Clarkson gives

birth to a baby boy

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Pop singer Kelly Clarkson has announced the birth of her second child, a boy named Remington Alexander Blackstock.

Clarkson, a former “American Idol” star, posted Thursday on her Twitter account that the baby was born Tuesday “& he is healthy & we couldn’t be happier or more in love.” A record label representative for Clarkson confirmed the information.

The 33-year-old Grammy-winning singer and her husband, Brandon Blackstock, also have a daughter, River Rose, who was born in 2014.

Clarkson, a former “American Idol” star, is known for hits like “Stronger” and “Since U Been Gone.”

Aretha Franklin celebrates 74th birthday in Manhattan

NEW YORK (AP) – Aretha Franklin does not let her birthdays pass quietly.

The Queen of Soul celebrated her birthday with some 100 of her friends Thursday at the Ritz-Carlton in Manhattan for an evening of music and tributes. Franklin turned 74 on March 25.

She sat at a corner table with record executive Clive Davis and the Rev. Jesse Jackson among others, nodding her head along to performances by the Dizzy Gillespie All Stars and Dennis Edwards of Temptations fame.

All that was missing was Aretha Franklin music. Franklin herself let other singers have the stage, and the material ranged from the Gillespie band’s cover of “Body and Soul” to Edwards’ emotional performance of “Some Enchanted Evening.”

A cake was wheeled out to a tape recording of Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday.”

Diana Ross in limo crash

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) – Police say Diana Ross was injured when an SUV ran a stop sign and crashed into a limo taking her to a performance in Pennsylvania.

Bethlehem police say the 72-year-old singer complained of head and neck pain after the crash on Wednesday afternoon. She was treated at the scene by paramedics and indicated she would seek further treatment on her own.

No one else was hurt. The Lincoln Town Car she was in was towed.

The former member of the Supremes performed as scheduled at the Sands casino complex in Bethlehem later Wednesday.

Police said Thursday that the SUV driver, a 22-year-old New Jersey woman, received a traffic citation.