Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on September 17th, 2026

A new book about Freddie Mercury features the late Queen frontman's personal notes and alternative "Bohemian Rhapsody" lyrics. Authored by Mercury's longtime friend, Mary Austin, A Life in Lyrics: The Official Creative Legacy of Freddie Mercury opens a window into the private creative world behind the rocker's legacy. It brings together handwritten drafts, rough ideas, unused verses and visual notes from Mercury's creative work, reaching from his pre-Queen days through his solo years. Among the archive are early versions of "Bohemian Rhapsody" and several drafts connected to "Don't Stop Me Now," alongside complete songs that never made it into the studio. Personal photographs and recollections also add intimate context throughout the book. - Billboard, 9/15/26...... Roger Waters has sent a social media message to British pop star Ed Sheeran regarding Sheeran's decision to remove rapper Macklemore from his tour for making pro-Palestine comments on stage. The controversy started when Macklemore made an impassioned speech on-stage while opening for Sheeran, calling for "all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect, and equality" and for a "free Palestine," which prompted the Israeli-American Council to call for his removal from the tour, claiming the rapper had used his platform to "advance a one-sided political agenda." Macklemore then shared a social media message claiming New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft, who is Jewish, had started a campaign against Sheeran to drop him or the shows couldn't go ahead. Now, Roger Waters has weighed in on the discussion, and showed his backing for Macklemore, while calling Sheeran a "little prick." "Ed Who," Waters began a video message he posted on Instagram. "This is a little message for Ed Sheeran," he said, before showing an image of United Nations Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese behind him, as well as an unnamed woman from Gaza pictured with tears in her eyes. "I just have a little message for [Sheeran]," Waters added. "There are two kinds of people in this world. There's people who do the right thing -- the rapper Macklemore would be one of those people. "And there's people -- many of them, sadly -- little f excuse me, I nearly used the F-word then pricks like you who do the wrong thing. Goodbye." Waters has been a longtime supporter of Palestine. In 2024, he urged followers on social media not to vote for Kamala Harris or Donald Trump in the US election due to their respective stances on the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. More recently, last July, he voiced his support for Palestine Action after the organisation was proscribed as a terrorist group under the Terrorism Act 2000. - NME, 9/16/26...... In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Bruce Springsteen revealed he has two albums on the way -- one of which is completed and another he's still working on, but that he would like to release first. "I'm currently working on a couple of records. I did finish one, and it is done. I'm in the process of working on this other one, which, because of the nature of the material, felt like it should come out first," he said. "So that's the situation I'm in. I'm trying to finish that up, and I'd like to release that first. And then this other record that I made, which is not time-relevant, it can come out at any time and it'll work," he added. When asked whether they are solo efforts or E Street Band records, Springsteen said: "It's a surprise." No title, release date or further information has been shared for either album. The Boss has also revealed that his wife and fellow E Street Band musician Patti Scialfa is in remission from cancer. "As you know, Patti's been living with her multiple myeloma for over eight years, but now thankfully she is in remission," he said. Scialfa first publicly discussed her 2018 diagnosis in the 2024 documentary Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band, explaining that the condition had weakened her immune system and led to limited appearances for her on tour. Meanwhile, Springsteen has shared a "Philadelphia Freedom Cut" from his "Land Of Hope And Dreams" US tour, which captures footage of his live show. The official video, shared on YouTube, comes as his show in Philadelphia on May 30 was filmed in its entirety, and is set to be released in four segments. This is the first of the four segments of footage, and captures the first seven songs of the tour's Philadelphia finale -- held at the Xfinity Mobile Arena. To open the show, The Boss played Motown classic "War" before following it with classic track "Born in the U.S.A." and "Death to My Hometown." More details about the remaining footage from the show will be released soon, and all three additional segments are set to be released chronologically throughout the rest of 2026. Elsewhere, Springsteen has defeated a second attempt at litigation over his use of a New Jersey man's 1967 Pontiac GTO in the album art for his 2022 cover collection Only the Strong Survive. On Sept. 15, a New Jersey appeals court affirmed the earlier dismissal of a lawsuit brought against Springsteen by the family of deceased classic car collector Louis Billotti. The case had also targeted Sony Music, which owns Springsteen's label Columbia Records, and his longtime manager Jon Landau. Billotti died shortly before the LP's release, and the man's son alleged in a 2023 lawsuit that Springsteen had orally promised to pay his father additional money if the car photos ever ended up on an album cover. Springsteen denied making any such promise, and a trial court judge threw out the case last year due to insufficient evidence. Billotti's estate appealed. The New Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division ruled Tuesday affirmed the dismissal, saying there isn't a single witness or document to back up the younger Billotti's description of a conversation relayed to him by his late father, a legal situation known as "double hearsay," which must clear a high bar to be deemed admissible as evidence in court. - NME/Billboard, 9/14/26...... Columbia/Legacy Recordings announced on Sept. 15 that a huge 39-CD Bob Dylan box set, The Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1976 Live Recordings will drop on Nov. 6. With 381 tracks -- 371 of which have never been released up until now -- the set fully captures Dylan's 1976 tour. The trek kicked off on Apr. 18, 1976 in Lakeland, Fla., and spanned 27 dates -- concluding in Salt Lake City on May 25 that year. This is the first time the performances have become available for fans to listen to since the shows. Included in the release is a 3LP set of the complete May 16 Fort Worth show, remixed from the original multi-track tapes, and Dylan's rendition of "Going, Going, Gone" from that show has been shared on YouTube. During the tour, Dylan reunited with his old girlfriend Joan Baez to perform a moving set of duets across many dates, including performances of "Blowin' in the Wind" and "Railroad Boy." Earlier this summer, Dylan wrapped up the US leg of his 2026 "Rough and Rowdy Ways" tour. The UK and European leg of the tour kicks off in Norway in October. - NME, 9/15/26...... Dionne Warwick has teamed with a fellow Grammy-winning songstress, R&B/pop singer Mya, and platinum-selling rap star Saweetie for a new song in conjunction with International World Peace Day, "One Heart Can Change the World." The song is being released Sept. 25 and, according to a press release, "the day is dedicated to strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples." Academy Award-winning actor Forest Whitaker, the United Nations' International Good Will Ambassador, is the single's narrator. Also appearing on "One Heart Can Change the World" are Grammy-winning violinist Miri Ben-Ari and sound healer Ana Netanel. "I was part of the supergroup that united for USA For Africa in 1985 with a Michael Jackson/Lionel Richie-penned song produced by Quincy Jones, 'We Are the World'," Warwick commented. "This groundbreaking musical collaboration was aimed at raising awareness for famine relief in Ethiopia. I was also joined in 1986 by my friends Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder on the Burt Bacharach/Carole Bayer Sager anthem 'That's What Friends Are For,' a No. 1 Grammy-winning song with all proceeds to this day benefiting the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR.) I have seen just how powerful a song for a call to action can be," she added. - Billboard, 9/14/26...... Tony Iommi has revealed why he turned down the chance to make one final Black Sabbath album with members of the original line-up. In a new interview with Classic Rock, Iommi shared that Andrew Watt, who produced Osbourne's final two albums (2020's Ordinary Man and 2022's Patient Number 9), had approached him about making a Sabbath album with the original line-up. "I'd met Andrew Watt when he was producing Ozzy," Iommi said. "He was very keen and a bit too excited. He also didn't know what it was like working with the original Sabbath, working with Bill [Ward]. Also, we'd done 13, and I didn't like the idea of: 'Now here's another album'," he added. The line-up for 13, in addition to Ozzy and bassist Geezer Butler, was completed Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave drummer Brad Wilk after original drummerBill Ward chose to not participate due to a contractual dispute. At one point, Osbourne said Black Sabbath would record "one more album" after 13, but in 2015 he revealed that the band had "opted against" it and that they would be too old by the time it was completed. "It would take three or four years to write and record an album, by which time I'll be f----ing 73 or 72 or something, so we decided just to do a farewell tour," Osbourne said at the time. The band did later reunite in 2025 at the huge "Back To The Beginning" event at Birmingham's Villa Park. The gig saw both Sabbath and Ozzy stage their last-ever shows, and it marked the first time the original members had played alongside each other since 2005. The performances were held just over two weeks before Osbourne passed away in July 2025, aged 76. - NME, 9/14/26...... The first-ever authorized rockumentary on Def Leppard, Long Live Def Leppard, is slated for release in theaters in early 2027. Directed by Jeff Feuerzeig (The Devil and Daniel Jonston), the film is an all-access account of the U.K. rockers' rise from humble beginnings in working class Sheffield to global chart domination in the 1980s and 1990s with such hits as their No. 1 smash "Love Bites," as well as their other top 10 hits "Pour Some Sugar on Me" (No. 2), "Armageddon It" (No. 3) and "Hysteria" (No. 10). The film was produced in collaboration with the Joe Elliott-led Rock & Roll Hall of Fame group that has sold 110 million albums worldwide; the group also features guitarists Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell, bassist Rick Savage and drummer Rick Allen, who along with Elliott, will be featured in new interviews. It will feature never-before-seen footage, with writer/director/producer Feuerzeig saying in a statement that his connection to the band goes back to their rise to fame with 1981's breakthrough sophomore album High 'n' Dry. Def Leppard concluded a residency run at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in February, then began a European tour this summer. They'll play the Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Fla. on Oct. 15 before moving on to a run of shows in Mexico and Central and South America later than month into November. - Billboard, 9/11/26...... Meanwhile, a new documentary showcasing late Rush drummer Neil Peart debuts on Sept. 16 at the Toronto International Film Festival. Peart, the much-admired drummer-lyricist for the Toronto-based prog-rock trio, died in 2020 at the age of 67 from a brain tumour, but his friendships with and inspiration to other drummers -- as well as his two surviving bandmates -- live on in the touching and funny film. The documentary, which will also get a nationwide Canadian broadcast on Sept. 23 on CBC/CBC Gem, finds Rush bassist-singer Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson playing songs like "Working Man" and "Dreamline" with other drummers from such bands as Tool, The Police, King Crimson, Jethro Tull and Red Hot Chili Peppers, and it becomes obvious very quickly just how demanding Peart's drumming parts are to play. - Canoe.com, 9/14/26...... Original Journey bassist Ross Valory has confirmed he will not be rejoining the band on its ongoing "Final Frontier Tour." Valory, who was fired alongside drummer Steve Smith in 2020, says he has made peace with his departure and has no desire to revisit the past. Speaking on SiriusXM's Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk, Valory explained that the legal fallout between him and the band is firmly behind him. "We made what I think is a very reasonable settlement, and everyone moved on with their lives," Valory said. "I certainly have, and I believe that everyone else involved has just moved on. I'm no longer a part of the organization or the brand, so my position now, at best, is a casual observer. So it was many years ago, and we all move on. Everybody gets on with their lives." Asked whether he had been approached about returning, Valory made it clear the answer is no -- and compared the speculation to long-running fan hopes for a Steve Perry comeback. He said: "Not that I know of, no. And there's been rumours for years about Steve Perry returning, and he has to keep telling people, 'No, I'm just not doing it.' And you understand it from the fans' standpoint that's what they really want. The hardcore fans want to see everybody together. But I don't see that happening." Valory added that Journey's legacy is ultimately defined by the music, not the lineup, and praised the current incarnation for delivering what audiences expect. "It's about the