Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on March 21st, 2026

AC/DC guitarist Stevie Young was hospitalized in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Mar. 19 four days before the Aussie hard rockers were play three shows in the South American city on Mar. 23, 27 and 31. "Upon arrival in Buenos Aires, AC/DC band member Stevie Young was not feeling well," a spokesperson for the band told Billboard on on Mar. 20. "Out of an abundance of caution, he was admitted to a local hospital where he is undergoing a full battery of tests," adding that "Stevie is doing well and in good spirits. He is looking forward to getting on stage on Monday." Stevie Young has been AC/DC's rhythm guitarist since 2014, when he replaced his uncle Malcolm Young who retired from music due to health issues related to dementia; he died three years later in Nov. 2017 at age 64. The veteran "Back in Black" group are scheduled to play three sold-out shows at Buenos Aires' 85,000-capacity Monumental Stadium in late March. The gigs will be AC/DC's first performances in Argentina since 2009, when they played for nearly 200,000 fans over three shows at the same stadium on their "Black Ice" world tour. AC/DC launched the "Power Up" tour in support of their 17th studio album of the same name in May 2024 in Germany. After touring Europe that year, North America and their native Australia in 2025, they picked things back up in Feb. 2026 with a trio of shows in So Paulo, Brazil and two gigs in Santiago, Chile. - Billboard, 3/20/26...... Peter Frampton announced on Instagram on Mar. 17 that he'll be dropping his first album of original music in 16 years on May 15. "This record is a very special one for me," Frampton said of the LP, Carry the Light "I got to write and produce it with my son Julian [Frampton], as well as work with some wonderful friends along the way." Among the featured artists are Sheryl Crow, who sings with Frampton on "Breaking the Mold," and H.E.R., who plays guitar alongside the "Baby, I Love Your Way" singer on "Islamorada." Tom Morello fittingly appears on a track titled "Lions at the Gate," which is described as a "protest song" in a release. Also on the record are Graham Nash on "I'm Sorry Elle," Benmont Tench on the album's first single, "Buried Treasure," and saxophonist Bill Evans on "Can You Take Me There" and "Tinderbox." Frampton's last proper album, Thank You Mr. Churchill, dropped in 2010 and appeared on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart, on which the guitarist has scored 14 entries total. His 1976 live album, Frampton Comes Alive!, spent 10 weeks at No. 1 on the chart. Frampton has credited Crow for helping him become inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2024. "[Sheryl] stirred the pot big-time and made people aware -- including some of the board members, I think," Frampton told Billboard in 2024 of crediting Crow with his nomination to the Rock Hall. "They thought I was already in." Frampton's announcement and the single "Buried Treasure" can be streamed on Instagram. - Billboard, 3/17/26...... Appearing on Sirius XM's The Julia Cunningham Show, Irish actor Barry Keoghan discussed working on the forthcoming Beatles biopic, describing his co-stars as "brothers." The unique format of the films, in which Sam Mendes directs a film for each member of the band, was discussed and the actor was enthusiastic about his time filming. "It's going to be an event and you know and we knew that coming on board" he said. "What an exciting event to be part of, and no better filmmaker to do it than Sam, you know, so I'm having an absolute f---ing brilliant time and elevating my craft and, you know, making brothers as well on set." Keoghan is joined by Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, and Harris Dickinson as John Lennon. His full interview can be viewed on YouTube. - New Musical Express, 3/20/26...... The cause of Neil Sedaka's death on Feb. 27 at age 86 has been revealed three weeks after the passing of the "Laughter In the Rain" singer. The New York Post reports that Sedaka died of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, a chronic condition caused by the buildup of fats, cholesterol and other substances in artery walls -- often referred to as plaque -- which can cause arteries to narrow, blocking blood flow resulting in blood clots that can lead to heart attack or stroke, according to the Mayo Clinic. Kidney failure also contributed to Sedaka's passing, according to a death certificate reportedly obtained by the paper, which noted that his occupation was listed as "singer-songwriter" and that he was embalmed at the Hollywood Funeral Home and buried at Beth Olam Cemetery in Los Angeles on Mar. 3. In an Instagram post after his passing, his family described the Brooklyn-born musician as "a true rock n' roll legend, an inspiration to millions, but most importantly, at least to those of us who were lucky enough to know him, an incredible human being who will be deeply missed." - Billboard, 3/19/26...... Elton John and husband David Furnish's annual Oscars viewing party held at West Hollywood Park on Mar. 15 raised a historic $10.6 million for the global fight to end the AIDS epidemic. Co-hosted by John, Furnish, Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka, the 34th annual event featured a aw, unfiltered performance by rising double-platinum British artist Lola Young. "Elton, David, and the Foundation are all about celebrating who you really are," Young said, emphasizing the responsibility of her generation to advocate for LGBTQ+ communities and those still affected by HIV. Elton echoed the sentiment, praising Young as "bold, brilliant, and completely herself" amidst a legendary night for British talent. The fundraising reached a fever pitch during an auction led by Lydia Fenet. The centerpiece was an original artwork titled "Tiny Dancer" by Jack Coulter. Coulter, who experiences synesthesia, translated sound into color while John performed a rare, solo piano rendition of the classic song. Meanwhile, Mick Jagger and his fiancé Melanie Hamrick made a glamorous appearance at the Vanity Fair Oscar party on the same evening. Hamrick, 38, smiled alongside her 82-year-old significant one, who sported a teal shirt and matching sport coat. While Jagger and Hamrick are engaged, they seem to have no official plans to get married, but Hamrick says that doesn't mean they may not pursue it in the future. "We've been engaged two or three years," Hamrick told Paris Match, a French publication, in 2025. "Maybe one day we'll marry, maybe not. We are so happy in our current life that I would be too afraid to change anything." Jagger has said he is considering retiring from touring after a recent harrowing experience involving Hamrick being physically attacked at a private members' club in London. The experience involving Hamrick has forced him to "reassess his priorities," according to an insider. In February, Hamrick shared online that she'd been "physically attacked at Annabel's Mayfair." That is a private members' club in London. - Music-News.com/Parade/RealityTea.com, 3/16/26...... Veteran pop songwriter Diane Warren has responded to her record-breaking Oscars loss, losing her 17th nomination for Best Original Song for "Dear Me," meaning she now holds the record for the most nominations without a win. Warren made light of her latest loss on social media after the ceremony, writing, "Well at least I'm consistent! And I set a new record tonite!! But U know me, I will be back if you'll have me (sic)!!!" Warren, 69, may well keep her promise as she has been nominated for Best Original Song every year since 2016 and is likely to return again in 2027. The songwriter was previously tied with sound mixer Greg P. Russell with 16 nominations and no wins. The Mar. 15 ceremony gave her the all-time record for the most nominated person to not yet have a competitive Oscar. "Dear Me," performed by Kesha during the Oscars, was featured in her documentary Diane Warren: Relentless. However, she lost out to "Golden" from KPop Demon Hunters. While she has yet to win a competitive Oscar, Warren was bestowed an honorary Academy Award in 2022. - Music-News.com, 3/16/26...... On Mar. 19 executives at entertainment firm Pophouse announced that they had completed a "strategic transaction" with BMG music to become the majority owner of Tina Turner's catalog. We are incredibly proud to be entrusted with helping celebrate and develop Tina Turner's extraordinary legacy," Pophouse exec Johan Lagerlf said. "Tina Turner is not only one of the greatest artists of all time, but a force of nature whose impact extends far beyond music. We look forward to developing new and exciting projects that respectfully carry her legacy forward for generations to come." Pophouse also acquired Turner's Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) rights, and the terms of the deal have not been disclosed. Based in Sweden, Conni Jonsson and ABBA member Björn Ulvaeus founded Pophouse Entertainment in 2014. The firm is known for investing in ABBA Voyage, the concert residency which features iconic band ABBA as virtual avatars. Turner died at the age of 83 in May 2023 following years of poor health. - Music-News.com, 3/19/26...... On Mar. 17 Judy Collins announced her final tour, dubbed "Sweet Judy Blue Eyes," will get underway in July and continue through November, with additional encore performances planned afterwards. The 86-year-old singer-songwriter and folk-rock icon will head out on her last ever performing jaunt, prefaced with some "warmup" shows in June, before the tour officially launches on July 4 at the "America Made in Virginia: 250 Years Together" celebration in Williamsburg, Va. While dates are scheduled