Hoggard had his sentencing hearing on Friday, October 14, 2022, after being found guilty in June 2022 of sexually assaulting an Ottawa woman. The prosecution asserted that Hoggard was “a risk to the public,” while his defense team provided a psychiatric report that said he was at low risk of committing the crime again. He was released on bail hours later, pending the appeal decision.

The Appeals Court upheld Hoggard’sconviction despite finding his trial should not have heard the evidence of a psychologist who testified on the neurobiology of trauma.

Hoggard’steam argued that the trial judge made a mistake by allowing prosecutors to use expert evidence to support the credibility of the woman Hoggard was convicted of sexually assaulting.

The Crown defended the inclusion of the psychologist’s testimony, stating in court documents that the trial judge had appropriately restricted the expert’sevidence on the neurobiology of trauma to what was “established evidence.” Prosecutors also mentioned that the defense did not contest this testimony during cross-examination and that the trial judge provided the jury with mid-trial and final instructions on interpreting it.

The Appeal Court found that the trial judge made an error in admitting the expert’s evidence because it risked being misinterpreted by the jury as proof that the complainants had experienced a sexual assault. Although the jury was instructed that they could not use the expert’s testimony to diagnose the complainants or conclude that their behavior was consistent with having been sexually assaulted, the court noted that some questions raised during jury deliberations indicated they were doing just that.

The trial judge had reminded the jury that the expert’s testimony played “a very small role” in the case and could not be used to interpret specific evidence. However, Justice Mary Lou Benotto, writing on behalf of the appeal panel, expressed the opinion that the expert evidence was unnecessary and that a jury instruction alone would have sufficed. This approach would have avoided the risks that materialized during jury deliberations.

Despite this, Justice Benotto concluded that the trial judge’s corrective instructions to the jury successfully addressed any potential issues, stating that “there was no substantial wrong or miscarriage of justice.” As a result, the court dismissed the appeal.

The three-judge panel also found no errors in the other arguments raised by Hoggard’s legal team challenging the conviction.

Hoggard’s lawyers expressed disappointment with the Appeal Court’s decision. In a joint statement, Megan Savard, Gerald Chan, Arash Ghiassi, and Spencer Bass said, “While we maintain that Mr. Hoggard’strial was unfair, we respect the court’s decision. We are carefully reviewing the judgment to consider our next steps.”

During the initial trial, Hoggard had also been charged with sexual assault causing bodily harm in the case of a teenage fan, as well as sexual interference involving that complainant, but was found not guilty on those charges. The 38-year-old, born and raised in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland, had pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Jurors deliberated behind closed doors for six days, and a deadlock was declared twice before the guilty verdict was delivered.

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Born in 1987 in Sherman Oaks, California, Maxie pursued her passion for the arts by earning a BA in Theatre from the University of Southern California. After graduation, she began her career in film and television casting while dedicating time to One Billion Rising, a nonprofit organization committed to ending violence against women and those facing gender-based violence. Solters also showcased her talents on stage and screen, including creating, producing, and starring in her own web series.

In 2012, she followed in the footsteps of her father, Larry Solters, and late grandfather, Lee Solters, becoming the third generation in her family to enter the field of public relations. Lee handled acts such as Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand. Her father’s company, Scoop Marketing, represents the Eagles, Irving Azoff and more.

Maxie joined Scoop in 2012 and represented high-profile clients such as the Kia Forum, the Hollywood Bowl, and Music Forward. Beyond her work in PR, Solters was deeply involved in V-Day International and other women’s rights initiatives.

Maxie is survived by her father, Larry, and his partner, Carol Greenhut; her mother, Debra Graff; her aunt, Susan Reynolds; her cousin, Jonah Reynolds; her longtime partner, Dim Dobrin; and her cherished dog, Pookie.

A celebration of Maxie’s life is being organized. In place of flowers, the family requests donations be made in her name to One Billion Rising.

