Live Earth Reveals Performers for USA and UK; Tickets On Sale April 16

Al Gore has made it clear he won't let Washington keep him down. Organizers today announced sixteen of the headliners who will perform at the U.S. leg of the 7-continent, 24-hour Live Earth concerts on 7/7/07. The concert will be held at Giants Stadium in New Jersey, according to Live Earth Founder and Executive Producer Kevin Wall. Tickets for the show go on sale Monday, April 16 at 10 a.m. EDT. All proceeds will go to The Alliance for Climate Protection and other international NGOs (non-governmental organizations).

“We hope the energy created by Live Earth will jump start a massive public education effort,” Live Earth Co-Chair Vice President Al Gore said. “Live Earth will help us reach a tipping point that’s needed to move corporations and governments to take decisive action to solve the climate crisis.”

The U.S. show will feature live on stage:
AFI
Akon
Alicia Keys
Bon Jovi
Dave Matthews Band
Fall Out Boy (if they settle their differences in time...)
John Mayer
Kanye West ("George Bush hates the planet")

Kelly Clarkson
KT Tunstall
Ludacris
Melissa Etheridge
Rihanna
Roger Waters
Smashing Pumpkins
The Police

Are the Pumpkins and the Police just playing every possible show they can get their hands on?

The following artists will perform at the London leg of Live Earth at Wembley Stadium:

Beastie Boys
Black Eyed Peas
Bloc Party
Corinne Bailey Rae
Damien Rice (without Lisa Hannigan, of course)
David Gray
Duran Duran
Foo Fighters
Genesis
James Blunt
John Legend
Keane
Madonna
Paolo Nutine
Razorlight
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Snow Patrol

49th Annual Grammy Award Winners

Kicking off the 2007 Grammys were the Police with their much-awaited reunion (what a happy, loud crowd when Sting's voice was heard!) and a rousing performance of "Roxanne", an apt beginning to a stunning show. Other performances included The Dixie Chicks (introduced by Joan Baez and performing with a string section), Beyonce (3-word introduction by Prince, who also took out a commercial to thank the viewers of the Super Bowl halftime show), Corinne Bailey Rae/John Legend/John Mayer (introduced by Stevie Wonder), Shakira & Wyclef Jean, Gnarls Barkley (dressed as airline pilots), Mary J. Blige (introduced by Terrence Howard), Carrie Underwood/Rascal Flatts (introduced by Reba McEntire), Smokey Robinson/Lionel Richie/Chris Brown, Christina Aguilera, Ludacris w/ Mary J. Blige, James Blunt (as if you could stand hearing "You're Beautiful" one more time. Couldn't play "No Bravery"?), Justin Timberlake, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers (introduced by Chris Rock).

Here are your winners (the ones that were televised, anyway):

Album of the Year:
Dixie Chicks - Taking The Long Way

Record of the Year (Producer's award, not performer):
Dixie Chicks - "Not Ready To Make Nice"

Song of the Year (this is an award for the composer):
Dixie Chicks - "Not Ready To Make Nice"

Best New Artist:
Carrie Underwood

Best Pop Collaboration with vocals (presented by Jamie Foxx):
Tony Bennett & Stevie Wonder - "For Once In My Life"

Male R&B Vocal Performance:
John Legend - "Heaven"

Best Rock Album:
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium

Best Rap Album (presented by Kanye West & Common):
Ludacris - Release Therapy

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance:
Christina Aguilera - "Ain't No Other Man"

Best Country Album:
Dixie Chicks - Taking The Long Way

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance:
John Mayer - "Waiting On The World To Change"

Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal:
The Black Eyed Peas - "My Humps"

Best Pop Instrumental Performance:
George Benson (& Al Jarreau) - "Mornin'"

Best Pop Instrumental Album:
Peter Frampton - Fingerprints

Best Dance Recording:
Justin Timberlake & Timbaland - "Sexy Back"

Best Electronic/Dance Album:
Madonna - Confessions On A Dance Floor

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album:
Tony Bennett - Duets: An American Classic

Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance:
Bob Dylan - "Somebody Baby"

Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal:
Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Dani California"

Best R&B Album:
Mary J. Blige - The Breakthrough

Best Hard Rock Performance:
Wolfmother - "Woman"

Best Metal Performance:
Slayer - "Eyes of the Insane"

Best Rock Instrumental Performance:
The Flaming Lips: "The Wizard Turns On..."

