U2's Bono will present the Harry Belafonte Social Justice Award to Bruce Springsteen during the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival, set for June 3-14 in New York. "There are few figures who embody the spirit of Tribeca's Harry Belafonte Award more fully than Bruce Springsteen," said festival co-chair and co-founder Jane Rosenthal about the New Jersey rocker's tireless work to follow in the footsteps of civil rights activist/singer Harry Belafonte by using his platform to speak out and advance "equality, dignity and human rights." In addition to his longtime friend and fellow activist Bono, the Boss will also receive tributes from punk godmother Patti Smith and actor Robert De Niro. De Niro will also take part in a 50th anniversary celebration of his landmark film Taxi Driver, with a screening of the gritty 1976 drama and conversation between the actor and the movie's director, Martin Scorsese. More info on this year's programming and tickets can be found at tribecafilm.com. - Billboard, 4/28/26...... In other Bruce Springsteen news, during a concert in Austin, Tex. on Apr. 26 the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame icon offered "prayers of thanks" that Pres. Donald Trump wasn't injured during an Apr. 25 incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner when a California man named Cole Tomas Allen who was brandishing several weapons charged through a security checkpoint in the lobby outside the hotel ballroom where the event was being held. "We begin tonight with a prayer for our men and women in service overseas, we pray for their safe return," said frequent Trump antagonist Springsteen during the E Street Band' show at the Moody Center in Austin, Tex., on Apr. 26. "We also send out a prayer of thanks that our President, nor anyone in the administration, nor anyone attending, was injured at last night's incident at the [White House] Press Correspondents' Dinner." He added, "We can disagree. We can be critical of those in power, and we can peacefully fight for our beliefs. But there is no place in any way, shape, or form for political violence of any kind in our beloved United States." - Billboard, 4/27/26...... 
A judge in London has ruled that former Jimi Hendrix Experience members, bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell, signed away their copyrights in "clear and unequivocal" terms in their lawsuit over UK royalties against Sony Music. Following a seven-day trial this past December, U.K. High Court Justice Edwin Johnson released a lengthy decision on Apr. 28 dismissing the claims brought against Sony by the families of Redding and Mitchell. In the long-running suit that began in 2021, the pair's estates have claimed they're being unfairly deprived of royalties from three classic Jimi Hendrix Experience albums, including the 1968 chart-topper Electric Ladyland. Sony, which has distributed Hendrix's music since 2009 under an exclusive license with Hendrix's heirs, maintains that it owes nothing to the two families. Justice Johnson ultimately sided with Sony after determining that Redding and Mitchell signed away future royalties as part of the band's 1966 recording agreement. According to the judge, this contract gave full copyright ownership to producers Michael Jeffrey and Chas Chandler in "clear and unequivocal" language. Moreover, the judge said that even without these copyright ownership issues, all claims would be barred by settlements signed by both Redding and Mitchell with the Hendrix estate during probate proceedings in the early 1970s. A spokesperson for both Sony Music and the Hendrix estate, which is run through the business entity Hendrix Experience, said in a statement that they are "thankful that this litigation, which has lasted over four years, has come to an end." Janie Hendrix, Jimi's sister and the CEO of his estate, also said in her own statement, "I have nothing but positive memories of Noel and Mitch. Experience Hendrix's longstanding relationships with both reflect a consistent commitment to honouring and supporting the musicians who were part of Jimi Hendrix's history." - Billboard, 4/28/26...... Talking to People magazine, Ringo Starr revealed he refused to sing "one of the saddest lines" in a song written by his current collaborator T-Bone Burnett for his new country album Long Long Road. "One of the saddest lines was 'Why do we die?'.... I wouldn't sing it! I made it 'Why can't we fly' and then sent it back to him! But that's country, isn't it? Like, you're in the bar, the wife's left, the dog's dead and you don't have any change for the jukebox. I got into [the genre] with Hank Williams and all those people. There was a sad aspect to country music." The genre is relatable to many people, and while the 85-year-old drummer doesn't think he's "good at advice," he had a tip for people struggling with life: "Play it a bit faster! I'm not all that good at advice, but move forward. That's the thing. Move forward and move on -- on down the road. That's why this [album] is Long Long Road. I was reflecting on myself. This has been a long, long road with a few bad moments but lots of great moments. I'm blessed." Ringo, who kicks off a spring/summer tour with his All-Starr Band on May 29 in Temecula, Calif., also recently told Variety that he wants to get a bunch of songs together for a new EP to wrap up his project with Burnett. "Well, we're doing it because this year I'm only doing 12 gigs," he said. "I've got the records going, with Universal, and I've got the best-of going. And I've got this idea for doing some other tracks and maybe an EP and will put that out as well." Asked if he can provide any further details about what to expect from the EP, he replied: "The idea is just getting the songs and putting 'em together and seeing how it works." - Music-News.com, 4/29/26...... The Rolling Stones have seemingly confirmed that the title for their upcoming album will be Foreign Tongues after a series of cryptic billboards that feature the iconic Stones logo and the same phrase repeated in various languages have popped up across the globe. It comes shortly after they shared their new vinyl-only single, "Rough & Twisted," under the moniker The Cockroaches earlier in April. In a similar fashion to the recent run of billboards, the band prompted rumours of their return after cryptic posters emerged across London. Fans have already drawn a link between the two, given the lyrics for the latest single feature the line: "Why don't you teach me/ Teach me all those foreign tongues?" The single serves as the first taste of the new album, which is slated for release in July. It'll be the band's first full-length effort since 2023's Grammy-winning Hackney Diamonds. The band's latest posters in such cities as Manchester, UK, and Warsaw, Poland, can be viewed on Rolling Stone magazine has announced that it will host its first-ever festival on July 4 in Kingston, N.Y., with headliners including Noah Kahan, Gigi Perez, Sydney Rose, Devon Gilfilian and more. The boutique event, dubbed Stateside, will "channel the timeless spirit of Americana with music, hot dogs, fireworks, an artisan market and local food vendors" and take place on Independence Day at Hutton Brickyards' 4,000-capacity riverfront property, according to a press release. The show will be headlined by Kahan, who just released his fourth studio album, The Great Divide, and feature a whole day of pop, rock, indie, folk and country performers including Gigi Perez, Sydney Rose, Arcy Drive, Bo Staloch, Devol Gilfillian, Derby, Calder Allen and Michaela Anne. After a day of music, the night will end with a firework display following Kahan's set. The Stateside Festival poster can be viewed on Instagram. - Billboard, 4/27/26...... 
David Lee Roth made a surprise appearance at the Stagecoach country music festival in Indio, Calif., on Apr. 25, joining Teddy Swims onstage for a performance of "Jump," Van Halen's 1984 single. During their set, Swims brought Roth onstage after performing his recent single "Mr. Know It All" and "Some Things I'll Never Know," both from his debut studio album I've Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1), released in Sept. 2023. The recent performance took place amid a turbulent evening at this year's Stagecoach, where high winds earlier in the night had forced a temporary evacuation of the festival grounds and prompted a series of schedule changes, including the removal of several artists, including Journey and Riley Green, from the lineup. The evacuation was triggered by high winds that intensified across Indio's Empire Polo Club. An "emergency evacuation" message appeared on screens across the site, instructing attendees to "move quickly and calmly to the nearest exit," while alerts sent via the festival's official app directed festivalgoers to leave the area. Despite the weather, Swims' set went ahead, with Roth's appearance providing one of the night's most high-profile moments as fans gathered following the festival's reopening. Stagecoach, one of the largest country music festivals in the United States, is held annually at the same site as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and draws tens of thousands of attendees each year. - Billboard, 4/27/26...... Even though he died in 2009, Michael Jackson-mania is still in full force as the new MJ biopic Michael earned a record-breaking $97 million domestic opening and a global launch of $217.4 million after opening on Apr. 24. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the Antoine Fuqua-directed film delivered the biggest opening ever for a music biopic, surpassing Universal's rap doc Straight Outta Compton, which debuted to $60.1 million in 2015. Fox's Queen/Freddie Mercury film Bohemian Rhapsody opened to $51 million in 2018, ranking as the second-biggest debut for a music biopic. Michael now also holds the biggest domestic opening of all time for a biopic, surpassing Oppenheimer ($80 million), not adjusted for inflation, according to THR. Michael grossed $38.5 million domestically on opening day and was off to a strong start overseas, with an international launch in the $114 million range, THR reports. "This record-breaking performance is a testament to the incredible filmmaking team of producer Graham King and director Antoine Fuqua, an amazing cast led by Jaafar Jackson's singular performance, our world-class partners at Universal, the cooperation and support of the Michael Jackson Estate, and our tireless and exceptionally talented Lionsgate team," Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson said in a statement. "Above all, it reflects the tremendous outpouring of love and affection from moviegoers around the world, underscoring the strength and vitality of the theatrical box office. If you give audiences what they want, they will come." Michael, which charts the superstar's rise from fronting The Jackson 5 in the 1970s to launching a solo career that reached historic heights, is the first installment of a planned two-part biopic, with the the second installment possibly starting to shoot as early as this year. Meanwhile, in the spirit of fans acting out the iconic 1975 comedy The Rocky Horror Picture show, a new dance trend is taking place at screenings of Michael, which is annoying some cinema-goers. Many have taken to social media to hit out at those wanting to dance at the theater instead of watching the film. "I was thinking about going to see Michael tomorrow in the theater, but stuff like this makes me want to watch it at home instead," one person wrote, sharing footage on X/Twitter of a fan performing one of Jackson's routines beneath the screen. "If I pay to see a MOVIE, I don't want to see anyone else dancing other than Michael." "There's a difference between enjoying the moment and disrupting everyone else's experience," another agreed, while a third added: "I don't want to see anything like it. As a paying customer I'd prefer to watch the movie I paid to see and not some narcissistic attention whore trying to create a viral moment." However some movie patrons have described it as "one of the best movie-going experiences" they've had. They argue that the trend simply shows people enjoying his music and adding to an electric atmosphere in the cinema. "You have zero sense of fun or humour. You have zero energy. You are all Karens now and you suck," one person shared, defending the trend, and another praised it as making the cinema feel like "a live concert" and "a full-blown MJ revival." "Michael Jackson made music so ppl can dance to it," another person chimed in on X, and someone else described it as "magical." - Billboard/NME, 4/26/26...... 
