Former Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship vocalist Marty Balin died on Sept. 27 of as yet undisclosed causes. He was 76. Born Martyn Jerel Buchwald in San Francisco on Jan. 30, 1943, Balin's tenor voice provided hits for the '60s psychedelic band and its more mellow '70s spin-off band, the Jefferson Starship. His songwriting credits for the Airplane included "It's No Secret," "Today," "Comin' Back To Me," "Plastic Fantastic Lover," "Share a Little Joke," and "Volunteers" -- the latter sung at the iconic 1969 Woodstock festival. During their Airplane concerts, Balin and vocalist Grace Slick traded vocals in battles that became increasingly feverish, giving the band a volatile sound. After the Jefferson Airplane unofficially retired in 1972, Slick and Airplane guitarist Paul Kantner formed the Jefferson Starship in 1974, and Balin tentatively rejoined the band in 1975. The group's big breakthrough came with Red Octopus, their first No. 1 LP, which hit the top position several times during that year and sold four million copies, helped by Balin's ballad "Miracles" which was a No. 3 single. The band was more popular than ever, but in Slick's opinion the music had become bland and corporate, and her rivalry with Balin had not diminished. 
Their followup LP, 1976's Spitfire, became their first platinum album. After another platinum album, Earth, both Balin and Slick left. Kantner then left that band and formed the simply named Starship, which enjoyed even greater commercial success. In 1981, Balin released a solo LP of MOR love songs and in 1981 he had a hit single with "Hearts," which went to No. 8. In 1989, Kanter, Slick, Balin, and original Jefferson Airplane members Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen revived the early Jefferson Airplane lineup, and released the eponymous LP Jefferson Airplane, although it only reached the No. 85 position. The Jefferson Starship was then reformed by Kantner in 1991, and Balin rejoined that group the following year. It toured as "Jefferson Starship - The Next Generation" in the early '90s to positive reviews. Balin's wife, Susan Joy, was by his side when he died. In a statement released on Sept. 28, his family said: "Marty's fans describe him as having had a substantial impact for the better of the world: 'One of the greatest voices of all time, a writer of songs that will never fade, and founder of the quintessential San Francisco band of the sixties.' His music is known for being the soundtrack to all of life's monumental moments." - CNN/The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock, 9/28/18.
The Nile Rodgers-fronted group Chic released It's About Time, its first album in over 25 years, on Sept. 28. Rodgers says that It's About Time, which features contributions from the likes of Elton John, Lady Gaga, Hailee Steinfeld, Stefflon Don, Emeli Sande and Craig David, "is the most self-indulgent album I've ever done in my life." "I don't normally make records like this because I don't have the power to say 'this is how it's gonna go and I'm gonna tell this really big story.' So now that I do, I can do it my way and this is happening my way exactly," says the 66-years old Rodgers. "And I just hope people get it and like it and understand it. It's a geeky record, and a very idealistic record." Rodgers notes that It's About Time is the first album in a two-part collection of new Chic music, with the second part tentatively due in February 2019. - Billboard, 9/28/18...... 
The official website of the upcoming Elton John movie Rocketman shared the first official photo from the movie on Sept. 28. Welsh actor Taron Egerton, who portrays Sir Elton in the movie, is shown dressed in a gold bomber jacket and blue, red and gold winged boots. He is also seen sporting some glittery sunglasses and John's red hair. "TaronEgerton stars in #Rocketman, an epic musical fantasy about the uncensored human story of Sir Elton John's breakthrough years. Experience it in theatres Summer 2019. pic.twitter.com/fwMMoGxSnb," reads a tweet on the site. Rocketman, first announced in 2011, is billed as a "larger than life movie musical spectacle that tells the story of a child prodigy turned music legend." Dexter Fletcher, who worked on the Eddie The Eagle biopic with Tom Egerton, will be directing. John will serve as an executive producer on the project and is planning to "re-record many of his iconic hits to parallel the emotional beats of the film." In other Elton-related news, the singer has just added 25 more North American dates to his "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" tour, in September, October and November of 2019. John kicked off the tour on Sept. 8 in Allentown, Pa. On the tour, fans will get a unique glimpse into the personal meaning behind many of the Rocket Man's hits, with never-before-seen photos and videos displayed throughout the show to commemorate his 50-year career. The tour is currently scheduled to wrap on Nov. 16, 2019, in Long Island, N.Y. - NME/Billboard, 9/28/18...... The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco has overturned a 2016 jury verdict that found that Led Zeppelin did not steal any original music from "Taurus," an obscure 1968 instrumental by the Los Angeles band Spirit. "Taurus" was written by the late Spirit guitarist Randy Wolfe, better known as Randy California, whose trust brought the copyright infringement lawsuit. A trustee for Wolfe's estate claims Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant was inspired to write "Stairway to Heaven" after hearing Spirit perform "Taurus" while the bands toured together in 1968 and 1969, and that Wolfe never got any credit. The jury in the 2016 trial found that the two songs were not substantially similar, and supported the defendants' claim that Wolfe was a songwriter for hire who did not have a copyright claim, and that the opening of "Stairway" -- a descending chromatic four-chord progression -- is a common musical convention that did not deserve copyright protection. Now the federal appeals court panel that overturned the 2016 ruling held that parts of the jury instructions in that trial were erroneous and prejudicial, and that the first trial abused