Nancy Sinatra is the latest musician requesting Pres. Donald Trump refrain from using their (or their family's) music in his political messaging. On Apr. 18, the '60s hitmaker and daughter of famous entertainment icon Frank Sinatra took to X/Twitter to rage at the president for posting a video of her late tuxedo-wearing dad singing his iconic 1969 ballad "My Way" at Madison Square Garden in 1974 on his Truth Social platform with no context or commentary earlier in the weekend. "This is sacrilege," Nancy posted on X in response to a person who wrote, "Omg, @NancySinatra will not be happy about this. Trump goes against everything that Frank stood for. He was a big champion for equality and supported the Civil Rights movement." When another fan asked if there is anything Nancy can do to prevent Trump from posting her father's music, the "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" singer replied, "Unfortunately no. The only people who can do something are the publishers" (the song's publishers are Because Music and Primary Wave). Nancy also reposted a fan comment that read: "Trump may love Sinatra, but Sinatra did not love Trump." In March, the frequent Trump critic tweeted, "Not only is trump insane but he is an extreme danger to America and the world." "My Way," which was also famously covered by Elvis Presley in his 1970s concerts, is an English-language adaptation of the French song "Comme d'habitude," with lyrics written by Paul Anka. Trump's use of music in various campaigns has continued to court controversy. He played songs including "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and "Start Me Up" during his 2016 rallies, leading The Rolling Stones to follow in the footsteps of Adele, Neil Young, Steven Tyler, Foo Fighters, ABBA, Bruce Springsteen, Queen, R.E.M, Jack White, Celine Dion and Prince's estate. - Billboard, 4/20/26...... 
Bruce Springsteen jammed with The Doors' drummer John Densmore on Apr. 18 at he American Music Honors, an annual event organized by the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center at Monmouth University in New Jersey. The Doors were among those honoured at the event, and Springsteen joined Densmore, as well as The E Street Band's Steve Van Zandt and the Disciples Of Soul house band for a rendition of The Doors' 1967 hit "Light My Fire." "There is no one in the room in danger of filling Jim Morrison's leather pants tonight," Springsteen quipped to the crowd after taking to the stage. Densmore and guitarist Robbie Krieger are the only surviving original members of the L.A.-based The Doors, and the drummer said at the event: "The Doors played in Asbury Park, and guess who was in the audience - the Boss!" "Hey, if our music helped Bruce shout out his bride, I'm hip," he added, referring to Springsteen's wife Patti Scialfa, who was apparently also at the 1986 gig. "It apparently worked, "Densmore continued. "They've been together quite a while. You know, so long that maybe Patty's the Boss!" Also at the event, Patti Smith, Dr. Dre, Dionne Warwick, The Band and The E Street Band all picked up American Music Honors. At the end of the show, many of the honorees came together to play Smith's "People Have The Power." Fan-shot footage of the Springsteen/Doors collab can be viewed on X/Twitter. - New Musical Express, 4/19/26...... Cher has filed for conservatorship of her son Elijah Blue Allman for a second time following a string of arrests in recent months. In late 2023, Cher applied for a conservatorship over Elijah, her 49-year-old son with the late Gregg Allman, claiming that he was "substantially unable to manage his financial resources" due to "severe mental health and substance abuse issues." Allman later filed an objection to his mother's request, stating that he was not in need of a conservatorship and claiming that Cher would be "unfit to serve." The family then reached a private settlement in 2024, having paused court proceedings to attempt to resolve the matter privately. Now, Cher has once again filed for conservatorship, submitting the application to Los Angeles Superior Court earlier in April. The case states that Allman "has significantly deteriorated since a prior conservatorship petition was filed in 2023" and that "The proposed conservatee is currently in custody in the State of New Hampshire in a locked psychiatric hospital in an attempt to restore him to competency to face criminal charges in two cases." Allman was reportedly arrested for causing a disturbance at a private school on Mar. 1, while two days later he was arrested again after allegedly breaking into a home in Windham, N.H. Gregg Allman died in 2017 and Elijah reportedly receives an annual allowance of $120,000 per year from his trust. Cher has in the past claimed that the money is spent primarily on "drugs, expensive hotels and limousine transportation." Documents filed by Cher's lawyers in 2023 suggested that she was concerned that "any funds distributed to Elijah will be immediately spent on drugs, leaving Elijah with no assets to provide for himself and putting Elijah's life at risk." Meanwhile, Elijah's estranged wife, Marieangela King, is asking a court to intervene in her spousal support battle, claiming that Elijah is behind on child support payments as he's currenlty under hospital care. On Apr. 14, King asked the Superior Court of California for assistance in having the trustee of Allman's estate make direct payments to her amid his health ups and downs. King and Allman married in Dec. 2013 after meeting in Germany. Their 13-year relationship was marked by ups and downs, including a 2021 divorce filing by Allman, which was dismissed in 2024. King filed for divorce in Apr. 2025, citing irreconcilable differences. Allman was ordered in summer 2025 to pay her $6,500 per month. King alleged that she hasn't received spousal support since Nov. 2025. - NME/Music-News.com, 4/18/26...... 
In an interview with the New York Times published on Apr. 18, Jesus Christ Superstar composer Andrew Lloyd Webber revealed that he's a recovering alcoholic and started a current journey to sobriety more than a year ago. Lloyd Weber, 78 and an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winner) member, says checking into a rehab clinic "didn't work," but joining AA meetings is something he's "adored." "Sixteen months ago I decided that I needed help and it's the best thing that ever happened to me," Weber told the paper. Though he'd previously talked about quitting drinking in 2015 and 2016, while producing "School of Rock" on Broadway, Lloyd Webber says he'd started to drink again. The composer, whose "Cats: The Jellicle Ball" is presently on Broadway, says he began "getting into a downhill spiral and about 18 months ago the family were in a desperate state, and added, "My wife was feeling she couldn't go on." "When you're a wine drinker, you don't think of yourself as well, alcoholics drink spirits," he said. "That was the shocking thing for me, when I realized that I was drinking vodka to hide it." "I'm lucky that nothing did go very wrong. I haven't had some frightful accident. But then you begin to think of the near misses," he admitted. "I thought that I was getting away with it. The thing is, I am deeply sorry and I can only apologize to people if I made a mess." On attending AA meetings, which he now attends daily, he shared, "What I love about it is you go into a room and everybody's equal. I've made friends that I wouldn't have thought possible." Lloyd Weber added he's currently working on two new musicals -- one that's based on the 2006 film The Illusionist and the other based on the theft of the Mona Lisa in 1911. - Billboard, 4/18/26...... Nearly 40 years after its release, Fleetwood Mac has charted its first hit on the Billboard Global 200, which charts the most popular songs around the world, with "Everywhere." The melodic nugget, from the band's 1987 album Tango in the Night, entered the Billboard Global 200 dated Apr. 18 at No. 188 led by 9.6 million streams worldwide April 3-9, according to Luminate. Boosting its profile in recent years, it has soundtracked ads for Chevrolet and PayPal (the latter featuring comic actor Will Ferrell giving his all to hit its high notes). Over on the Adult Contemporary chart, "Everywhere" became the Mac's second of three No. 1s, directly following the set's "Little Lies." Since the Global 200 launched in September 2020, FM has now charted four songs on the survey, first reaching No. 10 that October with the revived "Dreams," which brought the band to No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 1977. The song ranks at No. 40 on the latest Global 200 with 19.2 million streams worldwide. Two other '70s songs prominent in the group's catalog have hit new Global 200 highs this year: "Landslide" reached No. 123 in January and "The Chain" climbs to a new No. 102 best on the latest ranking. Artists who have covered "Everywhere" include The Corrs, Niall Horan and Anne-Marie, Chaka Khan, Lissie and Hayley Sabella. - Billboard, 4/16/26...... The UK charity Centrepoint has cut ties with Sharon Osbourne after the Ozzy Osbourne widow and TV personality announced she was planning to attend a so-called "Unite the Kingdom" rally in London's Trafalgar Square organized by controversial right-wing British political figure Tommy Robinson in May. Centrepoint, which provides accommodation and support to homeless people aged 16-25, has now distanced itself from Osbourne as a celebrity ambassador. In a statement, the charity said: "This sort of event does not align with our values," per the Guardian. It added: "Centrepoint has a proud history of supporting young people whatever their background, ethnicity or religion. If we want young people to thrive in this country then we need to ensure our society continues to allow them to live without fear and able to access the opportunities they need to start education or work and leave homelessness behind." The charity also expressed its gratitude to Osbourne for supporting its Omaze campaign, which raised money by selling entries for a sweepstakes-style draw to win a 5million home overlooking Lake Windermere, along with 250,000 in cash. "While Sharon supported us on this campaign, for which she was referred to as an ambassador as is standard for Omaze prize draws, she is not an official ongoing ambassador of Centrepoint and we have no plans to work together in the future," it said. Robinson, who has been eager to gain endorsement from celebrities, has celebrated Osbourne's support for the upcoming rally. The previous "Unite The Kingdom" march, meanwhile, took place last September, drawing over 100,000 members of the public, with speeches from Robinson and Elon Musk among others. At least 25 people were arrested and 26 police officers were injured at the event. - NME, 4/18/26...... 