Nedra Talley Ross, the last surviving member of the 1960s girl group The Ronettes, died on Apr. 26 at the age of 80. Her passing was announced by her daughter, Nedra K Ross, in a Facebook post. "At approximately 8:30 this morning, our mother, Nedra Talley Ross, went home to be with the Lord," she wrote. "She was safe in her own bed at home with her family close, knowing she was loved. Thank you, Lord." Ms. Talley Ross, Estelle Bennett and Ronnie Spector rose to prominence while working with Ronnie's husband, legendary record producer Phil Spector, in 1963. Together, The Ronettes recorded songs including "Be My Baby," "Baby, I Love You" and "Walking in the Rain." The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. A tribute posted on the group's official Instagram page noted, "It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Nedra Talley Ross' passing. She was a light to those who knew and loved her... [The Ronnettes'] voice, style and spirit helped define a sound that would change music. Her contribution to the group's story and their defining influence will live forever. Rest peacefully dear Nedra. Thanks for the magic." Estelle Bennett died in 2009 at age 67 due to colon cancer. Her sister, Veronica Bennett, known as Ronnie Spector after marrying Phil Spector in 1968, died in January 2022 at age 78 after a battle with cancer. - Music-News.com, 4/28/26...... Tony Wilson, the bassist, songwriter and co-founder of the '70s British disco/soul troupe Hot Chocolate, died on Apr. 24 in his native Trinidad of as yet undisclosed causes. He was 78. Wilson's daughter shared the news in an emotional Facebook post, writing that her father "left us today, April 24th 2026," and adding that he "left a lot of music behind forever and ever." She described their final conversations as deeply meaningful, saying he had recently asked for prayers and expressed a sense of peace about his passing, writing "The peace that I have is knowing that his soul escaped. He is in and at peace." Born in Trinidad, Wilson moved to the UK as a young man and began pursuing music in the early 1960s, first as a solo act in 1964, when he released his debut single "Yes I Do" on Decca Records. His life changed in 1969 when he teamed up with vocalist Errol Brown to form Hot Chocolate. The band went on to break new ground for Black British artists on the US charts, carving out a distinctive place in pop and soul history. Hot Chocolate scored global success with a string of hits between 1975-78, most famously the 1975 classic "You Sexy Thing" (#3, US), which Wilson co-wrote. The track became a defining anthem of the decade and remains one of the most recognizable songs in British pop culture. Other hits include "Emma" (#8, US), "Disco Queen" (#28, US), "So You Win Again" (#31, US), and "Every 1's A Winner" (#6, US). Wilson departed Hot Chocolate in 1975, releasing two albums, I Like Your Style and Catch One. - Music-News.com, 4/28/26...... In the midst of Cher's decision to file for conservatorship of her son Elijah Blue Allman, 49, on Apr. 16 amid his addiction, mental health and legal issues, it's been revealed that Elijah is the father of a 15-year-old girl named Ever, whom Cher, 79, learned of only in June 2025. The girl's mother, Kayti Edwards, 49, who is the step-granddaughter of actress Julie Andrews, 90, via her late husband Blake Edwards, told the UK tabloid The Sun that first-time grandmother Cher is "really trying" to build a bond with Ever, and they both spent the night at Cher's hom in September. Edwards said Elijah -- who is currently in custody in a New Hampshire psychiatric hospital -- "wanted to see [Ever] and have a relationship with her, but he wasn't in any fit state." - People, 5/4/26...... 
Controversial outlaw country music singer/songwriter David Allan Coe, best known for his '70s songs "You Never Even Called Me by My Name" and "Longhaired Redneck" as well as the '80s tracks "The Ride" and "Mona Lisa Lost Her Smile," died on Apr. 29, his widow Kimberly confirmed to Rolling Stone. He was 86. "One of the best singers, songwriters, and performers of our time (and) never to be forgotten," she wrote to the outlet. "My husband, my friend, my confidant and my life for many years. I'll never forget him and I don't want anyone else to ever forget him either." Mr. Coe also composed hits for several other artists, including "Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone)" for Tanya Tucker and "Take This Job and Shove It," popularized by Johnny Paycheck. The latter earned Mr. Coe a Grammy nomination. Over the course of his career, the musician released over 40 albums, including the controversial LP's Nothing Sacred and Underground Album in the late '70s and '80s. While he had used racist language before, Mr. Coe sparked outrage over the use of racial slurs, hate speech and homophobic and misogynistic lyrics in those two albums. He denied he was a racist at the time. In addition, the musician also got into legal trouble in the 2010s. In 2015, he pleaded guilty to obstructing America's Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from collecting taxes and was ordered to pay nearly $1 million he following year. Mr. Coe was married six times, most recently to Kimberly in 2010. He is survived by his wife and his five children: Tyler, Tanya, Shyanne, Carson and Shelli. - Music-News.com, 4/30/26.
Thursday, April 30, 2026
Favorite Seventies Artists In The News
Saturday, April 25, 2026
Favorite Seventies Artists In The News
A judge has denied Cher's bid to have a conservator placed in charge of the finances of her son, 49-year-old Elijah Blue Allman. Earlier in April, Cher submitted an application to Los Angeles Superior Court to file for conservatorship, with the case stating that Allman "has significantly deteriorated" since 2023. "The proposed conservatee is currently in custody in the State of New Hampshire in a locked psychiatric hospital in an attempt to restore him to competency to face criminal charges in two cases," the filing stated. Now, a Los Angeles County judge has denied the request on Apr. 24, saying she did not see the urgency of the claim and confirming she would reconsider the matter at a second hearing in June. "I certainly understand the concerns of Mr. Allman's friends and family regarding his behaviour," Judge Jessica A. Uzcategui said. "But those concerns do not necessarily equate to a finding that the proposed conservatee lacks capacity or that a probate conservatorship is appropriate. I am going to deny the temporary conservatorship without prejudice." Allman appeared at the hearing remotely from his New Hampshire hospital, speaking only to ask for his attorney to represent him and to thank the judge for her ruling. Allman was reportedly arrested for causing a disturbance at a private school on March 1, while two days later he was arrested again after allegedly breaking into a home in Windham, New Hampshire. Elijah Blue's father, Gregg Allman died in 2017 and Elijah reportedly receives an annual allowance of $120,000 per year from his trust. Cher has in the past claimed that the money is spent primarily on "drugs, expensive hotels and limousine transportation." Elijah Blue later filed an objection to his mother's request, stating that he was not in need of a conservatorship and claiming that Cher would be "unfit to serve." The family then reached a private settlement in 2024, having paused court proceedings to attempt to resolve the matter privately. - New Musical Express, 4/25/26...... 
