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Rock News: Music's high and low notes

By PENNY NELSON BARTHOLOMEW, United Press International
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SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME

Sting, Michael Jackson, Randy Newman, Barry Manilow and Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson will be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

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The announcement of the class of '02 was made Monday by the National Academy of Popular Music in New York.

The group represents a decidedly contemporary era in American pop music, much as last year's did. In 2001, the hall welcomed Dolly Parton, Diane Warren, Willie Nelson, Eric Clapton, Paul Williams, Billy Joel (Johnny Mercer Award), Gloria & Emilio Estefan (Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award) and Dionne Warwick (Hitmaker Award).

The Songwriters Hall of Fame was founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer and publishers Abe Olman and Howie Richmond. It includes such top songwriters as Burt Bachrach, Jim Croce, Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Brian Wilson, James Brown and Curtis Mayfield.

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The 33rd annual Songwriters Hall of Fame induction and awards dinner will be held June 13 in New York.


GRAMMY AWARDS

Destiny's Child, Train and country singer Alan Jackson are among the artists who've been added to the line-up of performers for the 44th Annual Grammy Awards later this month.

Destiny's Child will sing a duet with Alejandro Sanz, Billboard.com reports. They originally were slated to perform together at the 2001 Latin Grammys, which were canceled in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. "We are honored to perform with such a giant in the Latin world and are eager to show all our fans another side to Destiny's Child," group member Kelly Rowland said in a statement.

Other performers will include U2, Alicia Keys, Dave Matthews Band, 'N Sync with Nelly, and a multi-artist tribute to the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack. Presenters will include Dixie Chicks, Kid Rock, Gloria Estefan, No Doubt's Gwen Stefani, Janet Jackson, Diana Krall, Britney Spears and comedians Kevin James and Ray Romano.

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Comedian Jon Stewart will host the event, which will be broadcast live from Los Angeles Feb. 27 on CBS-TV.


JUNO AWARD NOMINATIONS

Our Lady Peace, Nickelback, and Leonard Cohen top the list of nominees for this year's Juno Awards, Canada's answer to the Grammys.

JAM! Music reports OLP leads the list of nominees with five: best album, best group, best single, best album design and best video for the band's CD "Spiritual Machines."

Veteran singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen is up for four Junos -- best artist, best songwriter, best pop album, and best video. Nickelback -- which has enjoyed a breakthrough year in the United States with its album "Silver Side Up" -- also earned four nominations for best album, best group, best single, and best rock album. Engineer Randy Staub is also nominated for his work on the album.

Other multiple nominees include Sum 41, Diana Krall and Hawksley Workman with three nominations apiece.

Barenaked Ladies -- in the midst of a self-imposed one-year break from recording and touring -- will host this year's ceremonies April 14 in St. John's, Newfoundland. Along with BNL, performers confirmed for the show include Nickelback, Sum 41, Alanis Morissette, Nelly Furtado, Amanda Marshall, Diana Krall, and Great Big Sea.

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Many of the nominees:

Best Album -- "All Killer No Filler" by Sum 41, "Silver Side Up" by Nickelback, "Spiritual Machines" by Our Lady Peace, "The Look Of Love" by Diana Krall, "Whoa, Nelly!" by Nelly Furtado

Best Single -- "California" by Wave, "Everybody's Got A Story" by Amanda Marshall, "How You Remind Me" by Nickelback, "If It Feels Good, Do It" by Sloan, "Life" by Our Lady Peace

Best Video -- "I Hear You Calling" by Gob (director: Josh Levy), "In My Secret Life" by Leonard Cohen (director: Floria Sigismonidi), "In Repair" by Our Lady Peace (director: Oli Goldsmith), "Jealous Of Your Cigarette" by Hawksley Workman (director: Sean Michael Turrell), "Plumb Song" by Snow (director: Stephen Scott)

Best Artist -- Leonard Cohen, Nelly Furtado, Garou, Diana Krall, Amanda Marshall

Best Group -- Matthew Good Band, Nickelback, Our Lady Peace, Sum 41, The Tea Party

Best New Solo Artist -- Gabrielle Destroismaisons, Jelleestone, Maren Ord, Thrust, Hawksley Workman

