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A rep for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute tells TMZ they're "both saddened and concerned" about Hinckley's conditional release and music career. They said they "strongly oppose his release into society where he apparently seeks to make a profit from his infamy."

John Hinckley -- the man who tried killing Ronald Reagan once upon a time -- has turned a new leaf in the world of music ... and it sounds like he can get asses in the seats.

The one-time, would-be presidential assassin -- who shot Reagan in 1981 but was subsequently acquitted by reason of insanity -- has an upcoming performance in Brooklyn this summer that has apparently sold out in tickets ... this according to the venue itself.

The place is called the Market Hotel, and per their website ... there are no more seats available for Hinckley's show on July 8, where he's booked to play the guitar and sing some songs.

The ticket prices were going for $20 a pop before they all got snapped up -- and BTW, this place has somewhat of a decent-sized capacity ... 450 people can fill the joint, so ya gotta imagine at least a few hundred heads are gonna be watching come showtime.

Hinckley has been all-in on this sing-songy occupation since he cashed in on his unconditional release earlier this year ... this following being sprung from a Virginia psych ward in 2016 and fighting for less and less supervision throughout the years.

The guy has about 26k subscribers on his YouTube channel ... and he's also penned/performed a handful of original songs while strumming his instrument.

Here's another wild aspect to this ... Hinckley says he's started a record label in the past few months, which he calls Emporia Records. The first release, he explains, will be a 14-track CD of his own original songs as well as covers.

The stars were big and bright at the CMT Awards ... but these behind-the-scenes shots show some of the best in the biz in country music -- and beyond -- coming together for some good ol' times!

The ceremony went down Monday at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Tennessee ... Jimmie Allen, Dennis Quaid, Kane Brown, Nelly, Maddie Marlow of Maddie & Tae and Johan Font were just some of the A-listers present during the show.

Jason Aldean and Mark Wystrach made sure to snap some pics after chatting it up ... Jason went on to win with Carrie Underwood for Collaborative Video of the Year and Video of the Year!

Miranda Lambert stole a kiss from her husband Brendan McLoughlin before taking the stage ... her song, "If I Was a Cowboy," was the Female video of the year.

Hannah Dasher and Jessie James Decker were rocking all-black backstage ... drinks in hand as the cameras flashed!

Britney Spears may have revealed some exciting news, but her post has fans confused more than anything ... wondering if she's pregnant with a child or just a food baby.

Spears got the Internet talking Monday when she posted, "I lost so much weight to go on my Maui trip only to gain it back ... My husband said “No you’re food pregnant silly 🤪 !!!” So I got a pregnancy test … and uhhhhh well … I am having a baby."

Of course, the initial reaction was that Britney's pregnant, but the more the rest of Spears' caption was analyzed, many believe she's just revealing she's gained weight.

She continues, "4 days later I got a little more food pregnant. It’s growing !!! If 2 are in there …I might just loose it … I obviously won’t be going out as much due to the paps getting their money shot of me like they unfortunately already have."

However, Britney then tied things back to her actual pregnancies with her 2 boys, saying she suffered through perinatal depression and said "This time I will be doing yoga every day!!!"

As we reported, Britney expressed her desire to have more kids during her conservatorship hearing last year. She and Sam Asghari recently got a new puppy ... but maybe a baby is actually next?

Billy Ray Cyrus' marriage fell apart, but his career is still giving him opportunities ... like flying in to Dallas for a surprise concert appearance with Snoop Dogg!!!

Snoop was performing at the Dos Equis Pavilion in Dallas on Saturday night when the crowd got a special treat ... Billy and the Avila Brothers were on hand to perform their new collab with Snoop.

We got video of Billy being introduced to the audience ... and folks got absolutely bonkers before he plugs in his guitar for the first live performance of "A Hard Working Man."

The track just dropped last month ... and it comes at a great time for Billy, who is dealing with a marital headache.

TMZ broke the story ... Tish Cyrus filed for divorce last week in Tennessee after more than 28 years of marriage, listing "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the split. It's the third time Miley Cyrus' parents have filed for divorce.

Drake Bell is loudly and proudly living la vida karaoke, and while Ricky Martin might not be all that impressed ... the average bar patron drinking and shooting pool seems to love his singing!

