Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on April 22nd, 2018

Seventies hitmaker Roberta Flack was rushed to a New York City hospital after cutting short her appearance at Harlem's Apollo Theater on Apr. 20 because she was not feeling well. Flack, 81, was taken to Harlem Hospital via ambulance, saying she felt dizzy. The singer, who was about to receive a lifetime achievement award from the Jazz Foundation of America during her appearance, was released from the hospital after several hours. A spokesperson for the Jazz Foundation said the "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" singer was "feeling fine," but Flack went to another Manhattan hospital after being released from Harlem Hospital for observation by her personal doctors. - AP, 4/21/18...... Led Zeppelin has shared a teaser trailer for their special 7" single release for this year's Record Store Day, featuring unreleased versions of both "Rock And Roll" and "Friends." The vinyl single hit stores on Record Day, Apr. 21, and offers fans the chance to hear the Sunset Sound Mix of "Rock And Roll" and the the Olympic Studios Mix of "Friends" for the first time ever. Led Zepp has also released a newly remastered version of their classic live album How The West Was Won in multiple formats. - NME, 4/20/18...... Paul McCartney remembered his late first wife Linda McCartney on Apr. 17, the 20th anniversary of her death in 1998, with a loving Instagram post. "Remembering Linda with love today. Beautiful memories," Sir Paul posted, below a picture of Linda. Linda, who tragically died at age 56 on April 17, 1998, after a three-year battle with breast cancer, were married (and inseparable) from their 1969 marriage until her death, and became a rock power couple as founding members of the chart-topping band Wings. - Billboard, 4/19/18...... In other Beatles-related news, Cheech & Chong member Tommy Chong says he and his partner Cheech Marin have "a ton of outtakes" from their 1973 hit "Basketball Jones," which featured the late George Harrison on lead guitar during the session. "We've got all of that in the can that we're going to spring on people eventually, one day. That'd be great," Chong said, though he did not state any specific plans for releasing the Harrison material. "George and I were buddies," Chong says. "George and I used to smoke quite a bit when we'd meet once in a while at different places. He was in the studio at A&M at the same time we were doing 'Basketball Jones,' so [producer] Lou [Adler] asked him to come in and do a little guitar riff for us. And George is George; He literally made that song." 2018 marks the 45th anniversary of "Basketball Jones" and the duo's Los Cochinos album, but currently Cheech & Chong have been focused primarily on celebrating the 40th anniversary of their 1978 film comedy Up In Smoke. Also participating on the "Basketball Jones" session were Beatles lieutenants Klaus Voorman and Billy Preston, along with Carole King, Tom Scott and Nicky Hopkins. - Billboard, 4/20/18...... Elsewhere on the Fab Four front, Ringo Starr released a new video for the title track to his upcoming Give More Love album on Apr. 19. The clip, directed by Brent Carpenter, includes fan photos contributed especially for the video that were submitted in a contest sponsored by Ringo. "They (Ringo and the record company) told people to submit stills and video that to them meant 'Give More Love,'" says Carpenter, who added Ringo helped choose the images to be used. Meanwhile, on the same day Ringo announced plans for his 10th annual "Peace and Love" birthday event to take place July 7 at the Hard Rock Cafe in Nice, France, during his Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band's upcoming European tour. Fans around the world can join in by saying or thinking "Peace and Love" at noon on July 7. Besides the live event, Hard Rock outlets around the globe will stream a special "Peace and Love" birthday video just before noon from Sir Ringo. After a date in Atlantic City, N.J., on June 2, Ringo and his band will head to Europe for 20 shows starting in Paris on June 6. They'll kick off a U.S. run on Sept. 1 at the Hard Rock Cafe in Tulsa, Okla. The ambitious 41-city summer trek will wrap on Sept. 29 at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. - Billboard, 4/19/18...... In more Beatles news, a sketch drawn by John Lennon depicting himself as Adolf Hitler sold at auction for $54,000 on Apr. 22. The controversial drawing, an ink doodle which situates Lennon behind a podium with his arm raised in a Nazi salute, is part of a larger sketch book that makes liberal use of Nazi iconography mixed with the likeness of the Beatles members. "(John) drew these when he was a college student, and the fact that he even thought of depicting himself as Hitler is weird," says memorabilia dealer Gary Zimet, who added "original Lennon drawings are very desirable and they are ultra rare." - New Musical Express, 4/22/18...... Sir Tom Jones and Sir Gordon Sumner, better known as Sting, were among the famous singers performing at an Apr. 21 concert in London marking the 92nd birthday of Queen Elizabeth II. Also serenading the monarch, who was in attendance, were Kylie Minogue, Shaggy, Craig David and Jamie Cullum. Highlights included Sting and Shaggy performing their reggae-infused single "Don't Make Me Wait," which appears on their collaborative album 44/8762. Queen Elizabeth, the world's longest-reigning living monarch, was accompanied by other members of the royal family, including her grandson, Prince Harry. Her actual birthday on Apr. 21, which she usually marks privately with her family, and her "official birthday" occurs in the summer and will be recognized with a military parade in central London. - AP, 4/21/18...... The original pair of tassled loafers worn by Michael Jackson during a rehearsal for his first-ever "moonwalk" during his iconic 1983 performance of "Billie Jean" during the 25th Anniversary of Motown special are conservatively expected to bring as much as $10,000 when they're put on the auction block on May 26 at the Hilton in Universal City, Calif. It has been verified that Jackson wore the black Florsheim loafers during the rehearsal, and probably during the actual performance as well. - NME, 4/21/18...... Paramount Pictures announced on Apr. 20 that it has picked up distribution rights for the upcoming Elton John biopic Rocketman. Paramount will also finance the picture, which will star Kingsman actor Taron Egerton as the legendary pop singer, from his days at the Royal Academy of Music to his rise to international stardom in the early 1970s. John and his husband, David Furnish will produce the picture under their Rocket Pictures banner, with Dexter Fletcher, who previously worked with Egerton on Eddie the Eagle, directing. - The Hollywood Reporter, 4/20/18...... Bette Midler announced on Apr. 20 that she will be returning to her lead role in the Tony Award-winning revival of "Hello, Dolly!" on July 17 for a six-week run that will close the production on Aug. 25. The iconic role of Dolly Levi marked The Divine Miss M's return to the Broadway musical stage in about 50 years and she shattered box office records at the Shubert Theatre. Midler won the Tony for best actress in a musical, and her co-star David Hyde Pierce earned a Tony nomination for his role in the production. Midler stepped into the role last spring and ended her run in mid-January. She was replaced by Bernadette Peters, who will now leave after the July 15 show. The first national tour of "Hello, Dolly!" kicks off in October at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, Ohio, starring Tony Award-winner Betty Buckley. - AP, 4/20/18...... The new Tina Turner jukebox musical "Tina" has opened at the Aldwych Theatre in London, showcasing the famed rock singer's tumultuous life story, from her humble beginnings in Nutbush, Tenn., through her remarkable comeback in the 1980's with her Private Dancer album. The adult Turner is played by Tony-nominated actress Adrienne Warren, and her domineering bandleader and ex-husband Ike Turner is portrayed by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. Directing the project is Phyllida Lloyd, who is best known for helming the ABBA musical "Mamma Mia!," which became a global smash on stage and screen. - The Hollywood Reporter, 4/19/18...... Authorities in Minnesota released what they describe as the "vast majority" of evidence from their investigation into the Apr. 21, 2016, death of Prince on Apr. 20. The Carver County, Minn., sheriff's office released 15GB of data to the public under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, which includes images of Prince's body from the death scene, CCTV footage of the star visiting a doctor's office the day before he died, and interviews with individuals close to the singer who say they had been concerned about his health in the days leading to his death. Also included are photos from inside Prince's Paisley Park vault and a Sinead O'Connor police interview from May 2016 where she alleged that Prince had a history of drug use and violence towards women. "I've seen him in very frightening conditions after using drugs," O'Connor told police, adding: "He had been extremely