Classic Hits

A variety of famous music stars, including The Rolling Stones‘ Keith Richards, The Beach Boys‘ Brian Wilson and Billy Joel, have paid homage to legendary Ronettes singer Ronnie Spector, who died Wednesday of cancer at age 78.

Richards, who was a longtime friend of Ronnie’s and had a brief romance with her during the 1960s, wrote on his social media pages, “This is so sad. Ronnie was a very dear friend and she leaves a huge gap. How I’m going to miss that infectious laugh and that great voice! My deepest condolences to her family and loved ones.”

Wilson was a huge fan of The Ronettes’ 1963 hit “Be My Baby,” which inspired him to write “Don’t Worry Baby.” He presented “Don’t Worry Baby” to Ronettes producer Phil Spector for the group to record, but Phil turned it down, and it went on to become a hit for The Beach Boys in 1964.

Paying homage to Ronnie, Brian wrote on Twitter, “I loved her voice so much and she was a very special person and a dear friend. This just breaks my heart. Ronnie’s music and spirit will live forever.”

Accompanying the post is a YouTube video featuring footage of Ronnie visiting Brian backstage at a 2002 New York City concert. In the clip, she gushes at how much she loved “Don’t Worry Baby” and serenades a swooning Wilson.

Joel, whose classic song “Say Goodbye to Hollywood” was covered by Ronnie and Bruce Springsteen‘s E Street Band in 1977, writes, “The great Ronnie Spector has died. So many faces in and out of my life…We mourn her passing.”

In addition, Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan posted a video of him performing an acoustic version of the Ronettes hit “Baby, I Love You.”

Here are some other tributes to Ronnie from various well-known artists:

Joan Jett: “Our dear friend Ronnie Spector, has passed. She was the sweetest person you could ever know. And her mark on rock and roll is indelible.”

The Beach Boys’ Al Jardine: “So sad to hear about Ronnie.”

“Little Steven” Van Zandt: “RIP Ronnie Spector. It was an honor to Produce her and encourage her to get back on stage where she remained for the next 45 years. Her record with the E Street Band helped sustain us at a very precarious time…Condolences to her husband and family.

Southside Johnny: “She was definitely one of the high points of my teenage years, one of the high points of my touring life. When she came on stage with The Jukes the crowd went crazy. And, I got to play castanets! Who could ask for more. Rest in a groove, Ronnie.”

The Bangles‘ Susanna Hoffs: “Peace and Love, Ronnie Spector.”

Darlene Love: “I’m in total shock! Did not see this one coming. Please give me time to process my thoughts to give Ronnie the proper tribute she deserves. She and I shared so much together.”

Go-Go’s bassist Kathy Valentine: “this totally blows. f*** cancer. RIP the legend Ronnie Spector. Thank you for the music, for being so freaking cool.”

The Pointer Sisters: “Condolences to family & friends of #RonnieSpector RIP”

Paul Shaffer: “Our voice has been silenced.”

Carole King: “Rest In Peace #RonnieSpector”

Jimmy Webb: Sad to hear that #RonnieSpector left us today. #TheRonettes and Roni were a main part of the soundtrack of the early 60’s & ‘Be My Baby’ was certainly a signature song. Ronnie’s vocals rang out with her beautiful clear voice across the radio waves. Rest in power, Roni.”

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Add America and founding Free/Bad Company frontman Paul Rodgers to the list of artists who have recently sold off all or some of their song publishing rights to the Primary Wave Music company.

Primary Wave announced Wednesday that it had acquired the rights to the music catalogue of America co-founders Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell. The multi-million-dollar deal includes rights to such enduring hits as the chart-topping “A Horse with No Name” and “Sister Golden Hair,” and the top-10 singles “Ventura Highway” and “Tin Man.”

The agreement also includes some name and likeness rights.

“We are pleased that our catalogue is now in the able hands of the good folks at Primary Wave, where the music we have created over the last 50 years will be given new attention and exposure,” says Bunnell.

As for Rodgers, his deal includes Primary Wave acquiring a stake in the Free and Bad Company catalogues, as well as “master recording income streams from both bands.”

