Singer-songwriter Bobby Long still doesn’t quite know what hit him.  One minute he’s making the rounds of open mic nights in London testing out his original material in front of generally ambivalent audiences, and the next he’s selling out club dates in far-off America.  Pretty heady stuff for a 24-year-old who only began writing and performing six years ago and whose most recent goal was to graduate from college.

While his meteoric rise to instant recognition can be attributed to the inclusion of a song he co-wrote in the soundtrack of the blockbuster film “Twilight,” Bobby Long’s music has a way of rising above the film frenzy and speaking volumes to a receptive flock.  “There’s something about his humble, apologetic humor that endears him to audiences, and something about the honesty and vulnerability of his music that captivates and moves them as well,” wrote Liz McClendon in Blast Magazine of one of those early club appearances in New York City.  “The contrast in the two makes for an absolutely great performance.”

Bobby Long was born in Wigan, near Manchester in Northern England (“into a red house,” he says) and moved when he was two years old to the town of Calne in the countryside of South West England known as Wessex (think Thomas Hardy country).   His musical parents provided a constant flow of music in the house, from the Beatles to Bob Dylan to the blues.  “I’ve always loved music, but it didn’t start to hit me how much I loved it until I was about 16 and was given a guitar and started writing songs,” he recalls.  Playing along to old blues records, Bobby, who had tried cello at an early age, fell in love with the guitar and quickly joined a local grunge band, playing lead guitar.

A short time later, he began writing his first songs (“they were rubbish,” he says), and after completing his studies at 18, Bobby moved into a friend’s house for a year, working on a construction site to save up for a move to the big city.  He enrolled at London Metropolitan University, settling in a small apartment in east London, where he quickly became a regular on the open mic circuit.  Often playing five shows a week, he learned how to sing while showcasing his finely-crafted, original songs.  At one such appearance, he met his soon-to-be manager Phil Taylor as well as fellow musicians Marcus Foster and soon to become mega-acting star Robert Pattinson.

“I was playing open mic nights in London, and he [Pattinson] was playing at one too,” recalls Long.  “There was a mutual appreciation for our music.”   Long and Foster began to write songs and perform together, and it would be a song they co-wrote—coupled with their friendship with Pattinson—that would create the unforeseen break Bobby was working towards.  Pattinson, who went on to star as Edward Cullen in the film phenomenon “Twilight,” played Long and Foster’s composition “Let Me Sign” for the film’s producers.   It was the perfect fit for a crucial dramatic scene and is sung by Pattinson himself in the movie.

Almost immediately, some of that (twi) light began to shine on the music of the unsigned musicians who had composed the song, and their shows in London began to sell out.  Within two months, Long signed a publishing deal with SGO Music in England and Bug Music, the largest independent publisher in America, and made plans to capitalize on the huge interest coming from America by scheduling a short tour in April, 2009 that took him to New York, Los Angeles and Nashville.

Fueled by the support from “Twilight” fan sites, the nine scheduled shows quickly sold out and spawned interest in his two-month Dangerous Summer tour of North America.   He issued DIRTY POND SONGS, a collection of 10 songs recorded in his bedroom that he calls “a big EP,” (“You can even hear traffic sounds from outside my bedroom window on some of the tracks”) to be available at shows and via the internet.  Bobby’s debut single from the collection, “Left To Lie, reached #1 on the iTunes “Unsigned” chart and #8 on the Folk chart.  Other songs on Dirty Pond Songs include the plaintive “Who Have You Been Loving” (“When the world holds out its flag/the sun will fall across the plain/I will hold out my hands and take the blame”) and the anthemic “Dead and Done,” while the haunting imagery of songs like “Being a Mockingbird,”  “The Old Shamed Face” and “The Bounty of Mary Jane” showcase Long’s talent for telling a good story in song.  “A Passing Tale” evokes images of early Bob Dylan, while “Penance Fire Blues” is performed with near defiance.  Rounding out the set are “The Rattle and the Roll” and “So Tear Me Up.”

The tall (6’2”), shaggy-haired Bobby, who cites his influences as ranging “from Dylan to Elliott Smith to chopping wood in the night with a rusty spoon,” graduated from university before the summer tour and will continue touring until the end of the year.  “I would be happy to play every night and try out new songs,” he says.  “It will help me start thinking about what I want my first album to sound like.”   He plans to begin work on that project very soon.

That demand has spawned a fall tour beginning next week in New York to continue until the end of the year.  Bobby Long will play the B-Side Lounge in Boulder for the first time on Tuesday, November 17 and return to the Hi-Dive in Denver on Wednesday, November 18.

MacDougall has released two self-produced CDs-IF WALLS COULD TALK and FOR A FEW TALES MORE-that have been available at his live shows and now from his website. Known for mesmerizing audiences with emotionally-driven melodies and resonating vocals, he will be finishing a studio version of "Stay," one of the standout tracks from IF WALLS COULD TALK, with an eye toward servicing it to radio in conjunction with his next U.S. tour. Music Connection Magazine wrote of him: "MacDougall's lyrics are like those out of a storybook, painting the picture of love's harsh realities through song. With soothing harmonies and bright guitar strums, MacDougall is somehow able to turn the pain of love's emotion into something bittersweet."

Originally from the fishing town of Grimsby in the north of England, MacDougall emerged from the open mic night circuit in London that has spawned new acoustic English artists in the last two years.  His ability to couple a strong lyrical narrative with a memorable melody has enabled him to establish an international fan base.   

Upcoming Lee MacDougall dates include: October 21-Regal Room, London; 27-Radio Oriente, Karlsruhe, Germany; 28-Kellerclub, Stuttgart; 29-Kino Atlantis, Munich; November 3-Café Steinbruch, Duisburg, Germany; 4-Petit Papillion, Dusseldorf; 10-Blackpool Opera House, Blackpool (supporting Rumer); 11-Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Scotland (supporting Rumer); 12-Sheffield City Hall (supporting Rumer); 13-Newcastle City Hall (supporting Rumer) and 15-O2 Apollo, Manchester (supporting Rumer).

MacDougall is slated to tour Europe in January and February and return to the U.S. in early March, 2012, beginning with a series of shows in Texas and the southeast.

The latest entries in Audio Fidelity's series of high-end reissues of classic albums arrive on October 18 when the label delivers 24-Karat Gold CDs of two era-defining sets. Phil Collins' 1982 HELLO, I MUST BE GOING! and Bachman-Turner Overdrive's 1974 album NOT FRAGILE will be available-at both online and at traditional retailers-as numbered, limited-edition discs that will be retired after each title's initial run has sold out.Phil Collins released HELLO, I MUST BE GOING!, his second solo album after vacating the drum-and-vocals chair in Genesis in November of 1982. The album's set, in particular his Top 10 remake of the Supremes' "You Can't Hurry Love," was a defining record of its time, displaying New Wave's influence and the heavily reverbed drum sound of the era. In addition to "You Can't Hurry Love," the album contained the Top 40 single "I Don't Care Anymore" and found Collins working in a striking assortment of styles: R&B/dance in "It Don't Matter to Me," effervescent pop in "Like China" and touching ballads ("Why Can't It Wait 'Til Morning" and "Thru These Walls").HELLO, I MUST BE GOING! (its title taken from the tune of the same name by the Marx Brothers) preceded Collins' later-'80s breakthrough with the chart-topper No Jacket Required (already available on 24-Karat Gold format from Audio Fidelity). HELLO had a dazzling run of its own, remaining on Billboard's chart for 141 weeks, where it peaked at No. 8. Collins co-produced the record with Hugh Padgham, longtime Genesis producer.Originally issued in August of 1974, NOT FRAGILE was the third album by the Canadian quintet formed in 1972 by former Guess Who guitarist-singer Randy Bachman. It followed the breakthrough Bachman-Turner Overdrive II album and was the group's only No. 1 LP, spending 50 weeks on Billboard's Top Albums chart and commanding rock-FM playlists for almost as long. NOT FRAGILE also contained B.T.O's chart-topping singles, the boisterous "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet," as well as the "Roll On Down the Highway," both characterized by the melodic dual-guitar soloing of Bachman and Blair Thornton, then a brand new arrival to the band.While NOT FRAGILE sports other strong tracks, among them the heavy-metal-flavored title song, the bluesy "Sledgehammer" and the instrumental "Freewheelin,'" it's "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" that has retained a unique cultural significance for some three decades.  It has now made 'appearances' in a wide range of contexts, from a Simpsons episode (where it's performed by an animated B.T.O.) to the soundtracks of the movies Studio 54 and Joe Dirt, to being used as a Democratic Party theme song in the 2006 midterm elections.Founded in 2001, Audio Fidelity specializes in deluxe reissues of classic popular-music recordings for the audiophile and collector markets. The Camarillo, California-based label is best known for its 24-Karat Gold CDs and its 180-gram virgin-vinyl album editions, as well as a line of popular DVD titles.  Audio Fidelity emerged out of the pioneering DCC Compact Classics label that its founder, music-industry veteran Marshall Blonstein, started in 1986, following his tenure as president of Island Records and co-founder of Ode Records (where he helped make Carole King's Tapestry one of the best-selling albums of all time and built the cult-film franchises The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Cheech & Chong's Up in Smoke).

Audio Fidelity, the premiere audiophile imprint, has set December 6 for its release of 24 Karat Gold CD versions of Crosby, Stills & Nash's 1969 debut album CROSBY, STILLS & NASH, and Gary Wright's 1975 THE DREAM WEAVER, it was announced by Marshall Blonstein, president of the label. The albums, which enjoyed a combined tenure of 182 consecutive weeks on Billboard's chart, will be issued as numbered, limited editions that will be retired after each set's initial run has sold out. Both will be available through online and brick-and-mortar retailers.

CROSBY, STILLS & NASH occupies a special place-both musically and historically-within the annals of American pop. Issued in May of 1969, the collection of close-harmony performances introduced one of rock's most venerated supergroups, comprised of three creative coequal partners who had left their previous groups to form a more perfect union. The album became the record of the summer of '69, garnering saturation airplay on the then-new FM radio format and spawning two Top-30 singles in Graham Nash's "Marrakesh Express" and Stephen Stills' paean to Judy Collins, "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes." By the time the trio performed at the Woodstock Festival three months later, CROSBY, STILLS & NASH was a Top-10 album on its way to a 107-week stay on the charts.

Other highlights of the album include David Crosby's bluesy "Long Time Gone," Stills' folk-rocking "49 Bye-Byes" and "Wooden Ships," a sci-fi fantasy penned by Jefferson Airplane's Paul Kantner with Crosby and Stills.  Characteristically, Audio Fidelity has paid close attention to detail in its restoration of the disc-though at least one modification has been made.  Part of the preparation of the reissue, explains Blonstein, "had to do with the 'n' in Nash's song 'Guinnevere.'  Since 1969, every vinyl, cassette and CD version of the album had it spelled with two n's.  But recently the group decided to take out the [historically inaccurate] extra 'n.'  So our CD booklet, tray card and even the original LP labels now show the title with just the one 'n.'"

Crosby, Stills & Nash retain their stature as a cornerstone act of Classic Rock radio and as progenitors of the singer-songwriter movement.  Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, the trio continues to tour and record more than four decades after the release of this landmark album.

Like Crosby, Stills & Nash, keyboardist-singer Gary Wright is often associated with a specific time and cultural place:  the mid-1970s, when popular music was frequently experimenting and pushing boundaries and an unconventional track like "Dream Weaver" could ascend to Number 2 on the singles charts.  American-born Wright released the spacey yet hook-filled THE DREAM WEAVER in June of 1975, after serving time with British rockers Spooky Tooth and contributing to George Harrison's All Things Must Pass.

Wright not only composed  and sings all the songs on THE DREAM WEAVER, he provides the bulk of the instrumentation, playing organ and electric piano, Moog synthesizer and other keyboards on the largely guitar-less album.  The title track was issued in January of 1976 and quickly became a hit, to be followed in April by the funk-infused "My Love Is Alive" (which also rose to No.2 on Billboard's song survey).  A third charting single, the more uptempo "Made to Love You," came out that September.  THE DREAM WEAVER stayed on the charts for 75 consecutive weeks, and while Wright went on to record more long-players, it remains his biggest seller and among a handful of releases that will forever conjure memories of the mid-'70s for rock aficionados of a certain age.  The title cut has been featured in such films as Wayne's World and Toy Story 3.

Founded in 2002, Audio Fidelity specializes in deluxe reissues of classic popular-music recordings for the audiophile and collector markets. The Camarillo, California-based label is best known for its 24-Karat Gold CDs and its 180-gram virgin-vinyl album editions, as well as a line of popular DVD titles.  Audio Fidelity emerged out of the pioneering DCC Compact Classics label that its founder, music-industry veteran Marshall Blonstein, started in 1986, following his tenure as president of Island Records and co-founder of Ode Records (where he helped make Carole King's Tapestry one of the best-selling albums of all time and built the cult-film franchises The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Cheech & Chong's Up in Smoke).

Independent Blix Street Records will inaugurate 2012 with the U.S. release of STORIES FROM THE STEEPLES, Mary Black’s first new studio recording in six years.  Arriving in stores in time for Valentine’s Day on February 14, 2012, the album from the Irish singing legend will be followed by three more releases from the Seattle-based label during the first months of the year.STORIES FROM THE STEEPLES marks the reunion of Mary Black, recognized as Ireland ’s premier female vocalist, with Blix Street , whose Gifthorse label established Black in America in 1990.  Widely known as a leader in Celtic music, Blix Street is also home to artists such as Grace Griffith, Dougie MacLean, Maia Sharp and Eva Cassidy.Mary Black has been at the forefront of the Irish music scene for over 25 years.  Her voice is rich; her delivery vivid and nuanced.  Her gift for storytelling and ear for emerging songwriters have earned her star billing on the international stage, devoted fans, awards and honors too numerous to recount.STORIES FROM THE STEEPLES, named for the Dublin studio where it was recorded, comes straight from the heart.  Eleven songs of life, love, loss, struggle and hope are the perfect rocky terrain for Black.  With writers rooted in Ireland, Australia, the UK and America, the diverse and adventurous material offers more than a few delicious surprises, among them the bonus track “Fifi the Flea,” written by the Hollies’ Graham Nash, Tony Hicks and Allan Clarke.Black shares vocals on three duets on the new CD:  “Lighthouse Light” with Janis Ian, a catchy tune written by Boston-based artist Ry Cavanaugh; “Walking With My Love,” a spirited romp with the incomparable Irish musician Finbar Furey; and “Mountains To The Sea” with Irish chart-topper Imelda May, which is slated to be the album’s first single.  It’s enough to say that when Dublin-born May took first place on Ireland ’s album charts with her 2009 debut Love Tattoo, she became the first female Irish artist to secure that spot since fellow Dubliner Black did it nearly 20 years before.  This tuneful salute to open spaces was written by Australia ’s roots artists Shane Howard and Neil Murray, familiar territory for the triple-platinum May whose influences include rockabilly and blues.  Black also includes Murray ’s “ One True Place ,” a song that could easily have been sung by The Carter Family.Leading off the musical adventure is “Marguerite and the Gambler,” the story-song about a doomed love affair involving a beautiful woman, a dashing rogue and an unhappy father written by Irish contemporary singer-songwriter Ricky Lynch.  “The Night Was Dark and Deep,” from acclaimed Australian musician Paul Kelly, showcases Black’s mesmerizing ability to deliver the soul of a song ever fresh with understatement.The album features three songs from Danny O’Reilly, the lead singer of the Irish pop/rock group The Coronas whose new album just debuted at #1 on the Irish pop chart:  “Faith in Fate,” a memorable union of Black’s fluid delivery fitted to Andrew Holdsworth’s well-tempered string arrangement and Ritchie Buckley’s sax; “Wizard of Oz” with a sparse arrangement echoing its emotional landscape; and the energizing, upbeat “The Night Is On Our Side.”  Given the affinity of sense and sensibility between singer and writer in these three songs, it is not surprising to learn that Danny is Mary’s son, one of the next generation of the Black family musical tradition.  Mary’s two other children, Roisín and Conor, also appear on “The Night Is On Our Side.”Rounding out the set are the Julie Matthews-Chris While composition “Steady Breathing,” and the Eric Bogle-John Munro anti-war offering “All The Fine Young Men.”  Those familiar with these selections will appreciate Black’s sensitive interpretations on these two outstanding tracks.Mary Black is an artist with extraordinary gifts, foresight and generosity, in tune with today and always moving gracefully into tomorrow.  In her long and successful career as a solo artist, she has recorded dozens of albums and toured extensively while never hesitating to share a spotlight or a credit.  STORIES FROM THE STEEPLES is no exception.  The album comes with a booklet that features her notes on the songs and credits a long list of musicians and producers with putting this project so seamlessly together.  In addition to Black, co-producers on various tracks include Billy Robinson, Bill Shanley and Pat Crowley.  Shanley’s guitar work and Crowley ’s keyboards (and sometimes accordion) are featured throughout the album, along with Nick Scott on double bass and Matt McGranahan on fiddle.  Many other musicians and backup singers contributed as well, among them Finbar Furey on banjo.Long awaited, STORIES FROM THE STEEPLES is the latest chapter in Mary Black’s story.  Or, as Ireland ’s Hot Press put it in a recent issue:  “Mary Black instinctively makes a song her own, and her voice here is more expressively fragile than before.  The musicianship is impeccable, especially Bill Shanley’s guitar and Pat Crowley’s keyboards, making Stories From The Steeples a very worthy addition to an already impressive catalogue.”“Mary Black is the artist who launched our business, and all these years later, it’s a great pleasure to welcome her home,” states Blix Street President Bill Straw.  “We are pleased to have her first new studio album in quite some time lead off our release schedule for 2012.”Following STORIES FROM THE STEEPLES, Blix Street will release another album from Ireland in the form of ALL THE WAY HOME, a solo project from Ireland ’s Cathy Jordan, best-known as lead singer of the band Dervish.  In addition, renowned Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Maia Sharp, whose work has been recorded by Bonnie Raitt, Edwin McCain and the Dixie Chicks, among many others, is finishing her second Blix Street release.  Maia is also part of the California-themed musical anthology DREAMS OF THE SAN JOAQUIN, featuring her parents Randy Sharp and Sharon Bays along with family friend Jack Wesley Routh.

Marshall Blonstein, president of Audio Fidelity, has set January 31st as the release date for the audiophile label's Gold CD reissues of Dio's HOLY DIVER and Bryan Adams' CUTS LIKE A KNIFE. Both albums will be issued as numbered, limited editions that will be available through both online and brick-and-mortar retailers and will be retired after they have reached 5000 units in sales.

The two albums hail from 1983, a year when rock was reasserting its place on a music landscape then dominated by dance and pop records. Long acknowledged as classic entries in each artist's catalog, HOLY DIVER and CUTS LIKE A KNIFE represented key turns in the careers of Ronnie James Dio and Bryan Adams. The albums enjoyed the longest tenure of any Dio or Adams set on Billboard's chart, with HOLY DIVER logging 38 weeks and CUTS LIKE A KNIFE notching 89.

Ronnie James Dio had already achieved star status as the lead singer of Elf, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow and Black Sabbath by the time he released HOLY DIVER, the first record of what would be a long and fruitful solo career. Joined by alumni of his former bands-drummer Vinnie Appice (Black Sabbath) and bassist Jimmy Bain (Rainbow)-and teenaged discovery, guitarist Vivian Campbell, Dio crafted a searing debut that won widespread pop acceptance without compromising an ounce of its power or heavy-metal principles. The group-composed "Rainbow in the Dark," as well as the Dio-penned title track, became mainstream-rock radio hits, and the Bain-Dio cuts "Straight Through the Heart" and "Stand Up and Shout" grew into fan favorites-the latter featuring impressive, breakneck-speed soloing from Campbell.

HOLY DIVER peaked at No. 56 on Billboard's album chart (and reached 13 in the U.K.) and was certified Gold a year after its release and Platinum in 1989.  The song "Holy Diver" retains considerable popularity almost three decades after it was first recorded, having been featured on TV's South Park and in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories.  "Rainbow in the Dark" was featured in Rock Band 3.  Dio himself appears in the opening musical performance of the 2006 comedy Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny starring Jack Black.

Audio Fidelity's reissue of HOLY DIVER includes a two-page spread reproducing the original vinyl LP's photo montage of images from Dio's time with Black Sabbath and Rainbow.

Following two solid solo albums, Canada's Bryan Adams broke through with CUTS LIKE A KNIFE, which was a Top 10 entry on both the American and Canadian charts.  The set initiated Adams' run of five such acclaimed credits, sold some four million copies internationally and launched the raspy-voiced singer-writer as a major pop music figure, one who's garnered 15 Grammy® nominations.  Adams wrote or co-wrote (mostly with longtime writing partner Jim Vallance) the album's ten songs-among them three solid Top 30 hits:  the stirring piano ballad and signature piece "Straight From the Heart," the brisk rocker "This Time" and the troubled-relationship title track.  "Straight From the Heart" was covered by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler, and the album-closer, "The Best Was Yet to Come," was recorded by Laura Branigan.

Recorded in 1982 and originally issued on January of 1983, CUTS LIKE A KNIFE was produced by Adams with frequent associate Bob Clearmountain, whose engineering and mixing credits include Bruce Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A. and recordings by the Rolling Stones and Bon Jovi. Foreigner lead singer Lou Gramm contributes backing vocals on CUTS LIKE A KNIFE.

Founded in 2002 by music industry veteran Marshall Blonstein, Audio Fidelity specializes in deluxe reissues of classic popular-music recordings for the audiophile and collector markets  The Camarillo, California-based label is best known for its 24-Karat Gold CDs and its 180-gram virgin-vinyl album editions, as well as a line of popular DVD titles.  Audio Fidelity emerged out of the pioneering DCC Compact Classics label that Blonstein started in 1986, following stints as president of Island Records and co-founder of Ode Records (where he helped make Carole King's Tapestry one of the best-selling albums of all time and built the cult-film franchises The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Cheech & Chong's Up in Smoke).

Rounding out the collection are two songs that provide timely bookends to Cathy Jordan's life and music. Co-written by Jordan and her friend Brendan Graham, "The Road I Go" is a song about departures, searching and beginnings. According to Jordan, the country-leaning "All The Way Home," which she wrote with EndaCullen and Ian Smith, brings the journey full circle into present time.

ALL THE WAY HOME was produced in Sweden by long-time friend Roger Tallroth. Tallroth, a Swedish folk musician, composer and member of the band Väsen, also shares arranging credits with Jordan on many of the songs and contributes his talent on guitars. In addition to Tallroth, the album features some of the best known names in traditional music: Sweden's Gustaf Ljunggren (lap steel/banjo/piano), Norway's Lars Andreas Haug (tuba), Ireland's Andy Irvine (mandocello, bouzouki) and Dervish members Liam Kelly (flute), Michael McGoldrick (whose credits include Lúnasa and Capercaille on uilleann pipes) and Rick Epping (concertina/harmonica) and Seamie Ó Dowd (fiddle). Epping, a transplant to Ireland from California, and Ó Dowd, an alumnus of Dervish, are bandmates of Jordan in The Unwanted, a group that explores the relationship between the music of Ireland and America on its critically acclaimed 2009 album Music from the Atlantic Fringe.

In her role as lead singer and bodhrán player in Dervish, Cathy Jordan has performed hundreds of concerts in some 40 countries over the last 20 years.  She has also recorded 10 albums with the group, including its most recent From Stage to Stage, the band's celebration of its 21st anniversary (Jordan joined a year after the band was formed).  Dervish and Cathy Jordan are definitely not strangers to U.S. audiences, having appeared at concerts and festivals throughout the country.  Included among those appearances is a performance on Garrison Keillor's iconic radio program "Prairie Home Companion" with an audience of two million plus.  Jordan and the band also produced "Irish Heartbeat with Dervish" with NPR, a series of 14 one-hour programs.  The show, which continues to air in the U.S., Ireland and Scotland, featured live performances from stars on the Irish music scene, among them Moya Brennan, The Saw Doctors, Paddy Maloney and Brian Kennedy.

Coinciding with the release of ALL THE WAY HOME in the U. S., Dervish featuring Cathy Jordan will be on tour.  The scheduled dates are as follows:    March 3-Algonquin Arts Theater, Manasquan, NJ; 4-Prendergast High School, Drexel Hill, PA; 7-The Burren Pub, Boston, MA; 9-Carlisle Theatre, Carlisle, PA; 10-Carnegie Lecture Hall, Pittsburgh, PA; 11-West Virginia Cultural Center, Charleston, WV; 15-Liberty Theatre, Hailey, Idaho; 16-Hamilton Performing Art, Hamilton, Montana; 17-Colonial Theater, Idaho Falls, ID; 20-Evanston Celtic Festival, Evanston, Wyoming; 21-Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Santa Cruz, CA; 23-California State University, Chico, CA; and 24-Sebastopol Community Cultural Center, Sebastopol, CA.

INNERVISIONS was Wonder's 14th album.  Along with TALKING BOOK, it inaugurated the most fruitful artistic and commercial era of his career, which included the subsequent LPs FULLFILLINGNESS' FIRST FINALE and SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE.  All three of those CDs plus MUSIC OF MY MIND were previously reissued by Audio Fidelity in 24 Karat Gold format.

Wonder's achievements were underscored by four wins in the 1974 Grammy competition:  Best Album, Best Engineered Non-Classical Recording, and Best Male R&B Performance and Best R&B Song (both for "Superstition," from TALKING BOOK). INNERVISIONS rose to No. 4 during its 89-week tenure on Billboard's Top Albums chart, garnered widespread critical acclaim ("a record that makes you believe in faith"-Village Voice) and has routinely placed high in various publications' and websites' best-of-all-time lists.  The inspirational "Higher Ground" has been recorded by Etta James, Missy Elliott, Michael McDonald, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and numerous gospel groups.

