Tina Turner Dead at 83
Tina Turner -- the iconic and adored singer known as "The Queen of Rock 'n' Roll" -- has died ... TMZ has confirmed.
A statement from Tina's reps reads, "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner. With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow."
They continue, "Today we say goodbye to a dear friend who leaves us all her greatest work: her music. All our heartfelt compassion goes out to her family. Tina, we will miss you dearly."
As of right now, the cause of her death is unknown, though we do know she's had her health battles in the past -- including a stroke in 2013, intestinal cancer in 2016 and a kidney transplant in 2017.
Tina was born in Tennessee as Anna Mae Bullock and raised in the small town of Nutbush, but later moved to St. Louis ... where she frequented the nightclubs and first encountered Ike Turner in the late '50s.
After hearing her sing, Ike made her a featured vocalist in his band, and in 1960 she was introduced to the world as Tina Turner as the duo put out their hit, "A Fool in Love."
The 2 would go on to get married in 1962 and become a massively successful music act in the '60s and '70s with hit songs like "It's Gonna Work Out Fine," "River Deep - Mountain High," "Nutbush City Limits" and the legendary, Grammy-winning "Proud Mary."
However, the duo wouldn't last, and after disbanding in 1976 they divorced in 1978. Tina would reveal years later in her autobiography that she was a victim of domestic abuse.
Turner then launched one of the greatest music comebacks ever as a solo artist in the '80s, by first releasing the hit "Let's Stay Together" followed by the massive album "Private Dancer" ... which included tracks like "What's Love Got to Do" and "I Can't Stand The Rain."
Tina won 8 Grammy Awards over the course of her career, including Record of the Year for "What's Love Got to Do with It."
It was back in 2019 when a Broadway Musical honoring her life debuted with Tina in attendance ... of course, her fans went wild as she left the venue with a gigantic smile on her face.
RIP
We discussed Tina Turner's legacy in a recent episode of the Last Days Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.
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Tom Petty Family Says Auction Items Are Stolen!!!
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2:40 PM PT -- Mark S. Zaid, an attorney for RR, tells us, "RR Auction has been cooperating with the Petty family from the moment they reached out to us just days ago and will happily continue to do so without unnecessary hostile threats of litigation. We take theft allegations such as these very seriously. Indeed, in the years I have represented the company, we have never failed to reach an amicable resolution when on the rare occasion items presented by our consignors turned out to have provenance concerns."
He says, "We continue to diligently investigate this situation and have requested the Petty family to cooperate with us as well. That said, we also take seriously any defamatory allegations against our company, which has developed a stellar reputation over the last half-a-century of auctions, many of which are often in the news."
Tom Petty's family is ripping the auction house that's selling his wardrobe to the highest bidder ... claiming the items are stolen!!!
The late singer's family tells TMZ ... "We believe RR Auction, headquartered in Boston, is offering stolen Tom Petty memorabilia with a completely false provenance inaccurate to fact and in complete denial of clear evidence they have been presented. They will not disclose the cosigner who has provided these items or how they were acquired. But they are clearly stolen, there is no other word for it."
As we first reported ... RR Auction says the items are from Tom's former home in Encino, CA and the collection includes hats, jackets, shirts, shoes and more.
Tom's family is "pursuing swift legal action" against the auction house ... their goal being to get Tom's gear returned to the family.
The Pettys also say they firmly believe the auction items have "been outright stolen from a secured archive based on prior knowledge, staff observations and documentation."
RR Auction is already auctioning the items off, but the bidding doesn't end until June 22 ... so it seems like there is time for this to be resolved.
In the meantime, Tom's family is asking fans and collectors to "refrain from participating in this auction until the matter is settled to avoid getting further involved in this legal action."
Bottom line for the Pettys ... "These items have irreplaceable sentimental and educational value for the family and legacy of Tom Petty and we look forward to their safe return."
We reached out to RR Auction ... so far no word back.
Originally Published -- 1:47 PM PT
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Taylor Swift Dropping Collab with Ice Spice ... After BF Matty Healy Insults
Taylor Swift is teaming up with Ice Spice for an all-new collab ... but the new project just so happens to come on the heels of her boyfriend, Matty Healy's insults aimed at the rapper.
T-Swift made the announcement via Twitter, Wednesday ... saying, "Um. SO much to tell you. I’m a massive fan of this brilliant artist and after getting to know her I can confirm: she is THE ONE to watch."
