"I Wanna Know" singer Joe chatted with fans in a sonicnet.com/Yahoo! online chat Thursday (May 12). When asked what his hopes for the future were, the singer said, "I'd like to be an old cat in a nice suit singing in Vegas, making a lot of money." ...

Singer Eric Benét took home three awards from the 20th annual Wisconsin Area Music Industry awards on Wednesday (May 10). He won for Best R&B Artist and Best Male Vocalist. He also received a President's Award for bringing Wisconsin music to a national audience. ...

A 1994 ruling that found Michael Bolton plagiarized R&B group the Isley Brothers' 1964 song "Love Is a Wonderful Thing" for his 1991 song of the same name was upheld by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Los Angeles on Tuesday (May 9). The court awarded Ronald Isley and Marvin Isley 66 percent of all past and future royalties from the single, as well as 28 percent of all past and future royalties from Time, Love and Tenderness, the Bolton album on which it appeared. ...

The court awarded Ronald Isley and Marvin Isley 66 percent of all past and future royalties from the single "Love Is a Wonderful Thing." ... R&B legend Sam Moore of Sam and Dave will receive the Living Legend award at the Emerging Artists & Talent in Music Conference in Las Vegas on June 9. Moore will perform at a private conference party at the House of Blues in Las Vegas. ...

Former Blackstreet member Chauncey Hannibal filed a $2 million lawsuit against his ex-bandmate TeddyRiley, accusing Riley of misappropriating funds and not properly compensating Hannibal after the group lost their contract with Interscope Records. Riley has filed a countersuit, claiming defamation of character and slander. ...

R&B singer Monica and pop group *NSync taped video public service announcements for a youth HIV awareness campaign by LIFEbeat. LIFEbeat is a music-industry AIDS service organization. ... Singer Toni Braxton is set to join All Saints and Bon Jovi in the lineup for the first Laureus World Sports Awards show May 25 in Monte Carlo, Monaco. The awards will honor athletes and teams in nine categories and will be hosted by actors Ashley Judd, Dylan McDermott and actor/singer Jeff Bridges. ...

Pop stars *NSync and R&B singer D'Angelo will join Metallica as performers at the 2000 MTV Movie Awards in June. 'N Sync plan to perform "It's Gotta Be Me," the second single from the record-breaking No Strings Attached (March 21). (Sonicnet.com's parent company, Viacom, also owns MTV.) ...

R&B vocal trio Ideal performed their song "Whatever" at a taping of "Soul Train" on Saturday (May 6). The track, on which they're joined by Li'l Mo, is #31 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart. ... "Midnight Train to Georgia" singer Gladys Knight will receive an honorary doctoral degree in humane letters from the University of San Diego and speak to graduates at the school's commencement on May 28. Knight is most famous for her work with the Pips — who will not be receiving degrees from the USD — but she also has recorded solo, most recently on 1999's Many Different Roads. ...

R&B singer Erykah Badu shot a video April 25 in Harlem, N.Y., with rap artist Common. The video, for the song "The Light," from Common's album Like Water for Chocolate, should be released by mid-May.

— sonicnet.com staff report