Post by Diamond Girl on Jun 15, 2005 9:19:57 GMT -5
Stevie plays the Palace
June 14, 2005
Stevie Wonder's arrival this afternoon in his home state, where he'll sing the national anthem for tonight's Pistons-Spurs game at the Palace, comes as the Motown Records icon has the music industry guessing -- and increasingly perplexed -- about his new album.
The much-anticipated "A Time to Love," his first record in more than a decade, has been touted as a return to classic form for the Saginaw-born star. But the album's release date has been scheduled and postponed so many times during the past several months that label and retail executives have begun wondering exactly what's going on.
In this week's edition of Newsweek, which reports that Motown had spent $200,000 on billboard advertising before the album's first-nuked release date, the famously private Wonder offers little in the way of revelation, saying simply that "this is my statement, my expression" as he continues toiling on recording sessions.
He has kept himself sequestered in the studio this spring, tinkering with the material in some cases and adding wholesale changes in others -- including a new collaboration with Paul McCartney. Sylvia Rhone, Motown's new CEO, tells Newsweek she expects Wonder to turn in a final version of the album this week.
But first, of course, he has to get through "The Star-Spangled Banner" tonight on national television, along with a 20-minute pre-game set for Palace fans, who have been encouraged to arrive early -- as in 8:30 p.m. -- to get settled for the show.
Wonder's accompaniment tonight will include Detroit Symphony Orchestra string quintet Emmanuelle Boisvert, Geoffrey Applegate, Alexander Mishnaevski, Robert deMaine and Stephen Molina.
By Brian McCollum, Free Press pop music writer
June 14, 2005
Stevie Wonder's arrival this afternoon in his home state, where he'll sing the national anthem for tonight's Pistons-Spurs game at the Palace, comes as the Motown Records icon has the music industry guessing -- and increasingly perplexed -- about his new album.
The much-anticipated "A Time to Love," his first record in more than a decade, has been touted as a return to classic form for the Saginaw-born star. But the album's release date has been scheduled and postponed so many times during the past several months that label and retail executives have begun wondering exactly what's going on.
In this week's edition of Newsweek, which reports that Motown had spent $200,000 on billboard advertising before the album's first-nuked release date, the famously private Wonder offers little in the way of revelation, saying simply that "this is my statement, my expression" as he continues toiling on recording sessions.
He has kept himself sequestered in the studio this spring, tinkering with the material in some cases and adding wholesale changes in others -- including a new collaboration with Paul McCartney. Sylvia Rhone, Motown's new CEO, tells Newsweek she expects Wonder to turn in a final version of the album this week.
But first, of course, he has to get through "The Star-Spangled Banner" tonight on national television, along with a 20-minute pre-game set for Palace fans, who have been encouraged to arrive early -- as in 8:30 p.m. -- to get settled for the show.
Wonder's accompaniment tonight will include Detroit Symphony Orchestra string quintet Emmanuelle Boisvert, Geoffrey Applegate, Alexander Mishnaevski, Robert deMaine and Stephen Molina.
By Brian McCollum, Free Press pop music writer
