NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Jewel is gearing up for motherhood, and she’s already learned to multi-task.

At age 37, the singer-songwriter is expecting her first child — a boy — in July. She’s hosting and judging the new Bravo TV show, “Platinum Hit,” which premieres tonight, and she’s releasing a new children’s album in the fall.

Jewel married world champion bull rider Ty Murray in August 2008 after dating for about 10 years. The couple initially said they wanted to start a family right away, but ended up waiting a while.

“We were both real careful and kind of cautious about it. I think it sort of scared both of us,” Jewel said in an interview. She said they also wanted to make sure they both were at a point in their careers where they could step back and dedicate time to raising a child.

Jewel wrote and recorded a soothing album called “Lullaby” at her Stephenville, Texas, home while trying to get pregnant. Her pregnancy in turn has inspired her to produce another children’s album, “The Merry Goes ‘Round,” due out in the fall.

“I wanted it to work on a lot of levels where infants would like it, and they could just bounce to the rhythm of a song, and then as they get older they could get into the storytelling aspect, and hopefully have them be well-crafted pop songs that a parent would like,” she said.

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Jewel knows how to create musical gems; she shot to fame in 1996 with her self-penned breakout hit, “Who Will Save Your Soul,” and has had success in both the pop and country genres.

Fishing captain on TV program pleads guilty

KENAI, Alaska – An Alaska fishing captain who led a crew on the program that spawned the cable TV show “Deadliest Catch” has pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide and driving under the influence in a fatal crash.

Clarence “Ole” Helgevold Jr. of Soldotna pleaded guilty Friday in Kenai Superior Court under an agreement that stipulates he will serve five years in prison.

Helgevold, 60, originally was charged with manslaughter in January when his car crashed with a snowmobile driven by George Larion. Larion, 47, died at the scene.

Helgevold was captain of the Arctic Dawn, the vessel featured in a 2004 three-part miniseries “America’s Deadliest Season.” The show, effectively a pilot for “Deadliest Catch,” followed Helgevold and his crew during the 2003-2004 opilio crab season, the Peninsula Clarion reported.

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Investigators said Larion was driving on a road in the early evening of Jan. 19 when his snowmobile was struck from behind by Helgevold’s car.

Andy Williams to receive Judy Garland award

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – Singer Andy Williams will be a special guest at the 36th annual Judy Garland Festival in Grand Rapids.

Williams will receive the Judy Garland Lifetime Achievement Award on June 17 during a gala dinner at the Wendigo Lodge. He also will sign his book, “Moon River and Me: A Memoir,” at the Judy Garland Historic House that day.

Garland first appeared as a guest on “The Andy Williams Show” on Sept. 20, 1965.

Other events include a party for “Wizard of Oz” Munchkin Karl Slover, a local production of “Meet Me in St. Louis” by the Grand Rapids Players, and a show of Garland’s gowns from collector Michael Siewert.


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