GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador (BP)--He is undeniably their leader. Dreadlocks bobbing in time to the Latin rhythm, former gang leader Byron Garcia accepts the hand slaps and requests for autographs from his outpost at the rear of the concert venue.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.----Nielsen SoundScan, the entertainment industry's data information system that tracks point-of-purchase sales of recorded music product, Nielsen BDS, the music industry’s leading music performance monitoring service, and Nielsen RingScan, which tracks mobile ringtone purchases, have announced their 2008 U.S. year-end sales and performance monitoring data for the 52-week ...

At 8.13pm on Thursday night, one of the greatest pianists of his, or any, age sat down to play in public for the last time. Alfred Brendel spread his tails behind him, adjusted the stool and, for the final time, beamed his readiness to the conductor. Two weeks before his 78th birthday, he was ready to bring down the final curtain while still at something like the peak of his powers. To ...