Classic Hits

Multi-Grammy winner Steve Wonder is looking to add a couple more Grammys to his collection, with the 2020 singles “Where Is Our Love Song” and “Can’t Put It in the Hands of Fate.”  And as usual, he’s doing it on his terms.

Wonder challenged the music industry status quo in 1971 when he signed a new deal with Motown, where he fought for creative control as well as ownership of his master recordings and publishing rights.

Now 71, Stevie insists on doing things his way. Instead of making the Grammy submissions in the typical R&B categories, he pushed to have the songs considered for best melodic rap performance and best American roots performance.

“‘Where Is Our Love Song’ is a song that speaks to everyone, a traditional song or folk song about America,” Wonder tells Billboard. “I said I didn’t care what’s normally done; that I’m not trying to do the typical. So it was submitted in the best American roots performance category.”

As for “Can’t Put It in the Hands of Fate,” Wonder says, “It was such an honor to work with Rapsody, Cordae, Chika and Busta Rhymes for what became an amazing marriage with conscious rap. I wanted to be a part of celebrating their greatness as well as our collaboration, so that’s why I decided to put it in that category.”

Wonder has racked up a total of 25 Grammy Awards over his 60-year career. He’s also one of only four artists — along with Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Taylor Swift — to win album of the year three times, and the only one to do so with three consecutive releases — 1973’s Innervisions, 1974’s Fulfillingness’ First Finale and 1976’s Songs in the Key of Life.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Are you ready to rock ‘n’ roll with Ringo Starr? The famed ex-Beatles drummer has debuted a music video for his new cover of the Bill Haley and His Comets classic “Rock Around the Clock,” which appears on Starr’s recently released Change the World EP.

The tune features Ringo’s brother-in-law, Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh, ripping through a couple of wailing solos.

The video, which you can check out on YouTube, features footage shot at Starr’s Roccabella West home studio of Ringo singing and playing drums, as well as Walsh doing his thing on guitar.

Session bassist Nathan East and Starr’s frequent studio collaborator Bruce Sugar also appear in the clip. The track also features backing vocals from Amy Keys and Windy Wagner.

Ringo says he decided to record his own version of “Rock Around the Clock” because he was reminiscing about the impression the song had on him when he first heard it on his 15th birthday.  His grandparents took him to see the movie Blackboard Jungle in a theater then while he was recovering from tuberculosis.

Starr recalls that when the song came on, the audience “ripped up the cinema!!! They just threw the chairs and went crazy. I thought, ‘WOW this is great!’ I remember that moment like it was yesterday, it was incredible. And the song just rocks.”

“Rock Around the Clock” is one of four songs featured on Change the World, along with “Let’s Change the World,” “Coming Undone” and “Just That Way.” The EP is available now on CD, cassette and digitally. A 10-inch vinyl version will be released on November 16, and can be pre-ordered now.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Guns N’ Roses are cashing another major paycheck after wrapping the U.S. leg of their 2021 Tour.

Billboard reports that the hard-rock legends sold a whopping 363,000 tickets during their rescheduled tour, which was postponed last year when COVID-19 shut down the entertainment industry. That number of tickets sold amounts to a $50 million payday for GN’R.

Originally called the 2020 Tour, the outing started on Super Bowl Weekend in January of last year at American Airlines Arena in Miami. About 11,200 tickets were sold for the event, which translated into $2.7 million in cold hard cash.

GN’R eventually pumped the brakes as the pandemic worsened and the tour was moved to summer 2021. However, the delay did little to dampen the cash flow because when the tour picked up again on July 31 at Pennsylvania’s Hersheypark Stadium, the outing made history at the time for becoming the concert with the best single-night earnings during the pandemic-era. That summer concert earned a resounding $2.3 million in ticket sales.

As the tour went on, that record was continually broken — for example, the band raked in $4.5 million at New Jersey’s Metlife Stadium on August 5.

