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Southwest Is Ending Its Two Free Checked Bags Policy. For Touring Musicians, That’s a Big Loss

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For years, singer-songwriter Sierra Hull has checked two bags of music gear for free as part of a longstanding Southwest Airlines policy allowing two free checked bags per passenger. But when the troubled, cost-cutting airline announced March 11 that it would strike the musician-friendly perk, the bluegrass mandolinist was outraged.

“The policies they’ve changed over the last year or so have made it tougher for musicians,” Hull says. “Now there’s going to be an extra several hundred dollars for most bands just to get where they’re going. Festivals are going to have to start paying the bands even more for the band to even say yes — which means they’re going to have to raise the ticket price.”

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The Southwest announcement, coming when touring costs are “definitely staggering,” as one top agent puts it — particularly buses, hotels, food and fuel — has frustrated artists prepping for spring and summer tours, especially in Nashville. “We’ve got dozens of people on the crew that utilize that airline regularly. Most people have one to two bags,” says Bill Orner, manager of Billy Strings, who’s scheduled to headline arenas, festivals and amphitheaters this summer — most of them after Southwest’s policy takes effect May 28. “Think of the financial implications on any given tour. I guess they’ve got a reason for it, but [it’s] certainly not ideal.”

Although Southwest has yet to announce how much the checked bags will cost after May 28, Brian Ross, manager of Thievery Corporation, Blackalicious and others, estimates that a quartet traveling with two crew members will soon have to pay an additional $35 to $40 for each set of two bags, which adds up to $840 to $960 per round-trip flight. “It’s really bad,” he says. “You get diminishing benefits and increasing fees, and everything is getting like that on airlines.”

A-list touring stars won’t notice an additional $800 to $1,000 in costs, and smaller artists generally drive in vans and buses, meaning mid-level artists who play 1,500-to-2,000-seat theaters will be most impacted by Southwest’s policy change. “It’s a big bummer,” says Kevin Spellman, who manages bluegrass singer Molly Tuttle. He calls Southwest the “airline of choice for the musician community, particularly Nashville artists” — until now — and says artists traveling with a crew of 15 people could lose “a couple thousand dollars” from their bottom line. “If you’re doing really well, you’re trying to aim for 25% of the gross [ticket sales] as your profit margin,” he says. “It starts cutting into it tremendously.”

Reps for Southwest declined to comment, pointing to a company statement at a recent financial conference suggesting the change would lead to “significant new revenue initiatives.” The company took in $73 million from bag fees in 2023, according to the Department of Transportation, a crucial revenue source for an airline that laid off 1,750 employees in February. (Southwest will continue to offer two free bags for “A-List Preferred” customers.)

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Some airlines see opportunity in Southwest’s change, although it’s too early to say whether they’ll go after the touring-musician community. On Tuesday (March 25), Frontier Airlines announced it would offer free bags for customers who book flights on its website, as well as “economy bundles” that include a free carry-on and other benefits. Kristi Gordon, owner of Fuzed Travel, which helps negotiate airfare, hotel and vehicle costs for touring artists, predicts top airlines such as American and United will pay close attention to Southwest’s revenue in the first two quarters of 2025 and consider promotions geared to lure the airline’s lost musician customers.

Until then, Gordon advises artists to sign up for frequent-flier programs at a particular airline and build up miles for future discounts. And if she could speak to a Southwest exec who authorized the free-bags policy change? “I would just say: ‘You lost an opportunity to have all the entertainment business.'”

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No ‘Good’ Deed Goes Unpunished for Ariana Grande’s Glinda in Final ‘Wicked: For Good’ Trailer

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In the final trailer for Wicked: For Good, Ariana Grande‘s character learns that a big price comes with being Glinda the Good.

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Released on Wednesday (Sept. 24) — about two months before the Wicked sequel finally premieres in theaters on Nov. 21 — the preview shows how the blonde leading lady wrestles with her new role as Oz’s spokeswoman, as Cynthia Erivo‘s Elphaba attempts to expose the Wizard’s evil agenda while living in hiding. At first, Glinda is “obsess-ulated” with the gorgeous gown, tiara and mechanical flying bubble her public-facing life affords her — but everything quickly comes crashing down when she realizes that she’s on the wrong side of history, and that she just might be too late to save her former schoolmate from the wrath of Oz’s brainwashed citizens.

“I’m a public figure now, people expect me to …,” Glinda tells Elphaba at one point, with Dorothy’s fallen house and the Yellow Brick Road visible in the background.

“Lie?” the green-skinned witch cuts in, to which Glinda says defensively, “Be encouraging.”

Grande’s character is less sure of herself when she is confronted by Jonathan Bailey’s Fiyero, who accuses, “You can’t resist this.”

“Who could?” Glinda asks, to which the Winkie prince replies, “You know who could.”

Arriving one year after the first Wicked hit theaters and shattered movie-musical box-office records, For Good will serve as the film adaptation of the second act of the Broadway musical on which the live-actions are based. The soundtrack will also drop on Nov. 21, complete with two brand new songs sung by Grande and Erivo.