songs. Regardless of which band has too few, (or) how many original members, it's a matter of being able to go onto that stage and provide for, let's say the average ticket buyer, they want to hear the songs, they want to hear them like they heard them on the record," Valory noted. "And as long as any band can do that, there's no reason to consider who's in the band and who's not. And Journey's one of those bands that continues to do that." Formed in 1973, Journey have sold more than 100 million records worldwide, earning induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017. The band's history has been marked by financial disputes, trademark battles and lawsuits between members. The "Final Frontier Tour" is set to wrap on Nov. 28, with guitarist Neal Schon previously suggesting Journey will continue without keyboardist Jonathan Cain once the run ends. - Music-News.com, 9/15/26....... The Beatles have shared an early version of their Rubber Soul track "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)," with George Harrison putting his sitar mastery on display, on YouTube. Dubbed "Second Version -- Take 2," the recording comes as the first original version of the now-classic song was recorded during the first day of sessions for Rubber Soul and featured Harrison's new discovery, the sitar. The band were unhappy with that version, so recorded three more takes nine days later. On Take two, the first attempt featured John Lennon's acoustic guitar, Paul McCartney's bass, Ringo Starr on drums and George playing drone notes on sitar. George added more sitar on tracks two and three, and John and Paul's vocals were also recorded on track three. While the final version opens with an instrumental version of the verse melody, this this arrangement opens with double-tracked sitar playing the bridge section. Speaking about how the instrumental was used, George previously shared: "It felt very familiar to me to listen to that music. Around that time I'd bought a cheap sitar in a shop called Indiacraft in London. When we were working on 'Norwegian Wood', it just needed something and it was quite spontaneous. I picked the sitar up and kind of found the notes. We put it on and it seemed to hit the spot and that was it." The song is set to feature on the new expanded special edition of Rubber Soul, which is released on Oct. 2. - NME, 9/14/26...... Cheetah Chrome, the co-founding drummer of the legendary punk band Dead Boys, has died aged 71. His death was announced by the band on Sept. 13 in a statement on Instagram. "We are incredibly sad to announce the news of the passing of our beloved friend and bandmate Cheetah Chrome," the statement read. "Cheetah was a true original, an architect of the punk rock movement. A one-man hurricane tearing up the musical landscape with his feral guitar riffs and manic energy. Beyond all that Cheetah was also just a really sweet guy that loved rock-roll. No cause of death has been provided. Cheetah (real name Eugene Richard O'Connor), first joined the band Rocket from the Tombs before forming Dead Boys alongside fellow RFTT members Stiv Bators and Johnny Madansky. As Dead Boys, they released two albums: 1977's Young, Loud and Snotty and, the following year, We Have Come for Your Children. The band broke up in 1980 and later reunited for a series of live performances -- first in 1987, again in 2004 and once more beginning in 2017. They never released another studio album. The band also featured prominently in Lech Kowalski's iconic 1980 punk documentary D.O.A.: A Right of Passage. After Dead Boys disbanded, O'Connor went on to pursue several solo projects, as well as working as a session musician and touring with GG Allin. Dead Boys had planned to reunite in 2027 to mark their 50th anniversary. O'Connor is survived by his wife, Anna O'Connor, and his 14-year-old son Rogan, who reside in Nashville. - NME, 9/14/26...... Bob Mackie, the dress designer whose legendarily glitzy gowns were the go-to for stars including Cher, Barbra Streisand, Carol Burnett, Tina Turner and Miley Cyru, died on Sept. 14. He was 87. "It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Mr. Bob Mackie passed away today," reads a statement on his Instagram page. "He lived his 87 years to the fullest, fulfilling his dream of being a Fashion and Costume Designer, which is all he ever wanted to do. His genius and extraordinary designs will live on forever, continuing to bring beauty into this world." The post was accompanied by a photo of the designer flashing his signature smile while seated at his drafting table surrounded by colored markers and sketches. Born in Monterey Park, Calif. on March 24, 1939, Mr. Mackie dropped out of Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles and began working as an apprentice designer at Paramount Studios before renowned film costume designer Edith Head took him under her wing as a sketch artist. One of his first gigs out of college was the iconic skin-tight mesh dress covered in crystals worn by Marilyn Monroe when she serenaded Pres. John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden in 1962; social media influencer Kim Kardashian wore the dress at the 2022 Met Gala. The combination of his sketching skills, eye for attention-grabbing looks and love of Hollywood glamour helped land Mr. Mackie -- also known as the "Sultan of Sequins" -- his first big break when singer/actress Mitzi Gaynor hired him to design the costumes for her Las Vegas revue, and then later for her TV specials, which earned him Emmy awards in 1976 and 1978. He also scored another major gig early in his career when he was tapped to be the costumer for The Carol Burnett Show, a hugely popular weekly sketch series that ran from 1967-1978, for which he cranked out dozens of outfits per week. The gig helped make Mr. Mackie the go-to designer for some of the eras biggest stars. He met Cher on the set of the Burnett show and began a long friendship and professional collaboration with the singer that included him becoming the official costumer for The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour and, later, one of the singer/actresses' favorite designers. Over the years, their creative partnership would spawn some of the most outrageous, talked-about red carpet outfits of all time, including the sheer, sequin- and feather-covered "nude illusion gown" she wore at the 1974 Met Gala, where she was escorted by Mr. Mackie, and the black, belly-baring two-piece with a giant feathered headdress she wore to the 1986 Academy Awards. Among their other legendary collabs is the "seat belt" outfit Cher wore in the "If I Could Turn Back Time" video, which famously consisted of a sheer black bodysuit with garters, thin black strips of fabric covering Cher's private parts and not much else. A 32-time Emmy nominee, Mr. Mackie was nominated for three Oscars in his lifetime -- for Lady Sings the Blues (1973), Funny Lady (1976) and Pennies From Heaven (1982) and won nine competitive Emmy Awards and one honorary award, as well as a Tony in 2019 for The Cher Show, for which he created more than 450 outfits. Mr. Mackie debuted the Bob Mackie Barbie collection in 1982 and in 2002 he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. "My dear Bob has gone up to heaven. Knowing him, he's bringing Sequins, Beads, & his sketch pad," Cher posted in tribute on X on Sept. 15. "Good nite sweet Prince." - Billboard, 9/14/26.

Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on September 12th, 2026

Appearing on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, '80s teen idol Rick Springfield revealed that he once killed a Viet Cong soldier as a teenager while staying at a Navy encampment near Da Nang in 1968. Springfield, who released his first US album in 1974 and became a household name in 1981 with his Working Class Dog album, said the base came under attack and he ended up helping fire mortars from a defensive position. At the time, Springfield said he was too young to fully understand the gravity of what was happening around him. The next day, he was told that one of the mortars that he had fired had killed a Viet Cong fighter. Decades later, the memory is still difficult for him to process. "I think it's still there," Springfield told host Joe Rogan, explaining that he struggles with the knowledge that he was involved in the death of another person, even though it happened during wartime and he had little understanding of what he was doing at the time. "It's hard for me to face that I was responsible for the end of a life." Springfield's signature hit "Jessie's Girl" topped the pop chart in Sept. of 1981, the same year he first played the role of Dr. Noah Drake on General Hospital. He acted on the long-running soap opera through 2014. The full podcast with Springfield and Rogan can be viewed on YouTube. - Billboard, 9/10/26...... In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Bruce Springsteen said he has no regrets about the political message behind his recent "Land of Hope and Dreams Tour." "I'm old now and I do what I want to do," he said. "This was the show I wanted to make, the story I wanted to tell." The 20-date tour, which which kicked off Mar. 31 in Minneapolis and wrapped May 30 in Philadelphia, followed the Jersey rocker's January release of "Streets in Minneapolis," which was a protest song written in response to the death of Rene Good and Alex Pretti during confrontation with federal immigration authorities. He opened the shows with Edwin Starr's 1970 protest song "War" and closed them with Bob Dylan's "Chimes of Freedom," also giving a speech criticizing Pres. Donald Trump's administration. When asked about the possibility of losing fans who support the president, Springsteen essentially shrugged, saying he has spent his career making the records and shows he wants to make, then finding the audience for them. "I'm sure there were people, and I've read things where people were vehement about the content of the show," he said. "And that's just the way the chips fall." Springsteen is planning at least one more political-adjacent appearance before the midterms, joining Tom Morellos for a show in Washington, D.C. in October. He's also bringing the Land of Hope and Dreams tour to online screens. The first seven songs from the Philadelphia performance are already streaming on YouTube as "Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: Land of Hope and Dreams American Tour (Philadelphia Freedom Cut)," with the remaining concert set to come in additional installments. - Billboard, 9/10/26...... Dionne Warwick will be honored at the 2026 Angel Ball, the signature fundraiser of Gabrielle's Angel Foundation for Cancer Research, set for Oct. 19 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. The black-tie event is held annually in memory of songwriter Denise Rich's daughter, Gabrielle Rich Aouad, who died at the age of 27 from acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Five-time Grammy winner Warwick, 85, has charted 12 top 10 songs on the hit parade and received several major career accolades in recent years -- a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 2019, the Kennedy Center Honors in 2023 and the award for musical excellence from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (2024). Also being honored that night is actress Lynda Carter (star of TV's Wonder Woman), and two-time Grammy-winning reggae star Shaggy will perform. - Billboard, 9/10/26...... AC/DC was has been forced to cancel a show at Toronto's Rogers Stadium set for Sept. 16 after the venue suffered major damage in a recent storm. The band had been slated to play one of the last shows on their two-year, 90-date "Power Up" tour in Toronto, but according to a press release, the venue "was unfortunately unable to find an alternative venue that could accommodate everyone" despite "every effort being made to find potential solutions for the show to move forward in Toronto." The remaining three gigs left on the tour include a Sept. 12 at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal, a Sept. 25 stop at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. and the final show at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Sept. 29. - Billlboard, 9/10/26...... Speaking on Virgin Radio's Chris Evans Breakfast Show, Queen drummer Roger Taylor hinted that his band is considering an ABBA Voyage-inspired show. Taylor said he and Queen guitarist Brian May "talk because we live near each other" and admitted there's "a possibility of doing something," noting how rapidly live-show technology has evolved. When Evans suggested the idea was like "going on tour with Freddie [Mercury]," Taylor pushed back, stressing that Freddie could never be replaced -- though he acknowledged that avatar-style performances are "sort of" in the same realm. It marks a shift in tone from Taylor's earlier stance. He previously said that while he "had a good time" and "enjoyed" Swedish group ABBA's hologram show, but he wasn't convinced by the projections, though he believes technology has advanced significantly since its 2022 debut. "I didn't find the actual projections that convincing," he said at the time. "I do think technology now has come so much further since the ABBA show started, I think a lot more can be done." May, meanwhile, is "very taken" with the idea of a Queen hologram show -- but he wouldn't want a hologram version of Queen while the surviving members are still performing. But once the band is "gone," he's open to a full digital production. - Music-News.com, 9/11/26...... Stevie Wonder is gearing up for a six-date U.S. tour to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his seminal album, Songs in the Key of Life, which was first released in Sept. 1976. According to an Instagram post announcing the gigs, the Motown legend will celebrate the LP on an 18-date outing slated to kick off on Oct. 13 at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham, U.K. The tour will then hit Paris (10/15), Copenhagen (10/18), Oslo (10/20), Stockholm (10/22), Hannover (10/24), Cologne (10/26), Amsterdam (10/28), Dublin (11/1), London (11/3), Manchester (11/8) and Glasgow (11/11) before heading back to the U.S. for a run of winter shows at Madison Square Garden in New York beginning Nov. 19, followed by gigs in Chicago (11/21), Washington, D.C. (11/23) and two shows at Detroit's Fox Theatre (12/8 & 9) before winding down with a show at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on Dec. 19. Songs in the Key of Life, Wonder's 18th studio LP, was released on Sept. 28, 1976 and as a double-album with a four-track bonus EP and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. It spun off two Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles in "I Wish" and "Sir Duke" and won Album of the Year at the 1977 Grammy Awards. In addition to those two singles, the album features such classics as the opening track, "Love's in Need of Love Today," "Isn't She Lovely" and "Pastime Paradise," with the latter the source for Coolio's 1995 hit "Gangsta's Paradise." According to a press release, Wonder, 76, will perform the entire album on the tour. "At a time when the world continues to search for connection, healing and joy, the messages at the heart of Songs in the Key of Life feel as urgent and necessary today as they did in 1976," read the release. "Songs like 'As,' 'Love's in Need of Love Today,' 'Sir Duke' and 'Isn't She Lovely' remain woven into the emotional fabric of generations around the world, reminding audiences not only where they've been, but who they are." - Billboard, 9/10/26...... Journey is extending their "Final Frontier Tour" with 40 additional North American dates this fall. Newly announced dates include five Canadian cities this fall, including a Nov. 4 stop at Toronto's Scotiabank Arena. The veteran classic rockers will also play Edmonton at Rogers Place on Sept. 24; Calgary at Scotiabank Saddledome on Sept. 26; Saskatoon at SaskTel Centre on Sept. 27; and Winnipeg at Canada Life Centre Sept. 29. The newly announced leg begins Sept. 12 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and concludes with a hometown finale show on Nov. 28 at Chase Center in San Francisco. Led by founder and lead guitarist Neal Schon, the group will bring a career-spanning show featuring songs including "Don't Stop Believin'," "Any Way You Want It," "Faithfully" and "Lights." The current lineup also features Jonathan Cain (keyboards, guitar, backing vocals), Arnel Pineda (lead vocals), Deen Castronovo (drums, vocals), Jason Derlatka (keyboards, vocals) and Todd Jensen (bass, vocals). Since forming in 1973, Journey has earned 19 top 40 singles, 25 gold and platinum albums, and sold more than 100 million records worldwide. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017. - Canoe.com, 9/11/26...... In an interview on his SiriusXM channel on Sept. 9, Billy Joel opened up about how a diagnosis of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus last year revealed the unexpected damage his concerts were causing to his brain. Joel, 77, described going to see a doctor after suffering from balance problems that made it feel like he was "on a boat." After giving him the diagnosis, his neurologists recommended implanting a shunt in his brain to reliever some of the pressure. "So I agreed to do the shunt," Joel said, noting that he initially said he'd "pass" on the suggestion of the surgery that entailed drilling a hole through his skull to implant the shunt, in order to stop the progressive condition from getting worse. "But then I read up on it and I realized it can help improve your balance and can help your memory. You know, I don't want to lose my marbles," Joel said. "It's hard to tell what's age and what's a condition, so I agreed to do the shunt and I had a surgery, and they implanted a shunt in my brain and it actually improved things." And while he said his memory, balance and ability to function all improved after the procedure, the bad news was that his doctors also advised him to stop performing live because they said the physical effects of playing loud rock shows might cause further damage. "I realized, and the doctors told me this, because of my job, which is playing rock 'n' roll music very loud, that it was giving me something like a concussion every time I did a show," the singer said. "It was causing damage to my brain nerves and I could be losing more brain cells the more shows I did and I realized that means I shouldn't be doing this right now." And so, Joel canceled his planned 2025 tour dates after playing his last full show on Feb. 22, 2025 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. Near the end of his set, he did a microphone spin and then fell down during "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me," which led to the diagnosis. The singer revealed the condition to fans three months later after canceling the rest of his planned gigs. Since the diagnosis and surgery, Joel has only performed in public once, on Jan. 2, when he hopped on stage with a Billy Joel tribute band called Turnstiles at a show in Wellington. Fla., where he performed "We Didn't Start the Fire" and "Big Shot" with the group. His full SiriusXM broadcast can be streamed on YouTube. Meanwhile, the Piano Man is mourning the death of his early bandmate Jon Small, who recently died of cancer at age 79. He and Small played together in the Hassles, a Long Island band that released two albums in the late 1960s. The pair later formed Attila, a hard-rock duo built around drums and organ, releasing a self-titled album in 1970. The Hassles were inducted into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2025. Their partnership ended abruptly after Joel fell in love with Small's wife, Elizabeth Weber, while Joel was living with the couple. The episode -- long part of Joel's lore -- is revisited in the recent documentary And So It Goes, where both men reflected on the fallout with striking candor. - Billboard, 9/10/26...... KISS have reportedly recorded a "special" new song written by frontman Paul Stanley. While the veteran rockers retired from the stage after a final concert at New York's Madison Square Garden in 2023, guitarist Tommy Thayer says fans can expect new music from the band even though they will no longer be performing live. "We did record a great new song that Paul wrote. That's probably about as much as I can tell you right now," Thayer told Guitar World magazine. "KISS has always believed in making things an event. So whatever new music comes, it has to feel special and have a reason for existing," he added. "You don't make another KISS record just because you're supposed to make another KISS record." Thayer's comments come just months after Gene Simmons suggested new music might be coming after he revealed the band had been recording in the studio together. However, Simmons has previously suggested any new songs they create may feature in their avatar-based KISS show, which is slated to launch in Las Vegas in 2028. - Music-News.com,...... Elton John played a 24-song set during the fourth day of "Rock in Rio" music festival at Rio 2016 Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Sept. 7. When John decided to move his performance up by 65 minutes, many assumed it was weather-related. After all, thunderstorms had battered the City of Rock for the previous three days and a grim weather forecast had been announced, and a man nearing 80 could hardly be blamed for wanting to avoid a late-night downpour. But the real reason was different. Sir Elton wanted to take the stage early enough to deliver a full concert: 24 songs over two hours and 15 minutes, considerably longer than a typical festival set. Even the rain seemed to cooperate, letting up in time for the audience to hear him sing. John explained that he decided to come to Brazil even after wrapping his "Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour" in July 2023 because the country had been left off the itinerary. "I felt a little mean about that," he said. "I accepted Rock in Rio's invitation to thank you once again for all the love you've shown me throughout my career." And the setlist was, in fact, almost an expanded version of the "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" show: 20 of the night's 24 songs were also part of the sold-out, 23-song set he used during the final stretch of the tour. - Billboard, 9/8/26...... Graham Nash has ruled out any Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young reunions between himself and surviving bandmates Stephen Stills and Neil Young. Asked if there may be a reunion with some combination of the singers during an interview with The Arts Fuse, Graham replied: "David [Crosby] was the heartbeat of the band and since he has passed away I don't think the rest of us will ever collaborate again. Also, Stephen has retired and Neil won't play any CSN songs so if you want to hear them you have to come see me!" Questioned about what he's most proud of, and what he regrets, Graham said: "I am most proud of the ability I have to speak to and perform for my fellow human beings. I've tried my best to make them shake their ass and think at the same time. My only regret was being on tour both when my father passed and when my mother died. In neither case was I able to see them before they had gone." Graham has tackled some contentious topics through his songs during his career, including war, immigration and nuclear power, and says he has no plans to stop doing that. "I'm a human being, a member of the human race, and I have to talk about what's going on with me right now," he said. - Music-News.com, 9/8/26...... Tom Jones says he was fired from the British version of The Voice over ITV's "financial difficulty with insurance," and that the network later described the change as an effort to refresh the coaching lineup. Jones made clear that he would have preferred to remain in his coaching role, writing in an Instagram post, "I love the show and really appreciate the audience." He said ITV offered him a smaller position that would involve appearing on the program without being part of the competition from its outset, an arrangement he said he was not enthusiastic about. "There's never a good time to fire an 86-year-old who's still pretty good at his job," the Welsh crooner concluded. An ITV spokesperson said, "While he will no longer be a full-time coach on series 15, we continue to talk to Sir Tom Jones and his team about his involvement in the next series." Jones has been a fixture of The Voice UK since its 2012 debut, aside from sitting out one season, and he's coached three winners during his tenure. He is currently appearing on the show's 14th season alongside will.i.am, Kelly Rowland and McFly's Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones. - Billboard, 9/8/26...... Cliff Richard has announced his 48th studio album, Only Number Ones, will drop on Nov. 27. The LP will see the music legend putting his unique stamp on classic and contemporary number ones spanning eight decades, including "Spirit In the Sky," "Oh Pretty Woman," "Return To Sender," "Sign of the Times," and a new version of "White Christmas." "I suggested to Warner Music that I record an album of songs that made it to No.1. Thank heavens they agreed!!," Sir Cliff says. "I listened to dozens of songs and chose 12 of my favourites. This record is my tribute to fabulous artists who had recorded wonderful tracks that achieved the number one position." Only Number Ones, which was produced by Sam Hollander and Josh Edmondson and recorded in February this year, will also be released as a deluxe edition. Richard, 85, is the third best-selling artist in UK singles chart history behind The Beatles and Elvis Presley, is giving fans the chance to celebrate his 86th birthday with him at afternoon tea on Oct. 15 -- the day after his actual birthday -- at the InterContinental Hotel in Park Lane, London. - Music-News.com, 9/8/26...... In her new memoir, I Once Knew a Guy Named Charlie, Jaclyn Smith revealed that she and her fellow Charlie's Angels costars Farrah Fawcett and Kate Jackson received multiple offers -- including one to pose nude in Hustler for an astonishing amount of money -- after the show's popularity exploded. After the series debuted on Sept. 22, 1976, it took off -- fast, Smith recalls. "Overnight we were on the cover of every magazine, every tabloid. We were offered six-figure endorsement deals. Hustler magazine offered us a million dollars each to pose nude (we declined)." Smith, who played Kelly Garrett, at least wanted more money than she was paid on the series about a detective agency run by the mysterious Charlie. She wrote elsewhere in the book that she was the lowest-paid angel in the first season compared to costars Fawcett (Jill Munroe) and Jackson (Sabrina Duncan). Smith wrote that her paycheck was $3,000 per episode compared to Fawcett's $5,000 and Jackson's $10,000. (By the fifth and final season, she earned $100,000.) Smith summed up the enduring appeal of the story during a PaleyFest event in April at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. "It was three women chasing danger instead of being rescued from it," she said. "Independent, not defined by the man in their life, and it gave women permission to step out of the mold." - Entertainment Weekly, 9/10/26...... A 50 Years of Punk documentary is set to premiere in UK cinemas on Sept. 18. Directed by Mark Sloper who has helmed films on Sid Vicious and other punk artists, the 78-minute film marks five decades since the explosion of the punk movement on London's King's Road. The film features archival footage alongside exclusive interviews with key figures who shaped the era, including Glen Matlock, Vivienne Westwood, Hugh Cornwell, Dave Vanian, Rat Scabies and Gaye Advert. Ahead of the nationwide cinema release, a special preview screening followed by a live Q&A session with director Mark Sloper will take place at the Showroom Cinema in Sheffield on Sept. 16, at 8:00 PM. - Music-News.com, 9/8/26.

