Posted by Administrator on March 2nd, 2024
Organizers of the 2024 BST Hyde Park Show in London announced on Feb. 29 that Stevie Nicks will be joining the already power-packed lineup for the July 12 concert in Hyde Park. "Anything that draws me back to London -- and therefore to England -- fills my heart with joy," Nicks, 75, said in a statement. "And to be able to visit and make music... is always a dream come true." The concert, with support acts to be named later, will be former Fleetwood Mac frontwoman's first show in the U.K. in seven years; she previously performed at BST in 2017 in support of her old friend and duet partner Tom Petty. Nicks will be on the road throughout 2024, including a Mar. 3 headlining show in Omaha, Neb., as well as a run of co-headlining stadium gigs with longtime pal Billy Joel on Mar. 9 show at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tex. and June 21 at Chicago's Soldier Field. - Billboard, 2/29/24...... 
Keith Richards has covered the Lou Reed classic "I'm Waiting For the Man" ahead of the release of a new tribute album in honor of Reed. The track is one of Reed's earliest works which appeared on The Velvet Underground's 1967 debut, The Velvet Underground & Nico. "To me, Lou stood out. The real deal! [He was] important to American music and to ALL MUSIC! I miss him and his dog," Richards said in a statement. The cover is the first song to be released from the forthcoming Reed tribute album The Power of the Heart, which also features contributions from Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Rosanne Cash, The Afghan Whigs, and Lucinda Williams and more. Produced in partnership with Reed's widow, Laurie Anderson, and the Lou Reed Archive, The Power of the Heart is set for release on Apr. 20 via Light in the Attic Records. Richards' cover of "I'm Waiting For the Man" has been shared on YouTube. - NME, 3/1/24...... A new book featuring unreleased interviews with The Beatles, All You Need Is Love: The Beatles in Their Own Words, has already made Amazon.com's bestsellers charts as a No. 1 new release, even though it won't officially be available to buy online until Apr. 9. Written by Peter Brown and Steven Gaines -- who have both worked with, and written about the Fab Four for years -- All You Need Is Love features unreleased interviews with the band members, as well as new interviews with people who were close to the group, including ex-wives Cynthia Lennon, Pattie Harrison Clapton and Maureen Starkey, as well as "the major social and business figures of the Beatles' inner circle" according to a press release, which adds that "Only a small portion of the contents of these transcribed interviews have ever been revealed." Brown and Gaines previously collaborated together back in 1983 when they authored the bestseller The Love You Make: An Insider's Story of the Beatles, which detailed the rise of the band and their oftentimes complicated relationships with one another. - Billboard, 2/26/24...... In other Beatles-related news, music producer Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse, the Barbie soundtrack) says he "called in some favors" to encourage the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to induct his stepfather Mick Jones' famous rock band, Foreigner, into the Rock Hall in 2024. Appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Feb. 26, Ronson revealed he put together a compilation of videos from famous friends vocalizing their support for the rock band, including Paul McCartney. "I called in some favors. So there's some people I've met along the way making music myself that I knew were fans of Foreigner, like Jack Black and Dave Grohl and Slash." But when he got the former Beatles' superstar's submission, he said he was shocked to find that it was somewhat off-color. Fallon then rolled the clip, self-filmed by McCartney in his car. "Foreigner not in the Hall of Fame? What the f--k?," Macca succinctly declares in the video before abruptly ending the recording. "I've never heard Paul McCartney curse," said Ronson. "He's a knight! I don't want to be the first person to ever post a video of Paul McCartney dropping the f-bomb." Sir Paul's video can be viewed on X, while Ronson's full interview with Fallon is available on YouTube. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductions are set to be announced in late April. Meanwhile, Foreigner's big moment continues as another late night host, Jimmy Kimmel, has tweaked Foreigner's 1977 breakthrough hit "Feels Like the First Time" in a new ad for Kimmel's upcoming fourth time hosting the Academy Awards, set for Mar. 10. The copy line of the ad, which can be viewed on Instagram, reads "Feels Like the Very Fourth Time," since this is Kimmel's fourth time as host. In other McCartney news, it has been revealed by Japanese composer Koji Kondo that McCartney once brought him backstage to sing the iconic Super Mario Bros. for him. In an interview with the Washington Post, Kondo said he and Super Mario Bros. creator Shigeru Miyamoto went to see Paul in 1986 while he was touring Japan. After learning they were in the audience, Paul and his wife Linda invited them backstage. Upon meeting Kondo and Miyamoto, the first thing the McCartneys did was sing the first six notes of the Super Mario Bros. theme (available on YouTube). It was an "incredible moment," said Kondo. In 2014, McCartney wrote the song "Hope For The Future" for online shooter Destiny, alongside several of game's main themes. There is also speculation more McCartney music may feature in Destiny 2's The Final Shape soundtrack, which is set for release in June. - Billboard/New Musical Express, 2/27/24...... 