As revealed when the tracklist dropped a week prior to the new trailer, the title of Glinda’s bonus song is “The Girl in the Bubble,” while Elphaba’s added balled is called “No Place Like Home.”

Watch the final trailer for Wicked: For Good above.


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Priscilla Presley Says That Leaving Elvis Presley Was ‘The Only Way to Survive’ in New Memoir ‘Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis’

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Priscilla Presley was with Elvis Presley for around 14 years before they split; however, the pair had known each other for years before they wed in 1967.

The time in between and following Priscilla and Elvis’ divorce was a tough spot for Priscilla, and one she wasn’t super open about — that is, until now. In her new memoir Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis, the actress shares the difficult but inspiring journey beyond the walls of Graceland post-split with the King, choosing to put herself and her daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, first.

A hardcover version of the book is now on sale and can be purchased now on Amazon for $22.38, while paperback will run you $32. A Kindle version retails for $15.99. If you’re a superfan of Priscilla and the Presley family, you can also snag a signed version of the memoir via Barnes & Noble for $32. The piece makes a great gift for the avid Elvis collector in your life. If you’d rather listen to the memoir, we won’t judge, you can do so with Audible via a subscription which costs $7.95 a month, a price tag less than a physical copy.

Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis

Buy Now on amazon $22.38 $22.38
Buy Now at Barnes & noble $32 $32
Buy Now on audible $7.95 a month $7.95 a month

A new memoir by Priscilla Presley.


If you didn’t know, Priscilla met Elvis when she was just 14 and he was 24. The singer was serving in the U.S. Army in 1959 in Germany. The pair remained romantically connected for years, even with distance between them and in 1967, they were wed in a simple and very secret ceremony in Las Vegas. While their separation in 1973 was painful for Priscilla, this novel highlights why it was so important for the Naked Gun star to leave.

It seems that Priscilla lost touch with herself throughout her relationship with Elvis. Leaving allowed her to find herself again. Through the book, we are treated to snippets of Priscilla’s life pre- and post-Elvis and how she had to reinvent herself a second time as the single mother after the performer’s death in 1977.

Today, we are taken through how Priscilla was able to transform Graceland into an international destination and helped guide the development of Elvis Presley Enterprises, turning the King’s legacy into a full-on business. If you are an Elvis fan, this gives readers a unique perspective on his life, as told by his ex-wife. It also gives Priscilla’s story more context for those who aren’t too familiar with her life and career.

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Calvin Harris’ Ex-Business Manager Denies $22M Fraud Claims: ‘Categorically False’

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Calvin Harris‘ former longtime business manager is firing back against bombshell fraud claims, saying he never stole from anybody and that the Scottish DJ willingly agreed to invest in his Los Angeles real estate development project.

Thomas St. John, an entertainment industry-focused accountant who runs the eponymous firm Thomas St. John Group, is currently wrapped up in thorny arbitration proceedings with his former client Harris (Adam Wiles). He’s accused of abusing his access to Harris’ accounts in order to fund his side venture: the construction of a recording studio and office space complex in Hollywood.

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Harris claims that St. John tricked him into investing $22.5 million in the project, known as CMNTY Culture Campus, which he says turned out to be a “complete boondoggle” that he “has not received a single penny in return for” — while suggesting that St. John pocketed much of the money for himself.

However, a representative for St. John says in a new statement that the allegations are “categorically false.” The rep denies that St. John engaged in any self-dealing, adding that Harris is one of nine above-board investors who “knowingly signed investment agreements” to get involved in CMNTY Culture.

“Not a single dollar has been misappropriated, all investor entitlements remain intact, and the project continues to advance within the normal entitlement timeline,” says St. John’s rep in the Tuesday (Sept. 23) statement. “We will continue to take every necessary step to set the record straight and to ensure that these malicious, bad-faith attacks are recognized for what they are: entirely without merit.”

While CMNTY Culture was initially designed to house a recording studio and office space, St. John has since shifted the plans and is now developing a residential apartment complex on the same tract of land in Hollywood. According to his rep, the project is proceeding apace and “is expected to approach a $1 billion valuation” upon completion.

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“While the entitlement process has naturally taken longer than initially projected due to unprecedented interest, macroeconomic conditions and significant city red tape, it remains firmly within its promised schedule and is now on the verge of securing final entitlements, an important milestone that will unlock substantial value,” adds St. John’s rep.

Thomas St. John Group has offices in Los Angeles, London, Amsterdam and Stockholm. The management firm’s U.S. arm recently filed for bankruptcy, citing hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid rent in L.A. and multiple pending legal actions.

One creditor listed in the firm’s bankruptcy papers is Philip Lawrence, a songwriter and producer who made his name collaborating with Bruno Mars. Lawrence used to be a client of St. John’s and at one point invested $10 million from the sale of his catalog into CMNTY Culture Campus, according to court filings in Lawrence’s own personal bankruptcy case.

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