jimblr.com

Mikal Blue’s new album is titled “Gold,” but the Los Angeles singer-songwriter and producer has already gone platinum — with another artist. Last year, Blue produced Malibu singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat’s platinum-selling debut album, “Coco,” and its debut single, “Bubbly,” which exploded last year on Myspace.com. The 22-year-old Caillat (the daughter of Fleetwood Mac co-producer Ken Caillat) had been singing in clubs, but within a year she became a star.
Everything the British-born, Beatles-loving Blue touches seems to turn to gold. He has worked with a growing flock of successful artists, among them Augustana, One Republic, Save Ferris, Brendan James and Five for Fighting. His gift for songwriting and shaping talented artists into hit makers has made him one of L.A.’s hottest producers.
Blue, who grew up in Newcastle, England, arrived in L.A. about 10 years ago after living in the Greek Isles, Austrian Alps and Aspen, Colo.
With his own album “Gold,” Blue is now enjoying his own solo success after years of developing the music of others. The title single of his new album, released this week on the Immergent label, was featured on the TV drama “October Road.” Not giving up on one’s dreams is a common theme in his music. Blue recently did a short, East Coast tour, but plans to return to the road this summer.
On what made Colbie Caillat so alluring: It was all about her voice. It was just so comforting to listen to. It has such a deep, smooth tone. It falls somewhere between Sade and Karen Carpenter. It’s just so appealing to listen to.
On the power of Myspace in promoting new music: Colbie and I wrote this song, “Feelings Show,” together, and I said to her, “Post a bulletin right now (on Caillat’s Myspace page) that we’re working on new a song … and that we’ll be putting it up tonight at about 10:30.” We raced like crazy that day to get it done and when we put the song up, we watched the messages come in. It was crazy how fast the numbers went up. … (With Myspace) you can see which songs people love and which songs are the singles.

seattlepi.nwsource.com

After a year in a beta testing phase, MySpace Latino will get its official launch this Friday (April 11) with several new communities directed at U.S. Latinos.
The bilingual site, accessible via latino.myspace.com, has spent the last year getting user feedback and setting up content collaborations and media partnerships to fuel the Latin-focused communities on its front page.
Those include Billboard En Español, which will provide music news, charts, features, reviews and other content in Spanish. "Acústico," backed by Gibson Guitar, will feature intimate shows with Latin artists in Gibson showrooms nationwide.
In "Backstage", bands reveal how they got their start in behind-the-scenes interviews. "Shows Secretos" is an extension of MySpace’s "Secret Shows" event franchise; "En Tu Ciudad," powered by Remezcla.com, recommends nightlife and events in various cities; and "Get Your Band Sponsored by MySpace Latino" is a nationwide talent search for bands to get special MySpace Latino promotion.
In addition to music-focused communities, there is "Entérate," powered by Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS), offering celebrity news and fashion; "Todo Fútbol," a soccer site by ImpreMedia; and "La Oficina," a site with news about and giveaways from MySpace Latino itself.
SBS’ involvement also extends to two channels on MySpace TV-lamusica.com and Mega TV-which can cross-promote content. MySpace VP of Hispanic sales and strategy Manny Miravete says launching the Latino site meant preserving MySpace’s key drivers: the social network, friendship communities and music.
But the new site contains "not just a duplication of what’s going on on the MySpace side, but unique programs that we’re building specifically for this audience focused on Hispanic artists, breaking new Hispanic bands, [and] showcasing exclusive intimate events that people can experience by being friends with a MySpace Latino community."
MySpace Latino was originally called MySpace Español and was all in Spanish, but later evolved to a bilingual presentation.