The trailer for the forthcoming Paul Simon special on the premium streamer MGM+, In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon, has been shared on YouTube. In the two-part series, Simon dives into his songwriting legacy and the high points of his nearly seven-decade career in music. In addition to taking viewers behind the scenes of the making of his 2023 album Seven Psalms, the Alex Gibney-helmed doc promises to include never-before-seen footage from throughout the 82-year-old Simon's storied career, from his days in Simon & Garfunkel to the global success of his landmark 1986 world music album Graceland. "I've never wanted to be anything other than a singer and songwriter," says Simon, author of such indelible hits as "Homeward Bound," "The Sound of Silence" (which includes the line "In restless dreams" which provided the title of this doc), "Mrs. Robinson," "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" and "Loves Me Like a Rock." In Restless Dreams, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023, will bow as a two-part series on MGM+ on Mar. 17 and 24. - Billboard, 2/29/24...... John Fogerty says that he's "in total shock" over the recent announcement by Australia's Country Fest Queensland festival that mysteriously canceled his scheduled performance. On Feb. 27, the festival announced that his performance was canceled due to "unforeseen circumstances." I'm bewildered," Fogerty told Billboard, sounding jovial but confused. "I still remain able and ready and willing to do this show. I take the commitment of playing for the fans very seriously. Throughout my career, practically my whole life, there's hardly ever been a cancelation." His performance, which had been scheduled for the weekend of Mar. 30, would have marked the Creedence Clearwater Revival founder's first show in Australia in more than a decade. Fogerty and his team maintain that they have not been made aware of any reason for the sudden change. "I really don't know a lot," he says. "I was happy to be coming down to Australia to play. It sounded like a really fun event." Soon after Country Fest announced that Fogerty was no longer part of the billing, Fogerty posted a statement on Instagram. "I was ready to celebrate with you all for my one and only show this year in Australia when the Country Fest Queensland blindsided me yesterday by canceling my appearance," it read. "It was posted that I would not be appearing due to unforeseen circumstances. Well, I can tell you, my friends, I was not the reason for the 'unforeseen circumstances.'" Country Fest has since shared a follow-up statement claiming that negotiations with Fogerty's team "did not reach a final outcome," however Fogerty maintains his contract was signed and fully agreed upon in mid-January. "Everything was normal as far as I knew," he says. - Billboard, 2/28/24...... After first expressing disappointment that rapper Kanye West had allegedly used an unauthorized interpolation of Donna Summer's 1977 hit "I Feel Love" in his new song "Good (Don't Die)" in early February, Summer's estate formally sued West for copyright infringement on Feb. 27 in federal court in Los Angeles. The suit alleges that representatives of West had asked permission to use Summer's song, however West was rejected because the Summer estate "wanted no association with West's controversial history." West and his collaborator Ty Dolla $ign have been accused of "shamelessly" including re-recorded parts of the hit that were "instantly recognizable" on the song from his new Vultures 1 album. The suit, filed by Summer's husband Bruce Sudano in his role as executor of the estate, states: "In the face of this rejection, defendants arrogantly and unilaterally decided they would simply steal 'I Feel Love' and use it without permission." The lawsuit names both West and Ty as defendants, as well as Yeezy Record Label, LLC, the company Yzy Snd, and 10 Does. It seeks an injunction to prevent any further circulation of the song, with damages to be determined at a trial. The defendants are yet to respond to the suit. Meanwhile, Ozzy Osbourne has reflected on standing up to West in a similar situation in a new interview with Rolling Stone magazine. In early February, Ozzy claimed he turned down Kanye's request to use a sample of the 1971 Black Sabbath track "Iron Man." "With the current state of affairs, you don't need anybody starting people on discrimination of any kind," said Osbourne, 75-year-old. "It's wrong. It's just wrong. There's enough f--king aggravation, and he shouldn't say anything (like what he has)," he continued. "It's wrong if you don't say anything about him. I don't want any of my work in any shape or form to be associated with anything like that." In late 2022, West made a series of anti-semitic remarks, including comments praising Adolf Hitler, which led to the termination of numerous commercial partnerships. He later apologized. - NME/Music-News.com, 2/28/24...... Such '70s artists as Melissa Manchester, Barry Manilow, Carlos Santana and Dionne Warwick will be among the lineup paying tribute to music industry icon Clive Davis in late April. "The Soundtrack of Our Lives: A Tribute to the Legendary Clive Davis" will take place on Apr. 29 at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage in New York. According to a release from The New York Pops on Instagram announcing the special night of music, the lineup (which also includes Babyface, Toni Braxton, Busta Rhymes and Kenny G, among others) will "showcase Mr. Davis' immense impact on the worlds of Pop, Rock and Roll, R&B, Country and Hip-Hop through a wide array of musical selections." It noted that throughout his nearly six-decade career in the music industry, Davis, 91, has won four Grammys, as well as a Trustees Award from the Recording Academy and a 2000 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2010, the theater at The Grammy Museum at L.A. Live was named in Davis' honor. Davis' storied career as a record producer, record executive and A&R man has included stints at the top of Columbia Records, RCA Music Group and BMG North America and the founding of Arista Records and J Records, as well as the landmark singings of such music legends as Janis Joplin, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Aerosmith, Pink Floyd and Chicago, as well as a key role in boosting Whitney Houston to global prominence. - Billboard, 2/28/24...... 
Auction house Christie's announced on Feb. 26 that it will host an online auction of items from the personal collection of British model and photographer Pattie Boyd, who once served as a muse for both George Harrison and Eric Clapton. Hailing Boyd as "one of the greatest muses in rock history" in a press release, Christie's noted that she inspired a plethora of songs between the two musicians, including Harrison's Beatles song "Something" and Clapton's classic "Layla." Boyd was married to Harrison during the peak of Beatlemania, the band's foray into psychedelia and post-breakup (1966-1977). Clapton, a close friend of Harrison's, pursued Boyd for years via a series of love letters, some of which are available at the auction. "I am writing this note to you, with the main purpose of ascertaining your feelings toward a subject well known to both of us," he opens one letter. "What I wish to ask you is if you still love your husband, or if you have another lover? All these questions are very impertinent I know, but if there is still a feeling in your heart for me... you must let me know!" By 1974, upon discovering his multitude of extramarital affairs, Boyd left Harrison. Five years later, she and Clapton married, eventually splitting in 1987 due to substance abuse issues and infidelity. For her part, Boyd believes auctioning off these items (which include photos of herself, Harrison and Clapton, as well as postcards, telegrams and letters) is a part of her healing journey. "I thought, 'Do I need them? Do I need to keep going into Pandora's Box?' I've enjoyed them for many, many years, and now it's time for other people to see and enjoy them. It's only right I should pass them on," she mused to Christie's, where items will be on display at Christie's in London from Mar. 15-22. The online auction occurs between Mar. 8-21. - Billboard, 2/27/24...... As shooting begins on the new Michael Jackson biopic Michael, Lionsgate and Universal Pictures have reported that two sets of four actors have been cast to play the King of Pop's brothers in the Jackson 5 -- Jermaine, Marlon, Tito and Jackie -- to represent the group as they age in the film. "The truly epic nature of this film required a total of 10 actors with the talent to portray the Jackson 5 through the years," says Michael producer Graham King in a press release. "I'm thrilled to bring this extraordinary group of actors and performers to worldwide audiences in this film," he adds. Jaafar Jackson will portray his late uncle Michael in the film alongside Nia Long, set to play Katherine Jackson, and Oscar nominee Colman Domingo, who is set to play the controversial Jackson family patriarch, Joe Jackson. Nine-year-old actor Juliano Krue Valdi will portray Michael during his formative years in the Jackson 5. Michael is currently scheduled for release on Apr. 18, 2025. - Billboard, 2/27/24...... Journey announced on their X page on Feb. 27 that they'll kick off a 50th anniversary tour of the UK and Ireland this autumn in Cardiff's Utilita Arena on Oct. 30, followed by stops in Glasgow (11/2), Belfast (11/4), Dublin (11/5), Manchester (11/8), Leeds (11/9), Liverpool (11/11), Birmingham (11/13) and Newcastle (11/6) before wrapping at London's O2 Arena on Nov. 17. "It's been too long since we've seen you all!" said guitarist Neal Schon in a statement. "We are all very excited to be coming back to the UK and playing with our good friends Cheap Trick, who I've known and played with since the '70s. It's going to be a great party for all!" The run follows a lengthy trek across the US which will include a massive stadium tour with Def Leppard which gets underway in July. Journey's most recent album was 2022's Freedom, their first full-length LP in over a decade. - NME, 2/27/24...... Willie Nelson announced on Feb. 27 his latest Outlaw Music Festival Tour will launch June 21 in Alpharatta, Ga. -- and this one might be the most star-studded one yet. The tour will feature Nelson's band Willie Nelson & Family, Bob Dylan, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss and John Mellencamp, along with Brittney Spencer, Celisse and Southern Avenue on various dates throughout the tour. Country singer Billy Strings, who just headlined three Nashville shows, will join the tour for a special concert outside Seattle, Washington at The Gorge. "This year's Outlaw Music Festival Tour promises to be the biggest and best yet with this lineup of legendary artists. I am thrilled to get back on the road again with my family and friends playing the music we love for the fans we love," Nelson, 90, said in a statement. The Outlaw Music Festival made its debut in 2016 in Scranton, Penn. The sold-out show garnered so much acclaim that organizers Blackbird Presents, Mark Rothbaum and Nelson developed it into a hugely-popular touring franchise that has welcomed artists including Chris Stapleton, Neil Young, Luke Combs, Van Morrison, ZZ Top, Sheryl Crow, Eric Church, Bonnie Raitt and more over the years. - Billboard, 2/27/24...... 
