USA Today Music — Last year, the Queen of Soul opened Game 3 of the American League Championship Series. more info

ContactMusic — Soul star Aretha Franklin is investigating claims she is related to actress Halle Berry.The Respect hitmaker has revealed a family member told her... more info

ContactMusic — Ray director Taylor Hackford has signed on to turn soul legend Aretha Franklin's life story into a big screen biopic.The R.E.S.P.E.C.T. singer has... more info

Dlisted — Here's the #1 reason for why Steve Nicks should've been an American Idol judge this season. Stevie Nicks was once a mentor on that shit show, so The Daily (via Gawker) asked her what she thinks about the bitch brawl between Mimi and Nicki M... more info

Guardian Music — DaddyPig gives us his choices from last week's threadThis week's playlist has been selected by Tim Sanders, who goes by the username DaddyPig.Telephones both connect and frustrate; disembodying us even as we whisper into each others' ears. Earth's or... more info

Guardian Music — Singer plans to launch 'high-resolution' downloads service, saying he wants 'to save the sound of music' with Pono projectIf Neil Young has his way, the future will be Pono. The 66-year-old singer is planning to take on Apple's iTunes Music Store, la... more info

Soul Sides — This Sidebar is a long time in coming; I originally wanted to talk to Daphne last year, when I noticed, holy cow, she wrote the liner notes to two of my favorite box sets of the year: Tammi Terrell’s solo collection, Come On and See Me and Take ... more info

Guardian Music — The Guardian reader commonly known as llamalpaca gives us his choices from last week's threadThis week's playlist has been selected by llamalpaca.Biblical, spiritual, mysterious and sometimes downright unbelievable: miracles have been two a penny thi... more info

Perez Hilton — We cannot begin to tell you how jealous we are of the late Marvin Hamlisch! The Broadway legend, who passed away last month, was honored Tuesday in the best way anyone has ever been honored in the history of honoring… with performances by Barbra S... more info

ContactMusic — Liza Minnelli paid tribute to the life and work of her friend Marvin Hamlisch at a star-studded tribute to the late composer on Tuesday (18Sep12).The... more info