Rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis is a 2022 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee

Rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis is a 2022 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee
Rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis is a 2022 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee
Jason Kempin/Getty Images

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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Ghost announces US tour with Mastodon & Spiritbox

Ghost announces US tour with Mastodon & Spiritbox
Ghost announces US tour with Mastodon & Spiritbox
ABC/Randy Holmes

Ghost has announced a U.S. tour with support from Mastodon and Spiritbox.

The summer trek kicks off August 26 in San Diego and will conclude September 23 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Tickets go on sale this Friday, May 20, at 10 a.m. local time.

For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit Ghost-Official.com.

Ghost will be touring behind their new album Impera, which was released last March. It includes the singles “Hunter’s Moon” and “Call Me Little Sunshine,” both of which hit number one on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.

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Meghan Trainor teases upcoming sitcom series: “We’re all just holding our breath”

Meghan Trainor teases upcoming sitcom series: “We’re all just holding our breath”
Meghan Trainor teases upcoming sitcom series: “We’re all just holding our breath”
Mike Marsland/WireImage

Meghan Trainor is a Grammy-winning singer, television host, podcast host, mother of a young son and — if she gets her way — could be the next sitcom star.  The “All About That Bass” singer is working on a secret project with NBC, and she will soon find out if it gets the green light.

“I mean, we’re waiting right now. We’ve done all the steps,” Meghan teased to PopCulture. “I don’t know how much I can say, but right now we’re waiting for that green light from the top boss.”

The singer attested she’s done everything she could to get the project off the ground, saying, “It is in their hands, it’s in their court right now, and we’re all just holding our breath.”  As for how she feels about the wait, Meghan said it is a “really exciting” time for her.

Not much is known about Meghan’s upcoming series, as it was announced as part of a new cross-platform deal with NBCUniversal Television and Streaming Entertainment.  The deal — a first of its kind for the company — encompasses potential projects both scripted and unscripted across NBCU’s brands, which include NBC, Bravo, E!, Oxygen, SYFY, Universal Kids, USA and Peacock.

This means Meghan will also have the opportunity to create network, cable, streaming and syndication programming — but right now her focus is on getting that sitcom. 

Elsewhere, the “Me Too” singer is working hard on her next album and tells the outlet, “I’m doing more the doo-wop style, like my first album.”  But, unlike her first album, Title, this upcoming effort talks about motherhood. 

“I talk about that in my music,” said Meghan. “And I talk about also how it’s hard and I’m not perfect all the time. And I’m learning to love that.”

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Keith Whitley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Joe Galante are the 2022 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees

Keith Whitley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Joe Galante are the 2022 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees
Keith Whitley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Joe Galante are the 2022 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees
Noel Vasquez/Getty Images

Keith Whitley, Jerry Lee Lewis and music industry executive Joe Galante are the next three inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Brooks & Dunn announced the news during an event at Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Tuesday morning, offering some words about each of the soon-to-be Hall of Famers.

Each year, the Hall inducts members in three categories; this year, Galante is being inducted under the Non-Performer rotating category. Whitley is the Hall’s Modern Era artist for 2022, and Lewis is the Veteran Era inductee.

Both Lewis and Galante were on hand to speak at the ceremony, with the 86-year-old Lewis delivering his remarks from a chair, 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, and Galante echoed that sentiment in his own speech. “I’m humbled, beyond honored, and honestly, I’m still trying to wrap my head around this,” Galante said.

Meanwhile, the late Whitley’s wife, Lorrie Morgan — who is also a country star — spoke on his behalf, saying, “He would be absolutely blown away if he were here today. That’s how humble he was.”

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

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Pearl Jam reunites with original drummer, Dave Krusen, at California show

Pearl Jam reunites with original drummer, Dave Krusen, at California show
Pearl Jam reunites with original drummer, Dave Krusen, at California show
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

With Matt Cameron still absent from Pearl Jam‘s tour due to testing positive for COVID-19, the grunge rockers reunited with their original drummer, Dave Krusen, during their show Monday in Fresno, California.

According to a photo of the concert’s set list shared by the PJ Twitter, Krusen manned the kit for a run of songs off of Ten, including “Even Flow,” “Alive” and “Jeremy.” Ten, Pearl Jam’s Diamond-certified 1991 debut album, was the only album Krusen played on before leaving the band shortly after it was recorded.

Krusen previously reunited with Pearl Jam when he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame alongside Eddie Vedder and company in 2017. During the ceremony, he joined PJ for a performance of “Alive,” marking the first time he played with the band in over 25 years.

In addition to Krusen, Pearl Jam’s drummers for the Fresno show included Jeff Ament collaborator Richard Stuverud, and ex-Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist and current PJ touring member Josh Klinghoffer, who both also filled in for Cameron the last two shows he missed since testing positive last week. The first show also featured Pearl Jam jamming with a fan named Josh Arroyo, while the second show found an 18-year-old high school student named Kai Neukermans joining the band for a song.

Pearl Jam’s tour is set to continue Wednesday in Sacramento, California.

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BTS’ V opens up about struggling to figure out who he was as a person

BTS’ V opens up about struggling to figure out who he was as a person
BTS’ V opens up about struggling to figure out who he was as a person
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

BTS‘ V opened up about struggling to come to terms with fame and how it made him question who he really was.

In a video posted on his label Big Hit’s Twitter, the singer, whose real name is Kim Taehyung, spoke about BTS’ new album, Proof, and what songs stood out to him most.

V performs the demo tracks “Singularity” and “00:00 (Zero O’Clock)” on the record, saying he was drawn to the songs because of what they represent.

