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DONNIE BROOKS, a singer with rockabilly roots who sang the hit song MISSION BELL in 1960, has died. He was 71.
Brooks died on Friday (23FEB07) of congestive heart failure in Panorama City, California.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Brooks appeared at El Monte Legion Stadium, a popular venue for rock concerts featuring such performers as RAY CHARLES and STEVIE WONDER.
Recording under the name JOHNNY FAIRE in the late 1950s, he released the single BERTHA LOU, which became a rockabilly favourite. Among his hits were DOLL HOUSE, MEMPHIS and his most famous song, the top 10 pop hit Mission Bell.
In the 1970s, he began producing and appearing in revival tours featuring musical acts from the 1950s and 1960s and continued to perform until he was injured in a car accident in 2003. Brooks was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in Burns, Tennessee in 2003.

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R&B star RIHANNA is making sure super songwriter NE-YO earns his salary while they’re working on new tunes in the studio - he’s also giving her vocal lessons.
The Barbados-born singer has been floored by her latest collaborator’s talents and she has made sure his skills help her hit the high notes.
She tells MTV News, "He is such a genius. I’ve never had vocal training, so when I’m in the studio, he’ll tell me how to breathe and stuff.
"He’ll call out these big fancy words: ‘OK, I want you to do staccato.’ And I’m like, ‘OK, I don’t know what that is.’" Rihanna is in good company - Ne-Yo is also writing new songs for BRITNEY SPEARS and WHITNEY HOUSTON’s comeback albums, and the IRREPLACEABLE anthem he wrote for BEYONCE KNOWLES recently spent 10 weeks atop the US singles chart.

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NORAH JONES is still the queen of the US album charts after securing the number one spot for a third week.
The jazz singer’s NOT TOO LATE album debuted at the top at the beginning of February (07) and regained the top spot after FALL OUT BOY replaced her for one week seven days later.
Meanwhile, AMERICAN IDOL favourite CHRIS DAUGHTRY’s eponymous group rises from nine to two on the new Billboard chart with their self-titled debut DAUGHTRY.
Fall Out Boy’s INFINITY ON HIGH also rises to number three in a poor sales week, during which no act sold more than 100,000 albums.
Children’s compilation KIDZ BOP debuts at four, while Christian act tobyMac scores his highest charting solo album at 10.

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KEVIN FEDERLINE’s former girlfriend, SHAR JACKSON, has slammed reports the couple are rekindling their romance while he is in the process of divorcing BRITNEY SPEARS.
Jackson, the mother of two of Federline’s children, was seen visiting his home last weekend (24-25FEB07), sparking reports they’re reconciling. But the actress’ representative, JULIETTE HARRIS, insists the meeting was just a family get together - where Federline’s older children by Jackson got a chance to meet his baby sons, JAYDEN and SEAN PRESTON, by Spears.
Harris tells American publication Us Weekly, "This weekend, Shar and Kevin visited together with the four children, and this was the first time that all four children met.
"Shar Jackson will continue to maintain the necessary relationship with Kevin that is in the best interest of raising their two children. Any insinuation that she is involved with (Kevin and Britney’s) problems or break up in any way is preposterous. "She has always been supportive of Kevin’s choices, both publicly and privately. Shar refuses to be pulled into their relationship." Federline split up with Jackson while she was pregnant with his son CORY to date Spears, who filed for divorce from the dancer/rapper in November (06).

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Comedian JIM CARREY has unveiled his sensitive side - he serenades lover JENNY McCARTHY with romantic ballads in his spare time.
The MASK funnyman is bragging about writing a Valentine’s Day love song for his voluptuous girlfriend.
He says, "It kind of goes like this: ‘Take it off, get it on, take it off, get it on, take it off, get it on, take it off, get it on, take it off, get it on.’ "I’m getting together with KANYE WEST. I think it’s going to be a good one."

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JESSICA SIMPSON has no intention of getting a nose job like her sister ASHLEE, because the DUKES OF HAZZARD star loves her bumpy features.
Jessica’s bump is smaller than the one her sibling had smoothed out by surgery - but she insists she is proud of it.
The 26-year-old says, "I don’t know if it’s my best, but my favourite feature is my nose. I have a bump on it that I love. It’s an imperfection, but that’s why I love it."

