Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on December 22nd, 2022

Documentaries produced in 2022 on '70s artists David Bowie and Leonard Cohen are among the 15 documentaries that were shortlisted for the Oscar for Best Documentary Film on Dec. 21. Moonage Daydream explore's the creative and musical journey of David Bowie, while Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, A Song looks at the life of Leonard Cohen through the prism of "Hallelujah," one of the most beloved songs of modern times. Although among the 144 films eligible, a film about Don McLean's "American Pie" failed to make the shortlist. Members of the documentary branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences will vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees. Meanwhile, Star Wars composer John Williams made the shortlist of 15 original scores that are vying for Best Film Score. If nominated, Williams' score for the Steven Spielberg-directed The Fabelmans would be his record-extending 48th nomination in an Oscar scoring category, and should he win, the 90-year-old Williams would become the oldest winner in any competitive category. Nominations for the 95th Oscars will be announced on Tuesday Jan. 24, 2023. The telecast, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, will take place on March 12, 2023, airing live on ABC from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. - Billboard, 12/21/22...... Ozzy Osbourne has earned four Grammy nominations for his 2022 album Patient Number 9, and tells Billboard that the nods were an unexpected, yet welcome, surprise. "The whole thing shocked me," Ozzy says. "I mean, if I won anything for the album I'll be floored. That's what I like about the business. It's never short of -- I love surprise." Osbourne has been nominated for Best Rock Album for Patient, which topped the Billboard Top Rock Albums chart in September. He's also nominated for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance, for the LP's title track which features Jeff Beck, as well as Best Metal Performance for "Degradation Rules" with his former Black Sabbath bandmate Tony Iommi. Although Ozzy admits he "isn't good at making speeches," he's "sure my wife (Sharon Osbourne) will have it worked out. Behind me is my wife. My wife pulls my strings." Speaking of Sharon, the 70-year-old music manager and TV personality has returned home after being hospitalized in Ventura, Calif. on Dec. 16. Sharon experienced an unspecified medical emergency while filming the family's Travel channel series The Osbournes: Night of Terror, according to an Instagram post by her son Jack Osbourne. "She has been given the all clear from her medical team and is now home," Jack wrote. "As to what happened to my mum -- I'm gonna leave it to her to share about when she is ready." Sharon revealed in Nov. 2012 that she had undergone a double mastectomy due to her predisposed risk for breast cancer. In 2002, she underwent surgery for colon cancer, and her health journey was featured on the family's MTV unscripted series, The Osbournes. - Billboard/The Hollywood Reporter, 12/21/22......Theodora Richards, the daughter of Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards and his wife, Patti Hansen, celebrated the 39th anniversary of her parents on Dec. 19 with a photo posted on Instagram from Keith and Patti's 1983 wedding alongside a photo taken in the present day in which they recreated a kiss from their nuptials. "My parents had a party where we celebrated my dad being another year older and that my parents have been married for 39 years," Theodora posted. "We've been through a lot but the love is so strong and powerful that it carries us forever forward on a cloud of compassion and courage. I love you mom and dad. You guys are my inspiration," she added, also wishing her dad, who turned 79 on Dec. 18, a happy birthday. Richards also took to Instagram to share a photo from his wedding to Hansen, which featured him serenading her with a guitar while she was in her gown. "Happy Anniversary, Patricia. Love, Keith. @pattihansen," the rocker captioned the sweet black-and-white picture. Richards and Hansen met in 1979 and tied the knot on his 40th birthday in 1983; they welcomed daughters Theodora and Alexandra Nicole in 1985 and 1986, respectively. In related news, Shirley Watts, the wife of late Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, died on Dec. 16 at her home in Devon, UK, after a short illness. She was 84. "We will miss you so much, but take comfort that you are reunited with your beloved Charlie," Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood wrote on Facebook. While Wood, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards all have had multiple wives and girlfriends, Charlie and Shirley Watts remained together for more than 50 years, until Charlie died in 2021. Their only known crisis happened in the mid-1980s, when Charlie struggled with heroin addiction, a time he would later say nearly cost him his marriage. He was otherwise regarded as so devoted to his wife, and daughter Seraphina, that journalists essentially left him alone. The London-born Shirley Ann Watts, a former art student and prominent breeder of Arabian horses who met drummer Charlie Watts well before he joined the Rolling Stones, reportedly "died peacefully surrounded by her family." - Billboard/AP, 12/19/22...... In a new rare interview with The Wall Street Journal, Bob Dylan hit out against modern TV, saying he only watches the British soap opera Coronation Street, the BBC One detective series Father Brown, and the classic TV series The Twilight Zone. When asked what form of technology he uses to relax, and whether he enjoys streaming on Netflix, Dylan said that even "two or three hours" of binge watching is too much for him. "Coronation Street, Father Brown, and some early Twilight Zones," Dylan named as shows he has enjoyed bingeing. "I know they're old-fashioned, but they make me feel at home. I'm no fan of packaged programs or news shows. I never watch anything foul-smelling or evil. Nothing disgusting, nothing dog ass." In the same interview, Dylan said he was a fan of fellow musicians Eminem and Wu-Tang Clan, as well as Royal Blood, Celeste, Leonard Cohen and Nick Cave. Although he says he does listen to some music via online