Latest news with #MusicCity
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
2025 Stand Up To Cancer Fundraiser To Feature Dolly Parton, Host Sheryl Crow
The 2025 Stand Up to Cancer benefit will be broadcast from Nashville for the first time this year in a primetime broadcast hosted by Sheryl Crow and featuring an appearance from Dolly Parton. The one-hour Aug. 15 special will take place at Music City's newest venue, the 4,500-capacity The Pinnacle and air at 8 p.m. ET. Bringing together musicians, celebrities, athletes, cancer survivors and researchers, with additional performers and A-list participants to be announced soon, the show will once again air on a wide variety of platforms to reach the largest-possible audience. More from Billboard Debbie Harry on Image Expectations in Music: 'I Wanted to Work' Wallows Recall Morrissey Walking Out of Their Show: 'That's the Perfect Morrissey Story' Bob Vylan Axed From Radar, Kave Fest After Glastonbury Backlash 'The goal of Stand Up To Cancer has always been about working collaboratively to push cancer research forward so we could help patients as quickly as possible,' said veteran journalist and SU2C co-founder Katie Couric in a statement. 'Nearly two decades later, it's incredibly gratifying and inspiring to see the impact of this research. Bringing the show to Nashville will infuse new energy and excitement into our mission. There's still so much work to do and every dollar makes a difference—especially to the families who are counting on novel approaches and therapies as they face the challenges that often accompany a cancer diagnosis.' The commercial-free show will be carried on more than 30 participating platforms including the four major networks (NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox), as well as CMT, AXS TV, Pluto TV, Paramount+, Hulu, HBO Max, Prime Video, AMC+, Comedy Central, MTV, Disney+ and others; viewers will also be able to watch the telecast on-demand on a number of digital and streaming platform. The biennial event was first televised in 2008, when it raised more than $100 million following a broadcast that featured Dirty Dancing star Patrick Swayze — who died of pancreatic cancer a year later — as well as cancer survivors Crow, Melissa Etheridge and actress Christina Applegate, with appearances from Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Carrie Underwood and Miley Cyrus, among others. The 2023 show featured performances from Alabama Shakes singer and solo performer Brittany Howard and The Who, as well as appearances by Jessica Biel, Ken Jeong, Tig Notaro, Julianne Moore and Justin Timberlake. Check out a video message from Parton and other SU2C supporters here. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Connie Francis' dalliance with country music and Nashville remembered after her death at 87
Legendary pop balladeer Connie Francis has died, according to a July 17 Facebook announcement by Ron Roberts, president of her music Label, Concetta Records. She was 87. She was renowned for tear-jerking ballads including "Who's Sorry Now?" and "Don't Break the Heart that Loves You," plus eventual pop standards including "Lipstick on Your Collar," "Stupid Cupid" and "Vacation." No cause of death was listed. Did Connie Francis have Nashville ties? Like many pop stars of that era, her style was favored by then-Decca Records Nashville chief and iconic country music producer Owen Bradley. Therefore, she often recorded at his "Quonset Hut" Studio on Music Row. Specifically, in 1961 and 1964, the eventual seller of more than 200 million records worldwide made significant contributions to the music scene in Music City. In the same week of Aug. 1961, Francis recorded "Connie Francis Sings 'Never on Sunday' (and other title songs from motion pictures)" and "Connie Francis Sings Folk Song Favorites." Three years later, she returned and worked with Hank Williams, Jr. on the album "Connie Francis & Hank Williams, Jr. Sing Great Country Favorites." Why was Connie Francis a fan of working in Music City? Before returning in August, Francis first paired with Bradley in January of 1961. Back then, Bradley was five years into working in Nashville and developing his smoother, pop-aimed and string-laden "Nashville Sound." Songs like 1960's "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" and "My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own" saw Francis sample sounds akin to the emerging Music City innovation. Francis famously commissioned her Brooklyn-based songwriting team, Howard Greenfield and Jack Keller, to write "Everybody's Somebody's Fool," which aimed to mimic the type of country hits that worked for performers such as Patsy Cline and Connie Smith. This led both of those pop hits to the No. 1 position on the Country & Western and all-genre Hot 100 charts, respectively. Months later, Francis found herself at the Quonset Hut surrounded by Nashville session musicians led by arranger and composer Cliff Parman, with backing vocalists Millie Kirkham and The Jordanaires also present. Those recordings resulted in two tracks, "Let The Rest Of The World Go By" and "Someone Else's Boy." Foreign-language versions of those songs became massive hits overseas, especially in Germany. In favor of working with Bradley and crew, Francis spent eight more years returning to Nashville for recordings. Why did Connie Francis pair with Hank Williams, Jr.? A decade after the death of his Country Music Hall of Fame-inducted father, Hank Williams, Jr. debuted as an artist in 1964. His path would intersect with Connie Francis in the same year. Hank Jr.'s calling card back then was directly tied to his iconic father, who unexpectedly died on Jan. 1, 1953. The album "Hank Williams Jr. Sings the Songs of Hank Williams" was a top-20 country charter. It's follow-up, the soundtrack to the MGM-released Hank Williams biopic "Your Cheatin' Heart," was a gold-selling crossover hit. Owen Bradley was behind the boards on May 11-13, 1964, when Francis and Hank Jr. recorded 14 country standards. 