Posted by Administrator on September 8th, 2023
'70s pop/rock star Gary Wright, best known for his 1976 soft rock hits "Dream Weaver" and "Love is Alive," died on Sept. 4 at his Palos Verdes Estates home in California after battling Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia for the past six years. He was 80. Mr. Wright's son Justin Wright said he dad was diagnosed with Parkinson's six or seven years ago before also receiving a dementia diagnosis. "He managed it fairly well for a while. But a few years ago, he needed professional help and home-care nurses and eventually 24-hour care," Justin told Rolling Stone. Born on April 26, 1943 in Cresskill, N.J., Mr. Wright began his career as a child actor in shows that included Captain Video and His Video Rangers before joining the Broadway cast of "Fanny" in 1954. After briefly considering medical school, Mr. Wright moved to England in the late 1960s, where he co-founded the blues-rock band Spooky Tooth with four English musicians. After three albums with the band, Mr. Wright struck out on his own and releasing two solo albums on A&M Records, Extraction (1970) and Footprint (1971) before signing to Warner Bros. Records for what would be his breakthrough third solo effort. The Dream Weaver, released in the summer of 1975, peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 album charts in Apr. 1976, with the "yacht rock" classic title track peaking at No. 2 on the hit parade. At the time, Mr. Wright, who played the Hammond Organ, clavinet, Moog synthesizers, Fender Rhodes and several other keyboards on the album -- in addition to arranging and producing the collection -- boasted that it was "one of the first all-keyboard albums." It also featured drums from session veterans Jim Keltner and Sly and the Family Stone's Andy Newmark as well as guitar on "Power of Love" from Montrose axman Ronnie Montrose. The ethereal "Dream Weaver" became one of Mr. Wright's most beloved songs and a frequent go-to Hollywood soundtrack cut in films including Wayne's World (for which Mr. Wright re-recorded the song), Toy Story 3, Ice Age: Collision Course and The People vs. Larry Flynt, as well as the TV series Glee and Superstore. Mr. Wright also dipped his toe into film soundtrack composition for the movies Endangered Species (1982) and Fire and Ice (1986). Following the chart success of The Dream Weaver, Mr. Wright released a string of solo albums throughout the 1970s and early 1980s to diminishing sales, including 1977's The Light of Smiles (No. 172) and Touch and Gone (No. 117), 1979's Headin' Home (No. 147) and 1981's The Right Place (No. 79). 
In addition to "Dream Weaver" and that album's other silky pop hit, "Love Is Alive" (No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100), Mr. Wright's other singles chart successes included 1976's "Made to Love You" (No. 79), "Phantom Writer" (1977, No. 43), "Touch and Gone" (1978, No. 73) and 1981's "Really Wanna Know You" (No. 16). Mr. Wright also played keyboards on late Beatle George Harrison's 1970 solo triple-disc album All Things Must Pass -- cementing a friendship that lasted until Harrison's death in 2001 -- and sat in on sessions for album by everyone from B.B. King to Ringo Starr, Harry Nilsson and Jerry Lee Lewis. He also performed with a reunited Spooky Tooth in the early 2000s, as well as with Starr's All-Starr Band and continued to release new music as recently as his final solo album, 2010's Connected. Over the years, Mr. Wright's compositions also found their way into a number of hip-hop songs, including samples of "Love Is Alive" on songs by Raekwon and 3rd Bass, Spooky Tooth's "The Mirror" on songs by Fivio Foreign and Atmosphere, "More Than a Heartache" (Nas) and "Heartbeat" (Jay-Z). In addition to son Justin, Mr. Wright is also survived by his wife Rose -- whom he married in 1985 -- and their daughter Dorian. Tributes from the music world have poured in, with "On and On" singer Stephen Bishop posting on X/Twitter of the "great sadness" he felt at Gary's passing and noting that he will "always cherish" the kindness shown to him by his fellow musician." - Billboard, 9/5/23.
On Sept. 8 Columbia/Legacy announced two new Barbra Streisand albums will be released in the weeks ahead of the Grammy-winning singer's new memoir, My Name is Barbra. Evergreens: Celebrating Six Decades on Columbia Records and Yentl: 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition will be released on CD an digitally on Oct. 27. Evergreens has been personally curated by Streisand, and none of its 22 songs have appeared on previous compilations. "[The songs] were chosen by Barbra to convey her emotional connection to these melodies and lyrics -- each holding a special place in her heart and memory," according to a press release. Yentl will feature 11 demo versions of songs written for the movie, recordings that Streisand made in her living room with the late, legendary composer Michael Legrand on piano as her only accompaniment. The original Yentl soundtrack was a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart. Streisand's autobiography, My Name is Barbra, is due on Nov. 7. - Billboard, 9/8/23...... 
