Pitbull to Perform During “Keep The Party Going: A Tribute to Jimmy Buffett” Concert at Hollywood Bowl

Posted on March 11, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Pitbull is hitting the Buffett line…

The 43-year-old Cuban American rap superstar will take part in Keep The Party Going: A Tribute to Jimmy Buffett, which will take place at the Hollywood Bowl on Thursday, April 11.

The one-night tribute concert will celebrate the iconic singer-songwriter’s life and career.

Buffett passed away at the age of 76 on September 1, 2023.

In addition to Pitbull. the show lineup will include performances by Paul McCartney, Eagles, Jon Bon Jovi, Zac Brown, Jackson Browne, Brandi Carlile, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Sheryl Crow, Scotty Emerick, Jack Johnson, Caroline Jones, Mac McAnally, Jake Owen, Jake Shimabukuro and The Coral Reefer Band.

Tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, March 15, at 10:00 am PT at Ticketmaster.com.

American Express Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public beginning Wednesday, March 13, at 10:00 am through Thursday, March 14, at 10:00 pm. A variety of other presales will also be available during this time.

With a recording career that spanned more than 50 years and included hits such as Margaritaville, Come Monday, and It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere, Buffett filled arenas with “Parrot Heads.”

He released more than 30 albums, nine were certified platinum or multiplatinum. In addition, Buffett was a best-selling author, actor, and entrepreneur.

Selena Gomez Starring as Linda Ronstadt in Biopic Based on the Singer’s “Simple Dreams” Memoir

Posted on January 10, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Selena Gomez is heading to the Blue Bayou…

The 31-year-old Mexican American actress/singer will portray Linda Ronstadt in an upcoming biopic based on the superstar singer’s 2013 memoir Simple Dreams.

Gomez, who stars in and executive produces Hulu’s The Only Murders In The Building, gave credence to the months-old internet rumors about the project by posting a photo of the memoir as an Instagram Story. Rolling Stone later confirmed the casting.

In pre-production, the film is being co-produced by James Keach and Ronstadt’s longtime manager John Boylan.

Additional casting and release date have not been announced.

An unconfirmed report of Gomez’s involvement in the biopic surfaced last July, but the IG Story today moved the possibility into the definite.

Keach directed the 2020 film Linda and the Mockingbirds, a documentary chronicling a road trip undertaken by Ronstadt, Jackson Browne and a group of younger musicians to the Mexican town of Banámichi in the state of Sonora, the birthplace of Ronstadt’s grandfather.

Like Gomez, who has had a successful music and acting career, Ronstadt is of Mexican descent. Ronstadt wrote at length about her heritage in the 2013 memoir. The singer returned to the subject in the 2022 book Feels Like Home: A Song for the Sonoran Borderlands.

Despite her 2012 retirement following a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease – the diagnosis was revised seven years later to progressive supranuclear palsy, a degenerative disease similar to Parkinson’s that has left Ronstadt unable to sing – Ronstadt and her music have returned to the spotlight in recent months. Last year her 1970 recording of “Long Long Time” was featured prominently in an episode of The Last of Us, and trailers for Ryan Murphy’s upcoming FX series Feud: Capote vs. The Swans make heavy use of Ronstadt’s smash 1974 hit “You’re No Good.”

The 2019 documentary Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice, directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, offered an in-depth retrospective of her life and career, featuring on-screen appearances by and interviews with Ronstadt and her many musical friends and colleagues, including Browne, Ry Cooder, Emmylou Harris, Don Henley, Kevin Kline, Dolly Parton, Bonnie Raitt and J.D. Souther.

If even a fraction of the many rockers and celebrities who’ve crossed paths with Ronstadt over the years make it into the biopic as characters, Hollywood will be very busy in coming months with actors vying for plum roles.

Amazon Releases Trailer for Sebastian Chacon’s New Series “Daisy Jones & The Six”

Posted on January 26, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Sebastian Chacon is jonesing…

Amazon has released the trailer for its upcoming Prime Video series Daisy Jones & The Six, starring the 29-year-old Latino actor.

