As the US turned 244 years old on July 4 but remains under quarantine advisory during the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, '70s artists including Pattie LaBelle, John Fogerty, The Temptations, Don McLean, Barry Manilow and Kenny Loggins gave virtual performances during prime time specials on that evening. LaBelle, standing next to the storied Liberty Bell at Philadelphia's Independence National Historical Park, delivered a powerful rendition of the Wizard of Oz classic "Over the Rainbow" during PBS' A Capitol Fourth special, while The Temptations performed such classics as "My Girl" live in the studio, and later Fogerty, backed by his sons and daughter, performed "Centerfield" and "Proud Mary" direct from their home. Meanwhile, CNN's patriotic special The Forth in America featured performances by the likes of McLean, who performed his 1972 classic "American Pie," Manilow and Loggins. - Billboard, 7/5/20...... 
The cable sports network ESPN has announced it will air the Eagles' "Live From The Forum MMXVIII" concert on July 5 at 8:00 p.m. EDT. Joined by special guest artists Vince Gill and late Eagles member Glenn Frey's son Deacon Frey, the L.A.-based rockers performed 26 songs at The Forum on Sept. 12, 14 and 15, 2018. Each of those nights that have now been compiled into a Live From The Forum MMXVIII live album and concert film, which are currently available for pre-order on the Eagles' official website and Rhino.com in conjunction with the ESPN broadcast. The concert, featuring the iconic hits "Hotel California," "Take It Easy," "Life In The Fast Lane," and "Desperado," will be available on Oct. 16 through Rhino in various audio and video formats, such as Blu-ray, CD, vinyl and streaming. - Billboard, 7/1/20...... Neil Young has slammed US Pres. Donald Trump for the president's use of Young's classic numbers "Rockin' in the Free World" and "Like a Hurricane" during Trump's Independence Day celebration at the foot of Mount Rushmore in South Dakota on July 3. "This is NOT ok with me... https://t.co/Q9j9NRPMhi," Young wrote in response to a video of "Rockin' in the Free World" playing in the background at the event. The 74-year-old Canadian born rocker, who became an American citizen earlier in 2020, also responded to a second clip showing "Like a Hurricane" playing, writing, "I stand in solidarity with the Lakota Sioux & this is NOT ok with me." Young has been battling with Trump over the use of "Rockin' in the Free World" for the past five years. Trump, whose campaign purchased a license for the song, first played "Rockin' in the Free World" after announcing his plans to run for president in 2015. In other Neil Young news, the artist has brought back his Fireside Sessions series for a sixth episode, sharing a deeply political new episode. In a video posted on his Neil Young Archives site, Young shared a number of protest songs from across his career, as well as a cover of Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'." During the set, Young performed his Harvest track "Alabama," before sharing a version of his own track "Lookin' For A Leader," editing the lyrics to criticize the President and his reaction to the recent Black Lives Matter protests. "Yeah, we had Barack Obama, and we really need him now," he sung. "The man who stood behind him has to take his place somehow/ America has a leader building walls around our house/ Who don't know Black lives matter, and it's time to vote him out." Neil Young released Homegrown, his long-anticipated "lost album from the mid-1970s, in June. - Billboard/New Musical Express, 7/4/20...... Elton John launched a weekly archival concert series called the "Classic Concert Series," featuring a different archival concert of his every week, on July 3. The series premiered exclusively on the superstar's YouTube channel, kicking off with a Sept. 1976 performance of "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting" at Edinburgh's Playhouse Theatre. The performance has been shared on YouTube as a teaser to the series. Following the July 3 premiere, new archival footage will be shared on the channel every Saturday for six weeks. The series was created in order to raise funds for the Elton John AIDS Foundation, in support of Covid-19 relief efforts. "My Foundation's COVID-19 Emergency Fund helps frontline partners prepare for and respond to the pandemic and its effects on HIV prevention and care for the most marginalized communities," Elton said in a statement. "We cannot jeopardize HIV testing and care during this time or else the results could be disastrous for the 37.5 million people living with HIV. So, I'm really happy to connect this YouTube Concert series to benefit our Foundation's urgent COVID response," he added. - New Musical Express, 7/2/20...... 
In related news, Peter Frampton has launched a new coronavirus-themed T-shirt on his merch store which plays on the title of his classic 1976 live double-album Frampton Comes Alive!. "I'm helping raise money for Second Harvest Food Bank with this fun tee! Available at store.frampton.com - link in stories," Frampton posted on his Instagram feed. The new T-shirt displays a doctored version of the live album's original artwork -- now showing the guitarist wearing a blue face mask -- and bears the words "Frampton Stays Inside!." On the back of the shirt the words "Shelter In Place House Tour 2020" are printed in the style of a normal tour t-shirt, with a monthly schedule of rooms to visit in the home -- February: Living Room, March: Kitchen, April: Laundry Room, May: Backyard -- also included. The rocker was forced to cancel a tour in his native UK and Europe in May due to the coronavirus pandemic. - New Musical Express, 7/1/20...... Willie Nelson presented a virtual edition of his annual "Fourth of July Picnic" on July 4 via his williepicnic.com website, and on luck.stream. The nearly 50-year-old event, in addition to Willie's set, featured performances by Sheryl Crow, Ziggy Marley, Steve Earle and Nelson's fellow Texas-based singers Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keen and Kinky Friedman, from Nelson's Luck Ranch in Spicewood, northwest of Austin, Tex. Meanwhile, the 87-year-old music legend released his 70th album, First Rose of Spring, on July 3. - AP,...... Cher has voiced her support for the U.K.'s live music scene amid calls for the British government to offer financial assistance to industry workers amid the Covid-19 crisis. Cher took to Twitter on July 2 to support the U.K.'s #LetTheMusicPlay campaign, with her warning that the future is "bleak" for hundreds of thousands of workers in the sector, which remains on shutdown during the pandemic. Cher named several British acts, including The Beatles, Elton John, David Bowie and George Michael as some of her favourite musicians, adding her late partner Sonny [Bono] and my career couldn't have happened without UK's Live Music Industry... When no one 'got us' England did." Cher is among more than 1,500 artists, including Rod Stewart, Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Coldplay and Liam Gallagher, who haves signed a joint letter to U.K. Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden calling on the British government to offer financial assistance to industry workers amid the Covid-19 crisis. - Music-News.com, 7/2/20...... 
