Classic Hits

Most Whitney Houston fans know she was deeply rooted in gospel music, and soon they’ll get to hear  — and see — that side of her in a new album and documentary called I Go to the Rock: The Gospel Music of Whitney Houston.

The documentary TV special and corresponding album and DVD document Whitney’s gospel journey and feature six never-before-released songs, several from as early as 1981. The album, now available for preorder, includes gospel songs from the soundtracks of The Preacher’s Wife, Sparkle and The Bodyguard. 

The unreleased songs include a live VH1 Honors version of Simon & Garfunkel‘s “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” as well as “I Found a Wonderful Way,” “He Can Use Me” and “Testimony.” “Testimony,” the album’s first single, is out February 9.

The documentary will premiere March 24 on UPtv and Aspire TV. Hosted by CeCe Winans, who’s featured on the album and in the film, it explores Whitney’s musical expressions of her faith, from her first show in front of a live audience to her performances from the American Music Awards, the NAACP Image Awards and Ebony‘s 50th anniversary special.

Pat Houston, the executor of the Estate of Whitney E. Houston, calls the project “a testament of Whitney’s heart,” adding, “Her love for gospel music permeates through every song with love, compassion and conviction. To love Whitney is to love what she represents to all that love the gospel. I salute this project knowing that Whitney always stood on a solid rock for her love of gospel music.”

Here’s the track listing for the I Go to the Rock album:

“I Go to the Rock” (The Preacher’s Wife Soundtrack)
“Jesus Loves Me” (The Bodyguard Soundtrack)
“He Can Use Me” – UNRELEASED TRACK
“Joy to the World” (The Preacher’s Wife Soundtrack)
“Bridge Over Troubled Water” (Whitney and CeCe Winans; VH1 Honors) – UNRELEASED TRACK
“Testimony” – UNRELEASED TRACK
“I Look to You”
“His Eye Is on the Sparrow” (Sparkle Soundtrack)
“Hold On, Help Is on the Way” (The Preacher’s Wife Soundtrack)
“This Day” (VH1 Honors) – UNRELEASED TRACK
“I Found a Wonderful Way” – UNRELEASED TRACK
“Joy” (The Preacher’s Wife Soundtrack)
“I Love the Lord” (The Preacher’s Wife Soundtrack)
“He/I Believe” – UNRELEASED TRACK 

And here’s the documentary track listing:

“I Go to the Rock” – Whitney Houston featuring The Georgia Mass Choir, Saturday Night Live, 1996
“Guide Me O Thou, Great Jehovah” – Whitney Houston, The Arsenio Hall Show, 1990
“This Day” – Whitney Houston, VH1 Honors, 1995
“Jesus Loves Me” – Whitney Houston, Live in Santiago, Chile, 1994
“Wonderful Counselor” – Whitney, Cissy, & Gary Houston, American Music Awards, 1988
“Hold Up the Light” – Whitney Houston and Bebe & Cece Winans, 21st NAACP Image Awards, 1989
“Bridge Over Troubled Water” – Whitney Houston and Cece Winans, VH1 Honors, 1995
“I Look to You” – Whitney Houston, 2009
“I Love the Lord” – Whitney Houston featuring the Georgia Mass Choir, 50th Anniversary of Ebony Magazine TV Special, 1996
“Joy to the World” – Whitney Houston featuring the Georgia Mass Choir, 50th Anniversary of Ebony Magazine TV Special, 1996

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In 2019, Peter Frampton announced he was retiring from touring after being diagnosed with inclusion body myositis, a degenerative muscular disease that affects his ability to play guitar. COVID forced him to cancel the European dates of his tour, which he didn’t think he was up to rescheduling. But in the new issue of CREEM magazine, he reveals what got him back for those final shows. 

“I had resigned myself to the fact that, two years into the pandemic, maybe we shouldn’t even try and get a tour together,” he tells the mag, noting that even though he was holding a date at London’s Royal Albert Hall he was still unsure.

It took a visit to an ENT to change his mind. When he expressed his ambivalence about performing again due to his condition, Frampton shares, “He said, ‘Do it. The people want to see you.’ Then he said, and it was important the way he put it, ‘They’ll understand.’”

He notes, “It took a stranger to make my mind up. Isn’t that wild?”

Another thing that got him excited about playing again was recording a guest appearance on Dion’s most recent album, Stomping Ground, which got him out of his “doldrums” and smiling again.

Frampton describes that Royal Albert Hall show as magical with an amazing audience. “They were super supportive in every possible way. It was a wonderful feeling,” he says.

And it may have been enough to keep Frampton from totally saying goodbye to performing. “The audiences really helped me see a way forward,” he says. “They were wonderful everywhere. I really can’t thank them—and Dion and my ENT, don’t forget—enough.”

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When Bonnie Raitt’s “Just Like That” beat out Beyonce, Harry Styles and Adele for Song of the Year at Sunday’s Grammys, there were a lot of people who were baffled — and some who didn’t even know who Raitt was. But apparently there were plenty of folks out there who decided to see what all the fuss was about.

Billboard reports the Grammy win resulted in a huge bump for the song, jumping from just 10,000 daily on-demand streams two days prior to the Grammys to 697,000 the day after the awards show. That’s a jump of 6,700%. 

And it’s not just streams. Sales of the song jumped 10,000%, from negligible amounts before the awards show to 4,550 copies the day after, launching it to number two on the iTunes real-time sales chart.

Music fans were also checking out some of Raitt’s other tunes. Songs from her catalog saw a 161% increase in on-demand streams, from 333,000 before the Grammys to 869,000 the day after.

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We’ve been hearing a lot about the legal battles between Journey members Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain, but it seems there’s even more drama going on with the band. In case you missed it, Journey’s current lead singer, Arnel Pineda, recently posted a series of cryptic tweets that suggest he’s unhappy with how things are going with the group. 

“(I’)m with the band to sing the legacy..if some of them are tired of me being with them, with all means, they can fire me anytime..,” he tweeted. “and don’t lecture me about spiritual BS..#walkthetalk.” 

And that’s not all. He followed up with, “all i know? is #ivepaidmydues so stop reminding me where i came from..coz it’s in my heart everyday..”

He added, “you just don’t pay attention..im not a slave..im a human being like anybody else..#wrongiswrong #rightisright that simple..” 

So far none of the current Journey members have commented on Pineda’s remarks, although Jeff Scott Soto, who had a short stint as Journey’s lead singer from 2006 to 2007, did respond.

“You have NOTHING or NO ONE to answer to brother, you’re a kind, gentle and huge heart with a huge talent to match, it’s the age old crap when you achieve success and happiness, there are many who want to break you down! Stay the course, YOUR course, I’m proud to be your friend!” he tweeted.

Regardless of all the drama, Journey continues on their 50th anniversary tour. The trek hits Savannah, Georgia, on Wednesday.

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Roger Waters made a Zoom appearance at the United Nations Security Council Wednesday after being invited by Russian diplomats. He called for an “immediate cease-fire” to Russia’s war on Ukraine during his speech, saying he was speaking for the voiceless majority.

“The voiceless majority is concerned that your wars — yes, your wars, for these perpetual wars are not of our choosing — that your wars will destroy the planet that is our home,” the Pink Floyd star said in the speech. “And along with every other living thing, we will be sacrificed on the altar of two things: profits from the war to line the pockets of the very, very few and the hegemonic march of some empire or other towards unipolar world domination. That road leads only to disaster.”

The focus of the meeting was Russia’s war with Ukraine. Waters called Russia’s invasion illegal, but argued it was not unprovoked. 

“I condemn it in the strongest possible terms,” Waters said. “I condemn the provocateurs in the strongest possible terms.”

Waters called the Security Council a “toothless chamber,” but suggested that was a good thing: “I can open my big mouth on behalf of the voiceless, without fear of my head getting bitten off. How cool is that?”

He also shared some advice he heard from his mom as a young child, offering, “Read, read, read. Find out everything you can about whatever it is.”

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In 2021, Elton John did a commercial for UberEats with rapper Lil Nas X. This Sunday you can watch for him  in a Super Bowl commercial that stars Lil Nas X’s duet partner on the number-one hit “Industry Baby” — rapper Jack Harlow.

