One of the world’s premier jazz archives, The Brubeck Collection at Wilton Library, is thrilled to announce the launch of its extensive 22,000+ item interactive digital archive. This unprecedented event marks the first time this invaluable collection will be accessible to the public worldwide.
Discover Jazz Legend Dave Brubeck
Visitors to Wilton, Connecticut, can delve into the rich legacy of jazz legend Dave Brubeck through an array of unreleased music, rare photographs, posters, and more. From the iconic jazz single "Take Five," the best-selling jazz single of all time, to insights into Brubeck’s family life and his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, the Brubeck Collection offers a comprehensive look at the life and work of this musical pioneer.
The Music of the Dave Brubeck Octet: Restored and Reimagined June 15, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Celebrate the Brubeck Collection with a historic jazz concert that brings Dave Brubeck’s most famous arrangements back to life. Led by saxophonist Jon De Lucia and his all-star jazz octet, including Grammy-winning musicians, this event will feature the music of The Dave Brubeck Octet, originally formed in the 1940s. This group, composed of Brubeck and his fellow composition students at Mills College, was known for exploring groundbreaking musical concepts like polytonality and odd meters.
Jazz Post-1959: Diverging Paths June 18, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Join Professor Gil Harel (PhD, Brandeis University) for an enlightening discussion on the divergent paths taken by jazz artists post-1959, a pivotal year in jazz history. The talk will focus on the careers and musical evolution of John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Dave Brubeck, highlighting their unique contributions to the genre.
For More Information:
Visit the Wilton Library website for additional details on the events and the digital archive. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore and celebrate the remarkable legacy of Dave Brubeck.
Wilton Library’s Brubeck Collection offers a rare glimpse into the world of one of jazz’s most influential figures. Join us for these special events and experience the magic of Brubeck’s music and life.
Contact:
Wilton Library
137 Old Ridgefield Rd
Wilton, CT 06897
Today, 2X Grammy nominee and Vermont native, Grace Potter, announced the Grand Point Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the arts in Vermont. Grand Point Foundation seeks to inspire a culturevation for all Vermonters, connecting their communities in celebration of art and culture.
Potter, who has been hailed as “one of the greatest living voices in rock today” by SPIN, will again host Grand Point North, a music and culture festival held in Burlington. This year’s festival will take place at the Waterfront Park on July 25-28 and will feature headlining sets from Potter herself, The Flaming Lips and The Head and The Heart, as well as sets from Michael Marcagi, and Anderson East. You can buy tickets HERE.
“Finding a place for artistic expression as a kid set me on the path for where I am today and I’ve been dreaming about how to support my beloved Vermonters for a while now. I witnessed how we showed up for each other as neighbors time and time again, throughout the pandemic and last year with the catastrophic flooding. I want to create that same activation and response for our artists.” Potter shares. “Art is an integral part of our community infrastructure and growing our arts community was a natural fit for me. The Grand Point Foundation will be dedicated to supporting existing arts and culture programs, along with building our own programmatic outreach.”
Grand Point North has a storied history in art curation and cultivation for the local Vermont community. Potter’s desire to expand on that community effort is the root of Grand Point Foundation. The foundation will support existing nonprofit and community organizations that are focused on arts education and cultural programming. In addition, GPF will award one creation stipend to a Vermont artist each year to support their vision in ‘keeping Vermont weird.’ International artist programs and workshops and an annual film festival in Burlington will follow.
Potter has always been committed to supporting the local Vermont community in every way. Last summer, she hosted a livestream to raise funds to uplift people after the floods. The fundraiser raised over $20,000 for The Vermont Community Foundation’s VT Flood Response and Recovery Fund.
ABOUT GRACE POTTER
2X Grammy nominee Grace Potter has released five critically acclaimed studio albums, including 2019’s Daylight, which was nominated for a GRAMMY for Best Rock Album, toured and collaborated with some of the music industry’s best, including The Grateful Dead, The Rolling Stones, The Allman Brothers, Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and Kenny Chesney (their collaboration earned Grace her first Grammy nomination), and has played nearly every major major music festival, including Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Bonnaroo, in addition to launching Burlington’s Grand Point North Festival. Her “dynamite” (Guitar Player) fifth studio album, Mother Road, is out now. Grace is currently on her Mother Road Tour across the country while also joining Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show for select shows this summer.
ABOUT GRAND POINT NORTH
Grand Point North is a long-running festival created by Grace Potter on the Burlington waterfront. It is an effort to provide a space for outreach to each other, and an outlet to Vermonters to engage in art as a community.
FANDIEM SWEEPSTAKES
One lucky winner and their guest will receive two (2) artist / guest passes to Grace’s Grand Point North Festival from Thursday, July 25 to Sunday, July 28, 2024, exclusive access to the artists’ experience throughout the entire festival - think backstage AND side stage passes, eating dinner with Grace in artist catering, and even getting a sneak peak of Grace’s set during her soundcheck! You’ll get the chance to hang with Grace backstage for a bit before she hits the stage and moves the masses! Not to mention the incredibly talented lineup of artists headlining this year’s festival, including The Head & The Heart, The Flaming Lips, and more. For more information, click HERE.
Today, Los Lonely Boys announce the release of their first new album in 11 years. Out August 2nd via BMG, Resurrection marks a return to form for the GRAMMY-winning, multi-platinum trio of Texican brothers, who have performed everywhere from the GRAMMYs telecast to the World Series to recent tours with The Who. Lead single “Wish You Would” conjures the group’s classic sound, combining breezy guitar leads with hard-earned doses of wisdom.
Pre-order Resurrection, listen to “Wish You Would,” and
take a trip through the song’s animated music video: HERE
“It’s something we think people need to hear—especially the youth,” says bassist/vocalist Jojo Garza, speaking on “Wish You Would” and Resurrection. “When we’re young, we think we have it figured out. When you get older, you start to see things differently. Having kids of our own, we see their ambitions and ideas of what they want to be, so we want to be good parents. The message is, ‘Be careful what you wish for. There could be a false light, and we don’t want you to get hurt’.”
After an extended break from recording, Los Lonely Boys are making a triumphant return with Resurrection. Rejuvenated and more cosmically attuned than ever before, the album rekindles the sonic fire that bonds the Los Lonely Boys brotherhood, while also paying respects to Texas legends like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Freddy Fender, among others. The album was recorded at guitarist/vocalist Henry Garza’s home studio in St. Angelo, TX, and El Paso’s Sonic Ranch (Fiona Apple, Bon Iver, Snarky Puppy etc), and mixed live in Chicago by Chris Gelin at Opus Audio Labs.
This year Los Lonely Boys will also celebrate the 20th Anniversary of their self-titled debut, which reached double-platinum status and yielded the gold-certified, generational smash "Heaven," which earned them a GRAMMY Award for Best Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and performance on the awards telecast. The brothers’ follow-up Sacred bowed at #2 on the Billboard 200, paving the way for fan favorites Forgiven, Rockpango, and Revelation. Along the way, Los Lonely Boys collaborated with legends such as Santana, Willie Nelson, and Dr. John.
Even as they’ve been away from the studio, Los Lonely Boys have continued to tour tirelessly for decades, and this year they’ve hit the road again for an extensive, months-long run across the US. They will also perform on select shows alongside long time friends Los Lobos. See dates below, and find tickets here.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the celebrated Talking Heads and Jonathan Demme’s concert film Stop Making Sense, the set will be re-released as a 2LP and 2CD/Blu-ray set this summer.
Released last year, the sold-out Deluxe Edition of the soundtrack will return as a 2-LP black vinyl on Rhino.com and retail and 2-LP crystal clear vinyl at Barnes and Noble. Both variants feature a 12-page booklet with liner notes from all four band members –Tina Weymouth, David Byrne, Chris Frantz, and Jerry Harrison—and band photos. The 2CD/Blu-ray version includes the entire 28-page booklet from last year’s Deluxe Edition and a Dolby Atmos mix of the complete concert, mixed by Jerry Harrison and E.T. Thorngren, who also mixed the original release. Both will be available on July 26. Pre-order now.
The band appeared together for a sold-out screening and Q&A hosted by Andy Richter last night at the Pantages Theater, the same theater at which Stop Making Sense was recorded. They were joined by Blondshell, who performed “Thank You For Sending Me an Angel.” Another special screening with the band will occur in Brooklyn at the King’s Theater on June 13, with the Q&A hosted by Questlove and The Linda Linda’s performing “Found a Job.” The two events cap off a banner year of celebrations for what many consider to be the best concert film of all time.
The inspiration for Stop Making Sense came when director Jonathan Demme saw Talking Heads perform during the band’s 1983 tour for Speaking in Tongues. Afterward, he approached them with the idea of making the show into a concert film. They agreed and worked together over the next few months to finalize the details. Ultimately, Demme filmed three shows at Hollywood’s Pantages Theater in December 1983 to create Stop Making Sense.
The concert film presents a retrospective of the band up to that point, with a performance that weaves together songs from all six of its studio albums. The show progresses methodically, opening with Byrne onstage performing “Psycho Killer” alone with a drum machine. After each song, he’s joined by a new band member until Weymouth, Frantz, and Harrison are all on stage with him. The group continues to grow throughout the concert as members of the stellar touring band are added: keyboardist Bernie Worrell, percussionist Steve Scales, guitarist Alex Weir, and backup singers Lynn Mabry and Ednah Holt.
The band performs 18 songs in Stop Making Sense, including its recent single at the time, “Burning Down The House.” That summer, the song was in heavy rotation on radio and MTV, helping the song become the band’s first top 10 hit in America. It was, however, a different song from Speaking in Tongues that was destined to deliver one of the film’s signature moments. Talking Heads would perform “Girlfriend Is Better” wearing the now iconic, oversized suit inspired by costumes worn in traditional Japanese theater. For good measure, a picture of David Byrne in the suit also graces the album cover.
Stop Making Sense focuses mainly on music by Talking Heads but does include a few songs recorded outside the band: “Genius Of Love” by Tom Tom Club, “What A Day That Was” and “Big Business” from Byrne’s 1981 album, The Catherine Wheel. Limited edition vinyl versions of both of these albums, along with Harrison’s The Red And The Black, were released for this year’s Record Store Day.
When it arrived in September 1984, Stop Making Sense was an artistic and commercial triumph. The film had people dancing in theatre aisles, and the soundtrack sold over two million copies. Just last year, the Library of Congress added Stop Making Sense to the National Film Registry in recognition of its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance.
Weymouth praises Demme as a collaborator: “…Jonathan was a very enthusiastic, highly adaptive, and imaginative guy who was just as good a listener as he was a talker and collaborator. From the get-go you just got the impression he was as flexible as he was disciplined. Being team players, that boded well for a great relationship and a great film!”
Harrison says the film still holds up today: “To me, Stop Making Sense has remained relevant because the staging and lighting techniques could have been created in a much earlier time period. For example, Vari-Lights, lights with motors to re-aim them, had just come into vogue. Had we used them, there would have been a timestamp on the film, and it eventually would have felt dated...The absence of interviews, combined with the elegant and timeless lighting, created a film that can be watched over and over.”
Byrne says it’s interesting that this album was – for many people – an introduction to Talking Heads. “We had done a live album before this, but coupled with the film, and with the improved mixes and sound quality, this record reached a whole new audience. As often happens, the songs got an added energy when we performed them live and were inspired by having an audience. In many ways, these versions are more exciting than the studio recordings, so maybe that’s why a lot of folks discovered us via this record.”
Frantz recalls the sheer joy surrounding the entire Stop Making Sense experience. “I’m talking about real, conscious, transcendent joy… I’m talking about what the Southern gospel people call ‘getting happy,’ which means ‘to be filled with the Spirit.’ That is what happened to us onstage every night, and from my seat behind the drums, I recognized that this was happening to the audience too. Joy was visible in front of me and all around me every night.”
STOP MAKING SENSE (DELUXE EDITION)
Limited Edition 2-LP Track Listing
Side One
1. Psycho Killer
2. Heaven
3. Thank You For Sending Me An Angel
4. Found A Job
5. Slippery People
6. Cities
Side Two
7.
8. Burning Down The House
9. Life During Wartime
10. Making Flippy Floppy
11. Swamp
Side Three
12. Side Three
13. What a Day That Was
14. This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)
15. Once In A Lifetime
16. Big Business / I Zimbra
Side Four
17. Side Four
18. Genius Of Love
19. Girlfriend Is Better
20. Take Me To The River
21. Crosseyed And Painless
2CD/Blu-ray Tracklist
CD1
1. Psycho Killer (Live) [2023 Remaster]
2. Heaven (Live) [2023 Remaster]
3. Thank You for Sending Me an Angel (Live) [2023 Remaster]
4. Found a Job (Live) [2023 Remaster]
5. Slippery People (Live) [2023 Remaster]
6. Cities (Live) [2023 Remaster]
7. Burning Down the House (Live) [2023 Remaster]
8. Life During Wartime (Live) [2023 Remaster]
9. Making Flippy Floppy (Live) [2023 Remaster]
10. Swamp (Live) [2023 Remaster]
CD2
1. What a Day That Was (Live) [2023 Remaster]
2. This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody) [Live] [2023 Remaster]
3. Once In a Lifetime (Live) [2023 Remaster]
4. Big Business / I Zimbra (Live) [2023 Remaster]
5. Genius of Love (Live) [2023 Remaster]
6. Girlfriend is Better (Live) [2023 Remaster]
7. Take Me to the River (Live) [2023 Remaster]
8. Crosseyed and Painless (Live) [2023 Remaster]
9. Psycho Killer (Live)
Blu-ray Disc
1. Heaven (Live) [2023 Remaster]
2. Thank You for Sending Me an Angel (Live)
3. Found a Job (Live)
4. Slippery People (Live)
5. Cities (Live)
6. Burning Down the House (Live)
7. Life During Wartime (Live)
8. Making Flippy Floppy (Live)
9. Swamp (Live)
10. What a Day That Was (Live)
11. This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody) [Live]
12. Once In a Lifetime (Live)
13. Big Business / I Zimbra (Live)
14. Genius of Love (Live)
15. Girlfriend is Better (Live)
16. Take Me to the River (Live)
17. Crosseyed and Painless (Live)
18. Psycho Killer (Live) [2023 Remaster]
19. Heaven (Live) [2023 Remaster]
20. Thank You for Sending Me an Angel (Live) [2023 Remaster]
21. Found a Job (Live) [2023 Remaster]
22. Slippery People (Live) [2023 Remaster]
23. Cities (Live) [2023 Remaster]
24. Burning Down the House (Live) [2023 Remaster]
25. Life During Wartime (Live) [2023 Remaster]
26. Making Flippy Floppy (Live) [2023 Remaster]
27. Swamp (Live) [2023 Remaster]
28. What a Day That Was (Live) [2023 Remaster]
29. This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody) [Live] [2023 Remaster]
30. Once In a Lifetime (Live) [2023 Remaster]
31. Big Business / I Zimbra (Live) [2023 Remaster]
Since its debut 30 years ago, Ween’s Chocolate and Cheese has become an alternative rock classic and a highwater mark for Gene and Dean Ween’s polished songwriting and irreverent humor.
To celebrate the anniversary, Rhino will release Chocolate And Cheese (Deluxe Edition) on August 2. This 3-LP set features a newly remastered version of the original album, plus 15 previously unreleased demos and outtakes. Available at Rhino.com and Ween.com. Pre-order HERE. The music will be available from digital and streaming platforms on the same day.
A previously unreleased version of “Junkie Boy” is available today digitally. Listen HERE.
Anticipation for Chocolate and Cheese was fueled by the success of “Push Th’ Little Daisies” from Ween’s previous album, 1992’s Pure Guava. When it arrived in September 1994, Chocolate and Cheese marked a new chapter for Dean and Gene (Mickey Melchiondo and Aaron Freeman) as they transitioned from four-track home recordings to a professional studio. Despite the equipment upgrade, the band remained gloriously weird on songs like “I Can’t Put My Finger On It,” “Voodoo Lady,” and the tribute to Parliament-Funkadelic guitarist Eddie Hazel, “A Tear For Eddie.”
Melchiondo sifted through hundreds of hours of tapes before he and Freeman chose their favorites to assemble the bonus tracks. Melchiondo jokes, “…keeping with Ween tradition, Aaron and I probably picked all the wrong songs, mixed them, and now here they are.” All of the bonus tracks are previously unreleased, including non-album gems like “Warm Socks,” “Smooth Mover,” and “Dirty Money,” as well as demos for the album tracks “Candi,” “Take Me Away,” “Voodoo Lady,” and “Roses Are Free.”
Renowned audio engineer Bernie Grundman–best known for his esteemed work on classic albums such as Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Steely Dan’s Aja–remastered the album for the Deluxe Edition using the original flat master tapes to optimize audio fidelity. Grundman also mastered the set’s 15 bonus tracks, sourced from cassettes and DAT tapes from the band’s extensive archive.
In the Deluxe Edition’s liner notes, Melchiondo says listening to the collection takes him back to the album’s creation. “When I hear it, I feel like I’m listening to an autobiography of our lives in the early to mid-’90s…If it sounds like we had fun making it, we did. That’s kind of what Ween is all about, though.”
Catch Ween this August at select dates across the Pacific Northwest and on September 27 for their sold-out show at the Mann Music Center in Philadelphia, playing the entire Chocolate and Cheese album for the 30th anniversary. For more information, visit ween.com/tour.
Tour Dates
Aug 2 KettleHouse Amphitheater Bonner, MT
Aug 3 KettleHouse Amphitheater Bonner, MT
Aug 4 Pavilion at Riverfront Spokane, WA
Aug 6 Paramount Theater Seattle, WA
Aug 8 Pioneer Courthouse Square Portland, OR
Aug 9 Pioneer Courthouse Square Portland, OR
Aug 10 The Cuthbert Amphitheater Eugene, OR
Sept 27 Celebrating 30 Years of Chocolate and Cheese Philadelphia, PA (sold-out)
Today, to celebrate the launch of their extensive summer tour, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss release their own rendition of "When The Levee Breaks" (Rounder Records). With the song having been a part of the country, blues and rock n roll canon for nearly a century, the duo's smoldering take quickly became a climactic, ephemeral staple of their setlists over the past several years. Now, as more and more fans are getting to experience the fiddle-led, harmony-laden and dirge-like arrangement of a perennial favorite, Plant and Krauss are pleased to present their live version as a gift for all to hear.
Listen to "When The Levee Breaks" via Rounder, and watch the visual here:
"When The Levee Breaks" is Robert Plant and Alison Krauss' first single since 2021's chart-topping album, Raise The Roof, and it channels a similar and singular combination of musical energies: "warm, mystical and at times slightly foreboding" (Variety). The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and 27x GRAMMY-winner are currently performing highlights from the record – as well as hits from 2007's Raising Sand, and choice reimaginings of Led Zeppelin cuts – on a run of nearly 40 dates across North America. Reunited once more, and much sooner than the twelve years that passed between their previous two tours, the two vocalists are joined by an ace ensemble of guitarist JD McPherson, drummer Jay Bellerose, bassist Dennis Crouch, string player Stuart Duncan (who is showcased on the stunning modal fiddle solo), and multi-instrumentalist Viktor Krauss, all of whom can be heard on "When The Levee Breaks."
After kicking off with a sold-out show at the legendary Cain's Ballroom earlier this week, with a performance hailed as "a chemistry lesson for the ears" (Tulsa World), Robert Plant and Alison Krauss are continuing on to a series of amphitheaters, pavilions, opera houses and other historic venues from coast to coast, from now until September. They will also join Willie Nelson & Family, Bob Dylan and Celisse for a stint of stops on the Outlaw Music Festival, and recently spoke to NPR's Weekend Edition, Rolling Stone, USA Today and Billboard about what crowds can expect on this tour, named one of the summer's most anticipated by Pitchfork, Entertainment Weekly, AARP and more.
Find the Can't Let Go Tour's list of dates below, and tickets at plantkrauss.com
Can't Let Go Tour 2024
6/7 - Prior Lake, MN - Mystic Lake Amphitheater*
6/8 - Madison, WI - Breese Stevens Field*
6/11 - Des Moines, IA - Lauridsen Amphitheater at Waterworks Park*
RCA Records and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release ‘MEMPHIS,’ the definitive and first fully comprehensive collection of Elvis Presley’s hometown recordings, on Friday August 9. Over 111 tracks, ‘MEMPHIS’ captures Presley from his earliest sessions at Sun Studio - which occurred 70 years ago this Summer - to his final recordings in Graceland’s Jungle Room. Along the way, the Bluff City serves as both home and muse to Presley, playing a pivotal role in the dramatic arc of his artistry as he finds creative rebirth at American Sound in 1969, overcomes personal struggles at Stax in 1973, and brings his most extravagant and spellbinding live show to the Mid-South Coliseum in 1974. Produced by noted Elvis authority Ernst Jørgensen, with rare archival material and new liner notes by GRAMMY-winning music historian Robert Gordon, ‘MEMPHIS’ will be released in 5CD, 2LP and digital configurations, giving fresh insight into the bond between Elvis and his eternal home.
With the exception of the Sun recordings, all tracks on ‘MEMPHIS’ were newly mixed by four-time GRAMMY-winner Matt Ross-Spang at Southern Grooves in Memphis, with overdubs stripped away - leaving the listener with only what Elvis heard live in the studio. With this intimacy, new revelations abound - from Elvis’ intuitive chemistry with “The Memphis Boys” at American, to the subtle way he builds his vocal phrasing around his backing singers in the Stax sessions, or the palpable joy he brings to his final sessions in the Jungle Room. Through it all, the listener is standing next to Elvis - hearing exactly what he is hearing.
Listen to Ross-Spang’s mix of “Polk Salad Annie,” live from Memphis’ Mid-South Coliseum, here: https://Elvis.lnk.to/PSAMEMPHIS
From the very first notes of ‘MEMPHIS,’ the city’s immense influence on Elvis is clear. At Sun Studio - located within walking distance from an 18-year-old Elvis’ apartment complex - he channeled a heady mix of Beale Street blues, the sounds of Dewey Phillips’ “Red, Hot & Blue” show on local radio station WHBQ, and the all-night gospel performances he attended at nearby Ellis Auditorium. As has been well documented, that distinctly Memphis blend would result in a singular, defining moment in the development of rock n roll.
When Presley returned to recording in Memphis nearly fifteen years later as a cultural phenomenon and bankable film star, he sensed a different pulse in the city. Teaming up with legendary producer Chips Moman at American Sound Studio, far from the glitz of Hollywood or the gloss of Nashville, Elvis sought out songs that reflected a more gimlet-eyed worldview, and put down some of the greatest performances of his career. Yielding indelible hits like “In The Ghetto” and “Suspicious Minds,” these sessions heralded an earthier sound - and an astonishing comeback for Presley.
The Stax sessions of 1973 came during a tumultuous time in Elvis’ personal life. As he wrestled with the dissolution of his marriage and personal demons, the frenetic energy of his day-to-day life came through in the performances. On songs like “Promised Land” that energy radiates, while other selections like Tony Joe White’s “For Ol’ Times Sake” grapple with loneliness in the face of fresh heartbreak. Presley returned to Stax in December of that year revitalized, clearly connecting to material like “I Got A Feeling In My Body” and “Loving Arms” with a familiarly-electric charisma.
Bringing his game-changing Vegas show back home to Memphis in 1974, Elvis appeared with a full orchestra and more than 20 musicians accompanying him on stage. Here, he performed songs by many early rock & roll legends - including Jerry Lee Lewis, Lloyd Price, Little Richard and Fats Domino - and also delivered a GRAMMY-winning rendition of “How Great Thou Art.” “It’s always been said that a person cannot return to their hometown,” Elvis says towards the end of the show. “But you have disproven that theory completely.”
Recording his final songs using RCA’s mobile rig at Graceland in 1976, Elvis sings with a passion that defies his poor health. These stripped recordings strike an emotional chord as he interacts beautifully with his backing vocalists on “Danny Boy” (his father’s favorite song) or finds a deep pocket on the swinging “For The Heart.” The new unadorned versions of the Jungle Room sessions make evident Elvis' effort to find the sound and energy that thrills him, and imbue familiar material with personal emotion.
When asked what he missed about his hometown on his way back from the army, a 25-year-old Elvis answered: “Everything. I mean that—everything.” As he found strength in the city across so many stages of life, ‘MEMPHIS’ makes clear that sentiment was as enduring and powerful as it was reciprocal with the city itself.
The new ‘MEMPHIS’ collection will be celebrated throughout Elvis Week 2024 this Summer, including two special events at Graceland. On August 13, Graceland Soundstage will host an “Elvis: Back in Memphis” concert - blending live performances with storytelling from the musicians and vocalists who were part of these legendary recording sessions. Confirmed participants include American Sound drummer Gene Chrisman and vocalist Donna (Rhodes) Morris; and Larry Strickland from the Jungle Room Sessions.
The following day (August 14), Sony will host a special ‘MEMPHIS’ listening event and Q&A at Graceland’s Guest House Theater. Details and special guests will be announced for this event, and free tickets can be reserved at: https://smartseat.graceland.com/?itemNumber=39664
Van Halen’s ninth studio album, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, debuted at #1 and stayed there for three weeks during the summer of 1991. It was the third consecutive #1 album from singer Sammy Hagar, guitarist Eddie Van Halen, drummer Alex Van Halen, and bassist Michael Anthony.
An Expanded Edition of the album is arriving this summer from Rhino, including a newly remastered version of the original, along with previously unreleased audio and video footage from Van Halen’s December 4, 1991, concert in Dallas, Texas.
FOR UNLAWFUL CARNAL KNOWLEDGE (EXPANDED EDITION) will be available on July 12 and includes two LPs, two CDs, and a Blu-ray. PRE-ORDER HERE.
Rhino.com will have an exclusive bundle featuring the release and a set of four 7” singles, including “Poundcake” / “Pleasure Dome,” “Top Of The World” / “In ‘N’ Out,” “Right Now” (Organ Version) / “Man On A Mission,” and “Right Now” (Guitar Version) / “The Dream Is Over” (Instrumental Version).
Originally released in June 1991, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge was an immediate success. It reached triple platinum certification and earned Van Halen its first Grammy® Award for Best Hard Rock Performance and American Music Award® for Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Album. Producer and engineer Bernie Grundman expertly remastered and cut lacquers for this edition, ensuring pristine sound quality.
The Expanded Edition includes previously unreleased alternate versions of “Right Now” and “The Dream Is Over.” The main attraction, however, has to be the previously unreleased concert footage from Van Halen’s December 4, 1991, performance in Dallas. Captured during the “For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge Tour,” this electrifying show is a powerful example of Van Halen’s unparalleled stage presence.
The show’s setlist mixes new songs (“Judgement Day” and “Poundcake”) with songs from 5150 and OU812 (“Best Of Both Worlds” and “Finish What Ya Started”). The band also played “Panama,” a hit from its time with singer David Lee Roth, plus two of Hagar’s hits, “I Can’t Drive 55” and “There’s Only One Way To Rock.”
In addition, the Blu-ray includes the official music videos for “Poundcake,” “Runaround,” “Top Of The World,” and the 1992 MTV VMA Video Of The Year winner, “Right Now.” “Finally, the remastered album is included in the set as a double LP, featuring an etching of the Van Halen logo on the fourth side.
The Cactus Blossoms - Minneapolis-based brother duo Jack Torrey and Page Burkum - have announced their new album Every Time I Think About You, to be released August 30 via their own Walkie Talkie Records. The collection of ten new, original songs finds the brothers - along with longtime bandmates Jeremy Hanson (drums), Jacob Hanson (guitar) and Phillip Hicks (bass) - defying easy categorization as they jump from freewheeling rockers to gentle pop ballads, shedding the weight of expectation and creating a collection that feels timeless and devil-may-care in equal measure.
Confirming this duality, The Cactus Blossoms have shared two new songs today - chooglin’ heartbreak anthem “There She Goes,” which premiered on SiriusXM’s Outlaw Country, and the album’s gently devastating title track “Every Time I Think About You.”
Every Time I Think About You was recorded at Minneapolis' legendary Creation Audio - where hometown garage-rock heroes The Trashmen cut "Surfin' Bird," and The Replacements made Tim. There, The Cactus Blossoms once again teamed with engineer/mixer Alex Hall (JD McPherson, Nick Lowe) for their most commanding full-band sessions to date. But behind the T. Rex strut of “Keep Walkin” or the “travelin’ light” protagonist in “Is It Any Wonder,” the songs have an itinerant quality.
“Even if you don’t set out to write songs with a theme in mind, one tends to present itself,” says Torrey. “This record keeps returning to the idea of ‘moving on’ — from one place to another, from people and situations that bring you down, from loss and grief.”
In addition to the album news, The Cactus Blossoms have announced a North American tour for this fall; with highlights including two nights in New York City, a trip to AmericanaFest in Nashville and a hometown release show at St. Paul, MN’s 1000-capacity Fitzgerald Theater. In keeping with their Made-in-Minnesota ethos, the cover art for Every Time I Think About You is centered around a painting by one of the state’s most acclaimed painters, George Morrison, a founding figure of Native American modernism: “Spirit Path. New Day. Red Rock Variation: Lake Superior Landscape,” which hangs in the Minnesota Museum of American Art.
Every Time I Think About You follows the release of the group’s 2022 full-length One Day, praised by Holler as a “contender for Americana album of the year.” Also in 2022, The Cactus Blossoms released If Not For You - a covers collection in tribute to their home-state hero Bob Dylan. Previous releases like 2019’s Easy Way saw their “voices blend beautifully to create a rich, vibrant sound” (NPR), with the Minneapolis Star-Tribune adding: “if you don’t visibly swoon at least two dozen times listening to this album, you need to get out and look up at the stars more.”
Today, Glasshaus Presents is thrilled to celebrate Black Music Month with the release of Live at Glasshaus, a mid-career retrospective of Grammy-winning artist Bilal featuring Questlove, Common, Robert Glasper, and Burniss Travis. The live record presents Bilal within an ensemble of luminaries to reimagine standouts from his classic repertoire, shining a spotlight on his ever-evolving artistry that asserts, in 2024, he is at the height of his powers, eternally honing his craft and finding new edges in his voice.
"Soul Sista" originally debuted on Bilal's 2001 album 1st Born Second, earning critical acclaim and solidifying Bilal's status as a leading voice in the neo-soul movement. The song became a defining hit, reaching #18 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and remaining a fan favorite ever since.
Produced by Jarrett Wetherell, founder of Glasshaus Presents, the live rendition is a work of art; the band allows Bilal’s voice to quiver and yearn, building from hushed quiet to ecstatic crackle: WATCH
Surrounded by an intimate studio audience of 100 fans, the project was recorded, filmed, and livestreamed from Glasshaus in Brooklyn, NY. With stripped-down arrangements and ecstatic performance, Bilal wove fresh interpretations of beloved catalog favorites spanning 23 years of recorded output. Over the weekend, fans around the world were able to witness the epic one-night-only concert where the album was captured via a sold-out broadcast livestream.
The setlist is golden: Nine songs stretched into fresh shapes and split up by interludes from Questlove and Common, the latter of whom he affectionately refers to as “my big brother” onstage. There are the expected hits like “Soul Sista” and “Sometimes”, but what makes this even more special is the inclusion of two tracks from Love For Sale—Bilal’s lost early 2000s masterpiece, which went on to reach near-mythic status online. In revisiting these songs, “Something To Hold” and “All For Love,” Bilal reclaims the joy in artistic horizons once-dashed. The album also features “Funky For You” from Common’s seminal Like Water For Chocolate.
After two decades of Bilal’s high profile contributions with the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Jay Z, Beyonce, and Erykah Badu, Live At Glasshaus is a welcomed shift of spotlight––a historic performance by superstars devoted to Bilal as a G.O.A.T. deserving of our full attention.
Fans can pre-order the 2xLP vinyl edition of Live at Glasshaus, a must-have for collectors and audiophiles. Pre-order from Glasshaus Presents: HERE
Praise for Bilal
“Bilal is one of the most pure, honest performance artists of this generation. Truly fearless and I consider it an honor to be allowed to create art with him. He is a true singer’s singer––I mean ask Beyoncé, Jay Z, J Dilla, Erykah Badu, Robert Glasper, Pharrell Williams, Solange, Terrence Blanchard. All the mavericks utilized his gifts and acknowledge his supreme craft. He has changed my standard for singing!”
Questlove
“His genius lies in being able to deliver in so many different spaces. This dude is somebody that will go down as one of the greatest.”
Common
“It's so great 20-something years later that we're here and supporting Bilal, because he's always in our corner helping us, supporting us. He's your favorite singer's favorite singer.”
On August 16th, 2024, GRAMMY-nominated East Tennessee bluegrass group The Po’ Ramblin Boys will release their next album, Wanderers Like Me on Smithsonian Folkways. A look back at the band’s ten years since they formed as a house band in Tennessee, and the struggles and triumphs that have come since, the album is their first-ever made with an outside producer, Woody Platt, and features more original work than any of their albums to date. Over their decade-long-rise, the band has achieved recognition from the International Bluegrass Music Association (“New Artist of the Year,” 2018) to the Recording Academy, which nominated them for “Best Bluegrass Album” in 2019. But through it all, they’ve stayed a true “working band,” always searching for the next gig, next big break, and next story to capture through song - Wanderers Like Me puts a microscope on what it’s like to go through the highs and lows of life when home is the road. Blending bluegrass with touches of honky-tonk, rebellion, and trad stylings, the group’s second for Smithsonian Folkways is their most polished and fleshed-out yet, and stands as a testament to the unwavering dedication and deep friendships forged through shared loss and shared success.
Listen to the title track “Wanderers Like Me” HERE to get a sense of the album’s refined bluegrass sound.
Originally formed ten years ago as the nightly entertainment house band at the Ole Smoky Distillery bottle shop in Gatlinburg, TN, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys was created when founder/mandolinist C.J. Lewandowski called on friends and fellow local pickers Josh Rinkel (guitar) and Jereme Brown (banjo), and soon Jasper Lorentzen (bass) to get in on the act. In what seemed like no time at all, the group began to tour heavily and earn nationwide recognition, accolades, and spots at mainstream festivals like DelFest in Maryland, where Rolling Stone was struck by the band, “This quartet isn’t playing ‘bluegrass house.’ It’s the real deal, and it’s damn good — the kind of bluegrass that throws a little rocket fuel onto the next generation of this fiery mountain music.”
The ten tracks on Wanderers Like Me reflect the experiences gained over the group’s decade together, and the realities of a hard-touring, hard-working band constantly playing and traveling across the country. Despite their countless achievements and long career, the band’s members continue to balance side jobs to sustain their passion for music and supplement income when not touring, doing everything from making fur hats to driving dump trucks, mowing lawns, and plowing snow in the winter. Songs like “Trying To Live The Dream” and “It’s Not A Perfect World” hone in on the obstacles the band came to terms with when committing to this way of life. “Sometimes it hurts to do what we do for a living,” guitarist and key songwriter Josh Rinkel says. “There’s a lot of sacrifices, but satisfaction comes all the same.”
True to its title, the album deals with what it’s like to face loss and the great unknown as “wanderers” reliant on each other, and the powers of nature and music. During the writing of the album the group mourned the loss of several close friends and their own personal issues. In 2022, Josh faced a life-changing illness that led to a reality check for himself and the rest of the band. In 2023, close friend of the band Bobby Osborne (of The Osborne Brothers) died - his song “The Condition of Samuel Wilder’s Will,” which tells a story about grieving the loss of a friend, is covered on the album. Through it all, the band realized that what they were doing was only truly great because they had been doing it together. The songwriting on Wanderers Like Me reflects an outlook change for the band and what it was they have been striving for all along: musical harmony with people they love.
And beyond making a record that highlights their decade of growth personally and together, the band also aimed to have the new album reflect their musical accomplishments and evolution. To help take their music to the next level, Wanderers Like Me was recorded at Van Atkins' Shop Studio in Candler, NC with producer Woody Platt, after the band had self-produced all their previous releases. “It ended up being one of the best choices we’ve ever made,” the band recalls. “Our main objective of this album was to do something more ‘us’ than ever before and we couldn’t have accomplished that without his insight.”
“We aren’t a Traditional Bluegrass band. We aren’t a Progressive Bluegrass band. We are, simply, us.” C.J. Lewandowski continues. “We love so much something that comes with a lot of sacrifice but we choose to play music because it’s in our blood. Not all folks are cut out for traveling the highways but most people in our position wouldn’t have it any other way.”
This Summer, the band will be crisscrossing the country on a tour that will include appearances at Nashville’s Station Inn and a ton of major festivals, including their first-ever performance at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival on June 21st alongside notable acts like Madison Cunningham and Billy Strings.
About Smithsonian Folkways
Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, the "National Museum of Sound," makes available close to 60,000 tracks in physical and digital format as the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian, with a reach of 80 million people per year. A division of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, the non-profit label is dedicated to supporting cultural diversity and increased understanding among people through the documentation, preservation, production and dissemination of sound. Its mission is the legacy of Moses Asch, who founded Folkways Records in 1948 to document "people's music" from around the world. For more information about Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, visit folkways.si.edu
For more information on Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, Follow Smithsonian Folkways:
The Daydream Library Series record label has announced Thurston Moore’s new full length album Flow Critical Lucidity to be released on September 20 - pre-orders available today. The album’s title comes from a lyric in the new single also released today, “Sans Limites” featuring vocals by Lætitia Sadier of Stereolab. The album sleeve cover art features Jamie Nares’ ‘Samurai Walkman’ — a helmet befitted with tuning forks. Born in Great Britain, Nares is a lifelong friend of Moore from his New York No Wave days, the two often collaborating in art & music.
Fans of Sonic Youth & Thurston Moore will be delighted to learn that all tracks from the album will be released via all streaming platforms with a selection of bonus songs exclusive to the physical release on vinyl, compact disc & cassette.
“‘Sans Limites’ begins with a cyclic guitar & piano figure which expands further and further with each revolution before settling into a two-chord measure introducing lyrics intoning not only about eradicating any limitations towards enlightenment, but going beyond limitations. The idea that a soldier can fight the good fight. A warrior against war,” Moore explains.
He recorded the song with his group - Deb Googe (bass), Jem Doulton (percussion), James Sedwards (guitar & piano) and Jon Leidecker (electronics), with additional backing vocals by guest musician Lætitia Sadier of Stereolab. The single is a luminous and inspiring five minute and seven second song written & arranged in Switzerland and the UK. “Grow up to the stars / Speak to infinity .…” Thurston sings over piano and guitar.
This follows three previously released singles from the upcoming album - the energetic Isadora Duncan-inspired “Isadora” with a music video starring Sky Ferreira, cerebral “Hypnogram” and stirring Earth Day anthem “Rewilding.”
Some of the songs from Moore’s ninth solo recording were written & arranged in Europe and The United Kingdom - including lyrical references to their environments inspired by nature, lucid dreaming, modern dance and Isadora Duncan. The album was arranged at La Becque in Switzerland and recorded at Total Refreshment Studios in London in 2022, and mixed at Hermitage Studios in London with Margo Broom in 2023.
On May 10, Thurston Moore surprised ticket holders of his show at an experimental listening room OTO in North London with a secret guest. Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones joined Moore for two sets of wild improvisation and is inciting concert. Thurston has confirmed live appearances in 2024, including reading engagements of his recently-published memoir Sonic Life and a carefully curated selection of live concerts with his group currently comprised of Alex Ward on guitars & clarinet, Deb Googe on bass, Jon Leidecker (aka ‘Wobbly’) on electronics and Jem Doulton on drums.
Thurston Moore (Group) has confirmed they will appear:
A new song from the forthcoming album Milton & esperanza - a collaborative project from Milton Nascimento and esperanza spalding - has been released today. “Um Vento Passou (para Paul Simon)” features a vocal duet between Paul Simon and Nascimento. Inspired by his long time friendship with Paul Simon, Nascimento wrote the song recently, and the world is able to hear it for the first time. Lyrics are by Nascimento’s long time collaborator, and fellow Clube da Esquina alum, Marcio Borges. Milton & esperanza, produced and arranged by spalding, is slated for August 9th release on Concord Records.
In this video, spalding shares some of the special story behind “Um Vento Passou (para Paul Simon)” - how Nascimento wrote it with Paul Simon in mind, the connections between all three of them, and how Simon learned to sing the lyrics in Portuguese: LINK
The album was announced in May along with the release of “Outubro,” and covered enthusiastically by the NY Times, Pitchfork, The Fader, Stereogum and beyond. NPR Music remarked that the voices of Nascimento and spalding “sound heavenly together.” BET said that the album, based on “Outubro,” is “destined to be a remarkable project,” with WXPN adding: “this might just be the biggest collaborative project of the year.”
Milton & esperanza features 16 tracks that celebrate and reimagine Nascimento’s beloved classics, new pieces written by spalding with Nascimento in mind, and interpretations of The Beatles’ “A Day In The Life” and Michael Jackson’s “Earth Song.” Guests include Dianne Reeves, Lianne La Havas, Maria Gadú, Tim Bernardes, Carolina Shorter, Elena Pinderhughes, Shabaka Hutchings, Guinga and more. The album features spalding’s core band of Matthew Stevens (guitar), Justin Tyson and Eric Doob (drums), Leo Genovese (piano), Corey D. King (vocals, synths), and several Brazilian musicians, including Orquestra Ouro Preto, percussionists Kainã Do Jêje and Ronaldinho Silva and Lula Galvão.
Milton + esperanza sparkles with duets between these two voices, exquisite musicianship and what spalding identifies as a central theme of the album: the importance of younger generations creating with, learning from, and building new worlds with elders. A guiding spirit for the project was Wayne Shorter, whose collaboration with Nascimento, Native Dancer, was released nearly 50 years ago. “This was all about Wayne,” spalding stated in a recent interview with WRTI. “I think at the end of the day, he is that guiding light for both of us to dare and be expansive, and also go for broke.”
The genesis for this album goes back to the very first time spalding heard a Nascimento recording, at a dinner party when a friend put on Native Dancer. “I get chills even thinking about it,” she says.” “Ninety percent of things I write, I’m thinking of him. He’s a very present part of my creative imagination.” They would finally meet (thanks in part to an introduction made by Herbie Hancock) and began to collaborate, record and perform live together. In 2022, Nascimento, now 81, embarked on a farewell tour, and invited spalding to perform on a couple of shows. At dinner on the eve of her participation in Nascimento’s Boston performance, his son asked her to produce Nascimento’s next album. A dream had come true. She worked in Brazil throughout 2023 recording and producing the album.
Milton + esperanza is spalding’s first new album release since 2021's songwrights apothecary lab, which along with 2019’s 12 Little Spells, both won GRAMMY Awards (Best Jazz Vocal Album). Last year spalding released a protest song entitled “Não Ao Marco Temporal” that was recorded in Rio and addresses the Temporal Framework, an initiative in Brazil that threatens Indigenous Brazilians’ land rights and poses a major risk to the Amazon rainforest. A 5-time GRAMMY winner and 11-time nominee, spalding has previously released 8 full length albums and in addition to working with her heroes including Nascimento and Shorter, she has collaborated with Prince, Herbie Hancock, Janelle Monae, Robert Glasper, Terri Lyne Carrington and many others. As a composer her credits include writing the libretto for the opera “...(Iphigenia)” with Wayne Shorter, which premiered in 2021. She is also a philanthropist and advocate, and currently co-directs a non-profit BIPOC artist sanctuary in her hometown of Portland, OR.
spalding is also touring this year, with dates scheduled throughout 2024, as well as a 12-night residency at the Blue Note in New York City in February and March of 2025. Nascimento and spalding don’t currently plan on doing a tour to support the record; these performances feature esperanza with her band. Tickets are on sale now, see below for the full itinerary.
the music was there
Cais
Late September
Outubro
A Day in the Life
Interlude for Saci
Saci (featuring Guinga)
Wings for the Thought Bird (featuring Elena Pinderhughes and Orquestra Ouro Preto)
The Way You Are
Earth Song (featuring Dianne Reeves)
Morro Velho (featuring Orquestra Ouro Preto)
Saudade Dos Aviões Da Panair (Conversando No Bar) (featuring Lianne La Havas, Maria Gadú, Tim Bernardes, Lula Galvão)
Um Vento Passou (para Paul Simon) (featuring Paul Simon)
Get It By Now
outra planeta
When You Dream (featuring Carolina Shorter)
2024 U.S. esperanza spalding Tour Dates
8/1 - Los Angeles, CA - Luckman Theatre
8/2 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
8/3 - Portland, OR - Vanport Jazz Festival
8/4 - Seattle, WA - Benaroya Hall
8/9 - Phoenix, AZ - Celebrity Theater
8/10 - Rio Rancho, NM - Rio Rancho Events Center
9/13 - Cincinnati, OH - Taft Theatre
9/14 - Indianapolis, IN - Murat Theatre
9/15 - St. Louis, MO - Music at the Intersection (Festival)
9/16 - Skokie, IL - North Shore Center for the Performing Arts
9/17 - Milwaukee, WI - Marcus Performing Arts Center
11/13 - New Orleans, LA - Orpheum Theater
11/14 - Austin, TX - Paramount Theatre
11/15 - Stillwater, OK - The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts
Grammy® Award-winning jazz guitarist-vocalist George Benson will release a long-lost orchestral album this summer, his first since returning to Warner Music Group earlier this year. Dreams Do Come True: When George Benson Meets Robert Farnon will be available on July 19 from Rhino on CD and LP, as well as digital and streaming platforms. Pre-order HERE.
In 1989, Benson collaborated with celebrated composer-arranger Robert Farnon and his orchestra to create Dreams Do Come True. Farnon’s lush arrangements perfectly complement Benson’s soulful vocals and fluid guitar work on American Standards like “Autumn Leaves,” “At Last,” and “My Romance.” The spellbinding collection also features reimagined pop classics like the Beatles’ “Yesterday” and Leon Russell’s “A Song For You.” In 1976, Benson’s version of Russell’s “This Masquerade” became his first major hit and won the Grammy® Award for Record of the Year.
Benson recorded Dreams Do Come True during a prolific period and chose to delay the album’s release. In the meantime, the recordings went missing and remained lost until recently, when they were rediscovered in Benson’s archive. Now, after 35 years, the album will finally receive its proper release.
George Benson stated, "After finding this long-lost treasure of music, I employed my genius friend, Randy Waldman, to help me bring it back to life. Mission accomplished."
The original recording sessions for Dreams Do Come True were impeccably captured by Grammy® Award-winning engineer Al Schmidt, who manned the recording console for some of Benson’s most successful albums. All 11 tracks have been newly remastered for the upcoming release. Benson partnered with Grammy®-award-winning pianist, composer, and arranger Randy Waldman as his co-producer, adding in overdubs and expressive choral arrangements throughout the reimagined record.
This album marks the latest chapter in Benson’s illustrious career as a giant in both jazz and contemporary music. During his tenure with Warner Records from 1976 to 1993, Benson released 12 studio albums, including Breezin’. This groundbreaking record not only topped the pop, R&B, and jazz charts but also earned Benson three of his 10 Grammy® Awards. Certified triple platinum, Breezin’ remains one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time. In 2009, the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) recognized Benson as a Jazz Master, the nation’s highest honor for jazz artists.
A consummate performer, Benson remains a must-see live artist. He will be performing at the Hollywood Bowl on August 18.
Dreams Do Come True: When George Benson Meets Robert Farnon
Greenwich Entertainment’s REVIVAL69: The Concert That Rocked The World is available today in theaters across the United States and through all major video-on-demand platforms. The feature-length documentary, directed by Ron Chapman, explores the nearly-unbelievable story of the 1969 Toronto Rock N Roll Revival through the iconic vérité lens of D. A. Pennebaker. Once-in-a-lifetime moments are captured by Pennebaker throughout - like Jim Morrison admiring Chuck Berry’s performance from side-stage, or Alice Cooper backing ‘50s icon Gene Vincent before launching into his own raucous solo show. But perhaps most remarkable is the debut of The Plastic Ono Band, and how two Canadian kids in their early 20s came to organize John Lennon’s first major performance outside The Beatles.
The film will open with four screenings this weekend at New York City’s New Plaza Cinema, three of which will feature a Q&A with director Ron Chapman. He’ll be joined tonight by Robert Christgau, who covered the 1969 Toronto Rock N Roll Revival and features prominently in the documentary. Tomorrow night, he’ll be joined by the film’s executive producer Chris Hegedus - the late D. A. Pennebaker’s filmmaking partner and spouse - as well as by Molly Davis, who shot the festival alongside Pennebaker (moderated by journalist Jeff Slate). A Sunday afternoon showing will see Chapman joined by Chris Dalrymple, who was also on Pennebaker’s film crew in 1969, as well as critic Joe Neumaier. For full details visit: https://ticketing.useast.veezi.com/sessions/?siteToken=sz5016jfhkjfgdfc…
Promoted by John Brower and Kenny Walker, the 1969 Toronto Rock N Roll Revival marked the first time John Lennon had performed without The Beatles since before their rise to stardom - taking the stage that night with Yoko Ono, Eric Clapton, Klaus Voormann and Alan White. The behind-the-scenes road to booking Lennon is outlined in detail in the film - including near-cancellations, threats from biker gangs and rehearsals onboard transatlantic flights. The fact that Lennon quietly left The Beatles a week later (a decision that would not be made public until the following year) only adds to the historical weight of his performance captured in Revival69.
Additionally, featured throughout the documentary are commanding performances from legends in their prime like Little Richard, Bo Diddley and Jerry Lee Lewis - alongside an interview with Robby Kreiger about The Doors headlining set. First-hand perspective is also given by Alice Cooper, John Brower, Klaus Voorman and Alan White, as well as notable attendees including Geddy Lee, Robert Christgau, Claudja Barry and Shep Gordon. Revival69 is directed by Ron Chapman, written by Phyllis Ellis and produced by Chapman and Ellis alongside Trish Dolman, Andrew Williamson and Sally Blake. The film’s executive producers include Chris Hegedus, Frazer Pennebaker, Kirk D'Amico and D. A. Pennebaker.
Ella Jenkins was born on August 6th, 1924 in St. Louis, Missouri, and will have her 100th birthday later this year. To honor her centennial, Smithsonian Folkways is planning reissues, tributes, and archival releases to celebrate her legacy as the “First lady of children’s music.” One of the most iconic folk musicians of the 20th century, in general, Ella pioneered the call-and-response, “first me and now you” style of singing that’s become a staple of children’s music and early childhood education overall. Across her 39-album discography (spanning 1957 to 2017), which included works of African-American heritage songs, Jewish songs, and union songs for children, she also devoted herself to championing multiculturalism and fostering a spirit of understanding and inclusivity through song. She earned a GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004, and through her music and appearances on programs such as Sesame Street, Barney and Friends and Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, has taught, inspired, and touched generations.
The two reissues chosen by Folkways – You’ll Sing a Song and I’ll Sing a Song, first released in 1966, and A Long Time to Freedom, first released in 1969 – together represent the diversity of Ella’s engagement with communities of all types and ages through music. In addition, her entire in-print discography is now available for the first time on Smithsonian Folkways’ Bandcamp page.
Both have been remastered from the original tapes and will be on vinyl for the first time in decades (35 years and 55 years, respectively) this July 26th. Created especially for young listeners, You’ll Sing a Song and I’ll Sing a Song is as much a classic of American folk music as it is a foundational record for those making music for young people. It introduces children to the basic musical building blocks and, through its participatory framework, encourages listeners to follow their imaginations and pursue their individual creativities. The title track was added to the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress in 2007. A Long Time to Freedom is an album made for all ages but geared toward adult listeners, and reflects Ella’s active role in the ongoing struggle for Black liberation in mid-century America through its focus on Black music traditions and songs from Ella’s youth.
After Ella was born in 1924, she was raised in the South Side of Chicago after her parents moved to the city during the Great Migration of the early 1900s. From the 1920s on into the 1940s, her Chicago neighborhood was rich with live music—singing games, rhymes and rhythms, blues, blues-flavored folk songs, and the spirituals and gospel music of the local churches. Ella was surrounded with song from her earliest years, and she grew up under the influence of her “Uncle Flood,” who played blues harmonica and introduced her to the music of T-Bone Walker, Memphis Slim, and Big Bill Broonzy. She also heard live the music of Cab Calloway and Count Basie, who played at The Regal Theater, an important music venue in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood.
Through her youth and beyond, Ella was always singing. She studied sociology, child psychology, and recreation as a student at San Francisco State University, and was drawn to the music of her own and other cultures. As a program director for teens at the YMCA in the early 1950s, she learned songs from Spanish-speaking friends, and came across music in Hebrew, Arabic and French, as well as songs from India and the African continent. She wrote her own songs, too, and played harmonic, guitar, and ukulele. For her musical talents, she was soon invited to host the Chicago public television show for children called “This is Rhythm.”
After she got the TV gig and gained a local following, she began her touring career by performing for school assemblies across the nation. She loved the children and had the magic touch for inspiring their engagement in song and rhythm. Soon, word spread about her straightforward directions for participatory musical experiences - her call-and-response style.
Before she ever met Folkways founder Moses Asch, she developed her children’s musical repertoire and skill at the same time as she expanded her cultural horizons when it came to music of other communities and groups. Together, Ella and Asch released her first album in 1957: Call-and-Response: Rhythmic Group Singing—a collection of eight chants created by Jenkins and inspired by West African traditions featuring conga drums, wood blocks, and other instruments typical of school classrooms. She would go on to record 40 albums for Folkways and then Smithsonian Folkways, ranging from albums of nursery rhymes, bilingual songs, and African American folk songs, to nine recordings that pay tribute to “rhythm”—non-pitched rhythmic chants, rhythmic movement, and the rhythm instruments of classroom use. She even collaborated with some of Folkways’ other major artists, including Pete Seeger.
Many of her songs seeped into standard school songbooks, and thus public consciousness, like “You’ll Sing a Song and I’ll Sing a Song” and “Did You Feed My Cow?” Ella also popularized African American heritage songs like “I’m On My Way to Canaan Land,” “Hambone,” “This Train,” and “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.”
Her commitment to working with and inspiring children has stayed steadfast through her many-decades career and life. Ella’s legacy is her music - besides her GRAMMY and TV appearances, her recordings have received numerous awards from the likes of Parents’ Choice and ASCAP, and fans have included her fellow Chicagoan Michelle Obama. In recent years, a new childrens’ book series called Ella Jenkins Meets has told the stories of Ella traveling to DC to meet the likes of Michelle, Barack Obama, and Kamala Harris, attend Black Lives Matter rallies, and more.
Through the rest of 2024, Smithsonian Folkways will continue to honor Ella’s life and career with musical tributes, the release of archival footage and photos, and more. Watch this space for more to come ahead of and after her 100th birthday on August 6th!
Today, Sierra Ferrell shares a new rendition of "American Dreaming," her resilient rallying cry for self-care, that succeeds in "diagnosing the ills of an entire generation," praises SPIN. "In other words, it sounds like a song for right now." As the opening number to her multi-chart-topping album Trail of Flowers, the track has soared into a show-stopping centerpiece of her live set over these past several months. From performing it on an entirely sold-out run of headline tour dates, to stirring the stadium-sized heartstrings of 50,000 people with Zach Bryan, "American Dreaming" has taken on a larger life and higher meaning as of late, with lyrics that are "vivid, detailed, lived-in and nuanced" (Paste). Captured in the moment from the stage, this alternate arrangement continues to demonstrate why Sierra Ferrell is "one of country and roots music's most fascinating and fastest-rising artists" (Rolling Stone).
Listen to "American Dreaming (Alternative Version)" via Rounder Records:
In addition to selling out dozens of shows, debuting #1 on Billboard's Emerging Artists, Heatseekers and Tastemakers Charts, and extending her unstoppable streak of cross-genre collaborations, recent weeks have also seen Sierra Ferrell celebrate three nominations for the 2024 Americana Honors & Awards. Up for Artist of The Year, Album of The Year with Trail of Flowers, and Song of The Year for "American Dreaming," she heads into the September ceremony as the musician with the most nods to her name, tied only with Tyler Childers.
Furthermore, this Sunday, June 30th brings another milestone, as Sierra Ferrell will sing the national anthem at the Nashville Superspeedway's Ally 400 NASCAR Cup Series race, broadcasting live on NBC at 2:30pm CT. The televised performance follows appearances on CBS Mornings and Jimmy Kimmel Live! earlier this year, and marks a rare moment of uncharted territory for an artist who has honed her spellbinding style and time-bending sound in trailer parks, truck stops, dive bars, street corners and nearly everywhere in between.
"Sierra Ferrell knows how to put on a show," raves Glamour, and for the rest of this summer and fall, she and her band will bring their theatrical, fantastical and fully-Ferrell experience to even more headline tour dates and festivals across the country, as well as performances with Mitski and others listed below. Find tickets at sierraferrellmusic.com/tour.
Sierra Ferrell Tour Dates
6/27-6/29 - Eau Claire, WI - Blue Ox Festival
7/12-7/14 - Whitefish, MT - Under The Big Sky Festival
7/26 - Floyd, VA - Floydfest
7/28 - Newport, RI - Newport Folk Fest
8/10 - Vancouver, BC - Orpheum Theatre!
8/11 - Seattle, WA - Woodland Park Zoo Amphitheatre!
8/12 - Portland, OR - Pioneer Courthouse Square!
8/14 - Boise, ID - Idaho Botanical Garden: Outlaw Field!
8/15 - Sandy, UT - Sandy Amphitheater!
8/16 - Denver, CO - The Mission Ballroom!
8/18 - Santa Fe, NM - The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing Co.!
8/21 - Houston, TX - The Lawn at White Oak Music Hall!
8/22 - Austin, TX - Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheater!
8/23 - Dallas, TX - The Factory in Deep Ellum!
8/24 - Memphis, TN - Overton Park Shell
8/25 - Simpsonville, SC - Marcus King's Family Reunion
9/1 - Columbia, MD - Merriweather Post Pavilion with Mitski
9/6 - Grand Rapids, MI - Frederik Meijer Gardens
9/7 - Evanston, IL - Evanston Folk Fest
9/8 - Royal Oak, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre*
9/10 - Toronto, ON - Massey Hall*
9/12 - Portland, ME - State Theatre*
9/13 - Boston, MA - Roadrunner
9/14 - Asbury Park, NJ - Sea.Hear.Now. Festival
9/15 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Theatre and Ballroom*
9/19-9/22 - Louisville, KY - Bourbon & Beyond
9/22 - St. Augustine, FL - Sing Out Loud Festival
9/27-9/28 - Raleigh, NC - IBMA Bluegrass Live!
9/28 - Charleston, WV - Clay Center
1/8 - Tanunda, SA - Peter Lehmann^
1/11 - Waurn Ponds, AU - Mt Duneed Estate^
1/12 - Bowral, AU - Centennial Vineyards^
1/18 - Pokolbin, AU - Bimbadgen^
1/19 - Mount Cotton, AU - Sirromet Wines^
5/5-5/7 - Miramar Beach, FL - Melissa Etheridge: Moon Crush "The Sea & ME"
RCA Records and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release ‘MEMPHIS,’ the definitive and first fully comprehensive collection of Elvis Presley’s hometown recordings, on Friday August 9. Over 111 tracks, ‘MEMPHIS’ captures Presley from his earliest sessions at Sun Studio - which occurred 70 years ago this Summer - to his final recordings in Graceland’s Jungle Room. Along the way, the Bluff City serves as both home and muse to Presley, playing a pivotal role in the dramatic arc of his artistry as he finds creative rebirth at American Sound in 1969, overcomes personal struggles at Stax in 1973, and brings his most extravagant and spellbinding live show to the Mid-South Coliseum in 1974. Produced by noted Elvis authority Ernst Jørgensen, with rare archival material and new liner notes by GRAMMY-winning music historian Robert Gordon, ‘MEMPHIS’ will be released in 5CD, 2LP and digital configurations, giving fresh insight into the bond between Elvis and his eternal home.
With the exception of the Sun recordings, all tracks on ‘MEMPHIS’ were newly mixed by four-time GRAMMY-winner Matt Ross-Spang at Southern Grooves in Memphis, with overdubs stripped away - leaving the listener with only what Elvis heard live in the studio. With this intimacy, new revelations abound - from Elvis’ intuitive chemistry with “The Memphis Boys” at American, to the subtle way he builds his vocal phrasing around his backing singers in the Stax sessions, or the palpable joy he brings to his final sessions in the Jungle Room. Through it all, the listener is standing next to Elvis - hearing exactly what he is hearing.
Listen to Ross-Spang’s mix of “Polk Salad Annie,” live from Memphis’ Mid-South Coliseum, here: https://Elvis.lnk.to/PSAMEMPHIS
From the very first notes of ‘MEMPHIS,’ the city’s immense influence on Elvis is clear. At Sun Studio - located within walking distance from an 18-year-old Elvis’ apartment complex - he channeled a heady mix of Beale Street blues, the sounds of Dewey Phillips’ “Red, Hot & Blue” show on local radio station WHBQ, and the all-night gospel performances he attended at nearby Ellis Auditorium. As has been well documented, that distinctly Memphis blend would result in a singular, defining moment in the development of rock n roll.
When Presley returned to recording in Memphis nearly fifteen years later as a cultural phenomenon and bankable film star, he sensed a different pulse in the city. Teaming up with legendary producer Chips Moman at American Sound Studio, far from the glitz of Hollywood or the gloss of Nashville, Elvis sought out songs that reflected a more gimlet-eyed worldview, and put down some of the greatest performances of his career. Yielding indelible hits like “In The Ghetto” and “Suspicious Minds,” these sessions heralded an earthier sound - and an astonishing comeback for Presley.
The Stax sessions of 1973 came during a tumultuous time in Elvis’ personal life. As he wrestled with the dissolution of his marriage and personal demons, the frenetic energy of his day-to-day life came through in the performances. On songs like “Promised Land” that energy radiates, while other selections like Tony Joe White’s “For Ol’ Times Sake” grapple with loneliness in the face of fresh heartbreak. Presley returned to Stax in December of that year revitalized, clearly connecting to material like “I Got A Feeling In My Body” and “Loving Arms” with a familiarly-electric charisma.
Bringing his game-changing Vegas show back home to Memphis in 1974, Elvis appeared with a full orchestra and more than 20 musicians accompanying him on stage. Here, he performed songs by many early rock & roll legends - including Jerry Lee Lewis, Lloyd Price, Little Richard and Fats Domino - and also delivered a GRAMMY-winning rendition of “How Great Thou Art.” “It’s always been said that a person cannot return to their hometown,” Elvis says towards the end of the show. “But you have disproven that theory completely.”
Recording his final songs using RCA’s mobile rig at Graceland in 1976, Elvis sings with a passion that defies his poor health. These stripped recordings strike an emotional chord as he interacts beautifully with his backing vocalists on “Danny Boy” (his father’s favorite song) or finds a deep pocket on the swinging “For The Heart.” The new unadorned versions of the Jungle Room sessions make evident Elvis' effort to find the sound and energy that thrills him, and imbue familiar material with personal emotion.
When asked what he missed about his hometown on his way back from the army, a 25-year-old Elvis answered: “Everything. I mean that—everything.” As he found strength in the city across so many stages of life, ‘MEMPHIS’ makes clear that sentiment was as enduring and powerful as it was reciprocal with the city itself.
The new ‘MEMPHIS’ collection will be celebrated throughout Elvis Week 2024 this Summer, including two special events at Graceland. On August 13, Graceland Soundstage will host an “Elvis: Back in Memphis” concert - blending live performances with storytelling from the musicians and vocalists who were part of these legendary recording sessions. Confirmed participants include American Sound drummer Gene Chrisman and vocalist Donna (Rhodes) Morris; and Larry Strickland from the Jungle Room Sessions.
The following day (August 14), Sony will host a special ‘MEMPHIS’ listening event and Q&A at Graceland’s Guest House Theater. Details and special guests will be announced for this event, and free tickets can be reserved at: https://smartseat.graceland.com/?itemNumber=39664
Today the National Audubon Society and The Birdsong Project opened registration for events in the Aspen, Colorado area as part of the summer slate of programmingannounced in April. Aspen Summer of Birds will build on the success of the GRAMMY-winning For the Birds: The Birdsong Project 20LP vinyl box set with community-focused programming that demonstrates how art can help drive conservation action for birds. Free events include bird walks, educational talks, and live musical performances inspired by The Birdsong Project performed by Aspen Music Festival and School (AMFS) students.
Audubon Rockies and Anderson Ranch Arts Center kicked off the summer’s events with a workshop in early June called “Wildlife Wonder,” where participants ages 6-8 learned how to draw, paint, and build their favorite animals in realistic and creative forms using various artistic mediums.
Registration is now open for the following programs:
Join the National Audubon Society and The Birdsong Project for an afternoon of celebrating birds through the arts, in partnership with the incredible Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES). Attend an opening educational talk with Audubon's Chief Scientist Chad Wilsey, who will share examples of how birds connect people across the hemisphere through their amazing migratory journeys and how art can help drive conservation action. Then enjoy what promises to be a dazzling afternoon performance by a string quartet from the Aspen Music Festival and School at ACES at Hallam Lake. Bring a blanket and picnic lunch and enjoy this unique community event in nature.
Sunday July 28, 2024 | Bird Walk: 7-9 a.m. | Music & Mingle: 9-10:30 a.m.
Coffman Ranch, Carbondale, CO
with Roaring Fork Audubon Society, Aspen Valley Land Trust & Aspen Music Festival and School Performers
Join the National Audubon Society and The Birdsong Project for a morning in nature celebrating birds and their beautiful songs. Led in partnership with local chapter Roaring Fork Audubon Society, the walk will take place at Coffman Ranch, one of the last great ranches on the Roaring Fork River that is safeguarded by the Aspen Valley Land Trust. While some bird song has stopped for the season, it's always a fun adventure in the early morning, and you never know what may be found—including activity from newly fledged birds. After the walk, please stay for coffee and mingling alongside live music inspired by birdsong, performed by a string quartet of local alumni from the Aspen Music Festival and School.
The following programs are open to the public:
Aspen Saturday Market Pop-up: Audubon Membership Drive & Live Music at the Aspen Music Festival and School Tent
Saturday July 27, 2024 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Aspen Saturday Market
The Birdsong Project and Audubon will have copies of the GRAMMY-winning For the Birds: The Birdsong Project 20LP vinyl box set on display and available for purchase, as well as information on how to support birds by becoming a National Audubon Society member.
Pop-up at Paradise Bakery Pavilion with Live Music by Aspen Music Festival and School Performers
Saturday July 27, 2024 | 7 - 9 p.m.
Paradise Bakery Pavilion, Aspen
The Birdsong Project and Audubon will take over the plaza outside the beloved Paradise Bakery and delight the public with a musical evening arranged and performed by Aspen Music Festival and School students.
Local musician Natalie Spears will take the stage accompanied by Aspen Music Festival and School alum string quartet as part of the 53rd Carbondale Mountain Fair.
More Aspen-area birding opportunities this summer can be foundhere.
The Birdsong Project and Audubon were originally introduced to local Aspen partners, starting with ACES, by resident artist, environmentalist, and philanthropist Isa Catto. Inspired by The Birdsong Project, Catto created her own original artwork featuring environmentally threatened birds printed on notebooks, tote bags, and silk scarves, all available for purchase via the Isa Catto Studio website in support of Audubon’s conservation mission.
Co-created by Grammy Award-winning Music Supervisor Randall Poster (Martin Scorsese, Wes Anderson, Todd Haynes) and Executive Producer Rebecca Reagan, For the Birds: The Birdsong Project was released as an art-filled, 20-LP box set in 2022 featuring Yoko Ono, Elvis Costello, Laurie Anderson, Yo-Yo Ma, Beck, Karen O, Tilda Swinton, Robert Pattinson, Jeff Goldblum, Greta Gerwig and many more to benefit the National Audubon Society. For the Birds: The Birdsong Project has been dedicated to protecting birdlife representing cultures from 31 countries, from small towns in Northwest Africa to the rural countryside of Ireland and bustling cities like Paris, Tokyo, and New York.
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About For the Birds: The Birdsong Project: The Birdsong Project was produced by Randall Poster, the Grammy Award-winning producer and music supervisor known for his longtime work with Wes Anderson and Martin Scorsese. It was conceived and inspired by Executive Producer Rebecca Reagan, who brought a grand creative vision and wisdom to the project. Additional executive producers are Elliot Bergman, Stewart Lerman, and Lee Ranaldo. The project features a who's-who of decorated actors, Pulitzer prize winners, top musicians, and beyond, including Olivia Wilde, Sean Penn, Robert Pattinson, Greta Gerwig, Mark Ronson, Nick Cave, Elvis Costello, Ad-Rock, Bette Midler, Danielle Haim, Florence Welch and hundreds more. The Producers and Artists of this collection are proud donors to the National Audubon Society and its mission to protect birds and the places they need today, tomorrow, and for all of our futures. Earlier this year, For the Birds: The Birdsong Project earned a Grammy Win for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package. The 5 Volume, 20-LP Deluxe Box set packaging was designed by Jeri Heiden and John Heiden with contributions from dozens of artists.
About the National Audubon Society: The National Audubon Society is a nonprofit conservation organization that protects birds and the places they need today and tomorrow. Birds act as early warning systems about the health of our environment, and they are telling us that our planet is in trouble. As a long-time leader in the conservation movement, Audubon is rising to meet the urgency of this moment. Like the birds we love, our work spans the Americas – from Boreal Canada to coastal Chile. In communities across the hemisphere, we are tackling change, protecting and restoring important places for birds and people, and fostering a community where the joy of birds sparks action for our planet.
Today, visionary singer-songwriter Valerie June has shared a shimmering pop-soul gem, “Friendship” (Feat. Carla Thomas and Stax Music Academy). The song, which originally appeared on Pop Staples’ posthumas LP, 2015’ Don’t Lose This (produced by Jeff Tweedy and Mavis Staples), celebrates unconditional love, the eternal promise of true friendship. For this new version, in celebration of her hero Mavis Staples’ upcoming 85th birthday, June enlisted another close friend and mentor, Stax soul legend Carla Thomas as well as the talented students at Stax Music Academy. Listen to “Friendship” (Feat. Carla Thomas and Stax Music Academy) HERE, watch HERE.
Valerie June on “Friendship” (Feat. Carla Thomas and Stax Music Academy):
“Without Mavis and Carla, the students would not have the Stax Music Academy or the rich legacy they’ve paved for the community to thrive through educating the next generation of musicians. To have a dear friend like Carla sing it in celebration of another queen—Mavis—is a full circle gift.”
Produced by June and recorded at Stax Music Academy in Memphis, TN, “Friendship” (Feat. Carla Thomas and Stax Music Academy) closely follows the release of “High Note” (Feat. Stax Music Academy), a song that she wrote specifically for Mavis, shared just last week. It also marks the second time June and Thomas have worked together. The pioneering soul star appeared on the Grammy-nominated "Call Me A Fool," a track from June’s celebrated 2022 LP, The Moon And Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers.
Founded in 2000, Stax Music Academy was established to further the legacy of Stax by nurturing the next generation of great Soul Communicators from the greater Soulsville region. An after-school and summer music institute located adjacent to the Stax’s original home in Memphis, TN, (now the Stax Museum of American Soul Music), Stax Music Academy prepares students to excel and impact the world through the universal language of music.
June’s busy 2024 continued throughout the summer with a number of high profile appearances, including a series of sold-out shows supporting Tyler Childers which began June 2 at the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheatre in Virginia Beach, VA, and also hit the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre in Tampa FL, and the Ameris Bank Amphitheatre in Alpharetta, GA. In addition, June supported Trevor Hall at Colorado’s famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre earlier this month. For more ticket info, visit: https://www.valeriejune.com/tour. Find the full tour itinerary below.
June’s most recent full-length album, the sweeping and ambitious The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers, resonates with earthy R&B production and a touch of psychedelia amidst its astral folk-pop orchestration. Produced by June and Jack Splash, the album garnered near universal acclaim. Uncut called it, “a psychedelic tour de force” that is “powerfully, elegantly subversive,” and Rolling Stone proclaimed the LP, “career making.” At the center is June’s spellbinding vocals and infectious sense of wonder that finds the Brooklyn-via-Memphis artist narrating the often-precarious journey to joyful possibility.
The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers follows June’s 2013 breakthrough, Pushin’ Against A Stone, the widely adored The Order of Time—a 2017 record that earned the admiration of Bob Dylan and landed on numerous year-end ‘best of’ lists, and Under Cover, her 2022 covers EP which features brilliant interpretations of songs by Frank Ocean, John Lennon, Nick Cave, Gillian Welch, Bob Dylan, Joe South, Nick Drake and Mazzy Star. June’s version of Mazzy Star’s "Fade Into You," has amassed over 3 million views on YouTube. Additionally, in late 2023, she shared a transcendent cover of Duran Duran’s early 90’s classic "Ordinary World," a track that began as the musical bed for Tractor Beverage Company’s ad campaign, titled “Escape The Ordinary.” (The widely seen TV commercial has now been viewed more than a million times on YouTube and 73 million+ times across all platforms, watch it HERE.)
VALERIE JUNE ON TOUR:
AUG 10 - Saugerties, NY - Opus 40
AUG 15 – East Hampton, NY – Guild Hall
AUG 20 – Sacramento, CA – Sofia Theater
AUG 21 – San Francisco, CA – The Chapel
AUG 22 – San Francisco, CA – The Chapel
AUG 23 – Big Sur, CA – Henry Miller Memorial Library
AUG 25 – Chicago, IL – Old Town School of Folk Music-Fretboard Journal Summit
SEP 07 – Naples, NY – Hollerhorn Distilling
NOV 08 – Nashville, TN – 3rd & Lindsley
NOV 09 – Germantown, TN – Germantown Performing Arts Center
Today, the GRAMMY-winning and multi-platinum trio Los Lonely Boys unveiled their latest single, "See Your Face," marking the second release from their upcoming album, Resurrection, out August 2nd via BMG. "See Your Face" captures the band's signature sound while showcasing their growth following an extended hiatus from the studio with its palm-muted guitar rhythm accented by congas and maracas. Jojo Garza spoke to the song’s meaning saying, “It’s about missing someone who was in your life who has transitioned from this earth or just onto a different path, you want to see this person’s face again.” The track, alongside Resurrection, reaffirms their resurgence and solidifies their status as one of the most influential Texican Rock 'n' Roll bands of all time. Continuing from their lead single "Wish You Would," which blends breezy guitar riffs with profound insight, "See Your Face" underscores Los Lonely Boys' triumphant return. Revitalized and spiritually aligned, the album reignites the musical passion that unites the band of brothers, paying homage to Texas icons and their own legendary sound.
Resurrection was recorded at guitarist/vocalist Henry Garza’s home studio in St. Angelo, TX, and El Paso’s Sonic Ranch (Fiona Apple, Bon Iver, Snarky Puppy etc). The album was mixed live in Chicago by Chris Gelin at Opus Audio Labs.
This year Los Lonely Boys will also celebrate the 20th Anniversary of their self-titled debut, which reached double-platinum status and yielded the gold-certified, generational smash "Heaven," earning them a GRAMMY Award for Best Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and performance on the awards telecast. The brothers’ follow-up Sacred bowed at #2 on the Billboard 200, paving the way for fan favorites Forgiven, Rockpango, and Revelation. Along the way, Los Lonely Boys have collaborated with legends such as Santana, Willie Nelson, and Dr. John, and performed everywhere from The World Series to a recent tour with The Who.
Even as they’ve been away from the studio, Los Lonely Boys have continued to tour tirelessly for decades, and this year they’ve hit the road again for an extensive, months-long run across the US. They will also perform on select shows alongside long time friends Los Lobos. See dates below, and find tickets here.
RESURRECTION TRACKLISTING
1. Wish You Would
2. I Let You Think That You Do
3. Dance With Me
4. Send More Love
5. Natural Thing
6. Can't Get No Love
7. See Your Face
8. Painted Memories
9. Hooked On You
10. Bloodwater
LOS LONELY BOYS TOUR
May 25 Parker AZ Bluewater Resort and Casino
May 31 Lewiston NY (Buffalo) Artpark
June 1 Pittsburgh PA Three Rivers Festival
June 7 Waco TX Brazos Nights @ Indian Spring Park
June 20 Oshkosh WI Waterfront Series
June 21 New Buffalo MI Four Winds Casino
June 22 St Charles IL Arcada Theatre
June 23 Cleveland OH Cain Park
June 26 Hadden Heights NJ Sundown Music Series
June 27 Rochester NY Midtown Stage
June 28 Jim Thorpe PA Penn’s Peak
June 29 Lynn MA Lynn Auditorium
July 7 San Rafael CA Marin County Fair
Aug 2 Paso Robles CA Vina Robles w/Los Lobos
Aug 3 Indio CA Fantasy Springs CA w/Los Lobos
Aug 4 San Diego CA Rady Shell w/Los Lobos
Aug 8 Ojai CA Libby Bowl
Aug 9 Sacramento CA The Backyard at Rock and Brews w/Los Lobos
Aug 10 Coarsegold CA Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino w/Los Lobos
Aug 11 Saratoga CA Mt. Winery w/Los Lobos
Aug 16 Fort Hall ID Shoshone Bannock Casino w/Los Lobos
Aug 18 Ridgefield WA Ilani Casino w/Los Lobos
Aug 23 Fort Worth TX Billy Bobs
Aug 24 Hobbs NM Festival
Sept 7 Greensboro NC North Carolina Folk Festival
Oct. 7 Franklin TN Franklin Theater
Oct. 19 San Carlos AZ Apache Gold Casino
Nov 1 Las Vegas NV Silverton Casino
Nov 2 Ontario CA Toyota Arena w/Los Lobos, Ozomatli, and War
Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release The 1974 Live Recordings on Friday, September 20, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Bob Dylan’s return to touring that year. Featuring all professionally recorded shows from the artist’s 1974 performances backed by The Band, the collection will be available as a deluxe box set across 27 CDs. The 1974 Live Recordings offers fans 417 previously-unreleased Bob Dylan live tracks – including 133 recordings newly mixed from 16-track tape, and every single surviving soundboard recording – along with new liner notes by journalist and critic Elizabeth Nelson.
In conjunction with The 1974 Live Recordings, Third Man Records has announced the September release of The 1974 Live Recordings - The Missing Songs From Before the Flood, a 3-LP / 1 x 7-inch set culled from the same recordings, featuring hand selected versions of every song Bob Dylan recorded that was not included on the original 1974 live album. Pressed exclusively on colored vinyl, the set will be available through The Vault, Third Man's direct-to-customer mail order service.
Preview The 1974 Live Recordings with a previously unreleased performance of “Forever Young,” live in Seattle, Feb 9, 1974 (afternoon show) available here: https://bobdylan.lnk.to/ForeverYoung_1974
Bob Dylan’s 1974 Tour marked his first time touring live in eight years and reunited him with The Band - who had become widely renowned in their own right since backing the artist nearly a decade earlier. Booked into arenas for the first time ever, Bob Dylan and The Band performed 30 dates in 42 days (often playing two sets per day) before an average audience of 18,500 - helping set a new standard for what rock concerts could look and sound like. And in front of those crowds, they brought an energy that Rolling Stone’s Ben Fong-Torres described as “searing and soaring, unified and precise…excellent in itself.” Music critic Robert Christgau compared the sound to Bob Dylan “running over his old songs like a truck.”
Tour ‘74 kicked off January 3, 1974, at Chicago Stadium - the largest indoor arena in the world at the time it was built - with a tense and combative rip through ultimate deep-cut “Hero Blues,” an acoustic-gone-electric outtake from The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan sessions, that he had scarcely performed before - or since. Additional rarities - like a wildly-reinvented “Ballad Of Hollis Brown,” “Song to Woody” (not performed since 1962) and Planet Waves outtake “Nobody ‘Cept You” - would be well received in the tour’s first nights. “We were booed off of every stage in Europe,” The Band’s Robbie Robertson recalled to Newsweek of their previous run together. “What happened tonight in Chicago is so reassuring for us.”
The reception wasn’t the only thing that had changed since Bob Dylan and The Band last toured together in 1966. Since then, The Band had released six LPs, played Woodstock and other famous stages, and recorded a series of historic sessions with Bob Dylan - from The Basement Tapes to Planet Waves. For his part, Bob Dylan had effectively retired from the road altogether following a 1966 motorcycle accident, yet was still “widely regarded as the most influential and significant star in the last 10 years of American popular music,” according to The New York Times.
Though they might not have known it at the time, Bob Dylan and The Band were at the vanguard of a new era. Tour ‘74 would help create the template for the major rock tour, and codify many of its shared experiences - from the sight of audiences holding up lighters en masse (as captured in the iconic cover image for Before The Flood), to the bright flash of the house lights during a show’s signal moment, in this case their performance of “Like A Rolling Stone.” Likewise many songs performed live for the first time on Tour ‘74 - “All Along The Watchtower,” “Forever Young” and the show’s eventual opener-and-closer “Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)” - would take on a life of their own.
At the outset, the 1974 Tour was captured on a stereo soundboard mix, on both 1⁄4” tape and cassette. By tour’s end, Asylum Records’ David Geffen had commissioned recordings on multitrack tape, the standard at the time, for eventual release on Before the Flood. The 1974 Live Recordings includes it all - the cassettes and 1⁄4” tapes, and the shows that were recorded on 16-track tape, newly-mixed for this collection.
Tracklist:
DISC 1
January 3, 1974 – Chicago Stadium, Chicago, IL
1. Hero Blues
2. Lay, Lady, Lay
3. Tough Mama
4. It Ain’t Me, Babe
5. Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
6. All Along the Watchtower
7. Song to Woody
8. The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
9. Nobody ‘Cept You
10. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
11. Forever Young
12. Something There Is About You
13. Like a Rolling Stone
14. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
DISC 2
January 4, 1974 – Chicago Stadium, Chicago, IL
1. Hero Blues
2. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
3. It Ain’t Me, Babe
4. Tough Mama
5. Ballad of a Thin Man
6. Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
7. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
8. The Times They Are A-Changin’
9. Love Minus Zero/No Limit
10. The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
11. Nobody ‘Cept You
12. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
13. Maggie’s Farm
DISC 3
January 6, 1974 (Afternoon) – The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
1. Ballad of Hollis Brown
2. Lay, Lady, Lay
3. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
4. It Ain’t Me, Babe
5. Tough Mama
6. Ballad of a Thin Man
7. All Along the Watchtower
8. Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
9. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
10. To Ramona
11. Mama, You Been on My Mind
12. The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
13. Nobody ‘Cept You
14. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
15. I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)
16. Forever Young
17. Something There Is About You
18. Like a Rolling Stone
DISC 4
January 6, 1974 (Evening) – The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
1. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
2. Lay, Lady, Lay
3. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
4. It Ain’t Me, Babe
5. I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)
6. Ballad of a Thin Man
7. All Along the Watchtower
8. Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
9. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
10. The Times They Are A-Changin’
11. It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue
12. Song to Woody
13. Mr. Tambourine Man
14. Nobody ‘Cept You
15. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
16. Forever Young
17. Something There Is About You
18. Like a Rolling Stone
19. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
DISC 5
January 7, 1974 – The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
1. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
2. Lay, Lady, Lay
3. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
4. It Ain’t Me, Babe
5. I Don’t Believe You
(She Acts Like We Never Have Met)
6. Ballad of a Thin Man
7. All Along the Watchtower
8. Ballad of Hollis Brown
9. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
10. Just Like a Woman
11. Girl from the North Country
12. Wedding Song
13. Nobody ‘Cept You
14. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
15. Forever Young
16. Something There Is About You
17. Like a Rolling Stone
18. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
DISC 6
January 9, 1974 – Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Canada
1. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
2. Lay, Lady, Lay
3. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
4. It Ain’t Me, Babe
5. It Take a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry
6. Ballad of a Thin Man
7. All Along the Watchtower
8. Ballad of Hollis Brown
9. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
10. Just Like a Woman
11. Girl from the North Country
12. Wedding Song
13. Nobody ‘Cept You
14. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
15. Forever Young
16. Something There Is About You
17. Like a Rolling Stone
18. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
DISC 7
January 11, 1974 – Montreal Forum, Montreal, Canada
1. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
2. Lay, Lady, Lay
3. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
4. I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)
5. It Ain’t Me, Babe
6. Ballad of a Thin Man
7. All Along the Watchtower
8. Ballad of Hollis Brown
9. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
10. The Times They Are A-Changin’
11. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
12. Gates of Eden
13. Nobody ‘Cept You
14. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
15. Forever Young
16. Something There Is About You
17. Like a Rolling Stone
18. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
DISC 8
January 14, 1974 (Afternoon) – Boston Gardens, Boston, MA
1. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
2. Lay, Lady, Lay
3. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
4. It Ain’t Me, Babe
5. I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)
6. Ballad of a Thin Man
7. All Along the Watchtower
8. Ballad of Hollis Brown
9. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
10. The Times They Are A-Changin’
11. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
12. Gates of Eden
13. Just Like a Woman
14. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
15. Forever Young
16. Something There Is About You
17. Like a Rolling Stone
18. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
DISC 9
January 15, 1974 – Capital Centre, Largo, MD
1. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
2. Lay, Lady, Lay
3. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
4. I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)
5. It Ain’t Me, Babe
6. Ballad of a Thin Man
7. All Along the Watchtower
8. Ballad of Hollis Brown
9. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
10. The Times They Are A-Changin’
11. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
12. Wedding Song
13. Just Like a Woman
14. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
15. Forever Young
16. Something There Is About You
17. Like a Rolling Stone
18. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
DISC 10
January 16, 1974 – Capital Centre, Largo, MD
1. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
2. Lay, Lady, Lay
3. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
4. One Too Many Mornings
5. It Ain’t Me, Babe
6. Ballad of a Thin Man
7. All Along the Watchtower
8. Ballad of Hollis Brown
9. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
10. The Times They Are A-Changin’
11. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
12. Gates of Eden
13. Nobody ‘Cept You
14. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
15. Forever Young
16. Something There Is About You
17. Like a Rolling Stone
18. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
DISC 11
January 17, 1974 – Coliseum, Charlotte, NC
1. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
2. Lay, Lady, Lay
3. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
4. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
5. It Ain’t Me, Babe
6. Ballad of a Thin Man
7. All Along the Watchtower
8. Ballad of Hollis Brown
9. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
10. The Times They Are A-Changin’
11. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
12. Gates of Eden
13. Just Like a Woman
14. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
15. Forever Young
16. Something There Is About You
17. Like a Rolling Stone
18. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
DISC 12
January 19, 1974 (Afternoon) – Hollywood Sportatorium, Hollywood, FL
1. All Along the Watchtower
2. Ballad of Hollis Brown
3. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
4. The Times They Are A-Changin’
5. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
6. Gates of Eden
7. Just Like a Woman
8. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
9. Forever Young
10. Something There Is About You
11. Like a Rolling Stone
12. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
DISC 13
January 21, 1974 – The Omni, Atlanta, GA
1. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
2. Lay, Lady, Lay
3. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
4. Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
5. It Ain’t Me, Babe
6. Ballad of a Thin Man
7. All Along the Watchtower
8. Ballad of Hollis Brown
9. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
10. The Times They Are A-Changin’
11. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
12. Gates of Eden
13. Just Like a Woman
14. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
15. Forever Young
16. Something There Is About You
17. Like a Rolling Stone
18. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
DISC 14
January 22, 1974 – The Omni, Atlanta, GA
1. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
2. Lay, Lady, Lay
3. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
4. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
5. It Ain’t Me, Babe
6. Ballad of a Thin Man
7. Ballad of Hollis Brown
8. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
9. The Times They Are A-Changin’
10. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
11. Gates of Eden
12. It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue
13. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
14. Forever Young
15. Something There Is About You
16. Like a Rolling Stone
17. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
DISC 15
January 26, 1974 (Afternoon) – Hofheinz Pavilion, Houston, TX
1. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
2. Lay, Lady, Lay
3. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
4. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
5. It Ain’t Me, Babe
6. Ballad of a Thin Man
7. All Along the Watchtower
8. Ballad of Hollis Brown
9. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
10. The Times They Are A-Changin’
11. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
12. Gates of Eden
13. Just Like a Woman
14. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
15. Forever Young
16. Something There Is About You
17. Like a Rolling Stone
18. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
DISC 16
January 26, 1974 (Evening) – Hofheinz Pavilion, Houston, TX
1. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
2. Lay, Lady, Lay
3. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
4. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
5. It Ain’t Me, Babe
6. Ballad of a Thin Man
7. All Along the Watchtower
8. Ballad of Hollis Brown
9. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
10. The Times They Are A-Changin’
11. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
12. Gates of Eden
13. Just Like a Woman
14. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
15. Forever Young
16. Something There Is About You
17. Like a Rolling Stone
18. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
DISC 17
January 30, 1974 – Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
1. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
2. Lay, Lady, Lay
3. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
4. All Along the Watchtower
5. Ballad of Hollis Brown
6. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door – released on Before the Flood
7. The Times They Are A-Changin’
8. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
9. Gates of Eden
10. Just Like a Woman
11. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) – Incomplete
12. Forever Young
13. Something There Is About You
14. Like a Rolling Stone
15. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
16. Blowin’ in the Wind
DISC 18
January 31, 1974 (Afternoon) – Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
1. All Along the Watchtower
2. Ballad of Hollis Brown
3. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
4. The Times They Are A-Changin’
5. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
6. Gates of Eden – Incomplete
7. Forever Young
8. Highway 61 Revisited – released on A Musical History (The Band)
9. Like a Rolling Stone – Incomplete
DISC 19
January 31, 1974 (Evening) – Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
1. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
2. Lay, Lady, Lay
3. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
4. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
5. It Ain’t Me, Babe
6. Ballad of a Thin Man
7. All Along the Watchtower – Incomplete
8. Ballad of Hollis Brown
9. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
10. The Times They Are A-Changin’
11. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
12. Gates of Eden
13. Just Like a Woman
14. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
15. Forever Young
16. Highway 61 Revisited
17. Like a Rolling Stone
18. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
19. Blowin’ in the Wind
DISC 20
February 9, 1974 (Afternoon) – Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle, WA
1. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
2. Lay, Lady, Lay
3. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
4. All Along the Watchtower
5. Ballad of Hollis Brown
6. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
7. She Belongs to Me
8. The Times They Are A-Changin’
9. The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
10. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
11. Wedding Song
12. Forever Young
13. Highway 61 Revisited
DISC 21
February 9, 1974 (Evening) – Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle, WA
1. The Times They Are A-Changin’
2. Just Like a Woman
3. Wedding Song
4. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
5. It’s All Right, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
6. Forever Young
7. Highway 61 Revisited
8. Like a Rolling Stone
9. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
10. Blowin’ in the Wind
DISC 22
February 11, 1974 (Afternoon) – Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, CA
1. All Along the Watchtower
2. Ballad of Hollis Brown
3. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
4. She Belongs to Me
5. The Times They Are A-Changin’
6. The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
7. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
8. Wedding Song
9. Forever Young
10. Highway 61 Revisited
11. Like a Rolling Stone – Incomplete
12. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
13. Blowin’ in the Wind
DISC 23
February 11, 1974 (Evening) – Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, CA
1. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
2. Lay, Lady, Lay
3. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
4. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
5. It Ain’t Me, Babe
6. Ballad of a Thin Man
7. All Along the Watchtower
8. Ballad of Hollis Brown
9. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
10. The Times They Are A-Changin’
11. Just Like a Woman
12. Gates of Eden
13. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right – Incomplete
Today, The Louis Armstrong House Museum and Center announces the 2024 cohorts of their prestigious Armstrong Now Artist-in-Residence program. Following last year's residencies and inspired works from esperanza spalding, Amyra León and Antonio Brown, this season, three new exceptional artists have been selected to work with the institution. In an in-depth approach, they will delve into the treasures of the Armstrong archival collection to find inspiration for new works that fuse music, dance, spoken word, and various visual and performing arts.
Regina Bain, Executive Director of the museum states “This tremendous new class of Armstrong Now Artists joins a deepening community of creative individuals who believe in legacy and have the power to innovate, creating thrilling experiences for audiences worldwide. At the Louis Armstrong House Museum, we are focused and persistent in our learning and sharing of the Armstrong legacy. Through that focused study, we tell a universal story and provide a unique artistic experience for the people in our neighborhood, for audiences the world over, and for future generations whose lives will be shaped through this work. Our goal, always, is to learn from our ancestors and to continue their work - now, our work - providing new creative interpretations by artists and thinkers of today.”
Among this year’s artists include tap dancer, choreographer and original Broadway cast member of Shuffle Along, Lisa La Touche, jazz saxophonist and composer Immanuel Wilkins (The New York Times #1 Jazz Album of 2020), saxophonist, composer and educator Steven Salcedo and dynamic musicians and multimedia artists Soul Science Lab. In the true spirit of tap, Lisa La Touche calls this opportunity the “call and response of a lifetime! One of spirit filled proportion, held with the anticipation of great honor and gratitude.”
The Armstrong Now Artist-in-Residence program contextualizes Louis Armstrong’s contributions within historical and 21st Century constellations of Black making, thinking, and vitality. The residency provides established and emerging artists with a platform to create new work inspired by the vast collection of artifacts and documents in the Armstrong Archives. Artists-in-Residence will spend time at the Museum for an intensive period of research and rehearsal, creating their new work based on thematic content drawn from the Armstrong Archives. At the end of their residency, artists will present a public performance of the work at the Museum and additional performances may premiere in collaboration with partners throughout New York and beyond.
“Throughout his entire life, Louis brought his music to all corners of the world spreading love and creating a global community in Jazz.” says Steven Salcedo. “Like Louis, I strive to bring people from different walks of life together through the universal language of music. Digging deep into his archives, I'm looking forward to seeing where our paths intersect on a deeper level, and hope to continue in his footsteps providing an artistic statement that will help carry on his legacy.”
Immanuel Wilkins shared “Archives are important. It's a rare opportunity to comb through a jazz musician's traces that was so aware of what he was leaving behind for many generations after him. Louis Armstrong is a figure who opened so many doors for American music and through his trumpet playing, his visual art, his voice recordings, and many more, he has created a map or sorts that I am so excited to respond to in my own creative way."
The Louis Armstrong House Museum has also recently won the IMLS National Medal for Museums, the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries that demonstrate significant impact in their communities. Among the 10 Museum and Library Awards recipients, the Louis Armstrong House Museum is the only honor recipient in New York state. The award will be accepted by the museum’s Executive Director Regina Bain at a ceremony in Washington, DC in July.
Last July, The Louis Armstrong House Museum opened the doors to their new state-of-the-art Center, preserving and expanding the legacy and ideals of America’s first Black popular music icon. Armstrong’s values of Artistic Excellence, Education and Community are fostered in Here to Stay, the Center’s exhibition, curated by award-winning pianist, composer and Kennedy Center Artistic Director for Jazz, Jason Moran. Grounded in the new building design by Caples Jefferson Architects, the Center has become a permanent home for the 60,000-piece Louis Armstrong Archive (the world's largest for a jazz musician) and houses a 75-seat venue offering performances, lectures, films, and educational experiences.
The Center has quickly become a new international destination celebrating Armstrong’s distinctive role in African-Diaspora history and vitality, offering year-round exhibitions, performances, readings, lectures, and screenings through an array of public programs for all ages. With longstanding partners Queens College and the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation (President, Wynton Marsalis), and with a growing list of members, supporters and programmatic collaborators, the museum and center has become a Queens-based hub for inspiration and learning, economic development and tourism - from New Yorkers to the world.
In celebration of the 30th anniversary of Phil Collins' fifth solo studio album, Both Sides, it is to be reissued as a special edition 5-LP box set, releasing on September 20. Pre-order HERE.
This deluxe edition contains the remastered full original album, cut at half-speed by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios, and is a compendium of early demo tracks from the recording of the album as well as rarities from the singles originally released on the album - "Both Sides of the Story," "Everyday" and "We Wait and We Wonder." Both Sides (All The Sides) brings this full collection together with live tracks from the era, such as "Can't Turn Back the Years," "Both Sides of the Story" taken from Collins' MTV Unplugged performance, "Doesn't Anybody Stay Together Anymore" and more, as one release for the first time on vinyl. The set is housed in a slipcase with picture sleeves and a 16-page booklet containing newly written and extensive liner notes by esteemed journalist Michael Hann.
Proclaimed by Collins as his most personal album to that point in his career, Both Sides, originally released in 1993, is Phil Collins' fifth album and was written, performed and produced all by Collins himself at his home studio in just six weeks. In a 2016 interview with The Guardian newspaper, Collins named it as his "favorite album from a songwriting and creative perspective," going on to reveal how "… the songs just streamed out of me, and as a writer, that's the kind of thing that you dream of."
Upon its original release, the album reached No. 1 in the UK and throughout Europe and No. 13 in the US and has gone on to be a global multi-platinum seller.
As written by Michael Hann in his notes, "Time has magnified its virtues, and perspective has amplified its truths. Both Sides may not have been the monster hit its predecessors were, but it might be the most important record in the Phil Collins discography."
Also announced today is Live From the Board: Official Bootleg, a limited-edition 10-inch vinyl for RSD Black Friday (November 29). This four-track EP was originally released in 1995 and features songs recorded on the Both Sides tour in 1994 under the artist name Phil Collins & The Indescribable Din. It features the tracks "Sussudio," "Easy Lover," "Separate Lives," and "My Girl."
Today, acclaimed jazz trumpeter and vocalist Jumaane Smith shares new single “Come On Home,” the title track from his forthcoming album of the same name, out August 16 via Zinn Music. Smith, who has collaborated with music legends such as Quincy Jones, Aretha Franklin, and Stevie Wonder, and has enjoyed lengthy tenures performing with Michael Bublé and Harry Connick Jr., brings a deep resonance to his latest. This profoundly emotional and original work navigates the diverse terrains of jazz, blues, and contemporary soul, resonating with the timeless essence of classic albums from these genres. Come On Home stands as a testament to Smith’s resilience and artistic growth. Renowned for his remarkable talent and versatility, the LP embodies themes of love, loss, overcoming challenges, redemption, and joy.
The title track delves into the deeply emotional experience of longing for someone who has already left mentally. Drawing inspiration from the Ray Charles classic "Hard Times," Smith brings his unique blend of jazz, blues, and soul to this heartfelt track, echoing the rich, melancholic tones that have become his signature style. “Like most of us, I’ve had my heart broken too many times to count and in many different ways,” says Smith. “Love can be very complicated; sometimes it lasts, sometimes it doesn’t. Once we’ve reached that breaking point where what once was is no longer there and the heartache takes over, it can be incredibly difficult to get that love back on track.” Smith summarizes, “that’s what Come On Home is all about.”
Born from a place of introspection and emotional exploration, Come On Home draws from Jumaane Smith's own experiences of overcoming adversity, including early trauma and the challenges of his upbringing. The album serves as a cathartic expression of his innermost thoughts and emotions, offering listeners a glimpse into his soul. For Smith, creating "Come On Home" was a process of self-discovery and healing—a means of confronting past hardships while embracing the joy and refuge found in music. With each track, Smith channels a raw and authentic energy where vulnerability meets strength, and every note resonates with profound meaning. Ultimately, Come On Home symbolizes not only a musical homecoming for Smith, but also a statement to the power of art.
Jumaane Smith's journey from the hallowed halls of Juilliard to the world's grandest stages is a monument to his unparalleled talent and resolute dedication to his craft. As a product of the inaugural class of Juilliard’s Jazz Studies program, where he was mentored by the legendary Wynton Marsalis, Smith honed his skills and developed a profound understanding of jazz tradition and innovation. Since then, his career has been nothing short of extraordinary. From collaborating with Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, and Aretha Franklin to sharing the spotlight with pop sensations like the Jonas Brothers, Smith has effortlessly navigated diverse musical landscapes while staying true to his jazz roots. His remarkable 18-year tenure as lead trumpeter and vocalist with Michael Bublé not only showcased his virtuosity, but also solidified his status as one of the most sought-after musicians in the industry.
Last month, Jumaane Smith and his quartet headlined a sold-out run of shows at the renowned Birdland Jazz Club in New York City, allowing audiences to experience his captivating live performances and storytelling. Fans can look forward to another unforgettable evening as Jumaane is set to perform at Dizzy's Club at Lincoln Center on September 25. Additional tour dates (listed below), tickets, and additional information can be found HERE.
Come On Home Tracklist
I Know
Come On Home
Chief
I'm Gone
St. James Infirmary
Too Little, Too Late
The Other Side Of Me
Jealous
Above The Clouds
Wang Dang Doodle
You Are So Beautiful
Tour Dates
Aug 28, 2024 - UAE Amphitheatre - Wilmington, DE
Sep 16, 2024 - Jazz Alley - Seattle, WA
Sep 25, 2024 - Dizzy's Jazz at Lincoln Center - New York, NY
After teasing their legendary BBC recordings on two Record Store Day releases, the Faces are set to make fans “Shake, Shudder, Shiver” with a comprehensive boxed set compiling all of the group’s BBC concerts and surviving studio sessions. This new collection – much of it previously unreleased – has been remastered with the full participation of band members Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, and Kenney Jones.
On September 6, Faces At The BBC — Complete BBC Concert & Session Recordings 1970-1973 will be available as an 8CD/Blu-ray set at rhino.com and select retailers. Pre-order HERE. The Blu-ray includes newly restored footage of the Faces’ April 1972 appearance on Sounds for Saturday. The concert finds the “Borstal Boys” in peak form, radiating their swaggering, joyous spirit of rock ’n’ roll that continues to inspire generations.
The hardback set includes a 48-page booklet with new commentary from surviving band members and archival quotes from Ronnie Lane, Ian McLagan, and legendary BBC broadcaster John Peel. Lavishly illustrated with many previously unseen photos, the booklet details every Faces BBC session, concert, and broadcast. BBC broadcaster Gary Crowley wrote the detailed liner notes, which include a new interview with Jeff Griffin, who produced all of the Faces’ BBC concert appearances.
Once thought lost, many of the band’s BBC recordings were recovered from the Faces’ own archives and private collections. (Notably, only one BBC session of three songs remains missing.) Rarities include a stereo mix of the May 13, 1971, Paris Cinema concert, which was only broadcast in mono, and a February 1973 show that was never aired due to the BBC’s concerns over the band’s on-stage banter with the rowdy audience.
The Faces’ BBC appearances are cherished by fans today. It’s shocking to think they almost didn’t happen. The BBC initially dismissed the band as not “serious” enough for airplay. Enter John Peel, who championed the band and was instrumental in securing the group’s first BBC session on March 9, 1970.
In the liner note, the band gratefully acknowledges Peel’s role. Stewart says, “If it wasn’t for John Peel, the Faces would never have broken through.” Wood adds, “He gave the Faces our first break.” Jones says, “John Peel helped the Faces so much in England, in the press and on his show.”
Faces At The BBC — Complete BBC Concert & Session Recordings 1970-1973 spans the band’s formation and meteoric rise. Exploring a period of intense creativity, which included four Faces studio albums (First Step, Long Player, A Nod Is As Good As A Wink…To A Blind Horse…, and Ooh La La) and several solo albums that Stewart recorded with most of the band (Gasoline Alley, Every Picture Tells A Story, Never A Dull Moment, and Smiler).
