Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on August 3rd, 2026

Patti Smith has revealed she was giddy and almost at a loss for words after being granted an audience with Pope Leo XIV on July 31. "Hi," she said softly as she sat down across from Pope Leo at his desk in the Apostolic Palace. After the meeting, Smith took to Instagram to say "This is a moment that shall forever produce a smile." Wearing a crucifix necklace and hair in her trademark braids, Smith has become an increasingly visible presence at the Vatican thanks to her friendship with the Rev. Antonio Spadaro, undersecretary in the Vatican's culture ministry. She has said that while she is not Catholic, she was drawn in particular to Leo's predecessor Pope Francis and his "gentle, open, and steadfast sense of humanity." She also had a thing for the revered Pope John Paul I: Her 1979 tune "Wave" is about a make-believe conversation with the pope who had just died after a 33-day papacy. It begins "Hi. Hi," uttered in the same breathy voice Smith used with Leo on July 31. The pope clearly was familiar with the tune. "That was marvelous," he said. - Billboard, 8/1/26...... Roger Waters has shared a "reimagined" version of Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" in hopes it will be seen as "prophetic." The new nine-minute "Comfortably Numb" version transforms the song from 1979's The Wall into a tribute to the Palestinian people, featuring new English and Arabic lyrics and a video with footage filmed in war torn Gaza. Waters, along with Palestinian singer Mona Miari, have transformed original refrain of "I have become comfortably numb" has been adapted by Waters and Miari into: "I will never become comfortably numb." A new section written by Miari, titled "Hind's Lullaby," has also been added, inspired by the story of Hind Rajab, the six-year-old Palestinian girl killed alongside members of her family in Gaza in Jan. 2024. In an interview with Wired.com, Waters said he hopes that people hearing the song would resonate a decade from now. "I hope they'll hear that it was prophetic -- there is a right and a wrong," he said. "This is not complicated, and this song is on the right side of history." Miari added: "I hope 10 years from now, whoever listens to 'Comfortably Numb Re-Imagined' could also experience a free Palestine and look back at it as a testament about the truth and what happened, and just cherish that sense of resistance and urgency for freedom." Waters also addressed the accusations of anti-Semitism that have surrounded him in recent years. "I don't have an anti-Semitic bone in my body," he said. "I never did and I never will have. I couldn't give a shit what your religion is, frankly. I'm not interested in it." Waters has repeatedly denied accusations of anti-Semitism, arguing that his criticism is directed at the Israeli government and Zionism rather than the Jewish people. In 2023, Berlin police investigated the musician after he wore a Nazi-style uniform during a concert. He said the performance was "quite clearly a statement in opposition to fascism, injustice and bigotry." That same year, the Campaign Against Antisemitism released the documentary The Dark Side Of Roger Waters, which included allegations about his past conduct. He dismissed the film as a flimsy, unapologetic piece of propaganda. "Comfortably Numb Re-Imagined" can be viewed on YouTube. - New Musical Express, 8/2/26...... Speaking on the BBC Radio 2 program Tracks of My Years, Phil Collins recalled being "blown away" by Taylor Swift before her rise to international pop superstardom. Collins to interviewer Vernon Kay that he recalled meeting Swift at a Songwriters Hall of Fame event years ago, before she reached her current level of fame, and watching her perform her song "White Horse." "This very nice lady then got up on stage with a guitar and sang 'White Horse,' and it blew me away completely," he said. "Not only was the song great, and the sentiment of the song really got me, but she sang it beautifully. And it was just so simple, you know, her on a guitar." Collins added he has "always had a soft spot" for the track since. "I'm so pleased that she's the hugest thing in the world now because she kind of feels like she deserves it," he said. "I mean it's easy to knock someone that's got so much success, but I think she really deserves it." Elsewhere in the interview, Collins revealed that his signature solo hit "In the Air Tonight" was largely improvised. "A lot of my lyrics are kind of improvised. The classic example of that would be 'In the Air Tonight,' which was pretty much 80% improvised," he said, explaining that the song's atmospheric sound came from a Prophet-5 keyboard and that he "certainly didn't labor on it." He described the result as "the scenario of luck and good fortune" rather than craft. Collins is set to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 2026 -- 16 years after entering as a member of Genesis. Across his solo career he scored seven No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 during the 1980s, including "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)," "One More Night," "Sussudio" and "Groovy Kind of Love." "In the Air Tonight," the 1981 debut solo single he referenced, reached No. 19 on the Hot 100 but became one of the most enduring recordings of his career, later finding new life through film, television and a viral 2020 reaction video. - Billboard, 8/2/26...... Rod Stewart helped raise $1.7M for Stevie Van Zandt's TeachRock Education nonprofit during a fundraiser in Southampton, N.Y., on July 30. The intimate private concert for 200 guests at the home of philanthropists Bob and Lauren Day Roberts raised $1.7 million in support of TeachRock's mission to bring arts education to classrooms across the country. According to a release, one of the highlights of the night was when E Street Band member and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Van Zandt joined Stewart on stage for performances of Sam Cooke's "Having a Party" and The Faces' "Stay With Me." "Playing alongside the legend that is Stevie Van Zandt for TeachRock -- what a night," Stewart said in a statement about the event. "Music changed my life, and TeachRock is making sure it can change theirs too." "Rod didn't just give us an unforgettable performance this evening, he gave our mission a tremendous boost," Van Zandt said later. "Every dollar raised helps us put free arts education into more classrooms, and that's something worth celebrating." TeachRock's mission includes supplying educators with free, stardards-aligned curriculum that uses the history of popular music to engage students across subjects including history, social studies, language arts and science. The organization currently reaches more than one million students nationwide. - Billboard, 7/31/26...... Elton John marked 36 years of sobriety on July 31 by raising a glass of his sparkling non-alcoholic Elton John Zero Blanc de Blancs champagne. "36 years sober today," a smiling Sir Elton, wearing a patterned shirt and oversized square-framed glasses, captioned a celebratory photo on Instagram. "Raising a 0% glass to life. Grateful for every single day." He later shared the same image via Instagram Stories with his 1983 hit single and ode to perseverance, "I'm Still Standing," playing in the background. John opened up about his struggles with addiction in his 2019 memoir, Me, detailing his dependencies on cocaine and alcohol at the height of his fame. "You block it out until the problem of the thing you're facing becomes such a monumental thing that you explode with rage, and that's the way I handled confrontation," he told NPR in an interview that October. "I hated my addiction. I hated the way I behaved. I hated how I treated people. I hated what I'd become." John and his husband, David Furnish, announced their venture into the lucrative non-alcoholic drinks market in January this year. "What drew us to this product is the fact that it's the first one of its kind and that it's made differently," Furnish shared of the cuvée at the time. "All the non-alcoholic drinks we've all tried and haven't really enjoyed very much are made with alcohol and then de-alcoholised, whereas with this product, the grapes are fermented with good cultures and that creates all of the properties of a beautiful blanc de blancs." Elton's longtime collaborator, Bernie Taupin, recently told Rolling Stone that he thinks John may release a new album in 2026, though nothing is concrete yet. "Well, he's got a record coming out, I think, at the beginning of next year that I contributed to," Taupin said. "But I literally don't know when that is. He did it with [producer]Andrew Watt again. And he wrote it in a completely different way simply because of his eyesight problem." Elton's eye issues began in the summer of 2024, when an infection left him blind in his right eye. The new record will follow his 2025 joint LP with Brandi Carlile, Who Believes in Angels?. - Music-News.com, 7/31/26...... A year after his passing, the life and crazy times of late heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne will be the subject of the new Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness haunted house at Universal Studios theme parks during this year's annual "Halloween Horror Nights" event. "Ozzy Osbourne's shocking image was as haunting as his heavy metal hits. Now you'll enter the Prince of Darkness's kingdom where music and mayhem collide -- and everything's gone off the rails," according to a press release announcing the attraction. "Veer through a decaying world ripped straight from Ozzy's lyrics in this haunted house inspired by one of rock 'n' roll's greatest legends. Let the madness begin!" The new attraction will join the raft of other haunted houses at this year's Halloween Horror Nights, including ones dedicated to other Universal produced projects including Evil Dead Burn, Hellraiser and season five of Stranger Things and Sinners. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Osbourne's widow and longtime manager, Sharon Osbourne, said the experience that's part of HHN's 35th anniversary edition will tell the rocker's story from his working class childhood in Birmingham, England to his run as the frontman of Black Sabbath. "His music throughout every room is at the heart of it all," Sharon told the outlet. "Fans will also see scenes inspired by Ozzy's journey, from his early days as a little boy growing up in Birmingham, England, riding the train to and from London, to the iconic imagery and characters from across his career." The promo preview video for Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness haunted house can be viewed on YouTube. - Billboard, 7/29/26...... In other Black Sabbath-related news, guitarist Tony Iommi has announced his first solo album in over two decades, From the Dark. Set to arrive on Oct. 23 via BMG, the new album marks the first solo release from Iommi since he released his third solo project Fused back in 2001 alongside vocalist Glenn Hughes. It also marks his first new music since the death of his late Black Sabbath bandmate Ozzy Osbourne in July 2025. The first preview of the album is out now in the form of blistering lead single "World Alone" -- which received its premiere on July 30 at a special global streaming event in Iommi's hometown of Birmingham. The preview took place close to where the famous Black Sabbath Bridge is located, which was opened as a civic tribute to the iconic band in 2019. From The Dark will be available in several deluxe vinyl and CD formats, and the deluxe CD version will contain two bonus tracks called "Scent Of Dark" and "Defied." A limited edition 7" single of "World Alone," backed exclusively with an instrumental version, will be out on Sept. 4. - NME, 7/30/26...... The Beatles' official website announced on July 29 that a Super Deluxe edition of the band's seminal 1965 album Rubber Soul will be released by UMG and Apple Corps Ltd later in 2026 with a bevy of new mixes, never-before-heard home demos and an 88-page book with an introduction by Paul McCartney. Newly mixed by producer Giles Martin and engineer Sam Okell, the definitive version of the album will be released on Oct. 2 via Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe and be packaged in a 4CD/5LP edition featuring new stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes alongside the original mono mix and the original Capitol U.S. album version. The new stereo mix was sourced directly from the original four-track master tapes and the audio enhanced with the help of cutting-edge "de-mixing" technology developed by the team at director Peter Jackson's WingNut Films Productions Ltd. for Jackson's Get Back documentary. The