Classic Hits

She’ll get money, babe.

Cher has emerged victorious in a lawsuit against Mary Bono, the widow of Cher’s late ex-husband, Sonny Bono, who died in 1998. Cher’s complaint was that Mary claimed she no longer had to pay Cher her, well, share of song royalties that she was entitled to in her 1978 divorce settlement with Sonny. 

Mary’s claim was based on something called a “termination right,” which allows songwriters and their heirs to get back control of their work even if they gave them away years ago. In 2021, Mary told Cher that she was going to stop paying her the 50% cut of the publishing royalties that she and Sonny had agreed to — royalties that come from Sonny & Cher hits like “The Beat Goes On” and “I Got You Babe.” That’s when Cher sued.

According to court documents obtained by ABC News, in a ruling on Wednesday a judge sided with Cher, saying that her divorce settlement with Sonny overruled the “termination right.” According to the ruling, Cher is owed more than $400,000 in royalties that have accumulated since the 2021 lawsuit began.

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European fans of Heart are out of luck: The band has canceled their European tour, which was set to kick off in June, run through July and include festival appearances, in addition to headlining dates.

The band announced on Instagram that the shows are being scrapped because Ann Wilson has to undergo what’s described as “a time-sensitive but routine medical procedure for which the minimum recovery time is six weeks.” 

Ann added, “I’m okay! Please don’t worry. I do apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. It’s certainly an inconvenience for me. Love & respect always, Ann.”

The band’s upcoming tour of the U.S., which will feature them performing with Cheap Trick, is still on for the time being. Heart is scheduled to perform on a bill with Journey and Def Leppard on July 30, August 2 and August 5.

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We’re less than two weeks away from the release of the new Bon Jovi album, FOREVER, and the first single, “Legendary,” is a hit. Jon Bon Jovi tells ABC Audio why he felt that “Legendary” was the right song to be the album’s first single.

“You know, I think that it just sums up the bumper sticker for where I’m at in my life today,” he says. “‘I’ve got what I want because I got what I need/ A fistful of friends that’ll stand up for me/ And right where I am is where I want to be.’ And I think that pretty much sums it up.”

The song proves that, 40 years later, Bon Jovi can still come up with a hit. But Jon says the music business is quite a different animal than it was when he and the band first started out.

“You know, the rules are changing. And it’s not any better or worse. It’s just different for [a] different generation of people that are coming up now,” notes Jon.

“They have to worry about likes, you know, things like that that are so much different than when I started,” he continues. “It was all really solely about a song. And then, could you perform? That was the criteria.” 

FOREVER is Bon Jovi’s first album since October 2020. Due to Jon’s ongoing vocal issues, the band hasn’t announced any touring plans, but while we’re waiting to see if that happens, you can watch their Hulu documentary, Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, streaming now.

Disney is the parent company of Hulu and ABC News.

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A run of iconic concert films will screen on AXS TV as part of the cable channel’s summer programming.

Among those being shown are Queen‘s Live at Wembley, Tom Petty‘s Live from Gatorville and Robert Plant‘s Live from the Artists Den, which will air June 29, June 22 and June 1, respectively.

Live at Wembly was recorded during Queen’s record-breaking 1986 performance at the famed London stadium. Live from Gatorville captured Petty’s return to his hometown of Gainesville, Florida, alongside The Heartbreakers in 2006, while Live from the Artists Den was filmed during Plant’s performance alongside his solo Band of Joy group during a 2011 episode of the long-running concert series.

The lineup also includes concert films by Metallica, Aerosmith, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Fleetwood Mac, ZZ Top, The Doobie Brothers, Elvis Costello, Bon Jovi, Journey, Foreigner and Heart.

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Looks like someone didn’t need any “Help!” spending their money on a unique collectible from The Beatles. 

On the first day of its Music Icons sale at the Hard Rock Cafe New York, Julien’s Auctions sold a 12-string guitar used by John Lennon to record several Beatles classics for a whopping $2.9 million. That makes it the most expensive Beatles guitar ever to sell at auction. The person who bought it purchased it via a telephone bid, the auction house says.

As previously reported, the Framus 12-string Hootenanny acoustic guitar was used by both John and George Harrison to record songs like “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away,” “Girl,” “It’s Only Love,” “I’ve Just Seen a Face,” “Help!” and “Norwegian Wood.” It can also be seen in the movie Help!

Presumed lost for 50 years, the guitar was recently discovered in the attic of a 90-year-old man who once worked as the road manager for the ’60s duo Peter and Gordon. The duo’s Gordon Waller had gotten it from Lennon in 1965 and then passed it along to the road manager.

Other Beatles items sold during the auction’s first day include the band’s RIAA Gold single award for “Hey Jude,” previously owned by Julian Lennon, which went for nearly $32,000, and a copy of the band’s Please Please Me album signed by all four Beatles, which went for $39,000. A guitar played by early Beatles collaborator Tony Sheridan, who worked with them during the very early ’60s, sold for more than $76,200.

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The Police‘s final album, Synchronicity, is being reissued in honor of its 40th anniversary.

The release will be available in a variety of different formats, including six-CD and four-LP sets, on July 26. The most expansive edition boasts 55 previously unreleased tracks, including alternate takes, instrumentals, demos and live recordings.

You’ll also find new liner notes, interviews and previously unseen photographs.

You can preorder your copy now.

Synchronicity was released in 1983 and became The Police’s bestselling album. It’s certified eight-times Platinum by the RIAA and spawned hits including “Every Breath You Take,” “King of Pain” and “Wrapped Around Your Finger.”

The Police went on hiatus in 1984 before breaking up in 1986, making Synchronicity their final album.

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Jon Bon Jovi is opening up about son Jake Bongiovi‘s wedding to Stranger Things actress Millie Bobby Brown.

The rock legend confirmed the two recently tied the knot and shared a few details from the young newlyweds’ special day.

“They’re great. They’re absolutely fantastic,” Bon Jovi shared on BBC’s The One Show on Thursday. “It was a very small family wedding, and the bride looked gorgeous and Jake is happy as can be.”

Brown, 20, and Bongiovi, 22, who have been linked since 2021, announced their engagement in April 2023 on Instagram.

The Enola Holmes actress told Good Morning America in September 2023 that wedding planning was a “really, really exciting” process.

“It’s such an amazing part of my life so far, and just being able to do it with someone makes it even better,” she added.

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On This Day, May 29, 1969…

Folk supergroup Crosby, Stills & Nash, made up of former Byrds member David Crosby, former Buffalo Springfield member Stephen Stills and former Hollies member Graham Nash, released their self-titled debut album.

The album peaked at #8 on the Billboard Album chart and spawned two top-40 singles: “Marrakesh Express,” which peaked at #28, and “Suite Judy Blue Eyes,” which did a little better, peaking at #21.

Other future CSN classics on the record included “Wooden Ships,” “Long Time Gone,” “Helplessly Hoping” and “Guinevere.”  

The album helped the band earn a Best New Artist win at the 1970 Grammys and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.

Crosby, Stills & Nash went on to release five albums as just a trio and another three with Neil Young, who joined them starting with their sophomore release, 1970’s Deja Vu.

Crosby, Stills & Nash were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. All three members were also inducted as members of their previous groups.

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This Pride Month, Elton John is offering fans the chance to meet him — and to raise money for his AIDS Foundation.

It’s a social media campaign called the #SpeakUpSingOutGiveaway and here’s how it works: Record a video of yourself singing — or reciting — these lyrics from Elton’s hit “Your Song:” “I hope you don’t mind, I hope you don’t mind, that I put down in words /How wonderful life is now you’re in the world.”

Then, at the end, you add in the name of the person “who has always supported you to be your most authentic self.”  Post the video to your Instagram with the hashtag #SpeakUpSingOutGiveaway, and follow Elton’s Foundation at @ejaf on Instagram. For every post, $10 will be donated to the Foundation, up to $25,000.

One participant will be chosen to meet Elton and his husband David Furnish on June 27 in New York City. The deadline to enter is June 18 at 8 p.m., and the contest is open to U.S. and U.K. residents over the age of 18.

Elton tells People that the money will go to his Rocket Fund initiative, which drives “important policy changes around the world to uplift the LGBTQ+ community.”

“We mustn’t let increasing discriminatory legislation taking place around the world hold us back,” he adds. “Let’s lead with acceptance and joy this Pride Month and encourage everyone to be who they are and to love who they love without shame or fear.”

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Barry Manilow is in the middle of a residency at the London Palladium, which is billed as his final shows ever in the U.K.  But on May 27, he canceled the performance just hours before showtime due to illness.

On social platform X, a note announced, “Unfortunately, under doctor’s orders, we must cancel tonight’s 27th May Barry Manilow concert.” According to Metro.uk, hundreds of fans were already at the theater when the news was announced.

But the illness didn’t last long: The 80-year-old singer’s May 28 concert did go on as scheduled and the May 27 show has been rescheduled to June 9.

Manilow is playing the Palladium shows because the venue was the location of his first U.K. shows back in 1978.

Following the Palladium run, Manilow will return to Las Vegas for his regular residency performances at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino. Then, starting July 25, he’ll play arena shows around the U.S. through August 25.  Those shows, billed as “The Last Concerts,” will be the final time Manilow plans to perform in those cities.

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