Newlyweds make public debut

London Paul McCartney and his new wife, Heather Mills, made their first public appearance since their recent marriage to attend an awards ceremony honoring outstanding young artists and athletes.

They helped present the awards with other celebrities Thursday at ITV1’s Britain’s Brilliant Prodigies show, in association with the charity Children In Crisis, which was founded by Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York.

The duchess presented an award to 14-year-old violinist Nicola Benedetti. Other prizes were for best young actor, best young ballet dancer and best gymnast.

McCartney gave the award for the best young pop singer, and his wife gave the award for “young person who made a difference.”

Canada honors Mitchell, Cockburn

Ottawa Singer-songwriters Joni Mitchell and Bruce Cockburn were among 99 appointees to the Order of Canada announced by Governor General Adrienne Clarkson.

Mitchell, a Saskatchewan native who wrote and performed songs including “Big Yellow Taxi,” “The Circle Game” and “Both Sides Now,” was made a companion of the order, the highest designation.

Cockburn, known as much for his outspoken social activism as his folksy music, was promoted to an officer of the order after previously being made a member.

The Order of Canada was established in 1967 to recognize Canadians for outstanding lifetime achievement and service.

High Court sides with Hendrix kin

London Jimi Hendrix’s family won an injunction at the High Court Friday barring a New York-based music production company from releasing recordings on which the singer and guitarist performed.

Experience Hendrix, the family firm that controls the rights to all Hendrix’s work except some early recordings, sued PPX Enterprises over recordings the then little-known guitar virtuoso made with the group Curtis Knight and The Squires in PPX’s New York studios.

Experience Hendrix said PPX failed to pay royalties on the works and had authorized the release of records without licenses, in contravention of a 1973 agreement with the English administrator of Hendrix’s estate.

Justice Roger Buckley granted an injunction restraining the future release or licensing of recordings on which Hendrix performed, apart from 33 master tapes to which Experience Hendrix agreed PPX was entitled.

Buckley ruled that PPX must account for royalties due on those 33 tapes in the future, but not in the past.