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Paul McCartney has never hidden his admiration for Elvis Presley. As a young musician in Liverpool, he was deeply influenced by The King of Rock and Roll, whose music reshaped popular culture in the 1950s. Like his Beatles bandmates, McCartney saw Elvis as more than just a singer—he was a revolution. While John Lennon famously said, “Before Elvis, there was nothing,” McCartney found a more personal connection to Presley’s music. Over the years, Paul McCartney has spoken about three Elvis songs that had a lasting impact on him: Heartbreak Hotel, All Shook Up, and Don’t Be Cruel. Each of these tracks left a mark on McCartney’s life in different ways, shaping his approach to songwriting, performance, and even personal experiences.

The Shock of ‘Heartbreak Hotel’

Released in 1956, Heartbreak Hotel was the song that introduced Elvis to the world in a way no other track had. It wasn’t just the deep,...

A couple of days ago I presented my editor with the brilliant idea of ranking Elvis Presley‘s songs to honor his birthday on January 8. Being a Mississippi girl, and having spent almost 30 years of that time living in the town of his birth, I am aware of his huge catalogue of hits, but picking just 25 out of such a variety proved to be more challenging than I anticipated. It has also been a reminder of the enormous impact that this boy from a small town made across three entertainment mediums and across several genres of music.

Born January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Ms, Presley spent his first 13 years there, with his interest in music sparking from a guitar gifted to him, church hymns and local hillbilly singer Mississippi Slim. After the family moved to Memphis, Tn, in 1948, Presley was surrounded by many different styles of music, including country, hillbilly, gospel and blues,...

Director Chris Columbus recently spoke to Vanity Fair about the strange events that led to his departure from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. His decision was partly based on awkward interactions with Chevy Chase, the film’s star.

Columbus was just starting as a director at the time. With his film Heartbreak Hotel, he had just gone through what he called a “complete disaster.” Well-known director John Hughes, Columbus’s agent, offered him the story for Christmas Vacation. It looked like a great chance.

Things went well at the start of filming, with Columbus already getting a second unit video in Chicago during the holidays. But after meeting Chase twice, things changed.

Columbus described his plans for the film during their initial meeting. Chase didn’t say a word for thirty minutes. After that, he asked Columbus, “Wait a second.” “Are you the director?” When Columbus said yes, Chase said,...

A “bizarre” encounter with actor Chevy Chase led then-unknown filmmaker Chris Columbus to walk off National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. The Nosferatu producer recalled the experience publicly for the first time, detailing that Chase’s disrespectful interactions toward him led him to quit at a time when he desperately needed a next project.

In a new sit-down with Vanity Fair, Columbus recounted connecting with John Hughes, who was repped by the same agent at the time, following the release of a “complete disaster” of a film called Heartbreak Hotel. After the box-office and critical failure, The Breakfast Club director sent him the script for Christmas Vacation.

Columbus sprung into action, beginning to shoot second unit in Chicago around Christmastime.

“I was signed on … and then I met Chevy Chase. Even given my situation at the time, where I desperately needed to make a film, I realized I couldn’t work with the guy,...

A brand-new Netflix documentary, Return of the King: The Fall and Rise of Elvis Presley, reveals insights into Elvis Presley's 1968 Comeback Specialbut not all aspects of the international icon's history are captured in the movie. Return of the King focuses on the efforts by Presley and his team, particularly his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, to kick-start his career once more after Presley's time in the army and myriad other factors reduced public interest to a certain degree. Given this specific focus, many biographical details are absent in Return of the King.

One such aspect of Presley's life that is only touched upon in Return of the King is the acquisition of his now-famous home, Graceland. Graceland is a mansion situated on a 13.8-acre estate in Memphis, Tennessee, and it is now the final resting place of Presley and several of his family members, including his daughter, Lisa Marie Presley,...

Return of the King: The Fall and Rise of Elvis Presley is Netflix's newest musical documentary, examining Elvis's tumultuous career and highlighting some of the songs he performed in his famous 1968 comeback special. The 1968 Elvis comeback special was a pivotal moment in his career, seeing him return to the stage after years of working in the film industry at the request of his manager, Colonel Tom Parker. Feeling dissatisfied with the lack of artistry in his movies, the special was a return to form for the iconic singer.

Though some of Elvis Presley's best movies, such as Viva Las Vegas, are considered classics, Elvis is known best in pop culture history for his influence on music. The 2022 biopic, Elvis, examines the toxic relationship between the star and Tom Parker, who pushed him toward his more commercial appeal. With great music from bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones dominating the industry,...

