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R. KELLY WILL WRITE AUTOBIOGRAPHY
LOS ANGELES (AP) — R. Kelly is ready to spill the details of his personal life. Kelly has signed a deal with SmileyBooks to publish his memoir. He says he will not write as R. Kelly, but as Robert, and he's tired of being misunderstood. He promises he'll write about the death of his beloved mother, the process for writing soaring ballads and down-and-dirty songs, and his six-year fight to prove his innocence against child pornography charges. He does not say whether he'll address his relationship with Aaliyah (ah-LEE'-yah) . Both of them had denied rumors that they were married when Aaliyah was just 15. Kelly's book will come out in early 2011.
CLAY AIKEN WAS AN ILLEGAL VOTER
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — There appears to be some voting irregularities involving Clay Aiken, but it doesn't involve "American Idol." Aiken may have voted illegally in North Carolina elections this fall because he lives in a different county. The elections board has ruled not to pursue it because Aiken wrote a letter asking to be removed from the old county's voting rolls. The investigation was sparked by a local Republican party official after Aiken called candidates for the county school board "selfish idiots." The official says he's happy with the outcome.
MAN ACCUSED OF STALKING ASHANTI'S MOM COULD FACE TRIAL NEXT WEEK
NEW YORK (AP) — An Ashanti fan who crossed the line with Ashanti's mother could go on trial next week. Authorities say Devar Hurd sent dozens of messages to the cell phones of Ashanti's mother and her husband. Court papers indicate the messages were lewd, describing her performances and lamenting over her relationship with Nelly, and one message was a photo of her mother's home. Hurd was arrested in July. He has pleaded not guilty and is being held on $50,000 bond.
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN SUPPORTS GAY MARRIAGE
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Bruce Springsteen is standing up for gay marriage in New Jersey. Springsteen has posted a message of support on his Web site as the New Jersey Senate takes up a gay marriage bill today. Springsteen says he's "always spoken out for the rights of same-sex couples." Republican Governor-elect Chris Christie is a big Springsteen fan but he says he'll veto the bill.
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN'S COUSIN DIED OF ACCIDENTAL OVERDOSE
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bruce Springsteen's cousin died of an accidental drug overdose. Kansas City TV station KCTV reports the autopsy results on Lenny Sullivan show he died of acute amphetamine and heroin intoxication. Sullivan was the assistant road manager for the E Street Band. He was found dead in his hotel room on October 26, just hours before Springsteen was to take the stage in Kansas City.
BILLY JOEL-STATEMENT ON DAUGHTER
NEW YORK (AP) — Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley say their daughter is trying to recover from her "dangerous actions" of last weekend. In a statement yesterday, Joel and Brinkley say their daughter's actions came "while suffering a devastating heartbreak." The statement didn't specify the "actions." Joel and Brinkley also say a report published Tuesday in the New York Post was "false." The Post reported the 23-year-old attempted suicide after a fight with her mother during a family vacation.
IMOGEN HEAP LIKES WHAT JASON DERULO DID WITH HER SONG
CHICAGO (AP) — Imogen Heap has been getting two kinds of e-mails from fans: those who love what Jason DeRulo did with her song and those who hate it. DeRulo sampled Heap's song "Hide and Seek" for his song "Watcha Say." Heap loved the track from the beginning. She wrote "Hide and Seek" about a bad experience and she says anything that makes it happier is a good thing. She says it's the best of both worlds if she creates songs and DeRulo gets them exposure. What about the fans who think she let him massacre her song? Heap says once she creates a song, it doesn't belong to her any more.
SOUND:
<<CUT …019 (12/10/09)>> 00:13 "you do that"
Imogen Heap, singer-songwriter
Imogen Heap says she's overwhelmed by the response she's getting since Jason DeRulo sampled her song, "Hide and Seek," for his song, "Whatcha Say."
<<CUT …020 (12/10/09)>> 00:13 "restrict its direction"
Imogen Heap, singer-songwriter
Imogen Heap says she creates songs but lets them go into the air.
<<CUT …021 (12/10/09)>> 00:16 "better every time"
Imogen Heap, singer-songwriter
Imogen Heap says she wrote "Hide and Seek" out of an unpleasant experience, so she's glad Jason DeRulo turned it into something else.
<<CUT …022 (12/10/09)>> 00:19 "of both worlds"
Imogen Heap, singer-songwriter
Imogen Heap says Jason DeRulo did her a favor by giving her more exposure than she had been getting in America. ((note length of cut))
SUSAN BOYLE IS STILL NUMBER ONE
NEW YORK (AP) — Susan Boyle has staying power. Her "I Dreamed A Dream" album is number one for a second week. It sold another 527,000 copies this week on top of the 701,000 it sold in its first week.
MILEY CYRUS REMAKES "EVERY ROSE HAS ITS THORN"
NEW YORK (AP) — Miley Cyrus wants to put her own stamp on a Poison ballad. Cyrus is remaking the song "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." Her mom tells People magazine it's one of Cyrus' favorite songs. Poison singer Bret Michaels is working in the studio with Cyrus.
UNDEROATH INVOLVED IN VAN ACCIDENT
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Underoath have been in a bad van accident. They say on their Web site their van carrying their gear was in an accident that forced them to cancel their show in Omaha, Neb. on Tuesday. No members of the band were hurt. The bus driver was injured and is in stable condition. Underoath do not give any other details on what happened. The band is back on tour with no other dates canceled.
ROLLING STONE PICKS RADIOHEAD, GNARLS BARKLEY AS TOP MUSIC OF THE DECADE
NEW YORK (AP) — Rolling Stone magazine has declared Radiohead's "Kid A" the album that defined the past ten years. It tops its list of the best albums of the decade. "This Is It" by The Strokes is second, followed by Wilco's "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" and Jay-Z's "The Blueprint." The White Stripes are fifth with "Elephant." The magazine also ranked the top songs of the decade and the number-one pick is "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley. Jay-Z is second with "99 Problems," and Beyonce' is third with "Crazy In Love." Outkast's "Hey Ya!" is number four, and "Paper Planes" by M.I.A. is number five.
by Margie Szaroleta
