According to an investigation of police records by the Miami Herald newspaper, the death of co-founding Allman Brothers Band member Butch Trucks was a suicide. The drummer, 69, reportedly shot himself in the head with a pistol inside his West Palm Beach condo as his wife of 25 years, Melinda, stood nearby. The records included a transcript of Melinda Trucks' call to police around 6 p.m. local time that was described as "hysterical," as she struggled to speak in complete sentences. Although Trucks was still breathing when police arrived, he passed away soon after. Police do not suspect foul play, and the results of an autopsy by the coroner's office will be released in a few weeks. - Billboard, 1/26/17...... Performing in Adelaide, Australia on Jan. 30, Bruce Springsteen spoke out against new US Pres. Donald Trump before launching into the song "American Land," which he described as an "immigrant song." "America is a nation of immigrants, and we find this anti-democratic and fundamentally un-American," Springsteen told the audience. Springsteen's words came after a federal judge in New York temporarily blocked an executive order by Pres. Trump on Jan. 28 that prevented individuals from seven countries with known terrorist ties from entering the U.S. Pres. Trump responded to the judge's action the next day on Facebook, saying his administration is "protecting our own citizens and border." - Billboard, 1/30/17...... 
Interviewed for an in-depth cover story in the latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine, Michael Jackson's daughter Paris Jackson says she still can't believe the world thought her late dad was a child molester, and that Michael would "cry to me at night" as he battled ongoing accusations of child abuse at his Neverland Ranch home in California. "Picture your parent crying to you about the world hating him for something he didn't do," said Paris, now a teenage model. "And for me, he was the only thing that mattered. To see my entire world in pain, I started to hate the world because of what they were doing to him. I'm like, 'How can people be so mean?'" Jackson's sensational 2005 trial ended with the members of the jury finding the King of Pop not guilty on all 14 charges against him. Paris also discusses her ongoing battles with cyberbullies, briefly mentions being sexually assaulted by "a complete stranger" at 14, and "multiple" suicide attempts stemming from her early teenage "depression and drug addiction" (she's now sober). Paris also insisted that Michael Jackson was her real father, that she "considers herself black" because her dad told her she was, and that her dad was somehow, murdered. "Absolutely," she said. "Because it's obvious. All arrows point to that.... all real fans and everybody in the family knows it. It was a setup." - WENN.com/jezebel.com, 1/24/17...... 
Parlophone Records UK has announced David Bowie's seminal first six albums from 1969-73 will be getting a vinyl re-release on Feb. 26. Space Oddity, The Man Who Sold the World, Hunky Dory, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, Aladdin Sane and Pin Ups will all be reissued on heavyweight 180g vinyl. Bowie's Bowie at the Beeb box set compilation of recordings from various BBC Radio stations from 1968-1972 will also be released on that day. All the albums have been remastered. Meanwhile, Newsweek is reporting that a treasure trove of new music the legendary artist created will be released in stages beginning in 2017. According to an unnamed source "close to the late artist, there's "a long list of unscheduled musical releases that Bowie planned before he died," which have been "divided into eras," the first of which will hit stores before the end of 2017. Also, a cast album for Bowie's off-Broadway musical "Lazarus" is also in production. The musical, which featured 18 of the artist's biggest hits, closed on Jan. 20 after its two-month run at the New York Theatre Workshop. Meanwhile Labyrinth, director Jim Henson's 1986 fantasy film starring Bowie, is getting a reboot with a script by Nicole Perlman, the co-writer of the hit film Guardians of the Galaxy. Labyrinth told of a teenager, played by Jennifer Connelly in one of her first roles, who has to navigate a fantastical maze in order to save her young brother, kidnapped by a goblin king (Bowie). It is unclear whether the new film, which is being produced by Columbia/TriStar, will be a reimagining of the story or a sequel. Despite the film's popularity in recent years, it was a box-office disappointment at the time of its release and led to Henson's exit from film directing. It was only in the intervening years that the film gained a strong cult following. In other Bowie-related news, his producing partner Tony Visconti will be the opening keynote speaker at this year's 30th annual South by Southwest Music Conference and Festival (SXSW). The 2016 SXSW Music Festival runs March 15-20 and is expected to showcase 2,000 acts ranging from across all the genres. Visconti's keynote address will take place March 16. Finally, Bowie's son Duncan Jones thanked fans on Twitter on Jan. 23 for their support following his father's death earlier in January. "Hi all. Just wanted to thank you for the incredibly kind words & thoughts. I'll be easing my way back into Twitter- pic.twitter.com/n0ytOiESWb," Jones posted. Jones is the director of the films Moon and Source Code. - Billboard/The Hollywood Reporter/New Musical Express, 1/27/16...... Actor Joseph Fiennes has been cast to play Michael Jackson in a new one-off, half hour British TV comedy, chronicling a fabled road trip that the King of Pop took with Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001. 
