Meg White.

DETROIT — A publicist for The White Stripes says drummer Meg White is engaged to musician Jackson Smith, the son of punk singer Patti Smith and late MC5 guitarist Fred “Sonic” Smith.

Publicist Chloe Walsh says the couple will wed this year, but couldn’t confirm other details.

The White Stripes got their start in Detroit, and are fronted by Jack White. Though Meg and Jack White have claimed to be siblings, court records have suggested they were married for four years before divorcing in 2000.

The Detroit Free Press reported White and Smith’s wedding plans Saturday on the newspaper’s Web site.

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On the Web

www.whitestripes.com

CHICAGO – A former member of Wilco is suing the band’s lead singer, claiming he’s owed royalties for songs during his seven years and five albums with the group.

Jay Bennett also claims in the breach-of-contract lawsuit filed Monday against singer Jeff Tweedy that he deserves money from the band’s 2002 documentary, “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart.” The film documents the making of Wilco’s album “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.”

Bennett worked as a sound engineer and played instruments for the band from 1994 to 2001, according to the lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court, which asks for at least $50,000 in damages.

The lawsuit said Bennett was compensated but only in “infrequent partial payments” equal to 15 percent of Wilco’s income from sales and performances.

“As a recording musician in Wilco, Bennett is entitled to compensation for his services rendered in the form of continuing and perpetual artist royalty payments from” Tweedy, according to the lawsuit.

There was no immediate response to an e-mail sent Monday after business hours to Tweedy and Wilco’s management company, Tony Margherita Management.

Bennett worked on the albums “Being There,” “Summerteeth,” “Mermaid Avenue,” “Mermaid Avenue Vol. II” and “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot,” the lawsuit said.

Singer songwriter Pete Seeger performs at the benefit concert celebrating his 90th birthday at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. The concert is a benefit for Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, created by Seeger to preserve and protect the Hudson River.

NEW YORK – A star-studded medley of musical guests played tribute to Pete Seeger at a benefit concert for the legendary folk singer’s 90th birthday.

Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews, Emmylou Harris, Ani DiFranco and John Mellencamp were among the 40 musicians performing in Madison Square Garden for the Sunday night show, a benefit to raise awareness for Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, an organization Seeger started to preserve and protect the Hudson River.

A lone light shone on Seeger as he opened the show playing a flute solo called “Menomonee Love Song.” As the lights came up, they revealed the outline of a sloop, fitting for an event dubbed the Clearwater Concert after the organization’s vessel, the gaff sloop Clearwater.

The crowd ranged from teens to octogenarians and perhaps even older. Springsteen brought them to laughter as he introduced Seeger.

“He’s gonna look a lot like your granddad that wears flannel shirts and funny hats. He gonna look like your granddad if your granddad can kick your a—,” the Boss said. “At 90, he remains a stealth dagger through the heart of our country’s illusions about itself.”

John Mellencamp came out early and performed, “If I Had A Hammer (The Hammer Song).”

“It was the very first song I learned how to play on guitar,” he said.

Most of the evening consisted of multiple artists performing together with one highlight coming before the intermission — Seeger joined by Harris, Joan Baez, Billy Bragg, and others for a spiritual version of “We Shall Overcome.”

Arlo Guthrie, son of folk legend Woody Guthrie, was joined by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band for “Oh Mary Don’t You Weep.”

Tom Morello was the evening’s interloper, performing four numbers with different artists. The most impressive was his duet with Springsteen near the end of the show. The pair traded verses on Springsteen’s “the Ghost of Tom Joad.” The former Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave guitarist also performed “John Henry” with Tom Paxton, and “Waist Deep in the Big Muddy,” with Taj Mahal.

Dave Matthews told the crowd: “The first concert that my mother took me to was Pete Seeger.” Then he launched into a searing version of “Whiskey Rye Whiskey.”

Seeger and the rest of the evening’s performers came on stage for an extended cover of Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is My Land.” They came back on for several encores and at the end brought out the entire Seeger family.

Proceeds from the event will go toward preserving and protecting the Hudson River.

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ON THE WEB

clearwater.org/

LAS VEGAS – The Rocket Man bid farewell to the Las Vegas Strip Wednesday after five years and 241 shows at Caesars Palace — but said it won’t necessarily be a long, long time before he returns.

Wearing a bright red shirt that matched his piano and a coat emblazoned with “Las Vegas Pirates” on its back and “Captain Elton” on its right sleeve, Elton John rolled through his hits and reflected on his time at the Colosseum, a stage he famously shared with Celine Dion, Bette Midler and Cher.

