CHRIS ROBINSON and KATE HUDSON welcomed their first child, a boy named RYDER RUSSELL ROBINSON, yesterday . . . AIMEE MANN, KATHLEEN EDWARDS and MIHO HATORI put their stamp on songs written by BURT BACHARACH, TOM PETTY and MADONNA, respectively, in the new compilation Sweatheart . . . GREEN DAY are putting the finishing touches on their first album in more than three years. The group is also planning to reissue its first album, 1991's 39/Smooth . . . GEORGE HARRISON's estate has filed suit against a New York doctor, claiming he coerced the guitarist to sign three autographs in the days just prior to his death of cancer . . .

Previously unreleased footage of the BEATLES will be included on the DVD release of The Beatles First U.S. Visit, due next month. The DVD, which marks the fortieth anniversary of the Fab Four's American debut, also includes the band's first concert at the Washington Coliseum and their three performances on The Ed Sullivan Show . . .

Singer-songwriter JAMES McMURTRY will release his first concert album, Live in Aught-Three, on Compadre Records on March 23rd. The set features the previously unreleased song "Lights of Cheyenne" . . . HOWIE DAYS kicks off a twelve-date tour on February 4th in Washington, D.C. . . . ALISON KRAUSS, BELA FLECK, RICKY SKAGGS and others celebrated banjo legend EARL SCRUGGS' eightieth birthday at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville on Tuesday . . . TESLA will release their next album, Into the Now, on March 9th . . .

Songs by BEYONCE, COLDPLAY, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, WARREN ZEVON, EMINEM and OUTKAST will be included on the 2004 Grammy Nominees album, due January 20th. Partial proceeds will go to the Grammy Foundation and MusiCares . . . ASHANTI has signed on to appear in Coach Carter, which will be her feature film debut. The movie, about a controversial high school basketball coach, begins production later this month . . . The SHINS will kick off a twelve-date tour on January 31st in Seattle . . .

Twenty-five-year-old JEROME BARRA was charged with armed robbery and aggravated battery in the January 4th robbery of RAY DAVIES in New Orleans, during which Davies was shot in the leg . . . Guitarist BEN NIGHTENGALE has departed from the SLEEPY JACKSON, the third member of the Australian band to quit in the past year. Frontman LUKE STEELE is continuing to work on tracks for the follow-up to last year's "Lovers" . . . GINGERSOL will release Eastern on March 9th. In February the group will head out on tour as opener and backing band for MARY LOU LORD . . . MODEST MOUSE will release their next album, Good News for People Who Love Bad News, on March 30th . . .

WILLIE NELSON unveiled a new anti-war song, "Whatever Happened to Peace on Earth," at a fundraiser for Democratic Presidential candidate DENNIS KUCINICH last week in Austin . . . The BLACK EYED PEAS, 311 and JASON MRAZ have recorded covers of several Eighties hits for the soundtrack to "50 First Dates," due February 3rd . . . RUSH guitarist ALEX LIFESON was arrested at a New Year's Eve party in Florida and hit with four felony charges after an altercation with a police officer . . .

CASSANDRA WILSON and BRAD PAISLEY will perform at the inauguration for Mississippi Governor-elect Haley Barbour in Jackson on January 13th . . . DAVID LOWERY's two bands, CRACKER and CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN, will begin a ten-date joint tour on February 2nd in Tempe, Arizona . . . A twenty-two-year-old man has been arrested in New Orleans for the November shooting of rapper SOULJA SLIM (a.k.a. James Tapp). Garelle Smith will be charged with first-degree murder.

(January 7, 2004)