Cheech and Chong reunite as feud goes up in smoke
LOS ANGELES - Their feud finally having gone up in smoke, Cheech and Chong say they're eager to get back on the road for their first comedy tour in more than 25 years.
"We had such a legacy, such a history. We couldn't escape it, even if we tried," Tommy Chong told reporters at a news conference Wednesday at the Troubadour, the Los Angeles nightclub where the pair were discovered more than 35 years ago.
The duo said their "Light Up America" tour will kick off Sept. 12 in Philadelphia.
"It's going to be very theatrical," said Cheech Marin.
If Wednesday's news conference was an indication, it won't spare the pothead humor, either.
"We're definitely still smoking," Chong said when asked.
"I get transfusions now," quipped Marin.
"I like the taste," Chong said. "I'm old fashioned."
Marin told AP Radio earlier this month that he and the 70-year-old Chong had recently decided that if ever they were to reunite the time was now because, "You're not getting any younger and neither am I."
They tossed around some ideas and figured a comedy tour would be "the most fun" and "the least hassle," the 62-year-old Marin said.
Marin and Chong, who broke up amid creative differences, have tried to reunite before, but have always fought too much.
"It takes about three minutes for that to happen, Marin said. "There's this veiled hatred." But he added: "We've kind of resolved that."
During their original run, Marin and Chong released nine comedy albums between 1972 and 1985, were nominated for four Grammy Awards and won one. They also starred in eight feature films, almost always portraying a pair of comical stoners.
"We've gotten to the age where we don't feel like fighting anymore," Marin said, "because the end is a lot closer than the beginning."
Farrell leads CCMA noms
TORONTO - Newcomer Jessie Farrell leads the nominees for the Canadian Country Music Awards this year, snagging a total of seven nominations Wednesday, including single, album, songwriter and female artist of the year.
The Vancouver singer, a 30-year-old redhead with a strong pop bent, dominated a field heavy with more traditional fare from more established acts.
They include Winnipeg's Doc Walker who raked in six nominations, Calgary's Paul Brandt with five, and Gord Bamford of Lacombe, Alta., with four.
Farrell said she was still drifting in and out of sleep in Vancouver when the nominations were being announced at a Toronto press conference.
"I was kind of half-asleep thinking: 'I wonder if I should get up. What am I doing now?' and the phone rang. So I jumped out of bed and there's nothing like waking up to good news," said Farrell, who got word from her record label at about 8:30 a.m. Pacific time.
"I've been working so hard for the last eight years and it's only been in the last year and a half that I've been on the radar. It is kind of surprising.... It's such an amazing thing to think people are listening to the music. I am lucky."
The album of the year is a race between Doc Walker, Deric Ruttan, Johnny Reid, Farrell and Brandt while nominees for songwriter of the year include Doc Walker, Farrell, Bamford, Ruttan and Brandt.
The awards will be handed out at a gala in Winnipeg on Sept. 8. Country singer Terri Clark will host the bash, which will feature performances by nominees George Canyon, Emerson Drive, Farrell and Reid.
Bamford, who showed up at the announcement clad in a black coat and black hat, said he and his band have been pleased with the success of his nominated single, "Blame It On That Red Dress."
"When you work hard at something you hope that there's rewards and they're starting to happen for me so it's very cool," Bamford said.
"We just keep putting out stuff that we think we do well at and whether there's trends or not, you see how music kind of goes through the pop to country, I'm real traditional. We've just tried to stick with the grassroots of that. I think that the consistency of doing that and the persistence of doing that is what's paying off."
Nominees Doc Walker have been designated honorary chairs for Country Music Week, a series of music-related events leading up to the awards bash. They said they were thrilled to serve as ambassadors for their hometown of Winnipeg, which will host the awards for the first time in more than 20 years.
Frontman Chris Thorsteinson said they were blown away to hear they were up for six trophies.
"It's pretty amazing, that's a lot of nominations," said Thorsteinson.
"It's pretty humbling when you look at the people we're in the categories with. I grew up listening to these artists and respecting these artists and to be in the same category is pretty amazing. We're really excited."
Prairie Oyster singer Russell deCarle said the group was honoured to be named this year's inductees into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame.
"I don't feel that old but it's a real honour for us," said deCarle, who formed the band in the mid-70s and went on to craft a sound that blended rockabilly, folk and country traditions.
"We're certainly in incredible company there - I think of the years I watched people like Hank Snow, and Gordon Lightfoot and Ian Tyson, a whole host of others."
The awards show is set to air on CBC-TV on Sept. 8.
Canadian Country Music Award nominees
TORONTO - Here are some of the major nominations for this year's Canadian Country Music Awards:
FANS' CHOICE AWARD: Paul Brandt, George Canyon, Doc Walker, Emerson Drive, Jessie Farrell.
SINGLE OF THE YEAR: "Beautiful Life," Doc Walker; "Best of Me," Jessie Farrell; "Blame It on That Red Dress," Gord Bamford; "Risk," Paul Brandt; "You Can Let Go," Crystal Shawanda.
ALBUM OF THE YEAR: "Beautiful Life," Doc Walker; "First Time in a Long Time," Deric Ruttan; "Kicking Stones," Johnny Reid; "Nothing Fancy," Jessie Farrell; "Risk," Paul Brandt.
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Lisa Brokop, Terri Clark, Jessie Farrell, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Crystal Shawanda.
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Paul Brandt, George Canyon, Johnny Reid, Deric Ruttan, Shane Yellowbird.
SONGWRITER(S) OF THE YEAR: "Beautiful Life" (written by Murray Pulver, Chris Thorsteinson, Dave Wasyliw; recorded by Doc Walker); "Best of Me" (written by Jessie Farrell, Jared Kuemper, Jesse Tucker; recorded by Jessie Farrell); "Blame It on That Red Dress" (written by Gord Bamford, Byron Hill, Zack Turner; recorded by Gord Bamford); "First Time in a Long Time" (written by Jimmy Rankin, Deric Ruttan; recorded by Deric Ruttan); "Risk" (written by Paul Brandt; recorded by Paul Brandt).
GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR: Ambush, Doc Walker, Emerson Drive, the Higgins, the Wilkinsons.
ROOTS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR: Ridley Bent, the Cruzeros, Sean Hogan, Corb Lund, Prairie Oyster.
TOP NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR - FEMALE: Jessie Farrell, Amber Nicholson, Alex J. Robinson.
TOP NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR - MALE: Gord Bamford, Ridley Bent, Jason Blaine.
TOP NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR GROUP OR DUO: Desert Heat, Hey Romeo, Jo Hikk.
CMT VIDEO OF THE YEAR: "Beautiful Life," Doc Walker; "Best of Me," Jessie Farrell; "Blame It on That Red Dress," Gord Bamford; "In This Room," Ambush; "Ring of Fire," George Canyon.
TOP SELLING ALBUM: "Carnival Ride," Carrie Underwood; "Raising Sand," Robert Plant/Alison Krauss; "Reba Duets," Reba McEntire; "Taylor Swift," Taylor Swift; "Ultimate Hits," Garth Brooks.
TOP SELLING CANADIAN ALBUM: "Classics," George Canyon; "Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier!" Corb Lund; "Kicking Stones," Johnny Reid; "Nothing Fancy," Jessie Farrell; "Risk," Paul Brandt.