Music – Page 1781 – 105.7 WDNY

How Patsy Cline inspired Loretta Lynn to wear ball gowns

October 11, 2022 by WDNY Radio

In addition to being a friend and mentor to Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline also provided fashion advice.

Loretta’s former designer, Tim Cobb, shared with PBS’ American Masters that Patsy’s fancy attire inspired Loretta to start wearing her famous ball gowns.

“Patsy Cline is the one that got Loretta into wearing the long gowns. Patsy was the inspiration,” he says. “Loretta said that Patsy was the first country music singer that ever wore the long gowns. She dressed uptown. And that inspired Loretta to start wearing gowns.”

Tim designed the 75-pound gold gown featuring glass beads for Loretta’s 50th anniversary of being a Grand Ole Opry member and the blue dress worn on the cover of her 2004 album, Van Lear Rose.

“She wore it so much because her fans loved seeing her in it,” Tim says of the Rose dress.

But gowns weren’t the only fashion statement Patsy helped Loretta make. In fact, Patsy gave her friend a pair of underwear that Loretta displayed in her museum years later.

“She’s given me a lot of clothes. That might’ve been what she was trying to tell me, dress better,” Loretta said of Patsy. “I don’t know how long she had them, but I never did wear these panties out, I just kept them. There ain’t no way to wear them out.”

Loretta and Patsy were friends for about two years before Patsy died in a plane crash in 1963. Loretta passed away in 2022 at the age of 90.

Ex-Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artimus Pyle says all-star Skynyrd tribute album is in the works

October 11, 2022 by WDNY Radio

This month marks the 45th anniversary of the 1977 plane crash that killed Lynyrd Skynyrd‘s Ronnie Van Zant and two other band members. The group’s former drummer, Artimus Pyle, says he’s now putting together a star-studded tribute album to commemorate the tragedy.

Pyle, who survived the accident, tells ABC Audio that 17 tracks have been recorded so far for the album, which will feature his solo group, the Artimus Pyle Band, playing classic Lynyrd Skynyrd tunes, along with a bunch of guest artists.

The 74-year-old drummer reveals Sammy Hagar, Gov’t Mule‘s Warren Haynes, Ronnie Dunn of the country duo Brooks & Dunn and Billy Ray Cyrus are contributing to the project.

“Sammy Hagar is singing ‘Simple Man,'” Artimus reports. “He puts his heart and soul into it.”

He adds that Haynes sings “Saturday Night Special,” Dunn performs “Sweet Home Alabama” and Cyrus sings “Call Me the Breeze.”

Pyle has long been estranged from the Lynyrd Skynyrd camp, so perhaps the most surprising news about the tribute is that founding Skynyrd guitarist Gary Rossington has contributed to a track.

“Gary Rossington plays his iconic slide solo on ‘Free Bird,'” Pyle notes. “I’m on the drum track. So that’s the first time that’s happened in 40 years … Against all odds, Gary and I are on a track together that will be on this new album.”

As for how he feels about his solo band’s renditions of the tunes, Pyle says, “Only we could play them with the ferocity and the fervor that we play these songs with.”

Artimus says the Skynyrd tribute is still in the works and that they may decide to make it a double album, “because who deserves more than Ronnie Van Zandt a double tribute album?”

50th anniversary reissue of Cat Stevens’ ‘Catch Bull at Four’ due in December

October 10, 2022 by WDNY Radio

A remastered version of Cat Stevens‘ sixth studio album, 1972’s Catch Bull at Four, will be released on December 2 in multiple formats in celebration of its 50th anniversary.

The album, which can be preordered now, will be available on CD, as a 180-gram vinyl LP and via digital formats. A limited-edition orange-vinyl version of the LP can be purchased exclusively at CatStevens.com, uDiscoverMusic.com and TheSoundofVinyl.us.

Released in September 1972, Catch Bull at Four was Stevens’ only album to top the Billboard 200. It featured one hit single, “Sitting,” which peaked at #16 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Arriving at the height of Stevens’ popularity, Catch Bull at Four found the British singer/songwriter reflecting on his fame and delving deeper into his spiritual beliefs. Musically, the album featured more complex production and a wider range of styles than his previous records.

“Contrary to the spiritual nature and theme of the album, Catch Bull at Four went straight to number one and became one of my biggest commercial accomplishments,” Stevens, who is now also known as Yusuf, notes. “It was scary! I feared it would divert me from my spiritual goal. That’s precisely why I followed it up with an album called Foreigner, which would sacrifice my newly acquired crown for a welcome return to obscurity.”

Catch Bull at Four was produced by founding Yardbirds member Paul Samwell-Smith, who also produced Stevens’ Mona Bone Jakon, Tea for the Tillerman and Teaser and the Firecat.

