Posted by Administrator on February 27th, 2025
Gene Hackman, the Oscar-winning actor whose gruff but soulful turns in classics such as The French Connection, The Conversation and Unforgiven made him one of the most respected performers in Hollywood, was found dead in his Santa Fe, N.M., home on Feb. 26. He was 95 and found dead alongside his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 64, a classical pianist, and the couple's dog, according to the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office. "Foul play is not suspected as a factor in those deaths at this time however exact cause of death has not been determined. This is an active and ongoing investigation by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office," a statement by the authorities said. In a remarkable acting career that spanned six decades, Mr. Hackman established himself as one of the most distinctive and dependable film stars of his generation, and compiled one of the most impressive filmographies in the history of American cinema. He was part of a group of unconventional leading men who helped define the "New Hollywood" cinema of the 1970s, but he was just as prominent across the '80s and '90s. Born Jan. 30, 1930, in San Bernardino, Calif., Mr. Hackman dropped out of school at 16 and fibbed about his age to join the U.S. Marines. He was trained as a radio operator and served in China, where he picked up work as a disc jockey. He took his talents to the radio industry, moving to New York City following his military discharge to learn the trade at the School of Radio Technique. He eventually switched gears and decided to pursue acting, enrolling at the Pasadena Playhouse in Southern California, where he was deemed "least likely to succeed." In time, Mr. Hackman left Pasadena and moved back to New York, where he roomed with fellow striving thespians Dustin Hoffman and Robert Duvall. George Morrison, a former instructor at the famed Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, took Mr. Hackman under his wing and schooled him in the Method technique, teaching him to draw from personal experiences in his acting. Mr. Hackman started to get gigs in theater and on various television shows, such as the first episode of the CBS courtroom drama The Defenders, and in 1964 he landed his first meaty movie part alongside Warren Beatty and Jean Seberg in the psychological drama Lilith. Impressed with Mr. Hackman, Beatty chose him to play his older brother Buck Barrow in his breakout role in 1967's Bonnie & Clyde, a shockingly violent crime drama that mixed classic outlaw archetypes with the energy of the French New Wave and the playful spirit of the American counterculture. He picked up more film work in the late 1960s, including as a quietly intense Olympic coach in Downhill Racer, and opposite Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr in The Gypsy Moths as a barnstorming skydiver. But with William Friedkin's The French Connection (1971), Mr. Hackman catapulted to new heights of fame and acclaim as vulgar, bigoted NYC narcotics cop Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle. The action-packed film, which featured one of the most electrifying car chases in movie history, picked up five Oscars, including best picture and best actor for Mr. Hackman. The thriller propelled him to memorable turns in The Poseidon Adventure (1972), Scarecrow (1973), Night Moves (a 1975 French Connection sequel), A Bridge Too Far (1977) and as Lex Luthor in the 1978 blockbuster Superman. Mr. Hackman's portrayal of obsessive surveillance expert Harry Caul in The Conversation (1974) was a highlight of his 1970s filmography. 
Tamping down the volcanic anger that fueled The French Connection, he created an introverted character ravaged by paranoia and suspicion. The film and Mr. Hackman's tragic performance brilliantly captured the unease of the Watergate era. He entered one of the busiest stretches of his career in the 1980s, taking on a combination of leading roles and supporting parts in various dramas, action flicks and romances. He played a magazine editor in Beatty's epic Reds, a small-town basketball coach in Hoosiers and the secretary of defense in the noirish political thriller No Way Out. He capped his busy 1980s run with Mississippi Burning, playing an FBI agent, a role based on real-life investigator John Proctor, who was looking into the mysterious disappearances of three civil rights volunteers in a fictional Mississippi county. Mr. Hackman, who seemed drawn to projects that explored moral gray areas, earned his second Oscar in 1992 for his supporting work as the brutal Sheriff Little Bill Daggett in Unforgiven, Clint Eastwood's revisionist Western drama. The movie picked up four Oscars, including the best picture prize and best supporting actor for Mr. Hackman, and six years later the film earned a spot on the American Film Institute's list of the 100 best American movies ever made. In the 1990s, Mr. Hackman continued to work at a steady clip and frequently played a grizzled foil to younger stars, including Tom Cruise in The Firm, Denzel Washington in Crimson Tide, Robin Williams in The Birdcage and Will Smith in Enemy of the State, a frenetic surveillance thriller that paid homage to The Conversation. In 2001, he endeared himself to a new generation of moviegoers as the deeply flawed but rakishly charming family patriarch in Wes Anderson's ensemble film The Royal Tenenbaums, showing off his comedic chops and a more mischievous side of his public persona. Three years later, he left Hollywood behind, making his final film appearance in the largely forgotten Ray Romano vehicle Welcome to Mooseport. In a rare 2004 interview, Mr. Hackman told Larry King that he did not have any film projects in the pipeline and expected that his screen acting days were mostly behind him. He remained creative even in retirement, however, writing four historical fiction novels -- Wake of the Perdido Star, Justice for None, Escape From Andersonville: A Novel of the Civil War and Payback at Morning Peak: A Novel of the American West -- as well as the 2013 police thriller Pursuit. Mr. Hackman, who spent his final years in Santa Fe, N.M., is survived by three children -- Christopher, Elizabeth and Leslie -- from his first marriage to Faye Maltese. - NBCNews.com, 2/27/25.
On Feb. 24 Neil Young announced he'll hit the road with his new band The Chrome Hearts this summer, playing Europe in June and July and North America in August and September -- a total of 24 cities in all. The first leg of his "Love Earth" tour will kick off in Europe on June 18 at Dalhalla in Rttvik, Sweden before moving on to gigs in Norway, Denmark, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. On Aug. 8, he'll begin the North American leg with a show at the PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte, N.C., hitting Detroit, Cleveland, Toronto, New York, Chicago throughout the month, then in September visiting Denver and Vancouver before winding down on Sept. 15 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. More dates are expected to be added later. Young, 79, will be accompanied by the Chrome Hearts, whom he debuted during a 2024 concert and has said an album from the group is tentatively slated for release in April. After taking a break from regular touring during the Covid-19 pandemic, Young toured for a few dates with his longtime backing band Crazy Horse in summer 2024 before cancelling the remaining dates due to an unspecified health issue. - Billboard, 2/24/25...... 
