Classic Hits

Guitar legend Carlos Santana and his wife, drummer Cindy Blackman Santana, have lent their talents to a new song called “It’s My Body” by the duo 2TSpark! 

The song, which was written as a rallying cry for women’s reproductive rights, will be released as a digital single on Saturday, September 17. You can check out a companion video now on 2TSpark!’s official YouTube channel. The tune was co-written and sung by the duo of singer/songwriter/musicians Tracy Blackman and Tina “Bean” Blaine. 

“We all hope that this video and song will help raise awareness around the globe and raise funds for organizations that are dedicated to supporting women’s rights and their reproductive freedom,” says Tracy. “After Bean and I recorded the song … my sister Cindy heard it and said she’d put down drum parts. Then my brother-in-law Carlos heard the song. He loved it, couldn’t stop playing it. Then he said he wanted to play on it, and the project took off from there.”

Adds Bean, “We wrote ‘It’s My Body’ during a marimba jam in response to the Texas abortion ban that passed in September 2021. When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, we felt an urgency to share this message.”

Proceeds from the track will be donated to several organizations that support reproductive rights, including Planned Parenthood and National Organization of Women.

The video features a montage of photos and footage from pro-choice protests through the years, as well as images of women of various ages and ethnicities.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Talking Heads‘ debut album, Talking Heads: 77, was released 45 years ago Friday, September 16, and the influential new wave band is marking the milestone in multiple ways.

To begin, Talking Heads have launched its first-ever official website, online store, Instagram page and YouTube channel.

Premiering Friday on the YouTube channel are videos for songs “And She Was,” “Blind” and “Love for Sale,” which have been newly upgraded to HD. Additional high-def Talking Heads videos will be uploaded to the channel in the coming months.

In addition, a new collection of exclusive Talking Heads: 77-themed merchandise is now available at the group’s official store, including exclusive shirts, hats, hooded sweatshirts and other items.

Meanwhile, new Dolby Atmos mixes of all eight Talking Heads studio albums — Talking Heads: 77, 1978’s More Songs About Buildings and Food, 1979’s Fear of Music, 1980’s Remain in Light, 1983’s Speaking in Tongues, 1985’s Little Creatures, 1986’s True Stories and 1988’s Naked — were also released Friday.

Talking Heads guitarist/keyboardist Jerry Harrison oversaw the Dolby Atmos mixes.

Talking Heads: 77 introduced the world to the Talking Heads, one of the bands to emerge from the punk scene revolving around the famed New York City club CBGB. The album includes the classic song “Psycho Killer.”

The band — frontman David Byrne, drummer Chris Frantz, bassist Tina Weymouth and Harrison — remained active until 1991. They reunited only once since then, in 2002, when they performed at their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Ringo Starr‘s latest EP, a four-song collection titled EP3, was released Friday on CD and digital formats.

As its title suggests, EP3 is the third in a series of EPs; the former Beatles drummer has now recorded and released three EPs since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coinciding with EP3‘s arrival, Ringo has debuted an official music video for lead track, the upbeat rock tune “World Go Round.” The song was co-written by Toto lead singer Joseph Williams and founding Toto guitarist and longtime All Starr Band member Steve Lukather.

The video features Starr at his home studio and rehearsal space, playing the song with Lukather and recording vocals with some backing singers. The clip also includes scenes of Williams playing keyboards.

The other three tracks on EP3 are “Everyone and Everything,” which was written by hit-making producer and songwriter Linda Perry; “Let’s Be Friends,” a catchy dance tune co-written by Starr’s longtime studio engineer Bruce Sugar and acclaimed songwriter Sam Hollander; and “Free Your Soul,” a laid-back, reggae-flavored tune that Starr co-wrote with Sugar.

Vinyl and cassette versions of the EP are due out on November 14.

EP3 was preceded by the Zoom In and Change the World EPs, which were released in March 2021 and September 2021, respectively.

Meanwhile, Ringo currently is touring North America with his All Starr Band; their next concert takes place tonight in Clearwater, Florida.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Creedence Clearwater Revival‘s live album and documentary film focusing on a previously unheard and unseen 1970 concert at London’s historic Royal Albert Hall both got their release today.

The album, titled At the Royal Albert Hall, is available on CD, cassette, 180-gram vinyl and digital formats.

The film, Travelin’ Band: Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Royal Albert Hall, premiered today on Netflix. As previously reported, the movie, which is and is narrated by Jeff Bridges, includes footage of CCR’s entire April 14, 1970, concert at the Royal Albert Hall. It also features archival interviews with all four Creedence members, scenes of the band touring Europe in 1970 and a look at the group’s history.

“Of the live performances that we have recorded, that was the best performance,” CCR drummer Doug “Cosmo” Clifford tells ABC Audio of the Royal Albert Hall show.

