Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on May 25th, 2026

Elton John was honored at the 2026 Ivor Novello Awards at Grosvenor House in London on May 21 during a ceremony that saw 16 songwriters and composed recognized across 14 categories. The Rocketman artist presented with the Ivors Academy Honour in recognition of his work in championing songwriters, composers and creativity across the music industry. It was also announced that Sir Elton, 79, would become The Ivors Academy's first-ever President -- a newly-created role that will see the music legend represent the Academy's global community of songwriters and composers. The special position is reserved for those who have reached the pinnacle of the songwriting profession and are committed to supporting and advancing the Academy's mission to preserve the future of music. - Music-News.com, 5/21/26...... Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's "Land of Hope and Dreams" spring American tour rolled into Cleveland on May 22, with the Boss reminding the Rocket Arena crowd that "the E Street Band was built for hard times." Those times have inarguably become harder during the seven-and-a-half weeks since the 20-date trek began in Minneapolis on Mar. 31, and it was evident that it's only made the group, 20 strong on this outing, harder and Springsteen even more focused and resolute in his mission. The setlist of the two-hour-and-50-minute show remained unchanged since Springsteen and company added The Clash's "Clampdown" to the set during the third show in Inglewood, Calif. The Boss did, however, reference the city's Agora, site of revered live radio broadcasts during the '70s, and emotionally thanked the city "for a lifetime" of devotion. Primarily, Springsteen continued to present as ferocious and committed, pulling no punches as he slammed "reckless, racist, incompetent, treasonous" U.S. Pres. Donald Trump's policies and "super fools administration." Spotted in the crowd was daughter Pam Springsteen, shooting photos from the audience, as well as former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie -- a longtime fan -- along with his daughter. Cleveland marked the 17th date of the tour -- and the start of its final week -- which is likely to culminate in an even more pointed and poignant reckoning on at Nationals Park in the nation's capital. The tour wraps May 30 in Philadelphia after that date was postponed because of an NBA scheduling conflict. - Billboard, 5/23/26...... Paul McCartney helped The Late Show host Stephen Colbert bid farewell on the final episode of his CBS late-night gabfest on May 16, playing "Days We Left Behind," from his upcoming album The Boys of Dungeon Lane, duetting with Colbert on the Beatles classic "Hello, Goodbye," and closing out the show with his bouncy 1980 track "Coming Up." During the bittersweet goodbye for a canceled show that ended its 33-year-run, Colbert pretended that Pope Leo XIV, the first US-born pope, was his final guest, but the pontiff refused to come out of his dressing room because he hadn't been supplied the correct kind of snacks, especially hot dogs. McCartney then offered himself as a replacement, striding across the stage as the audience screamed. "I think you'd be a perfect last guest," Colbert said. Sir Paul allowed that he happened to be in the area, doing errands, then offered a framed photo of the Beatles at the Ed Sullivan Theater in 1964, the final home of The Late Show. The two chatted about when the Fab Four first came to America, creativity, and McCartney's childhood. Standing next to Colbert, Paul also poignantly turned off the lights for the final time at the Ed Sullivan Theatre. Once the live show had finished, Macca hung around for a couple of exclusive performances for the cast and crew, and now the videos have been shared on YouTube. Joined by Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Smith on drums and Will Ferrell on his trademark cowbell (Ferrell famously played the cowbell in a 2000 SNL parody of Blue Öyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper"), he ran through versions of two 1965 Beatles classics, "Help" and "Drive My Car." Meanwhile, the iconic Liverpool venue The Jacaranda has teamed up with McCartney to temporarily change its name to "The Maccaranda." The band played there regularly as The Silver Beetles and used it to audition budding drummers, including Pete Best, and it was there that they became acquainted with both Ringo Starr and Brian Epstein. The renowned music venue was opened by the Beatles' first manager Allan Williams in 1958 and played a key role in the early days of the band. They used it as a rehearsal studio and it was where some of their earliest songs, including "One After 909," were written. It continues to operate as a music venue to this day, and this week it announced on X/Twitter that it had teamed up with McCartney to rename itself The Maccaranda. "Yes, this is real," they wrote. "In celebration of our former performer and customer's new album The Boys Of Dungeon Lane out 29 May, we've temporarily changed our name. Pop by The Maccaranda and try Paul's own cocktail, the Maccarita." Elsewhere, Sir