Classic Hits

Rock ‘n’ roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame this year.

Popular country duo Country Brooks & Dunn announced the news during an event at Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Tuesday morning.

Each year, the Hall inducts members in three categories. This year, Lewis is the Veteran Era inductee, late singer/songwriter Keith Whitley is the Country Hall’s Modern Era artist, and music executive Joe Galante is being inducted under the Non-Performer rotating category.

The 86-year-old Lewis was on hand to speak at the ceremony, delivering his remarks from a chair and wearing a glittering red sequined blazer. “I’m just overwhelmed that they asked me here today,” he told the room, adding that it was “always great to be recognized” and that his lengthy career has taught him to “be a good person, and treat your people right, treat your fans right.”

Lewis added that it was difficult for him to find the words to describe the honor he felt.

Jerry Lee, who was infamously nicknamed “The Killer,” came to fame during the late 1950s with classic songs like “Whole Lot of Shakin’ Going On,” “Great Balls of Fire” and “Breathless” that were hits on both the pop and country charts. He continued to score country hits throughout the 1960s and ’70s and into the early ’80s.

The three inductees will be officially welcomed into the Country Music Hall of Fame during a Medallion Ceremony this fall.

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Journey has released a third advance track from its forthcoming studio album, Freedom, a heavy, funk-flavored mid-tempo rocker called “Let It Rain.”

The song is available now as a digital download and via streaming services, while a visualizer video for the tune has debuted at Journey’s official YouTube channel.

“Let It Rain” showcases some sizzling guitar work by Neal Schon, who in a post on his social media pages describes the song as “a Sassy Funkin Rocker,” adding, “New Chapter from us and definitely proud of it.”

As previously reported, Freedom is a 15-track collection that will be released on July 8. The other songs that have been issued from the album are “The Way We Used to Be” and “You Got the Best of Me,” which debuted in June 2021 and last month, respectively. You can pre-order Freedom now.

Meanwhile, this Friday, May 20, at 9 p.m. ET, Schon will make an appearance on Talk Shop Live’s Rock N Roll Channel, where he will chat about the album and Journey’s upcoming tour plans. In addition, autographed copies of Freedom will be available to pre-order during the steaming event.

Journey recently wrapped up the initial leg of its Freedom Tour 2022, although the final four shows were postponed because an unspecified member of the group tested positive for COVID-19. Those dates are expected to be rescheduled in the coming months.

The band next scheduled performances are a series of four special symphonic concerts in Las Vegas that will take place at the new, state-of-the-art Resorts World Theatre. The shows are scheduled for July 15, 16, 22 and 23 and tickets are available now.

Schon also promises that Journey is planning a summer leg of its tour.

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Edgar Winter‘s latest album, Brother Johnny, which was released in April, is a star-studded tribute to his late sibling Johnny Winter.

The 17-track collection includes a version of “Rock ‘n’ Roll Hoochie Koo,” a song written by Rick Derringer that Johnny first recorded in 1970 with his band Johnny Winter And, which featured Derringer, and that Rick subsequently had a solo hit with in 1973.

Edgar’s version features guitar work by Toto‘s Steve “Luke” Lukather, who also is a longtime member of Ringo Starr‘s All Starr Band. Edgar tells ABC Audio that he specifically chose Lukather to play on the track because he envisioned a Jimi Hendrix-style solo that he knew Luke could deliver.

“I wanted it wild, crazy, sort of twisted and demented. And I knew that Steve would do exactly that,” Winter explains. “I said, ‘I know…Steve [is] gonna play something different than Rick would ever have played or completely different than Johnny ever would have played’…And, man, Luke delivered.”

Edgar adds, “He played exactly what I was hoping he would. And I didn’t really tell him anything, I just know Luke and know more or less how he thinks and navigates things, and he always likes to push the envelope.”

Lukather has been a member of Ringo’s All Starr Band since 2012, while Edgar recently rejoined the group after previously playing with Ringo and company from 2006 to 2011. Speaking about Luke’s personality, Edgar notes, “[H]e has this rough, raw sense of humor, sometimes perverse, that we all love.”

Other artists featured on Brother Johnny include Ringo, Joe Walsh, ZZ Top‘s Billy Gibbons, The Doobie Brothers‘ Michael McDonald and John McFee, ex-Allman Brothers Band members Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks and late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, among many others.

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Lionel Richie will be honored with the Library of Congress’ Gershwin Prize on Tuesday.  Ahead of the moment, the singer caught up with CBS’ Sunday Morning to talk about his lifetime achievements.

Lionel reflected on growing up by Tuskegee University, where he was surrounded by Black lawyers, war heroes, doctors and more, and joked that his parents “had a nervous breakdown” when he decided to pursue a music career with The Commodores.

