INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- African-American opera pioneer Camilla Williams has died in Bloomington. She was 92.

NEW YORK (AP) -- The race for the best original song Oscar is a slim one with two songs up for the honor, a first for the Academy Awards.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Aretha Franklin won't be getting fitted for a wedding gown after all: She's called off her engagement. A statement released Monday by her representative said Franklin's wedding to Willie Wilkerson wasn't going to happen.

In real life, little about James was as genteel as that song. The platinum blonde's first hit was a saucy R&B number about sex, and she was known as a hell-raiser who had tempestuous relationships with her family, her men and the music industry. Then she spent years battling a drug addiction that she admitted sapped away at her great talents.

Portland rising hip hop star Cassow talked to The Skanner about life, music and what's next.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Newly engaged queen of soul Aretha Franklin is headlining this summer's Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, and its other top performers include Mary J. Blige, Fantasia, Stephanie Mills, Charlie Wilson and Keyshia Cole.

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- If the U.S. Supreme Court is willing to listen, rocker Steven Tyler has something "old school" to say about nudity and profanity on broadcast TV.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Through a rap verse, Jay-Z has confirmed the birth of "the most beautiful girl in the world" - his newborn daughter.

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- U.S. album sales rose more than 3 percent last year for the first gain since 2004 - a sign that rising digital sales are finally stemming the decade-long decline of compact discs.

Ndour, who made the announcement late Monday on his private radio and TV stations, joins some 20 other candidates already running against President Abdoulaye Wade.