The unbelievable story is based on a 2011 Vanity Fair article that alleged the three entertainment icons rented a car and fled New York westward following the attacks. Unable to fly, they were hoping to make it home to California and made it as far as Ohio while gorging on junk food in the car, before catching a plane the rest of the way. Taylor's former assistant has claimed the legendary actress never joined Brando and Jackson on the trip, and Fiennes, who has been the subject of controversy over his controversial casting as an African-American, insists that the project is only intended to be lighthearted. "It's a light comedy look. It's not in any way malicious. It's actually endearing," he told Entertainment Tonight. Fiennes is a white British actor best known for his role in 1998's Shakespeare in Love, as well as more recent roles in Hercules and American Horror Story. - Billboard/Vulture.com, 1/26/16...... In other Michael Jackson news, it appears the crazy Internet conspiracy theory that the King of Pop provided uncredited musical contributions to the 1994 Sega video game Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is true. The gist of the convoluted story is that former Sega exec Roger Hector, who worked on Sonic 3, has confirmed in a recent Huffington Post article that Jackson reached out to Sega in the early '90s to express his admiration for the new Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Sega, which released several titles of Jackson's Moonwalker video game, invited him to visit their office. Jackson was provided with a demo of the game and invited to compose music for it. "He took it from there and started making music," Hector said. After receiving music from Jackson's team for Sonic 3, Hector recalled, "I was really impressed with how much of a signature Michael Jackson sound there was in this, and yet, it was all new." Sega, however, still denies Jackson had any involvement on Sonic 3. Meanwhile, producer John Branca, who's also the co-executor of Jackson's estate, has hinted that more Michael Jackson movies could be on the way. "I'd like to see a movie about the History album and tour," says Branca. "It was his last tour, and his most underappreciated album. Michael was out of favor in the U.S. at the time. But if you listen to it start to finish, it's one of the greatest albums of all time." Branca also says a movie about Jackson's blockbuster 1982 album Thriller is also "definitely a candidate, and that he's planning Halloween-themed events around the album in 2017, its 35th anniversary. But until then, fans will have to be content with the new Spike Lee-directed Showtime documentary Michael Jackson's Journey From Motown to Off the Wall, which premiered on Jan. 24 at the Sundance Film Festival and hits Showtime on Feb. 5. "This (film) shows the story of Michael resurrecting the Jacksons and making his first solo album -- and we all know what happened after that," Branca says. - Billboard, 1/26/16...... 
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band have rescheduled their postponed Madison Square Garden concert, which was cancelled on Jan. 24 due to a blizzard in New York City, to March 28. Tickets to the original show will be honored on the new night. Springsteen's camp has also announced that his The River Tour is extending its U.S. run with 14 new shows, and the band will play May 19 in Portugal as the headlining act on the first night of "Rock in Rio Lisboa." The new dates will begin with a third and final show at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena March 19, and will extend through Denver, Dallas, and Detroit with two final shows at Brooklyn's Barclays Center on April 23 and 25. The River Tour, Springsteen's first in two years, follows the release of his 1980 The River deluxe reissue 
Brian Wilson has announced he'll be launching an ambitious Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary World Tour on Mar. 26 at Auckland, Australia's Civic Theatre. More than 70 dates are confirmed so far in countries also including Japan, the UK, Spain, Israel and Portugal, with additional shows being added. Wilson, joined by former bandmates Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin, will also be playing the seminal 1966 album in its entirety in U.S. cities coast-to-coast on the tour beginning on June 14 in Burlington, Vermont, wrapping on Oct. 14 in Lake Tahoe, California. "It's really been a trip to sit here and think about releasing Pet Sounds 50 years ago," the 73-year-old Beach Boys mastermind said in a statement. "I love performing this album with my band and look forward to playing it for fans all across the world," he added. - Billboard, 1/25/16...... Iggy Pop has announced he'll be headlining London's Royal Albert Hall on May 18 with new bandmates, drummer Josh Homme (Arctic Monkeys) and Matt Helders (Queens of the Stone Age). On the same day, Pop will release his new album, Post Pop Depression, which he recorded in secret in 2015. Pop released the first track from the album, "Gardenia," earlier in January. - New Musical Express, 1/27/16...... Sony Pictures Classics has acquired the worldwide rights (excluding France and Germany) to a new documentary on Frank Zappa, Eat That Question -- Frank Zappa In His Own Words. Directed by Thorsten Schutte, the film zooms in on the iconoclastic composer-musician entirely through rare archival footage from his three-decade career and includes clips of rare TV interviews and international performances. "I'm delighted and I'm thrilled that Sony Pictures Classics believes in the film and I feel we're in very good hands," said Schutte, whose film premiered on Jan. 25 at the Sundance Film Festival. "The news of the acquisition is really the cherry on the cake of our world premiere at Sundance," he added. - The Hollywood Reporter, 1/23/16...... 