Blix Street Records artist Maia Sharp is featured on a live duet posted by her friend Bonnie Raitt in anticipation of the release of Raitt's new studio album SLIPSTREAM. Sharp, who sings backgrounds on several tracks on SLIPSTREAM, will release her own new album called CHANGE THE ENDING this summer.Raitt has posted a live recording with Sharp of "I Don't Want Anything to Change" (co-written by Sharp with Stephanie Chapman and Liz Rose) from a 2009 concert at the Peoria Civic Center for streaming or download. Raitt writes on bonnieraitt.com: "To thank you all for your support and excitement about my new album and tour, I'd like to share a live recording of "I Don't Want Anything To Change." This duet with my friend Maia Sharp, one of the song's co-writers (as well as a wonderful singer/musician/ producer) was from our concert in Peoria, IL on May 4th, 2009. Maia has opened a lot of my shows, and we've sung on each others' last two records, including her great backing vocals on my new one."SLIPSTREAM, on Redwing Records, will be released on April 10 and is Raitt's first new studio album in seven years. Raitt appeared on Maia Sharp's last album release, ECHO, and sings backgrounds on two tracks on the forthcoming CHANGE THE ENDING. 

Marshall Blonstein, president of Audio Fidelity, has announced April 24 as the release date for the reissue of two classic rock albums. Phil Collins' chart-topping 1989 solo set BUT SERIOUSLY will be released as a 24-Karat Gold CD, and Ten Years After's 1971 A SPACE IN TIME, released in 24-Karat Gold format last year, will return in a 180-gram vinyl LP edition. Both recordings will be available as numbered, limited editions that will be sold through online and brick-and-mortar retailers alike.Additionally, on April 21, in support of the fifth annual "Record Store Day," Audio Fidelity will reissue Genesis' rare 1977 EP SPOT THE PIGEON. This rare recording will be available only from the some 700 independent music retailers participating in the annual event.BUT SERIOUSLY was Phil Collins' fourth album, and one of his most successful, topping Billboard's chart for three weeks, eventually going four-times-Platinum. It became the best-selling album of 1990 in Britain, where it spent 15 weeks in the No. 1 position. The record was Collins' second chart-topper, following 1985's NO JACKET REQUIRED.  Produced by Hugh Padgham (Genesis, The Police, Paul McCartney), BUT SERIOUSLY boasted no less than five charting singles, among them the Top 10 titles "Another Day in Paradise," "Do You Remember," "Something Happened on the Way to Heaven" and "I Wish It Would Rain Down," which featured Eric Clapton on guitar.  Other supporting artists on the album include Graham Nash, David Crosby, Stephen Bishop (vocals), Steve Winwood (organ) and Leland Sklar (bass). Ten Year's After's A SPACE IN TIME, first released in August of 1971 (and issued by Audio Fidelity as a Gold CD last July), was guitarist Alvin Lee and company's best-selling album, earning Platinum certification.  The band's seventh long-player, it peaked at No. 17 on Billboard's chart and yielded the group's only Top 40 entry, "I'd Love to Change the World," which also became a staple of classic rock FM radio.  A SPACE IN TIME marked the quartet's maturation from the hard-driving boogie kings of "I'm Going Home" into a subtler, more broadly appealing band with pop strengths.  Rockers like "One of These Days" and "Hard Monkeys" dominated, but the album featured Lee on acoustic as well as electric guitar, and "Over the Hill" utilized the talents of string arranger Del Newman (Tea for the Tillerman, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road). On April 21, in celebration of Record Store Day-the annual national event that salutes more than 700 independent music retailers-Audio Fidelity will issue Genesis' rare 1977 EP SPOT THE PIGEON, comprised of three tracks recorded for but left off the band's WIND & WUTHERING album:  "Match the Day," "Pigeons" and "Inside and Out."  The band's final release before guitarist Steve Hackett departed, SPOT THE PIGEON, which rose to No. 14 on the U.K. charts, has only sporadically been available (on Genesis anthologies) since it was first issued.  Audio Fidelity's reissue is poised to stir interest within both the collector and audiophile communities because it will feature all three songs on both sides, but one side will play at 45 rpm, the other at 33 1/3.  It will also be pressed on the same blue vinyl as its original incarnation.  The SPOT THE PIGEON EP will only be available from independent record retailers participating in "Record Store Day" nationwide.

Founded in 2002 by entertainment industry executive Marshall Blonstein, Audio Fidelity specializes in deluxe reissues of classic popular-music recordings for the audiophile and collector markets. The Camarillo, California-based label is best known for its 24-Karat Gold CDs and its virgin-vinyl album editions, though it also releases DVD titles.  In 2011, Audio Fidelity launched the Target Series of CD and LP reissues as a means of broadening its audience beyond its loyal audiophile base.

Audio Fidelity emerged out of the pioneering DCC Compact Classics label that Blonstein started in 1986, following stints as president of Island Records and co-founder of Ode Records (where he helped make Carole King's Tapestry one of the best-selling albums of all time and built the cult-film franchises The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Cheech & Chong's Up in Smoke).

British singer-songwriter Bobby Long is adding 'author' to his list of descriptive hyphenates with the publication of his first collection of poetry entitled LOSING MY BROTHERHOOD. The book is published by SGO Music Publishing and will be available via amazon and other publishing retailers.Long began compiling the volume last year while touring in support of his debut album, A WINTER TALE. "I was on the road for four months straight, basically in the back of a van, and I got sick of playing with my phone and playing with my laptop, and I decided to go for it fully," he says. "I would write every morning, and then go for coffee for a break, and I took a really disciplined stance to it. When I got home, sometimes I wouldn't leave my apartment all day and just write. The discipline aspect allowed me to separate the poems from my music."The provocative collection delves into various universal themes, among them love, desire and disappointment with a healthy dose of memory and reflection. The title stems from Long's realization of what he left behind when he abruptly moved from London to New York to pursue his music career in 2010. "I left my family and my friends, and I just went and didn't really say good-bye to anyone," he recalls. "'Losing My Brotherhood' refers to a specific group of three close friends who I lived with in London for four years and shared everything with, and who I don't get a chance to see anymore. We were like brothers, but I know that time is now over. It's a tribute, really."One of those three friends is artist and musician Ben Edge, who contributed the 15 bold pen and ink drawings that illustrate the book. "We always wanted to work on something together," says Long, "and this was the perfect opportunity. I sent him the poems, and he drew the illustrations free hand."Born near Manchester in Wigan (of George Orwell fame), Bobby Long grew up in a small town in Wiltshire, a setting for another of Britain's revered writers, Thomas Hardy. Although he has been writing poetry and prose since the age of 12, becoming a writer was not pre-ordained. A poor student who struggled at school, he felt like an outsider until an astute teacher recognized his learning deficits and helped him to discover the joy of reading. "I never kept a journal or a diary, just lines on little slips of paper, words on a page," he explains. "I never told anyone at school that I wrote, or I would have been beaten up. At the start, it was more of an expressive thing. I was a dreamer, and I would get lost in my own imagination. Now, I try to write something every day."A number of the poems in LOSING MY BROTHERHOOD deal with memories of childhood and growing up in rural England. "I wrote most of those poems while I was on tour in Australia at Byron Bay," Long recalls. "I was there on a beautiful day and didn't want to go swimming alone-I actually didn't like being on my own there at all. Sometimes it's hard to get away from your surroundings, but I wrote five different poems that day. I went far deeper in the poems than I do in my songs. I often write from the passenger seat as an observer. The poems are far more personal, with no guitar to hide behind."At 18, Long moved to London to attend university, graduating with a degree in sound and media for film. He quickly established himself as a musician on the local open mic circuit, finding his voice and creating songs characterized by catchy melodies paired with elusive, imaginative lyrics. There he met a circle of fellow musicians, among them the brotherhood of the book's title.  In 2009, after amassing a loyal fan base for his music, America beckoned, and following nearly a year of touring, Bobby relocated to New York City, which became a new muse for his writing. "I feel more at home in New York than I have anywhere else," says the 26-year-old, who incorporates the city's sights, streets, sounds and smells into several of his poems. "I have a comfortable life where I can express myself on a full time basis and make a living at it. It's very different from my life in England."The cover of LOSING MY BROTHERHOOD (designed by Tim McCarthy) features a photograph entitled Four Mennonite Farmers by New York-based photographer William Waldron. Says Long: "It's four farmers, each with different hats on, all looking in different directions. I thought that it depicted me and my three friends, and it felt like it was vast and never-ending. I contacted the photographer's manager to ask if I could use it."Long's deft songwriting skills have amassed critical acclaim, the Los Angeles Times, for example, stating "his tunes are sturdy, but graceful, like the curve of something hand-carved."   "Raw," "organic," "earnest," "romantic" and "poignant" are among the adjectives used to describe his songs, many of which can also be applied to his poetry.Long's own tastes in poetry range widely from Pablo Neruda and Dylan Thomas to Féderico García Lorca and Leonard Cohen. The book includes a poem dedicated to Mr. Cohen, who began his own career writing poetry before turning to songwriting and performing.  While LOSING MY BROTHERHOOD is Long's newest project, he isn't planning to incorporate poetry into his musical performances. "They are two separate things," he says. "The book is a very personal thing."Bobby Long has just completed the recording of his second album of original material, produced in Los Angeles by Ted Hutt (Flogging Molly, Gaslight Anthem, Old Crow Medicine Show). It is slated for release by ATO Records in the fall. Long is currently on tour opening for Steve Winwood and will announce summer concert plans shortly as well as fall tour dates in support of his forthcoming album.

The scheduled dates are as follows:

June 15-Antone's, Austin, TX

16-Gruene Hall, New Braunfels, TX

17-House of Blues, Dallas, TX

19-Blueberry Hill, St. Louis, MO

20-High Noon, Madison, WI

21-Shank Hall, Milwaukee, WI

22-Cabooze, Minneapolis, MN

23-Cubby Bear, Chicago, IL

24-Taft Theatre, Cincinnati, OH

28-BB Kings, New York, NY

29-World Café Live, Philadelphia, PA

30-State Theatre, Falls Church, VA

July 1-Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland, OH

Emmy-award winner Ken Levine, whose writing credits include some of television's most iconic and revered series, has written a hilarious and affectionate memoir about growing up in the 1960's, the most turbulent decade of the 20th Century. Entitled The Me Generation... By Me (Growing Up in the '60s), the book recounts Levine's personal journey from adolescence to his birthday's exalted position of #4 in the draft lottery during the Viet Nam war era, while providing a loving travelogue of the land of palm trees and endless summer.Choosing the hysterical rather than historical approach, The Me Generation... By Me (Growing Up in the '60s) is the first book by an award-winning comedy writer about the often-chronicled 1960s that is a first-person account of growing up in that exciting and confusing era. A graduate of Parkman Junior High, Taft High School and UCLA, Levine grew up in Woodland Hills in what was termed "over the hill" from Los Angeles itself. He opens his chronicle with descriptions of the glamorous Kennedy era and weaves his tale from there. Yes, there are references to the touchstones of the era-bomb shelters, bomb drills, Beatlemania, dress codes, acne, the Monkees, the Man From U.N.C.L.E., Batman, Hanoi Jane, Mr. Clean, Mr. Ed, Ed Sullivan, Love Ins and Laugh In as well as the author's hormone-infused adventures in teen sex, or lack thereof.As Levine so aptly puts it: "The Me Generation... By Me (Growing Up in the '60s) is a candid journey through those years as told by that weird guy from high school you wish you were nicer to in later years."Rather than romanticizing the era, Levine takes the approach that 99.9999% of the largest generation the world has ever known grew up in the '60s and did not attend Woodstock, move to Haight-Ashbury or protest the war by burning banks or their bras.  Those same baby boomers will recognize the key events of the era, triggering their own special memories of watching The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, the assassination of Robert Kennedy and the first time they saw Sonny and Cher.  The Me Generation... By Me (Growing Up in the '60s) is the life story of 76,000,000 people, that 99.9999%.  Ken Levine happened to be the one to write it.Levine, whose early job experience behind the counter at Wallich's Music City in Topanga Plaza is documented in the book (he regularly threw a stoned Neil Young out of the store), parlayed his love of music into a post-graduation career as a radio disc jockey, spinning the hits on local rock stations as well as stations as far afield as San Francisco, Detroit and New York City.  He moved on to film and television, writing over 200 and directing more than 40 episodes of network television a 30 year span.  He was head writer for MASH, won an Emmy as producer of Cheers, was creative consultant on Frasier and Wings and co-creator of three original series.  Yet despite such lofty credits, he says of The Me Generation:  "This is the most personal thing I've ever written....and the most honest.  For once, I couldn't hide behind fictional TV or movie characters.  It's a lot easier to write Hawkeye and Sam Malone!  But the more I researched the period and immersed myself in the era, the more I fell in love with it all over again.  For all the angst and confusion, I do believe we had more fun back then than kids today.  We really believed we could do anything, that the world was ours, and best of all - it was all still stretched out ahead of us.  Who wouldn't want to re-live those glorious emotions?"In addition to his television and film work, Levine also managed to marry two of his great passions-radio and baseball-by hosting the Dodger's post-game Dodger Talk program on the Los Angeles Dodgers Radio Network for eight years and doing radio/TV play-by-play for the Baltimore Orioles and San Diego Padres.  Ken is currently a play-by-play announcer for the Seattle Mariners.He has published two other books:  IT'S GONE!...NO, WAIT A MINUTE, a daily diary of his year as a play-by-play announcer for the Baltimore Orioles, and WHERE THE HELL AM I?  TRIPS I HAVE SURVIVED, a compilation of humorous travelogues from around the world.  It continues to be one of Amazon's top selling travel books.  Ken also writes a popular daily blog, "By Ken Levine" (www.KenLevine.blogspot.com) which was named one of the 25 Best Blogs of 2011 by Time Magazine.The Me Generation...By Me(Growing Up in the '60s) is available from Amazon.

When the Grateful Dead left Warner Bros. to form their own label in 1973, after six years and eight albums, they delivered their first live "best-of" anthology, HISTORY OF THE GRATEFUL DEAD VOL. 1 (BEAR'S CHOICE). The album, which will be reissued by Audio Fidelity on July 10 on 180-gram virgin vinyl, documents the band's February 13-14, 1970 stand at New York's Fillmore East as recorded by Dead sound manager (and creator of 'Owsley' LSD) Owsley "Bear" Stanley. According to Audio Fidelity President Marshall Blonstein, the new release will be issued in a numbered, limited edition and will be available at both online and brick-and-mortar retail stores.Like the famed San Francisco band itself, HISTORY OF THE DEAD is unconventional: a 'greatest hits' compilation that's also a live album (the group's fourth). It is also regarded as a memorial album-to Ron "Pigpen" McKiernan, the group's original organist, harmonica player and co-lead vocalist who died just four months before it was released. Not only does Pigpen kick off the album's all-acoustic first side-with a strong reading of Lightnin' Hopkins' salacious blues "Katie Mae"-he also commands Side 2, his vocals driving the full band through the Otis Redding hit "Hard to Handle" and an epic version of Howlin' Wolf's "Smokestack Lightning." The latter two songs were longtime Pigpen features-and fan favorites-of early Dead concerts, with "Hard to Handle" showing up almost 100 times on Dead set lists from 1969 to 1971.The remainder of the acoustic portion of the album features Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir. The pair follows Pigpen's "Katie Mae" with a version of the oft-covered country/ bluegrass tune "Dark Hollow" and a good-natured take on "Wake Up Little Susie," the Everly Brothers' chart-topper from 1957. Garcia handles both the traditional folk tune "I've Been All Around This World" and the seven-minute "Black Peter." The latter, a Dead standard that was featured in more than 350 of their shows, had first appeared on their 1970 album Workingman's Dead.                                           HISTORY OF THE DEAD captures the Grateful Dead at what, in hindsight, proved to be a pivotal period in their career.  It was the last record to feature the group's 'original' lineup-Jerry Garcia, Pigpen, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart (who joined in 1967)-and the first to fully document the Dead that most later music fans came to know:  still capable of dazzling instrumental improvisation, but also dipping deeply into the well of more intimate, traditional folk and blues material.  Originally intended as the first in a series of best-of sets taken from Bear's "audio journals," the album reached No. 60 on Billboard's LP chart.Unlike Audio Fidelity's recent Dead reissues, SHAKEDOWN STREET and BLUES FOR ALLAH, HISTORY OF THE GRATEFUL DEAD VOL. 1 (BEAR'S CHOICE) will be issued as a single-sleeve LP.  When the label proposed a gatefold package, the band members asked that the original artwork be kept intact exactly as Bear had prepared the original release to honor him.  Bear passed away last year.Founded in 2002 by Marshall Blonstein, Audio Fidelity specializes in deluxe reissues of classic popular-music recordings for the audiophile and collector markets. The Camarillo, California-based label is best known for its 24-karat Gold CDs and its virgin-vinyl album editions, though it also releases DVD titles. In 2011, Audio Fidelity launched the Target Series of CD and LP reissues as a means of broadening its audience beyond its loyal audiophile base.Audio Fidelity emerged out of the pioneering DCC Compact Classics label that Blonstein started in 1986, following stints as president of Island Records and co-founder of Ode Records (where he helped make Carole King's Tapestry one of the best-selling albums of all time and built the cult-film franchises The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Cheech & Chong's Up in Smoke).

It's not often that a new album resonates with a sense of history and timeliness. But the 11-song DREAMS OF THE SAN JOAQUIN, to be released September 25, 2012 by independent Blix Street Records, does both. Anchored by its participants' deep roots in California's great agricultural region, the album honors the stories and musical styles of the massive valley that first welcomed the Dust Bowl refugees and migrant workers amid the economic strife of the 1930s and 1940s. The songs, which take their cues from the observational songwriting of itinerant folksingers and close-harmony cowboy ensembles, are rich and rewarding, confessional and expansive, and relevant."It's not a coincidence that Ken Burns' next PBS series, airing in November, is The Dust Bowl," says Blix Street founder and president Bill Straw. "We are now closer in many respects to the 1930s than at any time since." Straw points not just to the country's current economic situation, but also to climatic conditions similar to those that brought about the Dust Bowl: "Twenty-six states were officially declared in drought in June." While he points out that DREAMS OF THE SAN JOAQUIN is totally independent of Burns' series, Straw emphasizes that the album is "a collection of songs that pay homage to the musical styles of California's San Joaquin Valley, the migrant worker destination of people displaced by the 1930s Dust Bowl."Among those people are the direct ancestors of all four of the performers on DREAMS OF THE SAN JOAQUIN. Randy Sharp's and Sharon Bays' families emigrated there from Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl, and members of Jack Wesley Routh's family made a similar trek westward from Kansas in search of work.Randy Sharp, whose four songs on the album include the lead-off track "Burn Day" and the moving title cut, is the veteran country-music co-writer of "The Connection," which earned Emmylou Harris the 2005 Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance. Among artists who've recorded his songs are the Dixie Chicks ("Home," written with daughter Maia), Restless Heart (their chart-topping "A Tender Lie" and "Why Does It Have to Be Wrong or Right"), Linda Ronstadt ("Dreams of the San Joaquin") and Alabama ("The Cheap Seats"). Sharp's powerfully personal writing is the result of years of keen observation, as well as a musical apprenticeship that began with high school bands in San Joaquin's Visalia-Fresno area with his wife, Sharon Bays.Bays, the featured vocalist on the ballad "For Old Times' Sake," as well as background vocalist on Randy's "New Way Out" and "Dreams of the San Joaquin," holds Masters and PhD degrees in Cultural Anthropology from UCLA, where she currently lectures in the Anthropology and Women's Studies departments.Randy and Sharon's daughter Maia, likewise a product of the Great Valley, has released four critically-acclaimed albums (and an album with Art Garfunkel and Buddy Mondlock), performed with Bonnie Raitt, Keb' Mo' and Patty Griffin, and penned songs for Raitt, Trisha Yearwood and Cher. On DREAMS OF THE SAN JOAQUIN, Maia contributes her original demo of the Dixie Chicks' "Home" and background vocals on her father's "Burn Day," "Or So the Heart Remembers" and the title track. Her fifth album, CHANGE THE ENDING, will be issued by Blix Street/Crooked Crown Records on August 28.Jack Wesley Routh, longtime friend of the Sharps, comes to the project with his own impeccable pedigree. The Kansas-raised, now Californian Routh co-wrote "The Connection" with Randy, and served as tour and recording guitarist for Johnny Cash. Routh's tunes have been recorded by Cash, Waylon Jennings and Emmylou Harris; among the five Routh performances on DREAMS OF THE SAN JOAQUIN is "Beyond the Great Divide," which was featured (as performed by Harris) in the recent HBO film Game Change.The range and diversity of DREAMS OF THE SAN JOAQUIN are sweeping.  Randy Sharp's "Burn Day" is a bittersweet acknowledgment of the end of a relationship, Maia Sharp's "Home" an intimate and wistful meditation on "a house that might have been a home," and Jack Wesley Routh's "Ridin' on the Night Train" a funky tale of an outlaw on the run from the law and his own haunted past.  The album's showcase is the title song, which features all four of the record's participants and stirring harmonies suggestive of the Sons of the Pioneers; Randy's impassioned lead vocal tells the tale of the hopes and despair of the migrant farm workers whose toil coaxed forth the riches of the San Joaquin soil.Each cut on DREAMS OF THE SAN JOAQUIN showcases the respective talents of each writer-singer, which are ably supported by a host of noted guest musicians. Marty Stuart contributes mandolin on several tracks, Louie Ortega (Texas Tornados, Sir Douglas Quintet) lends his warm voice to the Spanish verses on the album's title tune, and Karen Brooks sings harmony on Routh's tracks.Blix Street Records, based in Gig Harbor, Washington, is an eclectic independent label whose releases include the catalogs of internationally acclaimed songstress Eva Cassidy and Irish music legend Mary Black, as well as groundbreaking blues-rock band Back Door Slam (featuring guitar phenom Davy Knowles).

On November 13, independent Blix Street Records will release THE BEST OF EVA CASSIDY, a compilation of the music of the versatile, much-missed vocalist praised for her emotional range and interpretive skills.  Proof of both qualities abounds on the collection, which gathers 19 performances from the Washington, D.C.-based Cassidy’s previous albums and adds a previously unissued version of her popular “You Take My Breath Away.”  THE BEST OF EVA CASSIDY arrives on the eve of what would have been the singer’s 50th birthday (February 2, 1963).Cassidy’s reputation has only grown since her untimely 1996 death from melanoma at the age of 33, earning her an international audience (more than 10 million CDs sold worldwide) and critical acclaim, with the Wall Street Journal praising her “perfect pitch, impeccable timing and vulnerability” and USA Today citing her “emotional ability to reach the depths of any song.”Cassidy fans and newcomers alike will find much to savor in THE BEST OF EVA CASSIDY, whose program reprises the singer’s greatest moments—among them her nonpareil reading of Sting’s “Fields of Gold,” John Lennon’s “Imagine,” Curtis Mayfield’s “People Get Ready” and Christine McVie’s “Songbird,” the title song of her first and still biggest-selling posthumous release.  She likewise applies her unique, song-sympathetic voicing to folk (the fragile “Danny Boy” and the swinging “Wade in the Water”), standards (“Autumn Leaves,” “Over the Rainbow”) and the work of such contemporary singer-writers as Paul Simon (“Kathy’s Song”), Bill Withers (“Ain’t No Sunshine”) and Cyndi Lauper (“Time After Time”).Of special note is the album’s ‘new’ track, a version of Claire Hamill’s inspirational tune that became one of Cassidy’s signature songs.  While the 1993 ‘demo’ version of the song concluded Eva’s AMERICAN TUNE ALBUM, this previously unheard recording was one of several works-in-progress tracks at the time of her passing in 1996.  This more musically evolved vocal performance simply reaches a new level.  With the aid of new digital technology, Eva’s former bandmates Chris Biondo and Lenny Williams recently enhanced Eva’s original guitar/vocal studio recording.  After maximizing the sound quality of Eva’s vocal tour de force, they augmented the production with piano, double bass and a string quartet, creating the definitive version of what is destined to become one of Eva’s best-loved performances.“Hearing Eva perform my song was probably the most important moment of my career,” Hamill says of Cassidy’s earlier treatment of “You Take My Breath Away.”   “I felt validated as a songwriter, a truly indescribable feeling.  When I heard how a new version was to feature as the lead track on her new BEST OF EVA CASSIDY album, I was literally over the moon. Eva will always mean the world to me.  Her beautiful voice will stay with me forever.”“Any new track on an Eva Cassidy best-of album had the tall order of being competitive with the other 19 classic Eva tracks, which have together raised the bar for singers everywhere,” explains Blix Street Records president Bill Straw.  “Essentially, Eva had to top or at least equal her own best work.  I believe she did it.  Otherwise, we would not have put it on the album. Some of our people in England are saying this ‘new’ version of ‘You Take My Breath Away’ is the best ‘sounding’ Eva Cassidy recording ever, high praise indeed at this point.  It is enough to say that Eva’s ‘newest’ released performance is worthy for inclusion among her best.  Eva fans will ultimately decide for themselves where it ranks for them among her many classics.”Initially shy and retiring, Eva Cassidy first appeared publicly in the Washington, DC-Maryland area, bowling over club patrons with her intensely personal, highly eclectic musical style. Following Cassidy’s two locally issued albums, in 1998 independent Blix Street label took on the singer’s catalog, initially releasing SONGBIRD (a compilation of tracks from the two albums, plus “Over the Rainbow” from the 1992 THE OTHER SIDE duet album with Chuck Brown).  Blix Street subsequently reissued the earlier LIVE AT BLUES ALLEY and EVA BY HEART albums.  But it was in 2001 that music enthusiasts sat up and took notice of Cassidy’s compelling way with a song; that was the year that the SONGBIRD compilation hit the top of the British album charts and captivated audiences the world over.  SONGBIRD has now been certified Platinum in the U.S.Subsequent releases include TIME AFTER TIME, two additional U.K. chart toppers, IMAGINE and AMERICAN TUNE (the former climbed to No. 1 on Billboard’s Independent Albums survey, the latter to No. 5), the 2004 compilation WONDERFUL WORLD followed by SOMEWHERE in 2008 and 2011’s SIMPLY EVA (an album of alternative Eva-only guitar and vocal performances).