Best New Group -- Default, Joydrop, Smoother, Sugar Jones, Wave

Best Songwriter -- Jann Arden -- "Never Mind," "Thing For You" (cowritten with Russell Broom); Leonard Cohen -- "My Secret Life," "You Have Loved Enough," "Boogie Street" (co-written with Sharon Robinson); Sarah Harmer -- "Hideout," "Don't Get Your Back Up," "Uniform Grey"; Ron Sexsmith -- "This Song," "Just My Heart Talking," "April After All"; Rufus Wainwright -- "Poses," "Cigarettes And Chocolate Milk," "Grey Gardens"

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Best Producer -- Ben Dunk (with Rick Neigher) for "California," "Think It Over" by Wave; Justin Gray for "Days Like That" and "I Got U" by Sugar Jones; Daniel Lanois (with Brian Eno) for "Beautiful Day" and "Elevation" by U2; Mark Makowy for "Alone In The Universe" and "Too Close To The Sun" by David Usher; Bob Rock for "Flavor Of The Weak" by American Hi-Fi; and "Make It Right" by Econoline Crush

Best Rap Recording -- "Bad Dreams" by Swollen Members, "Easy To Slip" by Solitair, "Firestarter Vol. 1: Quest For Fire" by Kardinal Offishall, "Jelleestone 13" by Jelleestone, "Still Too Much" by Ghetto Concept, featuring Snow, Kardinal Offishall, Maestro, Red 1 and Ironside

Best Pop Album -- "Girl Versions" by Emm Gryner, "Morning Orbit" by David Usher, "Open" by Cowboy Junkies, "Saturday People" by Prozzak, "Ten New Songs" by Leonard Cohen

Best Rock Album -- "All Killer No Filler" by Sum 41, "Brothers & Sisters, Are You Ready?" by Big Sugar, "Pretty Together" by Sloan, "Purge" by Bif Naked, "Silver Side Up" by Nickelback

Best Alternative Album -- "Down At The Khyber" by The Joel Plaskett Emergency, "(Last Night We Were) The Delicious Wolves" by Hawksley Workman, "Night Of The Shooting Stars" by Rheostatics, "Poses" by Rufus Wainwright, "The Constantines" by The Constantines

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Best Dance Recording -- "Absolutely Not" by Deborah Cox, "Innocente" by Delerium, "Spaced Invader" by Hatiras, "It Doesn't Matter" by The Underdog Project, "The Light" by Elissa

Best R&B/Soul Recording -- "Don't You Forget It" by Glenn Lewis, "Never Leave Hurt Alone" by Sugar Jones, "Day Dreaming" by Chin, "The Day Before" by Baby Blue Soundcrew featuring Jully Black And Baby Cham, "Unforgettable" by Jamie Sparks

Best New Country Artist -- Steve Fox, Aaron Lines, Ennis Sisters, J.R. Vautour, Doc Walker

Best Country Artist/Group -- Paul Brandt, Lisa Brokop, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Jimmy Rankin, The Wilkinsons

Best Vocal Jazz Album -- "Image In The Mirror: The Triptych" by Jeri Brown, "I Saw The Sky" by Melissa Walker, "It's Wonderful" by Susie Arioli Swing Band, "The Look Of Love" by Diana Krall, "Tribute" by Emilie-Claire Barlow

Best Contemporary Jazz Album, Instrumental -- "Live" by Francois Bourassa Trio + Andre LeRoux, "Nuage" by Jeff Johnson, "Of Battle Unknown Mysteries" by Chris Tarry, "Sigame" by D. D. Jackson, "The Recline" by Metalwood

Best Traditional Jazz Album, Instrumental -- "And It Really Was ..." by The Brigham Phillips Big Band, "Forgotten Memories" by Don Thompson, "Murley, Bickert & Wallace: Live At The Senator" by Mike Murley, "Spectacular" by Campbell Ryga, "Street Culture" by Paul Tobey

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Best Reggae Recording -- "Breathe" by Sonia Collymore, "Never Let Jah Go" by Chester Miller, "Love (African Woman)" by Blessed, "A Friend For Life" by Illey Dread, "They Called Me Madness" by Peculiar I

Best Roots & Traditional Album, Solo -- "Beyond The Storm" by Eileen McGann, "Far End Of Summer" by David Francey, "For A Song" by Maria Dunn, "Gather Honey" by Penny Lang, "Verchuosity" by April Verch

Best Roots & Traditional Album, Group -- "Cordial" by La Bottine Souriante, "Petit Fou" by Mapatat, "Post Atomic Hillbilly" by Undertakin' Daddies, "Sin & Other Salvations" by The Wyrd Sisters, "Songs of Work & Freedom" by The Brothers Cosmoline