Paul has been told to plant a new tree in his London garden following a council dispute with a "suspicious" neighbor. McCartney had submitted an application in late 2025 to remove two sycamores at his £10 million townhouse in St John's Wood. McCartney's legal reps reportedly claimed that the two trees were "in decline," reasoning that their removal would free up "more space for an adjacent hornbeam tree to grow into." However his neighbor, conservative activist/investor Reinhold Meinen, expressed doubt over whether the trees were in bad shape. In an objection to the council over Macca's plans, he said he was "suspicious if those trees are fatally ill." McCartney has since amended the plans for his garden in the capital, showing that one sycamore would be cut back by 1.5 metres and the other would be felled. - Associated Press/New Musical Express, 5/24/26...... Neil Young performed solo versions of "After The Gold Rush" and "Heart Of Gold" at his first live appearance of 2026, a benefit show in Vancouver to mark the 90th birthday of Canadian environmentalist David Suzuki. The native Canadian folk/rock icon made the unusual move of cancelling all of his 2026 tour dates earlier this year, including an entire UK and European tour, saying it was "not the time" to be playing shows. He later clarified to a worried fan that "all is good" and that he "just needed a break" and was "listening to my body", and on May 22 made a surprise appearance during a benefit concert for his friend Suzuki in Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Young stood along in front of the crowd to strum a passionate version of "Heart Of Gold," before taking a seat at the piano for a heart-wrenchingly beautiful rendition of "After The Gold Rush," with added harmonica. Footage of both performances, "Heart of Gold" and "After the Goldrush," can be watched on Instagram. In other news, Young recently revealed his new album with The Chrome Hearts is now finished, and it reportedly includes three finished versions of songs that he wrote 63 years ago. - NME, 5/23/26...... Phil Collins and Rod Stewart partied with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace on May 14, celebrating the 50th anniversary of The King's Trust with His Majesty. Former Genesis member and '80s solo star Collins, 75, who has notably suffered an array of health complaints in recent years, made a rare appearance on crutches. He was accompanied by his ex-wife Jill Collins, 70, who noted the occasion with a lengthy Instagram post describing their experience at the elite, but soggy, garden party. "Despite the downpours of torrential rain which did not seem to dampen the festivities @officialphilcollins and I were very proud and honored to be there and have a few private moments with King Charles," she wrote in a caption accompanying a gallery of event pics. She added the King "seemed genuinely pleased to see Phil" and explained her ex-husband had been the Trust's first official ambassador four decades prior, as well as a longtime trustee. Jill went on to mention they had been able to catch up with fellow musician Sir Rod Stewart, 81, and his wife, Penny Lancaster, 55. "We ran into @sirrodstewart and @penny.lancaster among other old (in the nicest sense of the word) friends," Jill wrote. In January, Collins gave a health update to explain his various chronic ailments, many of which stemmed from longtime alcohol abuse as well as a series of falls that left him needing at least five knee surgeries. "It's an ongoing thing," he told interviewer Zoe Ball as part of BBC 2 TV's special Phil Collins Eras: In Conversation. "I have a 24 hour live-in nurse, um, to make sure I take my medication as I should do. Uh, I've had challenges with my knee -- I had everything that could go wrong with me did go wrong with me. You know, I mean, I got COVID in hospital, my kidneys started to back up... You know, everything that start, that could all seemed to sort of converge at the same time." Collins recently ruled out a performance at his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction later this year. "I can't really see it happening, but I'm healthier now than I have been for quite a while," he told BBC Breakfast. Meanwhile, Stewart is prepping to kick off a run of 18 US concerts on May 28 with a 6-night run at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, followed by shows including the Hollywood Bowl on June 11, two nights at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Col., on June 16 and 17, and wrapping in Riverside, California's Morton Amphitheater on Aug. 16. - Music-News.com, 5/20/26...... Speaking at the Licensing Expo in Las Vegas on May 20, Ozzy Osbourne's son Jack Osbourne revealed that his late dad will return as an AI-powered digital avatar. "It's kind of scary how it's really very accurate," said Jack at the event, according to a recap from Licensing Expo organizer License Global. "He will exist digitally as himself for as long as we have computers. Technology has come such a long way to where it's almost drag and drop. You could shoot a template for a commercial literally prompt what you want Digital Ozzy to do in that commercial and you just drop it in. It's that simple now." The Ozzy avatar is the result of a partnership between Hyperreal -- which describes itself as a "digital human technology company" that uses patented "Digital DNA" technology to create digital avatars -- and Proto Hologram, described as a "hologram and AI spatial compute platform in entertainment, healthcare, education, finance, retail and more." According to Hyperreal, its Digital DNA technology will allow Ozzy's avatar to "have conversations with fans and move, speak, and respond as Ozzy would." The company says the Ozzy avatar will begin appearing in Proto Luma units -- essentially life-sized, interactive touchscreens -- in the U.S. and U.K. beginning late summer of 2026. Hyperreal has previously created a digital avatars for the likes of The Notorious B.I.G., soccer star Lionel Messi and Marvel Comics creator Stan Lee. - Billboard, 5/21/26...... Seven years after his last movie role, The Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger is prepping his return to the big screen in Italian director Alice Rohrwacher's adaptation of U.S. author Audrey Niffenegger's 2005 gothic drama novel Three Incestuous Sisters. According to Variety, Jagger will costar in the film alongside Dakota Johnson, Josh O'Connor, Saoirse Ronan, Oscar-winner Jessie Buckley and Isabella Rossellini. The magazine reported that the rocker flew to the island of Stromboli off the coast of Sicily this week where the film is shooting. The movie will be two-time Cannes Film Festival winner Rohrwacher's first English-language feature. While details about the film's plot have not yet been revealed, unconfirmed Italian press reports claim that Jagger will plays the doomed lighthouse keeper, whose son is played by O'Connor (The Crown). Jagger's previous film roles date back over 50 years, beginning with his starring role in the 1970 drama Ned Kelly, followed by 1970's Performance, Freejack (1992), Bent (1997), Enigma (2001), The Man From Elysian Fields (2001), The Bank Clerk (2008), and The Burnt Orange Heresy (2019). Meanwhile the Stones' latest studio LP, Foreign Tongues, will drop on July 10. BBC 2 Radio host Vernon Kay has also just announced that Jagger and his bandmate Ronnie Wood have recorded a special edition of the station's beloved segment, Tracks of My Years, choosing ten defining songs that shaped their musical identities. The full, feature-length special will broadcast on Radio 2 on May 31 at 5 AM GMT, becoming available on BBC Sounds and BBC iPlayer at 6 AM the same day. Additionally, daily bite-sized episodes will be featured during Vernon's regular mid-morning weekday show from June 1-5. - Billboard/Music-News.com, 5/21/26...... Billy Joel's legal team has lashed out at an upcoming attempt to chronicle the Piano Man's early years in a new unauthorized movie project Billy & Me. According to Variety, the film is in development with editor/director John Ottman (Michael) attached to direct the project that Joel has reportedly been fighting to halt for five years. "Since 2021, the parties involved have been officially notified that they do not possess Billy Joel's life rights and will not be able to secure the music rights required for this project," Joel's rep told the magazine. "Billy Joel has not authorized or supported this project in any capacity, and any attempt to move forward without it would be both legally and professionally misguided." The film will reportedly look at Joel's career before the 1973 album Piano Man catapulted the singer to fame, as told through the eyes of Joe's first manager, Irwin Mazur, who discovered the singer in 1966 and then signed him in 1970 and guided his career until his signing to Columbia Records in 1972. Despite the pushback from Joel's camp and the tussle over life and music rights, casting for the film is reportedly underway, with production slated to begin this fall in New York and Winnipeg. In 2025, HBO aired the two-part career retrospective two-part documentary, Billy Joel: And So It Goes. Joel's longtime friend, drummer and video director Jon Small, who is also a consultant, co-executive producer and second unit director on the project, maintains the script is "the most honest, heartfelt, and authentic portrayal of Billy's early life and rise to becoming one of the greatest musical voices of our time." "Billy & Me is grounded in truth, shaped with care, and built with the insight of people who genuinely know and love Billy. As someone who was there from the very beginning, I can say this script captures not just the music, but the friendships, struggles, humor, and creative spark that defined those years," he says. - Billboard, 5/20/26...... In other rock biopic news, the studio head behind Michael has said a sequel to the smash Michael Jackson movie is moving forward, and that the new film may not follow chronologically from where the last one ended. "We are really excited about the progress we're making with respect to a second Michael film," Lionsgate Motion Picture Chair Adam Fogelson told Variety on May 22. "All the conversations that we've been having with all of the appropriate parties