all over the U.S. through Nov. 29 at this time, more shows are still to be announced. After the main tour, Collins will keep the music going with "a series of encore performances for devoted fans and new audiences alike" dubbed the "Sweet Judy Blue Eyes -- Celebration Encore." She will be joined by a series of special guests throughout the tour, including Bruce Cockburn, Richard Thompson, the High Kings, Elles Bailey, Livingston Taylor and others. Fans can expect some of her biggest hits including her 1968 cover of "Both Sides, Now" by Joni Mitchell and her 1975 cover of Stephen Sondheim's "Send in the Clowns," released on her best-selling platinum album Judith. Her latest release was 2022's Spellbound, which was her first ever full album of original material. Collins has released more than 30 studio albums in her six-decades-long career, and is celebrated for her mix of folk and Americana music and her pure soprano voice. She also famously inspired the Crosby, Stills & Nash song "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes." On Mar. 24, her singing career will be honored as she is inducted into the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame, along with Leonard Cohen, Aretha Franklin, Jackson Brown, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Neil Young. - Parade, 3/17/26...... '60s pop icon Lulu has revealed she once had a brief sexual relationship with David Bowie, and compared his thighs to those of supermodel Naomi Campbell. During an interview with British ITV daytime show This Morning, Lulu spoke about the pair's relationship for the first time publicly. "You know what? I have never said, 'Yes, I had sex with David Bowie,' until now. This is the first time I've said it because I've always chosen not to speak about it. It was private... I wouldn't share the details anyway," she added. "I do have boundaries. I'm learning to have boundaries." Lulu told host Louis Theroux on his podcast about how she would best describe the status of the relationship they had. "I had a brief relationship [with him]... a fling," she said, before the host recalled seeing a 2015 interview she did with a UK paper, in which she complimented the 'Starman'"s thighs in particular. "I think you don't have to have had an intimate relationship with David Bowie to know he had the best thighs," she told Theroux. "He and Naomi Campbell. He never wore tights. Well, he did occasionally, but he would often come on with a swimsuit on, and you'd go, 'Jesus!' she added, before the host asked her what "was so special about them." "They were very strong thighs!" Lulu replied. Both Lulu and Bowie had a professional relationship as well as a personal one, and worked together on a version of "The Man Who Sold the World," which previously featured on Bowie's 1970 album of the same name. The "To Sir, With Love" singer would then go on to look back fondly on that collaboration in 2016, shortly after the rock icon's death from cancer. "Making a record with David Bowie was pretty rock 'n' roll!," she told Good Housekeeping. "I thought he was so cool and I wasn't so cool. But when he met me, he said, 'You have a fuck off voice and I'm going to make a hit with you. I always perform 'The Man Who Sold the World', the song that we recorded together in 1974," she added. In 2025, Lulu opened up about her battle with alcohol in her new memoir, If You Only Knew, and later admitted that opening up about her sobriety and struggles for the first time felt "liberating." Lulu's full interview with Theroux can be streamed on Spotify.com. - NME, 3/18/26...... On Mar. 17 Heart frontwoman Ann Wilson announced that she'll embark on a 10-stop North American tour to screen her forthcoming documentary In My Voice. After each screening, Wilson will participate in a live Q&A alongside director Barbara Hall (Madam Secretary, Army Wives). As the title suggests, In My Voice is Wilson's tale told in her own words. The documentary explores Wilson's life from growing up a military child to becoming a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee. Featured in the doc are highlights pulled from the singer's archive of home movies, journals, photographs and never-before-seen footage. Wilson's family members, bandmates and fellow artists will make cameos and share commentary on the artist's incredible career, in which she flourished in a male-dominated rock scene in the '70s. The film tour will kick off in Seattle on May 11 before making its way across the U.S., Vancouver and Toronto before concluding in Boston. The teaser for the film can be viewed on YouTube. - Billboard, 3/17/26...... During an recent interview on the celebrity gossip show Extra, Sting opened up on his "fairy-tale" life as well as his rough beginnings. The "Roxanne singer" described his childhood horror of having to work in a "hellscape" as he promoted his new stage musical, "The Last Ship." "I was born next to a shipyard," said Sting . "It's a noisy hellscape, infernal row, very dangerous work. I wanted to escape that. I watched thousands of men every morning walk to work past my house and I'd think, 'Is this my destiny? Is this what I have to do?'" Fortunately, Sting, 74, was able to bypass the dockyards of his hometown, Newcastle, by earning a place at a good school, which led to his eventual music career. "I did everything in my power to escape it," he shared. "So, I got a scholarship to a school and I became a musician, a successful one." However, Sting said, he had an ordinary life as a teacher before finding fame with his New Wave band The Police -- which he credited with keeping him grounded. "Until the age of 25, I was a schoolteacher," he recalled. "I had a mortgage. I paid tax. I voted. I was a citizen. I didn't just go from school to being a celebrity, which I think is very difficult, so I'm grateful for my normal life because it makes the one I have now... it balances it out." The Police had their first UK number-one hit in 1979 with the song "Message in a Bottle," and were immortalized in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003. - Music-News.com, 3/18/26...... It has been revealed that actress Annabel Schofield, who was best known for her memorable role as Laurel Ellis on the beloved '70s/'80s primetime soap opera Dallas, has died at the age of 62. The Welsh-born actress and model actually passed away on Feb. 28 in Los Angeles following a battle with cancer, according to The Hollywood Reporter. As a fashion model, she was represented by London's Take Two Agency and appeared on hundreds of fashion magazine covers and starred in major designer and brand campaigns for Yves Saint Laurent, Rimmel, Revlon and Boots No. 7. Weeks before she died, Schofield turned to Instagram to provide a health update after undergoing surgery to remove a tumor from her nasal cavity. "It was very exciting to finally get this done but I'm not out of the woods yet," she shared on Jan. 20. "I'm very wobbly and now waiting to find out if I need more chemo or radiation. I swear it never seems to end. Hopefully this week's MRI will reveal a nice clear image," she added. Schofield also set up a GoFundMe to raise funds to support her fight against cancer, which had grown to nearly $35,000. "I'm really tired of asking for help, but I have no choice until I can get back to work," she shared. - PennLive.com, 3/19/26..... Chuck Norris, longtime actor and martial artist, died on Mar. 19 after being hospitalized earlier in the week in Hawaii after an undisclosed medical emergency. He was 86. "It is with heavy hearts that our family shares the sudden passing of our beloved Chuck Norris yesterday morning," his family said in a statement. "While we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace. To the world, he was a martial artist, actor, and a symbol of strength. To us, he was a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, an incredible brother, and the heart of our family," the statement added. Born Carlos Ray Norris in Ryan, Okla., in 1940, Mr. Norris moved with his family to Torrance, Calif., when he was 12. He joined the U.S. Air Force after high school in 1958 and learned martial arts while serving in South Korea. After returning to the United States, he competed in martial arts competitions (he was a six-time World Professional Middleweight Karate champion) and opened his own studio, where he trained celebrity clients, including Steve McQueen. Over the years, he developed his own style of karate, known as Chun Kuk Do or the Chuck Norris System. Mr. Norris got his first big break in Hollywood in 1972, appearing opposite Bruce Lee in The Way of the Dragon. He went on to star in a steady stream of martial arts movies and action films, including Breaker! Breaker! (1977), Force of One (1979), The Octagon (1980), An Eye for an Eye (1981), Silent Rage (1982) and Missing in Action (1984), Missing in Action 2 (1985), The Delta Force (1986) and Firewalker (1986). His television career took off in 1993 with the debut of Walker, Texas Ranger. The show ran for eight full seasons on CBS. Mr. Norris continued making films during and after TV success, even playing himself in the 2004 hit comedy Dodgeball. The last mainstream movie he appeared in was The Expendables 2, in 2012. He starred in Agent Recon, a 2024 sci-fi action film, and will appear in Zombie Plane alongside Vanilla Ice, which will be released later in 2026. He also appeared with Christie Brinkley in a long-running series of cable TV infomercials promoting fitness equipment. Tributes to the late star came from several of his fellow action movie icons, including Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren and Jean-Claude Van Damme, and from Gov. Greg Abbott in Texas, where the actor owned a ranch. - Yahoo Entertainment, 3/20/26.

Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on March 16th, 2026

Barbra Streisand honored her late The Way We Were co-star Robert Redford during the In Memorium segment of the 98th annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Mar. 15. Streisand described Redford, who died in Sept. 2025 at age 89, as "an intellectual cowboy who blazed his own trail and won the Academy Award for best director, and I miss him now more than ever." "He was a brilliant, subtle actor, and we had a wonderful time playing off each other, because we never quite knew what the other one was going to do or say," she continued. "And I'm thrilled that The Way We Were is now considered a classic love story, but it's also about a dark time in our history, the late '40s and early '50s, when people were informing on each other and subject to loyalty oaths." She wrapped up her fond words by singing a snippet of her No. 1 1974 theme song from the 1973 film, which also won the Oscar for Best Original Song at the 1974 Oscars. - Billboard, 3/15/26...... The iconic "Black Strat" played by Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmouir on such classics as "Money" and "Comfortably Numb" has smashed the all-time record for the most expensive guitar ever sold. During a Christie's auction in New York on Mar. 12, the guitar was sold to an unidentified buyer and smashed the pre-sale estimate of $2-$4 million. According to the New York Times, the black Fender Stratocaster purchased by Gilmour in 1970 from New York's beloved Manny's Music store in Manhattan is covered in scratches and chipped paint from decades of use, and was played by Gilmour on every studio recording from 1972-1983, as well as during many live performances in that period. The winning bidder, who submitted bids online, paid $14.55 million for the instrument after a 21-minute bidding war. That was more than double the price of $6.01 million paid in 2020 for late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain's Martin D-18E acoustic guitar which he played on MTV Unplugged just months before his Apr. 1994 death. The guitar was one of a number of high-profile items that went under the gavel as part of a sale of items from late Indianapolis Colts owner and pop culture memorabilia collector Jim Irsay, who died in 2025. Irsay bought Gilmour's guitar in 2019 during a previous Christie's auction for just over $5 million. The Gilmour Strat was one of several items guitars from Irsay's expansive collection that were sold that day, which also included one of late Grateful Dead singer/guitarist Jerry Garcia's custom "Tiger" guitars, which went for $11.56 million, as well as the Mustang electric guitar Cobain used in the "Smells Like Teen Spirit" video, which sold for $6.9 million, a new high for one of Cobain's guitars. The Irsay Collection sale will continue through Mar. 17, with a number of rare items up for bid, including a signed Paul McCartney's Hofner bass guitar and the handwritten lyrics to the Beatles track "Maxwell's Silver Hammer," a signed Eddie Van Halen "Frankenstrat" guitar, and one of late ZZ Top member Dusty Hill's custom sheepskin covered bass guitars, among many other items. - Billboard, 3/13/26...... It was announced on Instagram on Mar. 12 that a remastered version of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Power To The People concert film is coming to cinemas worldwide this spring. Following on from the extensive NYC-era box set released in 2025, the film is a document of the "One To One" concerts that the couple held at New York's Madison Square Garden on Aug. 30, 1972. The two performances, one a matinee show and the other in the evening, were Lennon's only full-length concerts after leaving the Beatles, and they were also the last gigs John and Yoko played together. Now, a restored, re-edited and remixed version of the concert film, officially titled Power To The People: John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with Elephant's Memory and Special Guests - Live at the One To One Concert, New York City, 1972, will be shown in cinemas "worldwide" on Apr. 29 and May 3. The new version of the film, which was captured at the time by director Steve Gebhardt, has been "physically and digitally cleaned by hand" by Lennon's regular Grammy-winning team, led by youngest son Sean Ono Lennon. Tickets will go on sale on Mar. 20, to coincide with John and Yoko's 57th wedding anniversary. The "One To One" shows saw John and Yoko play to over 40,000 people and raised more than $1.5 million (2026 equivalent of $11.5 million) for disabled children. They played songs including "Imagine," "Come Together," "Instant Karma!" and "Hound Dog," and rounded out the show with a version of "Give Peace A Chance" with Stevie Wonder. - New Musical Express, 3/12/26....... Lionsgate Films announced on Mar. 10 that Michael Jackson superfans get a chance to see the upcoming biopic Michael a few days early. The studio announced that a limited number of screens for early-access viewings in premium formats on Apr. 22, two days ahead of its wide release that Friday. "For Michael Jackson's fans, Michael is the cinematic event they've been waiting for -- the movie captures both the soul and the spectacle of the boy who became the King of Pop," said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group president Kevin Grayson in a statement. "These early access screenings, in IMAX and premium large formats, will immerse audiences in the electrifying performances and bring the power of Michael Jackson's iconic music to life. It's the perfect way to be the first to see the movie." The film directed by Antoine Fuqua (Stans, Bullet Train) stars Jackson's real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson, who pulls off a spot-on homage to his uncle in the trailer of the movie, from Jackson's signature electrifying dance moves to his laser-focused determination to produce pop music for the ages. - Billboard, 3/11/26...... Posting on his Neil Young Archives site that "politics today is sad and depressing for me," Neil Young has announced he's escaping the current tumultuous political world by working on a new album with his backing band The Chrome Hearts. "Folks, I am so hurt for this country," Young lamented. "I can't do it anymore. I can go out and demonstrate my feelings about it. We have the worst president in the history of our country. Every day, a bad TV show produced by DJT [Pres. Donald Trump] is what we get." He added: "Now, thankfully, once again, I'm in the studio recording a new album with the Chrome Hearts. I love the songs and the feelings of life and love. Music is. So far, we have eight new songs. They make me feel." Young and his band took aim at the president on their most recent collection, 2025's Talkin to the Trees, and on the track "Big Crime," on which the artist and persistent critics of Trump sings: "Don't need no fascist rules. Don't want no fascist school. Don't want soldiers on our streets. There's big crime in DC at the White House. No more money on the fascists. The billionaire fascists. Time to blackout the system." - Music-News.com, 3/12/26...... Bruce Springsteen will be among the contributors to a new tribute album to late The Pogues frontman Shane McGowan. 20th Century Paddy - The Songs Of Shane MacGowan is a collection of Pogues songs the late frontman "wanted to make himself," according to a press release. The release, set to drop on Nov. 13 on vinyl and digitally, will be accompanied by a limited edition deluxe bookpack edition featuring 3LPs, 2CDs, and a 56-page book of memorabilia and liner notes will also be made available. A first taste of the record, available for streaming on YouTube, is Springsteen covering a reimagined version of the classic Pogues hit "A Rainy Night In Soho." "Shane was all naked bottomless humanity," Springsteen said in the presser. "Threatening to force us to ask ourselves if we were living deeply, authentically. He was raw, hilarious, no apologies and profound. His soul was filled with the transgressive and ecstatic properties of the saints," he added. The Jersey rocker previously covered the track during his tour of Ireland in 2024, and the year before the Boss made a surprise visit to the late frontman ahead of his shows in Ireland. Following MacGowan's death he also wrote a touching tribute to The Pogues legend. Other artists set to feature on the record include the likes of Dropkick Murphys, Hozier, David Gray, The Jesus And Mary Chain, Johnny Depp, The Libertines, and many more. - NME, 3/12/26...... Making her first major public appearance of 2026, Dolly Parton delivered a keynote address on opening day at her Dollywood theme park in Tennessee, celebrating the park's 41st anniversary. "I've not been touring, as you know," the 80-year-old country/pop icon said. "I've had a few little health issues, and we're taking good care of them." Her Dollywood visit came months after she postponed her Las Vegas residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace due to undisclosed medical procedures. The