Ringo Starr has big plans to celebrate his milestone 80th birthday on July 7 with an "all-Starr" broadcast benefit called "Ringo's Big Birthday Show." This year Starr, who traditionally spreads peace and love outside of Capitol Records Tower in Hollywood, Calif. for his birthday, has recruited his fellow surviving Beatles member Paul McCartney along with his All-Starr Band guitarist Joe Walsh, Gary Clark Jr., Sheryl Crow, Sheila E. and Ben Harper for at-home livestream performances, as well as never-before-seen concert footage. Proceeds raised during "Ringo's Big Birthday Show" will benefit the Black Lives Matter Global Network, the David Lynch Foundation, MusiCares and WaterAid. "As everyone knows I love gathering with fans for peace and love on my birthday," Ringo said in a press release. "But this year, I want everyone to be safe at home -- so I called up a few friends and we put this Big Birthday Show together so we could still celebrate my birthday with you all, with some great music for some great charities. I hope you will all join me! Peace and Love, Ringo." The bash will also premiere a guest star version of Starr's "Give More Love" featuring Willie Nelson, Jeff Bridges, Jackson Browne, T Bone Burnett, Elvis Costello, Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle, Peter Frampton, Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald. "Ringo's Big Birthday Show" will air on his YouTube channel at 8:00 p.m. EDT on July 7. An update on the event has been shared on YouTube. - Billboard, 6/30/20...... Bob Dylan has bowed atop Billboard's Top Rock Albums chart for the week of July 4 with his latest album, Rough and Rowdy Ways. The LP moved 53,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending June 25, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. Neil Young's Homegrown has also moved to the No. 3 spot on the same chart, selling 26,000 units. - Billboard, 6/30/20...... In a new interview with BBC Radio 6 Music, Queen drummer Roger Taylor said that his band would still be making music today if Queen frontman Freddie Mercury was still alive. "I do believe that. Me and Freddie -- he was my closest friend and we were very, very close. We came up together and we literally lived in each other's pockets and clothes some of the time! I do believe we would still being doing stuff together because it was a great collaboration. I don't know if [Queen bassist] John Deacon would allow -- of course John wasn't quite mentally suited for it, the other three were," he said, adding "I would like to think we were still doing stuff together, whatever it might be. I think [Queen guitarist] Brian May and I with Adam Lambert, we just loved doing the show, just seemed to get better and better, while we still can do it, we still will do it." - NME, 7/1/20...... 
Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour released "Yes, I Have Ghosts," his first new song in five years, on YouTube on July 3. On the gentle, acoustic number with flourishes of strings, Gilmour sings, "Yes, I have ghosts, not all of them dead/ Making dust of my dreams, spinning round and around, around in my head." "Yes, I Have Ghosts" accompanies the release of Gilmour's wife Holly Samson's audiobook for her coming-of-age novel A Theatre for Dreamers, and features their daughter Romany on vocals. "I am surprised more musicians have not creatively collaborated with authors, narrators and audiobook producers in this way before," Gilmour said in a statement. "The two worlds seem to seamlessly link, and music can really help to bring audiobooks to life in unexpected new ways," he added. "Yes, I Have Ghosts" is Gilmour's first new music since his No. 1 UK and No. 5 UK LP, Rattle that Lock, in 2015. - Billboard, 7/3/20...... Late Americana singer/songwriter John Prine has been named as Illinois' first honorary poet laureate, following his death from coronavirus earlier this year. Announcing the unprecedented honour, on his Twitter account on June 30, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said: "John Prine leaves behind an unparalleled musical legacy and was beloved by family and millions of fans who hope that in Heaven he finds Paradise waitin' just as he longed for." Prine's widow, Fiona Whelan Prine, posted a response to the honor: "It is such an honor for me, our sons, and the entire Prine family to acknowledge that our beloved John will be named an Honorary Poet Laureate of the State of Illinois. Thank you, Gov. Pritzker, for this wonderful recognition." - NME, 7/1/20...... It has been confirmed that late The Pointer Sisters singer Bonnie Pointer died from going into cardiac arrest after her death certificate was made public on July 3. Bonnie Pointer, who co-founded the family group with younger sisters June in 1969, died on June 8 and, in papers obtained by TMZ.com, it's been confirmed she died of a heart attack. The document also indicates that the singer had been suffering from liver disease for about a decade prior to her passing, as well as cirrhosis of the liver. Bonnie left the group in the mid-1970s to pursue a successful solo career with hits like "Heaven Must Have Sent You." She released three albums as a Motown Records artist and found love at the label, marrying executive Jeffrey Bowen. Bonnie is the second Pointer sister to pass away -- June Pointer lost her battle with cancer in 2006. - WENN/Canoe.com, 7/5/20...... Filmmaker/actor Rob Reiner led tributes to his comedy icon father Carl Reiner after the elder Reiner passed away on June 29 from natural causes at the age of 98. "Last night my dad passed away," Rob posted on Twitter on June 30. "As I write this my heart is hurting. He was my guiding light." Rob's tweet came as a host of well-wishes from the likes of Dick Van Dyke, Bette Midler, Alan Alda, George Clooney, William Shatner, John Cusack, Mia Farrow and Sarah Silverman also paid tribute to Carl. - WENN/Canoe.com, 7/1/20...... 
Veteran Emmy-winning TV personality Hugh Downs, whose career stretched back to the birth of television, died at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona, on July 1. He was 99. Mr. Downs' long TV run encompassed both news and entertainment. He hosted NBC's Today show from 1962 to 1971, was late-night host Jack Paar's longtime announcer/sidekick on The Tonight Show, appeared in dozens of commercials and even hosted the daytime quiz show Concentration for over a decade. Mr. Downs was perhaps best known as the co-host of ABCs newsmagazine 20/20, teaming with Barbara Walters, with whom he'd worked at Today. They also co-hosted the short-lived syndicated daytime show Not for Women Only. Mr. Downs began his TV career in 1950 as an announcer for the NBC soap Hawkins Falls and never seemed to stop until he retired in 1999. In 1985, Mr. Downs was certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as holding the record for the most hours on network commercial television (over 15,000) -- a record that stood until it was broken by Regis Philbin in 2004. His wife, Ruth Shaheen Downs, died in 2017 at the age of 95. They were married for 73 years. Mr. Downs is survived by his daughter, Deirdre; his son, Hugh R. "H.R." Downs; two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. - The New York Post, 7/2/20.
After the US Supreme Court struck down a new abortion law in Louisiana on June 29 that banned doctors from performing the procedure unless they had admitting privileges at a nearby hospital, several female stars including Barbra Streisand and Bette Midler reacted on Twitter about the ruling. Streisand referred to the confirmation hearing of the newest justice, Brett Kavanaugh, who told Maine Sen. Susan Collins that he would respect a woman's right to choose, however Kavanaugh cast a dissenting vote on the latest ruling. "Senator Collins that he would respect precedence about a woman's right to choose. He was lying," Streisand wrote. The decision to strike down the Louisana law came after Chief Justice John Roberts sided with liberal justices in the final vote. - Billboard, 6/29/20...... Willie Nelson was among the entertainers participating in a virtual fundraiser for Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden on June 29. Nelson, 87, posted about the event on his Instagram the previous day, tagging #TeamJoe to show his support for the former vice-president in his race against Pres. Donald Trump in November's election. - Billboard, 6/29/20...... 
Elton John's ex-wife Renate Blauel has announced she is seeking an injunction against her former husband after he mentioned her during several sections of his 2018 autobiography Me. It is thought that Blauel and John had agreed on what would be detailed in Me after she reminded him of a non-disclosure agreement signed by the pair after their split in 1988 and their lawyers had reportedly came to an agreement, but now Blauel is now seeking a High Court ruling against the singer in the UK. In Me, Elton wrote that "I'd broken the heart of someone I loved and who loved me unconditionally, someone I couldn't fault in any way. Despite all the pain, there was no acrimony involved at all.... For years afterwards, whenever something happened to me, the press would turn up on her doorstep, looking for her to dish the dirt, and she never, ever has." Blauel's lawyer says his client hopes her current legal action against the pop star can be resolved "amicably." Meanwhile, John has recently participated in a "Project Angel Food" COVID-19 fundraiser in Los Angeles with the likes of Kelly Clarkson, Annie Lennox, CeeLo Green, Billy Idol and others which raised more than $700,000 for the charity. Elton and his husband David Furnish also provided a fundraising message in which they said, "We have always worked to make sure the most vulnerable people in the world are protected and cared for with love and compassion... We have supported Project Angel Food through the (Elton John AIDS) foundation before, and we are proud to support Lead With Love. For those watching from home, Project Angel Food needs your help urgently to keep doing what they do: serve others." Project Angel Food was first launched in 1989 in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and is continuing to serve medically-tailored meals to those with life-threatening illnesses who are shielding during the COVID-19 pandemic. - New Musical Express/Music-News.com, 6/26/20...... The family of Tom Petty shared a previously unreleased home recording of Petty's song "You Don't Know How it Feels" from his 1994 solo album Wildflowers YouTube on June 26. Discovered by one of Petty's daughters as she was going through his archives, the song has slightly different lyrics from the released version, according to a post on Petty's Instagram account. "It shows an insight to Tom's writing process and introduces a line from another favorite Wildflowers track 'Crawling Back To You' stating, 'most things I worry about never happen anyway'," the post reads. "You Don't Know How It Feels," well known for the lyric "Let's get to the point, and let's roll another joint," reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart, and served as the final Top 40 hit of the deceased rocker's illustrious career. - Billboard, 6/29/20...... With his new release Rough and Rowdy Ways, Bob Dylan has become the first artist with a Top 40 album in every decade since the 1960s on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart. Debuting at No. 2 with 53,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending June 25, Rough and Rowdy Ways is Dylan's highest charting album in the US in over a decade, and makes the rock legend the first act to have achieved at least one new top 40-charting album in every decade from the 1960s through the 2020s. Dylan's 2009 LP, Together Through Life, debuted and peaked at No. 1 on the chart for the week of May 16, 2009. It is also Dylan's 23rd Top 10 album and 50th Top 40 set. - Billboard, 6/28/20...... 
Dion Dimucci, a rock & roll pioneer known for such classics as "The Wanderer" and "Runaround Sue," dropped a new solo album, Blues With Friends, on June 5. The album, which features contributions from such stars as Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Van Morrison, Billy Gibbons and Brian Setzer on its 14 original tracks, has debuted atop Billboard's Blues Albums chart, and one of the tracks, "Song for Sam Cooke (Here in America)," has can be streamed on YouTube. DiMucci says that Bruce Springsteen's wife Patti Scialfa arranged the track "Hymn to Him." "She has that soul voice," DiMucci says. "I thought, 'Man, if she does some harmonies with me on this, this is going to be dynamite.' She said, 'Let me try something' and started stacking vocals on it and she captured the sound like the mesmerizing holy spirit. Bruce came into the room and wanted to play a solo and he comes in with his gravitas guitar solo." DiMucci, 80, says he's currently quarantining on a lake in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., with "kids roller-skating with their scooters and their bicycles," and that he's in good health. "I am, yes, thank God. One day at a time. I'm doing the deal, you know, like everybody," he says. - Billboard, 6/25/20...... One week after the family of Tom Petty filed a cease and desist notice to Pres. Donald Trump's campaign after one of his songs was played at a Trump campaign rally in Tulsa, Okla., on June 20, the Rolling Stones have announced they are "taking further steps" to prevent the President from playing their music at his rallies after their 1969 Let It Bleed track "You Can't Always Get What You Want" was also played at the same rally. In a press release on June 27, a rep from the Stones' legal team said it is working with performing rights organization BMI, who notified the president's campaign that the use of their songs is unauthorized and would "constitute a breach of its licensing agreement." Further use "would face a lawsuit for breaking the embargo and playing music that has not been licensed." "This could be the last time Trump uses any Jagger/Richards songs on his campaigns," the statement read. The band has objected to Trump's use of their music since he made use of several of their songs beginning with his 2016 presidental campaign. - Billboard, 6/27/20...... The first episode of a new Lockumentary series by Queen + Adam Lambert was shared on YouTube on June 26. In the five-minute clip, we learn that Queen's crew celebrates Hawaiian Shirt Fridays and can watch soundchecks by Queen's roadies for concerts in Australia, South Korea and Japan. "Every time I'm on tour with Queen I really enjoy it - it's a fun tour to do. They are such lovely people and we have an amazing crew and we are surrounded by a lot of nice people," stage manager Andy Bews says in the clip. "It's a really well-oiled machine. It's a good thing to be a part of." - Billboard, 6/26/20...... 