its discretion by not allowing recordings of "Taurus" to be played during the proceedings. Meanwhile, Led Zeppelin continues the celebration of its 50th anniversary in 2018 with the release of a new 50th Anniversary Interviews album, which is currently available for streaming on Spotify.com. The release is comprised of 34 new interview clips from the band's surviving members, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones who reflect on their career, as well as specific songs and albums. The band has also digitally released their recent Record Store Day single, which featured unreleased versions of both "Rock And Roll" and "Friends." - NBCNews.com/New Musical Express, 9/28/18...... Rod Stewart's 30th studio album, Blood Red Roses, hit stores on Sept. 28, and unlike his contemporaries Elton John, Bob Seger and Paul Simon, the 73-year-old Stewart says that he's "not even thinking" about retiring from live performing. "We have a concert in Budapest next week, and it can't come around quick enough. I'm anxious. I love it," Stewart told Billboard. "Elton, he's doing 300 shows and he'll still do the odd show here and there. All good things must end. Not for me, not yet. I'm not even thinking about it," he added. Rod says he's also started work on his next album, and "it will be totally different from the last three." - Billboard, 9/27/18...... 
Elsewhere on the Fab Four front, the Beatles announced on Sept. 24 that they are releasing new versions of The Beatles (White Album) on Nov. 9 -- adding new 2018 mixes and a wealth of unreleased demos from the vaults to celebrate the original two-disc album's 50th anniversary of release in November, 1968. The mixes for the new packages were done by producer Giles Martin and mix engineer Sam Okell. The packages include a 3 CD edition, a 6 CD + Blu-ray deluxe edition, and a 4-LP vinyl edition. The Beatles, which was the first to be released on the Beatles' Apple label, was issued in stereo and mono in the U.K., but only stereo in the U.S., and had long been seen as the first glimpses of the Beatles as solo artists. - Billboard, 9/24/18...... In a short video posted on publisher Puffin Books' YouTube account on Sept. 27, Paul McCartney announced that he has written his first illustrated children's book, titled Hey Grandude. The book follows the adventures of a magical man named Grandude and his four grandchildren, who he calls "Chillers." McCartney says he originally got the idea for the book after one of his eight grandchildren began to refer to him as "Grandude," and the nickname stuck. "I wanted to write it for grandparents everywhere, so it gives them something to read to the grandkids at bedtime," he said. Hey Grandude, illustrated by Kathryn Durst, will be published by Puffin Books in Sept. 2019. Although the famous former Beatle co-wrote the 2005 children's book High in the Clouds with Philip Ardagh, Hey Grandude will be his first solo literary venture. - Billboard, 9/27/18...... Prince was posthumously awarded an honorary degree by the University of Minnesota on Sept. 26 to recognize his influence on music and his role in shaping his hometown of Minneapolis. A special ceremony on the campus featuring Prince music performed by the university's School of Music was held to award the degree. The university had been preparing to present it to Prince himself before his death in 2016. - AP, 9/26/18...... Barbara Streisand released her first song since 2005, "Don't Lie to Me," on Sept. 27. Inspired by the Donald Trump administration and today's political climate, its chorus says "How do you sleep and the world keeps turning? All that we built has come undone." The 76-year-old singer said she initially aimed to include "very subtle" references to Trump, but confessed "I just went ballistic" in writing the lyrics. "I just can't stand what's going on," Streisand says. "His assault on our democracy, our institutions, our founders -- I think we're in a fight... We're in a war for the soul of America," she added. "Don't Lie to Me," along with other politically-themed songs including "Imagine" and "What the World Needs Now," will be featured on Streisand's new 11-track album, Walls, which drops Nov. 2. - DailyMail.co.uk, 9/27/18...... The Eagles announced on Sept. 26 they'll release a new Legacy box set on Nov. 2 that will include all seven of the band's studio albums, three live albums, and a compilation of singles and B-sides. The 12-disc set also includes their Hell Freezes Over and Farewell Melbourne concert videos on DVD and Blu-ray, respectively. Another box set, a 15-LP vinyl package, will also be released including everything but the concert videos from the CD set. Both box sets -- which include a hard-cover book of photos, memorabilia and artwork too -- are set for release Nov. 2 via Rhino Entertainment, with the CD set available for $179.98 and the vinyl set for $349.98. Meanwhile, the Eagles are in the midst of a 2019 tour with co-founder Don Henley and longtime members Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit joined by country star Vince Gill and Glenn Frey's son Deacon Frey. It will wrap on Dec. 7 in Honolulu. The band has also announced a massive 2019 world tour that's set to kick off on May 26 in Antwerp, Belgium before heading across Europe. It will include six stops in the UK in June. - Billboard/NME, 9/26/18...... The 33rd FarmAid benefit concert was held on Sept. 22 in Hartford, Conn. Neil Young, one of the co-founders of the annual show, spoke about supporting family farms and independent small businesses between songs. "When you see a farmer's market, just stop and go in and get to know them and buy something. Buy something good. Don't buy the shit you get at Safeway. Buy something that's really safe. All the crap you get in these big stores is not good. It's got a lot of chemicals in it and it kills the earth," Young said. Young, a self-described Libertarian, said that he's "been called a lot of things by this dickhead in the White House, but I am a Canadian, and I love America. There's nothing here that needs to be made 'great again." Young founded Farm Aid in 1985 with Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp. - Billboard, 9/25/18...... 
Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason returned to London's Roundhouse venue on Sept. 24 for a gig with his new band Saucerful of Secrets, over a half century since he first played there with Pink Floyd. Mason's group kicked off the set with "Interstellar Overdrive" and "Astronomy Domine," both from the band's 1967 debut The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn. Mason said that his new live project Saucerful of Secrets, named after Pink Floyd's 1968 album, was born after he had "finally given up waiting for that phone call from Roger [Waters] or David [Gilmour]," adding that he was "thrilled to be back at The Roundhouse." Other highlights included a searing "Lucifer Sam" and the visceral white noise rush of "Set The Controls For The Heart of the Sun," while early singles "See Emily Play" and "Arnold Layne" were reborn with a fresh intensity and power. Pink Floyd famously opened the venue on Oct. 15, 1966, performing alongside The Soft Machine at an "All Night Rave" to launch the underground newspaper International Times. It was attended by a who's who of countercultere '60s London, including Paul McCartney, Marianne Faithfull and Blow Up director Michelangelo Antonioni. Acid-laced sugar cubes were said to have been handed out at the door. - Billboard, 9/25/18...... Former Deep Purple bassist/singer Glenn Hughes will kick off his "Glenn Hughes Performs Classic Deep Purple Live" tour of Ireland and the UK on Sept. 29 in Belfast. It will be the first time ever that Hughes performs Deep Purple material in Ireland. After a Sept. 30 show in Dublin, Hughes then will continue on to the UK on Oct. 2 in Bristol with special guest Laurence Jones. Hughes' eleven-date tour will also visit Leamington (10/3), Southampton (10/5), Cardiff (10/6), Leeds (10/9), Newcastle (10/10), Glasgow (10/12) and Manchester (10/13) before wrapping at London's Electric Ballroom on Oct. 15. - Noble PR, 9/27/18...... The estate of late teen idol and country/rock singer Rick Nelson filed a class action lawsuit against Sony Music Entertainment on Sept. 25 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleging the label violates contractual agreements with its artists by assessing an intercompany charge on international streaming revenue that deprives artists of accurate royalties from foreign sales. The suit alleges that Sony underreports revenue generated by artists abroad by adding a charge on revenues collected by region-specific subsidiaries such as Sony Music UK and Sony Music Australia. The lawsuit asks the court for a jury trial with hopes to compel Sony to remove the intercompany charge for international sales and include 100 percent of income in the accounting. Nelson signed with CBS/Epic in 1976, four years after his last big hit -- the country rock classic "Garden Party." A year after signing with Epic he released Intakes, which sold poorly. A followup for the label was recorded in 1978, though the tracks were shelved until after his death in 1985. - Billboard, 9/26/18...... Adam Cohen, the son and producer of late Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Leonard Cohen, revealed on Sept. 28 that he's working to complete some of his dad's unfinished songs for a new album to be released sometime in 2019. "I was tasked with finishing a few more songs of his that we started together on the last album, so his voice is literally still in my life," Adam said in an interview with CBC q's Tom Power. "To make a long story short, I believe that there are some really beautiful new songs of Leonard Cohen that no one's heard that are at some point going to come out," he added. Adam Cohen will also be releasing The Flame, a book of Leonard Cohen's unpublished poems, on Oct. 2. Leonard Cohen passed away in 2016 at the age of 82. - Billboard, 9/28/18...... 
