Stevie Wonder, Ed King , George Clooney: Entertainment round-up

Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Hudson, and country singer Faith Hill will sing at the funeral of Aretha Franklin in Detroit next week.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Stevie Wonder heads star line-up for Aretha Franklin funeral

Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Hudson, and country singer Faith Hill will sing at the funeral of Aretha Franklin in Detroit next week, her publicist said on Thursday. They will be joined by R&B singers Chaka Khan, Ron Isley, Fantasia and Yolanda Adams at the funeral for the late Queen of Soul, publicist Gwendolyn Quinn said in a statement.

In rural Ukraine, an American rekindles a lost music tradition

Deep in rural Ukraine, a man from North Carolina has returned to his roots, moving to a village with a population of 500 in a bid to rekindle an almost lost tradition of Ukrainian folk music. Yuriy Fedynsky, 43, born into the Ukrainian diaspora in the United States, moved to the country of his ancestors and set about resurrecting an almost lost tradition of lyrical ballads known as "dumas".

Tequila sends George Clooney to top of best-paid actors list

George Clooney on Wednesday soared to the top of an annual list of the world's highest-paid actors, thanks largely to the sale of his tequila company. Clooney, 57, earned an estimated $239 million between June 2017-June 2018, marking the highest earnings of his 35-year career in film and television, Forbes said.

Killer of John Lennon loses parole bid for the tenth time

The man who gunned down rock icon John Lennon nearly 38 years ago failed in his tenth try to win freedom from a prison sentence that could keep him behind bars for the rest of his life, New York prison authorities said on Thursday. A state board denied parole for Mark David Chapman, 63, after a hearing and told him he would have to wait another two years until it considers him for release again, the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision said.

Former Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Ed King dies at 68

Ed King, a former lead guitarist for the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd who co-wrote one of the group's best-known hits, "Sweet Home Alabama," has died at age 68, a founding member of the band said on Thursday. King joined Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1972 not long after the band formed, and with two other lead guitarists, Gary Rossington and Allen Collins helped create the group's powerful triple-guitar sound prominent on such rock classics as "Free Bird."

Vietnamese website taunts Chinese drama fans with South China Sea quiz

A Vietnamese website, which only works when users correctly answer a quiz about disputed islands in the South China Sea, has infuriated scores of television fans in China desperate to catch the latest episode of a popular Chinese period drama. The drama -- "The Story of Yanxi Palace" -- has attracted a huge following in China for its colorful depiction of Qing Dynasty-era politics and the tale of a brave and plucky young concubine who outsmarts her rivals.

Fake Trump family riffs on real news in a musical spoof

The family of reality show star turned U.S. President Donald Trump has inspired a new Off-Broadway cabaret spoof promoted by former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci. The entrepreneur and political consultant, who has fired from the White House after an 11-day stint a year ago, lent his name to "The 1st Annual Trump Family Special," which opens in New York on Sept. 13, saying that its "kernels of truth make a good satire."

British comic Elf Lyons makes economics a laughing matter

You could say British comic Elf Lyons is one half of a double-act – the other half is her father Gerard Lyons, a prominent economist and former advisor to politician Boris Johnson. They have long been each other's audience: Elf telling her father when his articles were boring, and Gerard attending her shows and loving them.

After 'Crazy Rich Asians,' 'Searching' breaks more new ground

The Asians in new movie "Searching" are neither rich nor crazy, but the contemporary thriller is in some ways as ground-breaking as the big romantic comedy currently making waves in Hollywood. "Searching," opening in U.S. movie theaters on Friday a week after the debut of "Crazy Rich Asians," is the tale of a father's attempts to track down his well-behaved teen daughter after she goes missing.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)