Record Producer Carl Davis, Dies At The Age of 77

Davis produced the Chi-lites 1972 hit Oh Girl and Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So), sampled by Beyonce.

Record producer Carl Davis, who helped shape the sound of Chicago soul, died last week at the age of 77.

Davis, who produced the legendary chart-topper Duke of Earl, was at the centre of the Chicago music scene during the 1960s and 70s.

His reputation as a talent spotter saw him work with Curtis Mayfield, Major Lance and Jackie Wilson, with whom he recorded the hit (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher.

He died at his home in South Carolina.

"Like Berry Gordy, he understood the modern recording industry of the 60s and 70s, and really understood how to make hit records," said Robert Pruter, music journalist and author of Doowop: The Chicago Scene.


Davis was born in Chicago on 19 September 1934, but in spite of the fact that most of his family were musically gifted, Davis "couldn't play a note" - according to his brother, George.

But his gift for recognising hits quickly became apparent when he took a job alongside the DJ Al Benson in the mid-1950s.

His defining success came with Duke of Earl, whose vocal riff he first heard during a rehearsal session by the Dukays. The Gene Chandler hit went on to top the charts in 1962 for five weeks and sold more than one million copies.

In the same year, Davis was offered a job at Columbia Records subsidiary Okeh, where he worked with Major Lance on popular hits including The Monkey Time and Hey Little Girl.

In 1965, he moved to the Brunswick label where he once again collaborated with Gene Chandler and found further chart success with Wilson's Higher and Higher.

He also produced the Chi-Lites' 1972 hit Oh Girl and Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So), which was more recently sampled in Beyonce's Crazy in Love.

Latterly he founded two labels: Dakar and Chi-Sound, but the success of Chicago soul began to falter in the 1980s.

In later years, he found himself variously working as a security guard and a chauffeur - although Chi-Sound was revived in 2007.

He is survived by his wife, Dedra, and seven children.

Via BBC.co.uk

Madonna Defies Russian Homosexuality Law.

Singer Madonna perform with the words "No Fear".

Pop star Madonna has defied a Russian law that forbids public endorsements of homosexuality.

Speaking to thousands at her St. Petersburg concert on August 9, Madonna demanded tolerance for gays and lesbians.

With the words "NO FEAR" written on her back, she spoke about the dangers of societies that fail to treat their own people with "dignity, with respect and with love."

Earlier, the U.S. consulate in St. Petersburg warned about threats of "physical violence against spectators and performers" after Madonna spoke out in support of Russia's jailed feminist punk rock band Pussy Riot at her Moscow concert on August 7.

Russian Orthodox Christians protested on the streets outside the St. Petersburg show, chanting antigay slogans.

Politicians and arch-conservatives say they will evaluate video of Madonna's concert to see if she violated the law.

Liam Hemsworth Talks Miley, Movies & Sports With "Men's Health".

Liam Hemsworth on the cover of "Men's Health". Image Credit Men's Health.

With his new movie "The Expendables 2" set to hit theaters on August 17th, Liam Hemsworth garnered himself a little added exposure by covering the September 2012 issue of Men's Health magazine.

The 22-year-old Aussie actor looked handsome in a plain black t-shirt with dark jeans for the Ture Lilegraven shot front page while talking about everything from surfing and boxing to his film career and fiance Miley Cyrus.

T.I. Aiming To Complete Album "Trouble Man" By Year's End.

Rap Artist T.I

When T.I. returned home from prison last fall, he hit the ground running, filming his VH1 reality series "The Family Hustle" and immediately beginning work on his eighth solo album Trouble Man. Since then, Tip has remained on the grind, but he's slowed things down a bit when it comes to finishing up his anticipated LP.

Though the album was most recently expected to debut in September, the Atlanta rapper said he refuses to rush the process.

Emma Roberts On The Cover Of "The Dirty Side Of Glamour"

Cover of 'The Dirty Side Of Glamour'. Image Credit Tyler Shields.

She's done various impressive photos with controversial photographer Tyler Shields, but Emma Roberts' latest picture debuts his book "The Dirty Side of Glamour."

The "We're the Millers" starlet looks subtly gorgeous in a black and white photo in which she dons a black wig while holding up a dramatic mask to shield her face. The 30-year-old photographer captioned the photo with an interesting thought, writing, "We all wear masks some of us just never take them off."

