By Mariel Turner
8:29am PDT, Aug 23, 2019
Taylor Swift to re-record masters after Scooter Braun purchase
Taylor Swift is not backing down. The pop superstar announced plans to re-record her songbook after Scooter Braun acquired Big Machine Label Group, which owns Taylor's back catalog, for $300 million earlier this summer. Taylor revealed the news during interviews with "Good Morning America" and "CBS Sunday Morning" that aired on Aug. 22 just hours before she released her newest album, "Lover," with new label Republic Records, which is part of Universal Music Group. She also told CBS that she learned of the deal between Scooter and Big Machine founder Scott Borchetta "when it was online."
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Miranda Lambert celebrated, Keith Urban performed at 2019 ACM Honors
Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban, Martina McBride and more of country music's biggest stars hit the stage at the 2019 Academy of Country Music Honors in Nashville on Aug. 21. Keith and Miranda paired up for a flawless performance of "The House That Built Me" while Martina received the Cliffie Stone Icon Award.
RELATED: Biggest country music stars
Canned Heat bassist Larry Taylor dead at 77
Larry Taylor, the bassist and founder of the 1960s rock band Canned Heat, died on Aug. 19 at age 77, the group's spokesperson confirmed on Aug. 20. The rocker passed away at his Lake Balboa, California, home after a 12-year battle with cancer.
RELATED: '70s rock bands: Where are they now?
Carrie Underwood to host 2019 CMA Awards with Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton
Carrie Underwood will host the 2019 Country Music Association Awards in November, the CMA announced on Aug. 19. The "Cry Pretty" singer will be joined by special guest hosts Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton. "It's an incredible honor to welcome Carrie, Reba and Dolly to the CMA Awards stage this year," CMA chief executive officer Sarah Trahern said. "In addition to awarding the year's best and brightest in the genre, The 53rd Annual CMA Awards will celebrate the legacy of women within country music, and we couldn't think of a more dynamic group of women to host the show." The prize-fest will air from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 13 on ABC.
Battery charges dropped against Chris Brown in Florida photographer attack case
Florida prosecutors dropped felony battery charges against Chris Brown on Aug. 19 one year after the singer was arrested for an outstanding charge at a concert in West Palm Beach, Florida. The case was dismissed by intervention program, a courthouse spokesperson told Billboard. Back in 2017, Chris allegedly punched a nightclub photographer who was taking pictures of him after Chris asked him not to. The photog was transported to the hospital with a split lip and later pressed charges against the singer.
Drake White reveals brain disease after near-collapse on stage
Drake White has been diagnosed with a brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM), a rare and debilitating brain condition, he told People magazine. The country music singer's news made headlines after he nearly collapsed on stage during a concert in Roanoke, Virginia, on Aug. 16. "It was basically stealing blood from my brain," White had told People in July. "The neurologist told me that I should be thankful it was caught in time, because it could have caused a stroke."
Tommy Lee claims he was kicked out of New Orleans restaurant over hat
Rocker Tommy Lee and his wife, Brittany Furlan, are not happy. The pair claim that they were told to leave Emeril's restaurant in New Orleans on Aug. 20 after a disagreement over Tommy's hat. "We literally go in there and we sit down and I have a hat on and [Tommy] has a hat on and the waitress, or the host or whatever, goes, 'Yeah, you have to take your hat off, sir,'" Brittany told TMZ, adding that Tommy had on a "regular" baseball cap. "I was like, 'What about my hat?' And she's like 'Your hat's fine but he has to take his off." Tommy then said "oh what the f—" before taking his hat off, according to Brittany. A man then asked the couple to leave for using "profanity." "I'm like 'You know what, f— you, we're leaving," Tommy said.
Phish cancels concert camping due to plague-infected prairie dogs
Phish announced on Aug. 20 that they're canceling camping and vending at their scheduled Labor Day weekend performance at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce, Colorado, over concerns about plague-infected prairie dogs. "We recognize the tremendous inconvenience this may cause for those who had planned on camping," the band said in a statement. Phish is still scheduled to perform at the venue, which has been deemed safe by the Tri-County Health Department.
