December 2012

Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted in Main by Administrator on December 28th, 2012

The Bank of England announces it is considering such rock and pop stars as the Beatles, Mick Jagger and Robbie Williams to grace one side of a new 10 pound bank note when it is printed..... Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, who recently married his theatre producer girlfriend Sally Humphreys on Dec. 21, tells the UK paper The Telegraph that the Stones intend to keep rolling until they die..... In a recent post on his official website, Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi says his seminal heavy metal band will be touring "as much as we're able" in 2013, thanked fans for their support the past year, and also made reference to his battle with cancer..... A 1969 Jimi Hendrix vehicle registration which has survived for over 43 years sells on eBay for over two thousand dollars..... Norman Lear, the producer of such socially conscious '70s TV sitcoms as "All in the Family," "Maude," and "The Jeffersons," takes to The Huffington Post on Dec. 21 to comment on gun control in America, which has reignited after two notorious mass shootings in Connecticut and New York..... Fontella Bass, the St. Louis-born soul singer who is best known for topping the R and B charts with 1965 with the rollicking hit "Rescue Me," dies on Dec. 26 at age 72 at a St. Louis hospice of complications from a heart attack she suffered earlier in December..... Ray Collins, a singer and co-founder of Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention, dies on Dec. 24 at age 75 at the Pomona Valley Hospital in Claremont, Calif., after suffering a massive heart attack on Dec. 18..... Veteran character actor Charles Durning, who had a prolific 50-year career playing everyone from a Nazi colonel to the pope to Dustin Hoffman's would-be suitor in "Tootsie," dies of natural causes at age 89 on Dec. 24 in at his home in Manhattan..... Marva Whitney, a fiery voiced funk singer known as "Soul Sister No. 1" who toured and collaborated with soul legend James Brown, dies on Dec. 22 at age 68..... R and B singer-songwriter Jimmy McCracklin, best known for his 1958 dance hit "The Walk," dies at age 91 on Dec. 20 in San Pablo, Calif..... Jack Klugman, the gruff-voiced actor who was a major presence on 1970s and 1980s TV through the hit shows "The Odd Couple" and "Quincy M.E.," dies on Dec. 24 at age 90 at his home in the Los Angeles suburb of Northridge.

Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted in Main by Administrator on December 23rd, 2012

Paul Simon performs "The Sound of Silence," the favorite song of Newtown, Conn., school shooting victim Victoria Soto, during her funeral service at Lordship Community Church in Stratford on Dec. 19..... Firearms enthusiast and '70s rocker Ted Nugent won't be reappearing on the Discovery Channel in the foreseeable future, a spokesman for the channel tells the website RawStory.com on Dec. 19..... Peter Frampton announces he's planning a "Peter Frampton's Guitar Circus" summer 2013 tour that will include such superstar guests as B.B. King..... Hundreds of friends and family of Ravi Shanka attend a memorial for the late sitar virtuoso in Encinitas, Calif., on Dec. 20..... Patti Smith says she's planning a sequel to her 2010 memoir "Just Kids," a bestselling National Book Award for Nonfiction recipient that focused on her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe..... Jackson Browne, Jeff Lynne, Bob Weir, Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench are among the musicians who performed during an all-star "Jam-a-Thon" benefit concert at the Troubador club in Los Angeles on Dec. 20 for Little Kids Rock and the Tazzy Animal Rescue Fund..... British media reports that Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood married his fiance, theater producer Sally Humphreys, on Dec. 21..... Neil Young's new digital-to-analog music service files trademark applications for a pair of slogans -- "Pono Promise" and "21st Century Digital" -- for his forthcoming music service Pono, which will allow high-resolution master downloads of songs..... The family of Frank Zappa is offering the late musician's fans the opportunity to lease a collection of never-before-released Zappa master recordings for $1,000 to help finance the completion a long-unfinished 1974 Zappa concert film, "The Roxy Performances."..... Current Thin Lizzy members post on their Facebook page that they will reform in 2013 under the name Black Star Riders..... The Canadian rock trio Rush, recently chosen for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, release their first ever iBook for their classic 1974 prog-rock opus "2112."..... Queen guitarist Brian May is being called upon by leading academics in the UK as a replacement for the late Sir Patrick Moore as host of the BBC astronomy series, "The Sky at Night."..... Drummer Nick Mason of Pink Floyd fame steps in with funding to save the old drum shop where he bought his first drum kit from closing..... A German court rules in favor of Kraftwerk in a 12-year-old court case surrounding a two second sample of their music..... Meat Loaf announces details of his upcoming "Last at Bat" tour of the UK, which he says will be his last tour ever in the country..... Ashton Kutcher, who rose to fame as a cast member of the hit FOX retro-sitcom "That '70s Show," files court papers in Los Angeles on Dec. 21 to end his seven-year marriage to actress Demi Moore..... A new study by students at Liverpool University reveals that solo pop stars are more likely to die young than those in bands, and the average age of death for artists from Europe and North America..... Bassist Lee Dorman, a member of the psychedelic rock band Iron Butterfly, is found dead in a vehicle on the morning of Dec. 21 in Orange County, Calif.

Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted in Main by Administrator on December 18th, 2012

What was touted as "the largest collection of famous rock stars, actors and comedians to ever perform on the same stage" appear together at New York's Madison Square Garden on Dec. 12 in a "12-12-12" concert to benefit victims of Superstorm Sandy..... The Rolling Stones give a raucous, star-filled concert of their own on Dec. 15 in the closer of their 50th anniversary mini-tour of the U.K. and U.S. at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J..... Three days after performing together at the "12-12-12" benefit concert, Paul McCartney and the surviving members of the '90s alt-rock band Nirvana unite again to perform their new collaboration, "Cut Me Some Slack," on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" on Dec. 15..... Legendary guitarist Brian May of Queen hosts a press confab in central London on Dec. 14 to launch an ebook version of his band retrospective "40 Years of Queen."&& During a performance at his annual House Full of Toys benefit concert at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles on Dec. 16, Stevie Wonder calls for stricter gun laws in the wake of the horrific massacre of 18 children and 12 adults by a deranged shooter at the Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Conn., on Dec. 14..... Former Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant joins his wife, singer Patty Griffin, onstage on Dec. 15 during a benefit show in Austin, Tex., for injured and uninsured Austin musician Michael Fracasso..... Jackson Browne is among the headliners of a benefit concert at New York's Beacon Theater on Dec. 14 on behalf of jailed activist Leonard Peltier, who has been imprisoned for the last 37 years after being convicted of murdering two FBI officers during an Indian Reservation shootout in 1975..... A biopic of late the Who manager Kit Lambert helmed by actor Cary Elwes will begin shooting next spring..... Singer-songwriter Carole King will be honored with the prestigious U.S. Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, the library announced on Dec. 13..... The '80s prog-rock group Asia is forced to cancel its 30th Anniversary UK Tour due to drummer Carl Palmer coming down with a severe case of E. coli..... An amusing incident relating to the famous '70s-'80s pop duo Hall and Oates occurs on Dec. 9 after a Norwalk, Ohio, man named Roger Oates was charged with felony assault for allegedly biting the eyebrow off of his neighbor, who is named Scott Hall..... Actress Sally Struthers, best known for playing the role of Gloria Stivic in the multiple Emmy-winning series "All in the Family" in the 1970s, is arrested and charged with driving under the influence on Sept. 12 on U.S. Route 1 in the resort town of Ogunquit, Maine, where she was performing in a musical..... Gil Friesen, an influential music mogul who helped build A-M Records with Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss and guided the careers of such artists as the Police and Janet Jackson, dies on Dec. 13 at age 75 at his Los Angeles home after a battle with leukemia.

Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted in Main by Administrator on December 13th, 2012

Indian musician, sitar virtuoso, and composer Ravi Shankar, who was once labeled "the godfather of world music" by former Beatle George Harrison, passes away due to upper respiratory and heart problems on Dec. 11 at age 92..... In a recent interview with Guitar World magazine, Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page reveals he plans to mount a solo tour in 2013..... The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announces the Class of 2013 inductees into their Cleveland-based hall and museum on Dec. 11, and making the cut this time are Rush, Heart, Randy Newman, Donna Summer, Public Enemy and blues guitarist Albert King..... Some 50 years since their first London jam sessions back in 1962, the Rolling Stones play the first of three U.S. anniversary shows at a packed Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Dec. 8..... A batch of love letters written by Mick Jagger to his 1960s girlfriend Marsha Hunt sell at auction in London for $301,472..... Possibly the most notorious artifact of the rock era -- the copy of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's 1980 "Double Fantasy" album that was signed by Lennon for his killer, Mark David Chapman -- is being sold online after its current owner Bob Zafian, who purchased the record in 2003, decided to part company with it..... Fireworks set off during a Paul McCartney concert at Vancouver's BC Place on Nov. 25 during a rendition of "Live and Let Die" cause minor damage to the venue..... The Temptations, Ravi Shankar, Carole King, Patti Page and Lightnin' Hopkins are among the artists who will be honored with Special Merit Lifetime Acheivement Awards by the Grammy Awards' Recording Academy during a ceremony in Los Angeles on Feb. 9..... As a new museum devoted to Abba is getting ready to open in May 2013, former Abba member Bjorn Ulvaeus says that doesn't mean the famous Euro-pop faves will ever reunite for a performance..... James Taylor says he doesn't see the resemblance between himself and Abraham Lincoln, but he was pitched to play Lincoln in Steven Spielberg's new film about the revered U.S. president..... Fleetwood Mac is planning to mark the 35th anniversary of their classic 1977 album "Rumours" with deluxe and expanded editions that are set to drop via Rhino Records on Jan. 29..... Guitarist Steven Van Zandt of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band will oversee the first of six reunion shows with the '60s pop-rock band The Rascals, featuring the soul group's original lineup..... Lone surviving original Four Tops member Abdul "Duke" Fakir says that the group's upcoming 60th anniversary in 2014 may be "my farewell tour."..... Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Leonard Cohen announces he'll play a one off show at London's O2 Arena on June 21, 2013..... '70s prog-rock veterans Caravan announce they'll commence a 10-date U.K. tour on Jan. 8, 2013, at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall..... Guitarist Huw Lloyd-Langton of the band Hawkwind dies on Dec. 6 after a two-year battle with cancer at age 61..... Cable's TNT network announces on Dec. 11 that it will hold a funeral for Larry Hagman's memorable character J.R. Ewing at some point in the second 15-episode season of its new "Dallas" reboot.

Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted in Main by Administrator on December 8th, 2012