"So delighted to say that 'Karma' Featuring the incredible @icespicee_ will be out TOMORROW night at MIDNIGHT ET as a part of the new Midnights (Til Dawn Edition) deluxe album that you can pre-order now" ... she also told fans about a few other projects she has up her sleeves.
However, the Ice Spice project couldn't be more awkwardly -- or, perhaps purposely -- timed ... considering her boo Matty recently came under fire for dissing the "Munch" rapper.
February 2023
ICYMI, in Feb, The 1975 frontman went on the "The Adam Friedland Show," where Nick Mullen, Friedland and Matty made derogatory comments about the rapper while also mocking Chinese and Hawaiian accents. That clip recently resurfaced online ... along with a clip of Ice expressing her love for The 1975 band, in a separate interview.
Matty wound up apologizing, last month, for offending her but some fans felt the apology was lackluster. The episode was also scrubbed on several platforms.
As you know, Taylor and Matty have been inseparable ... after news got out she broke up with her longtime boyfriend Joe Alwyn.
🎥| Taylor won “Song Of The Year” for “Anti-Hero” at the iHeart awards! pic.twitter.com/H4Ab9zOMAn
— Taylor Swift Updates 🏟️💜 (@swifferupdates) March 28, 2023 @swifferupdates
We know Tay and Ice had at least one special moment together... with IS introducing her "Song of the Year" win for "Anti-Hero" at the iHeart Awards back in March and the two posing for photos together.
Clearly, there's no Bad Blood between the 2 women and they're ready to bring their talents together ... Ready For It?
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The Beatles' Former Bassist Chas Newby Dead At 81
The former bassist for The Beatles -- yes there was someone other than Paul McCartney -- has died.
Chas Newby died Tuesday in London. Most people don't know his contribution to the most famous band in the world, so here it goes.
In the early '60s, The Beatles started making a name for themselves in Hamburg, Germany, and upon their return from their second Hamburg residency, they regularly played at The Cavern Club in Liverpool.
At the time, the group consisted of John Lennon, Paul, Pete Best on drums and Stuart Sutcliffe on bass guitar. Sutcliffe stayed in Hamburg to focus on his art career, so the band needed a bassist.
Enter Chas Newby, who played with John and Paul's prior group, The Quarrymen. The guys asked Chas to step in, and he obliged. This was a critical time in The Beatles' upward trajectory ... they were becoming a thing in both Germany and Liverpool, which ultimately got them a recording contract, and the rest is history.
Chas had other interests -- namely, he wanted to attend university majoring in chemistry -- so he left the band, When he graduated, he took a job at a company that made windshields for trains and airplanes.
For Beatles aficionados who are wondering why they needed a bass player when Paul played bass, at the time Paul played rhythm guitar and piano and after some cajoling when Chas left, he grudgingly played it, and played it brilliantly.
As for Chas, he said he had no regrets about leaving the famous group ... "Music was never going to be a living for me. I wanted to do chemistry," adding, "People sometimes don't believe me when I say I've no regrets, but I really haven't."
Chas was 81.
RIP
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'American Idol' Winner Just Sam I'm Singing In NYC Subways Again ... Embarrassed, But I Need $$$
Former "American Idol" winner Samantha "Just Sam" Diaz is living a bad case of deja vu ... singing in New York City subways for money.
Just three years removed from winning "Idol" in 2020, the non-binary singer says they're back to showing off their pipes in subway stations ... making a living off the cash and coins folks leave in their donation box.
MAY 2022
Just Sam is documenting the full circle moment on social media ... posting clips on Instagram showing themself covering different songs in NYC subway stations.
In a since-deleted caption, Sam says they were embarrassed to be reverting back to subway singing after winning the famous reality singing competition.
According to The Sun, Sam's deleted caption said, "Back in 2021, I was super embarrassed to be going back to the trains. I didn’t want people to know that I legit needed the money. I didn't want people to know that it wasn't optional. I was disappointed in myself for allowing myself to fall so low after winning Idol, but then I had to take it easy on me and remember that I started my journey with Idol at 20 years old."
Sam won "Idol" at the height of the pandemic, during a 2020 season that went remote midseason, and contestants performed while isolated. Sam beat out runner-up Arthur Gunn to win the show's 18th season.
While Sam's voice still sounds great, it's pretty sad to see them singing for straphangers.
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Johnny Depp Honors Jeff Beck Onstage with Guitar Icons
5/23/23
Johnny Depp didn't leave London without paying tribute to his longtime pal and late guitarist, Jeff Beck ... performing on the same stage they did a year ago, all in his honor.