Netflix's Return of the King: The Fall and Rise of Elvis Presley revisits the 1968 television special that marked Presley's return to live performance after a seven-year hiatus. Presley first exploded onto the national music scene when he appeared on the Dorsey Brothers Stage Show several times between January and March 1956. 21-year-old Elvis was entirely unknown, but the show's exposure led to the release of his first single - "Heartbreak Hotel"- and a September appearance on the hugely popular Ed Sullivan Show, the platform that propelled him to super-stardom. Sullivan paid $50,000 for the privilege.

Over the following two years, the singer's unique blend of gospel and rock music and his energetic, charismatic, and Elvis Presley's controversial stage persona took America by storm. He released his first album, Elvis Presley, which topped the Billboard charts for 10 weeks. In 1957, Presley released three singles that went straight to number one: "Too Much...

American Idol season 22 finalist Triston Harper made it to the Top 5 of the reality singing competition series, and he's been busy furthering his music career since the show ended in May 2024. Triston was just 15 years old when he auditioned for American Idol, and he blew away the judges--Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan--with his phenomenal rendition of "Cover You Up" and his wise-beyond-his-years personality.

Throughout American Idol season 22, Triston continued to impress everyone with his exceptional performances, including "By Your Grace," "God's Country," "'Til You Can't," "Heartbreak Hotel," "Beautiful Crazy," "She's Country," "Sand in My Boots," "T-r-o-u-b-l-e," "Easy on Me," "Almost There," and "Life is a Highway." Triston also sang two original songs, including "Wrapped Up in Jesus" and "H-o-p-e," which he released as a single during his American Idol run. He also became known for his dance moves during the show. Here's what he's been up...

Women don’t have it easy in Hollywood. And they didn’t back in the ’80s when former New York Times Magazine editor Lynda Obst got her start as a producer. As famously chronicled in her 1996 book “Hello, He Lied — and Other Truths from the Hollywood Trenches,” she sold her first movie “Flashdance” (1983) to Dawn Steel at Paramount, only to have the newly minted production team of Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer take over along with all the credit for its breakout success. Still, it was a winner for the Associate Producer, and she was on her way.

Always a heavy smoker, Obst passed away at age 74 from Copd (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). She was devoted to her family, including her brother, agent Rick Rosen, and son Oly, a producer/manager, whom she has described as “my confidant and best friend.”

“She was a trailblazer for women in the industry...

Lynda Obst, who had producing credits on high-profile films including “Sleepless in Seattle,” “Flashdance” and “Adventures in Babysitting,” died Tuesday in Los Angeles. She was 74.

“I was immensely proud of her. She was a trailblazer for women in the industry at a time when it was very difficult for women to have prominent roles. She was passionate about her work but even more passionate about her family,” her brother, WME’s Rick Rosen, said to Variety.

Obst told the Hollywood Reporter earlier this year that she had been battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Most recently, she served as producer or executive producer on TV series including “The Hot Zone,” “Good Girls Revolt,” “Hot in Cleveland” and “Helix.” Obst’s final feature producing credit was Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar” in 2014. Among her other credits were “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” “Hope Floats,” “Bad Girls” and “The Fisher King.

The second season of the What Are We Talking About? podcast will launch with a conversation starter: The first joint interview with veteran Hollywood actors Keith David and David Keith who, for an obvious reason, are often confused for one another.

The podcast — hosted by entertainment industry insiders Paul Davidson (former film and TV boss at The Orchard), Benjamin Raab (Quantum Leap co-executive producer), and entertainment executive Mitch Graham — dropped a trailer today announcing the surprise interview. The full podcast episode will be available on Aug. 26.

What Are We Talking About? finds the hosts engaging in free-wheeling conversations about everything from films and TV shows to bro-hugs and skin care regimens. During an episode last season, the trio touched on the films of filmmaker John Carpenter, a chat that led them to connect the dots between David (star of Carpenter flicks like 1982’s The Thing and 1988’s They Live) and Keith.

The Top 5 artists on Season 22 of “American Idol” each performed two “Disney Night” songs on Sunday, May 12, as viewers voted live coast-to-coast for their favorites. (Read our minute-by-minute recap.) Ultimately, after millions of votes were cast, host Ryan Seacrest announced that the pair of singers who were eliminated prior to next week’s season finale were Triston Harper and Emmy Russell. And fans, as you’d expect, are outraged — just read the comments below.