The former Nickelodeon actor popped into a watering hole Tuesday night in Temecula, CA called ET's Classy Lounge ... where he was in the mood for some tunes, belting them out at the top of his lungs.

In the video you see Drake cranking out "Livin' La Vida Loca" at full blast -- and while he sounds pretty decent (dude's a professional singer too, BTW) there were a few bumps along the way ... which DB embellished hilariously.

As ya might be able to tell, we're told the guy was also knocking back a few cocktails while hanging with friends and shooting pool ... when he wasn't singing and snapping selfies with fans.

From all evidence here ... Bell's rebounding from last year's child endangerment case ... for which he pled guilty and got 2 years probation.

Coachella organizers are hard at work figuring out who will take Kanye's headlining Sunday spot at the festival -- and we've learned of 2 acts at the top of the list to take over.

First, who's out. We're told the organizers were hot for Silk Sonic, the dynamic duo of Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak. The pair make a lot of sense, coming off a clean sweep at The Grammys, including Record of the Year for "Leave the Door Open."

We're told Bruno Mars shut it down, saying there wasn't enough time for them to get a proper show together in time for Coachella.

As for who's still in play -- there's The Weeknd, who is coming off an insane year on the charts -- a new album and an upcoming stadium tour. We're told there's been talks between both sides, which stalled at one point ... but there's still a chance he takes the stage in some capacity.

Our sources say organizers were testing the waters to see if The Weeknd would perform a few songs along with Swedish House Mafia. They were also interested in The Weeknd as a stand-alone act. Our sources say no decision has been made.

Finally, our sources say The Red Hot Chili Peppers are a name that's being seriously considered. The group is set to hit the road this summer -- and recently played a low-key show in L.A. -- so they're ready to go. What's more, our sources say RHCP makes a lot of sense, because currently there's no major rock 'n roll act on the lineup.

One thing our sources have stressed -- there are others who are being considered, but the ones we just mentioned are at the top of the list.

Music legend Bobby Rydell, one of the first teen idols back in the 1960s, is dead.

Bobby, whose famous songs include "Volare" and "Wild One," died Tuesday. A person close to Bobby tells us he had some health issues over the last few months and was recently diagnosed with pneumonia ... which is believed to be the cause of death. We're told it was not COVID-related.

Bobby was a central part of the Philadelphia dynasty in music ... so big, streets were named after him. Paul McCartney famously said Bobby's hit, "Swinging School," served as the inspiration behind The Beatles' early mega-hit, "She Loves You."

Bobby toured as part of The Golden Boys stage production with Frankie Avalon and Fabian, and he was easily the most talented singer among the trio of teen idols.

While Bobby's mostly known for his music, he was also a talented actor ... starring on TV, stage and film, most notably a role in the movie version of "Bye Bye Birdie" with Ann-Margret and Dick Van Dyke.

There's even a nod to Bobby in the Broadway and film version of "Grease" ... the high school, "Rydell High," was named after him.

Bobby sold over 25 million records ... and his other hits include "Kissin' Time, "Sway," "I've Got Bonnie," "The Cha-Cha-Cha" and "Forget Him."

He was 79.

Justin Bieber is offering free online therapy to his millions of fans and the hundreds of folks working on his world tour ... and he's dropping millions to pull off the grand gesture.

The Biebs just announced his partnership with online therapy platform BetterHelp, with Justin saying ... "The one thing I've learned over the years is that we all go through our ups and downs, and we all need help sometimes."

Justin says his fans can get one free month of online therapy for themselves, or share it with a friend or family member in need ... and he's also offering 18 months of free therapy for his 250+ person touring crew.

BetterHelp, the world's largest therapy service, says the mental health services being offered are worth up to $3 million ... and folks can visit betterhelp.com/justinbieber for the opportunity to receive a free month of therapy.

Justin's performing nightly on his Justice World Tour, and he's been sharing messages that it's okay to not be okay sometimes ... telling crowds even the world's biggest celebs have their own personal struggles.

Erica Campbell is praising Chris Rock for showing restraint in the face of a Will Smith slap to the face ... and his ability to keep calm has only helped draw attention to his comedy tour.