violent to a number of women in his life, including myself, and several women were put in the hospital while Prince was under the effects of these medications." Carver County attorney Mark Metz said the musician, age 57, had suffered the overdose due to taking counterfeit pills, which contained the powerful painkiller fentanyl, and that no one will be charged in the case, although none of the medications found in Prince's home after his death had been prescribed to him, with some having been prescribed to his former drummer Kirk Johnson, and others found in vitamin bottles and envelopes. Meanwhile, a previously unreleased original version of Prince's iconic hit "Nothing Compares 2 U" was issued for the first time on Apr. 19 by the Prince estate in collaboration with Warner Bros. Records. "Nothing Compares 2 U" became a breakout No. 1 hit for Sinead O'Connor in 1990 was recorded at the Flying Cloud Drive "Warehouse" in Eden Prairie, Minn., by Prince's longtime engineer Susan Rogers and was originally composed, arranged and performed entirely by Prince. In addition to the saxophone breaks, the Prince version presents a more sensual take on the song. It has also been announced that Prince's unfinished memoir, The Beautiful One, will finally be released in the latter part of 2018. Prince had submitted only 50 pages of the handwritten memoir before his 2016 death, and the book may also feature "reproductions of Prince's longhand pages." - NME/Billboard, 4/20/18...... Comedy legend Carol Burnett will make her return to series television and her Netflix debut on May 4 with A Little Help With Carol Burnett. The show, which spotlights every day people receiving advice to their real-life problems from little kids, will also feature celebrity guests including DJ Khaled, Taraji P. Henson, Derek Hough, Taraji P. Henson, Derek Hough, Julie Bowen, Lisa Kudrow, Brittany Snow, Mark Cuban and Wanda Sykes, among others. - 4/16/18...... Verne Troyer, an actor best known for playing Mini-Me in the Austin Powers series, died on Apr. 21 of an as yet undisclosed cause. He was 49. "It is with great sadness and incredibly heavy hearts to write that Verne passed away today," a statement on his official Facebook page reads. "Verne was an extremely caring individual. He wanted to make everyone smile, be happy, and laugh. Anybody in need, he would help to any extent possible. Verne hoped he made a positive change with the platform he had and worked towards spreading that message everyday." The statement makes sweeping statements about depression and suicide. "Verne was also a fighter when it came to his own battles. Over the years he's struggled and won, struggled and won, struggled and fought some more, but unfortunately this time was too much," it says. Troyer, who grew up in an Amish community in Michigan, rose to fame after his Austin Powers debut in 1999's The Spy Who Shagged Me, and reprised the role in 2002's Austin Powers in Goldmember. He also played Griphook in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Coach Punch Cherkov in The Love Guru, and had guest spots on Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Scrubs, Two and a Half Men and Boston Public. Troyer also memorably appeared as Mini Me in the music video for Ludacris' "Number One Spot" from the 2004 album The Red Light District. Troyer vocally battled alcohol addiction, having nearly died in 2002 from alcohol poisoning following a breakup, and footage of drunken antics from the reality show The Surreal Life went viral. "That was a bad period in my life," he said in 2016. "I've learned from it, and I move on," however in 2017, he announced that he was receiving treatment for alcohol addiction on his Facebook page. Among those offering their condolences to Troyer are Austin Powers star Mike Myers, actress Marley Matlin, and musician Slash. - The Hollywood Reporter, 4/21/18.

Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on April 17th, 2018

Bruce Springsteen treated his 92-year-old mother Adele Springsteen on Apr. 15 at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, N.J., to an early birthday celebration before Mother Nature spoiled the party. The 68-year-old Boss and his mom, who will turn 93 on May 4, danced to two songs before severe storms caused the club to lose power. They were there to see the Eddie Testa Band, reportedly one of Adele's favorite bands. Patrons say the Springsteens -- along with the rocker's 24-year-old son Sam -- were in the club for about 90 minutes. Springsteen recently extended his run on Broadway until December as the rock legend's unusually intimate "Springsteen on Broadway" show keeps selling out tickets. It marks the third extension by Springsteen, who started the performances in October in the 960-seat Walter Kerr Theatre. - AP, 4/16/18......

Seventies artists The Moody Blues, The Cars and Dire Straits were among the six music acts inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Cleveland, Oh., on Apr. 14. "The Moody Blues are and always have been a kick-ass rock 'n' roll band," Ann Wilson of Heart said as she inducted group. "It was so long that we were eligible and didn't make it that I got a real sour grapes [feeling] for everything about it," said the Moodys' Graeme Edge. "When it actually became something for us all to appreciate and have, I did realize that it means the world to me," he added. Edge was acknowledging the English prog rock band's long period of eligibility before finally being nominated, thanks in part to aggressive campaigning on behalf of the band's fans. Edge's fellow band co-founders Justin Hayward and John Lodge both thanked American radio disc jockeys who championed the band, and following the speech, the Moodys picked up their instruments for a set that included "I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)," a galvanizing "Nights in White Satin" and "Ride My See Saw." The Cars, inducted after two previous times on the ballot and ushered in by Brandon Flowers of The Killers, spent much of their time paying homage to late bassist/singer Benjamin Orr, a native of Cleveland, much to the delight of the hometown Public Auditorium crowd. "When the band first started, Ben was supposed to be the lead singer and I was supposed to be the good-looking guy in the band -- but after a couple of gigs, I kinda got demoted to the songwriter," said Ric Ocasek. "But obviously it's hard not to notice that Benjamin Orr is not here. He would've been elated to be here on this stage. It still feels strange to be up here without him," he added. The group's set included "My Best Friend's Girl," "You Might Think," "Moving in Stereo" and "Just What I Needed." Without a designated presenter for Dire Straits (frontman Mark Knopfler and his brother David Knopfler had previously announced they wouldn't be attending the ceremony), band bassist and co-founder John Illsley took it upon himself to do the honors and subsequently make an acceptance speech. Illsley said the Knopfler brothers' absence was "for personal reasons, let's just leave it at that," and that Dire Straits "is really more about a group of people more than one person. It's a collective, a brotherhood, and that's something that needs acknowledging tonight... the many musicians who have worked with Dire Straits over the years and made the band's success possible and led us all the way to Cleveland tonight." Also inducted during the 33rd annual ceremony were New Jersey rocker Bon Jovi Nina Simone and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. The late Tom Petty and Soundgarden's Chris Cornell were both honored in memorial segments by The Killers and Ann Wilson, respectively. Notably, the Rock Hall also inducted songs for the first time, with the first inductees including "Rocket 88" by Jackie Breston and his Delta Cats (1951), Link Wray and his Ray Men's "Rumble" (1958), "Louie Louie" by The Kingsmen (1963), Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale" (1967) and Steppenwolf's "Born to Be Wild" (1968). The ceremony, which was filmed by HBO for a May 5 premiere, differed from other years in that Rock Hall co-founder Jann Wenner, who was accused by a journalist in November of offering a writing deal in exchange for sex, did not address the gathering, and there was no finale that brought inductees and presenters together. - Billboard, 4/14/18...... As the hit 1978 movie Grease and its soundtrack turn 40 this year, Grease star Olivia Newton-John says she thinks that the Grease songs "are timeless." "They're fun and have great energy," Olivia says. "The '50s-feel music has always been popular, and it's nostalgic for my generation, and then the young kids are rediscovering it every 10 years or so, it seems. People buying the album was a way for them to remember those feelings of watching the movie and feelings of that time period. I feel very grateful to be a part of this movie that's still loved so much," she added. Newton-John, who was a "reluctant Sandy," says she insisted on doing a screen test after the failure of her 1970 musical film Toomorrow and asked that her frequent collaborator John Farrar be brought in to produce and write two of the four new songs added to the original Broadway score by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. "It's always great fun recording with John because he's been my friend since I was 15," says Newton-John of her fellow Melbourne, Australia native, who she had worked with on hits like 1973's "Let Me Be There," 1974's "I Honestly Love You" and 1975's "Have You Never Been Mellow." "I think John Farrar is one of the greatest songwriters of all time. He's a brilliant musician." "You're the One That I Want," which went all the way to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, was another immediate hit with Newton-John. "John stayed up all night writing it and finishing it, came to my trailer early in the morning, played it for me, and I knew it was a smash," she recalled. Frankie Valli, who racked up the last No. 1 single of his career with "Grease," says he has continued to spread "the word" ever since by performing the song regularly in his concerts. "Oh yes -- It's a definite part of my show. It's been a very important song in my career," says Valli, who praises other Grease soundtrack cuts too: "I liked all of the songs that were sung by Olivia, and I was always a big [John] Travolta fan. It was really put together very well musically." - Billboard, 4/14/18...... Speaking of John Travolta, a former security officer for the Church of Scientology has revealed the bitter blood between the actor/singer and another high flyer in the controversial religion, actor Tom Cruse. "Cruise is the only celeb with a direct line to [Scientology leader] David Miscavige. Travolta and Kirstie [Alley] don't have that," former member Brendan Tighe told the UK paper The Daily Mail. "Travolta doesn't get anything free, no one is giving him absurd gifts like an airplane hangar, custom-made bikes, or over the top favours," Tighe added. According to Tighe, when the 55-year-old Mission: Impossible star was recently given Scientology's Freedom Medal of Valor for his devotion, Travolta was furious. Until that point, Travolta was considered Miscavige's protege. - Canoe.com, 4/16/18...... The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati has honored singer and activist Mavis Staples with one of the museum's highest honors. The center presented Staples with the Everyday Freedom Hero Award at a reception on Apr.. Staples received the reward prior to her concert performance, "An Evening with Mavis Staples." The Freedom Center says it created the Everyday Freedom Hero Award to recognize individuals and organizations that strive to live up to the ideals of the Underground Railroad movement while using their resources for the well-being and betterment of their communities. - AP, 4/14/18...... New David Bowie subway cards have just been introduced in New York City's massive subway system. Bowie MetroCards are now available at Broadway-Lafayette station, just a few blocks from where the late rock legend used to live in SoHo for a portion of his life. The entire Broadway-Lafayette station has been transformed into something of a tribute to Bowie, too Advertisements for the "David Bowie Is" exhibition -- currently in progress at the Brooklyn Museum -- decorate the station, and outside, there's another giant Bowie mural. Costing $6.50, the new MetroCards reportedly have a two ride minimum. Meanwhile, Bowie's former collaborators are bringing Bowie's musical "Lazarus" back to life in New York City. "Lazarus" will be returning to the Big Apple for the first time since Bowie's death, in a one-night performance on May 2 at Kings Theater in Brooklyn. The new iteration is a screening of a previously filmed London performance accompanied by a live band. Dexter's Michael C. Hall will return to his leading role, with the original band performing 20 of Bowie's songs as they were arranged by the artist and band leader Henry Hey. The one night performance boasts a team of Bowie's peers behind the scenes, who joined the new project in order to preserve the artist's original vision. "I would like people to know that David Bowie really was -- far above being an incredible artist and an incredible performer -- he was, most importantly, an amazing human being," Hey said. - New Musical Express/Billboard, 4/17/18...... James Taylor and Bonnie Raiit are gearing up for a 17-date co-headlining summer tour that's set to kick off May 8 in Jacksonville, Fla. "We're a good 30 percent ahead of where we were last time," says Taylor's manager, Sam Feldman, of ticket sales for the upcoming arena road trip. The tour will cover 30-plus markets between the U.S. and Europe, where the pair will join fellow legend Paul Simon's farewell tour for two shows in Dublin and London. - Billboard, 4/13/18...... Doors from rooms where such iconic rockers as Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Joni Mitchell once stayed at the Chelsea Hotel in New York have been sold at auction, selling for thousands of dollars each. Dylan's door went for a whopping $100,000 alone, while the door to a room occupied by Cohen and Joplin during an affair that is rumoured to have inspired Cohen's track "Chelsea Hotel No. 22" went for $85,000. Jimi Hendrix and Madonna's doors went for $13,000 each. The doors were reportedly rescued by Jim Georgiou, a former tenant, who saw them being thrown away and arranged to take possession of them. - New Musical Express, 4/13/18...... Director Milos Forman, who earned Oscars for his movie masterpieces One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Amadeus, died on Apr. 13 in Danbury Hospital near his home in Warren, Conn., after a short illness. He was 86. Mr. Forman left his native Czechoslovakia for creative freedom in the U.S., and his films generally appealed to sophisticated audiences, though he could reach the mainstream with his savvy flourishes. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), adapted from Ken Kesey's 1962 novel, dealt with life inside an Oregon mental institution. Starring Jack Nicholson as an insurgent patient, it was a sensation at the Oscars, winning five major categories (picture, director, actor, actress and adapted screenplay). Amadeus (1984), starring Tom Hulce as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, raked in 11 Oscar noms and eight wins, including those for best picture and director. He also played a minor role in Heartburn (1986), which reunited him with Nicholson. Mr. Forman served as a professor of film and co-chair of the film division of Columbia University's School of the Arts, and he wrote an autobiography, Turnaround, which was published in 1994. He is survived by his third wife Martina Zborilova and their twin sons, Andrew and James. - The Hollywood Reporter, 4/14/18...... British pop singer Cliff Richard has begun his High Court battle against the BBC, after the corporation broadcast a police raid on his Berkshire home in 2014. Richard, 77, is seeking "very substantial" damages after the BBC acted on a tip-off from South Yorkshire Police and offered live coverage of a raid on his apartment in Sunningdale, Berkshire, as part of an investigation into a historical child sex abuse allegation. Sir Cliff was previously questioned over the allegation, but he has constantly maintained his innocence and has never faced charges. The BBC has confirmed that they will "defend ourselves rigorously," and argued in court that South Yorkshire Police attempted to "shoot its messenger." The public broadcaster also claims that it was in the public interest to broadcast the raid, and insists that their reporting "fully respected the presumption of innocence" of the popular singer. The BBC previously offered an apology to the singer in 2016. - NME, 4/13/18...... Character actor Tim O'Connor, best known for portraying Elliot Carson, Mia Farrow's father and Dorothy Malone's husband on more than 400 episodes of the 1960s ABC primetime soap Peyton Place, has died. He was 90. Mr. O'Connor also starred as Dr. Elias Huer on the 1979-81 NBC sci-fi series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, starring Gil Gerard, and on a memorable 1975 episode of All in the Family, he guest-starred as a former sweetheart of Edith's (Jean Stapleton) from Scranton, Pennsylvania, who's interested in rekindling their childhood romance. - The Hollywood Reporter, 4/12/18...... Actor R. Lee Emery, best known for his Golden Globe-nominated portrayal of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, has died after complications from pneumonia. He was 74. Ermey had several other mostly authority figure roles to his credit, including Sheriff Hoyt in 2003's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake, a police captain in Se7en, and the voice of the plastic army men's leader Sarge in Toy Story. - Variety.com, 4/16/18...... Sitcom actor Harry Anderson, who presided over the hit NBC comedy Night Court for nine seasons, was found dead at his home in Asheville, N.C., on Apr. 16. He was 65. No foul play was suspected, according to police. After his family moved to Los Angeles, the amiable Rhode Island native began performing magic on variety TV series like The Mike Douglas Show, The Late Show With David Letterman, and Saturday Night Live; the latter led to his role as con artist Harry "The Hat" Gittes on Cheers, which in turn led to a starring role as Judge Harry Stone on Night Court. - Variety.com, 4/16/18.

Rhino Records has released a 50th anniversary boxed set of the classic Love album Forever Changes featuring alternate mixes, demos, studio banter and other oddities. Bruce Botnick, who co-produced the LP, says Love frontman Arthur Lee was "always into his head...getting loaded, being on the street, taking advantage of the scene, of the politics, love and his relationships." "He was an incredibly prolific and romantic figure with an amazing sense of humor," Botnick added. - Billboard, 4/12/18...... In a new interview for the Elvis Presley documentary The Searcher, Presley's ex-wife Priscilla Presley claims that Elvis was well aware of the risks associated with taking drugs before he died in 1977. "People go, well why didn't anyone do anything? Well, that's not true," Priscilla says. "People there in the inner group did, but you did not tell Elvis Presley what to do. You did not. I mean, you'd be out of there faster than a scratched cat. They would try and no way." The Searcher is set to premiere on cable TV's HBO on Apr. 14. - New Musical Express, 4/9/18...... Fleetwood Mac released a statement on Apr. 9 announcing that Lindsey Buckingham will be replaced on the band's upcoming tour by both Mike Campbell of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Neil Finn of Crowded House. A disagreement with Buckingham over the tour was apparently the reason for his firing, and the band said it "wishes Lindsey all the best." There was no comment regarding his future plans with the group. The band's Facebook page was also updated on Apr. 9 to an illustrated image, notably scrubbing Buckingham's image from its profile (although band images including Buckingham still remain on the page). The news initially broke in the first week of April after former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Billy Burnette posted -- then deleted -- a tweet declaring Buckingham out. The band added that it is "thrilled to welcome the musical talents of the caliber of Mike Campbell and Neil Finn into the Mac family... With Mike and Neil, we'll be performing all the hits that the fans love, plus we'll be surprising our audiences with some racks from our historic catalogue of songs... Fleetwood Mac has always been a creative evolution... We look forward to honoring that spirit on this upcoming tour." Buckingham, responsible for such hits as "Tusk" and "Go Your Own Way," joined Fleetwood Mac along with his then-girlfriend Stevie Nicks in 1974 and has been with them on an intermittent basis since then, taking time away to record six solo albums. Although Fleetwood Mac are yet to release specific details of their 2018 tour, it's believed that it will kick off in the US in the fall. - Rolling Stone/Billboard, 4/9/18...... An electronic treatment of Paul Simon's classic 1986 solo album Graceland is being prepped for a June 1 release. Graceland - The Remixes features some of the biggest names in the electronic arena, including Paul Oakenfold, Groove Armada, Thievery Corporation, and others. Simon, who recently announced that he is retiring from touring, will bring his farewell "Homeward Bound" tour to the UK and Europe this summer. - New Musical Express, 4/7/18...... A new project called Songwriters Fonts has created downloadable typefaces built from the handwriting of dead rock legends including David Bowie, John Lennon, Leonard Cohen and Kurt Cobain. Each font was created using the songwriter's "original handwritten letters and notes" and comes with the disclaimer, "This font is for a personal use only." "The Songwriters fonts have been created to give musicians inspiration," according to the Songwriters Fonts website. "Writing lyrics with the handwriting of influential songwriters helps imagination to develop. Being in the mood of Bowie, Cobain, Cohen, Gainsbourg, Lennon, might be purely imaginative but that's precisely the point." - Stereogum.com, 4/9/18...... To celebrate the 40th anniversary of their 1978 trend-setting stoner film Up In Smoke, Cheech & Chong have recorded "Up In Smoke 2018," a track with revised lyrics that will accompany the film's re-release on Blu-ray and a new deluxe vinyl edition of the soundtrack. "It was so easy," Tommy Chong told Billboard about getting back into his original Up In Smoke character. "I think I wrote my part in about a half-hour and Cheech [Marin] wrote his part in about a half-hour, then we recorded it in another half-hour. It was real simple. We've been on the road doing Cheech & Chong ever since, so it wasn't a real big stretch to get back in the studio and do it." "Yeah, we had chops and shit," Marin adds. The track "Up In Smoke" initially came out as a single during August of 1978 to coincide with the movie's release. The soundtrack features dialogue as well as other songs, including a cover of War's "Low Rider," while the 40th anniversary edition also includes a previously unreleased version of "Up In Smoke" with an additional Spanish verse by Marin. The re-release also brings the soundtrack back to vinyl for the first time since its original release. The 40th anniversary edition DVD of the film, meanwhile, features new commentary by Marin and Cisco Adler, the documentaries How Pedro Met The Man: Up In Smoke at 40 and Lighting It Up: A Look Back At Up In Smoke, the theatrical trailer and vintage radio spots. The definitive doper duo add that they're happy with the state of marijuana law reform in the U.S. now. "There's 29 states that have some sort of legalized form of marijuana," Marin says. "I think we're moving in the right direction." Chong, who credits marijuana use with helping him battle cancer, adds that, "The Trump people would like to think different but, no, we're definitely moving in the right direction. People know." - Billboard, 4/12/18...... Dire Straits is set to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame during a ceremony on Apr. 14 in Cleveland, Oh., but frontman Mark Knopfler and his brother and fellow guitarist David Knopfler won't be in attendance. "He just didn't feel like coming, it's as simple as that," says band co-founder John Illsley, who co-owns the Dire Straits band name with Knopfler. "It just didn't appeal to him, and I appealed to him on several occasions. I said, 'Look, I'd love you to get your head around this.' He said, 'Look, I just can't do it, John. I'm really sorry. It's a great honor for us and all the rest of it, and I just can't get