Brian Wilson joins lineup of Newport fest

June 24, 2008 at 12:02a.m.

NEWPORT, R.I. — The Newport Folk Festival is picking up good vibrations. The festival producers plan to announce Monday that Brian Wilson, a founding member of the Beach Boys, is joining the festival’s lineup. He’ll headline an evening performance on Aug. 1 at the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

The festival continues Aug. 2-3 at Fort Adams State Park.

Wilson is the latest big-name act added to the festival, which already includes Jimmy Buffett, Trey Anastasio, the Black Crowes and reggae artists Stephen and Damian Marley.

The festival is under new management and has branched out beyond more traditional folk this year. Organizers are hoping their roster of popular performers can produce a sellout. The festival marks its 50th anniversary next summer.

Winehouse’s lungs are damaged, dad says

LONDON — Amy Winehouse has early stage emphysema and her lungs have been damaged by smoking crack cocaine and cigarettes, her father said in an interview published Sunday. The Sunday Mirror quoted Mitch Winehouse as saying that Amy has an irregular heartbeat, and has been warned that she will have to wear an oxygen mask unless she stops smoking drugs.

“The doctors have told her if she goes back to smoking drugs, it won’t just ruin her voice, it will kill her,” Mitch Winehouse was quoted as saying. “There are nodules around the chest and dark marks. She has 70 percent lung capacity.”

The 24-year-old soul diva collapsed at her north London home last week after signing autographs for a group of fans and was taken to a London hospital for tests. She remained there all week.

She is still scheduled to sing at a concert in London on Friday celebrating the 90th birthday of Nelson Mandela, the South African Nobel Prize-winner, and plans to take part in the Glastonbury music festival the following day.

Today’s birthdays

Actor Al Molinaro (“Happy Days”) is 89. Guitarist Jeff Beck is 64. Drummer Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac is 61. Actor Peter Weller is 61. Singer-keyboardist Andy McCluskey of Orchestral Manoevres in the Dark is 49. Bassist Curt Smith of Tears for Fears is 47. Actress Danielle Spencer (“What’s Happening”) is 43. Actress Sherry Stringfield (“ER”) is 41. Actress Mindy Kaling (“The Office”) is 29. Singer Solange Knowles is 22.