“The ex-home of Celine Dion … and now it’s the ex-home of Elton John as well,” the 62-year-old said. John said later in the show that he’d like to see Dion play the venue again.

“Who are you going to get to fill in our shoes now?” he said. “You’ve got Bette Midler, you’ve got Cher. It’s gonna be the Village People next.”

John initially signed on for 75 shows over three years when his run began in February 2004, but casino officials say the deal was expanded because of demand.

“I really have enjoyed every single moment of this engagement,” the five-time Grammy winner said after opening the show with “Bennie and the Jets.”

John’s tour with Billy Joel has the second-highest average gross box office revenue with a ticket price of $115.84, according to Pollstar, the concert industry trade publication. Each show averages a gross $2.2 million, behind only Britney Spears, Pollstar said.

Many audience members seated close to the stage Wednesday night gave the pop singer a standing ovation after each hit he played, including “Candle in the Wind,” “Rocket Man” and “Tiny Dancer.”

Several of the songs were combined with complex video productions created by famed photographer and director David LaChapelle. The offbeat music videos included appearances by singer Justin Timberlake, actress Pamela Anderson and actor Paul Reubens.

“One day I might even see you in Vegas, OK? But until then, I love you,” John said before ending the show with “Your Song” and kissing an audience member’s hand as he exited the stage.

“I hope you don’t mind that I put down in words,” he sang. “How wonderful life is while you’re in the world.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – David “Pop” Winans Sr., the Grammy-nominated patriarch of the award-winning gospel music family, died Wednesday. He was 74.

A statement from a Los Angeles public relations company representing the family said he died at a Nashville hospice, where he had been since January after suffering a heart attack and stroke last October.

In 1999, Winans was nominated for a Grammy for his solo CD “Uncensored.” He and his wife Delores, known as Mom Winans, were nominated for their CD “Mom & Pop Winans” in 1989. She was at his bedside when he died, the statement said.

He was the father of BeBe and CeCe Winans, known for their hits “Addictive Love” and “I’ll Take You There.” Four other children — Michael, Marvin, Carvin and Ronald — performed as The Winans, recording such songs as “Ain’t No Need to Worry” featuring Anita Baker.

In recent years, Mom and Pop Winans appeared regularly at Benny Hinn crusades and on The Trinity Broadcasting Network’s “Praise the Lord” program.

David Winans, a native of Detroit, began singing with a gospel quartet at age 18.

He later worked as a car salesman, taxi driver, custodian, barber and also was a preacher. After four of his children signed a recording contract, he was their manager for a while.

David Winans also helped start youth groups in Detroit. The Winans had 10 children. Son Ronald died in 2005.

“The Winans family wishes to thank everyone for their prayers and continued support, but would appreciate privacy at this time,” the statement said.

Memorial services are planned for next Tuesday and Wednesday at Perfecting Church in Detroit where Marvin is the senior pastor.

WILTON, Conn. — Dave Brubeck’s son says the jazz pianist and composer is looking forward to returning to the road for some shows after being hospitalized for a viral infection.

Chris Brubeck says his 88-year-old father is recovering at his Wilton, Conn., home, and hopes to be well enough to perform in a few weeks. He was released from Norwalk Hospital last week.

Brubeck’s illness made him miss a show April 3 at his alma mater, the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif. He was to perform his 1959 album, “Time Out,” to honor its 50th anniversary. Brubeck’s eldest son, Darius, filled in for his father.

Brubeck has several shows set for this year, including the Toronto Jazz Festival on July 1.

LOS ANGELES — Chris Brown has pleaded not guilty to threatening and assaulting his girlfriend, fellow music superstar Rihanna.

The 19-year-old R&B singer appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom Monday alongside his attorney.

He entered his plea in a soft voice while his mother sat in the first row, red-eyed.

Brown was charged in March by Los Angeles County prosecutors with felony assault likely to cause great bodily injury and making criminal threats. He was arrested nearly a month earlier after police said he was involved in an early morning altercation with a woman who identified the “Run It!” singer as her attacker.

Court records list Brown’s victim as “Robyn F.” Rihanna’s real name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty.

The 21-year-old “Umbrella” singer was represented by attorney Donald Etra

If convicted, Brown could be sentenced to probation or nearly five years in prison.

Neither side has publicly addressed Brown and Rihann’s relationship since the incident.

But there has been discernible fallout and backlash since Brown’s arrest.

Neither singer performed at the Grammy Awards hours after the alleged beating, and both were also no-shows for the Kids’ Choice Awards show held March 28.

Sponsors have stopped using Brown, some radio stations have stopped playing his music and some broadcasters have even started playing an anti-Chris Brown song created by the little-known dance group Smoke Jumpers.

