Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on June 29th, 2014

Soul legend Bobby Womack, known for hits including "Lookin' for a Love," "That's The Way I Feel About Cha," "Woman's Gotta Have It," "Harry Hippie" and "Across 110th Street," died on June 26 while battling colon cancer and diabetes. He was 70. The son of two musicians, Womack began his career as a member of the gospel group Curtis Womack and The Womack Brothers with his siblings Curtis, Harry, Cecil and Friendly Jr. After leaving the group in 1965, Womack became a session musician, playing guitar on several albums, including Aretha Franklin's landmark Lady Soul before releasing his debut album, Fly Me to the Moon, in 1968. A string of successful R&B albums would follow, including Understanding and Across 110th Street, both released in 1972, 1973's Facts of Life and 1974's Lookin for a Love Again. In 1989, Womack sang on Todd Rundgren's "For the Want of a Nail" on his album Nearly Human and in 1998, performed George Gershwin's "Summertime" with The Roots for the Red Hot Organization's Red Hot + Rhapsody benefit album. Womack enjoyed a renaissance in recent years, appearing on the band Gorillaz' track "Stylo" from their third album, Plastic Beach. This association with Damon Albarn led to him producing Womack's acclaimed 2012 album The Bravest Man In The Universe, which his first release in over a decade. Womack toured extensively with Gorillaz and appeared at Glastonbury Festival in 2013, and was in the process of recording the follow-up, tentatively titled The Best Is Yet to Come, reportedly featuring contributions by Stevie Wonder, Rod Stewart and Snoop Dogg, at the time of his death. Womack was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009. Womack's health had suffered in recent years; he'd been treated for colon cancer and in 2013 told fans he had "signs of Alzheimers." The Rolling Stones, whose association with Womack dates back to 1964 when they released a cover of the Womack song "It's All Over Now," posted a message on their website in honor of Womack. "Bobby Womack was a huge influence on us. He was a true pioneer of soul and R&B, whose voice and songwriting touched millions. On stage, his presence was formidable. His talents put him up there with the greats. We will remember him, first and foremost, as a friend." - Rolling Stone/The Hollywood Reporter, 6/27/14.

In a new interview with Uncut magazine, Eric Clapton hints at retirement, saying "the road has become unbearable." "It's become unapproachable, because it takes so long to get anywhere. It's hostile -- everywhere: getting in and out of airports, traveling on planes and in cars," the legendary 69-year-old guitarist says. Clapton also suggested he is likely to spend more time in the studio in the coming years. "There are tons of things I'd like to do, but I'm looking at retirement too," he said. "What I'll allow myself to do, within reason, is carry on recording in the studio. I don't want to go off the boil to the point where I'm embarrassing myself." When asked if he plans to stop playing guitar altogether, Clapton replied, "Maybe. It might be that I can't, if it hurts too much. I have odd ailments." Clapton also discussed the possibility of a Cream reunion with the magazine, but from his comments, the prospect of getting the band back together seems highly unlikely. "I haven't spoken to Jack [Bruce] or Ginger [Baker] for quite a time," he said. "I don't think there's been any line of dialogue between any of us -- or between me and them, that is to say -- since the American affair [the trio's Madison Square Garden shows in 2005]. "After that I was pretty convinced that we had gone as far as we could without someone getting killed," he continued. "At this time in my life, I don't want blood on my hands! I don't want to be part of some kind of tragic confrontation." Clapton's latest remarks come after an interview with Rolling Stone in 2013, when he told the magazine: "When I'm 70, I'll stop. I won't stop playing or doing one-offs, but I'll stop touring, I think." - Rolling Stone, 6/27/14.