Faces At The BBC — Complete BBC Concert & Session Recordings 1970-1973 includes live versions of fan favorites like “Bad ’n’ Ruin,” “Had Me A Real Good Time,” “Miss Judy’s Farm,” “Too Bad,” and “Stay With Me,” a gold-certified single in the U.S. and a Top 10 smash in the U.K. Several of Stewart’s solo songs were performed as well, including, “(I Know) I’m Losing You” and the U.S. and U.K. No. 1 hit, “Maggie May.”
John Peel’s Christmas Carol Concert rounds out the collection. Originally broadcast on Boxing Day 1970, this unique holiday performance features Stewart singing “Away In A Manger” and a Christmas carol medley sung by a choir that includes the Faces, their roadies, John Peel, Marc Bolan of T-Rex, and others.
Faces At The BBC - Complete BBC Concert & Session Recordings 1970-1973
CD Track Listing
Disc One
John Peel’s Sunday Concert (Broadcast July 5, 1970)
1. “You’re My Girl (I Don’t Want To Discuss It)” *
2. “Wicked Messenger” *
3. “Devotion” *
4. “It’s All Over Now” *
5. “I Feel So Good” *
John Peel’s Sunday Concert (Broadcast November 29, 1970)
6. “Country Comfort”
7. “You’re My Girl (I Don’t Want To Discuss It)”
8. “Too Much Woman (For A Henpecked Man) / Street Fighting Man”
9. “Maybe I’m Amazed”
10. “Around The Plynth / Country Honk / Gasoline Alley”
Disc Two
John Peel’s Sunday Concert (Broadcast May 23, 1971)
1. “You’re My Girl (I Don’t Want To Discuss It)” *
2. “Cut Across Shorty”
3. “Love In Vain”
4. “Bad ’n’ Ruin” *
5. “It’s All Over Now” *
6. “Had Me A Real Good Time” *
7. “(I Know) I’m Losing You” *
8. “I Feel So Good” *
Disc Three
Sounds For Saturday (Broadcast April 1, 1972)
1. “Three Button Hand Me Down” *
2. “Maybe I’m Amazed”
3. “Too Much Woman (For A Henpecked Man) / Street Fighting Man” *
4. “Miss Judy’s Farm”
5. “Love In Vain” *
6. “Stay With Me”
7. “(I Know) I’m Losing You”
Disc Four
John Peel’s Sunday Concert (Broadcast February 26, 1972)
1. Intro / “You’re My Girl (I Don’t Want To Discuss It)” *
2. “Three Button Hand Me Down” *
3. “Miss Judy’s Farm” *
4. “Memphis, Tennessee” *
5. “Give Me The Moonlight” *
6. “Too Bad” *
7. “Last Orders Please” *
8. “Devotion” *
9. “That’s All You Need / Country Honk / Gasoline Alley” *
10. “(I Know) I’m Losing You” *
11. “Stay With Me” *
12. “Had Me A Real Good Time” *
13. “Underneath The Arches” *
14. “Every Picture Tells A Story” *
Disc Five
In Concert (Recorded February 8, 1973) not originally broadcast
1. “Silicone Grown” *
2. “Cindy Incidentally” *
3. “Angel” *
4. “Memphis, Tennessee” *
5. “True Blue” *
6. “I’d Rather Go Blind” *
7. “You’re My Girl (I Don’t Want To Discuss It)” *
8. “Twistin’ The Night Away” *
9. “It’s All Over Now” *
10. “Miss Judy’s Farm” *
11. “Maybe I’m Amazed” *
12. “Three Button Hand Me Down” *
13. “(I Know) I’m Losing You” *
Disc Six
In Concert (Broadcast April 21, 1973)
1. “Silicone Grown” *
2. “Cindy Incidentally” *
3. “Memphis, Tennessee” *
4. “If I’m On The Late Side” *
5. “My Fault” *
6. “The Stealer”
7. “Borstal Boys”
8. “Angel”
9. “Stay With Me”
10. “True Blue”
11. “Twistin’ The Night Away” *
12. “Miss Judy’s Farm”
13. “Jealous Guy”
14. “Too Bad”
Disc Seven
Top Gear (Broadcast March 28, 1970)
1. “Wicked Messenger” *
2. “Devotion”
3. “Shake, Shudder, Shiver”
4. “Pineapple And The Monkey” *
Dave Lee Travis (Broadcast March 15, 1970)
5. “Three Button Hand Me Down” *
6. “Flying”
7. “Wicked Messenger” *
Top Gear (Broadcast September 19, 1970)
8. “Had Me A Real Good Time” *
9. “Around The Plyth / Gasoline Alley”
10. “Country Comfort” *
Top Gear: John Peel’s Christmas Carol Concert (Broadcast December 26, 1970)
11. “Away In A Manger” – Rod Stewart *
12. “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / Good King Wenceslas / Silent Night / O Come All Ye Faithful” – Faces & Choir *
Disc Eight
Sounds Of The Seventies (Broadcast May 3, 1971)
1. “Had Me A Real Good Time” *
2. “Love In Vain” *
3. “Oh Lord I’m Browned Off” *
4. “Maybe I’m Amazed” *
Top Gear (Broadcast October 6, 1971)
5. “Stay With Me”
6. “Miss Judy’s Farm”
7. “Maggie May”
Blu-ray
Sounds For Saturday (Broadcast April 1, 1972)
1. “Three Button Hand Me Down” *
2. “Maybe I’m Amazed”*
3. “Too Much Woman (For A Henpecked Man / Street Fighting Man” *
2X Grammy nominee and Vermont native, Grace Potter, has announced that this year’s Grand Point North Concert Series in Burlington will now serve as a benefit for Vermont flood relief through her newly launched Grand Point Foundation.
Proceeds from Potter’s sets on July 27th and 28th will directly benefit local Vermonters as they continue to assess and rebuild following the region’s devastating floods. There will also be a silent auction during the festival to raise additional funds. You can also make donations online HERE.
The four-day music and culture festival will take place at Burlington’s Waterfront Park on July 25-28.
In addition to two headlining sets from Potter herself, the festival will also feature The Flaming Lips and The Head and The Heart, as well as sets from Michael Marcagi, and Anderson East. You can buy tickets HERE.
Grand Point North has a storied history in art curation and cultivation for the local Vermont community. Potter’s desire to expand on that community effort is the root of her Grand Point Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to supporting the arts in Vermont. The foundation supports existing nonprofit and community organizations that are focused on arts education and cultural programming. In addition, GPF will award one creation stipend to a Vermont artist each year to support their vision in ‘keeping Vermont weird.’
Potter has always been committed to supporting the local Vermont community. Last summer, she hosted a livestream to raise funds to uplift people after similar catastrophic flooding. The fundraiser raised over $20,000 for The Vermont Community Foundation’s VT Flood Response and Recovery Fund.
2X Grammy nominee Grace Potter has released five critically acclaimed studio albums, including 2019’s Daylight, which was nominated for a GRAMMY for Best Rock Album, toured and collaborated with some of the music industry’s best, including The Grateful Dead, The Rolling Stones, The Allman Brothers, Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and Kenny Chesney (their collaboration earned Grace her first Grammy nomination), and has played nearly every major major music festival, including Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Bonnaroo, in addition to launching Burlington’s Grand Point North Festival. Her “dynamite” (Guitar Player) fifth studio album, Mother Road, is out now. Grace is currently on her Mother Road Tour across the country while also joining Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show for select shows this summer.
ABOUT GRAND POINT NORTH
Grand Point North is a long-running festival created by Grace Potter and Higher Ground on the Burlington waterfront. It is an effort to provide a space for outreach to each other, and an outlet to Vermonters to engage in art as a community.
Qobuz is pleased to announce the launch of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Bob Seger’s iconic catalog on its high-quality music streaming and download service. Since Qobuz launched in 2007, Bob Seger has been one of the artists most requested by users for addition to the platform.
"Rock is the #1 genre globally on Qobuz streaming," said Qobuz Managing Director Dan Mackta. "Adding Bob Seger’s catalog exemplifies our commitment to providing access to the most iconic artists, the richest Hi-Res music library, and all the context around the music that real fans demand."
Fans of Seger’s timeless rock anthems can now stream his extensive catalog both in-app and online in CD quality, titles include:
Against The Wind
Beautiful Loser
Early Seger, Vol. 1
Greatest Hits 2
I Knew You When
Like A Rock
Live Bullet
Night Moves
Nine Tonight
Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man
Ride Out
Stranger In Town
The Distance
The Fire Inside
Ultimate Hits: Rock and Roll Never Forgets
Additionally, the following albums are offered in full 24-bit Hi-Res audio:
Greatest Hits
Night Moves
I Knew You When
Listen/stream on Qobuz HERE or download on Qobuz HERE
Today marks the 70th anniversary of Elvis Presley's groundbreaking debut single, "That's All Right," and RCA/Legacy are celebrating this momentous occasion with an exclusive preview from their highly anticipated 'MEMPHIS' box set, due out on August 9th. This 111-track collection is the first fully comprehensive compilation of Elvis' hometown recordings, spanning from his early days at Sun Studios to his final sessions in the famed Jungle Room at Graceland.
In honor of this anniversary, RCA/Legacy have released a never-before-heard mix of "Danny Boy," a poignant track from Elvis' 1976 Jungle Room sessions. The new mix, crafted by four-time GRAMMY-winning engineer Matt Ross-Spang, strips away the overdubs, providing an intimate experience akin to standing next to Elvis as he performed. Ross-Spang, a Memphis native with credits including John Prine, Al Green, Margo Price, and Jason Isbell, shared his emotional journey in remixing the track:
"It was very emotional for me to mix 'Danny Boy' and I think it’s evident in Elvis’ performance that it was for him too," says Ross-Spang. "David Briggs, one of Elvis’ pianists on the session, made it clear to me that it was a very important song to Elvis. I think it’s one of his most impassioned vocal performances. My neck hairs were standing up the whole time!"
Grammy and Emmy-winning music historian Robert Gordon, who also hails from Memphis, provides insightful commentary in the collection's liner notes. Reflecting on "Danny Boy," Gordon writes:
"'Danny Boy' is personal. It’s Elvis' father’s favorite song, and one that has survived across generations and continents. A song about love across distances and realms, Elvis imbues it with some of the dark compassion he put into 'Long Black Limousine' seven years earlier."
The 'MEMPHIS' box set features 88 newly remixed tracks by Matt Ross-Spang, removing overdubs to highlight Elvis' raw talent. It includes extensive liner notes by Robert Gordon, providing context and depth to Elvis' hometown recordings. The collection will be available in multiple formats: 5 CD, 2 LP, and digital.
RCA RECORDS & LEGACY RECORDINGS TO RELEASE ‘MEMPHIS,’ THE FIRST FULLY COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION OF ELVIS PRESLEY’S HOMETOWN RECORDINGS,
ON 5 CD/2LP/DIGITAL AUGUST 9
COINCIDING WITH THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF PRESLEY’S FIRST SESSIONS, SET INCLUDES 111 CAREER-SPANNING TRACKS, FROM SUN STUDIOS TO THE JUNGLE ROOM AT GRACELAND
88 REMIXED TRACKS BY MATT ROSS-SPANG WITH OVERDUBS REMOVED; NEW LINER NOTES BY ROBERT GORDON
LISTEN TO “POLK SALAD ANNIE,” NEWLY-MIXED FROM ELVIS’ 1974 HOMECOMING CONCERT, HERE:
Grammy® Award-winning jazz guitarist-vocalist George Benson has released a long-lost orchestral album today, his first since returning to Warner Music Group earlier this year. Dreams Do Come True: When George Benson Meets Robert Farnon is available now from Rhino on CD and LP, as well as digital and streaming platforms. Order and listen digitally HERE. Watch the lyric video for release day focus track “Yesterday” HERE.
In 1989, Benson collaborated with celebrated composer-arranger Robert Farnon and his orchestra to create Dreams Do Come True. Farnon’s lush arrangements perfectly complement Benson’s soulful vocals and fluid guitar work on American Standards like “Autumn Leaves,” “At Last,” and “My Romance.” The spellbinding collection also features reimagined pop classics like the Beatles’ “Yesterday” and Leon Russell’s “A Song For You.” In 1976, Benson’s version of Russell’s “This Masquerade” became his first major hit and won the Grammy® Award for Record of the Year.
Benson recorded Dreams Do Come True during a prolific period and chose to delay the album’s release. In the meantime, the recordings went missing and remained lost until recently, when they were rediscovered in Benson’s archive. Now, after 35 years, the album will finally receive its proper release.
George Benson stated, "After finding this long-lost treasure of music, I employed my genius friend, Randy Waldman, to help me bring it back to life. Mission accomplished."
The original recording sessions for Dreams Do Come True were impeccably captured by Grammy® Award-winning engineer Al Schmidt, who manned the recording console for some of Benson’s most successful albums. All 11 tracks have been newly remastered for this release. Benson partnered with Grammy®-award-winning pianist, composer, and arranger Randy Waldman as his co-producer, adding in overdubs and expressive choral arrangements throughout the reimagined record.
This album marks the latest chapter in Benson’s illustrious career as a giant in both jazz and contemporary music. During his tenure with Warner Records from 1976 to 1993, Benson released 12 studio albums, including Breezin’. This groundbreaking record not only topped the pop, R&B, and jazz charts but also earned Benson three of his 10 Grammy® Awards. Certified triple platinum, Breezin’ remains one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time. In 2009, the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) recognized Benson as a Jazz Master, the nation’s highest honor for jazz artists.
Benson recently discussed Dreams To Come True on the Questlove Supreme Podcast (listen HERE). Today at 1:00PM PT, he’ll join KJZZ host Blaise Lantana for a live interview about the collection. The interview will be live on KJZZ HD2, online at jazzphx.org and also on the KJZZ mobile app (JazzPHX).
A consummate performer, Benson remains a must-see live artist. He will be performing at the Blue Note Napa on August 16 and at the Hollywood Bowl on August 18. Benson also announced a 4-day series of concerts, workshops and storytelling January 3-6, 2025 in Phoenix, AZ. The event is called “Breezin’ With The Stars” and will feature a star-studded lineup of musicians including Cory Wong, Esperanza Spaulding, Tommy Emmanuel, Patti Austin and more to be announced. For tickets and more information, please visit https://www.georgebenson.com.
Dreams Do Come True: When George Benson Meets Robert Farnon
The Cactus Blossoms - Minneapolis-based brother duo Jack Torrey and Page Burkum - have shared “Something’s Got A Hold One Me” today, the album opener from their upcoming new collection Every Time I Think About You (August 30 / Walkie Talkie Records). A slice of pure Saturday night two-steppin’ joy, The Cactus Blossoms draw inspiration from timeless greats like Jimmie Rodgers - whose “Tuck Away My Lonesome Blues” served as a lyrical launching point in their writing process (and whose “Blue Yodel No. 1” is referenced in the first verse). But tracked with the brothers’ longtime bandmates Jeremy Hanson (drums), Jacob Hanson (guitar) and Phillip Hicks (bass) - as well as engineer/mixer Alex Hall (JD McPherson, Nick Lowe) - “Something’s Got A Hold On Me” is enrapturing in its exploration of motivations and desires in our modern world.
“We all have hopes and dreams, and then there’s the shared ‘American dream.’ This song is about how far we’ll go to get what we want,” says Burkum of “Something’s Got A Hold On Me.” “It’s about that fine line between what you want and what you need — between desperation and greed. How far will we take it to make our dreams come true?”
“Something’s Got A Hold On Me” follows the release of the album’s title track “Every Time I Think About You” and “There She Goes,” which was named a Song You Need To Know by Rolling Stone after premiering on Sirius Outlaw Country. Listen to “There She Goes” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yQXf7ht8ww
Along with the release of “Something’s Got A Hold On Me,” The Cactus Blossoms have announced their Grand Ole Opry debut to coincide with the release of Every Time I Think About You on August 30. After stepping into the hallowed Opry circle for the first time, they’ll return to Minnesota for a hometown album release show at St. Paul’s 1000-capacity Fitzgerald Theater - followed by a full US tour in September. A list of dates, including two nights in New York City and a trip to AmericanaFest, is below.
While the theme of ‘moving on’ is prevalent throughout this new music, The Cactus Blossoms’ Minnesota roots run deep throughout Every Time I Think About You. The album was tracked at Minneapolis' legendary Creation Audio, where hometown garage-rock heroes The Trashmen cut "Surfin' Bird," and The Replacements made Tim. In keeping with that made-in-Minnesota ethos, the cover art for Every Time I Think About You is also centered around a painting by one of the state’s most acclaimed painters, George Morrison, a founding figure of Native American modernism: “Spirit Path. New Day. Red Rock Variation: Lake Superior Landscape,” which hangs in the Minnesota Museum of American Art.
10,000 Maniacs captivated audiences in the 1990s with four consecutive platinum and multi-platinum albums, including a live album from their memorable appearance on MTV Unplugged. That performance features some of the band’s best-loved songs and marked the final recording with lead singer Natalie Merchant before she embarked on her solo career.
On September 6, Rhino will reissue 10,000 Maniacs’ live album, MTV Unplugged (Expanded Edition), with newly remastered sound and bonus tracks. The album will be available on CD and for the first time ever on vinyl. Pre-order HERE. On the same day, a special cobalt blue vinyl edition will be offered exclusively at select retailers.
The upcoming reissue includes three tracks from the MTV Unplugged session that were not included on the original release. On those songs, the band is joined by David Byrne of Talking Heads for covers of Iris DeMent’s “Let The Mystery Be,” Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” and Jimmie Dale Gilmore’s “Dallas.”
Originally released in October 1993, MTV Unplugged became 10,000 Maniacs’ most commercially successful album and has been certified triple platinum. It spent 45 weeks on the Billboard 200 (peaking at No. 13) and included the band’s hit version of Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen’s “Because The Night.”
The collection showcases acoustic versions of songs from three of the band’s previous albums: In My Tribe (1987), Blind Man’s Zoo (1989), and Our Time in Eden (1992). Highlights include the hits “Trouble Me,” “These Are Days,” and “Candy Everybody Wants,” along with fan favorites like “Stockton Gala Day,” “Hey Jack Kerouac,” and “Like The Weather.”
10,000 Maniacs will be playing select shows throughout the Fall, headlining at the Toonerville Music Festival September 21 in Pelham, New York. For more information visit, https://maniacs.com/shows.
2024 Tour Dates
August 9 - City of Chamblee City Hall Free Community Concert - Chamblee, GA
August 10 - Town Center - Suwanee, GA
August 19 - Chautauqua Amphitheater - Chautauqua, NY
September 21 - Toonerville Music Festival - Pelham, NY
October 25 - Nashua Center for the Arts - Nashua, NH
October 27 - The Colonial Theatre - Laconia, NH
November 20 - Belly Up! - Solana Beach, CA
November 21 - Golden State Theater - Monterey, CA
November 22 - Mary Stuart Rogers Theater - Modesto, CA
Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s The Lost Christmas Eve, the final chapter in its multi-platinum Christmas concept album trilogy, will debut on vinyl with newly remastered sound in celebration of its 20th anniversary.
On September 13, The Lost Christmas Eve (2024 Remaster) will be released as a double album on black vinyl from Rhino.com. Pre-Order HERE. Three exclusive vinyl editions will also be available: a crystal-clear version at Walmart, cobalt blue version at Target, and a solar flare version from the band’s website, shop.trans-siberian.com.
A thematic artist playlist “Christmas in July” highlighting the groups fan-favorite tracks is now available to stream HERE.
Originally released in 2004, The Lost Christmas Eve continues to enchant listeners with its blend of rock, classical, and holiday themes. Now featuring remastered sound, the double-platinum album sounds better than ever, including standout tracks like “Christmas Canon Rock,” “Wizards In Winter,” and a poignant version of “What Child Is This?”
Trans-Siberian Orchestra was founded by the late Paul O’Neill, a composer and lyricist who envisioned a progressive rock band blending rock opera and classical rock with spectacular live shows filled with lights, lasers, and pyrotechnics. With over 10 million albums sold, TSO has helped fans rediscover the rock opera. Since their 1999 touring debut, the band has become one of the world’s top live acts, performing for nearly 20 million people, selling more than $280 million in tickets, and approaching $20 million in charity donations.
GRAMMY-nominated East Tennessee bluegrass group The Po’ Ramblin Boys will release their next album, Wanderers Like Me on Smithsonian Folkways. A look back at the band’s ten years since they formed as a house band in Tennessee, and the struggles and triumphs that have come since, the album is their first-ever made with an outside producer, Woody Platt, and features more original work than any of their albums to date. Over their decade-long-rise, the band has achieved recognition from the International Bluegrass Music Association (“New Artist of the Year,” 2018) to the Recording Academy, which nominated them for “Best Bluegrass Album” in 2019. But through it all, they’ve stayed a true “working band,” always searching for the next gig, next big break, and next story to capture through song - Wanderers Like Me puts a microscope on what it’s like to go through the highs and lows of life when home is the road. Blending bluegrass with touches of honky-tonk, rebellion, and trad stylings, the group’s second for Smithsonian Folkways is their most polished and fleshed-out yet, and stands as a testament to the unwavering dedication and deep friendships forged through shared loss and shared success.
Listen to the title track “Wanderers Like Me” HERE to get a sense of the album’s refined bluegrass sound.
Originally formed ten years ago as the nightly entertainment house band at the Ole Smoky Distillery bottle shop in Gatlinburg, TN, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys was created when founder/mandolinist C.J. Lewandowski called on friends and fellow local pickers Josh Rinkel (guitar) and Jereme Brown (banjo), and soon Jasper Lorentzen (bass) to get in on the act. In what seemed like no time at all, the group began to tour heavily and earn nationwide recognition, accolades, and spots at mainstream festivals like DelFest in Maryland, where Rolling Stone was struck by the band, “This quartet isn’t playing ‘bluegrass house.’ It’s the real deal, and it’s damn good — the kind of bluegrass that throws a little rocket fuel onto the next generation of this fiery mountain music.”
The ten tracks on Wanderers Like Me reflect the experiences gained over the group’s decade together, and the realities of a hard-touring, hard-working band constantly playing and traveling across the country. Despite their countless achievements and long career, the band’s members continue to balance side jobs to sustain their passion for music and supplement income when not touring, doing everything from making fur hats to driving dump trucks, mowing lawns, and plowing snow in the winter. Songs like “Trying To Live The Dream” and “It’s Not A Perfect World” hone in on the obstacles the band came to terms with when committing to this way of life. “Sometimes it hurts to do what we do for a living,” guitarist and key songwriter Josh Rinkel says. “There’s a lot of sacrifices, but satisfaction comes all the same.”
True to its title, the album deals with what it’s like to face loss and the great unknown as “wanderers” reliant on each other, and the powers of nature and music. During the writing of the album the group mourned the loss of several close friends and their own personal issues. In 2022, Josh faced a life-changing illness that led to a reality check for himself and the rest of the band. In 2023, close friend of the band Bobby Osborne (of The Osborne Brothers) died - his song “The Condition of Samuel Wilder’s Will,” which tells a story about grieving the loss of a friend, is covered on the album. Through it all, the band realized that what they were doing was only truly great because they had been doing it together. The songwriting on Wanderers Like Me reflects an outlook change for the band and what it was they have been striving for all along: musical harmony with people they love.
And beyond making a record that highlights their decade of growth personally and together, the band also aimed to have the new album reflect their musical accomplishments and evolution. To help take their music to the next level, Wanderers Like Me was recorded at Van Atkins' Shop Studio in Candler, NC with producer Woody Platt, after the band had self-produced all their previous releases. “It ended up being one of the best choices we’ve ever made,” the band recalls. “Our main objective of this album was to do something more ‘us’ than ever before and we couldn’t have accomplished that without his insight.”
“We aren’t a Traditional Bluegrass band. We aren’t a Progressive Bluegrass band. We are, simply, us.” C.J. Lewandowski continues. “We love so much something that comes with a lot of sacrifice but we choose to play music because it’s in our blood. Not all folks are cut out for traveling the highways but most people in our position wouldn’t have it any other way.”
This Summer, the band will be crisscrossing the country on a tour that will include appearances at Nashville’s Station Inn and a ton of major festivals, including their first-ever performance at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival on June 21st alongside notable acts like Madison Cunningham and Billy Strings.
Today, critically-acclaimed artist, composer, and producer George Burton announced his newest album, White Noise, will be released on September 20th. Alongside the announcement, Burton has released the album’s first single, "Heard But Not Seen" a haunting instrumental drawing on the melodies of traditional South African Xhosa music, interwoven with the upbeat percussion and smooth sax of classic jazz. “Heard But Not Seen” features Burton’s frequent collaborator Dylan Band, a fellow jazz musician and Philadelphia native, as well as South African singer Siya Makuzeuni. In advance of White Noise, George Burton will be playing The Blue Note with Shabaka on September 7th & 8th (additional dates below).
Pre-SaveWhite Noise + listen to “Heard But Not Seen” HERE
“The title is a play on words that flips the somewhat antiquated phrase ‘seen but not heard’ — which was most frequently used to describe how adults wanted to experience children, but it could also refer to any marginalized group, historically. In modern society we’ve come to adopt the reverse as status quo — we see a multitude of ways in which marginalized people are often ‘heard,’ with their artistic expression, thoughts and ideas finally becoming part of the conversation, while they are still not allowed to truly be acknowledged or revered for who they are, their contributions continuing to go unrecognized in the broader narrative. This piece pays tribute to their unseen influence and the silent power of their voices.”
- George Burton in conversation with WRTI
White Noise serves as a metaphor for societal oblivion, where comforting lies are sold at the expense of truth, criticizing how society, influenced by corrupt power, perpetuates racism and false hierarchies masking oppression as progress. Colonialism and slavery are treated as historical anomalies, ignoring their ongoing impact. The record, a powerful story of Black resilience and protest on a global scale, challenges systemic racism and hopes to inspire change.
On White Noise, Burton incorporates a multitude of musical influences, seamlessly blending electronic music, jazz, hip-hop, Xhosa music (inspired by Miriam Makeba, Thandiswa, etc) with his singer-songwriter approach to lyricism. The result is a masterclass in sonic storytelling, with each track serving as a chapter in the album’s overall narrative, complete with liner notes by Nadia Owusu (writer whose book was selected for President Barack Obama’s favorite books of the year + a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice). The album features contributions from American educator Jane Elliott, Afro-futurist Sun Ra, and poet Dante Clark and includes vocals by Siya Makuzeuni and Alexa Barchini, and lyrics by Detroit hip-hop duo The Black Opera.
Hailing from Philadelphia, Burton has become a go-to collaborator for local staples The Philly Pops, and, in addition to his recent collaborations with Marquis Hill and Dezron Douglas, has worked with a long roster of varied artists such as Patti LaBelle, Meshell Ndegeocello, and more, including touring for 10 years in the piano chair with the Sun Ra Arkestra. White Noise follows Burton’s celebrated albums The Truth Of What I Am > The Narcissist and Reciprocity. Over the course of his career, he has been hailed by The New York Times, named one of NPR Music Jazz Critics Poll’s Top Album Debuts, nominated for Outstanding Instrumental Jazz Album at the NAACP Image Awards, and praised by numerous outlets including Jazziz,, Downbeat, and WBGO.
WHITE NOISE TRACK LISTING
Your Great Decision
Back Home (feat. Siya Makuzeni)
Heard But Not Seen (feat Dylan Band, Siya Makuzeni)
What We Do In The Present
Subconscious Distraction
Rumination
The Weight (feat. The Black Opera
Echoes | Reverberations
Doubt
Babel of Voices
A Color for Hope (Feat. Dante Clark, Marquis Hill)
In The Labyrinth of the Free (feat. Chris Lewis)
Your Skin | White Noise (feat. Alexa Barchini)
The Giver
TOUR DATES
August 9th - Zinc Bar, NY
September 7th & 8th - The Blue Note, NY (with Shabaka)
On Thurston Moore’s birthday, The Daydream Library Series record label has released his latest single “New In Town” from the upcoming album Flow Critical Lucidity, out on September 20. An album release party with in-store performance and signing has been set for September 22 at Rough Trade East in London, as well as more appearances at the Miami Book Fair, a special week of improvisation at The Stone in NYC & more below.
The experimental “New In Town” utilizes prepared guitar, piano, and electronics with lyrics by Radieux Radio recalling 1980s D.C. punk and hardcore bands Minor Threat, Fugazi, Bad Brains, Red C and beyond.
Thurston explains: “The song is about fresh blood. The new kid in school. The new kid on the scene. A new potential for change in an already active community hoping to protect the world from the poisons of power-hungry creeps. The spirit of youth demonstrated in the early ’80s slam pits of hardcore refusing the worn-out expectations of adulthood.”
The album’s title comes from a lyric in previously released single “Sans Limites” featuring vocals by Lætitia Sadier of Stereolab. The album sleeve cover art features Jamie Nares’ ‘Samurai Walkman’ — a helmet befitted with tuning forks. Born in Great Britain, Nares is a lifelong friend of Moore from his New York No Wave days, the two often collaborating in art & music.
Fans of Sonic Youth & Thurston Moore will be delighted to learn that all tracks from the album will be released via all streaming platforms with a selection of bonus songs exclusive to the physical release on vinyl, compact disc & cassette. Past singles from the album include the cerebral “Hypnogram” and stirring Earth Day anthem “Rewilding,” as well as bonus track on flexi of the LP edition, “Isadora” with a music video starring Sky Ferreira
On May 10, Thurston Moore surprised ticket holders of his show at an experimental listening room OTO in North London with a secret guest. Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones joined Moore for two sets of wild improvisation and is inciting concert. Thurston has confirmed live appearances in 2024, including reading engagements of his recently-published memoir Sonic Life and a carefully curated selection of live concerts with his group currently comprised of Alex Ward on guitars & clarinet, Deb Googe on bass, Jon Leidecker (aka ‘Wobbly’) on electronics and Jem Doulton on drums.
2024 Tour Dates:
July 24: Devon Ross Live + Signing + Thurston Moore DJ Set @ Rough Trade East (London, UK)
August 8: Thurston Moore Group @ Way Out West Festival (Gothenburg, Sweden)
September 22: Thurston Moore Group Live + Signing - Album Launch Party @ Rough Trade East (London, UK)
October 1: Thurston Moore Duo with Hamid Drake @ Bozar (Brussels, BE)
November: Thurston Moore ‘Sonic Life’ Q&A @ Miami Book Fair (Miami, FL)
December 4-7: Thurston Moore curates The Stone (New York, NY)
Flow Critical Lucidity Track Listing
1. New in Town
2. Sans Limites +
3. Shadow *
4. Hypnogram
5. We Get High
6. Rewilding
7. The Diver
Bonus track on flexi of LP edition: Isadora (Bedazzled Mix)
Meet Jeremie Albino, the new Easy Eye Sound signee who has shared stages with Orville Peck, Sierra Farrell, Shovels & Rope, St. Paul & The Broken Bones and JD McPherson, plus recently announced his signing to Dan Auerbach’s revered imprint with his label debut, Our Time In The Sun, out November 1.
Today, Easy Eye Sound released the behind the scenes mini-documentary of Jeremie and Dan creating the record alongside their elite team of Nashville’s finest songwriters: Pat McLaughlin (John Prine, Johnny Cash), Joe Allen (Loretta Lynn, Glen Campbell) and Bobby Wood (Elvis Presley, Dusty Springfield).
You'll hear a bit more about it in the mini-doc, but Jeremie's story didn't begin on stage: it actually began in a farm in rural Ontario. After years slinging veggies at a farmers markets in Toronto, Albino began busking on the city’s streets. The back and forth between him and the fleeting crowds sparked a love of performing, one that he channeled into electrifying live shows — shows that steadily grew from passerby to packed rooms.
As for Auerbach, he produced this new collection after a chance encounter with Albino’s music online that left him mesmerized: “It was a dream. His voice was amazing. I instantly loved his style and charisma — I didn’t know it could just be so real."
With guidance from Auerbach, Albino honed his rock n’ roll sensibilities into sharp, observant songwriting, defined by clever turns of phrase and the emotional nuance of the stories he’s telling. Between Stax era gospel-funk, Southern psychedelia, and the blues-rock of the 60s lie tales of love gone sour, struggling with the bottle, and a life defined by work.
Listen to the JJ Cale-meets-Leon Bridges flair of lead single “Rolling Down The 405” here: https://youtu.be/keP679kpsRg
Today, Global AfroPop star Yemi Alade has released her new studio album Rebel Queen, the latest addition to what has become an illustrious discography. The album title is a testament to Yemi’s reign as Africa’s Queen of AfroPop and her boundless unapologetic love for her African heritage and continent: the reason why she is also known as Mama Africa. Along with the album release, Yemi has shared her single, “Peace and Love,” the long-awaited collaboration with reggae legend Ziggy Marley. The track is a poignant call to choose compassion over violence, corruption and other societal ills.
In addition to “Peace and Love,” Rebel Queen features collaborations with Konshens and Femi One (“Baddie Remix”), Angelique Kidjo (“African Woman”), and Innoss'B (the previously shared “Lipeka”). Yemi says, “I am a true rebel in words and in action. I have always charted my own course and walked the path less traveled. A lot of albums tend to have monotony in genre and style and it bores me easily most times. This album has something new, old and borrowed. Every song is unique and a capsule of my thoughts, melodies and truck load of nostalgia.” She adds, “All the collaborations excite me! I couldn’t wait to share, especially because I am a fan of these artists.”
Yemi has previously shared the single “Tomorrow” from the album along with the official music video. Rebel Queen has already received early coverage from OkayAfrica, Grammy.com, Afropo Worldwide, and Today.com, who says the album “promises to lean even further into her desire to create music that crosses borders.”
From AfroPop, Dancehall, Amapiano, Lingala, Afrobeats to Reggae and R&B, Rebel Queen is a cocktail of different genres with multiple flavors that will appeal to every single music lover from any corner in the world. Yemi Alade says, “I created this album with the sole purpose of creating music I grew up loving and the variety I have grown to love now. I was inspired by the core African music of Highlife and different genres that got us excited as Africans.”
Yemi’s multilingualism shines in the album as she sings in Yoruba, English, Igbo, French and Swahili–an ode to her signature cross-cultural approach to her music. She shares the inspiration behind the 16-track album, “I channeled older African music that could be played at parties, weddings, clubs and all sorts of occasions, where we really started enjoying African music and spreading our culture and heritage across the continent.”
Whichever song you choose to bop to will be accompanied by meaning and a special message. “Karibu” is a Swahili-infused intro paying homage to Africa. “Tomorrow” is up-beat and preaches the wisdom of living in the present moment and cherishing each day as a gift. “Happy Day” is a triumphant song on happiness and joy all day despite life’s ups and downs. “African Woman” is Yemi Alade and Angelique Kidjo’s third collaboration. The song represents their usual power combination, this time celebrating African women and their might and grace. “Peace and Love” featuring Ziggy Marley is a call for peace and love in Africa and an appeal to choose compassion over violence, corruption and other societal ills.
Says Yemi: “Growing up, African pop music was a mixture of music that carried messages and helped us through different situations in life. This album is a blend of what my playlist consists of right now e.g. the new and old pop music that cuts across generations and boundaries. There are a lot of sounds and discussions about what is African music? What should Afrobeats or AfroPop sound like? So I wanted to strip everything down and go back to the core and essence of African feel-good music that has heavily influenced Africans globally and is a reflection of our different sounds across the continent including genres such as Reggae, R&B and Rock and Roll.”
Rebel Queen also speaks of Yemi Alade’s originality, bold spirit and global domination. She is revered for her electrifying live music performances not only on big stages and stadiums across the world but also for exclusive audiences such as the United Nations, Global Citizen and the British Royal Family to name a few. It does take a rebel and strong woman to reach such heights in a male-dominated industry and world.
The rebel theme of the album cuts across all other tracks, in paradoxical ways. For instance, “Ije Love” is an irresistible serenade to a lover, while “I’m Sorry” and “Chairman” are anthems for living life to the fullest unapologetically; prioritizing your own happiness and fulfillment while still standing on your values and chasing your dreams. “Bop” is a Dancehall number about surviving and taking on all of life’s circumstances and having no space for negativity and hate from people. In “Big Connection,” Yemi asserts that she’s a “big money spender,” embracing her much-deserved lavish lifestyle and superstar status. “Big Vibe” brings out sensuality that makes one yearn for their lover’s strong emotional and physical connection. “Looking Nice” is all about luxury life, making more money and chopping money, without worries. Life is too short.
Yemi Alade started 2024 off on a big note, performing at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) opening ceremony. 2023's ‘African Baddie’ world tour saw her play 22 countries throughout Africa, America and Europe alongside her African Train Band. More touring to come in support of Rebel Queen.
Track list:
Karibu
Tomorrow
Ki Lo Wa Wa
Chairman
Ije Love
I’m Sorry
Happy Day
Bop
Big Connection
African Woman (ft. Angelique Kidjo)
Peace & Love (ft. Ziggy Marley)
Nkeoma
Big Vibe
Looking Nice
Lipeka (ft. Innoss'B)
Baddie Remix (ft. Konshens & Femi One)
About:
Yemi Alade is a Nigerian singer/songwriter with many talents that include being an actress and an all-round entertainer. In 2023, she scooped The Best Music Video award for “Baddie” at the inaugural Trace Awards. Yemi Alade also won MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs) for Best Female 2015 and 2016.
Her discography includes Mamapiano EP (2023), African Baddie (2022), Queendoncom (2021), Empress (2020), Woman of Steel (2019), Black Magic & Deluxe Version (2017), Mama Afrique EP (2017), Mama Africa - The Diary of an African Woman (2016) and King of Queens (2014). Yemi was also featured in Beyoncé’s compilation album The Lion King: The Gift on “Don’t Jealous Me.”
Yemi Alade is the first African female AfroPop star to hit over 100 million views on YouTube and VEVO with her smash hit single “Johnny”, which is also one of the most viewed music videos from Africa. In 2020, she became a UNDP Goodwill ambassador adding to her long list of responsibilities which include her own charity named James and Helen PathWay Foundation.
Ahead of what promises to be an illuminating educational and community-focused weekend built around conservation action for birds in Aspen, Colorado, The National Audubon Society and The Birdsong Project announced today two collaborations for the weekend with local businesses — the Aspen-based, Carbondale-sourced handmade jewelry company Taylor and Tessier and local Aspen institution Paradise Bakery.
Known for their designs inspired by Colorado’s fresh spontaneous beauty and incorporating a timeless casual elegance into their hand-crafted jewelry made from ethically sourced materials in Carbondale, Colorado, Taylor and Tessier has announced a limited collection of jewelry dedicated to the Aspen Summer of Birds featuring a swallow bird.
The jewelry will be for sale at the brand’s booth at the Aspen Saturday Market and available online afterward. Taylor and Tessier is a proud supporter of the National Audubon Society..
Longrunning Aspen favorite Paradise Bakery is also joining the weekend of activities and has committed to serving a very special blueberry yogurt which will be renamed “Birdsong & Blueberries!” for the Summer of Birds weekend programming. Paradise will also be making a contribution to the local chapter of the Roaring Fork Audubon in celebration of the occasion.
Speaking to the collaboration, Operating Partner Dyan Bronstein of Paradise Bakery adds, “For forty-three years we have been serving guests on “The Paradise Corner” in Aspen.We take pride in preparing everything on our premises, fresh every day. We have a team of fifty-seven amazing employees from many parts of the world, dedicated to making your experience at Paradise extra special. As the oldest, singly-owned food establishment in Aspen, we believe strongly in giving back to the community. Each year we help support over 100 local groups and causes that we feel further promote the Aspen community and its values. We are pleased to announce that this Saturday evening we will be supporting the local chapter of the Roaring Fork Audubon in conjunction with the live music pop-up outside Paradise. Paradise will be serving a special birdsong-inspired flavor of Gelato for the evening. We hope you will stop by for “A Taste of Paradise”
This weekend’s Aspen Summer of Birds will build on the success of the GRAMMY-winning For the Birds: The Birdsong Project 20LP vinyl box set featuring Pulitzer prize winners, top musicians, and beyond, with community-focused programming that demonstrates how art can help drive conservation action for birds. Free events include bird walks, educational talks, and live musical performances inspired by The Birdsong Project performed by Aspen Music Festival and School (AMFS) students.
Earlier this year, the Audubon Rockies and Anderson Ranch Arts Center kicked off the summer’s events with a workshop in early June called “Wildlife Wonder,” where participants ages 6-8 learned how to draw, paint, and build their favorite animals in realistic and creative forms using various artistic mediums.
The Birdsong Project and Audubon were originally introduced to local Aspen partners, starting with ACES, by resident artist, environmentalist, and philanthropist Isa Catto. Inspired by The Birdsong Project, Catto created her own original artwork featuring environmentally threatened birds printed on notebooks, tote bags, and silk scarves, all available for purchase via the Isa Catto Studio website in support of Audubon’s conservation mission.
Co-created by Grammy Award-winning Music Supervisor Randall Poster (Martin Scorsese, Wes Anderson, Todd Haynes) and Executive Producer Rebecca Reagan, For the Birds: The Birdsong Project was released as an art-filled, 20-LP box set in 2022 featuring Yoko Ono, Elvis Costello, Laurie Anderson, Yo-Yo Ma, Beck, Karen O, Tilda Swinton, Robert Pattinson, Jeff Goldblum, Greta Gerwig and many more to benefit the National Audubon Society. For the Birds: The Birdsong Project has been dedicated to protecting birdlife representing cultures from 31 countries, from small towns in Northwest Africa to the rural countryside of Ireland and bustling cities like Paris, Tokyo, and New York.
Educational Talk, BYO Picnic Lunch + Live Music with Audubon’s Chief Scientist Chad Wilsey + Aspen Music Festival & School (AMFS) Performers @ ACES at Hallam Lake
*Saturday, July 27, 2024 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Aspen Saturday Market Pop-up: Audubon Membership Drive + Live Music at the Aspen Music Festival and School Tent @ Aspen Saturday Market
**Saturday, July 27, 2024 | 7 - 9 p.m.
Pop-up at Paradise Bakery Pavilion with Live Music by AMFS Performers @ Paradise Bakery, Aspen
**Sunday, July 28, 2024 | Bird Walk: 7-9 a.m. | Music & Mingle: 9-10:30 a.m.
Morning Bird Walk + Live Music with Roaring Fork Audubon Society, Aspen Valley Land Trust + AMFS Performers @ Coffman Ranch, Carbondale, CO
Live Music at Carbondale Mountain Fair with musician Natalie Spears + AMFS Performers @ Oasis Stage, Carbondale, CO
About For the Birds: The Birdsong Project:
The Birdsong Project was produced by Randall Poster, the Grammy Award-winning producer and music supervisor known for his longtime work with Wes Anderson and Martin Scorsese. It was conceived and inspired by Executive Producer Rebecca Reagan, who brought a grand creative vision and wisdom to the project. Additional executive producers are Elliot Bergman, Stewart Lerman, and Lee Ranaldo. The project features a who's-who of decorated actors, Pulitzer prize winners, top musicians, and beyond, including Olivia Wilde, Sean Penn, Robert Pattinson, Greta Gerwig, Mark Ronson, Nick Cave, Elvis Costello, Ad-Rock, Bette Midler, Danielle Haim, Florence Welch and hundreds more. The Producers and Artists of this collection are proud donors to the National Audubon Society and its mission to protect birds and the places they need today, tomorrow, and for all of our futures. Earlier this year, For the Birds: The Birdsong Project earned a Grammy Win for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package. The 5 Volume, 20-LP Deluxe Box set packaging was designed by Jeri Heiden and John Heiden with contributions from dozens of artists.
About the National Audubon Society:
The National Audubon Society is a nonprofit conservation organization that protects birds and the places they need today and tomorrow. Birds act as early warning systems about the health of our environment, and they are telling us that our planet is in trouble. As a long-time leader in the conservation movement, Audubon is rising to meet the urgency of this moment. Like the birds we love, our work spans the Americas – from Boreal Canada to coastal Chile. In communities across the hemisphere, we are tackling change, protecting and restoring important places for birds and people, and fostering a community where the joy of birds sparks action for our planet.
The Grateful Dead's 1978 Spring Tour was more than just a peak of its post-hiatus period; it forever redefined the band's concert experience by establishing "Drums" and "Space" as regular live segments. An upcoming boxed set includes eight shows from the start of that historic tour, capturing the early days of these second-set traditions.
Friend Of The Devils: April 1978 will be available exclusively from Dead.net on September 20. This 19CD boxed set is limited to 10,000 individually numbered copies and contains eight previously unreleased concerts. Pre-Order HERE. An unreleased live version of "U.S. Blues," recorded at Duke University on April 12, 1978, is available today digitally. Listen HERE.
Betty Cantor-Jackson originally recorded these shows, which audio engineer Jeffrey Norman has mastered using Plangent Processes tape restoration and speed correction. Steve Vance designed the collection's custom box, which features a removable wave drum, inviting you to unleash your inner Rhythm Devil. Acclaimed artist Matthew Brannon created the set's original artwork. Celebrated for his unique approach to printmaking, Brannon's works have been exhibited in prestigious institutions like the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Kunsthalle in Düsseldorf. The deluxe collection also includes a 48-page book with original liner notes by author Steve Silberman and photos by James Anderson, Bob Minkin, and more.
Grateful Dead archivist David Lemieux says: "These eight shows tell the story of a band that was engaged, inspired, and focused on bringing their A-game every single night…If there was ever a tour on which the Dead deliver every single moment, it's this one."
Friend Of The Devils: April 1978 includes complete shows from Curtis Hixon Convention Hall, Tampa, FL (4/6/78); Sportatorium, Pembroke Pines, FL (4/7/78); Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Jacksonville, FL (4/8/78); Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA (4/10/78 and 4/11/78); Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke University, Durham, NC (4/12/78); Cassell Coliseum, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA (4/14/78); and Huntington Civic Center, Huntington, WV (4/16/78).
The concert at Duke will also be released separately. Duke '78 will be available on September 20 from Rhino.com in 3CD, 4LP, and digital configurations. Pre-Order HERE.
On Friend Of The Devils: April 1978, the Dead mine their rich 13-year history, performing early songs ("Dupree's Diamond Blues" and "New Minglewood Blues"), favorites from the 1970s ("Jack Straw" and "Eyes Of The World"), deep cuts ("It Must Have Been The Roses"), and traditionals ("Iko Iko" and "Peggy-O.") "Estimated Prophet" and "Dancing In The Street" from their latest album, 1977's Terrapin Station, were already in heavy rotation. Meanwhile, "Fire On The Mountain" was an essential part of the tour, even though it wouldn't officially come out until the fall.
Christened Rhythm Devils by Mickey Hart, the "Drums" segments from the 1978 Spring Tour were unique affairs. Members of the band and road crew would join Hart and Billy Kreutzmann on stage for extended rhythmic explorations that frequently lasted over 15 minutes. On Friend Of The Devils: April 1978, the "Drums" and "Space" combination was emerging as a permanent feature of Dead shows, one that would continue for the next 17 years. Indeed, these intervals of free playing became so central to the Dead experience that it's hard to imagine shows unfolding any other way.
The "Drums" performance at Duke University was particularly intense, lasting more than 20 minutes. In the liner notes, Steve Silberman describes the scene: "[It] began with Billy thrashing on his kit and using his elbow to change its pitch, making it sound like a talking drum. Mickey, equally engaged, was wearing a Jerry T-shirt. Then the road crew joined the party. What's that? Steve Parish is playing a cowbell! Finally, the big man himself comes out, strokes his beard, sits down, maybe takes a puff or a toke, and picks up a pair of sticks. Mother of God, Garcia is playing steel drums – and loving it!"
Celebrating its 10th season, the Good Ol' Grateful Deadcast debuts on August 29th, exploring these eight shows and this era in depth, and inviting fans to contribute their memories at stories.dead.net. With more than five million downloads and counting, the official Grateful Dead podcast is a treasure trove of new interviews, rare archival audio, and surprising cultural history. Listen to previous episodes of the Good Ol' Grateful Deadcast, read transcripts, and subscribe here: https://www.dead.net/deadcast.
Duke '78
CD Track Listing
Disc One
1. “Jack Straw”
2. “Dire Wolf”
3. “Beat It On Down The Line”
4. “Peggy-O”
5. “Mama Tried”>
6. “Mexicali Blues”
7. “Funiculi Funicula”
8. “Row Jimmy”
9. “New Minglewood Blues”
10. “Loser”
11. “Lazy Lightning”>
12. “Supplication”
Disc Two
1. “Bertha”>
2. “Good Lovin’”
3. “It Must Have Been The Roses”
Disc Three
1. “Estimated Prophet”>
2. “Eyes Of The World”>
3. Rhythm Devils>
4. “Truckin’”>
5. “Wharf Rat”>
6. “Around And Around”
7. “U.S. Blues”
Friend Of The Devils: April 1978
Track Listing
Curtis Hixon Convention Hall, Tampa, FL (4/6/78)
“Bertha”>
“Good Lovin’”
“Dire Wolf”
“Me and My Uncle”>
“Big River”
“Friend Of The Devil”
“Passenger”
“Candyman”
“Lazy Lightning”>
“Supplication”
“Samson and Delilah”
“It Must Have Been The Roses”
“Estimated Prophet”>
“He’s Gone”>
Rhythm Devils>
“The Other One”>
“Wharf Rat”>
“Around and Around”
“U.S. Blues”
Sportatorium, Pembroke Pines, FL (4/7/78)
“Promised Land”
“Sugaree”
“Cassidy”
“Tennessee Jed”
“Mama Tried”>
“Mexicali Blues”
“Peggy-O”
“New Minglewood Blues”
“Loser”
“The Music Never Stopped”
“Jack Straw”
“Ship Of Fools”
“Good Lovin’”
“Terrapin Station”>
“Playing In The Band”>
Rhythm Devils>
“Not Fade Away”>
“Black Peter”>
“Playing In The Band”
“Johnny B. Goode”
Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Jacksonville, FL (4/8/78)
“Mississippi Half Step Uptown Toodeloo”
“Me and My Uncle”>
“Big River”
“They Love Each Other”
“Looks Like Rain”
“Deal”
“El Paso”
“It Must Have Been The Roses”
“Lazy Lightning”>
“Supplication”
“Samson and Delilah”
“Scarlet Begonias”>
“Fire On The Mountain”
“Estimated Prophet”>
“Eyes Of The World”
Rhythm Devils>
Space>
“Sugar Magnolia”
“One More Saturday Night”
Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA (4/10/78)
“Promised Land”
“Brown-Eyed Women”
“It’s All Over Now”
“Peggy-O”
“Cassidy”
“Dire Wolf”
“El Paso”
“Row Jimmy”
“Passenger”
“Candyman”
“The Music Never Stopped”
“Jack Straw”
“Ship Of Fools”
“Dancing In The Street”>
Rhythm Devils>
“Franklin’s Tower”>
“Black Peter”>
“Around and Around”
“U.S. Blues”
Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA (4/11/78)
“Bertha”>
“Good Lovin’”
“Friend Of The Devil”
“Me and My Uncle”>
“Big River”
“Tennessee Jed”
“Looks Like Rain”
“Brown-Eyed Women”
“New Minglewood Blues”
“Deal”
“Samson and Delilah”
“Scarlet Begonias”>
“Fire On The Mountain”
“Sunrise”
“Terrapin Station”>
Rhythm Devils>
Space>
“Iko Iko”>
“Sugar Magnolia”
“Johnny B. Goode”
Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke University, Durham, NC (4/12/78)
“Jack Straw”
“Dire Wolf”
“Beat It On Down The Line”
“Peggy-O”
“Mama Tried”>
“Mexicali Blues”
“Funiculi Funicula”
“Row Jimmy”
“New Minglewood Blues”
“Loser”
“Lazy Lightning”>
“Supplication”
“Bertha”>
“Good Lovin’”
“It Must Have Been The Roses”
“Estimated Prophet”>
“Eyes Of The World”>
Rhythm Devils>
“Truckin’”>
“Wharf Rat”>
“Around And Around”
“U.S. Blues”
Cassell Coliseum, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA (4/14/78)
Rhino High Fidelity (Rhino Hi-Fi) returns with the latest addition to its acclaimed limited-edition, high-end vinyl reissues with the first-ever boxed set release. ZZ Top From The Top: 1971-1976 includes ZZ Top’s First Album (1971), Rio Grande Mud (1972), Tres Hombres (1973), Fandango! (1975), and Tejas (1976). This Hi-Fi release celebrates their musical excellence and includes detailed liner notes by James Austin in conversation with frontman Billy Gibbons. Limited and numbered to 2,000 copies, the collection is available today exclusively at Rhino.com and internationally at select WMG stores.
Rhino High Fidelity has set the industry standard for sound quality and packaging, demonstrating Rhino's 45-year legacy of award-winning audio releases. To ensure an unmatched listening experience, Kevin Gray expertly cuts lacquers and Optimal handles the 180-gram vinyl pressing. The attention to detail extends to the aesthetic experience, with glossy covers and "tip-on" jackets reminiscent of vinyl’s golden age.
ZZ Top formed in Houston, Texas, with vocalist/guitarist Billy Gibbons, bassist Dusty Hill and rhythmist Frank Beard. The band has become known for their colorful, creative sound that leverages the legacy of the electric blues. The trio released their 1971 debut, ZZ Top’s First Album, produced by Bill Ham. The record established the band's roots in blues, boogie, hard rock and southern rock. Gibbon shares, “As trios go, the rhythm section, bass and drum backing the guitar, was getting solid. That and the band’s playing style ignited a surreal kind of automatic cerebral contact communication.”
Rio Grande Mud, released in 1972, maintains the blues flavor and saw ZZ Top dive deeper into the songwriting process. It was their first album to chart, reaching No.104 on the Billboard 200. Their single “Francene” became an instant fan favorite becoming the band’s first charting record, hitting No.69 on the Billboard Hot 100. ZZ Top reached a commercial breakthrough with their third studio album, Tres Hombres. The certified gold album peaked at No.8 on the Billboard 200, and the single “La Grange” charted at No.41. Their first time working with producer Terry Manning at Ardent Studios in Memphis, Gibbons attests the collaboration to the band’s success, “[t]he jump from Texas to Tennessee reinforced that pure rock n roll spirit lingering large from both ends.”
Their 1975 release, Fandango! is a gold-certified collection of both live and studio tracks and is home to the popular classic rock radio hit “Heard it on the X '' and their first Top 40 single, “Tush '', which peaked at No.20 on the Billboard Hot 100. The fifth and final album in this collection, Tejas, meaning “friends” in Caddo and a reference to the band's home state, was released in 1976. The gold-certified record peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 and is seen as a transitional record, incorporating modern equipment. The opening single, “It’s Only Love’ is a strident Texas shuffle and reached No.44 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Rhino High Fidelity will continue to tap into Warner Music’s extensive music catalog, bringing music enthusiasts and audiophiles superlative versions of landmark albums from diverse genres, including jazz, blues, rock, pop, and beyond. The series will introduce two classic albums quarterly, maintaining the same exceptional audio and packaging quality that has quickly defined Rhino High Fidelity.
Since its debut 30 years ago, Ween’s Chocolate and Cheese has become an alternative rock classic and a highwater mark for Gene and Dean Ween’s polished songwriting and irreverent humor.
To celebrate the anniversary, Rhino releases Chocolate And Cheese (Deluxe Edition) today, August 2nd. This 3-LP set features a newly remastered version of the original album, plus 15 previously unreleased demos and outtakes. Available at Rhino.com and Ween.com. Order HERE. The music will be available from digital and streaming platforms on the same day.
Anticipation for Chocolate and Cheese was fueled by the success of “Push Th’ Little Daisies” from Ween’s previous album, 1992’s Pure Guava. When it arrived in September 1994, Chocolate and Cheese marked a new chapter for Dean and Gene (Mickey Melchiondo and Aaron Freeman) as they transitioned from four-track home recordings to a professional studio. Despite the equipment upgrade, the band remained gloriously weird on songs like “I Can’t Put My Finger On It,” “Voodoo Lady,” and the tribute to Parliament-Funkadelic guitarist Eddie Hazel, “A Tear For Eddie.”
Melchiondo sifted through hundreds of hours of tapes before he and Freeman chose their favorites to assemble the bonus tracks. Melchiondo jokes, “…keeping with Ween tradition, Aaron and I probably picked all the wrong songs, mixed them, and now here they are.” All of the bonus tracks are previously unreleased, including non-album gems like “Warm Socks,” “Smooth Mover,” and “Dirty Money,” as well as demos for the album tracks “Candi,” “Take Me Away,” “Voodoo Lady,” and “Roses Are Free.”
Renowned audio engineer Bernie Grundman–best known for his esteemed work on classic albums such as Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Steely Dan’s Aja–remastered the album for the Deluxe Edition using the original flat master tapes to optimize audio fidelity. Grundman also mastered the set’s 15 bonus tracks, sourced from cassettes and DAT tapes from the band’s extensive archive.
In the Deluxe Edition’s liner notes, Melchiondo says listening to the collection takes him back to the album’s creation. “When I hear it, I feel like I’m listening to an autobiography of our lives in the early to mid-’90s…If it sounds like we had fun making it, we did. That’s kind of what Ween is all about, though.”
Catch Ween this month at select dates across the Pacific Northwest and on September 27 for their sold-out show at the Mann Music Center in Philadelphia, playing the entire Chocolate and Cheese album for the 30th anniversary. For more information, visit ween.com/tour.
Tour Dates
Aug 2 KettleHouse Amphitheater Bonner, MT
Aug 3 KettleHouse Amphitheater Bonner, MT
Aug 4 Pavilion at Riverfront Spokane, WA
Aug 6 Paramount Theater Seattle, WA
Aug 8 Pioneer Courthouse Square Portland, OR
Aug 9 Pioneer Courthouse Square Portland, OR
Aug 10 The Cuthbert Amphitheater Eugene, OR
Sept 27 Celebrating 30 Years of Chocolate and Cheese Philadelphia, PA (sold-out)
Today, with the release of Resurrection, Los Lonely Boys reaffirm their status as one of the most influential Texican Rock 'n' Roll bands of all time. Out now via BMG, the GRAMMY-winning, multi-platinum trio’s new album marks their first in 11 years, arriving alongside a new music video for "I Let You Think That You Do.” “It’s blues and rock, but it’s very Los Lonely Boys,” says Jojo Garza, as “I Let You Think That You Do” rustles up a classic boogie, spiked with scorching harmonica and a whole lot of Rio Grande grit and guitar-slinging.
Recorded at guitarist/vocalist Henry Garza’s home studio in St. Angelo, TX, and El Paso’s Sonic Ranch (Fiona Apple, Bon Iver, Snarky Puppy, etc.), Resurrection was mixed live in Chicago by Chris Gelin at Opus Audio Labs. The album also includes highlights like "See Your Face," showcasing the band’s growth following an extended hiatus from the studio, and lead single "Wish You Would," which blends breezy guitar riffs with profound insight. Revitalized and spiritually aligned, Resurrection reignites the musical passion that has always united the band of brothers, paying homage to Texas icons and their own iconic sound.
This year, Los Lonely Boys also celebrate the 20th Anniversary of their self-titled debut, which reached double-platinum status and yielded the gold-certified, generational smash "Heaven," earning them a GRAMMY Award for Best Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and performance on the GRAMMY telecast. The brothers’ follow-up Sacred landed at #2 on the Billboard 200, paving the way for fan favorites Forgiven, Rockpango, and Revelation. Along the way, Los Lonely Boys have collaborated with legends such as Santana, Willie Nelson, and Dr. John, and performed everywhere from The World Series to a recent tour with The Who.
Even as they’ve been away from the studio, Los Lonely Boys have continued to tour tirelessly for decades, and this summer they’ve hit the road again for an extensive, months-long run across the US. They will also perform on select shows alongside long time mentors Los Lobos, beginning tonight. See dates below, and find tickets here.
RESURRECTION TRACKLISTING
1. Wish You Would
2. I Let You Think That You Do
3. Dance With Me
4. Send More Love
5. Natural Thing
6. Can't Get No Love
7. See Your Face
8. Painted Memories
9. Hooked On You
10. Bloodwater
LOS LONELY BOYS TOUR
Aug 2 Paso Robles CA Vina Robles w/Los Lobos
Aug 3 Indio CA Fantasy Springs CA w/Los Lobos
Aug 4 San Diego CA Rady Shell w/Los Lobos
Aug 8 Ojai CA Libby Bowl
Aug 9 Sacramento CA The Backyard at Rock and Brews w/Los Lobos
Aug 10 Coarsegold CA Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino w/Los Lobos
Aug 11 Saratoga CA Mt. Winery w/Los Lobos
Aug 16 Fort Hall ID Shoshone Bannock Casino w/Los Lobos
Aug 18 Ridgefield WA Ilani Casino w/Los Lobos
Aug 23 Fort Worth TX Billy Bobs
Aug 24 Hobbs NM Festival
Sept 7 Greensboro NC North Carolina Folk Festival
Sept 8 Leesburg VA Tally Ho Theatre
Sept 10 Hadden Heights NJ Sundown Music Series / Kelly and Mark morning show
Sept 11 East Greenwich RI Greenwich Odeum
Sept 12 Lynn MA Lynn Auditorium
Sept 13 Jim Thorpe PA Penn’s Peak
Sept 14 Rye NY The Peak radio event
Sept 16 New York NY radio promotion possibilities
Sept 20 Las Cruces NM Grapvile Plaza
Sept 24 Los Angeles CA Kimmel TV (tentative)
Sept 25 Los Angeles CA Kimmel TV (tentative)
Oct. 6 Nashville TN IEBA Conference
Oct. 7 Franklin TN Franklin Theater
Oct. 19 San Carlos AZ Apache Gold Casino
Nov 1 Las Vegas NV Silverton Casino
>Nov 2 Ontario CA Toyota Arena w/Los Lobos, Ozomatli, and War
Throughout the latter half of the seventies, Joni Mitchell continued to creatively break ground with her fearless and fluid exploration of jazz. Rather than tread the same path, she challenged and reinvented her style with a folk fusion like no other. Ascending to an unrivaled sonic peak, this innovative sound took shape across the gold-certified Hejira [1976], the gold-certified double-LP Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter [1977], her collaboration with Charles Mingus entitled Mingus [1979], and live album Shadows and Light [1980]. Channeling the thrill and excitement of these records, she delves even further into this season on Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980), releasing on October 4, 2024 via Rhino Records.
The Forum, Montreal, QC, Canada, Dec. 4, 1975 Today HERE
It stands out as the 12th release by the Joni Mitchell Archives and extends Rhino’s ongoing, GRAMMY-winning series exploring the vast untapped archives of rare Joni Mitchell recordings — a project guided intimately by Mitchell’s own vision and personal touch. Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980) arrives in multiple configurations. It will be available as either a 6CD / digital version or a 4LP version, Joni Mitchell Archives - Volume 4 Highlights: The Asylum Years (1976-1980). The 4LP set also specifically consists of Joni’s personal favorites from the 6CD version. Each version includes a book with never-before-seen photos and liner notes comprising a deep dive discussion between Mitchell and longtime friend Cameron Crowe. As part of their candid conversation, she shares intimate anecdotes, memories, and stories from that five-year creative run.
This comprehensive and essential set spans one of the most prolific periods of her storied career. It boasts powerful live tracks from her time in Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue during 1975 and 1976 Tour of the United States. It pulls back the curtain on the music by showcasing early recordings and alternate takes from the respective sessions for Hejira, Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter, and Mingus. It covers the Bread & Roses Festival as well as the Anti-Nuclear Rally. Finally, Vol. 4 chronicles her 1979 tour, even showcasing two tracks from that year’s Tour Rehearsals. Not to mention, it showcases her versatility and adaptability, housing collaborations with everyone from Herbie Hancock and Jaco Pastorious to Wayne Shorter and Pat Metheny.
Vol. 4 culls the previously-unissued material from original stereo reels, cassette tapes, CD-Rs, and even a radio broadcast. Newly mixed tracks came from multi-track tapes, while a handful of hi-res digital tracks have been sourced from the Bob Dylan Archives.
Last year, she shared Joni Mitchell Archives – Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972–1975). Garnering critical acclaim, Pitchfork dubbed it “excellent” in a positive “8.6-out-of-10.0” review, going on to note, “The box set—which also includes the exhilarating live album Miles of Aisles and the impressionistic The Hissing of Summer Lawns—covers a period of Mitchell’s career that already resists linear narrativizing.” In addition to features from Rolling Stone and more, Folk Alley raved, “Every track on this Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972-1975) reveals more and more of Mitchell’s magic ways with a song.” No Depression mused, “it is, in many ways, the most vital and interesting of the three collections so far,” and FLOOD attested, “this third volume is worth digging into as the best of Rhino’s Archives collections. I’m already excited for Vol. 4.”
It followed 2022’s Vol. 2: The Reprise Years (1968-1971). She began this journey with Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963-1967), earning a 2022 GRAMMY Award for Best Historical Album.
Last fall, Mitchell appeared at the Hollywood Bowl to perform three songs with Brandi Carlile. Earlier this year, she impressively made her debut on the GRAMMY Awards stage with a historic rendition of “Both Sides Now” alongside Carlile, Allison Russell, Lucius, Jacob Collier, Blake Mills, and SistaStrings. She also accepted a GRAMMY in the category of “Best Folk Album” for Joni Mitchell At Newport [Live] during the ceremony.
This October 19 and 20, Mitchell will be headlining her own ‘Joni Jam’ at the Hollywood Bowl featuring special ‘Joni Jam’ guests. Be on the lookout for more news and announcements from Joni Mitchell soon.
Experience Vol. 4 on October 4.
6CD Tracklisting
Disc One:
Rolling Thunder Revue
Live In Niagara Falls
Convention Center, Niagara Falls, NY, November 15, 1975
Recorded by L.A. Johnson & Petur Hliddal
1. Jericho
Live at Harvard Square Theater
Cambridge, MA, November 20, 1975
Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Mixed by Sean Brennan
2. Introduction – Bob Neuwirth
3. Edith and the Kingpin
4. Don’t Interrupt The Sorrow
Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, November 21, 1975
Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Mixed by Patrick Milligan
5. Introduction – Bob Neuwirth
6. Harry’s House
Live in Bangor
Bangor, ME, November 27, 1975
Recorded by L.A. Johnson & Petur Hliddal
7. A Case of You
Gordon Lightfoot’s House
Toronto, ON, Canada, November 30, 1975
Recorded by L.A. Johnson & Petur Hliddal
8. Woman of Heart and Mind
Live at Montreal Forum
Montreal, QC, Canada, December 4, 1975
Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Mixed by Sean Brennan
9. Introduction – Bob Neuwirth
10. Intro to Coyote
11. Coyote
1976 Tour of the United States
Recorded by Stanley Johnston from PA mixes by Brian Jonathan
(Courtesy of the estate of Stanley Tajima Johnston)
Live in Madison
Dane County Coliseum, Madison, WI, February 29, 1976
12. Help Me
Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, February 19, 1976
13. Love or Money
14. Free Man in Paris
15. For The Roses
16. Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire
17. Big Yellow Taxi
18. Shades of Scarlett Conquering
Live at Nassau Coliseum
Uniondale, NY, February 20, 1976
19. For Free
Disc Two:
Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, February 19, 1976
1. Intro to Coyote/Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter
2. Coyote/Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter
Live in Madison
Dane County Coliseum, Madison, WI, February 29, 1976
3. Just Like This Train
Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, February 19, 1976
4. Shadows and Light
5. In France They Kiss on Main Street
Live at Duke University
Cameron Stadium, Durham, NC, February 7, 1976
6. Traveling (Hejira)
Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, February 19, 1976
7. Edith and the Kingpin
8. Talk To Me
9. Harry’s House/Centerpiece
10. Intro to Furry Sings the Blues
11. Furry Sings The Blues
12. Trouble Child
13. Rainy Night House
Live at Duke University
Cameron Stadium, Durham, NC, February 7, 1976
14. Don’t Interrupt The Sorrow
Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, February 19, 1976
15. Raised on Robbery
16. The Jungle Line
17. Twisted
Disc Three:
Hejira Demos
A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, March 1976
Recorded by Henry Lewy; Mixed by Patrick Milligan
1. Furry Sings The Blues
2. Traveling (Hejira)
3. Dreamland
4. Talk To Me
5. Coyote/Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter
6. Black Crow
7. Amelia
8. Blue Motel Room
9. A Strange Boy
Rolling Thunder Revue
Tarrant County Convention Center, Fort Worth, TX, May 16, 1976
Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Engineered by
Don Meehan; Mixed by Patrick Milligan
10. Black Cow
11. Intro to Song For Sharon
12. Song For Sharon
Hejira Sessions
A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, Summer 1976
Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy
13. Refuge of the Roads (Early Mix with Horns)
14. Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter (Early Rough Mix)
Today, Devo makes their NPR Tiny Desk Concert debut in a riveting four-song performance featuring original members Gerald Casale, Bob and Mark Mothersbaugh, and touring members Jeff Friedl and Josh Hagar.
The Tiny Desk Concert arrives ahead of the band’s stop next month at the Ohana Festival in Dana Point and arrives on the heels of the band’s 50th anniversary. Last year, the band marked half a century of de-evolution with a career-spanning boxed set via Rhino Records that encompassed all of Devo’s hits and a selection of rarities.
50 YEARS OF DE-EVOLUTION (1973-2023) arrived in various configurations last fall, paying tribute to Devo’s innovative music and thought-provoking performances with a fresh array of inspired collectibles and ephemera including a deluxe, 28-page book, Devo air freshener, and a foldable paper hat that resembles the band’s iconic red energy domes.
The collection stands as a testament to the band’s legacy, compiling key tracks from all nine of Devo’s studio albums, as well as rarities like the 1974 demo for “I’m A Potato” and single mixes for “Come Back Jonee,” “Snowball,” and “What We Do.” celebrated for their profound influence on generations of new-wave, industrial, and electronic artists.
To continue the celebration Devo also partnered with the disruptive clothing brand Brain Dead on a merchandise capsule and in January 2024, ‘Devo’ the documentary directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Chris Smith (Wham!, Jim & Andy, Fyre) premiered at Sundance Film Festival, with the group performing at the event. ‘Devo’ explores the band’s evolution from college musicians to art-rockers with a message, to their unexpected mainstream success as a hit rock band and the pioneers of the MTV age, following the group's career arc up to its status as "elder statesmen.” Rave reviews on ‘Devo’ came in from The Hollywood Reporter, IndieWire and Rolling Stone Who called it a “perfect tribute” to the band, as well as Variety, who praised the film, calling it “irresistible pop history and dazzlingly edited surrealist audio-visual candy.”
Devo was formed in 1973 by two sets of brothers – Bob and Gerald Casale and Bob and Mark Mothersbaugh – and Alan Myers. The band took its name from the concept of de-evolution – the notion that society is regressing rather than progressing. It was their response to the infamous 1970 shootings at Kent State University, which some band members witnessed while attending the school.
Devo started out performing around Akron, Ohio and garnered early support from David Bowie and Iggy Pop, helping the group secure a deal with Warner Bros. Records. Soon after, the band began working with legendary producer Brian Eno on its 1978 debut, Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!. The album was an underground success despite the mainstream music press overlooking Devo’s insightful cultural satire.
A year later, the band returned with Duty Now for the Future before achieving mainstream recognition in 1980 with its platinum-certified third album, Freedom of Choice, which included the hit single “Whip It.” The song’s iconic music video became a fixture on MTV, contributing to Devo’s growing popularity in the 1980s. That decade saw the band release more hits (“Beautiful World” and “That’s Good”) and a string of memorable studio albums: New Traditionalist (1981), Oh No! It’s Devo (1982), Shout! (1984), and Total Devo (1988). After 1990’s Smooth Noodle Maps, the band took an extended hiatus to pursue film and television projects before returning in 2010 with Something for Everybody.
A long-awaited reissue of Bob Neuwirth’s self-titled debut album is set for CD and vinyl release on September 27, 2024 in conjunction with its 50th anniversary. Neuwirth, known for his multifaceted six-decade career, has been described as “the best pure songwriter of any of us” by T Bone Burnett and “a shakespearean jester who’s wiser than all the rest” by Kris Kristofferson. Beloved by his musical community, Neuwirth brought together a mind-boggling collection of talent in January of 1974 to perform on his debut record: Kris Kristofferson, Roger McGuinn, Don Everly, Cass Elliot, Richie Furay, Rita Coolidge, Booker T. Jones, Chris Hillman, Geoff Muldaur, Dusty Springfield, Timothy B. Schmit, Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, Stephen Bruton and many more. The recording sessions turned into a legendary multi-day party, but in later years Neuwirth felt it didn’t sound like the debut he would’ve made if he was sober at the time.
Now, 50 years later, each track has been completely remixed from scratch to reflect how Neuwirth had long intended the collection to sound. Engineer John Hanlon reworked each track from new high-resolution/audiophile-quality digital transfers of the original 16- and 24-track analog tapes, bringing new power, clarity and presence to the recorded performances. It’s the upshot of a conversation Neuwirth began with Hanlon years ago.
“Bob asked me ‘Have you heard my first record? Would you listen to it and tell me what you think?’” says Hanlon. “I knew I’d get a great sound out of it. I would just approach it differently. I never tried to match what was originally there, because that was in 1974,” Hanlon said, adding that he was never given any specific directives by Neuwirth in regard to a remix before he died May 18, 2022 at age 82. The only thing he told Hanlon, the engineer recalled, was “‘Hey man, I know your work, OK? That’s all I need to say. I know your work and you know my work.’ So, I just approached it really organically and I just made it sound like great rock ‘n’ roll.”
Today, listeners can get a taste of what can be expected on the full remixed collection with the digital release of “Kiss Money,” a country-rock lament targeting man’s inhumanity that too often is the rule rather than the exception. The driving track is elevated by exquisite steel guitar work of Ben Keith, yet another of the many top-flight musicians at Neuwirth’s side on the album. Listen to “Kiss Money” HERE.
Originally released on David Geffen’s Asylum Records, Bob Neuwirth is bookended by a pair of particular standouts, starting with “Rock and Roll Time” - which he co-wrote with Kristofferson and McGuinn. Roger McGuinn on writing with Neuwirth: “You have to have a good imagination. Definitely being a painter, I think, helps. It’s the same thing with Joni Mitchell: she’s an imaginative songwriter who painted. Bobby had that gift, too.” For this reason, Neuwirth’s originals continue to be recorded to this day, including his co-write with T Bone Burnett, “Blue Hawaiian Song,” which Burnett just included on his new record The Other Side.
The album closes with “Mercedes Benz,” the enduring Janis Joplin hit which Neuwirth co-wrote with Michael McClure and her in 1970. Neuwirth’s love of his community is clear in the subtle changes he made to the lyrics: “no help from my friends” becomes “no help BUT my friends,” and “buy me a Mercedes Benz” becomes “buy THEM ALL a Mercedes Benz.”
Whether in his music career or later in his life - helping those who struggled with addiction - it’s not only a singular talent but his dedication to those around him that makes Bob Neuwirth a truly one-of-a-kind figure in the history of rock and roll. And now his legacy lives on with this long-awaited reissue, timed to the 50th anniversary of his solo debut.
You can read more about the upcoming reissue via Rolling Stone HERE.
Pre-order Bob Neuwirth 50th Anniversary Reissue (out September 27) HERE. A print of Neuwirth’s artwork is included with a limited supply of vinyl. The digital release will follow in January 2025.
Bob Neuwirth will also be celebrated in an upcoming documentary, centered around tributes from friends and fans including T Bone Burnett, Sam Phillips, Steven Soles, David Mansfield, Happy Traum and Bob Thiele Jr and more. The film is directed by Claire Ferguson and Joan Churchill and produced by Paula Batson, Joan Churchill, Alan Barker and Chris Hegedus.
Today, Sierra Ferrell transforms the Tiny Desk into an enchanting Trail of Flowers – and shows "how her blend of warmth, chops and inventiveness is remaking Americana music," writes NPR's Ann Powers. For her debut appearance on the NPR Music series, she and her band perform magnificent renditions of three standouts from the multi-chart-topping album ("I Could Drive You Crazy," "Dollar Bill Bar," "American Dreaming"), as well as the perennial favorite and frequent live show finale, "In Dreams." Surrounded by a blossoming field of floral pastels, and the mystical power of Ferrell’s heavenly vocals, the four-song set is another affirmation of an artist who has "cemented her status as the new queen of roots music," said Variety, when naming Trail of Flowers one of the Best Albums of 2024 (So Far).
Watch Sierra Ferrell's Tiny Desk Concert via NPR Music: HERE
Following performances for The Late Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and a "star-making turn at Newport Folk Festival" (Rolling Stone), where she brought Gillian Welch and John C. Reilly out onstage, Sierra Ferrell's Tiny Desk arrives ahead of a new collaboration with Post Malone. Out this Friday, August 16th, "Never Love You Again" appears on Post's forthcoming F-1 Trillion LP, and was debuted live at Nashville's Marathon Music Works last month. As Anthony Mason commented during Ferrell's moving profile on CBS Mornings, "all the artists I know want to perform with her," as her growing list of collaborators already includes Zach Bryan, Diplo, Margo Price, Shakey Graves, The Black Keys and many more.
Currently nominated for Artist of The Year, Album of The Year and Song of The Year at the upcoming Americana Honors & Awards – tied only with Tyler Childers for the most nods of 2024 – Sierra Ferrell has returned to the road on the heels of her fully sold-out tour. Upcoming shows include headline runs from coast to coast, plus a date with Mitski and several festival stops, before a special performance at the Americana Awards. Find tickets and more information at sierraferrellmusic.com/tour.
Sierra Ferrell Tour Dates
8/14 - Boise, ID - Idaho Botanical Garden: Outlaw Field!
8/15 - Sandy, UT - Sandy Amphitheater!
8/16 - Denver, CO - The Mission Ballroom!
8/18 - Santa Fe, NM - The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing Co.!
8/21 - Houston, TX - The Lawn at White Oak Music Hall!
8/22 - Austin, TX - Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheater!
8/23 - Dallas, TX - The Factory in Deep Ellum!
8/24 - Memphis, TN - Overton Park Shell
8/25 - Simpsonville, SC - Marcus King's Family Reunion
9/1 - Columbia, MD - Merriweather Post Pavilion with Mitski
9/6 - Grand Rapids, MI - Frederik Meijer Gardens
9/7 - Evanston, IL - Evanston Folk Fest
9/8 - Royal Oak, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre*
9/10 - Toronto, ON - Massey Hall*
9/12 - Portland, ME - State Theatre*
9/13 - Boston, MA - Roadrunner
9/14 - Asbury Park, NJ - Sea.Hear.Now. Festival
9/15 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Theatre and Ballroom*
9/19 - Lewisburg, VW - Healing Appalachia
9/21 - Louisville, KY - Bourbon & Beyond
9/22 - St. Augustine, FL - Sing Out Loud Festival
9/27-9/28 - Raleigh, NC - IBMA Bluegrass Live!
9/28 - Charleston, WV - Clay Center
10/19 - Clearwater, FL - Clearwater Jazz Festival
1/8 - Burswood, AU - Burswood Park with The Teskey Brothers
1/10 - Tanunda, SA - Peter Lehmann^
1/11 - Waurn Ponds, AU - Mt Duneed Estate^
1/12 - Bowral, AU - Centennial Vineyards^
1/18 - Pokolbin, AU - Bimbadgen^
1/19 - Mount Cotton, AU - Sirromet Wines^
5/5-5/7 - Miramar Beach, FL - Melissa Etheridge: Moon Crush "The Sea & ME"
Fifty years ago today, on August 16th, 1974, the Ramones played their first-ever show at New York City's CBGB & OMFUG. While the very first Ramones gig was March 30th, 1974 – with Joey on drums, Dee Dee on lead vocals and bass, Johnny on guitar, and Tommy doing management duties – August 16th marked the debut Ramones performance to feature all four members on-stage together. In the five decades that have passed, the Ramones have "inspired more bands than anybody since the Beatles" (Rolling Stone): the influence of their records "has been incalculable" (The New York Times), and "without the Ramones, rock'n'roll wouldn't be nearly as interesting" (Pitchfork). From punk to pop culture, music and style were never the same once they hit the scene. But it was from that hallowed club on the Bowery where the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers' revolution began. Clad in leather jackets, tattered tight jeans, and an aura of unprecedented cool, four natives of Forest Hills, Queens declared their downtown dominance, counting off their set with the soon-to-be-iconic shout of "one, two, three, four."
The Ramones went on to play CBGB some 70 times, as both the band and venue became forever connected as two indelible institutions. In honor of that first concert’s 50th Anniversary, Rhino Entertainment begins a series of celebrations that will last through the remainder of 2024 and beyond.
From August 16th-17th, fans can live out the lyrics to "Rockaway Beach" and hitch a ride to Queens. In partnership with NYC Ferry, Rhino has curated three custom commutes to Rockaway Beach, to and from Manhattan multiple times per day. Two-boat party ferries will be decked out in Ramones decor for the "Rockaway Route," with Ramones music playing onboard, raffles and giveaways happening throughout the weekend, and free samples of locally-owned Rockaway Soda. When riders depart, Rockaway Beach Bakery will also offer Ramones-themed items to enjoy. Find more details on the ferries and how to ride HERE.
Additionally, in partnership with Rhino and in celebration of the band's 50th Anniversary, Vinyl Me, Please will feature an exclusive pressing of the Ramones' Rocket To Russia as the September 2024 Essentials Record of the Month, pressed on 180g "Gabba Gabba Hey" vinyl with lacquers cut from master tapes (AAA) by Ryan Smith. It includes a Listening Notes booklet written by Nicholas Rombes, and an art print of the band members by Oliver Barrett. The 40th Anniversary edition of the Ramones' Too Tough To Die will be featured as Vinyl Me, Please's September 2024 Rock Record of the Month, pressed on 180g Blue Cloudy vinyl, and a limited edition Road To Ruin LP will also be available as part of the collection, pressed on 180g Orange Cloudy vinyl. Find more information and order each title at vinylmeplease.com, beginning August 30th.
Stay tuned for more Ramones news coming soon from Rhino, as the 50th Anniversary continues this summer and fall. In the meantime, check out a new episode of The Bowery Boys to dive deeper into the history of the band, and that legendary first CBGB performance.
Foreigner, one of the most successful bands in music history, will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on October 19. In celebration of this much-deserved honor, the band will release a career-spanning collection that includes “Turning Back The Time,” a new song featuring original members Mick Jones and Lou Gramm.
On October 4, Rhino will release Turning Back The Time in 2-LP and CD configurations. Pre-Order HERE. The music will also be available from digital and streaming platforms on the same day. The new single “Turning Back The Time” debuts today. Listen HERE.
Jones reflects on the band’s legacy in a brief note for the collection: “Foreigner’s membership in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is a priceless highlight of my career…I hope that this collection of the songs that brought us here, along with some later recordings that light our way forward, will mean as much to all who listen to them as they do to me.”
Starting with its self-titled debut in 1977, Foreigner delivered some of rock’s most enduring anthems. Turning Back The Time includes the Top 10 hits “Feels Like The First Time,” “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Double Vision,” and “Urgent.” The set also features the ballads “Waiting For A Girl Like You” and “I Want To Know What Love Is,” which reached No. 2 and No. 1 respectively.
The collection mainly draws from Foreigner’s first six albums, all of which earned platinum status or higher: Foreigner (5x platinum), Double Vision (7x platinum), Head Games (5x platinum), 4 (6x platinum), Agent Provocateur (3x platinum), and Inside Information (platinum). To date, Foreigner has sold more than 80 million albums worldwide, cementing its status as one of the top-selling bands of all time.
Turning Back The Time
2-LP Track Listing
LP One: Side One
1. “Feels Like The First Time”
2. “Cold As Ice”
3. “Long, Long Way From Home”
4. “Hot Blooded”
5. “Double Vision”
Side Two
1. “Dirty White Boy”
2. “Head Games”
3. “Urgent”
4. “Waiting For A Girl Like You”
LP Two: Side One
1. “Juke Box Hero”
2. “Girl On The Moon”
3. “I Want To Know What Love Is”
4. “That Was Yesterday”
Side Two
1. “Say You Will”
2. “Can’t Slow Down”
3. “When It Comes To Love”
4. “The Flame Still Burns”
5. “Turning Back The Time”
Turning Back The Time
CD Track Listing
1. “Feels Like The First Time”
2. “Cold As Ice”
3. “Long, Long Way From Home”
4. “Hot Blooded”
5. “Double Vision”
6. “Dirty White Boy”
7. “Head Games”
8. “Urgent”
9. “Waiting For A Girl Like You”
10. “Juke Box Hero”
11. “Girl On The Moon”
12. “I Want To Know What Love Is”
13. “That Was Yesterday”
14. “Say You Will”
15. “Can’t Slow Down”
16. “When It Comes To Love”
17. “The Flame Still Burns”
18. “Turning Back The Time”
About Foreigner
Mick Jones continues to elevate FOREIGNER’s influence and guide the band to new horizons with his stylistic songwriting, indelible guitar hooks and multi-layered talents. Lead singer Kelly Hansen, one of rock’s greatest showmen, has led FOREIGNER into the digital age, inspiring a whole new generation of fans. Bassist Jeff Pilson, Michael Bluestein on keyboards, guitarist Bruce Watson, Chris Frazier on drums, and guitarist Luis Maldonado provide an unprecedented level of energy that has resulted in the re-emergence of the astounding music that speaks to FOREIGNER‘s enduring popularity.
With more Billboard Top 10 hits than Journey and just as many as Fleetwood Mac, FOREIGNER is universally hailed as one of the most popular rock acts in the world with a formidable musical arsenal that continues to propel sold-out tours and album sales, now exceeding 80 million. Responsible for some of rock and roll’s most enduring anthems, including “Juke Box Hero,” “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Waiting For A Girl Like You,” “Feels Like The First Time,” “Urgent,” “Head Games,” “Say You Will,” “Dirty White Boy,” “Long, Long Way From Home” and the worldwide #1 hit, “I Want To Know What Love Is,” FOREIGNER still rocks the charts more than 40 years into the game with massive airplay and continued Billboard Top 200 album success. Streams of FOREIGNER’s hits are approaching 15 million per week.
On October 18th, 2024, the acclaimed blues singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jerron Paxton will release his next album, Things Done Changed on Smithsonian Folkways. Once described as "virtually the only music-maker of his generation—playing guitar, banjo, piano, and violin, among other implements—to fully assimilate the blues idiom of the 1920s and '30s” by the Wall Street Journal, the thirty-five-year-old’s latest collection is his first of all original songs.
Pairing Paxton’s lived-in voice and California drawl underpins a stripped-down concoction of blues, ragtime, folk, and old-time Black music styles that originated nearly a century ago. Each track on the album invites listeners to experience the world as Paxton sees it. As Hugo Award finalist and former LA Times staff writer Lynell George puts it in the liner notes: “Etched within Jerron Paxton’s voice you can hear the wind, feel the hot prickle of the high-noon sun, smell the exhaust from an automobile on its last-gasp miles. It’s all there … [in his songs] you’ll discover context and background: the history of people and place and the come-what-may gamble of life-altering journeys.” In Jerron’s own words, “I write and sing about the culture I come from. It seems a bit neglected.”
On Things Done Changed, Paxton preserves and revitalizes those historical sounds, using his deeply personal and sharp-witted storytelling to reflect the ongoing experiences of Black people in America. His music, rooted in community traditions, resonates with timeless observations that bring the past vividly into the present, continuing these legacies. Listen to the first single “What's Gonna Become of Me” to feel the album's transportive sound HERE.
Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, Paxton's music is steeped in the rich cultural heritage of the Great Migration. His family’s journey from Shreveport, Louisiana, to the Athens neighborhood of South LA in the 1950s laid the foundation for his appreciation of Southern Black culture. As an only child, he spent much of his upbringing absorbing the culture his family had taken with them to California from the South. Paxton grew up very close with his grandmother, often shadowing her mannerisms and adopting them as his own. While Futurama or King of the Hill were on the family TV, he’d find himself sitting down with her, practicing banjo chords he’d heard on her favorite records. Since relocating from Los Angeles to New York City in 2007, Paxton has found an embracing audience within the city's diverse cultural communities and vibrant music scene. He discovered that New Yorkers are sensitive to the kind of authenticity in storytelling that he was exposed to as a child.
Paxton’s previous work has drawn comparisons to blues legends like Robert Johnson, Lead Belly, and Mississippi John Hurt, yet his approach is distinctly his own. On songs like “Baby Days Blues” and “What’s Gonna Become of Me,” Paxton revisits early influences like DeFord Bailey, Sippie Wallace, and Stephen Foster, and makes use of traditional melody lines and throwback playing styles, such as the 12-bar blues structure and “hopping” fingerpicking technique. Lyrically, other songs on the album are drawn from his personal, everyday experiences, exploring the evolving mindsets within contemporary society while using the past to make sense of it. Of the song “So Much Weed,” for example, Jerron explains: “[It’s] an observation on the changing attitudes toward an herb that caused many a person, in my baby days as well as into my adulthood, to lose their liberty. The juxtaposition of the attitudes of today with those of 20 or even 10 years ago has some ironies and paradoxes that the blues is one of the best art forms to express.”
“Things Done Changed is my way of honoring the culture I come from,” says Paxton. “I grew up playing for the last generation of folks who grew up listening to Black banjo players … Born from the lives of the people who raised me, I hope these songs resonate with listeners as a continuation of our shared history.”
In celebration of the upcoming album, Jerron Paxton and The Down Hill Strugglers will play the Jalopy Theater in NYC on September 21st, 2024. You can find more details about the show HERE and watch this space for more to come from Jerron Paxton.
Amythyst Kiah shares “I Will Not Go Down (feat. Billy Strings)," the second preview of her upcoming album, Still + Bright (coming Oct. 25th via Rounder Records) and a stunning example of Kiah’s rare ability to spin her fascinations into songs uncovering essential truths about human nature. The track is a furiously stomping fantasy-inspired folk epic, brimming with urgency. Featuring the iconic, nimble picking of bluegrass phenomenon Billy Strings, the track could be the soundtrack to any famed monomyth, but also one of personal reflection and redemption.
“From Avatar: The Last Airbender to Lord of the Rings to Mass Effect, I’ve always loved a great hero’s journey,” says Kiah of the track. “The hero always rides into the unknown to seek answers and destroy a larger beast. These stories emphasize the importance of reflection, resilience, and restraint. Sometimes we have to ride into the unknown to seek these answers and see what we’re truly made of, without stopping to think that perhaps the beast that we are slaying, is in fact ourselves. I was incredibly stoked to have Billy Strings join in on this track and take us on his own journey, creating the most radiant guitar tapestry that could blind any foe that dares to cross him.”
Produced by Butch Walker (Taylor Swift, Green Day, Weezer), Kiah’s new 12-track Still + Bright explores the vast expanse of her inner world and interests: her deep-rooted affinity for Eastern philosophies and spiritual traditions, a near-mystical connection with the natural environment, the life lessons learned in her formative years, and much more. Last month, she shared the first taste of the project with "Play God and Destroy the World," an immediately captivating coming-of-age tale featuring guest vocals by S.G. Goodman.
Earlier this month, Kiah played the Grand Ole Opry for the fifth time. She’ll return to Nashville next month for AmericanaFest before continuing touring the US with stops in North Carolina, New York, Michigan and more – see her full dates below.
Still + Bright Track List:
1. Play God and Destroy the World (feat. S.G. Goodman) (Amythyst Kiah, Sadler Vaden)
2. S P A C E (Kiah)
3. Empire of Love (Kiah, Sean McConnell)
4. I Will Not Go Down (feat. Billy Strings) (Kiah, Butch Walker)
5. Silk and Petals (feat. Butch Walker) (Kiah)
6. Die Slowly Without Complaint (feat. Avi Kaplan) (Kiah, Jeremy Lutito, Avi Kaplan)
The Daydream Library Series record label has released “The Diver,” Thurston Moore’s last song for the summer before upcoming album Flow Critical Lucidity, out on September 20. Moore describes the captivating yet tragic track, featuring lyrics by Radieux Radio, bass player Deb Googe (My Bloody Valentine) and percussionist Jem Doulton (Roisin Murphy): “The Diver’ ends the album with the actual story of a diver lost underwater in Lake Geneva while these songs were being written. The diver was exploring the deep, researching a world at mercy to human disruption, only to be found days later, his life having succumbed to the wild. The song concludes the album, a repetitive piano figure like a call, a ringing, an alarm of melody.”
To celebrate the album’s release, an in-store performance and signing has been set for September 22 at Rough Trade East in London, as well as an album listening party in Dolby Atmos at the legendary Olympic Sound Studios on September 20. Moore will be returning to the scene of his recently-published memoir Sonic Life with New York events on December 1 at The 92nd Street Y with Anthony DeCurtis, plus a special week of improvisation from December 4-7 at The Stone in NYC and more below.
The album’s title comes from a lyric in previously released single “Sans Limites” featuring vocals by Lætitia Sadier of Stereolab. The album sleeve cover art features Jamie Nares’ ‘Samurai Walkman’ — a helmet befitted with tuning forks. Born in Great Britain, Nares is a lifelong friend of Moore from his New York No Wave days, the two often collaborating in art & music.
Fans of Sonic Youth & Thurston Moore will be delighted to learn that all tracks from the album will be released via all streaming platforms with a selection of bonus songs exclusive to the physical release on vinyl, compact disc & cassette. Past singles from the album include the cerebral “Hypnogram” and stirring Earth Day anthem “Rewilding,” as well as bonus track on flexi of the LP edition, “Isadora” with a music video starring Sky Ferreira.
On May 10, Thurston Moore surprised ticket holders of his show at an experimental listening room OTO in North London with a secret guest. Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones joined Moore for two sets of wild improvisation and is inciting concert. Thurston has confirmed live appearances in 2024, including reading engagements of his recently-published memoir Sonic Life and a carefully curated selection of live concerts with his group currently comprised of Alex Ward on guitars & clarinet, Deb Googe on bass, Jon Leidecker (aka ‘Wobbly’) on electronics and Jem Doulton on drums.
2024 Live Dates:
September 20: Album listening party @ Olympic Sound Studios (London, UK)
September 20: ‘Sonic Life’ Q&A @ Barnes BookFest - St. Mary's (London, UK)
September 22: Album Launch Party - Thurston Moore Group Live + Signing @ Rough Trade East (London, UK)
October 1: Thurston Moore Duo with Hamid Drake @ Bozar (Brussels, BE)
November: ‘Sonic Life’ Q&A @ Miami Book Fair (Miami, FL)*
December 1: Thurston Moore in Conversation with Anthony DeCurtis: Sonic Life @ The 92nd Street Y (New York, NY)*
December 4-7: Thurston Moore curates The Stone (New York, NY)
Flow Critical Lucidity Track Listing
1. New in Town
2. Sans Limites +
3. Shadow *
4. Hypnogram
5. We Get High
6. Rewilding
7. The Diver
Bonus track on flexi of LP edition: Isadora (Bedazzled Mix)
Rhino invites you to rediscover classic albums reimagined in Dolby Atmos with the next wave of immersive releases. Today, Rhino has unveiled four classic albums making their Atmos debut on Blu-ray, including Chicago’s Chicago IX: Chicago's Greatest Hits, '69-'74, Carly Simon’s No Secrets, Seal’s self-titled debut, and Live Evil by Black Sabbath. Chicago IX and No Secrets will also feature quadraphonic mixes. The No Secrets quad will be available for the first time in over 50 years.
Chicago IX: Chicago's Greatest Hits, '69-'74, No Secrets, and Seal are now available from Rhino.com and select WMG stores worldwide. Digital versions are also available across DSPs with Atmos support. Live Evil will arrive on September 6th and can be pre-ordered now at Rhino.com and select WMG stores worldwide.
Dolby Atmos is revolutionizing audio technology with its immersive, three-dimensional soundscapes. By precisely placing sounds in a space, it creates an unparalleled sense of realism and depth, setting a new standard for audio excellence. Rhino’s Dolby Atmos series will draw upon Warner Music Group’s extensive catalog to create truly extraordinary listening experiences.
The 50th Anniversary Edition of Chicago IX: Chicago's Greatest Hits, '69-'74 features Dolby Atmos (TrueHD 7.1), Quadio (DTS-HD MA 4.0), and High-Resolution Stereo (DTS-HD MA) mixes. Showcasing tracks like "Saturday In The Park," "25 Or 6 to 4," and "Feelin' Stronger Every Day," the record held the No.1 spot on the U.S. charts for 72 weeks.
No Secrets includes Dolby Atmos (TrueHD 7.1), Quadio (DTS-HD MA 4.0), 5.1 (DTS-HD MA 5.1), and High-Resolution Stereo (DTS-HD MA) mixes. Considered Carly Simon’s breakthrough release, the record went platinum with hits such as “You’re So Vain” and “The Right Thing To Do.”
Seal comes with Dolby Atmos (TrueHD 7.1), 5.1 (DTS-HD MA 5.1), and High-Resolution Stereo (DTS-HD MA) mixes. Mixed by acclaimed producer Trevor Horn, the groundbreaking debut album scored “Best British Album” at the 1991 Brit Awards and hit Platinum in the U.S. with the smash hit “Crazy.”
Live Evil, the classic 1982 live album from Dio-era Black Sabbath, features Dolby Atmos (TrueHD 7.1) and High-Resolution Stereo (DTS-HD MA 5.1) mixes. The album includes live takes on fan favorites such as "The Mob Rules," "Heaven And Hell," "Neon Knights," and "Paranoid."
Chicago
Chicago IX: Chicago's Greatest Hits, '69-'74
1. "25 or 6 to 4"
2. “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?"
3. "Colour My World"
4. "Just You 'n' Me"
5. "Saturday in the Park"
6. "Feelin' Stronger Every Day"
7. "Make Me Smile"
8. "Wishing You Were Here"
9. "Call on Me"
10. "(I've Been) Searchin' So Long"
11. "Beginnings"
Carly Simon
No Secrets
1. "The Right Thing to Do"
2. "The Carter Family"
3. "You're So Vain"
4. "His Friends Are More Than Fond of Robin"
5. "We Have No Secrets"
6. "Embrace Me, You Child"
7. "Waited So Long"
8. "It Was So Easy"
9. "Night Owl"
10. "When You Close Your Eyes"
Seal
Seal
1. "The Beginning"
2. "Deep Water"
3. "Crazy"
4. "Killer"
5. "Whirlpool"
6. "Future Love Paradise"
7. "Wild"
8. "Show Me"
9. "Violet"
Black Sabbath
Live Evil
1. "E5150"
2. "Neon Knights"
3. "N.I.B."
4. "Children of the Sea"
5. "Voodoo"
6. "Black Sabbath"
7. "War Pigs"
8. "Iron Man"
9. "The Mob Rules"
10. "Heaven and Hell"
11. "The Sign of the Southern Cross/Heaven and Hell (Continued)"
The Cactus Blossoms - Minneapolis-based brother duo Jack Torrey and Page Burkum - have shared their new album Every Time I Think About You via their own Walkie Talkie Records. Across the collection, the brothers evoke “pure Americana dream pop” (No Depression) and “a sound that’s like rain in the desert” (Bluegrass Situation) as they defy easy categorization - jumping from freewheeling rockers to gentle pop ballads. Throughout the ten-song collection, they “ensure a tasteful mix of savory with their familiar sweetness” - as the Associated Press put it in a rave review - marking “the duo’s best record yet.”
Every Time I Think About You finds The Cactus Blossoms traversing themes that accompany moving on - from loss, the past, and the weight of expectation. This includes their chooglin’ heartbreak anthem “There She Goes” (which premiered on SiriusXM’s Outlaw Country and was named one of Rolling Stone's ‘Songs You Need To Know’), the album’s gently devastating title track “Every Time I Think About You” and “Something's Got A Hold On Me,” a slice of pure Saturday night two-steppin’ joy inspired by Jimmie Rodgers. Most recently, The Cactus Blossoms shared “Statues” from the new album - alongside a stunning visual captured at a “strangely moving Americana paradise” (Atlas Obscura) in rural Wisconsin, Fred Smith’s Concrete Park: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDE2vIepIN0
"One day, just a few weeks before the recording session for our latest album, the word 'Statues' just popped into my head along with a simple melody," says The Cactus Blossoms' Page Burkum. "I was immediately hypnotized and kept singing it over and over. After recording, I remembered a roadside attraction I had heard of years ago called Fred Smith's Concrete Park. I almost forgot about the Concrete Park but the song jogged my memory so I looked it up, and sure enough it was just as incredible and wonderful and mysterious as I had remembered. Who knows why Fred Smith made this park, or for that matter, why this song was written. I guess that's for someone in the future to figure out.”
Every Time I Think About You was recorded at Minneapolis' legendary Creation Audio - where hometown garage-rock heroes The Trashmen cut "Surfin' Bird," and The Replacements made Tim. There, The Cactus Blossoms once again teamed with engineer/mixer Alex Hall (JD McPherson, Nick Lowe) for their most commanding sessions to date, with longtime bandmates Jeremy Hanson (drums), Jacob Hanson (guitar) and Phillip Hicks (bass). In keeping with that made-in-Minnesota ethos, the cover art for Every Time I Think About You is also centered around a painting by one of the state’s most acclaimed painters, George Morrison, a founding figure of Native American modernism: “Spirit Path. New Day. Red Rock Variation: Lake Superior Landscape,” which hangs in the Minnesota Museum of American Art.
To celebrate release, The Cactus Blossoms will make their Grand Ole Opry debut tonight, before returning to Nashville for Americana Fest in September. Throughout the Fall, they’ll bring this new music to stages across the country, with a full list of dates below.
To celebrate its 40th anniversary on October 15, The Pogues’ debut album, Red Roses For Me, is to be reissued on two brand new formats: recycled red vinyl containing the 2013 remix of the album and a double-CD set, including the album and B-sides and a bonus disc of the band’s BBC sessions from 1984.
These anniversary formats will be released on October 18 and are available to pre-order HERE.
After four decades, Red Roses For Me is still celebrated as a groundbreaking debut album from an unlikely group of supposed ne’er-do-wells from London’s Kings Cross in the convulsive aftermath of the re-election of the Thatcher government. The album mashes traditional songs and instrumentals - about death and drink, love and London - with those of frontman Shane MacGowan's - and all fuelled by the punk ethos.
The album’s release was met with ardent critical acclaim:
Melody Maker proclaimed, "the quality of their music, even the very nature of it, is strangely irrelevant. What's important is their existence at all. For The Pogues are a gesture – a particularly bloody two-fingered one – aimed at all things considered current and fashionable in 1984... Theirs is a gut reaction to traditional music – and with it comes all the motion, intensity and vigour that has largely been lost to these songs since the early days of the folk revival in the Sixties."
NME
“... If you think they've rehabilitated a music that's been asleep for a while you're dead wrong – on both counts. The music has never been away, and The Pogues in all their irreverent 'seriousness' have taken it out on a limb, where it all started, where it belongs"
Sounds
"Red Roses for Me is a satisfyingly impure, purposefully imperfect and totally irresistible collection of lasting resentment, rebellious roars, watery-eyed romance and uproarious jigs... Surprisingly, this record works. It manages to convey the sullied, brazen and raucous spirit of their live set very effectively.”
Irreverent, powerful, unique and spirited, Red Roses For Me was the beginning of an incredible and unflinching journey for a London-Irish band whose music not only lights up playlists in December by virtue of the band’s beloved “Fairytale of New York” but which also sparkles with the genius of its songwriting.