RIP.

The post Writer, Actor And Beloved Publicist Maxie Solters Dies At 37 appeared first on CelebrityAccess.

Zeiders continues to ignite the country music scene as one of Nashville’s newest, best-selling headliners. His 2025 tour dates follow his incredibly successful headlining “Pretty Little Poison” Tour, which sold over 150,000 tickets across 55 sold-out shows in the US and Canada during the Fall of 2023 & Spring 2024. The tour was Zeiders biggest headline tour to date, spanning across 81 sold-out shows—including Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium—and major festivals like Stagecoach, Faster Horses, Watershed and more.

This year, he earned his first No.1 single with “Pretty Little Poison” and achieved the No. 1 status on both Country Aircheck’s Mediabase Country Chart and Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart. The track peaked in the Top 24 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and earned him a second RIAA Platinum-certified single. The track also earned Zeiders his first nomination and first win for “Breakthrough Male Video of the Year” at the CMT Awards. At just 25, Zeiders surpassed 2.6 billion+ cumulative career streams and has earned a staggering 2 billion+ TikTok views and 8 million+ monthly Spotify listeners.

Zeiders will release his next project, Relapse, on August 23. The 10-track project features recent standout singles, “Betrayal” and the title track “Relapse,” which has already amassed more than 43.3M US streams since its June release.

Zeiders will continue to play major festivals this Summer before joining Jelly Roll’s The Beautifully Broken Tour as direct support this Fall.

WARREN ZEIDERS UPCOMING TOUR DATES:
ITALICS denotes the remaining 2024 support dates for Jelly Roll’s ‘The Beautifully Broken Tour’
BOLD denotes newly announced 2025 headlining tour dates

Aug. 16 – New York City, NY – Fox and Friends Summer Concert Series
Aug. 21 – Put-in-Bay, OH – Bash on the Bay
Aug. 22 – Syracuse, NY – The Great New York State Fair
Aug. 23 – Festival Country Lotbiniere Grounds
Aug. 27 – Salt Lake City, UT – Delta Center
Aug. 28 – Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Center
Aug. 30 – Spokane, WA – Spokane Arena
Aug. 31 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
Sept. 1 – Portland, OR – Moda Center
Sept. 3 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center
Sept. 4 – Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center
Sept. 6 – Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena
Sept. 7 – Anaheim, CA – Honda Center
Sept. 9 – El Paso, TX – Don Haskins Center
Sept. 11 – San Antonio, TX – Frost Bank Center
Sept. 13 – Lafayette, LA – CAJUNDOME
Sept. 14 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center
Sept. 17 – Orlando, FL – Kia Center
Sept. 19 – Charleston, SC – North Charleston, Coliseum
Sept. 20 – Ralegh, NC – PNC Arena
Sept. 21 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena
Sept. 24 – Albany, NY – MVP Arena
Sept. 26 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
Sept. 27 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
Sept. 28 – Belmont Park, NY – UBS Arena
Sept. 29 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center
Oct. 1 – State College, PA – Bryce Jordan Center
Oct. 2 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
*Oct. 4 – Ocean City, MD – Country Calling Festival 2024
Oct. 5 – Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena
Oct. 6 – Buffalo, NY – KeyBank Center
Oct. 9 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
Oct. 11 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Oct. 12 – Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center
Oct. 15 – Wichita, KS – INTRUST Bank Arena
Oct. 16 – Springfield, MO – Great Southern Bank Arena
Oct. 18 – Tulsa, OK – BOK Center
Oct. 20 – Bossier City, LA – Brookshire Grocery Arena
Oct. 22 – Little Rock, AR – Simmons Bank Arena
Oct. 23 – St Louis, MO – Enterprise Center
Oct. 25 – Knoxville, TN – Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center
Oct. 26 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
Oct. 27 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
Jan. 24 – Oslo, NO – Rockefeller Music Hall
Jan. 26 – Stockholm, SE – Berns
Jan. 27 – Copenhagen, DK – Vega
Jan. 29 – Hamburg, DE – Docks
Jan. 31 – Munich, DE – Muffathalle
Feb. 2 – Zurich, CH – Kaufleuten
Feb. 3 – Cologne, DE – Carlswerk Victoria
Feb. 4 – Amsterdam, NL – Melkeg Max
Feb. 7 – Belfast, UK – Ulster Hall
Feb. 9 – Glasgow, UK – 02 Academy Glasglow
Feb. 11 – Manchester, UK – Albert Hall
Feb. 12 – Bristol, UK – 02 Academy Bristol
Feb 14 – Birmingham, UK – 02 Institute Birmingham
Feb. 15 – London, UK – 02 Sheperd’s Bush Empire
March 27 – Nashville, TN – TBA
March 28 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy
March 29 – Columbia, SC – Township Auditorium
April 3 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave/Eagles Ballroom
April 4 – Waukee, IA – Vibrant Music Hall
April 5 – Minneapolis, MN – The Armory
April 10 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Criterion
April 11 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
April 12 – New Braunfels, TX – Whitewater Amphitheater
April 17 – Clearwater, FL – The BayCare Sound
April 18 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood
April 19 – St Augustine, FL – The Saint Augustine Amphitheatre
April 24 – Charlotte, NC – Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
April 25 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater
April 26 – Richmond, VA – Virginia Credit Union LIVE!
May 1 – Baltimore, MD – Pier Six Pavilion
May 2 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage
May 3 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
May 9 – Newport, NY – MegaCorp Pavilion Outdoor
May 10 – Indianapolis, IN – Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park
May 15 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
May 16 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre
May 17 – Buffalo, NY – Outer Harbor Live at Terminal B