Throughout the competition, Triston crooned songs like “Cover Me Up” (Auditions round), “By Your Grace” (Showstopper round), “God’s Country” (Top 24 round), “H-o-p-e” & “‘Til You Can’t” (Top 20 round), “Heartbreak Hotel” (Top 14 round), “Beautiful Crazy” (Top 12 round), “She’s Country” (Top 10 round), “Sand in My Boots” (Top 8 round), “T-r-o-u-b-l-e” & “Easy on Me” (Top 7 round), and “Almost There” & “Life Is a Highway” (Top 5 round). The 15-year-old high school student from McIntosh, Al was the youngest person still on the show.

The Top 12 were revealed in a live two-hour broadcast of “American Idol” Sunday night. Host Ryan Seacrest called the Top 14 to the stage to perform on “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Night,” mentored by Gene Simmons. In a poll conducted just after the episode, we asked, “Which contestant gave the best performance of the night?” For the second week in a row Abi Carter came out on top, this time with her rendition of “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John. Watch her full performance above.

“It’s always been you,” Katy Perry gushed following Abi’s performance. Luke Bryan complimented the singer for holding the whole room “like a pro” and Lionel Richie applauded everyone in “this class” for a superb episode of television.

After thousands of votes were recorded, Abi ended up with 31% of the tally, followed by Triston Harper (“Heartbreak Hotel”) with 16%, Will Moseley (“Night Moves...

Hey, "American Idol" fans. Tonight, April 21, 2024, another new, Live, performances/results episode of American Idol season 22 did indeed air, and we found out who made it into the top 12 when it was all said and done. The celebrity judges: Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan were all on hand once again. The theme for tonight's new episode was Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame. The contestants only performed songs from artists that have been inducted into the Rock N' Roll Hall Of Fame. Tonight's new episode kicked off with judge Luke Bryan hitting the stage to sing the song, "Small Town" by John Mellencamp. Next, the contestants delivered their performances, starting with Triston Harper. He sang, "Heartbreak Hotel" by Elvis Presley. Afterwards, Katy said, "The people are already in love with you. You scared me and you scared your mother.” Luke said, "That was tremendous and perfectly done.” Lionel said,...

Tonight on “American Idol,” with guidance from guest mentor Gene Simmons, the Top 14 take on songs from legendary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees as America votes live for the Top 12. Plus, the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees are announced live.

Below, follow with our live blog for “American Idol 22” Episode 12 airing Sunday, April 21 (8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. Et).

See ‘American Idol’ deaths: Full list of singers we’ve lost

8:00 p.m. — Previously on “American Idol”! The Top 20 performed for a spot in the Top 14. The top 10 vote-getters advanced automatically before judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie saved four more. The six eliminated artists were Ajii, Jennifer Jeffries, Kennedy Reid, Mackenzie Sol, Odell Bunton Jr. and Quintavious. Who will go home tonight?

8:05 p.m. — Luke opened up the show with a performance of “Small Town” by John Mellencamp. Next all three judges take...

Elvis has had a resurgence in popular culture with Baz Luhrmann's colorful fantasia "Elvis" about his dazzling star presence and complex relationship with Colonel Parker, and Sofia Coppola's incisive "Priscilla" which views him through a more critical lens, delving into the uneven power dynamics and manipulation that defined his marriage. 

But it was "Lilo & Stitch" that introduced Elvis to many millennial and Gen Z audiences. With its quirky alien characters and gorgeous watercolor backgrounds that illustrate the Hawaiian setting, "Lilo & Stitch" is one of the most unique Disney films. But what also makes "Lilo & Stitch" such a singular film is its soundtrack, particularly its inclusion of the crooning heartthrob from the 1950s, Elvis Presley. The adorable six-year-old Lilo overlooks any of Elvis' flaws and views him as a "model citizen" whom her naughty blue "puppy" Stitch can look up to.

Elvis did have a relationship with Hawaii,...

“Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” was the 1992 sequel to “Home Alone.” The movie starred Macaulay Culkin in his star-making role as Kevin McCallister. The sequel also featured a cameo from Donald Trump, then the owner of New York’s Plaza Hotel. Chris Columbus, who directed both movies, told Business Insider that Trump forced his way into the movie, which wasn’t standard at the time.