Clifford says he got a kick out of watching footage of the gig, noting that the movie is Creedence’s first and only concert film.

“It’s really a funny thing. I know that’s us and I know that’s me on the drums … but when I look at it, it’s like it’s another band,” Cosmo says. “You know, I’m watching somebody else pound away on the stage.”

Regarding Bridges’ participation in the film, Clifford says, “I’m a big fan of his, for sure … I can’t think of a better narrator than Jeff.”

Meanwhile, the Travelin’ Band film will be available on Blu-ray as part of a super deluxe At the Royal Albert Hall box set that will be released November 14. The package also will feature CD and two-LP vinyl versions of the album, a bonus CD containing music that’s featured in the movie, a booklet and more.

Here’s the album’s full track list:

“Born on the Bayou”
“Green River”
“Tombstone Shadow”
“Travelin’ Band”
“Fortunate Son”
“Commotion”
“Midnight Special”
“Bad Moon Rising”
“Proud Mary”
“The Night Time Is the Right Time”
“Good Golly Miss Molly”
“Keep On Chooglin'”

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Steely Dan‘s first seven studio albums, released from 1972 through 1980 on ABC and MCA Records, will be reissued on vinyl as part of a yearlong campaign, set to kick off this November.

The initiative is being overseen by founding Steely Dan frontman Donald Fagen and will feature the release of the albums on 180-gram vinyl, limited-edition premium Ultra High-Quality Vinyl mastered at 45 rpm and on the Super Audio CD format aka SACD.

The reissue campaign begins November 4 with the rerelease of the band’s 1972 debut album, Can’t Buy a Thrill, which featured hits “Do It Again” and “Reelin’ In the Years,” as well as the enduring gem “Dirty Work.” The album peaked at #17 on the Billboard 200 and has since been certified Platinum.

The other six reissues — 1973’s Countdown to Ecstasy, 1974’s Pretzel Logic, 1975’s Katy Lied, 1976’s The Royal Scam, 1977’s Aja and 1980’s Gaucho — will be released periodically throughout 2022 and 2023.

All of the albums are being meticulously remastered, most of them from the original analog tapes.

The Ultra High-Quality Vinyl versions are pressed on 200-gram vinyl and will be packaged in a box that includes a booklet explaining the creation of the superior-quality disc, along with a certificate of inspection.

You can preorder the Can’t Buy a Thrill reissue now.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Creedence Clearwater Revival‘s live album and documentary film focusing on a previously unheard and unseen 1970 concert at London’s historic Royal Albert Hall both got their release today.

The album, titled At the Royal Albert Hall, is available on CD, cassette, 180-gram vinyl and digital formats.

The film, Travelin’ Band: Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Royal Albert Hall, premiered today on Netflix. As previously reported, the movie, which is and is narrated by Jeff Bridges, includes footage of CCR’s entire April 14, 1970, concert at the Royal Albert Hall. It also features archival interviews with all four Creedence members, scenes of the band touring Europe in 1970 and a look at the group’s history.

“Of the live performances that we have recorded, that was the best performance,” CCR drummer Doug “Cosmo” Clifford tells ABC Audio of the Royal Albert Hall show.

Clifford says he got a kick out of watching footage of the gig, noting that the movie is Creedence’s first and only concert film.

“It’s really a funny thing. I know that’s us and I know that’s me on the drums … but when I look at it, it’s like it’s another band,” Cosmo says. “You know, I’m watching somebody else pound away on the stage.”

Regarding Bridges’ participation in the film, Clifford says, “I’m a big fan of his, for sure … I can’t think of a better narrator than Jeff.”

Meanwhile, the Travelin’ Band film will be available on Blu-ray as part of a super deluxe At the Royal Albert Hall box set that will be released November 14. The package also will feature CD and two-LP vinyl versions of the album, a bonus CD containing music that’s featured in the movie, a booklet and more.

Here’s the album’s full track list:

“Born on the Bayou”
“Green River”
“Tombstone Shadow”
“Travelin’ Band”
“Fortunate Son”
“Commotion”
“Midnight Special”
“Bad Moon Rising”
“Proud Mary”
“The Night Time Is the Right Time”
“Good Golly Miss Molly”
“Keep On Chooglin'”

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Official details have been announced about the live broadcast of the 2022 Farm Aid festival, which takes place September 24 in Raleigh, North Carolina, at Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek.

The sold-out event, which will include headlining performances from Farm Aid board members John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews and Willie Nelson, will be broadcast live for the second consecutive year on the Circle Network.

The festival will air starting at 7 p.m. ET, and the broadcast will feature live and prerecorded segments. The Circle Network’s social channels will also livestream Farm Aid throughout the day.