continue to go exceptionally well." The first film covered the "Billie Jean" singer's life from childhood to the peak of his fame in the late 1980s. A legal settlement prevented the production from portraying the court cases that occurred later in his life, with the film requiring reshoots. Regarding the timeline for the second film, Fogelson said: "Much of the biggest and most popular parts of his music catalogue were not touched upon in the first film. There are so many other events that happened, even in the time frame of the original movie that weren't touched upon, so we're very, very confident that we've got an incredibly entertaining movie that will appeal once again to a global audience as the pieces come together." He then emphasised that the story may not be strictly chronological "We can go forwards and backwards in telling this story," he said. The story of the life of Michael Jackson (played by Jaafar Jackson) broke records upon its release and has so far earned $715 million worldwide at the box office. The film ended with the caption "His Story Continues," implying a sequel may be on the way. - NME, 5/22/26...... The alleged stalker and attacker of Fleetwood Mac guitarist-singer Lindsey Buckingham appeared in court on May 19 after pleading not guilty to seven criminal charges. Michelle Dick, 55, was led into a Los Angeles court wearing a blue-and-yellow jail uniform and a waist shackle. Her lawyer then said she needed more time to review the evidence and asked that the case be delayed until June 23. Judge Lucy Armendariz then turned to Dick and asked whether she understood she had a right to a more immediate evidentiary hearing, to which she replied she did. The woman then said she agreed to the delay and was led out of the courtroom, still in custody. Dick was arrested in Santa Monica on Mar. 25 after allegedly throwing an unknown substance at Buckingham as he entered a building to go to an appointment. Police said at the time that they believed she had discovered the time and location of his appointment, and had been there waiting for his arrival. They also confirmed that Buckingham had not been injured. Dick quietly entered her not guilty plea to seven charges on May 6 after authorities transported her back to the county, according to a recent minute order that surfaced. The charges include one felony count of making criminal threats, one of assault with a deadly weapon involving a motor vehicle on Mar. 19, and one of vandalising Buckingham's vehicle that same day. The other charges include a separate felony count of criminal threat against Buckingham on Mar. 25, as well as a misdemeanour battery charge for allegedly using force. She is also charged with stalking another victim named in the documents as "Stephanie N". Buckingham reportedly sought a retraining order against the same woman in 2024 -- alleging that she had stalked him for years, and was responsible for phone calls to the police that led to officers being called out to his house on multiple occasions. A judge granted the restraining order in December 2024, requiring Dick to stay away from Buckingham, his wife, and his son for five years. She also was ordered to keep her distance from their homes and vehicles. - NME, 5/20/26...... Legendary Eagles guitarist Don Felder has spoken about his band's participation as opening act in the current The Guess Who North American tour that's set to kick off on May 26 date in Moncton, N.B. The Guess Who's "The Takin' it Back" tour is a nod to Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings regaining full ownership of the Guess Who name following a settlement in 2024 with former bandmates Gary Peterson and Jim Cale that ended a protracted dispute over its use. Felder says he joined the tour in large part thanks to his manager's longtime association with Cummings, Bachman and their management teams. "Charlie [Brusco] has known each of those guys in the Guess Who for years. So, as we were looking at putting together a 2026 tour, as we do pretty much every year, and their tour came up and I said, 'That sounds like a lot of fun,'" said Felder. "Between all the songs they have from the Guess Who, Bachman-Turner Overdrive and Burton's solo career, the whole catalogue they have, plus the catalogue in my show, I knew we could put together a really great tour." A Felder set usually includes a generous sampling of Eagles' classics such as "Victim of Love," "Already Gone," "Peaceful Easy Feeling," "Life in the Fast Lane," "Seven Bridges Road," and, of course, "Hotel California." He also plays his top 40-hit "Heavy Metal (Takin' a Ride)," his contribution to the Heavy Metal movie soundtrack, and a tune or two from his fourth solo album, The Vault. "The guys in my band are not your typical musicians," Felder says. "They are the creme de la creme. These guys make these songs of mine sound fantastic. People come out of our shows saying, 'That was amazing.' So, it's just going to be a wonderful experience. Great musicians, great fans, and I know every crowd in Canada is going to go wild for the Guess Who." - PostMedia News/Canoe.com, 5/22/26...... Dick Parry, the saxophonist who played