Welcome to Resist Psychic Death: This week, Hurray for the Riff Raff's Alynda Segarra invites you to join them in a special new space they carved out in the corner of the Internet. Available via Substack, the publication will be a channel for community, purpose and positivity, gathering all that keeps their spirits lifted – and reminding us what's most important. "I feel like I'm at the beginning of a new chapter artistically and personally," writes Segarra. "Social media platforms hurt my soul. I want to be able to communicate with you in a way that is direct and more honest, a way that is less harmful for the both of us…I want to connect as a real person, going through shit and trying to create something beautiful along the way."
"'Resist Psychic Death' is the name of one of my favorite Bikini Kill songs, a song that changed me on a cellular level when I was a kid. These lyrics have stayed with me all these years later because they are a public commitment. It beckons us to join. It's difficult in our society to live a radical life. It's difficult to live of intention, beauty, romance, aliveness, and empathy…Most social media only leads me further away from what I care about. So let's try something different."
Every Sunday, Segarra will use Resist Psychic Death to share writing and thoughts on grief, love, change and spiritual connection, as well as dispatches from the road, deep dives into the stories behind their songs, and intimate revelations about the things they're currently obsessed with – whether it's João Pedro Vale and Nuno Alexandre Ferreira, or Love Island USA and Vanderpump Rules. Demos, covers, playlists and other surprises will also be uncovered.
Subscribe to Resist Psychic Death at hurrayfortheriffraff.substack.com, and read the inaugural post about transformative hardships of touring, the shifting culture around musicians' mental health, hyperventilating on the side of the road, smoking weed laced with PCP at age 13, and discovering profound inspiration during three glorious days in Porto: HERE
Later this month, Hurray for the Riff Raff returns to the stage for a performance at the Americana Honors & Awards, where they are nominated for Album of The Year. Named by Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Vulture, Entertainment Weekly, Stereogum, Paste, SPIN and myriad more as one of 2024's best releases thus far, The Past Is Still Alive is a record that sees Alynda Segarra "etching their own story into the American songbook, and asserting that they belong there" (The New York Times). Finding fans in everyone from Elton John to Eileen Myles, it's been hailed as "the next great American road album" (The Atlantic) and "a nearly mythic version of their own life story" (NPR Music). Earlier this summer, Segarra sat down with Hanif Abdurraqib to discuss its creation process and so much else for the GRAMMY Museum.
Watch Alynda Segarra and Hanif Abdurraqib in conversation for the GRAMMY Museum: HERE
On the heels of dozens of sold-out tour dates, a run of shows with Norah Jones, tapings of Austin City Limits and CBS Saturday Morning, appearances at Aspen Ideas Fest and beyond, Hurray for the Riff Raff will hit the road again this fall, with tickets and info available HERE. Ahead of Australia and additional festivals, Segarra also made a second visit to Track Star, following up their viral game of guess-the-artist with a performance of highlights from The Past Is Still Alive – and a sultry cover of Marcy Playground's "Sex and Candy."
See Hurray for the Riff Raff take the money in their original showing on Track Star, and watch their brand new live session, out today: HERE
In celebration of Tina Turner’s debut album Tina Turns The Country On!'s 50th anniversary, it will be reissued with a brand new half-speed mastered vinyl and CD on 15 November. Alongside this celebratory release, Tina’s subsequent three albums, Acid Queen, Rough and Love Explosion, are also being reissued on vinyl and CD for the first time in over 20 years. All four albums came during and after Tina's exit from the Ike & Tina Turner Revue and helped her find her own voice leading up to her ‘Private Dancer’ breakthrough album.
All will be available on November 15 and are available to pre-order now from HERE.
Tina Turner marked the 1970s as a journey to self-discovery and musical triumph, having already solidified herself with the explosive energy and soulful intensity of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. Stepping away from the duo, Turner released her solo debut, Tina Turns The Country On!, in 1974. In an attempt to expand her stardom, Turner stepped into country music with her own soulful take on classics by Kris Kristofferson, Bob Dylan, Olivia Newton-John, James Taylor and Dolly Parton. Although the album didn’t see chart success, it received a GRAMMY Award nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female.
Turner continued to embrace her rock ‘n’ roll roots while exploring new sonic landscapes with the bold and daring Acid Queen (1975). Inspired by her role as the “Acid Queen” in Ken Russell's film version of The Who's classic rock opera Tommy, the title track is a gritty and raw reimagination of Pete Townshend’s original. Turner embraced her character’s fiery and defiant voice with visceral covers of The Rolling Stones’ “Under My Thumb,” The Who’s “I Can See For Miles,” and Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love.” The album explored Turner’s musical boundary-pushing and was a testament to her unique artistry.
1978’s Rough saw Turner depart from the high-octane rock and soul sound of previous albums. Recently separated from her husband and musical partner Ike Turner, this album carved a new musical identity blending disco and blues with the opening track “Fruits of the Night” and Bob Segar’s “Fire Down Below.” Billboard dubbed the album as an "adventurous variety of old and new material," adding that Turner's "delivery has lost none of its snap and crackle."
Tina Turner entered 1979 with the eclectic Love Explosion, a harmonious combination of upbeat rhythms, soulful melodies, and Turner’s ever-commanding vocals. The album allowed Turner to further pursue artistic freedom while maintaining her reputation as a dynamic and energetic performer. She worked with French disco pioneer Alex R. Costandinos to compile funk and soul-inspired renditions of Patti LaBelle’s “I See Home” and Dusty Springfield’s “Just a Little Lovin’.”
Tina’s early career in the 1970s is a declaration of her resilience and newfound freedom, with sultry grooves and introspective lyrics capturing her progression as an artist.
Tracklisting:
Tina Turns the Country On!
Bayou Song
Help Me Make It Through The Night
Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You
If You Love Me (Let Me Know)
He Belongs to Me
Don’t Talk Now
Long Long Time
I’m Moving On
There’ll Always Be Music
The Love That Lights Our Way
Acid Queen
Under My Thumb
Let’s Spend the Night Together
Acid Queen
I Can See For Miles
Whole Lotta Love
Baby - Get It On
Bootsey Whitelaw
Pick Me Tonight
Rockin’ And Rollin’
Rough
Fruits of the Night
The Bitch is Back
The Woman I’m Supposed to Be
Viva La Money
Funny How Time Slips Away
Earthquake & Hurricane
Root, Toot Undisputable Rock ‘n’ Roller
Fire Down Below
Sometimes When We Touch
A Woman in a Man’s World
Night Time is the Right Time
Love Explosion
Love Explosion
Fool For Your Love
Sunset on Sunset
Music Keeps Me Dancin’
I See Home
Backstabbers
Just a Little Lovin’ (Early in the Morning)
You Got What I’m Gonna Get
On the Radio
The Painted Turtle and The Bridge School are thrilled to announce “Harvest Moon,” a special daytime benefit concert featuring legendary musicians Neil Young and Stephen Stills, with additional artists to be revealed soon. Set against the stunning backdrop of The Painted Turtle camp in Lake Hughes, CA, this intimate event will take place on Saturday, October 5th, offering guests a unique opportunity to enjoy live music in a picturesque setting just 50 minutes from The Getty in Los Angeles. All proceeds will support The Painted Turtle, which provides children with serious medical conditions a free and transformative camp experience year round, and The Bridge School, which offers essential educational services to children with severe speech and physical disabilities.
The concert will begin as attendees arrive to the sounds of the marimba ensemble Masanga. As the day progresses, Neil Young and Stephen Stills will take the stage for individual sets, joined by other talented performers to be announced. The event will culminate with a sunset performance, creating a magical atmosphere for all who attend. The festival-like day will also feature family-friendly activities, including face painting, food trucks, and much more.
Limited Tickets for an Exclusive Experience
In order to maintain an intimate and uncrowded experience, ticket quantities are limited. General Admission tickets go on sale Friday, September 6 for $275 including fees. Sponsorship and VIP packages are available, with exclusive benefits such as overnight cabin stays, camp activities, and a gourmet dinner prepared by a top chef.
“We’re thrilled to welcome the community to Harvest Moon at The Painted Turtle,” said April Tani, Executive Director of The Painted Turtle. “This event not only brings together amazing musicians and families but also raises vital funds for two organizations committed to changing lives. It’s a day of music, fun, and philanthropy—what could be better?”
How to Get Tickets
Tickets will be available online starting September 6 at www.harvestmoongathering.com. For additional information about the event or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Harvin Rogas at harvin@5bevents.com or 310-559-9334.
About The Painted Turtle
The Painted Turtle’s mission is to provide year-round, life-changing camp experiences for children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses. By offering medical support and a true camp environment, The Painted Turtle empowers children and their families while ensuring that all programs are provided free of charge. As a proud member of the SeriousFun Children’s Network, founded by Paul Newman, The Painted Turtle is California’s only camp of its kind. Learn more at www.thepaintedturtle.org.
About The Bridge School
The Bridge School is dedicated to ensuring that individuals with severe speech and physical impairments achieve full participation in their communities through innovative educational strategies, assistive technology, and augmentative communication. Recognized globally, The Bridge School has pioneered programs and trained professionals to empower children facing significant challenges. Visit www.bridgeschool.org for more information.
Throughout the latter half of the seventies, Joni Mitchell continued to creatively break ground with her fearless and fluid exploration of jazz. Rather than tread the same path, she challenged and reinvented her style with a folk fusion like no other. Ascending to an unrivaled sonic peak, this innovative sound took shape across the gold-certified Hejira [1976], the gold-certified double-LP Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter [1977], her collaboration with Charles Mingus entitled Mingus [1979], and live album Shadows and Light [1980]. Channeling the thrill and excitement of these records, she delves even further into this season on Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980), releasing on October 4, 2024 via Rhino Records.
The Forum, Montreal, QC, Canada, Dec. 4, 1975 Today HERE
It stands out as the 12th release by the Joni Mitchell Archives and extends Rhino’s ongoing, GRAMMY-winning series exploring the vast untapped archives of rare Joni Mitchell recordings — a project guided intimately by Mitchell’s own vision and personal touch. Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980) arrives in multiple configurations. It will be available as either a 6CD / digital version or a 4LP version, Joni Mitchell Archives - Volume 4 Highlights: The Asylum Years (1976-1980). The 4LP set also specifically consists of Joni’s personal favorites from the 6CD version. Each version includes a book with never-before-seen photos and liner notes comprising a deep dive discussion between Mitchell and longtime friend Cameron Crowe. As part of their candid conversation, she shares intimate anecdotes, memories, and stories from that five-year creative run.
This comprehensive and essential set spans one of the most prolific periods of her storied career. It boasts powerful live tracks from her time in Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue during 1975 and 1976 Tour of the United States. It pulls back the curtain on the music by showcasing early recordings and alternate takes from the respective sessions for Hejira, Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter, and Mingus. It covers the Bread & Roses Festival as well as the Anti-Nuclear Rally. Finally, Vol. 4 chronicles her 1979 tour, even showcasing two tracks from that year’s Tour Rehearsals. Not to mention, it showcases her versatility and adaptability, housing collaborations with everyone from Herbie Hancock and Jaco Pastorious to Wayne Shorter and Pat Metheny.
Vol. 4 culls the previously-unissued material from original stereo reels, cassette tapes, CD-Rs, and even a radio broadcast. Newly mixed tracks came from multi-track tapes, while a handful of hi-res digital tracks have been sourced from the Bob Dylan Archives.
Last year, she shared Joni Mitchell Archives – Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972–1975). Garnering critical acclaim, Pitchfork dubbed it “excellent” in a positive “8.6-out-of-10.0” review, going on to note, “The box set—which also includes the exhilarating live album Miles of Aisles and the impressionistic The Hissing of Summer Lawns—covers a period of Mitchell’s career that already resists linear narrativizing.” In addition to features from Rolling Stone and more, Folk Alley raved, “Every track on this Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972-1975) reveals more and more of Mitchell’s magic ways with a song.” No Depression mused, “it is, in many ways, the most vital and interesting of the three collections so far,” and FLOOD attested, “this third volume is worth digging into as the best of Rhino’s Archives collections. I’m already excited for Vol. 4.”
It followed 2022’s Vol. 2: The Reprise Years (1968-1971). She began this journey with Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963-1967), earning a 2022 GRAMMY Award for Best Historical Album.
Last fall, Mitchell appeared at the Hollywood Bowl to perform three songs with Brandi Carlile. Earlier this year, she impressively made her debut on the GRAMMY Awards stage with a historic rendition of “Both Sides Now” alongside Carlile, Allison Russell, Lucius, Jacob Collier, Blake Mills, and SistaStrings. She also accepted a GRAMMY in the category of “Best Folk Album” for Joni Mitchell At Newport [Live] during the ceremony.
This October 19 and 20, Mitchell will be headlining her own ‘Joni Jam’ at the Hollywood Bowl featuring special ‘Joni Jam’ guests. Be on the lookout for more news and announcements from Joni Mitchell soon.
Today, Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, have shared “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues” (Live at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY - January 30, 1974) from Bob Dylan and The Band.
A reminder that this is the final advance track from The 1974 Live Recordings - a collection featuring every professionally recorded show from Bob Dylan’s 1974 arena tour with The Band (at the time, his first tour in eight years) - which is out soon on September 20.
Listen to a never-released version “Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues” here - live from the first of Bob Dylan and The Band’s three Madison Square Garden shows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oE8wlVEhYm8
Of the 431 recordings, 417 have never been heard before - showcasing many of the tour's wildly reinvented rarities not included on the original '74 live album Before The Flood. The collection will be available as a deluxe box set across 27 CDs, and includes 133 recordings newly mixed from 16-track tape, and every single surviving soundboard recording – along with new liner notes by journalist and critic Elizabeth Nelson.
After famously playing their second show at Woodstock in August 1969, David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, and Neil Young spent the rest of the year touring and writing songs for what would become CSNY’s 1970 debut, Déjà Vu. A newly discovered multi-track recording of the band’s September 20, 1969, concert at the historic Fillmore East in New York City captures an early moment from that first tour and will be released as a double live album on October 25.
Live At The Fillmore East, 1969 will be available from Rhino.com on vinyl (2LP) and CD. Pre-Order HERE. A special clear-vinyl edition will be available exclusively at select retailers on the same day. An unreleased live version of “Helplessly Hoping” is available today digitally. Listen HERE.
Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young were heavily involved in the creation of this never-before-heard live show. Stills and Young compiled and mixed the original eight-track concert recordings with John Hanlon at Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles. The audio is AAA lacquer cut for the vinyl release to provide the highest audio fidelity.
Young recently said: “[We] have the tapes, and they sound so real. We mixed at Sunset Sound – the analog echo chamber, no digital echo. We’re staying all analog throughout the production…Pure. Analog. No digital – an Analog Original.”
Recorded only a month after Woodstock, the September 20 concert was the band’s fourth show in two days at the Fillmore East and featured both acoustic and electric sets. Stills shares they were still figuring things out, “the acoustic part of the show took care of itself, but now that we had equipment and Dallas [Taylor, drums] and Greg [Reeves, bass] and sizable shows to do, we just went for it. What we lacked in finesse, we made up for in enthusiasm...A band on the run. Expecting to fly.”
The setlist spotlights soon-to-be classics from CSN’s self-titled debut and Young’s Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere with “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” “Helplessly Hoping,” and “Down By The River.” The concert also features early versions of two future Déjà Vu tracks. Stills delivers a stunning solo acoustic performance of his introspective ballad “4 + 20,” followed by Nash, alone at the organ, singing “Our House” to its inspiration, Joni Mitchell, who was in the Fillmore audience.
In the acoustic set, Young gave a nod to Buffalo Springfield (his first band with Stills) playing “I’ve Loved Her So Long,” a song he wrote for the group’s final album, 1968’s Last Time Around. Young says, “For me, CSNY was a chance to reunite with Steve Stills and carry on the Buffalo Springfield vibe. Crosby’s great energy was always our catalyst. Graham and Stephen’s vocals, along with David’s and mine, were uplifting every night. Great moments I will never forget.”
The electric set is powerful and intense, highlighted by expansive versions of “Wooden Ships,” “Long Time Gone,” and “Sea Of Madness.” The band closes the show with “Find The Cost Of Freedom,” a new song by Stills that later would be released as the B-side to the protest anthem “Ohio.”
“Hearing the music again after all these years, I can tell how much we loved each other and loved the music that we were creating,” Nash says. “We were four people reveling in the different sounds we were producing, quietly singing together on the one hand, then rocking like f**k for the rest of the concert.”
Today, Margo Price releases new single "Too Stoned To Cry," featuring vocals and guitar from her friend Billy Strings. Following the resounding reception of 2023's Strays – the hard-rocking, shroom-steeped opus hailed as her "strongest solo work yet" (The New Yorker) – "Too Stoned To Cry" finds Price squarely in the saddle of the plainspoken, poignant and empowering style of music that first cemented her place as a generational storyteller. Written by Andrew Combs, and produced by Beau Bedford, the song exemplifies why country has been a comfort for Price in her darkest days, and signals much more to come as she prepares for new music in 2025.
Listen to "Too Stoned To Cry" (feat. Billy Strings) via Loma Vista Recordings, and watch the lyric video: HERE
"It was such a joy to work with Billy on this song. He really nailed the vocals and laid down a beautiful lead. I have wanted to record this song for years now, ever since I heard the writer Andrew Combs sing it. My buddy Beau Bedford and I had been in the studio together working on an Orville Peck track, and I asked him to produce this single for me. He put together a really great band – Beau and I, plus my husband Jeremy Ivey played acoustic, Aksel Coe on drums, Misa Arriaga on Bass, Russ Pahl on pedal steel, Joey McClellan on electric. Once we got Billy to add his guitar and singing, I knew this song was gonna be a special recording."
-Margo Price
"Too Stoned To Cry" foresees the start of a fresh chapter for Margo Price, a restless spirit in the midst of a year full of change. From her new sound and bandmates, to both her look and outlook, she has written extensively and unabashedly in her publication Rawdoggin' Reality, about the state of herself, her career and the world around her, the rabbit holes she has gone down and the regrets she lacks. Price reflects:
"When I first came on the scene, I was a countryfied, hard headed, whiskey drinkin nobody who was pissed off at the establishment. All of that's still true, except for the whiskey drinkin part. If anything, now that I've lived for a while inside of the establishment, I'm even more pissed off. I've let some people go, I'm still fighting with others to let me be myself, but I know, I'm gonna make this next record the way I want to make it, no matter what it takes."
This month, Margo Price will appear at AmericanaFest and Farm Aid, where she serves alongside Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Willie Nelson as the first female artist on its board of directors. She will also perform at upcoming celebrations for Robbie Robertson and Mavis Staples, and in recent weeks shared a new collaboration with Orville Peck called "You're an Asshole, I Can't Stand You (and I Want a Divorce)," an original T Bone Burnett-produced song and Elvis Costello cover for Netflix film Downtown Owl ("Shelter Me" & "Pump It Up"), and a rendition of "Ways To Be Wicked" (feat. Mike Campbell) for Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty.
On the heels of Strays, Strays II and her 2023 memoir, Maybe We'll Make It, Margo Price appeared on Austin City Limits, CBS Mornings, The Daily Show, Howard Stern, The Late Late Show and far beyond, in addition to the Americana Awards, GRAMMY Museum and Libera Awards, the magazine covers of BUST, Paste, Pollstar, Relix, The Nashvillian and more. She shared stages with Chris Stapleton, Dr. Jill Biden, Jason Isbell, Sharon Van Etten, Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, Willie Nelson and numerous others, all while staying "unstoppable, unsinkable, uninhibited" (The New York Times).
Elvis Costello’s King Of America & Other Realms celebrates and explores the songwriter’s lifelong love, fascination, and influence of American music, spanning his many albums and inspired collaborations with some of the most celebrated musicians, songwriters and producers in this music, including his longtime creative partnership with T Bone Burnett.
Compiled by Elvis Costello, the six-disc Super Deluxe Edition box set, King Of America & Other Realms, releasing November 1 via UMe, traces Costello’s musical travels from Hollywood, Calif. – where the King Of America album was recorded – to a brand-new take on that album’s opener, “Brilliant Mistake,” recorded in Cape Fear, N.C. in early 2024, via Costello's recording adventures in New Orleans, Oxford and Clarksdale, Miss., Nashville and Memphis, Tenn. This one-of-a-kind 97-track musical journey is guided by Costello in a newly self-penned 35-page essay beautifully illustrated with numerous rare and never-before-seen photos in a 57-page booklet. The discs are housed in a handsome 12” x 11.5” package. A startlingly beautiful cover shot by Terence Donovan reveals the majesty and absurdity of a king in his velvet and bejeweled crown and embroidered denim jacket.
King Of America & Other Realms is anchored by a new 2024 remaster from the original master tapes of Costello’s 1986 career-defining, T Bone Burnett-produced album, King Of America, and features solo demos from 1985, including never previously released demos cut at Red Bus Recording Studios in London in the months prior to the King Of America sessions in Hollywood and mixed from newly discovered multitrack tapes; a 17-song Royal Albert Hall concert from 1987 in London, mixed from multitrack tapes; and a three-disc compendium of recordings and collaborations from across the last four decades, including previously unreleased demos, outtakes and live recordings. The collection was produced by Elvis Costello and Steve Berkowitz.
In addition to the Super Deluxe Edition box set, King Of America & Other Realms will also be available on 2CD with the new 2024 remaster of the album on CD1 and highlights from the box set on CD2, including studio recordings, demos and live recordings. The new remaster of King Of America will be available separately on both 140-gram black vinyl as well as limited edition 140-gram gold nugget color vinyl, exclusively via ElvisCostello.com, uDiscover Music and Sound of Vinyl.
King Of America & Other Realms is being previewed today with the new 2024 remastered version of King Of America standout “Indoor Fireworks.”
Titled Le Roi Sans Sabots, the second disc of King Of America & Other Realms collects Costello’s solo demos from 1985, including performances recently unearthed from two reels of demo recordings, cut at London’s Red Bus Recording Studios in the months prior to the King Of America sessions in Hollywood. “Brilliant Mistake” and “Blue Chair” are presented with radically different lyrics, shedding new light on the intention of key songs from the King Of America album. “Deportee” – later brutalized and distorted on “Goodbye Cruel World” – is heard in a direct and emotional vocal performance with acoustic guitar. Meanwhile, an early sketch of “Next Time Round” shows that it was actually written for King Of America but not recorded again until the album, Blood & Chocolate, released eight months later in September 1986. Also included is an outtake of “Shoes Without Heels,” a contender for King Of America that ultimately didn’t make the album; a different recording of the song would eventually be released on the 1987 rarities and unreleased tracks collection, Out Of Our Idiot.
The disc is bookended by the opening and closing title themes by The Coward Brothers, the pseudonymous side project that Costello and T Bone Burnett adopted for a series of tours in ’84 and ’85. 'The Red Bus Demos' are sequenced together with previously released solo sessions recorded at Hollywood’s Ocean Way Studios. “If you are familiar with the songs of King Of America and then listen to the collection of sketches and solo performances on ‘Le Roi Sans Sabots’ you may see a different picture,” Costello writes in the accompanying essay, adding, “Assembling ‘Le Roi Sans Sabots’ has been a little like developing an old negative to discover a photograph, close to a very familiar image but crucially different in composition and implication. It seems that sometime after these initial solo sessions, I resolved to balance the break-up theme with lyrics with a more satirical note.” Also included are early drafts of “Jack Of All Parades,” and “Sleep Of The Just” along with solo versions of “Poisoned Rose,” “Indoor Fireworks,” “I’ll Wear It Proudly,” “Suffering Face,” and the piano ballad, “Having It All – written for a scene at the Eiffel Tower in the movie “Absolute Beginners.”
In early 1987 Costello played a six-night, sold-out stand at the Royal Albert Hall in London; three shows with the Attractions and three devoted to King Of America and other realms, with a band billed as The Confederates (the dictionary definition for ally or accomplice and nothing to do with America’s Civil War), featuring guitarist James Burton and bassist Jerry Scheff from Elvis Presley’s legendary TCB Band, drummer Jim Keltner, keyboardist Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and T-Bone Wolk, who added accordion and mandolin to the ensemble. The electrifying concert featured live renditions of several King Of America titles along with Costello’s takes on a host of great American songwriter’s songs: “Only Daddy That’ll Walk The Line,“ made famous by Waylon Jennings, Dan Penn & Spooner Oldham’s “It Tears Me Up,” Arthur Alexander’s “Sally Sue Brown,” Allen Toussaint’s “Riverboat,” Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Your Funeral And My Trial,” Mose Allison’s “Your Mind Is On Vacation,” Ray Charles’ “What Would I Do Without You,” Jesse Winchester’s “Payday,” Dave Bartholomew’s “That’s How You Got Killed Before” and Buddy Holly’s “True Love Ways.” This never-before-released concert, recorded on January 27, 1987, is captured on Disc 3 – “Kings Of America Live At The Royal Albert Hall” – which has been newly mixed from the multitrack tapes.
King Of America would mark the second in a long line of Costello’s albums to be recorded in the U.S. over the ensuing four decades and that singularly eclectic, musical American odyssey is chronicled in great detail on the 48-track 3-disc digest of studio recordings – spanning the studio albums Spike (1989, Hollywood and New Orleans), The Delivery Man (2004, Oxford, Miss.), The River In Reverse (2006, Hollywood and New Orleans), Momofuku (2008, Los Angeles), Secret, Profane & Sugarcane (2009, Nashville), National Ransom (2010, Los Angeles and Nashville) and Look Now (2018, Hollywood, New York City) – woven together with a slew of previously unreleased demos, outtakes and live recordings.
Some of Costello’s many collaborations with American musicians are represented throughout the three discs, labeled Il Principe Di New Orleans E Le Marchese Del Mississippi, El Príncipe Del Purgatorio and finally Der Herzog Des Rampenlicht, including several studio and previously unreleased tracks from his collaborations with New Orleans R&B legend, Allen Toussaint, and longtime creative accomplice, T Bone Burnett. In addition to a handful of songs from Costello and Toussaint’s collaborative album, The River In Reverse, included are live versions of “Bedlam” from that record and “Clown Strike,” arranged by Toussaint and performed with The Imposters, A.B. Crown and The Crescent City Horns in Montreal in 2006, and the Toussaint-penned, Lee Dorsey classic, “The Greatest Love,” as featured in HBO’s David Simon-produced, New Orleans-based series “Treme.” This version is being made available for the first time outside of the show while the Montreal performances are making their audio debuts, having been released on the long out-of-print DVD “Hot As A Pistol, Keen As A Blade.”
Discs 5 and 6 features nearly half of Costello’s Burnett-produced album, National Ransom, joined by “Lost On The River #12” from Lost On The River: The New Basement Tapes, the acclaimed 2014 Burnett-led project consisting of musicians singing and setting discovered Bob Dylan lyrics from 1967 to music. Costello offers unreleased recordings of “Quick Like A Flash” from the New Basement Tapes sessions, demos of the National Ransom tune “Church Underground” and album outtakes “Condemned Man” and “For More Tears,” the first-ever release of the latter song which has only ever been performed live, as well as a stirring live performance of “A Scarlet Tide,” Costello and Burnett’s Oscar and Grammy-nominated song for the film “Cold Mountain,” recorded at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville with Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings.
Elsewhere on the collection, Costello duets with singers Lucinda Williams and Emmylou Harris on The Delivery Man tracks “There’s A Story In Your Voice” and “Heart Shaped Bruise.” The latter, recorded live with Harris at the Hi Tone in Memphis in 2004, was previously only available on the concert DVD “Club Date: Live In Memphis.” Rosanne Cash and Kris Kristofferson are joined by Costello on the captivating “April 5th,” one of two songs recorded by the elusive supergroup “C.C.K.”
King Of America & Other Realms culminates with three new recordings recorded in 2024: “Indoor Fireworks” (Memphis Magnetic Version), “That’s Not The Part of Him You’re Leaving” with Larkin Poe and a recent arrangement of “Brilliant Mistake” performed, as Costello remarks, “over a habanera rhythm in a minor key to mark the dark passing of the years and our elusive hold on hope, taking a detour into the 1933, Harry Warren/Al Dubin song, ‘Boulevard Of Broken Dreams’ rather than just alluding to it in the lyric of the last verse.” The final song of the set is “That Day Is Done,” a song co-written by Costello and Paul McCartney for McCartney’s 1989 album Flowers In The Dirt, here performed with the gospel group The Fairfield Four, bringing this wild and wonderfully odd odyssey to a close.
Released in 1986, King Of America marked a significant shift in Costello’s career, both musically and personally. Unlike his previous albums with The Attractions, he mostly collaborated with a group of session musicians, including Ray Brown and Earl Palmer, and members of Elvis Presley's TCB Band, that he dubbed The Confederates, and curiously only listed himself as The Costello Show. Similarly, the songs were credited to Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus. A departure from the new wave and punk he made his name with, the record’s sound leaned heavily into American country and folk influences, showcasing Costello's versatility as a songwriter and musician. The album was critically acclaimed and helped to reinforce his artistic credibility during a time when he was transitioning away from the brash persona that had initially defined his career. This pivot not only broadened his musical palette but also solidified his reputation as one of the most innovative and enduring artists of his generation.
In the nearly forty years from its release, King Of America’s stature only continues to grow among fans and critics. Retrospectively, the album is seen as one of Costello’s best works, with All Music calling it “one of his masterpieces,” and Stereogum declaring it “the most successful of Costello’s pointed genre excursions, a detour into roots music and country that plays to his great strengths as a lyricist and storyteller.” Pitchfork hailed it as a “complex and conflicted album that, despite all the spit and polish, sounds lively and raucous,” while Spin remarked, “stately country-folk overtones lend the heartrending songs ‘Brilliant Mistake,’ ‘American Without Tears’ and ‘Jack Of All Parades’ a grandeur that feels timeless.”
In the midst of a breakout year touring across four continents, Australian singer and musician Angie McMahon (she/her) today releases Light Sides - a five-song companion EP to her critically acclaimed album Light, Dark, Light Again. Stream Light Sides HERE.
Light Sides is the final piece of the Light, Dark, Light Again puzzle, and features five intimate, yet soaring and expansive songs, including the already released ‘Just Like North’ and latest single ‘Untangling.’ Angie McMahon shares, “Light Sides is a collection of songs that live alongside Light, Dark, Light Again. They were written in the process of making the album, born in the same universe. They didn’t fit in the record and I didn’t know if they’d be released, but it feels right to complete the chapter by letting these ones go. Thanks for making space for the record in your lives and entering the world of it with me. I hope these extra pieces give a little extra colour to the story.”
The five songs on Light Sides were put to tape at studios in Nashville, Los Angeles, North Carolina and on Wurundjeri and Dja Dja Wurrung Country in Australia, during the Light, Dark, Light Again album sessions and while Angie McMahon has been on the road for her year-long world tour. Light Sides opener ‘Beginner’ - written with and featuring vocals from Emma Louise, and produced and mixed by Jonathan Rado (Weyes Blood, Beyoncé, Foxygen) - is a reminder to detach from the idea of being certain; there is always more to learn. On ‘Interstate’ - recorded with Anna Laverty (Camp Cope, Courtney Barnett) mixed by Lars Stalfors (Soccer Mommy, St. Vincent, Portugal. The Man) - McMahon wanted to capture the emotion that circled while she fell in love in a way that blindsided her. The intimate, piano-led ‘Take Up Space’ that closes both Light Sides and the Light, Dark, Light Again chapter, was recorded with GRAMMY-nominated producer Jeremy Lutito and was birthed by a song prompt from Mimi Gilbert - who just toured the US supporting McMahon. It’s a sister song of sorts to ‘Exploding’, giving a voice to someone who hurt her, while bursting with empathy and compassion.
Released last October to widespread critical acclaim, Light, Dark, Light Again is an album about going to the darkest places inside yourself, facing your fears, and learning they can serve as a portal to something bigger and brighter. Angie McMahon comes undone then heals slowly and strangely across the record. The quiet but transformative revelations she had about life in this time were poured into the album on which she examines her relationship with self, and the journey to becoming okay with whoever she is, and whatever the future holds. The quiet poetry of McMahon’s lyrics will serve as a buoy to anyone facing their own fear, empowering and encouraging them to go forward. Learn more about Light, Dark, Light Again via NPR’s Weekend Edition.
Angie McMahon first entered the cultural consciousness with her breakthrough 2019 debut album Salt, a record that would go on to cement her as a globally recognized artist. Bringing a deeply emotive approach to her music with ethereal notes in the vein of Angel Olsen and Florence and the Machine, and an explosive live show reminiscent of Big Thief and The War on Drugs, Angie McMahon has become renowned for her truthful storytelling that speaks to the unpolished and messy experiences of life.
GRAMMY and Pulitzer Prize-winning artist Rhiannon Giddens has teamed up with singer-songwriter Crys Matthews and the Resistance Revival Chorus—a collective of women and non-binary singers—for a reimagining of folk icon Peggy Seeger’s “How I Long for Peace.” Released today, the new recording is timed to coincide with tomorrow’s National Voter Registration Day. Seeger's "How I Long for Peace," originally penned over two decades ago and released in 2021, resonates deeply with its call for a more just and peaceful world. This message is especially poignant during voting season, reminding us that our choices at the ballot box directly impact the future we shape. Released in partnership with Joy To The Polls and HeadCount, this powerful rendition, recorded last month in Brooklyn, serves as a rallying cry for community and civic engagement during election season. Joy To The Polls will also feature “How I Long for Peace” to kick off a campaign encouraging artists to write their own songs, imagining the world they want to create.
“Rhiannon, Crys, and the Resistance Revival Chorus have created a remarkable interpretation of my song ‘How I Long for Peace.’ It really works and will take this simple song to new heights. Thank you, Rhiannon, as always—now it’s on its way!” — Peggy Seeger
“When Crys asked me to collaborate on this, I was thrilled. I've been a longtime fan of Peggy Seeger and believe she wrote an incredible song that speaks some hard but vital truths, while also allowing us all to wish for a better world.” — Rhiannon Giddens
“While participating in the Library of Congress Archive Challenge, I stumbled across a live video of Peggy Seeger singing ‘How I Long for Peace.’ Though the performance was from 2007, the words felt so poignant and relevant. I fell in love with the song and adapted it to sound like something I’d sing in my family’s church—where I first learned about social justice music and freedom songs. I carried the song with me for years, and after seeing a post from Rhiannon about an antiwar student demonstration she had witnessed, I sent her the song. The next thing I knew, we were in a NYC studio, singing it with the Resistance Revival Chorus. I hope this song becomes a balm for those, like us and like Peggy, who long for and actively strive toward peace. May we all continue to envision a world where lasting peace is finally realized.” — Crys Matthews
About Rhiannon Giddens:
Rhiannon Giddens has crafted a unique, iconic career, blending folk music with deep historical roots and modern sensibilities. A two-time GRAMMY Award winner, 2023 Pulitzer Prize recipient, MacArthur “Genius” grant honoree, and a composer of opera, ballet, and film, Giddens focuses her work on lifting up the voices of those whose contributions to American music have been overlooked. Her latest release, You’re the One (2023), marks her first album of all original songs. Giddens’ banjo can also be heard on the history-making song "Texas Hold ‘Em," and she serves as the Artistic Director of Silkroad Ensemble. Beyond music, Giddens has authored two children’s books, hosts the Aria Code podcast on WQXR, and has composed music for ballet and film, with one of her songs featured in Red Dead Redemption 2. She has collaborated with artists like Questlove, Yo-Yo Ma, and Samuel L. Jackson, and counts Elvis Costello, John Turturro, and Lucy Liu among her fans.
About Crys Matthews:
Crys Matthews is one of the brightest stars among today’s social justice music-makers. A prolific songwriter and lyricist, Matthews fuses Country, Americana, Folk, Blues, and Bluegrass into powerful performances rooted in traditional melodies and original, heartfelt lyrics. Known for her honesty and activism, Matthews says her mission is "to amplify the voices of the unheard, shed light on the unseen, and remind the world that hope and love are the truest paths to justice." Her forthcoming album, Reclamation, is a testament to that mission.
About Resistance Revival Chorus:
The Resistance Revival Chorus is a collective of over 60 women and non-binary singers who join together to breathe joy and song into the resistance, centering women’s voices, particularly Black women and women of color. Formed after the 2017 Women’s March, the chorus has performed on stages like Carnegie Hall and the Apollo, backed Ke$ha at the GRAMMYs, and appeared on The Tonight Show. They’ve supported causes like the Movement for Black Lives, climate change, LGBTQIA+ rights, and many others. Their album THIS JOY is available on all streaming platforms.
About Joy To The Polls:
Founded in 2020, Joy To The Polls (JTTP) is a non-partisan voting initiative that uses music and art to create a celebratory atmosphere around voting. JTTP has brought artists like Rick Ross, Sun Ra Arkestra, and Jon Batiste to polling places nationwide, with playlists from Barack Obama, Selena Gomez, and others. In 2024, JTTP will return with pop-up performances and more.
About HeadCount:
HeadCount is a non-partisan organization dedicated to registering voters and promoting civic participation through music and pop culture. Since 2004, they've registered over a million voters through partnerships with musicians like Harry Styles and Billie Eilish, organizations like Global Citizen, and events like Lollapalooza.
This Friday, September 20th, a peak of the Grateful Dead's post-hiatus period will be immortalized with the release of Friend Of The Devils: April 1978. Available exclusively from Dead.net, the 19CD boxed set features eight previously unreleased concerts from the start of an historic tour – when “Drums” and “Space” first became regular live segments, and forever redefined the Grateful Dead’s live experience. "These eight shows tell the story of a band that was engaged, inspired, and focused on bringing their A-game every single night,” says Grateful Dead archivist David Lemieux. “If there was ever a tour on which the Dead deliver every single moment, it's this one."
Ahead of Friday, a previously unreleased performance of "Peggy-O" is available digitally today, recorded at Duke University’s Cameron Indoor Stadium on April 12, 1978. “No one could have known that the X-factor would appear in such force at Duke ‘78,” adds Lemieux. “As the Dead barreled through their first set with ‘Beat It On Down The Line,’ and ‘Peggy-O,’ there was something magical happening on the campus in Durham, NC that night. The Dead, as everyone in the building that night could hear, were determined to play one of their best shows ever.”
Listen to "Peggy-O (Live at Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke University, Durham, NC, 4/12/78)," as well as "U.S. Blues" and one of the most powerful live versions of "Truckin'" the Grateful Dead ever played
In addition to Duke '78, which receives its own 3CD, 4LP and digital release via Rhino this Friday, September 20th, Friend Of The Devils: April 1978 includes complete shows from Curtis Hixon Convention Hall, Tampa, FL (4/6/78); Sportatorium, Pembroke Pines, FL (4/7/78); Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Jacksonville, FL (4/8/78); Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA (4/10/78 and 4/11/78); Cassell Coliseum, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA (4/14/78); and Huntington Civic Center, Huntington, WV (4/16/78).
Betty Cantor-Jackson originally recorded these shows, which audio engineer Jeffrey Norman has mastered using Plangent Processes tape restoration and speed correction. To preview the unearthed concerts, Dead.net will be hosting an early listening party of Huntington Civic Center, Huntington, WV (4/16/78) tomorrow, September 18th (HERE), as well as a watch party for the Duke ‘78 concert at 5pm PT / 8pm ET on Thursday, September 19th (HERE).
Individually numbered to 10,000 copies, Friend Of The Devils: April 1978’s custom box was designed by Steve Vance, featuring a removable wave drum that invites listeners to unleash their inner Rhythm Devil. Christened Rhythm Devils by Mickey Hart, the "Drums" segments from the 1978 Spring Tour were unique affairs, where members of the band and road crew would join Hart and Billy Kreutzmann on stage for extended rhythmic explorations that frequently lasted over 15 minutes. Continuing as a permanent part of the concerts for the next 17 years, these intervals of free playing became so central to the Dead experience that it's hard to imagine shows unfolding any other way.
Acclaimed artist Matthew Brannon created the original artwork for Friend Of The Devils: 1978 and Duke ‘78, and has been exhibited in prestigious institutions like the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Kunsthalle in Düsseldorf. The deluxe collection also includes a 48-page book with original liner notes by late author Steve Silberman, as well as photos by James Anderson, Bob Minkin, and more.
Celebrating its 10th season, the Good Ol' Grateful Deadcast is further exploring these eight shows and this era in depth, and inviting fans to contribute their memories at stories.dead.net. With more than five million downloads and counting, the official Grateful Dead podcast is a treasure trove of new interviews, rare archival audio, and surprising cultural history. Listen to previous episodes of the Good Ol' Grateful Deadcast, read transcripts, and subscribe here: https://www.dead.net/deadcast
A 4LP black vinyl + 4 7” singles boxed set is available exclusively D2C at Rhino.com or store.talkingheadsofficial.com. This expansive collection of Talking Heads: 77 is housed in a lift-off-lid box, including 4LPs: 1LP of the remastered original album, 1LP of rare and previously unreleased demos and outtakes, and a 2LP Live at CBGB, New York, NY, Oct. 10, 1977, only available in this vinyl box. The 7” singles are set in a gatefold with a black-and-white image of the band, and the set includes an immersive 80-page hardcover book featuring never-before-seen photos, fliers, artwork, and thoughtful liner notes personally penned by each member—Tina Weymouth, David Byrne, Chris Frantz, and Jerry Harrison—plus notes by recording engineer Ed Stasium.
The boxed set offers 13 previously unreleased live recordings captured during their unforgettable last performance at CBGB’s in New York, NY, on October 10, 1977. These renditions of “Psycho Killer,” “Uh-Oh Love Comes to Town,” and “Don’t Worry About The Government” see the group firing on all cylinders in front of a rabid hometown crowd, unassumingly witnessing history in the making.
Among a plethora of extras, the rarities range from long-sought-after B-sides and alternate versions to acoustic recordings. One such gem is the rare “Psycho Killer (Acoustic Version)” [feat. Arthur Russell]. Heralding the collection, Talking Heads just shared this version on all DSPs. Listen HERE. They also unearthed a previously unheard alternate version of “Psycho Killer,” as well as an unheard alternate “Pop” version of “Pulled Up” for the set.
“We knew cellist and singer/songwriter Arthur Russell from the downtown world. He died early from AIDS, and during his life, he released very disparate records—spacey tunes on the album World of Echo and disco club tunes under the name Dinosaur L. He left a huge legacy of recordings, which are still filtering out 40 years after his passing. I remember seeing him play Philip Glass music for a Mabou Mines production of a Beckett play. I think Beckett's folks hated it, as they didn't want there to be music in his plays. So it wasn't a huge stretch that we'd invite Arthur to arrange and play on an alternate version of ‘Psycho Killer.’ Somewhat perversely, I always saw the song as being a slightly more intimate folk-rock thing rather than the rock song that folks seemed to love. So I had a special attachment to this version.” – David Byrne
Also available is a 2LP neon green vinyl version, only available at Barnes & Noble, a 2LP standard black vinyl at all general retailers, and a 3-CD/Blu-ray at all general retailers, D2C at Rhino.com, and store.talkingheadsofficial.com, as well as streaming on all DSPs. The 3-CD/Blu-ray features the same 80-page hardcover book as the Super Deluxe Edition, and provides an optimal sonic experience, with the Blu-ray boasting a brand-new Atmos mix, 5.1 Mix DTS-HD MA, 5.1 Mix LPCM, all overseen by Harrison, along with a 2024 stereo remaster.
To celebrate the announcement, the first of four new Talking Heads: 77 merch collections just went live today. Check it out HERE.
The world formally got to know Talking Heads when the band unveiled their full-length debut, Talking Heads: 77, on September 16, 1977. Of course, it cemented the classic lineup as Weymouth, Byrne, and Frantz welcomed Harrison to the fold during its creation. Forty-seven years later, it remains entrenched in popular culture as one of the most influential American records ever made. Its impact on indie, alternative, new wave, and art rock proves palpable to this day. Rolling Stone touted it as one of “The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time” at #290. In a retrospective review, Pitchfork put it best: “In 1977, they didn’t need to rush towards the future. They were already there.” The LP ignited a legendary four-album suite of masterpieces for Sire Records, paving the way for More Songs About Buildings and Food [1978], Fear of Music [1979], and Remain In Light [1980].
The Super Deluxe Edition caps off a celebratory season for Talking Heads, who recently commemorated the 40th anniversary of their groundbreaking concert film with Jonathan Demme—Stop Making Sense—with a 2LP and 2CD/Blu-ray set over the summer, along with sold-out screenings hosted by Andy Richter and Questlove.
Be on the lookout for more news and announcements soon.
Experience the ultimate vision of Talking Heads: 77 on November 8.
Tracklist:
Original Album Remastered
Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town
New Feeling
Tentative Decisions
Happy Day
Who Is It?
No Compassion
The Book I Read
Don’t Worry About the Government
First Week/Last Week… Carefree
Psycho Killer
Pulled Up
Rarities
Sugar on My Tongue
I Want to Live
(Love Goes To) Building On Fire
I Wish You Wouldn’t Say That
Psycho Killer (Acoustic Version)
Uh-Oh Love Comes to Town (Alternate “Pop” Version)
New Feeling (Alternate “Pop” Version)
Pulled Up (Alternate “Pop” Version) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
Stay Hungry (1977 Version)
First Week/Last Week… Carefree (Acoustic Version)
I Feel It in My Heart
Psycho Killer (Alternate Version) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
Live (All Previously Unreleased)
(Love Goes To) Building On Fire (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
Don’t Worry About the Government (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
Take Me to the River (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
The Book I Read (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
New Feeling (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
A Clean Break (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
No Compassion (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
Thank You for Sending Me an Angel (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
Who Is It? (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
Pulled Up (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
Uh-Oh Love Comes to Town (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
Psycho Killer (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
Stay Hungry (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
3x GRAMMY winner Samara Joy has released a new single “Autumn Nocturne” today from her forthcoming studio album Portrait, due out October 11th on Verve Records. Originally written by Joe Myrow and Kim Gannon and released in 1941, the composition reflects on the changing seasons and offers a nostalgic reminder of lost love. Joy’s interpretation of the tune highlights her “one of a kind voice” (CBS Mornings) and the intimate, soulful chemistry she’s developed with her touring band, an egalitarian octet featuring trumpeter Jason Charos, trombonist Donavan Austin, saxophonists David Mason and Kendric McCallister, pianist Connor Rohrer, bassist Felix Moseholm and drummer Evan Sherman.
Today’s release is a new arrangement of “Autumn Nocturne” by Kendric McCallister and is co-produced by Joy and veteran trumpeter/bandleader/multi-Grammy winner Brian Lynch. Listen to “Autumn Nocturne” HERE.
Emerging after a busy year of touring all over the world, Joy’s forthcoming album finds the 24-year-old Bronx native channeling her success into the pursuit of musical exploration. Portrait, the follow up to her 2022 breakout album Linger Awhile, offers a snapshot of Joy’s growth not only as a once-in-a-generation vocalist but also as songwriter, arranger and band leader. The album was tracked in streamlined sessions — just two or three takes of each tune — at one of jazz’s most hallowed sites, Van Gelder Studio.
Portrait highlights Joy’s prowess as a lyricist, with new arrangements that meld her thoughtful lyrics with music by Charles Mingus, Barry Harris and more. The album also features vibrant interpretations of standards, including a new arrangement of“You Stepped Out of a Dream” (out now). Portrait stands as a testament to Joy’s growth and the profound connection within her band—a group she hopes will continue to evolve together for years to come. Pre-order / pre-save Portrait (out October 11) HERE.
Last week, Joy announced a GRAMMY Museum event at New York City’s The Greene Space on October 8. “A NY Evening With Samara Joy” will include a conversation about Portrait with author and music journalist Marcus J. Moore followed by a performance. Tickets and additional info HERE. For all upcoming tour dates, please see below and via https://www.samarajoy.com/.
Samara Joy 2024 Tour Dates
September 19 – Mesa, AZ – Mesa Arts Center
September 20 – Costa Mesa, CA – Segerstrom Center, La
September 22 – Escodido, CA – California Center For The Arts
September 27 – Monterey, CA – Monterey Jazz Festival
October 13 – Clearwater, FL – Capitol Theater
October 15 – Clemson, SC – Clemson University Brooks Center
October 17 – Birmingham, AL – Alys Stephens Center
October 18 – Athens, GA – U of GA Hodgson Concert Hall
October 20 – Tallahassee, FL – Lee Hall
October 22 – Jacksonville, FL – Florida Theatre
October 23 – Ft Lauderdale, FL – Broward Center
October 27 – Baton Rouge, LA – River Center Perf Arts Theater
October 30 –Denver, CO – Paramount Theatre
October 31 – Tucson, AZ – Fox Theatre
November 7 – Red Bank, NJ – NJ Count Basie Center
November 9 – Purchase, NY – Purchase College
December 3 – Penn State, PA – University Park*
December 4 – Morristown, NJ – Mayo Performing Arts Center*
December 6 – Richmond, VA – Altria*
December 8 – Louisville, KY – Brown Theatre*
December 10 – Baltimore, MD – Murphy Fine Arts Center*
December 11 – Bowie, MD – Bowie State University*
December 14 – Storrs, CT – Jorgensen Center*
December 16 – Albany, NY – The Egg*
December 17 – Buffalo, NY – U Of Buffalo Center For The Arts*
Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, today release The 1974 Live Recordings celebrating the 50th anniversary of Bob Dylan’s return to touring that year. Featuring all professionally recorded shows from the artist’s 1974 performances backed by The Band, the collection is now available as a deluxe box set across 27 CDs. The 1974 Live Recordings offers fans 417 previously-unreleased Bob Dylan live tracks – including 133 recordings newly mixed from 16-track tape, and every single surviving soundboard recording – along with new liner notes by journalist and critic Elizabeth Nelson.
Early praise for the collection has arrived from The New York Times, Rolling Stone, the Associated Press, UNCUT, and MOJO who in their four-star review said the music is “...so mighty it reorients a Dylan era…,” and Uproxx’s Steven Hyden who wrote, “‘The 1974 Live Recordings’ puts you inside Bob Dylan and The Band’s historic tour…The electric sets from the first several weeks represent some of the finest music Dylan and The Band ever made together.”
In conjunction with The 1974 Live Recordings, Third Man Records has in conjunction released The 1974 Live Recordings - The Missing Songs From Before the Flood, a 3-LP / 1 x 7-inch set culled from the same recordings, featuring hand-selected versions of every song Bob Dylan recorded that was not included on the original 1974 live album. Pressed exclusively on colored vinyl, the set sold out in pre-orders upon being announced through The Vault, Third Man's direct-to-customer mail-order service.
In celebration of the release and the 50th anniversary of Dylan’s return to touring, Legacy Recordings and Third Man Records are partnering on a listening panel with The Bob Dylan Center. The event will take place during AmericanaFest on Friday, September 20 (5:30pm) at Third Man Records’ Blue Room in Nashville. Panelists include Ben Blackwell of Third Man Records, Elizabeth Nelson the journalist and musician who wrote the liner notes for the set, and Steven Jenkins from The Bob Dylan Center, with a special performance by Minnesota natives The Cactus Blossoms.
For more information on Bob Dylan: The 1974 Live Recordings visit here.
LP Giobbi has shared a new song from her forthcoming new album Dotr, out October 18 on Ninja Tune / Counter Records. “Love Come Through” features singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Panama, singing over an ecstatic, piano-driven beat. LP Giobbi is also gearing up to play her largest headline tour yet this fall, including shows at LA’s Fonda Theatre, Denver's Mission Ballroom, and NYC’s Great Hall. See below for the full itinerary.
“I have been a fan of the way Panama's songs emote real beauty and emotion through top notch chord progressions so I was thrilled to work with him on ‘Love Come Through.’ The icing on the cake was getting to work with Natalie Grata who did the live string arrangement making that final musical moment so euphoric,” says LP Giobbi.
"When I started writing ‘Love Come Through,’ I wasn’t sure what I was trying to say at the time, but I felt like a big change was happening in my life. Looking back, I think that what I was trying to say was, although we change, there is always a constant in our lives and that is love,” says Panama.
The much anticipated follow up her 2023 debut Light Places — that earned her the title of DJ Mag’s Producer of the Year for 2023 and placed her among NPR’s Favorite New Musicians of 2023 — Dotr is named for the way LP Giobbi signed notes to her parents as a child. Built around a triage of grief, Dotr was written in the wake of the loss of three matriarchal figures in Giobbi’s life: Patricia Lynn, her mother-in-law, Carolyn Horn, her piano teacher since second grade, and Suse Millman, a longtime friend of her parents and the only professional artist she knew as a child. Built from raw, candid recordings from these friends and mentors, in addition to vocal lines from peers and heroes — including Portugal. The Man, Panama, Danielle Ponder, and more — and warm, rich melodies, Dotr is a joyous project that overcomes sadness through the exaltant revelation of what it means to live.
Previously released tracks from Dotr include “Feel (ft. Jacob Banks),” praised by Billboard for “building to a kind of serenely dancing with your eyes closed kind of place,” and “Bittersweet” (ft. Portugal. the Man), which Grimy Goods named one of the top 5 songs of the summer. “So Nice To Be In Love” features Mascolo, who is an artist recently signed to her label Yes Yes Yes. In late August LP Giobbi shared “Until There’s Nothing Left” featuring the vocals of Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes. The track has been featured on KCRW’s 5 Songs To Hear list and deemed “Powerful” by Sweety High.
LP Giobbi has graced massive festival stages — Coachella, Tomorrowland, Electric Forest, Lollapalooza, Kappa Futur, Lost Village plus Arc Music Festival, Portola & Life Is Beautiful appearances set for later this year — and crowded club floors while touring with the likes of Mochakk, DJ Tennis, John Summit, Diplo, Dead & Co, Black Coffee, and frequent collaborator Sofi Tukker. In addition to being the Global Music Director for W Hotels and being featured in a major Taco Bell spot.
LP Giobbi is also a major voice in the world of inclusion and equity in the electronic world with her 501(c)(3) nonprofit FEMME HOUSE. Since launching in 2019, FEMME HOUSE has provided thousands of female and gender expansive individuals access to production workshops, online courses, and scholarship programs to counteract gender disparities in dance music, where women make up only two percent of producers. The organization has previously joined forces with Alicia Keys’ She Is the Music and Emily Lazar’s We Are Moving the Needle.
Today, Sierra Ferrell shares an alternative version of her song "Lighthouse," a plea to a potential lover that's been described as both "a hooky earworm" and "a possible hit roots single," wrote the Wall Street Journal. While the original recording is layered with strings and harmonies, this new rendition strips the arrangement down to just Sierra Ferrell's lead vocal and guitar, harkening back to the series of stark and striking solo performances that first transformed her from train-hopping vagabond to viral sensation.
Listen to "Lighthouse" (Alternative Version) via Rounder Records, and watch the accompanying live video: HERE
"Lighthouse" is one of many highlights from Sierra Ferrell's Trail of Flowers LP, which just made her the biggest winner at last week's 2024 Americana Honors & Awards. Entering the night as the most-nominated musician, Ferrell earned top prizes for Artist of The Year and Album of The Year, cementing her rise as "the roots-music queen of the moment" (Variety).
In recent weeks, Sierra Ferrell has also released alternative versions of Trail of Flowers favorites like "American Dreaming" and "Dollar Bill Bar," in addition to acing her debut at NPR's Tiny Desk, collaborating with Post Malone, sharing bills with Mitski and Zach Bryan, and performing on TV screens and festival stages across the country.
Tomorrow, she makes a triumphant return to her hometown of Charleston, West Virginia, where the state will officially name September 28th as Sierra Ferrell Day. The declaration, signed by Charleston mayor Amy Goodwin and presented by West Virginia delegate Mike Pushkin (D - Kanawha, 054) will take place during her concert at Clay Center, culminating a sold-out tour of more than 45 dates.
Steve Martin skyrocketed from stand-up comedian to national sensation in the late 70s, redefining comedy for a new generation. An upcoming boxed set from Rhino captures Martin’s meteoric rise across four albums, showcasing his absurdist humor, surreal routines, and banjo skills.
The set includes four albums: Let’s Get Small (1977), A Wild And Crazy Guy (1978), Comedy Is Not Pretty! (1979), and The Steve Martin Brothers (1981).
Comedy historian Kliph Nesteroff charts Martin’s journey from small clubs to packed arenas in the set’s liner notes. He also explains how Martin’s self-aware humor was a fresh departure from the political satire of the time. “Rather than deconstruct politics like his contemporaries had been doing, Martin deconstructed showbiz itself. It was comedy at the expense of comedy.”
Martin’s breakthrough came in 1977 with Let’s Get Small, an album that remarkably captured his visual, physical comedy through audio. “The uninitiated heard clanks and spaces that brought forth laughs, and this minus turned into a plus as the transitions seemed more surreal than they already were,” Martin says. The album was a Top 10 hit and certified platinum.
His second album, A Wild And Crazy Guy (1978), peaked at #2 and was certified double platinum. The album introduced the hit “King Tut,” which reached the Top 20 on the singles chart. The popularity of the album’s titular ‘wild and crazy guy’ was amplified by Martin’s recurring appearances on Saturday Night Live alongside Dan Aykroyd as the Festrunk Brothers. Their catchphrase, “We are two wild and crazy guys!” became a cultural phenomenon.
In 1979, when he released his gold-certified third album, Comedy Is Not Pretty!, Martin was performing to stadium-sized crowds – an unprecedented feat for a stand-up. As comedian Steve Allen remarked, “For the first time in the history of comedy, the crowd was reacting like a rock music audience...as if he were The Beatles or The Rolling Stones.”
The set concludes with The Steve Martin Brothers, which marked a shift in his career. This album featured not just Martin’s stand-up material but also an entire side of bluegrass banjo performances, hinting at his transition from stand-up to music and film.
Steve In A Box: The Warner Years (1977-1981)
4LP Track Listing
Let’s Get Small
Side One
1. “Ramblin’ Man / Theme From Ramblin’ Man”
2. “Vegas”
3. “Let’s Get Small”
Side Two
1. “Smoking”
2. “One Way To Leave Your Lover”
3. “Mad At My Mother”
4. “Excuse Me”
5. “Grandmother’s Song”
6. “Funny Comedy Gags”
7. “Closing”
A Wild And Crazy Guy
Side One
1. “I’m Feelin’ It”
2. “Philosophy/Religion/College/Language”
3. “Creativity In Action/I’m In The Mood For Love”
Fifty years ago, on Tuesday, October 1st, 1974, Grammy-nominated folk singer Harry Chapin released the multi-generational hit “Cat’s In The Cradle.” By December of that same year, the song had skyrocketed to #1, and made Chapin a household name. Originally inspired by a poem written by his wife Sandy, “Cat’s In the Cradle” afforded Chapin newfound stardom that allowed him to launch WhyHunger, Center for Food Action and Long Island Cares, or The Harry Chapin Food Bank. Together, the charities help almost 2 million adults and children facing food insecurity each year in the U.S. and around the world.
Today the song has also been certified 2x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Each year, WhyHunger honors individuals for their commitment to helping to end hunger, presenting the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award and running an annual Hungerthon campaign that educates the public and raises critical funds to end hunger in America. What originally began as a radio-driven Thanksgiving tradition in 1975, and hit airwaves across the nation each fall through partnerships with SiriusXM, Audacy NY, and iHeartMedia NY has since raised millions for the cause.
This year, in addition to the annual Hungerthon and in celebration of the song’s 50th anniversary, Chapin’s family has announced the release of a documentary about the making of “Cat’s In The Cradle,” as well as live tour dates for the Harry Chapin Band this fall. Stops include Tarrytown, NY, multiple shows in New Jersey, and more cities along the East Coast with a lineup including his brothers Tom and Steve Chapin, daughter Jen Chapin nieces Abigail and Lily Chapin, Big John Wallace, Howard Fields, Clark Wallace, Stephan Crump, Jamie Fox, and the newly added Arlen Hlusko on cello.
Artist and actor interviews in the documentary will come from Billy Joel, Pat Benatar, Judy Collins, Robert Lamm, Darryl McDaniels, Whit Crane from Ugly Kid Joe and more, plus clips of Johnny Cash and others performing the song. Stay tuned for more release plans and its official release.
Harry Chapin sold over 16 million records, had 14 hit singles, and garnered two GRAMMY nominations. In 1977 he was a key participant in the creation of the Presidential Commission on World Hunger. He was posthumously awarded the GRAMMY President’s Merit Award in 1986 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1987. He was inducted into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2006 and GRAMMY Hall of Fame in 2011.
In early 1987 Elvis Costello played a six-night, sold-out stand at the Royal Albert Hall in London; three shows with the Attractions and three devoted to his 1986 album, King Of America, and other realms, with a band billed as The Confederates (the dictionary definition for ally or accomplice and nothing to do with America’s Civil War), featuring guitarist James Burton and bassist Jerry Scheff from Elvis Presley’s legendary TCB Band, drummer Jim Keltner, keyboardist Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and T-Bone Wolk, who added accordion and mandolin to the ensemble. The electrifying never-before-released concert is included on the six-disc box set King Of America & Other Realms, releasing November 1 via UMe, and is being previewed today with Costello’s performance of “Only Daddy That’ll Walk The Line,” written by Jimmy Bryant and made famous by Waylon Jennings.
The third disc of the set, Kings Of America Live At The Royal Albert Hall, recorded on January 27, 1987 and newly mixed from the multitrack tapes, features live renditions of several King Of America titles along with Costello’s take on a host of great American songwriter’s songs including Dan Penn & Spooner Oldham’s “It Tears Me Up,” Arthur Alexander’s “Sally Sue Brown,” Allen Toussaint’s “Riverboat,” Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Your Funeral And My Trial,” Mose Allison’s “Your Mind Is On Vacation,” Ray Charles’ “What Would I Do Without You,” Jesse Winchester’s “Payday,” Dave Bartholomew’s “That’s How You Got Killed Before” and Buddy Holly’s “True Love Ways.”
Elvis Costello’s King Of America & Other Realms celebrates and explores the songwriter’s lifelong love, fascination, and influence of American music, spanning his many albums and inspired collaborations with some of the most celebrated musicians, songwriters and producers in this music, including his longtime creative partnership with T Bone Burnett.
Compiled by Elvis Costello, the six-disc Super Deluxe Edition box set, King Of America & Other Realms, traces Costello’s musical travels from Hollywood, Calif. – where the King Of America album was recorded – to a brand-new take on that album’s opener, “Brilliant Mistake,” recorded in Cape Fear, N.C. in early 2024, via Costello's recording adventures in New Orleans, Oxford and Clarksdale, Miss., Nashville and Memphis, Tenn. This one-of-a-kind 97-track musical journey is guided by Costello in a newly self-penned 35-page essay beautifully illustrated with numerous rare and never-before-seen photos in a 57-page booklet. The discs are housed in a handsome 12” x 11.5” package. A startlingly beautiful cover shot by Terence Donovan reveals the majesty and absurdity of a king in his velvet and bejeweled crown and embroidered denim jacket.
King Of America & Other Realms is anchored by a new 2024 remaster from the original master tapes of Costello’s 1986 career-defining, T Bone Burnett-produced album, King Of America, and features solo demos from 1985, including never previously released demos cut at Red Bus Recording Studios in London in the months prior to the King Of America sessions in Hollywood and mixed from newly discovered multitrack tapes; a 17-song Royal Albert Hall concert from 1987 in London, mixed from multitrack tapes; and a three-disc compendium of recordings and collaborations from across the last four decades, including previously unreleased demos, outtakes and live recordings. The collection was produced by Elvis Costello and Steve Berkowitz.
In addition to the Super Deluxe Edition box set, King Of America & Other Realms will also be available on 2CD with the new 2024 remaster of the album on CD1 and highlights from the box set on CD2, including studio recordings, demos and live recordings. The new remaster of King Of America will be available separately on both 140-gram black vinyl as well as limited edition 140-gram gold nugget color vinyl, exclusively via ElvisCostello.com, uDiscover Music and Sound of Vinyl.
Titled Le Roi Sans Sabots, the second disc of King Of America & Other Realms collects Costello’s solo demos from 1985, including performances recently unearthed from two reels of demo recordings, cut at London’s Red Bus Recording Studios in the months prior to the King Of America sessions in Hollywood. “Brilliant Mistake” and “Blue Chair” are presented with radically different lyrics, shedding new light on the intention of key songs from the King Of America album. “Deportee” – later brutalized and distorted on “Goodbye Cruel World” – is heard in a direct and emotional vocal performance with acoustic guitar. Meanwhile, an early sketch of “Next Time Round” shows that it was actually written for King Of America but not recorded again until the album, Blood & Chocolate, released eight months later in September 1986. Also included is an outtake of “Shoes Without Heels,” a contender for King Of America that ultimately didn’t make the album; a different recording of the song would eventually be released on the 1987 rarities and unreleased tracks collection, Out Of Our Idiot.
The disc is bookended by the opening and closing title themes by The Coward Brothers, the pseudonymous side project that Costello and T Bone Burnett adopted for a series of tours in ’84 and ’85. The Red Bus Demos are sequenced together with previously released solo sessions recorded at Hollywood’s Ocean Way Studios. “If you are familiar with the songs of King Of America and then listen to the collection of sketches and solo performances on ‘Le Roi Sans Sabots’ you may see a different picture,” Costello writes in the accompanying essay, adding, “Assembling ‘Le Roi Sans Sabots’ has been a little like developing an old negative to discover a photograph, close to a very familiar image but crucially different in composition and implication. It seems that sometime after these initial solo sessions, I resolved to balance the break-up theme with lyrics with a more satirical note.” Also included are early drafts of “Jack Of All Parades,” and “Sleep Of The Just” along with solo versions of “Poisoned Rose,” “Indoor Fireworks,” “I’ll Wear It Proudly,” “Suffering Face,” and the piano ballad, “Having It All – written for a scene at the Eiffel Tower in the movie “Absolute Beginners.”
King Of America would mark the second in a long line of Costello’s albums to be recorded in the U.S. over the ensuing four decades and that singularly eclectic, musical American odyssey is chronicled in great detail on the 48-track 3-disc digest of studio recordings – spanning the studio albums Spike (1989, Hollywood and New Orleans), The Delivery Man (2004, Oxford, Miss.), The River In Reverse (2006, Hollywood and New Orleans), Momofuku (2008, Los Angeles), Secret, Profane & Sugarcane (2009, Nashville), National Ransom (2010, Los Angeles and Nashville) and Look Now (2018, Hollywood, New York City) – woven together with a slew of previously unreleased demos, outtakes and live recordings.
Some of Costello’s many collaborations with American musicians are represented throughout the three discs, labeled Il Principe Di New Orleans E Le Marchese Del Mississippi, El Príncipe Del Purgatorio and finally Der Herzog Des Rampenlicht, including several studio and previously unreleased tracks from his collaborations with New Orleans R&B legend, Allen Toussaint, and longtime creative accomplice, T Bone Burnett. In addition to a handful of songs from Costello and Toussaint’s collaborative album, The River In Reverse, included are live versions of “Bedlam” from that record and “Clown Strike,” arranged by Toussaint and performed with The Imposters, A.B. Crown and The Crescent City Horns in Montreal in 2006, and the Toussaint-penned, Lee Dorsey classic, “The Greatest Love,” as featured in HBO’s David Simon-produced, New Orleans-based series “Treme.” This version is being made available for the first time outside of the show while the Montreal performances are making their audio debuts, having been released on the long out-of-print DVD “Hot As A Pistol, Keen As A Blade.”
Discs 5 and 6 features nearly half of Costello’s Burnett-produced album, National Ransom, joined by “Lost On The River #12” from Lost On The River: The New Basement Tapes, the acclaimed 2014 Burnett-led project consisting of musicians singing and setting discovered Bob Dylan lyrics from 1967 to music. Costello offers unreleased recordings of “Quick Like A Flash” from the New Basement Tapes sessions, demos of the National Ransom tune “Church Underground” and album outtakes “Condemned Man” and “For More Tears,” the first-ever release of the latter song which has only ever been performed live, as well as a stirring live performance of “A Scarlet Tide,” Costello and Burnett’s Oscar and Grammy-nominated song for the film “Cold Mountain,” recorded at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville with Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings.
Elsewhere on the collection, Costello duets with singers Lucinda Williams and Emmylou Harris on The Delivery Man tracks “There’s A Story In Your Voice” and “Heart Shaped Bruise.” The latter, recorded live with Harris at the Hi Tone in Memphis in 2004, was previously only available on the concert DVD “Club Date: Live In Memphis.” Rosanne Cash and Kris Kristofferson are joined by Costello on the captivating “April 5th,” one of two songs recorded by the elusive supergroup “C.C.K.”
King Of America & Other Realms culminates with three new recordings recorded in 2024: “Indoor Fireworks” (Memphis Magnetic Version), “That’s Not The Part of Him You’re Leaving” with Larkin Poe and a recent arrangement of “Brilliant Mistake” performed, as Costello remarks, “over a habanera rhythm in a minor key to mark the dark passing of the years and our elusive hold on hope, taking a detour into the 1933, Harry Warren/Al Dubin song, ‘Boulevard Of Broken Dreams’ rather than just alluding to it in the lyric of the last verse.” The final song of the set is “That Day Is Done,” a song co-written by Costello and Paul McCartney for McCartney’s 1989 album Flowers In The Dirt, here performed with the gospel group The Fairfield Four, bringing this wild and wonderfully odd odyssey to a close.
Released in 1986, King Of America marked a significant shift in Costello’s career, both musically and personally. Unlike his previous albums with The Attractions, he mostly collaborated with a group of session musicians, including Ray Brown and Earl Palmer, and members of Elvis Presley's TCB Band, that he dubbed The Confederates, and curiously only listed himself as The Costello Show. Similarly, the songs were credited to Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus. A departure from the new wave and punk he made his name with, the record’s sound leaned heavily into American country and folk influences, showcasing Costello's versatility as a songwriter and musician. The album was critically acclaimed and helped to reinforce his artistic credibility during a time when he was transitioning away from the brash persona that had initially defined his career. This pivot not only broadened his musical palette but also solidified his reputation as one of the most innovative and enduring artists of his generation.
In the nearly forty years from its release, King Of America’s stature only continues to grow among fans and critics. Retrospectively, the album is seen as one of Costello’s best works, with All Music calling it “one of his masterpieces,” and Stereogum declaring it “the most successful of Costello’s pointed genre excursions, a detour into roots music and country that plays to his great strengths as a lyricist and storyteller.” Pitchfork hailed it as a “complex and conflicted album that, despite all the spit and polish, sounds lively and raucous,” while Spin remarked, “stately country-folk overtones lend the heartrending songs ‘Brilliant Mistake,’ ‘American Without Tears’ and ‘Jack Of All Parades’ a grandeur that feels timeless.”
After famously playing their second show at Woodstock in August 1969, David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, and Neil Young spent the rest of the year touring and writing songs for what would become CSNY’s 1970 debut, Déjà Vu. A newly discovered multi-track recording of the band’s September 20, 1969, concert at the historic Fillmore East in New York City captures an early moment from that first tour and will be released as a double live album on October 25.
Live At The Fillmore East, 1969 will be available from Rhino.com on vinyl (2LP) and CD. Pre-Order HERE. A special clear-vinyl edition will be available exclusively at select retailers on the same day.
Today, “Long Time Gone” [Electric Set] and “Our House” [Acoustic Set] are available digitally. Listen HERE.
Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young were heavily involved in the creation of this never-before-heard live show. Stills and Young compiled and mixed the original eight-track concert recordings with John Hanlon at Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles. The audio is AAA lacquer cut for the vinyl release to provide the highest audio fidelity.
Young recently said: “[We] have the tapes, and they sound so real. We mixed at Sunset Sound – the analog echo chamber, no digital echo. We’re staying all analog throughout the production…Pure. Analog. No digital – an Analog Original.”
Recorded only a month after Woodstock, the September 20 concert was the band’s fourth show in two days at the Fillmore East and featured both acoustic and electric sets. Stills shares they were still figuring things out, “the acoustic part of the show took care of itself, but now that we had equipment and Dallas [Taylor, drums] and Greg [Reeves, bass] and sizable shows to do, we just went for it. What we lacked in finesse, we made up for in enthusiasm...A band on the run. Expecting to fly.”
The setlist spotlights soon-to-be classics from CSN’s self-titled debut and Young’s Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere with “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” “Helplessly Hoping,” and “Down By The River.” The concert also features early versions of two future Déjà Vu tracks. Stills delivers a stunning solo acoustic performance of his introspective ballad “4 + 20,” followed by Nash, alone at the organ, singing “Our House” to its inspiration, Joni Mitchell, who was in the Fillmore audience.
In the acoustic set, Young gave a nod to Buffalo Springfield (his first band with Stills) playing “I’ve Loved Her So Long,” a song he wrote for the group’s final album, 1968’s Last Time Around. Young says, “For me, CSNY was a chance to reunite with Steve Stills and carry on the Buffalo Springfield vibe. Crosby’s great energy was always our catalyst. Graham and Stephen’s vocals, along with David’s and mine, were uplifting every night. Great moments I will never forget.”
The electric set is powerful and intense, highlighted by expansive versions of “Wooden Ships,” “Long Time Gone,” and “Sea Of Madness.” The band closes the show with “Find The Cost Of Freedom,” a new song by Stills that later would be released as the B-side to the protest anthem “Ohio.”
“Hearing the music again after all these years, I can tell how much we loved each other and loved the music that we were creating,” Nash says. “We were four people reveling in the different sounds we were producing, quietly singing together on the one hand, then rocking like f**k for the rest of the concert.”
Jeremie Albino’s electrifying live shows have recently brought him to stages with Orville Peck and Sierra Ferrell - and the list of his fans-turned-friends keeps growing exponentially this fall. Performing in Nashville for the 3rd Annual Easy Eye Fish Fry, Albino was just joined on stage by a backing band packed with music luminaries including The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney, Nathaniel Rateliff and Black Pumas’ Adrian Quesada. All of this before he’s even released his Easy Eye Sound debut, Our Time In The Sun, which arrives on November 1. Today, in advance of the release, the Toronto musician has shared “So Many Ways To Say I Love You” - a song he co-wrote with Auerbach and Nashville legend Joe Allen (Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, John Anderson, Yola).
Listen to “So Many Ways To Say I Love You” here, featuring Albino backed by a spellbinding ten-piece band including Auerbach, The Dap-Kings’ Tommy Brenneck, Little Barrie’s Barrie Cadogan, Tom Bukovac (five-time MusicRow Guitarist of the Year) and The Heliocentrics’ Malcolm Catto.
Jeremie Albino’s Our Time In The Sun is the culmination of a remarkable journey, one that began on a farm in rural Ontario. After years slinging veggies at a farmers markets in Toronto, Albino began performing on the city’s streets and beyond, spending years busking throughout Europe - trading songs for lodging. The back and forth between him and the many fleeting crowds sparked a love of performing, one that he channeled into live shows that grew steadily from passerby to packed rooms. As for Auerbach, he produced this new collection after a chance encounter with Albino’s music online that left him mesmerized: “It was a dream. His voice was amazing. I instantly loved his style and charisma — I didn’t know it could just be so real.”
Albino recently announced headlining tour dates across the U.S. and Canada for 2024, including iconic rooms like Los Angeles’ Troubadour (February 20) and the 1,500 capacity Danforth Music Hall in his hometown of Toronto (April 4). See below for a full list of dates, and preview Albino’s riveting live performances in his recent video for album title track “Our Time In The Sun”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tscGDZntSp0
Jeremie Albino - Our Time In The Sun Tracklist
1.I Don’t Mind Waiting
2.Baby Ain’t It Cold Outside
3.Let Me Lay My Head
4.Our Time In The Sun
5.Rolling Down The 405
6.So Many Ways To Say I Love You
7.Struggling With The Bottle
8.Give It To Me One Last Time
9.Dinner Bell
10.Since I’ve Been Knowing You
11.Gimme Some
12.Hold Me Tight
Jeremie Albino Tour Dates
Oct 5, 2024 - Elora, ON - ADDY-TUDE! Fest
Jan 16, 2025 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall
Jan 17, 2025 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Made
Jan 18, 2025 - Philadelphia, PA - Foundry
Jan 19, 2025 - Washington, D.C.- Union Stage
Jan 21, 2025 - Carrboro, NC - Cats Cradle (Front)
Jan 23, 2025 - Atlanta, GA - Vinyl
Jan 24, 2025 - Nashville, TN - The 58
Jan 25, 2025 - Lexington, KY - Burl
Jan 26, 2025 - Indianapolis, IN - Turntable
Jan 28, 2025 - St. Louis, MO - Golden Record
Jan 29, 2025 - Des Moines, IA - Xbx Live
Jan 31, 2025 - Chicago, IL - Schuba's
Feb 1, 2025 - Minneapolis, MN - Turf Club
Feb 13, 2025 - Fort Collins, CO - Washingtons
Feb 14, 2025 - Denver, CO - Bluebird
Feb 15, 2025 - Colorado Springs, CO - Lulu's Downstairs
Feb 18, 2025 - Phoenix, AZ- Rebel Lounge
Feb 19, 2025 - San Diego, CA - Casbah
Feb 20, 2025 - Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour
Feb 21, 2025 - San Francisco, CA - Independent
Feb 22, 2025 - Healdsburg, CA - Little Saint
Feb 24, 2025 - Portland, OR - Aladdin
Feb 25, 2025 - Seattle, WA – Crocodile
Feb 27, 2025 - Victoria, BC - Capital Ballroom
Feb 28, 2025 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
Mar 3, 2025 - Edmonton, AB - Winspear Centre
Mar 4, 2025 - Calgary, AB - The Palace Theatre
Mar 7, 2025 - Saskatoon, SK - The Capitol Music Club
Throughout the latter half of the seventies, Joni Mitchell continued to creatively break ground with her fearless and fluid exploration of jazz. Rather than tread the same path, she challenged and reinvented her style with a folk fusion like no other. Ascending to an unrivaled sonic peak, this innovative sound took shape across the gold-certified Hejira [1976], the gold-certified double-LP Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter [1977], her collaboration with Charles Mingus entitled Mingus [1979], and live album Shadows and Light [1980]. Channeling the thrill and excitement of these records, she delves even further into this season on Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980), out today via Rhino Records.
The Forum, Montreal, QC, Canada, Dec. 4, 1975 Today HERE
It stands out as the 12th release by the Joni Mitchell Archives and extends Rhino’s ongoing, GRAMMY-winning series exploring the vast untapped archives of rare Joni Mitchell recordings — a project guided intimately by Mitchell’s own vision and personal touch. Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980) arrives in multiple configurations. It will be available as either a 6CD / digital version or a 4LP version, Joni Mitchell Archives - Volume 4 Highlights: The Asylum Years (1976-1980). The 4LP set also specifically consists of Joni’s personal favorites from the 6CD version. Each version includes a book with never-before-seen photos and liner notes comprising a deep dive discussion between Mitchell and longtime friend Cameron Crowe. As part of their candid conversation, she shares intimate anecdotes, memories, and stories from that five-year creative run.
This comprehensive and essential set spans one of the most prolific periods of her storied career. It boasts powerful live tracks from her time in Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue during 1975 and 1976 Tour of the United States. It pulls back the curtain on the music by showcasing early recordings and alternate takes from the respective sessions for Hejira, Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter, and Mingus. It covers the Bread & Roses Festival as well as the Anti-Nuclear Rally. Finally, Vol. 4 chronicles her 1979 tour, even showcasing two tracks from that year’s Tour Rehearsals. Not to mention, it showcases her versatility and adaptability, housing collaborations with everyone from Herbie Hancock and Jaco Pastorious to Wayne Shorter and Pat Metheny.
Vol. 4 culls the previously-unissued material from original stereo reels, cassette tapes, CD-Rs, and even a radio broadcast. Newly mixed tracks came from multi-track tapes, while a handful of hi-res digital tracks have been sourced from the Bob Dylan Archives.
Last year, she shared Joni Mitchell Archives – Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972–1975). Garnering critical acclaim, Pitchfork dubbed it “excellent” in a positive “8.6-out-of-10.0” review, going on to note, “The box set—which also includes the exhilarating live album Miles of Aisles and the impressionistic The Hissing of Summer Lawns—covers a period of Mitchell’s career that already resists linear narrativizing.” In addition to features from Rolling Stone and more, Folk Alley raved, “Every track on this Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972-1975) reveals more and more of Mitchell’s magic ways with a song.” No Depression mused, “it is, in many ways, the most vital and interesting of the three collections so far,” and FLOOD attested, “this third volume is worth digging into as the best of Rhino’s Archives collections. I’m already excited for Vol. 4.”
It followed 2022’s Vol. 2: The Reprise Years (1968-1971). She began this journey with Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963-1967), earning a 2022 GRAMMY Award for Best Historical Album.
Last fall, Mitchell appeared at the Hollywood Bowl to perform three songs with Brandi Carlile. Earlier this year, she impressively made her debut on the GRAMMY Awards stage with a historic rendition of “Both Sides Now” alongside Carlile, Allison Russell, Lucius, Jacob Collier, Blake Mills, and SistaStrings. She also accepted a GRAMMY in the category of “Best Folk Album” for Joni Mitchell At Newport [Live] during the ceremony.
This October 19 and 20, Mitchell will be headlining her own ‘Joni Jam’ at the Hollywood Bowl featuring special ‘Joni Jam’ guests. Be on the lookout for more news and announcements from Joni Mitchell soon.
Foreigner, one of the most successful bands in music history, is being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on October 19. In celebration of this much-deserved honor, the band has released a career-spanning collection that includes “Turning Back The Time,” a previously unreleased track originally recorded in 1996 featuring Mick Jones and Lou Gramm.
Today, Turning Back The Time is available in 2-LP and CD configurations via Rhino. Order HERE. The music is also available on digital and streaming platforms, with new single “Turning Back The Time,” which debuted upon announcement and can be heard HERE.
“Foreigner’s membership in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is a priceless highlight of my career. I hope that this collection of the songs that brought us here, along with some later recordings that light our way forward, will mean as much to all who listen to them as they do to me,” says Mick Jones.
“There are a number of songs that Lou Gramm and I wrote together that have never seen the light of day. One of them, ‘Turning Back The Time,’ was co-written with Marti Frederiksen. Marti and I recently revisited and reworked the song. Because of the time that had passed, we were able to go back to it with a fresh perspective. The sentiment of the song spoke to us now more than ever and with the upcoming Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, we thought it an ideal time to let the world hear it.”
Starting with its self-titled debut in 1977, Foreigner delivered some of rock’s most enduring anthems. Turning Back The Time includes the Top 10 hits “Feels Like The First Time,” “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Double Vision,” and “Urgent.” The set also features the ballads “Waiting For A Girl Like You” and “I Want To Know What Love Is,” which reached No. 2 and No. 1 respectively.
The collection mainly draws from Foreigner’s first six albums, all of which earned platinum status or higher: Foreigner (5x platinum), Double Vision (7x platinum), Head Games (5x platinum), 4 (6x platinum), Agent Provocateur (3x platinum), and Inside Information (platinum). Mick Jones started work on reforming Foreigner in 2004 and that band, led by Kelly Hansen on vocals, is featured with songs from Feels Like The First Time (platinum). To date, Foreigner has sold more than 80 million albums worldwide, cementing its status as one of the top-selling bands of all time.
In the Summer of 1965, Ray Manzarek had a chance encounter on Venice Beach with Jim Morrison, a young poet whom he knew when they were both students at UCLA’s film school. Jim told Ray he had been living on a friend’s rooftop writing songs. Though Morrison had never intended to be a singer, he sat down on the beach and sang the new songs to Ray, including “Moonlight Drive.” Manzarek thought they were the best rock and roll lyrics he ever heard. At that moment, they both agreed to start a rock band and call it The Doors, taking their name from Aldous Huxley’s psychotropic monograph The Doors of Perception and William Blake’s The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. Guitar player Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore, who’d played together in the Psychedelic Rangers, were recruited soon thereafter. After months of rehearsals, they landed a gig as the house band at a small Sunset Strip club called the London Fog. By May 1966, they had graduated to their dream gig – house band at the Whisky a Go Go. Soon after, Elektra Records president Jac Holzman and producer Paul A. Rothchild saw the band performing at the Whisky and signed The Doors to the label. Over the course of a week, The Doors recorded their debut album at Sunset Sound Recording Studios in Hollywood, putting on tape the songs they had been playing night after night at the Whisky. With an intoxicating, boundary-pushing sound, provocative and uncompromising lyrics, and mesmerizing stage presence, The Doors would go on to have a transformative impact on both music and culture.
Beginning next month, The Doors will kick off the 2025 60th Anniversary with a new anniversary logo, a series of physical releases, an extraordinary anthology book, and much more to come.
The Doors 1967-1971 6-LP set will arrive as the latest installment in Rhino’s acclaimed High Fidelity audiophile vinyl series on November 22nd, featuring all six of the band’s original studio albums cut from the original analog master tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearant Audio. The vinyl was pressed at Optimal Media and the box includes a heavyweight gatefold jacket featuring rare photos and liner notes by Doors archivist David Dutkowski. Only 3,000 copies of the limited-edition set will be available exclusively at thedoors.com and rhino.com.
Additionally, for Record Store Day’s Black Friday on November 29th, The Doors will release The Doors – Live in Detroit, featuring the band’s performance from the Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan on May 8, 1970. This 4-LP set will be available on vinyl for the first time.
Captured on tape during the band's 1970 US tour, it was one of the band's longest performances. In fact, the band played for an hour past curfew and were then banned from the Cobo Arena on future tours. The fiery set includes a number of Blues covers, including "Back Door Man," Junior Parker's "Mystery Train," and "Crossroads" by Robert Johnson. The Doors also tear through a 17-minute-plus version of "The End," as well as an over 19-minute version of "Light My Fire" and other rare tracks such as "Love Hides." This collection captures the band at their absolute zenith.
The Doors’ eponymous debut album - which the BBC and Rolling Stone have each hailed as one of the greatest debuts of all time - released in January 1967 and features the chart-topping smash-hit “Light My Fire,” the bluesy, growling “Back Door Man” and seminal live-set showstopper “The End,” with its legendary Oedipal spoken word section.
Having cemented their place in the rock pantheon and the psychedelic rock revolution, The Doors returned to the studio resulting in the anticipated follow-up, Strange Days, which went to number three on the US Billboard 200 and featured “Love Me Two Times” and “People Are Strange.”
In 1968, the band released Waiting for the Sun, their first number one album featuring the chart-topping single “Hello, I Love You,” along with “Love Street” and “Five to One.”
The Doors then dove further into uncharted psychedelic territory with 1969’s string and horn-laden album The Soft Parade, which included the Krieger-penned hit “Touch Me.”
1970’s Morrison Hotel, which boasts fan favorites “Roadhouse Blues” and “Peace Frog,” took the band back to its bluesy roots. 1971’s L.A.Woman, the band’s final album with Morrison and recorded in the band’s rehearsal space, features “Riders on the Storm,” “Love Her Madly” and the title track.
During their brief time together, The Doors delivered six studio albums before Morrison’s untimely death in Paris in 1971. Their electrifying achievements in the studio and onstage remain unmatched in the annals of rock, and today they remain as one of the best-selling bands of all time with over 100 million records sold worldwide.
In 1993 the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Several years later, the songs “Light My Fire” and “Riders on the Storm” along with The Doors’ debut album were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The Library of Congress also recognized the band, selecting their self-titled album for inclusion in the National Recording Registry in 2014. The Doors also received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007.
Created to commemorate the upcoming 60th anniversary, The Doors’ first-ever complete anthology book Night Divides the Day will illuminate the band’s archives like never before with rare photography, intimate interviews with Robby Krieger and John Densmore, and meticulously sourced archival text from Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek. With unlimited access granted by the band, Night Divides the Day includes a unique collection of historical ephemera – including childhood photos, song lyrics, poster artwork, movie stills, and much more – which adds context to the wealth of rare photography that documents the band’s musical odyssey.
As the Eagles’ acclaimed Sphere residency continues in Las Vegas, Nevada, Rhino will be reissuing two of Don Henley’s solo albums this fall—his first, I Can’t Stand Still (1982), and his most recent, Cass County (2015).
Both albums will be released on November 22, with pre-orders available now at donhenley.com and Rhino.com. I Can’t Stand Still has been remastered from the original analog tapes and will be available on CD, 180-gram vinyl LP, and digitally. Cass County will be available as a deluxe, 16-track version on CD and as a double 180-gram vinyl set. Pre-Order HERE.
With the Eagles on hiatus, Henley released his first solo album in 1982, the gold-certified I Can’t Stand Still. The record included the smash hit “Dirty Laundry,” a sharp critique of the media that launched his solo career and established his voice as a singer-songwriter. Listen to the remastered version of “Dirty Laundry” HERE.
More than 30 years later, in 2015, Henley returned to his country roots with Cass County. Named after the Texas county where he grew up, the album features collaborations with legends like Vince Gill, Merle Haggard, Mick Jagger, Alison Krauss, Martina McBride, Dolly Parton, and Trisha Yearwood, among others. Cass County debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, earning praise for its authenticity and heartfelt songwriting.
Best known as co-founder of the legendary rock band the Eagles, as well as an influential solo artist, Don Henley has maintained an extraordinary commitment to music and various philanthropic efforts throughout his career, including a dedication to environmental issues and artists’ rights.
Raised in a small East Texas town, Henley was drawn to the sounds of exotic music broadcast from distant radio stations in New Orleans, Nashville, and Ciudad Acuna, Mexico. These stations introduced him to the blues, bluegrass, gospel, jazz, and rock and roll, paving the way for his future as an artist.
As a solo artist and member of the Eagles, Don Henley has received countless accolades, numerous gold and platinum records, and performed sold-out concert tours worldwide. A highly-respected musical artist, Henley launched his solo career in 1982 with his debut album, I Can't Stand Still. 1984's Building The Perfect Beast followed with four hit singles, including “The Boys Of Summer, which earned Henley a Best Rock Vocal GRAMMY® Award. The artist's track record continued unabated with 1989's The End Of The Innocence, which yielded three more hits, including the title track, and brought Henley another Best Rock Vocal GRAMMY Award. Henley is a founding member, drummer, vocalist, and songwriter of the Eagles. The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and continues to perform sold-out concerts all over the world.
Formed in 1971, the Eagles pioneered a uniquely American musical style, blending elements of country, folk, R&B, rock, and pop. Since then, it has become one of the most creative and commercially successful bands of all time. Despite today’s fractured rock ’n’ roll landscape, the Eagles retain a timeless appeal that transcends both generations and genres, solidifying the band’s status as a musical icon.
The Eagles have sold more than 150 million albums worldwide, scoring six #1 albums and five chart-topping singles. They have earned six GRAMMY® Awards, were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, and received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2016. Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 stands as the best-selling album in history (certified 38x platinum), while Hotel California ranks as the third best-selling U.S. album in history (certified 26x platinum). Check Eagles.com for full band and tour information, including the band’s current residency at Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Due to a manufacturing delay, the previously announced reissue of Building The Perfect Beast has been rescheduled for November 15.
Today, WAR announces two new box sets, each capturing SoCal's legendary street band at the height of their most dynamic era. Arriving for Black Friday on November 29th, The Vinyl 1977-1994 and The CD Collection 1977-1994 both feature five definitive albums that further show why WAR has been hailed as "a sophisticated pop machine, slicker than Sly and the Family Stone and more down to earth than Funkadelic" (Pitchfork). With newly remastered audio by award-winning engineer Bernie Grundman, Platinum Funk (1977), Galaxy (1977), The Music Band (1979), Outlaw (1982) and Peace Sign (1994) all come together in one beautiful package, right as WAR prepares to celebrate its 55th Anniversary next year – and receive its official star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, among numerous other milestones.
Purchase WAR's limited-edition The Vinyl 1977-1994, available exclusively via Record Store Day Black Friday. Pre-order The CD Collection 1977-1994, available worldwide via Rhino on November 29th.
The Vinyl: 1977-1994 is the first time since their original pressings that these five albums are being released on vinyl, and each LP has been pressed in a rainbow of spinning colors – Platinum Funk in silver, Galaxy in yellow, The Music Band in red, Outlaw in purple, Peace Sign in orange, nestled in a boss slipcase illustrated by Grammy-winning artist Dave Van Patten. WAR's The Vinyl: 1977-1994 and The CD Collection 1977-1994 are the next installments in a series of special edition releases. Building on the band's previous five-LP, decade-spanning compilation, The Vinyl: 1971-1975, this next compendium arrives on the heels of 2023's The World Is a Ghetto: 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition. Named one of the year's best box sets by The New York Times and Variety, with rave reviews by Pitchfork, AP, Paste and SPIN, a Goldmine cover story and more, the project honored the #1 Billboard top-selling album of 1973, and cemented WAR's legacy as "one of the most seminal bands in music" (Billboard).
All of the records included in the 1977-1994 collection continue to highlight WAR's career-long perfection of universal street music, delivered by way of the band's innovative arrangements and seamless blend of diverse styles, as well as their master musicianship, and the sheer quantity, quality, depth and breadth of grooves, melodies and messages. Produced by Jerry Goldstein, in associated with Lonnie Jordan, Howard Scott and Jeremy Levine for Avenue Records/Far Out Productions, The Vinyl 1977-1994 and The CD Collection 1977-1994 share the same tracklist of songs, and while each album is wildly different, they all contain WAR's signature sound and soul.
Spanning 18 years, the new set begins with the rare Platinum Funk release from 1977. Originally a half-new, half-compilation double album issued under the title Platinum Jazz, it became the first Platinum album in the history of Blue Note Records, and includes #1 R&B single "L.A. Sunshine," as well as the title song from the film The River Niger, starring James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson. Now included in The Vinyl: 1977-1994 and The CD Collection 1977-1994 is the UK-only reissue of Platinum Funk from the Island Records label, which was never before available in the US except as an import. This special version features just the original material from Platinum Jazz – six cuts of mainly instrumental jazz-based flavors, unlike any of the other music WAR was known for up until that time, once again demonstrating to the world just how broad and deep their musical chops really were.
Having sold over 50 million records worldwide, WAR has amassed more than 20 platinum, multi-platinum, and gold records, including Galaxy and The Music Band, which led to the unforgettable music video for "Good, Good Feelin'," choreographed and directed by the iconic Lester Wilson. 1982's Outlaw follows The Music Band – led by classic tracks like "Cinco De Mayo," "You Got The Power" and the titular "Outlaw," before WAR reassembled most of its surviving members for 1993's Peace Sign, carrying on WAR's mission of love, harmony and brotherhood, with a guest appearance from José Feliciano on "East L.A.," and a touching dedication to late bandmates Papa Dee Allen and Charles Miller.
WAR is currently performing across California and beyond this fall, as part of The World Is a Ghetto 50th Anniversary Tour. Upcoming dates include The Greek Theatre, and more on-sale now at war.com/tour.
Audible Inc., the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, today announced The True Story of The Coward Brothers, a three-part scripted Audible Original audio series – referred to by the author as a "wireless drama" – that recounts the history of Henry and Howard Coward, a pair of delightfully deluded pop practitioners and conjurers played by Elvis Costello and T Bone Burnett, premiering Thursday, November 21 exclusively from Audible.
Adding to the lore of these rock and roll charlatans comes an all-new, 20-track album from Costello and Burnett, who first worked together as The Coward Brothers forty years ago, debuting from New West Records alongside the Audible Original on November 21. Ahead of the dual roll out, New West Records will release the first album single, Always, which is also featured in the Audible Original, on Tuesday, October 8. The track will be available on all digital music services.
Audible’s The True Story of The Coward Brothers follows two musical brothers – one English, one American, both the illegitimate sons of dubious parentage who may, as they claim to be, "one and half-brothers" – perhaps a reference to the disparity in their height and relative talents. In this satirical audio series directed by Christopher Guest (This Is Spinal Tap, Best In Show), Henry and Howard Coward are lightly grilled by radio host, Sterling Lockhart (Harry Shearer) as they bitterly retrace the story of being duped out of their royalties and rightful place in pop history by their cutthroat manager who, among other things, persuaded them to fake their own deaths. Their sometimes poignant and heartrending story reveals an improbable love triangle involving their publisher's secretary, Phyliss Dandy (Rhea Seehorn), as well as entertaining listeners with tales of their lost music, unsupportable claims of having written titles curiously adjacent to more famous songs, such as "A Lotta Money", "Tipsy Woman" and their failed attempt at Cold War topicality, "My Baby Just Whistles (Here Come The Missiles)".
The Audible Original features all-new music from The Coward Brothers and boasts an all-star cast which also includes Edward Hibbert (The Prestige, Earthworm Jim), Stephen Root (Barry, Office Space), and Kathreen Khavari (Avengers Assemble, Big Little Lies). The Elvis Costello scripted musical-comedy series will be available exclusively for Audible listeners beginning November 21.
In conjunction with the release of the Audible Original, New West Records will release The Coward Brothers, a self-titled new album from Burnett and Costello – otherwise known as Henry and Howard Coward – inviting listeners to indulge in the musical library, the forgotten hits and demos of the imagined brothers. The album will feature tracks also in the Audible Original including “Pure Bubblegum”, “Like Licorice”, “World Serious”, and more. The Coward Brothers will release on CD, LP, Limited Edition "Licorice Red" vinyl as well as a limited-edition “Pink Bubblegum” variant with Barnes & Noble on November 15. The digital release will be available on iTunes and all streaming services on November 21.
“With regard to the ludicrous assertion that this person, Howard Coward, and I are one and the same, I have to say: this is the work of a bounder, a rounder and a charlatan, and I shall be examining my legal options forthwith,” said Elvis Costello on the Audible Original and album from The Coward Brothers.
When asked about his connection to the musical duo, T Bone Burnett said, “I have a vague recollection of buying a 45 of the song Pure Bubblegum by an act called The Coward Brothers many long years ago. I heard it on a Fort Worth radio station called KXOL, billed as ‘the new music.’ The disc jockey played it once and got such a bad response from listeners that they burned it the next morning in front of the station. What ever happened to those guys – are they still alive?”
The True Story of The Coward Brothers expands Costello’s and Burnett’s Audible catalogues, joining Burnett’s The Confederacy: Truth and Reconciliation and Costello’s How to Play the Guitar and Y, both of which are part of Audible’s Words + Music slate. The upcoming Audible Original also joins an exciting slate of audio-only original comedies including Hot White Heist starring Bowen Yang, Trust Fall starring Colin Jost and Wanda Sykes, Yes We Cannabis starring Sam Richardson and Method Man, and Hit Job starring Keke Palmer and Pete Davidson.
ABOUT AUDIBLE, INC.
Audible, Inc., an Amazon.com, Inc. subsidiary (NASDAQ:AMZN), is the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, offering global audiences a powerful way to enhance and enrich their lives through extraordinary content. Audible’s catalog includes more than 900,000 audio titles, including Audible Originals as well as audiobooks and podcasts from leading studios, print, audio and magazine publishers and world-renowned entertainers.
NEW WEST RECORDS LLC
New West Records LLC is a wholly independent American record label with offices in Nashville, TN and Athens, GA. Throughout its 25-year history, the label boasts a number of Grammy Award-winning artists including Steve Earle, John Hiatt, Los Lobos, and Richard Thompson. In addition, the roster includes Ben Folds, Buddy & Julie Miller, 49 Winchester, Corb Lund, The Secret Sisters, JD McPherson, James McMurtry, The Wallflowers, Nada Surf, Devil Makes Three, and Sunny War.
GRAMMY-winning artist Trombone Shorty (aka Troy Andrews) will be hitting the road with support from Tank & the Bangas to bring the electrifying spirit of New Orleans to the East Coast and Midwest with the second annual Shorty Gras Tour in March 2025. Fresh off a busy year of performances and a planned cultural exchange trip to Cuba, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue will deliver their signature high-energy performances over a three-week run of shows. Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10 AM local time, with an artist pre-sale running from Wednesday to Thursday. For full tour dates and details, visit Trombone Shorty’s website.
The Shorty Gras Tour was first introduced last year and quickly became a fan favorite, offering a taste of New Orleans' Mardi Gras tradition to audiences far beyond Louisiana. Inspired by Trombone Shorty’s role leading the Krewe de Freret Parade and hosting the Shorty Gras Ball at Mardi Gras World for the past several years at home in New Orleans (previous Shorty Gras Ball performers include Juvenile, Mannie Fresh, Flo Rida, Nelly, Big Freedia, Tank and the Bangas, Rebirth Brass Band and others), this tour transports that joyous, celebratory energy to concert halls across the U.S.
The announcement of the Shorty Gras Tour comes amid an action-packed year for Trombone Shorty. In January 2025, he will lead the fourth Getting Funky in Havana cultural exchange trip to Cuba, alongside his band Orleans Avenue, young musicians from the Trombone Shorty Foundation, and renowned Afro-Cuban star Cimafunk. The cultural exchange will feature performances and collaborations between artists from New Orleans and Cuba, highlighting the deep-rooted musical connections between the two regions.
This year, Trombone Shorty continued to bring his distinctive New Orleans sound to audiences across the country, headlining tours with Big Boi and performing at iconic venues like the Hollywood Bowl. He also appeared at the White House’s Juneteenth Celebration, played a headline set with Lil Wayne at the Roots Picnic, and once again closed out the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, a tradition he has led for over a decade.
2025 Shorty Gras Tour Dates
Thursday, March 6 - Burlington, VT - The Flynn
Friday, March 7 - Port Chester, NY - The Capitol Theatre
Saturday, March 8 - Port Chester, NY - The Capitol Theatre
Tuesday, March 11 - Van Wert, OH - Niswonger Performing Arts Center
Wednesday, March 12 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
Friday, March 14 - Nashville, IN - Brown County Music Center
Saturday, March 15 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
Sunday, March 16 - Memphis, TN - Minglewood Hall
Tuesday, March 18 - Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom
Thursday, March 20 - Austin, TX - Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater
Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. and the Zydeco Twisters’ recently released, self-titled album has been earning raves for its high-energy celebration of one of America’s rich cultural traditions that is beloved across the world: zydeco music.
Known for their electrifying performances and their deep-rooted connection to the Louisiana zydeco tradition, Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. and the Zydeco Twisters will ignite dance floors and playlists with their signature sound. Frontman Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. carries forward a rich musical legacy, infusing it with modern energy and charisma that makes this album a must-listen for both longtime fans and newcomers to the genre.
More Fun With features 12 new recordings that share the joy of zydeco with the world. The Dopsies, including David, and his brothers Tiger and Anthony, are known for having performed with everyone from Beyonce to Bob Dylan and are a perennial main stage favorite at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
More Fun With was co-produced by GRAMMY-winners Randall Poster and Stewart Lerman, and recorded at Esplanade Studios in the Treme neighborhood of New Orleans. Poster and Lerman’s resumés include extensive film and television credentials including Vinyl and Boardwalk Empire. Poster - who has worked closely with directors including Wes Anderson and Martin Scorsese - first encountered zydeco when producing a collaborative song by Buckwheat Zydeco and Yo La Tengo, for the 2007 film I’m Not There. Last year Poster curated the music for the soundtrack of a remake of Roadhouse. In the original movie from 1989, the late blues guitarist Jeff Healey provided all of the music. This time around, director Doug Liman wanted a variety of musicians, with one common denominator being a distinctive look. Poster’s research led him to Rockin’ Dopsie Jr., a live-wire performer whose dynamic stage moves, executed in seemingly perpetual motion, include agile splits in the best James Brown tradition. Recording several songs with Dopsie and the band went so well that Poster and Liman had them perform in the film -- which, in turn, led to this album. The experience has led Poster to proclaim: “I think everyone should listen to some zydeco every single day…and you will live a happier life!”