Here’s the album’s full track list:

“Sitting”
“Boy with a Moon & Star on His Head”
“Angelsea”
“Silent Sunlight”
“Can’t Keep It In”
“18th Avenue (Kansas City Nightmare)”
“Freezing Steel”
“O’Caritas”
“Sweet Scarlet”
“Ruins”

Eddie Van Halen and Chris Cornell were set to collaborate on song that “never ended up getting finished”

October 10, 2022 by WDNY Radio

What happens when you combine the guitar of Eddie Van Halen and the vocals of Chris Cornell? Unfortunately, we may never know, but such a song apparently came close to happening.

According to guitarist Pete Thorn, who played in Cornell’s live solo band, the Soundgarden frontman and the Van Halen shredder had developed a friendship, which they one day hoped to channel in the studio.

“Eddie always wanted to do something with Chris musically,” Thorn tells The Mitch Lafon and Jeremy White Show. “Eddie loved his voice.”

As Thorn explains, a Cornell-Van Halen collaboration became a possibility toward the late 2000s, when Thorn was putting together some alternate, stripped-down demos of songs off Cornell’s 2009, electronic and pop-driven solo album, Scream. Upon hearing Thorn’s recordings, Cornell suggested they ask Van Halen to play on them.

While Thorn was waiting for Cornell to reach out to Eddie, he happened upon a friend who built amps for Van Halen. Thorn shared Cornell’s idea with him, who then gave Thorn Van Halen’s number. A few days later, Van Halen called Thorn back and the two set up a recording session. While Van Halen did play on the recording, that’s as far as it got.

“I don’t wanna get anybody excited thinking that this ever got finished, because it didn’t,” Thorn says. “But, [Van Halen] did work on it.”

“It’s a long story, but it never got a vocal on it by Chris,” Thorn continues. “It just never ended up getting finished.”

Sadly, it will stay that way, as Cornell died in 2017, while Van Halen passed in 2020.

Music notes: Pink, Sam Smith, Britney Spears, Madonna, Kelly Clarkson and Shakira

October 10, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Pink is ready to release her new song “Never Gonna Not Dance Again.” She shared an Instagram photo of her rollerskating and captioned it #NGNDA, which fans believe means a music video is also on the way. Pink previously shared videos of her kids singing clips of the unreleased track. A release date is forthcoming.

Pink also saluted the 21st anniversary of her breakout hit “Get The Party Started” and tweeted, “Now Get The Party Started can officially and legally Get The Party Started.” The song was released October 16, 2001.

Sam Smith‘s “Unholy” collab with Kim Petras once again topped the music charts in the United Kingdom after fans streamed it an additional 6.6 million times, reports Billboard. The song is #2 in the States.

Britney Spears saluted her “Hold Me Closer” collaborator, Elton John, for “giving me the confidence and believing in me to do such a cool song.” She took to Instagram to celebrate the song breaking into the Billboard top 10 and topping the iTunes chart.

Fans think Madonna came out as gay. The singer posted a TikTok video of her trying to throw a pair of pink underwear into a garbage bin, but before doing so, she declared, “If I miss, I’m Gay.” Madonna missed and struck a pose. She didn’t say anything else, leaving fans to wonder if she was being serious.

Kelly Clarkson threw it back to 2013 on her daytime talk show, where she covered Paramore‘s “Aint It Fun.” Her fans are now begging her to release another pop/rock album.

Shakira announced her new single “Monotonía,” which features Latin superstar Ozuna. The song arrives October 19. The lyrics she’s teased so far appear to allude to her recent split with longtime partner Gerard Piqué.

Music notes: The Kid LAROI, Bad Bunny, Pink, Britney Spears, Madonna and more

October 10, 2022 by WDNY Radio

The Kid LAROI will team up with Florida rapper Doechii for a free concert in San Francisco to celebrate the new NBA season on TNT. They are part of a fan festival on October 18, titled the NBA on TNT American Express Road Show, according to a press release. Tickets will be available on the festival’s official website.

Bad Bunny’s album Un Verano Sin Ti spent its 13th week atop the Billboard 200. It now ties with Drake‘s Views and Disney’s Frozen for spending the most weeks at #1 over the past decade. The albums topped the charts in 2016 and 2014, respectively. Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

Pink is ready to release her new song “Never Gonna Not Dance Again.” She shared an Instagram photo of her rollerskating and captioned it #NGNDA, which fans suggest means a music video is also on the way. Pink previously shared videos of her kids singing clips of the unreleased track. A release date is forthcoming.

Madonna fans think she came out as gay. The singer posted a TikTok video of her trying to throw a pair of pink underwear into a garbage bin, but before doing so, she declared, “If I miss, I’m Gay.” Madonna missed and struck a pose. She didn’t say anything else, leaving fans to wonder if she was being serious.

Sam Smith‘s “Unholy” collab with Kim Petras once again topped the music charts in the United Kingdom after fans streamed it 6.6 million more times, reports Billboard. The song is #2 in the States.