Blondie announced on Sept. 24 that they'll be playing two nights in Cuba next March as part of a four-day cultural exchange program. Blondie will play two concerts during their March 14-18 visit in Havana, which will also feature Cuban musicians Alain Perez, David Torrens and Sintesis. The program, in which fans can also come along, will also include visits to Cuban museums and cultural institutions, studios and galleries and photography and architecture tours. Pricing for the trip, which includes a hotel reservation, ranges from $2,700 to $5,600. Blondie drummer Clem Burke says the band has been experimenting with Caribbean sounds for years on songs like, "Rapture" and "The Tide Is High" and they've always loved Cuban music. - AP, 9/24/18...... Ventura County, Calif. detectives were called to the Malibu mansion of Cher on Sept. 27 to execute a search warrant a man related to a recent drug overdose that occurred in Thousand Oaks, Calif. The man is reportedly 23-year-old Donovan Ruiz, who is Cher's assistant's son. Ruiz was reportedly arrested for a felony for supplying narcotics to someone who died. Cher was not home during the incident, as she is in the midst of her international tour. Her next show is scheduled for Brisbane, Australia on Sept. 28. Meanwhile, during a recent appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, Cher revealed that she would like to collaborate with Adele and Pink, but "not Madonna." Cher has expressed her disdain for Madonna since the 1990s, saying that while she respected Madonna's music and business-savvy approach to the industry, she found her to be "mean," "spoiled" and "a bitch." - Billboard, 9/27/18...... Appearing on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen on Sept. 27, former Australian supermodel Elle Macpherson was asked about her brief love triangle with Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley. "Billy and I were living together in Central Park West, we were friendly. I think he was dating Christie at the time, just starting to. I got ousted," Macpherson said. Host Andy Cohen also questioned Elle over the rumour that Joel's 1983 song "Uptown Girl" was about her. But the blonde beauty insisted that the hit tune was inspired by a variety of women. "I think it's (about) all the uptown girls, put it that way. I don't need to take any ownership over that. He liked tall girls," the 54-year-old Macpherson mused. Joel and his second wife Brinkley were married from 1985 until 1994, with the pop star currently wed to his fourth wife, Alexis Roderick. - WENN/Canoe.com, 9/28/18...... 
Actor/comic Bill Cosby was sentenced to three to 10 years in state prison on Sept. 25 for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand at his Philadelphia home in 2004. Cosby, 81, was sentenced to "total confinement" by Judge Steven O'Neill, five months after his conviction in the first celebrity trial of the #MeToo era. Ahead of the sentencing, O'Neill ruled that Cosby is a "sexually violent predator." The classification means that Cosby must undergo monthly counseling for the rest of his life and report quarterly to authorities. His name will appear on a sex-offender registry sent to neighbors, schools and victims. Cosby, who was once known as "America's Dad" for his role as Dr. Cliff Huxtable on The Cosby Show, was facing anywhere from probation to 10 years in prison after being convicted in April. His lawyers had asked for house arrest, saying 81-year-old Cosby -- who is legally blind -- is too old and helpless to do time in prison. Prosecutors asked for five to 10 years behind bars, saying the TV icon could still be a threat to women. Cosby's publicist, Andrew Wyatt, denounced the outcome in a statement outside court, calling it "the most racist and sexist trial in the history of the United States." Cosby became the first black actor to star in a primetime TV show, I Spy, in 1965. He remained a Hollywood A-lister for much of the next half-century. - AP, 9/25/18...... Film producer Gary Kurtz, one of the major forces in the creation of the Star Wars movies, has passed away at age 78 from cancer. Kurtz was a hands-on producer for 1977's Star Wars, shepherding George Lucas' pet project from Flash Gordon-knockoff to problematic production to unprecedented sci-fi phenomenon. The film went on to become the highest-grossing movie of all-time, and set the pace for many of the studio blockbusters that followed. Kurtz was also involved to a greater extent in the follow up, 1980's The Empire Strikes Back, serving as both producer and second unit director under director Irvin Kershner in the absence of Lucas, who was busy building up his Lucasfilm empire. Kurtz and Lucas first partnered on 1973's seminal teen comedy American Graffiti, which revolutionized the use of music and cross-cutting of stories in film, and helped launch the acting careers of Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard and Harrison Ford. Kurtz also produced Monte Hellman's 1971 cult classic racing movie Two-Lane Blacktop, starring singer James Taylor. - ComingSoon.net, 9/25/18...... Actress Laurie Mitchell, who portrayed the villainess who faces off against Zsa Zsa Gabor on the planet Venus in the campy 1958 sci-fi classic Queen of Outer Space, died on Sept. 20 of natural causes at a long-term care facility in Perris, Calif. She was 90. Ms. Mitchell played a man-hating queen whose face is hidden by a glittery mask in Queen of Outer Space, which became a fan favorite at film festivals, and she participated in autograph shows for the movie for the rest of her life. Ms. Mitchell also worked alongside Marilyn Monroe as a member of Sweet Sue's band in Billy Wilder's Some Like It Hot, (1959), which, she once said was "the most thrilling experience of my show business career." - The Hollywood Reporter, 9/24/18.
