Daily Digest: Kidd Kraddick, Amanda Berry, Katy Perry, Madonna
In the latest music news, DJ Kidd Kraddick passes away; Amanda Berry shows up at Cleveland festival; Katy Perry tops Gaga on Twitter; Madonna turns 30
RIP Kidd Kraddick
One of the popular voices in morning drivetime syndicated radio and a mainstay on the syndicated nightly “entertainment/celeb news” program Dish Nation, radio host Kidd Kraddick, 53, died Saturday in New Orleans at a charity golf tournament. The word was confirmed on his official Facebook page.
Kraddick, whose real name was David Cradick, died at a tournament designated for his “Kidd’s Kids” charity. No cause of death has been released, but many are speculating that Kraddick died of an apparent brain aneurysm. Many fans, friends and faithful radio listeners flooded the Net with their tributes, including radio personality and American Idol host Ryan Seacrest. “So sad hearing about my radio brother Kid Kraddick, ” Seacrest tweeted. “One of a kind and one of the best at what he did every morning. U will be missed Kidd.” Idol’s very first winner, Kelly Clarkson, also paid tribute to Kraddick on Twitter. “Oh man, I just heard Kidd Kraddick died!” she wrote. “He’s my childhood dj. What a sad day. His poor family. He was always nice 2 me from the beginning.”
Kidd Kraddick in the Morning is heard on more than seventy-five Top 40 and Hot Adult Contemporary radio stations, as well as the American Forces Radio Network.
Amanda Berry Rocks the Stage with Nelly
One of the three women abducted in a house in Cleveland for ten years made her first public appearance since her rescue – a day after her kidnapper Ariel Castro plead guilty. Amanda Berry made a surprising appearance on stage Saturday night with rapper Nelly at the RoverFest. Wearing sunglasses and dressed in jeans and a black tee shirt, Berry smiled broadly while acknowledging the applause, although she didn’t address the crowd.
Concertgoer Kayleigh Fladung told The Plain Dealer: “She didn’t say anything, but she was smiling and happy.”
“She waved to the crowd, everyone went crazy cheering, and she went backstage, “Fladung added. “Nelly did his set, four or five songs, and then he brought her out again and everyone cheered.”
She was asked on a radio show by the concert promoter to attend the festival, but had not received word from her that she might attend. Bodyguards working for the festival noticed that she had showed up on the site and word quickly got around to the concert organizers.
Katy Perry Most Followed Female Artist on Twitter
Remember when Justin Bieber exceeded Lady Gaga in Twitter followers last year? Well, now Gaga has been surpassed by a female. That person is Katy Perry. Perry now has 39.8 million followers. Gaga currently sits in third place, with 39.2 million followers. Bieber still sits on top of the ladder with 42.2 million followers.
Things might change later this year when Gaga unveils her forthcoming album, ARTPOP, in November. We just have to wait and see. That’s if you really care for this sort of stuff.
Madonna’s Debut Album Turns 30
This past Saturday, Madonna‘s debut album celebrated a milestone. The 30th anniversary of the pop star’s debut album, Madonna, was highly celebrated across the Web and on various reissue formats like The Second Disc. Since its release, the album has sold over 5 million copies in the US alone, sold ten million worldwide and scored three Top 40 hits (“Holiday,” “Borderline,” “Lucky Star”).
A moving piece in The Atlantic on the album dealt with Reggie Lucas, prominent producer of her first record, and why exactly Madonna and historians have failed to give him his full due in helping launch Madonna’s musical career. That piece can be read in its entirety by clicking here.
The album was released on July 27, 1983 in the US and was later released in the UK in 1985 as Madonna: The First Album, after she gained worldwide acclaim with her breakthrough hit, “Like a Virgin.”
HiFi Magazine celebrated the album by posting album reviews of her first album and her most recent (MDNA).
DAILY DIGEST is a roundup recap of current events and headlines that involves the music industry. Although HiFi Magazine reports news throughout the week, the stories compiled for the Daily Digest column are usually deemed as events “bubbling under the radar.”