“You could see everyone passing going, ‘Oh, there’s poor Lionel. Poor misguided Lionel!,'” he chuckled. Of course, The Commodores scored numerous chart-topping singles with Richie as their lead singer, before he set off a solo career.

Lionel reflected on his success, which saw him cross into the mainstream and anger some of his original R&B fan base. “Someone asked me a question one day, ‘Lionel, how does it feel that you’ve left your roots?'” Richie recalled. “And I said, ‘Did you ask that to The Beatles? Did you ask that to The Rolling Stones? Everyone came over to borrow from us, but I can’t go that way?'”

The singer also reflected on his hiatus at the peak of his career, which he took to care for his ailing father, who passed in 1990.  “It gave me an opportunity to kind of take a look over my shoulder just a little bit to see where I was in altitude. And it was frightening,” he reflected. But, he added his father’s death gave him a new perspective on fame.

Lionel now sees his career as an “adventure,” which he says “is just an amazing ride.”

He also admitted it’s been 13 years since he released an album of all-new songs, but teased he’ll break the dry spell “this year.”

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Elvis Presley‘s daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, has posted a new message on her social media sites in which she shares a glowing review about director Baz Luhrmann‘s upcoming musical biopic about her late father, Elvis.

In the note, Lisa Marie first points out that she is still grieving for her son, Ben Keough, who died by suicide at age 27 in July 2020.

“I am and will forever be mourning the loss of my son,” she writes. “Navigating through this hideous grief that absolutely destroyed and shattered my heart and my soul into almost nothing has swallowed me whole.”

Lisa Marie then proceeds to shower praise on the Elvis film, revealing that she’s watched it twice and thinks it’s “nothing short of spectacular” and “[a]bsolutely exquisite.”

She writes that lead actor Austin Butler “channeled and embodied my father’s heart and soul beautifully,” adding, “In my humble opinion, his performance is unprecedented and FINALLY done accurately and respectfully. (If he doesn’t get an Oscar for this, I will eat my own foot, haha.)”

Lisa Marie continues, “You can feel and witness Baz’s pure love, care, and respect for my father throughout this beautiful film, and it is finally something that myself and my children and their children can be proud of forever.”

Presley also notes that she was moved to tears when she saw how her three daughters — Riley, Harper and Finley — were “so filled with pride about their grandfather and his legacy in a way that I have not previously experienced” after watching the movie.

She adds, “It breaks my heart that my son isn’t here to see it. He would have absolutely loved it as well.”

Elvis, which also features Tom Hanks as the rock ‘n’ roll legend’s manager, Col. Tom Parker, hits theaters on June 24.

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The first trailer promoting the upcoming fourth season of Stranger Things premiered in April and featured a dramatic remix of Journey‘s 1983 smash “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart),” and now the track is available via digital formats.

The Bryce Miller/Alloy Tracks remix of “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” has been released as an advance track from the forthcoming official soundtrack album to the hit Netflix series’ new season.

Two volumes of the album, titled Stranger Things: Soundtrack from the Netflix Series, Season 4, will be released digitally in the coming weeks, on May 27 and July 1, respectively, coinciding with the premiere dates of the show’s two-part season.

Volume 2 will feature all of the songs that appear on Volume 1, as well as additional music heard in the second run of episodes of Stranger Things‘ fourth season.

The full Stranger Things: Soundtrack from the Netflix Series, Season 4, including both volumes, will be released on CD and cassette on September 9, while a two-LP vinyl edition will be made available later in 2022.

Those who preorder the Stranger Things Season 4 soundtrack will receive an automatic free download of the “Separate Ways” remix.

Soundtracks for previous seasons of Stranger Things have included a variety of hits from the 1980s, reflecting the period during which the sci-fi horror series is set.

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The Who made an emotional return to Cincinnati on Sunday to play their first concert in the city since the band’s infamous December 1979 show at the Riverfront Coliseum, where 11 young people died as fans rushed the venue’s doors before the event.

The British rock legends’ show on Sunday was the first concert ever at Cincinnati’s new TQL Stadium.

According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Who guitarist Pete Townshend addressed the crowd during the show, saying, “I’ve been trying to think of why to say, what would be cool to say, what would be uncool to say, and really there’s no words that we can say that can mean [as much as] the fact that you guys have come out tonight and supported this event. Thank you so much.”

Townshend then referenced the fact the that The Who planned to donate proceeds from the concert to local charities, noting, “[Y]our money is going to great causes, many of which are related to what happened back here in Cincinnati in 1979, which is probably time for us to both remember and try to forget. … Anyway, it’s so lovely to be here.”

Prior to The Who taking the stage, a prerecorded video of Pearl Jam‘s Eddie Vedder was played, in which Vedder recalled how Townshend and Who singer Roger Daltrey gave him support after nine people were killed during a 2000 PJ concert in Denmark.