An authorized Ramones exhibit will open at the Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas on July 4, and Rhino Records has announed a series of reissues and remastered, upscaled Ramones videos. To mark the group's 50th anniversary, the Ramones and Rhino Records are launching a year-long celebration that will include the only authorized exhibition dedicated to the seminal punk band. The show organized and curated by the Punk Foundation in collaboration with late guitarist Johnny Ramone's wife Linda Ramone and Ramones Production Inc., will feature the band's music, memorabilia, along with public and member's only performances, artist conversations, interactive experiences, artist-led tours and other events. The museum will also host a 4th of July bash featuring the Ramones tribute band Mama's Boy. In addition, between now and the end of 2026, the band and Rhino will announced a series of physical reissues and releases, as well as tribute performances and newly remastered, upscaled videos for such classics as "I Wanna Be Sedated," "Psycho Therapy," "Rock N' Roll High School," "Sheena is a Punk Rocker," "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)," "We Want the Airwaves," "Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio?" and others. - Billboard, 4/24/26...... In other '70s punk news, the 2026 edition of the CBGB Festival in NYC will feature a mix of classic and contemporary punk and new wave acts, topped by former Smiths singer and solo performer Morrissey, as well as punk godmother Patti Smith, Interpol and the Sex Pistols, featuring charter members guitarist Steve Jones, bassist Glen Matlock and drummer Paul Cook, with singer Frank Carter subbing in for original vocalist Johnny Rotten/John Lydon. The event honoring the legendary punk club in New York's East Village that beginning in 1973 was the launching pad for the first wave of American punk acts such as the Ramones, Smiths, Television, Blondie and the Talking Heads, among many others, will take place on Sept. 26 at Under the K Bridge Park in Brooklyn. Also on this year's bill, classic acts Buzzcocks, Bikini Kill, Agnostic Front, Circle Jerks and Haywire, as well as contemporary acts keeping the flame alive such as Upchuck, Militarie Gun, High Vis, Bad Nerves and Panic Shack. A CBGB Festival poster can be viewed on Instagram. - Billboard, 4/22/26...... A legal battle concerning Black Sabbath's early demos has been resolved, with all four original members regaining ownership of the songs they recorded as Earth in 1969. In 2025, it was announced that a compilation of demos recorded by Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward in 1969, when they still went by the name Earth, was to be released under the title Earth: The Legendary Lost Tapes. The tracks were recorded in Zella Studios in Birmingham, with a new release said to be overseen by Jim Simpson, the band's manager at the time, with an initial release date of July last year. That release did not materialize, and Sharon Osbourne spoke out against the project at the time, issuing a lengthy social media post in which she outlined the Black Sabbath legal position, which disputes the legal ownership of the recordings. "We settled with Jim Simpson and the band now have their demos back," Sharon said in a new interview. "And all four of them own it, which is where it should be. All of that stuff should be theirs. So it all ended well. So, yeah, they own them." Meanwhile, rapper Yungblud celebrated Ozzy and Black Sabbath at a show in Birmingham, UK on Apr. 23. Yungblud treated the crowd in Birmingham to a particularly poignant rendition of his cover of Sabbath's "Changes." In the intro, the video screen showed some fans holding up a sign that read: "Ozzy would be proud." The audience also chanted Osbourne's name. Yungblud performed at Sabbath's final-ever show, held in Birmingham last summer, where he gifted Osbourne a custom-made gold cross. His Birmingham performance of "Changes" can be streamed on YouTube. - NME, 4/25/26...... On Apr. 23 a Los Angeles judge dismissed Smokey Robinson's defamation counterclaims against former employees suing the Motown legend for sexual abuse. Judge Kevin C. Brazile ruled there isn't sufficient evidence to hold Robinson's former anonymous housekeepers and their lawyers liable for calling the singer a rapist at a press conference in 2025. However the decision is not a ruling on the veracity of the women's underlying sexual assault allegations; it's focused only on the defamation claims, which are subject to a higher pleading standard due to free speech laws. Robinson still has separate counterclaims pending against the housekeepers for allegedly deleting evidence and stealing from his family. Those claims are moving forward through discovery alongside the women's core sexual assault allegations, with a trial scheduled for 2027. A lawyer for the accusers, John Harris, said in a statement that the ruling "stands as a powerful and unequivocal victory for our clients and for survivors everywhere who refuse to be silenced." The legal battle began in May 2025, when the four unnamed women filed a $50 million lawsuit alleging the 85-year-old artist had sexually abused them between 2007 and 2024. Later on, another female housekeeper and a male car mechanic joined the lawsuit anonymously with additional assault claims. obinson vehemently denied all wrongdoing, saying the "vile, false allegations" were merely "an ugly method of trying to extract money." He countersued the accusers within weeks. The plaintiffs also filed police reports after they sued Robinson, leading the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department to open a criminal investigation. No charges have been brought to date. - Billboard, 4/23/26...... Bob Dylan has added a dozen dates to his summer "Rough and Rowdy Ways" 2026 US tour in support of his 39th studio album of the same name on the meandering tour that originally kicked off in Nov. 2021. Among the new cities on the routing for this summer are stops in Cincinnati (7/10), Pittsburgh (7/12), Philadelphia (7/14), Boston (7/16), Gilford, N.H. (7/18), Bridgeport, Conn. (7/19), Queens, N.Y. (7/21) and Richmond, Va. (7/23), as well as Raleigh (7/28) and Wilmington, N.C (7/29)., Atlanta (7/31) and Nashville (8/1). The new shows announced will include opening acts Lucinda Williams and Jimmie Vaughn on most of the dates, with country singer Brittney Spencer and X singer/bassist John Doe's John Doe Folk Trio also joining on select dates. Pre-sale for the new shows is open now on ticketmaster.com/bob-dylan-tickets/. - Billboard, 4/22/26...... 
A 5-bedroom home in Benton, Ill., where a young George Harrison visited in Sept. 1963 just before he shot to worldwide fame with the Beatles, is up for sale. Harrison made his unassuming trip, when he shopped for records and bought a guitar from local shops, to visit his sister Louise Harrison Caldwell's home at 113 McCann St., about 100 miles southeast of St. Louis, and the house had a date with the wrecking ball in 1995. However a group of activists including Louise, who moved away in the late 1960s, stepped in to save it. In the mid-1990s, a state agency bought the five-bedroom bungalow built in 1935 from a subsequent owner with plans to flatten it for parking. Beatles mega-fan Robert Bartel of Springfield, a Beatles author and documentarian, alerted the media and Fab Four loyalists. Local investors repurchased it from the state and opened the "Hard Day's Nite Bed and Breakfast," featuring the couch Harrison traded guitar licks on and stacks of other loaned Beatles memorabilia, including a bevy from Bartel. The bed-and-breakfast closed in 2010. Benton resident Grady Adams has since operated it as regular bed-and-bath apartments but now wants to sell, listing it for $105,000. Brian Calcaterra, Benton's director of economic development, suggested the city draft an ordinance to protect the house from demolition by a new owner, but Benton Mayor Lee Messersmith said the city council has not discussed the matter. Harrison never returned to Benton, though, dying in 2001 at 58. Caldwell was 91 when she died in 2023. Meanwhile, Harrison's ex-wife Pattie Boyd has wondered aloud who will play her in the upcoming Beatles biopics directed by Sam Mendes. Boyd, a model and photographer who was married to the guitarist between 1966 and 1977 before she married Eric Clapton (who wrote the song "Layla" for her), posted on X/Twitter earlier in April: "I wonder who will be cast to play me? That's assuming that I get to feature in any of the movies." Based on responses to Boyd's post, it seems as if one actor seems to be a favorite of many: White Lotus - Season 3 cast member Aimee Lee Wood. Mendes said all four Beatles biopics will be released in Apr. 2028, and that they'll be the "first binge-able theatrical experience." - Associated Press/HuffPost.com, 4/17/26...... In other Beatles-related news, Sean Ono Lennon has defended a famous photograph of his father and mother John Lennon and Yoko Ono with a maid, claiming it was not taken with ironic intent. Taking to X/Twitter on Apr. 22, Sean responded to an image of John and Yoko at one of their well-known "bed-ins," standing by a maid in the process of making their bed. The couple held this particular "bed-in" at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel in Mar. 1969 to protest the Vietnam War. In response to a tweet captioning the photo saying "the irony should not be lost," Sean replied: "There is zero irony in letting a maid do her job. Thinking otherwise is a very goofy take. They were not protesting maid service." He went on to say that "many people don't seem to know what irony is," adding: "Protesting a war while being in a honeymoon suite with maid service is not irony, it is absurdity, or comedy. To be ironic they would have to have protested the war while driving a tank. Now THAT would've been ironic. Thank you." When someone pointed out the irony of the "bed-in" itself being a "spoil of capitalism" -- ironic given John and Yoko's complaints of American capitalism pushing back against communism -- Lennon called the opinion a "boring kind of gotcha." "You could make this same kind of argument for anyone wearing jeans at a war protest. Like 'Omg isn't it ironic you used a sharpie marker to write that anti war sign?!'" he explained. - NME, 2/23/26...... Elsewhere on the Fab Four front, Ringo Starr, who released his 22nd solo album Long Long Road on Apr. 24, has told New Musical Express that he puts his longevity down to simply a "love" of music, and the need to collaborate -- especially with his ongoing supergroup, the All-Starr Band. "I'm a drummer, so you need a few guys around you," Ringo said. "I'd like to go on tour with just me and the drums! [At one point] I thought, 'Now I need all these other guys', and then I thought to put this All-Starr Band together [in 1989]. I had a phone book in those days, and everyone I phoned said yes. "I realized I had to close my book or otherwise there would be 40 people on stage! We got a good band together and I was a little nervous about it as it was the first time. Beyond me and Levon [Helm of The Band] as drummers, I had Jim Keltner, my favourite drummer, up there for security. We had three drummers." After his tour behind the new LP with All-Starrs wraps, Starr says he plans on sitting down with collaborator Bruce Sugar to "write a few more songs," just ahead of an increased spotlight on the Beatles legend thanks to Universal putting together a new "best of" Ringo album, and Sam Mendes' upcoming biopics about each of the Beatles (where Ringo will be played by Saltburn star Barry Keoghan). Starr will embark on a US tour from the end of May throughout the summer, before his annual "Peace & Love" birthday event on July 7. He also features on "Home To Us," a track from Paul McCartney's new album The Boys of Dungeon Lane, due on May 29. - NME, 4/24/26...... 
