Detroit Daily Entertainment Observer

04/23/2015

Dwight Yoakam has scored a No. 2 debut on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, his highest-charting album in 26 years since 1988's Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room hit No. 1. Second Hand Heart is also No. 7 on the Top Current Albums chart and No. 18 on the Top 200 Albums chart, resulting in his best sales week since 1998.

04/16/2015

THIS JUST IN ...
Alternative rock bands Incubus and Deftones announced this morning they will set out on a co-headlining summer tour visiting nearly 20 cities with more to be announced. The tour will kick off on July 22 at the DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston and take the two bands to New York City, Chicago, Boston, Houston, Dallas and more before wrapping up on Aug. 30 in San Diego. Death From Above 1979 and The Bots will join the tour as special guests. Tickets go on sale beginning April 24 at www.livenation.com.

04/09/2015

Detroit Public Library Celebrates Poetry with New Poetry Series

The Detroit Public Library is launching a new poetry series to continue its year of celebrations in the city of Detroit. The series continues with Saul Williams on April 14 at 6 p.m. at the Main library.

“We are excited to celebrate poetry with some of the most impactful poets of our day,” said Atiim Funchess, library assistant marketing director. “These poets have the ability to articulate thoughts with so much energy and passion to the masses, but yet so eloquently.”

The library will host a total of six poets during the poetry series that places a spotlight on spoken word. The DPL Poetry Series celebrates Poetry in Midtown at the Main library and Poetry in the Community at several library locations. The list of poets includes:

Cherrie Amour – April 11
Keir Jackson – April 11, 25 and 29
Saul Williams – April 14
Mark James Andrews – April 14 and 22
Jessica Care Moore – May 12

All programs are free and open to the public. For information or a complete list of poets in the DPL Poetry Series, visit the library’s website at www.detroitpubliclibrary.org.

04/06/2015

First Listen: Dwight Yoakam, 'Second Hand Heart'

Dwight Yoakam's "Second Hand Heart" --- released moments ago by Warner Bros. He performs July 18 at MIS. Be among the first to listen: http://www.npr.org/2015/04/05/396881299/first-listen-dwight-yoakam-second-hand-heart

The country singer-songwriter's 15th studio album feels as fresh as anything he's ever done. Better yet, these songs were built to be played live.

04/03/2015

Denny McLain Bob Gibson Musical Duet

As opening day nears, a special treat: Denny McLain and Bob Gibson perform together on Ed Sullivan three days after the Tigers beat the Cardinals in game 7 of the 1968 World Series. That's the year Denny won 31 games.

Details: http://www.yourememberthat.com/media/10130/Denny_McLain_Bob_Gibson_Musical_Duet/ #.VR8Xc410yP9

Here's an odd clip from the Ed Sullivan Show of October 13, 1968: Denny McLain of the Detroit Tigers performs on the organ. He is then joined by Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals on guitar. The Tigers had just beaten the Cards in the World Series three days earlier.

03/20/2015

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT WHITE HOUSE STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL
East Room

THE PRESIDENT: Hello! (Applause.) Thank you so much, everybody! Have a seat. Well, hello, everybody, and welcome to the second annual White House Film Festival. (Applause.) It’s like the Sundance or Cannes of film festivals that are open to the public through a government website. (Laughter.) It may also be the only film festival where one of the entrants has his tooth loose. (Laughter.) And may pull it out right here at the ceremony. (Laughter.)



Everybody looks wonderful, of course. You’ll be disappointed to know I will not be doing a musical number based on this year’s films.



AUDIENCE: Awww --



THE PRESIDENT: That’s the job of your emcees, Kal Penn and Terrence J. Give them a big round of applause. (Applause.) I don’t know if they’ll be doing musical numbers either. (Laughter.) But I do want to thank the folks at the American Film Institute and Participant Media for partnering with us on this event. Thank you very much. Give them a big round of applause. (Applause.)



I want to give a shout out to all the honorees’ dates tonight, which I assume are either parents or teachers, or somebody who’s supported these outstanding young people every step of the way. And of course, most importantly, let’s give it up to our outstanding young filmmakers! (Applause.) Yay! (Applause.) Yay! (Applause.)