platforms, he much prefers vinyl, CDs, and radio. "Everything's too easy. Just one stroke of the ring finger, middle finger, one little click, that's all it takes. We've dropped the coin right into the slot," he said. "It's all too easy, too democratic. You need a solar X-ray detector just to find somebody's heart, see if they still have one." Dylan is currently promoting his new book The Philosophy Of Modern Song, which contains commentary on 66 songs by other artists. - New Musical Express/Music-News.com, 12/20/22...... Paul McCartney has shared new reflections on the "magical" experience of headlining the Saturday night edition of the UK's Glastonbury 2022 festival on the BBC's website. Sir Paul reflected on the experience and shared new backstage photos from the night, alongside footage of his band rehearsing ahead of the set. He wrote: "Festivals are special, but Glastonbury is particularly so and it's a big event in lots of people's year. Because it had been cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid, it became more important to pull it off. I'd asked Bruce Springsteen in 2020 if he'd be happy to come onboard and he said yes, and he kept his promise two years later. So that was very exciting, having him and Dave Grohl up on the stage." Of the Glastonbury atmosphere, he added: "It's a pretty impressive scene for people in the audience, but we get the whole view up on the stage with the flags and the hills going back forever, so it was quite a big deal that they said yes to joining me in that experience. Of course, up on stage I can't really see people's reactions but I love to hear them because I've found myself doing that at concerts. I went to see James Taylor once and started blubbing because it was just so lovely! I was thinking, 'Oh, I love this guy' -- I'm getting emotional even now! It's a magical thing, knowing music can do that to people." Macca continued, "We're the only animal on the planet that does that. Then you've got the spirituality of the place, knowing about the ley lines and everything else. When you have an event like Glastonbury and everyone comes together with good vibes and energy, I'm very happy to be part of that." Meanwhile, authors Allan Kozinn and Adrian Sinclair have discovered unpublished contracts in the archives of a university in the United States which appear to show that the producers of the 1973 James Bond film Live and Let Die wanted McCartney to sing the movie's theme song (which he also composed), despite McCartney and producer George Martin both telling the story that the film's producers wanted to replace Paul with a female singer on the track, assuming that the version presented to them was just a demo. "Martin wouldn't have been familiar with the terms of that contract, but Paul certainly would have," Kozinn says. "One of the things we discovered is that, if it's a good story, Paul will go with it. He didn't have any reason to assume that anybody would see that contract." - NME, 12/20/22...... While a number of musicians including Elton John, Trent Reznor, Moby, Jack White, Liz Phair and Toni Braxton have stepped away from Twitter since its takeover by controversial billionaire Elon Musk, Dionne Warwick says she wants to have a conversation with the new Twitter CEO to get an understanding of his intentions for the popular social media platform. "I have to meet him," Warwick, a beloved figure on Twitter who just celebrated her 82nd birthday, recently told People magazine. "I know a lot of people have walked away from Twitter. That's prior to knowing exactly what he's going to do. He's new to the game. His attitude is freedom of speech, which is mine as well. However, there's a way to do it," she added. "That's one of the conversations I'm going to have with him," said Warwick, whose documentary Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over will be aired on CNN on New Year's Day (and will be available on streamer HBO Max after that). "What is your true intent? I understand your freedom of speech attitude but how are you going to contain it, so it does not get out of hand?," Warwick added. On Dec. 18, Musk tweeted a poll, asking users to decide if he should step down as head of Twitter. "I will abide by the results of this poll," he wrote. The results: More than half (57.5%) of the 17.5 million people to respond voted that he should step down. In a back-and-forth with followers on Sunday, Musk commented that any prospective new CEO "must like pain a lot" to run Twitter, which "has been in the fast lane to bankruptcy." Rapper Snoop Dogg also polled Twitter on Dec. 18, musing whether he should be the one to take over the job of CEO. Over 2.3 million users responsed, with 81% -- or approximately 1.7 million users -- voting that the rap giant should be the new Twitter CEO. - Billboard, 12/19/22...... The musical stage adaptation of director Cameron Crowe's '70s-themed film Almost Famous will play its final Broadway performance on Jan. 8, the production announced on Dec. 19. The musical began previews at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on Oct. 3 and opened on Nov. 3. The closing notices of "Almost Famous" as well as other productions including "KPOP" and "Ain't No Mo" come as tourism remains down in New York and as Broadway shows grapple with higher running costs and changing audience behavior. "Almost Famous" also received mixed to poor reviews, with The Hollywood Reporter's David Rooney highlighting its "infectious energy" while asking, "Did it need to become a stage musical? Debatable." Grosses have been fairly average, with the musical bringing in $765,060 in the week ended Dec. 11, but while playing to theaters at 74% capacity. "'Almost Famous', like the music it celebrates, will endure," said producers Lia Vollack and Michael Cassel. "We look forward to the release of the cast recording on March 17, and to the many productions in communities across the country and world, for years to come," they added. The musical features a story based on a book by Crowe, a score by Tom Kitt, direction by Jeremy Herrin and choreography by Sarah O'Gleby. - The Hollywood Reporter, 12/19/22...... Stevie Wonder presented his annual House Full of Toys Benefit Concert at L.A.'s Microsoft Theater on Dec. 17 to a sold-out audience with special guests Trombone Shorty, Gregory Porter and