LEA MICHELE Glee fans’ favorite leading lady tries on a new role: pop star     For more than four years, millions of Americans watched Lea Michele belt out a broad range of hits on TV’s Glee. On her debut solo album, Louder, she shifts effortlessly between luxurious ballads and uptempo numbers that showcase her vocal and songwriting talent. The Emmy-nominated actress and singer tapped a stable of hit collaborators including Christina Perri,... 

DIERKS BENTLEY Life throws the country star a heart-tugging batch of inspiration  Dierks Bentley’s new album, Riser, reflects the emotional roller coaster he endured beginning with his father’s death two years ago and concluding with the recent birth of his first son. “That definitely changed my perspective,” says Bentley. “A lot of the heavier material on Riser wouldn’t have come about without those things happening.” Bentley, 38,... 

JAKE SHIMABUKURO  In his talented hands, the ukulele demands new respect They say there’s no such thing as an overnight sensation—then there’s ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro. Though well-known in Japan and in his native Hawaii, he was virtually unknown in the rest of the world until a 2006 YouTube clip of him playing George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” generated nearly 13 million views and turned him into an international... 

THE FRAY The piano-pop rockers regroup and set out in new musical directions  After a disappointing commercial reception for the Fray’s third album, 2012’s Scars and Stories, the Denver foursome found themselves wondering—after 10 years and three records—if they wanted to carry on. “Those are the defeats that make you do the math and figure out whether this is something you really want to do,” says singer and pianist Isaac Slade. After... 

NEON TREES Time off to recharge leads to a new perspective and a colorful album    Success can exact a price. It’s something alt rockers Neon Trees learned after scoring with their 2010 debut album Habits, powered by their breakout single “Animal,” and their follow-up two years later, Picture Show, which included their first Top 10 hit, “Everybody Talks.” Hitting it big brought unexpected demands for touring and promotion, and pressures... 

DAVID CROSBY He helped create two iconic bands, but his latest set is a family affair By Jeff Tamarkin There’s always been plenty of harmony in David Crosby’s famed voice and songwriting. His life, on the other hand, not so much. He’s endured battles with drug abuse, brushes with the law, and a long line of health scares—the latest in February when he underwent an emergency heart procedure. In the ’80s, Crosby spent time in prison on drug... 

DESMOND CHILD For the renowned studio master, everything begins with the lyric By Michael Gallant For Desmond Child, music comes down to honesty. “What makes something desirable has a worthwhile element—and in the case of music, it has to have truth. When that element isn’t there, people don’t pay attention.” For more than three decades, the world has been paying close attention to the innovative songwriter-producer, who helped create and... 

GARY BURTON The jazz legend continues to innovate with a host of new projects By Jeff Tamarkin Gary Burton could easily rest on his laurels, secure in the knowledge that he’s made his mark as one of the greatest vibraphonists in jazz history. At 71, he has more than five decades of innovation and a pile of awards behind him, including seven Grammys, most for his stunning collaborations with keyboardist Chick Corea. But Burton is an ever-restless... 

DESMOND CHILD For the renowned studio master, everything begins with the lyric By Michael Gallant For Desmond Child, music comes down to honesty. “What makes something desirable has a worthwhile element—and in the case of music, it has to have truth. When that element isn’t there, people don’t pay attention.” For more than three decades, the world has been paying close attention to the innovative songwriter-producer, who helped create and... 

URBAN LEGEND With his own brand of hip-hop soul, John Legend aims to make R&B cool again By Russell Hall ven as a child John Legend always knew exactly what he wanted. “I’d watch Star Search and imagine one day meeting Ed McMahon, and getting four stars,” he chuckles. “Shows like American Idol and The X Factor probably have the same effect on kids today—the belief that you can get discovered, and out of nowhere your talent can suddenly... 

DARNAA HOMETOWN: Sacramento, Calif. INFLUENCES: Yolanda Adams, Kirk Franklin, Destiny’s Child ALBUM: Album due out 2014 WEBSITE: darnaamusic.com As one of nine siblings, Darnaa was determined to stand up and be heard. “I grew up singing a lot to princesses in cartoons like The Little Mermaid,” she says. “In our neighborhood there was a rock, and I’d get on the rock and pretend I was her.” Inspired by Lauryn Hill’s performance in Sister... 