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PARIS HILTON was reportedly caught driving on a suspended licence after she was stopped for speeding and driving without her headlights in Los Angeles on Tuesday night (27FEB07).
The 26-year-old hotel heiress was pulled over on Sunset Boulevard in her blue Bentley Continental GTC at 11pm, according to Los Angeles police officer DUANE ALLEN JR - but Hilton’s spokesperson ELLIOT MINTZ insists the star was not aware her driving permit had been suspended.
She was given a ticket for driving on a suspended licence but later released.
Mintz says, "When she called me, she asked if her license was suspended. If that’s the case, she and I are unaware of it." The socialite, who had just visited a video store after spending the day at home for a photo shoot, claimed she had neglected to turn on her headlights after driving out of a brightly-lit car park.
In January (07), Hilton pleaded no contest to alcohol-related reckless driving after being arrested in Hollywood in September (06). She was sentenced to 36 months’ probation, alcohol education and $1,500 (£760) in related fines.

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US film maker DAVID LYNCH has banned cooking in his house - as he can’t bear the greasy vapours caused by culinary capers.
The BLUE VELVET star insists kitchens are an unnecessary requirement in the home, and believes any cooking should be confined to a seperate space.
He says, "OK, now look at this. You have a lot of works on paper, say, in a house. Why in the world would you go into that house and spray grease onto those works of paper, unless it was an idea that came to you to deteriorate that work in some way? "And this is what cooking can do. Also wherever you can smell that cooking, it must be landing on the walls and y’know what I mean.
"So it is unfortunate that kitchens are in a house. To my mind, they should be a side building, easily hosed out, cleaned, and the odours and all the stuff that go with it away from the workspace."

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Hollywood actress EVA MENDES claims kangaroo tail tops the list as the worst thing she has ever eaten.
The HITCH star experienced the traditional Aboriginal cuisine while she was in Australia making new movie GHOST RIDER, and was brave enough to try several other jungle delicacies offered to her.
She tells British magazine Empire, "I went to the Outback and I met some beautiful Aboriginal women and we went out on a women’s day. They said, ‘We’ll take you and you can share our experience, and you can buy us a beer and some kangaroo tails.’ "Funnily enough, you can buy both at gas stations out there. We also had some witchety grubs. They’re big, fat worms, basically, that freeze in the branches of trees.
"They’re gooey and fat and big and they were dessert and the kangaroo tails were the dinner. It was the worst thing I’d ever eaten and the most unusual."

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Veteran actor PETER O’TOOLE is suffering from a heartbreaking spell of loneliness after a number of his closest friends have died in the past year.
The 75-year-old VENUS star, who sprung back from a hip replacement surgery to attend the Oscars on Sunday (25FEB07), has admitted he is "lonely with no chums".
He says: "Nine of my friends died in one year.
"I do have one chum still left, a shaky old thing who said to me recently, ‘When I die, I want you to drink hot gin and pee on my grave.’"

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SIENNA MILLER has slammed filmmakers for their disinterest in the story of tragic 1960s muse EDIE SEDGWICK.
The British actress, who played the late star in FACTORY GIRL, insists directors were reluctant to work on the movie because they viewed Sedgwick as the PARIS HILTON of her day, Miller says, "They (US filmmakers) were like, ‘So, what? In 30 years’ time are they gonna make a film about Paris Hilton?’ "The thing about Edie was that she was a performance artist. She’d walk into a room and start dancing, start performing.
"But the people I’ve been speaking to missed the point. They’re like, ‘Okay, rich, socialite, drugs, dead.’ "If that was the case she fooled some smart people. SALVADOR DALI, ALLEN GINSBERG, TRUMAN CAPOTE… they were all obsessed with her, in love with her.
In 2007 people still talk about her. That’s huge power."

