Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on May 24th, 2023

Tina Turner, one of the most flamboyant, overtly sexual performers in rock in the 1960s and 1970s who went on to make one of the biggest comebacks in show business history in the 1980s, "died peacefully" on May 24 after a long illness in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland, according to a statement from her family. She was 83. "With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model," her family said. Ms. Turner's influence on rock, R&B and soul singing and performance was immeasurable -- both with her ex-husband Ike Turner and during her own solo career -- as she influenced everyone from Mick Jagger to Mary J. Blige to Janet Jackson to Beyoncé. Born Anna Mae Bullock on Nov. 26, 1939, Ms. Turner grew up in Nutbush, Tenn., a rural and unincorporated area in Haywood County in western Tennessee chronicled in her song "Nutbush City Limits." According to Ms. Turner, her family were "well-to-do farmers" who lived well off the business of sharecropping. Still, she and her older sister Ruby Aillene dealt with abandonment issues when their parents left to work elsewhere. Anna Mae and her sister became regulars at one of the St. Louis nightclubs that Ike Turner and his group Kings of Rhythm were a hot draw. Ike's band had recorded "Rocket 88," frequently cited as the first rock & roll record that became a #1 R&B hit, in 1951, however Jackie Brenston, who sang lead on the song, got the label credit. Bullock repeatedly asked Turner if she could sing with his band and he replied she could but never called her to the stage. One night Anna Mae, who had never sang professionally but had been appearing in talent shows since childhood, simply grabbed the microphone and sang. Soon after, Ike changed Anna Mae's name to Tina, and the couple eventually married in 1962, though according to TIna, not for love. They had one son together, and before that, Tina bore another son by another man. They first recorded as Ike and Tina Turner in 1960 after a singer failed to appear for a session, and the song, "A Fool in Love," became a #27 pop hit in 1960. Turner then developed an entire revue around the still teenaged Tina, with nine musicians and three scantily clad female background singers called the Ikettes. The Ike and Tina Turner Revue became a major soul act beginning in 1961 with such hits as "It's Gonna Work Out Fine" (#14 pop, #2 R&B), "Poor Fool" (#38 pop, #4 R&B), and "Tra La La La La" (#9 R&B) From the mid-Sixties on, they were major stars in England, where artists such as the Rolling Stones were unabashed fans. In 1966, producer Phil Spector produced what proved to be his last "Wall of Sound" single that was recorded by the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, "River Deep, Mountain High." It went to #3 in England, but did so poorly in the U.S. that Spector did not produce again until 1969. Ike and Tina continued to make pop hits into the late '60s, opening for the Rolling Stones on their 1969 tour. They were especially successful into the early '70s with steamy cover songs like "Come Together" (#57 pop, #21 R&B), "I Want To Take You Higher" (#34 pop, #25 R&B), and "Proud Mary" (#4 pop, #5 R&B). In 1973 "Nutbush City Limits," written by Tina, hit #4 in England and #13 R&B and #22 pop in the U.S. Two years later, she got her first movie role, playing the Acid Queen in one of the most memorable scenes of Ken Russell's film version of the Who's Tommy. Amidst it all, though, the Turners' marriage began to unravel as Ike grew more abusive and more addicted to cocaine. She had previously attempted to leave him multiple times, and in 1968 was so desperate to part ways with her abusive husband that she attempted suicide. After what she would call "one last bit or real violence," Tina fled -- literally, to a Ramada Inn in Dallas, where the couple was playing -- and asked her friend, actress Ann-Margret, for airfare to Los Angeles. Tina stayed with Ann-Margret, also her Tommy co-star, as Ike went looking for her; the couple would divorce in 1976. Tina's comeback began in earnest in 1981, when the Rolling Stones offered her a few opening spots on their U.S. tour. Around that time she also opened some shows for Rod Stewart and toured the world. In 1983, she landed a solo contract with Capitol Records and by year's end had a U.K. hit with her steamy cover of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together." Her U.S. breakthrough came with Private Dancer, a #3 album in 1984. The LP sold five million copies and included "Let's Stay Together," the #1 "What's Love Got to Do with It," and the Top 10 singles "Better Be Good To Me" and "Private Dancer." Ike was in prison on various cocaine charges when he and Tina were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in January 1991, and for Tina, the '90s served as an ongoing validation for her career. Her