residency, originally set to start in December, is now scheduled to begin in mid-September. The postponement also followed the death of her husband of 60 years, Carl Dean, who passed away at age 82 in Mar. 2025. "I just kind of got worn down and worn out, grieving over Carl and a lot of other little things going on," the "Jolene" singer continued. "I just got myself kind of where I needed to build myself back up spiritually, emotionally, and physically. But, all is good. It didn't slow me down." Dolly then joked that she's "not dating anybody," before sharing more heartfelt words about her late husband. "I think Carl Dean's waiting for me," she said. "If I should show up at the pearly gates with somebody else, he would not like that. He'd be saying, 'Who's that little pisser? You leave him outside the gates.'" Parton also revealed that she's rewriting songs for her upcoming Broadway musical, "Dolly: An Original Musical," which is expected to launch in New York later in 2026. - Billboard, 3/14/26...... In an interview with Loudersound.com, Sammy Hagar says he'll never play with Alex Van Halen again, because he's a "negative" person. The two former Van Halen members haven't spoken in more than 20 years, and it remains unclear with the 78-year-old Hagar and the 72-year-old Van Halen no longer speak, though Alex didn't even mention Hagar's name in his 2024 memoir Brothers, writing only that Van Halen "had a lot of other singers over the years" following original VH frontman David Lee Roth's departure in 1985. Hagar told Rolling Stone in 2025 that he and Alex hadn't spoken in 21 years. Though the interviewer suggested that Alex was unhappy with Hagar's 2011 memoir -- which went into detail about the low points of Eddie Van Halen's life -- and that he was just generally a more private person than Hagar, the Red Rocker disagreed. "I think Al's angry because I'm out doing it... And he can't. He's not a singer. He's not a guitar player. He is not really a band leader. And he seems like he doesn't want to play drums or can't play drums anymore, and he can't go write a new record," Hagar said. "If I put myself in his shoes, I would feel terrible if I couldn't do it anymore." He went on to encourage Alex to "just leave me alone," saying he would do the same for him. "Everything's good. I'm making you money, by the way, Al," he told RS. "I'm out there selling Van Halen records and keeping the name alive, keeping the music alive." Hagar previously had a falling out with Eddie, but the two had reportedly "buried the hatchet" before Eddie died in 2020. Hagar has also previously criticized Roth, saying on Steve-O's Wild Ride podcast that Roth "ain't like his persona. "[David's] not a fun guy. He doesn't play well with others. I'm not sure what his problem is," Hagar said. "He's a chest-beating motherf---er. And God bless him, 'cause the early stuff is frickin' great." - People, 3/11/26...... REO Speedwagon played a surprise reunion concert in Peoria, Ill. on Mar. 7, more than a year after calling it quits. The show, fronted by lead singer Kevin Cronin was a special tribute to late guitarist Gary Richrath, a Peoria native who died in Sept. 2025. According to UltimateClassicRock.com, the lineup included Cronin, Syracuse, N.Y. native Alan Gratzer on drums, bassist Bruce Hall, and retired keyboardist Neal Doughty playing a short set of REO Speedwagon favorites like "Ridin' the Storm Out," "Take It on the Run," and "Roll With the Changes." Former vocalist Mike Murphy, who briefly replaced Cronin in the '70s, and Richrath's son Eric Richrath also performed. It was an "amazing tribute for Gary at the Peoria Riverfront Museum. Being back on stage with Mike, Kevin, Alan and Neal was awesome. Having Gary's son, Eric, join us made it all the more special," Bruce Hall wrote on Facebook. "We ended the week with a private showing at the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66.... Good things are happening. Long Live REO Speedwagon!!" It's unclear if the event will open the door for a full reunion tour. The band played its last official concert as REO Speedwagon on Jan. 1, 2025, after announcing a split due to "irreconcilable differences." REO Speedwagon, fronted by Cronin since 1972, is best known for '70s and '80s rock hits like "Can't Fight This Feeling," "Take It On the Run," and "Keep on Loving You." In 2025 Cronin said that he may continue performing solo and will also work on finishing his memoir, tentatively titled Roll With the Change: My Life Within and Without REO Speedwagon. - Syracuse.com, 3/10/26...... Ozzy Osbourne's son Jack Osbourne and his wife Aree have welcomed a baby girl named Ozzy Matilda Osbourne after Jack's famous dad. Born on Mar. 5, Matilda was announced to the world in a joint Instagram post along with grandma Sharon Osbourne. The birth of Ozzy Matilda comes nearly eight months after the loss of her grandpa Ozzy, who died of a heart attack in July 2025 at age 76. Ozzy Matilda Osbourne is Jack's fifth child, joining Pearl, Andy and Minnie from his first marriage to Lisa Stelly and Maple with Aree. - Billboard, 3/11/26...... Billy Joel's daughter Alexa Ray Joel has given a health update amid her famous Piano Man dad's brain disorder diagnosis. "He's doing physical therapy regularly and he's doing great," Alexa Ray, the rocker's only child with ex-wife Christie Brinkley, told The Hollywood Reporter. He's lost weight as he's on his diet. I'm so proud of him. He's such a trooper, so resilient and committed to being healthy and proactive. He's a fighter. He's always been a fighter and talks in his documentary about how life's like a fight," she added. The legendary pop star, recently the subject of HBO's two-part, 2025 documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes, canceled all upcoming tour dates when he revealed that he was dealing with normal pressure hydrocephalus. At the time, he said in a statement that his condition -- which occurs when cerebrospinal fluid builds up inside the skull and presses on the brain -- had been exacerbated by his performing and led to issues with his balance, vision, and hearing. A tribute event to Joel, "The Music of Billy Joel," was held on Mar. 12 at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Alexa Ray, along with Wyclef Jean, Matchbox Twenty's Rob Thomas, Train's Pat Monahan, Rufus Wainwright, and others performed some of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer's many tunes from over the years, including "Tell Her About It," "Vienna," and "Scenes From an Italian Restaurant." Joel, 76, surprised the crowd at a concert by Turnstiles, a Billy Joel cover band, in January, when he joined them onstage to perform his songs "We Didn't Start the Fire" and "Big Shot." The Grammy winner is also the father of daughters Della Rose, 10, and Remy Anne, 8, whom he shares with Alexis Roderick, his wife since 2015. - Entertainment Weekly, 3/12/26...... In a recent street interview with TMZ.com, KISS singer/bassist Gene Simmons slammed actors Ben Stiller and Mark Ruffalo for what he called preaching politics instead of doing their art. Stiller, 60, recently went public with his frustration over the Donald Trump administration using a clip from his 2008 comedy film Tropic Thunder in an official video. The video mixed movie scenes with real footage of U.S. airstrikes, framing it as a triumphant montage. Stiller took to social media, demanding the clip's removal and labeling it as propaganda. He stated he had no interest in his work being tied to real-world conflicts, emphasizing that war isn't a movie. This wasn't the first time Stiller has weighed in on politics, but it hit a nerve amid ongoing debates about U.S. actions abroad. Simmons told TMZ this as a perfect example of why stars should stay in their lane. He argued that regular folks don't need lectures from the elite. The interview quickly went viral, racking up views on YouTube and shares across platforms like X and Facebook. Simmons also zeroed in on Ruffalo, 58, who's known for his outspoken views on everything from climate change to anti-Trump sentiments. Simmons mispronounced his name as "Mark Buffalo" in a mocking tone, then imitated a reporter asking Ruffalo about politics before dismissing it with, "I don't care." "People work hard for a living, and they don't want to be lectured by people who live in mansions and drive Rolls-Royces," he added. Not everyone is on board with Simmons' viewpoint though. Some pointed out the irony, with Facebook users asking, "Does he realize the irony that he is a celebrity commenting on politics?" "If only he would take his own advice," Chris_H posted. Others noted, "Isn't he a celebrity? Doesn't he voice his opinion every chance he gets?" - WealthofGeeks.com, 3/13/26...... Cher's son Chaz Bono married his longtime partner, Shara Blue Mathes, on Mar. 8 at the Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles. The dress code was "Hollywood Glam Formal," according to the couple's wedding website. Their relationship goes back decades, with the pair having met as teenagers at Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute. Their life journeys continued over the years until they eventually reconnected and made their romance official in Jan. 2017. "I first met Shara more than 40 years ago when we were just teenagers," Chaz, 57, told People. "I think it's safe to say that not many grooms ultimately end up marrying the very first girl they ever kissed so many years later." Chaz continued, "She makes me feel complete knowing she will always be there beside me as partner, my best friend, and the love of my life. No matter what life brings us, we will always be safer and stronger together ... and we are home." Cher, 79, looked on from the front row as the couple took a romantic dip at the end of the black aisle, which was lined with glowing red candles and moody floral arrangements. Chaz is the child of Cher and the late Sonny Bono, and the singer is also a mother to son Elijah Allman, 49, whose father is Cher's late ex-husband, Gregg Allman. Cher has been supportive of Chaz over the years, once telling a friend, "I admire my son Chaz's courage for sharing his personal journey. Most important to me is that he is very happy. That's what I care about the most. He has my love and support." - People, 3/13/26...... Blake Emmons, a Canadian country music icon and TV personality, has died at age 81. Mr. Emmons hosted the CTV series Funny Farm, which was billed as Canda's answer to Hee Haw in 1974. He also hosted The Country Place in the 1970s, and he hosted the game show Chain Reaction in 1985. He was also known for his charitable contributions, hosting the ACT Telethon for Camp HE-HO-HA for disabled children in the 1970s and late in the decade he helped develop the Telemiracle telethon. His hit single singles in Canada included 1969's "You're My Woman" and 1976's "Sunchild" and "Let Me Do Something Lord." - PennLive.com, 3/13/26...... Phil Campbell, the longtime guitarist of Motörhead, has died. He was 64. Campbell's death was announced on Mar. 14 through the Instagram account for his band, Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons. "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved father, Philip Anthony Campbell, who passed away peacefully last night following a long and courageous battle in intensive care after a complex major operation," the statement read. "Phil was a devoted husband, a wonderful father, and a proud and loving grandfather, known affectionately as 'Bampi'. He was deeply loved by all who knew him and will be missed immensely. His legacy, music and the memories he created with so many will live on forever." The reason for Campbell's original operation is yet to be disclosed. Born in Wales in 1961, Campbell began his music career in the 1970s with the metal band Persian Risk before being recruited by Lemmy Kilmister to join Motörhead in 1984 following the departure of guitarist Brian Robertson. Campbell's first album with Motörhead was the band's seventh, Orgasmatron, released in 1986. He went on to become the group's longest-tenured guitarist, spending three decades with the band until they parted ways following Kilmister's death in 2015. Campbell recorded 16 albums with Motörhead during his time with the metal act. - Billboard, 3/14/26.

Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on March 11th, 2026

Billboard is reporting that Dionne Warwick is planning the final album of her storied career, DWuets, and its first single, "Ocean in the Desert," will arrive on Mar. 20. In addition, DWuets will feature the first-time collaboration of Warwick, a five-time Grammy winner, and Grammy-winning songwriter Diane Warren. Commemorating that occasion, the album borrows part of its title from the duo's initials. Warren, also a 17-time Oscar songwriting nominee, wrote all the songs on DWuets, while Warwick's manager/son Damon Elliott produced all of the album's duets. Among the performing collaborators on DWuets are Emmy-, Tony- and Grammy Award-winner Cynthia Erivo, as well as rising and newly minted Grammy winner Kehlani, who contributes to the second single. Warwick and Erivo initially met when the latter performed "Alfie" while honoring Warwick at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2023. "Alfie," a pop (No. 15) and R&B (No. 5) hit for Warwick in 1967, is one of three of the songstress's classics inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, along with "Walk on By" and "Don't Make Me Over." Warwick's other accolades include a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Of working with Erivo, Warwick commented in the press announcement, "It was such a joy to be in the studio harmonizing with such a talented entertainer as Cynthia. We immediately bonded and had so much fun recording this beautiful song." "It was so warm being in the studio with Dionne; it was like a mother-daughter relationship," added Erivo. "This experience was like the godmother of music coming in and saying to me 'I knight you.'" - Billboard, 3/9/26...... On Mar. 10 Alice Cooper announced details of a new "definitive autobiography," Devil On My Shoulder, confirmed plans for a new UK Q&A book tour. The memoir, the shock-rocker's first, is set to be published by Ebury Spotlight on Oct. 8, and promises to lift the lid on the huge career and the intriguing personal life of the 78-year-old rock icon. It promises to explore how Alice's two personas -- the theatrical, elaborate rock star, and the sober pastor's son who played him and has been married for 50 years -- intertwine. "Alice is still on tour around the world today, a proper senile delinquent playing hundreds of gigs every year, while I myself am reformed," Cooper said. "And with the benefit of hindsight and a certain maturity, I'd like to describe our journey to hell and back together, because it's not only rock stars who can lose their way." It will also reveal how the rocker, real name Vincent Damon Furnier, began the group 'Alice Cooper' in the late '60s, and later went on to adopt the name as his own moniker, and later change it legally after becoming lost in the character's identity. "I was born Vincent Damon Furnier but, seduced by my character's reputation, changed my name legally to Alice Cooper, and in the process lost sight of who I really was," Cooper added. "The mild-mannered, all-American boy I'd once been became a monster and a mortal danger to himself." There will also be anecdotes that feature some of Alice's most famous acquaintances, including Salvador Dal, Bob Hope, John Lennon, Groucho Marx, Vincent Price, Frank Sinatra, Bette Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Gerald Ford and Andy Warhol and others, as well as deeper topics explored. To celebrate the upcoming release, Cooper will be headed out on a UK book tour later in 2026, which kicks off on Oct. 11 at the New Theatre in Cardiff. From there, there are stops at the Cambridge Corn Exchange (Oct. 12), London Palladium and Brighton Dome over the following three-nights. Dates wrap up in Manchester (Oct. 16), Stockton (Oct. 17), Glasgow (Oct. 19) and Wolverhampton (Oct. 20). Cooper will also be among the headliners at the UK's "Louder Than Life" summer festival alongside the likes of Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Tool, Limp Bizkit, and others. In 2025, Alice reunited with his original group for an intimate show in London, and shared his first album with them in over 50 years, titled The Revenge Of Alice Cooper. - New Musical Express, 3/10/26...... Elton John will be honored with the 15th Glenn Gould Prize Laureate at an all-star Canadian gala in Toronto on May 9. Diana Krall, The Beaches, Ron Sexsmith, Jeremy Dutcher, LOONY, Emily D'Angelo, Ryan Wang and more -- all handpicked by John, who will be in attendance -- are to perform at the event at the city's Theatre at Great Canadian Casino Resort. Often referred to as the "Nobel Prize of the Arts," the Glenn Gould Prize recognizes a living individual of any nationality or creative field for a lifetime of artistic achievement that has enriched humanity. "In selecting Elton John, we chose to honour someone whose artistic achievements have been transformed into profound social impact," said former prime minister Kim Campbell, who serves on the prize jury. "He has used his success to change lives, embodying the very highest ideals of the arts." Established in 1987, the Prize includes a $100,000 award for the Laureate, who also personally selects a young artist to receive the $25,000 Glenn Gould Protgé Prize, celebrating the vital role of mentorship. Through the Elton John AIDS Foundation, founded in 1992, John has also helped raise over $650 million US for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care worldwide. John is also married to Torontonian David Furnish and the couple have two children. - Canoe.com, 3/9/26...... The BBC is reportedly planning a major televised tribute to David Bowie this summer, stepping in to fill the gap left by the off-year of the Glastonbury Festival. The UK paper The Mirror reports that the broadcaster is preparing a star-studded celebration of