During Sunday’s show, photos of the 11 victims of the 1979 tragedy were shown on the video screen while Who touring keyboardist Loren Gold played the intro to “Love, Reign O’er Me.”

Also, 10 students from Finneytown High School, the school that three of the 1979 victims attended, joined the orchestra that accompanied The Who for the show’s final song, “Baba O’Riley.”

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Michael Jackson‘s Thriller, the best-selling album of all time worldwide, marks its 40th anniversary this November 30, and in celebration of the milestone, an expanded version of the classic record will be released on November 18.

Michael Jackson Thriller 40 will be available as a two-CD set and via digital formats, and will feature the original Thriller album along with a bonus disc of previously unreleased tracks that Jackson worked on during the 1982 album’s sessions.

In addition, Walmart and Target will be releasing exclusive vinyl reissues of the original Thriller album with an alternate 40th anniversary cover. The Target reissue also will come with a commemorative Thriller 40 vinyl slipmat.

Meanwhile, the Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab company will release high-quality audiophile versions of Thriller on November 18 as a single-LP vinyl disc and on the hybrid SACD format.

Thriller has sold over 70 million copies worldwide, and has been certified 34-times Platinum by the RIAA, making it the second-best-selling album ever in the U.S., after the Eagles‘ 38-times-Platinum Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 compilation.

Thriller spent an amazing 37 weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200, spinning off seven top-10 hits, among them the chart-topping singles “Billie Jean” and “Beat It,” and the #2 Paul McCartney duet “The Girl Is Mine.”

The album also is credited with breaking the color barrier at MTV. In 1982, the channel rarely played clips by Black artists — until “Billie Jean” came along. And the extended clip for “Thriller,” directed by John Landis and filled with state-of-the-art special effects and over-the-top choreography, became the standard by which all music videos were judged.

You can pre-order the Thriller reissues now. Here’s the original album’s full track list:

“Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'”
“Baby Be Mine”
“The Girl Is Mine” (with Paul McCartney)
“Thriller”
“Beat It”
“Billie Jean”
“Human Nature”
“P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)”
“The Lady in My Life”

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Eric Clapton has postponed the first two dates of a new run of European concerts this week because he recently contracted the COVID-19 virus.

The affected dates were scheduled for Tuesday, May 17 in Zurich, Switzerland, and Wednesday, May 18, in Milan, Italy.

According to a post on the official Where’s Eric website, Clapton, 77, tested positive for COVID-19 after playing his most recent show, a May 8 performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall, and he decided to postpone the concerts after his medical advisers told him that “if he were to resume travelling and performing too soon, it could substantially delay his full recovery.”

The message adds, “Eric is also anxious to avoid passing on any infection to any of his band, crew, promoters, their staff and of course, the fans.”

Clapton is now hoping to launch the trek with his two scheduled shows in Bologna, Italy on May 20 and 21. The outing is mapped out through a June 17 concert in Tampere, Finland.

The plan is to rescheduled the postponed Zurich and Milan shows sometime in the next six months, and tickets that have already been purchased will be valid for the new dates.

Clapton has been a vocal critic of vaccine mandates, reporting last year that he had an adverse reaction after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine.

In other news, Clapton has announced a seven-date series of U.S. concerts taking place this September, according to Ticketmaster.com. The trek begins with a September 8 show in Columbus, Ohio, and runs through a Septmber 18-19 engagement at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Eric also will perform in Detroit on September 10, in Chicago on September on September 12 and 13, and in Pittsburgh on September 16.

Visit Ticketmaster for details about on-sale dates.

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The Rolling Stones were among the early winners of Sunday night’s Billboard Music Awards, held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The Stones’ No Filter tour won both the Top Tour and Top Rock Tour awards, beating out fellow double nominees Genesis for their The Last Domino? farewell trek, and Green Day for the Hella Mega tour with Fall Out Boy and Weezer. The Eagles‘ Hotel California tour also received a Top Tour nod.

The Stones celebrated their two early wins on Twitter and via their Instagram Story, where they shared the good news alongside three confetti cannon emojis.

Meanwhile, Elton John won the Top Dance/Electronic Song prize for his duet with Dua Lipa, “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix).” Elton celebrated his win in a video posted on his social media pages.

In the clip, the 75-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, who is shown holding his trophy, declares, “Life is full of surprises. I have never won an award for a dance record before, so I’m thrilled that I’ve got this Billboard award for best dance record of the year. I have to thank [Australian dance-music duo] Pnau for putting the track together, and…the gorgeous Dua Lipa, without whom this would have not been possible.”

He added, “Thank you so much everybody who streamed the record, who bought the record, who downloaded the record — it’s been one of the biggest highlights of my career.”

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