Randy Newman will perform at the new ACL Live at Austin's Moody Theater on September 19; the show will be recorded for future broadcast on PBS's Austin City Limits, launching its 37th season this fall. American Songwriter gives his new album four-and-a-half stars. "You can hardly make a better case that songs can be the equal of any art form than the classics on display in The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 2. The album is essential listening for those who care about American music (not just the popular variety)." The Los Angeles Times says that, "like a Picasso line drawing, he can convey mountains of emotion with the simplest of notes, chords and melodic lines ... In committing the bare bones versions to disc, he's preserved them for the ages, which is where they belong."

Shawn Colvin, who is currently on tour, recently appeared on an episode of HBO's Treme. On the show, from David Simon, creator of The Wire, Colvin performs her song "I'm Gone," off her 2006 Nonesuch debut album, These Four Walls, with violinist Lucia Micarelli, who plays Annie on the series. You can watch some of their performance and see Colvin and Micarelli discuss how it all fits into the series in a video here.

The Metropolitan Opera's premiere production of John Adams's Nixon in China, conducted by the composer and staged by director Peter Sellars in their Met debuts, airs on PBS tonight at 9 PM ET, as part of THIRTEEN's Great Performances at the Met series. To coincide with the Met premiere of Nixon in China, Nonesuch Records reissued the Grammy-winning original cast recording in a newly redesigned three-CD set, available now.

Audra McDonald helped Carnegie Hall celebrate its 120th birthday as part of an all-star gala benefit concert with the New York Philharmonic earlier this month. McDonald performs songs by Duke Ellington; also on the program are works by Beethoven, Dvořák, and Gershwin. The Carnegie Hall 120th Anniversary Gala Concert will be broadcast on PBS tonight as part of WNET’s Great Performances. New York classical radio station 105.9 FM WQXR will also broadcast the concert.

Randy Newman was the musical guest on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon last night. He performed "Losing You," off his latest Nonesuch release, Songbook Vol. 2, which Fallon calls "a beautiful record." Prefix says the new album's "reinterpretations of his classic works offer a chance to hear his material with fresh ears," and the Late Night "performance demonstrates Newman’s famous way with words, but it also shows what an affecting singer he can be." Watch it here, along with a web-exclusive performance of "Short People."

k.d. lang will appear on the Tavis Smiley show on PBS tonight to discuss Sing it Loud, her new album with the Siss Boom Bang. "Refusing to be labeled," says the show, "k.d. lang has used her expressive voice to build an impressive music career across genres." lang and the band recently performed songs from the new album before a live audience in an intimate set broadcast on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic yesterday; you can now watch it in full online.

Randy Newman performs "Losing You," off his new album, Songbook Vol. 2., on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon tonight on NBC. The Observer says: "'Losing You' is a reminder of what a poignant musician Newman can be. Since his self-titled debut in 1968 he has remained in the highest rank of American lyricists, alongside Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell." Songbook is "a reminder of his singular gifts and enviable longevity."

Randy Newman performs three song off his newly release Songbook Vol. 2 on BBC Two's Later ... with Jools Holland tonight: "Birmingham," "Laugh and Be Happy," and "Same Girl." Newman posed on the set for the photo at left with fellow guest Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks. He appeared on the BBC World Service show The Strand last night and is on BBC Radio 2's Bob Harris Sunday this weekend. Newman performs on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Monday; enter to win up-close seats to the NYC performance.

The Metropolitan Opera's premiere production of John Adams's Nixon in China, conducted by the composer and staged by director Peter Sellars in their Met debuts, will air on PBS on Wednesday, June 1, at 9 PM ET, as part of THIRTEEN's Great Performances at the Met series. Watch a preview here. To coincide with the Met premiere of Nixon in China, Nonesuch Records reissued the Grammy-winning original cast recording in a newly redesigned three-CD set, available now.

Randy Newman's Songbook Vol. 2 is out today on Nonesuch. On the new album, Newman takes a fresh look at both classic and more recent work in new solo takes on 16 of his celebrated songs, surveying 40 years of recordings. MusicOMH calls it "an invigorating celebration of the power of music, and a delicate declaration of the power of one man and his piano." Newman performs on Later ... with Jools Holland this Friday and on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Monday.

Randy Newman's Songbook Vol. 2 is out on Nonesuch next week."Newman never sounds more quintessentially Newman than when experienced, as here, alone at the piano," says the Independent four-star review, "with the lyrical intricacies and ironies of his songs dependent on just his laconic delivery and trenchant accompaniment for their effect." Newman appeared on BBC One TV's The One Show, where sand artist Jamie Wardley designed the sand rendering of Newman pictured here.

k.d. lang and the Siss Boom Bang performed two songs from their new album, Sing it Loud, on Jimmy Kimmel Live! earlier this week: "I Confess" and "Sugar Buzz." Watch them here. Also this week, lang appeared on The Monocle Weekly. The BBC says the album is "instantly striking," with songs that are "rich, masterful and seductive." The LA Times, reviewing last weekend's Stagecoach festival, describes lang as "wondrous," and her "performance provided an eminently satisfying conclusion."