Classic Hits – Page 226

Paul McCartney looks back on ‘fabulous week’ in New York

February 20, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Paul McCartney is reminiscing about his busy time in New York.

The Beatles legend headlined three intimate club shows at the Bowery Ballroom, Feb. 11, Feb. 12 and Feb. 14, then closed SNL50: The Anniversary Special Sunday night. He just posted a carousel of photos from both on Instagram.

“We had a fabulous week in New York with three small gigs leading to the 50th anniversary show of @nbcsnl,” McCartney writes. “It is always exciting to play at small venues it reminds me of when we began in places like the Cavern and Hamburg. The three gigs we played at @boweryballroom were fabulous.”

He adds, “We really enjoyed playing to the young, enthusiastic audience and the atmosphere was intimate and electric!”

The three shows had McCartney playing a mixture of Beatles, Wings and solo material. At SNL:50 he ended the show with the Abbey Road side two medley that includes “Golden Slumbers,” “Carry That Weight” and “The End.”

Steve Miller joins Playing for Change on cover of ‘Fly Like an Eagle’

February 20, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Steve Miller is taking part in a new cover of his classic tune “Fly Like an Eagle.”

The new take on the song was released by Playing For Change, a multimedia project that aims to connect the world through music. It was released in conjunction with World Day of Social Justice and features artists from five different countries, including New Orleans musician Ivan Neville.

“So much is at stake for humanity in today’s world, it is difficult to create a message that is positive and inspirational. To help unify the world through the power of music is my greatest dream,” Miller shares. “Performing a new version of ‘Fly Like an Eagle,’ with such talented people from around the world is a humbling experience.”

“Fly Like an Eagle” was the title track of Steve Miller Band’s ninth studio album, released in May 1976. The song peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The late Phil Lesh to get street named after him in Port Chester, New York

February 20, 2025 by WDNY Radio

The late Phil Lesh is being honored with his very own street in Port Chester, New York.

The corner of Westchester Avenue and Broad Street, right outside the historic Capitol Theatre, will be renamed Phil Lesh Lane on March 14, which would have been the Grateful Dead bassist’s 85th birthday.

Lesh has a strong connection to the Capitol Theatre. Following its reopening in 2012 he played 106 performances at the venue, several of them either on or around his birthday. And between 1970 and 1971 he played 18 shows there with the Grateful Dead.

“The Lesh Family is so honored that the many magical nights that Phil spent at The Cap will be commemorated with Phil Lesh Lane,” says Phil’s son Grahame Lesh. “Phil loved The Cap and the entire community that came to his shows here, and our whole family will always feel the love that reflected back to him and all of us.”

The street dedication is set to take place at 4 p.m. and will be followed by a four-night celebration in honor of Lesh at the Capitol Theatre, hosted by Grahame and Lesh’s grandson Levi, along with an all-star lineup of guests including Gov’t Mule’s Warren Haynes and Dead & Company’s Oteil Burbridge. A complete lineup for each show can be found at thecapitoltheatre.com.

Bad Company tribute album to be released this fall

February 20, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Bad Company – former Free members Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke, along with Mick Ralphs and the late Boz Burrell – is nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year, and the honor is being celebrated with a new tribute album.

Can’t Get Enough: The Music of Bad Company, coming this fall, will feature a yet-to-be-announced lineup of artists covering the group’s biggest hits, including “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” “Bad Company” and “Shooting Star,” along with a cover of Free’s top-five hit, “All Right Now.”

“As songwriters, Mick and I are intrigued to hear how these talented and varied musicians will perform our songs,” Rodgers shares. “From what we have heard thus far the creative energy is definitely flowing and there is plenty of heart and soul energy being injected into the songs, we salute and thank them all.”

The first song from the album, a cover of “Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy” by The Struts, will be released as a limited-edition 7-inch vinyl for Record Store Day on April 12.

“We are so thrilled for the British music legends, Bad Company to finally be getting their well-earned nomination to the Rock Hall,” Struts frontman Luke Spiller says. “It’s been a real pleasure to pay homage to them with our cover of ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy’ and I hope they enjoy it as much as we loved recording it.”

Bad Company’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination is their first, although they’ve been eligible since 1999. They released their self-titled debut album in 1974, which hit #1 in the U.S. and went on to be certified five-times Platinum by the RIAA.

On This Day, Feb. 20, 1974: Steely Dan released ‘Pretzel Logic’

February 20, 2025 by WDNY Radio

On This Day, Feb. 20, 1974 …

Steely Dan released their third studio album, Pretzel Logic, which was the last to feature the full lineup of Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, Denny Dias, Jim Hodder and Jeff “Skunk” Baxter. Future albums would be recorded by Becker, Fagen and hired studio musicians.

Pretzel Logic was a top-10 hit for Steely Dan, peaking at #8 on the Billboard 200. It featured the hit single “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number,” which was the highest-charting single of the band’s career, hitting #4 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The album went on to be certified Platinum by the RIAA.

Why Elton John will be rushing around like crazy on Oscar night

February 20, 2025 by WDNY Radio

On March 2, Elton John will host his 33rd annual Oscar Viewing Party benefit at West Hollywood Park, but he also needs to be several miles away at the Dolby Theatre for the Oscar ceremony. However, he’s prepared for all the rushing around.

