Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on November 17th, 2022

Elton John will end his U.S. dates on his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour with a trio of concerts at Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium in November, including the final show on Nov. 20 which is being livestreamed by Disney+ and including special guests Dua Lipa, Brandi Carlile and his "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" duet partner Kiki Dee. John's husband and business partner David Furnish tells Billboard that L.A. "has always had that professional resonance" and that's why the Rocket Man chose Dodger Stadium as the last U.S. tour stop, 47 years after Elton was the first solo artist to play the ballpark. "You know, we have a home here. Our sons were born next-door [to The Webster] at Cedars-Sinai; they're coming in next week to come and see the shows. We have our annual Oscar party here; we've raised $95 million for the Elton John AIDS Foundation with that event for over 25 years. And so LA is a very, very special place for us." Before the Nov. 20 concert officially begins, a "Countdown to Elton Live" event will take place on the Disney+ livestream, featuring some of Elton's most famous friends from around the globe, along with interviews with John and Furnish. After the concert, an hour-long iHeartRadio special, "Elton John's Thank you to America: The Final Song," will broadcast nationwide on Nov. 21 at 1:00 a.m. EST. It'll look back on legendary moments from Elton's career and include a live simulcast of his final song and closing remarks from the Dodger Stadium show. A new trailer for the farewell concert has been shared on YouTube. - Billboard, 11/16/22...... Avowed Donald Trump foe Bette Midler had no shortage of words as the 45th president announced his third bid for the U.S. presidency in 7 years on Nov. 15. Watching the one-term president give his speech at Mar-A-Lago, Midler didn't exactly mince words while live-tweeting her thoughts, starting with, "Ugh. Piggy is speaking." "He's giving the same speech he gave in 2016. After a two year pandemic, and a million American lives lost, the rest of us have moved on. He is ossified. May he rot," the Hocus Pocus 2 star continued, adding minutes later, "Excuse me. I'm going to be sick." After Trump finished his hour-long announcement, Midler gave her assessment of the remarks, writing, "He just handed us two more years of his #delusions and #drivel. #unbearable." She also poked fun at the twice-impeached president's new campaign slogan "Make America Glorious and Great Again," tweeting, "IT'S OFFICIAL! The new name for its campaign is #MAGAGA! Congratulations to whoever got there first, let's take it all the way!! #MAGAGA." Midler's Trump tweetstorm can be followed on her Twitter stream. - Billboard, 11/16/22...... In related news, the estate of Isaac Hayes is threatening legal action against Trump for using the Hayes-composed song "Hold On, I'm Coming," which was made famous by R&B duo Sam & Dave, during his Nov. 15 campaign launch. The Hayes estate tweeted tweeted that it was exploring its legal options to stop the former reality star from using one of Hayes' compositions at his campaign events. "Once again, the estate and family of Isaac Hayes DID NOT approve the use of Hold On I'm Coming' by Sam and Dave by Donald Trump at his 2024 Presidential announcement tonight," read the tweet from the reps for the singer/composer who died in 2008 at age 65. "We are exploring multiple legal options to stop this unauthorized use," it warned. Hayes co-wrote the 1966 hit and in a subsequent tweet the estate added, "Stopping a politician from using your music is not always an easy task, but we are dedicated to making sure that Donald Trump does not continue to use 'Hold on I'm Coming' by written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter in further rallies and public appearances." The former president, who is already facing a slew of criminal and civil investigations and lawsuits, repeatedly fell afoul of number of musical acts during his first presidential run in 2015-2016, as well as during his term as president and his 2020 campaign when he played their music at his rallies. Artists ranging from Adele to Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, R.E.M., Aerosmith, Panic! at the Disco, Guns N' Roses, The Rolling Stones, Rihanna, Village People and the estates of Leonard Cohen, Tom Petty and Prince have vociferously objected to Trump playing their music at his rallies. - Billboard, 11/16/22...... An official trailer for the upcoming Neil Young documentary Harvest Time has been shared on YouTube. Announced earlier in November, Neil Young: Harvest Time features never-before-seen footage that was filmed in northern California, London and Nashville and documents the writing and recording of the folk-rock icon's classic 1972 album Harvest. Harvest Time celebrates the LP's 50th anniversary in 2022, and will be screened in cinemas on Dec. 1 and be preceded by a personal introduction from Young about the film and album. A press release on the film states that "Performance and rehearsal content is intertwined into creative storytelling, and includes most of the tracks from 'Harvest', including 'Heart of Gold', 'A Man Needs A Maid', 'Alabama' and 'Old Man'." "This is a big album for me," Young notes in the statement. "50 years ago, I was 24, maybe 23, and this album made a big difference in my life. I played with some great friends and it's really cool that this album has lasted so long. I had a great time and now, when I listen to it, I think I was really just lucky to be there." - NME, 11/12/22...... As his well received latest studio album Patient Number 9 was recently nominated for three Grammy awards, Ozzy Osbourne says he's "honestly overwhelmed." Released on Sept. 9, the LP has received Grammy nods for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song for the Patient Number 9 title track (feat. Jeff Beck) as well as Best Metal Performance ("Degradation Rules") and Best Rock Album. It marks the most nominations the former Black Sabbath frontman has ever received for a single studio record. He has won three Grammys to date, and had eight nominations in total prior to the announcement. Osbourne, who has experienced several bouts with health emergencies over recent years, adds that "making this record was a great way to me to get back to work as I continued to heal. It's pretty great to be acknowledged at this point in my career." Patient Number 9 debuted at No. 1 on multiple Billboard charts including Top Rock Albums, Top Hard Rock Albums and Top Rock & Alternative Albums, and at No. 3 on Billboard's venerable Hot 200 album chart, eventually making its way to the top spot. Globally, the album charted in the Top 10 in several countries including Canada, the UK, Australia, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. - New Musical Express, 11/17/22...... As the mega-selling soundtrack of the iconic disco-themed movie Saturday Night Fever celebrates its 45th anniversary on Nov. 15, former RSO Records president Bill Oakes remembers the first time he heard Bee Gees' demos for the songs that would end up on the label's blockbuster 1977 album. He and Robert Stigwood, the Bee Gees