Names and faces
■ Elton John and the Foo Fighters announced cancellations Monday for upcoming performances, joining other artists such as The Who, Blake Shelton and Dan + Shay. The moves are the latest cancellations and postponements in the entertainment industry as the world reacts to the new coronavirus spreading globally. Elton John said Monday that part of his current North American tour — the March 26 through May 2 shows of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour — will be rescheduled. Tour performances for May 22 through July 8 remain as scheduled. Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl says he didn’t cancel shows when he broke his leg —and performed from a wheelchair onstage — but he must postpone his band’s tour because of the coronavirus. On Monday, the rocker wrote on Twitter that “playing a gig with a sock full of broken bones is one thing, but playing a show when YOUR health and safety is in jeopardy is another.” The band has postponed April dates of its Van Tour 2020, and says “information on the May dates will be forthcoming.” The entertainment industry is broadly reacting to the spread of the coronavirus, which most people recover from but can cause severe illness in the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions. Last week, late night TV shows went on hiatus, museums closed and Broadway went dark, and the iHeartRadio Music Awards announced Monday that its March 29 show set to take place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles will be rescheduled. Refunds are being issued to ticketed guests. The delay comes a day after the Academy of Country Music Awards, originally scheduled for April 5 in Las Vegas, was postponed, with plans to reschedule in September.
■ Authors James Patterson and Kwame Alexander are teaming up on a book for young people about Muhammad Ali. Becoming Muhammad Ali is being called a “biographical novel” by the rival imprints JIMMY Patterson Books and HMH Books for Young Readers, which announced Monday that they will jointly publish the book, scheduled to come out in October. The book is authorized by the late boxer’s estate and by his widow, Lonnie Ali, who said in a statement, “Muhammad would be proud to know that this story will be a source of inspiration for kids everywhere.” Patterson and Alexander will use poetry and prose to tell of Ali’s childhood in Louisville, Ky., when he was named Cassius Clay. “I’m thrilled to be partnering with Kwame in honoring the life of a legend,” Patterson said in a statement. “Few people know Muhammad Ali as Cassius Clay, and his journey to becoming Ali is truly inspiring. It’ll show young kids the importance of perseverance in pursuing their dreams and most importantly, to never give up.”