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Like actors who get typecast by roles, musicians can become stereotyped by songs—just ask Dan Hill. The Canadian singer shot to fame in 1977 when his composition “Sometimes When We Touch” topped the international charts and earned him a reputation as an overly sensitive artist. Although he went on to record a wide range of material, the Grammy- and Juno Award-winning musician was forever pegged as that guy whose honesty was, for a lot of people, simply too much. Undaunted, Hill continued writing hit songs—many of them for the likes of Céline Dion, Britney Spears, Michael Bolton and George Benson. His writing also took a literary turn when I Am My Father’s Son, his tell-all memoir about his c...

Now in the midst of her second residency show at Caesars Palace, Dion is Las Vegas’ biggest attraction since Elvis Presley. But that hasn’t stopped the Canadian superstar from recording two new albums: one in English, one in French. Water and a Flame, a collection of songs from her Vegas show and several new tracks, will be released next year. Sans attendre, her first French album since 2007’s D’elles, is now available. Dion’s new CD will translate to listeners in any language. She sings with a passion sometimes only hinted at on her English albums. The mid-tempo “Parlez à mon père is a highlight, sung with a palpable emotion. Other standout tracks include duets with Quebec singer-songwriter...