Classic Hits

Founding Pink Floyd singer/bassist Roger Waters has added three new shows to his upcoming This Is Not a Drill tour of North America, bringing the total number of dates on the trek to 40.

The tour, which originally was supposed to kick off in July 2020 before being postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, kicks off on July 6 in Pittsburgh runs through an October 8 show in Dallas.

The newly added concerts are scheduled for August 10 in Columbus, Ohio; October 3 in Glendale, Arizona; and October 6, in Austin, Texas.

Tickets for the new shows go on sale to the general public on Friday, March 25, at 10 a.m. local time. Pre-sale tickets to the concerts will be available starting on Wednesday, March 23, at 10 a.m. local time. To buy tickets and for additional information, visit RogerWaters.com.

As previously reported, the This Is Not a Drill concerts will be staged “in the round,” a first for Waters.

In a statement, Roger explains that his performances will offer “a stunning indictment of the corporate dystopia in which we all struggle to survive, and a call to action to LOVE, PROTECT and SHARE our precious and precarious planet home.

He adds, “The show includes a dozen great songs from PINK FLOYD’S GOLDEN ERA along side several new ones, words and music, same writer, same heart, same soul, same man.”

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Dolly Parton is still in the running to join the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, despite the fact that she asked the organization earlier this week to remove her from consideration.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation issued a statement Thursday acknowledging Dolly’s request, but saying they’ll move forward with her as a nominee.

“From its inception, Rock and Roll has had deep roots in Rhythm & Blues and Country music. It is not defined by any one genre, rather a sound that moves youth culture,” the statement reads, in part. “Dolly Parton’s music impacted a generation of young fans and influenced countless artists that followed.”

The note concludes, “We are in awe of Dolly’s brilliant talent and pioneering spirit and are proud to have nominated her for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”

In Dolly’s message, which she posted on her social media sites on Monday, she wrote, “Even though I am extremely flattered and grateful to be nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I don’t feel that I have earned that right. I really do not want votes to be split because of me, so I must respectfully bow out.”

Along with Parton, 16 other nominees have been named for possible inclusion in the Class of 2022 to join the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Incidentally, Dolly currently sits in fourth place in the Rock Hall’s online fan vote for favorite nominee, which only accounts for a small percentage of the overall official inductee vote.

The 2022 inductees will be announced in May.

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A full, updated lineup has been announced for the 2022 MusiCares Person of the Year gala, which, as previously reported, will honor Joni Mitchell and take place April 1 at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas.

Among the many artists confirmed to perform in celebration of the legendary Canadian singer/songwriter are Crosby, Stills & Nash‘s Stephen Stills and Graham Nash, as well as Cyndi Lauper, Chaka Khan and many more.

Nash, who was Mitchell’s boyfriend back in the day, will be performing remotely.

Other artists on the bill include Brandi Carlile, Sara Bareilles, Beck, Mickey Guyton, Pentatonix, Jon Batiste, Leon Bridges, Angélique Kidjo, Billy Porter, St. Vincent and jazz legend Herbie Hancock, who won the 2008 Album of the Year Grammy for River: The Joni Letters, a collection of Mitchell covers.

Carlile and Batiste also will serve as the evening’s artistic directors. James Taylor and Maggie Rogers, who were among a previously announced list of performers, are no longer part of the lineup.

In addition to the concert, the gala will include a silent auction, reception and dinner. Mitchell, 78, who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, is being honored for her impact on the music industry and for being a huge inspiration to generations of artists.

The gala benefits MusiCares, the charitable arm of the Recording Industry, which supports the health and welfare of the music community. Tickets are available now.

The event originally was to have taken place January 29 in Los Angeles, but was postponed when the 2022 Grammy Awards ceremony also was postponed. The Grammys are now scheduled for April 3.

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As Def Leppard prepares to launch the massive U.S. summer trek The Stadium Tour with Motley Crue, Poison and Joan Jett, the British rockers have unveiled plans to release their 12th studio album, Diamond Star Halos, on May 27.

The 15-track collection, which is the band’s first new original album since 2015’s self-titled effort, can be pre-ordered now and will be available as a deluxe package, a two-LP set and digitally, among other configurations.

Kicking off the promotion of Diamond Star Halos, Def Leppard has released a rocking track called “Kick” as the album’s lead single, which is available now via digital formats. An official music video for the tune will debut soon.

Diamond Star Halos includes two duets with acclaimed country/bluegrass artist and longtime Def Leppard fan Alison Krauss — “This Guitar” and “Lifeless.” In addition, famed David Bowie pianist Mike Garson lends his talents to two songs — “Goodbye for Good This Time” and “Angels (Can’t Help You Now).”