For seven decades, Rockin’ Dopsie (pronounced Doopsie) has stood tall in the world of zydeco. This exuberant alias was first used by accordionist Alton Rubin (1932-1993), a towering figure who passed both the torch and his moniker to his son, David. David Rubin now fronts The Zydeco Twisters with a soulful voice that calls to mind Wilson Pickett or Otis Redding. David also plays the rub-board, or frottoir - a steel, ribbed board played with metal keys. An instrument unique to zydeco, it provides a rhythm foundation and is often worn as a vest. David is joined by his brothers, Anthony (accordion) and Tiger (drums). Brother Dwayne, another celebrated Dopsie, and accordionist (who performed with the Rolling Stones at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival earlier this year), also guests on two songs: “Dopsie’s Boogie,” and “My Little Girl.”
Says Dopsie Jr.: “We pay tribute to my father here. We recorded songs that he wrote, like ‘My Little Girl,’ or songs he’s associated with like ‘That Was Your Mother.’ My dad would be so proud that all four of his sons are on this album. It makes me think back to when I was a kid. I remember when B.B. King, Bobby Bland, and other R&B and blues artists would play in Lafayette, they’d come to our house and visit my dad, he’d make a gumbo, or we’d barbecue in the backyard. I loved listening to my dad and those guys talk,” he reflects. “I learned a lot from them. My dad would love how we put our own new twist on his music.”
More information on Zydeco: Zydeco (pronounced ZY-duh-coe) is the vivacious dance music of southwest Louisiana’s Black Creoles, many of whom speak French or have ancestors who did. It is a rich hybrid of Afro-Caribbean rhythms and African-American styles such as blues, R&B, soul and, more recently, rap and hip-hop. Country music, swamp-pop, reggae, rock and even medieval songs from France also factor into this multi-cultural blend. Zydeco’s purpose is to make people MOVE! As zydeco legend Clifton Chenier once put it, “If you can’t dance to zydeco, you can’t dance -- period!” Chenier was absolutely right -- just try sitting still after hitting play on More Fun With Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. and the Zydeco Twisters.
The Pace Women’s Justice Center (PWJC) is proud to announce its 2024 "Raising the Bar" Benefit Concert, a pivotal event dedicated to raising awareness and support for victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and elder abuse. The concert will take place on Wednesday, November 13 at the historic Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY, featuring a special performance by the Grammy-winning duo, Indigo Girls. The singer-songwriter twosome of Emily Saliers and Amy Ray is considered one of the most successful folk duos in history, with 16 recorded studio albums and over 15 million records sold. Popular for their crowd-singalong 1990s chart hits “Galileo,” “Shame on You,” and “Closer to Fine,” which was recently featured in the box office summer hit movie "Barbie," these two women are known for their activism and championing of causes.
Pace Women’s Justice Center Executive Director Cindy Kanusher, Esq. shares: “We couldn’t be more excited to have the Indigo Girls back for this year’s Raising the Bar Benefit Concert. Their commitment to human rights and amplifying the voices of women resonates deeply with the work we do at PWJC to serve survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and elder abuse. We are also thrilled to honor Kenashia Douglas for her tireless work in domestic violence awareness and her inspiring journey of healing and empowerment. This event not only offers a night of incredible music but also helps raise critical funds to ensure justice, safety, and support for victims. Together, we shine a light on the importance of taking action and providing free legal services to those in need.”
In addition, PWJC will honor The ICON Foundation, Inc. with the Making a Difference Award. As the charitable arm of Keller Williams Realty Group, The ICON Foundation has made an outstanding impact on local communities in Westchester, the Bronx, Putnam, and surrounding counties. Their unwavering support and generous sponsorship have been instrumental in furthering PWJC’s mission to provide free legal services to victims of abuse.
The “Raising the Bar” Benefit Concert is PWJC’s largest fundraising event of the year. The funds raised will directly support the center’s critical legal services, helping more than 3,500 victims and survivors annually. Following the tremendous success of last year’s concert, which won 'Best Non-Profit Event' from Best of Westchester, PWJC is excited to welcome back the Indigo Girls for another unforgettable evening of music and support.
“We are deeply honored to receive the Best of Westchester award for last year’s event,” says Kanusher. “This recognition reflects the strength of our community’s support and the vital work we do.”
Tickets for the 2024 “Raising the Bar” Benefit Concert go on sale to the public starting Friday, October 11th at 10:00 AM via Ticketmaster: View Tickets
Pace Women’s Justice Center thanks Raising the Bar 2024 Sponsors:
Alayne Katz, Jane Aoyama & Gib Nathan, Carol & Ian Feldman, Jonathan & Alison Segal, Gretchen Flint, Jacqueline Hattar, Steven Solomon, Pace Law School, CME, ICON Foundation, Dan Seymour, Tamara Mitchel, Linda Markowitz, James Sexton, Amanda Rieben, Lauren Enea, and Jennifer & Jarid Lurkin
About Pace Women’s Justice Center
The Pace Women’s Justice Center (PWJC) is a nonprofit legal center at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law dedicated to providing free legal services to victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and elder abuse in Westchester and Putnam counties. Each year, PWJC helps thousands of individuals seek justice and safety through legal advocacy, education, and community outreach.
About The Capitol Theatre
Designed by celebrated architect Thomas Lamb in 1926 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places, The Capitol Theatre is located 30 miles from NYC. The 2,000-capacity theatre, known as “the original rock palace,” showcased legends such as Traffic, The Grateful Dead, Black Sabbath, Chuck Berry, David Bowie, Janis Joplin, Pink Floyd, and The Rolling Stones. Jerry Garcia called it one of his two favorite venues in the USA. In 2012, the theatre underwent a major renovation under the guidance of music entrepreneur Peter Shapiro. Since then, it has hosted major performers including Bob Dylan, Phil Lesh, Ringo Starr, Joan Baez, Skrillex, Bonnie Raitt, Snoop Dogg, Kacey Musgraves, The Strokes, Tom Petty, Cyndi Lauper, and Willie Nelson, as well as comedians like Kevin Hart and Amy Schumer. The New York Times raves: “A rock theater that looks and sounds as good as the Capitol is something to celebrate." The Capitol’s inner-sanctum bar and music club, Garcia’s, was named for Jerry Garcia in partnership with his family. A venue of its own, Garcia’s showcases local artists and nationally touring acts across the musical spectrum.
On October 18th, 2024, the acclaimed blues singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jerron Paxton will release his next album, Things Done Changed, on Smithsonian Folkways. Once described by The Wall Street Journal as "virtually the only music-maker of his generation—playing guitar, banjo, piano, and violin, among other implements—to fully assimilate the blues idiom of the 1920s and '30s," the thirty-five-year-old’s latest collection is his first of all original songs.
Paxton’s lived-in voice and California drawl underpin a stripped-down concoction of blues, ragtime, folk, and old-time Black music styles that originated nearly a century ago. Each track on the album invites listeners to experience the world as Paxton sees it. As Hugo Award finalist and former LA Times staff writer Lynell George puts it in the liner notes: “Etched within Jerron Paxton’s voice you can hear the wind, feel the hot prickle of the high-noon sun, smell the exhaust from an automobile on its last-gasp miles. It’s all there … [in his songs] you’ll discover context and background: the history of people and place and the come-what-may gamble of life-altering journeys.” In Jerron’s own words, “I write and sing about the culture I come from. It seems a bit neglected.”
On Things Done Changed, Paxton preserves and revitalizes those historical sounds, using his deeply personal and sharp-witted storytelling to reflect the ongoing experiences of Black people in America. His music, rooted in community traditions, resonates with timeless observations that bring the past vividly into the present, continuing these legacies. Listen to the first single “What's Gonna Become of Me” to feel the album's transportive sound HERE.
Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, Paxton creates music that is steeped in the rich cultural heritage of the Great Migration. His family’s journey from Shreveport, Louisiana, to the Athens neighborhood of South LA in the 1950s laid the foundation for his appreciation of Southern Black culture. As an only child, he spent much of his upbringing absorbing the culture his family had taken with them to California from the South. Paxton grew up very close with his grandmother, often shadowing her mannerisms and adopting them as his own. While Futurama or King of the Hill was on the family TV, he’d find himself sitting down with her, practicing banjo chords he’d heard on her favorite records. Since relocating from Los Angeles to New York City in 2007, Paxton has found a welcoming audience within the city's diverse cultural communities and vibrant music scene. He discovered that New Yorkers are sensitive to the kind of authenticity in storytelling that he was exposed to as a child.
Paxton’s previous work has drawn comparisons to blues legends like Robert Johnson, Lead Belly, and Mississippi John Hurt, yet his approach is distinctly his own. On songs like “Baby Days Blues” and “What’s Gonna Become of Me,” Paxton revisits early influences like DeFord Bailey, Sippie Wallace, and Stephen Foster, and makes use of traditional melody lines and throwback playing styles, such as the 12-bar blues structure and “hopping” fingerpicking technique. Lyrically, other songs on the album are drawn from his personal, everyday experiences, exploring the evolving mindsets within contemporary society while using the past to make sense of it. Of the song “So Much Weed,” for example, Jerron explains: “[It’s] an observation on the changing attitudes toward an herb that caused many a person, in my baby days as well as into my adulthood, to lose their liberty. The juxtaposition of the attitudes of today with those of 20 or even 10 years ago has some ironies and paradoxes that the blues is one of the best art forms to express.”
“Things Done Changed is my way of honoring the culture I come from,” says Paxton. “I grew up playing for the last generation of folks who grew up listening to Black banjo players … Born from the lives of the people who raised me, I hope these songs resonate with listeners as a continuation of our shared history.”
In celebration of the upcoming album, Jerron Paxton and The Down Hill Strugglers will play the Jalopy Theater in NYC on September 21st, 2024. You can find more details about the show HERE and watch this space for more to come from Jerron Paxton.
About Smithsonian Folkways
Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, the "National Museum of Sound," makes available close to 60,000 tracks in physical and digital format as the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian, with a reach of 80 million people per year. A division of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, the non-profit label is dedicated to supporting cultural diversity and increased understanding among people through the documentation, preservation, production, and dissemination of sound. Its mission is the legacy of Moses Asch, who founded Folkways Records in 1948 to document "people's music" from around the world. For more information about Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, visit folkways.si.edu.
For more information on Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, follow Smithsonian Folkways:
Rhino excitedly presents a brand new collection of high-quality quadrophonic releases, extending its QUADIO series of premier reissues beloved by audiophiles everywhere.
Following scarcity for over five decades, four seminal albums have now been digitized and preserved from their original analog four-track Quad mixes. This latest cohort of classics consists of the previously unissued Foghat Energized (1974) and J. Geils Band Bloodshot (1973), along with Jefferson Starship’s Dragon Fly (1974) and the highly requested The Doobie Brothers’ Toulouse Street (1972).
Quadraphonic sound, or 4.0 surround sound, utilizes four audio channels connected to four speakers positioned at the corners of a listening space. The multi-tracked audio is mixed dimensional, immersing the listener in an expansive soundscape.
The collection is available today as Blu-ray discs with a quadraphonic and 192/24 stereo mix. Currently exclusive to Rhino.com and select Warner Music Group stores worldwide, each title retails for $24.98, with a bundle of all four available for $79.98. Order HERE.
Foghat made big waves with Energized when it landed on January 6, 1974. It eventually reached the Top 40 of the Billboard 200 and boasted hits such as “Honey Hush” and “That’ll Be The Day.” It garnered a Gold certification from the RIAA.
The world formally met Jefferson Starship with the release of the group’s debut, Dragon Fly, in October of 1974. Tunes like “Ride The Tiger” and “Hyperdrive” only reaffirmed the inimitable chemistry and power of the creative union shared by Grace Slick and Paul Kanter following their six years together in Jefferson Airplane. Produced by the band and Larry Cox, it surged to #11 on the Billboard 200.
Worcester, MA powerhouse J. Geils Band leveled up with their breakthrough Bloodshot. Released on April 12, 1973, it vaulted to #10 on the Billboard 200. Powered by Peter Wolf’s seismic vocals and the late J. Geils’s fiery guitar, it yielded the fan favorites “Give It To Me” and “(Ain’t Nothin’ But a) House Party,” among others.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame® and Vocal Group Hall of Fame® inductees The Doobie Brothers really hit their stride on sophomore full-length Toulouse Street. After landing in July 1972, it climbed to #21 on the Billboard 200. It also took flight as the first album to showcase a solid two-drummer foundation with the addition of Michael Hossack accompanying John Hartman. Among many highlights, opener “Listen To The Music” ranks among their most popular material, generating a staggering 622 million Spotify streams and counting.
Stay tuned for more news from Rhino soon.
Tracklist
Foghat – Energized
Honey Hush
Step Outside
Golden Arrow
Home In My Hand
Wild Cherry
That’ll Be The Day
Fly By Night
Nothin’ I Won’t Do
Jefferson Starship – Dragonfly
Ride The Tiger
That’s For Sure
Be Young You
Caroline
Devils Den
Come To Life
All Fly Away
Hyperdrive
J. Geils Band – Bloodshot
(Ain’t Nothin’ But A) House Party
Make Up Your Mind
Back To Get Ya
Struttin’ With My Baby
Don’t Try To Hide It
Southside Shuffle
Hold Your Loving
Start All Over Again
Give It To Me
Doobie Brothers – Toulouse Street
Listen To The Music
Rockin’ Down The Highway
Mamaloi
Toulouse Street
Cotton Mouth
Don’t Start Me To Talkin’
Jesus Is Just Alright
White Sun
Disciple
Snake Man
Today, electronic music innovator LP Giobbi releases her sophomore album, Dotr, via Ninja Tune / Counter Records. This kinetic and thoughtful body of work aims to capture a sense of home while constantly in motion, creating a 54-minute musical journey that radiates the comfort and warmth many seek. Across 17 spellbinding tracks, LP Giobbi confronts themes of loss, family, homecoming, and grief, showcasing her unique ability to transform deep emotions into danceable beats. Dotr is being met with major profiles and praise, including a 6-page spread in a recent print edition of Billboard, as part of their “Producers Now” package. LP Giobbi was also just a guest DJ on KCRW, shared a track-by-track album breakdown with Paper Magazine, and photos from her Life Is Beautiful set were featured in Rolling Stone.
Today LP Giobbi has also shared the official music video for “Is This Love,” with vocals from Danielle Ponder. It was directed by Kevin Lombardo with creative direction by Vince Coconato. Watch here: https://youtu.be/yClOJSw7Irw
To celebrate the release of Dotr, LP Giobbi will embark on her Way Back Homeheadline tour, kicking off in Durham, NC, on October 25. Her biggest headline tour to date, this fall/winter run will include stops at LA's Fonda Theatre, Oakland's Fox Theatre, Denver's Mission Ballroom, NYC's Great Hall, and a hometown show at Eugene's McDonald Theatre. She will perform 'in the round,' positioned at the center of the dancefloor, creating an immersive experience with the audience surrounding her on all sides. This setup fosters a deeper connection between LP Giobbi and her fans, breaking down traditional barriers and amplifying shared energy.
Coinciding with the tour, LP Giobbi will host listening parties at select W Hotels, where she serves as Global Music Director, offering fans a chance to connect and explore the stories behind the music. Along the way, she’ll also lead FEMME HOUSE workshops, part of her ongoing mission to promote gender equity in the electronic music industry. As the founder of FEMME HOUSE, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, she has empowered thousands of women and gender-expansive individuals through workshops, online courses, and scholarships. Since launching in 2019, FEMME HOUSE has provided access to production workshops, online courses, and scholarship programs to counteract gender disparities in dance music, where women make up only two percent of producers. The organization has previously collaborated with Alicia Keys’ She Is the Music and Emily Lazar’s We Are Moving the Needle. These upcoming workshops will offer hands-on learning and mentorship in select cities during her tour.
Named after her childhood misspelling of the word "daughter," Dotr captures the full range of life’s emotions, from its lowest lows to its highest highs. Created during 300 days of touring and globetrotting, the album finds LP Giobbi reflecting on her adult life while paying tribute to those who shaped her—both those still with her, like her parents, and those she’s lost. In just three months in 2023, she lost three of the most influential women in her life: her mother-in-law, Patricia Lynn; her longtime piano teacher, Carolyn Horn; and Suse Millemann, a family friend and the first professional musician LP Giobbi knew. Their impact runs throughout the album, woven into candid recordings and musical inspiration. Dotr begins in loss but ultimately moves forward with hope for the future.
The album includes joyful moments, such as her dad reciting a poem he wrote for her, celebrating her journey into womanhood, and a tribute to Carolyn Horn—the first song LP Giobbi intentionally wrote in a major key because Carolyn was a “major” influence in her life. It also features collaborations with some of her biggest inspirations, including “Bittersweet” with Portugal. The Man and “Until There’s Nothing Left” with Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes. The album closes with “Mama, Mama, Many Worlds I’ve Come Since I First Left Home,” a soothing outro featuring pianist Holly Bowling. This reimagined verse from the Grateful Dead’s “Brokedown Palace” reflects her longing for home and family amidst the chaos.
One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime. A group of musicians, venues, artists, and influencers are joining forces with the American Cancer Society to show their support to those facing a breast cancer diagnosis by serving as ambassadors for this year’s Rock The Pink campaign, happening now through October.
Billy Strings, Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Revivalists, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country, The Infamous Stringdusters, Karina Rykman, Maggie Rose, the Rock & Roll Playhouse, and Spafford, are joining moe., Umphrey’s McGee, the Disco Biscuits, Andy Frasco & the U.N., Doom Flamingo, and venues across the country to partner with the American Cancer Society to support and fundraise for breast cancer initiatives. Each group is putting their own spin on the cause, by selling limited-edition merchandise, playing pink instruments on stage, wearing pink throughout the month, and creating unique incentives for donations. All proceeds will be donated to ACS, the nation’s largest nonprofit source of cancer research funding. For more information and a full list of donation options, click here.
Each year during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, ACS invites community leaders to wear pink, plan events, and use social media to help raise awareness and funds for the Society’s breast cancer initiatives. This year, Al Schnier and Vinnie Amico (moe.), along with Joel Cummings (Umphrey’s McGee), and Marc Brownstein (the Disco Biscuits), hosted a “Rock The Pink Gala” on October 16th, at Garcia’s in Port Chester, NY. This special evening raised over $17,000 for Rock The Pink and included an online auction, hang with the band, and two sets of special “pink” inspired songs. For a complete recap of the evening, check out the setlist and videos here.
Marc Brownstein, bass player for The Disco Biscuits, notes that his mother is a breast cancer survivor, and says “Any chance that I can to help out and raise awareness for this important cause, I’m going to do it.”
Jim Loughlin, moe.’s percussionist, whose wife is a breast cancer survivor says, “This is an important cause to me because I’ve lost too many people who are dear to me to cancer. Awareness as well as funding for prevention and treatment are absolutely necessary. I truly believe that together, we can beat this.”
In 2020, female breast cancer surpassed lung cancer as the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. Despite this, the death rate from breast cancer dropped by 42 percent from 1989 to 2021 as a result of earlier detection through increased awareness and mammography screening, as well as advances in treatments. Today, we celebrate the more than 3.8 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. including those who completed treatment and those still undergoing treatment.
ACS provides innovative research, patient services, health equity, and education around screenings and risk reduction. Since its inception, this annual program has raised more than $40 million towards the fight against breast cancer.
Stay tuned to the Rock The Pink website and social media pages of each Rock The Pink band, venue, and influencer, for details of their campaigns.
Abel Selaocoe (pronounced Se-lau-chwe), the innovative South African cellist, composer and vocalist, announces the release of his second album, Hymns of Bantu out February 21, 2025 on Warner Classics. Abel follows the acclaimed release of his 2022 debut Where Is Home (Hae ke Kae) with a remarkable new body of work celebrating his South African heritage and tracing his ancestral path that leads into his vast influences including Western classical repertoire. Selaocoe will also perform tomorrow night (October 26) at Carnegie Hall in New York City, and his tour will continue into the fall across the UK and Europe. See below for his full itinerary.
Delving into the unique modal scales and overtone harmonic systems of South African music before Western four-part harmony was introduced, Hymns of Bantu explores how cultural histories evolve. Across 12 tracks written for ensembles varying from his own Bantu Ensemble with African percussion to orchestra, solo cello and electric bass, Abel interprets traditional Bantu music alongside compositions by Bach and Marais, highlighting the synergies between musical legacies rather than their differences. “The crux of the album is about celebrating those that have come before us, and how we are all connected,” he says. “It’s allowing classical music to again sit in the same space as where I’m from – allowing Bach to sit next to overtones and the world of throat singing.”
Exploding onto the music scene in 2016 with the formation of his genre-breaking ensemble Chesaba, Abel has since established himself as a unique talent fusing the throat singing and instinctive vocalizations of his South African heritage with a distinct, forward-thinking approach to the cello. Straddling the musical worlds of classical, Global and beyond, Abel finds himself equally at home for his 2021 solo BBC Proms debut as he is onstage at mainstream music festivals, and now gives his personal cultural exploration its fullest expression on Hymns of Bantu.
Opening with the trilling fanfares of his longtime collaborators the Manchester Collective strings on “Tsohle Tsohle”, Selaocoe sings movingly to the melody of a traditional South African hymn, translating as ‘everything everything.’ “It means that we are all somehow connected,” Selaocoe explains. “I’m relating this traditional South African hymn to something that is worldly, letting people realize how this music merges with other traditions.”
That merging takes place as the lilting harmonies of “Tsohle Tsohle” seamlessly transition into the upbeat groove of following South African hymn “Emmanuele,” typically dedicated to the religious savior of the same name but reappropriated in honor of working people by Selaocoe in his composition featuring Alan Keary’s lively bassline. Bach’s “Cello Suite No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012: IV. Sarabande,” arranged for cello and string ensemble, is given yearning expression in Abel’s bowing before Dudù Kouaté’s African percussion, and Fred Thomas’s prepared piano takes precedence on the fractal and enigmatic “Dinaka”, featuring the rumbling bass-weight of Abel’s throat singing. Giovanni Sollima’s “L.B. Files” suite is played with emotive vigor and crescendoing intensity by Abel and the Manchester Collective strings.
Yet it is on “Voices of Bantu” that Abel immerses himself in his musical family history, finding the fabric that binds a South African way of singing with Western classical repertoire most fully. Here he produces an achingly beautiful improvisation of Marais’ “Pièces de viole, Livre II, Suite No.3,” transposing melody through the modal overtones of his Bantu singing.
Ultimately Hymns of Bantu is an album aiming to highlight the shared universalities of people, the healing power of song, and allowing us to draw constant inspiration and understanding from those who came before us. With voice and cello as a vessel, Hymns of Bantu characterizes a vast array of human beings and invites a freeing, deep listening experience.
“It is taking what once hurt and turning it around, since when I listen to South African hymnal music it doesn't ring of colonial hurt,” he says. “It just rings of healing. Everything is in the process of healing and even if we don't realize where this music came from, we make it our own and create something new that sustains everybody. I would like people to feel when they listen to Hymns of Bantu that there's a fabric that binds all people together.”
Hymns of Bantu - Track List:
Tsohle Tsohle
Emmanuele
Kea Morata
Tshepo - I
Tshepo - II (Rapela)
Bach: Cello Suite No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012 - IV. Sarabande (Arr. Thomas for Cello & String Orchestra)
Dinaka
Voices of Bantu (Improvisation on Marin Marais' Les Voix Humaines)
Takamba
Giovanni Sollima : LBFiles : Concerto
Giovanni Sollima: LBFiles: Igiul
Camagu
GRAMMY and Pulitzer Prize-winning artist Rhiannon Giddens proudly announces the launch of her first-ever festival, Biscuits & Banjos. A celebration of Black music, art and culture, it will take place from April 25-27, 2025, in downtown Durham, in her home state of North Carolina. Giddens will serve as the Artistic Director for this one-of-a-kind bespoke festival, created to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Black Banjo Gathering, celebrating the legacy of the event that launched Giddens’ tremendous career and the formation of her GRAMMY-winning band Carolina Chocolate Drops.
The initial line-up, announced today, includes a much-anticipated reunion of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, playing together in their original lineup plus members from over the years, for the first time since 2014, as well as Rhiannon Giddens, Taj Mahal, Leyla McCalla, Christian McBride, Rissi Palmer, The Legendary Ingramettes, and New Dangerfield. More performers, authors and chefs will be announced soon.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on October 25. More info here:
Biscuits & Banjos, curated by Giddens, will span three days at multiple indoor and outdoor venues throughout downtown Durham, offering a unique festival experience where attendees can walk from location to location to watch performances, hear talks, and participate in interactive sessions that celebrate the rich tapestry of Black culture – including music, literature, food, and visual arts – while showcasing the diversity of voices and traditions that exist outside the mainstream narrative. Giddens emphasizes that "Black culture is not a monolith," and Biscuits & Banjos will provide a space for underrepresented creators to shine.
Throughout the weekend, attendees will enjoy an eclectic blend of musical performances, lectures, workshops, and readings. Unique programming includes a celebrity chef biscuit bake-off, square dances, and free banjo lessons. Giddens will perform multiple times in different formats, including leading a revue-style show with special guests and friends.
“This festival has been a long-time dream of mine,” says Giddens. “It’s about honoring the connections that tie Black culture together across time and geography, whether it's through music, food, or storytelling. The Black Banjo Gathering was such an important milestone for me personally, and I want Biscuits & Banjos to bring that same spirit of discovery and community to today’s generation of artists and fans.” — Rhiannon Giddens
Rhiannon selected Durham as the festival's home due to her deep personal connection to the city and its thriving contemporary culture, rooted in a rich Black heritage. "Durham is the perfect place to launch Biscuits & Banjos," Giddens explains. "It has a vibrant community, an incredible artistic scene, and a history that aligns with the festival’s mission to uplift and honor Black culture."
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, now more than ever Giddens is focused on the mission of uplifting and preserving North Carolinian culture. A portion of both ticket sales and merchandise income will go to hurricane relief efforts at next year’s festival; the recovery of Western North Carolina will be measured in years, not months.
Biscuits & Banjos is a non-profit, community responsive festival. Funding for Biscuits & Banjos is made possible in part by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, North Carolina Humanities, the Danielle Rose Paikin Foundation, the Harper House Foundation, Warner Music Group/Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund, and other generous individual donors, civic, and community partners. On the state’s partnership, Secretary Reid Wilson said, “The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is excited to help sponsor Rhiannon Giddens’ new Biscuits & Banjos festival in 2025. The festival will give North Carolinians an opportunity to immerse themselves in our state’s vibrant music and arts, rich history, and diverse culture. Music provides common ground for all of us, and we’re proud to be a part of this innovative event.”
Unmanageable, a 501(c)3 organization, is Biscuits & Banjo's non-profit partner. Donations to support Biscuits & Banjos are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Unmanageable's EIN is 85-1193914.
Rush’s first four albums with Atlantic Records will be reissued on vinyl in an upcoming boxed set that includes Presto (1989), Roll the Bones (1991), Counterparts (1993), and Test for Echo (1996).
The Albums: 1989-1996 will be available from the band’s store RushBackstage.com and Rhino.com on November 1 as a 6LP boxed set. Pre-Order HERE.
The new collection covers the first four albums that Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart recorded for Atlantic Records before their hiatus in 1997. Each album includes a print of reimagined cover artwork and is housed in a slipcase featuring new artwork by award-winning artist Hugh Syme, who has created all of Rush’s album cover art since 1975.
Presto is Rush’s thirteenth studio album and their first with Atlantic Records. The gold-certified record reached No.16 on the Billboard, marking a more guitar-centric sound for the band. After a brief hiatus, the band emerged with the commercial and critical success Roll the Bones. Peaking at No. 3 in the U.S., No. 10 in the U.K. and No. 11 in Canada, with the title track reaching No. 9 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
Counterparts followed with continued success, landing at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 -one of the band’s highest-charting albums. The record was certified platinum and received a 1994 GRAMMY® Award nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for their track “Leave That Thing Alone.” Rush released their sixteenth album, Test for Echo, in 1996, reaching No. 5 on the Billboard chart and the title track taking the No. 1 spot on the Mainstream Rock Track chart.
The Albums: 1989-1996 celebrates Rush's enduring legacy as one of the most inventive, compelling, and popular groups in rock history, receiving a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2013. The RIAA has certified Rush for having the third-highest number of consecutive gold and platinum studio albums by a rock band, topped only by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.
After select fan and festival screenings this year, the 4K remastered version of Daft Punk & Leiji Matsumoto’s 2003 anime masterpiece Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem will be screened in cinemas globally for one night only on December 12, 2024 in partnership with Trafalgar Releasing. Says Marc Allenby, CEO of Trafalgar Releasing, "We're excited to bring Daft Punk's iconic Interstella 5555, now fully remastered in stunning 4K, to cinemas for this one-night-only global event. This is a rare opportunity to experience the film on the big screen, along with accompanying Daft Punk music videos, and we can't wait to share it with audiences everywhere.”
Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem was created by Daft Punk and Cédric Hervet in collaboration with Leiji Matsumoto and Toei Animation, and tells the story of the abduction of an alien music band by an evil human character who has dark plans. Essentially an anime visual album, Interstella features the entirety of Daft Punk’s seminal 2001 album Discovery as its soundtrack, including iconic anthems such as “One More Time,” “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,” and “Veridis Quo.” Says Shinji Shimizu of Toei Animation, who produced the film, “‘One More Time’ was playing all over the town at that time! I felt so proud that I wanted to shout to people on the street, ‘We are making its animation now!’” As a visual album, the film was cut into individual music videos, and until this year it has been very rare to see the film in its entirety in cinemas.
To celebrate this global event, Discovery: Interstella 5555 Edition will be released in limited physical quantities. This physical edition of Discovery will contain the original Japanese edition artwork, stickers and Daft Club card, which became a true collectors’ item around its original release. The limited release will consist of 5555 gold vinyl, 5555 numbered CDs, and 25,000 black vinyl.
Along with this special album re-release and film screening comes a limited-edition merch run featuring the Crescendolls, the animated band at the center of Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem. Items are available now through Daft Punk’s official shop.
“Veridis Quo” a standout track from Discovery was used widely over the summer in social content, and can now be heard in a global advertising campaign for Chanel N°5 called “A rendez-vous” directed by Luca Guadagnino, featuring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. Since the track’s original release, it has also been widely sampled in music from artists all over the world including Maluma, G-Dragon, and Jazmine Sullivan, and used in live sets from DJs including John Summit.
For more detailed information on the creation and impact of Interstella: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem, Discovery, and “Veridis Quo,” please see here.
Earlier this year, Apple Music named Discovery as the #23 best album of all time. It has also landed on best album lists from Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Rhapsody, Resident Advisory, BBC Radio 1, British GQ. Guardian critic Alexis Petridis wrote in 2020 that “Daft Punk were incredibly prescient: play Discovery and it sounds utterly contemporary.”
Discovery has been certified Gold in the US, Platinum in Japan, 2x Platinum in the UK and 3x Platinum in France.
The one night only global screening of Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem will be screened in 800+ cinemas in 40+ countries, and tickets will go on sale Wednesday, November 13. More information can be found here.
The second annual Montreux Jazz Festival Miami has been announced, taking place Friday February 28 to Sunday March 2, 2025 in Miami, FL. The headline performers include five-time GRAMMY Award-winning and Academy Award-winning singer, songwriter and composer Jon Batiste & Friends, innovative singer, songwriter, rapper and actress Janelle Monáe and an Afro-Cuban “La Descarga” (improvised jam session) hosted by Batiste and breakout Cuban star and 2024 Latin GRAMMY Record of the Year nominee Cimafunk, with Alfredo Rodriguez, Cimafunk & La Tribu, Pedrito Martinez, Robe L Ninho, Wampi, Yissy Garcia and more to be announced. Monsieur Periné, the Bogota-based ensemble and fellow 2024 Latin GRAMMY Record of the Year nominees (they are featured on Cimafunk’s nominated song “Catalina”), will also perform.
This one-of-a-kind weekend of world-class performances will return to The Hangar at Regatta Cove, an intimate 1500-capacity venue in the Coconut Grove neighborhood, bringing a distinctly Miami version of one of the world’s most beloved jazz festivals to the shores of The Magic City.
The festival also includes the return of the Legendary Montreux Jam Session each night of the festival, curated by Batiste and featuring his band Stay Human, as well as a series of masterclasses available to VIP ticket holders. Wynwood-based audiophile vinyl listening bar Dante’s HiFi will return with a pop-up installation. A selection of Miami’s best restaurants will be on-site, including two Michelin-starred Chef Henrique Sá Pessoa's latest culinary endeavor Sereia and new hot spot Celia's, known for their smash burgers, offering an array of beloved bites, dishes and drinks.
Tickets are on sale now, as of today October 30. Additional performers and programming will be announced in the coming months. For tickets and more information: https://www.mjfmiami.com
Jon Batiste played a key role in bringing the Montreux Jazz Festival to Miami. He is also a co-owner of the festival and curated this year’s lineup. Batiste headlined last year’s inaugural edition and hosted the late night Jam Session that made international news. Says Batiste, “Bringing the soul of Montreux to the heart of Miami is an honor. It’s a rare festival where the room is intimate and musical collaboration and improvisation are central to the experience. We had an unforgettable experience last year and can’t wait to be back.”
Says Mathieu Jaton, CEO of Montreux Jazz Festival: "The first edition of the Montreux Jazz Festival in Miami was an incredible success, with the city embracing our music, spirit, and legacy with open arms. As we prepare for the second edition, we are thrilled to bring even more unforgettable performances and experiences to Miami’s vibrant music scene. We look forward to deepening our connection with this beautiful city and celebrating the rich, diverse sounds that make the Montreux Jazz Festival so unique."
Montreux Jazz Festival Miami headliner schedule:
*Friday Feb 28: Jon Batiste & Friends
*Saturday March 1: Janelle Monáe
*Sunday March 2: Afro-Cuban “La Descarga” hosted by Jon Batiste and Cimafunk with Alfredo Rodriguez, Cimafunk & La Tribu, Pedrito Martinez, Robe L Ninho, Wampi, Yissy Garcia and many more + Monsieur Periné
As is tradition with Montreux Jazz Festival - a Montreux Jazz Festival Miami poster for 2025 has been revealed today, created by Swiss artist Rylsee who also produced the poster for Montreux Jazz Switzerland this year. Award winning celebrity photographer Anoush Abrar will also be returning from Switzerland to take portrait photos of artists as well as VIP & Legend ticket buyers at this year’s festival.
Ticketing:
Single-day ticket prices for Montreux Jazz Festival Miami begin at $169, with VIP tickets at $569 and Legend tickets at $999. Payment plans are also available.
The 2024 inaugural edition of the festival featured Jon Batiste, Rock and Roll Hall Famer Daryl Hall, Queen of Axé Daniela Mercury, as well as Cimafunk, The Wailers, Cory Henry, Emily Estefan, Israel Houghton, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Lia de Itamaracá, Justin Kauflin, Adrian Cota & The Winston House Band, ELEW, and Mathis Picard.
Elvis Costello’s King Of America & Other Realms celebrates and explores the songwriter’s lifelong love, fascination, and influence of American music, spanning his many albums and inspired collaborations with some of the most celebrated musicians, songwriters and producers in this music, including his longtime creative partnership with T Bone Burnett.
Compiled by Elvis Costello, the six-disc Super Deluxe Edition box set, King Of America & Other Realms, out now via UMe, traces Costello’s musical travels from Hollywood, Calif. – where the King Of America album was recorded – to a brand-new take on that album’s opener, “Brilliant Mistake,” recorded in Cape Fear, N.C. in early 2024, via Costello's recording adventures in New Orleans, Oxford and Clarksdale, Miss., Nashville and Memphis, Tenn. This one-of-a-kind 97-track musical journey is guided by Costello in a newly self-penned 35-page essay beautifully illustrated with numerous rare and never-before-seen photos in a 57-page booklet. The discs are housed in a handsome 12” x 11.5” package. A startlingly beautiful cover shot by Terence Donovan reveals the majesty and absurdity of a king in his velvet and bejeweled crown and embroidered denim jacket.
King Of America & Other Realms is anchored by a new 2024 remaster from the original master tapes of Costello’s 1986 career-defining, T Bone Burnett-produced album, King Of America, and features solo demos from 1985, including never previously released demos cut at Red Bus Recording Studios in London in the months prior to the King Of America sessions in Hollywood and mixed from newly discovered multitrack tapes; a 17-song Royal Albert Hall concert from 1987 in London, mixed from multitrack tapes; and a three-disc compendium of recordings and collaborations from across the last four decades, including previously unreleased demos, outtakes and live recordings. The collection was produced by Elvis Costello and Steve Berkowitz.
For fans wanting to explore some of the many artists that influenced King of America and his musical genre-spanning musical travels, Costello has curated a 70-song companion playlist for Vanity Fair, titled “Elvis Costello Presents Songs in the Spirit of King of America’s Music and Musicians,” available to stream now: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/04PD789PgOJWV1YKvobCyh?si=cc9e1f75537…
In addition to the Super Deluxe Edition box set, King Of America & Other Realms is available on 2CD with the new 2024 remaster of the album on CD1 and highlights from the box set on CD2, including studio recordings, demos and live recordings. The new remaster of King Of America is also available separately on both 140-gram black vinyl as well as limited edition 140-gram gold nugget color vinyl, exclusively via ElvisCostello.com, uDiscover Music and Sound of Vinyl.
Titled Le Roi Sans Sabots, the second disc of King Of America & Other Realms collects Costello’s solo demos from 1985, including performances recently unearthed from two reels of demo recordings, cut at London’s Red Bus Recording Studios in the months prior to the King Of America sessions in Hollywood. “Brilliant Mistake” and “Blue Chair” are presented with radically different lyrics, shedding new light on the intention of key songs from the King Of America album. “Deportee” – later brutalized and distorted on “Goodbye Cruel World” – is heard in a direct and emotional vocal performance with acoustic guitar. Meanwhile, an early sketch of “Next Time Round” shows that it was actually written for King Of America but not recorded again until the album, Blood & Chocolate, released eight months later in September 1986. Also included is an outtake of “Shoes Without Heels,” a contender for King Of America that ultimately didn’t make the album; a different recording of the song would eventually be released on the 1987 rarities and unreleased tracks collection, Out Of Our Idiot.
The disc is bookended by the opening and closing title themes by The Coward Brothers, the pseudonymous side project that Costello and T Bone Burnett adopted for a series of tours in ’84 and ’85. The Red Bus Demos are sequenced together with previously released solo sessions recorded at Hollywood’s Ocean Way Studios. “If you are familiar with the songs of King Of America and then listen to the collection of sketches and solo performances on ‘Le Roi Sans Sabots’ you may see a different picture,” Costello writes in the accompanying essay, adding, “Assembling ‘Le Roi Sans Sabots’ has been a little like developing an old negative to discover a photograph, close to a very familiar image but crucially different in composition and implication. It seems that sometime after these initial solo sessions, I resolved to balance the break-up theme with lyrics with a more satirical note.” Also included are early drafts of “Jack Of All Parades,” and “Sleep Of The Just” along with solo versions of “Poisoned Rose,” “Indoor Fireworks,” “I’ll Wear It Proudly,” “Suffering Face,” and the piano ballad, “Having It All – written for a scene at the Eiffel Tower in the movie “Absolute Beginners.”
In early 1987 Costello played a six-night, sold-out stand at the Royal Albert Hall in London; three shows with the Attractions and three devoted to King Of America and other realms, with a band billed as The Confederates (the dictionary definition for ally or accomplice and nothing to do with America’s Civil War), featuring guitarist James Burton and bassist Jerry Scheff from Elvis Presley’s legendary TCB Band, drummer Jim Keltner, keyboardist Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and T-Bone Wolk, who added accordion and mandolin to the ensemble. The electrifying concert featured live renditions of several King Of America titles along with Costello’s takes on a host of great American songwriter’s songs: “Only Daddy That’ll Walk The Line,“ made famous by Waylon Jennings, Dan Penn & Spooner Oldham’s “It Tears Me Up,” Arthur Alexander’s “Sally Sue Brown,” Allen Toussaint’s “Riverboat,” Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Your Funeral And My Trial,” Mose Allison’s “Your Mind Is On Vacation,” Ray Charles’ “What Would I Do Without You,” Jesse Winchester’s “Payday,” Dave Bartholomew’s “That’s How You Got Killed Before” and Buddy Holly’s “True Love Ways.” This never-before-released concert, recorded on January 27, 1987, is captured on Disc 3 – “Kings Of America Live At The Royal Albert Hall” – which has been newly mixed from the multitrack tapes.
King Of America would mark the second in a long line of Costello’s albums to be recorded in the U.S. over the ensuing four decades and that singularly eclectic, musical American odyssey is chronicled in great detail on the 48-track 3-disc digest of studio recordings – spanning the studio albums Spike (1989, Hollywood and New Orleans), The Delivery Man (2004, Oxford, Miss.), The River In Reverse (2006, Hollywood and New Orleans), Momofuku (2008, Los Angeles), Secret, Profane & Sugarcane (2009, Nashville), National Ransom (2010, Los Angeles and Nashville) and Look Now (2018, Hollywood, New York City) – woven together with a slew of previously unreleased demos, outtakes and live recordings.
Some of Costello’s many collaborations with American musicians are represented throughout the three discs, labeled Il Principe Di New Orleans E Le Marchese Del Mississippi, El Príncipe Del Purgatorio and finally Der Herzog Des Rampenlicht, including several studio and previously unreleased tracks from his collaborations with New Orleans R&B legend, Allen Toussaint, and longtime creative accomplice, T Bone Burnett. In addition to a handful of songs from Costello and Toussaint’s collaborative album, The River In Reverse, included are live versions of “Bedlam” from that record and “Clown Strike,” arranged by Toussaint and performed with The Imposters, A.B. Crown and The Crescent City Horns in Montreal in 2006, and the Toussaint-penned, Lee Dorsey classic, “The Greatest Love,” as featured in HBO’s David Simon-produced, New Orleans-based series “Treme.” This version is being made available for the first time outside of the show while the Montreal performances are making their audio debuts, having been released on the long out-of-print DVD “Hot As A Pistol, Keen As A Blade.”
Discs 5 and 6 features nearly half of Costello’s Burnett-produced album, National Ransom, joined by “Lost On The River #12” from Lost On The River: The New Basement Tapes, the acclaimed 2014 Burnett-led project consisting of musicians singing and setting discovered Bob Dylan lyrics from 1967 to music. Costello offers unreleased recordings of “Quick Like A Flash” from the New Basement Tapes sessions, demos of the National Ransom tune “Church Underground” and album outtakes “Condemned Man” and “For More Tears,” the first-ever release of the latter song which has only ever been performed live, as well as a stirring live performance of “A Scarlet Tide,” Costello and Burnett’s Oscar and Grammy-nominated song for the film “Cold Mountain,” recorded at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville with Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings.
Elsewhere on the collection, Costello duets with singers Lucinda Williams and Emmylou Harris on The Delivery Man tracks “There’s A Story In Your Voice” and “Heart Shaped Bruise.” The latter, recorded live with Harris at the Hi Tone in Memphis in 2004, was previously only available on the concert DVD “Club Date: Live In Memphis.” Rosanne Cash and Kris Kristofferson are joined by Costello on the captivating “April 5th,” one of two songs recorded by the elusive supergroup “C.C.K.”
King Of America & Other Realms culminates with three new recordings recorded in 2024: “Indoor Fireworks” (Memphis Magnetic Version), “That’s Not The Part of Him You’re Leaving” with Larkin Poe and a recent arrangement of “Brilliant Mistake” performed, as Costello remarks, “over a habanera rhythm in a minor key to mark the dark passing of the years and our elusive hold on hope, taking a detour into the 1933, Harry Warren/Al Dubin song, ‘Boulevard Of Broken Dreams’ rather than just alluding to it in the lyric of the last verse.” The final song of the set is “That Day Is Done,” a song co-written by Costello and Paul McCartney for McCartney’s 1989 album Flowers In The Dirt, here performed with the gospel group The Fairfield Four, bringing this wild and wonderfully odd odyssey to a close.
Released in 1986, King Of America marked a significant shift in Costello’s career, both musically and personally. Unlike his previous albums with The Attractions, he mostly collaborated with a group of session musicians, including Ray Brown and Earl Palmer, and members of Elvis Presley's TCB Band, that he dubbed The Confederates, and curiously only listed himself as The Costello Show. Similarly, the songs were credited to Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus. A departure from the new wave and punk he made his name with, the record’s sound leaned heavily into American country and folk influences, showcasing Costello's versatility as a songwriter and musician. The album was critically acclaimed and helped to reinforce his artistic credibility during a time when he was transitioning away from the brash persona that had initially defined his career. This pivot not only broadened his musical palette but also solidified his reputation as one of the most innovative and enduring artists of his generation.
In the nearly forty years from its release, King Of America’s stature only continues to grow among fans and critics. Retrospectively, the album is seen as one of Costello’s best works, with All Music calling it “one of his masterpieces,” and Stereogum declaring it “the most successful of Costello’s pointed genre excursions, a detour into roots music and country that plays to his great strengths as a lyricist and storyteller.” Pitchfork hailed it as a “complex and conflicted album that, despite all the spit and polish, sounds lively and raucous,” while Spin remarked, “stately country-folk overtones lend the heartrending songs ‘Brilliant Mistake,’ ‘American Without Tears’ and ‘Jack Of All Parades’ a grandeur that feels timeless.”
This coming Friday, November 8th Rhino will release a brand new and extensive Talking Heads: 77 (Super Deluxe Edition) capping off a celebratory season for the band, who recently commemorated the 40th anniversary of their groundbreaking concert film Stop Making Sense — arriving on 4LP + 4 7" Singles, 3CD/Blu-ray, 2LP and digital configurations.
The expansive collection of Talking Heads: 77 is housed in a lift-off-lid box, including the 4LPs: 1LP of the remastered original album, 1LP of rare and previously unreleased demos and outtakes, and a 2LP Live at CBGB, New York, NY, Oct. 10, 1977, only available in the vinyl box configuration. The 7” singles are set in a gatefold with a black and white image of the band and an immersive 80-page hardcover book comprising never-before-seen photos, fliers, artwork, and thoughtful liner notes personally penned by each member of the band –Tina Weymouth, David Byrne, Chris Frantz, and Jerry Harrison, plus notes by recording engineer Ed Stasium. Today, in light of the occasion next Friday, the Talking Heads reveal the previously unreleased "Pulled Up (Alternate “Pop” Version)." Listen here: https://th.lnk.to/PUAlt2024
The acclaimed Miles Davis "Bootleg Series" has spanned years as early as 1955, and as late as 1985, but it has not yet touched 1963 or 1964 - a pivotal period in Miles’ musical evolution and the auspicious beginnings of the Second Great Quintet - until now. Today, Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, announce the newest box set in the Miles Bootleg Series out November 8th — Miles in France - Miles Davis Quintet 1963/64: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 8 which includes all the music made at the 1963 Festival Mondial Du Jazz in Antibes (July 26-28 of that year) and the 1964 Paris Jazz Festival (October 1). The 1963 recordings feature George Coleman, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony Williams - while the 1964 recordings feature Wayne Shorter’s arrival on tenor saxophone as the final member of the Second Great Quintet.
Miles In France will arrive Friday November 8th as a 6 CD and 8 LP set with more than four hours of previously unreleased music and new liner notes by journalist Marcus J. Moore. A 2LP break-out set, of just the 1964 recordings, will also be available. The release will also be available digitally in its entirety on DSPs. Pre-orders begin today HERE.
Miles in France - Miles Davis Quintet 1963/64: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 8 was produced by the multi-GRAMMY winning team of Steve Berkowitz, Richard Seidel and Michael Cuscuna (marking one of the last productions for Cuscuna, who passed away earlier this year) and mastered by multi-GRAMMY winning Sony Music engineer Vic Anesini at Battery Studios in NYC.
Preview the set with a never-released, nearly ten-minute version of “So What” Live at the Festival Mondial Du Jazz, Antibes/Juan-Les-Pins on July 26th, 1963: HERE
France was important to Miles on both a professional and personal level, quickly becoming his preferred live market. He played in France more times than any other country outside the U.S. and recorded there frequently. His history in the country goes back as far as 1949 - when he appeared at the Festival International De Jazz at just 22 years old - and as late as July 1991, for a concert in Nice just two months before he passed.
In the early 1960s, Miles came to France having altered the course of jazz. His 1959 landmark album Kind of Blue eschewed hard bop for a modal style that allowed room for a freer type of improvisation - an overcast slow-burner evoking ease and tension. But when compared with the studio version of Kind of Blue, the music coming out of the Quintet in Antibes and Paris had very little room for space and silence. The highs were dramatic and the lows were filled with powerful phrasing - adding fresh perspective to this landmark album in all of jazz.
Miles officially hired the rhythm section of Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums in the Spring of 1963, and they went into the studio in May of that year with George Coleman on tenor saxophone to record the second half of the Seven Steps To Heaven album. Two months later they arrived in Europe, and Downbeat deemed their performances at the 1963 Festival Mondial Du Jazz to be: “superb… [Davis] was in clean, decisive form and at his lyrical best…”
Ron Carter recalls the experience in the new liner notes, adding, “I had never played with anyone like that, of course, and certainly not for this extended period of time. It was just stunning to hear him play like this, play with that intensity, play with that tempo, play with that direction night in and night out and not turn it on to the band and say, ‘Stop that.’ He allowed us to do whatever the chemist allowed his proteges in the lab to do. Take these chemicals I'm giving you guys and see what we come up with. Just call the fire department if necessary.”
Miles would return to the U.S. with a new sense of musical purpose, spurred on by the bands he took to France, reveling in the stages they played. By the time Miles recorded E.S.P. with the Second Great Quintet in 1965, he proved that - despite whatever physical and spiritual challenges he may have endured - he was the barometer by which jazz moved and evolved. Some 60 years removed from these recordings, and more than 30 since his passing, Miles is still the summit and pinnacle, the essence of audacity, the monument of all monuments.
Jeremie Albino “proves himself a talent to be reckoned with” (No Depression) on new album Our Time In The Sun - out today via Easy Eye Sound. An electrifying performer who’s shared stages with everyone from Orville Peck to Sierra Ferrell - Our Time In The Sun deftly captures Albino’s livewire energy in the studio, alongside esteemed collaborators like The Dap-Kings’ Tommy Brenneck, Pat McLaughlin (John Prine, Johnny Cash, Charley Crockett), Tom Bukovac (5x MusicRow Guitarist of the Year), Little Barrie’s Barrie Cadogan, The Heliocentrics’ Malcolm Catto and Bobby Wood (Wilson Pickett, Dusty Springfield, Marcus King). Working closely with GRAMMY-winning producer Dan Auerbach, who was mesmerized by a chance encounter with Albino’s music online, the two spent time together digging through Auerbach’s collection of 45s in Nashville - and quickly discovered a mutual love of artists like Irma Thomas, The Charmels and George Jackson. The resulting Our Time In The Sun sessions have been described by Auerbach as “a dream…he’s so talented, comfortable with who he is - he’s able to put everyone in the room at ease and bring people together with his music.”
Our Time In The Sun is the culmination of a remarkable journey for Albino, one that began on a farm in rural Ontario. After years slinging veggies at a farmers markets in Toronto, Albino began performing on the city’s streets and beyond, busking throughout Europe and trading songs for lodging. The back-and-forth between him and the many fleeting crowds sparked a love of performing, one that he channeled into live shows that grew steadily from passerby to packed rooms. Those performances have reached even higher heights of late, like at September's Easy Eye Fish Fry in Nashville, where Albino was joined on stage by a backing band of The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney, Nathaniel Rateliff and Black Pumas’ Adrian Quesada. He’ll bring his live show on the road throughout 2025, including iconic rooms like Los Angeles’ Troubadour (February 20) and the 1,500 capacity Danforth Music Hall in his hometown of Toronto (April 4). See below for a full list of dates
Jeremie Albino - Our Time In The Sun Tracklist
1. I Don’t Mind Waiting
2. Baby Ain’t It Cold Outside
3. Let Me Lay My Head
4. Our Time In The Sun
5. Rolling Down The 405
6. So Many Ways To Say I Love You
7. Struggling With The Bottle
8. Give It To Me One Last Time
9. Dinner Bell
10. Since I’ve Been Knowing You
11. Gimme Some
12. Hold Me Tight
Jeremie Albino Tour Dates
Jan 16, 2025 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall
Jan 17, 2025 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Made
Jan 18, 2025 - Philadelphia, PA - Foundry
Jan 19, 2025 - Washington, D.C. - Union Stage
Jan 21, 2025 - Carrboro, NC - Cats Cradle (Front)
Jan 23, 2025 - Atlanta, GA - Vinyl
Jan 24, 2025 - Nashville, TN - The 58
Jan 25, 2025 - Lexington, KY - Burl
Jan 26, 2025 - Indianapolis, IN - Turntable
Jan 28, 2025 - St. Louis, MO - Golden Record
Jan 29, 2025 - Des Moines, IA - Xbx Live
Jan 31, 2025 - Chicago, IL - Schuba's
Feb 1, 2025 - Minneapolis, MN - Turf Club
Feb 13, 2025 - Fort Collins, CO - Washingtons
Feb 14, 2025 - Denver, CO - Bluebird
Feb 15, 2025 - Colorado Springs, CO - Lulu's Downstairs
Feb 18, 2025 - Phoenix, AZ- Rebel Lounge
Feb 19, 2025 - San Diego, CA - Casbah
Feb 20, 2025 - Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour
Feb 21, 2025 - San Francisco, CA - Independent
Feb 22, 2025 - Healdsburg, CA - Little Saint
Feb 24, 2025 - Portland, OR - Aladdin
Feb 25, 2025 - Seattle, WA – Crocodile
Feb 27, 2025 - Victoria, BC - Capital Ballroom
Feb 28, 2025 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
Mar 3, 2025 - Edmonton, AB - Winspear Centre
Mar 4, 2025 - Calgary, AB - The Palace Theatre
Mar 7, 2025 - Saskatoon, SK - The Capitol Music Club
Today, the 50th anniversary reissue of Bob Neuwirth’s self-titled debut album is available on streaming services HERE. CD and LP versions are also available now on Sunset Blvd Records. For more information and press assets (including extensive liner notes by Randy Lewis), please visit https://reissue.bobneuwirth.com/.
Neuwirth, who will be portrayed by Will Harrison next to Timothee Chalamet’s Dylan in the upcoming film, is known for his multifaceted six-decade career and has been described as “the best pure songwriter of any of us” by T Bone Burnett and “a shakespearean jester who’s wiser than all the rest” by Kris Kristofferson. Beloved by his musical community, Neuwirth brought together a mind-boggling collection of talent in January of 1974 to perform on his debut record: Kris Kristofferson, Roger McGuinn, Don Everly, Cass Elliot, Richie Furay, Rita Coolidge, Booker T. Jones, Chris Hillman, Geoff Muldaur, Dusty Springfield, Timothy B. Schmit, Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, Stephen Bruton and many more. The recording sessions turned into a legendary multi-day party, but in later years Neuwirth felt it didn’t sound like the debut he would’ve made if he was sober at the time.
Now, 50 years later, each track has been completely remixed from scratch to reflect how Neuwirth had long intended the collection to sound. Engineer John Hanlon reworked each track from new high-resolution/audiophile-quality digital transfers of the original 16- and 24-track analog tapes, bringing new power, clarity and presence to the recorded performances.
In a recent Variety interview, Paula Batson (Neuwirth’s life partner of the past 30 years) and T Bone Burnett (one of his best friends and closest collaborators over the last 50 years) spoke about the importance of expanding Neuwirth’s legacy with this reissue. Variety’s Chris Willman says Neuwirth “may be the rock ‘n’ roll legend that most people have heard about but not actually heard” and notes that the “legendary songwriter” is finally getting “his due with a transformed version of his debut album.”
The Cactus Blossoms will perform three songs from their new album Every Time I Think About You on CBS Saturday Morning this weekend (November 9), the latest celebration of a collection that evokes “pure Americana dream pop” (No Depression) with “a sound that’s like desert in the rain” (Bluegrass Situation). “They exemplify everything that makes Americana music great,” added Kelly Clarkson when the Minneapolis duo (Jack Torrey and Page Burkum) appeared on her show in late October. “Soulful storytelling, spectacular harmonies and just the right amount of twang.” Watch The Cactus Blossoms perform their original song “Statues” on The Kelly Clarkson show here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iviF6AJaDA
Before their performance on CBS Saturday Morning, The Cactus Blossoms will return to New York City for a Friday night set (November 8) at the Brooklyn Folk Festival this week, taking place at 9:30PM in the borough’s historic St. Ann’s Church. For more information visit: https://www.brooklynfolkfest.com/schedule
Next up for The Cactus Blossoms will be a busy touring schedule in early 2025, alongside their longtime band of Jeremy Hanson (drums), Jacob Hanson (guitar) and Phillip Hicks (bass). After a weekly hometown residency at The Turf Club in January, they’ll bring Every Time I Think About You to Europe for the first time with more than a dozen shows scheduled across the continent. For a full list of tour dates visit: http://www.thecactusblossoms.com/tour/
The Cactus Blossoms - Every Time I Think About You Tracklist
Congratulations to Sierra Ferrell on earning her first-ever GRAMMY nominations today. Named "one of country and roots music's most fascinating and fastest-rising artists" (Rolling Stone), Ferrell earned a total of four nominations for the following categories: Best Americana Album (Trail of Flowers), Best American Roots Performance (“Lighthouse”), Best Americana Performance (“American Dreaming”), and Best American Roots Song (“American Dreaming”).
Earlier this year, Ferrell took home the two biggest prizes at the 2024 Americana Honors & Awards: Artist of The Year and Album of The Year, cementing her rise as "the roots-music queen of the moment" (Variety).
Ferrell’s newly GRAMMY-nominated album Trail of Flowers, produced by Eddie Spear with additional production by Gary Paczosa, debuted at #1 on an array of Billboard charts. NPR Music said the album highlights Ferrell’s "blend of warmth, chops and inventiveness is remaking Americana" (NPR Music). On the heels of the record, she has performed and been profiled on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Late Show, NPR Tiny Desk, CBS Mornings and played fully sold-out tours across the country. In recent weeks, Sierra Ferrell collaborated with Post Malone, dueting on "Never Love You Again" from his F-1 Trillion LP, itself Grammy-nominated this year.
Congratulations to three-time GRAMMY-winning jazz vocalist Samara Joy, who earned two GRAMMY nominations for the 67th GRAMMY Awards - “Best Jazz Vocal Album” and “Best Jazz Performance” - for her holiday EP, A Joyful Holiday. The collection of seasonal favorites, released last year on Verve, features multiple generations of Joy’s family, plus Pasquale Grasso on guitar, David Wong on bass, Kenny Washington on drums and Sullivan Fortner on piano.
“I’m so grateful to be supported by such an incredible organization of musicians and artists,” says Joy. “This is a huge step, not only for me, but for my family, The McLendon Family, featured on this album with me. Being able to honor the very people who encouraged me to pursue music in the first place, particularly recording alongside my 94 year old grandfather, is an incredible moment and I can’t wait to share this news with them.”
Produced by Matt Pierson, A Joyful Holiday includes “O Holy Night,” “Warm in December,” “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” and more, plus a new recording of Stevie Wonder’s “Twinkle Twinkle Little Me” featuring Sullivan Fortner, which earned a separate GRAMMY nomination on Friday for “Best Jazz Performance.” Get in the holiday spirit with A Joyful HolidayHERE.
Last month, Joy released her new studio album Portrait. The collection offers a snapshot of Joy’s growth not only as a once-in-a-generation vocalist but also as songwriter, arranger and band leader. NPR Music calls Portrait “the most jazz-literate album of her career so far,” while VIBE Magazine describes it as “eight tracks guaranteed to not only impress, but change the way we listen to modern vocal jazz.” Listen to Portrait (out now) HERE.
Joy, who previously took home the GRAMMY Award for “Best New Artist” (2023), “Jazz Vocal Album” (2023), and “Best Jazz Performance” (2024), is about to embark on her “A Joyful Holiday Tour” where she’ll perform gospel-infused holiday tunes from her newly GRAMMY-nominated A Joyful Holiday. The tour kicks off December 3rd at Penn State before stops in Richmond, Louisville, Baltimore, New York City, Chicago, Detroit, Philly, Atlanta and more. Please find all tour dates below and via https://www.samarajoy.com/tour.
Samara Joy “A Joyful Holiday Tour” Dates
December 3 – Penn State, PA – University Park
December 4 – Morristown, NJ – Mayo Performing Arts Center
December 6 – Richmond, VA – Altria
December 8 – Louisville, KY – Brown Theatre
December 10 – Baltimore, MD – Murphy Fine Arts Center
December 13 – New York, NY – United Palace
December 14 – Storrs, CT – Jorgensen Center
December 16 – Albany, NY – The Egg
December 17 – Buffalo, NY – U Of Buffalo Center For The Arts
Amayo, the former frontman of Antibalas for over two decades, is credited with bringing Afrobeat to a global audience and leading it to become a genre of itself. Today Amayo has announced his solo album debut: Lion Awakes will be released January 17. Inspired by his Kung Fu practice as a Lion Dancer - and honoring his indigenous Nigerian Edo customs and heritage - the 5-track album of fierce afrobeat energy unfurls over a series of movements that tell a story where myth meets reality. Amayo has also announced an album release concert at Brooklyn Bowl on January 29.
Says Amayo: “This album honors my grandmother, Iyalawo (my Black Magic Shaman/real life medicine woman). The world is right side down. Only through honest collaborations can we find equilibrium. Lion Awakes offers medicinal words and songs, layered in a new sound with fresh angles to deepen the experience of this timeless music. It’s a reimagined story/symphony where Myth meets Reality.”
The album story centers around the Chinese Fu Lion, who meets an African good doer, Iyalawowo, placed in an ancient land called Alkebu-Lan (Africa.) The Chinese Lion learns humility and about nature’s connection to three African deities - Shango, Oya and Ogun. Lion Awakes begins with “Black Magic Sister” - an opening salvo delivered with a blast of horns, a chorus of voices, rich textures of Rhodes electric piano and Farfisa organ licks, and a classic mid-tempo afrobeat rhythm to set the mood. Amayo describes the song as being “about offering Blessings for an abundant mindset. It’s also a prayer for twins and a wish for those who lost close ones.”
Lion Awakes was composed by Amayo, who is the featured lead vocalist and also performs on piano, Farfisa and Gbedu Spirit Drum. Amayo sings throughout the album in Yoruba, Edo, pidgin English and Cantonese. The recording features a host of musicians that Amayo has collaborated with over the past two decades, including members of the Dap-Kings, Antibalas, and recorded/produced by Thomas Brenneck (Dap-Kings, Menahan Street Band, Amy Winehouse, Beyonce and Jay-Z) at his Diamond West studios. Amayo also illustrated the album artwork.
Amayo’s music has been featured in Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, the LA Times, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR and he has appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Tonight Show to name a few. As a member of Antibalas and as a solo performer, Amayo has performed across the globe, on the world’s finest stages and at the finest festivals. His final project with Antibalas - Fu Chronicles - earned a GRAMMY nomination for Best Global Music Album in 2020.
Raised in Nigeria, Amayo came to America to attend Howard University on a football scholarship at age 17 and majored in medical illustration. He eventually moved to Brooklyn, where he joined Antibalas, part of a fertile and influential creative community of musicians and friends in Williamsburg that would also form The Dap-Kings and TV On The Radio. Amayo recorded 9 full length albums with Antibalas & performed 2000+ shows across five continents including four times at Carnegie Hall. He also directed the Antibalas music video for “Fight Am Finish” on location in Nigeria & NYC, about an African American returning home via the slave route. 2020’s Fu Chronicles was conceptualized and composed by Amayo; he also hand-illustrated the cover artwork. With a move across the country and the birth of his second child during the pandemic, Amayo decided to branch out on his solo career, one dedicated to his rich Nigerian heritage and Chinese martial arts teachings.
Amayo’s unique blend of styles creates a magical landscape of Chinese & African rhythms. Amayo’s songs guide people through Kung Fu movements and stories of the Nigerian Edo & Ife Kingdoms.
As an anointed Orisha “Awo,” Amayo sings traditional Nigerian spirituals and stories that have been passed down in a sacred lineage. Amayo has been a senior master (Sifu) of the Jow Ga Kung Fu School of martial arts since 1982 and performs traditional Chinese Lion Dance as a salutation ritual to begin his stage performances to bring good fortune to the audience.
Elvis Costello and Steve Nieve have announced a 15-date tour, opening in Easton, PA, on February 19, 2025. The tour includes stops at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, NJ; the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY; and two nights at the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, NY.
The tour will also visit Wilmington, DE; Beverly, MA; Portsmouth, NH; Montclair, NJ; Ithaca and Buffalo, NY; and Ann Arbor, MI, showcasing selections from a songbook that spans fifty years and countless depths.
“Costello is one of the world's greatest songwriters, up there with McCartney. You forget how many timeless songs he actually has until he plays them.” – Irish Independent
The tour concludes with a three-night engagement at Park West in Chicago, where Costello and Nieve will be joined by Eleanor Whitmore on fiddle, Tony Garnier on double bass, Shaye Cohn on cornet, and Sean McKeon on Uilleann pipes.
“Transcendent Musical Moments” – The Scotsman
These dates follow the acclaimed Costello & Nieve tours of 2023/24, which traveled from the Palau de la Música in Barcelona to the Oslo Opera House, and from the Béla Bartók Concert Hall in Budapest to the Paris Philharmonie. These performances were augmented by trumpet, reeds, cello, and percussion before continuing to Japan, where they played three sold-out shows in Tokyo and one night in Osaka in April 2024.
Their 2024 UK and Ireland dates included a momentous show at the Liverpool Olympia, where they recruited seven horns—students, graduates, and tutors from LIPA, the performing arts school founded by Paul McCartney.
That night was described as:
“Soul music to warm the coldest of hearts.” – Liverpool Acoustic
The 2024 tour concluded with two sold-out concerts at the London Palladium and a four-night sold-out run at Vicar Street in Dublin. The second London show and the last two nights in Dublin featured the Brodsky Quartet, with whom Costello and Nieve have collaborated for over thirty years. Uilleann piper Sean McKeon also joined for the final Dublin performances.
“Elvis Costello remains the most fascinating songwriter Britain has produced in the past 50 years.” – The Spectator
On November 1, 2024, UMe released King of America & Other Realms—a 6-CD collection tracing Elvis Costello's journey from his 1986 album, recorded in Hollywood, to his work in American musical hubs such as New Orleans, LA; Oxford and Clarksdale, MS; and Nashville and Memphis, TN. The collection also includes a haunting minor-key arrangement of “Brilliant Mistake,” recorded in Cape Fear, NC.
“Costello challenges us to confront the stories we inherit and the places we inhabit. Almost 40 years later, King of America remains Costello's map of disillusionment and aspiration, both timeless and acutely of its moment—a kingdom where invisible walls define the boundaries of our dreams.” – Arkansas Democrat Gazette
Costello’s 35-page essay accompanying the King of America & Other Realms box set details his forty-year collaboration and friendship with songwriter and producer T Bone Burnett. The latest installment of this collaboration is The True Story of The Coward Brothers, an Audible Original comedic drama written by Elvis Costello and directed by Christopher Guest. In it, Burnett and Costello portray the rock-and-roll charlatans and charmingly deluded siblings Henry and Howard Coward, joined by a cast including Harry Shearer and Rhea Seehorn.
The 20-track accompanying album, The Coward Brothers, was released in November 2024 by New West Records and features full-length renditions of the songs heard in what Costello refers to as “a wireless address.”
Elvis Costello and Steve Nieve have been collaborators and bandmates since 1977, appearing together on more than 25 recordings and performing on stages from Grosse Freiheit 36 in Hamburg to the Royal Albert Hall in London. They debuted songs like “Accidents Will Happen” and “Shot With His Own Gun” with only piano accompaniment, and they began their first two-man shows in 1995 before undertaking The Lonely World Tour in 2003.
“Nieve is astonishing, like the ghost of George Gershwin being watched over by Philip Glass.” – Irish Times
Steve Nieve is a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee as a member of Elvis Costello and the Attractions. He is also the composer of Welcome to the Voice, an opera written with Muriel Teodori, which was produced at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris and later recorded for Deutsche Grammophon. Nieve has played with Elvis Costello and The Imposters since 2002.
Rhino High Fidelity (Rhino Hi-Fi) proudly celebrates the upcoming 60th anniversary of The Doors with the release of The Doors 1967-1971 limited-edition high-fidelity boxed set today. This 6-LP collection presents the band’s first six full-length albums: The Doors, Strange Days, Waiting for the Sun, The Soft Parade, Morrison Hotel, and L.A. Woman. This comprehensive package is limited to only 3,000 individually numbered copies, available exclusively at thedoors.com and rhino.com. This box will not be available in stores.
The 6-LP set is packaged in a stunning green snakeskin hardcover box with gold leaf print and features all of the band’s studio albums, cut from the original analog master tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearant Audio. The vinyl was pressed at Optimal Media, and each record is housed in a heavyweight gatefold jacket. The box set also includes rare photos and liner notes by The Doors’ archivist David Dutkowski, who has assembled the story of each individual record from unpublished interviews with band members Robby Krieger [guitar], Ray Manzarek [organ, piano bass], and John Densmore [drums], as well as key figures such as Elektra Founder/President Jac Holzman, producer Paul Rothchild, and engineer/co-producer Bruce Botnick.
The Doors 1967-1971 serves as the ultimate gateway into the universe of one of the world’s greatest rock acts. It revisits the group during a watershed four-year period of unrivaled, utterly prolific creativity, resulting in their debut and best-selling album, the 4x-Platinum The Doors [1967] (#86 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time), the platinum-certified Strange Days [1967], the platinum and Billboard 200 #1 Waiting for the Sun [1968], the platinum The Soft Parade [1969], the platinum Morrison Hotel [1970], and the triple-platinum L.A. Woman [1971].
The band became a cultural phenomenon with “Light My Fire,” Elektra Records’ first single to top the Billboard Hot 100. This track, along with other unforgettable hits like “Break on Through (To the Other Side),” “People Are Strange,” “Hello, I Love You,” “Touch Me,” “Love Her Madly,” and the hauntingly iconic “Riders on the Storm,” cemented The Doors’ reputation as musical trailblazers. Each single resonated deeply with audiences, capturing the turbulence, freedom, and mystery of the era while showcasing Jim Morrison’s poetic lyricism.
Formed in Los Angeles, CA, in 1965, The Doors have sold over 100 million albums globally, with U.S. sales surpassing 34 million. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame® in 1993, garnered a GRAMMY® Award for Lifetime Achievement, and were awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The group also earned the 41st spot on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
Their influence and impact on rock ‘n’ roll and culture remain unmatched, continuing to resonate with one generation after another.
Next week, on Friday, November 29, The Doors will release Live in Detroit for Record Store Day’s Black Friday event. Recorded at the Cobo Arena in Detroit, MI, on May 8, 1970, this 4-LP set includes a 17-minute version of “The End,” a real rarity among recorded live shows. One of the longest Doors shows ever caught on tape! Available for the very first time on vinyl.
Twenty-seven-time Grammy winner Alison Krauss revealed today that Alison Krauss & Union Station Featuring Jerry Douglas will embark on their first tour together in a decade next year. The Arcadia 2025 Tour will see the acclaimed group playing 73 dates across the United States and Canada in 2025. They are also set to release new music next year.
Krauss also announced that legendary vocalist and guitarist Russell Moore has joined the ranks of Union Station. Best known as the frontman for the chart-topping group IIIrd Tyme Out, Moore is the most-awarded male vocalist in the history of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), with six total wins. He has guided his group to more than 50 industry honors, including seven IBMA Vocal Group of the Year titles. He joins longtime Union Station members: Ron Block (banjo, guitar, vocals), Barry Bales (bass, vocals), and newly inducted Bluegrass Hall of Fame member Jerry Douglas (Dobro, lap steel, vocals).
“I’m so grateful to get to make music again with my comrades of 40 years,” says Alison Krauss. “They’ve always accomplished incredible work individually and have been constantly traveling because of it. We’re very inspired to experience this new, exciting chapter in the band’s history.”
"To say I'm excited about recording and touring with Alison Krauss & Union Station would be a huge understatement,” adds Russell Moore. “After 40 years of playing music full-time and leading my own group for 34 years, this opportunity is among the few things at the top of the list that my music career has offered me. My hopes and desires are to fill this spot in AKUS with the same professionalism, precision, and thoughtfulness as other members who have held this position before me, and I'm looking forward to the 'ride’!”
The 73-date tour, featuring special guest Willie Watson, kicks off on Thursday, April 17, in Louisville, KY, and includes iconic venues like Red Rocks Amphitheatre (Morrison, CO), the Greek Theatre (Los Angeles, CA), the Beacon Theatre (New York, NY), and more. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, December 6, with presales available from Wednesday, December 4, at 10 AM local time through Thursday, December 5, at 10 PM local time. See the full dates below. Fans can sign up for presale access and purchase tickets at alisonkrauss.com.
Next year, fans can also expect new music from AKUS for the first time since the band’s 2011 masterpiece Paper Airplane. Hailed as “shining, dramatic, and beautiful” by NPR Music, the album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Country, Bluegrass, and Folk Album charts.
For nearly four decades, Alison Krauss & Union Station have upheld their legacy as one of the most influential and widely celebrated groups in American music, performing on historic stages from The Ryman to Red Rocks, Radio City to The Royal Festival Hall. They are five distinct personalities, each of whom enjoys a flourishing solo career. But when they come together, they transform into a peerless group of musicians who share a singular focus that transcends the boundaries of roots music, country, rock & roll, and pop.
Reviewing a performance from the Paper Airplane tour, the Chicago Tribune called AKUS “gorgeous, warm, and built for longevity,” adding, “Krauss and band are wicked good players, but their true genius is measured in their restraint. This is a crew that understands understated power—a ‘less is more’ instrumental approach where every note is in service to the song.”
Upcoming Tour Dates:
Thursday, April 17, 2025 | The Louisville Palace | Louisville, KY*
Friday, April 18, 2025 | The Louisville Palace | Louisville, KY*
Saturday, April 19, 2025 | Mershon Auditorium | Columbus, OH*
Friday, April 25, 2025 | Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park | Atlanta, GA
Saturday, April 26, 2025 | Live Oak Bank Pavilion | Wilmington, NC
Sunday, April 27, 2025 | Koka Booth Amphitheatre | Cary, NC
Tuesday, April 29, 2025 | Bell Auditorium | Augusta, GA
Wednesday, April 30, 2025 | The Adderley Amphitheater | Tallahassee, FL
Friday, May 2, 2025 | The Wharf Amphitheater | Orange Beach, AL
Saturday, May 3, 2025 | Brandon Amphitheater | Brandon, MS
Sunday, May 4, 2025 | BJCC Concert Hall | Birmingham, AL
Tuesday, May 6, 2025 | Orpheum Theatre | Memphis, TN
Monday, May 12, 2025 | First Security Amphitheater | Little Rock, AR
Tuesday, May 13, 2025 | The Criterion | Oklahoma City, OK
Thursday, May 15, 2025 | Saint Louis Music Park | Maryland Heights, MO
Friday, May 16, 2025 | Walmart AMP | Rogers, AR
Saturday, May 17, 2025 | Starlight Theatre | Kansas City, MO
Thursday, May 29, 2025 | Smart Financial Centre | Sugar Land, TX
Friday, May 30, 2025 | Whitewater Amphitheater | New Braunfels, TX
Saturday, May 31, 2025 | The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory | Irving, TX
Tuesday, June 3, 2025 | PNC Pavilion | Cincinnati, OH
Wednesday, June 4, 2025 | Devon Lakeshore Amphitheater | Decatur, IL
Friday, June 6, 2025 | BMO Pavilion | Milwaukee, WI
Saturday, June 7, 2025 | The Chicago Theatre | Chicago, IL
Sunday, June 8, 2025 | The Ledge | Waite Park, MN
Tuesday, June 10, 2025 | Vetter Stone Amphitheater | Mankato, MN
Wednesday, June 11, 2025 | Bayfront Festival Park | Duluth, MN
Friday, June 13, 2025 | McGrath Amphitheatre | Cedar Rapids, IA
Saturday, June 14, 2025 | Denny Sanford Premier Center | Sioux Falls, SD
Sunday, June 15, 2025 | The Astro Amphitheater | Omaha, NE
Monday, June 16, 2025 | Hartman Arena | Park City, KS
Wednesday, June 18, 2025 | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, CO
Friday, June 20, 2025 | Dillon Amphitheater | Dillon, CO
Saturday, June 21, 2025 | Kit Carson Park | Taos, NM
Friday, July 11, 2025 | Arizona Financial Theatre | Phoenix, AZ
Saturday, July 12, 2025 | The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park | San Diego, CA
Sunday, July 13, 2025 | Greek Theatre | Los Angeles, CA
Tuesday, July 15, 2025 | Santa Barbara Bowl | Santa Barbara, CA
Wednesday, July 16, 2025 | The Mountain Winery | Saratoga, CA
Friday, July 18, 2025 | Grand Theatre | Reno, NV
Saturday, July 19, 2025 | Redding Civic Auditorium | Redding, CA
Sunday, July 20, 2025 | Edgefield Amphitheater | Troutdale, OR
Tuesday, July 22, 2025 | Wine Country Amphitheater | Walla Walla, WA
Wednesday, July 23, 2025 | Outlaw Field at the Idaho Botanical Garden | Boise, ID
Saturday, July 26, 2025 | Theatre at the Brick | Bozeman, MT
Sunday, July 27, 2025 | BECU Live at Northern Quest | Airway Heights, WA
Tuesday, July 29, 2025 | Grey Eagle Resort & Casino | Calgary, AB
Thursday, July 31, 2025 | TCU Place | Saskatoon, SK
Friday, August 1, 2025 | Centennial Concert Hall | Winnipeg, MB
Tuesday, August 19, 2025 | Massey Hall | Toronto, ON
Thursday, August 21, 2025 | Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park | Indianapolis, IN
Friday, August 22, 2025 | Ascend Amphitheater | Nashville, TN
Saturday, August 23, 2025 | The Tennessee Theatre | Knoxville, TN
Sunday, August 24, 2025 | The Tennessee Theatre | Knoxville, TN
Tuesday, August 26, 2025 | Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium | Chattanooga, TN
Thursday, August 28, 2025 | The Dome | Virginia Beach, VA
Friday, August 29, 2025 | Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront | Richmond, VA
Saturday, August 30, 2025 | Earl Scruggs Music Festival | Mill Spring, NC +
Saturday, September 6, 2025 | Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre | Sterling Heights, MI
Sunday, September 7, 2025 | Jacobs Pavilion | Cleveland, OH
Tuesday, September 9, 2025 | Wolf Trap | Vienna, VA++
Wednesday, September 10, 2025 | The Met Philadelphia presented by Highmark | Philadelphia, PA
Friday, September 12, 2025 | Beacon Theatre | New York, NY
Tuesday, September 16, 2025 | Veterans Memorial Auditorium | Providence, RI
Wednesday, September 17, 2025 | Leader Bank Pavilion | Boston, MA
Friday, September 19, 2025 | BankNH Pavilion | Gilford, NH
Saturday, September 20, 2025 | The Green at Shelburne Museum | Shelburne, VT
Sunday, September 21, 2025 | Artpark Mainstage Theater | Lewiston, NY
Tuesday, September 23, 2025 | Salem Civic Center | Salem, VA
Wednesday, September 24, 2025 | Credit One Stadium | Charleston, SC
Friday, September 26, 2025 | The Saint Augustine Amphitheatre | St. Augustine, FL
Saturday, September 27, 2025 | The BayCare Sound | Clearwater, FL
Sunday, September 28, 2025 | Hard Rock Live | Hollywood, FL
*denotes Special Guest TBD, all other dates featuring Special Guest Willie Watson
+denotes tickets already on sale on the festival website
++denotes artist pre-sale happening February 11, 2025 followed by public on-sale
In the winter of 1974, WAR was already a half-decade into their career and fresh off the success of the #1 Billboard best-selling album of 1973, The World Is a Ghetto. Following months of touring throughout the US, and then nearly thirty shows across Europe, WAR arrived in Japan for the first time ever, to perform a series of live shows in Shizuoka, Tokyo, Osaka, and Kobe. Now, recordings from these performances have been rediscovered and meticulously restored for Live In Japan 1974, the first live album to feature all seven original members in 50 years.
With the release of a Japan-exclusive CD set for January 29, 2025—featuring a custom obi sleeve and liner notes by local music journalists—Live In Japan 1974 will get a global release on February 7, 2025. The collection will be available in 2LP and 2CD sets worldwide, as well as digitally, and includes a variety of live recordings of classic WAR tracks like “The Cisco Kid,” “The World Is a Ghetto,” and “All Day Music.” The liner notes, written and edited by Cory Frye, feature an in-depth interview with founding band member Lonnie Jordan and WAR’s longtime producer Jerry Goldstein, wherein Lonnie shares "It was a fun, exciting experience because we’d never gotten that amount of people loving what we did, especially during that time.” Jerry adds, "They knew all the songs. It was pretty exciting, getting the vibe that everyone knew and loved what we were doing. They gave us a lot of standing ovations, and we did lots of encores." The liner notes also reveal the story behind the creation of yet another iconic WAR song, “Why Can’t We Be Friends?,” inspired by the band’s interactions with locals during their debut tour of Japan.
Pre-OrderLive In Japan 1974 via Rhino, and listen to the newly-released
Packed with never-before-heard performances and insights into a pivotal moment in the band’s history and evolution, Live in Japan 1974 offers fans a deeper understanding of WAR’s global impact, and serves as a perfect sonic touchstone to further celebrate the band’s 55th Anniversary. Additionally, WAR will mark the 50th Anniversary of Why Can’t We Be Friends throughout 2025, on the heels of performing the titular hit song live on last week’s Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Furthermore, the release of Live In Japan 1974 will also see two nights of two-set shows at Japan’s Blue Note Tokyo on February 7- 8, 2025. Coinciding with the international street date, these performances will double as a celebration of the record’s release, with more details to come. Tickets will be available here.
Today, James Taylor announced his 2025 summer tour with his All-Star Band, including 24 shows in major cities across the US and Canada. The tour will see Taylor & His All-Star Band perform at a number of iconic venues, including the Santa Barbara Bowl, Ravinia in Chicago, Phoenix’s Footprint Center, and Toronto’s Budweiser Stage, as well as two nights at the legendary Red Rocks. The tour will kick off on May 5th in Phoenix, AZ and will conclude on July 1st in Gilford, NH.
Tickets for the 2025 summer tour dates go on sale to the public on Friday, December 13th at 10AM local time. For all upcoming routing, please see dates listed below and visit https://tour.jamestaylor.com/ for more information.
Supporting Taylor will be Tiny Habits, a Boston-bred band that has been praised by the likes of NPR and The New Yorker. Last year, the group opened for Gracie Abrams on her North American and Australian tour dates, and also opened for Noah Kahan on his European tour. They have performed with Lizzy McAlpine on her Tiny Desk appearance, harmonized with Kacey Musgraves and Laufey among many others. The Habits released their debut album All For Something via Mom+Pop records in May of 2024. The band hit the road supporting Vance Joy and Lake Street Dive while finishing 2024 with a headline tour of Australia. Their latest single, ‘For Sale Sign’ with Lizzy McAlpine is out now.
As a recording and touring artist, James Taylor has touched people with his warm baritone voice and distinctive style of guitar-playing for more than 50 years, while setting a precedent to which countless young musicians have aspired. Over the course of his celebrated songwriting and performing career, Taylor has sold more than 100 million albums, earning gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards since the release of his self-titled debut album in 1968. In 2015, Taylor released Before This World, the first-ever #1 album of his illustrious career. Taylor has won multiple GRAMMY Awards, has been inducted into both the Rock and Roll and the prestigious Songwriters Halls of Fame and in February 2006, The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences selected him its MUSICARES Person of the Year. Taylor was also awarded the distinguished Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government and the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama in 2012.
In November of 2015, Taylor was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation's highest civilian honor and in December of 2016 he received the Kennedy Center Honors, which are presented annually to individuals who have enriched American culture by distinguished achievement in the performing arts. In early 2020 Taylor released Break Shot, a deeply personal and authentic audio-only memoir detailing his first 21 years. He also released his newest album, American Standard, his 19th studio album, which earned Taylor the 2021 GRAMMY Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album and gave him the honor of being the first artist to have a Billboard Top 10 album in each of the past six decades.
JAMES TAYLOR SUMMER 2025 TOUR DATES
5/5/2025 - Phoenix, AZ - Footprint Center
5/7/2025 - Palm Desert, CA - Acrisure Arena
5/8/2025 - Highland, CA - Yaamava Theater
5/10/2025 - San Diego, CA - Rady Shell
5/11/2025 - San Diego, CA - Rady Shell
5/13/2025 - Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl
5/14/2025 - Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl
5/16/2025 - Stanford, CA - Frost Amphitheater
5/17/2025 - Lincoln, CA - The Venue at Thunder Valley
5/19/2025 - Bend, OR - Hayden Homes Amphitheatre
5/21/2025 - Nampa, ID - Ford Amphitheater
5/23/2025 - Ridgefield, WA - RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheatre
5/25/2025 - Seattle, WA - Chateau St. Michelle Winery
5/26/2025 - Seattle, WA - Chateau St. Michelle Winery
6/13/2025 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks
6/14/2025 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks
6/17/2025 - St. Paul, MN - Xcel Center
6/19/2025 - Highland Park, IL - Ravinia
6/21/2025 - Milwaukee, WI - Summerfest*
6/23/2025 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center
6/24/2025 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH - Blossom Music Center
Trombone Shorty has announced a number of key upcoming performances, as well as summer 2025 tour dates with his band Orleans Avenue. Trombone Shorty will be performing at The Super Bowl (FOX) on February 8 in his hometown of New Orleans, playing “America The Beautiful” with Lauren Daigle during the pre-game show. He is also performing at the CBS National Christmas Tree Lighting at the White House, which will broadcast on December 20, and performed last night at the Kennedy Center Honors, to celebrate recipient Arturo Sandoval, which will air on December 22 at 8:30PM ET on CBS / Paramount Plus.
Trombone Shorty also recently earned a fresh GRAMMY Nomination, for his appearance on Live At The 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival by New Breed Brass Band, the New Orleans ensemble led by his nephew, Jenard Andrews (Best Regional Roots Music Album). Trombone Shorty is a GRAMMY-winner and now a four-time nominee: he earned a nomination in the same category last year for his work on New Breed Brass Band’s debut album, Made In New Orleans, which he produced and recorded at his Buckjump studio.
Today he has also announced a summer tour with JJ Grey & Mofro and Dumpstaphunk, stopping at major venues across the country in June and July including LA’s The Greek Theater (June 8), Chicago’s Salt Shed (July 12) and more. Tickets go on sale this Friday, 12/13 (10AM Local). The summer tour is in addition to the recently announced second annual Shorty Gras Tour in March 2025 with Tank and the Bangas. Fresh off a busy year of performances and a planned cultural exchange trip to Cuba, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue will deliver their signature high-energy performances over a three-week run of shows, bringing New Orleans’ famous Mardi Gras party to the East Coast, South and Midwest. Full 2025 itinerary here: https://www.tromboneshorty.com/tour
The upcoming appearances and tour announcement arrives amid a packed year for the New Orleans icon and musical ambassador. From January 16-20, he will embark on the fourth Getting Funky in Havana cultural exchange trip to Cuba, alongside Orleans Avenue, young musicians from the Trombone Shorty Foundation, renowned Afro-Cuban star Cimafunk, George Clinton, Taj Mahal, Grace Potter, Yola and Robert Randolph. The cultural exchange will feature performances and collaborations between artists from New Orleans and Cuba, highlighting the deep-rooted musical connections between the two regions.
Over the past year, Trombone Shorty headed tours with Big Boi and headlined historic venues like the Hollywood Bowl. He also appeared at the White House’s Juneteenth Celebration, played a headline set with Lil Wayne at the Roots Picnic, made a special appearance at Madison Square Garden for the Soulshine benefit concert to aid recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and once again closed out the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, a tradition he has led for over a decade.
2025 Shorty Gras Tour Dates:
Thursday, March 6 - Burlington, VT - The Flynn
Friday, March 7 - Port Chester, NY - The Capitol Theatre
Saturday, March 8 - Port Chester, NY - The Capitol Theatre
Tuesday, March 11 - Van Wert, OH - Niswonger Performing Arts Center
Wednesday, March 12 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
Friday, March 14 - Nashville, IN - Brown County Music Center
Saturday, March 15 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
Sunday, March 16 - Memphis, TN - Minglewood Hall
Tuesday, March 18 - Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom
Thursday, March 20 - Austin, TX - Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater
Friday, March 21 - Dallas, TX - Majestic Theatre
Saturday, March 22 - Houston, TX - House of Blues
2025 Summer Tour Dates - announced today:
Wednesday, June 4 - Aspen, CO - Belly Up Aspen
Thursday, June 5 - Vail, CO - Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater
Saturday, June 7 - San Diego, CA - The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park
Sunday, June 8 - Los Angeles, CA - The Greek Theatre
Wednesday, June 11 - San Francisco, CA - The Masonic
Friday, June 13 - Eugene, OR - The Cuthbert Amphitheater
Sunday, June 15 - Airway Heights, WA - Northern Quest Resort & Casino
Tuesday, June 17 - Sandy, UT - Sandy Amphitheater
Wednesday, June 18 - Arvada, CO - Arvada Center
Friday, July 11 - Minneapolis, MN - Surly Brewing Festival Field
Saturday, July 12 - Chicago, IL - The Salt Shed
Thursday, July 17 - Lewiston, NY - Artpark Amphitheater
Friday, July 18 - Portland, ME - Thompson’s Point
Saturday, July 19 - Hyannis, MA - Cape Cod Melody Tent
Sunday, July 20 - Boston, MA - MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Elvis Costello has announced 2025 tour dates for “Radio Soul!: The Early Songs of Elvis Costello.” The tour kicks off in Seattle, WA, on June 12, and spans the United States with stops in Portland, Reno, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Nashville, before closing in Miami Beach on July 12.
As the playful billing suggests, the show will feature songs drawn from his early releases, ranging from “My Aim Is True” in 1977 to “Blood & Chocolate” in 1986, along with a few surprises.
Those nine years saw the first appearances of some of Elvis Costello’s most renowned compositions— from “Watching The Detectives” to “I Want You”—along with songs that have remained in The Imposters’ live repertoire for over twenty years, including “Alison,” “Man Out Of Time,” and “Brilliant Mistake.”
Asked about the surprising theme of this tour, Costello responded:
“For any songwriter, it has to be a compliment if people want to hear songs written up to fifty years ago. Among them, ‘Radio Soul,’ the first draft of what eventually became ‘Radio Radio.’”
Regarding the decision to highlight a specific era, Costello noted:
“You can expect the unexpected and the faithful in equal measure. Don’t forget this show is performed by Elvis Costello & The Imposters, an ensemble which includes three people who first recorded this music and two more who bring something entirely new. They are nobody’s tribute band.
“The Imposters are a living, breathing, swooning, swinging, kicking, and screaming rock and roll band who can also turn their hands to a pretty ballad when the opportunity arises.”
The Imposters are Steve Nieve, Pete Thomas, and Davey Faragher, joined once again by guitarist Charlie Sexton.
Recent performances of Elvis Costello & The Imposters with Charlie Sexton have received widespread acclaim:
“Costello is proving he’s an indefatigable force of nature, and one of the greatest showmen in the history of rock ’n’ roll. We’re lucky to bear witness.” – Nashville Scene, 1/30/24
“Elvis Costello and the Imposters laid the crowd to waste.” – Riverfront Times, 1/30/24
Costello concluded:
“If there is an encore and we play ‘Farewell, OK,’ it probably means some of those ‘Early Songs’ will have been performed in your city for the very last time. I don’t want to go back; I want to bring these songs into the present day once more, in case they are ever pushed aside by the next number I write.
“You could say time is running out, but only time will tell.
“Don’t be late, the band hits at eight.”
This tour follows the recent release of “King Of America & Other Realms”—a 6-CD anthology that tells the story of that 1986 album and the music it inspired. The “King Of America” songs are expected during the mid-show interlude, along with songs written as far back as 1975 and even some of those “pretty ballads” Costello has promised.
Tickets go on sale at ElvisCostello.com.
Artist Presale: Wednesday, December 11 at 10:00 a.m. local time General On Sale: Friday, December 13 at 10:00 a.m. local time
“Radio Soul!: The Early Songs of Elvis Costello” Tour Dates
Rhino Entertainment is proud to announce the launch of a new audiophile vinyl series, Rhino Reserves, offering legendary albums on 180-gram premium-quality black vinyl. Ensuring the highest audio quality, Rhino Reserve will be pressed locally at Fidelity Record Pressing’s brand-new plant in Oxnard, CA, and cut by renowned mastering engineer Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab. For these inaugural releases, however, the lacquers were cut by the highly respected Chris Bellman, with the vinyl pressed at Bernie Grundman Mastering, a name synonymous with audiophile excellence.
Focused on preserving the authenticity of original packaging while delivering exceptional sound quality, each release features heavyweight board jackets, Rhino Reserve branded labels, and a Fidelity-branded poly sleeve. Rhino Reserve titles will retail for $31.98 and be available at Rhino.com and select retail locations.
“We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the Rhino Reserve series, a new chapter in our commitment to audiophile-quality vinyl. Following the success of our High Fidelity line, we wanted to offer a more accessible option for fans and collectors that still delivers exceptional sound. We’re especially excited to partner with Fidelity Record Pressing for this series. Their state-of-the-art facility and dedication to craftsmanship have resulted in test pressings for our first releases that sound absolutely phenomenal.”
- Patrick Milligan, Sr. Director, A&R Rhino Entertainment
“We at Fidelity Record Pressing are very excited to be partnering with Rhino for the Rhino Reserve Series,” says Fidelity Record Pressing’s co-owner Rick Hashimoto. “My sons, Edward and Alex, and I have 75 years of cumulative audiophile record pressing experience, and our plant has the most modern presses and infrastructure. These, along with a staff of people passionate about vinyl, are the key ingredients for high-quality vinyl production.”
Kicking off the series are two iconic releases, Allen Toussaint's Southern Nights and Eddie Hazel’s Game, Dames And Guitar Thangs, both set to hit shelves on January 31, 2025, part of Rhino's Start Your Ear Off Right, officially kicking off on January 2.
Southern Nights showcases the late artist’s unparalleled ability to blend funk, soul, and R&B in a way that defined his storied career. Originally released in 1975, the album features standout tracks such as “Last Train” and “Worldwide,” along with the timeless title track, famously covered by Glen Campbell and later designated a Louisiana state song.
Game, Dames And Guitar Thangs, released in 1977, is a masterpiece of funk rock, boasting the guitar virtuoso’s iconic style and smooth vocals. Known for his groundbreaking work with Parliament Funkadelic, Hazel’s album delivers standout tracks like his reimagined “California Dreamin’” with a psychedelic-soul rock blend.
Today, the Momentary announced the lineup for FreshGrass | Bentonville 2025, a two-day, all-ages festival with the best in American and global roots music and folk traditions taking place on Friday, May 16th and Saturday, May 17th. The 2025 festival will feature an illustrious lineup of artists, including GRAMMY Award winner Lukas Nelson, Americana Music Awards winner Shakey Graves, Afrobeat royalty Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, rising star La Doña, 18x GRAMMY Award winner Béla Fleck with his brand new trio featuring Antonio Sanchez and Edmar Castañeda, as well as GRAMMY Award winner and American Banjo Museum Hall of Fame member Alison Brown, Jesse Welles, Sister Sadie, AJ Lee & Blue Summit,, Lost Bayou Ramblers, The Langan Band, and more. The diverse and exciting lineup combines with unique-to-FreshGrass elements like world premieres of special commissions, artist talks, instrument workshops, band competitions, and square dances to create a festival experience unlike any other.
Also joining the festival as an artist-at-large will be Rosanne Cash with John Leventhal. Cash’s appearance at the Momentary holds special significance, as it coincides with the The Prison Concerts: Folsom and San Quentin (Jim Marshall’s Photographs of Johnny Cash) exhibition on display at the venue. Organized by the GRAMMY Museum, the exhibition features iconic photographs of her father from his historic Folsom and San Quentin prison concerts in 1968 and 1969.
Arkansas native folksinger Willi Carlisle will return to FreshGrass, this year as the 2025 recipient of the FreshGrass Composition Commission, performing new music written for this commission for the first time in public. Previous FreshGrass Composing Commission recipients include Rhiannon Giddens, Aoife O’Donovan, Sarah Jarosz, Kronos Quartet, and Bill Frisell.
The FreshGrass Awards will also make their debut at FreshGrass | Bentonville 2025, with five finalists performing in front of an esteemed panel of judges during the festival. The FreshGrass Awards celebrate and reward emerging artists who offer innovative interpretations of bluegrass and roots music traditions. Prizes total more than $30,000 and the winner receives studio time at Compass Records. For Bentonville 2025, band finalists will be selected internally from the esteemed Awards Council. Previous FreshGrass Awards Band Competition winners include this year’s lineup highlight AJ Lee and Blue Summit.
Set among the beauty of the Ozarks, FreshGrass | Bentonville has welcomed over 20,000 attendees to the Momentary since its inception. Presented by the Momentary, past artists have included phenomenal talents from Billy Strings to Sierra Ferrell, Trombone Shorty, Jason Isbell, Mavis Staples, Del McCoury, Cimafunk, Caamp, Tank and the Bangas, the GRAMMY Award winning Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, and a myriad of other national and local stars, Grammy-nominated artists, and internationally and nationally acclaimed musicians taking the stage over the weekend.
Today, Sierra Ferrell announces the deluxe edition of Trail of Flowers, out digitally via Rounder Records on January 31st. Currently nominated for her first four GRAMMY® Awards, including Best Americana Album, Best Americana Performance ("American Dreaming"), Best American Roots Song ("American Dreaming") and Best American Roots Performance ("Lighthouse"), Trail of Flowers was just named 2024's #1 Best Country & Americana Album by Rolling Stone, as it captures "the sound of a still-rising talent catching fire in real time." Following wins for both Artist of The Year and Album of The Year at the 2024 Americana Honors & Awards – with nods for Album of The Year at the upcoming International Folk Music Awards, and International Artist & Album of The Year at the UK Americana Music Awards – 2025 will further cement her as "the new queen of roots music" (Variety).
Along with its original twelve-song tracklist, produced by Eddie Spear with additional production by Gary Paczosa, Trail of Flowers: Deluxe Edition features two new recordings: Sierra Ferrell's take on the classic bluegrass barnburner, "Don't Let Your Deal Go Down," and an expanded arrangement of her own "The Garden," which first appeared on the soundtrack for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, and has now been amplified with pedal steel, piano, percussion, strings and more. In addition to the digital release, a very limited number of physical deluxe albums are available on honeydew vinyl HERE.
Listen to Sierra Ferrell's newly released version of "The Garden," and watch the visual: HERE
While 2024 saw Sierra Ferrell top an array of Billboard charts, sell out every one of her tour dates, and bring her music to Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Late Show, CBS Mornings, NPR's Tiny Desk and far beyond, 2025 is about to take fans further down her trail of flowers. Upcoming performances include her already sold-out headline debut at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, as well as The Big Ass Stadium Tour with Post Malone and Jelly Roll, with more to be announced. Find the latest list below, and tickets at sierraferrellmusic.com/tour.
Acoustic Sounds announces their latest high quality reissue, Steely Dan’s groundbreaking fourth studio album, Katy Lied. This gold-selling classic, originally released in 1975, has been meticulously remastered for an Ultra High Quality Record (UHQR) reissue, the pinnacle of vinyl craftsmanship. Available on January 31st, 2025, and available for pre-order HERE, the release is the latest installment of Acoustic Sounds' ongoing series, which has featured releases from Steely Dan’s Can’t Buy a Thrill, Countdown to Ecstasy, Pretzel Logic, The Royal Scam, Aja and Gaucho since September 2022. “This could be the best vinyl record I’ve ever heard,” said Bob Lefsetz, on Acoustic Sounds’ UHQR edition of Can’t Buy a Thrill. “This is rarefied air. Not only is this a classic album that has stood the test of time, this is not the vinyl you see in your clothing store, not even in your record store."
Katy Lied’s vinyl release is presented in a premium package featuring tip-on, old-style, gold-foil, individually-numbered, double-pocket gatefold jackets with film lamination by Stoughton Printing, all housed in an elegant slipcase with a wooden dowel spine. This definitive edition is limited to 20,000 numbered copies, ensuring an exclusive listening experience for true collectors and Steely Dan fans alike.
Formed by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, Steely Dan redefined the boundaries of rock and jazz fusion with their sophisticated compositions and meticulous studio production. Pitchfork described Katy Lied as “a turning point where Steely Dan became something else entirely,” praising its thematic explorations of betrayal, disillusionment, and sophistication. Mastered directly from the original master tape by legendary engineer Bernie Grundman, Katy Lied is pressed on 200-gram Clarity Vinyl® at Quality Record Pressings. With its purest possible sound reproduction, this UHQR release delivers Steely Dan’s polished jazz-rock fusion in stunning clarity and depth.
Featuring iconic tracks like the upbeat yet biting "Black Friday," the poignant ballad "Doctor Wu," and the catchy groove of "Bad Sneakers," Katy Lied captures Steely Dan at the height of their creative powers. The album is lauded for its intricate production, innovative use of top-tier session musicians, and complex yet accessible melodies. It also marks the debut of Michael McDonald’s signature vocals within the Steely Dan soundscape.
Katy Lied Tracklisting
Black Friday
Bad Sneakers
Rose Darling
Daddy Don’t Live in That New York City No More
Doctor Wu
Everyone’s Gone to the Movies
Your Gold Teeth II
Chain Lightning
Any World (That I’m Welcome To)
Throw Back the Little Ones
ABOUT ACOUSTIC SOUNDS
For over forty years, Acoustic Sounds has championed the art of vinyl, reissuing historic recordings with the utmost care and precision. The company was founded by Chad Kassem, whose unlikely journey from a small apartment-based vinyl resale operation to the helm of the world’s largest vertically integrated vinyl production facility has transformed the high-end audio industry. His Salina, Kansas-based company houses Acoustic Sounds in its entirety, a reissue label (Analogue Productions), state-of-the-art pressing plant (Quality Record Pressings), a mastering facility (The Mastering Lab at Acoustic Sounds), a recording studio and concert venue (Blue Heaven Studios), print shop (Consolidated Printing) and original recordings label (APO Records). Kassem’s relentless dedication to sound quality and preservation of historical recordings has made Acoustic Sounds a trusted source for high-fidelity music.Today, the company presses over a million records each year, bringing legendary labels and artists - from Verve, Impulse, Atlantic and Contemporary Records, to John Coltrane, Jimi Hendrix, Steely Dan and The Doors - as they’ve never been heard before to fans worldwide. Chad Kassem’s commitment to excellence has redefined the boundaries of high-quality vinyl production and built an empire grounded in authenticity and quality.
The second annual Montreux Jazz Festival Miami (February 28-March 2) has announced several exciting additions to its star-studded lineup. NAACP Image Award and BET Award-winner WILLOW, the musician, actress and author celebrated for her boundary-pushing sound, will perform on Friday, February 28, on a bill that includes previously announced Jon Batiste & Friends. On Saturday, March 1, the legendary Chaka Khan, a 10-time GRAMMY Award-winner and the unparalleled "Queen of Funk," will perform. Saturday’s previously announced headliner is innovative singer, songwriter, rapper and actress Janelle Monáe.