Paul Simon wrapped his "Homeward Bound - The Farewell Tour" on Sept. 22 in Queens' Flushing Meadows Corona Park with his last-ever live show that included such solo hits as "Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War," "Kodachrome," "Late In the Evening" and "Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard," as well as Simon & Garfunkel classics as "America" and "The Sound of Silence." Telling the crowd that he wanted to "play a quick game of catch," Simon picked up a glove and threw a baseball into the crowd no less than three times, with lucky audience members tasked with tossing it back to him. During "Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard," Simon trotted out his wife, Edie Brickell, to take care of that tune's iconic whistling section, and the crowd whooped with glee to hear Simon sing about "Rosie queen of Corona" in Corona Park. He brought the two-and-a-half-hour show to a close with a hushed performance of "Sound of Silence. - Billboard, 9/23/18...... In a new interview with Canada's Radio X, Paul McCartney revealed that a "new version" of the 1970 Beatles film Let It Be is in the works for a special anniversary re-release in 2020. "We keep talking about [a re-release]," Paul said. "We have meetings at Apple, you know, the original Beatles Apple. And it's one of the things you never quite know what's gonna happen with it. So there's no [definite] story at the moment. But I keep saying 'what's gonna happen?', because people ask about it." McCartney continued: "I think there may be a new version of it. That's kind of the latest gossip. There's a lot of footage, and the original movie came out, and it was really sort of about the break-up of The Beatles. And so for me, it was a little sad, the movie. But I know people have been looking at the [unreleased] footage; there's about 56 hours of footage. And someone was talking to me the other day and said: 'The overall feeling is very joyous and very uplifting. It's like a bunch of guys making music and enjoying it', you know. So I think there is some talk about making a new movie, re-editing it from the same period, from the same footage. We can make a new film out of it. So who knows, that may be happening in a year or two." Capturing the making of what turned out to be the Beatles' final studio album, Let It Be was originally released in 1970 and has not officially been available to purchase in any format since the 1980s. Plans for a DVD re-release of the film were shelved in 2008 following a request from McCartney and Ringo Starr. - New Musical Express, 9/19/18...... In other McCartney news, the music legend has reacted to his latest album, 
Allman Brothers Band founding member Dickey Betts has undergone successful surgery after what was described as a "freak" accident on Sept. 17 in which he slipped and hit his head while playing with his dog in Florida. According to posts on Betts' social media accounts, the "Blue Sky" singer-songwriter was in his backyard in Little Sarasota Bay, Fla., playing with the family dog when he "slipped and cracked his head," which caused "bleeding from the brain." Betts was then transported to an undisclosed local hospital, where he was reported to be "in critical but stable condition." Betts' wife Donna posted that "The family appreciates all of your thoughts and prayers during this very trying time... Dickey is a notorious fighter and he is displaying that now!" It was only in August when the 74-year-old musician suffered a "mild stroke" at his home and had to cancel upcoming tour dates. He had been responding well to his treatment, his longtime friend and manager David Spero said, but with his latest health concern, a slate of upcoming November shows are canceled. "It is very unfortunate, for all involved, that we need to cancel those shows," Spero said in a statement. "Please add Dickey into your thoughts and prayers." Betts, who was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame with the Allman Brothers back in 1995, currently tours with the Dickey Betts Band, whose lineup features his son Duane Betts on guitar. - AP/Billboard, 9/22/18...... The legal battle between Ozzy Osbourne and concert promoter AEG came to a close on Sept. 21 after lawyers representing Osbourne agreed to drop a lawsuit against AEG after company officials announced plans to end its policy requiring acts that wanted to play the O2 Arena in London to also play Staples Center in Los Angeles. Ozzy's attorney Dan Wall filed a stipulation to dismiss the case before U.S. District Court Judge Dale Fischer, a procedural move that brings an end to the anti-trust lawsuit filed in March against AEG. The case was dismissed with prejudice, meaning Osbourne can't refile the lawsuit. "Sharon and Ozzy are pleased, there is nothing left to litigate," Wall said. - Billboard, 9/22/18...... Cher released her cover of the iconic ABBA song "One of Us" on Sept. 21, marking the third and final single to come off of Cher's new ABBA-based album 