the late music legend -- who died aged 69 in Jan. 2016 following a private cancer battle -- featuring a roster of high-profile performers backed by an all-star band and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Organisers reportedly want the event to serve as a long-overdue national salute to Bowie, whose influence continues to shape generations of artists. One source described the project as "a thank you to David Bowie and a celebration of his continued influence among today's artists," adding that the scale of the show will be unlike anything previously staged for the late icon in the UK. All proceeds from the concert will go to the Teenage Cancer Trust and the music-therapy charity Nordoff and Robbins, echoing Bowie's long association with charitable causes. Despite the artist's towering legacy, the UK has never hosted a Bowie tribute concert of this magnitude. The largest to date took place at New York's Carnegie Hall four months after his death in 2016, featuring performances from Debbie Harry, Cyndi Lauper and Michael Stipe. Meanwhile, the Bowie supergroup Holy Holy, featuring musicians who closely collaborated with the rocker including drummer Woody Woodmansey and Tony Visconti, will embark on a farewell tour of the UK this fall. The 12-date run begins in Glasgow on Sept. 3, and concludes in Hull on Sept. 19, with a London show at the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire on Sept. 10. - Music-News.com, 3/10/26...... A huge statue of Ozzy Osbourne is set to be unveiled at the UK's Hellfest this summer in tribute to the late Heavy Metal pioneer. Ozzy's wife, Sharon Osbourne, shared the news at the MIDEM music industry conference in Cannes, France on Mar. 4, and gave fans a glimpse of the statue, too. Oh, there he is. Look at him, a rock god," Sharon said while images of the in-progress statue were shown on a screen. "That is going to debut at Hellfest, and that is June 18th. And the whole family will be there to see it. And it's such a great tribute. It's amazing. So, I can only thank [Hellfest director] Ben [Barbaud]. Just bless you. It's an amazing piece of art." This year, Hellfest will run from June 18 to June 21, with Bring Me The Horizon, Iron Maiden, Limp Bizkit and The Offspring headlining. Ozzy's statue can be viewed during Sharon's interview on YouTube, about 48 minutes into the video. Meanwhile, Sharon has revealed that she's planning to take the Ozzy exhibition that's currently at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery to "tour the world." "Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero" was originally opened by Sharon on June 25, 2025, to coincide with the band's historic "Back To The Beginning" concert at Villa Park on July 5. It would serve as Black Sabbath and Ozzy's final show before his death two weeks later. - NME, 3/5/26...... Interviewed in a cover story for the new People magazine, Valerie Bertinelli describes herself as "a survivor" after her last relationship, with writer Mike Goodnough, ended in a difficult breakup in 2024, two divorces, struggles with weight, and being sexually abused at 11, which she reveals in her new memoir, Getting Naked. "I had no plan to reveal this," the former One Day at a Time and celebrity chef star says. "This was going to be a book about teaching people how to love themselves. Then I had a huge anxiety attack at the end of '24 that really brought me to my knees, and I knew I needed to do more work, and that's when I really dug deep." Asked why she decided to reveal it now, Bertinelli says: "If I can help anybody, then great. Now, this has taken me 10 years at least [but] I don't feel shame about it anymore... I guess because I'm healing from it, and it's not so scary anymore. I can say it out loud. I was sexually assaulted. It doesn't feel like it owns me anymore." Bertinelli, 65, says there will "always be a huge part of my heart that contains Ed (Eddie Van Halen, her first husband)." "He gave me the greatest gift: our son (Wolfgang Van Halen). Would we have ever been intimate again? I don't think so. But I've never loved another man the way I loved Ed." Up next for Val: On May 9 she returns to acting in the Lifetime movie Love, Again alongside Eric McCormack, which she calls "a gorgeous love story." - People, 3/16/26...... Tommy DeCarlo, who spent nearly 20 years singing with classic rockers Boston following the death of original vocalist Brad Delp, died on Mar. 9. He was 60. DeCarlo's family confirmed his death on social media, noting that he'd been diagnosed with brain cancer last September. "It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our Dad, Tommy DeCarlo, on Monday, March 9th, 2026. He fought with incredible strength and courage right up until the very end," the family wrote. "During this difficult time, we kindly ask that friends and fans respect our family's privacy as we grieve and support one another. Rest in peace, Dad." "When I first began to listen to Boston as a young teenager, I absolutely loved Brad's voice," DeCarlo penned in a bio on the official Boston website. "It wasn't like I was trying to sing like Brad; it was just that I loved to sing along with him." At the time, in the mid-70s, Boston was one of the biggest rock groups in the world, with their 1976 self-titled debut quickly went platinum on the strength of hits like "More Than a Feeling" and "Peace of Mind." In 2007, after Delp died by suicide, DeCarlo joined the band. He spent the next two decades touring with Boston. He leaves behind his wife, Annie, and his two adult children, Talia and Tommy Jr. - Music-News.com, 3/10/26...... Iconic counterculture musician Country Joe McDonald of Country Joe and the Fish, whose Vietnam War protest anthem "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag" became a defining song of the 1960s protest movement, died at his home in Berkeley, Calif., on Mar. 9 from complications related to Parkinson's disease, according to his wife. He was 84. Born Joseph Allen McDonald on Jan. 1, 1942, in Washington, D.C., Mr. McDonald rose to prominence as the frontman of Country Joe and the Fish, a San Francisco Bay Area psychedelic rock band that emerged from the counterculture scene in the mid-1960s. The group blended politically charged lyrics with psychedelic rock and became closely associated with the anti-war movement of the era. McDonald's most enduring composition, "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag," became a rallying cry for Vietnam War protesters. The song reached global notoriety during Mr. McDonald's solo appearance at the 1969 Woodstock festival, where he led the crowd through the now-famous "Fish Cheer," a call-and-response chant that encouraged hundreds of thousands of attendees to spell out an expletive before launching into the anti-war anthem. The performance was later included in the documentary film Woodstock. Reflecting on the song decades later, McDonald said its message was intentionally aimed at political leadership rather than soldiers fighting in the conflict. "The important thing about the Fixin' to Die Rag was that it had a new point of view that did not blame soldiers for war," McDonald told TheStreetSpirit.com in a 2016 interview, adding, "It just blamed the politicians, and it blamed the manufacturers of weapons. It didn't blame the soldiers. Someone who was in the military could sing the song, and the attitude is, 'Whoopee, we're all going to die'. Most peace songs of the era blamed the soldiers for the war." Country Joe and the Fish released their debut album, Electric Music for the Mind and Body, in 1967. The record helped establish the band within the San Francisco psychedelic rock movement alongside groups such as Jefferson Airplane and Grateful Dead. After the group dissolved in the 1970s, Mr. McDonald continued recording and performing as a solo artist, releasing dozens of albums across folk, rock and politically themed songwriting. His 1986 album Vietnam Experience revisited the cultural impact of the war that had defined much of his early work. Before launching his music career, Mr. McDonald served in the U.S. Navy from 1959 to 1962. He moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1965 and soon co-founded Country Joe and the Fish in Berkeley with guitarist Barry "The Fish" Melton. Although his commercial peak came during the late 1960s counterculture era, Mr. McDonald remained active in music for decades, performing at festivals and continuing to write songs reflecting on war, politics and social change. His music became closely intertwined with the protest-song tradition of the late 1960s, a period when artists increasingly used popular music as a platform for political expression. Alongside figures such as Joan Baez and Bob Dylan, Mr. McDonald helped shape the soundtrack of the anti-war movement, using satire and sharp political commentary to capture the frustrations of a generation confronting the Vietnam War. He worked with Vietnam War veterans' associations, and continued writing and performing up until the 2010s. - Billboard, 3/9/26.

