Classic Hits

After playing a handful of shows in Florida last month, Heart singer Ann Wilson has now lined up a brief U.S. trek dubbed The Howl Tour, which currently features eight East Coast concerts taking place in August.

The outing kicks off with an August 14 performance in Alexandria, Virginia, and winds down with an August 23-24 engagement in New York City at the City Winery.

Ann will be joined by her solo backing band, which now has been dubbed The Amazing Dawgs.

One of the events Wilson is scheduled to play is a star-studded benefit show called the Never Forget Concert that will be held August 21 in Wantagh, New York. The show is being presented by the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, pays homage to firefighter Stephen Siller, who died while trying to save others during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and also honors military members and first responders who continue to serve the U.S.

In addition to Wilson, the concert’s lineup also features John Fogerty, Journey, the Steve Miller Band, Jesse Colin Young, Wyclef Jean and others.

In other Wilson news, Ann recently released a digital EP titled Sawheat 8 that gathers together four tracks she issued individually over the last year — “Tender Heart,” “The Hammer,” “Black Wing” and her rendition of country-rocker Steve Earle‘s “The Revolution Starts Now” — as well as a cover of Alice in Chains‘ “Rooster,” which previously was only available as the B-side of a limited-edition vinyl single.

Here are all of Wilson’s upcoming solo shows, according to AnnWilson.com:

8/14 — Alexandria, VA, Birchmere
8/15 — Annapolis, MD, Maryland Hall
8/17 — Albany, NY, Hart Theatre at The Egg
8/18 — Hampton Beach, NH, Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
8/20 — Atlantic City, NJ, Sound Waves at Hard Rock Hotel
8/21 — Wantagh, NY, Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater – Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s Never Forget Concert
8/23 — New York, NY, The City Winery
8/24 — New York, NY, The City Winery

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell has revealed that The Dirty Knobs, the current band he fronts, will be back with their second album next year, when the group also is scheduled to return to touring.

In a recent message on his Twitter page, Campbell announced, “The Dirty Knobs are coming to your town next year with some special guests and a brand new album…Our second!”

The band’s debut album, Wreckless Abandon, was released in November 2020, and the group initially had a run of headlining dates in small venues, as well as a stint opening for country star Chris Stapleton, lined up for this year, but both were pushed back until 2022.

According to TheDirtyKnobs.com, the headlining concerts are scheduled from a March 9 show in Tampa, Florida, through an April 30-May 1 stand in Austin, Texas. The group then will lend support to Stapleton starting with June 2 performance in Nampa, Idaho, and mapped out through a July 23 event at Chicago’s Wrigley Field.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the release of Beauty and the Beat, the debut album by The Go-Go’s.

The album spent six weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200, making The Go-Go’s the only all-female band whose members played their own instruments to ever top that chart.

Beauty and the Beat featured two of the group’s biggest hits, “Our Lips Are Sealed,” which peaked at #20 on the Billboard Hot 100, and “We Got the Beat,” considered the band’s signature tune, which reached #2.

Go-Go’s keyboardist/guitarist Charlotte Caffey, who wrote or co-wrote eight of the album’s 11 tracks, including “We Got the Beat,” tells ABC Audio that she’s extremely proud of Beauty and the Beat‘s success.

“The fact that it really stayed [at #1] for six weeks…Wow, come on,” she gushes. “I mean, from where we started, we were girls. No one wanted to hear from girls, did they? — I guess they did — But yeah, that was a whole overwhelming moment.”

The album was co-produced by Richard Gottehrer, who also produced Blondie‘s first two records and co-wrote such classic ’60s pop hits as “Hang On Sloopy,” “I Want Candy” and “My Boyfriend’s Back.”

Caffey says working with Gottehrer “was like being in a master class,” and credits his pop sensibilities for helping to make the album sound great.

Charlotte recalls that Gottehrer “wanted us to do slower tempos than what we were playing live, so we could really understand the lyrics and let the melodies…come through.”

Caffey says the band members initially were angry that the recordings didn’t capture the group’s live sound, but she notes that when she heard “how those songs sparkled on the radio, then I understood.”

Here’s the Beauty and the Beat track list:

“Our Lips Are Sealed”
“How Much More”
“Tonite”
“Lust to Love”
“This Town”
“We Got the Beat”
“Fading Fast”
“Automatic”
“You Can’t Walk in Your Sleep (If You Can’t Sleep)”
“Skidmarks on My Heart”
“Can’t Stop the World”

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Yes will release its 22nd studio album, The Quest, on October 1.

