Billboard Bits: Hank Jr., Enrique Iglesias, Manu Chao

8/28/2002

News on Hank Jr., Enrique Iglesias, Manu Chao

Although as well known for his rowdy country music as for his annually updated theme to ABC's "Monday Night Football," the culinary skills of Hank Williams Jr. are rarely noted. That has all changed with "Hey, Good Cookin'!," a no-nonsense cookbook assembled by the musician.

"I just threw together a collection of the favorite food I like to eat," Williams said in a statement. "A lot of the recipes came from friends, fans, and my longtime family cook who fed me when I was growin' up. It's what I know best -- down home country cookin'."

Among the included recipes are "Super Bowl Salad," "Monday Night Cheese Ball," "Chicken A-La-Hank," "Mary Jane's Potato Pie," and "Merle Kilgore's Wolverton Mountain Sweeter Than Honey Kisses." The cookbook can be ordered from Williams' official Web site or by calling 731-642-7455.

On Sept. 9, Williams will kick-off the "Monday Night Football" season with a live performance of his "Are You Ready for Some Football" theme prior to ABC's broadcast of the Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots game.

-- Barry A. Jeckell, N.Y.

Latin star Enrique Iglesias will be seen performing tomorrow night (Aug. 29) during the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), but he won't be on stage at New York's Radio City Music Hall for the ceremony. Fans will instead see Iglesias singing his romantic song "Don't Turn Off the Lights" in a new television ad for Doritos Salsa chips.

In the 30-second comedic spot, Iglesias passes over several beautiful women as searches through a concert audience for inspiration as he sings the love song. He ends up singing the song to a young man before grabbing his bag of the chips.

Iglesias is nominated for a pair of VMAs for the clip for his hit single "Hero": best male video and the Viewer's Choice Award.

-- Barry A. Jeckell, N.Y.

Acclaimed Latin alternative artist Manu Chao will release his first concert recording, "The Live Album," Sept. 17 via Virgin. The set was recorded early last September over two rowdy nights at the Grande Halle de la Villette in Paris, where Chao was backed by the 10-piece Radio Bemba Sound System.

The 70-minute performance features 29 songs spanning Chao's two solo albums, last year's "Proxima Estacion: Esperanza" and l998's "Clandestino." Among the favorites are "King Kong Five," "Casa Babylon," and "La Primavera," as well as "Bongo Bong," which was part of the 2000 Warner Bros. soundtrack to the Madonna film "The Next Big Thing."

The album was recorded in the midst of a two-year world tour that saw Chao and the Radio Bemba Sound System perform more than 100 concerts through North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia before coming to a close last month in Japan. A DVD with footage culled from the tour is due at the end of the year.

-- Barry A. Jeckell, N.Y.