On June 26, Sammy Hagar took to Facebook to clarify what he meant by the controversial "we all gotta die" coronavirus comments he made in a recent Rolling Stone interview. Hagar, 72, made headlines after speaking to the publication about how he'd feel touring during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which he said: "I'd rather personally get sick and even die, if that's what it takes... There may be a time where we have to sacrifice. I mean, how many people die on the Earth every day? I have no idea. I'm sorry to say it, but we all gotta die, man." Now, "the Red Rocker" has set the record straight on his Facebook page: "I did that interview May 8th when we were already several weeks into the stay-at-home, which my family and I took very seriously, and things were starting to look up, the curve was beginning flattening. So when I was asked if I'd be comfortable enough to get back on stage before a vaccine was out, I was cautiously optimistic. I said, 'Yeah, not too soon. I want to make sure it's not escalating. When it's declining and seems to be going away. Big picture, it's about getting back to work in a safe and responsible way and getting this economy rolling again. I will do my part. I stand by that. I employ 200 people directly and when we tour even more. Like everything today, it's a watch and see over the next few months but we remain cautiously optimistic that with the right improvements and safety measures in place, we might be able to play shows this year. That said, as things change, for the better or worse, we will appropriately adjust our plans." - WENN/Canoe.com, 6/26/20...... On June 26, it was announced that a new live album recorded by David Bowie in 1995 in Dallas, Tex., Ouvrez Le Chien (Live Dallas 95), will be released in July. "Ouvrez Le Chien" -- French for "open the dog" -- was recorded during a performance at the Starplex Amphitheatre in Dallas, Tex., on Oct. 13, 1995. The show was part of Bowie's Outside tour with Nine Inch Nails in support. Ahead of the album's release, "Teenage Wildlife (Live Dallas 95)" from the album has been made available for streaming on Spotify.com. - NME, 6/26/20...... The legendary British blues rock band Savoy Brown has announced it will release Ain't Done Yet, a followup to its 2019 album City Night, on Aug. 28 via Quarto Valley Records. "The new album continues the approach I've been taking with the band this past decade," says founding member and guitarist/singer/songwriter Kim Simmonds, who formed the band in 1965 in London, England, and is one of the longest running blues rock bands in existence. "The big difference with the new album is the multi-layer approach I took to recording the guitar parts. It's all blues-based rock music. I try to find new and progressive ways to write and play the music I've loved since I was a young teenager," he adds. Savoy Brown helped spawn the 1968 UK blues rock boom and through the year has headlined concerts at many prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, the Fillmore East, the Fillmore West, and London's prestigious Royal Albert Hall. - Noble PR, 6/29/20...... 
Rock and soul singer/songwriter Benny Mardones, best known for the 1980s hit "Into the Night", died at his home in Menfee, Calif., on June 29 after a long struggle with Parkinson's disease. He was 73. Born in Cleveland, Oh., Mardones was in the Navy during the Vietnam War and following his discharge became a staff writer for stars like Brenda Lee and Tommy James. Various other credits followed, and in the late '70s Mardones also became a performing artist, opening for folk-rocker Richie Havens on tour in 1977 and releasing his debut album, Thank God For Girls, the year after. Despite contributions from David Bowie sideman Mick Ronson and production from Rolling Stones go-to collaborator Andrew Loog Oldham, the album failed to produce a hit. But Mardones' next effort, 1980's Never Run, Never Hide, spawned what would quickly become his signature song: the mega-ballad "Into the Night." Co-penned with Robert Tepper (later a hitmaker on his own with the Rocky IV anthem "No Easy Way Out"), "Into the Night" was a soaring love song with an absolute wallop of a chorus. Though the opening lines ("She's just 16 years old/ 'Leave her alone,' they said") made many listeners uncomfortable coming from the then-33-year-old Mardones, he would later explain the song was inspired by his platonic relationship with a teenage neighbor of his whose father had left her. (The first line was supposedly meant as a rejoinder to his co-writer, who got a little leery when meeting her for the first time.) Elevated by Mardones' powerhouse vocal performance, "Into the Night" peaked at No. 11 on the pop chart in Sept. of 1980. But issues with his record label Polydor and with his own substance abuse took their toll on the singer-songwriter, who had largely washed out of the music industry within a couple years. In 1989, Mardones re-recorded a version of "Into the Night," influential L.A. radio personality Scott Shannon, put the song back into rotation, and the song became a hit again, reaching No. 20 and becoming one of just a handful of songs in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 to have two separate top 20 runs. In the early '00s, Mardones scored three Top 30 hits, and in 2000 he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. He still performed regularly until the mid-'10s, when his condition started to become more unmanageable, and in 2017, he announced that a performance of "Into the Night" at a New York nightclub would be his final time performing the song. He is survived by his wife Jane, as well as his son Michael and sister Louise. - Billboard, 6/29/20...... 