In a new interview with the UK paper The Guardian, Art Garfunkel hinted that he is considering "leaving America" due to global warming and Pres. Donald Trump. "I don't like America's position at all," the legendary pop singer said. "I'm not aboard, and I'm thinking of leaving the country, frankly. It's real that the planet is getting warmer, that the water's rising, that so many people are starving," he added. Garfunkel continued: "When Donald Trump took over Venezuela, are those the new rules? Just take over a country and run it? It's shocking, and you think: how on earth are we gonna change the presidency?" His comments come eight months after US forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicols Maduro in Caracas and brought him to the United States to face federal charges. But despite his pessimism he added: "Trump won't last forever. So we've got to hope." Garfunkel, 84, is gearing up for his 2026 "What a Wonderful World Tour" and is scheduled to play London's Royal Albert Hall in October. - New Musical Express, 9/6/26...... KISS has scored its highest-charted title on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart in more than a decade, as its new live album KISS Destroys Anaheim '76 debuts at No. 8 on the list dated Sept. 5. KISS Destroys Anaheim '76 commemorates the 50th anniversary of the group's Aug. 20, 1976 show at the Anaheim Stadium, where the band played to its largest audience at the time: 42,000. As part of KISS' "The Spirit of '76 Tour" (also known as the "Destroyer Tour"), the recording was newly mixed for its first official public release across an array of physical and digital formats. The album boasts recordings of KISS favorites like "Detroit Rock City," "Strutter," "Shout It Out Loud" and "Rock and Roll All Nite." The set has also debuted on an array of other Billboard charts: Indie Store Album Sales (No. 8), Vinyl Albums (No. 16), Top Hard Rock Albums (No. 12), Top Rock & Alternative Albums (No. 48) and the overall Billboard 200 (No. 173). On the latter, the set marks KISS' 37th chart entry. The archival project brings the band to its highest rank on the Top Album Sales tally since 2012, with the group's final studio album, Monster, debuted and peaked at No. 3 in Oct. 2012. - Billboard, 9/3/26...... Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has recalled his final conversation with Ozzy Osbourne, which took place the night before the Heavy Metal icon died. Appearing on the Loudwire Nights podcast, the guitarist reflected on the grief he'd experienced for his former bandmate. "He was really happy with it, that we could do it, you know," Iommi said of the historic 2025 "Back to the Beginning" charity concert. Iommi then went on to discuss his last chat with Osbourne. "In fact, I spoke to him the night before he passed," he remembered. "He said to me, 'I really feel tired and really worn out'. I said, 'Well, you're bound to really, it's been a lot of stress and pressure and stuff like that'. And the next thing, the next day, [he's] gone." The guitarist opened up about how he still struggles to believe that Osbourne is no longer around, saying: "It still feels like he's there." He admitted that he found some elements of the gig hard, because of the frontman's ill health. "It was difficult because seeing Ozzy sitting in a throne is not the way I see him," Iommi explained. "Always [when] we've been on stage, he's been running around, and he'd run up to Geezer [Butler] and pull a face jokingly and come over to me and pull a face or the drummer or whatever. We always had a little laugh on stage and enjoy when he'd run about." Iommi continued: "But at 'Back To The Beginning', of course, he's in a throne, and I couldn't see him, which felt very unusual. I stood back by Bill [Ward]. But it was a great moment, and I'm really glad we could get the opportunity to do it, because I mean, God, we didn't know he was going to go that quick. "But he did. There's memories that will remain there, from rehearsals to the whole thing I am glad that we could do that gig." - NME, 9/4/26...... London's Wembley Park has unveiled a 30 ft. anamorphic mural of Freddie Mercury across its Spanish Steps to celebrate what would have been the Queen frontman's 80th birthday on Sept. 5. Titled "I'm Mr. Mercury," the hand-sprayed vinyl artwork was created by British street artist Frank Styles. Applied across all 58 Spanish Steps -- which connect Wembley Stadium and OVO Arena Wembley -- the installation features a monochromatic portrait of Mercury set against graphic elements inspired by his life and passions. Designed as an anamorphic image, the complete portrait aligns when viewed from a marked yellow circle opposite the steps. Moving away from the specific viewpoint causes the artwork to resolve into abstract shapes and lines. The surrounding design includes koi carp, reflecting Mercury's love of Japanese culture and his London home's garden, alongside winged female figures referencing his Virgo star sign and the Queen crest he designed. Quotes and selected lyrics also trace up the steps toward Wembley Stadium. Commenting on the artwork, Queen's manager Jim Beach said: "Freddie was known to millions around the world as the frontman of Queen but off stage, he was a quiet and humble man, happy at home surrounded by the things he loved most. 'I'm Mr. Mercury' perfectly captures the beautiful complexity of Freddie." Artist Styles added: "As a trained graphic designer himself, Freddie was very aware and precise about the visual feel and so I have endeavoured to follow his ethos in the conscious creation of this mural." "I'm Mr. Mercury" is free to view and will remain on display through to Dec. 2026. - Music-News.com, 9/5/26...... Roger Daltrey has confirmed that Zak Starkey has rehearsed with The Who, ahead of a possible reunion tour just over a year after his departure from the group after the two had an "acrimonious" fallout after a gig in 2025. Speaking to LifeMinute.com, Daltrey said of the drummer: "He's not Keith Moon, but he's come very close." When asked directly if a reunion with Starkey was possible, Daltrey replied: "I don't know. We did a rehearsal recently, and Zak was the drummer. We love Zak, but sometimes the road doesn't like Zak. Sometimes it gets on top of him, and it becomes difficult." He continued: "He was drumming at the rehearsal, and we did the rehearsal to see if we can possibly do shows next year. Still hit the notes, still get the drive. Who music demands an incredible amount of drive, and without that, it would be Herman's Hermits without the Herman." The flare up between Starkey, Daltrey and Townshend started during a 2025 performance of "The Song Is Over" when Daltrey stopped and complained that he could not hear the key over the drums, and the band were subsequently reported to have fired Starkey following an "acrimonious" fallout. Starkey said he was "surprised and saddened" by the decision, maintaining that he did not believe there had been a problem with his performance. Days later, Townshend announced that Starkey was "not being asked to step down." However, in May The Who confirmed that the drummer had left the band again, stating that "the time has come for a change". Starkey disputed the suggestion that he had chosen to leave, claiming he had been asked to "lie" and say he had quit to pursue other projects. "I love The Who and would never have quit," he wrote at the time. In August, Starkey appeared to be playing with The Who again, with both he and Daltrey confirming that they had rehearsed together. - NME, 9/3/26...... Van Halen drummer Alex Van Halen has been appointed a Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion in recognition of his contribution to the country of his birth and his remarkable career and influence on musicians around the globe. Van Halen was appointed Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion (Ridder in de Orde van de Nederlandse Leeuw) on Sept. 1 in Nijmegen, the Dutch city where he and his brother Eddie spent a good chunk of their childhood. It's one of the country's highest civilian orders, given only to those who "make extraordinary contributions" to society. Van Halen, 73, was on hand for the ceremony at the Berchmanianum, the academy building of Radboud University, where mayor Hubert Bruls presented the royal honor and spoke of Van Halen's role in writing a "remarkable chapter in the history of rock music." Speaking on the sidelines, Van Halen remarked: "My cousin organized most of this. I'm very grateful. I think institutions like this are important in people's lives because it adds a dignity and a gravity to what we do. Whether it's actually deserved or not, that's another question. But we can live up to it. That's the whole thing, is you got to have something to live up to." Alex also signed Nijmegen's Book of the City, a tome reserved for distinguished visitors, inking his name in its pages alongside Bruce Springsteen and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. "Alex still feels a connection with Nijmegen," reads a statement from the city, "and Nijmegen in turn honors the band." Alex's band Van Halen was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. They scored five No. 1 albums on the Billboard chart and more than 20 hits on the Hot 100 songs chart, including the 1984 smash single "Jump," which logged five weeks at No. 1. - Billboard, 9/3/26...... Stevie Nicks' Fleetwood Mac classic "Landslide" will appear on the soundtrack of the upcoming movie Practical Magic 2. The news comes two days after Nicks and Olivia Rodrigo sang the song together at the latter's inaugural Daisy Chain Fields charity festival in Irvine, Calif. After Daisy Chain Fields, leading lady Sandra Bullock -- who stars opposite Nicole Kidman in the original Practical Magic and upcoming sequel -- reshared a video of Nicks and Rodrigo performing together and wrote, "Angel voices that are part of an upcoming film." It led to initial speculation that the two singer/songwriters were planning to team up on a collaborative song for the fantasy romance, rather than contribute separately. Nicks was one of three special guests who joined Rodrigo onstage at Daisy Chain Fields, alongside Sara McLachlan and Alanis Morissette. Practical Magic 2 hits theaters Sept. 10. - Billboard, 9/2/26...... Sean Ono Lennon and his longtime girlfriend Charlotte Kemp Muhl announced the birth of their first child, a boy, on Sept. 1. The news came in an Instagram post from the couple in which they proudly cradled their bundle of joy between them with the caption, "@charlottekempmuhl and I have created a Human Bean! His name is Aurelius. Thank You!" Ono Lennon is wearing a black shirt, black sailor's cap and black eyeglasses, as Muhl stands beside him a flowing white top, with Aurelius splitting the difference as he sleeps in Ono Lennon's arms in a black and white striped onesie. The newborn is the first grandchild of Yoko Ono and late Beatles member John Lennon, who was murdered by shooter Mark David Chapman outside The Dakota apartment building in New York on Dec, 8, 1980 when Ono Lennon was just five years old. Ono Lennon, 50, shared several other snaps, including on in which he stares intently into the lens while snuggling with Aurelius, as well as one of his partner of nearly 20 years, 39-year-old Muhl. She is an American-born model and Ono Lennon's bandmate in their band The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger. The couple got well-wishes from a number of musicians and actors, including drummer Zak Starkey, son Ringo Starr who wrote "Amazing," as well as actresses Liv Tyler and Ione Skye, Bijou Phillips and former Lennon/Ono publicist Elliot Mintz, who wrote, "there are some moments in life that are perfect. this is one of them." Earlier in 2026, Ono Lennon released the third studio album with his longtime collaborator, Primus' Les Claypool, The Great Parrot-Ox and the Golden Egg of Empathy. - Billboard, 9/2/26...... David Byrne has written a song for a "scathing" new Elon Musk documentary, and the lyrics are reportedly only comprised of the billionaire's quotes. The new feature-length documentary is made by Alex Gibney, whose previous projects include Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison Of Belief, The Inventor: Out For Blood In Silicon Valley, and the Oscar-winning Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room. Described as a "definitive and unvarnished examination" of the billionaire tycoon, Musk is set to open in cinemas on Oct. 16, and has already been criticized by Musk -- who described the 235-minute film as a "hit piece." Now, it has come to light that David Byrne has made a song especially for the documentary, and it will be comprised entirely of Elon Musk quotes. The former Talking Heads frontman wrote the song alongside composer Daniel Pemberton (Project Hail Mary), and it is titled "Let Me Sell You A Dream." "I asked for good quotes from the Martian and found more of them online," Byrne told Variety. "I'm sure he loves dropping these wild statements, and those became the lyrics. All his own words. No editorialising. Straight from the man's mouth to mine." - NME, 9/3/26...... Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters has signed on as executive producer for the forthcoming documentary Freedom Theatre. Directed by Rishi Pelham, the film follows resistance fighter turned artist Ahmed Tobasi as he fights to keep a theatre open in the middle of the Jenin refugee camp in Palestine. Variety reports that the film took five years to shoot, and is intended for a tour of film festivals, heading to Venice this month to look for potential distribution partners. Pelham told the outlet: "I didn't intentionally set out to make this film. I kept returning to Jenin, to the theatre, to the camp, and over time the story insisted on being told. What drew me in was the tension between two worlds: the black-box rehearsal room, sealed and controllable, and the camp outside, alive, volatile, and impossible to contain. Slowly, these spaces began to bleed into one another." Roger Waters has been a longtime supporter of Palestine. In 2024, he urged followers on social media not to vote for Kamala Harris or Donald Trump in the US election due to their respective stances on the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. More recently, last July, he voiced his support for Palestine Action after the organisation was proscribed as a terrorist group under the Terrorism Act 2000. - NME, 9/2/26...... Gary Glitter has pleaded not guilty to eight charges of historical sexual offences in the UK against a girl aged between eight and 11. The disgraced singer and convicted child sex offender, whose real name is Paul Gadd, entered his pleas at Southwark Crown Court on Sept. 2. Appearing via video link from prison, the 82-year-old denied four charges of indecent assault of a girl under 13, two counts of sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 and two counts of indecency with a child under 13. Gadd replied that he was "absolutely not guilty" to two of the charges before repeating "not guilty" to the remaining six. All eight counts relate to the same complainant and the alleged incidents occurred between March 1978 and December 1981. Gadd has been accused of giving the girl chocolate and inviting her to his home in West London, where the offences are said to have taken place. Judge Tony Baumgartner remanded Gadd in custody and adjourned proceedings ahead of a three-week trial set to start in November 2027. Gadd rose to fame as Gary Glitter during the 1970s, releasing hits including "Rock And Roll (Parts One And Two)" and "I'm The Leader Of The Gang (I Am)." He is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2015 of sexual offences against three schoolgirls. - NME, 9/2/26...... Gloria Steinem, the celebrated author and activist who became the most visible symbol of the U.S. women's movement and remained a fierce and eloquent advocate for equality for six decades, died on Sept. 2 at her home in New York City, according to a post on her social media page. She was 92 and had recently completed a memoir, to be released this fall. "Gloria's greatest gift was her ability to listen to others, to make others feel seen and heard," the post said. "Her words, actions, and example gave people permission to be their truest selves." Ms. Steinem began her career as a journalist, notably reporting in 1963 on degrading conditions in Hugh Hefner's Playboy empire -- an undercover assignment she later came to regret. She credits a meeting six years later, where women spoke out in favor of abortion rights, with changing her career path. "That speak-out was the beginning of activism for me," Ms. Steinem, who had undergone a secret illegal abortion herself at age 22, told the AP in an email in 2022, reflecting on the reversal of Roe v. Wade. "Either our control over our own bodies is equal, regardless of sex or race, or we're not living in a democracy." Born on Mar. 25, 1934 in Toledo, Oh., Ms. Steinem was in her 30s when she joined the editorial board of New York magazine, and her writing became more political. In 1969, she went to cover an abortion rights hearing. She had never told anyone about her illegal abortion at 22, in London. That was the moment, she has said, that triggered her career as a women's rights activist. Ms. Steinem founded the National Women's Political Caucus in 1971 along with Betty Friedan, Shirley Chisholm and Bella Abzug. Time hardly slowed Ms. Steinem down; through her 80s, she was traveling the globe and speaking out on issues of importance to her. These included everything from genital mutilation to Korean reconciliation, but it was equality for women that took precedence. "Being a feminist means that you see the world as whole instead of half," she once said. "It shouldn't need a name, and one day it won't." As the years went on, Ms. Steinem's visibility endured. A few days after her 85th birthday, she was leading a women's "talking circle" at an off-Broadway play celebrating her life, where one by one, women in the audience -- many fighting tears -- rose to thank her and tell their own stories of discrimination. In 2020, her life was the subject of a feature film, The Glorias. On Jan. 21, 2017, when hundreds of thousands of women gathered in Washington in their pink "pussy hats" for the historic Women's March, it surprised nobody that the keynote speaker, and the most rousing, was Ms. Steinem. "We are linked," she told the crowd. "And this is a day that will change us forever because we are together." Ms. Steinem was remembered on social media by the likes of Madonna, Carole King, Bette Midler, Jennifer Lopez, Diane Warren and Miss Piggy. "Thank U for fighting for us Gloria. Fight in Power Forever," Diane Warren posted on Instagram. Carole King also reflected on the generations who will continue Steinem's work, sharing a photo of the activist in her younger years. "As we elders, our daughters, and our granddaughters continue the fight for power, equality, and respect, we hold you in our hearts with love and gratitude," the singer/songwriter wrote. "Rest in peace and power." Bette Midler paid tribute to Steinem's role in reshaping what women believed was possible, writing that she and the women who worked alongside her "lit the way for every woman with a dream." "We owe her so much," Midler added. "Thank you, Gloria, and bravo." - AP, 9/3/26.

Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on September 2nd, 2026

Bruce Springsteen joined forces with the Asbury Park, N.J., band Bleachers at Shadow of the City Festival on Aug. 28. "There's nothin' like playing at home. There's nothing like being 16 years old and having to sell a certain amount of tickets so you can play inside the Pony, and it's just your cousins at the show," Bleachers frontman Jack Antonoff told the crowd. "There's nothing like playing in the place you wrote the songs from. There's nothing like going through a lot, then being reunited with your people. It means the world, everybody. It means the world to be supported by you and my friends and my family." As Antonoff began playing a cover of Tom Waits' "Jersey Girl" (which was famously covered by Springsteen in 1985), the Boss walked out on stage to join him. They then launched into a rendition of "Chinatown," which has been shared on YouTube. Springsteen and Bleachers first collaborated in Dec. 2020, recoridng a stripped-back rendition of "Chinatown" on the roof of Electric Lady Studios in New York City. After that acoustic version, they performed it together once before its fully electric form in 2022. Springsteen's 2026 "Land Of Hope And Dreams" tour wrapped up in Philadelphia in May, a trek inspired by his objection to the administration of Pres. Donald Trump and ICE's killing of two citizens in Minnesota. Trump called on his supporters to boycott the "overpriced concerts," while Springsteen branded him a "President who can't handle the truth" at the first show. - New Musical Express, 8/31/26...... In related news, '70s/'80s hitmaker Christopher Cross delivered a lighthearted apology to Canadians at a recent concert in Toronto on Aug. 30, telling the audience that he's "sorry and embarrassed" that the U.S. president has embroiled the United States in a trade war with the Great White North. In between songs at RBC Amphitheatre, the "Sailing" singer took a moment to address the ongoing tensions between his home country and the one he was visiting. "I want to tell you how much we love your country and appreciate your country very much," Cross said on behalf of his band. "I'm just very sorry and embarrassed that we have an ahole for a president." Cross also asked the Canadians in the crowd not to "give up" on America. "We have an election coming up, and we're gonna do our best to fix it," he continued. "Then we'll be buying all your s--t again and you'll be buying all our s--t... we can be victims of corporate greed together." Then Cross said that was "enough preaching." "I'm sure you'll be reading in the paper where I've been ejected from my country, but that's OK. I wanted to say what I had to say," he added. The U.S. and Canada have been at odds since August, when trade negotiations between the two countries turned to the implementation of tariffs affecting the prices of a number of products. Cross's latest album, Take Me As I Am, was released in 2017. His two U.S. No. 1 hits include "Sailing" (1980) and "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" (1981). - Billboard, 9/1/26...... Rod Stewart's wife Penny Lancaster has assured his fans that he'll "come back stronger than ever" following his heart operation. Stewart, 81, was forced to cancel the remaining dates on his 2026 North American tour in August to recover from a routine coronary stent procedure. Sharing an update on his health, Lancaster told the Press Association that the "Maggie May" musician was "back at full speed in his day-to-day activities" and will eventually be strong enough to perform again. "I mean, he does not sit down, I can never find him, he's, you know, he's got his hobbies, I mean he's just been in the gym working out, but we were under strict instructions about the level of workout he could do, and it's a gradual, build him up, build him up, kind of thing," she said. "But he's going to come back stronger than ever, I found it hard enough as it was to slow him down so now he feels like he's got a new lease of life." Lancaster added that Stewart was "devastated" to cancel his tour dates and "can't wait to see his fans again" when he gets back out on the road next year. Lancaster, who has been married to the rocker since 2007, also pointed out that Stewart's high-energy performances are similar to "running a sprint." "I did have to explain to the doctor what Rod's performances are like, he doesn't just sit down on a stool or behind a piano, he runs around for nearly two hours with four different costume changes because he's sweating through everything," she stated. In addition to the last dates on his "One Last Time Tour," Stewart also had to cancel his Encore Shows residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. A stent is a small tube that acts like a scaffold to help keep a narrowed or blocked artery open, restoring blood flow. - Music-News.com, 1/9/26...... The estate of Prince released a funky, career-spanning 10-song vault collection called Timeless on Aug. 28 in memory of the 10th anniversary of the artist's death. The Estate -- which released the set in partnership with Legacy Recordings-- said it represents the first-ever Prince release to cover every major era of the singer's career, spanning recordings tracked when he was a Minneapolis teenager in 1977 through ones cut in 2016. Prince died of an accidental fentanyl overdose on Apr. 21, 2016 at his Paisley Park estate in Minnesota. In addition to the album, the estate dropped an official video for "The Guilty Ones" on YouTube, featuring a compilation of live and music video footage spanning the singer's career. The Timeless album can also be streamed on Spotify.com. The release is part of a year-long commemoration of the 10th anniversary of Prince's death. - Billboard, 8/28/26...... Dolly Parton was laid to rest in a private family funeral in Nashville, Tenn., on Aug. 28, three days after her passing at age 80. The country legend was buried next to her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, who died in 2025 at 82. Dolly's great niece, Lainey Parton confirmed details about the private ceremony in an Instagram post. "This is a really hard post for me to make. I wanted to wait until after my granny was laid to rest yesterday before I tried to put any of this into words," she wrote. The funeral for the singer who died following what was described as a brief battle with cancer was held at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville. While no further details about her funeral were provided, Parton's nephew, Brian Seaver, revealed in a video that his aunt had a special request for how she should be buried. "Dolly was a farmer, just like her daddy," Seaver said. "He farmed the soil. She farmed songs and happiness. Dolly called me and said she wants to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton because after a life wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest." In a 2014 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Dolly said she wanted an old country-gospel hymn, "If We Never Meet Again" that was her father's favorite and played at his funeral, played at her funeral instead of one of her chart-topping hits. On Aug. 29, Doly was honored by her fellow country stars and peers at the Grand Ole Opry, where Carly Pearce, Jelly Roll, Kathy Mattea, Ketch Secor and Molly Tuttle, Channing Wilson and Parton's niece, Jada Star took the stage at the Nashville institution that inducted Parton into its ranks in 1969. Writing on Instagram, the Opry said: "There are artists who make country music. And then there are artists who become part of its very heart. That's Dolly Parton." The Opry also dedicated its regularly scheduled Saturday night show to Parton. Other tributes include a two-day dual city "Dollyfest," set for Nashville, Tenn. and London, England, across two consecutive weekends in 2027. The event had originally been planned as a multi-artist event for January 2026 and was slated to feature Parton as both a performer and host. The fest will now transform into an international, two-day and double-weekend party to honor the multi-hyphenate singer, songwriter, entertainer, philanthropist, author and businesswoman. Specific dates and/or potential performers will be announced at a later date. The east Tennessee native is also set to be honored by the University of Tennessee football team with a commemorative helmet sticker that every Vols player will wear for the entire upcoming season, according to Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel. Huepel said the players' helmets will be adorned by an orange butterfly inscribed with the "Jolene" singer's "Dolly" signature. Also, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee confirmed on Aug. 28 that the Nashville airport will be renamed in honor of Dolly following a petition reaching over 160,000 signatures on a petition on Change.org. "Dolly Parton's extraordinary life