Beyonce picks all-female band

Beyonce's own personal version of American Idol is complete, as the R&B diva has picked her all-female band to tour with her in support of her upcoming solo album, B'Day, which hits stores September 5.

The former Destiny's Child frontwoman held auditions in several US cities earlier this month, whittling 1,000 entrants to 30 finalists for a final round in NYC last week. The names of the 10-member band (with two alternates) have not yet been released, but they come from Denver, Houston, LA, NYC, Atlanta, Tel Aviv, and Japan. The ensemble includes two drummers, a percussionist, two keyboards, bass, guitar, and horns.

Beyonce will perform live with the new band at the 2006 BET Awards Ceremony on June 27 at 8 p.m. ET. "Deja Vu," the first single off B'Day, features rapper and boyfriend Jay-Z and hit radio earlier this month.(4:00 p.m.)

Rihanna, Mary J. Blige to appear on soaps

Two of R&B's biggest stars will make appearances on daytime soap operas in July. The seemingly ubiquitous Rihanna will guest-star on All My Children as herself, christening a new club in the fictional town of Pine Valley with an opening-night appearance. The appearance is set to air July 25. Meanwhile, Blige will perform two songs at club Capricorn in the fictional town of Llanview on the soap One Life to Live. That show is set to air July 28.(3:45 p.m.)

Wu-Tang, Flaming Lips join Voodoo fest lineup

The eighth annual Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans has added the Wu-Tang Clan, Flaming Lips, My Chemical Romance, and Kings Of Leon to its lineup, which already included Red Hot Chili Peppers and Duran Duran. The event will be held October 28-29 in New Orleans' City Park.

"Despite the ongoing uncertainty in New Orleans, I feel it's important for people to continue to invest in the rebirth of our city," Voodoo producer Stephen Rehage told Billboard.com. "Whatever small part we can play in that, we will continue to do and we'll see in due course if it was the right decision. What I do know with no uncertainty is that New Orleans and its music culture is something worth nurturing back to its glory."

The festival's lineup also includes Social Distortion, Broken Social Scene, Ozomatli, Secret Machines, Blue October, Brazilian Girls, Drive-By Truckers, the Rentals, Ferry Corsten, Jack's Mannequin, and Yerba Buena.(2:00 p.m.)

Stevie Nicks donates iPod to troops

Stevie Nicks has found an innovative and philanthropic way to market her own music, as well as that of Aerosmith and Elvis Presley. The former Fleetwood Mac singer is donating hundreds of iPods, loaded with music from the aforementioned artists, to US soldiers wounded in Iraq. Nicks regularly visits soldiers at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. "I refuse to be pulled into the politics of war. But once these soldiers sign up, go to war and come back to a hospital, I will do whatever it takes to make them better." (1:30 p.m.)

Kool & the Gang guitarist dies

Kool & the Gang cofounder and lead guitarist Claydes Charles Smith died Tuesday after a long battle with an unspecified illness. He was 57. Smith cowrote Kool classics like "Celebration" and "Jungle Boogie," and wrote the group's 1984 hit "Joanna."(12:00 p.m.)