IRINA HOMETOWN: Moscow, Russia INFLUENCES: influences: Abba, Whitney Houston, Barbra Streisand ALBUM: Album due out 2014 WEBSITE: irinaglobal.com “I was always involved in theater when I was in school,” says Irina, who was born and raised in Moscow. “I was singing in the choir as a mezzo-soprano when I was 6.” Later, Irina earned degrees in psychology and economics—but she eventually returned to her first love. She began writing songs... 

YONAS MICHAEL HOMETOWN: Seattle, Wash. INFLUENCES: Michael Jackson, the Roots, Wu-Tang Clan ALBUM: The Black Swan Theory, out 2014 WEBSITE: yonasmichael.com Enamored of his grandmother’s extensive vinyl collection, Yonas Michael spent his early years practicing Michael Jackson’s signature dance moves. When he was a teenager, Michael’s family moved to the L.A. suburbs and he immersed himself in the world of hip-hop. After performing in talent... 

DAUGHTRY    The former Idol rocker picks up the pace on his latest set  When the band’s namesake and frontman Chris Daughtry set out to write his fourth album, Baptized, he wasn’t expecting it to come together so quickly. “I started in January with the idea of writing these songs, doing the demos, and maybe getting the record out by the end of 2014,” says Daughtry, 33. “Which would have meant we’d be in the studio right now, still... 

GAVIN DEGRAW The platinum pop-rocker learns to enjoy the art of collaboration    Since his million-selling debut album, Chariot—which spawned three hits, “I Don’t Want to Be,” “Follow Through,” and the title track—Gavin DeGraw has served up a steady balance of radio-friendly hits with darker, more introspective material. On his new album, Make a Move, he steps even further outside his comfort zone, with a diverse collection of songs... 

SLEEPER AGENT Their second effort showcases broader themes and a bigger band  To beat the sophomore slump, the first step for Sleeper Agent was to retreat. “In the summer of 2012, we spent a week in a cabin in the mountains of Kentucky and recorded,” says guitarist Tony Smith. “We cut ourselves off like Thoreau—no internet, no cellphones. We cooked dinner every night and just had a great time. Actual recording in the studio started in November,... 

LINDI ORTEGA A move to Music City results in a burst of creative energy  What a difference a move can make—just ask singer-songwriter Lindi Ortega. “When I was living in Toronto, I’d come off tour, get into my onesie, watch reruns and eat Cheerios,” says the Canadian native. “Now, living in Nashville, I come home, see what people are up to, and that kicks my butt into being more productive and less complacent musically.” That late 2011... 

JAMES BLUNT A mega-selling artist recaptures his past to move forward “What I’m about is not trying to write songs that get played on the radio or become hit singles,” says James Blunt, “because that would be a hollow inspiration for making music. A desperately hollow inspiration.” To most who know his music or his name, Blunt is the pop star who sold around 20 million records over the past decade, powered by the megahit “You’re Beautiful.” More... 

WILLIE NELSON The projects keep coming for the Red Headed Stranger      Willie Nelson knows how to throw a party. He marked his 80th birthday last April with the release of two albums: Let’s Face the Music and Dance, covering material from the Great American Songbook and gypsy jazz pioneer Django Reinhardt, and To All the Girls, a collection of duets with female artists. Over the course of his career, Nelson has recorded more than 60 studio... 

SWITCHFOOT The surfing rockers travel the world in search of waves—and inspiration    After 17 years and seven studio records, Grammy-winning Switchfoot looked to shake things up for their new album, Fading West. The longtime surfers—the band’s name is a surfing term—traveled to exotic global destinations to ride waves and compose. “The concept was, ‘What if we went to these spots around the planet to find that place between danger... 

