Classic Hits

Bonnie Raitt has penned a tribute to Stephen Colbert, who is signing off The Late Show Thursday night.

“As we’re forced to say goodbye to one of our most brilliant, hilarious and beloved shows, @colbertlateshow, I want to thank Stephen and his incredible team for the eleven years of astonishing gifts they’ve given us all,” she wrote on Instagram next to a photo of one of her appearances. “How insane that the number one show in that time slot is being booted off the air because some in power can’t take a joke or alternative points of view.”

“Here’s hoping that after a wee, well-deserved break, you’ll find a way to once again illuminate and delight us in an exciting new chapter,” she added. “We need you more than ever.”

Raitt then thanked Colbert for “your kindness in having us on your show,” and for “showcasing the incredible talents” of his bandleaders Jon Batiste and Louis Cato. She noted, “What an honor for us all.”

The post concluded, “God bless and til next time, here’s to us all still speaking our truths to power.”

CBS announced the The Late Show‘s cancellation in July 2025, noting it was a financial decision. 

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A new biography on legendary guitarist Jeff Beck is set for release this summer.

Blow by Blow: The Jeff Beck Story is described as the “first biography to fully capture the life, music, and mystery of this singular artist.”

The book was written by Brad Tolinski and Chris Gill, who also wrote Eruption: Conversations with Eddie Van Halen. It’s compiled from over 30 hours of Beck interviews, as well as contributions from the guitarist’s friends and collaborators, including Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, actor Johnny Depp and music exec Clive Davis.

“This is the book Jeff deserves,” says Depp. “It’s honest, thoughtful, and true.”

Blow by Blow will be released July 14, and it will be celebrated with what’s described as an “all-star tribute concert” July 16 at The Cutting Room in New York City. It will also feature an interview and book signing with the authors.

The authors will also take part in a book signing and Q&A at Book Soup in Los Angeles on July 23.

Beck came to prominence in the ’60s as a member of The Yardbirds, with future guitar legends Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. He later went on to have a successful solo career, fronting his own Jeff Beck Group.

Beck was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice: in 1992 as a member of The Yardbirds and again in 2009 for his solo work.

Beck passed away Jan. 10, 2023, from bacterial meningitis. He was 78.

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HBO has announced the airdate for Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s documentary about R&B legends Earth, Wind & Fire.

Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial VS That’s the Weight of the World) is set to debut June 7 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.

HBO has also dropped the trailer for the film, soundtracked by the band’s iconic tunes “September” and “Let’s Groove Tonight.” It features lots of archival footage of the band, as well as interview bites from President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, Lionel Richie and others.

According to the film’s description, the doc traces the band’s “genesis through late founding member Maurice White, chronicling their evolution, highs and lows, and relevance from the 1970s into the present day while exploring the deep philosophical and spiritual meaning behind their message and music.”

The film includes interviews with current Earth, Wind & Fire band members Philip Bailey, Verdine White and Ralph Johnson, as well as contributions from former members, Stevie Wonder, H.E.R. and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea.

Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial VS That’s the Weight of the World) will have its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival on June 3 at the Beacon Theatre in New York, followed by a live performance by Earth, Wind & Fire and The Roots.

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Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band are currently on their Land of Hope and Dreams tour, and during the shows The Boss has been very vocal regarding his feelings about President Donald Trump and his administration. Well, E Street Band guitarist Stevie Van Zandt says Springsteen’s outspokenness has led to them receiving death threats while on tour.

“It’s a very specific political theme to this tour and there’s been a lot of threats, death threats. Usually there’s always some, but this time it’s been increasing,” Van Zandt told U.K. outlet The Mail in an interview. “The band, Bruce, we’ve had to beef up security and, you know, it’s mostly just talk.”

“And it’s not like we’re saying something that’s not true or we’re saying something that’s so really particularly controversial, but it’s specifically political,” he noted.

“So, the FBI and others have been really watching things and been overly concerned about it, as they should be,” he added. “We want the fans to be safe and feel safe. So we really go the extra mile with extra security for that reason alone.”

Springsteen & The E Street Band have four shows left of the tour, and will play Cleveland on Friday and Boston on Sunday. The tour was supposed to wrap on May 27 with an outdoor show in Washington, D.C., but after having to postpone a show due to Philadelphia sports teams in the playoffs, the tour will now wrap May 30 in Philly.

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The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood are the latest musicians set to take part in the BBC Radio 2 show Tracks of My Years.

Jagger and Wood have just been announced as guests on the May 31 episode, where they’ll reveal the 10 songs that have soundtracked their lives.

Their appearance comes ahead of the release of The Rolling Stones’ new album, Foreign Tongues, which drops July 10. The album, produced by Andrew Watt, is the band’s 25th studio album and their first since 2023’s Hackney Diamonds.

Jagger and Wood aren’t the only Rock & Roll Hall of Famers appearing on Tracks of My Years in May. Paul McCartney, whose new album The Boys of Dungeon Lane comes out May 29, is a guest on the May 25 episode.

Interestingly, McCartney makes a guest appearance on Foreign Tongues. He also appeared on Hackney Diamonds.