So I love this event. This is the second year that we’ve hosted the White House Student Film Festival, and it's a great example of what happens when we just unleash the skills and the imagination of America’s young people. In this country, if we give all of our kids the best opportunities and technology and resources, there’s no telling what they’ll create -- now and the years ahead.



This year, we received more than 1,500 submissions that came from all across the country -- actually even came as far as Azerbaijan. Our theme was “The Impact of Giving Back.” And today, we are proud to honor our 15 official selections, because these aren’t just great films, but they’re great examples of how young people are making a difference all over the country.



Today, we’re celebrating a 6-year-old in Montana. Is that you? (Applause.) He’s the guy without -- he’s missing teeth. (Laughter.) But he’s also challenging us to see conservation through a child’s eyes.



We’re honoring a young man’s story of service to his family and our environment in his Navajo Nation, Navajo tradition. A teenager who started a wheelchair challenge and raised tens of thousands of dollars to make his school more accessible to folks with disabilities. A third-grade superhero who wears a cape as he delivers clothes and food to the homeless. You see even in indie film festivals, superhero movies are infiltrating. I'm going to have to see “Super Ewan 2” next summer. There’s going to be a sequel.



And then there are two young women, Allyson Edwards and Madison Jaco, who adopted a highway to clean up the roads in their hometown of Hawkins, Texas. Where are these young ladies? Raise your hands. A little higher. There you go. (Applause.) So they decided they wanted to make an even bigger impact, so they reached out to young people all across the globe, and this is part of the power of the Internet. And now you’ve got groups in India, France, Nigeria, Benin, Argentina, all getting into the act -- cleaning up their schools and beaches and roads -- just because of these two young women.



And as Allyson and Madison say in their film, “In today’s society, we’re often told how much we are different and how much divides us, but through our shared community service, we realized how much brings us together.” That’s a profound statement, guys. I don’t think I was that smart when I was your age.



But that’s the idea that lies at the heart of service -- empathy, understanding, being able to make a connection. And as these young people are showing us, it’s a message that can be told powerfully through film, because that’s a media that connects us with people and stories we might otherwise never know. And it puts us in the shoes of people potentially on the other side of the world, or a neighborhood very different than the one we grew up in. And that’s true whether you’re a middle schooler with a GoPro, or a Hollywood director on a custom-made soundstage.



Now, we know that if today’s middle schoolers are going to become those big-time directors -- and we’ve got some big-time folks here. Steve McQueen here, has filmed “12 Years a Slave.” It was a big Oscar winner last year and a profound film. And we appreciate his presence here today. (Applause.) So you guys could get some tips. (Laughter.)



But the next Steve McQueen, or Scorsese, or Spielberg, or documentarian like Ken Burns -- if we’re going to make sure that these young people have those opportunities, then we’ve got to do our part to support them.



That means we’ve got to give them a world-class education, access to science and technology, and engineering, and math, as well as the arts. It means that they’ve got to have access to the technology they need to learn and explore and grow.



It's not optional to have access to that technology in today’s world. That’s one of the reasons I launched the ConnectED initiative, to connect 99 percent of our students to next-generation broadband and wireless -- because when we expect free WiFi with our coffee, then we should at least have it in our schools and our libraries, too. (Applause.)



The good news is we’re making great progress. More than 1,800 school districts have pledged to bring high-speed broadband and digital learning to their students. Companies have committed billions of dollars in free technology for schools and libraries around the country. And it’s making a difference. Students in rural Alabama used software donated by Adobe to make a music video that won first place in a contest, and then earned their school $10,000 of new musical equipment. So we know this can make a difference.



But we also know that it takes more than technology to help our kids thrive -- parents, teachers, people who love and inspire them, coaches, mentors to help guide their way.



So today, as part of our “United We Serve” effort, I’m proud to announce that AFI and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists are pairing up to give each of the young filmmakers here a mentor who can bring out the best of them in the months ahead. That’s pretty cool. (Applause.)



And the organizations are also reaching beyond these young people; they’re going to pledge a million hours of educational and mentoring programs for young people across the country over the next three years -- (applause) -- which is a remarkable commitment, so we want to thank AFI and SAG-AFTRA for that wonderful contribution.



