Classic Hits

Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s Carl Palmer is recovering after undergoing a heart procedure this week. A post on Palmer’s social media accounts reveals that he “underwent a successful ablation procedure to restore sinus rhythm as he was previously in Atrial Fibrillation.”

The post went on to thank Palmer’s doctors and the staff at Sir Reginald Wilson Ward at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London, and shared pictures of Palmer before and after the surgery.

Palmer does have some time to recover before he has to get back to work. His The Return of Emerson, Lake & Palmer 2023 Summer Tour, which has him performing alongside footage of his late bandmates Keith Emerson and Greg Lake, is set to kick off July 8 in West Jefferson, North Carolina. A complete list of dates and ticket information can be found at carlpalmer.com.

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Some unique and original drawings by Bob Dylan will be on display in New York this week. Billboard reports that the drawings, which Dylan made during the 1967 recording sessions for The Basement Tapes, will be on display at the 63rd annual ABAA New York International Antiquarian Book Fair, taking place April 27 to 30 at the Park Avenue Armory in Manhattan. 

The three captioned drawings all appear on the side of a Columbia Records Handelok record bag. One drawing depicts a man waving with a guitar and saying a line similar to a lyric from the tune “Long Distance Operator.” Another shows a figure ready to strike a person who’s telling them to shut up. The third picture looks like an object with guitar strings and features captions identifying the “swift key,” “gas lock,” “tune-up supporter” and more. 

And Dylan fans with some money to spare have a chance to own the rare piece of memorabilia. It’s up for sale at the Schubertiade Music & Arts gallery for $60,000. 

“There’s a lot of fake stuff on the market,” the gallery’s owner, Gabe Boyers, tells Billboard. “It’s not just a rare item. We know exactly when this was created, who it was made for, and who the other person’s handwriting is on it. It’s a special piece.”

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Music fans are about to learn a lot more about Carlos Santana. Sony Pictures Classics has just landed the worldwide rights to the new feature-length documentary Carlos, chronicling the life and career of the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer. 

The film, directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Rudy Valdez, is described as “an intimate and exhilarating look inside the mind of an elemental force of contemporary music,” featuring archival footage and music that has never been seen or heard before.

“I am honored and humbled to tell Carlos Santana’s story as a director,” Valdez shares. “Carlos is a true trailblazer who has meant so much to so many people. My hope is that this film is a celebration of a life defined by humanity. I’m thrilled to be putting this story out into the world.”

So far there’s no word on when Carlos will be released.

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Queen + Adam Lambert have added another performance to their busy schedule. The group is set to perform at the 2023 Formula 1 Lenovo United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.

Queen is set to close out the Germania Insurance Super Stage on Saturday, October 21, following the F1Sprint, while The Killers will open the festival, headlining Friday, October 20, following the F1 qualifying.

The show is one of many Queen + Adam Lambert have planned for 2023. Their North American Rhapsody tour kicks off October 4 in Baltimore, Maryland. A complete list of dates can be found at queenonline.com.

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Is Aerosmith getting ready to say goodbye to the road?

That’s the speculation after the band’s logo started popping up at venues, along with the words “Peace Out.” 

As previously reported, Aerosmith is counting down to a big announcement that is coming Monday at 10 a.m. ET, with much of the speculation being that they’re about to announce a tour. Well, some now believe it’s going to be their last one.

Rock journalist Mitch Lafon was the first to share a photo of a banner displaying the “Peace Out” logo from Boston’s TD Garden, with fans then sharing similar photos from Atlanta’s State Farm Arena, Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena and more, leading many to believe the announcement will be for the band’s farewell tour. 

It has been a while since Aerosmith has gone on a big tour. They’ve been mostly focused on their Deuces Wild residency in Las Vegas since 2019, although last September they played two shows, one in Maine and one at Boston’s Fenway Park.

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Music fans are getting their first look at a new documentary about Pink Floyd’s Syd Barrett. A new trailer has just dropped for the film, Have You Got It Yet?, directed by award-winning filmmaker Roddy Bogawa and the late album cover designer Storm Thorgerson, known for his work with Floyd, Led Zeppelin and others.

The doc is narrated by Harry Potter actor Jason Isaacs and features interviews with Pink Floyd members David Gilmour, Roger Waters and Nick Mason, along with original band managers Peter Jenner and Andrew King. Also contributing to the film are The Who’s Pete Townshend and Blur’s Graham Coxon.

The feature-length doc promises to delve into the relationship between Pink Floyd and Barrett, who was responsible for giving the band its name. He left the group in 1968 before they hit it big. The doc is described as “a chronicle and a mosaic of Barrett’s creative and destructive impulses, his captivating presence and absence – a portrait of the complex puzzle that was his life.”

Have You Got It Yet? is set to open in the U.K. May 15 and will be released in the U.S. in late June.