Based on the novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid, the series brings the band to life led by Riley Keough as the titular character.

In 1977, Daisy Jones & The Six were on top of the world. Fronted by two charismatic lead singers — Daisy Jones (Keough) and Billy Dunne (Sam Claflin) — the band had risen from obscurity to fame. And then, after a sold-out show at Chicago’s Soldier Field, they called it quits. Now, decades later, the band members finally agree to reveal the truth. This is the story of how an iconic band imploded at the height of its powers.

The trailer features clips of the band performing and writing music together, also hinting at the rocky relationship between Daisy and Billy.

The trailer also includes the band performing their hit single from the book, “Regret Me.”

The song is part of the fictional album Aurora, which has also been brought to life and will be released when the series debuts on March 3. Prime Video has shared that track list.

Grammy-winning songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Blake Mills led the production on Aurora with co-writing credits from Marcus Mumford, Phoebe Bridgers and Jackson Browne.

Tony Berg also provided additional production, and the album features instrumentalists from Rilo Kiley, the Who, Nine Inch Nails, Pearl Jam, David Bowie, Elton John, Jeff Beck and the Wallflowers.

In addition to Keough, claflin and Chacon, who portrays Warren Rojas, Daisy Jones & The Six also stars Camila Morrone as Camila Dunne, Will Harrison as Graham Dunne, Suki Waterhouse as Karen Sirko, Josh Whitehouse as Eddie Roundtree, Nabiyah Be as Simone Jackson, and Tom Wright as Teddy Price, with a special guest appearance by Timothy Olyphant as Rod Reyes.

From Amazon Studios and Hello Sunshine, Daisy Jones & The Six is executive produced by Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter for Hello Sunshine and Brad Mendelsohn for Circle of Confusion.

James Ponsoldt directed the first five episodes and serves as an executive producer. Nzingha Stewart directed four of the remaining episodes, and Graham directed one.

Here’s the full tracklist for Aurora:
“Aurora”
“Let Me Down Easy”
“Kill You to Try”
“Two Against Three”
“Look at Us Now (Honeycomb)”
“Regret Me”
“You Were Gone”
“More Fun to Miss”
“Please”
“The River”
“No Words”

Paul Rodriguez Appearing in Netflix’s “Dirty Daddy: A Tribute to Bob Saget” Special

Posted on June 8, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Paul Rodriguez is paying tribute to America’s dad…

The 67-year-old Mexican-American actor and stand-up comedian will appear in Netflix’s Dirty Daddy: A Tribute to Bob Saget, a special that celebrates his life and legacy.

The new Netflix special arrives five months after the comedy world lost the Full House star and stand up comedian.

“Bob wasn’t something that was taken away from us — he was something that was given to us,” says the trailer for the special.

The special will launch on Friday, June 10, on the streamer.

Saget died January 9 in an Orlando hotel room not long after a stand-up performance. His death at 65 rocked Hollywood and led to an outpouring of tributes, along with the farewell show at the Comedy Store in West Hollywood where Dirty Daddy was filmed.

In addition to Rodriguez, those taking part are Saget’s former Full House co-stars John Stamos and Dave Coulier, along with Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Jim Carrey, Michael Keaton, Tim Allen, Jeff Ross, Darren Criss, Jon Lovitz, John Mayer, Mike Binder, Jackson Browne, Seth Green, Mike Young and Candace Cameron Bure.

His widow Kelly Rizzo-Saget and their daughters Lara and Aubrey Saget also are set.

In the trailer, Rizzo-Saget steps to the stage and says, “The most important thing to him was belonging to this club, to this group, to being a comedian.” Carrey adds: “You created a cathedral of f*cking love, Bob Saget.”

As also noted in the trailer, everyone deserves a friend like Bob.