Pink Floyd have joined forces with fashion house FC Internazionale Milano and Sony Music Italy to launch a new fashion collection, celebrating 50 years of its Wish You Were Here album. A new range of exclusive products have been launched, including an anthem jacket which will be worn by players during the pre-match of Inter vs. Cagliari, and a bundle with a t-shirt and vinyl. There is also a new PFFC Collection arriving, which is a capsule inspired by the football team founded by the band in the '70s. Members David Gilmour, Roger Waters, Nick Mason and Rick Wright, alongside various friends and members of the crew, put together the team when they would arrange football matches during breaks in their busy touring schedule. It also comes with the distinctive lettering seen in the original photo and a 50th anniversary logo of 'Wish You Were Here' on the back, which has been especially adapted for the Club. Aside from jerseys and shirts, there are also scarves, tote bags, guitar picks, and drumsticks available in the collection. Other new products from the Inter Milan and Pink Floyd collab include a limited edition Anthem Jacket, which the Nerazzurri will wear during the pre-match of Inter vs. Cagliari on Apr. 17, and a special bundle consisting of an original T-shirt and an Exclusive Blue Vinyl. The jacket is limited to 400 numbered pieces, and the bundle will be limited to 1908 copies. All products are available now on the official Inter online store, and at Inter Stores Milano, Castello, and San Siro. The bundle is on sale from Apr. 30 via the Sony Music Italy store. The announcement of the new fashion collaboration comes as the band dropped a 50th anniversary release of Wish You Were Here, which went on to become a Top 10 charting album across the world. A promotional video for the fashion line can be viewed on YouTube. Meanwhile, "Herman the Pig," the large-scale inflatable stage prop used during Roger Waters' 1990 The Wall - Live in Berlin performance by Pink Floyd, is among the standout items going up for an online sale conducted by Propstore, one of the world's leading entertainment memorabilia auction houses, in the UK on Apr. 30. The sale will feature over 400 lots of rare and sought-after music memorabilia from some of the world's most celebrated artists, with a combined estimated value of $2 million, led by a significant group of items from Pink Floyd spanning the band's early formation through to its large-scale live productions. The full catalog can be viewed at Propstoreauction.com. - NME/Music-News.com, 4/15/26...... Billboard has confirmed that Paul McCartney's upcoming album The Boys of Dungeon Lane will include a new collaboration with Ringo Starr called "Home To Us." The track has been labelled as reminiscent of the classic Beatles sound, and it sees the two trading vocals line-by-line, while Starr also contributes drums to the track. The song reportedly also includes contributions from Chrissie Hynde and Sharleen Spiteri, but as McCartney has explained, Ringo's involvement came together late in the process. "I saw Ringo and said I worked with this guy Andrew [Watt, producer]," he said. "Ringo came over to Andrew's studio and played a little bit of drums." From there, there was a series of misunderstandings, with Starr being a "bit pissed" with Watt when he was led to believe that his contribution was not enough, but McCartney was inspired to finish the song, focusing it on their childhoods in Liverpool. Sir Paul's new album is described as having him "in a candid, vulnerable and deeply reflective mood, writing with rare openness about his childhood in post-war Liverpool, the resilience of his parents, and early adventures shared with George Harrison an dJohn Lennon long before the world had ever heard of Beatlemania." The first taste of the record arrived in March the form of the tender single "Days We Left Behind," which takes McCartney back to the days of "smoky bars and cheap guitar" and was shared on on YouTube. - Billboard/NME, 4/17/26...... Prince's former drummer Charles "Chazz" Smith has revealed that the late iconic funk-rocker loved showing off his room full of fan mail after he shot to fame in the early 1980's. As part of a series of interviews to commemorate the 10th anniversary of his shock passing, Smith told the Guardian: "When he got famous he was flabbergasted that girls would drive all the way from places like Detroit to park outside his house, but he couldn't wait to show me his room full of fan mail. I'm really happy with what he was able to accomplish, but I'm also sad because if he'd had a regular life he may still be here today. What if he didn't have to take the whole world on from day one, or fight the record industry for the freedom to be himself?" Chazz added about the pain in Prince's life: "From the 18-hour recording sessions to the dancing, he pushed himself to the absolute limit and I don't think you ever get over losing a child (Amiir Nelson, who Prince had with his first wife Mayte Garcia, who died from Pfeiffer syndrome type 2 at six days old.) "He had a lot on his shoulders for a very long time. People are gonna talk about the great things he did for a very long time, but there was a lot of heartbreak." Prince passed away on Apr. 21, 2016, aged 57, when he was found unresponsive in an elevator at his sprawling Paisley Park estate in Chanhassen, Minn. His death was later ruled an accidental overdose of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid. - Music-News.com, 4/16/26...... 
