Classic Hits

Ringo Starr’s new album, Long Long Road, which has roots in country and Americana, is out today.

It’s the second straight album he’s done with producer T Bone Burnett. At a recent listening party in Los Angeles, Ringo said Burnett made making the album easy, noting, “There’s a lot of great players in Nashville, and he knows most of them.”

Ringo said Burnett would send him “tracks with some meat on” them, and he would send back his drum and singing parts. Then Burnett would “complete the deal,” which Ringo describes as “a great way of working.”

And it was just as easy for Burnett, who said he’s been listening to Ringo play drums for so long that “his feel is in my DNA at this point. It’s in my cells, you know.”

“I’ve always thought of him as a Texas musician because he played so Texas,” he added. “He’s the swinginest drummer in the history of the United Kingdom. I can tell you that.”

Ringo said the title of the album represents “the road I’ve taken,” adding, “You know all of those stop marks on your walk of life, it’s so far out.”

He said that the title track “is me going through my things about my life.” And while he said some of it may have been bad, most of it wasn’t.

“I’ve been a lucky human being,” he said. “I got to do what I love to do.”

Long Long Road is the follow-up to Ringo’s 2025 country-inspired album, Look Up. It features guest appearances by Sheryl Crow, St. Vincent, Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle and Sarah Jarosz.

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More than 300 Grateful Dead-related instruments and memorabilia went up for auction Thursday in San Francisco, with a custom acoustic guitar one of the tops sellers.

Treasures From The Golden Road Featuring Property From “Big Steve,” “Ram Rod” & Trixie Garcia featured instruments, keepsakes and more from the personal archives of members of the Grateful Dead’s inner circle, including crew chief and Jerry Garcia Band manager “Big Steve” Parish, Jerry Garcia’s daughter Trixie Garcia and Grateful Dead head roadie Lawrence “Ram Rod” Shurtliff.

The top seller was an Alvarez Yairi acoustic guitar, custom made for Jerry Garcia in 1988, which brought in $256,000, three-times more than the estimated price. Another guitar, Garcia’s 1939 Gibson Super 400 N Archtop, also sold for $256,000, two-times more than the estimate.

Other sale highlights include a Grateful Dead signed 1993 New Year’s Eve concert poster, which sold for $35,200; a Jerry Garcia handwritten set list from a 1989 Jerry Garcia Band show, which sold for $22,400; and a Winterland Grateful Dead dressing room plaque, which sold for $19,200.

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We’re getting our first look at a new documentary about legendary Allman Brothers Band founder Gregg Allman.

A new teaser for Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul, from Grammy- and Golden Globe award-winning filmmaker James Keach, has just been released. The clip opens with Cher, who married Allman in 1975,  introducing him on what appears to be her variety show. It’s followed by archival photos and footage of the rocker throughout his career, including snippets of old interviews.

The film is described as “a profound portrait of Gregg Allman, a luminous figure whose life and songs mirror his struggles and salvation,” told through archival recordings, interviews and live performances. The description notes that the film includes some rarely seen footage of the Allman Brothers Band “at their creative peak.”

Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul will premiere in New York on June 9, and feature an acoustic performance by Devon Allman and Duane Betts, sons of Greg and fellow Allman Brothers Band member Dickey Betts. That will be followed by a June 11 premiere in Macon, Georgia, which will include an appearance by Allman Brothers Band member Chuck Leavell. Both premieres will feature a Q&A with the filmmakers.

The film will also have one-week exclusive engagements in Los Angeles and New York, before its full theatrical release on June 17.

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Thursday marks the 50th anniversary of the release of the Ramones’ self-titled debut album, and the milestone will be celebrated throughout the year.

One of those celebrations is the July 4 world premiere of the only authorized exhibition dedicated to the Ramones at The Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas. The exhibit was organized and curated by the museum in collaboration with Linda Ramone, wife of the late Johnny Ramone, and Ramones Productions Inc. It will include performances, artist conversations and interactive experiences.

According to a press release, the exhibit “connects audiences to the Ramones’ legacy, cultural impact, and continuing aftershock across music, art, design, and public memory.”

The upcoming year will also include physical Ramones releases and reissues from Rhino. In addition, newly remastered videos for “I Wanna Be Sedated,” “Rock N Roll High School,” “Sheena Is a Punk Rocker” and more have now been released on the Ramones’ official YouTube page.

Released April 23, 1976, Ramones was recorded in one week, opening with what would become a Ramones classic: “Blitzkrieg Bop.” While Ramones wasn’t a commercial success, only making it to #111 on the Billboard charts, it was a hit with critics and went on to be considered one of the most influential punk records in the U.S. It has also landed on several best-of lists, including Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

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David Lee Roth has revealed that he’s sold his publishing.

In an interview with The Associated Press at the Coachella Festival, which was just published to YouTube, the former Van Halen frontman reveals he sold his publishing catalog “eight months ago.” He didn’t reveal who he sold it to.

He then told the reporter, “Ask me how I feel.” When they did, he replied with a laugh, “Rich,” noting, “For the first time in my life I can rub two coins together and create a little interest. No, really.”

Roth was the surprise guest during both weekends off Coachella, coming out to perform “Jump” with Teddy Swims.

Roth is currently on a U.S. tour, where he’s been performing a set filled with Van Halen classics. He’s even been performing the track “Little Dreamer” from Van Halen’s 1978 self-titled debut, which is the first time he’s performed the song since 2003.