my head around it,' so I've just got to respect it. He's got his reasons, which he really doesn't want to share with me which is unusual because we've shared most things over the years." Illsley added that he's "very proud of being inducted... I think it's fantastic for the band. I think it's fantastic for all the musicians who have worked with us over the years, who have been part of the journey... and all the producers and engineers we worked with over the years." - Billboard, 4/12/18...... BMG Music announced on Apr. 10 that it has inked an exclusive worldwide publishing deal with Ringo Starr that will cover Starr's Beatles and solo catalog, spanning nearly 50 years, as well as future compositions. Among the over 150 titles included in the deal are his songwriting contributions with the Beatles' "What Goes On" from Rubber Soul, "Flying" from Magical Mystery Tour, "Don't Pass Me By" from the "White Album," "Octopus's Garden" from Abbey Road and "Dig It" and "Maggie Mae" from Let It Be, as well as other rarities. As a solo artist, Starr has released 19 studio albums, spanning from 1970's Sentimental Journey to last year's Give More Love. Starr has been awarded nine Grammy Awards and has twice been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame -- first as a Beatle and again as a solo artist. In March, he was honored with a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II for services to music and his charity work. "I love making music and the song writing process -- and putting new music out there to play along side the old," Ringo said in a statement. "How great to be working with BMG who are excited to have my entire catalogue." Starr will be heading out on tour later this year with a new iteration of his All Starr Band. - Billboard, 4/10/18...... In other Beatles-related news, authorities in Toronto, Canada are working to identify a woman who allegedly stole an individual stone from a Yoko exhibit at the Gardiner Museum on Apr. 6. The rock, which has an appraised insurance value of $17,500, was part of a three-part interactive instillation from Ono called The Riverbed. One of these three parts is an interactive work called "Stone Piece," which "features a pile of river stones that have been honed and shaped by water over time," according to the museum's website. "Ono has inscribed some of the stones with words, such as dream, wish, and remember. Visitors are invited to pick up a stone and hold it, concentrating on the word, and then placing the stone upon the pile of other stones in the center of the room." - Spin.com, 4/9/18...... About 300 Merle Haggard fans turned up in the late country music icon's hometown of Bakersfield, Calif., on Apr. 7 to celebrate the naming of a United States Post Office in Haggard's honor. The event fell on the two-year anniversary of Haggard's death -- and what would have been his 81st birthday -- and was also attended by his sister. Norm Hamlet, who played in the "Okie From Muskogee" singer's band for nearly a half-century, told a local paper that Haggard would've been humbled by the honor. - AP, 4/8/18...... Soul songwriter Ron Dunbar, who co-wrote countless soul classics including Freda Payne's "Band of Gold," Chairmen of the Board's "Give Me Just a Little More Time" and Clarence Carter's "Patches," has died at age 77. Dunbar was a songwriter and producer supreme, best known for his work with the post-Motown Holland-Dozier-Holland label Invictus and with the Parliament-Funkadelic world of George Clinton. By the 1990s Dunbar became an independent producer again and also worked with the Holland brothers. - 4/5/18...... Gospel/pop singer Yvonne Staples, who rose to fame as one of the voices of powerhouse trio The Staple Singers, died at her home in Chicago's South Shore on Apr. 10. She was 80. Yvonne performed on the Staple Singers hits including "Respect Yourself," "I'll Take You There" and "Heavy Makes You Happy" with her sisters Mavis and Cleotha and their father, guitarist Pops Staples. Yvonne was born in Chicago to Pops and Oceola Staples, both with Mississippi roots. She started singing with Mavis and their brother Pervis in the 1940s at their uncle's church, and in 1970 replaced her brother in the group. The Staple Singers made more than 30 albums, with their greatest chart successes on Stax Records in the early 1970s. Their performance was a highlight of the film Wattstax, a documentary of a 1972 Los Angeles concert dubbed the "Black Woodstock." The Staple Singers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. Pops Staples died in 2000 and Cleotha died in 2013. - Billboard, 4/10/18...... Country music singer/songwriter Kenny O'Dell, who penned the smash Charlie Rich hits "Behind Closed Doors" and "I Take It On Home" as well as "Mama He's Crazy" for The Judds, has died at age 73. Early in his career, O'Dell worked with guitarist Duane Eddy, and his own band, Guys and Dolls. O'Dell also had his own country hits with "Beautiful People" and "Let's Shake Hands and Come Out Lovin'." When O'Dell first moved to Nashville, he ran Bobby Goldsboro's publishing company. He has had other hit covers including "Trouble in Paradise" by Loretta Lynn in 1974. - 3/30/18...... Rock vocalist Mike Harrison of Spooky Tooth passed away on Mar. 25 at the age of 72. From 1966 to 1970 and in 1972-1973, Harrison sang on Spooky Tooth songs mostly written by keyboard player Gary Wright, along with covers such as Bob Dylan's "The Weight." - 3/28/18...... Mitzi Shore, the owner of L.A.'s legendary The Comedy Store where such comedy legends as Robin Williams, Richard Pryor, Jay Leno, Jim Carrey, Chris Rock and Roseanne Barr cut their teeth, died on Apr. 11. She was 87. "It is with great sadness and very heavy hearts that we report the passing of Mitzi Shore, the legendary Godmother of the world famous Comedy Store," according to a statement from The Comedy Store. "Mitzi was an extraordinary businesswoman and decades ahead of her time who cultivated and celebrated the artistry of stand-up comedy. She was also a loving mother, not only to her own four children, but to the myriad of comedians who adored her. She leaves behind an indelible mark and legacy and has helped change the face of comedy." No cause of death was provided for Ms. Shore, who was the mother of comedian Pauly Shore. Survivors also include sons Peter and Scott and a daughter, Sandi. - The Hollywood Reporter, 4/11/18.

Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on April 7th, 2018

Before the CBS Elton John special I'm Still Standing -- A Grammy Salute was filmed in January, more than one person warned executive producer Ken Ehrlich that John may get up and leave during the performances. "He's really not a fan of watching other people do his songs," Ehrlich admits. But the legend never left his seat while Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, John Legend, and others performed his hits, or when Neil Patrick Harris paid tribute to Elton's pal Ryan White, who became a poster child for HIV/AIDS before dying in 1990. Says Ehrlich: "Elton was just bawling." The two-hour I'm Still Standing -- A Grammy Salute airs on CBS on Apr. 10 at 9:00 p.m. EDT. - Entertainment Weekly, 4/13/18...... In other Elton John news, two Elton tribute covers albums, Revamp and Restoration, were released on Apr. 6, the former featuring modern pop and rock acts hand-selected by Elton himself taking a crack at his classic tunes, while the latter, organized by his longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, finds country musicians doing the same. Revamp's 13-tracks feature artists ranging from Lady Gaga to Queens of the Stone Age to Mary J. Blige, while Restoration's highlights include country star Chris Stapleton offering a faithful rendition of "I Want Love." - Stereogum.com, 4/6/18...... A famous 1963 painting by pop art icon Andy Warhol of Elvis Presley called "Double Elvis [Ferus Type]" is expected to fetch as much as $30 million when it goes up for sale in a Christie's auction in New York on May 17. "Double Elvis" is Warhol's only full-length portrait, and depicts the hip-swiveling musician holding a revolver, as he appeared in the 1960 movie Western Flaming Star. A ghostly duplicate image hovers in the background. The Elvis painting, along with other Warhol paintings that are expected to bring similar high prices, are on display at Christie's London showroom from Apr. 6 until Apr. 10. The record for a Warhol work is $105 million paid for "Silver Car Crash (Double Disaster)" at a 2013 Sotheby's auction. In other Elvis news, a new Presley documentary titled The Searcher premieres on cable channel HBO on Apr. 14. The film traces the King's life from childhood to the 1976 Jungle Room recording sessions, featuring interviews with musicians, producers, and more artists. It is exec-produced by Jerry Schilling, one of Elvis' longtime friends, along with Priscilla Presley, Elvis' ex-wife, and director Thom Zimny had full access to the vault at Elvis' Graceland mansion. - AP/Entertainment Weekly, 4/6/18...... Country-folk singer/songwriter John Prine has signed a worldwide publishing deal with Downtown, the company announced on Apr. 5. Downtown will now rep over 230 compositions from Prine's songbook, which includes the majority of his output as a solo artist, as well as songs recorded by Johnny Cash, Bonnie Raitt, The Everly Brothers, John Denver, Kris Kristofferson and many others. The agreement also covers Prine's forthcoming album, The Tree of Forgiveness, featuring his first new material in 13 years, which drops on Apr. 13 via his own Oh Boy Records imprint. - Billboard, 5/5/18...... Bob Dylan is among several artists who have reimagined popular love songs to honor the LGBTQ community by switching pronouns for a new six-song EP called Universal Love. Dylan re-worked "She's Funny That Way" into "He's Funny That Way," singing lines like "I got a man crazy for me." Universal Love, which also features such artists as Kesha and St. Vincent, is available on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music and distributed through Sony Music's Legacy Recordings. - AP, 4/5/18...... Alice Cooper, who recently appeared in a live TV production of Jesus Christ Superstar, has revealed to Entertainment Weekly magazine how he once nearly died in the 1980s after a hanging stunt went wrong. Magician James Randi concepted the stunt, which which had Cooper attached to a harness that was attached to rafters by a thick piano wire. For the simulation, the noose was above his neck, and for the most part, the rig had protected him. But as he performed the stunt at London's Wembley Stadium in 1988, the stunt backfired. "Everything has its stress limit and after doing so many shows, I never thought about changing the wire. You know, I figured it'll last forever," Cooper recalled. He added: "The wire snaps. I could hear the rope hit my chin and in an instant I flipped my head back. That must've been a fraction of a second because if it caught my chin it would have been a different result. It went over my neck and gave me a pretty good burn. I went down to the floor and pretty much blacked out." Cooper, 70, says he still performs the stunt "but with some really strong wire." Cooper and his "supergroup" Hollywood Vampires featuring himself, Joe Perry and Johnny Depp have announced they'll make their UK debut in June for an arena tour. - NME/Entertainment Weekly, 4/4/18...... A five-minute clip honoring late civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was assasinated 50 years ago on Apr. 4, 1968, was posted by Stevie Wonder on his YouTube and Facebook page on Apr. 4 at 7:05 p.m. CT, which is the exact time King was fatally shot. In the video, Wonder and a wide variety of celebrities -- from Barack and Michelle Obama to Paul McCartney and Harry Styles -- shared a dream they see for the future. The caption encourages viewers to "create and post your own 'Dream Still Lives' video with #DreamStillLives. Spread love...spread hope." - Billboard, 4/4/18...... After a tweet from a Twitter user known as @bottledfleet that features Fleetwood Mac's classic 1977 track "Dreams" went viral, the song has re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart at No. 14. "Fleetwood Mac's music is so boring, you can't even dance to it," the tweet reads, followed by "Me, an intellectual:," The tweet then features a 38-second clip of a marching band's dance team dancing to the track. "Dreams" received a 36% surge in download sales, and the song also racked up 1.9 million on-demand streams, marking a 24% gain. "Dreams" originally reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1977. - New Musical Express, 4/4/18...... A new Jimi Hendrix brand merchandise program including fashion apparel, headwear, footwear, tops, figures, wall art, accessories, jewelry, home decor, digital products and collectibles will begin arriving at retail outlets by early summer 2018. The "Authentic Hendrix" program is a collaboration between Experience Hendrix, which oversees the legacy of Jimi Hendrix, and Epic Rights and Perryscope Productions, who represent retail branding for such artists as David Bowie, John Lennon, Pink Floyd, Genesis and Janis Joplin. - Billboard, 4/5/18...... Legendary Detroit rock combo MC5 has announced it will launch a 35-city US tour this fall in honor of the 50th anniversary of its signature 1969 album, Kick Out the Jams. MC5, led by guitarist Wayne Kramer, will kick off the tour on Sept. 5 in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and hit most major US markets, wrapping with two shows in their hometown of Detroit on Oct. 26 and 27, playing both St. Andrew's Hall and The Fillmore, respectively. - Spin.com, 4/4/18...... Country star Kenny Rogers has announced he will be canceling the remainder of his farewell 2018 performances on doctor's orders. The singer's Cherokee, N.C., show on May 26 was cancelled among other shows reportedly due to a "series of health issues." According to a release sent to the venues, the doctors expect Rogers to be