The album was recorded remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic in three different countries. Frontman Joe Elliott laid down his vocals in Ireland, bassist Rick Savage recorded his parts in the U.K., and guitarists Phil Collen and Viv Campbell and drummer Rick Allen recorded their contributions in the U.S.

The new songs were created using as inspiration the band’s glam-rock heroes Bowie, T. Rex and Mott the Hoople, combined with elements of Def Leppard’s own classic glam-metal sound and some modern sonic flourishes. The album’s title references lyrics from T. Rex’s signature tune “Bang a Gong (Get It On).”

The 36-city Stadium Tour will get underway June 16 in Atlanta, and is mapped out through a September 9 concert in Las Vegas.

Here is the full Diamond Star Halos track list:

“Take What You Want”
“Kick”
“Fire It Up”
“This Guitar” — featuring Alison Krauss
“SOS Emergency”
“Liquid Dust”
“U Rok Mi”
“Goodbye for Good This Time”
“All We Need”
“Open Your Eyes”
“Gimme a Kiss”
“Angels (Can’t Help You Now)”
“Lifeless” — featuring Alison Krauss
“Unbreakable”
“From Here to Eternity”

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Acclaimed prog-rock drummer Bill Bruford, best-known for his work with Yes, King Crimson and the supergroup U.K., will release a six-CD compilation titled Making a Song and Dance: A Complete Career Collection on April 29.

The box set will feature highlights of Bruford’s 50-year-plus career, including recordings with Yes, King Crimson and U.K., as well as from various solo projects and collaborations.

The first two discs, dubbed “The Collaborator,” focus mainly on Bill’s work with Yes and King Crimson. Discs three and four, collectively titled “The Composing Leader,” are mostly dedicated to his solo group’s Bruford and Bill Bruford’s Earthworks.

Disc five is called “The Special Guest,” and includes recordings he made with singer/songwriter Roy Harper, founding Yes bassist Chris Squire, Yes guitarist Steve Howe, jazz-fusion guitar virtuoso Al Di Meola, and the Buddy Rich Big Band.

The last CD is titled “The Improviser,” and features improvisational pieces Bruford recorded with ex-Yes keyboardist Patrick Moraz, King Crimson, Earthworks and others.

“My interest was with the broader discourse on drums and drumming, rather than any notions of success or fame,” says Bruford, reflecting on his musical career. “The latter I could do little about but, in the 1960s, the former was wide open and meaningful contribution seemed everywhere possible. The context in which the first track in the set was conceived bears almost no relationship to the context in which the last was, four decades later.”

Making a Song and Dance comes with a 52-page booklet featuring a biography written by Bruford, as well as rare photos. You can pre-order the collection now at BurningShed.com.

Bill was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Yes in 2017.

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David Byrne will present a special benefit performance called American Utopia Farewell! on March 30, just a few days before his acclaimed stage production, David Byrne’s American Utopia, is scheduled to close at the St. James Theatre on Broadway.

Proceeds raised will benefit the former Talking Heads frontman’s non-profit organization Arbutus, a foundation “dedicated to re-imagining the world through projects that inspire and educate.”

Tickets for the event, which are available now at Eventbrite.com, include seating in the theater’s orchestra section, entry to a post-performance Q&A with Byrne and some special guests, and a gift bag. Those who purchase VIP tickets also will receive a signed copy of David’s new book, A History of the World (in Dingbats), and a vinyl LP of the David Byrne’s American Utopia original cast recording.

In addition, Arbutus has teamed up with social impact platform Propeller to offer fans who donate $5 or more the opportunity to win two premium tickets to the event. You can enter at Propeller.la.

Byrne has two current projects associated with Arbutus — the Reasons to Be Cheerful online magazine, which features stories meant to uplift and and inspire people, and David’s recently announced immersive theater piece Theater of the Mind, which will premiere August 31 in Denver.

“I created American Utopia with the seeds of curiosity and imagination, and those same seeds are why I founded Arbutus,” says Byrne in a statement. “The proceeds from the event on March 30th will allow Arbutus to continue our work at Reasons to be Cheerful and our world premiere of Theater of the Mind, hopefully making the world a little lighter and a little brighter.”

The last performance of David Byrne’s American Utopia is scheduled for April 3. Visit AmericanUtopiaBroadway.com for more information.

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A new album titled Carry Me Home, featuring an archival live recording of late Band singer/drummer Levon Helm and gospel/soul legend Mavis Staples performing together with their respective solo groups, will be released on May 20 on CD and digital formats.

The album was recorded in the summer of 2011 at one of the popular Midnight Ramble events held at Helm’s barn and studio in Woodstock, New York.

The show’s set list featured a mix of vintage gospel, soul, folk and blues tunes, along with renditions of Bob Dylan‘s “You Got to Serve Somebody” and The Band’s “The Weight.” Mavis was famously featured performing the latter tune with her family group The Staple Singers and The Band in the classic 1978 concert film The Last Waltz.