Paul McCartney has paid tribute to his "dear old mate" and former The Quarrymen bandmate Len Garry, who died on Mar. 2 of pneumonia at the age of 84. Sir Paul shared a photo on Instagram of the original Quarrymen in tribute with the caption: "My dear old mate from the Quarrymen, Len Garry, has passed away. He was a lovely guy and I'm sad to see him go but glad that we had so many fun times together. Rest in Peace Len, Love Paul." McCartney and Garry began making music together as schoolboys and were both part of The Quarrymen's first steady line-up, which also consisted of John Lennon, Colin Hanton, Rod Davis, Pete Shotton and Eric Griffiths. Lennon was already part of the band when McCartney joined in 1957, which was how they first met. George Harrison later joined the group on bass and after numerous line-up and name changes, they became the Beatles. A further tribute shared on The Quarrymen's social media said: "He will be sorely missed by us and Beatle fans across the globe. Our thoughts are with Len's family and friends at this difficult time." - NME, 3/4/26...... Elsewhere on the Fab Four front, Ringo Starr has announced his next album will be titled Long Long Road and released on Apr. 24. Featuring the likes of Sheryl Crow and St. Vincent, the 10-track record was co-written by Ringo and legendary producer T Bone Burnett, who he worked with on his 2025 record Look Up. It will also feature appearances from Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle and Sarah Jarosz. "I'm blessed to have T Bone in my life right now and working with me on these records," Ringo said in a statement. "After we did the last record, which I love listening to, this one just sort of happened. I like to say sometimes I make the right moves, like you can go left or right at any point, and one of the right moves was hooking up with T Bone for Look Up, and now for this one, which I'm calling Long Long Road, because I've been on a long long road." The album was recorded in Nashville and L.A. and largely features the same musicians as Look Up. The country and Americana-influenced record was particularly influenced by late rockabilly legend Carl Perkins. Ringo said: "I recorded two Carl Perkins songs with The Beatles, and both T Bone and I wanted one on this record and he found this beautiful track I'd never heard before, I Don't See Me In Your Eyes Anymore." Ringo and his All Starr Band will kick off a 10-date spring tour on May 29 in Temecula, Calif., also visiting San Diego; Charlotte, N.C.; Tuscon; Lincoln, Neb.; Paso Robles, Calif.; Albuquerque; San Jose; and Tempe, Ariz. before wrapping at L.A.'s Greek Theatre on June 15. - Music-News.com, 3/4/26...... Sharon Osbourne confirmed on Mar. 4 that Ozzfest will be resurrected in her late hubby Ozzy Osbourne's home town of Birmingham, UK as a two-day event at Villa Park, the home grounds of the Aston Villa Football Club, which also served as the site of Osbourne's final "Back to the Beginning" Black Sabbath farewell concert in 2025. We want to do two days in Aston Villa and then come to America," Sharon said on The Osbournes podcast before making a call-out to all the Ozzfest fans out there to let her know where the festival should visit and who they want to see in its latest incarnation. In keeping with Ozzy's push to showcase new, up-and-coming talent on Ozzfest, Sharon also said the team behind Ozzfest is looking for those kinds of bands right now, "because that's what your dad would want." Meanwhile, a huge statue of Ozzy is set to be unveiled at Hellfest in Clisson, France this summer in tribute to the late heavy metal icon. "Oh, there he is. Look at him, a rock god," Sharon said during an appearance on the MetalXS podcast while images of the in-progress statue were shown on a screen. "That is going to debut at Hellfest, and that is June 18th. And the whole family will be there to see it. And it's such a great tribute. It's amazing. So, I can only thank [Hellfest director] Ben [Barbaud]. Just bless you. It's an amazing piece of art." This year, Hellfest will run from June 18 to June 21 with a line-up including Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Limp Bizkit, Tom Morello and The Offspring, among many others. Also Sharon recently revealed that she's planning to take the Ozzy exhibition that's currently at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery to "tour the world." "Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero" was originally opened by Sharon on June 25, 2025, to coincide with the band's historic "Back To The Beginning" concert at Villa Park on July 5. It would serve as Black Sabbath and Ozzy's final show before his death two weeks later. Following Ozzy's death on July 22, 2025, the exhibition was extended until Jan. 2026 with the blessing of the Osbournes. - Billboard/New Musical Express, 3/5/26...... Longtime Beach Boys member Bruce Johnston has told Rolling Stone that he plans to retire from touring to focus on songwriting and recording. Johnston, 83, added that he still intends to join the band for special performances, specifically the upcoming July 2-4 gigs at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles as part of the events celebrating the United States' 250th anniversary. After touring and recording with the BB for 61 years and performing upwards of 6,000 concerts, Johnston says "it's time for Part Three of my lengthy musical career." "I can write songs forever and wait until you hear what's coming!!! As my major talent beyond singing is songwriting, now is the time to get serious again," he continued. "In addition, I'm currently working on developing a speaking-engagement chapter of my career -- inspired in part by Cary Grant, who long ago made a similar move after his movie career... I might even sing 'Disney Girls' & 'I Write The Songs',!! he wrote, the latter in reference to, respectively, one of the handful of songs he wrote for the band, as well as the 1976 No. 1 Barry Manilow hit he penned. "This isn't goodbye, it's see you soon. I am forever grateful to be a part of the Beach Boys musical legacy." With the exception of a 2012 world tour in support of the That's Why God Made the Radio album, Johnston has been the only other old-school member of the group to tour with cofounding BB member Mike Love for the past 28 years. He originally joined in band in 1965, four years after its founding, to help fill in for musical mastermind Brian Wilson when he stepped aside to focus on studio recordings. After splitting in 1972 to pursue solo work and songwriting, Johnston returned in 1978 and had been a reliable touring and recording member ever since. Love becomes the lone original-era member still touring with the band; fellow co-founder singer/rhythm guitarist Al Jardine stopped touring with the Love-led version of the BB in 2012. Chris Cron, the lead singer for the BB tribute act Pet Sounds Live, will replace Johnston in the touring version of the group. - Billboard, 3/5/26...... Lynyrd Skynyrd's 1973 track "Free Bird" has netted big gains on multiple Billboard charts dated Mar. 7 after the song became the unofficial anthem for the U.S. men's and women's hockey teams at the 2026 Winter Olympics. "Free Bird" returns to Hot Rock & Alternative Songs at No. 15 on the strength of 3.2 million official U.S. streams (up 35%), 343,000 in radio airplay audience (up 17%) and 3,000 downloads sold (up 217%) in the week ending Feb. 26, according to Luminate. Older songs are allowed to re-enter rankings such as Hot Rock & Alternative Songs if in the top half of chart points and with a meaningful reason for their return. The driving anthem, from Skynyrd's breakthrough LP Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd, blared after the U.S. men's and women's teams scored during the Olympics. The women's squad won the gold medal Feb. 19, following up its 2018 win, while the men's team triumphed among all nations for the first time since 1980 on Feb. 22. Each team added its third total gold medal, with the men's team also having won in 1960 and the women's, in 1998. "Free Bird" reached No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 during its original chart run in 1975. The set peaked at No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart, becoming the first of the band's 12 top 40 entries, through Last of a Dying Breed (No. 14, 2012). - Billboard, 3/3/26...... Paraphrasing one of his most famous songs, Barry Manilow gave a cheery health update on Instagram on Mar. 3 after being forced to postpone his recent tour due to lung cancer surgery. "Well, looks like I made it and I look fabulous, right?," the 82-year-old singer said. Manilow, looking healthy and energetic, added, "You know, with everything that's going on in the world, I wanted to check in and share some good news. In fact, it's great news." Manilow's new single, "Once Before I Go," currently sits at No. 26 on the Mar. 7-dated Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. The