The ad is for Doritos, and it features Jack giving up rapping and become a triangle player after being inspired by the triangular shape of a Doritos chip. He’s so successful at it that a triangle craze sweeps the world: Not only is everyone playing the instrument, people are making clothes out of them, and in the United Kingdom triangles “replace the British pound.”

When it comes time to hand out the Grammy for Triangle Player of the Year, Jack thinks he’s got it in the bag — only for Elton to be announced as the winner. We then see Elton, wearing a suit reminiscent of the one he wore to perform with Eminem at the actual Grammys, playing a giant neon triangle.

Speaking to Billboard, Jack calls Elton’s cameo the “cherry on top,” adding, “That’s an icon that reaches everyone and adds even more legitimacy to the ad. He’s so iconic and accomplished, a genius. I was thrilled that he [was] a part of it.” They didn’t actually get to meet during the shoot, but he’s looking forward to the time when they can get together in real life.

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The handwritten lyrics to David Bowie’s 1972 Aladdin Sane single “The Jean Genie” have brought in big bucks at auction. The BBC reports that the lyric sheet sold for over $68,000 at Omega Auctions in England this weekend.

Bowie gave the lyric sheet to Neal Peters, the founder of the Davie Bowie fan club, in the ’70s. It includes 18 handwritten lines on a piece of A4 lined paper. It is autographed and dated by the rock legend.

According to Omega Auctions’ Dan Hampson, the original owner was “in possession of this incredible set for a few years,” noting he “decided to sell after seeing the amazing price achieved when we sold the ‘Starman’ lyrics last year.” The “Starman” lyrics went for over $245,000.

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Journey is currently on their 50th anniversary tour, and it looks like there’s something special in store for fans going to their upcoming show in Austin, Texas.

Guitarist Neal Schon took to social media to tease what he’s calling a “special surprise” at the February 22 show in Austin. While he didn’t say anything else, fans think they know what it is.

Schon has said in the past that he was hoping to get Journey’s original keyboardist, Gregg Rolie, to join the tour. Fans think that’s what Schon’s teasing, especially since Rolie currently lives near Austin.

“Yes, a surprise… I wonder who lives in Texas,…hmmm, I wonder….who could it be??” one fan commented alongside a keyboard emoji, with another adding, “I’m gonna take a swing and say Mr. Rollie [sic] is gonna join you guys haha I hope my guess is right brother. Love it man, you deserve it.”

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Music producer Steve Albini recently went on a Twitter rant about how much he hates Steely Dan, and now other artists have chimed in on the debate.

“I will always be the kind of punk that sh*ts on Steely Dan,” he tweeted. “Christ the amount of human effort wasted to sound like an SNL band warm up.”

But apparently not everyone agrees with Albini’s take, with rockers like Jenny Lewis and St. Vincent, plus actor Ben Stiller, not afraid to show their love for the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers. 

“i f***ing love steely dan,” wrote Lewis, with Stiller commenting on her tweet, “Me too.” And St. Vincent agrees,  tweeting, “For the record – I F***ING LOVE STEELY DAN.” 

But not everyone disagrees with Albini’s take. Americana artist Jason Isbell chimed in that his wife, fellow Americana artist Amanda Shires, is anti-Steely Dan, too. He tweeted, “My wife hates Steely Dan so much she’s starting a fan group called the Albini Babies.” Albini responded, “Sir please pass on from me to your kind missus the highest appropriate compliment. She is a good woman. And now I’ll leave you be.”

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Duran Duran is extending their time on the road. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers have announced dates for their 2023 North American Future Past tour, featuring special guests Bastille and Nile Rodgers & CHIC.

After headlining the Bottlerock Festival in Napa Valley, California, on May 27, the trek kicks off May 28 in San Jose, California, and hits such big cities as Seattle, Austin, New Orleans, Las Vegas, Boston and Philadelphia, before wrapping November 19 in Toronto, Canada. The trek also includes a two-night stand at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado.

Various presales are set to run from February 13 to 15, with the general sale starting February 16 at 10 a.m. local time. A complete list of tour dates can be found at duranduran.com.

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