Roth’s Don’t Love Me, Rent Me tour hits Austin, Texas, on April 29. A complete list of dates can be found at DavidLeeRoth.com.

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KISS recently announced the dates for the 2026 KISS Kruise: Landlocked in Vegas, and now Gene Simmons has revealed details of this year’s lineup.

This year’s convention will be held Nov. 13-15 at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas. In addition to two unmasked KISS shows featuring Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer, the weekend will feature an all-star tribute to KISS founding member Ace Frehley, who passed away in 2025. According to the announcement, the tribute will include “sit-ins from members of KISS & guests.”

The weekend will also include performances by Night Ranger, former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick, Slaughter and Faster Pussycat. There will also be a pre-party on Nov. 12 featuring the Ace Frehley Band, Enuff Z’Nuff and others.

In addition to performances, the weekend will include a whole host of activities, like Q&A artist panels, a KISS lookalike contest, KISS karaoke and artist meet-and-greets.

Folks can register now at KissKruiseVegas.com to get the first info on when reservations open.

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It’s not clear if it was planned that way, but two of Sabrina Carpenter’s special guests at her April 18 Coachella performance just happened to be former colleagues who were able to catch up at the event.

Madonna performed onstage with Sabrina, while Geena Davis appeared in a prerecorded piece, delivering a monologue as an older version of Sabrina. But more than three decades previously, Madonna and Geena co-starred in the 1992 movie A League of Their Own, a fictionalized account of the real-life all-female professional baseball team that existed during World War II.

Now Geena has posted a photo of herself posing backstage with Madonna at Coachella. “Mae – so happy to see you again! Love, Dottie,” she captioned the photo. Madonna played “All the Way” Mae Mordabito in the movie, while Geena played Dorothy “Dottie” Hinson.

One fan wrote in the comments, quoting the film’s most famous line, “I know there’s no crying in baseball but I’m literally crying.”

A League of Their Own, directed by Penny Marshall and also starring Tom Hanks, Lori Petty and Rosie O’Donnell, was a critical and commercial success. It was preserved in the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry in 2012.

During Sabrina’s April 10 Coachella appearance, the part of older Sabrina in the prerecorded monologue was played by Susan Sarandon, Geena’s co-star in 1991’s Thelma & Louise.

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Live Nation is once again giving fans a way to enjoy live music this summer without breaking the bank.

The concert promoter is set to launch what they’re calling the Summer of Live, offering $30 all-in concert tickets to over 4,000 shows.

The promotion includes tickets for artists like John Mellencamp, Rod Stewart, John Fogerty, Paul Simon, The Black Crowes, James Taylor, Chicago and Styx, Deep Purple, Sammy Hagar, Santana and The Doobie Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Foreigner, The Guess Who, Guns N’ Roses, Iron Maiden, Mötley Crüe and more.

The promotion runs from April 29 to May 5 at LiveNation.com/SummerofLive. After picking a show, there will be the option for tickets labeled “Summer of Live Promotion,” to add to your cart.

There’s also an option for early access for Live Nation All Access members starting Thursday, April 23, and T-Mobile members starting Tuesday, April 28, at 10 a.m. local time.

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Duran Duran has reteamed with Nile Rodgers for a brand new song.

The artists have just released the new song, “Free to Love,” described as an “uplifting, high-energy track built around a euphoric groove.”

“‘Free to Love’ is disco for the 2020s,” says Duran Duran frontman Simon Le Bon. “It’s up-beat and up-tempo; it’s about freedom; it’s about loving the modern world instead of hating it, and that is something we need right now. Be free! Be free to love!”

“True love is free and unconditional,” Rodgers, who co-wrote the song, adds. “My love for Duran Duran, and what our music together has always been about, is the love we share for our song’s deepest meanings. Whatever chaos is going on outside, inside the studio we’re free to love our peace.”

“Free to Love,” now available via digital outlets, is accompanied by a music video, directed by Jonas Åkerlund.

Duran Duran has a long history with Rodgers, starting with his 1984 remix of “The Reflex,” which became Duran Duran’s first #1 song.

“Every time we plug in and play with Nile, the electricity he generates could light up a whole city,” says Duran Duran’s Nick Rhodes. “We share a common belief that music is a force for good and something that brings positive energy into the world.” He noted that the song “has a simple message, there is nothing more important than freedom and love. We certainly need a lot more of both in the world right now.”

The song’s release comes as Duran Duran is getting ready to headline the BeachLife Festival in Redondo Beach, California, on May 1. They’ll then head to Las Vegas for four nights at the Fontainebleau, May 2, 6, 8 and 9.

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On This Day, April 23, 1976…

The Rolling Stones released their 13th studio album, Black and Blue, which was their first following the departure of guitarist Mick Taylor.

His eventual replacement, Ronnie Wood, is featured on three songs on the album. The Stones used the recording sessions as auditions for Taylor’s replacement, with other guitarists like Jeff Beck, Robert A. Johnson and Wayne Perkins taking part.

The album went to #1 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart, where it spent four weeks.

In November, ahead of the album’s 50th anniversary, The Stones reissued the album as a five-LP or four-CD super-deluxe box set, featuring an album of outtakes and jams, and a recording of a 1976 concert at Earls Court in London, which was part of a six-night residency at the venue.

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