Super Deluxe editions will feature 24 early session recordings, including 20 previously unreleased takes and three previously unheard John Lennon demos, including early versions of "Day Tripper," "We Can Work It Out" and "Little Girl," a previously unheard John Lennon song outline that has never been released before. There will also be 2CD and 2LP versions with a curated selection of session highlights, demos and the album version of the double A-side lead single, "We Can Work It Out"/"Day Tripper." Originally released on Dec. 3, 1965, the Fab Four's sixth studio album was fronted by the double A-side single and was recorded over four weeks beginning in October of that year. The LP expanded the group's pop sound with the addition of the sitar and harmonium, helping to pave the way for the psychedelic rock revolution of the late 1960s, while expanding the parameters of what was possible on a cohesive pop album. It contains such classics as the frenetic "Drive My Car," the meditative "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)," as well as "Nowhere Man," "Michelle," "Girl" and the introspective "In My Life." The long-awaited Rubber Soul revamp comes after similar treatments for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (2017), The Beatles (White Album) (2018), Abbey Road (2019), Let It Be (2021), Revolver (2022) and Anthology (2025). A taste of the new release, "Michelle (Take 1)," has been shared on YouTube. - Billboard, 7/29/26...... In other Beatles news, Paul McCartney is among a dozen artists nominated for a prestigious 2026 Mercury Prize, which is awarded annually and recognizes artistic achievement in albums across a range of genres. Sir Paul is nominated for his 20th solo studio album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, the first time McCartney has been nominated for the prize in his storied career. Albums released between Aug. 30 2025 and July 17, 2026 were eligible for consideration this year. The 12 shortlisted albums were chosen by an independent judging panel chaired by Jeff Smith, head of music, BBC 6 Music & Radio 2. The prize will be awarded at a ceremony at Newcastle's Utilita Arena on Oct. 22. Fans can purchase tickets for the ceremony, which will include a number of performances by the nominated artists, at the Mercury Prize awards' official website. - Billboard, 7/30/26...... Elsewhere on the Fab Four front, The Kinks' Dave Davies has revisited the band's old rivalry with The Fab Four, saying George Harrison was the only member he "really liked." Davies made the comments at the launch of the band's new art exhibition, "The Kinks: Brothers," at Gibson Garage London. "John Lennon didn't like The Kinks, he really didn't," Davies said, via The Mirror. Laughing, he continued: "In fact, John Lennon didn't really like anybody! George Harrison was the only one I really liked. He was the nicest guy. Paul McCartney wrote a few decent songs, yeah." Davies has previously recalled Lennon being fiercely protective of The Beatles' equipment when the two groups played together. "He wouldn't let us touch anything," he said. "'Don't you dare touch those!' He was a paranoid guy, but funny." After reports of his latest comments were published, however, Davies clarified that he remained a fan of the Liverpool band on X/Twitter. "I like the Beatles and I do appreciate all the kind words Paul McCartney has said about the Kinks," he wrote. The rivalry between the groups dates back to the early stages of The Kinks' career, when they appeared below The Beatles at Bournemouth's Gaumont Cinema on Aug. 2, 1964. The show came two days before the release of The Kinks' breakthrough single "You Really Got Me," which went on to give them their first UK Number One. Kinks frontman Ray Davies later recalled Lennon making a dismissive remark about The Kinks being there solely to warm up the audience, only for their performance of "You Really Got Me" to receive an ecstatic response. "The Kinks: Brothers" exhibition reimagines a 1968 passport photobooth picture of the siblings taken in East Finchley, North London, through a series of mixed-media works on paper and canvas. The exhibition will run at Gibson Garage London until Sept. 6. - NME, 7/27/26...... Willie Nelson has weighed in on the current controversy of the profusion of AI data centers being proposed across America. Posting an open letter on X/Twitter on July 28, the country icon addressed his post to "whom it may concern and to everyone else as well," in which he lamented that potential plans to build one of the energy- and water-hogging plants could change the nature of Abbott, Tex., where he owns a home and farm. "I grew up in Abbott, and I still have a home there with farmed land where I can still see stars at night," Nelson, 93, wrote. "And now our community, like many others, needs to fight against data centers invading our land. The last thing we need is a loud, water thieving, light polluting, data center anywhere near our town (or any others for that matter)." Nelson -- who has spent more than four decades raising money and awareness about the plight of small American farms via his co-founded annual concert Farm Aid -- wrote that the strength of rural America has never come from "big industrial footprints," but rather from "generations of people, open spaces, local businesses, and a connection to the land. All of America deserves thoughtful stewardship that doesn't steal farmland (where our essential shared-food is grown) and small family farmers' livelihoods, and not data centers that only destroy the environment around them." Like many local, state and federal authorities, Texas politicians are in a heated battle about the building of massive data centers to support the AI boom. After previously calling the Lone Star State the global "epicenter of AI development," Republican Gov. Greg Abbott recently pushed for a ban on AI centers in rural neighborhoods and stricter regulations on utility and water usage to protect the state's power grid and save his constituents from rapidly rising electricity rates. It is not clear if Nelson's letter was targeting a specific data center near Abbott, which is about an hour south of Dallas. But a May Gallup Poll reported that seven in 10 Americans oppose local construction of AI data centers, with 48 percent strongly opposed and just seven percent strongly in favor. Nelson ended his letter with a stark warning: ""Whoever controls food and water, controls the masses. Let's not allow our own demise or give up control over necessary resources in the U.S. and especially in Abbott." - Billboard, 7/29/26...... Tom Waits has released the full version of his sardonic spoken-word track "The Fly." The track serves as the B-side to "Boots On The Ground," Waits' politically charged collaboration with Massive Attack, which was released online in April and marked the singer-songwriter's first new original music since his 2011 album Bad As Me. A tease of "The Fly" was released several months ago, but now the entire track has been shared, and it sees Waits offer a begrudging tribute to the brief and unloved life of the common housefly. "You have no house, well you have mine / You have no real friends, stay away from the wine. House fly go to sleep, say goodbye / No one will weep when you die," he recites. The lyric video, illustrated by the artist's son Casey Waits, can be viewed on Instagram. - NME, 8/1/26...... Arlene Smith, one of the co-founders and lead vocalists of the pioneering 1950s girl group The Chantels, died of a heart attack at a New York City hospital on July 29. She was 84. The Chantels were formed in early 1950s by a group of school friends from St. Anthony of Padua in the Bronx and were one of the first Black girl groups to score national chart success. With a combination of flawless harmonies and emotion-packed lovesick ballads such as "The Plea" and "He's Gone," the group's mix of doo wop, soul and R&B swing helped distinguish them at a time when Black female pop acts were a rarity on the charts. Born on Oct. 5, 1941, Ms. Smith was a classically trained vocalist who got her break when as a 12-year-old she scored an audition alongside her childhood friends and future bandmates Sonia Gorin, Lois Harris, Jackie Landry and Rene Minus for record producer Richard Barrett (of the doo-wop group The Valentines) when the group's members were all in their teens, ranging from 14 to 17. They landed a recording contract in 1957 with End Records, future home to such groups as Little Anthony and the Imperials and The Miracles, and their debut single, the barbershop quartet-meets-soul lament "He's Gone" -- co-written by Smith and Barrett -- landed at No. 71 on the Billboard Top 100, the predecessor to the Hot 100 singles chart. That set the table for their breakthrough with the Barrett-penned "Maybe," the aforementioned boyfriend heartbreak ballad about trying to win back a lover who is "gone, gone, gone" that ran all the way up to No. 2 on the Most Played R&B by Jockeys chart and is considered one of the greatest girl group songs of all time. After receding from music in the 1970s, Ms. Smith got her master's degree in education and taught music at a Bronx elementary school until her retirement in the 2000s. The Chantels were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002 and made the final ballot for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 and 2009, but have so far not made the final cut. - Billboard, 7/31/26...... Original Foreigner vocalist Lou Gramm joined his old band for a song during a co-headlining concert by Foreigner and Lynyrd Skynyrd at Toronto's RBC Amphitheatre on July 30. Gramm, now 76 years old with his performing retirement coming this year, showed up to introduce the group, plug his first solo album in 17 years, Released, and later sang lead vocals on the last song of Foreigner's 90-minute set, "Hot Blooded." Even though all the original members of Foreigner are no longer on the road, the industry itself still accepts them as a group and certainly the thousands of fans who packed the amphitheatre from the seats right up to the lawns seemingly had no problems watching them, purists aside. The diminutive but powerful Mexican-born Luis Maldonado, who's performed with Foreigner since 2021 but moved to frontman at the end of 2025 when Kelly Hansen retired, otherwise sang lead vocals during the group's hits-heavy performance with such standouts as "Double Vision," "Cold as Ice," "Waiting For a Girl Like You," "Jukebox Hero," and "I Want To Know What Love Is," the latter accompanied by a youth choir from Guelph. Guitarist Mick Jones still serves as the official group leader for Foreigner even though he gave up touring in 2022 due to Parkinson's disease and is currently dealing with Alzheimer's. As for Lynyrd Skynyrd, who lost three band members in a 1977 plane crash, including lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, their southern rock went down smoother in some places than it did others. Led by Ronnie's brother, Johnny Van Zant -- who's been lead vocalist since the group reformed in 1987 -- the nine-member ensemble kicked their hour-and-40-minute set off strong with "Working For MCA," "What's Your Name," "That Smell," and "Saturday Night Special." "Canada! Skynyrd's in the house!" yelled Van Zant, with an American flag wrapped around his mic stand, to huge cheers. They wrapped their set with a one-two punch of "Sweet Home Alabama" (and its Neil Young-bashing verse) and encore signature song "Free Bird." - Canoe.com, 7/31/26...... Actor Vincent Pastore, who was best known for playing Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on HBO's The Sopranos, died of natural causes at his home on City Island in the Bronx on Aug. 1. He was 80. Mr. Pastore played a pivotal role during the first two seasons of The Sopranos as a close confidante of Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini). Once Tony learned that the FBI had managed to flip Salvatore and turn him into an informant, he was killed in the Season 2 finale. Salvatore continued to appear in later episodes either through flashbacks and archival footage. In addition to acting in films like Mickey Blue Eyes, Revolver and Shark Tale, Mr. Pastore also appeared in 1990's Goodfellas, 1993's Carlito's Way and A Bronx Tale. Elsewhere on TV, Mr. Pastore had roles in Law & Order, Blue Bloods, Bull, Hawaii Five-0 and also competed on seasons of Celebrity Apprentice and Dancing With the Stars. "He loved being an actor," his manager Robert Attermann told Fox News. "He was passionate about his craft and was always encouraging, respectful, and generous with young actors, taking the time to offer guidance and support whenever he could." He is survived by his daughter Renee. - Canoe.com, 8/2/26.

Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on July 30, 2026

Robert Plant is set to be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award during the 25th Annual Americana Honors & Awards on Sept. 16, at Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium. The Americana Music Association is recognizing Plant for a lifetime of extraordinary contributions to Americana and American roots music. Throughout his celebrated career, the former Led Zeppelin frontman has maintained an abiding love for vintage and modern roots music, consistently exploring and advocating for the blues, folk, gospel, and country genres. Plant's groundbreaking collaborations with Alison Krauss and producer T Bone Burnett on the Grammy Award-winning album Raising Sand introduced millions of listeners to the depth of the genre, effectively prompting the Recording Academy to establish a dedicated Best Americana Album category. The artist continued this deep exploration alongside collaborators Patty Griffin and Buddy Miller for Band of Joy, and again on a second acclaimed duet album with Krauss in 2022, Raise the Roof. The Americana Awards are the highlight of Americanafest week, which celebrates groundbreaking artists and industry leaders who expand the roots music community. - Music-News.com, 7/20/26...... On July 27 Carly Simon revealed that she's been battling a pair of heath issues lately -- Parkinson's disease and a type of skin cancer. However Simon, 81, is vowing in a written statement to Billboard that she is "still very much here" despite her recent diagnoses. The "You're So Vain" singer cknowledged that she's gotten a number of letters lately asking about her "relative silence" and what she's been up to. "The truth is, I've been learning how to live with Parkinson's disease," she wrote. "It has taken me some time to understand the diagnosis, to adjust to it, and to decide how much I wanted to say about it publicly. Parkinson's is different for everyone, and it can be unpredictable. Some days I'm so tired I can't get the day moving at all. On others, it gives me a little more room to move, think, work, and feel like myself." Simon said her issues began with arthritis in both knees and one hip, but after getting all three joints replaced, she figured her continued difficulty walking was part of the recovery process. As her mobility continued to deteriorate and she had trouble standing up from chairs and walking without assistance, she was diagnosed with Parkinson's at the Mayo Clinic. Parkinson's, a progressive brain disorder with symptoms including tremors, slowness in movement, limb stiffness and balance issues, affects an estimated 1.1 million people in the U.S. with nearly 90,000 people diagnosed with the disorder every year. Simon said she began treatment, including taking medication, to help with joint stiffness and other unspecified symptoms. "There is no tidy or predictable schedule to the illness. It does not consult my calendar before deciding what kind of day I am going to have," Simon wrote. She added that during the same unspecified period in which she was diagnosed with Parkinson's, which has no cure, she was also treated for basal cell carcinoma on her face. According to Mayo Clinic, the condition is a type of skin cancer that originates in the basal cells and most often occurs on areas of the body that have had a lot of sun exposure. And though the cancer was removed, the surgery affected Simon's appearance and made her more self-conscious about being seen in public. "I have always been more critical of my appearance than anyone else could possibly imagine (check out the irony of having written 'You're So Vain.')," she wrote. " And this gave my inner critic quite a lot of new material." Simon also revealed some good news for her fans -- she's begun recording a new album titled Comes in Waves. The 12-track album, which was primarily written and recorded at the singer's Martha's Vineyard home, is due out on Aug. 14. In addition to late rapper and friend John Fort, the album features appearances from the singer's son, Ben Taylor, and daughter, Sally Taylor, who painted the album's cover and contributed vocals to the project. A second single from the LP, "Peaches," is due out on July 31. Her most recent album of all-new material was 2008's This Kind of Love. - Billboard, 7/27/26...... The Beach Boys have rescheduled the remaining dates on their 2026 North American tour to allow singer Mike Love, who is the last remaining classic-era member of the iconic American band, to "recharge." The announcement came in a post on Love's Instagram page, in which the 85-year-old vocalist wrote that the break was intended to allow the veteran "Good Vibrations" group to catch their breath before they go back out on the road in the fall. "Playing for you is the highlight of our summer every year -- especially as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States while saluting the 60th Anniversary of Pet Sounds," Love wrote. "We've been having a blast out there, and to keep the good vibrations going strong, we'll be taking a short break to recharge before getting back on the road in September. Thanks for your love -- we can't wait to see you back out there for a September to Remember," he added. The announcement of the time-out on six weeks of shows, representing nearly 30 gigs, came just as the group was slated to perform at Virginia's legendary Wolf Trap on July 23. Love noted that all tickets for the postponed performances -- from July 23 through a planned Sept. 3 show in Pueblo, Colo. -- will be honored following the band's return to the road in September; fans are encouraged to contact their local box office for more information. The 11 rescheduled dates stretch from a Sept. 24 show in West Springfield, Mass. to a May 8, 2027, concert in Enoch, Ala. - Billboard, 7/24/26...... Former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar has extended an unexpected invitation to his fellow former VH singer -- David Lee Roth -- following the recent cancellation of many of Roth's upcoming tour dates. On July 23, it was revealed original VH vocalist Roth had canceled the majority of his scheduled live appearances, with the exception of a performance at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota on Aug. 7. Roth, who announced the tour in January, had been slated to perform a series of amphitheater and theater dates across the United States. Shows in Colorado, Iowa, Kentucky and Illinois were removed from his official website davidleeroth.com, while four August and September performances remained available for purchase through Ticketmaster. He has yet to publicly comment on the cancellations. After learning of the canceled dates, Hagar -- VH's other longtime frontman and Roth's sometimes rival -- posted a heartfelt video on social media expressing his support. "Hey, Dave. Sammy here. I just got a call from Michael Anthony about your tour getting canceled. And I wanna say from the bottom of my heart, I'm sorry. I hope you're well. I hope there's not a physical problem," he posted on X/Twitter. He continued, "Honestly, Mike [Anthony] and I love the fact that you've been out there doing it, supporting the greatest band in the world that we were both part of. And, yeah, I'm really sorry. That's f---ed up. Supporting what we did in this band to keep this music alive. You and I, Mikey, Al, Ed cannot be replaced. So, when you're ready to carry on, you go, brother. Mike and I support you." Hagar then extended a surprise olive branch, inviting Roth to make a guest appearance during his upcoming Las Vegas residency. "Come to Vegas for the residency in September," the Red Rocker said. "Come on, join us. Sing a couple songs, MC the damn show. Come out and just do what the f-- you do, which is pretty damn entertaining! Anyway, hope you're well. I really do. God bless, brother." Hagar's "Best of All Worlds Tour" Residency launches Sept. 18 at Dolby Live at Park MGM in Las Vegas and runs through Sept. 26. Hagar replaced Roth as Van Halen's lead singer following Roth's 1985 departure, guiding the band through a multi-platinum run. He served as the group's vocalist from 1985 to 1996 and returned for a second stint from 2003 to 2005. Roth first rose to fame as VH's original frontman, leading the band from 1974 to 1985 and appearing on its first six studio albums before launching a successful solo career. He returned to VH in 2007 and remained with the band until its final years before Eddie Van Halen's death in 2020. - Billboard, 7/26/26...... Bruce Springsteen and former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick were honored with a new ACLU award, the Ralph Ellison Award for Defenders of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in the Arts, Business, Science and Sports, on July 24. Springsteen -- who closed the event with a solo rendition of "Streets of Minneapolis" -- and Kaepernick were honored as part of an awards ceremony hosted by actress Laverne Cox. "It's important for us to recognize all of the people who are contributing to the fight to protect civil rights and civil liberties," ACLU president Deborah Archer said. "Those folks -- actors, athletes -- these folks have all shown up in incredibly powerful ways." Kaepernick's honor comes a decade after he knelt during the national anthem in protest against police violence and racial inequality. Springsteen's ACLU awards performance of "Streets of Minneapolis" can be viewed on his official YouTube channel. - Billboard, 7/25/26...... R&B legends Smokey Robinson and Gladys Knight performed a co-headlining show at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on July 24. Now 86, Robinson hasn't lost a step, singing and moving well and still a master showman. He was also personable, speaking warmly about Gladys Knight, who he said he's known since they were teenagers ("one of the greatest voices of our time") and doing a spot-on and very funny impression of Stevie Wonder's head-turning mannerisms (by way of introducing "The Tears of a Clown," which the two music legends cowrote with Henry Cosby). Although Knight still has moments where she can summon the fire and passion that have made her such a beloved singer for so many years, many of her songs were truncated and re-arranged to better suit her current capabilities. She relied heavily on her three back-up singers, who even took lead parts on occasion. Her 18-song setlist was capped off with her 1973 No. 1 hit, "Midnight Train to Georgia." Robinson closed his show with a cover of William DeVaughn's 1974 hit "Be Thankful for What You Got" (which DeVaughn wrote). - Billboard, 7/25/26...... Bernie Taupin has announced the release of his first solo album in almost 40 years, The Sea Has No Mercy. The longtime Elton John songwriting partner will release the followup to his three previous solo efforts -- 1971's Taupin, 1980's He Who Rides the Tiger and his most recent solo effort, 1987's Tribe. "With age comes wisdom, which is a natural progression," Taupin told Rolling Stone while announcing the album on July 28. "I don't regret any of the records I've made in the past. They all had a point at the time they were made. But this is the most satisfying record I've ever made." Taupin continued: "I'm talking about in my own canon, not with the Elton thing, because that's a completely different ballpark... I wanted to be able to express my own feelings on my own level in my own writing. That's what makes it more important than anything else I've ever done." Taupin, 76, explained that he thought he was done making his own music for many years, but working on his 2023 memoir, Scattershot: Life, Music, Elton, and Me, and a new track for his upcoming documentary film made him realize he "had all of these songs in my head". "I found myself just coming up with all of these ideas," he noted. "In the long run, the album became a manifesto of somebody who's 76 years old looking back, reflecting, and just a little bit pissed off at the world." Taupin also indicated that he's already "written