on some of Pink Floyd's most iconic songs including "Money" and "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," died on May 22 of as yet undisclosed causes. He was 83. Mr. Parry's passing was announced by Pink Floyd's David Gilmour in an emotional tribute on Instagram to his longtime friend and collaborator. "My dear friend Dick Parry died this morning," Gilmour, 80, captioned a series of photos on the social media platform. "Since I was seventeen, I have played in bands with Dick on saxophone, including Pink Floyd," Gilmour posted. "His feel and tone make his saxophone playing unmistakable, a signature of enormous beauty that is known to millions and is such a big part of songs such as 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond,' 'Wish You Were Here,' 'Us and Them' and 'Money,'" Gilmour added. During a lengthy career spanning rock, blues and jazz, Mr. Parry was best known for his unforgettable saxophone solos on 1973's The Dark Side of the Moon and 1975's Wish You Were Here, with his work appearing on signature songs "Money" and "Shine On You Crazy Diamond." "Money" reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart in 1973, while The Dark Side of the Moon spent one week atop the Billboard Hot 200 album chart that same year. Wish You Were Here spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 1975. Born in Kentford, Suffolk, in 1942, Parry and Gilmour met as teenagers, and the two played in local groups together around Cambridge. Gilmour joined Pink Floyd in the late 1960s after Syd Barrett's departure. After Pink Floyd, Mr. Parry continued to appear on albums and tours undertaken by Gilmour as a solo artist and as the band's frontman. Those projects included his performance on "Wearing the Inside Out" from Pink Floyd's The Division Bell (1994), recorded after the split between Gilmour and Roger Waters. He also toured with the reconfigured group that year and had previously gone on the road with the act in the mid-1970s. Outside of Pink Floyd, Mr. Parry collaborated with artists including Rory Gallagher, John Entwistle and Lightnin' Slim. - Billboard, 5/23/26...... WKRP is back! Forty-four years after the end of the beloved 1978-1982 CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, the city is getting a station with the show's call letters. Richard Sanders, 85, who played anchorman Less Nessman on the show, told the AP of the news, "We can all hope that WKRP will return to the airwaves with more music and Les Nessman." Says station owner Jeff Ziesmann: "listeners are stoked." - People, 6/1/26.

In a new interview with the U.K. football chat show TalkSport on May 18, Rod Stewart hinted that he'll retire from live performing after completing as-yet-unannounced dates on his running "One Last Time" farewell tour, which he began in 2024. "I've got 40-odd shows this year and that's not really a lot," the 81-year-old singer told hosts Jeff Stelling and Ray Parlour. "And I'm touring the U.K. next year and doing the O2 and that will probably be it, I think. I'll have to do something new... come on your show more often." Sir Rod has a run of residency shows booked at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in May and June, followed by seven shows in the Western U.S. in June and eight more in July and August before returning to Vegas in August for his "The Encore Shows" residency at the Colosseum. The last scheduled show is currently a Sept. 5 gig at the Ravinia Festival in Illinois with special guest Richard Marx; at press time he has not officially announced any 2027 dates. Stewart's TalkSport interview can be viewed on YouTube. - Billboard, 5/19/26...... KISS' Gene Simmons announced on X/Twitter on May 7 he will host a "Legends of Rock Expo 2026" with members of Black Sabbath, Rainbow, The Kinks, The Police, RATT and more this September in Las Vegas. Taking place at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino from Sept. 25 through 27, the event will give fans the opportunity to meet, take photos with, and get autographs from huge names across rock and metal. Joining Simmons will be Black Sabbath's Geezer Butler, Rainbow's Graham Bonnet, The Kinks' Dave Davies, The Police's Stewart Copeland and RATT's Stephen Pearcy. Also in attendance will be Dio's Vinne Appice, Disturbed's John Moyer, former Megadeth member David Ellefson, The Runaways' Lita Ford and more. Other KISS members in attendance alongside Simmons will be Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer, and former member Bruce Kulick. "This will be an unforgettable weekend with once-in-a-lifetime moments; it's set to be action-packed with concerts, autograph sessions, photo ops, parties, and panels," according to a press release, which also confirms that Simmons will take to the stage during the event with his group, The Gene Simmons Band. Meanwhile, the debut KISS' Las Vegas avatar shows, similar to ABBA's Voyage, has been tentatively scheduled for 2028 and is reportedly set to feature "new songs." - New Musical Express, 5/18/26...... Riding a wave of resurgence in posthumous popularity from the success of the new biopic Michael, Michael Jackson is once again