LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - Cameron Crowe's iconic film "Almost Famous" is getting the stage treatment.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Pyotr Verzilov, an anti-Kremlin activist being treated in a Berlin hospital for suspected poisoning, has been given a police guard for his own protection, a close friend who visited him in hospital said on Tuesday.

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - Country pioneer Loretta Lynn and her movie doppelganger Sissy Spacek will reunite in Nashville next month when the actress presents Lynn with an "Artist of a Lifetime" award for the annual "CMT Artists of the Year" telecast. The Oct. 17 show is being devoted exclusively to female artists -- present and, as it turns out, past.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - When first-time director Bradley Cooper hired pop superstar Lady Gaga for her first movie role in the remake of classic film "A Star is Born" both were taking a leap of faith.

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - As the 50th anniversary approaches of the release of the Beatles' iconic self-titled ninth studio album, known as "The White Album," the group announced on Monday that on Nov. 9 it will release "a suite of lavishly presented packages."

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Sony Corp <6758.T> will know by Oct. 26 whether EU antitrust regulators will wave through its $2.3 billion offer for control of EMI to become the world's largest music publisher, according to a filing on the European Commission website on Monday.

PARIS (Reuters) - A French Muslim rapper said on Friday he was cancelling two gigs at a Paris concert hall attacked by Islamist militants three years ago, saying he couldn't go ahead for security reasons after the far-right accused him of stoking divisions.

PARIS, Sept 21 (Reuters) - A French Muslim rapper said on Friday he was canceling two gigs at a Paris concert hall attacked by Islamist militants three years ago, saying he couldn't go ahead for security reasons after the far-right accused him of stoking divisions.

LONDON (Reuters) - Elton John has signed a deal with Universal Music Group for his back catalogue and any new work as well as brand management, merchandising and licensing rights, the company said on Friday.