12 of those were released as "Connie Francis and Hank Williams Jr. Sing Great Country Favorites." "Connie's very versatile singing brings the skilled nuance of the urban song to bear upon this material. On the other hand, Hank sings in the traditional country fashion," wrote studio drummer Paul Ackerman. "Theirs was a natural collaboration in any sense other than that of corporate logic: Francis was MGM Records' biggest star, Williams, the son of their biggest country money maker, was probably their newest signing. It must have been hoped that glory would be reflected on both sides," added independent European record re-release company Bear Family Records in a press release. Francis' influence impacts Nashville's global expansion Outside of the country world, Francis' Nashville-recorded albums were globally successful. Francis recorded nearly a dozen albums of her takes on global "favorites" between 1960 and 1964, including Jewish, German, Irish and more. Regularly recording in other languages was a skill mimicked by other Nashville favorites including Wanda Jackson, Brenda Lee, Pat Boone and Johnny Cash. Eventually, Francis expanded her work to cover songs in 15 languages. Although not always fluent in them, she sang them phonetically. In a 1961 television interview, she stated that she was fluent in Spanish and Italian, but always had a translator nearby to ensure her translated lyrics and, especially, her pronunciation were accurate. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Connie Francis' dalliance with 'Nashville sound' and Hank Williams Jr.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Where are millennials buying homes? Nashville ranks among top U.S. places for young homebuyers
Millennials are buying homes at significantly different rates depending on the metro area, according to a study by SmartAsset. In some cities, as many as 1 in 25 residents aged 25 to 44 secured a conventional mortgage in 2024 alone. In contrast, other major metros saw fewer than 1 in 100 millennial-aged residents make a home purchase last year. "This disparity can cause divergent implications for local infrastructure, politics, and business demand among different metros," SmartAsset said. "Particularly with many Millennials at the peak of their earning potential, local tax bases, housing markets, and more may also be impacted by such trends." "Observed from another angle, high rates of Millennials investing in homes in an area may indicate prosperity in the job market, paired with a friendly housing market and economy." According to mortgage data, 4.08% of millennials in the Nashville area purchased a home in 2024, making Music City a top choice for millennial home buyers. Here's a closer look at where millennials are buying homes. More: Why are people moving to the South? Tennessee among top choice for relocation, survey says Nashville ranks among top 10 cities for millennial homebuyers, study shows A total of 25,512 conventional mortgages were issued in 2024 the Music City area, with a median interest rate of 6.63%. Among millennial homebuyers, the median property value was $455,000, while the median income stood at $123,000, reported SmartAsset. The total population of the area was 2,104,235, with 624,627 residents aged 25 to 44, representing 29.68% of the population. This embedded content is not available in your region. Where are millennials buying the most homes? Raleigh, North Carolina leads the nation in millennial homebuying, with 4.5% of Raleigh-Cary residents aged 25-44 purchasing homes with conventional mortgages in 2024, the highest share among all metro areas studied. The Raleigh-Cary metro area was followed by Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood at No. 2, Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia at No. 3, and the Nashville Metropolitan area at No. 4. Rounding out the top five was the Cincinnati metro area. Methodology To find where millennials are purchasing homes at the fastest rates, SmartAsset analyzed 2024 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data. The study focused on originated mortgages for people aged 25 to 44, comparing them to the size of the local population in the same age group based on 2023 U.S. Census Bureau estimates. The study also considered the median income of new millennial homeowners and the value of the properties they purchased. Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for the Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@ or follow her on X at @_leyvadiana This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville among top U.S. places where millennials are buying homes Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Washington Post