Jody Watley. Now in its 24th year, the event featured Trombone Shorty who had attendees second-lining a la his native New Orleans when he joined Wonder onstage for an exuberant romp through Stevie's 1976 hit "Sir Duke." Prior to that, Jody Watley took fans on her own nostalgia tour, performing her 1989 R&B/pop hit "Real Love" before segueing into a classic from the traditional holiday special A Charlie Brown Christmas, "Christmas Time Is Here." However the night belonged to Wonder, as the Motown legend gave as good as he got from an already enthusiastic audience that became more ecstatic each time he sat down at the keyboards or piano and simply sang. Early in the show, he boosted the festive spirit already resonating around the venue when he performed "What Christmas Means to Me," singing to the original instrumental track recorded back in the '60s. Wonder also celebrated the 50th anniversary of his 1972 album Talking Book. Beginning with "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," he then saluted his late ex-wife and co-writer Syreeta Wright ("Such a wonderful spirit") with the moving "Blame It on the Sun" before closing the Book suite with an emotional turn on "You and I (We Can Conquer the World)." Before walking offstage to "Another Star," a smiling Wonder said, "I wanted to give you all everything I could give you ... I love you; God bless you -- and we are done!" House Full of Toys, presented through Wonder's nonprofit We Are You Foundation, benefits children, people with disabilities and families in need with concertgoers donating an unwrapped toy. - Billboard, 12/18/22...... Billy Joel informed his fans on Twitter on Dec. 18 that he's been forced to cancel his last concert of 2022 due to sickness and has been advised to rest his voice. "I'm disappointed to share that I'm under doctor's orders for vocal rest due to a viral infection so unfortunately, I must postpone my Monday, December 19th concert at Madison Square Garden to June," Joel wrote on his Twitter and Instagram pages. "I'm so sorry to let you know so close to show day, but I was hoping to be closer to a full recovery by now," he added. "Sadly, that hasn't happened. I look forward to seeing you in the New Year." An additional update from a spokesperson for Joel that was posted on his official website confirms that the Dec. 19 concert is currently rescheduled for June 2, 2023, and is "subject to change if it conflicts with a playoff game." Joel's upcoming list of tour dates can also be viewed on his Twitter post. - Billboard, 12/18/22...... Pink Floyd have quietly uploaded 18 archival live albums from before the band's Dark Side Of The Moon era -- as well as a five-song EP of "alternative tracks" from 1972 -- to streaming services. All 18 of the live albums are pulled from concert recordings over the year of 1972, when the prog-rockers were touring in support of their sixth and seventh albums -- Meddle (1971) and Obscured By Clouds (1972), respectively -- and, most notably, road-testing and refining songs from the following year's seminal Dark Side Of The Moon album. Six of the concerts were performed in the UK -- the first at the Southampton Guildhall on January 23, 1972, then four back-to-back shows at London's Rainbow Theatre over Feb. 17-20, and finally another London show (this time at Empire Pool in Wembley) on Oct. 21. Elsewhere, three of the albums were tracked at shows that Pink Floyd played in the US (New York, Chicago and Los Angeles), another three come from shows in Japan, two each come from shows in France and Germany, and the last two come from the band's respective shows in Belgium and Switzerland. Meanwhile, the compilation EP -- titled simply Alternative Tracks 1972 -- comprises trance remixes of "Any Colour You Like" and a mash-up of"'Speak To Me" and "Breathe (In The Air)," a demo version of "On The Run," and "ultra rare alternative versions" of "Us And Them" and a reprisal mash-up of "Time" and "Breathe (In The Air)." Pink Floyd made a similar move exactly a year ago, uploading 12 rare concert recordings -- spanning January of 1970 to November of 1971 - to streaming services on Dec. 16, 2021. With these new 18 album going live recently, last year's batch were deleted from the band's streaming catalogue. It's unknown if they plan to have these be similarly limited -- none of the band's members have spoken publicly about the release. 2022 has been a busy year for Pink Floyd, starting with the release of their Ukraine benefit single, "Hey Hey Rise Up," back in April (with a subsequent CD and vinyl release). September then saw the long-awaited release of Pink Floyd's Animals remaster, four years after it was first announced. A month prior, it was reported that Pink Floyd would be selling their back-catalogue for £400 million. - NME, 12/18/22...... A private jet owned by Elvis Presley will be auctioned off in January. The King bought the 1962 Lockheed JetStar in 1976 for $840,000 -- the equivalent of $4.4 million in today's dollars. It seats nine and has a Kenmore microwave and a TV with a VCR on board. - People, 12/19/22...... Kim Simmonds, founder of the British blues-rock band Savoy Brown died on Dec. 13, according to a statement released by the band on Twitter. He was 75 years old. "Kim Simmonds passed away peacefully in the evening of December 13th -- may he rest in peace. You've gone away/ We'll get by somehow/ Just right now/ All we can do is cry," the group shared. "Please note one of Kim's last requests was to thank the fans of Savoy Brown -- your support was and shall always be immensely appreciated." While Simmonds initially formed The Savoy Brown Blues Band in 1965 with singer Brice Portius, bassist Ray Chappell, drummer Leo Mannings, keyboard player Trevor Jeavons and harmonica player John O'Leary, he remained the sole constant member of the band throughout nearly six decades of lineup changes. Throughout their career, the band released more than 40 studio albums -- with 1972's Hellbound Train their best seller in the US at No. 34 -- and their two most recent -- Ain't Done Yet and Taking the Blues Back Home: Live in America -- arrived in 2020. In August, Simmonds announced that he had been fighting stage 4 colon cancer -- specifically, a a rare form called signet cell colon cancer -- for more than a year. He noted that the chemotherapy he was receiving had made it difficult for him to play his instrument due to the side effect of "peripheral neuropathy which has now deadened the nerves in my fingers and hands (feet too)." At the time, Simmonds explained that his type of cancer "is rarely found early enough to provide a chance for cure, and occurs in less than one percent of cases." - Billboard, 12/19/22...... Rick Anderson, bassist and founding member of the San Francisco-based rock band The Tubes, died on Dec. 16, according to a statement shared by the band on Instagram. He was 75. "We lost our brother on 12/16/22," the band captioned a series of photos on Dec. 18. "Rick brought a steady and kind presence to the band for 50 years. His love came through his bass. RIP." The statement did not offer any additional details regarding Anderson's death, which comes eight months after the April passing of Tubes member Re Styles, who sang with the group. The Tubes formed on March 22, 1972, in San Francisco, and was the combined forces of two Phoenix bands that came from the city to California in 1969. The first band, called The Beans, included Anderson as well as other members Bill Spooner, Vince Welnick and Bob McIntosh. The second band, the Red White and Blues Band, featured members Prairie Prince, Roger Steen, and David Killingsworth. With The Tubes, Anderson opened for Led Zeppelin in 1973. Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman was instrumental in helping the band get signed, suggesting to the group's A&R to pitch to his own solo label, A&M Records. After getting signed, The Tubes released its self-titled debut album in 1975. Tracks "White Punks on Dope" and "What Do You Want From Life?" became staples in the band's catalogue, with the former being covered by Mötley Crüe in 2000. - Billboard, 12/20/22...... Terry Hall, the charismatic lead vocalist of British ska revivalists The Specials, has died at 63. The band announced Hall's death on Instagram on Dec. 19, revealing that the singer died after an undisclosed "brief illness." "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing, following a brief illness, of Terry, our beautiful friend, brother and one of the most brilliant singers, songwriters and lyricists this country has ever produced, the band said in a statement. "Terry was a wonderful husband and father and one of the kindest, funniest, and most genuine of souls. His music and his performances encapsulated the very essence of life & the joy, the pain, the humour, the fight for justice, but mostly the love. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him and leaves behind the gift of his remarkable music and profound humanity." One of the leading lights of the late '70s British ska revival, The Specials (originally billed as Special AKA) formed in Coventry, England, in 1977, with Hall replacing original singer Tim Strickland in the group notable for its multiracial makeup. Coinciding with the burgeoning "Rock Against Racism" movement in the U.K. at the time, the band members made a statement in their rude boy two-tone suits and porkpie hats and blasted out of the gate on their Elvis Costello-produced self-titled debut on their 2 Tone label, which featured their signature cover of Dandy Livingstone's 1967 single "A Message to You Rudy." Terence Edward Hall was born on March 19, 1959, in Coventry and began his singing career in local punk bands as a teenager before joining The Specials and splitting vocal duties with the excitable Neville Staple. Among those paying tribute to Hall on social media include Staple, Costello, Billy Bragg, Boy George, Belinda Carlisle and Jane Wiedlin. - Billboard, 12/20/22...... Charlie Gracie, an early rockabilly singer and guitarist best known for his 1957 No. 1 pop hit "Butterfly" and who influenced a generation of 1960s rock stars, died of as yet undisclosed causes on Dec. 16. He was 86. Mr. Gracie's death was confirmed by ABKCO Records, which is home to the catalog of Cameo Records, the Philadelphia label that Gracie recorded his biggest hits for. The South Philadelphia native, born Charles Antony Graci on May 14, 1936, was discovered by Cadillac Records owner Graham Prince after the then 15-year-old singer performed on a local radio show, leading to a series of early singles ("Rockin' n' Rollin'," "Boogie Woogie Blues," "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" and a deal with Cameo, which released his breakthrough 1957 Billboard No. 1 pop chart hit and signature tune, the rockabilly burner "Butterfly." The song led to tours with Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, The Everly Brothers, Bo Diddley and Eddie Cochran, as well as a starring role in the 1957 musical romance Jamboree as himself. The hits continued apace, with late 1950s charting tracks including "Fabulous," "Ninety-Nine Ways" and "Cool Baby" charting in the U.S. and England, where Mr. Gracie would take his place as an early influence on a generation of soon-to-be global superstars. Following his run on Cameo, Mr. Gracie cycled through a series of smaller label homes and kept touring for the next 50+ years, including opening a handful of dates for Van Morrison on his 2000 U.S. West coast tour and releasing his last album, Angel on My Shoulder, in 2015. He was also the subject of a PBS documentary, Fabulous!, in 2007. - Billboard, 12/19/22...... NFL legend Franco Harris, the Pittsburgh Steeler eternally known for his "Immaculate Reception" during an AFC Divisional NFL football playoff game in Pittsburgh on Dec. 23, 1972, died on the morning of Dec. 21. He was 72, just two days before the 50th anniversary of his legendary catch. Harris' son, Dok, told the AP that his father died overnight, and no cause of death was given. Harris ran for 12,120 yards and won four Super Bowl rings with the Steelers in the 1970s, a dynasty that began in earnest when Harris decided to keep running during a last-second heave by Pittsburgh quarterback Terry Bradshaw in a playoff game against Oakland in 1972. "That play really represents our teams of the '70s," Harris said after the "Immaculate Reception" was voted the greatest play in the league's first 100 years in 2020. While the Steelers fell the next week to Miami in the AFC championship, Pittsburgh was on its way to becoming the dominant team of the 1970s, twice winning back-to-back Super Bowls, first after the 1974 and 1975 seasons and again after the 1978 and 1979 seasons. Born in Fort Dix, N.J., on March 7, 1950, Harris played collegiately at Penn State, where his primary job was to open holes for backfield mate Lydell Mitchell. The Steelers, in the final stages of a rebuild led by Hall of Fame coach Chuck Noll, saw enough in Harris to make him the 13th overall pick in the 1972 draft. Despite all of his success, his time in Pittsburgh ended acrimoniously when the Steelers cut him after he held out during training camp before the 1984 season. Noll, who leaned on Harris so heavily for so long, famously answered "Franco who?" when asked about Harris' absence from the team's camp. Harris signed with Seattle, running for just 170 yards in eight games before being released in midseason. He retired as the NFL's third all-time leading rusher behind Walter Payton and Jim Brown. "I don't even think about that (anymore)," Harris said in 2006. "I'm still black and gold." Harris remained in Pittsburgh following his retirement, opening a bakery and becoming heavily involved in several charities, including serving as the chairman of "Pittsburgh Promise," which provides college scholarship opportunities for Pittsburgh Public School students. "From his rookie season, which included the Immaculate Reception, through the next 50 years, Franco brought joy to people on and off the field. He never stopped giving back in so many ways. He touched so many, and he was loved by so many," team President Art Rooney II said in a statement. - AP, 12/20/22.

Elton John has shared his favorite music from 2022 on his Apple Music 1 Rocket Hour radio show, which airs live on Saturdays at 5:00 p.m. GMT. Sir Elton included his best-of-the-year picks in a playlist as a way to round off the year, with tracks by Burna Boy, Let's Eat Grandma, Marcus Mumford, Stormzy, Oliver Slim, Cat Burns and The Linda Lindas making the list. "With the Rocket Hour we just try and give people exposure by playing and interviewing them. It's something I've been doing now for over six years. I haven't grown tired of it. I love it," John said. "The new music makes me feel fantastic. It inspires me. So I have to thank all the new artists, and all the old artists that we play on the show, because we don't just play new artists. But every week that I do the show is such a pleasure for me, so thank you," he added. Meanwhile, as the 75-year-old musician seeks new ways to connect with fans as he looks ahead to the end of his touring life in Sept. 2023, he has announced he's teamed up with Roblox for a 10-minute virtual live experience called "Elton John Presents: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road." Elton says he thinks the metaverse is "perfect" for the next stage of his career: "Throughout my career, I've always been interested in finding new ways to connect with my fans worldwide. As I finish touring, Roblox and the metaverse are perfect for this next stage of my life; it's a new, innovative way for me to express my love of music, fashion, and the limitless creativity that comes from both." Elton added he was introduced to the platform by his and husband David Furnish's young sons, Zachary, 11, and Elijah, nine, and he's very excited about what he can do with it. He told Hype Beast: "I was first introduced to the platform through my two sons and thought it was incredibly inspiring; I had never seen anything like it!" - New Musical Express/Music-News.com, 12/16/22...... Actress Daisy-Edgar Jones, who gained notoriety starring in the 2020 Irish romantic psychological drama Normal People, is set to play legendary singer-songwriter Carole King in a new King biopic titled Beautiful. "Daisy has a spirit and energy that I recognised as myself when I was younger," King told Variety of Edgar-Jones' casting in the film. "She's a tremendous talent and I know she's going to give a great performance." Beautiful features many of King's hits, including "One Fine Day," "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," "I Feel The Earth Move," "You've Got A Friend And More" among many others, and producer Sony has obtained rights to use both King's songs and life rights for the artist and others featured in the show. The film is set to be directed by Lisa Cholodenko (The Kids Are Alright, Laurel Canyon, Cavedweller), from a script by Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg. Edgar-Jones most recently starred in Sony's Where The Crawdads Sing, based on the 2018 book by Delia Owens. - NME, 12/16/22...... Ozzy Osbourne has narrated the opening to a new holiday charity single by Evamore called "The Christmas Time." Ozzy speaks for the nearly three-minute long intro to the song, which features musical accompaniment from Pink Floyd and ex-Duran Duran members and has been shared on YouTube. Evamore is a concept band created by The Evamore Project "to record unique, atmospheric songs utilising narrative, lyrics and musicianship to convey true stories," and "The Christmas Time" is its latest work for the UK's Cancer Awareness Trust. The organization premiered the song on its website ahead of the song's release, and it has since been shared on the organisation's cancer resource website and app The Cancer Platform alongside information on how to show your support. "This Christmas Time" was recorded at Abbey Road, and features Nick Mason (Pink Floyd), Andy Taylor (ex-Duran Duran), and Noddy Holder (Slade), among others. The Cancer Platform is a free-to-use global website and app for everyone affected by cancer that puts trusted information, services and products all in one place. The full platform will launch in 2023. - NME, 12/16/22...... The Rolling Stones announced on Dec. 16 that they'll be livestreaming a star-studded 2012 gig to celebrate the release of their forthcoming GRRR Live! concert album. The show, which took place in December 2012 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., was originally broadcast as the pay-per-view event The Rolling Stones: One More Shot. It has now been re-mixed and re-edited for a new release, which will be released as a double-album CD and a triple-album vinyl on Feb. 10. GRRR Live! will also be released on DVD and Blu-Ray. The show was notable for its long list of special guests, including Lady Gaga, The Black Keys, Bruce Springsteen, John Mayer and Gary Clark, and on Feb. 2, 2023 the entire show will be broadcast online via live stream company Kiswe, marking the first time that it'll be available to watch in more than a decade. A trailer for GRRR Live! has been shared on YouTube. - NME, 12/16/22...... Rod Stewart, who was previously married to actress Alana Collins from 1979 to 1984 and to model Rachel Hunter between 1990 and 2006, has revealed his current wife, model and TV star Penny Lancaster, is his first spouse to go through menopause while still married to him. Stewart, who married Lancaster in 2007, told Reader's Digest that "I hadn't seen (the menopause) before because my marriages didn't last that long. So Penny was the first." Stewart, now 77, recalled how his 51-year-old current wife would get into "blinding fits of rage" while battling her symptoms. "One night she threw utensils, so me and the boys (Alastair, 17, and Aiden, 11) gave her a hug -- and since then she has worked to let people know what it is," he revealed. Rod, who supports Penny's Let's #ChatMenopause campaign to raise awareness of menopausal symptoms, went on to encourage other men to help their partners who are going through those hormonal changes. "Men have to understand, and not just go down the pub," he said. - Music-News.com, 12/14/22...... The Pretenders have announced a short, intimate UK tour for Independent Venues Week in early 2023. Chrissie Hynde & Co.'s run of gigs kicks off at The Deaf Institute in Manchester on Feb. 5, 2023 before stops in Newcastle (Feb. 6), London (Feb. 7), Brighton (Feb. 9) and Bristol (Feb. 10). On May 25, they'll play Stornoway's Lewis Castle. The Pretenders are due to release their 12th album, Relentless, also in 2023. No release date has been given for the follow-up to 2020's Hate For Sale. Hynde last released her own work in 2021 with Pretenders' lead guitarist James Walbourne. Standing In The Doorway is a cover album of Bob Dylan songs. - NME, 12/15/22...... Cher has provided more info on the death of her actress/singer mother, Georgia Holt, on Dec. 10. After posting that her mom wasn't able to "sleep very well," Cher tweeted that she had "The truth.... She's been Sick & rallying, she then got bad, She was in so much pain. Finally she coded on way to [the hospital]. By time we Got to Hosp....The Woman who Who Was MY KICK A- MOM was No [longer] Here." Cher, 76, did not reveal any additional details surrounding her mother's illness. Cher added that she isn't sad about mother's passing because it "set her free" from her pain. "I'm not sad.... We set her free. She is no longer crying out in Pain 24/7. She is her happy,funny, Insane, beautiful Self (sic)." Born Jackie Jean Crouch in 1926, Ms. Holt appeared in several TV shows and films in the 1950s, including an episode of I Love Lucy in 1956. Cher is the daughter of Holt and John Sarkisian, who died in 1985. - Billboard/Music-News.com, 12/14/22...... Speaking of Cher, the "Believe" singer and Bee Gee Barry Gibb are among those intrigued by ABBA's Voyage hologram show, currently showing at a purpose-built arena in Stratford, east London. The younger selves of Bjorn Ulvaeus and his bandmates, Agnetha Flatskog, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, have been turned into "Abba-tar"s (holograms) for the experience and some of their contemporaries including Cher and Gibb are now said to be considering having their own hologram show. "I know Barry Gibb has been to see it," Ulvaeus told Radio Times magazine. "I hear rumours about Metallica. I don't think Mick Jagger has been yet, but he has said something about it. Cher was going. So many of my contemporaries are now thinking, 'Is there a way we can do it?'" The 90-minute show features pre-recorded ABBA classics mixed with the band's new numbers such as "Don't Shut Me Down." ABBA played their last concert just over 41 years ago. - Music-News.com, 12/13/22...... Sting, Stevie Wonder, Garth Brooks, Dave Matthews, Brad Paisley, Susanna Hoffs and the Jonas Brothers are among the performers in an upcoming televised tribute to Paul Simon. The 81-year-old music legend and songwriting genius will be saluted by the Grammys and a star-studded bill of artists, who performed at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles back in April for the pre-recorded Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Simon. Special appearances included Simon himself, Sofia Carson, Herbie Hancock, Woody Harrelson, Dustin Hoffman, Elton John and Oprah Winfrey. The special will air on CBS on Dec. 21 from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET/PT and will also be available for live stream and on demand on Paramount+. - Music-News, 12/14/22...... '70s glam rocker Gary Glitter will reportedly be released from jail within the next few months after serving half of his 16-year sentence. Glitter, real name Paul Gadd and now 78 years old, who was imprisoned in England in 2015 for sex offences on three girls between the ages of eight and 13, is also set to be electronically tagged as part of his release conditions, according to Britain's The Sun newspaper. The Sun reported on Dec. 16 that Glitter may move back into his London apartment as he still has a fortune in the bank from his '70s glam rock hits. "[He] has kept his nose clean in prison and toed the line and now his sentence is almost over," a source told the paper. "The nature of his determinate sentence means the case won't go to the Parole Board. It simply means that as soon as his sentence is over, he is free to walk out of the prison gates," the source added. It is thought Glitter could be freed as early as February. "Sex offenders released from prison are closely monitored by the police and Probation Service and may be recalled to jail if they breach strict licence conditions," the UK Ministry of Justice was quoted in the paper. The publication said the Parole Board confirmed it would not be considering his case, but added Glitter will be forced to wear a tag on release. Glitter's offences range from 1975 to 1980 and included sex with a girl under 13, attempted rape of an eight-year-old, and repeatedly molesting a third girl. In 1999, he was jailed for four months for possessing 4,000 indecent images of children and in 2006 was put behind bars in Vietnam for three years after sex attacks in the country