Classic Hits

At the Oscars on March 12, legendary songwriter Diane Warren has received her 14th nomination for Best Original Song for “Applause,” from the movie Tell It Like a Woman.  but while she feels the nomination is its own award, she wouldn’t mind taking home the Oscar — to keep one of her other awards company.

“I already won,” she tells ABC Audio. “[My song was] already chosen to be one of five songs chosen by the best musicians, best composers, best songwriters in music and the planet.” She adds, “Whatever happens after that happens, but what a great feeling and what a great sign of respect.”

And even though last year Diane became the first-ever songwriter in Academy history to receive the honorary Governors Award — which she calls “the big Oscar they give to, like, Orson Welles or Walt Disney” — she wants a “regular” Oscar too.

“I’d still like to win a competitive Oscar….[because] he gets very lonely,” she laughs. “He just sits there on my piano. He wants a friend!”

On the Oscar telecast Sunday on ABC, Diane will play the piano while singer/actress Sofia Carson sings “Applause.”  Diane says Sofia was the perfect person to record the empowering tune because “she’s beautiful inside, and it comes out in her voice.” 

In addition, Diane says Sofia is “strong,” and reveals that “record executives have told her, ‘You gotta take your clothes off’…and she’s like, ‘No, I’m doing it on my terms.’ And you know what? Look at her. She is! She’s going to be on the Academy Awards!”

Oscars aside “Applause” is also climbing the chart, so which would Diane prefer: to win on Sunday, or to see “Applause” hit number one?

“Why can’t I have both?” she laughs. “Why do you gotta choose?” 

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Gary Rossington, guitarist for Southern rock legends Lynyrd Skynyrd, passed away Sunday at the age of 71, according to an announcement on the band’s Facebook page.

“It is with our deepest sympathy and sadness that we have to advise, that we lost our brother, friend, family member, songwriter and guitarist, Gary Rossington, today,” the band shared. “Gary is now with his Skynyrd brothers and family in heaven and playing it pretty, like he always does.”

The statement added, “Please keep [his wife] Dale, [his daughters] Mary [and] Annie and the entire Rossington family in your prayers and respect the family’s privacy at this difficult time.”

Rossington, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the band in 2006, was the last original member of Skynyrd’s lineup remaining in the group.  He had been the last surviving original member of the band, following the death of Larry Junstrom in 2019.

He played guitar on many of the band’s biggest hits, including “Simple Man,” which he co-wrote with Ronnie Van Zant, as well as “Sweet Home Alabama” — which he also co-wrote — and “Tuesday’s Gone.” He played slide guitar on Lynyrd Skynyrd’s signature “Free Bird.”

Rossington was one of the passengers who survived the October, 20, 1977 Mississippi plane crash that took the lives of Lynyrd Skynyrd members Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines and Cassie Gaines and three others, though he broke both arms, legs, wrists, and ankles, in addition to his pelvis. 

Outside of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rossington, along with Skynyrd member Allen Collins, formed the Rossington Collins Band, which released two albums in 1980 and 1981 before disbanding in 1982. He also formed The Rossington Band with his wife Dale Krantz; they released two albums in 1986 and 1988.

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Musician and songwriter David Lindley, who worked with such artists as Jackson Browne and Bob Dylan, passed away Friday at the age of 78, California’s Claremont Courier reports.

A musician who played dozens of string instruments, Lindley is best known for his work with Browne and was featured on such classics as “The Pretender,” “Running on Empty” and “The Load Out/Stay.” 

In addition to his work as a session musician on music from artists like Dylan, Rod Stewart, Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt, Lindley released several solo records, with his most recent release being 2008’s Big Twang. His highest charting single was with his band El Rayo X in 1981 on a cover of “Mercury Blues,” which went to 34 on the Billboard charts.

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The Who is getting ready to release their new live album The Who with Orchestra Live At Wembley later this month, and they’ve just shared another track off the record.

The latest is their performance of “Imagine A Man,” off the band’s 1975 album, The Who By Numbers. According to the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers, this tour was the first time they’d performed the song since its release 44 years earlier. 

The Who with Orchestra Live At Wembley, dropping March 31, was recorded during the band’s July 6, 2019, headlining show at the famed London venue. The concert has them performing classic tunes from albums like Quadrophenia, Tommy, Who’s Next and Who Are You, backed by a 50-piece orchestra.

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Dead & Company has added a very special show to their final tour. Earlier this week the band started teasing a May 8 concert, with what appeared to be the Cornell University logo with the Grateful Dead lightening bolt,  leading to speculation they were going to be doing a show at the school. Well, now they’ve confirmed the gig. 

“There’s a lot of excitement brewing about what’s to come at Cornell University,” Dead & Company shared on Instagram. “Yes – it’s true – Dead & Company will be playing a benefit concert at @CornellUniversity!”

