My first stop was at the William Pitt Student Union where the Darkins Group held their annual Pittsburgh Music and Entertainment Conference with music execs giving aspiring artists tips on how to be successful in the music industry. Actress LisaRaye, singer Newland and Mr. Ross were panelists for this event.

Intrinsiq from Washington, D.C., performed live on stage at the 7th Annual Black Family Reunion at Schenley Park.

by Charles Gans

NEW YORK (AP)—Abbey Lincoln, a jazz singer and songwriter known for her phrasing, emotion and uncompromising style, died Saturday in New York at age 80.

“AMAZING GENIUS”—In this Sept. 17, 2005 photo, jazz singer Abbey Lincoln performs during Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Higher Ground Hurricane Relief Benefit Concert in New York.

She had been declining in health for the past year. Her death was confirmed by friend and filmmaker Carol Friedman, who has been working on a documentary on Lincoln’s life.

Lincoln made records and acted in films in the 1950s and ’60s, then saw her career surge again in the 1990s when she found new voice as a songwriter.

I was at a restaurant two weeks ago and there was a lady sitting next to my booth talking on her cell phone. I did not purposely listen, but could not avoid it because she was talking loudly.

The lady was on the phone when I was seated and she was still on the phone when I left which was about 45 minutes later. I don’t know who was on the other end of the call, but I do know the conversation was all gossip. Gwendolyn, it was obvious that someone she knew was on Facebook announcing his engagement.

NEW YORK (AP)—An 11-year-old girl who played young Nala in “The Lion King” on Broadway is getting a potentially lifesaving procedure.

Shannon Tavarez has leukemia and will get an umbilical-cord blood transplant on Tuesday. The blood-producing stem cells used in transplants can come from cord blood, bone marrow or blood.

SHANNON TAVAREZ

Her mother, Odiney Brown, says she’s praying it will work.

The actress was forced to quit the show in April. Cast members held a bone marrow donor registration drive for her last month.

The bone marrow registry DKMS held another drive for Shannon on Sunday at 50 Cent’s community garden in Queens. The rapper has made a video in her honor.