Bob Dylan has announced he will release the latest album in his extensive bootleg series, 
About 80 of Burt Reynolds' friends and relatives, including his former wife Loni Anderson, shared memories of the late actor at a private memorial service in North Palm Beach, Fla., on Sept. 20. Anderson, who had a famously difficult divorce from Reynolds, shared fond memories of their time together, calling their son their "greatest collaboration." The couple's son, Quinton Anderson Reynolds, was also among the speakers at the service at Quattlebaum Funeral Home. Bobby Bowden, former football coach at Florida State University, where Reynolds was a player, opened the service with a prayer and stories from the actor's life. Reynolds died at age 82 on Sept. 6, and, according to a death certificate issued Sept. 10 that was obtained by Entertainment Tonight, he was cremated. No cause of death has been revealed. - AP, 9/21/18...... Nashville's legendary Grand Ole Opry will host a tribute concert to Ray Charles on Oct. 8. Hosted by Opry member Darius Rucker and featuring Boyz II Men, Cam, Brett Eldredge, Leela James, Lukas Nelson, Allen Stone, Travis Tritt and Chris Young, the concert will pay homage to to the iconic R&B artist, airing on PBS in November. The PBS special will also feature behind-the-scenes footage, a visit to the Ray Charles Library and rare video of the legendary artist, courtesy of the Ray Charles Foundation. - Billboard, 9/19/18...... One of James Brown's daughters, Venisha Brown, died on Sept. 19 at AU Health Medical Center in Augusta, Ga., due to complications from pneumonia. She was 53 years old. A songwriter and musician, Brown was active in the James Brown Family Foundation and is remembered as "one who fully embodied the dance moves of her father," who died on Christmas Day 2006. The foundation says Brown's family thanks everyone for their "prayers and telephone calls" but asked for privacy. - AP, 9/20/18.
Kiss announced on Sept. 18 that they'll celebrate their heady days of the '70s by reissuing their 1978 eponymous solo albums from all four members -- singer/guitarist Paul Stanley, bassist/singer Gene Simmons, drummer Peter Criss and guitarist Ace Frehley -- as a lavish box set on Oct. 19, exactly 40 years after they were released in 1978. Kiss: The Solo Albums -- 40th Anniversary Collection will be a limited-edition, 180-gram 4-LP box set from Casablanca/UMe with only 2,500 copies available. Simmons' album will be pressed on red vinyl, Stanley's purple, Frehley's blue and Criss' green, and all four packaged in a deluxe black-matte slipcase with glossy black images of each member's face surrounded by the band's iconic logo. The set will also include four 12x12-inch posters of each album cover and an exclusive turntable slipmat with the four Eraldo Carugati-painted album cover images from the originals. Meanwhile, Kiss will open the two-hour season finale of NBC's America's Got Talent series on Sept. 19. at 8 p.m. ET. America's Got Talent is currently in its 13th season, and 10 finalists will vie for the grand prize. - Billboard, 9/18/18...... As expected, Paul McCartney has achieved his first No. 1 album on Billboard's Hot 200 LP chart in over 36 years with his new album 
As the family, former bandmates and friends of Tom Petty prepare to release a new 60-track Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers collection 
Arriving on Sept. 21 will be a reissue of The Ramones' 1978 LP Road to Ruin from Rhino Records featuring a new version of the punk icons' song "Don't Come Close." Not only does Road contain one of the NYC quartet's most enduring street hits "I Wanna Be Sedated," the original 12-track mix also featured maneuvers that were aimed directly at attaining the group more radio airplay. 
