Free Republic

Prince will share his feelings on the unrest in Baltimore in the way he knows best -- in song. The legendary artist has recorded a “tribute to all of the people of the city of Baltimore,” a spokesperson tells Billboard. Though release plans haven’t been announced, it's understood the track will address Freddie Gray's death in Baltimore police custody, and the socio/political issues around the nation following a spate of killings of young black men.

Stevie Wonder spouted off about gun control in the middle of his concert in New York Monday night. “As much as we have made some incredible strides, we have also really gone to this crazy place, like them against us and us against them,” Wonder said. “We really need to do that thing called fixing the planet, by fixing each other, fixing ourselves. That includes everyone, me and us, in the spirit of love.” “What we have to do, whether you’re NRA or whatever, is find a place of everyone being accountable for every gun we have here.”

At the White House today, Press Secretary Josh Earnest defended Saturday night’s “private” concert with Prince. Although rumors had surfaced about the concert, the White House was silent about the event that brought up to 500 people to the event and did not inform the press about it. News of the event quickly leaked on social media – including posts from Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and Rev. Al Sharpton. Earnest indicated that the Obama family paid for the event at the White House, telling reporters that the first couple “did it on their own dime.” When repeatedly questioned about

In subsequent questioning, Earnest said that "the president and first lady paid for the event," although he did not detail the exact cost. The concert audience included prominent business leaders, celebrities, senior administration officials and fashion heavyweights close to the Obamas, according to The New York Post's Page Six. Among them were American Express chairman Ken Chenault, D.C. philanthropist David Rubenstein, fashion designer Naeem Khan and ABC stars Connie Britton and Tracee Ellis Ross. The Wall Street Journal's Carol Lee, who will assume the presidency of the White House Correspondents Association next month, questioned why the administration decided to treat...

Administration officials are remaining tight-lipped on a private party featuring Prince and Stevie Wonder at the White House over the weekend. During Monday's daily briefing, reporters drilled White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest for details on the star-studded event, which was not included in the President's public schedule, but was documented by guests on social media. "The President and First Lady did hold a private party at the White House over the weekend, but given the private nature of that event I don't have a lot of details to discuss from here," Earnest said.

Tributes to two of the most famous American entertainers of the 20th century serve as a reminder of how fame flees. The entertainers are Bing Crosby and Bob Hope; the reminders are the documentary “American Masters: Bing Crosby Rediscovered,” which had its premiere last week (and will run again on Dec. 26 ) on PBS, and “Hope: Entertainer of the Century,” a new biography by Richard Zoglin. Neither Crosby nor Hope have much cachet with contemporary consumers of art and culture, but the accounts of their careers make convincing cases that their contributions still influence their respective fields, even if...

Stevie Wonder is lending a hand to endangered Democratic U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu. The legendary musician is performing at a $1,000-per-person fundraiser Dec. 1 in New Orleans to drum up campaign cash for the Big Easy Committee, a joint committee that supports Landrieu and the Democratic State Central Committee of Louisiana. …

At age 64, Stevie Wonder is expecting triplets reports The New York Post. They will be the ninth, 10th and 11th children for the R&B icon, by five different women. He’s been married twice, but the mother this time is his latest girlfriend, Tomeeka Robyn Bracy, 40, who also gave birth to a child by Wonder last year.

Some of the artists reportedly joining Stevie Wonder in a boycott of Florida over the state's “stand your ground” law say they are not participating or were unaware of the protest, according to multiple media reports. . . A source with knowledge of the situation told the magazine that Rihanna was not joining the reported boycott, and a spokesperson for the Rolling Stones said "nobody's heard anything about this." And organizers of an Aug. 16 concert in Miami say that Jay Z and Justin Timberlake both still plan to perform

African Americans benefit from Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” self-defense law at a rate far out of proportion to their presence in the state’s population, despite an assertion by Attorney General Eric Holder that repealing “Stand Your Ground” would help African Americans. Black Floridians have made about a third of the state’s total “Stand Your Ground” claims in homicide cases, a rate nearly double the black percentage of Florida’s population. The majority of those claims have been successful, a success rate that exceeds that for Florida whites. Nonetheless, prominent African Americans including Holder and “Ebony and Ivory” singer Stevie Wonder, who...