“I tended to think of Kim Taehyung and the artist V as being separate and thought that I had to choose one or the other,” he says, which is why he chose “Singularity” because that struggle was “visually portrayed” in the song’s music video.

“That was when I thought hard about who I was as a person and I felt a bit confused. Artist V performs on stage and enjoys himself with ARMY. But Kim Taehyung spends ordinary days with family and friends,” the Korean singer expressed.

V assured fans he no longer grapples with these thoughts, adding, “Now I’m able to accept both sides of myself, but also keep them separate. I’ve lessened the burden of thinking so much, too, just like how the day resets at midnight.”

The Grammy nominee insisted these thoughts “made me into who I am today.”

Proof arrives June 10 at midnight ET and is available to preorder now.

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Papa Roach & Falling in Reverse announce co-headlining Rockzilla Summer tour

Papa Roach & Falling in Reverse announce co-headlining Rockzilla Summer tour
Papa Roach & Falling in Reverse announce co-headlining Rockzilla Summer tour
Timothy Norris/Getty Images for Coachella

Papa Roach and Falling in Reverse have announced a co-headlining U.S. tour.

The joint outing, dubbed the Rockzilla Summer tour, launches July 27 in East Providence, Rhode Island, and will wrap up August 31 in Nashville. Bad Wolves and Hollywood Undead will also be on the bill.

“We’re thrilled to bring an absolutely packed lineup — an evening of non-stop rock, to some amazing cities this summer,” says Papa Roach frontman Jacoby Shaddix. “We haven’t been to some of these cities in a long time…Only right that we celebrate with these amazing bands, who all are bringing heat of their own!”

Falling in Reverse’s Ronnie Radke adds, “We are very glad to bring out such a phenomenal lineup. Fans have asked for years for a FIR/Papa Roach tour, and now the time has finally come. Not to mention Hollywood Undead and Bad Wolves are also on the bill. This will be a tour to remember.”

Tickets go on sale this Friday, May 20, at 10 a.m. local time. For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit PapaRoachMerch.com or FIRMerch.com.

Papa Roach released their latest album, Ego Trip, this past April. Falling in Reverse’s most recent release is the single “Zombified,” which just last month hit number one on Billboard‘s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.

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Journey release new song, “Let It Rain”; Neal Schon taking part in Talk Shop Live streaming event Friday

Journey release new song, “Let It Rain”; Neal Schon taking part in Talk Shop Live streaming event Friday
Journey release new song, “Let It Rain”; Neal Schon taking part in Talk Shop Live streaming event Friday
BMG

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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Harry Styles to perform one-night-only spectacular in New York

Harry Styles to perform one-night-only spectacular in New York
Harry Styles to perform one-night-only spectacular in New York
Columbia Records

Harry Styles only has to wait a few more days until fans can listen to Harry’s House, his third studio album, which drops Friday.  To make the occasion all the more special, the singer is taking over a New York venue for a special event.

Harry announced the event, dubbed “ONE NIGHT ONLY IN NEW YORK,” will see him taking over UBS Arena at Belmont Park in Elmont, NY, this Friday.  He’ll perform the entirety of Harry’s House for the first time ever.

If you can’t make it to Elmont in person, no worries — the concert will be streamed exclusively on Apple Music in 167 countries around the world starting at 9 p.m. EST on May 20, the same day his album arrives.  There will also be several encore presentations airing on May 22 at 12 p.m. ET and May 26 at 11 a.m. ET.

Harry is very passionate about his new project, which he recently told Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe, “This is my favorite album at the moment, and I love it so much.”

He also hinted Harry’s House is “so much more intimate” than his past works and that he’s excited to reintroduce himself with his new project.

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Taylor Hawkins’ friends say Foo Fighters drummer was concerned about touring schedule leading up to his death

Taylor Hawkins’ friends say Foo Fighters drummer was concerned about touring schedule leading up to his death
Taylor Hawkins’ friends say Foo Fighters drummer was concerned about touring schedule leading up to his death
Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

Friends of late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins tell Rolling Stone that he expressed concern with the band’s heavy touring schedule in the days leading up to his unexpected death this past March.

According to Pearl Jam‘s Matt Cameron, Hawkins had a “heart-to-heart” conversation with Foo frontman Dave Grohl about the subject.

“[Hawkins] told me that he ‘couldn’t f***ing do it anymore’ — those were his words,” Cameron says. “So I guess they did come to some understanding, but it just seems like the touring schedule got even crazier after that.”

An anonymous friend adds, “The fact that [Hawkins] finally spoke to Dave and really told him that he couldn’t do this and that he wouldn’t do it anymore, that was freeing for him…That did take a year of working up the guts to do.”

Meanwhile, “multiple friends” tell Rolling Stone that Hawkins had “lost consciousness” while on a plane this past December.

“[Hawkins] just said he was exhausted and collapsed, and they had to pump him full of IVs and stuff,” says Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers, adding that incident was “one of the straws that broke the camel’s back” that led him to approach Grohl and the band’s management with his concerns.

However, a rep for Foo Fighters tells Rolling Stone that Hawkins “never ‘informed Dave and [management]'” of wanting to scale back his touring, and also denies that there ever was a “heart-to-heart” or “any sort of meeting on this topic” between Hawkins, Grohl and the band’s management. The rep also tells Rolling Stone that the reports of Hawkins losing consciousness on the plane are “not true.”

Hawkins died March 25 ahead of a scheduled Foo Fighters show Bogotá, Colombia. He was 50. All Foo Fighters’ remaining tour dates have been canceled.

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