The first reviews for the new Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, starring his real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson, are in, and critics are apparently not thrilled with the big-screen story of the King of Pop. On Apr. 21, reviews of Michael were allowed to begin on rottentomatoes.com, and the film has a 32% critics score. A score of around 60% is generally considered to be a good rating. The UK critics in particular have not been so kind to the movie, with the BBC calling the film "a bland and barely competent daytime TV movie" and gave it one star, and The Guardian proclaiming that the "clichéd Jackson biopic is bland, bowdlerised and bad," while the Independent dubbed it a "risible biopic" that turns Jacko into "a 20th-century Jesus." But across the pond, the reception was somewhat more favorable, with The Hollywood Reporter writing: "If you're even remotely nostalgic for the time when his songs were ubiquitous on pop charts, at parties and on dance floors worldwide, the movie will be a warm rush of transporting pleasure," it gushed. Also complimentary is USA Today, sharing that, "Jaafar may share his late uncle's megawatt smile, lithe frame and Bambi eyelashes. But his liquid dance moves -- highlighted as he teaches gang members the footwork in the 'Beat It' video -- and soft-spoken cadence are studied to perfection." Meanwhile, Leaving Neverland MJ biopic director Dan Reed has criticized the new MJ biopic, claiming that the musician was "worse than Jeffrey Epstein' -- the notorious late millionaire alleged pedophile. Reed directed the HBO-produced, two-part Leaving Neverland back in 2019, which focused on interviews with Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who alleged that they were sexually abused as children by Jackson. In 2024, Reed slammed the then-upcoming biopic Michael as "startlingly disingenuous," claiming it discredits Robson and Safechuck's experiences with the singer. Now that the film has hit theaters, he's questioned why the new biopic failed to acknowledge the abuse allegations against Jackson. "It says that people don't care that he was a child molester. Literally, people just don't care," Reed said in a new interview with Hollywood Reporter. "I think a lot of people just love his music and turn a deaf ear. And short of having actual video evidence of Michael Jackson engaged in sexual intercourse with a seven-year-old child, I don't know what would be sufficient to change these people's minds. "How can you tell an authentic story about Michael Jackson without ever mentioning the fact that he was seriously accused of being a child molester?" he added. - Music-News.com/NME, 4/22/26...... Kraftwerk have lost one of the longest-running copyright cases in music history over a sample of their song "Metall Auf Metall." The dispute centres around a short excerpt of the 1977 track that was used in the 1997 song "Nur Mir" by German rapper Sabrina Setlur, produced by Moses Pelham and Martin Haas. It began as a domestic German copyright claim in the late '90s, and Kraftwerk members Ralf Hütter and the late Florian Schneider were initially successful in their case that the unlicensed use of their song constituted infringement. However, that ruling was subsequently appealed, overturned and referred on several occasions to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), resulting in a three-decade long legal battle over the regulation of sampling in Europe. A 2019 ruling held that sampling a recognisable section of a recorded song can amount to copyright infringement unless the sample is changed to the point that it becomes no longer identifiable. Now, a ruling on Apr. 14 in the CJEU's court in Luxembourg has ruled that a song can qualify as a "pastiche" if it evokes an existing recording in a recognizable but transformed form, but remains "notably different" from the original and engages in "artistic or creative dialogue" with the original. This represents a defeat for Kraftwerk, as it effectively confirms that Pelham and Haas' use of the sample falls within the "pastiche" category. Kraftwerk's "Multimedia"' UK and Ireland tour is set to kick off in Dublin on May 17 and will take in a total of 17 dates, including three in London's Royal Albert Hall on June 4, 5 and 6. It wraps in Edinburgh on June 9. - NME, 4/21/26...... Ronnie Wood has announced some UK and European headline shows for his 2026 solo tour. The Rolling Stones guitarist confirmed in March that he'd be taking to the stage at the legendary Paradiso in Amsterdam on Sept. 7. He later added a second night at the venue due to demand. Now, he's shared details of two extra gigs in the UK and Germany. Wood will play at the O2 Forum Kentish Town in London on Aug. 21, before heading to E-Werk in Cologne on Sept. 3. Imelda May is set to appear on stage with Wood and his band at the forthcoming concerts. "I'm looking forward to kickin' ass with my back catalogue and some new songs -- look out London!" Wood said in a statement. Wood will also support Eric Clapton at his huge show at the Sandringham Estate this summer. - NME, 4/21/26...... 
Alan Osmond, the eldest singing member of the '70s family singing group The Osmonds, died on Apr. 20 in the group's native state of Utah of as yet undisclosed causes. He was 76. The family revealed that Osmond died surrounded by his wife Suzanne and their eight sons. Osmond -- who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1987 -- and his nine siblings grew up as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ogden, Ut., getting their start in music singing in their church choir. At age nine, he started a barbershop quartet with brothers Wayne, Merrill and Jay Osmond in 1958, with the squeaky clean group quickly picking up gigs at Disneyland in L.A. and frequent guest spots NBC's The Andy Williams Show variety hour from 1962-1967. Alan, referred to as "No. 1" by his younger brothers, took up the mantle as the group's leader, with the family band originally forming as a way to raise money for hearing aids for their hearing impaired older brothers, Virl and Tom Osmond. In 1963, the brothers were joined by younger sibling and future break-out star Donny Osmond, then six-years-old, who made his debut on the Williams show, turning the quartet into a quintet. A few years later, their youngest brother, Jimmy Osmond, joined the band as well. The Osmonds, who were known as "one-take Osmonds" for their efficiency, precision and constant rehearsing, moved on to The Jerry Lewis Show from 1967-1969 and slowly morphed from a vocal group to a pop/rock group, signing to MGM Records and recording at the famed Muscle Shoals studio in Alabama. It was there they recorded their only No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit, 1971's Jackson 5-esque bubblegum pop bop "One Bad Apple." The legendarily clean-cut, family-friendly band followed up with the more R&B-leaning, horn-spiked "Yo Yo" (1971, No. 3 on Hot 100), "Down By the Lazy River" (1972, No. 4), the lush ballad "Love Me For a Reason" (1974, No. 10) and the rocking "Crazy Horses" (1972, No. 14), which were among the 13 songs the group landed on the pop charts. Alan married Suzanne Pinegar, a BYU cheerleader, in 1974 and they had eight sons. In 1980, Alan and brother Merrill founded the Stadium of Fire in Provo, Ut., which now regularly hosts one of the biggest Fourth of July celebrations in the country. Alan, who in addition to singing and playing rhythm guitar was also a producer on the ABC variety program Donny & Marie (1976-1979) and a key songwriter and producer of the family band, retired from performing in 1987 following his MS diagnosis. The singer and his family were also key players behind the Children's Miracle Network Telethon, which raised more than $2 billion for children's hospitals in the U.S. He also helped found the One Heart Foundation, which provided support to orphans. Donny Osmond paid tribute to his brother in a loving Instagram post on Apr. 21 that featured one of the earliest black and white pictures of the pair as children. "Even back then, you can see that he had his arm around me, watching over me. That's who he was. My protector. My guide. The one who quietly carried so much responsibility so the rest of us could shine," Donny wrote. "Alan was our leader in every sense of the word. His tireless work helped build everything we became. I will always be grateful for the sacrifices he made and the love he showed -- not just to me, but to every member of our family. I owe him more than I can ever fully express. I love you, Alan. Thank you for always being there for me. Till we meet again." - Billboard, 4/21/26...... 
Dave Mason, the veteran singer-songwriter and guitarist with Traffic and brief Fleetwood Mac member as well as a successful '70s solo artist, died on Apr. 19 at home in Gardnerville, Nev. He was 79. The news was confirmed in a statement from his publicist, who said: "On behalf of his family, it is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of Dave Mason. On Sunday, April 19, the Rock & Rock Hall of Fame inductee, celebrated songwriter, musician, singer and author passed away peacefully at his home in Gardnerville, Nevada," the Instagram post reads. "Dave Mason lived a remarkable life devoted to the music and the people he loved," it added. From a prolific career that saw him play with an extensive range of musical legends, Mason is best remembered for his time with the British psych-rock band Traffic, writing and singing lead vocals on two of their biggest songs, "Hole In My Shoe" and "Feelin' Alright?," the latter becoming a hit for Joe Cocker. He was also behind the hit songs "Only You Know And I Know," which became associated with the band Delaney & Bonnie, and "We Just Disagree," a 1977 solo hit for Mason. During his career, Mason played alongside The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney and Wings, Michael Jackson and Fleetwood Mac. Born on May 10, 1946 in Worcester, UK, Mason began playing guitar aged 16, influenced by Buddy Holly, and became a roadie for the Spencer Davis Group in the mid-'60s, where he met Steve Winwood. When Winwood left the band in 1967 and formed Traffic, he hired Mason on guitar and they quickly scored multiple Top Ten hits in the UK. Mason was fired from Traffic in 1968, and he became an in-demand session player, contributing 12-string guitar on Hendrix's "All Along The Watchtower" and playing the Asian instrument the shehnai on the Stones' "Street Fighting Man." He was also a part of the sessions for Harrison's All Things Must Pass, and after relocating to the US, he toured with Clapton on the Delaney & Bonnie & Friends tour in the early '70s. 
Mason also released a string of solo albums in the '70s and '80s, including Alone Together, Headkeeper, and It's Like You Never Left as well as a full-length collaboration with the Mamas & The Papas' Cass Elliot, and he also played guitar on Paul McCartney and Wings' 1975 hit "Listen To What The Man Says," and teamed up with Michael Jackson on "Save Me" in 1980. He later joined Fleetwood Mac in 1993, playing on their album Time two years later, and he would rejoin Traffic a number of times, including for their induction into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. In late 2025, Mason announced his retirement from touring on Instagram, citing health challenges, and "closing the curtain on 60 remarkable years of rock n' roll and marking the end of a significant era in music history." "He retires from touring a happy man with a heart full of gratitude to his band members, business colleagues, and especially his legions of fans who made his life one of deep satisfaction and fulfilment," the statement read. "The immensity of his joy remains solid as he steps back from the stage." He is survived by his wife Winifed Wilson, his daughter Danielle, nephew John Leonard and niece Michelle Leonard. - NME, 4/22/26.