Milton Glaser, the groundbreaking graphic designer famous for designing the "I Love NY" logo, the "psychedelic hair" poster of Bob Dylan included in one of Dylan's greatest hits albums, and numerous other posters, logos, advertisements and book covers, died on June 26, his 91st birthday, of a stroke and renal failure. The bold "I (HEART) NY" logo -- cleverly using typewriter-style letters as the typeface -- was dreamed up as part of an ad campaign begun in 1977 to boost the state's image when crime and budget troubles dominated the headlines. Mr. Glaser did the design free of charge. Nearly a quarter-century later, just days after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, he revised it, adding a dark scar to the red heart and "more than ever" to the message. His 1966 illustration of Bob Dylan, his face a simple black silhouette but his hair sprouting in a riot of colors in curvilinear fashion, put in graphic form the 1960s philosophy that letting your hair fly free was a way to free your mind. (For him, though, it wasn't a drug-inspired image: He said he borrowed from Marcel Duchamp and Islamic art.) The poster was inserted in Dylan's Greatest Hits album, and made its way into the hands of millions of fans. "It was a new use of the poster -- a giveaway that was supposed to encourage people to buy the album," Mr. Glaser told The New York Times in 2001. "Then it took on a life of its own, showing up in films, magazines, whatever. It did not die, as such forms of ephemera usually do." Mr. Glaser was born in 1929 in the Bronx and studied at New York's Cooper Union art school and in Italy. In 1954, he co-founded the innovative graphic design firm Push Pin Studios with Seymour Chwast and others. He stayed with it 20 years before founding his own firm. The Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum awarded Mr. Glaser a lifetime achievement award in 2004. In 2009, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts. Mr. Glaser's pictorial sense was so profound, and his designs so influential, that his works in later years were preserved by collectors and studied as fine art. "I just like to do everything, and I was always interested in seeing how far I could go in stretching the boundaries," he once said. He is survived by his wife, Shirley Glaser. - AP, 6/28/20...... 
Carl Reiner an American comedy legend who came on the scene as a writer for television pioneer Sid Caesar, partner of Mel Brooks, and creator and co-star of the classic sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show, died at age 98 of natural causes on June 29 at his home in Beverly Hills, Calif. Mr. Reiner's career spanned seven decades and every medium from theater and recordings to television and movies, including directing Oh, God!, three collaborations with Steve Martin and a role as an elderly con man in the revived Ocean's Eleven series. Mr. Reiner was still taking voice roles in his 90s and had a key role in If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast, a documentary about people who keep busy into their 90s. Encouraged by his wife to develop a TV show as his own, Mr. Reiner began work on a sitcom pilot loosely based on his experiences with the Caesar shows, titled Head of the Family, casting himself as a TV writer with a wife and two kids. After network executives were unhappy with Reiner as the lead character, CBS ultimately picked up the series in 1961, after it was recast with Dick Van Dyke and retitled for its new star, The Dick Van Dyke Show. Mr. Reiner, who earned several Emmys writing and producing the hit series, played the recurring role of Petrie's boss, the temperamental variety show host Alan Brady. Besides helping transform its creator and star into household names, The Dick Van Dyke Show launched the career of Mary Tyler Moore, who played Rob Petrie's wife. The series, considered a TV sitcom classic, ended its run in 1966. A reprisal of his Alan Brady role three decades later, for a guest spot on the 1990s sitcom Mad About You, earned Reiner yet another Emmy. Starting in 2001, Mr. Reiner made a big-screen comeback playing elder con artist Saul Bloom in the Oceans Eleven movie series. Mr. Reiner continued to make guest appearances on various shows such as Two and a Half Men and Hot in Cleveland well into his 90s, as well as keeping up a busy Twitter account. A 9-time Emmy winner, he was also the author of four volumes of memoirs, including I Just Remembered, in 2014, as well as children's books. Mr. Reiner is survived by three children, including Rob Reiner, director of several hit movies and known for playing Archie Bunker's son-in-law "Meathead" in the hit TV comedy All in the Family. Mr. Reiner's wife of 64 years, Estelle, died in 2008. - Reuters, 6/30/20.
In a new post on social media on June 23, Stevie Wonder opened up about systemic racism and the failings of Pres. Donald Trump. "This past Friday many of us celebrated Juneteenth," Wonder said about America's national holiday to celebrate the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the US. "I did. And yet, so many others didn't and haven't. As a matter of fact, there are three states that still do not recognize it: North Dakota, South Dakota, and Hawaii. How did it feel to celebrate freedom that we're still fighting for? It felt, and feels, too familiar." After noting that it took 18 years to declare Martin Luther King Jr. Day a holiday, Wonder quoted lyrics from his track "Visions' ("I'm not one who makes believe/I know that leaves are green ) to explain how change can come about. "If life can have an ending, all things can have an ending. Systemic racism can have an ending. Police brutality can have an ending," said Wonder. He also urged Americans to vote for the right candidate in the upcoming Presidential primaries if Trump is stand a chance of defeat at the ballot box come November. "I've heard the person in the highest place of this nation say there are fine people on both sides. That sounds noncommittal to me," Wonder noted. - New Musical Express, 6/24/20...... Surfaces, a rising pop duo, has unveiled a new collaboration with Elton John titled "Learn to Fly" on 
Former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters has recorded a socially distanced take on Pink Floyd's "Two Suns in the Sunset," the closing track from the band's 1983 album The Final Cut, and posted the clip on 
The family of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Tom Petty filed a cease and desist notice to Pres. Donald Trump's campaign after one of his songs, "I Won't Back Down," was played at the President's campaign rally in Tulsa, Okla., on June 20. In a statement issued on social media shortly after the rally, Petty's estate and rights holders -- daughters Adria and Annakim, ex-wife Jane, and widow Dana, issued a joint statement saying that Trump "was in no way authorized to use this song to further a campaign that leaves too many Americans and common sense behind." The Petty family also expained that Pres. Trump's beliefs were far out of line from the late musician's. "Tom wrote this song for the underdog, for the common man and for EVERYONE," the family wrote. "We want to make it clear that we believe everyone is free to vote as they like, think as they like, but the Petty family doesn't stand for this. We believe in America and we believe in democracy. But Donald Trump is not representing the noble ideals of either. We would hate for fans that are marginalized by this administration to think we were complicit in this usage." Numerous other artists, including R.E.M., Guns N' Roses, The Rolling Stones, Steven Tyler and Rihanna, have previously called out the President for using their music without