The Gospel singer sat down with Raq on the "It's Tricky With Raquel Harper" podcast ... and shared her take on The Oscars moment, applauding Chris for not fighting fire with fire.

Erica says emotions can cloud judgment and she's proud of Chris for keeping a cool head at the moment ... lifting him up as an example for lots of folks to follow.

It's just one part of the silver lining Erica sees from an otherwise disappointing moment between two celebs she views as important Black figures.

Chris is doing a comedy tour and his shows have been packed -- with a surge in prices on the resale market. Erica believes Chris helped his own case by showing restraint in the moment Will slapped him, and now audiences are drawn to his tour to hear what he has to say about the incident.

Mika Newton isn't just using her voice to sing, she's urging folks to step in and help Ukrainians survive the war -- a crisis she says grows more grave each day for her country.

The Ukrainian singer joined "TMZ Live," following her performance Sunday night at the Grammys and shared her thoughts on Putin's ongoing war in Ukraine and what Americans can do to help.

Mika says all help is needed, in whatever form ... whether it's raising awareness or sending donations. She's aware the brutal images from the war can be overwhelming, but she says it's necessary to make sure folks don't forget what is happening every single day.

ICYMI, Mika performed with John Legend and 2 other Ukrainian artists -- Lyuba Yakimchuk and Siuzanna Iglidan. She dedicated her performance to her sister and all soldiers currently fighting in Ukraine.

As we reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky also appeared -- a total surprise to even Mika -- and he urged viewers to "support us in any way you can" and not be silent.

Here's Prince at age 11 doing his very first interview, but not about music -- just a kid sharing his opinion on a Minnesota teachers' strike ... an incredible piece of lost TV footage!

The clip is from way back in April 1970, and it shows a reporter from local TV outlet WCCO asking young Prince what he thinks of the picket lines outside schools. The kid was rocking a winter hat and that same sly smile the world would come to know 13 years later.

11-year-old Prince told the reporter, "I think they should get a better education too cause, um, and I think they should get some more money cause they work, they be working extra hours for us and all that stuff."

At first glance, the kid looks a lot like Prince, but the reporter never asked the kid's name ... so there was no proof on camera that it really was Prince Rogers Nelson.

WCCO did some digging, tracking down other kids from the archival footage who did share their names, but ran into some dead ends. That's when they turned to Prince historian Kristen Zschomler, who gasped when she first saw the clip.

Zschomler says it's definitely Prince in the video, standing outside his old Lincoln Junior High School stomping grounds ... and she says footage of Prince as a child is super rare.

The TV station got further confirmation it was Prince, getting in touch with an old classmate who recognized Prince and some of their other peers on tape.

Olivia Rodrigo has one more very cool thing in common with her idol, Taylor Swift -- the teenager's the proud owner of a banged-up Grammy! Hey, it's hard to hold 3 of 'em at once.

The 19-year old performed her hit "Drivers License" during the 64th Grammy Awards ... and then went on to snag 3 golden trophies, and that's where her troubles started.

After the show, Olivia was posing for some pics with her 3 Grammys when one slipped out of her hands and broke in half. The look on her face at the moment of impact was priceless.

It's kinda funny, fans quickly pointed out how similar the moment was to Taylors at the 2010 Grammys. She'd won 4 that night and one went boom during press pics.

The photos and their reactions are pretty damn similar -- and it's no secret Olivia's looked up to Taylor, who's supported Olivia's rising career.

Olivia ended up taking home Grammys for Best Pop Solo Performance for "Drivers License," Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Album for "Sour."

The Grammys are on a roll -- but what you don't see on TV is exactly what you can see right here ... Hollywood's biggest artists and musicians hobnobbing behind the scenes.

The stars were out in force Sunday in Sin City, where the award show was being held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena ... and where A-listers flocked to attend the ceremony in person. Of course, once they were in the building -- everyone couldn't help but chit chat and mingle.

As you can see some of the famous faces on hand included Justin and Hailey Bieber, Lady Gaga, Chris Stapleton, Billie Eilish, Megan Thee Stallion, Travis Barker and Kourtney K, Carrie Underwood, Jack Harlow, Lil Nas X, BTS, Halsey and many more.

