Classic Hits

The late songwriting team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David has returned to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time in almost 20 years, thanks to Doja Cat. 

Doja’s latest single, “Paint the Town Red,” tops the Hot 100 this week. The track samples the songwriting pair’s classic “Walk On By,” which was made famous in 1964 by Dionne Warwick. 

Thanks to a sample in Twista’s “Slow Jamz,” featuring Kanye West and Jamie Foxx, Bacharach and David last earned a songwriting credit on a #1 song in 2004. That song, which spent one week on top of the chart,  samples Luther Vandross’ cover of Warwick’s 1964 release “A House Is Not a Home.”

And with Warwick’s voice used in Doja’s track, it marks the first time her voice has appeared in a #1 song since 1986, when her classic “That’s What Friends Are For,” which also featured Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Gladys Knight, hit #1.

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“Dream Weaver” singer Gary Wright passed away September 4 at the age of 80, and now, his family is sharing what they call “a joyful remembrance” of the artist.

The family describes Wright as “a spiritual hero and musical innovator,” with his wife, Lehua Wright, sharing, “Gary’s smile and profound ability to always find the humor in life, ensured that laughter followed him everywhere” and adding, “Thinking of Gary is infinite joy.”

His son Dorian said his father did not fear death, noting the singer would say, “when you feel pain, realize that it’s the ego getting in the way and that his soul is on it’s journey to the astral plane.” His son Justin added, “When I think of my father, I think of the spirituality in his life. He always found beauty in nature and never took anything too seriously.” 

The family also shared a message with fans, thanking “those who loved him for taking the time to look at his contributions in life through a unique lens.” 

“You focused on what was meaningful and not what was sensationalized, and for that our family is grateful,” they wrote. “Our hope is that his gift of music will continue to touch the hearts of all those who listen to it and will continue to do so for a very long time.”

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Aerosmith is currently on their Peace Out final tour, and they’re throwing some surprises into their set for fans.

According to setlist.fm, at the band’s Friday, September 9, show at UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York, they performed the Joe Perry sung tune “Bright Light Fright” for the first time since 1994. The song appeared on Aerosmith’s fifth studio album, 1977’s Draw The Line.

The show also included the tour debut of “Walking The Dog,” the Rufus Thomas cover that appeared on the band’s 1973 self-titled album.

If that wasn’t enough, the concert ended with the crowd joining the band to sing “Happy Birthday” to Perry, who turned 73 on September 10. They also brought out a cake for the celebration. 

Next up, Aerosmith brings their Peace Out tour to Toronto, Canada, on Tuesday, September 12. A complete list of dates can be found at aerosmith.com.

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Bob Dylan has added some new dates to the new North American leg of his Rough and Rowdy Ways tour.

The new dates bring Dylan to the East Coast, with multiple nights in Boston, Port Chester and Brooklyn, New York, and Newark, New Jersey, as well as shows in Providence, Rhode Island, Philadelphia and more. 

The tour is set to kick off October 1 and 2 in Kansas City, Missouri, with the new additions starting November 2 in Springfield, Massachusetts, and dates confirmed through November 20 and 21 in Newark.

Tickets for the new shows go on sale Friday, September 15. A complete list of concert dates can be found at bobdylan.com.

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On This Day, September 11, 1953…

Tommy Roland Shaw, guitarist and co-lead vocalist for the band Styx, was born in Montgomery, Alabama. 

Shaw joined Styx in 1975 and made his first appearance on their 1976 album, Crystal Ball. He co—wrote and sang such well-known Styx songs as “Renegade,” “Blue Collar Man” and “Too Much Time On My Hands.”

In the 1990s, Shaw, Ted Nugent, Night Ranger’s Jack Blades and drummer Michael Cartellone formed the band Damn Yankees and had a huge hit with the song “High Enough,” which Shaw co-wrote. He and Blades also got together and formed the duo Shaw Blades, which released their debut album, Hallucination, in 1995. 

Shaw still tours with Styx to this day. They have dates booked through November 11 and will then resume touring in early January 2024.

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Jimmy Buffett’s wife, Jane Slagsvol, shared a touching tribute to her late husband, who passed away September 1 at the age of 76. 

“As Jimmy said a few months ago, ‘growing old is not for sissies.’ These last few years have been unimaginably challenging for Jimmy and me, and we’re definitely not sissies,” she wrote on his website. “One thing we both knew and experienced, through every difficult moment, was the feeling of being buoyed up by all the people in our lives,” she continued, noting they felt “surrounded by love.”

Jane thanked Jimmy’s fans, who she described as a “big, boisterous family.” “The smile that Jimmy beamed at you from the stage was sparked by your spirit, she wrote. “He was so grateful to the community you built around him.”

Jane also thanked all the people who cared for Jimmy during his battle with Merkel cell skin cancer as well as their friends and all those who worked for the rocker.