Appearing in Manhattan Criminal Court on Feb. 26, Don Henley denied that he ever gave away handwritten pages of draft lyrics to "Hotel California" and other Eagles hits, calling them "very personal" in testimony that also delved into an ugly but unrelated episode: his 1980 arrest. Henley, the 76-year-old Grammy-winning co-founder of one of the most successful bands in rock history, is prosecutors' star witness in an unusual criminal trial surrounding the lyrics sheets. Henley says they were stolen decades ago from his barn in Malibu, Calif., and that he was appalled when the material began turning up at auctions in 2012. "It just wasn't something that was for public viewing. It was our process. It was something very personal, very private," he said in a raspy drawl. "I still wouldn't show that to anybody." The defendants are three collectibles experts who bought the pages years later through a writer who had worked with the Eagles on a never-published band biography. The defense maintains that Henley willingly gave them to the scribe. Under cross-examination, Henley acknowledged that he didn't remember "the entirety" of his conversations with the writer, Ed Sanders, who isn't charged in the case. Nor, Henley said, could he recall whether he gave Sanders permission to take the documents off the property. But Henley insisted he gave Sanders only access to the documents, not permanent possession of them, in the hopes that a firsthand view of "the time and effort that went into" the lyrics would improve the book. He said he told Sanders he could look at the pages, ideally at a breakfast table in an apartment upstairs from the barn. "I never gave him permission to keep those items," Henley said. At issue are about 100 sheets of legal-pad paper inscribed with lyrics-in-the-making for multiple songs on the Hotel California album, including "Life in the Fast Lane," "New Kid in Town" and the title track that turned into one of the most durable hits in rock. Famed for its lengthy guitar solo and puzzlingly poetic lyrics, the song still gets streamed hundreds of millions of times a year. The defendants -- rare-book dealer Glenn Horowitz and rock memorabilia specialists Craig Inciardi and Edward Kosinski -- have pleaded not guilty to charges including criminally possessing stolen property. Their lawyers say there was nothing illegal in what happened to the lyrics sheets. The defense has signaled that it plans to question Henley about how clearly he remembers his conversations with Sanders during an era in which the rocker was living in his own fast lane. In an apparent attempt to defuse some of those questions, a prosecutor brought up Henley's 1980 arrest. Henley pleaded no contest in 1981 to a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, after authorities found cocaine, quaaludes, marijuana and a naked 16-year-old girl suffering from an overdose at his Los Angeles home the prior November. He was sentenced to probation and a $2,500 fine, and he requested a drug education program to get some possession charges dismissed. Henley testified that he'd been depressed about the Eagles 1980 breakup and had sought "an escape" by calling for a sex worker that night. "I made a poor decision which I regret to this day," he said. As for his memory, he said, "I can't tell you what I had for breakfast last Friday morning, but I can tell you where we stayed when we played Wembley in 1975 and we opened for Elton John and the Beach Boys," referring to London's Wembley Stadium. - AP, 2/26/24...... Rod Stewart and his latest collaborator Jools Holland are on track for a No. 1 UK album with their latest covers collection gathering songs from the big band era, Swing Fever. The LP leads the midweek Official Chart Update, and is set to become Stewart's 11th No. 1 album, and first since You're In My Heart led the tally back in Dec. 2019. Holland has never nabbed top spot on the Official U.K. Chart. Should it top the chart, Swing Fever would see Stewart move up to 10th on the U.K.'s list of artists with the most career No. 1s, and into equal fifth among solo acts with the most leaders. - Billboard, 2/26/24...... 
The Bizarre column in the UK paper The Sun is reporting that Mercury Songs Limited, which owns late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury's solo works, has filed to trademark his moniker for 3D and virtual reality, giving rise to speculation that a new Freddie Mercury hologram show could be in the works. According to the filing, it covers "immersive 3D virtual, augmented, and mixed reality experiences" for "virtual environments." Queen have already performed with an illusion of Freddie at their concerts. Guitarist Sir Brian May, 76, wept after performing a duet of "Love Of My Life" with an optical illusion of Mercury during Queen + Adam Lambert's "Rhapsody Tour" in 2022, however May has said he would prefer that a Queen hologram show similar to ABBA's successful Voyage show in London happen after he and his bandmates have gone on to join Mercury in the next world. "When we're all gone, yeah sure, make an ABBA thing about us, but while we're here I want to play live," May said during an appearance on The Graham Norton Radio Show podcast in 2023. Mercury died at the age of 45 in 1991 from bronchial pneumonia, a complication of AIDS. - Music-News.com, 2/27/24...... The death of beloved comedian/actor Richard Lewis on Feb. 27 after suffering a heart attack has prompted online messages of condolences from the likes of Ringo Starr, Peter Frampton and Bette Midler. "Comedian/Actor Richard Lewis passed away peacefully at his home in Los Angeles last night after suffering a heart attack," his rep, Jeff Abraham, shared the news via a statement. "His wife, Joyce Lapinsky, thanks everyone for all the love, friendship and support and asks for privacy at this time." Lewis quickly became a fan favorite over 40 episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm, including the 2000 pilot episode. In 2021, he announced that he would not return to the series in order to recover from three surgeries, though he ended up making a one-scene appearance in season 11. He ended up returning for the now-airing final season of the HBO program. "God bless, Richard Lewis peace and love to Joyce peace and love," Ringo Starr posted on X on Feb. 28, while Peter Frampton posted that "I just heard we have lost the great and wonderful Richard Lewis. We've been friends for over 30years. I'll really miss you my friend. I love you @TheRichardLewis rip." Bette Midler posted "On a sad note, the great Richard Lewis has died." - Billboard, 2/28/24.
