Juan Gabriel’s “Amor Eterno” Added to Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry

One of the late Juan Gabriel’s most iconic songs is being preserved…

The Library of Congress has added the late Mexican singer/songwriter’s “Amor Eterno” to its National Recording Registry, which designates recordings worthy of preservation “based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage.”

Juan GabrielGabriel’s heartrending ballad, which he wrote the in memory of his deceased mother, has long been a staple in the singer’s native Mexico and across Latin America.

Gabriel died in 2016 at the age of 66, but his son, Ivan Gabriel Aguilera, said his father would have been thrilled to see one of his most famous songs be enshrined in the registry. Aguilera talked with the Library about the song’s induction into the registry in Spanish.

“I believe that future generations – that’s what he always wanted – that they see his music and make it relatable to their lives as well. He would always say that ‘as long as the public, people, keep singing my music, Juan Gabriel will never die,’ and it’s nice to see that happening here,” Aguilera said. “It’s something wonderful for us. It’s such a great honor. It’s a great honor for my dad. I think that for his legacy it is something great. As you say, he’s going to be immortalized there in the Library of Congress.”

But Juan Gabriel isn’t the only Latinx artist to have a song added to this year’s registry.

The late Héctor Lavoe’s 1978 single “El Cantante” was also among the 25 songs selected.

El Cantante” is the signature song of the late Puerto Rican salsa singer and first single of the album Comedia. The song was written by Rubén Blades and produced by Willie Colón. 

The 2006 movie about Lavoe’s life starring Marc Anthony and Jennifer LopezEl Cantante, takes its title from the song.

Among the 25 selected this year are ABBA’s “Dancing Queen,” Blondie’s “Parallel Lines,” The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Ready to Die,” Green Day’s “Dookie” and The Chicks’ “Wide Open Spaces.”

Members of the public can submit nominations for the registry on the Library’s website. Almost 2,900 were submitted this year.

The latest entrants to the registry bring its total number of titles to 650.

This year’s list, with includes singles and albums:

  • “Clarinet Marmalade,” Lt. James Reese Europe’s 369th U.S. Infantry Band (1919)
  • “Kauhavan Polkka,” Viola Turpeinen and John Rosendahl (1928)
  • Wisconsin Folksong Collection (1937-1946)
  • “Rose Room,” Benny Goodman Sextet with Charlie Christian (1939)
  • “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” Gene Autry (1949)
  • “Tennessee Waltz,” Patti Page (1950)
  • “Rocket ‘88,’” Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats (1951)
  • “Catch a Falling Star” / ”Magic Moments,” Perry Como (1957)
  • “Chances Are,” Johnny Mathis (1957)
  • “The Sidewinder,” Lee Morgan (1964)
  • “Surrealistic Pillow,” Jefferson Airplane (1967)
  • “Ain’t No Sunshine,” Bill Withers (1971)
  • “This is a Recording,” Lily Tomlin (1971)
  • “J.D. Crowe & the New South,” J.D. Crowe & the New South (1975)
  • “Arrival,” ABBA (1976)
  • “El Cantante,” Héctor Lavoe (1978)
  • “The Cars,” The Cars (1978)
  • “Parallel Lines,” Blondie (1978)
  • “La-Di-Da-Di,” Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick (MC Ricky D) (1985)
  • “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” Bobby McFerrin (1988)
  • “Amor Eterno,” Juan Gabriel (1990)
  • “Pieces of Africa,” Kronos Quartet (1992)
  • “Dookie,” Green Day (1994)
  • “Ready to Die,” The Notorious B.I.G. (1994)
  • “Wide Open Spaces,” The Chicks (1998)

Bruno Mars to Co-Headline Louisville’s Bourbon & Beyond Festival 

Bruno Mars is celebrating one of Kentucky’s finest exports…

The 37-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer/songwriter and multiple Grammy winner will be among the headlining acts for this year’s Bourbon & Beyond festival at the Highland Festival Grounds in Louisville, Kentucky.