The 11-track collection, which was produced by the legendary prog-rock group’s longtime guitarist, Steve Howe, will be available as a two-CD set featuring eight songs on the main disc and three additional tunes on the second CD.

The Quest also will be issued in additional formats and configurations, including a limited-edition box set boasting two CDs, two vinyl LPs and a Blu-ray disc.

The Quest, a follow-up to 2014’s Heaven & Earth, is Yes’ first studio effort since the 2015 death of founding bassist Chris Squire, who appeared on all of the band’s previous albums and who was succeeded by Billy Sherwood.  The Quest also is the second Yes studio album to feature current frontman Jon Davison, who joined the group in 2012.

“It is simply an honor for me to have the opportunity to bring together the band members in the development of a well-refined set of songs that capture the band’s true potential,” Howe says of the new record.

He also shares, “Much of the music was written in late 2019 with the rest in 2020. We commissioned several orchestrations to augment and enhance the overall sound of these fresh new recordings, hoping that our emphasis on melody, coupled with some expansive instrumental solo breaks, keeps up the momentum for our listeners.”

The Quest will be available for pre-order starting on July 23. The album’s cover art was designed by longtime Yes collaborator Roger Dean.

Here’s the album’s full track list:

CD 1:
“The Ice Bridge”
“Dare to Know”
“Minus the Man”
“Leave Well Alone”
“The Western Edge”
“Future Memories”
“Music to My Ears”
“A Living Island”

CD 2:
“Sister Sleeping Soul”
“Mystery Tour”
“Damaged World”

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Happy Birthday to Ringo Starr, who marks his 81st trip around the sun today.

As has become tradition, the legendary Beatles drummer is asking fans across the world to celebrate his big day by pausing at noon local time, wherever they are, and saying his catchphrase “peace and love,” or by sharing the #peaceandlove hashtag on social media.

Unfortunately, Ringo has decided not to have a public celebration this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, although virtual parties have been scheduled in many cities around the world. Visit Starr’s Facebook page for more details.

As previously reported, Ringo posted a video message on his YouTube channel in which he encouraged people to take part in the “peace and love” festivities today.

“[Y]ou can post it, you can say it, you can even think it, but it’d be cool if you go ‘peace and love’ at noon on my birthday,” Starr declared. “So let’s spread peace and love around the world on my birthday. Come on, everybody!”

In other news, Peter Frampton has posted a couple of messages on his social media pages revealing that Starr has been working on a new EP to which the guitar whiz apparently is lending his talents.

In a Twitter message, Frampton posted a photo of him with Starr and songwriter/producer Linda Perry at Ringo’s home studio, along with a note that reads, “So great to be able to fly and see friends again. Lovely afternoon listening to Ringo’s great upcoming EP.”

Peter also posted a couple of photos on his Instagram page that show him playing guitar at Starr’s studio while goofing around with Ringo.

The new release apparently will be a follow-up to Starr’s Zoom In EP, which came out May.

So great to be able to fly and see friends again. Lovely afternoon listening to Ringo’s great upcoming ep. Bonus: Linda Perry came by. Always great to see #barbarabach too. Much love guys ❤️ pic.twitter.com/HOnAigPbgV

— Peter Frampton (@peterframpton) July 3, 2021

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The Beatles and Us, an award-winning short documentary about the relationship that the city of Liverpool, England, had and continues to have with its most famous native sons, The Beatles, is now available as a digital download and via streaming platforms.

The film offers a profile of Liverpool and looks at how its history, traditions and culture helped shaped the members of The Beatles. The movie also examines the band’s influence on the city, its music scene, tourism industry and more.

The Beatles and Us features interviews with various Liverpool residents reflecting on the Fab Four’s impact on the northern U.K. port city and recalling their experiences meeting or seeing the group’s members.

“I suppose I’m biased, given my family are from Liverpool, but I do think it’s a special city,” says the film’s director, Chris Purcell. “Quite different to anywhere else in the U.K., it’s a quirky, off-kilter kind of place that has its own singular character. Coming from a town like that gave The Beatles, who were already magically blessed with the right combination of talents, just the edge they needed to conquer all before them.”

The flick won the Best International Documentary prize at the Venice Shorts film festival, and was selected as a finalist at the New York International Film Awards.

Visit Beacons.page/LiverpoolWest to check out options to rent and view the film.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Like so many musicians, Men at Work frontman Colin Hay had his 2020 touring plans sidelined because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the singer/songwriter has now unveiled a new series of U.S. solo concerts scheduled for late summer.