Columbus said that Trump’s appearance was required so that the team could shoot in the hotel. He explained, “We wanted to shoot in the lobby. We couldn’t rebuild The Plaza on a soundstage.”

Typically, a production team could pay a fee to use a physical location, but Trump wanted more than just money. “We paid the fee, but he also said, ‘The only way you can use the Plaza is if I’m in the movie,'” Columbus continued. “So we...

(from left) Kurt Russell in Elvis (Photo: Worldvision Enterprises); Austin Butler in Elvis (Photo: Warner Bros); Jonathan Rhys Meyers in Elvis (Photo: CBS); Jacob Elordi in Priscilla (Photo: Zoey Kang/A24) Graphic: The A.V. Club

When Sofia Coppola’s new biopic Priscilla opens in theaters on November 3, Jacob Elordi will...

Ken Loach’s ‘The Old Oak’ takes Spanish festival’s audience prize.

The 68th edition of the Valladolid International Film Week, also known as Seminci, wrapped on Saturday (October 28), giving its top award, the Golden Spike, to Laura Ferrés’ debut feature The Permanent Picture.

It is the first time the best feature award at the long-running film festival has been won by a Spanish woman director.

Ferrés previously directed short film The Disinherited which won the Cannes Discovery Award for best short in 2017.

See below for full list of winners

The Permanent Picture is the story of an introverted middle-aged...

Before starring as Elvis Presley in Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla,” Jacob Elordi was only familiar with the King of Rock and Roll from Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch.”

During a recent appearance on “The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon,” Elordi sat down to discuss his role in the film, which centers on the life of Priscilla Presley (Cailee Spaeny) and her relationship with Elvis.

“The most I knew of Elvis was in ‘Lilo & Stitch,'” Elordi admitted. “Which is a lot, by the way.”

“Lilo & Stitch” follows Lilo (Daveigh Chase) and her friendship with an extraterrestrial creature she meets on the island of Hawaii, whom she names Stitch (Chris Sanders). Lilo, an avid Elvis Presley fan, teaches Stitch how to become a “model citizen” like the singer and, at one point, dresses Stitch up in a Presley-inspired ensemble. The 2002 animated film also features five of Presley’s hits,...

This week’s highly anticipated Rick and Morty season 7 premiere, “How Poopy Got His Poop Back,” saw the return of fan-favorite characters Mr. Poopybutthole, Birdperson, Gearhead, and Squanchy, as they try to stage an intervention and inadvertently get riggity-riggity-wrecked with Hugh Jackman. Not a person impersonating Hugh Jackman like they did Ice T in the early seasons, but The Hugh Jackman as a fictionalized version of himself, depicted as a frat boy party animal. In every circumstance, this would be a hysterical cameo if not for the fact that the Wolverine actor has been getting his claws into adult animation for the past several years. Jackman has wholly gotten into his silly voice-acting bag, and I’m here for it.

Dating all the way back to 2006, amidst playing Wolverine in countless X-Men films and hosting the Tonys, Jackman began exploring roles that explored his vocal range, literally. So he starred...

Futurama's original intention was to cast Charles Schlatter and Nicole Sullivan as Fry and Leela, but Billy West and Katey Sagal ended up being the perfect fit. Despite confusion surrounding the change in casting, West and Sagal delivered committed and hilariously dedicated performances throughout Futurama's 11 seasons. While it's unclear why the recasting occurred, the decision ultimately paid off, as evidenced by Futurama's enduring success and the return of the show for season 11.

At the start of Futurama's complicated but critically acclaimed run, two of the series' most important characters were quietly recast. Amid a history of cancelations, revivals, and syndication, Futurama has persisted as a favorite among adult animation shows and was awarded with many prominent award nominations. Futurama is attributed to the mind of The Simpsons' star creator Matt Groening, but all of Futurama's working parts can assume responsibility for the series' iconic status and undeniable success.

Particularly,...

“Priscilla” premiered at the 2023 Venice Film Festival on Monday, September 4. Written and directed by Oscar winner Sofia Coppola – who won for her original screenplay of “Lost in Translation” in 2004 – it’s her first film since “On the Rocks” in 2020. The A24 release “Priscilla” is adapted from Priscilla Beaulieu Presley’s acclaimed 1985 memoir “Elvis and Me,” recounting her tumultuous relationship with Elvis Presley from the age of 14 when the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll was at the height of his fame. It’s described, “Through Priscilla’s eyes, Coppola tells the unseen side of a great American myth in Elvis and Priscilla’s long courtship and turbulent marriage, from a German army base to his dream-world estate at Graceland.” As such, it is said to paint a far more nuanced and complex/negative portrayal of Elvis than did last year’s Baz Luhrmann biopic.

