In 1985, pianist John Bayless began his recorded music career with Bach Meets the Beatles, an album where he brilliantly improvised on the songs of the Beatles in the style of Johann Sebastian Bach.

Twenty-three years later, Bayless remains one of the top classical crossover stars in the US — his albums have consistently topped the charts, and he has sold well into the hundreds of thousands. On his new album, Circle of Life, he once again fuses the music of Bach with popular tunes — though this time taking his melodic inspiration from the songs of Elton John.

The juxtapositions ar...

Happy Birthday to tennis star Serena Williams (1981), pop singer Christina Milian (1981), rapper Ras Kass (1972), "Frequency" actor James Caviezel (1968), Blind Melon singer Shannon Hoon (1967; d. 1995), tv host Jillian Barberie (1966), "Krull" actress Lysette Anthony (1963), actress Melissa Sue Anderson (1962), "The Terminator" actress Linda Hamilton (1956), Australian singer Olivia Newton-John (1948), bluegrass singer Lynn Anderson (1947), Roxy Music singer Bryan Ferry (1945), "The Beverly Hillbillies" actress Donna Douglas (1933), television actor Richard Herd (1932), "Emergency" actress...

Veteran composer George Greeley has died of emphysema. He was 89. The pianist and arranger, who was best known for writing the theme music for 1960s TV show My Favorite Martian, passed away at West Hills Hospital and Medical Center in California on Saturday.

Greeley was a staff pianist at Columbia Pictures in the 1950s, where he played on hundreds of film soundtracks. He also signed to Warner Bros. Records, where he produced and performed on 15 albums including George Greeley Plays George Gershwin.

Greeley worked in television in the 1960s. He wrote music for shows including My Li...

Six songs recorded by Cuban girl band Anacaona 70 years ago have risen to 26th place in the iTunes UK podcast chart. The group are currently between the best of the British DJ Chris Moyles' Radio 1 show and the new series of Doctor Who, with nearly 50,000 downloads in the past four days.

Anacaona was made up of 11 sisters of working class origins who became famous in the nightclubs and cafes in pre-revolutionary Cuba.

Nat King Cole and George Gershwin were among their fans when they toured Paris and New York at the end of the 1930s. However they faded into obscurity when Fidel Cas...

Paul Simon is to be honoured by the US Library of Congress for his impressive catalogue of work. The Simon & Garfunkel star will be the recipient of the first annual Gershwin Prize for Popular Song at a gala in May.

The newly-created honour will be given to a composer or performer whose lifetime contributions "exemplify the standard of excellence associated with (George and Ira) Gershwin."

In a statement, Simon writes, "I am grateful to be the recipient of the Gershwin Prize and doubly honored to be the first. I look forward to spending an evening in the company of artists I admir...

Just in time for Valentine's Day, eight-time Grammy-winning superstar vocalist Natalie Cole sets the mood with her first-ever collection of love songs. Rhino Records celebrates romance with this unforgettable compilation featuring a trio of Grammy-winning hits. Love Songs will be available January 30.

Containing more than hour of Cole's amorous classics, the album spotlights 19 songs including a pair of duets with her legendary father, Nat "King" Cole - the Grammy-winning selections "Unforgettable" and "When I Fall In Love." Love Songs also features the Top 10 Billboard smashes "Miss...

Happy Birthday to tennis star Serena Williams (1981), pop singer Christina Milian (1981), rapper Ras Kass (1972), "Frequency" actor James Caviezel (1968), Blind Melon singer Shannon Hoon (1967; d. 1995), tv host Jillian Barberie (1966), "Krull" actress Lysette Anthony (1963), actress Melissa Sue Anderson (1962), "The Terminator" actress Linda Hamilton (1956), Australian singer Olivia Newton-John (1948), bluegrass singer Lynn Anderson (1947), Roxy Music singer Bryan Ferry (1945), "The Beverly Hillbillies" actress Donna Douglas (1933), television actor Richard Herd (1932), "Emergency" actress...

One of the greatest tragedies of recent musical history was Sublime singer-songwriter-guitarist's Bradley Nowell's untimely death, compounded by the fact that he did not live to witness the massive success of his band's third album, the now classic Sublime. The Long Beach trio's major-label debut, Sublime, was released in 1996, spawned the hits "What I Got," "Wrong Way," "Santeria" and "Doin' Time," and ultimately sold over five million copies in the U.S. alone.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Sublime's release and to pay tribute to Nowell's original vision, the two-disc Sublime D...

Grammy Award winner and multi-platinum selling musician Diana Krall returns to the standard songbook with a sensual, swinging set on From This Moment On, to be released September 19th on Verve. Krall is joined by the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra on eight of the eleven tracks, and performs in a quartet setting for the rest: Anthony Wilson (guitar), John Clayton (bass), and Jeff Hamilton (drums). From this Moment On, Krall's 10th album, was produced by Krall and Tommy LiPuma, and recorded and mixed by Al Schmitt.

From This Moment On features selections of songs torn from Broadwa...

Who wouldn't want Hollywood's biggest stars to sing them to sleep? Some of the most surprising voices in Hollywood, accompanied by musicians of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, lend their talents to a new album, "Unexpected Dreams: Songs from the Stars," to be released by Rhino Records on April 25. It's the perfect soundtrack for quiet evenings at home, with your children…or without them.

The CD features 14 spellbinding tunes by composers including Elton John, Billy Joel, Sade, Bob Dylan and Lennon/McCartney, beautifully sung and lushly orchestrated. A portion of the proceeds will be...

Who wouldn't want Hollywood's biggest stars to sing them to sleep? Some of the most surprising voices in Hollywood, accompanied by musicians of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, lend their talents to a new album, "Unexpected Dreams: Songs from the Stars," to be released by Rhino Records on March 28. It's the perfect soundtrack for quiet evenings at home, with your children...or without them.

The CD features 14 spellbinding tunes by composers including Elton John, Billy Joel, Sade, Bob Dylan and Lennon/McCartney, beautifully sung and lushly orchestrated. A portion of the proceeds will benef...

Verve Forecast is proud to announce the release of Rhett Miller's second solo album, The Believer, due in stores on February 28th 2006. A follow-up to the highly acclaimed The Instigator, the new record is brimming with, as Blender said, "knock "em dead songs." Already widely-loved for his work as frontman and main songwriter of the hard-charging rock "n" roll quartet the Old 97's (of which he is still a member), The Believer takes its predecessor's achievements several steps further, with a dozen deeply felt, craftily melodic tunes that demonstrate the Texas-bred artist's knack for using a...

Auction house Profiles in History is holding a live public auction on Dec. 16 that includes over 350 pieces of Hollywood memorabilia worth $2 Million. The highlight of the auction is the original vintage Shure Brothers model 55S microphone from the Louisiana hayride used by Elvis Presley and through which the famous phrase “Please young people, Elvis has left the building” was first broadcast.

This auction will also include treasures from Hollywood classic films such as Gone With the Wind, Ben Hur, The Ten Commandments, Spartacus, My Fair Lady as well as contemporary favorites Star War...