The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund's second Awards Gala, set for Halloween night, Wednesday, October 31 at the Avalon nightclub in Hollywood, will include a live performance by Dio Disciples, comprising former members of the band Dio, with a number of prominent rock musicians joining them on stage for an all-star jam. Among the rockers planning to join the celebrity jam session are Joey Vera (Armored Saint), Billy Morrison, Glenn Hughes, Frankie Banali, Stephen Pearcy (Ratt), Joey Belladonna (Anthrax), Michael Sweet and Oz Fox from Stryper, David "Rock" Feinstein, cousin of the late singer Ronnie James Dio in whose memory the Fund was created, and members of Buckcherry.In addition, Terry "Geezer" Butler, Eddie Money, Glenn Hughes, Frankie      Banali, Stephen Pearcy, Joey Beladonna and David "Rock" Feinstein are among the performers who are scheduled to present awards to the fund's distinguished honorees. This year's honorees, who will receive awards named after Ronnie James Dio songs, are: Neil Warnock, Founder and CEO of The Agency Group worldwide; Stanley J. Diamond, partner, Diamond & Wilson, and member of the Board of Directors of the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up & Shout Cancer Fund;Charlie Hernandez, President of QED Productions and veteran production manager; Bob Chiappardi, Founder and CEO of Concrete Marketing; Alex Hodges, CEO, Nederlander Concerts; Dr. Raul Mena, Director of the Roy and Patricia Disney Cancer Center in Burbank; and Tony Iommi, legendary guitarist and co-founding member of Black Sabbath and Heaven & Hell and recent cancer survivor.  Iommi has donated a one-of-kind Gibson Iommi SG prototype guitar-a priceless left-handed development model made for Tony personally- to the event's silent auction, and he will autograph it and pose for a photograph with the new owner.Currently out on tour, the new line-up of Dio Disciples comprises Tim "Ripper" Owens (vocals) , Oni Logan (vocals), Craig Goldy (guitar), Bjorn Englen (bass), Scott Warren (keyboards) and Simon Wright (drums). The weirdly wonderful performance troupe Cirque Berzerk will also perform at the Gala, and Eddie Trunk of VH1 Classic's "That Metal Show" will serve as Special Guest emcee.In addition to the evening's entertainment, the Halloween Spooktacular will include gourmet food stations and a hosted bar as well as a silent auction, live auction and Halloween costume contest.

The special Long Live Rock 'n Roll Award was presented by Wendy Dio, widow of the late singer and Fund President/Founder, to a very surprised Paul Dexter, Ronnie James Dio's long-time lighting designer.  Last year, this special award went to Eddie Trunk of VH1 Classic's "That Metal Show," who had again planned to serve as Special Guest emcee until Hurricane Sandy cancelled most flights out of New York.  Concert promoter and Dio Cancer Fund Board member Danny Zelisko took over the emceeing reins in the last moment.  Members of the weirdly wonderful performance troupe Cirque Berzerk assisted with the awards presentation and performed their own set.

In addition to a number of high-end silent and live auction items, Tony Iommi donated a one-of-kind Gibson Iommi SG prototype guitar-a priceless left-handed development model made for Tony personally. Gourmet food stations, a hosted bar and a Halloween costume contest were also part of the evening. Commemorative event teeshirts and posters were also on sale.

The new line-up of Dio Disciples, comprising Tim "Ripper" Owens (vocals) , Oni Logan (vocals), Craig Goldy (guitar), Bjorn Englen (bass), Scott Warren (keyboards) and Simon Wright (drums) was the evening's entertainment. In addition to their own set, they were joined on stage for a all star celebrity jam on the following songs:

Candice Night, who has been delighting audiences around the world for over 15 years as the vocalist for the Renaissance-themed band Blackmore's Night, has released her debut solo album, REFLECTIONS. The new CD, comprising original material written by the multi-talented songwriter and instrumentalist, is available from UDR Records, distributed in the U.S. by EMI.

Often compared to the vocal prowess of Stevie Nicks and the haunting sensitivity of Karen Carpenter, Night's talents transcend boundaries on REFLECTIONS. The ethereal vocal delivery that has become a trademark with Blackmore's Night is still prevalent on REFLECTIONS, but the music has a more contemporary feel. Lifelong influences of folk, pop and country music are evident throughout, especially in catchy, radio friendly numbers like "Gone Gone Gone" and the lively dance of the electronic "Dangerous Smile," exploring territory that is bound to be untouched by Blackmore's Night.

"I am always getting new ideas," says Candice Night. "When I had my two babies, I thought it would be difficult finding the time, but my children are so inspirational to me that the lyrics and music continuously flow. I am constantly inspired by nature, the magic and beauty of things that are around us all the time but many don't even see."

Candice Night has gathered many accolades with Blackmore's Night: the 2009 album SECRET VOYAGE and the subsequent AUTUMN SKY both reached #1 on the Billboard Magazine New Age Chart, remaining on that chart for more than 40 weeks and earning "Best Vocal Album of the Year" honors from New Age and NPR radio stations. But for Candice, a desire to expand her songwriting became important to her. In fact, the idea of a solo album was first encouraged by her husband, Blackmore's Night co-founder Ritchie Blackmore.

"I had so many lyrics, so many ideas backing up," Night recently told Newsday, "and I came to Ritchie and said, 'I need more music. Give me more music. I want to put these to songs.' And he just looked me and said, 'Come up with the music yourself because I'm kind of busy with what I'm doing.' And I had never thought of that before. I thought, 'Maybe I should do that.'"

Ritchie Blackmore was uninvolved in REFLECTIONS, giving Candice Night the space to indulge in her own creativity.  However, her husband will always be an inspiration to her.  "He has taught me so much," she explains.

Candice Night met Ritchie Blackmore at a soccer game in 1989 when she was a radio station intern and the guitarist was still providing hard rock riffs for Deep Purple.  Since then, she has received numerous awards and gold records for her songwriting efforts with Blackmore.  In Blackmore's Night, she has become an adept instrumentalist, playing medieval instruments as unique as the shawm and the rauschpfeife.  Night has also appeared as guest vocalist on recordings by such artists as Helloween, Glenn Hughes and even William Shatner.

And now, with REFLECTIONS, Candice Night has shown that she can fly far on her own.

Blackmore's Night, the Renaissance rock band of iconic guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and award-winning singer/songwriter Candice Night, has once again thrilled fans worldwide with their latest concert DVD/CD release, A KNIGHT IN YORK. The CD release debuted at #2 on Billboard Magazine's New Age chart in its first week of release.Recorded live on September 30, 2011 at the Grand Opera House in York, England, A KNIGHT IN YORK is Blackmore's Night's third DVD release.  It perfectly captures the essence of the Blackmore's Night experience. The "band of minstrels," dressed in festive medieval garb, bring out the sheer joy and authenticity of Blackmore's Night's music, and the splendor of Ritchie Blackmore's musicianship is perfectly coupled with the ethereal presence of Candice Night's voice during this special autumn night performing in the city of York."York is an absolutely beautiful and historic city with a medieval wall fortifying the area," says Candice Night, of the town that was England's capital before London. "Just being in that town makes you feel as if you have stepped back in time. And, since we filmed in a 12th century castle and a historic theater for the last two DVDs, a beautiful English opera house seemed like the next logical choice."A KNIGHT IN YORK represents the first show back in England for Ritchie Blackmore in four years. The Opera House holds a special place in his memory as one when he, as a starving musician many years ago, took up the challenge of spending the night in the allegedly haunted building. That night, he says, "I heard a voice whisper to me 'Aubrey.' Now whenever we come back to that venue," says Blackmore, "we speak directly to the ghost, acknowledge Aubrey's existence, and the show goes smoothly."Much of the material on A KNIGHT IN YORK is culled from the band's two most recent masterful albums, SECRET VOYAGE and AUTUMN SKY.  Songs from both those albums, like "Locked Within the Crystal Ball" and "The Circle," are standouts on A KNIGHT IN YORK as they had already become favorites of the faithful.  Of course, classic songs such as "Fires at Midnight" and "Dandelion Wine," from Blackmore's Night's earlier albums, are performed as well.  And there is a marvelous rendition of Swedish folk duo Nordman's "Journeyman" and a stunning interpretation of the Bee Gees ballad "First of May.""I loved how 'First of May' came out," explains Night. "Though it's not an original song of ours, we play that one on very special occasions, and we had never recorded it before. You really feel vulnerable and naked on stage when you are singing a song as intimate as that one.  But when it works, it's magic."Through traditional melodies and original arrangements, Blackmore's Night takes listeners on a journey to another time when a music performance was a much-treasured escape.  Fans were able to capture their own unique live experience of Blackmore's Night this autumn as the band performed select dates in North America. A special concert in New York City, as well as one in Wilmington, Delaware, were postponed in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, which ravaged not only New York City, but Long Island where the Blackmores reside.The shows have been rescheduled for Sunday, December 9 at the World Café Live in Wilmington and Wednesday, December 12 at The Concert Hall at New York Society for Ethical Culture in New York City.  For ticket information, check www.blackmoresnight.com.Ritchie Blackmore, who has made an indelible mark on hard rock music, has continued his storied career with the magic of Blackmore's Night.  With vocalist (and wife) Candice Night by his side, Blackmore has almost as much time invested in Blackmore's Night as he did with his legacy in Deep Purple.  Since 1997, Blackmore's Night has won numerous gold records and awards.  The band's last studio album, AUTUMN SKY (2010), debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard New Age charts and remained in the Top 10 for 40 weeks.  Now, with the popularity of history-based television series like HBO's Game of Thrones and Showtime's The Tudors, Blackmore's Night's established brand of Renaissance-inspired music is attracting an ever growing legion of fans.Blackmore's Night's concert film A KNIGHT IN YORK is available in DVD and Blu-ray format from UDR Records, distributed in the U.S. by EMI.  A KNIGHT IN YORK is also available in a special DVD/CD/Blu-ray Digipak, audio CD, double vinyl 12" LP (gatefold), digital downloads for both audio and video and a special, limited edition "fan package" (details available at www.udr-music.com).A KNIGHT IN YORK track listing:01 Locked Within The Crystal Ball02 Gilded Cage03 The Circle04 Journeyman05 World Of Stone06 The Peasant's Promise07 Toast To Tomorrow08 Fires At Midnight09 Barbara Allen10 Darkness11 Dance Of The Darkness12 Dandelion Wine13 All The Fun Of The Fayre14 First Of May

On February 5, Blix Street/Crooked Crown Records will release "Change The Ending," the next single from the album of the same name by acclaimed singer-songwriter-producer Maia Sharp. The new single will be serviced to radio as Sharp once again hits the road for a number of solo shows as well as select dates opening for nine-time Grammy® winner Bonnie Raitt. Raitt performs on CHANGE THE ENDING, and Sharp can be heard on Raitt's current album, SLIPSTREAM."Change the Ending" follows the release of "Me After You," the album's lead track which reached the Top 40 at the Triple A radio format, garnering play in the fall on SiriusXM'sThe Loft, KFOG - San Francisco, KCSN - Los Angeles, KINK - Portland, OR, WYEP - Pittsburgh, KPRI - San Diego and WXRV - Boston, among other stations around the country.  Fans can check out the new single at: http://maiasharp.com/view/Artist"Sharp continues to raise the bar for smart, evolved song craft," said Music Connection Magazine of CHANGE THE ENDING, while USA Today, in a 3-star (out of four) review, said, "The L.A.-based songwriter continues to build an impressive solo career with her serious and sensitive, jazzy/poppy fifth album. These 10 originals showcase Sharp's clear, aching voice and tough-tender reflections on love."Sharp grew up in Los Angeles, and she gives a sly wink to her hometown's most recognized industry-filmmaking-which provides the perfect metaphor in the "Change the Ending" track.   The song's narrator considers how a romance might have fared with a little rewrite: "It's a beautiful story," she observes ruefully in the chorus, "if you change the ending." The movie poster style album cover art as well as movie theme of the video for "Me After You," which features Maia as a theatre's accompanist against a montage of silent film heroines in emotional turmoil, continues the album's homage to the cinema.CHANGE THE ENDING is Sharp's follow-up to the 2009 album,ECHO, produced by Don Was. It contained the Top 10 Triple A radio hit "John Q. Lonely" and "Death By Perfection," which featured Raitt and was tapped by NPR as "Song of the Day."After Maia produced Edwin McCain's album MERCY BOUND as well as two songs for Art Garfunkel's latest release THE SINGER, she elected to produce CHANGE THE ENDING herself. She assembled a notable crew of musicians to back her, including guitarist Linda Taylor (Tracy Chapman, Edwin McCain), who often accompanies her on the road, drummer Matt Chamberlain (The Wallflowers, Fiona Apple) and bassist David J. Carpenter (John Doe, Toni Childs)."I had been working with several other artists on their albums, and I was just hooked on that whole feeling, so I decided to produce this album alone," says Maia. "I had to learn to be my own sounding board because I'd finish a vocal and come out, and there was nobody else there to go 'yeah, that was great' or 'you really need to do that again.' But it was a great experience, and I learned a lot."The new album reaffirms Sharp's gift for capturing the subtleties and shades of gray that characterize relationships. During the recording sessions, Sharp admits, "We did change the ending a few times--and it was always for the better."In addition to her string of acclaimed solo albums and numerous production credits, Maia Sharp is also a sought-after songwriter whose songs have been recorded by numerous artists, among them the Dixie Chicks, Keb' Mo', Terri Clark, Cher, Trisha Yearwood, Lisa Loeb (the title cut and single of her new album NO FAIRY TALE) and Bonnie Raitt.  "Bonnie Raitt often covers Sharp's songs," said the New York Daily News in a review of CHANGE THE ENDING, "and no wonder. She writes melodies wide enough to let singers show their range, with lyrics that cut to the bone. Here Sharp proves she has the goods to do all that on her own." The Advocate summed it up nicely: "A prolific songwriter, she's written music for some of the industry's best, but she's a star in her own right, too."Maia Sharp's tour schedule is as follows:February 14-Long Beach Terrace Theatre, Long Beach, CA (opening for Bonnie Raitt)16-Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, CA (opening for Bonnie Raitt)17-Ikeda Theatre, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ (opening for Bonnie Raitt)22-Pearl Theatre at the Palms, Las Vegas, NV (opening for Bonnie Raitt)23-Copley Symphony Hall, San Diego, CA (opening for Bonnie Raitt)March 14-Frank's Place, Fresno, CA15 - Aubergine, Santa Rosa, CA24--Room 5 Lounge, Los Angeles, CAApril 12-Hendricks Hall, University of Missouri, Warrensburg, MO (Nashville Backstage Pass Songwriters in the Round with Craig Carothers and Randy Sharp)13-Uncle Slayton's, Louisville, KY19-Club Café, Pittsburgh, PA28-Third & Lindsley (NSN on WRLT), Nashville TN (with Kim Richey)May 4-The Sanctuary, Chatham, NY (Songwriters in the Round with Dan Navarro and Chip Taylor)

The Melodic Caring Project (MCP), the Seattle-based non-profit founded by musician Levi Ware and his wife Stephanie, has already brought the healing power of music directly to the hospital beds of more than 100 critically-ill children since it officially launched a year ago. This unique marriage of music and technology is now expanding its ability to reach patients through new partnerships with the global Starlight Children's Foundation as well as with Seattle area music event resources.

Filling the real and pressing need for new and innovative approaches to music therapy, MCP has already presented live music performances by some 100 music artists, among them Brandi Carlile, Tyrone Wells and Richard On of OAR, as well as a host of Seattle-based and national touring musicians through its association with the Seattle Living Room Shows concert series. Additionally, they have now partnered with the Seattle Theatre Group to stream live performances and music from three of Seattle's premier theatres-the Paramount, Moore and Neptune-which will include events such as the upcoming annual Synergia Northwest Presents concert backed by a 50-piece orchestra from the Moore Theatre.

With these new partnerships providing regular access to music events to stream to hospitalized children, MCP has been able to make a minimum of three events a month available. Performances are filmed and streamed directly to the patient's hospital bed via the video streaming website Ustream (www.ustream.tv/melodiccaringproject), where they are able to watch the show in the comfort and privacy of their own room. Through a live-chat feature on the Ustream page, the patient's family and friends and others logging into the stream can send real-time messages of support and encouragement to participants, creating a true sense of community.  

Through the resources of the global Starlight Children's Foundation, invitations to these events can be sent out via their network throughout the U.S. and abroad, and patients sign up to receive the stream. "We cap the number of kids receiving the show at nine," says Ware, "so that it can remain a very personal experience." This unique service is provided free to the patient and free to the hospital.

The Melodic Caring Project grew out of an August 2010 benefit concert Ware and other artists performed for Kaydee Curbow, a young girl who was battling leukemia at Seattle Children's Hospital. Treatment for the disease can leave the immune system susceptible to infection so Kaydee was in quarantine and could not attend the concert in her honor. Ware came up with the idea to stream a personal concert that Kaydee and her mother, Patti, could watch from her hospital room as people she had never met came together to raise money for her treatment.

Another MCP patient is four-year-old Caden, who has been battling neuroblastoma (a high risk cancer) for the past nine months, also at Seattle Children's Hospital.   Because of the multiple phases of treatment Caden has undergone, his family has been unable to return home to Montana or afford a rental house in Seattle, and staying at the Ronald McDonald House is not an option because Caden's weakened immune system leaves him susceptible to the illnesses of the other residents who are staying there during treatment.  As a result, Caden and his family have lived in their R.V. in the hospital parking lot for the entire time he has been in treatment.

"The power of music to heal is already well documented," explains Ware.  "With our Melodic Caring Project, we are combining the best of what technology offers with the talent of great musicians to make music therapy an easily accessible part of healing for for kids today.  Beyond that, we make each patient a rock star at their own concert while the musicians are the #1 fans."

Ireland's premier acoustic band Lúnasa is releasing their first new recording in three years on April 16, the much-anticipated new album, LÚNASA WITH THE RTÉ CONCERT ORCHESTRA, on Lúnasa Records via City Hall Distributors (in the U.S.). LÚNASA WITH THE RTÉ CONCERT ORCHESTRA is a musical collaboration that marks a true first for the all-star Irish traditional band and the world-renowned national orchestra of Ireland. It is also available digitally from iTunes and other digital outlets.The CD release comes on the heels of a month-long U.S. concert tour that just wrapped up in the Midwest.  Among the highlights of the tour were appearances at the Rubenstein Atrium of New York's famed Lincoln Center on March 7 and on the nationally-syndicated Mountain Stage with Larry Groce radio broadcast, which was recorded at the Paramount Theatre for the Arts in Bristol, Tennessee and will air nationally on some 100 NPR stations across the U.S. and overseas via the Voice of America satellite service during the week following May 3 (check www.mountainstage.org for local listings). Mountain Stage, known for featuring both established and emerging American and international artists, is the longest running show of its kind on public radio. Also, their appearance at the Sellersville Theatre outside of Philadelphia was filmed for the On Canvas television program on PBS' WHYY-TV for broadcast in late May.Since coming together in 1996, Lúnasa has performed over 1500 concerts and achieved a worldwide reputation as a different kind of Irish traditional music band.  The all-instrumental quintet is noted for double bass and guitar-driven rhythms, original compositions mixed with material from Celtic regions such as Brittany, Galicia and Asturias and a surprising focus on slower melodies involving three-part harmonies played on the traditional pipes, fiddle and flute.Expect LÚNASA WITH THE RTÉ CONCERT ORCHESTRA, the band's ninth album release, to reconfigure more than a few musical maps via the intersection between Irish music orchestral and Irish music traditional.  The album began when RTÉ approached Niall Vallely, one of Ireland's most talented emerging composers and arrangers and brother of Lúnasa's Cillian Vallely, with the idea of creating arrangements and working with a traditional band.  Niall suggested Lúnasa for the project, and the result is a magical union of Ireland's top traditional band and Ireland's national orchestra to create a very new sound in Irish music.  Their first joint effort was a sold-out performance at Dublin's National Concert Hall on June 19, 2012 that was later broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 and followed by the recording of the album.  The RTÉ Concert Orchestra, whose credits include projects with talents as diverse as Luciano Pavarotti and Cleo Laine and Ireland's Sharon Shannon, Sinéad O'Connor, Imelda May and The Coronas, is conducted by David Brophy."From 'Buachaillín Bán,' 'Scully's' and 'The Dusty Miller' to the medley of 'The Minor Bee' set onto old favorites like 'Morning Nightcap' and 'The Last Pint,' what an amazing buzz it's been playing our music among the orchestral wall of sound," explains Lúnasa flautist Kevin Crawford.  "A number of the pieces had been banished to the wilderness, destined never to see the light of a Lúnasa day ever again.  Getting the opportunity to dust them down and hear them in a totally new environment gave the tunes a whole new lease of life and reawakened our love and respect for them.  It's an experience that I certainly never thought I'd encounter as a traditional Irish musician." Lúnasa, comprised of Crawford, Seán Smyth (fiddle and low whistles), Trevor Hutchinson (double bass), Cillian Vallely (uilleann pipes and low whistles) and newest member Ed Boyd (guitar), loves American audiences, and American audiences love Lúnasa.  Since their first U.S. tour 16 years ago, the band has criss-crossed the country, playing intimate clubs, concert halls and prestigious venues like the Hollywood Bowl.  "The audiences in America bring a great energy and goodwill to the table," explains Smyth. "Often, I think it's because the Irish have a history of good standing and respect in America, and Lúnasa are benefitting in a way from this famous historical connection."Whatever the reason, it's a tradition that will continue into 2013 with the release of this groundbreaking new CD.  Lúnasa will return to the U.S. for additional shows at the end of the year.

British singer-songwriter Bobby Long, who now makes his home in New York City, will hit the road in August in support of WISHBONE, his newly-released second album from ATO Records. The U.S. tour, beginning on August 2 in Atlanta, will cross the south to the west coast, including a return to Los Angeles' famed Troubadour nightclub.Long, who first emerged in 2009 by way of London's folk revival movement and a song he wrote that found its way onto the soundtrack of the first "Twilight" film, has built a strong international following for his poignant, finely-crafted songs.  For WISHBONE, the follow-up to his 2011 debut A WINTER TALE, which paid homage to his acoustic roots, Long enlisted Los Angeles-based producer Ted Hutt (Old Crow Medicine Show, Gaslight Anthem) to create a harder edge to the sound that would still showcase his sorrow-filled vocals and stellar guitar-playing. He succeeded handily, as stated in consequenceofsound.com: "Long can sell all the heartbreak and blues guitar because he actually sounds as if he's weathered enough to be able to talk about it." The New York Daily News added: "He created songs with a blunt force, using melodies that engage and a voice that's rife with hunger." The album's first single, "Devil Moon," has been enjoying AAA radio airplay (listen to it at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lsvuyOPanAA consistently engaging performer, Long has toured extensively on his own and as the opener for such diverse artists as Steve Winwood, Iron and Wine, Brett Dennen and Rodrigo y Gabriela as well as appearing at the Bonnaroo, Bamboozle, Dave Matthews Band Caravan and Austin City Limits music festivals. Long's appearance at the Tractor Tavern in Seattle on August 20 will be streamed to the beds of various hospitalized children under the auspices of the Seattle-based non-profit Melodic Caring Project. To view this performance, go to: http://www.ustream.tv/melodiccaringprojectBobby Long's upcoming tour dates are as follows:uly 13 - Pleasantville Music Festival, Parkway Field, Pleasantville, NYAug 02 - Eddie's Attic, Decatur, GAAug 04 - Workplay, Birmingham, ALAug 06 - Poor David's Pub, Dallas, TXAug 07 - Sam's Burger Joint, San Antonio, TXAug 08 - Fitzgerald's, Houston, TXAug 09 - Stubb's Indoors, Austin, TXAug 11 - The Crescent, Phoenix, AZAug 12 - Club Congress, Tucson, AZAug 15 - The Griffin, San Diego, CAAug 16 - The Troubadour, West Hollywood, CAAug 17 - Café du Nord, San Francisco, CAAug 19 - Doug Fir, Portland, ORAug 20 - The Tractor Tavern, Seattle, WAAug 22 - Kilby Court, Salt Lake City, UTAug 23 - The Walnut Room, Denver, COAug 30 - Schenley Plaza, Pittsburgh, PA

New York ethno-fusion collective TriBeCaStan will perform a special acoustic concert on Friday, August 2^nd at the Rubin Museum, as part of the museum's ongoing Harlem in the Himalayas Concert.   The special all-acoustic performance, inspired by the Rubin's collection of ethnic art, is being designed specifically for the museum's intimate space.  The concert also promises a preview of the band's fourth album, NEW SONGS FROM THE OLD COUNTRY, which is due for release on Evergreene Music on October 1^st, 2013.

Radically multicultural and poly-stylistic to the marrow, TriBeCaStan are one of contemporary music's most eclectic bands.  A collective of ebullient instrumentalists from varied musical backgrounds, they utilize wildly diverse instruments from around the globe to express a wide palette of sonic colors. The Washington Post hailed them as "an international jazz and folk festival unto themselves, fusing Balkan, Middle Eastern, Indian, Latin American, and African musical elements to bold and dazzling effect."

The band are a flexible collective based around a core group of players, including co-founders John Kruth and Jeff Greene, baritone sax goddess Claire Daly, and multi-reedist and Klezmatics staple Matt Darriau.   Greene contributes a wide array of instruments --yayli tambor, tarhu, morsing, dutar, flutes, rubab, aqua drum, and halo - while Kruth, who has collaborated with such diverse artists as Ornette Coleman, Patti Smith, Violent Femmes and Alan Ginsburg, shines on mandolin, mandocello, banjo, sitar, flutes and harmonica.  Darriau plays kaval, clarinet, alto sax and gaida.   Also joining the band for the bespoke Rubin performance will be a cast of veteran players:

Rohin Khemani - tablas, hand percussion (Red Baraat, Surface to Air)

Kenny Margolis - accordion, harmonium (Cracker, Mink DeVille)

Boris Kinberg - timbales, gongs, percussion (Willy DeVille)

John Turner - trumpet (10 Foot Pole)

Chris Morrow - trombone (Kokolo)

Ray Peterson - double bass

TriBeCaStan's music is a sonic oasis crossroads, where the sounds of the Indian sarod meet surf rock, West African kora merges with Appalachian mountain tunes, and traditional Afghan melodies mingle with East Coast loft jazz. Here Swedish nykelharpas and Pakistani taxi horns coexist in harmony (or mayhem) alongside thoroughbred jazz horns, driving grooves, exotic strings, and buzzing reeds.

What better point of inspiration for a bespoke performance event than the Rubin's remarkable collection of Asian art from both sides of the Himalayas-from the south facing the Indian Subcontinent, to the north facing the vastness of Central Asia?  The collection reflects the region's centuries-old melding of styles and cultures, further reflected in the variety of musical styles of the Silk Road:  from the modal music of the Islamic maqam, to the rhythms and rasas of India, to the Orient's unique emphasis on timbre and tone color.

TriBeCaStan never try to recreate the folk or art music of these various cultures, but instead make highly original music drawing on their own indigenous influences as well as American roots music-folk, rock, blues and the uniquely American phenomenon of jazz.  A preview track "Gordana's Dream" from the upcoming album, which will be featured in Tribecastan's Rubin Museum performance, can be streamed here:

The August 2nd program will offer various approaches to relate sounds to the art of the Rubin's collection. With tone poems and songs composed specifically for this occasion, TriBeCaStan hope, if only for a few minutes, to transport the audience to a realm of new possibility and perception.

With a European tour this summer and their forthcoming album in the fall, TriBeCaStan continue to look both outward and inward for inspiration. "Whether it's the far-away folk and roots traditions of the world, or the blues and jazz music of our home country," says John Kruth, "at the end of day, our sound and ethos derives from one simple construct: just play music you haven't heard yet."

Melodic Caring Project, the Seattle-based organization that streams live concert events directly to hospitalized children, will join forces with singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile to stream a special concert benefitting Carlile's own Looking Out Foundation.  Raise the Roof 2013, the charity's 5th annual fund-raiser, will take place on Friday, September 6 at the Triple Door nightclub in Seattle, presented by AgainToday.com.Tickets for the event are already sold out, but Brandi Carlile fans will be able to access the live stream of the event by making a donation at the AgainToday website. With their donation, they will be sent the URL for the live streamed concert on the day of the show. While watching the concert they will be able to send messages of love and support to the kids in their hospital rooms via a live-chat on the streaming channel.Carlile founded the Looking Out Foundation in 2008 with a mission of supporting humanitarian outreach efforts in local communities via music. She and her fans have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the art-based foundation since its inception, thereby channeling resources to organizations that support the arts, women, public health, the hungry and the homeless. The IF Project, Maple Valley Food Bank, Fight the Fear Campaign, Why Hunger and others are among the organizations that have received support from the Looking Out Foundation.The Seattle-based Melodic Caring Project (MCP), a non-profit founded by musician Levi Ware and his wife Stephanie, brings the healing power of music directly to the hospital beds of critically-ill children. Launched two years ago, this unique marriage of music and technology has presented more than 100 live music events to kids in hospitals across the US and globe. Through their partnership with Starlight Children's Foundation NW MCP has brought the healing power of music to kids in hospitals throughout the Northwest."We are so excited about this collaboration, and it gives Raise the Roof a whole new meaning," says Catherine Shepherd, Executive Director of Carlile's Looking Out Foundation.  Last year's Raise the Roof event raised over $30,000, and Carlile hopes to exceed that number this year.The next scheduled Melodic Caring Project stream is scheduled for Tuesday, August 20 with British singer- songwriter Bobby Long from Seattle's Tractor Tavern followed on Saturday, August 24 by a Seattle Living Room concert featuring Brendan James and Jamestown Revival   To view these performances live, go to www.ustream.tv/melodiccaringproject. 

Hot on the heels of the news that they have been nominated for 2014 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, classic rockers Deep Purple will be feted with a deluxe, limited-edition boxed set featuring 24-Karat Gold CDs of four of their best-selling albums, according to Audio Fidelity president Marshall Blonstein.  November 19 is the release date for DEEP PURPLE:  THE AUDIO FIDELITY COLLECTION, which will include IN ROCK (1970), FIREBALL (1971), MACHINE HEAD (1972) and WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE! (1973).  The four CDs, containing such breakthrough Deep Purple hits as "Smoke on the Water" and "Woman From Tokyo," will be housed, appropriately, in an embossed metallic container, each engraved with a unique edition number, and will be sold through both online and traditional retail outlets.THE AUDIO FIDELITY COLLECTION features the legendary second lineup of Deep Purple, which originally formed in 1967 in Hertfordshire, north of London. By 1970, the pioneering hard-rock/metal quintet consisted of guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, vocalist Ian Gillan, keyboardist Jon Lord, bassist Roger Glover and drummer Ian Paice. Originally issued in the U.S. by Warner Bros. Records, the four albums represent the band at the peak of its popularity and creative powers. The double-platinum MACHINE HEAD reached No. 7 on Billboard's Top Albums chart; FIREBALL, IN ROCK and WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE! all were certified Gold. "Woman from Tokyo" (from WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE!) and "Smoke on the Water" (MACHINE HEAD) were Top 10 singles and remain staples of classic-rock radio. (Reflecting in 2012 on Deep Purple's long overdue nomination for Hall of Fame induction, Toto guitarist Steve Lukather commented, "What's the first song every kid learns to play? 'Smoke on the Water.' And they're not [yet] in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?")All four discs in THE AUDIO FIDELITY COLLECTION will contain original album artwork and will feature the remastering done by engineer Steve Hoffman when the individual CDs were previously issued by Audio Fidelity. "They have been unavailable for five years," says label president Blonstein, "and since then we've had numerous requests from customers to 'reissue the reissue.' So we decided to offer them again, but in this special boxed-set edition." Indeed, copies of the earlier MACHINE HEAD and WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE! currently fetch handsome prices on sites like Amazon and eBay. To distinguish the forthcoming CDs from the earlier editions-and to enhance the unique collectability aspects of the boxed set-the new discs' outer sleeves come with gold, instead of black slip cases.

The timing couldn't be more perfect. Widely lauded in its hometown as "the best band to party to," Whiskey of the Damned will keep the festivities going by independently releasing its inaugural album, MONSTERS ARE REAL, on March 17, the day when everyone's Irish-or aspires to be. To get the party going, the band will play a special St. Patrick's Day hometown show to celebrate the release of the CD at the Turner Hall Ballroom in Milwaukee.Produced by Rick Beato, best known for his work with Florida's Shinedown, country hitmakers Parmalee and Christian rockers NeedtoBreathe, the album justifies the band's reputation and will surely extend it well beyond the East, Midwest and South where Whiskey of the Damned has toured relentlessly since forming two and a half years ago The group's collective performing experience includes appearing on bills with artists such as Van Morrison, the Doobie Brothers, Motley Crue vocalist Vince Neil, the Wallflowers and the Gin Blossoms in addition to extensive club shows on their own.Born in Dublin and raised since his teens in Wisconsin, Eoin (pronounced O-wen) McCarthy leads the group, singing, playing guitar and composing most of its songs. His bandmates are violinist Gina Romantini, bassist Matt Schuetz, accordionist Brian Link and drummer Andrew David Weber, who describes the band this way: "The band consists of multi-instrumentalists, and we're often switching roles to keep things alive on stage, as well as jumping around and climbing all over the place, throwing around beer barrels, and playing improvised instruments."Recorded over a three-week period last November in Atlanta, the dozen tracks on MONSTERS ARE REAL reveal Whiskey of the Damned as not only ferociously rocking companions for a wild night out, but as an ensemble that's unafraid of baring its sensitive side. Anthemic, go-for-broke cuts like "Shutdown" and "Batons and Guns," which show why the group has earned comparisons to Celtic stormers like the Pogues and Dropkick Murphys, alternate with mid- and down-tempo tunes. The lost-love saga "Maria" and the album-closing "When It All Comes Down" are touching yet unsentimental tunes that fuse the soulfulness of Gaelic balladry with unadorned Americana.MONSTERS ARE REAL doubtlessly will further cement Whiskey of the Damned's relationship with a rapidly growing national following. Having taken time off for recording, the band is already off on another round of touring that will take it to pubs, halls and festivals from the musicians' Wisconsin home base to Indiana, New York and Connecticut. "Audience reaction has been getting stronger," enthuses McCarthy, "especially over the last nine months. We used to go into a new place we'd never been played before and get 10 kids at a gig. Now when we go back to the same place, there are a hundred or more, which is great." Future plans include visits to the West Coast and the group's spiritual homeland. "I'd also like to get us to Ireland by the end of the year," says McCarthy.High spirits infuse both the band's live and recorded performances as well as its chosen name. The latter "is actually a quote from one of George Bernard Shaw's plays, Man and Superman," McCarthy explains. "He wrote, 'Music is the brandy of the damned,' and we sort of adapted it."Upcoming Whiskey of the Damned shows include:March 13-Schauer Arts Center, Hartford, WIMarch 14-Ballydoyle, Aurora, IL 03/14/14March 15- North Country Goes Green St. Patrick's Day Irish Festival, Watertown, NY March 17-Turner Hall Ballroom, MilwaukeeMarch 21 & 22- O'Bryan's Nine Irish Brothers, Lafayette, INApril 5-DejaVu Martini Lounge, Appleton, WIMay 24- Roadhouse Bar and Grill, Cedarburg, WIJune 19-Music On Main, West Bend, WI

The Melodic Caring Project (MCP), the Seattle-based non-profit founded by musician Levi Ware and his wife Stephanie, has already brought the healing power of music directly to the hospital beds of hundreds of critically-ill children since it launched two years ago. This unique marriage of music and technology has an ambitious schedule of artists set for April for streams of shows, among them Tyrone Wells, G Love & Special Sauce and Switchfoot.

Filling the real and pressing need for new and innovative approaches to music therapy, MCP has presented live music performances by numerous Seattle-based and national touring artists, among them Brandi Carlile, Donavon Frankenreiter, Bobby Long and Mycle Wastman, as well as a host of other artists presented through its association with the Seattle Living Room Shows concert series.

First up this month is Tyrone Wells (whose music has graced such series as Grey's Anatomy and The Vampire Diaries), whose show from Seattle's Triple Door will stream on April 3. Wells has been a frequent participant in MCP events and contributed a track to last year's fund-raising CD, RAISE A RECORD. Philadelphia-based G Love & Special Sauce will bring their special brand of blues live from the Showbox in Seattle on April 4. The rock band Switchfoot will also appear from the Showbox on April 18.

Melodic Caring Project was the subject of a recent feature on PBS's Philadelphia affiliate WHYY-TV's Friday Arts program, which had a birds-eye view of a Brandi Carlile show that was streamed for MCP from World Café Live. It can be viewed at:

http://whyy.org/cms/fridayarts/march-2014/

Performances are filmed and streamed directly to the patient's hospital bed via the video streaming website Ustream (www.ustream.tv/melodiccaringproject), where they are able to watch the show in the comfort and privacy of their own room. Through a live-chat feature on the Ustream page, the patient's family and friends and others logging into the stream can send real-time messages of support and encouragement to participants, creating a true sense of community.  This unique service is provided free to the patient and free to the hospital.

The Melodic Caring Project grew out of an August 2010 benefit concert Ware and other artists performed for Kaydee Curbow, a young girl who was battling leukemia at Seattle Children's Hospital. Treatment for the disease can leave the immune system susceptible to infection so Kaydee was in quarantine and could not attend the concert in her honor. Ware came up with the idea to stream a personal concert that Kaydee and her mother, Patti, could watch from her hospital room as people she had never met came together to raise money for her treatment.

British singer-songwriter Bobby Long, who now makes his home in New York City, is set for a series of live appearances, beginning with a return to The Drake Hotel in Toronto on August 6. Long will follow the Toronto show with one on August 16 in his adopted neighborhood when he appears at Rough Trade in Brooklyn, New York. Joining him on that bill will be singer Dawn Landes.Long's live shows this year have been infrequent because he has been concentrating on writing new material for what will be his third album.  Long, who first emerged by way of London's folk revival movement and a song he wrote that found its way onto the soundtrack of the first "Twilight" film, has built a strong international following for his poignant, finely-crafted songs. He has made two full-length albums along the way-the critically-acclaimed A WINTER TALE (2011), which paid homage to his acoustic roots, and last year's more rock-oriented WISHBONE, a harder edged showcase for his sorrow-filled vocals and stellar guitar-playing. He has succeeded handily, as stated in The New York Daily News:  "He created songs with a blunt force, using melodies that engage and a voice that's rife with hunger."Long's upcoming shows will showcase some of the new songs he is planning to record.  He recently launched a campaign on PledgeMusic (www.pledgemusic.com/bobbylong) to raise the funds necessary for the recording and is already nearing his goal amount.  A consistently engaging performer, Long has toured extensively on his own and as the opener for such diverse artists as Steve Winwood, Iron and Wine, Brett Dennen and Rodrigo y Gabriela as well as appearing at the Bonnaroo, Bamboozle, Dave Matthews Band Caravan and Austin City Limits music festivals. Music Connection Magazine, in a review of his SRO show at The Troubadour in Los Angeles last summer, wrote: "While he is equally adept at singing and playing the guitar, perhaps his greatest asset is his authenticity. In a time when the airwaves are dominated by auto-tune and studio wizardry, Long's refreshingly organic sound hits listeners' ears like a breath of fresh air."

The T.J.  Martell Foundation has announced The Celebrity ROCK ‘N’ BOWL, a fundraiser that combines the competitive sport of bowling with high energy entertainment and celebrity appearances to raise funds for cancer research. The event is chaired by Wendy Dio, President and Co-Founder of the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund, who serves on The T.J. Martell Foundation Board and whose organization has raised and donated funds to the T.J. Martell’s continuing efforts in cancer research. The event will take place at the Pinz Bowling Center on Thursday, October 9^th, 2014 from 7:30pm-11pm, with a VIP Pre-Party from 7:00pm-8:30pm.  Pinz Bowling Center is located at 12655 Ventura Blvd in Studio City. The T.J. Martell Foundation aims to combine music and entertainment with an event that will drive competition to raise funds for its core mission of finding a cure for leukemia, cancer and AIDs.

The T.J. Martell Foundation ROCK ‘N’ BOWL event is a return to the foundation’s famous bowling tournaments of the 80’s and 90’s that included participation by such legendary artists as the Go-Gos, John Cougar Mellencamp, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers and Ronnie James Dio and the Dio band.  In fact, Wendy Dio will have the trophy won by Niji Management in 1989 on display.

Celebrity bowlers and guests will be greeted with music, food and drink. A special auction featuring signed collectible Bowling Pins autographed by some of the music world’s most iconic artists including Aerosmith and others, will take place on site and post-event at www.charitybuzz.com. Trophies for the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place teams will be awarded that evening and guests will have the opportunity to rub elbows with famous faces of the music world. Celebrity bowlers to date include producer Bob Kulick, Gonzo Sandoval and Joey Vera (Armored Saint), Jimmy Bain (Rainbow), Marc Ferrari (Rough Cutt & Keel), Chris Broderick (Megadeth), Mark Boals, Christian Martucci, Roy Mayorga (Stone Sour) and others.  More celebrities will be announced throughout the month. The T.J. Martell Foundation will be sponsoring families from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

To purchase a ticket, register a team/sponsor a lane, or other sponsorship opportunities for ROCK ‘N’ BOWL go to support the foundation can also buy tickets to attend at the websites noted. More information is also available at www.tjmartell.org.

 “We have been strong supporters of the T.J. Martell Foundation for many years helping to fund cutting-edge gastric and prostate cancer research and raising in excess of $400,000 for the cause,” said Wendy Dio.  “Tony Martell and the Foundation were very helpful to find specialized treatment for Ronnie when he was diagnosed. We are all working together to find a cure.”

Participants are encouraged to gather friends, family and co-workers for the ultimate bowling team. Guests who do not participate in bowling can also attend and take their chance at winning exciting silent auction and raffle items provided by music and entertainment industry friends and partners of the foundation.

WHO:  The T.J. Martell Foundation and The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund

WHAT: ROCK ‘N’ BOWL Celebrity Charity Bowling Tournament

WHERE: Pinz Bowling Center, 12655 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, California

WHEN: Thursday, October, 9, 2014 – 7:30-11pm / VIP Pre-Party 7:00-8:30pm

WHY: To raise funds for leukemia, cancer and AIDS research.

To purchase tickets and lanes for corporate teams or for general information go to:   http://rocknbowl.splashthat.com/?preview

ABOUT THE T.J. MARTELL FOUNDATION:

The T.J. Martell Foundation is the music industry’s largest foundation that funds innovative medical research focused on finding cures for leukemia, cancer and AIDS.  The Foundation, headquartered in New York, is a national 501(c)3 non-profit organization that was founded in 1975 by music industry executive Tony Martell and his colleagues in loving memory of his son T.J., who died of leukemia. The Foundation has provided more than $260 million dollars for research that supports top hospitals in the United States. For more information click on the T.J. Martell Foundation go to www.tjmartell.org, www.facebook.com/tjmartellfoundation, www.twitter.com/tjmartell, www.pinterest.com/tjmartellfndn

ABOUT THE RONNIE JAMES DIO STAND UP AND SHOUT CANCER FUND:

The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund is a non-profit charitable fund dedicated to support cancer prevention research,  raise awareness and education the public with the focus that early detection and prevention is of vital importance when dealing with the deadly disease.  Formed by Wendy Dio in honor of her late husband, rock legend Ronnie James Dio, its mission and philosophy stems from allowing people to effectively plan strategies to deal with the disease early on which affords a better chance to overcome it. For more information go to www.diocancerfund.org.

Singer-songwriter Bobby Long is celebrating the completion of his forthcoming third album with a series of new live appearances. The British-born New Yorker joins the roster for three upcoming Communion Music shows in March-his first participation in the popular music series-beginning with their March 4 show at Milkboy in Philadelphia.  He returns to New York's Mercury Lounge on Saturday, March 14.

After two album releases, his notable debut A Winter Tale (2011), an homage to his acoustic roots, and the grittier follow up Wishbone (2013),Long's third album, called ODE TO THINKING, is structured around his vocals and guitar. Named for the first song on it, the album was recorded at the Congress House Studios in Austin, Texas, where he teamed with producer/musician Mark Hallman (Carole King, Ani DiFranco), who played bass guitar, drums, piano and organ on the recording. The result is a dynamic new collection of original material that was nurtured during his live performances. "I'd been cultivating these songs live for the last year," he explains, "so when I came into the studio with them, I was ready to go."

ODE TO THINKING was made possible by a hugely successful PledgeMusic campaign (pledgemusic.com/bobbylong) that was launched last summer and is ongoing. When the album is released later this year, more than 750 pledgers will receive a download of the album in addition to other items they have pledged for.   Plans are being finalized for its release this year. "So many people have come on board to help me make this new record that it was really overwhelming," Long says. "The pledgers have followed every part of the process of making the record, and it will be truly exciting to finally deliver it to them."

Upcoming Bobby Long shows:

March 4-Milkboy, Philadelphia (Communion Music show);

11-Zanzabar, Louisville (Communion Music show);

12-Mercy Lounge, Nashville (Communion Music show);

14-Mercury Lounge, New York City (early show);

27-The Music Hall Loft, Portsmouth, NH;

28-Club Passim, Boston;

April 1-The Space, Evanston, IL;   

2-Café Carpe, Fort Atkinson, WI

Ticket information is available at:  www.bobbylong.info

The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund, the charity founded in memory of the late rock singer, was one of the designated charities of last week's Monsters of Rock Caribbean Cruise on the MSC Divina from Miami to Nassau in the Bahamas. The five-day trip included daily activities to raise money for the Dio Cancer Fund's important work in cancer research and prevention.

SUAS Cancer Fund President Wendy Dio, as well as several members of the SUAS Board of Directors, joined some 40 recording artists and the 3500 passengers on the SRO cruise for specific DIO events like Rock 'N Roll Bingo and Dine and Donate for Dio. For the latter, participants paid for a private cooking demonstration with rockers, including Lita Ford, Billy Sheehan, Tom Kiefer, Rowan Robertson (Dio) and members of Night Ranger, Black & Blue and Lillian Axe. In addition, guitars signed by the Black Star Riders and Europe were auctioned live following the bands' respective performances.

A special live auction featured signed Ronnie James Dio photos, rare memorabilia and three unique guitars, including a signed Motorhead guitar and a Monsters of Rock guitar, which had been signed by many of the bands on the cruise. The third guitar was built from the ground up by George Bisceglia, who builds guitars for Dave Meniketti, the singer, songwriter and lead guitarist for hard rock/heavy metal band Y&T.   Meniketti was on hand for the auction, which was won by passenger Richard Wesson. 

"I cannot thank Larry Morand, Mike London and the fantastic Monsters Of Rock Cruise Production Staff, as well as the very generous passengers, who dug deep into their pockets during our wonderful five days at sea," says Wendy Dio. "I want them all to know that every penny raised will go to cancer research so that one day we will find a cure for this terrible disease that takes so many of our loved one's lives. Ronnie would be so proud."

The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund is a privately funded 501(c)(3) charity organization dedicated to cancer prevention, research and education and is committed to raising money and awareness in hope of one day finding a cure for this dreaded disease. Ronnie James Dio, the world-renowned voice of Dio, Rainbow, Black Sabbath and Heaven & Hell, died on May 16, 2010 of gastric cancer.

Next up for the Dio Cancer Fund is a series of events in Los Angeles to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Dio's passing, May 15-17, 2015.  The Memorial Weekend will commence with BOWL FOR RONNIE celebrity bowling at Pinz Bowling Center in Studio City on Friday, May 15. A public memorial at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills will take place on Saturday, May 16, followed on Sunday, May 17 by the inaugural RIDE FOR RONNIE Motorcycle Ride from Harley-Davidson of Glendale to a BBQ with live entertainment at Los Encinos Park in Encino.

British singer-songwriter-guitarist Bobby Long, who is known for his powerfully evocative lyrics set to haunting melodies, has signed an agreement with Compass Records for the release of his new album, ODE TO THINKING. The CD will arrive worldwide on August 7 with U.S. and international tour dates scheduled to support the release.

Recorded last fall in Austin, TX, ODE TO THINKING is a taut collection of 11 original songs, produced by veteran producer Mark Hallman at his Congress House Studios. Long, who emerged from London's burgeoning folk music renaissance, relocated to New York in 2009, cultivating a strong fan base for his music. He has previously released two well received albums, A WINTER TALE (2011) and WISHBONE (2013) as well as a five-song EP called THE BACKING SINGER (2011) and a volume of poetry, LOSING MY BROTHERHOOD (2012).

The release of ODE TO THINKING will be supported by a U.S. concert tour that will begin in early August and initially focus on the Midwest into Texas. He will tour Europe during October followed by shows in the UK and additional U.S. dates will follow. Prior to heading out in support of the new CD, Long is set to play the Acoustic Stage at the venerable Glastonbury Festival in England on Saturday, June 27. It will be his first high profile appearance in his native country.

"This record started when I realized that the first five songs I wrote for it were probably the most personal songs I'd ever written," Long says of the new recording. "That was the start of the journey. ‘Ode to Thinking’ was one of the first songs I had written (for the album), and it was the definite turning point creatively where I felt, as I'm getting older, that I'm getting more interested in what's going on politically and socially. I now think it's really important to educate yourself and to take an interest in what's going on in the world."

The album was made possible by a highly-successful crowd-funding campaign via

PledgeMusic (www.pledgemusic.com/bobbylong) that launched last summer and allowed fans and music supporters to essentially pre-order the album even before it was recorded and along other items like specially-designed teeshirts, private shows and handwritten poems and lyrics. Long's campaign was fully-funded in four weeks-half the time allotted--and is now closing in on 800 individual pledges, each of whom will receive the digital download version of the new CD upon its release.

"It was singularly the most creative collaboration of my life," says Bobby. "I definitely felt that when I was in the studio-more so than ever before-that I was recording an album for everybody else, and especially for the people who were so generous with their time in getting the word out and with their hard-earned money. It's something I will never forget, and I feel extremely lucky to be able to have done it."

The new album brings together elements of Long's live solo shows and is based around his acoustic guitar on which he wrote all of the new songs, which differs in essential elements from his two previous releases. "The first album (A WINTER TALE) was half electric, half acoustic," he elaborates. "I walked into a studio, and the producer had put together a band to record live with. I showed the band my songs, and we worked them out as we went along. The second record (WISHBONE) was electric. I went in with a band-a bunch of guys I'd been playing with on the road. We had little time for rehearsals before so we recorded live for a bit and kind of put it together in the studio as we went along. With this record (ODE TO THINKING), it was simplified in a sense because the songs are largely based around my live shows-just me playing solo-which adds an element of honesty to it, and certainly gives the album more of a live feel. I brought the songs into the studio on my own. It felt like much more of an individual process from my point of view, and the only sharing involved was me working out ideas with the producer, which was really great this time around."

Bobby Long was born in Wigan, of George Orwell fame, and grew up in bucolic Wiltshire, the setting for many of Thomas Hardy's novels. Ironically, literature and writing eluded him until a kindly teacher took notice of his struggles at school. She introduced him to the work of Dylan Thomas, and he never looked back. Relocating to London at 17 to go to university, he had just begun to play guitar and write songs. He worked his way through the open mic night circuit, finding his voice, and armed with a degree in music for film and a carefully crafted repertoire of original songs, he headed for America in 2009.

His new home in New York informs his newest material. "It's an inspiring place, but I think the inspiring thing is to sing about things that I'd never really sung about," he explains. "Before I might have sung about certain subjects, but it was in some kind of cryptic code. I feel more comfortable singing about love because I'm in the midst of it, and I feel I'm at an age where if there's a serious discussion at the table, I can add to it and feel comfortable doing so. And I guess I'm more comfortable with my voice now too. There's definitely growth all around."

Long is partnering with Nashville-based Compass Records, a respected independent label with a history in folk and roots music, for the worldwide release of ODE TO THINKING. The album release will be supported by an extensive tour starting on August 1 at McCabe's Guitar Shop, the famed folk music venue in Los Angeles. The first U.S. leg will run for five weeks followed by a month of shows in Europe in October, where he has not played for nearly three years. Shows in the U.K. and additional U.S. shows will follow.

Confirmed ODE TO THINKING tour dates are as follows:

June 27-Acoustic Stage, Glastonbury Festival, Glastonbury, England

August 1-McCabe's Guitar Shop, Los Angeles

August 8-Jammin' Java, Vienna, VA

August 11-Club Café, Pittsburgh, PA

August 12-Musica, Akron, OH

August 13-Rumba Café, Columbus, OH

August 14-Southgate House (Revival Room), Newport, KY

August 15-The Grey Eagle, Asheville, NC

August 18-Zanzabar, Louisville, KY

August 19-Radio Radio, Indianapolis

August 20-Rozz-Tox, Rock Island, IL

August 24-The Frequency, Madison, WI

August 25-Firebird, St. Louis, MO

August 28-Record Bar Kansas City, MO

August 29-The Blue Door, Oklahoma City

August 30-Sam's Burger Joint, San Antonio, TX

September 2-Cactus Club, Austin, TX

September 3-Poor David's Pub, Dallas, TX

September 4-Warehouse Live, Houston, TX

September 25-World Café Live, Wilmington, DE

September 26-The Linda, Albany, NY

September 27-Katharine Hepburn Theatre, Old Saybrook, CT

Bobby Long will begin a month of shows in Europe on October 3 followed by a week

Acclaimed blues rock band Savoy Brown, led by its seminal guitarist Kim Simmonds, will kick off its 50th anniversary year celebration with a show tomorrow night (15) at B. B. King’s Blues Club in New York City, followed on Friday with the release of a new album of original material called THE DEVIL TO PAY from Ruf Records.  The New York show will be the beginning of a worldwide concert tour to support the new album, with shows in the U.S., Canada and Europe.

An Album Premiere of THE DEVIL TO PAY is now available on allmusic.com and can be streamed at:

http://www.allmusic.com/blog/post/album-premiere-kim-simmonds-savoy-brown/

With THE DEVIL TO PAY, the legendary British band continues to showcase Simmonds' love of the blues, his deep commitment to the sound and his quest to challenge himself in both his songwriting and playing.  Featuring Simmonds on guitar, harmonica and vocals, Pat DeSalvo on bass and Garnet Grimm on drum, THE DEVIL TO PAY was written and produced by Simmonds and recorded at SubCat Studios in upstate New York.  The CD opens with the smoldering "Ain't Got Nobody" and continues with the barreling "Bad Weather Brewing," "Grew Up In The Blues" and "Oh Rosa."   The album is highlighted by his dexterous guitar work on cuts like the finger-twist instrumental "Snakin'," the shuffle-powered "Watch My Woman" and his emotional songwriting, from the bleary repentance of a hangover on "I've Been Drinking" to the reprimand issued to a cheating woman on"Stop Throwing Your Love Around. 

Savoy Brown emerged during a golden age for blues bands that spawned the likes of Fleetwood Mac, The Yardbirds, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and many more. In addition to its dynamic live appearances, Savoy Brown gained acclaim from its records, including Savoy gems like "A Hard Way to Go" (from 1970's Raw Sienna) and "Tell Mama" (from 1971's Street Corner Talking) as well as "Hellbound Train" (from the 1972 album of the same name).

Throughout Savoy Brown's career, the band has featured a number of well respected musicians, among them Dave Peverett, Roger Earl and Tony Stevens, who went on to form Foghat, as well as players who have also been members of The Robert Cray Band, Black Sabbath, Humble Pie, Fleetwood Mac and others. Throughout, Simmonds has always remained true to his roots and reaped the rewards, performing in iconic venues such as Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall and the Fillmore East and West, releasing countless albums, and later enjoying a well-deserved induction into Hollywood's Rock Walk Of Fame, New York's Blues Hall of Fame and Ontario's Blues Hall of Fame. 

However, he has hardly been resting on his laurels. He continues to tour and record, including the recent Savoy Brown CD releases: the critically acclaimed VOODOO MOON (2011). GOIN' TO THE DELTA (2014) and the double live CD/DVD set SONG FROM THE ROAD (2013). THE DEVIL TO PAY is his 45th album release.

ODE, the vinyl version of Bobby Long's latest CD release ODE TO THINKING, will become available everywhere on March 4, following its November debut as a RSD First selection for Black Friday Record Store Day. Released by Compass Records, ODE comprises six tracks from the ODE TO THINKING CD plus three never-before-available songs.  The title track from the album is the current single.

Long, who toured extensively last year in support of the CD release, hits the road again on the west coast to coincide with the vinyl release. Additionally, Long played two showcases at this year's Folk Alliance Conference in Kansas City, MO this week. Three weeks of shows in Europe beginning April 14 will follow with additional shows in the U.S. currently being planned.

The ODE TO THINKING recording sessions were produced by veteran producer Mark Hallman at his Congress House Studios in Austin, Texas. Long, who emerged from London's burgeoning folk music renaissance, relocated to New York in 2009, cultivating a strong fan base for his music. He has previously released two well received albums, A WINTER TALE (2011) and WISHBONE (2013) as well as a five-song EP called THE BACKING SINGER (2011) and a volume of poetry, LOSING MY BROTHERHOOD (2012). He is planning to publish a second volume of poetry later this year.

Track List for ODE Vinyl LP release:

SIDE ONE //

ODE TO THINKING

I'M NOT GOING OUT TONIGHT

TREAT ME LIKE A STRANGER

SOMETHING BLUE, SOMETHING BORROWED

THE DARK WON'T GET DARKER            

SIDE TWO //

PRETTY LITTLE PENNIES

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE WITH ME

FROM ME

1985

Confirmed dates are as follows:

February 28-Tractor Tavern, Seattle

February 29-Mississippi Studios, Portland

March 1-Hotel Utah Saloon, San Francisco

March 3-Hotel Café, Los Angeles

EUROPE

April 14-Ursprung, Rostock, Germany

April 17-Kursaal Hotel Fürstenhof, Bad Imnau, Germany

April 19-Wilhelm 13, Oldenburg, Germany

April 20-Museumskeller, Erfurt, Germany

April 21-Maria's Ballroom, Hamburg, Germany

April 22-Rios, Mettmann, Germany

April 23-Club 1210, Stuttgart, Germany

April 26-Scherbe, Graz, Austria

April 27-Stobacafe, Balzers, Liechtenstein

April 28-Unicorn Sportsbar, Pirmasens, Germany

April 29--Kupferdächle, Pforzheim, Germany

April 30-1A Die Kochschule, Bellheim, Germany

More U.S. shows will be announced soon.

The 2nd Annual RIDE FOR RONNIE Motorcycle Ride and Concert, held on Sunday, May 22nd, raised $50,000 for the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund (www.diocancerfund.org). Some 1000 people participated in the day's events, including 300 motorcycle riders who made their way from Harley Davidson in Glendale to an afternoon of live entertainment at Los Encinos Park in Encino, California.

Joining the RIDE were "Sons of Anarchy" cast members Emilio Rivera, Michael Beach, Star Fields and actor-musician Sean McNabb as well actor Al Coronel ("The Last Ship") and musicians Lita Ford, EJ Curse, Taime Downs and Gilby Clarke. Wendy Dio, Ronnie James Dio's widow and co-founder of the Dio Cancer Fund, welcomed everyone before joining SUAS board member Scott Sentinella on his motorcycle for the 20-mile ride to the Park. Also riding was "Boston" Tom Foresteire on the "Holy Diver" Harley-Davidson motorcycle he won at the recent Street Party that launched this year's RIDE. The one-of-a-kind motorcycle is custom-painted with the illustration from the cover of Ronnie James Dio's iconic "Holy Diver" album.

The afternoon's entertainment kicked off with Doctors of the Earth as the procession of motorcycles arrived at the Park. They were followed by sets from Sonia Harley, Budderside, Gabbie Rae, Dio Disciples, Lita Ford and headliners Great White. The festivities were hosted by DJ Will.

Wendy Dio and SUAS Medical Director Dr. Sandy Kapoor presented a check for $25,000 to Dr. David Wong, Director of the Dental Research Institute at the University of California Los Angeles to further his research into a saliva test for the early detection of cancer. Dr. Wong believes this simple, non-invasive test will be available for medical use within the next three years.

Assorted merchandise, a jumble sale booth, a silent auction and a raffle for a special limited edition ASG Vision Motörhead white-body guitar with the "Ace of Spades" graphic raised additional funds as did live auctions conducted by SUAS board members Adam Parsons and Danny Zelisko between performances. Among the live auction items were a B.C. Rich guitar signed by Ronnie James Dio, Rob Halford (Judas Priest), Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden), King Diamond and Geoff Tate, a custom-made leather "Kutte" motorcycle vest with a set of specially-embroidered Dio Cancer Fund patches and an ESP guitar signed by all of the event's performers.

The "Sons of Anarchy" cast members as well as Great White, Lita Ford and Dio Disciples signed autographs at special "Meet and Greets" during the afternoon. Rocker Gabbie Rae hosted a Meet & Greet following her set to promote Free2Luv (http://www.free2luv.org), the Anti-Bullying initiative for which she is a spokesperson.

Additional RIDE FOR RONNIE sponsors that helped to make this year's event possible include Harley-Davidson of Glendale, Bigg Time Entertainment, Production Resource Group (PRG), Law Tigers, Mates Studios, Clair Global Audio, Western Bagel and Starbucks (San Fernando Road, Glendale), among others.

100% of the net proceeds from the RIDE FOR RONNIE will go to the Dio Cancer Fund (www.diocancerfund.org).

The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund was formed in memory of the legendary rock singer Ronnie James Dio, who lost his life to gastric cancer in 2010.   A privately funded 501(c)(3) charity organization dedicated to cancer prevention, research and education, the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund has already raised over $1 million in its short history. Monies raised have been committed to the cancer research work of the T. J. Martell Foundation for Cancer, AIDS and Leukemia Research, the gastric cancer research unit of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where Ronnie was treated for gastric cancer during the last six months of his life, and other cancer research projects. The recent passing of several high profile musicians to cancer has served to reinforce the commitment of the Dio Cancer Fund to support research and education that furthers early detection, prevention and treatment of prostate, colon and gastric cancers.

The 2nd Annual BOWL 4 RONNIE Bowling Party, benefiting the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund (www.diocancerfund.org), will take place on Friday, November 4, 2016 at the Pinz Bowling Center in Studio City, California. The event, hosted by VH-1's Eddie Trunk, will include a celebrity bowling tournament, a raffle drawing and a special live auction. The inaugural Dio Cancer Fund Bowling Party, held in May 2015 as part of the commemoration of the 5th anniversary of the passing of rock legend Ronnie James Dio, contributed to raising $155,000 for the cancer charity from that weekend's events.

BOWL 4 RONNIE participants can anticipate an evening of fun, food, and, of course, bowling with rockers and celebrities competing for trophies in the name of raising funds and awareness for the Dio Cancer Fund. Among the raffle prizes will be a specially-designed bowling ball featuring the BOWL 4 RONNIE artwork (see below). The live auction will include music memorabilia and celebrity signed guitars, among them a 6-string Jackson guitar donated by Chris Broderick of Act of Defiance, who will be in attendance, stage played while on tour with in 2012 Megadeth (as well as autographed photos of Chris playing that same guitar).

The event kicks off at 6:30PM with open bowling and a VIP pre-party for lane sponsors, celebrities and their guests.   Last year's BOWL 4 RONNIE drew artists such as Tom Morello, Lita Ford and Jack Black, fresh from his Grammy™ win for his version of Ronnie James Dio's song "The Last In Line" from the Dio tribute album, THIS IS YOUR LIFE. Proceeds from the sale of that double album were donated to the Dio Cancer Fund.

Eddie Trunk, host of VH-1's "That Metal Show," plans to captain his own bowling team at the event, while rockers already expected to attend include Bjorn Englen (Dio Disciples/Tony MacAlpine/Yngwie Malmsteen), Chris Broderick (Megadeth/Act of Defiance), Eddie Money, Gonzo Sandoval and Phil Sandoval of Armored Saint, Joe Retta (Dio Disciples/ Sweet), Marc Ferrari (Keel), Matt Duncan (DC4), Shawn Duncan (DC4/ Bullet Boys), Robert Sarzo (Hurricane), Rowan Robertson (Dio,/Bang Tango/DC4), Rudy Sarzo (Dio/Quiet Riot/Whitesnake), Scott Warren (Dio /Warrant) and actor/musician Sean McNabb (Lynch Mob/Quiet Riot/Dokken), with more names being added.

"Last year was a blast, and we totally sold out the place," says Wendy Dio, co-founder/president of the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund. "We hope everyone will come again this year to have some fun and raise money for a good cause."

100% of the net proceeds from the BOWL 4 RONNIE will go to the Dio Cancer Fund (www.diocancerfund.org). Most recently, the Dio Cancer Fund presented a check for $25,000 to Dr. David Wong, Director of the Dental Research Institute at the University of California Los Angeles, to further his research into saliva testing for the early detection of cancer. Dr. Wong believes this simple, non-invasive test will be available for medical use within the next three years.

Individual tickets and lane sponsorships are now on sale, and participants are encouraged to gather friends, family and co-workers for the ultimate bowling team. The Pinz Bowling Center is located at 12655 Ventura Blvd in Studio City, California.

For more information, visit: 

SUAS website: http://www.diocancerfund.org/events/
SUAS website: http://www.diocancerfund.org/bowlforronnie/

Direct link for ticket purchases: https://bowl4ronnie.eventbrite.com

Poetry transitioned into songwriting and critical acclaim for his affecting lyrics. Now he says poetry has evolved into a creative outlet that effectively improves his songwriting. Some of his songs begin as poems (and vice versa). "If a poem doesn't work with a melody, then I won't sing it. If it does, I will." The poem "Kill Someone," for example, from Losing My Misery, is also a powerful song included on his Compass Records album, ODE TO THINKING.

Losing My Misery was largely written after he finished writing and recording "Ode to Thinking." "I've had a constant thorn in my side most of my life, and I had a moment of clarity in dealing with some obstacles-mainly anxiety and depression-and this book reflects the journey in it and through it. I addressed the problems, and I feel like I've lost my unnecessary misery."

The cover of the book-designed by Jessica Gattone of Sparetire Design- includes a stark illustration of Long on the front cover created by artist Hilary Huckins-Weidner and a black and white photo taken by Long on the back. The new book has also given Long a forum for showcasing his artistic skills by contributing the 10 drawings that illustrate some of the poems. "I like the creative aspect of drawing," he says. "I'm not trying to be good, but I like the expression and my ability to create freely. I love John Lennon's drawings and Leonard Cohen's drawings, and I feel like it's another way of accessing their minds. That's what I'm trying to do. It's another way of handing over more of myself."

Singer-songwriter Matthew Wolcott is taking the road less traveled, stepping out from a successful law career in favor of his first love, music. The Dallas native, who began playing piano at an early age and performed with his fair share of bands, is releasing his first EP of original songs called WESTERN LIGHTS on December 2.

For his recording debut, Wolcott worked with producer Joe Chiccarelli, whose credits include Alanis Morissette, Jason Mraz, the White Stripes and Boy & Bear among many others, recording live at Sunset Sound Recorders in Los Angeles. Fleshing out Wolcott's rich vocals and turns on guitar, harmonica and trumpet were a host of local studio players, including Roger Joseph Manning Jr. on keyboards, David Levita on guitar, Sean Hurley on bass, Victor Indrizzo on drums and LA artist Patrick Park on backup vocals. Texas artist Haylee Ryan created the painting that graces the cover of the EP.

WESTERN LIGHTS offers what Wolcott calls "a well-curated sampling of literate, late-night reflections spun into relatable tales of nostalgia, melancholy, heartbreak and hope." The title track, "Western Lights," is being serviced to AAA radio and a music video for the song is in the works.

Matthew Wolcott grew up in suburban Dallas listening to his father's collection of '60s and '70s vinyl that included the requisite Beatles, Beach Boys and early Chicago. His father told him about once seeing Chicago in concert in a venue that was so hot that trombonist James Pankow sweated through his clothes and played the final song shirtless. Although young Matthew had been playing piano since the age of six, that image inspired him to take up trumpet as well.

Throughout junior high and high school, Matthew played trumpet and learned music theory in the school band. Getting a MIDI keyboard led to composing his own songs and eventually taking up guitar to play them on. Matthew attended LSU on an academic scholarship, studying mechanical engineering and computer science as a path into the aerospace field. But music always called out to him, as he continued songwriting and spent several years on and off the Dallas live music scene in various bands, although his passion would only parallel both law school and a law career.

"Music then became an inward-facing pursuit," explains Wolcott. "I finally returned to writing and playing music behind closed doors, trying to unearth the sound and style that were truly my own. Being completely away from the music scene for a couple of years helped me to reach a point at which I was finally comfortable in my own skin as a songwriter."

The result of this clarity is WESTERN LIGHTS, Wolcott's debut release, comprising five original songs, most of them written during late nights at the piano. "When I write, I generally take at least partly from personal experience and try to turn that into a relatable story," he says. "The common thread among these songs is that they are, generally speaking, sad, reflective stories, lined with a tinge of hope."

Wolcott's Americana-infused vocals are beautifully lifted by infectious melodies and inspired instrumentation. Producer Joe Chiccarelli says that "the tracks reflect Matthew's singular artistic vision." 

The title cut, "Western Lights," features a driving melody punctuated by a pounding rhythm section and Henley-esque synths, while the unexpected trumpet hook in "Dixie's Waltz" gives way to warm, funereal strings and piano musings. 

"Olde Towne Blues" is a nostalgic song that attempts to revive the good memories that we'll always associate with certain places or people, even if they've since seen hard times. Explains Matthew: "My dad grew up in Slidell, Louisiana, near a part of town called (you guessed it) Olde Towne. I drew some inspiration for the song from early Tom Waits, one of my favorite songwriters. He often name-checks people or places that are implicitly meaningful to the storyteller, but not necessarily to the listener. I tried to employ that here because I believe that many people have an 'Olde Towne' of their own--a place with which they will always associate good memories and that the very mention of unlocks that nostalgia."

Rounding out the EP are "Who Are You Tonight" with its sad refrain "where there is smoke, there's an alibi....." and finally the pared-down acoustic "Lost in the Roses" with its plaintive harmonica. Throughout WESTERN LIGHTS, Wolcott demonstrates how carefully-crafted sonics can tell the story as effectively as the words themselves.

WESTERN LIGHTS will be available on iTunes, Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, Amazon Music and Deezer.  The CD will be available from amazon.com and other retailers on December 2.   

The 3rd Annual RIDE FOR RONNIE Motorcycle Ride and Concert, benefiting the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund, will take place on Sunday, May 7, 2017. Riders will assemble for a continental breakfast at Harley-Davidson of Glendale with kickstands up at 11AM. The RIDE will take them through the streets of Los Angeles County to Los Encinos Park in Encino, where they will be treated to an afternoon of live music, raffle and live auction, food trucks and more. Last year's RIDE FOR RONNIE event raised over $50,000 for the cancer charity.

This year's live entertainment in the park will be provided by rockers LYNCH MOB, EDDIE MONEY, ROUGH CUTT, DIO DISCIPLES, THE LOVELESS, SONIA HARLEY, and NO SMALL CHILDREN.

A silent auction will be conducted at one of the exhibit booths throughout the afternoon, while live auctions, featuring one-of-a-kind rock collectibles,will be held during intervals between artist performances. Food trucks will be on site throughout the day. Those participating include Slammin' Sliders, G's Taco Spot, Greenz on Wheelz and Archie's Ice Cream. Sponsors lending their continued support to the RIDE FOR RONNIE are Harley-Davidson of Glendale, Law Tigers and Ninkasi Brewing Company. New sponsors to the event this year include Bigg Time Entertainment and LA's rock radio station, 95.5 KLOS.

Both riders and concert-goers can purchase their tickets by visiting: www.diocancerfund.org/events

Multi-platinum-selling Irish band The Coronas are preparing to bring their fifth album, TRUST THE WIRE, to North America this fall with a September 1 album release supported by a November tour. The previously-announced tour now begins a day earlier--on November 4 at Toronto's Drake Hotel-after the first announced show there sold out in a few days. Now both Toronto shows are sold out. The new album, which follows four double-platinum albums in Ireland, is the band's first release on their own label imprint called So Far So Good Records, distributed in the U.S. and Canada through ADA Distribution. It debuted at #1 on the Irish music chart its first week of release in June, overtaking Ed Sheeran to become The Coronas' first-ever #1 album.

The American tour in November is only one part of a massive touring schedule that included a July 1 sold out show at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham in Dublin--capacity 15,000--where The Coronas played their largest headline show to date. They will round out their Irish show schedule with SRO appearances at the Galway International Arts Festival on July 29 and the Indiependence Festival in Cork on August 5 before heading off to play in Europe and the UK. The American dates will be followed by shows in Australia before the end of the year.

TRUST THE WIRE, replete with the band's trademark soaring vocals, driving guitar rhythms and pointed, yet sometimes poignant lyrics finds the Coronas' four band members exploring age-old relatable themes of disappointment and disillusionment, sometimes at the hands of interpersonal relationships and sometimes via the fickle business they've chosen for a career. In its review of the new album, The Sunday Times in Ireland wrote that "they've brought their towering tunes into the present and staked their claim to be a cleverer Coldplay." Ireland's Hot Press summed it up with: "another highly impressive effort."

The songs on TRUST THE WIRE were written while the members all shared a house in Dingle on the Atlantic coast of Ireland during the summer of 2016. The place and its breathtaking isolation lent itself to the creation of introspective songs for which all four members share credit. From there, they moved on to London and Eastcote Studios in Notting Hill to record with Elliot James (Kaiser Chiefs, Two Door Cinema Club) who also produced their previous release, THE LONG WAY.

The Coronas have previously released four studio albums: HEROES OR GHOSTS (2007), TONY WAS AN EX-CON (2009), CLOSER TO YOU (2011) and THE LONG

WAY (2014), the first three via the independent Irish label 3ú Records and the fourth one on Island Records. Their return to the independent route for TRUST THE WIRE— with their own label--is perhaps best illuminated in the album's first single release, "We Couldn't Fake It," which recounts the band's realization that they need to do things their own way. The album's second single, "Real Feel," is a rousing anthem that lends itself to audience participation.  A third single will be coming soon.

Videos for the first two singles from TRUST THE WIRE have already been made, directed by John Broe. The video for "We Couldn't Fake It" has Danny confined to a bathtub fully clothed while the elaborate production for "Real Feel" was actually shot in one take. They can be viewed here:

We Couldn't Fake It: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycTl3vVTtzE

Real Feel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9JqtIiKsMA

The third annual BOWL FOR RONNIE Celebrity Bowling Tournament, benefiting the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund (www.diocancerfund.org), took place on Friday, October 6, 2017 at Pinz Bowling Center in Studio City, California. This year's event brought in $49,000 for the Dio Cancer Fund, now in its eighth year of raising awareness and much-needed funding for cancer research.  It was attended by a capacity crowd of over 300 rockers, bowling enthusiasts, DIO fans and Dio Cancer Fund supporters, with tickets selling out the day before causing the building to be filled to capacity.