The film stars Cailee Spaeny, who had...

Just when you thought you couldn’t get enough of Austin Butler’s Elvis voice, the man is back with several more renditions of classic Presley songs, now available on the deluxe edition of the Elvis soundtrack.

The new release — out today, March 7 — adds 15 songs to the already stuffed soundtrack, including four previously unreleased recordings of Presley hits: “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Crawfish” (which was recorded live on set), and “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” Butler also appears on “Fly Away Weave,” a wild interpolation of the traditional “I’ll Fly Away...

Baz Luhrrmann came to CinemaCon and brought the goods on his latest feature Elvis, which he says ” isn’t so much a biopic”.

The director said his Elvis covers three versions of the King of Rock: as a rebel, Hollywood star and his Vegas twilight; the singer being a mirror of America through different phases. Also Tom Hanks’ Colonel Tom Parker looms large as quite the force in Elvis’ life.

Similar to the soundtrack of the director’s The Great Gatsby which fused jazz with J.Z.’s hiphop sensibility, there’s a similar music motif going on in Elvis.

In the footage we saw tonight, a hip hop version of the “Nothing But a Houndog” played.

The aorta of the footage shows Austin Butler’s Elvis being escorted by the cops to his concert. He’s told by the cops not to wiggle a finger.

“There’s a...

Friday’s episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race was very good. In fact, you might even say it was good as… gold.

That’s right, one of the queens has finally unwrapped a coveted golden chocolate bar, officially putting that sad trombone sound effect out of its (and our) misery.

More from TVLineDrag Race Sneak Peek Pits Bosco vs. Lady Camden Ahead of This Season's Rusical (and Things Get Awkward)RuPaul's Drag Race Recap: Well, That Was the Worst Snatch Game in HerstoryDrag Race Gives Us the Lip Sync Battle 'We Have Been Waiting For' All Season

So, which lucky queen...

Wise men say only fools rush in, but we can't help falling in love with the new Elvis trailer. The upcoming Elvis Presley biopic dropped its first official trailer on Thursday, Feb. 17 and highlighted Austin Butler's stunning transformation into the iconic King of Rock and Roll—hip thrusts, southern accent, mutton chops and all. But he's not just putting on a show—that really is Butler singing "Suspicious Minds," "Heartbreak Hotel," "Jailhouse Rock" and "Unchained Melody" in the trailer. "When I began the process, I set out to get my voice to be identical. That instills fear. So that got the fire burning,"...

The knockouts for Season 21 of “The Voice” concluded on November 1, with coaches Blake Shelton, Ariana Grande, John Legend and Kelly Clarkson heading into the live shows with five artists each. Blake is hoping to extend his winning record to nine victories with three soul singers making up the majority of his team. Did the country crooner’s Season 20 win with Cam Anthony change his strategy of packing his team full of country artists?

This season one eliminated artist from each team will also compete for “The Voice” comeback. Fans across the country have been voting for their favorite via Twitter. The winner will participate in the Live Playoffs Wildcard and have a chance to earn their place in the Top 13. Below is our “The Voice 21” power ranking for Blake’s six artists (including his comeback hopeful) based on their likelihood of advancing to the next round. Sound off in the...

The battles for Season 21 of “The Voice” concluded on Tuesday, October 19, and eight-time winning coach Blake Shelton will head into the knockouts with one of his most diverse teams to date. His eclectic collection of vocalists includes country, pop, rock and R&b singers hoping to become Team Blake’s ninth champion. Below is our “The Voice 21” power ranking of these eight artists based on their likelihood of advancing to the next round.

Hoping to crush Blake’s dreams of winning another title will be his coaching rivals John Legend, Kelly Clarkson and Ariana Grande. Kelly is seeking her fourth championship while John hopes to win his second and Ariana her first (this is her rookie season). Have they assembled the right teams to defeat the cowboy? And do You agree with our power rankings below? Sound off in the comments and let us know which artist is your favorite from Team Blake.

You could tell that the Season 21 premiere of The Voice was going to show you a good time from the start, when returning coaches Blake Shelton, John Legend and Kelly Clarkson teamed up with first-timer Ariana Grande to turn “Hold On, I’m Coming” and “Respect” into the most rollicking mashup of songs since Olivia Newton-John and The Tubes went “Dancin’” in Xanadu. From there, we were treated to some by and large extremely good Blind Auditions and discovered not only what kind of panelist the new kid on the block would be (technical, technical, technical) but also what her...

