Month: January 2025

Carrie Underwood is set to perform at Donald Trump‘s second inauguration. A Presidential Inaugural Committee spokesperson confirmed to PEOPLE on Monday, Jan. 13 that Underwood is set to perform at the inauguration where Trump, 78, will be sworn in as the next president of the United States.

The eight-time Grammy winning singer will perform “America the Beautiful” between J.D. Vance and Trump’s Oaths of Office at the Jan. 20 swearing-in ceremony at the U.S. Capitol, accompanied by The Armed Forces Chorus and the The United States Naval Academy Glee Club.

Underwood said in a statement: “I love our country and am honored to have been asked to sing at the Inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event. I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future.”

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Beyoncé has pledged $2.5 million through her BeyGOOD nonprofit to support families who have lost their homes in the towns of Altadena and Pasadena, which have both been damaged by the Eaton Fire.

Th BeyGOOD foundation announced via Instagram that she was giving $2.5 million toward an L.A. Fire Relief Fund started by her charity. The caption read: “Los Angeles we stand with you. . BeyGOOD is taking action by announcing the LA Fire Relief Fund with a donation of 2.5 million dollars. The fund is earmarked to aid families in the Altadena/Pasadena area who lost their homes, and to churches and community centers to address the immediate needs of those affected by the wildfires. To show your support for the impacted families and to learn more about BeyGOOD’s mission, please visit https://beygood.org”

Per Deadline, the BeyGOOD LA Fire Relief Fund will also go to churches and community centers to address the immediate needs of displaced residents. According to the press release, the foundation has worked with volunteer service organizations and churches to identify homeowners and area residents most in need since the fire’s inception Jan. 7.

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Actor Alec Baldwin has filed a civil lawsuit for malicious prosecution and civil rights violations in the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust.” The shooting led to an involuntary manslaughter conviction at trial last year against movie weapons supervisor Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who is serving out a maximum sentence of 1 1/2 years at a state penitentiary.

Hutchins died shortly after being wounded during a rehearsal for “Rust” in October 2021 while filming in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer of the film, was pointing a pistol at Hutchins when it discharged, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer — but not the trigger — and the revolver fired. Last July, a judge in Santa Fe, New Mexico dismissed a charge of involuntary manslaughter against Baldwin in the death of Hutchins.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday at state district court in Santa Fe, with Baldwin alleging defamation in the suit, saying that prosecutors and investigators intentionally mishandled evidence as they pursued the case. Defendants named in the lawsuit include special prosecutor Kari Morrissey and Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies, along with three investigators from the Santa Fe County sheriff’s office and the county board of commissioners.

The lawsuit states that prosecutors and investigators targeted Baldwin for professional or political gain, adding that “defendants sought at every turn to scapegoat Baldwin for the acts and omissions of others, regardless of the evidence or the law.” The claims by Baldwin seek unspecified punitive damages, compensatory damages, attorneys’ fees and interest.

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The Recording Academy and charity foundation MusiCares have pledged $1 million to support artists and music industry professionals impacted by the ongoing wildfires in the Los Angeles area.

The organizations have teamed up to form the Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort, which is also accepting donations to distribute in addition to their guaranteed $1 million. Music industry workers affected by the Los Angeles County fires can apply for relief here.

Recording Academy and MusiCares CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said in a press release: “The entire Grammy family is shocked and deeply saddened by the situation that is unfolding in Los Angeles. The music community is being so severely impacted but we will come together as an industry to support one another. Our organizations exist to serve music people because music is a powerful force for good in the world, and we hope the broader industry will now rally to this cause.”

Laura Segura, the executive director of MusiCares, added: “We expect the disaster relief efforts in Los Angeles to be extraordinary, if even just on the basis of how many music people have lost their homes in the last day. MusiCares is always committed to ensuring that music professionals are supported in times of crisis, and we ask for the larger community to donate for those in need at this dire time. MusiCares can help with short term emergent needs for those currently displaced, and then longer-term services as we get a handle on the full extent of how music people are impacted.”

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