Bruce Springsteen posted to Instagram on Sept. 6 that he's postponing all his September concerts as he's treated for symptoms of peptic ulcer disease. "Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band have postponed all performances currently scheduled for September 2023, beginning with tomorrow's show scheduled for the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, NY," the statement reads. "Mr. Springsteen is being treated for symptoms of peptic ulcer disease and the decision of his medical advisors is that he should postpone the remainder of his September shows." Springsteen and The E Street Band had nine dates scheduled in September, starting with a Sept. 7 show in Syracuse, N.Y., and wrapping Sept. 29 at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. Caused by an imbalance in the protective lining of the stomach, peptic ulcer disease symptoms include pain or discomfort in the upper part of your abdomen, feeling uncomfortably full after eating a meal, nausea and vomiting. - Billboard, 9/6/23...... Award-winning pop songwriter Diane Warren, who is also a devoted animal welfare activist, will receive the Sam Simon Award in honor of her animal activism on Oct. 14 at Last Chance for Animals' annual fundraising gala at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. The Beverly Hilton is also the site of the annual Golden Globes awards ceremony, where Warren has picked up two awards for best original song -- for "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me" from Burlesque (2010) and "Io's (Seen)" from The Life Ahead (2020). Her many other awards include a Grammy, a Primetime Emmy and an honorary Oscar. - Billboard, 9/6/23...... The Rolling Stones unveiled details of their new LP Hackney Diamonds during a presser in London on Sept. 6. Hackney Diamonds, the group's 24th studio album, will be released Oct. 20, and band principles Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood announced at an invite-only launch event at London's historic Hackney Empire theatre. Hosted by The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon and streamed globally on YouTube, the press conference culminated in the premiere of the band's new single "Angry" -- a classic Stones-style rock tune built around a funky guitar riff, catchy chorus and Jagger's instantly recognizable yelped vocals -- and its accompanying video starring Emmy-nominated actress Sydney Sweeney (The White Lotus, Euphoria), who was at the launch. The full press launch can be viewed on YouTube. Talking about the 12-track record, which features two songs the band recorded with late co-founding drummer Charlie Watts in 2019, Richards paid tribute to his former band mate, who died in 2021 aged 80. "Ever since Charlie's gone, it's been different. He's number four. Of course, he's missed, incredibly," said Richards. Richards said that Watts had personally recommended drummer Steve Jordan -- who toured with the band last year and plays on 10 tracks on Hackney Diamonds -- "way, way back" to replace him if ever "anything should happen to him." "So, it was kind of a natural progression. It would have been a lot harder without Charlie's blessing," Richards told Fallon. Two of Hackney Diamonds' tracks -- "Live By the Sword" and "Mess It Up" -- were recorded in 2019 and feature Watts on drums, it was revealed during the press conferrence. Asked how the album got its name, Richards said: "It got called 'Hackney Diamonds' because we were flinging ideas around for titles, and we went from 'Hit And Run' [to] 'Smash And Grab'. And somehow, between that, we came up with 'Hackney Diamonds' which is like a variation of both. Also, it's a London band." Fallon went on to ask whether 'Hackney Diamonds' was "a type of slang," to which Jagger replied: "Yeah, it's like when you get your windscreen broken on Saturday night in Hackney, and all the bits go on the street that's 'Hackney Diamonds'." According to a press release from the Rolling Stones' label Universal Music Group/Geffen, Hackney Diamonds was recorded in various locations around the world, including Los Angeles' Henson Recording Studios, London's Metropolis Studios and New York's Electric Lady Studios and The Hit Factory/Germano Studios. - Billboard, 9/6/23...... Diana Ross was on hand at the Sept. 4 stop of Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour in Los Angeles to help wish the singing sensation celebrate her 42nd birthday. The 79-year-old Motown legend first appeared onstage in front of 60,000 screaming fans during one of the Renaissance World Tour's regularly scheduled intermissions, which features Ross' 1976 smash "Love Hangover" as an interlude between songs. Usually, it's Bey's backup singers who perform the transition -- but this time, Ross herself was on hand to do the honors. Afterward, Beyoncé ran onstage to give the "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" vocalist a tearful hug. Then, encouraging fans to hold up their phone flashlights, Ross led the crowd at SoFi Stadium in singing "Happy Birthday" to the pop star. Among the 60,000 "Happy Birthday" singers were stars such as Adele, Justin Bieber, Lizzo, Katy Perry, Normani, Brandy, Chris Rock and Kim Kardashian. - Billboard, 9/5/23...... 
The prized Yamaha baby grand piano owned by Freddie Mercury on which he composed Queen's enduring hit "Bohemian Rhapsody" and several other classic hits sold for more than $2 million on Sept. 6 in an auction conducted by Sotheby's. Other items belonging to Mercury, who died of AIDS-related pneumonia in 1991 at 45, were also sold with some breaking records in their category. Mercury's hand-written lyrics to "Bohemian Rhapsody" fetched about £1.4 million ($1.7 million) and a gold Cartier brooch saying "Queen number 1" given to each band member by their manager after the song topped the charts, sold for £165,000 ($208,000). A Victorian-style silver snake bangle Mercury wore with an ivory satin catsuit in a video for the song -- long before the days of MTV -- set a record for the highest price ever paid at auction for a piece of jewelry owned by a rock star, Sotheby's said. The bracelet went for £698,500 ($881,000) -- 100 times its estimated low price. The item broke a record set when John Lennon's leather and bead talisman sold for £295,000 ($368,000) in 2008, Sotheby's said. Other items that were treasured by fans were Mercury's draft lyrics to "Somebody to Love" (£241,000; $304,000), and "Don't Stop Me Now" and "We Are the Champions," which both fetched the same