Classic Hits

It’s been a couple of weeks since Foreigner was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but they are still riding high from the experience.

The band just shared some behind-the-scenes photos of their Hall of Fame weekend in Cleveland, including shots of original band members Lou Gramm, Rick Wills and Al Greenwood, as well as rehearsal photos featuring the band with Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, Sammy Hagar and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith.

They captioned the photos, “Still buzzing from the @rockhall ceremony!”

Hagar commented on the post, “Big fun had by all,” with Gramm adding, “Playing with the best in Rock.” Current Foreigner singer Kelly Hansen, who was onstage for the Foreigner Rock Hall performance, also chimed in, writing, “You were all so superb.”

Hagar was the one to welcome Foreigner into the Rock Hall, with their celebration featuring all-star performances of three of their hits — “Feels Like The First Time,” “Hot Blooded” and “I Want To Know What Love is,” the latter of which featured Gramm performing with Kelly Clarkson.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Another Michael Jackson video has reached 1 billion views on YouTube.

The latest to reach the milestone is the 1988 Bad track “Smooth Criminal,” set in a 1930s gangster club. It’s most known for Jackson and his dancers performing a 45-degree lean, which seems physically impossible.

This is the fifth Jackson video to surpass 1 billion views. The others are “Thriller,” “Beat it,” “Billie Jean” and “They Don’t Care About Us.”

“Smooth Criminal” is one of six top 10 singles off Bad; it peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. The other five singles from the album — “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You,” “Bad,” “The Way You Make Me Feel,” “Man in the Mirror” and “Dirty Diana” — all went to #1.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Heart has revealed the special guests who will be joining them on their Royal Flush tour in 2025.

The band has booked Squeeze, Cheap Trick and Lucinda Williams to open for them on select dates.

Heart’s Royal Flush tour is set to kick off with a two-night stand in Las Vegas, Feb. 28 and March 1, with dates confirmed through April 16 in New York City. 

The tour was supposed to happen in 2024, but was postponed following singer Ann Wilson’s revelation that she was battling cancer. In September she shared a health update, letting fans know she was doing fine and “the worst is over.”

A complete list of dates can be found at heart-music.com.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Melissa Etheridge is heading back home to the Midwest for a special performance.

On Nov. 23, Melissa will sing the national anthem at the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League Championship at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, which is the first stadium that is purpose-built for a professional women’s sports team in the United States.

“There is nothing better than coming home to Kansas City to perform the National Anthem at this groundbreaking stadium in front of these amazing athletes,” Melissa said in a statement. 

Melissa is technically from Leavenworth, Kansas, but since that’s only about 40 minutes from Kansas City, Missouri, she refers to the area as “home.”

“Sports and music are two of the most powerful tools that celebrate diversity and unite fans from all backgrounds,” she added. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to bring those forces together as we celebrate the incredible women of the NWSL and all they have done for the next generation of fans and athletes.”

CPKC Stadium is the home of the Kansas City Current, a team that is partially owned by Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes‘ wife, Brittany.

The game starts at 8 p.m. ET; it’ll air on CBS and stream on Paramount+.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Retired NFL star Jason Kelce recently teased a collaboration with Stevie Nicks for his annual Philadelphia-themed holiday album, A Philly Special Christmas Party, and now he’s opening up about the experience.

On the recent episode of his New Heights podcast with brother Travis Kelce, Travis asked Jason about the experience, and Jason called it “absolutely unreal.”

“Yeah baby. The legendary Stevie Nicks came on and did a duet with me,” he said. “Which in itself, like, pretty crazy to actually be on a track with Stevie Nicks. I mean, absolutely unreal.”

He added, “[She’s] probably the most legendary female singer, especially of her generation … the fact that I’m singing with her, this legend, is pretty unreal.”

Travis, boyfriend of Taylor Swift, who is a good friend of Stevie’s, asked, “And isn’t she just the best in person too?” with Jason replying that she’s “one of the nicest people I’ve ever talked to.”

“You could tell she loves people, she loves music, she loves the art of making music,” Jason said, noting she “brought a breath of fresh air into the recording studio.”

Stevie was actually in the studio with Jason when she recorded her part, and Jason shared, “I’ll be able to cherish that memory for the rest of my lifetime.”