permission. - Billboard, 6/21/20...... Emily Eavis, organiser of the legendary Glastonbury festival in the UK, says she's planning to combine two festival line-ups for next year's Glastonbury and is "hoping" that Paul McCartney will return in 2021 for the festival's 50th anniversary celebration, which was postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. "Logistically, it's a little bit complicated, because we'd already planned quite a few acts for 2021. It was one of those unusual years where you're quite far ahead on the line-up. So we're trying to work out how much we can fit in to next year," Eavis told BBC 6 Music. The festival's edition 2020 edition was set to kick off on June 24 with McCartney among the confirmed headliners, but was cancelled as a direct result of coronavirus. - New Musical Express, 6/25/20...... Michael Jackson's daughter Paris Jackson has shared unseen footage of her father Michael, as well as debuting her own music for the first time. The new footage comes as part of a trailer for Paris's new reality series Unfiltered: Paris Jackson and Gabriel Glenn, which is set to debut via Facebook Watch on June 30. Alongside the trailer on 
Britain's Royal Mail has announced that Queen will appear on the face of 13 postage stamps featuring eight of their album covers beginning on July 9. In addition to the album covers -- 1974's Queen II and Sheer Heart Attack, 1975's A Night at the Opera, 1977's News of the World, 1980's The Game, 1981's Greatest Hits, 1984's The Works and 1991's Innuendo -- the stamps will feature four live group shots and a classic group photo. "It's hard to put into words what I feel when looking at these beautiful stamps, Queen guitarist Brian May said in a press release. "Since we four precocious boys started out on our quest 50 years ago, our lives have been devoted to making our impossible dream come true. Sometimes it's strange to wake up and realise the position in which we are now held -- we have become a national institution!" Queen drummer Roger Taylor echoed May's sentiments: "We must be really part of the furniture now! Thanks Royal Mail for stamping on us! In gratitude." The stamps are available to pre-order now through Royal Mail's website in a variety of different collections. "The Presentation Pack," which includes the entire set of 13, will cost £16. - New Musical Express, 6/23/20...... In related news, Aussie headbangers AC/DC have authorized for of their album covers -- 1976's High Voltage, 1981's For Those About to Rock, 1987's Blow Up Your Video and 1995's Ballbreaker -- for release as 500-piece jigsaw puzzles. The puzzles will be released on Sept. 4 via the company Zee Productions' "Rock Saw" series and can be ordered on the 
There may never be another Johnny Carson to dominate the late night talk show field, but as CNN's new 6-part series The Story of Late Night reminds us, there will always be a place for after-hours conversation and comedy. Airing over six Sundays beginning June 28 at 9:00 EDT (barring breaking news), the series traces a trajectory that began with Steve Allen and matured with the prickly intelligence of his successor, Jack Paar. Famous feuds (Jay Leno vs. David Letterman, Leno vs. Conan O'Brien) reveal how much drama lurks withing these lucrative laugh factories. Although today's practioners walk a more precarious tightrope of humor in these politically polarized times, going to bed without them is unthinkable. - TV Guide, 6/22/20...... Director Joel Schumacher, best known for helming such hits as St. Elmo's Fire, The Lost Boys and Falling Down as well as two Batman films, died on New York City on June 22 after a year-long battle with cancer. He was 80. The costume designer-turned-director brought his fashion background to directing a run of stylish films throughout the 1980s and 1990s that were not always critically acclaimed, but continue to be well-loved by audiences for capturing the feel of the era. Mr. Schumacher was handed the reins of the Batman franchise when Tim Burton exited Warner Bros.' Caped Crusader series after two enormously successful films. The first movie by Mr. Schumacher, Batman Forever, starring Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey and Nicole Kidman, grossed more than $300 million worldwide. - Variety.com, 6/23/20.
A new version of Aretha Franklin's "Never Gonna Break My Faith" was shared on Juneteenth holiday (June 19), which celebrates the day in 1865 that all enslaved black people in the United States learned they had been freed from bondage. Sony's RCA Records, RCA Inspiration and Legacy Recordings released the song to 
On June 19, Bob Dylan broke an 8-year-long drought of new material with the release of his latest album, 
Premium cable channel HBO announced on June 17 that it will present a filmed version of former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne's acclaimed Broadway show "American Utopia" which will be directed by Spike Lee. "David Byrne's American Utopia is a uniquely transformative experience and a perfect example of how entertainment can bring us together during these challenging times," said HBO Programming executive vp Nina Rosenstein said in a statement. "Spike's brilliant direction adds a level of intimacy to this powerful performance, and we're so thrilled to share this groundbreaking show with our audience." The show features Byrne and 11 musical artists from around the world performing songs from the 2018 album of the same title, as well as songs from the Talking Heads and Byrne's solo catalog. "American Utopia" ran from Oct. 2019 to Feb. 2020, earning rave reviews, with The Hollywood Reporter calling it "pure bliss." The filmed American Utopia is set to premiere sometime later in 2020, with a specific date to be announced. - The Hollywood Reporter, 6/17/20...... An "angel cloud" guitar used by Prince on his Purple Rain tour fetched over £450,000 ($563,000) at a Juliens auction on June 19. The custom electric blue instrument was one of four "cloud" guitars used between 1984 and 1985 in support of the "When Doves Cry" hitmaker's seminal sixth studio album. The guitar was thought to be lost when it disappeared in the '90s until it was found in 2019. The owner was given it by Prince but was not aware of its exact history. A vintage Yamaha DX7 synthesizer used by Prince on his Purple Rain album is also being auctioned on the RR Auction website. - New Musical Express, 6/20/20...... Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl and Arcade Fire will perform as part of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band live-stream on June 20 beginning at 8 pm EST (1am BST), taking their "Midnight Preserves" festival jam sessions online in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The group will host a live-stream from their respective homes and are set to be joined by a number of special guests. McCartney, Grohl and Arcade Fire appeared alongside Elvis Costello, Dave Matthews, Beck, My Morning Jacket's Jim James, Nathaniel Rateliff and more. Fans can tune in on YouTube, Twitch, or Facebook. Some performances will be pre-recorded. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band was founded in 1961 as a way to promote New Orleans jazz. They often hold their own 'Midnight Preserves' sessions at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which sees them joined by a host of special guests. - New Musical Express, 6/19/20...... Production on director Baz Lurhmann's Elvis Presley biopic, featuring Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker, is expected to restart in Australia soon after it halted when the star and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for COVID-19. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said in a press conference on June 18 she had met with Luhrmann to discuss the production's return, set to film at the Village Roadshow Studios on the Gold Coast. "We want to ensure that this can happen as soon as possible while making sure that the cast and crew can operate safely," Palaszcuk said. Her comments refer to new guidelines in Australia, which require all film and television productions to draw up their own "COVID-Safe Risk Mitigation Program." The currently untitled biopic, with Austin Butler in the lead role, will chart Presley's rise to fame and examine his relationship with Parker. According to Warner Bros, the story will be set "against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and the loss of innocence in America." - NME, 6/18/20...... Fleetwood Mac announced on June 18 that it is reissuing its 1969 album 
