Bill Withers Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Black American culture as one of the most influential businessmen in entertainment. The Greensboro, North Carolina, native became a pillar in entertainment after moving to Los Angeles in the late 1960s.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Clarence Avant, whose unofficial title of the “Black Godfather” spanned the worlds of music, sports, entertainment and politics, died Sunday at his home in Los Angeles, according to a statement from his family. No cause of death was provided; he was 92. “It is with a heavy heart that the Avant/Sarandos family announce the passing of Clarence Alexander Avant,” the statement from his children, Nicole and Alexander and son-in-law Ted Sarandos.

Todd Gilchrist editor Nestled into a cozy corner of a shopping center high in the Hollywood hills, Herb Alpert’s jazz club Vibrato Grill was the site of a coronation Sunday for not one but three musical luminaries. The Jazz Foundation of America honored 10-time Grammy-winning composer and pianist Dave Grusin, saxophonist Charles Lloyd and trailblazing music executive Clarence Avant at a benefit to raise proceeds for jazz, blues and R&B musicians facing financial hardship due to unemployment, illness or old age. Though host Quincy Jones was unable to attend due to unspecified health issues of his own, he and the JFA assembled a program of speakers and performers for an evening of celebration and song that the phrase “star-studded” barely does adequate justice.

Ed Sheeran has spent another day in court in an ongoing plagiarism trial related to his 2015 single ‘Thinking Out Loud’, and played Van Morrison in the court room to further contest accusations that the song ripped off Marvin Gaye‘s ‘Let’s Get It On’.Back in 2016, the pop star was sued by Ed Townsend, one of the song’s co-writers, who alleged that Sheeran and co-writer Amy Wadge copied the rhythm of the 1973 song, as well as an ascending four-chord sequence. It also references “striking similarities” between the two tracks that violate the copyright.

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Ed Sheeran had strong words for a musicologist on Monday as the court hearing over alleged similarities between his hit “Thinking Out Loud” and Marvin Gaye’s classic “Let’s Get It On” entered its second week. “I think what he is doing is criminal,” Sheeran said of the prior testimony from Alexander Stewart, a musicologist hired as an expert witness by Gaye’s estate, according to the New York Times. “I don’t know why he’s allowed to be an expert.” Sheeran, Warner Music Group and Sony Music Publishing are being sued by three heirs of songwriter Ed Townsend, who is the credited co-writer with Gaye on the 1973 song.

Yellowjackets is back for a second season, with this compelling mystery-thriller further deepening its complex and traumatic narrative.The second instalment of the Showtime series, which is broadcast in the UK on Paramount+, kicked off last week (March 24), with episodes set to air weekly until May 14.A synopsis for season two of Yellowjackets reads: “The Yellowjackets barely made it through summer, but now as winter begins to bite, we’ll see if hunger and desperation turn into full-on psychosis.“Meanwhile, 25 years later, each survivor must determine if the darkness is coming for them or from them.”The original score for the first season of Yellowjackets, as well as the theme song ‘No Return’, was handled by singer-songwriters Craig Wedren (of the band Shudder To Think) and Anna Waronker (That Dog), while composer Theodore Shapiro wrote the music for the pilot episode.You can listen to ‘Blood Hive’, the original score for season one of Yellowjackets, below.For a show that is so steeped in ’90s nostalgia, the soundtrack of Yellowjackets has understandably become a hit among its growing fanbase given its inclusion of an array of classic tracks.From Hole‘s ‘Miss World’ to The Prodigy‘s ‘Firestarter’, the Yellowjackets soundtrack has also featured the likes of Alanis Morissette, Salt-N-Pepa, Bill Withers, Jane’s Addiction, The Offspring and PJ Harvey.An official Spotify playlist containing all of the songs featured in Yellowjackets was first released following the conclusion of the first season of the show in January 2022, and that playlist is now being updated as each new episode airs.

