On NBC on 29th November...

 

CHRISTINA AGUILERA, STING, BETTE MIDLER, AND LIONEL RICHIE PERFORM ON

NBC'S 'CHRISTMAS IN ROCKEFELLER CENTER,' NOVEMBER 29 (8-9 P.M. ET/PT)

 

CHRISTINA AGUILERA, STING, BETTE MIDLER, LIONEL RICHIE, SARAH

McLACHLAN, ENYA, JOHN LEGEND, MARTINA MCBRIDE, AND TAYLOR HICKS LIGHT UP THE

NIGHT FOR NBC'S 9TH ANNUAL 'CHRISTMAS IN ROCKEFELLER CENTER,' NOVEMBER 29

(8-9 P.M. ET/PT)

Al Roker ("Today") and Ann Curry ("Today") to Co-Host Holiday Special

 

NEW YORK October 30, 2006 NBC lights up the night on Wednesday, Nov. 29

(8-9 p.m. ET/PT) with an incredible array of musical performances and

the lighting of the world's most famous Christmas tree during the 9th

annual "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" telecast. Hosted by Al Roker and

Ann Curry ("Today"), the star-studded 74th annual tree lighting

extravaganza will feature Christina Aguilera, Sting, Bette Midler, Lionel

Richie, Bette Midler, Sarah McLachlan, Enya, John Legend, Martina McBride,

and Taylor Hicks performing current hits and holiday favorites from

Rockefeller Center in New York City.

 

Broadcast again in high definition, the special will include the

artists' powerful performances from beautifully decorated stages located on

either side of the majestic tree. As previously announced, NBC Universal

and Target stores are partnering for the fourth consecutive year to

bring fans the "Sounds of the Season" CD collection, featuring superstar

artists singing classic, holiday-themed tracks. Hitmakers John Legend,

Lionel Richie, Enya and Martina McBride, among others, contributed to

the CD collection. The collection is made up of five CD's including "The

John Legend Collection," "The Lionel Richie Collection," "The Enya

Collection" and "Classic Holiday Songbook," which features remixed

instrumentals on timeless classics, as well as new performances by contemporary

artists like Martina McBride. In addition, "Navidad Con Telemundo"

showcases the vocals of some of the network's beloved actors like Itat

Cantoral and Miguel Varoni singing such holiday favorites as "Feliz

Navidad."

 

The tradition of the Rockefeller Christmas tree dates back to the Great

Depression era. First erected in 1933, the tree was decked with 700

lights and placed in front of the then eight-month-old RCA Building, now

the GE Building. The Christmas tree gathering was enhanced in 1936 with

the opening of the Rockefeller Plaza outdoor ice-skating pond. NBC-TV

televised the first tree lighting in 1951 on "The Kate Smith Show" and

as part of the nationwide "Howdy Doody" television show from 1953-55.

 

Prior to the network special, WNBC NBC's New York flagship station,

affiliates WVIT, WCMH, KNBC will broadcast an additional live hour of the

special (7-8 p.m. ET). "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" is produced by

NBC Universal Television Studio Bob Holmes is the executive producer.

 

Aguilera, one of the most accomplished performers of the last decade,

has sold over 25 million albums worldwide and cultivated a fan base that

crosses generational, racial and gender lines. She most recently

released her latest Album "Back To Basics" (RCA Records). Earning her first

of three Grammy Awards in 2000 for Best New Artist, her subsequent

trophies came in 2001 for "Lady Marmalade" (Best Pop Collaboration with

Vocals) and in 2003 for "Beautiful" (Best Female Pop Vocal Performance).

Among countless other honors, she is also the recipient of a 2001 Latin

Grammy Award for "Mi Reflejo" (Best Female Pop Vocal Album), a 2000

Billboard Music Award for Female Vocalist.

 

Sting has evolved into one of the world's most distinctive and highly

respected performers, collecting as a solo artist, 11 Grammy's, 2 Brits,

a Golden Globe, an Emmy, three Oscar nominations, Billboard Magazine's

Century Award, and MusiCares 2004 Person of the Year. In 2003, he

published his memoirs, Broken Music, which went on to spend several months

on the New York Times Bestsellers List. Sting's latest CD, "Songs From

the Labyrinth" a personal tribute to Elizabethan composer John Dowland -

lands at the top of the classical charts both domestically and

overseas. Called "vivid" and "romantic" by The Wall Street Journal, the disc

was released by Deutsche Grammophon and debuted at No.1 on Billboard's

Traditional Classical Chart and Classical Overall Chart, while also

cracking the Top 200 Album Chart at No.37. Resonating with audiences and

critics as an inspired and exceptional effort, the record also debuted at

No.1 on the classical charts in England, France, Canada and Germany and

boasts the masterful playing of renowned lutenist Edin Karamazov.

 

Midler one of the world's best-loved and most versatile entertainers

has garnered accolades in all quarters of show business. She's earned

four Grammy Awards including Song of the Year (1989: "Wind Beneath My

Wings"; 1990: "From A Distance") and Record of the Year (1989: "Wind

Beneath My Wings"); two Academy Award nominations, three Emmy Awards, one

Tony Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and nine American Comedy Awards.

Columbia Records released "Cool Yule" Bette Midler's first-ever

collection of seasonal songs, Midler's first new album since 2005's Top

10-charting "Bette Midler Sings The Peggy Lee Songbook," draws its name and

upbeat spirit from the 1950s hipster holiday song, penned by Steve Allen,

revamped by Midler for her holiday collection.