latest charting extends the Brooklyn-born singer's run of six decades, beginning in 1974 with his classic breakthrough hit "Mandy" and reaching into this year. "How do you like that?" Manilow asked about his single's success. "Like my grandmother once said, next thing you know, they'll be walking on the moon." Manilow thanked industry legend Clive Davis for suggesting the moving ballad -- written by acclaimed songwriters Peter Allen and Dean Pitchford and produced by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Demonte Posey -- as well as all the radio stations for playing it and fans for listening to the track. He also thanked everyone who has reached out with messages of support over the past few months as he dealt with his health emergency. "It's been a long ride and since I have no patience, it's been agony," he said. "But I am getting stronger and I have great doctors and wonderful friends and family, but I am so looking forward to getting back on stage." In February, Manilow revealed that he needed to reschedule some more shows and take additional time to recover from a January operation related to stage one lung cancer diagnosed last year. Following the tough visit with his surgeon, he postponed the first batch of 2026 arena dates originally scheduled to run from Feb. 27-March 17. Though Manilow is rescheduling his first 13 arena shows, he said at the time that his doctor felt it was still "likely" he could perform in Las Vegas on Mar. 26-28 and Apr. 2-4. His Mar. 26 Vegas residency show is still listed on his official website, which also lists an Apr. 13 show at UBS Arena in Belmont Park, N.Y. as his next confirmed non-residency date. - Billboard, 3/3/26...... After a recent round on the Rock Legends Cruise, The Guess Who principals Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman have announced they will be taking their recent ownership of The Guess Who moniker on the road this spring. The duo kicks off its "Takin' It Back Tour" at home with previously announced Canadian dates that begin May 26 date in Moncton, N.B. The U.S. run starts in late June, when it brings the show south of the border for two dozen concerts staring June 25 in Shakopee, Minn., wrapping on Aug. 23 in Vancouver, B.C. Former Eagles guitarist Don Felder opens the headlining dates. The tour marks the first time in 23 years Cummings and Bachman have toured as The Guess Who, following last year's legal triumph over what they call "the fake Guess Who," run for decades by bassist Jim Kale and drummer Garry Peterson, who cofounded the band with Bachman as Chad Allan & the Reflections during 1962 in Winnipeg. "It was enough already. They tarnished what we created," Cummings, who joined in 1966, told Billboard in a Zoom call with Bachman. "I remember I went on Facebook and talked to people and there were a lot of remarks about the fake Guess Who, about the band going on stage and kind of dishonoring the songs. So Randy and I are out here now, honoring the history of The Guess Who." Bachman adds, "You can only sit around for so long and watch people tarnish something you built, something that's intangible -- that's called a reputation. It's with music, it's with fans. It's making music that is the soundtrack of our lives, and everybody who hears it and buys it falls in love with it and cherishes it. To see it stolen and not given justice and then hearing about it from your fans was terrible. So be able to be part of that again and see the reaction of the fans, it's really special." The duo say they plan to keep The Guess Who on the road for the foreseeable future, but they say new music will have to wait. "There's no time for that right now," says Cummings, who released a solo album -- A Few Good Moments -- during 2024. "Right now, let's get out there and rekindle the legacy that has been tarnished. New music may come later, but that's not on our agenda right now. We're going out to rebuild what the fake band broke down." The band's ambitious 35-city North American tour will wrap in Vancouver, B.C. on Aug. 23. - Billboard, 3/3/26...... A group of siblings who claim they were abused by Michael Jackson have brought new child sex trafficking claims against the King of Pop's estate. Four of the five Cascio siblings -- Edward, Dominic, Marie-Nicole and Aldo -- alleged in a federal lawsuit filed on Feb. 27 that Jackson raped and molested them as children over the course of more than a decade, including at his Neverland ranch and while on the road for the Dangerous world tour and HIStory world tour in the 1990s. The fifth sibling, Frank Cascio, has made similar sex abuse claims in a separate pending legal proceeding. "Jackson groomed and brainwashed each plaintiff," reads the lawsuit, filed by attorney Howard King. "After the abuse started, he isolated them emotionally, and sometimes physically, from responsible adults and from each other. He plied them with drugs and alcohol. He showed them pornography, including pictures of unclothed children, to normalize the abuse and desensitize them. He made them fear and distrust others by convincing them that not only his life, but also their lives and the lives of their family members, would be destroyed if anyone found out what he was doing to them." A lawyer for Jackson's estate, Marty Singer, denied the Cascios' allegations in a Feb. 27 statement and said the new lawsuit is a "desperate money grab" and "transparent forum-shopping tactic in their scheme to obtain hundreds of millions of dollars from Michael's estate and companies." - Billboard, 3/2/26...... Legendary Notre Dame college football coach Lou Holtz died on Mar. 4. He was 89. In his five-decade career, Mr. Holtz led football teams at several universities, including William & Mary, North Carolina State, Arkansas, Minnesota and South Carolina. During his time with Notre Dame, he led the team -- known as The Fighting Irish -- to 100 victories. He won 249 total games across his 33 seasons of coaching. "Among his many accomplishments, we will remember him above all as a teacher, leader and mentor who brought out the very best in his players, on and off the field, earning their respect and admiration for a lifetime," Notre Dame said in a statement. The long-time Republican spoke at the party's convention in 2020 to endorse Donald Trump for president. Pres. Trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country's highest civilian honour, that December. "Holtz is remembered for his enduring values of faith, family, service, and an unwavering belief in the potential of others," his family said in a statement. Videos of his inspirational speeches to his players before games earned him fans in the years after his coaching career ended. Following his sport career, he went on to become a commentators for broadcasters ESPN and CBS. - The BBC, 3/4/26...... On Mar. 4 the Los Angeles City Council officially designated the iconic The Brady Bunch house in the San Fernando Valley as a Historic-Cultural Monument. The house was used for exterior shots only on The Brady Bunch and recently underwent a $1.9 million renovation to transform the interiors to match the show sets on HGTV's A Very Brady Renovation. The current owner, Tina Trahan, opened up the property for a limited run of tours in Nov. 2025. "Long before it became a pop culture pilgrimage site and backdrop for countless photo ops, the Brady Bunch House helped shape America's vision of family life in the late 1960s and early '70s -- especially the idea of a blended family," Adrian Scott, president of the L.A. Conservancy, told the Los Angeles Times. He added: "We're thrilled to see it now designated as a Historic-Cultural Monument, ensuring the Brady Bunch -- and their iconic home -- remain part of Los Angeles' story." On Jan. 15, the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission voted to recommend the house, located at 11222 Dilling St., in Studio City, as a landmark. The Planning and Land Use Commission approved the designation a month later, and the city council made the final unanimous approval. The Brady home was first constructed in 1959 by architect Harry M. Londelius, according to the Times. It was later used in exterior shots of during The Brady Bunch's entire run from 1969 to 1974. All of the shows interior scenes were filmed on a studio set nearby. A $1.9 million renovation by HGTV brought in 28 million viewers as the Brady siblings helped perfect the 2,000 sq. ft., addition. In 2023, Brady superfan Trahan and her husband Chris Elbrecht, a former chief executive of HBO, purchased the property for $3.2 million, but at the time Trahan described it as "her worst investment ever." The network subsequently filmed a limited series entitled A Very Brady Renovation, in which hosts Drew and Jonathan Scott worked with fellow HGTV stars and the actors who played all six Brady kids to transform the interior of the home to match what was seen in the show. - People, 5/5/26.