Before the CBS Elton John special I'm Still Standing -- A Grammy Salute was filmed in January, more than one person warned executive producer Ken Ehrlich that John may get up and leave during the performances. "He's really not a fan of watching other people do his songs," Ehrlich admits. But the legend never left his seat while Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, John Legend, and others performed his hits, or when Neil Patrick Harris paid tribute to Elton's pal Ryan White, who became a poster child for HIV/AIDS before dying in 1990. Says Ehrlich: "Elton was just bawling." The two-hour I'm Still Standing -- A Grammy Salute airs on CBS on Apr. 10 at 9:00 p.m. EDT. - Entertainment Weekly, 4/13/18...... In other Elton John news, two Elton tribute covers albums, Revamp and Restoration, were released on Apr. 6, the former featuring modern pop and rock acts hand-selected by Elton himself taking a crack at his classic tunes, while the latter, organized by his longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, finds country musicians doing the same. Revamp's 13-tracks feature artists ranging from Lady Gaga to Queens of the Stone Age to Mary J. Blige, while Restoration's highlights include country star Chris Stapleton offering a faithful rendition of "I Want Love." - Stereogum.com, 4/6/18...... 
A famous 1963 painting by pop art icon Andy Warhol of Elvis Presley called "Double Elvis [Ferus Type]" is expected to fetch as much as $30 million when it goes up for sale in a Christie's auction in New York on May 17. "Double Elvis" is Warhol's only full-length portrait, and depicts the hip-swiveling musician holding a revolver, as he appeared in the 1960 movie Western Flaming Star. A ghostly duplicate image hovers in the background. The Elvis painting, along with other Warhol paintings that are expected to bring similar high prices, are on display at Christie's London showroom from Apr. 6 until Apr. 10. The record for a Warhol work is $105 million paid for "Silver Car Crash (Double Disaster)" at a 2013 Sotheby's auction. In other Elvis news, a new Presley documentary titled The Searcher premieres on cable channel HBO on Apr. 14. The film traces the King's life from childhood to the 1976 Jungle Room recording sessions, featuring interviews with musicians, producers, and more artists. It is exec-produced by Jerry Schilling, one of Elvis' longtime friends, along with Priscilla Presley, Elvis' ex-wife, and director Thom Zimny had full access to the vault at Elvis' Graceland mansion. - AP/Entertainment Weekly, 4/6/18...... Country-folk singer/songwriter John Prine has signed a worldwide publishing deal with Downtown, the company announced on Apr. 5. Downtown will now rep over 230 compositions from Prine's songbook, which includes the majority of his output as a solo artist, as well as songs recorded by Johnny Cash, Bonnie Raitt, The Everly Brothers, John Denver, Kris Kristofferson and many others. The agreement also covers Prine's forthcoming album, The Tree of Forgiveness, featuring his first new material in 13 years, which drops on Apr. 13 via his own Oh Boy Records imprint. - Billboard, 5/5/18...... Bob Dylan is among several artists who have reimagined popular love songs to honor the LGBTQ community by switching pronouns for a new six-song EP called Universal Love. Dylan re-worked "She's Funny That Way" into "He's Funny That Way," singing lines like "I got a man crazy for me." Universal Love, which also features such artists as Kesha and St. Vincent, is available on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music and distributed through Sony Music's Legacy Recordings. - AP, 4/5/18...... 
Alice Cooper, who recently appeared in a live TV production of Jesus Christ Superstar, has revealed to Entertainment Weekly magazine how he once nearly died in the 1980s after a hanging stunt went wrong. Magician James Randi concepted the stunt, which which had Cooper attached to a harness that was attached to rafters by a thick piano wire. For the simulation, the noose was above his neck, and for the most part, the rig had protected him. But as he performed the stunt at London's Wembley Stadium in 1988, the stunt backfired. "Everything has its stress limit and after doing so many shows, I never thought about changing the wire. You know, I figured it'll last forever," Cooper recalled. He added: "The wire snaps. I could hear the rope hit my chin and in an instant I flipped my head back. That must've been a fraction of a second because if it caught my chin it would have been a different result. It went over my neck and gave me a pretty good burn. I went down to the floor and pretty much blacked out." Cooper, 70, says he still performs the stunt "but with some really strong wire." Cooper and his "supergroup" Hollywood Vampires featuring himself, Joe Perry and Johnny Depp have announced they'll make their UK debut in June for an arena tour. - NME/Entertainment Weekly, 4/4/18...... A five-minute clip honoring late civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was assasinated 50 years ago on Apr. 4, 1968, was posted by Stevie Wonder on his YouTube and Facebook page on Apr. 4 at 7:05 p.m. CT, which is the exact time King was fatally shot. In the video, Wonder and a wide variety of celebrities -- from Barack and Michelle Obama to Paul McCartney and Harry Styles -- shared a dream they see for the future. The caption encourages viewers to "create and post your own 'Dream Still Lives' video with #DreamStillLives. Spread love...spread hope." - Billboard, 4/4/18...... After a tweet from a Twitter user known as @bottledfleet that features Fleetwood Mac's classic 1977 track "Dreams" went viral, the song has re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart at No. 14. "Fleetwood Mac's music is so boring, you can't even dance to it," the tweet reads, followed by "Me, an intellectual:," The tweet then features a 38-second clip of a marching band's dance team dancing to the track. "Dreams" received a 36% surge in download sales, and the song also racked up 1.9 million on-demand streams, marking a 24% gain. "Dreams" originally reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1977. - New Musical Express, 4/4/18...... A new Jimi Hendrix brand merchandise program including fashion apparel, headwear, footwear, tops, figures, wall art, accessories, jewelry, home decor, digital products and collectibles will begin arriving at retail outlets by early summer 2018. The "Authentic Hendrix" program is a collaboration between Experience Hendrix, which oversees the legacy of Jimi Hendrix, and Epic Rights and Perryscope Productions, who represent retail branding for such artists as David Bowie, John Lennon, Pink Floyd, Genesis and Janis Joplin. - Billboard, 4/5/18...... 