Bruno Mars, Ricky Regal, LacosteMars’ co-headliners include Brandi CarlileThe Killers and The Black Keys atop an eclectic lineup of rock, pop, folk, blues and country acts from September 14-17. 

The four-day event’s roster announced on Wednesday (March 8) will also feature Billy Strings, Train, Midland, Buddy Guy, Mavis Staples, Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors and The Lone Bellow on the first night, which will be topped by Carlile.

Night two will find the Killers atop a list including Duran Duran, Hozier, Brittany Howard, Bastille, The Gaslight Anthem, Wayne Newton, Inahler, Joy Oladokun and more.

The Keys and Crowes will top Saturday’s rocking run-down, with support from The Avett Brothers, Spoon, First Aid Kit, Old Crow Medicine Show, City and Colour, Paolo Nutini, Luke Grimes and Danielle Ponder.

The final night pairs headliner Mars with Blondie, Jon Batiste, Ryan Bingham, Babyface, Aloe Blacc, ZZ Ward and Fantastic Negrito, among many others.

Each day will also feature a full lineup on the Bluegrass Situation Stage.

Tickets — including weekend GA, Weekend Mint VIP, Angels Envy Beyond VIP and single day GA and single day Mint VIP — are all available now here.

As always, in addition to a full day and night of music, the fest will host bourbon and food stages with appearances from master distillers, A-list chefs and, of course, dozens of bourbons to taste.

The Linda Lindas Performance of “Racist, Sexist Boy” Live from the L.A. Public Library Goes Viral

The Linda Lindas aren’t staying quiet at the public library…

The all-girl Asian-American and Latinx punk rock band from Los Angeles have released the video of their epic performance of “Racist, Sexist Boy” live from the L.A. Public Library.

The Linda Lindas

The group, comprised of Bela Salazar (16, guitarist-singer), Eloise Wong (13, bassist-singer), Lucia de la Garza (14, guitarist-singer), and Mila de la Garza (10, drummer-singer), has turned the clip into a cause célèbre that has landed them more than 840,000 views and, reportedly, a deal with legendary punk label Epitaph Records.

In the video for their song “Racist, Sexist Boy” that blew up on YouTube recently, Mila and Eloise talk about how the song was inspired by an experience with racism at their school.

“A little while before we went into lockdown, a boy in my class came up to me and said that his dad told him to stay away from Chinese people,” Mila said in the video. “After I told him that I was Chinese, he backed away from me. Eloise and I wrote this song based on that experience.”

With their ebullient mix of Sleater-Kinney/Bikini Kill power and an obvious homage to punk gods the Ramones in their stage names, the mighty quartet have already made significant waves at a young age, opening for Best Coast and Bikini Kill since forming in 2018.

Their Bandcamp page describes them as “half Asian / half Latinx. Two sisters, a cousin, and their close friend. The Linda Lindas channel the spirit of original punk, power pop, and new wave through today’s ears, eyes, and minds.”

The two singles and EP for sale on the band’s page were produced and mixed by Grammy-winning producer Carlos de la Garza, who also happens to be Mila’s dad. Together for three years, in an interview during the library set, they cited Paramore, Blondie, That Dog, Sleater-Kinney, Jawbreaker, the Buzzcocks, Alice Bag, Phranc, Le Tigre, Best Coast, Snail Mail, Bleached and the Go-Gos, as well as tacos, as their biggest inspirations.

After the video of the performance — as part of the library’s AAPI Heritage Month celebration — blew up, the group earned co-signs from a number of prominent rockers, including Bikini Kill’s Kathleen Hanna, as well as the Silversun Pickups, Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello and former Sonic Youth guitarist Thurston Moore.

 

Check out the full set here, which includes their original songs “Claudia Kishi” (for the 2020 Netflix short doc about the Japanese-American character from The Baby-Sitters Club), a track about missing their friends during the pandemic (“Missing“), as well as the poppy rave-up “Never Say Never,” a song about the guitarist Bela’s cat (“Monica“), the bouncy original “No Clue” and covers of Bikini Kill’s iconic Riot Grrrl anthem “Rebel Girl” and The Muffs‘ “Big Mouth.”