Relapse Album Track List:
1. Relapse
2. Intoxicated
3. Betrayal
4. Addictions
5. Stone’s Throw Away
6. High Desert Road
7. Death of a Cowboy
8. Fight Like Hell
9. Devil I Know
10. Love on the Line

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Forshaw already has an impressive 15 million global streams through major dance label releases on Armada, Ultra, and Toolroom and a peak of more than 250,000 unique monthly listeners on Spotify. Beyond his solo endeavors, Forshaw also has co-production credits with renowned artists such as John Newman, Altego, Black Caviar, and more, underlining his fast-growing reputation in the industry.

Recently appointed host of the specialist Dance show on Virgin Radio – the UAE’s most prominent commercial station – Forshaw joins a roster of chart-topping talent at Organized Chaos, including PS1, Tobtok, Tim Powell, and Ros T.

The deal will see Forshaw working closely alongside Organized Chaos co-founders Adam Griffin and Robert Davies of the boutique independent Organized Chaos as the brand continues its rapid growth alongside that of its record label and artist management agency, Perfect Havoc, where Forshaw is also now signed. Over 200 songs have been published from the ever-growing Organized Chaos catalog, including the UK Top 20 hit “PS1—Fake Friends” featuring Alex Hosking (No.19), culminating in worldwide syncs with brands such as Google, Apple and Canon.

Forshaw’s profile is most prolific in the Middle East, where he’s a regular on the festival circuit and club scene. He’s notably been the resident DJ at Zero Gravity, Dubai’s largest beach club, since 2016. His consistency has seen him nominated for five high-profile awards from Time Out and What’s On and winning two in the process.

Griffin said, “We are delighted to sign Scott Forshaw. Having worked together since January, we have been blown away by his speed and quality of delivery. He brings versatile production of the highest standard across all genres for other musical stars and as an artist in his own right. His incredible experience DJing at some of the biggest festivals in the world and supporting artists like The Swedish House Mafia in arenas means he knows what works on crowds, which is a bit lost in the marketplace at the moment. He is one of the biggest and most trusted DJs in the Emirates. Also, working with artists such as John Newman for years is a testament to Scott’s talent. He’s charming, easy to work with, extremely hard-working and very quick. He has a wonderful future ahead.”

