 FEATURES:
ONE MAN, ONE BAND
The motivation and genius of musicians who take DIY to the extreme. MATTHEW ALLEN delves into one-man bands like Stevie Wonder, Lenny Kravitz and Raphael Saadiq and their unified approach
...AND FOR THE BEST SCORE
Movies expose audiences to unfamiliar musical genres, often with dramatic and lasting effect. A quick peek at how music and film have skewed our culture
DEPARTMENTS
Letter from a star: Tapped by Elmore as a rising star exactly one year ago, ukuleleist extraordinaire Jake Shimabukuro reflects on the past 12 months and looks forward to the next 12, in 2012
Opening Act: Snippets, fun, sad news, interviews, reviews. Go meet Elmore at shows and compare notes!
Kickin’ in Your Stall: Earth to Betelgeuse—paging Michael Franti
On The Record: Just when you think you’ve got a handle on Tom Waits, there he goes again, with the surprises—Bad As Me? I doubt it. Duke Robillard is Low Down and Tore Up, Mekons are Ancient & Modern; Buck Owens is Bound For Bakersfield, while Merle Haggard finds himself Working in Tennessee. And Willie Nile? He’s The Innocent One (or maybe not)
Re.Issues: Concord releases every side of Ray Charles—A and B—from 1960 to 1972, Paul Aaronson’s history lesson. Read about an exhaustive collection of Paul Simon’s works, a new improved O Brother, Where Art Thou?, then discover their impact
Pet Sounds: Ali Green praises the grooved side of Kravitz and Floyd, coincidentally this issue’s first and last pages
What’d I Say: Over 40? Jim Hynes notes that the B-side of life sounds just as good as Side One for these vibrant artists
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning: Hardworking, unfunded and underappreciated, Thomas Boddie made magic
Also Appearing: CMJ highlights new artists; Christine Ohlman delivers sultry R&B in a high-wattage DVD; Joe Bonamassa brings up longtime star Paul Rodgers. In the back woods, deer tick season is over, but onstage Deer Tick ramps it up
Collecting: Riding the wave of important rereleases, Arnie Goodman uses his hindsight on Pink Floyd compilations, with special attention to a new The Dark Side of the Moon box set, and the band’s peculiar progenitor
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The music world lost one of its greats when Etta James lost her battle with leukemia on January 20th. She was 73 years old. James lived a hard life of transience before meeting Johnny Otis, who invited her to tour with him. She then signed to Chess Records and released the seminal At Last! in 1960. The album’s title track became James’ signature song and a standard in American pop music. James’ long career also included multiple collaborations with Chuck Berry and three Grammy Awards. Her impact on American music cannot be underestimated. 
It wouldn’t be a Super Bowl halftime show without a little controversy. A guest appearance by British rapper M.I.A. during Madonna’s performance had the FCC up in arms over a hand gesture. M.I.A. flipped off the camera at the end of her guest spot and now she may have to pay NBC if the FCC decides to take action against the company. Under a clause established shortly after Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" at Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004, (in which CBS was threatened with a $550,000 fine), M.I.A. is bound by contract to compensate the NFL for any fines charged by the FCC during her performance.
Pete Townshend has agreed to sell his share of the rights to his songwriting catalog to publisher Spirit Music Group, who also owns the rights to songs by The Grateful Dead, Lou Reed, and T. Rex. Townshend told Bloomberg News that the deal “provides me with the resources to start all over again in my creative career.” The deal also includes a publishing and promotional agreement for future Townshend releases, including his upcoming autobiography and reissues of the Who’s albums in preparation for the band’s 50th anniversary in 2014. 
Good news for the Bee Gees' Robin Gibb, who was diagnosed with liver cancer in November. His treatments seem to be working, and, in his own words, "the results have been spectacular." Gibb is currently back at work, preparing for his classical concert debut in April.
Don Cornelius, creator and host of Soul Train, died of apparent suicide on February 1. Born in Chicago in 1936, Cornelius got into broadcasting at a young age, eventually creating Soul Train in 1970, using $400 of his own money. The weekly television program ran until 2006, one of the longest runs in television history, with Cornelius himself as host until 1993. With Cornelius at the helm, Soul Train introduced several generations to some of America's finest soul and funk artists. In the words of legendary songwriter Kenny Gamble, "Soul Train created an outlet for black artists that never would have been if it hadn't been for Cornelius."
