Yesterday, news of American Idol winner Jordin Sparks’ throat injury was all over the Internet, along with speculation that the 18 year-old Phoenix resident might never sing again. Initially, media were unable to reach Sparks, her family, or her management for comment, prompting fears that the injury was serious and possibly “career-threatening.”

Many people in P-town are transplants who’ve made the trek from elsewhere to try and build a better life here in the Valley of the Sun. Some people, like John W. Edwards, bring their booming indie businesses with them. This week, we’d like to give a Local Label Spotlight shout-out to Edwards’ Renaissance Records.

One sign of summer coming to the Valley (besides the ungodly, ever-present heat, of course) is the announcement of a wide variety of concerts. This week, a slew of shows spanning several genres were announced. Whatever your musical tastes, the city’s got your ticket.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has inspired many things, but until recently, his impact on the local music scene seemed minimal. But now, at least two Valley bands are using the sheriff as a gimmick for their music — one has adopted and adapted his name, and another is using his image in violent effigy.

So Sunday is April 20, better known as “4-20,” an unofficial holiday for pot smokers everywhere. Of course Phoenix — a city in a state that sits between Mexico and California — will host its share of celebrations and shows. Even if you don’t smoke pot, there’s plenty of mellow music and groovin’ goodness to go around. Here are just a handful of the goings-on around town on April 20:

Music artist and part-time Phoenix resident Bizzy Bone saw substantial success in the ‘90s as a member of Cleveland rap/R&B group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony — they pioneered a combination fast-paced rap/jazz scat vocal harmony, won a Grammy in 1997 for their song “Tha Crossroads” (an homage to late NWA co-founder Eazy-E), and sold more than 21 million records. Bone Thugs’ 1995 album E 1999 Eternal is considered by many to be the Midwest rap group’s finest hour.

Believe it or not, there are a handful of excellent indie record labels in the great state of Arizona, boasting rosters with some of our finest local artists and some hot underground national acts, as well. This week, we’d like to give a shout-out to one of our oldest hip-hop labels, 5Fith Coast Records.

While countless adjectives have been used to describe Nick Cave’s music over the course of 13 studio albums with The Bad Seeds, it’s safe to say “fun” and “groovy” weren’t among them. That’ll change with number 14, Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!

Saturday, April 19 marks National Record Store Day, whereupon hundreds of independent record stores across our great nation will celebrate the (sadly) dying breed of “mom & pop” music shops through sales, giveaways, food, and live music.

Jazz and blues singer Candye Kane has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and is scheduled to have surgery on April 16. The singer, who has shared stages with everyone from punk bands like Black Flag and Social Distortion to alt. county mainstays like The Blasters and Dwight Yoakum, is best known for her bluesy, burlesque music style, but equally admired as a champion of full-figured femme fatales everywhere (the Rubin-esque Kane also had a career in the adult industry, making some X-rated films, posing for Juggs magazine, and serving as a columnist for Gent).

Fall Out Boy fans who attended the band’s performance at Cricket Pavilion in Phoenix last June will want to check out the band’s new live DVD, Live in Phoenix (released April 1 on Island). The DVD includes several pan-outs on the crowd and a few close-ups, too, so if you had seats in the pavilion, you might very well have a cameo in the show. The concert, part of FOB’s 2007 Honda Civic Tour, includes songs from all three of the band’s albums, including “Saturday,” “This Ain’t a Scene, It’s An Arms Race,” “Dance, Dance,” and “Me & You.” The disc also contains eight Fall Out Boy music videos (in chronological order), the making of “Me & You,” and backstage footage.

Believe it or not, there are a handful of excellent indie record labels in the great state of Arizona, boasting rosters with some of our finest local artists and some hot underground national acts, as well. This week, we’d like to give a shout-out to Funzalo Records.

“You’ve got an interesting package in there,” our editorial assistant tells me, as I scoop up my usual daily stack of mailings. She tells me the receptionist actually opened it before they put it in my box to make sure the package was “okay.”

As soon as I see the return address on the package, I understand: this is from Marshall “Fucking” Beck, vocalist for local metal band Rebirth, Bo Bice look-alike, and a supercilious shit-slinger at New Times who’s often accused us of not covering enough of the local metal scene.

A batch of bad-ass shows were just announced this week. Read on for the news.

Kudos to any band that incorporates go-go dancers in its stage show. In addition to punky/pretty bass player Frankie Stein, Tucson psychobilly group The Mission Creeps also have two go-go dancers, both with sexy espionage names like Katarina and Oksana. But seeing a Mission Creeps show isn’t just about the eye candy – this quartet oozes out reverb-heavy, slinky music in the fine tradition of “horror-surf” bands like The Cramps and the HorrorPops, creating a creepy, ambient vibe that would make the band’s songs at home on any Quinten Tarantino or neo-noir film soundtrack.