Link-O-Rama …

It’s a different kind of music scene in China – The Guardian U.K.

Is Brooklyn the new Seattle? The New York Times (registration may be required)

The B-52’s talk about … everything! – The Times Online U.K.

Chris Rea explains why the music industry is “completely screwed.” – Manchester Evening News

Britney Spears to guest on CBS sitcom “How I Met Your Mother” – Los Angeles Times (registration may be required)

One man’s plea for the R&R Hall of Fame to induct Todd Rundgren – Herald & Review.com

Dates, Dates & More Dates …

Man, oh, man do we have new dates for Loretta Lynn! More than we can count without pulling out the old Burroughs machine and checking the tape (kids, ask your grandparents about that one). The new listings are for April through October and include appearances in Davenport, IA; Lake Delton, WI; Austin, TX; Elizabeth, IN; Morristown, IA; Front Royal, VA; Owensboro, KY and Renfro Valley, KY.

There’s nuttin’ like seeing The Beach Boys in the summertime and we have new dates for July showing stops in Harris, MI; Beloit, WI, Highland Park, IL; and Tucson, AZ. The Beach Boys also play Dalllas, TX and Ivans, UT in May and Durango, CO in June.

David Dondero updates today with new April and May gigs. Cities include Cleveland, Minneapolis, Flagstaff, Phoenix, Austin, Long Beach and San Diego.

And the mighty Tiger Army plans its musical maneuvers in May with new shows slotted for Philadelphia, Baltimore, Troy (New York), Detroit, Buffalo, Chicago, Milwaukee, Sauget (Illinois), Colorado Springs, Englewood (CO) and Salt Lake City. Tiger Army also plays Canada during the end of April and beginning of May. Those cities include Vancouver, Calgary, Saskatoon and Montreal.

During the last couple of hours we also updated the schedules for BoDeans, Crystal Castles, Dark Hollow, Dave Barnes, Chuck Prophet, Jimmy Buffett, John Butler Trio, Kathy Mattea, Rockapella, Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin, Time Again, Trout Fishing In America and Yo Majesty.

And that’s the story at the midway point. Tuesday 0.5, so to speak. More shows and more tour data coming up in Your Latest Update, scheduled for around 3 pm (PDT), from Pollstar.com!

This Day In Music History … (from Associated Press)

In 1963, The Rolling Stones entered the IBC Studios in London for their first recording session. They recorded cover versions of songs by their rhythm-and-blues heroes – Bo Diddley, Willie Dixon and Jimmy Reed. The recordings were never released.

In 1968, Otis Redding was awarded a gold single for “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay,” three months after his death.

In 1974, Albert Grossman, Janis Joplin’s manager, was awarded $112,000 on her life insurance policy. The insurance company had argued that Joplin’s drug overdose death in 1970 was a suicide, not an accident.

Also on this date in 1986, Jay and the Americans’ lead singer Jay Black filed for bankruptcy. He claimed assets of only 750-dollars against 900-thousand dollars in debts, 700-thousand dollars of which was back taxes.

In 1993, a promoter announced that Paul McCartney was canceling the remaining news conferences on his Australian tour because he was tired of answering questions about whether the surviving Beatles would reunite.

In 1994, Mary Wilson was the only original member on hand as the Supremes received their star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. Diana Ross, who split with the Supremes in 1970, was in Europe. The third original Supreme, Florence Ballard, died in 1976.

In 1997, Paul McCartney was knighted by the Queen in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace. Hundreds of fans, some wearing T-shirts that read “Arise Sir Paul,” cheered his arrival and stayed outside the palace until he emerged.