A new biopic about late Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister is reportedly in the works. Kilmister's early, pre-Motörhead life as a Jimi Hendrix roadie as well as his time in Hawkwind will be explored in a film called Lemmy, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The project is set to be helmed by Greg Olliver, who directed a 2010 documentary of the same name. "We've been carefully developing this biopic since 2013, making sure to stay true to Lemmy, Motörhead band members Phil Campbell and Mikkey Dee, and all the other folks that played important roles in Lemmy's life," Olliver said in a statement. Lemmy, whose real name was Ian Fraser Kilmister, passed away in Dec. 2015 at the age of 70. Meanwhile, the surviving members of Motrhead recently marked the 40th anniversary of their landmark album Ace Of Spades with a day of special celebrations. - NME, 6/16/20...... Judges at South Carolina's Supreme Court have ruled James Brown's final partner is not entitled to a share of his fortune because their marriage was not legally binding. Tomi Rae Hynie has been fighting for a cut of the Godfather of Soul's estate ever since his death on Christmas Day in 2006, even though it was his dying wish to leave nearly all of his assets to bosses at a children's education foundation to fund scholarships. Hynie, who had a son with Brown, maintained their 2001 nuptials were legal, even though she was still married to another man at the time. The South Carolina judge overseeing the estate battle previously decided she was the star's legal wife as her ex-husband had committed bigamy, therefore voiding the union and paving the way for her to lay claim to a chunk of the musician's riches, previously estimated to be around US $100 million. However, on June 17 Supreme Court justices issued a unanimous verdict, declaring Hynie has no right to the soul icon's money, because she failed to annul her previous marriage. "The ongoing litigation since Brown's passing has thwarted his expressed wish that his estate be used for educational purposes... a point we find both extraordinary and lamentable," the judges wrote in their ruling. The current value of Brown's estate is unknown, but finances are believed to have taken a huge hit as a result of the long-running legal drama. - WENN/Canoe.com, 6/18/20...... Former Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon (Johnny Rotten) is currently caring for his wife Nora Forster full-time as the 78-year-old battles Alzheimer's disease. Lydon, 64, married the German heiress in 1979, and first revealed she was suffering from dementia last year. In an intervew with Britain's Daily Mirror, Lydon said he is now caring for his wife full-time, as he feels love is the best way to care for her. "Nora has Alzheimer's... I am her full-time carer and I won't let anyone mess up with her head," the rocker explained. "For me the real person is still there. That person I love is still there every minute of every day and that is my life. It's unfortunate that she forgets things, well, don't we all?" Detailing her condition, he added: "I suppose her condition is one of like a permanent hangover for her. It gets worse and worse, bits of the brain store less and less memory and then suddenly some bits completely vanish." - WENN/Canoe.com, 6/8/20...... Actor Danny Masterson, best known for his role on 
British entertainment legend Dame Vera Lynn, who helped raise morale during the Second World War with such songs as "We'll Meet Again" and "The White Cliffs of Dover," has died at the age of 103, her family announced on June 18. "The family are deeply saddened to announce the passing of one of Britain's best-loved entertainers at the age of 103," they said in a statement. Dame Lynn earned the nickname "the Forces' Sweetheart" during the war for her regular visits to troops on the front line, while she also performed in countries such as India and Egypt as part of the Entertainments National Service Association. "We'll Meet Again" re-entered the UK charts in May as the song enjoyed a resurgence in popularity as part of the 75th anniversary celebrations of VE Day, while its enduring message of resilience also spoke to many people during the coronavirus lockdown. The singer, songwriter and actress also became the oldest singer to score a UK top 40 album last month when her greatest hits collection 100 re-entered the UK albums chart, beating the record she previously set back in 2017. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was among those to pay tribute to Lynn, saying her "charm and magical voice entranced and uplifted our country in some of our darkest hours." "Her voice will live on to lift the hearts of generations to come," he said. - New Musical Express, 6/18/20.
In other Beatles-related news, Penny Lane in Liverpool is in danger of being renamed if links to slavery are discovered, the city's regional mayor says. Road signs at Penny Lane were vandalized earlier in June after it was claimed the location was named after the notorious 18th century slave trader James Penny. The mayor says the naming "needs to be investigated" and "I would say that sign and that road may well be in danger of being renamed," although he added there is no hard evidence that is the fact. The mayor said the road could instead have been associated with a toll that was once paid in pennies to cross the road. Meanwhile, the release of the Peter Jackson-directed documentary The Beatles: Get Back has been delayed for one year by its distributor Disney. On June 12, Disney announced Get Back will now arrive on Aug. 27, 2021 instead of its original scheduled date of Sept. 4. In still more Beatles news, a recording of a 1962 jam session by the Beatles at London's Abbey Road studios is at the center of a $6.3 million court battle that is set to begin on June 16. Songs recorded on the demo at the Beatles' very first Abbey Road session are believed to include their early hit "Love Me Do," and the tape was discovered in late Beatles sound engineer Geoff Emerick's home in a safe, after Emerick was ordered to destroy the tapes by EMI who deemed the recording to not be of good enough quality to be released. Emerick's estate is arguing that they are entitled to the recording under a "Finders Law," but Universal Music, which bought EMI in 2012, counter that law does not count in this case since Emerick was told he should destroy the recording by EMI. - Variety/WENN/Canoe.com, 6/12/20...... Jackson Browne was among the headliners at a virtual charity concert for Los Angeles' Saban Community Clinic on June 14. The clinic has supported L.A.'s low income residents and the homeless population since 1967 when it opened as the Los Angeles Free Clinic. Usually held in November, the gala was moved to June to raise money to fight the spread of COVID, which is taking a toll on areas of the homeless population. - Billboard, 6/12/20...... Carlos Santana has been tapped to deliever the 2020 commencement address at UCLA's Herb Alpert School of Music on June 19. In a statement, Santana said he feels "honored to be speaking to young musicians and a new generation of music scholars" and that "the class of 2020 is resilient and their voices are needed now more than ever... I want them to use their music as a platform to empower and unite as we seek justice and creative solutions during these challenging times." - Billboard, 6/9/20...... Growth Rings, a short film narrated and co-written by legendary late Rush drummer Neil Peart, has been shared on 