The trek is plotted out from an August 4 show in Hyannis, Massachusetts, through a September 11 performance at the Beachlife Festival in Redondo Beach, California.

Hay will be promoting a brand-new studio album on the tour, a 10-track collection of covers titled I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself that’s due out on August 6.

Colin was inspired to make the album during the COVID lockdown, after he recorded a version of the Gerry and the Pacemakers hit “Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying” following the death of that group’s lead singer, Gerry Marsden, in January 2021.

Hay’s frequent collaborator and producer Chad Fischer suggested Colin record more cover tunes, and Hay decided to make a full album of tunes he loved when he was younger.

I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself also features the title track, which was penned by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and was a big U.K. hit for Dusty Springfield in 1964, as well as songs by The Beatles, The Kinks, Faces, Blind Faith, Glen Campbell and Jimmy Cliff.

The album can be pre-ordered now, and is available on CD, vinyl and in various digital formats.

“I recorded an album of songs written by other people that have meant a lot to me ever since I was a young fellow,” Hay notes. “I can’t wait to play them for you on this upcoming jaunt across the land.”

Here’s the full I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself track list:

“I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself” (Dusty Springfield)
“Waterloo Sunset” (The Kinks)
“Wichita Lineman” (Glen Campbell)
“Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” (The Beatles)
“Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying” (Gerry and the Pacemakers)
“Ooh La La” (Faces)
“Driving with the Brakes On” (Del Amitri)
“Across the Universe” (The Beatles)
“Can’t Find My Way Home” (Blind Faith)
“Many Rivers to Cross” (Jimmy Cliff)

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Bruce Springsteen has won a lot awards during his long career, but an Olympic medal certainly isn’t among them. However, one of his children will have the chance to go for Olympic gold, silver or bronze in Tokyo this summer — The Boss’ daughter, Jessica, has been named to the U.S. Equestrian jumping team.

TeamUSA.org reports that Jessica, who is 29, is ranked 27th in the the world and will make her Olympic debut in Tokyo. She will be riding a a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion named Don Juan van de Donkhoeve.

Jessica, who lives in Los Angeles, began riding when she was just four years old. She’s finished in first place at several major competitions over the last few years.

The Tokyo Olympics, which were postponed from 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, are scheduled to run from July 23 through August 8.

See you in Tokyo #USAJumping 🇺🇸 #TeamUSA pic.twitter.com/A5TB1xJSjI

— US Equestrian (@USequestrian) July 5, 2021

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Today, July 6, marks the 50th anniversary of the release of third Allman Brothers Band album, At Fillmore East, widely considered one of the greatest-ever live albums.

The double-album marked a commercial breakthrough for the Southern jam band, peaking at #13 on Billboard‘s Top Pop Albums chart, and eventually becoming the group’s first platinum-certified release.

The album was recorded during a March 11-13 stand at promoter Bill Graham‘s famous New York City venue. At Fillmore East captured the band firing on all cylinders, showcasing the two-guitar interplay of Duane Allman and Dickey Betts, and frontman Gregg Allman‘s soulful vocals and soaring Hammond organ.

Among At Fillmore East‘s performances are renditions of blues gems such as Blind Willie McTell‘s “Stateboro Blues” and T-Bone Walker‘s “Stormy Monday,” as well as three originals — “Hot ‘Lanta,” “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” and “Whipping Post.”

The album featured several extended jams that allowed the Allmans to fully explore their eclectic mix of blues, jazz, soul and psychedelic rock, including an almost-13-minute rendition of the Betts-penned instrumental “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” and an epic 22-plus-minute version of Gregg Allman’s “Whipping Post.”

In the 2012 Allmans biography One Way Out, producer Tom Dowd said of the At Fillmore East performances, “Here was a rock ‘n’ roll band playing blues in the jazz vernacular. And they tore the place up.”

Sadly, At Fillmore East was the last album Allman Brothers Band released before Duane Allman’s death at age 27 on October 29, 1971, in a motorcycle crash.

In 2015, Rolling Stone ranked At Fillmore East second on its “50 Greatest Live Albums of All Time” list. It also was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry in 2004.

Here’s the album’s full track list:

Side One
“Statesboro Blues”
“Done Somebody Wrong”
“Stormy Monday”

Side Two
“You Don’t Love Me”

Side Three
“Hot ‘Lanta”
“In Memory of Elizabeth Reed”

Side Four
“Whipping Post”

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.