We’ve seen how impactful these mentoring experiences can be. I’ll just take a minute to give you one example -- the story of a young woman who we honored here last year named Shelly Ortiz. And Shelly made this wonderful video -- is Shelly here? There you are. There’s Shelly. Good to see you. (Applause.) So I'm going to brag about you for a second.



So Shelly made a great video about how technology in her classroom helped fuel her passion for filmmaking. But when Shelly came to the White House, she was still working on another project that meant a lot to her, which was a short documentary about how her father was abandoned by his mom as a child, and all the ramifications, what that meant.



After the festival, AFI connected her with an accomplished documentarian, who served as her mentor, giving Shelly detailed notes and the confidence to take risks as a director. A few months later, Shelly’s documentary was featured at AFI’s International Documentary Festival. Pretty cool. And today, she says that the mentoring she received and the technology she’s been given didn’t just help her become a better filmmaker, it helped her become closer than ever with her dad.



So that’s the power of what is being done here. Experiences like these aren’t just about a young person’s future career. They’re about helping them to connect in new and meaningful ways, whether it’s somebody as close as your parents, or somebody on an iPad halfway around the world who may share more in common with you than you think.



And we don’t know what these new connections will produce down the road, but if these movies are any indication I know that these young people are going to make an even bigger impact for their communities and their country in the years ahead.



So I'm proud of you. Keep up the great work. I can’t stay to watch them all, but I'm going to get them all, digitally. And I'm going to give them a big thumbs-up. All right. Thank you. I'm really proud of you guys. (Applause.) Now it’s time to begin our feature presentations.

03/17/2015

THIS JUST IN...
Eric Clapton will release a brand-new "Best Of" compilation, entitled Forever Man, via Reprise Records on April 28 in the U.S.

Featuring 51 tracks over three CDs, Forever Man spans three decades of Clapton's Reprise Records years and features classic studio tracks and a Blues-themed disc.

The collection traces much of Clapton's career featuring the Grammy Award-winning tracks "Change The World", "Tears In Heaven", "Bad Love" and including materials form Eric's Grammy Award-winning albums From The Cradle and Unplugged. Guest performers include B.B. King and J.J. Cale.

The release of Forever Man coincides with an upcoming tour, which includes nine concert dates in celebration of his 70th birthday on March 30. The shows will take place at New York City's famed Madison Square Garden on May 1st and 2nd and at London's Royal Albert Hall on May 14th, 15th, 17th, 18th, 20th, 21st, and 23rd. The shows will feature Clapton, accompanied by his band members Paul Carrack, Steve Gadd, Nathan East, Chris Stainton, Sharon White, and Michelle John, with opening support act Andy Fairweather Low and the Low Riders.

Forever Man is available for pre-order beginning today and will be available in multiple configurations: a 3-CD, 2-CD, a vinyl 2-LP set and digital downloads. The package also comes with liner notes written by noted rock journalist and author Malcolm Dome. Click to pre-order: http://www.ericclapton.com/foreverman

Please see below for all Forever Man track-listings.

3CD and Digital Download Edition:

CD1- Studio
1.Gotta Get Over
2.I've Got A Rock 'N' Roll Heart
3.Run Back To Your Side
4.Tears In Heaven
5.Call Me The Breeze
6.Forever Man
7.Believe In Life
8.Bad Love
9.My Father's Eyes
10.Anyway The Wind Blows - with J.J. Cale
11.Travelin' Alone
12.Change The World
13.Behind The Mask
14.It's In The Way That You Use It
15.Pretending
16.Riding With The King - with B.B. King
17.Circus
18.Revolution

CD2 - Live
1.Badge
2.Sunshine Of Your Love
3.White Room
4.Wonderful Tonight
5.Worried Life Blues
6.Cocaine
7.Layla (Unplugged)
8.Nobody Knows You When You're Down & Out (Unplugged)
9.Walkin' Blues (Unplugged)
10.Them Changes - with Steve Winwood
11.Presence Of The Lord - with Steve Winwood
12.Hoochie Coochie Man
13.Goin' Down Slow
14.Over The Rainbow