 

Artist of the Year, Richie's latest release "Coming Home" yielded the

No.1 hit "I Call It Love" and is the ultimate statement from a pop icon

who has sold more than 100 million records worldwide in his career, and

has the honor of owning an Oscar, Golden Globe Award (both for "Say

You, Say Me," from "White Knights") and a total of five Grammy's

(collectively for "Truly," "Can't Slow Down," and "We Are The World"). Richie

had a string of 15 consecutive top 10 R&B hits between 1981 and 1992

(five of which hit No.1) 13 of which were consecutive top 10 pop hits (also

including five No. 1's) stands as one of the most enviable achievements

in chart history. His countless awards, also including American Music

Awards, NAACP Image Awards, People's Choice Awards, ASCAP Awards, the

World Music Lifetime Achievement Award, and more, were capped when he

received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in 2003. Lionel Richie is an

artist for the ages.

 

McLachlan, an eight-time Juno Award winner (Canada) and a three-time

Grammy Award winner; with over 26 million records worldwide since her

recording career began in 1988 with her debut album "Touch." Has created a

true holiday classic with "Wintersong," the first ever holiday album of

her multi-platinum career on sale now.

 

Enya, with more than 70 million album sale to date, is one of the

top-selling female vocalists of all time. Enya is set to release a holiday

special edition of her best-selling album, Amarantine mid November. She

is an Oscar and Golden Globe nominee, as well as a three-time Grammy

award winner.

 

Legend is a premier singer-songwriter-pianist-performer whose 2004

debut album, "Get Lifted," earned an astounding eight Grammy nominations.

He won Best New Artist, Best Male R&B Vocal Performance ("Ordinary

People") and Best R&B album. The album sold more than three million copies

worldwide. His follow-up album, "Once Again," was released this fall.

 

McBride, the multi-Platinum country star has solo produced an album

dedicated to some of the most prolific country classics tune's of our

time. She has won the CMA's Female Vocalist of the Year award four times.

 

Hicks, the 30-year-old Birmingham, Ala. native captured the hearts and

minds of more than 63.4 million people who voted him this year's

American Idol, is recording his debut album for Arista Records. His first

single, "Do I Make You Proud" debuted at No.1 on Billboard's Hot 100, the

Single Sales chart and the Pop 100, with more than $190,000 sold its

first week of release. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of every

CD, digital download, ringtone and ringback benefits the American Red

Cross.

Taken from Unity.

 

Hope all the American fans will be able to watch! :yahoo:

Big lineup. So cool that Enya will be there! :cheer:

I hope someone puts it on YouTube for us. :angry: And it's a great lineup, it'd be cool if it was shown here. :(

great line up indeed plus i also hop eu tube get it for us

**UPDATE**

 

From Enya.com

 

15th November: World Music Awards on MTV.

16th November: GMTV and Loose Women on ITV1.

Hooray! :dance: And EEK! What kind of a show is "Loose Women"? :blink:

Hooray! :dance: And EEK! What kind of a show is "Loose Women"? :blink:

:lol: Loose Women is four women who discuss women type issues and have regular guests - male and female. It's not bad for a stereotypical women's program tbh! :lol:

At least I'll get to see a few of the performances. :)

Enya will also be doing a signing session on 27/11/06 at the NBC Store Experience 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York and will be performing at the NBC Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony which will be broadcast on the 29th November.

 

saldy i wont get to see any of them :(

saldy i wont get to see any of them :(

Don't you get ITV1? :( It's called UTV in Northern Ireland and Ireland get that I thought? TV3 would show Loose Women as well wouldn't they? :unsure: As they used to be partly owned by ITV.

Seems Enya will indeed be performing on GMTV and Loose Women, just seen in my TV guide for next week and it states she will be singing live. ^_^ I wouldn't be too surprised if she mimes though.

Seems Enya will indeed be performing on GMTV and Loose Women, just seen in my TV guide for next week and it states she will be singing live. ^_^ I wouldn't be too surprised if she mimes though.

Oh I hope she really sings live! I would love to hear that. :wub: But you're right, it is probably more likely to be lip synching. But it will be a pleasure to watch, anyway. ^_^

Hopefully someone will upload the performances onto YouTube at some point for others to see, I would but I have no idea how. :lol:

Hopefully someone will upload the performances onto YouTube at some point for others to see, I would but I have no idea how. :lol:

That would be great. B)

Update. For British viewers, the WMAs will be on Channel 4 from 11.35pm-1.40am on Thursday 23rd November running into Friday.

 

$h!t times, I'll record it I think! :lol:

Saw an ad on GMTV this morning advertising Enya's appearance on the show tomorrow. :D I'd say she'll be on at about 7.30ish but I'm not 100%.

Superstar Enya is fresh from winning a World Music Award to perform her new single on GMTV.

 

After performing alongside Beyonce, Faithless and Michael Jackson last night at the Awards, Enya is on GMTV this morning to promote the release of her new album and single, "It's in the Rain".

 

The album, Amarantine, is a re-release featuring newly recorded Christmas songs.

 

The original version of Amarantine entered the UK charts at number eight and has sold 360,000 copies as part of a 4 million global sale.

 

From GMTV.

Anyone see these today?

 

I thought they were really good. :D On GMTV she sung It's in the Rain, I think it was mimed and on Loose Women she sung live. The interview on Loose Women was really good too. ^_^