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Favorite Seventies Artists In The News
Nancy Sinatra is the latest musician requesting Pres. Donald Trump refrain from using their (or their family's) music in his political messaging. On Apr. 18, the '60s hitmaker and daughter of famous entertainment icon Frank Sinatra took to X/Twitter to rage at the president for posting a video of her late tuxedo-wearing dad singing his iconic 1969 ballad "My Way" at Madison Square Garden in 1974 on his Truth Social platform with no context or commentary earlier in the weekend. "This is sacrilege," Nancy posted on X in response to a person who wrote, "Omg, @NancySinatra will not be happy about this. Trump goes against everything that Frank stood for. He was a big champion for equality and supported the Civil Rights movement." When another fan asked if there is anything Nancy can do to prevent Trump from posting her father's music, the "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" singer replied, "Unfortunately no. The only people who can do something are the publishers" (the song's publishers are Because Music and Primary Wave). Nancy also reposted a fan comment that read: "Trump may love Sinatra, but Sinatra did not love Trump." In March, the frequent Trump critic tweeted, "Not only is trump insane but he is an extreme danger to America and the world." "My Way," which was also famously covered by Elvis Presley in his 1970s concerts, is an English-language adaptation of the French song "Comme d'habitude," with lyrics written by Paul Anka. Trump's use of music in various campaigns has continued to court controversy. He played songs including "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and "Start Me Up" during his 2016 rallies, leading The Rolling Stones to follow in the footsteps of Adele, Neil Young, Steven Tyler, Foo Fighters, ABBA, Bruce Springsteen, Queen, R.E.M, Jack White, Celine Dion and Prince's estate. - Billboard, 4/20/26...... 
Bruce Springsteen jammed with The Doors' drummer John Densmore on Apr. 18 at he American Music Honors, an annual event organized by the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center at Monmouth University in New Jersey. The Doors were among those honoured at the event, and Springsteen joined Densmore, as well as The E Street Band's Steve Van Zandt and the Disciples Of Soul house band for a rendition of The Doors' 1967 hit "Light My Fire." "There is no one in the room in danger of filling Jim Morrison's leather pants tonight," Springsteen quipped to the crowd after taking to the stage. Densmore and guitarist Robbie Krieger are the only surviving original members of the L.A.-based The Doors, and the drummer said at the event: "The Doors played in Asbury Park, and guess who was in the audience - the Boss!" "Hey, if our music helped Bruce shout out his bride, I'm hip," he added, referring to Springsteen's wife Patti Scialfa, who was apparently also at the 1986 gig. "It apparently worked, "Densmore continued. "They've been together quite a while. You know, so long that maybe Patty's the Boss!" Also at the event, Patti Smith, Dr. Dre, Dionne Warwick, The Band and The E Street Band all picked up American Music Honors. At the end of the show, many of the honorees came together to play Smith's "People Have The Power." Fan-shot footage of the Springsteen/Doors collab can be viewed on X/Twitter. - New Musical Express, 4/19/26...... Cher has filed for conservatorship of her son Elijah Blue Allman for a second time following a string of arrests in recent months. In late 2023, Cher applied for a conservatorship over Elijah, her 49-year-old son with the late Gregg Allman, claiming that he was "substantially unable to manage his financial resources" due to "severe mental health and substance abuse issues." Allman later filed an objection to his mother's request, stating that he was not in need of a conservatorship and claiming that Cher would be "unfit to serve." The family then reached a private settlement in 2024, having paused court proceedings to attempt to resolve the matter privately. Now, Cher has once again filed for conservatorship, submitting the application to Los Angeles Superior Court earlier in April. The case states that Allman "has significantly deteriorated since a prior conservatorship petition was filed in 2023" and that "The proposed conservatee is currently in custody in the State of New Hampshire in a locked psychiatric hospital in an attempt to restore him to competency to face criminal charges in two cases." Allman was reportedly arrested for causing a disturbance at a private school on Mar. 1, while two days later he was arrested again after allegedly breaking into a home in Windham, N.H. Gregg Allman died in 2017 and Elijah reportedly receives an annual allowance of $120,000 per year from his trust. Cher has in the past claimed that the money is spent primarily on "drugs, expensive hotels and limousine transportation." Documents filed by Cher's lawyers in 2023 suggested that she was concerned that "any funds distributed to Elijah will be immediately spent on drugs, leaving Elijah with no assets to provide for himself and putting Elijah's life at risk." Meanwhile, Elijah's estranged wife, Marieangela King, is asking a court to intervene in her spousal support battle, claiming that Elijah is behind on child support payments as he's currenlty under hospital care. On Apr. 14, King asked the Superior Court of California for assistance in having the trustee of Allman's estate make direct payments to her amid his health ups and downs. King and Allman married in Dec. 2013 after meeting in Germany. Their 13-year relationship was marked by ups and downs, including a 2021 divorce filing by Allman, which was dismissed in 2024. King filed for divorce in Apr. 2025, citing irreconcilable differences. Allman was ordered in summer 2025 to pay her $6,500 per month. King alleged that she hasn't received spousal support since Nov. 2025. - NME/Music-News.com, 4/18/26...... 
In an interview with the New York Times published on Apr. 18, Jesus Christ Superstar composer Andrew Lloyd Webber revealed that he's a recovering alcoholic and started a current journey to sobriety more than a year ago. Lloyd Weber, 78 and an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winner) member, says checking into a rehab clinic "didn't work," but joining AA meetings is something he's "adored." "Sixteen months ago I decided that I needed help and it's the best thing that ever happened to me," Weber told the paper. Though he'd previously talked about quitting drinking in 2015 and 2016, while producing "School of Rock" on Broadway, Lloyd Webber says he'd started to drink again. The composer, whose "Cats: The Jellicle Ball" is presently on Broadway, says he began "getting into a downhill spiral and about 18 months ago the family were in a desperate state, and added, "My wife was feeling she couldn't go on." "When you're a wine drinker, you don't think of yourself as well, alcoholics drink spirits," he said. "That was the shocking thing for me, when I realized that I was drinking vodka to hide it." "I'm lucky that nothing did go very wrong. I haven't had some frightful accident. But then you begin to think of the near misses," he admitted. "I thought that I was getting away with it. The thing is, I am deeply sorry and I can only apologize to people if I made a mess." On attending AA meetings, which he now attends daily, he shared, "What I love about it is you go into a room and everybody's equal. I've made friends that I wouldn't have thought possible." Lloyd Weber added he's currently working on two new musicals -- one that's based on the 2006 film The Illusionist and the other based on the theft of the Mona Lisa in 1911. - Billboard, 4/18/26...... Nearly 40 years after its release, Fleetwood Mac has charted its first hit on the Billboard Global 200, which charts the most popular songs around the world, with "Everywhere." The melodic nugget, from the band's 1987 album Tango in the Night, entered the Billboard Global 200 dated Apr. 18 at No. 188 led by 9.6 million streams worldwide April 3-9, according to Luminate. Boosting its profile in recent years, it has soundtracked ads for Chevrolet and PayPal (the latter featuring comic actor Will Ferrell giving his all to hit its high notes). Over on the Adult Contemporary chart, "Everywhere" became the Mac's second of three No. 1s, directly following the set's "Little Lies." Since the Global 200 launched in September 2020, FM has now charted four songs on the survey, first reaching No. 10 that October with the revived "Dreams," which brought the band to No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 1977. The song ranks at No. 40 on the latest Global 200 with 19.2 million streams worldwide. Two other '70s songs prominent in the group's catalog have hit new Global 200 highs this year: "Landslide" reached No. 123 in January and "The Chain" climbs to a new No. 102 best on the latest ranking. Artists who have covered "Everywhere" include The Corrs, Niall Horan and Anne-Marie, Chaka Khan, Lissie and Hayley Sabella. - Billboard, 4/16/26...... The UK charity Centrepoint has cut ties with Sharon Osbourne after the Ozzy Osbourne widow and TV personality announced she was planning to attend a so-called "Unite the Kingdom" rally in London's Trafalgar Square organized by controversial right-wing British political figure Tommy Robinson in May. Centrepoint, which provides accommodation and support to homeless people aged 16-25, has now distanced itself from Osbourne as a celebrity ambassador. In a statement, the charity said: "This sort of event does not align with our values," per the Guardian. It added: "Centrepoint has a proud history of supporting young people whatever their background, ethnicity or religion. If we want young people to thrive in this country then we need to ensure our society continues to allow them to live without fear and able to access the opportunities they need to start education or work and leave homelessness behind." The charity also expressed its gratitude to Osbourne for supporting its Omaze campaign, which raised money by selling entries for a sweepstakes-style draw to win a 5million home overlooking Lake Windermere, along with 250,000 in cash. "While Sharon supported us on this campaign, for which she was referred to as an ambassador as is standard for Omaze prize draws, she is not an official ongoing ambassador of Centrepoint and we have no plans to work together in the future," it said. Robinson, who has been eager to gain endorsement from celebrities, has celebrated Osbourne's support for the upcoming rally. The previous "Unite The Kingdom" march, meanwhile, took place last September, drawing over 100,000 members of the public, with speeches from Robinson and Elon Musk among others. At least 25 people were arrested and 26 police officers were injured at the event. - NME, 4/18/26...... 