manager and founder of RSO, were visiting brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb at the Château d'Hrouville recording studio in northern France as the trio were mixing a live album. Stigwood requested that the Bee Gees come up with some new songs for a disco movie he was producing, starring an emerging actor named John Travolta. Following the meeting, Oakes went to Paris; a short period of time later, he received a cassette from Bee Gees' personal manager Dick Ashby. "I put it on in my hotel room," Oakes recalls. "It was one after the other -- No. 1 records. Even in their demo form, it was quite obviously a staggering success. It started with 'More Than a Woman,' 'Night Fever,' 'If I Can't Have You,' 'Stayin' Alive' and 'How Deep Is Your Love.' I said to Robert, 'We've got the score. We've got it.'" Those new songs that the Bee Gees came up with in short order catapulted both the movie and the soundtrack to massive commercial success, transformed the Gibb brothers into superstars and further popularized disco. Released 45 years ago on Nov. 15, 1977, the double album of disco standards is one of the best-selling soundtracks ever; in the last five years, the soundtrack's songs have racked up 1.9 billion on-demand U.S. streams, per Luminate. "As the years go on, it makes me more proud in a way," says Oakes, who is credited with "album supervision and compilation" in the Fever liner notes. "Anything that stands the test of time must be, by its very essence, worth it. Other things I've done have disappeared and you don't usually get satisfaction, 40 years later, out of what you did back then. But [the Fever soundtrack] does hold up." - Billboard, 11/14/22...... Bruce Springsteen is helping to promote his new album of R&B/Soul covers Only the Strong Survive with appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon during the third week of November. On Nov. 15, the New Jersey rocker performed the album track "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)," and stuck around for a chat with host Jimmy Fallon on whether he'll make an appearance on Taylor Swift's upcoming Eras Tour, misheard lyrics in "Thunder Road" and more. The following night, he performed "Turn Back the Hands of Time," originally recorded in 1970 by Tyrone Davis, and co-written by Jack Daniels and Bonnie Thompson. Only the Strong Survive is a collection of 15 soul covers, including songs made famous by Jerry Butler, Dobie Gray, The Commodores, Diana Ross & the Supremes, The Four Tops, The Walker Brothers and others. "I had so much fun recording this music," he previously explained. "I fell back in love with all these great songs and great writers and great singers. All of them still underrated in my opinion. And through the project I rediscovered the power of my own voice." As for jamming with pop princess Swift on her upcoming tour, the Boss said: "Well I will be...Because my daughter is gonna make sure I will be at the Taylor Swift show," Springsteen gamely replied with a laugh. "So I know that," he continued. "And she's welcome on E Street any time." His full interview can be seen on YouTube. - Billboard, 11/16/22...... In a new interview with London's Sunday Times, Rod Stewart revealed that he recently turned down over $1 million dollars to perform in Qatar. Sir Rod claimed that he was offered over $1 million for the potential gig, but turned it down over concerns about the criminalization of homosexuality in the country. "I was actually offered a lot of money, over $1 million, to play there 15 months ago," Stewart recounted. "I turned it down. It's not right to go. The Iranians should be out too for supplying arms. Tell you what, supporters have got to watch out, haven't they?" Controversy has surrounded the 2022 World Cup being held in Qatar, with Robbie Williams and BTS singer Jung Kook coming under fire for agreeing to perform in the Middle Eastern country. Dua Lipa recently spoke out to deny she is performing at the World Cup opening ceremony, which is being held on Nov. 20. - Music-News.com, 11/15/22...... The first trailer for Paul McCartney's daughter Mary McCartney's upcoming Abbey Road Studios documentary If These Walls Could Sing has been shared on YouTube. The film is packed with fond remembrances from rock all-stars, including her dad, Sir Paul McCartney, as his former bandmate, Ringo Starr, Elton John, Noel Gallagher, Nile Rodgers and Star Wars creator George Lucas, among others. In the preview, Mary McCartney says Abbey Road has been part of her life "for as long as I can remember," as attested to by snaps of a baby Mary -- now 53 -- laying on the studio floor on a blanket. There is also, of course, ample footage of Sir Paul attesting to the special alchemy of those rooms in St. John's Wood, including him popping up to play a beloved piano just over his shoulder as Mary ticks off the many genres of music that have been laid down in those four walls, from classical to pop, Afrobeat, blues and more. The Disney+ doc will drop on Dec. 16, in time to commemorate the studio's 90th anniversary. - Billboard, 11/15/22...... BMG has acquired the song catalog of the beloved, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson for an undisclosed amount, the company announced on Nov. 14. The deal includes Nilsson's publishing catalog and writer revenue streams of songs including "One," "Coconut," "Jump Into the Fire," "Gotta Get Up" and "Me and My Arrow" as well as songs co-written with John Lennon ("Mucho Mungo/Mt. Elga" and "Old Dirt Road"), Danny Kortchmar ("(Thursday) Here's Why I Did Not Go to Work Today" and "Moonshine Bandit"), Dr. John ("Daylight Has Caught Me") and Ringo Starr ("How Long Can Disco On"). The deal additionally includes artist revenue streams of Nilsson's recordings, also including hits he didn't write like "Everybody's Talkin'" and his No. 1 smash, "Without You." Over his career, Nilsson released 18 studio albums, including his 1966 debut Spotlight on Nilsson, Harry, Nilsson Sings Newman, Nilsson Schilsson, A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night, the Lennon-produced Pussy Cats, Knnillssonn and Flash Harry. The list also includes soundtracks for Skidoo, Son of Dracula and Popeye, as well as the posthumous album Losst and Found. As part of the acquisition, BMG will collaborate with Nilsson's family to explore opportunities around his other creative assets. These include Nilsson's story for The Point! -- the 1971 ABC TV special for which he also wrote the soundtrack -- as well as his name, image and likeness, including for film, TV, stage and books. Nilsson died of a heart attack in 1994 at age 52 while recording the latter album, which was finished and released 25 years later in 2019. - Billboard, 11/14/22...... A rep for Roberta Flack revealed on Nov. 14 that the Grammy-winning songstress has ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, and can no longer sing. Due to her diagnosis, it is now "impossible to sing and not easy to speak" for the star, per a press release, "but it will take a lot more than ALS to silence this icon." Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, impacts the muscles that control eating, walking, speaking and more. Approximately 5,000 people are diagnosed with ALS each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The announcement comes just days before the release of the Flack documentary Roberta, which will premiere at DOC NYC film festival on Nov. 17. The film explores the complexity of Flack's lyrical and thematic choices as well as the classical and soul influences that helped her develop her musical style and subsequently inspired many others. Flack is known for hits like "Killing Me Softly With His Song" and "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face," the latter of which was famously used in Clint Eastwood's 1971 film, Play Misty for Me. The song also won the Record of the Year Grammy in 1973. 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of Flack's landmark fourth album, Killing Me Softly, and to celebrate, Rhino Records will unveil a commemorative reissue of the record. - Billboard, 11/14/22...... Arlo Guthrie has come out of retirement for a four-date "What's Left of Me" tour in 2023, which he says will help facilitate his recovery from a 2019 stroke. "There's nothing like playing before a live audience," says the prolific songwriter, activist and storyteller who suffered a series of strokes in 2019 and decided to retire in 2020 as the Covid-19 pandemic shuttered the live music industry. Now, after three years resting at his home in Berkshire County, Mass. with wife Marti Ladd, the couple decided that "I could recuperate better in front of a live audience, rather than just sit at home, and both agreed I should get back out there as part of my rehabilitation." Guthrie will embark on a four-city storytelling theater tour titled "Arlo Guthrie -- What's Left Of Me -- A Conversation With Bob Santelli," featuring the executive director of the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. The first show in the series will take place at Boston's Schubert Theater on Apr. 1, followed by The Egg in Albany, NY on Apr. 21; The Pollock Theater at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, N.J. on Apr. 28; and The Spruce Peak PAC in Stowe, Vermont on May 27. Arlo's father Woody Guthrie is one of the most significant and recognized American folk artists of the last century and Arlo has received multiple awards and accolades for his work in folk music, which he insists is more of a musical movement than a genre. "That to me is what folk music is," he continues. "It's how you learn music. It's not the sound of it. It's not the look of it. You don't need a fancy hat for it. You don't need lights or amplification. You don't need anything besides experience and the will to learn how to play." Tickets are available www.gut3.me. - Billboard, 11/14/22...... Music publishing and talent management company Primary Wave and the estate of James Brown have been hit with a massive lawsuit over their $90 million catalog sale of songs by Brown in 2021. David Pullman's Pullman Group, the creator of "Bowie Bonds" (a novel financial vehicle that offered investors the right to collect future royalties in return for a lump payment to an artist) claims it struck a deal with Brown way back in 1999 that guaranteed the company the right to broker any such deal in the future. Announced in December, the sale saw Primary Wave scoop up a portion of Brown's publishing rights, master royalty income and name/likeness rights from the singer's estate -- adding the "Soul Brother No. 1" to the likes of Whitney Houston and Prince in the company's growing catalog. Pullman Group is seeking more than $11 million in damages from the Brown estate, and a whopping $125 million from Primary Wave. The lawsuit was filed on Nov. 15 in Manhattan federal court. - Billboard, 11/16/22...... Foreigner has announced it will kick off a farewell tour in 2023. Forty-five years after it "felt like the first time" for the veteran hard rock band, Foreigner will launch its "Historic Farewell Tour on July 6 in Alpharetta, Ga., with 32 U.S dates running through Sept. 3 in Holmdel, N.J., with Loverboy as openers. More legs, both domestic and overseas, are on tap through the end of 2024. Foreigner was formed during 1976 by British guitarist Mick Jones, and Jones says the band is "completely revitalized band with a whole new energy that has won the hearts of our fans all over the world, and I want to go out while the band is still at the top of its game." "I had the idea that was to become Foreigner back in 1974, and I was 30 years old at the time. By the end of our farewell tour, over 50 years will have passed, and that's a long time to be on the road," adds the 77-year-old guitarist. "We're at an era in life where a lot of bands from the '70s are right on the ragged edge of still being able to do shows," says Jones. "I see other musicians sometimes that I go, 'Wow, that was disappointing,' and I don't want to be someone that other people say that about. I want to do this band the way it's supposed to be, and when it's not like that I don't want to be doing it." Since its formation, Foreigner has released nine studio albums -- five of them multi-platinum, plus the 1982 hits set Records -- and sold more than 50 million records worldwide. It's also notched nine top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, including rock radio staples such as "Feels Like the First Time," "Hot Blooded," "Double Vision," "Urgent" and the chart-topping power ballad "I Want to Know What Love Is." More than two dozen members have been part of the roster over the years, and members of the first two lineups made a series of guest appearances with the current lineup during 2017 and 2018. Jones, the last original member still active with Foreigner, has become something of a special guest at the band's concerts, not attending every show due to health reasons and playing during the latter portion of the set. "Mick does all the shows he can do with us as his health allows, and we're cognizant of that," says current Foreigner frontman Kelly Hansen. "I can't say that doesn't have an effect" on the farewell tour decision, "but that's also a reality of life and time, so you take what you're given and you make your decisions based on that." Foreigner has a number of concerts scheduled in November 2022 and also in the spring, prior to the farewell tour launch -- including March and April residencies at the Venetian in Las Vegas. Hansen adds that while Foreigner is calling a halt to touring it may not go away entirely. "I'm sure there might be the odd or occasional things we do," the frontman says. "You can never say never about things. But for me this (tour) is it. It's not like one of these, like we've seen, ploys to get people out to shows." 