Although the Cher-based Broadway musical "The Cher Show" recently won Tony Awards for lead actress Stephanie J. Block and costume designer Bob Mackie, the bio-musical has fallen short of commercial expectations and is scheduled to play its final show on Aug. 18 at the Neil Simon Theatre, following a run of 34 previews and 296 regular performances. Produced by Cher, Flody Suarez and Jeffrey Seller, for whom it was the follow-up project to the smash show "Hamilton," "The Cher Show" opened Dec. 3 to mixed reviews and has been slipping at the box office after doing $1 million-plus a week in its first three months. The show stars Block, Teal Wicks and Broadway newcomer Micaela Diamond as Cher at three points in her life, with Jarrod Spector as Cher's first husband Sonny Bono. - The Hollywood Reporter, 6/26/19...... 
Alice Cooper is denying reports that he has a "death pact" with his longtime wife Sheryl Goddard after telling the U.K. paper The Mirror that they've agreed there is no way they can live without each other. Explaining the pact, he said: "We've made a pact -- there is no way of surviving without each other. I couldn't live without her. We always said there will never be a time when one of us will be mourning the other. She dances better now than she did in 1975. You would think people would want to get away from the wives but she is my best friend. And there is no way of surviving without each other." However, now Alice says what he really meant is that it's more of a "life pact" with his wife of 43 years instead. "What I was meaning was that because we're almost always together, at home and on the road, that if something did happen to either of us, we'd most likely be together at the time. But neither of us has a suicide pact. We have a life pact. And, besides, I'm booked through 2028, so..." Cooper, 71, first met Goddard, 61, in 1975 when she began dancing in his stage shows, and the couple have two daughters and one son together. He says they've "never cheated" on each other in their 43 years of marriage. Cooper is currently on tour with his "supergroup" side project, the Hollywood Vampires. - New Musical Express, 6/24/19...... After the animal rights organization PETA released some shocking footage of muscular dystrophy experiments on dogs at Texas A&M University, Paul McCartney is urging the university to end the mistreatment. In the experiments, golden retrievers are bred to have a crippling form of muscular dystrophy that leaves them struggling to walk, swallow and breathe. "The video footage of golden retrievers in your university's dog laboratory is heartbreaking," Sir Paul wrote in a letter on June 26, according to a PETA press release. "I have had dogs since I was a boy and loved them all dearly, including Martha, who was my companion for about 15 years and about whom I wrote the song 'Martha My Dear.' Please do the right thing by ending the suffering of dogs in TAMU's muscular dystrophy laboratory and switching to modern research methods instead." McCartney has been a longtime animal supporter, as a meat-free dieter who has teamed up with PETA multiple times in the past. - Billboard, 6/26/19...... In other Beatles-related news, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, which handles the Fab Four's catalog, is hoping the music of the Beatles resonates with the listeners of today as the new Beatles-themed movie Yesterday opens in U.S. theaters on June 28. "Our goal is that the new generation understands it and other films [and] other bands want to use the Beatles' music," says Sony/ATV marketing exec Brian Monaco. "It's a pretty healthy business for the Beatles in general. So will it get bigger? We don't know, but there's a hope there." Sony/ATV cleared 17 Beatles song copyrights for the Danny Boyle-directed fantasy that imagines what would happen if a lone singer/songwriter, played by Himesh Patel, was the only person who knew the Beatles had existed and claimed the Fab Four's songs for his own. The number is the most Beatles songs Sony/ATV has ever licensed for a non-documentary, feature film. Yesterday includes only one master usage -- the Beatles recording of "Hey Jude" that plays over the end credits. The movie follows Sony/ATV licensing "Help" for a Google commercial this spring, as well as clearing several Beatles' tracks for Netflix's children's series Beat Bugs. Capitol Records, which controls the Beatles' masters, released the Yesterday soundtrack to the film June 21. - Billboard, 6/26/19...... '70s artists George Clinton and Gloria Gaynor are among the musicians receiving the National Museum of African American Music's Rhapsody & Rhythm Award on June 27 in Nashville, Tenn. "The Rhapsody & Rhythm honorees span the breadth of African-American music, representing disco, hip-hop and funk," said NMAAM President and CEO H. Beecher Hicks III in a release announcing the gala. "Their artistry is innovative and influential, carrying an impact that can still be felt today." Meanwhile, actor Samuel L. Jackson has reportedly been cast as George Clinton in an upcoming biopic of disco music pioneer and Casablanca Records founder Neil Bogart. The film, entitled Spinning Gold, will see Jackson play funk legend Clinton, while D.L. Hughley rock out as Clinton's funk brother, bassist Bootsy Collins. The role of Bogart will be played by Broadway's Jeremy Jordan. Production is set to begin in Montreal on July 16. - Billboard/NME, 6/26/19...... 
On June 25 the estate of Michael Jackson released a statement on the tenth anniversary of the superstar entertainer's untimely death. "Ten years ago today, the world lost a gifted artist and extraordinary humanitarian," the statement begins. "The entire global community joined in grieving during a powerful and emotional memorial service witnessed by more people than had ever viewed a live event before. United in grief, the world wept not only at the loss of an artistic genius but at the void left by the loss of a father, son and brother," the statement continues. "A decade later, Michael Jackson is still with us, his influence embedded in dance, fashion, art and music of the moment. He is more important than ever. But the true measure of Michael was his giving to others which came in many forms." Jackson died June 25, 2009 of acute Propofol intoxication at age 50. At the time of his death, he had been prepping for his comeback concert residency "This Is It" at London's O2 Arena. Meanwhile, organizers of the controversial "Michael Jackson Is Innocent" campaign also commemorated the late music icon on the 10th anniversary of his death with billboards across Europe. Organizers have arranged for several electronic billboards to appear in London, Rotterdam and Dublin to commemorate the anniversary of Jackson's passing. They come from the same organizers at the website MJInnocent.com who in March purchased advertising space across London, including on buses and bus shelters, in the wake of the controversial documentary Leaving Neverland. that detailed allegations of child abuse against the star, allegations which have been denied by Jackson's family. - Billboard/NME, 6/25/19...... On June 25 Elton John shared footage of his 2019 Cannes Film Festival performance, along with the digitally remastered video for his 1983 hit "I'm Still Standing." The performance video was filmed at the Rocketman premiere afterparty, while the music video was shot 36 years earlier in the same spot: Carlton Beach, Cannes. The original footage for the "I'm Still Standing" promo was nearly lost after the director, Russell Mulcahy, fell off of a pier with his camera while filming. Re-scanned from the original negative and reconstructed entirely from scratch, "I'm Still Standing" is now visible in ultra-clear 4K. John's final tour, the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour, concludes in 2020. Meanwhile, Elton is the latest recipient of France's highest award, the Legion of Honor. On June 21, John joined a call by French President Emmanuel Macron to fund AIDS research and treatment. John spoke alongside Macron before thousands of people packed into the presidential Elysee Palace courtyard for an event of the annual Fete de la Musique. John was clearly moved at receiving France's highest award, pinned on him by Macron in a private ceremony, attended by the singer's husband David Furnish and their two children, among some 20 people in his entourage present. The president saluted Elton as "an icon that knew how to set an example," the Elysee Palace said. "To receive this decoration the day of the Fete de la Musique makes it even more special," John said later in the palace courtyard. John performed in Paris the previous evening in what is billed as his farewell world tour. In still more Elton news, the singer will be among those contributing songs to the reboot of the movie The Lion King, which hits theaters in July. A brand new Elton track called "Never Too Late" will be included, while one song is still to be announced. The full Lion King soundtrack album is out digitally on July 11 and physically on July 19. - Billboard/AP, 6/25/19...... Van Morrison has announced details of his next UK shows for 2019 and 2020. Morrison will start his tour in October, in Bournemouth, Cardiff, Oxford and Nottingham, with a stop at Brighton in early December. He'll then pick things up on December 31 with three consecutive nights at Belfast's Stormont Hotel. The new dates will follow Morrison's two London shows at the Roundhouse on July 6 and 7 as part of Inversions Festival. He's also due to appear at London's Cadogan Hall for the Rock Island Line 65th anniversary concert on July 13. - New Musical Express, 6/26/19...... 