The third edition of A Philly Special Christmas Party will be available for preorder starting Nov. 1.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

On This Day, Oct. 30, 2007 …

The Eagles released their seventh studio album, Long Road Out of Eden, which was their first studio album since 1979’s The Long Run.

The release, their first double album, took nearly six years to complete and was their first release since the 2001 departure of Don Felder. It was also their last with Glenn Frey, who passed away in 2016.

Thanks to a last-minute rule change by Billboard, Long Road Out of Eden debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, keeping Britney Spears’ Blackout from the top spot. It was the Eagles’ sixth consecutive #1 album and was the highest-selling record of that year.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell is ready to tell his story.

The rocker just announced he’ll release his memoir, Heartbreaker, which he wrote with Ari Surdoval, on March 18.

“This is my book. It’s the story of a poor kid from Jacksonville, Florida, who realized a dream through music,” he writes on Instagram. “It’s a long journey through hard work, dedication, and luck. Playing guitar and writing songs has been my inspiration and purpose.

“It’s a story of hope, redemption, and gratitude, a testimonial that dreams can come true if you believe in yourself and follow your truth,” he adds. “It took two years to write, and it’s a labor of love. I hope you enjoy the ride!” 

Campbell and Petty performed together in the band Mudcrutch. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers formed in 1976, with Petty and Campbell joined by their Mudcrutch bandmate Benmont Tench, Ron Blair and Stan Lynch. They were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.

In recent years Campbell toured with Fleetwood Mac from 2018 to 2019 and fronted his own band, Mike Campbell and The Dirty Knobs. They released their third album, Vagabonds, Virgins & Misfits, in June.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

KISS’ Gene Simmons recently shared his thoughts on so-called “bass virtuosos,” telling Guitar World they were simply “show-offs in music,” but that doesn’t mean there aren’t bass players out there who impress him.

So, who are his favorites? They include The Beatles‘ Paul McCartney and The Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood.

McCartney is Simmons’ top pick, telling Guitar World he “is probably the most influential bassist for me.”

“The biggest compliment I can give Paul McCartney is that you can pick the vast majority of Beatles songs and you’ll remember what the bass was playing,” he says. “So McCartney is hands and feet above the other guys. He’s a triple threat – he wrote songs that were unmatched, became the most successful songwriter of all time, and he wrote them by himself.” 

For Wood, he points to his time with the Jeff Beck Group, sharing, “Those first two records were pivotal. They came out before Led Zeppelin; I heard that stuff and was awed by how free-flowing they were.”

Other bass players getting props from Simmons include Mountain’s Felix Pappalardi, Yes’ Chris Squire and Carol Kaye.

He’s also a fan of Van Halen’s Michael Anthony, noting he “never got a lot of attention – but he’s really good. I remember being impressed with him when I produced that first Van Halen demo.”

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Warren Haynes is getting ready to give fans a preview of his new solo album, Million Voices Whisper.

The Gov’t Mule frontman announced he’ll perform “stripped down versions” of some of the album’s tunes on Warren Haynes – Live From The Power Station, streaming on YouTube starting Wednesday at 12 p.m. ET. 

Million Voices Whisper, dropping Friday, is Haynes’ first solo record in almost a decade. It features guest appearances by Derek Trucks, Lukas Nelson and Jamey Johnson.

Million Voices Whisper is available for preorder now. There will also be a deluxe CD edition that includes four additional tracks.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

A collection of instruments and memorabilia belonging to the late singer Gordon Lightfoot is set to go up for auction on Nov. 17.

The Gordon Lightfoot Estate Collection Music Memorabilia Signature Auction is being handled by Heritage Auctions in Dallas and will include more than a dozen of the singer/songwriter’s guitars, handwritten set lists, amplifiers, gold records, outfits, personally owned artwork and even the turquoise bracelets he wore onstage.

“It was such an honor to work with Gordon Lightfoot’s estate,” says Garry Shrum, Heritage’s director of entertainment & music memorabilia. “They have such a deep love for Gordon and have brought us amazing personal pieces from his many years of writing and performing.”

He adds, “The love and affection that surrounds Lightfoot, his legacy, and all of his music is such a powerful force, and Heritage is thrilled to share this part of Lightfoot’s life with his fans and music collectors everywhere.” 

More information on the auction can be found at ha.com.

Lightfoot, best known for such songs as “Sundown” and “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” passed away May 1, 2023. He was 84.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.