Thanks to a Boys & Girls Club activity, Usher’s mother learned pretty early on that something other than sports, might be the right career path for the future five-time Grammy winner.

They were back in Chattanooga, Tenn., where Usher Raymond IV was born. And a young Usher had asked his mom, Jonnetta Patton, to come see him play football. So of course, she goes — “only to find Usher on the sideline, eating cookies,” she recalled to a crowd gathered outside the Boys & Girls Clubs of America National Headquarters in midtown this afternoon.

“So you can guess, we rethought that career,” Patton continued.

But apparently the Boys & Girls Clubs stayed on Atlanta’s 40 million-selling recording artist’s mind.

And Wednesday the organization paid tribute to its famous alumnus by unveiling a billboard of Usher at six-years-old. It’s part of its “Be Great” campaign featuring Denzel Washington, Martin Sheen, Jackie Joyner-Kersee and other celebrities to increase awareness of the Clubs, and …

Continue reading Usher Unveils Boys & Girls Clubs Billboard »

Macon’s own Jason Aldean rocketed back to the top of Mediabase’s country chart with his single “She’s Country” — marking his second No. 1 on that listing and his sixth Top 10 hit.

“Man, it’s hard work to get up to that No. one spot, and I don’t take it for granted,” Aldean said in a press release about his fastest-rising single to date; from his latest CD “Wide Open.”   “I’ve got a small, but mighty team…from the guys at the label to my crew out on the road.  Thanks to them and all my friends at country radio, we’ll be celebrating extra hard this week.”

Meanwhile, CMT has just announced that pop-rocker Bryan Adams will be joining Aldean for a taping of “CMT Crossroads” next month, set to air June 26. And don’t forget, Aldean is scheduled to appear on Jimmy Kimmel Friday.

Were you one of the people who bought/downloaded/requested “She’s Country” and made it No. 1? What do you like about it? Were you at his recent show at Wild Bill’s — and if so, share your …

Continue reading Jason Aldean’s “She’s Country” is No. 1 »

Local Island Def Jam exec Ricardo Spicer held a private listening party/performance for Chrisette Michele over the weekend, but the biggest applause may have been for a non-Grammy winner who didn’t sing one note.

The main attraction for a moment? Shekita Redding, whose boyfriend Mose James IV (a teacher at Tri-Cities High School) proposed to her as Michele sang.

“That’s what happens when you follow me on Twitter!” Michele told the Uptown Lounge audience after Redding said “yes,” and publicist Nicole Garner presented Redding with a bouquet she just happened to have nearby.

“Oh I’ve done this a number of times,” Michele said after her brief set, previewing her May 5 release “Epiphany.” “Usually I don’t sing that particular song (‘Golden’) when the guy proposes…But you know, if someone asks me on Twitter, hey, it could happen.” 

Happen to stumble upon Michele’s performance Friday? Looking forward to “Epiphany”?

Continue reading Chrisette Michele: “That’s What Happens When You Follow Me On Twitter!” »

Atlanta photographer Barbara Pyle and 13 of her notable peers (including Annie Leibovitz, Albert Watson, Danny Clinch and Anton Corbijn) — are donating 14 photographs of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band to raise money for the Community FoodBank of New Jersey.

To win, you have to donate $25 to the food bank; and once 14,000 people do so, 14 fans will be chosen at random to receive a print signed by the photographer.

“This is the single-most important picture (above) in my collection,” says Pyle, also known in the Atlanta community for her work with mogul Ted Turner, including once being in charge of environmental programming and policy at CNN. “It was right before the start of the ‘Born To Run’ [in 1975]…Hadn’t slept for four days. Right before they got on the bus for their first date in Providence, Rhode Island. [To borrow a Springsteen lyric] The moment before they broke out of there to win.”

Pyle added that she plans to be at the Springsteen show Sunday at Philips …

Continue reading Win Bruce Print (Possibly) Before Bruce Performance »

The 40th Annual Gospel Music Dove Awards happened last night at Nashville’s legendary Grand Ole Opry, was broadcast live on Atlanta’s Gospel Music Channel, and included quite a number of winners with Georgia connections.

Tops on that particular list was McDonough Christian rockers Casting Crowns (above) — who won Group of the Year for the fifth year in a row; Christmas Album of the Year (“Peace On Earth”); and Short Form Music Video of the Year (“Slow Fade”).

Chris Tomlin’s (above) “Hello Love” was named Praise & Worship Album of the Year. Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year went to Third Day and that same prize-winning “Revelation” disc picked up Recorded Music Packaging of the Year. And the Blind Boys of Alabama — which includes Atlanta drummer Ricky McKinnie — added Traditional Gospel Album of the Year (“Down in New Orleans”) to its haul of awards this year.