LONDON — The entire catalog of music by The Beatles is being digitally remastered for release in September.

Apple Corps Ltd. and EMI Music say they will release the new discs Sept. 9 on the same day as the release of a video game, “The Beatles: Rock Band.”

Each of the dozen new CDs will include the original U.K. album art and expanded liner notes.

Apple and EMI will also release “The Beatles in Mono” with the original monaural versions of 10 albums plus some other bits in mono.

Apple and EMI made no mention in their announcement Tuesday about plans for digital distribution.

Carrie Underwood won Top Female Vocalist and Entertainer of the Year on Sunday at the Academy of Country Music Awards.

LAS VEGAS – Carrie Underwood captured the entertainer of the year at the Academy of Country Music Awards, the first female act to win the honor since the Dixie Chicks did it back in 2000 and only the seventh to do so in the show’s nearly four-decade existence.

“I’ve had a lot of good moments in the past four years. This one takes the cake,” the tearful former “American Idol” champ said. “Thank you God, thank you fans, thank you to ACM for nominating me in the first place. I never thought I’d be nominated and never thought I’d win. I’m shaking. I don’t know what to say.”

With the win, Underwood, who also won top female vocalist, broke Kenny Chesney’s four-year win streak and denied him the chance to tie Alabama’s five years of dominance in the category. Besides Underwood, the other female acts to win included Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Barbara Mandrell, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain and the Dixie Chicks. Chesney kissed Underwood as she walked up to accept the honor.

Another female dominating not only country music but the entire music industry, Taylor Swift, won album of the year for her sophomore disc “Fearless.” Both of Swift’s albums have topped the 3 million mark – a rare feat in today’s music industry. She’s connected with fans both young and old for her intensely personal songs, which she writes usually on her own or with another writer.

“A lot of people who know me know if you talk to me more than 5 minutes I’m probably going to write a song about you,” Swift said, as she proceeded to thank characters in her songs such as Tim McGraw and Romeo.

Other winners included Jamey Johnson, Sugarland and Julianne Hough, but the evening’s most memorable moments came via the performances.

Trace Adkins performed “‘Til the Last Shot’s Fired,” a somber salute to U.S. troops, with the West Point Glee Club in honor of the servicemen and women. The performance was introduced by Lt. Andrew Kinard, who had been wounded. He told the crowd, “As you listen to this song, please consider that it’s not about the war, it’s about the warrior.”

John Rich’s angry anthem “Shuttin’ Detroit Down” also stirred the crowd.

“I’d like to dedicate this song tonight to all the hard-working, taxpaying Americans from coast to coast who love this country as much as I do,” Rich said to the audience while holding a guitar tagged with the sticker “Made in the U.S.A.”

“We wrote this song specifically for you,” he said before launching into his searing song that feeds into taxpayer resentment about the bailouts on Wall Street.

Other performances included teen sensation Miley Cyrus, dancing atop a high staircase on stage; Heidi Newfield singing “Johnny and June,” inspired by the late Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, around an appropriate ring of fire; and Underwood in a burgundy dress so overwhelming that it took up most of the stage.

“Can I borrow that?” host Reba McEntire quipped afterward.

Newcomer Johnson beat out veterans like George Strait and Brad Paisley in nabbing the night’s first honor, song of the year, for his poignant hit about an old man looking back on his life, “In Color.”

“Thanks to my band for going in on an off day and producing an off record,” Johnson quipped in a brief acceptance speech.

Adkins also won single of the year for his heartfelt hit “You’re Gonna Miss This.” The deep-voiced singer said the song, about how people want to grow up and move on with life when they should slow down and enjoy the moment more, was very personal to him, but he didn’t think others would relate to it. When his label said they were going to release it as a single, he said, “Go ahead. Nobody’s going play it.”

“I’m glad I’m an idiot,” Adkins quipped. “Thank you very much.”

Swift had four nominations going into Sunday’s show, but got a special honor as McEntire presented her with a special ACM Crystal Milestone Award for bringing so many young people to country music.

Sugarland broke Brooks & Dunn’s lock on the vocal duo award, while “Dancing with the Stars” champ Hough took the top new artist trophy.

Strait and Brad Paisley led all nominees with six. Paisley was linked up by video from Nashville, Tenn., where his wife Kimberly Williams-Paisley is expecting their second child, and accepted the trophy for male vocalist of the year from there.

“I wish I could be there but I didn’t want to take the chance of missing the birth of our next child. I hope you understand,” he said.

Jamie Foxx introduced Strait’s performance of “Troubadour,” and joked that the country scene was getting more diverse.