'70s artists Van Morrison and Chaka Khan were among the major winners at the Jazz FM Awards 2026 with PPL and PRS for Music on Apr. 16, as leading figures from across jazz, soul and blues gathered at KOKO in London for one of the leading events in the international jazz calendar. Hosted by Doc Brown, the ceremony celebrated artists shaping the future of jazz alongside the icons whose influence continues to define the genre. Legendary singer-songwriter Morrison was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by Jools Holland, recognizing his extraordinary contribution to music across more than six decades. Global icon Chaka Khan received the Impact Award, presented by Sarah Jane Morris, while rising Mercury Prize-winning London group Ezra Collective were presented with a brand-new award for Outstanding Contribution to UK Jazz by Courtney Pine. The ceremony also featured a series of standout live performances celebrating the breadth of contemporary jazz and soul. Sir Van Morrison delivered a special performance of "Snatch It Back and Hold It" backed by the Van Morrison Alumni Band, while British soul legend Omar, visionary multi-instrumentalist Emma-Jean Thackray, and acclaimed vocalist Yazmin Lacey also performed on the night. Since its inception in 2013, the Jazz FM Awards have become one of the leading events in the international jazz calendar, celebrating artists across jazz, soul and blues while recognizing both emerging talent and globally established icons shaping the future of the genre. Sir Van recently told the London Times that his dad, an electrician at the Harland Wolff shipyard, played jazz records "day in and day out," exposing him to a sound that would underpin his blend of soul, blues and folk. Asked whether he would be performing today if it was not for his father's record collection: "Probably not. That was a huge influence. I was hearing jazz when I was a very young kid. My father played jazz records day in and day out. Skiffle came out of jazz, blues came out of jazz, so it was interconnected." - Music-News.com, 4/17/26...... Barbra Streisand has expressed her delight over seeing a traffic sign with one of her iconic taglines installed in New York City. Earlier in 2026, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal announced that a sign with the words "Hello, gorgeous!" would be mounted near the Brooklyn Bridge. Taking to Instagram on Apr. 16, Babs gushed over the sign, which is a reference to the first line she utters as Fanny Brice in the 1968 feature, Funny Girl. "You're looking at the new sign that will greet people as they enter Manhattan from Brooklyn," she wrote in the caption. "NYC is where I found my voice. It gave me a chance, a stage, and a lifetime of inspiration. There's nowhere else like it! Welcome to the Big Apple!" The 83-year-old, who won an Oscar for her performance in the film, went on to note that "Hello, gorgeous!" continues to have a lot of "meaning" to her. "As a teenager, I still remember that milelong ride from Brooklyn to Manhattan. It felt like a magical journey. Leading not just into the city but into my future, a place where dreams could come true. Welcome to the city that never sleeps, Manhattan. And may all your dreams come true," she declared in a voiceover. - Music-News.com, 4/16/26...... Actress Joy Harmon, best known for a provocative short scene in the 1967 classic rural prison farm film Cool Hand Luke, died at home in Los Angeles on Apr. 14 after being ill with pneumonia for weeks. She was 87. Ms. Harmon's short and wordless performance in Cool Hand Luke mesmerised characters in the film and audiences alike, in a three-minute car-washing scene rife with sexual innuendo. In the scene, the voluptuous Ms. Harmon washes a car and squeezes soap from a sponge on her body, drawing the attention and remarks of prisoners who watch as they dig a ditch. Although officially credited as The Girl, her character was called "Lucille" by one of the prisoners distracted by her car washing. It became the best known moment of her career, which spanned 32 credited appearances in movies and TV from the 1950s to the early 1970s, according to IMDB. "I was just washing a car to the best of my ability and having fun with it, with the sponge and everything," Ms. Harmon told Entertainment Weekly in 2017. "My concept of the [scene] was not like what came out. I was not aware that there were two meanings to things that I was doing, and I'm still not really that much aware of what they all were." Ms. Harmon started in the entertainment business as a child model and pageant queen and worked her way up through appearances on comedy and quiz shows. Most of her movie roles were through the 1960s and she also appeared in series including Bewitched, Batman, The Man from U.N.C.L.E, The Beverley Hillbillies, The Odd Couple and The Monkees. After acting, she worked at Disney Studios and in 2003 she opened a bakery in Los Angeles but still got fan mail sent to her every week. She is survived by three children and nine grandchildren. - BBC.com, 4/16/22...... 
Country music songwriter Don Schlitz, the Grammy-winning composer of some of country's most enduring songs including "The Gambler" and "Forever and Ever, Amen," died on Apr. 16 in a Nashville hospital following a sudden illness. He was 73. Schlitz achieved greatness with his first recorded song, "The Gambler," which he wrote at the age of 23. It went on to win the Grammy for best country song in 1979, and made its performer Kenny Rogers one of the top stars in the country genre. "The Gambler," the lead track on Rogers' 1978 No. 1 country and No. 12 pop album of the same name, is a timeless tale of a card shark with sharp wits, and a reporter remarked that it would be the first line of his obituary when he informed him that it had been nominated for a CMA song of the year award (it also won that award). Born and raised in Durham, N.C., Schlitz briefly attended Duke University before moving to Nashville at age 20. According to legend he caught the bus to Music Row with just $80 in his pocket, and he knew how to play his cards right. But he was no one-hit wonder. He also crafted hits for Randy Travis, The Judds, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Tanya Tucker, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Keith Whitley and Alison Krauss, his creations including "On the Other Hand," "Forever and Ever, Amen," "He Thinks He'll Keep Her," "The Greatest," and "When You Say Nothing At All." All "are touchstones and inspirations that continue to influence songwriters and singers decades after they were written," reads a statement from the Grand Ole Opry, which in 2022 inducted Schlitz as a member. "His words and music have articulated the extraordinary emotions inherent in common experience." He was named ASCAP country songwriter of the year for four consecutive years, from 1988-91, and his collection includes a hattrick of CMA song of the year awards and a pair of CMA song of the year awards. He won a second Grammy in 1988, also in the category for best country song, with "Forever And Ever, Amen." Induction into the Nashville Songwriters Association Hall of Fame came in 1993. Then, in 2012, Schlitz was elevated into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Rogers was on hand that night to salute Schlitz. "Don doesn't just write songs," the late superstar country/pop crossover singer remarked, "he writes careers." Later, he was inducted as a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2017. Schlitz's Grand Ole Opry nod saw him become the only non-artist songwriter inducted into the show in its 100-year history. The prolific music man also wrote the music and lyrics for the 1999 Broadway musical "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer." On Apr. 18, the Grand Ole Opry dedicated its Apr. 18 show in Schlitz' honor. He is survived by his wife, Stacey; his daughter Cory Dixon and her husband Matt Dixon; his son Pete Schlitz and his wife Christian Webb Schlitz; his grandchildren Roman, Gia, Isla, and Lilah; his brother Brad Schlitz; and his sister Kathy Hinkley. - Billboard, 4/17/26.
KISS' Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have revealed the launch date for the band's long awaited Las Vegas avatar show, and will apparently include "new songs." After KISS played the final show on their farewall tour in Dec. 2023, they announced that their "new era" would involve live shows where they would be replaced by their digital avatars. The holograms also debuted at that gig, where they performed 'God Gave Rock And Roll To You' after the real band left the stage at Madison Square Garden. Simmons later said that the avatars would "get better" after a less-than-enthusiastic public response, and he said that "about 200 million" dollars was being invested in the technology. Now, in an interview with Pollstar magazine, Simmons and Stanley have said the show is tentatively scheduled to launch in Las Vegas in 2028. Production on the shows will be overseen by Pophouse Entertainment, the company behind ABBA's acclaimed "Voyage" show, and it will be Pophouse's first US-based show. "It's going to be the iconic face personas, the Demon, the Starchild and so on. Who you want to place into that line-up is up to you," Simmons told the outlet. Responding to a question about what songs will be included, Stanley said it will "have all the classics through the years and some surprises," while Simmons added that "you're gonna get all that stuff, and also new songs" which have been "written by us." In Nov. 2024, Stanley said the show would be like "Cirque Du Soleil meets Star Wars and a KISS concert," claiming the avatars will look "identical" to them. - New Musical Express, 4/14/26...... In related news, ABBA have reached the "incredible milestone" of 4 million visitors to their "Voyage" live show. The groundbreaking concert residency sees digital CGI versions of the four members of ABBA performing in the purpose-built ABBA Arena in East London, and since launching in 2022, four million people have been in attendance. "Voyage" passed the one million visitor mark in Apr. 2023, and as of the second weekend in Apr. 2026, it will have quadrupled that number. "Reaching four million visitors is an incredible milestone for ABBA Voyage, and a testament to the fans who have travelled from across the world to be part of this experience," ABBA said in a statement. "From those visiting for the first time to the many who return again and again, it's their energy and passion that bring the concert to life every night. To see audiences continue to embrace the concert and the joy of our music is truly special, and it's been incredible to watch the concert become a global phenomenon," they add. In the four years since it launched, ABBA "Voyage" has staged 1,415 concerts with audiences collectively spending more than 141,500 hours at the show. "Dancing Queen"' alone has played for 4,800 minutes. In 2023, ABBA member Björn Ulvaeus told New Musical Express that "We hope to stay in this venue for as long as we can. We hope they'll have us for many years, and we might build other replicas of this in other places: Asia, Australia, North America. There are lots and promoters and cities that we're talking to at the moment about that. Each one would take at least two years to build, but there will be announcements towards the end of this year or the beginning of next about where we actually are going. That's if we're going somewhere, which we will." - NME, 4/11/26...... 