final prices: £317,500; $400,700. Mercury's close friend, Mary Austin, to whom he left his house and his possessions when he died of AIDS-related pneumonia in 1991 at 45, is liquidating all of the items left to her by the late rock star -- more than 1,400 items. A mere 59 items of that "clutter" sold for £12.2 million ($15.4 million), including a buyer's premium, that blew away estimates in the four-and-a-half hour auction. Bidders from 61 countries took part in person, online and by phone. - AP, 9/6/23...... In other Queen-related news, guitarist Brian May has told the UK tabloid The Daily Star that he believes by 2024 the entire structure of the industry will be "completely different" as artificial intelligence could mean that this year is the last one that the music scene will be "dominated" by human beings. "I think by this time next year the landscape will be completely different," May, 76, said. "We won't know which way is up. We won't know what's been created by Al and what's been created by humans. Everything is going to get very blurred and very confusing, and I think we might look back on 2023 as the last year when humans really dominated the music scene. I really think it could be that serious, and that doesn't fill me with joy. It makes me feel apprehensive." May went on to add that there is an "incredibly huge potential" for AI to do "evil" within the world and thinks it could ultimately lead to global domination and death if it becomes involved in the real of politics. "The potential for Al to cause evil is, obviously, incredibly huge -- not just in music but people can die if Al gets involved in politics and world domination for various nations," he stated. - Music-News.com, 9/5/23...... Veteran pop songstress Dionne Warwick has said she wants a word with "young man" Elon Musk following the changes he has made to Twitter (now known as X). Speaking to People, the 82-year-old Grammy-winner shared her annoyance with the radical stream of changes being implemented by the new owner, and said she'd like to meet with Musk to ask about his logic behind some of the changes. "I have yet to speak to that young man and I intend to because I am not quite sure what he's doing or if he knows what he's doing," Warwick told the magazine when asked about her thoughts on Musk. "So until that happens, I'll reserve my answer to that question." The decisions to change the app have included the removal of the verification stamp on accounts, which are now only issued to those willing to pay for a subscription, and the overhaul rebranding of the platform -- changing both the name and logo from "Twitter" to "X." Another controversial change, unveiled in August, was removing the "block" feature from X, leaving users forced to use the mute button instead. Also during the interview, Warwick said she had no interest in using artificial intelligence (AI) to duet with some of her late friends, which includes Michael Jackson. "No. I wouldn't," she said. A 19-date fall Dionne Warwick tour is set to launch on Oct. 20 in Kansas City, and run through Feb. 17, 2024. - New Musical Express, 9/6/23...... Speaking at press conference at the Venice Film Festival for the premiere of Sofia Coppola's new Priscilla Presley biopic Priscilla on Sept. 6, the ex-wife of Elvis Presley insisted that she "never had sex" with Elvis when the pair first met when she was 14 and Elvis was 24. Priscilla said Presley never took advantage of her, despite their age gap of 10 years when they first met. "It was very difficult for my parents to understand that Elvis would be so interested in me and why," she said. "And I really do think [it was] because I was more of a listener. Elvis would pour his heart out to me in every way in Germany: his fears, his hopes, the loss of his mother -- which he never, ever got over. And I was the person who really, really sat there to listen and to comfort him. That was really our connection." She continued: "Even though I was 14, I was actually a little bit older in life -- not in numbers. That was the attraction. People think, 'Oh, it was sex.' No, it wasn't. I never had sex with him. He was very kind, very soft, very loving, but he also respected the fact I was only 14 years old. We were more in line in thought, and that was our relationship." The couple wed in 1967, separated in 1972 and divorced the following year. Priscilla is based on Priscilla's 1985 biography, Elvis And Me, and stars American actress Cailee Spaeny (Pacific Rim Uprising, Bad Times at the El Royale) as the titular character, while Jacob Elordi (The Kissing Booth, Euphoria) plays Elvis. It is set to premiere in the US on Nov. 3 and in the UK on Jan. 1. - NME, 9/6/23...... 
Ozzy Osbourne and the members of his clan are set to revive their The Osbournes podcast on Sept. 12, after a five-year hiatus. The second season is the follow-up to 2018's first season and will consist of 20 episodes and be available in video and audio formats. The family are set to discuss "everything from romance to true crime." Episodes are recorded at Ozzy and wife Sharon Osbourne's home. The series includes Ozzy's own individual episodes in which he will share the mic with longtime friend and musician Billy Morrison, about everything from food and his time in Black Sabbath to aliens. A teaser for the first episode has been shared on YouTube. The Osbournes previously appeared together in the hit TV show of the same name, which aired from 2002 to 2005. In July, Ozzy offered fans an update on his health after cancelling his headlining slot at the Power Trip festival later this year. "Unfortunately, my body is telling me that I'm just not ready yet and I am much too proud to have the first show that I do in nearly five years be half-assed," he wrote in the statement. - NME 9/5/23...... The sequel to the famous 1973 horror classic The Exorcist, The Exorcist: Believer, has had its US release date moved to avoid competing with pop juggernaut Taylor Swift's new concert film Taylor Swift - The Eras Tour. Believer is the first of a planned trilogy and serves as a direct sequel to late director William Friedkin's original Exorcist film. The Blumhouse-produced film was originally set for release on Oct. 13, but will now premiere a week earlier on Oct. 6 in countries including the US. According to the film's IMDB entry, Believer will still release in UK cinemas on Oct. 13. There are varying release dates for Believer in countries around the world. In the sequel, Ellen Burstyn returns as Chris MacNeil, the mother of possessed child Reagan (originally portrayed by Linda Blair). The film is helmed by Halloween reboot director David Gordon Green. It follows two school friends "who find themselves possessed after disappearing for several days, before starting to display several horrifying symptoms that see them staring dead-eyed in the mirror and storming into church services." - NME, 9/4/23...... The actual loudspeakers and amplifiers used by The Beatles in the recording of such iconic LP's as Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, "The White Album," and Abbey Road as well as Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon are up for auction with an opening bid of $250,000. The pair of speakers and amps were used in the recording of practically every Beatles album, and housed in E.M.I.'s legendary Abbey Road Studios. The are currently up for sale at the GottaHaveRockandRoll.com website through Sept. 22. Meanwhile, rare archive of material relating John Lennon and Yoko Ono's famous 1969 "Bed In For Peace" in Holland is also up for sale at the gottahaverockandroll site. The archive consists of various signed photographs and other ephemera, with the highlight being two questionnaires filled out by Lennon during the "Bed-In" at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel in Holland between Mar. 25-31, 1969. In the questionnaire Lennon asks simple questions, with one answer being, "I feel tired. I want peace. And Food." - Music-News.com, 9/6/23...... E. Elliot Goldman, the veteran record executive who served as Clive Davis' right-hand man at Arista Records, led BMG Music as president/CEO and served in senior roles with Warner and CBS Records across a decorated career in music, has died at the age of 88. Mr. Goldman joined CBS Records in the 1960s, rising to administrative VP. Later, he was hired as executive VP/GM at Davis' Arista Records at the very inception of the storied label in 1974. "Clive and I formed Arista Records in 1973," he told Billboard in 2015. "One of our first releases was from a gentleman you've probably heard of: Barry Manilow." Later, Mr. Goldman took on duties as senior VP at Warner Communications, and, in 1985, was named president and chief executive of RCA/Ariola International. When BMG parent Bertelsmann acquired RCA outright from the General Electric Company, the German media giant restructured the asset into three operating units; BMG Music, BMG Music International and Arista, all part of BMG. Mr. Goldman would guide BMG Music as president and CEO, departing in 1987. A graduate of Cornell, where he majored in political science, and of Columbia Law School, Mr. Goldman served on the board of directors of the RIAA, and on the board of directors and executive committee of the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame Foundation at its inception. Mr. Goldman also leveraged his considerable major label experience into consultancy work with a string independent and major record company clients throughout the 1990s. Clive Davis described him playing a substantial role in the history of Arista Records and as "a great family man and Jill, Ben and the Goldman children have my deepest sympathy for this irreplaceable loss." - Billboard, 9/6/23...... 
Former That 70's Show star Danny Masterson was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Sept. 7 after being convicted on two of three forcible rape charges this past May. Masterson, who maintains his innocence, was accused of raping three women at his Hollywood Hills home between 2001 and 2003, which was during the time he was on That '70s Show. The jury convicted him of raping two women in 2003, but could not reach a verdict on an allegation from Nov. 2001 involving a former girlfriend, though the jurors voted in favor of conviction. At the sentencing, the three women in the case told the judge that Masterson's crimes had ruined their lives, and asked the judge to give Masterson life behind bars. One of the victims called the actor "a true coward and heartless monster," while another said: "I still have to contend with what you did to me that night. That takes a life's worth of therapy to repair. Every time I think I'm okay, that rape comes back to me." The 47-year-old Masterson, who was dressed in a suit and had slicked-back hair with a full-grown beard, did not speak at his sentencing. Many of Masterson's Hollywood family members were in court to support him at his sentencing. His wife, actress/model Bijou Phillips, was crying at the courthouse. His siblings, The Walking Dead actress Alanna Masterson, Malcolm in the Middle actor Christopher Masterson and actor Jordan Masterson, were all seated in the courtroom together. "Mr. Masterson, you are not the victim here. Your actions 20 years ago took away another person's voice and choice," Judge Charlaine Olmedo said, as she sentenced Masterson in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom. "Your actions 20 years ago were criminal, and that is why you are here," she added. Masterson was immediately remanded into custody and is reportedly under close observation at the local jail, due to his mental state. - Variety, 9/7/23.
The cause of Jimmy Buffett's death on Sept. 1 at his home in Sag Harbor on Long Island, N.Y., has been revealed. According to a statement on his website, which was updated after the initial news of his death, the 76-year-old "Margaritaville" singer died from skin cancer. "Jimmy had been battling Merkel cell skin cancer for four years," the post reads. Merkel cell skin cancer is a rare type of skin cancer that usually appears as a single painless lump on sun-exposed skin and tends to spread quickly to other parts of the body, according to the National Cancer Institute and the Mayo Clinic. Buffett continued performing while undergoing cancer treatments, according to the statement, with his last performance a surprise 45-minute set during a Mac McAnally concert in Portsmouth, R.I., on July 2. News of the musician's death was confirmed on his website and social media accounts. He was "surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs," according to his site. Meanwhile, tributes continue to flow in after the loss of the legendary singer-songwriter. Elton John, Paul McCartney, Sammy Hagar, James Taylor and Pres. Joe Biden are just a few of the celebrities and dignitaries mourning Buffett on social media. "Jimmy Buffett was a unique and treasured entertainer," Elton John posted in an 
