Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Growing up, Bobby Bare Jr. was accustomed to hitting the road with his musician parents – country artist Bobby Bare Sr. and singer Jeannie Bare. “Me and my family had a family show for a while,” said the 58-year-old singer-songwriter-guitarist for Guided by Voices. “[When] we went to Miami, we had a police escort to our show. It was spectacular.”
“I was about 10 years old on this trip when I first saw the Rocky Mountains,” said musician Stephanie Sammons. “I remember they were so majestic to me. We camped in our camper van, fished for trout – I caught one, but was afraid to touch it – and roasted s’mores over an open campfire.”
With her debut record, “The Abysmal EP,” indie artist Hannah Bahng showcases the kind of lyrical maturity that belies her youth. Her ethereal track, “Tonight’s the Night I Die to a Frank Ocean Song,” is a contemplative number that reflects on a real-life traumatic airplane incident. “I know it sounds kind of cringey,” the Australian singer-songwriter-keyboardist said. “But that song was written to come to terms with my own existence.”
“I rarely saw representation of people who looked like me in Western shows like ‘Gunsmoke’,” said Eight Seconds Juneteenth Rodeo co-founder Ivan McClellan. “When I discovered the unique blend of Black culture and western culture, it ignited something in me. I felt a strong desire to document and share this overlooked aspect of American history.”
South Korea’s most famous hip-hop group, Epik High, has created some of that country’s most influential music over the past two decades. Acclaimed for their clever lyrics – which tackle sociopolitical issues with biting wit and humor – the trio is in their element performing live. On their current world tour promoting their critically-acclaimed mixtape “PUMP,” rapper-songwriter-producer Tablo trades verses with co-lyricist Mithra Jin, while co-producer DJ Tukutz takes a break from laying down beats to show off his b-boy moves.
“Harold and the Purple Crayon” star Camille Guaty said that being cast as Junior Detective Silva in the film was serendipitous. “Becoming a mom was a really hard journey and I find it so magical that one of my first jobs as a mom was [this film],” the actress said from her Nashville home. “It has become one of my son’s favorite books. We read it at least five times a week. Every time he sees the policeman in the book, he says, ‘Mommy, that’s you!’”
With her debut novel, “The Singer Sisters” (out Aug. 6, 2024 from Flatiron Books), Sarah Seltzer weaves together a multi-generational story of an alt rocker and her folk legend mother. Full of fractured relationships, deceit, love and mystery, the page turner reads like a confessional full of music that readers can almost hear.
For stuntman-turned-actor Hymnson Chan, the transition was easy because his work doing stunts required acting skills. “We have to sell hits to make them look more painful than they actually are,” said the Los Angeles-based filmmaker.
While the U.S. leg of IVE’s ‘Show What I Have’ world tour is over, the pop group will return to Chicago on Aug. 3 to make their Lollapalooza debut. While preparing for the festival, the group’s members said it was important to them to create a unique set so that their show is enjoyable for both fans and newcomers who may not be familiar with their music.
James Paxton doesn’t remember visiting his dad – the late Bill Paxton – on the set of the 1996 blockbuster film “Twister.” At the time, he was barely a year old. But when he was asked to make an appearance in “Twisters” – in theaters July 19 – he immediately said yes. “I did this cameo for Dad,” he said. “It was important for me to get to represent his memory.”