Midwestern '70s and '80s prog rockers Kansas have been forced to cancel two shows following the revelation that their current frontman, Ronnie Platt, has been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Platt, who has been singing with the band for a decade, took to social media on Feb. 19 to announce his diagnosis, assuring fans his cancer has been caught early. "For all of you asking, Tuesday I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer but before everyone gets all excited, it has a 99 per cent survival rate," said Platt, who took over lead vocal duties with Kansas from Steve Walsh in 2014 before singing with the band Shooting Star. "It has not spread. It's contained to my thyroid. I just have to have my thyroid removed. Go through some rehab time and be right back in the saddle." Ahead of the announcement the band nixed their Feb. 21 show in New Orleans citing "band illness," and have also canceled a Mar. 1 show in Louisiana for the same reason. The "Carry On Wayward Son" band celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023. - Music-News.com, 2/21/25...... In a new interview with Mojo magazine, Phil Collins says he isn't "hungry" to make music nowadays because he's been "very sick." Collins, who is 73 and has been plagued with health issues for several years, disclosed that he's thought about getting back behind the kit, but hasn't been able to, due in large part to his condition. "I keep thinking I should go downstairs to the studio and see what happens. But I'm not hungry for it anymore. The thing is, I've been sick. I mean, very sick," he said. The "In the Air Tonight" singer's health issues stem from a 2007 spinal injury that left him with severe nerve damage and limited mobility, complicating his ability to play the instrument. He went into further detail about his condition in a December documentary titled Phil Collins: Drummer First, in which he revisited his drums for the first time in years. "It's still kind of sinking in," Collins says in the doc, which premiered on the Drumeo YouTube channel on Dec. 18. "I've spent all my life playing drums. To suddenly not be able to do that is a shock." Collins' son, Nic Collins, explained in the doc how years of playing such a physically demanding instrument also took its toll on his father's body. In 2022, Nic took over drumming duties for his dad during Genesis' farewell tour, while Phil sang sitting down. - Billboard, 2/21/25...... Actor Timothée Chalamet was plainly surprised when he walked away with an outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role SAG (Screen Actors Guild) award on Feb. 23 at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in Los Angeles. "I was not expecting this at all," Chalamet told the audience as he accepted the honor for his titular role in the A Complete Unknown Bob Dylan biopic. "I know the classiest thing would be to downplay the effort that went into this role and how much this means to me. But the truth is it was five-and-a-half years of my life. I poured everything I had into playing this incomparable artist, Mr. Bob Dylan, a true American hero, and it was the honor of a lifetime playing him." Adrien Brody had won in the leading male category at most other 2025 awards shows for The Brutalist and was expected to win the SAG award too. Chalamet, 29, is the youngest actor to win SAG's lead actor prize, replacing Nicolas Cage who was 32 when he won for Leaving Las Vegas in 1996. Individual SAG winners for film acting generally go on to win Oscars, and Chalamet is vying to also become the youngest Oscar winner for best actor on Mar. 2. However the SAG win, and Chalamet's thoughtful acceptance speech, won't affect his Oscar chances as final-round voting closed Feb. 18. - Billboard, 2/18/25...... 
Despite announcing his retirement from touring in late 2023, Elton John set to headline Singapore's 2025 Formula 1 Grand Prix, closing out the huge three-day motor racing event on Oct. 5. More than two years after concluding his "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" tour with an emotional concert in Stockholm, Sweden, Sir Elton will make his highly-anticipated return to the stage on the Padang Stage in Zone 4 after the F1 race. John previously told fans that he would possibly still play "the odd show" after retiring from touring, and since concluding his mammoth Farewell Yellow Brick Road run, he has made live appearances at numerous events. These include the 50th annual Candlelight Concert in the US last December, and the opening of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center over the summer. In 2023, Elton played live at the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony where he inducted his longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin. Last October, he made a surprise appearance during his "Cold Heart" collaborator Dua Lipa's orchestral show at the Royal Albert Hall in London. In March, he played at the 2024 Gershwin Prize in Washington, D.C. - where he and Taupin were honoured with the Library Of Congress Gershwin Prize For Popular Song. On Apr. 4, he'll release Who Believes In Angels?, a collaborative effort with Brandi Carlile. - New Musical Express, 2/20/25...... Variety magazine revealed on Feb. 20 that Michael Jackson accusers Wade Robson and James Safechuck are readying a sequel to their bombshell 2019 HBO documentary Leaving Neverland, in which the two men first described in graphic detail how the late King of Pop allegedly molested them at his Neverland Ranch in California when they were both minors -- accusations Jackson's estate has continuously and emphatically denied. Airing Mar. 18 on the U.K.'s Channel 4, the hourlong follow-up will catch up with the two men as they share how they've fared against the public's varying responses to their allegations since Leaving Neverland aired, with Dan Reed returning as director. This time around, though, HBO is not involved. In 2019, Jackson's estate sued the cable network for $100 million over claims the documentary violated a 27-year-old non-disparagement clause from a 1992 concert film for the King of Pop's "Dangerous" world tour. The case was sent to private arbitration that year and was still pending as of September. Robson and Safechuck make up just two of several accusers who have alleged sex abuse claims against Jackson before and after his 2009 death. The star was never convicted or held legally liable on any of the claims, however, and he and his estate have always maintained his total innocence. - Billboard, 2/20/25...... Grammy-winning songwriter Diane Warren will be fêted by The New York Pops at the orchestra's 42nd birthday gala this spring. "Words and Music: Diane Warren" will take place on Apr. 28, in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall, with a guest artist lineup that includes Taylor Dayne, Sofia Carson, Micaela Diamond, Shoshana Bean and Anglique Kidjo. Several of these artists have noteworthy ties to Warren -- Dayne sang "Love Will Lead Me Back," which in Apr.1990 became Warren's fifth No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 as a songwriter. (She has since had four more.) Carson sang "Applause" in the film Tell It Like a Woman, which two years ago became Warren's 14th song to receive an Oscar nomination for best original song. (She has since had two more.) Diamond was an original Broadway cast member of "The Cher Show." Cher sang two of Warren's 33 top 10 hits on the Hot 100 to date -- "If I Could Turn Back Time" (perhaps Cher's most iconic hit) and "Just Like Jesse James." Warren co-wrote the latter song with Desmond Child. Warren has penned nine No. 1 and 33 top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Her songs have been featured in more than 150 films, leading to 15 Academy Award nominations for best original song. In Nov. 2022, she became the first songwriter in history to receive an Honorary Oscar, as voted on by the Academy's Board of Governors. She has won a Grammy, a Primetime Emmy winner and two Golden Globes. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001 and received that organization's top prize, the Johnny Mercer Award, in June 2024. - Billboard, 2/19/25...... 
