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HEATHER HEADLEY: 'March'ing On

By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices

Tony Award winning dynamo Heather Headley is not only reveling in the near platinum-bound success of her recently released sophomore opus, 'In My Mind,' but she's offering up her time and talents to a most worthy cause.

Last week, the Trinidadian born chanteuse filmed a Public Service Announcement for a forthcoming March of Dimes campaign to help generate awareness of the growing crisis of premature birth. The message is aimed, particularly, at African-American women whose risk of having a premature baby is nearly twice as high as white women.

Headley, star of Broadway productions of 'AIDA' and 'Dreamgirls,' said that although she is not a mother, the issue still affects her and her thinking around it.

"When all my friends, all my married friends started to have their little babies, started thinking of babies [myself]," she said. "And then of course there's my mother and she’s like 'when am I going to have my grandchild?'

"So I started thinking of babies and then all of a sudden the subject came in. And I was researching so it was like the most perfect time in my life to do it."

The two-time Grammy Award nominated bronze beauty, who turns 32 on Oct. 5, married former New York Jets wide receiver Brian Musso on Sept. 23, 2003.

A forthcoming headlining tour featuring 'American Idol' winner Ruben Studdard and T.I. protégé Governor was recently scrapped. According to a label spokesperson (she's signed to the Clive Davis-helmed RCA Records), it was due to scheduling conflicts.

"We were going to do some dates," Headley explained. "As of two days ago, we thought maybewe should postpone them with everything that is going on and just try and make sure they are the right dates."

"We were kind of starting to get going there with them and Iwas like, ‘Wait a minute,’ I am like Miss Perfectionist … we are going to push it back a little bit and maybe go from there. I love being on stage with people though, so it will happen soon enough."

The March of Dimes, founded in 1938, is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. For more information, visit the March of Dimes online here.

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THIS JUST IN: Ol' Dirty Bastard's Grand Finale

By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices

Hip-hop mogul Damon Dash announced plans to release the last studio album from Wu-Tang Clan member and critically acclaimed solo artist Ol' Dirty Bastard.

Titled 'A Son Unique,' the opus will hit stores on Nov. 7 -- commemorating the anniversary of the hip-hop personality's death, which occurred on Nov. 13, 2004.

According to Giovanna Melchiorre, publicist for KOCH Entertainment --distributors of Damon Dash Music Group, the album will feature collaborations with Macy Gray, Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliott, RZA, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Method Man, M.O.P., N.O.R.E., and Pharrell.