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame unveiled its Class of 2026 inductees on the Apr. 13 episode of American Idol, with host Ryan Seacrest and RRHOF member Lionel Richie announcing the eight artists who made the cut out of a total of 17 who were nominated in late February. Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Sade, Luther Vandross and hip-hop pioneers Wu-Tang Clan were inducted into the Performers category, with the Early Influence Award going to Queen of Salsa Celia Cruz; Afrobeat architect Fela Kuti; hip-hop boundary-breaker Queen Latifah; rap pioneer MC Lyte; and country rock godfather Gram Parsons. Musical Excellence Awards were given to Philly soul songwriter Linda Creed ("The Greatest Love of All"); producer Arif Mardin (The Bee Gees, Bette Midler); producer/musician Jimmy Miller (The Rolling Stones, Steve Winwood); and producer Rick Rubin (Johnny Cash, Tom Petty). Finally, Ed Sullivan --whose groundbreaking variety show The Ed Sullivan Show introduced Americans to live performances from Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Jackson 5 and more -- receives the Ahmet Ertegun Award. Eight of the marquee names in the Class of 2026 are being inducted posthumously: Luther Vandross (died in 2005), Celia Cruz (2003), Fela Kuti (1997), Gram Parsons (1973), Linda Creed (1986), Arif Mardin (2006), Jimmy Miller (1994) and Ed Sullivan (1974). The nine acts on the 2026 ballot who didn't make it in this year include The Black Crowes, Jeff Buckley, Mariah Carey, Melissa Etheridge, Lauryn Hill, INXS, New Edition, P!NK and Shakira. One of the main takeaways of this year's Rock Hall class is that the 1980s are "the new '60s & '70s," with no primarily '60s or '70s acts inducted this year (unless you count the Joy Division half of Joy Division/New Order, which released one of its two studio LPs in 1979) or even nominated. The 2026 Rock Hall induction ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on Nov. 14, to be aired on ABC and Disney+ the following month. - Billboard, 4/13/26...... Paul McCartney has extended his history on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart with his new single "Days We Left Behind," which he shared on YouTube on Mar. 26. The song, from McCartney's forthcoming studio LP The Boys of Dungeon Lane, bowed at No. 22 on the A/C list dated Apr. 18, Sir Paul's highest A/C debut since 1978, when "With a Little Luck," with Wings, entered at No. 21. He last appeared on A/C with "Come On to Me," which hit No. 10 in Oct. 2018, becoming his 19th top 10 as a soloist. "Days We Left Behind" is also drawing early play at adult alternative radio, debuing at No. 7 on the Rock Digital Songs chart dated Apr. 11. "This is very much a memory song for me," McCartney, 83, shared in a statement announcing the new album, which drops on May 29 via MPL/Capitol Records. "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?'," he said in a statement. - Billboard, 4/10/26...... Smokey Robinson has lost his bid to put an end to the claims brought by two of the five Jane Does accusing him of sexual assault. The Motown legend had asked a Los Angeles County judge to dismiss the claims as being too old to pursue because the to women stopped working for the Robinsons in 2020 and 2011. The singer maintained that California's "revival window" which has allowed women to resurrect historical assault claims did not extend to their separate allegations of a hostile work environment and unpaid wages. He also argued that the women had failed to show how they were prevented from filing those labour claims within the three-year statute of limitations. However the women's lawyer argued that "there was systematic sexual coercion, and that would have thwarted any reasonable investigation into wage rights... The plaintiffs have clearly stated that there was a systematic coercion for them to live under a code of silence." The judge ultimately sided with the women. In a $50 million lawsuit filed in May 2025, the first four Jane Does alleged they were sexually assaulted or raped repeatedly while working for Robinson and his wife, Frances, at their homes in the San Fernando Valley and Las Vegas. The Robinsons have denied the allegations and counter-sued the women for defamation and elder abuse. - Music-News.com, 4/14/26...... 
As Record Store Day approaches in the UK and US on Apr. 18, avid former Led Zeppelin frontman and avid record collector Robert Plant has been named as this year's Record Store Legend. "Record stores have always been a part of my life. For me, once you get to the physical record it's because you really want to know and be a part of what the artist was considering," Plant said during a recent visit to Cardiff, UK's Spillers Records. "And I know, as a guy who's been making records since 1966, people want to take home something very special, to enjoy all the elements of what an artist has put together. We want a connection between the music and the art of the whole thing," he added in the appearance, which has been shared on Instagram. The 19th installment of RSD, a celebration of independent record shops and vinyl culture in the UK involving more than 300 stores around the country, will take place on Apr. 18. Previous recipients of Record Store Legend include Elton John and Johnny Marr, while Plant himself is part of RSD 2026 as his EP "Saving Grace: All That Glitters" will be released for the occasion. This year's Record Store Day arrives with vinyl sales at their highest level in 20 years. The UK's Digital Entertainment and Retail Association report that the market for vinyl records grew by 18.6%, in value terms with over 7.5 million discs sold last year, generating 238 million. In the US, the Recording Industry Association of America released numbers in March showing vinyl sales surpassed the $1 billion mark in 2025. Other notable RSD 2026 releases include Bruce Springsteen - Live From Asbury Park 2024 and a Just Tell Me You Love Me various artists' tribute to Fleetwood Mac. - NME, 4/11/26...... After a teaser video of The Rolling Stones' new vinyl-only single as The Cockroaches, titled "Rough & Twisted," was uploaded to Instagram recently, a full rip of the tune has been shared online after the single was released as a vinyl-only "white label" record on Apr. 11. The physical edition was limited to just 1,000 numbered copies at independent record shops worldwide, and has since sold out. In the comments section on TikTok, one fan described the song as "early '70s Stones" with "today's production and engineering," with another fan writing: "This is so killer, holy shit." On Instagram, another person hailed the track's "big blues(rock) sound." "Yeah, why don't you drive me/ Down that rough and twisted road?/ Why don't you guide me/ 'Cause I don't know which way to go?," Jagger sings over distorted guitar in the first verse. The frontman later adds: "Yeah, all you feed me was just rancid rice and bones/ All I drank was muddy water/ As lonely as a saxophone/ Why don't you take me/ To where I wanna go? To Natchez, Mississippi, Sicily and Rome." The single serves as the first taste of Stones' as-yet-untitled new album, which is slated for release in July, and will be the band's first full-length effort since 2023's Grammy-winning Hackney Diamonds. - NME, 4/14/26...... 
'70s punk icon Iggy Pop broke out several classic tracks at the Coachella 2026 festival in California on Apr. 12, and ended his set by being wheeled away in a coffin. Iggy made his latest appearance at the iconic music fest after having played there solo for the first time in 2001, before reuniting with his band The Stooges for the first time in three decades back in 2003. Pop opened his show with back-to-back renditions of "T.V. Eye," "Raw Power," "I Got A Right" and "Gimme Danger," before heading into two solo fan favorites: "The Passenger" and "Lust For Life." Other hits in the 14-song setlist included the classics "I Wanna Be Your Dog" and "Search And Destroy," and he introduced the song "1970" by making a nod to his age. "It's not easy being alive now. It's not easy to be old... it's not easy to be young," the rocker, who is set to turn 79 on Apr. 21 said, introducing the song. "It wasn't easy then." As well as working through his biggest hits from over the past few decades, the punk godfather also ended his show with a bang too -- getting into a black, red fur-lined coffin, and playfully crossing his arms over his chest and sticks his tongue out. The lid was then closed over him, and he was wheeled off the stage that way, with his arm sticking out the side and waving to the crowd along the way. That theatrical exit from the stage is the same way he ended his sets during his UK tour in 2025. After the performance, multiple viewers took to social media to celebrate the energy and charisma Pop is capable of displaying, even well into his 70s. "It's incredible and impressive that at 78-years-old he still dominates the stage like few others: raw, electric, and absolutely hypnotic. The father of punk in his most alive form," one fan wrote. "It is amazing that Iggy Pop can do what he's doing at nearly 80 years old, but if he wore a shirt no one would mind," one person quipped, while anther responded: "He was born shirtless and he'll die shirtless." Fan shot footage of the performance can be viewed on X/Twitter. - NME, 4/13/26...... After a bench warrant was issued for a 55-year-old LA woman who allegedly stalked and threatened former Fleetwood Mac member Lindsey Buckingham for years before physically attacking the singer/guitarist in March, the woman has been arrested in Indiana. Los Angeles prosecutors have charged 55-year-old Michelle Dick with seven criminal counts after she allegedly hurled an unidentified substance at Buckingham in Santa Monica on Mar. 25. The felony complaint, filed on Apr. 6, alleges Dick stalked Buckingham between 2021 and Mar. 25 this year. The charges include making criminal threats, assault with a deadly weapon involving a motor vehicle, and vandalizing Buckingham's car. Prosecutors claim the woman also stalked a second victim, identified as "Stephanie N.", placing her in reasonable fear for her safety. Buckingham's former bandmate Stevie Nicks' full name is Stephanie Lynn Nicks, but it has not been confirmed that she is the second victim. Buckingham sought a restraining order against Dick in Nov. 2024, alleging years of harassment. A judge granted the restraining order in Dec. 2024, requiring her to stay away from Buckingham, his wife, Kristen, and their son for five years. She was also ordered to keep her distance from their homes and vehicles. Buckingham told the court that Dick allegedly parked her car outside one of the homes he shares with his wife in 2024. "She began rambling about me being her father and suffocating her as a child," Buckingham wrote. He shared that subsequent threats on Instagram were directed at his wife. "This incident terrified my wife as she feared for her safety. Given that Ms Dick also knows my home address, I am terrified as well," he wrote. - Music-News.com, 4/14/26..... 