Best Blues Album -- "Big Mouth" by Colin Linden, "Breakfast At Midnight" by Rita Chiarelli, "Drive On" by Michael Jerome Browne, "Double Shot!" by Mel Brown & Snooky Pryor, "Rattlebag" by Paul Reddick + The Sideman

Best Gospel Album -- "Downhere" by Downhere, "Imagerical" by Matt Brouwer, "Love Letters" by Londa Larmond, "Travelers" by Carolyn Arends, "Waiting For Aiden" by Steve Bell

Best Global Album -- "Alma De Santiago" by Jane Bunnett, "Distant Wind" by Mei Han/Randy Raine-Reusch, "Havana Remembered" by Hilario Duran, "Kashish Attraction" by Kiran Ahluwalia, "The Journey" by Alpha Yaya Diallo

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Best Recording Engineer -- Richard Chycki for "Jaded" by Aerosmith, Pierre Marchand for "Evil Angel" and "Greek Song" by Rufus Wainwright, Jeff Martin/Nick Blagona for "Angels" and "Lullaby" by The Tea Party, Brad Nelson for "Follow Her Around" and "You And Me" by Jimmy Rankin, Randy Staub for "How You Remind Me" and "Too Bad" by Nickelback

Best Selling Album, Foreign Or Domestic -- "All That You Can't Leave Behind" by U2, "Black & Blue" by Backstreet Boys, "Chocolate Starfish And The Hotdog Flavored Water" by Limp Bizkit, "Hot Shot" by Shaggy, "Survivor" by Destiny's Child

Best Selling Francophone Album -- "Cordial" by La Bottine Souriante, "Disparu" by La Chicane, "Du Coq A L'Ame" by Lynda Lemay, "Etc..." by Gabrielle Destroismaisons, "Les Vents Ont Change" by Kevin Parent

Best Instrumental Album -- "Angel's Embrace" by Dan Gibson and David Bradstreet, "Armando's Fire" by Oscar Lopez, "Fiesta Del Sol" by Kenny Vehkavaara, "Inspiration Classique" by Richard Abel, "The English Country Garden" by Dan Gibson and John Herberman

Best Album Design -- Garnet Armstrong and Lionel Drew for "The Audio Of Being" by Matthew Good Band, Carylann Loeppky for "Poem" by Delerium, Our Lady Peace and Catherine McRae for "Spiritual Machines" by Our Lady Peace, John Rummen for "H-Wing" by Kevin Hearn, Sebastien Toupin for "Disparu" by La Chicane

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MORE ON THE JUNOS

Producers Daniel Lanois and Michael Cohl are to be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame when the Juno Awards are given out April 14. Lanois was recently nominated for two Grammy Awards for his work on U2's "All That You Can't Leave Behind" album. Cohl is slated to receive the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award for his contribution to Canada's music industry.

(Thanks to UPI's Mike Cooper in Atlanta)


COACHELLA VALLEY MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL

Foo Fighters, Prodigy and the Chemical Brothers have joined the lineup for the 2002 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Allstar.com reports.

Oasis and Bjork will headline the two-day festival being held April 27-28 at Indio Polo Fields in Indio, Calif. Bjork will perform April 27 while Oasis handles the closing duties April 28.

Other scheduled performers include Queens of the Stone Age, Mos Def, Dilated Peoples, KRS-One and Basement Jaxx. It's been rumored that the Strokes also will be added to the bill.


STABBING WESTWARD

Stabbing Westward is calling it quits after 12 years.

In a farewell note on its Web site, the Chicago-based industrial rock quartet told fans: "Thank you very much for all the support and love. We are very sad and, as well, very excited about all our futures."

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No word on what those future plans will be, MTV News reports, although the band's manager said they'll likely stay in the musical realm.

Three years after its 1993 debut album "Ungod," Stabbing Westward found success with its "Wither Blister Burn & Peel" CD. But the follow-up, 1998's "Darkest Days," didn't do as well and the band was dropped by Columbia Records in 2000. It signed with Koch Records but a self-titled fourth album, release in May 2001, sold poorly.


RICHARD ASHCROFT

Richard Ashcroft wants his guitar back.

The former Verve frontman's Gibson J200 Vintage Sunburst Acoustic was stolen last Wednesday from inside the stage door of London's Royal Albert Hall, the news provider Music Goes On reports. At the time, Ashcroft was taking part with Oasis in a benefit concert for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

A reward is being offered.

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