LIONEL RICHIE IN TORONTO FOR "TUSKEGEE"

Lionel Richie in Toronto - March 2012

Pop Legend Lionel Richie arrived in Toronto Monday to promote his latest Disc, Tuskegee, named after the Alabama City from which he hails.  The Disc, recorded in Nashville has Country leanings, updating Arrangements of some of his biggest self-penned Hits with re-sung with some of today's biggest names including Shania Twain (Endless Love), Jason Aldean (Say You, Say Me), Rascal Flatts (Dancing on the Ceiling), Jennifer Nettles (Hello), Tim McGraw (Sail On) and many more.

Richie promoted the new Disc across various mediums including Print, Radio and Television including a visit to CBC's George Stroumboulopoulous Tonight yesterday and CTV's The Marilyn Denis Show today, before performing at a secret Concert airing on CTV Two April 13, 2012 at 9:00 PM EST.  

Listen to Endless Love ft. Shania Twain in full below:

COUNTRY STRONG - MOVIE REVIEW

Still from Country Strong

In what might more aptly be named Country Weak, Shana Feste-written and directed Musical Drama Country Strong falls short of expectations. Misleadingly advertised as something resembling a heart-warming story of fictitious Country singer Kelly Canter's (Gwyneth Paltrow) return to triumph from a battle with Depression and Alcoholism, the finished product is about as empty as its defeated Heroine's soul. There is little to root for here in Kelly as her character is written so thinly and one-dimensional that Paltrow's best efforts to bring her to life prove futile.

Country Strong follows Kelly after she suffers a Miscarriage from a fall on-stage while performing drunk in Houston, at five months pregnant. Managed by Husband James (Tim McGraw), her marriage is on-the-rocks with her having an obvious affair with hired-hand and aspiring Musician Beau (Garrett Hedlund). All the while, James takes beautiful and talented Beauty Queen Chiles (Leighton Meester) under his wing, threatening Kelly's place as his lover and Country Music's Darling also. Beau and Chiles follow the troubled singer on her ill-fated Tour one year later, realizing their own attraction to one another, as Kelly hopes to make amends for her disgraced Houston performance, all the while trying to overcome her own demons.

REVIEWS COME IN FOR "COUNTRY STRONG"

Still from Country Strong

One of the Films I am most excited to see right now actually won’t be opening over the Holidays in these parts, but it opens today for the lucky people of Los Angeles and Nashville. Country Strong from Director/Screenwriter Shana Feste, stars Gwyneth Paltrow as an unlucky Country Singer with a few vices, on the comeback trail. Believe it or not, Feste has cited Britney Spears’ downward spiral a few years back as being the inspiration behind her Heroine, Kelly Canter (Paltrow).

Previewing its Soundtrack last night for the first time, I was rather impressed by Paltrow’s conviction on the four tracks in which she appears, like the rockin’ swagger of Shake That Thing and the Film’s title track. Garrett Hedlund from TRON: Legacy is convincingly Bluegrass with that lower Baritone register on his sole track Chances Are. Gossip Girl’s Leighton Meester does a credible job too on her one track Words I Couldn’t Say, although there is no doubting who the real star is in Paltrow. It appears co-star Tim McGraw might have lent her a pointer or two.

Reviews are starting to come in for the Musical Drama and although mixed unsurprisingly with the most telling sign being its snubbing at last week's Golden Globe nominations in the Acting and Best Motion Picture categories, Variety Magazine’s Justin Chang praised it still.  Chang in a review just published last night says it is a “rare ensemble piece in which all four principals are not only compellingly drawn but handled with an astute sense of dramatic balance.”

GWYNETH PALTROW CROONING A COUNTRY SONG

Honestly Gwyneth, just go on and record that album already.  You know you want to!

The Oscar-winning actress will be starring as an alcoholic Country Singer on-the-verge of a comeback with the help of Tim McGraw in Country Strong, due in theatres December 22, 2010.  Sony Screen Gems will be distributing the film and they seem to understand the power of a Pop Star at the Box Office, having released Beyoncé's classic Obsessed and Christina Aguilera/Cher's forthcoming Burlesque this fall.

Preview Country Strong which I'm sure will surface on its forthcoming Soundtrack also below (audio content owned by RCA Nashville):