Late Ray Charles duets CD entitled "Genius Love Company" features a Gerry Goffin and Carole King song entitled "Hey Girl" performed by Ray Charles and Michael McDonald.

One Gerry Goffin/Carle King classic that Carole King has been performing in city after city in her current "Living Room Tour," is "Hey Girl," first recorded by Freddie Scott in 1963. As noted in Billboard Magazine, "Hey Girl" was also one of Ray Charles's favorite songs. In fact, "Hey Girl" is featured as a duet with Ray Charles and Michael McDonald in an upcoming CD, "Genius Loves Company", a collection of duets completed by Ray Charles shortly before his death.

"Ray loved that song," commented Michael McDonald in Billboard, "and I knew why, because it's one of my favorite Carole King/Gerry Goffin songs." Charles asked Michael McDonald to sing the song with him after he heard it on Michael McDonald's "Motown" album. "He thought I had written it," McDonald says. "So every time he would see me, he would go, 'Man, that's a great song.' And I'd go, 'I didn't write it. Carole King [and Gerry Goffin did],' and he said...'No wonder.' "

"Genius Loves Company" by Ray Charles will be released by Concord on August 31st.

Japanese label WestWood Records has just released on August 23 the "I'm your girlfriend" by Dara Sedaka 1982 album.
Dara Sedaka's album, never released on CD before, was produced and played by David Foster with great guest musicians like Michael Landau, Steve Lukather, Jerry Hey, Steve George and Richard Page.

American Idol star Diana DeGarmo is workin on her first new album. On off-nights of he current tour, Diana DeGarmo has been flying to New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta to record songs for her debut album. So far, Diana DeGarmo has worked with producer/songwriters Andreas Carlsson (Britney Spears, Clay Aiken), John Shanks (Hilary Duff, Michelle Branch) and David Foster.

"[Our collaboration] is one of the first songs he's written in years, so I'm proud to say that it's mine," DeGarmo said of David Foster.

Diana DeGarmo's first new album will be quite diverse. "I love all genres of music," she said. "I think it helps you become a better performer if you know the different types of music. [On my album] you got the few Celine Dion kind of songs, big-money-note songs, but we also have songs that I want to put on the radio for people my age to listen to, something that if I were in the car, I'd be like, 'All right!' "

Anita Baker, My Everything (Blue Note, 9/7)
Daryl Stuermer, Retrofit (Urban Island, 9/7)
Mindi Abair, Come As You Are (9/14)
Brad Mehldau, Live In Toyko (Nonesuch, 9/14)
Grant Geissman, There And Back Again (9/14)
Playboy Jazz (Koz, Benson, Boney James, Braun, more), In A Smooth Groove (Playboy Jazz, 9/14)
Norman Brown, West Coast Coolin' (Warner Brothers, 9/21)
Maysa, Smooth Sailing (Encoded, 9/21)
Craig Chaquico, Midnight Noon (Higher Octave/Narada, 9/28)
Greg Adams, Firefly (215 Records, 9/28)
Manhattan Transfer, Vibrate (Telarc, 9/28)
Yellowjackets, Peace Round (Heads Up, 9/28)
Chris Botti, When I Fall In Love (Sony, 9/28)
Joe Sample, Soul Shadows (GRP, 10/12)
Will Downing, Christmas, Love And You (GRP, 11/2)
Linda Ronstadt, Humming To Myself (Verve, 11/9)
Pat Metheny Group, TBA (Nonesuch, 1/11)
David Sanborn, TBA (Verve, 1/11)

Saxophonist Mindi Abair took the smooth jazz world by storm with her 2003 debut album, It Just Happens That Way with original melodies, sparkling pop production, a sultry-soulful saxophone style, and her own spunky glamour.  Her first single zoomed to the #1 spot on the NAC radio charts and stayed there for eight weeks ; and her second and third singles received extensive top 10 airplay.

With her new release on GRP, Come as You Are, Abair has again collaborated with producer/co-writer Matthew Hager and is poised to top herself with a line-up of scintillating new tunes and Hager’s sophisticated pop production. It will be out on September 14th.

Songs on the CD :

1. Come As You Are
2. Shine
3. Every Time
4. Head Over Heels
5. Make A Wish
6. Sticks And Stones
7. I Can Remember
8. New Shoes
9. High Five
10. You'll Never Know
11. Cyan
12. Hemenway

Musicians on it :
Mindi Abair : Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Flute, Keyboards, Percussion, Vocal
Matthew Hager : Guitar, Keyboards, Bass, Percussion, Programming, Background Vocals
Ricky Petersen : Piano, Organ, Wurlitzer organ , Fender Rhodes
Russell Ferrante (8) : Piano
Mike Landau : Guitar
Dan Marfisi : Guitar
Ty Stevens : Guitar
Stan Sargeant : Bass
Steve Ferrone : Drums
Jamey Tate : Drums
Luis Conte : Percussion

Live Aid - the complete concerts DVD will be released on November 8 by Warner Vision. The historic Live Aid event took place on July 13, 1985. It was put together by Bob Geldof to raise money for the starving in Africa. This Live Aid DVD will feature the 2 concerts (except Led Zeppelin performance who don't deliver the rights for the DVD)
The complete concert (minus a performance by Led Zeppelin who refused to allow their footage to be used on this charity DVD) will be released by Warner Vision on November 8.