Roger Waters is on the lookout for a new singer to front his son's Pink Floyd tribute group Brit Floyd - after firing him from his touring solo band. Harry Waters previously played keyboards for his father on the road for 14 years. However, Harry revealed in 2023 that his dad had let him know that his services would no longer be required. "I was fired, it was pretty miserable," he said at the time, adding that his dad "wanted a change of blood, something new, something fresh." Harry then went on to join tribute act Brit Floyd, alongside one of Pink Floyd's former background singers, Durga McBroom, and their ex-saxophonist, Scott Page. Now, Roger has put out an "open invitation" on Instagram for a singer to join a brand-new tour scheduled for next year, "Roger Waters Presents LEGACY - A Pink Floyd Show Performed By The Harry Waters Band." The announcement for the upcoming dates is accompanied by the tagline: "The father's legacy, the son's band." In a statement, Roger wrote: "My son Harry Waters has put a great band and show together to go on the road next year to pay tribute to the music from the golden era of Pink Floyd, and maybe a couple of songs from my subsequent solo career. Harry's band is missing one thing: The voice I had when I was young [from] 'Comfortably Numb', to the high-pitched scream of 'You know how I need you to beat to a pulp on a Saturday night' from 'Don't Leave Me Now'. Can you do that? Are you that missing voice? If you are, this is your chance. This is an open invitation to audition for Harry's band. I'm serious." Those who wish to apply for the role can do so via an online form before Apr. 30. "Please be sure to submit a Pink Floyd song, with Roger on lead," the form reads. It also mentions the band's "tentative tour plans," stating that it will kick off next February and run for 20 weeks. - NME, 4/10/26...... Jermaine Jackson, the brother of Michael Jackson, shocked fans with a rare public appearance at the LA world premiere of the new MJ biopic Michael on Apr. 11. Jermaine, 71, first rose to fame as a founding member of the Jackson 5 alongside brothers Michael, Jackie, Tito and Marlon Jackson. Known for his smooth vocals and bass guitar skills, Jermaine contributed to hits like "I Want You Back" and "ABC," which helped cement the group's place in music history. After the Jackson 5 transitioned to The Jacksons in the mid-1970s, Jermaine briefly stayed with Motown to pursue a solo career, scoring R&B hits like "Daddy's Home" and "Let's Get Serious." He eventually rejoined his brothers and continued to perform with them through the 1980s, including during the legendary Victory Tour. In recent years, he has appeared less frequently in the public eye, focusing on family and occasional musical projects. Michael will officially open in the US on Apr. 24 and in the UK on Apr. 24. - JLAForums.com, 4/12/26...... Canadian thespian Richard Donat, known for being the voice of Deej on the 1980s Star Wars spin-off TV show Ewoks, has died at the age of 84. Among his most famous roles was the Stephen King character Vince Teagues on the Syfy show Haven, which was set in Mr. Donat's native Nova Scotia. He was also a fixture on CBC radio in "Canada at Christmastime," when he could be heard reading the Robert Louis Stevenson poem "Christmas at Sea." Mr. Donat's longtime wife Maggie Thomas and their sons Owen and Morgan were at his side when he died on Mar. 28, according to the funeral home's announcement. He purportedly suffered from illnesses in the last two years of his life and was treated at a hospital on the South Shore of Nova Scotia, where he has lived since 1989. Mr. Donat hailed from a showbiz family as the nephew of Oscar-winning English actor Robert Donat (Goodbye, Mr. Chips) and the brother of Peter Donat, known for his stints on the 1980s prime-time soap Flamingo Road and in the 1990s on The X-Files. The 1970s and 1980s also saw Richard land work in a number of Canadian films, such as the horror picture Death Weekend starring Brenda Vaccaro and the oil crisis satire Gas led by a young Howie Mandel. - DailyMail.com, 4/14/26...... 
Children's programming legend and beloved puppeteer Sid Krofft, who alongside his brother Marty created popular '70s children's TV shows like Land of the Lost and H.R. Pufnstuf, died on Apr. 10 of natural causes at the home of his friend and business partner, Kelly Killian. He was 96. "Sid Krofft was an icon who did what he loved most until the very end - being out in public with his legions of fans," his publicist Adam Fenton said in a statement. "Sid never slowed down, attending his final show where it all began just last November in his home state of Rhode Island. Sid was a beacon of light and will be greatly missed," he added. Born in Montreal, Quebec, and raised in Rhode Island, Mr. Krofft worked as a puppeteer in vaudeville and Ringling Bros. circus before he and his brother Marty Krofft (who died in 2023 at age 86) set their sights on television. After a stint working for Hanna-Barbera's The Banana Splits, the brothers created and produced H.R. Pufnstuf in 1969, a children's TV series featuring puppets that was very attuned with the psychedelia of the era. Though the show was short-lived, lasting only one season of 17 episodes, H.R. Pufnstuf would later become a cult series and became a launchpad for similar Krofft productions. In the 1970s, the Kroffts produced The Bugaloos, Lidsville, Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, and Land of the Lost, with the latter series -- about a time-warped family sent back to an era of stop-motion dinosaurs -- adapted into a Will Ferrell-starring big screen film in 2009. Sid and Marty also headlined their own Krofft Supershow in the mid-1970s, while their puppeteering featured on variety shows ranging from The Brady Bunch Hour and Raquel Welch's Really Raquel to Richard Pryor's Pryor's Place and Donny & Marie. The Kroffts would later receive a Lifetime Achievement award from the Daytime Emmys as well as a joint star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Marty, who was eight years younger than Sid, died in 2023 at age 86. The Brady Bunch star Maureen McCormick took to Instagram to mourn her friend and mentor upon learning of his death. "Rest in peace Sid Krofft" she captioned the update. "Thank you for the sweetest memories." In the featured image, the actress and two of her Brady Bunch costars posed with Mr. Krofft and others at his and Marty's Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony in 2020. - au.rollingstone.com/TVInsider.com, 4/12/26.