Olivia Newton-John, who played Sandy in the 
Actor Abe Vigoda, best known for his roles as mobster Tessio in 
Police in Maine arrested Don McLean on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge at his Camden home on Jan. 18, and court records show she then filed a handwritten request for protection that claims her 70-year-old husband's rage was "unfathomably deep and scary." In the request, she said McLean's abuse often left her bruised, and that she feared for her life when she called 911 earlier in the week. "Don terrorized me for four hours, until the 911 call that I think might have saved my life," she wrote. On Jan. 21, McLean issued a statement saying his marriage is experiencing a "very painful breakdown," that he is "not a villain," and that it is an emotional time for his family. "I may never recover from this but I will try and hope to continue to entertain you all as I always have," McLean said. The singer/songwriter was released from the Knox County Jail on a $10,000 bail the same day and is due in court Feb. 22. McLean's attorney, Walter McKee, said his client will plead not guilty when the case returns to court, and that McLean "vigorously denies" his wife's allegations. McLean, who grew up in Port Chester, N.Y., and has resided in the wealthy coastal Maine town of Camden for years, is best known for his chart-topping 1972 song 
Other musicians are remembering Glenn Frey, including Jimmy Buffett, who described the Eagles co-founder as "a friend, professional, inspiration, and sometimes a handful." Buffett, who was asked to induct the Eagles into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, says after he first met Frey in August of 1975 when his band was invited to open for the Eagles, "Glenn and I went on to become close friends, songwriting collaborators, and neighbors in Aspen. He and Don [Henley] were instrumental in getting Irving Azoff to become my manager, and eventually open for the Eagles on the Hotel California tour of America, which was the rocket ship we rode to eventually becoming a headliner." Meanwhile, even one of Frey's most well-known antagonists, former Eagles member Don Felder, is offering praise for his ex-bandmate. "Glenn's passing was so unexpected and has left me with a very heavy heart filled with sorrow," said Felder in a statement. "He was so young and still full of amazing genius. He was an extremely talented songwriter, arranger, leader, singer, guitarist, you name it and Glenn could do it and create 'MAGIC' on the spot. His visions and insights into songs and lyrics have become legendary and will echo throughout time on this earth for decades to come." Eagles manager Irving Azoff provided additional details of Frey's Jan. 18 passing on the following day, saying his death was caused partly be medications. In an interview with TheWrap.com, Azoff said that the "complications of Rheumatoid Arthritis, Acute Ulcerative Colitis and Pneumonia" that were announced on the Eagles' website were "side effects from all the meds." "Glenn died from complications of ulcer and colitis after being treated with drugs for his rheumatoid arthritis which he had for over 15 years," said Azoff. "I can't believe he's gone... I can't believe everything we accomplished. It was a staggering body of work and just an amazing run. I don't think there will ever be another American band as successful." Also paying tribute to Frey are his "Take It Easy" co-writer Jackson Browne and Bruce Springsteen. On Jan. 19, Browne played "Take It Easy" during a show at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Florida, his first concert following Frey's death the previous day at the age of 67. Springsteen also performed an acoustic version of the breezy song with just a guitar at the beginning of his encores during a concert at Chicago's United Center on Jan. 19. - Billboard, 1/20/16...... Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has received permission from Simon & Garfunkel to use one of their songs in what has been described as one of the most effective campaign commercials so far -- a 
The late David Bowie has earned his first No. 1 Billboard Hot 200 album chart debut with his new album 
ABBA members Agnetha Faltskog, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid (Frida) Lyngstad made a rare group appearance for the Jan. 20 opening of an ABBA-inspired restaurant, Stockholm's Mamma Mia! The Party. The legendary Europop foursome arrived and left separately and declined to be photographed together on the red carpet, according to reports. Though the Swedes did stand beside one another on the stage -- a momentous occasion which was captured on camera. "We are here to party," Ulvaeus told reporters. ABBA, who split in 1982 and haven't performed together since 1986, purportedly once turned down a $1 billion offer for a comeback tour. - Billboard, 1/21/16...... Elton John has confirmed that he's working with Lady Gaga on music for Gaga's next album. "I've heard two songs, which are killer. They're just great songs," Sir Elton said during an interview on Jan. 19 on the U.K.'s Beats 1 program. The show's host, Zane Lowe, also Tweeted that John said he'd be "writing with Gaga tomorrow." Meanwhile, Elton has released a new video for "Blue Wonderful" from his new studio album, 
Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne has announced that his band has opted not to record a final album to go along with the band's upcoming The End tour, but they will have a final piece of product to offer fans. Osbourne and Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler say the group has prepared an eight-track CD that will be sold only at shows featuring four unreleased tracks from sessions for 2013's Grammy Award-winning 
Drummer Dale Griffin, a former member of the British glam-rock outfit Mott the Hoople, passed away in his sleep on Jan. 17 after having been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease a decade ago. He was 67. Griffin was a founding member of the group that released eight albums over their five-and-a-half years as a band. Mott the Hoople are best known for their hit "All The Young Dudes," which was penned by David Bowie. The band were on the verge of splitting in 1972 when Bowie wrote "All The Young Dudes" for them, after originally offering them "Sufragette City." "All The Young Dudes" became a hit and spurred the band on to create more hits with "Honaloochie Boogie," "All The Way From Memphis" and "Golden Age of Rock 'n' Roll" all following. Mott The Hoople split in 1974 after completing a European tour. Griffin continued playing alongside bassist Pete Overend Watts and Morgan Fisher under the name Mott in 1976. The original band reunited in 2009 for their 40th anniversary but Griffin was unable to perform with the group due to ill-health, having been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease at the age of 58. Griffin later worked as a producer for BBC live music sessions by bands including Nirvana, the Smashing Pumpkins and Pulp. - New Musical Express, 1/19/16...... Mic Gillette, a talented trumpet and trombone player and founding member of the Oakland, Calif., soul-R&B powerhouse Tower of Power, died unexpectedly on Jan. 16. He was 64. Gillette was a key component of Tower of Power's legendary horn section, which is routinely ranked among the best of its kind over the last 50 years. He also touched many in his East Bay neighborhood with his tireless involvement with and support for middle and high school music programs. The acclaimed brass player, who performed on both trumpet and trombone, was prominently featured on the band's best-known recordings, including such hits as "You're Still a Young Man," "So Very Hard to Go" and "What Is Hip?" He remained with Tower of Power until the mid-1980s, when he decided to trade in the touring life to spend more time with his family. He rejoined the seminal Oakland act from 2009 to 2011. "Mic was without a doubt the greatest brass player I've ever known," Tower of Power band leader Emilio Castillo said on the band's website. "Our sincere condolences go out to his wife, Julia, and his daughter, Megan, and their entire family." - 1/19/16.
