Paisley, LL Cool J Stand by ‘Accidental Racist’

Jerod Harris/ACMA2013/Getty Images for ACM(NEW YORK) -- It only took a few hours for a six-minute song about race to spark a backlash after its release Monday.

The song, recorded by the unlikely duo of Brad Paisley and LL Cool J and titled “Accidental Racist,” was slammed by music critics and fans alike for its attempt at a dialogue on race between two men from starkly different backgrounds. The song features lyrics including “If you don’t judge my do-rag … I won’t judge your red flag” and “If you don’t judge my gold chains … I’ll forget the iron chains.”

The country singer, 40, and his rapper counterpart, 45, say the national debate sparked by their song, released on Paisley’s new album, Wheelhouse, is exactly what they wanted to happen.

“I’m not really sure we’re going to find any answers but it was the idea that we were asking the question,” Paisley said in an exclusive interview with his duet partner that aired Wednesday on ABC's Good Morning America.

“Martin Luther King says that darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can,” LL Cool J said. “Hate can’t drive out hate, only love can. So what we’re talking about is compassion.”

“Accidental Racist” focuses specifically on how northerners like LL Cool J, who grew up in New York City, view southerners, like Paisley, a native of West Virginia, and vice versa.

“I’m not advising anyone to truly forget slavery, but what I’m saying is forget the slavery mentality,” LL Cool J said. “Forget the bitterness. Don’t get bitter, get better.”

Critics have been especially harsh on specific lines in the song, like LL Cool J singing “let bygones be bygones,” and Paisley singing that white Americans are “still paying for mistakes that a bunch of folks made before we came.”

“Some people take exception to some of the lyrics [and] I respect that,” LL Cool J said. “I’m sensitive to that.”

Paisley, for one, found out about the controversy from LL Cool J, who alerted him to the backlash after the video, in which LL Cool J plays a barista, was released on YouTube Monday.

“I got a call from this guy saying, ‘Have you seen anything?’” Paisley said, adding that LL Cool J went on to tell him to look at Twitter.  “I was like, ‘No, I don’t want to look at it.’”

Despite the backlash, the two stars, who will sing together again on LL Cool J’s next album, to be released later this month, say they are proud of the song and the discussion it is creating.

“Let’s not be victims of things that happened so long ago,” Paisley said.  “In the end, I felt like what we had on tape was something that people needed to hear.”

LL Cool J said, “At the same time, let’s respect it. But then after we respect it, let’s also open our hearts up so we can move forward.”

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Legendary Music Producer Phil Ramone Dead at 79

PhilRamone.com(NEW YORK) -- Acclaimed music producer Phil Ramone has died, about a month after being hospitalized with an aortic aneurysm.  

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ramone died Saturday morning at New York Presbyterian Hospital. He was 79-years-old.

Over his long and successful career, Ramone received a total of 33 Grammy nominations and won 14 awards, including a trophy for Producer of the Year in 1981. Among the many well-known albums he's produced are Paul Simon's Still Crazy After All These Years; Billy Joel's The Stranger, 52nd Street and Glass Houses; Frank Sinatra's Duets; Paul & Linda McCartney's Ram; Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks and Ray Charles' Genius Loves Company.

Ramone also recorded Marilyn Monroe's famous rendition of "Happy Birthday" that she sang to President John F. Kennedy in 1962.  In 1973, he won an Emmy Award for producing Liza Minnelli's Liza with a Z special.

In the last few years, Phil had worked on such recordings as Simon's So Beautiful or So What, Tony Bennett's Duets albums and Dionne Warwick's Now.

In 2010, Ramone was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. At the event, Billy Joel talked about what made Ramone such a great producer. "He knows his stuff. He knows music. He's worked in so many genres," explained Joel. "He loves music himself. He's a fan of music. He's just a good human being and he keeps you interested. He keeps you in the studio when sometimes you're ready to give up."

In an interview with Music Radar in November, Ramone explained his approach to producing, saying, "You have to be able to run as fast as the artist, capture the magic early on. After a few takes, people start intellectualizing what they’re doing, and it loses something. What’s special happens right away -- so you have to be ready for it.”

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

America’s Olympic Athletes Rock to Pop, Hip-Hop to Prep for Games

iStockphoto/Thinkstock(LONDON) -- Olympic athletes must be focused and determined at all times as they perform under the intense pressure of the world’s eyes. So what kind of music helps motivate them?

From R&B and rap, to rock and pop, it’s different strokes for different folks. Rapper Jay-Z is the choice for basketball players, while runners seem to like Beyonce.

Gymnast Danell Layva has Drake and Lil Wayne, both rappers, on his playlist.  He told ABC News that the music helps calm him.

For many Olympians, blasting their favorite tunes is as much a part of the pre-game ritual as is slipping on their uniforms. Silver medalist diver Abby Johnson listens to Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville,” while shooter Amanda Furrer likes Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run.” Track champion Lolo Jones likes headbanger rock.

For one member of the U.S. rowing team, something a little different is in order. “It’s the Olympics. My playlist was leaning a little bit toward the USA,” said coxswain Zach Vlahos. His choice? Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the U.S.A.”

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

Gavin DeGraw Hospitalized Following Attack in NYC

RCA Music Group(NEW YORK) -- Singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw was attacked in New York City over the weekend, and was hospitalized with injuries. 

The singer's rep confirmed the report to ABC News Radio, saying "Gavin DeGraw was assaulted late Sunday night and was taken to the emergency room at Bellevue Hospital by ambulance.  He is currently under observation.  We have no additional information at this time."

The New York Post quotes police sources as saying the 34-year-old singer had been drinking and had just left a group of friends when he was attacked by a number of people sometime between 3:50 a.m. and 4:20 a.m., suffering a broken nose and cuts to his face.

The sources tell the newspaper the dazed singer kept walking after the attack and wound up being hit by a taxi, although he wasn't seriously injured in the collision.  The sources also tell the Post the initial attack did not appear to be a robbery.

DeGraw is currently touring with Maroon 5 and Train. Their next concert is scheduled for Tuesday in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio