One Direction sets November release for album "Take Me Home"

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - British-Irish boy band One Direction took the music industry by storm earlier this year when its debut album topped the U.S. Billboard chart, and now the group is planning a second wave of success with a new record due in November.

The cheeky quintet, who rose to fame in 2010 on UK television talent show 'The X Factor', will release their sophomore album 'Take Me Home' on November 13, Columbia Records said on Thursday.

'Take Me Home' will feature tracks co-written by the One Direction boys along with British artists such as Ed Sheeran and McFly's Tom Fletcher. The album's lead single 'Live While We're Young' will premiere on radio on September 24, and be available digitally from October 1.

One Direction, made up of Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles and Liam Payne, surged onto the U.S. airwaves earlier this year with catchy pop hit 'What Makes You Beautiful', gaining a strong following among teenage girls known as 'Directioners'.

The band made Billboard history in March this year, becoming the only UK group to debut at No. 1 with their first album, 'Up All Night', which has sold 12 million records worldwide.

The new album comes on the heels of One Direction's performance at the London Olympics closing ceremony earlier this month and will be linked to their worldwide tour in 2013.

(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Dale Hudson)



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Eddie Van Halen undergoes surgery, cancels Japan shows

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Guitarist Eddie Van Halen has undergone emergency surgery to treat a digestive disorder, forcing his hard rock group Van Halen to postpone its upcoming tour of Japan, the band said on its website on Thursday.

The guitarist, 57, had an emergency procedure to 'treat a severe bout of diverticulitis' and is expected to make a full recovery within four to six months, the band said. No further surgery was needed.

Van Halen was scheduled to perform three days in Japan in November, appearing in Osaka on the 20th and 22nd and in Tokyo on the 27th. They will reschedule the dates in 2013.

The band, one of the biggest rock acts of the late 1970s and early 1980s with hits such as 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love' and 'Jump', has endured feuds and lineup changes over the years.

Its current members are lead singer David Lee Roth, Van Halen brothers Eddie and Alex (drums) and Eddie's son Wolfgang Van Halen on bass guitar.

In January, the band announced a new tour and album with Roth singing, marking Van Halen's first full record with Roth since its '1984' CD was released on December 31, 1983.

(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Dale Hudson)

Trey Songz's latest "Chapter" takes Billboard No. 1

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - R&B artist Trey Songz topped the Billboard 200 album chart on Wednesday with his latest album 'Chapter V,' edging out three other new entries on the chart this week.

Songz's fifth studio album sold 135,000 copies according to Nielsen SoundScan, pushing last week's chart-topper 'Based On A T.R.U. Story' from rapper 2 Chainz to No. 2 with 48,000 copies.

DJ Khaled's sixth studio album 'Kiss The Ring' debuted at No. 4 with 41,000 copies sold, behind the compilation of various artists on the 'Now 43' album, which dropped one spot to No. 3 this week with sales of 45,000 units.

Electronic-indie act Owl City (real name Adam Young) debuted at No. 7 with his fourth studio album 'The Midsummer Station,' selling 30,000 copies in its first week, fueled by his hit single 'Good Time' featuring Carly Rae Jepsen.

Christian music band Tenth Avenue North had the fourth debut in the top ten of the Billboard 200 chart. Their third studio album, 'The Struggle,' came in at No. 9 with 26,000 copies sold.

Justin Bieber's 'Believe' took No. 5 in its 10th week in the chart, while Maroon 5's 'Overexposed' notched No. 6, Rick Ross' 'God Forgives, I Don't' dropped from No. 3 to No. 8, and One Direction's 'Up All Night' rounded out the top ten.

Over on the Digital Songs chart, Taylor Swift safely held onto the No. 1 position as her latest hit 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together' sold 307,000 downloads in its second week. Maroon 5's 'One More Night' climbed from No. 4 to No. 2 with 195,000 downloads while Flo Rida's 'Whistle' dropped one place to No. 3 with 180,000 downloads.

(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Andrew Hay)



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Suspected burglar of LL Cool J home pleads not guilty

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A man who allegedly broke into the home of rapper and TV actor LL Cool J and was overpowered and held by the star until police arrived, pleaded not guilty to a burglary charge on Tuesday.

Jonathan A. Kirby, 56, was being held in jail and a new hearing was set for September 10 in Los Angeles to decide if enough evidence exists for him to stand trial.

The criminal complaint against Kirby alleges at least two prior convictions in California, meaning that if he is found guilty of this break-in, it would be a 'third strike' under California law and he would face 38 years to life in prison.

Kirby was arrested on August 22 after police were called to the home of LL Cool J, born James Todd Smith, after the rapper found the man in the kitchen of his Los Angeles home around 1 a.m., fought with him and detained him, a police spokesman told Reuters following the incident.

Kirby, who police said appeared to have been homeless, was taken to a local hospital to treat a broken nose, jaw and ribs, police said.

The actor stars as a special agent at a U.S. Navy criminal investigative unit in the television drama 'NCIS: Los Angeles.'

(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)



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New clues in Taylor Swift video? MTV offers a look

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Fans of country singer Taylor Swift looking for new clues on the subject of her hit song, 'We Are Never Getting Back Together,' may want to watch the video premiering this week on MTV and sister TV network CMT, the television channel said on Tuesday.

The video, in which the 22-year-old gets personal about her dating life, will debut on 'MTV First: Taylor Swift' on MTV Thursday at 7:49 p.m. EDT and on country music sister channel, CMT. MTV News will air a 30-second 'sneak peek' on Tuesday.

Swift will also perform the song live on the MTV Video Music Awards on September 6, the network said.

The song, the first single from the country star's upcoming album 'Red,' has already become a hit. Last week, it broke the Billboard chart record as the most downloaded song by a female artist in its first week, selling 623,000 copies.

It also has spurred a guessing game among fans about which ex-boyfriend Swift is singing about in lyrics such as:

'I'm really gonna miss you picking fights/And me, falling for it screaming that I'm right/And you, would hide away and find your peace of mind/With some indie record that's much cooler than mine.'

Swift has won legions of fans with raw lyrics and songs inspired by her life. In the past, she has dated Joe Jonas, Jake Gyllenhaal, Taylor Lautner and most notably John Mayer, who was the subject of Swift's 2010 song 'Dear John.'

The singer has become a signature performer at the MTV VMAs since 2009 when rapper Kanye West stormed on stage and interrupted the then 19-year-old Swift's acceptance speech for the award for best female video.

West's interruption stunned audiences worldwide and Swift was praised by critics and fans alike for her handling of the situation. She received a wave of support after she returned to the show to perform.

Swift addressed the incident at the 2010 MTV VMAs performing her song, 'Innocent,' which was directed at West.

(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte and David Brunnstrom)



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U.S. rocker leaves UK hospital after coach crash

LONDON (Reuters) - The last of four band members of U.S. rock group Baroness, who were injured in a coach crash in England earlier this month, has been released from hospital, the band said, adding that it had cancelled all remaining tour dates for this year.

Singer John Baizley was discharged from hospital on Sunday, after he broke his left arm and left leg in the accident on August 15, when the coach transporting the band on a European tour fell 10 meters off a viaduct near the ancient city of Bath in western England.

Nine people were taken to hospital following the crash, including band members Allen Blickle and Matt Maggioni who both suffered fractured vertebrae, and Pete Adams who had minor injuries.

'Thank you to all of you who have been sending the tidal wave of positivity our way,' the band said in a statement.

The band, from Savannah, Georgia, was scheduled to play in Belgium and Germany to finish their European tour, but all 2012 tour dates were cancelled after the accident.