Legendary Detroit rock combo MC5 has announced it will launch a 35-city US tour this fall in honor of the 50th anniversary of its signature 1969 album, Kick Out the Jams. MC5, led by guitarist Wayne Kramer, will kick off the tour on Sept. 5 in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and hit most major US markets, wrapping with two shows in their hometown of Detroit on Oct. 26 and 27, playing both St. Andrew's Hall and The Fillmore, respectively. - Spin.com, 4/4/18...... Country star Kenny Rogers has announced he will be canceling the remainder of his farewell 2018 performances on doctor's orders. The singer's Cherokee, N.C., show on May 26 was cancelled among other shows reportedly due to a "series of health issues." According to a release sent to the venues, the doctors expect Rogers to be okay, but they recommend he cancels the rest of his "The Gambler's Last Deal" tour to help recovery. Fans who expected to attend the concert will get a full refund of their ticket purchase. - Billboard, 4/4/18...... After hearing how Pres. Donald Trump tweeted out his "thoughts and prayers" after the recent mass shooting at YouTube headquarters in San Bruno, Calif. on Apr. 3, Bette Midler had some thoughts of her own about Pres. Trump and the series of gun violence incidents in the US. "Mr. Trump, you know in your heart that no one needs or wants your 'thoughts and prayers'... what people long for is to feel safe and secure in their schools and workplaces and houses of worship. You nearly stood up to the NRA. What changed your mind??," Midler tweeted on Apr. 3. - Billboard, 4/3/18...... Almost Famous director Cameron Crowe has announced he'll produce a new documentary on the life and music of folk-rock icon David Crosby. Crowe's Vinyl Films will produce the A.J. Eaton-directed film about the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer with BMG, which is financing and executive producing the doc. In addition to producing the documentary, Crowe has conducted multiple interviews with Crosby that will cast a new light on the artist, whose career includes stints in the Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, as well as a vibrant solo career. "David Crosby has been near the forefront of music and social change for the last four decades. Now 76, he's forging a new path by seeking out younger musicians and trying to make a mark in a world now so different from the generation he came to define in the 60's," Crowe said in a statement. Crowe, an Oscar-winning director/journalist, previously wrote and directed the musical documentaries Pearl Jam Twenty (PJ20) and The Union, a making-of featuring the collaboration between Elton John and Leon Russell. - Billboard, 4/3/18...... 
The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson has announced he will perform the Beach Boys' 1964 Christmas Album in its entirety this winter on a month-long holiday tour. Wilson's fellow original Beach Boy Al Jardine and longtime collaborator Blondie Chaplin will be featured on the run of dates. Wilson's decision to highlight this particular Beach Boys album is noteworthy, as the group itself had its roots when the then-teenaged family band sang Christmas carols in the Wilson family home in Hawthorne, Calif. Wilson's Christmas Album tour launches Nov. 28 in Minneapolis, Minn., and the 12-date trek will also include shows in Indiana, Ohio, New Jersey, New York, Florida and Texas before wrapping on Dec. 20 in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Wilson will also highlight tracks from his 2005 seasonal LP, What I Really Want for Christmas. - Billboard, 4/2/18...... Country duo The Bellamy Brothers will release their autobiography, Let Your Love Flow, on Apr. 17. The book, which takes its name from the brothers' biggest hit, was co-authored with veteran music journalist Michael Kosser and details the unlikely career trajectory of the Bellamy siblings from their growing up years in Florida all the way to their string of hit records and their newest endeavor -- a reality series titled Honky Tonk Ranch, which premieres on Apr. 8 on cable TV's The Cowboy Channel. - Billboard, 4/3/18...... Billboard is reporting that the Beatles will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their 1968 animated film Yellow Submarine by bringing back the beloved movie -- sporting a new 4K digital restoration and a 5.1 stereo surround sound remix -- to theaters across North America this July. A new trailer and film poster have been released for the film's return. The Beatles previously announced a similar 50th anniversary event in January for the U.K. and Ireland with the film playing on big screens there on July 8. "We're thrilled to have the privilege of bringing Yellow Submarine back to the big screen so that three generations of happy Beatles fans can enjoy the ground-breaking animation and classic tunes that have long been part of our collective cultural DNA," said Richard Abramowitz of Abramorama, who is co-producing the project with the Beatles' Apple Corps Ltd. and Universal Music Group. - Billboard, 4/3/18...... Police in Dallas, Tex., have recovered four guitars stolen from E Street Band member Nils Lofgren as he was preparing to perform a solo concert in the city. Dallas police tweeted on Apr. 2 that they also have made an arrest in the theft, but provided no further details. Lofgren tweeted his gratitude that his instruments have been recovered, saying: "Looks like my guitars are coming back to me," and thanking fellow musicians who offered to loan him their guitars. The instruments were left in a van parked outside a Holiday Inn on Mar. 29. The theft was discovered the next morning, and Lofgren used borrowed instruments when he performed solo at the Kessler Theater in Dallas on Mar. 29. - AP, 4/3/18...... 
Surviving cast members of TV's Dallas recently gathered with fans of the show at Southfork Ranch, where the hit series was set, to celebrate the show's 40th anniversary. Linda Gray, who portrayed Sue Ellen Ewing, said her former co-star Larry Hagman (J.R.) used to "hate it" when she told people how "wonderful he was and how lovely and generous and kind." "He would not be very happy. He'd reprimand me. He'd say, 'You're supposed to not like me. You can't tell me how nice I am,'" the actress said. "It was so funny. We never stopped laughing. And then we played these dreadful, dysfunctional people on camera," she added. The cast all agreed that Hagman, who died at 81 in 2012, was "one of the best actors ever." Added Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), "I don't miss him because I'm so full of him. He was my best friend. And I can't think of him without smiling." Dallas also broke traditional barriers by featuring a gay character in multiple episodes. "We had to use the word 'homosexual,'" Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing) said. "You couldn't even say the word 'gay.'" After 14 seasons, 357 episodes, two reunion movies and a reboot on TNT, would the cast consider taking on their characters again? "Who knows? Never say never," Gray and Duffy both said. - ABC News, 4/2/18...... Rocky star Sylvester Stallone surprised fans of his iconic 1976 boxing film on Apr. 6 when he made a surprise visit to the statue of his iconic Rocky Balboa character in Philadelphia. The 71-year-old Stallone has played the underdog boxing champ in seven Rocky films since 1976 and is currently in the City of Brotherly Love making the sequel to the 2015 hit Creed, called Creed II. Stallone took a break from shooting to join Philly Mayor Jim Kenney at the statue, next to the Philadelphia Art Museum steps he famously climbed in the first Rocky film. They rededicated a plaque that had been lost for 12 years and Kenney presented him with a personalized jersey from the Super Bowl champion Eagles. - AP, 4/6/18...... Cecil Taylor, the visionary pianist who revolutionized jazz by launching the free-jazz movement in the late '50s, died on Apr. 5 at his home in Brooklyn. He was 89. Mr. Taylor, born in New York on Mar. 25, 1929, was known as one of the pioneers of the free jazz movement, and was seen as both a grounding breaking and uncompromising artist. He released his first album, Jazz Advance, in 1956, and was also known as a poet and would recite his poems at live shows. He returned to the stage in 2016 in New York City after years away, using a cane and holding his assistant's arm. He received a standing ovation. - AP, 4/6/18.