Billy Joel and Sting wasted no time jamming together when they kicked off their co-headlining show at Tampa, Fla.'s Raymond James Stadium on Feb. 24. Opener Sting immediately brought out Joel for a duet of The Police hit "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic." While the surprise duet to start the night was undoubtedly a big event in itself, the Tampa Bay Times reports that a big chunk of the night's audience were unable to catch it as they were stuck in traffic outside the stadium. Fortunately, these unlucky fans were able to catch the night's second duet when Joel brought Sting out to perform "Big Man on Mulberry Street" late into his set. The pair will next share co-headlining dates together in April (San Diego) and September (St. Louis) as part of Joel's ongoing tour, which also includes stops with Stevie Nicks (Arlington, Tex. and Chicago). Fan shot footage of the Police and "Mulberry" duets can be viewed on YouTube. - New Musical Express, 2/26/24...... 
Foreigner founder and guitarist/keyboardist Mick Jones released a statement on Feb. 21 revealing that he's been battling Parkinson's Disease for several years. Jones' ongoing absence from the band's live concerts since 2022 has been widely noticed and commented on by fans, and Jones, 79, says it's Parkinson's that has sidelined him from being on stage with the group, which is in the midst of a farewell tour. "Fans will have become very aware that for some time now, I have not been performing onstage with the band," Jones said in the statement. "Several years ago, I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. I want everyone to know that I am doing alright. However, I've always liked to be at my best when performing onstage, and sadly, at present, I find that a bit difficult. I am still very much involved in the background with Foreigner and remain a presence. Parkinson's is a daily struggle; the important thing is to persevere and remind myself of the wonderful career I've had in music. I thank all the fans who have supported Foreigner throughout the years and continue to attend our concerts -- I want you to know I appreciate your support; it always means so very much to me, but especially so at this point in my life." In a previous interview, Jones -- who had heart surgery during 2012 and was playing only a few songs each night with the band during the late 2010s -- was asked about the prospect of the continuing without him on board. "That's a tough one," he said, adding that, "I look at it as a team. If you think about any kind of sports teams, they change players all the time. The thought of my music carrying on in that way has some appeal to me." Foreigner's farewell tour is slated to finish in North America this summer; dates have been announced through Aug. 28, including a summer run with Styx and John Waite. The English-born Jones formed Foreigner during 1976 in New York, shortly after playing in the Leslie West Band. He put together a band of British and American musicians, including Ian McDonald of King Crimson fame and Lou Gramm from the band Black Sheep, and hit it out of the box with a self-titled debut in 1977, which reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart, was certified five-times platinum and launched the enduring hits "Feels Like the First Time" and "Cold as Ice." In its wake Foreigner has released eight more studio albums and sold more than 80 million records worldwide, spawning additional hits such as "Hot Blooded," "Urgent," "Juke Box Hero" and the No. 1 "I Want to Know What Love Is." Foreigner recently received its first-ever nomination for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. After the first week of fan voting, Foreigner ranked third, behind Ozzy Osbourne and Peter Frampton, with well over 100,000 votes. - Billboard, 2/21/24...... Barbra Streisand was honored with a Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement award during the 2024 SAG Awards on Feb. 24 at L.A.'s Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall. Introducing Streisand, presenter Jennifer Anniston told the audience that the Grammy-winning singer performed her first major concert at the Shrine Auditorium in 1963. Unmentioned was the fact that the venue was also the same place Streisand won three Grammy Awards in the 1970s and 1980s. Bradley Cooper also helped present the award. Streisand recalled the time in 1955 when she first saw the film musical Guys and Dolls starring Marlon Brando which she said had a powerful effect on her dreams and imagination. There was just one problem, as Streisand explained in her speech. "I wanted to be in the movies even though I knew I didn't look like the other women on screen. My mother said you better learn to type, but I didn't listen, and somehow, some way -- thank God, it all came true." Streisand also spoke about how acting, and researching roles and preparing for films, has been her education. "I never went to college," she said. "I always thought acting was my education. In trying to understand the character, to have to do research, immerse yourself in the period. The whole process was fascinating to me." - Billboard, 2/25/24...... Dolly Parton has congratulated Beyoncé on her latest achievements -- the first Black woman, or female known to be biracial, to have topped Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, and the first woman to have topped both Hot Country Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs since the lists began as all-encompassing genre song charts in Oct. 1958. "I'm a big fan of Beyonce and very excited that she's done a country album," Parton posted on Instagram on Feb. 23. "So congratulations on your Billboard Hot Country number one single. Can't wait to hear the full album!," she added. That album is Renaissance Act II, due out Mar. 29. Beyoncé's country-flavored songs "Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages" debuted at Nos. 2 and 38, respectively, on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. "Texas Hold 'Em," meanwhile, is projected to lead the Official U.K. Singles Chart, having topped the midweek survey, and is in line to be the singer's sixth U.K. solo No. 1 single. Meanwhile, Dolly Parton has been nominated for a 2024 Audie Award, which recognize distinction in audiobooks and spoken-word entertainment. Parton is nominated in the autobiography/memoir category for Behind the Seams, which she wrote and narrated with Holly George-Warren and Rebecca Seaver. Winners across 27 competitive categories will be revealed on Mar. 4 in Los Angeles. - Billboard, 2/23/24...... 