five or six songs that I've been playing around with and going back and forth with" for the follow-up to The Sea Has No Mercy. - Music-News.com, 7/28/26...... Mirroring their success on the U.K.'s Official Albums Chart, The Rolling Stones have debuted at No. 1 on Billboard Top Album Sales chart dated July 25 with their latest studio LP Foreign Tongues. On the Billboard Hot 200 album chart, Foreign Tongues debuts at No. 7, extending the Stones' own record for the most top 10s (with 39) since the chart began publishing on a regular, weekly basis in March of 1956. Foreign Tongues takes a bow in the top 10 on six total U.S. Billboard album charts: Top Album Sales (No. 1), Billboard 200 (No. 7), Top Rock Albums (No. 2), Top Rock & Alternative Albums (No. 3), Vinyl Albums (No. 3) and Indie Store Album Sales (No. 3). Billboard's Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on pure album sales (physical and digital download purchases combined). The chart's history dates to May 25, 1991, the first week the magazine began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. - Billboard, 7/24/26...... The Beatles' achievement of scoring the U.K.'s bestselling album of all time with their 1967 opus Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band has been broken by British alternative faves Oasis and their 1995 album (What's the Story) Morning Glory?. Oasis' sophomore album appears at No. 3, making it the highest-ranking studio album on the list, with two compilations albums -- Queen's Greatest Hits and ABBA's Gold -- topping the overall list. The OCC reports that Morning Glory has sold 6.2 million chart units since its release, boosted by last summer's "Live 25" reunion tour. At the time of its release, it was the second-fastest selling album of all time behind Michael Jackson's Bad. Classic albums from Fleetwood Mac (Rumours, No. 6), Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Moon, No. 7), Michael Jackson (Thriller, No. 8), Bob Marley & The Wailers (Legend, No. 9) and Dire Straits (Brothers in Arms, No. 10) round out the top 10. The Official Charts Company updated the UK's bestselling albums of all time as part of its 70th anniversary celebrations; it was last updated in 2016. - Billboard, 7/22/26...... In other Beatles-related news, George Harrison's son Dhani Harrison and longtime Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich have formed the new band called Dragonflies and shared their debut single. "Slower," which also serves as the record's opening track and combines tape loops, layered percussion and Harrison's vocals with a hazy, trip-hop-influenced sound. It arrives alongside a hand-drawn, psychedelic video directed by UK animator Ruffmercy, whose previous credits include work with Nirvana, The Chemical Brothers and Nas. After inviting Harrison to his studio in Brixton, Godrich and Dhani began constructing new songs from tape loops and working quickly without a fixed plan. "It's like one person throwing something in the air and the other person catching it," Godrich said of their creative process. Harrison added: "He's a machine. He has strong opinions about what he wants to hear, and for me it's very humbling. That's why it's such a new experience." Harrison, the only child of George and Olivia Harrison, first emerged as a member of the alternative rock band thenewno2, before forming the supergroup Fistful Of Mercy with Ben Harper and Joseph Arthur. He released his first solo album, 'In///Parallel', in 2017, followed by 'Innerstanding' six years later, and has also composed music for film and television projects including Beautiful Creatures, Good Girls Revolt and Dogs. In 2025, he executive-produced the first official music video for his father's "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)." Harrison and Godrich's eponymus debut Dragonflies will drop on Sept. 18 via Dark Horse Records/BMG, the label originally founded by George Harrison. - New Musical Express, 7/26/26...... Lucasfilm Studios has announced the rerelease of the original 1977 Star Wars movie to celebrate the franchise's 50th anniversary. A newly restored version of the film will play in theaters from February 19, 2027, for a limited time. The company did not reveal what improvements have been made to the restored version. The film's original release did not have the subtitle "A New Hope," which was added later by director George Lucas. Since its release, the original theatrical version has been screened very rarely. In the years after it came out, Lucas famously made alterations to the film, with the updated version being the one most fans are familiar with. The 2027 rerelease will give fans a restored version of the film in theaters. - ComingSoon.Net, 7/24/26...... Tony Thorpe, the guitarist and vocalist who assisted in the propulsion of the English glam-rock group The Rubettes to international success in the 1970s, has died at the age of 80. Mr. Thorpe's death was announced in a statement shared to his official Facebook page, which remembered him as "a father to Clay, a husband to Shirle, a friend to many, and a mentor to countless musicians young and old." The message added that despite Mr. Thorpe's declining health in recent months, "his fierce intellect and sharp sense of humour" never faltered, and said he would leave "an unfillable hole in the lives of all who knew him, or his music." Formed in 1973, The Rubettes emerged near the end of the glam-rock era with a distinctive blend of 1950s-inspired doo-wop harmonies and pop-rock. Dressed in their trademark white suits and cloth caps, the group broke through with "Sugar Baby Love," which topped the U.K. singles chart for four weeks in 1974 and reached No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100, introducing the band to American audiences. The Rubettes would go on to score additional international hits with songs including "Tonight," "Juke Box Jive" and "I Can Do It." Mr. Thorpe joined the band's classic lineup in 1974 alongside Alan Williams, John Richardson, Mick Clarke, Bill Hurd and Pete Arnesen, serving as both lead guitarist and a songwriter. He also stepped in as a vocalist, singing lead on the band's single, "Baby I Know." Mr. Thorpe exited The Rubettes in 1979, though he remained active across multiple musical projects. Before and after his time with the group, he worked with artists like Cilla Black and Tommy Steele, and even taught music at Blackburn College. He published his own memoir, A Bride's Nightie, back in 2014. - Billboard, 7/22/26.

As their new joint exhibition "The Kinks: Brothers" opens in London on July 24, co-founding The Kinks members Ray and Dave Davies say they are "getting on great" and wouldn't rule out a future reunion. The exhibition, on display at the Gibson Garage, sees the brothers collaborate with British portrait painter Christian Furr, who has reimagined a 1968 passport photobooth picture of the brothers taken in East Finchley, North London, in a series of mixed-media works on paper and canvas. Dave, who has had a sometimes contentious relationship with Ray, reportedly cried when he first saw Furr's paintings, with the images prompting him to consider his fractured relationship with his brother. "It made me think, 'What the hell are we doing?' There were times where I couldn't stand him. I was storming out of the studio." Dave added that their relationship had always been "built on trust, although we hated each other." However Daves says the animosity has now subsided. "It's miraculous, really, how we've become so bonded. We enjoy each other's company. We were getting on great. We have fluctuated between getting on really well and not getting on at all over the years but there's always been telepathy, since childhood," he said. Asked whether they could perform together again, Dave replied: "I don't know, but never say never." Ray and Dave last shared a stage in 2015, when Ray joined his brother in London for a performance of "You Really Got Me," and they later worked together on new Kinks material in 2019. More recently, the brothers presented a united front in March when electronic singer/musician Moby described the lyrics to The Kinks' 1970 single "Lola" as "gross and transphobic." Dave responded that he was "highly insulted" by Moby's description of his brother's lyrics, adding: "Why is Moby being so rude about this simple song? We're not transphobic. Why does he have to have a go at us?" Dave later revealed that Ray had responded by asking: "Who the f--- is Moby?". "The Kinks: Brothers" is set to run until Sept. 6, and the official exhibition announcement can be viewed on Instagram. - New Musical Express, 7/23/26...... A federal judge has refused Cher's request that Sonny Bono's widow Mary Bono repay more than $1 million in legal bills the music legend racked up during their court battle over royalties to "I Got You Babe" and other Sonny & Cher hits. Cher wanted to be reimbursed for the legal fees she spent defeating Mary Bono's effort to stop paying royalties under Cher's divorce settlement with Sonny -- an argument rejected by a judge in 2024. Cher claimed Mary had "dragged" the case out for years by taking "unreasonable positions." On July 20, Judge John A. Kronstadt said the rules that would have allowed such forced repayment didn't apply to Cher and Mary's specific dispute, since it centered more on contracts than federal copyright law: "The motion is denied," he wrote. The ruling leaves Cher the winner of the overall case, but stuck paying an eye-watering legal tab she says ended up at $1,023,605 -- a bill that's not atypical for top-flight law firms handling years of complex litigation. Mary is currently challenging Cher's earlier victory in the case at a federal appeals court, which has yet to rule on it. Sonny and Cher's 1978 divorce settlement gave her a permanent 50% cut of the publishing revenue from songs written before they split up, including "The Beat Goes On" and "Baby Don't Go." Bono later married Mary, then passed away suddenly in a 1998 skiing accident. Sonny's music publishing grants became eligible for termination beginning in 2018, prompting Mary to notify publishers of her intent to reclaim certain interests. Cher, 79, rose to fame alongside Sonny in the 1960s before establishing a decades-long solo career that brought her Grammy, Oscar, and Emmy wins. In February, the music legend made a special appearance at the 2026 Grammy Awards to accept the Lifetime Achievement Award. - Billboard, 7/21/26...... Deceased '80s pop sensation George Michael's former manager Andros Georgiou has says he hopes that a previously-unfinished duet between Michael and his good friend Elton John can be released, over three decades after it was recorded. Michael worked with Sir Elton on a chart-topping remake of John's 1975 hit "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" in the 1990s, following them singing it together at Live Aid in 1985. He died on Christmas Day in 2016 due to issues related to heart and liver disease. Now, his former manager Andros Georgiou has revealed that the former WHAM! singer once started work on a duet with Sir Elton -- providing vocals for a song called "This Kind Of Love." The track has remained unfinished and unreleased for over three decades now, however Georgiou has expressed hopes to add the final touches and release it posthumously. Georgiou discussed "This Kind Of Love" with the UK tabloid The Sun as he is promoting his new film Trojan Souls, which centers on Michael's unreleased 1993 album of the same name and was set to see him collaborate with big names including Stevie Wonder, Sade, Seal and Aretha Franklin. It ultimately got shelved due to disputes with the label. "Elton came in to do a song called 'This Kind Of Love'," Georgiou told the paper, adding that he has also got an "incredible interview with Elton that no one has seen" yet, which he is "saving for when the film gets snapped up by a streamer like Apple." In that interview, the manager said, John shares his admiration for the "Careless Whisper" singer and adds