ATHENS, Ga. (AP) -- Vic Chesnutt, the folk-rocker whose sometimes dark reflections on life were influenced in part by a car wreck that left him paralyzed, has died. He was 45.

Family friend Christina Stuckey, who answered the phone at Chesnutt's home, confirmed the death to The Associated Press. Chesnutt's record label, Constellation Records, said in a statement on its Web site that Chesnutt died on Christmas

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Pop sensation Mika's dream of a record deal was shattered by Simon Cowell - the media mogul rejected the Grace Kelly hit-maker's demos when he was a teenager.

The star sent off some rough copies of his tracks to Cowell back in 1996, but the record boss refused to give Mika his seal of approval.

The singer tells Britain's Heat magazine, "The first time I met him, at 16, he very professionally rejected me... He did say back then, 'You've got a good really good voice - more...

Multi-platinum recording artist Mika will release his sophomore album, "The Boy Who Knew Too Much", on September 22nd via Casablanca/Universal Republic Records. Produced by Mika and Greg Wells (Katy Perry, P!nk), this record is the highly anticipated follow-up to 2007's Life in Cartoon Motion, which sold over 5 million copies worldwide. The new album features guest contributions by Imogen Heap and Final Fantasy's Owen Pallett, and contains brilliant first single, "We Are Golden," which was more...

The first in a new series compiling and celebrating the work of Bill Frisell is an easy thing to review. Two words will sum up anything the exemplary guitarist has turned his hand to: 'very good'. But when it comes to his explorations in Americana as on this collection, it's very very good. If you don't already own most of these tracks, beware. Because when you do hear them you'll have to go out and buy all the parent albums that they're culled

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As the CD compilation market grows tinier and more fractured, the annual collection that accompanies the annual BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards becomes more indispensable. Like the Rough Trade Counter Culture CD which brings together the best in indie, this 24-track gathering of all the nominees is the one-stop shop for the folk uninitiated and a perfect round-up for the aficionado.

Compiled by the show's Executive Producer, John Leonard,

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A revered singer/songwriter for over four decades, James Taylor has certainly earned the right to try his hand at a whole album of other peoples' songs. The most surprising thing about Covers is how familiar most of the material is. And while not all of it is obviously – ahem – tailored to this artist, or really needs (re)covering, Taylor's singing and the accompaniment are top notch.

His Band Of Legends are slick without

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On March 24th, Capitol Records will release The Decemberists' The Hazards Of Love, the follow-up to the group's 2006 breakthrough, The Crane Wife, which NPR listeners voted their favorite album of the year.

With their fifth full-length album, the Portland-based quintet of Colin Meloy, Chris Funk, Jenny Conlee, Nate Query and John Moen solidifies its standing as one of the most innovative creative forces in music today. In an age when singles rule and the death of the album

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