Hosted again by Sirius XM's "Volume" host Eddie Trunk, rock musicians in attendance at the event were former Guns N Roses drummer Steven Adler, Doug Aldrich (Dio), David Alford and Chris Hager of Rough Cutt, Vinny Appice (Dio/Black Sabbath), Sebastian Bach (Skid Row), Ira Black (Lizzy Borden), Ann Boleyn (Hellion), Jimmy Burkhard (Billy Idol), Alex Cane (Richie Ramone), Dino Cazares (Fear Factory), Calico Cooper and Chris Latham of Beasto Blanco, Fred Coury (Cinderella), Robbie Crane and Ricky Warwick of Black Star Riders, Jimmy DeAnda (Lynch Mob/Bullet Boys/Lies, Deceit and Treachery), Mikkey Dee (Scorpions/Motorhead), Phil Demmel (Machine Head), Christine Devine (Fox11 News), Jeff Duncan (Armored Saint/DC4), Matt Duncan, Shawn Duncan and Rowan Robertson of DC4, Dio Disciples members Bjorn Englen, Joe Retta, Scott Warren and Simon Wright, Rock Feinstein (Elf/The Rods), Marc Ferrari (Keel/Cold Sweat), Rita Haney, Sonia Harley, Terry Ilous (Great White), Adam Jones (Tool), Richie Kotzen (Winery Dogs), Bob Kulick, Jordan Mancino (Wovenwar/As I Lay Dying), Johnny Martin (LA Guns), Sean McNabb (Lynch Mob), Tom Morello (Prophets of Rage), Dave "Chili" Moreno (Puddle of Mudd), Marty O'Brien (Lita Ford), Budderside members Colin Reid, Rich Sacco, Michael Stone and Patrick Stone, Roy Z (Halford), Jeff Scott Soto (Sons of Apollo), Mick Sweda (Bullet Boys/Lies, Deceit and Treachery), Shane Tesheart (Lies, Deceit and Treachery), Brian Tichy (Whitesnake), Joey Vera (Armored Saint/Fates Warning), Lonnie Vincent (Bullet Boys/ Lies, Deceit and Treachery), vocalist Chas West, guitarist Brent Woods (Wildside), August Zadra (Dennis DeYoung Band), Ahmet Zappa, who attended with his sister Diva, and actor Star Fields (Sons of Anarchy).

BOWL FOR RONNIE attendees were treated to an evening of fun, food, raffle drawings, and, of course, the bowling competition for trophies in the name of raising funds and awareness for the Dio Cancer Fund. 100% of the net proceeds from the BOWL FOR RONNIE will go to further the Dio Cancer Fund's mission of cancer prevention, research and education (www.diocancerfund.org).

One of Ireland's most popular exports, The Coronas, will return to North America for a run of shows beginning February 8 in Montreal. The multi-platinum-selling Irish band, whose North American shows in November were largely sold out, are on the road in support of their fifth album, TRUST THE WIRE, which became The Coronas' first-ever #1 album when it topped the Irish music charts in its first week of release in June.

The lead-off track, "We Couldn't Fake It," is being serviced to radio this week as the second U.S. single from the album, bolstered by an imaginative video that finds The Coronas' front man Danny O'Reilly submerged in a bathtub. The video already has over 300,000 views on YouTube:

In 2017, The Coronas completed shows in Europe, the UK, Australia and Dubai in addition to their November North American tour, all in support of TRUST THE WIRE.  "Real Feel," the first U.S. single from the album enjoyed AAA and Alternative radio airplay throughout the country during the fall tour.

The band has already announced plans for two large summer shows in Ireland: July 13 as part of the annual Live at the Marquee music festival in Cork and July 21 at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland's largest indoor concert venue. They will also do some new recording early in the year.

TRUST THE WIRE, the band's first release on their own label imprint called So Far So Good Records, is distributed in the U.S. and Canada through ADA Distribution. The Sunday Times in Ireland wrote about the album: "they've brought their towering tunes into the present and staked their claim to be a cleverer Coldplay," while Goldmine Magazine called TRUST THE WIRE "a riveting work, thinking man's rock, with a solid sound to sustain it."

The Coronas have previously released four studio albums: HEROES OR GHOSTS (2007), TONY WAS AN EX-CON (2009), CLOSER TO YOU (2011) and THE LONG WAY (2014), the first three via the independent Irish label 3ú Records and the fourth one on Island Records. All four are double-platinum albums in Ireland.

Eva Cassidy's SONGBIRD album was initially released by independent label Blix Street Records in April, 1998.  The posthumous release, an anthology of recordings by the Washington, DC-based singer who had died in November of 1996, is comprised of four tracks from her first solo album, LIVE AT BLUES ALLEY (taken from her January 3, 1996 performance with her band at the Georgetown jazz club and locally released a few months before she died); five tracks from EVA BY HEART, the studio album she was recording at the time of her passing, posthumously released locally a year after she died; and one track (Over The Rainbow) from THE OTHER SIDE, a 1992 collection of jazz and blues duets with Washington's Chuck Brown.

According to Blix Street's founder/president Bill Straw, the plan was to introduce the music of the then recently deceased/now legendary singer to the world via an album that would live on with early believers until the inevitable tipping point around the world. The title-SONGBIRD-was taken from Eva's included cover of the Christine McVie classic that has closed many a Fleetwood Mac concert. LIVE AT BLUES ALLEY and EVA BY HEART were both later released by Blix Street in the summer of 1998, the first national and international exposure for both works.

SONGBIRD20, set for release by Blix Street in the UK and Australia on March 2, the U.S. on March 9 and Canada on March 30, celebrates the 20th anniversary of the original SONGBIRD, an album 'heard round the world'...more than five million copies sold. SONGBIRD20 contains the re-mastered original ten tracks (featuring Cassidy's masterful interpretations of Fields of Gold, Autumn Leaves, Songbird and Over the Rainbow) plus four acoustic bonus tracks (Songbird, Wade in the Water, People Get Ready and Autumn Leaves) that surfaced long after the release of SONGBIRD. They were first heard on the 2011 SIMPLY EVA album.

SONGBIRD originally arrived with immediate impact around the world. It began with Fields of Gold and ended with Over the Rainbow, tracks that people only had to hear once. In between were eight other classic performances that also showcased Eva Cassidy's extraordinarily versatile voice and exquisite taste: in choice of songs; impeccable arrangements and her incredible ability to re-imagine a familiar song and make it her personal property. People Magazine wrote at the time: "Whether in jazz, folk, or inspirational music, Cassidy's potential was huge, and this album stands as a testament to popular music's loss."

Two years later, as 2000 drew to a close, National Public Radio featured Eva Cassidy on its "Morning Edition" news program and, almost simultaneously over in England, a grainy video of Cassidy performing Over the Rainbow from the Blues Alley concert aired on the British television program Top of the Pops2 on BBC2, and it was re-broadcast in January, 2001 following a wave of phone calls, emails and letters from viewers. The rebroadcast catapulted the SONGBIRD album to the top of the UK and Irish album charts on March 18, 2001, igniting a media storm in the U.S. where outlets from The Today Show to ABC World News Tonight to CNN weighed in on the phenomenon that was Eva Cassidy. ABC News Nightline ran a full half hour piece that has been rebroadcast numerous times in the ensuing years, making it one of, if not the most popular program in the history of Nightline. The piece was anchored by ABC's on-air correspondent Dave Marash who had heard Eva music in Washington and would then listen to it at night while covering the war in Bosnia and other faraway places.

By November of 2001, the fifth anniversary of her passing, SONGBIRD had been certified: Triple Platinum in England for sales of more than 900,000; and Gold in the US for sales of more than 500,000, eventually hitting #1 on Billboard Magazine's Internet Album Chart and topping the publication's Pop Catalog Chart for 32 weeks.

The small catalogue of material she left behind has been meticulously curated and released via 11 different albums. Subsequent Eva Cassidy releases include TIME AFTER TIME (2000), two additional U.K. chart toppers, IMAGINE (2002) and AMERICAN TUNE (2003)--the former climbed to #1 on Billboard's Independent Album Chart, the latter to No. 5), the 2004 compilation WONDERFUL WORLD, followed by SOMEWHERE in 2008 and 2011's SIMPLY EVA, an album of alternative Eva-only acoustic guitar and vocal performances. THE BEST OF EVA CASSIDY was released in 2012.

In 2015, Blix Street released NIGHTBIRD, the complete 31-song recording of Eva Cassidy's landmark Blues Alley concert. The two-CD set, containing 12 previously unreleased tracks, was remixed and remastered from the original tapes and also released in a double vinyl album version.

To date, Eva Cassidy has sold more 10 million records around the world-with half attributed to SONGBIRD. Six times Platinum in England, SONGBIRD passed the one million sales mark in the U.S. and was certified Platinum on November 14, 2008. Cassidy recently became one of only 11 female artists to ever achieve 10 or more UK Gold albums.

In recent years, Eva Cassidy has become the standard for a younger generation of female singers. Her influence is documented in Eva Cassidy: Timeless Voice, a 2013 television program. Adele has been quoted as saying: "So I used to dress up like a Slipknot fan, and then after school I'd run home and listen to Eva Cassidy."

Every year brings countless new uses of her music in films, television and beyond--from USA Ladies Figure Skating Champion Michelle Kwan skating to Eva's Fields of Gold during the closing ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City to the inclusion of her Songbird performance in the film Love Actually (2003) to a 2007 BBC poll ranking Eva Cassidy 21st on a list of "100 Voices of the 20th Century" to the 67th Annual Emmy Awards using her signature version of Over the Rainbow to underscore the 2015 award show's In Memoriam tribute honoring the passing of major television industry figures during the prior year to the continuing use of her arrangements and recordings on talent shows such as The XFactor, The Voice, American Idol, America's Got Talent and Dancing With The Stars.

Born in Washington, DC, Cassidy grew up around music in Oxon Hill, Maryland (and in Bowie, Maryland after the age of nine). Her father, a special needs teacher, played bass and cello while her brother Dan played violin. She was encouraged to sing at home with her siblings from an early age, and by high school, she was in several bands.

Her catalogue of recordings began when she wandered into producer Chris Biondo's studio in Kensington, Maryland to sing on a band's demo to make extra money. Biondo, impressed with her talent, asked her to come back so he could record her as a soloist, eventually introducing her to Washington's "King of Go-Go" Chuck Brown.   In 1992, THE OTHER SIDE, a collection of Brown and Cassidy duets (plus her solo version of Over the Rainbow) was released nationally by Liaison Records.

Cassidy worked in a plant nursery by day to fulfill her desire to be close to nature and played in local clubs around her native Washington, DC by night, developing a loyal following for her intensely personal, highly eclectic musical style. Unable to secure a record deal she was happy with, Cassidy cashed in a small pension from her job to pay for the recording of her first album, LIVE AT BLUES ALLEY, in 1996. She was backed by her band -- producer Chris Biondo on bass, pianist Lenny Williams, lead guitarist Keith Grimes and drummer Raice McLeod. Nobody could have imagined that the audio and video recordings captured that night would prove to be the foundation of Eva Cassidy's unparalleled posthumous international success. Cassidy and Biondo were also at work on a studio album which would become EVA BY HEART. It was completed by Biondo and released locally by Liaison Records almost a year after Eva's death.

After she was diagnosed with melanoma at the age of 33, Blix Street recording artist Grace Griffith sent Eva's music to her label's president Bill Straw. Straw heard the original LIVE AT BLUES ALLEY album in late September of 1996, shortly before Eva died. "By the time I finished listening to the whole album, I knew I had heard one of the best singers ever," he recalls. "I knew she was going to be famous, but also knew she would not live to enjoy it. I drove around listening to her cassette in my car for months before contacting her parents about marketing their daughter's music."

Eva Cassidy's voice caused a collective spontaneous reaction around the world that she did not live to witness   SONGBIRD20 is a celebration of the anniversary of the release of the album that first made the world aware of one of the finest singers of her generation.

In these intervening 20 years since the release of SONGBIRD, Eva Cassidy's music has proven timeless and universal. Crossing all boundaries-musical, cultural, geographical-her voice continues to find new listeners every day. "She sang for the pure joy of singing," her mother, Barbara Cassidy, has said, "however, the spirit would move her."

The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund is pleased to announce the 4th Annual RIDE FOR RONNIE Motorcycle Ride and Concert, taking place on Sunday, May 6, 2018. The Ride from Harley-Davidson of Glendale to Los Encinos Park in Encino will raise awareness and funds for cancer prevention and research for a cure. The afternoon concert in the park will be once again hosted by radio and television personality Eddie Trunk and will feature live music from the various artists listed below. Last year's Ride raised over $40,000 for the Dio Cancer Fund (www.diocancerfund.org).

Riders will assemble for a continental breakfast at Harley-Davidson of Glendale with kickstands up at 11:00AM. The Ride will take them around the northern edge of the San Fernando Valley to Los Encinos Park in Encino, where they will be treated to an afternoon of live music, a raffle, live auctions, food trucks and much more.

Steven Adler's All Star Band is confirmed to put on another electrifying performance this year! Last year's stellar line-up included Mike Devin (Whitesnake), Lita Ford, Robert Sarzo (Hurricane), Alex Grossi (Quiet Riot), Patrick Stone (Budderside) and Jeff Pilson (Foreigner and former Dio guitarist). This year's All Star Band members will be announced closer to the event. Also confirmed to perform are rock and metal heavyweights Dio Disciples, Beasto Blanco (featuring Chuck Garric and Calico Cooper), One More From the Road (Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band), A Classless Act (featuring Slash's son, London) and Railgun.

A silent auction booth will have many amazing items available to bid on throughout the afternoon, while live auctions, featuring one-of-a-kind rock collectibles, will be held from the stage between artist performances.

Sponsors lending their continued support to the RIDE FOR RONNIE include Harley-Davidson of Glendale, Law Tigers, Ninkasi Brewing Company, Graffiti Wines, Archie's Ice Cream and LA's premier rock radio station, 95.5 KLOS.

Beer, wine, sodas and water will be available for sale, as well as delicious food from various food trucks including Slammin' Sliders and G's Taco Spot.

For information and tickets, please visit http://diocancerfund.org/events/

One of Ireland's best loved and hardest working bands, The Coronas are set to return to North America for their biggest series of shows ever. Having completed two tours that included 11 sold out shows in support of their fifth and latest album, TRUST THE WIRE, the upcoming series of shows will include larger venues along with several high profile music festivals.

Already announced are the band's debut appearances at the eclectic Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago's Grant Park on Sunday, August 5 as well as three nights at the annual Milwaukee Irish Fest, August 17, 18 and 19. The major portion of tour begins in Calgary, Alberta on September 25 and continues for more than a month of shows in cities all over the United States and Canada.

The Coronas, who have five critically-acclaimed albums to their credit-four of them double platinum in Ireland and one on its way there-have spent a decade touring all over the world. The TRUST THE WIRE album debuted at #1 on the Irish music chart in its first week of release in the summer of 2017, becoming the band's first album to reach the top spot. After achieving that milestone, The Coronas--Danny O'Reilly (vocals, guitar), Graham Knox (bass), Conor Egan (drums) and Dave McPhillips (guitar)-hit the road to take their music directly to audiences everywhere, performing shows in Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, the United States and even Dubai, bookended by massive concerts in their native Ireland.

Shows in the UK and an array of summer festivals around Ireland as well as headlining Ireland's largest indoor concert venue-the 3Arena-on July 21 will precede this new North American tour. Lead singer Danny O'Reilly is geared up for all it.   "Obviously, the huge shows we do at home in Ireland have 'an arena adrenaline factor,' but any time we've gone to America, we've always gotten a great reaction," he explains. "Of course, every city has its own vibe and atmosphere, but, as a whole, the American audiences are amazing. They're not quite as crazy loud as the Irish, and they aren't too subdued like some of the European crowds."

To coincide with their touring schedule, The Coronas will be rolling out new music throughout the summer that they recorded in Ireland at the beginning of the year. The first such release is the song "Is There Still Time?," available now on Spotify and iTunes.

Additionally, the Coronas have also unveiled a new video for the song "Gut Feeling" from TRUST THE WIRE that has the band performing live at the National Film School in Dublin. It was created by a number of film students there as a class project. It can be viewed here:

https://youtu.be/ BQFaOLMmA8Y

In addition to TRUST THE WIRE, The Coronas previously released four studio albums: HEROES OR GHOSTS (2007), TONY WAS AN EX-CON (2009), CLOSER TO YOU (2011) and THE LONG WAY (2014), the first three via the independent Irish label 3ú Records and the fourth one on Island Records. Returning to the independent route, they released TRUST THE WIRE on their own label imprint, So Far So Good Records.

With the singles "Real Feel" and "We Couldn't Fake It" from TRUST THE WIRE making inroads at U.S. radio for the first time, The Coronas' music is becoming more recognizable in America, and their audiences are growing. "I think because America and Ireland have such a connection historically, we tend to get welcomed wherever we go," says Danny. "It'll be our third trip to North America in the last year, and we're looking forward to heading back and seeing cities that we've started to get a feel for. We've already found some cool coffee shops, bars and places that we'd love to see again."

Sunday, August 5--Lollapalooza Festival, Chicago, IL

https://www.lollapalooza.com/tickets/

August 17, 18 & 19--Milwaukee Irish Fest, Milwaukee, WI

https://irishfeststore.sfgrounds.com/

Tuesday, Sept. 25--The Gateway, Calgary, AB, Canada

https://www.ticketmaster.ca/The-Gateway-SAIT-tickets-Calgary/venue/139889

Wednesday, Sept. 26--Starlite Room, Edmonton, AB, Canada

https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1681180?utm_medium=bks

Friday, Sept. 28--Vogue, Vancouver, BC, Canada

https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1681500

Saturday, Sept. 29--The Crocodile, Seattle, WA

https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1682722?utm_medium=bks 

Sunday, Sept. 30--Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR

https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1655625

Tuesday, October 2--August Hall, San Francisco, CA

https://www.ticketweb.com/event/the-coronas-august-hall-tickets/8309765?pl=august

Wednesday, October 3--Casbah, San Diego, CA

https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1680931?utm_medium=bks

Sunday, October 14--Blueberry Hill, St. Louis, MO

http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0600548BEA0BC767

Tuesday, October 16--Club Cafe, Pittsburgh, PA

https://www.ticketweb.com/event/the-coronas-club-cafe-tickets/8309125?pl=opus

Thursday, October 18--Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, Canada

http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1648787

Friday, October 19--Irving Plaza, New York, NY

http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0000548BCB196880

Saturday, October 20--The Sinclair, Boston, MA

http://axs.com/events/353138/the-coronas-tickets?skin=sinclair

Sunday, October 21--Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA

https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1681024?utm_medium=bks

Wednesday, October 24--Exit / In, Nashville, TN

https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1682499?utm_medium=bks 

Thursday, October 25--Purgatory, Atlanta, GA

http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0E005489D52797C4

The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund's fourth annual RIDE FOR RONNIE Motorcycle Ride and Concert, scheduled for Sunday, May 6, 2018, will feature some of today's most exciting and promising talents. The event will not only feature performances by Steven Adler's All Star Band (this year's exciting line-up is TBA), Dio Disciples, One More From the Road (Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band) and Railgun, but also two groups who are carrying the flag of heavy metal into the next generation: Beastö Blancö, featuring Chuck Garric and Calico Cooper (daughter of rock icon Alice Cooper), and Classless Act, featuring guitar god Slash's son, London Hudson.

The RIDE FOR RONNIE will raise awareness and funds for cancer prevention and research for a cure. Participating motorcyclists will ride from Harley-Davidson of Glendale to Los Encinos Park in Encino for the afternoon concert that will be hosted by radio and television personality Eddie Trunk.   Last year's Ride raised over $40,000 for the Dio Cancer Fund.

Los Angeles-based Beastö Blancö was founded in 2012 by Chuck Garric and Brother Latham, and features Calico Cooper, rock vixen and the spawn of Garric's boss, legendary shock rocker Alice Cooper. Beastö Blancö was flooded with invites to get on the road after the release of their 2012 debut album, Live Fast Die Loud, completing successful tours in the US, Norway, the UK and other European countries. Although they are busy in the studio completing their fourth album and gearing up for a European/US summer tour, Beastö Blancö is pleased to be able to take part in this important event.

Vocalist Calico Cooper says, "We all loved Ronnie dearly, and his legacy has inspired everyone you will see performing at RIDE FOR RONNIE, especially Beasto Blanco. He was a brilliant singer and a legendary showman, and we are privileged to follow the trail he blazed and melt faces in his honor. We rock for Ronnie, we ride for Ronnie."

Alice Cooper himself adds, "Ronnie is a metal icon synonymous with power and hope. Bikers, rockers, and survivors all over the world gravitate towards his music. One of the many ways his legacy lives on is through his wife Wendy and her involvement in cancer research. We will always support Wendy, Ronnie James Dio, and his charity."

Slash's 15-year old son, London Hudson, is the drummer for Los Angeles-based Classless Act, the band he created with childhood friend Nico Tsangaris on lead guitar. The band also includes Dane Pieper on rhythm guitar, Franco Gravante on bass and singer Derek Day. The RIDE FOR RONNIE will be Classless Act's very first live performance, featuring all original songs from the band's upcoming debut EP, and showcasing their classic rock n' roll throwback sound. The band also plans to perform Black Sabbath's "The Mob Rules" as a tribute to Ronnie James Dio.

"We are really excited and grateful as a band to be performing at the RIDE FOR RONNIE Motorcycle Ride and Concert," says London Hudson. "We believe it is an amazing cause to support cancer prevention, research and awareness while honoring the memory of the great Ronnie James Dio!"

London's father Slash adds, "The annual RIDE FOR RONNIE event is a great collective effort for a great cause supporting cancer research and prevention, and with great live music and motorcycles, you can't go wrong. It's especially cool this year as my son's band, Classless Act are performing. Stand Up and Shout!"

Riders taking part in the RIDE FOR RONNIE will assemble for a continental breakfast at Harley-Davidson of Glendale with kickstands up at 11:00 am. The Ride will take them around the northern edge of the San Fernando Valley to Los Encinos Park in Encino for an afternoon of live music, raffle, live auctions, food trucks and much more. A silent auction booth will have many items available to bid on throughout the afternoon, while live auctions, featuring one-of-a-kind rock collectibles, will be held from the stage between artist performances.

Beer, wine, sodas, and water will be available for sale, as well as delicious foods from food trucks including Slammin' Sliders, G's Taco Spot and the Grilled Cheese Truck. Sponsors lending their continued support to the RIDE FOR RONNIE include Harley-Davidson of Glendale, Law Tigers, Ninkasi Brewing Company, Graffiti Wines, Archie's Ice Cream, Solar Rain Water and LA's premier rock radio station, 95.5 KLOS.For information and tickets, please visit

http://diocancerfund.org/events

Recently called "Ireland's best-kept secret" by the Irish Examiner newspaper, The Coronas are set to return to North America for their biggest series of shows yet. Having completed two tours within the last year that included a dozen sold out shows in support of their latest album, TRUST THE WIRE, their newest series of concerts will kick off this Sunday, August 5 at Chicago's Grant Park when they make their debut appearance at the eclectic Lollapalooza Festival. On the heels of Lollapalooza will be three performances at the annual Irish Fest, August 17, 18 and 19 in Milwaukee's Henry W. Maier Festival Park.

The bulk of the tour begins in Calgary, Alberta on September 25 and continues for more than a month of shows in cities all over the United States and Canada. "We've had a great year touring North America," explains Coronas frontman Danny O'Reilly, "and we can see the work paying off and the crowds increasing.  We plan to keep coming back and building it like we did at home. We were never an overnight success in Ireland, so we're excited to emulate that process overseas."

To coincide with the tour, The Coronas have rolled out new music in the form of a five-song EP called REPRISE, available now on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music and other digital outlets.  The EP was largely recorded at the beginning of this year.

The songs that comprise REPRISE touch on a recurring theme often found in Coronas' material-navigating relationships-as evidenced by introspective titles such as "Is There Still Time?" and "Not Sure How to Lie" and made effectively heart-rending by lead singer Danny O'Reilly's plaintive vocals. The Irish Independent newspaper has described the collection as being in "the key of indie alienation, disquiet, melancholy, mortality, regret, guilt, with glimpses of joy and happiness. All wrapped up in piano-and-guitar melodies that owe more to the Edge or Radiohead than they do to Coldplay, or indeed David Bowie."

The band have already started writing for their next album, to be recorded sometime early in the new year. REPRISE follows TRUST THE WIRE, which debuted at #1 on the Irish music chart in its first week of release in the summer of 2017, becoming the band's first album to reach that coveted top spot. TRUST THE WIRE was also The Coronas' first release on their own label imprint-So Far So Good Records, distributed in the U.S. and Canada through ADA Distribution.

The US/Canada tour follows recent high profile shows in England and at home in Ireland. Describing the band's packed to the rafters show at Dublin's 3Arena on

July 21, the Independent reported: "It's clear throughout the gig that the band's mission is to make us lose our inhibitions, as well as play their finest, most instantly relatable tracks." Then adding: "The crowd, for their part, sing along as though they'd written the words themselves."

The Coronas' Danny O'Reilly (vocals, guitar), Graham Knox (bass), Conor Egan (drums) and Dave McPhillips (guitar) have five critically-acclaimed albums to their credit--four of them double platinum in Ireland and one on its way there-and have spent a decade touring all over the world. The Coronas will follow their tour of North America with three shows in Australia in November.

Says O'Reilly: "We're passionate, we love what we do, we try to get the crowd to sing along and join the show. Above all, we appreciate what we do every night, and never take it for granted and that attitude seems to help get the crowd enjoying themselves too. It's the best job in the world."