Johnny hit the stage Monday night at the Royal Albert Hall for a tribute concert for Beck, who died earlier this year. Depp was in the company of some rock legends for the show ... including Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, Billy Gibbons, Joss Stone, Kirk Hammett and more.
The icon-heavy concert comes on the heels of some other big moments for Depp -- he was just celebrated at the Cannes Film Festival for his movie, "Jeanne du Barry" ... and he inked a $20 mil deal with Dior.
He was in rock star mode, though, in London ... rocking a pair of shades, a beret and a jacket with a photo of Beck on the back.
As we reported, Beck died at the age of 78 in January after contracting bacterial meningitis.
The show is the first of 2 tribute concerts, announced by Beck's wife Sandra and Eric Clapton back in March.
5/30/22
And, JD's performance was especially significant. Remember, Johnny and Jeff actually performed together at the exact same venue in May of last year.
You'll recall, they were touring together following Johnny's defamation trial against Amber Heard. In fact, Johnny wasn't in court for the verdict because he had a gig.
Beck and Depp were pals who worked together in the studio several times -- they once recorded a cover of John Lennon's "Isolation," and released a whole album last year.
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Zedd Dude Knows How to Deliver!!! Woman Goes Into Labor During EDC Set
Zedd knows how to crank out tunes -- and apparently babies -- 'cause a woman went into labor at his Nevada show over the weekend and gave birth.
The Grammy award-winning musician was performing at Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas Saturday when a pregnant fan urgently needed to deliver near the stage.
An on-site medical team assisted the woman and rushed her to a hospital, where her infant girl was delivered.
I heard someone gave birth at the stage DURING MY SHOW 🤯.
— Zedd (@Zedd) May 22, 2023 @Zedd
Can someone pls help me find the person? I’d like to reach out! https://t.co/rLWiOPRVok
After his performance, Zedd heard about the baby drama and took to Twitter to track down the woman. Zedd wrote, "I heard someone gave birth at the stage DURING MY SHOW. Can someone pls help me find the person? I'd like to reach out!" Zedd got it wrong ... the woman gave birth at the hospital, but close enough.
Zedd got a response Monday night from none other than the new mom herself, Cristina Celis.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
Celis tweeted a photo of herself cradling her newborn daughter in a hospital chair with a caption that read, "It was me." She added her baby is "safe, happy and healthy," and thanked the first aid team for their help. The new parents decided to change her middle name to Daisy.
Ecstatic, Zedd responded, "CONGRATS!!!!! So happy you’re both healthy and that I had the honor to be the soundtrack."
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Yung Gravy Shows Fans Love, Falls Hard!!! Big Spill at Hangout Fest
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Yung Gravy's recovering from taking a huge tumble while doing something sweet for his fans -- and the accident likely had the crowd singing his song, "Oops!!!"
Gravy was in Gulf Shores, Alabama performing Sunday at the packed Hangout Music Festival, and this video shows just how brutal the fall was while he was doing a little crowd work.
As you can see, the "Betty" rapper was walking a path, with fans on either side and handing out roses on his way back to the stage. The dude never saw the slightly raised plywood in his way, and let's just say ... Gravy was tripping, hard.
Keep in mind, he's like 6'6", so it's a long way down!
Gravy powered through, and after 2 security guards helped him up, he finished the show ... and we've learned he was playing hurt.
Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Gravy suffered a broken left elbow and a broken right wrist. He initially thought a couple Advil would be enough, but when he went to the ER on Monday, doctors discovered the fractures.
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You'll recall ... earlier this year, Gravy told us he was excited about some projects he's cooking up in 2023, especially a supposed collab with rapper Quavo.
1/24/23
Surely, he was stoked about this festival gig too ... before hitting that big bump in the road.
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Taylor Swift Security Guard Singin' Swiftie Says 'Easy' to Score Gig But I Had a Different Plan!!!
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The security guard who went viral for being an undercover Swiftie says it was a simple process to get the job working Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, but he admits things didn't go as he originally planned.
Davis Perrigo, whose day job is accounting, joined us Monday on "TMZ Live," and explained he just had to fill out a form in order to work "security" at Nashville's Nissan Stadium for Taylor's concert -- and even did a test run by working a Luke Combs' concert at the same venue the week before.
ow-pressureOnce Davis was in the stadium he figured out how to get himself as close to the singer as possible ... and ended up doing a very basic, l security detail while havin' the time of his life.
ICYMI, clips of Davis have blown up online, showing him singing to his heart's content as Taylor's performing over his shoulder.
