Simpson confirms pregnancy
NEW YORK — Jessica Simpson has confirmed the obvious — she's having a baby.
The 31-year-old entertainer Tweeted a photo of herself Monday dressed as a mummy for Halloween, holding her baby bump with the words, "It's true. I am going to be a mummy."
It will be the first child for Simpson and her fiance Eric Johnson. The two announced their engagement last year.
Her pregnancy has been rumored for weeks, and recently, photos of Simpson — with a bulging bump — have appeared.
Pregnancy won't slow Simpson down. She's signed up to be a mentor on the upcoming NBC reality show "Fashion Star" alongside Nicole Richie.
New Winehouse album on the way
LONDON — A new album of recordings by the late soul singer Amy Winehouse will be released in December, Island Records said Monday.
It said “Lioness: Hidden Treasures” will contain 12 songs — previously unreleased tracks, alternative versions of existing hits and brand new songs — recorded by the beehive-wearing singer who died at her London home on July 23.
The label said Winehouse's longtime musical partners Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi had spent time since her death listening to recordings of the singer, who many said never sang a song the same way twice.
Island Records said the duo quickly realized that they had “a collection of songs that deserved to be heard, a collection of songs that were a fitting testament to Amy the artist and, as importantly, Amy their friend.”
The album — Winehouse's third after “Frank” and “Back to Black” — will be released on Dec. 5. A donation of 1 pound ($1.60) from the sale of each album in the U.K. will go to a foundation to assist disadvantaged children and young adults set up in the artist's name following her death.
Last week a British coroner ruled the singer died from accidental alcohol poisoning when she resumed drinking after weeks of abstinence.
Gill, Paisley, Urban to salute Campbell
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vince Gill, Brad Paisley and Keith Urban will team up to pay tribute to Glen Campbell at next month's Country Music Association Awards.
Gill, Paisley and Urban — arguably country music's top three guitarists today and all three CMA entertainer of the year winners — will salute the heralded guitarist and Country Music Hall of Fame member. The 75-year-old “Rhinestone Cowboy” singer has Alzheimer's disease. He released his last studio album, “Ghost on the Canvas,” in August.
Writers compete for morgue honor
LONDON — It will be the world's most literary mortuary.
Some of the world's leading crime writers are competing for the honor of having a morgue named after them. Scotland's University of Dundee said Monday it will name its new morgue and research facility after the writer who gets the most votes in an online poll and fundraising effort. Kathy Reichs, Lee Child, Tess Gerritsen, Harlan Coben and Val McDermid are among the authors taking part in the “Million for a Morgue” campaign. Each person who votes donates 1 pound ($1.60) to a money-raising campaign.