Speaking of Paul McCartney, the Beatles legend has named three of his favorite albums of all time. Responding to a message in an ongoing segment on his 
Speaking of Australia, one of the country's most famous daughters, Olivia Newton-John, has a new documentary about her life and career in development. On June 24, Deadline.com published a press released reporting that Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Nicole Newnham is working on a project about the late Hollywood singing legend for Netflix. The film will chronicle ONJ's childhood in England and Australia as well as her early pursuit of a career in the music industry. In addition, the documentary will explore her rise to fame alongside John Travolta in the iconic 1978 musical film, Grease. "In her own words, through vivid archival and via reminiscences from close friends and collaborators, we'll follow Olivia's journey as the world falls madly in love with her and she ascends to the height of fame, only to be confronted by challenges of epic proportions," a summary reads. "By discovering how to stay true to her beliefs, Olivia changed our culture for the better, bending it towards kindness, inclusivity, and love." Newton-John died at the age of 73 in 2022 following a battle with breast cancer. The film will be produced by R.J. Cutler, whose last project was a documentary about Martha Stewart for Netflix. - Music-News.com, 6/25/25...... Forget about all that recent "farewell" talk from Foreigner -- the band's upcoming change of singing guard, from Kelly Hansen to Luis Maldanado, may well make for a more productive Foreigner, according to bassist Jeff Pilson. "There's just a lot of forward movement, and the band is incredibly excited," Pilson, who's been with Foreigner since 2004 (and was also part of Dokken), says. "What started off as being a farewell tour now ended up being Kelly's last tour and (the band) moving forward." Back in 2022 Kelly Hansen positioned himself as the primary driver behind Foreigner's Historic Farewell Tour, which began the following year. "This catalog of songs, it's extremely challenging for a rock tenor vocalist like myself to sing," he explained at the time. "I never thought in a million years I'd be singing these songs in the (original) keys at this age (then 61), and I don't know how much longer I can do that at the level I need toIf I'm not doing it for real, I shouldn't be doing it." Foreigner's farewell tour got under way during the summer of 2023 and has been extended a couple of times since, due to demand -- bolstered by the band's long-awaited induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Oct. 2024. The lead vocalist change may also open the door for fans to hear more music for Foreigner in the near future. The group has recorded two Spanish-language tracks sung by Maldonado, who was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, including a duet version of their classic "I Want to Know What Love Is" with Joy Huerta of the Latin Grammy-winning duo Jesse & Joy. Pilson says more of those are planned. Pilson adds he's also sifting through additional unreleased and in-progress recordings, and hopes some brand new material will be recorded as well. Original Foreigner vocalist Lou Gramm has indicated he's definitely on board to contribute in whatever manner he can. And Pilson adds that Foreigner founder/guitarist Mick Jones -- who had to retire from touring due to Parkinson's Disease -- remains "really supportive" of Foreigner continuing and releasing new music. - Billboard, 6/25/25...... Stevie Nicks has announced eight additional dates for her upcoming North American tour later this year. In April, the former Fleetwood Macsinger and songwriter confirmed that she would be playing across the US and Canada with an original run of nine dates in August and October. Now, the tour has been extended, with a show at Brooklyn's Barclays Center on Aug 8 now set to kick off the string of dates. Extra shows have also been added in Hollywood, Fla. (9/3) and Detroit (9/7), as well as Portland (10/1), Sacramento (10/4), Atlantic City (10/18), Charlotte (10/21 and Hartford (10/25). A press release at the time of the original announcement indicated that "Nicks will continue to enchant audiences with her unmistakable voice, poetic lyrics and transcendent live performances" at the gigs. She had been due to play some shows with Billy Joel this summer, but the "Piano Man" singer has been forced to cancel all of his upcoming tour dates following a diagnosis with the brain disorder normal pressure hydrocephalus. - NME, 6/23/25...... Eddie Van Halen's musician son Wolfgang Van Halen has announced his withdrawal from the upcoming Black Sabbath farewell concert over tour commitments. Speaking to WRIF Detroit recently, Wolfgang explained of the situation: "I, unfortunately, had to back out because the Creed tour starts the day after, and I wouldn't be able to pull it off -- unfortunately. I'm very excited to watch it, but I unfortunately had to back out." The farewell Sabbath concert, dubbed "Back To The Beginning," is set for July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, UK. - NME, 6/26/25...... 
Longtime E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt has revealed he's being forced to sit out several upcoming shows with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band as he recovers from emergency surgery. Van Zandt shared the news via X on June 23, revealing that what initially felt like food poisoning turned out to be appendicitis. He was treated in San Sebastin, Spain, following a show in the city and praised the medical team for their swift care. Springsteen and the E Street Band are in the midst of a European stadium run, with the next stop scheduled for Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on June 27, followed by back-to-back dates at Milan's San Siro Stadium on June 30 and July 3. "I'm hoping to get back on stage for at least one of the shows in Milan," Van Zandt added. "Thank you all for all the good vibes. See you soon." Van Zandt last performed onstage with Springsteen in San Sebastin on June 24. No formal announcement has been made regarding a fill-in, though the band has adjusted their lineup in the past to accommodate health-related absences. - Billboard, 6/24/25...... Typographer Jim Parkinson, the artist behind Rolling Stone magazine's iconic logo, died on June 27 after a long struggle with Alzheimer's Disease. He was 83. The San Francisco Bay Area native attended California College of Arts and Crafts, where he graduated in 1963, and worked as an artist at Hallmark Cards, where he moved from "drawing rabbits" to the lettering department, where he honed his craft. In 1971, he was hired to create lettering and drawings for Rolling Stone, which was headquartered in San Francisco at the time. Mr. Parkinson was enlisted to redesign its logo in 1977, in time for the magazine's 10th anniversary. A few years later, he brought new life to the design with the now-iconic elongated tail on the "R." That rework became the longest-running version of the logo, lasting until 2018. (He was also behind a flatter version that ran from 2018 through 2022.) He went on to design logos for dozens of other publications, including Esquire, Variety, The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times, and logos for bands including Credence Clearwater, Kansas and the Doobie Brothers. Mr. Parkinson died in Oakland and is survived by his wife and book artist Dorothy Yule. A memorial for him is also expected in the fall. - Billboard,...... Bill Moyers, the former White House press secretary who became one of television's most honored journalists, died on June 26 in a New York City hospital. He was 91. Mr. Moyers' son William said his father died at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York after a "long illness." On the day Pres. John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Mr. Moyers was in Austin helping with the presidential trip. He flew back to Washington on Air Force One with newly sworn-in Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson, for whom he held various jobs over the ensuing years, including press secretary. In 1967, Mr. Moyers became publisher of Long Island-based Newsday and concentrated on adding news analyses, investigative pieces and lively features. His next venture was in public television and he won critical acclaim for Bill Moyers Journal, and interview series. He was chief correspondent of CBS Reports from 1976 to 1978, went back to PBS for three years, and then was senior news analyst for CBS from 1981 to 1986. His projects in the 21st century included Now, a weekly PBS public affairs program; a new edition of Bill Moyers Journal and a podcast covering racism, voting rights and the rise of Donald Trump, among other subjects. Over the years, the Hugo, Okla., native was showered with numerous honors, including more than 30 Emmys, 11 George Foster Peabody awards, three George Polks and, twice, the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Gold Baton Award for career excellence in broadcast journalism. In 1995, he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. Mr. Moyers married Judith Davidson, a college classmate, in 1954, and they raised three children, among them the author Suzanne Moyers and author-TV producer William Cope Moyers. Judith eventually became her husband's partner, creative collaborator and president of the production company they founded in 1986. - AP, 6/26/25...... 
