It’s called “Move On Up” and it’s the inaugural “Gospel and Praise Team Sing-Off” celebrating gospel choirs and praise teams, awarding money to the winning ensembles.

Bergen County singer-songwriter-guitarist Rory D’Lasnow has a way with words. His latest two original tunes—“Maybe Tonight” and “Real”—come complete with multi-tracked harmonics.

He was devilishly funny, with a wit and a sardonic side that tempered his laughs with profound truth. Raised in Bergen County, Richard Lewis succumbed to a heart attack at 76 on February 27.

She stood fearlessly on the American Idol stage and belted out a song by one of the judges—“Rise” by Katy Perry. Clifton resident Hailey Mia, 16, a student at Passaic County Technical Institute in Wayne, will continue on the show during its Hollywood phase.

The Sheraton Parsippany will be taken over by the freaks, weirdos, vampires, zombies, metal-boys and goth-girls of Dark Fest April 19, 20 and 21. It’s an Industrial-Gothic Music Festival complete with 35+ bands, 100+ vendors, club events, a costume contest, sideshow performers, activities and panels.

Rachel Zegler, the Hackensack-born, Clifton-raised singer has starred as Athena in Shazam! Fury Of The Gods and as Lucy Gray Baird in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds. In the only awards show in which the fans get to vote, she beat heavy favorites like Keanu Reeves, Jason Momoa and Gal Gadot.

Jazz Giant Rufus Reid, 80, of Teaneck, not only helped build the Jazz Studies program at William Paterson University (WPU) in Wayne into one of the most renowned jazz education programs in the world, but was the go-to bassist/composer in the bands of other legends: from trombonist JJ Johnson and tenor saxophonist Stan Getz to pianist Kenny Barron and trumpeter Art Farmer.

From onstage backing John Denver plus Peter Paul & Mary to in the studio with Aerosmith and Bowie, it’s small wonder Stevie Van Zandt tapped Marc Ribler to be Musical Director for Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul. It's all come full circle with his terrific band Story Road with drummer Charley Drayton (Dylan/Keith Richards) and bassist Jack Daley (Lenny Kravitz/Spin Doctors). The latest single from their ‘Armageddon’ album (Wicked Cool Records) is “Dick Cavett” and it’s a hoot!

It’s right on the beach. Over 40 artists on five stages are slated to appear over four days—June 20, 21, 22 and 23—in Wildwood. It all kicks off on the first day of summer that Thursday at 3:00. Then at 1:00 p.m. for three straight days with each day ending at 11:30 p.m.

Dion, John Mellencamp, Jackson Browne and Mavis Staples will be feted April 24 by the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music in the Pollak Theatre on the campus of Monmouth University in West Long Branch.

Rosanne Cash, Phosphorescent, Blondshell, Bully, The Heavy Heavy, Lizzie No, Cedric Burnside and Grace Bowers are the first eight artists announced for the 30th Annual XPonential Music Festival to be held this year September 20, 21 and 22 on the Camden waterfront at Wiggins Park.

“More Time” was directed by Gus Black who previously helmed clips from Phoebe Bridgers and Sheryl Crow. It’s the title track of his album due this spring that was recorded in Memphis with producer Matt Ross-Spang (Jason Isbell/Margo Price). With themes of temptation and self-reflection, the beautifully-shot clip builds from its sensitive piano intro to its bombastic orchestral crescendo.

Despite not winning an award at the know-nothing Grammys for her brilliant ‘LaVette!’ album, The First Lady of Song from Essex County put on a spectacular demonstration—as always—of interpretation at the “Celebrating Peggy Lee and Frank Sinatra” NJPAC concert in Newark on February 8.

We told you about Mariel Loveland last August (“Hoboken Temptress Promises To Ruin Your Life”). Now her band, Best Ex, has collaborated with synthpop band Soft Faith for a remix of a song originally on her ‘With A Smile’ debut.

The exhibit is called “Music America: Iconic Objects from America’s Music History.” It opened February 17 and runs through August 11 at the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin Texas. Over 100 objects will be on display.

After suffering a heart attack onstage in Bucharest Romania last year on September 27, legendary Jersey City guitarist Al Di Meola—who can be seen in the upcoming documentary ‘The Jersey Sound’ —will perform as part of the Paco de Lucia fest in New York City, taking place at various venues from February 20 to 24.

Skid Row, the Toms River hair-metal band that reached the pinnacle of success in the ‘80s, is doing just fine with singer Erik Gronwell. Their sixth album, ‘The Gang’s All Here,’ in 2022, was their first in 16 years, and it’s selling. But the gang isn’t exactly all here, is it? Sebastian Bach is solo and released his “What Do I Have To Lose” single in December, his first in nine years. Meanwhile, Skid Row has been around the world and back. In fact, they’re still on tour and, reportedly, sounding better than ever. But what led to the split?

Art Of Anarchy—which includes New Brunswick guitar hero Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal in its ranks—have announced their new video (“Die Hard”), new album (‘Let There Be Anarchy,’ due February 16 from Pavement Records) and new tour (with a March 30 stop in Teaneck at the Debonair Music Hall).

Hoboken chanteuse Tammy Faye Starlite is gearing up for another run as Nico this spring in a new show—’Nico: Underground’—set for Joe’s Pub in New York City May 1, 8, 15 & 22. No one does Nico like Tammy Faye.

On March 5, Labyrinth Books in Princeton will host a book signing by Kat Taylor whose very cool book—’She’s A Badass: Women In Rock Shaping Feminism’—came out last month on Backbeat Books. Each of its 20 chapters focuses in on interviews with female musicians.