As Genesis is apparently planning to temporarily reunite in 2016 for a new documentary for the BBC, former member Phil Collins has just donated his massive collection of The Battle of the Alamo artifacts to the historic site in San Antonio, Texas. "I've had a love affair with this place since I was about 5 years old," Collins said in an interview with the AP at the site, noting his fascination with the famous battle where 1,500 Mexican troops laid siege to 200 Texans began with the Walt Disney miniseries Davy Crockett. "It was something that I used to go and play in the garden with my soldiers." Collins will pay to have the items shipped to San Antonio, and while some of them will be on display as soon as October, a new building to house much of the collection will be constructed in the near future. Among the items in Collins' collection are a rifle and leather shot pouch owned by Davy Crockett, as well as a pair of powder horns the folk hero supposedly gave to a a Mexican officer before his death. Collins said that his favorite item was a receipt for a saddle bought by John W. Smith, a messenger who rode through Mexican lines in hopes of securing reinforcements. The musician also promised to keep collecting, adding "once I've lived with whatever I buy for a month, I'll ship it over here." In 2012, Collins even authored a book about his fascination with the Alamo, The Alamo and Beyond: A Collector's Journey. - Rollng Stone, 6/26/14.

Crosby, Stills & Nash have announced they will revive their "covers project" album soon after they finish third leg of their 36-date concert tour, which concludes Oct. 4 at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles. The project, begun in 2010 with producer Rick Rubin, came to an abrupt halt in the summer of 2012 after they had finished recording seven songs. The trio has since reconvened and re-recorded five of the songs. The trio loved the idea of a covers album when it was pitched to them by Sony A&R executive Jay Landers, and among the songs that made the cut were Lennon & McCartney's "Norwegian Wood," Bob Dylan's "Girl From North Country," and Tim Hardin's "Reason to Believe." "We did seven songs and none of them excited us," says Nash, 72. "Sony owns those seven songs that they have no right to release. We went back to the studio in Santa Monica and started over and we've got five we really like." The trio, along with sometime bandmate Neil Young, will release CSNY 1974, a box set of live recordings from their troubled 1974 reunion tour, on July 8 via Rhino Records. Their summer tour starts July 2 in Bethlehem, Pa., and includes stops at New Yorks Beacon Theater (July 8 and 9), the Ravinia Festival outside Chicago (July 19), New Orleans Saenger Theatre (Aug. 23) and the Chateau Ste. Michelle winery in Washington (Sept. 13 and 14). Meanwhile, Stephen Stills has revealed he will become the third member of the trio to release a memoir. "I'm writing one right now," the guitarist says. "And it is a bitch. It's the hardest f---ing thing in the world! I mean, there's writing and there's typing. I'm so frustrated with my computer that I'm going to get a f---ing Selectric typewriter and organize this thing like I was taught to do in school." Unlike most rock stars, Stills is determined to write the entire book himself, without the aid of a ghostwriter. "I got an 800 verbal [on my SAT]," he says. "Dammit, I'm writing it myself. Why would I use a ghostwriter? Do you want a 300 page People interview?" - Billboard, 6/25/14.

Robert Plant has just announced details of a new album with his band The Sensational Shape Shifters. Titled lullaby and...The Ceaseless Roar, the new LP will be released on Sept. 8. Produced by Plant, it features 11 new recordings, nine of which are songs written by Plant with the rest of the band. The first single from the album, "Rainbow," will be released later this summer. The album will be Plant's first record since 2010's Band Of Joy, which followed 2007's collaboration with Alison Krauss, Raising Sand. The all-new lineup of the band features Justin Adams, John Baggot, Juldeh Camara, Billy Fuller, Dave Smith along with Cast guitarist Liam "Skin" Tyson. Plant and his band have also announced a UK and Ireland tour for later in the year. The band will play 13 dates on the stretch including Newport, Bournemouth, London, Hull, Leeds, Newcastle, Dublin and Blackpool. - New Musical Express, 6/23/14.

Paul McCartney released a video statement concerning his recent illness and hospitalization on June 24, telling fans "I feel great" in the wake of his recent illness. "Everybody's been asking how I'm feeling " I feel great, thank you very much for asking| feeling great, rocking and rolling", said the former Beatles member in the video. Ringo Starr also recently offered a health update on McCartney. Speaking to Access Hollywood, Starr confirmed that his Beatles bandmate was recovering at home having been discharged from hospital. "I spoke to him in the hospital," said Starr. "He picked up and said 'hi.' He's doing OK. He was in hospital but now he's out and getting fit and ready to rock. He's doing good. I text him and he texts me back." Earlier in June, McCartney was struck down by a virus which saw him hospitalised in Tokyo, Japan. He subsequently postponed a series of shows in Lubbock, Dallas, New Orleans, Atlanta, Jacksonville, Nashville and Louisville on his "Out There" tour, which have now been rearranged for October. - New Musical Express, 6/25/14.