Arguably no other state has contributed as much to American music and culture as Mississippi. Situated smack in the middle of the Americana music triangle, whose anchor points are Memphis, Nashville, and New Orleans, Mississippi is the cradle of blues, country and rock & roll music.

It’s easy to overlook mostly rural Mississippi when metropolises like Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York have long been home to celebrated music hotbeds that have produced incredible artists. But Mississippi is where the beat was born. Before there could be Chicago blues, there was Delta blues.

The Weeknd is still making hits no matter what the Grammys think. He was completely shut out of the nominations in 2021 despite releasing arguably the biggest hits of his career to substantial acclaim. The Grammys subsequently changed their rules, but not before The Weeknd jumped ship, announcing plans to boycott the awards from now on. See how we rank The Weeknd’s 16 greatest hits below. Number-one is obvious to us even if it wasn’t obvious to the recording academy.

SEEBest Ariana Grande songs, ranked: We count down her top 22 hits, but do you agree with our choice for number-one?

17. “Low Life” with Future (2016)

16. “You Right” with Doja Cat (2021)

15. “In Your Eyes” (2020)

14. “Call Out My Name” (2018)

13. “Heartless” (2019)

12. “Love Me Harder” with Ariana Grande (2014)

11. “6 Inch” with Beyonce (2016)

10. “Take My Breath” (2021)

9. “Starboy” featuring Daft Punk (2016)

8. “I Feel it Coming” featuring Daft Punk (2016)

7. “Save Your Tears” (2020)

6. “Pray for Me” with Kendrick Lamar (2018)

5. “Wicked...

Exclusive: Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, creators of the viral TikTok smash Bridgerton The Musical, have signed with CAA and Kraft-Engel Management.

Since the musical duo posted the first Bridgerton-inspired number on TikTok in January, the songs and performances have notched more than 165 million views and an international fanbase. Barlow and Bear have composed, orchestrated and produced 15 original songs over the past six weeks, sharing the musical’s develop with fans as they proceed.

Barlow and Bear have been profiled in various news outlets recently, including Variety, People, Entertainment Weekly, The Boston Globe, the BBC and NPR.

Bear is a pianist, composer, singer-songwriter and a musical prodigy who made the first of seven appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show at age six. She writes and performs in genres including jazz, classical, pop, film scoring and musical theater, and has performed all over the world at venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center,...

A couple of days ago I presented my editor with the brilliant idea of ranking Elvis Presley‘s songs to honor his birthday on January 8. Being a Mississippi girl, and having spent almost 30 years of that time living in the town of his birth, I am aware of his huge catalogue of hits, but picking just 25 out of such a variety proved to be more challenging than I anticipated. It has also been a reminder of the enormous impact that this boy from a small town made across three entertainment mediums and across several genres of music.

Born January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Ms, Presley spent his first 13 years there, with his interest in music sparking from a guitar gifted to him, church hymns and local hillbilly singer Mississippi Slim. After the family moved to Memphis, Tn, in 1948, Presley was surrounded by many different styles of music, including country, hillbilly, gospel and blues,...

The webinar takes place today at 9am UK time (6pm Busan time).

The latest in our ScreenDaily Talks live Q&a series will take place on Monday October 26 at 9am UK time (6pm Busan time) and will explore how filmmaking is safely restarting in Asia. This instalment of ScreenDaily Talks is sponsored by the Film Development Council of the Philippines.

Click here to register

Experts from across Asia will discuss safe shooting protocols in different territories, and also how producers are nimbly re-imagining location shooting and the refinancing of films. We also look ahead to the 2021 production pipeline, including trends...

You don’t know her. Nobody knows her. The one and only Mariah Carey has always been She Who Must Not Be Known, and her new book The Meaning of Mariah Carey (with Michaela Angela Davis) is an instant classic of pop diva lit. For any connoisseur of music memoirs, it’s more than just Mariah’s blessing to the suffering world of 2020; it’s the diva leadership we need and deserve right now. Every page is packed with her over-the-top personality — dishy, funny, moody, chatty, with more shade than a Christmas tree farm.