Elton is nominated for best original song at this year’s Oscars for “Never Too Late.” Of course, he has to be in the theater in case he wins, but he also has to show up to his own party. Luckily, he has some experience with this — he had to do the same thing in 2020, when he was nominated for “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from his biopic Rocketman.

Speaking to Variety, Elton’s husband and manager, David Furnish, says, “We will run the same drill that we did [then] … as soon as the award is presented, we will jump in the car and we will go straight on to our party because it’s very important for us to be there and to be in the room.”

Furnish says he’s hoping for a repeat of 2020: Elton won that year and showed up at the party with an Oscar in hand.

The musical entertainment at the party will be provided by Grammy best new artist winner Chappell Roan, and Furnish says she and Elton are “still talking about” whether or not they’ll be able to perform together that night.

“He was about as early as an early adopter can be to her talent,” Furnish tells Variety about Elton’s relationship with Chappell. “Subsequently, she’s become a dear friend … he keeps an eye on her and loves what she has achieved musically.”

The annual viewing party, which benefits the Elton John AIDS Foundation, has raised nearly $115 million since it first began.

‘Deliver Me From Nowhere’ soundman jokes that Bruce Springsteen was ‘in the way’

February 20, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Bruce Springsteen was often photographed on the New Jersey set of the movie Deliver Me From Nowhere, which follows the making of his album Nebraska. But it sounds like he may have been around a bit too much.

Tod Maitland, part of the Oscar-nominated sound team behind the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, also worked on the Springsteen film and talked about the difference between the two artists’ input in their flicks.

According to Deadline, before a screening of the Dylan film in New York Tuesday, Maitland was asked about Dylan’s contribution. He noted that the rocker talked to the film’s director, James Mangold, only once well ahead of filming. But Maitland revealed that the opposite was true when it came to Springsteen and his film.

“On the contrary,” he said with a laugh. “Bruce was there almost every single day, to the point where he’s, like, in the way.”

The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White stars as Springsteen in Deliver Me From Nowhere, with Jeremy Strong playing The Boss’ manager Jon Landau. The film is based on Warren Zanes‘ book Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska.

So far Deliver Me From Nowhere does not have a release date.

Guitar autographed by Neil Young & Crazy Horse part of Gibson Gives charity auction

February 19, 2025 by WDNY Radio

A guitar signed by Neil Young and the members of Crazy Horse is up for grabs as part of Gibson Gives’ upcoming benefit auction.

The auction is being handled by Julien’s Auctions and features over 20 guitars, including a 2022 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul in ebony finish, signed by Young and the most recent Crazy Horse lineup of Ralph Molina, Billy Talbot and Micah Nelson. The guitar is estimated to sell for between $2,000 and $4,000.

The auction also includes a 2021 Gibson Custom Shop Mod Shop Les Paul electric guitar signed by Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, as well as autographed guitars from Melissa Etheridge, Falling in Reverse, Halestorm, I Prevail, The Avett Brothers, Yellowcard and more.

The online-only auction will take place March 12, with proceeds supporting Gibson Gives’ disaster relief efforts and its FirstBank Amphitheater partnership to benefit Williamson County Schools in Tennessee.

More information on the auction, and info on how to register to bid, can be found at juliensauctions.com.

Phil Collins won’t be making any more new music: ‘I’m not hungry for it anymore’

February 19, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Phil Collins fans holding out hope he has more music in him are going to be disappointed. In a new interview with Mojo, Collins reveals that he has no plans to make music again.

“I keep thinking I should go downstairs to the studio and see what happens,” Collins tells the mag. “But I’m not hungry for it anymore.”

His health is also keeping him from recording again, with Collins noting, “The thing is, I’ve been sick, I mean very sick.”

Although he didn’t go into specifics with the magazine regarding his health, the 74-year-old Collins has been dealing with health issues since 2007, including neck problems during Genesis’ tour that year, which required surgery. In 2014 he revealed that an undisclosed nerve issue left him unable to play drums again.

Due to his declining mobility, Collins performed seated during Genesis’ 2022 The Last Domino farewell tour, with his son Nic taking over behind the drum kit.

It’s been over 20 years since Collins released any new music. His last solo album of new material, Testify, came out in 2002, and he followed that with a Motown covers album, Going Back, which came out in 2010.

Kansas cancels shows following singer’s cancer revelation

February 19, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Kansas has canceled two shows following the revelation that their singer, Ronnie Platt, has been diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

Platt, who has been singing with the band since 2014, announced his diagnosis on social media on Feb. 15, assuring fans his cancer “has a 99% survival rate” and that it hasn’t 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,” he wrote. “I sincerely appreciate everyone’s positive thoughts and prayers. I have some absolutely amazing people going to bat for me!!”

He added, “this is just a bump in the road and will be behind me very soon! so everyone please CARRY ON!”

Ahead of the announcement the band canceled their Friday show in New Orleans citing “band illness.” They’ve also canceled their March 1 show in Lake Charles, Louisiana, for the same reason.

Kansas is next scheduled to appear on the ’70s Rock & Romance Cruise 2025, departing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on March 15. Their next headlining show is April 4 in Ivins, Utah. A complete list of dates can be found at kansasband.com.

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