(Reporting by Karolin Schaps)



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Will.i.am song blasts to Mars and back, via Curiosity

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - NASA's Curiosity rover is making global headlines as it travels uncharted territory on Mars, and it will venture into new realms back on Earth this week when it premieres a new will.i.am song.

The Black Eyed Peas rapper's tune 'Reach For The Stars' will be broadcast live from the surface of Mars, via Curiosity, at 1 p.m. PST (4 p.m. EDT/2000 GMT) on Tuesday to a news conference at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, the organization said in a statement on Monday.

The debut of the song, described as an ode to the singer's 'passion for science, technology and space exploration,' will be linked to an educational event in which members of the Curiosity team will explain the song's transmission across space to students, as well as the rover's overall mission.

The project is a collaboration between NASA and the rapper's i.am.angel Foundation, which aims to provide digital resources in classrooms from kindergarten to grade 12.

The foundation will announce a new science, technology, arts, engineering and mathematics initiative featuring the Mars Curiosity Rover and other NASA assets.

(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy; editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Todd Eastham)



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French rocker Hallyday in hospital with bronchitis

POINTE-A-PITRE, Guadeloupe (Reuters) - Veteran French rock star Johnny Hallyday was treated in an intensive care unit at a hospital in the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe on Monday but his producer said he was stable and being treated for a recurring case of bronchitis.

The hospital in the town of Pointe-a-Pitre gave no further details on Hallyday, 69, but said he would be transferred from the Caribbean island, a French overseas territory, to a facility in nearby Martinique for tests.

'His condition is judged to be stable,' the hospital's director said in a statement, later adding that Hallyday would not need to be kept in hospital.

French media initially reported that Hallyday was suffering from tachycardia, an abnormally fast heartbeat, but his producer issued a statement denying reports of heart trouble and saying that Hallyday had been hospitalized as a precautionary measure.

'If I had the slightest worry I would not be sitting in Paris behind my desk -- I would be on the first plane to go and see him,' the producer, Gilbert Coullier, told BFM television.

Hallyday, one of France's most successful musicians with a huge following in his home country, fell ill while taking a break in the island of St Barts from a marathon concert tour with dozens of dates and stops scheduled in London, New York, Tel Aviv and Moscow.

A self-styled Gallic Elvis with a gravelly voice and a cowboy swagger, Hallyday's fans include former President Nicolas Sarkozy, who set up a fan club to him at the National Assembly and is said to know his song lyrics by heart.

Brushing off suggestions that Hallyday's life may be in danger, Coullier said there were no plans to cancel the tour or reschedule the start of recording for a new album. 'I am sure he will return to good health in the coming hours,' he said.

Coullier later told RTL radio that Hallyday was keen to leave the hospital. 'He's totally conscious, he's talking, he is as good as you can be. It's bronchitis which was poorly treated. He's out of breath and has trouble breathing, and he's there to fix that up but it's no more serious than that.'

It was not the first health scare for the hard-living rocker who had to be put into an induced coma in late 2009 after complications during a hernia operation in Los Angeles.

His son, David Hallyday, suggested in a Twitter message that signs of his father's health were encouraging, saying: 'The news is very good, which is very reassuring to us.'

(Reporting by Dominique Chomereau-Lamotte and Gerard Bon; Writing by Nick Vinocur; Editing by Catherine Bremer and Bob Tourtellotte)



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Singer Rufus Wainwright marries longtime boyfriend

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Singer Rufus Wainwright has married his longtime partner Jorn Weisbrodt Thursday in the Long Island beach community of Montauk, his spokeswoman told Reuters on Friday.

The couple, who became engaged in 2010, have an 18-month-old daughter Viva Katherine Wainwright Cohen.

Celebrity website People.com reported Wainwright, 39, and Weisbrodt were married Thursday night by friend, artist Justin Vivian Bond. A star-studded guest list included Alan Cumming, Julianne Moore, Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon and Carrie Fisher.

The ceremony included performances by the Salome Chamber Orchestra, violinist David Aaron Carpenter and Wainwright's sister, singer-songwriter Martha Wainwright, according to People.com

Wainwright is known primarily for ballads such as 'Dinner at Eight,' 'Barcelona' and 'Harvester of Hearts.' Weisbrodt is the artistic director of Toronto's Luminato Festival.

(Reporting By Zorianna Kit; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)



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Film "Sparkle" recalls a time when Detroit shined

DETROIT (Reuters) - A two-story house on West Grand Boulevard was once a music-makers' paradise, but is now a monument - a museum, really - to a colorful city that, behind new movie 'Sparkle', is recalling its past with renewed pride.

The home of Motown Records, which became known as Hitsville USA during the record label's 1960s heyday, looked like many others on its block. But behind its walls, business was anything but usual, and 'Sparkle' seems to have captured the magic of the times, city residents told Reuters in recent interviews.

Young men and women, some barely out of their teens, wrote and recorded songs that were the driving force in building the multimillion-dollar label that launched the careers of Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and The Supremes, among many others, giving Detroit an identity around the globe.

Last weekend's release of updated 1976 musical drama 'Sparkle' brought a wave of nostalgia to die-hard fans of the Motown Sound and Detroiters excited to see their city reflected positively on screen after years of struggle, including an auto industry that had fallen on tough times.

The movie features characters who hark back to a special era, plus cultural landmarks such as Baker's Keyboard Lounge and Cliff Bell's nightclub, which are still in operation today.

Life-long Detroiter Blanche Ussery, who saw 'Sparkle' with her family, noted a few omissions and minor inaccuracies, but said the story mostly captured the spirit of the city.

'I thought it was pretty much reminiscent of the times,' Ussery said.

Strikingly accurate, she said, was the courtship between 'Sparkle' co-stars Jordin Sparks and Derek Luke, which brought to mind a simpler time in Detroit. Luke's character pursued Sparks' protagonist at church, much like Ussery's husband sought her at People's Community parish, where they eventually married.

Cameo appearances in the film like that of Universal Motown recording artist and Detroit resident Kem, whose soulful love songs often pay homage to original Motown talents, also gave the movie an air of familiarity.

MUSIC STARS, EVERYDAY PEOPLE

Joe Spencer, a restaurateur and retired Detroit TV executive who earned writing credits on albums by Edwin Starr, singer of 1970 hit 'War', and girl group The Marvelettes, who scored with 'Please Mr. Postman', recalled the mood at Hitsville in its heyday. It was not unusual to find Diana Ross rehearsing in one area while singer William 'Smokey' Robinson listened to unreleased songs down the hall.

'Here you were in the same place with some of the world's greatest songwriters and hitmakers, and they were everyday people, too,' Spencer said.

Dorothy Simpson, who opened Simpson's Record Shop in 1966, said she largely owes the success of her still-operating store to Motown. Teenagers who pined for the latest single by The Temptations, Marvin Gaye or Martha & The Vandellas regularly filed into line in front of Simpson's cash register.

'We had them just about every day,' Simpson says of the young customers. 'That's what got us started, Motown.'

Motown Museum CEO Allen Rawls, who auditioned for the label as a teen, said the company's legacy still shines decades after Detroit itself began an economic decline. The city's population - now just over 700,000 - is about half what it was in 1970.

Brazelton's Florist and James H. Cole Funeral Home are among the Motown Museum's few neighbors still serving a community that survived a deadly 1967 urban rebellion, a drug epidemic, and years of joblessness.

It's a tribute to the music - and to Detroit - that people who speak little English tour Motown, and 'if a song comes on, they know every word', said Rawls.

