Added 22/05/2013 by ronni

New President of Ticketmaster North America

Ticketmaster have announced the appointment of Jared Smith as the President of Ticketmaster North America.

In this role, Smith is responsible for Ticketmaster's support, sales, distribution and marketing operations that service more than 10,000 key client accounts in North America and will add strategic oversight of the product development teams for the company's world-leading business-to-business ticketing software platforms.

"Jared continues to be a transformational leader in Ticketmaster's evolution," said Michael Rapino, CEO and president of Live Nation Entertainment. "His dedication to clients has consistently resulted in a greater than 100% net renewal rates and his innovative thinking has led to the creation of value-added services and products to better support them and the fans they serve."

Formerly Ticketmaster's Chief Operating Officer, Smith revolutionized the company's approach to client engagement and transformed the client-facing sales and support organization. He also led the team to focus on data-driven products and services and technology-driven marketing tools.

Prior to joining Ticketmaster in 2003, Jared oversaw the administration, sales and marketing departments of the Columbus Civic Center in Columbus, Georgia, and served as the Executive Director of the Quad Cities Sports Commission in Moline, Illinois.

Added 21/05/2013 by ronni

Doors co-founder Ray Manzarek dies

Ray Manzarek, keyboard player and founder member of the 1960s rock band The Doors, has died aged 74.

He formed the band with lead singer Jim Morrison in 1965 after a chance meeting in Venice Beach, Los Angeles.

Manzarek, who had suffered from bile duct cancer for many years, died in a clinic in Rosenheim, Germany, with his wife and brothers at his bedside.

The Doors found fame in the 1960s with hits such as The End, Break on Through to the Other Side and Hello I Love You.

They sold more than 100 million albums worldwide and Manzarek became one of the best-known keyboardists of his era, his artistry colouring tracks like Riders on the Storm and Light my Fire.

The death of Morrison of heart failure in a bath in Paris on 3 July 1971 effectively spelled the end for the band, although Chicago-born Manzarek took on singing duty.

The front man had moved to the city to write. A doctor's report stated the cause of his death was heart failure aggravated by heavy drinking.

In his latter years, Manzarek played in other bands and, in 1998, wrote a best-selling memoir, Light My Fire: My Life with The Doors.

According to BBC

Added 20/05/2013 by ronni

Denmark crowned Eurovision winners

Denmark has triumphed at this year's Eurovision Song Contest, held in the Swedish city of Malmo.

Emmelie de Forest, 20, had been the overwhelming favourite among the 26 entries, with her song Only Teardrops. Azerbaijan finished second.

De Forest won with 281 points and Azerbaijan's Farid Mammadov finished 47 points behind, followed by Ukraine in third and Norway in fourth.

Denmark, which will now have the job of hosting the 59th contest next year, had previously won in 1963 and 2000.

It's amazing

De Forest sang her up-tempo tune barefoot, saying before she performed: "It makes me feel closer to the ground, the earth and makes me feel more relaxed."

At the post-event news conference, she told reporters: "It has been quite stressful but it's also a wonderful thing that has happened to me. It's amazing.

"It was crazy when they put the butterfly [of the winning country's flag] on the dress. I didn't understand we had won at that point."

She added: "Of course I believed in the song, but that's the exciting thing about Eurovision you don't know what's going to happen. So I was surprised and shocked when it happened."

TV viewers across Europe were treated to the mix of high-energy pop and power ballads that have become synonymous with the contest, as well as some outlandish stage performances.

One of the more eccentric acts was Romania's Cezar, who mixed his operatic voice with a disco beat. He managed a respectable 13th position.

UK entrant Tyler, 61, who is best known for her 1983 hit Total Eclipse of the Heart, had high hopes for her chances.

But the Welsh singer scored just 23 points for her performance of Believe In Me.

The top 10

Denmark - 281
Azerbaijan - 234
Ukraine - 214
Norway - 191
Russia - 174
Greece - 152
Italy - 126
Malta - 120
Netherlands - 114
Hungary - 84

According to BBC