Best Rock Song:
Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Dani California"

Best Alternative Music Album:
Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere

Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals:
Sly & The Family Stone - "Family Affair"

Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance:
George Benson & Al Jarreau w/ Jill Scott - "God Bless The Child"

Best Urban/Alternative Performance:
Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere

Best R&B Song:
Mary J. Blige - "Be Without You"

Best Contemporary R&B Album:
Beyonce - "B'Day"

Best Rap Solo Performance:
T.I. - "What You Know"

Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group:
Chamillionaire feat. Krazyie Bone - "Ridin'"

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration:
Justin Timberlake w/ T.I. - "My Love"

Best Rap Song:
Ludacris w/ Pharrell - "Money Maker"

Best Female Country Vocal Performance:
Carrie Underwood - Jesus, Take The Wheel

Best Male Country Vocal Performance:
Vince Gill - "The Reason Why"

Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal:
Dixie Chicks - "Not Ready To Make Nice"

Best Country Collaboration With Vocals:
Bon Jovi & Jennifer Nettles - "Who Says You Can't Go Home"

Best Country Instrumental Performance:
Bryan Sutton & Doc Watson - "Whiskey Before Breakfast"

Best Country Song:
Carrie Underwood - "Jesus, Take The Wheel"

Best Bluegrass Album:
Ricky Scaggs & Kentucky Thunder - Instrumentals

Best New Age Album:
Enya - Amarantine

Best Contemporary Jazz Album:
Bela Fleck & The Flecktones - The Hidden Land

Best Jazz Vocal Album:
Nancy Wilson - Turned To Blue

Best Jazz Instrumental Solo:
Michael Brecker - "Some Skunk Funk"

Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group:
Chick Corea - The Ultimate Adventure

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance:
Mary J. Blige - "Be Without You"

Best Rock Or Rap Gospel Album:
Jonny Lang - Turn Around

Best Southern, Country, Or Bluegrass Gospel Album:
Randy Travis - Glory Train

Best Gospel Song:
Kirk Franklin - "Imagine Me"

Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album:
Kirk Franklin - Hero

Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album:
Third Day - Wherever You Are

Best Traditional Gospel Album:
Israel & New Breed - Alive In South Africa

Best Traditional Blues Album:
Ike Turner - Risin' With The Blues

Best Contemporary Blues Album:
Irma Thomas - After The Rain

Best Pop Vocal Album:
John Mayer - Continuum

Best Traditional Folk Album:
Bruce Springsteen - We Shall Overcome - The Seeger Sessions

Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album:
Bob Dylan - Modern Times

Best Reggae Album:
Ziggy Marley - Love Is My Religion

Best Comedy Album:
Lewis Black - The Carnegie Hall Performance

Best Compilation Soundtrack Album For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media:
Joaquin Phoenix (& Various Artists) - Walk The Line

Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media:
James Taylor (written by Randy Newman) - "Our Town" (From Cars)

Best Recording Package:
Adam Jones, art director (Tool) - 10,000 Days

Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package:
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical:
Flaming Lips - At War With The Mystics

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical:
Rick Rubin

Best Long Form Music Video:
Bruce Springsteen - "Wings For Wheels: The Making of Born To Run"

Best Short Form Music Video:
OK Go - "Here It Goes Again"

New Orleans Jazz Fest - April 27-29 and May 4-6, 2007: Harry Connick, Jr., Jerry Lee Lewis, Better Than Ezra. . .Just Look!

For two weekends in the spring, fans will descend upon New Orleans for the New Orleans Jazz Fest. The festival will again be held at the Fair Grounds Race Course and run from 11:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. daily. Harry Connick, Jr. will be closing the fest on May 6. Tickets to the 2007 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival go on sale today at http://www.nojazzfest.com and Ticketmaster.

Just look at this artist listing:
Harry Connick Jr., Rod Stewart, Steely Dan, Norah Jones, ZZ Top, John Legend, Van Morrison, Brad Paisley, Jill Scott, Ludacris, Dr. John, Bonnie Raitt, New Edition, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Irma Thomas, Jerry Lee Lewis, Counting Crows, Allman Brothers Band, Allen Toussaint, George Benson, Pharoah Sanders, George Thorogood, Stephen Marley featuring Jr. Gong, Better Than Ezra, Joss Stone, Banda el Recodo, Calexico, Taj Mahal, Johnny Rivers, Lucinda Williams, Branford Marsalis, Richie Havens, Soulive, Cowboy Mouth, Percy Sledge, Tony Joe White, Gillian Welch, Bobby Jones & the Nashville Super Choir, T-Bone Burnett, Rebirth Brass Band, Galactic, Mose Allison, Marcia Ball, Roy Hargrove, Chuck Leavell, Arturo Sandoval, The Holmes Brothers, Snooks Eaglin, Dr. Lonnie Smith, The New Orleans Social Club, James Carter, The Radiators, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Lucky Peterson, Darrell McFadden, Sonny Landreth, Danilo Perez, Ivan Neville, Dottie Peoples, Davell Crawford, Ba Cissoko of Guinea, George Porter, Jr., Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste, Tab Benoit, Les Amazones of Guinea, World Saxophone Group, John Mooney & Bluesiana, Buckwheat Zydeco, Anders Osborne, Elder Baab & the Madison Bumble Bees of Winnsboro, Eddie Bo, Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, Rosie Ledet, Amanda Shaw, The Iguanas, Marva Wright, Walter “Wolfman” Washington, Deacon John, Donald Harrison, Nicholas Payton, Terence Blanchard, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews & Orleans Avenue, Bob French, Elysian Fieldz, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers, Ellis Marsalis and over 500 more groups!

The biggest news to me is an appearance by The Killer himself, Jerry Lee Lewis, who is a rock and roll icon, and a hero in my eyes. Go the the festival's site for a more complete lineup.