autobiography, I, Tina, was turned into a 1993 movie, What's Love Got to Do with It, starring Angela Bassett in the title role and Laurence Fishburne as Ike. "I Don't Wanna Fight," a new song included on that film's soundtrack, became Tina's last top 10 hit. She went on to win additional Grammys, for "Better Be Good to Me," a live album, and for her participation in Herbie Hancock's 2007 Joni Mitchell tribute album, River: The Joni Letters, on which Tina sang Mitchell's "Edith and the Kingpin. In 1999, Tina released what would be her final album, Twenty Four Seven, partly produced by the same team who worked on Cher's "Believe." The album didn't achieve the commercial success of the records that preceded it, but the accolades and recognition continued. In 2005, Ms. Turner was awarded a Kennedy Center Honor by then-president George W. Bush, with Beyoncé celebrating Ms. Turner with a rendition of "Proud Mary." Between 2008 and 2009, she embarked on a 50th anniversary tour. "Tina," a musical based on her life, premiered in London in 2018 and on Broadway the following year. In 1986, Ms. Turner met German music executive Erwin Bach, and the two became a couple soon after. The couple first lived in Germany before moving to Switzerland. In recent years, she suffered a stroke three weeks after their wedding in 2013, then developed intestinal cancer. In light of possible kidney failure, Bach donated a kidney to his wife in 2017. "I wondered if anyone would think that Erwin's living donation was transactional in some way," she wrote in her 2018 memoir My Love Story. "Incredibly, considering how long we had been together, there were still people who wanted to believe that Erwin married me for my money and fame." Reflecting on how she connected to an audience, Turner said to Rolling Stone in 1986, "My songs are a little bit of everybody's lives who are watching me. You gotta sing what they can relate to..." - Rolling Stone, 5/24/23.

In a recent appearance on ABC's Good Morning America, Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen described the shocking physical attack he underwent on Mar. 13 when a 19-year-old Ohio resident named Max Hartley allegedly "blindsided" him outside a Fort Lauderdale, Fla. hotel he was staying when Def Leppard was playing the city. "I heard a couple of steps and then I just saw this [flash] and the next thing I knew was I was on the ground," Allen told GMA. "I landed on my backside... hit my head on the pavement." Afraid he'd be attack again after being pushed down, Allen -- who lost his left arm after a 1984 car crash -- put up his right hand and told his alleged attacker, "I am no threat to you." "I don't think he knew who I was, but he must have seen that I wasn't a threat because, you know, I've only got one arm," said Allen. Local police arrested Hartley shortly after the alleged attack near the site of the assault, and also charged him with assaulting a woman who came to Allen's aid. Hartley was charged with two counts of battery and four of criminal mischief and abusing an elderly or disabled adult and has pleaded not guilty to all the charges. Allen said that he is coping by playing drums, specifically for the long-running band's first show since the attack, an intimate gig on May 22 in Sheffield, England. "I know that I'm not going to be playing music in a band forever," Allen told GMA. "But while I am, I plan on making as many people happy as I possibly can. And this is my time. This is my opportunity." - Billboard, 5/22/23...... Iconic R&B group The Spinners have donated some of their stage costumes to the Motown Museum in Detroit, the studio-turned-museum where they got their first big break. It "was a long time ago," Spinners co-founder Henry Farmbrough told reporters when he toured Motown's Studio A on May 19 as part of a ceremony that included the donation of 375 outfits worn by the group during performances over their long career. "I used to dream about this place," Farmbrough added, saying that he had to convince his wife that the studio was where he was going for 3 a.m. rehearsals and recording sessions with other members of the group. The Spinners' first big hit for Motown was "It's A Shame" in 1970, which peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. The Spinners would later sign with Atlantic Records and turn out a string of hits that included "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love," "Then Came You," "The Rubberband Man" and "Mighty Love." "Then Came You," which featured singer Dionne Warwick, reached No. 1 in 1974 on the Hot 100. Spinners songs have received six Grammy Award nominations, and they've earned 18 Platinum and Gold Albums, according to their official website. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame recently announced that The Spinners are among its class of 2023 inductees. Along with Fambrough, Billy Henderson, Pervis Jackson, Bobby Smith, Philipp Wynne and John Edwards are listed as inductees. Originally called The Domingoes, the group was formed in 1954 just north of Detroit in Ferndale, and in 1964, the group was recruited by Motown Records. The Motown Museum has announced it is currently expanding to a 50,000-square-foot (4,645-square-meter) entertainment and tourist destination called Hitsville NEXT. - Billboard, 5/20/23...... Citing "travel, equipment and logistical complications," organizers of KISS upcoming summer UK tour announced on May 22 that the band has cancelled the opening show of the tour. KISS had been set to begin the trek at the Home Park stadium in Plymouth on June 3, however a statement on the venue's website has now confirmed that the gig has been shelved. "Sadly, KISS and Robomagic, the show's promoter, have today announced that they are having to cancel the opening night of the upcoming KISS UK tour," it read. "Tickets can be refunded or exchanged for other UK shows. Fans have been directed to contact their point of purchase for further information," the statement added. A spokesperson for the venue said: "We are really sorry to hear that KISS can no longer perform at Home Park Stadium this summer." The UK leg of KISS' "End Of The Road" tour now comprises five dates, including a June 5 show at Birmingham's Resorts World Arena, a June 6 gig at Newcastle's Utilia Arena, and dates in London (7/5), Manchester (7/7) and Glasgow (7/8). - New Musical Express, 5/22/23...... Organizers of the 1980's-themed Cruel World Festival at Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., were forced to cancel sets by Iggy Pop and Siouxsie on May 20 due to severe weather conditions. Pop's set was cut short because of a surprise thunderstorm, and it would have been Siouxsie's first U.S. performance in 15 years. Both artists were rescheduled to perform on the next day of the festival. - Billboard, 5/21/23...... As the new Donna Summer documentary Love to Love You premeired on May 20 on premium TV channel HBO, an official trailer for the film has been shared on YouTube. "I have a secret life. You're looking at me, but what you see is not what I am," is just one of the illuminating self-reflections from the '70s disco queen peppered throughout the new doc, whose premiere coincides with the 11th anniversary of Summer's death from lung cancer on May 17, 2012. "The timing wasn't pre-planned," Summer's daughter and the film's co-director Brooklyn Sudano says, "but with the anniversary of her passing, it feels like a full-circle moment; like it was meant to be." As Williams also noted, her mom "was so much more than" the Queen of Disco." And through strikingly candid comments and recollections by family (including husband Bruce Sudano and daughters Mimi, Brooklyn and Amanda), creative colleagues (producer Giorgio Moroder), Summer herself and others, the documentary peels away the various layers underneath the star persona. The five-time Grammy Award winner was also a daughter, sister, wife, mother, abuse survivor, painter and a very spiritual being, all while wrestling with the demands and sacrifices that come with stardom. Just as insightful are the accompanying family home movies and backstage/on-the-road videos that Summer shot, as well as memory-evoking concert footage that underscores what a multi-talent she truly was. Asked what her mother's reaction would be after watching Love to Love You, Sudano says, "She would probably be laughing hysterically and saying, 'See I told you so,' because she always called me 'the reporter.' As a kid, I was always the great sharer of news at the dinner table. So it seems appropriate that my first film report is on her. [Laughs] But I think she'd be very proud." - Billboard, 5/19/23...... Cher marked her 77th birthday on May 20 by posing a rhetorical question to her 3.9 million Twitter followers. "OK, will someone please tell me... when will I feel old? This is ridiculous," the "Believe" singer wrote, before adding, "I keep hearing these numbers, but honestly, I can't understand them. What's the deal?" Cher then confessed: "I'm dyslexic, numbers are hard for me," before closing out by showing gratitude to her fans: "Thank you for staying, I know it's been hard, got to go work out." The post was Cher's first presence on Twitter since she split with her 37-year-old boyfriend, Universal executive Alexander Edwards, in March. The pair had reportedly been dating since Nov. 2022 and had sparked rumours of an engagement before separating. "On paper, it's kind of ridiculous," the "Gypsy, Tramps and Thieves" diva admitted of her relationship during a previous appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show. "But in real life, we get along great. He's fabulous. And I don't give men qualities that they don't deserve." - Music-News.com, 5/21/23...... Esteemed British actor Benedict Cumberbatch has been confirmed to be playing folk singer and Bob Dylan mentor Pete Seeger in the upcoming