Look To The Stars News: Natalie Maines

Peter Jackson Helps West Memphis Three Receive Pardon

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson has brought one of the West Memphis Three inmates freed from prison after 18 years to New Zealand, to help him work on receiving a full pardon.

Damien Echols was one of three men convicted of killing three 8-year-old boys in Arkansas in 1993. He and the other two men – Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley Jr. – were released in August after pleading guilty to lesser charges. Echols was the only one of the three to face the death sentence.

“There are all sorts of emotive headlines about Damien Echols, killer, coming to New Zealand, but the reality is that Damien Echols is an innocent man who has spent 18 years incarcerated in a tiny cell,” Jackson said at a press conference. “He’s come here to work with us on a couple of things. We’re doing investigative work, we’re doing forensic work with the purpose of getting a complete pardon.”

Celebrity Charity Concert Raises Money For Wildfire Victims

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:30:00 +0000

The Dixie Chicks, Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, George Strait and Christopher Cross were some of the artists who hit the stage for a concert on Monday to help victims of wildfires in Texas.

The celebrity charity concert in Austin raised over $500,000 for victims of the September fires that killed two people and destroyed over 1,500 homes.

“When they called us to do this show, there was zero hesitation,” Dixie Chicks singer Natalie Maines told the crowd. “You can take the girl out of Texas, but you can’t take Texas out of the girl.”

Stars Rejoice Over West Memphis Three Release

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 11:30:00 +0000

Dixie Chicks singer Natalie Maines and Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder were in Arkansas in the weekend to support family and friends of the West Memphis Three, who were freed from prison after 18 years.

The pair have been vocal supporters of the West Memphis Three – Jason Baldwin, Damien Echols and Jessie Misskelley Jr., three men charged with the murder of three 8-year-old boys in 1993 – for a number of years. A host of celebrities have been behind the release of the men, including Peter Jackson, Johnny Depp, Jack Black, Ben Harper and Patti Smith.

“Beautiful things went down in Arkansas today,” tweeted Maines. “Beautiful beautiful things… I’m sitting in a holding room at the courthouse about to see three men walk free!”

Johnny Depp And Friends Stand Up For West Memphis Three

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Johnny Depp, Ben Harper, Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, the Dixie Chicks’ Natalie Maines and punk legend Patti Smith were in Little Rock, Arkansas, in the weekend to take part in a rally that called on authorities to free the West Memphis Three.

The West Memphis Three are Jason Baldwin, Damien Echols and Jessie Misskelley Jr., three men charged with the murder of three 8-year-old boys in 1993. New evidence suggests the three men are innocent, and the stars are demanding a retrial.

“Three innocent people are losing years of their life on a wrongful conviction on a crime they didn’t commit,” said Maines. “It makes me scared. It could happen to any of us.”

Maria Shriver Announces Women's Conference Lineup

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:30:00 +0000

Maria Shriver has announced the lineup for this year’s Women’s Conference, to be held from Sunday, October 24 through Tuesday, October 26 at the Long Beach Convention Center.

“Our theme this year is ’It’s Time’ – and we are hoping The Women’s Conference inspires women to see this challenging moment in history as an opportunity to come together and transform ourselves, our communities and our world as Architects of Change,” she wrote in the Huffington Post. "I could not be more proud to disclose this amazing lineup, which will be led by Laila Ali, Yahoo! CEO Carol Bartz, Martha Beck, Mary J. Blige, Erin Brockovich, Campbell Brown, Deepak Chopra, Rosario Dawson, Paula Deen, Giada De Laurentiis, Linda Ellerbee, Giselle Fernandez, Sally Field, Jane Fonda, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, David Gregory, Arianna Huffington, Women for Hire CEO Tory Johnson, Donna Karan, Billie Jean King, New York Times Columnist Nicholas Kristof, Matt Lauer, Omega Institute Co-Founder Elizabeth Lesser, Journalists Laura Ling and Lisa Ling, Jillian Michaels, former Xerox Chairwoman & CEO and Save the Children Board Chair Anne Mulcahy, The Honorable Sandra Day O’Connor, Poet Mary Oliver, Suze Orman, Dr. Oz, Tony Robbins, Al Roker, Diane Sawyer, The Episcopal Church’s Presiding Bishop and Primate The Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Howard Schultz, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Katherine Schwarzenegger, Jessica Simpson, Anna Deavere Smith, Disney/ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney, “The Cake Boss” Buddy Valastro, Kerry Washington, Ali Wentworth and Oprah Winfrey.

“We’ll kick the Conference off on October 24 with Maria Shriver’s March on Alzheimer’s and candlelight vigil in Long Beach, which I will emcee with Leeza Gibbons, Peter Gallagher and Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines. Alzheimer’s is a mind-blowing disease that disproportionately impacts women – both as victims and caretakers of loved one’s suffering from it. With more than 5 million people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in this country and a new diagnosis every 70 seconds, I believe it’s time to pick up the pace and start marching to defeat this devastating disease.

London and Austin host GuitarTown for charity

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 07:12:00 +0000

Sir Paul McCartney is among a group of celebrities who have donated giant guitars to exhibitions in both America and England, to be auctioned off over the next few months.

The exhibitions are part of the Gibson GuitarTown Galas And Auctions being held in London and Austin, and feature both 10-foot-high and regular-sized guitars designed and signed by artists and musicians. The sculptures have been on show in the cities for 10 weeks, and will soon be removed in preparation for the auctions, which will benefit a variety of local charities.

“I just fancied playing a big guitar!” joked Sir Paul, who signed a sculpture designed by cartoonist Rosie Brooks entitled And The Crowd Goes Wild. “I think this one will hopefully catch the imagination of the public and whoever is going to buy it at the auction, and raise money for The Prince’s Trust, the Teenage Cancer Trust, and Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy – which are all great charities.”

Celebrities Play Bingo For Charity

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 14:29:17 +0000

British pop star Robbie Williams is one of a host of celebrities involved with Legendary Bingo, a weekly fundraising event held in Los Angeles. The singer was part of a charity evening earlier in August, held at Hamburger Mary’s Bar and Grill, with proceeds going towards breast cancer research.

The evening was a colorful and fun affair, with Williams winning the grand prize – a Diane Merrick leopard-print handbag. The following week, it was Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines’ turn to play the game.

“She asked if we would consider doing a wild bingo night for one of her favorite charities,” said Jeffery Bowman, producer of the Legendary Bingo events. “She was one of the most normal, nicest people I’ve ever met.”