Now, with their U.S. leg in the rearview mirror, the band is taking a breather before hitting the road again next year for the third leg of their tour, which kicks off in Lisbon, Portugal on June 4.

The tour is slated to wrap December 10, 2022 in Auckland, New Zealand.

That said, it’ll be awhile before we find out how their pandemic-era trek measures up to their previous Not in This Lifetime… Tour, which ran for four years and earned $584.2 million in ticket sales — making it the third highest-grossing concert tour in history.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

For many years, Doors guitarist Robby Krieger and his friend, sports artist Scott Medlock, teamed up to organize an annual celebrity golf tournament and all-star concert to benefit the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. However, with Medlock himself battling cancer, this year’s edition of the event will feature Krieger joined by various musical friends at a special show to raise money for Scott’s medical bills.

The event, dubbed the “Celebration of Friendship” All-Star Concert — Scotty, Robby & Friends, takes place this Sunday, October 24, at Bogie’s Bar in the Los Angeles suburb of Westlake Village, California.

“Unfortunately, Scotty has got cancer and it’s gotten…bad,” Krieger tells ABC Audio. “So we’re just doing it for him and his family this year, trying to raise some money for them, because it’s amazing how much drug companies will charge for chemotherapy.”

While an official lineup for the show hasn’t been announced, Krieger reveals that the event will feature performances by “a lot of cool people,” including ex-Chicago drummer Danny Seraphine and his current group, a couple of members of Boston, and former Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora and his collaborator and one-time girlfriend Orianthi.

“It should be fun,” Robby says.

You can check out the various tickets and VIP packages that are available for the benefit concert by visiting TheMedlockKrieger.org and Eventbrite.com.

Some ticket packages include an autographed copy of Krieger’s new memoir, Set the Night on Fire: Living, Dying, and Playing Guitar with The Doors, which was released earlier this month.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Don McLean‘s classic anthem “American Pie” and album of the same name were released 50 years ago this Sunday, October 24.

With “American Pie,” which was the album’s lead track and centerpiece, McLean used the tragic 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper — referred to in the tune as “the day the music died” –as a launching point to metaphorically trace the history of rock ‘n’ roll through the turbulent 1960s, while also reflecting on the loss of innocence America experienced during the era.

“American Pie” spent four weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1972, while the album topped the Billboard 200 for seven weeks around that time. American Pie also featured a second hit, the acoustic ballad “Vincent,” an homage to painter Vincent Van Gogh that peaked at #12 on the Hot 100.

“American Pie,” of course, has become among the most enduring songs of its time.

“It’s been a hit record on steroids,” McLean tells ABC Audio. “[O]ther hits have been forgotten that were around or…if you listen to them now, they sound silly…This song is majestic and it continues to grow.”

Reflecting on the song, Don says, “[I]t’s entertaining on a number of levels…I had a blast writing it and thinking about it and laughing and thinking, ‘Oh, this is funny, I’ll do this,’ or ‘I won’t do that.'”

As for “Vincent,” McLean notes with a laugh, “I hear people saying that the song has actually made [Van Gogh] famous, more famous than he was before. That makes me feel funny…because he was already a god, really, in [the realm of art].”

As previously reported, McLean will launch a 50th anniversary American Pie tour this January in Honolulu.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The soundtrack to the new psychological thriller film Last Night in Soho features a variety of memorable 1960s tunes by British artists, including The Who, The Kinks and Dusty Springfield.

The album will be released on Friday, while the film is scheduled to open in theaters on October 29.

Last Night in Soho focuses a character named Eloise, an aspiring fashion designer who can travel back in time to 1960s London, where she meets a wannabe pop singer named Sandie, portrayed by The Queen’s Gambit star Anya Taylor Joy.

The movie was written and directed by Edgar Wright, whose previous films include Shaun of the Dead, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Baby Driver. Wright curated the soundtrack and says the songs he assembled for the film actually inspired the script and story.