Former Talking Heads guitarist/vocalist Jerry Harrison says that the recent re-release of their acclaimed 1983 Jonathan Demme-directed concert film Stop Making Sense has been somewhat of a "healing experience" for the band. Interviewed on the Kyle Meredith With podcast, Harrison said although the band underwent a tumultuous break-up, revisiting the film -- which has been restored to 4K and distributed by A24 -- has helped the members settle their differences, and played a significant role in bringing himself and the other former Heads -- David Byrne, Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz -- together. "We own the film together, [so we had] to work together to make a decision," he told the host. "'Is A24 the right distributor for us, the right partner for us?' We had to have conversations about that, and this is something we did together. Then A24 is going like: 'Here's the offer -- we're going to get really behind this, if you help us.' And so it was like, 'obviously, we need to work together to make this a success.'" He continued, sharing that, luckily for fans, reuniting helped put aside any bad blood between them and made them realise that they could move on from past conflicts. "I think it's been somewhat of a healing experience for everybody," Harrison continued. "It's like, 'Yeah, we actually can work together and do this.' And this is something we're all proud of." Talking Heads will be appearing together on Sept. 11, for a live Q&A at the restored Stop Making Sense premiere at Toronto's International Film Festival. The film will then be screened in non-IMAX cinemas around the US on Sept. 22. The bandmates have had a complicated relationship since their breakup in 1991. They had previously reunited in 1999 to promote the 15th-anniversary reissue of the film and, in 2002, came together to perform four songs at the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony -- their only live performance since 1984. Meanwhile, a new 
Aerosmith kicked off their US farewell tour with their first performance of "Adam's Apple" in five years, and a cover of a classic Fleetwood Mac track, "Stop Messin' Around," during a show at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Sept. 2. The band started their 18-song setlist with the hit "Back In The Saddle," (shared on 
ABBA's Agnetha Fältskog has returned with her first new music in 10 years, releasing the single "Where Do We Go From Here?" on Aug. 31 from her forthcoming new album 
In 1976, Cindy Wilson was inspired to form the B-52s with her brother Ricky Wilson and fellow musicians Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider and Keith Strickland following an impromptu jam session at a friend's house in Athens, Ga. After more than 40 years and hits like "Love Shack" and "Roam," the B-52s are still rocking. "It's been wonderful," says Wilson, 66. "When we started out, we were just letting our own freak flag fly. But we represented for a lot of people being proud of who you are." Since 2022 Wilson, Pierson and Schneider (Ricky died of AIDS in 1985, while Strickland announced in 2013 he would no longer join the band on the road) have been on their farewell tour, set to wrap in November. "There's an element of sadness," Wilson says. "But we try to be in the moment and have a good time. We've kept our playfulness." Wilson -- who has two adult children with her husband of 38 years, Keith Bennett -- recently recorded the new solo album 
In 1965, New Yorker Bob Guccione founded Penthouse magazine and became one of the wealthiest men in America, taking on Playboy and pushing the world of adult entertainment further than ever before. The new A&E two-part series, Secrets of Penthouse, premieres Sept. 4 and 5 at 9:00 p.m./8:00 central and streams on the network's app the next day. Secrets of Penthouse reveals the extraordinary story behind the rise and fall of Guccione, whose magazine featured more explicit erotic content than Playboy, a special style of soft-focus photography, and in-depth reporting of government corruption scandals and the art world. When Guccione died in 2010, he had lost his entire fortune. Now, with access inside the family and to those who knew him best, many of whom have never spoken before, this series reveals the truth about Bob Guccione and explores the impact he had on those closest to him. - Canoe.com, 9/2/23...... Jack Sonni, known as the "other guitar player" in Dire Straits, died on Aug. 30 at the age of 68. Born Dec. 9, 1954 in Indiana, Penn., Sonni's passion for music began at a young age, when he learned various instruments, including piano, trumpet and the six-string, which he mastered. Sonni furthered his career with a relocation to New York, and he'd make his mark in the history books as the "other guitar player in Dire Straits," a reference he was happy to share on his official biography. Dire Straits' lead guitarist is, of course, frontman Mark Knopfler, widely recognized by his peers as one of the finest to ever play the instrument. The two axemen reportedly met in a guitar shop, after which Sonni was invited to record parts for the band's fifth studio album. The result was Brothers In Arms, which led the Official U.K. Albums Chart for 14 weeks, and reigned over the Billboard 200 for nine weeks in 1985. The album smashed records around the world, shifting an estimated 30 million copies worldwide, and won two Grammys (best music video, short form for the title track, and best rock performance by a duo or group with vocal for the Billboard Hot 100 leader "Money For Nothing"). When the rockers embarked on a major world tour in support, Sonni wore a distinctive red coat. That tour, too, was a record-setter. In Australia, fans bought more than 950,000 tickets, a record that stood for decades. Sonni played guitar synthesizer on album cut "The Man's Too Strong" and performed on stage with the band for the Wembley Stadium leg of the historic 1985 Live Aid concerts. Following the birth of his daughters, Sonni calling time as on his career as a musician in 1988, instead pivoting to marketing. He went on serve as vice president of marketing for Guitar Center, a role that kept him connected with his beloved instrument. In recent years, he played alongside fellow alum on Dire Straits Legacy, "born from our love and respect for the music of Dire Straits, and to bring the music to fans who have been starved of hearing it played live by the musicians who made it, for far too long," DSL wrote in a 2018 statement. His cause of death has not yet been revealed. - Billboard, 9/1/23.