before being released in 2008. - Bang Showbiz/Canoe.com, 12/16/22...... Appearing on comedian Kevin Nealon's podcast Hiking With Kevin, John Lennon's eldest son Julian Lennon said while he loved the Beatles-themed film Yesterday, he thought the "weird" scene which showed John as an old man ruined the film for him. In the film, Lennon is played by Robert Carlyle and meets Himesh Patel's Jack in the remote countryside after he's taken a road trip. "I actually loved that film Yesterday, until they put that weird bit of an impression of what Dad would look like in his seventies and eighties or whatever, up on a Scottish or Irish island," Julian told Nealon. "It kind of threw the whole film off for me," he continued. "I didn't get [it]. It wasn't necessary for me, I don't think. And it was just weird." The entire interview can be viewed on YouTube. - NME, 12/13/22...... Peter Frampton and Paul Rodgers of Free and Bad Company will be among those celebrating A&M Records co-founder Jerry Moss set for The Music Center's Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles on Jan. 14, 2023. The show will feature performances by Rodgers, whose rock anthem "All Right Now" was a top five hit for Free on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970, and Peter Frampton, whose double-live album Frampton Comes Alive! topped the Billboard 200 for 10 nonconsecutive weeks in 1976. "Jerry Moss has always been a music lover first," Frampton said in a statement. "If it weren't for him, Humble Pie and my own solo career might never have happened. Jerry has been a champion of mine my entire life and I treasure our friendship." The show will also feature performances by Dionne Warwick, who never recorded for A&M, but is forever linked to Burt Bacharach, who did; and Amy Grant, whose poppy smash "Baby Baby" topped the Hot 100 for two weeks in 1991. 2022 marks the 60th anniversary of A&M Records, the legendary label that Moss and Herb Alpert co-founded on a handshake and an investment of $200 from both men. Over 25 years, A&M grew into the world's largest independent record label, signing such iconic stars as The Police, Carpenters, Janet Jackson and Joe Cocker. The Moss tribute was originally scheduled for February 2022 but postponed due to rising Covid-19 cases at that time. - Billboard, 12/12/22...... Iggy Pop has shared "Strung Out Johnny," the second single from his upcoming 19th solo album Every Loser, on YouTube. "Strung Out Johnny" paints an unflinching picture of life with addiction, detailing how seemingly innocent experiments turn into something more dangerous. "First time you do it with a friend, second time you do it in a bed, third time you can't get enough and a life gets all f---ed up," Pop sings. 'Every Loser' is due for release on January 6 and features contributions from a variety of big names, including members of Guns N' Roses and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Iggy will be supporting Red Hot Chilli Peppers on select dates of their 2023 stadium tour. Meanwhile, Pop has recalled the time he was pranked by Elton John who donned a "huge" gorilla costume while he was "really out of it" and gave him a shock. "I was really out of it. I'd done too much on the downside the night before, so I had to be injected madly to get to the point where I could just barely stand up straight and hold the mike. And then I saw this gorilla. I realised it wasn't a real gorilla, but anyone who puts on a gorilla suit looks huge," Pop recently told Mojo magazine. He then went on to admit that he felt as if the "gorilla" could "kill" him as he had no clue that it was Elton. "You don't know who's in there. It could be Billy Bob and he's going to kill me." However, Iggy said he realised it was the Rocket Man himself playing a trick on him. "He just picked me up for a little bit and gave me a little carry around. It was very funny," Pop added. - NME/Music-News.com, 12/12/22...... Rare footage of a live-action Sega game featuring Michael Jackson that was believed to be lost has been rediscovered at a car boot sale. The 1993 game, called Scramble Training -- a mix between an arcade shooter and interactive ride created for Sega World theme parks -- featured Jackson as a narrator who guided players. Jackson had a long relationship with the Japanese game company, including his inspiration for the Moonwalker franchise created by Sega based on the singer's film of the same name. Now, footage from Scramble Training is available to watch on YouTube after a tape recording was discovered at a car boot sale in the UK, according to gaming blog Gaming Alexandria. It is reportedly the first-known copy of Scramble Training's game play, with the actual game itself still shrouded in mystery. Earlier in 2022, former Sonic Team head Yuji Naka also confirmed that Jackson created music for Sonic The Hedgehog 3. - NME, 12/13/22...... Shirley Eikhard, songwriter of Bonnie Raitt's 1991 hit "Something to Talk About," has died at 67, her publicist announced on Dec. 15. The musician passed away at the Orangeville Hospital in Ontario, Canada, surrounded by family. The New Brunswick born singer-songwriter first rose to prominence during the '70s. At age 15, Eikhard's song "It Takes Time" was recorded by country/pop singer Anne Murray in 1971, and later became a hit in her native Canada. Eikhard released her self-titled debut album the following year in 1972. Several songs of Eikhard's would go on to be covered by popular musicians, most notably Bonnie Raitt and Cher, and she struck gold after penning "Something to Talk About" in the '80s. Raitt released the song as the first single from her 1991 album, Luck of the Draw. The track was a hit and spent a total of 20 weeks on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 hit, peaking at No. 5 on the tally. The tune would ultimately win Raitt the best pop vocal performance, female award at the 1991 Grammy Awards, and was also nominated in the record of the year category. For Cher, Eikhard's track "Born With the Hunger" would be rerecorded and released for the singer's 2000 album Not Commercial. Eikhard also wrote "Lovers Forever" with Cher for the 1994 film Interview With the Vampire; the track is featured on Cher's 2013 studio album Closer to the Truth. Eikhard's songwriting ability earned her two JUNO Awards for best country