The label eventually became property of Universal Music after founder Berry Gordy sold the company in 1972, having already moved the headquarters to Los Angeles.

'When they left, I think it created a big hole in Detroit's soul - and not just the music,' Spencer said, noting the 'social pride' the city felt as a breeding ground for music stars.

Michelle McKinney, an archives staffer at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit, said Motown also was a soundtrack for the real lives of fans like her. She was almost an adult when she discovered the songs that her mother had banned from their home, calling them 'sinful'.

'The music helped me recognize what love was, so I really owe Motown a debt of gratitude,' McKinney said.

Motown also helped Detroiters become socially conscious, and some of the museum's exhibits link song lyrics to struggles for civil rights being waged throughout America in the 1960s.

'It made us a community,' said McKinney. 'We had our own movie stars and singing stars. We had some people to be proud of, from Detroit. They were our royalty.'

(Editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Dale Hudson)

Taylor Swift's "Never Ever" breaks music chart record

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Country star Taylor Swift's latest single made a record-breaking entry in Wednesday's Billboard Digital Songs chart, scoring the biggest digital sales week ever for a song by a female artist.

Swift's song 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,' an infectious, punky country-pop anthem, quickly rose through the charts and gained strong radio play after its release last week, selling 623,000 downloads, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The song also hit the Billboard Country singles chart, as Swift's music has attracted fans of both country and pop.

'Taylor appeals to a younger female demographic that tends to buy a lot of music and after the years, she's become a staple of two pretty popular formats, country and pop, and she's able to manipulate both formats and be played across both,' Silvio Pietroluongo, director of charts at Billboard, told Reuters.

Pop singer Ke$ha's 'TiK ToK' previously held the title for the biggest first-week digital sales by a female artist, with 610,000 downloads.

Only male rapper Flo Rida's 'Right Round,' featuring Ke$ha, sits above Swift as the single with the largest first-week download sales, clocking in at 636,000 copies.

The success of Swift's latest single - the first to be released from her upcoming, fourth studio album 'Red' - sold almost double the number of her previous best-selling song, 'Love Story,' which debuted with 360,000 copies in the first week of its release in December 2008.

Swift, 22, has won fans with her raw lyrics, and the singer has often said her songs are about real life experiences. She addressed her 2010 song 'Dear John' to singer John Mayer after their relationship ended.

Swift has also dated celebrities Joe Jonas and Jake Gyllenhaal and is currently dating a member of the Kennedy family.

'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together' has piqued the curiosity of Swift's fans over the past week as they try to uncover which one of her famous ex-boyfriends was the subject of the song.

(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Jeffrey Benkoe)

After saying "Hello," DJ Solveig brings "Smash" to U.S.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - French DJ Martin Solveig caught the attention of the U.S. music audience last summer with his infectious dance hit 'Hello,' but he also has bigger plans -- to inject comedy into electronic dance music.

'Smash,' the fifth studio album by Solveig, is the DJ's first record to get a U.S. release following his hit song 'Hello,' featuring indie artist Dragonette, which became a staple tune on airwaves and product commercials.

Solveig, 35, joins a growing list of European DJs such as David Guetta, Avicii and Swedish House Mafia who have crossed into the U.S. popular music charts as electronic dance music exploded into the mainstream last year.

Grammy Award-winning Los Angeles DJ Skrillex fused dubstep and grime -- derived from London's underground hip-hop scene -- while Dutch DJ Tiesto built his reputation playing traditional electro-house tunes.

Solveig, however, is not quite sure how to describe his own sound.

'Among the electronic music artists, I'm not the one who has the most recognizable trademark sound because I often use different elements and instruments,' Solveig told Reuters. 'I haven't invested in creating a signature sound, but if that's a good or bad thing, I don't know.'

In his music videos, the French DJ shows a funny streak, throwing comedy into upbeat, catchy dance songs in a mix that has become his trademark.

For the 'Hello' music video, Solveig squared off with fellow DJ Bob Sinclair in a tennis match on France's famous clay courts at Roland Garros stadium, with cameos from tennis stars Novak Djokovic and Gael Monfils.

'I love to mix reality and fiction all the time ... it's a little bit absurd and very ironic and some people don't get it, but it's the style of this project,' Solveig said of his fusion of music and comedy.

While Guetta recruited some of pop and R&B's biggest names for his dance record 'Nothing But The Beat,' earlier this year, Solveig chose to collaborate with emerging artists for seven of the ten tracks on 'Smash,' including Dev and Bloc Party's Kele Okereke.

'I have a very vocal-orientated way to feel and listen to music. I write songs myself and I sing, so when it came to the lineup of singers, I was looking for singers with very strong vocal personalities, rather than necessarily very big artists or very famous singers,' Solveig said.

'Smash' was released digitally on Tuesday with the CD version due out on September 18.

FROM PARIS TO MADONNA

The explosion of electronic dance music (EDM) was crowned at the 2012 Grammy Awards, when EDM was given its own stage at the annual ceremony, and DJs such as Tiesto and DeadMau5 are headlining arena tours.

'It's totally out of the blue, we were not expecting this anymore, we thought probably that the time has passed. For a very long time, (EDM) was more for the European market ... and then a few tracks really crossed over and they made the difference,' Solveig said.

The DJ rose through the ranks of the Parisian club scene in the late 1990s, following in the footsteps of French EDM exports Daft Punk and Guetta.

He released his first four studio albums between 2002 and 2008, infusing electronica with rock and drawing on influences like The Beatles, Police and Lenny Kravitz.

But it was with 'Hello,' that Solveig scored his biggest hit, crediting it with opening doors for him in the United States.

The French DJ's rising success was noticed by pop superstar Madonna, who recruited Solveig to produce three of her songs on her album 'MDNA,' including the single 'Give Me All Your Luvin'.'

Solveig himself is performing at festivals in the United States and Europe this summer as he continues to ride the wave of 'Hello.'

'I'm the happiest man on earth. I'm making music, having fun, I'm living my passion and it's a great, great moment so I'm enjoying every bit. From there, I don't know, I have no idea,' the DJ said.

'I know that I'll always make music because that's what I do ... it's just putting my energy in the right place - that's probably my biggest challenge.'

(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy, editing by Jill Serjeant, desking by G Crosse)



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Rihanna admits she still loves Chris Brown

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - More than three years after being beaten up by then-boyfriend Chris Brown, R&B singer Rihanna has admitted that she still loves him, calling Brown possibly 'the love of my life'.

The 'Umbrella' singer told Oprah Winfrey in a television interview broadcast on Sunday that she and Brown, 23, had rebuilt their trust and now had a 'very close friendship'.

Brown was convicted in 2009 of assaulting Rihanna, his girlfriend at the time, in a violent attack on the eve of the 2009 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. He apologized publicly and was sentenced to five years probation, community service, domestic violence counseling and was ordered to stay away from Rihanna.

The restraining order was lifted last year and the pair have since teamed up in the studio on 2012 singles 'Birthday Cake' and 'Turn Up the Music,' fueling speculation that they were back together.

'We have maintained a very close friendship ever since the restraining order was dropped. We just worked on it, little by little, and it has not been easy...We built a trust again and that's it. We love each other and we probably always will and that's not anything we're gonna try to change,' Rihanna, 24, told Winfrey.

Rihanna said it is hard hiding her feelings when she meets up with Brown.

'It's awkward because I still love him. My stomach drops and I have to maintain this poker face and not let it get to the outer part of me...I think he was the love of my life.'

(Reporting By Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Andrew Hay)

Singer Wynonna Judd cancels concerts in Canada

NEW YORK (Reuters) - American country singer Wynonna Judd has canceled a series of concerts in Canada next week following a serious motorcycle crash that injured her husband, the singer said in a statement on Sunday.

Judd's husband, Michael Scott Moser, and the singer had been on a ride together on separate motorcycles in Deadwood, South Dakota, when Moser collided with an oncoming vehicle and was taken to hospital. Judd was not involved in the accident.

'I love him deeply and I will not leave his side,' said Judd, who rose to fame alongside her mother Naomi in the 1980s as part of the duo, 'The Judds,' before a successful solo career that began in the early 1990s.

She and Moser were married in June in Tennessee.

(Reporting By Christine Kearney; editing by Stacey Joyce)



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Grammy Museum unveils tribute to Whitney Houston

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Grammy Museum unveiled a tribute to Whitney Houston on Wednesday, put together by family members to celebrate the late pop star's career.

The exhibit, titled 'Whitney! Celebrating the Musical Legacy of Whitney Houston,' features items such as the singer's iconic gowns, some of her Grammy awards, film scripts, modeling shots and personal memorabilia.

Highlights include a beaded gown that Houston wore at the 1994 Grammy Awards, private letters from legendary music producer Clive Davis and a tea cup that Houston drank out of before each performance.

'We have picked the things that people will find the most interesting and, in many cases, bring back fun memories,' her sister-in-law and former manager Pat Houston told reporters.

'We are really very overjoyed that we are here today to represent and be a part of such a wonderful and splendid career of such a beautiful and talented woman,' Houston said.

Pat Houston was joined on Wednesday by the singer's brother Gary and sister-in-law Donna, who worked with the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles to curate the exhibition. Houston's mother Cissy, her 19-year-old daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown and her ex-husband Bobby Brown did not attend.

Houston, 48, drowned accidentally in a hotel bathtub in Beverly Hills in February from what authorities said was heart disease and the effects of cocaine.

The exhibit makes no mention of her turbulent personal life and history of drug abuse.

Grammy Museum officials said the exhibit was put together after fans asked why there was no homage to her following her death. It will run until February 2013.

Houston's final film, 'Sparkle,' will be released in movie theaters on Friday.

(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy, editing by Jill Serjeant and Stacey Joyce)



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Country singer Carrie Underwood to go "Unplugged"

(Reuters) - Country singer Carrie Underwood said on Wednesday she is going 'Unplugged' for the VH1 music series and will share the story of her rise to fame from 'American Idol' to five-time Grammy winner for the TV show 'Behind the Music.'

Underwood, 29, told VH1's morning show 'Big Morning Buzz Live' that she would record the stripped-down music session later this week in New York.

'VH1 Presents: Carrie Underwood Unplugged' will premiere on October 2 and will feature songs from her latest album 'Blown Away' and past hits.

The 'Jesus, Take the Wheel' singer will also be profiled in the cable network's documentary series 'Behind the Music' later this fall.

Underwood has sold more than 15 million albums since winning TV singing competition 'American Idol' in 2005, making her the best-selling 'Idol' contestant in the United States.

'Blown Away', released in May, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bill Trott)



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Fame, failure and rebirth: Jordin Sparks finds all in "Sparkle"

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Five years after becoming the youngest female to win 'American Idol,' Jordin Sparks restarts her career in a new movie role that the 22-year-old sees as remarkably close to her own life singing her way to fame.

Just like her real-life parents, Sparks' onscreen mother Whitney Houston cheered and coached her, off camera, as she rebounded from career changes and transitioned from music to the movie 'Sparkle,' which hits theaters on Friday.

Houston, in the last screen role before her accidental death in February, plays a tough mother who is set on sabotaging her daughter's dream in her last, feisty role before her accidental death in February.

''Sparkle'' came at a moment where I was actually pretty unsure with what was happening in my career,' Sparks told Reuters.

The singer released two albums after winning 'Idol' and was nominated for a Grammy for her collaboration with Chris Brown on the 2009 pop song 'No Air'. A year later she tried her hand on Broadway like many past 'Idol' alums, in the Tony Award-winning show 'In the Heights'.

It all seemed to be going well, until things fell apart.

'My label was going through a transition and people were let go. Then I parted ways with my management and then I had some things personally going on,' Sparks said, but did not elaborate.

'It just felt like everything was starting to not work out all at once. I was like, 'This is it? Five years and that's it?'

But along came the offer to play the sister named Sparkle whose stellar voice leads her to fame. Sparks said she saw parallels between her own ambition and that of the strong-willed singer who wanted more than anything to perform and wasn't going to let anyone stand in her way.

The major difference, Sparks said, is that unlike Houston's role in the film, Sparks own parents have been '100 percent supportive of me from the beginning.'

'I knew that music was what I wanted to do. I knew that I was going to be a singer. I just didn't know when, but I was going to do what it took to get there,' Sparks said.

Sparks portrays one of three sisters - the other two are played by Carmen Ejogo and Tika Sumpter - who form a girl group during the 1960s over the protestations of their mother only to find that fame can tear their family apart.

The rise to music stardom is a climb that Houston, a huge pop star of the 1980s and 1990s with hits like 'How Will I Know', knew all too well, and by the time she made her acting debut, in 1992's 'The Bodyguard', she was a huge star.

Houston drowned in a hotel bathtub last February at age 48.

MOVIE MOTHER AND MENTOR

Houston provided Sparks a shoulder on which to lean and a voice of experience when making the film.

'The biggest thing I took from Whitney was you're never too big to sit down with somebody. You're never too big to say 'hello' or to smile at someone,' Sparks said.

'She would sit and talk like we had known each other for years. For that example to come from a superstar, somebody I idolized, was just amazing.'

Playing a character like Sparkle, who is young and naive at the film's beginning before blossoming into a young woman by the end, is a journey that resonates with Sparks who said she, too, feels like she is at the same stage - a new beginning.

'I feel like I'm blossoming into a woman and coming in to my own,' she said.

On August 1, Sparks and her boyfriend, singer Jason Derulo, 22, celebrated their one year anniversary together.

Sparks said during the filming of 'Sparkle' turned more serious after both suffered setbacks. Derulo narrowly escaped paralysis when he broke his neck while rehearsing an acrobatic move while training for a tour. A few weeks later, Houston died and Sparks lost a new friend.

'Both of us realized how much we really cared for each other,' she said. 'Your priorities get in line when stuff like that happens. The feelings grew really, really deep.'

Sparks, once known for wearing a purity ring to symbolize her dedication to avoid losing her virginity before marriage, blushed when told it was noticeably absent from her finger.

'Well, I wear lots of rings, but hey,' she said laughing.

'The conversation of marriage and family is something that doesn't scare us,' Sparks said of their relationship. 'We have those conversations.'

But don't look for a wedding any time soon. Sparks is back in the studio recording her third album, which she says will have a more R&B sound, thanks to the influence of 'Sparkle'. And she is now shooting her second film, 'The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete', with Anthony Mackie and 'Idol' contestant-turned-Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson.

'I didn't think I would get another super-mega career turning point,' Sparks said of the way her life has transformed since 'Sparkle.'

'I figured personally, marriage in a few years, then kids. But as far as career goes, I have no idea what's coming. I'm just buckling up!'

(This story is being refiled to correct typo in film title in headline and paragraph 2)

(Reporting By Zorianna Kit; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Richard Chang)



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Fame, failure and rebirth: Jordin Sparks finds all in "Sparkles"

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Five years after becoming the youngest female to win 'American Idol,' Jordin Sparks restarts her career in a new movie role that the 22-year-old sees as remarkably close to her own life singing her way to fame.

Just like her real-life parents, Sparks' onscreen mother Whitney Houston cheered and coached her, off camera, as she rebounded from career changes and transitioned from music to the movie 'Sparkles,' which hits theaters on Friday.

Houston, in the last screen role before her accidental death in February, plays a tough mother who is set on sabotaging her daughter's dream in her last, feisty role before her accidental death in February.

''Sparkle' came at a moment where I was actually pretty unsure with what was happening in my career,' Sparks told Reuters.

The singer released two albums after winning 'Idol' and was nominated for a Grammy for her collaboration with Chris Brown on the 2009 pop song 'No Air'. A year later she tried her hand on Broadway like many past 'Idol' alums, in the Tony Award-winning show 'In the Heights'.

It all seemed to be going well, until things fell apart.

'My label was going through a transition and people were let go. Then I parted ways with my management and then I had some things personally going on,' Sparks said, but did not elaborate.

'It just felt like everything was starting to not work out all at once. I was like, 'This is it? Five years and that's it?'

But along came the offer to play the sister named Sparkle whose stellar voice leads her to fame. Sparks said she saw parallels between her own ambition and that of the strong-willed singer who wanted more than anything to perform and wasn't going to let anyone stand in her way.

The major difference, Sparks said, is that unlike Houston's role in the film, Sparks own parents have been '100 percent supportive of me from the beginning.'

'I knew that music was what I wanted to do. I knew that I was going to be a singer. I just didn't know when, but I was going to do what it took to get there,' Sparks said.

Sparks portrays one of three sisters - the other two are played by Carmen Ejogo and Tika Sumpter - who form a girl group during the 1960s over the protestations of their mother only to find that fame can tear their family apart.

The rise to music stardom is a climb that Houston, a huge pop star of the 1980s and 1990s with hits like 'How Will I Know', knew all too well, and by the time she made her acting debut, in 1992's 'The Bodyguard', she was a huge star.

Houston drowned in a hotel bathtub last February at age 48.

MOVIE MOTHER AND MENTOR

Houston provided Sparks a shoulder on which to lean and a voice of experience when making the film.

'The biggest thing I took from Whitney was you're never too big to sit down with somebody. You're never too big to say 'hello' or to smile at someone,' Sparks said.

'She would sit and talk like we had known each other for years. For that example to come from a superstar, somebody I idolized, was just amazing.'

Playing a character like Sparkle, who is young and naive at the film's beginning before blossoming into a young woman by the end, is a journey that resonates with Sparks who said she, too, feels like she is at the same stage - a new beginning.

'I feel like I'm blossoming into a woman and coming in to my own,' she said.

On August 1, Sparks and her boyfriend, singer Jason Derulo, 22, celebrated their one year anniversary together.

Sparks said during the filming of 'Sparkle' turned more serious after both suffered setbacks. Derulo narrowly escaped paralysis when he broke his neck while rehearsing an acrobatic move while training for a tour. A few weeks later, Houston died and Sparks lost a new friend.

'Both of us realized how much we really cared for each other,' she said. 'Your priorities get in line when stuff like that happens. The feelings grew really, really deep.'

Sparks, once known for wearing a purity ring to symbolize her dedication to avoid losing her virginity before marriage, blushed when told it was noticeably absent from her finger.

'Well, I wear lots of rings, but hey,' she said laughing.

'The conversation of marriage and family is something that doesn't scare us,' Sparks said of their relationship. 'We have those conversations.'

But don't look for a wedding any time soon. Sparks is back in the studio recording her third album, which she says will have a more R&B sound, thanks to the influence of 'Sparkle'. And she is now shooting her second film, 'The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete', with Anthony Mackie and 'Idol' contestant-turned-Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson.

'I didn't think I would get another super-mega career turning point,' Sparks said of the way her life has transformed since 'Sparkle.'

'I figured personally, marriage in a few years, then kids. But as far as career goes, I have no idea what's coming. I'm just buckling up!'

(Reporting By Zorianna Kit; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Richard Chang)



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Jennifer Lopez signs with CAA

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Jennifer Lopez has signed with Creative Artists Agency.

The singer and actress left her longtime agent at WME Entertainment and joined CAA Monday.

Lopez made the decision as she decided 'to focus more time on film projects, her music and other ventures,' her publicist said in a statement.

Lopez, who recently parted ways with 'American Idol,' will be represented by Kevin Huvane, Hylda Queally and Jenna Adler.

She will appear in 2013 opposite Jason Stratham in an adaptation of the crime/thriller literary series 'Parker.' It will be directed by Taylor Hackford.



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Nominees announced for World Soundtrack Awards

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - John Williams, Howard Shore and Alexandre Desplat are among the composers nominated for the 2012 International Soundtrack Awards, which will be handed out on October 20 in Ghent, Belgium.

Williams, Shore and Desplat were nominated in the Film Composer of the Year and Best Original Score of the Year categories, as were Alberto Iglesias and Cliff Martinez.

In the individual score category, Williams was nominated for 'The Adventures of Tintin,' Shore for 'Hugo,' Desplat for 'The Ides of March,' Iglesias for 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' and Martinez for 'Drive.'

'Hugo,' 'Tintin' and 'Tinker Tailor' all received 2011 Oscar nominations; the Oscar winner, 'The Artist,' was not eligible because its 2011 Cannes premiere fell outside the World Soundtrack Awards' eligibility period of July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012.

The World Soundtrack Academy, which hands out the awards, also nominated five songs as Best Original Song Written Directly for a Film. Bret McKenzie's Oscar winner 'Man or Muppet,' from 'The Muppets,' was a nominee, as were 'Lay Your Head Down' from 'Albert Nobbs,' 'Breath of Life' from 'Snow White and the Huntsman,' 'The Living Proof' from 'The Help' and 'Masterpiece' from 'W.E.'

The ceremony will be part of a concert celebrating the work of composer James Newton Howard. The Brussels Philharmonic will perform at the concert, which will take place at the Kuipke Events Centre on the closing night of the Ghent International Film Festival.

Also at the concert and ceremony, composer Pino Donaggio will be given the World Soundtrack Lifetime Achievement Award.

The World Soundtrack Academy was founded in 2001 by the Ghent International Film Festival. It is made up of more than 300 composers, executives and film professionals.



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Rihanna climbs back to top of British album charts

LONDON (Reuters) - Pop singer Rihanna has returned to the top of Britain's album rankings with her album 'Talk That Talk' after a run of 38 weeks in the Top 40, the Official Charts Company said on Sunday.

It is only the second week the album has been in the number one spot as it nears 1 million British sales.

The recording has been a huge hit around the world and helped the Barbadian star to earn an estimated $53 million in the 12 months to May this year, according to Forbes magazine.

East London rapper Wiley topped the singles charts for a second week with 'Heatwave', his first solo British number one.

British pop band Lawson were the week's highest new entry at number three with their single 'Taking Over Me'.

Redlight, a DJ and producer from Bristol in southwest England, was also new in fifth place with 'Lost In Your Love'.

(Reporting by Tim Castle)



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Pop takes podium in "cheeky, cheesy" closing ceremony

LONDON (Reuters) - Pop will take the podium when London bids farewell to the Olympics on Sunday, with a closing ceremony starring the Spice Girls, Annie Lennox, One Direction and a peculiarly British sense of humor.