North American Tour Dates

Sunday, August 5--Lollapalooza Festival, Chicago, IL

August 17, 18 & 19--Milwaukee Irish Fest, Milwaukee, WI

Tuesday, Sept. 25--The Gateway, Calgary, AB, Canada

Wednesday, Sept. 26--Starlite Room, Edmonton, AB, Canada

Friday, Sept. 28--Vogue, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Saturday, Sept. 29--The Crocodile, Seattle, WA

Sunday, Sept. 30--Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR

Tuesday, October 2--August Hall, San Francisco, CA

Wednesday, October 3--Casbah, San Diego, CA

October 5 and 12--Austin City Limits Festival, Austin, TX

Sunday, October 14--Blueberry Hill, St. Louis, MO

Tuesday, October 16--Club Cafe, Pittsburgh, PA

Thursday, October 18--Phoenix Theatre, Toronto, ON, Canada

Friday, October 19--Irving Plaza, New York, NY

Saturday, October 20--The Sinclair, Boston, MA

Sunday, October 21--Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA

Wednesday, October 24--Exit/In, Nashville, TN

Thursday, October 25--Purgatory, Atlanta, GA

October 26-28-Voodoo Festival, New Orleans, LA

U.S.-based British singer-songwriter Bobby Long's love of The Beatles is evident on his forthcoming new album SULTANS, due from Compass Records on March 1, 2019. The two-part title track that bookends this, his fourth album, playfully pays homage to Sgt. Pepper and the music Long heard at home growing up in rural southwest England, while this taut new 10-song set of original material effectively traverses Long's signature love, loss and heartache milieu.

Long emerged from London's folk music open mic night scene in 2009. Armed with a canon of hauntingly poetic songs and some notoriety for one of them being included in the hit film Twilight, he relocated to New York and laid down roots there. His critically-acclaimed debut album A Winter Tale (2011) was followed by the more rock-oriented Wishbone (2013). He returned to his singer-songwriter roots for the evocative Ode to Thinking (2015), and now SULTANS takes a somewhat more adventurous path.

"The songs on this album are a definite continuation and development," Long explains. "It's about the whole body of work for me. It's all part of the greater. I don't think you can define anyone by one album. When you're recording, you always have the greater picture in your head. Your imagination runs over the tracks, and they take all sorts of weird forms. The sounds of this record are the closest to what was in my imagination that I've come on a record."

SULTANS was produced by multi-instrumentalist Jack Dawson with whom Long had collaborated and toured with on behalf of his 2012 EP The Backing Singer. It was recorded over a one year period in a studio in Brooklyn. With Long on guitar, Dawson also played bass on the tracks while studio engineer Dave Lindsay played drums.

"Jack and I have a shared love of so much music, and we would talk endlessly about records we love," Long explains. "Jack, like myself, is a feel guy so we were never too picky about tone or instruments. The album is basically a reflection of our friendship and love of songs. Jack really added his own colours and personality to the album, and it's definitely the best thing I've ever done. Of course, I always feel that the new one is the best one, but I feel pretty strongly about this one. I really love creating and writing. It feels as magical today as it did when I was a child."

Bobby Long is set for a U.S. tour in support of SULTANS.  Initial dates scheduled are as follows:

March 1-City Winery Loft, New York City

March 2-World Café Live, Philadelphia, PA

March 6-Café Nine, New Haven, CT

March 7-Portland Empire, Portland, ME

March 8-Club Passim, Cambridge, MA

March 16-Jammin Java, Vienna, VA

March 22-Fat Tire Friday, New Belgium Brewery, Asheville, NC

March 24-Eddie's Attic, Decatur, GA

April 5-Fat Tire Friday, New Belgium Brewery, Fort Collins, CO

April 11-Cactus Café, Austin, TX

April 12-Poor David's Pub, Dallas, TX

April 13-Blue Door, Oklahoma City, OK

April 16-Duck Room at Blueberry Hill, St. Louis, MO

April 17-Gaslamp, Des Moines, IA

April 18-Raccoon Motel, Davenport, IA

April 19-Café Carpe, Fort Atkinson, WI

Tickets will go on sale shortly.  More U.S. shows will be announced soon.

For The Coronas, arguably Ireland’s hardest working band, the road has been home since they first arrived on the music scene more than 10 years ago. During the last two years, they’ve toured North America three times and visited the UK, Australia and Europe in addition to playing all over their homeland in support of their most recent album Trust the Wire and last summer’s EP release, Reprise. Bringing their music to new audiences in far-off places now serves as inspiration for the development of what will ultimately become the band’s sixth album, planned for an early 2020 release.

To begin the recording process, The Coronas came to Los Angeles to work with producer Rob Kirwan, who is riding the crest of the worldwide success of his most recent producing project, Hozier’s Wasteland Baby!  The Coronas and Kirwan recorded four of the new songs, and the first one, “Find the Water,” will be released on Friday, May 24. The single will be available via digital outlets worldwide through the band’s SoFarSoGood Records imprint distributed by Blix Street Records.

You can stream it here:

https://soundcloud.com/thecoronas/sets/find-the-water/s-HemK5

“Seeing our following grow outside of Ireland has definitely left us with a new-found enthusiasm for what we can achieve in this band,” explains Coronas frontman Danny O’Reilly, “I think we all felt that when we sat down to write the new material. Personally, I’ve never been as excited about our new music as am about the batch of songs we already have for the next album. Of the four songs we recorded with Rob in LA, ‘Find the Water’ felt like the right jumping off point for what the album is going to be.

“Musically, it’s unlike anything we’ve done before – melodically, the vocal delivery. Even the arrangement is unusual for us, yet it was one of those songs where we were all on the same page right from the start, and it came together very quickly, which is always a good sign.”

The theme of “Find the Water” is self-improvement, and for O’Reilly that covers both personal and on the band’s journey. “It’s a kind of reminder to myself,” he says, “to appreciate what I’ve got and to convince myself that I can write a decent song or be a good friend or be a better person or whatever it may be.” There will be a music video available shortly.

In between the recording of the album, the road will continue to beckon as The Coronas already have a slate of summer shows on their schedule. While the last two summers have seen them play two of their biggest shows ever in Dublin—last July at the 3Arena and the previous year at the Kilmainham Gaol—as well as other high profile Irish festivals, this year they will be bringing their own Long Way Home Festival, to some six different cities in Ireland. The concept is to bring with them a lineup of their favourite established and up and coming Irish acts in addition to performing their own set.  Shows at the Docklands in Limerick on June 2 and the Big Top in Galway on July 28 have already been announced with the others to be added shortly.

Additionally, The Coronas are set for summer festivals in Europe and Ireland. After making their debut appearance at the eclectic Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago’s Grant Park last summer, the band will this year play Lollapalooza in Berlin on September 8.

The Coronas--Danny O'Reilly (vocals, guitar), Graham Knox (bass), Conor Egan (drums) and Dave McPhillips (guitar)—have five critically-acclaimed albums to their credit—four of them double platinum in Ireland and one on its way there—have spent a decade touring all over the world. The TRUST THE WIRE album debuted at #1 on the Irish music chart in its first week of release in 2017, becoming the band's first album to reach the top spot. In addition to TRUST THE WIRE, The Coronas previously released four studio albums: HEROES OR GHOSTS (2007), TONY WAS AN EX-CON (2009), CLOSER TO YOU (2011) and THE LONG WAY (2014), the first three via the independent Irish label 3ú Records and the fourth one on Island Records. Returning to the independent route, they released TRUST THE WIRE on their own label imprint. They plan to roll out more singles in the coming months leading up to the release of the new album.

Summer 2019 shows are as follows. More will be announced shortly:

June 2 The Docklands, Limerick, Ireland (Long Way Home Festival)

June 15  Fete De La Musique Festival, Luxembourg

June 22 Irish Independent Park, Cork, Ireland

July 14  Citadel Festival, Gunnersbury Park, London

July 20 Splendour, Nottingham

July 28 Big Top, Galway (Long Way Home Festival)

August 23 Custom House Square, Belfast, Northern Ireland

September 8 Lollapalooza Festival, Berlin

The Fifth Annual BOWL FOR RONNIE Celebrity Bowling Party, benefiting the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund (www.diocancerfund.org), will take place on Thursday, November 7, 2019 at PINZ Bowling Center in Studio City, California. The event will be hosted by television and radio personality Eddie Trunk, who is heard on SiriusXM’s Volume channel and whose new TV series TrunkFest airs on AXS-TV. The BOWL FOR RONNIE will feature a celebrity bowling tournament and a raffle drawing for prizes and memorabilia. Last year’s event sold out in advance and raised a record $74,000 for the cancer charity, which is now in its 10th year of raising awareness and much-needed funding for cancer research.

The evening of fun, food, and, of course, bowling with rockers and celebrities competing for trophies kicks off at 6:30 PM with open bowling and a VIP pre-party for lane sponsors, celebrities and their guests. Previous BOWL FOR RONNIE events have brought together entertainers and artists such as Tom Morello (Prophets Of Rage & Rage Against The Machine), Jack Black, Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath), Sebastian Bach, Richie Sambora, John 5, Ahmet Zappa, Phil Demmel (Vio-Lence/Machine Head), members of TOOL, Mastodon, Black Star Riders, Stone Sour, Rough Cutt, Dio Disciples, and many more. This year’s celebrity bowlers will be announced shortly.

Last year, Eddie Trunk’s celebrity bowling team, comprising Jack Black, Geezer Butler, Doug Aldrich, Adam Jones and Tom Morello, recaptured First Place while the previous year’s First Place team, sponsored by Round Hill Music Publishing and captained by rocker Marc Ferrari (Keel/Cold Sweat), took Second Place. 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place trophies in both Celebrity and Corporate categories and Highest Overall Score (Dean Schachtel Award) will be awarded to participants.

100% of the net proceeds from the BOWL FOR RONNIE will go to the Dio Cancer Fund (www.diocancerfund.org). Individual tickets and lane sponsorships are now on sale, and participants are encouraged to gather friends, family and co-workers for the ultimate bowling team. The Pinz Bowling Center is located at 12655 Ventura Blvd in Studio City, California.

For more information, visit: 

http://diocancerfund.com/events/BowlForRonnie_2019.asp

Tickets are now on sale at:  

https://bowl-for-ronnie-2019.eventbrite.com

Individual Spectator: $50 per person (includes pizza and general admission)

·       Individual Bowler: $75 (Join other rock 'n bowlers for open bowling from 6:30-9PM on first come, first served basis, includes pizza, shoe rental and bowling)

·       Team/Corporate Lane Sponsorship: $1995 package for private lane for 6 bowlers (includes team or corporate logo displayed on lane and throughout event on flat screens, 6 VIP party passes for access to Artist/VIP lounge, 2 drink tickets per team member, 6 “Bowl For Ronnie” t-shirts, pizza and shoe rental)

WHO: The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund

WHAT: BOWL FOR RONNIE Celebrity Charity Bowling Tournament

WHERE: Pinz Bowling Center, 12655 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, California

WHEN: Thursday, November 7, 2019 - 6:30-11:00pm /

VIP Pre-Party 6:30-8:30pm

WHY: To raise funds for cancer research.

The Fifth Annual BOWL FOR RONNIE Celebrity Bowling Party, benefiting the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund (www.diocancerfund.org), was held on Thursday, November 7, 2019 at PINZ Bowling Center in Studio City, California. Once again sold out in advance, the event raised more than $50,000 for the music-based cancer charity.

Over 300 rockers, bowling enthusiasts, DIO fans and Dio Cancer Fund supporters made up the capacity crowd at the event hosted by broadcast personality Eddie Trunk, who is heard on SiriusXM’s Volume channel and whose TV series TrunkFest airs on AXS-TV. Also joining the festivities this year was the #1 bowler in the world—Professional Bowling Association world champion Jason Belmonte, who bowled a ceremonial strike to open the celebrity competition and show the crowd “how it’s done.”

Ireland’s hard-working band, The Coronas, who are closing out a series of sold out holiday concerts all over Ireland, are finishing off an action-packed year with the release of an album of stellar live concert performances entitled LIVE AT THE OLYMPIA, available today (27).   A live version of “Heroes or Ghosts,” the title track of the band’s very first album released in 2007, was the first track released from the new collection.  It illustrates the devotion of The Coronas’ fans who are known to sing along at shows, and in this case, take over the lead vocals when Coronas’ front man Danny O’Reilly steps away from the mike. They even join with him on the second verse sung in the Irish language.

You can listen to “Heroes or Ghosts” from LIVE AT THE OLYMPIA here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SG09dDnbKkw

https://open.spotify.com/album/2YuK5RjPIay3kShLrrXtEr

The Coronas, who have been described as “Ireland’s best-kept secret,” wrap up some nine sold out holiday concerts—that included a three night run back at the Olympia Theatre this year as well—with shows tomorrow night (28) at The Royal Theatre, Castlebar, and Saturday night at the Gleneagle INEC Arena in Killarney, Their only U.S. appearances this year were three nights in November at New York’s Mercury Lounge, all sold out as well.

That will change in 2020 when The Coronas, who have been at work recording what will ultimately become their sixth album, release their new music early in the new year.  Tour plans are already under way to bring The Coronas back to Australia, the UK and the United States in the new year.

To kickstart the recording process for the new album, The Coronas came to Los Angeles to record four new songs with producer Rob Kirwan, who rode the crest of worldwide success with his recent producing project, Hozier’s Wasteland Baby!  The band continued work on the new album in London with George Murphy who engineered their last two albums. 

Last May, they rolled out the first music from the new album--the single “Find the Water”—which immediately catapulted to #1 on Ireland’s iTunes chart upon release. A paean to the need for ongoing self-improvement, both personal and on the band’s own trajectory, it provided a glimpse into the direction the next album will take. “It has a different vibe and pace to our older work,” explained O’Reilly.  A live version of “Find the Water,” recorded in the summer the Irish Independent Park in Cork, is also included in the new live collection.

After a year that included headlining their own traveling festival all over Ireland, playing a series of sold-out holiday concerts at various venues in their hometown, slipping in a quick SRO engagement at the Mercury Lounge in New York City and releasing their first live album, The Coronas this week have rolled out a new single called “Haunted” as a prelude to their first album in three years. The single is now available via digital outlets worldwide through the band’s SoFarSoGood Records imprint distributed by Blix Street Records.

You can stream ‘Haunted’ here:

https://thecoronas.lnk.to/Haunted

https://open.spotify.com/track/1NOEgXlfxrNhTgZC3HzxNN?si=UulRI7M4SSOb2H2v5Q3vEA

The forthcoming new album, the band’s sixth, was recorded during breaks in last year’s hectic schedule, largely at London’s prestigious Eastcote studios. George Murphy, acclaimed engineer and producer (Ellie Goulding, The Specials, Mumford & Sons), who engineered The Coronas’ previous two albums, undertook the main production duties along with Rob Kirwan (Hozier, PJ Harvey) and Cormac Butler (Academic, All Tvvins). It is slated for release on May 29.

Following the year-end release of the LIVE AT THE OLYMPIA album, which captures the exuberance and excitement of The Coronas live in concert as well as the fervor of their devoted audiences, the band is now embarking on 2020 as a three-piece band following the amicable departure of lead guitarist Dave McPhillips. They are set to ramp up their busy schedule right up to the album release in May. “Yeah, it’s been a crazy few months!” laughs the band’s frontman Danny O’Reilly, ‘but it’s a new chapter for us. We’re so proud of this new album, and we can’t wait to share it.”

The Coronas previously rolled out the track “Find The Water” from the new album, complemented by a music video that provided a stark and intriguing journey through the iconic Southern California desert. A music video for “Haunted” is currently in the works.

The band will once again tour extensively both in Ireland and internationally in support of the upcoming album. In addition to already-announced festival dates in Ireland, The Coronas will return to North America for three weeks of shows beginning April 11 at The Beat Kitchen in Chicago.

2020 North American Tour Dates

tickets go on sale Friday, January 31

Saturday, April 11, 2020: Beat Kitchen, Chicago, IL

https://www.ticketweb.com/event/the-coronas-beat-kitchen-tickets/10331185?pl=beatkitchen&REFID=clientsitewp

Tuesday, April 14, 2020: Rock N Roll Hotel, Washington, DC

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-coronas-tickets-91529600499?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Wednesday, April 15, 2020:  Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

https://www.axs.com/events/391277/the-coronas-tickets?skin=mhow

Friday, April 17, 2020: Great Scott, Boston, MA

https://www.axs.com/events/391336/the-coronas-tickets?skin=greatscott

Tuesday, April 21, 2020: The Troubadour, Los Angeles, CA

https://www.troubadour.com/e/the-coronas-90234940135/

Wednesday, April 22, 2020: The Independent, 

San Francisco, CA

https://www.ticketweb.com/event/the-coronas-the-independent-tickets/10331055?pl=independentsf&REFID=clientsitewp

Saturday, April 25, 2020: The Crocodile, Seattle, WA

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-coronas-tickets-91395792275

Sunday, April 26, 2020: Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, 

BC, Canada

https://tinyurl.com/ugs9xcf

Thursday, April 30, 2020: Mod Club, Toronto, ON, Canada

While millions of people are becoming accustomed to virtual gatherings and live streaming of music events during the current coronavirus pandemic, for the non-profit Melodic Caring Project (www.melodiccaring.org), it has been a way of life throughout its nearly 10-year history. The Seattle-based 501c3 charity has been bringing personalized live music performances by a wide range of touring artists directly to the hospital beds of sick children in various forms of isolation or quarantine since 2011.

Co-founded by recording artist Levi Ware and his wife Stephanie, the organization first tapped into the array of local concerts in the Seattle area, livestreaming artists’ scheduled shows from local clubs to local hospital wards populated by severely ill children they have dubbed rockSTARS. During each live broadcast the artist on stage calls the patients out by name, offering love and support to each child and their families. The organization slowly expanded its dominion to add shows originating from much larger venues—some in other cities—by high profile artists, among them Coldplay, Hozier, Lukas Nelson, Black Eyed Peas, Fitz and the Tantrums, Andy Grammar, Jason Mraz, Amos Lee, X Ambassadors, Brandi Carlile and many others.

The onset of the COVID19 crisis and its earliest U.S. epicenter in the organization’s hometown of Seattle has broadened Melodic Caring Project’s view of its objective. “Our mission from the beginning has been to break down the walls of isolation, specifically for children who are hospitalized for long periods of time,” explains Levi Ware. “Now, suddenly, all of us around the world are faced with the same social distancing and ritual handwashing that is already a way of life for these very sick children and their families. With the fear and isolation that this incredible crisis is creating around the world, our mission has never been more crucial. Ironically, nobody is better at dealing with this extraordinary and abnormal situation than the children we have supported for years.”

Melodic Caring Project has essentially brought the outside world directly to children too sick to leave their hospital beds. With live concerts furloughed during the current pandemic, MCP has used its existing technology to pivot and create original content to bring to its already captive audience and beyond, including health care workers, first responders and those now living in isolation the world over. They just launched the new series called MCPConnects to bring music to those communities. As example, MCP alum artist Michael Fitzpatrick (Fitz of the American neo pop and indie soul band band Fitz & The Tantrums, connects with MCP’s rockSTARS watching from hospitals and home-care facilities around the world here: https://vimeo.com/408189090

New episodes in the series, comprising a short Facetime conversation conducted by Levi Ware with an artist, some that have previously participated in MCP events, followed by a performance of a song by that artist, are posting every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  MCPConnects episodes are already in the queue from artists such as Tyrone Wells, Eva Holbrook (SHEL), Tim Wilson (Ivan & Alyosha), Ethan Anderson (Massy Ferguson), Brandon Ghorley (The BGP), Rob Drabkin among others. Many more will be shot over the coming weeks.

The Seattle-based non-profit Melodic Caring Project has been bringing personalized live music performances by a wide range of touring artists directly to the hospital beds of sick children in isolation or quarantine since 2011. With the COVID-19 pandemic putting live concerts on indefinite hold, the 501c3 charity has been reaching out to an army of music artists, many participants in previous MCP streaming events, to help them create original content to deliver to their community and beyond.

MCPConnects, the organization’s newest series launched in late March as the coronavirus epidemic resulted in orders to “Stay at Home,” brings music content to MCP’s community of rockSTARS watching from hospitals and home-care facilities around the world. The newest addition to the series is an interview and performance by soul and R&B singer Allen Stone who lives in Seattle

Singer-songwriter Amos Lee’s segment for MCPConnects will post this coming week. Lee, a long-time supporter of Melodic Caring Project’s work, gave a shout-out during his 2016 livestreamed show to then 7-year-old Maya who had just been diagnosed with kidney cancer. Following the concert, Lee went to the hospital to meet Maya in person, a meeting that had inspired a warm friendship and the song “Little Light” that was included on his most recent album, MY NEW MOON, released last year. 

Other artists who have already participated in the new series include Fitz and the Tantrums, American Authors, Mondo Cozmo, Tyrone Wells, Eric Bibb, Eva Holbrook (SHEL), Tim Wilson (Ivan & Alyosha), Ethan Anderson (Massy Ferguson), Brandon Ghorley (The BGP), Rob Drabkin, Haley Johnsen, Lisbeth Scott, Bailen and The T Sisters. New episodes in the series, comprising a short Facetime conversation conducted by MCP founder Levi Ware with an artist, followed by a performance of a song, are posting weekly. Many more segments are in the queue to be posted or will be shot over the coming weeks.

Melodic Caring Project, co-founded by recording artist Levi Ware and his wife Stephanie, first tapped into the array of local concerts in the Seattle area, live streaming artists’ scheduled shows from local clubs to local hospital wards populated by severely ill children they dubbed rockSTARS. During each live broadcast, the artist on stage calls the patients out by name, offering love and support to each child and their families. The organization slowly expanded its dominion to add shows originating from much larger venues—some in other cities—by high profile artists, among them Brandi Carlile, Andra Day, Jools Holland, Coldplay, Hozier, The ROOTS, Lukas Nelson, Black Eyed Peas, Fitz and the Tantrums, Andy Grammar, Jason Mraz, Amos Lee, David Crosby, X Ambassadors, and many others. Since its inception, the organization has impacted the lives of over 15,000 children and family members with personalized concerts viewed from hospital rooms around the world.

Recently, Britain’s National Health Service requested that MCP create original content along the lines of MCPConnects to be shared with its hospital workers and first responders on the front lines of the crisis there as well as another isolated community in need of the magic of music--seniors in nursing and hospice care facilities. Ware is planning to bring these types of segments to senior facilities here in the U.S. as well in the coming months.  

Melodic Caring Project has essentially brought the outside world directly to children too sick to leave their hospital beds. With live concerts furloughed during the current pandemic, MCP has used its existing technology to service an already captive audience with fresh, original content and now expand their reach to include so many living in isolation the world over. In this time of social distancing that the public at large is experiencing for the first time, there has never been a greater need for the healing power of music. 

While live concert touring is on hold indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic, THE CORONAS, Ireland’s hardest-working band, are still hitting the road. Well, sort of....

The release of their sixth album, TRUE LOVE WAITS, out now, and, eager to engage their army of loyal fans in some direct way, The Coronas will celebrate the album’s release by commandeering an ice cream freezer van and driving around Ireland dispensing ice cream while blasting their new album. And with their first U.S. single from the album called “Cold,” and this being National Ice Cream Month, The Coronas and ice cream make a perfect combination for a refreshing summer treat.

Listen to “Cold” here:

https://soundcloud.com/blix-street/the-coronas-cold-edit/s-dVIPoQG3hro

The band have teamed with their friends at Murphy’s Ice Cream, a favorite Irish frozen confection handmade in the idyllic fishing village of Dingle in southwest Ireland where Coronas’ frontman Danny O’Reilly has been self-isolating during the pandemic-imposed shutdown.    

The Coronas will tour Ireland in a Super Sprinkles ice cream van painted with the TRUE LOVE WAITS album artwork, signing copies of the new album and giving away free cups of Murphy’s most popular flavor, Dingle Sea Salt. Murphy’s is known for its all-natural ingredients, among them farm-fresh milk from local County Kerry cows and salt derived from Dingle sea water for their signature flavor.

The Coronas’ Ice Cream Van Tour kicks off today, Thursday, July 30 with a special afternoon event at Golden Discs record shop in Cork. The next day they will begin at the Town Square in Mitchelstown in Cork, followed by stops at the famed music venue Dolan’s Warehouse in Limerick and finishing up that evening at the Murphy’s Ice Cream shop on High Street in Galway.

Saturday, August 1 will begin at Murphy’s Ice Cream on Wicklow Street in Dublin’s main shopping area, followed by a stop at the Millpond in Dundrum Town Centre and finishing that evening outside Starbucks in Liffey Valley Shopping Centre in conjunction with Golden Discs. The tour ends on Monday, August 3 in Waterford where they will visit City Square Shopping Centre and end up at Dunmore East.

The band will be encouraging social distancing and the wearing of masks at all events and will be updating their social media channels during the weekend with the latest information on their tour routing.

Normally, the summer months would have been filled with large festival events all over Ireland and in Europe for The Coronas, but the coronavirus pandemic has furloughed live concerts. In addition to this major change of plans, The Coronas themselves have had to—good-naturedly--cope with sharing a name with the virus that has altered so many lives.

Coronas lead singer Danny says, “When we realized that we weren’t going to be able to promote the album like we have before, we started thinking about different ideas to mark the launch. With no gigs, in-store signings or radio performances permitted, our manager had the idea that we get in an ice cream van and travel the country giving out free ice cream and selling and personally signing the album!  With everything that’s going on at the moment, we thought it might add a tiny bit of positivity into the world, and we can’t wait to get out and see some of our fans and friends around the country that we haven’t seen since before lockdown. There’s a long way to go before we beat this unfortunately named virus, but, remember, ‘True Love Waits.’”

