Classic Hits

Joan Baez is ready to share her poetry with the public for the first time ever.

The folk singer is set to release her first book of poetry, When You See My Mother, Ask Her to Dance: Poems, on April 30.

The book is described as an “intimate, autobiographical poetry collection” containing poems for or about such artists as Bob Dylan, Judy Collins and Jimi Hendrix, as well as poems about her childhood, family, personal reflections and more.  

“Speaking to the people, places, and moments that have had the greatest impact on her art, this collection is an inspiring personal diary in the form of poetry,” the description reads. “Like a late-night chat with someone you love, this collection connects fans to the real heart of who Joan Baez is as a person, as a daughter and sister, and as an artist who has inspired millions.” 

The book already has at least one celebrity fan: Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Bernie Taupin, who has shared his thoughts on the release.

“Joan’s ideas and musings ricochet from the profound and humanly factual to the observant and slyly humorous,” he writes. “Her words can be both poignantly executed and captivating in a colorful closeness that pin-points the chinks in our armor that mirror all facets of the world we inhabit,” he continues, adding that she’s “a national treasure.” 

The book isn’t the only way Joan has given fans some insight into her personal life. A documentary about her life, I Am a Noise, was released last year and is now streaming on Hulu.

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When you think of successful pop acts of the ’70s and ’80s, the Australian soft rockers Air Supply may not come to mind. But the chart-topping duo will be the subject of an upcoming biopic called All Out of Love: The Air Supply Story, Variety reports.

Due out in the summer of 2025 to coincide with the act’s 50th anniversary, the movie will start filming in Australia and the U.K. in late 2024. Variety quotes the producers as saying that the film will focus on “the highs and lows of the band’s career and their rise to international fame.” 

Australian Russell Hitchcock and British-born Graham Russell first met in 1975 when they were in the chorus of an Australian production of Jesus Christ Superstar. They formed the band that same year and had success in Australia, but they broke out in the U.S. in 1980 when they scored three top-five hits: “Lost In Love,” “Every Woman in the World” and “All Out of Love.” 

The duo’s other hits include “The One That You Love,” “Here I Am, “Even the Nights Are Better” and “Making Love Out of Nothing at All.” They went on to sell over 100 million albums worldwide and continue to perform today. Their last album, Mumbo Jumbo, came out in 2010, while their last single dropped in 2015.

“What a great occasion to celebrate our 50th Anniversary! And a personal thrill for me to see Graham’s songs be the basis for the biopic,” Hitchcock said in a statement, per Variety.

Russell added, “We are absolutely thrilled that the Air Supply story will now be made into a biopic and set for release in 2025, the year of our 50th anniversary. The timing is so perfect.”

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The Black Crowes launched their Happiness Bastards tour at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House on Tuesday, April 2, treating fans to a mix of new songs, hits and deep tracks. 

According to setlist.fm, the band kicked things off with the track “Bedside Manners” from Happiness Bastards, their first album in 15 years. In fact, the set featured several songs from the record, including their latest single, “Wanting and Waiting,” as well as “Cross Your Fingers,” “Flesh Wound” and “Rats and Clowns.”

Country star Lainey Wilson was a surprise guest at the show; she was introduced by Chris Robinson, who said, “I guess if you’re gonna play the Grand Ole Opry you have to have a bonafide country superstar.” She then joined the band for their Happiness Bastards collaboration, “Wilted Rose,” as well as the classic Shake Your Money Maker tune “She Talks to Angels.” 

The Crowes treated fans to a 17-song set list that also featured plenty of hits, including “Hard to Handle,” “Remedy,” “Sting Me” and “Jealous Again,” as well as “Twice as Hard” and the Southern Harmony and Musical Companion favorites “Thorn in My Pride” and “My Morning Song.” 

The band then wrapped the show with a cover of The Velvet Underground track “White Light/White Heat.”

The Black Crowes bring their Happiness Bastards tour to Atlanta’s Fox Theatre on Wednesday, April 3. A complete list of dates can be found at theblackcrowes.com.

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Bob Burns, the original drummer for Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, died in a car crash near his home in Cartersville, Georgia.

Burns helped to form Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1964 with Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, Allen Collins and Larry Junstrom, but left the group in 1974.

He is credited on recordings from the group’s first two albums: 1973’s (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd) and 1974’s Second Helping. Those include such Lynyrd Skynyrd classics as “Free Bird,” “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Simple Man.”

In 1996, after years out of the public eye, Burns joined the band for a performance in conjunction with the film Freebird: The Movie. Then, in March of 2006, he returned to perform alongside the band at their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction.

Lynyrd Skynyrd continues to tour to this day, although no members of the original band remain. The last original member, Gary Rossington, died in March of 2023. Skynyrd is currently on their Sharp Dressed Simple Man tour with ZZ Top, which hits Biloxi, Mississippi, on April 4. A complete list of dates can be found at lynyrdskynyrd.com. 

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Classic songs by Queen and Fleetwood Mac are among the most-streamed songs in the U.K.

A new list compiled by the Official Charts Company has revealed the 300 most-streamed songs released in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, and while Oasis’ “Wonderwall” is #1, the top 10 is dominated by classic tracks. 

Queen’s iconic “Bohemian Rhapsody” is the second-most streamed song on the list, with Fleetwood Mac at #3 and #4 with “Everywhere” and “Dreams,” respectively. Another Queen track, “Don’t Stop Me Now,” is at #5.