Speaking of Paul McCartney, the Beatles legend has named three of his favorite albums of all time. Responding to a message in an ongoing segment on his 
Speaking of Australia, one of the country's most famous daughters, Olivia Newton-John, has a new documentary about her life and career in development. On June 24, Deadline.com published a press released reporting that Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Nicole Newnham is working on a project about the late Hollywood singing legend for Netflix. The film will chronicle ONJ's childhood in England and Australia as well as her early pursuit of a career in the music industry. In addition, the documentary will explore her rise to fame alongside John Travolta in the iconic 1978 musical film, Grease. "In her own words, through vivid archival and via reminiscences from close friends and collaborators, we'll follow Olivia's journey as the world falls madly in love with her and she ascends to the height of fame, only to be confronted by challenges of epic proportions," a summary reads. "By discovering how to stay true to her beliefs, Olivia changed our culture for the better, bending it towards kindness, inclusivity, and love." Newton-John died at the age of 73 in 2022 following a battle with breast cancer. The film will be produced by R.J. Cutler, whose last project was a documentary about Martha Stewart for Netflix. - Music-News.com, 6/25/25...... Forget about all that recent "farewell" talk from Foreigner -- the band's upcoming change of singing guard, from Kelly Hansen to Luis Maldanado, may well make for a more productive Foreigner, according to bassist Jeff Pilson. "There's just a lot of forward movement, and the band is incredibly excited," Pilson, who's been with Foreigner since 2004 (and was also part of Dokken), says. "What started off as being a farewell tour now ended up being Kelly's last tour and (the band) moving forward." Back in 2022 Kelly Hansen positioned himself as the primary driver behind Foreigner's Historic Farewell Tour, which began the following year. "This catalog of songs, it's extremely challenging for a rock tenor vocalist like myself to sing," he explained at the time. "I never thought in a million years I'd be singing these songs in the (original) keys at this age (then 61), and I don't know how much longer I can do that at the level I need toIf I'm not doing it for real, I shouldn't be doing it." Foreigner's farewell tour got under way during the summer of 2023 and has been extended a couple of times since, due to demand -- bolstered by the band's long-awaited induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Oct. 2024. The lead vocalist change may also open the door for fans to hear more music for Foreigner in the near future. The group has recorded two Spanish-language tracks sung by Maldonado, who was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, including a duet version of their classic "I Want to Know What Love Is" with Joy Huerta of the Latin Grammy-winning duo Jesse & Joy. Pilson says more of those are planned. Pilson adds he's also sifting through additional unreleased and in-progress recordings, and hopes some brand new material will be recorded as well. Original Foreigner vocalist Lou Gramm has indicated he's definitely on board to contribute in whatever manner he can. And Pilson adds that Foreigner founder/guitarist Mick Jones -- who had to retire from touring due to Parkinson's Disease -- remains "really supportive" of Foreigner continuing and releasing new music. - Billboard, 6/25/25...... Stevie Nicks has announced eight additional dates for her upcoming North American tour later this year. In April, the former Fleetwood Macsinger and songwriter confirmed that she would be playing across the US and Canada with an original run of nine dates in August and October. Now, the tour has been extended, with a show at Brooklyn's Barclays Center on Aug 8 now set to kick off the string of dates. Extra shows have also been added in Hollywood, Fla. (9/3) and Detroit (9/7), as well as Portland (10/1), Sacramento (10/4), Atlantic City (10/18), Charlotte (10/21 and Hartford (10/25). A press release at the time of the original announcement indicated that "Nicks will continue to enchant audiences with her unmistakable voice, poetic lyrics and transcendent live performances" at the gigs. She had been due to play some shows with Billy Joel this summer, but the "Piano Man" singer has been forced to cancel all of his upcoming tour dates following a diagnosis with the brain disorder normal pressure hydrocephalus. - NME, 6/23/25...... Eddie Van Halen's musician son Wolfgang Van Halen has announced his withdrawal from the upcoming Black Sabbath farewell concert over tour commitments. Speaking to WRIF Detroit recently, Wolfgang explained of the situation: "I, unfortunately, had to back out because the Creed tour starts the day after, and I wouldn't be able to pull it off -- unfortunately. I'm very excited to watch it, but I unfortunately had to back out." The farewell Sabbath concert, dubbed "Back To The Beginning," is set for July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, UK. - NME, 6/26/25...... 
