By Raymond Ward, Chicago Crusader
LUCKY CHANCE: Chicago’s very own Chance the Rapper is coming to the South Side in a big way on September 24, 2016. Billed as the “first ever music festival at U.S. Cellular Field,” and titled “The Magnificent Coloring Day,” the event will feature Chance the Rapper, along with Skrillex, John Legend, Alicia Keys, Tyler the Creator, Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, Lil Uzi Vert and others.
According to Lou Betuca, CEO, Illinois Sports Facilities Authority which owns and manages U.S. Cellular Field, “Having Chance and his exciting lineup of music stars at the Field makes a strong, positive statement about Chicago’s South Side. Our field is convenient for south-siders, and is easily reached from any expressway…it’s easy for in and out; and we even have a state of the art digital board for all to be able to see up close.”
He continued, “Chance wanted a family venue for his Festival, a place that will be comfortable for all ages, and our Field is just that! We have not had a major music event at the Field in over 13 years. This Festival with Chance is a great way to kick-off what we feel is a ‘new day’ at the park.”
Tickets for “The Magnificent Coloring Day” are available at www.chanceraps.com or at all Ticketmaster locations.
THE DIVINE ONE: Rhino Records will revisit the early days of Bette Midler’s incredible career with a deluxe version of her iconic 1972 debut album, The Divine Miss M. Midler will also make a “Divine” appearance this Fall as a mentor for “Team Blake” on Season 11 of NBC’s hit television series The Voice.
THE DIVINE MISS M: DELUXE EDITION will be available on October 21st as a 2-CD set for a suggested retail price of $19.98 and includes the remastered album plus a bonus disc of singles, out takes and demos, as well as new liner notes written by Midler.
In the liner notes that accompany this new collection, Midler recalls the origin of her nickname: “I began being called The Divine Miss M around 1969, when I made my first appearance at the Continental Baths, located in the basement of the Ansonia Hotel at Broadway and 74th Street in New York, My best friend, Bill Hennessy, a hairdresser I met on Fiddler on the Roof, called me that for years. It was my first night at the Baths, and before I went on, the owner Steven Ostrow, stuck his head into the dressing room and asked how I wanted to be introduced. I said, ‘Just tell them I’m divine!’ And that’s how it started.”
The collection features a remastered version of the original album, including the Top 40 hits: “Do You Want To Dance” and “Friends” as well as the Top 10 smash hit “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.” Co-produced by Barry Manilow, “The Divine Miss M” was released in November 1972 and reached the Top 10 on the album chart, and was later certified platinum by the RIAA. The following year, Midler won the Grammy Award for “Best New Artist.”
Bette Midler is one of the world’s best-loved and most versatile entertainers. “The Divine Miss M” helped launch Midler’s extraordinary career where she has garnered accolades in all quarters of show business. She’s earned four Grammy Awards including Song of the Year (1989: Wind Beneath My Wing’s; 1990: From A Distance) and Record of the Year (1989: Wind Beneath My Wings); two Academy Award nominations, three Emmy Awards, one Tony Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and nine American Comedy Awards. Bette Midler has sold over 30 million albums worldwide and is only the second female singer to score a Top 10 album in the United States in five consecutive decades.