Black Sabbath have marked their 50th anniversary by opening a new exhibition in Birmingham that celebrates their hugely influential legacy. The "Home Of Metal: Black Sabbath at 50" exhibition opened on June 26 at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, and it celebrates how the heavy metal legends band pioneered the genre before it spread across the globe. As well as featuring various items from the band's history -- donated by Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward -- it also includes some of the biggest tributes from their fans across 50 years. Items on display include Osbourne's distinctive purple glasses alongside an outfit worn by utler during a concert at Birmingham's Town Hall which featured in the gatefold sleeve of their 1972 Vol 4 album. While Sabbath played their last gig in 2017, Ozzy Osbourne recently admitted he's hoping for one last gig with ousted drummer Bill Ward. New Musical Express, 6/26/19...... This November will see the release of a new coloring book authorized by the estate of Frank Zappa, The Frank Zappa Coloring Book. It's a brand-new collection of interactive illustrations based around the life and work of one of America's most unique musicians and will feature 72 new pieces of artwork ready for coloring, complete with references, in-jokes and Easter eggs for Zappa enthusiasts from the "Valley Girl" fan to the hardcore "G-Spot Tornado" aficionado. The book, by David Calcano and Lindsay Lee, is published by Fantoons and will hit stores on Nov. 5. - The Hollywood Reporter, 6/25/19...... A downsized Woodstock 50 festival could possibly be held at an upstate New York harness track and casino. Town of Vernon Supervisor Randy Watson tells the Poughkeepsie Journal that Woodstock 50 has applied for a permit to hold its concert Aug. 16-18 at Vernon Downs, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) east of Syracuse. Watson says the proposed capacity was 45,000-50,000 people -- far smaller than the 150,000 planned for at the initial venue, Watkins Glen International. The owner of the track says his company is close to signing a letter of intent and could host up to 65,000 people, but without camping. The Woodstock 50 festival has faced a series of setbacks, including Watkins Glen pulling out earlier in June. - AP, 6/24/19...... Bruce Springsteen has scored his 20th top 10 album on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart with his newest release Western Stars, which debuted at No. 2 for the week ending June 20, according to Nielsen Music. Of the 66,000 equivalent album units earned, 62,000 were in album sales. Springsteen last hit the top 10 in 2016 with the retrospective compilation release Chapter and Verse, which debuted and peaked at No. 5. - Billboard, 6/23/19...... The Motown Museum in Detroit has announced it will host a weekend of events on Sept. 21-23 honoring the company's founder Berry Gordy Jr. with "Hitsville Honors: Celebrating Berry Gordy & 60 Years of Motown" at the city's Orchestra Hall. Members of the Temptations, the Four Tops, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas and the Supremes' Mary Wilson are expected to attend, along with Ne-Yo and Detroit-based Big Sean and Kem. Tickets run $50-$1,000 and go on sale Aug. 1 through motownmuseum.org. - Billboard, 6/23/19...... 
The Rolling Stones kicked off their No Filter U.S. tour in Chicago on June 21, with frontman Mick Jagger showing no signs of slowing down after undergoing heart surgery to replace one of the valves in his heart earlier this spring. The 75-year old singer was a paragon of unbridled energy and enthusiasm throughout the uncharacteristically chilly Friday night performance. From the opening notes of "Street Fighting Man," Jagger proved across two hours and 20 different songs why he's considered by many to be the greatest frontman in the history of rock and roll. There was hardly a moment in the show where he wasn't flailing his arms, gyrating his hips, strutting or jogging up and down the lengthy catwalk and asking the crowd to give him more. "This is our 38th show in Chicago, and I still haven't eaten an Italian Beef," Jagger joked to the crowd about the Windy City's signature, grease-laden sandwich. The show included such deep album cuts as "Sad Sad Sad" from Steel Wheels (for the first time in almost 17 years) and "You Got Me Rocking" from Voodoo Lounge, which made it into the setlist thanks to an online fan vote. Both songs were a nice compliment to the expected classics like "Sympathy For The Devil," "Gimmer Shelter," "Start Me Up," "Jumping Jack Flash" and "Honky Tonk Women." The night ultimately ended like so many other Stones concerts have before this one with a loose -- but extremely enthusiastic -- rendition of the band's signature hit "Satisfaction," kissed off with an explosion of fireworks high into the Midwestern sky. - Billboard, 6/22/19...... Bob Seger closed a six-night run at the DTE Energy Music Theatre in suburban Detroit, as well as the latest leg of the tour, on June 21. Returning to the stage after his main set, Seger told the crowd at the venue that there was "a special guest" in the house. He then dedicated his 1975 song "Fine Memory" -- which he'd played for the first time ever just six days before in the same venue -- to former International Space Station commander Andrew Feustel, who was attending the concert with his wife, Indira. Seger told the crowd that "Fine Memory" reminded Feustel of his wife every time he blasted off on a new mission. Feustel's last ISS mission ended on Oct. 3. Seger and his Silver Bullet Band now take an extended break before returning to the road Sept. 12 in Rapid City, S.D. with 14 shows, a run scheduled to finish Oct. 19 in Chicago. - Billboard, 6/22/19...... Barry Manilow has gifted $100,000 worth of new band gear to a North Carolina high school in an area still recovering from Hurricane Florence. News outlets report the band at East Duplin High School couldn't afford new instruments and uniforms, so they entered a national contest by the Manilow Music Project for help. In a video of the announcement at a Las Vegas show on June 19, Manilow takes a pause from dancing and singing to crown East Duplin, N.C., as the winner. Manilow said he had been "bombarded" with video entries from high schools across the country saying why they think they deserved the funds before giving East Duplin the $100,000 for new instruments and uniforms. The school's band director says words can't describe his gratitude. - AP, 6/21/19...... Elvis Costello will be among the 35 stars included in the Hollywood Walk of Fame Class of 2020, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce's Walk of Fame Selection Committee announced on June 21. Others in the musicians category to be honored include Billy Idol, Tanya Tucker, Alicia Keys and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson. - ComingSoon.Net, 6/21/19...... Ambient music pioneer, former Roxy Music member, and producer Brian Eno has been honored with an asteroid named after him. On June 24, Eno was presented with the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication at the prestigious science festival, Starmus V. It was for his contribution to the popularization of science. In addition, a Southwest Research Institute astronomer named Marc Buie named a new asteroid after Eno. The asteroid was originally called '81948 (2000 OM69)' but is now titled called 'Eno' (rather than the musician's full name: Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno). Eno is marking the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing this July by reissuing his seminal Apollo: Atmospheres & Soundtracks, and his new album, For All Mankind, is paired with the release for issue on July 19. - Billboard, 6/26/19...... 