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Ariel Atkins joining Athletes Unlimited basketball league this offseason
Ariel Atkins is making the switch from Unrivaled to Athletes Unlimited this season. The Chicago Sky guard played part of last offseason in the fledging 3-on-3 league that was developed by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. Now Atkins will play in Athletes Unlimited, which is returning to Nashville in February for a second straight season. 'I'm super excited about it. They've been building something for awhile now,' Atkins said in a phone interview. 'They focus on the players having everything they need to give us the opportunity in the offseason.' Athletes Unlimited will start its fifth season Feb. 4 at Municipal Auditorium after enjoying record attendance in Music City earlier this year. Maddy Siegrist of the WNBA's Dallas Wings won the individual title as the league wrapped up play March 2. The league features 40 pros competing over four weeks in a traditional 5-on-5 format with $500,000 in prize bonuses up for grabs, with rules set by the players. Atkins said she talked to a few of the players who have competed in the league, including Theresa Plaisance, Elizabeth Williams and Alysha Clark. 'I had deep conversations to get the gist of how it is and they all truly enjoy it,' Atkins said. Atkins had nothing bad to say about Unrivaled. She played there for a few weeks as a relief player, filling in on teams that had injuries. 'They were doing a phenomenal job and the players are taken care of,' she said. Atkins has played overseas in the past, but as of now she just plans on playing in the Athletes Unlimited season. Besides Atkins, early signees include three members of the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces in NaLyssa Smith, Kiah Stokes and Aaliyah Nye, and two from the New York Liberty, Isabelle Harrison and Jalyn Sherrod. Others include three-time WNBA champ Alysha Clark, Seattle Storm's Lexie Brown, who chairs the AU Pro Basketball player executive committee, two-time WNBA champ Sydney Colson and WNBA rookie Te-Hina Paopao. Megan Perry, Athletes Unlimited's vice president of basketball, said they are thrilled to return to Municipal Auditorium after being welcomed in Nashville last season. 'With a roster that blends proven leaders and exciting new faces, AU Pro Basketball is where legends rise and new stars are born,' Perry said. AU Pro Basketball debuted in Las Vegas in 2022 and played the 2023 and 2024 seasons in Dallas. ___ AP WNBA:
Associated Press
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Ariel Atkins joining Athletes Unlimited basketball league this offseason
Ariel Atkins is making the switch from Unrivaled to Athletes Unlimited this season. The Chicago Sky guard played part of last offseason in the fledging 3-on-3 league that was developed by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. Now Atkins will play in Athletes Unlimited, which is returning to Nashville in February for a second straight season. 'I'm super excited about it. They've been building something for awhile now,' Atkins said in a phone interview. 'They focus on the players having everything they need to give us the opportunity in the offseason.' Athletes Unlimited will start its fifth season Feb. 4 at Municipal Auditorium after enjoying record attendance in Music City earlier this year. Maddy Siegrist of the WNBA's Dallas Wings won the individual title as the league wrapped up play March 2. The league features 40 pros competing over four weeks in a traditional 5-on-5 format with $500,000 in prize bonuses up for grabs, with rules set by the players. Atkins said she talked to a few of the players who have competed in the league, including Theresa Plaisance, Elizabeth Williams and Alysha Clark. 'I had deep conversations to get the gist of how it is and they all truly enjoy it,' Atkins said. Atkins had nothing bad to say about Unrivaled. She played there for a few weeks as a relief player, filling in on teams that had injuries. 'They were doing a phenomenal job and the players are taken care of,' she said. Atkins has played overseas in the past, but as of now she just plans on playing in the Athletes Unlimited season. Besides Atkins, early signees include three members of the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces in NaLyssa Smith, Kiah Stokes and Aaliyah Nye, and two from the New York Liberty, Isabelle Harrison and Jalyn Sherrod. Others include three-time WNBA champ Alysha Clark, Seattle Storm's Lexie Brown, who chairs the AU Pro Basketball player executive committee, two-time WNBA champ Sydney Colson and WNBA rookie Te-Hina Paopao. Megan Perry, Athletes Unlimited's vice president of basketball, said they are thrilled to return to Municipal Auditorium after being welcomed in Nashville last season. 'With a roster that blends proven leaders and exciting new faces, AU Pro Basketball is where legends rise and new stars are born,' Perry said. AU Pro Basketball debuted in Las Vegas in 2022 and played the 2023 and 2024 seasons in Dallas. ___ AP WNBA:
