DATE=11/29/2002

TYPE=Music Programs Feature

NUMBER=7-400852

TITLE=Music Notes For The Week Of December 1-7, 2002

BYLINE=Mary Morningstar

TELEPHONE=619-1692

DATELINE=Washington

EDITOR=ML

CONTENT=

POP NUMBER ONE HITS:

1962 The 4 Seasons "Big Girls Don't Cry" (CDP-23421)

1972 Helen Reddy " I Am Woman" (CDP-5561)

1982 Lionel Richie "Truly" (CDP-566)

1992 Whitney Houston "I Will Always Love You" (CDP-21390)

2002 Eminem "Lose Yourself" (clean version HD-483E/see staff)

MUSIC NEWS:

Mariah Carey's new CD, "Charmbracelet," will be released on December 3rd. The 32-year-old pop diva says the album represents her "new lease on life" following a difficult year that included hospitalizations for extreme exhaustion and losing her recording contract with Virgin Records. "Charmbracelet" will be released on her own imprint, MonarC Music, which is distributed by Universal Music Group's Island/Def Jam division. She collaborated on songs with Jermaine Dupri, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and she also co-produced the album. Guests include Jay-Z, Cam'ron and 'N Sync's Justin Timberlake.

The Backstreet Boys have filed a 75-million-dollar lawsuit against Jive Records' parent organization Zomba Recording Corporation. The pop vocal group is charging the company with breach of contract, intentional interference with contract, trademark infringement and unfair competition. In 1999, the Backstreet Boys revised their contract with Zomba to include two more albums. They claim that Zomba's preoccupation with the release of group member Nick Carter's solo album made it impossible to fulfill their recording obligations. The Backstreet Boys also claim that Zomba is unlawfully using their trademark to promote Carter's album. A spokesperson for Zomba says the company will not respond to the allegations.

The A&E cable channel will air Rod Stewart's two-hour "A&E In Concert" special on December 6th. He'll perform holiday tunes, many of his hits, plus songs from his new CD, "It Had To Be You The Great American Songbook."

Country/pop star Shania Twain debuts at Number One on Billboard's Top 200 and Country Albums charts this week (week ending December 7th) with "Up," her first album in five years. The set sold more than 870-thousand copies its first week in record stores. Twain's previous album, "Come On Over," has sold more than fourteen million copies, but never made it to Number One on the Top 200 chart (it peaked at Number 2).

On December 7th, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell will present the 2002 Kennedy Center honors at a State Department dinner. This year's honorees are conductor James Levine, singer-songwriter Paul Simon, actor James Earl Jones, dancer/actress Chita Rivera and actress Elizabeth Taylor. Former Beatle Paul McCartney was to receive an honor, but he could not be in Washington due to a wedding in his family. The Kennedy Center trustees chose Paul Simon to replace McCartney, who will receive his honor next year. On December 8th, this year's honorees will attend a gala performance, which will be videotaped for broadcast later this month. President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush will attend the December 8th festivities.

NEW CD/DVD RELEASES:

New releases on December 3rd include: "Charmbracelet" by Mariah Carey on MonarC/Island Records (see Music News); "Come Together A Night for John Lennon's Words & Music" (DVD) from Pioneer Entertainment (proceeds will go to the Robin Hood Foundation, a relief fund for victims' families and New York residents suffering from financial troubles caused by the 9/11 attacks); "In Concert" (DVD) by Josh Groban (packaged with CD) on 143/Reprise Records; the original motion picture soundtrack to "Empire" on Motown Records; and "More Music from 8 Mile" (no Eminem tracks, includes music by Mary J. Blige, Method Man, the late Notorious B.I.G., Wu Tang Clan, and others) on Shady/Interscope Records.

MUSICAL EVENTS/FESTIVALS/BENEFITS:

New York's "Christmas In Rockefeller Center" will take place on December 4th. Sheryl Crow, Barry Manilow and Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child will headline the event, which will also feature appearances by Michelle Branch, Kelly Clarkson, Josh Groban and Carly Simon. The show, which leads up to the lighting of New York City's Christmas tree, will air on NBC-TV.

On December 5th, the 2002 Christmas Pageant of Peace will take place at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C. Performers will include Country singers Steve Wariner and Lee Ann Womack, Mannheim Steamroller, the World Children's Choir, and the Air Force Concert Band, among others. Barbara Eden will serve as pageant hostess and Country legend Roy Clark will appear as Santa Claus. Following the event, President Bush will light the national Christmas tree.

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK AND SUGGESTED MUSIC:

On December 1st, actress and singer Bette Midler will turn 57. She has starred in many films, including "The Rose," "Down And Out In Beverly Hills," "Ruthless People," "Beaches" and "First Wives Club." Midler began her singing career in 1972, and the following year, received the Grammy award for Best New Artist. Her pop hits include "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," "The Rose," "Wind Beneath My Wings" (a Number One single in 1989), and "From A Distance." In 1995, she recorded "Bette Of Roses," an album that produced the singles "To Deserve You" and "In This Life." In 1998, Midler recorded the album "Bathhouse Betty," which was followed by the release of her latest collection, "Bette" in 2000. She was dropped from Warner Brothers Records in October. Her web site reports that Midler is gearing up for a major tour in 2003 that may begin in mid-January. ("Wind Beneath My Wings" CDP-7775)

Irish pop singer Gilbert O'Sullivan will celebrate his 56th birthday on December 1st. In the early 1970's, O'Sullivan recorded three Top 10 hits including the Number One single, "Alone Again (Naturally)." ("Alone Again (Naturally)" CDP-6088)

On December 2nd, Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado will turn 24. The daughter of Portuguese immigrants burst onto the pop music scene in 2000 with her debut album "Whoa Nelly!" The collection produced the hit singles "Turn Off The Light" and "I'm Like A Bird," which earned her a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance. She's currently working on her second album for DreamWorks Records. ("I'm Like A Bird" CDP-22554)

Pop singer Britney Spears will celebrate her 21st birthday on December 2nd. Beginning at age 8, the Louisiana native spent her summer's studying in New York at the Off-Broadway Dance Center and at the Professional Arts School. While in New York, she launched her career by appearing in national commercials and in Off-Broadway shows. When she turned 11, Britney joined the cast of Disney's Mickey Mouse Club in Orlando, Florida. She signed a recording deal with Arista Records in 1998. Sales of her first two albums for the label, "Baby One More Time" and "Oops…I Did It Again," total more than 22 million copies in the U.S. Spears' latest CD, "Britney," was released in November of 2001. It debuted at Number One on the Top 200 Albums chart and includes the singles "I'm A Slave 4 U," "Overprotected" and "I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman." Spears took three months off from music after wrapping up her world tour in July. She's currently working on songs for a new album. It's been reported that she plans to record a cover of the 1971 Yes classic, "All Good People." Last week, Britney terminated her partnership with Bobby Ochs and their New York restaurant Nyla. She was recently named in a lawsuit brought against the restaurant by three vendors, which claimed they were owed more than 25-thousand-dollars for products and services. ("I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman" CDP-24354)

Rock pioneer Little Richard will celebrate his 70th birthday on December 5th. He was signed to RCA Records in 1951 after winning a talent contest, and five years later, recorded the Top 20 hit, "Tutti-Frutti." Little Richard's other classic songs include "Long Tall Sally," "Keep A Knockin'" and "Good Golly, Miss Molly." He recently announced that he'll soon retire from performing. Little Richard's final show is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles on February 8th, 2003.("Long Tall Sally" CDP-188)

Jim Messina, half of the former duo Loggins & Messina, will turn 55 on December 5th. Messina was a member of Buffalo Springfield and Poco before forming Loggins & Messina with Kenny Loggins in 1970. In 1972, the duo scored its biggest hit with the Top 5 single, "Your Mama Don't Dance." ("Your Mama Don't Dance" CDP-1336)

December 7th marks the birth date of the late singer-songwriter Harry Chapin (born 1942). He is best remembered for the songs "Taxi," "WOLD" and his 1974 Number One single, "Cat's In The Cradle." Chapin was killed in a car accident in New York on July 16, 1981. He was 38 years old. ("Cat's In The Cradle" CDP-6885)

