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(Rolling Stone) — In February, when Ben Harper, Joseph Arthur and Dhani Harrison arrived at the Carriage House studio in Los Angeles’ Silverlake neighborhood, they had three days booked and zero songs to record.

“I thought I was going there to add some guitars or harmonies on Joseph’s album,” says Harrison, who was invited to the session by Harper, whom he befriended at a skate park in Santa Monica. “When I got to the studio, I saw Joe and asked, ‘What songs are we going to do?’ He said we hadn’t written them yet.”

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NEW YORK — Abbey Lincoln, a jazz singer and songwriter known for her phrasing, emotion and uncompromising style, died Saturday in New York at age 80.

She had been declining in health for the past year. Her death was confirmed by friend and filmmaker Carol Friedman, who has been working on a documentary on Lincoln’s life.

Lincoln made records and acted in films in the 1950s and ’60s, then saw her career surge again in the 1990s when she found new voice as a songwriter.

Over her long career, Lincoln acted with Sidney Poitier and collaborated in music with the drummer Max Roach, whom she married in 1962 and later divorced.

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Obviously, it must rock to live in this town.

On August 21, Cridersville, Ohio, will be renamed Snidersville, Ohio, in honor of metal legend Dee Snider. The 55-year-old musician, who hosts the nationally-syndicated House of Hair radio show, requested that the town switch up its name after a listener from Cridersville called in to request a song of his. The request was in jest, but then the town agreed to make it happen – at least for a day, according to a statement.

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NEW YORK — Mitch Miller, the goateed orchestra leader who asked Americans to “Sing Along With Mitch” on television and records and produced hits for Tony Bennett, Patti Page and other performers, has died at age 99.

His daughter, Margaret Miller Reuther, said Monday that Miller died Saturday in Lenox Hill Hospital after a short illness.

Miller was a key record executive at Columbia Records in the pre-rock ‘n’ roll era, making hits with singers Bennett, Page, Rosemary Clooney and Johnny Mathis. As a producer and arranger, Miller had misses, too, famously striking out on projects with Frank Sinatra and a young Aretha Franklin and in general scorning the rise of rock.

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When Ellen DeGeneres was picked to be Paula Abdul’s replacement on “American Idol” less than a year ago, it seemed like an inspired choice.

Ellen was a huge fan of the show who was a natural fit to take over as the “Nice Judge” and expand the show’s reach into the demographics of her hit daytime talk show. And as a brilliant comic with a ready supply of one-liners, she’d have the tenacity to throw elbows with Simon Cowell in a more entertaining way than Paula could manage with her rambling commentary.

But it didn’t work out quite as planned

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According to Al Jardine, the Beach Boys are going to reunite for at least one concert next year to celebrate the group’s 50th anniversary. Jardine tells Rolling Stone the lineup will include himself, Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Bruce Johnston and possibly even early guitarist David Marks.

“We’re definitely doing at least one show — you heard it first,” Jardine says. “It’s a big deal. I don’t know where it will be yet, but it’ll probably be free. Golden Gate Park was mentioned, as was the [National] Mall in Washington, D.C., and the north shore of Chicago by the beach.”

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This summer, as “Grease” returns to theaters in sing-a-long form (it’s being billed as “the original high school musical”), and the surprisingly unstoppable “Step Up” series releases its third installment (in 3-D, no less), it’s clear: Films that feature dance are bigger than ever.

Accordingly, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best dance scenes ever shown on-screen.

Grease

Pollyanna-ish Sandy needn’t have bothered with her bad-girl makeover: She’d already won Danny’s heart. But we love the way Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta’s tight, black, “greaser” duds contrast with their super-sunny singing and dancing in this 1978 musical’s fun finale.

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This past season of “American Idol” is widely regarded as one of the show’s worst, and the corresponding Idol Live! tour might be the last nail in season nine’s coffin.

The tour, which features the final 10 contestants, has suffered poor ticket sales (example: at press time, Wednesday’s show at Jones Beach, right outside New York, featured front-row seats still available for just $13). Seven shows have been cancelled, and nine shows have been rescheduled.

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Bret Michaels’ post-hemorrhage “American Idol” performance generated a tremendous amount of buzz. Now the rocker is saying he was so well received, he’s made it to the show’s short list of potential Simon Cowell replacements.

“I don’t know (if I’m going to replace Cowell). We have a meeting in L.A. in a couple weeks and we’re going to sit down and talk,” Michaels told Parade magazine. “(‘Idol’) did a poll and I think it was Madonna, P. Diddy, Howard Stern and myself, and I took 50 percent or 60 percent of the vote and that’s tremendous. I would love to be a judge on ‘American Idol.’ I think I would bring a lot to the table.”

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LOS ANGELES — Michael Jackson has sold an estimated 35 million albums worldwide since his death one year ago today, according to Billboard — an unprecedented response to a musician’s passing.

“Last year, when we saw the instant response from consumers wanting to purchase Jackson’s albums, there was nothing to compare it to,” Keith Caulfield, Billboard Senior Chart Manager and Analyst, told AccessHollywood.com. “Certainly since SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991.”