NFL Coach Andy Reid's Son Found Dead at Eagles Training Camp.

NFL eagles Coach Andy Reid and son Garrett Reid

The oldest son of Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid was found dead this morning in a dorm room at Lehigh University, this according to several reports.

The Lehigh University Chief of Police confirmed that Garrett Reid, 29, was found dead at Eagles training camp after a 911 call was placed at 7:20 AM ET. Reid was in camp assisting strength coaches.

Ellen Page Facing Death Threats, Seeks Police Assistance.

Ellen Page

Ellen Page claims a crazed fan has been terrorizing her on Twitter sending her multiple death threats and now, she's turned to the LAPD for help.

The LAPD recently sent a search warrant  obtained by TMZ to the micro-blogging site, demanding information regarding two Twitter accounts believed to be associated with an individual bent on killing the actress.

Miley Cyrus Target Of 911 Prank.

Pop Artist Miley Cyrus.

Miley Cyrus appears to be the target of a 911 prank: According to reports, LAPD officers rushed to the singer's Los Angeles home Wednesday after someone called about a possible home invasion, but there was no home invasion and no sign of danger when they arrived.

Beyonce plans documentary on her life, career.

Hip-Hop Artist Beyonce Knowles.

Beyonce is a pretty private person. The public has never seen her and Jay-Z's wedding photos, and she went as far as renting out an entire floor when she gave birth to daughter Blue Ivy in January, but she's about to give her fans a backstage pass to her life with a new documentary. According to the L.A. Times, the "Love on Top" singer is prepping a concert film a la Katy Perry's "Part of Me" and Justin Bieber's "Never Say Never," which she will also direct and produce. A source tells the newspaper that it will be a mix of music and confessional interviews and that a 20-minute clip has already been shown to potential distributors.

Meek Mill Gets Court Warning About His Lyrics.

Rap artist Meek Mill.

Meek Mill isn't having the best luck with authority figures these days. The Philly rapper was back in his hometown on Tuesday for a court status hearing related to a prior gun and drug charge, but things got extra unpleasant when Meek was reprimanded for making a reference to the assistant district attorney on his track "The Ride."

On the Dreamchasers 2 cut, Meek expresses his displeasure for having to deal with assistant D.A. Noel Ann DeSantis, rapping, "The D.A. said she hate me but I don't understand/When I just rocked a show in front of 50,000 fans/I think that bitch racist, she probably in a clan."

Snoop Dogg Changes Name To Snoop Lion, Changes Genre To Reggae.

Former Rap artist Snoop Dogg has changed his name to Snoop Lion.

The artist we once knew solely as Snoop Dogg announced Monday that he's ready to leave his Doggy ways behind him as he focuses on creating reggae music under the name Snoop Lion.

"Rap is not a challenge to me," Snoop said Monday night at a press event in New York City, according to the Huffington Post.


"With no disrespect to other rappers, but they can't f*** with me in rap," he went on. "I've won every accolade you can get in rap, they call me 'Uncle Snoop' in rap. When you're an uncle, it's time to find something new ... I want to feel like a kid again."

The need to challenge himself seems to be part of the reason the legendary West Coast MC is releasing a reggae project called “Reincarnated" - just don’t look for him to rap on it.

"It's not that I want to become Snoop Dogg on a reggae track," Snoop said. "I want to bury Snoop Dogg, and become Snoop Lion. I didn't know that until I went to the temple, where the High Priest asked me what my name was, and I said, 'Snoop Dogg.' And he looked me in my eyes and said, 'No more. You are the light; you are the lion.' From that moment on, it's like I had started to understand why I was there."

Another reason he gave for his musical shift is a desire "to perform for kids and my grandmother, people around the world who really love me and can't really accept the music that I make," he told press. "This reggae music is music of love –happiness and sadness."

Snoop Lion’s debut single, “La La La,” is already out on iTunes.

Bollywood Actress Sherlyn Chopra to be Playboy's first Indian Model

Bollywood Actress Sherlyn Chopra with Playboy owner Hugh Hefner

 Bollywood film actress Sherlyn Chopra will become the first woman to pose for popular lifestyle magazine, Playboy.
 The 28-year-old knockout wrote to the magazine and suggested the idea herself, the BBC reported. They got back to her within a few days to accept.