Longtime E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt has revealed he's being forced to sit out several upcoming shows with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band as he recovers from emergency surgery. Van Zandt shared the news via X on June 23, revealing that what initially felt like food poisoning turned out to be appendicitis. He was treated in San Sebastin, Spain, following a show in the city and praised the medical team for their swift care. Springsteen and the E Street Band are in the midst of a European stadium run, with the next stop scheduled for Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on June 27, followed by back-to-back dates at Milan's San Siro Stadium on June 30 and July 3. "I'm hoping to get back on stage for at least one of the shows in Milan," Van Zandt added. "Thank you all for all the good vibes. See you soon." Van Zandt last performed onstage with Springsteen in San Sebastin on June 24. No formal announcement has been made regarding a fill-in, though the band has adjusted their lineup in the past to accommodate health-related absences. - Billboard, 6/24/25...... Typographer Jim Parkinson, the artist behind Rolling Stone magazine's iconic logo, died on June 27 after a long struggle with Alzheimer's Disease. He was 83. The San Francisco Bay Area native attended California College of Arts and Crafts, where he graduated in 1963, and worked as an artist at Hallmark Cards, where he moved from "drawing rabbits" to the lettering department, where he honed his craft. In 1971, he was hired to create lettering and drawings for Rolling Stone, which was headquartered in San Francisco at the time. Mr. Parkinson was enlisted to redesign its logo in 1977, in time for the magazine's 10th anniversary. A few years later, he brought new life to the design with the now-iconic elongated tail on the "R." That rework became the longest-running version of the logo, lasting until 2018. (He was also behind a flatter version that ran from 2018 through 2022.) He went on to design logos for dozens of other publications, including Esquire, Variety, The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times, and logos for bands including Credence Clearwater, Kansas and the Doobie Brothers. Mr. Parkinson died in Oakland and is survived by his wife and book artist Dorothy Yule. A memorial for him is also expected in the fall. - Billboard,...... Bill Moyers, the former White House press secretary who became one of television's most honored journalists, died on June 26 in a New York City hospital. He was 91. Mr. Moyers' son William said his father died at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York after a "long illness." On the day Pres. John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Mr. Moyers was in Austin helping with the presidential trip. He flew back to Washington on Air Force One with newly sworn-in Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson, for whom he held various jobs over the ensuing years, including press secretary. In 1967, Mr. Moyers became publisher of Long Island-based Newsday and concentrated on adding news analyses, investigative pieces and lively features. His next venture was in public television and he won critical acclaim for Bill Moyers Journal, and interview series. He was chief correspondent of CBS Reports from 1976 to 1978, went back to PBS for three years, and then was senior news analyst for CBS from 1981 to 1986. His projects in the 21st century included Now, a weekly PBS public affairs program; a new edition of Bill Moyers Journal and a podcast covering racism, voting rights and the rise of Donald Trump, among other subjects. Over the years, the Hugo, Okla., native was showered with numerous honors, including more than 30 Emmys, 11 George Foster Peabody awards, three George Polks and, twice, the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Gold Baton Award for career excellence in broadcast journalism. In 1995, he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. Mr. Moyers married Judith Davidson, a college classmate, in 1954, and they raised three children, among them the author Suzanne Moyers and author-TV producer William Cope Moyers. Judith eventually became her husband's partner, creative collaborator and president of the production company they founded in 1986. - AP, 6/26/25...... 