A draft of Bob Dylan's lyrics for his groundbreaking 1965 song "Like a Rolling Stone" sold for $2.045 million at auction on June 24. The lyrics were sold to an unidentified bidder at auction house Sotheby's, who called the sale a "world record for a popular music manuscript." Written in pencil on four sheets of hotel stationary, Sotheby's described the item as "the only known surviving draft of the final lyrics for this transformative rock anthem." Still, the sheets do feature some lyrics that didn't make the final cut, including the phrase, "dry vermouth/You'll tell the truth" and an abandoned line about Al Capone. The lyrics also show Dylan's various attempts to build a rhyme off of the "How does it feel" line with phrases like, "it feels real," "does it feel real," "get down and kneel," "raw deal" and "shut up and deal." The draft -- written at the Roger Smith Hotel in Washington D.C. -- also boasts some of Dylan's stray thoughts and doodles. The item was already expected to fetch between $1 million and $2 million at Sotheby's rock and pop sale, dubbed, "History of Rock and Roll From Presley to Punk." While the seller was not identified, the auction house called him a "longtime fan from California" who bought the manuscript directly from Dylan. - Rolling Stone, 6/24/14.

Former U.S. senator Howard Baker, a one-time towering political figure in Washington who also served several presidents and famously asked during the Watergate scandal "what did Richard Nixon know and when did he know it," died on June 26. He was 88. A Tennessee Republican, Mr. Baker made his political mark over four decades, serving as majority leader and also ran for president in 1980. Mr. Baker was first elected to the Senate in 1966 and led the chamber from 1981-85. He was Reagan's chief of staff from 1987-88, and was ambassador to Japan under Pres. George W. Bush. Mr. Baker also played a key role in the Watergate investigation that led to the downfall of Pres. Richard Nixon. As the vice chairman and ranking Republican of the investigation into Nixon's connection to the 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, Mr. Baker famously asked "what did the President know and when did he know it." Pres. Barack Obama said in a statement that Mr. Baker's unofficial role as the "Great Conciliator" had "won him admirers across party lines, over multiple generations, and beyond the state he called home." Former president George H.W. Bush said Mr. Baker was "adept at listening to the other guy state their position as he was at articulating his own." In related news, veteran actor Eli Wallach passed away on June 24 at age 98 due to causes unknown. Mr. Wallach is best known to a generation of moviegoers from two iconic roles: Calvera, the leader of the frontier thugs who terrorize a Mexican village in The Magnificent Seven (1960); and Tuco, the "ugly" of Sergio Leone's epic "spaghetti Western" The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966). A Brooklynite and son of Polish immigrants who graduated from the University of Texas and later studied at the Actors Studio beside a host of heavy-hitter theater actors and movie stars including Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift and Paul Newman, Mr. Wallach made over 90 films and was one of the last living links to the single most fertile period of American acting. After serving as a medic in World War II, the 5-foot-7 Mr. Wallach returned to New York and landed his first Broadway part in 1945. Within the next few years, he rose to become a fixture on the New York stage and began doing live TV. His other notable film credits include Baby Doll (1956), The Misfits, opposite Monroe and Clark Gable (1961), Lord Jim (1965), How to Steal a Million (1966), Cinderella Liberty (1973), Winter Kills (1979), The Executioner's Song (1982), The Godfather: Part III (1990) and The Ghost Writer (2010). In addition to his wife and daughter, Mr. Wallach is survived by his other children Peter and Roberta and film critic A.O. Scott, whose grandfather was Wallach's brother. - CNN/Rolling Stone, 6/26/14.