Former The Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon (née Johnny Rotten) has dismissed a new Sex Pistols tour in 2025 featuring his fellow original band members Steve Jones, Paul Cook and Glen Matlock as "karaoke." News of a new Sex Pistols tour emerged in 2024 when it was first announced that the band -- sans Lydon -- were to reunite for a two-night affair to benefit West London's Bush Hall. Instead, the group was to be fronted by Frank Carter, who has previously fronted acts such as Gallows, Pure Love and Frank Carter And The Rattlesnakes. The initial shows soon led to further dates around the U.K. and Europe, with the band billed as "Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter." Further shows have since been announced for Australia, New Zealand, and other European countries throughout 2025. In January, Jones confirmed U.S. dates would follow, though specifics are yet to arrive. Although Lydon has remained largely quiet about the new Sex Pistols activity, on Feb. 13 he spoke to British publication The i Paper about the tour, explaining that he largely felt "annoyed" by the whole affair and feared it would tarnish the group's legacy. "When I first heard that the Sex Pistols were touring this year without me it pissed me off," he explained. "It annoyed me. I just thought, 'they're absolutely going to kill all that was good with the Pistols by eliminating the point and the purpose of it all.' I didn't write those words lightly. They're trying to trivialise the whole show to get away with karaoke but in the long term I think you'll see who has the value and who doesn't. I've never sold my soul to make a dollar. It's the Catholic in me -- that guilt I don't want to trip." The Sex Pistols initially existed from 1975 until 1978, releasing their sole studio album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols in 1977. Lauded as a pioneering punk outfit despite their short initial tenure, the band would later reform in 1996 for a world tour, and undertook sporadic tours until 2008. Famously -- or perhaps infamously -- the band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, though refused to attend the ceremony, labeling the institution a "piss stain." - Billboard, 2/18/25...... In other '70s punk rock news, on Feb. 24 The Stranglers announced a raft of autumn 2025 UK tour dates on social media, with support from The Buzzcocks. The Stranglers will be bringing their "51 Tour" to the UK between Oct. 17 and Nov. 1, including two nights at London's Roundhouse. "They say 'making it to a goal is one thing, but making it further is even better'," the post read. "We are thrilled to announce The Stranglers 51 UK Tour. Fifty-one years on the road and still going strong." The Stranglers tour will make stops at cities including Newcastle, Bristol, Leeds, Manchester and Aberdeen, as well as London. The Buzzcocks will join the band on all dates, except in Scotland -- a support act for their Scottish shows will be announced at a later date. The Stranglers will also mount tours in Australia and New Zealand this year, where they will be playing in cities including Sydney, Perth, Auckland and Christchurch. These shows are part of their "50 Years In Black World Tour." The band has scored 23 UK top 40 singles and 20 UK top 40 albums to date in a career spanning five decades -- making them one of the longest-surviving bands to have originated in the UK punk scene of the 1970s. - Music-News.com, 2/24/25...... British singer Lulu announced on Feb. 24 that she's launching her very own charitable fund, Lulu's Mental Health Trust, a restricted fund operating under the auspices of Prism the Gift Fund. Lulu says she decided to set up the fund while writing her memoir, which celebrated 60 years since she stormed into the UK charts with her iconic hit "Shout" and realized the part mental health has played throughout her life, whether her own or her loved ones. For her first initiative, Lulu will lead a mammoth sponsored walk on May 16 which will take her from the school where she filmed the 1967 movie To Sir With Love in E1 0AQ to the old Decca studio where she recorded "Shout" in NW6 3AU -- passing more places connected to her incredible six-decade long career along the way. "I have been on such an amazing journey filled with so many memories over the last 60 years, but it has come with lows as well as the incredible highs as my memoir will detail," Lulu says. "While writing my book, I had the chance to reflect on how mental health has played a big part in my life whether mine or people I love, and I feel compelled to give help to those going through their own struggles." Lulu is known for her dedication to charity work, having supported: Comic Relief, Elton John AIDS Foundation, Help For Heroes, Prince's Trust, Teenage Cancer Trust, and Young Lives vs Cancer amongst many others throughout her career. In 2021, she was awarded a CBE by the late Queen Elizabeth II for her services to charity as well as music and entertainment. - Music-News.com, 2/24/25...... British cult folk musician and songwriter Bill Fay died "peacefully" on the morning of Feb. 22 in London at the age of 81. A cause of death has not been given, though Mr. Fay had been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. After being dropped from his label in the 1970s, Mr. Fay's career was revived nearly 40 years later when his music was discovered by the likes of Jim O'Rourke, Jeff Tweedy and Nick Cave. Born in North London in 1943, Mr. Fay went to Wales to study electronics at University. During his time studying, he began writing songs on the piano and harmonium, recording some demos that were noticed by former Van Morrison drummer Terry Noon. Noon helped Fay sign to Decca Records subsidiary Deram and he released two albums: 1970's Bill Fay and 1971's Time of the Last Persecution. His second LP didn't sell well, and he was eventually dropped from his label. After his music career seemed to come to an end, Mr. Fay pursued various other careers, as a groundskeeper, fishmonger and fruit picker. In 1998 -- almost 40 years after the release of Time of the Last Persecution -- a small British label reissued his music, leading to its discovery by producer Jim O'Rourke. O'Rourke played the albums for Jeff Tweedy during the writing and recording sessions for Wilco's seminal Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and Tweedy liked the songs so much that he began performing a cover of "Be Not So Fearful" during their live shows. Mr. Fay eventually joined the band to perform the song, once in 2007 and once in 2010. Mr. Fay never toured and made only one television appearance on Later with Jools Holland. In their statement, Dead Oceans Records shared that he had been working on an album at the time of his death. "Our hope is to find a way to finish and release it," they wrote. - NME, 2/23/25...... 
Jerry Butler, the beloved Chicago soul singer, producer and, later, politician who began his career in the late 1950 singing alongside childhood friend Curtis Mayfield in The Impressions, died on Feb. 20 of undisclosed causes after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. He was 85. Working alongside singer/guitarist Mayfield -- whom he'd met as a teenager singing in a church choir -- Mr. Butler began his career in the Northern Jubilee Gospel Singers group before joining the Roosters, who in short order became known as The Impressions. The group struck gold off the bat with the Mr. Butler co-written "For Your Precious Love," a slow-burning, yearning song inspired by a poem Mr. Butler wrote in high school -- credited to Jerry Butler & the Impressions -- that melded the friends' church-based gospel roots with a stirring soul sound. The single, released by Vee-Jay Records and ranked in 2003 as the No. 335 on Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list, would be one of only two Mr. Butler recorded with the group, followed up by that same year's No. 29 Billboard R&B chart hit "Come Back My Love." Tensions in the group over Mr. Butler's first-billing status led to the singer going out on his own, though his first solo hit was a reunion with Mayfield on the 1960 Vee-Jay co-write "He Will Break Your Heart." That song peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. While Mayfield soon became a star in his own right thanks to his funky soul soundtrack to the 1972 blaxploitation film Superfly and such civil rights anthems as "People Get Ready," Mr. Butler embarked on run of hits in the 1960s and 70s that included 38 career Hot 100 entries -- including three top 10s -- as well as 53 songs on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. In 1961, Mr. Butler's impressive vocal range and always fresh attire earned him the career-long nickname "The Iceman" from WDAS Philadelphia DJ George Woods, bestowed on the singer after he kept his cool and continued to sing after the PA system burned out on him at a Philly show. He scored another top 10 hit in 1964 with the hopelessly-in-love ballad "Let It Be Me," a collaboration with singer Betty Everett on the Everly Brothers-written song that appeared on their joint Delicious Together album and peaked at No. 5 on the Hot 100. Mr. Butler's third top 10 song came in 1969 with the inspirational soul stirrer "Only the Strong Survive," one of the singer's collaborations with the hit songwriting team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. The song appeared on his The Ice Man Cometh album and served as his highest-ever charting single after reaching No. 4 on the Hot 100, as well as spending two weeks at the top of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart (then called the Billboard Black Singles Chart). One of his most enduring hits, the song would later be covered by, among others, including Elvis Presley, Rod Stewart and Bruce Springsteen, who also made it the title of his 2022 R&B/soul covers solo album. Mr. Butler, whose vocals often climbed from a deep baritone to a crystal falsetto, would land Hot 100 hits in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, last charting on the singles tally in 1977 with "I Wanna Do It To You," which peaked at No. 51. Born in Sunflower, MS on Dec. 8, 1939, Mr. Butler moved to Chicago at age three, where he grew up in the since-demolished Cabrini-Green housing projects. With is biggest music years behind him by the early 1980s, Mr. Butler -- who had earlier set up his own short-lived record label, Memphis Records and production company -- pivoted to running a Chicago beer distributorship. He entered politics a few years later after being inspired by the city's first Black Mayor, Harold Washington. Former Black Panther and longtime Chicago alderman Bobby Rush encouraged Mr. Butler to run for the Cook County Board of Commissioners in 1985, where the singer served three four-year terms before his retirement from public office in 2018. The singer kept performing live into the early 2000s and hosted oldies R&B specials (Doo Wop 50, Rock Rhythm and Doo Wop) for PBS, as well as serving as the chairman of the board for the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 as a member of the Impressions. Mr. Butler published his autobiography, Only the Strong Survive: Memoirs of a Soul Survivor, in 2000. "He was one of the great voices of our time," Motown legend Smokey Robinson told the Chicago Sun-Times. "We will really miss Jerry. He was a one of a kind music legend!," songwriters Gamble and Huff said in a statement. - Billboard, 2/21/25...... 