Jimmy Buffett, the singer-songwriter who turned his beach-bum lifestyle into a billion-dollar empire of restaurants, resorts and frozen liquor concoctions, died on Sept. 1 of an as yet undisclosed cause. He was 76. "Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1st surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs," according to a statement posted to Buffett's official website and social media pages. "He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many." In May, Buffett acknowledged that an unspecified illness had forced him to reschedule summer concerts, and that he had been recently hospitalized. Born James William Buffett on Christmas day 1946 in Pascagoula, Miss., and raised in the port town of Mobile, Ala., Buffett graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Miss., and went from busking the streets of New Orleans to playing six nights a week at Bourbon Street clubs. "Down to Earth," his first record, was released in 1970 and seven more would follow before his breakthrough hit "Come Monday," from his fourth studio LP Living and Dying in Time, peaked at No. 30. Then came his signature hit 
"It was a made-up place in my mind, basically made up about my experiences in Key West and having to leave Key West and go on the road to work and then come back and spend time by the beach." Buffett said he was actually in Austin, Tex., when the inspiration struck for "Margaritaville." He and a friend had stopped for lunch at a Mexican restaurant before she dropped him at the airport for a flight home to Key West, so they got to drinking margaritas. "And I kind of came up with that idea of this is just like Margarita-ville," he said. "She kind of laughed at that and put me on the plane. And I started working on it." The song soon inspired restaurants and resorts, turning the musician's alleged desire for the simplicity of island life into a multimillion brand. He would land at No. 18 in Forbes' list of the Richest Celebrities of All Time with a net worth of $1 billion. Although music critics were never very kind to Buffett or his catalogue, a mix of country, pop, folk and rock added instruments and tonalities more commonly found in the Caribbean, his legions of fans, called "Parrotheads," regularly turned up for his concerts wearing toy parrots, cheeseburgers, sharks and flamingos on their heads, leis around their necks and loud Hawaiian shirts. "It's pure escapism is all it is," he told the Republic. "I'm not the first one to do it, nor shall I probably be the last. But I think it's really a part of the human condition that you've got to have some fun. You've got to get away from whatever you do to make a living or other parts of life that stress you out. I try to make it at least 50/50 fun to work and so far it's worked out." Buffett's evolving brand began in 1985 with the opening of a string of "Margaritaville"-themed stores and restaurants in Key West, followed in 1987 with the first Margaritaville Café nearby. Over the course of the next two decades, several more of each opened throughout Florida, New Orleans and California. The brand expanded to dozens of categories, including resorts, apparel and footwear for men and women, a radio station, a beer brand, ice tea, tequila and rum, home dcor, food items like salad dressing, Margaritaville Crunchy Pimento Cheese & Shrimp Bites and Margaritaville Cantina Style Medium Chunky Salsa, the Margaritaville at Sea cruise line and restaurants, including Margaritaville Restaurant, JWB Prime Steak and Seafood, 5 o'Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill and LandShark Bar & Grill. 
There also was a Broadway-bound jukebox musical, "Escape to Margaritaville," a romantic comedy in which a singer-bartender called Tully falls for the far more career-minded Rachel, who is vacationing with friends and hanging out at Margaritaville, the hotel bar where Tully works. Buffett also was the author of numerous books including Where Is Joe Merchant? and A Pirate Looks At Fifty and added movies to his resume as co-producer and co-star of an adaptation of Carl Hiaasen's novel Hoot. Among those paying tribute to the laid-back musician on Twitter/X are former president Bill Clinton, who wrote Buffett's music "brought happiness to millions of people. I'll always be grateful for his kindness, generosity, and great performances through the years." Former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones posted that Buffett "lived life to the fullest and the world will miss him." Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys wrote: "Love and Mercy, Jimmy Buffett." Buffett is survived by his wife, Jane; daughters, Savannah and Sarah; and son, Cameron. - AP, 9/2/23.
Surviving The Who co-founders Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey planted trees in the Royal Gardens on the Royal Sandringham Estate of King Charles and Queen Camilla on Aug. 28 to help support the UK's Heritage Live sustainability initiative. Heritage Live hosted a series of inaugural outdoor concerts on the fourth weekend in August during which it strived to reduce the impact on the environment, and The Who performed a set packed with their greatest hits there on Aug. 28 after planting the trees. Tree planting is just one initiative devised with simplicity and effectiveness in mind -- other initiatives will include analysing every aspect of the events and reducing reliance on one-use plastic. Heritage Live aims to become a model of sustainability by engaging local communities surrounding the venues it works with. "I was very pleased to be asked by Heritage Live to plant this tree at Sandringham," Daltrey told reporters. "I am thrilled that the Laurel Oak has been planted adjacent to the oldest tree in Sandringham Gardens, a 700 year old Veteran Oak." His bandmate Townshend added that "Planting this tree is a great way of acknowledging Heritage Live's sustainability initiative. I hope this Tilia 'Winter Orange' has a happy life in Sandringham Gardens." Other artists performing during the special events in Norfolk were Sir Van Morrison and Robbie Williams. - Music-News.com, 8/29/23...... Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr have added another first to their legendary Beatles Billboard pop chart history by having the first song that shared credited billing between the two, or any of the four Beatles including John Lennon and George Harrison, enter the charts outside the group. Dolly Parton's version of the Fab Four classic "Let It Be," featuring Paul and Ringo, arrived on the Rock Digital Song Sales chart at No. 2, the Country Digital Song Sales at No. 15, and No. 22 on the all-genre Digital Song Sales chart for the week dated Sept. 2. The new version of "Let It Be" is set to be included on Parton's 30-song album 