Pink Floyd have joined forces with fashion house FC Internazionale Milano and Sony Music Italy to launch a new fashion collection, celebrating 50 years of its Wish You Were Here album. A new range of exclusive products have been launched, including an anthem jacket which will be worn by players during the pre-match of Inter vs. Cagliari, and a bundle with a t-shirt and vinyl. There is also a new PFFC Collection arriving, which is a capsule inspired by the football team founded by the band in the '70s. Members David Gilmour, Roger Waters, Nick Mason and Rick Wright, alongside various friends and members of the crew, put together the team when they would arrange football matches during breaks in their busy touring schedule. It also comes with the distinctive lettering seen in the original photo and a 50th anniversary logo of 'Wish You Were Here' on the back, which has been especially adapted for the Club. Aside from jerseys and shirts, there are also scarves, tote bags, guitar picks, and drumsticks available in the collection. Other new products from the Inter Milan and Pink Floyd collab include a limited edition Anthem Jacket, which the Nerazzurri will wear during the pre-match of Inter vs. Cagliari on Apr. 17, and a special bundle consisting of an original T-shirt and an Exclusive Blue Vinyl. The jacket is limited to 400 numbered pieces, and the bundle will be limited to 1908 copies. All products are available now on the official Inter online store, and at Inter Stores Milano, Castello, and San Siro. The bundle is on sale from Apr. 30 via the Sony Music Italy store. The announcement of the new fashion collaboration comes as the band dropped a 50th anniversary release of Wish You Were Here, which went on to become a Top 10 charting album across the world. A promotional video for the fashion line can be viewed on YouTube. Meanwhile, "Herman the Pig," the large-scale inflatable stage prop used during Roger Waters' 1990 The Wall - Live in Berlin performance by Pink Floyd, is among the standout items going up for an online sale conducted by Propstore, one of the world's leading entertainment memorabilia auction houses, in the UK on Apr. 30. The sale will feature over 400 lots of rare and sought-after music memorabilia from some of the world's most celebrated artists, with a combined estimated value of $2 million, led by a significant group of items from Pink Floyd spanning the band's early formation through to its large-scale live productions. The full catalog can be viewed at Propstoreauction.com. - NME/Music-News.com, 4/15/26...... Billboard has confirmed that Paul McCartney's upcoming album The Boys of Dungeon Lane will include a new collaboration with Ringo Starr called "Home To Us." The track has been labelled as reminiscent of the classic Beatles sound, and it sees the two trading vocals line-by-line, while Starr also contributes drums to the track. The song reportedly also includes contributions from Chrissie Hynde and Sharleen Spiteri, but as McCartney has explained, Ringo's involvement came together late in the process. "I saw Ringo and said I worked with this guy Andrew [Watt, producer]," he said. "Ringo came over to Andrew's studio and played a little bit of drums." From there, there was a series of misunderstandings, with Starr being a "bit pissed" with Watt when he was led to believe that his contribution was not enough, but McCartney was inspired to finish the song, focusing it on their childhoods in Liverpool. Sir Paul's new album is described as having him "in a candid, vulnerable and deeply reflective mood, writing with rare openness about his childhood in post-war Liverpool, the resilience of his parents, and early adventures shared with George Harrison an dJohn Lennon long before the world had ever heard of Beatlemania." The first taste of the record arrived in March the form of the tender single "Days We Left Behind," which takes McCartney back to the days of "smoky bars and cheap guitar" and was shared on on YouTube. - Billboard/NME, 4/17/26...... Prince's former drummer Charles "Chazz" Smith has revealed that the late iconic funk-rocker loved showing off his room full of fan mail after he shot to fame in the early 1980's. As part of a series of interviews to commemorate the 10th anniversary of his shock passing, Smith told the Guardian: "When he got famous he was flabbergasted that girls would drive all the way from places like Detroit to park outside his house, but he couldn't wait to show me his room full of fan mail. I'm really happy with what he was able to accomplish, but I'm also sad because if he'd had a regular life he may still be here today. What if he didn't have to take the whole world on from day one, or fight the record industry for the freedom to be himself?" Chazz added about the pain in Prince's life: "From the 18-hour recording sessions to the dancing, he pushed himself to the absolute limit and I don't think you ever get over losing a child (Amiir Nelson, who Prince had with his first wife Mayte Garcia, who died from Pfeiffer syndrome type 2 at six days old.) "He had a lot on his shoulders for a very long time. People are gonna talk about the great things he did for a very long time, but there was a lot of heartbreak." Prince passed away on Apr. 21, 2016, aged 57, when he was found unresponsive in an elevator at his sprawling Paisley Park estate in Chanhassen, Minn. His death was later ruled an accidental overdose of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid. - Music-News.com, 4/16/26...... 
'70s artists Van Morrison and Chaka Khan were among the major winners at the Jazz FM Awards 2026 with PPL and PRS for Music on Apr. 16, as leading figures from across jazz, soul and blues gathered at KOKO in London for one of the leading events in the international jazz calendar. Hosted by Doc Brown, the ceremony celebrated artists shaping the future of jazz alongside the icons whose influence continues to define the genre. Legendary singer-songwriter Morrison was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by Jools Holland, recognizing his extraordinary contribution to music across more than six decades. Global icon Chaka Khan received the Impact Award, presented by Sarah Jane Morris, while rising Mercury Prize-winning London group Ezra Collective were presented with a brand-new award for Outstanding Contribution to UK Jazz by Courtney Pine. The ceremony also featured a series of standout live performances celebrating the breadth of contemporary jazz and soul. Sir Van Morrison delivered a special performance of "Snatch It Back and Hold It" backed by the Van Morrison Alumni Band, while British soul legend Omar, visionary multi-instrumentalist Emma-Jean Thackray, and acclaimed vocalist Yazmin Lacey also performed on the night. Since its inception in 2013, the Jazz FM Awards have become one of the leading events in the international jazz calendar, celebrating artists across jazz, soul and blues while recognizing both emerging talent and globally established icons shaping the future of the genre. Sir Van recently told the London Times that his dad, an electrician at the Harland Wolff shipyard, played jazz records "day in and day out," exposing him to a sound that would underpin his blend of soul, blues and folk. Asked whether he would be performing today if it was not for his father's record collection: "Probably not. That was a huge influence. I was hearing jazz when I was a very young kid. My father played jazz records day in and day out. Skiffle came out of jazz, blues came out of jazz, so it was interconnected." - Music-News.com, 4/17/26...... Barbra Streisand has expressed her delight over seeing a traffic sign with one of her iconic taglines installed in New York City. Earlier in 2026, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal announced that a sign with the words "Hello, gorgeous!" would be mounted near the Brooklyn Bridge. Taking to Instagram on Apr. 16, Babs gushed over the sign, which is a reference to the first line she utters as Fanny Brice in the 1968 feature, Funny Girl. "You're looking at the new sign that will greet people as they enter Manhattan from Brooklyn," she wrote in the caption. "NYC is where I found my voice. It gave me a chance, a stage, and a lifetime of inspiration. There's nowhere else like it! Welcome to the Big Apple!" The 83-year-old, who won an Oscar for her performance in the film, went on to note that "Hello, gorgeous!" continues to have a lot of "meaning" to her. "As a teenager, I still remember that milelong ride from Brooklyn to Manhattan. It felt like a magical journey. Leading not just into the city but into my future, a place where dreams could come true. Welcome to the city that never sleeps, Manhattan. And may all your dreams come true," she declared in a voiceover. - Music-News.com, 4/16/26...... Actress Joy Harmon, best known for a provocative short scene in the 1967 classic rural prison farm film Cool Hand Luke, died at home in Los Angeles on Apr. 14 after being ill with pneumonia for weeks. She was 87. Ms. Harmon's short and wordless performance in Cool Hand Luke mesmerised characters in the film and audiences alike, in a three-minute car-washing scene rife with sexual innuendo. In the scene, the voluptuous Ms. Harmon washes a car and squeezes soap from a sponge on her body, drawing the attention and remarks of prisoners who watch as they dig a ditch. Although officially credited as The Girl, her character was called "Lucille" by one of the prisoners distracted by her car washing. It became the best known moment of her career, which spanned 32 credited appearances in movies and TV from the 1950s to the early 1970s, according to IMDB. "I was just washing a car to the best of my ability and having fun with it, with the sponge and everything," Ms. Harmon told Entertainment Weekly in 2017. "My concept of the [scene] was not like what came out. I was not aware that there were two meanings to things that I was doing, and I'm still not really that much aware of what they all were." Ms. Harmon started in the entertainment business as a child model and pageant queen and worked her way up through appearances on comedy and quiz shows. Most of her movie roles were through the 1960s and she also appeared in series including Bewitched, Batman, The Man from U.N.C.L.E, The Beverley Hillbillies, The Odd Couple and The Monkees. After acting, she worked at Disney Studios and in 2003 she opened a bakery in Los Angeles but still got fan mail sent to her every week. She is survived by three children and nine grandchildren. - BBC.com, 4/16/22...... 
Country music songwriter Don Schlitz, the Grammy-winning composer of some of country's most enduring songs including "The Gambler" and "Forever and Ever, Amen," died on Apr. 16 in a Nashville hospital following a sudden illness. He was 73. Schlitz achieved greatness with his first recorded song, "The Gambler," which he wrote at the age of 23. It went on to win the Grammy for best country song in 1979, and made its performer Kenny Rogers one of the top stars in the country genre. "The Gambler," the lead track on Rogers' 1978 No. 1 country and No. 12 pop album of the same name, is a timeless tale of a card shark with sharp wits, and a reporter remarked that it would be the first line of his obituary when he informed him that it had been nominated for a CMA song of the year award (it also won that award). Born and raised in Durham, N.C., Schlitz briefly attended Duke University before moving to Nashville at age 20. According to legend he caught the bus to Music Row with just $80 in his pocket, and he knew how to play his cards right. But he was no one-hit wonder. He also crafted hits for Randy Travis, The Judds, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Tanya Tucker, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Keith Whitley and Alison Krauss, his creations including "On the Other Hand," "Forever and Ever, Amen," "He Thinks He'll Keep Her," "The Greatest," and "When You Say Nothing At All." All "are touchstones and inspirations that continue to influence songwriters and singers decades after they were written," reads a statement from the Grand Ole Opry, which in 2022 inducted Schlitz as a member. "His words and music have articulated the extraordinary emotions inherent in common experience." He was named ASCAP country songwriter of the year for four consecutive years, from 1988-91, and his collection includes a hattrick of CMA song of the year awards and a pair of CMA song of the year awards. He won a second Grammy in 1988, also in the category for best country song, with "Forever And Ever, Amen." Induction into the Nashville Songwriters Association Hall of Fame came in 1993. Then, in 2012, Schlitz was elevated into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Rogers was on hand that night to salute Schlitz. "Don doesn't just write songs," the late superstar country/pop crossover singer remarked, "he writes careers." Later, he was inducted as a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2017. Schlitz's Grand Ole Opry nod saw him become the only non-artist songwriter inducted into the show in its 100-year history. The prolific music man also wrote the music and lyrics for the 1999 Broadway musical "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer." On Apr. 18, the Grand Ole Opry dedicated its Apr. 18 show in Schlitz' honor. He is survived by his wife, Stacey; his daughter Cory Dixon and her husband Matt Dixon; his son Pete Schlitz and his wife Christian Webb Schlitz; his grandchildren Roman, Gia, Isla, and Lilah; his brother Brad Schlitz; and his sister Kathy Hinkley. - Billboard, 4/17/26.