CD3 - Blues
1.Before You Accuse Me
2.Last Fair Deal Gone Down
3.Hold On, I'm Comin' - with B.B. King
4.Terraplane Blues
5.It Hurts Me Too
6.Little Queen Of Spades
7.Third Degree
8.Motherless Child
9.Sportin' Life Blues - with J.J. Cale
10.Ramblin' On My Mind
11.Stop Breakin' Down Blues
12.Everybody Oughta Make A Change
13.Sweet Home Chicago
14.If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day
15.Hard Times Blues
16.Got You On My mind
17.I'm Tore Down
18.Milkcow's Calf Blues
19.Key To The Highway - with B.B. King

2CD and Digital Download Edition:

CD1
1.Gotta Get Over
2.I've Got A Rock 'N' Roll Heart
3.Anyway The Wind Blows - with J.J. Cale
4.My Father's Eyes
5.Motherless Child
6.Pretending
7.Little Queen Of Spades
8.Bad Love
9.Behind The Mask
10.Tears In Heaven
11.Change The World
12.Call Me The Breeze
13.Forever Man
14.Riding With The King - with B.B. King
15.It's In The Way That You Use It
16.Circus
17.Got You On My Mind
18.Travelin' Alone
19.Revolution

CD2 - Blues
1.Before You Accuse Me
2.Last Fair Deal Gone Down
3.Hold On, I'm Comin' - with B.B. King
4.Terraplane Blues
5.It Hurts Me Too
6.Little Queen Of Spades
7.Third Degree
8.Motherless Child
9.Sportin' Life Blues - with J.J. Cale
10.Ramblin' On My Mind
11.Stop Breakin' Down Blues
12.Everybody Oughta Make A Change
13.Sweet Home Chicago
14.If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day
15.Hard Times Blues
16.Got You On My mind
17.I'm Tore Down
18.Milkcow's Calf Blues
19.Key To The Highway - with B.B. King

Vinyl Edition:
Side 1
1.Gotta Get Over
2.I've Got A Rock 'N' Roll Heart
3.Anyway The Wind Blows - with J.J. Cale
4.My Father's Eyes
5.Motherless Child

Side 2
1.Pretending
2.Little Queen Of Spades
3.Bad Love
4.Behind The Mask

Side 3
1.Tears In Heaven
2.Change The World
3.Call Me The Breeze
4.Forever Man
5.Riding With The King - with B.B. King

Side 4
1.It's In The Way That You Use It
2.Circus
3.Got You On My mind
4.Travelin' Alone
5.Revolution

03/14/2015

Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies is a new, three-part documentary, executive produced by Ken Burns and directed by Barak Goodman and based on the bestselling book by Siddhartha Mukherjee.

This “biography” of cancer covers its first documented appearances thousands of years ago through the epic battles in the 20th century to cure, control and conquer it, to a radical new understanding of its essence. The series also features the current status of cancer knowledge and treatment — the dawn of an era in which cancer may become a chronic or curable illness rather than its historic death sentence in some forms.

The doc will air on Detroit Public Television March 30, March 31, and April 1 at 9 p.m.

There are two free screeners, but registration is required:

Thursday, March 19, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
American Cancer Society Southfield Office
20450 Civic Center Dr
Southfield, MI 48076

RSVP: http://support.dptv.org/site/Calendar/896691500
Panelists: Mark Chiang, MD/PhD, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, Hematology of Oncology, University of Michigan, also an ACS Research Grantee
Philip Kuriakose, MD, a senior staff physician, Josephine Ford Cancer Center at Henry Ford Health System and an assistant professor at Wayne State University Medical School
Followed by Q&A

Tuesday, March 24, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Suburban Cadillac Buick
1810 Maplelawn Dr
Troy, MI 48084

RSVP: http://support.dptv.org/site/Calendar/1254246903
Panelist: Lori Pile, PhD, Wayne State University, ACS funded researcher early in her career
L. Kate Gowans, MD, section head, Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Beaumont Children’s Hospital
Followed by Q&A

