all summer. Journey, the rock band started by former members of Santana, are known for power ballads (“Don’t Stop Believing,” “Wheel in the Sky”). The Wilson sisters Ann and Nancy of Heart have been a rock staple since the 1970s and are on VH1’s “100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock” list.
Heart was recently in the news when the Republican National Convention played “Barracuda” after speeches by the nominees. A cease-and-desist order was sent to the campaign, although one of the co-writers (Roger Fisher) was pleased with the royalties because he planned to donate to the Democratic nominee.
Cheap Trick also was an energized pop-rock band in the 1970s and tours with the original line-up. The band has been credited with 29 movie soundtracks and made VH1’s “100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock” list. The Japanese press calls the band the American Beatles.
Maroon 5, Counting Crows: The co-headliners are on a green tour for Reverb, an environmental non-profit. Maroon 5 recently won its third Grammy, this time for the chart-topping single “Makes Me Wonder” from the chart-topping CD “It Won’t Be Soon Before Long.” Counting Crows’ most recent hit was the No. 1 “Accidentally in Love,” featured on the soundtrack to “Shrek 2” and nominated in 2005 for Grammy, Golden Globe and Academy Award honors.
JJ Grey &Mofro: The singer and songwriter loves surfing, farming, shrimping and fishing as well as creating one of USA Today’s “picks of the week” (“Orange Blossoms”). His previous album, “Country Ghetto,” was a success. Don’t be fooled: The CD title is as bright as it gets in Grey’s world, one that includes pain, despair and affairs offered through the multi-instrumentalist’s multi-layered Southern R&B, blues, funk and jukebox music. It hit the New Artist Chart at number four.
Delta Spirit: The blues-rock-psych pop band made its TV debut on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” playing the Top-25 “Trashcan,” and its “People C’mon” was used during commercial bumpers during CBS Sports’ coverage of the U.S. Open.
Out and about: Seattle Folklore Society fall series includes Dana Lyons, Autoharp Times Four, Bill Staines, Susan Werner, Hanneke Cassel, Tom Rawson and the Wanderers, Cosy Sheridan and T.R. Richie, and the Downtown Mountain Boys (206-528-8523, www.seattlefolklore.org) … Jazz vocalist Ed Reed is fresh off gaining mention in the “Rising Star Male Vocals” category of the Down Beat Critics’ Poll. He made his recording debut a year ago at age 78 (Tuesday and Wednesday, Jazz Alley) …
Sixteen-year-old Vince Mira already has appeared on “Good Morning America” and “The Ellen Degeneres Show” for his covering Johnny Cash songs in a deep baritone (today, Skagit Valley Casino, Bow) … “American Idol” winner Carrie Underwood now claims several Grammy awards and No. 1 singles and was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in May 2008 (today, Puyallup Fair) …
Linda Ronstadt is one of the most successful vocalists across different genres, has earned Grammy and Emmy awards and Tony and Golden Globe nominations, and once was the highest paid woman in rock. She’ll perform with Los Camperos de Nati Cano (Tuesday, Paramount) … Saxman Maceo Parker, the main soloist on many of James Brown’s hits as well as a creative collaborator, is touring with this year’s “Roots &Grooves,” his latest recording (Thursday through Sept. 28, Jazz Alley).
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