Month: December 2023

Sister of Céline Dion says singer’s symptoms of stiff-person syndrome have worsened

Post author By Staff
Post date December 21, 2023
No Comments on Sister of Céline Dion says singer’s symptoms of stiff-person syndrome have worsened

Celine Dion at the Los Angeles premiere of 'Beauty And The Beast' held at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood^ USA on March 2^ 2017.

Céline Dion’s sister, Claudette Dion, shared in new interview that the singer has reportedly lost control of some of her mobility amid her stiff-person syndrome diagnosis. The disease is considered to be rare and only affects approximately one in a million people.

According to a translation from French, Claudette Dion told 7 Jours: “She doesn’t have control over her muscles. What pains me is that she has always been disciplined. She always worked hard.” Claudette said that it is her dream and her sister’s to return to the stage one day: “In what capacity? I don’t know. The vocal cords are muscles, and the heart is also a muscle. This is what gets me.” Claudette added, “There are some people who have lost hope because it is a disease that is not known. If you only knew how many calls we receive at the Foundation to hear from Céline! People tell us they love her and pray for her. She receives so many messages, gifts, blessed crucifixes.”

Dion revealed in a video posted on social media in December 2022 that she had been diagnosed with a neurological disorder called stiff person syndrome. The singer said the symptoms are what have been causing her to have severe muscle spasms in the past: “The spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to. I have to admit it’s been a struggle. All I know is singing, it’s what I’ve done all my life.” Dion’s diagnosis caused the singer to reschedule and cancel her entire 2023 tour.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, Stiff-person syndrome (‘SPS’), is a disease that causes “progressive muscle stiffness and painful spasms” that are triggered by environmental factors such as “sudden movement, cold temperature or unexpected loud noises.” Yale Medicine writes that prominent SPS symptoms include muscle stiffening and painful muscle spasms that can be provoked by emotional stress or, again, outside stimuli. These spasms can be “so severe that they cause the person to fall down.”

Editorial credit: Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com

Pop Daypop

Foo Fighters, Noah Kahan, Weezer set to headline Shaky Knees Festival

Post author By Staff
Post date December 21, 2023
No Comments on Foo Fighters, Noah Kahan, Weezer set to headline Shaky Knees Festival

Foo Fighters arriving at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards at the LA Live on August 28^ 2011 in Los Angeles^ CA

Atlanta’s Shaky Knees Festival has revealed its 2024 lineup, featuring headliners Foo Fighters, Weezer, and singer/songwriter Noah Kahan. The event will be held May 3-5 in the Atlanta’s Central Park and will also feature Queens of the Stone Age, the Offspring, Girl in Red, Young the Giant, Billy Idol, Portugal. The Man, and Arcade Fire.

Additional artists include Interpol, Metric, Pond, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, Royal Blood, Chicano Batman, Men I Trust, Dinosaur Jr., and Sunny Day Real Estate.

For tickets and other information, head to the festival website.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Go Country 105

Nashville notes: Chris Janson's 'CMT Crossroads' + Jon Pardi's Christmas giveaway

Post author By abookbinder
Post date December 20, 2023
No Comments on Nashville notes: Chris Janson's 'CMT Crossroads' + Jon Pardi's Christmas giveaway

Season 22 winner Bryce Leatherwood returned to The Voice to perform “The Finger” on its season 24 finale. In case you missed it, you can watch his performance now on YouTube.

Chris Janson will join forces with Bret Michaels for CMT Crossroads: Bret Michaels & Chris Janson. The special will feature the artists duetting on each other’s songs, including Chris’ “Buy Me A Boat” and Poison‘s “Every Rose Has Its Thorn.” It’ll air Wednesday, December 20, at 9 p.m. ET on CMT.

Jon Pardi‘s giving you a chance to win a Merry Christmas From Jon Pardi box set and make your own “Beer From Santa” Christmas card. To participate and create the e-card, head to digital.umusic.com/beerforsanta.

Go Country 105

Grab Miranda Lambert's Velvet Rodeo perfume

Post author By abookbinder
Post date December 20, 2023
No Comments on Grab Miranda Lambert's Velvet Rodeo perfume

Searching for the perfect Christmas gift for a Miranda Lambert fan in your life? Look no further than Velvet Rodeo Eau De Parfum by Miranda Lambert.