that he would "literally do anything for George." - NME, 7/22/26...... Instagram. - New Musical Express, 7/23/26...... Pres. Donald Trump's longtime critic Bruce Springsteen has been attacked by a fellow musician -- Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain -- for making his opposition to the president a fixture of his shows. Cain, 76, took aim at Springsteen, also 76, during an appearance on the podcast The Complete Disaster Network (available on YouTube), where he said he "used to like" him and was once a Democrat himself before changing party allegiances. "I used to be a Democrat back in the old days," said Cain, who also happens to be the husband of Trump administration adviser Paula White-Cain. "But I couldn't go there anymore, you know? I'm a diehard conservative." Cain continued: "And guys like Bruce Springsteen should shut up. You know, really, honestly, shut up, Bruce, you know? Him and who's the other one? [Actor] Robert DeNiro. I mean, who cares, guys? Do your art. I try to keep politics out of my music." After adding that he doesn't "spend 10 minutes talking about his Christian/conservative background on stage," Cain attacked Springsteen over his iconic tune "Born in the USA." "You were born in the USA, weren't you, dude? So act like it. But even that song, if you look at the lyrics, I mean, it's a kind of a diss toward our country," Cain said. During the show, Cain also mentioned his new patriotic song "Winds of Freedom," which is said to be inspired by Eric Metaxas, an evangelical author and personality. Cain says he integrates his political views in the song, adding that other artists like Ted Nugent and Kid Rock had also done so. "We love our flag, and we love our nation, and we grew up that way," Cain said. - TheDailyBeast.com, 7/21/26...... On July 20 Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr surprised Beatles fans who were on the "Magical Mystery Tour" bus tour in Liverpool. Fans on the tour that day were left amazed when a car pulled up at a red traffic light beside them, and none other than Sir Paul himself leaned out the window to greet them. As if the chances of bumping into a member of The Beatles on the sightseeing tour were not slim enough, the guests were also greeted by Ringo Starr, who was on a FaceTime call with McCartney at the time. "It was surreal," said tour guide Neil Morton to the BBC. "I had pulled up at the traffic lights on Hope Street when who should I see - Sir Paul with Ringo on FaceTime!" "He waved to us and everybody took photos. The passengers could not believe it," Morton continued, also adding that while McCartney took time to wave to the fans, however "nobody really got a chance to speak with him." Macca was back in his hometown of Liverpool to present Adolescence actor Stephen Graham with an award from his performing arts school. McCartney is a co-founder of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA), and was enlisted to present a companionship honor to Graham -- who grew up in the Merseyside town of Kirkby. As highlighted by BBC News, the institute has other connections to The Beatles, as it is based at the former Liverpool Institute school attended by McCartney and George Harrison, and is also a neighbor to the Liverpool Art College where John Lennon previously studied. Footage of McCartney waving to fans on the bus tour can be viewed on X/Twitter. - NME, 7/21/26...... Ozzy Osbourne's widow Sharon Osbourne and the couple's children Jack and Kelly Osbourne participated in the first ever "Ozzy Day" held in Ozzy's hometown of Birmingham, UK, on July 22. Fans showed up to pay their respects the the Prince of Darkness, and a brass band performed Black Sabbath classics. The mechanical "Ozzy The Bull" statue in New Street station was decorated with the singer's iconic glasses and more. Ahead of the inaugural event, his son Jack urged fans to share stories about Ozzy on the first anniversary of his death, saying that he wanted to "fill the entire day of July 22 with just awesome Ozzy stories." His daughter Kelly also spoke about how she was coping one year on, saying that she doesn't "just mourn the father I lost. I mourn the soul I was before [his] death." "As Ozzy would say, 'When you want to remember me, just yank up the music really loud, as loud as you can get it, and just head bang,'" Sharon said in an interview with the BBC. She also said that she remembers him most for being "authentic," "so genuine" and "funny." "I mean we could have the worst arguments in the world but we would end up laughing because he would say something so ridiculous that we would just crack up," she shared, adding that it was fitting that Ozzy Day is held in his hometown because it is "the home of metal" and "wouldn't work anywhere else." Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi also shared a touching message on Instagram, saying that he "still can't believe that he's not with us." "We always stayed in touch, almost every week or so and we'd usually talk about our ailments and then about what we'd been doing that particular week," Iommi wrote. "I still can't believe that he's not with us." - NME, 7/23/26...... The classic 1971 children's musical fantasy film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is getting a cinema re-release for its 55th anniversary in August. Wonka is set for a rerelease in two special anniversary screenings on Aug. 2 and Aug. 5, 2026, marking the film's 55th anniversary. The rerelease also features a special introduction by renowned film critic and historian Leonard Maltin. Directed by Mel Stuart, the film follows Charlie Bucket [Peter Ostrum], a poor young boy from a struggling family. He finds one of five coveted golden tickets in a Wonka chocolate bar, granting him a chance to tour the eccentric candy maker Willy Wonka's [Gene Wilder] chocolate factory along with four other children. Charlie and his Grandpa Joe [Jack Albertson] go inside the factory filled with chocolate rivers, giant candy creations, and the ever-mischievous Oompa Loompas. As the tour unfolds, each child faces the consequences of their own choices, while Charlie's honesty and kindness eventually set him apart. Although Wonka had a modest theatrical run upon its original release, grossing around $5.8 million at the box office, it later became a beloved classic through TV broadcasts and home media releases with format upgrades. The film currently holds an 84% Tomatometer score and an 87% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes.com. The rerelease trailer can be streamed on YouTube, and tickets are currently on sale now through the Fathom Entertainment website and participating theaters' box offices. - ComingSoon.net, 7/23/26...... 1950s rockabilly artist Vernon Taylor died on July 12 after a lengthy battle with dementia. He was 89. Born Vernon Walton Alderton on a farm in the small town of Layhill, Md., near Baltimore, on Nov. 9, 1937, Mr. Taylor developed an interest in music and at the age of 15 he and three friends formed a band called The Nighthawks, and played at fire halls and private parties in the Washington, D.C. area. They also had a stint on an hour-long local TV show. After his late 1950s' first singles "Losing Game" and "Why Must You Leave Me" weren't hits, he left his first record label Dot Records. It was after an American Bandstand appearance that legendary Sun Records founder-producer Sam Phillips signed him and Taylor released two singles, including "Today Is A Blue Day" by on of Elvis Presley's songwriters, Jack Clement. While neither were huge hits, they were beloved by rockabilly fans. He released four albums with Sun Records and his rockabilly classics included "I've Got the Blues," "Your Lovin' Man" and "Mystery Train." He recorded his last CD in 2000 and retired from the printing industry at the age of 79 due to bouts of anxiety and dementia. Mr. Taylor is survived by his wife, Brenda Alderton, three children and five grandchildren. - Canoe.com, 7/23/26...... James "Jim" Gilstrap, a singer whose credits include the Good Times theme song and Stevie Wonder's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," died on July 18 of natural causes, according to his nephew Geoffrey Gilstrap. He was 79. Gilstrap sang the song for Good Times, which ran from 1974-79, with Blinky Williams. The catchy, gospel-tinged tune ("Keepin' your head above water/Making a wave when you can") was composed by Dave Grusin with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman. The singer was also a featured vocalist with Stevie Wonder's Wonderlove album and contributed to many of the singer's recordings. He sang the first two lines of Wonder's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" ("You are the sunshine of my life/That's why I'll always be around"). Singer Lani Groves sang the next two lines ("You are the apple of my eye/Forever you'll stay in my heart") before Wonder's vocals kick in, with Gilstrap and Groves continuing to sing backup. The song, from Wonder's 1972 album Talking Book, won the Grammy Award for best male pop vocal performance. He also worked on Wonder's Innervisions LP. In 1975, he signed a recording contract with Chelsea Records and released a single, "Swing Your Daddy" that reached No. 4 on the U.K. Singles Chart and No. 10 on the U.S. Billboard Black Singles chart. The song peaked at No. 64 in Australia. He released an album, Love Talk, in 1976. Throughout his career, Gilstrap also collaborated with the likes of Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, The Jacksons, Aretha Franklin, Anita Baker, Whitney Houston, James Ingram and George Benson, among many others. "Jim was one of the most respected session vocalists of his generation, bringing his powerful and soulful voice to countless recordings that helped define the sound of popular music," his nephew said. He is survived by his wife, Gloria, and his children. - The Hollywood Reporter, 7/19/26...... 1950s and 1960s rock & roll hitmaker Freddy Cannon who brought energy and vigor to pop radio playlists in the early rock era, died on July 17 in a California hospice facility. He was 89. Mr. Cannon's longtime friend, iHeart Radio's Tom Cuddy, confirmed that Mr. Cannon died following a brief bout with cancer, and his children Conny and Billy were with him in the days before his death. Mr. Cannon landed three top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: "Tallahassee Lassie" (No. 6 in 1959), "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" (No. 3 in 1960) and "Palisades Park" (No. 3 in 1962). His nickname "Boom Boom" was inspired by the big bass drum sound on his records. Mr. Cannon reportedly holds the record for the most appearances on Dick Clark's American Bandstand (110 appearances), and also made the top 15 on the Hot 100 in 1965 with the rollicking hit "Action" from Clark's daily ABC-TV series Where the Action Is. The artist, who notched 23 Hot 100 hits between 1959 and 1981, was born Frederick Anthony Picariello Jr. on Dec. 4, 1936 in Revere, Mass. He lived in the state until he was in his late teens when he and his wife Jeanette moved to Philadelphia on the advice of legendary TV host Dick Clark, the city were Clark produced his daily American Bandstand broadcast for ABC-TV. He worked with some of the top musical performers of that era, including Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Chubby Checker, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bo Diddley, Connie Francis and Brenda Lee, and performed on many of the popular music TV shows of the era, including Shindig, The Midnight Special, Hullabaloo, Where the Action Is and Sha Na Na. Mr. Cannon was reportedly working on music at his home in Oxnard, Calif., right up to his death. He is survived by his children, Conny and Billy; his sister, Mary Lou; his son-in-law, Jim, and daughter-in-law, Beth; five grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. His wife (and high school sweetheart) Jeanette, preceded him in death on Sept. 25, 2024, and his son, John, died on Apr. 13, 2026. - Billboard, 7/19/26.

Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on July 19th, 2026

Classic songs from such artists as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Journey, John Denver, Bruce Springsteen and Creedence Clearwater Revival have reentered the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart following a festive Fourth of July holiday and continued buzz surrounding the FIFA World Cup 2026. Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" returns at No. 31 (9.3 million streams, up 75%), marking the Southern rockers' first appearance since 1978. The song hit No. 8 in 1974. Plus, Journey is back on the Hot 100 for the first time since 1997 with "Don't Stop Believin'." The No. 9 hit from 1981 re-charts at No. 35 thanks to holiday streams (8.2 million, up 27%) and after it was played June 19 at Lumen Field in Seattle as the crowd of 67,000 sang along. Fans that day also crooned John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads," a reentry at No. 41 (7 million, up 62%). Denver, who died in 1997, last appeared on the Hot 100 in 1984. The song, with Fat City, became his breakthrough hit, rising to No. 2 in 1971. "Born in the U.S.A." hit No. 9 on the Hot 100 in 1985, becoming one of seven top 10s from the blockbuster set of the same name. It had last appeared on the chart that March. "Fortunate Son" reached No. 14 in 1969. CCR makes its first Hot 100 visit in more than 50 years, since the band's version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" wrapped its run in March 1976. - Billboard, 7/14/26...... On July 16 Bob Dylan officially announced he'll embark on a brand-new UK tour in 2026 in November and December that will feature a five-night stand at London's Royal Festival Hall. Alongside his London residency, the tour will stop at major venues across the country, including Bournemouth, Birmingham, and Sheffield, followed by a double-night run at the Opera House in Blackpool before he heads to London. Dylan's ongoing "Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour" -- named after his surprise, critically acclaimed 2020 studio album -- has been met with massive international praise. The upcoming London dates will mark the legendary artist's first performance in the British capital since a triumphant three-night run at the Royal Albert Hall back in 2024. The UK tour will be hosted in partnership with Yondr, which requires all attendees to secure their mobile phones and video cameras in specialized pouches for the duration of the performance to ensure an intimate and completely undistracted atmosphere. - Music-News.com, 7/16/26...... As they score their 15th UK Number One on the Official Albums Chart on July 17 with their 25th studio LP Foreign Tongues, The Rolling Stones have equalled The Beatles in number one albums in the UK, with only Robbie Williams ahead of them by one album on the all-time list. The OAC announced the Stones' latest feat on its Instagram page, writing "It's official - The Rolling Stones and The Beatles now have more Number 1 albums than any other band in history... upon Foreign Tongues topping the Offical Albums Chart today." Featuring guest contributions from Paul McCartney, The Cure's Robert Smith, Steve Winwood and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, Foreign Tongues has received positive critical reception as well, with People magazine writing "its relentlessly energetic swagger and delicious riffs make for the group's best stuff in years." The Stones' first chart-topping album was their self-titled debut in 1964, meaning the band have now returned to the summit more than 62 years later. Meanwhile, frontman Mick Jagger's reaction to England's recent lost in the World Cup semi-final game has gone viral across the Internet. Jagger attended the game between England and Argentina on July 15 which England lost 2-1, and footage of Jagger's disappointed head shake after the loss has resonated with fans across the globe. "Mick Jagger speaks for the nation," said one fan of the clip, which can be viewed on X/Twitter. - New Musical Express, 7/18/26...... England's Birmingham City Council has authorized "Ozzy Day" celebrations to celebrate perhaps its most famous son, metal icon Ozzy Osbourne, exactly one year after his passing. Featuring festivities, music and film screenings, Ozzy Day will take place on July 22 to commemorate the Black Sabbath singer and solo star. According to the BCC, the city center will include "a free program of live music, public art, special performances and shared moments celebrating the life, legacy and Birmingham roots of the Prince of Darkness." Writing on its website, the council said that key locations in his upbringing and musical journey will be a part of the tribute, including the Black Sabbath Bench and Bridge, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Birmingham New Street Station, Bullring, Selfridges and Martineau Place. The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra will perform a special lunchtime performance at the Bullring shopping center, while the city's train station will feature an Ozzy the Bull statue in reference to the city's famous statue. The full program of the festivities can be viewed at www.birmingham.gov.uk. Osbourne died at his Buckinghamshire home following a heart attack at the age of 76 on July 22, 2025, two weeks after Osbourne and his bandmates hosted the "Back to the Beginning" charity concert. - Billboard, 7/17/26...... AC/DC kicked off their 2026 North American tour in Charlotte, N.C., on July 11 with a 21-song setlist packed with hits. The Aussie headbangers opened up with their classic "If You Want Blood (You've Got It)" from 1979's Highway To Hell, followed by the title track from that record later in the night. Two songs from their latest album, 2020's Power Up made the cut too: "Shot In The Dark" and "Demon Fire," as did five songs from fan favorite 1980 album Back In Black, including "You Shook Me All Night Long," "Hells Bells" and the title track. The set wrapped up with "T.N.T" and "For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)," and the set also came just two days after their late frontman Bon Scott would have turned 80-years-old. The dates, which mark the latest leg of the rock icons' "PWR/UP" tour, continued in Ohio, before more shows in Wisconsin, Texas and Colorado later in July. In August, AC/DC will play in California, Nevada, Georgia and more, before wrapping up the North American leg in Montana, New Jersey, Philadelphia and more. - NME, 7/15/26...... David Byrne has announced a new UK book tour later in 2026 to promote his new book Sleeping Beauties, which will drop on Oct. 8 in the UK and Oct. 6 in the US. Published by Penguin Random House, the book centers on philosophical questions including why some ideas are considered ahead of their time and naturally move back into the spotlight when the world is ready for them. Across the tour, the former Talking Heads frontman will share his own answers to questions like that, and also share his admiration for certain visionaries who helped craft the world around them or make art that resonates with him. Kicking off at Hackney Empire in London on Nov. 8, the tour will continue to Brighton (11/9), Manchester (11/11), and Bristol (11/12) before wrapping at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh on Nov. 13. The artist has announced he will donate his fees from the upcoming book tour to the Rocksteady Foundation, a non-profit organization which provides free music lessons to children around the UK. Earlier in July Byrne performed live at the 10th anniversary edition of Mad Cool festival in Madrid, Spain, and his upcoming shows include Edinburgh on July 21, Cardiff on July 26, and a headlining slot at Latitude Festival in Suffolk on July 24. - NME, 7/17/26...... Early David Bowie recordings produced by legendary producer Shel Talmy in 1965 are to be released on a new album featuring contributions from a pre-Led Zeppelin Jimmy Page. Featuring 10 previously unheard Bowie songs, David Bowie: The Shel Talmy Recordings is set for release on Sept. 18 via Parlophone and will feature the most complete collection of songs before he officially became Bowie and recorded under the name Davie Jones. Shel Talmy, who produced hits for The Who and The Kinks, recorded the songs with Bowie and his band at the time, The Lower Third, as well as some solo demos for Bowie. - NME, 7/16/26...... Speaking of The Kinks, founding brothers Ray and Dave Davies are joining forces with acclaimed painter Christian Furr for a landmark summer art exhibition in the UK. Titled "The Kinks: Brothers," the exhibition will run from July 24 to September 6, 2026, at the prestigious Gibson Garage London, marking a unique creative reunion for the legendary musical siblings. The inspiration for the collection stems from a vintage 1968 passport photobooth photograph of Ray and Dave taken in East Finchley, North London. Furr has reimagined this intimate moment across a series of vibrant, original paintings. When Dave Davies first saw the completed artworks, he was so deeply moved that he immediately began painting directly onto the canvases himself, adding a raw, collaborative layer to the physical pieces. Visual art has always been deeply woven into the fabric of Kinks history. Before helping to change the face of global rock music, Ray studied painting at Hornsey College of Art, while Dave has pursued painting for decades. The brothers' creative journey originally began in the front room of their childhood home in Muswell Hill, where they wrote and rehearsed their earliest material, including the seminal 1964 hit "You Really Got Me." - Music-News.com, 7/14/26...... KISS announced on July 15 they are cruising back to Las Vegas for their annual "KISS Kruise: Land-locked in Vegas" event. The second edition of the terra firma-based dry voyage will take place from Nov. 13-15 at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas and feature a special all-star tribute to the band's original guitarist Ace Frehley, who died in Oct. 2025 at 74. "The Ace Frehley All-Star Tribute" will feature a memorial to the "Spaceman" from singer/bassist Gene Simmons, guitarist/singer Paul Stanley, former guitarist Tommy Thayer and longtime drummer Eric Singer. The bandmates -- who each personally selected a song that they will perform individually as part of the tribute -- will be joined by as-yet-unannounced special guest stars, with support from the Ace Frehley Band. "Another year of the KISS Kruise experience and the best one yet is on the way. Everything we've learned at sea and on land over the past years is going into making this the ultimate weekend with us," said Stanley in a statement. "No ship?!? No problem! What's so awesome about KISS Kruise: Land-Locked is that it's a full-scale resort takeover created to give us all 100% of what we've come to love and expect. We can't wait to be back together with the KISS Army and Navy from around the world for more killer performances, incredible artists, events, and exclusive experiences you won't find anywhere else." Other festivities include a KISS look-alike contest, KISS Army karaoke, late night DJ sets, interactive and replica exhibits, archival displays, and exclusive merch. Ticket and accomodations information can be found at kisskruisevegas.com. - Billboard, 7/15/26...... A new book by Paul McCartney's former manager Richard Ogden includes claims that Sir Paul wasn't exactly the most genial musician all the time, despite his outward appearance as the eternally "thumbs aloft" family man in Wings and in his solo career since. In Bigger Than The Beatles - Sixty Years in Show Business, Ogden writes that when warned his tours were losing money, McCartney would apparently repeat (loudly) the mantra: "Paul McCartney doesn't lose money!" He also reportedly said at an early meeting with Ogden: "I don't work to budgets, I don't need to." Ogden, who oversaw five of Macca's solo albums plus two tours between 1987 and 1993, describes how the former Beatle would routinely dress him down for hours as they wrangled over tours and finances. In one of his first acts, Ogden recalled that he told Paul that none of the 20 tracks on his new album was "strong enough" to be released as a single. "[Paul's late first wife] Linda, looking at me all wide-eyed, said, "Ooh, now you've done it. No one ever spoke to him like that before." "It undoubtedly earned me my first black mark," Ogden writes. - DailyMail.com, 7/16/26..... Speaking to podcaster Rick Beato in a new YouTube interview, Billy Joel said he quit songwriting more than three decades ago