is forever woven into the fabric of our state," he said. "At a place where Tennessee welcomes the world, it is fitting that Nashville International Airport would bear the name of our state's favourite daughter and greet travellers with the enduring legacy of Dolly's music, generosity, faith, and kindness," he added. Meanwhile, Parton's musical catalog experienced a vault of 1,143% in official on-demand streams in the United States week over week following her Aug. 25 death, according to Luminate. In the Aug. 21-27 tracking period, Dollys's music was streamed 116.7 million times in the U.S., up from 9.4 million streams the previous week (Aug. 14-20). On Aug. 26, the day after her death, Parton was the most streamed artist in the U.S., with 54.3 million streams occurring that day; the next closest act, Drake, earned 41.9 million. Top streamed songs include "Jolene" (10.2 million streams), "I Will Always Love You" (6.5 million streams), "9 to 5" (9.5 million streams) and "Coat of Many Colors" (4.5 million streams). Along with Ultimate Dolly Parton on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart, Parton appears with The Essential Dolly Parton (No. 85, 14,000 units). Diamonds & Rhinestones: The Greatest Hits Collection joins both sets on Top Country Albums (No. 41, 9,000 units). Across the pond, Dolly is on track to claim her first-ever U.K. Number 1 single with "9 to 5," following an outpouring of love from fans following the country legend's death. Her other classics, including "Jolene" and "Islands in the Stream," are also dominating the upper reaches of the U.K.'s Official Chart forecast. - Billboard, 8/31/26...... The Who's Pete Townshend says he's "working on getting well" so he can play with his legendary band "in the future," after announcing he was pulling out of Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival due to ongoing health issues. Townshend, 81, has suffered damage to his left foot and is experiencing balance problems. Despite pushing hard to recover in time for the Sept. 26 and 27 event at the Moody Center in Austin, Tex., he says the long flight from the U.K. isn't sensible in his current condition. "I'm so sorry to say that due to damage to my left foot, and subsequent issues with my balance, I cannot commit to travel to appear at the upcoming Crossroads Festival in Austin," Townshend posted to X/Twitter. "I so desperately wanted to appear, and have battled to get in shape, and I am improving, but the long flights from London, and the jetlag on my return, would cause backtracking I really can't afford." Townshend has instead made a generous $50,000 donation to Clapton's Crossroads Center -- a drug treatment clinic near St Philip's, Antigua -- via his own charity, Double O, which supports addiction-recovery organizations. He continued: "I am making a $50,000 donation to the festival cause from my charity Double O, and one day I hope I can accept Eric's invitation to appear with him. He has now asked me several times. There has always been some issue, in this case it is my recovery from my knee replacement in February of 2025, and some complications." He closed by saying, "Meanwhile I will keep working on getting well so I can work with Roger [Daltrey] and The Who in future." The post was captioned: "We love you @PeteTownshend_, feel better and we are so appreciative of your donation (sic)." The Who played what was billed as their last ever shows in 2025. Meanwhile, it appears that The Who is re-hiring drummer Zak Starkey ahead of a possible European tour after an acromonious split between the two parties in 2025. "We had a rehearsal recently to make sure we can think about doing some shows in Europe," Starkey recently told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Roger Daltrey added that Starkey had been behind the kit and that "it sounded great." Starkey later shared a screenshot of the report on Instagram. "Nice one Rog x," he wrote. "Lookin forward to tearin it up with The Who again The rehearsal was great. I don't think we've ever rehearsed as tough as that usually we drink tea and talk about what time we're going home!" Starkey, the son of Ringo Starr, began playing with The Who in 1996 and remained their touring drummer for nearly three decades, but his position was suddenly thrown into doubt following the band's Teenage Cancer Trust shows at London's Royal Albert Hall in March last year. During "The Song Is Over," Daltrey stopped the performance and complained that he could not hear the key over the drums, and the band were subsequently reported to have fired Starkey following an "acrimonious" fallout. Starkey said he was "surprised and saddened" by the decision, maintaining that he did not believe there had been a problem with his performance. He had also recently recovered from a serious blood clot in his leg. Elsewhere, Roger Daltrey has said he believes social media is "destroying civilization." Daltrey, 82, blasted Gen Z and influencers for their dependence on social media and insisted "everybody's screaming" at each other online but no one is listening. According to DailyMail.com, he told the audience during a recent gig at Yaamava' Resort Casino in Los Angeles: "When you think about it, we've got this new world of social media which seems to be destroying civilization. I think. A platform for everybody to scream at each other, but nobody's f------ listening. "So, everybody's screaming. Oh, yeah. What's that all about? And how many friends have you really got when you look at 'Oh, I got all these likes'. That's just your ego. Let it go. Let it go. It's not worth it. So, when it comes to the end, and I'm getting close. Closer than you think. How many friends have you really got? We did a song once. How many friends have you really got? You can count them on one hand. Never a true word was written." Daltrey followed his rant about today's youth by playing his teen rebel anthem "My Generation." - Music-News.com/New Musical Express, 9/2/26...... R&B icon Gladys Knight has announced that she is "easing into fewer performances" to spend more time with her family. Knight, 82, recently posted on Instagram that "After much soul searching I've decided that I will be easing into fewer performances while focusing on transitioning into the next stage of my career and life moving forward. I'll be spending more time on projects with my husband and visiting with my grandbabies and am looking forward to this new era." Her decision comes after some performances that didn't hit her high standards. In August, Knight and Smokey Robinson performed at the Hollywood Bowl. While Robinson appeared to have not lost a step, Knight wasn't her typical self. "She relied heavily on her three back-up singers, who even took lead parts on occasion. She didn't introduce them, or any of her six musicians, or speak to the audience in any meaningful way beyond banalities like 'you're so beautiful.' She never mentioned Robinson," a reviewer for Billboard reported from the scene. Sadly, Knight "barely got through this show, and only by leaning heavily on her backup singers. Artists need to know when it's time to bow out gracefully." As the leader of Gladys Knight And The Pips, the legendary singer helped shape the sound of Motown in the 60's and 70's: "Midnight Train to Georgia" was a No. 1 hit and instant classic, but the soul act's run extended long after that 1973 hit. In recent years, Knight has been a regular on the awards circuit. She was saluted by the Recording Academy in 2024 with the Lifetime Achievement Award, and the previous year received the National Medals of Arts, the United States' highest award given to artists and their patrons. Kennedy Center Honors came in 2022. Knight, along with her backing group, The Pips, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. - Billboard, 8/28/26...... David Byrne's latest international tour is coming to theaters, with the hometown concerts being shot on 70mm film by director Brady Corbet. Launching in Sept. 2025, Byrne's "Who Is The Sky?" tour travelled to four continents and over 150 shows, with 13 musicians creating what the press release described as a show that "blends visual art, storytelling, and music into one compelling live performance." The tour's multi-night stop at Baltimore's The Hippodrome has been captured by Corbet, and Byrne was quoted in a press release at being amazed by the results. "When Brady told me he wanted to shoot our show in 70 millimeter (70 millimeter!) I didn't realize what a difference it would make until I saw some frames he sent me," shared Byrne. "He was right, it really does capture the wide screen visual scope of the show. I've never seen anything like it." Brady Corbet is best known as the director of The Brutalist, winning Golden Globe and BAFTA awards for the epic drama as well as earning three Oscar nominations. He has also directed The Childhood of a Leader with Robert Pattinson and Vox Lux starring Natalie Portman. The film is currently in post-production, with distribution and release date yet to be announced. Byrne has previously worked with award-winning filmmakers before, such as Jonathan Demme on Talking Heads' seminal concert movie Stop Making Sense, as well as Spike Lee on the 2020 stage production "David Byrne's American Utopia." - NME, 8/28/26...... Cher has slammed her daughter-in-law Marieangela King-Allman, painting her as a fame seeker "on a quest for money." The "Believe" singer recently filed court documents arguing against King-Allman becoming guardian of her song, Elijah Blue Allman. Elijah, 50, is currently under a psychiatric hold at a New Hampshire psychiatric/correctional facility as he faces multiple criminal charges over two separate incidents -- one in which he broke into a house, and another in which he created a "disturbance" in the dining hall of a local private prep school. While Elijah and Marieangela are still technically married, Cher's legal team argued they were long estranged and that her daughter-in-law was merely seeking fame and fortune. "The New Hampshire State Hospital, and the rest of the family remain adamantly opposed to Mrs. King-Allman serving given her estrangement from Elijah," court documents filed by Cher's lawyer, Justin Gold, stated. "As evidenced by the previously pending divorce, her refusal and failure to assist Elijah and Kayti Pease while he was struggling before he was arrested in New Hampshire, and/or because the family believes that she is inserting herself back into the picture on a quest for money and/or a bit of fame." In the court filing, Cher claimed Marieangela had done nothing to assist Elijah in the aftermath of his arrests and hospitalisation. "Mr. Allman's condition was not unknown to her, as Kayti Pease had repeatedly and often requested that Mrs. King-Allman assist her in providing care for Mr. Allman," the filing said. "Mrs. King-Allman never lifted a finger to help, despite the fact that Mr. Allman was supposedly her spouse. Now that a conservatorship is pending, Mrs. King-Allman clearly sees a financial opportunity to control his income, and she has attempted to seize the opportunity created by his incarceration to try to reinsert herself back into his life." - Music-News.com, 9/1/26...... The celebrity gossip site TMZ.com is reporting that Lionel Richie checked himself into intensive care shortly after his performance in St. Louis on Aug. 29. The outlet reported the news of the Grammy winner's hospitalization amid his "Sing a Song All Night Long" tour with Earth, Wind & Fire. During the show, he had asked his team to bring him a chair while performing encore song, "All Night Long." The American Idol judge, 77, previously cut a concert short in St Paul, Minnesota, on 24 June after falling ill on stage. During that show, which was the first of his tour, Richie told the crowd he was feeling dizzy and performed "Dancing on the Ceiling" while seated, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported. "When you're feeling dizzy, sit your ass down," he joked, before sitting down at a piano to perform "Three Times a Lady" and then taking an impromptu intermission. Richie postponed two shows in the aftermath of that incident, as his doctors advised he "rest and return to full health." The former The Commodores member and '80s/'90s superstar later assured fans he was "doing well" in an Instagram post. Thank you for every message, every kind word, and for all your love. I'm doing well, and I'm grateful for all of you," he shared. Richie is next scheduled to perform on Sept. 26 in San Francisco. - Music-News.com, 9/1/26...... The Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter have announced a raft of new dates for their forthcoming winter "50 Years Of Punk" tour. Earlier in 2026, they announced an arena tour marking five decades since punk's most momentous year, with 1976 seeing the original line-up play a series of legendary gigs in now mythic venues like The Marquee, The 100 Club, The Nashville and the El Paradiso strip club. A series of headline dates kicking off at Dublin's 3Arena on Dec. 7 along with further dates at Edinburgh's Corn Exchange (12/9), Glasgow's O2 Academy (12/10), and London's Brixton Academy (12/18) and Eventim Apollo (12/20) were initially announced. Now further dates at Leeds O2 Academy (12/4), Newcastle NX (12/5), Liverpool Olympia (12/12), Birmingham O2 Academy (12/14), Portsmouth Guildhall (12/15) and Bristol Prospect Building (12/16) have been added to the schedule. A flurry of incendiary shows came before they recorded 1977's seminal Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols were maybe best immortalized by their stop at Manchester's Lesser Free Trade Hall. Widely considered some of the most influential shows of all time, the two shows at the Manchester venue are credited with inspiring musicians who'd go on to be in bands including Joy Division, The Smiths and The Fall. The band, reformed with Carter as vocalist in 2024 -- initially to raise funds for London's Bush Hall venue but have since played everywhere from Australia to Japan, making several stops at European festivals and playing a show at the Royal Albert Hall for the Teenage Cancer Trust. - NME, 9/1/26.