female artist in 1973 and 1974. "Something to Talk About" led to her induction into the Canadian Songwriter's Hall of Fame in Oct. 2020. - Billboard, 12/15/22...... Drummer Dino Danelli, an original member of 1960s New Jersey rock group The Rascals, has died at 78. His death was confirmed by Rascals archivist and friend Joe Russo on Danelli's Facebook page. "To know Dino, you must understand that art was his life. Art, music and film consumed his mind and his heart," Russo wrote. "He was an insomniac, sometimes staying awake for days, because he was always writing, reading, painting, drawing, watching films. He was beyond private and for someone who many consider one of the greatest drummers of all time, humble to a fault," Russo added. Russo said the drummer who manned the kit for the Rascals from 1965-1971 -- and also performed with E Street Band member and solo rocker "Little" Steven Van Zandt's Disciples of Soul from 1982-1984 -- was the "most private person I knew." While he did not disclose a cause of death, Russo wrote that Danelli was "acutely disappointed" about the "abrupt" conclusion of the Rascals' 2013 "Once Upon a Dream" reunion tour and he noted that after it fell apart the drummer was "almost obsessed" with trying to find a way to "keep the ball rolling" as his health began to decline. Born in Jersey City on July 23, 1944 and formed the Young Rascals (as they were originally known) with singer Eddie Brigati, keyboardist Felix Cavaliere and guitarist Gene Cornish in 1964. Driven by Danelli's swinging, high-energy drum sound, the band scored nine Billboard Hot 100 singles, including their signature No. 1 1966 hit "Good Lovin'," as well as the 1967 No. 1 "Groovin'," and 1968's chart-topping civil rights anthem "People Got to Be Free," written by Brigati and Cavaliere, which touched a nerve in the wake of the assassinations that spring of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. The band -- who shortened their name to just The Rascals in 1968 as they moved away from their more eclectic garage soul vibe to a more psychedelic sound -- was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. After the departure of Brigati and Cornish in the early 1970s, Danelli and Cavaliere carried on and released two more albums to diminishing returns before breaking up in 1971. Danelli formed the group Bulldog with Cornish that year and the duo released a pair of albums before breaking up three years later. Danelli then bounced around, playing with Mountain's Leslie West and the short-lived power pop act Fotomaker before joining Van Zandt's band in the early 1980s and playing on the groups first two records, 1982's Men Without Women and 1984's Voice of America. The Rascals reformed in 1988 briefly, with all four original members on hand for their Rock Hall induction in 1997 and then again for a run of shows entitled "One Upon a Dream" in 2012-2013 -- which was co-produced and co-written by Van Zandt -- before taking that show on the road for a North American run. In a Facebook message, Cornish wrote, "It is with a broken heart that I must tell you of the passing of Dino Danelli. He was my brother and the greatest drummer I've ever seen. I am devastated at this moment. Rest In Peace Dino I love you brother." - Billboard, 12/16/22...... Actor Stuart Margolin, who won back-to-back Emmys for his recurring role as Evelyn "Angel" Martin in The Rockford Files and racked up more than 120 career screen credits, died on Dec. 12, his stepson Max Martini said on social media. He was 82. In an Instagram post, Martini said Mr. Margolin was a "profoundly gifted step-father that was always there with love and support for his family. RIP Pappy. Keep 'em cold." He did not provide a cause of death or other details, however it has been reported by other sources Mr. Margolin died of complications from pancreatic cancer. Mr. Margolin won Emmys in 1979 and 1980 for the respective fifth and sixth seasons of NBC's The Rockford Files, playing the former cellmate of Jim Rockford (James Garner). Appeared in more than three dozen episodes, including the series' first and last, his shady-but-endearing character constantly sought Rockford's help after getting mixed up with former criminal associates. He also appeared with Garner on the short-lived Western Nichols, which last one season on NBC in 1971-72. Mr. Margolin and Garner would also reteam for another NBC Western after Rockford, ended. Bret Maverick was based on Maverick, the 1957-62 series starring Garner -- who left in 1960 -- as a wisecracking, dapper ladies man and cardsharp. Mr. Margolin co-starred as Philo Sandine, an Indian scout-slash-con man that wasn't too far removed from his later Angel character. The series lasted one season in 1981-82 and aired in reruns on NBC in 1990. Mr. Margolin began his career in the early 1960s, doing guest shots on such popular series as The Fugitive, Ben Casey and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. He continued to appear on TV throughout that decade in memorable and enduring shows including Ironside, The Virginian, The Monkees, Bewitched, The F.B.I. and The Partridge Family. He also became a familiar face on the randy anthology comedy Love, American Style, appearing in more than two dozen episodes from 1966-73. Mr. Margolin landed another 1980s series-regular role in the NBC sitcom Mr. Smith, playing the boss of a character who was charged with keeping track of the title character -- a talking orangutan who is America s latest secret weapon. The high-concept but low-rated show lasted a handful of episodes in fall 1983. After that, Mr. Margolin settled into mostly character-actor mode, guesting on such series as Hill Street Blues, Crazy Like a Fox and The Tracey Ullman Show. He did land one more regular role, on the Canadian dramedy Mom, P.I., playing a cynical private investigator who hires a widowed waitress (Rosemary Dunsmore) as an assistant. It aired two seasons from 1990-92. Mr. Margolin continued to work in TV for the next three decades, with guest credits on popular shows including Touched by an Angel, 30 Rock and NCIS, along with a recurring role on Beggars and Choosers. He also did some film work, mostly during the 2000s and 2010s. Among his final credits was a role in 2018 -- the revived Fox sci-fi drama The X Files. - Deadline.com, 12/12/22.