“Things are changing,” Foxx said, mentioning his repeat appearance at the ACMs and Darius Rucker’s success on the country charts. “(An) African-American singing country. Things are changing. Got a black man running the country. Things are changing. . . I mean what’s next, white people going to Tyler Perry movies?”

The show aired live from the MGM Grand on CBS.

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WINNERS

List of winners at the 44th annual Academy of Country Music Awards from Las Vegas:

• Entertainer of the year: Carrie Underwood

• Top male vocalist: Brad Paisley

• Top female vocalist: Carrie Underwood

• Top vocal group: Rascal Flatts

• Top vocal duo: Sugarland

• Top new artist: Julianne Hough

• Top new male vocalist: Jake Owen

• Top new female vocalist: Julianne Hough

• Top new duo or vocal group: Zac Brown Band

• Album of the year: “Fearless,” Taylor Swift

• Single record of the year: “You’re Gonna Miss This,” Trace Adkins

• Song of the year: “In Color,” Jamey Johnson

• Video of the year: “Waitin’ On a Woman,” Brad Paisley

• Vocal event of the year: “Start a Band,” Brad Paisley and Keith Urban

Chris Brown is due back in a Los Angeles courtroom to enter a plea to charges he beat and threatened his girlfriend, Rihanna.

The 19-year-old’s arraignment is scheduled for Monday afternoon. It has been nearly two months since Brown was accused of an early morning attack on 21-year-old Rihanna before the Grammys; both were supposed to perform at the show but withdrew.

Brown was charged on March 5 with two felonies — assault likely to cause great bodily harm and making criminal threats.

The “Run It!” singer’s arraignment was delayed until Monday.

If convicted of those charges, Brown’s potential punishment ranges from probation to nearly five years in prison.

Rihanna, whose real name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, is not expected to attend the proceedings.

Andre 300

MCDONOUGH, Ga. — Andre 3000 of the hip hop duo Outkast is free on bond after police charged him with driving 109 mph on a highway in suburban Atlanta.

Authorities say the entertainer was clocked speeding in his Porsche in a 65 mph zone south of Atlanta early Saturday.

The 33-year-old’s real name is Andre Benjamin. He is free on a $1,200 property bond pending a court date April 29.

Benjamin’s publicist did not return a call seeking comment.

Police say Benjamin told them he was going so fast because he missed an exit and had to turn around.

As the Grammy-winning Outkast, Andre 3000 and Big Boi have churned out six platinum-plus albums, including their hit double-release “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Dan Seals, who was England Dan in the pop duo England Dan and John Ford Coley and later had a successful country career, has died of complications from cancer. He was 61.

Longtime manager Tony Gottlieb said Seals, diagnosed with lymphoma two years ago, died Wednesday night at his daughter’s home in Nashville.

With England Dan and John Ford Coley, Seals had hits including “I’d Really Like to See You Tonight” and “Nights Are Forever,” both in 1976. His country hits in the ’80s and ’90s included “Bop,” “You Still Move Me,” “Love on Arrival,” and a duet with Marie Osmond, “Meet Me in Montana.”

“I’ve loved to play and sing from the moment I knew what it was,” he told The Associated Press in 1992.

Seals, who is survived by his wife and four children, was in hospice care when he died.

“He was very positive,” said Gottlieb, Seals’ manager for about 30 years. “He participated in several clinical trials to assist with research on this type of lymphoma.”

Gottlieb said a major misconception about Seals is that he was a pop singer who came to country music. In reality, he said, Seals grew up singing country music and crossed into pop.

“He was raised in a very rural part of West Texas. His father was an amateur country singer, and he used to play with his dad. They were Hank Williams, Grand Ole Opry people. He was much more of a country singer than a pop singer.”

Seals’ older brother, Jimmy, was the Seals in Seals & Crofts, who recorded the hits “Summer Breeze” and “Diamond Girl” in the 1970s.

Until Dan Seals got sick, the brothers were working as a duo, Seals & Seals. They performed some shows and were recording an album but never finished it. The songs they did complete, about eight in all, will be released.

“In the last two years he only did like three shows,” Gottlieb said. “He just didn’t have the energy.”

Seals, whose father was a pipefitter, was born in McCamey, Texas, and grew up in Iraan, Texas, and Dallas.

His well-crafted songs tended to be insightful and graphic with lofty themes. In 1989, his music video for the song “Rage On” addressed a topic rare in country music: an interracial relationship. It showed angry youths smashing the windows of the car of a young man dating a girl of a different race. One boy hurled a beer bottle at the girl’s father. The song itself was about small town values.

