News & Views For Thursday, February 12

News …

Howard Stern says satellite radio is here to stay – Reuters

Muzak files for Chapter 11. All over the world people are now contemplating going back to the elevators for their elevator music fix – The New York Times / Associated Press

Huh? Mandy Moore and Ryan Adams? Engaged? – Associated Press

Catching up with Mitch Ryder – Toledo Blade

Views …

Cowboy Junkies in Birmingham, Alabama – “Like being at an intimate house concert, or attending the taping of an avant-garde music special for PBS.” – Birmingham News

3 Doors Down in Midland, Texas – ” … didn’t disappoint. The band played for almost 90 minutes and laid down impressive live versions of their numerous hits, including ‘It’s Not My Time,’ ‘Here Without You,’ ‘Let Me Go,’ ‘Citizen/Soldier’ and their best known song, ‘Kryptonite,’ which they saved for their encore.” – Midland Reporter-Telegram / MyWestTexas.com

“Three Girls And Their Buddy Tour” – Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin and Buddy Miller in Torrington, Connecticut – “Each performer represents a slightly different niche of roots music, and together they compiled a compelling survey of the breadth and depth of what’s usually lumped together under the catch-all term ‘Americana.'” – The Hartford Courant

The Fray in London – “A familiar combination of rolling piano chords and guitar arpeggios coalesced around Slade’s keening vocal part, as lyrics tumbled out in spectacularly garbled profusion.” – The Times Online U.K.

Kathleen Edwards in Ontario – “With a variety of slower-paced, passionate numbers mixed with faster-tempo tap-your-foot-along tunes, Edwards captivated her crowd from beginning to end.” – The Cord Weekly

They Say It’s Their Birthday … (Or so says Associated Press)

Ray Manzarek (The Doors) is 70
Moe Bandy is 65
Steve Hackett is 59
Michael McDonald is 57

Chynna Phillips (Wilson Phillips) is 41
Jim Creeggan (Barenaked Ladies) is 39
Keri Lewis is 38