okay, but they recommend he cancels the rest of his "The Gambler's Last Deal" tour to help recovery. Fans who expected to attend the concert will get a full refund of their ticket purchase. - Billboard, 4/4/18...... After hearing how Pres. Donald Trump tweeted out his "thoughts and prayers" after the recent mass shooting at YouTube headquarters in San Bruno, Calif. on Apr. 3, Bette Midler had some thoughts of her own about Pres. Trump and the series of gun violence incidents in the US. "Mr. Trump, you know in your heart that no one needs or wants your 'thoughts and prayers'... what people long for is to feel safe and secure in their schools and workplaces and houses of worship. You nearly stood up to the NRA. What changed your mind??," Midler tweeted on Apr. 3. - Billboard, 4/3/18...... Almost Famous director Cameron Crowe has announced he'll produce a new documentary on the life and music of folk-rock icon David Crosby. Crowe's Vinyl Films will produce the A.J. Eaton-directed film about the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer with BMG, which is financing and executive producing the doc. In addition to producing the documentary, Crowe has conducted multiple interviews with Crosby that will cast a new light on the artist, whose career includes stints in the Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, as well as a vibrant solo career. "David Crosby has been near the forefront of music and social change for the last four decades. Now 76, he's forging a new path by seeking out younger musicians and trying to make a mark in a world now so different from the generation he came to define in the 60's," Crowe said in a statement. Crowe, an Oscar-winning director/journalist, previously wrote and directed the musical documentaries Pearl Jam Twenty (PJ20) and The Union, a making-of featuring the collaboration between Elton John and Leon Russell. - Billboard, 4/3/18...... The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson has announced he will perform the Beach Boys' 1964 Christmas Album in its entirety this winter on a month-long holiday tour. Wilson's fellow original Beach Boy Al Jardine and longtime collaborator Blondie Chaplin will be featured on the run of dates. Wilson's decision to highlight this particular Beach Boys album is noteworthy, as the group itself had its roots when the then-teenaged family band sang Christmas carols in the Wilson family home in Hawthorne, Calif. Wilson's Christmas Album tour launches Nov. 28 in Minneapolis, Minn., and the 12-date trek will also include shows in Indiana, Ohio, New Jersey, New York, Florida and Texas before wrapping on Dec. 20 in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Wilson will also highlight tracks from his 2005 seasonal LP, What I Really Want for Christmas. - Billboard, 4/2/18...... Country duo The Bellamy Brothers will release their autobiography, Let Your Love Flow, on Apr. 17. The book, which takes its name from the brothers' biggest hit, was co-authored with veteran music journalist Michael Kosser and details the unlikely career trajectory of the Bellamy siblings from their growing up years in Florida all the way to their string of hit records and their newest endeavor -- a reality series titled Honky Tonk Ranch, which premieres on Apr. 8 on cable TV's The Cowboy Channel. - Billboard, 4/3/18...... Billboard is reporting that the Beatles will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their 1968 animated film Yellow Submarine by bringing back the beloved movie -- sporting a new 4K digital restoration and a 5.1 stereo surround sound remix -- to theaters across North America this July. A new trailer and film poster have been released for the film's return. The Beatles previously announced a similar 50th anniversary event in January for the U.K. and Ireland with the film playing on big screens there on July 8. "We're thrilled to have the privilege of bringing Yellow Submarine back to the big screen so that three generations of happy Beatles fans can enjoy the ground-breaking animation and classic tunes that have long been part of our collective cultural DNA," said Richard Abramowitz of Abramorama, who is co-producing the project with the Beatles' Apple Corps Ltd. and Universal Music Group. - Billboard, 4/3/18...... Police in Dallas, Tex., have recovered four guitars stolen from E Street Band member Nils Lofgren as he was preparing to perform a solo concert in the city. Dallas police tweeted on Apr. 2 that they also have made an arrest in the theft, but provided no further details. Lofgren tweeted his gratitude that his instruments have been recovered, saying: "Looks like my guitars are coming back to me," and thanking fellow musicians who offered to loan him their guitars. The instruments were left in a van parked outside a Holiday Inn on Mar. 29. The theft was discovered the next morning, and Lofgren used borrowed instruments when he performed solo at the Kessler Theater in Dallas on Mar. 29. - AP, 4/3/18...... Surviving cast members of TV's Dallas recently gathered with fans of the show at Southfork Ranch, where the hit series was set, to celebrate the show's 40th anniversary. Linda Gray, who portrayed Sue Ellen Ewing, said her former co-star Larry Hagman (J.R.) used to "hate it" when she told people how "wonderful he was and how lovely and generous and kind." "He would not be very happy. He'd reprimand me. He'd say, 'You're supposed to not like me. You can't tell me how nice I am,'" the actress said. "It was so funny. We never stopped laughing. And then we played these dreadful, dysfunctional people on camera," she added. The cast all agreed that Hagman, who died at 81 in 2012, was "one of the best actors ever." Added Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), "I don't miss him because I'm so full of him. He was my best friend. And I can't think of him without smiling." Dallas also broke traditional barriers by featuring a gay character in multiple episodes. "We had to use the word 'homosexual,'" Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing) said. "You couldn't even say the word 'gay.'" After 14 seasons, 357 episodes, two reunion movies and a reboot on TNT, would the cast consider taking on their characters again? "Who knows? Never say never," Gray and Duffy both said. - ABC News, 4/2/18...... Rocky star Sylvester Stallone surprised fans of his iconic 1976 boxing film on Apr. 6 when he made a surprise visit to the statue of his iconic Rocky Balboa character in Philadelphia. The 71-year-old Stallone has played the underdog boxing champ in seven Rocky films since 1976 and is currently in the City of Brotherly Love making the sequel to the 2015 hit Creed, called Creed II. Stallone took a break from shooting to join Philly Mayor Jim Kenney at the statue, next to the Philadelphia Art Museum steps he famously climbed in the first Rocky film. They rededicated a plaque that had been lost for 12 years and Kenney presented him with a personalized jersey from the Super Bowl champion Eagles. - AP, 4/6/18...... Cecil Taylor, the visionary pianist who revolutionized jazz by launching the free-jazz movement in the late '50s, died on Apr. 5 at his home in Brooklyn. He was 89. Mr. Taylor, born in New York on Mar. 25, 1929, was known as one of the pioneers of the free jazz movement, and was seen as both a grounding breaking and uncompromising artist. He released his first album, Jazz Advance, in 1956, and was also known as a poet and would recite his poems at live shows. He returned to the stage in 2016 in New York City after years away, using a cane and holding his assistant's arm. He received a standing ovation. - AP, 4/6/18.