Free is best-known for the 1970 smash “All Right Now,” while Bad Company had a string of popular songs during the 1970s that Rodgers wrote or co-wrote, including “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” “Shooting Star” and “Wishing Well.”

Also as part of the deal, Rodgers will create an imprint that will be distributed by the Sun Records label, which Primary Wave acquired in late 2020. Via the imprint, the singer will sign new artists and also curate compilations.

“Given [Primary Wave’s] deep knowledge of my catalogue, joining forces with them seems a natural progression, to ensure that the messages and the music live on for the fans,” Rodgers says of the deal.

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Lionel Richie will be celebrated “All Night Long” at a gala event in March where he’ll be awarded the prestigious Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

The Gershwin Prize honors a “living musical artist’s lifetime achievement in promoting the genre of song as a vehicle of entertainment, information, inspiration and cultural understanding.”  Past recipients include Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Carole King, Smokey Robinson, Paul Simon and Gloria and Emilio Estefan.

“This is truly an honor of a lifetime, and I am so grateful…I am proud to be joining all the other previous artists, who I also admire and am a fan of their music,” Lionel said in a statement.

The singer, who’s sold more than 125 million albums worldwide and has won an Oscar, a Golden Globe and four Grammy Awards, will receive the award on March 9 during an all-star tribute concert in Washington, D.C., which will air May 17 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS stations, at PBS.org and on the PBS Video App.

Richie will return to ABC’s American Idol for his fourth season as a judge on February 27.

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Former Blue Öyster Cult drummer Albert Bouchard will be playing a special concert celebrating his two recent solo concept albums — 2020’s Re Imaginos and 2021’s Imaginos II Bombs over Germany — this Saturday, January 15, in Fall River, Massachusetts.

The show will feature Bouchard and his backing group — called the Imaginos Band — performing Re Imaginos in its entirety, as well as selections from Imaginos II and various classic songs from Blue Öyster Cult’s catalog.

The concert at Narrows Center for the Arts will mark the first time Bouchard performs many of the songs from the Imaginos saga live with a full group of musicians.

The Imaginos Band lineup includes Albert’s brother, Joe Bouchard — who was Blue Öyster Cult’s longtime bassist — as well as veteran guitarist/singer Mike Fornatale, who has played with latter-day versions of such 1960s group’s as The Left Banke, Moby Grape and The Monks.

As previously reported, Re Imaginos was an updated version of the 1988 Blue Öyster Cult concept album, Imaginos, which was based on the writings and poems of late Blue Öyster Cult manager, producer and songwriter Sandy Pearlman. The album was about an alien conspiracy that comes to fruition during the late 1800s and early 1900s, through the actions of an evil character.

The Imaginos II album continued the story, and Albert plans to record a third installment of the saga.

Bouchard recently released a vinyl version of Imaginos II that’s available at Merchbucket.com on black, black-and-red and black-and-white vinyl.

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Rod Stewart‘s scheduled tour of Australia is the latest casualty of the COVID-19 Omicron variant.

Sir Rod, who turned 77 on Monday, was to have performed nine shows Down Under in March and April, but now those shows have been canceled “due to the ongoing surge of COVID in Australia and the reimposition of indoor entertainment venue capacity limits,” reads a statement announcing the news.

Rod, meanwhile, said, “My dear friends, once again I feel we’ve all been cheated by this evil disease…My thoughts are with all your families at this difficult time as we come out of the joyous and hopefully safe holiday season and I look forward to returning to Australia as soon as the health situation permits.”

He added, “I’m absolutely gutted with disappointment and when I do eventually get there we‘ll have the party to end all parties. Guaranteed!”  All ticketholders will get automatic refunds.

Billboard reports that the Australian state of Victoria has temporarily banned indoor dancefloors, while the state of New South Wales has instituted a “no singing, no dancing” policy in entertainment venues.  Meanwhile, the state of Queensland recorded its largest number of COVID deaths in a single day on Thursday.

At the moment, Rod is still scheduled to perform two shows in Hollywood, FL on February 14 and 15, and to resume his residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in May.

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John Fogerty has started lining shows for 2022, including a new series of Las Vegas residency dates at the Wynn resort’s Encore Theater.