Kane Brown appears in ’Call of Duty’s “Squad Up” ad

October 10, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Country music fans likely noticed a familiar face in the new commercial for Call of Duty.

Kane Brown is one of the many celebrities taking part in the ad campaign for Call of Duty Modern Warfare II‘s new game, “Squad Up,” starring alongside Nicki Minaj, Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson, rapper Lil Baby and more.

Kane appears in a dark bar, surrounded by people raising a glass and echoing him as he sings during the mass sing-along, with each artist performing a different line.

The singer is a longtime Call of Duty fan, using it as a pastime during the COVID-19 quarantine in 2020. He’s also shared that he and Luke Combs have played Call of Duty together.

Lauryn Hill, son Zion share special moment onstage as she sings “To Zion”

October 10, 2022 by WDNY Radio

One Music Fest in Atlanta saw performances by some of music’s top artists last weekend, but it was a special set by Lauryn Hill that stole the show.

Midway through her medley of classic hits, the legendary R&B singer performed “To Zion” and was met onstage by the song’s inspiration — her son Zion Marley.

Toward the end of the performance, Marley surprised his mother by walking onstage and embracing her with a hug. “That’s my son Zion, y’all,” she told the audience, which cheered during the exchange.

“So we’re going to talk about generations,” she added, as she requested Marley’s children, her two grandchildren, be brought onstage.

Hill wrote and released the emotional ballad in 1998 as an ode to Marley, her first born. It landed on the chart-topping album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, and is a musical representation of a woman’s choice and the joy that comes from having a child.

The first verse of the song reads, “Unsure of what the balance held, I touched my belly overwhelmed. By what I had been chosen to perform / But then an angel came one day, Told me to kneel down and pray. For unto me a man child would be born.”

The song came when Hill was at a peak in her career; many critics, she says, suggested her music career would suffer as a result of her baby.

“Woe this crazy circumstance, I knew his life deserved a chance. But everybody told me to be smart / ‘Look at your career,’ they said ‘Lauryn, baby, use your head’ But instead I chose to use my heart.”

Marley, the grandson of Bob Marley, is now 25. Hill went on to have five more children.

Chris Cornell and Eddie Van Halen were set to collaborate on song that “never ended up getting finished”

October 10, 2022 by WDNY Radio

What happens when you combine the vocals of Chris Cornell and the guitar of Eddie Van Halen? Unfortunately, we may never know, but such a song apparently came close to happening.

“Eddie always wanted to do something with Chris musically,” Thorn tells The Mitch Lafon and Jeremy White Show. “Eddie loved his voice.”

As Thorn explains, a Cornell Van Halen collaboration became a possibility toward the late 2000s, when Thorn was putting together some alternate, stripped-down demos of songs off Cornell’s 2009, electronic and pop-driven solo album, Scream. Upon hearing Thorn’s recordings, Cornell suggested they ask Van Halen to play on them.

“I don’t wanna get anybody excited thinking that this ever got finished, because it didn’t,” Thorn says. “But, [Van Halen] did work on it.”

“It’s a long story, but it never got a vocal on it by Chris,” Thorn continues. “It just never ended up getting finished.”

Sadly, it will stay that way, as Cornell died in 2017, while Van Halen passed in 2020.

Charlie Puth alleges he was ghosted by Ellen DeGeneres’ music label

October 10, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Charlie Puth has weighed in on fellow artist Greyson Chance‘s accusations that Ellen DeGeneres‘ music label, which they were both signed to, was an insufficient mentor. Charlie alleges that the label also ghosted him, but said he’s happy with how things turned out.

Speaking with the Rolling Stone Music Now podcast, the singer reflected on being signed to the eleveneleven label in 2011 after he went viral on YouTube.

“We both have different experiences, me versus Greyson,” Charlie said of his time being signed to the now defunct music label. “I do agree with him that nobody was really present … certainly after the creation of my first demo EP. I didn’t really hear from anybody after that.”

Charlie continued, “Not putting any blame just on one person, but, like, from a collective, all the people that were in that room, they just [whooshing sound] disappeared.” The singer insisted he isn’t upset his EP has been permanently shelved. “I never heard those songs again, but I don’t know how good they are,” he said.

He’s also happy he had a backup plan, which was a scholarship to Berklee College of Music. Charlie noted, “I’m so fortunate and grateful that I got to fall back on school and continue my education.”

Greyson, who previously spoke with Rolling Stone, said he was “completely abandoned” by Ellen’s team when his career underperformed. He also called Ellen “manipulative” and “blatantly opportunistic.”

Charlie countered Greyson when it came to their personal experiences with Ellen. “People describe Ellen as rude. I’ve never experienced that,” he said. “Maybe she likes me.”

Ellen’s label shuttered in 2012, the same year Charlie left the label. Her team has yet to respond to Charlie’s comments.

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