Other artists on the bill include Sheryl Crow, Chris Stapleton, Margo Price, Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats and Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real. Matthews will be playing as a duo with his longtime collaborator Tim Reynolds.

Farm Aid is an annual benefit show that raises money for family farmers in the U.S. Founders Nelson, Mellencamp and Neil Young debuted the event in 1985. Young has dropped off the festival’s performance lineup for the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Aerosmith launched its 2022 Deuces Are Wild Las Vegas residency on Wednesday night at the Dolby Live theater at the Park MGM resort.

The concert is one of eight dates the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers are playing at the Sin City venue in September and early October; the band has another eight-show engagement scheduled there in late November and early December.

Aerosmith originally was supposed play its first 2022 Las Vegas stand in June and July, but those concerts were canceled in May when it was announced that frontman Steven Tyler had entered a treatment facility after relapsing while recovering from foot surgery.

According to People, Tyler was in fine form at Wednesday’s show. The magazine notes he seemingly eluded to his substance abuse issues when he commented to the audience, “It’s either too much or too little all the time. I’m a big fan of too much.”

According to Setlists.fm, the band played a hit-packed, 17-song set that included such classics as “Back in the Saddle,” “Love in an Elevator,” “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” “Sweet Emotion,” “Dude (Looks Like a Lady),” “Dream On” and “Walk This Way.”

Aerosmith also included covers of The Shangri‐Las‘ “Remember (Walking in the Sand)” and Fleetwood Mac‘s “Stop Messin’ Around” in the show, which featured immersive Dolby Atmos audio technology and 12-inch screens displaying never-before-seen visuals.

Leading up to the launch of the residency, the band played concert on September 4 in Bangor, Maine and September 8 at Boston’s Fenway Park. Their next Vegas concert takes place this Saturday, September 17.

Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com/Aerosmith.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The Grateful Dead‘s “Meet-Up at the Movies” screening events are set to return this year for the first time since 2019.

The latest edition of the cinematic gathering, dubbed “Grateful Dead Meet-Up 2022,” will take place at select theaters around the world on November 1, with additional screenings to be held in the U.S., Canada and other locations on November 5.

This year’s event will feature film of an April 17, 1972 show at the Tivoli Concert Hall in Copenhagen, Denmark — a performance that was part of the band’s legendary Europe ’72 tour.

Tickets for the screenings go on sale on Friday, September 23 at 10 a.m. ET at MeetUpattheMovies.com.

The 90-minute performance was The Grateful Dead’s first concert ever to be broadcast live and was shown on Danish television. The footage has been restored and color corrected in high-def, and the audio has been mixed and mastered from the original master tapes.

The Dead’s lineup at the time featured Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, Donna Jean Godchaux and Keith Godchaux.

The set included the first live performance of “He’s Gone” as well as renditions of such other songs as “Ramble on Rose,” “Jack Straw” and “One More Saturday Night.” You can check out a video of the “One More Saturday Night” performance now on The Grateful Dead’s YouTube channel.

The “Grateful Dead Meet-Up 2022” event will bring to an end a year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the band’s Europe ’72 live album. The commemoration also included the release of remastered versions of the original album as well as a 24-LP box set, exclusively available at Dead.net, that documents four full concerts from the trek.

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Mariah Carey‘s sixth studio album, Butterfly, turns 25 on Friday, so she’s releasing a special anniversary collection packed full of goodies.

The Grammy winner teased the upcoming celebration on Instagram and cheekily pretended it hasn’t been a quarter century since she unleashed her five-times Platinum album. “Celebrating 25… minutes… since the release of my favorite and probably most personal album,” Mariah wrote, adding that sales start on Friday.

Mariah isn’t just rereleasing the album, she’s packing it with eight new bonus tracks and classic live performance videos of past songs.

The set will also include 4K digitally remastered music videos for “Honey” and “The Roof.” Speaking of the “Honey” music video, she gave it the documentary treatment and teased a brief clip of it, which hints fans will learn a new thing or two about the spy-themed video.

Butterfly‘s special 25th anniversary edition will also be available in vinyl and cassette form.

Mariah also promised new Butterfly merchandise will soon hit her online store and shared a brief glimpse of some upcoming T-shirts, pants, tank tops, sweaters and more. 

The “Fantasy” singer ended the video with a promise that she has “more surprises” on the way.

Sales begin on Friday, September 16, which marks 25 years to the day Butterfly hit the shelves.

Mariah’s sixth studio album contained the hits “Butterfly,” “Honey,” “My All,” “The Roof,” “Breakdown” and “Close My Eyes,” as well as a cover of Prince‘s “The Beautiful Ones.” The record, which was nominated for three Grammy Awards, has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide.

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