Shout! Studios Acquires Global Rights to “Linda and the Mockingbirds” Documentary About Linda Ronstadt’s Impactful Journey to Mexico

Posted on September 5, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Linda Ronstadt’s special cultural journey is going global…

Linda and the Mockingbirds, a documentary about the 74-year-old Grammy-winning singer and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member’s journey to Mexico to explore her family history and musical roots south of the border, has been picked up for worldwide rights by Shout! Studios, the distribution and production division of the Shout! Factory home video company.

The film was originally scheduled to premiere at the Telluride Film Festival over Labor Day weekend.

Shout! Plans to release the documentary later this year via various distribution platforms.

In a follow-up to last year’s highly acclaimed Ronstadt documentary The Sound of My Voice, Linda and the Mockingbirds narrows in on a road trip taken by Ronstadt, Jackson Browne and a group of younger musicians to the Mexican town of Banámichi in the state of Sonora, the birthplace of Ronstadt’s beloved grandfather.

The film is said to deal with border politics, racism and other personal or hot-button topics affecting Ronstadt’s and Browne’s companions on the trip: the instructors and students of Los Cenzontles, a school and studio based in San Pablo, California dedicated to the promotion of Mexican roots music.

The documentary was directed and produced by actor-turned-filmmaker James Keach, who also produced Sound of My Voice.

“It has been an honor to create a second documentary with Linda Ronstadt, whom I love and admire,” Keach said in a statement. “Crossing the border on this musical journey to Mexico with Linda, Jackson Browne and the young musicians of Los Cenzontles opened the minds and hearts of all of us working on the film. I hope it will open the minds and hearts of everyone who sees it.”

It was Ronstadt’s request that Keach embark on making a second film that would focus on her relationship with the Los Cenzontles Cultural Arts Academy.

Ronstadt has been known for her associations with Mexican music ever since she interrupted her pop career in 1987 to release Canciones De Mi Padre, a labor of love that unexpectedly became a commercial success and was certified double-platinum.

“The film beautifully blends multiple stories, focusing on Linda Ronstadt’s Mexican-American roots, celebrating the music and culture of Mexico and offering a passionate and personal story about immigration,” said Shout!’s Jeffrey Peisch.

Sheila E to Take Part in Ringo Starr’s 80th Virtual Charity Concert, “Ringo’s Big Birthday Show”

Posted on July 1, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Sheila E is celebrating a music legend…

Ringo Starr is throwing a virtual charity concert to celebrate his 80thbirthday on Tuesday, July 7, with the 62-year-old half-Mexican American percussionist, singer, author and actress set to take part.

“Ringo’s Big Birthday Show” will hit YouTube at 8:00 pm EST that night.

The show will include a mix of at-home performances and unearthed concert footage from Paul McCartney, Sheryl Crow, Gary Clark, Jr., Sheila E, Ben Harper, and others.

“I love birthdays,” says Starr. “This year is going to be a little different. There’s no big get-together, there’s no brunch for 100. But we’re putting this show together – an hour of music and chat. It’s quite a big birthday.”

The show will also include the debut of a new, guest-laden version of Starr’s 2017 song “Give More Love,” with Jackson Browne,Jeff Bridges, Elvis Costello, Willie Nelson and others.

Starr will also debut a series of tribute performances on his YouTube channel, from artists including Steve Earle, Peter Frampton and Judy Collins.

In addition, Starr is asking fans to “say, think, or post #peaceandlove at noon their local time on July 7th.”

The YouTube broadcast will benefit four charities: Black Lives Matter Global Network, The David Lynch Foundation, MusiCares and WaterAid.

Sheila E’s last album, Iconic: Message 4 America, was released in August 2017. She released the single “No Line,” featuring Snoop Dog, last year.

Lila Downs Joins Lineup of The Lantern Tour: Concerts for Migrant and Refugee Families

Posted on July 24, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Lila Downs is shining a lantern on migrant and refugee rights…

The 49-year-old Mexican singer has been added to the list of artists who will take part in The Lantern Tour: Concerts for Migrant and Refugee Families.