In theaters on Sept. 21, Love, Gilda is a heartfelt new documentary tracking the rise of legendary comic Gilda Radner from underground sensation to whirlwind star of 
One week after joining Twitter on Sept. 4, soul icon Al Green has released his first single in a decade, a cover of Freddy Fender's 
Aerosmith dropped by NBC's The Tonight Show on Sept. 12 for an irreverent "Classroom Instruments" rendition of their hit "Walk This Way" with host Jimmy Fallon and the Tonight Show house band, The Roots. Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler simultaneously played a harmonica and two apple shakers while singing the lyrics, as Fallon accompanied him with a wood block and mallet in hand. The rest of the rockers filled out next two rows, with Aerosmith members Joey Kramer on toy drum, Tom Hamilton jingling a tambourine, Brad Whitford shaking a maraca and Joe Perry strumming a ukulele. The Roots completed the instrumental harmonies with an array of xylophones, shakers and whistles. - The Hollywood Reporter, 9/12/18...... The first-known David Bowie recording has just sold at auction for nearly £40,000. The track, titled "I Never Dreamed," was discovered earlier in 2018 in an old bread basket by David Hadfield, who was the drummer for Bowie's early band, The Konrads, and also served as its manager. According to Omega Auctions, a "bidding frenzy" had caused the price for the tape to almost quadruple when it went up for sale on Sept. 11. Expected to sell for at least £10,000, the recording was finally sold for £39,360. Bowie was 16 years old when he played in The Konrads and the track was recorded. Bowie left the Konrads shortly after the recording was made, and four years later, he released his self-titled debut album but only began to achieve success in 1969 when he released "Space Oddity." - New Musical Express, 9/11/18...... Organizers of the 2018 Stand Up for Heroes fundraiser announced on Sept. 12 that Bruce Springsteen, Jon Stewart, Jim Gaffigan and Seth Meyers will be among the headliners for the annual event, which benefits injured veterans and their families. Jimmy Carr and Eric Church are also on the bill for the Nov. 5 comedy event at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Stand Up for Heroes was first held in 2007. ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff, one of the event's organizers who was nearly killed during a 2006 attack in Iraq while embedded with U.S. troops, calls the event a chance to "put aside our differences" to "honor those who have and continue to sacrifice so much." - AP, 9/12/18...... Warner Bros. Pictures is distancing itself from producer Jon Peters, who is involved in the new A Star Is Born movie starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, after Jezebel.com took issue with Peters after he was ordered in 2011 to pay one of his former employees, Shelly Morita, more than $3.3 million in a harassment case she filed against the producer. Peters and Morita entered into a later agreement overturning the judgment in the case, and the terms were not disclosed. Warner Bros., which produced and will release the new A Star Is Born in October, said on Sept. 11 it was contractually bound to credit Peters. "Jon Peters' attachment to this property goes as far back as 1976," said the studio in a statement. "Legally, we had to honor the contractual obligation in order to make this film." Peters was instrumental in the making of the 1976 version of 
The upcoming Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody is set to make its world premiere at the SSE Arena in London on Oct. 23, just a stone's throw away from Wembley Arena where Queen delivered its famous Live Aid performance in 1985. The film, which will see Rami Malek (Mr. Robot) portraying the band's late frontman Freddie Mercury, is currently set to make its official UK release the following day. Bohemian Rhapsody chronicles the 15-year period between Queen's formation as a band and their famous Live Aid performance at Wembley in 1985. Speaking about the significant location of the premiere, which is set to welcome 6,200 guests for the screening, Fox U.K.'s managing director Chris Green said: "We're delighted to be at The SSE Arena, Wembley giving Queen fans the chance to share in what is going to be a fantastic event. The venue is perfect for showcasing the show-stopping performances in the film." Earlier in September, it was announced that audio tracks recorded at Queen's 1985 Live Aid concert will be released for the first time as part of Bohemian Rhapsody's upcoming 
Meanwhile, Elton John paid his respects to the late Queen of Soul during the opener of his multi-continent "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" tour on Sept. 8 at the PPL Center in Allentown, Penn. Before performing the heart-wrenching and more relevant than ever "Border Song," John praised Franklin's cover and said it was "incredible to have this woman sing this song." He dedicated his "Border Song" to Franklin, as well as other figures throughout history who he said inspired his work and life. A massive screen on the stage then flashed images of the likes of Martin Luther King Jr., Princess Diana, John Lennon, Elizabeth Taylor, Rosa Parks and Elvis Presley. Elton's tour also serves as a farewell love letter to his longtime bandmates (including drummer Nigel Olsson and the wildly entertaining and animated percussionist Ray Cooper) and his other musical collaborators (he spoke frequently, and with great affection, for his longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin). In a particularly somber moment, John dedicated "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me" to rapper Mac Miller, who had passed away just a day before. "It's inconceivable that someone so young and with so much talent could be gone," John told the crowd, before asking that they send all of their love and best wishes to Miller's family. John closed the sold-out show with "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" while wearing a robe, which he later took off to reveal his name engraved in rhinestones on the back. - Billboard, 9/9/18...... It has been revealed that Chic will be opening for Cher during Cher's forthcoming tour in 2019, her first road trip in five years. "We can't wait to see you all with the incomparable Cher. Chic and Cher," Chic leader Nile Rodgers said in a statement on Sept. 10. Cher will be performing some of her biggest hits on the tour in addition to songs from her new ABBA-themed album, 
In a new interview with Australia's Sunday Night TV show on Sept. 9, Olivia Newton-John has confirmed that she's battling cancer for the third time, and opened up for the first time about a 2013 bout with the disease -- her second -- that she previously decided to keep to herself. Newton-John, 69, first was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992. When a minor car accident in 2013 led to the discovery that the disease had returned, she said she decided to not speak publicly about it: "I thought, 'It's my life,' and I just decided to keep it to myself.'" Now, Olivia says, doctors discovered a tumor at the base of her spine in 2017. She says she has undergone radiation therapy and is also pursuing natural remedies, including medical marijuana that her husband, John Easterling, grows on the couple's ranch in Santa Barbara. The Grease star says she remains optimistic and is determined to beat the disease again. "I believe I will win over it, and that's my goal," she said. - Billboard, 9/9/18...... Iggy Pop and his third wife, Nina Alu, have reportedly sold their 3-bedroom, 5,356 sq. ft. home in Palmetto Bay, Fla. for $1,225,000. The home was bought by Iggy in 2006 for $1,460,000, so he took a loss of about $235k on the sale. Iggy then transferred another of his Florida mansions that he bought in 2016, worth an estimated $4 million, from his trust to him and his wife individually. The singer then transferred the deed for the exclusive Coconut Grove property from him to his wife Nina, for her to own solely. In the court documents, Iggy did not give a reason for his decision to hand over the home to his wife. Iggy Pop and Nina Alu married in 2008 and have no kids. He has a son from a previous relationship. - TheBlast.com, 9/11/18.