Pop singer Aaron Carter, younger brother of Backstreet Boy Nick Carter, turns 15 on December 7th. At age 7, Aaron began performing with three classmates in a Florida-based group named Dead End. Within two years, the members' musical tastes changed and they split up in 1996. One year later, Aaron made his solo recording debut with the single "Crush On You." In 1998, Jive Records released his debut album, which was followed by his sophomore set "Aaron's Party (Come And Get It)" in 2000, "Oh Aaron" in 2001, and his new CD, "Another Earthquake." ("Aaron's Party (Come And Get It)" CDP-22396)

AWARDS PRESENTATIONS/WINNERS:

The Supremes, the Dixie Cups, Dell-Vikings, KoKo Taylor, Johnny Nash, Clarence "Frog Man" Henry, George Clinton and Maceo Parker will receive the Rhythm & Blues Foundation's 2003 Pioneer Awards. In addition, Dionne Warwick will be presented with the foundation's Lifetime Achievement Award and Jackie Wilson will be honored with a legacy tribute award. The 2003 Pioneer Awards will take place on February 20th in New York.

The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences has chosen Etta James, Johnny Mathis, the late Glenn Miller, the late Tito Puento and Simon & Garfunkel as its 2003 Lifetime Achievement Award honorees. Trustees Awards will be given to the New York Philharmonic and late musicologist Alan Lomax. The awards will be presented at a banquet in New York on February 22nd. Highlights will be shown on the 45th annual Grammy Awards telecast on February 23rd.

TOUR DATES/INFORMATION:

On December 3rd, "A Royal Christmas" tour will kick off in Cincinnati, Ohio. The outing features teen soprano Charlotte Church, the London Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and the Westminister Bell Choir. Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer will serve as hosts on the tour, which wraps up on December 21st in Sunrise, Florida.

The Eagles have announced plans for a major concert tour for 2003. Concerts will kick off on May 8th. The group will release a new studio album in the fall. It will mark the Eagles' first studio collection of all new material since 1979's "The Long Run."

FACTS FROM THE PAST AND SUGGESTED MUSIC:

12/1/57 - Three "new" acts were featured on Ed Sullivan's weekly television variety show. They were Buddy Holly, Sam Cooke and the Silhouettes. Earlier that year, Holly had a Number One hit with "That'll Be The Day" and Cooke topped the charts with "You Send Me." The Silhouettes' "Get A Job" made it to Number One three weeks after their appearance on the show. (Sam Cooke "You Send Me" CDP-72)

12/2/49 - Gene Autry hit the charts with his classic Christmas song, "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer." The original version of the song, which was re-recorded in 1970, sold more than 8 million copies. ("Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer" CDP-481)

12/3/79 - Eleven people died after thousands of concert fans jammed the entrances at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio in an attempt to get front row seats for The Who. As a result, festival seating (first-come, first-served) was banned in Cincinnati and many other U.S. cities.

12/4/56 - Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis recorded several songs together at Memphis, Tennessee's Sun Records studio. Twenty-five years later, the collection was released under the group name, The Million Dollar Quartet. In 1985, Cash, Perkins and Lewis returned to Sun Studio, this time joined by Roy Orbison. The songs they recorded during that session were released on the LP "Class of '55," and included a tribute to Elvis Presley titled "We Remember The King." ("We Remember The King" S-23209)

12/5/68 - Graham Nash left The Hollies following a disagreement over the group's plans to release an album of Bob Dylan songs. In 1969, he formed the pop trio Crosby, Stills and Nash, which won that year's Best New Artist Grammy Award. ("Marrakesh Express" CDP-5864A)

12/6/88 - Roy Orbison died of a heart attack at age 52. Orbison formed his first band in 1952 and four years later recorded his debut album with The Teen Kings. In 1960, he began a successful solo career which included the hit songs "Only The Lonely (Know How I Feel)," "Running Scared," "Crying" and "Oh, Pretty Woman." Orbison was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1987. He spent the last year of his life performing with the supergroup Traveling Wilburys. ("Oh, Pretty Woman" CDP-691)