The “very special show” will take place at Barton Hall, with proceeds benefiting MusiCares and The Cornell 2030 Project. Only a limited number of tickets will be available for the show, and so far there’s no word on when they’ll go on sale. 

The new Cornell show coincides with the 46th anniversary of the Grateful Dead’s infamous May 8, 1977, Barton Hall concert, which was a legendary band bootleg before officially being released in May 2017. In 2012, a soundboard recording of the show was chosen by the Library of Congress for the National Recording Registry.

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We are two weeks away from the release of U2’s new album, Songs of Surrender, and they are giving fans yet another taste of what to expect. The Irish rockers just released their reworked version of the All That You Can’t Leave Behind classic “Beautiful Day,” which is a much quieter version than the original, with some new lyrics added toward the end.

Dropping March 17, Songs of Surrender contains 40 reimagined and rerecorded songs, all curated and produced by The Edge. This is the fourth song U2 has shared from Songs of Surrender, joining “One,” “With or Without You” and “Pride (In The Name of Love).”

“Beautiful Day,” released in October 2000, earned the band three Grammy Awards: Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

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This year marks the 40th anniversary of Donna Summer‘s classic album She Works Hard For The Money, and to celebrate a digital-only anniversary deluxe edition of the album has just been released.

The new deluxe edition includes the original album’s nine tracks, along with four bonus tracks that have never been available for digital download or streaming. They include two club mixes, and two instrumental versions of the album’s title track and the song “Unconditional Love,” featuring the group Musical Youth. 

Originally released June 13, 1983, She Works Hard For The Money peaked at nine on the Billboard 200 Album chart and was certified Gold by the RIAA. The title track went to three on the Hot 100 singles chart and earned Summer a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

The new release comes ahead of the upcoming documentary Love to Love You, Donna Summer, which will have its U.S. premiere at SXSW on March 11, then debut on HBO/HBO Max in May.

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Neil Young is set to release two more additions to his Original Bootleg Series next month.

The first, Somewhere Under The Rainbow, features Young and the Santa Monica Flyers, made up of Nils Lofgren, Ben Keith, Billy Talbot and Ralph Molina. It was recorded live at the Rainbow Theatre in London and, according to a press release, is “a long-cherished show that has been celebrated for its completely spontaneous and high-revved performance.” One of those performances, of the track “Human Highway,” is out now.

The second is High Flyin’, a double live album from the summer of 1977 featuring The Ducks, the group made up of Young, Bob Mosley, Jeff Blackburn and Johnny Craviotto. The band was known for making unannounced appearances at clubs in Northern California, and the collection features songs from those spontaneous shows, as well as two nights at Magical Devices studio. Young has offered up a taste of the bootleg, with the just-released performance of “Little Wing.”

Both bootlegs will be available April 14 on vinyl and CD at the Greedy Hand Store at Neil Young Archives, as well as at most music retailers.

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The Cranberries have released a new Dolby Atmos Music mix of the band’s 1993 debut album, Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?, in honor of its 30th anniversary.

“The Atmos remixes are a whole different listening experience for us,” says drummer Fergal Lawler. “It feels more like being onstage at a concert, being surrounded by the band. There are certain intricate parts that subtly pop out every now and then, causing you to feel more immersed in the songs.”

You can listen to the Dolby Atmos Music mix now via digital outlets.

Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? was first released March 1, 1993. The album’s been certified five-times Platinum by the RIAA, and spawned the hits “Dreams” and “Linger.”

The Cranberries followed Everybody Else with the seven-times Platinum No Need to Argue in 1994, which includes the single “Zombie.”

The latest — and final — Cranberries album is 2019’s In the End, which features the last vocal recordings of late frontwoman Dolores O’Riordan, who passed away in 2018.

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Rush is celebrating another milestone anniversary with the release of Signals – 40th Anniversary, the latest edition to their 40th anniversary album series. Dropping April 28, Signals – 40th Anniversary will be available in three configurations, including a one-LP picture disc edition and a Dolby Atmos digital edition. 

There will also be a super deluxe edition that includes one CD, one Blu-ray audio and one black-vinyl LP with new artwork from original album designer Hugh Syme. It will also include four 7-inch singles, “Subdivisions,” “Countdown,” “New World Man” and “The Weapon (Single Edit),” all with new artwork. 

In addition, the super deluxe edition comes with a 40-page hardcover book, featuring song illustrations and new artwork from Syme, as well as unreleased photos from the Signals Tour. There’s also a double-sided 24-inch by 24-inch poster featuring Syme’s new Signals artwork and an outtake photo of the original album cover, plus a lot more.

The official Rush online store will also be selling a limited edition super deluxe box that comes with eight lithographs of the late Neil Peart’s original hand-drawn lyrics for each song on Signals.

Signals – 40th Anniversary is available for preorder now.

Originally released in September 1982, Signals was Rush’s ninth studio album. It peaked at 10 in the U.S. and went on to be certified Platinum by the Recording Industry of America.

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