“When we record songs, we take chances,” Seals said at the time. “We feel we are on the cutting edge of what we can do.”

Associated Press Writer Joe Edwards contributed to this report.

Rockers Bon Jovi have entertained crowds for nearly 25 years. To commemorate that milestone, the group will release a book featuring previously unpublished photos.

NEW YORK – Bon Jovi is ready to spill.

The multiplatinum rockers are marking their 25th anniversary with “Bon Jovi: When We Were Beautiful,” an “insider portrait” that includes previously unpublished photographs and text by the band members.

“The book offers unprecedented insights into the members’ lives on stage, on the road, and at home, as well as intimate reflections on the highs and lows of their 25 years together,” according to a statement issued by publisher HarperCollins.

The book comes out next fall, when a documentary of the same name is released.

Bon Jovi’s many hits include “You Give Love a Bad Name” and “Livin’ on a Prayer.”

A woman holds up the required wristband to get into a U2 concert as a crowd gathers outside the Somerville Theatre in Somerville, Mass. Wednesday, March 11, 2009. U2 is scheduled later to play the 1,000-seat Somerville Theater in Davis Square, parts of which were shut down Wednesday night as fans swarmed the area, looking for a way into the show, or for just a glimpse of the band. Tickets for the private concert were long gone by showtime, many through local radio stations.

SOMERVILLE, Mass. — U2 shook a small city, and riled up a core of rabid fans, when it gave a private concert in a venue a tiny fraction of the size of the stadiums it plans to fill later this year.

The Irish rock band played the 1,000-seat Somerville Theatre in Davis Square on Wednesday night as fans swarmed the area, looking for a way into the show or for just a glimpse of the musicians.

The group played five songs, four from its new album, “No Line on the Horizon.” U2 started off the set with the new song “Get on Your Boots.” It also played “Vertigo.”

U2 was big in the Boston area before it was big everywhere, and played the Paradise club in Boston in 1980 during its first North American tour.

“This is where it all began for us, Boston, Mass.,” said lead singer Bono, who along with the rest of the band, took written questions from the audience after the performance.

There were several days of rumors and speculation before the location for the concert was revealed. Tickets were long gone by showtime, many through local radio stations.

Socrates Cruz, 24, a musician from Cambridge, said he spent almost the entire day calling radio stations trying to win tickets. He didn’t succeed, but decided to go to the scene anyway.

“I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t come,” he said.

Elena Viveiros, 45, of Somerville, said she had “zero hope” of getting into the show but wanted to experience the energy outside the theater. She carried a radio on her hip so she could hear a live broadcast of the concert.

Some fans were luckier.

JoAnn and Steve Lagasse, of Haverhill, said they’d seen the band all around the country. When they learned that tickets were going to be available on the radio for the Somerville concert, they each picked a station and started dialing.

“I bawled, I started crying, in fact I couldn’t even speak for a while when (Steve) told me we won,” JoAnn Lagasse said.

The theater is one of the small venues U2 is playing as it promotes its new album. The band is touring this summer, starting in Europe and ending in the United States, including a Sept. 20 concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

Brown

LOS ANGELES – Chris Brown has been charged with two felonies stemming from an argument with his girlfriend, Rihanna, court documents show.

Brown is expected to be arraigned Thursday afternoon on charges of assault likely to cause great bodily injury and making criminal threats. The 19-year-old R&B singer remains free on $50,000 bail.

The felony complaint handed down in court Thursday morning identifies Brown’s alleged victim only as “Robyn F.” Rihanna’s real name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty.

If convicted, the possible sentence ranges anywhere from probation to four years and eight months in state prison, said district attorney’s spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons.

Los Angeles police arrested Brown on Feb. 8 and booked him on suspicion of making criminal threats. Police said at the time a woman identified Brown as her attacker during an early morning dispute in an upscale Los Angeles neighborhood.

A phone message left for Brown’s attorney, Mark Geragos, was not immediately returned Thursday. Brown’s publicist Tony Knight said any statement would likely come from Geragos after today’s hearing.

Rihanna’s spokesperson had no comment on the charges filed against Brown.

Brown issued a statement a week after the incident saying that he was “sorry and saddened” about the incident. Rihanna also later issued a statement, saying she wouldn’t comment on the alleged beating at the request of authorities. She thanked fans for their support.

Brown’s arrest has been a dent in the “Run It!” singer’s squeaky-clean image, and compelled sponsors to drop him or not renew his deals.

The alleged attack also came hours before the couple were scheduled to appear and perform at the Grammy Awards. Both were no-shows for event.