Everyone seems to be in a really good mood ... which is exactly how last Sunday's Academy Awards were looking -- that is, until things went south after Will Smith smacked Chris Rock.

Some folks have already taken digs at Will -- but so far, it appears to be smooth sailing. Of course, you gotta imagine just about all who are there want to avoid a similar fate and maintain a good vibe.

There's a quizzical piece of Beatles memorabilia hitting the market ... and these handwritten lyrics from Paul McCartney are worth way more than silver.

The working lyric sheet for the Beatles' 1969 hit, "Maxwell's Silver Hammer," is going up for sale ... and the folks at Moments in Time are putting the price tag at a whopping $450,000.

Paul wrote the first page of lyrics on a sheet of paper with letterhead for Apple Corps Limited, the multimedia corporation Beatles members founded way back in 1968 in London.

There are three pages total, and the other two were written by Mal Evans ... the band's former road manager and personal assistant.

The "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" lyrics are a hell of a treasure ... they were last put on the open market back in 2006, selling for $192,000. Now, a private collector is looking to unload them for more than double the price.

The track is Paul's first song on the Beatles' famous "Abbey Road" album ... Paul wrote the lyrics after the band's trip to India in 1968, and he initially wanted to record it for the 'White Album.'

The Grammys are underway and their MC, Trevor Noah, was on a roll in avoiding just about every controversy in the biz in his opening remarks ... except Will Smith, of course.

The ceremony kicked off Sunday in Vegas with a performance by Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak -- after which, things went indoors at the MGM Grand Garden Arena ... where TN popped up again and start delving into his monologue seamlessly.

He intro'd all the big names who were in the building -- going through a list that included the likes of Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo and more -- and said the night was going to be a smooth ride where they'd be singing, dancing and giving out awards.

Then came the dig ... "We're gonna be keeping people's names out of our mouths." That, he said, would help keep the night chill ... and the audience laughed it up as a result.

No name-dropping here, but it's obvious what Trevor was referring to ... that is, Will telling Chris Rock to keep Jada Pinkett's name out of his mouth during last weekend's Oscars ceremony -- this after smacking him across the face on stage, live on television.

It's interesting that Trevor went there -- albeit, lightly and not nearly as brutal as he could've been -- because the dude was seen embracing Will at an afterparty last week ... following a long chat they shared.

Seems like he struck a good balance between addressing it and sparing Will further humiliation. Dude's been getting both criticized and ridiculed in the wake of the hit.

It's Grammys Day, and while lots of musicians and artists are getting ready for the big show -- one guy seems more than willing to change the conversation on Twitter ... The Weeknd.

Indeed ... Abel has been VERY active on the bird app Sunday, responding to fans and teasing new video treatments for songs of his on his new album, "Dawn FM," including stills from what he shot for "Out of Time" ... which he says will drop Tuesday.

Now, Weeknd's been chirping up throughout the past few days -- much to his fans' amusement and delight, directly responding to their tweets with humor/wit -- but just hours before showtime ... it seems the dude is extra active, and even has himself trending.

No harm, no foul -- Abe's obviously fired up about his new projects, but the timing of his more-than-usual tweet storm is somewhat curious ... considering his beef with the Recording Academy.

You'll recall ... he was pretty pissed about getting snubbed last year -- so much so that he vowed to never submit again, and so far ... he's stuck to his promise. "Dawn FM" isn't nominated as a result of Abel not putting it up for consideration ... even though it's by far one of the most popular records out this year. It's hit a billion streams on Spotify, and he remains a presence on the charts.

Despite Weeknd's absence from the show -- it would appear the spotlight is fully on him, at least for now ... and something tells us that's not by accident. He's very social media savvy.

It remains to be seen if TW will attend/submit for other music award shows later this year ... much like he did in 2021, where he cleaned up and stuck it to the Academy's voting body.

If he does ... we wouldn't be surprised if 'Dawn' kills it. Fact is -- it's a very good album, it's performing well and it probably sounds great in a live setting. Unfortunately, the Grammys will never get to experience that for themselves ... maybe even forever!