32 dates have been announced for the first leg of the tour, which wraps on Sept. 3 in Holmdel, N.J. - Billboard, 11/14/22...... Dolly Parton has received $100 million from Amazon executive chairman Jeff Bezos' Courage & Civility philanthropic award for her philanthropic work. The award recognizes "leaders who aim high, find solutions and who always do it with civility," comments journalist and Bezos' partner Lauren Sanchez. Each awardee is expected to direct the sum to "the charities that they see fit," adds Sanchez during a presentation, posted to social channels on Nov. 13. Parton, notes Bezos, "embodies these ideas so thoroughly. She gives with her heart, what she's done for kids, and literacy and so many other things, is just incredible." She will "put this $100 million award to great use helping so many people," he continues. Parton was typically modest of her fine work. "When people are in a position to help, you should help. And I know that I've always said, I try to put my money where my heart is," she said as she took the podium to receive the award in front of music industry luminaries, including Clive Davis. "I will do my best to do good things with this money." - Billboard, 11/14/22...... Joni Mitchell has announced plans to release her comeback Newport Folk Festival performance as a live album. Earlier this summer, Mitchell performed a surprise set at the legendary music festival -- which she last appeared at in 1969 -- delivering a 13-song "Joni Mam" set that featured Brandi Carlile on the tracks "Carey," "A Case Of You" and "Big Yellow Taxi." In a new rare interview with Elton John on his Rocket Hour radio show for Apple Music, Mitchell revealed that plans are in place to release the performance as an album. John said: "I've seen you through music, and of course your incredible rehabilitation, but music has helped you so much and it's beautiful to watch you evolve. And people out there, you haven't heard things from the Newport Folk Festival yet, but I think there's going to be an album coming out of that one?" Mitchell then replied: "Yeah, we're trying to put that out." Going on to reveal that she "didn't have any" rehearsals ahead of the performance, Mitchell then spoke about standing up to play the guitar during the performance. "Yeah, that I had to figure out what I did," she said. "And I couldn't sing the key, I've become an alto, I'm not a soprano anymore, so I couldn't sing the song. And I thought people might feel lighted that if I just played the guitar part but I like the guitar part to that song. So anyway, it was very well received, much to my delight." In 2023, Mitchell is set to continue her return to the stage, playing her first headline show in 23 years according to Carlile. - NME, 11/12/22...... Sting has announced a string of new UK dates as part of his "My Songs 2023" world tour. The former Police star will play Bedford Park in Bedfordshire, East England, on June 24, before heading up north to Scarborough to rock the Open Air Theatre on June 25. He's then due to play Lytham Festival in Lancashire on June 30. The following month, he play Cardiff (7/2) and Halifax (7/4). Tickets go on sale on Nov. 18. - Music-News.com, 11/15/22...... Innovative guitarist Keith Levene, co-founder of The Clash and Public Image, Ltd, died on Nov. 12 after a battle with liver cancer. He was 65. Levene's death was announced through social media by former PIL bandmates Martin Atkins and Jah Wobble. "A sad time to learn of the passing of guitar giant Keith Levene," Atkins wrote on Twitter. "We had our ups and downs that had mellowed over time. My respect for his unique talent never will. RIP KEITH LEVENE," Wobble said. Levene, who was born in London in 1957 and as a teenager was a roadie for Yes, was a co-founder of the Clash but left the band before their first album was even released. He teamed up with guitarist Mick Jones in the mid-1970s to form an early version of the Clash. Along with the band's manager Bernard Rhodes, Levene convinced Joe Strummer to join the group. Levene departed before the act started recording, but co-wrote the song "What's My Name," which appears on the Clash's 1977 debut album. After leaving the Clash, Levene briefly formed the band Flowers of Romance with Sid Vicious, who later left to join the Sex Pistols. When the Sex Pistols disbanded in 1978, Levene and singer John Lydon joined forces with bass player John Wardle (aka Jah Wobble) and drummer Jim Walker to form Public Image Ltd. Levene contributed to Public Image Ltd's earliest albums -- First Issue (1978), Metal Box (1979) and Flowers of Romance (1981) -- and left the group in the mid-1983. Later in his career, Levene worked on a handful of solo projects, including 1989's Violent Opposition, featuring members of Red Hot Chili Peppers. - Billboard, 11/12/22...... Joe Tarsia, founder of Sigma Sound Studios and chief engineer for Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff's Philadelphia International Records, died on Nov. 1 in Lancaster, Penn. The cause of death of the 88-year-old, known as the architect of the "Sound of Philadelphia," was not disclosed. In collaboration with songwriter/producers Gamble, Huff, and Thom Bell, Tarsia played an instrumental role in crafting PIR's distinctive brand of sophisticated soul, dubbed the Sound of Philadelphia. He left his imprint on a host of classic hits such as Jerry Butler's "Only the Strong Survive," The O'Jays' "Love Train" and "Back Stabbers," Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes' "If You Don't Know Me by Now," Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones" and The Spinners' "I'll Be Around." Tarsia also amassed credits on recordings by Teddy Pendergrass, the Stylistics, Patti LaBelle, the Delfonics and Lou Rawls. Beyond the stable of PIR acts, Sigma Sound in Philadelphia also attracted the likes of Stevie Wonder, David Bowie and The Jacksons. Tarsia also operated a Sigma Sound branch in New York from 1977-1988, booking sessions for Madonna, Whitney Houston and Elton John, among others. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Sigma Sound's founding in 2018, Tarsia told The Philadelphia Inquirer, "If I made a contribution, it was that Philadelphia had a unique sound. I was able to attract the best technicians, the best engineers. And the history speaks for itself. Sigma -- not me -- has 200 gold and platinum records... There was the Motown sound. The Memphis sound. The Muscle Shoals sound. And there was the Sigma sound." - Billboard, 11/12/22.

Peter Gabriel has announced his first UK and European tour in nearly a decade will get underway in Krakow, Poland on May 18. The former Genesis frontman will also visit Verona, Milan, Paris, Berlin, Stockholm, Amsterdam and other cities throughout that month and into June. Gabriel will then touch down in his native UK where he'll take to the stage at Birmingham's Utilita Arena (6/17), The O2 in London (6/19), the OVO Hydro in Glasgow (6/22), the AO Arena in Manchester (6/23) and the 3Arena in Dublin (6/25). Announcing the tour on Twitter, Gabriel said: "It's been a while and I am now surrounded by a whole lot of new songs and am excited to be taking them out on the road for a spin. Look forward to seeing you out there." Per a press release, the "i/o Tour" -- which shares its name with Gabriel's yet-to-be-announced 10th album -- is due to include "hits, fan favorites" and some "unexpected" airings. Gabriel will appear alongside regular bandmates Tony Levin, David Rhodes and Manu Katch. - NME, 11/8/22...... Between 1957 and 1959, a young Hibbing, Minn. boy named Bob Zimmerman wrote a deeply personal collection of love letters to a high school sweetheart in which he envisioned changing his name and selling a million records. Now those 42 letters totaling 150 pages by the future Bob Dylan to his girlfriend Barbara Ann Hewitt are being auctioned by Boston's RR Auction house through Nov. 17. The missives, never before made public, shed a shed light on a