In the mid-Nineties, Paul McCartney reminisced on his fab years for The Beatles Anthology doc, received his knighthood from Her Majesty (indeed, a pretty nice girl), and hosted a freewheeling radio show, Oobu Joobu, that allowed him to goof off as he DJ’d rehearsal tapes and oddities from throughout his life.

Those experiences put him in an excellent frame of mind for whipping up 1997’s Flaming Pie, a sturdy potpourri of rockers, ballads, and jams that sound more inspired (and more enjoyable) than his previous record, 1993’s Off the Ground.

Sunday marks Bono’s 60th birthday, and to celebrate the U2 singer has unveiled his “60 Songs That Saved My Life” playlist.

“These are some of the songs that saved my life,’ Bono wrote of the playlist. “The ones I couldn’t have lived without… the ones that got me from there to here, zero to 60… through all the scrapes, all manner of nuisance, from the serious to the silly… and the joy, mostly joy.'”

Bono also penned a “fan letter” of gratitude to each of the artists included on his playlist,...

Trafalgar Releasing has set a re-release for the concert documentary “Elvis: That’s the Way It Is” for April 22 in 14 countries, Variety has learned exclusively.

The event will mark the 50th anniversary of the film’s original release by MGM. Most of the remastered footage was shot at the International Hotel in Las Vegas with songs including “Love Me Tender,” “Sweet Caroline,” “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Suspicious Minds.”

The 1970 concerts in the film were part of Presley’s first tour in more than a decade. The film was directed by Denis Sanders.

Marc Allenby, CEO of Trafalgar Releasing, said, “It’s been 50 years since this career changing documentary about The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll was released, yet the lasting legacy of Elvis Presley and his music can be seen more clearly than ever in film, music and culture.”

“Elvis: That’s The Way It Is” will be released in the United Kingdom,...

In 1998, Elvis Presley was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The long-awaited honor came 12 years after Presley was one of the first members enshrined in the newly formed Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. His connection to country music was evident from the beginning of his career, even if his sole Grand Ole Opry performance on October 2nd, 1954, was allegedly followed by Opry manager Jim Denny’s advice that he return to his day job as a truck driver in Memphis.

Two weeks later, the 19-year-old, who was signed to Sun Records,...

“Dancing with the Stars” is winding down its controversial 28th season. Week eight was “Dance-Off Week” during which six of the seven remaining couples went head-to-head for bonus points to help them stay in the competition and get one step closer to the Mirror Ball Trophy, which will be handed out in just three weeks on November 25. So who won their dance-offs, who lost, and who paid the ultimate price at the end of the night by being eliminated? Find out below in our live blog with all the minute-by-minute developments as they happen.

The night started the way they always do, with each celeb performing a new dance in a previously unlearned dance style. Lauren Alaina and Kate Flannery performed jives. Hannah Brown danced a quickstep. Kel Mitchell got a salsa. James Van Der Beek lucked out with a contemporary number (that style usually results in higher scores). Sean Spicer danced a jazz routine.

Australian actress Olivia DeJonge will star as Priscilla Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s untitled Elvis Presley biopic for Warner Bros.

Austin Butler is set to play the king of rock and roll and Tom Hanks will portray his manager, Col. Tom Parker. The movie hits theatres on Oct. 1, 2021.

“Olivia is capable of manifesting the complex depth and presence that has made Priscilla Presley an icon in her own right,” Luhrmann said. “She’s an extremely talented young actor and the perfect counterpoint to Austin’s Elvis.”

Luhrmann co-wrote the script with Craig Pearce. The movie centers on the relationship between the veteran manager and the young singer, who was born in 1935 to a poor family in the small town of Tupelo, Miss. Presley broke out in 1956 with “Heartbreak Hotel.” He met his future wife while serving in the U.S. Army in Germany and the couple married in 1967. They divorced in...

With the release this week of her new album While I’m Livin’, Tanya Tucker proves once again that she’s among the finest, most unique country singers on the planet. Through nearly 50 years of hits, professional highs and a few well-publicized lows, the Seminole, Texas, native has established herself as a preternaturally gifted entertainer and a force to be reckoned with. Yet, one gnawing question remains: Why is she not yet in the Country Music Hall of Fame? In celebration of While I’m Livin’, we look at 10 of...

Elvis is in the building on Oct. 1, 2021, the date set by Warner Bros. for Baz Luhrmann’s untitled Elvis Presley biopic.

The studio announced the date on Friday, three weeks after setting Austin Butler as the star. The studio tested with a handful of actors in full hair and make-up at the end of June to see who would join Tom Hanks, who is playing Presley’s manager, Col. Tom Parker.

