NBC Television reportedly has ordered a second season of The Sing-Off, which featured top a cappella groups in competition, judged by Ben Folds and others. No official deal has been sealed yet to return Ben to the judges’ box, but I’ll bet he’s definitely interested.
News
Folds to keynote Nashville recording expo
Ben has been engaged to deliver the keynote address at the 2010 Nashville Recording Workshop + Expo, an important recording and music industry conference in his adopted hometown. The event, to be held March 5 and 6 at Belmont University, is co-sponsored by the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business and the Audio Engineering Society, Nashville Section. The conference will feature sessions on instrument miking, arrangement and recording, producing demos, acoustics, and roundtable discussions, as well as equipment manufacturer and industry exhibits.
Folds music in Apple iPad video
Apple Computer, which today confirmed its long-suspected intentions of making a tablet device, now known as the iPad, is using Ben’s cover of the Cure’s Inbetween Days in the promotional video for the new product. Ben is a faithful Mac user himself. His music has been used previously in Apple promotions, and he has made his celebrity playlists and exclusive tracks and interviews available on Apple’s iTunes music service.
Haiti aid album
Paste Magazine has organized a collection of downloadable songs available for donations to Haiti Relief. The effort is called Songs for Haiti. Included in the collection is Bitch Went Nutz, along with tracks from over 200 artists.
The Sing-Off Finale
Ben will perform on the live finale of NBC’s “The Sing-Off” Monday night (December 21, 2009), in which one a cappella group chosen by viewers will win $100,000 and a recording contract. Besides Ben, the show will feature performances by Natasha Bedingfield, Smokey Robinson and vocalese master Bobby McFerrin, and fellow judge Shawn Stockman will rejoin his Boyz II Men bandmates for a reunion performance.