Forshaw commented, “I’m excited to embark on the next chapter of my career with Adam, Rob, and the UMPG/Organized Chaos team. I believe that together, we can build upon the strong foundations we have established and advance towards future successes.”

Dougie Bruce, Senior A&R Director at UMPG, said, “We are delighted to welcome Scott Forshaw to UMPG. Scott is a rare, versatile and highly skilled producer. Working with our sub-publisher, Organized Chaos, we are very excited to welcome him to our joint roster and realize the project together.”

New music from Forshaw with Perfect Havoc/Organized Chaos can be expected later this year as the label continues to build on its 10 billion global streams and multiple Platinum, Gold and Silver awards.

The post Universal Music Publishing Group UK & Organized Chaos Sign Producer Scott Forshaw To Global Publishing Deal appeared first on CelebrityAccess.

Hosted and curated by My Morning Jacket, the weekend will include three unique nightly headline performances from the band, additional performances from artists throughout the weekend, and daily experiential fan community programming. Further artists and programming will be announced soon.

“What a joy it is to experience the beautiful One Big Holiday festival vibes with everyone who has come out and had fun with us in all of the different wonderful locations we have been in so far. This next one in 2025 will be our first in the USA, and we are so excited to share the energy and good times together once again with all of y’all and a lot of our fav artists as well. Whether you have been to them all or this will be your first one, we can’t wait to see ya down in Florida!” – Jim James

Fans can sign up for presale now to take advantage of early bird pricing and to be among the first to secure priority access to “The Dancefloor,” which includes a dedicated Cove. Presale sign-ups run from August 20th through August 22nd. The general on-sale begins Friday, August 23rd, at noon EST.

Situated steps away from the beautiful beaches of the Gulf Coast Shores of North Florida, the new Miramar Beach location provides fans with an accessible and affordable music vacation experience with their favorite people and artists. Guests will enjoy a beautiful live music vacation while spending their days at the beach and enjoying the comforts of home from their oceanfront or ocean-view condos, houses or villas (all with full kitchens to stock), each just a short walk from the intimate 5,000 capacity open-air green space venue.

Redefining the music festival experience, Topeka allows guests to immerse themselves in the performances. It provides prompt and friendly delivery of all food, drinks and merchandise within 5 minutes directly to those guests who choose to reserve their own dedicated cove seating, which includes front-of-stage general admission access. Topeka’s Music Vacations offer a more intimate and unique experience for guests to spend their days on the beach and nights under the stars enjoying unforgettable live performances from their favorite artists.

The post My Morning Jacket Announce The Return of ‘One Big Holiday’ appeared first on CelebrityAccess.

Hailing from Yorkshire and now based in London, May entered the music business in 2019 after leaving her full-time job to pursue her dream. May’s love and passion for music shine through her writing and her distinctive vocal, bringing a soulful and rich texture to her delivery, which is able to connect so well. Her influences range from Motown, soul and R&B, with Prince, Lauryn Hill and Al Green as some of her greatest influences. Her love of this genre has inspired her sound and she has been able to incorporate this into the dance world. With over 200 million streams on Spotify alone, May’s voice has most definitely been heard far and wide.

May’s first big break came after singing on Joel Corry’s double-platinum single Sorry, which reached #6 on the UK Singles Chart. Since then, she has been involved in a number of high selling records, including providing her unique vocal and writing on “Never Let Me Down,” the lead track for Gorgon City’s album Olympia. Other featured collaborations include Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Sonny Fodera, John Summit, Cheatcodes and Dillon Francis, to name just a few. May has recently been writing and delivering to some world-renowned acts such as Lost Frequencies, David Guetta and Tiësto and with the release of her second solo single, “Want U,” hitting almost 10 million streams, there is way more to come from May.