Composer/conductor Lalo Schifrin, who composed the unforgettable instrumental theme from Mission: Impossible among countless other iconic series and movies, died on June 26 at age 93. Born Boris Claudio Schifrin on June 21, 1932, Mr. Schifrin was a second-generation musical talent. His father was the concert master for the Buenos Aires Philharmonic for more than three decades. The younger Schifrin began playing piano at the tender age 5. When he was about 16, his classmates turned him to jazz records, and he was hooked for life. He studied music and law for four years at the University of Buenos Aires, and received a scholarship to the Paris Conservatory of Music in 1952. In 1956, Mr. Schifrin returned to Buenos Aires, formed his own jazz band and became active writing music for TV and radio programs.Mr. Schifrin arrived in New York City in 1958, and reconnected with early mentor Dizzy Gillespie in 1960, and worked on Gillespie's hit album, Gillespiana, which brought both musicians Grammy nominations. Mr. Schifrin received 19 Grammy nominations spanning 40 years (1962-2002) and multiple genres (both jazz and pop) and skillsets (composition, arrangement and performance), and won four Grammys. He received four Primetime Emmy nominations -- three for Mission: Impossible and one for his music for David Wolper's The Making of the President 1964. He received six Oscar nominations, five for scores (Cool Hand Luke, The Fox, Voyage of the Damned, The Amityville Horror and The Sting II) and one for a song, "People Alone" from The Competition (1980), which he co-wrote with lyricist Will Jennings. For all he accomplished, Mr. Schifrin's Mission: Impossible theme is unquestionably his greatest hit. His music for that drama series, which aired on CBS from 1966-73, brought him two Grammy Awards, three Primetime Emmy nominations and high placements on the Billboard charts. The theme reached No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 in Jan. 1968. It won a Grammy for best instrumental theme in 1968 and was voted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2017. Mr. Schifrin also wrote the pitch-perfect theme song for Mannix (also produced by Geller), which helped that Mike Connors P.I. series stay on the air for eight years (one year longer than M:I). His other TV themes include The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Medical Center, Starsky & Hutch, T.H.E. Cat and Petrocelli. His other film scores, not already named, include The Cincinnati Kid, Bullitt, Enter the Dragon and all three Rush Hour films. He is survived by his wife, Donna; sons Will, a TV writer (The Fairly OddParents), and Ryan, a writer-director (Abominable); a daughter, Frances; and four grandchildren. - Billboard, 2/26/25...... Walter Scott Jr., whose buttery vocals alongside his identical twin Wallace Scott were the hallmarks behind hitmaking R&B group The Whispers, died on June 26 in Northridge, Calif., after a six-month battle with cancer. He was 81. The Los Angeles-based quintet is best known for its spate of R&B hits in the '80s such as its first No. 1 with dance anthem "And the Beat Goes On," followed by the sensual ballad "Lady," the up-tempo groove "It's a Love Thing" and the group's second No. 1 with another dance track "Rock Steady," which also reached No. 7 on the Hot 100. All told, The Whispers charted 15 top 10 R&B hits, beginning in 1970 with the group's No. 6 breakthrough ballad "Seems Like I Gotta Do Wrong." The quintet also counts eight top 10 R&B albums in its catalog including two No. 1s: The Whispers and Love Is Where You Find It. Recording for various labels including Soul Clock, Janus and Soul Train, The Whispers began to hit its stride in 1978 after signing with Dick Griffey's Solar Records, scoring No. 10 on the R&B chart with "(Let's Go) All the Way" followed by the top 15 "(Olivia) Lost and Turned Out." A year later came "And the Beat Goes On." In addition to their elegant vocals and scintillating harmonies, the group was heralded as well for its smooth dance routines onstage, making The Whispers a concert draw well into the 2000s. The Whispers were inducted into the National Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame in 2014. Mr. Scott is survived by his wife, Jan, two sons, three grandchildren and brother Wallace. - Billboard, 6/27/25...... 
Bobby Sherman, one of the top teen heartthrobs of late 1960s and early '70s, died after a battle with kidney cancer on June 24. He was 81. "It is with the heaviest heart that I share the passing of my beloved husband, Bobby Sherman," his wife, Brigitte Poublon, announced alongside actor John Stamos in an Instagram post. "Bobby left this world holding my hand -- just as he held up our life with love, courage and unwavering grace through all 29 beautiful years of marriage," Poublon added. "I was his Cinderella, and he was my prince charming. Even in his final days, he stayed strong for me. That's who Bobby was -- brave, gentle and full of light." Mr. Sherman was a teen idol just before, and briefly concurrent with, Donny Osmond and the late David Cassidy. But there was a difference: Mr. Sherman was 26 in 1969 when "Little Woman" became his first smash hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 3. By comparison, Cassidy was 20 in 1970 when The Partridge Family topped the Hot 100 with "I Think I Love You." Osmond was just 13 in 1971 when The Osmonds topped the Hot 100 with "One Bad Apple." Being older than his rivals may have shortened Sherman's run at the top. His entire Hot 100 career, from first hit to last, spanned just two and one-half years. Mr. Sherman first rose to fame playing youngest brother Jeremy Bolt on the TV series Here Come the Brides, which aired on ABC from 1968 to 1970. One of his brothers was played by David Soul, who also went on to become a pop hitmaker. Soul topped the Hot 100 in 1977 with the ballad "Don't Give Up on Us." He died in Jan. 2024 at age 80. Here Comes the Brides had a zesty theme song, "Seattle," but even with two singers in the cast, it was Perry Como who had a top 40 hit on Hot 100 with the song in the spring of 1969. But Como's No. 38 hit was nothing compared to the enormous success Sherman had with both singles and albums from 1969-71 on Metromedia Records. Sherman's first smash, "Little Woman" reached No. 3 for two weeks in Oct. 1969 -- while The Archies' "Sugar, Sugar" was in its third and fourth weeks at No. 1. These hits proved that bubblegum could do big business. Mr. Sherman followed "Little Woman" with three more top 10 hits in 1969-70 -- "La La La (If I Had You)," "Easy Come, Easy Go" and "Julie, Do Ya Love Me." All four of these hits were certified gold by the RIAA. Mr. Sherman also had three top 20 albums on the Hot 200 -- Bobby Sherman, Here Comes Bobby and With Love, Bobby. All three of these albums were likewise certified gold. Born Robert Cabot Sherman Jr. on July 22, 1943, in Santa Monica, Calif., Mr. Sherman grew up in Van Nuys, Calif., with his sister Darlene. (Future songwriting legend Diane Warren also grew up in Van Nuys.) 