Inspired by Miranda’s “Actin’ Up,” the fragrance boasts notes of rich jasmine, spicy violet iris and vanilla suede. It’s also packaged in a delightful classic pink glass bottle with a black tassel atomizer sprayer.

The Velvet Rodeo perfume is priced at $59.50 and available now at idyllwind.com.

Go Country 105

Find out what Old Dominion's favorite Christmas movies are

Post author By abookbinder
Post date December 20, 2023
No Comments on Find out what Old Dominion's favorite Christmas movies are

Christmas typically finds families spending time together feasting, unwrapping presents and watching holiday movies – or in most cases, rewatching them.

When it comes to films, Old Dominion‘s Matthew Ramsey, Geoff Sprung and Brad Tursi have a few staples for Christmas.

“Christmas Vacation is the must-watch movie for me,” says Matthew. “Holiday season or not, that's one of my favorite movies period.”

“Mine has become Elf, especially now that I have got a little kid to watch it with. That's mine,” shares Geoff.

Brad’s got not one but two favorites.

“I'd say It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Story, the two that I always end up seeming to have my eyeballs on,” he says.

Old Dominion are ascending the country charts with the Megan Moroney-assisted “Can’t Break Up Now,” from their latest album, Memory Lane.

The reigning CMA Vocal Group of the Year recently concluded their No Bad Vibes Tour at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. You can check out a recap video of the concert now on Old Dominion’s Instagram.

Go Country 105

Carrie Underwood loves her Christmas tofurkey, sweet potato casserole

Post author By abookbinder
Post date December 20, 2023
No Comments on Carrie Underwood loves her Christmas tofurkey, sweet potato casserole

You won’t find Carrie Underwood behind a microphone belting her biggest hits on Christmas. Instead, she’s usually in the kitchen whipping up holiday staples for her family.

“Generally we do a lot of traveling around Christmas. We'll go see either my family or my husband's family. I'll spend all day cooking,” says Carrie. “I'll make a small turkey, even though I don't eat turkey. I'll make myself some tofurkey; cranberry sauce, of course.”

“Of course, sweet potato casserole. You have to have that. That's one of my favorites because it's a side dish and a dessert,” she adds. “I'll just make a ridiculous amount of food.”

Once the cooking and eating’s done, it’s all about enjoying precious time with family.

“[We] just celebrate, have a fire, we wait for Santa and open our presents, then we're off to see the next group of family,” Carrie shares. “It's all about watching it through my sons' eyes and just getting to spend time with family.”

You can celebrate the festive season with Carrie’s holiday album, My Gift (Special Edition), out now.

Go Country 105

Watch Lainey Wilson + Miranda Lambert debut “Good Horses” onstage

Post author By abookbinder
Post date December 20, 2023
No Comments on Watch Lainey Wilson + Miranda Lambert debut “Good Horses” onstage

Miranda Lambert recently surprised fans at Lainey Wilson‘s December 15 Las Vegas show with a debut performance of their unreleased duet, “Good Horses.” If you weren’t there, fret not, because Lainey’s got you covered.

Lainey has shared a clip of the special moment on Instagram alongside a heartfelt caption.

“There were a lot of highs this past week in Vegas and this is definitely one of them,” Lainey said. “We wrote ‘Good Horses’ with @lukedick and when my sister @mirandalambert agreed to join me for the third night of my Wildflowers and Wild Horses shows, I knew we had to add it to the setlist.”

“It was special gettin' to perform it for the first time for a crowd of horse lovin', rodeo-in', country lovin' people like us,” she added.

You can watch the video now on Lainey’s Instagram.

Lainey’s continuing her ascent on the country charts with “Wildflowers and Wild Horses,” the third single from Bell Bottom Country. The 16-track project arrived in 2022 and spawned the #1 hits “Heart Like a Truck” and “Watermelon Moonshine.”

Go Country 105

Dan + Shay take “Bigger Houses” to 'The Voice'

Post author By abookbinder
Post date December 20, 2023
No Comments on Dan + Shay take “Bigger Houses” to 'The Voice'

Dan + Shay appeared on The Voice‘s season 24 finale for a performance of “Bigger Houses.”