Roberta Flack, the beloved, Grammy-winning 1970s singer best known for such hits as "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and "Killing Me Softly With His Song" died on Feb. 24. She was 88 years old. No cause of death has been announced, but it was previously revealed that she had been battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) for the past three years. "We are heartbroken that the glorious Roberta Flack passed away this morning, February 24, 2025," read a statement from her representative. "She died peacefully surrounded by her family. Roberta broke boundaries and records. She was also a proud educator," it added. Born Roberta Cleopatra Flack in Black Mountain, N.C. on Feb. 10, 1937, and raised in Virginia, Ms. Flack began singing at various churches throughout her childhood, before learning piano at age nine and going on to get a full scholarship to Howard University. After graduating, she began a career as a music teacher and started getting work as a singer in various clubs. It was around the late '60s that she made a shift to pop music and famously performed at Mr Henry's Restaurant on Capitol Hill -- getting recognition from the likes of Bill Cosby, Woody Allen and more. By 1969, Ms. Flack had shared her debut album First Take with Atlantic Records, and in 1971 she famously starred in the Ghana Independence Day concert film Soul To Soul, which also featured Santana, Ike & Tina Turner and more. Throughout the '70s, her success continued to grow. Her now-classic track "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face" was notably chosen by Clint Eastwood to feature in his directorial debut Play Misty for Me. It would later go on to win Record Of The Year at the '93 Grammys and become her first chart-topping single. She would work with the revered Hollywood star again in his 1983 film Sudden Impact. That same year her Killing Me Softly album saw her take home Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Performance at the 1974 Grammys and reach the top of the charts again. "Feel Like Making Love" marked another No. 1 hit, and was released in 1974. "Killing Me Softly" would go on to get more recognition over two decades later, when The Fugees dropped their hit cover for The Score. She would also continue making music up until the late 2010s. Her final album Running was shared in 2018, and she also paid homage to The Beatles in 2012 with her covers album Let It Be Roberta. Ms. Flack was a resident of NYC's The Dakota apartment building, and had a close relationship with Dakota neighbors John Lennon and wife Yoko Ono, helping to comfort Ono after the murder of Lennon in Dec. 1980. In 2020 Ms. Flack was given the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at the ceremony, and went on to announce her amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) diagnosis, a neurodegenerative disease that impacts the nerves in the brain and spinal cord, in 2022. The disease sadly left Ms. Flack unable to sing. Her final years saw her work on projects including a children's book and a documentary about her life. The latter was titled Roberta, and was shared in Nov. 2022, while the children's book, The Little Green Piano: How Little Me Found Music, arrived the following year. In total, she was given 13 Grammy nods throughout her career, with the last coming in 1995 for Roberta, which was nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance. An activist and philanthropist, Flack remained a teacher at heart. She established the Roberta Flack Foundation in 2010 to help young people fulfill their dreams through education and mentorship. She is survived by her son Bernard Wright, who is also a musician. - Billboard/NME/Music-News.com, 2/24/25.
He isn't quite "slip-slidin' away" yet -- on Feb. 18 Paul Simon announced an ambitious 2025 North American tour on 
In what is likely a major disappointment to many fans, Ozzy Osbourne has said he won't play a full Black Sabbath set at the band's upcoming farwell show on July 5 in Birmingham, UK. Osbourne made the announcement on his Ozzy Speaks program on SiriusXM channel Ozzy's Boneyard, where he provided an update as to his plans for the recently-announced "Back to the Beginning" concert with the "ultimate" Sabbath lineup of Ozzy, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward. "I'm not planning on doing a set with Black Sabbath but I am doing little bits and pieces with them," the "War Pigs" singer explained. "I am doing what I can, where I feel comfortable." Osbourne hasn't performed a full set since Dec. 31, 2018 on the final date of his "No More Tours" tour. Just two months later, the heavy metal pioneer was diagnosed with Parkinson's, and any plans for further large-scale performances have been affected by numerous cancellations and health issues. "I am trying to get back on my feet," Osbourne added. "When you get up in the morning, you just jump out of bed. I have to balance myself, but I'm not dead. I'm still actively doing things." Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Guns N' Roses, Tool and Jason Mamoa have been added to the lineup of the final Black Sabbath concert. Aquaman actor Momoa will host the event, while Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello will serve as musical director. Other previously announced acts include Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Rival Sons, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, songwriter-producer Andrew Watt, and bassist Dave Ellefson. Osbourne and Billy Morrison have shared their new single, "Gods Of Rock N Roll," on 
Queen guitarist Brian May. Created with significant design input from May, only 100 of the Brian May SJ-200 12-String models will be available worldwide in a limited run via Gibson.com, the Gibson Garage Nashville and London, and authorized Gibson dealers. In a press release, May said he "had the idea for the guitar when I needed a 12-String on tour, and the one I was accustomed to wasn't performing right on stage." "The guys at Gibson very kindly said, 'We'll make you something special that you can use on the tours.' One of the things I asked for was for the octaves to be placed around the other way from where it is normally done, because I like to pick upwards and hear the top notes when I'm playing," he added. Referring to his other career as an astronomer, he said: "Gibson was able to put the universe on it in a figurative way and the planet Mercury is here, and that is a little nod to a friend of mine that is always with me." An episode of the Gibson TV podcast with May introducing the instrument has been shared on 
A unique version of the classic Procol Harum single "A Whiter Shade of Pale" featuring late singer Gary Brooker is among the songs on the new charity album 
Scottish drummer Jamie Muir, a former drummer of the British prog rock group King Crimson, died of as yet undisclosed causes on Feb. 17. He was 82. News of his passing was confirmed by his friend and bandmate Bill Bruford, who wrote on Facebook: "Jamie Muir died today, 17.02.2025, in Cornwall, UK, with his brother George by his side." Mr. Muir was best known for his stint with the legendary King Crimson from 1972 to 1973, playing most prominently on their fifth studio album Larks' Tongues In Aspic, released in 1973. Born in Edinburgh in 1942 and educated at the Edinburgh College Of Art, he moved to London in the 1960s as a passionate jazz trombonist, before switching to percussion. In London, he was involved in several free improvisational groups, including The Music Improvisation Company, and played with respected figures such as Derek Bailey and Evan Parker. King Crimson leader Robert Fripp invited him to join the band via a phone call in the summer of 1972, alongside a new incarnation of the band that included Yes drummer Bruford, bassist John Wetton and violinist David Cross. After just a year, and just days after the release of Larks' Tongues In Aspic, Muir abruptly left King Crimson and moved to a monastery in southern Scotland to pursue life as a Buddhist monk. He did return to music in 1980, appearing on albums by Bailey and Parker, as well as the soundtrack of the 1983 British independent film Ghost Dance. In 1990, he withdrew from the music industry once again, opting to devote his time to painting. Mr. Muir's passing comes just months after King Crimson songwriter and lyricist Peter Sinfield died, aged 80, on Nov. 14. Robert Fripp paid tribute to Mr. Muir on Instagram, writing: "Jamie Muir was a major, and continuing, influence on my thinking, not only musical. A wonderful and mysterious person. Of the five members of KC 1972, Jamie had the greatest authority, experience and presence. Fly well, Master Muir." - NME, 2/18/25.
