Industry honors Jewel for her album sales

Industry honors Jewel for her album sales

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Jewel has been honored by the Recording Industry Association of America with a career milestone plaque commemorating sales of more than 18 million albums in the U.S. Jenny Alves, RIAA’s coordinator of artist industry relations, surprised the 34-year-old singer Thursday as she prepared to sign autographs at the Country Music Association festival.

“This is awesome. Thank you so much,” said the singer, who also was scheduled to perform.

Jewel, whose full name is Jewel Kilcher, released a country album, “Perfectly Clear,” on Tuesday. The lead single, “Stronger Woman,” is No. 15 on the Billboard chart. Perhaps best known for her pop and rock hits that include “Foolish Games” and “You Were Meant for Me,” Jewel has sold 27 million albums worldwide since her 1995 debut. She is touring with Brad Paisley this summer.

Publisher sues daughter of mobster over money

NEW YORK — A book publisher has sued Victoria Gotti for the return of an advance she was paid to write a memoir she never delivered. HarperCollins Publishers LLC says in court papers filed Thursday in New York that the book was due in 2005. Gotti notified HarperCollins last September she was terminating the contract.

The lawsuit says the daughter of the late “Dapper Don” John Gotti and star of the reality show “Growing Up Gotti” did not return the $70,000 advance.

Literary agent Frank Weiman says his client will return the money when he gets her another deal. Weiman says Gotti made her book deal with former publishing heavyweight Judith Regan and that Gotti canceled because Regan and other editors his client dealt with left HarperCollins.

Today’s birthdays

Comedian Jerry Stiller is 81. Comedian-talk show host Joan Rivers is 75. Actor James Darren is 72. Actor Bernie Casey is 69. Singer Nancy Sinatra is 68. Singer Chuck Negron (Three Dog Night) is 66. Singer Boz Scaggs is 64. Actor Don Grady (“My Three Sons”) is 64. Guitarist Mick Box of Uriah Heep is 61. Actress Sonia Braga is 58. Actress Kathy Baker (“Picket Fences”) is 58. Country guitarist Tony Rice is 57. Singer Bonnie Tyler is 55. Actor Griffin Dunne is 53. “Dilbert” cartoonist Scott Adams is 51. Actor-director Keenan Ivory Wayans is 50. Singer Mick Hucknall of Simply Red is 48. Keyboardist Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran is 46. Actress Julianna Margulies is 41. Actor Dan Futterman (“Judging Amy”) is 41. Actor David Sutcliffe (“Gilmore Girls”) is 39. Singer Nicci Gilbert of Brownstone is 38. Actress Kelli Williams (“The Practice”) is 38. Guitarist Mike Scheuchzer of MercyMe is 33. Rapper Kanye West is 31. Fiddler Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek is 27.