KELLIE PICKLER When it comes to country music, the reality star keeps it real   Kellie Pickler knows well the serious nature of reality television competition: She gained fame on American Idol in 2005 and won the Dancing With the Stars trophy last year. But the North Carolina native hit a new level of serious on her fourth studio album, The Woman I Am. “I’ll fight for my creative freedom,” she says. “I’m not going to be stuck in a box.”... 

REBECCA PIDGEON This singer-songwriter thrives straddling the worlds of theater and music  Few artists have the talent to sustain two successful careers at once. So credit Rebecca Pidgeon for doing just that,  gaining fame as a well-respected singer-songwriter and as an acclaimed actress. “It really was quite accidental,” says Pidgeon, who was born in Cambridge, Mass., but raised in Edinburgh, Scotland. Soon after graduating London’s Royal... 

THE CRSYTAL METHOD Celebrating 20 years together with TV, radio and recording projects   Electronic music duo the Crystal Method—Scott Kirkland and Ken Jordan—is hitting a series of milestones at once. They’ve been together 20 years, they’re about to release their fifth studio album, their weekly SiriusXM radio show, Community Service, is approaching its 100th episode—and they’re the musical masterminds behind the score of J.J. Abrams’... 

ROSANNE CASH                           Her latest album captures the heart and soul of the South in song   Though Rosanne Cash leads a richly textured urban life in New York, the South has always haunted her. Born in Memphis but reared in Southern California, at 58, she realizes that there is no such thing as separating yourself from something that is part of you. From her earliest recordings, she has always been at once part of the... 

LINDA RONSTADT  One of music’s most versatile voices reflects on her genre-defying career By Jeff Tamarkin Linda Ronstadt will never sing again. That’s the unfortunate reality the superstar vocalist has had to come to terms with since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. “I know I’d still be singing, because I’ve sung my whole life,” she says. “I’d at least be singing in the shower or in my car or harmonizing with somebody.... 

T BONE BURNETT The innovative uberproducer helms another stellar roots-rich soundtrack By Michael Gallant With fistfuls of hit records and more than a dozen Grammys under his belt, T Bone Burnett is one of music’s most accomplished producers. His credits run the gamut from Elvis Costello, Roy Orbison and Robert Plant to B.B. King, Elton John and Alison Krauss. But the big names only scratch the surface of his talent. Burnett toured as a guitarist... 

EARL KLUGH Going it alone with an inventive take on the music he loves  By Jeff Tamarkin Earl Klugh has worked in many formats in more than four decades, playing in duos, trios, even with orchestras, but he always returns to the solo album. Alone with his acoustic guitar is how the jazz master feels he can best express himself. “There’s a definite focus on the instrument itself,” he says. “I’ve adapted my playing so that I play bass, chords... 

JERSEY BOYS MOVIE Frankie Valli, The Four Seasons, Clint Eastwood, and … Lou Christie One of the great things about living in Hell’s Kitchen in New York City is that Lou Christie lives in the neighborhood. I ran into him on 10th Avenue yesterday, and told him not to miss Jersey Boys when it opens Friday—not that he would have: After all, next to Frankie Valli and maybe Del Shannon, no rock ’n’ roller had a more significant falsetto voice. I... 

CONGRATULATIONS, ABBY!   Out of thousands of entries, Nashville singer-songwriter Abby Lane has been selected as the winner of the ultimate recording session.   Here’s what she’s won:  • A week at Sweetwater’s state of the art studios • Custom 5-song EP with A-list producer Mark Hornsby • Album cover design and professional photo shoot • Profile in upcoming issue of M Music & Musicians   We’ll be taking you... 

PreSonus Unveils the All-New Nimbit Nimbit®, the musician’s direct-to-fan marketing and promotions platform by PreSonus®, has been completely reinvented to focus on what today’s musicians need most: automated, integrated tools that enable engaged and monetized relationships with their fans. The redesign, the result of six months of focused research by PreSonus, streamlined and reprioritized the robust sales and marketing platform’s... 