Guillermo del Toro Teaming Up with Bradley Cooper for Special “Storytellers” Talk at Tribeca Festival

Guillermo del Toro is ready to talk shop…

This year’s lineup of talks and reunion screenings at the Tribeca Festival’, which will blend in-person and virtual events, will include 56-year-old Mexican Oscar-winning filmmaker.

Guillermo del Toro

Tribeca’s 20th edition is set for June 9 to June 20 and will be the first major film festival to host in-person events since the coronavirus pandemic took hold in early 2020.

The “storytellers” section will include Bradley Cooper in conversation with del Toro, as well as Amy Schumer in conversation with Emily Ratajkowski.

Other tandems will include Mike Jackson and John Legend of Get Lifted Film Company; screenwriter Scott Z. Burns and actor Matthew RhysUnorthodox star Shira Haas and actress/comedian Ali Wentworth; and Debbie Harry, Clem Burke and Chris Stein from the band Blondie.

“Each year the Tribeca Festival gathers the most esteemed names in film and entertainment for conversations that shine a light on the creative process,” said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder and CEO of Tribeca Enterprises and the Tribeca Festival. “This year we are particularly proud that we can once again convene these talented names for in-person conversations as we discuss new ways our world and business is being reshaped and reimagined.”

Reunion screenings, an increasingly popular draw at the fest in recent years, will celebrate FargoRaging BullThe Royal TenenbaumsThe Five Heartbeats and Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid.

Another section focused on directors will feature Doug Liman, M. Night Shyamalan and Gina Prince-Bythewood.

Additional Tribeca Talks events include Scott Rechler, CEO and Chairman of RXR Realty, recording two new episodes of his podcast, Recalibrate Reality: The Future of NY, and conversations with Jason Hirschhorn, CEO of REDEF, about the business of entertainment and the future of podcasting.

A restored version of Raging Bull will screen, along with a pre-recorded conversation with star Robert De Niro and director Martin Scorsese. The Kid, which is marking its 100th anniversary, will be celebrated in a special screening.

Spalding to Perform at David Bowie Tribute Concerts

Esperanza Spalding is paying tribute to a legend…

The 31-year-old part-Mexican singer and multi-Grammy winner has been added to the list of artists set to perform at the David Bowie tribute concerts at Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall, happening on March 31 and April 1, respectively.

Esperanza Spalding

Spalding joins a new round of performers that includes J MascisPatti Smith, TV on the Radio’s Kyp MaloneGogol Bordello’s Eugene Hutz, Kronos QuartetBilal and Tariq.

They join an already stacked lineup that features BlondieLaurie AndersonThe Roots, The Flaming Lips, and many others.

Both concert dates are sold out, but Radio City Music Hall has partnered with Skype to stream the latter date for a donation to the event’s charity partners.

Domingo to Perform at This Year’s iTunes Festival in London

Placido Domingo is officially the closer…

The 73-year-old Spanish tenor and conductor has been announced as the closing act at this year’s iTunes Festival in London.

Placido Domingo

Domingo, known for his versatile and strong voice, will perform September 30 at the Roundhouse – the last performance of a month-long, starry line-up, festival organizers announced.

Deadmau5 kicks off the concerts on Monday night, followed by headline sets from pop names like Pharrell Williams, Calvin Harris, The Script and Ed Sheeran.

Kylie Minogue, Kasabian, Mary J. Blige, Blondie, Maroon 5 and Robert Plant are also playing the festival.

The organizers quoted Domingo as saying he was thrilled to appear and for “the recognition that this brings to the unique and magnificent world of opera and of classical music.”

One of The Three Tenors, he has sung 144 different roles as of the end of 2013. Domingo has more recently taken on conducting opera and concert performances, and is the general director of the Los Angeles Opera in California.

