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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2008 > May > 11 > Entry
Cee-lo, Shawn Mullins, Arrested Development cameo for charity
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
ABOVE: Josh Rifkind pours his heart into “Pour Some Sugar On Me” during his Songs for Kids charity fundraiser at Smith’s Olde bar featuring 500 acts singing 500 songs over 10 days. ALL PHOTO CREDITS: Rodney Ho/Staff
Josh Rifkind pulled off an incredible feat a year ago, raising money for charity by corralling 500 musical acts to sing the top 500 songs of the rock era over 10 nights at Smith’s Olde Bar.
Well, the 35-year-old musician just did it again.
While last year’s list came from Rolling Stone, this time his Songs for Kids Foundation created its own list of 500 top “sing-a-long” songs of all time.
The list includes obvious classics (“Piano Man,” “Bohemian Rhapsody”) goofy tunes seldom heard live (Musical Youth’s “Pass the Dutchie,” Biz Markie’s “Just a Friend”) and cheese galore (“Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head,” “Escape (Pina Colada)”). Heck, they even threw in an instrumental you can’t really sing along to (“Chariots of Fire.”)
Buzz caught the top 22 on a sold-out Saturday night, featuring appearances by local artists Cee-lo (doing a slowed-down version of his Gnarls Barkley hit “Crazy”), Shawn Mullins (“Imagine”), Angie Aparo (barely needing a poster-sized lyrical cheat sheet for “American Pie”) and Arrested Development (a riveting “Redemption Song”). Earlier in the week, Sister Hazel (“All For You”), Cracker (“Low”) and Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ (“Straight To Hell”) contributed their own songs.
ABOVE: Speech and behind him, spiritual advisor Baba Oje are part of Arrested Development, whose biggest hit from the early ’90s was “Tennessee.” The group did “Redemption Song.”
ABOVE: Atlanta musician Shawn Mullins, best known for his Grammy-nominated 1999 hit “Lullaby,” performed “Imagine.”
ABOVE: Cee-Lo, part of the group Gnarls Barkley, performed his hit “Crazy,” though he admitted to having some vocal problems.
ABOVE: Atlanta musician Angie Aparo (“Spaceship”) emotes during his take of Don McLean’s “American Pie.” Other local bands who hit the stage Saturday night included Heavy Mojo, a reunion of Left Front Tire and Y-O-U.
Singer/producer Butch Walker, who looked like an extra from the film “Boogie Nights” with his spring mustache, sat before a keyboard and did a faithful rendition of the No. 2 song by Night Ranger’s “Sister Christian.”
Butch Walker, former lead singer of Marvelous 3, did the Night Ranger sing-a-long song “Sister Christian.” Love the ‘stache!
Rifkind himself even took a stab at a song he bearlye knew, “Friends in Low Places,” saved by a front row of pretty women who sang along. After Aparo led a supergroup with No. 1 song “Hey Jude,” Rifkind dubbed the experience “awesome.”
ABOVE: Josh Rifkind, with his white binder packed with all the songs and acts for his 10-day marathon, peeks into the crowd while his buddy Wes Hoffman, part of the band the Redcoats, helps out.
Moments after it ended, he said, “I’m so wired, I can do another 500 songs!” Rifkind, who manages The Whigs to pay the bills, added: “I haven’t eaten a full meal in 10 days. I’ve been drinking Shirley Temples to stay awake.”
Rifkin’s foundation brings musicians to hospitals to entertain sick children and raises money for summer camps around town. Check out what he does at www.songsforkidsfoundation.org. and the song list here.
Blass from the past
Designer Peter Som makes his first appearance in Atlanta Tuesday at Saks Fifth Avenue as creative director of the iconic brand Bill Blass. The position is a circle of sorts for Som who worked under the legendary designer after graduating from Parsons School of Design. Fall 2008 represents Som’s first full collection for Blass, and he told Buzz he was excited to continue Mr. Blass’ tradition of personal appearances.
“I know our Southern customers have a very sophisticated look and do love to dress up and look put together. And that really reflects what I’m doing for Blass,” Som said. Som, who also designs an eponymous line, said he is focused on bringing back the spirit of Blass for the woman of today: “It is really about making luxury in a new kind of way. Luxury that has a sense of ease and nonchalance of it.”
Som has brought some of the juxtaposition of colors and textures seen in his own line to his designs at Blass.
At Blass, Som is overseeing a new collection of handbags that he said would follow the same sensibility as the clothing, mixing exotic skins with canvas and playing with proportions. For someone who dreamed of being a designer, it’s all a dream come true.
The hardest thing for this hard-working designer right now is juggling his schedule. Which means, sadly, the only place he’ll likely see during his first visit to Atlanta is a local Starbucks.
“Starbucks is getting a lot more of my money,” he said.
To attend the Bill Blass Trunk Show and meet Som, RSVP 404-812-7320.
Prime time
Nearly 500 revelers flocked to Maxim Prime last week during a “Peach” Atlanta party. The crowd included restaurant owners Jeffrey and Linda Chodorow, Maxim Prime president Dan Smith, former Atlanta Hawk Kevin Willis, “Peach” mag publisher Elizabeth Roth and husband Thomas, local nightclub impresario Pablo Henderson, CBS 46’s Kim Fettig and CNN’s TJ Holmes.
Random bits
“Idol” finalist David Archuleta’s stage dad Jeff was banned from backstage after he convinced his son to include Sean Kingston’s “Beautiful Girls” into a rendition of “Stand By Me” last week, causing problems with the song’s publisher… Hollywood Reporter says Jennie Garth has joined the CW remake of “Beverly Hills 90210” as a guidance counselor. . . Photos are all over the Web showing former Atlantan John Mayer canoodling with Jennifer Aniston.
HIGH FIVE
Star 94 top 5
For the week of May 2-8
“No Air” Jordin Sparks, featuring Chris Brown
“Love Song” Sara Bareilles
“Sorry” Buckcherry
“See You Again” Miley Cyrus
“Feels like Tonight” Daughtry
— Mediabase 24/7
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Composer Burt Bacharach is 80. Comedian George Carlin is 71. Singer Kix Brooks (Brooks and Dunn) is 53. Actor Ving Rhames is 49. Actor Emilio Estevez is 46. Actor Stephen Baldwin is 42. Actress Kim Fields is 39. Actor Jason Biggs is 30.
Contributing: Nedra Rhone, Jennifer Brett, Rodney Ho and news services.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
Comments
By Pure Entertainment Group
May 11, 2008 3:29 PM | Link to this
For those who miss it, the artist performing “Pass the Dutchie” at the 500 Songs for Kids on Saturday night was Jamie “Jamm” Portee. What a treat! Look forward to hearing more from him.
By Mindy
May 12, 2008 12:25 PM | Link to this
Another highlight of “500 Songs” final night was Heather Luttrell & “Arrested Development’s” Tasha singing backup on the Beatles “In My Life”. They accompanied a charismatic local singer named Elliott Michaels & wow, what an incredible voice this man has!! Can’t WAIT to see his band (Galleon) again too
By The Bishop
May 12, 2008 2:33 PM | Link to this
I think the Arrested Development contribution was AMAZING! I love Redemption Song, it’s one of my fav’s from Bob Marley. And Speech did it justice. I’m gonna go buy their new CD now. And Divinity was also HOTT with her rendition of Paid in Full by: Eric B. & Rakim!!! :-) COOL EVENT ALL THE WAY THROUGH.