“Jimmy was love. Every cell in his body was filled with joy. He smiled all the time, even when he was deeply ill,” she wrote. “And his sense of humor never wavered. Jimmy was always the optimist, always twinkling, always making us laugh.”

After quoting his new song “Bubbles Up,” she concluded, “Jimmy knew he was loved. Right until the end, he looked for the light. Thank you for giving joy to him and to me.”

Meanwhile, fans are showing their love for Jimmy by rediscovering his music. Billboard reports that Songs You Know by Heart: Jimmy Buffett’s Greatest Hit(s) is back on the Billboard 200 at #4, a new high for the record. It’s also the first time the album’s made not only the Top 10, but the Top 40.

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The Rolling Stones just announced their new album, Hackney Diamonds, is coming out October 20, and there’s no doubt fans are excited. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers will be touring to support the record, and it sounds like those fans won’t be disappointed.

When asked by ABC News whether they’re planning a new tour, Ronnie Wood confirmed it will be happening. “Oh, America we have penciled in for next year,” he shared. “And we really hope we can finish off what we started last time.” 

Ronnie says it’s frustrating they have to wait a month for the album to come out, though he’s sure fans will love it.

“It’s a really rewarding thing for me to hear the tracks and it’s a heartwarming feeling,” he says.

Frontman Mick Jagger echoes that sentiment, sharing that they’re “really pleased with the record.”

“It’s got a lot of styles. It’s very eclectic,” he says, calling it rock based but not a classic rock album.

And if fans weren’t excited enough by Hackney Diamonds, they’ll be happy to know it won’t be the last new music we hear from The Stones. Jagger revealed, “We cut a lot of songs, so we got almost like two-thirds of the next album as well. … We got a good jump in on that one.” 

Hackney Diamonds, The Stones’ first album of new songs in 18 years, is available for preorder now.

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Whitesnake is sharing another preview of their upcoming reissue of 2015’s The Purple Album, celebrating the 50th anniversary of frontman David Coverdale’s three years in the band Deep Purple.

The band’s just released “Lay Down, Stay Down (2023 Remix),” the second song they’ve shared from the record, following a live recording of the 1974 track “Burn.”

“‘Lay Down, Stay Down’ was one of the first songs I wrote with Ritchie Blackmore at his house in Camberley, Surrey,” Coverdale shares. “It’s a lyric about dealing with bullies … an aspect of the human condition I despise.”

He added, “I can’t tell you the original ‘working’ title I had, as it’s quite disgusting … It’s about fighting back & not taking any s*** from anybody.”

You can listen to “Lay Down, Stay Down (2023 Remix)” now via digital outlets and watch its new video streaming on YouTube.

The Purple Album: Special Gold Edition will be released October 13 as a two-CD/Blu-ray set, which includes concert videos from The Purple Tour, official music videos and more, including commentary from Coverdale. It’s also being released on two-LP gold vinyl.

All formats are available for preorder now.

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Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir is featured on Stephen Marley’s new track, “Winding Roads.” It also features Jack Johnson and Weir’s backing band, Wolf Brothers, made up of Don Was, and Dead & Company members Jeff Chimenti and Jay Lane.

The song will be featured on Marley’s new album, Old Soul, which drops Friday, September 15. It also features a guest appearance by Eric Clapton on Stephen’s acoustic cover of dad Bob Marley’s “I Shot The Sheriff,” which Clapton also covered in 1974 for his album 461 Ocean Boulevard.

Other guests on the album include Ziggy Marley, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Buju Banton and Slightly Stoopid.

Old Soul, Marley’s first full-length album since 2016, will be released digitally, on CD and as a limited-edition double vinyl; it’s available for preorder now.

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Ringo Starr wants to help folks celebrate their special day. The Beatles legend is on a new song, “Happy Birthday Beautiful,” written by award-winning songwriter Diane Warren and featuring vocals by Pentatonix.

Ringo plays drums on the track, which will be featured on a new American Greetings collection of birthday e-cards. The cards will be available starting Saturday, September 9, and includes options for people turning a year older that day; according to 20 years of real birth data, September 9 is the day more people are born than any other day of the year.

“I wanted to write a song that breathed new life into the classic birthday songs we know and love,” says Warren, who celebrated her 67th birthday on September 7. “Collaborating with such talented artists as Ringo Starr and Pentatonix, as well as the designers at American Greetings, allowed us to blend musical and design elements together to add new excitement to birthday celebrations.”

Ringo adds, “I was happy to play drums on this song when my friend Diane asked, and I think it’s great it is coming out around the time of her birthday – Happy Birthday beautiful! Peace and love, Ringo.”

You can now listen to “Happy Birthday Beautiful” via digital outlets and on YouTube. The e-cards will be available on americangreetings.com and bluemountain.com.

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