The Doors will continue their 50th anniversary celebrations of 2018 with the Sept. 14 release of a deluxe edition of the L.A.-based band's third album, 1968's Waiting For the Sun. Produced and remastered by original Doors engineer Bruce Botnick, the 
Paul Simon released his latest LP, 
Actress Gemma Arterton, known for her roles in Their Finest and The Escape, is attached to play Dusty Springfield in an upcoming biopic of the soul icon called So Much Love. Set in 1968, So Much Love will follow Springfield, a Swinging Sixties icon who became one of the biggest British stars in the U.S., as she journeyed to Memphis, Tenn., to record her career-defining record, Dusty in Memphis, which was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001. It also dramatizes Springfield's destiny-altering encounter with the music of Motown, her stand against Apartheid policies during her aborted South African tour, and her thorny brushes with men in the music industry who were intimidated by both her talent and her insistence on molding perfect performances rather than settling for good ones. Springfield's greatest hits, including "Son of a Preacher Man" and "Just a Little Lovin,'" will feature in the film, set to shoot in the U.S. and the U.K. in spring 2019. - The Hollywood Reporter, 9/6/18...... Queen announced on Sept. 5 that they will release a series of unreleased live recordings from their legendary performance at Live Aid as part of the original soundtrack to Bohemian Rhapsody, the upcoming Queen biopic. The soundtrack contains 22 songs, featuring the Live Aid recordings of "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Radio Ga Ga," "We Are the Champions" and others from the iconic show, in addition to refreshing new takes on old favorites like "We Will Rock You" and "Don't Stop Me Now." Also featured is Queen's unique rendition of the "20th Century Fox Fanfare," along with unreleased live tracks from performances that took place in London, Paris and Rio de Janiero. The 
Joni Mitchell has announced she'll be throwing a 2-day 75th birthday tribute concert on Nov. 6 and 7 at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. On Nov. 7, Mitchell's birthday, there will be a charity birthday dinner at the same venue, with tickets starting at $2,500 and reaching up to $100,000 for purchase. Among Mitchell's fellow iconic musicians scheduled to participate include Emmylou Harris, Norah Jones, Chaka Khan, Diana Krall, Kris Kristofferson, Los Lobos, Graham Nash, Seal and Rufus Wainwright. - Billboard, 9/5/18...... Former Journey singer Steve Perry released his first solo video in 25 years on Sept. 5, ending a near quarter-century drought with a live performance of his soulful track "No More Cryin'," which will be featured on his first solo album in 24 years, 
Barry Manilow was honored with an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal Northern College of Music part way through his Sept. 2 performance at the Manchester Arena, in northern England. "I tell you, something like this just inspires me to keep making make more and more and more music for you. So thanks for this ... thank you so much," Manilow reportedly said. Royal Northern College of Music principal Linda Merrick and the head of the popular music degree program, Andy Stott, were on hand to honor the 75-year-old singer, who Stott described as "one of the world's greatest showmen." Manilow, who has apparently recovered from the ill health which forced him to cancel a handful of Vegas shows in June, also played Birmingham and a three-night stand at London's O2 Arena during his UK tour. - Billboard, 9/4/18...... Guitarist Gene Cornish of the '60s pop band The Rascals reportedly collapsed on stage as The Rascals were performing in Billings, Montana, on Sept. 7. Medical personnel treated Cornish, 74, on stage before he was taken to a hospital. There was no immediate word on his condition. The Rascals are known for their hits "Good Lovin,'" "Groovin'" and "A Beautiful Morning," and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. - AP, 9/8/18...... Guitarist/singer/songwriter Ben Poole has launched the