Elton John is reportedly "back home and in good health" after being hospitalized for one night following a fall and suffering minor injuries at his home in the south of France on Aug. 27. A spokesperson for the 76-year-old singer, who recently completed his 5-year-long Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour on July 8, said the star "visited the local hospital as a precautionary measure" and was "immediately discharged this morning and is now back at home and in good health." Sir Elton, who has walked with a visible limp for several years, assured fans he was okay after a British tabloid claimed he was "frail" alongside a picture of the rocker being helped into a wheelchair at an airport in Germany in June 2022. At the time, John said after a "rousing" two-and-a-half hour show he arrived at a closed Leipzig airport and faced an "extremely long walk" to his plane. He said he accepted a wheelchair ride to rest his hip; a previous hip injury had caused the postponement of his world tour due to a fall that doctors suggested required surgery. - Billboard, 8/28/23...... A special Grammy Museum event in Los Angeles on Aug. 23 commemorated the 50th anniversary of Marvin Gaye's seminal 1973 album 
Seventies stars including Mark Hamill and Henry Winkler are among those across the entertainment industry reacting to the latest development in former US president Donald Trump's sensational legal saga. Trump was booked and released in Atlanta's Fulton County jail on Aug. 24, amid 13 charges of attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the state of Georgia. Following his arrest, he shared an image of his mugshot on X/Twitter, constituting his first post on the social media platform in two years (the former president was banned from the site in Jan. 2021 but his account was reinstated after Twitter was purchased by Tesla tycoon Elon Musk.) "Wonder if he's tired of winning yet," wrote 
Veteran TV game show personality Bob Barker, who became a household name over a half century of hosting such shows as Truth or Consequences and The Price Is Right, died on Aug. 26 at his home in Los Angeles, according to his publicist Roger Neal. He was 99 years old. Mr. Barker was working in radio in 1956 when producer Ralph Edwards invited him to audition as the new host of Truth or Consequences, a game show in which audience members had to do wacky stunts -- the "consequence -- if they failed to answer a question -- the "truth," which was always the silly punchline to a riddle no one was ever meant to furnish. (Q: What did one eye say to another? A: Just between us, something smells.) He stayed with the show for 18 years -- including several years in a syndicated version. Meanwhile, he began hosting a resurrected version of The Price Is Right on CBS in 1972, taking over duties from Bill Cullen. It would become TV's longest-running game show and the last on a broadcast network of what in TV's early days had numbered dozens. "I have grown old in your service," the silver-haired, perennially tanned and dapper Mr. Barker joked on a prime-time television retrospective in the mid-'90s. Mr. Barker, also a longtime animal rights activist, was also praised by his longtime friend and estate co-executor Nancy Burnet in a statement: "I am so proud of the trailblazing work Barker and I did together to expose the cruelty to animals in the entertainment industry and including working to improve the plight of abused and exploited animals in the United States and internationally." Mr. Barker retired in June 2007, telling his studio audience: "I thank you, thank you, thank you for inviting me into your home for more than 50 years." He also spent 20 years as host of the Miss USA Pageant and the Miss Universe Pageant, and had a memorable cameo appearance on the big screen in 1996, sparring with Adam Sandler in the movie Happy Gilmore. In 1994, the widowed Mr. Barker was sued for sexual harassment by Dian Parkinson, a Price Is Right model for 18 years. Barker admitted engaging in "hanky panky" with Parkinson from 1989-91 but said she initiated the relationship. Parkinson dropped the lawsuit in 1995, saying it was hurting her health. Neither that uproar, or another dispute with Price Is Right model Holly Hallstrom who claimed she was fired in 1995 because the show's producers believed she was fat, affected Mr. Barker's goodwill from the audience. Born in Darrington, Wash., in 1923, Mr. Barker's family moved to Springfield, Mo., where he attended high school. He served in the Navy in World War II. He married Dorothy Jo Gideon, his high school sweetheart; she died in 1981 after 37 years of marriage. They had no children. Mr. Barker was given a lifetime achievement award at the 26th annual Daytime Emmy Awards in 1999. He closed his acceptance remarks with the signoff: "Have your pets spayed or neutered." Among those honoring Mr. Barker on 
Carlos Santana has apologized to the transgender community after a 
Paul McCartney announced on his 
Black Sabbath is teaming up with the adventure lifestyle clothing brand Roark for a new collection of retro-inspired tees, shorts and more. The apparel line officially dropped on Aug. 23 with an 
In 1978, Queen proclaimed that "fat bottom girls make the rockin' world go 'round," but the art-rockers' racy song is nowhere to be found on a new release of the British quartet's Greatest Hits. Recognized as the U.K.'s all-time best-selling album, Queen's early career compilation is now available on kids' audio platform Yoto, where according to a statement listeners can "rock out to" 16 classic tracks. But "Fat Bottomed Girls," one of the Rock And Roll Hall of Famers' naughtier songs, is missing from the published tracklist. The blurb accompanying the album points out that "the lyrics in some of these songs contain adult themes, including occasional references to violence and drugs." The songs are the original and unedited recordings, and that "parental discretion is advised" when playing the songs around younger children. "Fat Bottomed Girls" doesn't make the cut on Yoto, most likely due its lyrical content. On it, the late Freddie Mercury sings, 'Left alone with big fat Fanny/ She was such a naughty nanny/ Big woman, you made a bad boy out of me." Released in 1981, Queen's Greatest Hits set last year passed 1,000 weeks on the UK's Official Albums Chart Top 100, becoming just the third album to do so, and the first by a British act or a rock band; and became the first album to shift seven million chart sales in the U.K. The hits compilation crossed the six million threshold back in 2014. - Billboard, 8/21/23...... Iconic soul singer Al Green has made his return to music by sharing a cover of Lou Reed's "Perfect Day." The track is the first new music that the 77-year-old American singer, songwriter, pastor and record producer has recorded in five years, and follows his cover of Freddy Fender's "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" which he worked on in 2018 and shared two years later. The new track also sees him reunited with members of the Hi Rhythm Section, and was recorded back in February at the Sam Philips Recording studio in Memphis, Tenn. "I loved Lou's original 'Perfect Day'," Green said in a statement. "The song immediately puts you in a good mood. We wanted to preserve that spirit, while adding our own sauce and style." What's more, the cover of "Perfect Day" also sees him collaborate with alternative R&B singer, RAYE. The British artist contributes warm, soulful backing vocals throughout the track, as he takes the main lead. "Perfect Day" first appeared on Lou Reed's classic 1972 LP 