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After telling her story live onstage during her off-Broadway show My Window: A Journey Through Life, Melissa Etheridge has now put it all down in print.

Her new book Talking to My Angels arrives September 5, 20 years after her first book, the New York Times bestseller The Truth Is: My Life in Love and Music. This follow-up covers the many highs and lows of Melissa’s life over the past two decades.

In those 20 years, Melissa was diagnosed with breast cancer, welcomed two more children, went through a couple of public breakups, found the love of her life, underwent a spiritual awakening and tragically lost her son Beckett to opioid addiction — all while touring the world, recording 11 albums and winning an Oscar. It’s all in the book, along with what those experiences have taught her.

“Ultimately, this book is an ode to love,” Melissa says in a statement. “It’s a testament to vanquishing fear and learning to embrace all of what life brings us, an unvarnished reflection on the many threads of my life.” 

In the meantime, you can watch Melissa’s daughter Bailey on the new Paramount+ show MTV’s Family Legacy, which focuses on the offspring of famous musicians. Melissa has posted a clip of Bailey’s segment on her Instagram, where Bailey shares her own story of coming out.

“So proud of my daughter. So much fun. Wow! Watch it now!” she wrote on the caption.

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Over the weekend, Willie Nelson performed at Stephen Stills’ Light Up The Blues autism benefit in Los Angeles, and now it seems Stills is returning the favor. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer is one of several artists added to this weekend’s two-night concert event celebrating Nelson’s 90th birthday.  

Long Story Short: Willie Nelson 90 is happening April 29 (Willie’s actual birthday) and 30 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Other new additions to the celebration include Kris Kristofferson, Dave Matthews, Gary Clark Jr., Jack Johnson, Emmylou Harris and George Strait.

Willie is expected to perform each night, along with previously announced performers Neil Young, Warren Haynes and Bob Weir, as well as Tom Jones, Lyle Lovett, Sheryl Crow, Beck, The Chicks, Chris Stapleton, Edie Brickell, Snoop Dogg, Kacey Musgraves, Nelson’s son Lukas Nelson and more.

Complete show details can be found at willienelson90.com.

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King Charles III’s coronation is happening May 6, and Yusuf/Cat Stevens is sending a message to the monarch with the just-released new tune “King of a Land.” It’s the title track of Yusuf/Stevens’ new album, which drops June 16. 

“One of the privileges of being an artist is to express what seems unimaginable, and then hang it up there for people to ponder; we can say things that others can’t,” the singer shares. “Sure, I know full well music can’t necessarily solve the world’s problems, but it can help to direct the narrative. There are a few aspirations in my song, ‘King of a Land,’ that I hope resonate with His Majesty.”

Along with the song, Yusuf/Stevens has shared his manifesto for what he believes makes a good king, including:

Even if you are a King, you are still a servant of God.
Remove hatred through education and spread peace.
Feed the hungry.
We are all humans that make mistakes, so be forgiving.
Help the sick and homeless.
Beware of negative people in your circle.
Everyone has a part to play, teach them to work together.
Be just and don’t show favoritism.
Listen to constructive criticism.
Be a guardian to all faiths, and the precious Earth we all share.

Yusuf/Stevens notes, “The major message of the song – and this applies to all those in positions of leadership – is, don’t forget that there’s One above you, and be careful to look out for those who are below you.”

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The public is about to get a good look at Freddie Mercury’s London home, Garden Lodge, which has remained practically unchanged in the past 30 years. Sotheby’s is hosting a series of exhibitions, dubbed Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own, giving fans a peek inside the Queen frontman’s estate.

Highlights of the auction, which was curated by Mercury’s good friend Mary Austin, will be on display at Sotheby’s galleries this summer, hitting New York June 1-8, followed by Los Angeles June 14-18 and Hong Kong June 26-30. It will then move to London for a monthlong exhibit that will display almost 1,500 items. That exhibit will run from August 4 to September 5, which would have been Mercury’s 77th birthday.

Among the items up for grabs: the replica St Edward’s Crown and robe Freddie wore to perform “God Save The Queen” during Queen’s 1986 The Magic Tour; handwritten working lyrics to “We Are The Champions” and “Killer Queen”; a military-style jacket Mercury wore for his 39th birthday party drag ball in 1985; a Tiffany & Co. silver mustache comb; and the silk waistcoat Mercury wore in his final video for “These Are The Days Of Our Lives.”

All together there will be six dedicated Mercury auctions, according to a release, including a live Evening Sale on September 6. There will also be an auction dedicated to Mercury On Stage on September 7, and an At Home auction on September 8. Plus, there will be three online auctions: one dedicated to his love of Japan and two “Crazy Little Things” auctions, featuring some of Mercury’s more eclectic items. 

A portion of the proceeds from the auctions will be donated to the Mercury Phoenix Trust and the Elton John Aids Foundation. More details can be found at Sothebys.com.

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