Folk singer/songwriter Jen Foster, an acclaimed performer in the Nashville music scene, will have a special performance in North Charleston this Friday evening. The show takes place at The Chart (1078-E East Montague Ave., (843) 225-9948), a newly-opened pub in the revitalized Park Circle neighborhood, located behind Park Circle Coffee. Foster, originally from Texas, visits town in support of her recently-released album titled Underdogs — a melodic and sweet-hearted collection. Foster was recently nominated as a semi-finalist in the 2007 International Songwriting Competition for two of her tracks “Closer to Nowhere” and “Venice Beach.” Doors open at 8 p.m. All proceeds from the show support AFFA (Alliance For Full Acceptance), a local non-profit social justice organization that works to achieve equality and acceptance for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. (more…)

Upcoming Events at the House of Blues-Myrtle Beach: (more…)

Diddy Denies Tupac Murder Report

Sean “Diddy” Combs has denied a report by the Los Angeles Times that his associates were responsible for the 1994 robbery and shooting of Tupac Shakur, and that he knew about the attack in advance.

“The story is a lie,” the hip-hop mogul said in a statement. “It is beyond ridiculous and completely false. Neither (the late rapper Notorious B.I.G.) nor I had any knowledge of any attack before, during or after it happened. I am shocked that the Los Angeles Times would be so irresponsible as to publish such a baseless and completely untrue story.”

The 1994 shooting triggered the infamous feud between East and West Coast rappers that led to the killings of Tupac and B.I.G. The Times said its story was based on FBI records, interviews with people at the scene of the shooting and statements to the FBI by an informant. None of the sources was named. The story says associates hoping to curry favor with Combs — who was managing B.I.G.’s white-hot career at the time — lured Tupac to the studio because of his disrespect toward them. (more…)

Country superstar Carrie Underwood, who once told Billboard that if she hadn’t won American Idol back in 2005, “I probably wouldn’t have pursued music much further at all,” has been invited to join the Grand Ole Opry. The invitation came on March 15 from Opry member Randy Travis, whose 1988 No. 1 single “I Told You So” Underwood covered on her most recent album, “Carnival Ride.” Underwood, who scored a No. 1 with “American Girl” last week and who also celebrated her 25th birthday on March 10, made her Grand Ole Opry debut on June 10, 2005, just two weeks after winning her title on “American Idol.” She will be formally inducted as an Opry member on May 10. Underwood is scheduled to perform, along with Keith Urban, at the North Charleston Coliseum on April 17th, 2008. (more…)

Paula Abdul Calls It a Comeback

After re-launching her music career with an appearance on fellow “American Idol” judge Randy Jackson’s new album, Paula Abdul is getting busy on her first new album in over a decade (her last one was 1995’s “Head Over Heels”).

The as-yet-untitled project will include remixes of Abdul’s best-known hits (who’s pulling for “Straight Up”& “Forever Your Girl” along with me?), plus a host of new songs. In addition, Abdul tells Billboard that Paul Oakenfold and Akon are preparing remixes of “Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow,” her contribution to Jackson’s album. Paula has already chosen three new tracks to accompany the remixes. The album is expected to be released by the end of 2008. (more…)