because he didn't want to "dilute his legacy." Joel, 77, said he knew he was finished after completing River of Dreams in 1993. "When I got to the end of writing River of Dreams, I felt like I was done," Joel said. "I was married, I had a child. I didn't want to lock myself in a cave and devote myself like a monk to writing anymore. I had done it 12 times and I thought, 'You know what? The Beatles had 12 albums.' And that was just enough for me." The Piano Man said he didn't want to become another artist who slowly fizzles out. "Maybe they're not as good as they used to be or they're not as motivated as they were, but it ends up trailing off. I didn't want to go like that Saying no sometimes is really hard to do," he said. Although he stopped making pop records, Joel didn't stop creating music entirely. He released his classical album Fantasies and Delusions in 2001 and returned with the standalone single "Turn the Lights Back On" in 2024. He said: "I did a whole album of classical piano pieces after that. That's where I wanted to go I didn't want to just keep beating a dead horse and being played because I was Billy Joel." Billy noted the pressure to match his own past work became unbearable. "You get to a point you can't do it anymore. You've tapped it out, you reached such a high level that you can't stand not reaching that level anymore and you hate yourself. You beat yourself up, and I didn't want to put myself through that anymore." Joel admitted he even warned others about the emotional toll of chasing perfection: "You better learn how to stop songwriting because it's gonna drive you crazy. You'll go insane." - Music-News.com, 7/15/26...... In a new interview with BBC Radio 2, Queen drummer opened up about the chances of the band touring again. "Well, it is a big machine to gear up, if you know what I mean." He went on to say that he "loved playing live, always have," but the possibility of a future tour is largely down to how guitarist Brian May feels about it. "I think it's more down to Brian [May] than me," he said, before giving it his approval, adding, "So if we both wanna do it, I'd be happy to. But we'll see. Never say never." Taylor then praised current Queen frontman Adam Lambert, saying, "We have been working for a while with Adam Lambert, who has the most incredible voice." Taylor's comments come after May said earlier this year that he would refuse to tour in the US, reasoning that the country is a "dangerous place." Before that, the longtime animal rights activist said that Queen would not headline Glastonbury Festival "because of the politics of the people who run it," citing founder Michael Eavis' support of badger culling in the UK over the years. Last fall, May revealed that Queen had worked on some new material with Lambert, and said they had considered bringing their live show to The Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. "I'm very keen on the Sphere," May explained. "It's got my mind working." May's wife Anita Dobson implied in December that, despite Queen working on new music, it was unlikely that they would resume full-scale touring. "They will do little bits and bobs, but they won't do those big tours," she said. May suffered a minor stroke in 2024, and last November said his health issues had served as a "wake-up call." - NME, 7/14/26...... Speaking of The Sphere, Rush are reportedly "in talks" over a residency at the innovative Las Vegas venue. The "Tom Sawyer" hitmakers -- who were previously said to have rejected a Vegas residency at the T-Mobile Arena in late 2015 and early 2016 -- are thought to have been in talks with Sphere bosses "for a while," according to The Sun newspaper's Bizarre column. "The Sphere has become the premium entertainment spot in Vegas," the source said. "All the acts who have performed there have been at capacity for every show because audiences love the audio-visual experience." - Music-News.com, 7/17/26...... Oscar-winning Irish actress Brenda Fricker, whose career stretched decades but who became unforgettable to millions as the gentle "Pigeon Lady" in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, died on July 16. She was 81. At 19, Ms. Fricker landed an uncredited role in the 1964 film Of Human Bondage, kicking off a career that would eventually make her one of Ireland's most respected performers. After years of television and film work, Ms. Fricker broke through in 1986 as nurse Megan Roach on the BBC drama Casualty. Four years later came the role that changed everything -- playing the mother of Daniel Day-Lewis' Christy Brown in My Left Foot, which earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1990. U.S. ambassador to Ireland Edward Walsh described Ms. Fricker as "a giant of Irish film," writing on X that "From Dublin to Hollywood, her work brought Ireland's stories to the world and inspired generations on both sides of the Atlantic." - Canoe.com, 7/17/26...... Veteran TV actor Hal Williams, who appeared in American sitcom staples like 227 and Sanford and Son, has died, according to his manager. He was 91. Mr. Williams appeared in 22 episodes of the top-rated Sanford and Son as Officer "Smitty" Smith. The character was part of a duo with Howard Platt's Officer "Hoppy" Hopkins. The pair had a recurring bit where Hopkins would lead by outlining a case with complicated police jargon, and it would be up to Smith to spell it all out again in layman's terms. Mr. Williams' other TV credits include On the Rocks, The Waltons, Private Benjamin and The Sinbad Show. His most recent TV role was on CBS' Matlock remake. On the film side, Mr. Williams appeared in Hardcore, The Rookie, Percy & Thunder, Guess Who and Flight. - Variety, 7/16/26.

The Michael Jackson biopic Michael has reached an extraordinary milestone -- the first biopic of not only a music star but of any famous individual to earn $1 billion at the box office. Michael, which stars the late singer's nephew Jaafar Jackson and follows the life of MJ from his days in the Jackson 5 up until his 1980s "Bad" world tour, debuted to the largest-ever opening weekend for a biopic and subsequently becoming the highest-grossing biopic ever made, beating the Oscar-winning best picture Oppenheimer. It has now been confirmed that Michael has taken in $1.001 billion (£750 million) globally, making it the first of its genre to pass the milestone. "Reaching this extraordinary $1 billion milestone with Michael is a deeply humbling moment that celebrates the tireless dedication of our incredible producers, cast, crew, and partners," director Antoine Fuqua said in a statement. "This achievement belongs to everyone who came together with a shared vision to honour one of the greatest artists the world has ever known. I am profoundly grateful to the audiences around the globe who embraced this film, showed up in theatres, and connected with this story across generations and cultures," he added. - New Musical Express, 7/13/26...... ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus was the opening keynote speaker at the UN's AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva, Switzerland on July 13 and said artists "deserve a place at the table" in the age of AI. Ulvaeus asked the simple question "AI is good for whom?" and urged the audience to remember the point of view of artists and creatives in the pursuit of AI development. "A technology is good when the human beings whose work made it possible are not erased by it, when they consent to it, when they share in what it creates," he said. Ulvaeus continued that he hopes "one extra chair will always be reserved at that table for the creators whose work made these systems possible. These tools are extraordinary, but they could not have been built without us." Ulvaeus has never been shy about embracing emerging technology -- just a few years ago, the iconic Swedish pop quartet used "motion capture and motion learning" to create the groundbreaking virtual ABBA Voyage show in London, which uses technology to de-age and simulate the performances of the four singers night after night. "Some people sometimes ask me, 'How can you lecture the world about AI and human creativity, and then sell tickets to watch a machine perform as you?'" he explained. "The answer is one word: consent. We chose it. We participated in it. We are paid for it. The technology serves the artist because the artists were at the table from the very beginning, and the audiences love it. So, I guess that's AI for good." Ulvaeus continued, "I'm not going to stand here and tell you that machine-made music is cold or soulless, and that audiences will always hear the difference. I know that isn't true. I am genuinely in awe of the tools that have been built, but awe is not the same as acceptance." Notably, Ulvaeus did not complain about how record labels and publishers specifically are treating licensed training data, but his address added to the growing chorus of music industry power players asking for consensual AI training in 2026. - Billboard, 7/13/26...... Appearing at his annual "Peace and Love" event on July 7 to celebrate his 86th birthday, Ringo Starr revealed that The Beatles had one rule on long van rides: "own up to the fart." Offering the tip to young musicians starting out, he said: "If you're in the van and you fart - own up to it." "We just occasionally with four guys in a three-hour car journey, one of us would make a noise. And at the beginning, it was like 'well, it wasn't me." Starr continued: "And we realized, well, just to get it out of the way, say I did it. And it worked a treat and it took the pressure off. It wasn't a thing. We didn't like go oh, 'I'm going next'." Elsewhere, Ringo -- who continues to hit the road with his All Star Band -- confessed that he intended to quit touring in 2021, but five years on, he cannot get enough of playing live. "I have been calling it the last tour since 2021 -- and my kids are fed up with me now. I say ' That's it - I am not going out anymore'; and they are like 'oh dad you said that last year'," the infatigable musician said. "And I out again. I am out this year. It is what I do. It is how it is. I have got a great band and it just works. We used to rehearse for two days, now we rehearse for two hours and we are ready to rock." Ringo also admitted he's clueless about why he connects so strongly with younger generations: "I don't know (why I appeal to them), but I have got 10 grandkids. I don't know what it is. It is one of those things." - Music-News.com, 7/13/26...... Co-founding Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward took to Instagram on July 9 to reveal he now uses a wheelchair, but said he "can still play pretty good for 78." In a post captioned "Something New To Let You Know About," the percussionist said: "I'm announcing today somewhat sadly but nonetheless truthfully, that I've reached a place where publicly more and more I need to use a wheelchair, mostly in airports, or public events. I can still walk, let there be no doubt, but I can't walk very far without needing to rest, meaning I need to sit down." He went on to explain that he first began using the wheelchair occasionally about 18 months ago, "mostly in airports," but has started depending on it more following his 78th birthday this past May. "I was a long distance walker, I've walked in many different parts of the world, and I'm still a drummer," Ward continued. "I can still play pretty good for 78 years old." "My talents and ambitions, and my unyielding need to be artful, and to play drums, is still as strong as it was so many years ago now," the rocker added. "I'm just saying if you see me in a wheelchair, I'm just catching a ride, I'm not in retirement or ill or giving up, or any of those thoughts that ignite when we see people in wheelchairs." Ward ended his message with a promise to "keep rocking until I'm dead" and his thought that because secrets "can be dangerous to our health, I'm letting transparency prevail, with love and progression." He also shared a photo of himself in his wheelchair, smiling at the camera. Ward helped found Black Sabbath in the late '60s before leaving the lineup in the early '80s. He would still make occasional appearances with the band up until Ozzy Osbourne's farewell concert in Birmingham, England in July 2025. - Billboard, 7/9/26...... The Sex Pistols have announced a new reissue of their 1996 live album Filthy Lucre Live to mark 30 years since the band's shock reunion. The album captured their performance at London's Finsbury Park on June 23, 1996, with Johnny Rotten, Steve Jones, Paul Cook and Glen Matlock back on stage together in one of the decade's most unexpected returns. Filthy Lucre Live is set to be reissued on Nov. 20 via UMR as a 2LP red vinyl set and single CD, and featuring the bonus tracks "No Fun" and "Buddies" for the first time on the release. The Pistols' Finsbury Park show came at the height of Britpop and Euro '96 fever. In football England had beaten Spain on penalties the previous day, and Stuart Pearce and future England manager Gareth Southgate were at the show to introduce the band on stage. - NME, 7/10/26...... The Rolling Stones launched their new album Foreign Tongues in London on July 8 with a spectacular drone show and star studded party. Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood hosted friends, guests and the likes of Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz, Sam Fender, Sacha Baron Cohen, John McEnroe and Glen Matlock at the St. Clement hotel. Along with longtime keyboard collaborator Matt Clifford, the Stones also treated the crowd to an intimate live performance of the Foreign Tongues track "Ringing Hollow," which can be viewed on Instagram. Following their performance, a spectacular, light show was staged over the River Thames, illuminating the London skyline with the band's classic tongue and album artwork, above the London Eye and Big Ben. The light show was linked to their recent release "In The Stars," and can also be viewed on Instagram The display was created by internationally acclaimed designer Patrick Woodroffe, who said: "The music for the 500 drone light show was set to the new Stones song 'In The Stars' and is a fitting metaphor to see the iconic and much loved Stones' tongue hanging over the River Thames to celebrate a record made here in the city of London." Meanwhile, Foreign Tongues is charging toward the top spot on the current U.K. Official Albums Chart and is on track to become the British rockers' 15th U.K. No. 1 album. The landmark achievement comes an incredible 62 years after their self-titled debut record first topped the U.K. charts back in 1964. Elsewhere, Mick Jagger appeared on Conan O'Brien's "Needs a Friend" podcast on July 13 and revealed he regretted taking John Lennon advice about not meeting Elvis Presley, as The Beatles famously once did back in 1965. "I remember John telling me, 'You should never meet your heroes. I would never meet Elvis, Mick, if I were you,'" he recalled. "And so, I didn't. I took John's advice. It was really stupid of me, really. I'd love to have met Elvis." Jagger said Lennon gave him the warning on several occasions before the King of Rock and Roll passed away in 1977 at the age of 42. "I wanted to keep my Elvis to myself, my version of Elvis," the 82-year-old mused. "And so, I didn't want my version of Elvis shattered like John's was, but maybe my Elvis version would have been different." Lastly in Rolling Stones news, on July 8 the band announced that they will take fans on a six-decade trip through their history in an immersive Roblox game that launched July 10, the same day they dropped Foreign Tongues. According to a release announcing the project, the Stones teamed up with more than a dozen members of Roblox's global creator community to reimagine their iconic tongue-and-lips logo on both virtual and physical merchandise that fans can transfer from their avatar into the physical world. The on-platform game will allow players to interact with items from the band's history trapped in colorful crystals inspired by their 2023 Hackney Diamonds album, with users progressing through decades representing the group's various eras. A preview of the game can be streamed on Instagram. - NME/Music-News.com/Billboard, 7/9/26...... Black entrepreneur George E. Johnson, known for founding a leading Black hair care products company and sponsoring the iconic hit R&B dance show Soul Train, died on July 6 from respiratory illness or natural causes. He was 99 years old. Mr. Johnson founded Johnson Products in 1954 alongside his wife, Joan, creating brands such as Ultra Sheen, Afro Sheen, Classy Curl, and Curly Perm. The company served a market largely ignored by mainstream beauty brands, introducing innovations like a smoke-reducing home-use straightener for women. By the 1960s, Johnson Products held a dominant share of the Black hair care market, influencing styling trends from hair relaxers to Afros and Jheri curls. In 1971, Johnson Products became the first Black-owned company listed on the American Stock Exchange, marking a milestone for Black entrepreneurship. It was also the first Black-owned national sponsor of Soul Train which expanded the show's reach from a local program to a cultural fixture. The sponsorship gave unprecedented national exposure to a Black-owned brand while aligning it with the era's expressions of Black pride. Beyond business, Mr. Johnson supported educational and civic initiatives, mentored entrepreneurs, and was honored with awards including Harvard University's W.E.B. Du Bois Medal in 2025 for his contributions to African American history and culture. - MSN.com, 7/7/26...... Actor Randolph Mantooth, known for playing paramedic Johnny Gage on the 1972-77 NBC series Emergency!, died July 9 in a Ventura, Calif. hospice, according to his brother. He was 80. Mr. Mantooth broke out in 1972 when he was cast in Emergency!, which introduced the profession of paramedics to the public. He co-starred with Kevin Tighe in the popular series which ran for six seasons, and performed most of his own stunts. The Sacramento native, whose father was of Cherokee and Seminole descent, studied at Santa Barbara City College and earned a scholarship to New York's American Academy of Dramatic Arts. After he was discovered onstage in New York and signed to a Universal contract, he began appearing on TV shows including Ironside, The Virginian, Marcus Welby, M.D. and The Bold Ones. He also played his Emergency! character Gage on other shows such as Adam-12, and remained an advocate for firefighters, paramedics and EMTs throughout his life. Other credits include appearances in Dallas, Charlie's Angels, The Love Boat, Loving and the soaps As the World Turns and One Life to Live. Mr. Mantooth had been diagnosed with cancer in 2015 and is survived by his wife Kristen and his siblings Donald and Tonya. - Variety, 7/10/26...... New Zealand actor Sam Neill, one of Hollywood's most beloved actors, passed away in Sydney, Australia, on July 13. He was 78. Neill was best known for bringing Dr. Alan Grant to life in the Jurassic Park franchise, and leaves behind a career that spanned five decades and earned admiration across film and TV. Neill began building his screen career in the 1970s before becoming an international star. He earned early acclaim with films such as My Brilliant Career and Possession, but global audiences came to know him as paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant in Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park (1993). He was also featured in such well-known titles as The Hunt for Red October, The Piano, Event Horizon and The Horse Whisperer. His credits also include Peaky Blinders, where he portrayed Chief Inspector Chester Campbell. Over the years, he built a reputation as an actor who could fit into almost any kind of role. That versatility earned him plenty of recognition, including several AACTA Awards and New Zealand Film and Television Awards. In an Instagram post, his family said he died on July 13 in Sydney "surrounded by family" and passed away "with the dignity that has characterised his whole life." - ComingSoon.net, 7/13/26...... Welsh pop singer Bonnie Tyler, the voice behind such hit power ballads as "Total Eclipse of The Heart" and "It's a Heartache," died on July 9 in a Portugese hospital. She was 75. A statement posted by her reps on her Facebook page later that day said that the singer "unexpectedly passed away last night in hospital in Portugal as a result of the illness that she was being treated for." Her death follows emergency intestinal surgery in May, which took place in Faro, Portugal, where Tyler had a home. She was later placed in an induced coma. Born Gaynor Hopkins in Neath, Wales, Tyler rose to international prominence in the late 1970s with ballad "It's a Heartache," before reaching global superstardom in 1983 with "Total Eclipse of The Heart." Written and produced by Meatloaf collaborator Jim Steinman, the dramatic mini-epic spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making Tyler the first and only Welsh-born singer to top the chart to the present date. The song, which featured on her album Faster Than the Speed of Night, earned Tyler Grammy nominations for female pop vocal performance and female rock performance, and became one of the defining records of its era. She then followed with another enduring classic, the urgent "Holding Out for a Hero," from the film soundtrack to Footloose. Tyler's distinct, raspy vocal style, developed after early vocal cord surgery, became her signature. Across a career spanning more than five decades, Tyler released 18 studio albums. She represented the U.K. in the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Believe in Me," finishing in 19th place. She was also made an MBE in 2023 for her services to music, after being named in the Queen's Birthday Honours list. Tyler had been due to perform at the Sunshine Festival in Worcester, England this summer, along with a number of European dates, and was also booked to perform at Cardiff's Utilita Arena on Dec. 17. Her final full show took place at the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire in London on Mar. 19. Tributes to Tyler on social media included Wales Secretary Jo Stevens, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Sir Cliff Richard, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Bryan Adams, Suzi Quatro and Katrina of Katrina and the Waves. - Billboard/NME, 7/9/26...... Comedic actress Louise Lasser, best known for playing the befuddled Mary Hartman on the hit 1970s syndicated sitcom Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, died on July 6 at her home in Manhattan. She was 87. Born in Manhattan on Apr. 11, 1939, Ms. Lasser spent her childhood in the Bronx, where she attended Fieldston, a prestigious private school. At Brandeis University, she majored in political science but also appeared in shows that friends wrote. She dropped out during her senior year and began acting lessons with Sanford Meisner. Living with her parents in Manhattan, she worked in theater and cabaret, and appeared in television commercials, notably for NyQuil and Excedrin. She was the first actress to win a Clio Award, the advertising industry's highest honor. In 1962 she understudied a rising star, the 20-year-old Barbra Streisand, in the Broadway musical "I Can Get It for You Wholesale," and briefly took over the role when Streisand left. She met future husband Woody Allen on a double date -- he was with the other woman -- and made her screen debut in The Laughmakers, a 1962 TV pilot Allen wrote. Set at a comedy club, it never became a series but was broadcast as a special. The two began dating and married in 1966. After an uncredited part as a masseuse in the Peter Sellers comedy What's New Pussycat? (1965), written by Allen, she had a voice-over in What's Up, Tiger Lily? (1966), Allen's directorial debut. She later appeared in three additional movies helmed by Allen -- Take the Money and Run, Bananas and Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask). But Ms. Lasser became best known for her portrayal of the Ohio housewife Mary Hartman, dressed in the pigtails and puffed sleeves. Premiering in January 1976, the Norman Lear-created Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman was a phenomenon, a syndicated parody of midcentury soap operas that ran Mondays through Fridays after the late news in most major markets. It followed Mary as she tried to hold herself together amid mass murders, sex scandals and everyday consumer anxieties. She wore pigtails, puffed sleeves and gingham (while real American women were in Dorothy Hamill bobs and designer denim); fretted about waxy yellow buildup on her kitchen floor; and was emotionally abused by her conveniently impotent blue-collar husband (Greg Mullavey). Articles about the series proliferated, and Ms. Lasser -- somehow simultaneously neurotic and girlish -- appeared on the covers of major magazines, including People, Newsweek, Ms. and Rolling Stone. The show ran only a year and a half, from Jan. 1976 to July 1977, but racked up 325 episodes. She is survived by her longtime partner, Michael Citriniti. - The New York Times, 7/10/26.