Former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley says he's added two more KISS songs to his set after the band says it's retired from performing -- but he doesn't truly believe they have. "I'm the only game in town because KISS is supposedly retired -- which I don't believe is gonna happen," Frehley says. "But be that as it may. I actually added two more KISS songs to my set. We added 'Shout It Out Loud' and 'Rock and Roll All Nite' because talking to people, they go 'you gotta do those songs live' -- and I did and it went over fantastic. We ended the night with three KISS songs: 'Shout It Out Loud,' 'Deuce' and 'Rock and Roll All Nite,' and everybody was singing along and it was great. As far as I'm concerned it doesn't even matter who wrote the song. I played the guitar solos on those records, and that's good enough for me." Frehley also said he "wouldn't be surprised if KISS reformed." "There were times when I had enough and I had to leave and do my own thing," says Frehley, who was part of the band from its formation in 1973 through 1982, then rejoined from 1996 through 2002. Although Frehley maintains he quit the band, leaders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have indicated that he was dismissed, and the pair did not include Frehley (or original drummer Peter Criss) on any of the dates of their farewell "End of the Road World Tour." "We're still friends," he says. "I know a lot of people think we hate each other, but that's not true." On Feb. 23, Frehley released his latest solo album, 10,000 Volts, his first album since the covers set Origins Vol. 2 in 2020 and his first of original material since Spaceman in 2018. The album was co-produced by Steve Brown of the '70s band Trixter, who Frehley says he "clicked with immediately" after the two were introduced by Frehley's fiance. Frehley says he'll likely mount a worldwide tour to support 10,000 Volts. "Y'know, here I am at age 72 and I'm putting out one of the best records I've ever recorded," he says. "The playing is great and the singing is some of the best vocals I've ever done. It really doesn't make any sense, but I'm the kind of guy that's always broken rules, y'know?" - Billboard, 2/23/24...... In the latest edition of his podcast A Life in Lyrics, Paul McCartney revealed for the first time the inspiration behind a lyric in one of his most famous songs, The Beatles' "Yesterday." The line in question is "I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday" in the song's bridge, which appears twice in the song. Sir Paul said the line was subconsciously inspired by a conversation he had with his mother several years before writing the song. "We were out in the backyard and she talked posh," he said. "She was of Irish origin and she was a nurse, so she was above street level. So she had something sort of going for her, and she would talk what we thought was a little bit posh. And it was a little bit Welshy as well -- she had connections, her auntie Dilys was Welsh." McCartney continued: "I know that she said something like 'Paul, will you ask him if he's going'. I went 'Arsk! Arsk! It's ask mum.' And she got a little bit embarrassed. I remember later thinking 'God, I wish I'd never said that'. And it stuck with me. After she died I thought 'Oh f---, I really wish'." "Sometimes it's only in retrospect you can appreciate it," he added. "Yesterday," a track on the 1965 Beatles LP Help!, has been covered over 2000 times by other artists, making it one of the most performed pieces of music of all time. - NME, 2/25/24...... In other Beatles-related news, a bullet once fired from the same gun that killed John Lennon is set to go up for auction in Newcastle, UK. The bullet was given to Northumbria Police officer Brian Taylor by the New York Police Department, after they allowed him to shoot the gun on a visit to the department. Taylor recently passed away, and now the bullet will be going under the hammer at Newcastle auctioneers Anderson & Garland on February 29. Taylor had kept the bullet in a frame for the rest of his life, with the auction house's director describing it as "one of those slightly macabre lots you get now and again that draws everyone's attention." "There is a Beatles fanbase that is fanatical and a market for just about anything Beatles," he continued. "But very seldomly do you get something so unusual and unique, it's difficult to know what it's worth and whether there's a market for it or not. It's a really interesting piece of Beatles memorabilia that probably can't be replicated." Mark David Chapman shot and killed Lennon on Dec. 8, 1980 as the musician and wife Yoko Ono were returning to their Dakota Building apartment in New York City's Upper West Side. Chapman then remained at the scene until police arrived, and later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He was sentenced to serve a prison term of twenty years to life. In 2022, Chapman said he shot Lennon because he "wanted to be somebody and nothing was going to stop that." He has been denied parole 12 times. - NME, 2/25/24...... 
On Feb. 21 a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit accusing Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler of sexually assaulting a teenage girl decades ago, ruling that she had waited too long to bring her case. In Nov. 2023, a former teen model named Jeanne Bellino sued the rocker, claiming he had forcibly kissed, groped and "humped" her twice over a single day in Manhattan in the summer of 1975, when she was 17 and he was 27. The case was filed under a recently-amended New York City law that allows abuse victims to sue over decades-old claims. However U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan ruled that Bellino's case did not qualify under the new statute. He ruled that the special "lookback" window only applies to cases where the abuser's actions presented a "serious risk of physical injury" -- and that Tyler's alleged actions did not do so. "The complaint in this case does not alleged conduct presenting a serious risk of physical injury and therefore fails to state a legally sufficient claim under the [NYC statute]," the judge wrote. But in dismissing the lawsuit, the judge said Bellino could potentially seek to file an updated version of her case, and gave he gave her until the end of March to request the right to do so. Tyler has not publicly commented on the lawsuit, but in court filings, his attorneys have said he "vehemently denies" the allegations. In their motion to dismiss the case, his lawyers argued Bellino could not use the New York City newly-enacted statute to sue over "purported sexual misconduct that occurred nearly half a century ago." In 2022, Tyler was sued by another woman, Julia Holcomb, who claims he repeatedly assaulted her for three years starting in 1973, when she was just 16 years old. Holcomb claims to be the girl Tyler referred to in his memoir, Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?, when he wrote he "almost took a teen bride" and convinced her parents to grant him guardianship over her. Holcomb's case, filed in Los Angeles under a different look-back statute, remains pending. Tyler has denied those allegations, too, and his lawyers are seeking to have the case dismissed. - Billboard, 2/22/24...... Feel the need to "move like Jagger"? Mick Jagger has curated a new playlist featuring the songs he listens to while exercising. Titled "Mick Jagger: Music That Moves Me," the collection was put together for Apple Music's Fitness series and is accessible on music.apple.com. "Sometimes I like to exercise in silence, other times I like to be in the gym with Mozart but most of the time I enjoy exercising to music like this!" he said in a statement. The playlist is made up of 23 songs, opening with The Chemical Brothers' 1997 single "Block Rockin' Beats" before going into Daft Punk's classic track "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger." It also features Fatboy Slim's "Rockafeller Skank," The Human League's "Don't You Want Me" and Prince & The Revolution's "Erotic City." As for more current picks, Jagger included The 1975's "Sex" and Burna Boy's "Common Person." Jagger isn't against working out to his own tunes, either -- selecting the Rolling Stones' Hackney Diamonds single "Mess It Up," the Alok remix of "Living In A Ghost Town" and his 2001 solo song "God Gave Me Everything." Jagger, now 80, is likely getting into shape for the Stones' huge 2024 US stadium tour. The run of concerts is due to launch on Apr. 28 in Houston, Tex. - NME, 2/23/24...... Legendary axmen Jimmy Page, Brian May and Tony Iommi came together in London on Feb. 22 to launch a new guitar shop from Gibson Guitars named the Gibson Garage. The shop is inspired by Gibson's Nashville flagship branch and has over 300 guitars for sale, as well as a live music space downstairs and a made-to-measure counter for ordering bespoke, custom guitars. Page of Led Zeppelin was in attendance to reveal a new collaboration with the brand -- launching a replica of his iconic 1971 Doubleneck guitar. May of Queen and Iommi of Black Sabbath were in also attendance, and joined Page in cutting the opening ribbon, images of which can be viewed on May's Instagram page. Page recalled how he first got his hands on the signature Doubleneck back in 1971 -- despite it being a model which wasn't in circulation at the time. "[Before that], people would have an acoustic guitar on a microphone stand, then they'd start playing the electric guitar I thought 'Well, I'm not going to do that, it looks absolutely ridiculous'," he explained. "I'd seen the concept of the Doubleneck guitars in country music, but those were like a six-string then a mandolin You couldn't just go down to the shops, so I got in touch with Gibson and asked them to make one for me," he added. He also recalled that he used the model live for the first time with Zeppelin in 1971, when the band performed "Stairway To Heaven" during a gig in Belfast: "It was always there, from Belfast onwards I was always playing that." - NME, 2/23/24...... 