Elliot Roberts, the longtime manager of Neil Young and former manager of Joni Mitchell, died on the morning of June 21 of undisclosed causes. He was 76. During his tenure Roberts also guided the careers of such enduring and influential artists as Stephen Stills, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. Born Elliot Rabinowitz in 1943, Roberts was prominent in the rise of the Laurel Canyon music scene throughout the '60s and '70s. He managed Mitchell early in her career, when she was living in New York. The two moved to Los Angeles together in 1967 with her then-boyfriend, David Crosby. That same year, Roberts formed Lookout Management with agent David Geffen, and eventually created Asylum Records, which signed major artists like the Eagles. His most famous manager-client relationship was with Young, which began in 1969 and continued until Roberts' death. "My friend for over 50 years, Elliot Roberts, has passed away. We are all heartbroken, but want to share what a great human being Elliot has been," Neil Young wrote on June 22. Young went on to describe how, as the "greatest manager of all time," Roberts "guided me through every move" in his career and "protected my music with a fierceness before signing off with "See you at the gig, Elliot." - Billboard, 6/21/19...... Pop/country drummer Jerry Carrigan, who played on about 120 tracks by Elvis Presley and later toured with John Denver, died earlier in June in Chattanooga, Tenn., of an unknown illness. He was 75. The Alabama-born Carrigan was a member of the late Rick Hall's first rhythm section, the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, and played on Hall's first big hit out of FAME Recording Studios, Arthur Alexander's "You Better Move On" [in 1961] and later on Jimmy Hughes' "Steal Away." After getting his start in Muscle Shoals, Carrigan moved to Nashville, where he became one of the top drummers there. Carrigan also played on hits by George Jones and Tammy Wynette and FAME Studios recordings of Tommy Roe, The Tams, Joe Tex and Sonny James. - AP, 6/26/19.
Facebook has reversed its ban on Led Zeppelin's 1973 classic LP Houses of the Holy album cover after the artwork, which depicts nude children ascending the rocks at the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. It is speculated the cover was likely flagged by a Facebook moderator who was unfamiliar with the band and blocked the image for the fact that it aligns with Facebook's ban on gruesome imagery, paedophilia, and other illegal and obscene content. After a Change.org petition gathered nearly 1,000 signatures in favor of Facebook reinstating the image, the popular social media site has now lifted the ban. A spokesperson for the company commented, "As our community standards explain, we don't allow nude images of children on Facebook. But we know this a culturally significant image. Therefore, we're restoring the posts we removed." Facebook added that in the future it would now more carefully consider the newsworthiness or importance of the subject matter so as to avoid unnecessary bans in the future. - New Musical Express, 6/21/19...... 
The "Black Strat" Fender Stratocaster used by Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour has broken the world record for any guitar sold at auction during a Christie's auction in New York City on June 21. Earlier in 2019, Gilmour announced that he'd be selling 120 of his iconic guitars to "give joy" to other people and in turn raise funds to help fight climate change. "These guitars have been very good to me," he said. "They're my friends. They have given me lots of music. I just think it's time that they went off and served someone else. I have had my time with them. And of course the money that they will raise will do an enormous amount of good in the world, and that is my intention." Gilmour's Black Strat, used on such tracks as "Comfortably Numb," "Money" and "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," among others, commanded $3,975,00. He also used it in his solo career, playing it on the albums About Face, On An Island, Rattle That Lock and his 1978 self-titled solo debut. Gilmour's entire guitar collection went for a total of $21.5 million. In a statement, Gilmour said: "The global climate crisis is the greatest challenge that humanity will ever face, and we are within a few years of the effects of global warming being irreversible... Either we choose to go on as a civilisation, or we don't. The choice really is that simple, and I hope that the sale of these guitars will help ClientEarth in their cause to use the law to bring about real change. We need a civilised world that goes on for all our grandchildren and beyond in which these guitars can be played and songs can be sung." All proceeds from the auction will be donated to ClientEarth. - New Musical Express, 6/21/19...... The Rolling Stones will return to the stage on June 21 at Chicago's Solder Field for the first time since postponing their North American tour because frontman Mick Jagger needed medical treatment. A second show at the venue is scheduled for June 25. In May, the band said their No Filter tour would feature classic hits such as "Sympathy For The Devil" and "Paint It Black." The tour was delayed after doctors told Jagger, 75, in late March he couldn't tour at the time. - AP, 6/21/19...... Ozzy Osbourne is among the artists featured in the new DreamWorks animated film Trolls World Tour. In addition to Ozzy, the film stars a plethora of famed vocalists, including Mary J. Blige, Justin Timberlake and Kelly Clarkson A trailer for the movie, which hits theaters in April 2020, has just been released. - BIllboard, 6/20/19...... In 1979, Bette Midler made her proper film debut in the Janis Joplin-inspired classic The Rose, and though she lost the Best Actress Oscar award to Sally Field (in Norma Rae), the diva has now been honored with a rose variety named in her honor. "I didn't win the Oscar for The Rose," Midler mused at a June 19 charity gala at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. "Of course, I never think about it. But I do want to say right now, there's no Norma Rae rose." The flower -- which is on display in the Botanical Garden's rose garden (and which will go on sale to the public in 2020 with proceeds going to the New York Restoration Project in perpetuity) is described as "robust, sharp and stands out in a crowd"....just like the beloved singer herself. Midler also entertained the audience that night with a rewrite of Lynn Anderson's 1970 hit "Rose Garden" and her own "The Rose" from The Rose soundtrack, before wrapping with "Everything's Coming Up Roses," which found Bette shimmying around the stage while the audience belted along to the Gypsy tune with gusto. The previous evening, Paul Simon was honored by the Poetry Association of America during a dinner benefit at the Botannical Garden. His acceptance came in three parts: He read work by two poets who died this year, Les Murray and W.S. Merwin; chatted briefly on stage with U.S. poet laureate Billy Collins about writing; and, to everyone's obvious pleasure, performed a few songs, including "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" and "The Boxer." - Billboard/AP, 6/20/19...... On June 21 the estate of Prince released a never-before-seen video of the late pop/funk star's original demo recording of "Manic Monday." The clip of the track, which appears on Prince's recently-released Originals album, opens with the singer wearing tight black pants and a white tank top, doing a choreographed dance to his more baroque version of the song. "Manic Monday" would go on to become one of the '80s girl group The Bangles' most iconic hits. - Billboard, 6/21/19...... 
Crew members of the McDonalds restaurant in Lancashire, U.K. have finally met Fleetwood Mac after thousands of Facebook users joined a campaign calling for singer Stevie Nicks to work a shift at their restaurant. The event on Facebook by "Be Reet" called upon the legendary singer to head to the Fleetwood, Lancashire branch of the fast food chain, which is almost the namesake of her iconic band. While the petition prompted 20,000 signatures, it was the band who instead invited the Fleetwood McDonalds workers to attend their sold out show at Wembley Stadium on June 18. A photo taken backstage shows the crew hanging out with the likes of Nicks, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie and the rest of the band, before being given the chance to watch them from the side of the stage. "It was a fantastic evening seeing Fleetwood Mac live and to have the opportunity to share the experience with some of the Fleetwood team," said Nigel Dunnington, the franchisee of Fleetwood McDonald. "I'm still amazed the band got in touch -- we're lucky our restaurant shares a name with such an iconic band. After 'Fleetwood Macs' met Fleetwood Mac, the restaurant team left the stage wings and enjoyed a night of live entertainment. Needless to say, they "were lovin' it." Meanwhile, the band has teased a headline performance at the U.K.'s Glastonbury festival in 2020. The band dropped the hint during their Wembley gig, when Mick Fleetwood told the crowd that the band still "had a big field to play." Other Twitter accounts added that Fleetwood made reference to "a rained out festival in England next year." - New Musical Express, 6/19/19...... A previously unreleased version of late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury's "Time Waits For No One" has been shared on YouTube. The song was originally recorded in 1985 after Mercury teamed up with '60s bandleader Dave Clark for the Time concept album, based on Clark's London musical of the same name. It was originally released in May 1986 as "Time" and saw Mercury's vocals being accompanied by renowned pianist Mike Moran. But Clark has now revisited the original essence of the track, after retrieving it from his tape archive in the spring of 2018. He stripped of backing vocals, and the new bare-bones version sees Mercury's powerful vocals featuring alongside Moran's new piano recording. Clark said of the original sessions: "We got on great... if I didn't like something I'd say, and vice versawe were both aiming for the same thing: to make something special." - New Musical Express, 6/20/19...... Carlos Santana has debuted at No. 1 on the Top Latin Albums Chart for the week ending June 22 with his latest release, Africa Speaks. After selling 57,000 album units for the week ending June 13, Africa Speaks' starting sum represents the biggest week for any Latin album in 2019, and the largest since the charts began ranking albums by equivalent album units in late 2014. The Rick Rubin-produced album features vocals by Spanish singer Buika, who is also credited as one of the writers of the album, British singer Laura Mvula, as well as Cindy Blackman Santana, Santana's wife, on drums. "The incredible synergy between Buika, Cindy Blackman Santana, the magnificent Santana Band, Rick Rubin and Concord Records made this masterpiece of joy come to fruition," Santana said in a statement. "Now more than ever, this is the consciousness that the world needs... This music gives people hope and courage. We call it mystical medicine music for a twisted, crooked world." - Billboard, 6/19/19...... As they release their second album Riseon June 21, the "supergroup" Hollywood Vampires stopped by ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live on June 20 to promote the new LP. The band, led by Alice Cooper, Aerosmith's Joe Perry, and actor/musician Johnny Depp, rocked out to a cover of David Bowie's classic "Heroes." They also performed "I Want My Now," a selection from the new album, and two other songs including Jim Carroll Band's "People Who Died" and Johnny Thunders' "You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory." - Billboard, 6/20/19...... 
Gloria Gaynor, who charted the classic "I Will Survive" to the top of the Billboard pop chart in 1979, has climbed to No. 4 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart for the week ending June 22 with her first faith-based set, Testimony. Gaynor recorded the 10-track Testimony in Nashville at RCA Studio A. It features such guests as Yolanda Adams (on "Talkin' 'Bout Jesus") and Bart Millard of MercyMe (on "He Won't Let Go"). "I Will Survive," which topped the charts for three weeks in 1979, won the only Grammy Award for Best Disco Recording at the 22nd annual ceremony in 1980. Amid a backlash against disco, the Academy renamed the award Best Dance Recording the following year. - Billboard, 6/19/19...... On June 18 Wayne Newton testified during a trial of one of two burgulars who allegedly raided his Las Vegas home in 2018. The longtime Vegas entertainer told a jury he fired a gunshot to scare away two burglars that he and his wife and daughter encountered fleeing their home. Newton, 77, emembered his wife, Kathleen Newton, yelling for him to shoot as one of the fleeing men stopped to pick up a duffel bag he dropped while hitting a family dog with a tire iron. He said the men disappeared through a hedge toward a wall on his large property in Las Vegas. The testimony came during trial for 22-year-old Weslie Martin, who prosecutors say was one of the burglars. - AP, 6/18/19...... Memorial services for Dr. John, who died on June 6 at age 77, have been scheduled for the third weekend in June. The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival says memorial services for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, who was born Malcom "Mac" Rebennack Jr., are set for June 22 at the historic Orpheum Theater in downtown New Orleans. Public visitation starts at 7 a.m. and runs until 10:30 a.m. A service running from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Orpheum will be invitation-only but will be broadcast on WWOZ FM. There was no immediate word on any music and entertainment stars who might attend. That will be followed by a public "second line parade" that will begin at the theater. - AP, 6/18/19...... A joint hologram tour featuring Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison will kick off on Sept. 19 at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. "Roy Orbison & Buddy Holly: The Rock 'N' Roll Dream Tour" will run for an additional 45 stops. The current slate of dates are scheduled to close out on Nov. 20 with a stop at Danforth Music Hall in Toronto. "Working on the original Roy Orbison hologram tour last year was something special and to be able to do it again and add someone like Buddy Holly into the mix is very exciting," director Eric Schaeffer said in a release. "This show will be a celebration that blends these men's similar styles into one unforgettable evening that audiences will remember for a long time to come." Accompanied by a live band and back-up singers, the multi-media holographic performance and remastered audio will feature the rock 'n' roll legends' greatest hits on stage. The artists have a combined 16 platinum records, 19 gold records, nearly two dozen Top 40 hits and 10 Grammy awards. The tour wraps on Nov. 20 at Danforth Music Hall in Toronto. - Billboard, 6/18/19...... Bruce Springsteen's latest album Western Stars is on track to top the album charts in the UK, according to the Official Chart Update. Western Stars is Springsteen's first album since 2012's U.K. chart-topping Wrecking Ball. If he reaches the top, it'll be the Boss's 11th No. 1 in the U.K. - Billboard, 6/18/19...... Paul McCartney was among the many musicians and celebrities celebrating Father's Day (June 16) on social media. "Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there! pic.twitter.com/yRQdAzCnbB," Sir Paul posted. Other '70s musicians paying tribute on Father's Day included Gene Simmons, Steven Tyler, Carole King and Alice Cooper. - Billboard, 6/16/19...... Elton John has just announced additional U.K. dates for his "Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour," including Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Leeds, and a sixth London show on Dec. 14, 2020. Speaking about the UK dates, John said: "The Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour will take us to many places that have meant a lot to me over the last fifty years, but these UK shows will be incredibly special. The UK is home, and where my heart will always be. To celebrate some of the incredible moments we've shared with my British fans over the years will be wonderful. These homecoming shows will be very emotional, and a lot of fun." - NME, 6/17/19...... 
In a new interview with GuitarWorld magazine, Queen's Brian May praised the band's current frontman Adam Lambert, who took over from Bad Company/Free's Paul Rodgers in 2012 as the second Queen vocalist after the death of Freddie Mercury in 1991. While the American Idol runner-up's stint in Queen has faced questions from fans who compare his vocals of those of Mercury's, May insists that he's the perfect person to lead the band forward. "Adam can do all the stuff that Freddie did and more. It doesn't matter what you throw at Adam -- he can do it," May said. "He's a born exhibitionist. He's not Freddie, and he's not pretending to be him, but he has a parallel set of equipment." Hailing Lambert as a "born exhibitionist," May says that Lambert is a "born rock star and front man" and "we treat Adam exactly the same as we treated Freddie in almost every way." Meanwhile, Lambert has pushed back on rumours that their could be a sequel to the smash 2018 Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. "What would it be? A sequel? How would that work? It doesn't make sense to me but I haven't heard anything about it," he told NME. "But I somehow doubt that. Somehow I don't know what they would make the movie about." - NME, 6/19/19...... Jim Pike, co-founder and lead singer of The Lettermen pop vocal group, died of complications from Parkinson's Disease on June 9 at his home in Prescott, Ariz. He was 82. Mr. Pike and Bob Engemann, a college buddy from Brigham Young University, formed The Lettermen in Los Angeles in 1961 with fellow singer Tony Butala. The trio's lush vocal harmonies made the Grammy-nominated act one of the most popular vocal groups of the 1960s, and the group would place 19 more songs on the Billboard charts over the next 10 years. Two made the Top 10 -- 1962's "When I Fall in Love" and the Grammy-nominated 1968 medley "Goin' Out of My Head/Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You." Their last hit was 1971's "Everything is Good About You." The Lettermen also earned Grammy nominations for Best New Artist of 1961 and for 1962's "A Song For Young Love." Through those years the group toured constantly, playing colleges across the country and other venues around the world. The constant touring wore out Mr. Pike's voice and he left the group in 1973, replaced by his youngest brother, Donny Pike. Gary Pike had replaced Engemann in 1967. After regaining his voice Mr. Pike formed a group called The Reunion with Engemann. The Lettermen, with Butala as the only remaining founding member, continues to tour. Engemann died in 2013. In addition to his brothers, Mr. Pike is survived by his sister, Candace Doyle, his wife Sue and his daughter, Kelly Pike. - Billboard, 6/19/19...... Fashion designer, artist, and socialite Gloria Vanderbilt died on the morning of June 17 in her Manhattan home. She was 95. Born in New York in 1924, Ms. Vanderbilt was the focus of media attention at an early age, dubbed "the poor little rich girl" amid an intense custody battle between her mother and her father's wealthy sister, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney. As a fashion model, she appeared in such magazines as Vogue and Vanity Fair, and in 1954, she made her stage debut in a production of the romantic drama, The Swan. Later she produced fashion and textile designs that would earn her the 1969 Neiman Marcus Fashion Award, before opening the door to a line a line of ready-to-wear garments in the mid-1970s. Under her GV Ltd. brand, she'd go on to sell millions of pairs of jeans bearing her signature and trademark swan logo -- a nod to her first production as a thespian. An author of several books, including one on collage and another on interior design, Ms. Vanderbilt also a penned a history of her love life, It Seemed Important at the Time: A Romance Memoir, in 2004. She was the mother of two sons, including CNN host Anderson Cooper, who released a statement after her passing: "Gloria Vanderbilt was an extraordinary woman, who loved life, and lived it on her own terms. She was a painter, a writer and designer but also a remarkable mother, wife, and friend. She was 95 years old, but ask anyone close to her, and they'd tell you: She was the youngest person they knew -- the coolest and most modern." - CNN.com, 6/17/19.