A rep for Don Felder says the former Eagles guitarist is "feeling much better" after a medical emergency during a Rock Legends Cruise performance on Feb. 13. In a video shared by an attendee and posted on the celebrity gossip site TMZ.com, Felder is seen introducing the Eagles classic, "Tequila Sunrise," sharing the inspiration behind the song before he began strumming his guitar to perform it. He then appears to look to crew members on the side stage and lose balance, before a member of his team and his bandmates helped escort him offstage. The crowd cheered in support for the musician before the video ends. Posting on Instagram, his rep said medical personnel determined that Felder "was deemed to be suffering from dehydration... He was given fluids, and is feeling much better." The statement continued that the remainder of Felder's cruise performances will be rescheduled to "ensure he has ample time to rehydrate and recover fully," before concluding, "Thank you for your understanding and remember -- drink your water!" Felder, 77, performed with the Eagles from 1974 to 2001, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the band in 1998. After his departure from the group, he filed two lawsuits alleging wrongful termination, breach of implied-in-fact contract and breach of fiduciary duty, though the case was settled in 2007. Felder published the book, Heaven and Hell: My Life in The Eagles, in 2007. - Billboard, 2/14/25...... In other Eagles-related news, a rare book dealer filed a lawsuit against band co-founder Don Henley, their manager Irving Azoff, and their attorneys in New York state court on Feb. 6. Henley and his co-defendants are being sued by Glenn Horowitz, one of the men who was criminally charged for allegedly attempting to sell handwritten lyrics connected to the Eagles' 1976 album 
English Heritage, the charity responsible for the National Heritage Collection of England, announced on 
Patti Smith has announced she'll be hitting the road in the U.K. and U.S. this fall to celebrate the 50th anniversary of her iconic debut album, 
10cc's Graham Gouldman and Kevin Godley celebrated the 50th anniversary of their 1975 hit 
The Stylistics have shared their first new song in more than 16 years, "Yes, I Will," featuring country star Shania Twain. The '70s soul legends -- who are behind the hits "You Are Everything," "Betcha by Golly, Wow," "I'm Stone in Love with You," "Break Up to Make Up" and 
As part of the huge wave of releases for Record Store Day on Apr. 12, previously unreleased performances from John Lennon's post-Beatles final full-length solo concerts will be released on vinyl as Power To The People - Live At The One To One Concert, New York City, 1972. The special 180-gram yellow vinyl will feature performances by John and Yoko Ono' Plastic Ono Band, backed by the NYC group Elephant's Memory, from their pair of "One to One" benefit concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York City. John and Yoko played a matinee and evening performance to a total of 40,000 people on Aug. 30, 1972, to benefit children with special needs, and raised a whopping $1.5 million, with some of the money raised going to the Willowbrook State School in Staten Island, N.Y., which was infamous for its poor conditions. The historical event, two years after the dissolution of the Beatles, also saw performances by the likes of Stevie Wonder and Roberta Flack. Produced by the couple's son, Sean Ono Lennon, the four tracks have been remixed and re-engineered from the original multi-track tapes by Paul Hicks and Sam Gannon. They include the previously unreleased performances of "Well Well Well," "Cold Turkey" and Yoko's "Don't Worry Kyoko (Mummy's Only Looking For A Hand In The Snow)," while "Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)" has been newly remixed. The release is limited to just 5500 copies worldwide, and more info can be found on recordstoreday.com. Meanwhile, the One To One concerts are explored in great detail in the forthcoming film, One to One: John & Yoko. Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland, Marley), the documentary is an expansive look at the 18 months John and Yoko spent living in Greenwich Village in the early 1970s and delivers never-before-seen material and newly restored footage of John's only full length, post-Beatles concert. The film will air on HBO in the US and will be available to stream on Max in late 2025. - Music-News.com, 2/7/25...... Celebrated Canadian singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie has had her appointment to one Canada's highest honors -- The Order of Canada -- terminated by the country's Governor General following an investigation into Indigenous ancestry. Sainte-Marie had claimed she believed she was born on the Piapot First Nation reserve in Saskatchewan and had been adopted by the Santamaria family that raised her in Wakefield, Mass., attributing her adoption to the "Sixties Scoop," a period in the 1960s when many Indigenous babies were taken from their parents and adopted by white families. In the fall of 2023, however, a CBC Fifth Estate investigation cast doubt on her claims of Indigenous ancestry. The investigation produced a birth certificate for Sainte-Marie which lists her presumed adoptive parents as her birth parents. It also features interviews with Sainte-Marie's family members calling her claim to Indigenous identity "an elaborate fabrication," and contextualizes Sainte-Marie's career within a phenomenon of high-profile public figures who have fabricated Indigenous identity. As a young adult, Sainte-Marie was adopted by Emile Piapot and Clara Starblanket Piapot of the Piapot First Nation in Saskatchewan in accordance with Cree law and customs. Sainte-Marie issued a statement around the investigation. "For a long time, I tried to discover information about my background," she wrote. "Through that research what became clear, and what I've always been honest about, is that I don't know where I'm from or who my birth parents were, and I will never know." In a follow-up statement, she affirmed her truth. "I have never lied about my identity," Sainte-Marie said, adding that the investigation included "mistakes and omissions." In her six-decade career, Sainte-Marie has won an Oscar and a Golden Globe (both for co-writing "Up Where We Belong" from An Officer and a Gentleman), the Polaris Music Prize, seven Juno Awards (including four in categories honoring aboriginal or indigenous music), and the Governor General's Performing Arts Award, in addition to her appointment to the Order of Canada. She was first appointed to the Order in 1997, and in 2019 was made a Companion of the Order, the highest level within the Order. The 83-year-old artist also had a top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972 with "Mister Can't You See." - Billboard, 2/10/25...... 