Rod Stewart recently admitted that he and the other two surviving members of his '70s band The Faces -- guitarist Ronnie Wood and drummer Kenney Jones -- are "struggling" with a comeback Faces album that was first announced in summer 2021. Speaking to Vulture.com, Sir Rod revealed he's been writing songs for the project though he is unsure what will happen to the tracks. "I've sent a lot of them to Ronnie Wood. I told him, 'This is stuff we've recorded with my band, maybe the Faces would like to do it instead?' We're still struggling to make this album. We'll see. Some of them might see the light of day." Stewart, 79, added that he has "a lot of songs" that fans have never heard but he enjoys seeing how people react to his tunes when they are released. He said: "There are a lot of songs I've written that I haven't put out and nobody knows about them. My songs are like my children. I gave birth to them and then I put them out there in the world and see how they do." Jones previously explained the band's comeback record would be a "mixture of old and new." He told Uncut magazine: "What we've decided to do is work on some of the original stuff that we didn't use, so the album is going to be a mixture of old and new," he told the UK's Uncut magazine. "It's very difficult to go into specifics because many of them didn't even have titles. I think the fans may have heard certain things before and might recognise them. Ronnie and I, in particular, have been working on lots of the old stuff together and we've re-recorded a couple of those songs with more of a modern feel." - Music-News.com, 2/24/24...... Country music entertainer Roni Stoneman, a talented banjo player and cast member on the long-running TV show Hee Haw, passed away on Feb. 22 at age 85. Ms. Stoneman, known as "The First Lady of Banjo," was born May 5, 1938, to Hattie Stoneman and pioneering bluegrass musician Ernest V. "Pop" Stoneman, known for his 1925 recording of "The Sinking of the Titanic." She was also part of the family band The Stoneman Family, which evolved from the band The Bluegrass Champs, which included family members Scott Stoneman and Donna Stoneman. The group won a competition as part of Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts in 1956. By the 1960s, Roni had joined the group on banjo. She also performed as part of the group on their syndicated 1960s television show Those Stonemans. In 1967, the first year the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards were held, the Stoneman Family was named vocal group of the year. Roni departed the group in 1971, and soon joined the cast of Hee Haw, working on the country variety program for two decades as a comedian and banjo player, and known for portraying Ida-Lee Nagger, the "Ironing Board Lady." There, she worked alongside artists and comedians including Minnie Pearl, Buck Owens and Roy Clark. In 2007, she recounted her life story in the book Pressing On. CMA Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young called Ms. Stoneman "a great talent and a strong woman," commending her legacy in the genre. "For 18 years on 'Hee Haw,' she stole scenes as both a skillful banjo player and as a comical, gap-toothed country character," he said. - Billboard, 2/22/24.
Director Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator) is reportedly in talks to helm an upcoming biopic based on the Bee Gees. DeadlineHollywood.com quotes anonymous sources close to the as-yet-untitled project as saying Scott is currently in the negotiations phase with Paramount Pictures to lead the project, which he will also supposedly co-produce. John Logan, who wrote Scott's 2000 epic Gladiator, will reportedly pen the script, and Barry Gibb, the last surviving Bee Gees brother and member, will executive produce. The film will tell the story of lives and careers of brothers Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb, the latter two of whom died in 2003 and 2012, respectively. A Bee Gees biopic was first announced in 2019, with Kenneth Branagh originally attached to direct. Branagh exited the project for unknown reasons, then other directors including John Carney and Lorene Scafaria stepped in until Scott eventually expressed interest. - New Musical Express, 2/16/24...... In related news, Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes (American Beauty, 1917, Spectre) has been given the green light to begin work on four separate feature films that will tell the individual stories of Beatles John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. In announcing the project on Feb. 20, Sony Pictures said the project will mark the first time the band's Apple Corps Ltd. and the two surviving group members and the families of the deceased two have given full access to life story and music rights for a scripted film. "I'm honored to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time, and excited to challenge the notion of what constitutes a trip to the movies," said Mendes in a statement. Mendes will direct the four stand-alone theatrical movies -- with each one told from one band member's point of view -- as well as intersecting to tell the full story of the Fab Four for the project, which promises to be "innovative and groundbreaking." - Billboard, 2/20/24...... In other Beatles news, the British woman who found and returned Paul McCartney's long-lost bass guitar is now hoping that she may be in store for a reward. Cathy Guest found the bass in her attic following the death of her husband Hadyn, who Cathy believes in turn inherited the bass from his brother Graham. The 1961 Hofner 500/1 bass -- which has been dubbed the most important bass in history for its role in recording numerous Beatles hits including "Love Me Do," "She Loves You" and "Twist and Shout" -- was stolen from the musician in 1972, only to be returned to him earlier in February. Speaking to the UK paper The Sun, Guest said that she slipped a hand-written letter into the guitar case before she returned it, explaining her financial situation as a single parent looking after two school children. "My husband inherited it when another family member died and he'd had it for years," she said. "He had no idea where it came from. He was a keen musician and used to play all the guitars at home, including Paul's bass. We both loved music and I still go to gigs every weekend." McCartney purchased the instrument in 1961 for £30 ($38) in Hamburg, Germany. Meanwhile, Paul's son James McCartney has announced his first new single since 2016. James posted on 
An unusual criminal trial centering around handwritten lyrics to the Eagles' 1976 classic 