hiphop-elements.com

Punch Drunk Hangover 3.31.08: Showdown at the SoCal Corral
Read ahead for Bren Oliver’s thoughts on EliteXC’s talks with Fedor Emelianenko, the return of Egan Inoue to MMA, Tim Sylvia parting ways with the UFC, WEC 33, Kimbo Slice’s next opponent, as well as Cung Le’s glorious victory over Frank Shamrock at Saturday night’s Strikeforce. Those things and more, plus this week’s “Monday Morning Moment of Zen” featuring an April Fool’s Day-inspired prank call to Dana White plus a profanity-laced tribute from everyone’s favorite Lex Luthor lookalike, are all just a click away!
Good morning, afternoon, evening, or whatever in-between time it is that your eyes have found their way to the Punch Drunk Hangover! I’m here with another one-stop shop for catching up on last week’s Mixed Martial Arts news. PDH - It’s like TMZ, but with 14% less skinny whores who are famous for no particular reason.
Here we are on the cusp of April Fool’s Day, as well as a few days away from the much-anticipated debut of “The Ultimate Fighter VII” featuring Forrest Griffin and “Rampage” Jackson and incredible live event leading into the Season Seven hijinks. I’m certain one of my fellow 411Mania MMA keyboard-warriors will outline “Fight Night XIII” in more detail, but at a glance it looks to be the biggest “Fight Night” in the UFC’s history - and I’m not just saying that because there are twelve bouts on the card. Contests like Alves vs. Parisyan, Pellegrino vs. Diaz, and Maynard vs. Edgar would be welcome on the televised portion of any UFC PPV. Couple them with the main event of Joe Lauzon vs. Kenny Florian, plus fights featuring Matt Hamill, Houston Alexander, Din Thomas, Clay Guida, Manny Gamburyan, Marcus Aurelio, and Josh Neer, and you’re looking at as deep an overall card as there’s ever been.

411mania.com

• Carmel Middle School Student Art Exhibit.Carmel Middle School, under the direction of art instructor Vickie Hickman, will exhibit a variety of student artwork in the foyer of South County Regional Library through March 31. Free. South County Regional Branch Library, 5801 Rea Road. 704-416-6600; www.plcmc.org.
• 9th annual Family Night. 7 p.m. Featuring Chris McDaniel and his One Man Wild West Show, which includes trick roping, gun twirling, bull whip artistry and singing. $3 per person, or $8 for the whole family. Clover School District Auditorium, 1625 S.C. 55 E., Clover, SC. 803-222-8018; www.clover2.k12.sc.us/. • Just B Boutique seminar. 2, 3 and 4 p.m. Free seminar on ways to complete your outfit with accessories. Ballantyne Resort, 10000 Ballantyne Commons Parkway. 704-248-4000; www.ballantyneresort.com.
• Sipping Savvy. 6 p.m. Free wine class on the wines of Rhone Valley in France. Earth Fare-SouthPark, 721 Governor Morrison St. 704-749-5042.
• Creating Video in Teen Second Life. 4 p.m. Visit the library’s virtual island on Teen Second Life. Learn the basics of using video capture tools to record a scene from this 3-D environment. Upload to YouTube, MySpace, or your favorite site to share with your friends. Free. South County Regional Branch Library, 5801 Rea Road. 704-416-6600; www.plcmc.org.
• Dessert Wine Tasting. 6 p.m. Taste of five wines. $15 per person. Table Restaurant & Bar, 14835 John J. Delaney Drive, Suite 150. 704-369-5170; www.tablecharlotte.com.
• Healthy Happy Hour - Healthy Aging: Mind, Body & Spirit. 5 p.m. Gather for healthy refreshments followed by information from the practitioners at Carolina Natural Health Center on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. March’s topic will be Healthy Aging: Mind, Body & Spirit, presented by Darren Holman, licensed acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist. Free. Earth Fare-Ballantyne, 12235 N. Community House Road. 704-926-1201.
• Chess Club for Homeschoolers. 1 p.m. Homeschool students ages 8-18 will be taught how to play chess and compete with other participants. The club will meet 1-3 p.m. the first and third Friday of each month through May 16. Students who already know how to play chess are welcome. Free. Mint Hill Branch Library, 6840 Matthews-Mint Hill Road. 704-573-4054; www.plcmc.org.