7-time GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY Award-winning pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba and 16-time GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY Award-winning clarinetist and saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera have been added to the Sunday, March 2 “La Descarga” Afro-Cuban jam, co-hosted by Jon Batiste and Cimafunk, with a dazzling array of beloved Cuban musicians including Alfredo Rodriguez, Cimafunk & La Tribu, Pedrito Martinez, Robe L Ninho, Wampi, Yissy Garcia, trumpet superstar Ibrahim Maalouf, and violinist Yilian Cañizares with the support of the Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation.
The Montreux Jazz Festival Miami, returning to 1500-capacity The Hangar at Regatta Harbour in Coconut Grove, promises a spectacular weekend of one-of-a-kind musical moments in an intimate setting. Five-time GRAMMY Award winner Jon Batiste will kick off the weekend on Friday with his specially curated “Jon Batiste & Friends” show. Batiste and his band Stay Human will also host after hours Montreux Jam Sessions each night following the headliner performances.
Batiste played a key role in bringing the Montreux Jazz Festival to Miami. He is also a co-owner of the festival and curated this year’s lineup. Batiste headlined the inaugural edition and hosted the late night Jam Sessions that made international news. Says Batiste, “Bringing the soul of Montreux to the heart of Miami is an honor. It’s a rare festival where the room is intimate and musical collaboration and improvisation are central to the experience. We had an unforgettable experience last year and can’t wait to be back.”
Attendees can enjoy food from Michelin-starred Chef Henrique Sá Pessoa’s Sereia, the buzzworthy Celia’s, and more, as well as explore a pop-up installation from Dante’s HiFi, the Wynwood-based audiophile vinyl bar. Festival VIP ticket holders will have the opportunity to attend masterclasses with select artists.
Says Mathieu Jaton, CEO of Montreux Jazz Festival: "The first edition of the Montreux Jazz Festival in Miami was an incredible success, with the city embracing our music, spirit, and legacy with open arms. As we prepare for the second edition, we are thrilled to bring even more unforgettable performances and experiences to Miami’s vibrant music scene. We look forward to deepening our connection with this beautiful city and celebrating the rich, diverse sounds that make the Montreux Jazz Festival so unique."
*Friday February 28:
Jon Batiste & Friends, WILLOW
*Saturday March 1:
Chaka Khan, Janelle Monáe
*Sunday March 2:
Afro-Cuban “La Descarga” hosted by Jon Batiste and Cimafunk with Alfredo Rodriguez, Cimafunk & La Tribu, Pedrito Martinez, Robe L Ninho, Wampi, Yissy Garcia, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Paquito D'Rivera, trumpet superstar Ibrahim Maalouf and violinist Yilian Cañizares with the support of the Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation. Sunday will also feature Bogotá-based musical ensemble and Latin GRAMMY nominees Monsieur Periné, as well as a set from Alfredo Rodriguez
Single-day ticket prices for Montreux Jazz Festival Miami begin at $129, with VIP tickets at $569 and Legend tickets at $999. Payment plans are also available.
The 2024 inaugural edition of the festival featured Jon Batiste, Rock and Roll Hall Famer Daryl Hall, Queen of Axé Daniela Mercury, as well as Cimafunk, The Wailers, Cory Henry, Emily Estefan, Israel Houghton, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Lia de Itamaracá, Justin Kauflin, Adrian Cota & The Winston House Band, ELEW, and Mathis Picard.
Shaped by Sound, a new original music performance series produced by PBS North Carolina, has officially announced its launch for Thursday, February 6. The program spotlights North Carolina’s rich musical history and cultural impact, showcasing the state’s role as an influential catalyst in a diverse range of genres, including indie rock, R&B, alt-country, jazz, bluegrass, folk and hip-hop.
The premiere episode will feature a riveting full-band performance from acclaimed singer-songwriter Iron & Wine. Accompanied by a bespoke visual display by shadow puppeteers from Emmy Award-winning collective Manual Cinema (Julia Miller and Lizi Breit), the episode also offers first-hand insight into Iron & Wine’s songwriting process and more. “I like using words as a color palette,” explains Beam in the premiere episode’s interview segment with Shaped by Sound host and producer James Mieczkowski. Beam is currently on tour in support of his latest album, Light Verse, which was released in April on Sub Pop.
Watch a sneak peek of Iron & Wine's episode of Shaped by Sound, featuring a performance of “All In Good Time” – originally a duet with Fiona Apple, and currently GRAMMY-nominated for Best American Roots Song – HERE:
Additional artists to appear on Shaped by Sound this season will include Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon and hip-hop prodigy Reuben Vincent, following the legacy of North Carolina’s musical greats across generations like Nina Simone and 9th Wonder (who discovered Vincent when he was just 13 years old). Other episodes of the series will feature pioneering folk musician and historian Alice Gerrard and indie-rock stalwarts Superchunk, whose founding of Merge Records played a pivotal role in the rise of North Carolina’s indie and alternative music scene.
Presented as a 13-part series, Shaped by Sound pairs breathtaking live studio performances by North Carolina artists with intimate conversations about their creative journeys. Each 30-minute episode offers an exclusive look at the artists and stories that have shaped the state’s dynamic music scene. The series will also be accompanied by a longer-form video podcast and a range of digital extras. Shaped by Sound will air on PBS North Carolina as well as stream on pbsnc.org, the free PBS app and YouTube.
“North Carolina has a tremendously vibrant music scene,” says Mieczkowski (host/producer). “Music helps shape who we are as people and as a community. Through working on this series with such a diverse group of North Carolina musicians, I’ve come to understand we all can find common ground within sounds that offer a sense of place and belonging. We hope viewers are inspired by the series and the artists’ profound connections to our state and its culture.”
“This exciting program showcases our state’s incredibly talented musicians,” said Pamela B. Cashwell, Secretary of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. “Shaped by Sound enables viewers to discover some of our state’s top artists from the comfort of their home. We’re thrilled to help celebrate North Carolina music, one of our most treasured assets.”
Shaped by Sound is made possible through support from Come Hear NC, a program of the newly-established North Carolina Music Office within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Launched by the state's Governor Roy Cooper in 2024, the N.C. Music Office aims to enhance economic development driven by creative economies in the state, while increasing awareness of North Carolina's vibrant music heritage, culture and education. With the initiative’s launch this past summer, North Carolina became one of the first four states in the nation to establish an official Music Office - as a means to advocate for musicians, music educators and industry professionals through the state.
Listen to a special curated playlist of songs by all the NC musicians featured this season on Shaped by Sound HERE.
Broadcast Schedule:
New episodes of Shaped by Sound premiere Thursday nights at 9:30 PM on PBS NC through May 1. Visit pbsnc.org/schedule for the latest scheduling information.
Episode 1: Iron & Wine
Premieres Thursday, February 6, 9:30 PM
Singer-songwriter Iron & Wine (aka Sam Beam) has multiple Grammy nominations, and his songs have been included in numerous film, TV and commercial productions. Despite this exposure, he lives a quiet family life in NC. In this episode, he performs his introspective songs, including the Grammy-nominated “All in Good Time,” with a full band and shadow puppeteers from the collective Manual Cinema.
Episode 2: Sluice
Premieres Thursday, February 13, 9:30 PM
What happens when you open the floodgates to your emotions and channel them into music? Sluice’s Justin Morris and Avery Sullivan perform songs from their latest record, Radial Gate, named one of 2023’s best albums by The Guardian, as well as new unreleased tracks. They also discuss how their atmospheric music is inspired by the “beauty of living” and our deeply complex relationship with nature.
Episode 3: Superchunk
Premieres Thursday, February 20, 9:30 PM
What’s more punk rock than believing and investing in yourself? The Triangle-based indie rock band Superchunk harnesses the frenetic energy they’ve developed over decades of touring in a performance for the ages. They also discuss how their DIY mentality generated the iconic label Merge Records and share what it’s like to see both young and old fans sing their hearts out to their songs.
Episode 4: Nnenna Freelon
Premieres Thursday, February 27, 9:30 PM
Jazz legend Nnenna Freelon has seven Grammy nominations and has performed in the most prestigious venues on the planet. But for the first time in her 40-year career, she’s releasing an album of original songs. In this episode, she performs her new material and discusses how experimenting with music besides jazz standards allowed her to get “underneath the skin.”
Episode 5: Sonny Miles
Premieres Thursday, March 6, 9:30 PM
Gospel, soul, jazz, R&B and hip-hop—there isn’t much that lives outside the musical universe of Winston-Salem native Sonny Miles. In 2019, one of his musical collaborations caught the ear of President Barack Obama, who included the song on his popular playlist. In this episode, Sonny discusses Afrofuturism, being inspired by the sounds of his Nana’s house and what it’s like to be “in the pocket.”
Episode 6: Alice Gerrard
Premieres Thursday, March 13, 9:30 PM
For 80 years, Alice Gerrard has studied, played and preserved American folk music, influencing countless musicians, including Emmylou Harris and Rhiannon Giddens. In addition to being one of the foremost historians of the genre, she’s a Grammy nominee and a musical legend. Alice is joined on stage by Rebecca Branson Jones (pedal steel), Reed Stutz (mandolin) and Tatiana Hargreaves (fiddle).
Episode 7: Mipso
Premieres Thursday, March 20, 9:30 PM
On the surface, the quartet Mipso may seem like a traditional folk-bluegrass band with its exquisite harmonies, melodies and instrumentation. Zoom in, however, and you’ll also hear layers of modern sounds and influences. In this episode, band members Jacob Sharp and Joseph Terrell discuss coming back to NC to play together, crafting a live record and the Japanese origin of the band’s unique name.
Episode 8: Blue Cactus
Premieres Thursday, March 27, 9:30 PM
The cosmic country of Blue Cactus’ Steph Stewart and Mario Arnez has been likened to artists as diverse as Fleetwood Mac, Bobbie Gentry and David Bowie. Playing with a full band, they deliver a dreamy performance that will keep your head in the clouds. Plus, they share their fascination with Western wear, their appreciation for “Weird Al” Yankovic and why it’s important to look for silver linings.
Episode 9: Shirlette Ammons
Premieres Thursday, April 3, 9:30 PM
Shirlette Ammons is a Peabody Award-winning producer, poet and hip-hop artist based in Durham, NC. On her latest album, Spectacles, she blends aspects of her eastern North Carolina roots with her love for her Triangle-based community to explore the concept of spectacle: how we see, what we see and how we’re seen. Shirlette is joined on stage by a full band and Raleigh’s own Rissi Palmer.
Episode 10: Town Mountain
Premieres Thursday, April 10, 9:30 PM
More Asheville than Nashville, this country-rock outfit combines bluegrass with honky-tonk to create a rollicking sound all its own. The band’s Phil Barker and Robert Greer discuss the Asheville music scene in the wake of Hurricane Helene, “working man’s vintage” and “frying pan tunes” and the evolution of their distinctive style.
Episode 11: Blue Footed Boobies
Premieres Thursday, April 17, 9:30 PM
Strap in, folks—the Blue Footed Boobies are ready to rock. The Wilmington duo brings their raw and bombastic guitars and drums to the Shaped by Sound stage. They also discuss the electric feeling of a live show, van conversations and the importance of being in a band with your best friend.
Episode 12: Fancy Gap
Premieres Thursday, April 24, 9:30 PM
The indie duo Fancy Gap, a new musical collaboration by Raleigh natives Stuart McLamb (of The Love Language) and Charles Crossingham, aims for pure pop-rock bliss. They bring their lush and expansive songs to the Shaped by Sound stage. Plus, they discuss the Golden Age of Radio, how music can create a sense of place and how creating well-crafted songs is like making a juicy cheeseburger.
Episode 13: Reuben Vincent
Premieres Thursday, May 1, 9:30 PM
Charlotte-based rapper Reuben Vincent started with a laptop and a dream. That dream became a reality when he was discovered by legendary hip-hop producer 9th Wonder at the age of 13. Reuben brings his thought-provoking lyricism to the Shaped by Sound stage and discusses his family’s Liberian heritage, the hip-hop renaissance in the Queen City and what it’s like to work with 9th Wonder.
Today, WAR shares "So," the second single from their forthcoming Live In Japan 1974 LP, marking the first live album in 50 years to feature all seven original band members. The track has long been considered a hidden gem within WAR’s robust catalog of classics, but this release allows the song to step into the spotlight, further amplified by the atmosphere of a venue packed with fans, experiencing WAR’s inaugural performances in the country. Originally taped in the winter of 1974, these newly restored recordings span a series of live shows across Shizuoka, Tokyo, Osaka, and Kobe, including this never-before-heard live rendition of “So.”
With a Japan-exclusive CD arriving January 29, 2025—featuring a custom obi sleeve and liner notes by local music journalists—Live In Japan 1974 will get a global release on February 7, 2025. The collection will be available in 2LP and 2CD sets worldwide, as well as digitally, and includes a variety of live recordings of WAR staples like “The Cisco Kid,” “The World Is a Ghetto,” and “All Day Music.” The liner notes, written and edited by Cory Frye, feature an in-depth interview with founding band member Lonnie Jordan and WAR’s longtime producer Jerry Goldstein, and also reveal the story behind the creation of yet another iconic WAR song, “Why Can’t We Be Friends?,” inspired by the band’s interactions with locals during their debut tour of Japan.
Packed with previously unheard performances and insights into a pivotal moment in the band’s history and evolution, Live In Japan 1974 offers fans a deeper understanding of WAR’s global impact, and serves as a perfect sonic touchstone to begin celebrating the band’s 55th Anniversary next year. Additionally, WAR will mark the 50th Anniversary of Why Can’t We Be Friends throughout 2025, on the heels of performing the titular hit song live on last month’s Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Furthermore, the release of Live In Japan 1974 will see two nights of two-set shows at Japan’s Blue Note Tokyo on February 7- 8, 2025. Coinciding with the international street date, these performances will double as a celebration of the record’s release, with more details to come. Tickets will be available here.
Rhino will unveil a very special David Lee Roth boxed set, The Warner Recordings 1985-1994, on February 21, 2025. It includes the first five solo releases recorded by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame® Inductee and original Van Halen lead vocalist in one comprehensive collection for the very first time. Spanning one of the greatest runs in rock ‘n’ roll history, the set offers lifelong fans and newcomers alike the chance to experience Crazy from the Heat [1985], Eat ‘Em and Smile [1986], Skyscraper [1988], A Little Ain’t Enough [1991], and Your Filthy Little Mouth [1994] in succession.
The Warner Recordings 1985-1994 arrives in multiple configurations, including 5CD at retailers nationwide and D2C online, digital on streaming platforms, and as a special 5LP version available only at Rhino.com. Pre-order HERE.
40 years ago this month, on January 28, 1985, Roth officially debuted as a solo artist with the Crazy from the Heat EP. It crashed the Top 15 of the Billboard 200 and reached RIAA Platinum status. Plus, he logged a pair of Billboard Hot 100 hits - the medley of “Just a Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody” vaulted to #12, while his take on “California Girls” by The Beach Boys soared to #3, replicating the 1965 chart success of the original. Meanwhile, Crazy from the Heat would later serve as the title of his New York Times best-selling autobiography in 1997.
The EP paved the way for his first full-length solo LP, Eat ‘Em and Smile. Released on July 7, 1986, it bowed in the Top 5 of the Billboard 200 and eventually went RIAA Platinum. Roth hyper-charged his sound, accompanied by an all-star band consisting of Billy Sheehan [bass], Gregg Bissonette [drums], and Steve Vai [guitar]. Together, they served up anthems such as “Yankee Rose,” “Tobacco Road,” “That’s Life,” and more. KERRANG! notably christened it ”Album of the Year,” and he launched the seminal Eat ‘Em and Smile Tour in its wake.
1987 saw the platinum Skyscraper return Roth to the Top 10 of the Billboard 200, elevated by “Just Like Paradise.” Meanwhile, Roth kicked off the nineties with the gold-selling A Little Ain’t Enough in 1991. It marked his fourth straight Top 20 debut on the Billboard 200 and boasted fretwork from Jason Becker. Finally, he dropped Your Filthy Little Mouth in 1994, this time collaborating with none other than iconic producer Nile Rodgers [Madonna, David Bowie], churning out staples such as “She’s My Machine.”
David Lee Roth, a.k.a. “Diamond Dave,” shines as one of the most influential and impactful voices in rock ‘n’ roll history. Between his output as the original lead singer of Van Halen and a platinum solo artist, he has sold over 70 million records worldwide, garnered a GRAMMY® Award nomination, and notably earned a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame® induction with Van Halen in 2007.
Today, South African cellist, composer, improviser, and vocalist Abel Selaocoe (pronounced Se-lau-chwe) unveils a new preview of his forthcoming album Hymns of Bantu (February 21 / Warner Classics). "L.B Files: Igiul” is Selaocoe’s interpretation of the Sicilian cellist Giovanni Sollima’s own cello concerto, L.B. Files. Selaocoe greatly admires Sollima’s open-ended exploration of the instrument, and as such, his recording shines a spotlight on the cello. It's a deeply emotional passage intended to melt away and create a profound sense of calmness.
Selaocoe has previously shared two previews of Hymns of Bantu with beautifully shot companion music videos for each. For “Emmanuele,” Selaocoe transformed a traditional South African hymn, typically sung in church in four-part harmony, that he reimagined for working people, set to an ecstatic, upbeat groove that illustrates how many different musical worlds the album explores. “Sarabande” is a yearning new take on the piece from Bach’s Sixth Suite, arranged for cello and string orchestra by Fred Thomas.
Delving into the unique modal scales and overtone harmonic systems of South African music before Western four-part harmony was introduced, Hymns of Bantu explores how cultural histories evolve. Across 12 tracks written for ensembles varying from his own Bantu Ensemble with African percussion to orchestra, solo cello and electric bass, Selaocoe interprets traditional Bantu music alongside compositions by Bach and Marais, highlighting the synergies between musical legacies rather than their differences. “The crux of the album is about celebrating those that have come before us, and how we are all connected,” he says. “It’s allowing classical music to again sit in the same space as where I’m from – allowing Bach to sit next to overtones and the world of throat singing.”
Exploding onto the music scene in 2016 with the formation of his genre-breaking ensemble Chesaba, Selaocoe has since established himself as a unique talent fusing the throat singing and instinctive vocalizations of his South African heritage with a distinct, forward-thinking approach to the cello. Straddling the musical worlds of classical, Global and beyond, Selaocoe finds himself equally at home for his 2021 solo BBC Proms debut as he is onstage at mainstream music festivals, and now gives his personal cultural exploration its fullest expression on Hymns of Bantu.
While his 2022 debut album Where is Home (Hae ke Kae) had a restless, searching feel, Hymns of Bantu feels more like a homecoming in that it “speaks of an idea of celebrating those that have come before us,” says Selaocoe. While Selaocoe’s formal training was studying western classical in the UK, his work challenges classical archetypes and has led to profiles with the NY Times and the Guardian.
Ultimately Hymns of Bantu is an album aiming to highlight the shared universalities of people, the healing power of song, and allowing one to draw constant inspiration and understanding from those who came before us. With voice and cello as a vessel, Hymns of Bantu characterizes a vast array of human beings and invites a freeing, deep listening experience.
“Selaocoe’s greatest gift is his irresistible energy, sweeping the audience up into the music in an entirely wholehearted way” - The Times (UK) ★★★★★
“One of the most captivating performers the classical music world can lay a claim on” - The Guardian ★★★★
Upcoming Performances:
Thu 6 Feb 2025 - Benaroya Hall - Seattle, Washington
Sat 8 Feb 2025 - Benaroya Hall - Seattle, Washington
Thu 13 Feb 2025 - Kracum Performance Hall - Northfield, Minnesota
Fri 14 Feb 2025 - Ordway Center for the Performing Arts - St. Paul, Minnesota
Sat 15 Feb 2025 - Ordway Center for the Performing Arts - St. Paul, Minnesota
Sun 16 Feb 2025 - Ted Mann Concert Hall - Minneapolis, Minnesota
Wed 26 Feb 2025 - Isarphilharmonie - Munich, Germany
Fri 28 Feb 2025 - Rudolf Oetker Hall - Bielefeld, Germany
Sat 1 Mar 2025 - Elbphilharmonie Hamburg - Hamburg, Germany
Sun 2 Mar 2025 - Alte Oper Frankfurt - Frankfurt, Germany
Mon 3 Mar 2025 - Konzerthaus Berlin - Berlin, Germany
Wed 5 Mar 2025 - Kölner Philharmonie - Cologne, Germany
Thu 6 Mar 2025 - Concertgebouw Brugge - Brugge, Belgium
Sat 8 Mar 2025 - Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre - London, United Kingdom
Sun 8 Mar 2025 - Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre - London, United Kingdom
Wed 26 Mar 2025 - Troxy - London, United Kingdom
Thu 3 Apr 2025 - Wollongong Town Hall - Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
Sat 5 Apr 2025 - City Recital Hall - Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Sun 6 Apr 2025 - Sydney Opera House - Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Mon 7 Apr 2025 - Llewellyn Hall, Australian National University - Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Tue 8 Apr 2025 - City Recital Hall - Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
>Wed 9 Apr 2025 - City Recital Hall - Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Sat 12 Apr 2025 - Melbourne Recital Centre - Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Sun 13 Apr 2025 - Arts Centre Melbourne - Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Mon 14 Apr 2025 - Melbourne Recital Centre - Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Tue 15 Apr 2025 - Adelaide Town Hall - Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Fri 2 May 2025 - Kölner Philharmonie - Cologne, Germany
>Sat 3 May 2025 - Kölner Philharmonie - Cologne, Germany
Tue 13 May 2025 - Wigmore Hall - London, United Kingdom
Wed 21 May 2025 - Maison symphonique de Montréal - Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Thu 22 May 2025 - Maison symphonique de Montréal - Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Wed 11 Jun 2025 - Elbphilharmonie Hamburg - Hamburg, Germany
Thu 12 Jun 2025 - Elbphilharmonie Hamburg - Hamburg, Germany
Fri 13 Jun 2025 - Elbphilharmonie Hamburg - Hamburg, Germany
Sat 14 Jun 2025 - The Concertgebouw - Amsterdam, Netherlands
Sun 15 Jun 2025 - Kölner Philharmonie - Cologne, Germany
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 's birthday earlier this week, renowned pianist and cultural visionary Lara Downes has released a live recording of "I Believe in the Prince of Peace, Credo No. 5" on the Rising Sun label. This powerful work, which is the fifth movement of Margaret Bonds’ monumental Credo, is inspired by W.E.B. Du Bois’ 1904 prose poem, and it resonates, in this present moment of intense global conflict, as a profound call for peace, unity, and hope.
Recorded live at Walt Disney Concert Hall in April 2024, with Downes (as piano soloist) joining the renowned Los Angeles Master Chorale under Grant Gershon, this release captures a historic moment—the first major performance of Bonds’ Credo since its 1972 premiere by the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta, just weeks after the composer’s death from a stroke at age 59. The performance underscores the enduring relevance of Bonds’ masterpiece, bridging past and present in the ongoing struggle for equality and justice.
Watch the live performance of “I Believe in the Prince of Peace, Credo No. 5” here:
Margaret Bonds, one of the most trailblazing Black composers of the 20th century, wrote her Credo at the height of the Civil Rights movement. By using the seminal words of W.E.B. Du Bois as the text of this monumental choral masterpiece, she captured the hopes and struggles of the 20th-century Black American experience, crafting music that continues to resonate deeply in our own time.
Lara Downes has dedicated her career to shining light on historically under-represented voices in classical music, called “an explorer whose imagination is fired by bringing notice to the underrepresented and forgotten” by The Log Journal. Known for her powerful storytelling through music, she occupies a unique position of visibility in American music through her dynamic work as a sought-after soloist, a Billboard Chart-topping recording artist, and a nationally beloved radio presenter.
Earlier this week at Joe’s Pub in NYC, Downes hosted a special concert that explored themes of the American past and present, honoring Dr. King on what would have been his 96th birthday. She was joined by her friends Brian Stokes Mitchell, Helga Davis, Arturo O’Farrill, Samora Pinderhughes, Martha Redbone, Vuyo Sotashe, and Curtis Stewart, in a collective response to our current American moment.
Downes’ recently published essay on NPR reflects on Martin Luther King Jr.’s enduring dream and the profound role of music in shaping history, fostering resistance, and inspiring hope. Drawing on iconic moments like the March on Washington, Downes explores how artists have shown up through history’s darkest moments, using music as a powerful force for unity and change.
Downes’ latest studio album - This Land - on the Pentatone label, is a soulful and probing reflection, at a critical American moment, on the diversity of stories and journeys that have converged and collided throughout history. It blends traditional folk tunes with newly commissioned works and a personal audio essay, Downes celebrates the American experiment's beauty while acknowledging its flaws, ultimately embracing hope and humanity as pathways to a brighter future. It features works by Paul Simon, George Gershwin, Arturo O’Farrill, Woody Guthrie (reimagined by Kian Ravaei), Joseph C. Phillips, Jr. William Benton Overstreet, and Jake Heggie.
Lara Downes founded the Rising Sun Music label in 2021 as a digital platform for new recordings of music by historically under-represented Black composers. The project was supported by a generous grant from the Sphinx Organization, and has received national acclaim for its transformational impacts in the classical music sphere.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame® Inductees and GRAMMY® Award-winning progressive rock pioneers Yes unveil a robust new Super Deluxe Edition of their massively influential classic fifth full-length album, Close to the Edge, on March 7, 2025. This definitive version comprises 5 CDs, 1 LP, and a Blu-ray. A newly remastered version of the original Close to the Edge graces both CD-1 and LP; the Blu-ray houses 2025 mixes by Steven Wilson in Dolby ATMOS and 5.1 Mix DTS-HD MA for the very first time; Wilson’s remix and instrumentals also adorn CD-2. An unearthed bevy of rare and previously unreleased recordings for the Super Deluxe Edition is featured on disc 3, and a 1972 live show on discs 4 and 5.
The Rarities disc features rough mixes, alternate versions, and edits of staple tracks from Close to the Edge, offering another perspective on this opus. Three previously unreleased Steven Wilson tracks—“Siberian Khatru,” “Cord of Life,” and “Total Mass Retain”—grace this collection. Meanwhile, the Live at the Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/72 recording spans two discs and captures the group in their prime while on tour supporting the album.
Setting the stage, the band shares today an official release of the transcending performance of "Siberian Khatru (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/72)" as a prelude to the Super Deluxe Edition. Listen HERE.
The collection boasts liner notes penned by Syd Schwartz of Jazz & Coffee as he dives into the process and story behind the seminal Close to the Edge, reflecting the spirit at the heart of “the ultimate Yes album.” Guitarist Steve Howe shares that “Close To The Edge is Yes's most miraculous album; it has our first 20-minute epic, the template for many large-scale tracks that followed, accompanied by two ten-minute tracks, similarly recorded with the highest musical and technical integrity. Recording Fragile was an experience that enabled us to make Close To The Edge Yes's career-defining album.”
Steve Howe [guitarist], Jon Anderson [lead vocals], Chris Squire [bass], Rick Wakeman [keys, piano, organ], and Bill Bruford [drums, percussion] entered Advision in London in June 1972 to bring Close To The Edge to life alongside trusted cohort and longtime producer Eddy Offord. Together, they conjured magic with the likes of the multi-part progressive suites “Close to the Edge” and “And You and I” as well as “Siberian Khatru.” The record first landed on September 8, 1972, and vaulted into the Top 3 of the Billboard 200, going RIAA platinum. Indicative of its impact and influence, the LP earned a coveted spot on Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” Pitchfork rated it a rare “9.0,” hailing it as “The Band’s crowning achievement.”
TRACKLISTING
YES – Close to the Edge (Super Deluxe Edition)
Disc 1: Original Album Remastered
1. Close To The Edge (2025 Remaster)
I. The Solid Time of Change
II. Total Mass Retain
III. I Get Up I Get Down
IV. Seasons of Man
2. And You and I (2025 Remaster)
I. Cord of Life
II. Eclipse
III. The Preacher The Teacher
IV. Apocalypse
3. Siberian Khatru (2025 Remaster)
Disc 2: Steven Wilson 2025 Remix and Instrumentals
1. Close To The Edge (2025 Steven Wilson Remix)
I. The Solid Time of Change
II. Total Mass Retain
III. I Get Up I Get Down
IV. Seasons of Man
2. And You and I (2025 Steven Wilson Remix)
I. Cord of Life
II. Eclipse
III. The Preacher The Teacher
IV. Apocalypse
3. Siberian Khatru (2025 Steven Wilson Remix)
4. Close To The Edge (2025 Steven Wilson Remix) [Instrumental]
I. The Solid Time of Change
II. Total Mass Retain
III. I Get Up I Get Down
IV. Seasons of Man
5. And You and I (2025 Steven Wilson Remix) [Instrumental]
I. Cord of Life
II. Eclipse
III. The Preacher The Teacher
IV. Apocalypse
6. Siberian Khatru (2025 Remaster) [Instrumental]
Disc 3: Rarities
1. America (Single Version) [2025 Remaster]
2. Total Mass Retain (Single Version) [2025 Remaster]
3. And You and I (Promo Radio Edit) [2025 Remaster]
4. Siberia (Studio Run-Through of “Siberian Khatru”) [2025 Remaster]
5. Close To The Edge (Rough Mix) [2025 Remaster]
I. The Solid Time of Change
II. Total Mass Retain
III. I Get Up I Get Down
IV. Seasons of Man
6. And You and I (Alternate Version) [2025 Remaster]
I. Cord of Life
II. Eclipse
III. The Preacher The Teacher
IV. Apocalypse
7. America (“Dry” Mix)
8. Siberian Khatru (Steven Wilson Edit)
9. Cord of Life (Steven Wilson Edit)
10. Total Mass Retain (Steven Wilson Edit)
Disc 4: Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/72
1. Siberian Khatru (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/72)
2. I’ve Seen All Good People (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/72)
a. Your Move
b. All Good People
3. Heart of the Sunrise (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/72)
4. And You and I (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/72)
I. Cord of Life
II. Eclipse
III. The Preacher The Teacher
IV. Apocalypse
5. Close To The Edge (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/72)
I. The Solid Time of Change
II. Total Mass Retain
III. I Get Up I Get Down
IV. Seasons of Man
Disc 5: Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/72
1. Excerpts From “The Six Wives of Henry VIII” (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/72)
2. Roundabout (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/72)
3. Yours Is No Disgrace (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/72)
4. Starship Trooper (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/72)
Igniting a year-long 60th-anniversary celebration, The Doors will unveil their iconic Bright Midnight Archives live recordings on DSPs for the very first time throughout 2025. These coveted concerts previously only existed physically on limited-edition LPs and CDs. Today marks a momentous occasion with the first live release in the series, Live at the Matrix 1967: The Original Masters, available now for streaming and download. Listen HERE.
Watch The Doors 60th Anniversary sizzle reel HERE.
This series illustrates The Doors’ evolution and transformative impact on both music and culture. Tracing their global journey from tiny clubs to arenas, it scrapbooks the band’s storied three-year run on the road as they closed out the sixties. Upcoming releases in this series include Live in Boston, 1970, on April 4, recorded at the Boston Arena on April 10, 1970, and includes both performances. Live in Philadelphia ’70, Recorded at The Spectrum on May 1, 1970, and Live in Pittsburgh, 1970, recorded at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena on May 2, 1970, on May 2; Live in Detroit 1970, recorded May 8, 1970, at the Cobo Arena, one of the longest Doors shows ever caught on tape on May 8; Live in Vancouver, 1970, recorded at the Pacific Coliseum on June 6, 1970, and features a guest appearance by blues legend Albert King on June 6; Live In Bakersfield, California, August 21, 1970, on August 21. Live at Konserthuset, Stockholm, September 20, 1968, on September 19. The set contains both the early and late shows from The Doors’ appearance at the renowned concert hall in Stockholm, immortalizing the climactic conclusion of their only European tour. The concerts are among the tour’s best, featuring rare live performances of Doors’ originals “Love Street” and “You’re Lost Little Girl” and a cover of “Mack The Knife.” Each release has been remastered by The Doors’ longtime engineer/mixer, Bruce Botnick.
Commencing this trip, Live At The Matrix 1967 bottles the musicians’ primal intensity and psychedelic panache. The Doors were a few months away from stardom in March 1967 when they played five sparsely attended shows at a small club in San Francisco called The Matrix. These uninhibited performances would have been fleeting if not for Peter Abram, who co-owned the pizza parlor-turned-nightclub with Jefferson Airplane founder Marty Balin. An avid recordist, Abram regularly taped concerts at The Matrix and his recordings of The Doors, made between March 7-11, 1967, spawned one of the band’s most storied bootlegs. Complete and original recordings sourced from the first-generation 7” reels.
The dynamic interplay between band members fuels everything from the rip-roaring “Break On Through” to a mesmerizing rendition of “The End.” At the same time, a rare instrumental of “Summertime” proves utterly captivating, while their passion for the blues drives fluid, extended covers of “I’m A King Bee” and “Crawling King Snake.”
The Doors kicked off their 60th Anniversary last year with The Doors 1967-1971 release, a 6-LP box set part of Rhino’s acclaimed High Fidelity audiophile vinyl series, featuring all six of the band’s original studio albums. Limited to 3,000 individually numbered copies, the collection quickly sold out. These sought-after audiophile titles will be available individually on January 31 on thedoors.com and rhino.com.
To commemorate The Doors anniversary, their first-ever complete anthology book, Night Divides the Day, illuminates the band’s archives like never before with rare photography, intimate interviews with Robby Krieger and John Densmore, and meticulously sourced archival text from Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek. With unlimited access granted by the band, Night Divides the Day includes a unique collection of historical ephemera – including childhood photos, song lyrics, poster artwork, movie stills, and much more – which adds context to the wealth of rare photography that documents the band’s musical odyssey.
Joining Krieger and Densmore are a host of contributors, with a foreword by Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic and an afterword by maestro Gustavo Dudamel. The anthology is presented in a limited edition of only 2,000 numbered sets, each hand-signed by Densmore and Krieger. Each set includes the 344-page signed edition, a 7” vinyl record with rare demos of “Hello, I Love You” and “Moonlight Drive,” and other assorted historical memorabilia. Available for pre-order now and shipping early this year.
For over more than 20 years as a recording artist, the pianist and composer Hiromi has shifted seamlessly from one spellbinding project to the next. In the process, she’s earned a reputation as one of the most explosive live performers in jazz history and a global ambassador for the art form. Today Hiromi has announced her 13th studio album ‘OUT THERE’ (out April 4 / Telarc). ‘OUT THERE’ is her second album with Sonicwonder, a mighty new quartet featuring Hadrien Feraud on bass, Gene Coye on drums, and Adam O’Farrill on trumpet.
‘OUT THERE’ is the follow-up to 2023’s ‘Sonicwonderland,’ the debut of one of the most expressive and versatile working bands of Hiromi’s career (just watch their NPR Tiny Desk, which rapper Action Bronson deemed “the best Tiny Desk ever”). This new group furthered Hiromi’s distinctive musical alchemy: the spirit of classic jazz-rock fusion melded with classically rooted virtuosity, entrancing funk, pop flourishes, and acoustic jazz. ‘OUT THERE’ captures their deep chemistry and fearless sense of interplay amid nearly two years of touring and playing together. Hiromi invites you to buckle up, for a fun, thoughtful, and wild musical ride.
Watch Hiromi’s Sonicwonder perform “Balloon Pop” Live at Blue Note Tokyo
Says Hiromi: “On Sonicwonderland, I had the concept and the songs first, and I was looking for the people who could play the music in the ideal way that I had in my mind. Being with this group for well over a year,” she continues, “playing a lot of shows together and understanding each other, I started to see more of their strength and what shines in them the most. So I started to write music with them in mind.”
Hiromi’s Sonicwonder brings together world-class musicians of diverse backgrounds. French-born Feraud is a fusion virtuoso who has been compared to bass great Jaco Pastorius. Coye hails from Chicago, where he grew up playing in church and combines technical mastery with a soulful knack for groove and pocket. Brooklyn-raised O’Farrill, part of a dynasty that includes his father and grandfather, Latin-jazz titans Arturo and Chico O’Farrill, ranks among his generation's most important and progressive trumpeters. Throughout the album, O’Farrill conjures up audacious new sonic textures through electronics — part of his toolbox that Hiromi encouraged him to develop fully.
“[Bass legend and collaborator] Anthony Jackson always told me that a first-class musician can do anything,” Hiromi says. “You don’t really have to put them in one genre or one category.” Knowing that anything she composed would be met with outstanding performances, Hiromi let her fiercest ambitions run wild when crafting the music for ‘OUT THERE.’ “It all comes from curiosity,” she explains. “I think curiosity is the key to everything. How can you express yourself more? How can you write more?”
The album begins with “XYZ,” a fresh take on the first song that Hiromi ever released, back in 2003. It’s a delirious burner that evokes the avant-garde-leaning Blue Note titles from the ‘60s. “Yes! Ramen!!” is a tribute to Hiromi’s favorite food over synths, revved-up disco beats and a menacing riff. The band shares Hiromi’s love for ramen, especially O’Farrill and Coye, and they try to hit as many spots as possible on tour. “For this song, it was more like putting a soundtrack to the film I had in my head,” she says. “When the landscape changes, then different music comes in — different restaurant, different style.”
The core of ‘OUT THERE’ is its four-part suite, which Hiromi would like fans to hear as a focused front-to-back listen. It opens with the rapid-fire melody of “Takin’ Off” and traverses the sly ’70s fusion grooves of “Strollin’,” which calls to mind Herbie Hancock, George Duke and Grover Washington Jr. “Orion” follows, with bold and triumphant bookends that could score a great work of science fiction. The suite closes with “The Quest,” which unites the chopped-up rhythmic thrust of current jazz with the synth pleasures of vintage prog-rock. The album’s finale is “Balloon Pop,” which is as much of an earworm as anything currently on the Hot 100. And with O’Farrill on trumpet, its hummable theme summons up Miles Davis’ hook-filled ’80s recordings.
Tied to the album’s release, Hiromi’s Sonicwonder will perform concerts at famous venues in Chicago, Toronto, a special album release show at the Blue Note in NYC, and more. See below for the full itinerary. For the artwork, Hiromi has once again tapped the artist Lou Beach, famous for an array of album covers including Blink 182's Dude Ranch and albums by Flying Burrito Brothers, Madonna and Weird Al.
Hiromi’s many career triumphs include an NPR Tiny Desk Concert that has racked up 2 million views; the opportunity to represent her native Japan with a performance at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo; 2024 winner for Best Music Score for the animated feature film Blue Giant (Award of the Japanese Academy); and a GRAMMY Award for a collaboration with fusion hero Stanley Clarke. Her artistry is — to borrow a descriptor the New Yorker favored — “dazzling.”
‘OUT THERE’ TRACKLIST:
XYZ
Yes! Ramen!!
Pendulum (featuring Michelle Willis)
OUT THERE: Takin’ Off
OUT THERE: Strollin’
OUT THERE: Orion
OUT THERE: The Quest
Pendulum
Balloon Pop
HIROMI’s SONICWONDER TOUR DATES:
Fri, APR 4 - Chicago Symphony Center - Chicago, IL
Sat, APR 5 - George Wheaton Recital Hall - Toronto, Canada
Mon, APR 7 - Blue Note - New York, NY
Tue, APR 8 - Dakota - Minneapolis, MN
Wed, APR 9 - Dakota - Minneapolis, MN
Thurs, APR 10 - Fox Tucson Theater - Tucson, AZ
Fri, APR 11 - Scottsdale Center For The Performing Arts - Tucson, AZ
Sat, APR 12 - University of Texas, Dallas - Richardson, TX
Sun, APR 13 - Moore Theatre - Seattle, WA
Tues, APR 15 - Revolution Hall - Portland OR
Thurs, APR 17 - SFJazz - San Francisco, CA
Fri, APR 18 - SFJazz - San Francisco, CA
Sat, APR 19 - SFJazz - San Francisco, CA
Sun, APR 20 - SFJazz - San Francisco, CA
Mon, APR 21 - Kuumbwa Jazz Center - Santa Cruz, CA
Thurs, APR 24 - Irvine Barclay Theater - Irvine, CA
Fri, APR 25 - Campbell Hall - Santa Barbara, CA
Thurs, MAY 15 - Sanat Concert Hall - Istanbul, Istanbul
Fri, MAY 16 - Georg Friedrich Händel - Halle, Germany
Sat, MAY 17 - Philharmonie Essen - Essen, Germany
Mon, MAY 19 - Volkshaus Basel - Basel, Switzerland
Wed, MAY 21 - STROMWERK Kulturarena Kraftwerk Mitte - Dresden, Germany
Fri, MAY 23 - Isar Philharmonic - München, Germany
Sat, MAY 24 - Telekom Forum - Bonn, Germany
Sun, MAY 25 - Stora Teatern - Gotesborg, Sweden
Wed, MAY 28 - Jazz Sous Les Pommiers - Coutances, France
Wed, OCT 8 - Wisconsin Union Theater - Madison, WI
Wed, Oct 22 - City Recital Hall - Sydney, Australia
Fri, OCT 24 - Octagon Theatre - Perth, Australia
Sun, OCT 26 - Hamer Hall The Arts Centre - Melbourne, Australia
Tues, OCT 28 - Adelaide Town Hall - Adelaide, Australia
Fri, NOV 7 - Muziekgebouw Frits Philips - Eindhoven, Netherlands
Sat, NOV 8 - Rockit Festival, Oosterport Main Hall - Groningen, Netherlands
Mon, NOV 10 - Amare - Den Haag, Netherlands
Tues, NOV 11 - Teatro Fernando Fernan Gomez - Madrid, Spain
Thurs, NOV 13 - Erbenhof Schallkultur Festival - Thüringen, Germany
Parlophone Records is thrilled to announce a 40th Anniversary Edition of GRAMMY® Award-winning artist Tina Turner’s iconic breakthrough album, Private Dancer. Set to release on March 21, 2025, this special anniversary edition offers a stunning array of previously unreleased tracks, live performances, and footage, honoring the legacy of an artist whose music transformed the world. Private Dancer (40th Anniversary Edition) will be available as a 5CD/Blu-ray, 2CD, a 1LP Pearl vinyl, and a 1LP picture disc.
The centerpiece of this release is the 5CD/Blu-ray set, which includes the newly upgraded 55-minute Private Dancer Tour show filmed at the NEC in Birmingham between two historic nights, March 23 and 24, 1985. Directed by David Mallet and featuring unforgettable performances with David Bowie and Bryan Adams, this landmark concert has been meticulously restored by Mallet, offering a front-row experience of Turner at her electrifying best. Alongside the live performance, the set includes five upgraded music videos, with the “Private Dancer” fully restored to 4K from its original 35mm film.
Today unveils a surprise treasure from Turner’s vaults: the previously unheard track “Hot For You Baby.” Written by Australian singer John Paul Young and produced by John Carter, the track was recorded at Capitol Studios in Hollywood and was originally intended to be an album track. It was thought to be lost to time, but this thrilling discovery introduces a fresh chapter in the Private Dancer story.
Additional formats include a 2CD edition, a striking 1LP picture disc featuring the official UK/EU cover on one side and the US cover on the other, and a limited-edition 1LP pearl vinyl with a 12x12 art card of the US album artwork.
Released in May 1984, Private Dancer marked Turner’s triumphant comeback, becoming a cultural phenomenon. Dubbed by American Songwriter as “one of the most charismatic comebacks of modern rock” and AllMusic as “without question,... Turner's finest hour as a solo artist.” The 5x platinum record peaked at [#2 on the UK Albums Chart] #3 and #1 on the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. Turner would later bring home four GRAMMY® Award wins for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for “Better Be Good To Me” and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year for the top Billboard Hot 100 track, “What’s Love Got To Do With It?”
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees Dave Matthews Band announce their 2025 Spring/Summer Tour. The tour kicks off on April 27 with a return to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, followed by several festival appearances, including the Lovin’ Life Festival in Charlotte, NC (May 4), and Boston Calling (May 25). Tour highlights include a two-night run at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, IN (July 11-12), a venue they’ve headlined 50 times and where they’ve sold over 1 million tickets. This is followed by their first performance in Richmond, VA, in 30 years, with a two-night stand at the newly opened Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront (July 15-16). On August 22, Dave Matthews Band will return to Inglewood’s historic Kia Forum for their first show at the venue since 1998.
Other notable stops on the Live Nation produced run include Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD (May 31), Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, NY (June 11), a two-night stint at Credit One Stadium in Charleston, SC (June 20-21), and performances at Toronto’s Budweiser Stage (July 8) and Huntington Bank Pavilion in Chicago, IL (June 27-28). The tour concludes with the group’s traditional Labor Day weekend residency at The Gorge Amphitheatre in George, WA (August 29-31). The spring and summer dates will be the only DMB shows of 2025.
In conjunction with their return to Southern California, Dave Matthews Band has pledged $500,000 to support California wildfire relief efforts through their Bama Works nonprofit. Dave Matthews will also perform a joint set with John Mayer at the FireAid benefit concert on January 30th at the Kia Forum. Proceeds from the event will support rebuilding efforts for wildfire-affected communities. Fans can tune in to the broadcast and live stream on platforms including Amazon Music/Prime Video, Apple Music, the Apple TV app, Disney+/Hulu, Max, Netflix/Tudum, and many more. For more details, visit www.fireaid.org.
Named as a UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador in 2019, Dave Matthews Band has a long history of reducing its environmental footprint, going back to its first shows in 1991. Last summer, the band successfully completed its first “On The Road To Zero Waste Tour” achieving a milestone where over 90% of fan-generated waste at Live Nation venues was reused, composted, recycled, or donated. Some venues even reached an impressive 99% waste diversion. This summer, the band is renewing its partnership with Live Nation venues to further minimize the environmental footprint of its tour. Hear about the sustainability efforts made possible by crew members and DMB fans during last year’s tour here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zZ1o2ZMCtg
This summer, Dave Matthews Band continues its long-term partnerships with The Nature Conservancy and REVERB. Since 2005, Dave Matthews Band and REVERB have partnered to make the band’s tours more sustainable and empower fans to take action for people and the planet at shows. The continued partnership with The Nature Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees campaign will bring the total to six million trees planted since DMB teamed up with TNC in 2020 to support reforestation. For additional details, visit www.dmbtrees.org.
Dave Matthews Band has achieved remarkable success, selling a combined 38 million CDs and DVDs and more than 25 million tickets, making them the second-largest ticket seller in history. In 2024, the band reached a milestone with their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They also concluded a series of three sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden, highlighted by the SOULSHINE MSG benefit during the penultimate performance. Joined by the Warren Haynes Band, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Goose, and other special guests, the event raised $4.5 million for relief and recovery efforts in Western North Carolina and Florida following Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
DAVE MATTHEWS BAND – SPRING/SUMMER 2025 U.S. TOUR DATES
Date City/State/Province Venue
Apr 27 New Orleans, LA New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest
May 4 Charlotte, NC Lovin' Life Festival
May 24 Bethel, NY Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
May 25 Boston, MA Boston Calling Festival
May 27 Syracuse, NY Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater
May 30 Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Music Center
May 31 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion
June 3 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
June 7-8 Sao Paulo, Brazil Best of Blues & Rock Festival
June 11 Wantagh, NY Northwell at Jones Beach Theater
June 13 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
June 14 Maryland Heights, MO Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
June 20 Charleston, SC Credit One Stadium
June 21 Charleston, SC Credit One Stadium
June 24 Birmingham, AL Coca-Cola Amphitheatre
June 25 Alpharetta, GA Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
June 27 Chicago, IL Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
June 28 Chicago, IL Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
July 8 Toronto, ON Budweiser Stage
July 9 Clarkston, MI Pine Knob Music Theatre
July 11 Noblesville, IN Ruoff Music Center
July 12 Noblesville, IN Ruoff Music Center
July 15 Richmond, VA Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront
July 16 Richmond, VA Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront
July 18 Saratoga Springs, NY Broadview Stage at SPAC
July 19 Saratoga Springs, NY Broadview Stage at SPAC
July 22 Gilford, NH BankNH Pavilion
July 23 Gilford, NH BankNH Pavilion
July 25 Camden, NJ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
July 26 Camden, NJ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
Aug 22 Inglewood, CA Kia Forum
Aug 23 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
Aug 26 Stateline, NV Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys
Today, WAR announces its second major release of 2025: Eric Burdon & WAR - The Complete CD Collection. Out March 7 via Avenue/Rhino, the landmark compendium brings together the band's formative works from 1970–1976 on CD, following the sold-out release of its vinyl box set on Record Store Day 2022. Available in a 4-CD configuration, the package showcases each essential album from that pivotal time period: Eric Burdon Declares War, Black Man's Burdon and Love Is All Around. Arriving at the outset of WAR’s 55th Anniversary, the collection not only celebrates the band’s pathbreaking journey, but showcases the origins of a legacy defined by unparalleled fusion and relentless creativity – and one which continues to thrive more than half a century later.
Pre-Order Eric Burdon & WAR - The Complete CD CollectionHere
One of music’s defining and most enduring soul and funk groups, WAR was founded in Long Beach, CA. In 1970, producer Jerry Goldstein united a seven-piece band with former Animals lead singer Eric Burdon, an alliance which would go on to produce the #1 worldwide hit, “Spill the Wine.” 55 years later, this chapter in WAR’s hit-making history has now been reassembled and meticulously remastered by award-winning engineer Bernie Grundman, honoring this “barrier-breaking collaboration from a trail-blazing era” (Classic Rock).
Having recently kicked things off with a performance at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, WAR’s anniversary celebrations extend all throughout 2025. On February 7th, the band will release Live In Japan 1974 – their first live album to feature all seven original members in 50 years – and this summer, they will receive their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, with dozens of tour dates in between.
Today, Alison Krauss & Union Station announce the release of their first new album in 14 years. Out March 28th on Down The Road Records, and self-produced by Alison Krauss & Union Station, Arcadia is a set of ten songs that transcend time, reveal beautiful and tragic truths, and reaffirm why the group remains one of the most influential, widely celebrated acts of the past four decades. Even during an extended period apart – each member building a thriving solo career, collaborating with some of the greatest artists in the world, earning a collective total of more than 70 GRAMMY Awards, selling tens of millions of albums – they never stopped searching for and patiently collecting the music that might one day bring them back together.
Largely written by such modern masters as Robert Lee Castleman, Viktor Krauss, Bob Lucas, JD McPherson and Sarah Siskind, Arcadia's songs are contemporary reflections of history. But there was one in particular that reunited the band and reignited their focus. "Usually, I find something that's a first song, and then things fall into place," says Alison Krauss. "That song was 'Looks Like The End Of The Road.' Jeremy Lister wrote it, and it just felt so alive – and as always, I could hear the guys already playing it." As Arcadia's opening number, "Looks Like The End Of The Road" introduces another imperative new chapter for Alison Krauss & Union Station, and it is available today.
Pre-OrderArcadia, and listen to "Looks Like The End Of The Road" here
Following 2011's Paper Airplane, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Country, Bluegrass and Folk Charts, Arcadia further expands the immaculately crafted, endlessly surprising sound that Alison Krauss & Union Station are known and loved for. Recorded in studios across Nashville, Arcadia also welcomes brand new member Russell Moore on co-lead vocals, guitar and mandolin. Best known as the frontman for chart-topping group IIIrd Tyme Out, Moore is the International Bluegrass Music Association's most awarded male vocalist of all time. Alongside Alison Krauss (fiddle, lead vocal), Jerry Douglas (Dobro, lap steel, vocals), Ron Block (banjo, guitar, vocals) and Barry Bales (bass, vocals), each member's individual talent and acclaim transforms into one single, peerless and unstoppable force. On the songs of Arcadia, Alison Krauss expands:
"The stories of the past are told in this music. It's that whole idea of 'in the good old days when times were bad.' There's so much bravery and valor and loyalty and dreaming, of family and themes of human existence that were told in a certain way when our grandparents were alive. Someone asked me, 'How do you sing these tragic tunes?' I have to. It’s a calling. I feel privileged to be a messenger of somebody else's story. And I want to hear what happened."
Furthermore, Arcadia rejoins Alison Krauss & Union Station with Rounder Records founders Ken Irwin, Marian Leighton Levy, Bill Nowlin and John Virant, who first signed Krauss when she was 14 years old – and who first worked with Jerry Douglas in 1975, when JD Crowe & The New South released their eponymous album, commonly referred to as Rounder 0044. Now heading up their own Down The Road Records, the group’s relationship with the band serves as a testament to their enduring friendship and longstanding creative partnership.
On the heels of Arcadia's release, Alison Krauss & Union Station will perform the music live at 75 tour dates across North America. Featuring Jerry Douglas, the Arcadia 2025 Tour is the band's first run of shows together in more than ten years, and nearly all of the dates have already sold out. Kicking off on April 17th, and extending through the end of September, stops include iconic venues like Red Rocks Amphitheatre, LA's Greek Theatre, NYC's Beacon Theatre and dozens more, with special guest Willie Watson. See the full list of dates below, and find tickets at alisonkrauss.com.
Arcadia Tracklist
Looks Like The End Of The Road (Jeremy Lister)
The Hangman (Viktor Krauss & Maurice Ogden)
The Wrong Way (Robert Lee Castleman & Dan Tyminski)
Granite Mills (Timothy Eriksen)
One Ray Of Shine (Sarah Siskind & Viktor Krauss)
Richmond On The James (Alison Krauss & G.T. Burgess)
North Side Gal (Jonathan David McPherson)
Forever (Robert Lee Castleman)
Snow (Bob Lucas)
There's A Light Up Ahead (Jeremy Lister)
Arcadia 2025 Tour Dates
4/17 - The Louisville Palace - Louisville, KY*
4/18 - The Louisville Palace - Louisville, KY*
4/19 - Mershon Auditorium - Columbus, OH*
4/25 - Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park - Atlanta, GA
4/26 - Live Oak Bank Pavilion - Wilmington, NC
4/27 - Koka Booth Amphitheatre - Cary, NC
4/29 - Bell Auditorium - Augusta, GA
4/30 - The Adderley Amphitheater - Tallahassee, FL
5/2 - The Wharf Amphitheater - Orange Beach, AL
5/3 - Brandon Amphitheater - Brandon, MS
5/4 - BJCC Concert Hall - Birmingham, AL
5/6 - Orpheum Theatre - Memphis, TN
5/12 - First Security Amphitheater - Little Rock, AR
5/13 - The Criterion - Oklahoma City, OK
5/15 - Saint Louis Music Park - Maryland Heights, MO
5/16 - Walmart AMP - Rogers, AR
5/17 - Starlight Theatre - Kansas City, MO
5/29 - Smart Financial Centre - Sugar Land, TX
5/30 - Whitewater Amphitheater - New Braunfels, TX
5/31 - The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory - Irving, TX
6/3 - PNC Pavilion - Cincinnati, OH
6/4 - Devon Lakeshore Amphitheater - Decatur, IL
6/6 - BMO Pavilion - Milwaukee, WI
6/7 - The Chicago Theatre - Chicago, IL
6/8 - The Ledge - Waite Park, MN
6/10 - Vetter Stone Amphitheater - Mankato, MN
6/11 - Bayfront Festival Park - Duluth, MN
6/13 - McGrath Amphitheatre - Cedar Rapids, IA
6/14 - Denny Sanford Premier Center - Sioux Falls, SD
6/15 - The Astro Amphitheater - Omaha, NE
6/16 - Hartman Arena - Park City, KS
6/18 - Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Morrison, CO
6/19-6/22 - Telluride Bluegrass Festival - Telluride, CO
6/20 - Dillon Amphitheater - Dillon, CO
6/21 - Kit Carson Park - Taos, NM
7/11 - Arizona Financial Theatre - Phoenix, AZ
7/12 - The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park - San Diego, CA
7/13 - Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
7/15 - Santa Barbara Bowl - Santa Barbara, CA
7/16 - The Mountain Winery - Saratoga, CA
7/18 - Grand Theatre - Reno, NV
7/19 - Redding Civic Auditorium - Redding, CA
7/20 - Edgefield Amphitheater - Troutdale, OR
7/22 - Wine Country Amphitheater - Walla Walla, WA
7/23 - Outlaw Field at the Idaho Botanical Garden - Boise, ID
7/26 - Theatre at the Brick - Bozeman, MT
7/27 - BECU Live at Northern Quest - Airway Heights, WA
7/29 - Grey Eagle Resort & Casino - Calgary, AB
7/31 - TCU Place - Saskatoon, SK
8/1 - Centennial Concert Hall - Winnipeg, MB
8/19 - Massey Hall - Toronto, ON
8/21 - Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park - Indianapolis, IN
8/22 - Ascend Amphitheater - Nashville, TN
8/23 - The Tennessee Theatre - Knoxville, TN
8/24 - The Tennessee Theatre - Knoxville, TN
8/26 - Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium - Chattanooga, TN
8/28 - The Dome - Virginia Beach, VA
8/29 - Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront - Richmond, VA
8/30 - Earl Scruggs Music Festival - Mill Spring, NC
9/6 - Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre - Sterling Heights, MI
9/7 - Jacobs Pavilion - Cleveland, OH
9/9 - Wolf Trap - Vienna, VA
9/10 - The Met Philadelphia presented by Highmark - Philadelphia, PA
9/12 - Beacon Theatre - New York, NY
9/13 - Beacon Theatre - New York, NY
9/16 - Veterans Memorial Auditorium - Providence, RI
9/17 - Leader Bank Pavilion - Boston, MA
9/19 - BankNH Pavilion - Gilford, NH
9/20 - The Green at Shelburne Museum - Shelburne, VT
9/21 - Artpark Mainstage Theater - Lewiston, NY
9/23 - Salem Civic Center - Salem, VA
9/24 - Credit One Stadium - Charleston, SC
9/26 - The Saint Augustine Amphitheatre - St. Augustine, FL
9/27 - The BayCare Sound - Clearwater, FL
9/28 - Hard Rock Live - Hollywood, FL
*Special Guest TBD, all other dates featuring Special Guest Willie Watson
Today, Sierra Ferrell begins a busy weekend at the GRAMMY® Awards, where she is both a first-time nominee and the most-nominated roots artist of the year. She has just released a deluxe edition of Trail of Flowers: Rolling Stone's #1 Country & Americana Album of 2024, and the breakout LP that led to her winning Artist of The Year and Album of The Year at the 2024 Americana Honors & Awards, in addition to earning GRAMMY® nods for Best Americana Album, Best Americana Performance ("American Dreaming"), Best American Roots Song ("American Dreaming") and Best American Roots Performance ("Lighthouse").
Furthermore, Sierra Ferrell will celebrate the Grateful Dead with a special performance at MusiCares' Persons of the Year gala tonight, which is raising funds for wildfire recovery in Greater Los Angeles, as well as MusiCares' year-round programs supporting music professionals in need.
After selling out all of her shows in 2024, Sierra Ferrell has also just announced the next leg of her Shoot For The Moon Tour. Kicking off with Stagecoach in April, the US run will follow her Big Ass Stadium Tour with Post Malone and Jelly Roll, bringing her and her band to dozens of headline dates throughout 2025. Stops include NYC's Pier 17, numerous festival appearances, an already sold-out night at Red Rocks Amphitheatre and more. Tickets for all performances are available now at sierraferrellmusic.com/tour.
Sierra Ferrell Tour Dates
4/25 - Indio, CA - Stagecoach Music Festival
4/27 - Sacramento, CA - Venue TBA
4/29 - Salt Lake City, UT - Rice-Eccles Stadium*
5/1 - Albuquerque, NM - Revel Entertainment Center
5/2 - Flagstaff, AZ - Pepsi Amphitheater
5/3 - Las Vegas, NV - Allegiant Stadium*
5/6 - Oklahoma City, OK - The Criterion
5/7 - San Antonio, TX - Alamodome*
5/9 - Arlington, TX - AT&T Stadium*
5/10 - New Orleans, LA - Saenger Theatre
5/11 - Atlanta, GA - Mercedes-Benz Stadium*
5/13 - St. Louis, MO - Busch Stadium*
5/15 - Kansas City, MO - The Midland Theatre
5/16 - Madison, WI - The Sylvee
5/18 - Detroit, MI - Ford Field*
5/20 - Minneapolis, MN - U.S. Bank Stadium*
5/22 - Chicago, IL - Wrigley Field*
5/23 - Cumberland, MD - DelFest
5/24 - Philadelphia, PA - Citizens Bank Park*
5/26 - Toronto, ON - Rogers Centre*
5/28 - Hershey, PA - Hersheypark Stadium*
5/29 - Pittsburgh, PA - PNC Park*
5/31 - Lexington, KY - Railbird Festival
7/12 - Milwaukee, WI - Harley-Davidson Homecoming
7/15 - La Vista, NE - The Astro Amphitheater
7/20 - Tacoma, WA - Dune Peninsula
7/22 - Edmonton, AB - Winspear Centre
7/25 - Sandpoint, ID - Festival at Sandpoint
7/26 - Bonner, MT - KettleHouse Amphitheater
7/28 - Fargo, ND - UP District Festival Field
8/2 - Minneapolis, MN - Surly Brewing Festival Field
8/3 - Saint Charles, IA - Hinterland Music Festival
8/26 - St. Louis, MO - Stifel Theatre
8/28 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre!
8/29 - Dillon, CO - Dillon Amphitheater
9/2 - Columbia, MO - 9th Street Central Bank Downtown Live
9/5 - Philadelphia, PA - Franklin Music Hall
9/6 - New York, NY - The Rooftop at Pier 17
9/7 - Washington, DC - The Anthem
9/9 - Richmond, VA - Brown's Island
9/10 - Raleigh, NC - Red Hat Amphitheater
9/12 - St. Augustine, FL - The Saint Augustine Amphitheatre
Samara Joy earned her fourth and fifth GRAMMY Awards last night at the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards. The jazz vocalist took home gold for Best Jazz Performance (“Twinkle Twinkle Little Me” feat. Sullivan Fortner) and Best Jazz Vocal Album (A Joyful Holiday). Joy previously won Best New Artist (2023), Best Jazz Vocal Album (Linger Awhile, 2023), and Best Jazz Performance (“Tight,” 2024).
The 25-year-old Bronx native wore a custom look by Grace Ling and shoes by Stuart Weitzman. You can read more about the look in Vogue HERE.
Earlier in the weekend, Samara earned a standing ovation for her performance at Clive Davis’ Pre-GRAMMY Gala, where money was raised for the MusiCares’ Fire Relief Fund. Joy wore a gown by Oscar De La Renta and Christian Louboutin shoes.
The GRAMMY Awards cap another exciting year for Joy, who released her new studio album Portrait on Verve Records in October. The collection offers a snapshot of Joy’s growth not only as a once-in-a-generation vocalist but also as songwriter, lyricist, arranger and band leader. The Times calls Portrait “a true artistic statement,” while VIBE Magazine describes it as “eight tracks guaranteed to not only impress, but change the way we listen to modern vocal jazz.” Listen to Portrait (out now) HERE.
Last week, Joy was profiled on PBS Newshour. She sat down with correspondent Jeffrey Brown at the legendary Van Gelder Studio, where she recorded Portrait, to discuss her musical growth and deep appreciation for the jazz genre. Watch HERE.
Other recent highlights include an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Jazz Album, a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, a CBS News 60 Minutes profile (watch HERE), and more. Joy is a featured guest on the new season of Sesame Street; her episode will air on February 6th on MAX.
Joy will tour across the globe throughout 2025, including a performance at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles this Friday, February 7th, followed by a string of shows throughout Asia and Europe. She’ll make her anticipated Carnegie Hall debut on April 30th. For all upcoming shows and tickets, please visit https://www.samarajoy.com.
Samara Joy 2025 Tour Dates
Feb 5 - Berkeley, CA - Zellerbach Auditorium
Feb 7 - Los Angeles, CA - Walt Disney Concert Hall
Feb 11 - Tokyo, Japan - Blue Note Tokyo
Feb 13 - Sumida City, Japan - Sumida Triphony Hall
Feb 14 - Takasaki, Japan - Takasaki City Theatre
Feb 16 - Seoul, South Korea - Mapo Art Center
Feb 19 - Shanghai, China - Shanghai Center Theatre
March 7 - Caen, France - Theatre De Caen
March 8 - Coutances, France - Theatre De Coutances
March 10 - Lyon, France - Orchestre National De Lyon
March 11 - Lucerne, Switzerland - KKL Luzern
March 12 - Geneva, Switzerland - Victoria Hall
March 14 - Amiens, France - Maison De La Culture
March 15 - Paris, France - Grande salle Pierre Boulez - Philharmonie de Paris
March 17 - Toulouse, France - La Halle Aux Grains
March 18 - Marseille, France - Le Cepac Silo
March 20 - Metz, France - Arsenal
March 22 - Antwerp, Belgium - De Singel International Arts Centre
March 23 - Utrecht, Netherlands - TivoliVrendenburg
April 30 - New York, NY - Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall
May 3 - Boston, MA - Berklee Performance Center
May 4 - East Greenwich, RI - Greenwich Odeum
May 11 - Germantown, TN - Highland Capital Performance Hall
May 13 - Nashville, TN - Schermerhorn Symphony Center
May 15 - Niagara, Canada - Central Niagara
May 16 - Toronto, Canada - Massey Hall
May 18 - Cape May, NJ - Exit Zero Jazz Festival
May 20 - Ridgefield, CT - The Ridgefield Playhouse
May 22 - Orlando, FL - Dr. Phillips Center - Steinmetz Hall
May 28 - Dallas, TX - Majestic Theatre
June 1 - New Orleans, LA - Orpheum Theater
June 2 - Houston, TX - Jones Hall For The Performing Arts
June 5 - Raleigh, NC - Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
June 7 - Norfolk, VA - Chrysler Hall
June 28 - Montreal, Canada - Place Des Arts - Maison Symphonique at Montreal Jazz Festival
Further Ahead: Live in Finland (1964-1969), a stunning new collection of never-before-heard performances by the master jazz pianist Bill Evans, will arrive as a limited, 180-gram two-LP set on Record Store Day (April 12, 2025) from Elemental Music.
This set of major discoveries — which will also be released in a two-CD edition on April 18 — is the 13th Evans archival package to be produced by the award-winning “Jazz Detective” Zev Feldman in cooperation with the Bill Evans Estate.
Feldman says, “Evans is widely celebrated and has legions of fans all over the world, and these never-before-released recordings present yet another chapter of his musical legacy being issued for the very first time….It's not lost on me how precious each of these Evans projects is. We take them incredibly seriously and try to present Bill Evans in the best way possible, and also create packages that people will want to come back to for many years to come. Evans is eternal.”
Further Ahead comprises recordings made during the keyboardist’s Scandinavian tours of the ‘60s. He is heard, at the height of his powers, in Helsinki performances in 1964 (with his working trio including bassist Chuck Israels and drummer Larry Bunker) and 1965 (supported by bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen and drummer Allan Dawson, with special guest Lee Konitz), and in 1969 at Tampere (with his longest-running trio mates, bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Marty Morell).
Both the LP and CD editions of the package will include an essay by jazz authority Marc Myers; remembrances and reflections from Israels, Gomez, Morell, and pianist and educator Gil Goldstein; Evans’ own take on his writing process, drawn from Goldstein’s book Jazz Composer’s Companion; rare photos; and more.
In his overview of the music, Myers writes, “During an audio interview likely conducted in Denmark in 1969 by Finland’s Yle TV, Evans was asked which musicians inspired him most. His answer was both humble and revealing: 'One of the greatest influences, if I would name one person, might be Bud Powell, in jazz…. I also have always felt an affinity for Impressionism, especially Debussy. That might be part of it. I think I’ll always like to have that feeling but I would like to get farther ahead musically, possibly.’
“It’s that last phrase, ‘Get farther ahead musically,’ which stands out. Evans’s ambition never sounded like bragging but a statement of fact. In his playing, he wasn’t trying to recreate pieces like ‘Clair de Lune’ or mirror the Impressionists’ moods and emotions. For Evans, his goal was to go beyond what the Impressionists had achieved by combining sensitivity, trio reciprocity, and swing. This album is a perfect example of the pianist’s relentless quest for perfect beauty.”
Goldstein observes, “I love these new recordings in Finland because the versions are very crisp. The players were really on target, the arrangements were very clear, and everyone was feeding into it amazingly, whatever trio formation it was. Like a classical pianist playing a Beethoven sonata but with more freedom in the note choices, he was aware of the terrain he was going to cover but there was always a lot of invention along the way.”
Israels — who joined Evans’ so-called “new trio” following the tragic death of the brilliant young bassist Scott LaFaro in 1961 — says of the early-60s unit he played in, “The history of that formation is indelibly stamped with Scott LaFaro's relationship with Bill and his relationship with the music. Many people have asked me how it felt to fill Scott's shoes. The fact is I never did. How did it feel to be in his place and be looked at and heard by other people? It never crossed my mind, I was simply happy to be there.”
Gomez, who backed Evans on tour and in the studio from 1966 to 1977, warmly recalls, “I have a lot of memories about my time with Bill. He is still part of my dreams. And those dreams are always pleasant, because they take me back to a good, comfortable place. These recordings stand for a period of time. They are interesting if one is going to look at Bill's career, the evolution of his music from Miles, and even before Miles, into his trios of the 1960s. I think this is a window into that moment in the trio.”
Morell, whose tenure with Evans’ trio ran for seven years, adds, “It just warms my heart every time I hear Bill from that period. It was the beginning of a life altering experience, and it continues to be so. I didn't realize back then how it would change my life. It continues to be that way at this point, 55 years later. Being part of Bill's legacy, and part of jazz history, is an honor and a privilege. As far as the actual music, I would say the 1969 Tampere set is actually pretty good, very energetic, there was a lot going on. Of course, it's a great period of Bill's playing.”
Evans — who brought a rare combination of deep training, technical mastery, an elegant touch, and probing intellect to his playing — told Goldstein, “In order to be an improvising player one has to accept an idiom and certain limitations and find freedom in that and develop the mastery to handle it. So, you do limit yourself in that way. If you are willing, however, you find freedom like you would never find anywhere else.”
Rhiannon Giddens reunites with her former Carolina Chocolate Drops bandmate Justin Robinson on What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow, an album of North Carolina fiddle and banjo music, out April 18 on Nonesuch Records. Produced by Giddens and Joseph "joebass" DeJarnette, the album features Giddens on banjo and Robinson on fiddle, with the duo playing eighteen of their favorite North Carolina tunes: a mix of instrumentals and tunes with words. Many were learned from their late mentor, the legendary North Carolina Piedmont musician Joe Thompson; one is from another musical hero, the late Etta Baker, from whom they also learned by listening to recordings of her playing. Giddens and Robinson recorded outdoors at Thompson’s and Baker’s North Carolina homes, as well as the former plantation Mill Prong House. They were accompanied by the sounds of nature, including two different broods of cicadas, which had not emerged simultaneously since 1803, creating a true once-in-a-lifetime soundscape. A video of “Hook and Line,” a traditional tune from Joe Thompson’s repertoire and filmed at his home in Mebane, NC, may be seen here. It is the first tune Thompson ever learned; Giddens and Robinson continued the legacy by learning it from him. The duo, along with four other string musicians including the multi-instrumentalist Dirk Powell, embarks on Rhiannon Giddens & The Old-Time Revue Tour April 25 (dates below).
Watch Video for Album Track “Hook and Line” Here
“With the assaults on reality going on in the world today, we wanted to offer another kind of record, like walking back onto a gravel or dirt road while a stampede goes the other way,” Giddens says. “With the cicada choir, this record could’ve only happened at a certain time in the last 120 years. We doubled down on place, time, realness, and old-fashioned front porch music. It’s a reminder that another way exists, with music made for your community’s enjoyment and for dancing–not solely for commercial purposes.
“What is the role of music in our society?” she wonders. “How do we de-couple it from unfettered capitalism, where music is a product and musicians are incidental? How do we use the tools and system that we have been bequeathed in a way that reminds us of other ways of being?”
Robinson adds, "Recording this album felt like being back in the saddle. Just this time Joe is not here, and his fiddle is under my chin. The album is about home, the cicadas, the storms, the music, and the people who make it feel like home."
Thompson was one of the last musicians of his era and his community to carry on the southern Black string band tradition. He played a crucial role in the lives of Giddens and Robinson, who, along with their Carolina Chocolate Drops bandmate Dom Flemons, spent their formative years learning from Thompson in traditional apprentice/mentor relationships. His influence has guided all of their artistic journeys as well as their mission to keep the legacy of the Black string band tradition alive.
Made in 2024, What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow was recorded in outdoor settings with just Giddens and Robinson, a couple of folding chairs, and some microphones–one of which was placed to pick up the sounds of nature around them, “using technology in the way that we choose,” as Giddens says. While at Thompson’s house, his nephew brought out one of his uncle’s restored fiddles–which Robinson played on the recording. In a recording process full of similar bits of kismet, they experienced another magical moment at Baker’s Morganton, NC home, when Baker’s son offhandedly mentioned that his mother had recorded “Carolina Breakdown” in her yard, and that a Carolina wren ended up on the recording. Robinson and Giddens were delighted to hear him tell this story, as that very recording had been their inspiration to make What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow the way they did. The duo recorded Baker’s version of “Marching Jaybird” in that same yard, with Baker’s son listening.
In further tribute to Giddens’ North Carolina roots, What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow will arrive just a week before Biscuits & Banjos, the inaugural edition of her first festival. Taking place April 25–27 in downtown Durham and curated by Giddens, Biscuits & Banjos highlights the deep roots and enduring legacy of Black music, art, and culture while fostering community and storytelling. The sold-out festival will feature a much-anticipated Carolina Chocolate Drops reunion, their first performance together in more than a decade. Additional performers include Taj Mahal, Leyla McCalla, Adia Victoria, Don Vappie & Jazz Creole, Infinity Song, Toshi Reagon, and many others, alongside speakers such as Alice Randall, Caroline Randall Williams, and Dr. Dena Ross Jennings. Workshops, square dances, free banjo lessons, and a celebrity chef biscuit bake-off will also be featured.
Rhiannon Giddens has made a singular, iconic career out of stretching her brand of folk music, with its miles-deep historical roots and contemporary sensibilities, into just about every field imaginable. A two-time GRAMMY Award–winning singer and instrumentalist, 2023 Pulitzer Prize winner, MacArthur “Genius” grant recipient, and composer of opera, ballet, and film, Giddens has centered her work around the mission of lifting up people whose contributions to American musical history have previously been overlooked or erased, and advocating for a more accurate understanding of the country’s musical origins through art. Her most recent release is 2023’s You’re the One, Giddens’ first album of all original songs; her banjo can be heard on the history-making song “Texas Hold ‘Em”; and she is the Artistic Director of Silkroad Ensemble. In addition to her musical pursuits, Giddens has published two children’s books featuring her lyrics, hosts the Aria Code podcast on WQXR, and has composed music for ballet and film, and two of her songs are featured in the hit video game Red Dead Redemption 2.
About Justin Robinson
Justin Robinson is a GRAMMY Award–winning musician and vocalist, cultural preservationist, and historic foodways expert. Robinson has used his wide range of interests and talents to preserve North Carolina’s African American history and culture, connecting people to the past and to the world around them.
Robinson grew up exploring the woods and rivers around him in Gastonia, NC. Influenced by the musical tastes of his grandparents, he grew to love a diversity of musical styles. He learned to play the violin as a child; however, he did not enjoy playing classical music and stopped around the age of thirteen. It wasn’t until he was inspired by the old-time blues jams he attended as a student at UNC-Chapel Hill that he decided to approach the violin again—this time, as a fiddler. He played with the Carolina Chocolate Drops, working to preserve traditional forms of music, to introduce new generations to musical legends like Joe Thompson, and to remind audiences that the fiddle was, historically, an African American instrument. He wrote the song “Kissin’ and Cussin’” for the group’s GRAMMY Award–winning album, Genuine Negro Jig, and continued to write music after leaving the group in 2011, releasing the album Bones for Tinder as Justin Robinson and the Mary Annettes in 2012.
In addition to preserving African American musical traditions, Robinson is known for his work as a culinary historian. He is an eighth generation Afro-Carolinian and is the descendant of sharecroppers and large landowners. He is constantly exploring the complex relationship that people have with our plant relatives, including through his social media account, @CountryGentlemanCooks, and through the formation of the Earthseed Land Cooperative, a collective in northern Durham “made up of farmers, entrepreneurs, professionals, and teachers who are currently engaged in creating alternative models for sustainability, equity, and cooperation within communities of color.”
Robinson has a Master of Science degree in Forestry from North Carolina State University and carries on the ethnobotany work of his grandfather, J.G. Johnson.
What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow Track List:
Rain Crow
Brown’s Dream
Hook and Line
Pumpkin Pie
Duck’s Eyeball
Ryestraw
Little Brown Jug
Going to Raleigh
Country Waltz
Molly Put the Kettle On
Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss
John Henry
Love Somebody
Ebenezer
Old Joe Clark
Old Molly Hare
Marching Jaybird
Walkin’ in the Parlor
Tour Dates:
April 25-27 - Durham, NC - Biscuits & Banjos
April 30 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
May 2 - Miami, FL - Miami Beach Bandshell
May 3 - Atlanta, GA - The Eastern
May 4 - Birmingham, AL - Jemison Concert Hall @ Alys Robinson Stephens Center
May 7 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
May 8 - Cincinnati, OH - Memorial Hall
May 9 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
May 11 - Washington, DC - The Kennedy Center Concert Hall
May 13 - Grand Rapids, MI - St. Cecilia Music Center
May 15 - Toronto, ON - Koerner Hall at The Royal Conservatory of Music
May 16 - Toronto, ON - Koerner Hall at The Royal Conservatory of Music
May 17 - Ottawa, ON - National Arts Centre, Southam Hall
June 15 - Napa, CA - Uptown Theatre
June 16 - Ventura, CA - Ventura Theater
June 19 - San Diego, CA - The Observatory North Park
June 21 - Berkeley, CA - Zellerbach
June 23 - Seattle, WA - The Moore Theater
June 26 - Montréal, QC - Théâtre Maisonneuve @ Montreal Jazz Festival
This past week in celebration of what would have been Bob Marley's 80th birthday, Acoustic Sounds’ Analogue Productions label has joined forces with the Marley family to proudly announce an ambitious slate of reissues of several of the global legend’s most iconic albums in a number of deluxe configurations. Centered around the theme of Uprising, the series will honor Marley’s spirit and legacy as one of the most significant artists of the 20th century.
Launching in Spring 2025 with specific release dates to be announced, the series will include seven classic Marley titles reissued in a variety of formats: 33rpm UHQR, 45rpm UHQR, 2LP 45rpm, SACD, and reel-to-reel tape (15 IPS on 1/4 inch tape). The configurations vary by title, see below for details.
Each of the Ultra High Quality Record (UHQR) and 2LP 45rpm releases will be sourced from original master tapes and meticulously mastered by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound. Pressing will be handled by Acoustic Sounds’ world-class Quality Record Pressing plant in Salina, KS, to deliver exceptional sound quality and a listening experience worthy of Marley's timeless music. Bringing forty years of expertise and unparalleled reverence for historic releases to the series, these Analogue Productions titles will ensure Bob Marley’s music is preserved in its purest form, all while delivering an experience as close as possible to the original studio sessions.
“We’re honored to be working with the Marley Family to give these records the treatment they deserve,” said Acoustic Sounds founder Chad Kassem. “The experience of going to Jamaica, visiting Tuff Gong, and meeting the people carrying Bob Marley’s legacy forward was incredible, and we believe this series is a beautiful tribute to one of music’s greatest innovators.” Kassem shares more about his time in Jamaica and the making of Uprising HERE.
The UHQR format from Analogue Productions/Quality Record Pressings sets a new standard in vinyl, surpassing previous UHQR records with innovative manufacturing techniques that meet Kassem’s exacting expectations. Originally produced at Japan’s JVC plant in the 1980s for various audiophile labels, UHQRs were costly but revered for their unmatched quality. Reviving the UHQR name required significant investment and a complete redesign of vinyl production, solidifying its legacy as the ultimate LP, elevating it above any other pressing series.
BOB MARLEY RELEASES LAUNCHING SPRING 2025 FROM ANALOGUE PRODUCTIONS:
Catch a Fire (1973), featuring “Stir It Up,” “Concrete Jungle,” and “Kinky Reggae.” This album will be available as a 1LP UHQR @33rpm, 2LP UHQR @45rpm, reel-to-reel, and SACD.
Burnin’ (1973), Marley’s sixth album and the second release by Bob Marley & The Wailers for Island Records, continues the series. The record features “Get Up Stand Up,” “I Shot The Sheriff,” and “Burnin’ & Lootin’.” Available as 1LP UHQR @33rpm, 2LP UHQR @45rpm, reel-to-reel, and SACD.
Natty Dread (1974), Marley’s groundbreaking album that introduced the I-Threes and a new musical direction, includes “No Woman No Cry,” “Them Belly Full (But We Hungry),” and “Lively Up Yourself.” The reissue will be released as a 1LP UHQR @33rpm, 2LP UHQR @45rpm, reel-to-reel, and SACD.
Rastaman Vibration (1976) followed the success of Natty Dread and features politically charged tracks like “Roots Rock Reggae,” “War,” and “Rat Race.” It will be reissued in 2LP UHQR @45rpm, reel-to-reel, and SACD configurations.
Exodus (1977), widely regarded as one of Marley’s most transformative works, features classic hits like “Three Little Birds,” “Jamming,” and “One Love.” This album, recorded during Marley’s exile in the U.K., cemented his status as a global superstar. It will be reissued as a 2LP UHQR @45rpm, reel-to-reel, and SACD.
Kaya (1978) recorded simultaneously with Exodus in the U.K., showcases a softer side of Marley, with songs such as “Is This Love,” “Satisfy My Soul,” and “Easy Skanking.” A love letter to the lifestyle Marley embraced, this album will be available in 2LP @45rpm and SACD configurations.
Uprising (1980), the last studio album released during Marley’s lifetime, reflects a deeply spiritual and prophetic vision. Tracks such as “Redemption Song,” “Could You Be Loved,” and “Pimper’s Paradise” highlight Marley’s artistry and message of resilience. This album will be reissued in 2LP @45rpm and SACD formats.
Acoustic Sounds has created a masterfully-crafted and meticulous series through which listeners can relive these celebrated classics. For over forty years, Acoustic Sounds has championed the art of vinyl, reissuing historic recordings with the utmost care and precision. Other recent releases include Steely Dan’s 1970s recordings, Buena Vista Social Club’s self titled album, and Miles Davis’ Birth of the Blue with many more exciting releases on the horizon.
The legacy of legendary country vocalist Patsy Cline, whose storied recordings of the 1950s and 1960s with producer Owen Bradley helped establish country music’s pop-crossover Nashville Sound, receives a new chapter on Record Store Day (April 12) with “Imagine That: The Lost Recordings (1954-1963),” a revelatory collection of previously unreleased recordings from Elemental Music/Deep Digs.
This unprecedented, limited edition two-LP set, produced in association and with the full endorsement of the Patsy Cline Estate, features 48 unissued tracks, all faithfully transferred, mastered and released legitimately for the first time. They survey the full breadth of the singer’s artistry, from her first days as a professional musician with Bill Peer & the Melody Boys and Girls in the early ‘50s to the apex of her popularity, just weeks before she tragically died at the age of 30 in a plane crash on March 5, 1963.
This two-LP set (April 12) will also be released as two CDs and Digital Download on April 18.
Drawn from radio broadcasts, TV shows, and demo recordings, these meticulously restored performances cast a fresh spotlight on Cline’s luminous, powerful voice, and eschew the opulent strings and vocal choruses of Bradley’s productions in favor of an intimate, unadorned, earthy sound. Affecting alternate versions of Cline’s chart-topping crossover hits “Walkin’ After Midnight,” “I Fall to Pieces,” “Crazy,” and “She’s Got You” are included. She is heard duetting with such fellow country stars as Cowboy Copas (who died in the same crash that took Cline’s life), Ferlin Husky, Red Foley, Bobby Lord, Ernest Tubb, and Lonzo & Oscar.
Co-produced by award-winning archival producer Zev Feldman, Cline discographer and authority George E. Hewitt, and sound restoration engineer Dylan Utz, Patsy Cline - Imagine That features a detailed track-by-track discography; a historical note by author/writer Martin Melhuish; reflections on Cline’s art by musicians k.d. lang, Marty Stuart, Ray Benson, and more.
Cline’s daughter Julie Fudge, who serves as CAO of Patsy Cline Enterprises LLC, says, “Our family has been blessed to have the recordings, the videos, and the photos that have remained since Mom’s passing in 1963. But we have been even more blessed because of the fan base that has kept her so alive. Those that have continued to play her music. Those artists working in film and commercials and television that have used her music in their projects. We are blessed every time we hear her voice. And now these recordings, all fresh and new, is something like a dream. All the hard work and research, all the time and effort…. all have led to something new in a world where we never thought that was possible.”
“We’ve assembled an exciting collection of rare performances that span Patsy’s entire recording career, and this marks the official album debut for all tracks included here,” Deep Digs founder Feldman says. “I’m proud of this release and hope the music will keep Patsy’s legacy alive as she continues to gain new fans with that unmistakable voice. Imagine this, if you can – a new compilation of rare recordings being presented over 60 years after the passing of a great artist! Thanks, above all, to Patsy Cline for shining as bright as ever, and for bringing so much joy to our collective hearts with your great music.”
Cline expert Hewitt says, “In spite of Patsy’s continued popularity, a total of 74 tracks sat unreleased before work began on our project – a considerable number for an artist with so few studio recordings. Some have traded as bootlegs among collectors, while others were newly discovered thanks to research for this album….These four dozen tracks represent two-thirds of Patsy’s unissued material at the time of release. We’re proud to officially introduce a total of 15 new songs for this album – an astounding number for any legacy artist.”
Dylan Utz, who transferred many of the tracks heard on Patsy Cline - Imagine That, adds, “Every performance in this set was recorded live, not carefully constructed in the same sense as a studio master. These tracks feature unique pacing and arrangements, and more than stand on their own. And the new songs are a revelation. If you thought you knew Patsy Cline, this album may change that. These lost recordings offer further insight into the versatility of this dynamic and engaging songstress. Prepare to have the record rewritten.”
In conversation with Hewitt, the longtime Canadian pop/country star k.d. lang — whose 1988 album Shadowland paid explicit tribute to Cline’s art — said of the new release, “From a spiritual perspective, this tends to happen for great artists like Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, and others in all genres. These are treasure vases that get discovered over time. And I think that’s part of the enduring legacy of great artists – they’ve planted these seeds, and they unearth at their own leisure.”
Singer, songwriter, and country music historian Stuart told Hewitt, “Thank you for doing this work. It’s hard work, and the world just needs to hear it. I love it when things like this come along – a picture you’ve never seen, a recording you’ve never heard, or a story that you just know must be true. Country music has become a global empire, built on the shoulders of people like Patsy, and I think it’s great that the world still honors her for her presence in it. The legend is off the ground, never to come back, and it just keeps gaining. She’s still the gal.”
Benson, founding lead vocalist of the Texas western swing band Asleep at the Wheel, added, “I’m glad your team found these recordings because they’re just so cool, man. I’m just amazed.”
The stunning trove of never before released music on Patsy Cline - Imagine That contributes to an insightful, unique perspective on the art and historical import of Patsy Cline, which was summed up in a quote cited by Melhuish from her friend and country music contemporary, the late Loretta Lynn: “Patsy was probably the first woman to say what she felt. She was the first one that went over to the pop charts, and she was first class all the way. She wanted to please people but, if it didn’t please her, she wouldn’t do it. Patsy was a strong person. She was the first in Nashville to step outside the boundaries and go in different directions when it came to music.”
Today, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals announced a 15-date summer tour. The tour will kick off on May 30th at the Lincoln Theatre in Washington DC with stops at The Rooftop at Pier 17 in New York City, Higher Ground Ballroom in Burlington, VT, Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, The Pabst Theater in Milwaukee, WI, and the Fox Theater in Oakland, CA, among other cities. The tour will conclude on August 24th at The Orpheum in Los Angeles.
Also today, Harper teased his new single, “Before The Rain Dried,” which is due out soon. You can watch it HERE.
The tour will see Harper perform fan-favorites from his extensive catalog as well as tracks from his critically acclaimed 2023 album, Wide Open Light (Chrysalis Records), which featured a number of special guests, including Jack Johnson on “Yard Sale,” Shelby Lynne on “8 minutes,” and Piers Faccinion on the title track.
General on-sale will begin this Friday, February 14th at 10AM local time. The Live Nation pre-sale will begin on Wednesday, February 12th at 10AM local time, followed by the Spotify pre-sale on Thursday February 13th at 10AM local time. For more information and tickets, please visit https://www.benharper.com/tour.
Harper is also continuing to expand his creative pursuits on-screen following his 2023 run in AppleTV+ series "Extrapolations,” with an appearance in the new Jeff Buckley documentary, IT’S NEVER OVER, JEFF BUCKLEY, which recently premiered at Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Amy Berg, the film is a compassionate portrait of the late Jeff Buckley, whose music continues to inspire artists worldwide. With beautiful scores and rare live performances, it captures the love, loss, and enduring impact that shaped Buckley, and thus the international music culture of the late 20th century.
In Rolling Stone’s coverage of the film’s premiere at Sundance, they praised Harper’s surprise performance saying, "Harper proceeded to play his own version of 'Hallelujah,' which borrows Buckley’s sparseness but doesn’t try to imitate his friend’s version. Tears flowed. The room was pin-drop silent. Then, when he finished, people burst into raucous applause. It was the perfect capper to the doc. A moment we wished would never be over." - Rolling Stone
As a 3x-GRAMMY-winner, Harper has amassed international critical applause and a worldwide fan following for his own genre-traversing body of work while also producing acclaimed albums by Mavis Staples, Rickie Lee Jones, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Natalie Maines, Ziggy Marley, and others. An inveterate collaborator, Harper has also recorded with a diverse span of artists ranging from John Lee Hooker, Charlie Musselwhite, to Ringo Starr, Keith Richards and, most recently, Harry Styles, to contribute his signature guitar work to the superstar’s chart-topping album, HARRY’S HOUSE. Harper joined Styles for an astounding 12 nights of performances at The Kia Forum in Los Angeles in 2022.
2025 Tour Dates
Fri-May-30-25 - Washington, DC - Lincoln Theatre
Sat-May-31-25 - New York, NY - The Rooftop at Pier 17
Legendary musician, songwriter and producer Booker T. Jones’ timeless hit “Green Onions” (Stax/Concord Records) was featured in Uber Eats’ star-studded Super Bowl 2025 commercial. In the 60-second spot, Matthew McConaughey humorously explores a conspiracy theory that football was invented to sell food, with "Green Onions" providing a timeless and unmistakable groove that tied the ad’s humor and nostalgia together. The ad also features Martha Stewart, Charli XCX, Kevin Bacon, and Greta Gerwig, among others. You can watch the ad HERE.
The newly recorded “Green Onions (62’ Onions Cut)” (Fantasy Records) is out now. It was recorded at Earthstar Studios in Venice, CA and features Booker T’s son Ted Jones on guitar. You can listen to the track HERE.
Since its release in 1962, "Green Onions", originally recorded by Booker T. & The M.G.’s, has been celebrated as one of the most influential soul tracks ever recorded - it has been streamed over 200M times and has graced countless films, television shows, and commercials. The track kickstarted the Stax label’s Southern funk, blues, and soul sound, which picked up steam with Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, and dozens of others from the ’60s through the ’70s. Decades after first hitting the airwaves, the track remains an essential part of the cultural soundscape, its reach spanning generations of music lovers and pop culture enthusiasts alike.
“Green Onions” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, appeared on Rolling Stone’s 2004 ‘Top 500 Greatest Songs of All Time’ list, and has been covered by acts as diverse as Roy Buchanan, Tom Petty, Vassar Clements, (the Grateful Dead), and even Khruangbin, who were nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammys last weekend. It’s one of the most influential songs to emerge from the golden age of soul and continues to define the sonic backdrop of pop culture’s biggest moments.
About Booker T. Jones
Booker is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Musicians Hall of Fame inductee, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and arguably the most famous Hammond B3 player in history. As leader of the legendary Booker T and the MG’s, this pillar of soul music collaborated with Otis Redding, Albert King, Eddie Floyd and Sam and Dave during his tenure at the renowned Stax Records label. Since then, Booker has lent his trademark keyboard chops to artists as diverse as Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, Neil Young and produced classic albums such as Willie Nelson’s triple platinum hit “Stardust” and Bill Withers’ “Just As I Am” featuring the hit song “Ain’t No Sunshine”. Both Booker’s 2009 solo release “Potato Hole” and his 2011 solo release “The Road From Memphis” won GRAMMY awards for Best Pop Instrumental Album. In 2019, Booker released his iconic memoir Time is Tight: My Life, Note by Note on Little, Brown along with an accompanying record titled Note by Note. Booker is currently working on a new recording project and touring worldwide with his solo band.
Rhino’s Quadio series continues into the New Year with a brand-new collection of high-quality quadrophonic releases. Billy Cobham Spectrum (1973), Aretha Franklin Live At Fillmore West (1971), Curtis Mayfield Roots (1971), and The Spinners Pick Of The Litter (1975). These four seminal albums have been mastered from their original analog four-track Quad mixes.
Quadraphonic sound, or 4.0 surround sound, utilizes four audio channels connected to four speakers positioned at the corners of a listening space. The multi-tracked audio is mixed dimensional, immersing the listener in an expansive soundscape.
The collection is available today as Blu-ray discs with a quadraphonic and 192/24 stereo mix. Currently exclusive to Rhino.com and select Warner Music Group stores worldwide, each title retails for $24.98, with a bundle of all four available for $79.98. Order HERE.
Aretha Franklin played three brilliant nights - March 5, 6, and 7 - at San Francisco’s legendary Fillmore West venue. Between the three nights, Franklin adorned the audience with powerhouse performances of Otis Redding’s “Respect,” Bread’s “Make It With You,” and the Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby,” earning the record a #1 and #7 spots on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and 200 charts.
Legendary fusion drummer Billy Cobham stepped onto the scene with his groundbreaking efforts with Miles Davis and the Mahavishnu Orchestra before breaking into his solo career with Spectrum. The staple Jazz Fusion album was recorded at the infamous Electric Lady Studio, where tracks like “Stratus,” “Red Baron,” and “Le Lis” were crafted in one to two takes. Side artists include Tommy Bolin and John Tropea on guitar, Jan Hammer on keyboard, and Lee Skylar on bass.
Roots is regarded as one of Curtis Mayfield’s best works and an undeniable 1970s classic. Charting at #6 on Billboard’s Top Soul Albums chart, the album features hit tracks “We Got to Have Peace,” “Keep on Keeping On,” and “Get Down.”
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame® inductees The Spinners released their sixth studio album, Pick Of The Litter, the last to be produced by Philadelphia soul architect Thom Bell. The quintet’s album reached #2 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums, and the signature song, “Games People Play,” featured in Grand Theft Auto IV.]
TRACKLIST
Aretha Franklin - Live at Fillmore West
Respect
Love the One You’re With
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Eleanor Rigby
Make It with You
Don’t Play That Song
Dr. Feelgood
Spirit in the Dark
Spirit in the Dark (Reprise with Ray Charles)
Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)
Billy Cobham - Spectrum
Quadrant
Searching for the Right Door
Spectrum
Anxiety
Taurian Matador
Stratus
To the Women in My Life
Le Lis
Snoopy’s Search
Red Baron
Curtis Mayfield - Roots
Get Down
Keep On Keeping On
Underground
We Got to Have Peace
Beautiful Brother of Mine
Now You’re Gone
Love to Keep You in My Mind
The Spinners - Pick Of The Litter
Honest I Do
I Don’t Want to Lose You
Love or Leave
Sweet Love of Mine
All That Glitters Ain’t Gold
You Made a Promise to Me
Games People Play
Just as Long as We Have Love
Today, the Momentary adds rising star Jaime Wyatt, breakout country music star Waylon Wyatt, 2X GRAMMY nominee Cha Wa, and critically acclaimed crossover band Mireya Ramos and the Poor Choices, to the lineup for FreshGrass | Bentonville 2025, a two-day, all-ages festival with the best in American and global roots music and folk traditions taking place on Friday, May 16th, and Saturday, May 17th. This year’s festival will also feature The Solar Roller, a one-of-a-kind portable solar-powered stage, and The House of Songs Presents: SongRider, an event that blends the art of songwriting with the scenic beauty of Northwest Arkansas' bike trails.
The 2025 festival will also feature GRAMMY Award winner Lukas Nelson, Americana Music Awards winner Shakey Graves, Afrobeat royalty Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, rising star La Doña, 18x GRAMMY Award winner Béla Fleck with his brand new trio featuring Antonio Sanchez and Edmar Castañeda, as well as GRAMMY Award winner and American Banjo Museum Hall of Fame member Alison Brown, Jesse Welles, Sister Sadie, AJ Lee & Blue Summit, Lost Bayou Ramblers, The Langan Band, and more. The diverse and exciting lineup combines with unique-to-FreshGrass elements like world premiers of special commissions, artist talks, instrument workshops, and square dances to create a festival experience unlike any other. The Bentonville experience will also feature The FreshGrass Awards: Band, which celebrate and reward five emerging local and regional bands who offer innovative interpretations of bluegrass and roots music traditions. Both finalists and winners will receive cash prizes, and the winner will get studio time at Compass Records in Nashville, as well a slot at next year's festival.
Joining the festival as an artist-at-large will be Rosanne Cash with John Leventhal. Cash’s appearance at the Momentary holds special significance, as it coincides with the The Prison Concerts: Folsom and San Quentin (Jim Marshall’s Photographs of Johnny Cash) exhibition on display at the venue. Organized by the GRAMMY Museum, the exhibition features iconic photographs of her father from his historic Folsom and San Quentin prison concerts in 1968 and 1969.
Arkansas native folksinger Willi Carlisle will also return to FreshGrass as the 2025 recipient of the FreshGrass Composition Commission, performing new music written for this commission for the first time in public. Previous FreshGrass Composing Commission recipients include Rhiannon Giddens, Aoife O’Donovan, Sarah Jarosz, Kronos Quartet, and Bill Frisell.
Set among the beauty of the Ozarks, FreshGrass | Bentonville has welcomed over 20,000 attendees to the Momentary since its inception. Presented by the Momentary, past artists have included phenomenal talents from Billy Strings to Sierra Ferrell, Trombone Shorty, Jason Isbell, Mavis Staples, Del McCoury, Cimafunk, Caamp, Tank and the Bangas the GRAMMY Award winning Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, and a myriad of other national and local stars, Grammy-nominated artists, and internationally and nationally acclaimed musicians taking the stage over the weekend.
FreshGrass | Bentonville is sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company, Cox Communications, iHeart Media, and AMP Sign & Banner.
About FreshGrass Foundation
FreshGrass Foundation, a 501(c)(3), is an award-winning, nonprofit organization focused on sustainable solutions for the music industry. We partner with world-class institutions such as The Office Performing Arts + Film, MASS MoCA, the Momentary, Berklee College of Music, Silkroad, and many others to bring world class performing arts experiences to life.
Our main projects include: FreshGrass Festivals in North Adams, MA and Bentonville, AR, which have welcomed artists such as Brandi Carlile, Dwight Yoakam, Emmylou Harris, Gary Clark Jr., and many others. Renowned grants, commissions, and awards to musicians and writers for new works. Production and publication of No Depression, the quarterly journal of roots music as well Folk Alley, the 24-hour online listening for roots music. Founding partners of Artists At Work, a program that provides living wages for living artists. Administer the Steve Martin Banjo Prize, a prestigious award founded by Steve Martin (actor/comedian) that recognizes an individual or group for outstanding accomplishment in banjo. Operate and manage Studio 9 in North Adams, MA, a state-of-the-art recording studio and venue. Through a cutting-edge, multidisciplinary and collaborative approach, FreshGrass continually strives to help promote new artists and create new art through each of its entities.
FreshGrass is committed to making our organization completely sustainable and carbon neutral. Learn more about our green pledge by reading our FreshGrass Sustainability Manifesto.
About the Momentary
Opened in February of 2020 in Downtown Bentonville, the Momentary is a venue for the music, art, and food of our time; and a catalyst for creativity and economic vitality. An extension to Crystal Bridges, the Momentary is ‘a living room’ where community gathers to be inspired, connected, and joyful. The Momentary was founded by the Walton family, based on the vision of Tom, Olivia, and Steuart Walton. Its commitment to cultivating arts and cultural experiences provides more opportunities for education, engagement, and enjoyment in our region. The Momentary is an extension of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, founded by Alice Walton. The Momentary welcomes all with free general admission. Additional offerings include live music, visual and performing arts, an artist-in-residence program, culinary experiences such as Onyx Coffee Lab and the sky-high Tower Bar, indoor and outdoor gathering spaces, an outdoor festival space, and a retail shop. For more information, visit theMomentary.org. The Momentary is located at 507 SE E Street, Bentonville, Arkansas 72712. The Momentary’s Founding Funders are Walton Family Foundation, Walmart, RØDE Microphones, The Coca-Cola Company, Tyson Family Foundation, and Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation.
The second annual Montreux Jazz Festival Miami, February 28 – March 2, 2025 at The Hangar at Regatta Cove in Coconut Grove, proudly announces exciting new additions to its artist lineup. This year’s festival will elevate the live music experience with a mix of legendary and emerging artists across diverse genres.
In an exciting new development, the festival is proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with music industry legend Emilio Estefan, who has joined as an investor and co-owner. This collaboration aims to enhance the cultural impact and outreach of the festival, connecting it more deeply with Miami's vibrant music scene.
“The Montreux Jazz Festival has been a great success across many cities around the world, and now being able to do it in Miami is the perfect combination to showcase great music and talent” — Emilio Estefan
Newly added to the lineup, Griff, known for her role in opening Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, will perform before Chaka Khan and Janelle Monáe on Saturday, March 1. Young multi-instrumentalist Justin Lee-Schultz will open for Jon Batiste & Friends on Friday, February 28 and will also appear as a special guest during Batiste’s headlining set, which will feature a 20-piece band. WILLOW will also perform a full set on Friday night. Living legend Chucho Valdés, renowned for his influence in Afro-Cuban jazz, American percussionist, Sammy Figueroa, and singer Emily Estefan, have all been added to “La Descarga” jam session on Sunday, March 2 –– which will be co-hosted by Cimafunk and Batiste and features a robust lineup including Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Paquito D'Rivera as well as newly added Aymee Nuviola, Hamilton de Holanda, and Brenda Navarette.
In a Rolling Stone interview released earlier today, Jon Batiste, co-owner and the visionary force behind the festival, shared insights about the festival’s unique approach to combining high-caliber performances with immersive cultural experiences, affirming Montreux Miami's reputation as "the Rolls Royce of music festivals." Read more here: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/jon-batiste-montreux-…
Attendees of the festival can look forward to VIP masterclasses, exquisite dishes from Michelin-starred Chef Henrique Sá Pessoa, and a pop-up installation from Wynwood’s Dante’s HiFi vinyl bar. Each night will conclude with an after-hours jam session led by Jon Batiste and his band Stay Human.