David Johansen, the co-founder and frontman of the iconic '70s punk band The New York Dolls, has revealed that he is battling a brain tumor and stage four cancer. The news came via a Sweet Relief Fund in his name seeking to raise money for the singer's ongoing care in which his daughter, Leah Hennessey, revealed the extent of her 75-year-old father's health issues. "Five years ago at the beginning of the pandemic we discovered that David's cancer had progressed and he had a brain tumor," Leah wrote. "There have been complications ever since. He's never made his diagnosis public, as he and my mother Mara are generally very private people, but we feel compelled to share this now, due to the increasingly severe financial burden our family is facing." She noted that in a further blow, the singer known for his outrageous, high-energy stage persona, fell down a flight of stairs after Thanksgiving and broke his back in two places. Following a week-long hospital stay and a successful surgery, Leah said her dad has been bedridden and incapacitated since then and "due to the trauma, David's illness has progressed exponentially and my mother is caring for him around the clock." The family said that their most immediate needs are for full-time nursing, physical therapy and funding for day-to-day vital living expenses, aimed at helping Johansen regain "some mobility and independence." Donations to Johansen can be made via the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund at 
On Feb. 5 it was revealed that the most iconic lineup of Black Sabbath -- frontman Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward -- will play live together for the first time in two decades on July 5 at Villa Park in their hometown of Birmingham, UK. The news of the final live show, dubbed "Back To The Beginning," was announced at the home of Aston Villa by Iommi and Sharon Osbourne, the manager and wife of the iconic Sabbath frontman Ozzy, as well as on 
The UK's Royal Mail announced on Feb. 6 that they will celebrate Australia's AC/DC with an official series of 12 special Royal Mail stamps. The stamps will mark the 50th anniversary of the band's debut album High Voltage and will depict the group in live performances in venues around the world. There will be 12 stamps in total, with four of them featuring the covers of four of the band's classic albums - High Voltage, Highway To Hell, Back In Black and Power Up. That band line-up will also be presented in a miniature sheet together. David Gold, director of external affairs and policy at Royal Mail, said: "AC/DC is one of the most successful rock bands in the world. Over the past half century, they have recorded some of the best-known rock anthems and have given us 'Back In Black' -- the biggest-selling rock album of all time. These stamps capture a sample of their electrifying live performances, along with some of their most iconic album covers, and celebrate their significant contribution to the world of rock music." AC/DC become the eighth artist to be honoured with their own dedicated Royal Mail stamp range, following on from The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Queen, The Rolling Stones, Iron Maiden, Spice Girls and The Who. The AC/DC stamps can be viewed and pre-orderd at 
Donny Osmond is set to share the stage with a younger version of himself from 1972 "thanks to some mind-blowing AI and CGI technology." The Osmonds star, 67, has shared introduced his new "co-star" for the remaining dates of his solo residency at Harrah's Las Vegas -- an avatar of 14-year-old teenage heartthrob Donny. In an Instagram video introducing "AI Donny," he said: "I have a new co-star at my Las Vegas residency, and we are going to be making history together. Can you imagine sharing the stage with your 14-year-old-self? Well, it's happening, thanks to some mind-blowing AI and CGI technology, I'm going to be talking and singing with Donny Osmond, you know the one from 1972." Donny is then joined by the avatar and asks him: "What does it feel like to sing with yourself 50 years in the future?" The young Donny said it was like performing with his "grandpa." To which, the real Donny replied: "You're my grandson, Daxton Osmond." At a click of the fingers, Donny and Daxton's faces interchanged. The "Puppy Love" hitmaker started his residency at Harrah's in Las Vegas back in 2021 and it will wrap in June. Speaking about the rise in the use of AI (artificial intelligence), Donny previously told Fox News Digital: "AI is a tool, not a substitute. So, I love the prospects of AI. I love what it can do for me as a producer, as an artist -- as a tool. And that's it." - Music-News.com, 2/7/25...... Guitarist Mike Ratledge, a co-founder of the British psych-rock band Soft Machine, died on Feb. 5. He was 81. The news of his passing was shared by his former Soft Machine bandmate John Etheridge, who explained that the death was related to a recent illness. "Incredibly sad news that my great friend and Soft Machine legend passed away two hours ago after a brief illness," he wrote. "Mike was the backbone of Soft Machine in the early years and a man with an absolutely incisive mind -- a marvellous composer and keyboardist. A real renaissance man -- so talented, cultured, charming -- and a wonderful companion. We used to meet every few weeks for over 40 yrs -- a treat for me. What a loss to all of us and his sisters and wonderful girlfriend Elena, who were with him at the end." Mr. Ratledge was born in Kent in 1943 and began his time in the music industry as a teenager when he Daevid Allen and joined his band the Daevid Allen Trio. As well as that, he grew up learning piano and clarinet and went on to get a degree in psychology and philosophy from Oxford's University College. He formed Soft Machine with Allen, Robert Wyatt and Kevin Ayers in 1966, and although the members would shift over the years, he remained the longest-serving member. He left the group in 1976. The band would make a name for themselves through their psych-pop, progressive sound and blend of jazz fusion. Alongside his work with Soft Machine, Mr. Ratledge also took on work as a composer and producer, working on various projects on television and in the theatre. He also famously joined forces with composer Karl Jenkins for his Adiemus: Songs Of Sanctuary album, and continued to work with Jenkins in the following years. - NME, 2/6/25.