Pre-orders are available for a new remastered Bruce Springsteen vinyl box set of the Boss' releases from 1987-1996. Bruce Springsteen: The Album Collection Vol. 2, 1987-1996 includes the studio albums Tunnel of Love (1987), Human Touch (1992), Lucky Town (1992) and The Ghost of Tom Joad (1995), plus EPs Chimes of Freedom (1988) and Blood Brothers (1996), along with live album In Concert/MTV Plugged (1993). The 10-disc set, which comes with a 60-page book featuring vintage press clippings, rare photos, and other memorabilia, will be released on May 18 through Columbia/Legacy Recordings. - Billboard, 3/29/18...... In related news, guitarist Nils Lofgren, a member of Springsteen's E Street Band, had four guitars and an electric harp stolen from a van outside a Holiday Inn Express as he was preparing to play a solo show in the Dallas suburb of West Oak Cliff, Tex., on on Mar. 29. "I am devastated by this robbery," the guitarist tweeted after the incident. "These are my first shows out after a very difficult year." Lofgren was able to perform that night thanks to a loaner guitar from one of his former bandmates, and his next headlining set is at Yoshi's Jazz Club in Oakland, Calif., on Apr. 12. - Spin.com, 3/31/18...... Patti Smith has announced a new concert documentary film titled Horses: Patti Smith and her Band which will celebrate the 40th anniversary tour of her seminal debut album Horses. Shot at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles in early 2016, the film captures the final gig of the Horses anniversary tour and will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in NYC on Apr. 23. Meanwhile, Smith is preparing to play selected dates in the UK and Ireland this summer, including the All Points East Festival and a concert in Dublin in June. - New Musical Express, 3/29/18...... Former President Jimmy Carter appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Mar. 30 as part of his promotional tour for his new book, Faith: A Journey For All, and during the lively interview the 39th president told host Stephen Colbert that he regularly prays that Pres. Donald Trump will not use nuclear weapons and that he will support human rights. "Do you think your prayers are being answered?" Colbert asked. Carter responded with an anecdote from his pastor: "When you pray, God has one of three answers: yes, no and you've got to be kidding. Not sure which one it is [with Trump] yet." When Colbert asked the 93-year-old Carter if he thinks America "wants a jerk for president," Pres. Carter deadpanned, "Apparently, from this recent election year." - The Hollywood Reporter, 3/31/18...... Ted Nugent has accused students of Florida's Parkland High School of having "no soul" and being "mushy brained children" after they led a nationwide protest for more gun restrictions in response to the recent shooting at the school. Nugent made the comments on Mar. 30 during The Joe Page Show, a nationally syndicated conservative radio program. Nugent, an board member of the National Rifle Association, said survivors of the Parkland school shooting are wrong to blame the NRA for mass shootings. "The evidence is irrefutable, they have no soul," said the 69-year-old Nugent. "The measures they support amount to spiritual suicide." A rep for Nugent did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and his comments were made the same day several TV advertisers dropped Fox News personality Laura Ingraham after she mocked a survivor of the Parkland shooting online. - AP, 3/31/18...... In a new inteview with the fashion magazine V, Elton John discussed his influence on fashion and his costumes for his upcoming "Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour" which kicks off this fall. For the farewell tour costumes, which are exclusively designed by Gucci's Alessandro Michele, the 71-year-old John happily referenced his style throughout his career. "I've kept an archive of my stage costumes from the very beginning of my career and thought it would be fun to open up my little treasure chest with Alessandro and his design team," he told V. Elton also discussed how influential the spirit of the '70s is to today's fashion: "I feel so blessed to have been a songwriter and performer in the '70s. It was a decade with an unprecedented explosion of creativity in music, fashion, and filmmaking." The Rocket Man also noted that he is "proud of the part I played in moving eyewear from function to fashion," saying that his assortment of oversized, rhinestone glasses, while expressive, were actually an attempt to hide his "extreme shyness." - Billboard, 3/29/18...... Neil Young has released a new video for his 2016 track "Peace Trails" directed by Young's girlfriend, actress Daryl Hannah. The video sees Young and his backing band Promise of the Real performing under a tent as characters from Young's new film Paradox drift in and out of frame. Young stars in Paradox along with Willie Nelson and his sons Lukas and Micah. Paradox premiered at the SXSW Music Festival on Mar. 15, and Netflix has acquired the global rights to the musical and began streaming the movie on its site on Mar. 25. - NME, 4/1/18...... Hall & Oates have teamed up with their summer tour partners Train to record an ode to their hometown and the first new Hall & Oates track in 15 years, "Philly Forget Me Not." "It will be cool to play a new song on this upcoming tour with Train," said John Oates. "These songs pretty much describe my feeling about Philly, my music home," Daryl Hall added. In addition, iHeart Radio will exclusively stream a live performance from Daryl's House, a live music venue and restaurant in Pawling NY, featuring the musicians on Apr. 3. - Billboard, 3/30/18...... On Apr. 5 Chicago will release a new career-spanning box set called VI Decades Live (This Is What We Do) featuring 4 CDs and a DVD featuring material from 1964-2014, including the original lineup's performance at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival and vintage shows from Washington D.C., Paris, Oakland and, of course, Chicago. The DVD, meanwhile, showcases a 1977 appearance on Germany's Rockpalast TV show. Chicago co-founder and keyboardist Robert Lamm says of "especially the early stuff," the band "never really thought the quality was worth pursuing or releasing, so it just sat in the vaults... But they've been dusted off and somewhat improved; Lee Loughnane is kind of our archivist and the guy who oversees the mixes, and he spent a lot of time on the box set, sitting and tweaking. In certain cases as we were going through the remixes we thought they were too good; They sounded kind of fake, so we went back to try to get the original live recording and get them in shape." Chicago, fresh off a Las Vegas residency at the Venetian, is gearing up for a summer tour with REO Speedwagon. - Billboard, 3/29/18...... A 1965 Fender Telecaster guitar played by Bob Dylan during his first "electric tour" and on his legendary LPs Blonde on Blonde and The Basement Tapes will be auctioned as part of Julien's Auctions' upcoming Music Icons sale to be held at NYC's Hard Rock Cafe and online on May 19. Also played by Dylan during several of his outings with The Band including their Rock of Ages tour, the instrument is expected to bring as much as $400,000 to $500,000. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the American Indian College Fund. Prior to the sale, Julien's is holding a free exhibition of various entertainment memorabilia at the same location May 14-18. - Billboard, 3/29/18...... Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood has revealed that he is now cancer-free after having a health scare in 2017. Then the rock icon revealed that he had prepared to "say goodbye" to his loved ones before he underwent five hours of surgery to remove cancer from one of his lungs. Now, Wood says he's been given the all clear. "I had three months of check-ups and it was all clear and they said 'go and enjoy life'.... There was none in the rest of my body so I didn't require chemo." Wood told a UK paper. Asked about what advice he'd give to anyone battling cancer, he urged them to "stay positive and stay strong." "I've had a great life and I was all ready to go," he added. "Wow! I didn't know I was going to be given the ticket to last this long. What a reprieve." Meanwhile, the Stones are preparing for a 9-date tour of the UK and Ireland set to launch on May 17 in Dublin, and Ryan Adams will headline a tribute concert for the Stones' seminal album Exile on Main St. The show, titled "Exile on Bourbon St.," will take place at New Orleans' Saenger Theatre on May 5. - New Musical Express/Spin.com, 3/29/18...... The reclusive personal life of groundbreaking pop/funk/rock fusion icon Sly Stone will be examined in a new documentary produced by Network Entertainment and filmmaker Derik Murray. While there have been previous documentaries about Stone, this marks the first film about his life that Stone has participated in, having already sat for one interview with more to potentially come. Murray says he's also working with the various rights holders of Sly & The Family Stone's masters to license them for the film. The film will trace Stone's life from child prodigy to current-day recluse through classic performances, archival footage and fresh interviews. The enigmatic Stone has seldom been seen over the past 20 years outside of Sly & The Family Stone's 1993 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction and turning up for a tribute at the 2006 Grammy Awards. Stone's longtime representative and the documentary's co-executive producer, Robert Allan, said, "Sly felt it was the right time for him to return to the spotlight and share his incredible journey with the world." Vancouver-based Network Entertainment has produced a number of acclaimed projects, including films on Martin Luther King, Jr., Johnny Cash, Muhammad Ali, Heath Ledger, Steve McQueen and more. - Billboard, 3/28/18...... Legendary TV producer and writer Steven Bochoone, who created such successful shows as L.A. Law, Hill Street Blues and NYPD Blue, died on Apr. 1 after a battle with leukemia. He was 74. Over the course of his career, Bochco won 10 Emmy Awards and a handful of Peabody Awards and Writers Guild Awards, and he also popularized the idea of a primetime TV show having a large ensemble cast and multiple ongoing story arcs. Bochco was diagnosed with leukemia several years ago, but a then-anonymous stem cell donation in 2014 did manage to prolong his life. - The Hollywood Reporter, 4/1/18.