A proposed TV drama series based around the career of the Beatles has been tripped up after Sony/ATV chairman/CEO Michael Hirst said in an interview that NBC has not secured the rights to the iconic band's music from Sony/ATV Music Publishing, which owns publishing rights to all but six of John Lennon and Paul McCartney's Beatles compositions. "About six months ago, we were working with Sony Pictures TV on a show centered around the journey of the Beatles, and at one point we were talking about working with Baz Luhrmann," says Bandier. "We hadn't taken the next step, which is to reach out to the Beatles. The proposal is still on the table." Earlier in June, it was reported that Michael Hirst, who has previously acted as executive producer on The Tudors, will produce a series on The Fab Four for NBC, but Bandier says "NBC couldn't produce a show without the songs, and we can't produce a show without approaching the Beatles for their likeness rights." Meanwhile a competing project called The Fifth Beatle, about Beatles manager Brian Epstein, has been in development for years and has been granted access to the Lennon/ McCartney archives. In related news, a company named Epic Rights has just secured a worldwide licensing, global branding and rights management agreement with John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono to develop a worldwide initiative encompassing the career of her late husband. Epic Rights will develop two new programs for the John Lennon legacy: the John Lennon Classic brand for products featuring the artist's name, likeness and signature; and the Bag One Arts brand based on drawings by John Lennon from rare archival sketches. These drawings encompass the years 1964 through 1980 and celebrate human love and communication, including his iconic and instantly recognizable self-portrait. Meanwhile John Lennon's eldest son Julian Lennon is set to release his first-ever box set with Everything Changes (Music from Another Room) on Sept. 10. The four-disc set includes three editions of his recent studio release, Everything Changes, including studio, acoustic and instrumental versions as well as the documentary, Through the Picture Window. It will also include a 36-page booklet and a two-picture vinyl disc set, as well as a limited edition run of 1000, which will be numbered and include a signed certificate from Lennon. - Billboard/Beatlesradio.com/The Hollywood Reporter, 6/21/14.

Elton John paid tribute to Casey Kasem on the final night of the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tenn., on June 15 by dedicating his performance of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" to the late radio legend, who passed away earlier in the day. "I'm a British guy who came to America in 1970 and just loved every second of it. And there was one guy on the radio I used to listen to all the time who passed away today," Elton told a near-capacity crowd before launching into his soulful classic from his 1974 LP Caribou. "So I want to dedicate this song to Casey Kasem. Travel safely, my angel." John's many hit singles were a fixture on Kasem's weekly Top 40 countdown show; in fact, Kasem and John both saw their careers rise together as Kasem's America's Top 40 show debuted in July 1970, two months before Elton released his first major single "Your Song." Kasem was laid to rest in a private memorial in Los Angeles on June 21, with around 100 of his family and close friends in attendance. Radio broadcasts were played during the ceremony, which also featured speeches from his children. Pop music arranger David Campbell brought the mourners to tears with an emotional performance of Stephen Sondheim's "Send in the Clowns" on violin. Kasem died of complications from dementia at age 82 on June 15. - Rolling Stone/WENN.com 6/22/14.

In a new interview with the UK's Daily Mail newspaper, former Police frontman Sting opened up about the inspiration of his latest solo album, The Last Ship, and the last conversation he had with his dying father -- while also reflecting on his own mortality and how that manifests in his art. "I have lived more of my life than is to come: That is an interesting place for an artist -- more interesting than writing about your first girlfriend," he says. "It is kind of serious... In our sixties, how do we face this imponderable idea that we are not going to exist anymore? We make art. We tell stories. We have to face it, to tell it. I am certainly not ready for death. Do I fear it? Well, I fear sudden death. I want to die consciously. I want to see the process. I suppose I already do." Sting also revealed that he smokes marijuana occasionally as a creative catalyst. "If I'm feeling stuck on a lyric or an idea isn't quite gelling, sometimes a puff of weed will free it up," but notes that he "rarely smoke(s) it socially." Sting says he's also adamant the his six kids -- Eliot, Joe, Mickey, Jake, Fuchsia, and Giacomo -- won't inherit his estate, which is worth an estimated $288 million. "I told them there won't be much money left because we are spending it! We have a lot of commitments. What comes in we spend, and there isn't much left," he said, adding that trust funds would be like "albatrosses round their necks." "They have to work. All my kids know that and they rarely ask me for anything, which I really respect and appreciate," he said. - Rolling Stone/WENN.com, 6/23/14.