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IRON MAIDEN frontman and part-time pilot BRUCE DICKINSON stunned Scottish soccer team GLASGOW RANGERS when they discovered he was flying them to a match in Israel.
Soccer fan Dickinson volunteered for the flight when he discovered the airline he works for, Astraeus, had been called upon to take Rangers to a UEFA cup match in Tel Aviv this month.
And he quickly discovered Rangers manager WALTER SMITH is an Iron Maiden fan.
A spokesperson for Astraeus says, "When Bruce heard we had the Rangers charter, he was very keen to do the flight. He’s a big fan of football ." Smith adds, "I would never have thought Bruce would be flying our plane.
"I know his band’s stuff quite well. I remember going to meet them when they played Edinburgh a few years ago."

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LATEST: KILLSWITCH ENGAGE rocker ADAM DUTKEIWICZ is desperate to rejoin the band after undergoing surgery on his back.
The guitarist still recovering from an emergency operation that caused the group to cancel a series of European dates.
The heavy rockers have since carried on with a replacement guitarist - but Dutkeiwicz is battling to get back.
He says, "I’m getting there one day at a time. I’m still having a little trouble getting around, but I’m feeling loads better. I can walk again and that’s pretty sweet.
"I’ll probably re-join in the summer. In due time I’ll be healthy again, I’m sure. I wish I could be out with the band, but they say put health first, right?"

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Latino pop star RICKY MARTIN has put his Mediterranean-inspired Miami Beach mansion on the market for $16.9 million (£8.6 million).
Boasting seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms and views over Biscayne Bay, the 9,491-square-foot (882 square metres) home also comes equipped with a pool, spa and its own boat dock.
Local residents include SHAKIRA and Hollywood star MATT DAMON.
Martin is hoping to make a substantial profit on the luxury property, having paid just over $9.9 million (£5.1 million) for the house in 2005.

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GOOD CHARLOTTE guitarist BILLY MARTIN has reinvented himself as an author - and hopes his new children’s book will be the first of many literary endeavours.
The talented rocker has put down his instrument and picked up a pen to create DAMIEN McMURRAY: A BOY AND HIS BAT, which he is currently adding the finishing touches to.
Martin says, "I wrote it and illustrated it. It’s about a boy and his pet bat. The bat gets let out of his cage and Damien goes on a little journey trying to find his pet. It’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a really long time and I hope it’s just one of lots of books that I get to put out."

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Oasis star NOEL GALLAGHER has praised American rockers THE GOSSIP - branding frontwoman BETH DITTO’s voice "the best in rock".
Frontwoman BETH DITTO, a long-time fan of the Manchester, England group, is delighted her childhood hero is complimentary about the band’s sound.
She says, "Noel Gallagher said I had one of the best voices in rock. To me that’s great.
"I had a huge Oasis poster on my wall when I was in junior high. This was Arkansas, where no-one has heard of Oasis."

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MICHAEL JACKSON fans who had their view blocked at his 30th anniversary Madison Square Garden gig in 2001 will be allowed a reduction on the price of future tickets as compensation.
According to the New York Daily News, thousands of concert-goers paid $98.50 each, without being told their views would be obstructed.
Fan DANA GROSS, who filed a lawsuit against ticket merchant Ticketmaster, argued she spent the entire show having to watch giant monitors because she couldn’t see Jackson at all.
According to a legal statement issued on Tuesday (27FEB07), each dissatisfied concert-goer will receive $28 (£14) off their next ticket for any event at the venue organised by promoter LiveNation Worldwide Inc.
Fans have 120 days to claim their refund.

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LATEST: Troubled former BACKSTREET BOYS manager LOU PEARLMAN has left his family in financial ruin after allegedly squandering their life’s savings.
Pearlman’s disabled third cousin JORDAN NEVLER and his wife LEDA only recently discovered that almost $200,000 (£102,000) they had entrusted to the boy band impresario had gone missing.
Leda Nevlar told the New York Daily News, "I’ll never be able to make that kind of money again. I just feel so violated. We all looked up to him, we all trusted him." The Nevlars and several other members of Pearlman’s family are among 75 people suing him, claiming he conned them out of money for investments and ‘get rich quick’ schemes.
Their lawyer JAMES LOWY, said, "It shows that he would steal from anybody." Pearlman allegedly squandered up to $317 million (£162 million) belonging to around 1,400 people.

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