Upcoming guest stars - Vanessa Carlton, India.Arie, and LeeAnn Rimes

[TJ]

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - The guest-star parade on "Will & Grace" will continue in February sweeps.

NBC announced Friday (Jan. 17) that Demi Moore and Minnie Driver will make appearances on the comedy during the month. In addition, Madonna will make her prime-time series debut on the show in May.

Driver, an Oscar nominee for "Good Will Hunting," will play a woman who's dating Karen's (Megan Mullally) ex-husband. That doesn't bother her, but when Driver's character strikes up a friendship with Jack (Sean Hayes), Karen is apoplectic.

Moore ("Charlie's Angels 2" ) plays Jack's former baby-sitter in a separate episode. Details of the episode involving Madonna aren't available yet.

Also during sweeps, the drama "American Dreams" will feature three contemporary music stars playing singers from the show's 1960s period.

Vanessa Carlton will play Dusty Springfield and sing the song "Wishin' and Hopin'." India.Arie will play singer/activist Nina Simone, who makes an appearance in the show's Vinyl Crocodile record store, and LeAnn Rimes will portray Connie Francis singing "Where the Boys Are."

The episode featuring India.Arie will also mark the debut of Art Garfunkel, of Simon & Garfunkel fame, on "American Dreams." He'll have a recurring part as the owner of the Vinyl Crocodile.

[TJ]

BURBANK, Calif. -- January 17, 2003 -- NBC's hit nostalgic drama "American Dreams" (Sundays, 8-9 p.m. ET) continues to match contemporary with the classic by showcasing Grammy Award winners LeAnn Rimes and Art Garfunkel as well as Grammy Award nominees Vanessa Carlton ("Be Not Nobody") and India.Arie ("A Voyage to India") in February and March episodes.

Garfunkel - part of the legendary singing duo Simon and Garfunkel -- last appeared on Dick Clark's "American Bandstand" in 1959 when he and Simon appeared as Tom and Jerry. He will reunite for the first time since then with executive producer Clark whose hit freshman drama centers around the era's music as depicted on "American Bandstand" in its early days in Philadelphia.

In a recurring role, Garfunkel will portray Mr. Greensboro, the owner of the Vinyl Crocodile record store who also books acts to perform there and serves as a progressive musical mentor to the city's upbeat teens circa 1964. His first episode, "False Start," will be telecast on Sunday, Feb. 16 (8-9 p.m. ET).

Carlton will appear in the "Heartache" episode of "American Dreams" on Sunday, Feb. 9 (8-9 p.m. ET). In the story, she will portray young pop singer Dusty Springfield on "American Bandstand" where she will sing her 1964 hit "Wishin' and "Hopin'."

Likewise, India.Arie will appear as activist/performer Nina Simone, who sings a song in the Vinyl Crocodile record store in the episode "False Start" (also Garfunkel's first episode) on Sunday, Feb. 16 (8-9 p.m. ET).

Rimes will play Connie Francis and will sing one of the artist's signature hits, "Where the Boys Are" on Sunday, March 30 (8-9 p.m. ET).

The castings continue the drama's tradition of casting contemporary recording stars in the roles of the past era's biggest talents. The list includes Grammy nominee Ashanti (as Dionne Warwick), Grammy-winner Usher (as Motown legend Marvin Gaye), Michelle Branch (as Lesley Gore) and Nick Carter (as Jay of Jay and the Americans).

From 1964-70, Simon and Garfunkel recorded a groundbreaking series of classic albums which provided such memorable singles as "The Sounds of Silence," "Homeward Bound," "I Am a Rock," "Mrs. Robinson," "America," "The Boxer" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water." The duo won five Grammys together. In addition to an ongoing solo career and a reunion concert series with Simon, Garfunkel also starred in the films "Catch-22" and "Carnal Knowledge."

Rimes is a two-time Grammy winner for "Blue," her 1996 major-label debut album. "Blue" was certified multi-platinum and she has followed up with 23 hit singles since then, including "How Do I Live" and "Can't Fight the Moonlight." Her latest album is "Twisted Angel." She also appeared in the feature film "Coyote Ugly" and recently on NBC's "Elvis Lives" special.

Earlier this month, Vanessa Carlton and India.Arie both received multiple Grammy nominations. Carlton earned one for Record of the Year ("A Thousand Miles"), Song of the Year ("A Thousand Miles") and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying a Vocalist ("A Thousand Miles"), and India.Arie received nominations for Best R&B Album ("Voyage to India"), Best R&B Song ("Good Man"), Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals ("Christmas Song" with Stevie Wonder) and Best Urban/Alternative Performance ("Little Things").

Carlton's double-platinum debut album, "Be Not Nobody" yielded the hit single "A Thousand Miles" and a companion video that received extended airplay on MTV. Rolling Stone magazine named the Pennsylvania native as one of the "Top 10 Artists to Watch in 2002."

India.Arie's latest album "Voyage to India," released in September 2002, is her second album in less than 18 months, following the award-winning and seven-time Grammy-nominated "Acoustic Soul." After entering the Billboard R&B chart at #1 and the Billboard top album chart at #6, "Voyage to India" has been certified platinum.

"American Dreams" is from NBC Studios and Universal Television. Jonathan Prince and Dick Clark are the executive producers.

[americandreamsgirl]

Hey thats cool.Can't wait to see Vanessa Carlton perform on the show.Im really looking forward to the upcoming eps of AD.I was just thinking this morning while asleep if they'll show us the Pryors vacationing on The Jersey Shore in furture eps.I hope it will have a 2nd season and furture seasons.