Bob Dylan's upcoming our of Australia will include a special date at the Sydney Opera House on Sept. 7. Tickets for the Dylan's tour Down Under went on sale in mid-June for gigs in Perth (8/13, 14), Melbourne (8/18, 19, 20), Brisbane (8/25), Canberra (8/29), Adelaide (8/31) and Sydney (10/3, 4, 5). According to promoter Chugg Entertainment, demand for tickets was "so overwhelming" additional dates have been added for Sydney and Melbourne. Dylan's Australia & New Zealand trek also includes stops in tour opener Hamilton on Aug. 9 and 10 and the tour closer, Christchurch on Sept. 10. These upcoming shows will the first in more than two decades since the legendary artist played theaters Down Under. - Billboard, 6/23/14.

Grand Ole Opry legend Jimmy C. Newman, known for such Cajun-influenced country hits as "Alligator Man," died on June 21 in a Nashville hospital following a brief illness. He was 86. Starting his career as a mainstream country performer, Mr. Newman moved to a Cajun direction in the 1970s, becoming one of the most respected artists in the genre. Born Aug. 29, 1927 in Mamou, La., Mr. Newman grew up listening to the Cajun music of his area, but was also enamored with cowboy music and what was known as "Hillbilly Music." He started playing music during his teenage years, cutting some sides for the Future label in the 1940s. With the support of legendary songwriter Fred Rose, Mr. Newman signed a contract with Dot Records in 1953, and the following year his No. 4 country song "Cry, Cry, Darling" established him as a hit-maker and became the first of 33 country chart singles over the next 17 years. He became a member of the Louisiana Hayride on KWKH, staying there until the Grand Ole Opry beckoned with an invitation of membership in 1956. With the WSM and Nashville promotional machine firmly behind him as an Opry member, Mr. Newman notched his biggest hit in 1957 with "A Fallen Star," which peaked at No. 2 on the country chart and crossed over to No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. Mr. Newman continued to play to his devoted fans -- both on the road and at the Grand Ole Opry -- for the rest of his life, celebrating his golden anniversary as an Opry member in 2006. His final album, Jimmy C. Newman Sings Swamp Country, was released in 2012. - Billboard, 6/22/14.

A holographic image of Michael Jackson performing onstage during the 2014 Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 18, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nev., has triggered a new lawsuit. In the days leading up to the spectacle, Hologram USA, owned by firebrand entrepreneur Alki David, attempted to stop it by claiming it infringed patented hologram technology that he had exclusively licensed. The Billboard Awards performance was allowed to happen, but the dispute is hardly over after Pulse Evolution, whose animators and technicians spent many months preparing the show, filed a $10 million lawsuit on June 19. In a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, Pulse attacked Alki David as a "charlatan who had no involvement whatsoever in the development of the Michael Jackson animation." The move follows David's own lawsuit, which originally named Prometheus Global Media, parent of Billboard Music Awards producer Dick Clark Productions, among the defendants. In other Jackson-related news, a 3D musical movie starring the late King of Pop called Captain EO has temporarily closed at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., and might be gone for good. Disney has said that EO is "expected to return at a later date," though some Disney fan blogs -- including DlandLive and Mice Chat -- are speculating this could be the end of EO. The Tokyo Disneyland equivalent of the show recently announced the permanent closure of their Captain EO Tribute, which will close on June 30. - The Hollywood Reporter/Billboard, 6/20/14.