On Aug. 21 DEVO confirmed to the UK paper The Guardian that their current world tour will be the Ohio-based new wave band's last after 50 years together. DEVO frontman Mark Mothersbaugh explained why the band had decided to wrap up the live portion of their career. "Are you married?" he asked. "Imagine you had four wives and you worked together. It's tricky being in a band." DEVO bassist Gerald Casale went on to explain that the band's "fully formed" identity meant that they were not necessarily vulnerable to people who want to 'grab you when you're malleable and change you'," adding that "they couldn't do that to DEVO because the armour was too strong." He went on to explain that the seamless nature of the band's concept could cause friction creatively. "You've got a body of work informed by a whole manifesto and philosophy," Casale said. "Do you let go and move on to the next thing? You want change, otherwise you're stale, but you don't want to be contrived." Mothersbaugh also joked that he was 'looking forward to 20733'. "We'll play 100th anniversary Devo shows and then maybe retire," he mused. DEVO has been praised by the likes of David Bowie and Iggy Pop throughout their career, while Nirvana's Kurt Cobain once said: "Of all the bands who came from the underground and made it in the mainstream, DEVO were the most challenging and subversive of all." DEVO's recent sold-out show at London's Eventim Apollo on Aug. 19) marked the end of their European tour, and they now have a string of upcoming US dates kicking off in November. In March, a new full-length DEVO documentary, DEVO, was announced. It will be helmed by American Movie (1999) and Fyre (2019) director Chris Smith. - NME, 8/21/23...... Fleetwood Mac co-founder Mick Fleetwood announced on Aug. 20 that he plans to hold a benefit concert for the victims of the Hawaii wildfires. Many people have died or are missing in the expansive wildfires, and the blazes have destroyed Maui's historic Lahaina Town. Among the damage was Fleetwood's restaurant, which was completely destroyed. Sharing a statement, he said: "This is a devastating moment for MAUl and many are suffering unimaginable loss. Fleetwoods on Front Street has been lost and while we are heartbroken our main priority is the safety of our dear staff and team members. On behalf of myself and my family, I share my heartfelt thoughts and prayers for the people of MAUI." Now, Fleetwood has revealed to ET Canada his plans for a special gig to help raise funds for those affected. "I've already got a lovely sort of catalog of people that are concerned," he said. "I will remain mute on who they are, but I will either become part of something that we can do on a grand scale, which is great. Anything is great, and playing in Honolulu, about two weeks from now, and that concert's becoming -- Henry Kapono who lives in Oahu, was celebrating the 50th anniversary of his career -- well, I'm going to be doing that show, supporting. So, all of this is unfolding is something I feel I can be a part, or really be spearheading. And it's not now, but music heals, and music does its version of what I'm doing now!" - NME, 8/20/23...... 
Bob Feldman, the influential songwriter and producer behind some of the biggest hits of the 1960s including "My Boyfriend's Back" and "Hang On, Sloopy," has died at the age of 83, according to a statement from his close friend, musical collaborator and business partner Richard Gottehrer. "It's with great sadness that I announce the passing of Bob Feldman, my friend and legendary songwriting partner, in Grand Canyon Music and FGG Productions Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein and Myself," Gottehrer wrote in a statement sent to Billboard. "As a team we go back to the 1960's and the Brill Building days where we wrote and/or produced classics like 'My Boyfriend's Back,' 'I Want Candy,' 'Hang on Sloopy' and 'Sorrow,' which was eventually recorded and became an everlasting hit by David Bowie. We were even an 'Australian' band that called ourselves The Strangeloves. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Feldman and his neighbor Jerry Goldstein would frequently write songs together before meeting Gottehrer in 1962. The group also produced The McCoys' Hot 100 No. 1 smash "Hang on Sloopy -- which endures as an unofficial theme song at Ohio State University sports events -- all while making it big in their own group, The Strangeloves. As a band, they scored Hot 100 top 40 hits with "I Want Candy" (No. 11), "Cara-Lin" (No. 39) and "Night Time" (No. 30). Bow Wow Wow famously covered "Candy" in 1982, taking it back to the Billboard Hot 100 (it reached No. 62 that July). Mr. Feldman was also a published author, releasing his own book of verse, lyrics and memoirs in 2019 titled Simply Put! Thoughts and Feelings from the Heart. Mr. Feldman is survived by his two daughters, Kyle and Mahri. He is also the biological father of actor Corey Feldman, who emancipated himself from Bob and his mom Sheila as a teenager. - Billboard, 8/24/23...... Actress Hersha Parady, whose three-season run as Walnut Grove schoolteacher Alice Garvey, wife of Jonathan Garvey (played by former L.A. Rams star Merlin Olsen) on 
Ray Hildebrand, the "Paul" in the '60s pop duo Paul & Paula, passed away "peacefully" according to his family in Kansas City, Mo. on Aug. 18. He was 82. Born Dec. 21, 1940, in Joshua, Tex., Mr. Hildebrand met his singing partner Jill Jackson (Paula) while attending Howard Payne College (now called Howard Payne University) in Brownwood the Lone Star State. Though never romantically involved, Paul & Paula landed a string of teenage love songs on the pop charts, including "Young Lovers," "First Quarrel," "First Day Back at School," and "Something Old, Something New," and their best-known hit, the multi-million-seller from 1963