Live Aid was cited as the second most memorable event in two generations and only two weeks ago was defined, in a consumer poll, as the single greatest moment in the 50-year history of rock 'n' roll, beating not only the launch of MTV and Elvis' first record but also topping the poll ahead of the seminal festival of the 60's, Woodstock.

DISC ONE
Band Aid "Do They know It's Christmas?" Video
USA for Africa "We Are the World" Video
Coldstream Guards Fanfare UK
Coldstream Guards National Anthem UK
Status Quo 'Rockin' All Over the World' UK
Status Quo 'Caroline' UK
Style Council 'Internationalists' UK
Style Council 'Walls Come Tumbling Down' UK
Boomtown Rats 'I Don't Like Mondays' UK
Boomtown Rats 'Drag Me Down' UK
Adam Ant 'Vive Le Rock' UK
Ultravox 'Dancing With Tears in My Eyes' UK
Ultravox 'Vienna' UK
Spandau Ballet 'Only When You Leave' UK
Spandau Ballet 'True' UK
Elvis Costello 'All You Need is Love' UK
Nik Kershaw 'Wouldn't it be Good' UK
Sade 'Your Love is King' UK
Sting 'Roxanne' UK
Phil Collins 'Against All Odds' UK
Sting & Phil Collins 'Every Breath You Take' UK
Howard Jones 'Hide & Seek' UK
Bryan Ferry 'Slave to Love' UK
Bryan Ferry 'Jealous Guy' UK
Paul Young 'Do They know It's Christmas?' UK
Paul Young 'Come Back and Stay' UK
Paul Young & Alison Moyet 'That's the Way Love is' UK
Paul Young 'Every Time You Go Away' UK
Bryan Adams 'Kids Wanna Rock' US
Bryan Adams 'Summer of 69' US
U2 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' UK
U2 'Bad' UK

DISC TWO
Beach Boys 'Wouldn't It Be Nice' US
Beach Boys 'Good Vibrations' US
Beach Boys 'Surfin USA' US
Dire Straits & Sting 'Money For Nothing' UK
Dire Straits 'Sultans of Swing' UK
George Thorogood & The Destroyers 'Madison Blues' US
Queen 'Bohemian Rhapsody' UK
Queen 'Radio Gaga' UK
Queen 'Hammer to Fall' UK
Queen 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' UK
Queen 'We Will Rock You' UK
Queen 'We Are the Champions' UK
Simple Minds 'Ghost Dancing' US
Simple Minds 'Don't You Forget About Me' US
David Bowie 'TVC15' UK
David Bowie 'Rebel Rebel' UK
David Bowie 'Modern Love 'UK
David Bowie 'Heroes' UK
CBC footage 'Drive' by The Cars VIDEO
Joan Baez 'Amazing Grace' US
The Pretenders 'Stop Your Sobbing' US
The Pretenders 'Chain Gang 'US
The Pretenders 'Middle of The Road' US
The Who 'Love Reign O'er Me' UK
The Who 'Won't Get Fooled Again'UK
Kenny Loggins 'Footloose' US
Elton John 'Bennie & The Jets' UK
Elton John 'Rocket Man' UK
Elton John & Kiki Dee 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart' UK
Elton John & George Michael 'Don't Let The Sun Go Down on Me' UK

DISC THREE
Madonna 'Holiday' US
Madonna 'Into The Groove''US
Freddie Mercury & Brian May 'Is This The World We Created?'UK
Paul McCartney 'Let It Be' UK
Bob link to Band Aid in vision UK
Band Aid Finale 'Do They know It's Christmas?' UK
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers 'American Girl' US
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers 'Refugee' US
Black Sabbath featuring Ozzy Osbourne 'Paranoid'US
REO Speedwagon 'Can't Fight This Feeling' US
REO Speedwagon 'Roll With The Changes' US
Crosby Stills & Nash 'Teach Your Children' US
Judas Priest 'Living After Midnight' US
Judas Priest 'Green Manalishi' US
The Cars 'Just What I Needed' US
The Cars 'Heartbreak City' US
Neil Young 'The Needle &The Damage Done' US
Neil Young 'God's Perfect Plan' US
Thompson Twins, Steve Stevens, Nile Rodgers & Madonna 'Revolution' US
Eric Clapton 'White Room' US
Eric Clapton 'She's Waiting' US
Eric Clapton 'Layla' US
Phil Collins (in Philadelphia) 'In The Air Tonight' US
Duran Duran 'Union Of The Snake' US
Duran Duran 'Save A Prayer' US
Duran Duran 'The Reflex' US
Patti Labelle 'Imagine' US
Patti Labelle 'Forever Young' US