The condition of Glen Campbell has reportedly deteriorated to the point where the country/pop icon needs full-time professional care, according to his wife Kim. Kim Campbell has decided to place her husband in a long-term care facility and on June 20 responded publicly for the first time to criticism from Campbell's eldest daughter Debby. In an email to The Associated Press, Kim Campbell wrote that doctors persuaded her earlier this spring to discontinue care at the family's home, which drew criticism from Debby. "It is crushingly sad to see him afflicted with Alzheimer's but indulging those feelings does not help him," Campbell wrote, adding, "I am his wife and no one wants him home more than me but I must do what is in his best interest." Debby Campbell told Country Weekly magazine in mid-June that she objected to the move and that she and Campbell's eldest children heard about it through news media reports. She also said she did not believe family members in Nashville, where the Country Music Hall of Fame member now lives, were spending enough time with him. Campbell, 78, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2011. He issued two albums and went on a world tour following the diagnosis. At the time, Kim Campbell said the tour was a way to help her husband combat the brain-ravaging disease and spend time with his family members, including Debby, who made up his band and traveled with him. Glen Campbell has eight children, including three with Kim Campbell, his wife of 32 years. She says she spends time with her husband every day and that two of his children who live in Nashville visit weekly. Beyond that, she says she organizes activities for the Grammy Award-winning singer of such hits as "Rhinestone Cowboy" and "Wichita Lineman. "He has longtime friends here in Nashville who come to play music for him and give him hugs," Kim Campbell said. "He has activities and therapies to stimulate him and help him experience daily moments of success. His life is filled with love and laughter and he is being cared for round the clock by people who specialize in Alzheimer's care and happen to adore him." - AP, 6/20/14.

Merry Clayton, the "Gimme Shelter" backup singer whose story was featured in the documentary 20 Feet From Stardom, was badly injured in a major car accident in Los Angeles on June 16. "Merry sustained severe injuries to her lower body, including major trauma to her lower extremities. We are truly grateful that our dear Merry is still with us," reads a statement posted on her official website. The statement continues: "She has a long road of recovery ahead and we thank you all for your prayers as we link arms together with faith and the Lord's strength for her rapid healing. For all that know her personally, and those that have been blessed by her God-given talents, please know that her spirit is very strong and her faith unwavering. Her voice is not silenced and His praises continue to be on her lips." Clayton's powerhouse vocals have made an impact on a wide variety of musicians, from Ray Charles (whom she supported as a teenaged Raelette) to Carole King, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Neil Young. The most famous use of her voice came on her contribution to the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter," where she sings the line, "Rape! Murder! It's just a shot away." The success of the Academy Award-winning 20 Feet From Stardom brought renewed attention to Clayton's talents, and a compilation of her 1970s solo work called The Best Of Merry Clayton came out in June 2013. - Rolling Stone, 6/22/14.

AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson posted a message on his website on June 19 thanking his fans for supporting his new TV series, Cars That Rock (which airs on the Quest channel in the UK.) The post also casually drops that it "looks very likely" that AC/DC will be touring sometime this year. This follows an appearance on a Palm Beach, Florida radio station back in February, in which Johnson said the band was hoping to play a series of 40 shows to commemorate its 40th anniversary. Johnson's offhand announcement didn't mention whether rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young would be joining the tour. Back in April, Young announced that he was in "ill health" and taking a break from AC/DC. While Young doesn't have the iconic stature of Johnson or his brother Angus Young, his unflashy, rock-solid rhythm playing is an essential element of the group's sound -- and along with Angus, he's one of the only two members of the band who's been a member through all four decades. - Entertainment Weekly, 6/19/14.

Eric Clapton has issued an apology to fans after walking off stage early during a gig in Glasgow in June 22. Clapton was performing at the Hydro in Glasgow but left during a performance of his song 'Cocaine' due to what has been described as a "technical issue." Fans were left confused by the sudden end to the gig and a statement on Clapton's official website explained his reason for departing the stage before the end of the song. "Unfortunately last night we experienced a steadily worsening technical problem with the PA system that the band battled with throughout the show. But by the last song of the set it became unbearable on stage and Eric was unable to complete that number." The statement continues: "The usual touring set length runs at 1hr 35 mins so in fact the full set was performed apart from the entirety of 'Cocaine' which had to be curtailed. Eric is nevertheless sorry for the break in the concert." Clapton's next scheduled live performance is on June 23 at the SAP Arena in Mannhiem, Germany. - New Musical Express, 6/23/14.