Composer/conductor Lalo Schifrin, who composed the unforgettable instrumental theme from Mission: Impossible among countless other iconic series and movies, died on June 26 at age 93. Born Boris Claudio Schifrin on June 21, 1932, Mr. Schifrin was a second-generation musical talent. His father was the concert master for the Buenos Aires Philharmonic for more than three decades. The younger Schifrin began playing piano at the tender age 5. When he was about 16, his classmates turned him to jazz records, and he was hooked for life. He studied music and law for four years at the University of Buenos Aires, and received a scholarship to the Paris Conservatory of Music in 1952. In 1956, Mr. Schifrin returned to Buenos Aires, formed his own jazz band and became active writing music for TV and radio programs.Mr. Schifrin arrived in New York City in 1958, and reconnected with early mentor Dizzy Gillespie in 1960, and worked on Gillespie's hit album, Gillespiana, which brought both musicians Grammy nominations. Mr. Schifrin received 19 Grammy nominations spanning 40 years (1962-2002) and multiple genres (both jazz and pop) and skillsets (composition, arrangement and performance), and won four Grammys. He received four Primetime Emmy nominations -- three for Mission: Impossible and one for his music for David Wolper's The Making of the President 1964. He received six Oscar nominations, five for scores (Cool Hand Luke, The Fox, Voyage of the Damned, The Amityville Horror and The Sting II) and one for a song, "People Alone" from The Competition (1980), which he co-wrote with lyricist Will Jennings. For all he accomplished, Mr. Schifrin's Mission: Impossible theme is unquestionably his greatest hit. His music for that drama series, which aired on CBS from 1966-73, brought him two Grammy Awards, three Primetime Emmy nominations and high placements on the Billboard charts. The theme reached No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 in Jan. 1968. It won a Grammy for best instrumental theme in 1968 and was voted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2017. Mr. Schifrin also wrote the pitch-perfect theme song for Mannix (also produced by Geller), which helped that Mike Connors P.I. series stay on the air for eight years (one year longer than M:I). His other TV themes include The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Medical Center, Starsky & Hutch, T.H.E. Cat and Petrocelli. His other film scores, not already named, include The Cincinnati Kid, Bullitt, Enter the Dragon and all three Rush Hour films. He is survived by his wife, Donna; sons Will, a TV writer (The Fairly OddParents), and Ryan, a writer-director (Abominable); a daughter, Frances; and four grandchildren. - Billboard, 2/26/25...... Walter Scott Jr., whose buttery vocals alongside his identical twin Wallace Scott were the hallmarks behind hitmaking R&B group The Whispers, died on June 26 in Northridge, Calif., after a six-month battle with cancer. He was 81. The Los Angeles-based quintet is best known for its spate of R&B hits in the '80s such as its first No. 1 with dance anthem "And the Beat Goes On," followed by the sensual ballad "Lady," the up-tempo groove "It's a Love Thing" and the group's second No. 1 with another dance track "Rock Steady," which also reached No. 7 on the Hot 100. All told, The Whispers charted 15 top 10 R&B hits, beginning in 1970 with the group's No. 6 breakthrough ballad "Seems Like I Gotta Do Wrong." The quintet also counts eight top 10 R&B albums in its catalog including two No. 1s: The Whispers and Love Is Where You Find It. Recording for various labels including Soul Clock, Janus and Soul Train, The Whispers began to hit its stride in 1978 after signing with Dick Griffey's Solar Records, scoring No. 10 on the R&B chart with "(Let's Go) All the Way" followed by the top 15 "(Olivia) Lost and Turned Out." A year later came "And the Beat Goes On." In addition to their elegant vocals and scintillating harmonies, the group was heralded as well for its smooth dance routines onstage, making The Whispers a concert draw well into the 2000s. The Whispers were inducted into the National Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame in 2014. Mr. Scott is survived by his wife, Jan, two sons, three grandchildren and brother Wallace. - Billboard, 6/27/25...... 
Bobby Sherman, one of the top teen heartthrobs of late 1960s and early '70s, died after a battle with kidney cancer on June 24. He was 81. "It is with the heaviest heart that I share the passing of my beloved husband, Bobby Sherman," his wife, Brigitte Poublon, announced alongside actor John Stamos in an Instagram post. "Bobby left this world holding my hand -- just as he held up our life with love, courage and unwavering grace through all 29 beautiful years of marriage," Poublon added. "I was his Cinderella, and he was my prince charming. Even in his final days, he stayed strong for me. That's who Bobby was -- brave, gentle and full of light." Mr. Sherman was a teen idol just before, and briefly concurrent with, Donny Osmond and the late David Cassidy. But there was a difference: Mr. Sherman was 26 in 1969 when "Little Woman" became his first smash hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 3. By comparison, Cassidy was 20 in 1970 when The Partridge Family topped the Hot 100 with "I Think I Love You." Osmond was just 13 in 1971 when The Osmonds topped the Hot 100 with "One Bad Apple." Being older than his rivals may have shortened Sherman's run at the top. His entire Hot 100 career, from first hit to last, spanned just two and one-half years. Mr. Sherman first rose to fame playing youngest brother Jeremy Bolt on the TV series Here Come the Brides, which aired on ABC from 1968 to 1970. One of his brothers was played by David Soul, who also went on to become a pop hitmaker. Soul topped the Hot 100 in 1977 with the ballad "Don't Give Up on Us." He died in Jan. 2024 at age 80. Here Comes the Brides had a zesty theme song, "Seattle," but even with two singers in the cast, it was Perry Como who had a top 40 hit on Hot 100 with the song in the spring of 1969. But Como's No. 38 hit was nothing compared to the enormous success Sherman had with both singles and albums from 1969-71 on Metromedia Records. Sherman's first smash, "Little Woman" reached No. 3 for two weeks in Oct. 1969 -- while The Archies' "Sugar, Sugar" was in its third and fourth weeks at No. 1. These hits proved that bubblegum could do big business. Mr. Sherman followed "Little Woman" with three more top 10 hits in 1969-70 -- "La La La (If I Had You)," "Easy Come, Easy Go" and "Julie, Do Ya Love Me." All four of these hits were certified gold by the RIAA. Mr. Sherman also had three top 20 albums on the Hot 200 -- Bobby Sherman, Here Comes Bobby and With Love, Bobby. All three of these albums were likewise certified gold. Born Robert Cabot Sherman Jr. on July 22, 1943, in Santa Monica, Calif., Mr. Sherman grew up in Van Nuys, Calif., with his sister Darlene. (Future songwriting legend Diane Warren also grew up in Van Nuys.) 