Also in the top 10 are Toto’s “Africa” at #6, Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” at #9 and Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” at #10, making her the only solo female artist in the top 10.

Fleetwood Mac also has two other songs in the top 20: “The Chain” at #11 and “Go Your Own Way” at #18. 

Other classics landing high on the list include Bryan Adams’ “Summer of ‘69” at #12, ELO’s “Mr. Blue Sky” at #17, Tears For Fears‘ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” at #19, Michael Jackson‘s “Billie Jean” at #20 and Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer” at #21.

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Beyoncé’s latest album, Cowboy Carter, features her interpretation of The Beatles classic “Blackbird,” and it turns out she took more than just inspiration from the band.

Variety has confirmed that the song, retitled “Blackbiird” for Bey’s album, includes acoustic guitar and foot tapping by Paul McCartney, taken from the song’s original backing track.

Credits for the Cowboy Carter were not shared until after the album’s official release on Friday, March 29, and it did list McCartney as playing guitar, but a rep for the two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer has now confirmed that guitar contribution isn’t new.

Many reviewers have noted that it’s especially fitting that Bey recorded a cover of “Blackbird” given that McCartney has said the song was inspired by the U.S. Civil Rights Movement and in particular, the struggle of Black women.

So far, McCartney has not commented on Beyoncé’s cover, which also features backing vocals by four Black country artists: Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts and Brittney Spencer.

“Blackbird” originally appeared on The Beatles’ self-titled 1968 double album, which is commonly known as The White Album.

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Foreigner doesn’t seem ready to say farewell to their Farewell tour. The band just announced a new set of fall dates featuring special guests Lita Ford and Loverboy.

The latest leg of the tour kicks off September 23 in Charleston, West Virginia, with dates confirmed through October 9 in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

A Foreigner presale kicks off Wednesday, April 3, at 10 a.m. CT, and tickets go on sale to the general public starting Friday, April 5, at 10 a.m. CT.

Foreigner is currently in Las Vegas for residency at The Venetian Theatre, with three more shows left this month, April 3, 5 and 6. They will then resume their Farewell tour on April 11 in Ivins, Utah, and will team with Styx and special guest John Waite for the Renegades & Juke Box Heroes Tour, starting June 11 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

A complete list of Foreigner tour dates can be found at foreignerlive.com.

Foreigner is also currently nominated for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Inductees will be announced in late April, with the ceremony taking place this fall in Cleveland.

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Dead & Company are spending some more time in Las Vegas. The band just added some new dates to their upcoming Dead Forever residency at Sphere Las Vegas.

The band — Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti — have extended the residency through July, with six new shows taking place July 4, 5 and 6, and 11, 12 and 13. Tickets for all shows on sale now. 

According to the initial press release, the shows will have a different set list each weekend and include “never-before-seen visual storytelling.” The residency kicks off Thursday, May 16, with Dead & Company playing each weekend on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

A complete list of dates can be found at deadandcompany.com.

The concerts will be the first Dead & Company shows since wrapping what they said would be their final tour July in San Francisco.

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Artists including Jon Bon Jovi, R.E.M. and Peter Frampton have signed an open letter protesting the “predatory use of AI to steal professional artists’ voices and likenesses, violate creators’ rights, and destroy the music ecosystem.”

The letter, which was put out by the organization Artist Rights Alliance, is also signed by Elvis Costello, the estate of Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson, as well as Sheryl Crow, Billie Eilish and FINNEAS, Pearl Jam, The Cure’s Robert Smith, Mumford & Sons and more.

“We, the undersigned members of the artist and songwriting communities, call on AI developers, technology companies, platforms and digital music services to cease the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to infringe upon and devalue the rights of human artists,” the letter begins.

The signees believe that “when used responsibly, AI has enormous potential to advance human creativity,” but, “When used irresponsibly, AI poses enormous threats to our ability to protect our privacy, our identities and our livelihoods.” 

“Unchecked, AI will set in motion a race to the bottom that will degrade the value of our work and prevent us from being fairly compensated for it,” the letter continues. “This assault of human creativity must be stopped.”

It concludes, “We call on all AI developers, technology companies, platforms and digital music services to pledge that they will not develop or deploy AI music-generation technology, content or tools that undermine or replace the human artistry of songwriters and artists or deny us fair compensation for our work.”

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Heart is extending their time on the road. Sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson have just added some more dates to their upcoming Royal Flush tour, which is their first tour together in five years.

The new dates kick off September 26 in San Francisco, with added stops in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Nashville, New York, San Diego and more, before wrapping December 15 at the BleauLive Theater inside Fontainebleau Las Vegas. 

The new shows feature Cheap Trick, Bachman Turner Overdrive featuring Randy Bachman and Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening as special guests on select dates.

Presales for the new shows begin Wednesday, April 3, at 10 a.m., with tickets going on sale to the general public Friday, April 5, at 10 a.m.

The first leg of the Royal Flush tour, featuring special guest Cheap Trick, is set to kick off April 20 in Greenville, South Carolina. Heart will also bring the tour overseas, where they’ll be playing festivals and some headlining shows with special guest Squeeze.

In addition to their Royal Flush tour, Heart is scheduled to open three dates on the Def Leppard and Journey stadium tour this summer. A complete list of Heart dates can be found at heart-music.com.

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