News in Review: George Harrison, Lilith Faire, Alan Livingston, Wilco
First Appeared in The Music Box, May 2009, Volume 16, #5
Written by John Metzger
Tue May 19, 2009, 06:30 AM CDT
George Harrison Gets His Star
On April 15, George Harrison joined John Lennon and The Beatles when he was awarded his own star along the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Harrison’s son Dhani and his wife Olivia attended the presentation ceremony. They were joined by an all-star cast of actors and musicians that included Paul McCartney, Tom Petty, T Bone Burnett, Jeff Lynne, Eric Idle, and Tom Hanks. Appropriately, Harrison’s star is located in front of the Capitol Records building at Hollywood and Vine, which remains the headquarters for The Beatles’ American record label.
Lilith Faire to Reconvene for 2010 Jaunt
After enjoying an immensely successful run in the late 1990s, the Lilith Faire closed its doors when the public’s interest began to wane. Nevertheless, the traveling road show of female-led acts, which was founded by Canadian Sarah McLachlan, is planning to stage a comeback next summer. Dates across Europe and the U.K. are already in the works. Not coincidentally, McLachlan is writing new material for an album that she hopes to release in early 2011. McLachlan is planning to road-test the songs during the Lilith Faire concerts.
Capitol Records Exec Alan Livingston Passes Away
Alan Livingston, a former executive at Capitol Records, passed away on March 13 at the age of 91. Born in McDonald, Pennsylvania, Livingston attended the prestigious Wharton School of Finance before he moved to New York City. After a stint in the army during World War II, he relocated to Los Angeles, where he was hired by Capitol Records as a writer and producer. Livingston promptly rose to prominence within the company after the success of Bozo the Clown, a character that he had developed. He later orchestrated the resurrection of Frank Sinatra’s career by convincing him to begin working with arranger Nelson Riddle. By the early 1960s, Livingston had become the president of Capitol Records. He signed The Beatles in 1963, which ushered in an era for the label during which The Beach Boys and The Band also came on board.
Jay Bennett Sues Jeff Tweedy Over Royalties
Earlier this month, Jay Bennett filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit against Wilco founder Jeff Tweedy in Cook County Circuit Court. The multi-instrumentalist and sound engineer claims that Tweedy owes him $50,000 in royalty payments for the contributions he made to the band between 1994 and 2001. Bennett received roughly 15 percent of the revenues generated by Wilco. Nevertheless, he stated in the suit that he not only wasn’t paid for his role in the documentary I Am Trying to Break Your Heart but also that his compensation for other projects was "infrequent" and "partial." Bennett feels that he is entitled to receive ongoing royalty payments, which is the basis for the suit.
Of Further Interest...
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Copyright © 2009 The Music Box