Pre-orders are available for a new remastered Bruce Springsteen vinyl box set of the Boss' releases from 1987-1996. Bruce Springsteen: The Album Collection Vol. 2, 1987-1996 includes the studio albums Tunnel of Love (1987), Human Touch (1992), Lucky Town (1992) and The Ghost of Tom Joad (1995), plus EPs Chimes of Freedom (1988) and Blood Brothers (1996), along with live album In Concert/MTV Plugged (1993). The 10-disc set, which comes with a 60-page book featuring vintage press clippings, rare photos, and other memorabilia, will be released on May 18 through Columbia/Legacy Recordings. - Billboard, 3/29/18...... In related news, guitarist Nils Lofgren, a member of Springsteen's E Street Band, had four guitars and an electric harp stolen from a van outside a Holiday Inn Express as he was preparing to play a solo show in the Dallas suburb of West Oak Cliff, Tex., on on Mar. 29. "I am devastated by this robbery," the guitarist tweeted after the incident. "These are my first shows out after a very difficult year." Lofgren was able to perform that night thanks to a loaner guitar from one of his former bandmates, and his next headlining set is at Yoshi's Jazz Club in Oakland, Calif., on Apr. 12. - Spin.com, 3/31/18...... 
Patti Smith has announced a new concert documentary film titled Horses: Patti Smith and her Band which will celebrate the 40th anniversary tour of her seminal debut album Horses. Shot at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles in early 2016, the film captures the final gig of the Horses anniversary tour and will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in NYC on Apr. 23. Meanwhile, Smith is preparing to play selected dates in the UK and Ireland this summer, including the All Points East Festival and a concert in Dublin in June. - New Musical Express, 3/29/18...... Former President Jimmy Carter appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Mar. 30 as part of his promotional tour for his new book, Faith: A Journey For All, and during the lively interview the 39th president told host Stephen Colbert that he regularly prays that Pres. Donald Trump will not use nuclear weapons and that he will support human rights. "Do you think your prayers are being answered?" Colbert asked. Carter responded with an anecdote from his pastor: "When you pray, God has one of three answers: yes, no and you've got to be kidding. Not sure which one it is [with Trump] yet." When Colbert asked the 93-year-old Carter if he thinks America "wants a jerk for president," Pres. Carter deadpanned, "Apparently, from this recent election year." - The Hollywood Reporter, 3/31/18...... Ted Nugent has accused students of Florida's Parkland High School of having "no soul" and being "mushy brained children" after they led a nationwide protest for more gun restrictions in response to the recent shooting at the school. Nugent made the comments on Mar. 30 during The Joe Page Show, a nationally syndicated conservative radio program. Nugent, an board member of the National Rifle Association, said survivors of the Parkland school shooting are wrong to blame the NRA for mass shootings. "The evidence is irrefutable, they have no soul," said the 69-year-old Nugent. "The measures they support amount to spiritual suicide." A rep for Nugent did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and his comments were made the same day several TV advertisers dropped Fox News personality Laura Ingraham after she mocked a survivor of the Parkland shooting online. - AP, 3/31/18...... 
In a new inteview with the fashion magazine V, Elton John discussed his influence on fashion and his costumes for his upcoming "Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour" which kicks off this fall. For the farewell tour costumes, which are exclusively designed by Gucci's Alessandro Michele, the 71-year-old John happily referenced his style throughout his career. "I've kept an archive of my stage costumes from the very beginning of my career and thought it would be fun to open up my little treasure chest with Alessandro and his design team," he told V. Elton also discussed how influential the spirit of the '70s is to today's fashion: "I feel so blessed to have been a songwriter and performer in the '70s. It was a decade with an unprecedented explosion of creativity in music, fashion, and filmmaking." The Rocket Man also noted that he is "proud of the part I played in moving eyewear from function to fashion," saying that his assortment of oversized, rhinestone glasses, while expressive, were actually an attempt to hide his "extreme shyness." - Billboard, 3/29/18...... Neil Young has released a new video for his 2016 track "Peace Trails" directed by Young's girlfriend, actress Daryl Hannah. The video sees Young and his backing band Promise of the Real performing under a tent as characters from Young's new film Paradox drift in and out of frame. Young stars in Paradox along with Willie Nelson and his sons Lukas and Micah. Paradox premiered at the SXSW Music Festival on Mar. 15, and Netflix has acquired the global rights to the musical and began streaming the movie on its site on Mar. 25. - NME, 4/1/18...... Hall & Oates have teamed up with their summer tour partners Train to record an ode to their hometown and the first new Hall & Oates track in 15 years, "Philly Forget Me Not." "It will be cool to play a new song on this upcoming tour with Train," said John Oates. "These songs pretty much describe my feeling about Philly, my music home," Daryl Hall added. In addition, iHeart Radio will exclusively stream a live performance from Daryl's House, a live music venue and restaurant in Pawling NY, featuring the musicians on Apr. 3. - Billboard, 3/30/18...... 