Friday, February 28:
Jon Batiste & Friends
WILLOW
Justin Lee-Schultz
Saturday, March 1:
Chaka Khan
Janelle Monáe
Griff
Sunday, March 2:
Afro-Cuban “La Descarga” hosted by Jon Batiste and Cimafunk with Chucho Valdés, Paquito D’Rivera, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Ibrahim Maalouf, Cimafunk & La Tribu, Alfredo Rodriguez, Pedrito Martinez, Aymee Nuviola, Emily Estefan, Hamilton de Holanda, Sammy Figueroa, Yilian Cañizares, Yissy Garcia, Brenda Navarette, Robe L Ninho, Victor Campbell, Yussa and Wampi
Single-day ticket prices for Montreux Jazz Festival Miami begin at $129, with VIP tickets at $569 and Legend tickets at $999. Payment plans are also available.
The 2024 inaugural edition of the festival featured Jon Batiste, Rock and Roll Hall Famer Daryl Hall, Queen of Axé Daniela Mercury, as well as Cimafunk, The Wailers, Cory Henry, Emily Estefan, Israel Houghton, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Lia de Itamaracá, Justin Kauflin, Adrian Cota & The Winston House Band, ELEW, and Mathis Picard.
The Montreux Jazz Festival Miami is honored to have Audemars Piguet as its Global Partner, continuing a legacy of craftmanship and heritage in music and culture.
Meyer Sound joins as the Global Sound Partner, delivering an unparalleled audio experience that upholds the festival’s world-renowned sonic excellence.
Alongside this prestigious partnership, the festival is proudly supported by an exceptional lineup of partners. An elevated culinary experience for festival guests will be accented by Saratoga®️Signature Blue, the striking color of Saratoga®️Spring Water bottles, which will be served throughout the weekend.. Blacklane, the premium door-to-door chauffeur service, joins as the official mobility partner, ensuring seamless transportation for artists and guests. The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) reinforces Miami’s status as a world-class destination for live music by supporting the festival.
Hospitality partners include Taittinger, La Fête Wine Co, Bacardi 8, Dr. Gab's SWAF, and Mr. C Hotels.
esperanza spalding has detailed a number of key performances for 2025, including a 12-night residency at the Blue Note in NYC, beginning February 18. spalding’s itinerary also includes Big Ears in Knoxville, TN on March 28 and tour dates in New Orleans and Kansas in April. See below for spalding’s full itinerary, and at https://esperanzaspalding.com/
Coming back to her jazz-club roots, esperanza offers an intimate and expansive set featuring the most loved songs from her broad discography, accompanied by some of jazz’s brightest young stars (plus surprise guests from her past and present)! spalding will perform in a quartet format with frequent collaborators Morgan Guerin (bass, saxophone, keys, voice), Eric Doob (drums, voice, tracks, percussions) and Matthew Stevens (guitar, voice, bass). The sets will feature music from across her extensive catalog, including recent titles from 12 Little Spells and Songwrights Apothecary Lab as well as her collaborative album with Milton Nascimento, Milton + esperanza. The Blue Note residency in New York runs from February 18 - 23 and February 25 - March 2, and will be spalding’s first residency of concerts in NYC in several years. At Big Ears and at her April shows, spalding and band will be joined by two dancers. As the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel noted about a recent show, “spalding and her backing ensemble (including interpretative dancers and backing singers Kaylin Horgan and Tashae Udo) brought impactful intent to every moment of their 95-minute set.”
spalding’s most recent album release is a collaboration with beloved Brazilian musical icon Milton Nascimento. Released by Concord Records in August of last year, Milton + esperanza earned a GRAMMY nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album, was produced and arranged by spalding and met with tremendous raves, profiles and appearances ranging from the New York Times to NPR’s Tiny Desk. spalding just hosted a special event in Los Angeles to celebrate Nascimento, which featured surprise appearances from Thundercat, Herbie Hancock, Carolina Shorter and Nascimento himself, duetting with spalding on some of his beloved songs. Read more in this coverage from the LA Times.
spalding is also the special guest music director for the February issue of Harper’s Bazaar and recently discussed her career and new album with NPR’s It’s Been A Minute, the Jazziz Podcast and the Tape-Op podcast.
TOUR DATES:
Feb 18 - 23, Feb 25 - March 2 - New York, NY - Blue Note - 8 and 10:30 sets
March 28 - Knoxville, TN - Big Ears
April 24 - New Orleans, LA - Orpheum Theater
April 25 - Salina, KS - Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts
May 21 - Berlin, Germany - Boulez Saal
May 24 - Antwerpen, Belgium - DE SINGEL International Arts Center
The Capitol Theatre and the Village of Port Chester, NY are honoring founding Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh with a lasting tribute.
On March 14, 2025, in celebration of Lesh’s 85th birthday on March 15, the corner of Westchester Avenue and Broad Street - right outside the historic venue - will officially be renamed Phil Lesh Lane. Broad Street holds special significance as home to The Cap’s “Door 12” stage door – the very entrance Lesh used for 106 performances since 2012 and the spot where his tour bus was regularly parked.
As a founding member of the Grateful Dead, Lesh played a pivotal role in shaping Port Chester’s musical and cultural legacy. The band’s 18 legendary shows at The Capitol Theatre between 1970 and 1971 remain a defining moment in the venue’s history, with recordings treasured by fans worldwide. Since The Capitol Theatre’s reopening in 2012, Lesh returned for 106 shows drawing hundreds of thousands of fans to Port Chester, fueling the local economy.
Lesh’s deep ties to the village have been recognized over the years: he received the Key to Port Chester and was named an Honorary Firefighter by the Port Chester Volunteer Fire Department. Now, with Phil Lesh Lane, the community is solidifying his legacy with a permanent landmark.
The official street dedication ceremony will take place on March 14 at 4:00pm kicking off a four-night celebration at The Capitol Theatre, featuring Lesh’s son, Grahame Lesh, and grandson Levi, alongside an all-star lineup. Support during the four-show run includes: Rick Mitarotonda, Eric Krasno, Oteil Burbridge, Jason Crosby, John Molo, Jennifer Hartswick, Jackie Greene, Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams, Steve Molitz, Warren Haynes, Jimmy Herring, and Rob Barraco.
Unbroken Chain: A Celebration of the Life and Music of Phil Lesh
TajMo - the historic collaboration between two generations of American music masters - have announced their long-awaited return with Room On The Porch, a new full-length album out May 23 on Concord Records. The ten-song collection finds Keb’ Mo’ and Taj Mahal reuniting for their first release together since 2017, when their debut collaboration brought them from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (for a stunning performance alongside Jon Batiste) to the GRAMMY stage (where they took home Best Contemporary Blues Album). “We’re just trying to keep the culture moving forward,” said Taj Mahal during the duo’s acceptance speech that year; a joint mission statement that radiates as strong as ever with Room On The Porch.
“That first album turned out so great that part of me wondered if maybe we just got lucky,” jokes Keb’ Mo’ on reuniting with Taj Mahal. “But when we got back into the studio together, I felt that same magic again, and I realized it wasn’t luck at all.”
Featuring a tracklist with more original, co-written songs than ever before, Room On The Porch (which Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ also co-produced together) brings out the best in both of these legends. The music is warm and inviting, rooted in the joy of human connection and the power of positivity. There’s no greater example than the album’s title track, which unites TajMo with 2x Song of the Year GRAMMY nominee, recording artist & songwriter Ruby Amanfu for a much-needed ode to friendship and community in these divisive times: “Stay as long as you like / That’s alright...Come on up / There’s room on the porch for everyone.”
Sonically, Room On The Porch finds TajMo incorporating a full spectrum of sounds that prove why “each of them is a standard-bearer in the genre-bending world of folk, blues, soul and Americana” (Billboard). But, as Taj Mahal points out, these styles are all deeply tied together by their shared roots: “If you take the African imprint out of Western music for the last 500 years, there’s almost nothing left,” says Taj, who, just this month, was honored with the Recording Academy’s coveted Lifetime Achievement Award. “As much as it might feel like we’re touching on all these different genres, the way I see it, we’re just connecting with the music of our ancestors and their influence on what’s happening now.”
Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ will also bring their TajMo live show back on the road in 2025, after wrapping prestigious spring dates of their own, with Taj playing JazzFest, Big Ears and Luck Reunion, while Keb’ is co-headlining the Ryman. The duo will celebrate Room On The Porch in over a dozen cities across the United States, beginning with a special appearance at the Grand Ole Opry (joined by Ruby Amanfu), before their first headline show together at New York’s Town Hall on May 28. Pre-order Room On The Porch by noon ET on Sunday, February 23 here: https://found.ee/TajMo_Store to gain exclusive early access to tickets with a tour presale starting Monday, February 24. A full list of dates is below. For more information please visit https://www.tajblues.com/tour and http://kebmo.com/.
Room On The Porch Tracklist
1. Room On The Porch ft. Ruby Amanfu
2. My Darling My Dear
3. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out
4. She Keeps Me Movin’
5. Make Up Your Mind
6. Thicker Than Mud
7. Junkyard Dog
8. Blues’ll Give You Back Your Soul
9. Better Than Ever ft. Wendy Moten
10. Rough Time Blues
TajMo 2025 Tour Dates:
5/23 - Nashville, TN - The Grand Ole Opry
5/28 - New York, NY - The Town Hall
5/30 - Sidney, ME - Bowl In The Pines
5/31 - Hammondsport, NY - The Pavilion at Point of the Bluff Vineyards *
6/1 – Hyannis, MA – Cape Cod Melody Tent
6/3 – Concord, NH – Capitol Center for the Arts – Chubb Theatre
6/4 - South Deerfield, MA - Summer Stage at Tree House Brewing
6/6 - Bensalem, PA - Xcite Center at Parx Casino
6/7 - Selbyville, DE - Freeman Arts Pavilion *
6/8 - Vienna, VA - Wolf Trap, Filene Center *
6/10 - Huber Heights, OH - Rose Music Center at The Heights
6/12 - Grand Rapids, MI - Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park *
6/13 - Interlochen, MI - Interlochen Center for the Arts *
Eastman School of Music, of the University of Rochester, is proud to share two new faculty hires in the Jazz & Contemporary Media (JCM) department, as well as a newly endowed concerts series, all serving to enhance the stellar reputation and offerings of Eastman jazz.
Appointed to begin the 2025-26 academic year, Otis Brown III is named Assistant Professor of Jazz Drum Set and Marshall Gilkes is named Associate Professor of Jazz Trombone. In addition, thanks to a significant gift from the Ray and Vera Conniff Foundation, Eastman establishes The Ray Conniff Jazz Ensemble Series, officially naming the student ensemble concert season in the JCM Department, as well as supporting visits by guest artists and the commissioning of new works.
Jeff Campbell serves as the chair of the Jazz & Contemporary Media department. Of the appointment of these two talented artists, Jeff expresses, “Otis and Marshall are both the epitome of artistry and innovation. They are wonderful additions to the JCM department, and our students and faculty alike will greatly benefit from their joining the faculty. We are thrilled to welcome them to Eastman and look forward to this exciting new chapter as they join us next fall.”
The son of music educators turned high school principals, Grammy nominated drummer Otis Brown III is committed to honoring tradition while pushing the boundaries of genre. Having grown up in Newark, N.J. to the sounds of gospel, funk, rhythm and blues, and jazz, Otis believes music is a vessel for spiritual catharsis, storytelling, and advocacy. In his stellar career as a first call musician, he has performed and/or recorded with the likes of artists such as Herbie Hancock, Somi, Joe Lovano, Esperanza Spalding, Terence Blanchard, Robert Glasper, Gretchen Parlato, Regina Carter, and many others.
Having played with a literal “Who’s Who” in the music world, he has also been a frequent collaborator in the world of modern dance. He has collaborated with MacArthur fellow and Doris Duke Artist Award winner Kyle Abraham and his company A.I.M., and has most recently collaborated with choreographer Hope Boykin and the Alvin Ailey American Dance theater for the premiere of a new work titled “Finding Free”. As a bandleader, Otis has also toured extensively worldwide and released his critically acclaimed debut album “The Thought of You” on the Revive Music/Blue Note record label. The highly anticipated follow-up will be released in 2025. Otis is a Yamaha drum set artist, as well as being fully endorsed by Remo percussion, Istanbul Agop cymbals, and Vater percussion.
Otis Brown III remarks, “I’m beyond honored to be joining the faculty of the prestigious Eastman School of Music. I’ve always believed that deep study and mentorship are two pillars of jazz and I’m proud to be joining the amazing professors in the jazz department to share my knowledge with current and future jazz drum set students.”
Over the course of the past 20 years, Marshall Gilkes has established himself as one of the world’s preeminent trombonists. A nonpareil artist at the forefront of brass playing, his virtuosic command of the instrument, marked by a warm and enveloping tone, formidable technique, astounding flexibility and awe-inspiring range, place him in a league of his own. Crafting eight albums since 2004, Gilkes has touched on a variety of settings including the compact trio, quartet and quintet formats, a merging of brass octet and jazz combo, and big band. Drawing heavy praise in the process, including a pair of Grammy nominations, he’s cemented his reputation as a composer and leader of great renown.
His lengthy résumé includes work performing and/or recording with bassist Carlos Henriquez, harpist Edmar Castañeda, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Slide Monsters, bassist Richard Bona, pianist Makoto Ozone and numerous other top-tier musicians and outfits. And through his work with the WDR Big Band and as a longtime member of the Maria Schneider Orchestra, Gilkes has played himself into the rich history of large ensemble music. A marvel of musicality sought after and highly respected in both the jazz and classical worlds, Gilkes has served on the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music, Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory of Music. In addition, he’s shared his knowledge and skills through master classes, clinics, guest appearances and teaching at other venerable institutions including the Banff Center, University of North Texas, the Brubeck Institute, Manchester’s Royal Northern College of Music and the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. An S. E. Shires Artist, Gilkes performs on his signature model trombone—an instrument as versatile as its inspiration.
“It’s a privilege to join the jazz department at the Eastman School of Music,” Gilkes comments. “I look forward to sharing my experiences with the students and contributing to the remarkable trombone tradition that Eastman is known for.”
“I am thrilled to welcome Otis Brown III and Marshall Gilkes,” states Kate Sheeran, Joan and Martin Messinger Dean at Eastman. “These two exceptional artists are joining our outstanding faculty at a great time for jazz at Eastman. I am grateful to the Ray and Vera Conniff Foundation for their generous gift and vision to support generations of students to come.”
Tamara Conniff, trustee of The Ray and Vera Conniff Foundation says, “I can think of no better way to honor my father than the creation of The Ray Conniff Jazz Ensemble Series. Establishing this gift continues his distinguished legacy, while simultaneously supporting the incredible work of the students and faculty of Eastman’s Jazz & Contemporary Media department.”
To learn about upcoming jazz concerts at Eastman and more, visit our website.
The brand new 2025 remaster of the iconic opening track, “The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway,” is available to hear for the first time across streaming platforms. Listen HERE.
The new remaster by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios has been taken from the original 1974 tapes and is the first track made available from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition). As The Lamb’s definitive compendium, which follows the arc of the album’s creation and tour, the set was created with input from all of the band members involved in the record – Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett and Mike Rutherford.
The set comes in 5LP/Blu-ray Audio, 4CD/Blu-ray Audio and Digital (including Dolby ATMOS) formats, all providing a deep dive into the music and visual elements around this album and includes;
The original album mix, remastered at Abbey Road Studios by Miles Showell from the 1974 analog tapes.
A Blu-ray audio disc includes the remastered 96kHz/24-bit high-resolution audio and Dolby ATMOS mixes of the studio album done by Bob Mackenzie at Real World Studios under the supervision of Peter Gabriel and Tony Banks.
The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway Live At The Shrine Auditorium from January 24, 1975. It is remastered and includes two encore tracks, “Watcher of the Skies” and “The Musical Box.” This is the first time the full live show, including the encore tracks, has been released in its entirety.
5LP vinyl cut by Matt Colton at Metropolis Studios.
Three never-before-released demos from the legendary Headley Grange Session are included as part of a digital download card with the full audio from the set.
A 60-page coffee table style book with Alexis Petridis liner notes, who interviewed all five band members to tell the story of The Lamb… – from the writing sessions to live performances – which is believed to be the only time this has happened since its original release.
The book also features images from Armando Gallo, Richard Haines and other noted photographers. A 1975 tour program reproduction, replica ticket and poster
In Genesis’ incredible body of work, The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway is a landmark record. Originally released on November 22, 1974, at the pinnacle of their early success, it came at a pivotal point in Genesis’ history. It is rated as one of the greatest albums of its era and one of the most influential progressive rock albums of all time.
This 50th-anniversary Super Deluxe Edition is a true celebration of a remarkable album that embraces the groundbreaking music, giving the whole band’s insight alongside evocative imagery and unseen photos. Ultimately, it celebrates the huge magnitude of what this record is, which Alexis Petridis sums up perfectly in the opening paragraph of the liner notes…
“Perhaps it makes sense that an album as complex as The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway has an equally complex history. The saga of its making is a strange and lengthy one, involving rat-infested country houses, uncanny presentiments of the future—or at least the future of rock music—Hollywood directors, personality clashes and inflatable penises. It’s also occasionally controversial: Talking to the former members of Genesis about The Lamb…nearly half a century on, it’s hard not to be struck by the fact that they seldom agree about it. Some members of the band have said they think it’s the best album of their career. Others think of it as a brave but flawed experiment. Some people view it as the absolute apotheosis of early-’70s progressive rock: a double concept album filled with dense, intricate, ever-shifting music, featuring a plot so knotty and strange even some members of the band didn’t understand it (“Ask Peter—I’m just the drummer,” shrugged Phil Collins when a journalist quizzed him about it shortly after release) and subject to one of the most famously theatrical live presentations in rock history. Some people think it presages the arrival of punk rock. In fact, there’s every chance that The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway is all those things—flawed experiment, career highlight, prog masterpiece, weirdly prescient precursor of punk—at once, which might account for its longevity.”
5X GRAMMY winner Samara Joy was honored with her first-ever NAACP Image Award this weekend. Her latest studio album Portrait, out now on Verve Records, won for this year’s Outstanding Jazz Album. Co-produced by Joy and veteran trumpeter/bandleader and multi-Grammy winner Brian Lynch, the 8-song collection offers a snapshot of Joy’s growth since her GRAMMY Best New Artist win, not only as a once-in-a-generation vocalist but also as a lyricist and band leader.
Following the ceremony on Saturday, Joy attended the NAACP post-show benefit concert, where she performed a medley of “Guess Who I Saw Today” and “Lately.” The event raised funds for the Altadena Community Preservation Fund, created by the NAACP to support the Altadena community affected by the Eaton fires. Watch a clip from the performance HERE.
Last night, Joy also attended the 15th Annual Guild of Music Supervisors Awards, where she was a presenter at this year’s ceremony held at The Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles.
Earlier this month, Joy earned her fourth and fifth GRAMMY Awards at the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards. The Bronx native took home gold for Best Jazz Performance (“Twinkle Twinkle Little Me” feat. Sullivan Fortner) and Best Jazz Vocal Album (A Joyful Holiday). Joy previously won Best New Artist (2023), Best Jazz Vocal Album (Linger Awhile, 2023), and Best Jazz Performance (“Tight,” 2024).
Joy also recently appeared as a featured guest on the 55th season of Sesame Street. Other highlights include a CBS News 60 Minutes profile (watch HERE), a PBS Newshour profile (watch HERE), a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and a string of sold out shows across Asia.
Joy will continue to tour across the globe throughout 2025, including her anticipated Carnegie Hall debut on April 30. For all upcoming shows and tickets, please visit https://www.samarajoy.com.
Samara Joy 2025 Tour Dates
March 7 - Caen, France - Théâtre De Caen
March 8 - Coutances, France - Théâtre De Coutances
March 10 - Lyon, France - Orchestre National De Lyon
March 11 - Lucerne, Switzerland - KKL Luzern
March 12 - Geneva, Switzerland - Victoria Hall
March 14 - Amiens, France - Maison De La Culture
March 15 - Paris, France - Grande salle Pierre Boulez - Philharmonie de Paris
March 17 - Toulouse, France - La Halle Aux Grains
March 18 - Marseille, France - Le Cepac Silo
March 20 - Metz, France - Arsenal
March 22 - Antwerp, Belgium - De Singel International Arts Centre
March 23 - Utrecht, Netherlands - TivoliVrendenburg
April 30 - New York, NY - Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall
May 3 - Boston, MA - Berklee Performance Center
May 4 - East Greenwich, RI - Greenwich Odeum
May 11 - Germantown, TN - Highland Capital Performance Hall
May 13 - Nashville, TN - Schermerhorn Symphony Center
May 15 - Niagara, Canada - Central Niagara
May 16 - Toronto, Canada - Massey Hall
May 18 - Cape May, NJ - Exit Zero Jazz Festival
May 20 - Ridgefield, CT - The Ridgefield Playhouse
May 22 - Orlando, FL - Dr. Phillips Center - Steinmetz Hall
May 28 - Dallas, TX - Majestic Theatre
June 1 - New Orleans, LA - Orpheum Theater
June 2 - Houston, TX - Jones Hall For The Performing Arts
June 5 - Raleigh, NC - Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
June 7 - Norfolk, VA - Chrysler Hall
June 28 - Montreal, Canada - Place Des Arts - Maison Symphonique at Montreal Jazz Festival
About Samara Joy
A native of the Bronx, Samara Joy became entranced by classic R&B as a child and cut her teeth as a singer in her church’s gospel choir. And while her family history is deeply musical — her grandparents helmed the Philadelphia gospel group the Savettes, and her father, the musician and songwriter Antonio McLendon, has produced, composed and arranged his own astounding original work — she didn’t delve into the jazz tradition until college at SUNY Purchase. During her studies there she won the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, which introduced her to the larger jazz scene as a rising star to watch. She was heard, by audiences and critics alike, as a masterful interpreter of jazz standards and a rightful heiress of the sound, technique and charisma that defined her jazz heroines — including Vaughan, Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln and Carmen McRae.
Joy released her self-titled debut on the Whirlwind label in 2021, followed a year later by Linger Awhile, her breakout Verve debut, of which DownBeat said, “With this beautiful recording, a silky-voiced star is born.” The album earned her a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album in addition to a headline-making win for Best New Artist. A deluxe edition of the album was released, as well as the EP A Joyful Holiday, which won two Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Jazz Performance (“Twinkle Twinkle Little Me” feat. Sullivan Fortner).
Her new Verve album, Portrait, which Joy co-produced with the veteran trumpeter/bandleader and multi-Grammy winner Brian Lynch, showcases the intimate, soulful chemistry she’s developed with her touring band. Portrait also spotlights her burgeoning gifts as a lyricist, in ingenious arrangements that meld her thoughtful words with music by Charles Mingus, Sun Ra and her late mentor Barry Harris.
North Carolina duo Watchhouse (Andrew Marlin & Emily Frantz) have announced a new studio album called Rituals, due out May 30, 2025 via Tiptoe Tiger Music / Thirty Tigers. The collection marks the pair’s first release of all new, original songs since their 2021 self-titled album, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Bluegrass chart and earned praise from Rolling Stone (“pristine acoustic picking collides with hazy, dream-like psychedelia”) Mojo, NPR Music, American Songwriter and more.
Rituals, co-produced with Ryan Gustafson (The Dead Tongues), explores the boundaries between identity and awareness, and how we often confuse patterns with truths. The 11-song collection muses on the endless nature of evolution, asking questions like: how can we have a positive relationship with change? How can we meet our ends gracefully? Is the world on fire or at home in the sun?
With the announcement, Watchhouse unveils lead single “All Around You.” Featuring layered guitars, a steady beat and floating vocal harmonies, the song wrestles with how we often view home as a destination, just as we look back longing for the past. Ultimately it arrives at an understanding that wherever we are, we are already home, emphasizing that trusting in our own awareness allows us to face the future with the wisdom we’ve acquired. Listen to “All Around You” HERE.
Watchhouse will tour across the US in 2025, including dates supporting the Avett Brothers and festival slots at MerleFest, Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots and Iron Blossom Music Festival. Their headline US tour in support of the new album kicks off June 14th at the Palace Theater in Saint Paul, MN before stops in Chicago, Seattle, NYC, Boston, Nashville, Atlanta and more. For tickets and all upcoming shows, please visit https://watchhouseband.com/.
Starting over a decade ago playing coffee shops and local restaurants around North Carolina, Watchhouse have grown into a bonafide folk music sensation and one of 21st century indie music’s biggest grassroots success stories. With sold-out shows at legendary venues like Red Rocks and the Ryman Auditorium, and hundreds of millions of streams, they’ve earned a reputation for creating music that “redefines roots music for a younger generation” (Washington Post). The duo - now a family of their own - are two singers and musicians with profound chemistry, performing earnest yet masterfully crafted songs that encompass the unknowable mysteries, existential heartbreak, and communal joys of modern life. The forthcoming album is no exception.
Watchhouse 2025 Tour Dates
April 11 - Storrs, CT - Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts
April 20 - Boulder, CO - Bluebird Music Festival
April 25 - Dale, TX - Old Settler's Music Festival
April 27 - Wilkesboro, NC - MerleFest
May 31 - Vienna, VA - Wolf Trap *
June 14 - St. Paul, MN - Palace Theatre
June 15 - Maquoketa, IA - Codfish Hollow Barnstormers
June 17 - Kalamazoo, MI - Bell's Eclectic Cafe
June 18 - Madison, WI - The Sylvee
June 19 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
June 20 - Indianapolis, IN - Rock the Ruins
June 22 - Louisville, KY - Old Forester's Paristown Hall
July 11 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheater *
July 12 - Cheyenne, WY - The Lincoln
July 14 - Jackson, WY - Center for the Arts
July 16 - Seattle, WA - Neptune Theatre
July 17 - Jacksonville, OR - Britt Festival Pavilion
July 18 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
July 19 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
August 9 - Lyons, CO - Rocky Mountain Folks Festival
August 10 - Colorado Springs, CO - Pikes Peak Center
August 12 - Toronto, ON - The Concert Hall
August 13 - Buffalo, NY - Asbury Hall
August 14 - Homer, NY - Center for the Arts of Homer
August 15 - Portland, ME - State Theatre
August 16 - Manchester, VT - Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots
August 18 - Charlton, MA - The Pavilion at Tree House Brewing
August 30 - Wilmington, NC - Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
September 21 - Richmond, VA - Iron Blossom Music Festival
Today, with the release of new single "Granite Mills," Alison Krauss & Union Station share the second preview of their first album in 14 years. Out March 28th on Down The Road Records, the forthcoming Arcadia LP is a set of ten songs that transcend time, reveal beautiful and tragic truths, and reaffirm why the group remains one of the most influential, widely celebrated acts of the past four decades. Arriving on the heels of "Looks Like The End Of The Road" – which spotlights Alison Krauss' "undiminished soprano" (Rolling Stone) and Jerry Douglas' "soul-piercing steel guitar" (Billboard) – "Granite Mills" is a traditional song that tells a dire and fatal tale, showcasing the gripping vocal talents of brand new band member Russell Moore.
"Jerry, Ron, Barry and I all met when Dan Tyminski left the band, and Jerry asked me, 'What do you think?' I said, 'Russell Moore,' and they all said, 'Absolutely!' I couldn't believe it when we went into the studio and his voice came through the speakers," says Alison Krauss. "He just stands there and sings with his hands in his pockets, and he kills it. The first song he did was 'Granite Mills' and about 10 minutes in, Ron was covering his mouth because he started giggling. Russell came in and inspired us all."
Best known as the frontman for chart-topping group IIIrd Tyme Out, Russell Moore is the International Bluegrass Music Association's most awarded male vocalist of all time, further adding to Alison Krauss & Union Station's decorated history of more than 70 collective GRAMMY® Awards, tens of millions of albums sold, and numerous other accolades. But even during the band's extended period apart – each member building a thriving solo career, collaborating with some of the greatest artists in the world – they never stopped searching for and patiently collecting the music that might one day bring them back together.
In addition to "Granite Mills" and "Looks Like The End Of The Road" – written by Jeremy Lister and "heightened by the purity of Krauss's voice" (The New York Times) – Arcadia's songs serve as contemporary reflections of history, penned by such modern masters as Robert Lee Castleman, Viktor Krauss, Bob Lucas, JD McPherson and Sarah Siskind. Recorded in studios across Nashville, Arcadia follows 2011's Paper Airplane, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Country, Bluegrass and Folk Charts, and further expands the immaculately crafted, endlessly surprising sound that Alison Krauss & Union Station are known and loved for.
Beginning this spring, Alison Krauss (fiddle, lead vocal), Jerry Douglas (Dobro, lap steel, vocals), Ron Block (banjo, guitar, vocals), Barry Bales (bass, vocals) and Russell Moore (co-lead vocals, guitar, mandolin) will perform the music of Arcadia live at 75 tour dates across North America. From April through September, stops include iconic venues like Red Rocks Amphitheatre, LA's Greek Theatre, NYC's Beacon Theatre and dozens more, with special guest Willie Watson. See the full list of dates below, and find tickets at alisonkrauss.com.
Ukrainian frontman Eugene Hütz of the international punk band Gogol Bordello has announced NYContinuity Vol.1: New New York Does Old New York - a new cross-generational compilation album out April 4 on his Casa Gogol Records. The first single out today is a mesmerizing cover of The Velvet Underground’s “All Tomorrow’s Parties” by Grace Bergere ft. Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth.
The dialogue continues between NYC’s new wave of bands and their heroes, with Puzzled Panther’s cover of Sonic Youth’s “Dirty Boots” (produced by Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley and drums by Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Brian Chase), Pons’ manic tribute to Suicide, Mary Shelley’s Bushwick rooftop version of Talking Heads’ “The Great Curve” (produced by David Byrne's American Utopia music director Mauro Refosco) and more.
Original tracks are also featured, including a new one from Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and Eugene Hütz, a Grace Bergere remix by Mr. Pharmacist a.k.a. Gregg Foreman (Alan Vega and Cat Power), and Puzzled Panther’s “Fractured,” from their upcoming EP STING OF IODINE, channeling all their favorite NYC dance punk influences while referencing Television and “rocking you like Lydia in retrograde.”
The project will culminate with a show at Bowery Ballroom on April 5 with some of these artists, plus Twowayradio and special guest Vera Farmiga and her band The Yagas - tickets here.
Gogol Bordello also just announced a European tour here, with support from “one of the most exciting bands in the world right now,” English punk duo Bob Vylan. “Enraged anew by world atrocities, Gogol Bordello is coming your way with new material developed in collaboration with the king of post-punk groove Nick Launay (Nick Cave, Amyl and the Sniffers, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Refused). Feels like the salvaging of a massive bell,” says Hütz.
The album is part of Casa Gogol's mission to preserve, perpetuate and accelerate NYC’s sonic culture – fostering generational cross-pollination, and uniting punk and hardcore artists to sustain the genre’s legacy of identity and belonging.
“Arriving in NYC in 1997, I no longer felt like a marginal freakaholic,” explains Eugene Hütz. “The city took me under its wing, picked me up, and pinned me straight into the lineage where I belonged. NYContinuity is dedicated to preserving and perpetuating NYC’s unique ability to define the blueprint the world will inevitably copy for the next 15–20 years.”
“Music comes from a generational cross pollination. The greatest thing about punk rock was that it had an unprecedented mix of people of all backgrounds and all ages striking new sparks out of each other.”
Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson have unveiled “Marching Jaybird” from their forthcoming album of North Carolina fiddle and banjo music What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow (April 18 / Nonesuch Records). As part of their long-awaited reunion on this album, “Marching Jaybird” finds the duo revisiting a recording by influential guitarist and singer Etta Baker, one of their musical heroes and a key inspiration for making this new album.
The instrumental track, with Giddens and Robinson both on banjo, was recorded at Baker’s Morganton, NC home. The two longtime friends and collaborators experienced an extraordinary moment at Baker’s home while recording when her son, Edgar Baker, offhandedly mentioned that his mother had recorded “Carolina Breakdown” in her yard, and that a Carolina wren ended up on the recording. Robinson and Giddens were delighted to hear him tell this story, as that very recording had been their inspiration to record What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow in the way they did — preserving place in music. The duo recorded Baker’s version of “Marching Jaybird” in the living room, as shown in the video, with Baker’s son listening.
“This was a magical moment for Justin and me,” Giddens says. “Walking into Etta Baker’s house, which is frozen in time, looking just like it did when she was alive, very much reminded us of women in our families; sitting in her living room and recording this piece we learned from her playing, was pretty profound.”
Today Giddens also announced a number of new dates on her Rhiannon Giddens & The Old-Time Revue tour–featuring Robinson and four other string musicians, including multi-instrumentalist Dirk Powell. On June 18 they will headline the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, joined by special guests Our Native Daughters– in their first performance since 2022–as well as Steve Martin, Ed Helms, and more. Additional shows in July have been added to the itinerary as well; see below for the full list.
Giddens also shared more details about Biscuits & Banjos –– revealing the remaining artist performances and panel lineup –– her first festival, which takes place April 25-27 in downtown Durham, NC. Curated by Giddens, Biscuits & Banjos highlights the deep roots and enduring legacy of Black music, art, and culture while fostering community and storytelling. The sold-out festival will feature a much-anticipated Carolina Chocolate Drops reunion, their first performance together in more than a decade. The newly unveiled additions include Amythyst Kiah, Angela Wellman, Bittersweet Brass Band, Buffalo Nichols, Charly Lowry, Dasan Ahanu, Gabrielle and Danielle Davenport, Hannah Mayree, Joseph Johnson, Dr. Lalenja Harrington, Michael Twitty, Niwel Tsumbu, Piedmont Blues Preservation Society, Shana Tucker, Shorlette Ammons, Sùle Greg Wilson, Toni Tipton-Martin, Dr. Tressie McMillan Cottom, Yasmin Williams, and more.
The panels include:
Black Voices in Country Music: A Conversation with Rhiannon Giddens, Rissi Palmer, and Alice Randall Let the Church Say Amen!: Ritual, Storytelling, and the Oral Tradition with Dasan Ahanu and Dr. Lalenja Harrington Intentional Community: Celebrating Black Voices in Festivals and Live Events with Holly G, Brandi Waller-Pace, Rissi Palmer, and Dr. Dena Ross Jennings The Art of the Biscuit A Conversation with Michael Twitty and Toni Tipton-Martin, supported by Biscuitville
Biscuits & Banjos is a non-profit, community responsive festival. Funding for Biscuits & Banjos is made possible in part by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the National Endowment for the Arts, North Carolina Humanities, the Danielle Rose Paikin Foundation, the Harper House Music Foundation, the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, Warner Music Group & Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund (a sponsored project of Moore Impact), Duke Arts, Duke Community Affairs, 21c Museum Hotel, Biscuitville, the City of Durham, Durham County, Discover Durham, North Carolina Arts Council, Durham Arts Council, American Tobacco Campus, Blue Ridge Music Center, Sugarlands Distilling Company, Bull City Burger and Brewery, Proximity Brewing Company and other generous individual donors, sponsors, civic, and community partners. On the state’s partnership, Secretary Reid Wilson said, “The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is excited to help sponsor Rhiannon Giddens’ new Biscuits & Banjos festival in 2025. The festival will give North Carolinians an opportunity to immerse themselves in our state’s vibrant music and arts, rich history, and diverse culture. Music provides common ground for all of us, and we’re proud to be a part of this innovative event.”
Produced by Giddens and Joseph "joebass" DeJarnette, What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow finds Giddens and Robinson playing eighteen of their favorite North Carolina tunes: a mix of instrumentals and tunes with words. Many were learned from their late mentor, the legendary North Carolina Piedmont musician Joe Thompson, one of the last musicians of his era and his community to carry on the southern Black string band tradition. Giddens and Robinson also recorded outdoors at Thompson’s Mebane, NC home, as well as the former plantation Mill Prong. They were accompanied by the sounds of nature, including two different broods of cicadas, which had not emerged simultaneously since 1803, creating a true once-in-a-lifetime soundscape.
“With the assaults on reality going on in the world today, we wanted to offer another kind of record, like walking back onto a gravel or dirt road while a stampede goes the other way,” Giddens says. “With the cicada choir, this record could’ve only happened at a certain time in the last 120 years. We doubled down on place, time, realness, and old-fashioned front porch music. It’s a reminder that another way exists, with music made for your community’s enjoyment and for dancing–not solely for commercial purposes.”
What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow Track List:
Rain Crow
Brown’s Dream
Hook and Line
Pumpkin Pie
Duck’s Eyeball
Ryestraw
Little Brown Jug
Going to Raleigh
Country Waltz
Molly Put the Kettle On
Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss
John Henry
Love Somebody
Ebenezer
Old Joe Clark
Old Molly Hare
Marching Jaybird
Walkin’ in the Parlor
Tour Dates:
April 25-27 - Durham, NC - Biscuits & Banjos
April 30 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
May 2 - Miami, FL - Miami Beach Bandshell
May 3 - Atlanta, GA - The Eastern
May 4 - Birmingham, AL - Jemison Concert Hall @ Alys Robinson Stephens Center
May 7 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
May 8 - Cincinnati, OH - Memorial Hall
May 9 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
May 11 - Washington, DC - The Anthem
May 13 - Grand Rapids, MI - St. Cecilia Music Center
May 15 - Toronto, ON - Koerner Hall at The Royal Conservatory of Music
May 16 - Toronto, ON - Koerner Hall at The Royal Conservatory of Music
May 17 - Ottawa, ON - National Arts Centre, Southam Hall
June 15 - Napa, CA - Uptown Theatre
June 16 - Ventura, CA - Ventura Theater
June 18 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl (with Our Native Daughters, Steve Martin, Ed Helms, Leyla McCalla, Amythyst Kiah and Allison Brown)
June 19 - San Diego, CA - The Observatory North Park
June 21 - Berkeley, CA - Zellerbach
June 23 - Seattle, WA - The Moore Theater
June 26 - Montréal, QC - Théâtre Maisonneuve @ Montreal Jazz Festival
July 11 - Tucson, AZ - Fox Tucson Theatre
July 12 - Flagstaff, AZ - Pepsi Amphitheater
July 14 - Santa Fe, NM - Lensic Performing Arts Center
Rhino continues the career-spanning archival series honoring Robert Hunter's work as a solo artist with a deluxe reissue of his 1975 studio album, Tiger Rose. While Hunter is widely revered as the primary lyricist for the Grateful Dead, this series explores the depth of his solo work, offering a renewed appreciation for his exceptional artistry.
Tiger Rose (50th Anniversary Editions) will be available on March 28 from Rhino as a 2-CD (Deluxe Edition), as well as a 1-LP and digitally. Pre-order HERE.
Originally released in March 1975, the Jerry Garcia-produced Tiger Rose features contributions from Garcia, Mickey Hart and Donna Jean Godchaux. The Tiger Rose (50th Anniversary Editions) have been remastered from the original analog tapes by GRAMMY® Award-Winning Engineer David Glasser using Plangent Processes tape restoration and speed correction.
The 2-CD Deluxe Edition introduces a freshly remastered version of the original album alongside nine previously unreleased alternate versions of album tracks.
In the Deluxe Edition liner notes, Jesse Jarnow (author, DJ, and cohost of the "Good Ol' Grateful Deadcast") deftly captures the essence of the album: "Complex and inviting, the world of Tiger Rose overflows with Hunter's lyrical signatures, painting new corners of the already wide landscape he'd begun to map with the Dead. There are stacks of simple and beguiling images ("Dance A Hole"), cosmic advice ("One Thing To Try"), dispatches from mystical landscapes ("Rose Of Sharon"), and folkloric characters ("Wild Bill")."
Robert Hunter's Tiger Rose Rarities will also be available as a 1LP exclusively at select independent music retailers as a part of RECORD STORE DAY 2025 on April 12. Find your nearest participating retailer HERE.
Tiger Rose (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)
Tracklisting
2CD
Disc One: Original Album (2025 Remaster)
“Tiger Rose”
“One Thing To Try”
“Rose Of Sharon”
“Wild Bill”
“Dance A Hole”
“Cruel White Water”
“Over The Hills”
“Last Flash Of Rock 'N Roll”
“Yellow Moon”
“Ariel”
Disc Two: Alternate Versions (2025 Remaster)
“Tiger Rose” – Alternate Version *
“Last Flash Of Rock 'N Roll” – Alternate Version *
“Over The Hills” – Alternate Version *
“Ariel” – Alternate Version *
“Wild Bill” – Alternate Version *
“Cruel White Water” – Alternate Version *
“Rose Of Sharon” – Alternate Version *
“Yellow Moon” – Alternate Version *
“Dance A Hole” – Alternate Version *
* previously unreleased
Tiger Rose (50th Anniversary Remaster)
1LP & Digital
Original Album (2025 Remaster)
Side One
“Tiger Rose”
“One Thing To Try”
“Rose Of Sharon”
“Wild Bill”
“Dance A Hole”
Side Two
“Cruel White Water”
“Over The Hills”
“Last Flash Of Rock 'N Roll”
“Yellow Moon”
“Ariel”
George Brown, beloved co-founder of Kool & The Gang and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, will release his second posthumous project, ‘Jazz in Paris,’ on April 18 via Astana Music Inc/BFD/The Orchard. Inspired by the smoky jazz clubs of Paris and New York in the late 1950s and ‘60s—a sound that shaped Brown’s musical world from an early age—the album reflects his deep love for jazz while showcasing his musical versatility. The first single, “Lisa,” a sultry, classic jazz composition, is out now, featuring smooth instrumentation, brass accents, and a full-bodied walking bassline. On the track, Brown performs drums, vocals, percussion, and keyboards, highlighting his remarkable range as a multi-instrumentalist.
‘Jazz in Paris’ is a meticulously crafted body of work that blends the timeless elegance of classic jazz with George Brown’s signature touch, reflecting his lifelong dedication to the universal language of music. Produced by Brown, co-produced by Curtis F. Williams and Wolfgang Amadeus Aichholz, and with Claude Ismael as Executive Producer, the album captures Brown’s love for jazz while incorporating contemporary influences he gathered throughout his illustrious career. Recorded primarily during the pandemic at his Alley Kat Studio in Los Angeles, the album features collaborations with longtime musical allies, including Williams and Louis Van Taylor. After Brown’s passing, celebrated drummer Vinnie Colaiuta stepped in to finalize key tracks.
A central influence on ‘Jazz in Paris’ is the groundbreaking work of Miles Davis. Brown, inspired by Davis’ ability to push musical boundaries, infused the album with melodic and harmonic textures reminiscent of Davis’ First and Second Great Quintets of the 1950s and 1960s. This influence is especially evident on “Lisa,” a modal jazz composition featuring a straight 4/4 rhythm, muted trumpets, and a flurry of improvisation with interchangeable blues elements. Brown’s reverence for Davis is woven throughout the album, reflecting his commitment to honoring his jazz roots while offering his own modern interpretations.
Over his impressive sixty-year career, George Brown toured extensively across Europe with Kool & The Gang, becoming a highly celebrated act, particularly in Paris. Their festival performances and concerts were met with an outpouring of love from French audiences, most notably at the iconic Olympia Theatre. Brown’s deep connection to the city extended beyond the stage—frequent visits to Paris, both personal and professional, fueled his creative spirit and directly inspired the creation of ‘Jazz in Paris.’ The album serves as both a love letter to the city and a tribute to the jazz pioneers who first captured his imagination.
Reflecting on the project, Brown’s close collaborator Wolfgang Amadeus Aichholz shared, “This project was very close to his heart and a way to pay homage to the greats of the era. We spent countless nights in the studio crafting the music that often came to him in dreams. GB would always say that music is a universal language, and through our shared creativity, I truly came to understand that sentiment.”
Born and raised in Jersey City, N.J., George Brown’s musical journey began with childhood afternoons spent drumming on household objects. By high school, he was performing in jazz clubs six nights a week alongside future Kool & The Gang members, including Robert “Kool” Bell and Ronald Bell. Originally known as the Jazziacs, the band evolved into Kool & The Gang in 1969, blending jazz, funk, and soul into a groundbreaking sound that sold millions of records worldwide and earned them induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2024. With ‘Jazz in Paris,’ Brown comes full circle—returning to his jazz roots while leaving behind a timeless tribute to the music that first inspired him.
‘Jazz in Paris’ Tracklist
Lisa
What I Love About You
Juliette
MDD
Francess
Daddy Jazz Bow
Addicted to the Hustle
West End Avenue
The Kat
Jardin De Lapin
In the Land of Allah – In the Land of God
George Brown passed away in 2023 at the age of 74, leaving behind a lasting legacy. He is survived by his wife, Hanh Brown, and five children.
GRAMMY-nominated Nashville songwriter Adam Wright has announced Nature of Necessity, an epic four-part solo project that brings his “richly crafted melodies” (Billboard) and intricate storytelling to the forefront, marking the culmination of years spent sharpening his craft. Out today is Side One, which features album opener “Yellow Bird,” a haunting ode to a poet lost in verse and bourbon, with delicate vocal accents from Shannon Wright and Anna Lise Liddell. “Yellow Bird is a composite sketch of characters I’ve come across over the years,” says Wright. “He’s slipped too far down into his own bourbon-soaked, poetic mind and tries to reach out, but doesn’t quite connect. It’s one of my favorite cuts from the album. Shannon and Anna’s harmonies are just beautiful. It’s also a damned good whiskey.”
Side One also includes recent single “Crawlspace” - which conjures the careening energy of 60s-era The Who if they recorded in Nashville - and two additional tracks, “Eternally East,” a reflection of the small and cosmic in binomial nomenclature, and “Music of Life,” a love song for the contentious. Wright explains that Side One is “a bar room character sketch, a self-inflicted song wound, a latin-esque journal entry and a love song of sorts.”
Nature of Necessity finds Wright stepping out of the writer’s room and into the spotlight. A masterclass in songwriting, the epic 18-track collection is produced by Frank Liddell (Miranda Lambert, Lee Ann Womack) and recorded at East Iris in Nashville, TN with renowned musicians Glenn Worf on bass (Mark Knopfler) and Matt Chamberlain on drums (Fiona Apple) with tracking engineer Mike McCarthy (Spoon, Patty Griffin). While originally intended to be solely a live trio album (the initial recording of Adam, Glenn and Matt remains wholly live and unedited), background vocals (Shannon Wright, Anna Liddell, Lee Ann Womack, Patty Griffin) and instruments (Park Chisolm, Adam Wright) were added to the raw performances and then mixed into a swirl of technicolor psychedelia by engineer Anna Liddell.
The record explores the lives of alcoholic poets, arrogant cowboys, estranged fathers, trick shot gamblers and one Leonardo da Vinci, while chronicling deception at sea, murder in the goldmines, the curse of creativity, and much more. When it comes to the story behind the upcoming album, Wright says: “The story is there is no story. I didn’t get sober. There was no breakup. I didn’t awaken to some new awareness. I’m just a lyric junkie with a melody addiction. And this is rock bottom.”
Adam Wright is a “wildly brilliant genius” according to Robert Earl Keen and “one of the best of the best songwriters and storytellers there is” according to Buddy Miller. Lori McKenna added “every one of his songs reminds me how much I treasure the craft of songwriting.” Having penned songs for Garth Brooks, Brandy Clark, Sierra Hull, Alan Jakson, Randy Newman, Lee Ann Womack, Hailey Whitters and more, Wright is a lyrical force to be reckoned with. “Even if you don't know Adam Wright's name, you almost certainly know his songs,” says The Tennessean.
Side Two of Nature of Necessity comes on May 29. Pre-save here:
Nature of Necessity Tracklist:
Yellow Bird
Eternally East
Crawlspace
Music of Life
Whisper Gold
Motorblood
Mark of The Jester
Warm Wind
Dreamer and The Realist
All The Texas
Crack Down The Middle
Daughters of Memory
Leonardo
Heaven When I Die
Apprentice To The Draper
Friends Who Didn’t Live Long Enough
You Were Right and I Was Wrong
Weeds
About Adam Wright
Adam Wright’s songs are deeply rooted in the lives of people. A true singer-songwriter, Wright breathes life into his characters so vividly that you’d need a series of novels to fully tell their stories. A self-proclaimed bookworm with a fondness for classic literature, Wright quips, “I probably should’ve just written short stories instead of playing music. It would’ve been easier on my fingers.”
From heart-wrenching ballads like “So You Don’t Have to Love Me Anymore” (recorded by Alan Jackson, which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Song) to raw, defiant tracks like “All The Trouble” (recorded by Lee Ann Womack and nominated for both a Grammy and an Americana Music Association Song of the Year award), Wright has proven himself a master of the art of songwriting. His work has been recorded by Nashville heavyweights like Jackson, Womack, Garth Brooks, and Trisha Yearwood, alongside renowned artists such as Brandy Clark, Robert Earl Keen, and Bruce Robison. Wright has also contributed numerous songs to bluegrass bands like Lonesome River Band and Balsam Range, earning IBMA Song of the Year nominations for each.
Yet his solo albums carve out a distinct, deeply personal path that doesn’t always align with his collaborations. Across his solo releases to date, all but one song has been written solely by Wright. While this level of self-reliance isn’t uncommon in the singer-songwriter world, it’s rare in Nashville’s Music Row. From the playful optimism of "I Win" (which AP writer Steve Wine called "the antidote to 2020") to the haunting beauty of Dust, Wright’s songwriting voice remains consistent—a testament to his unwavering dedication to his craft.
Melanie, the beloved and trailblazing artist who made history as the first solo performer to have three singles simultaneously on the Billboard chart, and known for her songs including 1971’s “Brand New Key,” her appearance at the 1969 Woodstock Festival and an extensive catalog of works released over the course of an uncompromising five-decade career, had always wanted to release an album of children’s songs. Lullabies From Heaven - a new album decades in the making and composed of previously unreleased recordings, will be released on April 25 (Cleopatra Records). With songs that Melanie recorded dating back to the mid-1960s, and only first discovered after her passing in 2024, this collection of lullabies is a revelation and opportunity to revisit the career of a pioneering artist. Her three children, also musicians, along with grandchildren and great grandchildren, lent their voices and additional instruments to these recordings as a love letter and parting gift to her.
Following Melanie’s passing, her manager set out to locate every tape he could find, and in the process discovered tapes that went back to the mid-60s, recorded by Melanie when she was a teenager, prior to her career as a recording artist. Six of those recordings are featured on Lullabies From Heaven, as well as additional songs recorded in the ‘70s and more recently. Melanie’s children Beau Jarred, Leilah and Jeordie went into the studio last year to sing and add instrumentation to some of the recordings, and her grandchildren and great grandchildren can be heard singing on the album as well: four generations of Melanie’s family, singing together. Beau Jarred is credited with producing the album as well.
Lullabies From Heaven is a charming collection featuring a number of classic lullabies, including “Puff The Magic Dragon,” “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” and “Teddy Bear’s Picnic.” But it also includes a number of original songs written by Melanie: “Skinny Bone Jones” (co-written with her daughter Jeordie), “Ring Around The Moon,” and “Garden In The City.” The version of “Alexander Beetle,” featured on the album and adapted by Melanie from AA Milne's "Forgiven" poem published in 1919, is from the mid-60s tapes that were discovered. Melanie would record and release “Alexander Beetle” on her 1970 album Candles In The Rain, and would go on to perform the song on the Ed Sullivan Show in ‘71. The album’s bonus track is a different version of “Alexander Beetle” from an unidentified 1970s recording session.
Many of the songs have deep meaning amongst Melanie and her children. She would sing songs like “Puff The Magic Dragon” and “Teddy Bear’s Picnic” to them while they were little; for her children to hear these early recordings of these songs was a powerful experience. “These songs are all so special and all have their own place in my heart,” says daughter Jeordie Schekeryk. “Momma was always such an inspiration and incredible craftswoman of songs. All these songs have had a unique place in our hearts & especially now. We are excited to share these with everyone .. from our family to yours.” Daughter Leilah Schekeryk adds: “I love singing with my family! There were so many little magical moments I really felt mom’s spirit with us. Just truly special!!” Melanie’s son Beau Jarred says “I remember mom singing my sisters and I to sleep with Teddy Bears Picnic. I’m beyond glad we got to do that one for her.”
Cleopatra Records has re-issued nearly 30 albums featuring Melanie’s works over the past year; her catalog had never previously been available all at one time. This includes every album between 1972 and her final release in 20
Alexander Beetle
Puff The Magic Dragon
Animal Crackers
Hobo’s Lullaby
Skinny Bone Jones
Teddy Bear’s Picnic
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
The Riddle Song (Child 46)
Rain Rain Go Away Medley
Garden In The City
Ring Around The Moon
Fly Me To The Moon
Duck Bottom Boat
Alexander Beetle (Reprise)
ABOUT: Melanie Anne Safka Schekeryk (February 3, 1947 – January 23, 2024)
Melanie - she has always been known by her first name alone - needs no introduction.
An unexpected star of the Woodstock Festival in 1969, Melanie was the first rocker (and, in some instances, the first woman) to perform at the Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall; the first solo performer to have three simultaneous singles on the Billboard chart; the first, too, to launch her own record label; a major hit at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival, and the artist selected to welcome the rising midsummer sun at the 1971 Glastonbury Festival.
She dominated British, American and European music press readers polls during 1971-1972, and her music has been covered by acts as far apart as Morrissey, Ray Charles, Barbra Streisand and Dolly Parton.
Other admirers include Keith Richard and the Rolling Stones, who invited her to open their 1976 European tour; Jarvis Cocker, who persuaded her to perform at the 2007 Meltdown Festival; Morrissey; Miley Cyrus; and Jim Morrison. “Jim and I were going to do a rock version of Othello at Madison Square Garden,” she recalls. “I backed out – call me crazy.”
More than that, however, Melanie epitomized the “flower child” imagery of the late 1960s and early 1970s, at the same time as writing songs that tore apart the societal conventions of the day regarding what a young woman (she was barely 20 at the time) should say, think, or do.
This dichotomy continued for the remainder of her career, and the forty plus albums she released before her passing on January 23, 2024. For some listeners, she remains the devastatingly beautiful “hippy chick” who sang songs about beetles, Christopher Robin, love, peace and candles in the rain. Her biggest British hit, “Brand New Key,” is remembered as “the bicycle song,” and was later covered by the Wurzels as “Brand New Combine Harvester.” Another Melanie classic, “Look What They’ve Done To My Song, Ma” gave the New Seekers their first hit single in 1970.
For others, however, she is remembered for “Bo Bo’s Party,” about a woman haunting the back room at parties, in search of the attention her impotent husband cannot provide; for songs of darkness and despair; for ripping the sticking plaster off the festering wounds of Vietnam-era America. And for fighting - not always successfully, but resolutely regardless - against the engrained attitudes of the male dominated music industry of the age. A single line in “Brand New Key” encapsulates her fury - “some people say I’ve done alright for a girl.”
Her first battle, aged just 20, was with Clive Davis, the legendary (and legendarily combative) head of Columbia records. When he refused to countenance her first LP until she accepted his “guidance” on how she should present herself, she walked off the label.
Other industry kingpins, too, tried to shape and mold her, and they too lost the battle - Buddah (and later Casablanca) Records chief Neil Bogart, Ahmet Ertegun at Atlantic Records, Clive Davis again at Arista. And, though she was warned, again and again, that her single-mindedness was losing her more friends than she was winning, she didn’t care. This was her career, and it was going to follow the course that she designed, come what may.
She continued to do so for the remainder of her life.
Today, Melanie’s career is enjoying the spotlight once more. Across the year or so before her death, Melanie and manager Dave Thompson, worked together to create what they considered the ultimate Melanie collection - deluxe reissues of her entire album catalog, plus a series of additional releases spotlighting crucial live performances and unreleased studio sessions. The first of these was released by Cleopatra Records in early January 2024, just weeks before her death. Since that time, 30 more albums have shed new light upon, and opened fresh ears to, her music and career, while a six CD box set, Neighbourhood Songs (Easy Action Records) dug deep into Melanie’s broadcast and concert archive.
Melanie might be gone, but she is also here to stay.
Continuing a year-long 60th-anniversary celebration, The Doors have unveiled a new collaboration with Apple Maps, chronicling the historic places that shaped The Doors’ music and art – from their Californian roots to their European memories. Twenty locations are included in the guide, such as the iconic Whisky a Go Go, where the band cemented its legacy and where Robby Krieger will begin a monthly legacy later this month. Additional locations include favorite restaurants and popular LA haunts like Tail O’ The Pup and Barney’s Beanery, significant recording studios, performing arts centers, venues and much more.
Users can access the Apple Maps guide by opening the Maps app and searching “The Doors” in the search bar. Users can also access via the following LINK.
Earlier this year, The Doors unveiled their iconic Bright Midnight Archives live recordings on streamers for the very first time, an effort that will continue throughout 2025. These coveted concerts previously only existed physically on limited-edition LPs and CDs. The first live release in the series was Live at the Matrix 1967: The Original Masters, which showcased everything from the rip-roaring “Break On Through” to a mesmerizing rendition of “The End.” At the same time, a rare instrumental of “Summertime” proves utterly captivating, while their passion for the blues drives fluid, extended covers of “I’m A King Bee” and “Crawling King Snake.” Stay tuned throughout the year as The Doors continue to make the Bright Midnight Archives catalog available for streaming for the first time.
The Doors kicked off their 60th Anniversary last year with The Doors 1967-1971 release, a 6-LP box set part of Rhino’s acclaimed High Fidelity audiophile vinyl series, featuring all six of the band’s original studio albums cut from the original analog master tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearant Audio. The vinyl was pressed at Optimal Media and the box includes a heavyweight gatefold jacket featuring rare photos and liner notes by Doors archivist David Dutkowski. Limited to 3,000 individually numbered copies, the collection quickly sold out. These sought-after audiophile titles are now available individually via thedoors.com and rhino.com.
Arriving for this year’s Record Store Day festivities on April 12th, The Doors have announced Strange Days 1967: A Work in Progress, an album of rough mixes from studio sessions for The Doors’ iconic second studio album. Discovered after 58-years, this release will present the record without the final overdubs heard on the original release. “It’s time once again to visit 1967 during the recording of The Doors’ Strange Days album,” says longtime Doors engineer Bruce Botnick. “These rough mixes are of the moment since they reflect exactly what and where we were at during the recording sessions.” Set to be released in limited quantities on translucent blue vinyl at participating independent record stores.
To commemorate The Doors anniversary, their first-ever complete anthology book, Night Divides the Day, arrives on May 13th illuminating the band’s archives like never before with rare photography, intimate interviews with Robby Krieger and John Densmore, and meticulously sourced archival text from Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek. With unlimited access granted by the band, Night Divides the Day includes a unique collection of historical ephemera – including childhood photos, song lyrics, poster artwork, movie stills, and much more – which adds context to the wealth of rare photography that documents the band’s musical odyssey. Joining Krieger and Densmore are a host of contributors, with a foreword by Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic and an afterword by maestro Gustavo Dudamel. Available for pre-order now.
Grammy Award winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer John Fogerty will celebrate his 80th birthday on May 28, 2025 - a milestone marking a lifetime of groundbreaking contributions to popular music - and he plans to celebrate all year long. As the leader of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Fogerty helped shape the sound of American music, blending blues, country, pop, rockabilly, R&B, and swamp boogie into a genre-defying style that continues to resonate with fans around the world. One of the greatest songwriters of all time, he has received multiple awards and honors for his undeniable impact on the culture including induction in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the BMI Icon Award, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and a special honor for his song “Centerfield” making him the only musician ever honored by the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Fogerty kicked off his 80th birthday year in January with performances at the Fire Aid benefit concert in Los Angeles and a brief residency at the Wynn Encore Theater in Las Vegas. This week he will hit SXSW for a just-announced show at Stubb’s BBQ on March 11, followed by a Keynote conversation with fellow Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Tom Morello on March 12.
On April 24, Fogerty will give a headlining performance at Jazz Fest in New Orleans, and just days later will be honored at the 2025 American Music Honors, hosted by the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music at Monmouth University in NJ. The American Music Honors celebrate artists who have demonstrated artistic excellence, creative integrity, and a longstanding commitment to the value of music within national consciousness. The April 26 event is hosted by Brian Williams and will feature presenters Bruce Springsteen, Nils Lofgren, Patti Scialfa, and Stevie Van Zandt.
In June, Fogerty will return to Glastonbury for his first performance at the legendary festival in nearly twenty years. On July 6, he will headline the Hollywood Bowl, with more exciting performances and other news to be announced soon. 2025 will be the year to recognize Fogerty’s many achievements. For more information, please visit https://johnfogerty.com/.
John Fogerty’s songwriting canon spans nearly six decades and includes foundational classics such as “Proud Mary,” “Fortunate Son,” “Born on the Bayou,” “Bad Moon Rising,” and “Have You Ever Seen the Rain.” He has sold over 100 million records worldwide, and CCR’s album Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits recently logged 728 weeks - or 14 years - on the Billboard 200, only the fifth album ever to reach that chart milestone.
In 2019, John Fogerty marked 50 years in music with a worldwide tour and the album 50 Year Trip: Live at Red Rocks, featuring Creedence Clearwater Revival hits. During the 2020 quarantine, he and his family released a popular video series, leading to the digital EP Fogerty’s Factory and its full album later that year. In January 2021, Fogerty released his first new solo song in eight years, “Weeping in The Promised Land.” He also partnered with Concord to release Creedence Clearwater Revival At The Royal Albert Hall, a restored 1970 concert and documentary.
Today, James Taylor announced his August and September tour dates with his All-Star Band, including 17 shows across the country, with special guest Tiny Habits. The new dates will see Taylor perform three shows at Wolf Trap in Vienna, VA, and two shows at MGM Music Hall at Fenway in Boston, as well as shows at Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheatre in Virginia Beach, Coca-Cola Amphitheatre in Birmingham, Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, and more. The new leg will kick off on August 21st in Vienna, VA and conclude on September 17th in Fort Worth.
The first leg of the summer tour starts on May 5th in Phoenix, with stops at the Santa Barbara Bowl, Ravinia in Chicago, Phoenix’s Footprint Center, and Toronto’s Budweiser Stage, as well as two nights at the legendary Red Rocks.
Tickets for the August and September tour dates go on sale to the public on Friday, March 14th at 10AM local time. Tickets for the first leg of the summer tour are available now. For details on all upcoming shows, please see dates listed below or visit https://tour.jamestaylor.com for more information.
Supporting Taylor will be Tiny Habits, a Boston-bred band that has been praised by the likes of NPR and The New Yorker. Last year, the group opened for Gracie Abrams on her North American and Australian tour dates, and also opened for Noah Kahan on his European tour. They have performed with Lizzy McAlpine on her Tiny Desk appearance, harmonized with Kacey Musgraves and Laufey among many others. The Habits released their debut album All For Something via Mom+Pop records in May of 2024. The band hit the road supporting Vance Joy and Lake Street Dive while finishing 2024 with a headline tour of Australia. Their latest single, ‘For Sale Sign’ with Lizzy McAlpine is out now.
As a recording and touring artist, James Taylor has touched people with his warm baritone voice and distinctive style of guitar-playing for more than 50 years, while setting a precedent to which countless young musicians have aspired. Over the course of his celebrated songwriting and performing career, Taylor has sold more than 100 million albums, earning gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards since the release of his self-titled debut album in 1968. In 2015, Taylor released Before This World, the first-ever #1 album of his illustrious career. Taylor has won multiple GRAMMY Awards, has been inducted into both the Rock and Roll and the prestigious Songwriters Halls of Fame and in February 2006, The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences selected him its MUSICARES Person of the Year. Taylor was also awarded the distinguished Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government and the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama in 2012.
In November of 2015, Taylor was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation's highest civilian honor and in December of 2016 he received the Kennedy Center Honors, which are presented annually to individuals who have enriched American culture by distinguished achievement in the performing arts. In early 2020 Taylor released Break Shot, a deeply personal and authentic audio-only memoir detailing his first 21 years. He also released his newest album, American Standard, his 19th studio album, which earned Taylor the 2021 GRAMMY Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album and gave him the honor of being the first artist to have a Billboard Top 10 album in each of the past six decades.
The Grateful Dead celebrates its diamond 60th anniversary this year with ENJOYING THE RIDE, a sweeping 60-CD collection that maps an epic cross-country road trip along the "Heady Highway" with stops at storied venues where the music, the moment, and the magic of the Grateful Dead reliably converged.
Spanning 25 years of legendary live performances, this expansive collection spotlights defining shows from 1969 to 1994 at 20 venues that consistently inspired the band to new heights—Winterland, Frost Amphitheatre, Madison Square Garden, and Hampton Coliseum, among them. Whether playing the intimate confines of Fillmore West or beneath the open skies at Red Rocks, the Grateful Dead never played the same show twice. ENJOYING THE RIDE is a thrilling testament to that adventurous spirit.
With the exception of a few tracks from earlier releases, virtually all of the music on ENJOYING THE RIDE is previously unreleased, spanning more than 450 tracks and over 60 hours of music. Of the 20 shows in the collection, 17 are presented in full, with some featuring additional material from the same venue. The remaining three—Fillmore West, Fillmore East, and Boston Music Hall—are curated from multiple performances at each venue, capturing key moments on those legendary stages.
ENJOYING THE RIDE will be available exclusively from Dead.net on May 30. This 60-CD boxed set is limited to 6,000 individually numbered copies. Pre-order HERE. ALAC and high-res FLAC downloads will also be available on the same day.
Unreleased versions of "Scarlet Begonias," "Touch Of Grey," and "Fire On The Mountain," recorded live at the Greek Theatre on July 13, 1984, are available today digitally. Listen HERE.
For those seeking a concise itinerary, THE MUSIC NEVER STOPPED distills Enjoying The Ride into a shorter route through the band’s diamond anniversary celebration. Featuring at least one song from every venue in the deluxe set, it offers a briefer—but no less illuminating—journey through the music that shaped the Grateful Dead’s live legacy. It will be available on May 30 from Rhino.com on 3CDs, 6LPs, and digitally. Pre-order HERE.
Rhino Records President Mark Pinkus discusses the band’s legacy and his personal connection to Enjoying The Ride, "I truly believe that Enjoying The Ride captures both the spirit of following the Grateful Dead and the magic of their live performances at these storied venues. The collection David has curated is even more meaningful to me because it includes the official release of my first-ever Dead show - July 13, 1984 at the Berkeley Greek Theatre - with its epic 'Dark Star' encore. This show marked the start of a lifelong journey for me, and I'm willing to bet there are many shows in this fantastic set that will resonate with fans who also found community on the road. I am forever honored to work alongside David and the Grateful Dead to keep this long, strange trip alive."
Grateful Dead archivist and legacy manager David Lemieux says narrowing the list to 20 venues wasn’t easy, but the final selection represents places where the band always brought their A-game—destinations that drew Dead Heads from far and wide, all hoping to witness something transcendent.
Beyond the extraordinary music, he says Enjoying The Ride is a celebration of the journey itself. "On these 60 CDs, you’ll find music spanning more than 25 years, from 1969 to 1994, with the venues and the millions of journeys to get to them, making an essential part of the story. Going to see the Grateful Dead, following them from city to city, was likened to the modern equivalent of running away and joining the circus. These 20 venues are where the circus took us, and the show was something we never wanted to miss."
The collection is housed in a custom keepsake box inspired by the experience of traveling from city to city to see the Dead at legendary venues across America. Inside, a beautifully detailed tour guide features liner notes by Jesse Jarnow (author and co-host of the Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast) and a producer’s note from Lemieux, an essay by the Owsley Stanley Foundation, and more. The set is richly illustrated with photos, including many taken at the shows featured in the collection.
These performances were originally recorded by Owsley "Bear" Stanley, Betty Cantor-Jackson, Kidd Candelario, Dan Healy, and John Cutler. David Glasser and Jeffrey Norman restored and mastered the performances, with select ones using Plangent Processes tape restoration and speed correction for optimal sound quality.
Like the music itself, the Grateful Dead was never static, and that constant reinvention can be heard across Enjoying The Ride, which reflects the band’s evolution across multiple eras. The performances featured here include contributions from Jerry Garcia, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart, Keith Godchaux, Donna Jean Godchaux, Brent Mydland, Tom Constanten, and Vince Welnick.
Certain venues weren’t just stops along the road—they were catalysts, places where the Grateful Dead discovered new heights of inspiration. That spirit is reflected in Enjoying The Ride with selections from an April 1969 performance at the Avalon Ballroom, a hub of San Francisco’s psychedelic underground. That night, Garcia and Weir opened acoustically with "Dupree’s Diamond Blues" and "Mountains of the Moon," leading into a spellbinding "Dark Star." Available exclusively on cassette, this recording pays tribute to the countless tapers whose grassroots recordings helped fuel the band’s legend.
A few months later, in June 1969, the Dead took the stage at the Fillmore West, a cornerstone of the band’s early years. Originally known as the Carousel Ballroom, the venue was briefly operated by the Dead and other San Francisco bands before Bill Graham took over in 1968, transforming it into the city’s premier rock hall. The Fillmore West recordings include the first live performance of "Dire Wolf," a song that would find its way onto Workingman’s Dead a year later.
In February 1971, the Dead staged a six-night run at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York. The shows, originally recorded for the live album Skull & Roses (but ultimately set aside), delivered unforgettable moments. On February 20, the band played a rare electric "Ripple"—one of just three times the song was ever played that way. On February 24, they worked through early versions of "Bird Song," "Greatest Story Ever Told," and "Wharf Rat" before closing the residency with Pigpen leading a fiery 20-minute "Turn On Your Lovelight."
As the Godchaux era neared its end in May 1978, the Dead turned a Saturday night at the Spectrum in Philadelphia into an unforgettable party. The second set’s "Playing in the Band" built in intensity before giving way to "Drums," where the full band joined in on Hart’s developing Rhythm Devils concept. Even basketball great Bill Walton joined the percussive frenzy as the music spiraled into one of the Dead’s earliest delineated "Space" segments.
By August 1979, Brent Mydland had taken over on keys when the Dead returned to Red Rocks Amphitheatre under open skies, testing new material with early live airings of "Althea" and "Lost Sailor." That night, they also delivered a crisp, lyrical "Brown-Eyed Women," a swelling "Looks Like Rain," and an "Estimated Prophet" that flowed seamlessly into a fluid, up-tempo "Eyes of the World."
The ’80s brought fresh songs, new venues, and unexpected revivals, including the live debut of "Touch of Grey" on September 15, 1982, at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland—a song that would become one of the band’s most recognized anthems. Before that, in August 1980, the Dead arrived at Alpine Valley Music Theatre for the first time, beginning a love affair with the scenic outdoor venue that lasted throughout the decade. That night, Garcia’s solo on "Big River" rippled across the hillside, while Weir’s "Lazy Lightning" > "Supplication" crackled with energy. Unlike the Alpine shows that followed, this performance never widely circulated among tapers, making its inclusion in Enjoying The Ride a rare and long-awaited addition.
Two years later, on July 13, 1984, at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, the band revived "Dark Star" for the first time in nearly three years. Under a full moon, the band slipped into the mesmerizing, cosmic jam, with NASA-sourced visuals illuminating the backdrop. The appearance of "Dark Star" was an increasingly rare event—one that wouldn’t happen again for another five years.
By fall 1985, the Dead were back in the Bay Area at the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center, marking their 20th anniversary—Twenty Years So Far—with a run that leaned into their Warlocks-era roots. They opened the November 21 show with "Big Boy Pete," a rarity not played since 1978, and closed with another throwback, "Walking the Dog," making its final appearance in the band’s repertoire. Along the way, they revisited other Warlocks staples like "In The Midnight Hour" and "She Belongs To Me." Now, with Sixty Years So Far, the journey continues.
Closing out the decade, the Dead made their first appearance at Deer Creek Music Center, a newly opened amphitheater in Indiana that instantly became a Midwestern hub for Dead Heads. With a smaller capacity than the stadiums they were filling elsewhere, the setting lent an intimate energy to the show. That night’s extended "Space" sequence took a surreal turn when Garcia summoned the Close Encounters of the Third Kind five-note motif for the first time in over a decade, sending a ripple of recognition through the crowd.
By the 1990s, the Grateful Dead were at the peak of their popularity, playing to massive crowds while still finding ways to surprise even the group’s most devoted fans. In May 1991, the band returned home to Shoreline Amphitheatre with its biggest lineup in years, featuring Welnick on keyboards and part-time member Bruce Hornsby on piano and accordion. The expanded sound gave the band new depth, from the textural interplay of "Picasso Moon" to Weir’s "Black-Throated Wind," back in rotation after a 16-year absence. The second set featured a 24-minute "Terrapin Station" that drifted into an intimate jam between Garcia, Hornsby, Kreutzmann, and Hart before dissolving into "Drums" and "Space."
March 17, 1993—St. Patrick’s Day—found the Dead at the Capital Centre, weaving in originals from a never-completed studio album. Among them were "Eternity" (co-written with blues legend Willie Dixon) and "Days Between," placed with intent after the night’s deepest psychedelic dive—a 44-minute jam linking "Playing In The Band," "Dark Star," and "The Other One." This was the last of only six times these three centerpieces ever appeared together in a single show. For the encore, the Dead winked at its own psychedelic past, debuting The Beatles’ "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."
In the fall of 1994, the Dead returned to Boston Garden for what would become their final show in the city, a performance that captured the band’s still-changing sound. The night balanced old and new, with Lesh’s "Childhood’s End"—his first lyrics since 1966—standing alongside a luminous "Bird Song" and an affecting "Attics of My Life." For the encore, "Brokedown Palace" took on added resonance beneath the Garden’s crumbling ceiling, a poignant farewell to both the venue and an era. As always, the Dead embraced the moment, finding beauty in the impermanence of it all.
Premiering on March 13, the 11th season of the Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast opens with a two-part heartfelt tribute to Phil Lesh, who passed away last October, featuring archival interviews with Lesh, Phish's Mike Gordon, Dead & Co.'s Oteil Burbridge, and other collaborators. Then, beginning April 10, the season shifts its focus to celebrating the band’s 60th anniversary and exploring the music featured in Enjoying The Ride. With more than five million downloads and counting, the official Grateful Dead podcast uses immersive storytelling to bring the band’s legacy to life through rare archival audio, fresh interviews, and deep dives into its history. Listen and subscribe to the Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast’s Season 11 here: https://www.dead.net/deadcast.
ENJOYING THE RIDE
Show List
Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, CA (4/5/69) – Cassette
Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA (6/5/69)
Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA (6/7/69)
Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA (6/8/69)
Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY (2/24/71)
Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY (2/20/71)
Fillmore East, New York, NY (4/25/71)
Fillmore East, New York, NY (4/27/71)
Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA (9/15/72)
Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA (9/16/72)
Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY (3/16/73)
Winterland, San Francisco, CA (3/20/77)
Philadelphia Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA (5/13/78)
Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO (8/12/79)
Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI (8/23/80)
Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI (7/11/81)
Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT (3/14/81)
Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA (5/1/81)
Frost Amphitheatre, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA (8/20/83)
Greek Theatre, University of California, Berkeley, CA (7/13/84)
Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center, Oakland, CA (11/21/85)
Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center, Oakland, CA (11/22/85)
Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY (9/16/87)
Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN (7/15/89)
Oakland Coliseum Arena, Oakland, CA (12/27/89)
Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA (5/12/91)
Capital Centre, Landover MD (3/17/93)
Capital Centre, Landover MD (9/15/82)
Boston Garden, Boston, MA (10/3/94)
THE MUSIC NEVER STOPPED
6LP Track Listing
LP One
Side One
"The Music Never Stopped" – Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA (5/13/78)
"Althea" – Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT (3/14/81)
Side Two
"Playing In The Band" – Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY (3/16/73)
LP Two
Side One
"Hard To Handle" – Fillmore East, New York, NY (4/25/71)
"Wharf Rat" – Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY (9/16/87)
Side Two
"Doin’ That Rag" – Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA (6/5/69)
"My Brother Esau" – Frost Amphitheatre, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA (8/20/83)
"Deal" – Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA (5/12/91)
LP Three
Side One
"Scarlet Begonias" – Greek Theatre, University of California, Berkeley, CA (7/13/84)
"Touch Of Grey" – Greek Theatre, University of California, Berkeley, CA (7/13/84)
Side Two
"Fire On The Mountain" – Greek Theatre, University of California, Berkeley, CA (7/13/84)
"Lazy Lightning"> – Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI (8/23/80)
"Supplication" – Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI (8/23/80)
LP Four
Side One
"Attics Of My Life" – Boston Garden, Boston, MA (10/3/94)
"Estimated Prophet" – Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO (8/12/79)
Side Two
"Eyes Of The World" – Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO (8/12/79)
"Brown-Eyed Women" – Winterland, San Francisco, CA (3/20/77)
LP Five
Side One
"Truckin’"> – Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN (7/15/89)
"Smokestack Lightnin’" – Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN (7/15/89)
"Big Boy Pete" – Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center, Oakland, CA (11/21/85)
Side Two
"Bird Song" – Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA (9/15/72)
"Let It Grow" – Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA (5/1/81)
LP Six
Side One
"Black Muddy River" – Oakland Coliseum Arena, Oakland, CA (12/27/89)
"Days Between" – Capital Centre, Landover MD (3/17/93)
Side Two
"Not Fade Away"> – Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY (2/24/71)
"Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad"> – Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY (2/24/71)
"Not Fade Away" – Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY (2/24/71)
GRAMMY® Award winner and recent Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Dave Matthews will perform a special solo concert exclusively for Wells Fargo credit cardholders in Houston, Texas, at White Oak Music Hall on Friday, May 2 at 8PM CT. Autograph cardholders will have an exclusive pre-sale beginning Monday, March 17 at 10AM CT. Tickets will be on-sale to all Wells Fargo credit card holders beginning Friday, March 21 at 10AM CT. Full details are available at wellsfargo.com/autographcardexclusiveshtx.
White Oak Music Hall, a state-of-the-art venue with a 1,000-person capacity along Houston’s Little White Oak Bayou, will give fans a rare chance to see Dave Matthews in an intimate venue setting.
"I’m looking forward to coming to Houston. To be able to share an evening of music in such an intimate space with the fans is something I truly love," Dave Matthews said.
Launched in November 2023 with a Mumford & Sons concert in Los Angeles and more recent concerts featuring Imagine Dragons, Brandi Carlile, Maluma, and Halsey, Autograph Card Exclusives provides Wells Fargo credit cardholders with exclusive access to concerts, showcasing big-name artists in small venues. On March 29, Lionel Richie will perform at Philadelphia’s Union Transfer as part of the exclusive series.
Dave Matthews Band has sold a collective 38 million CDs and DVDs combined and is the only band to have seven consecutive studio albums debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Recently inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Dave Matthews Band has sold more than 25 million tickets since inception, making them the second largest ticket-seller in history. In 2019, the United Nations designated Dave Matthews Band as Environmental Goodwill Ambassadors and they have planted 5 million trees with the Nature Conservancy. The band has a long philanthropic history—they have raised over $65 million for a wide variety of causes in their hometown and around the world and have hosted numerous benefit concerts.
Ukrainian frontman Eugene Hütz of the international punk band Gogol Bordello recently announced NYContinuity Vol.1: New New York Does Old New York, a new New York artists compilation album out April 4 on his Casa Gogol Records. Out today are two new songs from the project - Puzzled Panther (with Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Brian Chase) channeling Television and Lydia Lunch on “Fractured,” an original from the forthcoming EP STING OF IODINE, and Pons delivering a manic cover of Suicide’s “Fast Money Music.”
The album continues the dialogue between NYC’s new wave of bands and their heroes with Puzzled Panther’s cover of Sonic Youth’s “Dirty Boots” (produced by Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley and drums by Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Brian Chase), Mary Shelley’s Bushwick rooftop version of Talking Heads’ “The Great Curve” (produced by David Byrne's American Utopia music director Mauro Refosco), Grace Bergere’s hypnotic take on The Velvet Underground’s “All Tomorrow’s Parties” feat. Thurston Moore and more.
Original tracks are also featured, including a new one from Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and Eugene Hütz, a Grace Bergere remix by Mr. Pharmacist a.k.a. Gregg Foreman (Alan Vega and Cat Power). It will all culminate with a show at Bowery Ballroom on April 5 with some of these artists, plus Twowayradio and special guest Vera Farmiga and her band The Yagas - tickets here.
The album is part of Casa Gogol's mission to preserve, perpetuate and accelerate NYC’s sonic culture – fostering generational cross-pollination, and uniting punk and hardcore artists to sustain the genre’s legacy of identity and belonging.
“Arriving in NYC in 1997, I no longer felt like a marginal freakaholic,” explains Eugene Hütz. “The city took me under its wing, picked me up, and pinned me straight into the lineage where I belonged. NYContinuity is dedicated to preserving and perpetuating NYC’s unique ability to define the blueprint the world will inevitably copy for the next 15–20 years.”
“Music comes from a generational cross pollination. The greatest thing about punk rock was that it had an unprecedented mix of people of all backgrounds and all ages striking new sparks out of each other.”
Today, GRAMMY-nominated trumpeter, composer, producer, and vocalist Theo Croker announced his new album Dream Manifest, out June 13, 2025, via Dom Recs. Alongside the announcement, Croker unveiled the first album single, “High Vibrations,” featuring singer, songwriter, Malaya and producer and multi-instrumentalist D'LEAU (J*Davey). The first single is a testament to Croker’s creativity, fusing house-inspired production with sleek trumpet.
This album marks a milestone moment for an artist who has worked with the Berlin Philharmonic, received multiple GRAMMY nominations, and contributed to platinum-selling albums by J. Cole, Ari Lennox, and Common. Collaboration is at the heart of this album, featuring an all-star lineup including Estelle, Kassa Overall, Tyreek McDole, MAAD, Gary Bartz, Natureboy Flako, Malaya, and D’LEAU—each bringing a distinct energy to the record. See tracklisting below.
Blending jazz, dance, neo-soul, R&B, and experimental hip-hop fusion, Dream Manifest is a sonic journey of complex rhythms and percussive flow, carrying listeners through each track with a balance of deep tradition and bold innovation. A seasoned performer, Croker has performed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and delivered a standout NPR Tiny Desk performance–watch Croker’s NPR Tiny Desk here.
Croker first picked up the trumpet after being inspired by his grandfather, the GRAMMY-winning jazz trumpeter Doc Cheatham, and later attended Oberlin Conservatory, where he was mentored by Donald Byrd. After graduation, he split seven years between Shanghai and New York, immersing himself in diverse musical collaborations that shaped his signature sound. His major label debut album Afrophysicist (Sony Masterworks)—produced with Dee Dee Bridgewater—is a result of these collaborations. On Dream Manifest, Croker continues to honor jazz and funk while seeing how far he can take them through his exploration of other genres.
‘DREAM MANIFEST’ TRACKLISTING
prelude 3
one pillow [feat Estelle & Kass Overall]
64 joints [feat Tyreek McDole]
up frequency (higher) [feat MAAD]
light as a feather [feat Gary Bartz & Natureboy Flako]
high vibrations [feat Malaya & D'LEAU]
crystal waterfalls
we still wanna dance [feat D’LEAU]
postlude 3
THEO CROKER TOUR
March 19-23 - Smoke Super Club NYC
May 10 - Liege (BE) Uhoda Jazz A Liege Festival
May 11 - Budapest (HU) Mupa
May 14 - Paris (FR) New Morning
May 15 - Logrono, (ES)
May 16 - Ourense, (ES)
May 17 - Girona, (ES)
May 20 - Katowice (PL) JazzKlub NOSPR
May 21 - Jasmine Club (Warsaw, PL)
May 23 - Blue Note Jazz Club Poznań, PolandP
May 24 - Gdansk, Poland (Klub Zak)
June 7 - Love Bird Festival Dusseldorf, DE
June 8 - Jazz Middelheim, Antwerp, BE
June 14 - San Francisco (SFJAZZ Festival)
June 21 - Toronto, CA
July 8 - Blue Note - Los Angeles, CA
July 9 - Blue Note - Los Angeles, CA
October 10 - Le Havre, (FR) Le Volcan
October 16 - Stockholm International Jazz Festival
Today, Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson have shared “Going to Raleigh” from their upcoming album of North Carolina fiddle and banjo music What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow (April 18 / Nonesuch Records). Originally released in 1939 by western North Carolina string band The Carolina Playboys, this version (learned by Robinson from Evelyn Shaw) was recorded at the historic former plantation Mill Prong House & Preservation in Red Springs, NC.
Giddens says, “Mill Prong is located on a complicated patch of land - once owned by an indigenous farmer subsequently kicked off the land, bought by Gaels (an oppressed population overseas) who then bought African Americans to work it - a microcosm of American history. ‘Going to Raleigh’ was recorded by a nearby stream that has seen it all.”
Watch the video for “Going to Raleigh,” filmed at Mill Prong House, HERE
Produced by Giddens and Joseph "joebass" DeJarnette, What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow finds Giddens and Robinson reuniting to play eighteen of their favorite North Carolina tunes: a mix of instrumentals and tunes with words. Many were learned from their late mentor, the legendary North Carolina Piedmont musician Joe Thompson, one of the last musicians of his era and his community to carry on the southern Black string band tradition; one song is from another musical hero, the late Etta Baker, from whom they also learned by listening to recordings of her playing. Giddens and Robinson recorded outdoors at Thompson’s and Baker’s North Carolina homes. They were accompanied by the sounds of nature, including a roaring chorus of cicadas, creating a unique soundscape. Watch the previously released videos for “Hook and Line” and “Marching Jaybird.”
In further tribute to Giddens’ North Carolina roots, What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow will arrive just a week before Biscuits & Banjos, the inaugural edition of her first festival. Taking place April 25–27 in downtown Durham and curated by Giddens, Biscuits & Banjos highlights the deep roots and enduring legacy of Black music, art, and culture while fostering community and storytelling. The sold-out festival will feature a much-anticipated Carolina Chocolate Drops reunion, their first performance together in more than a decade.
The full festival schedule will be unveiled on April 4 and include a robust offering of free, community programming and a Biscuit Trail activating local restaurants with biscuit-inspired cuisine, alongside musical performances and panel conversations with chefs, authors, artists and scholars alike.
The panels include:
Black Voices in Country Music: A Conversation with Rhiannon Giddens, Rissi Palmer, and Alice Randall
Let the Church Say Amen!: Ritual, Storytelling, and the Oral Tradition with Dasan Ahanu and Dr. Lalenja Harrington
Intentional Community: Celebrating Black Voices in Festivals and Live Events with Holly G, Brandi Waller-Pace, Rissi Palmer, and Dr. Dena Ross Jennings
The Art of the Biscuit A Conversation with Michael Twitty, Toni Tipton-Martin, and Ricky Moore, presented by Biscuitville
Biscuits & Banjos is a non-profit, community responsive festival. Funding for Biscuits & Banjos is made possible in part by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the National Endowment for the Arts, North Carolina Humanities, the Danielle Rose Paikin Foundation, the Harper House Music Foundation, the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, Warner Music Group & Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund (a sponsored project of Moore Impact), Duke Arts, Duke Community Affairs, 21c Museum Hotel, Biscuitville, the City of Durham, Durham County, Discover Durham, North Carolina Arts Council, Durham Arts Council, American Tobacco Campus, Blue Ridge Music Center, Sugarlands Distilling Company, Bull City Burger and Brewery, Proximity Brewing Company, Old Hillside Bourbon, Deering Banjos, Elderly Instruments, The Durham Hotel, The Hello in There Foundation, American Tobacco Campus, and other generous individual donors, sponsors, civic, and community partners.
Earlier this month, Giddens announced a number of new dates on her Rhiannon Giddens & The Old-Time Revue tour–featuring Robinson and four other string musicians, including multi-instrumentalist Dirk Powell. On June 18 they will headline the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, joined by special guests Our Native Daughters– in their first performance since 2022–as well as Steve Martin, Ed Helms, and more. Additional shows in July have been added to the itinerary as well; see below for the full list.
What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow Track List:
Rain Crow
Brown’s Dream
Hook and Line
Pumpkin Pie
Duck’s Eyeball
Ryestraw
Little Brown Jug
Going to Raleigh
Country Waltz
Molly Put the Kettle On
Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss
John Henry
Love Somebody
Ebenezer
Old Joe Clark
Old Molly Hare
Marching Jaybird
Walkin’ in the Parlor
Tour Dates:
April 25-27 - Durham, NC - Biscuits & Banjos
April 30 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
May 2 - Miami, FL - Miami Beach Bandshell
May 3 - Atlanta, GA - The Eastern
May 4 - Birmingham, AL - Jemison Concert Hall @ Alys Robinson Stephens Center
May 7 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
May 8 - Cincinnati, OH - Memorial Hall
May 9 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
May 11 - Washington, DC - The Anthem
May 13 - Grand Rapids, MI - St. Cecilia Music Center
May 15 - Toronto, ON - Koerner Hall at The Royal Conservatory of Music
May 16 - Toronto, ON - Koerner Hall at The Royal Conservatory of Music
May 17 - Ottawa, ON - National Arts Centre, Southam Hall
June 15 - Napa, CA - Uptown Theatre
June 16 - Ventura, CA - Ventura Theater
June 18 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl (with Our Native Daughters, Steve Martin, Ed Helms, Leyla McCalla, Amythyst Kiah and Allison Brown)
June 19 - San Diego, CA - The Observatory North Park
June 21 - Berkeley, CA - Zellerbach
June 23 - Seattle, WA - The Moore Theater
June 26 - Montréal, QC - Théâtre Maisonneuve @ Montreal Jazz Festival
July 11 - Tucson, AZ - Fox Tucson Theatre
July 12 - Flagstaff, AZ - Pepsi Amphitheater
July 14 - Santa Fe, NM - Lensic Performing Arts Center
Antone’s co-owner Gary Clark Jr. and Texas blues icon Jimmie Vaughan are among a group of illustrious musicians who will unite as the ‘Antone’s 50th Allstars’ at Austin Blues Fest next month; taking place April 26 and 27 in the Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Antone’s - Austin’s iconic “Home Of The Blues” - Clark and Vaughan will lead Sunday’s Allstar Jam lineup, while the Saturday edition will feature multi-talented vocal powerhouse Kam Franklin (of The Suffers) and Ian Moore, who just headlined Antone’s SXSW party last week, an event which “pointed the way towards the future of the blues,” according to Rolling Stone. Additional performers at the Antone’s 50th Allstar Jams will include John Primer (Muddy Waters’ legendary guitarist), Big Bill Morganfield (Muddy Waters’ son, and co-star of A Complete Unknown) and 2024 Blues Hall Of Fame inductees Lil’ Ed Williams and Lurrie Bell.
They’ll join an Austin Blues Fest bill that already includes a stacked lineup of performers from across styles and generations: Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Mavis Staples, North Mississippi Allstars, Jackie Venson, Lee Fields, Jalen Ngonda, Orquesta Akokán and Sue Foley among them. For tickets and full details visit: https://www.austinbluesfestival.com
The ‘Antone’s 50th Allstar Jams’ continue a year-long celebration for “the birthplace of a blues revival” (NPR), which “helped put the Live Music Capital Of The World on the map” (Austin American Statesman). Antone’s will continue the party the following night, Monday April 28, with a special taping of Austin City Limits - “ACL & Antone's Celebrate The Blues” - which will feature a yet-to-be-announced lineup of Antone’s Allstars, and will air during the show’s next season. Much of the music performed during the Austin City Limits taping - and the Austin Blues Fest Allstar Jams - originates from an upcoming box set celebrating Antone’s 50th anniversary, with official details on that release arriving next month.
Founded by Clifford Antone as the first live music venue on Austin’s now-famous Sixth Street, Antone’s quickly became ‘home away from home’ for a Mount Rushmore of blues musicians including Muddy Waters, Albert King, Otis Rush, Willie Dixon and B.B. King - as well as a broader tapestry of American roots music. The force behind this all was Antone, a native of Texas’ Gulf Coast region who spent much of his youth roadtripping through the juke joints of nearby Louisiana, where he developed a deep love of Creole music, R&B, zydeco and, above all, the blues. In the venue’s five decade run, Antone’s has continued to define the present and shape the future of blues music, bolstering the careers of internationally-renowned artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Doug Sahm, Charlie Sexton, Angela Strehli, Lou Ann Barton and many more. Today, it remains a vital presence in the live music scene, with its influence carried forward by a new generation of trailblazing artists including Gary Clark Jr., Kam Franklin, Jackie Venson and McKinley James.
Today, Alison Krauss & Union Station return with their first new album in 14 years: Arcadia. Out now on Down The Road Records, this is a collection of music that "reconvenes and reconfigures a band that has transformed the sound of modern bluegrass by constantly drawing new subtleties from old-time roots," writes The New York Times. "But what makes the band so distinctive is its quietly incandescent restraint: the hushed concentration it summons behind Krauss's pristinely melancholy soprano, which can sound haunted even when she sings about true love."
Throughout Arcadia's ten transcendent songs, produced by Alison Krauss & Union Station, beautiful and tragic stories unfold, as they reflect upon hard truths of history and the lives of those who have come before. Highlights like "Richmond On The James," "Looks Like The End Of The Road," "Granite Mills" and more "relocate perennial bluegrass themes of loss and travail to the present in contemporary confessions of alienation and paths not taken," says MOJO, in a four-star review.
Arcadia follows 2011's Paper Airplane, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Country, Bluegrass and Folk Charts. But even during the band's long time apart – each member building a thriving solo career, collaborating with some of the greatest artists in the world, earning a collective total of more than 70 GRAMMY Awards, selling tens of millions of albums – Alison Krauss & Union Station never stopped searching for the music that has now brought them back together.
Written by modern masters such as Robert Lee Castleman, Viktor Krauss, Bob Lucas, JD McPherson and Sarah Siskind, Arcadia's songs were recorded in studios across Nashville, where Alison Krauss (fiddle, lead vocal), Jerry Douglas (Dobro, lap steel, vocals), Ron Block (banjo, guitar, vocals) and Barry Bales (bass, vocals) welcomed the brand new addition of Russell Moore. On co-lead vocals, guitar and mandolin, Moore joins Union Station as the International Bluegrass Music Association's most awarded male vocalist of all time, widely known for his legendary work as frontman for the chart-topping group, IIIrd Tyme Out.
Whether on stage or in the studio, each member's individual talent and acclaim transforms into one single, peerless and unstoppable force – as seen last week, when Alison Krauss & Union Station "stole the show" at the Opry 100 celebration. Now featuring Stuart Duncan as a new part of the live band, the performance served as a preview of Alison Krauss & Union Station's first tour in ten years. Beginning April 17th and continuing through the end of September, with 75+ dates across North America, the Arcadia Tour includes iconic venues like Red Rocks Amphitheatre, LA's Greek Theatre, NYC's Beacon Theatre and dozens more, with special guest Willie Watson. See the list of dates below, and find tickets at alisonkrauss.com.
Arcadia Tracklist
Looks Like The End Of The Road (Jeremy Lister)
The Hangman (Viktor Krauss & Maurice Ogden)
The Wrong Way (Robert Lee Castleman & Dan Tyminski)
Granite Mills (Timothy Eriksen)
One Ray Of Shine (Sarah Siskind & Viktor Krauss)
Richmond On The James (Alison Krauss & G.T. Burgess)
North Side Gal (Jonathan David McPherson)
Forever (Robert Lee Castleman)
Snow (Bob Lucas)
There's A Light Up Ahead (Jeremy Lister)
Arcadia 2025 Tour Dates
4/17 - The Louisville Palace - Louisville, KY*
4/18 - The Louisville Palace - Louisville, KY*
4/19 - Mershon Auditorium - Columbus, OH*
4/25 - Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park - Atlanta, GA
4/26 - Live Oak Bank Pavilion - Wilmington, NC
4/27 - Koka Booth Amphitheatre - Cary, NC
4/29 - Bell Auditorium - Augusta, GA
4/30 - The Adderley Amphitheater - Tallahassee, FL
5/2 - The Wharf Amphitheater - Orange Beach, AL
5/3 - Brandon Amphitheater - Brandon, MS
5/4 - BJCC Concert Hall - Birmingham, AL
5/6 - Orpheum Theatre - Memphis, TN
5/12 - First Security Amphitheater - Little Rock, AR
5/13 - The Criterion - Oklahoma City, OK
5/15 - Saint Louis Music Park - Maryland Heights, MO
5/16 - Walmart AMP - Rogers, AR
5/17 - Starlight Theatre - Kansas City, MO
5/29 - Smart Financial Centre - Sugar Land, TX
5/30 - Whitewater Amphitheater - New Braunfels, TX
5/31 - The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory - Irving, TX
6/3 - PNC Pavilion - Cincinnati, OH
6/4 - Devon Lakeshore Amphitheater - Decatur, IL
6/6 - BMO Pavilion - Milwaukee, WI
6/7 - The Chicago Theatre - Chicago, IL
6/8 - The Ledge - Waite Park, MN
6/10 - Vetter Stone Amphitheater - Mankato, MN
6/11 - Bayfront Festival Park - Duluth, MN
6/13 - McGrath Amphitheatre - Cedar Rapids, IA
6/14 - Denny Sanford Premier Center - Sioux Falls, SD
6/15 - The Astro Amphitheater - Omaha, NE
6/16 - Hartman Arena - Park City, KS
6/18 - Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Morrison, CO
6/19-6/22 - Telluride Bluegrass Festival - Telluride, CO
6/20 - Dillon Amphitheater - Dillon, CO
6/21 - Kit Carson Park - Taos, NM
7/11 - Arizona Financial Theatre - Phoenix, AZ
7/12 - The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park - San Diego, CA
7/13 - Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
7/15 - Santa Barbara Bowl - Santa Barbara, CA
7/16 - The Mountain Winery - Saratoga, CA
7/18 - Grand Theatre - Reno, NV
7/19 - Redding Civic Auditorium - Redding, CA
7/20 - Edgefield Amphitheater - Troutdale, OR
7/22 - Wine Country Amphitheater - Walla Walla, WA
7/23 - Outlaw Field at the Idaho Botanical Garden - Boise, ID
7/26 - Theatre at the Brick - Bozeman, MT
7/27 - BECU Live at Northern Quest - Airway Heights, WA
7/29 - Grey Eagle Resort & Casino - Calgary, AB
7/31 - TCU Place - Saskatoon, SK
8/1 - Centennial Concert Hall - Winnipeg, MB
8/18 - Kresge Auditorium - Interlochen, MI
8/19 - Massey Hall - Toronto, ON
8/21 - Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park - Indianapolis, IN
8/22 - Ascend Amphitheater - Nashville, TN
8/23 - The Tennessee Theatre - Knoxville, TN
8/24 - The Tennessee Theatre - Knoxville, TN
8/26 - Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium - Chattanooga, TN
8/28 - The Dome - Virginia Beach, VA
8/29 - Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront - Richmond, VA
8/30 - Earl Scruggs Music Festival - Mill Spring, NC
9/6 - Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre - Sterling Heights, MI
9/7 - Jacobs Pavilion - Cleveland, OH
9/9 - Wolf Trap - Vienna, VA
9/10 - The Met Philadelphia presented by Highmark - Philadelphia, PA
9/12 - Beacon Theatre - New York, NY
9/13 - Beacon Theatre - New York, NY
9/14 - Freeman Arts Pavilion - Selbyville, DE
9/16 - Veterans Memorial Auditorium - Providence, RI
9/17 - Leader Bank Pavilion - Boston, MA
9/19 - BankNH Pavilion - Gilford, NH
9/20 - The Green at Shelburne Museum - Shelburne, VT
9/21 - Artpark Mainstage Theater - Lewiston, NY
9/23 - Salem Civic Center - Salem, VA
9/24 - Credit One Stadium - Charleston, SC
9/26 - The Saint Augustine Amphitheatre - St. Augustine, FL
9/27 - The BayCare Sound - Clearwater, FL
9/28 - Hard Rock Live - Hollywood, FL
*Special Guest TBD, all other dates featuring Special Guest Willie Watson
WhyHunger, a global nonprofit dedicated to ending hunger and advancing the human right to nutritious food, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year with the announcement of the Annual Chapin Awards Gala on June 4, 2025 at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City - tickets here. The event will honor GRAMMY Award-winning artists and lifelong activists Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo with the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award, recognizing philanthropic artists who have used their talent and global influence to inspire change and foster social justice.
The evening will bring together artists, activists, and supporters for a cocktail reception, dinner, and live music, all in support of WhyHunger’s mission to end hunger and its root causes. Additional honorees will be announced in coming weeks.
“We are deeply honored to receive the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award and to stand alongside WhyHunger in their tireless fight to end hunger,” Benatar and Giraldo shared. “Music has always been a powerful force for change, and we believe in using our voices not just to entertain, but to inspire action. WhyHunger’s mission aligns with our lifelong commitment to justice and equity, and we are proud to support their work in ensuring that nutritious food is a fundamental right for all.”
With a legendary career spanning over four decades, Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo have made an indelible impact on both music and social activism. Together, they have sold over 36 million records worldwide, earning four consecutive GRAMMY® Awards and charting 19 Top 40 hits, including iconic anthems like "We Belong," "Invincible," "Love Is A Battlefield," "Promises In The Dark," "We Live For Love," "Heartbreaker," and "Hell Is For Children." Their contributions to music and culture have been recognized with three American Music Awards, a People’s Choice Award, and a 2022 induction into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
“As we celebrate WhyHunger's 50th anniversary and reflect on our collective journey to end hunger and advance the human right to nutritious food, it’s important to uplift those who have helped lead the way,” Jenique Jones, WhyHunger’s Executive Director, shared. “Honoring Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo with the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award is a testament to their unwavering commitment to social justice and their powerful influence in igniting change through music. We are thrilled to recognize their contributions at this year's Chapin Awards Gala as we recommit ourselves to this work together."
ASCAP (American Society for Composers, Authors and Publishers) and WhyHunger have previously presented the Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award to a distinguished list of recipients, including Barbra Streisand, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Grace Potter, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, Harry Belafonte, Jackson Browne, Jason Mraz, John Mellencamp, Jon Batiste, Judy Collins and Pete Seeger. Last year’s gala honored singer-songwriter Michael Franti for his music-driven activism, recognizing his work with his and his wife Sara’s non–profit, Do It for the Love, an organization that brings joy to individuals facing life-threatening illnesses, as well as his advocacy for hunger relief, climate justice, and social equity.
In 2024, WhyHunger raised over $1 million from its annual Hungerthon campaign, including its Amplified: Annual Hungerthon Kickoff Concert, featuring performances by The Roots, Cimafunk and Grace Bowers. In the last three years, WhyHunger has connected 3.3 million people to food and invested $5.1 million in community-led solutions globally. The Chapin Awards Gala raises critical funds to support WhyHunger’s work to end hunger and promote the human right to nutritious food.
To learn more about WhyHunger and how you can support the movement to end hunger, visit www.whyhunger.org
ODESZA have today announced the release of ‘Music To Refine To: A Remix Companion to Severance’. The three-time Grammy-nominated duo have teamed up with the hit Apple TV+ show Severance across a new 7-track EP, adding their unique signature to the unmistakable sounds of Theodore Shapiro’s Emmy Award-winning compositions. The first track, "Entering Lumon", is available for streaming now. Listen HERE.
'Music To Refine To: A Remix Companion to Severance’ will be available digitally on April 4th via Foreign Family Collective, with a vinyl release set to follow on June 20th. You can now pre-save digitally and pre-order the vinyl HERE.
“When Apple reached out to us to remix the Severance score in January we were so ecstatic to play with the themes and atmosphere of the show,” expressed ODESZA. “We are huge fans of the series and it was an absolute honor working with the original score by Theodore Shapiro. We hope both you and your innie will enjoy the journey.”