the biggest artist in the United States by topping the Billboard Artist 100 chart for the first time. Launched by Billboard in 2014, the Artist 100 ranks the top artists in the U.S. based on artists' activity across streaming, radio airplay, album sales and track sales. The chart combines those metrics into a weekly multidimensional ranking of artist popularity. The solo song catalog of Jackson, who died in 2009, generated 161.2 million on-demand U.S. streams during the May 8-14 tracking week, according to Luminate (up 6% week to week), behind only Drake and Morgan Wallen. On radio, Jackson's music continues to thrive with a ombined 93.4 million radio airplay audience impressions in the U.S. during the tracking week (up 2%), and good for eighth place among all artists. In album sales, Jackson's solo catalog sold a combined 46,000 albums in the U.S. during the week (up 8%) -- the second-highest total among all acts behind CORTIS. In digital song sales, Jackson's tunes sold 20,000 digital downloads combined during the tracking week, placing him narrowly behind Langley (also roughly 20,000) for the second highest total among all acts. Jackson is also No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart, began in 2020, for the first time. "Billie Jean" is the biggest song in the world, rising two spots to No. 1, and shattering the record for the longest rise to the top, reigning in its 144th week. Together, those metrics make MJ the biggest artist in the U.S. for the third week in May, a feat sparked by the major cultural and commercial impact of Michael, which has sent many of his songs and albums back onto Billboard's charts. The film has become second-highest grossing film of the year, returning to the No. 1 spot in North American box office sales after two weeks trailing The Devil Wears Prada 2, earning $26.1 million in ticket sales in its third week of release, according to studio estimates. In other Jackson-family news, Jermaine Jackson has been ordered to pay $6.5 million for allegedly raping a session musician coordinator in her Los Angeles-area home in 1988. - Billboard, 5/18/26...... Funk legend George Clinton filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group on May 15, claiming the music giant is "financially crippling" him by freezing more than $1 million in his royalty accounts amid a long-simmering dispute over ownership of his catalog. Clinton claims UMG has unfairly withheld all royalties merely because of a separate case filed years ago by the estate of late Parliament-Funkadelic member Bernie Worrell seeking a cut from hundreds of P-Funk tracks. But Worrell's lawsuit was dismissed last year, Clinton says -- and yet, UMG is still refusing to pay him his royalties. "UMG continues to withhold 100% of royalties from plaintiff across every royalty account, including accounts for sound recordings that have no [connection] whatsoever to the Worrell litigation," his lawyers contend. "These funds have been frozen for more than three years, with no legal justification, financially crippling plaintiff." Worrell's estate sued Clinton in 2022, claiming the keyboardist had been a co-creator of 264 songs in the P-Funk catalog, including Billboard Hot 100 hits "Flash Light" and "One Nation Under a Groove." The case sought a court ruling that the estate was the co-owner of those tracks. While the lawsuit was pending, UMG started withholding royalties from Clinton, a common industry practice during litigation. The company was initially named in the Worrell lawsuit, and Clinton's record deal allows the label to freeze royalties when "reasonably necessary" to protect itself from liability if the music is involved in litigation. In his new lawsuit, Clinton says UMG is still unfairly withholding all of his royalties, even though the Worrell lawsuit only ever dealt with a 50% cut and there's no longer any legal risk to the company to justify the freeze. Clinton previouisly fought battles with Worrell and his estate, as well as numerous cases with his former agent, Armen Boladian, whose company, Bridgeport Music, owns 90% of his publishing. - Billboard, 5/18/26...... Appearing as musical guest on NBC's Saturday Night Live on May 16, Paul McCartney performed three songs (rather than the standard two), in addition to getting monologue and sketch screen time, on the Will Ferrell-hosted season finale episode. Sir Paul's return to the SNL stage came more than 13 years after his last performance slot on the show, being previously booked as musical guest for episodes in 1980, 1993, 2010 and 2012. For his fifth appearance, the former Beatle performed "Days We Left Behind," the poignant lead single from his upcoming album The Boys of Dungeon Lane (out May 29). For his second number, he and his band performed a lively "Band on the Run," the 1974 McCartney and Wings classic that hit the top of the pop chart that year. The music legend got extra time on camera Saturday night -- in host Ferrell's monologue, for which he took over a bit that had him confusing Ferrell with doppelgänger Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and in a sketch later in the episode that had him co-starring