Ringo Starr's new country-themed album Long Long Road has debuted in the top 10 of Billboard's Album Sales Chart dated May 9 after its Apr. 24 release. Long Long Road becomes the former Beatle's second top 10 on the Album Sales Chart, which launched in 1991, following last year's Look Up. Long Long Road debuted on a total of five Billboard charts, including Top Album Sales (No. 9), Indie Store Album Sales (No. 11), Americana/Folk Albums (No. 15), Vinyl Albums (No. 15) and Top Country Albums (No. 40). Starr's new album marks his 22nd solo album and his second co-written and produced by T Bone Burnett, following Look Up, with collaborations from the likes of Sheryl Crow, Sarah Jarosz, Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle and St. Vincent. - Billboard, 5/8/26...... In related news, Ringo's first ever debut with Paul McCartney, "Home To Us," has been shared on YouTube. The track is the second to be shared from Macca's new album The Boys of Dungeon Lane, which arrives on May 29, following on from the powerful nostalgic lead single "Days We Left Behind." After that lead single dropped, reports started to emerge that Ringo would appear on the record as a guest drummer, and at a special fan album playback event at Abbey Road Studios on May 5, Sir Paul confirmed that rumours were true. He played the full album exclusively for the 50 lucky fans in attendance, and confirmed that the song with Starr was called "Home To Us" and set for release on May 8. "Home To Us" is the first music the two Beatles icons have made together as a duet, and also features Sharleen Spiteri and The Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde on guest vocals. McCartney plays the majority of instruments on the song -- much like in his 1970 solo debut album, McCartney -- and it is produced by Andrew Watt. McCartney will take the stage on the season finale of NBC's Saturday Night Live on May 16 to perform selections from The Boys of Dungeon Lane, his fifth appearance as SNL's musical guest, with Emmy winner and former SNL player Will Ferrell hosting. - NME, 5/6/26...... 
Eric Clapton decided to end his gig early at Madrid's Movistar Arena on May 7 after a fan in one of the front rows hurled a vinyl LP at the veteran rocker which hit him in the chest. The guitarist, playing the Spanish capital as part of his current European tour, had just finished a rendition of his U.S. 1980 hit "Cocaine," and had been scheduled to return for an encore of the blues standard "Before You Accuse Me" in his 13-song set, but in the end he chose not to retake the stage. "Very sad indeed. What kind of idiot does that?," one fan posted on X/Twitter along with footage of Clapton's show. Clapton, who released his latest album Meanwhile in 2024, is set to play a huge one-off show in the UK this summer, at the Sandringham Estate on Aug. 23. He will be joined on the bill by Ronnie Wood and His Band, as well as Andy Fairweather Low and The Low Riders. More fan-shot footage of the Madrid show can be streamed on YouTube. - New Musical Express, 5/9/26...... Michael Jackson's classic 1982 LP Thriller has zoomed from 48-7 following the release of the Michael biopic in movie theaters on Apr. 24, with the Michael soundtrack debuting at No. 8 on Billboard's Album Sales Chart dated May 9. The King of Pop's solo song catalog registered a collective 137.5 million official on-demand streams for the week of Apr. 24-30 in the US, according to Luminate, up 146% and more than doubling his previous career high. Thriller's No. 7 debut marks the album's best showing since reaching the same position in Dec. 2022 after a 40th anniversary reissue. Excluding that celebration, Thriller last ranked higher on the chart dated June 2, 1984, at No. 6. Just weeks before, the blockbuster, wrapped 37 weeks at No. 1 across 1983-1984, still the most weeks at No. 1 by an album by a singular artist in the chart's history. It also charted a total of seven Top 40 singles from 1983-84. Prior to the Michael era, the late icon, who died in 2009, recorded a high of 53.7 million for the week of Oct. 25-31, 2019, spurred by the now-annual Halloween resurgence for "Thriller." Michael covers Jackson's life from 1966 to 1988, including time with both The Jackson 5 and The Jacksons groups with his brothers. As such, those acts' catalogs experience massive increases too, with the former's songs pulling 10.1 million streams in the tracking week, up 135% from the previous week's 4.3 million. The Jacksons, meanwhile, surge to 4.9 million clicks for their tracks, up 57% from 2.1 million last week. At the box office, Michael has also generated a huge commercial response. The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jackson's nephew Jaafar Jackson in the title role, grossed $97 million in its first weekend in the U.S. and Canada and $218.8 million worldwide, both the highest ever opening figures for a biopic. - Billboard, 5/6/26...... Ronnie Wood has revealed that he has a tribute to Beach Boys' Brian Wilson on the new Rolling Stones album, Foreign Tongues. Speaking on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Wood revealed that he learned of Wilson's passing while in the studio working on Foreign Tongues, and wanted to play something from the heart that expressed how he felt after hearing the news. "I was so moved that day, and disappointed and sad, I had so much feeling because Brian Wilson died. I'll never forget," he said, going on to reveal that he wrote a nine-minute guitar solo which helped him channel his emotions. That solo was later cut down to around five-minutes, and now features in a song called "Back In Your Life." "That week Sly Stone died too, I thought, 'Oh, no. It's so sad'. It came out through my guitar, the feeling, in just one take. I didn't do that, the guitar played itself," he added. The 14-track Foreign Tongues is set for release on July 10 via Polydor/Universal Music. Wood's Tonight Show interview can be viewed on YouTube. - NME, 5/8/26...... 
Cher and her frequent songwriting collaborator Diane Warren have scored a number of chart hits over the years, including such classics as "If I Could Turn Back Time," "Just Like Jesse James" and "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me," and on May 8 Warren reposted an Instagram post which Cher made earlier: "You're annoying but U write great songs." The post included a seemingly recent smiling pic of the duo hanging out, along with Warren's reaction to the star's backhanded praise: "haha thnx Cher." The singer's Warren-penned and co-produced massive 1989 hit "If I Could Turn Back Time" rose to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and they've teamed up for more than a dozen other classics, including the Golden Globe-winning Burlesque soundtrack hit "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me," the country-leaning 1989 song "Just Like Jesse James," as well as 1991's "Save Up All Your Tears," 1987's "Perfection," "Does Anybody Really Fall in Love Anymore?," "Love and Understanding" and several others. Cher's last album of original material was 2013's dance-heavy Closer to the Truth, and her most recent project was her 2023 Christmas album, which debuted atop the Top Holiday Albums chart in 2023. Meanwhile, the family drama between Cher and her son, Elijah Blue Allman, continues as Allman filed a court document in the Superior Court of Los Angeles on May 5 asking a judge to slash the spousal support payments he makes to his estranged wife, Marieangela King. Elijah claims the reason is his mother stopped supporting him financially. Allman, 49, said he used to receive $10,000 a month from Cher, but that money allegedly stopped coming in Aug. 2021, according to PageSix.com. He told the court he now only receives $10,000 monthly from a trust tied to his late father, Gregg Allman. After taxes, he says his income works out to about $6,790 a month. Right now, Allman is required to pay King $6,500 a month in spousal support. His lawyers are asking the court to cut that amount down to $1,651 monthly. In the filing, Allman also accused King, 38, of making "no efforts to become self-supporting" since the couple split in 2021. The pair married in 2013. Allman first filed for divorce in 2021, but the case was later dismissed after the couple reconciled. King then filed for divorce herself in Apr. 2025. Their next court hearing is set for July 17. The latest legal battle comes as Cher continues trying to gain conservatorship over her son due to ongoing addiction and mental health struggles. - Billboard/Canoe.com, 5/8/26...... Barry Manilow shared a new version of his 1992 album track "Another Life" on YouTube on May 8. Co-written by Andrew Hill and Preston Sturges, "Another Life - 2026" explores the distance between former lovers, as one struggles to come to terms with the relationship's end. Arranged by Manilow and longtime collaborator Michael Lloyd, the new 2026 recording retains the song's wistful core while deepening its sense of nostalgia. Manilow was in his late 40s when he first recorded the song. He's now in his 80s and has had to confront a serious health challenge, giving the song added meaning. Manilow first recorded the song for his 1992 box set The Complete Collection and Then Some... The song wasn't officially released as a single, but as an album track, it reached No. 33 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. The new single follows Manilow's first public appearance since undergoing surgery for lung cancer. On Apr. 23, Manilow appeared at the American Advertising Federation's Hall of Fame gala in New York City to accept the President's Award, recognizing his iconic work in advertising, including writing famous jingles for McDonalds and other companies, before he launched his recording career in the early 1970s. "Another Life - 2026" is the final preview from Barry's forthcoming album What a Time, his first collection of nearly all-original material in almost 15 years. The album is due June 5. After his recovery is complete, the singer says he plans to tour throughout 2026. - Billboard, 5/8/26...... 
A new Ian Curtis exhibition will open in New York this summer and will feature rare archival material, including handwritten Joy Division lyrics. Held at the Voltz Clarke Gallery between June 25 and July 22, "Ian Curtis: Insight" will bring pieces from the late singer's archive to the United States for the first time and offer a new perspective on the UK's iconic Manchester artist. On display will be an "intimate and revealing" selection of handwritten lyrics, photographs, personal letters, ephemera and artefacts. They are being brought over from the The John Rylands Library at The University of Manchester, where they are housed as part of the British Pop Archive. Many of the pieces from the archive have never come to the US before, and organizers say that bringing them across the pond now, 46 years after Curtis' death, proves how his music continues to resonate with people across the globe. "This exhibition is part of The University of Manchester's remit to share our Special Collections globally," said Professor Christopher Pressler, University Librarian and Director of The John Rylands Library. Curtis and his bandmates first founded Joy Division in Salford, England back in 1976 under the name Warsaw. They changed their name to Joy Division in early 1978, and stayed together until the frontman took his own life in May 1980, after battling depression and epilepsy. Bandmates Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook and Stephen Morris went on to form New Order after his death, and have made numerous tributes to the late singer over the years. Both Joy Division and New Order will enter the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame as a single act during a ceremony in Los Angeles in November, following previous nominations in 2023 and 2025. - NME, 5/8/26...... During a recent interview on CBS Sunday Morning on May 3, Sting praised the "extraordinary work ethic" of his six children, and doubled-down on not passing his fortune down to them. Sting has two children with his first wife, son Joe Sumner and daughter Fuschia Sumner, as well as four kids with his second wife, Trudie Styler, Mickey, Jake, Eliot and Giacomo Sumner. "I think that's a form of abuse that I hope I'm never guilty of," Sting said, adding that all of his kids have been blessed with an "extraordinary work ethic," whether from their famous dad's DNA or from him simply being very frank about his financial planning. "Guys, you got to work," Sting says he told his kids. "I'm spending our money. I'm paying for your education. You've got shoes on your feet. Go to work. That's not cruel. I think there's a kindness there and a trust that they will make their own way. They're tough, my kids." Speaking about his stage musical," The Last Ship," in which he pays tribute to the hard-working shipbuilders fallen upon hard times in his home city of Newcastle, the 74-year-old musician said he took to heart the values of those working-class folks. "The working class works and wants to work. I'm one of those people, I love to work," he said. Sting's "3.0" US tour kicked off at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Fla. on May 6. His CBS Sunday Morning interview can be streamed on YouTube. - Billboard, 5/6/26...... Stanley Simmons, the group comprised of the sons of KISS' Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, have announced their debut album. Evan Stanley and Nick Simmons first revealed in early 2025 that they were working together on the project, saying at that time that they had written and recorded 10 songs together. Now, they have revealed that their album Dancing While The World Is Ending will be released on Aug. 28, and they have given a taste of it with the singles "Body Down" and the title track on YouTube. Stanley Simmons played their first ever live show on May 4 in San Diego, Calif., with followed by three further shows in the Golden State. As for KISS, the launch date for their Las Vegas avatar shows has been tentatively scheduled for 2028. Production will be overseen by Pophouse Entertainment, the founding investor behind ABBA's Voyage show. - NME, 5/4/26...... 
Deep Purple have confirmed their new studio album SPLAT! will arrive via EarMusic Records on July 3. Rather than leaning on their legacy, the group say the new material captures the same energy that defined their classic era. Frontman Ian Gillan said the current line-up feels like a modern reflection of the band's 1970s peak. He said: "Where we are now with this incarnation of Deep Purple feels very much like a very 'now' version of Deep Purple as it was in the seventies." For SPLAT!, he band once again worked with legendary producer Bob Ezrin -- known for his work with Alice Cooper, Pink Floyd, KISS and Lou Reed -- crafting what they describe as "their heaviest album in years," recorded live together in the studio. Gillan says the new songs sit comfortably alongside some of their most iconic work. "I have to say, now we are very much back in with material that is compatible with 'Highway Star', 'Smoke on the Water', 'Lazy' -- the dynamics, the balance, and the fun of the music we made from '69 to '73," he said. At the center of SPLAT! is a concept developed by Gillan, exploring the end of humanity not as destruction but as transformation -- a shift beyond physical existence. SPLAT! marks the latest chapter in a career that has seen the band sell more than 120 million albums since forming in 1968. The band will support the album with an extensive 2026 touring schedule, including 86 shows across 28 countries on three continents. Gillan said the group are thriving as they enter this next phase, adding: "Deep Purple is in a great place right now." SPLAT! will be released in multiple formats, including CD, digital, standard 2LP, limited purple and limited transparent yellow vinyl editions, along with a Limited Vinyl Box Set with 2LP+CD+3x10inch and 7inch formats. Deep Purple will mount an 8-date UK tour behind the new record in November. - Music-News.com, 5/6/26...... Veteran rock drummer Carmine Appice has spoken out about the rumours that Led Zeppelin asked him to join after John Bonham's death in 1980. Speaking on the Talk Louder podcast, Appice confirmed that he was aware of the rumours at the time that he was aware of the speculation he would replace Bonham, but says he was never approached by the band in any formal capacity. Appice recalled that he had heard that it might come down to a choice between himself and Cozy Powell of The Jeff Beck Group, but that even if he had been asked, he would have been unable to accept, as he was on tour with Rod Stewart at the time. "I would've, but I was with Rod," Appice explained. "It's not like I was with nobody, we'd just finished doing six nights at the Forum [in Los Angeles]." "So, Rod said to me, 'Are you gonna join Led Zeppelin?' I said, 'Not that I know of.' I said, 'I know there's rumours, but I never got a call or nothing.' He said, 'Oh, that's good. Let's keep [the rumours] going. There's rumours that I'm gonna retire, so let's keep it going. We'll just sell more tickets.' I said, 'OK.' So that's what we did. But I was never asked." Bonham passed away on Sept. 25, 1980 at the age of 32 after aspirating vomit following heavy alcohol consumption. In the end, Zeppelin chose not to replace him, feeling he was irreplaceable, and they disbanded the group shortly afterward. Phil Collins filled in on drums for the metal icons' appearance at Live Aid in 1985, while Bonham's son Jason Bonham has played at the few subsequent Led Zep shows, including their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1995 and at the huge Ahmet Ertegun tribute concert in London's O2 in 2007. In addition to his time with Stewart, Appice has also sat behind the kit for Vanilla Fudge, Cactus and Beck, Bogert & Appice. Appice's full Talk Louder interview can be viewed on YouTube. - NME, 5/4/26...... 
Police were called to the Los Angeles home of The Four Seasons lead singer Franki Valli on the evening of May 3, according to TMZ.com. A report claimed that someone had violated a restraining order related to a domestic dispute, an LAPD spokesperson told People magazine. The "My Eyes Adored You" singer was granted a three-year restraining order against his son Francesco Valli in Apr. 2024. According to dispatch audio obtained by People, a 38-year-old man was "banging on the door demanding entry." L.A. police officers, including a police helicopter, responded to the home and found no evidence of a crime. The air unit then cleared the scene. Then less than a minute later, another call was generated from the address for a "family dispute - restraining order violation." "This is a private family matter, and it was resolved before the authorities arrived," a rep for Valli told People. The restraining order was granted after Francesco attempted to break into his father's property in 2024. Valli's younger son Emilio claimed that Francesco "repeatedly physically threatened to harm or kill" him and his father. In the filing, he noted that threats like this had been happening for "several months" but had escalated since Valli financially cut off Francesco. Francesco was ordered to have no contact with Emilio or Valli and to stay at least 100 yards away from their homes, cars and workplaces. The restraining order is set to expire on Apr. 29, 2027. Valli shares Francesco and twins Emilio and Brando with his third wife, Randy Clohessy. Valli had three daughters, Celia, Antonia and Francine, with his first wife, Mary Mandel. Celia and Francine died in separate incidents in 1980. - Music-News.com, 5/7/26...... Alex Ligertwood, the Scottish singer best known for his work with Santana, died at his Santa Monica, Calif. home on Apr. 30. He was 79. "It's with great sadness and heartache to announce the passing of my sweet dear Alex Ligertwood," his wife Shawn Brogan wrote in a statement. "Alex died peacefully in his sleep with his doggy Bobo by his side. [He] was loved by so many. If you knew him, you loved him. He touched so many with his extraordinary voice. He was all heart and soul." Ligertwood played with a wide range of artists, but is best remembered for his stints as lead vocalist with Santana between 1979 and 1994. His soulful voice helped to define that era of the Latin rock band, featuring on albums including Marathon (1979), Zebop! (1981) and Sacred Fire: Live In South America (1993). He sang on some of the band's most beloved tracks, including "Winning," "Hold On" and "You Know That I Love You," during a period when Santana pivoted to more of an AOR style. Born in Glasgow on Dec. 18, 1946, Ligertwood began playing skiffle in the 1950s and joined the band The Senate, and prior to joining Santana, he also worked alongside The Jeff Beck Group and Average White Band, building a reputation as a standout vocalist. In recent years, he continued to perform live and he released a solo album Outside The Box in 2019, and had performed his final show just a few weeks before his passing, capping a career that spanned six decades. - NME, 5/4/26...... 
Media mogul Ted Turner, who pioneered the modern 24-hour news culture when he launched the CNN channel in 1980, died on May 6. He was 87. Mr. Turner launched Cable News Network as the first dedicated rolling news channel, which soon became a central part of the media landscape. The network initially faced scepticism and struggles, being mocked as the "Chicken Noodle Network" in its early years by those who thought it would not succeed. But the channel proved its worth by providing speedy and continuous updates of stories like the assassination attempt on US Pres. Ronald Reagan in 1981, and the Challenger space shuttle disaster in 1986. Then it truly came of age with its live rolling coverage from Iraq during the 1990-1991 Gulf War. But CNN was far from Turner's only outlet. He began his career by taking over the successful family billboard company when his father took his own life, then bought a radio station in Atlanta, Ga. Within a decade, that station had become the foundation of the Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) and its boss was one of the biggest media moguls in the US. He was also known for his brash personality, which earned him the nicknames "the Mouth of the South" and "Captain Outrageous." He even lived in CNN's headquarters for a number of years, often walking around the newsroom in his bath robe, "eager to debate the day's news," according to current CNN CEO/chairman Mark Thompson. Born Robert Edward Turner III was in Cincinnati on Nov. 19, 1938, Mr. Turner grew up mostly in Savannah, Ga. The foundation of his broadcasting empire was a money-bleeding UHF station, then WTCG, in Atlanta, which he bought in 1970 for $2.5 million. Beyond the media, Mr. Turner was a world-class yachtsman, winning the America's Cup in 1977. In 1983, a Rupert Murdoch-sponsored yacht collided with Mr. Turner's boat in an Australian race, which led Mr. Turner to challenge Murdoch to a fist fight. Mr. Turner also owned sport properties including the Atlanta Braves baseball team, Atlanta Hawks basketball team and Atlanta Thrashers ice hockey team. Mr. Turner's television empire also included the TBS and TNT channels, Turner Classic Movies and Cartoon Network. He made a short-lived, ill-fated $1.5 billion acquisition of the MGM film studios in 1985. He went on to buy film and TV companies Castle Rock Entertainment and New Line Cinema in the 1990s, before his company merged with Time Warner. He eventually sold his company to Time Warner in a fateful deal that wiped out a lot of his fortune and was seen as something that took his power away in the media. He then became a major philanthropist, donating $1 billion to the United Nations and millions more to environmental causes, and promoted and invested in clean energy. He was married to actress Jane Fonda from 1991 until 2001. In 2018, Mr. Turner revealed he had Lewy body dementia, a degenerative nerve disease. In an Instagram post on May 7, Jane Fonda paid tribute to Mr. Turner: "He swept into my life, a gloriously handsome, deeply romantic, swashbuckling pirate and I've never been the same," the 88-year-old actress wrote. "He needed me. No one had ever let me know they needed me, and this wasn't your average human being that needed me, this was the creator of CNN, and Turner Classic Movies, who had won the America's Cup as the world's greatest sailor. He had a big life, a brilliant mind and a soaring sense of humor." Survivors include two children from his first marriage, Laura and Teddy; three children from his second marriage, Rhett, Beau and Jennie; 14 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. - BBC.com, 5/6/26.
Sunday, May 10, 2026
Favorite Seventies Artists In The News
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Favorite Seventies Artists In The News
Rush's Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson opened Canada's Juno Awards on Mar. 29 with their first live performance alongside their new drummer, Anika Niles. In the spirit of new beginnings, Rush performed the song "Finding My Way," the first track on their 1974 debut Rush, which featured John Rutsey on drums in the studio, rather than the late Neil Peart, who didn't join the band until afterwards. The performance at Ontario's TD Coliseum marked the first time Lee and Lifeson have played as Rush since they wrapped their career-spanning "R40" farewell tour in 2015, playing 35 headline shows across North America, having formed over four decades prior. Throughout their performance, vintage footage of Rush with Peart, who died from brain cancer in early 2020, showed on screen. Anika Nilles, a German drummer, composer, and producer, has performed as Jeff Beck's drummer and has released four solo albums. Handling keyboard duties during the performance was The Who's Loren Gold. Rush has announced that they will be touring across the UK, Europe and South America in 2027, kicking off in Buenos Aires in January. So far, 24 shows in 13 countries have been confirmed, marking the first time the band has played in Europe since 2013, as well as 17 years since visiting South America. They are pegged as an '"Evening with Rush" event, and will see the band play two sets each night. Before that, Rush will be returning to the stage in North America for a "Fifty Something" tour with shows kicking off in June. A full list of 2027 dates can be viewed on Instagram. 
Meanwhile, Canada's favorite daughter Joni Mitchell reflected on how she built a new life "like a phoenix" in a poignant speech at the Junos on the same night. After Mitchell, 82, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on behalf of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), the previously LA-based singer-songwriter noted she was "so glad" to be back in her homeland after living in the U.S. for "many, many years." Addressing PM Carney, the "The Circle Game" singer noted, "We are so lucky... We are so fortunate to have him... I'm living in the States, and you know what's happening there." Then she went on to reference her past health issues. I had a (brain) aneurysm, which changed my life - oddly, for the better," the 82-year-old continued. "I went into a coma, which helped me to quit smoking. And my house filled up with the most wonderful nurses. I was on the road with men for years and years; now I live with a house full of women... So, my life has changed for the better out of a catastrophe like a phoenix. Thank you very much for this honour." After receiving the prestigious prize, Mitchell joined fellow native Canadians Sarah McLachlan and Allison Russell for a rendition of her 1970 hit, "Big Yellow Taxi," amid a tribute medley. The Grammy Award-winning artist has made only a few public appearances since suffering a brain aneurysm rupture in March 2015. - New Musical Express/Music-News.com, 3/30/26...... The estate of Bob Marley has filed a lawsuit against the global cannabis company Tilray over what it claims are unpaid licensing fees for the deceased Jamaican music icon's official marijuana brand, Marley Natural. The suit, filed in Maryland on Mar. 27, alleges Tilray owes nearly $11.3 million for the use of Marley's name, image, likeness, signature and trademarks on Marley Natural cannabis products. Marley's estate accuses Tilray and its partners of "elaborate efforts to avoid paying" and a "scheme to defraud." The complaint seeks $11.3 million from Tilray for fraud and breach of contract, which they contend accounts for the $13 million in missing licensing fees, minus a $1.7 million settlement that Marley's heirs already obtained from a related subsidiary. Marley's estate, helmed by the late singer's daughter Cedella Marley, has been diligently working for decades to expand and market his legacy. The family's profile of businesses includes the Tuff Gong record label, music tech company House of Marley and Marley Coffee. - Billboard, 3/30/26...... As promised, Bruce Springsteen performed "Streets of Minneapolis" at the flagship No Kings rally in St. Paul, Minn., outside the State Capitol building on Mar. 28. Springsteen addressed an estimated crowd of more than 200,000 and delivered the third live performance of the protest anthem since its January release. Introduced to the stage by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, The Boss spoke at length before playing the song, honouring the state's resistance to Pres. Donald Trump's administration's Operation Metro Surge immigration enforcement campaign. "This past winter, federal troops brought death and terror to the streets of Minneapolis, but they picked the wrong city," he told the crowd. "The power and the solidarity of the people of Minneapolis and Minnesota was an inspiration to the entire country. Your strength and your commitment told us that this is still America, and this reactionary nightmare -- and these invasions of American cities -- will not stand. You gave us hope, you gave us courage." He went on to name the two Minneapolis residents, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, killed by ICE agents during the operation. The crowd then chanted "ICE out now" as Springsteen launched into the song. Springsteen wrote and recorded "Streets of Minneapolis" in the immediate aftermath of the shootings, releasing it within days. He debuted the song live on January 30 at a benefit concert at Minneapolis' First Avenue, and performed it a second time earlier this week at Democracy Now!'s 30th anniversary event in New York. The No Kings rally -- the third round of nationwide protests against the Trump administration -- drew millions of participants across more than 3,100 registered events in all 50 states. The St. Paul event served as the national flagship, with a bill that also included Joan Baez, Maggie Rogers, Jane Fonda, Tom Morello and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, among others. - Billboard, 3/29/26...... 
On Mar. 26 Paul McCartney announced a reflective new album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, inspired by his youth. McCartney's first release since 2020's McCartney III, the new album is his 18th studio effort and described in a press release as a look backward at the former Beatle's formative years, revisiting those youthful times that "shaped not only his life, but the very foundations of modern popular culture. In a career defined by timeless storytelling and unforgettable characters, Paul now tells the most personal story of all, his own. The Boys of Dungeon Lane is his most introspective album to date and takes the listener back to where it all began." "This is very much a memory song for me," Macca said in a statement. "The album title, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, comes from a lyric in this track. I was thinking just that, about the days I left behind and I do often wonder if I'm just writing about the past but then I think how can you write about anything else? It's just a lot of memories of Liverpool. It involves a bit in the middle about John and Forthlin Road which is the street I used to live in. Dungeon Lane is near there. I used to live in a place called Speke which is quite working class. We didn't have much at all but it didn't matter because all the people were great and you didn't notice you didn't have much." The LP was recorded with producer Andrew Watt (Elton John, Ozzy Osbourne) in bits in Los Angeles and Sussex, England between legs of McCartney's tours. In the spirit of his legendary 1970 debut solo album McCartney, Macca plays the majority of the instruments himself -- with the album credited entirely to himself. The Boys of Dungeon Lane is due out on May 29 through MPL/Capitol Records. McCartney has shared the new album's wistful first single, "Days We Left Behind," on YouTube. Two days after announcing the new LP, the legend played two intimate shows at LA's historic The Fonda venue in Hollywood on Mar. 28, with a second show VIP guest list that included Ringo Starr, Stevie Nicks, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and Margot Robbie. For those who scored highly coveted tickets to the show at the cozy 1,200-person capacity theater, the music was a much-needed escape and salve. Playing a set heavy with Beatles and Wings classics, Sir Paul largely avoided politics aside from poking fun at Pres. Donald Trump's recent "Y.M.C.A." dance moves -- a moment that earned boos from the crowd, who had surrendered their phones before the show. McCartney's roster of Beatles classics included "Help!," "Something," "I've Just Seen a Face," and Fab Four political tracks "Revolution" -- a response to the fraught period of political protests in opposition of the Vietnam War -- and "Blackbird" -- a solemn acoustic track that McCartney wrote amid the 1960s civil rights movement in the US inspired by the Little Rock Nine. Many in the crowd -- which also included actors Steve Carrell, Laura Dern and Dakota Johnson among others -- sang and cried as McCartney played, particularly during "Hey Jude" and "Let It Be." Wings rockers during the two-hour set included "Band on the Run" and "Let Me Roll It," among many others. On Mar. 30, and perhaps due to the no-phone rule at the Fonda gig, McCartney's own Reddit account was banned. The thread in question has since been removed, although McCartney's Reddit account itself, thought to be run by his management team, has since been restored. - Billboard/CNN.com, 3/29/26...... 
Former Foreigner frontman Lou Gramm announced on Mar. 27 that he'll be playing selected dates in the US from May until October behind his third and latest solo LP, Released. After kicking off in Wabash, Ind., on May 9, the 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee (as a member of Foreigner) will be co-headlining the Roanoke Festival in Virginia (5/22), then visit Stamford, Conn. (5/28), Lancaster, Penn. (5/30), Lexington, Ky. (6/6), St. Charles, Ill. (7/10), Layton, Ut. (8/13), Pine Bluff, Ariz. (8/28), and Carmel, Ind. (9/26) before wrapping in Missouri at the St. Charles Family Arena on Oct. 10. Gramm was a member of Foreigner during its key years between 1976 and 1990. He rejoined in 1992 but left again inn 2003, though he has made occasional appearances with the band. In addition to his work with Foreigner, the singer scored a top five hit in the U.S. in 1987 with his solo song, "Midnight Blue," followed in 1989 with "Just Between You and Me." - PennLive.com, 3/27/26..... U.K. hard-rock legends Deep Purple will be touring North America this summer and fall with opening acts Kansas and Jefferson Starship. Deep Purple are currently fronted by singer Ian Gillan, alongside bassist Roger Glover, drummer Ian Paice, keyboardist Don Airey and guitarist Simon McBride. In February, Deep Purple announced a hometown gig at the famed Royal Albert Hall venue in London on Nov. 25 of this year. The show is billed as a "one night only" event, following a concert at London's Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith the previous evening, Nov. 24. - Canoe.com, 3/30/26...... A new tribute album honoring the music of Tom Waits and his musician partner Kathleen Brennan, Where The Willow and the Dogwood Grow, was announced on Instagram on Mar. 27 and will feature contributions from the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Johnny Cash. Other artists from a wide variety of genres contributing include Marianne Faithfull (on "Strange Weather"), The Ramones ("I Don't Want To Grow Up"), Willie Nelson ("Picture In A Frame"), Alison Krauss and Robert Plant ("Trampled Rose"'), and Norah Jones ("The Long Way Home"). The LP opens with Springsteen and The E Street Band's 1981 live recording of "Jersey Girl" -- Waits' ode to Brennan from his 1980 album, Heartattack And Vine. Elsewhere on the tracklist is the late Cash's take on "Down There By The Train" from his acclaimed 1994 album, American Recordings. Folk legend Joan Baez's version of Waits and Brennan's anti-war track "Day After Tomorrow" -- from Waits' 2004 album Real Gone -- closes the new compilation. Created with the blessing, approval and involvement of Waits and Brennan, Where The Willow And The Dogwood Grow is due for release on May 29 via Ace Records. - NME, 3/27/26...... During a recent appearance on the Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware podcast, Chaka Khan said many of today's popstars are flaunting their bodies to overcompensate for a lack of talent. Khan, 73, was asked by the hosts about recent comments she made on The Breakfast Club podcast in which she said, "When we go on stage, we just sing. We don't need to do the bells and whistles. We don't need to show our bodies." "The game has changed because all bets are off," Khan told the Table Manners hosts. "These women are doing any and every dam thing on stage and trying to sing, too. And the ones who are doing the most physicalities, with their butts and stuff, and their body parts, are the ones that usually are compensating for what they don't have." Khan is currently touring the US with Patti LaBelle and Stephanie Mills. - Music-News.com, 3/28/26...... Ozzy Osbourne's daughter Kelly Osbourne has reportedly ended her engagement to Sid Wilson of the band Slipknot. Wilson proposed to Osbourne at Ozzy's final concert with Black Sabbath in Birmingham, England, last July, presenting her with a huge diamond ring. Kelly later revealed that she had "no clue" the moment was coming. Osbourne first met her now former partner 27 years ago. She was introduced to Sid when Slipknot toured with Ozzfest, the music festival founded by her parents. They welcomed their son, Sid, in 2022, and the family have since been living on a farm in Iowa in the US. Osbourne was last pictured with Wilson at the Grammy Awards in February and, since then, has only made public appearances with friends or her mother. - Music-News.com, 3/24/26...... 
Actress Eve Plumb, forever immortalized as the often-overlooked middle daughter Jan Brady on the classic 1969-1974 ABC sitcom The Brady Bunch, discussed her new memoir Happiness Included: Jan Brady and Beyond in an interview with Woman's World magazine. Plumb, 67, revealed that she enjoys keeping her private life out of the spotlight, and made it clear she has no desire to speak negatively about any of her castmates from The Brady Bunch, which has become a cultural touchstone and endures decades later through reruns and nostalgia, keeping its actors closely tied to their roles. "I wish more stuff had come up. I thought [writing the memoir] might bring some things back that I'd forgotten, but not a bit of it," said Plumb. "But the process itself was really wonderful. It was very gentle." Plumb, who was cast in the show at the tender age of 11, added, "As a public person, I've always wanted to keep certain things private. I didn't even want to tell people the name of my dog for a long time. You share so much of your life already." That sense of privacy shaped not only how she approached her personal life, but also how she chose to portray her time on set. Despite decades of curiosity about what really went on behind the scenes, Plumb resisted the temptation to revisit her past through a critical lens. "Part of this book was that I really didn't want to throw anybody under the bus not my castmates, not anyone. I had to tell the truth about a few things, but I was cloaking it, for their sake and for mine," she shared. "I think most of us realize there's no need," she said of the cast. "It doesn't look good on me to trash them in public, does it?" Instead, writing the book (with co-author Marcia Wilke) became an opportunity to reconnect with the positive moments that defined her experience as a young actor and beyond. "The process of writing the book offered something closer to reflection than revelation, like a therapy session where she didn't have to challenge me at all," she admitted. "I just got to talk about myself and the things that I remembered." Happiness Included: Jan Brady and Beyond is due Apr. 28. - People.com, 3/28/26...... Ross "The Boss" Friedman, a legendary rocker known for co-founding the proto-punk band The Dictators and later playing with the iconic metal band Manowar, died on Mar. 28 just weeks after he announced that he was battling ALS, which is commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease. He was 72. The Metal Hall of Fame issued a statement on Facebook announcing his passing. "It is with deep sadness that we confirm the passing of legendary guitarist, our dear friend, Metal Hall of Fame Inductee, and Global Metal Ambassador Ross "The Boss" Friedman." Ross was a pioneering force in both punk and heavy metal, best known as a founding member of The Dictators and Manowar. His powerful playing, unmistakable tone, and uncompromising spirit helped shape generations of musicians and fans around the world." The Hall of Fame added that Friedman, who first revealed his battle in Feb. 2026, battled his disease "with the same courage and honesty that defined his life and career." Friedman joined Manowar in 1980 and recorded six albums with them before leaving in 1988 after playing on Kings Of Metal. He had continued to play with The Dictators until recently. The band announced in November that it was cancelling a show because he had suffered a hand injury that was being evaluated. Friedman joined Manowar in 1980 and recorded six albums with them before leaving in 1988 after playing on Kings Of Metal. He had continued to play with The Dictators until recently. The band announced in November that it was cancelling a show because he had suffered a hand injury that was being evaluated. ALS is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, according to the Mayo Clinic. It causes loss of muscle control and gets worse over time, and it is not known what causes the disease. "It's difficult to know what lies ahead, and it crushes me not to be able to play guitar," Friedman said earlier this year. "But the outpouring of love has been so, so strong. I'm absolutely blown away by the love and support from family, friends and fans. I love you all." - PennLive.com, 3/28/26...... 
Actress Mary Beth Hurt, who was nominated for three Tonys and appeared in numerous films including Interiors and The World According to Garp, died on Mar. 29 from Alzheimer's. She was 79. Her death was confirmed via a joint Facebook post from her daughter, Molly Schrader, and her husband, writer-director Paul Schrader. "She was an actress, a wife, a sister, a mother, an aunt, a friend, and she took on all those roles with grace and kind ferocity," read the post. "Although we're all grieving there is some comfort in knowing she is no longer suffering and reunited with her sisters in peace." Hurt worked on stage, in films and in television and collaborated with her husband, Schrader, on Affliction and Light Sleeper. Born Mary Beth Supinger in Marshalltown, Iowa, she was married to Oscar-winning actor William Hurt from 1971 to 1982, after a four-year separation. She studied acting at the University of Iowa and then at NYU and made her debut on the New York stage in 1974. She was Tony-nominated for her performances in "Crimes of the Heart," for which she won an Obie, "Trelawny of the Wells" and "Benefactors." Woody Allen cast her in her first film role in the 1978 Interiors, in which she played one of the three sisters dealing with the breakdown of her family. She followed with The World According to Garp, playing Helen Holm Garp, Chilly Scenes of Winter, Martin Scorsese's The Age of Innocence and Six Degrees of Separation. Hurt rarely enjoyed top billing during her career, and that's the way she preferred it. "I've never been extremely comfortable playing the lead," she explained in a 2010 interview. "I don't like the responsibility; there's a feeling that I have to be good. Besides, I found secondary parts much more interesting, especially when I was younger and the ingnue roles were pretty bland." For television, she starred on the 1988-89 NBC drama Tattinger's and had a memorable guest-starring turn alongside Henry Winkler on a 2002 episode of Law & Order: SVU. Survivors also include her children, Molly and Sam. - Variety, 3/30/26...... 
Dash Crofts, one half of the '70s soft rock duo Seals and Crofts, died of heart failure on Mar. 26. He was 85 years old. The news was announced on Facebook by the duo's producer, Louie Shelton, shortly after which a member of Crofts' family confirmed it to TMZ.com. "Sad to hear our dear brother and partner in music has passed away today," Shelton wrote on Facebook. "Sending love and prayers to all his family and many fans. R.I.P. my brother..Dash Crofts." Born Darrell George Crofts on Aug. 14, 1940, in Cisco, Tex., Mr. Crofts met fellow Texan Jim Seals, who died in 2022 at age 80, while they were teenagers. Before their success as a duo, Seals and Crofts were members of the rock band The Champs, who were riding the success of their No. 1 Latin-rock instrumental hit "Tequila." Mr. Crofts combined with Seals to form Seals and Crofts in 1969 and the duo had some big hits. The biggest of those was 1972's "Summer Breeze" which made it to No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972, and the band followed that with another hit, "Diamond Girl" which also made it to No. 6 in 1973. The duo also had "Get Closer" featuring Carolyn Willis, which made it to No. 6 in 1976, "I'll Play for You," and "You're the Love." One of their most controversial tracks, "Unborn Child" -- an anti-abortion song released the year after the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court verdict in 1973 -- reached No. 66. The album of the same name was a critical and commercial flop, and prompted pro-choice demonstrations at many of their shows. The pair also had success on the Billboard Hot 200 albums chart. In 1972, Summer Breeze reached No. 7, after which Diamond Girl peaked at No. 4 in 1973. Seals and Crofts released the first of its 17 albums, Seals & Crofts, in 1969. After 1980's The Longest Road, the duo split up. That led to a 24 year gap before a brief reunion in 2004 when they released their final album, Traces. After living in Mexico, Australia and Nashville, Mr. Crofts returned to his home state late in life and raised horses. He is survived by his wife, Louise Crofts, three children and eight grandchildren. - Billboard/PennLive.com, 3/26/26.
Thursday, February 19, 2026
Favorite Seventies Artists In The News
Describing his latest visit to his surgeon as "very depressing," Barry Manilow announced on Feb. 20 that he's postponing more shows on his rescheduled arena tour which had been set to launch in Tampa, Fla. on Feb. 27. Manilow, 82, posted on Instagram that he's taking additional time off as he continues recovering from cancer surgery in mid-January relating to a stage one lung cancer diagnosed late in 2025. "I was sure that I would be able to do the Arena shows in a few weeks," the "Mandy" singer wrote. But he says his doctor "shook his head" and told him, "Barry, you won't be ready to do a 90 minute show. Your lungs aren't ready yet. You're in great shape considering what you've been through, but your body isn't ready. You shouldn't do the first Arena shows. You won't make it through." Manilow admitted that he had "a feeling" the surgeon would respond that way. "Deep down, I wanted to go back -- but my body knew what my heart didn't want to admit: I wasn't ready," he wrote. Although Manilow is rescheduling his first 13 arena shows, his doctor said it was still "likely" he could still perform shows on his Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino residency on March 26-28 and April 2-4. "Deep down, I wanted to go back -- but my body knew what my heart didn't want to admit: I wasn't ready," the singer wrote. "I'm SO, SO sorry I have to reschedule some of these first Arena shows. Again!" His official website is still listing sold-out U.S. concert dates for mid- through late April. - Billboard, 2/22/26...... 
Rush fans across the word received good news on Feb. 23 as founding members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson announced on Instagram that they will be touring across the UK, Europe and South America in 2027. The new run of shows, set to kick off in June, following an announcement by the duo earlier that they would be returning to the stage this year for a "Fifty Something Tour" across the US, Canada and Mexico. The legendary Canadian prog-rockers last performed together for a farewell tour in 2015, playing 35 headline shows across North America, five years before drummer/lyricist Neal Peart died from brain cancer in early 2020, aged 67. The new tour will mark their first live shows without Peart. All 22 North American live shows planned immediately sold-out, leading to more dates being added -- bringing the total shows of the 2026 leg to 58. So far, 24 shows in 13 countries have been confirmed, marking the first time the band has played in Europe since 2013, as well as 17 years since visiting South America. They are pegged as an "Evening With Rush" event, and will see the band play two sets each night. Joining Lee and Lifeson will be German drummer, composer, and producer Anika Nilles, who has performed as Jeff Beck's drummer and has released four solo albums. Also joining them will be The Who's keyboard player, Loren Gold. Dates for the 2027 tour kick off in Buenos Aires on Jan. 15, and continue with stops in So Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and more, before heading over to Europe the following month. Those shows include stops in Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam and more in February, before four UK dates in March. UK shows include a stop at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow on Mar. 8, a show at the Co-op Live in Manchester on Mar. 12, and two gigs at The O2 in London on Mar. 16 and 18. From there, seven more dates are planned for Europe, closing with a show at the Veikkaus Arena in Helsinki on Apr. 10. "We can't wait to get back to all these cities we haven't played in so long, as well as hitting some new places we've yet to play," Lee said in a statement. "Both Alex and I are loving the hours of rehearsal time we're spending with Anika and now Loren, learning around 40 songs which will enable us to keep the shows evolving, playing some different songs on different nights." In January, Rush released RUSH 50, a 50-track super deluxe anthology, and on Mar. 13, they'll drop an expanded boxset of their 10th studio album originally released in 1984, Grace Under Pressure. - New Musical Express, 2/23/26...... In the new Paul McCartney and Wings documentary Man on the Run, Sean Ono Lennon comes to McCartney's defense over Paul's surprisingly terse response when interviewed shortly after John Lennon's murder in December 1980. Sir Paul ended the minute-long interview about his lifelong friend and Beatles bandmate by saying, "Drag isn't it? OK, cheers. Bye-bye." Nearly half a century later, the son of Lennon and Yoko Ono has responded to McCartney's "robotic" reaction in the new documentary. "I always notice the look in his eyes and the tone of his voice. Really felt like someone who was unable to process what was going on," Sean, 50, says in Man on the Run. "He just seemed almost robotic, which I think some people took possibly as coldness, but I never took it as that, 'cause I understood even then what it was like when something that terrible happens," he added. In a later TV interview, Macca explained his cold remarks. "I had plenty of sort of personal grief, but I'm not very good at kind of public grief," he said. "All I could muster was like, 'It's a drag,' and it was like I couldn't say anything else, I just couldn't." In the documentary, Paul's daughter Stella McCartney recalled the exact moment her dad got the phone call notifying him of Lennon's death. "I remember that moment. I remember the phone ringing. I remember some, the biggest reaction I'd ever seen, and him leaving the kitchen and going outside," the fashion designer, 54, says. "That was heartbreaking, like truly heartbreaking." Man on the Run is in theaters on Feb. 19 and Feb. 22. The film features archival footage from the decade leading up to Lennon's death, along with interviews with McCartney, Lennon, and others. It will stream on Amazon Prime starting Feb. 27. An official trailer has been shared on YouTube. - The Daily Beast, 2/19/26...... 
Longtime Journey fans were predictably excited when the band co-founder keyboardist Jonathan Cain hinted that he and bandmate guitarist Neal Schon had asked original singer Steve Perry to rejoin the group for their 60-show "Final Frontier" goodbye North American tour. "Neal already asked," Cain told UltimateClassicRock.com earlier in February, "and he [Perry] says he's thinking about it. I hope he comes out. It's never too late. We've got 100 shows, so he's welcome at any one of them." However their hopes were dashed when Perry definitively shut the door on a final tour with his old mates in an X/Twitter post on Feb. 20. "I've been hearing these recent rumors, and I wanted to speak to you all directly," Perry wrote. "While I'm always grateful for the love people still have for Journey, the rumors about me rejoining the band are simply not true, and I want to gently put them to rest. I completely understand why people would hope for that. The music we created together means a great deal to me too." Perry added that he plans to continue working on "new creative work" and focusing on music that reflects where he is today. "Thank you for your continued support throughout the years," he added. "Your loyalty has never gone unnoticed, and I am forever humbly grateful." Since leaving the band he had fronted since 1978 in 1987, Perry has released the 2018 solo album Traces and the 2021 Christmas album The Season, as well as dueting with Dolly Parton on a cover of Journey's "Open Arms" on her 2023 Rockstar album and singing backing vocals on songs by Robert Cray, Mindi Abair and a number of others. Journey's lineup for what is being billed as their farewell tour will include Cain, guitarist Neal Schon and vocalist Arnel Pineda, as well as drummer/singer Dean Castronovo, keyboardist/singer Jason Derlatka and bassist Todd Jensen. - Billboard, 2/20/26...... Sharon Osbourne has said that her late husband Ozzy Osbourne "knew" he was nearing the end of his life around the time of the "Back To The Beginning" final show in the summer of 2025, but powered through because "he wanted to do it so bad." Speaking about Ozzy's health in the run-up to the epic gig during an appearance on the Dumb Blonde podcast, Sharon said that the Prince Of Darkness was aware of his ill health around the time of the show, but was determined to make it to the event. "Two weeks before the show, they said he could probably die, and he did. But he wanted to do it so bad," she said. "He needed it. And [he was] like, 'Whether I die in two weeks or I die in six months, I'm still dying. And I want to go my way.' And he did. He went like a rock star." She also opened up about how the Heavy Metal pioneer had fought off sepsis earlier that year, and as a result "knew it was time" to start thinking realistically about the limited time he had left. "When he came out [of hospital], they said, 'You know, Ozzy, this could kill you.' And he said, 'I'm doing my show.' He went out like a king," she shared. "The thing is when you've lived your life that way, it was, like, 'OK, six months more to go out the way I want to go out'," she added. "It's like when you get really old who is still smoking and they're 78 years of age, you're like 'Just let him smoke. Leave him alone. He's 78.' He went the way he wanted to go. He knew." Sharon also went on to say that his death, aged 76, happened "so quick," and described him as "a king." "He loved people. He loved his audience. He loved them so much. And even if you didn't like his music, you couldn't dislike him," she added, also saying that she is still finding it "hard" to come to terms with the loss. "I'm getting there. It's hard," she said. "I'm gonna keep working and I'm going to keep doing what I do in my life. And that's it." Sharon's full Dumb Blonde interview can be streamed on YouTube. - NME, 2/24/26...... 
The estate of "Shaft" icon Isaac Hayes has reached a private settlement with Donald Trump after suing the president and his campaign. The case was launched over the unauthorized use of the 1966 soul classic "Hold On, I'm Comin'," co-penned by Hayes and R&B duo Sam & Dave who made the song famous, at Trump's campaign rallies. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the estate had previously demanded $3 million (£2.22 million), Rolling Stone reports. In court filings, the estate accused Trump of personally selecting the song and playing it at least 133 times without permission. The lawsuit, filed in 2024, also alleged the campaign recorded and distributed videos containing the song despite objections from Hayes' heirs. "Donald Trump represents the worst in integrity and class with his disrespect and sexual abuse of women and racist rhetoric," the musician's son, Isaac Hayes III, wrote on social media in an X post that has since been deleted. On Feb. 23, the estate filed a voluntary dismissal in federal court. In a statement, representatives for the estate said the lawsuit had been "mutually resolved" and that the family was "satisfied with the outcome." "This resolution represents more than the conclusion of a legal matter," the statement read. Isaac Hayes died in 2008, and his estate is one of several artists who have taken action over unauthorized use of their music at Trump rallies, including The White Stripes, Eddy Grant, Beyoncé, Foo Fighters, Tom Petty, Village People and Celine Dion. - Music-News.com, - 2/24/26...... In related news, just hours after Donald Trump White House communications director Steven Cheung referred to Bruce Springsteen as a "loser" in a pun-filled statement denigrating the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer's announcement of an upcoming U.S. arena tour, Democratic Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin had his own spicy retort. Cheung, in a statement to Politico.com, said: "When this loser Springsteen comes back home to his own City of Ruins in his head, he'll realize his Glory Days are behind him and his fans have left him Out in the Street, putting him in a Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out because he has a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome that has rotted his brain. Now Rep. Raskin, a frequent critic of the president, has responded, writing on X/Twitter on Feb. 18: "America has no kings, but we've got one Boss and his name is Bruce Springsteen. Unlike our faux-King, the Boss fights for freedom and democracy for everyone. I cannot wait to hear him sing "Streets of Minneapolis' loud enough to rattle the walls of what's left of the White House." The latter was a pointed reference both to Trump's dismantling of the historic East Wing of the White House in October to make way for the president's long-dreamed-of gilded ballroom, as well as the ire provoked by Springsteen's powerful anthem memorializing the killing of American citizen and mother of three Renee Good, 37, by an ICE agent Jonathan Ross in January. Raskin then took another swipe at Trump by doubling-down on conservative group Turning Point USA's attempt to counter Bad Bunny's historic halftime show with a pre-taped Kid Rock livestream by making a salacious suggestion. "Maybe the President will counter-program when Springsteen comes to town by singing a love song to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at the Trump-Kennedy Center, another American institution Trump is bulldozing," he wrote, in reference to the late convicted child sex offender and trafficker (and his imprisoned accomplice), who was close friends with Trump, who reportedly has been mentioned in the Epstein files over 1,000 times, for many years. Raskin, who said he's seen The Boss 13 times, added that he can "feel it in my bones -- Bruce and the band are going to bring a Rock-and-Roll Resurrection to America and a Rock-and-Roll Exorcism to Washington, D.C. This may be the hottest ticket on the planet. I will be very much out in the street when they come to town." - Billboard, 2/19/26...... 
"Boldly going" where even he hasn't gone before, legendary Star Trek actor William Shatner has announced he's planning a new Heavy Metal album featuring covers of the likes of Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and others. In an Instagram post on Feb. 19, the 94-year-old actor best known for playing the irascible James T. Kirk on the original Star Trek series and movies as well as police sergeant T.J. Hooker in the 1980s, said that "I have explored space. I have explored time. Now... I explore distortion. Yes. You read that correctly. I am releasing a HEAVY METAL album." He continued: "Thirty-five metal virtuosos. Thunderous guitars. Chaos with purpose. Covers of legends like Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest -- and a few originals forged in the same cosmic fire." "This project is, quite literally, a gathering of forces. Loud imagination. Honest intensity. Unapologetic exploration," the articulate Shatner closed. Although Shatner didn't reveal the album title, which classic metal songs he's covering, or who those virtuoso players will be, according to Blabbermouth.com he promised that the collection will be "a gathering of forces -- each artist bringing their fire, their precision, their chaos. I chose them because they have something to say, and because metal demands honesty." Shatner first made his musical debut back in 1968 with the beyond bizarre The Transformed Man LP featuring his florid readings of The Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" and Elton John's "Rocket Man." An author, civilian astronaut, equestrian and pitchman -- Shatner is currently appearing in a cheeky Kellogg's Raisin Bran commercial as "Will Shat," and has recorded with a number of hard rock icons in the past. Among the legends he's rocked with are Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde, Deep Purple's Ritchie Blackmore, the MC5's Wayne Kramer and punk icon Henry Rollins, among many others. "At 94, one does not slow down. One turns the volume up," he said in his post. "So prepare yourselves. We are about to boldly headbang where no one has headbanged before. Stay tuned. The metal voyage begins this year." - Billboard, 2/20/26.
As hundreds of Ozzy Osbourne fans dressed in honor of the late Prince of Darkness during the 2026 edition of the Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans, Ozzy's widow Sharon Osbourne shared her approval. A video on Instagram shows a group called the Dead Rock Stars marching through the city during the Krewe Of Muses parade on Feb. 12 wearing Ozzy's iconic round glasses, and donning long dark wigs, crucifix jewellery and black clothing. There is also a flame-emblazoned float in tribute to Osbourne, as well as some banners, as Ozzy's 1991 ballad "Mama, I'm Coming Home" plays over a sound system in the street. The Grand Marshall was someone dressed as Sharon on board the float. Sharon then showed her appreciation of the nod by sharing a video from the event on her Instagram Stories feed. According to BBC News, more than 200 people took part in the Ozzy homage. Meanwhile, Sharon has reportedly been offered an ABBA Voyage style hologram show for Ozzy's final "Back To The Beginning" charity concert held in his hometown of Birmingham, UK in July 2025, just weeks before he passed away at the age of 76. "The plan was always to put the concert out in some form, but naturally, after Ozzy died, everything stopped," a source close to the Osbournes told the UK paper The Sun. "Sharon is now in a place where she is able to think about work again and is considering the options on the table. Talks are ongoing and the offers range from a simple concert film to an ABBA Voyage-style show," he added. - New Musical Express, 2/18/26...... 
Proclaiming "the cavalry is coming," Bruce Springsteen announced on Feb. 17 that he and his E Street Band will launch a 2026 "Land of Hope & Dreams Tour" in Minneapolis' Target Center on Mar. 31 for a 20-city run that will wrap in Washington, D.C. on May 27. "We are living through dark, disturbing and dangerous times, but do not despair -- the cavalry is coming!" said Springsteen in a YouTube video. "Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band will be taking the stage this spring from Minneapolis to California to Texas to Washington, D.C., for the Land of Hope and Dreams American Tour. We will be rocking your town in celebration and in defense of America -- American democracy, American freedom, our American Constitution and our sacred American dream -- all of which are under attack by our wannabe king and his rogue government in Washington, D.C. Everyone, regardless of where you stand or what you believe in, is welcome -- so come on out and join the United Free Republic of E Street Nation for an American spring of Rock n' Rebellion! I'll see you there!" Springsteen has relentlessly attacked Pres. Donald Trump and his immigration enforcement policies, including the actions of the ICE agency under his administration, both before and after the controversial shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by ICE officers in Minneapolis. His latest tour will mark the first E Street Band shows in North America since 2024. The European leg of "The Land of Hope and Dreams Tour" played to more than 700,000 fans across Europe last spring and summer before concluding in Milan. Other dates on the tour include Portland, Ore. (4/3), Inglewood, Calif. (4/7, 9), San Francisco (4/13), Phoenix (4/16), Newark, N.J. (4/20), Sunrise, Fla. (4/23), Austin, Tex. (4/26), Chicago (4/29), Atlanta (5/2), Belmont Park, N.Y. (5/5), Philadelphia (5/8), New York City (5/11), Brooklyn, N.Y. (5/14), Pittsburgh (5/19), Cleveland, Oh. (5/22) and Boston (5/24) before wrapping at the Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. on May 27. Not surprisingly, a spokesman for Pres. Trump hit back at the Boss's tour announcement, calling the New Jersey rocker a "loser" whose tour will flop. "When this loser Springsteen comes back home to his own City of Ruins in his head, he'll realize his Glory Days are behind him and his fans have left him Out in the Street, putting him in a Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out because he has a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome that has rotted his brain," Steven Cheung told Politico.com. "Bruce Springsteen has long made clear he's no Trump fan -- a message he's doubling down on with his new tour," he added. Recently, Springsteen has criticized Trump's deployment of ICE across the country, calling for ICE to "get the f--- out of Minneapolis" and lent his classic 1984 hit "Born In The U.S.A." to soundtrack a new anti-ICE video. - Billboard/NME, 2/17/26...... Baz Luhrmann, the Australian filmmaker behind the 2022 ELVIS biopic and the new EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert documentary, has revealed he's working on a stage musical centred around the life and career of Presley. During an interview with Dan Morrissey for the Magic Radio podcast (available for streaming on Instagram), Luhrmann was asked about rumors he was considering future projects about the iconic singer, and said that he's thinking of doing a stage production next. "It's being worked on, it's happening," he replied. "I don't know if I was supposed to announce it but, hey, I just did." He added that while he is behind the project, he isn't heavily involved this time around -- likening it to how he enlisted writer/director Alex Timbers to take the reins on the 2001 film adaptation of Moulin Rouge. "I'm not doing it because I have this thing I've learned I can never go backwards," he said. "I can't be me when I was 28 doing Romeo + Juliet [1996], but I love handing it on. I'm not precious. I'm like 'Take my baby!'." Luhrmann has also teased multiple times that a four-hour "director's assembly" version of his 2022 ELVIS film could be on the way, and has also created the latest documentary and concert film about the "Burning Love" singer. Meanwhile, EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in Sept. 2025. It focuses on the singer's 1970 Las Vegas residency, features narration from Elvis himself from rediscovered audio recordings, and also utilizes over 50-hours of never-before-seen footage that Luhrmann uncovered while working on the 2022 biopic. It will be released in IMAX theatres on Feb. 20 before a general cinematic release the following week. Sony and RCA Records recently confirmed the full tracklist for the soundtrack, which includes remixes of classic live recordings and new mixes. - New Musical Express, 2/16/26...... Public Enemy's Chuck D has responded to KISS's Gene Simmons' recent comments that hip-hop shouldn't belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Earlier in February, Simmons appeared on the Legends and Leaders podcast and hit out at the inclusion of hip-hop in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. During the episode, Simmons lamented "the fact that Iron Maiden is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, when they can sell out stadiums, and Grandmaster Flash is." The fire-breathing rocker also hit out at the hip-hop/rap genre itself in a racially veiled comment. "It's not my music. I don't come from the ghetto. It doesn't speak my language." Simmons faced an onslaught of backlash for his "tone deaf" comments, including from Chuck D, who took to social media to reiterate that rock and roll as a term was more inclusive than he made out. Talking to TMZ.com, the rapper said Simmons had wilfully forgotten about the "roll" part of the Hall's name, which spans several genres. "Everything else other than rock, when rock 'n' roll splintered in the '60s, is the roll," he said. "Soul music, reggae, hip-hop, which is rap music. Hip-hop is a culture, so it embodies sight, sound, story, and style. But music, the vocal on top of the music, has already been determined. So that's the roll, that's flow, that's the soul in it. KISS are rock gods, but they don't have a lot of roll to them." Simmons made similar waves in 2016 following NWA's induction into the Rock Hall Of Fame, telling Rolling Stone at the time he was "looking forward to the death of rap." At that year's ceremony, hip-hop artist MC Ren responded to his comments and pointedly told him: "Hip-hop is here forever. We're supposed to be here." - NME, 2/15/26...... 
Rare and high-quality footage of Led Zepplin performing in Amsterdam in the early '70s has surfaced online. The "Stairway To Heaven" rock icons played in the Dutch capital in May 1972, just six months after the release of their classic fourth album Led Zeppelin ("IV"), at one of two warm-up shows for their US tour later that year. Footage of the show was captured for the Dutch music TV show Popzien but has only previously appeared online in low quality -- but now a high-resolution four-minute clip has surfaced. It shows the band arriving at the airport in Amsterdam, where they are greeted by the rock promoter Lou Van Rees, and then shows the opening of their show at the 10,000-capacity Oude RAI Amsterdam, including the first song of the gig, "Immigrant Song." After the Amsterdam show on May 27, they played in Brussels the following night, before kicking off the US tour in Detroit on June 6. The rare footage can be viewed on YouTube. - NME, 2/14/26...... In related news, Alex Van Halen has revealed his intentions to perform unheard Van Halen, and is in search of a lead singer. The 72-year-old co-founding VH drummer has teamed up with hard-rock/AOR multi-instrumentalist Steve Lukather to help complete what had originally been intended as the band's next studio album before iconic guitarist Eddie Van Halen's death in 2020. Speaking to Brazilian YouTube channel KazaGasto, Van Halen explained that fans have long asked about unheard tracks, but he's determined not to release anything that feels incomplete. "We're not putting anything out in its early, unfinished state -- that wouldn't make sense," he said. "I'm lucky to have Steve Lukather, who was very close to Ed, and we're working on shaping a record that meets the standard we left off at. It can't just be, 'Here's some music we found.' It has to be up to our expectations." The musician went on to clarify that the core of the album was already in motion before Eddie's passing."These recordings were meant to become the next Van Halen record, but everything stopped when Ed died," he noted. "The drums, guitar and bass are already there. What we never got to was the vocals -- and all the subtle touches, the glue that holds it together." Eddie's son Wolfgang Van Halen's original bass parts remain part of the sessions, and now Alex and Lukather are focused on finding the perfect singer. Their first choice, Free/Bad Company frontman Paul Rodgers, was unable to take part due to health issues, and Alex says the singer, like Rodgers, needs to come from their generation to truly connect with the material. "Music is about shared experience. I'm 72 -- we need someone who lived through the same musical era we did. Otherwise, it won't have the same depth," Alex shared. Past lead vocalists of VH include David Lee Roth, Sammy Hagar and Gary Cherone. - Music-News.com, 2/19/26...... Members of Toronto's Art Gallery of Ontario will be able to preview Paul McCartney's "Photographs 1963-64: Eyes of the Storm" photo exhibit during it's only Canadian stop beginning on Feb. 26. The exhibit, spread over 10,000 square feet on the AGO's fifth floor, is made up of 250 pictures taken by the Beatles' singer-bassist-songwriter over three months between Dec. 1963 and Feb. 1964 as the Fab Four travelled from Liverpool to London, Paris, New York, Washington, D.C., and Miami. "It's very much a show about memory," Flavia Frigeri, Curatorial and Collections Director at the National Portrait Gallery, London, said during a media preview on Feb. 18. "It's also very much about collective memory. It's almost like a time capsule. And during this time, it was really the whirlwind of Beatlemania and it all started with a Pentax camera that Paul McCartney took along with him on this journey." Frigeri said it wasn't until 2020 that the photos, part of a 1,000-picture collection, were unearthed from the McCartney Productions archive and the exhibit debuted first in London in 2023 and has since travelled the world, now landing in Toronto. McCartney first was introduced to photography through his younger brother Mike McCartney and would go on to marry accomplished photographer Linda Eastman. His daughter Mary McCartney is also a photographer. Among the exhibit's photo highlights in black and white and color are backstage shots at concerts and TV studios, and videos of them at a news conference in America and on The Ed Sullivan Show. "Paul McCartney - Photographs 1963-64: Eyes of the Storm" is open to AGO Members' until Feb 26, then passholders until Mar. 22, and then the public from Mar. 24-June 7. - Canoe.com, 2/18/26...... 
In the latest episode of the acclaimed podcast Rock & Roll High School, legendary guitarist/songwriter Richard Thompson joins two-time Grammy-winning producer Pete Ganbarg to chronicle a five-decade career that redefined British folk-rock. Thompson, a founding member of Fairport Convention, offers an intimate look at a legacy built on what he calls the delicate balance of "tradition and innovation." Reflecting on his formative years in London, Thompson recalls witnessing the birth of British rock at the Marquee Club, specifically the early residency of The Who. "It was quite extraordinary," Thompson says. "The Who in the early days were writing great short pop songs before it became bombastic, anthemic, stadium-sized -- it was really wonderful, tight, well-constructed music." Thompson's journey took a pivotal turn when he met producer Joe Boyd, a figure he credits with the survival of his creative circle. "I don't know what would have happened without Joe on the scene," Thompson explains. "I'm not sure anybody else had the ears to take someone like Nick Drake and allow him to express himself... He is so important to us." The episode dives deep into the highs and lows of the Fairport era, including the "deeply traumatic" van accident that claimed the lives of his drummer and girlfriend, as well as the origins of the anthem "Meet on the Ledge." Thompson notes with a sense of wonder that the song has now "become public property." A songwriter's songwriter, Thompson has seen his work covered by everyone from R.E.M. to Bonnie Raitt. However, one specific interpretation stands above the rest. "Tom Jones is the one that would absolutely knock my socks off," he says of the Welsh legend's cover of "Dimming Of The Day." "In terms of what a great guy, what a great singer -- and how flattering to have Tom do your song." From his iconic duo with Linda Thompson to his enduring solo career, Richard Thompson remains a master of his craft. Thompson will kick off a 5-date US tour at Atlanta's Variety Playhouse on Mar. 26, then visit Solana Beach, Calif. (4/1), Santa Barbara, Calif. (4/5), Napa, Calif. (4/11) and Seattle (4/17). - Music-News.com, 2/13/26...... A video of John Travolta speaking about his private plane use has sparked outrage online, and this comes after a photo of Travolta's Florida mansion that some called "disgusting" showed a couple of his jets casually parked in the back. In a YouTube Short from 10X Studios shared on Sept. 28, Grant Cardone asked him in an interview, "Why do you have three planes?... I got one plane. I barely can handle it." "It's a practical reason. I'm a pilot myself. ... If I have one jet that's inoperable, I have one to back it up," the Saturday Night Fever icon responded. The interview was originally taped in front of a live audience as part of the 10X Growth Conference 2021 on building wealth. The lavish setup at his home, which includes a runway almost leading straight to his door as part of the Jumbolair Aviation & Equestrian Estates community he lives in, received backlash online just several months ago. The property sits in an aviation-themed community in Ocala, Fla., designed for residents who prefer to taxi their planes straight to their homes. Travolta clarified that he holds 12 jet ratings, including the Boeing 747, 707, Gulfstream, and Learjet, and he prefers to fly himself instead of chartering. For Travolta, it's just a part of the lifestyle he's built, and it was perhaps more understandable during a time when jet pollution and the effects of rising global temperatures were not as well understood -- under the mentality of if you have the good fortune to hit it rich, you go ahead and spend the money however you want. However when the planet is experiencing extreme weather events due to human-caused rising global temperatures, indulgence to this degree may be less practical and more harmful. "How much money could he have pissed away just to get rated on 12 jets?" one commenter under the YouTube Short frustratedly asked. "It's no different than anybody else with a hobby. ... So I guess it depends upon how much money you have to spend on what you like," another added in defense of Travolta. - TheCoolDown.com, 2/16/26...... Donny Osmond is being sued by a concertgoer who attended a show during Osmond's residency at Harrah's Las Vegas in 2025, alleging she was struck by an inflatable lit-up ball in the audience. Illinois resident Joanne Julkowski is suing the 68-year-old Osmond, his production company, and Harrah's, alleging she was injured by an oversized prop during his show, and seeking $15,000 in damages. Julkowski, who filed her lawsuit in Nevada's Clark County District Court on Feb. 10, claims she experienced "severe emotional distress, including psychological trauma, fear, anxiety, PTSD, and loss of enjoyment of life," from the incident, according to the lawsuit. The suit additionally seeks unspecified punitive damages, lost wages, and payment of attorney's fees, per the filing. Julkowski claims that she suffered a "traumatic" retinal injury and retinal detachment in her right eye, requiring surgical intervention and resulting in visual impairment, as well as concussion-related head, and neck injuries. The woman claims that the injuries required "extensive medical care, services, and treatment for her injuries, and may, in the future, be required to obtain additional future medical care" due to the defendants' alleged negligence. Reps for Osmond and Caesar's Entertainment, which owns Harrah's, have yet to comment. - People, 2/17/26...... 
Robert Duvall, the Oscar-winning actor of matchless versatility and dedication whose classic roles included the intrepid consigliere of the first two Godfather movies and the over-the-hill country music singer in Tender Mercies, died "peacefully" at his home in Middleburg, Va, on Feb. 15. He was 95. "To the world, he was an Academy Award-winning actor, a director, a storyteller. To me, he was simply everything," his wife Luciana Duvall wrote on Facebook. "His passion for his craft was matched only by his deep love for characters, a great meal, and holding court. For each of his many roles, Bob gave everything to his characters and to the truth of the human spirit they represented." The bald, wiry Mr. Duvall didn't have leading man looks, but few "character actors" enjoyed such a long, rewarding and unpredictable career, in leading and supporting roles, from an itinerant preacher to Josef Stalin. Beginning with his 1962 film debut as Boo Radley, the reclusive neighbor in To Kill a Mockingbird, Mr. Duvall created a gallery of unforgettable portrayals. They earned him seven Academy Award nominations and the best actor prize for Tender Mercies, which came out in 1983. He also won four Golden Globes, including one for playing the philosophical cattle-drive boss in the 1989 miniseries Lonesome Dove, a role he often cited as his favorite. Mr. Duvall had been acting for some 20 years when The Godfather, released in 1972, established him as one of the most in-demand performers of Hollywood. He had made a previous film, The Rain People, with Francis Ford Coppola, and the director chose him to play Tom Hagen in the Godfather mafia epic that featured Al Pacino and Marlon Brando among others. Mr. Duvall was a master of subtlety as an Irishman among Italians, rarely at the center of a scene, but often listening and advising in the background, an irreplaceable thread through the saga of the Corleone crime family. Mr. Duvall was awarded an Oscar in 1984 for his leading role as the troubled singer and songwriter Mac Sledge in Tender Mercies, a prize he accepted while clad in a cowboy tuxedo with Western tie. Among other notable roles: the outlaw gang leader who gets ambushed by John Wayne in True Grit; Jesse James in The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid; the pious and beleaguered Frank Burns in M-A-S-H; the TV hatchet man in Network; Dr. Watson in The Seven-Per-Cent Solution; and the sadistic father in The Great Santini. Robert Selden Duvall grew up in the Navy towns of Annapolis and the San Diego area, where he was born in 1931. He spent time in other cities as his father, who rose to be an admiral, was assigned to various duties. After two years in the Army, he used the G.I. Bill to finance his studies at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York, hanging out with such other young hopefuls as Robert Morse, Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman. After a one-night performance in "A View From the Bridge," Mr. Duvall began getting offers for work in TV series, among them The Naked City and The Defenders, before landing his first movie role in To Kill a Mockinbird. "It was an honor to have worked with Robert Duvall. He was a born actor as they say, his connection with it, his understanding and his phenomenal gift will always be remembered. I will miss him," his Godfather co-star Al Pacino told the AP, while Robert De Niro said "God bless Bobby. I hope i can live till I'm 95. May he Rest in Peace." He is survived by his fourth wife, Luciana Pedraza, 42 years his junior and with whom he starred in Assassination Tango. - Billboard, 2/16/26...... Grammy-winning songwriter Billy Steinberg, co-writer of such pop classics as Madonna's "Like A Virgin," Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors" and the Bangles' "Eternal Flame," died of cancer in Los Angeles on Feb. 16, 10 days away from his 76th birthday. The lyricist, who landed chart hits for more than 30 years, also penned such tunes as the Pretenders' "I'll Stand by You," the Bangles' "In Your Room" and the Divinyls' "I Touch Myself." Taylor Dayne, Tina Turner, Pat Benatar, Bette Midler, Cheap Trick, Belinda Carlisle and many other artists also recorded his songs. A 2011 inductee into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Fresno, Calif., native grew up in Palm Springs, Calif. After attending Bard College in New York's Hudson Valley, he pursued a career as an artist with his band Billy Thermal. While they may not have flourished, Steinberg's career took off after the group's guitarist played "How Do I Make You," penned solely by Steinberg, for Linda Rondstadt, who recorded it for her Mad Love album in 1980. The song reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. After his longtime writing partner Tom Kelly retired, Steinberg continued to write, often with Rick Nowels, including penning Dion's "Falling Into You," the title track for Dion's 1996 album, which won album of the year for the 39th Grammy Awards and for which both Steinberg and Nowels took home a Grammy. He is survived by his wife, Trina; his sons, Ezra and Max; his sisters, Barbara and Mary; and his stepchildren, Raul and Carolina. - Billboard, 2/16/26...... 
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, the famed civil rights leader who marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and later ran for president, died peacefully surrounded by his family on the morning of Feb. 17. He was 84. Rev. Jackson was hospitalized for observation in Nov. 2025, and doctors said he'd been diagnosed with a degenerative condition called progressive supranuclear palsy. He revealed in 2017 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, which affects the nervous system and slowly restricts movement and daily activities. Rev. Jackson called it a "physical challenge," but he refused to let it prevent him from continuing his civil rights advocacy. His father, Noah Lewis Robinson Sr., also had Parkinson's and died of the disease in 1997 at the age of 88. Long known for his activism and political influence, Rev. Jackson spent his life dedicated to pursuing civil rights for disenfranchised groups both in the United States and abroad. His "unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and human rights helped shape a global movement for freedom and dignity," his family said. "A tireless change agent, he elevated the voices of the voiceless ... leaving an indelible mark on history," they added. As a young man, he became a member of Dr. King's circle and was with Dr. King when he was assassinated in Memphis, Tenn., in 1968. That same year, Rev. Jackson was ordained by the Rev. Clay Evans, though he had dropped out of Chicago Theological Seminary three credits shy of a degree in order to work in the civil rights movement with Dr. King. He was later awarded a Master of Divinity degree in 2000 from the seminary, based on his life's work and experience. Over the years, he received over 40 honorary doctorate degrees from top universities across the country, according to the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the Chicago-based organization he led for decades. Rev. Jackson was born in Greenville, S.C., on Oct. 8, 1941. His mother, Helen Burns Struggs, was 16 and unmarried and gave him the name Jesse Burns. In his teenage years, his mother married Charles Jackson, and Rev. Jackson took his new stepfather's surname. In high school, Rev. Jackson was an honors student, according to Stanford's King Institute, which helped him win a football scholarship to the University of Illinois. He studied there before transferring to the Agricultural and Technical College of North Carolina, where he graduated in 1964. As the civil rights movement grew, Rev. Jackson became involved in local activism. In 1960, a push to desegregate a local public library led Rev. Jackson down the road to become a leader in student-led sit-ins. After his graduation, he left his studies at the Chicago Theological Seminary to join Dr. King in Selma. There, he asked for a position with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a group of religious leaders led by Dr. King that focused on nonviolent protests and demonstrations, according to the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. Rev. Jackson, with the support and trust of Dr. King, helped lead SCLC's Chicago chapter and spearheaded Operation Breadbasket, a community empowerment campaign. His age and ambition led to numerous fights with leadership, including several arguments with King himself, according to Stanford's King Institute. The pair reconciled in 1968 in Memphis as they gathered for another civil rights protest. In a now-famous photograph from that fateful time, Rev. Jackson stands to the right of Dr. King and fellow leaders Hosea Williams and Ralph Abernathy on the balcony of Memphis' Lorraine Motel. The next day, at almost the exact same spot, Dr. King was assassinated by a gunman. Following Dr. King's death, Rev. Jackson was unable to reconcile with the SCLC. Instead, he founded PUSH, a Chicago organization whose name stands for People United to Save Humanity. In 1984, he also founded The Rainbow Coalition, which focused on social justice through voter engagement and representation. The two organizations merged in 1996. The same ambition that chafed SCLC leaders also led Rev. Jackson to make a run for the Democratic Party's nomination for president in 1984 and 1988. He received 18% of the primary vote in 1984, placing third overall and winning several states. But his campaign was marred by controversy over an antisemitic remark he made about New York's Jewish community in a Washington Post story. Former Vice Pres. Walter Mondale ultimately went on to win the nomination and lose to Republican incumbent Pres. Ronald Reagan. Yet even without holding office, Rev. Jackson continued to stand as a major political figure, championing the release of foreign nationals held in Kuwait in the lead-up to the Gulf War, becoming a "shadow senator" to lobby for statehood for Washington, D.C., and working as a special envoy under Pres. Bill Clinton. In 2000, Pres. Clinton awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. He is survived by five children with his wife of more than 60 years, Jacqueline, another daughter, and countless figures who were inspired by his leadership. Public observances will be held in Chicago, according to his family. Final arrangements for celebration of life services, including all public events, will be announced by the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, they say. - CBS News, 2/17/26.