Florida fans of Stevie Wonder who want to see the legend sing are going to have to go on a road trip for the near future. During a performance in Quebec City, Canada, on Sunday, the Grammy-winning performer spoke out about the recent acquittal of George Zimmerman and announced he would boycott the state. "I decided today that until the 'Stand Your Ground' law is abolished in Florida, I will never perform there again," he told the audience. "As a matter of fact, wherever I find that law exists, I will not perform in that state or in that part...

In the wake of the George Zimmerman acquittal, the singer said he would not be performing in the Sunshine State until its Stand Your Ground law is "abolished." He also said he would not be performing in any other state that recognizes the law, which some say contributed to Zimmerman's acquittal in the shooting death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin on Feb. 26, 2012.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Stevie Wonder is calling off a concert for a group that raises money for the Israeli military. Wonder had been scheduled to perform next week for Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, which raises money for Israeli soldiers and their families.

Four and a half years ago at a primary campaign rally for Barack Obama, Stevie Wonder made headlines when he sang this major scale with Michelle Obama for a packed house at UCLA [Snip] Today, the "Superstition" singer performed at an Obama get-out-the-vote rally on another college campus, but the atmosphere was slightly less electric. From the Cleveland Plain Dealer: [Snip] And not all of the less-than-200 were there because of Barack Obama. As one attendee told the Plain Dealer, "How do you pass up a chance to see Stevie Wonder?" What a difference a failed administration makes.

DNC delegate and partisan Democrat lawyer Gloria Allred attended the “30 Days to Victory” Obama fundraiser at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on October 7th…featuring George Clooney and musical acts Katy Perry, Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Hudson, Bon Jovi and Earth, Wind & Fire. After the fundraiser, Allred admitted to O’Reilly Factor correspondent Jesse Watters that she “just had a few words with the President” backstage, “he had some very kind words for me,” and “knows of my work…” but would not elaborate more on the details of her conversation. Now, two weeks later Allred is spearheading an “October surprise”...

In a recent interview with The Guardian, Motown legend Stevie Wonder spoke about a variety of subjects, and had the chance to reflect on the many artists that he has influenced over the years. When the topic of current king of R&B Frank Ocean was brought up, Wonder made a colorful array of comments. Wonder was quick to praise Frank as an artist; the 62-year-old singer-songwriter even sang the hook to “No Church In The Wild” for Ocean when he ran into him backstage at an event. However, later in the interview, when he was asked if he’d be surprised...

Veteran singer Stevie Wonder has filed for divorce from his second wife, fashion designer Kai Millard Morris, according to court papers filed in Los Angeles on Friday. Wonder, 62, real name Stevland Morris, cited irreconcilable differences and listed the couple's date of separation as October 2009. …

(CBS News) At a White House event today with Stevie Wonder, President Obama said the music legend’s tunes help him “sweet-talk Michelle” — and generally get his heart rate up. “I happened to be listening to him this morning when I woke up,” Mr. Obama said. Wonder joined Mr. Obama as the president signed legislation expanding access to phone and Internet for disabled Americans.

Barack Obama says that he sweet-talks First Lady Michelle to Stevie Wonder’s music. Well, any American who previously had doubts about Obama’s priorities being in the right place during this worsening recession can sure rest easy now, can’t they!? At a Friday event in the White House, the president confessed that the music legend’s soulful tunes and crooning singing style helped him in the romance department when it came to sweet-talking the First Lady. Awwww, Mr. President, you dawg, you! Just when I had thought that Obama was aloof to average Americans’ economic hardships, their frustration at his deafness to...

Stevie Wonder said he hopes the music that brought the Obamas together helps them bring another baby into the White House. "There would be nothing wrong to have an Obama born in the White House," Wonder said Thursday night at a benefit concert for the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. The performer addressed the leopard-print skirt suit-wearing first lady, who was standing with her mother and dancing to the show. Wonder recalled their meeting last year when he felt the urge to sing a song to Michelle but didn't, saying, "I didn't want to make him [President Obama] jealous....