On June 12, Bob Dylan revealed the tracklist of his forthcoming new studio album, 
In a new interview with a UK TV program, Ted Nugent explained why he loves Pres. Donald Trump, why "hard-earned tax dollars shouldn't be used for abortions," and called the director of the FBI "the biggest punk-ass crook in America." "Donald Trump was sent here by God," the outspoken conservative musician told LondonRealTV. "Because man was not created to live under the control of kings and emperors and tyrants.... They think they have authority over free people, and they're wrong... Donald Trump was sent here to prove that we the people identify the negativity of the status quo..." Nugent continued: "The taxation without representation, the refusal to be accountable with our hard-earned tax dollars, the open and glaring examples of giving it to Planned Parenthood. It's to pay for people's abortions that we don't believe in. If you want an abortion, buy one, but don't charge me." Nugent went on to call a few US government officials out, including CIA director John Brennan and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, who have been critical of Trump recently. "They're liars and scammers and criminal punks," Nugent scoffed. He closed by saying "So we said, F--- you. I like this Donald Trump s----kicker. Let's put him in charge. Let him manage it like a business. That's what life is -- it's a business." - New Musical Express, 6/13/20...... Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour is set to release "Yes I Have Ghosts," his first new song in five years, as part of a new audiobook by his best-selling author wife Polly Samson. Gilmour and Samson collaborated for the audiobook version of Samson's 
Ozzy Osbourne's wife Sharon Osbourne says she "feels free" after deciding to ditch her famous red locks in February for a new platinum grey look. Osbourne says she decided to make the change when she realized she resented having her hair colored every week. "It'd just bleed. On my collars. On my pillow cases. Everywhere. And when you'd wash and dry it, it'd be a different shade of red," Sharon told People magazine. "I was really resenting being tied by a color of hair. But, when you dye your hair red, it's really hard to get the color out." So Sharon seeked out hair stylist Jack Martin, who working his magic on her formerly red hair, and after an eight-hour session, the transformation was complete. "I would pass a mirror and be like, 'Who is that? Oh, it's me!'," she laughed, adding she appreciates how simple it is to upkeep her new hair. "I love the freedom it has given me. I've got nothing to prove. It's not like I'm trying to look younger, I'm just trying to look my best." - Music-News.com, 6/7/20...... Singer Bobby Lewis, best known for the No. 1 1961 hit "Tossin' & Turnin'," died on Apr. 28 after contracting pneumonia, it was formally announced on June 13 by his granddaughter Sabreen LaRae Simmons on Facebook. He was 95. The R&B rave-up "Tossin' & Turnin'" with its restless lyrics of insomnia, exploded commercially in 1961, staying at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart for seven weeks. "Tossin' & Turnin'" also endured in the cultural memory in large part due to its prominent use in two hit comedy movies of the 1970s, American Graffiti (1973) and Animal House (1978). The song has also been covered by acts ranging from the the girl groups The Marvelettes and The Supremes to rockers Peter Criss and Joan Jett. Mr. Lewis, who scored one more Top 10 hit, "One Track Mind," continued to play live will into his 80s, though vision problems made performing a challenge. The Indianapolis-born Mr. Lewis spent the last four decades of his life in New Jersey, with his final years spent in a Newark healthcare center. He is survived by three children and 11 grandchildren. - Billboard, 6/13/20.
Paul McCartney took to social media on June 5 to share an encouraging message on the fight for social justice as protests over the death of George Floyd continue around the United States and other countries. "I know many of us want to know just what we can be doing to help. None of us have all the answers and there is no quick fix but we need change," Sir Paul posted on his 
Meanwhile, '70s disco greats The Village People are ordering Pres. Trump to stop playing a couple of their biggest hits, 
Elvis Costello has shared a new song called "No Flag" on 
Bonnie Pointer, a founding member of the legendary Motown group The Pointer Sisters, died on June 8 after experiencing cardiac arrest. She was 69. "It is with great sadness that I have to announce to the fans of The Pointer Sisters that my sister, Bonnie died this morning," Anita Pointer said in a statement. "Our family is devastated, on behalf of my siblings and I and the entire Pointer family, we ask for your prayers at this time." Bonnie and June Pointer, who grew up singing gospel music in West Oakland, Calif., started their eponymous group in the late '60s, first performing as Pointers, A Pair. By 1972, both Anita and Ruth Pointer had also joined the fold, bringing the sibling group to a quartet. With a unique sound that blended jazz, soul, funk, rock and country, the group signed to Blue Thumb Records and released their self-titled debut album in 1973. The Pointer Sisters rose to No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 200 and spawned a pair of hits, the Allen Toussaint-penned "Yes We Can" (No. 11) and "Wang Dang Doodle" (No. 61). The group's 1974 sophomore effort spawned another top 20 hit in the country ballad "Fairytale" (penned by Bonnie and Anita and later covered by Elvis Presley), which also won the quartet their first Grammy, for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. Their third LP, Steppin' spawned their third Hot 100 top 20 hit (and first R&B Songs No. 1) "How Long (Betcha' Got a Chick on the Side)." In 1977, Bonnie left the group (along with June, who shortly rejoined) to start a solo career, signing with Motown -- where she met in-house producer and future husband Jeffrey Bowen, who she was married to from 1978 until the mid-'10s -- and scored a disco crossover hit in 1979 with the rapturous, No. 11-peaking The Elgins cover "Heaven Must Have Sent You," off her self-titled debut LP. Bonnie's solo success slowed down as the decade turned to the '80s, while the refortified Pointer Sisters experienced some of their biggest pop hits, but she still notched six entries on the Top R&B Songs chart between 1979 and 1985, and rejoined her sisters twice in the '90s -- when they received their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1994, and for a Las Vegas live performance of '80s Pointer Sisters hit "Jump (For My Love) in 1996. Her fourth and final solo album, Like a Picasso, was released in 2011. "Bonnie was my best friend and we talked every day, we never had a fight in our life," Anita Pointer told TMZ.com of her sister. "I already miss her and I will see her again one day." - Billboard, 6/8/20.