Dylan biopic, Complete Unknown. Deadline.com confirmed the news following a screening of Complete Unknown director James Mangold's latest film, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, at the Cannes Film Festival. Mangold also told Deadline that Elle Fanning is also set to star in the film. Seeger, who died in 2014, had a significant impact on Dylan's musical upbringing, from the perspectives of both music and activism. In turn, Seeger was an early supporter of Dylan, helping to facilitate his debut album with Columbia Records, and he also invited Dylan to play at Newport Folk Festival (where Seeger served as a board member). Complete Unknown is set to chronicle Dylan's early career until his arrival in New York City. Timothée Chalamet has been tapped for the lead role and is set to do all his own singing, while Monica Barbaro has also signed on to play Joan Baez, one of the first major artists to record his songs in the early 1960s. Mangold has previously worked on the Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line in 2004. In 2007's Dylan dramatization I'm Not There, the rock bard was portrayed by the likes of Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett and the late Heath Ledger. - NME, 5/20/23...... The original album cover artwork for the Rolling Stones' 1974 album It's Only Rock and Roll created by Guy Peellart will be one of the pieces sold on Gotta Have Rock and Roll's (GHRR) first art auction. Peellaert was first involved with the Rolling Stones in his first book, Rock Dreams. Since the book depicts the Stones in less than a desirable light, Peellart captured the attention of the band and despite his negative depiction, they hired him to do the album artwork for their most recent project: It's Only Rock 'n Roll. The IORR album cover depicts the five band members descending a long staircase surrounded by "fans." Peellaert happily experimented as a painter, illustrator, graphic artist and photographer. Through the multiple mediums Peelaert implemented, his art created a dark side to the Pop Art movement. In 1974, Elle magazine called him "the Michelangelo of Pop," a testament to his influential and collectable art, which remains in great demand today. Although not a science, the artistic methodology for the IORR album cover followed a specifically formulated process originating in photographic material. Due to the need for photos, Peellaert collected thousands of photographs of rock personalities, celebrities' faces, body parts, backgrounds, objects and other items of potential interest. In time this would grow into an archive of staggering size. To prepare for the final artwork, Peelaert started by creating a rough sketch of the future composition, similar to storyboarding a one-image movie. After outlining the graphic, Peelaert then painted the backgrounds and settings. The minimum bid for the cover in the auction, which is being conducted on the GottaHaveRockandRoll.com website through June 2, begins at $100,000, and is predicted to go for over $200,000. - Music-News.com, 5/22/23...... Holding a press conference on May 17 ahead of his upcoming North American tour with his All Starr Band, Ringo Starr says he's "ready to rock." Sir Ringo, 82, is finally set to embark on his delayed 22-date jaunt, which he cancelled due to coming down with Covid-19 for a second time in 2022. The legendary former Beatles drummer has insisted he has never found touring or performing live to be "gruelling." "It's not gruelling playing. It's never been gruelling. I love to play. I love to play with these guys," he said. On his stamina, he continued: "I didn't think of it. I was just doing it. Yeah, it's been a long time ... I mean, 34 years with a couple of years' break because of the pandemic, but it's what I do. I love to play and I love to play with great musicians and I love to play great songs, and I get all of that from these guys." Starr kicked off the tour on May 19 in Temecula, Calif., and says he also has a country EP in the works with T-Bone Burnett, one of three new EP's he's working on. "[I said] if he's got any time and wants to do it... Well, he did want to do it, and he sent me, I promise you, one of the most beautiful country songs, tracks, I've heard in a long time. It's very old school country. It's beautiful. So I thought, 'Hey, I'm gonna make a country EP!'" One of the other EPs is a collaboration with legendary singer-songwriter Linda Perry, who has penned hits for Christina Aguilera and Gwen Stefani. "I just felt EPs, you could sort of look at it in a serious way and you can do it in a month. An album does take longer, so (EPs are) what I've been doing," Starr added. His 20-date tour is set to wrap on Sept. 23 in Kansas City. - Music-News.com, 5/18/23...... In other Beatles-related news, a rare first pressing of the Fab Four's classic 1968 The Beatles album (aka "the White Album") has been donated to charity. The British Heart Foundation said on May 17 that the 1968 album, which included the original inserts and a fold-out poster, was given to its Sutton Coldfield branch. It is thought to be particularly rare as it contains a misprint unique to the first version of the record, of which there are only 10,000 copies. The charity has listed it on eBay, with bids starting at £999.99. Fans will be able to bid until the auction closes on May 22. "Our music and vinyl experts were thrilled when this valuable piece of music history was donated to the BHF," Richard Pallier, from the charity, told BBC. He also confirmed that the album was in "good condition" despite being over 50 years old. - NME, 5/17/23...... The Sex Pistols announced on their official site on May 20 that they'll be releasing a new 7" replica single of their iconic debut "Anarchy in the UK" on June 9. "A 7" replica of UK single but in coloured vinyl officially for the first time. Red vinyl No. limited edition of 4576 copies," the announcement read. The site said the record, being released via the UMR label, would also feature a B-side of "I Wanna Be Me." Singer John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten, 67, guitarist Steve Jones, also 67, drummer Paul Cook and bassist Glen Matlock, both 66, kicked off their punk careers with the 1976 anthem. It will be the first ever release of the single on coloured vinyl. The Sex Pistols reunited in 1996 for two years, and again between 2002 and 2003, before going their separates after another year's reunion between 2007 and 2008. To this day, the irreverent rockers have been embroiled in legal wrangles, with Lydon recently taking his ex- bandmates to court over the use of the group's music in Danny Boyle's miniseries on the band titled Pistol. - Music-News.com, 5/21/23...... Former Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young member Graham Nash has released a new YouTube video of "A Better Life," the first single from his latest solo album, Now. "I find myself in between totally in love and totally pissed off," Nash recently told Billboard from his Manhattan apartment. "I'm still here, writing," adds Nash, 81, who co-produced Now with his touring keyboardist Todd Caldwell. "I'm still trying to figure out what the world is about, what the climate change is about, what the political scene is about throughout the world, and the rise of the right wing. I'm just gonna keep doing what I do. I write. I make records. It's simple." Now includes several straightforward love songs amidst hard topical jabs such as "Golden Idols" and "Stars and Stripes." On the LP's oldest track, "I Watched It All Come Down," Nash deals with a particularly complicated part of his life -- his occasionally turbulent relationships with David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Young. Singing over a string quintet arranged by Caldwell, Nash again blends affection and anger, lamenting that "I watched it all come down/To a paper weight at the business end of town/Loaded up and loaded down/It's a mess, a mess." "Basically, it's about my delight with the music that we made all these years and dissatisfaction because we could've done more," Nash explains. How so? "More songs -- more great songs," he notes. But mostly, Nash adds, "I just want people to know you can still rock at 81. I'm 81 now, for f--k's sake! Holy sh-t! And I'm very happy in my life. I've been around a long time, as you know. I've made some fine music in my life, with my fantastic musical partners. And I feel there's still more of it coming." - Billboard, 5/19/23...... Jimmy Buffett informed his Parrothead nation via Facebook on May 18 that a planned May 20 concert in Charleston, S.C. with his Coral Reefer Band was being cancelled due to undisclosed medical issues he is currently undergoing "that need immediate attention." Buffett, 76, said the show at Credit One Stadium would be rescheduled with all tickets honored for the new date, writing, "These few words from Mark Twain about life changes, seemed perfect to pass on at this time. "Challenges," he said, "make life interesting, however overcoming them is what makes life meaningful... I had a sudden change of plans this week that affected us all." Buffett, who added that "growing old is not for sissies," postponed or canceled his five remaining 2022 tour dates in Sept. of last year due to an unspecified medical issues that required a brief hospitalization. - Billboard, 5/19/23...... Country superstar Garth Brooks revealed that he "once showered" with Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler during an appearance on the syndicated Kelly Clarkson Show on May 18. Brooks regaled Clarkson with the story, which happened back in 2008 when he and Tyler performed with Billy Joel during Joel's historic final shows at New York's Shea Stadium. "I showered with him," Brooks said nonchalantly, as Clarkson was pointing out that he'd covered one of Aerosmith's songs in the past. "Did you say 'I showered with him'?" a baffled Clarkson responded once she registered what her pal had revealed. "So we're playin' The Last Play at Shea, Billy Joel. They're gettin' ready to tear down Shea Stadium [in] New York," Brooks continued. "And I go out there and I'm late anyway, and they have just the baseball showers. I'm in there showering, gettin' ready for the show. And I have soap in my eyes, I look around and there's Steven Tyler. He's showerin' too. [Waves] 'Hey! How ya doin'?' And so it was... How many people get to say that?" Brooks added, to which Clarkson hilariously rejoined, "Well, who knows? Who knows, he's rock and roll, I don't know! You might not be so special, Garth." Brooks' interview with Clarkson can be viewed on YouTube. - Billboard, 5/18/23...... A Manhattan federal judge ruled on May 16 that a transatlantic legal battle between Jimi Hendrix's estate and his former bandmates is going to be fought primarily in London -- at least for now. The two dueling camps -- Hendrix's estate and Sony Music on one side and the estates of bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell on the other -- have each filed their own lawsuit on opposite sides of the Atlantic over control of the rights to music created by the trio's Jimi Hendrix Experience. After a year of jockeying over which case should take precedence, Judge Ronnie Abrams ruled that it should be Redding and Mitchell's U.K. lawsuit. "The litigation centers on estate matters in England, general release documents located in England, and copyright and intellectual property rights under English law," Abrams wrote. "It can thus hardly be said that the courts of England are not an adequate forum." Hendrix teamed up with Redding and Mitchell in 1966 to form the Experience, and the trio went on to release a number of now-iconic songs before Hendrix's death, including "All Along The Watchtower," which spent nine weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968 and peaked at No. 20. The current fight kicked off in 2021, when Redding and Mitchell's heirs sent a letter in the U.K. claiming they own a stake in Hendrix's music and arguing that they're owed millions in royalties. The Hendrix estate and Sony responded a month later by filing their own lawsuit in New York federal court, arguing that Redding and Mitchell signed away their rights shortly after the legendary rocker died in 1970, in exchange for "significant monetary consideration." But for over a year, the two sides have been duking it out over which case should proceed first. The Hendrix estate and Sony say the contractual releases, which will play a central role in the case, were all signed in New York as part of probate proceedings in that state. But Redding and Mitchell's heirs have claimed the estate is merely trying to "circumvent" English courts to win a friendly judge in America. In April, a London appeals court ruled that the U.K. case could proceed, regardless of what happened in New York. That ruling said that the New York releases might indeed end up being the "central aspect in the dispute," but that the British case also dealt with broader issues of English law. Following the ruling, an attorney for the Hendrix estate told Billboard: "We're going to pursue our rights in the U.K., and when the case in the UK is resolved, we're going to pursue our rights in the U.S." - Billboard, 5/19/23...... Ruling on a case that record labels and publishers called "critical to the American music industry," the U.S. Supreme Court said on May 18 that pop art icon Andy Warhol violated a photographer's copyrights when he used her images of late funk/rock legend Prince to create one of his distinctive screen prints. By a seven to two vote, the high court ruled that Warhol did not make legal "fair use" of photos of Prince snapped by Lynn Goldsmith, a trailblazing rock-and-roll photographer who also captured images of Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen. Attorneys for the late artist had warned that creators must be able to re-use earlier works and that a loss would "chill" creativity. But Justice Sonia Sotomayor said that Warhol had used the photo for largely the same commercial purpose as Goldsmith -- and had offered little compelling reason for doing so. "Lynn Goldsmith's original works, like those of other photographers, are entitled to copyright protection, even against famous artists," the justice wrote. The ruling is the first time in more than three decades the justices have ruled on how creative works are covered by fair use. The last time the court did so was a landmark 1991 decision upholding 2 Live Crew's bawdy parody of Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman." - Billboard, 5/18/23...... Sting and Jamaican born reggae singer Shaggy will launch a "One Fine Day" music festival in Philadelphia at The Mann in Fairmoutn Park on Sept. 9. Sting and Shaggy, whose