Hard rocker Tom Keifer would be among the first to say that life doesn’t go as planned. The long-time musician, best known for his lead role in the band Cinderella, released his first solo album – ”The Way Life Goes” – April 30 after a 10-year process and a long struggle with partial vocal chord paralysis — the ruination of many music careers.

The road to Florence isn’t long when country music stars are in town. People flock from the East Valley to the Country Thunder music festival, spurring the question: What else is there to see in Florence? It didn’t take long to find an answer — alpacas.

It may not be a question of knowing whether Beethoven is better for you than the Beastie Boys.

U.S. gold medalist Matt Grevers and his fiancé, U.S. Swim Team member Annie Chandler, will pass out medals during this year's Blake's Miracle swim- and float-a-thon at Mesa's SWIMkids USA.

It’s been a lifelong dream of Kami Cothrun to help children with autism.

Editor’s Note: This op-ed is part of an ongoing dialogue created by Project Humanities, a university initiative at Arizona State University that explores how we make meaning of our shared experiences.

Everyone knows Woody Guthrie for his impact on American folk music and many people associate him with the debilitating genetic disease that left him unable to perform and caused his death in middle age.

The Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce has announced nominees for the 2012 Palo Verde Business Woman of the Year and the 10 women are well known in the community for not only their business but their service.

When a spouse passes away the remaining spouse can suddenly find themselves in a world they don’t understand.

It’s that time of year to get out and enjoy an entire day picking your favorite pumpkin, eating caramel apples, visiting a petting zoo and ending the night with fireworks and a haunted house. Or, to just take stroll through the pumpkin patch to snap a few photos with your family. Either way, the Valley has it all, and this is your one-stop guide for fall festivities in the East Valley.

Don’t Stop the Music: Local musicians including Unified Fusion, Yourchestra and All Together Now, play continuously for 24 hours at this family event to raise money and awareness for music therapy. Prizes will be raffled off every hour and at midnight there will be a Midnight Madness Drum Circle, led by Frank Thompson of AZ Rhythm Connection.

"It is, without a doubt, the most fundamentally game-changing development as we've had since we started telling this story," says Michael C. Hall, whose "Dexter" launches its seventh season at 9 p.m. EDT Sunday on Showtime.

The Third Annual Don’t Stop the Music event to help music therapy services will be in Tempe next month, featuring Ahwatukee Foothills musicians and music therapists.

The Wellness Community Arizona (TWC-AZ) announced that Vikki Scarafiotti has been appointed to the position of executive director. Scarafiotti brings to TWC-AZ a career of community service and nonprofit leadership, along with a consistent record of high achievement.

The Wellness Community Arizona (TWC-AZ) announced that Vikki Scarafiotti has been appointed to the position of executive director. Scarafiotti brings to TWC-AZ a career of community service and nonprofit leadership, along with a consistent record of high achievement. Scarafiotti has provided leadership to several nonprofit and government agencies serving such diverse interests as the arts, health, environment, and youth on a professional and volunteer basis.

NEW YORK — Parties at the spa, treatments for stressed and time-pressed consumers, cross-cultural traditions, and a whole lot of purple — from lavender-scented treatments to mauve nail polish — are some of the trends and services that were shown off at the annual International Spa Association meeting held Aug. 16 in New York. Here are some details:

Here's how surprisingly effective "Hope Springs" is: It will make you want to go home and have sex with your spouse afterward. Or at least share a longer hug or a more passionate kiss.

To be a champion of Chandler’s annual Cinco de Mayo Festival and Chihuahua Races, it takes long hours, lots of planning, and a competitive mind-set.

Valley rock maven Stephanie Muscat pounds away on her drums in an Ahwatukee Foothills nightspot then cuts into the soaring vocals of “Sweet Child o’ Mine” as the dance floor fills.

Lana Whitehead believes in miracles. But sometimes, she says, you have to make them yourself.

The Cancer Center at Chandler Regional Medical Center provides cancer patients and co-survivors (family and those in the caregiving role) with music therapy, journaling, and art therapy free with the goal to increase positive mood, decrease anxiety and build social networks for support.

The Helen S. Boylan Foundation has awarded a $10,000 grant to Hospice of the Valley for its pediatric music therapy program.