The music was first introduced as an 8-hour visual/audio YouTube experience titled “Music To Refine To” – serving as a playful nod to the idea of a soundtrack for your ‘innie’ at work. The seamless 23-minute mix loops continuously over the full duration, immersing listeners in the various motifs, tones, and atmospheres of the show. Since its launch two weeks ago, the video has been viewed more than 2 million times, while ODESZA’s social posts about the collaboration have reached more than 3.5 million views in the same period.
The multi-award-winning show, which concluded its second season last Friday, March 21 and has already been renewed for a third season, sees Mark Scout (Adam Scott) lead a team at Lumon Industries, whose employees have undergone a severance procedure that surgically divides their memories between their work and personal lives. With a prestigious cast that also includes Zach Cherry, Britt Lower, Christopher Walken, Patricia Arquette, Tramell Tillman, Michael Chernus and John Turturro, the show has been called “an engrossing thriller" by the New York Times and “an impressively idiosyncratic thing, wholly itself and confident in its mission to make your mind implode" by The Guardian.
ODESZA most recently concluded their record-breaking The Last Goodbye Finale tour with eleven sold-out dates, including three consecutive nights at Madison Square Garden, capping off a live-show run that saw the duo perform in front of over 1.5 million people in just 2 years. Their music has been streamed almost 6 billion times across streaming platforms to date, and over the past few years they also released a 10 year anniversary edition of their seminal 2014 album ‘In Return’, released their awe-inspiring immersive concert film “ODESZA: The Last Goodbye Cinematic Experience” in theaters around the country, captured the magic of their groundbreaking tour with ‘The Last Goodbye Tour Live’ album, and headlined a gamut of major festivals including Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, Austin City Limits, Electric Forest, Gov Ball, among others.
TajMo - the historic collaboration between two generations of American music masters - have shared new single “Junkyard Dog” today, from their forthcoming full-length album Room On The Porch - out May 23 on Concord Records. Keb’ Mo’ and Taj Mahal showcase their “strong chemistry” (Wall Street Journal) - and a blues prowess that’s earned them ten combined GRAMMY Awards - on “Junkyard Dog,” which was originally written by Nashville-based songwriter Maia Sharp for her album Mercy Rising (2021). “This track is where this TajMo album began,” says Keb’ Mo’. “I heard Maia Sharp’s version of ‘Junkyard Dog’ and I knew we could put some dirt on it and make it ours. It has the bones of a blues anthem.”
The ten-song collection finds the duo reuniting for their first release together since 2017, when their debut collaboration TajMo brought them from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (for a stunning performance alongside Jon Batiste) to Marc Maron’s garage to the GRAMMY stage (where they took home Best Contemporary Blues Album). While putting their signature stamp on favorite tunes like “Junkyard Dog,” Room On The Porch also features more original, co-written tracks between the legendary pair than ever before - playing to each other’s strengths and discovering creative horizons more than a half-century into their storied careers.
“The two of us collaborating has always been a very organic thing,” Taj reflects. “We have different skill sets that go well together, and even though it’d been a while since we’d played together, it was easy to get back to that same creative place we landed with the first album.”
Room On The Porch (which Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ also co-produced together) incorporates a full spectrum of sounds that showcase why “each of them is a standard-bearer in the genre-bending world of folk, blues, soul and Americana” (Billboard). But, as Taj Mahal points out, these styles are all deeply tied together by their shared roots: “If you take the African imprint out of Western music for the last 500 years, there’s almost nothing left,” says Taj (who will also play Big Ears and JazzFest this spring). “As much as it might feel like we’re touching on all these different genres, the way I see it, we’re just connecting with the music of our ancestors and their influence on what’s happening now.”
Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ will bring their TajMo live show back on the road in 2025, celebrating Room On The Porch in over a dozen cities across the United States, beginning with a special appearance at the Grand Ole Opry (joined by Ruby Amanfu), during the Opry’s year-long 100th anniversary celebrations, before their first headline show together at New York’s Town Hall on May 28. A full list of dates is below. For more information please visit https://www.tajblues.com/tour and http://kebmo.com/.
Room On The Porch Tracklist
1. Room On The Porch ft. Ruby Amanfu
2. My Darling My Dear
3. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out
4. She Keeps Me Movin’
5. Make Up Your Mind
6. Thicker Than Mud
7. Junkyard Dog
8. Blues’ll Give You Back Your Soul
9. Better Than Ever ft. Wendy Moten
10. Rough Time Blues
TajMo 2025 Tour Dates:
5/23 - Nashville, TN - The Grand Ole Opry
5/28 - New York, NY - The Town Hall
5/30 - Sidney, ME - Bowl In The Pines
5/31 - Hammondsport, NY - The Pavilion at Point of the Bluff Vineyards
6/1 – Hyannis, MA – Cape Cod Melody Tent
6/3 – Concord, NH – Capitol Center for the Arts – Chubb Theatre
6/4 - South Deerfield, MA - Summer Stage at Tree House Brewing
6/6 - Bensalem, PA - Xcite Center at Parx Casino
6/7 - Selbyville, DE - Freeman Arts Pavilion
6/8 - Vienna, VA - Wolf Trap, Filene Center
6/10 - Huber Heights, OH - Rose Music Center at The Heights
6/12 - Grand Rapids, MI - Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
6/13 - Interlochen, MI - Interlochen Center for the Arts
Grammy winner, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee John Fogerty has announced a special concert at New York City’s Beacon Theatre taking place on his 80th birthday, May 28, 2025. Celebrating his legacy while casting his eye to the future, the legend will perform his classic hits that continue to shape the sound of American music today, backed by a band including his sons Shane and Tyler Fogerty. Tickets are on sale this Friday, April 4, and local pre-sale begins on Wednesday, April 2. More info HERE.
The Beacon show is one of several high-profile appearances, performances, and honors planned in 2025. Fogerty kicked off the year in January with performances at the Fire Aid benefit concert in Los Angeles and a brief residency at the Wynn Encore Theater in Las Vegas. Earlier this month he appeared at SXSW for a show at Stubb’s BBQ, playing songs from “one of the great rock & roll catalogs…with a genuine sweetness” (Rolling Stone), followed by a Keynote conversation with fellow Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Tom Morello.
On April 24, Fogerty will give a headlining performance at Jazz Fest in New Orleans, and just days later will be honored at the 2025 American Music Honors, hosted by the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music at Monmouth University in NJ. The American Music Honors celebrate artists who have demonstrated artistic excellence, creative integrity, and a longstanding commitment to the value of music within national consciousness. The April 26 event is hosted by Brian Williams and will feature presenters Bruce Springsteen, Nils Lofgren, Patti Scialfa, and Stevie Van Zandt.
In June, Fogerty will return to Glastonbury for his first performance at the legendary festival in nearly twenty years. On July 6, he will headline the Hollywood Bowl, with more exciting news to be announced soon. For more information, please visit https://johnfogerty.com/.
North Carolina duo Watchhouse (Andrew Marlin & Emily Frantz) have unveiled the title track from their forthcoming album Rituals (out May 30). The single explores the concept of change and the struggle of letting go of habits that no longer serve us. It features dreamy vocal harmonies by Marlin and Frantz with Marlin playing multiple instruments including mandolin, piano, tenor and 12-string guitar. Frantz and longtime collaborator Josh Oliver both feature on acoustic guitar alongside drums by Jamie Dick, bass by Ryan Gustafson, and mellotron and cello by Nat Smith.
“When my circumstances change, who I think I am changes, and then my established rituals and patterns no longer serve me. This song is a leap of faith, a message to anyone feeling like they are struggling to leave a former self behind. We cement ourselves through constant sharing and projection, and it feels like it's in direct conflict with staying present and evolving. ‘Rituals’ is a song of empathy, both for myself and for others—an acknowledgment of the celebrated nobody in us all,” says Andrew Marlin.
Rituals - due out May 30, 2025 on Tiptoe Tiger Music / Thirty Tigers - is the pair’s first release of all new, original songs since their 2021 self-titled album, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Bluegrass chart and earned praise from Rolling Stone (“pristine acoustic picking collides with hazy, dream-like psychedelia”) Mojo, NPR Music, American Songwriter and more.
Co-produced with Ryan Gustafson (The Dead Tongues), Rituals explores the boundaries between identity and awareness, and how we often confuse familiar patterns with truths. The 11-song collection muses on the endless nature of evolution, asking questions like: how can we have a positive relationship with change? How can we meet our ends gracefully? Is the world on fire or at home in the sun?
Starting over a decade ago playing coffee shops and local restaurants around North Carolina, Watchhouse have grown into a bonafide folk music sensation and one of 21st century indie music’s biggest grassroots success stories. With sold-out shows at legendary venues like Red Rocks and the Ryman Auditorium, and hundreds of millions of streams, they’ve earned a reputation for creating music that “redefines roots music for a younger generation” (Washington Post). The duo - now a family of their own - are two singers and musicians with profound chemistry, performing earnest yet masterfully crafted songs that encompass the unknowable mysteries, existential heartbreak, and communal joys of modern life. The forthcoming album is no exception.
Watchhouse will tour across the US in 2025, including dates supporting the Avett Brothers and festival slots at MerleFest, Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots and Iron Blossom Music Festival. Their headline US tour in support of the new album kicks off June 14th at the Palace Theater in Saint Paul, MN before stops in Chicago, Seattle, NYC, Boston, Nashville, Atlanta and more. For tickets and all upcoming shows, please visit https://watchhouseband.com/.
Watchhouse 2025 Tour Dates
April 11 - Storrs, CT - Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts
April 20 - Boulder, CO - Bluebird Music Festival
April 25 - Dale, TX - Old Settler's Music Festival
April 27 - Wilkesboro, NC - MerleFest
May 31 - Vienna, VA - Wolf Trap *
June 14 - St. Paul, MN - Palace Theatre
June 15 - Maquoketa, IA - Codfish Hollow Barnstormers
June 17 - Kalamazoo, MI - Bell's Eclectic Cafe
June 18 - Madison, WI - The Sylvee
June 19 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
June 20 - Indianapolis, IN - Rock the Ruins
June 22 - Louisville, KY - Old Forester's Paristown Hall
July 11 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheater *
July 12 - Cheyenne, WY - The Lincoln
July 14 - Jackson, WY - Center for the Arts
July 16 - Seattle, WA - Neptune Theatre
July 17 - Jacksonville, OR - Britt Festival Pavilion
July 18 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
July 19 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
August 9 - Lyons, CO - Rocky Mountain Folks Festival
August 10 - Colorado Springs, CO - Pikes Peak Center
August 12 - Toronto, ON - The Concert Hall
August 13 - Buffalo, NY - Asbury Hall
August 14 - Homer, NY - Center for the Arts of Homer
August 15 - Portland, ME - State Theatre
August 16 - Manchester, VT - Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots
August 18 - Charlton, MA - The Pavilion at Tree House Brewing
August 30 - Wilmington, NC - Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
September 21 - Richmond, VA - Iron Blossom Music Festival
Seven previously-unheard Bruce Springsteen records will be released for the first time this summer on the widely-rumored and long-anticipated “Tracks II: The Lost Albums,” coming June 27 via Sony Music. A set spanning 83 songs, "The Lost Albums" fill in rich chapters of Springsteen’s expansive career timeline — while offering invaluable insight into his life and work as an artist. “'The Lost Albums' were full records, some of them even to the point of being mixed and not released,” said Springsteen. “I’ve played this music to myself and often close friends for years now. I’m glad you’ll get a chance to finally hear them. I hope you enjoy them.”
From the lo-fi exploration of “LA Garage Sessions ’83” — serving as a crucial link between “Nebraska” and “Born in the U.S.A.” — to the drum loop and synthesizer sounds of “Streets of Philadelphia Sessions,” “The Lost Albums” offer unprecedented context into 35 prolific years (1983-2018) of Springsteen’s songwriting and home recording. “The ability to record at home whenever I wanted allowed me to go into a wide variety of different musical directions,” Springsteen explained. Throughout the set, that sonic experimentation takes the form of film soundtrack work (for a movie that was never made) on “Faithless,” country combos with pedal steel on “Somewhere North of Nashville,” richly-woven border tales on “Inyo” and orchestra-driven, mid-century noir on “Twilight Hours.” Alongside the announcement of “The Lost Albums,” a first look at the collection also arrives today with “Rain In The River” — which comes from the lost album “Perfect World,” and encapsulates that project’s arena-ready E Street flavor.
“The Lost Albums” will arrive in limited-edition nine LP, seven CD and digital formats — including distinctive packaging for each previously-unreleased record, with a 100-page cloth-bound, hardcover book featuring rare archival photos, liner notes on each lost album from essayist Erik Flannigan and a personal introduction on the project from Springsteen himself. A companion set — “Lost And Found: Selections from The Lost Albums” — will feature 20 highlights from across the collection, also arriving June 27 on two LPs or one CD. “The Lost Albums” were compiled by Springsteen with producer Ron Aniello, engineer Rob Lebret and supervising producer Jon Landau at Thrill Hill Recording in New Jersey.
Twenty years in, there is no other pianist out there that sounds quite like Hiromi. Today, Hiromi continues her shapeshifting tradition with the release of her 13th studio album ‘OUT THERE’ (Telarc), her second album with Sonicwonder, a mighty new quartet featuring Hadrien Feraud on bass, Gene Coye on drums, and Adam O’Farrill on trumpet.
‘OUT THERE’ is the follow-up to 2023’s ‘Sonicwonderland,’ the debut of one of the most expressive and versatile working bands of Hiromi’s career furthering her distinctive musical alchemy: the spirit of classic jazz-rock fusion melded with classically rooted virtuosity, entrancing funk, pop flourishes, and acoustic jazz. ‘OUT THERE’ captures their deep chemistry and fearless sense of interplay amid nearly two years of touring and playing together. Hiromi invites you to buckle up, for a fun, thoughtful, and wild musical ride.
Hiromi has previously shared two previews from the album, the ‘80s Miles Davis channeling earworm "Balloon Pop" and the ballad-to-midtempo jazz song "Pendulum" kissed by sensual neo-soul.
Today, album highlight “Yes! Ramen!!" gets its very own video which sees Hiromi exploring Japan and enjoying some of her favorite ramen spots along the way. The track is a tribute to Hiromi’s all-time-favorite food and another wild ride boasting synth hooks, ska-tinged rhythms, revved-up disco beats, a big Black Sabbath-sounding riff, leading-edge jazz improvisation, contemporary classical and more. The band shares Hiromi’s love for ramen, especially O’Farrill and Coye, and they try to hit as many spots as possible on tour.
“For this song, it was more like putting a soundtrack to the film I had in my head,” says Hiromi on the song. “When the landscape changes, then different music comes in — different restaurant, different style. Ramen is a true source of inspiration and I respect the ramen artisans so much so I finally wrote a song about it.”
Tonight, Hiromi’s Sonicwonder kicks off a string of US tour dates with concerts at famous venues in Chicago and Toronto, a special album release show at the Blue Note next Monday, April 7th in NYC, and more. See below for the full itinerary and revisit her performance at Blue Note Tokyo.
Says Hiromi: “On Sonicwonderland, I had the concept and the songs first, and I was looking for the people who could play the music in the ideal way that I had in my mind. Being with this group for well over a year,” she continues, “playing a lot of shows together and understanding each other, I started to see more of their strength and what shines in them the most. So I started to write music with them in mind.”
Hiromi’s Sonicwonder brings together world-class musicians of diverse backgrounds. French-born Feraud is a fusion virtuoso who has been compared to bass great Jaco Pastorius. Coye hails from Chicago, where he grew up playing in church and combines technical mastery with a soulful knack for groove and pocket. Brooklyn-raised O’Farrill, part of a dynasty that includes his father and grandfather, Latin-jazz titans Arturo and Chico O’Farrill, ranks among his generation's most important and progressive trumpeters. Throughout the album, O’Farrill conjures up audacious new sonic textures through electronics — part of his toolbox that Hiromi encouraged him to develop fully.
“[Bass legend and collaborator] Anthony Jackson always told me that a first-class musician can do anything,” Hiromi says. “You don’t really have to put them in one genre or one category.” Knowing that anything she composed would be met with outstanding performances, Hiromi let her fiercest ambitions run wild when crafting the music for ‘OUT THERE.’ “It all comes from curiosity,” she explains. “I think curiosity is the key to everything. How can you express yourself more? How can you write more?”
The core of ‘OUT THERE’ is its four-part suite, which Hiromi would like fans to hear as a focused front-to-back listen. It opens with the rapid-fire melody of “Takin’ Off” and traverses the sly ’70s fusion grooves of “Strollin’,” which calls to mind Herbie Hancock, George Duke and Grover Washington Jr. “Orion” follows, with bold and triumphant bookends that could score a great work of science fiction. The suite closes with “The Quest,” which unites the chopped-up rhythmic thrust of current jazz with the synth pleasures of vintage prog-rock. The album’s finale is “Balloon Pop,” which is as much of an earworm as anything currently on the Hot 100. And with O’Farrill on trumpet, its hummable theme summons up Miles Davis’ hook-filled ’80s recordings.
Hiromi’s many career triumphs include an NPR Tiny Desk Concert that has racked up 2 million views; the opportunity to represent her native Japan with a performance at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo; 2024 winner for Best Music Score for the animated feature film Blue Giant (Award of the Japanese Academy); and a GRAMMY Award for a collaboration with fusion hero Stanley Clarke. Her artistry is — to borrow a descriptor the New Yorker favored — “dazzling.”
‘OUT THERE’ TRACKLIST:
XYZ
Yes! Ramen!!
Pendulum (featuring Michelle Willis)
OUT THERE: Takin’ Off
OUT THERE: Strollin’
OUT THERE: Orion
OUT THERE: The Quest
Pendulum
Balloon Pop
HIROMI’s SONICWONDER TOUR DATES:
Fri, APR 4 - Chicago Symphony Center - Chicago, IL
Sat, APR 5 - George Wheaton Recital Hall - Toronto, Canada
Mon, APR 7 - Blue Note - New York, NY
Tue, APR 8 - Dakota - Minneapolis, MN
Wed, APR 9 - Dakota - Minneapolis, MN
Thurs, APR 10 - Fox Tucson Theater - Tucson, AZ
Fri, APR 11 - Scottsdale Center For The Performing Arts - Tucson, AZ
Sat, APR 12 - University of Texas, Dallas - Richardson, TX
Sun, APR 13 - Moore Theatre - Seattle, WA
Tues, APR 15 - Revolution Hall - Portland OR
Thurs, APR 17 - SFJazz - San Francisco, CA
Fri, APR 18 - SFJazz - San Francisco, CA
Sat, APR 19 - SFJazz - San Francisco, CA
Sun, APR 20 - SFJazz - San Francisco, CA
Mon, APR 21 - Kuumbwa Jazz Center - Santa Cruz, CA
Thurs, APR 24 - Irvine Barclay Theater - Irvine, CA
Fri, APR 25 - Campbell Hall - Santa Barbara, CA
Thurs, MAY 15 - Sanat Concert Hall - Istanbul, Istanbul
Fri, MAY 16 - Georg Friedrich Händel - Halle, Germany
Sat, MAY 17 - Philharmonie Essen - Essen, Germany
Sun, MAY18 - Festhalle Bern - Bern, Switzerland
Mon, MAY 19 - Volkshaus Basel - Basel, Switzerland
Wed, MAY 21 - STROMWERK Kulturarena Kraftwerk Mitte - Dresden, Germany
Fri, MAY 23 - Isar Philharmonic - München, Germany
Sat, MAY 24 - Telekom Forum - Bonn, Germany
Sun, MAY 25 - Stora Teatern - Gotesborg, Sweden
Wed, MAY 28 - Jazz Sous Les Pommiers - Coutances, France
Fri, AUG 1 - Sony Hall - New York, NY
Sat, AUG 2 - Sony Hall - New York, NY
Sun, AUG 3 - Newport Jazz Festival - Newport, RI
Sat, AUG 30 - Detroit Jazz Festival - Detroit, MI
Fri, SEP 26 - Music Center At Strathmore - Bethesda, MD
Thurs, OCT 2 - Wisconsin Union Theater - Madison, WI
Fri, OCT 10 - Cahn Auditorium - Evanston, IL
Sun, OCT 12 - Curtis M. Philips Center For The Performing Arts - Gainesville, FL
Fri, NOV 7 - Muziekgebouw Frits Philips - Eindhoven, Netherlands
Sat, NOV 8 - Rockit Festival, Oosterport Main Hall - Groningen, Netherlands
Mon, NOV 10 - Amare - Den Haag, Netherlands
Tues, NOV 11 - Teatro Fernando Fernan Gomez - Madrid, Spain
Thurs, NOV 13 - Erbenhof Schallkultur Festival - Thüringen, Germany
Sat, NOV 15 - Gran Teatro Geox - Padova, Italy
Sun, NOV 16 - Etablissement public Salle de Concerts - Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
Samantha Fish, one of the most electrifying guitarists of her generation and “a genuine force of sonic prowess” (Rolling Stone) has shared new single “Can Ya Handle The Heat?” – the final advance track from her forthcoming album Paper Doll, out April 25 via Rounder Records.
Co-written with GRAMMY nominated songwriter Katie Pearlman, “Can Ya Handle The Heat?” is confident and tantalizingly catchy. The track is infused with her “bold and expressive” (NPR, World Cafe) spirit as she taunts a lover, singing: “I’m your red letter, black leather, guilty pleasure, oh you know you’re in deep.” “I wrote this with one of my long time songwriting partners, Kate Pearlman,” says Fish. “To me, it’s a sexy, rock n roll invitation. Essentially asking the question, can you handle me? Can you handle the heat?”
The Kansas City-bred, New Orleans-based musician brings this fiery power to Paper Doll, delivering each song with gut-punching force, soul-soothing empathy, and newfound clarity. “When we started working on this record I asked myself, ‘What are my superpowers?’ I wanted to lean into my strengths in a way I never completely had before, to make a big guitar album with some epic performances and really sing my ass off,” Fish says. “I’d love for this record to be somebody’s jet fuel.”
Produced by Detroit garage-rock legend Bobby Harlow (The Go), Paper Doll offers listeners “a taste of the neo-psychedelic fantasias that can occur when Fish stretches out in concert,” said Premier Guitar, who featured Fish on the cover of their April 2025 issue. Throughout the album, Fish balances boldness and vulnerability, confronting love, loss, and personal growth–all while “stretching idiomatic boundaries” (Nashville Scene).
With just weeks to go until the inaugural Biscuits & Banjos Festival, GRAMMY and Pulitzer Prize-winning artist Rhiannon Giddens has revealed several exciting updates for the sold-out three-day event, taking place April 25-27, 2025 across downtown Durham, NC. The festival, curated by Giddens, is a celebration of Black music, art, and culture, bringing together artists, storytellers, and the community to honor the legacy of Black string band traditions while showcasing the diversity and vitality of contemporary Black folk and roots music. Highlights include a livestream of the highly anticipated Carolina Chocolate Drops reunion show via Veeps on April 26, a new merchandise line available for pre-order, a range of free programming open to the public and the full festival schedule.
For fans unable to attend in person, the festival will offer a livestream of Rhiannon Giddens’ Carolina Breakdown show, featuring the Carolina Chocolate Drops Reunion, via livestream-concert platform, Veeps. This monumental performance marks the first time in over a decade that all original and key members of the GRAMMY-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops will perform together on stage. The reunion not only brings back one of the most influential Black string bands of the 21st century but also serves as a powerful moment of reconnection and reflection on their profound impact on American roots music. The show will also debut Giddens' new band, The Old-Time Revue, live from the Durham Performing Arts Center at 6 PM on Saturday, April 26. The evening will be a historic celebration of tradition, artistry, and community, uniting past and present through music. Veeps is the world’s leading streaming platform for live music and entertainment, where fans can connect with their favorite artists through live and on-demand concerts, comedy shows, and more. Tickets on-sale now: https://veeps.events/biscuits-and-banjos
Free programming throughout the weekend will include musical performances, artist panels, and film screenings, with topics ranging from Black voices in country music to the relationship between food and storytelling. In addition, the festival will screen a live telecast of Giddens’ Carolina Breakdown set in Downtown Durham’s Lot 20 (the festival’s hub), allowing the Durham community to experience the historic reunion of the Carolina Chocolate Drops.
The festival has also launched an online store, offering a first look at its exclusive Biscuits & Banjos merchandise line. Attendees can pre-order items for pickup on-site, ensuring they don’t miss out on commemorative gear while enjoying the festival. Please visit here: https://stores.portmerch.com/biscuitsandbanjos/
While the ticketed venues have been sold out for months, Giddens is making it clear that Biscuits & Banjos is more than just a series of concerts. Free, community-focused programming will take place at five dedicated areas around Durham, including the Water Tower at American Tobacco Campus and the festival’s Blackbird Stage at Lot 20. "I know it's been sold out for a while, but there is so much going on outside of the ticketed venues," says Giddens. "You're going to see performances from people like Dom Flemons, discussions about country music, and documentaries from folks like Justin Robinson. This festival is about building community because that's what we need now, more than ever."
Late-night after parties at Pinhook, curated by local BIPOC and LGBTQ+ DJ collective The Conjure, will feature local artists spinning and western themed drag performances , while the Music Village at 21c Museum Hotel will include free banjo lessons from Deering Banjos and an interactive space for attendees to explore and shop instruments from Elderly Instruments. Film screenings will also take place at PSI Theatre.
Another festival highlight is the Biscuit Trail, showcasing Durham’s thriving culinary scene by featuring biscuit-inspired dishes from seven local restaurants throughout the weekend. Adding a touch of friendly competition, the participating restaurants will also go head-to-head in a biscuit competition, with Rhiannon Giddens serving as one of the judges. This initiative not only celebrates rich Southern food traditions but also adds a local flavor to the festival experience.
In addition to the programming, Biscuits & Banjos has partnered with Fandiem to give away a trip to the festival, supporting the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, which aids musicians and industry workers in North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Helene. So far, the campaign has raised $40,000, with donations continuing to come in.
Curated by Giddens, Biscuits & Banjos is a tribute to North Carolina’s Black cultural legacy and the role of Black string band music in shaping American roots traditions. Giddens’ forthcoming album, What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow (April 18, Nonesuch Records), continues her journey of honoring and celebrating the music born out of this rich heritage, building on her lifelong commitment to preserving and amplifying these traditions.
Biscuits & Banjos is a non-profit, community responsive festival. Funding for Biscuits & Banjos is made possible in part by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the Ford Foundation, Warner Music Group & Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund, Duke Arts and Duke Community Affairs, 21c Museum Hotel, Harper House Music Foundation, Biscuitville, Danielle Rose Paikin Foundation, Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, North Carolina Humanities, the City of Durham, Durham County, North Carolina Arts Council, Blue Ridge Music Center, the Hello in There Foundation, American Tobacco Campus, Bull City Burger and Brewery, Deering Banjos, Discover Durham, Durham Arts Council, the Durham Hotel, Red Light Management, Elderly Instruments, M4 Media, Old Hillside Bourbon, Proximity Brewing Company, Southern Documentary Fund, Sugarlands Distilling Company, Unscripted Durham, and many generous individual donors and community partners.
Unmanageable, a 501(c)3 organization, is Biscuits & Banjo’s non-profit producing partner. Donations to support Biscuits & Banjos are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Donate: https://www.biscuitsandbanjos.com/donate
What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow Track List:
Rain Crow
Brown’s Dream
Hook and Line
Pumpkin Pie
Duck’s Eyeball
Ryestraw
Little Brown Jug
Going to Raleigh
Country Waltz
Molly Put the Kettle On
Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss
John Henry
Love Somebody
Ebenezer
Old Joe Clark
Old Molly Hare
Marching Jaybird
Walkin’ in the Parlor
Tour Dates:
April 25-27 - Durham, NC - Biscuits & Banjos
April 30 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
May 2 - Miami, FL - Miami Beach Bandshell
May 3 - Atlanta, GA - The Eastern
May 4 - Birmingham, AL - Jemison Concert Hall @ Alys Robinson Stephens Center
May 7 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
May 8 - Cincinnati, OH - Memorial Hall
May 9 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
May 11 - Washington, DC - The Anthem
May 13 - Grand Rapids, MI - St. Cecilia Music Center
May 15 - Toronto, ON - Koerner Hall at The Royal Conservatory of Music
May 16 - Toronto, ON - Koerner Hall at The Royal Conservatory of Music
May 17 - Ottawa, ON - National Arts Centre, Southam Hall
June 15 - Napa, CA - Uptown Theatre
June 16 - Ventura, CA - Ventura Theater
June 18 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl (with Our Native Daughters, Steve Martin, Ed Helms, Leyla McCalla, Amythyst Kiah and Allison Brown)
June 19 - San Diego, CA - The Observatory North Park
June 21 - Berkeley, CA - Zellerbach
June 23 - Seattle, WA - The Moore Theater
June 26 - Montréal, QC - Théâtre Maisonneuve @ Montreal Jazz Festival
July 11 - Tucson, AZ - Fox Tucson Theatre
July 12 - Flagstaff, AZ - Pepsi Amphitheater
July 14 - Santa Fe, NM - Lensic Performing Arts Center
John Butler’s grasp of melody, soul and anthemic pop choruses have kept him on airwaves, top venues and festival stages around the globe for more than 20 years, and the American-Australian singer-songwriter and producer’s new single “Trippin On You,” out today, catapults us back to classic Butler goodness with fervor. “Trippin On You” hurtles towards us with echoes of his hits “Zebra” and “Better Man,” full of sunshine grooves and heart-on-sleeve reflections, not to mention a blazing refrain that is as hopeful as it is infectious.
Butler is an open book of self-reflection and integrity, always quick to share his learnings through storytelling and lace them with some deep-seated funk and string picking to sweeten the sermon. "This song is about relationships, work and internal narratives,” he explains. “I’m struck that ALL good things in my life need work to maintain their goodness. Mental health, marriage, business relationships, a garden, a clean room, trust and reliability etc. They all need us to turn up. They all deserve our best selves.”
Video director Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore has brought the song to life visually, showing the struggle of a couple’s relationship. The quintessentially Australian setting is mixed with a touch of Pueblo’s New Mexico – a nod to Butler’s American and Australian upbringing – and was filmed over a weekend in Tylden Victoria. Watch the video here.
Recorded solely by Butler and his co-producer James Ireland in Fremantle, “Trippin On You” is a full-bodied mantra, overflowing with radio-friendly vibes and a windows-down life force. The single will be featured on a forthcoming studio album, the third season of a new creative endeavor entitled Four Seasons: a four-album cycle that Butler began releasing in 2024. The Four Seasons represent a period of uncertainty that ultimately took Butler back to his instrumental work to start to rebuild.
As prolific as he is righteous, Butler is a multi-faceted artist, activist and icon of roots-inspired alternative rock, who is widely celebrated for his epic guitar instrumentals and pedal board wizardry.
With a newly assembled band featuring original John Butler Trio drummer Michael Barker, alongside Michael Boase (percussion) and Ian Peres (bass/keys), Butler is set to bring “Trippin On You” and beyond on an extensive tour across the U.S. this summer, playing alongside Dispatch, G. Love & Special Sauce, Donavon Frankenreiter and Illiterate Light. See below for the full itinerary, and purchase tickets here.
TOUR DATES:
May 31, 2025 The Basement East - Nashville, TN
un 1, 2025 The Basement East - Nashville, TN
Jun 3, 2025 The St. Augustine Amphitheatre - St. Augustine, FL +
Jun 5, 2025 Coca-Cola Roxy - Atlanta, GA +
Jun 6, 2025 Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre - Charlotte, NC +
Jun 7, 2025 Red Hat Amphitheater - Raleigh, NC +
Jun 8, 2025 Live Oak Bank Pavilion - Wilmington, NC +
Jun 10, 2025 Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront - Richmond, VA +
Jun 12, 2025 The Dome - Virginia Beach, VA +
Jun 13, 2025 Firefly Distillery - North Charleston, SC +
Jun 14, 2025 Asheville Yards Amphitheater - Asheville, NC +
Jun 17, 2025 The Andrew J Brady Music Center - Cincinnati, OH +
Jun 18, 2025 Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park - Indianapolis, IN +
Jun 19-21, 2025 Summerfest - Milwaukee, WI
Jun 21, 2025 Ravinia Festival - Highland Park, IL +
Jun 22, 2025 Surly Brewing Festival Field - Minneapolis, MN *
Jun 24, 2025 Saint Louis Music Park - Maryland Heights, MO +
Jun 26, 2025 Meadow Brook Amphitheatre - Detroit, MI +
Jun 27, 2025 Evans Amphitheater – Cain Park - Cleveland Heights, OH +
Jun 28, 2025 The Met - Philadelphia, PA +
Jun 29, 2025 Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater - Bridgeport, CT +
Jul 1, 2025 The Rooftop at Pier 17 - New York, NY +
Jul 3, 2025 Thompson's Point - Portland, ME +
Jul 4, 2025 Stone Pony Summer Stage - Asbury Park, NJ +
Jul 5, 2025 Wolf Trap - Vienna, VA +
Jul 24, 2025 Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Amphitheater - San Diego, CA +
Jul 25, 2025 The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan - Las Vegas, NV +
Jul 26, 2025 The Pacific Amphitheatre - Costa Mesa, CA +
Jul 27, 2025 The Masonic - San Francisco, CA +
Jul 28, 2025 Revolution Hall - Portland, OR
Jul 31, 2025 Hayden Homes Amphitheater - Bend, OR +
Aug 1, 2025 Marymoor Live - Redmond, WA +
Aug 2, 2025 The Festival at Sandpoint - Sandpoint, ID +
Aug 3, 2025 KettleHouse Amphitheater - Bonner, MT +
Aug 5, 2025 Venue TBA - Salt Lake City, UT +
Aug 7, 2025 Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Morrison, CO *
Aug 8, 2025 Dillon Amphitheater - Dillon, CO *
* Dispatch, Donavon Frankenreiter and Illiterate Light
+ Dispatch, G. Love & Special Sauce and Donavon Frankenreiter
New York-born, Tamil Nadu-raised singer and transdisciplinarian ganavya – “among modern music's most compelling vocalists” — (the Wall Street Journal) today announces a new album, Nilam, out May 23th. Co-produced by Nils Frahm at Berlin’s Funkhaus studio, the new album by “the singer whose work,” says the New York Times, “feels like prayer…with listeners hanging onto her every word” follows last year’s Alice Coltrane-indebted Daughter Of A Temple, praised by NPR, BBC and The Guardian, who applauded ganavya’s ability to harness “the power of communal harmony to touch something deeper than song.”
The announcement arrives today with the song “SEES FIRE,” which arrived to ganavya after her temporary ban on a popular social media platform after calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
“My grandmother had something called ‘The Kitchen Orchestra’,” ganavya continues. “We believed everything— and by this virtue, everyone— was a musician. People would make instruments from whatever they could, like kitchen utensils. When I was banned from [a popular social media platform] under community guidelines for writing the word ceasefire, I didn’t know what to do. The absurdity of it risked my sanity. But I remembered the strange humor and seriousness in the practice of hiding everything in plain sight, and wrote the words for ‘SEES FIRE’— presumably a song about, say, the earth burning— and found that I could hide as many hopes and dreams in language so that the song would find who it needed to find without being killed on the way. ‘A child sees fire / I wish I could build you a palace / tine the right fires in you.’ It’s all there, hidden. We find it, and each other, when we are open to it.”
Nilam’s central theme, then, ganavya confesses, is “doing what we need to do to keep carrying on.” This perhaps, isn’t surprising given her touring not one but two albums in a single year. Earlier in 2024, she’d also released the equally acclaimed like the sky i've been too quiet, recorded with Shabaka Hutchings, and a debut single for LEITER, “‘Draw Something Beautiful” which arrived last July.
Listening to Nilam now, it seems implausible that its inception might ever have been in doubt. A celebration of the ties that bind, and the most tender-hearted music from ganavya yet, it’s intimate, hushed and honest, a poignant expression of gratitude for the blessings which keep one grounded, if only we’ll recognize and welcome them. Indeed, it could have been transmitted directly from soul to stereo, from the way “Not A Burden”’ lifts a weight off the world’s shoulders to the peaceful “SEES FIRE,” with ‘Land’’s gentle groove full of space, “Nine Jeweled Prayer” serenely precious, and, throughout, ganavya’s vocals reverberate through like ripples on a lagoon.
Nilam takes its title from “nil”, the Tamil word for “land,” a decision made instinctively, and not just because firm ground was what she was seeking during a difficult period of touring. “The word ‘nil’ can be a command either to move or to stay still,” ganavya points out. “To the person being senselessly quiet, it is a command to stand up for what is right. To the person being senselessly loud, it is a command to stand still. To me, it is balance, the heart of the true rhythm of life, of change, of land, of landing.” All the same, the word perfectly describes these songs she’s played, on and off, across the years with Ridley and Overton. “The world changes and shifts and everything becomes dizzying as the earth keeps disappearing from under you,” she concludes, “but these songs have always been a place for me to stand, a place for us to be in a way that I don't really know how to describe. Music has always been the one true land...”
ganavya may have earned four graduate degrees in music since her Kitchen Orchestra days – including from Berklee College of Music, UCLA and Harvard, to whom Quincy Jones recommended her – but most of her childhood was spent away from school, dancing and singing on the pilgrimage trail, learning the storytelling art of harikathā and singing poetry. On the pilgrimage trail, they would sing songs called “abhangs” or “songs without end” which were spiritual poems that would keep everyone spirited while walking towards the temple for days. The “Pasayadan,” she explains, “is an abhang from the pilgrimage tradition. It is one of the last prayers we’d sing, where the young saint prays for the sun to rise in all cold hearts, for the wisdom to see each other as wish-fulfilling trees, that we are each other’s sanctuaries, that we remember that we are each other’s true temples. You treat cruelty like a disease. It introduces such softness to life. For me, given my particular life, it is a softness that saves me.”
Her most recent album, Daughter of a Temple, draws upon a vast cast of contributors across multiple disciplines, among them esperanza spalding, Vijay Iyer, Shabaka Hutchings, Immanuel Wilkins, and more. Since then, ganavya has journeyed across the US and UK incessantly on tour, performing at Knoxville’s Big Ears festival just last month. This May, she’ll return to the road with a string of dates in the UK before heading back to the states for a number of west coast fall headlining dates in November with stops in Los Angeles, San Francisco and more. See the full list of dates below and stay tuned for more to come from ganavya.
Back on tap for its ninth edition, Trombone Shorty’s Treme Threauxdown will return to New Orleans during Jazz Fest for one of the weekend’s most beloved events. The show takes place Saturday, April 26, 2025, at the historic Saenger Theatre, where Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue will be joined by an exciting slate of special guests, including Elvis Costello, Lauren Daigle, Andy Grammer, and Allen Stone. As always, additional surprise performers will be revealed the night of the show.
Since its debut, the Treme Threauxdown has become a can’t-miss celebration of New Orleans music, community, and spontaneity. Known for its electrifying energy and all-star sit-ins, past editions of the Threauxdown have seen everyone from Jon Batiste, Mavis Staples, Allen Toussaint, and Dr. John to Eric Church, Usher, Joan Jett, and Gary Clark Jr. take the stage. Previous surprise guests have included Nick Jonas, Dierks Bentley, Steve Miller, and Wyclef Jean—all jamming alongside Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue for one-of-a-kind moments that only happen in New Orleans.
As he has for the past 11 years, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue will also perform the hallowed final set of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on Sunday, May 4. On April 28 at Tipitina’s, the 12th annual Shorty Fest Presented by Acura will also take place, serving as the Trombone Shorty Foundation’s flagship benefit concert and community celebration. This year’s lineup includes Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Black Opry Revue, and “The Jersey Takeover” with Dogs in a Pile joined by special guests Robert Randolph and Jake Clemons (of the E Street Band). Students from the Trombone Shorty Academy will also perform throughout the evening. The festivities kick off at 5PM with a free outdoor Cultural Block Party on Napoleon Avenue featuring a Battle of the Bands, a kids' area, food trucks, a VIP tent, and a special Walk of Fame induction honoring Shannon Powell. Proceeds from the event support the Foundation’s mission to empower young musicians through education, mentorship, and performance opportunities.
Shorty’s busy slate at home during Jazz Fest is the latest in a landmark year that included a performance of “America the Beautiful” with Lauren Daigle at the Super Bowl in New Orleans. He also earned his fourth GRAMMY nomination for his contribution to Live at the 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival by New Breed Brass Band, the New Orleans ensemble led by his nephew, Jenard Andrews. Last December he took the stage at the CBS National Christmas Tree Lighting at the White House, and honored Arturo Sandoval at the Kennedy Center Honors, which aired nationally on CBS and Paramount+.
Looking ahead, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue will hit the road this summer for a nationwide run of shows alongside JJ Grey & Mofro and Dumpstaphunk. The tour will bring them to major venues across the country, including The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles (June 8), The Salt Shed in Chicago (July 12), and stops in San Diego, San Francisco, Boston, Portland, and more. For additional info, please visit: https://www.tromboneshorty.com/tour.
2025 Summer Tour Dates
Wednesday, June 4 - Aspen, CO - Belly Up Aspen
Thursday, June 5 - Vail, CO - Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater
Saturday, June 7 - San Diego, CA - The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park
Sunday, June 8 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre
Wednesday, June 11 - San Francisco, CA - The Masonic
Friday, June 13 - Eugene, OR - The Cuthbert Amphitheater
Saturday, June 14 - Woodinville, WA - Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery
Sunday, June 15 - Airway Heights, WA - Northern Quest Resort & Casino
Tuesday, June 17 - Sandy, UT - Sandy Amphitheater
Wednesday, June 18 - Arvada, CO - Arvada Center
Thursday, June 26, 2025 - Cleveland, OH - Tri-C Jazz Festival
Friday, June 27, 2025 - Syracuse, NY - Syracuse Jazz Festival
Saturday, June 28, 2025 - Rochester, NY - Rochester Jazz Festival
Sunday, June 29, 2025 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Jazz Festival
Friday, July 11 - Minneapolis, MN - Surly Brewing Festival Field
Saturday, July 12 - Chicago, IL - The Salt Shed
Sunday, July 13, 2025 - Grand Rapids, MI - Frederik Meijer Gardens Amphitheater
Monday, July 14, 2025 - Interlochen, MI - Kresge Auditorium
Thursday, July 17 - Lewiston, NY - Artpark Amphitheater
Friday, July 18 - Portland, ME - Thompson’s Point
Saturday, July 19 - Hyannis, MA - Cape Cod Melody Tent
Sunday, July 20 - Boston, MA - MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Wednesday, July 23 - New York, NY - The Rooftop at Pier 17
Thursday, July 24 - Vienna, VA - Wolf Trap
Friday, July 25 - Allentown, PA - Archer Music Hall
Saturday, July 26 - Selbyville, DE - Freeman Arts Pavilion
Bruce Springsteen’s “Streets of Philadelphia Sessions” will be released in full on “Tracks II: The Lost Albums” — a ten-song collection previously known to fans as his long-rumored “loops record.” Written on the heels of its Oscar-winning namesake, “Streets of Philadelphia Sessions” found Springsteen exploring an interest in the rhythms of mid-1990s contemporary music, and particularly West Coast hip-hop. Initially pouring over CDs of drum samples at his home in Los Angeles, Springsteen began making his own loops with engineer Toby Scott — which formed a rhythmic base he’d build on with keyboards and synthesizers. Both a revelation and departure in his home recording, Springsteen is the primary instrumentalist throughout most of “Streets of Philadelphia Sessions” — with some assists from his 1992-1993 touring band as well as Patti Scialfa, Soozie Tyrell and Lisa Lowell.
At the thematic center of “Streets of Philadelphia Sessions” is “Blind Spot,” a song which explores doubt and betrayal in relationships. “That was just the theme that I locked in on at that moment,” Springsteen explains. “I don’t really know why. Patti and I, we were having a great time in California. But sometimes if you lock into one song you like, then you follow that thread. I had ‘Blind Spot,’ and I followed that thread through the rest of the record.”
Fully completed, mixed and slated for a spring 1995 release, “Streets of Philadelphia Sessions” was ultimately put aside — as Springsteen decided to reunite with The E Street Band for the first time in seven years. “I said, ‘Well, maybe it’s time to just do something with the band, or remind the fans of the band or that part of my work life,’” he remembers. “So that’s where we went. But I always really liked ‘Streets of Philadelphia Sessions’...during the Broadway show, I thought of putting it out [as a standalone release]. I always put them away, but I don’t throw them away.”
With the announcement of “Tracks II: The Lost Albums” earlier this month, the collection’s upcoming release has been called “a treasure” (David Muir, ABC World News Tonight), “astounding” (Rolling Stone) and “too good to be true” (New York Magazine). “Almost ever since he released ‘Tracks’ in 1998, fans have clamored for this,” noted Variety, while the New York Times added that even Springsteen’s biggest fans would be “surprised at the scale of ‘Tracks II.’” The full set was announced with the never-heard song “Rain In The River” from Springsteen’s lost album “Perfect World.” In addition to “Streets of Philadelphia Sessions” and “Perfect World,” “Tracks II” will also include Springsteen’s previously unreleased full-length albums “Faithless,” “Somewhere North of Nashville,” “Inyo,” Twilight Hours” and “LA Garage Sessions ’83.”
The life and music of Richard Manuel will be given fresh context and never-heard perspective this June, with the release of author Stephen T. Lewis’ official biography of The Band’s visionary songwriter, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist. A strong but quiet presence in the group, who did very few interviews during his own life, Manuel’s story is brought to the forefront by those who knew him best - many speaking on the record for the first time - including family members, lifelong friends and close musical collaborators (Eric Clapton and Van Morrison among them). Through their words and Lewis’ meticulous research, well-worn second-hand narratives are eschewed for a dynamic portrait of an inspired spirit among his generation’s greatest and most underrated musical innovators.
Within the pages of this first official Richard Manuel biography are stories from his earliest days as a teenage blues obsessive, leading The Revols (his first band) to ascendant heights in Canada – into the crucial artistic viewpoint (and revered singing voice) he brought to The Hawks and The Band; as well as the pivotal roles he played in moments that defined an era – like Bob Dylan “going electric,” Woodstock and of course The Last Waltz. Lewis also offers many never-heard insights into Manuel’s later years, including his unwavering passion for creating with those closest to him (and renewed songwriting output) as he battled addiction and personal demons in his final days.
“Richard was a dear friend, a great singer and songwriter, and a key member of the greatest rock band that ever played.” - Eric Clapton
“I love this book! Like a slow blues, Stephen T. Lewis takes you through every heartbreak, the beer-soaked floors of juke joints and the sweat-stained clothes from long hours on stage, Richard Manuel’s entire life and the Dickensian cast of characters he intersected with. His musical descriptions of the bands Richard played with carry the ring of truth. The stories are endless. I could not give the book a rest. Absolutely brilliant! – Bill Payne, Little Feat
“Having spent many a long night with Richard, I believe this book beautifully captures the essence of the brilliant musician to an extraordinary detail – to the point where you can actually hear the words. “He lived, he breathed, he died with his music.” – Corky Laing, Mountain
“It’s hard to imagine American music in the sixties and seventies without The Band, even though they never quite got the attention and sales they deserved. Yet the country/folk/blues end of rock would not have existed without them. And though other band members got more attention, Richard Manuel’s voice and classic blues piano were at the very core of that music. Which is why Stephen Lewis’ Richard Manuel deserves serious attention. It fills a major gap in our understanding.” - Dennis McNally, author of A Long Strange Trip, The Inside History of the Grateful Dead
This June, WAR will release Why Can’t We Be Friends? (50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition), celebrating the multi-million-selling, blockbuster album that topped charts and left an indelible mark on music history. This deluxe 3CD and digital set commemorates 50 years of some of the band's most iconic songs, including its timeless title track, “Why Can’t We Be Friends?,” the perennially cool “Low Rider,” “So” and more. First released in 1975, Why Can’t We Be Friends? remains a groundbreaking record—defined by unforgettable melodies, a powerful message of unity, and an enduring influence that continues to shape music, film, and social movements today. On June 6th via Avenue/Rhino, the arrival of this special edition will not only honor the album’s milestone anniversary, but celebrate WAR’s 55-year legacy as cultural trailblazers whose impact still resonates across generations today. They are "one of the most seminal bands in music" (Billboard), and "when it comes to low rider Cali-cool multiculturalism, WAR wrote the biggest, loudest book" (Variety).
Newly remastered by Bernie Grundman, Why Can’t We Be Friends? (50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition) presents the original album alongside two additional discs. Featuring seven unearthed bonus tracks, rare jam sessions and unedited mixes, as well as a revelatory recording about the making of “Why Can’t We Be Friends?,” the collection offers a deeper look into the record than ever before. The 3CD and Digital editions follow the stunning Why Can’t We Be Friends? (50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition) 3LP set that just debuted as a 2025 Record Store Day Vinyl Exclusive. WAR's previous box set, honoring 50 years of The World Is a Ghetto, was named Best New Reissue by Pitchfork, and hailed as one of the best of the year by The New York Times, Variety and more. Why Can’t We Be Friends? (50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition) continues that streak.
WAR’s signature fusion of funk, soul, jazz, Latin, rock and street music is what first propelled them to prominence 55 years ago, but it was their ability to craft songs of social consciousness that further cemented their place in the modern American songbook. The immediate global impact of “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” was so profound that NASA transmitted the title track into space during the historic Apollo-Soyuz mission in 1975. Since then, WAR have continued to sing out against racism, hunger, crime and conflict, while their music has been sampled by Janet Jackson, Tupac, Beastie Boys, Method Man, Sublime, Redman, Cypress Hill, Shaggy, A$AP Mob, Scarface, The Geto Boys, De La Soul, Flo Rida, Liam Payne, Thomas Rhett and more, and covered by everyone from Willie Nelson to The Muppets, George Clinton, Phish, ZZ Top and The Isley Brothers.
With more than 50 million albums sold, 20 gold, platinum and multi-platinum records, three Rock & Roll Hall of Fame noms, a GRAMMY Hall of Fame entry, four #1 LPs, nine Top 10s and twenty Top 40 songs, WAR didn’t just define the sound of the 1970s—they became a lasting voice for creative collaboration and social change, with a mission of love and harmony that resonates now more than ever. From the prophetic message of “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” to the timeless groove of “Low Rider,” this collection captures WAR at their most innovative and socially impactful. More than just a musical milestone, Why Can’t We Be Friends? (50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition) reaffirms the album’s relevance—both as a reflection of the polarizing era that inspired it, and as a beacon of hope for our present and future.
As WAR enters its sixth decade, their influence remains undeniable. Recent honors—including their debut in the 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade—further cement WAR’s status as musical and cultural giants. Meanwhile, WAR will hit the road for dozens of tour dates across the US and abroad, including a hometown, headline performance at the LA County Fair, and many more you can find at https://war.com/tour.
Today, George Brown, beloved co-founder of Kool & The Gang releases his second posthumous project, Jazz in Paris, via Astana Music Inc/BFD/The Orchard. Inspired by the smoky jazz clubs of Paris and New York in the late 1950s and '60s—a sound that shaped Brown’s musical world from an early age—the album reflects his passion for jazz while showcasing his extraordinary range as an artist.
Meticulously crafted, Jazz in Paris blends the timeless elegance of classic jazz with Brown’s signature touch, reflecting his lifelong dedication to the universal language of music. Produced by Brown, co-produced by Curtis F. Williams (Kool & The Gang Musical Director) and the late Wolfgang Amadeus Aichholz, with Claude Ismael as Executive Producer, the album captures Brown’s reverence for jazz while incorporating contemporary influences he gathered throughout his six-decade career. Recorded primarily during the pandemic at his Alley Kat Studio in Los Angeles, the album features collaborations with longtime musical allies including Williams and Louis Van Taylor. Countless nights were spent in the studio, crafting the music that usually came to Brown in his dreams or dream-like states in the early morning. Following Brown’s passing, acclaimed drummer Vinnie Colaiuta stepped in to finalize several key tracks.
Curtis F. Williams reflects on the album and the process of completing it: “George’s spirit is woven into every note of this record. Those of us who were closest to him could feel his presence guiding us in the studio—it was as if he was still there, speaking through the music. Every track touches a nerve because it’s so deeply personal and true to who he was. Jazz in Paris isn’t just a record; it’s an intimate window into George’s creative world, and we’re honored to help share that with the world.”
A central influence on Jazz in Paris is the groundbreaking work of Miles Davis. Inspired by Davis’ boundary-pushing brilliance, Brown infused the album with textures reminiscent of the First and Second Great Quintets. On tracks like “Lisa” and “MDD” (short for Miles Dewey Davis), Brown channels the depth and sophistication of classic jazz standards, while his broader range shines through funk-infused standouts like “Addicted to the Hustle” and the bluesy “Daddy Jazzbow.” The album concludes with “In the Land of Allah – In the Land of God,” a deeply personal track dedicated to Brown’s lifelong friend and Kool & The Gang co-founder, Khalis Bayyan (born Ronald Bell). The expansive nine-and-a-half-minute piece features Brown performing drums, bass, percussion, keyboards, piano, and vocals, alongside contributions from Turkish Sufi musician Omar Faruk Tekbilek on trumpet, percussion, and vocals. This poignant closing moment encapsulates a life shaped by music and guided by a profound spirituality — one that transcended religion, faith, creed, color, and belief.
Throughout his remarkable career, George Brown toured extensively across Europe with Kool & The Gang, earning a dedicated following in Paris. Their concerts, especially at the iconic Olympia Theatre, were met with overwhelming love from French audiences. Brown’s personal connection to the city extended well beyond the stage—his frequent visits to Paris served as a wellspring of creative inspiration. Jazz in Paris stands as both a love letter to the city and a heartfelt homage to the jazz legends who first stirred his imagination.
To honor the album’s release, The George Brown Ensemble comes together for a special night of music at The Sun Rose in Los Angeles on April 24. Featuring some of George’s closest friends and collaborators—Louis Van Taylor, Curtis Williams, Stu Pearlman, Andrea Lisa, Ian Martin, Mike Condone, Katja Koren, Lyndon Rochelle, and Mykail McDade—the ensemble performs Jazz in Paris in its entirety across two shows, at 7:30 PM and 10:30 PM. Each set includes a special opening performance by George’s son, vocalist and pianist Aaron Brown, making it a true family affair.
Lisa
What I Love About You
Juliette
MDD
Francess
Daddy Jazz Bow
Addicted to the Hustle
West End Avenue
The Kat
Jardin De Lapin
In the Land of Allah – In the Land of God
George Brown passed away in 2023 at the age of 74, leaving behind a lasting legacy. He is survived by his wife, Hanh Brown, and five children.
Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson’s collaborative new album What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow, is out today via Nonesuch Records. The “extremely timeless” (NPR Music) eighteen-track collection draws directly from the Black string band tradition of North Carolina, where both artists were raised and musically shaped–and eventually became two-thirds of the Carolina Chocolate Drops (alongside Dom Flemons). Giddens has discussed this new album extensively in interviews with Rolling Stone, Garden & Gun, Stereogum and others. Next weekend, her first-ever music and cultural festival–Biscuits & Banjos in Durham, NC–will take place, featuring the debut of her new band, and a highly anticipated Carolina Chocolate Drops reunion. A new video for the album track “Rain Crow” is also out today.
Produced by Giddens and Joseph "joebass" DeJarnette, the album features Giddens on banjo and Robinson on fiddle, with the duo playing eighteen of their favorite North Carolina tunes: a mix of instrumentals and tunes with words. Many were learned from their late mentor, the legendary North Carolina Piedmont musician Joe Thompson; one is from another musical hero, the late Etta Baker, from whom they also learned by listening to recordings of her playing. Some tunes were learned from Evelyn Shaw of Harnett County, who learned from her father Lauchlin Shaw. Giddens and Robinson recorded outdoors at Thompson’s and Baker’s North Carolina homes, as well as the former plantation, Mill Prong. They were accompanied by the sounds of nature, including a roaring chorus of cicadas, creating a unique soundscape.
"‘Come to our porch, sit down, have some tea, and we're just going to play some tunes,’" says Giddens. "We wanted to record that feeling."
By performing music the way they learned it, in the specific place they learned it, Giddens and Robinson tap into the timelessness of the tunes, making them sing with fluidity and grace. "We are part of this ancient tradition; we are just the modern day purveyors," says Robinson.
“Rain Crow” is what Giddens calls “a great example of a tune that is exactly the sound of Piedmont fiddle and banjo music. Time and place snaps together and the very soil under our feet understands what the blackbird said to the crow.” Watch the video/listen to “Rain Crow” HERE.
What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow arrives just one week ahead of Biscuits & Banjos, Giddens’ inaugural music festival, taking place April 25-27 in downtown Durham, NC. The sold-out, nonprofit festival celebrates the deep roots and enduring legacy of Black music, art, and storytelling with a full slate of concerts, workshops, square dances, panel discussions, free banjo lessons, and a celebrity biscuit bake-off. The weekend will feature a highly anticipated reunion performance from the Carolina Chocolate Drops along with performances by Taj Mahal, Adia Victoria, Leyla McCalla, Infinity Song, Don Vappie & Jazz Creole, and Toshi Reagon, with featured speakers like Alice Randall, Caroline Randall Williams, and Dr. Dena Ross Jennings. The full festival schedule has been unveiled HERE.
For fans unable to attend in person, the festival will offer a livestream of Rhiannon Giddens’ Carolina Breakdown show, featuring the Carolina Chocolate Drops Reunion, via Veeps. This monumental performance marks the first time in more than a decade that all original and key members of the GRAMMY-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops will perform together on stage. The reunion not only brings back one of the most influential Black string bands of the 21st century but also serves as an opportunity to reconnect and reflect on the group’s profound impact on American roots music. The show will also debut Giddens' new band, The Old-Time Revue, live from the Durham Performing Arts Center at 6 PM on Saturday, April 26. The evening will be a historic celebration of tradition, artistry, and community, uniting past and present through music. Tickets are on-sale now HERE.
Giddens recently announced a number of new dates on her Rhiannon Giddens & The Old-Time Revue tour, which features Robinson and four other string musicians, including multi-instrumentalist Dirk Powell. On June 18 they will headline the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, joined by special guests Our Native Daughters–in their first performance since 2022–as well as Steve Martin, Ed Helms, and more. Additional shows in July have been added to the itinerary as well; see below for the full list.
Gidden’s PBS show–My Music with Rhiannon Giddens–is back for a third season, this time in Ireland with musicians who live there. Episodes will be posted online weekly on Thursdays starting May 1 in the US (on PBS.org) and on Fridays starting May 2 in Canada, the UK, and Australia / New Zealand (on Prime).
Giddens has also collaborated with banjo scholar Kristina R. Gaddy and University of North Carolina Press on a new book of Black music from the 1600s to 1800s called Go Back and Fetch It: Recovering Early Black Music in the Americas for Fiddle and Banjo. More information about their book can be found HERE.
About Rhiannon Giddens
Rhiannon Giddens has made a singular, iconic career out of stretching her brand of folk music, with its miles-deep historical roots and contemporary sensibilities, into just about every field imaginable. A two-time GRAMMY Award–winning singer and instrumentalist, 2023 Pulitzer Prize winner, MacArthur “Genius” grant recipient, and composer of opera, ballet, and film, Giddens has centered her work around the mission of lifting up people whose contributions to American musical history have previously been overlooked or erased, and advocating for a more accurate understanding of the country’s musical origins through art. Her most recent release is 2023’s You’re the One, Giddens’ first album of all original songs; her banjo can be heard on the history-making song “Texas Hold ‘Em”; and she is the Artistic Director of Silkroad Ensemble. In addition to her musical pursuits, Giddens has published two children’s books featuring her lyrics, hosts the Aria Code podcast on WQXR, and has composed music for ballet and film, and two of her songs are featured in the hit video game Red Dead Redemption 2.
About Justin Robinson
Justin Robinson is a GRAMMY Award–winning musician and vocalist, cultural preservationist, and historic foodways expert. Robinson has used his wide range of interests and talents to preserve North Carolina’s African American history and culture, connecting people to the past and to the world around them.
Robinson grew up exploring the woods and rivers around him in Gastonia, NC. Influenced by the musical tastes of his grandparents, he grew to love a diversity of musical styles. He learned to play the violin as a child; however, he did not enjoy playing classical music and stopped around the age of thirteen. It wasn’t until he was inspired by the old-time blues jams he attended as a student at UNC-Chapel Hill that he decided to approach the violin again—this time, as a fiddler. He played with the Carolina Chocolate Drops, working to preserve traditional forms of music, to introduce new generations to musical legends like Joe Thompson, and to remind audiences that the fiddle was, historically, an African American instrument. He wrote the song “Kissin’ and Cussin’” for the group’s GRAMMY Award–winning album, Genuine Negro Jig, and continued to write music after leaving the group in 2011, releasing the album Bones for Tinder as Justin Robinson and the Mary Annettes in 2012.
In addition to preserving African American musical traditions, Robinson is known for his work as a culinary historian. He is an eighth generation Afro-Carolinian and is the descendant of sharecroppers and large landowners. He is constantly exploring the complex relationship that people have with our plant relatives, including through his social media account, @CountryGentlemanCooks, and through the formation of the Earthseed Land Cooperative, a collective in northern Durham “made up of farmers, entrepreneurs, professionals, and teachers who are currently engaged in creating alternative models for sustainability, equity, and cooperation within communities of color.” Robinson has a Master of Science degree in Forestry from North Carolina State University and carries on the ethnobotany work of his grandfather, J.G. Johnson.
What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow Track List:
Rain Crow
Brown’s Dream
Hook and Line
Pumpkin Pie
Duck’s Eyeball
Ryestraw
Little Brown Jug
Going to Raleigh
Country Waltz
Molly Put the Kettle On
Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss
John Henry
Love Somebody
Ebenezer
Old Joe Clark
Old Molly Hare
Marching Jaybird
Walkin’ in the Parlor
Tour Dates:
April 25-27 - Durham, NC - Biscuits & Banjos
April 30 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
May 2 - Miami, FL - Miami Beach Bandshell
May 3 - Atlanta, GA - The Eastern
May 4 - Birmingham, AL - Jemison Concert Hall @ Alys Robinson Stephens Center
May 7 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
May 8 - Cincinnati, OH - Memorial Hall
May 9 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
May 11 - Washington, DC - The Anthem
May 13 - Grand Rapids, MI - St. Cecilia Music Center
May 15 - Toronto, ON - Koerner Hall at The Royal Conservatory of Music
May 16 - Toronto, ON - Koerner Hall at The Royal Conservatory of Music
May 17 - Ottawa, ON - National Arts Centre, Southam Hall
June 15 - Napa, CA - Uptown Theatre
June 16 - Ventura, CA - Ventura Theater
June 18 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl (with Our Native Daughters, Steve Martin, Ed Helms, Leyla McCalla, Amythyst Kiah and Allison Brown)
June 19 - San Diego, CA - The Observatory North Park
June 21 - Berkeley, CA - Zellerbach
June 23 - Seattle, WA - The Moore Theater
June 26 - Montréal, QC - Théâtre Maisonneuve @ Montreal Jazz Festival
July 11 - Tucson, AZ - Fox Tucson Theatre
July 12 - Flagstaff, AZ - Pepsi Amphitheater
July 14 - Santa Fe, NM - Lensic Performing Arts Center
July 16 - Salt Lake City, UT - Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre
July 18 - Sonoma, CA - Green Music Center
July 19 - Navarro, CA - Redwood Ramble
July 21 - Saratoga, CA - The Mountain Winery
July 24 - Reno, NV - Robert Z. Hawkins Amphitheater
July 25 - Boise, ID - Egyptian Theatre
July 27 - Steamboat Springs, CO - Strings Music Festival
Elvis Costello has extended his “Radio Soul!: The Early Songs of Elvis Costello” tour with 22 new East Coast and Midwest dates starting September 18th in Bethlehem, PA and running through October 22nd in Omaha, NE.
As previously announced, the first leg of the “Radio Soul!: The Early Songs of Elvis Costello” tour, performed by Elvis Costello & The Imposters with Charlie Sexton, spans June 12th in Seattle, WA through Miami Beach, FL on July 12th,
As the playful billing suggests, the show will feature numbers drawn from record releases from “My Aim Is True” in 1977 to “Blood & Chocolate” in 1986, along with other surprises.
Those nine years saw the first appearance of some of Elvis Costello’s most renowned compositions from “Watching The Detectives” to “I Want You”, along with songs that have remained in The Imposters’ live repertoire over the last 20 or more years, including “Alison,” “Man Out Of Time” and “Brilliant Mistake.”
Asked about the surprising theme of this tour, Costello responded:
“For any songwriter, it has to be a compliment if people want to hear songs written up to fifty years ago. Among them, “Radio Soul,” the first draft of what eventually became “Radio Radio.”
Regarding the decision to sharpen the focus on a specific period of time, Costello reminded us:
“You can expect the unexpected and the faithful in equal measure. Don’t forget this show is “Performed by Elvis Costello & The Imposters”, an ensemble which includes three people who first recorded this music and two more who bring something entirely new. They are nobody’s tribute band.
The Imposters are a living, breathing, swooning, kicking and screaming rock and roll band who can turn their hands to a pretty ballad when the opportunity arises.”
The Imposters are Steve Nieve, Pete Thomas and Davey Faragher and they are joined once again by guitarist, Charlie Sexton.
Recent performances of Elvis Costello & The Imposters with Charlie Sexton received widespread acclaim:
“Costello is proving he’s an indefatigable force of nature, and one of the greatest showmen in the history of rock ’n’ roll. We’re lucky to bear witness.” – Nashville Scene, 1/30/24
“Elvis Costello and the Imposters laid the crowd to waste.” – Riverfront Times, 1/30/24
Costello concluded:
"If there is an encore and we play, “Farewell, OK”, it probably means some of those “Early Songs” will have been performed in your city for the very last time. I don’t want to go back, I want to bring these songs into the present day, once more, in the event they are ever pushed out of the way by the next number that I write.
You could say time is running out but only time will tell.
Don’t be late, the band hits at eight.”
This tour follows the fall 2024 release of “King Of America & Other Realms” - a 6-CD anthology that tells the story of that 1986 album and the music to which it led. The “King Of America” songs are expected to be heard in the mid-show interlude, along with songs written as long ago as 1975 and even some of those “pretty ballads” that Costello has promised.
Today, Riverfest FPS (For Pete’s Sake), Dayglo Presents, and Harper House Music Foundation announce the Hudson River Music Festival set for Saturday, June 14 from 11:00am-9:00pm in Croton Point Park. Rooted in the spirit of Toshi and Pete Seeger’s folk picnics, the new festival is set to bring together music lovers, environmental advocates, and families for a vibrant celebration. This all-ages festival will unite people in a gathering fueled by a shared love for the river, music, and activism. From its musical performances to community-driven experiences, the festival embodies the next chapter in a beloved tradition.
Musical acts will include Grahame Lesh & Friends - featuring Rick Mitarotonda (Goose), Oteil Burbridge (Dead & Company, Allman Brothers Band), Taylor Goldsmith, Griffin Goldsmith (Dawes), Rob Barraco (Phil Lesh Quintet), Jennifer Hartswick (Trey Anastasio Band), - Lucius featuring Griffin & Taylor Goldsmith, Madison Cunningham, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Steve Earle & Friends and Jorma Kaukonen (Hot Tuna, Jefferson Airplane). Additional special activities will include the iconic Earthball, Pete & Toshi’s Grove, the Circle of Song, and family friendly performances from the Arm of the Sea Puppet Show and The Rock and Roll Playhouse, as well as the mesmerizing Boat Flotilla, where boats gather along the Hudson River and move in harmony. The festival will provide ASL interpreters for performances.
Tickets are on sale beginning this Friday, April 25, with options for General Admission and VIP. To purchase tickets, view transportation options and more, visit www.hudsonrivermusicfestival.com.
Mitzi Elkes, Hal Cohen, and Roy Volpe, co-founders of RiverFest FPS (For Pete’s Sake) shared, “We started with a vision to bring back a beloved festival to Croton Point Park. Pete Seeger taught us about the power of music to connect people, learn about the environment, and commit to work together for a sustainable planet – as important today as it was fifty years ago.”
"We are super honored to be continuing the magic that was created at Croton Point Park for many years. Given the upheaval in the world, it feels good to have such a solid piece of history return again. We are going to do our very best to do something new and fresh, while also respecting the roots of how this new festival came to be." said Peter Shapiro, Founder of Dayglo Presents.
Steve Sullens, Founder of Harper House Music Foundation shared “Collaborating with Pete and Toshi Seeger’s friends in presenting this event alongside Dayglo has been a labor of love. Our mission of supporting musicians, their music and their legacies is fully aligned with the ethos of this festival, both past and present. We are excited to gather on the Hudson River with so many like-minded folks. Jeremy Tepper would be very proud of all of us!”
Additional Event Highlights include:
Eco-Friendly Commitment: The festival is dedicated to sustainability, with a strong commitment to a Zero Waste future. Attendees will be encouraged to reduce their environmental impact and enjoy a greener, more responsible festival experience.
Family-Friendly Fun: With programs like The Rock and Roll Playhouse, boat-building workshops, and an immersive puppet show, there’s something for everyone in the family to enjoy.
Pete & Toshi’s Grove: A peaceful space dedicated to honoring the legacies of Pete and Toshi Seeger, this special area invites festival-goers to reflect, reconnect, and share in their vision for a better world through music and activism.
Antone’s – Austin’s legendary “Home Of The Blues” – has announced a four-LP, 41-track box set celebrating its 50th anniversary, packed with the rich history and enduring spirit of a club that “helped put the live music capital of the world on the map” (Austin American Statesman). Set for release on August 22 via New West Records, Antone’s: 50 Years of the Blues, chronicles the development of Antone’s and its trailblazing music across three full-length albums (each capturing a unique element of the club’s history) and a special bonus 45. The set also features a meticulously updated hardcover edition of Picture the Blues from Susan Antone (the sister and close collaborator of legendary late Antone’s founder Clifford Antone) with rare and unseen photographs, and a new definitive Antone’s history written by revered Texas music historian Joe Nick Patoski with fresh interviews.
Out today are two advance tracks from the set’s opening double LP, “The Last Real Texas Blues Album,” which includes 18 songs of new material from artists integral to the history of Antone’s (Jimmie Vaughan, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Charlie Sexton, Ruthie Foster, Doyle Bramhall II, Bobby Rush, Derek O’Brien, C.J. Chenier + Muddy Waters’ guitarist John Primer and son Big Bill Morganfield) as well as its next generation leaders (Kam Franklin, Eve Monsees, McKinley James and more). Kam Franklin pays homage to a true Texas trailblazer with her interpretation of Barbara Lynn's "You'll Lose A Good Thing,” and Antone's staple Doyle Brahhall II honors the great Eddie Taylor (who reunited with his musical partner Jimmy Reed for the first time in many years at Antone's in 1976) with "Bad Boy."
The second album, Tell Me One More Time, is a collection of long-lost cuts from Antone’s Records, the club’s in-house label and perhaps the leading promoter of female-fronted blues (Lou Ann Barton, Angela Strehli, Lavelle White, Sue Foley, Barbara Lynn) in record business history. Tell Me One More Time also features never-heard archival commentary from Clifford, about many of the artists and songs within. Album number three, We Went Live In ‘75, features rare live recordings from throughout the club’s history, ranging from Buddy Guy and Otis Rush to a 20-year-old unsigned Gary Clark Jr. Also included is a bonus tri-color 45 of Los Lobos covering Howlin' Wolf, a nod to Clifford - who rescued the band when they were stranded in Texas back in the mid-80s, helping them fund their way back to LA with a week of support slots at the club.
Antone’s: 50 Years of the Blues, is part of a major year-long celebration of Antone’s, including a special Austin City Limits taping for the club's anniversary, ACL & Antone's Celebrate the Blues, taking place on April 28 at ACL Live at The Moody Theater. The lineup, just-announced yesterday, includes Jimmie Vaughan, Sue Foley, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Charlie Sexton, Big Bill Morganfield, Lil’ Ed Williams, Grace Bowers, Bobby Rush and Lurrie Bell. These blues all-stars will be backed by an incredible 14-piece house band, featuring legendary players including ACL Hall of Famer Chris Layton, Steve Bell, Joe Sublett and more - all under the musical direction of Antone’s own Zach Ernst. This one-of-a-kind taping swaps Antone’s intimate setting for ACL’s familiar skyline backdrop and offers an all-star line-up of blues giants and torchbearers taking the famed ACL stage; the broadcast episode will air this fall as part of the PBS series' upcoming Season 51. ACL will live stream the taping on YouTube (youtube.com/austincitylimitstv), beginning promptly at 8pm CT and will only be available live.
The Antone’s Allstars will also be taking over New York's Lincoln Center on June 29 for a one-of-a-kind extravaganza, centered around the rich history of Texas blues and soul - on one of the world's most prestigious stages. Many of the performers from the ACL taping will appear at Lincoln Center (including Jimmie Vaughan, Kam Franklin, John Primer, Lurrie Bell, and Lil’ Ed Williams), but other iconic Antone’s artists like C.J. Chenier and Jivin’ Gene will join in for this special show too. Most recently, Antone’s hosted an all-day 50th anniversary celebration during SXSW, which was praised by Rolling Stone for “pointing the way towards the future of the blues.”
Antone’s: 50 Years of the Blues Tracklist
The Last Real Texas Blues Album
Going Down – Bobby Rush & Jimmie Vaughan
Reconsider Baby – Benny Turner feat. Derek O'Brien
Flip, Flop And Fly – Jivin' Gene feat. Charlie Sexton
You’ll Lose A Good Thing – Kam Franklin
If You Change Your Mind – Lil' Ed Williams
Talkin’ ‘Bout My Friends – Kim Wilson & The Fabulous Thunderbirds
Those Lonely, Lonely Nights – McKinley James
The Sky Is Crying – Lurrie Bell feat. Joe Sublett
Lead Me On – Ruthie Foster
Bad Boy – Doyle Bramhall II
Just Like A Bird Without A Feather – Big Bill Morganfield
Honest I Do – John Primer
Lookin’ Good – Eve Monsees feat. Lurrie Bell & Billy Gibbons
The Things That I Used To Do – Lynn August feat. Marcia Ball
Willie The Wimp – C.J. Chenier
You Got Me Where You Want Me – Sue Foley
If (I Could Be With You) – Kam Franklin
Message From Miss Lavelle – Lavelle White feat. Derek O'Brien & Marcia Ball
Tell Me One More Time
Sugar Coated Love – Lou Ann Barton
I’m So Glad – Snooky Pryor
It Hurts Me, Too – Angela Strehli Band
No Special Rider – Lazy Lester
You’re Gonna Make Me Cry – Lavelle White
I Won’t Cry – Doug Sahm
A Fool in Love – Marcia Ball, Lou Ann Barton, Angela Strehli
Too Sorry – Doyle Bramhall
Gone Blind – Sue Foley
Hear From My Daddy – Barbara Lynn
Don’t Touch Me – Kim Wilson
Going Down Slow – Pinetop Perkins
We Went Live In ‘75
Chicken Shack / Sugar Bear Intro (Live) – Pinetop Perkins
Walking By Myself (Live) – Jimmy Rogers
Built Up From The Ground (Live) – Sunnyland Slim
Double Trouble (Live) – Otis Rush
Bigtown Playboy (Live) – Eddie Taylor
Look On Yonder’s Wall (Live) – Buddy Guy
What It Takes To Get A Good Woman (Live) – Angela Strehli
Cold Cold Feeling (Live) – Albert Collins
Catfish Blues (Live) – Gary Clark Jr.
Midnight Creeper (Live) – James Cotton
Bonus 45
Three Hundred Pounds Of Joy – Los Lobos
About Antone’s:
Founded by Clifford Antone as the first live music venue on Austin’s now-famous Sixth Street, Antone’s quickly became ‘home away from home’ for a Mount Rushmore of blues musicians including Muddy Waters, Albert King, Otis Rush, Willie Dixon and B.B. King - as well as a broader tapestry of American roots music. The force behind this all was Antone, a native of Texas’ Gulf Coast region who spent much of his youth roadtripping through the juke joints of nearby Louisiana, where he developed a deep love of Creole music, R&B, zydeco and, above all, the blues. In the venue’s five decade run, Antone’s has continued to define the present and shape the future of blues music, bolstering the careers of internationally-renowned artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Doug Sahm, Charlie Sexton, Angela Strehli, Lou Ann Barton and many more. Today, it remains a vital presence in the live music scene, with its influence carried forward by a new generation of trailblazing artists including Gary Clark Jr., Kam Franklin, Jackie Venson and McKinley James.
While the Grateful Dead recently broke the record for the most Top 40 albums on the Billboard 200, the band will release for the first time an official greatest hits compilation. Out June 13th, Gratest Hits arrives in celebration of the band's 60th anniversary, and brings together some of the many songs that continue to unite generations – from "Truckin'" to "Touch of Grey," "Friend of the Devil" and more. Available via Rhino on 1CD, 1LP Dead.net Exclusive Blue Smoke Vinyl, Digital, as well as multiple retail exclusive colored vinyl variants, Gratest Hits features studio recordings that span the best of such beloved and enduring albums as Workingman's Dead, American Beauty, From The Mars Hotel, Shakedown Street,Terrapin Station and In The Dark.
Additionally, in honor of the band's diamond 60th Anniversary, the Grateful Dead will be releasing a sweeping 60-CD collection called Enjoying The Ride on May 30th. Exclusive to Dead.net, and limited to 6,000 individually numbered copies, the boxed set maps an epic cross-country road trip along the "Heady Highway," with stops at storied venues where the music, the moment and the magic of the Grateful Dead reliably converged. Traversing 25 years of legendary live performances, the expansive compendium spotlights defining shows from 1969 to 1994, at 20 venues that consistently inspired the band to new heights—Winterland, Frost Amphitheatre, Madison Square Garden and Hampton Coliseum, among them. Across 450+ tracks, 60+ hours of music and 20+ shows, virtually all of the music is previously unreleased, as Enjoying The Ride journeys through eras of constant evolution, and serves as a thrilling testament to that endlessly adventurous spirit.
"From the Grateful Dead's third performance at the Hartford Civic Center (on the heels of their 1977 and 1980 shows), this 'Althea' is widely considered one of the greatest versions of the song the Dead ever played," says Grateful Dead archivist and legacy manager David Lemieux. "Joining the repertoire in August 1979, and recorded in the studio for 1980's Go To Heaven album, 'Althea' started hitting instrumental peaks that you'll hear in this version. Coupled with Jerry's emotional, powerful vocal delivery, this is an 'Althea' against which all other 'Altheas' can be measured."
With a record-setting tally of 2,318 total concerts, the Grateful Dead never played the same set twice, and the shows on Enjoying The Ride include contributions from Jerry Garcia, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart, Keith Godchaux, Donna Jean Godchaux, Brent Mydland, Tom Constanten and Vince Welnick, along with Bruce Hornsby for the Shoreline '91 show. Originally recorded by Owsley "Bear" Stanley, Betty Cantor-Jackson, Kidd Candelario, Dan Healy and John Cutler, David Glasser and Jeffrey Norman restored and mastered the performances, with the analog ones using Plangent Processes tape restoration and speed correction for optimal sound quality.
Enjoying The Ride is housed in a custom keepsake box inspired by the experience of traveling from city to city to see the Dead at legendary venues across America. Inside, a beautifully detailed tour guide features liner notes by Jesse Jarnow (author and co-host of the Good Ol' Grateful Deadcast), a producer's note from David Lemieux, and other exclusive memorabilia, richly illustrated with photos, including many taken at the shows featured in the collection.
For those seeking a concise itinerary, The Music Never Stopped distills Enjoying The Ride into a shorter route through the band's 60th Anniversary celebration. Featuring at least one song from every venue in the deluxe set, it offers a briefer—but no less illuminating—trip through the music that shaped the Grateful Dead's live legacy.
The Music Never Stopped is available on May 30 from Rhino.com on 3CDs, 6LPs, and digitally. Pre-order HERE
In tandem with the 60th Anniversary, the 11th season of the Good Ol' Grateful Deadcast has opened with a two-part heartfelt tribute to Phil Lesh, who passed away last October, featuring archival interviews with Lesh, Phish's Mike Gordon, Dead & Co.'s Oteil Burbridge and other collaborators. Now, the season will continue celebrating the milestone and exploring the music featured in Enjoying The Ride. With more than five million downloads and counting, the official Grateful Dead podcast uses immersive storytelling to bring the band's legacy to life through rare archival audio, fresh interviews and deep dives into its history. Listen and subscribe to the Good Ol' Grateful Deadcast's Season 11 here: https://www.dead.net/deadcast
There are many reasons that Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ are known as “standard-bearers in the genre-bending world of folk, blues, soul and Americana” (Billboard) - but particularly powerful is their ability to speak to the moment when listeners need them most. Today, the two legends have returned with “My Darling My Dear,” a new original that embraces the power of love, positivity and unity as a guiding light through the darkness. “Feel the spirit, warmth and love in this message,” said Taj Mahal of their intentions behind “My Darling My Dear,” the continuation of a philosophy that’s long made Taj “a national treasure” (SPIN). Also at the core of “My Darling My Dear” is the importance of family and community, with Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ bringing in their children (Ahmen Mahal and K. Roosevelt, respectively) to co-write the track with them, alongside singer-songwriter Colin Linden (Bob Dylan, Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris).
“It was like a party every day,” says five-time GRAMMY winner Keb’ Mo’ of the familial environment in the studio. “We had our sons in there playing with us and all the other musicians and writers were hanging the whole time, so it was a really fun place to be.”
“My Darling My Dear” marks the third advance offering from Room On The Porch - following the album’s title track (which features two-time GRAMMY ‘Song Of The Year’ nominee Ruby Amanfu) and the electric blues excellence of “Junkyard Dog.” It’s a collection that finds the legendary pair reuniting for their first release together since 2017, when their debut collaboration TajMo brought them from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (for a stunning performance alongside Jon Batiste) to Marc Maron’s garage to the GRAMMY stage (where they took home Best Contemporary Blues Album). Room On The Porch - which the duo also co-produced together - features more original co-written tracks between them than ever before.
Around the release of Room On The Porch next month, Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ will bring their TajMo live show back on the road - celebrating the new album in over a dozen cities across the United States. These shows will begin with a special appearance at the Grand Ole Opry on May 23 (joined by Amanfu) during the Opry’s year-long 100th anniversary celebrations - before their first headline show together at New York’s Town Hall on May 28. A full list of dates is below. For more information please visit https://www.tajblues.com/tour and http://kebmo.com/.
Room On The Porch Tracklist
1. Room On The Porch ft. Ruby Amanfu
2. My Darling My Dear
3. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out
4. She Keeps Me Movin’
5. Make Up Your Mind
6. Thicker Than Mud
7. Junkyard Dog
8. Blues’ll Give You Back Your Soul
9. Better Than Ever ft. Wendy Moten
10. Rough Time Blues
TajMo 2025 Tour Dates:
5/23 - Nashville, TN - The Grand Ole Opry
5/28 - New York, NY - The Town Hall
5/30 - Sidney, ME - Bowl In The Pines
5/31 - Hammondsport, NY - The Pavilion at Point of the Bluff Vineyards
6/1 – Hyannis, MA – Cape Cod Melody Tent
6/3 – Concord, NH – Capitol Center for the Arts – Chubb Theatre
6/4 - South Deerfield, MA - Summer Stage at Tree House Brewing
6/6 - Bensalem, PA - Xcite Center at Parx Casino
6/7 - Selbyville, DE - Freeman Arts Pavilion
6/8 - Vienna, VA - Wolf Trap, Filene Center
6/10 - Huber Heights, OH - Rose Music Center at The Heights
6/12 - Grand Rapids, MI - Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
6/13 - Interlochen, MI - Interlochen Center for the Arts
flipturn will continue to bring their "shimmery and catchy" (NPR Music) new album Burnout Days (out now via Dualtone Records) across North America this summer, with a slate of new tour dates just-announced through August. Stops include their first Burnout Days shows in Atlanta, Portland, Cleveland, Sacramento, Tuscon, Madison and more, along with main stage festival appearances at Bonnaroo, Newport Folk Festival, Lollapalooza and Outside Lands. Fall dates will include their biggest European shows ever, after selling out an entire tour of the continent in 2024.
The five piece indie-rock powerhouse is a “bona fide road trip band,” as The Washington Post declared before they played their largest headline show to-date (5,000 fans) at The Anthem in D.C earlier this month. Shortly after, flipturn wrapped the first leg of their Burnout Days tour – a two month run which saw them increase their venue sizes seven-fold or more in many cities across the United States (since touring their 2022 debut album Shadowglow). While in New York, the band sat down with ABC News Live's Linsey Davis to reflect on their journey from playing garages to headline tours, before performing to a completely sold-out NYC crowd at Terminal 5. In January, flipturn made their national TV debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live, performing "Rodeo Clown” from Burnout Days (their first Top 15 hit on the AAA radio charts), to kick off what has become an undeniable breakout year.
Born from years on the road together, Burnout Days finds flipturn arriving with more grit, craft and vulnerability than ever before. The collection is "the culmination of a decade" (SPIN) and has been praised for its “rays of optimism” (SPIN), "irresistible hooks" (Consequence), "atmospheric, introspective sound" (Under The Radar), "colorful, dynamic, shape-shifting indie-pop" (Relix), "infectious energy" (Luna Collective) and more. Originally formed in Fernandina Beach, FL, the members of flipturn are: Dillon Basse (lead vocals, guitar), Tristan Duncan (lead guitar), Madeline Jarman (bass, backing vocals), Mitch Fountain (synth, guitar), and Devon VonBalson (drums).
Burnout Days Tracklist:
1. Juno
2. Rodeo Clown
3. Inner Wave
4. Sunlight
5. Moon Rocks
6. Right?
7. Window
8. Swim Between Trees
9. Tides
10. Reason to Pretend
11. If It Is
flipturn Tour Dates:
April 27 - High Water Festival - North Charleston, SC
May 2 - Lovin Life Music Festival - Charlotte, NC
June 13 - Bonnaroo Music + Arts Festival - Manchester, TN
July 17 - The Tabernacle - Atlanta, GA
July 18 - Asheville Yards - Asheville, NC
July 19 - Greenfield Lake Amphitheater - Wilmington, NC
July 22 - The NorVa - Norfolk, VA
July 24 - State Theatre - Portland, ME
July 25 - Stone Pony Summer Stage - Asbury Park, NJ
July 26 - Newport Folk Festival - Newport, RI
July 29 - Tree House Summer Stage - Deerfield, MA
July 30 - The Agora - Cleveland, OH
July 31 - The Intersection - Grand Rapids, MI
August 1 - Lollapalooza - Chicago, IL
August 4 - The Admiral - Omaha, NE
August 6 - The Wilma - Missoula, MT
August 7 - Treefort Music Hall - Boise, ID
August 9 - Outside Lands Music Festival - San Francisco, CA
August 11 - Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, BC
August 14 - Channel 24 - Sacramento, CA
August 15 - Fremont Theater - San Luis Obispo, CA
August 16 - Fox Theater Pomona - Pomona, CA
August 17 - Rialto Theatre - Tuscon, AZ
August 19 - Cain's Ballroom - Tulsa, OK
August 20 - JJ's Live - Fayetteville, AR
August 22 - Iroquois Amphitheater - Louisville, KY
August 23 - The Sylvee - Madison, WI
August 24 - Rose Park - Columbia, MO
November 3 - Gretchen - Berlin, Germany
November 4 - LUXOR - Cologne, Germany
November 5 - La Maroquinerie - Paris, France
November 7 - Manchester Academy 2 (Manchester Academy) - Manchester, UK
November 10 - The Belfast Empire Music Hall - Belfast, UK
November 11 - Button Factory - Dublin, Ireland
November 13 - The Fleece - Bristol, England
November 14 - O2 Forum Kentish Town - London, England
Osiris Media launches The Jam Season 3, hosted by Grammy Award-winning music industry leader Jonathan Shank. Known for deep-dive conversations into the heart of jam music and beyond, the podcast’s new season premieres with acclaimed California rock band Dawes and Grammy winner Eric Krasno reflecting on their deep and diverse music influences as well rebuilding their homes, lives, community, and creative spirit after the devastating LA wildfires.
Additional season three guests include Cory Wong, Peter Shapiro & Grahame Lesh, Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), Taper's Choice (Vampire Weekend’s Chris Tomson, Real Estate’s Alex Bleeker and Darkside’s Dave Harrington) with Relix Editor Mike Greenhaus, Tom Hamilton (Joe Russo's Almost Dead), Grace Bowers, and legendary KCRW DJ and reggae historian Roger Steffens, who answers the question: did Bob Marley share his joints?
"Phil Lesh opened my mind; I was so doctrinal in the way that I approached music. He would push you to this place where you had to confront the boundaries you took for granted." - Griffin Goldsmith (Dawes)
Each episode of The Jam will feature artist-inspired playlists and highlight the incredible teams they work alongside. The Jam was inspired by podcasts including Promoter 101 and Questlove Supreme, as well as JEMP Radio. Shank conceived the idea as an outlet for artists and industry stalwarts to tell untold stories, lift up musical heroes and emerging artists, and find the connective tissue between the jam scene and the mainstream. Having worked with everyone from Mickey Hart to Mickey Mouse, he lends an incredibly unique perspective in these free flowing unscripted conversations - taking fans all the way back to the seeds of the scene up through Horde and Bonnaroo to the present.
The first seasons of the podcast featured Randy Jackson, Robby Krieger (The Doors), Devon Allman & Duane Betts, Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane), Rick Mitarotonda (Goose), The Disco Biscuits, Greyboy Allstars, Cymande, and more.
Shank shares: “This season of The Jam really highlights the resiliency and community of the scene. It’s been incredible connecting with old friends and discovering shared experiences with new folks, who are all part of the pulse that keeps it beating. Guests this season range in age from 18 to 82, which gives us a peek into the cross-generational portal this music has transcended for the past 60 years.”
Listen to The Jam HERE. The podcast can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever podcasts are available.
Today, Grammy-nominated musician Grace Potter released “Losing You,” the second single from her highly anticipated album Medicine which was produced by the legendary T Bone Burnett and due out May 30th via Hollywood Records. You can listen to the never-before-heard version of “Losing You” on Spotify, Apple Music, and iTunes and pre-order Medicine on Spotify, Apple Music, and iTunes.
In 2008, Potter went into the studio with T Bone Burnett and cut an album unlike any other in her wildly expansive body of work. Made with a wrecking crew of musical luminaries, the Burnett-produced LP captured Potter at a moment of profound metamorphosis, then wound up shelved. She has now joined forces with Hollywood Records to unearth those recordings from deep in the vaults and release Medicine: a powerhouse album that’s equal parts archival gem and thrilling new addition to her extraordinary catalog.
“‘Losing You’ is one of the last songs I conjured before recording with T Bone. Once we got into the studio and I heard us all playing together, I fully understood the soundscape we were existing in.” Potter shares. “The demo I made had a ‘Midnight Rider’ vibe but, when we started to play, the band elevated it to a different atmosphere entirely and allowed my voice to soar and for the lyrics to cut in a deeper and a far more meaningful way.”
Arriving on the heels of her fifth solo album Mother Road—a 2023 LP that marked her most fiercely visionary work to date—Medicine came to life soon after the release of This Is Somewhere, the 2007 sophomore effort from her former band Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. After stumbling upon a video of Potter delivering an a cappella rendition of the title track from the band’s 2005 debut Nothing but the Water, Burnett didn’t hesitate when approached about working with Potter. Fresh off his widely celebrated turn as producer on Robert Plant and Alison Krauss’ Raising Sand, Burnett approached the project with a definitive plan for what would become Medicine.
Recorded at The Village Studios, Medicine strays far from the high-spirited roots-rock of Potter’s earliest work, bringing a shadowy intensity to her soul-baring songs of lust and longing and self-salvation. To carve out the sonic landscape envisioned for the album, Burnett enlisted his longtime collaborators Jim Keltner, bassist Dennis Crouch, guitarist Marc Ribot, and keyboardist Keefus Ciancia.
Over the course of its 12 songs, Medicine achieves a hypnotic power thanks to the charmed interplay between Potter’s shapeshifting voice and the sonic exploration of her collaborators. The tracklisting’s myriad high points include the title track, which has since become a staple in Potter’s notoriously transcendent live show, “If I Was from Paris,” the first song ever written on her iconic Gibson Flying V, and paradigm-shifting “Oasis,” as well as the original, never-before-heard versions of “Make You Cry” and “To Shore” and her latest single “Before the Sky Falls,” out now. You can stream the track on Spotify, Apple Music, and iTunes.
Grace is currently on tour throughout the U.S. and is set to perform the National Anthem at the 2025 Kentucky Derby on May 3. The national anthem at Churchill Downs will be broadcast live as part of NBC's Kentucky Derby coverage. This summer, she is set to join Chris Stapleton for select dates this summer, including two nights at Madison Square Garden. For the complete itinerary and full ticketing information visit https://www.gracepotter.com/.
Medicine Track List:
Before The Sky Falls*
Losing You*
That Phone
Money
Colors
Low Road
Medicine
Make You Cry*
Oasis
Paris (Ooh La La)
To Shore*
Goodbye Kiss
(*previously unreleased)
GRACE POTTER 2025 TOUR DATES
April 26, 2025 - Double Decker Arts Festival - Oxford, MS
May 3, 2025 - Kentucky Derby - Louisville, KY *National Anthem Performance
July 23, 2025 - UBS Arena - Belmont Park, NY *Supporting Chris Stapleton
July 25, 2025 - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY *Supporting Chris Stapleton
July 26, 2025 - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY *Supporting Chris Stapleton
Kansas City-bred, New Orleans-based musician Samantha Fish – “a genuine force of sonic prowess” (Rolling Stone) and one of the most electrifying guitarists of her generation – has unleashed her new solo album Paper Doll, out now on Rounder Records. Produced by longtime-collaborator and Detroit garage-rock luminary Bobby Harlow (The Go), Paper Doll finds Fish fiercely channeling her signature “bold and expressive” sound (NPR World Cafe), brimming with self-confidence as she fuses influences from rock, soul, and everything in between. To celebrate the release, Fish will make her national TV debut performance on The Kelly Clarkson Show today, performing “Lose You.” Find your local tune-in time here.
Steeped in fiery conviction and hard-won assurance, “Lose You” features a blazing guitar solo, “sizzling slide escapades” (Premier Guitar), and beguiling harmonies. “It’s a song about taking control and calling the shots in a relationship,” says Fish. “It’s my way of saying, ‘I’m on fire and you’re not, so what are you gonna do about it?’”
Dealing in her own unmatched brand of bravado and extraordinary emotionality, on Paper Doll, Fish offers up nine powerhouse songs that hit with a gut-punching force, delivering each with illuminating insight and soul-soothing empathy, all while “stretching idiomatic boundaries” (Nashville Scene). Paper Doll is a raw yet reflective battle cry that perfectly encapsulates its spirit of unapologetic defiance. Fish says on the album title: “It’s about rebelling against other people’s expectations of who you’re supposed to be, which feels pretty relevant for the times we’re living in right now.”
Fish tracked Paper Doll at The Orb in Austin and Savannah Studios in LA in the midst of a grueling touring schedule, recording with her touring band for the first time: Ron Johnson (bass), Jamie Douglass (drums), and Mickey Finn (keys). It was this environment that helped shape the album’s vivacious but nuanced sound, with its “road-worn chemistry and raw, electric charm” (Blues Rock Review).
Known for her unique blend of rock and soul, expressive guitar playing and anthemic live performances, Fish’s career hit warp speed with the release of her last album, 2023’s Death Wish Blues, which hit #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart, earned her a Grammy nomination, and saw her share stages with The Rolling Stones, Jon Spencer, and more.
Fish is currently on tour across North America, including dates with Kingfish, plus performances at JazzFest tomorrow and next weekend, and more. For tickets and all upcoming tour dates please see below and visit https://www.samanthafish.com/tour/.
Paper Doll Tracklist
1. I’m Done Runnin’
2. Can Ya Handle The Heat?
3. Lose You
4. Sweet Southern Sounds
5. Off In The Blue
6. Fortune Teller
7. Rusty Razor
8. Paper Doll
9. Don’t Say It
Samantha Fish 2025 Tour Dates
4.26.2025 - Civic Theatre - New Orleans, LA
4.30.2025 - Crawfish Fest - New Orleans, LA
5.3.2025 - JazzFest - New Orleans, LA
5.14.2025 - Aztec Theatre - San Antonio, TX *
5.15.2025 - House of Blues - Houston, TX *
5.16.2025 - House of Blues - Dallas, TX *
5.17.2025 - TempleLive - Fort Smith, AR *
5.18.2025 - Cain's Ballroom - Tulsa, OK *
5.21.2025 - The Astro - Omaha, NE *
5.22.2025 - Cotillion - Wichita, KS *
5.23.2025 - Gillioz Theater - Springfield, MO *
5.28.2025 - Cheese & Grain - Frome, United Kingdom
5.29.2025 – Red Rooster Festival, Thetford, United Kingdom
5.30.2025 - Arts Club - Liverpool, United Kingdom
5.31.2025 - The Brook - Southampton, United Kingdom
6.1.2025 - Academy 2 - Oxford, United Kingdom
6.5.2025 – Sweden Rock Festival – Solvesborg, Sweden
6.7.2025 - Peer Blues Festival - Peer, Belgium
6.8.2025 - Ribs N Blues Festival – Raalte, The Netherlands
6.9.2025 - Tivoli – Utrecht, The Netherlands
6.10.2025 - Le Trianon - Paris, France
6.11.2025 - Le Transbordeur - Lyon, France
6.13.2025 - Bilbao Arena – Bilbao, Spain
6.14.2025 - Joy Eslava, Madrid, Spain
6.15.2025 - Razmataz 2, Barcelona, Spain
7.12.2025 - Samantha Fish Outlaw Square - Deadwood, SD *
North Carolina duo Watchhouse (Andrew Marlin & Emily Frantz) have shared new single “Firelight,” the final advance offering from their forthcoming album Rituals (out May 30). A delicate and intimate reflection on the inevitable cycle of both change and consistency, “Firelight” finds Frantz stepping into the spotlight for vocals on this track, framed by bouzouki, harmonium and mandolin (Marlin) and graceful accents of pedal steel (Matt Smith).
Earlier this week, Zach Bryan called Watchhouse’s recent album single “All Around You” “one of the best written songs in the past five years.” Watchhouse will perform the song on The Kelly Clarkson Show on Monday, April 28th; find your local tune-in time here.
Co-produced with Ryan Gustafson (The Dead Tongues), Rituals explores the boundaries between identity and awareness, and how we often confuse familiar patterns with truths. The 11-song collection muses on the endless nature of evolution, asking questions like: how can we have a positive relationship with change? How can we meet our ends gracefully? Is the world on fire or at home in the sun?
The 11-song collection is the pair’s first release of all new, original songs since their 2021 self-titled album, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Bluegrass chart and earned praise from Rolling Stone (“pristine acoustic picking collides with hazy, dream-like psychedelia”) Mojo, NPR Music, American Songwriter and more.
Starting over a decade ago playing coffee shops and local restaurants around North Carolina, Watchhouse have grown into a bonafide folk music sensation and one of 21st century indie music’s biggest grassroots success stories. With sold-out shows at legendary venues like Red Rocks and the Ryman Auditorium, and hundreds of millions of streams, they’ve earned a reputation for creating music that “redefines roots music for a younger generation” (Washington Post). The duo - now a family of their own - are two singers and musicians with profound chemistry, performing earnest yet masterfully crafted songs that encompass the unknowable mysteries, existential heartbreak, and communal joys of modern life. The forthcoming album is no exception.
Watchhouse is hitting the road in 2025 for an extensive US tour, including shows with The Avett Brothers and festival appearances at MerleFest, Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, and more. Their headline dates start on June 14th in St. Paul, MN, and will continue through fall with stops in Chicago, Seattle, NYC, and more.
Rituals Tracklist
Shape
All Around You
Beyond Meaning
Rituals
Firelight
False Harbors
In The Sun
Glistening
Endless Highway (Pt. 1)
Sway / Endless Highway (Pt. 2)
Patterns
Watchhouse 2025 Tour Dates
April 25 - Dale, TX - Old Settler's Music Festival
April 27 - Wilkesboro, NC - MerleFest
May 31 - Vienna, VA - Wolf Trap *
June 14 - St. Paul, MN - Palace Theatre
June 15 - Maquoketa, IA - Codfish Hollow Barnstormers
June 17 - Kalamazoo, MI - Bell's Eclectic Cafe
June 18 - Madison, WI - The Sylvee
June 19 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
June 20 - Indianapolis, IN - Rock the Ruins
June 22 - Louisville, KY - Old Forester's Paristown Hall
July 11 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheater *
July 12 - Cheyenne, WY - The Lincoln
July 13 - Salt Lake City, UT - Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre
July 14 - Jackson, WY - Center for the Arts
July 16 - Seattle, WA - Pier 62
July 17 - Jacksonville, OR - Britt Festival Pavilion
July 18 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
July 19 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
August 9 - Lyons, CO - Rocky Mountain Folks Festival
August 10 - Colorado Springs, CO - Pikes Peak Center
August 12 - Toronto, ON - The Concert Hall
August 13 - Buffalo, NY - Asbury Hall
August 14 - Homer, NY - Center for the Arts of Homer
August 15 - Portland, ME - State Theatre
August 16 - Manchester, VT - Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots
August 18 - Charlton, MA - The Pavilion at Tree House Brewing
August 30 - Wilmington, NC - Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
September 21 - Richmond, VA - Iron Blossom Music Festival
Tonight, Austin City Limits hosts a very special taping at ACL Live at The Moody Theater, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Antone’s – the legendary Austin nightclub that “helped put the live music capital of the world on the map” (Austin American Statesman).
The star-studded lineup for ACL & Antone's Celebrate the Blues includes Jimmie Vaughan, Sue Foley, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Charlie Sexton, Big Bill Morganfield, Lil’ Ed Williams, Grace Bowers, Bobby Rush and Lurrie Bell. Backing them is an incredible 14-piece house band, led by musical director and Antone’s own Zach Ernst, and featuring legends like ACL Hall of Famer Chris Layton, Steve Bell, Joe Sublett, and more.
Fans can catch the magic live tonight — ACL will livestream the full performance starting promptly at 8PM CT exclusively on YouTube: youtube.com/austincitylimitstv.
The livestream will only be available in real-time — don’t miss it! The broadcast episode will air this fall as part of the PBS series' upcoming Season 51.
This past weekend, Sierra Ferrell made her stunning return to Stagecoach Festival, performing across multiple stages with several special guests, as she reaffirmed her reign as "the May Queen of American roots music" (NPR Music). On Friday evening, she and her band delivered a remarkable revue of standouts from her latest album, Trail of Flowers, following Ferrell's clean sweep of four wins at the 2025 GRAMMY® Awards. During one of the set's highlights, she welcomed Nikki Lane for the live debut of their reimagined, harmony-laden take on Dottie West's classic "A Lesson In Leavin'" (popularized by Jo Dee Messina), which is available now as an Amazon Music Original.