“It is an absolute honor and privilege to officially be part of the Prescription family,” Hayley shares. “After working adjacent to the company for almost two years now, and in particular working closely with the amazing A&R on the team, Cameron, we have built up such a special relationship. I have felt so incredibly welcomed and, more importantly, valued as a songwriter, and I feel confident that this is the home for me. I was lucky enough to sign the contract in London with some of the team present (VP of A&R Eddie Fourcell and A&R Executive Andrea Doman), and Cameron was able to join Zoom. Everyone made it such a special moment, and I feel excited about this new beginning. Big things are going to come ahead!”

Kooklanfar is also looking forward to this new partnership. “I’m beyond excited to be partnering with the creative genius that is Hayley May. Since the moment we initially met, I had felt something incredibly special about not only her pure talent as a songwriter but also her unwavering work ethic and genuine personality that truly make working alongside one another such an incredible experience. I am proud to have her as my first solo signing while at Prescription Songs, and I am truly grateful for her creative trust in me and our Prescription family along the way. Beyond excited for this chapter ahead!”

The post Songwriter And Vocalist Hayley May Inks Publishing Deal With Prescription Songs appeared first on CelebrityAccess.

Born September 7, 1974, in Miami Beach, Florida, Epstein showed an early passion for the performing arts, starring in school productions like The Wiz and Jesus Christ Superstar at Miami Country Day School. He pursued his academic interests in politics at New York University, where he graduated magna cum laude with a degree in political science. While at NYU, he interned for congressman Peter Deutsch, senator Bob Graham, and mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Epstein’s Broadway career began as an intern and casting assistant. In 1997, he worked as a production associate for The Life, a musical that received multiple Tony nominations. His breakthrough came just a year later when, at 28, he co-produced Hairspray. The show was a major hit, earning 13 Tony nominations and winning eight awards, including Best Musical.

Choreographer Jerry Mitchell recalled, “Epstein was the youngest producer I had ever worked with when we met on Hairspray. I will always be grateful for his support, encouragement, and care for all of us.”

In a 2003 interview with Roll Call, Epstein said of Hairspray, “It hits a chord. Its themes of diversity, acceptance, and a celebration of the fact that anyone can overcome and win is so resonately American, and I think that’s hitting home in a post-9/11 world.” That same year, he hosted a fundraiser for Senator John Edwards’ presidential campaign, raising around $130,000.

Over the next decade, Epstein produced several successful Broadway shows, including revivals of A View from the Bridge, Amadeus, and The Crucible. He also produced the musicals The Wedding Singer and Cry-Baby, both of which received Tony nominations.

Beyond Broadway, Epstein was known for his political commentary, including work as a Fox News pundit. He also hosted the podcast Dirty Moderate with Adam Epstein until his health declined.

Epstein is survived by his parents, Bonnie Cypen Epstein and Dr. Marc Epstein; his siblings, Brett and Logan Epstein; and his nieces and nephew.

A memorial service will be held at Levitt-Weinstein-Blasberg-Rubin-Zilbert Memorial Chapel in North Miami Beach, followed by interment at Mt. Nebo/Miami. In place of flowers, donations can be made to Dr. Timothy Cloughesy’s Glioblastoma Multiforme research fund at UCLA.

Reflecting on their time together, John Waters said, “Together, Epstein and I had a hit, Hairspray, and a flop, Cry-Baby, and his enthusiasm for each was exactly the same. A cheerleader for his productions like no other.”

R”P.

The post Tony-Winning Broadway Producer, Adam Epstein Dead At 49 appeared first on CelebrityAccess.