On Apr. 5 Chicago will release a new career-spanning box set called VI Decades Live (This Is What We Do) featuring 4 CDs and a DVD featuring material from 1964-2014, including the original lineup's performance at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival and vintage shows from Washington D.C., Paris, Oakland and, of course, Chicago. The DVD, meanwhile, showcases a 1977 appearance on Germany's Rockpalast TV show. Chicago co-founder and keyboardist Robert Lamm says of "especially the early stuff," the band "never really thought the quality was worth pursuing or releasing, so it just sat in the vaults... But they've been dusted off and somewhat improved; Lee Loughnane is kind of our archivist and the guy who oversees the mixes, and he spent a lot of time on the box set, sitting and tweaking. In certain cases as we were going through the remixes we thought they were too good; They sounded kind of fake, so we went back to try to get the original live recording and get them in shape." Chicago, fresh off a Las Vegas residency at the Venetian, is gearing up for a summer tour with REO Speedwagon. - Billboard, 3/29/18...... A 1965 Fender Telecaster guitar played by Bob Dylan during his first "electric tour" and on his legendary LPs Blonde on Blonde and The Basement Tapes will be auctioned as part of Julien's Auctions' upcoming Music Icons sale to be held at NYC's Hard Rock Cafe and online on May 19. Also played by Dylan during several of his outings with The Band including their Rock of Ages tour, the instrument is expected to bring as much as $400,000 to $500,000. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the American Indian College Fund. Prior to the sale, Julien's is holding a free exhibition of various entertainment memorabilia at the same location May 14-18. - Billboard, 3/29/18...... Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood has revealed that he is now cancer-free after having a health scare in 2017. Then the rock icon revealed that he had prepared to "say goodbye" to his loved ones before he underwent five hours of surgery to remove cancer from one of his lungs. Now, Wood says he's been given the all clear. "I had three months of check-ups and it was all clear and they said 'go and enjoy life'.... There was none in the rest of my body so I didn't require chemo." Wood told a UK paper. Asked about what advice he'd give to anyone battling cancer, he urged them to "stay positive and stay strong." "I've had a great life and I was all ready to go," he added. "Wow! I didn't know I was going to be given the ticket to last this long. What a reprieve." Meanwhile, the Stones are preparing for a 9-date tour of the UK and Ireland set to launch on May 17 in Dublin, and Ryan Adams will headline a tribute concert for the Stones' seminal album Exile on Main St. The show, titled "Exile on Bourbon St.," will take place at New Orleans' Saenger Theatre on May 5. - New Musical Express/Spin.com, 3/29/18...... 
The reclusive personal life of groundbreaking pop/funk/rock fusion icon Sly Stone will be examined in a new documentary produced by Network Entertainment and filmmaker Derik Murray. While there have been previous documentaries about Stone, this marks the first film about his life that Stone has participated in, having already sat for one interview with more to potentially come. Murray says he's also working with the various rights holders of Sly & The Family Stone's masters to license them for the film. The film will trace Stone's life from child prodigy to current-day recluse through classic performances, archival footage and fresh interviews. The enigmatic Stone has seldom been seen over the past 20 years outside of Sly & The Family Stone's 1993 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction and turning up for a tribute at the 2006 Grammy Awards. Stone's longtime representative and the documentary's co-executive producer, Robert Allan, said, "Sly felt it was the right time for him to return to the spotlight and share his incredible journey with the world." Vancouver-based Network Entertainment has produced a number of acclaimed projects, including films on Martin Luther King, Jr., Johnny Cash, Muhammad Ali, Heath Ledger, Steve McQueen and more. - Billboard, 3/28/18...... Legendary TV producer and writer Steven Bochoone, who created such successful shows as L.A. Law, Hill Street Blues and NYPD Blue, died on Apr. 1 after a battle with leukemia. He was 74. Over the course of his career, Bochco won 10 Emmy Awards and a handful of Peabody Awards and Writers Guild Awards, and he also popularized the idea of a primetime TV show having a large ensemble cast and multiple ongoing story arcs. Bochco was diagnosed with leukemia several years ago, but a then-anonymous stem cell donation in 2014 did manage to prolong his life. - The Hollywood Reporter, 4/1/18.
Former Deep Purple guitarist Richie Blackmore has five shows slated for April with his new incarnation of his Deep Purple spinoff band Rainbow. The reformed Rainbow has played select shows in Europe each of the last two years, and on Apr. 6 will release 
Director Steven Spielberg's highly anticipated new film Ready Player One may be set in 2045, but its soundtrack is straight from the previous century. Songs from the likes of Prince ("I Wanna Be Your Lover"), The Temptations ("Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)," Blondie ("One Way Or Another"), The Bee Gees ("Stayin' Alive") and Hall & Oates ("You Make My Dreams Come True") are featured in the film, which is based on Ernest Cline's 2011 science fiction novel of the same name about the battle for OASIS, an immersive virtual universe. A compilation of songs from the movie, Ready Player One: Songs From The Motion Picture, will be released via WaterTower Music on Mar. 30, and 
Jethro Tull has announced it will release a massive, 3-disc compilation titled 50 for 50 to celebrate its 50th anniversary as a group. Handpicked by Tull frontman Ian Anderson, 50 for 50 will unearth some underestimated gems from the iconic prog rock band's history, including such lesser-known Tull gems as "Really Don't Mind/See There A Son is Born" (from Thick as a Brick), "One White Duck / 0^10 = Nothing at All" (from Minstrel in the Gallery), "One Brown Mouse" (from Heavy Horses), and "Steel Monkey" (from Crest of a Knave). - Billboard, 3/27/18...... The world's first statue of David Bowie was vandalized on Mar. 27 only 48 hours after it was first unveiled in Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury, England. The vandals were apparently protesting money being on a statue when there are more pressing needs in the area, however Deputy Mayor Mark Willis stressed that no public money was spent on the statue. "I want to point out that this statue received precisely £0 of public money," he said. "That's right, £0. It was entirely funded through crowdfunding, by members of the public, myself included." Vandals covered the statue in the Aylesbury Market Square close to the town's Friars music venue where Bowie first debuted his Ziggy Stardust persona in the early 1970s with graffiti that says "feed the homeless first" and "RIP DB." The statue was designed by Andrew Sinclair and mainly funded through a £10,000 crowdfunding campaign led by legendary music promoter David Stopps, who tweeted "Some Dickheads about. Bowie statue vandalised within 48 hours of unveiling." Stopps told the BBC that security cameras are trained on the statue and could aid in finding the culprit: "There is a webcam on it 24/7, so whoever did it, we have got them on webcam." Marillion lead singer Steve Hogarth unveiled the statue on Mar. 25. - New Musical Express, 3/27/18...... Members of Bob Marley's family have announced they are coming together for a two-day event honoring the late reggae legend called the Kaya Festival. In honor of the 40th anniversary of Marley's Kaya album, Stephen, Ziggy, Damian, Julian and Ky-Mani Marley have planned the fest for Apr. 28 and 29 at the NOS Events Center in San Bernardino, Calif. Organizers are calling the event "a one-of-a-kind socially conscious music and awareness experience that fosters unity, one love and peace amongst people from all over the world." The Marley brothers will perform together for the first time in a decade on Apr. 28, followed the next day with a special acoustic set by Stephen Marley of the Kaya album. Released in 1978, Kaya featured such Wailers classics as "Is This Love?" and "Sun Is Shining," and spent 17 weeks on the Billboard Hot 200 albums chart, peaking at No. 50. There will also be a cannabis symposium at the event, focusing on the benefits of medical marijuana, and breakthroughs with products like Cannabidiol, as well as health sessions and wellness workshops. - Billboard, 3/28/18...... 