03/14/2015

SCREW YOU, KATHY GRIFFIN;
SHUT UP AND LEAVE GIULIANA ALONE
I don't even watch Fashion Police on E!, but when I heard KATHY GRIFFIN (pix 1-2-3 in the montage) quit because the show was "too mean," I had to laugh. I have always wondered why anyone would think the grotesquely caustic Griffin is funny. She's ugly and obnoxious. Griffin is at least sophomoric, at best pull-my-finger, armpit-flapping "funny," if you like that kind of thing. Ostensibly, GIULIANA RANCIK (bottom right) is the "mean one." From where I sit, Rancik has always been gorgeous and adds a refreshing voice to any and all projects big and small. So ... good riddance to you, Kathy Griffin. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.
--- HAWKE FRACASSA

03/13/2015

Madonna (the hag on top) trashed Rochester today on the Howard Stern program.
What an ingrate!!! You don't do that to your hometown.
Eminem (the cool dude on the bottom) sings in his latest rap how he can never turn his back on DEE-TROIT!!!
I admire Eminem's loyalty.
He's from Warren, you know.
And we're proud he's from here.
When I'm mayor of Warren, we'll have an Eminem Day and give him a key to the city. Are you with me?
--- HAWKE FRACASSA

03/12/2015

Muse - Psycho [Official Lyric Video]

New music from Muse: The heavy-metal rockers' "Psycho" will be featured on the band's seventh album, entitled Drones, due out on June 9 on Warner Bros. Records. The single was posted to YouTube within the hour. Be among the first to listen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqLRqzTp6Rk

Muse's new album, Drones, will be released on 8 June 2015. Pre-order available at 19h30 GMT today. Directed and edited by Tom Kirk and Simon Bennett Produced...

03/10/2015

Rock band Ume today announced the release of a new EP entitled "Too Big World." The six-track offering will be released on Dangerbird Records April 7. The new EP features covers of Neil Young's "Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)" and Archers of Loaf's "Web In Front," as well as unreleased b-sides from the band's recording sessions with producer Adam Kasper (QOTSA, Cat Power, Nirvana). Ume is made up of Texans Lauren Larson (vocals, guitar), Eric Larson (bass) and Aaron Perez (drums).

02/27/2015

HEAR HAWKE FRACASSA on NewsTalk 1200 WCHB http://wchbnewsdetroit.newsone.com/listen-live/ 1200 AM and 99.1 FM Saturday morning from 9-10 with host Horace Sheffield. Hawke will discuss all issues Warren and how bad things happen when good men and women do nothing. Hawke is a candidate for mayor of Warren. Here's the link if you'd like to listen or call in. Call 313-568-1200.

NEW WARREN. NEW VISION. NEW MAYOR. Hawke Fracassa.

02/27/2015

Introducing novelist HARRY ANDERSON JR.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Harry Anderson Jr. of Southfield, Mich., has written three novels: "The GTO Kid," “Paul and Rosa” and "Sandra’s Saga Matthew’s World." They can be purchased at upcoming book signings in Metro Detroit and online at Authorhouse.com or Amazon.com.

The Wayne State University journalism graduate and father of two has been a freelance writer for more than 30 years. He also is a graduate of Detroit Southwestern High School.

The Warren (Mich.) Guardian sportswriter was born in Detroit in 1959 and has written sports and motorsports articles for The Detroit News, Detroit Sports Observer, Oakland Press, Michigan Chronicle, Front Page, Michigan Citizen, Windsor Star and African Americans On Wheels.

Please support this Oakland County, Mich., author. Reach him at [email protected] or call him at 1-313-957-8051.

+ + +

WHERE AUTHOR WILL BE
Novelist Harry Anderson Jr. has two book signings coming up for his three novels. Harry's titles are "The GTO Kid," "Paul and Rosa" and "Sandra's Saga Matthew's World." Sandra is the newest book.

Books can be purchased at the signings or at Authorhouse.com or Amazon.com. "Ebook" copies of "Sandra" and "Paul and Rosa" are $3.99. GTO Kid ebooks are $8.49.

From Harry: "My first one will be on March 28 at Back From The Past on Inkster Road in Redford/Livonia. My second book signing, at a coffee house, will be May 2 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Always Brewing on Grand River near Outer Drive in Detroit."