The Woodstock show marked the last time that Mavis performed with Levon, who died of cancer at age 71 in April 2012.

In advance of Carry Me Home‘s release, a performance of the traditional spiritual song “You Got to Move” has been made available as a digital single, and a video of Staples singing the song with Levon, his group and her own band has debuted at the ANTI- Records label’s YouTube channel. Mavis’ group included her sister and fellow Staple Singers member Yvonne, who passed away in 2018 at age 80.

A vinyl version of Carry Me Home will be released on June 17.

Mavis, 82, has more than 40 concerts on her 2022 tour schedule, which includes a lengthy stint as the opening act on Bonnie Raitt‘s U.S. summer tour:

Here’s the full track list of Carry Me Home:

“This Is My Country”
“Trouble in My Mind”
“Farther Along”
“Hand Writing on the Wall”
“I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free”
“Move Along Train”
“This May Be the Last Time”
“When I Go Away”
“Wide River to Cross”
“You Got to Move”
“You Got to Serve Somebody”
“The Weight”

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Rod Stewart, Gloria Gaynor, The Commodores and Dolly Parton will all be participating in a three-day virtual event being staged next week by AARP, the organization that focuses on issues affecting people aged 50 or over.

The event, called AARP Celebrates You, runs from March 24 to March 26. It’ll feature musical performances, celebrity chats, a movie screening and informational discussions, and it’s free.

Stewart will be performing March 25 from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET.  Organizers promise he’ll sing hits like “Maggie May,” “You’re in My Heart” and “Have I Told You Lately.”

Gaynor and The Commodores, as well as DJ Jazzy Jeff, all will perform as part of a two-hour event called “Daybreaker Live! Motown Dance Party” that’s scheduled for March 26 at 11 a.m. ET.

As for Parton, she’ll appear virtually with author James Patterson for a conversation about Run Rose Run, the new book they co-wrote. That event will air March 25 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET.

AARP Celebrates You will kick off on March 24 at 6:30 p.m. ET with a moderated discussion featuring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

You can register for the event, and find out more about all the stars who’ll be taking part and the sessions being offered, at AARP.org/celebrates.

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Gwen Stefani added another major event to her packed summer schedule — the 2022 Hollywood Bowl. The Grammy winner will kick off this year’s festivities, which also coincide with the event’s 100th anniversary.

Gwenwill have the honor of launching the Hollywood Bowl’s summer lineup, which will double as an opening night spectacular featuring the LA Philharmonic, aka the LA Phil, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association announced Tuesday. The singer will team with LA Phil to perform a medley of her hits, including “Don’t Speak,” “Used to Love You,” “Hollaback Girl” and more.

Musical director Gustavo Dudamel will also lead the LA Phil in debuting a  fanfare orchestral piece that composer John Williams created specifically to honor the Hollywood Bowl’s centennial anniversary.

Gwen will also be joined by Grammy-winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis, as well as the Let It Happen dance group and ballet dancer Roberto Bolle. The night will also feature the UCLA Bruin and USC Trojan marching bands, as well as a fireworks display.

The opening night celebration will be held June 3. Tickets are now on sale at the Hollywood Bowl’s official website.

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John Oates of Hall & Oates kicks off a brief solo acoustic tour tonight, March 16, in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.

The trek will feature Oates teaming up with acclaimed Nashville session guitarist Guthrie Trapp, a longtime member of John’s solo group The Good Road Band, for an intimate evening of songs and stories.

Oates tells ABC Audio that the concept for the show “was spawned by [Guthrie and I] sitting in the living room and just playing, and we kind of looked at each other and said, ‘Man, this really sounds good. Wouldn’t it be cool if we could just go out and do this in front of people?’ And we kind of laughed and we said…’Why not? Let’s bring the living room to the stage.””

John says the show will feature songs by artists who influenced him as a young musician, some favorites from his solo career, tunes he co-wrote with artists other than Daryl Hall, and “newer songs that I’ve just written.”

As Oates explains, “I’m using this show as a vehicle to…show people that, hey, there’s a whole other musical life here that…was definitely shelved during the halcyon days of the Hall & Oates craziness.”

That being said, John reveals that he will include a few of his favorite Hall & Oates tunes in his show, performed “in a very acoustic kind of reimagined way.”

Oates tells ABC Audio that he and Trapp have played a few gigs like the ones they’ll be showcasing on the tour, noting that “the response has been phenomenal, and people really seem to love the intimacy and the casual approach that we’re doing.”

The U.S. trek, which visits seven venues in the Northeast, runs through a March 26 date in Newport, Rhode Island. Check out John’s full schedule at JohnOates.com.

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