All Blog Posts from Hannah's Blog

Multiple Grammy award winner Alicia Keys is certain to have this week’s No. 1 album and many are calling "As I Am" her finest work to date. The older-than-her years singer has taken an introspective journey in her mid-20s, both literally and figuratively. Family tragedy and an overwhelming schedule left Keys exhausted and admittedly depressed. So she traveled to Egypt to find inspiration. All by herself, with just her music, Keys returned with renewed insight and passion. During our interview on the plaza, she told me what she learned about herself. And something that you won't see, Keys told me she built up some pretty high walls in an effort to maintain her privacy and that she is also letting those down a bit. The end result is a gorgeous and textured album that is easily one of the year’s best. Tomorrow, check out my behind-the-scenes photos with Alicia.

Eddie Van Halen, left, and David Lee Roth perform at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007 in New York.

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I was a little sleepy this morning after a rare weeknight out ... but boy was it worth it! Van Halen, one of my all-time favorite bands, was playing at Madison Square Garden. Between the infectious enthusiasm of singer David Lee Roth and the still-stellar guitar playing of Eddie Van Halen, they put on a surprisingly good show some 20 years after their heyday.

As a radio DJ in the '80s, I played a lot of old-school, pre-Sammy Hagar Van Halen and vividly remember seeing Roth flying through the air, attached to wires while singing their huge hit "Jump." "Jump" was the first encore song last night, well delivered and staged with colorful flags that for some reason really made sense. Other than that, the show was devoid of props and trickery. The perpetually-in-motion Roth ran all over the stage, handling the mic stand like some talented twirler at a high school football game.

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Country music sensation Carrie Underwood certainly has proven her mettle since she shot to fame by winning "American Idol." The top-selling female country artist for the last three years running, Carrie continues to hit the charts with her debut album "Some Hearts," which has sold 6 million copies to date. Now, she's is following up with "Carnival Ride" and fans who love her won’t be disappointed with a combination of her trademark power ballads mixed in with some sassy songs. It has less of a pop feel and is more "country" than her first record and Carrie co-wrote four of the tracks. Now a fixture in magazines and tabloids, the 24-year-old from a small town in Oklahoma takes it all in stride. By her own admission she’s not overly emotional or "mushy." She handles all of the speculation and attention with a lot of composure and cool.

Check out our interview where we talk about her music and high-profile social life. And don't forget to check out her new album.

Harry Smith and Russ Mitchell look on as Steve Earle and Allison Moorer perform on our plaza, Monday, Oct. 15, 2007.
Click here for more behind-the-scenes photos from their visit.

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We started the week off with a real musical treat, as legendary singer-songwriter Steve Earle and his wife, Allison Moorer, performed outside on The Plaza. For decades, the eloquent Earle has inspired the likes of Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp with his lyrics-first, progressive approach to music. Not to be pigeonholed as a country artist, Earle has developed a lasting legacy in the world of rock 'n' roll and is often the yardstick by which other songwriters are measured.

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If you have young kids in your house like I do, you no doubt have memorized every line and every tune from the Disney Channel's "High School Musical" and its sequel, "High School Musical 2" It’s no surprise the franchise has made its way onto the ice. My kids and I were lucky enough to check out the world premiere at Madison Square Garden. We spotted a few young Disney stars on the way and even did an interview and posed for pictures on the red carpet... which they really loved. I guess the apples don’t fall far from the tree! Here are a few photos from a really fun night.

If you checked out our show this morning, you saw the huge crowd that turned out for a concert on our plaza by Maroon 5. It was one of the biggest gatherings of fans we have ever had.

The centerpiece of the band, and a guy who clearly relishes center stage, is Adam Levine. One of music's biggest heartthrobs, Levine has been linked in the past to a bevy of Hollywood starlets. He then made a conscious decision to step back from the world of celluloid celebrity so that he could be better recognized for his music.

Check out our chat about that and some of our behind-the-scenes photos. You can see Levine and the band perform tonight on CBS' "Fashion Rocks" special.

Today, country star Martina McBride performed on our plaza, in advance of her appearance on "Fashion Rocks" Friday night on CBS. I got to ask her about one of my favorite songs of the year, the inspirational "Anyway" from her latest album "Wake Up Laughing." She says lyrics are paramount in her songs and for the first time, she tried her hand at writing on this album -- with great results. She is also the solo producer and really took her time, about eight months, to cut the record. Martina's easing up her touring schedule because her girls are back in school, but you can catch her performance Friday night! (As for the fashion scoop, she says she's wearing BCBG on the red carpet.)

Watch Martina's performance
Check out photos from the concert.

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Greetings from a beautiful and busy day in the heart of New York City! We're getting ready for the CBS concert special "Fashion Rocks" which airs Friday at 9 p.m., bringing together some of the world's biggest musical acts, who are also fashion trendsetters.

We just finished taping a concert with country star Martina McBride, the gorgeous mother of three. She just wrapped up a summer as the hottest female touring act in the country, in any genre! (She even beat out Gwen Stefani.) You'll see Martina perform on The Early Show tomorrow, when we chat about both her weakness for shoes and the strength of her lyrics. It all makes for one powerful woman and it was a pleasure to be with her this afternoon. Now I have to go prepare for Maroon Five!

Check out a few photos from the concert.

I hate saying goodbye to summer and have stretched it out as long as possible by spending a gorgeous weekend here in New York with my girls at the Central Park Zoo, the U.S. Open and at a friend's pool. Sounds dreamy huh? Lots of sun and fun and great summer memories.

For me, summertime also means music and we had a blast hosting concerts on the road this year. Check out the highlights of our "Summer in the City" tour with Katherine McPhee, Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby and Kelly Rowland. (Harry also got to hang with Big and Rich and Hootie and the Blowfish). And watch for more concerts this week. I'm interviewing Martina McBride, who will perform for us Thursday and Maroon Five on Friday.

As a former DJ, I'm pretty passionate about music of all kinds, so I'm really looking forward to more. I don't know about you, but I'm definitely not ready to say goodbye, quite yet, to the good times of summer!

Drew Carey, American's newest game show host, stopped by today to chat about his new show,"Power of 10," which debuts on tonight on CBS. The concept is great and the top prize is -- get this -- $10 million!

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