Singer Jerry Reed dies at 71

Jerry Reed, a country music singer, country guitarist, session musician, songwriter, and actor who became a good ol' boy actor in car chase movies like "Smokey and the Bandit," has died at the age of 71. Reed died on Monday from complications from emphysema. Reed had quadruple bypass surgery in June 1999.

Reed was born in Atlanta, Georgia. Reed's parents separated four months after his birth, and he and his sister spent seven years in foster homes or orphanages. Reed was reunited with his mother and stepfather in 1944. Music helped ease the stressful times the new family was under.

At age 18, Reed was signed by publisher and record producer Bill Lowery to cut his first record, "If the Good Lord's Willing and the Creeks Don't Rise."

He won a Grammy Award for "When You're Hot, You're Hot" in 1971 for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. A year earlier, he shared a Grammy with Chet Atkins for their collaboration, "Me and Jerry." In 1992, Atkins and Reed won a Grammy for "Sneakin' Around.". Jerry Reed appeared in over a dozen movies.

"I'm proud of the songs, I'm proud of things that I did with Chet (Atkins), I'm proud that I played guitar and was accepted by musicians and guitar players," Reed told the AP in 1992.

Ricky Martin Fathers Twin Boys

The Latin superstar Ricky Martin has adopted twin boys born to a surrogate mother, and the babies were born a few weeks ago. "In recent weeks, Ricky Martin became a proud father by the birth of twin sons," according to a statement from his rep.

"The children, delivered via gestational surrogacy, are healthy and already under Ricky's full-time care," the rep said. "Ricky is elated to begin this new chapter in his life as a parent and will be spending the remainder of the year out of the public spotlight in order to spend time with his children."

The pop superstar Ricky Martin kept the pregnancy under wraps until now! The boys' names and the location of their birth have not been released. His rep said there was no further information about the details of the children's birth.

In recent years the "Livin' La Vida Loca" singer, has been active in charitable efforts. Martin, 36, established the Ricky Martin Foundation in Puerto Rico to advocate for the welfare of children around the world.

Dixie Chick Emily Robison and Charlie Robison have divorced

Dixie Chicks' Emily Robison and singer-songwriter Charlie Robison have divorced. It is reported that singer Charlie Robison filed for divorce in January after nine years of marriage. The couple were at the Bexar County Courthouse in San Antonio, Texas on Wednesday August 6, 2008 when the divorce was finalized.

"They remain the best of friends and their family is obviously the priority."
a rep for the singer told PEOPLE Magazine. The divorce filing states their marriage had "become insupportable because of discord or conflict of personalities."

Emily Robison of the country group Dixie Chicks married the country singer Charlie Robison on May 1, 1999. They have three kids Charles Augustus born November 11, 2002 and twins Julianna Tex and Henry Benjamin born on April 14, 2005.

"We can confirm that the divorce is final. They remain the best of friends and their family is obviously the priority," a spokesperson for the Dixie Chicks said to The Associated Press.

Jessica Simpson Reveals Her Album Cover

Jessica Simpson has revealed her new album cover. Here is the official album cover for Jessica Simpson's country album "Do You Know". Jessica's new album is scheduled to be released September 9th 2008.

Great new font, on the album's cover, the Texas native wears a pair of brown cowboy boots, a quaint white dress and her signature pout.

Simpson repeatedly stated she wanted to go back to her roots and do country music. Simpson also has said that some people have been skeptical about her decision to do country music
on her new album, but she has been brought up around country music and fans have posted blog comments on her MySpace page responding positively to her upcoming release.

"I love the song and CANNOT wait for the album to come out in September, why so far away" writes one fan. "Jessica is my new Fav country star and i will always support her" says another fan.

Simpson made many promotional appearances to show her country crossover. On July 21, 2008 Jessica's single, "Come On Over" reached the top 20! Jessica has thanked all her fans for helping her single rise to the top!

The following songs will appear on the album:

• Come on Over
• Do You Know (Duet with Dolly Parton)
• Remember That

Musician Katie Reider Died

Singer and songwriter Katie Reider, 30, died Monday morning, July 14, 2008 in New Jersey after a two-year battle with a tumor that forced her from the stage in 2006, but not from her will to survive.

Earlier she wrote on her website

"There always seems to be a lot of waiting and that can be frustrating, but while I wait, I am trying to LIVE! Let’s live together and remind one another how precious life is and how we should live each moment to the fullest."

After multiple diagnoses and treatments, doctors diagnosed her in June 2007 with a rare myofibroblastic inflammation tumor that had progressed from her sinus and upper left jaw to behind her left eye and later she had double vision that made it impossible for her to perform. Just when doctors had controlled her tumor, Reider began to hemorrhage from an artery in her brain. It was this hemorrhaging that led to Reider's death on Monday.

Reider's mother Gaile Reider, died of cancer last year. "The mother-and-child reunion going on in heaven right now must be unbelievable," her father said Monday from his Montgomery home. Reider's father Rob Reider, best known as a singer on the Cincinnati-based syndicated entertainment program The Bob Braun Show in the 1970s and ’80s.

Katie Reider is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio and has been performing and making music since she was a little girl. She received her first guitar, a red Gibson Epiphone, from her parents when she was in fifth grade.

Jennifer Hudson’s New Album Cover

Hudson's new self-titled album released on July 10, 2008 features an image of Hudson appearing significantly thinner than her recent public appearances would suggest. So maybe there was a little Photoshop involved and a lot of debate about the singer.

The Oscar-winning former American Idol Jennifer Hudson is featured on Ne-Yo's second album Because of You on the track Leaving Tonight.

Jennifer Hudson album’s first single, “Spotlight”, was written and produced by Ne-Yo and Stargate is number 20 on U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100.

Britney Spears Play Receptionist In TV Sitcom

Surprisingly, viewers were quite impressed with her acting skills. After months of trauma and erratic behaviour, Britney Spears has hit America's TV screens. And this time round, it is not because she has been rushed to hospital or is at another court hearing.
As Sima Kotecha has commented from BBC.

An executive producer for "How I Met Your Mother" says he's open to having Britney Spears return for another cameo.
We always said, 'You know, if her character pops, we'll bring her back,"' Carter Bays told The Associated Press on Thursday. "I thought she was great. I was very proud of that episode."

I think she's not hopeless as an actor – given the right words to speak, you can believe her.
She's got that baby voice she falls back on, and it gets a bit annoying.
"She did pretty good" playing a dorky receptionist who falls for Ted (Josh Radnor) on CBS’ Hot I Met Your Mother, Charna Halpern, artistic director of Chicago’s Improv Olympic Comedy Club, tells Usmagazine.com. “There was a sweetness to her, a vulnerability.
Her role was “over the top, and she certainly went for it,” Aliza Shane, director of NYC’s Looking Glass Theater. “Clearly, she likes being on camera, no one can argue that!”