With very little fanfare, Bruce Springsteen has made his latest album Western Stars available for free streaming on 
Rush's loyal legion of fans have been in a kind of Rush-withdrawal since their heroes went on hiatus in 2015, but on Aug. 21 they'll get a fix with the cinematic screening of a new Rush rock-doc called Rush: Cinema Strangiato 2019. The film will feature a hodge-podge of song performances, including "Tom Sawyer," "Closer to the Heart" and "Subdivisions," unreleased soundcheck and backstage footage from Rush's 2015 R40 40th anniversary tour, and new interviews with producer Nick Raskulinecz and Rush fans and fellow famous musicians Billy Corgan, Tom Morello and Taylor Hawkins, who inducted the Canadian trio into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with his fellow Foo Fighters bandmate Dave Grohl in 2013. Beginning on June 20, theater locations and ticket details can be found at the website 
A "lost" Miles Davis album entitled Rubberband is set to be released on Sept. 6, almost 30 years after the legendary jazz musician's death. The 12-track album was recorded in 1985 and marked his first record on Warner Bros after moving from Columbia Records. It marked a stylistic change for the jazz icon, who incorporated funk and soul vibes on the record for the first time in his career. But Rubberband ultimately failed to see the light of day when Davis' talents became increasingly in demand. While he had planned to record with vocalists including Chaka Khan and Al Jarreau, the early sessions were ultimately put on the back burner so he could focus on his Tutu album, which arrived in Sept. 1986. Rubberband will see vocals being provided by Lalah Hathaway (the daughter of Donny Hathaway) and Grammy-nominated Ledisi. It will also feature cover art personally designed by Davis too -- which sees him channelling a Pablo Picasso-esque spirit. - New Musical Express, 6/14/19...... It has been revealed that Dr. John recorded an unreleased album a year before his passing on June 6, and that he understood "this was his final record." Consisting of originals, twangy covers and reworked classics, the LP features the likes of Willie Nelson, Aaron Neville and Rickie Lee Jones. It was completed in December 2018 with the help of guitarist Shane Theriot, who told Rolling Stone that listening to the final project was emotional. "We sat and listened to everything twice," Theriot said. "He was singing along and had a big grin on his face. Then he walked me out to my car, stared at me and said, 'I'm glad. I made the right choice.' And then he hugged and kissed me on the cheek." Theriot added that the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer was able to preview the entire album for he died. "Mac got to hear it and live with it and make suggestions," he said. "This was one of his creations." While the LP is completely finished, a title and release date are still being planned. - Rolling Stone, 6/11/19...... During a Q&A session at a The Who pop-up shop at 52 Brewer Street in London's Soho on June 13, frontman Roger Daltrey said he thinks The Who "have made their "best album since Quadrophenia." The band has been busy working on their first album since 2006's Endless Wire after guitarist Pete Townshend revealed in 2018 that the untitled album at the time consisted of 15 demos. He described the new album as a mixture of "dark ballads, heavy rock stuff, experimental electronica, sampled stuff and cliched Who-ish tunes that began with a guitar that goes yanga-dang." While Daltrey said he was initially skeptical about the new LP, he says he's now changed his mind and is "incredibly optimistic" about their 12th studio album. "When I first heard the songs I was very skeptical as I didn't think I could do it," Daltrey explained. "I thought Pete had written a really great solo album and I said to him, 'Pete, what do you need to do this for? Release it as a solo album, it's great.' But he said he wanted it to be a Who album. So I took the songs away and I listened to them, and listened to them some more, and I had some ideas. [Pete] let me have a bit of freedom with changing a few things, changing the tenses of songs and other little things. And he gave me complete melodic freedom. And I gotta tell you that after being very skeptical I'm now incredibly optimistic. I think we've made our best album since Quadrophenia." Daltrey added: "Pete hasn't lost it, he's still a fabulous songwriter and he's still got that cutting edge, man." The Who will be a huge show at London's Wembley Stadium on July 6 with support from Kaiser Chiefs and Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder. The Who kicked off their "Moving On! Tour" at New York City's Madison Square Garden on May 13. - New Musical Express, 6/13/19...... 