KISS' Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have revealed the launch date for the band's long awaited Las Vegas avatar show, and will apparently include "new songs." After KISS played the final show on their farewall tour in Dec. 2023, they announced that their "new era" would involve live shows where they would be replaced by their digital avatars. The holograms also debuted at that gig, where they performed 'God Gave Rock And Roll To You' after the real band left the stage at Madison Square Garden. Simmons later said that the avatars would "get better" after a less-than-enthusiastic public response, and he said that "about 200 million" dollars was being invested in the technology. Now, in an interview with Pollstar magazine, Simmons and Stanley have said the show is tentatively scheduled to launch in Las Vegas in 2028. Production on the shows will be overseen by Pophouse Entertainment, the company behind ABBA's acclaimed "Voyage" show, and it will be Pophouse's first US-based show. "It's going to be the iconic face personas, the Demon, the Starchild and so on. Who you want to place into that line-up is up to you," Simmons told the outlet. Responding to a question about what songs will be included, Stanley said it will "have all the classics through the years and some surprises," while Simmons added that "you're gonna get all that stuff, and also new songs" which have been "written by us." In Nov. 2024, Stanley said the show would be like "Cirque Du Soleil meets Star Wars and a KISS concert," claiming the avatars will look "identical" to them. - New Musical Express, 4/14/26...... In related news, ABBA have reached the "incredible milestone" of 4 million visitors to their "Voyage" live show. The groundbreaking concert residency sees digital CGI versions of the four members of ABBA performing in the purpose-built ABBA Arena in East London, and since launching in 2022, four million people have been in attendance. "Voyage" passed the one million visitor mark in Apr. 2023, and as of the second weekend in Apr. 2026, it will have quadrupled that number. "Reaching four million visitors is an incredible milestone for ABBA Voyage, and a testament to the fans who have travelled from across the world to be part of this experience," ABBA said in a statement. "From those visiting for the first time to the many who return again and again, it's their energy and passion that bring the concert to life every night. To see audiences continue to embrace the concert and the joy of our music is truly special, and it's been incredible to watch the concert become a global phenomenon," they add. In the four years since it launched, ABBA "Voyage" has staged 1,415 concerts with audiences collectively spending more than 141,500 hours at the show. "Dancing Queen"' alone has played for 4,800 minutes. In 2023, ABBA member Björn Ulvaeus told New Musical Express that "We hope to stay in this venue for as long as we can. We hope they'll have us for many years, and we might build other replicas of this in other places: Asia, Australia, North America. There are lots and promoters and cities that we're talking to at the moment about that. Each one would take at least two years to build, but there will be announcements towards the end of this year or the beginning of next about where we actually are going. That's if we're going somewhere, which we will." - NME, 4/11/26...... 
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame unveiled its Class of 2026 inductees on the Apr. 13 episode of American Idol, with host Ryan Seacrest and RRHOF member Lionel Richie announcing the eight artists who made the cut out of a total of 17 who were nominated in late February. Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Sade, Luther Vandross and hip-hop pioneers Wu-Tang Clan were inducted into the Performers category, with the Early Influence Award going to Queen of Salsa Celia Cruz; Afrobeat architect Fela Kuti; hip-hop boundary-breaker Queen Latifah; rap pioneer MC Lyte; and country rock godfather Gram Parsons. Musical Excellence Awards were given to Philly soul songwriter Linda Creed ("The Greatest Love of All"); producer Arif Mardin (The Bee Gees, Bette Midler); producer/musician Jimmy Miller (The Rolling Stones, Steve Winwood); and producer Rick Rubin (Johnny Cash, Tom Petty). Finally, Ed Sullivan --whose groundbreaking variety show The Ed Sullivan Show introduced Americans to live performances from Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Jackson 5 and more -- receives the Ahmet Ertegun Award. Eight of the marquee names in the Class of 2026 are being inducted posthumously: Luther Vandross (died in 2005), Celia Cruz (2003), Fela Kuti (1997), Gram Parsons (1973), Linda Creed (1986), Arif Mardin (2006), Jimmy Miller (1994) and Ed Sullivan (1974). The nine acts on the 2026 ballot who didn't make it in this year include The Black Crowes, Jeff Buckley, Mariah Carey, Melissa Etheridge, Lauryn Hill, INXS, New Edition, P!NK and Shakira. One of the main takeaways of this year's Rock Hall class is that the 1980s are "the new '60s & '70s," with no primarily '60s or '70s acts inducted this year (unless you count the Joy Division half of Joy Division/New Order, which released one of its two studio LPs in 1979) or even nominated. The 2026 Rock Hall induction ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on Nov. 14, to be aired on ABC and Disney+ the following month. - Billboard, 4/13/26...... Paul McCartney has extended his history on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart with his new single "Days We Left Behind," which he shared on YouTube on Mar. 26. The song, from McCartney's forthcoming studio LP The Boys of Dungeon Lane, bowed at No. 22 on the A/C list dated Apr. 18, Sir Paul's highest A/C debut since 1978, when "With a Little Luck," with Wings, entered at No. 21. He last appeared on A/C with "Come On to Me," which hit No. 10 in Oct. 2018, becoming his 19th top 10 as a soloist. "Days We Left Behind" is also drawing early play at adult alternative radio, debuing at No. 7 on the Rock Digital Songs chart dated Apr. 11. "This is very much a memory song for me," McCartney, 83, shared in a statement announcing the new album, which drops on May 29 via MPL/Capitol Records. "The album title, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, comes from a lyric in this track. I was thinking just that, about the days I left behind, and I do often wonder if I'm just writing about the past, but then I think, 'How can you write about anything else?'," he said in a statement. - Billboard, 4/10/26...... Smokey Robinson has lost his bid to put an end to the claims brought by two of the five Jane Does accusing him of sexual assault. The Motown legend had asked a Los Angeles County judge to dismiss the claims as being too old to pursue because the to women stopped working for the Robinsons in 2020 and 2011. The singer maintained that California's "revival window" which has allowed women to resurrect historical assault claims did not extend to their separate allegations of a hostile work environment and unpaid wages. He also argued that the women had failed to show how they were prevented from filing those labour claims within the three-year statute of limitations. However the women's lawyer argued that "there was systematic sexual coercion, and that would have thwarted any reasonable investigation into wage rights... The plaintiffs have clearly stated that there was a systematic coercion for them to live under a code of silence." The judge ultimately sided with the women. In a $50 million lawsuit filed in May 2025, the first four Jane Does alleged they were sexually assaulted or raped repeatedly while working for Robinson and his wife, Frances, at their homes in the San Fernando Valley and Las Vegas. The Robinsons have denied the allegations and counter-sued the women for defamation and elder abuse. - Music-News.com, 4/14/26...... 
As Record Store Day approaches in the UK and US on Apr. 18, avid former Led Zeppelin frontman and avid record collector Robert Plant has been named as this year's Record Store Legend. "Record stores have always been a part of my life. For me, once you get to the physical record it's because you really want to know and be a part of what the artist was considering," Plant said during a recent visit to Cardiff, UK's Spillers Records. "And I know, as a guy who's been making records since 1966, people want to take home something very special, to enjoy all the elements of what an artist has put together. We want a connection between the music and the art of the whole thing," he added in the appearance, which has been shared on Instagram. The 19th installment of RSD, a celebration of independent record shops and vinyl culture in the UK involving more than 300 stores around the country, will take place on Apr. 18. Previous recipients of Record Store Legend include Elton John and Johnny Marr, while Plant himself is part of RSD 2026 as his EP "Saving Grace: All That Glitters" will be released for the occasion. This year's Record Store Day arrives with vinyl sales at their highest level in 20 years. The UK's Digital Entertainment and Retail Association report that the market for vinyl records grew by 18.6%, in value terms with over 7.5 million discs sold last year, generating 238 million. In the US, the Recording Industry Association of America released numbers in March showing vinyl sales surpassed the $1 billion mark in 2025. Other notable RSD 2026 releases include Bruce Springsteen - Live From Asbury Park 2024 and a Just Tell Me You Love Me various artists' tribute to Fleetwood Mac. - NME, 4/11/26...... After a teaser video of The Rolling Stones' new vinyl-only single as The Cockroaches, titled "Rough & Twisted," was uploaded to Instagram recently, a full rip of the tune has been shared online after the single was released as a vinyl-only "white label" record on Apr. 11. The physical edition was limited to just 1,000 numbered copies at independent record shops worldwide, and has since sold out. In the comments section on TikTok, one fan described the song as "early '70s Stones" with "today's production and engineering," with another fan writing: "This is so killer, holy shit." On Instagram, another person hailed the track's "big blues(rock) sound." "Yeah, why don't you drive me/ Down that rough and twisted road?/ Why don't you guide me/ 'Cause I don't know which way to go?," Jagger sings over distorted guitar in the first verse. The frontman later adds: "Yeah, all you feed me was just rancid rice and bones/ All I drank was muddy water/ As lonely as a saxophone/ Why don't you take me/ To where I wanna go? To Natchez, Mississippi, Sicily and Rome." The single serves as the first taste of Stones' as-yet-untitled new album, which is slated for release in July, and will be the band's first full-length effort since 2023's Grammy-winning Hackney Diamonds. - NME, 4/14/26...... 