Undeterred by criticism that the opening ceremony two weeks ago was too British for the rest of the world to fully comprehend, organizers are looking for local inspiration once again as they attempt to deliver a fitting send-off.

The prying eyes of the media and artists unable to contain their excitement have dashed all hopes of keeping the cast a secret, in a show titled 'A Symphony of British Music'.

Virtually confirming their participation after months of speculation, 90s chart-toppers the Spice Girls are reuniting for a nostalgic blast of 'Girl Power', performing at the main Olympic Stadium from on top of London's distinctive black taxis.

They, along with Jessie J, Tinie Tempah, Queen guitarist Brian May, Annie Lennox and George Michael, have all been photographed rehearsing at the Ford car plant in East London's Dagenham, while Muse and Ed Sheeran revealed they will sing.

Still not confirmed but widely rumored to be joining them are Madness, The Who and Liam Gallagher's band Beady Eye, while the reclusive 'Running Up That Hill' singer Kate Bush could perform on video.

Monty Python comic Eric Idle was also spotted, and, bearing in mind music director David Arnold's promise to get the audience involved, a mass singalong of 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life' could be a decent bet.

Once again the set is expected to comprise a central stage surrounded by a road around which vehicles can travel, and a cast of around 4,000 volunteers will dance and skip to the beat of music through the ages.

Famous London landmarks like Tower Bridge, the London Eye, parliament's 'Big Ben' Clock Tower and St Paul's Cathedral have been reconstructed to complement the action.

'If the opening ceremony was the wedding, then we're the wedding reception,' Arnold said in a newspaper interview, suggesting that the two ceremonies would complement each other.

ECHOES

The Beatles may be honored again on Sunday evening, just as they were a fortnight ago when Paul McCartney led spectators in a sing-a-long of 'Hey Jude'.

Music spanning the centuries, including stirring tunes by Elgar, is set to return, as are words from William Shakespeare.

'Pixel boxes' on every seat of the 80,000-capacity arena will be used again to create vivid, giant backdrops for a show expected to attract hundreds of millions of television viewers after the opening ceremony was watched by close to a billion.

'Cheeky, cheesy and thrilling' was how Arnold has described his vision, all words that could apply equally to an opening ceremony that was unabashedly British in flavor in its humor, cultural and historical references and soundtrack.

Opening ceremony director Danny Boyle earned warm praise from Britain's famously caustic press, but the ceremony was lost in translation for many viewers around the world who were puzzled by what it was trying to say.

They may be scratching their heads again if reports turn out to be true that sitcom 'Only Fools and Horses' actors David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst appear in their trademark three-wheeled Robin Reliant car dressed as Batman and Robin.

While the comedy series has its fans outside Britain, it will not be instantly recognizable to many tuning in on Sunday.

The 150-minute closing ceremony will include video highlight reels of the July 27-August 12 Games, and in between the music will be the men's marathon medal ceremony, athletes' parade, speeches and a presentation by the next hosts Rio de Janeiro.

'It is never easy to do a flag handover ... but we have very exciting flag handover, very exciting, full of joy, full of passion,' said Rio's Olympic producer Marco Balich.

The Olympic Flame, in the form of a giant flower made up of 204 copper 'petals' representing the nations taking part, will be extinguished to symbolize the end of London 2012.

The Paralympic Games, which have broken ticket sales records with 2.1 million sold so far, run from August 29 to September 9.

(Additional reporting by Avril Ormsby; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)



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Russian official targets Madonna with crude tweet

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A senior ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin used an obscene Twitter post to attack Madonna on Friday after the pop star called for the release of three women who face prison over an irreverent performance in Moscow's main cathedral.

Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, a nationalist politician and former envoy to NATO, posted the tweet after Madonna told a Moscow concert audience the jailed members of punk band Pussy Riot were 'courageous' and deserved to be free.

'Every ex-wh*re tends to lecture everybody with age. Especially during world tours and concerts,' Rogozin, who now leads Russia's drive to upgrade the army and defense industry, wrote in a tweet in English.

The microblog posting was a crudely worded echo of frequent warnings by Russian officials that Moscow will not accept Western 'preaching' on human rights and democracy, a message Putin has repeatedly delivered during 12 years in power.

Madonna, who is American, donned a balaclava like those worn by Pussy Riot performers during her concert in Moscow on Tuesday night and was cheered loudly when she offered her support.

Maria Alyokhina, 24, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 30, stormed the altar of Russia's main cathedral on February 21 and sang a 'punk prayer' calling on the Virgin Mary to rid Russia of Putin, who was then campaigning to return to the presidency after four years as prime minister.

Prosecutors want a judge to sentence them to three years in prison for hooliganism motivated by religious hatred.

They have been in jail since shortly after their performance, which offended many in mostly Orthodox Christian Russia, and Kremlin critics see their trial as part of a crackdown on dissent as Putin starts a new six-year term.

The women have said the performance was meant as criticism of close ties between Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church and the clear if informal support its leader, Patriarch Kirill, gave Putin during his successful election campaign.

EXCESSIVE REACTION?

Western governments and rights groups have said the government's reaction to the 'punk prayer' was excessive and are watching the trial closely. The judge is to give a verdict on August 17.

Rogozin, who some analysts view as a potential presidential candidate in the next election in 2018, did not mention Madonna by name in the English tweet on Friday or a Russian one on Wednesday.

But few Internet users had any doubt that he was referring to Madonna, who also spoke out in support of gay rights at a concert in St. Petersburg, Putin's home town, on Thursday night.

'She spoke about freedom, it is the state bureaucrats who are lecturing us every day on all the state channels,' a Twitter user called Alexander Oleinik wrote in response to Rogozin's posting in Russian.

'Either take off the cross or put on your panties,' Rogozin replied. His spokeswoman confirmed the messages were genuine.

Rogozin, former leader of the nationalist political party Rodina (Motherland), also wrote ironic messages about Pussy Riot, likening their supporters to a religious sect.

Rogozin was appointed deputy prime minister late last year as part of then prime minister Putin's drive to appeal to moderate nationalists.

He is known for his sharply worded criticism of the West and in particular of U.S. and NATO plans for a European missile shield that Moscow calls a threat to its security.

On Friday, a group of Russian Orthodox hardliners burned Madonna's picture outside Moscow's Christ the Saviour cathedral, where Pussy Riot staged its punk protest.

(Reporting by Gleb Bryanski; Editing by Steve Gutterman and Tim Pearce)



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Jennifer Lopez files $20 million extortion suit

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - What's Jennifer Lopez's reputation worth? About $20 million, according to a lawsuit filed Friday by the singer/actress and former 'American Idol' judge.

Lopez filed suit against her former driver and head of security, Hakob Manoukian, in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday, saying that he tried to blackmail her by threatening to reveal damaging information he'd obtained about her during his time of employment with Lopez.

According to the suit, Manoukian worked for Lopez for about a month before quitting due to a dispute with her management team. Shortly thereafter, in October 2011, he engaged in 'blackmail, extortion, and related acts.'

The suit is actually a counterclaim made against a complaint filed by Manoukian. In that suit he says that he was forced to resign from his position after he was denied 'production pay' that he says he was due. He was then demoted to Lopez's Los Angeles driver when he complained about the lost pay and subjected to humiliating treatment by Lopez's manager, Benny Medina.

Lopez's suit claims that, on October 3, 2011, Manoukian's then-attorney 'made written and oral demands that unless Manoukian was paid $2.8M, he would disclose sensitive and personal information that he had allegedly heard while driving Ms. Lopez.'