Grammy-winning singer Yvonne Elliman of "Jesus Christ Superstar" and Saturday Night Fever fame is scheduled to be sentenced on drug possession charges in the U.S. territory of Guam in the last week of March. Yvonne Marianne Elliman-Alexander, 66, who performs under her maiden name Yvonne Elliman, and her husband, Allen Bernard Alexander, are scheduled for sentencing Guam, where they had gone to perform at a benefit concert and were stopped by authorities at the airport in August 2017, who found marijuana in Alexander's belongings and crystal-like rocks and a glass pipe in Elliman-Alexander's belongings. Their attorney, Mike Phillip, said he is hopeful they will receive probation. They both pleaded guilty to felony drug possession charges. After a court appearance on Mar. 26, Elliman-Alexander said she and her husband had performed about 120 hours of community service in Hawaii, where they live. They face a maximum of six months in prison, according to Assistant Deputy Attorney General James Collins. But probation would mean they won't spend any more time behind bars. Elliman-Alexander had her first hit, "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from "Jesus Chris Superstar," and she played Mary Magdalene in the 
In a recent appearance on the Bravo TV show Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Rod Stewart hit out at Elton John's plans for a forthcoming farewell tour, describing it as a "dishonest" attempt to sell tickets. "I did email her [Elton] and said, 'What, again dear?' And I didn't hear anything back!," Stewart said. "If I retire, I won't make an announcement. I'll just fade away. I don't think this is a big deal, it stinks of selling tickets," he added. When fellow guest and Stewart touring partner Cyndi Lauper described Elton's tour as "not a bad idea," Rod shot back: "It's dishonest. It's not rock and roll." In January, John announced plans for a massive three-year world tour, concluding with his final ever shows in 2021. Meanwhile Stewart and Lauper's summer tour kicks off June 25 at the Hollywood Bowl. - New Musical Express, 3/23/18...... Ozzy Osbourne filed a class action antitrust lawsuit against music giant AEG in California federal court on Mar. 21, claiming it is "coercing" artists into committing to playing its venues in both London and Los Angeles. In the suit, Osbourne claims AEG is illegally tying its venues, London's O2 Arena and the Staples Center in LA, with an agreement called the Staples Center Commitment, which prohibits artists from playing The O2 unless they also play the Staples Center as their Los Angeles leg. Osbourne's lawyers argue that while Los Angeles is "a competitive venue market," The O2 is a "must have" venue in the English capital and the "only indoor arena in London with the capacity to host major concerts." His lawsuit looks to nullify the agreement for any artist that signed it. AEG has responded to the suit, saying in a statement: "This suit is without merit and we will vigorously fight it. We welcome a closer look at the global live entertainment market and, specifically, our practices and the practices of our competition." - NME, 3/22/18...... It was announced on Mar. 21 that Bruce Springsteen's acclaimed Broadway show series "Springsteen on Broadway" at The Walter Kerr Theatre will be extended into December due to exceptional demand. With 81 additional shows announced for Springsteen's performances from July 10, the unique series will end with a final show on Dec. 15, 2018. At the end of the year, "Springsteen on Broadway," in which the legendary singer performs solo from his back catalog and reads passages from his autobiography Born to Run, will have run for 236 performances. - Billboard, 3/21/18...... 
The National Recording Registry announced on Mar. 21 that signature songs from such artits as The Temptations ("My Girl"), Kenny Rogers ("The Gambler"), Arlo Guthrie ("Alice's Restaurant Massacree"), Chic ("Le Freak") and Tony Bennett ("I Left My Heart in San Francisco") and iconic albums from Fleetwood Mac (
During a press conference in Toronto on Mar. 21, Gene Simmons spoke out about the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, claiming their "collateral damage is heinous" and that "there's no presumption of innocence." "Let me put it bluntly. I think the sh--storm is going to be here for a while and the pendulum will finally get to reality after," Simmons said. "Right now it's in the extreme. But I'm the last guy to understand any of this stuff. I think it's wonderful for women to be engaged in the conversation and the positive side is there have been a lot of bad guys who have gotten away with it (and aren't anymore) -- that's a good thing. The collateral damage is heinous because anybody can say anything and there's no presumption of innocence. That's the problem; the problem is you don't have your day in court." The Kiss co-founder added that women affected by incidents of sexual harassment should sidestep the press and go straight to court. "You'll make more money. You'll embarrass him everyday. Instead of in a news conference which gets you no money. I'm totally in support of anything and everything that follows the rule of law. Get a lawyer. Do it legitimately," he said. Simmons was sued for sexual assault at the end of 2017 over an incident in which he allegedly grabbed a woman during an interview -- an accusation he vehemently denied. - New Musical Express, 3/22/18...... Midwest prog-rockers Kansas will launch a U.S. tour in support of the 40th anniversary of its 1978 album 
The Beatles' Richard Starkey, better known as Ringo Starr, was formally knighted in a ceremony at London's Buckingham Palace on Mar. 20. Starr told the BBC he was honored to get the title: "It means a lot actually. It means recognition for the things we've done. I was really pleased to accept this." He also said he was a little nervous about getting the award by himself as opposed to when the Beatles as a group received MBEs in 1965, explaining, "I was a bit shaky today on my own." An announcement of Ringo's knighthood was made at the end of December and brought congratulations from many, including his fellow Beatle Sir Paul McCartney and John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono. A picture of the Ringo's ceremony was posted by his reps on social media, with the words "Another busy day for Sir Ringo. Peace and love, peace and love." - Billboard, 3/20/18...... Stevie Wonder has spoken in defense of Bruno Mars following accusations of cultural appropriation. Mars was the subject of heated online discussion last week after writer Seren Sensei accused the star of appropriating black music. The original video that featured Sensei's criticism went viral, racking up over 3 million views. But Stevie Wonder has told TMZ.com that Mars is "a great talent, so all the other stuff is just bullshit... He was inspired by great musicians and great artists and songwriters. So that's good." Wonder added: "Here's the thing, God created music for all of us to enjoy. So we cannot limit ourselves by people's fears and insecurities." - NME, 3/19/18...... A funeral for notorious cult leader Charles Manson was conducted at a funeral home in Porterville, Calif. on Mar. 20, with Manson's body cremated on site. Songs by The Beach Boys and Guns N' Roses were played at the funeral service, according to reports, and Church of the Nazarene paster Mark Pitcher said around 20-25 people attended the service, including Manson's grandson Jason Freeman, and there was a "hippie vibe" during the service. Guests including former Manson Family member Sandra Good also attended a private viewing of the body earlier in the day. After being sentenced to death in 1971 for masterminding the murders of actress Sharon Tate and several of her houseguests in 1969, Manson's conviction was eventually commuted into a life sentence, with him remaining imprisoned in California until his death in November 2017 at age 83. Since Manson's death, it has been announced that Quentin Tarantino is working on a movie about the Manson Family murders. - NME, 3/20/18...... 
Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler announced on Mar. 19 that he is hitting the road for a solo tour, with Nashville's Loving Mary Band as his backing group. The 13-date tour is comprised of headlining shows, festival gigs and a benefit concert for Akron's Children Hospital, and will get underway on June 12 in Lewiston, N.Y. Tyler will hit smaller venues in New York, Virginia, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Alberta through July 11, then travel to Europe for shows in Switzlerland, Italy, Spain and the UK beginning on July 15 in Sion, Switzerland. Tyler is touring behind h is 2016 debut LP We're All Somebody From Somewhere, which hit No. 1 on Billboard Top Country Albums chart, and entered the top 20 of the Billboard 200 albums chart. - Billboard, 3/19/18...... Frank Avruch, a longtime Boston television personality and entertainer who was the star of the popular children's TV program Bozo the Clown, died on Mar. 20 at his Boston hime from heart disease. He was 89. Mr. Avruch played Bozo the Clown from 1959 to 1970, a clown character particularly popular in the U.S. in the 1960s because of widespread franchising in television, and Mr. Avruch became the first nationally-syndicated Bozo the Clown. He was just one of several people who performed as Bozo the Clown through the years, and his 11-year stint as the character ended in 1970. "He had a heart of gold," manager Stuart Hersh said. "He brought the Bozo the Clown character to life better than anyone else's portrayal of Bozo the Clown." Mr. Avruch also was a contributor to WCVB-TV for more than 40 years as a host of Man About Town and The Great Entertainment. He was also an active philanthropist and a board member of UNICEF'S New England chapter, touring the world performing as Bozo the clown for UNICEF. He is survived by his wife Betty, two sons Matthew and Steven and several grandchildren. - AP, 3/22/18.
Legendary '70s singer Rita Coolidge performed at Coopers BBQ during the South By Southwest festival in Austin, Tex., on Mar. 16. After opening with "Late Again," the 
Five months into its run, Bruce Springsteen's Broadway show "Springsteen On Broadway" played host to a star-studded SiriusXM event at Walter Kerr Theatre on Mar. 14 in New York City. The audience included SiriusXM subscribers (including devotes of the E Street Radio channel) and more than a few celebrities, including Howard Stern, Stephen Colbert, Ricky Gervais, Jenny McCarthy, Donnie Wahlberg, Liev Schreiber and Emmylou Harris. Debuting in October 2017, "Springsteen on Broadway" finds the 68-year-old New Jersey rocker reading passages from his memoir and singing 15 songs that tangentially relate to the text. - Billboard, 3/15/18...... A new David Bowie statue is set to be unveiled in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, in the town's Market Square on Mar. 25. The statue sees Bowie dressed as his Ziggy Stardust persona with various other versions of Bowie looking on. Meanwhile, a resident of Aylesbury has started a petition to change the town's name from Aylesbury to "Aylesbowie." David Stopps notes a name change would not be out of the ordinary as Aylesbury has had several names over the years. "Since records began there have been 57 variations of the town's name," he said. A spokesman for Buckinghamshire County Council called it an "interesting idea" and added "perhaps on 25 March we could all think 'Aylesbowie' -- just for one day!" - New Musical Express, 3/16/18...... Barbra Streisand was honored with an Icon Tribute during the kickoff to the 35th annual PaleyFest LA at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on Mar. 16. Ryan Murphy was on hand to a lead an in-depth conversation with the diva about her life in television, which began in 1961 with an appearance on The Tonight Show. "I have to look up everything about myself because I forget," Streisand said. "I don't remember. I asked my assistant today, 'Did I win the Emmy for that? I don't remember that.'" Streisand also said she never experienced a "#MeToo moment." "I wasn't one of those pretty girls with those nice little noses," she said, adding, "We're in a strange time now with men and women and the pendulum is swinging this way and that way and it's going to have to come to the center." Streisand said has seen parts of the upcoming remake of A Star is Born directed by and starring Bradley Copper opposite Lady Gaga. "It's very very good," she said. - The Hollywood Reporter, 3/17/18...... 
Don McLean is reportedly dating a Playboy model and 24-year-old media star named Paris Dylan who is 48 years his junior. The 
Bob Dylan has been added to Japan's three-day Fuji Rock Festival Lineup, set for July 27-29 at a ski resort in Naeba, Niigata prefecture, about 200 miles from the iconic Mt. Fuji. Other previously announced headliners include Kendrick Lamar, N.E.R.D., Skrillex and Vampire Weekend. - Billboard, 3/15/18...... NRA Spokesperson Dana Loesch apparently has it in for Neil Young, regularly tweeting anti-Neil (and sometimes, by proxy, anti-Canadian) sentiments comparing Young's voice to "a dying cow fart." Young responded to Loesch's hatred of his music at the South By Southwest Festival in Austin, Tex., where he's promoting his new film Paradox. "The spokesperson? That woman? She doesn't like me?" Young laughed, before declaring that he was "glad [he] got under her skin." In response to Loesch's questionable metaphor of the "dying cow," Young said: "Why doesn't she just shoot me?" Young then qualified the statement: "You know, I hate to say that because I have kids and I really don't want anybody to shoot me. I've still got to bring up my kids, so don't take that seriously!" Young also recently commented to Rolling Stone on the recent announcement of "farewell tours" by the likes of Elton John, Ozzy Osbourne and Paul Simon, calling them "bullsh*t." "I'm going out with Cher. Cher and I are doing a retirement tour. When I retire, people will know, because I'll be dead... 'm not gonna say, 'I'm not coming back.' What kind of bullsh*t is that? I could go out and play if I felt like it, but I don't feel like it." - Spin.com/Rolling Stone, 3/15/18...... Former Deep Purple singer/bassist Glenn Hughes will be performing Deep Purple only material in Ireland at the Waterfront in Belfast on Sept. 29 and the Olympia in Dublin on Sept. 30. "I'm excited to be touring the "Classic Deep Purple Live" in Ireland this September," Hughes says. "I first toured Classic Deep Purple Live in Australia and New Zealand last year and it went down like a storm. We're also touring the show throughout South America in April, and festivals throughout the summer. By the time we tour Ireland in September, we'll be on fire." Tickets for the shows went on sale on Mar. 16 at seetickets.com. - Noble PR, 3/14/18...... Grammy-nominated guitarist Joe Bonamassa, who completed a UK and European tour on Mar. 17, has announced the release of British Blues Explosion Live on May 18 on CD/DVD/Blu-Ray & 3LP via Mascot Label Group in Europe and J&R Adventures in North America. The DVD and Blu-ray includes bonus content such as Joe performing "Taxman" Live at the Cavern Club, Joe being honoured with a "Brick In The Wall", the "British Blues Explosion Explained" by Mick Wall and a photo gallery of the British Blues Explosion UK Tour. Bonamassa will play the Hampton Court Palace Festival in London on June 12. - Noble PR, 3/7/18...... 
