Headliners set for Carnegie benefit
Singer Michael Feinstein, violinists Itzhak Perlman and Midori, and pianist Evgeny Kissin will perform at a Carnegie Hall benefit concert for Ukraine on May 23.
Soprano Angel Blue, mezzo-sopranos Denyce Graves and Isabel Leonard, jazz vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant, singers Jessica Vosk and Adrienne Warren, and mandolinist Chris Thile also will perform along with Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect and the Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York, the Hall announced Tuesday.
Proceeds will go to Direct Relief, a humanitarian aid organization that is working with Ukraine’s Ministry of Health and partners in the region to provide medical supplies to relief groups.
Kardashians win in Chyna suit:
A jury on Monday gave a sweeping win to the Kardashian family in former reality TV star Blac Chyna’s lawsuit against them. The Los Angeles jury found that none of the members defamed Chyna, nor did any interfere with her contract by convincing the E! network to cancel her reality show “Rob & Chyna.”
The four Kardashian defendants — Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Khloe Kardashian and Kylie Jenner — attended nearly the entire trial, but when the verdict was read all were in New York at the Met Gala.
Chyna was in court for the verdict. She had no visible reaction.
After about 10 hours of deliberations, the jurors decided on the long jury form that the Kardashians often acted in bad faith, finding that they were not justified in telling the executives and producers of “Rob & Chyna” that Chyna abused their son and brother Rob Kardashian. But they found that it had no substantial effect on Chyna’s contract or the fate of the show, and she was awarded no damages.
Executives from the E! network, which aired the show, testified that “Rob & Chyna” ended because the relationship ended, not because of the defendants’ actions.
Chyna’s attorney Lynne Ciani said that, based on her reading of the verdict, “We will appeal.”
Separate allegations in the lawsuit against Rob Kardashian were split into a separate trial that will likely begin in about a week.
Report says Naomi Judd died by suicide: Naomi
Judd, who was public about her struggles with acute anxiety and depression, died by suicide, sources told People magazine on Monday.
Her daughters Ashley and Wynonna Judd had obliquely alluded to that possibility when they announced her death at age 76 on Saturday. “We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness,” the sisters said in a statement.
The late singer’s representative had not commented, People reported, but the family had been tight-lipped after the emotional but brief announcement of her death.
“Naomi Judd’s family request privacy during this heartbreaking time,” read a follow-up statement from Larry Strickland, Naomi Judd’s husband of 32 years. “No additional information will be released at this time.”
May 4 birthdays: Bassist Ron Carter is 85. Actor Richard Jenkins is 75. Singer Stella Parton is 73. Singer Jackie Jackson is 71. Singer Oleta Adams is 69. Singer Randy Travis is 63. Comedian Ana Gasteyer is 55. Actor Will Arnett is 52. TV personality Erin Andrews is 44. Singer Lance Bass is 43. Singer RaeLynn is 28.