Piers Morgan Uncensored: "I rung [the bell] three times. It's very hard not to cry, sorry. I'm crying just looking at it again because you wait, you just can't wait to ring the bell and I'm still in God's hands, whether or not you're going to be 100 per-cent or not but you hope for the best because you have.

returned for the fifth week of season 9 on Wednesday, and the show celebrated all things wonderful and childlike with " Night!«Helmed by host Nick Cannon and overseen by stalwart panelists Robin Thicke, Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy and Nicole Scherzinger, Wednesday's episode saw two new contestants — Fairy and The Jackalope -- duke it out against returning singer The Squirrel for their shot at moving on in the competition.So who went home and who moved on? Each week, ET will be breaking down the biggest moments and most surprising unmaskings in each new episode of the hit reality singing competition series.Here's how Wednesday's » Night" shook out, when all the songs were sung and votes were cast!Returning champ The Squirrel kicked the fun, -themed episode off with a fun, skillful performance of «Just the Two of Us» by Grover Washington Jr. featuring Bill Withers.

The Masked Singer is back for season nine!

Helen Skelton enjoyed a countryside stroll just one day after her ex-husband Richie Myler shared a photo of his heavily pregnant girlfriend Stephanie Thirkill on his newly-reinstated Instagram. The Strictly Come Dancing finalist, 39, shared some video footage of the countryside's scenic landscape as she pushed her youngest daughter Elsie in a pram. Helen shrugged off her ex's baby news, as she paired the footage of her stroll with the song Lovely Day, sung by the late Bill Withers.

The official trailer for Spinning Gold has dropped and it explores the rise of Neil Bogart as the founder of Casablanca Records. Watch the preview in the video posted above.

People love their legendary rock record label story and the moguls behind them, “Cadillac Records,” “24 Hour Party People,” etc., and now the latest in this line of films is “Spinning Gold.” Directed by Timothy Scott Bogart, the music drama is based on the life of his father, Casablanca Records founder Neil Bogart. Casablanca Records was responsible for an eclectic roster of bands like Donna Summer, Parliament, Gladys Knight, The Isley Brothers, The Village People, Bill Withers, and KISS.

A parolee who murdered 81-year-old philanthropist Jacqueline Avant, the wife of a legendary music executive, during a burglary at her Beverly Hills home was sentenced Tuesday to 190 years in a California prison.

LOS ANGELES -- A parolee who murdered 81-year-old philanthropist Jacqueline Avant, the wife of a legendary music executive, was sentenced Tuesday to 190 years in a California prison.Aariel Maynor, 30, pleaded guilty to murder and other charges in Los Angeles Superior Court last month and admitted he used an AR-15 style semi-automatic rifle to shoot Avant in her Beverly Hills home Dec. 1 and fired several rounds at her security guard as he fled.Avant was married to Clarence Avant, a Grammy winner known as the “Godfather of Black Music” for mentoring and helping the careers of artists including Bill Withers, Little Willie John, L.A.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorLooking back 50 years at anything that isn’t related to geology, evolution or astronomy feels like a glimpse at a long-bygone age. That’s especially so for the 14th annual Grammy Awards, which took place on March 14, 1972 at the Felt Forum in New York’s Madison Square Garden and were broadcast on ABC.The show was hosted by virtuoso easy-listening singer Andy Williams; presenters included Ed Sullivan, the Fifth Dimension, the Carpenters and “Brady Bunch” star Florence Henderson.

LOS ANGELES -- A 30-year-old man pleaded guilty Thursday to the murder of philanthropist Jacqueline Avant, the wife of legendary music executive Clarence Avant.Los Angeles County prosecutors said Aariel Maynor pleaded guilty in the fatal shooting of Avant and the attempted murder of her security guard at her Beverly Hills home in December.Maynor also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon and two counts of burglary.He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 30 and could be sentenced to up to 170 years in prison, prosecutors said.Police were called to the Avants’ home early on the morning of Dec. 1 and found Jacqueline Avant, 81, with a gunshot wound.

fatal shooting of Jackie Avant was a “random attack.” The shooting was reported at 2:23 a.m. in the 1100 block of Maytor Place, according to police.

James Blake has taken on a song by the late Bill Withers, ‘Hope She’ll Be Happier’, as part of Spotify’s ongoing Singles series.The cover, released today (September 22), was paired with an in-studio live version of Blake’s recent single ‘Say What You Will’.