The pair’s Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney delivered the heartfelt tune while seated atop the model home on their album’s cover art.

“You’re never gonna fill an empty cup/ If what you got’s still not enough/ The thing about happiness/ I’ve found is/ It don’t live in bigger houses,” Dan + Shay sang in the reflective chorus.

Dan + Shay will return to The Voice in season 25, but as the show’s first-ever coaching duo. They’ll be joined by Reba McEntire, John Legend and Chance the Rapper.

The Grammy-winning duo are currently top five on the country charts with “Save Me the Trouble,” the lead single off their latest record, Bigger Houses.

Season 25 of The Voice premieres February 26 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

Go Country 105

Reba McEntire covers hits from Wynonna Judd + Brenda Lee

Post author By abookbinder
Post date December 20, 2023
No Comments on Reba McEntire covers hits from Wynonna Judd + Brenda Lee

Reba McEntire took the stage on The Voice‘s season 24 finale to offer her rendition of two hits.

The “Fancy” hitmaker joined Team Reba finalists Jacquie Roar and Ruby Leigh to sing Wynonna Judd‘s “No One Else on Earth” and Brenda Lee‘s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” respectively.

Reba also teamed up with fellow coaches Gwen Stefani, John Legend and Niall Horan to deliver a jubilant performance of “Let It Snow.”

The finale wrapped with Team Niall’s Huntley crowned as the season 24 winner.

The Voice season 25, featuring coaches Reba, John, Dan + Shay and Chance the Rapper, premieres February 26 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

News Daypop

President Biden, others remember Justice Sandra Day O’Connor at funeral services

Post author By Staff
Post date December 20, 2023
No Comments on President Biden, others remember Justice Sandra Day O’Connor at funeral services

Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor speaks to jurors at American Bar Association's American Jury Initiative at Moultrie Courthouse^ 2004

Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who was the first woman to serve on the High Court, was honored by President Biden and other political figures at her funeral on Tuesday. O’Connor passed away in Phoenix on Dec. 1 at the age of 93.

O’Connor was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Ronald Reagan and confirmed by the Senate unanimously, becoming the first woman justice in the court’s 191-year history (four women now sit on the Supreme Court). At her funeral, O’Connor was described as a ‘trailblazing jurist who served as a role model for millions by breaking down gender barriers for women across the legal profession,’ who served on the Supreme Court for more than two decades. President Biden and Chief Justice John Roberts were among those who eulogized the late O’Connor, and all nine sitting justices, as well as retired Justice Anthony Kennedy, attended Tuesday’s services at the National Cathedral in Washington.

Said Biden: “One need not agree with all her decisions in order to recognize that her principles were deeply held and of the highest order, and that her desire for civility was genuine and her trust in the capacity of human institutions to make life better is what this world was abiding. And how she embodied such attributes under such pressure and scrutiny helped empower generations of women in every part of American life … It was a person for all seasons who we saw in that hearing, and the Americans and the world would see through her extraordinary service as a justice and, as I might add, as a citizen,” while adding that O’Connor “broke down the barriers in the legal and political world, and the nation’s consciousness. May God bless Sandra Day O’Connor, an American pioneer.”

Roberts served briefly on the court with O’Connor following his appointment in 2005; he was originally selected to replace O’Connor on the bench, but eventually succeeded Chief Justice William Rehnquist following his death in 2005. Said Roberts of O’Connor: “That distance is a measure of time, but it’s also a measure of Justice O’Connor’s life and work. In nearly a quarter century on the court, she was a strong, influential, and iconic jurist. Her leadership shaped the legal profession, making it obvious that judges are both women and men. The time when women were not on the bench seemed so far away because Justice O’Connor was so good when she was on the bench.”

O’Connor retired from the Supreme Court in 2006 at the age of 75 to take care of her husband following his Alzheimer’s diagnosis. She was awarded with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, by President Barack Obama in 2009. O’Connor died of complications related to advanced dementia and a respiratory illness.

Editorial credit: Rob Crandall / Shutterstock.com