Performing at a recent solo show in Las Vegas, The Who's Roger Daltrey warned those in the audience that they should "take your f***ing earplugs" to gigs because "now I'm very, very deaf." "I advise you all -- all you rock-and-roll fans -- take your fucking ear plugs to the gigs," and revealed that he now relies on lip-reading. However, Daltrey vowed to keep on performing "for a long time," saying he is "lucky to be doing what I do -- so thank you." Meanwhile, Daltrey is preparing to perform a headlining show at one of his own Teenage Cancer Trust shows at London's Royal Albert Hall on Mar. 22. He'll be joined by Dr Pepper's Jaded Hearts Club Band, a supergroup that includes members of Muse and Blur performing Beatles covers. Nile Rodgers & Chic, Def Leppard and UB40 will also perform during the two-day event. - New Musical Express, 3/14/18...... Legendary British physicist Stephen Hawking, the author of the worldwide best-selling book A Brief History of Time and the subject of the Oscar-nominated film The Theory of Everything, died on Mar. 13. He was 76. "We are deeply saddened that our beloved father passed away today," his children, Lucy, Robert, and Tim said in a statement. "He was a great scientist and an extraordinary man whose work and legacy will live on for many years." A child prodigy, Hawking began his storied academic career in 1950, entering Oxford University at the age of 17. Hawking was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 1963 at the age of 21. At the time, his doctors gave him a life expectancy of two years. He would defy medical science and go on to have a long and distinguished academic career at Cambridge University. His condition gradually paralysed Hawking over decades and he was only able to communicate using a single cheek muscle attached to a speech-generating device. Despite his disability, Hawking became a leader in his field, becoming an expert on black holes. He achieved worldwide fame when his book A Brief History of Time became a worldwide bestseller and sold 10 million copies. Hawking's life was captured on the big screen in the 2014 film The Theory of Everything, starring Eddie Redmayne as Hawking and Felicity Jones as his wife Jane Wilde Hawking. The movie was nominated for five Oscars including best picture with Redmayne winning best actor. Hawking also made appearances on The Simpsons and Star Trek: The Next Generation. - Billboard, 3/13/18.
Former AC/DC vocalist Brian Johnson made a surprise appearance at a Hawaiian restaurant owned by Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood on Mar. 6 for a jam of the R&B standard "(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66." After Fleetwood introduced Johnson at his Fleetwood's On Front St. restaurant in his home of Maui, Hawaii, Johnson told the intimate audience it was a "a big honor" to join his idol Fleetwood onstage. Mispronouncing his name as "Flick Meetwood," Johnson joked that he was "breaking these teeth in for a friend," then sang the 1940s track with Fleetwood and his band. In 2017, Johnson announced he was retiring from AC/DC due to hearing problems. He was replaced by Guns 'N Roses' Axl Rose as guest vocalist, though it was reported in February than Rose will continue touring and recording with the Aussie hard rockers. - New Musical Express, 3/7/18...... Michael Jackson's daughter Paris Jackson dropped by the offices of Teen Vogue magazine on Mar. 7 to reveal the "soundtrack of my life," which included a plethora of oldies from different genres, including Andy Williams' "Moon River," the Eagles' "Peaceful Easy Feeling," Stevie Wonder's "Sir Duke," Elton John's "Daniel," and the more recent "Concrete Wall" by Zee Avi. The 19-year-old model, who will soon be making her onscreen debut in the new Joel Edgerton-directed crime-drama film Gringo, said that "Music is everything to me. It's kind of all I know and the biggest form of connection I have with anything. It's all of the things that make you feel. Period. Not just good, but everything." - Billboard, 3/9/18...... On Mar. 9, the Rolling Stones announced two more final shows for their upcoming No Filter tour of the UK and Ireland. The Stones added shows in Southampton on May 29 and Coventry on June 2 for their 9-city UK tour, which begins on May 17 in Dublin. It will wrap on June 19 at London's Twickenham Stadium. The band last played London in 2013 at Hyde Park. The announcement comes after Stones fans in the UK were left disappointed last year when a lack of suitable venues meant that their European tour wouldn't visit their native Britain. "Sorry to our UK fans there are no UK dates on this run, due to lack of available venues because of sporting fixtures...hope to be their in 2018," the band said at the time. - NME, 3/9/18...... 