Tickets are for competition winners, but gigs can be streamed live in more than 100 countries or watched on-demand.

Bündchen to Record Blondie’s “Heart of Glass” for H&M’s Summer 2014 Campaign

Gisele Bündchen is making sweet music again…

After covering The Kinks‘ “All Day and All of the Night” for H&M last fall, the 33-year-old Brazilian supermodel will be recording another single after signing on to return as the face of H&M’s summer 2014.

Gisele Bündchen

Bündchen will debut a new cover as part of the campaign, singing Blondie‘s “Heart of Glass” for the Swedish retailer.

Bundchen worked with French music producer and DJ Bob Sinclar for the single, according to Women’s Wear Daily.

She’ll also star in a print campaign, wearing H&M’s swimwear and bohemian dresses.

The print ads will debut in May, along with the song and video, which will be available for download.

Full Trailer Released for the Rodriguez-Starrer “CBGB”

Freddy Rodriguez is celebrating a piece of music history on film…

The 38-year-old Puerto Rican actor stars as Idaho in the historical drama CBGB, the true story of the New York City rock club that spawned such acts as the Ramones, the Talking Heads and Blondie.

Freddy Rodriguez

Starring Alan Rickman as the club’s colorful founder Hilly Kristal, the film – which saw the release of it’s full trailer this week – features a large ensemble that includes Donal Logue, Ashley Greene, Johnny Galecki and Bradley Whitford.

The film crams in more than 60 songs and a dozen on-camera performances including Malin Ackerman as Blondie lead singer Debbie Harry, Rupert Grint and Justin Bartha as the Dead BoysCheetah Chrome and Stiv Bators and Foo FightersTaylor Hawkins as Iggy Pop.

“These kids have something to say,” Kristal tells a TV news crew. “We really should listen.”

Directed by Randall Miller, CBGB opens this fall.

Thievery Corporation’s Garza Releases Re-Do of Blondie’s “Heart of Glass”

Rob Garza’s having a blond(ie) moment…

The Latino DJ and music producer, one half of seminal global-tronic duo Thievery Corporation, has remixed Blondie’s iconic classic “Heart of Glass.”

Rob Garza

In the process, Garza has managed to reinvigorate a song that has become a staple in our culture’s aural lexicon over the last three decades.

The original rendition of the song was released in 1978, topping the charts in several countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom.

On his remix, Garza keeps Debbie Harry’s voice as if she recorded a vocal track for his own original production.

The chorus has been removed though, and in its place is a darker, minor chord progression that belies the brightness of this cheery piece of OG disco.

Garza’s recent album, the aptly titled Remixes LP, reworks songs by everyone from Miguel Migs and Tycho to Federico Aubele and Gogol Bordello with similar inventiveness.

Rodriguez’s New Film “CBGB” to Premiere at NYC’s CBGB Musical Festival

Freddy Rodríguez’s latest film will be taking a bite out of the Big Apple this fall…

XLrator Media has acquired U.S. rights to distribute CBGB, which stars the 38-year-old Puerto Rican actor.

Freddy Rodriguez

The film centers on the iconic New York City club that gave rise to the punk movement in America.

It will be released during the CBGB Musical Festival, which runs from October 9-13 in Manhattan.

In addition to Rodríguez, the Randall Miller-directed film stars Alan Rickman as CBGB founder Hilly Kristal and Ashley Greene as his daughter, Lisa.

In addition, it features Malin Ackerman as Debby Harry; Rupert Grint as Cheeta Chrome; and Joel David Moore as Joey Ramone, among others.

“CBGB is one of the most iconic and authentic names in music history, and Randy’s extraordinary film is a raucously entertaining celebration of the music and artists that have defined the culture for decades,” said Barry Gordon, XLrator Media CEO, in a statement Thursday. “CBGB is the rare film that will resonate with teens, millennials and legacy fans alike. The whole family can jump in the mosh pit together for this one!”

Earlier this month, The Exchange acquired the international rights to the film.