charlotte.com

Join La Leche League of Silver Lake for information, encouragement, mother-to-mother support and education. Free meetings are held the third Thursday of each month at the Duxbury Free Library on Alden Street, in the Merry Room. Meetings are at 7:15 p.m. and all children are welcome. For information visit www.llleus.org/web/SilverLakeMa.html or call Heidi 781-582-1187, Lisa 781-829-9075, Joanne 781-924-1919 or Krishyon 781-294-7477.
The Scituate Arts Association invites all artists to submit their works to Scituate Arts Associations Arts Alive! Juried Show to be held at the SAA’s Front Street Gallery from April 4 through April 13. Entrees must be delivered to the Ellis House, 709 Country Way, Scituate on either March 13, 6 to 8 p.m. or March 15, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Take advantage of the unique opportunity to show your work in our commercial gallery space on Scituate Harbor. Your work will be available for public viewing and sale (if you chose) for 10 days for full business hours. For information or directions contact Janet at jcornacch@aol.com or 781-545-7613.
Dreamchasers Theatre Arts Center will present the comedy Last of the Red Hot Lovers by Neil Simon. at special dress rehearsal at 4 p.m., on Thursday, March 13, to which senior citizens and teachers are invited free of charge. For information visit dreamchaserstheatre.org. For reservations call Dreamchasers at 508-224-4548.
Front Street Book Shop, 165 Front St., Scituate Harbor March Book Club meeting March 13, from 6 to 8 p.m. This month’s fiction selection is: After This by Alice McDermott. Front Street Book Shop book group meets at 6 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month. Everyone welcome to attend. Each book is chosen by majority vote at the close of each meeting. Choices are in-print, paperback, and alternate between fiction and non-fiction. Free. Information: 781-545-5011.
JJ Mulligan’s, 941 Washington St, Braintree. Stump Team Trivia every Thursday. 8:30 p.m. 781-849-7007.
The British Beer Company, 6 Middle St,. Plymouth, March 6, Dave Foley. 508-747-1776.
The Hat Trick Theatre of Plymouth presents the comedy/mystery "Rumors" by Neil Simon Thursday March 13 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, and 22nd of March. All shows at 8 p.m. at Kendall Hall, First Parish Church of Plymouth, Town Square, Plymouth. Tickets $15. For reservations call Hat Trick Theatre at 508-747-6856.
The Next Page Blues Cafe’, 550 Broad St., Weymouth, March 13, Satch Romano’s New Blue Revue Blues Jam with Groove Authority Blues Jam open mic9 p.m., for people 21+. No cover. 781-335-9796. nextpagecafe.com myspace.com/satchsnewbluesrevue

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This is a rush transcript from “America’s Election Headquarters,” March 13, 2008. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
BILL HEMMER, CO-ANCHOR: As you mentioned, Megyn, new developments now as the young woman at the center of the Spitzer sex scandal is made public. From New York to Washington, in the room 871, FOX’s Douglas Kennedy digs into new details on client number nine. Douglas.
DOUGLAS KENNEDY, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, her real name is Ashley, Bill, and she told her mom she had no idea who Eliot Spitzer was. But their names are now inexorably linked even though they come from vastly different backgrounds, grew up in separate generations and have different taste in music.
KENNEDY (voice over): She likes R & B music. He is said to like classical.
WENDY MURPHY, FORMER PROSECUTOR: She is from a terrible abusive family circumstances, literally ran away from home, ended up basically homeless in New York.
KENNEDY: She called herself Ashley Alexandra Dupre on her MySpace page, but was born Ashley Youmans(ph) in Bellmawr, New Jersey. And those are just some of the new details emerging today about the young woman Eliot Spitzer knew simply as Kristen; details which former prosecutor Wendy Murphy says call into question the assertion by many that prostitution is a victimless crime.

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Ashley Alexandra Dupree was identified as “Kristen”, New York Governor Eliot Spitzer’s hooker at the Emperor’s Club VIP.
Dupre, whose real name is Ashley Youmans, was paid almost $4000 by Spitzer in a Feb. 23 rendezvous at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.
The prostitution scandal caused Spitzer to resign yesterday, effective Mar. 17.
Dupre is an aspiring musician and has posted songs on her MySpace page. Since her identity has gone public, her song and MySpace page views have skyrocketed.
For more people news, please check out http://news.finditt.com/NewsList.aspx?cat=14&wcat=16

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By Ross von Metzke and Ann Turner
The mysterious call girl involved in the scandalous downfall of New York Governor Eliot Spitzer has finally been revealed. ‘Kristen’, as she is known in court documents about the Emperors Club VIP prostitution ring Spitzer was caught in, is actually a 22-year-old aspiring singer named Ashley Alexandra Dupre. Spitzer resigned on Wednesday after it was revealed he had arranged to meet the high-priced prostitute at a hotel in Washington.
The New York Times reports Ashley Alexandra Dupre (formerly Ashley Youmans) is the woman identified as ‘Kristen’ in court documents involving Spitzer’s communications with the Emperors Club VIP call girl service. Dupre appeared on Monday in U.S. Magistrate Court to testify against four people who have been charged in the prostitution ring case.
Dupre told the Times she has not slept much since the scandal became public and that she doesn’t “want to be thought of as a monster.” The attractive brunette’s MySpace page listed her as an aspiring singer and musician who moved to New York at 17 to pursue a career in music.
In her MySpace profile, Dupre writes, “Left and learned what it was like to have everything, and lose it, again and again… Learned what it was like to wake up one day and have the people you care about most gone. I have been alone. I have abused drugs. I have been broke and homeless. But I survived, on my own.”

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