with Ferrell and Marcello Hernndez as mechanics swindling clueless car owners. Finally as the credits rolled, the closing moments of the show were extended for a musical encore by Paul and his band with a rendition of his 1980 No. 1 solo hit "Coming Up." His SNL performances of "Days We Left Behind" and "Band on the Run" can be streamed on YouTube. - Billboard, 5/17/26...... In other McCartney news, the star recently made this year's London Sunday Times Rich List once again, with the former Beatle and his wife, the former Nancy Shevell, listed with a combined fortune of £1.055 billion. Their wealth continues to rise through touring, publishing, catalogue reissues and the enduring commercial power of the Beatles' legacy, which remains one of the most valuable cultural brands in the world, and has turned Macca the only musician in UK history to reach billionaire status. Other '70s musicians making the list were Sir Elton John (No. 6, £480 million), Sir Mick Jagger (No. 7, £450 million), and Keith Richards (No. 8, £450 million). - Music-News.com, 5/15/26...... Speaking of the Rolling Stones, the band has been transported back to the 1970s by deepfake technology in the video for their new single "In The Stars." In a video shared on YouTube, band members have been transported back to their '70s selves, as they play the track alongside musicians and dancers from across the eras, all united by the band's timeless hedonistic energy. The video, created by Deep Voodoo using deepfake technology and directed by Francois Rousselet, stars Marty Supreme actress Odessa A'zion, who has said: "Are you kidding me? It's my dream. The first record that I ever got that I listened to from start to finish was 'Tattoo You'. I'm obsessed with The Rolling Stones. This is in my bucket list for sure." The video can be viewed on YouTube. The Stones' new album, Foreign Tongues, will drop on July 10 via Polydor/Universal Music and it is set to feature guest appearances from Paul McCartney, Robert Smith, Steve Winwood and the band's late drummer Charlie Watts. - NME, 5/15/26...... Elton John is teaming with iHeartMedia and Procter & Gamble to launch a new awards show, the Elton John Impact Awards, which will honor LGBTQ+ icons and trailblazers. The inaugural Elton John Impact Awards will launch on June 1 as a podcast series and honor Jonathan Bailey, Chappell Roan, Laverne Cox, Melissa Etheridge, Billie Jean King and Orville Peck. Hosted by Billy Porter and Elvis Duran, the special will also feature a performance of John's "Your Song" by Dove Cameron, along with candid, personal conversations with Sir Elton, his husband, David Furnish, who is chair of the Elton John AIDS Foundation; and this year's honorees. Organizers said the program will also help boost awareness and funding for several organisations supporting the LGBTQ+ community, including the Elton John AIDS Foundation. "I've always believed in the power of storytelling to connect us and challenge us," Elton said in a statement. "These conversations bring together the people who have shaped LGBTQ+ culture and fought for dignity at a time when the world too often looked away." - Music-News.com, 5/18/26...... Barbra Streisand revealed on May 17 that she will be unable to attend the Cannes Film Festival closing ceremony to accept her honorary Palme d'Or after suffering a knee injury. "On the advice of my doctors, as I continue recovering from a knee injury, I am sadly unable to attend the Festival de Cannes this year," the "The Way We Were" singer said in a statement. "My heartfelt thanks to the Festival, and to everyone who continues to support and champion the art of cinema," she added. The festival will pay tribute to the singer, actor and filmmaker during its closing ceremony on May 23." Festival organizers issued a statement giving Streisand their "warmest wishes for a prompt recovery." Streisand is the third recipient of a Cannes honorary Palme d'Or this year, alongside Lord of the Rings filmmaker Peter Jackson and John Travolta, who premiered his directorial debut Propeller One-Way Night Coach at the festival. Travolta was surprised with the award before the screening, prompting an emotional reaction. "This is beyond the Oscar," he said through tears. "I can't believe this. This is the last thing I expected." - Music-News.com, 5/17/26...... The American Music Awards announced on May 15 that Billy Idol will receive the 2026 Lifetime Achievement AMA award at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 25. The '80s music star, 70, who began his music career in the late 1970s as frontman with the punk band Generation X, will receive the prestigious prize and deliver a medley of some of his biggest hits during the 2026 AMA ceremony. The performance will mark Idol's (real name William Broad) first time on the AMAs stage since presenting in 2004 and his first AMAs performance ever. Previous recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award include Diana Ross and Rod Stewart. - Music-News.com, 5/15/26...... Singer/guitarist Ike Willis, who played in late rock iconoclast Frank Zappa's band for a decade from 1978-1998, died on May 16 in Las Vegas after