The Rolling Stones accept an invitation to take part in the upcoming Hurricane Sandy "12-12-12" benefit concert at New York's Madison Square Garden on Dec. 12..... It's no longer the subject of rumours -- Fleetwood Mac confirm on Dec. 4 that they'll return to the road in the spring of 2013 for an extensive world tour..... An exec with Cher's record label, Warner Bros., confirms on Nov. 30 that the superstar diva's next album will be released in late March 2013..... In a recent HuffingtonPost.com editorial, Neil Young says that "it's time to get real on carbon" and that higher gas-mileage requirements for American vehicles won't have the intended effect of lowering our carbon output..... Paul McCartney calls upon those involved in the current United Nations climate change conference to consider introducing a "Meat Free Monday" initiative..... In a Washington Times editorial on Dec. 5, Ted Nugent calls for American citizens receiving welfare be stripped of their right to vote..... Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues says he has recorded 14 songs with collaborator Alberto Parodi for his first solo album since 1996's "The View from the Hill."..... The video clip for a new Christmas song by "Grease" co-stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John gets less than enthusiastic reviews from some critics..... The official video for the Hillsborough charity single "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" featuring Paul McCartney is made available online on Dec. 5..... Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band announce they'll be touring Australia in the spring of 2013 for the first time in 10 years..... Barry Manilow charts his first Top 10 Billboard Adult Contemporary single since 1989 with his new Christmas single "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town."..... German electropop pioneers Kraftwerk will make their first live London performances since 2004 when they play over eight nights at the Tate Modern gallery beginning Feb. 6..... Kenny Rogers, now in the midst of his annual Christmas concert tour, says he plans on recording some new duets with old friends such as Dolly Parton and Lionel Richie in the new year..... Jazz piano great Dave Brubeck, who spent his lengthy career pushing the boundaries of jazz music, passes away on the morning of Dec. 5 of heart failure, one day short of his 92nd birthday..... Influential drummer Ed Cassidy of the classic rock band Spirit passes away of undisclosed causes in San Jose, Calif., on Dec. 6 at age 89.

Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted in Main by Administrator on December 4th, 2012

As the first "New Year's Rockin' Eve" without its inaugural host Dick Clark approaches on Dec. 31, ABC is turning this year's program into a celebration of the late showbiz impresario's life..... After making their iTunes debut on Nov. 19, AC-DC sells a whopping 48,000 digital albums and 696,000 songs in the week ending Nov. 25, according to Nielsen SoundScan..... Led Zeppelin are among the honorees at this year's Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 2 for their contribution to America culture and the arts..... One of the most important music instruments in rock music history, the black Fender Stratocaster that Jimi Hendrix is believed to have set on fire at the Monterey International Pop Festival in 1967, sells for 237,000 pounds at auction in London on Nov. 27..... Several costumes worn by Michael Jackson fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars in a sale conducted by Julien's Auctions on Dec. 2, and even Lady Gaga makes several purchases..... Eric Clapton and Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine are among the special guests at the Rolling Stones' second London show at the O2 Arena on Nov. 29..... Country-pop crossover star Glen Campbell says he's considering scheduling more shows in 2013 after playing more than 120 dates in 2012..... In the new limited-release rockumentary "Beware of Mr. Baker," late Cream drummer Ginger Baker's recklessly free spirit is on display as he spits obscenitites at the film's director, Jay Bulger..... Paul McCartney says he has fulfilled a "personal ambition" of his by being immortalized in in the final issue of the British children's comic "The Dandy."..... The George Harrison documentary "Concert for George" was streamed on YouTube on Nov. 29 to celebrate the event's 10-year anniversary..... Ringo Starr and his 2012 All Starr Band are contributing a track called "Wings" to an upcoming Hurricane Sandy charity compilation, "Songs After Sandy - Friends of Red Hook for Sandy Relief."..... On Dec. 1 Stevie Wonder cancels a performance at fundraising gala for the Friends of the Israel Defence Forces, saying he "is and has always been against war, any war, anywhere."..... Actor Johnny Depp joins Alice Cooper on stage at the Los Angeles Orpheum Theatre on Nov. 29 as the shock rocker's "Raise The Dead" tour continues..... Bruce Springsteen announces dates for a tour of the UK and Ireland in summer 2013, as part of a full European tour..... Veteran prog-rockers Asia will launch a 30th Anniversary UK tour on Dec. 15..... Todd Rundgren announces he'll be moving his Toddstock birthday concert event from his home in Hawaii to Louisiana..... Guitarist Mickey Baker, best known for his contribution to the No. 1 hit 1956 Mickey and Sylvia single "Love Is Strange," dies on Nov. 27 at age 87 at his home in France of heart and kidney failure..... Veteran rock photographer Ken Regan, who defined "behind-the-scenes," dies on Nov. 25 after a long illness.