On Feb. 5 Elton John and Brandi Carlile announced details of a new collaborative album called 
Cheap Trick will be among the headliners at the upcoming Pure Imagination Fest on May 17 in Prescott, Ariz. Other headliners include Grammy-nominated artist Matisyahu, and Grammy winning hip-hop group Arrested Development. Also on the bill is the 80s ska, pop, soul, reggae and punk outfit English Beat, as well as Gone Gone Beyond, Kelsey Waldon, Ponderosa Grove, Bird and Byron, Kids In America, Pijama Piyama and Dutch Holly. Since its debut in 2022, the female-founded and curated Pure Imagination Fest has become a standout experience, seamlessly merging music, nature, and culture with an eco-conscious ethos in the traditional lands of several Native American tribes. "Pure Imagination is about more than just music," event founder Candace Devine says. "It's about creating an unforgettable experience where people can connect, be inspired, and celebrate the power of art in one of the most beautiful places in the world." The event's 2024 promo video can be viewed on 
The Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 2 featured a star-studded tribute performance recognizing producer/composer/instrumentalist Quincy Jones's varied musical achievements throughout the decades. The performance was introduced by actor Will Smith, who acknowledged his career would not be what it is without Jones, who produced Smith's debut acting gig TV series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The musical portion of the tribute to Jones began with legendary jazz pianist Herbie Hancock playing Jones' classic '60s instrumental "Killer Joe." Hancock was then joined by vocal powerhouse Cynthia Erivo for a show-stopping performance of "Fly Me to the Moon," which became a signature song for Frank Sinatra with Jones arranging his performance. The duo were then replaced by country star Lainey Wilson for a rollicking performance of Jones' '90s rave-up "Let the Good Times Roll." After that, Hancock was welcomed back to the keys, along with all-time great Stevie Wonder on harmonica for a rendition of Jones' version of jazz staple "Bluesette." Wonder then capped the tribute by introducing (and leading the crowd in a singalong of) "We Are the World," the all-star USA for Africa charity single that Jones produced 40 years earlier in 1985. Jones is one of the most decorated figures in the history of the Grammys, winning 28 awards over the course of his generation-spanning career -- including two album of the year wins for Micheal Jackson's Thriller (1984) and his own Back on the Block (1991). Also during the Grammys, The Rolling Stones picked up a Best Rock Album award for their 2024 album Hackney Diamonds. Accepting the trophy on the Stones' behalf, Andrew Watt, producer of Hackney Diamonds, said: "Talked to Mick [Jagger] yesterday and he just wanted to say a big thank you to the Academy from the entire band. The legendary Frankie Valli of The Four Seasons was also honored with a Special Merit Award by the Recording Academy on Feb. 1. Valli made note of how long it took the Recording Academy to get around to him. Valli has never won a Grammy, on his own or in the Four Seasons, which landed their first three No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962-63. "This has been an incredible evening," he said. "I don't know what took so long, but that's the way it goes." - Billboard, 2/2/25...... As he attended the Janie's Fund Grammys viewing party in Los Angeles on Feb. 2, Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood opened up to US Weekly about his former bandmates Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham "I always have a fantasy that [Stevie] and Lindsay would pal up a bit more and just say everything's OK for them both. But we've had such an incredible career," Fleetwood told the magazine. This is not the first time Fleetwood has opened up about wanting Nicks and Buckingham to be friendlier. In 2024, he spoke to Mojo and shared: "It's no secret, it's no tittle-tattle that there is a brick wall there emotionally. Stevie's able to speak clearly about how she feels and doesn't feel, as does Lindsey. But I'll say, personally, I would love to see a healing between them -- and that doesn't have to take the shape of a tour, necessarily." In 2024, Buckingham shared that he would rejoin the Fleetwood Mac line-up "in a heartbeat," and Nicks has said there's "no reason" for the band to get together after the passing of Christine McVie. It was announced in 2024 that a "fully authorised," "definitive" Fleetwood Mac documentary to chronicle the history of the legendary band is in the works. - NME, 2/4/25...... 
Also at the Janie's Fund Grammy Viewing Party at the Hollywood Paladium, former Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler made his first return to the stage since Aerosmith's announcement that they were retiring from touring. Performing with Extreme's Nuno Bettencourt, Tyler's six-song set featured a rendition of Aerosmith's "Toys in the Attic", Extreme's "More Than Words" with Mick Fleetwood, and "Dream On" with Lainey Wilson. Joined by Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton and the Black Crowes' Chris Robinson for performances of "Sweet Emotion," and "Walk This Way," the high-profile set closed out with a cover of Led Zeppelin's "Heartbreaker." The performance was only Tyler's second time appearing on stage since his vocal injury. In May 2024 -- months before Aerosmith announced their retirement from touring -- Tyler performed "Mama Kin" with the Black Crowes in London. At the time, the Black Crowes were planning to resume their role as the opening act for Aerosmith's then-postponed "Peace Out" tour later in the year. While performing in Elmont, NY on Sept. 9 of that year, Tyler fractured his larynx, necessitating the postponement of shows on their "Peace Out" tour. Ultimately, these shows were canceled entirely when the band announced their retirement from touring in Aug. 2024. It's currently unclear whether Tyler's return to the live stage could result in anything more in the future, though Hamilton did speak to Boston's WBUR in January to give an update on the possibility of one-off Aerosmith appearances down the line. "Steven's healing process is going really, really well, but it goes at its own pace," Hamilton told the station. "Maybe Aerosmith will do something in the future, but it's a big if and the last thing I want to be doing is to try and push Steven in that direction. If we do anything in the future, it would come from him." - Billboard, 2/3/25...... AC/DC announced on 
Joni Mitchell made a rare live appearance at the LA FireAid benefit show at the Kia Forum on Jan. 30. At the event to provide financial support for the victims of the recent devastating Los Angeles wildfires, one of the most memorable moments came as the 81-year-old iconic singer-songwriter took to the stage for a moving rendition of her hit "Both Sides Now" from her 1969 album Clouds. The singer remained seated on a gold throne as she broke out the track, and was joined by Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, as well as Lucius, Taylor MacKall, Blake Mills, and Abe Rounds. Footage of the performance can be viewed on