The Beatles' first contract with their manager Brian Epstein is expected to fetch around £300,000 when it is auctioned by Sotheby's in July. The contract, which is from the collection of Epstein's publisher Ernest Hecht, was signed by Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and original drummer Pete Best, and is thought to have been signed in the living room at Best's mother's house and is the first of two contracts between the group and Epstein. A second one was signed on Oct. 1, 1962, after Best was replaced by Ringo Starr. Interestingly, Epstein did not sign the document because he "wanted to free the Beatles of their obligations if I felt they would be better off." "Even though I knew I would keep the contract in every clause, I had not 100 percent faith in myself to help the Beatles," he is quoted as saying. Epstein's fee was spelled out as 10 percent of the band's earnings, which would rise to 15 percent if those earnings went over £120 a week. It also agreed that the manager would be responsible for finding work for the Beatles, managing their schedule and publicity, and "all matters concerning clothes, make-up and the presentation and construction of the artists' acts and also on all music to be performed." "[Epstein] stopped them eating on stage. He made sure they played the songs properly and coherently, and he got them bowing at the end of a set... They had the stage energy but he instilled a sense of professionalism in them," said Gabriel Heaton of Sotheby's. - New Musical Express, 6/14/19...... A week after announcing he was delaying his upcoming tour to work on some mental health issues, Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson posted on Twitter thanking his fans for their continued support. "Brian, Melinda and the Wilson family would like to thank all of you for your wonderful notes and good wishes," his post on June 10 reads. "Brian looks forward to feeling better and seeing you again this Fall. Love & Mercy." Wilson originally posted on his official website that he was "not feeling like myself." "Mentally insecure is how I'd describe it. We're not sure what is causing it but i do know that it's not good for me to be on the road right now," he wrote. - Billboard, 6/10/19...... Veteran singer/actor Steve Lawrence revealed on June 11 that he has been diagnosed with the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease. In a press release set by his spokesperson Howard Bragman, Lawrence confirmed the diagnosis, saying that he felt he needed to speak out in light of recent rumors and media inquiries. "I'm living my life, going out in public and trying to spend as much time as possible with my family and friends while I am still able to engage and enjoy," he wrote. Lawrence said he doesn't want pity or sympathy in response to his diagnosis. "I have lived and am living a wonderful, joyous life filled with love, support and amazing moments," he said. Lawrence, 83, is known for solo hits including the No. 1 ballad "Go Away Little Girl" and as one half of the 1960s pop duo Steve and Eydie alongside his wife, Eydie Gorme, who died in 2013. The couple were known for their frequent appearances on TV variety and talk shows, in night clubs, and on the stages of Las Vegas. - People.com/AP, 6/11/19...... Iggy Pop has released a new video for his song "Run Like a Villain" on 
Country/pop crossover legend Kenny Rogers is dismissing "wild misinformation and speculation" about his health and says he plans on "sticking around" for years to come. A statement released on Rogers' behalf on June 14 was published after a U.S. tabloid report claimed the 80-year-old "Lucille" singer had been diagnosed with bladder cancer and was dying. The statement said Rogers, who hasn't been seen in public since April 2018, was recently admitted to a hospital in Georgia and treated for dehydration. "He will remain there to complete some physical therapy to get his strength back prior to discharge and can assure everyone he plans on sticking around through the years to come," it added. Rogers embarked on a world farewell tour in 2016 but in April 2018 he canceled the last few shows citing "a series of health challenges." Meanwhile, a woman who has accused the singer of sex assault is demanding an apology from the superstar "before he dies." "I'm sad he's sick and I don't want anybody to die, but it's time to cleanse his soul for his actions," Lisa Applewhite Kimbell, who claimed Rogers ruined her life when he allegedly sexually attacked her during a supposed "movie audition" nearly 30 years ago, told the website RadarOnline.com. Kimbell, 53, says she was a nursing student and part-time actress when she met the star in 1990 through a family friend. She alleges Rogers started calling her and begging her to come to New York City to read for a role. Kimbell went -- and that's when she said things went horribly wrong. We talked for a while, then he grabbed me, touched me inappropriately and tried to kiss me," said Kimbell. "The last thing he said as I left was he had power in Hollywood, and if I told anybody, I'd never become an actress." Kimbell -- who's currently recovering from grueling facial reconstruction surgery after developing skin cancer -- claimed Rogers even called her at home to try to indulge his sick sexual fantasies. She kept quiet until 1992, when two other women claimed he made obscene phone calls to them -- and Kimbell joined them in filing a lawsuit against Kenny. "I was shocked to find the Kenny Rogers so many people know and love is nothing but a dirty old man," she said at the time. Rogers denied their allegations, and she says she eventually felt pressured to drop her lawsuit. - Reuters/American Media, Inc., 6/14/19...... Actress Sylvia Miles, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her brief appearance in the movie Midnight Cowboy, died in New York City on June 12. She was 94. The NYC native began her career in the theatre in the late 1940s, and soon moved into TV and film, landing the role of Sally Rogers in the pilot episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show, although the part was eventually given to actress Rose Marie. Ms. Miles received her second Oscar nod in 1975 for another brief performance in Farewell, My Lovely. Her other film credits included Wall Street in 1987 and its 2010 sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, as well as Andy Warhol's Heat, Critical Condition, Crossing Delancey, and She-Devil, in which she portrayed Meryl Streep's movie mother. She was also a regular on TV, featuring in Sex and the City, NYPD, One Life to Live and All My Children, among many other shows. - WENN/Canoe.com, 6/13/19.
The Beach Boys founder Brian Wilson announced on June 6 that he's postponing his "Pet Sounds and Greatest Hits Live" tour as he struggles with his well publicized mental health issues. "It is no secret that I have been living with mental illness for many decades," Wilson posted on his Facebook page and website. "There were times when it was unbearable but with doctors and medications I have been able to live a wonderful, healthy and productive life with support from my family, friends and fans who have helped me through this journey," the 76-year-old musician said. He added that he had three successful operations on his back in the past year and had been recording and rehearsing with the intentions of touring but the latest surgery made him feel "strange" and turned "pretty scary" as he began to struggle with "stuff in my head and saying things I don't mean and I don't know why." Wilson said he plans to work with his doctors, rest and recover, and that he's "looking forward to seeing everyone later in the year." "The music and my fans keep me going and I know this will be something I can AGAIN overcome," he concluded. The tour -- celebrating the Beach Boys' classic 1966 album Pet Sounds with The Zombies as openers -- had already been postponed in 2018, when Wilson had the first of his back surgeries. Wilson was officially diagnosed as a schizoaffective disorder with mild manic depression, and has regularly experienced auditory hallucinations. - The Daily Mail UK, 6/6/19...... The Pacific island nation of Samoa has become the latest nation to ban the Elton John biopic Rocketman because of its depictions of homosexuality. Leiataua Niuapu Faaui, Samoa's principal censor, told a local newspaper on June 11 that Rocketman's homosexual activity violated laws and didn't sit well with the country's cultural and Christian beliefs, however he conceded that "it's a good story, in that it's about an individual trying to move on in life." In a Facebook post, Apollo Cinemas Samoa posted that "due to censoring issues we have had to cancel Rocketman (which) examines John's sexuality and relationship with then-manager John Reid. It stars Taron Egerton who does his own singing as John in the musical fantasy that aims to capture the essence of the musician's life." About 97% of people in Samoa identify as Christian, and the society is generally considered conservative and traditional. Under Samoa's 2013 Crimes Act, sodomy is deemed an offense that is punishable by up to seven years in prison, even if both parties consent. In May, a Russian movie distributor censored scenes from the film that featured gay sex and drug use. Elton John and Paramount Pictures issued a joint statement condemning the action and said it was a "sad reflection of the divided world we still live in and how it can still be so cruelly unaccepting of the love between two people." Meanwhile, John and Egerton recently performed a rendition of Elton's first big hit, "Your Song," as John's Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour hit the open-air venue of Hove County Ground in the UK. A snippet can be viewed on 