Appearing on the latest episode of the podcast Your Mom's House with hosts Christina P. and Tom Segura, KISS member Gene Simmons recalled the one and only time in his life that he got high. Simmons, who has previously claimed to have never been drunk or high in his life, opened up about the time he accidentally ingested cannabis brownies after a KISS gig in the 1970s. "I've never been drunk or high in my life," he reasserted on the podcast, before his son Nick Simmons, who also partipated in the interview, brought up the "one accidental story." "You've told me this a couple of times. It's my favorite story," said Nick. Gene recalled: "So, you've got a room full of people celebrating -- we're breaking some kind of record in Detroit. This was in '76. The whole room is full, and I'm just seeing the brownies piled [high]. And I love that stuff. Everyone's [like] 'Let's smoke, let's put things up our ass.' No, just give me cake." Gene said that it "didn't hurt" that the woman dispensing the brownies "wasn't bad looking, adding: "[She] comes over, and I'm [like,] 'Give me another one of those.' Then I started, like a dog with a bone, just following her around. 'Can I have another one?' 'You want another one?' And I just kept eating it -- six." Simmons then recalled his experience of being high, remembering the room "started to get bigger, and my head started to get smaller... down to the size of an olive." The musician said that thankfully the editor of Creem magazine was there to help him into his limo and return to his hotel. On a more serious note, Gene said his reason for not getting high or drunk was because of his late mother, who was a Holocaust survivor. "She was in a concentration camp when she was 14 years of age. And I never wanted to break her heart," he said. "And I was always aware I never wanted to disappoint her -- there was enough aggravation. So I never smoked cigarettes, never got high, never got drunk." In January Simmons announced his first solo concert after KISS' retirement last December, on the Apr. 26 show at Brazil's Summer Breeze festival. - NME, 2/20/24...... In other shock-rocker news, Alice Cooper has announced an autumn UK tour that will kick off at Glasgow's OVO Arena on Oct. 14, followed by shows in Birmingham (10/16), Manchester (10/17) and Leeds (10/18) before wrapping with two shows at London's Eventim Apollo on Oct. 20 and 21. A press statement reveals that the tour is set to bring fans "closer than ever to Alice," with giant video screens blending the live action with pre-recorded scenes. Primal Scream will join as special guest at all locations except London, alongside The Meffs at all shows. Former Sex Pistols guitarist and songwriter Glen Matlock will be the special guest at the London dates. Cooper's last album, Road, was released in 2023, and earlier in Feb. 2024 launched a new radio show called Alice's Attic. - NME, 2/20/24...... In an interview with People magazine to promote A&E's new four-part James Brown docuseries James Brown: Say It Loud, Brown's daughter Deanna Brown declared there would be "no hip-hop, Michael Jackson or Usher" without her late father. "There would be no Michael [Jackson], there would be no Usher, there'd be no Chris Brown -- all these people who took from him," said Deanna, 55. "I mean, where would it be? You could ask a lot of these musicians, they'll tell you the same thing. It would probably be zero. I think LL [Cool J] says that in the documentary that the trajectory of music would be -- he can't even imagine where it would be without James Brown." Another daughter of Brown's, 50-year-old Yamma Brown, discussed her father being the creator of funk and influencing many genres. She said: "Somebody sitting at home maybe watching it and think, 'His story is not that dissimilar than mine and look what he went on to do.' And if you can inspire somebody to be the greatest at what they can be, that's amazing." James Brown: Say It Loud premieres on A&E on Feb. 19 and Feb. 20 at 8:00 PM ET/PT. - Music-News.com, 2/20/24...... 
Comments made by Bono about the Israel-Hamas war during one of U2's recent shows at The Sphere in Las Vegas have prompted Roger Waters to call the U2 frontman "disgusting" and "a shit." During U2's residency, Bono used the performance to pay his respects to those killed during the Oct. 7 attack at the Israeli music festival Supernova. "In the light of what's happened in Israel and Gaza, a song about non-violence seems somewhat ridiculous, even laughable, but our prayers have always been for peace and for non-violence," he told the crowd before launching into a performance of "Pride (In The Name Of Love)." "But our hearts and our anger, you know where that's pointed. So sing with us and those beautiful kids at that music festival." He then played the song with altered lyrics, singing "Early morning, Oct. 7, the sun is rising in the desert sky Stars of David, they took your life but they could not take your pride," in place of the original lines. Now, Waters -- a longtime critic of the State of Israel -- has taken aim at the musician for his comments during a new interview with the news outlet Al Jazeera, and branded the comments made at the live show "disgusting." "My mother told me, when faced with difficult problems, the first thing to do is to read -- read, read, read. Then, the next part is easy: do the right thing," he told the outlet, referring to his own family background that saw his father killed in the Second World War. "Anybody who knows Bono should go and pick him up by his ankles and shake him until he stops being an enormous shit. We have to start saying to these people, your opinion is so disgusting and so degrading sticking up for the Zionist entity. What he did a couple of weeks ago in the Sphere in Las Vegas, singing about the Stars of David, was one of the most disgusting things I've ever seen in my life." Over recent months, the outspoken former Pink Floyd member has been in the news for his comments on the conflict in Palestine and accusations of anti-Semitism. Waters has repeatedly denied all accusations of anti-Semitism and explained that his disdain is towards Israel, not Judaism. He also accused Israel of "abusing the term anti-Semitism to intimidate people like me into silence." He was recently the subject of a documentary, The Dark Side Of Roger Waters, which was produced by the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism and collates various incidents of alleged anti-Semitism levelled against the musician. Rogers spoke out against the documentary with a post to his official website, dismissing the project as "a flimsy, unapologetic piece of propaganda." On Feb. 17, U2 once again used their Sphere residency show to speak out on behalf of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who suddenly died the day before. - NME, 2/19/24...... Speaking on Howard Stern's SiriusXM radio show on Feb. 19, Billy Joel reflected on the 1985 recording sessions for the charity single "We Are The World," and an interesting exchange between Stevie Wonder and Bob Dylan. "Funny things were happening," said Joel, who said he happened to be in Los Angeles at the time for Grammys week and thought to himself: "What the hell, this could be fun." "Bob Dylan was shy to sing on his own. So Stevie Wonder comes out and is telling Bob how to sing like Bob Dylan. 'We are the world. We are the children.' And Dylan's like, 'Okay, I think I can do that.' Stevie Wonder teaching Bob Dylan to sing like Bob Dylan was a moment." Later, Joel shared his escapades with Bruce Springsteen during the song's recording. "When everybody's singing together, sometimes Bruce and I are in the chorus and sometimes we're not because there was a big pile of deli sandwiches on the other side of the room and we kept going over to get a beer and a sandwich." "We Are The World" went on to top charts across the world, and is the ninth best-selling single of all time. It is the subject of a new Netflix documentary, The Greatest Night In Pop, and is available for streaming exclusively on the platform now. Joel also revealed he once thought of "putting together a supergroup with the likes of Don Henley, Sting and John Mayer, but admitted he doesn't "have the nerve" to team up with Paul McCartney. When asked why the band never came to be, the musician replied, "Well, everybody's busy." Joel's full interview with Stern can be viewed on 