Luhrmann co-wrote the script with Craig Pearce. The movie covers on the relationship between the veteran manager and the young singer, who was born in 1935 to a poor family in the small town of Tupelo, Miss. Presley broke out in 1956 with “Heartbreak Hotel.”

The project marks Luhrmann’s first film since his adaptation of “The Great Gatsby” starring Leonardo DiCaprio. He most recently worked on the Netflix series “The Get Down.” The plan is to shoot at the top of 2020 to accommodate Hanks’ schedule.

Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort and Harry Styles are all said to be in with a chance of playing the role of Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s biopic on the King of Rock n’ Roll.

‘Once Upon A Tim in Hollywood’ actor, Austin Butler is also in the running for the role in the film which is currently untitled. It will focus on Presley’s relationship with his famed manager Colonel Tom Parker.

It has been reported that Luhrmann tested the actors last weekend with expects to make a decision by next week.

Luhrmann will direct from a script he co-wrote with Craig Pearce. Tom Hanks is also currently in talks to play Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker.

Also in news – Melissa McCarthy in talks to play Ursula in live-action ‘The Little Mermaid’

Nicknamed the Carni, Parker became the Dutch-born manager of Elvis after spotting his talent whilst still virtually unknown.

Two new collections will delve into the music Elvis Presley produced in Las Vegas and Memphis in 1969, Live 1969 and American Sound 1969, which will be released August 9th and August 23rd, respectively.

Live 1969 commemorates the 50th anniversary of Elvis’ residency at the International Hotel in Las Vegas, which at the time, marked his first live shows in eight years. The musician performed 57 sold-out shows, during which he was backed by two vocal groups — the Imperials and the Sweet Inspirations — a full orchestra and band later known as the Tcb Band.

Live...

Randy Rogers Band chronicle a vacation breakup in “We Never Made It to Mexico,” Rhiannon Giddens reaches across generations and cultures in the gripping “Ten Thousand Voices” and Pink gets an assist from Chris Stapleton in “Love Me Anyway” in this week’s batch of must-hear songs.

Davisson Brothers Band, “Unbreak You”

The chorus may nod to Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy,” but “Unbreak You” takes the bulk of its cues from modern country radio, mixing the Davisson Brothers Band’s West Virginia twang with rocked-up grit and thickly stacked harmonies.

The Top 13 artists for Season 16 of “The Voice” will compete for America’s votes on Monday, May 6. For the first time, eight artists were voted into the Top 13 by viewers at home, regardless of which team they were on. Then, each coach had an opportunity to save one artist from their team and Lb Crew won the Comeback Stage to claim his spot. Team Blake Shelton had the strongest showing, advancing six artists. Team John Legend currently has three members remaining while Team Kelly Clarkson and Team Adam Levine each have two.

See‘The Voice’ Season 16: Top 13 Finalists In Live Shows [Photo Gallery]

Monday is “Fan Night,” meaning the artists will each perform a song chosen for them by the fans. Then, on Tuesday, May 7, the seven artists with the most votes will automatically advance to the Top 8. The three artists with the fewest votes will instantly be eliminated, leaving three...

Moulin Rouge! visionary Baz Luhrmann is on the hunt for an actor to play Elvis Presley in his new film.

The 56-year-old director’s project has yet to set a title, but the film will follow the life of the legendary singer from his career beginnings to his worldwide success.

It’ll also focus on Presley’s complicated relationship with his manager Colonel Tom Parker (played by Tom Hanks).

Luhrmann is searching for an actor between the ages of 19 and 28 who can portray the singer’s shy vulnerability masking his unshakeable faith in his own destiny.

Anyone who is interested...

Hey, "The Voice" fans. Tonight, April 29, 2019, the top 24 finally performed for your votes to get into the top 13. Of course, the judges: Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton were on hand like they always are. For the first time, Apple streams will count as votes. There's a limit of ten streams per eligible song per Apple ID. To get things started tonight, Rod Stokes from Team Kelly hit the stage to sing, "Midnight Rider" by Allman Brothers. They didn't go to the judges for any comments on his performance or any other performances. I'm guessing that's because of time constraints. I mean they had 24 freaking people performing tonight. So, they had to hurry it along. The Voice gets good rating, but not that good. NBC's like, "You guys gotta wrap this show up in two hours." With that said, Matthew Johnson from Team Kelly Clarkson hopped on stage to sing,...