Even though he once sniffed "I wouldn't do anything with the Royal family. They're scum. Why do we subsidize this family of buffoons?" in the punk rock heyday of the late 1970s, Elvis Costello says he's "happy to accept this very surprising honour" after he was awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) during Queen Elizabeth II's annual Birthday Honours List on June 7. In his blog post, Costello added, "To be honest, I'm pretty tickled to receive this acknowledgement for my 'Services To Music', as it confirms my long held suspicion nobody really listens to the words in songs or the outcome might have been somewhat different." Costello went on to reveal how he called his mother after receiving the news, asking her for advice about whether to accept the award or not. "I thought for a while, then folded the document and slept on the news until the morning when I could place a call to England and speak to my mother, Lillian MacManus," he wrote. But Costello, who has often been critical of British imperialism and politics (particularly on tracks like "Oliver's Army" or "Tramp the Dirt Down") added that he had mixed feelings about receiving the distinction. "It is hard to receive anything named for the 'British Empire', and all that term embodies, without a pause for reflection," he noted. "It would be a lie to pretend that I was brought up to have a great sense of loyalty to the Crown, let alone notions of Empire." Costello's latest album, 
As Yusuf/Cat Stevens prepares to be inducted into the 50th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards on June 13 during a ceremony on June 13, the singer/songwriter gave an extensive interview with Billboard which included the stories behing some of his biggest hits, including "The First Cut Is the Deepest." "It was partly telling the story of a breakup between me and one of my first loves, really, and that was a very strong sentiment," Yusuf says. "What I wanted to do there was I loved R&B. As well as listening to musicals I was also going down to clubs and listening to the latest R&B records coming over from across the Atlantic. I loved Otis Redding and I tried to write a song for Otis Redding and that is how 'First Cut Is the Deepest' came about. It's very much a soulful tune. My guitar playing wasn't that clever in those days, so you hear those three little notes, which is pretty basic, but it begins the whole song and it's a signature tune." Yusuf added that Rod Stewart's cover version of the song is one of his favorite covers of his material. "I think he did the best job there, and he made it his own as well." Yusuf added that his next album "has been more or less recorded and we're in the mixing stage" and that his memoir is "being finalized and published" and should be released in 2020. - Billboard, 6/7/19...... In an interview with Toronto radio station Q107 that was his first since undergoing heart surgery in March, Mick Jagger said he was "feeling pretty good" and has "been rehearsing a lot lately in the last few weeks." "This morning [I did] a bit of gym. Nothing crazy. Then I go into rehearsal with the rest of the band," the Rolling Stones frontman added. Jagger says that the band rehearsed the 1976 rarity "Memory Motel" from Black and Blue, however he added the band's upcoming tour reboot, set to begin on June 21, will be filled with plenty of well known Stones classics. "The favorite ones people like to hear are, you know, 'Paint it Black, 'Honky Tonk [Women]' and 'Satisfaction' and things like that," said Jagger. "We don't always necessarily do all of them. We sometimes drop one or two, but there's maybe ten favorites. I don't know how people would feel if you didn't do any of them. I think people would say, 'Oh, that's a bit unfortunate, I came to hear this.'" At the same time, he says "We usually have a [fan] vote song. We usually throw a couple different things in. There might be a few." Meanwhile, the Stones have shared a clip of a live performance of "You Can't Always Get What You Want" from their recently reissued film 
On the opening night of a six-show run at the DTE Energy Music Theatre in his hometown of Detroit on June 6, Bob Seger and his Silver Bullet Band treated the audience to a rarely played track from his 1978 Stranger in Town album, "The Famous Final Scene." "I wanted to do another extra song for this encore 'cause I'm home, dammit," Seger told the sold-out crowd at the amphitheater. "And," he added, "it seems appropros" for this stop on his "Roll Me Away" farewell tour. "The Famous Final Scene" was one of several localized touches offered by the Detroit rocker during his hit-filled, 130-minute show -- from 1976's "Mainstreet," about Seger's native Ann Arbor, to the first encore, "In Your Time," a new track he composed for his 1994 Greatest Hits album, inspired by his then two-year-old son Cole. Seger also dedicated the group's rendition of Bob Dylan's "Forever Young" to the late Eagles co-founder Glenn Frey, a fellow Michigan native and close friend -- and backing vocalist on Seger's 1968 hit "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man." The show came a day after the DTE Energy Music Theatre venue renamed its address to "33 Bob Seger Drive," commemorating what will be 33 sell-outs at the venue by the time this stand ends on June 21. During a short ceremony on Wednesday, Seger, who was accompanied by his family, called the honor "overwhelming. I'm really happy about this. Great honor, and thank you so much." In a statement, he also said that, "I have a great affection for this historic venue and now to be a part of it forever is truly overwhelming." Seger and his band will take the summer off before resuming the farewell tour on Sept. 12 in Rapid City, S.D. So far 10 dates have been announced for the fall leg, though more are reportedly coming. - Billboard, 6/7/19...... In February, Duncan Jones, the son of David Bowie, said he wouldn't be giving a Bowie biopic titled Stardust that is currently in production his seal of approval. Instead Jones, who has helmed such film projects as Moon, Source Code and the upcoming Rogue Trooper, said he would only approve of a film about his dad if American Gods author Neil Gaiman and Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse director Peter Ramsey were involved. Now Gaiman and Ramsey have expressed an interest in making a Bowie film. Gaiman and Ramsey replied to Jones in a series of tweets on June 7 saying they would "be in" on a Bowie movie. But Jones since clarified that he will not be involved in the movie if it goes ahead. Responding to a fan he said, "I will be making Rogue Trooper. If it happens, Neil & Peter don t need my interference on this grand endeavour." - NME, 6/7/19...... Mavis Staples will be among the lineup for the 2019 concert series at The Surf Lodge in Montauk, N.Y. The hotel/restaurant/vacation spot will host the pop/gospel legend on June 16, and the series will run through Sept. 2 when it wraps with a performance from Lukas Nelson. - Billboard, 6/7/19...... In a new interview with Canada's Edmonton Journal newspaper, Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford opened up about the he experienced when he came out as gay in the late nineties. "I was surrounded by homophobia, which still exists today. There are places I can't go back to because I'll be stoned to death," Halford said. "As far as that whole business, I discovered when I did come out that I was in this trap gay people find themselves living in that you're living your life for everyone else, but not yourself. During the '70s and '80s it was incredibly difficult." But Halford added that he "loves Priest more than, so while always in my mind -- I have to be careful how I say this -- it's not important to the music. Though I will say, a straight man can't do my job [laughs]. That's the way I view it." Halford also says that "Queen "would've been a totally different band" if Freddie Mercury hadn't been gay, and revealed that he'd do a duet with Elton John "in a heartbeat!" Judas Priest is currently in the midst of a summer tour of North America. - NME, 6/8/19...... 
Genesis' Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford performed together for the first time in 12 years when Rutherford jammed with Collins during his June 7 concert in Berlin on the band's 1978 hit "Follow You Follow Me." 
Pioneering "swamp rock"-styled instrumentalist and legendary New Orleans musician Dr. John died of a heart attack on the morning of June 6, his family announced in a statement several hours later. He was 77. "The family thanks all whom have shared his unique musical journey, and requests privacy at this time," the statement said. Born Malcolm John ("Mac") Rebennack in New Orleans on Nov. 21, 1941, Dr. John's mother was a professional model, and as a baby Mac himself once appeared in soap company ads. But a stronger influence was his father, who owned a local record store. From an early age, Mac grew up listening to the likes of Big Bill Broonzy, and later played guitar and piano in school bands. As a teenager, he hung out around N.O. recording studios, befriendign and learning from the likes of local N.O. legends Professor Longhair, Huey Piano Smith and Fats Domino band members Walter Nelson and Roy Montrell. By 1956, on the strength of this unique grounding, Rebennack had graduated to backing Longhair, Frankie Ford (of "Sea Cruise" fame), Joe Tex, Leonard James, and the following year recorded an unreleased instrumental album. From 1963 to 1965, Rebennack spent time in federal prison for heroin possession after tough-on-crime N.O. District Attorney and JFK conspiracy theorist Jim Garrison conducted an underworld sweep of the city. Later in the '60s, Rebennack worked as a producer/session player with the Minit Records label in N.O. and Ace Records in Baton Rouge, and helped form and signed with the black artists co-operative label AFO (All For One) Records. The label's roster also boasted one Prince Lala, whose mystical voodoo trappings Rebennack would later re-work for his Dr. John persona. By the mid-'60s, Rebbenack was working as a sessionman in Los Angeles for the likes of Phil Spector, Sam Cooke and Sonny and Cher, and, through his growing interest in voodoo, gradually metamorphosed into "Dr. John The Night Tripper," the latter part of the name said to be an answer to the Beatles' "Day Tripper." Signed to Atco Records, Dr. John released his first album, Gris Gris, in 1968, which was comprised of a number of songs written during his pre-L.A. period, and the follow-up Babylon was released the following year. Both were startingly original recordings, combining traditional Creole chants and N.O. influences with the emergent psychedelic movement. 