Many fans expressed love for him after seeing him go all out -- in true Swiftee fashion -- but Davis also gives us the deets about a "real" security guard who had to tell him to tone it down.
And BTW, Davis had a completely different plan for sneaking in before he found the spot up front. Originally, he was gonna ditch his uniform altogether and have fun in the audience.
Ya gotta love it when a front row plan comes together, like it did for Davis.
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Nirvana's Kurt Cobain Guitar Fetches Eye-Popping Amount ... 10x Estimated Cost!!
Kurt Cobain smashed his Fender Stratocaster back in the '90s, but the move only jacked up the price of the guitar ... going for a whopping 10 times the estimated amount at auction.
The late Nirvana frontman destroyed the electric guitar while recording the group's iconic 1991 album, "Nevermind," but the pieces were put back together and sold at Julien's Auctions this weekend in NYC.
The instrument was supposed to fetch between $60,000 and $80,000, but, as it turned out, it went for an earth-shattering $595,900. It was signed by Cobain and the other two band members, drummer Dave Grohl and bassist Krist Novoselic.
According to Julien's, Cobain gifted the guitar to Screaming Trees singer Mark Lanegan (also deceased) while Nirvana was touring in '92 ... but it's not clear who made the purchase at auction.
Cobain fatally shot himself at his Seattle home in 1994. He was only 27 and at the height of his career and influence in music, having created the so-called grunge movement with some other bands.
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Taylor Swift Tells Beantown Crowd ... Happiest Time of My Life!!!
Taylor Swift is clearly in love, revealing to fans this moment is the happiest time of her life.
TS was in Foxborough, MA Saturday night, and right out of the box, she told the packed crowd ... "It's insane. I kind of just feel like telling you, that I don't know, that just ... I've never been this happy in my life in all aspects of my life ever before."
She went on ... "And I just want to thank you for being a part of that. It's not just the tour, like, I don't know, my life finally feels like it makes sense. So I thought I'd play this song which brings me a lot of happy memories." Then she began singing "Question...?"
As you know by now, Taylor's in a new relationship with Matt Healy, who's been a fixture at her Eras concerts.
They've also been seen together coming out of several recording studios. We don't know if Healy was just an observer or a participant.
Joe Alwyn is clearly in Taylor's rearview ... well, except for the whole breakup song thing.
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Tom Petty How It Feels to Be ... in My Clothes!!! Iconic Wardrobe Auctioned
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Here's a chance for Tom Petty fans to step into the late singer's shoes ... and a lot more from his closet, as a treasure trove of items hit the auction block.
Tom's wardrobe from his former home in Encino, CA is going up for sale through RR Auction, including hats, jackets, vests, boots, shirts and shoes ... with some of the items even marked with his initials on the tags.
One standout piece is Tom's iconic black and white striped jacket, which he famously wore on the cover of the UK 12" single for his 1978 hit, "Listen to Her Heart." The jacket has wide lapels, flap pockets, a single vent on the back and 2 pearloid buttons.
The auction also includes Tom's black denim Lee "Easy Rider" jacket, which he famously wore during a 1987 tour with Guns N' Roses and a 1989 MTV Video Music Awards performance with Axl Rose ... singing "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Free Fallin'."
Tom wore many hats over the years, none flashier than his Burmese cap ... which is decorated with yellow floral designs and embroidered with two elephants.
The collection also includes his fedoras, baseball caps, Stetsons and a black cap he wore on Molly Meldrum's Australian TV show.
They say the shoes make the man, and Tom's footwear includes some fancy brown suede leather Chelsea boots.
He often wore boots on stage, and the collection features his size 9 black leather Zodiac boots, and sneakers of all different colors.
The auction ends on June 22, and all of the items have starting bids of $200 ... with some of Tom's stuff expected to fetch thousands.
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Adam Levine Check Out My New $70K Bronco ... Hennessey VelociRaptor!!!
Adam Levine is adding to his multi-million dollar car collection ... he's driving a new Ford Bronco that's super hard to find ... and he looks super happy behind the wheel.
The Maroon 5 lead singer hopped in his 500-horsepower Bronco Hennessey VelociRaptor on Friday ... tooling around Santa Barbara, CA in the $70,000 whip.
Adam's living it up as the weekend nears ... he's got the windows down and the top off.
This version of Ford's new Broncos is not just sitting at any old dealer ... Adam's one of the first folks to get a set of keys ... so it's no wonder he looks so thrilled.
