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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2006 > March > 10 > Entry
Our loss is Hollywood’s— and singer’s — gain
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
While we were in West Hollywood on Saturday night, Buzz ran into old pal and former Atlanta singer-songwriter Phil Dutra. We’re glad we did. Regrettably for his fans here, all that smog, sunshine and collagen plumping on the Left Coast is agreeing with Dutra’s musical career.
In addition to gigging regularly at acoustic venues like Genghis Cohen and Highland Grounds, Dutra has a song, “She Walks Away,” that recently won a contest sponsored by TAXI, an independent global A&R company that pairs songwriters’ work with films and TV projects.
First prize was a studio session with veteran Beverly Hills, Calif., record producer Michael Lloyd, who helped produce the “Dirty Dancing” soundtrack and has produced discs for Frank Sinatra, Dionne Warwick and Kimberley Locke.
“Walking into his home and seeing walls and walls of platinum and gold records was a little intimidating at first,” Dutra concedes, laughing. “But Michael has a wonderful sense of humor, and he put me at ease immediately. We had a great time.”
The sessions produced a fresh version of “She Walks Away,” which serves as the lead track on the singer’s upcoming EP “Right Behind the Rain.” Luckily, Buzz left Lala Land with an advance copy of the disc. Atlanta fans who have followed Dutra’s career since the last millennium, when he was in the local acoustic duo the Singles, will be well pleased.
Dutra’s sunny, shimmering melodic brand of pop and witty wordplay remains intact, even surrounded by earthquakes and around-the-clock traffic jams that make one long for I-285 at 5 p.m.
Fans can download songs from “Rain” online at www.phildutra.com for a mere 99 cents each. The singer also has completed a video for the new album with Los Angeles filmmaker Ron Lyerly.
“We filmed a clip for ‘Right Behind the Rain,’ ” says Dutra. “But because we did it in between other projects, it took a year.”
Wasn’t continuity an issue?
“I live here now,” cracks Dutra. “I’m trying to take care of myself. I think I was only booze-swollen on two days of the shoot.”
Ted Turner’s free time
We spent Wednesday night roaming Atlantic Station in search of a scoop. At Rosa Mexicano we spotted Ted’s Montana Grill co-founder George McKerrow and his wife, Ginair. We somehow enticed the McKerrows to pop into the nearby Strip with us. Inside the throbbing industrial eatery/nightclub, McKerrow told Buzz that the folks at his company are thrilled with partner Ted Turner’s recent decision to step down from the Time Warner board. “It couldn’t be better for us,” he said. “Now, we get 100 percent of Ted’s time. You can expect some new visions and some new projects from Ted. He’s never gonna stop.”
We also checked out the lavish rollout party for Heineken Light taking place down the street in the Twelve hotel ballroom. The beer brand is on a multi-city tour to introduce the light version of the global brew. Inside, freebie bottles of Heineken Light were submerged in ice inside coffee tables with built-in ice buckets. Guests lounged as two go-go dancers in white boots gyrated inside cutouts of beer bottles onstage. Alas, the live DJ’s music was pumping at teeth-rattling decibels, and attempts at conversation led to bloodied vocal cords. When said DJ decided to assault the crowd with Eminem’s 2002 song “Lose Yourself” — and this being 2006 and all — we left.
A second helping of Tamar
After tickets instantly vaporized Wednesday for the March 15 Tabernacle concert featuring singer and Prince protégé Tamar with the diminutive guitarist as her sideman, Live Nation has added a second show. Tickets for a midnight March 16 second gig will go on sale today at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster and online at www.livenation.com. Tickets are $60.
Classic Chastain lines up
Classic Chastain announced its first round of performers on Wednesday. Artists booked at the amphitheater this summer include returning faves Los Lonely Boys (June 14), B.B. King (June 21), the Neville Brothers and Dr. John (June 21), the Doobie Brothers (June 24), the Gypsy Kings (July 1), the Beach Boys (July 26), India Arie (July 29), George Benson (Aug. 4), Bruce Hornsby (Aug. 9) Hootie and the Blowfish (Aug. 12) and John Prine (Aug. 18). Debuting in the series are Toni Braxton (June 23), Ian Anderson (July 22), Raul Midon (Aug. 4), Chris Botti (Aug. 11), Spyro Gyra and Fourplay (Aug. 23). One cool upcoming evening will see a reunion between Stockbridge rockers Collective Soul and the members of the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, who recently released the live DVD and CD set “Home: A Live Concert Recording” that the band and the ASYO recorded and filmed last year.
Movin’ on everywhere
Everybody has something to get over — an ex, a bad habit, general anxiety about life.
On Thursday, these troubles were parlayed into “Get Over It Day.”
Created by Emory University students, the special day was observed in cities across the country — Tampa to Dallas to Atlanta.
“I am actually getting over a lot of stuff,” said Setareh Mostoufi, a 21-year-old Emory student who helped organize the event. “I am a senior, and I was trying to get a job over in Rome where I studied abroad and it looks like it is not going to work out.”
Mostoufi said some of her friends were ripping up pictures of exes.
In Atlanta, Front Page News (located in Midtown and Little Five Points) was happily playing host for the event.
“Everyone has something to get over,” said Sheila Clardy, bar manager at Front Page News, gearing Thursday afternoon for angst-ridden partyers anxious to drown their sorrows.
Clardy said she needs to “get over” her parking ticket.
We at Buzz are still not sure if this was legit or just another gimmick to drink.
Celebrity docket
David Beckham and his wife, Victoria, have settled their libel case against a British tabloid that claimed the couple’s marriage was a sham.
The England soccer captain had been seeking libel damages against the News of the World newspaper over an article that carried the headline: “Posh and Becks on the Rocks.”
“The defamation proceedings brought by David and Victoria Beckham against the News of the World have been resolved on a confidential basis,” the couple’s spokeswoman, Jo Milloy, said in a statement Thursday.
Lawyers for Beckham and his wife — formerly known as Posh Spice of the Spice Girls — told a hearing last October that the couple would contest claims that they were maintaining a false image of a happy marriage to protect their financial interests.
Hugh Tomlinson, lawyer for the Beckhams, argued that his clients had been defamed by the Sunday tabloid newspaper and said there was no truth in the story.
Celebrity birthdays
Singer Dean Torrence of Jan and Dean is 66. Actor Chuck Norris is 66. Actress Sharon Stone is 48. Country singer Daryle Singletary is 35. Rapper-producer Timbaland is 34. Singer Carrie Underwood (“American Idol”) is 23.
Contributing: Helena Oliviero and news services. If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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