Former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett said one of the songs on his new concept album 
John Schneider, co-star of the hit '70s comedy 
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A source close to Elton John has revealed the Rocket Man is working on new music just months after completing his marathon farewell tour. "It's all been very top secret but Elton is back in the studio working on a new album," the source told the UK paper The Sun's Bizarre column on Feb. 15. "Time frames are always movable but the fourth quarter has been pencilled in terms of a release date. He adores music and that will never change but the desire to be as busy as he was has waned," the source added. The insider added that Elton -- who is married to David Furnish and the father of Zachary, 13, and 11-year-old Elijah -- will still continue with his other ventures but just wants to spend more time with his family after such a mammoth world tour. "Elton will still have a Rocket Hour radio show on Apple Music and his finger is very much still on the pulse; he just wants to slow down a bit and spend the time with his family but the new album is coming." Sir Elton has released a total of 31 studio albums since beginning his career in the late 1960s and his latest LP came in the form of The Lockdown Sessions in 2021, on which he collaborated with the likes of Miley Cyrus, Stevie Wonder, Nicki Minaj and Brandi Carlile. That same year, he duetted with Dua Lipa on "Cold Heart" and wrapped up the year by joining Ed Sheeran for the holiday track "Merry Christmas" before collaborating with Britney Spears on "Hold Me Closer"' in 2022. John completed his 330-date tour in Sweden last July and told the audience that he may do "something else" in the to come but for the time being just wanted to enjoy a break. - Music-News.com, 2/16/24...... As the US faces the tragedy of its 50th mass shooting so far in 2024 with the killing of a popular Kansas City DJ/radio personality and the wounding of more than 20 people at a Feb. 14 parade celebrating the recent victory of the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII, Indiana rocker John Mellencamp has issued a forceful statement about gun violence in America. "Excuse me for saying the obvious truth. I do so out of love for this country and the pain of learning, once again, that children have been killed by gun violence," posted Mellencamp, a longtime gun control advocate. "If we as a country want to find the collective will within ourselves to change our gun laws, let's stop playing silly political games. Show the carnage on the news. Show the American people the dead children and others who have been struck down. Show us what guns and bullets can do to the human body," he added. Mellencamp, a 72-year-old father of five, released his 25th album, Orpheus Descending, in 2023, which included the anti-gun violence track "Hey God." "Weapons and guns, are they really my rights?/ Laws written a long time ago/ No one could imagine the sight of so many dead on the floor," he sings on the track, adding, "Hey, God, if you're still there, would you please come down? We can't take it anymore." Mellencamp's full statement can be viewed on 
The family of Brian Wilson issued a statement on 
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On Feb. 14 Neil Young and Crazy Horse announced their first tour together in a decade and shared details of their new album. Young and his longtime backing band will reunite to play the upcoming 16-date 2024 "Love Earth" tour, which gets underway on Apr. 24 in San Diego. After a second show there on Apr. 25 they'll also visit such major markets as Phoenix (4/27), Dallas (5/2), Atlanta (5/7), Queens, NY (5/14) and Toronto (5/22) before wrapping in Chicago on May 23. The band also revealed their upcoming album FU##IN' UP,, which will contain songs from the band's 50 year career, freshly recorded for 2024. The album will have its initial release on Record Store Day (Apr. 20); it will arrive in all formats on Apr. 26. Young said of the new album: "In the spirit it's offeredmade this for the Horse lovers. I can't stop it. The horse is runnin'. What a ride we have. I don't want to mess with the vibe. I am so happy to have this to share." Neil Young and Crazy Horse last reunited in 2014, where they played London's Hyde Park BST. - NME, 2/14/24...... The inaugural 2024 "Fool in Love Festival" featuring Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, Santana, Al Green, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Gladys Knight, The O'Jays, Dionne Warwick, The Stylistics, The Chi-Lites, Kool & The Gang, George Clinton and Smokey Robinson will take place Aug. 31 at Sofi Stadium-adjacent Hollywood Park in Los Angeles. Also slated to perform at the show are Santana, Eric Burdon & the Animals, the Jacksons, War and The Spinners. The full lineup can be viewed on 
Music legend Mavis Staples will celebrate her 85th birthday in style, with a star-studded celebration to be held on Apr. 18, at YouTube Theater in Inglewood, Calif. The lineup features a who's who of artists who have been inspired and influenced by the soul/gospel/R&B pioneer and civil rights activist, including Black Pumas, Chris Stapleton, Grace Potter, The War and Treaty and Keb' Mo'. The lineup also includes Hozier, Jackson Browne, Jeff Tweedy, Michael McDonald, Nathaniel Rateliff, Norah Jones, Robert Randolph and Taj Mahal, with more artists to be announced. Staples herself will also take the stage during the event. - Billboard, 2/12/24...... On Feb. 12 AC/DC announced dates for their summer U.K./European tour, a 21-show swing in 10 countries slated to kick off with the first of two dates at the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany on May 17, followed by shows in Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Switzerland before hitting London's Wembley Stadium for a pair of shows (July 3, 7), Germany, Slovakia and Paris and then winding down with a gig at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland on Aug. 17. The European tour follows AC/DC's long-awaited return to the stage last year at the all-star hard rock Power Trip festival in Indio, Calif. The band began teasing their 2024 return on socials earlier in February, posting images of a lightning bolt and a countdown cued to a snippet of "Are You Ready" from 1990's The Razors Edge. The band's announcement and the full schedule of tour dates can be viewed on 
Cable TV channel A&E will celebrate James Brown with a two-night documentary event entitled James Brown: Say It Loud on Feb. 19 and Feb. 20 at 8:00 PM ET/PT. Across four hours, the special traces the incredible trajectory of the "Godfather of Soul"'s life and career -- from a 7th grade drop-out arrested and jailed at the age of 16 for breaking into a car in the Jim Crow-era South, to an entertainment legend whose groundbreaking talent and unique perspective catapulted him to become a dominant Black creative and cultural force in the 1960s and forward. The special examines Brown's legacy through exclusive interviews, never-before-seen archival footage and his beloved music catalog. Directed by Deborah Riley Draper, James Brown: Say It Loud was executive produced by Mick Jagger and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson. The series will also be available on demand and to stream on the A&E App and aetv.com. A sneak peek can be viewed on