Classic Hits

Paul McCartney was celebrated with a musical tribute in New York earlier this week, as previously reported. While he wasn’t there to see it himself, it certainly appears that he approved of what went down.

The Music of Paul McCartney, a benefit show put on by New York City entrepreneur Michael Dorf, featured performances by Patti Smith, Graham Nash, Nancy Wilson, Wings guitarist Denny Laine, Bruce Hornsby, Natalie Merchant and more. McCartney took to social media to show his appreciation. 

The Beatles legend shared the Rolling Stone article about the concert, adding the comment, “Last night’s tribute concert made this boy from Liverpool very happy.” 

And it was all for a good cause, with the concert raising money for organizations that provide music education programs and opportunities for underserved youth.

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Chaka Khan will be celebrating her 70th birthday at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, at the end of March. The R&B legend will be on hand March 29 for the opening of a new exhibit at the Hall, which will also celebrate the 50th anniversary of her career. 

“I’m deeply honored to celebrate my birthday at the Rock Hall,” Chaka, whose birthday is March 23, shares. “Being surrounded by family and friends and all the great music history is a blessing for me. Thank you for the gracious spirit and love that is coming from everyone that is making this journey so beautiful. Love you all.”

The exhibit will feature a whole host of Chaka memorabilia, including items from past tours, her gown from the 1985 Grammy Awards, the outfit from her “I Feel For You” music video and framed prints of her artwork.

Also on March 29, the Hall is hosting a sold-out special evening with Chaka and her family, featuring an interview and Q&A with the singer, plus a cocktail reception and more.

Chaka has been eligible for the Hall of Fame since 2003, but has yet to be voted in, despite being nominated three times as a solo artist and four times as a member of Rufus featuring Chaka Khan.

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Bono and The Edge are used to playing big stadiums and arenas, but they just took over a much smaller space. To promote U2’s latest release, Songs of Surrender, the pair stopped by NPR’s offices to perform a Tiny Desk concert. And they certainly seemed to enjoy themselves. 

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers performed four songs from 2000’s All That You Can’t Leave Behind: “Beautiful Day,” “In A Little While,” “Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of,” which Bono said was written for the late INXS frontman, Michael Hutchence, and “Walk On,” which they rewrote for, and dedicated to, the people of Ukraine. 

But Bono and The Edge weren’t alone for the performance. They were joined by a teen choir from Washington, D.C.’s, Duke Ellington School of the Arts.

Songs of Surrender, featuring 40 reworked and rerecorded U2 classics, is out now.

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Chrissie Hynde is the latest female artist to call out the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Following Courtney Love’s tweet and op-ed in The Guardian blasting the lack of female representation in the Hall of Fame, Hynde shared her thoughts — and let’s just say she’s not a fan. 

“If anyone wants my position in the rock ‘n’ roll Hall of Fame they are welcome to it,” Hynde, who was inducted in 2005 with The Pretenders, writes on Facebook. “I don’t even wanna be associated with it. It’s just more establishment backslapping. I got in a band so I didn’t have to be part of all that.” 

Hynde says when she found out The Pretenders were to be inducted she was living in Rio and “my heart sank because I knew I’d have to go back for it as it would be too much of a kick in the teeth to my parents if I didn’t. I’d upset them enough by then, so it was one of those things that would bail me out from years of disappointing them. (like moving out of the USA and being arrested at PETA protests and my general personality).” 

Neil Young was on hand to induct The Pretenders at the annual gala and even performed with them. Hynde says that was the only good thing about the evening. “The whole thing was, and is, total bollocks,” she offers. “It’s absolutely nothing to do with rock ‘n’ roll and anyone who thinks it is is a fool.”

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Lynyrd Skynyrd‘s Gary Rossington passed away earlier this month, as previously reported, and now it appears he’s been laid to rest.

Rocker Paul Rodgers seemed to reveal the news when he shared a picture of himself with his Free/Bad Company bandmate Simon Kirke on social media, writing, “Pilgrimage complete. Saying goodbye to Gary Rossington, a friend of 50 years!”

Meanwhile, Rossington’s death has sparked renewed interest in the band’s music. Billboard reports the band’s catalog has seen a 16% bump in streams since he passed away March 5 at the age of 71. They also moved 6,000 downloads in the week following his death, an increase of 103%.

Specific songs seeing boosts include the classic “Sweet Home Alabama,” which saw a 7% jump, up to 4.5 million streams from 4.2 million, as well as “Simple Man,” with a 5% increase, “Free Bird,” with an 11% bump, and “Gimme Three Steps,” up 8%.

The renewed interest helped put three of those songs back on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and Hot Rock Songs charts, with “Sweet Home Alabama” at 17, “Simple Man” at 21 and “Free Bird” at 24.

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John Oates is back with another new single: This time he’s shared a cover of the Timmy Thomas track “Why Can’t We Live Together,” which some music fans may recognize as the tune sampled in Drake‘s 2015 hit “Hotline Bling.”