He first recorded for Starcrest Records in 1962, and was a regular on Shindig!, the pop music TV show which aired on ABC from 1964-66. Mr. Sherman made one-off appearances in such series as Honey West, The Monkees and The Partridge Family, the latter appearance serving as a "back-door pilot" for his own ABC series 
The 40th anniversary of the historic 1985 Live Aid benefit concert will be commemorated with radio and TV specials in the UK and US. On July 13, the UK's Greatest Hits Radio will re-broadcast the legendary 1985 benefit concert in its entirety in a 10-hour special by British radio veteran Simon Mayo. Titled Live Aid Relived, the program will feature performances by David Bowie, Paul McCartney, The Who, U2 and Queen, whose iconic 21-minute Live Aid set is widely regarded as one of the greatest live performances of all time, among others. The broadcast will run from noon local time, and include commentary from other Live Aid performers like Spandau Ballet frontman Martin Kemp and cast members from the upcoming Live Aid musical "Just For One Day." The special will close with the final episode of Live Aid: 40 Years On, a documentary series featuring interviews with Live Aid organizer Bob Geldof, Midge Ure, Queen's Roger Taylor and Brian May, and promoter Harvey Goldsmith. Originally broadcast to 1.9 billion people across 150 countries, Live Aid was a global benefit event staged at London's Wembley Stadium and Philadelphia's JFK Stadium to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia. The concert raised over 114 million but has also since faced criticism regarding perceptions of African nations and aid distribution. Geldof, co-founder of the Band Aid Charitable Trust and the man behind the original concert, said the re-broadcast serves as a reminder of music's enduring power. "Thank you Greatest Hits Radio for hopefully letting people know that they are not powerless in the face of human monstrosity," Geldof said. "What better time than now to know and understand the power of music and what it can achieve." Meanwhile in the US, the CNN special Live Aid: When Rock 'n' Roll Took On the World is a four-part series that tells the story of how Geldof and U2's Bono inspired the largest global music events in history. It features interviews with several Live Aid principals and global leaders of the time, along with rare archival footage of performances and backstage. It premieres on the network on July 13 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. - New Musical Express/CNN, 6/23/25...... In related news, The Who's Pete Townshend has offered a ringing endorsement of the above mentioned Live Aid musical, "Just For One Day - The Live Aid Musical," currently being staged at London's Shaftesbury Theatre. Townshend even admitted he loves "the show more than I did the gig," a high compliment for the theatrical retelling of the iconic 1985 concert. Adding to the buzz, the musical's original cast recording has just released its latest single, a surprising rendition of The Who's classic "Pinball Wizard" sung by an actor portraying Live Aid promoter Harvey Goldsmith. The Just For One Day - The Live Aid Musical (Original Cast Recording) is set to drop on July 18 in the US on 
On June 23 AC/DC announced they're planning a long-awaited stadium tour of their native Australia for November and December of 2025, marking their first national run since 2015. The rockers' Power Up tour will kick off Nov. 12 at Melbourne Cricket Ground and includes stops in Sydney (11/21), Adelaide (11/30), Perth (12/4) and Brisbane (12/14), with tickets going on sale via TEG Van Egmond. The tour follows AC/DC's massive European and North American legs earlier in 2025, and continues the band's celebration of their 2020 studio album Power Up, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart. The release became AC/DC's third No. 1 album in the U.S., joining 2008's Black Ice and 1981's For Those About to Rock (We Salute You). It also marked their 26th charting album on the Billboard 200, and 10th top 10 overall. The Australian shows will feature support from Amyl and the Sniffers, who frontwoman Amy Taylor called the "highlight of my literal life" when announcing the news on social media. AC/DC's current lineup features guitarist Angus Young, vocalist Brian Johnson, rhythm guitarist Stevie Young, drummer Matt Laug and bassist Chris Chaney. - Billboard, 6/23/25...... The Jacksons announced on June 19 they're preparing to release their first album since the death of their beloved older brother and band member Tito Jackson, who passed away in Sept. 2024 at the age of 70 after suffering a fatal heart attack. The legendary family pop group, which is now comprised of original Jackson 5/Jacksons members Jackie Jackson and Marlon Jackson, have continued the family band and will share their first studio project since 1989's 2300 Jackson Street "soon." Jackie told the UK paper Daily Star: "We got a new album coming up soon, as The Jacksons. I can't talk a lot about it but it's the brothers, and it's gonna be great." In the meantime, fans can catch The Jacksons at Audley End House and Gardens in Essex, UK, on July 19, as part of the Heritage Live Festivals series. Jackie said of the huge outdoor gig: "Fans should bring their dancing shoes. "We'll be doing all our hit songs." - Music-News.com, 6/19/25...... Neil Young kicked off his summer European tour with his band Chrome Hearts at the Dalhalla open-air theatre in Rättvik, Sweden, on June 18 when they wheeled out such classics as "Like A Hurricane," "Cinnamon Girl," "The Needle and the Damage Done" and "Harvest Moon," with fans in attendance saying the setlist was "wonderfully left field." The show kicked off with a solo from Young, an acoustic version of "Sugar Mountain" that gave way to "'Be The Rain" once the rest of the band joined him. The track comes from Young's 2003 rock opera Greendale, and hasn't had a live outing since 2014. Young's run of dates will see the Canadian musician make his way across Europe with stops in Norway, Denmark, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, along with a headlining set at the UK's Glastonbury Festival in June, followed by a headline slot at BST Hyde Park in July. In August, they'll head over to the US for a 15-date run across the country starting with a gig on August 8 at the PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte, and will make further stops in Richmond, Detroit, Cleveland, Toronto, New York, Chicago, Denver, Vancouver and more before wrapping up on September 15 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. A clip of his Rättvik performance of "The Needle and the Damage Done" can be viewed on 
In one of the most unlikely musical pairings imaginable, 80's "hair band" Mötley Crüe has recruited country music legend Dolly Parton for a duet version of the Crüe's classic single "Home Sweet Home." Parton joins in on the chorus of the 1985 power ballad, and takes the lead on the second verse. The reimagined "Home Sweet Home," released June 20 and available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more, will be featured on 
In a recent interview with the UK's The Daily Express, Suzi Quatro insisted that she was "never a sex, drugs and rock and roll girl" at the height of her 70's fame. Quatro, 75, came to global prominence in the 1970s with hits like "Devil Gate Drive," "48 Crash" and "Stumblin'," but admitted as she gears up for another tour that she always knew that she was going into a "profession" above all else. "I'm celebrating 62 years in the business next year," Quatro said. "It's a big tour across the UK- an entertaining two-hour rock and roll show with all the hits and a few surprises. I play the piano, drums and a seven-minute bass solo... I take you on a journey through my life." She continued: "I'm the rehearsal queen. I rehearse as if it was a live show, running around. If I'm not working, then I make sure I'm going to the gym. It means on stage, I still have that energy. I've partied, had the odd room wreck but I was never a sex, drugs and rock and roll girl. I was brought up in a musical family. My dad told me aged 15, 'Suzi, you've found what you want to do in life. This is a profession. If there's 10 people or 10,000 in the audience, everyone's paid to see you, and you owe them'. That's been embedded in me." Meanwhile, Quatro admitted that she will "take to [her] grave" that she attained the sort of fame when she did at a time when it was all a male-dominated indisutry, and insisted that she did it all without "stripping off" for her audience: I'll take to my grave that I was the first female rock musician to have worldwide success. There are many more female musicians today, but they tend to be too influenced by male opinion. I wore a jumpsuit, but I showed no flesh. You don't have to strip off to be sexy." - Music-News.com, 6/22/25...... Cher and the late Gregg Allman's son Elijah Blue Allman has reportedly been discharged from hospital after being treated for a drug overdose. Earlier in June, the celebrity gossip site TMZ.com reported that the musician, 48, had been rushed to a hospital in Southern California after emergency services responded to a call about a man "behaving erratically." A spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department (SBCSD) later shared that "deputies located drugs inside the home" and an investigation was ongoing. On June 22, insiders confirmed to TMZ that Elijah had returned to his property near Joshua Tree and "continues to recover." - Music-News.com, 6/23/25...... R&B singer-musician-producer Cavin Yarbrough, half of the duo Yarbrough & Peoples, passed away on June 19 owing to complications from heart disease. He was 72. Yarbrough & Peoples are best known for their crossover dance/funk hit "Don't Stop the Music." Released in 1980, the song spent five weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in 1981 and also reached No. 19 on the Hot 100 singles chart. The RIAA gold-certified single was featured on the pair's also gold-certified debut album, The Two of Us, which topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for two weeks and rose to No. 16 on the Hot 200 albums chart. The duo went on to score another Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs with "Don't Waste Your Time" in 1984. Its engaging mix of R&B, soul, funk, pop and dance -- graced by its smooth and spirited vocals -- also sparked three additional top 10s on the chart during the pair's '80s heyday: "Heartbeats," "Guilty" and "I Wouldn't Lie." Born in Dallas, Yarbrough was a classically trained pianist who first met fellow Dallas native Peoples as youngsters taking piano lessons. The pair's friendship and creative bond later led to establishing their own band. It was Charlie Wilson of The Gap Band who discovered Yarbrough & Peoples, bringing them to the attention of Lonnie Simmons, who signed them to his Los Angeles-based label, Total Experience Records. "He was the love of my life, my protector. Now he's my guardian angel," Yarbrough's wife and longtime music partner, Alisa Peoples, said in a statement. - Billboard, 6/22/25...... 
Legendary rock guitarist Mick Ralphs, the co-founding guitarist of Bad Company and Mott the Hoople, has died at age 81. The musician's Bad Company bandmates announced his death on their 
The song would become a Top 5 US hit the next year for Mr. Ralphs' next band, Bad Company. Formed with former Free members Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke and former King Crimson member Boz Burrell, the band recorded its