entertainment

Zach Sobiech re-recorded "Clouds," now No.1 on iTunes, to raise money for cancer research. / Photo by Mike Rominski

It happened to Otis Redding and Janis Joplin, too -- but they were already famous when they died. Twin Cities area high-school musician Zach Sobiech is rocketing up the charts in the aftermath of his heartbreaker of a death Monday from a rare form a cancer at age 18.

The song Sobiech wrote for family and friends to bid them farewell, “Clouds,” went to No. 1 on iTunes mere hours after his funeral Thursday. Billboard magazine has newly reported that the tune will also likely debut high on its Hot 100 chart next week, probably in the top 20. That would put the Stillwater High School student from Lakeland in the company of Justin Timberlake, Rihanna and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. His EP "Fix Me Up" -- which features "Clouds" and six other songs -- is also No. 2 on the iTunes album chart at the time of writing.

“Clouds” had already attracted plenty of attention prior to Sobiech’s passing, with over 4 million views on YouTube of the video. He re-recorded the song and formally released it as a single in conjunction with reputable local organization Rock the Cause, whose nonprofit status helps funnel money from the sales of “Clouds” and Sobiech’s other songs toward the Children’s Cancer Research Fund. It's looking like Zach's legacy is truly going to do a world of good.

The Musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra will host a chamber concert featuring some musicians who are leaving the orchestra. Burt Hara, Gina DiBello, Pitnarry Shin and Tom Turner will perform along with 10 other players.
The program includes the sixth Brandenburg concerto, the Mozart clarinet quintet and the String Quartet No. 3 by Marc Mellits. The concert will be at St. John’s Episcopal Church in south Minneapolis at 8 p.m., May 31. Tickets are $25 and $50 with kids free. 612-920-5440.
 

Photo by Kevin Mazur

Is $259 too dear to see Prince in his hometown?

 It wasn’t an issue in January when he debuted his 3rdEyeGirl backup trio at the 300-capacity Dakota Jazz Club. But the 3,200-capacity Myth nightclub, where Prince and his trio have scheduled two shows for Saturday, just introduced two less expensive price levels.

For $149, you can get a “second-tier floor” spot. For $99, you can head to the “third tier balcony.” And, for $259, you can still land standing room on the “first-tier main floor.” Tickets are available at www.mythlive.com.

When asked about the $259 ticket price last week in an interview in Denver, Prince said, "I’m paying my band more than I’ve ever paid.”  And he added that he’s making more money than usual on the road. That’s partly because he travels with a much smaller entourage and less elaborate production, and partly because the tour is not being handled by mega-promoters Live Nation or AEG Live.

Dr. Funkenberry (www.drfunkenberry.com), a blogger who seems to be a Prince insider, is spreading rumors that the two 90-minute Myth shows might be combined into one longer gig. Stay tuned.
 

 A photograph by 2013-14 fellowship winner Mohamud Mumin.

Four Twin Cities photographers have each received $25,000 from the McKnight Foundation through its annual photography fellowship program for mid-career artists.

Mohamud Mumin, who holds a degree in chemistry from the University of Minnesota, is a first-time grant recipient who focuses on the cross-cultural journey of Minnesota's Somali community. Alec Soth, who has won two previous McKnight grants and a 2012 Guggenheim, is an internationally known exhibitor and member of Magnum Photos. Anthony Marchetti and Paula McCartney both won their first McKnight in 2007. Marchetti's latest project is an exploration of his grandmother's flight from Hungary near the end of World War II. McCartney, who also makes artists' books, focuses on the idea of constructed landscapes, with ice and birds as recent thematic subjects.

The four were selected from among 108 applicants. The fellowships are administered by mnartists.org, a joint program of McKnight and Walker Art Center that provides a database of Minnesota artists of all disciplines. For more info, see http://www.startribune.com/a2270

A photograph by 2013-14 McKnight grant winner Alec Soth.

Also announced Thursday were three winners of McKnight's Media Artist fellowships, Todd Cobery, Susan Marks and Todd Melby., who were chosen through a compettion run by Independent Filmmaker Project MInnesota. Cobery, a narrative filmmaker who also works in TV and commecials, has had work accepted at SXSW and Tribeca. Marks made a documentary on Betty Crocker, "The Betty Mystique," and her most recent project, "Of Dolls & Murder," looks at big-time crime through tiny dollhouse re-enactment scenes (narrated by John Waters, of course). Melby has made several award-winning public-radio documentaries and was lead producer on "Black Gold Boom," about the current oil boom in North Dakota.

See www.ifpmn.org for more info.

Jamie Yuccas and Jason DeRusha. (Courtesy WCCO)

WCCO-TV is shuffling up its lineup in hopes of getting better traction in the mornings.

Angela Davis and Mike Binkley, who have co-hosted the AM and noon shows for five years, are being replaced by Jason DeRusha and Jamie Yuccas. The "Good Question" segment that has become a trademark for DeRusha, will go to Heather Brown.

Binkley and Davis, who is married to Duchesne Drew, the Star Tribune's managing editor of operations, will remain at the station, co-hosting the Sunday-night news editions and filling in for other anchors.

WCCO's 6 a.m. broadcast is third in ratings among 25-54 viewers. It's the only time of day that WCCO isn't either first or second in that valued demographic.

"This wasn't about performance," said news director Mike Caputa. "But we want to be in a position to grow. Expectations are high here to do better in the morning."

Caputa said June 2 is the target date for the changes.