Music Industry Day Welcomes Musicians to Experience NAMM in Music City NAMM opens its doors to musicians, songwriters, and sound and staging professionals on Music Industry Day, Saturday, July 19 from 10AM-4PM at Nashville’s Music City Center. Music Industry Day offers a once a year opportunity to demo new gear from hundreds of brands, attend workshops designed to further careers in music, check out live music, and network with music industry... 

SIDEWALKS OF NEW YORK Triple Crown? Song Should Be Restored To Belmont Post Parade Status With the Preakness out of the way—and with a credible Triple Crown contestant in California Chrome looming over the Belmont Stakes two-and-a-half weeks hence—it’s that time again for me to rail against New York’s abhorrent disrespect of music tradition. Can you imagine what would happen if, say, the Kentucky Derby changed its theme song from “My Old... 

TIM HARDIN One of the Great Tragedies in Rock It was an odd coincidence and a nice little twin-spin of sorts the other night in New York at back-to-back shows featuring Tim Hardin songs. First up at Joe’s Pub was Tammy Faye Starlite’s magnificent performance of Marianne Faithfull’s 1979 album masterpiece Broken English, the third song of which is the Hardin co-write “Brain Drain.” Then it was over to City Winery for Colin Blunstone’s... 

AUDIX SCX25A MICROPHONE Phenomenal piano sound  Capturing piano is challenging especially during live performances. The Audix SCX25A-PS large diaphragm studio condenser mic kit we reviewed comes with a pair of SCX25As and two piano mounts that separate into mic clips. We found the SCX25As to be refreshingly flat in their frequency response without sounding dull, capturing the fullness of the instrument but not overaccentuating any particular range.... 

CARPENTERS Michelle Berting Brett Honors Their Legacy “Everybody knows all the songs,” Michelle Berting Brett said the other night at B.B. King’s an hour before taking the stage in her We’ve Only Just Begun: Carpenters Remembered concert show “celebrating the music of one of the most successful recording acts of all time,” as her promo so accurately puts it. Sure enough, she had everyone singing along to “(They Long to Be) Close to You,”... 

THE DAVE CLARK FIVE Playing Music For The Fun Of It I was very lucky to see the great Mike Smith perform shortly before the tragic fall that paralyzed him and led to his death in 2008—just before the Dave Clark Five, finally, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I got lucky again the day before PBS debuted the DC5 documentary The Dave Clark Five and Beyond—Glad All Over, when I spoke with Clark, then was in the audience at a screening... 

VIDEO PREMIERE JONNY KAPLAN AND THE LAZY STARS video premiere: “When You’re Down” (featuring Daryl Hannah) from the CD Sparkle and Shine. “When You’re Down” video ..featuring Daryl Hannah   The Lazy Stars include Rami Jaffee (The Wallflowers) on keyboards, bassist Jokin Salaverria, guitarist Dan Wistrom and drummer Joey Galvan.  Jonny also enlisted help from some very cool friends: The Black Croweskeyboardist Adam... 

ROSANNE CASH & JOHN FOGERTY Journey South To Self-Discovery and Rediscovery Do yourself a favor: If you get a chance to see Rosanne Cash’s show during her current The River & the Thread tour, grab it. With a fabulous seven-piece backing band, she performs the entire album from start to finish, explaining each song and the concept behind them, as well as The River & the Thread as a whole, which resulted from a series of trips the longtime... 

Carrie Underwood ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS And The Winner … Will Not Be Televised The Grammy Awards are bad enough, what with presenting the bulk of the awards—the ones we really care about, of course—off camera and loading the show itself mainly with pop/rap superstar hokum. But leave it to the Academy of Country Music to really turn the legitimate award show concept upside down. Dean Dillon In what reads like a preemptive strike, the... 

LEO KOTTKE Ever Fascinatingly Weird Interplay Between Mind and Hands I don’t know what it’s like being Leo Kottke, let alone playing 6- and 12-string acoustic guitars the way he does so singularly. But it’s exhilarating to the point of exhaustion just watching him. He talks, pauses, plays, pauses, talks, etc., etc., sometimes with coherence, always with edge-of-the-seat suspense: Will he finish a story? Will he start a tune? Is there any difference... 

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