+ + +

ON THE RADIO
Harry will be a guest on the Tom Sumner program from 8-9 a.m. Friday, March 6. Hear the show on WKUF 94.3 FM in Flint and online at www.wkuf.fm.

+ + +

FIRST BOOK
Oakland County novelist
recalls golden age of 1960s
Detroit in ‘The GTO Kid’

“There was a time where Detroit used horsepower to promote
the automotive industry. Horsepower appealed to many people
like the GTO Kid and it still does today.”

Harry Anderson Jr.'s fictional “GTO Kid” centers on a black, teen “gearhead” and his post-graduation exploits.

It's the summer of 1964 on the southwest side of Detroit. Adam Knight gets a brand new 1964 Pontiac Royal Bobcat GTO as a graduation gift. Together with his friends, girlfriend and the sounds of rock-and-roll music, Adam brings John DeLorean's creation to full circle – not only at the drag strip, but also at movie and burger drive-ins.

“There was a time where Detroit used horsepower to promote the automotive industry,” Anderson says. “Horsepower appealed to many people like the GTO Kid and it still does today.”

In this nostalgic look back to a time of hot rods, horsepower and the car that changed the performance image of the American car industry, Anderson emphasizes that people of all races and colors share an interest in high-performance automobiles.

“The GTO Kid”
By Harry Anderson Jr.
Hardcover | 5 x 8 in | 252 pages | ISBN 9781467037242
Softcover | 5 x 8 in | 252 pages | ISBN 9781438935249
E-Book | 252 pages | ISBN 9781467037235
Order: Amazon.com

SECOND BOOK
New novel brings 1960s to life
with story of ‘Paul and Rosa'
Michigan author tells story of young love, muscle cars, drag racing

The Pontiac GTO was introduced in 1964. Credited by many as the sole reason for the muscle-car boom of the 1960s and ’70s, the GTO is still held in high regard by many muscle-car enthusiasts. Author Harry Anderson Jr. is one such enthusiast.

Anderson’s love for muscle cars manifests in his new novel, “Paul and Rosa,” which plants readers in the 1960s, a time when muscle cars were king.

Paul Edmonds, a black youth in Detroit, is falling in love with Rosa Robinson, his classmate. Unfortunately for Paul, her mother is adamant about Rosa not having any boys in her life while at high school. Fortunately for Paul, love and his Pontiac Tempest are on his side.

“Paul and Rosa” follows Paul as he struggles to show Rosa his true emotions and prove himself to her mother. From drag racing to classic burger joints, Anderson recreates the era of the muscle car in hopes of taking readers to what he believes was a simpler and happier time.

“Paul and Rosa”
By Harry Anderson Jr.
Softcover | 5 x 8 in | 330 pages | ISBN 9781496948342
E-Book | 330 pages | ISBN 9781496948335
Order: Amazon.com

NEW!!! THIRD BOOK
"Sandra’s Saga Matthew’s World" looks at multi-generational race
relations; new romance novel forges message of acceptance, true love

Author Harry Anderson Jr. adds to his collection of publications that reflect on race relations of the 1960s and '70s with his new novel, “Sandra’s Saga Matthew’s World: A Story of a Bi-Racial Family."

Sandra is a young, white coed who falls in love with an Air Force pilot named Matthew. Before Matthew is sent to the Vietnam War, they get married and conceive a child. Though it’s believed Matthew is killed in action, Sandra holds on believing he’s still alive while raising their son, Matthew Jr.

When Matthew returns home by surprise, their family starts to grow, and by 1978, Matthew Jr. is 11 and has several siblings. Matthew Jr. has to deal with the challenges that seem to come inherently due to his biracial makeup, but more importantly he helps a girl he has a crush on to survive the hate that seems to surround her on all sides due to her own mixed-race heritage.

Anderson hopes his story of a family built on love and understanding will help readers learn to accept people as they are.

“We’re all mixed with something and there’s nothing we can do about it,” Anderson says. “Race, size, appearance and backgrounds may make people look different on the outside, but we’re actually the same.”

“Sandra’s Saga Matthew’s World”
By Harry Anderson Jr.
Softcover | 5 x 8 in | 284 pages | ISBN 9781496962188
E-Book | 284 pages | ISBN 9781496962171
Order: Amazon.com