Watch Sierra Ferrell and Nikki Lane perform "A Lesson In Leavin'" live at Stagecoach, and listen to the studio recording of the new single here: https://amazonmusic.lnk.to/sierranikkiamo
"I picked to cover A Lesson In Leavin' because frankly it's a good message and it's real fun to sing with one of your best friends," says Sierra Ferrell. "Nikki Lane is a close buddy so it was a no-brainer to ask her to join me on this empowering lil tune."
Later on Friday, Sierra Ferrell joined her collaborator and superfan, Diplo, for a suite of songs during his afterparty at Zenyara, before making a surprise appearance at her friend Shaboozey's main stage performance on Saturday evening. The two of them premiered a new duet called "Hail Mary," also released on Friday, April 25th, as part of Shaboozey's deluxe album, Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going: The Complete Edition.
Having taken home trophies for Best Americana Album (Trail of Flowers), Best Americana Performance ("American Dreaming"), Best American Roots Song ("American Dreaming") and Best American Roots Performance ("Lighthouse"), Sierra Ferrell emerged as the genre's biggest GRAMMY®-winner of 2025, but this spring, she continues to prove why she is "one of country and roots music's most fascinating and fastest-rising artists" (Rolling Stone). With 65 tour dates on the horizon, Stagecoach marks the start of an even more momentous year ahead, including a stadium run with Post Malone and Jelly Roll, US and UK arena shows with Mumford & Sons, a slew of festival appearances at Lollapalooza, Hinterland, Railbird and more, as well as dozens of headline performances, from her long sold-out debut at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, to NYC's Pier 17 and beyond. Find the full list below, and tickets at sierraferrellmusic.com/tour.
Sierra Ferrell Tour Dates
4/29 - Salt Lake City, UT - Rice-Eccles Stadium*
5/1 - Albuquerque, NM - Revel Entertainment Center
5/2 - Flagstaff, AZ - Pepsi Amphitheater
5/3 - Las Vegas, NV - Allegiant Stadium*
5/6 - Oklahoma City, OK - The Criterion
5/7 - San Antonio, TX - Alamodome*
5/9 - Arlington, TX - AT&T Stadium*
5/10 - New Orleans, LA - Saenger Theatre
5/11 - Atlanta, GA - Mercedes-Benz Stadium*
5/13 - St. Louis, MO - Busch Stadium*
5/15 - Kansas City, MO - The Midland Theatre
5/16 - Madison, WI - The Sylvee
5/18 - Detroit, MI - Ford Field*
5/20 - Minneapolis, MN - U.S. Bank Stadium*
5/22 - Chicago, IL - Wrigley Field*
5/23 - Cumberland, MD - DelFest
5/24 - Philadelphia, PA - Citizens Bank Park*
5/26 - Toronto, ON - Rogers Centre*
5/28 - Hershey, PA - Hersheypark Stadium*
5/29 - Pittsburgh, PA - PNC Park*
5/31 - Lexington, KY - Railbird Festival
7/12 - Milwaukee, WI - Harley-Davidson Homecoming
7/14 - Davenport, IA - Capitol Theatre
7/15 - La Vista, NE - The Astro Amphitheater
7/17 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Twilight Concert Series
7/19 - Redmond, OR - Fairwell Festival
7/20 - Tacoma, WA - Dune Peninsula
7/22 - Edmonton, AB - Winspear Centre
7/24 - Calgary, AB - Calgary Folk Music Festival
7/25 - Sandpoint, ID - Festival at Sandpoint
7/26 - Bonner, MT - KettleHouse Amphitheater
7/28 - Fargo, ND - UP District Festival Field
7/31 - Chicago, IL - Lollapalooza
8/2 - Minneapolis, MN - Surly Brewing Festival Field
8/3 - Saint Charles, IA - Hinterland Music Festival
8/26 - St. Louis, MO - Stifel Theatre
8/28 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre
8/29 - Dillon, CO - Dillon Amphitheater
9/2 - Columbia, MO - 9th Street Central Bank Downtown Live
9/3 - Columbu, OH - KEMBA Live! Outdoors
9/5 - Philadelphia, PA - Franklin Music Hall
9/6 - New York, NY - The Rooftop at Pier 17
9/7 - Washington, DC - The Anthem
9/9 - Richmond, VA - Brown's Island
9/10 - Raleigh, NC - Red Hat Amphitheater
9/12 - St. Augustine, FL - The Saint Augustine Amphitheatre
American music icon John Fogerty had a big weekend. On Saturday, April 26, the Grammy winner, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee was celebrated at the American Music Honors, presented by the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music at Monmouth University in NJ. The special evening - hosted by Brian Williams and created to celebrate artists who have demonstrated artistic excellence, creative integrity, and a longstanding commitment to the value of music within national consciousness - featured multiple performances by Fogerty including his indelible hits “Bad Moon Rising,” “Proud Mary,” and “Fortunate Son.” Bruce Springsteen shared the stage with Fogerty for those performances, and delivered his induction speech, calling him “the Hank Williams of our generation” adding that “People ask what songs I wish I’d written. My answer? John Fogerty’s entire catalog.”
Fogerty’s appearance at the American Music Honors followed a headlining set at New Orleans Jazz Fest on April 24, which hometown paper The Times Picayune hailed as a “home run” in a front-page rave review. With his sons Shane and Tyler as part of his band, the soon-to-be 80-year-old performed his classic hits that continue to shape the sound of American music today. As Gambit New Orleans put it in their review, “The legendary singer-songwriter was all smiles and energy on stage... It’s impossible to overstate the importance of Fogerty to rock music."
Next up, Fogerty will celebrate his 80th birthday with a two-night run at NYC’s Beacon Theatre on May 28 (his actual birthday) and May 29. The performances will reflect on six decades of music while casting an eye to the future, and adding a few surprises for good measure. Tickets are on sale now.
In June, Fogerty will return to Glastonbury for his first performance at the legendary festival in nearly twenty years. On July 6, he will headline the Hollywood Bowl, with more exciting news to be announced soon. For more information, please visit https://johnfogerty.com/.
About John Fogerty
As the leader of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Fogerty helped shape the sound of American music, blending blues, country, pop, rockabilly, R&B, and swamp boogie into a genre-defying style that continues to resonate with fans around the world. One of the greatest songwriters of all time, he has received multiple awards and honors for his undeniable impact on the culture including induction in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the BMI Icon Award, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and a special honor for his song “Centerfield” making him the only musician ever honored by the Baseball Hall of Fame.
John Fogerty’s songwriting canon spans nearly six decades and includes foundational classics such as “Proud Mary,” “Fortunate Son,” “Born on the Bayou,” “Bad Moon Rising,” and “Have You Ever Seen the Rain.” Both “Fortunate Son” and “Bad Moon Rising” have both surpassed 1 Billion streams, while “Have You Ever Seen The Rain” continues to go viral on TikTok and has garnered over 2 Billion streams. Fogerty has sold over 100 million records worldwide, and CCR’s album Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits recently logged 735 weeks - or 14 years - on the Billboard 200, only the fifth album ever to reach that chart milestone.
His 1997 Blue Moon Swamp won the Grammy for Best Rock Album, and his solo work has been nominated for a total of 8 Grammys over the years. So Fogerty’s status as a legend has long been secure. What’s more remarkable, though, is how popular and influential his music remains after more than 50 years. Recently, Rolling Stone ran a story with the headline “The Biggest Band in America in 2024 is…Creedence Clearwater Revival.”
Biscuits & Banjos - Rhiannon Giddens’ first-ever festival - unfolded over this past weekend in Durham, N.C. The sold-out festival of Black music, art and culture offered a one-of-a-kind bespoke festival experience for fans, and was created to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Black Banjo Gathering, celebrating the legacy of the event that launched Giddens’ career and the formation of her band, the Carolina Chocolate Drops. On Saturday night, the Carolina Chocolate Drops played their first show together in a decade, and Giddens debuted her new band, The Old-Time Revue, which will now embark on a major U.S. tour that includes Hollywood Bowl with Steve Martin, Our Native Daughters and more (“that promises to be the roots music event of the year” says Variety), and Central Park Summerstage in June. Giddens and her Chocolate Drops bandmate Justin Robinson also just released a new album of old-time North Carolina tunes - What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow (Nonesuch).
The festival—which will return in 2027—included over 20 music performances at multiple venues in Downtown Durham, as well as lectures, workshops, readings, free banjo lessons and the Biscuit Trail, showcasing Durham’s thriving culinary scene by featuring biscuit-inspired dishes from seven local restaurants throughout the weekend. Adding a touch of friendly competition, the participating restaurants went head-to-head in a biscuit competition, with Giddens serving as one of the judges.
Free programming throughout the weekend included musical performances, artist panels, a walking tour and film screenings, with topics ranging from Black voices in country music to the relationship between food and storytelling. In addition, the festival screened a live telecast of Saturday night’s headlining concert for free at Downtown Durham’s Lot 20 (the festival’s hub), enabling the Durham community to experience the historic reunion of the Carolina Chocolate Drops. See below for daily highlights.
Friday: The Festival kicked off with Rissi Palmer’s Color Me Country Revue, followed by performances from Demeanor, Adia Victoria, Christian McBride with NCCU Jazz Ensemble I, Dom Flemons, Niwel Tsumbu and Charly Lowry. Other programming throughout the day included a celebration of 10 years of Alice Randall’s Soul Food Love, a panel on the lineage of art-making and collective activism, and more. The day culminated with a “Friday Night Frolic” square and line dance featuring live music from Rhiannon Giddens & Friends (including Justin Robinson, Jake Blount and Dirk Powell), followed by a headlining set from Taj Mahal and Leyla McCalla at the Carolina Theater.
Saturday: Saturday’s programming included free banjo lessons, panels on Black voices in country music (with Giddens, Rissi Palmer, and Alice Randall), Black String Band history, cultivating legacy through farming and sustainability, the Art of the Biscuit and more. The performance lineup featured Buffalo Nichols, Hubby Jenkins, Joy Clark, Amythyst Kiah, New Dangerfield, Toshi Reagon, Shana Tucker, Infinity Song, Yasmin Williams and more. Then on Saturday night, Carolina Chocolate Drops reunited for the first time in over a decade at the Durham Performing Arts Center. The anticipated show, which was livestreamed with Veeps and outside at Downtown Durham’s Lot 20, also included performances from New Dangerfield and Niwel Tsumbu, plus the debut of Rhiannon’s new band, The Old-Time Revue.
Sunday: The final day of the festival featured a Sunday morning gospel set with the Legendary Ingramettes, a performance by Bittersweet Brass Band, and community programming which included a “NC Roots & Rhythms” program presented by the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and free banjo lessons.
Biscuits & Banjos is a non-profit, community responsive festival. Funding for Biscuits & Banjos is made possible in part by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the Ford Foundation, Warner Music Group & Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund, Duke Arts and Duke Community Affairs, 21c Museum Hotel, Harper House Music Foundation, Biscuitville, Danielle Rose Paikin Foundation, Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, North Carolina Humanities, the City of Durham, Durham County, North Carolina Arts Council, Blue Ridge Music Center, the Hello in There Foundation, American Tobacco Campus, Bull City Burger and Brewery, Deering Banjos, Discover Durham, Durham Arts Council, the Durham Hotel, Red Light Management, Elderly Instruments, M4 Media, Old Hillside Bourbon, Proximity Brewing Company, Southern Documentary Fund, Sugarlands Distilling Company, Unscripted Durham, and many generous individual donors and community partners.
Unmanageable, a 501(c)3 organization, is Biscuits & Banjo’s non-profit producing partner. Donations to support Biscuits & Banjos are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Donate: https://www.biscuitsandbanjos.com/donate.
Six months ago Miist became the first native Chinese artist to have a top 25 Billboard AC hit, and now she has launched Make Me Smile with Miiston the world’s largest music podcast network, Pantheon Media. Her new episode out today is about the power of imagination and gratitude even in the most difficult times. The singer-songwriter and host shares what helped her heal after being abandoned at five years old, surviving terminal cancer by age 28, and discovering her musical gift at 34 years old. The Teen Cancer America Ambassador also plays her original song “She,” bringing to life the nurturing figure she wished she had.
Miist shows listeners how imagination can help us cope, heal, and foster forgiveness, as well as how a playful yet potent 15-second action can instantly boost your mood. The show feels like an inspiring TED® talk, blending personal stories, compelling insights, original music, and small yet powerful actions that could change your and someone else’s world. The premiere episode “Could You Lend Me a Smile, Part 1” explores how small acts like offering a smile could even save a life. She remembers a young man in Tokyo who passed away alone in his apartment and was not found for weeks, a heartbreaking case of what’s become known as “Lonely Death.”
“I never forgot his story,” shares Miist. “I imagined him walking on the streets with the sounds of thousands of footsteps passing by and wondered if anyone had ever bothered to lend him a smile."
Miist recruited musicians around the world to amplify this simple message and shared a preview of the global anthem “Could You Lend Me a Smile” on the show, part of her upcoming album. On May 9, listeners can hear the song in 15 languages from five different continents, featuring artists with 60 Grammy awards and nominations, including Grammy-winning cellist Eru Matsumoto and violinist Nathalie Bonin.
Make Me Smile with Miist is produced in partnership with Pantheon Media and supported by Miist’s global nonprofit World Smile Initiative, which champions the healing power of music, storytelling, and community-driven action to combat loneliness and social disconnection. The series will be available on all major podcast platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.
“This show is my personal love letter to anyone who feels like the world forgot how to smile,” says Miist. “Whether you’re driving, walking, or just trying to make it through the day, I promise this podcast will give you something to smile and think about.”
About Miist
Miist is a multilingual recording artist who began her professional music career at 34, gaining recognition after being discovered by acclaimed producer Narada Michael Walden in 2023. Since her commercial debut in March 2024, she quickly achieved historic success, charting twice on Billboard's Pop/AC chart, earning the #1 Indie AC song in the U.S., and becoming the first Chinese artist to land a Top 25 Billboard Pop/AC hit “It’s Too Late To Love You.” A prolific songwriter with over 80 original songs in English, Mandarin, and Spanish, Miist became a Recording Academy voting member within months of her debut. Her powerful personal journey, surviving abandonment at age 5 and terminal cancer at 28, informs her work as a Teen Cancer America ambassador. She's the creative force behind the global Smile Projectmusical collaboration featuring Grammy winners across five continents, and hosts the podcast Make Me Smile with Miist, which explores resilience, creativity, and transformation.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the genre-defying cult classic that transformed midnight cinema and inspired a global phenomenon. First introduced to audiences in 1975, the film quickly became more than just a movie - it sparked a movement.
Based on the musical play by Richard O’Brien - with a screenplay by O’Brien and director Jim Sharman, and produced by Lou Adler and Michael White - The Rocky Horror Picture Show broke the mold with its unforgettable characters, flamboyant costumes, and audacious rock ‘n’ roll soundtrack. Through its legendary late-night screenings, complete with shadow casts, fan costumes, and interactive rituals, the film pioneered a new kind of audience participation that redefined the moviegoing experience. Today, with weekly screenings around the world, The Rocky Horror Picture Show continues to make history as the longest-running theatrical release of all time.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary, a newly restored and remastered version of The Rocky Horror Picture Show will be unleashed in breathtaking 4K Ultra HD, and crowned by the debut of a dazzling new anniversary logo.
Overseen by the Walt Disney Studios Restoration team, the 10-month project included a meticulous digital scan and preservation process that ensures every frame of the cult classic is presented with unprecedented clarity and vibrancy. The restoration also features a newly mixed Dolby Atmos audio track, bringing enhanced depth and dimension to the film’s iconic soundtrack. For purists and longtime fans, the original mono audio has been fully restored as well - allowing audiences to experience the film exactly as it was heard when it first premiered five decades ago.
“It’s a privilege to help preserve the legacy of a film that has meant so much to so many,” says Kevin Schaeffer, Director of Restoration & Library Management. “Bringing The Rocky Horror Picture Show to life in 4K allows us to honor its bold, genre-defying spirit and ensure that audiences - both longtime fans and first-time viewers - can experience it as it was originally intended, with stunning picture and sound.”
"When The Rocky Horror Picture Show was first released, no one thought it would be around very long let alone...50 years,” says producer Lou Adler. “What began as a small, rebellious project has become a global celebration of individuality, community, and creative freedom. This anniversary is a tribute to the fans who kept it alive and kicking all these years.”
Watch for future announcements on the 50th anniversary celebrations for The Rocky Horror Picture Show!
Film Synopsis
Fasten your garter belt and relive the time-warping, gender-bending cult classic! When a newly engaged couple’s (Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon) car breaks down on a rainy night, they wind up in the creepy castle of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry). There, they have an adventure that will thrill you, chill you and fulfill you like never before!
Bruce Springsteen’s “Faithless” — a long-lost film soundtrack to a movie that was never made — will be released in full on “Tracks II: The Lost Albums,” coming June 27 via Sony Music. A meditation on purpose, belief and acceptance — intended to accompany a film described as a "spiritual Western” — Springsteen recorded much of “Faithless” between the conclusion of the “Devils & Dust” tour in November 2005 and the release of “We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions” in April 2006. Throughout the collection’s 11 songs — including four pieces of instrumental music, written as interstitial pieces for the film — “Faithless” explores Springsteen’s unique vision of spirituality in the mythic American West, while working inside of this uncharted artistic medium.
“This was a really unusual collection of songs,” Springsteen remembers. With all of “Faithless” composed before a single frame of the film was shot — over a prolific two weeks in Florida — he explains of the results: “You could recognize details and maybe a character or two. But for the most part, I just wrote atmospheric music that I thought would fit.” The album was recorded primarily as a solo pursuit, with appearances throughout by producer Ron Aniello, touring members of The E Street Band — Soozie Tyrell, Lisa Lowell, Curtis King, Jr., Michelle Moore and Ada Dyer — as well as contributions from Patti Scialfa, Evan Springsteen and Sam Springsteen.
“Faithless” is the third song to be shared from “Tracks II” following “Rain in the River” from the lost album “Perfect World” and “Blind Spot” from “Streets of Philadelphia Sessions.” In addition to those three collections, “Tracks II: The Lost Albums” will include Springsteen’s never-heard full-length records “Somewhere North of Nashville,” “Inyo,” “Twilight Hours” and “LA Garage Sessions ’83.” The set will arrive in limited-edition nine LP, seven CD and digital formats — including distinctive packaging for each previously-unreleased record and a 100-page cloth-bound, hardcover book featuring rare archival photos, liner notes on each lost album from essayist Erik Flannigan and a personal introduction on the project from Springsteen himself.
Today, Ben Harper released his emotional new single, “Before The Rain Dried.” The track is a hauntingly beautiful reflection on loss dedicated to his longtime guitarist Michael Ward. “Before The Rain Dried” is the first single from Harper’s yet to be announced forthcoming new album. To watch the music video directed by Ben Pier, click HERE.
“Songs come to me either in fragments or fully formed — this one arrived complete, production and all. The key is having the time to sit down and follow through, which luckily I did,” Harper shared. “Director Ben Pier, a visionary photographer and filmmaker, had a similar experience. I sent him the track, and he called back almost instantly with a clear concept for the video. Playing piano while getting drenched in the rain was tough, but strangely exhilarating.”
Harper most recently shared the stage with some of the biggest names in music and pop culture at People Have The Power: A Celebration Of Patti Smith, the star-studded tribute show at Carnegie Hall. The fundraising event featured Bruce Springsteen, Flea, Maggie Rogers, Scarlett Johansson, Sean Penn, and many more. The evening marked Harper’s fifth performance at New York’s Carnegie Hall.
This summer, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals will embark on a 15-date summer tour. The tour will kick off on May 30th at the Lincoln Theatre in Washington DC with stops at The Rooftop at Pier 17 in New York City, Higher Ground Ballroom in Burlington, VT, Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, The Pabst Theater in Milwaukee, WI, and the Fox Theater in Oakland, CA, among other cities. The tour will conclude on August 24th at The Orpheum in Los Angeles.
The tour will see Harper perform fan-favorites from his extensive catalog as well as tracks from his critically acclaimed 2023 album, Wide Open Light (Chrysalis Records), which featured a number of special guests, including Jack Johnson on “Yard Sale,” Shelby Lynne on “8 minutes,” and Piers Faccinion on the title track. For more information and tickets, please visit https://www.benharper.com/tour.
Harper is also continuing to expand his creative pursuits on-screen following his 2023 run in AppleTV+ series "Extrapolations,” with an appearance in the new Jeff Buckley documentary, IT’S NEVER OVER, JEFF BUCKLEY, which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Amy Berg, the film is a compassionate portrait of the late Jeff Buckley, whose music continues to inspire artists worldwide. With beautiful scores and rare live performances, it captures the love, loss, and enduring impact that shaped Buckley, and thus the international music culture of the late 20th century.
As a 3x-GRAMMY-winner, Harper has amassed international critical applause and a worldwide fan following for his own genre-traversing body of work while also producing acclaimed albums by Mavis Staples, Rickie Lee Jones, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Natalie Maines, Ziggy Marley, and others. An inveterate collaborator, Harper has also recorded with a diverse span of artists ranging from John Lee Hooker, Charlie Musselwhite, to Ringo Starr, Keith Richards and, most recently, Harry Styles, to contribute his signature guitar work to the superstar’s chart-topping album, HARRY’S HOUSE. Harper joined Styles for an astounding 12 nights of performances at The Kia Forum in Los Angeles in 2022.
2025 Tour Dates
Fri-May-30-25 - Washington, DC - Lincoln Theatre
Sat-May-31-25 - New York, NY - The Rooftop at Pier 17
Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band will return to the road on May 14 for their only shows of 2025, bringing "The Land of Hope and Dreams Tour" to more than 700,000 fans in six countries this summer. Beginning with a three-show run in Manchester, England next week, these 16 scheduled dates will serve as the finale to a tour that’s been deemed “the greatest show on earth” (Billboard) and "a masterclass in the uplifting power of rock-and-roll" (Washington Post). Beginning in February 2023, with Springsteen and The E Street Band’s first shows in six years, the current run of 130 dates has sold over 4 million tickets across continents, been named Pollstar’s Rock Tour of the Year (2024) and resulted in the critically-acclaimed documentary “Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band” (available on Hulu and Disney+).
For tickets and more information about Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’s The Land of Hope and Dreams Tour, visit brucespringsteen.net/tour.
Recent live highlights for Springsteen and The E Street Band include their first Asbury Park homecoming show in decades — "an already legendary live set" (Variety) called “one of the greatest post-reunion shows in Springsteen history” (Rolling Stone). In Europe, a multi-night run at London’s Wembley Stadium last summer “reminded us…no one does it better” (The Times) — while shows at Barcelona’s Estadi Olímpic saw the band “unleash euphoria” (El Correo) to over 130,000 fans. Each of this year’s tour dates will take place in a city that Springsteen and The E Street Band are yet to play since their 2023 return, concluding with two nights at the legendary San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy on June 30 and July 3.
Also coming this summer is “Tracks II: The Lost Albums,” a collection of seven never-heard, full-length Springsteen records arriving June 27 via Sony Music. Spanning across 83 songs (74 of which have never been released in any form), the 9LP / 7CD box set has already been called “a treasure” (David Muir, ABC World News Tonight), “astounding” (Rolling Stone) and “too good to be true” (New York Magazine). “Almost ever since he released ‘Tracks’ in 1998, fans have clamored for this,” noted Variety — while the New York Times added that even Springsteen’s biggest fans would be “surprised at the scale of ‘Tracks II.’”
Springsteen has shared three early previews of “Tracks II” to date: “Rain In The River,” “Blind Spot” and “Faithless.” For more information about “Tracks II: The Lost Albums,” visit brucespringsteen.lnk.to/TheLostAlbumsPR.
May 14 - Manchester, England - Co-op Live
May 17 - Manchester, England - Co-op Live
May 20 - Manchester, England - Co-op Live
May 24 - Lille, France - Stade Pierre Mauroy
May 27 - Lille, France - Stade Pierre Mauroy
May 31- Marseille, France - Orange Vélodrome
June 4 - Liverpool, England - Anfield Stadium
June 7 - Liverpool, England - Anfield Stadium
June 11 - Berlin, Germany – Olympiastadion
June 15 - Prague, Czech Republic - Airport Letnany
June 18 - Frankfurt, Germany - Deutsche Bank Park
June 21 - San Sebastian, Spain - Estadio Reale Arena
June 24 - San Sebastian, Spain - Estadio Reale Arena
CBGB & OMFUG - Home of Underground Rock lives on with the announcement of the CBGB Festival, presented in partnership with The Bowery Presents, taking place September 27 at Under the K Bridge Park in Brooklyn, NY. The one-day event features a stacked lineup of 21 generation-spanning bands across 3 raucous stages. Headlining the festival are Iggy Pop—his first NYC show in over a decade—and Jack White.
The lineup is impeccably curated, featuring punk legends like Sex Pistols, Johnny Marr, Lunachicks, Marky Ramone, The Damned, and Melvins; CBGB-era hardcore staples Gorilla Biscuits, Murphy’s Law, and Cro-Mags; and today’s punk torchbearers including The Linda Lindas, Lambrini Girls, Destroy Boys, Angel Du$t, Scowl, Pinkshift, Teen Mortgage, YHWH Nailgun, Soul Glo, and Lip Critic.
Fans can register now for presale access at CBGBFEST.COM. Presale tickets go live Thursday, May 15 at 10 AM ET, with public on-sale beginning Friday, May 16 at 10 AM ET.
A special “Young Punk” discounted GA ticket will be available for New York residents under 25—in person only—at a box office pop-up at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Saturday, May 17 at 12 PM ET. This limited batch of 350 tickets (an homage to the original CBGB capacity) will be priced at $73, a nod to the year the club opened: 1973.
Founded by Hilly Kristal in 1973 on the Bowery, CBGB became an icon of raw energy, rebellion, and underground music, launching the careers of the Ramones, Blondie, Patti Smith, Talking Heads, Television, and countless others.
The CBGB Festival pays tribute to New York City’s gritty, sticker-covered past through the lens of modern punk. The lineup connects punk’s originators with its fiercest future voices, all answering one core question: Who would be playing at CBGB today?
Under the K Bridge Park was chosen for its industrial grit and cultural relevance in the heart of Brooklyn. Festival-goers can expect a full day of music, vintage and new merch, local food and drink, and immersive CBGB installations—including the famous bar and stage from the original club.
For tickets, lineup details, venue info, and more, visit CBGBFEST.COM.
Bruce Springsteen will release “Somewhere North of Nashville” in full on “Tracks II: The Lost Albums” (out June 27 via Sony Music), a previously-unheard collection inspired by the sounds of honky tonk, rockabilly and uptempo country. Recorded simultaneously with “The Ghost of Tom Joad” in the summer of 1995, “Somewhere North of Nashville” features much of the core band at the heart of those sessions — including Danny Federici, Garry Tallent and Gary Mallaber. Adding elements like pedal steel from Marty Rifkin (later a member of The Sessions Band) and fiddle from Soozie Tyrell, “Somewhere North of Nashville” saw Springsteen spontaneously cutting material live in the studio with a full band, not unlike what he had done for the recording of “Born In The U.S.A.” a decade earlier. Fittingly, the tracklist for "Somewhere North of Nashville" includes two songs originally planned for that album, "Stand On It" and "Janey Don't You Lose Heart."
“What happened was I wrote all these country songs at the same time I wrote ‘The Ghost of Tom Joad.’ Those sessions completely overlap each other. I’m singing ‘Repo Man’ in the afternoon and ‘The Line’ at night. So the country record got made right along with ‘The Ghost of Tom Joad,’” Springsteen recalled. “‘Streets of Philadelphia’ got me connected to my socially conscious or topical songwriting. So that’s where ‘The Ghost of Tom Joad’ came from. But at the same time I had this country streak that was also running through those sessions and I ended up making a country record on the side.”
In addition to today’s release of “Repo Man,” Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band will kick off The Land of Hope & Dreams Tour tonight in Manchester, England. The first of 16 scheduled dates this summer to over 700,000 fans, the 2025 European run will conclude “one of the most successful tours of all time” (Pollstar) — which has been called “the greatest show on earth” (Billboard) and "a masterclass in the uplifting power of rock-and-roll" (Washington Post). For more information about Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band’s The Land of Hope & Dreams Tour, visit brucespringsteen.net/tour.
Today, genre-defying vocalist, producer, and creative visionary José James releases his 13th studio album, 1978: Revenge of The Dragon, via his own Rainbow Blonde Records. Set against the backdrop of his birth year (1978), 1978: Revenge of The Dragon captures the electric tension of a transformative cultural moment. James draws from the chaotic swirl of influences that defined the late ’70s: the experimental edge of New York’s loft and jazz scenes, the pop brilliance of Elton John and Billy Joel, the revolutionary pulse of Bob Marley and the Isley Brothers, the cosmic funk of Parliament-Funkadelic, and the unstoppable rise of punk and disco. Beneath it all was a sense of convergence—genres colliding, boundaries dissolving. It was a cultural crescendo, visually soundtracked by kung fu and Blaxploitation double features. James channels that restless spirit into a bold, cinematic sound that feels both timeless and radical.
Written and produced by James, with contributions from Grammy-nominated songwriters Talia Billig and Kaveh Rastegar, 1978: Revenge of The Dragon radiates the rebellious underground energy of the late ’70s. An all-star cast of collaborators brings the project to life, including trumpeter Takuya Kuroda, saxophonists Ben Wendel and Ebban Dorsey, and genre-bending keyboardist BIGYUKI. The rhythm section features David Ginyard (Blood Orange) and Kyle Miles (Meshell Ndegeocello) on bass, with Jharis Yokley (Solange) on drums. The 8-track collection combines four new originals and daring reinterpretations of late-’70s classics.
Among the standout tracks is “Tokyo Daydream (feat. Taali),” a mesmerizing, disco-tinged strut through the late-night streets of Tokyo, bouncing through Roppongi, Shibakoen, and the trendy club Electrik Jinja. James also reimagines era-defining hits, including a soulful, horn-laced take on Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You” featuring Kuroda—an homage to their decade-long creative partnership. Other covers span The Rolling Stones, Herbie Hancock, and the Bee Gees, all filtered through James’ singular blend of tradition and innovation.
Coinciding with the album is James’ debut short film, Revenge of the Dragon—a 17-minute martial arts fantasy inspired by classic Shaw Brothers cinema. Part hero’s quest, part musical fever dream, James stars as “Twin Tiger,” a master-in-training on a journey to defeat the notorious Black Dragon Clan. Guided by a mysterious figure deep in the forest, Twin Tiger undergoes intense training to harness the power of the universe—only to discover that nothing is as it seems. The film follows a surreal, spiritual journey of training, transformation, and cosmic revelation.
Directed by James and Joseph Digiovanna, and executive produced by James and Billig, the film nods to kung fu staples like The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and The Five Venoms. The narrative also reflects James’ personal journey—after a recent health scare, he began intensive training in Shaolin Kung Fu and Qi Gong in Temple City, CA. Taught almost entirely in Chinese, the classes tested his mind, body, and spirit.
“Shaolin Kung Fu and jazz have a lot in common—they’re both rooted in deep traditions, passed down through generations,” says James. “You study the fundamentals not just to master them, but to discover your own voice within them.”
James will support the project with a global tour, including headline shows at Blue Note Jazz Club in New York, Los Angeles, and São Paulo; Ronnie Scott’s in London; and major festival appearances at Jazz Aspen Snowmass, San Jose Jazz Summer Fest, Love Supreme Festival (UK), and Joy of Jazz (South Africa). He will also make a special appearance supporting Lionel Richie at Jazzopen Stuttgart in Germany.
1978: Revenge of The Dragon is available in limited quantities on vinyl and cassette, with exclusive merch available now at rainbowblonderecords.com.
May 19 – New York, NY @ Blue Note Jazz Club (2 shows)
May 20 – New York, NY @ Blue Note Jazz Club (2 shows)
May 21 – New York, NY @ Blue Note Jazz Club (2 shows)
May 22 – New York, NY @ Blue Note Jazz Club (2 shows)
May 22 – New York, NY @ Rough Trade
June 5 – Truro, MA @ Payomet Performing Arts Center
June 8 – Columbia, MD @ Capital Jazz Festival
June 14 – Santa Teresa, Brazil @ Bossa & Jazz Festival
June 16 – São Paulo, Brazil @ Blue Note
June 20 – Rio Das Ostras, Brazil @ Jazz & Blues Festival
June 21 – Rio Das Ostras, Brazil @ Jazz & Blues Festival
June 27 – Aspen, CO @ Jazz Aspen Snowmass
July 6 – Glynde, United Kingdom @ Love Supreme Festival
July 8 – London, UK @ Ronnie Scott’s (2 shows)
July 9 – Rome, Italy @ Casa del Jazz
July 10 – Gent, Belgium @ Gent Jazz
July 11 – Paris, France @ New Morning
July 13 – Stuttgart, Germany @ Jazzopen Festival (opening for Lionel Richie)
July 14 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
July 15 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Bremen Theater
July 17 – Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain @ Jazz Festival
July 19 – Amarante, Portugal @ Mimo Festival
August 4 – Los Angeles, CA @ Blue Note (2 shows)
August 5 – Los Angeles, CA @ Blue Note (2 shows)
August 6 – Los Angeles, CA @ Blue Note (2 shows)
August 8 – San Jose, CA @ San Jose Jazz Summer Fest
September 26 – Sandton, South Africa @ Joy of Jazz
About José James
José James is both conductor and conduit. Across 17 years as a singer, songwriter, bandleader, and producer — not to mention co-head of the fearless Rainbow Blonde Records since 2018 — he’s dived deep, over and over again, into genres, eras, scenes, and songbooks, exploring with the verve of a reverent musicologist, and then churning it all up with the confidence of a master practitioner. Blessed with a silken baritone that sounds classic against any backdrop, James first turned heads on his 2008 debut The Dreamer by subtly swirling contemporary jazz with hip-hop instrumentation. As it turned out, mixing those two fluid, frenetic, and frequently time-travelling strains set off a deeply soulful discography that knows no bounds. There was his stunning Blue Note breakthrough No Beginning No End (2013), recorded with fellow genre upsetters like Pino Palladino and Robert Glasper. There was an album of standards, For All We Know (2010); the rock-addled While You Were Sleeping (2014); and that time he ditched the bands and became a modern R&B star for Love in a Time of Madness (2017). He’s also taken a Method approach to covers projects — even matching his wardrobe to his subjects’ worlds — like 2015’s Yesterday I Had the Blues (Billie Holiday), 2018’s Lean On Me (Bill Withers), and 2023’s On & On (Erykah Badu). He’s released dynamic live LPs, a Christmas set, and a four-album series inspired by hooky, funky, disco-dipped songcraft of the ’70s, culminating in his latest, 1978: Revenge of the Dragon (2025). That last one is as immediate, unpredictable, and vibrant as anything James has made, affirming the mantra in the lead single’s title: “They Sleep, We Grind.”
Thee Sacred Souls share their new single “We Don’t Have To Be Alone” today. Their first new music release of 2025, the single arrives with the news that this breakout San Diego group will join the Kali Uchis - The Sincerely, Tour of arenas this August and September, including performances at Madison Square Garden in New York, The Kia Forum in Los Angeles and more. Fresh off their Coachella debut, Thee Sacred Souls will also perform at key festivals this summer including Newport Jazz, Boston Calling Music Festival, Roskilde and more. See below for the full itinerary and ticket information, and at: https://www.theesacredsouls.com/tour-dates
“We Don’t Have To Be Alone” was recorded during the sessions for the band’s sophomore album, Got A Story To Tell, released last October on Daptone Records,
It’s been a tremendous 12 months for Thee Sacred Souls. The band’s accolades continue to build and include a performance on the outdoor stage at Jimmy Kimmel Live!, a COLORS session, a co-sign from Beyonce in her GQ cover story (other fans include SZA, Kylie Jenner, Alicia Keys and Swizz Beats, Leon Bridges and more), profiles in the LA Times and Esquire, nearly 8 million monthly listeners on Spotify, sold-out concerts at the Brooklyn Paramount, two nights at Roundhouse in London, three nights at the Wiltern in Los Angeles last December and more. Other highlights since they released their debut album in 2022 include NPR’s Tiny Desk, CBS Saturday, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and other key festival appearances including Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo and Austin City Limits.
Got A Story To Tell, the band’s latest album, was written by Thee Sacred Souls' founding members Alejandro Garcia, Salvador Samano, and Josh Lane, and released in October 2024. It features 12 original songs that further cement the band's status as masters of modern soul and was recorded at Penrose Recorders in Riverside, CA, with producer Gabriel Roth at the helm. The band found inspiration in Brazilian legend Arthur Verocai, the Delfonics, Jamaican rocksteady and Motown siren Mary Wells. Got A Story To Tell singles include "Waiting on the Right Time" and “Lucid Girl.” The anticipated follow-up to their self-titled 2022 breakout, Got A Story To Tell is a reflection of the band’s journey—marked by relentless touring, newfound fame, and the trials that come with rapid success.
TOUR DATES
May 23 – Boston, MA – Boston Calling Music Festival
May 24 – Jersey City, NJ – White Eagle Hall
May 25 – Charlottesville, VA – Ting Pavilion
May 28 – Austin, TX – Austin City Limits
May 30 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz
May 31 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel
Jun 1 – Lexington, KY – Railbird Music Festival
Jun 3 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore
Jun 5 – Saint Paul, MN – Palace Theatre
Jun 6 – Milwaukee, WI – The Riverside Theater
Jun 7 – Bloomington, IN – Granfalloon
Jun 15 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre*
Jun 17 – Albuquerque, NM – Revel Entertainment Center
Jun 19 – Telluride, CO – Telluride Bluegrass Festival
Jun 28 – Hartford, CT – The Capitol Groove
Jul 3 – Roskilde, DK – Roskilde Festival
Jul 4 – Werchter, BE – Rock Werchter
Jul 5 – East Sussex, UK – Love Supreme Festival
Jul 7 – Vienne, FR – Jazz a Vienne, Théâtre Antique
Jul 10 – Marseille, FR – Festival Jazz des 5 Continents, Théâtre Silvain
Jul 11 – Perugia, IT – Umbria Jazz
Jul 13 – Rotterdam, NL – North Sea Jazz Festival
Jul 18 – London, UK – Alexandra Palace Park^
Jul 19 – Pori, Finland – Pori Jazz
Aug 1 – Newport, RI – Newport Jazz Festival
Aug 2 – Portland, ME – Back Cove Music & Arts Festival
Aug 14 – Portland, OR – Moda Center #
Aug 15 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena #
Aug 17 – Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center #
Aug 18 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center #
Aug 20 – Los Angeles, CA – The Kia Forum #
Aug 23 – Palm Desert, CA – Acrisure Arena #
Aug 24 – San Diego, CA – Pechanga Arena #
Aug 27 – Phoenix, AZ – PHX Arena #
Aug 28 – El Paso, TX – UTEP Don Haskins Center #
Aug 30 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center #
Aug 31 – Austin, TX – Moody Center #
Sep 2 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center #
Sep 4 – Orlando, FL – Kia Center #
Sep 5 – Miami, FL – Kaseya Center #
Sep 7 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena #
Sep 8 – Raleigh, NC – Lenovo Center #
Sep 11 – New York City, NY – Madison Square Garden #
Sep 14 – Boston, MA – TD Garden #
Sep 16 – Laval, QC – Place Bell #
Sep 17 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena #
Sep 19 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena #
Sep 20 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center #
Sep 23 – Chicago, IL – United Center #
Sep 25 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena #
Sept 27 – Las Vegas, NV – Paradice
*with Trevor Hall and Fruit Bats
^with Leon Bridges
# Kali Uchis - The Sincerely, Tour - Ticket pre-sales begin Weds May 14, general on-sale Fri May 16 10AM local time
Today, Grammy-nominated musician Grace Potter released “Oasis,” the third single from her highly anticipated album Medicine, produced by the legendary T Bone Burnett and due out May 30th via Hollywood Records. A shimmering slow-burn that finds Potter’s vocals floating above a moody, cinematic backdrop, “Oasis” showcases the raw elegance and soulful magnetism at the heart of Medicine. You can listen to the never-before-heard version of “Oasis” on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon and pre-order Medicine on Spotify, Apple Music, and iTunes.
“I wrote Oasis with the brilliant Mark Batson, so while people might recognize the song from the eponymous album, the approach I took on it with T Bone is about as far afield as a song arrangement could ever be,” shares Potter. “I love both versions because the song is just so moody and flexible. This is definitely one of my favorite reimaginings on the album.”
In 2008, Potter went into the studio with T Bone Burnett and cut an album unlike any other in her wildly expansive body of work. Made with a wrecking crew of musical luminaries, the Burnett-produced LP captured Potter at a moment of profound metamorphosis, then wound up shelved. She has now joined forces with Hollywood Records to unearth those recordings from deep in the vaults and release Medicine: a powerhouse album that’s equal parts archival gem and thrilling new addition to her extraordinary catalog.
Arriving on the heels of her fifth solo album Mother Road—a 2023 LP that marked her most fiercely visionary work to date—Medicine came to life soon after the release of This Is Somewhere, the 2007 sophomore effort from her former band Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. After stumbling upon a video of Potter delivering an a cappella rendition of the title track from the band’s 2005 debut Nothing but the Water, Burnett didn’t hesitate when approached about working with Potter. Fresh off his widely celebrated turn as producer on Robert Plant and Alison Krauss’ Raising Sand, Burnett approached the project with a definitive plan for what would become Medicine.
Recorded at The Village Studios, Medicine strays far from the high-spirited roots-rock of Potter’s earliest work, bringing a shadowy intensity to her soul-baring songs of lust and longing and self-salvation. To carve out the sonic landscape envisioned for the album, Burnett enlisted his longtime collaborators Jim Keltner, bassist Dennis Crouch, guitarist Marc Ribot, and keyboardist Keefus Ciancia.
Over the course of its 12 songs, Medicine achieves a hypnotic power thanks to the charmed interplay between Potter’s shapeshifting voice and the sonic exploration of her collaborators. The tracklisting’s myriad high points include the title track, which has since become a staple in Potter’s notoriously transcendent live show, “If I Was from Paris,” the first song ever written on her iconic Gibson Flying V, as well as the original, never-before-heard versions of “Make You Cry,” “Losing You,” “To Shore,” and “Before the Sky Falls.”.
Earlier this month, Potter “wowed” (People Magazine) the crowd with a capella rendition of the National Anthem at the 151st Kentucky Derby at the iconic Churchill Downs. This summer, Potter is set to join Chris Stapleton for select dates this summer, including two nights at Madison Square Garden. For the complete itinerary and full ticketing information visit https://www.gracepotter.com/.
Medicine Track List:
Before The Sky Falls*
Losing You*
That Phone
Money
Colors
Low Road
Medicine
Make You Cry*
Oasis
Paris (Ooh La La)
To Shore*
Goodbye Kiss
(*previously unreleased)
GRACE POTTER 2025 TOUR DATES
July 19, 2025 - Artpark - Lewiston, NY
July 23, 2025 - UBS Arena - Belmont Park, NY *Supporting Chris Stapleton
July 25, 2025 - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY *Supporting Chris Stapleton
July 26, 2025 - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY *Supporting Chris Stapleton
September 28, 2025 - Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival - Franklin, TN
WhyHunger, a global nonprofit dedicated to ending hunger and advancing the human right to nutritious food, will honor CNN Chief Legal Analyst and Anchor Laura Coates with the inaugural Bill Ayres Social Justice Award, in honor of those who are driven by moral conviction to unite communities and fight for justice, at WhyHunger’s 50th Anniversary Chapin Awards Gala on June 4, 2025, at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City - tickets here. The award, named in tribute to WhyHunger co-founder Bill Ayres, will be presented by CNN Senior National Correspondent and Anchor Sara Sidner.
CNN’s Laura Coates has become a powerful voice in the fight for social justice. A former trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, she championed voting rights enforcement, before serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. Now, as the host of CNN’s Laura Coates Live, she delivers sharp insight and clarity on the country’s most urgent legal and political issues.
"I am so humbled to be able to use my platform to democratize information and empower anyone and everyone to speak their own truth to power and uplift the most vulnerable among us!" said Coates.
Alongside Coates, the event will honor GRAMMY Award-winning artists and lifelong activists Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo with the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award, presented by New York Moves Magazine’s Moonah Ellison, recognizing philanthropic artists who have used their talent and global influence to inspire change and foster social justice. There will be special performances by Benatar and Giraldo, as well as members of The Fab Faux with Will Lee, Music Director.
Speaking about their upcoming award, Benatar and Giraldo shared, “We are deeply honored to receive the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award and to stand alongside WhyHunger in their tireless fight to end hunger. Music has always been a powerful force for change, and we believe in using our voices not just to entertain, but to inspire action. WhyHunger’s mission aligns with our lifelong commitment to justice and equity, and we are proud to support their work in ensuring that nutritious food is a fundamental right for all.”
The Chapin Awards Gala will bring together artists, activists, and supporters for a cocktail reception, dinner, and live music, all in support of WhyHunger’s mission to end hunger and its root causes. Previous recipients of the Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award include Barbra Streisand, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Grace Potter, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, Harry Belafonte, Jackson Browne, Jason Mraz, John Mellencamp, Jon Batiste, Judy Collins, Pete Seeger, and Michael Franti.
In 2024, WhyHunger raised over $1 million from its annual Hungerthon campaign, including its Amplified: Annual Hungerthon Kickoff Concert, featuring performances by The Roots, Cimafunk, and Grace Bowers. In the last three years, WhyHunger has connected 3.3 million people to food and invested $5.1 million in community-led solutions globally. The Chapin Awards Gala raises critical funds to support WhyHunger’s work to end hunger and promote the human right to nutritious food.
To learn more about WhyHunger and how you can support the movement to end hunger, visit www.whyhunger.org, and follow on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram.
About WhyHunger
Founded in 1975 by the late Harry Chapin and radio DJ Bill Ayres, WhyHunger funds and supports community solutions to protect the human right to food. In nearly five decades of innovation and evolution, our programs and our grassroots partners in 24 countries have expanded agricultural practices that are better for the planet, helped communities address the root causes of hunger, and ensured access to nutritious food for millions of people. As a grassroots support organization, we stand behind the leadership of the people most impacted by hunger and injustice. We prioritize providing resources to support the rights of communities who have been historically excluded from defining and controlling their food systems. We advocate for workers’ rights and champion agroecological food production that unites science and sustainability with Indigenous knowledge and wisdom. Together we can build socially and economically just food systems that nourish all people and the environment.
Slightly Stoopid and Cloud 9 Adventures announce details for the 11th edition of Closer to the Sun. Taking place January 10-14, 2026, this one-of-a-kind concert vacation returns to Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya, an all-inclusive resort on the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Known for its vibrant community of fans, artists, and crew, Closer to the Sun has become more than just a music event - it’s an annual tradition. With such a dedicated community, it’s no surprise that past years have sold out quickly.
The music schedule features three shows by Slightly Stoopid with a stacked lineup of additional performers. Attendees can expect multiple shows by Dirty Heads, Pepper, The Elovaters, The Movement, HIRIE, DENM, Little Stranger, and Z-Trip. Additional concerts from Rebelution, and Rome, plus a special ‘Traffic Jam” performance by Damian Jr. Gong & Stephen Marley, and an Old Soul Unplugged set by Stephen Marley to round out the musical vacation.
Closer to the Sun transforms the stunning beachfront resort into the ideal music venue, offering unique performances on 5 stages with top-tier production. The Main Stage in the revered Concert Courtyard delivers exceptional acoustics, complimentary craft cocktails, wait- staff that comes through the crowd so fans don’t miss a beat, and chef-curated food stations that rotate each night. Daytime and sunset shows take place on a Beach Stage set right on the Caribbean coastline. Guests finish the night at the intimate Late Night Stage for performances under the stars. Poolside pop-ups round out the day, providing nearly non-stop music from afternoon well into the night.
This trail-blazing event continues to deliver one-of-a-kind vacations with the addition of activities curated to bring artists & fans together - including morning yoga, hands-on workshops, annual basketball invitational, and more. Add in creative theme nights, adventurous excursions, and cultural charity initiatives, and you’ve got the ultimate concert experience.
Set between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya is the all-inclusive beachfront resort where Closer to the Sun has a full takeover. Concerts, event activities, and late-night hangs are just steps from guest rooms. Returning guests can look forward to the same fan-friendly venue layout with updated resort offerings, including an array of new restaurant concepts as well as guest room amenities, to keep the experience feeling familiar and fresh at the same time.
The 2026 event extends to an exclusive section of rooms at Barcelo Maya Beach and UNICO 20°87°, two all-inclusive resorts just a 10-15 minute ride from Main Stage. The 50 available rooms at UNICO 20°87° provide a high-end, luxury stay while the slightly larger block of rooms at Barcelo offer fans a more economical way to experience Closer to the Sun. Both resorts include access to beaches, pools, restaurants, and complimentary door-to-door shuttle service to Hard Rock for all four nights of event programming.
Closer to the Sun offers a wide scope of room options surrounded by tropical grounds, ocean views, and sparkling pools, including swim-outs and stage front suites. Guests can enjoy unlimited dining at a variety of restaurants, event-curated food stations, and complimentary 24-hour room service all included in their package price. Unlimited drinks are available at coffee shops and multiple bars in direct proximity to guest accommodations, lobbies, and all concert areas.
Fans looking to give back can link up with nonprofit organization Positive Legacy on humanitarian and environmental efforts. Positive Legacy continues to make an impact in the Riviera Maya region by providing emergency hunger relief, medical and school supplies, building playgrounds and community gardens, extensive beach cleanups, and improving infrastructure at the largest turtle sanctuary in the Yucatan. Since 2014, Closer to the Sun guests have raised almost $400,000 to support grants benefitting 46 different local organizations.
On Sale Details:
All-inclusive packages for returning Closer to the Sun guests can be reserved on June 3, 2025. Remaining rooms will become available on June 4th, first in a Pre-sale for new attendees who opt-in by Sunday, June 1st and then to the general public at 1pm ET on the Closer to the Sun website - www.closertothesun.com.
Closer to the Sun is brought to you by Cloud 9 Adventures, the premier provider of international concert vacations since 2003. Cloud 9 Adventures brings bands and fans together to create unforgettable memories & life-changing experiences at all-inclusive resorts and on luxurious cruise ships.
Today, the Hudson River Music Festival has announced that Grammy Award winning folk musician and activist Tom Chapin and The Chapin Sisters will join the festival lineup set for Saturday, June 14 from 11:00am-9:00pm in Croton Point Park.
Together, they will honor the enduring legacy of Pete and Toshi Seeger through music, community, and shared purpose. The Celebration of the Legacy of Pete & Toshi Seeger will kick off the festival from 11:00AM to 12:00PM, featuring Tom Chapin & Friends alongside The Chapin Sisters.
The prolific three-time Grammy Award-winning folk singer-songwriter is a longtime advocate for environmental causes, and issues surrounding hunger and social justice. In support of Pete and Toshi Seeger’s vision for a better world, Tom Chapin has performed at numerous Clearwater events over the years, embodying their ethos of activism through music. Influenced by Pete’s music as a child, Chapin grew to consider the Seegers both mentors and friends. He now joins the Hudson River Music Festival in honoring their legacy with his daughters Abigail and Lily (The Chapin Sisters).
A Celebration of Pete & Toshi Seeger will also feature special guest David Amram, hailed as "America's Renaissance Man of Music," who shared a close friendship and creative bond with Pete Seeger. Amram often spoke of Seeger's unwavering commitment to social activism and the lasting inspiration he provided to musicians and advocates across generations. In 2013, Amram was honored with Clearwater’s Pete and Toshi Seeger Annual Power of Song Award. "He’s one of the most talented musicians in the universe!" — Pete Seeger, The New York Times, April 2011.
Rounding out the festival, musical acts also include Grahame Lesh & Friends - featuring Rick Mitarotonda (Goose), Oteil Burbridge (Dead & Company, Allman Brothers Band), Taylor Goldsmith, Griffin Goldsmith (Dawes), Rob Barraco (Phil Lesh Quintet), Jennifer Hartswick (Trey Anastasio Band), - Lucius featuring Griffin & Taylor Goldsmith, Madison Cunningham, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Steve Earle & Friends and Jorma Kaukonen (Hot Tuna, Jefferson Airplane). Additional special activities will include the iconic Earthball, Pete & Toshi’s Grove, the Circle of Song, and family friendly performances from the Arm of the Sea Puppet Show and The Rock and Roll Playhouse, as well as the mesmerizing Boat Flotilla, where boats gather along the Hudson River and move in harmony. The festival will provide ASL interpreters for performances.
Legendary musician and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer John Fogerty has announced the release of a powerful new album, Legacy: the Creedence Clearwater Revival years, arriving August 22, 2025 via Concord. The 20-track collection features newly recorded versions of Fogerty’s most beloved songs—from “Proud Mary” and “Bad Moon Rising” to “Fortunate Son” and “Have You Ever Seen the Rain”—marking both a celebration of an iconic catalog and a personal reclamation of artistic ownership. Fogerty announced the album from the stage during his sold-out 80th birthday bash last week at NYC’s Beacon Theatre (photos here; photo credit: Mike Morgan / Ripe Melon Photography). He returns to the Beacon Theatre stage tonight for another thrilling performance.
For the first time in his career, Fogerty fully owns the rights to his groundbreaking Creedence Clearwater Revival catalog—a milestone decades in the making. With Legacy, he offers fresh takes on the music that continues to define American rock, recorded with renewed energy and a deep sense of purpose as he celebrates his 80th birthday.
“For most of my life I did not own the songs I had written,” says Fogerty. “Getting them back changes everything. Legacy is my way of celebrating that—of playing these songs on my terms, with the people I love.”
Produced by Fogerty and his son Shane Fogerty, with executive production by his wife Julie Fogerty, Legacy is a family affair through and through. Julie Fogerty says, “I knew first hand how much it meant for John to get his publishing back. It has been so joyful and beautiful since this happened for him. This is a celebration of his life's work. It is the biggest party for the good guy/artist winning.”
Both Shane and his brother Tyler Fogerty perform throughout the album, recorded with Matt Chamberlain, Bob Malone, Bob Glaub and Rob Stone. It was mixed by legendary engineer Bob Clearmountain. The result is a vibrant, electrifying collection that captures the raw spirit of Fogerty’s original songs while infusing them with vital new life.
Today, new recordings of “Up Around The Bend” “Have You Ever Seen The Rain,” and “Porterville” are available to stream on DSPs. Listen here.
The album’s release comes during a banner year for Fogerty, who continues to experience a remarkable career resurgence. From a recent induction at the American Music Honors, introduced by Bruce Springsteen, to headlining sets at JazzFest (hailed as a “home run” in a Times Picayune front-page rave review), Glastonbury, The Hollywood Bowl, and more, Fogerty is as fierce and joyful as ever. His recent “Celebration Tour” sold out venues across the country, and his iconic Chronicle anthology has spent over 14 consecutive years on the Billboard 200.
In another major cultural moment, Fogerty has teamed up with Eric Church and NASCAR on Prime to create the league’s brand-new anthem—a reimagined version of his classic “Up Around The Bend,” available exclusively on Amazon Music.
Still, for Fogerty, the thrill remains rooted in the music itself. As Legacy makes clear, the fire still burns. The album is a testament to an artist who’s not only reclaimed his songs, but continues to shape the sound of American rock & roll—even as he turns 80.
Bruce Springsteen’s latest preview of “Tracks II: The Lost Albums” arrives today with “Adelita,” an ode to Mexico’s female “soldaderas” — who played a major role in the country’s fight for independence. Inspired to explore themes of this nature in the 1990s, during a series of motorcycle trips across the Southwest, Springsteen’s years in California saw him diving into both the history of the region (including “La Adelita,” the “corrido” that serves as this song’s namesake) and its contemporary events. “There was constant border reporting in the Los Angeles Times, so it was a big part of your life,” he remembered. The results appear for the first time on “Tracks II” as “Inyo” — a previously-unheard, ten-song thematic collection set throughout the border states of California and Texas (plus one detour to New Jersey).
“‘Inyo’ was a record I wrote in California during long drives along the California aqueduct, up through Inyo County on my way to Yosemite or Death Valley,” recalled Springsteen. “I was enjoying that kind of writing so much. [On ‘The Ghost Of Tom Joad’ tour] I would go home to the hotel room at night and continue to write in that style because I thought I was going to follow up ‘The Ghost of Tom Joad’ with a similar record, but I didn’t. That’s where ‘Inyo’ came from. It’s one of my favorites.”
While primarily tracked as a solo record, “Inyo” does notably find Springsteen collaborating with mariachi musicians throughout — as heard on “Adelita.” These musicians include Luis Villalobos, Alberto Villalobos, Angel Ramos, Humberto Manuel Flores Gutierrez, David Glukh, Jorge Espinosa and Miguel Ponce. Thematically, several songs on the record examine the Mexican diaspora, how border crossing between Mexico and the U.S. has affected generations and the cultural losses endured as a result. It’s a musical thread that Springsteen first began to examine by covering Ry Cooder’s “Across the Borderline” on his 1988 Tunnel of Love Express tour.
“The Lost Albums” will feature seven previously-unheard Bruce Springsteen records in full: “Inyo” as well as “Perfect World” (listen to “Rain in the River”), “Streets of Philadelphia Sessions” (listen to "Blind Spot”), “Faithless” (listen to the title track), “Somewhere North of Nashville” (listen to “Repo Man”), “Twilight Hours” and “LA Garage Sessions ’83.” The set will arrive in limited-edition nine LP, seven CD and digital formats — including distinctive packaging for each previously-unreleased record, with a 100-page cloth-bound, hardcover book featuring rare archival photos, liner notes on each lost album from essayist Erik Flannigan and a personal introduction on the project from Springsteen himself.
Grammy-nominated musician Grace Potter releases her long awaited album Medicine, produced by the legendary T Bone Burnett via Hollywood Records. You can stream Medicine on Spotify, Apple Music, and iTunes and watch the brand new music video for the title track HERE.
“I remember being in the studio with T Bone and feeling like this was everything I’d been waiting for. It never occurred to me that the album might not get released, but I’m at peace with the fact that it’s taken this long,” says Potter. “This is an album that truly belongs in its own space, and I’m so happy to finally give it the platform I know it deserves.”
In 2008, Potter went into the studio with T Bone Burnett and cut an album unlike any other in her wildly expansive body of work. Made with a wrecking crew of musical luminaries, the Burnett-produced LP captured Potter at a moment of profound metamorphosis, then wound up shelved. She has now joined forces with Hollywood Records to unearth those recordings from deep in the vaults and release Medicine: a powerhouse album that’s equal parts archival gem and thrilling new addition to her extraordinary catalog.
Potter is set to appear on Live! With Kelly and Mark next Wednesday, June 4. Last week, she was featured on the cover of the Arts section of The New York Times. She was also recently featured in Garden & Gun, on Southern Living’s Biscuits & Jam podcast, and Takin’ A Walk podcast on behalf of the new album. Earlier this month, Potter “wowed” (People Magazine) the crowd with a capella rendition of the National Anthem at the 151st Kentucky Derby at the iconic Churchill Downs.
Recorded at The Village Studios, Medicine strays far from the high-spirited roots-rock of Potter’s earliest work, bringing a shadowy intensity to her soul-baring songs of lust and longing and self-salvation. To carve out the sonic landscape envisioned for the album, Burnett enlisted his longtime collaborators Jim Keltner, bassist Dennis Crouch, guitarist Marc Ribot, and keyboardist Keefus Ciancia.
Over the course of its 12 songs, Medicine achieves a hypnotic power thanks to the charmed interplay between Potter’s shapeshifting voice and the sonic exploration of her collaborators. The tracklisting’s myriad high points include the title track, which has since become a staple in Potter’s notoriously transcendent live show, "Paris (Ooh La La),” the first song ever written on her iconic Gibson Flying V, as well as the original, never-before-heard versions of “Make You Cry,” “Losing You,” “To Shore,” and “Before the Sky Falls.”.
Last weekend, Potter joined Kenny Chesney during the opening weekend of his residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The two performed their GRAMMY-nominated hit “You & Tequila” and Rod Stewart’s “Hot Legs,” on which broke out her signature Flying V. This summer, Potter is set to join Chris Stapleton for select dates, including two nights at Madison Square Garden. For the complete itinerary and full ticketing information visit https://www.gracepotter.com/.
Medicine Track List:
Before The Sky Falls*
Losing You*
That Phone
Money
Colors
Low Road
Medicine
Make You Cry*
Oasis
Paris (Ooh La La)
To Shore*
Goodbye Kiss
(*previously unreleased)
GRACE POTTER 2025 TOUR DATES
July 17, 2025 - Lowell Summer Music Series - Lowell, MA
July 18, 2025 - Rome Capitol Theatre - Rome, NY
July 19, 2025 - Artpark - Lewiston, NY
July 20, 2025 - Point of the Bluff Vineyards - Hammondsport, NY
July 23, 2025 - UBS Arena - Belmont Park, NY *Supporting Chris Stapleton
July 24, 2025 - Upper Merion Township Building Park - King Of Prussia, PA
July 25, 2025 - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY *Supporting Chris Stapleton
July 26, 2025 - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY *Supporting Chris Stapleton
September 28, 2025 - Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival - Franklin, TN
Rituals, the long-awaited new studio album from North Carolina duo Watchhouse (Andrew Marlin & Emily Frantz), is officially out now via Tiptoe Tiger Music / Thirty Tigers. Co-produced with Ryan Gustafson (The Dead Tongues), the 11-track collection marks Watchhouse’s first album of entirely new, original songs since their acclaimed 2021 self-titled release, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Bluegrass chart and earned praise from Rolling Stone, NPR Music, Mojo, American Songwriter, and more.
With Rituals, Watchhouse invites listeners into a world shaped by small moments and big transformations. The album glows with the quiet beauty of daily life — lullabies at dawn, unspoken gestures, and the grounding rhythm of routine - all while balancing a subtle darkness. The result is a gently radiant meditation on change, love, and the spaces in between.
Woven with the duo’s signature acoustic textures, Rituals blends layered arrangements and soothing vocal harmonies into an album that is as intimate as it is expansive — a sonic embrace in uncertain times.
The duo recently performed the album’s lead single “All Around You” on The Kelly Clarkson Show. Watch the intimate performance HERE.
What began over a decade ago in the quiet corners of North Carolina coffee shops has blossomed into one of the most respected voices in modern folk. From sold-out shows at Red Rocks and The Ryman to hundreds of millions of streams, Watchhouse continues to evolve with each new chapter. Rituals is both a continuation and a new beginning — a poetic soundtrack for life's shifting seasons.
Watchhouse is currently on tour in support of Rituals, with performances scheduled across the U.S. throughout 2025. Highlights include dates supporting The Avett Brothers this weekend, along with appearances at major festivals like MerleFest, Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots, and Iron Blossom Music Festival. Their headline tour continues this summer with stops in Chicago, Seattle, New York City, Boston, Nashville, Atlanta, and more. Full dates and ticket info can be found at https://watchhouseband.com.
Watchhouse 2025 Tour Dates
May 31 - Vienna, VA - Wolf Trap *
June 5 - Nashville, TN - Grimey’s In-Store
June 14 - St. Paul, MN - Palace Theatre
June 15 - Maquoketa, IA - Codfish Hollow Barnstormers
June 17 - Kalamazoo, MI - Bell's Eclectic Cafe
June 18 - Madison, WI - The Sylvee
June 19 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
June 20 - Indianapolis, IN - Rock the Ruins
June 21 - Nelsonville, OH - Nelsonville Music Festival
June 22 - Louisville, KY - Old Forester's Paristown Hall
July 11 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheater *
July 12 - Cheyenne, WY - The Lincoln
July 13 - Salt Lake City, UT - Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre
July 14 - Jackson, WY - Center for the Arts
July 16 - Seattle, WA - Neptune Theatre
July 17 - Jacksonville, OR - Britt Festival Pavilion
July 18 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
July 19 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
July 20 - Vancouver, Canada - Vancouver Folk Music Festival
August 9 - Lyons, CO - Rocky Mountain Folks Festival
August 10 - Colorado Springs, CO - Pikes Peak Center
August 12 - Toronto, ON - The Concert Hall
August 13 - Buffalo, NY - Asbury Hall
August 14 - Homer, NY - Center for the Arts of Homer
August 15 - Portland, ME - State Theatre
August 16 - Manchester, VT - Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots
August 18 - Charlton, MA - The Pavilion at Tree House Brewing
August 29 - Charleston, SC - The Refinery Charleston
August 30 - Wilmington, NC - Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
September 6 - Evanston, IL - Evanston Folk Festival
September 21 - Richmond, VA - Iron Blossom Music Festival
Today, San Diego, CA based musical outfit Slightly Stoopid unveils their new single “Step Into The Sun,” a radiant feel-good summer anthem celebrating life, love and the uplifting sentiment of understanding. Recorded at the famed Sonic Ranch studios in El Paso Texas, the track captures the band’s unmistakable chemistry and the infectious energy that’s earned them a devoted global following over the course of 3 decades of creating music.
“Step Into The Sun” also marks the first single from Slightly Stoopid’s forthcoming tenth studio album, set for release next year. The record will be the band’s first full-length project in eight years, following 2018’s Everyday Life, Everyday People. The single also lends its name to the band’s massive ’Step Into The Sun’ Summer Tour 2025, which kicks off June 12 with the band hitting outdoor stages across North America, including the bands renown annual appearance at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison CO , and performances at Bonnaroo, Cali Vibes Point Break and other select festivals this summer.
Opening with a breezy electric guitar riff layered over strummed acoustic chords, “Step Into The Sun” comes to life with warm flashes of organ, bursts of brass, and the signature vocal interplay of Miles Doughty and Kyle McDonald. They ask, “When’s the sun gonna shine across your eyes again? / When’s the tide gonna hide your footprints in the sand?” before offering a gentle reminder: “Whether you’re right, whether you’re wrong / Whether you see it, or whether you don’t / All in all it’s the life that you’re given / All in all it’s the way that you live it.” Blending elements of acoustic soul and classic rock, the song channels Slightly Stoopid’s unmistakable live energy — a genre-hopping groove that has captivated fans worldwide since their 1994 debut.
Speaking about their new track, Miles Doughty notes: “‘Step Into The Sun’ takes you on a journey as the band reflects on life, love and the ones we share it with. Through the energy of Sonic Ranch Studios we were able to capture the organic feel with the whole band jamming. Hope you feel the love!”
Slightly Stoopid recently visited the KROQ Helpful Honda Sound Space, where they performed “Step Into The Sun” live, along with fan favorites like “2 AM” and their new cover of Sublime’s “Slow Ride.” Watch the performance HERE.
The new track kicks off what promises to be a busy summer for Slightly Stoopid, with a cross-country headlining tour launching June 12. Supported by Iration and Little Stranger, the tour hits major markets like Boston, Philadelphia, Austin, and Charleston, with standout shows at the Santa Barbara Bowl and a return to the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre. The band will also make several highly anticipated festival appearances, including sets at Bonnaroo, Cali Vibes, Brighter Daze, Point Break, and Reggae Rise Up (Oregon and Las Vegas). To get fans ready for the road ahead, Slightly Stoopid has launched a Step Into The Sun Summer Tour 2025 playlist on Spotify — a handpicked mix of sun-soaked tracks to set the vibe for the season. Listen HERE.
Along with the new music and summer tour, Slightly Stoopid recently announced the 11th edition of their Closer to the Sun all-inclusive concert vacation in Mexico. A one-of-a-kind concert experience known for its vibrant community of fans, artists, and crew, the vacation includes three shows by Slightly Stoopid with a stacked lineup of additional performers. Attendees can expect multiple shows by Dirty Heads, Pepper, The Elovaters, The Movement, HIRIE, DENM, Little Stranger, and Z-Trip. Additional concerts from Rebelution, and Rome, plus a special ‘Traffic Jam” performance by Damian Jr. Gong & Stephen Marley, and an Old Soul Unplugged set by Stephen Marley to round out the musical vacation.
More information on Closer To The Sun can be found HERE.
Slightly Stoopid 2025 Tour Dates:
June 8, 2025 - Cali Vibes Festival - Long Beach, CA
June 12, 2025 - Stage AE Outdoors - Pittsburgh, PA
June 13, 2025 - Bonnaroo - Manchester, TN
June 14, 2025 - Live Oak Bank Pavilion - Wilmington, NC
June 15, 2025 - Credit One Stadium - Charleston, SC
June 19, 2025 - Bank Of New Hampshire Pavilion - Gilford, NH
June 20, 2025 - The Stage At Suffolk Downs - Boston, MA
June 21, 2025 - Point Break Festival - Virginia Beach, VA
June 22, 2025 - Stone Pony Summer Stage - Asbury Park, NJ
June 26, 2025 - Daily’s Place - Jacksonville, FL
June 27, 2025 - The BayCare Sound - Clearwater, FL
June 28, 2025 - iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre - West Palm Beach, FL
June 29, 2025 - Cocoa Riverfront Park - Cocoa, FL
July 10, 2025 - The Lawn at White Oak Music Hall - Houston, TX
July 11, 2025 - Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park - Austin, TX
July 12, 2025 - The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory - Irving, TX
July 13, 2025 - Azura Amphitheatre - Bonner Springs, KS
July 18, 2025 - Snow King Mountain - Jackson, WY - SOLD OUT
July 20, 2025 - Brighter Daze Festival - Reno, NV
July 24, 2025 - Big Sky Brewing Co. - Missoula, MT
July 25, 2025 - Marymoor Park - Redmond, WA
July 26, 2025 - Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater - Nampa, ID
July 27, 2025 - Granary Live - Salt Lake City, UT
July 31, 2025 - Highmark Skyline Stage at the Mann - Philadelphia, PA
August 1, 2025 - Artpark - Lewiston, NY
August 2, 2025 - Everwild Music Festival - Thornville, OH
August 3, 2025 - Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill - Sterling Heights, MI
August 6, 2025 - The Ledge Amphitheater - Waite Park, MN
August 7, 2025 - The Astro Amphitheater - La Vista, NE
August 9, 2025 - Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Morrison, CO
August 10, 2025 - Ford Amphitheater - Colorado Springs, CO
August 14, 2025 - Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre - Phoenix, AZ
August 15, 2025 - TBA
August 16, 2025 - Redding, CA - Redding Civic Lawn
August 17, 2025 - Santa Barbara Bowl - Santa Barbara, CA
August 30, 2025 - Reggae Rise Up Oregon - Redmond, OR
September 13, 2025 - McHenry Music Festival - McHenry, IL
October 5, 2025 - Reggae Rise Up Vegas - Las Vegas, NV
January 10-14, 2026 - Closer To The Sun - Riviera Maya, Mexico
Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds will return to Mexico’s Caribbean coastline for the ninth annual “Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds Riviera Maya” event, which will take place January 21-24, 2026. The duo will perform three nights of stripped-down acoustic sets under the stars in a one-of-a-kind oceanfront setting. This intimate, four-night, all-inclusive concert vacation will feature a headline performance by Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats with special guests Trampled by Turtles on Wednesday, followed by three nights of Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds supported by Joy Oladokun on Thursday and Say She She on Friday. The final night of the event, Saturday, will be a very special evening with a performance by Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds.
A pre-sale for all-inclusive packages starts on Tuesday, June 10, at 12:00PM ET for members of the DMB Warehouse Fan Association and at 3:00PM ET for Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds Riviera Maya alumni. All-inclusive packages go on sale to the public on Wednesday, June 11, at 1:00 PM ET via daveandtimrivieramaya.com.
The 2026 event will once again be hosted at Moon Palace Cancún, a 5-star luxury resort. Guests will enjoy luxury accommodations, all-inclusive food and drink (including top-shelf beverages), roundtrip airport transportation and access to the world-class resort’s many amenities, which include pools, spas, a golf course, beach clubs and more.
Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds Riviera Maya’s ongoing commitment to a comprehensive greening program continues in partnership with Moon Palace, which has been designated as a low carbon tourism provider. In addition to a single-use plastic-free concert area, all waste discarded throughout the resort will be sorted during the event and diverted from landfill. These efforts have resulted in more responsible and sustainable event production while directly contributing to the fight against climate change.
For more information about Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds Riviera Maya 2026, including how to book all-inclusive packages and payment plan details, please visit: daveandtimrivieramaya.com.
Talking Heads premiere the first ever music video for their classic song “Psycho Killer,” directed by acclaimed filmmaker Mike Mills (C’mon C’mon, Beginners) and starring Saoirse Ronan (Little Women, Lady Bird). The release also marks the 50th anniversary of the Talking Heads’ live debut at CBGB on June 5, 1975, when they opened for the Ramones.
The music video follows a young woman (Ronan) unraveling while stuck in her daily routine. She moves through the same unchanging settings—bedroom, kitchen, office, car—while becoming a different version of herself each day. Her outfits loop across the days in a steady visual rhythm, as her emotions veer wildly from content to furious to numb and spiral into sudden outbursts or haunted silences. Mills’ disquieting portrait of isolation echoes the tension at the heart of the song. Watch “Psycho Killer” HERE.
“This video makes the song better- We LOVE what this video is NOT - it's not literal, creepy, bloody, physically violent or obvious.” - Talking Heads
“This album literally changed what was possible in life for me, so to get to play with the subversive, uncategorizable beauty of Talking Heads, and to play with Saoirse who brought so much surprise, power, vulnerability and mischief to the party, it’s one of the best things I ever got to be a part of - still can’t believe it actually happened." - Mike Mills
“To simply be mentioned in the same breath as Talking Heads is hands down one of the coolest things that has ever happened to me, let alone making a video with the singular Mike Mills to accompany one of their most iconic songs - 'Psycho Killer'. I have grown up listening to their music, so this truly is a childhood/teenage/lifelong dream come true. Mike, myself and the rest of the creative team had so much fun making this, and I can't wait for Talking Heads fans to see it!” - Saoirse Ronan
First released in 1977, “Psycho Killer” introduced Talking Heads to a wider audience and was the band’s first charting single. It remains a cornerstone of their legacy and is featured in countless films and playlists.
The video arrives amid the quartet’s yearlong 50th anniversary celebration. Formed in 1975, Talking Heads became one of the most influential bands to emerge from New York’s CBGB scene. A run of groundbreaking albums charted their evolution—from art-school minimalism into bold sonic and rhythmic experimentation—making them unlikely pop stars along the way. Critically and commercially successful, the band—Tina Weymouth, David Byrne, Chris Frantz, and Jerry Harrison—helped shape the language of modern music and expanded the creative possibilities of the music video.
The Barr Brothers have announced that their new album Let it Hiss will be released October 17, on Secret City Records. Their long-simmering and long-awaited fourth studio album isn’t just a collection of 10 vital new songs, it’s a document of transformation. The result of a pivotal shift: a pause for reflection, a reckoning with vulnerability, and a reconnection between two brothers - Brad and Andrew Barr - who’ve spent their entire lives making music side by side. Let it Hiss was produced by Brad and Andrew, working primarily as a duo out of their Montreal studio, and worked with mix engineer Jon Low (The National, Taylor Swift, Bon Iver). The Barr Brothers will also announce a headlining tour soon, stay tuned for more information.
The album announcement is accompanied by the release of lead single and title track "Let it Hiss", a propulsive number born out of an extended jam session and featuring jolts of Brad Barr's virtuosic blown-out guitar and Andrew Barr's steady groove. Upon hearing a light buzzing in the guitar monitor during playback, the brothers decided to "let it hiss"...a mantra of imperfection that they carried with them throughout the sessions.
Since releasing their 2011 self-titled debut, The Barr Brothers have been welcomed onto international festival bills and late-night talk show stages (including multiple Letterman appearances, and CBS Saturday). 2014’s Sleeping Operator (certified Gold in Canada) yielded the breakthrough single “Even the Darkness Has Arms,” which has racked up 110-plus million Spotify streams and counting. 2017’s Queens of the Breakers showcased their improvisatory chops with a greater emphasis on raw blues jams and experiments with brass and strings.
Across this span, they earned three Félix Awards in Quebec, three JUNO Award nominations for Adult Alternative Album of the Year, and a Polaris Music Prize longlist placement, are regular-rotation fixtures on NPR, SiriusXM, KCRW, KEXP, and AAA radio. Their music has also been heard on programs like True Detective, Your Honor, Catfish, Rookie Blue and more, and their work has earned praise from legends such as Robert Plant, Bon Iver, David Crosby and Bill Kreutzmann.
While Let it Hiss is eight years in the making, it does not suggest a period of stagnancy. Andrew has spent time playing drums for Feist, Mumford and Sons, Gracie Abrams and Broken Social Scene. Brad has explored a wide array of collaborations, and released a meditative solo album in 2022, The Winter Mission. The Barr Brothers touring has included dates with My Morning Jacket and War On Drugs, and their beloved former band The Slip also reunited. Brad and Andrew also co-wrote a song for the movie “The Iron Claw” featuring Jeremy Allen White titled “Live That Way Forever” with Richard Reed Perry and Little Scream.
Since 2017’s Queens of the Breakers, life has pulled Brad and Andrew in new directions both professionally and personally. It altered their creative process, a deep-rooted approach that required triage. “In 2022, we found ourselves at a breaking point,” says Brad Barr, the band’s guitarist, vocalist, and primary songwriter. “It was clear something had to change. The real story of this record is the story of that change and everything that came after.” “Let it Hiss is what happened when we stopped pretending everything was fine and finally listened to what was actually going on,” says Andrew, the band’s drummer, percussionist, and vocalist.
Recording became a mirror. The process didn’t begin with sound - it began with truth. They confronted not just creative blocks, but personal ones. Old patterns. Unspoken tensions. Grief. Growth. The album title itself is an ethos. “It just felt right,” Andrew says. “To leave the hiss in. The discomfort, the imperfection, the struggle. We stopped trying to clean it all up. That’s when the music started to breathe again.”
Let it Hiss showcases two esteemed musicians and composers at the height of their powers, both known for their commands over their instruments, and coaxing otherworldly sounds out of them. It also revels in a joyous abandon, as heard on “Run Right Into It” (featuring Land of Talk’s Elizabeth Powell) and “She Doesn’t Sleep With the Covers On.” It also revisits the kinds of intimate, hushed songs on which the Barrs’ brand was built: “English Harbour” is a folk hymn illuminated by harmonies by Jim James of My Morning Jacket, and “Moonbeam” is a string-swept soul serenade with a Francophone guest vocal from Quebecois art-pop shapeshifter Klô Pelgag. But all the freewheeling musical exploration and emotional upheaval that plays out over the course of Let it Hiss still won’t prepare for the album’s closer “Upsetter,” a blast of sweat-soaked, punk-powered rock capped by a lobotomizing guitar solo.
And while the album was self-produced, they also called on trusted friends from their wider musical community to lend voices, instruments, and textures when the songs called for it -collaborations that felt less like features and more like natural extensions of the music. Many of these relationships were built over years of shared stages, late-night sessions, and a mutual commitment to the craft. Including the album art, created by artist Brigitte Henry, Brad’s wife, who also designed the covers for their albums Queens of the Breakers and Sleeping Operator. In this way, Let it Hiss stands as both their most personal and most collaborative record to date.
Let it Hiss Tracklist:
Take it From Me
Let it Hiss
English Harbour
Run Right Into It
Moonbeam
She Doesn’t Sleep with the Covers On
Naturally
Owning Up to Everyone
Another Tangerine
Upsetter
In celebration of Clifton Chenier’s centenary year, Smithsonian Folkways will release Clifton Chenier: King of Louisiana Blues and Zydeco this November on Arhoolie Records. It will be the first ever box set devoted to the iconic musician who blended African American blues, R&B, Afro-Caribbean rhythms, and Louisiana Cajun and Creole music into the genre now recognized as zydeco.
A visionary artist and legendary performer renowned as the “King of Zydeco,” Chenier (June 25, 1925 - December 12, 1987) created an energetic and enduring regional Black sound that travelled from the back roads of rural Louisiana to the world stage.
To celebrate the announcement, Smithsonian Folkways has shared a previously unreleased recording of the song “Mr. Charlie,” written by Chenier’s cousin and Arhoolie labelmate Lightnin’ Hopkins, recorded in 1971 and broadcast on KSAN in San Francisco. Listen HERE.
This historic box set release is also a milestone for the independent roots music label Arhoolie Records: it is the first new title on the imprint since Smithsonian Folkways acquired the label and its groundbreaking catalog of roots music in 2016. The collection will be available as a 4-CD or 6-LP vinyl box set, featuring 67 tracks—including 19 unreleased performances—and a 160-page book with rare photographs and other graphic artifacts as well as extensive liner notes with in-depth track notes and reflections on Chenier’s groundbreaking career. The set is produced by Adam Machado, the Grammy-winning Executive Director of the Arhoolie Foundation, who contributes an in-depth biography of Clifton’s life and career, and features an expansive essay by American Routes host Nick Spitzer, an examination on Cenier’s long-term impact on his community by journalist Herman Fuselier, and a personal remembrance by Clifton Chenier’s son, the musician CJ Chenier.
The collection features recordings from 1954 - 1983, including audio from Arhoolie and other labels and classic tracks such as “Bon Ton Roulet,” “Zydeco et Pas Sale,” “Jole Blonde,” and “Black Gal,” alongside previously unissued tracks such as the R&B hit “Shake Rattle & Roll,” “Mr. Charlie,” Cajun classic “Calinda,” and Wilson Pickett’s “That’s My Number / 634-5789.” The set spotlights Chenier’s earliest known (and previously unreleased) live recordings, a live performance from the 1977 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and recordings from the Austin City Limits television series, which featured Chenier on their third-ever episode alongside Townes Van Zandt in 1976. As a career-long body of work, this breadth of recordings represents more than just Chenier’s mammoth achievements on accordion, rubboard, and voice. They also celebrate early, foundational zydeco artist collaborations, including with Clifton’s brother Cleveland, son CJ, and boogie-woogie pianist Katie Webster, and trace the expansion of zydeco from South Louisiana to Houston and Austin, Texas, to Southern California—a musical “great migration” that was symbolic of the mid-century music industry’s expansion at large.
On June 27, Smithsonian Folkways, Arhoolie Records, and Valcour Records will also release a limited edition vinyl 7” featuring a new recording of Chenier’s signature tune “Zydeco Sont Pas Salés” by The Rolling Stones, produced by acclaimed musician and songwriter CC Adcock. Mick Jagger, who has been a lifelong fan of Chenier since seeing him perform live in 1965, sings entirely in French, Keith Richards provides his signature rhythm guitar, while Ronnie Wood contributes lead guitar parts, combining their talents to bring a rock and roll edge to the zydeco classic. The recording also includes Cajun accordionist Steve Riley and longtime Chenier drummer Robert St. Julien, grounding the song in its Louisiana roots. On the single’s flip side is Chenier’s version from his 1965 sessions with Arhoolie founder Chris Strachwitz, which offers a contrasting take on the rollicking shuffle heard on his debut album. The Rolling Stones’ track also appears on the upcoming Valcour compilation A Tribute to the King of Zydeco.
Long before he became the King, Chenier was a young man working as a sharecropper and manual laborer at a Texas refinery, determined to make it in the music industry and swiftly gaining fame on the local circuit. One day, the story goes, he refused to climb into a pit on the job. He was fired, only to return two days later in a white suit, driving a Cadillac, and holding his first record contract.
Chenier began to attract national attention for his Cajun and R&B inflected-accordion playing in the early 1950s. The tracks, including “Clifton’s Blues” and “Louisiana Stomp,” both available on the set, which led to big deal with Art Rupe’s Specialty Records. He had his first hit with “Ay Tete Fee” (1955), which led to co-billings with major artists and friends like Etta James, Little Richard, and Ray Charles. Briefly, Chenier’s career sputtered, but in 1964 gained new life when he was introduced to Chris Strachwitz through Lightnin’ Hopkins. Strachwitz had by then recorded and worked with many of Chenier’s influences, and encouraged Chenier to lean into a more French Cajun traditional sound than the rock and R&B that he favored. The success of “Louisiana Blues,” their first collaboration in the recording studio, began a decades-long working relationship between Chenier and Strachwitz that included Arhoolie albums like Bogalusa Boogie, Louisiana Blues and Zydeco, King of the Bayous, and more.
Chenier’s bold style and driving accordion made him a beloved figure in American roots music, earning him a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and the National Heritage Fellowship, as well as a spot in the Blues Hall of Fame. In 2011, his 1975 track “Je Suis en Racolteur (I’m a Farmer)” was placed on the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress.
Clifton Chenier: King of Louisiana Blues and Zydeco joins several other monumental box sets released by Smithsonian Folkways. In line with the label’s non-profit mission to preserve and give context to the world’s myriad musical histories and traditions, other releases of this magnitude include the classic compilation Anthology of American Folk Music, the definitive Pete Seeger set, The Smithsonian Folkways Collection, and 2023’s seminal Playing for the Man at the Door: Field Recordings from the Collection of Mack McCormick, 1958 – 1971, which traced the history of American folk and blues through the lens of McCormick’s legendary archive.
RCA Records and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release Sunset Boulevard on August 1 — a definitive 5-CD collection chronicling Elvis Presley’s recording sessions and rehearsals at RCA’s legendary Los Angeles studios. Spanning 89 rarities - over half of which have never been released in the United States - Sunset Boulevard delivers illuminating perspective onto Elvis’ 1970s recording output. This includes rare alternate studio versions of late-period gems like “Separate Ways” - widely seen as the most autobiographical song Elvis ever recorded - “T-R-O-U-B-L-E,” which channeled the groundbreaking signature vocal style from his earlier years, and “Burning Love,” the 40th and final Top Ten single of his career. Listen to “Burning Love - Take 2,” here: https://Elvis.lnk.to/BurningLoveTake2
The collection’s first two discs (which will also be released on their own, as a special 2 LP ‘highlights’ set) feature new and never-heard mixes from four-time GRAMMY winner Matt Ross-Spang - stripping all overdubs and delivering fresh insights in the process. Opening with seventeen classics from throughout Elvis’ time in RCA Studio C, these mixes provide an intimate glimpse into the ways his riveting voice interacts with material from the era’s greatest songwriters: Kris Kristofferson’s “For The Good Times” (a 1972 b-side first released in 1995), Paul Williams’ “Where Do I Go From Here” (from 1973’s Elvis), Billy Swan’s “I Can Help” (from 1975’s Today) and Don McLean’s “And I Love You So” (also from Today) among them. Ross-Spang’s stripped-down mixes equally bolster the seventeen studio outtakes that comprise the set’s second piece.
Sunset Boulevard is available for pre-order today - coming out August 1 in 5-CD and digital formats, including rare archival photographs and new liner notes from music historian Colin Escott, plus an introduction by longtime friend Jerry Schilling. Also available August 1 will be a 2-LP ‘highlights’ edition, comprising the newly-mixed studio recordings and outtakes - which will also be available in a Graceland Exclusive Color Variant. For more information visit: https://Elvis.lnk.to/SunsetBoulevard
Throughout the final three discs of Sunset Boulevard, listeners get a behind-the-scenes look at Elvis’ history-making Las Vegas residency — featuring Los Angeles rehearsals from July 1970 and August 1974 with his iconic TCB Band. Throughout the sessions, Elvis pours himself into every line - with no one listening but his band and the engineer in the control room - as his lifelong love of performing is on full display. Notable among the 1974 recordings are two featured tracks that Elvis never made studio versions of - “Twelfth of Never,” originally a hit for Johnny Mathis in 1957, and “Softly As I Leave You” - which finds him narrating a prologue about the song’s purported origins (inspired by his love of Charles Boyer’s narrated album “Where Does Love Go”). Elvis’ instinctive chemistry with The TCB Band is palpable throughout both rehearsals, perhaps owing to his decision to record with a road band for the first time during this era.
The release of Sunset Boulevard will also be celebrated at Elvis Week 2025 in Memphis - a special edition of the annual festivities, in honor of what would have been Presley’s 90th birthday year. Sony Music will host a Sunset Boulevard listening event at Graceland’s Guest House Theater on Wednesday August 13 - featuring a Q&A with special guests and much more. For more information and to reserve tickets visit: ElvisWeek.com
Gateway Studios & Production Services (GSPS) proudly announces that Connecticut-based jam band Goose is the first artist to rehearse in Studio 75, marking a major milestone for the newly opened facility in Chesterfield, Missouri.
Studio 75, designed for productions of various scales, offers 15,000 square feet of rehearsal space, a 75-foot grid height, and a 1,000,000-pound grid weight capacity. Amenities include a 4,000-square-foot receiving/staging area, three loading docks, a drive-in ramp, and 8,000 square feet of dedicated dressing rooms with ensuite private bathrooms, offices, and a catering lounge.
Goose utilized Studio 75 to prepare for their Summer 2025 tour, which launched in Napa, California at BottleRock Music Festival. The collaboration with GSPS included enhanced lighting rigs and state-of-the-art video equipment, all provided by GSPS, as well as the use of the on-campus pre-visualization suites, allowing the team to tech the show before moving into full-band rehearsals.
“The best part about working at the studios this time is we got to prep at Gateway, use the pre-vis suites, and build the rig right down the road - all without breaking our workflow,” said Andrew Goedde, Goose’s Lighting Designer. “It made us so much more efficient with our time. We’ve never had that kind of setup before.”
He emphasized the time saved by eliminating the need to ship gear from a prep site to a remote rehearsal facility - a major improvement over past experiences.
“In other places, we’ve had to stop, pack up, move to another city, rebuild everything... Here, we kept building while we were still pre-vising. Tony [Goose’s Lighting Programmer] was working in the suite while I was out with the rig updating presets - then we merged our files at the end of the day. That kind of flexibility is huge.”
When asked about the capabilities of Studio 75 compared to other national facilities, he added, “Rigging-wise, we could do anything. There were no restrictions, no hiccups. At other facilities, we would have to move the rig around or settle for less, but here, we could fly the rig to its full show trim height without any issues. That’s often the biggest challenge at other rehearsal facilities. This was a game-changer for us - at Gateway, we had the freedom to do exactly what we needed, and that flexibility made all the difference.”
Studio 75 also stood out for its acoustics and audio environment, offering a rare combination of sonic clarity and ease of system tuning.
“Once we had the PA flown, I was really impressed. There was no audible slap, and I could run the system at full show volume without making any major adjustments to the system tune. That’s rare. I left the space fully confident that our mix would translate on tour without any surprises,” said Eric Loomis, FOH Audio Engineer.
Loomis also noted the intentional design of the space from the moment they walked in, “The room had two layers of treatment that I noticed immediately. It was clear that time and planning went into making the acoustics right - and it paid off.”
The ability to fly the rig to its full show trim height was also a game-changer for the band itself:
“It’s so important for the band to see what it’s actually supposed to look like on day one. You can show renders, but if the rig isn’t fully up, they can’t really feel it. That first walk-through was the real ‘wow’ moment.”
In addition to Studio 75, GSPS has officially opened Studio 80 - the largest dedicated rehearsal studio in North America. This 52,500-square-foot space boasts an 80-foot grid height and a 2,000,000-pound grid weight capacity. It includes a 10,800-square-foot receiving/staging area, six loading docks, shore power for six buses, a drive-in ramp, and 15,000 square feet of dressing rooms, offices, and catering space.
The Studio Support space is also now operational, offering 15,700 square feet of open space with a 48-foot ceiling and rigging points at 42 feet. Additional features include a 3,400-square-foot receiving/staging area, one dedicated loading dock with leveler and truck power, a drive-in ramp, and two private offices with restrooms. This space also offers secure storage for touring acts, measuring 14 feet wide by 30 feet deep, with two 5-foot-wide gates - providing a total opening of 10 feet for easy access and ample space for equipment.
“We’ve had the privilege of working with Goose for years, and having them rehearse in Studio 75 is a significant milestone for us,” said Trey Kerr, CEO of GSPS. “Our longstanding relationship has allowed us to truly understand their needs, and it’s been rewarding to support their vision with the full capabilities of our space - from pre-visualization to rehearsal to production.”
GSPS stands at the forefront of production technology and rentals, offering integrated, turnkey solutions for live music touring, television, film, sporting, corporate events, and festivals. The 32-acre campus is designed to meet the demands of complex productions, providing a seamless environment for creatives and crews to prepare, collaborate, and execute at the highest level.
Phase two of the Gateway Studios campus is scheduled for completion in fall 2025. This next stage of development will introduce Studio 65 and a new office building. Studio 65 will offer 12,500 square feet of rehearsal space, a 65-foot grid height, and an 800,000-pound grid capacity - providing a versatile, fully equipped environment for tour prep in a more intimate setting. The new office building will serve as GSPS headquarters and include leasing opportunities for industry partners, creating a collaborative ecosystem.
About Gateway Studios & Production Services (GSPS)
GSPS provides state-of-the-art facilities and services, delivering integrated turnkey audio, video, lighting, integration, and fabrication solutions for live music touring, television, film, sporting events, corporate events, and festivals. Gateway Studios, a 300,000-square-foot rehearsal facility that officially opened in May 2025, is now the largest of its kind in the U.S., designed for large-scale production rehearsals and creative development. Alongside it, Gateway Production Services continues to support live events of all sizes, across any venue type. By combining cutting-edge technology with skilled engineers, GSPS ensures every production achieves its full potential.
Bruce Springsteen explores orchestra-driven mid-century noir on “Twilight Hours” — an ode to the great American pop music tradition — which arrives June 27 on “Tracks II: The Lost Albums” (Sony Music). Written in tandem with 2019’s “Western Stars,” over the course of a decade, it’s a collection that Springsteen describes as “romantic, lost-in-the-city songs” — ruminating on what becomes of the brokenhearted. The album is previewed today with a never-heard Springsteen original, “Sunday Love,” which features contributions from The E Street Band’s Max Weinberg, Patti Scialfa and Soozie Tyrell as well as producer Ron Aniello, and “Western Stars” collaborators Kaveh Rastegar and Scott Tibbs.
“At one time it was either a double record [with “Western Stars”] or they were part of the same record,” explained Springsteen. “I love Burt Bacharach and I love those kinds of songs and those kinds of songwriters. I took a swing at it because the chordal structures and everything are much more complicated, which was fun for me to pull off. All this stuff could have come right off of those sixties albums.” Simultaneously, “Twilight Hours” finds Springsteen taking inspiration from the vocal work of Frank Sinatra and Andy Williams, the prose of Flannery O’Connor and James M. Cain, and the Robert Mitchum film “Out Of The Past.”
“Tracks II: The Lost Albums” arrives later this month on June 27, and will include seven previously-unheard Bruce Springsteen records in full: “Twilight Hours” as well as “Perfect World” (listen to “Rain in the River”), “Streets of Philadelphia Sessions” (listen to “Blind Spot”), “Faithless” (listen to the title track), “Somewhere North of Nashville” (listen to “Repo Man”), “Inyo” (listen to “Adelita”) and “LA Garage Sessions ’83.”
A set spanning 83 songs, “Tracks II” will be available in limited-edition nine LP, seven CD and digital formats — including distinctive packaging for each previously-unreleased record. Also included will be an 100-page cloth-bound, hardcover book featuring rare archival photos, liner notes on each lost album from essayist Erik Flannigan and a personal introduction to the project from Springsteen himself. A companion set — “Lost and Found: Selections From The Lost Albums” — also arrives June 27 from Sony Music, and will feature 20 highlights from across the collection on two LPs or one CD.
Today, Caamp shares the official video for "Ohio's Ugly" -- the Ohio natives' tongue-in-cheek nod to their home state.
“It’s a song about falling in love with a girl and wanting to pull her back to Ohio,” Caamp's co-founder and frontman Taylor Meier explains. “People don’t understand why we’re still here, but anybody from the Midwest will tell you there’s a magic to it. I travel all over the world now, but nothing beats coming home.”
Comprised of all home videos of the band from the past decade+, the seriously wholesome video is a celebration of their growth, bond, and friendship over the years. From starting the band in Athens, OH while Meier attended OU to selling out Red Rocks and Columbus’ Nationwide Arena and earning their fourth No. 1 AAA and Americana radio single, the band's bond is stronger now than ever, and the video highlights some of their happiest memories just being together.
The video was shot by Caamp & friends and edited by Benjamin Schwaeber -- watch it above and here.
Ohio's Ugly is one of the standout tracks from Caamp's just-released fifth studio album, Copper Changes Color (Mom+Pop Music), which debuted on Spotify's Top 10 Albums: Debut USA. The album – which Garden & Gun praises for its “Strokes-like strut, all clanging electric guitars at a punchy clip” while still nailing “the sweet spot of Caamp’s trademark folk and delicate banjo beneath Meier’s distinctive baritone” – is both a reflection on growth and evolution and a celebration of the dreams and bonds that endure.
The band recently celebrated their fourth No. 1 single on AAA and Americana radio with “Let Things Go.” Caamp also wrote and recorded “And It’s Gone” as the main title theme for Stick, the just-released AppleTV+ original sports comedy starring and executive produced by Owen Wilson that is currently the #1 show on AppleTV+.
Caamp recently kicked off their 2025 US Tour with sold-out shows in Austin, St. Louis, Chicago (two nights) and will play a sold-out show in their home state tonight in Cleveland. The band will continue their 30+ date run with shows in New York City (sold out), Washington DC (first night sold out), Los Angeles, Nashville (sold out) and more. Plus, last week they announced their 2025 UK & Europe Tour, which will see the band hit 11 markets starting October 13 in Madrid, Spain.
Copper Changes Color Tracklist:
Millions
One True Way ft. Madi Diaz
Brush
Porchswing
Fairview Feeling
Shade
Waiting Up (For You)
Mistakes
Ohio’s Ugly
Living & Dying & In Between
Drive
Caamp 2025 Tour Dates:
June 12 | Jacobs Pavilion | Cleveland, OH - SOLD OUT+
June 14 | MGM Music Hall at Fenway | Boston, MA - SOLD OUT+
June 15 | MGM Music Hall at Fenway | Boston, MA - SOLD OUT+
June 18 | Westville Music Bowl | New Haven, CT+
June 20 | The Anthem | Washington, DC - SOLD OUT+
June 21 | The Anthem | Washington, DC+
July 16 | The Greek Theatre | Los Angeles, CA+
July 18 | Santa Barbara Bowl | Santa Barbara, CA+
July 19 | The Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley | Berkeley, CA+
July 22 | Ford Idaho Center Amphitheatre | Nampa, ID+
uly 24 | Granary Live | Salt Lake City, UT+
uly 26 | Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre | Greenwood Village, CO - SOLD OUT+
July 29 | Big Sky Brewing Amphitheatre | Missoula, MT~
Aug. 1 | Dune Peninsula | Tacoma, WA - SOLD OUT~
Aug. 2 | Hayden Homes Amphitheater | Bend, OR~
Aug. 26 | St. Augustine Amphitheatre | St. Augustine, FL#
Aug. 28 | Asheville Yards | Asheville, NC#
Aug. 30 | Red Hat Amphitheater | Raleigh, NC - SOLD OUT#
Aug. 31 | Live Oak Bank Pavilion | Wilmington, NC#
On Thursday, June 5th, 2025, WAR was honored by The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, on behalf of the City of Los Angeles, with a dedicated star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Receiving their star in the category of Recording, the beloved Long Beach-founded band-turned global hitmakers’ ceremony featured a reunion of original band members Lonnie Jordan, Howard Scott, Harold Brown, Lee Oskar and founding producer Jerry Goldstein, and were joined by emcee Jimmy Jam, guest speaker George Lopez, and more. Variety writes, "when it comes to low rider Cali-cool multiculturalism, WAR wrote the biggest, loudest book,” and today, WAR not only adds a distinguished chapter to their legacy, but reaches a defining milestone in their storied career.
Ever the trailblazers, WAR’s ceremony was a Walk of Fame first – the celebration doubled as a low rider car show with cars provided by Los Angeles car clubs including Imperial Car Club, Groupe ELA, Spirit Car Club, and Southern Life Car Club. Following the dedication, the celebrations stepped indoors to Amoeba Hollywood, just feet from WAR’s newly minted star, for a special record signing with the bandmembers, including the band’s latest release of Why Can’t We Be Friends? (50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition), out today via Avenue/Rhino.
A multi-million-selling, blockbuster album, Why Can’t We Be Friends? has left an indelible mark on music history. 50 years later, this deluxe 3CD, 3LP and Digital collection commemorates 50 years of some of the band's most iconic songs, including its timeless title track, “Why Can’t We Be Friends?,” the perennially cool “Low Rider,” “So” and more. Coinciding with WAR’s year-long 55th Anniversary, Why Can’t We Be Friends? (50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition) features the original album newly remastered by Bernie Grundman, alongside two additional discs, including seven unearthed bonus tracks, rare jam sessions and unedited mixes, as well as a revelatory recording about the making of “Why Can’t We Be Friends?.” WAR's previous box set, honoring 50 years of The World Is a Ghetto, was named Best New Reissue by Pitchfork, and hailed as one of the best of the year by The New York Times, Variety and more, and Why Can’t We Be Friends? (50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition) continues that streak.
While WAR’s signature fusion of funk, soul, jazz, Latin, rock and street music is what first propelled them to prominence 55 years ago, it was their ability to craft songs of social consciousness that further cemented their place in the modern American songbook. The immediate global impact of “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” was so powerful that NASA transmitted the title track into space during the historic Apollo-Soyuz mission in 1975.
Since then, WAR have continued to sing out against racism, hunger, crime and conflict, working with PETA, Venice Family Clinic, Toys for Tots, and St. Jude’s Hospital, all while their music has been sampled by Janet Jackson, Tupac, the Beastie Boys, Method Man, Sublime, Redman, Cypress Hill, Shaggy, A$AP Mob, Scarface, the Geto Boys, De La Soul, Flo Rida, Liam Payne, Thomas Rhett, and more, and covered by everyone from Willie Nelson to The Muppets, George Clinton, Phish, ZZ Top and The Isley Brothers. With more than 50 million albums sold, 20 gold, platinum and multi-platinum records, three Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominations, a GRAMMY Hall of Fame entry, four #1 LPs, nine Top 10s and twenty Top 40 songs, WAR didn’t just define the sound of the 1970s, they became a lasting voice for creative collaboration and social change, with a mission of love and harmony that resonates now more than ever.
WAR Tour Dates
Fri, June 13 – Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton, CA
Sat, June 14 – Graton Resort & Casino, Rohnert Park, CA
Wed, July 2 – The Academy, Middle Abbey Street, Dublin, Ireland
Fri, July 4 – Band on the Wall, Manchester, United Kingdom
Sat, July 5 – Love Supreme Jazz Festival 2025, Glynde, United Kingdom
Sun, July 6 – Love Supreme Jazz Festival 2025, Glynde, United Kingdom
Mon, July 7 – New Morning, Paris, France
Thu, July 10 – Kuz Cultural Center, Mainz-ge, Germany
Sat, July 12 – Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul Festival 2025, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Sun, July 13 – North Sea Jazz Festival 2025, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Sat, July 19 – Naper Settlement, Naperville, IL
Fri, August 15 – Silver Legacy Resort Casino, Reno, NV
Sat, August 16 – Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, NV
Sun, August 17 – Red Butte Garden, Salt Lake City, UT
Fri, August 29 – The Plaza Theatre Performing Arts Center, El Paso, TX
Fri, September 19 – Wiggins Park Marina, Camden, NJ
Thu, September 25 – Rams Head On Stage, Annapolis, MD
Fri, September 26 – Rams Head On Stage, Annapolis, MD
Fri, October 31 – Blue Gate Performing Arts Center, Shipshewana, IN
February 23 - 28 – Ultimate Disco Cruise 2026, Miami, FL