The soundtrack includes The Who’s cover of the Motown classic “(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave,” The Kinks’ “Starstruck,” and Springfield’s “Wishin’ and Hopin’,” as well as songs by Peter & Gordon, The Searchers, Cilla Black, Sandie Shaw and The Walker Brothers. The movie’s title is taken from a song of the same name by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, which also is featured on the soundtrack.

In addition, Taylor Joy recorded multiple versions of Petula Clark‘s classic pop hit “Downtown” for the soundtrack and the film’s original score, and she’s featured performing the tune in the movie.

You can check out a video of Taylor Joy performing the “Downtempo” version of “Downtown” on YouTube now.  The track’s also been released as an advance digital single from the Last Night in Soho — Original Score album.

You can pre-order the soundtrack and score now.

Here’s the full track list of the Last Night in Soho soundtrack:

“A World Without Love” — Peter & Gordon
“Wishin’ and Hopin'” — Dusty Springfield
“Don’t Throw Your Love Away” — The Searchers
“Beat Girl” (1993 Remaster) — The John Barry Orchestra
“Starstruck” — The Kinks
“You’re My World” — Cilla Black
“Wade in the Water” (Live at Klooks Kleek) — The Graham Bond Organisation
“I’ve Got My Mind Set on You” — James Ray
“(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave” — The Who
“Puppet on a String” — Sandie Shaw
“Land of 1000 Dances” — The Walker Brothers
“There’s a Ghost in My House” — R. Dean Taylor
“Happy House” — Siouxsie & the Banshees
“(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me” — Sandie Shaw
“Eloise” — Barry Ryan
“Anyone Who Had a Heart” — Cilla Black
“Last Night in Soho” — Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
“Neon” (Soundtrack Edit) — Steven Price
“Downtown” (A Capella) — Anya Taylor-Joy
“Downtown” (Uptempo) — Anya Taylor-Joy

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Paul Simon will release a new audiobook titled Miracle and Wonder on November 16 that features conversations he had with bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell and Gladwell’s Broken Record podcast co-host, Bruce Headlam.

Woven throughout the biographical presentation are previously unheard live studio performances of some of Simon’s classic compositions, as well as archival music tracks.

The audiobook, which according to Variety is five hours long, was created from 30 hours’ worth of conversations recorded at Simon’s home in Connecticut and while he was on vacation in Hawaii.

Miracle and Wonder: Conversations with Paul Simon features Simon reflecting on his childhood, his collaboration with Art Garfunkel and many other aspects of his life, while also offering commentary about some of his most famous songs, including “The Boxer,” “The Sound of Silence,” and “Graceland.”

Variety reports that the 80-year-old singer-songwriter also reveals in the audiobook that he’s working on a new project that’s tentatively titled Seven Psalms, and plays snippets of some of his new music.

Miracle and Wonder also features reflections on Simon’s work by such other artists as Sting, Herbie Hancock, Renée Fleming, Roseanne Cash and Wilco‘s Jeff Tweedy.

The audiobook can be pre-ordered now at Pushkin.fm. The website also features three preview clips from the release that include Simon discussing “The Boxer” and “Bridge over Troubled Water,” as well as talking about some of the interesting instruments he’s collected and likes to incorporate into his recordings.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss have debuted a lyric video for their new rendition of “Can’t Let Go,” a song written by Randy Weeks that acclaimed alt-country artist Lucinda Williams previously covered for her 1998 albumm Car Wheels on a Gravel Road.

“Can’t Let Go” will appear on Plant and Krauss’ upcoming duets album, Raise the Roof, which will be released on November 19. The track was issued as an advance digital single in August. The video, which you can check out on YouTube, features kitschy vintage-style graphics and images that include a vinyl disc spinning on a turntable.

The Led Zeppelin frontman and the lauded folk/bluegrass artist also released a second advance track from Raise the Roof earlier this month, “High and Lonesome,” an original tune that Plant co-wrote with producer T Bone Burnett.