The suit goes on to note that the demands were 'in total disregard of Manoukian's signed confidentiality agreement' barring Manoukian from making negative disclosures about his boss.

Alleging extortion, attempted extortion, breach of oral contract and breach of written contract among other infractions, the suit is asking for damages 'in no event less than $20,000,000.'

(Pamela Chelin contributed to this report)



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Elton John files libel suit against Times of London

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Elton John is suing the Times of London for libel over stories he said falsely linked him to tax evasion.

In two articles about 'the secrets of tax avoiders,' the Times said that Patrick McKenna of Ingenious Media was John's former accountant, allegedly implying John had been advised by McKenna to avoid paying taxes.

McKenna is accused of advising wealthy British film investors to abuse movie tax breaks.

The original stories were published on June 21 and discussed the film finance partnerships arranged by Ingenious Media, where McKenna served as CEO.

'We have been asked to make clear that the film finance partnerships arranged by Ingenious Media, whose CEO is Patrick McKenna, do not offer schemes of this type and they have not been involved in moving money offshore to avoid tax,' the correction said.

The Times already published a correction on June 22 saying McKenna had never been the star's accountant, but John's lawyer's say the clarification was 'wholly inadequate.'

Suing in a London High Court, the attorneys said the four-line apology 'deliberately ignored the defamatory impact' of prominently placed articles, which appeared on pages one and six of the broadsheet, according to the BBC.

'The allegations are particularly damaging to the claimant's reputation in the sphere of charity fundraising,' William McCormick, the pop star's attorney, said in a statement.

The articles allegedly caused Sir Elton 'severe damage to his reputation and personal distress and embarrassment.'

The 'Bennie and the Jets' singer is now seeking damages for 'the sense of insult and injury.'

The United Kingdom, notorious for what some call its 'libel tourism,' frequently rules in favor of plaintiffs and against publishers.



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"A Chorus Line" composer Marvin Hamlisch dies at 68

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Marvin Hamlisch, the award-winning composer of 'A Chorus Line' and 'The Way We Were', has died suddenly at the age of 68, prompting warm tributes from Barbra Streisand, Liza Minnelli, former U.S. first lady Nancy Reagan and dozens of stage and screen stars.

Hamlisch, the musical force behind 'The Sting' and numerous other movies and Broadway shows, died in Los Angeles on Monday, a family spokesman said. He collapsed following what was called 'a brief illness'. Details were not made public.

Streisand, a friend of 45 years and star of romantic movie 'The Way We Were', said she was 'devastated' at his death and recalled how he had played at her 1998 wedding.

'When I think of him now, it was his brilliantly quick mind, his generosity and delicious sense of humor that made him a delight to be around ... He was a true musical genius but above all that, he was a beautiful human being. I will truly miss him,' she added in a statement.

Hamlisch, who was working until days before his death, earned the rare distinction of winning Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards.

Minnelli said she had been friends with Hamlisch since the age of 13 and recalled he arranged her first and second albums.

'I have lost my first lifelong best friend, and sadly we have lost a splendid, splendid talent,' the singer and actress said in a statement.

STARTED CAREER AS REHEARSAL PIANIST

In a 2010 interview Hamlisch told Broadway World that in writing 'The Way We Were' he was trying to match 'a very yin-yang sort of movie.'

He explained: 'I wanted to write something that was uplifting and positive; on the other hand, there is a tremendous amount of bitter-sweetness to that film - and bittersweet romance - so it's a real duality. And that's why I think the song - though it's in the major mode - is quite sad,' he said.

The New York City-born composer, raised by Jewish parents and showing an early ability to mimic music as a young child, started out his professional career as a rehearsal pianist for 'Funny Girl,' beginning a long history of working with Streisand. He said Streisand 'has the best voice there is'.

His collaborations included musical director and arranger of Streisand's 1994 U.S. concert tour, for which he won two Emmy Awards, and writing the score for Streisand's 1996 film, 'The Mirror has Two Faces,' for which Hamlisch earned an Oscar nomination for Streisand's and Bryan Adams duet, 'I've Finally Found Someone.'

His other film scores included 'Sophie's Choice' and 'Ordinary People' and he co-wrote the ballad 'Nobody Does It Better' for the 1977 James Bond film 'The Spy Who Loved Me'.

Nancy Reagan on Tuesday recalled Hamlisch as a frequent entertainer at White House parties in the 1980s, and how he wrote a 77th birthday song for her late husband, former U.S. President Ronald Reagan.

Hamlisch was 'a dear friend and I am truly stunned by his death at such a young age ... I don't think you could ever find a more contemporary and talented musician,' Reagan said in a statement.

Actress Debra Messing, star of the TV shows 'Smash' and 'Will & Grace', said on Twitter; 'The GREAT Marvin Hamlisch passed away... What a loss. What a talent. What contributions.'

Starting with 1969 film 'The Swimmer,' Hamlisch scored films for the next several decades, including Woody Allen's 'Take the Money and Run' and 'Bananas', 'Save the Tiger,' 'Ice Castles,' right up to Steven Soderbergh's 'The Informant!' in 2009. He had recently been writing the score for a new Soderbergh movie based on the life of the pianist Liberace.

A CHORUS LINE

On Broadway, he won a Tony award and a Pulitzer Prize for the 1975 musical 'A Chorus Line,' which at the time became the most successful show on the Great White Way. He also wrote the scores for musicals 'They're Playing Our Song,' (1978), 'The Goodbye Girl' (1993) and 'Sweet Smell Of Success' (2002).

He also won four Grammy Awards including two for 'The Way We Were.'

Press representatives said he was scheduled to leave for Nashville later this week to see the Jerry Lewis stage-adapted comedy, 'The Nutty Professor,' for which he wrote the score. He had been working on a new Broadway musical called 'Gotta Dance.'

Hamlisch said he believed in the power of music to connect people.

'Music can make a difference. There is a global nature to music, which has the potential to bring all people together,' he said on his website.

At the time of his death, he was principal pops conductor for several U.S. symphony orchestras and was scheduled to conduct the New York Philharmonic in this year's New Year's Eve concert. He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Terre.

Songwriters Alan and Marilyn Bergman, who wrote the lyrics for 'The Way We Were' and worked with Hamlisch on many other projects, called him 'our beloved friend. He was family. The world will miss his music, his humor, his genius. We will miss him every day for the rest of our lives.'

(Editing by Jill Serjeant and James Dalgleish)

Gibson Guitar settles probe into illegal wood imports

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Reuters) - Gibson Guitar Corp, which makes some of the world's most prized guitars, will pay a $300,000 penalty under a criminal enforcement agreement with federal prosecutors, after it admitted to possible illegal purchases of ebony from Madagascar, authorities said on Monday.

The agreement, announced by Justice Department officials in Washington, caps a probe into the Nashville-based guitar maker that began in 2009 when it came under suspicion of importing banned or protected wood from both Madagascar and India.

'As a result of this investigation and criminal enforcement agreement, Gibson has acknowledged that it failed to act on information that the Madagascar ebony it was purchasing may have violated laws intended to limit over-harvesting and conserve valuable wood species from Madagascar, a country which has been severely impacted by deforestation,' said U.S. Assistant Attorney General Ignacia Moreno of the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division.

'Gibson has ceased acquisitions of wood species from Madagascar and recognizes its duty under the U.S. Lacey Act to guard against the acquisition of wood of illegal origin by verifying the circumstances of its harvest and export, which is good for American business and American consumers,' Moreno said.

The century-old Lacey Act, originally passed to crack down on a booming trade in bird feathers used to adorn hats, was amended in 2008 to require that U.S. companies make detailed disclosures about wood imports.