period in the folk-rock icon's life for which not much firsthand information is known. "This archive is one of the most culturally important of the 20th century we have ever offered," said RR Auction Executive Vice President Bobby Livingston, who is also a big Dylan fan. The collection, including a lavish Valentine's Day card, is a "first-person account of Dylan's formative years," he said. Hewitt's daughter found the letters after her mother died in 2020. They, along with the original envelopes addressed in Dylan's handwriting, are being offered as a single lot with a starting bid of $250,000. In one letter, he asks Hewitt for feedback about changing his name ("Little Willie" and "Elston" are mentioned in the letters), and writes about selling a million records (he's actually sold about 125 million) and appearing on American Bandstand in front of throngs of screaming girls. Alas, like most teenage romances, it came to an end. In one of the last letters, the future Nobel laureate asks Hewitt to return the photographs he sent her. But it seems likely Dylan did not forget her. Hewitt's daughter told RR Auction that Dylan called her mother sometime in the late 1960s after he'd hit the big time and asked her to come to California. She turned him down. Hewitt was a redhead, and Livingston speculates that Dylan's references to redheaded or auburn-haired women in some songs were inspired by Hewitt, including "Tangled Up in Blue" where in one line he wonders "if her hair was still red." Hewitt moved on, apparently. She married another Hibbing man, but divorced in the late 1970s after seven years and never remarried, her daughter told the auction house. - AP, 11/20/22...... Bruce Springsteen released his 21st studio album Only the Strong Survive on Nov. 5. Springsteen says the new album of classic soul/R&B covers is the first concept album he's done since 2006's Pete Seeger tribute, We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions. The 73-year-old New Jersey rocker adds he paid particular attention to the vocals, and his team "mastered and sonically modernized some of the most beautiful songs in the American pop song book. "I had so much fun recording this music," he says. "I fell back in love with all these great songs and great writers and great singers. All of them still underrated in my opinion. And through the project I rediscovered the power of my own voice." The 15-track album features songs made famous by the likes of Jerry Butler, Dobie Gray, The Commodores, Jimmy Ruffin, Diana Ross & the Supremes, The Four Tops, The Walker Brothers and more. The follow-up to 2019's Western Stars and 2020's Letter to You -- both of which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart -- Only The Strong Survive can be streamed on Spotify.com. Fans can also see live performances of several songs on the new album when The Boss appears on NBC's The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon on Nov. 14, 15 and 16, in addition to the special Thanksgiving episode on Nov. 24. Springsteen and his E Street Band have previously announced they will kick of an international arena/stadium tour in Feb. 2023, with dates across North America, the U.K. and Europe stretching deep into summer. Meanwhile, on Nov. 7 Springsteen delivered his annual performance of songs and one-liners at the 2022 Stand Up For Heroes benefit gig. "I've been here for 16 years," Springsteen told the crowd. He has played every event since the event's inception in 2007, bar 2017 when the date clashed with his Broadway run. "It's always an honor to be here with our men and women in uniform who have given us so much. Thank you, thank you," he added. Running since 2007, Stand Up For Heroes is an annual gig that benefits the Bob Woodruff Foundation, which supports charities and runs programs benefitting US veterans. Fan-shot footage of Springsteen performing "See You In My Dreams" at the show has been shared on Twitter. - Billboard/New Musical Express, 11/11/22...... Paul McCartney announced on Nov. 10 he will release The 73 Singles, a career-spanning box set that will feature 80 singles personally chosen by the singer from throughout his solo career, on Dec. 2. With a total of 163 tracks totaling more than 10 hours of music, the set -- which will also be released digitally -- is limited to 3,000 copies and will feature such beloved singles as "My Love," "Live and Let Die," "Band on the Run," "Silly Love Songs," "Coming Up," "Ebony and Ivory," "Say Say Say" and "No More Lonely Lights," among many others, and come in a wooden art crate. "I hope the songs in this box set bring back fun memories for you too. They do for me, and there will be more to come," Sir Paul said in a statement announcing the set. The box spans the time from 1971's "Another Day" to a 73 version of McCartney's 2022 Record Store Day song of the year, "Women and Wives" from 2020's McCartney III. The collection brings together 65 singles with their original B-sides -- using restored artwork from 11 different countries -- in addition to 15 singles never before released on 73 -- collected from previously released 123 , picture discs, CD singles and promos, digital downloads, music videos and two previously unheard demos and a previously unheard 73 single edit. In addition to the singles, the wooden box will also include a 148-page book with a personal foreword by McCartney, an essay from Rolling Stone music writer Rob Sheffield and chart information, liner notes and single artwork. Each box will also include a randomly selected, exclusive test pressing of one of the singles. Macca celebrated the announcement by sharing a rare 1971 mono recording from the set of "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey [Mono]" and "Too Many People [Mono]" on Spotify.com. - Billboard, 11/10/22...... In other Beatles-related news, the reissue of the band's 1966 Revolver LP has soared to No. 1 on multiple Billboard charts following its Oct. 28 release. The set re-enters at No. 1 on Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums and Catalog Albums (all dated Nov. 12) - its first week at No. 1 on all three lists. Revolver also re-enters Top Album Sales, Vinyl Albums and Tastemaker Albums at No. 2. For Revolver's Super Deluxe Edition reissue, the album was reintroduced and remixed in a variety of expanded formats and editions, including many with previously unreleased tracks. The range included a standard digital album priced at $9.99 in the iTunes Store up through a boxed set boasting four vinyl LPs and two seven-inch singles that sold for $200 or more, depending on the retailer. Of Revolver's 46,000 in album sales for the week, physical sales comprise 42,000 (18,000 on vinyl and 24,000 on CD) and digital album download sales comprise 4,000. The rerelease of Revolver is part of the ongoing series of expanded reissues of select studio albums by the Beatles. It follows reissues of Let It Be in 2021 (first released in 1970), Abbey Road in 2019 (first released in 1969), The Beatles in 2018 (often referred to as the White Album, first released in 1968) and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in 2017 (first released in 1967). - Billboard, 11/9/22...... Elsewhere on the Fab Four front, comments made by John Lennon's assassin Mark David Chapman's latest parole hearing were released on Nov. 7 under a freedom of information request and reported by the Associated Press. Chapman told the parole board his decision to shoot and kill the legendary songwriter was "my big answer to everything... I wasn't going to be a nobody, anymore." He added: "I am not going to blame anything else or anybody else for bringing me there. I knew what I was doing, and I knew it was evil, I knew it was wrong, but I wanted the fame so much that I was willing to give everything and take a human life." Chapman, who was denied parole in August for the 12th time, is serving a 20-years-to-life sentence at Green Haven Correctional Facility, north of New York City, according to state corrections records published online. He is expected to appear before the parole board again in Feb. 2024. - Billboard/AP, 11/8/22...... Elton John is wrapping up the North American leg of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour with concerts at Chase Field in Phoenix on the second weekend of November, before wrapping up with a three-night stand at L.A.'s Dodger's Stadium beginning Nov. 17. The Rocketman launched a final round of North American concerts in July and has played over 250 shows on the farewell tour. The jaunt has become the third biggest tour in history grossing a reported $661 million. "Thank you for sharing this journey with me, I cherish these memories we're making together," Elton said in tour announcement video. "It's been nothing short of incredible and I look forward to seeing you soon, one last time on my Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour." The tour will then head overseas to Australia and New Zealand in January, followed by dates in the U.K., including London's O2 Arena, and other parts of Europe. - Billboard, 11/20/22...... The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has dropped a trailer for its upcoming class of 2022 induction ceremony special, which will begin streaming Nov. 19 on HBO Max and premiere on premium cable channel HBO the same day. In the nearly two-minute clip which can be viewed on YouTube, snippets from the latest induction ceremony earlier in November flash across the screen. Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Duran Duran, Eminem, Eurythmics, Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie and Carly Simon are all seen accepting their prestigious honor, along with introductions from star-studded attendees. Judas Priest and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis also joined the Rock Hall with the "award for musical excellence." - Billboard, 11/10/22...... Jimi, a new Jimi Hendrix book celebrating what would have been the late guitar god's 80th birthday on Nov. 27, hit stores on Nov. 8. Jimi was authored by Hendrix's stepsister Janie Hendrix and John McDermott of Experience Hendrix L.L.C., and is described as a visual ode to "the greatest guitar player in rock n' roll history." The 320-page book features rare and never-before-published photographs of Hendrix, personal memorabilia, lyrics, and more. Quotes from Paul McCartney, Ron Wood, Jeff Beck, Lenny Kravitz, Drake, Dave Grohl and others who have spoken about Hendrix's lasting musical impact are included in the book, which is available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Target, Chronicle Books, and other major booksellers. In addition to the release of Jimi, Hendrix's estate has announced a live album, The Jimi Hendrix Experience Los Angeles Forum: April 26, 1969, out Nov. 18 and an all-star tribute concert scheduled for December. "The Jimi Hendrix 80th Birthday Celebration," will be held at ACL Live at The Moody Theater in Austin, Tex. on Sunday, Dec. 4 at 8:00 p.m. - Billboard, 11/8/22...... The Who's Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey have announced they'll perform an acoustic set at a charity Christmas carol service in London in December. The event will benefit Nordoff Robbins, with proceeds used to help the organization's music therapists who support those in need through music therapy. The service will take place at St Luke's Church in Chelsea at 7:00 pm on Dec. 13 and will feature more celebrity appearances, which will be announced soon. "Christmas is a magical time and we're so pleased to be sharing some of our favourite songs and festive music at this year's Nordoff Robbins Carol Service," Pete Townshend said in a press release. "Nordoff Robbins really can help people to break through barriers with music, so even the most physically or mentally isolated can connect with others and realise their true potential. We know from our lifelong experience making music that where words fail, music speaks -- and that's why Nordoff Robbins' work is so important to us." Roger Daltrey added: "What Nordoff Robbins does with music makes such a positive change to people's lives -- which is why we're supporting them at this very special Christmas service. Music is our shared language and is incredibly powerful, and music therapy can reconnect people who may otherwise feel isolated or disconnected from the world -- whether a young person with autism, a person living with dementia or somebody rebuilding their lives after an accident." - NME, 11/9/22...... ZZ Top bassist Elwood Francis performed with a ridiculous looking 17-string bass on Nov. 5 as the 'lil ole band from Texas played a concert in Huntsville, Ala. on Nov. 5. Francis' behemoth bass is likely custom-made, although it is marked Fender on the headstock. Francis was formerly a stage tech for the band, before joining them last year following the death of ZZ Top bassist, Dusty Hill. "I was doing night internet searching [and] turned up a picture of this crazy 17-string bass," Francis said in an interview on Nov. 10. "I sent a picture to [ZZ Top guitarist-vocalist] Billy [Gibbons] and we laughed about it and made some jokes about actually trying to use it." He added, "A few weeks later, after I had forgotten about it, Billy shows up with [the 17-string bass]." The bassist went on to describe performing with the bass as "one of those 'hold my beer' moments." ZZ Top has continued to perform since Hill's passing in 2021. They released a live album titled Raw in July, which was supported by a North American tour from May through August, and a new Sam Dunn-directed concert film sees the band's original lineup -- which included Gibbons, Hill and drummer Frank Beard -- performing an intimate career-spanning set at the historic Gruene Hall in New Braunfels, Tex. The trio also played several dates of Willie Nelson's touring Outlaw Music Festival earlier in 2022. - NME, 11/11/22...... Eagles member Joe Walsh has announced a VetsAid 2022 concert for Nov. 13 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Oh. Foo Fighters leader Dave Grohl is billed as a special guest on the lineup, which also includes Nine Inch Nails, the Black Keys and the Breeders, with comedian/actor Drew Carey hosting. Although Walsh says Grohl told him "I don't know (what I'm gonna do), but I'm coming," Walsh says Grohl "can do anything he wants." "He's gonna play a couple James Gang songs. I'm sure he'll play 'Rocky Mountain Way' with me, probably help sing it." Grohl performed Walsh's early band The James Gang's "Funk #49" with a new incarnation of the band at