Blake Shelton and NBC are putting together a benefit for Oklahoma tornado victims. Shelton told reporters about the fundraising effort after Tuesday night’s episode of “The Voice.Jon Stewart is hosting the MusiCares salute to Bruce Springsteen.
The Recording Academy also announced Wednesday that Elton John, Neil Young, Mumford & Sons, Sting, Mavis Staples and Kenny Chesney will be among more than a dozen performers who will help pay tribute to Springsteen during the Feb. 8 benefit concert in Los Angeles two days before the Grammy Awards.
Springsteen is MusiCares’ person of the year, an award given to a performer who is notable both artistically and philanthropically.
No charges
Actor Fred Willard has completed a diversion program for his arrest this summer for a suspected lewd act at a Hollywood adult theater.
Frank Mateljan, a spokesman for the Los Angeles city attorney’s office, said Monday that the 72-year-old comic actor completed the program in September and as a result no longer faces charges stemming from the July 18 incident.
Willard was arrested after uniformed vice officers were conducting a routine investigation of the theater and they said they saw him engaging in a lewd act.
Womack diagnosed
Bobby Womack has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member told the BBC in a recent interview the diagnosis comes after he began having difficulty remembering his songs and the names of people he’s worked with.
It’s the latest health problem for the 68-year-old singer, who’s also been fighting cancer and other maladies.
New series
Ty Pennington is doing some traveling again, this time for the HLN television network.
HLN said Wednesday that Pennington, who stared in “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” will host a monthly series called “American Journey.” It will focus on people with unusual lifestyles and debuts Jan. 12.
Early episodes will focus on lobstermen and Delta blues musicians.
Pennington said he wants to follow the growing subculture of creative thinkers trying to rebuild the country.
Happy birthday
Among celebrity birthdays today: Record producer George Martin is 87. Actor Robert Loggia is 83. Actor Dabney Coleman is 81. Singer Stephen Stills is 68. Bassist John Paul Jones is 67. Actress Victoria Principal is 63. Actor Mel Gibson is 57. Actress Danica McKellar is 38. Actor Nicholas Gonzalez is 37. Singer Kimberley Locke is 35.