Downs, a Grammy-winning singer, joins a roster that includes Emmylou Harris, Jackson Browne, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Steve Earle.

Proceeds will go to the Women’s Refugee Commission in support of families seeking safety at the United States-Mexico border.

The five-date tour begins at Nashville’s City Winery on October 23 and concludes at New York’s Town Hall on October 28.

Other dates include the Warner Theater in Washington, D.C. on October 25; the Scottish Rite Auditorium in Collingswood, New Jersey, on October 26; and Boston’s Orpheum Theater on October 27.

“The Women’s Refugee Commission has been on the front lines in advocating for the safety of women and children,” said Harris in a statement. “Their work is as remarkable as it is critical, especially right now. It is my honor to partner with this incredible organization and to bring my friends along for what I know will be a powerful tour.”

Founded in 1989, the WRC advocates for the rights of women, children and youth displaced by conflict and crisis. The organization has been on the forefront fighting President Donald Trump’s Zero Tolerance policy on the Mexican/U.S. border that has resulted in children being separated from their parents coming over the border.

Funds toward the concerts will go toward ending family separation and detention.

For tickets and more information, go to thelanterntour.org.

Max Gomez Releases Music Video for His Latest Single “Joe”

Posted on November 16, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Max Gomez is more than your average Joe…

The Latino singer-songwriter has released the official music video for his new single “Joe,” which encompasses everything about the young artist that his fans have come to love: his distinctive “old soul” voice, his love of his city of Nashville and his lyrics that call to mind the likes of Jackson Browne and John Prine.

“Joe,” a track from his recently-released EP Me & Joe, tells the story of someone who struggles with things like “running from the past” and being able to hold his head high.

Throughout the EP, the mysterious character is mentioned as Gomez’s counterpart. The song titled after him is an exercise, then, in learning from the lives of people around you — real or imagined.

When it comes to who “Joe” is, Gomez in his classic style reveals that Joe is an allegory: “To me, Joe is someone who wants to do good but can’t. I think a lot of people go through his same struggle in different ways. Joe tells you who he is throughout the song, and he isn’t shy.”

The video was created with “Gems on VHS” and matches the mood of the song: Gomez pensively sings (live, it’s worth noting) in an abandoned industrial building in Nashville at sunset. As to the video’s conception and Gomez’s satisfaction with how it all came together and turned out: “I sing ‘Joe’ for Jed Zimmerman; he’s the author of the song and one of my dearest friends… This performance was recorded live in Nashville with Anthony Simpkins. I knew Anthony was great at what he did just from meeting him. As we filmed, we caught the tail end of daylight as the sun set over Nashville.”

Verela Receives Special Tribute at This Year’s Woodstock Film Festival

Posted on October 4, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Verela receives an all-star welcome to New York…

The 52-year-old Cuban singer-songwriter of nueva trova was honored at the opening of this year’s Woodstock Film Festival.

The “fiercely independent” festival, featuring a challenging collection of screenings, panels, special events and parties in the New York towns of Woodstock, Rhinebeck, Saugerties, Rosendale and Kingston kicked off this week with the documentary Poet Of Havana held at the Ulster Performing Arts Center in Kingston.

There, following a Q&A with director Ron Chapman and his subject, Verela, special guest Jackson Browne performed a tribute to a heroic artist who speaks for a generation of Cubans, including those affected by the longstanding U.S. embargo that has only recently begun to soften.

To wit: Valero and his band only learned the day before the screening that they would actually be allowed to leave Cuba for the event.

Unknown in America and fighting decades of censorship in Cuba, Verela is greatly admired by the likes of Browne, actor Benicio Del Toro and many international musicians.

Speaking at the Q&A, Browne said, “To see Carlos in Cuba playing for Cubans was a very emotional thing, and to see him play in the United States for Cubans is also very emotional. He expresses something about their common story that is not presented anywhere else.”

Browne accompanied his comrade on Verela’s song “Walls and Doors,” which Browne also released on his 2014 album, Standing In The Breach.

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

Tag Archives: Jackson Browne