After posting snippets to social media over the last few days, Kacey Musgraves has shared her latest single "star-crossed." The single is set to appear on her upcoming album of the same name, her first since 2018's Golden Hour. Back in May, the singer told Elle Magazine the album will tackle her divorce from Ruston Kelly and take inspiration from Bill Withers, Sade, the Eagles, Shakespeare and a transformational magic mushroom trip.

Chris Willman Music WriterClarence “Mac” McDonald, a keyboard player, producer, songwriter and arranger who worked with artists including James Taylor, Ray Charles, Bill Withers and the Emotions, died in Las Vegas July 21 from complications related to cancer, his friends and family reported. He was 76.During a 50-year-plus career in the music business, McDonald had as among his biggest hits as a producer the 1977 No.

knows—but one can only assume he was out here looking at his ex's tagged pics, which, relatable.And to be fair on John Mayer, , and even commented a bunch of laugh cry emojis:John Mayer having a serious emotional moment in a livestream: “EVERYTHING Bill Withers said was useful...

A reality star, real estate expert, actor and singer -- Drew Scott is a quadruple threat. Known best as one of the hosts of "Property Brothers," Scott, 42, shared his newest talent on Instagram on Monday by singing "Lean On Me" by the late Bill Withers.

This is so powerful! Trey Songz released a new song inspired by current events called 2020 Riots: How Many Times. Not only is it very timely, but it is so great!

The cause of death for the acclaimed songwriter behind enduring hits like “Lovely Day,” “Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Lean on Me,” Bill Withers, has been revealed. The singer’s family previously confirmed that he died due to heart complications at age 81.

Wonder paid tribute to the late soul singer

By Anita Bennett

Stevie Wonder joined an all-star bill of performers for the broadcast of One World: Together at Home. He sang “Lean on Me,” the classic song by the late Bill Withers. He also performed his own song “Love’s in Need of Love Today.” Watch it below.

Stevie Wonder honored his late friend Bill Withers during the One World: Together at Home concert on Sunday (April 18). Withers died from heart complications on March 30 at age 81.The legendary Wonder, sitting at his home piano, told viewers: "During hardships like this, we have to lean on each other for help.

Bill Withers, who died of heart complications on March 30, leads Billboard's R&B Songwriters chart (dated April 18) for the first time, as two of his iconic hits debut on the Hot R&B Songs chart."Ain't No Sunshine," which he solely wrote, and "Lean on Me," which he co-wrote with Ray Jackson, debut at Nos. 6 and 7, respectively, on Hot R&B Songs.The tracks are concurrently the top-selling hits in the U.S., as "Lean on Me" takes over the No.

Glass Animals' Dave Bayley paid tribute to one of his musical heroes, Bill Withers, over the weekend by performing a cover of his seminal hit "Lean On Me."As the third episode of the English indie rock band's "Quarantine Covers" series, the frontman picked the fan's song request because, "He's one of my favorite songwriters of all time....

Neil Young, Willie Nelson, Angel Olsen, Margo Price, Jessie Reyez, Finneas, the Secret Sisters, Soccer Mommy, Norah Jones, Justin Moore, Jeff Tweedy and Kim Petras are some of the artists performing this weekend.

Thanks to modern technology, NHS Lanarkshire’s staff choir have been able to join together to sing a song of hope and friendship.

NHS Lanarkshire staff defied the lockdown to come together in song earlier this week and bring hope and joy to locals.

Thanks to modern technology, NHS Lanarkshire’s staff choir have been able to join together to sing a song of hope and friendship.

Jennifer Aniston spent some time during quarantine watching her ex John Mayer's Instagram Live show Current Mood, as one does. Mayer spoke about his experience meeting and knowing the late Bill Withers. Withers, the legendary singer behind "Lean on Me" and "Ain't No Sunshine," passed away at 81 from heart complications last Monday, his family told the Associated Press in a statement.

Jennifer Aniston spent some time during quarantine watching her ex John Mayer's Instagram Live show Current Mood, as one does. Mayer spoke about his experience meeting and knowing the late Bill Withers.