Reaction to the sudden death of Dolly Parton on Aug. 25 after a brief battle with cancer continues to reverberate around the world days after the country music queen's passing. A petition advocating for the Nashville International Airport in her native Tennessee to be renamed Dolly Parton International Airport in honor of the singer has exploded on Change.org after it was originated by Nashville comedian Lydia Popvich in 2025. Popvich updated the pitch on Aug. 26, noting that it retained a key supporter in Tennessee State Sen. Todd Warner, who she said had pledged to introduce legislation to make the name change happen. In addition, Nashville City Council member Russ Bradford responded to the petition, writing, "I'm proud to sponsor a resolution asking the Metro Nashville Airport Authority to consider renaming BNA to Dolly Parton International Airport." Meanwhile, Parton's Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., announced that it would remain open after her passing. "Dolly's heartfelt wish was that Dollywood always remain a place of joy, hope and togetherness a space where families and friends could honor her memory, not with silence, but with laughter, music and shared dreams," a statement on its website by park president Eugene Naughton said in part. "While we grieve her loss, we are honored and committed to carry her light forward. Her legacy will continue to shine in every melody sung, every smile shared and every dream kindled within these gates." Parton has made frequent visits to the park over the years, including its 40th anniversary celebration in Mar. 2025, which took place less than two weeks after the death of her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean. She was scheduled to appear at Dollywood a couple of weeks prior to her death to support the opening of its new NightFlight Expedition ride, but canceled due to then-unspecified health issues. Elsewhere, Dolly's Imagination Library program has been honored by the Library of Congress. The organization shared a tribute to the singer on Aug. 25, shortly after news of her dying at the age of 80 was shared earlier that day. "The Library is devastated to learn of the passing of @DollyParton, a music legend and titan of children's literacy," the federal establishment wrote on X. "Her Imagination Library program has earned multiple Library Literacy Awards and, in 2018, she visited us to donate its 100 millionth book to our collection and host a story time," the post continued, alongside a sweet photo of Parton reading a book to a group of enraptured children seated on the floor in front of her. Elsewhere, it has been revealed that the country music icon left behind a song more than a decade before her death that she specifically instructed would not be heard until her 100th birthday in 2046. At Dollywood's DreamMore Resort in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., sits a locked chestnut box containing a recording of an unreleased Parton song called "My Place in History." The song was written in 2015, the same year the resort opened, and Parton specifically arranged for it to be unveiled on what would have been her 100th birthday: Jan. 19, 2046. Inside the box is a CD containing the recording, along with a CD player so that future generations will be able to hear it, outwardly a Dolly time capsule. The country legend even acknowledged the uncertainty of leaving technology from 2015 to be opened decades later. "There's no telling what music is going to be by then," she wrote in her 2020 book, Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics. "Hopefully, it will play and the whole thing ain't rotted." Parton also joked that she hoped she would live long enough to hear the song herself when the box eventually opened. She was 69 when she wrote and recorded "My Place In History." Meanwhile, in the week before her death it was reported that Parton was exploring "avatar performances" as part of several new ways to perform for fans in the future. Now, her team have revealed the extent of her planning, saying in a new statement that the musician "worked up until the day she died." "She loved seeing her dreams come to life, and loved knowing her work brought people joy. Ever the planner, Dolly worked with the team that she handpicked, for the past several years to build a project roadmap that will guide us for decades to come," says her longtime manager Danny Nozell. "As the leader of the team responsible for overseeing her legacy, we will ensure the many dreams she had yet to fulfil are brought to life. Many projects were in various stages of development, and we want to be transparent with her fans about this fact. If you see unreleased music, products, books, experiences, and campaigns launched through official Dolly Parton channels, you can have confidence in knowing that she placed her personal stamp on it." They then shared an overview of some of the active projects at the time of Parton's death, which include Dolly's Tennessean Travel Stops, Dolly Parton's SongTeller Hotel, Dolly Dolls, and a Dolly's Life Of Many Colors Museum opening in Nashville on Sept. 29. In the entertainment realm, a musical, "DOLLY: A True Original Musical On Broadway," is set to open on January 19 2027 -- what would have been Parton's 81st birthday -- while further details of a Dolly avatar show, a biopic, a docuseries and a scripted series will be revealed soon. Finally, Dolly's iconic 1973 track "Jolene" has topped Apple Music's U.S. songs chart a day after her death. "Jolene," released in Oct. 1973 before the album of the same name dropped the following year, was loosely inspired by a bank teller who flirted with her husband, Carl Dean, who died in Mar. 2025 at the age of 82. As well as the top country hit, several other songs by the country music icon made the top 10, including "I Will Always Love You," "9 to 5," and "Islands in the Stream." - Billboard/NME/Music-News.com, 8/26/26...... In a new interview with E! News, Ozzy Osbourne's son Jack Osbourne promised that the forthcoming Ozzy biopic will be for the people, not "artsy, esoteric." "I have this mantra, and I always say it, when in meetings with my mom or doing anything with the family business. It's, 'give the fans what they want,'" said Jack. "That's our people, that's who we're catering for, that's what my dad wrote music for, that's what he toured for, it's why we did the shows we did. It's been a big theme." Jack revealed that the script for the film being developed by Sony Pictures and Polygram Entertainment in conjunction with the family is already finished and that the call is out for directors now for the project that has not yet announced a shooting schedule or potential release date. The good news is that the family already has someone in mind for the title role, but it's too early to reveal who that is. "I'm not allowed to say, but conversations have been had, and if it all works out, it's gonna be awesome," Jack said. An Ozzy biopic was first revealed by Osbourne's widow Sharon Osbourne in 2021 that would chronicle the couple's 45-year love affair. "Our relationship at times was often wild, insane and dangerous but it was our undying love that kept us together," Sharon said at the time. - Billboard, 8/27/26...... Barry Manilow announced on Aug. 26 that he's taking a break from his Las Vegas residency at the International Theater at Westgate that had been planned to kick off in late August, as well as six shows scheduled for September in order to rest and recuperate from his battle with stage 1 lung cancer. "Hi everybody - Barry here," he wrote in an Instagram post. "And I want you to be the first to know that we're going to take a quick break. We just finished a fantastic summer tour. 29 shows in 68 days. The shows were fantastic. The audiences were fantastic. And I sounded fantastic. But it seems that we were pushing a little too hard," he added. The decision came after Manilow, 83, postponed his planned 2026 arena tour and delayed his February residency shows in Vegas in the wake of surgery for lung cancer in December. He was slated to return to the stage at Westgate on Aug. 20, but that show was called off just before curtain, followed by the cancelation of last weekend's Friday and Saturday gigs due to reported "technical and vocal problems." The message ended with Manilow adding that new Westgate dates will be in September. Manilow had treatment for stage 1 lung cancer in December, including surgery to remove a cancerous spot from his left lung, which resulted in the singer pushing back his planned February Las Vegas residency dates, as well as his February, March and April arena shows on doctor's advice to rest. - Billboard, 8/26/26...... Ahead of a new expanded special edition of The Beatles' Rubber Soul set to drop on Oct. 2, an early "songwriting work tape" of one of the album's key tracks, "Day Tripper," has been shared on YouTube. "Day Tripper," recorded during the sessions for Rubber Soul in 1965, was first developed by John Lennon as a folk song, and later turned into the final rocking version with lead vocals by Paul McCartney a month later. The newly released recording shows the two working on it together -- and features audio of them laughing together and also noting the high level of sound being captured on tape. The finished version was later completed during an eight-hour studio session. With the new version of the album. It will be presented in new stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes for the first time in over six decades, and come in a box-set alongside the original mono mix and the original Capitol US Album version (which did not include "Day Tripper"). Alongside the original tracklist -- which features fan-favorites including "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)," "Nowhere Man," "Michelle" and "In My Life" -- there will also be "We Can Work It Out" and a selection of previously unreleased session recordings and home demos. - New Musical Express, 8/26/26...... Bruce Springsteen announced on Aug. 25 he is returning for another year of supporting veterans at the annual "Stand Up for Heroes" charity event, which in 2026 is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The Boss will perform at the event which raises money for members of the military facing injury or illness, as well as their families, on Nov. 9 at Lincoln Center in New York City. The Resilient, a band that includes wounded U.S. combat veterans, is also on the bill along with Alex Warren, and the event will be hosted by comedian Jon Stewart. This year's benefit will take place three days into the 2026 New York Comedy Festival, which will run from Nov. 6 to Nov. 15. Springsteen has a nearly perfect attendance record at "Stand Up for Heroes," appearing at almost every one of the annual showcases since 2007. - Billboard, 8/25/26...... Eric Clapton and John Mayer have joined forces for a limited-edition guitar collection in aid of charity. On Aug. 26, Billboard's Guitar Center unveiled its 2026 exclusive Crossroads guitar collection, with limited-edition guitars across five models. The line-up was created in collaboration with Clapton and includes a new John Mayer x PRS Silver Sky. Mayer will debut the model onstage at this year's Crossroads Guitar Festival in Austin, Tex. Previous Clapton-exclusive guitars have been a hot commodity at Guitar Center, with the remake of the singer's 2006 "Blackie" flying off the shelves in just four hours, the fastest-selling guitar launch at that time. Almost two decades later, in 2025, the Gibson Custom Eric Clapton 1958 Les Paul sold out in under 12 hours. The new collection is available at Guitar Store and at stores nationwide and online. Fans at the 2026 Crossroads Guitar Festival, which runs from Sept. 26-27, can also shop the collection at The Guitar Center Experience. - Billboard, 8/26/26...... On Aug. 22 ZZ Top returned to the stage for the first time following the death of longtime drummer Frank Beard. The band performed at Austin's Moody Theater, "one of Frank's favorite venues and in a city that had been something of a second home for him," according to a press statement. Following Beard's death at age 77 on Aug. 17, ZZ Top canceled two tour dates in Salt Lake City on Aug. 18 and Colorado Springs on Aug. 19. The band previously announced that it would resume its current "The Big One! Tour" with back-to-back shows this weekend at Austin City Limits. During the Aug. 22 show, drummer Michael Monahan stepped