Apart from the $300,000 penalty slapped on Gibson as part of the agreement, the legendary guitar maker will forfeit wood valued at $261,844 that was seized in the course of the investigation.

The Justice Department said Gibson would also pay $50,000 to the U.S. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation 'to promote the conservation, identification and propagation of protected tree species.'

Gibson Chief Executive Officer Henry Juszkiewicz was not immediately available for comment, the company said.

(Editing by Tom Brown and Stacey Joyce)



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Dr Dre beats any Olympic rap with headphone tactics

LONDON (Reuters) - American rapper Dr. Dre has hip-hopped over strict Olympic marketing rules by giving his high-end headphones to athletes, with officials on Friday ruling this did not breach guidelines.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) forbids athletes from taking part in advertising for anyone except the 11 international companies that pay around $100 million each for four years of global rights to sponsor the Olympics.

The rules are designed to prevent 'ambush marketing', or non-sponsors getting free publicity on the back of the Games.

Officials became suspicious as an increasing number of athletes from Britain, China and other nations, appeared at events sporting Beats by Dr. Dre in their national colors.

A spokeswoman from the trendy private members' club, Shoreditch House, near the Olympic Park in east London, confirmed the Beats brand had set up a collection point there for invited athletes.

IOC spokesman Mark Adams said officials were aware of Dr. Dre's offer to athletes from about 20 nations but stressed it was up to each national Olympic team to ensure athletes protected the sponsors.

'We have to take a commonsense approach,' Adams said. 'There is a difference between someone using equipment with a logo and someone promoting the brand.'

Marketing experts said the tactics used by Dr. Dre raised questions about the rigidity of the IOC rules which have come under attack from athletes at London angered they cannot show support for the companies that back them out of Olympics.

'The IOC cannot control everything,' said Rupert Pratt, managing director at sponsorship agency Generate.

'You are going to have athletes wearing the brands of companies that sponsor their national teams or themselves for the 3.5 years out of the Olympics. The IOC has got to relax.'

CELEBRITY MODELS

Targeting Olympic athletes is in line with the marketing strategies used since the Beats headphones were pioneered in 2006 by Dr. Dre in partnership with music producer and entrepreneur, Jimmy Iovine, of Interscope/Geffen/A&M Records.

Their joint company, Beats Electronics, ensured celebrities such as Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber and sports names such as LeBron James were spotted wearing the large headphones with the trademark 'b' and the headphones often appear in music videos.

Dr. Dre, born Andre Young, knows the celebrity game well. He found fame with the gangsta rap group N.W.A. in the 1980s and went on to produce albums and oversee the careers of many rappers, including Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent and Game.

These celebrity endorsements helped spark a craze for the high performance and high price headphones, even in a sluggish economy.

Beats captured 53 percent of the $1 billion headphone market in 2011, according to market researcher NPD Group.

Beats sell for 135-340 pounds ($210-530) in the Westfield shopping centre next to the Olympic Park.

Athletes have used headphones and earphones ever since the advent of the Sony Walkman back in the late 1970s.

Sports psychologists say blocking out distractions can help athletes focus and get into 'the zone' while listening to the right kind of music before a big race can also help psyche athletes up to go for gold.

A host of athletes have arrived at their events in London sporting Beats, including British diver Tom Daley and Chinese gold medalist swimmer Sun Yang.

British footballer Jack Butland tweeted: 'Loving my new GB Beats by Dre #TeamGB #Beats.'

This prompted a warning to British athletes.

'We have reminded them of the importance of protecting our sponsors,' a spokesman for the British Olympic Committee said.

The one official sponsor that makes headphones, Panasonic, had no comment to make on the Beats marketing campaign.

No one was available at Beats Electronics to comment on the marketing strategy at the Olympics.

The Dr Dre campaign emerged as dozens of athletes launched a Twitter protest against the IOC's Rule 40, which forbids competitors from mentioning their own sponsors during an Olympics and can lead to disqualification if breached.

U.S. sprinter Manteo Mitchell summed up the view of many Olympians when he tweeted: 'I am PROUD to represent my country ... But at the end of the day ... THIS IS MY JOB!!!!'

(Additional reporting by Kate Kelland; Editing by Alison Williams)



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Bieber spotlights his grown-up side in flashy new video

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Canadian pop star Justin Bieber has pulled out the Hollywood stops in his latest video for the single 'As Long As You Love Me,' making a sort of mini-film showing his grown-up side.

Bieber, 18, recruited gritty actor Michael Madsen, best known for his roles in 'Pulp Fiction' and 'Reservoir Dogs,' to play the disapproving father of Bieber's love interest in the slick music video, which runs nearly six minutes.

In the video, which debuted online on Wednesday, Bieber plays a star-crossed lover. It features car chases, fights, raunchy dancers and steamy romance set against the Los Angeles skyline, all part of a plan to transition the singer from teeny bopper to adult artist.

Bieber fans, known as 'Beliebers,' praised him on social media websites for showing his darker side and fighting for love. Kaylie @StrongForJustin tweeted, 'The whole ALAYLM video was amazing. It shows how if you really love someone, you would fight for them. There's a lot of meaning.'

Bieber rose to fame as a baby-faced pop star on YouTube, singing innocent love songs such as 'Baby' and 'One Less Lonely Girl.' In the past year, he has grown under the watchful eye of the public and is dating Disney actress and singer Selena Gomez.

The new electro-pop 'As Long As You Love Me', not to be confused with the Backstreet Boys song with the same title, features rapper Big Sean and is the second single from his latest album 'Believe.'

Bieber unveiled his new image in the video for the first single from the album, 'Boyfriend,' which saw him cavorting with dancers and driving fast cars. The video earned a nomination for best male video, and the winner will be announced at the MTV Video Music awards in September.

(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Then I saw her race...now she's a Belieber

LONDON (Reuters) - Justin Bieber only had to see her race and now he's a believer in American Olympic swimmer Missy Franklin.

The 17-year-old, in turn, only had to see his 'shout-out' on Twitter for the legs that powered her to backstroke gold to go all wobbly.

'heard @FranklinMissy is a fan of mine. now im a fan of hers too. CONGRATS on winning GOLD!#muchlove',' the 18-year-old Canadian singer told his 'Beliebers' on the social network Twitter.

Bieber is the world's most followed man, with more than 25 million Twitter followers.

Franklin, who won in the pool on Monday, was asked on Wednesday whether being mentioned by the teen singer was better than winning the medal.

Having said on Monday how her first Olympic title felt 'one hundred billion' times better than she had expected, the teenager might have been expected to reply with 'are you kidding?'

Instead, she played dizzily along with the idea with a peal of laughter.

'You know, it's pretty close. I wouldn't say its better but I could not believe it when I saw. I was running around like a chicken with the head cut off, I was so excited,' she said.

To complete her delight, American singer and Teen Idol winner Scotty McReery also sent a message.

'I like how @franklinmissy wants to stay in high school even tho shes an olympian.. they were the best 4 years of my life for sure!' he said.

Franklin has become well-known for turning down more than $100,000 in prize money and lucrative sponsorship offers so that she can follow her dream of staying amateur through college and swimming in the NCAA.

'I was super-excited. My two favorite singers tweeted me, It was incredible,' she told reporters.

Compatriot and team mate Michael Phelps, who took a record 19th Olympic medal on Tuesday night, woke up to a more serious tweet - a congratulatory one from Barack Obama.

The president of the United States, however, has 'only' 18 million followers.

(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)



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