both of the tribute concerts in memory of late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins. Walsh -- whose father was a military flight instructor who died while on active duty in Okinawa, Japan, when Walsh was just 20 months old -- founded VetsAid in 2017 to raise funds and awareness for the needs of veterans and their families, distributing funds to grassroots organizations in the communities where the concerts are held and beyond. VetsAid, in partnership with the Combined Arms Institute, has so far distributed more than $2 million in grants from the benefits and other fundraising efforts. For those unable to attend the show, VetsAid will be livestreamed via veeps.com, with tickets on sale via vetsaid.veeps.com. Net proceeds will go to the charity, while Fandiem and Bandsintown are also participating in helping to raise additional money. This year's grant recipients include Paralyzed Veterans of America -- Buckeye Chapter, Hire Heroes USA, the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, the Resurrecting Lives Foundation, Back the Heroes Rumble and more. Updates and other information can be found at vetsaid.org. - Billboard, 11/8/22...... After announcing his intention to relocate his family back to his native UK in early September, Ozzy Osbourne says he's having second thoughts about leaving the US. The metal icon had seemed poised to bounce back to his native England after it was announced that the BBC had green-lit a revival of the beloved Osbournes series starring the First Family of Metal, and after he said he was "fed up" with America because of the relentless string of mass shootings in the U.S. "Everything's f----ing ridiculous there. I'm fed up with people getting killed every day. God knows how many people have been shot in school shootings," Osbourne said in a an interview with The Observer. But in a new cover story for Consequence of Sound, Ozzy said after decades of living in Los Angeles he's on the fence about making the move permanent. "I'm getting a bit of flak from people," Ozzy said about the reaction to news of the planned pack-up that will set the stage for the BBC reality series Home to Roost. "To be honest with you, if I had my way, I'd stay in America. I'm American now. To be honest with you, I don't want to go back [to England]. F--k that." According to the BBC, producers expect to film 10 30-minute episodes for BBC One and iPlayer of Home to Roost, which will find the clan -- Ozzy and wife Sharon Osbourne, son Jack and daughter Kelly Osbourne -- living their new life at their 350-acre Welders House estate in Buckinghamshire. Producers promised to chronicle everything from Sharon's recent 70th birthday party to daughter Kelly's soon-to-be-born baby, Ozzy's upcoming tour to the big move itself. Osbourne also told the publication that he wants an "unknown" actor to play him in the forthcoming biopic about he and his wife Sharon's life. The Osbournes confirmed that the film was in the works in 2020, with an official announcement following in Oct. 2021. It'll focus on Ozzy and Sharon's whirlwind relationship between 1979 and 1996. "I don't want to have anyone like Johnny Depp act as me. I rather have someone who is relatively unknown," Ozzy said. - Billboard, 11/7/22...... Iggy Pop announced details of his new album Every Loser on Nov. 10. Iggy previewed the new record in October with a raw, energetic first single called "Frenzy." "Frenzy" features an all-star band including producer Andrew Watt, Guns N' Roses' Duff McKagan and Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Smith, and is the opening track from the 11-song album. Every Loser will land on Jan. 6 via Atlantic and Gold Tooth Records, the label of Watt. Pop has shared "Frenzy" on YouTube. He is also set to release a 10th anniversary edition of his 2012 album Aprés as part of Record Store Day's Black Friday on Nov. 25. - NME, 11/10/22...... Lionel Richie has been tapped as the Icon Award honoree at the 2022 American Music Awards. Richie, who hosted the show in both 1984 and 1985, at the peak of his career, will take the stage to look back on his most iconic songs and AMA achievements over the years. He will become the only artist to be featured on the AMAs stage in every decade since the show's inception in 1974. The Icon Award honors an artist "whose body of work has marked a global influence over the music industry." Rihanna was the first recipient of the award in 2013. Hosted by Wayne Brady, the 2022 American Music Awards will air live from the Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles on Nov. 20, at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. The show will stream the next day on Hulu. In 2016, Richie was named MusiCares' Person of the Year and was the recipient of the Songwriters Hall of Fame's top award, the Johnny Mercer Prize. In 2017, Richie received the Kennedy Center Honors and in 2022, was awarded the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song from the Library of Congress and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier in November. - Billboard, 11/7/22...... In the weekend before the 2022 US midterm elections on Nov. 8 which saw Democrats perform much better than the pundits and pollsters predicted, Cher used her her social media reach to encourage her four million Twitter followers to vote in the election. In a pair of Twitter videos for NY Gov. Kathy Hochul and Nev. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, the pop icon focused in on supporting the two female candidates. "New Yorkers, it's election season. Right now you have a Trump supporter trying to oust your Democratic governor, Kathy Hochul," she said in one. "This man, (Hochul opponent) Lee Zeldin, has riled up the MAGA base to support him and the polls show it could be a close race. New York, I love you with all my heart," Cher continued. "I have spent half of my life there and I would hate to see a guy who wants to ban abortion, frack the state and have 'Don't Say Gay' policies in schools become the governor of your great state." In the second video about Sen. Cortez Masto, the pop diva reminded Nevada voters that "In this election, what happens in Vegas won't stay in Vegas," as the results from the swing state will inevitably affect the balance of the Senate, and thereby the entire country. Both of Cher's posts directed followers to iwillvote.com, a website with state-by-state voting resources put together by the Democratic National Committee. Meanwhile, Cher has broken her silence on rumors that she is dating music producer Alexander Edwards. The "Believe" singer sparked speculation that she was dating the Def Jam record label executive when they were photographed leaving a club while holding hands earlier in November. Cher confirmed the romance on Nov. 5 by posting a photo of Alexander on Twitter with a red heart emoji. When a user asked whether the photo was of her "new man," Cher responded simply with a loved-up emoji, and when another fan wrote that Alexander "better be treating you like the queen you are", Cher replied, "LIKE A (crown emoji)." As other users criticized the couple for their 40-year age gap (Cher is 76 years old and Alexander is 36), Cher tweeted on Nov. 6: "I'm Not Defending us. Haters are Gonna Hate... Doesn't Matter That & Not Bothering Anyone (sic)." She also slammed a user questioning Alexander's "motives and intentions", writing, "Haven't You Got Anything Else 2 Do!? Let Me Explain...I DONT GIVE A (FLYING) FK WHAT ANYONE THINKS (sic)." - Billboard/Music-News.com, 11/7/22...... Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook has shot down any hopes that the irreverent '70s punk band could reunite, saying "there's absolutely no chance of that happening." "I wouldn't want to do it anyway, especially after the Pistol court case last year, which was a shitshow," Cook told New Musical Express. "Being in the High Court was the last place I wanted to be, with guys in wigs grilling you. It was a horrible experience." Cook continued: "I would have preferred to have worked it out down the pub with a couple of pints. I think we're too old to be singing 'Anarchy In The UK' at our age anyway. It wouldn't feel right!" Cook and the Pistols' guitarist, Steve Jones, took the band's frontman, John Lydon, to court last year after he refused to license the group's music for use in Danny Boyle's biopic series Pistol. Cook and Jones won the lawsuit, which is said to have left Lydon in "financial ruin." - NME, 11/11/22...... Guitarist Garry Roberts, a founding member of the Irish band Boomtown Rats, died on the morning of Nov. 9. He was 72. In a statement posted on Facebook, the band called Roberts an "old friend and great guitarist and said: "It is with a very heavy heart that the members of Boomtown Rats announce the death this morning of Garry Roberts. On a clear spring evening in 1975, in a pub in Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin, Garry became THE founding member of what turned out to be a great rock 'n' roll band, driven largely by that sound of his. A storm of massive considered noise that punched out from his overtaxed amplifiers and which animated not just the rest of the group but audiences he played to around the world." The band hailed Roberts as the member who "summed up the sense of who The Rats are." The remaining members -- which includes frontman Bob Geldof, bassist Pete Briquette and drummer Simon Crowe -- have all extended their "deepest sympathy to his family and friends." The group -- whose hits include "Rat Trap," "I Don't Like Mondays" and "Banana Republic" -- also confessed to feeling "strangely adrift without him." Their statement explained: "For fans he was The Legend -- and he was. For us he was Gazzer, the guy who summed up the sense of who The Rats are. We have known Garry since we were children and so we feel strangely adrift without him tonight. Safe travels Gaz. Thanks for everything mate. (sic)" - Bang Showbiz, 11/9/22...... Gallagher, the long-haired, watermelon-smashing comedian who left a trail of laughter and anger over a decades-long career, died on Nov. 11 at his home in Palm Springs, Calif., after a brief illness. He was 76. Gallagher had numerous heart attacks over the years, including one right before a scheduled show in Texas in 2012. With a beret on his head and a few simple props, from a can of oil to a bull whip, the man born Leo Anthony Gallagher Jr. built a nationwide following in the 1970s and '80s, appearing on Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show and starring in numerous Showtime specials. His act included observational humour ("What about Easter? Whose idea was it to give eggs to an animal that hops"), political commentary ("They don't call a tax a tax. They call it a revenue enhancer"), invented sports (synchronized Ping-Pong) and his trademark Sledge-O-Matic destruction. Sledgehammer in hand, he would then apply his full muscle to apples, grapes, lettuce and other produce, most famously the inevitable watermelon, with audience members in front showered in food bits. Gallagher was a Fort Bragg, N.C., native who started out in 1960 as road manager for the comedian/musician Jim Stafford and soon began performing himself, honing his act at the Comedy Store and other comedy clubs. In 2003, he was among more than 100 candidates running in the recall election for California governor, won by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Over the past decade, he appeared in a Geico commercial and in the movie The Book Of Daniel. - AP, 11/11/22...... Dan McCafferty, original lead singer for Scottish hard rockers Nazareth, has died at age 76. The vocalist's passing was announced by co-founding bassist/backing vocalist Pete Agnew, who revealed in an Instagram post that McCafferty died. A cause of death has yet to be announced. "This is the saddest announcement I ever had to make," Agnew wrote. "Maryann and the family have lost a wonderful loving husband and father, I have lost my best friend and the world has lost one of the greatest singers who ever lived. Too upset to say anything more at this time." McCafferty, born on Oct. 14, 1946 in Dunfermline, Scotland was a co-founder of Nazareth, which was formed in 1968 with Agnew, guitarist Manny Charlton and drummer Darrell Sweet. The band released their self-titled debut in 1971, which was followed by 1972's Exercises and 1973's Razamanaz. But it wasn't until their sixth album, 1975's Hair of the Dog, that the group broke out beyond their European success, thanks to their rocked-up cover of The Everly Brothers' 1960 hit "Love Hurts." The showcase for McCafferty's muscular vocals rose to No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. Hair of the Dog also marked the band's highest charting album on the Billboard Hot 200 album charts, where it rose to No. 17 in Mar. 1976, according to data provided by Luminate. McCafferty fronted the band until his retirement from touring in 2013 due to unspecified health issues and appeared on 23 studio albums through 2014's Rock 'n' Roll Telephone, after which he was replaced by Linton Osborne in 2014, who in turn was replaced by current singer Carl Sentance. McCafferty also released a pair of solo albums during his time with the group, a self-titled 1975 collection and 1987's Into the Ring, as well as his final solo effort, 2019's Last Testament. - Billboard, 11/9/22...... Leslie Phillips, the Carry On and Harry Potter actor famed or his catchphrases "Ding Dong" and "I Say" in the films, died on Nov. 7 after a long illness. He was 98. Mr. Phillips featured in more than 200 films, TV and radio series over his decades-long career, and the accomplished Shakespearean actor had often joked his saucy Carry On catchphrases would follow him to the grave, with one of them probably inscribed on his headstone. He was honored by Queen Elizabeth II with an OBE in 1998 and made a CBE for services to showbusiness 10 years later. He was also a World War II veteran who served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Durham Light Infantry, but was declared unfit for service just before D-Day with an illness that caused partial paralysis. His death leaves Jim Dale, 86, the last surviving regular from the Carry On films. Mr. Phillips recently attracted a new generation of fans as the voice of The Sorting Hat in the Harry Potter films. His wife, Zara, 63, said: "I've lost a wonderful husband and the public has lost a truly great showman. He was quite simply a national treasure. People loved him. He was mobbed everywhere he went." - Bang Showbiz, 11/8/22.