in behind the kit. Both Monahan and longtime drum tech John Douglas had been filling in for Beard as he dealt with health issues in recent years. ZZ Top frontman Billy Gibbons addressed his bandmate's death once during the performance, during the group's introductions after the first song, according to Ultimate Classic Rock. "I guess some of you probably know there's a new man in town," Gibbons said of Monahan. "In fact, it all started a little while back. [Bassist Elwood Francis] and I got an unexpected call from our dear Frank Beard, our dear drummer for 50 years. I've never heard him admit, he said, 'My bass drum foot's a little weak. Can you get my man [Monahan] to take over?' I said, 'Oh yeah, yeah, he's been doing pretty good.' Frank said, 'Yeah, that's what worries me.'" Gibbons then shifted his tone to a more upbeat one, telling the audience, "We're all here for a celebration, you know what's going on. So we're gonna have a good time." Footage of Gibbons introducing the band's new drummer can be viewed on Instagram. ZZ Top will remain on the road through October as part of the band's The Big One! Tour. The group will then travel to South America for additional shows in November. The band hasn't yet announced whether Monahan will remain behind the kit for those performances. - Billboard, 8/23/26...... Elton John has unveiled his family's annual summer playlist during the latest episode of his Rocket Hour show on Apple Music, featuring track selections curated alongside his husband David Furnish and their sons, Zachary and Elijah. The collection bridges generational tastes, pairing legacy artists with contemporary electronic and dance producers. Selections include Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground," Bob Marley & The Wailers' "Could You Be Loved," and Tom Petty's "Runnin' Down A Dream." Reflecting on Petty's catalog, John highlighted the 1989 album Full Moon Fever as one of the finest rock records ever produced. John clarified that the radio broadcast represents an abbreviated selection from a broader personal playlist used by the family throughout the season. The full episode of Rocket Hour is available to stream on demand via Apple Music and Apple Podcasts. - Music-News.com, 8/25/26...... Richard Lloyd, the guitarist in the acclaimed '70s New Wave band Television, has been diagnosed with bile duct cancer and is seeking financial help. The bile ducts are small tubes that connect different organs, including the liver and gall bladder and are part of the digestive system. Although bile duct cancer is treatable, in can be difficult to treat, which is what Richard is facing. Friends have rallied support through a newly launched GoFundMe fundraiser as Richard is unable to tour. Created by his Richard Lloyd Group bandmate Sean Seymour, the GoFundMe explains that the musician is dealing with "tumors in his liver, including one located dangerously close to a major blood vessel." Seymour says the tumour's position means doctors would struggle to carry out an operation without causing damage. Richard has already endured seven ICU admissions and repeated medical crises, including deadly sepsis twice, on top of liver and kidneys complications. All the money raised will help Richard and his wife Sheila better manage the financial pressure created by his illness, covering medical bills, everyday costs, and the impact of him being unable to work while Sheila provides full-time care. The goal is $80,000 (58,690), and they are already midway to the target. Television frontman Tom Verlaine died in 2023, aged 73, and the band has been inactive ever since. - Music-News.com, 8/25/26...... TV and movie actress Shelley Fabares, the star of classic sitcoms The Donna Reed Show and Coach and who appeared in three films with Elvis Presley, died on Aug. 22 in Los Angeles. She was 82. Born in Santa Monica, Calif., in January 1944, Ms. Fabares grew up around Hollywood. Her mother, Elsa, started her modeling career at a young age, which led to roles on TV. Ms. Fabares' aunt, Nanette Fabray, was a well-known Broadway star and film supporting player who also transitioned to TV roles. Among Ms. Fabares' early TV breaks was a two-episode stint on The Loretta Young Show in 1954. Her first major film credit came in a supporting role in the 1956 Rock Hudson drama Never Say Goodbye, for Universal International. She had a brief career as a singer during her time on The Donna Reed Show, notching a No.1 hit with her 1961 track "Johnny Angel." She parlayed her TV fame into a series of teen-centric B-movie romps including opposite Fabian in 1964's "Ride the Wild Surf," and she co-starred with Elvis Presley in 1965's Girl Happy, 1966's Spinout and 1967's Clambake. Some of her other TV credits include The Little People, Forever Fernwood, The Practice, Hello Larry, Highcliffe Manor, Fantasy Island, One Day at a Time and The Love Boat. She had a key role on one of the most lauded TV movies of the 1970s, ABC's Brian's Song, starring James Caan and Billy Dee Williams in the true story of the friendship between two NFL players as one of them faces terminal cancer. Ms. Fabares played Joy Piccolo, the wife of Caan's Brian Piccolo. Ms. Fabares was briefly married to influential music and movie producer Lou Adler in the mid-1960s. In 1984, Ms. Fabares married actor Mike Farrell, known for his long run on the CBS comedy M*A*S*H. In the 1980s and '90s, Farrell and Ms. Fabares were active in numerous political and social causes, including protesting U.S. activities in Central America and supporting the anti-nuclear movement that took root in Southern California in the late 1970s. After Coach ended its run, Ms. Fabares had few film and TV credits as she battled health problems. In 2000, she went through a very public health crisis in which she needed -- and ultimately successfully received -- a liver transplant. Her experience of waiting nearly two years for a donor liver to become available helped raise public awareness for the acute need for organ donations. "We will miss her deeply -- not only as a celebrated performer, but as the loving and extraordinary person she was in our everyday lives," her family said in a statement. "We take comfort in knowing that Shelley's work and the memories she created with those who loved her will continue to live on," they added. - Variety, 8/23/26...... Jaye P. Morgan, one of the top female recording artists of the 1950s with seven top 40 pop hits in 1954-55 alone, including "That's All I Want From You," and who later became a frequent talk show guest and game show panelist -- infamously taking off her blouse on The Gong Show -- died on Aug. 24 of natural causes in Longview, Wash. She was 94. Her longtime attorney and friend, Mark Sendroff, said Ms. Morgan had been living with her nephew and niece, Duke Morgan Spencer and Peggy Sue Spencer. Ms. Morgan's biggest hit was 1954's "That's All I Want From You," which reached No. 3 on the Most Played by Jockeys chart and No. 5 on the Best Sellers in Stores list. In the Billboard Hot 100 era, she scored three hits: "Are You Lonesome Tonight" (No. 65 in 1959); "Miss You" (No. 78, 1959); and "I Walk the Line" (No. 66, 1960). Later, she would become a regular guest on The Tonight Show and make appearances with Merv Griffin, Dick Cavett and Mike Douglas as well as spots on The Love Boat and Fantasy Island. But it was her years hamming it up as a celebrity judge -- along with Jamie Farr and Rip Taylor -- on the chaotic The Gong Show starting in 1976 that cemented her fame. On the show, amateur performers tried out their acts, and when one of the judges couldn't stand it anymore, they smashed a gong, ending the proceedings. Whichever performer won the day's show received a check for the random amount of $516.32. On one episode, Eugene Patton -- the dancing stagehand performing as Gene Gene the Dancing Machine -- started his thing when Morgan opened her shirt to expose her breasts, helping bring an end to the show's run on NBC in 1978. "It paid good money, and it was great exposure. I really enjoyed it," she told the Los Angeles Times in 1992. "Jaye P. Morgan's devil-may-care ad libs on television game shows have probably made her more famous as a personality than as a singer," The New York Times wrote in 1984. "But the same kooky recklessness that inspires Miss Morgan's remarks is also a part of her musical sensibility." Her film credits include The All-American Boy with Jon Voight, Loose Shoes, The Gong Show Movie, Night Patrol and the 2002 Miramax release Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, directed by George Clooney. Married and divorced three times, Ms. Morgan is survived by a son, Paul Kane. - Associated Press, 8/26/26...... Acclaimed British actor, author, comedian and singer Tim Curry, best known for playing cross-dressing Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the iconic 1975 cult movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show, died on Aug. 25 at his Toluca Lake, Los Angeles home of as yet undisclosed causes. He was 80. After gaining notice as part of the original cast of the British production of the musical Hair in 1968, Mr. Curry rose to international stardom in the role that would come to define his half-century career as the lascivious, lingerie-wearing Frank-N-Furter in the original stage production of "The Rocky Horror Show," a b-movie send-up that chronicles the misadventures of a naive couple who take refuge from a storm in the home of mad scientist Furter. Though he would go on to perform in dozens of other plays and movies, it was his role in Rocky Horror that made Curry an international star, with audiences transfixed by his show-stopping, bump-and-grind introductory number, "Sweet Transvestite," as well as the cabaret-like "I Can Make You a Man" and the emotional ballad "I'm Going Home," among others. He famously reprised the role in the musical film adaptation in 1975, with that movie becoming a staple of interactive midnight screenings in which fans dressed up as his character (and others), and came armed with props mimicking the action on screen. Born Timothy James Curry on Apr. 19, 1946 in Grappenhall, Cheshire England, he showed musical talent early on, graduating with a degree in English and drama from the University of Birmingham in 1968. Following his breakout role in the "Rocky Horror" stage musical, Mr. Curry appeared in a string of stage plays and TV projects, including a lauded performance as William Shakespeare in the six-part 1978 British Will Shakespeare mini-series. His film career also took off, landing him roles in another cult classic, Times Square, as well as a scene-stealing turn as "Rooster" in the 1982 film adaptation of Annie. He scored another classic role in 1985 in the Ridley Scott fantasy film Legend as the Lord of Darkness and another that year as Wadsworth the butler in the film adaptation of the board game Clue. He earned a Best Lead Actor Tony nomination in 1980 for his titular role in "Amadeus" and spent much of the next two decades bouncing between Broadway and London's West End in a series of starring roles in "The Threepenny Opera," "The Art of Success," "My Favorite Year" (for which he earned his second Tony nomination) and as Scrooge in the 2001 musical "A Christmas Carol." After moving the U.S., Mr. Curry began a run of television roles, including his Emmy-nominated portrayal of Winston Newquay in the triple role on the 1983 anthology series Tales From the Crypt, as well as a return to horror as Pennywise the Clown in the 1990 miniseries Stephen King's It. In addition to his long list of stage, screen and television roles, Mr. Curry appeared on the Rocky Horror soundtrack -- which reached No. 49 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart in 1978 -- and released his debut album, a collection of mostly covers, on A&M Records in 1978, Read My Lips. His second LP, 1979's more rocking collection of originals, Fearless, reached No. 53 on the Billboard 200 and spawned the minor hit "I Do The Rock," which topped out at No. 96 on the Billboard Hot 100. His third album, 1981's Simplicity, peaked at No. 112 on the album chart. Mr. Curry was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2002 for Best Spoken Word Album for Children for his reading of A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning. Mr. Curry, who suffered a stroke in 2012 and spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair, released his memoir, Vagabond, in 2025. - Billboard, 8/26/26.