Adam's cruising solo here ... looks like he left the wife, kids and the family's new puppy at home.
The man's got a thing for rare and expensive cars ... Adam reportedly owns over $2 million worth of wheels, including a $685k vintage Ferrari.
Remember ... Adam is also suing a car dealer he alleges sold him a fake $1 million Maserati.
Adam looks pleased with his latest purchase, though. Giddy up.
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Kourtney & Travis Strollin' Around New York City ... On The Road Together For Blink-182 Tour
Kourtney Kardashian is apparently hittin' the road with her beau Travis Barker and the rest of Blink-182 like a true groupie ... and the happy couple was out for a walk in NYC ahead of the band's epic concert at Madison Square Garden.
Kourtney and Travis were wandering down 5th Ave. Friday, sippin' some matcha just hours before Travis and co. blow the roof off the city's titular arena. They had some music-themed garb on, albeit on opposite ends of the spectrum -- him in Slayer and her in Ice Cube.
The 2 are still finding some time for each other despite their busy schedules ... and as you know, we've seen them practically attached at the hip numerous times over the years.
4/14/23
As we reported, Blink-182 rocked the Coachella crowd last month -- and it was a big one, being the first time in 9 years that Travis shared a stage with his bandmates Tom DeLonge and Mark Hoppus.
Kourtney was also at the Coachella set to see her hubby get the band back together ahead of their world tour ... and it looks like his #1 fan is gonna see them bring the noise to New York.
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Jimmy Buffett Hospitalized ... Cancels SC Show
Jimmy Buffett is hitting pause on a South Carolina concert at the last minute ... while he's treated in a hospital for something requiring "immediate attention."
The veteran singer shared a note Thursday on his official site, telling fans he was forced to cancel his show in Charleston. He was supposed to hit the stage with his Coral Reefer band Saturday night, but that all changed when he went to see a doctor.
Jimmy says, "I had a sudden change of plans this week that affected us all. Two days ago, I was just back from a trip to the Bahamas ... and chomping at the bit to get to Charleston. I had to stop in Boston for a check-up but wound up back in the hospital to address some issues that needed immediate attention."
The idol of parrot heads everywhere adds ... "Growing old is not for sissies, I promise you. I also will promise you, that when I am well enough to perform, that is what I’ll be doing in the land of She-Crab soup. You all make my life more meaningful and fulfilled than I would have ever imagined as a toe headed little boy sitting on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico."
While he's not saying exactly what's behind his hospitalization, it's clearly enough to get him pretty sentimental.
You might recall, the 76-year-old singer was briefly hospitalized last September, and had to cancel the rest of his 2022 performances.
This Charleston show was part of Buffett's "Second Wind" Tour 2023 ... per the website, all ticketholders will be able to attend the rescheduled show, once a new date is announced.
He left off by thanking fans for their thoughts, prayers and amazing years of loyalty ... saying "just remember, "NOT YET!"
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'The Smiths' Bassist Andy Rourke Dead At 59 ... After Bout With Cancer
Andy Rourke, the bass guitarist for the iconic British rock band, The Smiths, has died.
His bandmate, Johnny Marr, made the announcement Friday on Twitter, revealing that Rourke had been fighting pancreatic cancer before his passing.
Marr said, "Andy will be remembered as a kind and beautiful soul by those who knew him and as a supremely gifted musician by music fans."
After joining The Smiths in the '80s, Rourke was featured on the group's four studio records, including "Meat Is Murder" and "Strangeways, Here We Come."
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Andy Rourke after a lengthy illness with pancreatic cancer.
— Johnny Marr (@Johnny_Marr) May 19, 2023 @Johnny_Marr
Andy will be remembered as a kind and beautiful soul by those who knew him and as a supremely gifted musician by music fans.
We request privacy at this sad time pic.twitter.com/KNehQxXoFz
With Rourke on bass, Marr on lead guitar, Mike Joyce on drums and Morrissey on vocals, the foursome created a pioneering sound that still has an influence on music today. Some of their most classic tunes were "This Charming Man" and "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out."
During his time with The Smiths, Rourke struggled with heroin addiction and was arrested for possessing the drug in 1986. He even got kicked out of the band at one point, but he returned two weeks later.
In 1987, The Smiths broke up, but Rourke went on to produce several singles with Morrissey and to record music with Sinéad O’Connor and The Pretenders. He also sued Morrissey and Marr for an equal share of The Smith's earnings and royalties, but later settled for just over $103,000.
Rourke was 59.
RIP