Karl DOLLY PARTON, the country singer, songwriter, entertainer, philanthropist, and entrepreneur known for her outsize persona and prodigious vision and talent that placed her in a class by herself, has died at 80, after a “brief” battle with cancer. In addition to her obituary, the NYT has pieces on the flood of reactions and tributes, her essential songs (also a Spotify playlist), and her songwriting career. If you lack NYT access, there are obituaries at Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, which also has essential songs and tributes, while the obituary at Stereogum has embedded most of her biggest hits, though not the heartbreaking “Down from Dover.” Plus, ABC surveys her decades of philanthropy, while E! News focuses on her Imagination Library program, the achievement for which Dolly most wanted to be remembered. We shall not see her likes again.
Dolly Parton brought bluegrass to World Cafe in 2001.
2nd Grade shares “Anywhere Girls” ahead of Girls and Boys, which will have 10 tracks about each.
Classic Traffic, a power-pop trio from NJ, shares “My Rage.”
Queens of the Stone Age shares “Insignificant Other.”
Sylvan Esso shares “On & On.”
Angela Autumn shares “I Don’t Think About You At All,” which does not mention Don Draper.
Peter Hook, on how New Order’s “Blue Monday” became an accidental masterpiece.
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The Paramount-WB merger: Why is a settlement with the state AGs so difficult?
Spider-Man: Brand New Day passes Avengers: Endgame and hits No. 2 all-time domestically.
Ridley Scott disputes Quentin Tarantino’s praise, which seems in character.
Brothers, starring Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey, has a trailer online.
Ali G; Who Iz I? has a trailer online.
I Love Lucy will become the first recipient of the Television Academy’s Legacy Award.
Woody Allen’s new Madrid-set film is being backed by millions in public funding explicitly tied to showcasing the city on screen. Which should not surprise anyone aware of Allen’s “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” “To Rome With Love,” though not “Midnight in Paris.”
Stability AI, the AI startup backed by James Cameron and Sean Parker, has raised 76MM in a new round of funding from investors, including the top three record labels.
The Flintstones are getting another live-action reboot from producer Ryan Gosling.
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Cats have preferences.
A Brave Pup disrupts a potential tornado.
Monkeying Around.