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Saturday Night Live has just released two bonus Paul McCartney performances that didn’t make it on air when he was the musical guest on the show’s May 16 season finale.

During the show, McCartney performed three tracks: The Boys of Dungeon Lane single “Days We Left Behind,” the classic Wings track “Band on the Run” and the solo single “Coming Up.”

But the SNL audience was apparently treated to more, and now fans at home are getting a look at McCartney’s performances of The Beatles classics “Help!” and “Drive My Car.” “Help!” featured a cameo by the night’s host, Will Ferrell, who added cowbell to the song.

Both performances featured Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith behind the drum kit and singer Ingrid Michaelson on backing vocals. You can also see the cast of the show dancing along on the side of the stage.

McCartney’s SNL appearance came ahead of the release of his new solo album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, which is out May 29.

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On This Day, May 21, 1979…

Elton John became the first western act to play the former U.S.S.R., when he kicked off a four-night stand at the Bolshoi Oktyabrsky (Great October) Concert Hall in Leningrad.

After the opening night concert, Elton was reportedly asked to tone down his show and refrain from playing a cover of The Beatles’ “Back in the U.S.S.R.,” but he continued to keep the song in his set.

The Leningrad shows were followed by four shows in Moscow at the Rossiya Concert Hall, with the final night broadcast live in Europe by the BBC.

Songs played during the shows included “Your Song,” “Daniel,” “Rocket Man,” “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” and more.

The concerts were recorded for a documentary, To Russia… with Elton, that featured footage from the final Moscow show.

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Bruce Springsteen was the final announced musical guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Wednesday night, and he let his feelings be known as to who he thinks is responsible for the late night talk show’s cancelation.

“I am here in support tonight for Stephen because you’re the first guy in America who’s lost a show because we got a president who can’t take a joke,” said The Boss, noting that CBS’ new owners, Larry and David Ellison, “feel they need to kiss his a** to get what they want.”

He added, “Stephen these are small minded people that got no idea what the freedoms of this beautiful country are supposed to be about. This is for you.”

Springsteen then performed his protest song “Streets of Minneapolis,” which he released in January. He said he wrote the song in “response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis,” including the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.

The Late Show premiered on CBS in 1993, with David Letterman as host. Colbert took over when Letterman left in 2015.

CBS announced the show’s cancelation in July, noting it was a financial decision. Stephen Colbert will sign off The Late Show on Thursday; no guests for the finale have been revealed.

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Night Ranger is looking back on their career with a new compilation album.

The rockers are set to release Best Of on Aug. 28, an album featuring newly remixed and remastered versions of their classic tunes. It will include “Sister Christian,” “When You Close Your Eyes” and “(You Can Still) Rock in America,” as well as bonus tracks, including a live performance of the holiday classic “Feliz Navidad.”

As a preview of the record, the band has released the remastered version of 1982’s top-40 hit “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me.”

“The new Best Of is a celebration of not only our classic hits but also what we’ve created over the last 20 years,” says Night Ranger’s Jack Blades. “And we’re just gonna keep cranking it cause we’re having too much fun to stop! So enjoy the ride and see ya on the road!”

Best Of will be released on CD and vinyl, with a double-LP version available in black, gold and orange splatter. All are available for preorder now.

Night Ranger is set to play Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on Friday. A complete list of dates can be found at NightRanger.com.

Here is the track list for Best of:
“Don’t Tell Me You Love Me (2026)”
“(You Can Still) Rock in America (2026)”
“Sister Christian (2026)”
“When You Close Your Eyes (2026)”
“Four in the Morning (2026)”
“Breakout”
“Tomorrow”
“Growin’ Up in California”
“Time of Our Lives”
“High Road”
“No Time to Lose”
“Somehow Someway”
“Truth”
“Don’t Let Up”
“Only for You Only”
“Wasted Time (Sweetwater Studios)” (Bonus Track)
“Feliz Navidad (Live)” (Bonus Track)
“Hole In The Sun” (Bonus Track Japan)

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Michael Jackson’s biopic is killing it at the box office, but a part of his story that isn’t shown in the film will be told via a Netflix docuseries in June.

Michael Jackson: The Verdict is a three-part series that delves into the late King of Pop’s 2003 arrest on child molestation charges, his 2004 arraignment and indictment, and his subsequent 2005 trial. It was a media circus that ended on June 13, 2005, with the superstar being acquitted on all 10 counts.

The docuseries features interviews with jurors, eyewitnesses, members of the media who were in the courtroom, and Michael’s accusers and defenders. It tells the story from the perspectives of both the prosecution and the defense.

In a statement, director Nick Green and executive producer Fiona Stourton say, “It has been 20 years since the trial of Michael Jackson in which he was found not guilty. Yet, to this day, controversy still rages.”

“No cameras were allowed in court, and so the public’s view of the facts at the time were filtered by commentators and presented piecemeal,” they continue. “It was time to take a forensic look at the trial as a whole.”

“Anyone interested in the Michael Jackson story should feel this documentary gives them a window into what was largely a closed event and a chance to feel closer to what happened.”

Michael Jackson: The Verdict debuts June 3.

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