'70s punk icon Iggy Pop broke out several classic tracks at the Coachella 2026 festival in California on Apr. 12, and ended his set by being wheeled away in a coffin. Iggy made his latest appearance at the iconic music fest after having played there solo for the first time in 2001, before reuniting with his band The Stooges for the first time in three decades back in 2003. Pop opened his show with back-to-back renditions of "T.V. Eye," "Raw Power," "I Got A Right" and "Gimme Danger," before heading into two solo fan favorites: "The Passenger" and "Lust For Life." Other hits in the 14-song setlist included the classics "I Wanna Be Your Dog" and "Search And Destroy," and he introduced the song "1970" by making a nod to his age. "It's not easy being alive now. It's not easy to be old... it's not easy to be young," the rocker, who is set to turn 79 on Apr. 21 said, introducing the song. "It wasn't easy then." As well as working through his biggest hits from over the past few decades, the punk godfather also ended his show with a bang too -- getting into a black, red fur-lined coffin, and playfully crossing his arms over his chest and sticks his tongue out. The lid was then closed over him, and he was wheeled off the stage that way, with his arm sticking out the side and waving to the crowd along the way. That theatrical exit from the stage is the same way he ended his sets during his UK tour in 2025. After the performance, multiple viewers took to social media to celebrate the energy and charisma Pop is capable of displaying, even well into his 70s. "It's incredible and impressive that at 78-years-old he still dominates the stage like few others: raw, electric, and absolutely hypnotic. The father of punk in his most alive form," one fan wrote. "It is amazing that Iggy Pop can do what he's doing at nearly 80 years old, but if he wore a shirt no one would mind," one person quipped, while anther responded: "He was born shirtless and he'll die shirtless." Fan shot footage of the performance can be viewed on X/Twitter. - NME, 4/13/26...... After a bench warrant was issued for a 55-year-old LA woman who allegedly stalked and threatened former Fleetwood Mac member Lindsey Buckingham for years before physically attacking the singer/guitarist in March, the woman has been arrested in Indiana. Los Angeles prosecutors have charged 55-year-old Michelle Dick with seven criminal counts after she allegedly hurled an unidentified substance at Buckingham in Santa Monica on Mar. 25. The felony complaint, filed on Apr. 6, alleges Dick stalked Buckingham between 2021 and Mar. 25 this year. The charges include making criminal threats, assault with a deadly weapon involving a motor vehicle, and vandalizing Buckingham's car. Prosecutors claim the woman also stalked a second victim, identified as "Stephanie N.", placing her in reasonable fear for her safety. Buckingham's former bandmate Stevie Nicks' full name is Stephanie Lynn Nicks, but it has not been confirmed that she is the second victim. Buckingham sought a restraining order against Dick in Nov. 2024, alleging years of harassment. A judge granted the restraining order in Dec. 2024, requiring her to stay away from Buckingham, his wife, Kristen, and their son for five years. She was also ordered to keep her distance from their homes and vehicles. Buckingham told the court that Dick allegedly parked her car outside one of the homes he shares with his wife in 2024. "She began rambling about me being her father and suffocating her as a child," Buckingham wrote. He shared that subsequent threats on Instagram were directed at his wife. "This incident terrified my wife as she feared for her safety. Given that Ms Dick also knows my home address, I am terrified as well," he wrote. - Music-News.com, 4/14/26..... 
Roger Waters is on the lookout for a new singer to front his son's Pink Floyd tribute group Brit Floyd - after firing him from his touring solo band. Harry Waters previously played keyboards for his father on the road for 14 years. However, Harry revealed in 2023 that his dad had let him know that his services would no longer be required. "I was fired, it was pretty miserable," he said at the time, adding that his dad "wanted a change of blood, something new, something fresh." Harry then went on to join tribute act Brit Floyd, alongside one of Pink Floyd's former background singers, Durga McBroom, and their ex-saxophonist, Scott Page. Now, Roger has put out an "open invitation" on Instagram for a singer to join a brand-new tour scheduled for next year, "Roger Waters Presents LEGACY - A Pink Floyd Show Performed By The Harry Waters Band." The announcement for the upcoming dates is accompanied by the tagline: "The father's legacy, the son's band." In a statement, Roger wrote: "My son Harry Waters has put a great band and show together to go on the road next year to pay tribute to the music from the golden era of Pink Floyd, and maybe a couple of songs from my subsequent solo career. Harry's band is missing one thing: The voice I had when I was young [from] 'Comfortably Numb', to the high-pitched scream of 'You know how I need you to beat to a pulp on a Saturday night' from 'Don't Leave Me Now'. Can you do that? Are you that missing voice? If you are, this is your chance. This is an open invitation to audition for Harry's band. I'm serious." Those who wish to apply for the role can do so via an online form before Apr. 30. "Please be sure to submit a Pink Floyd song, with Roger on lead," the form reads. It also mentions the band's "tentative tour plans," stating that it will kick off next February and run for 20 weeks. - NME, 4/10/26...... Jermaine Jackson, the brother of Michael Jackson, shocked fans with a rare public appearance at the LA world premiere of the new MJ biopic Michael on Apr. 11. Jermaine, 71, first rose to fame as a founding member of the Jackson 5 alongside brothers Michael, Jackie, Tito and Marlon Jackson. Known for his smooth vocals and bass guitar skills, Jermaine contributed to hits like "I Want You Back" and "ABC," which helped cement the group's place in music history. After the Jackson 5 transitioned to The Jacksons in the mid-1970s, Jermaine briefly stayed with Motown to pursue a solo career, scoring R&B hits like "Daddy's Home" and "Let's Get Serious." He eventually rejoined his brothers and continued to perform with them through the 1980s, including during the legendary Victory Tour. In recent years, he has appeared less frequently in the public eye, focusing on family and occasional musical projects. Michael will officially open in the US on Apr. 24 and in the UK on Apr. 24. - JLAForums.com, 4/12/26...... Canadian thespian Richard Donat, known for being the voice of Deej on the 1980s Star Wars spin-off TV show Ewoks, has died at the age of 84. Among his most famous roles was the Stephen King character Vince Teagues on the Syfy show Haven, which was set in Mr. Donat's native Nova Scotia. He was also a fixture on CBC radio in "Canada at Christmastime," when he could be heard reading the Robert Louis Stevenson poem "Christmas at Sea." Mr. Donat's longtime wife Maggie Thomas and their sons Owen and Morgan were at his side when he died on Mar. 28, according to the funeral home's announcement. He purportedly suffered from illnesses in the last two years of his life and was treated at a hospital on the South Shore of Nova Scotia, where he has lived since 1989. Mr. Donat hailed from a showbiz family as the nephew of Oscar-winning English actor Robert Donat (Goodbye, Mr. Chips) and the brother of Peter Donat, known for his stints on the 1980s prime-time soap Flamingo Road and in the 1990s on The X-Files. The 1970s and 1980s also saw Richard land work in a number of Canadian films, such as the horror picture Death Weekend starring Brenda Vaccaro and the oil crisis satire Gas led by a young Howie Mandel. - DailyMail.com, 4/14/26...... 
Children's programming legend and beloved puppeteer Sid Krofft, who alongside his brother Marty created popular '70s children's TV shows like Land of the Lost and H.R. Pufnstuf, died on Apr. 10 of natural causes at the home of his friend and business partner, Kelly Killian. He was 96. "Sid Krofft was an icon who did what he loved most until the very end - being out in public with his legions of fans," his publicist Adam Fenton said in a statement. "Sid never slowed down, attending his final show where it all began just last November in his home state of Rhode Island. Sid was a beacon of light and will be greatly missed," he added. Born in Montreal, Quebec, and raised in Rhode Island, Mr. Krofft worked as a puppeteer in vaudeville and Ringling Bros. circus before he and his brother Marty Krofft (who died in 2023 at age 86) set their sights on television. After a stint working for Hanna-Barbera's The Banana Splits, the brothers created and produced H.R. Pufnstuf in 1969, a children's TV series featuring puppets that was very attuned with the psychedelia of the era. Though the show was short-lived, lasting only one season of 17 episodes, H.R. Pufnstuf would later become a cult series and became a launchpad for similar Krofft productions. In the 1970s, the Kroffts produced The Bugaloos, Lidsville, Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, and Land of the Lost, with the latter series -- about a time-warped family sent back to an era of stop-motion dinosaurs -- adapted into a Will Ferrell-starring big screen film in 2009. Sid and Marty also headlined their own Krofft Supershow in the mid-1970s, while their puppeteering featured on variety shows ranging from The Brady Bunch Hour and Raquel Welch's Really Raquel to Richard Pryor's Pryor's Place and Donny & Marie. The Kroffts would later receive a Lifetime Achievement award from the Daytime Emmys as well as a joint star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Marty, who was eight years younger than Sid, died in 2023 at age 86. The Brady Bunch star Maureen McCormick took to Instagram to mourn her friend and mentor upon learning of his death. "Rest in peace Sid Krofft" she captioned the update. "Thank you for the sweetest memories." In the featured image, the actress and two of her Brady Bunch costars posed with Mr. Krofft and others at his and Marty's Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony in 2020. - au.rollingstone.com/TVInsider.com, 4/12/26.