Raise the Roof is a follow-up to Plant and Krauss’ Grammy-winning 2007 duets collection, Raising Sand. Like its predecessor, the new album was produced by Burnett and is made up mostly of covers of songs by various artists.

Los Lobos guitarist David Hidalgo and Plant’s Band of Joy collaborator Buddy Miller contributed to the album, as did a few musicians who also appeared on Raising Sand, including drummer Jay Bellerose, guitarist Marc Ribot and bassist Dennis Crouch.

You can pre-order Raise the Roof now.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney were among the stars who took part in the 2021 edition of the Robin Hood Foundation‘s annual charity gala, which was held Wednesday night at New York City’s Jacob Javits Center.

According to Rolling Stone, Springsteen was introduced by the event’s host, Saturday Night Live‘s Cecily Strong, and proceeded to deliver a short acoustic set that featured renditions of “Working on the Highway,” “Dancing in the Dark” and “Thunder Road.”

“For over 30 years, Robin Hood has been finding, fueling, creating, impactful solutions to lift families out of poverty here in New York City,” the Boss told the crowd of an estimated 3,000. “The funds raised tonight translate into real results for New Yorkers living in poverty. We appreciate your support.”

The Robin Hood Foundation has been supporting poverty-fighting programs in the New York area for over 30 years, and also helped organize the star-studded post-9/11 event The Concert for New York City, which McCartney famously headlined.

The gala took place on the 20th anniversary of the concert, and to mark the occasion, McCartney — who also helped put together the 2001 show — was honored with a special award.

Alicia Keys performed the classic Beatles ballad “Let It Be” before McCartney took the stage.

“I love New York,” he told the audience. “Many years ago, when I was a little kid in Liverpool, we saw New York in the movies. I never dreamed that I would be here getting an award like this from you fantastic people. But then years later, we did show up at JFK with my buddies, the Beatles. We went on The Ed Sullivan Show and, boy, that was something.”

The event, which raised $77.5 million, also featured a performance by the Jonas Brothers.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Steve Cropper, guitarist with legendary Stax Records house bands The Mar-Keys and Booker T. & the MG’s, and later The Blues Brothers, celebrates his 80th birthday today.

Formed in 1958, The Mar-Keys were the Memphis-based Stax label’s first house band. Besides backing other artists, The Mar-Keys made their own records, and in 1961, they scored a #3 hit with the instrumental single “Last Night,” which, interestingly, featured Cropper on keyboards.

In 1962, Cropper co-founded Booker T. & the MG’s with keyboardist Booker T. Jones, drummer Al Jackson Jr. and bassist Lewie Steinberg, who was replaced in ’65 by Donald “Duck” Dunn.

Like The Mar-Keys, Booker T. & the MG’s backed Stax artists and also made their own records. The group’s debut single, the classic 1962 soul instrumental “Green Onions,” peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the R&B chart.

Cropper also wrote songs with various Stax artists, including all-time classic soul hits like Otis Redding‘s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay,” Wilson Pickett‘s “In the Midnight Hour” and Eddie Floyd‘s “Knock on Wood.”

Starting in the 1970s, Cropper began playing on and producing records for artists outside of Stax.

Among the many other artists Steve has worked with over the years are John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart, Neil Young, Peter Frampton, Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, Roy Orbison and Etta James.

Cropper also played with The Blues Brothers, the blues/R&B tribute band led by Saturday Night Live stars John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, which released a chart-topping live album in 1978. Steve was featured in the hit 1980 comedy film focusing on the group as well.

Cropper was welcomed into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Booker T. & the MG’s in 1992, and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005.

Steve’s most recent solo album, Fire It Up, was released in April of this year.

Last month, Cropper’s 80th birthday was celebrated with a special concert at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium that featured performances by ZZ Top‘s Billy Gibbons, James Burton, Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, Eddie Floyd, R.E.M.‘s Mike Mills and more.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.