a battle with prostate cancer. He was 70. Willis was best known as the voice of the 1979 three-part rock opera Joe's Garage, the sprawling album telling the story of average L.A. teen Joe, who over the course of the LP -- which was later released as a double, and triple album -- forms a band, has sex with household appliance and strikes out with women and is then jailed and released into a world where music is outlawed. As with many of Zappa's eclectic albums, Joe's Garage hopped from rock to jazz, country and pop and hit on a number of the musician s favorite topics: sex, religion, government overreach and authoritarianism. It included Willis crooning, as Joe, on the church-baiting "Catholic Girls," "Crew Slut," "Wet T-Shirt Nite" and his pained caterwauling on the STD-themed jazz rocker "Why Does it Hurt When I Pee?" Isaac "Ike" Willis was born on Nov. 12, 1955 in St. Louis and started playing guitar at age eight and fell under the spell of prog rock and jazz in high school, specifically having his mind blown at a 1974 Zappa concert on the "Roxy and Elsewhere" tour. Then, while studying political science at Washington University in St. Louis in 1977 and also working on the school s concert committee, he scored a backstage pass he used to meet Zappa during a show at Wash U. Willis impressed Zappa with his singing skills backstage, prompting the band leader to ask Willis to audition to be a guitarist in his band. After graduating from the university the next year, Willis finally got his official audition in California and became a regular member of Zappa's expansive touring and studio crew for the next decade. According to his family's statement, Willis continued to inspire new generations of musicians outside of his work with Zappa, including mentoring young artists during a stint teaching at the School of Rock. "His years of collaboration with Frank Zappa made him a cherished figure within the Zappa community, where fans embraced him not only for his talent, but for his generosity, wit, and the joy he brought to every stage," the statement said. - Billboard, 5/19/26...... Dennis Locorriere, a founding member of the '70s country rock band Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show, died on May 16 following a "long and courageous battle with kidney disease," his reps shared in a statement. He was 76. "Dennis faced his illness with remarkable strength, dignity, and resilience throughout, and remained deeply cherished by all who knew him. He will be remembered for his warmth, love, and the lasting impact he had on those around him," the statement read. "We would like to thank everyone who supported Dennis during his journey and ask for privacy for his loved ones as they grieve this profound loss." The New Jersey-born singer and guitarist co-founded Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show in 1969, serving as the band's bassist and lead singer, and having chart success with songs including "Sylvia's Mother" (No. 5, 1972), "The Cover of Rolling Stone" (No. 6, 1973). After shortening their band name to Dr. Hook in the mid-'70s, Locorriere and the band scored more hits with "Only Sixteen" (No. 6, 1976), "Sharing the Night Together" (No. 6, 1978), "When You're In Love With a Beautiful Woman" (No. 6, 1979), "Sexy Eyes" (No. 5, 1980), and "Baby Makes Her Blue Jeans Talk" (No. 25, 1982). Co-fronted by Ray Sawyer ("Dr. Hook" because he wore an eye patch), Dr. Hook also appeared in and performed music for the film Who Is Harry Kellerman And Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? starring Dustin Hoffman. Following the band's farewell tour in 1985, Locorriere retained the rights to the group's moniker and continued touring as Dr. Hook. He announced in Nov. 2025 that he would retire from touring. - Music-News.com, 5/17/26...... Actress Ann Robinson, who starred in the original The War of the Worlds sci-fi classic, passed away on Sept. 26, 2025 at her home in L.A., but her family only recently confirmed her death. She was 96. The actress began her movie career as a stuntwoman before going on to become a star in the 1953 classic, The War of the Worlds. Based on H.G. Wells' 1898 novel, the Oscar-winning film centered on Ms. Robinson's library science teacher character, Sylvia Van Buren, who teams up with Gene Barry's Pacific Tech professor character, Clayton Forrester, trying to figure out how to defeat Martians. The movie won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects as the Martians wielded a deadly heat ray that killed everything in its path. In 2011, the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry for its cultural significance and aesthetic appeal, and in 2005, Steven Spielberg tackled his own version with Tom Cruise in the lead and Ms. Robinson and Barry making memorable cameos as the grandmother and grandfather of Cruise's children in the film. The actress also had a long list of film and TV credits including guest roles on famous TV series like Dragnet, Perry Mason, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and even Gilligan's Island. She is survived by her son, Jaime Bravo Jr., and two grandchildren. - Canoe.com, 5/18/26.