Did you catch the Doves last night – and if so, what were you most impressed with and/or surprised by? (And please  …

Continue reading Georgia’s Dove Award Winners »

R&B singer Jill Scott’s publicist has confirmed to us that yes, she and Atlanta percussionist Lil John Roberts are now the proud parents of a son.

(And Lil John just about says as much on his MySpace page; by Children his profile says “Proud parent”)

No official word on a name, weight and height, or even whether Scott had it in a hospital in her future husband’s current hometown. (But sites have been reporting his name is Jett Hamilton Roberts, 7 lbs., 8 oz., born April 20 at 4:20, even). 

Happen to have any other details? Been watching Scott in HBO’s “The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency,” and if so, your thoughts?

Continue reading Jill Scott and Lil John Have A Son »

If you’re a fan of hip-hop veteran Bun B (above, top photo) and fellow Texans Mike Jones (second photo) and Paul Wall (third), you might want to be making your way to The Loft about now.

Starting at noon at The Loft box office (1374 W. Peachtree St.) free tickets will be given out for the trio’s MySpace Music “Beyond The Sound” show tonight – also featuring Atlanta’s DJ Drama and DJ Knuckles. Doors open at 8 p.m. First come, first served and the doors will be closed when the venue hits capacity.

Planning to be in attendance this evening? Already picked up the last UGK disc (“UGK: UGK 4 Life”) and/or excited about Jones’ April 28 release, “The Voice”? Did you know Wall was returning with “Fast Life” May 12? And what do you think of the Houston hip-hop scene now?

Continue reading See Mike Jones, Bun B and Paul Wall For Free — Tonight »

Though the general ticket-buying public won’t be able to secure their chance to see Beyonce until this weekend, the R&B superstar – set to play Atlanta’s Philips Arena July 1 – has started selling “platinum” and “B’Stage” seats.

For $1000 at www.ticketmaster.com/beyonce you can get the premium  “I Am…Beyonce” Meet & Greet VIP package, which includes a front row ticket; a meeting and picture with the 10-time Grammy winner; and a limited edition Dereon bag that will include an autographed tour book.

There is also a $575 “I Am…Fierce” on-stage VIP package, where you get to sit in “the Diva Zone”; as well as the $475 “I Am…Bold” VIP package, that includes (like the others) a laminate and/or wristband and a one-year membership in the official Beyonce fan club.

In case you haven’t figured it out yet, the 19-city US tour is called ‘I Am…” — as her latest multimillion-selling disc is “I Am…Sasha Fierce” — and again, general $20.75 to $109.75 tickets go on sale Friday. 

Have you …

Continue reading Beyonce Coming To Atlanta July 1 »

Daryl Hall and John Oates opened the 2009 Chastain Park Amphitheatre summer series Friday April 17, 2009. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/rho@ajc.com

Headliners at Chastain typically don’t start until 9 p.m. when many folks often straggle in at that time.

If they did so Friday night with Hall & Oates, they would have only caught about 30 minutes because the ’80s rock-soul duo actually started at about 8:04 p.m. Nope, they had no opening band.

Hall had said to me last week that it would be a more “intimate” set up. The result: he and his cohort Oates spent much of the time on stools, he with an acoustic guitar and Oates with an electric. The backdrop was of a faux brick wall, like they were in some tiny comedy club, rather than playing before 5,000-plus fans on a pleasantly windless spring night.

At past concerts at Chastain, Hall told the crowd, “there are thunderstorms or it’s really hot and muggy. This is perfect!”

The 15-song set included all their biggest hits, from “Private Eyes” to …

Continue reading Hall and Oates at Chastain Park Amphitheatre April 17 »

Atlanta’s Grammy-winning R&B singer Monica will be making an appearance at the new AT&T Experience Store tomorrow, and it seems she will have more to talk about than the customized LG VU phone she’s giving away.

Her manager has confirmed that she will have a reality show on BET this fall, titled “Monica: Still Standing.”

But back to the in-store — it’s from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at 7900 North Point Parkway in Alpharetta. Attendees can register to win an “Angel of Mine” Mother’s Day Out (spa treatment for Monica, her mom, and the winner and his/her mom): an all access VIP meet and greet with Monica that will include photos, autographs and “treats”; and again, that customized phone, complete with Monica’s favorite songs and photos.

Planning to stop by tomorrow? Did you see “The Single: Monica”, the one-off, hour-long reality show that aired on Peachtree TV last August – and if so, interested in more?

Continue reading Monica Appearance Tomorrow and New Fall TV Show »