In an unexpected pairing, Elton John and Leon Russell are recording an album together in Los Angeles with producer T-Bone Burnett. Both artists have written songs for the project, which has no title or release date as of yet.Billboard.com has learned that Neil Young, Booker T. Jones, Marc Ribot and Jim Keltner are among the guests who have contributed to the album. According to a post on the Web site of longtime Elton collaborator Bernie Taupin, 15 songs have already been put to tape, "from Stones-like rockers, country-tinged ballads, gospel and even a Sinatra-like weepy similar to something torn from the grooves of 'In the Wee Small Hours.'" |
As T-Pain wraps up work on a new Nappy Boy All Stars mix tape and his latest album, "RevolveR," fans can anticipate the release of an entirely different kind of project from the Auto-tuned rapper/producer. "Freaknik: The Musical" is an hour long cartoon special that will air Sunday (Mar. 7) on Adult Swim, Cartoon Network's late night block that features programming geared towards the network's more mature audience.The show will center on the revival of a wild and frequently riotous music festival that took place in Atlanta, Georgia from the early 1980s to the late 1990s. Most interestingly, the show's creator and co-producer says the special cashes in on some serious favors to include an all-star voiceover cast featuring Rick Ross, Young Cash, Snoop Dogg, Sophia Fresh, Lil Wayne and Charlie Murphy, among a long list of others. As if the premise couldn't get any more bizarre, the show will also star T-Pain in a laughably Dickensian role as the Ghost of Freaknik past. |