Landau’s work as a music critic led him to his long-time relationship with Springsteen. In 1974, while writing for the Boston alt-weekly The Real Paper, he reviewed a performance by Springsteen, declaring that night, “I saw rock and roll future, and its name is Bruce Springsteen.” He began working with Springsteen the following year, co-producing Born To Run. His work on Born To Run solidified their relationship, which has been described as one of music history’s most successful and creative partnerships. Landau would go on to not only manage Springsteen but co-produce many of his critically acclaimed albums over the years, including The River, Darkness on the Edge of Town, The Promise, Born in the U.S.A., Live 1975-1985, Human Touch, Lucky Town and Tracks.

He worked with Browne on his fourth studio album, The Pretender. The album reached the Top 5 on the Billboard 200 chart, was nominated for a Grammy, has been certified multi-platinum, and was included on Rolling Stone’s “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time” list.

Landau said of the deal, “I thank all at Primary Wave for recognizing my contributions over the last fifty years and look forward to having an ongoing and productive relationship with them.”

On behalf of Primary Wave, President of Global Synch Marty Silverstone said, “We’re honored to be partnering with Jon Landau and all of the legendary music he helped shape. He’s an influential figure in music, and we’re proud to welcome him to the Primary Wave family.”

David Simone and Winston Simone facilitated the transaction between Landau and Primary Wave Music.

The post Primary Wave Music Acquires Producer And Music Manager Jon Landau’s Music Rights appeared first on CelebrityAccess.

A nine-time ARIA Award winner, Higgins made her debut in 2004 with the release of 12x platinum-certified album, The Sound of White, and has since become of the best selling Australian artists in history.

Her other albums include the Aria Award-winning On A Clear Night (2007), The Ol’ Razzle Dazzle (2012), Oz (2014) and Solastalgia (2018). Her first full length release in six years, The Second Act, is due on September 6th.

“Australia has seen Missy Higgins’ music career go from strength to strength, including nine ARIA Awards, several number one albums, and multiple sell-out national tours. The ARIA Hall of Fame is all about celebrating legendary music talent who leave a unique mark, inspiring not only the industry but Australia and the world. Missy is the absolute epitome of this. We couldn’t be happier to be welcoming one of Australia’s most loved and admired artists, Missy Higgins, into the ARIA Hall of Fame,” stated ARIA CEO, Annabelle Herd.

“I feel very honoured and grateful. So many artists I love and admire are in the ARIA Hall Of Fame so it feels a bit surreal to be joining them. This year has already been really special, now this is going to make it even more memorable,” Higgins added.

Higgens will be inducted into the ARIA Hall Of Fame as part of the 2024 ARIA Awards, which will take place at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion on November 20th.

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His passing was announced on his official webpage: “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Greg Kihn, an iconic figure in the realm of rock music. Greg lost his battle with Alzheimer’s disease on 8/13/24.”

Born and raised in Baltimore, Kihn launched his music career in his hometown, initially following the singer-songwriter mold. In 1974, he relocated to the West Coast and refocused on rock.

While working at San Francisco’s Rather Ripped Records, he met future bandmate Gary Phillips and became one of the first artists to sign with Matthew King Kaufman’s Beserkley Records.

Kihn recorded a successful string of hits in the 1980s, including “Jeopardy,” “The Breakup Song,” “Remember,” and “Lucky.”

In addition to his music career, Kihn spent almost two decades as a radio personality at the famed Los Angeles station KFOX. He also worked as a syndicated nighttime radio host heard across the U.S.

Kihn was also a successful author, with six published novels and numerous short stories to his name. He was known for his hobby of breeding rare praying mantises, as noted in an obituary published on his official website.

Kihn was dedicated to charitable causes and helped raise money for Operation Care and Comfort, a support network for veterans, among other organizations.

He is survived by his wife, Jay Arafiles-Kihn, along with a son, a daughter, several grandchildren, and other family members.

A private memorial celebration of his life and legacy will be held with friends and family. A public celebration of life concert for fans and fellow musicians will be announced in the near future.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Greg Kihn’s name to The Alzheimer’s Association to help end Alzheimer’s disease.

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