David Byrne appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Mar. 9 to deliver a riveting performance of "Everybody's Coming To My House" from his recently released LP, 
Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert, NBC's latest live musical, is of biblical proportions. The 1971 Broadway rock opera gets the all-star treatment with John Legend as Jesus Christ, Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene, and rock icon Alice Cooper as King Herod. With lyricist Tim Rice and composer Andrew Lloyd Webber exec-producing, you can expect a spectacle that remains true to the original production but still fills you with that holy Sunday feeling. Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert airs on NBC on Apr. 1 at 8:00 p.m. EDT. - Entertainment Weekly, 3/23/18...... The spooky battle over who gets ownership of notorious cult leader Charles Manson's body has been determined by a California judge. After Manson died on Nov. 19 after more than 40 years behind bars for masterminding the murders of actress Sharon Tate and several others in 1969, a slew of people sought ownership of his ice-packed remains, including Manson's grandson, Jason Freeman, longtime Manson pen pal Michael Channels, a musician named Matt Lentz who claims to be his son, and another dude named Michael Brunner who also claims to be his son. Lentz claimed that Manson fathered him during a Wisconsin orgy and was named as his sole beneficiary in a 2017 will that Manson purportedly signed. Channels also claimed to be Manson's sole beneficiary in a will filed in 2002 that disinherited the cult leader's natural born children including Freeman's father, Charles Manson Jr. On Mar. 13, Kern County Superior Court Judge Alisa Knight ruled that the "lucky winner" will be Jason Freeman, who says his plans plans for disposing of his grandpa consist of cremating him, as well as holding a "small family ceremony." He says he also intends to extend an invitation to Brunner and Channels on the basis that he "wouldn't want them to miss out." Still up for grabs, however, are Manson's writings, drawings, and music compositions, ensuring that various other battles over his property will be waged for many more decades to come. - Jezebel.com, 3/13/18...... British comedian Ken Dodd, a titan of British comedy whose peak fame in the U.K. rivaled that of the Beatles, died after a battle with a chest infection at his home in Liverpool -- the same house where he was born in 1927 -- on Mar. 10. He was 90. Instantly recognizable for his unruly mop of hair and snaggletoothed grin, Mr. Dodd came up through the hardscrabble ranks of Britain's variety circuit, where performers kept demanding crowds entertained with songs, a bit of dance and a slew of jokes. He was famous for his rapid-fire one-liners, surreal imaginative flights of fancy, use of fanciful words like "tattyfilarious" and marathon stand-up shows. Even in his 80s, Mr. Dodd's shows often ran three to four hours. In the 1960s, he held the Guinness world record for the longest joke-telling session: 1,500 jokes in three-and-a-half hours. In his 1960s and '70s heyday, Mr. Dodd played a record 42 straight weeks at the London Palladium, hosted primetime TV shows and hit the music charts with songs including his signature tune "Happiness." Mr. Dodd was knighted in 2017 by Queen Elizabeth II, becoming Sir Ken Dodd. He gave his final performance in Liverpool at the end of December. On Mar. 12, Paul McCartney tweeted a picture of the Beatles with Mr. Dodd in the 1960s, alongside a statement bidding "farewell to my fellow Liverpudlian the tattyfilarious Ken Dodd. Beloved by many people in Britain and a great champion of his home city and comedy. We met him on a few occasions as The Beatles and always ended up in tears of laughter. Today it's tears of sadness as well. See you Doddy." - AP, 3/13/18...... 
Grammy Award-winning album cover artist Gary Burden, who designed the covers of such famous Classic Rock albums as Neil Young's 
Netflix announced on Mar. 7 that it has acquired the global rights to a new musical starring Neil Young called Paradox. The feature directional debut by Young's actress girlfriend Daryl Hannah, Paradox also stars Willie Nelson and Nelson's sons Lukas and Micah Nelson and is described as a "far-fetched, whimsical western tale of music and love" on the website of the SXSW Music Festival, where the film will premiere on Mar. 15. "Somewhere in the future past, The Man in the Black Hat hides out between heists at an old stagecoach stop with Jail Time, the Particle Kid, and an odd band of outlaws," according to the site. A Paradox soundtrack LP will also be released digitally and on vinyl that includes live performances from Young -- along with covers and exclusive music. - New Musical Express, 3/7/18...... Former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne, who will release his first solo album in 14 years on Mar. 9, has taken to social media to address criticism of not collaborating with any female artists on the LP, titled 
In a new inteview with the UK paper The Sunday Post, Mick Jagger downplayed rumours that the Rolling Stones' upcoming UK tour could well be their last. "I haven't really thought about this set of gigs being our last tour, to be honest," Jagger said. "There is going to come a point when we don't want to do it any more, for whatever reason -- but I'm not thinking about that this summer." The Stones' "No Filter" tour has seen a huge demand for tickets, especially after drummer Charlie Watts was quoted as saying he "wouldn't mind" if the band split up. "I hope [when it ends] that everyone says, 'that'll be it'. I'd hate for it to be a bloody big argument," Watts told New Musical Express. "That would be a real sad moment. But to say this is the last show wouldn't be a particularly sad moment, not to me anyway. I'll just carry on as I was yesterday or today," he added. Meanwhile, many fans have also complained about the pricey tickets to the tour, which can total £451.95 for a premium standing ticket. The seating option, meanwhile, will see fans forking out up to £203. - New Musical Express, 3/5/18...... Canadian country music legend Ronnie Prophet, who scored 26 hit singles in Canada, five in the U.S., and hosted several television shows, died on Mar. 2 in Florida from cardiac and kidney failure. He was 80. Born in Hawkesbury, Ont., Mr. Prophet moved to Montreal at age 17 where he sang at various clubs. In the early '60s, he relocated to America, working in New York, Fort Lauderdale and eventually setting up in Nashville in 1969. There he performed at his eponymous nightclub, Ronnie Prophet's Carousel Club, for more than 16 years, all the while touring worldwide with such names as Kenny Rogers, Perry Como, Mel Tillis, George Jones and Charley Pride. In the '70s, he became a household name when he hosted CBC's Country Roads (1973), then CTV's The Ronnie Prophet Show (1974) and Grand Old Country (1975-1980). Mr. Prophet was known for his one-man shows, combining songs, comedy, impersonations and his guitar prowess. Guests on his shows included Dolly Parton, George Jones, Hank Williams Jr., Crystal Gayle and Don Everly. Mr. Prophet also appeared on several other talks shows, including those hosted by Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas, Alan Thicke and David Frost. Mr. Prophet also co-hosted the CCMAs from 1987 to 1989 and in 1999 was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. Mr. Prophet had five songs on the Billboard charts from 1975 to 1977, beginning with "Sanctuary" and followed by "Shine On," "It's Enough," "Big Big World" and "It's Ain't Easy Lovin' Me." He also had a half-dozen hits with his wife, singer Glory-Anne Carriere. "He loved life, + friends, family + his fans were so important to him," she said. "His passion for music was part of who he was and it was always his wish to keep people smiling wherever he went." - Billboard, 3/3/18...... 
Actor David Ogden Stiers, best known for playing Major Charles Emerson Winchester III on the hit wartime sitcom