He first recorded for Starcrest Records in 1962, and was a regular on Shindig!, the pop music TV show which aired on ABC from 1964-66. Mr. Sherman made one-off appearances in such series as Honey West, The Monkees and The Partridge Family, the latter appearance serving as a "back-door pilot" for his own ABC series 
The 40th anniversary of the historic 1985 Live Aid benefit concert will be commemorated with radio and TV specials in the UK and US. On July 13, the UK's Greatest Hits Radio will re-broadcast the legendary 1985 benefit concert in its entirety in a 10-hour special by British radio veteran Simon Mayo. Titled Live Aid Relived, the program will feature performances by David Bowie, Paul McCartney, The Who, U2 and Queen, whose iconic 21-minute Live Aid set is widely regarded as one of the greatest live performances of all time, among others. The broadcast will run from noon local time, and include commentary from other Live Aid performers like Spandau Ballet frontman Martin Kemp and cast members from the upcoming Live Aid musical "Just For One Day." The special will close with the final episode of Live Aid: 40 Years On, a documentary series featuring interviews with Live Aid organizer Bob Geldof, Midge Ure, Queen's Roger Taylor and Brian May, and promoter Harvey Goldsmith. Originally broadcast to 1.9 billion people across 150 countries, Live Aid was a global benefit event staged at London's Wembley Stadium and Philadelphia's JFK Stadium to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia. The concert raised over 114 million but has also since faced criticism regarding perceptions of African nations and aid distribution. Geldof, co-founder of the Band Aid Charitable Trust and the man behind the original concert, said the re-broadcast serves as a reminder of music's enduring power. "Thank you Greatest Hits Radio for hopefully letting people know that they are not powerless in the face of human monstrosity," Geldof said. "What better time than now to know and understand the power of music and what it can achieve." Meanwhile in the US, the CNN special Live Aid: When Rock 'n' Roll Took On the World is a four-part series that tells the story of how Geldof and U2's Bono inspired the largest global music events in history. It features interviews with several Live Aid principals and global leaders of the time, along with rare archival footage of performances and backstage. It premieres on the network on July 13 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. - New Musical Express/CNN, 6/23/25...... In related news, The Who's Pete Townshend has offered a ringing endorsement of the above mentioned Live Aid musical, "Just For One Day - The Live Aid Musical," currently being staged at London's Shaftesbury Theatre. Townshend even admitted he loves "the show more than I did the gig," a high compliment for the theatrical retelling of the iconic 1985 concert. Adding to the buzz, the musical's original cast recording has just released its latest single, a surprising rendition of The Who's classic "Pinball Wizard" sung by an actor portraying Live Aid promoter Harvey Goldsmith. The Just For One Day - The Live Aid Musical (Original Cast Recording) is set to drop on July 18 in the US on 
On June 23 AC/DC announced they're planning a long-awaited stadium tour of their native Australia for November and December of 2025, marking their first national run since 2015. The rockers' Power Up tour will kick off Nov. 12 at Melbourne Cricket Ground and includes stops in Sydney (11/21), Adelaide (11/30), Perth (12/4) and Brisbane (12/14), with tickets going on sale via TEG Van Egmond. The tour follows AC/DC's massive European and North American legs earlier in 2025, and continues the band's celebration of their 2020 studio album Power Up, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart. The release became AC/DC's third No. 1 album in the U.S., joining 2008's Black Ice and 1981's For Those About to Rock (We Salute You). It also marked their 26th charting album on the Billboard 200, and 10th top 10 overall. The Australian shows will feature support from Amyl and the Sniffers, who frontwoman Amy Taylor called the "highlight of my literal life" when announcing the news on social media. AC/DC's current lineup features guitarist Angus Young, vocalist Brian Johnson, rhythm guitarist Stevie Young, drummer Matt Laug and bassist Chris Chaney. - Billboard, 6/23/25...... The Jacksons announced on June 19 they're preparing to release their first album since the death of their beloved older brother and band member Tito Jackson, who passed away in Sept. 2024 at the age of 70 after suffering a fatal heart attack. The legendary family pop group, which is now comprised of original Jackson 5/Jacksons members Jackie Jackson and Marlon Jackson, have continued the family band and will share their first studio project since 1989's 2300 Jackson Street "soon." Jackie told the UK paper Daily Star: "We got a new album coming up soon, as The Jacksons. I can't talk a lot about it but it's the brothers, and it's gonna be great." In the meantime, fans can catch The Jacksons at Audley End House and Gardens in Essex, UK, on July 19, as part of the Heritage Live Festivals series. Jackie said of the huge outdoor gig: "Fans should bring their dancing shoes. "We'll be doing all our hit songs." - Music-News.com, 6/19/25...... Neil Young kicked off his summer European tour with his band Chrome Hearts at the Dalhalla open-air theatre in Rättvik, Sweden, on June 18 when they wheeled out such classics as "Like A Hurricane," "Cinnamon Girl," "The Needle and the Damage Done" and "Harvest Moon," with fans in attendance saying the setlist was "wonderfully left field." The show kicked off with a solo from Young, an acoustic version of "Sugar Mountain" that gave way