Like The Band before him, Dr. John's reputation spread at first largely by word of mouth, with his name constantly appearing in interviews with major rock celebrities. Two of these, Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton, later appeared on his 1971 LP Sun, Moon and Herbs. By this time, Dr. John was firmly established as a cult attraction, appearing onstage in garish beaded robes and feathered head-dress with backed by similarly attired dancing girls and musicians. His voodoo obsession continued on 1972's Gumbo album, though it was 1973's In the Right Place that marked a shift toward more mainstream rock, and became one of his biggest sellers. From that album, standout cut "Right Place Wrong Time" became his sole 1970s US Top 40 hit, reaching No. 9 in May 1973, though he followed that a few months later with the No. 42 "Such a Night." That same year he also worked in Triumvirate, a short-lived trio with Mike Bloomfield and John Hammond Jr. His 1974 set, 
During an event-filled Head of State visit with Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family in early June, Pres. Donald Trump found time to chastise one of his most vocal critics, Bette Midler, on Twitter on June 5. "Washed up psycho @BetteMidler was forced to apologize for a statement she attributed to me that turned out to be totally fabricated by her in order to make 'your great president' look really bad. She got caught, just like the Fake News Media gets caught. A sick scammer!," the president snarled on the popular social media outlet. The Trump quote in question was allegedly from a 1998 People magazine interview, in which he (allegedly) said: "If I were to run, I'd run as a Republican. They're the dumbest group of voters in the country. They believe anything on Fox News. I could lie and they'd still eat it up. I bet my numbers would be terrific." Though the quote was found to be fake back in 2015, Midler tweeted an apology on June 3: "I apologize; this quote turns out to be a fake from way back in '15-16. Don't know how I missed it, but it sounds SO much like him that I believed it was true! Fact Check: Did Trump say in '98 Republicans are dumb?" But her apology apparently wasn't good enough for the president, who must have only seen the tweet after a full day spent being booed by thousands of protesters in London. Midler responded to the president's indignant post with a series of her own tweets, and this time there was no apology. "Because there are SO MANY LIES, most of them generated by Trump himself, that the task of separating the truth from the lies is impossible. Which is just how he likes it," the diva posted on June 3. She also fired off a series of tweets mocking his ill-fitting tuxedo, accused him of lying about the size of the protests in London, and even suggested "he slam his dick in a door": "Trump said he was greeted by thousands in the UK, but they were actually thousands of protesters. How does he always hear the opposite of the truth? Donald, if you're reading this you SHOULD NOT slam your dick in a door!" - Splinternews.com, 6/5/19...... 
A new multi-media art exhibit by Elton John's longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin will open at L.A.'s Galerie Michael on June 7. The exhibit will feature 20 unseen, life-size sculptures and artwork made from barbed wire, shattered guitars and various American flags. "This is inspired by things that inspire me," said Taupin, who has been creating visual art since the age of 17 and whose work has previously appeared in museums and exhibits throughout the U.S. Taupin, 69, says his "Bernie Taupin: The Artist, The Raconteur & His Blowtorch" exhibit is a comprehensive overview of his work. "It's certainly one of the largest that I've ever presented. This is very much me in the moment," he noted. Taupin said veterans and family members of veterans who were killed in action donated the flags to him. The flags include images of Captain America and Johnny Cash along with chicken wire. Taupin said using the US flag was an obvious choice, calling it an "iconic" artifact. The British-born songwriter said he is fascinated with the American flag because it is a "thrilling representation of the drama that this country is built upon. The good and the bad." The exhibit runs until June 30. - AP, 6/6/19...... In other Elton-related news, the superstar and his Rocketman doppelgänger Taron Egerton have responded to Russia's decision to censor the film in the country by cutting out around five minutes of the film that involve kissing, sex and oral sex between men in an attempt to downplay the sexuality of one of the world s most famous gay celebrities for a conservative Russian audience. "We reject in the strongest possible terms the decision to pander to local laws and censor Rocketman for the Russian market, a move we were unaware of until today," the May 31 statement issued by John and movie studio Paramount read. "Paramount Pictures have been brave and bold partners in allowing us to create a film which is a true representation of Elton s extraordinary life, warts and all," the statement continued. Posting on Instagram on May 31, Taron Egerton said he was "crestfallen that the decision was made to censor our movie for the Russian market." "I in no way condone this decision and feel disappointed I wasn't made aware and given the chance to fight this move. Love is love. No compromises," he wrote. Meanwhile, Elton's half-brother Geoff Dwight has slammed the biopic for its portrayal of their mutual father, Stanley Dwight (played by Steven Mackintosh in the movie). Speaking to the DailyMailOnline, Geoff said their father wasn't at all homophobic, as portrayed in the film. "Dad didn't have a homophobic bone in his body. When Elton came out, dad didn't care. He didn't even mention it, because it wasn't important to him," Geoff said. "This coldness is a million miles away from what dad was like. He was a product of a time when men didn't go around hugging each other and showing their feelings every minute of the day, but he had plenty of love in him for all of us," he added. Stanley Dwight died in 1991. Elton -- whose real name is Reginald Dwight -- and Geoff have only spoken once since then. But Dwight denied there was a feud, saying: "There's no ill feeling from me toward Elton, far from it. I love him, but our paths have gone in different directions." - New Musical Express, 6/3/19...... 
The Eagles announced on June 5 they are adding a third date to their upcoming 
Bob Dylan will release 
Roky Erickson, the hugely influential former lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter for the '60s psychedelic band The 13th Floor Elevators, died on May 31 in Austin, Tex. He was 71. Born in Austin on July 15, 1947, Erickson first rose to regional prominence as a member of Austin-based band The Spades, with whom he recorded an early version of "You're Gonna Miss Me" -- the song that eventually became the Elevators' debut single. Released in 1966, the latter version reached No. 55 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was seen as seminal in the development of psychedelic and garage rock. That same year, the group performed the single on an episode of Dick Clark's American Bandstand in front of a cluster of cardboard palm trees. Despite that early (albeit minor) chart success, The 13th Floor Elevators' forward-looking brand of rock (they are widely considered the first truly psychedelic band) never gained a foothold in the mainstream. Nonetheless, the group -- whose core lineup consisted of electric jug player Tommy Hall and lead guitarist Stacy Sutherland -- went on to develop a rabid cult following with their unique, reverb-drenched sound, which centered around Erickson's impassioned vocals and surreal lyrics. The band dissolved following the release of their last studio album Bull of the Woods thanks in part to Erickson's increasing volatility brought on by his drug use and bouts of schizophrenia, and the singer would cycle in and out of psychiatric hospitals for the remainder of his life. Erickson's struggles with mental illness would eventually be chronicled in the Independent Spirit Award-nominated documentary You're Gonna Miss Me in 2007. Following the news of Erickson's death, those he inspired have been coming out to pay tribute. "It's almost unfathomable to contemplate a world without Roky Erickson," ZZ Top frontman Billy Gibbons said in a statement. "He created his own musical galaxy and early on was a true inspiration." "His musical legacy speaks for itself," added Erickson's agent Dave Kaplan. "He's an incredibly influential artists and 'You're Gonna Miss Me' is one of the 10 or 20 greatest rock and roll songs of all time." - Billboard, 5/31/19...... John Gary Williams, the lead singer for the R&B vocal group The Mad Lads who sung "I Want Someone" and "Don't Have to Shop Around," died at his home in Memphis in late May. He was 73. Williams formed The Mad Lads with William Brown, Julius Green and Robert Phillips in Memphis and recorded on Stax Record's Volt label. With Williams' high tenor voice and the group's soft soul harmonies, The Mad Lads had several songs on the Billboard R&B chart in the 1960s, including "I Want a Girl" and "By the Time I Get to Phoenix." In the middle of his recording career, Williams was drafted into military service and served in the Vietnam War. He also recorded as a solo artist in the 1970s. - AP, 5/30/19.