“When thinking about the state of our world today I was reminded of the brilliant, classic 1970’s anti-war anthem by Timmy Thomas,” Oates shares. “The original was a stark and powerfully beautiful recording using only a primitive drum machine and Hammond B3 organ to support his haunting vocal performance.” 

He adds, “I felt the time was right for me to cover this great song … but I wanted to reimagined (sic) in my own style with ‘doo wop’ style background vocals, a live band and as a final touch a very 1970s electric sitar riff that I did at home to add a little more period sweetness.” 

“Why Can’t We Live Together” is the third of a series of tracks Oates will release each month. He previously released the tracks “Disconnected” and “Pushin’ a Rock.”

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After postponing three shows due to illness, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band returned to the stage Thursday night for a show at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center. 

According to the Asbury Park Press, The Boss didn’t talk about the illness that forced the postponement of the shows in Columbus, Ohio; Uncasville, Connecticut; and Albany, New York, or who it actually affected. 

Regardless, it sounds like everyone was healthy and raring to play, with the 73-year-old Bruce and the band rocking the house for two hours and 45 minutes. The set included “Prove It All Night,” “Letters To You,” “The Promise Land,” “Trapped,” “Backstreets,” “Thunder Road,” “Born To Run” and “Rosalita.”

“I love being in Philadelphia,” The Boss said during the show. “Philadelphia has meant so much to us for such a long time. Thank you for a beautiful reception.” 

The band’s next concert is happening Saturday in State College, Pennsylvania. The first U.S. leg of the tour wraps April 14 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, before they hit Europe later in April. A complete list of dates can be found at brucespringsteen.net.

As for those postponed shows, Springsteen just announced the rescheduled dates, with Uncasville, Connecticut, set for September 16; Albany, New York, happening September 19; and Columbus, Ohio, set for September 21. Previously purchased tickets will be honored for all shows, and those who can’t make the new dates have until April 16 to request a refund from Ticketmaster.

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After postponing three shows due to illness, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band returned to the stage Thursday night for a show at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center. 

According to the Asbury Park Press, The Boss didn’t talk about the illness that forced the postponement of the shows in Columbus, Ohio; Uncasville, Connecticut; and Albany, New York, or who it actually affected. 

Regardless, it sounds like everyone was healthy and raring to play, with the 73-year-old Bruce and the band rocking the house for two hours and 45 minutes. The set included “Prove It All Night,” “Letters To You,” “The Promise Land,” “Trapped,” “Backstreets,” “Thunder Road,” “Born To Run” and “Rosalita.”

“I love being in Philadelphia,” The Boss said during the show. “Philadelphia has meant so much to us for such a long time. Thank you for a beautiful reception.” 

The band’s next concert is happening Saturday in State College, Pennsylvania. The first U.S. leg of the tour wraps April 14 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, before they hit Europe later in April. A complete list of dates can be found at brucespringsteen.net.

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Yes will not be bringing their Relayer tour overseas as planned. The band just announced they are postponing their European and U.K. tour “due to unforeseen circumstances beyond the band’s control.”

“Yes and their management have explored every possible avenue to arrange insurance cover for the tour in the event of COVID-related exemption or Act of War exclusion,” reads a statement on their website. “The insurance industry has withdrawn all such insurances which made touring possible pre-COVID and before the Ukraine conflict.” 

They add that “the band simply cannot undertake such a large-scale tour with so many risks being uninsured.” 

Yes plan to reschedule the tour for 2024 and will announce new dates soon. One show, their concert at London’s Eventim Apollo, has been canceled and fans will be getting refunds.

“Yes wish to express their sincere regrets to their faithful fans and ask for their understanding,” the statement adds. “The band has now received the necessary assurances for 2024 and are committed to returning to the stage then.” 

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Rod Stewart is holding steadfast to plans to perform in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, following a devastating cyclone that hit the area last month.

Cyclone Gabrielle battered the region mid-February and has since been described as the most severe weather event in years.

Stuff reports the legendary rocker remains committed to his original April 8 concert date, despite ongoing recovery efforts.

Live Nation emailed a statement to the outlet, which said, “Our teams continue to monitor the massive clean-up and rebuild effort underway in the region, and we are liaising with local authorities and the police.”

“Our confident expectation is that the Rod Stewart concert at Mission Estate Winery on April 8 will go ahead as scheduled,” the statement continued.

Mission State CEO Peter Holley previously told the outlet, “There’s absolutely no intention to cancel at this point in time.” There are also measures in place to ensure the performance doesn’t utilize any resources needed for recovery efforts.

Holley noted that the region could probably use a pick-me-up and predicted “we’ll really be in for a good day” when the rocker arrives.

That said, should Stewart honor his concert date, it’ll mark the area’s first major performance since Cyclone Gabrielle, which forced several artists to call off their shows. Sting was just one performer who was forced to cancel his concert, which had been set for March 4.

Rod will also perform in Auckland, New Zealand, on April 9 at Spark Arena. A portion of the concert’s proceeds will be directed to the Red Cross NZ Disaster Relief Fund.

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