USHER FIX

 


 
Affectionately known throughout the music industry as “Mama Jan,” Jan Smith has made her mark from her beloved hometown over the past 20 years as a singer/songwriter, producer/consultant and vocal coach/vocal producer who has helped develop some of the most distinctive voices in contemporary music-including Rob Thomas, Usher, Ciara, Sugarland, India.Arie, TLC and Justin Bieber. Two of those major clients – The Biebs and Usher- are going above and beyond to show their gratitude.

Smith, a former trustee for the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences and former president of the Atlanta NARAS chapter, is among this year’s inductees into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. She will receive the Chairman’s Award at the induction ceremony Sept. 17 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre at 8 PM. The event will air live on Georgia Public Broadcasting.

During the event Usher and Justin Bieber, will be performing a special tribute for her. “I think it’s a great honor,” says Smith, whose work with Bieber is known by the teen star’s fans worldwide thanks to her memorable appearance in the 2011 documentary concert film Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. “It will be quite a night. I’m very humbled by all of the artists who lend their celebrity to me and I’m proud to be part of their success.”

In August, Smith and philanthropist/music lover Jim Ramseur launched The Bridge Music Foundation, a unique, non-profit organization dedicated to providing philanthropic financial support and artist development services to talented musicians who might otherwise never have the opportunity to follow their own musical dreams.

BMF offers a different approach to the traditional artist development process. With the help of the Joel A. Katz Music & Entertainment Business Program at Kennesaw State University, BMF artists will be provided with the educational resources and business tools needed to create sustainable careers in the music industry. The Bridge Music Foundation uses an “open door” application system, meaning that anyone who meets its criteria can apply. The foundation and its board of directors leverage their relationships and industry insight in order to provide each selected artist with a world-class team custom tailored for their specific needs.

Smith, owner of Jan Smith Studios, a state of the art and production facility in Atlanta, joins the other Georgia Music Hall of fame inductees being honored, including actor-director Kenny Leon, singer-turned reality star Toni Braxton, the band Mothers Finest and promoter Paul Cochran. Jazz/cabaret star Judy Argo, composer/arranger Hall Johnson and blues harmonica musician Sonny Terry will be honored posthumously.

 

 
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Katherine Jackson, mother to the late King of Pop, is throwing a massive concert in memory of her son and hopes to bring out some of music’s biggest talents.

Jay-Z, Kanye West, Chris Brown, Christina Aguilerra, Cee Lo, Usher, Bruno Mars and Justin Bieber have all received personal invites from Mrs. Jackson, according to TMZ. The event, titled ‘Michael Forever’, is set to be held in Cardiff, Wales on October 8.

TMZ says Cee Lo has confirmed he’ll perform at the concert, while Brown, Bieber and Mars have respectfully declined due to schedule conflicts. In the invite, “first class travel accommodations” are promised to those who can attend. The music stars are expected to perform one or two of their favorite MJ songs.

Plans for the concert have divided members of the Jackson family, with Randy and Jermaine Jackson protesting it because it is scheduled to occur at the same time as Dr. Conrad Murray’s trial for manslaughter regarding Michael’s death.

 
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Justin Timberlake, Shakira, Usher, Seal & Prince To Take Part In Michael Jackson Tribute At London’s Wembley Arena.

Jermaine Jackson has apparently gathered an all-star cast, including Prince, Justin Timberlake and Santana to pay tribute to his late brother Michael Jackson at a show in June in London.

The Tribute By Jermaine is expected to take place on June 8, 2010 at Wembley Arena in London.

Other participants include Shakira, Earth Wind and Fire, Nelson Mandela, Jennifer Hudson, Whitney Houston, Jabbawockeez, Seal, Neyo and a performance by the Jackson 5 with Janet Jackson.

‘The best way and most suitable way is to assemble the world’s largest tribute in history that is only fitting to a man who moved the hearts and souls of an unimaginable amount,’ Jermaine said in a statement.

The show will be filmed with 12 HD cameras and air globally on June 25, 2010.

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In addition to receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy the day before the Grammy Awards, Michael Jackson will be the subject of a tribute by Usher, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, Celine Dion and Smokey Robinson at the Grammys on January 31.

The tribute will include never-before-released footage from Jackson’s 3-D mini-movie “Earth Song,” which was meant to be included in his This Is It tour and has never been seen by the public. The message of the song and the film is that we need to put the future of the planet first.

“It was one of the most important portions of the concert tour to Michael, and when Michael saw the film for the first time at his last rehearsal, there were tears in his eyes,” Grammy co-executive producer Ken Ehrlich said in a statement. He was at the rehearsal when Jackson saw the film.

CBS, which airs the Grammy Awards, has teamed up with Target to provide free 3-D glasses to those who want to view the footage at home. They will be available January 24 through January 31 at Target stores. This is the first time an awards show has broadcast a segment in 3-D.

“This very special Grammy moment will feature some of our most respected Grammy recipients, all of whom have a great love for Michael,” added Neil Portnow, president and CEO of the Recording Academy. “This segment promises to be an emotional highlight of this year’s show, and is sure to join the unique list of amazing performances for which the Grammy Awards have become renowned.”

Robinson, Hudson and Usher were among those who paid tribute to Jackson at his star-studded memorial held last July. Late last year, Jermaine Jackson seemed enthusiastic about the Grammy Awards paying tribute to his late brother, saying, “We’d just like to see exactly what went down in a great sort of tribute or whatever the plan is. We want it to be real.”

The 52nd GRAMMY Awards will take place live on Sunday, Jan. 31 at Staples Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast in HDTV and 5.1 Surround Sound on the CBS Television Network from 8–11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). The show also will be supported on radio via Westwood One worldwide, and covered online at GRAMMY.com and CBS.com, and on YouTube.

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Usher performed a heartfelt rendition of Michael’s “Gone Too Soon” at the public memorial service for Michael Jackson back in July, so it would only make sense that Usher would collaborate with other stars for the Michael Jackson Tribute album we’ve been hearing so much about.

But Usher tells Hollyscoop exclusively that “there’s a lot of projects around Michael Jackson that [he has] considered,” but he hasn’t officially signed on for anything yet.