to "'Be The Rain" once the rest of the band joined him. The track comes from Young's 2003 rock opera Greendale, and hasn't had a live outing since 2014. Young's run of dates will see the Canadian musician make his way across Europe with stops in Norway, Denmark, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, along with a headlining set at the UK's Glastonbury Festival in June, followed by a headline slot at BST Hyde Park in July. In August, they'll head over to the US for a 15-date run across the country starting with a gig on August 8 at the PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte, and will make further stops in Richmond, Detroit, Cleveland, Toronto, New York, Chicago, Denver, Vancouver and more before wrapping up on September 15 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. A clip of his Rättvik performance of "The Needle and the Damage Done" can be viewed on 
In one of the most unlikely musical pairings imaginable, 80's "hair band" Mötley Crüe has recruited country music legend Dolly Parton for a duet version of the Crüe's classic single "Home Sweet Home." Parton joins in on the chorus of the 1985 power ballad, and takes the lead on the second verse. The reimagined "Home Sweet Home," released June 20 and available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more, will be featured on 
In a recent interview with the UK's The Daily Express, Suzi Quatro insisted that she was "never a sex, drugs and rock and roll girl" at the height of her 70's fame. Quatro, 75, came to global prominence in the 1970s with hits like "Devil Gate Drive," "48 Crash" and "Stumblin'," but admitted as she gears up for another tour that she always knew that she was going into a "profession" above all else. "I'm celebrating 62 years in the business next year," Quatro said. "It's a big tour across the UK- an entertaining two-hour rock and roll show with all the hits and a few surprises. I play the piano, drums and a seven-minute bass solo... I take you on a journey through my life." She continued: "I'm the rehearsal queen. I rehearse as if it was a live show, running around. If I'm not working, then I make sure I'm going to the gym. It means on stage, I still have that energy. I've partied, had the odd room wreck but I was never a sex, drugs and rock and roll girl. I was brought up in a musical family. My dad told me aged 15, 'Suzi, you've found what you want to do in life. This is a profession. If there's 10 people or 10,000 in the audience, everyone's paid to see you, and you owe them'. That's been embedded in me." Meanwhile, Quatro admitted that she will "take to [her] grave" that she attained the sort of fame when she did at a time when it was all a male-dominated indisutry, and insisted that she did it all without "stripping off" for her audience: I'll take to my grave that I was the first female rock musician to have worldwide success. There are many more female musicians today, but they tend to be too influenced by male opinion. I wore a jumpsuit, but I showed no flesh. You don't have to strip off to be sexy." - Music-News.com, 6/22/25...... Cher and the late Gregg Allman's son Elijah Blue Allman has reportedly been discharged from hospital after being treated for a drug overdose. Earlier in June, the celebrity gossip site TMZ.com reported that the musician, 48, had been rushed to a hospital in Southern California after emergency services responded to a call about a man "behaving erratically." A spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department (SBCSD) later shared that "deputies located drugs inside the home" and an investigation was ongoing. On June 22, insiders confirmed to TMZ that Elijah had returned to his property near Joshua Tree and "continues to recover." - Music-News.com, 6/23/25...... R&B singer-musician-producer Cavin Yarbrough, half of the duo Yarbrough & Peoples, passed away on June 19 owing to complications from heart disease. He was 72. Yarbrough & Peoples are best known for their crossover dance/funk hit "Don't Stop the Music." Released in 1980, the song spent five weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in 1981 and also reached No. 19 on the Hot 100 singles chart. The RIAA gold-certified single was featured on the pair's also gold-certified debut album, The Two of Us, which topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for two weeks and rose to No. 16 on the Hot 200 albums chart. The duo went on to score another Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs with "Don't Waste Your Time" in 1984. Its engaging mix of R&B, soul, funk, pop and dance -- graced by its smooth and spirited vocals -- also sparked three additional top 10s on the chart during the pair's '80s heyday: "Heartbeats," "Guilty" and "I Wouldn't Lie." Born in Dallas, Yarbrough was a classically trained pianist who first met fellow Dallas native Peoples as youngsters taking piano lessons. The pair's friendship and creative bond later led to establishing their own band. It was Charlie Wilson of The Gap Band who discovered Yarbrough & Peoples, bringing them to the attention of Lonnie Simmons, who signed them to his Los Angeles-based label, Total Experience Records. "He was the love of my life, my protector. Now he's my guardian angel," Yarbrough's wife and longtime music partner, Alisa Peoples, said in a statement. - Billboard, 6/22/25...... 
Legendary rock guitarist Mick Ralphs, the co-founding guitarist of Bad Company and Mott the Hoople, has died at age 81. The musician's Bad Company bandmates announced his death on their 
The song would become a Top 5 US hit the next year for Mr. Ralphs' next band, Bad Company. Formed with former Free members Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke and former King Crimson member Boz Burrell, the band recorded its