joint album 44/876 won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 2019, have been fast friends and collaborators for the last several years. The duo will headline the main stage at the festival, performing their biggest hits, including "Every Breath You Take, "Message in a Bottle, "Boombastic" and "Angel," both together and trading off on songs. The Sept. 9 appearance marks the only time the two will perform together in 2023. The full lineup can be viewed on Instagram. In other festival news, Homecoming, the festival created by The National in their hometown of Cincinnati, Oh., has announced the line-up for its 2023 edition, with Patti Smith among the headliners. The two-day event returns to Smale Park on Sep.15 and 16 and will, as ever, be headlined by the band themselves, who will play two unique headline sets. It will also play host to the likes of Smith, Pavement and The Walkmen. Billboard/NME, 5/16/23...... English songwriter/poet Pete Brown, who co-wrote "Sunshine of Your Love" and "White Room" for the short-lived Eric Clapton-led rock supergroup Cream in the 1960s, died of cancer in London on May 20, according to his Facebook page. He was 82. A poet who worked in the same circles as Allen Ginsberg and Spike Milligan, Mr. Brown was asked by drummer Ginger Baker to help write songs for Cream, a band he had formed with guitarist Eric Clapton and bass player Jack Bruce. He also helped write the group's song, "I Feel Fine," and formed a songwriting partnership with Bruce after Cream broke up that lasted more than four decades. He also fronted a number of his own projects, including The First Real Poetry Band, Pete Brown And His Battered Ornaments, and Piblokto. He also collaborated with blues musician Graham Bond and Procol Harum, and published a number of poetry books. He also moved into script writing with his credits including the screenplay for children's film Felix the Cat: The Movie in 1988. In 2010 he wrote a memoir, White Rooms & Imaginary Westerns, and earlier in 2023, he completed sessions for a planned solo album, entitled Shadow Club, featuring Clapton and others. Director Martin Scorsese was among his many admirers, deploying many of his Cream songs in films such as Goodfellas and Casino. "Pete was a great songwriter. Whenever the lyrics are repeated in my head & these images stay with me," Scorsese said in the trailer for an as-yet-unreleased documentary about Brown. - NME, 5/20/23...... Pro football legend Jim Brown, arguably the greatest player in NFL history and a champion for social activism throughout and long after his football career ended with the Cleveland Browns, died peacefully on the evening of May 18 at his home in Hollywood Hills, Calif. He was 87, and his wife, Monique, confirmed the death the following day on Instagram. "To the world, he was an activist, actor and football star," Monique Brown wrote on Instagram. "To our family, he was a loving and wonderful husband, father and grandfather. Our hearts are broken." Mr. Brown, who led the Browns to the NFL championship in 1964, was undoubtedly one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century. Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971, Mr. Brown retired as the NFL's all-time leading rusher (12,312 yards) after earning eight unanimous first-team all-pro selections and nine Pro Bowl honors during nine NFL seasons. A four-time NFL MVP and eight-time rushing champ, he averaged 104.3 rushing yards per game -- and never missed a game. His impact as a social activist was also profound. In 1988, he founded Amer-I-Can, an organization that assisted former prison inmates in developing life skills that aided their transition after serving sentences. Among many social service endeavors, Mr. Brown was also committed to reducing violence by gang members and took a hands-on role with efforts to create a truce between rival gangs in Los Angeles. Born on Feb. 17, 1936 in San Simons Island, Ga., Mr. Brown was raised by his grandmother during his early years. At age 8, he moved to Manhasset, Long Island, where his mother was a domestic worker. The Cleveland Browns drafted Mr. Brown sixth overall in 1957. En route to NFL Rookie of the Year honors, Mr. Brown set a then-NFL single-game rushing record with 237 yards that also stood as the league's rookie record for 40 years. Decades later, Mr. Brown was still connected to the team that he starred for. Since 2008, he served as an executive advisor and special advisor to the Browns. He is also depicted in a statue outside the team's home stadium that was erected in 2016. "Jim was one of the reasons the Browns have such a tremendous fan base today," Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement released by the team. "So many people grew up watching him just dominate every time he stepped onto the football field, but his countless accolades on the field only tell a small part of his story." - USA Today, 5/19/23.