The former Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman’s latest Vegas engagement at the venue is a six-date stand scheduled for February 23, 25 and 26, and March 2, 4 and 5.

Prior to the Sin City residency, Fogerty will play two shows later this month in Southern California — taking place January 21 in Valley Center and January 22 in Rancho Mirage.

The 76-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer also has a one-off East Coast concert scheduled for April 14 in Red Bank, New Jersey.

In addition, in May, Fogerty will head to Los Cabos, Mexico, for the Roxfest Classic festival. The four-day event, scheduled for May 11-14, also will feature performances by Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, The Beach Boys and Heart‘s Ann Wilson. Visit MusicGetaways.com for more info.

Lastly, Fogerty has a brief European tour leg that runs from a June 3 concert in Kvaerndrup, Denmark, through a June 12 gig in Sankt Goarshausen, Germany.

Check out John’s full itinerary at JohnFogerty.com.

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Rapper-singer Cordae has announced that his upcoming second studio album, From a Bird’s Eye View, will feature a star-studded lineup of guest artists, including Stevie Wonder.

Wonder contributes to a track called “Champagne Glasses” that also features veteran rappers Nas and Freddie Gibbs. 

Other artists appearing on From a Bird’s Eye View include Eminem, Lil Wayne, H.E.R. and Roddy Ricch. The 14-track project will be released Friday, and can be pre-ordered and pre-saved now at CordaeMusic.com.

From a Bird’s Eye View is the follow-up to Cordae’s 2019 debut album, The Lost Boy.

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Kenny Loggins will reflect on his decades-long career in a new memoir, Still Alright, due out June 14, 2022. The title of the book is, of course, inspired by his 1980 top 10 hit “I’m Alright.”

“Writing this book and piecing together the moments of my life has been a really eye-opening experience for me,” says Loggins in a statement. “It’s almost like therapy, to get to look at how honest I can be. How honest can I be about my motivations, my reactions to certain relationships and circumstances, what did I learn, and how did it affect my music.”

In the book, Loggins will detail his career with Loggins & Messina and as a solo artist, his musical collaborations with Stevie Nicks and Michael McDonald, his time as the “King of the Movie Soundtracks” in the ’80s thanks to hits for movies like Top Gun, Footloose and Caddyshack, as well as his participation in the all-star 1985 charity single “We Are the World” and more.

In addition, Loggins will discuss his two divorces, his struggles with addiction and his difficult relationship with his older brother, who inspired his hit “Danny’s Song.”

Still Alright is available for pre-order now.

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Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson has formed a new band called Envy of None that will release its self-titled debut album on April 8.

Envy of None also features bassist Andy Curran of the veteran Canadian group Coney Hatch, guitarist/keyboardist Alfio Annibalini and singer-songwriter Maiah Wynne.

The 11-track collection offers up a wide sonic palette, with influences including alternative rock, synth rock and experimental rock mixed with melodic pop.

Lifeson has been working on the Envy of None material for several years, but he says the project really took off when Wynne got involved.

“Maiah became my muse,” Alex maintains. “She was able to bring this whole new ethereal thing through her sense of melody on tracks like ‘Liar’ and ‘Look Inside.’…I’ve never had that kind of inspiration working with another musician.”

The band has released “Liar” as an advance digital track, and a companion lyric video has premiered at the Kscope label’s YouTube channel.

The album ends with a song titled “Western Sunset,” which Alex wrote as a tribute to late Rush drummer Neil Peart.

“I visited Neil when he was ill,” says Lifeson. “I was on his balcony watching the sunset and found inspiration. There’s a finality about a sunset that kinda stayed with me throughout the whole process. It had meaning. It was the perfect mood to decompress after all these different textures…a nice way to close the book.”

The album is available for pre-order now, and will be issued digitally, on CD, on LP — in black vinyl and colored-vinyl variants — and as a deluxe limited-edition package. The latter collection features a blue-vinyl LP, a two-CD set offering five bonus tracks, and a 28-page booklet.

Here’s the full Envy of None track list:

“Never Said I Love You”
“Shadow”
“Look Inside”
“Liar”
“Spy House”
“Dog’s Life”
“Kabul Blues”
“Old Strings”
“Dumb”
“Enemy”
“Western Sunset”

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