DISC FOUR
Hall & Oates 'Maneater' US
Hall & Oates + Eddie Kendricks/David Ruffin 'Get Ready (Cos Here I Come)' US
Hall & Oates + Eddie Kendricks/David Ruffin 'Ain't Too Proud to Beg' US
Hall & Oates + Eddie Kendricks/David Ruffin 'My Girl' US
Mick Jagger 'Just Another Night' US
Mick Jagger 'Miss You' US
Mick Jagger & Tina Turner 'State of Shock' US
Mick Jagger & Tina Turner 'It's Only Rock n Roll' US
Bob Dylan, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood 'Blowing in the Wind' US
USA for Africa Finale 'We Are the World' US

DISC FOUR Extras
INXS - from Australia 'What You Need' Oz
INXS - from Australia 'Don't Change' Oz
B.B. King from North Sea Jazz Festival 'Why I Sing the Blues' Holland
B.B. King from North Sea Jazz Festival 'Don't Answer the Door' Holland
B.B. King from North Sea Jazz Festival 'Rock me Baby' Holland
Ashford & Simpson + Teddy Pendergrass 'Reach Out and Touch' US
Cliff Richard from London 'A World of Difference' UK
Overseas contributors: Austria, Germany, Japan, former USSR, former Yugoslavia, Norway Edited highlights sequence various
Bowie/Jagger Dancing in the Streets VIDEO
Documentary Food & Trucks & Rock 'n' Roll UK

Michael McDonald "Motown" album version in DVD audio has been released on August 24 in The States.

Future projects: Michael McDonald will be taping 2 very special shows soon. In early september, Michael McDonald will perform on Austin City Limits. And then in mid september, Michael McDonald will tape a new Soundstage for PBS in Nashville, Tennessee. This show will have some very special guests which are not revealed yet.

Alan Parsons' new album "A Valid Path" has just been released on August 24th in North America by Artemis Records (and in Europe by Eagle Rock). It's Alan Parsons first album in 5 years.
"A Valid Path" is Alan Parsons' leap into the world of electronica music, filled with poly-rhythmic drumbeats and soaring guitar solos, provided in part by Pink Floyd's David Gilmour. The record's gem, "More Lost Without You", features P.J. Olsson on vocals. Another great collaboration is with The Crystal Method on "We Play The Game".
Alan Parsons has released three records without the 'Project' identity behind him; his last, entitled "The Time Machine," earning rave reviews, including four stars from the All Music Guide.

Alan Parsons, an engineer and producer, worked on classic albums like Let It Be, Abbey Road, and Dark Side of the Moon, for which he earned one of his ten Grammy nominations. He emerged in 1976 as the artist behind his own group, ground breaking progressive rockers The Alan Parsons Project.
The Alan Parsons Project had two Top Ten Albums, six Top Ten Singles and were awarded 3 platinum and 7 gold records by the RIAA. Their 1982 Eye In The Sky is recognized as a seminal classic rock album, and its title track reached #3 on both the Billboard Adult Contemporary and Pop Singles charts. As well as the Alan Parsons Project, Alan Parsons has also produced and engineered records for Paul McCartney's Wings, The Hollies, Ambrosia and Al Stewart, including the classic "Year Of The Cat".

A Valid Path - Track Listing:
1. Return To Tunguska
2. More Lost Without You
3. Mammagamma 04
4. We Play The Game
5. Tijuaniac
6. L'Arc En Ciel
7. A Recurring Dream Within A Dream
8. You Can Run
9. Chomolungma

Jimmy Page and Robert Plant's "No Quarter - Unledded" DVD is the Led Zeppelin principals' historic 1994 reunion for an "MTV Unplugged" broadcast, will be released on Oct. 27 on DVD on Warner Strategic Marketing/Atlantic. The soundtrack will be released the same day.
Some DVD extras of Jimmy Page and Robert Plant's "No Quarter - Unledded" will be the bonus tracks "Black Dog" and "Most High" as well as interviews with Jimmy Page and Robert Plant.

Bob Dylan pens his memoirs, to be published later this year. "Dylan's Chronicles: Volume One" will be the first of a planned three-book series by Bob Dylan. Publisher David Rosenthal says about "Dylan's Chronicles: Volume One," it's "beautifully written" book as "extraordinary and revealing."
The memoirs will be followed by an updated edition of a book featuring lyrics to almost every Bob Dylan song. The first part of Bob Dylan autobiography has 304 pages and will be published on October 12.
In 1971, Bob Dylan has already published a volume of his poems titled "Tarantula".