The Coronas actually performed “Light Me Up” from the new album during the Songs From An Empty Room nationally televised fundraising event last weekend from the empty Olympia Theatre in Dublin to raise money to support the crews of live entertainment entities affected by the Covid-19 work stoppage. It was the first time the band had performed together, albeit socially distantly, in the same room since early March.

Internationally renowned singer Eva Cassidy, who died from melanoma in 1996 at the age of 33, has been cultivating new fans in the U.S. as her signature rendition of Cyndi Lauper’s classic “Time After Time” serves as the soundtrack for Kay Jewelers’ national advertising campaign that has been running throughout the holiday season.  On January 15, Blix Street Records will release ACOUSTIC featuring 20 of Eva Cassidy’s best loved acoustic tracks.  “Time After Time” will lead off the new collection, which also includes favorites such as her acoustic interpretations of “Wade in the Water,” “Kathy’s Song,” “Autumn Leaves,” “American Tune” and “Songbird."

Additionally, the new year’s weekend marked the 25th Anniversary of Cassidy and her band performing at the Blues Alley nightclub in Washington, DC for what was to become the only solo Eva Cassidy album released during her lifetime. The audio and video recordings of the January 3, 1996 performance would become the basis for the original LIVE AT BLUES ALLEY album (first released locally in D.C. during the spring of 1996) and prove to be the foundation of Eva Cassidy’s unparalleled posthumous international success.  Goldmine Magazine has written about the recording:   “Indeed, the entire performance is utterly spellbinding, an album that not only transports you back to the night, but also to a host of different eras as well.  Magical.”

To commemorate the January 3 anniversary, a brand-new documentary entitled Eva Cassidy – ONE NIGHT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING premiered on YouTube. The film, by British television director Attracta McLaughlin, contains footage from the historic concert, and, in addition, Eva’s band members--bassist Chris Biondo, pianist Lenny Williams, lead guitarist Keith Grimes and drummer Raice McLeod--revisit the Blues Alley venue to view video performances from the night with then and now perspectives. The documentary has already had more than 280,000 views a week after release.

The Eva Cassidy – ONE NIGHT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING documentary is available for viewing here.

The Kay Jewelers Someday campaign, as in “someday I’ll marry you,” was rolled out in October on various primetime cable shows on E!, AMC, Oxygen, TLC and others and then expanded to include :15 second and long form variations on the theme, all giving Cassidy’s singular voice exposure to an ever-growing audience.

The initial :30 spot has racked up more than 250,000 views on YouTube while its longform :90 second version, launched for the 2020 holidays, can be viewed here.

Born in Washington, DC, Eva Cassidy recorded and performed in the area for several years until her untimely death at age 33.  She left behind a small, but prodigious canon of recordings that has been meticulously curated and compiled by Blix Street Records, an independent label now based outside of Seattle, with the support of her parents, Barbara and Hugh Cassidy.

In April, 1998, Blix Street posthumously released SONGBIRD, a collection chosen primarily from two other Cassidy albums, LIVE AT BLUES ALLEY and EVA BY HEART.  It featured Sting’s “Fields of Gold” and Eva’s unqualified signature performance of “Over the Rainbow” (taken from an album called THE OTHER SIDE recorded with Washington, DC’s “King of Go-Go” Chuck Brown).  Later that same year, Blix Street also released the complete LIVE AT BLUES ALLEY and EVA BY HEART, the first national exposure for both albums, followed in May, 2000 by TIME AFTER TIME, a new compilation selected from her then-unreleased material.

2001 would see Eva Cassidy become an “overnight sensation” as SONGBIRD reached #1 on the British charts, setting off a feeding frenzy among the media on both sides of the Atlantic.  In the U.S., everyone from People Magazine to ABC News Nightline to The Today Show to VH-1 News had weighed in on the Eva Cassidy phenomenon.   SONGBIRD has been certified Platinum in the U.S. for sales of more than 1,000,000 units and is 6x Platinum in England.

Cassidy’s wide-ranging, but unerringly tasteful, sense of material kept her from a recording contract during her lifetime, but that taste continues to propel interest in her recorded work all these years later. Blix Street has released more than a dozen Eva Cassidy collections since 1998.

This is Eva Cassidy sings “Time After Time” at the Blues Alley nightclub on January 3, 1996:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWvPOJOYqGA&ab_channel=EvaCassidy

Ireland, like the UK and much of Europe, has been under lockdown on and off for the past year, but for Irish singer Róisín O, it became the impetus for creating new music. Her new single, HEART + BONES. will be released by Blix Street Records on January 22 via all digital platforms. A fresh, new anthem from one of Ireland’s most exciting and talented exports, HEART + BONES is the first of four tracks born from the Covid19 crisis and resultant lockdown that will be included in an upcoming Róisín O EP planned for later this year.

Listen to it here.

Co-written with Danny O’Reilly of The Coronas while in isolation in Dingle in southwest Ireland, the song’s powerful lyrics, combined with Róisín O’s undeniable vocal depth, elevates HEART + BONES to something at once intimate and epic. The single, produced by Philip Magee (Kodaline, Wild Youth, The Script, The Academic), soars effortlessly, constantly building, as Róisín O belts out the poignant lyrics in a commanding performance that hooks you from the start. “It’s a song I was supposed to write a very long time ago and never did,” she explains. “It’s a confession, a truth that I’d been suppressing for a long while. It’s the most honest thing I’ve ever written.”

Following her 2012 debut album THE SECRET LIFE OF BLUE, Róisín O went on to release a number of successful singles, among them the originals “Better This Way,” “Give It Up” and “Warn Me of Silence” as well as her take on Sia’s “Chandelier,” which received over a million online views.

A passion project with frequent writing partner John Broe, christened Thanks Brother, was born in 2017. Their band built a large fan base and released a strong debut EP in 2018, which included the singles “‘We Are Different,” “We Caught It” and “F*ck My Life” while playing clubs and festivals all over Ireland. Róisín O has also toured extensively in the U.S., primarily as the support act for Mary Black on world tours that also included shows in the UK, Europe, Canada and Australia.

But it was 2020 that brought Róisín O back to her roots, using the timeout from the constant touring and recording to reset and relaunch. After receiving an enormous response to a video of her cover of Selena Gomez’ “Lose You to Love Me,” she recorded and released the studio version of the track during lockdown in June 2020. “Being locked down gave me the opportunity to produce covers in new ways," she says.  "I loved the sense of this song, it reflected how lockdown made us look at ourselves again, even find ourselves in the things we’ve lost.”

This is the original video for “Lose You to Love Me”:

Additionally, she was part of the standout success of Irish Women in Harmony, joining a cadre of 38 Irish singers on the Dolores O'Riordan classic “Dreams” to raise money for SAFEIreland, an organization that provides support for women and children who are experiencing domestic violence and abuse.  She also participated in the annual fundraising "Busk for Simon" homelessness community on Irish television’s Late, Late Show when Covid forced the annual Christmas Eve live performance on Dublin’s Grafton Street indoors for the first time in its history. The Late Late Show's "Busk for Simon" raised over €1.2 million.

These varied projects helped to cement Róisín O’s decision to return to her solo work. HEART + BONES is breathtakingly raw and perfectly expresses the enduring spirit of these times out of which it was born. “It’s important to make music for yourself,” she explains. “Maybe that’s an obvious statement, but I’ve learned that it’s easy to get caught up in trying to please others with music. People will get on board when music is genuine and sincere, and you can only do that when you make music that is original and heartfelt.”

Noel Paul Stookey, better known as the “Paul” of the seminal 1960s folk trio Peter, Paul & Mary, continues to embrace his role as an elder statesman of what was once referred to as “protest music.” On March 22, Neworld Multimedia will release JUST CAUSES, a carefully curated compilation of 15 Stookey tracks, each bearing a theme of social concern. Freshly remixed and remastered by John Stuart, Stookey has paired each song in the collection with an appropriate designated non-profit organization to benefit from the album’s net proceeds.

Stookey, who has enjoyed a career that includes over 50 albums, both as part of the legendary trio and as a solo artist, continues his commitment to creating socially relevant music and to giving back. “Every songwriter eventually realizes that his art is meant for service: to entertain, inform and in a best-case scenario, to inspire,” he explains. “As I look over the fifty plus years that I've attempted to capture 'lightening in a bottle' – a moment realized in a song that transcends time – I recognize that some musical creations seem to have a longer life because they address issues that still challenge us, no matter the generation."

The concept for JUST CAUSES took shape quickly. “I was literally picking up groceries at our local store when I noticed for the umpteenth time that Paul Newman's brand of products from his Newman’s Own company advertise on the packaging that '100% of profits go to charity,'” he explains. “I thought what a great concept and what the term 'profits' means in my life. I've been very fortunate in my musical pursuits, and the idea of 'giving back' at this point in my life and career struck a chord with me.”

JUST CAUSES addresses many of the issues that continue to plague our world, among them hunger, reproductive rights, immigration, missing children, safe energy, drug addiction and the environment. The title, Stookey explains, “indicates that the album contains not only those songs that share a commonality of mutual concern and intent, but also that those concerns are well-founded in a search for justice.”

He couples his song “The Connection,” which describes the link between terrorist funding and drug trafficking, with the Partnership to End Addiction.  “Danny’s Downs” tells the moving story of a family discovering the blessing that comes with the welcoming of a Down Syndrome child into their lives, and the National Down Syndrome Congress has been paired with it. He includes his poignant “Jean Claude,” a Holocaust tale told from the standpoint of a survivor’s haunting memory, and has chosen the Dallas Holocaust & Human Rights Museum as its designated charity.

His rollicking “Revolution (1x1),” which has been serviced to folk radio deejays as a focus track, is a new kind of protest song: Written six years after the horror of 9/11, “it may seem naive to have assumed that global peace and understanding could flow from something as commonplace as a friendly greeting to a stranger,” he explains. “I believe that making the world a better place for all peoples calls for an investment of personal kindness.” As the song suggests:

I'm gonna start a revolution; I'm gonna take it to the street,

I'm gonna smile at every solitary person that I meet!

I'm gonna wave at total strangers no matter where they're from.

I'm gonna start a revolution… gonna win it one by one.

Check it out here:

https://www.revolution1x1.org

The designated charity for “Revolution (1x1)” is Sojourners, the faith-based organization that promotes the integration of spiritual renewal and social justice.

Stookey’s powerful rendition of “America the Beautiful,” complete with two original verses he wrote, is paired with People for The American Way, the progressive advocacy organization founded by television producer Norman Lear to encourage civic participation and defend fundamental rights. He has also paired the song “Not That Kind of Music” with the non-profit initiative Music to Life, which he founded in 2001 with his daughter Liz Stookey Sunde to fund the work of other socially responsible artists through technology, entertainment, artist collaboration and education. The organization recently released its own compilation CD of 15 artists whose work they support called Hope Rises.

Stookey grew up in the Midwest, where he played electric guitar in his high school rock ’n’ roll band, and he moved to New York City at the age of 20 in search of independence. What he found was a burgeoning folk music scene and the “Peter” and “Mary” who would become his partners in the adventure of a lifetime. Via signature vocal harmonies and socially conscious songs like “If I Had a Hammer,” the anti-war “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” and “Blowin' in the Wind,” which gave early national exposure to then fledgling songwriter Bob Dylan, Peter, Paul & Mary’s music penetrated every corner of the country. Their first album reached the top of the charts and stayed there for two years. They sang at the White House as well as intimate coffeehouses and large stadiums. When Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech at the 1963 March on Washington, it was Peter, Paul and Mary who sang.

In 1970, after years of playing 200-plus shows annually, the group took a much-needed sabbatical, providing Noel and his family a chance to relocate to the idyllic coast of Maine. While the group reunited a decade later, Noel used the hiatus and the reduced touring schedule to hone his solo canon, beginning with the release of his PAUL AND album, the first of some 20 solo album projects. His “Wedding Song (There Is Love)” from PAUL AND was a major chart hit and became a staple for—what else—weddings.

JUST CAUSES is Stookey’s latest album, his first since 2018, and perhaps the most concise attempt to curate music that speaks to making the world a better place. His focus as a songwriter has been to further his role as an activist and create music of conscience and concern. JUST CAUSES serves as a succinct showcase for his convictions.

In addition to creating music projects of his own, Stookey oversees Neworld Multimedia, presenting new artists and creating children’s TV shows and music. The royalties from “Wedding Song” go to the Public Domain Foundation, where nearly $2 million has already been put to work for charitable causes. He hopes that JUST CAUSES will continue in this tradition.

JUST CAUSES

Tracks and Designated Charities

"In These Times"—The Nature Conservancy, a global environmental organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends:  nature.org

"Danny’s Downs"---National Down Syndrome Congress, promotes the interests of people with Down syndrome and their families through advocacy, public awareness, and information: ndsccenter.org

"Jean Claude" --Dallas Holocaust & Human Rights Museum, dedicated to teaching the history of the Holocaust and advancing human rights to combat prejudice, hatred and indifference: dhhrm.org

"Tom Quick"--First Nations Development Institute, improves economic conditions for Native Americans through direct financial grants, technical assistance & training, and advocacy & policy: firstnations.org

“Not That Kind of Music”--Music To Life, builds on the strong historical legacy of social movements’ intentional use of music to educate, recruit, and mobilize: musictolife.org

“Juice”— Massachusetts Interfaith Light & Power, faith-based organization working to combat climate change: massipl.org

"Familia Del Corazon"--Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, Maine’s only state-wide immigration legal services organization providing advances justice and equity for immigrants and their families: ilapmaine.org

"America The Beautiful"--People For the American Way, a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and build a democratic society that implements the ideals of freedom, equality, opportunity and justice for all:  pfaw.org

"The Winner"--Southern Poverty Law Center, monitors the activities of domestic hate groups and other extremists throughout the United States to expose their activities to the public, the media and law enforcement: splcenter.org

"Nukes R Nuts"--Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, pursues denuclearizing actions with the intention of achieving a world free of nuclear weapons: wagingpeace.org

"All My Life"--Religious Coalition For Reproductive Choice, interfaith movement to protect and advance reproductive health, choice, rights and justice through education and advocacy: rcrc.org

"El Salvador"---Oxfam America, a global organization working to end the injustice of poverty: oxfamamerica.org

"The Connection"--Partnership To End Addiction, provides personalized support and resources for families impacted by addiction, while mobilizing policymakers, researchers and health care professionals to more effectively address addiction nationally: drugfree.org

"Song For Megumi"---National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, helps find missing children, reduce child sexual exploitation and prevent child victimization:  missingkids.org

"Revolution (1x1)"---Sojourners, faith-based organization that promotes the integration of spiritual renewal and social justice: sojo.net

STAND UP AND SHOUT FOR RONNIE JAMES DIO’S BIRTHDAY, the Saturday, July 10 global virtual concert produced by Rolling Live Studios, has added a wealth of talent to the already star-studded lineup that will bring together unusual musical pairings for one-of-a-kind performances, special birthday messages and artist interviews. The event, hosted on rollinglivestudios.com beginning at 2:00PM Pacific time (PDT), will benefit The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund (www.diocancerfund.org), founded in memory of the late heavy metal icon who was the voice of Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath and DIO before losing his battle with gastric cancer in 2010.

The global fundraising event will bring together celebrities and fans all over the world to honor Dio’s undeniable impact both on and off the stage. Among the artists joining the roster for conversations and/or performances are Rob Halford (Judas Priest); Sammy Hagar (Van Halen, Chickenfoot, Montrose); Tenacious D’s Jack Black and Kyle Gass; Lzzy Hale (Halestorm); Sebastian Bach, John Bush (Armored Saint); Mikkey Dee (Scorpions, Motörhead); Duff McKagan (Guns N' Roses); Brian Tichy (Whitesnake, Ozzy Osbourne); Tony™ winning singer Lena Hall (“Hedwig and the Angry Inch”); Richie Kotzen (Poison, Smith/Kotzen); Derek St. Holmes (Vanilla Fudge, Michael Schenker Group); Scott Travis (Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy); Ricky Warwick (Black Star Riders) and Mexican rock band The Warning.

They are joining previously announced participants including Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell); Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge, Beck; Bogert & Appice); Vinny Appice (DIO, Black Sabbath); Michael Angelo Batio (Nitro, Holland, Shout); Joey Belladonna (Anthrax); Chuck Billy (Testament); Gilby Clarke (Guns N’ Roses, Slash's Snakepit); Aynsley Dunbar (Journey, Frank Zappa); Frank Ferrer (Guns N’ Roses); Lita Ford; Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Country Communion); Terry Ilous (Great White, XYZ); LA metal band Liliac; Sean McNabb (Quiet Riot, Dokken); Jeff Pilson (Foreigner, DIO); Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne); Paul Shortino (Rough Cutt, “Raiding the Rock Vault”); Glen Sobel (Alice Cooper, Hollywood Vampires); Lajon Witherspoon (Sevendust); Brent Woods (Sebastian Bach, Wildside); Dio record producer Wyn Davis; and Ronnie’s widow and longtime manager Wendy Dio. Radio and television personalities Eddie Trunk and Matt Pinfield will also be on hand conducting interviews with artists.

The Dio band--Oni Logan and Tim “Ripper” Owens, vocals; Simon Wright, drums; Scott Warren, keyboards; Rowan Robertson, guitar; and Bjorn Englen, bass—are planning special performances of classic Ronnie James Dio songs. Lzzy Hale will perform backed by a stellar band that includes drummer Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp, Jon Bon Jovi), keyboard player Steve Ferlazzo, bass player James LoMenzo (White Lion, Slash’s Snakepit) and guitarist Jasmine Star. Jeff Pilson (Foreigner, DIO) and Brian Tichy will join those players to back up Anthrax vocalist Joey Belladonna and Broadway star Lena Hall on various numbers. Renowned drummers/brothers Carmine and Vinny Appice will perform a dual drum solo. More concert pairings will be announced soon.

Tickets are on sale now at https://rollinglivestudios.com/dio. In addition to $20 General Admission tickets to view the show, Rolling Live Studios is offering special merchandise packages and virtual VIP experiences for fans to participate in this unique worldwide event. The “Dio Ultimate Bundle Auction” comprises rare Dio-themed items hand-picked from the vault by Wendy Dio, including vintage tee-shirts from 1980’s tours, an authentic autographed photo of Ronnie James Dio, rare die cut picture disks and vinyl boxed sets, and an assortment of vintage backstage passes.

There is also an auction for a one-of-kind Dio-themed leather jacket that will be custom made for the winning bidder by celebrated artist Carin Hazmat. The final design is expected to be unveiled just prior to the event. Another value-added package is a “grab bag” of specially selected vintage DIO and Dio Cancer Fund event merchandise, as well as a limited number of copies of RAINBOW IN THE DARK: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY, written by Ronnie James Dio (with Wendy Dio and Mick Wall) and signed by Wendy Dio, which are being made available prior to its publication and availability to the public on July 27. Specially designed event tee-shirts, baseball caps, laminates and lithographs can also be purchased along with an event ticket. Ticket packages that include access to a Pre-Show Virtual Meet & Greet and a Post-Show Virtual VIP Party are also available.

Noel Paul Stookey first heard the term “fazz” when he, as part of the legendary folk trio Peter, Paul & Mary, toured colleges with the Dave Brubeck Quartet in the 1960s. By way of introduction to a song that would feature both groups, Brubeck’s saxophonist Paul Desmond used the term—somewhat derisively—to refer to the mixture of folk and jazz they would perform together. For Stookey, the term became more and more intriguing, even as Peter would occasionally caution him in his attempts to incorporate jazz chords (AKA color chords or alternative chords) into PP&M’s own folk repertoire.  

With a stellar solo career unencumbered by tradition, Stookey has finally created FAZZ: NOW &THEN, a 20-track collection that touches on a fusion of styles that he has been hinting at for decades in his approach to songwriting. FAZZ: NOW & THEN contains brand new material as well as some unusual “deep cuts” from his vast archive that he has revisited with new instrumentation and arrangements for this project. The CD will be released on March 22 via Stookey’s Neworld Multimedia label.

The concept for FAZZ: NOW &THEN has been percolating in Stookey’s creative mind for quite some time. It is said that people become more like themselves with age, and with the release of this new project—a decidedly jazzy exploration of both traditional and contemporary material—the 84-year-old Stookey seems increasingly comfortable in his own skin.  

“Each of us is searching for our own authenticity,” Stookey says, “and the more honest we are, the less we have to hide. My attempt to infuse folk music with what might be considered unusual chord structures has always focused on fulfilling what I see as the promise of a lyric's emotional content.” He feels that the folk genre leveled the playing field between music and lyric.

Stylistically, the first twelve cuts on the CD are stunningly eclectic, drawing from such disparate musical worlds as soft rock and classical, concluding with “I'll Be Seeing You,” the nostalgic evergreen from the early 1940s. The remaining third of the album gives evidence to the claim that Stookey has been integrating those “color chords” with his music all along, proven by seven resurrected and remastered songs from Peter, Paul and Mary concerts and Noel's solo work prior to joining the trio. Several instrumental pieces, each with a distinctly different musical approach, are interspersed among the tracks as if to introduce each new section of the 78-minute album. “Similar to a musical sorbet,” suggests Noel, “in between courses of some extravagant listening.”

Standouts include the gospel-infused “In Reverence,” featuring the soaring voice of Theresa Thomason; singer-songwriter Willie Nile’s poignant “Under This Roof”; Stookey’s bossa nova styled “This Song (Bahia Skies)”; and the irreverent send-up “Fun Police” (he muses: “do you have a license for that smile?”). There is also “Long Lonely Night,” containing unusual chord changes on a song Stookey recorded for a prospective publishing house back in 1961; a performance of the traditional “The Water is Wide” containing a new verse; Billie Holiday’s timeless “God Bless the Child” and “There Are No Words,” a poignant song-poem penned by Kitty Donohoe in the aftermath of 9/11.   “Wonderwhy,” an arresting instrumental, features mandolin, bass and Noel's playing of the koto, recorded live during a Peter, Paul and Mary tour of Japan. The album wraps up with “The Lady Says” on which Stookey offers a stylistic scat-singing homage to Ella Fitzgerald.

Neworld Multimedia has created a special bonus of archival material for those who purchase the FAZZ: NOW & THEN from the NOELPAULSTOOKEY.COM website between February 22 and its official release date of March 22. For that limited period of time, pre-release purchasers will receive autographed copies of the new CD as well as a link to access a private repository of never-before-heard Noel Paul Stookey tunes and performances.

Tickets for career-spanning documentary on the life and times of legendary metal icon Ronnie James Dio, “DIO: DREAMERS NEVER DIE,” go on sale today at www.diodreamersneverdie.com. Presented in more than 500 cinemas worldwide by Trafalgar Releasing and BMG for two days only on Wed., Sept. 28 and Sun., Oct. 2, “DIO: Dreamers Never Die” explores Dio’s incredible career with his early bands, to his days in Elf and Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, to replacing Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath, and finally cementing his status as a legendary metal icon with his own band, DIO. The film incorporates never-before-seen footage, personal photos, and scenes with his closest peers, family, and friends, including Wendy Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Glenn Hughes, Vinny Appice, Lita Ford, Rob Halford, Sebastian Bach, Eddie Trunk, and Jack Black. View the official trailer (HERE).

In addition to the feature-length film, this special cinema event will also include a hand-picked selection of outtakes from the cutting room floor that will only be shown at these screenings to create an exclusive experience for fans in attendance.

Ronnie James Dio, who died of gastric cancer in 2010, reigns as one of the most influential rock artists of all time and one of the greatest vocalists ever. With an illustrious recording career spanning from the 1950’s through to the 2000’s, the documentary follows his trajectory from sideman into singer, songwriter and frontman of not one, but three, of rock’s internationally-renowned, multi-Platinum-selling arena attractions: Rainbow, Black Sabbath and DIO. Famous for popularizing the “devil horns” hand gesture that is now synonymous with hard rock and heavy metal music, Dio was known for not wavering in his pursuit of his rock and roll dreams and continues to influence a new generation of music artists. His fans the world over remember him not only for his massive talent, but for his kindness, resulting in millions of dollars raised for cancer research in his memory.

“DIO: Dreamers Never Die” is fully authorized by the artist’s estate, was financed solely by BMG, was directed by Don Argott and Demian Fenton (Framing John DeLorean, Believer, Last Days Here), produced by Don Argott and Sheena Joyce for 9.14 Pictures, and executive produced by Dio’s widow and longtime manager Wendy Dio for Niji Productions and Kathy Rivkin Daum for BMG.

Rhino/WMG will release the soundtrack from DIO: DREAMERS NEVER DIE in the fall.

ABOUT TRAFALGAR RELEASING: Trafalgar Releasing is the global leader in event cinema distribution. A subsidiary of Trafalgar Entertainment, Trafalgar Releasing’s global operations include production, acquisition, marketing and distribution of specialized content to over 8,000 cinemas in more than 120 countries worldwide.
 
A full spectrum of releases includes world-class opera and ballet (The Metropolitan Opera, Bolshoi Ballet, Royal Opera House), award-winning theater (including The King and I: from the London Palladium, Kenneth Branagh Theater Company’s The Winter’s Tale, and 42nd Street), iconic moments (Monty Python’s Life of Brian 40th Anniversary, David Bowie is happening now, They Shall Not Grow Old), heritage music acts (Metallica & San Francisco Symphony: S&M2, Depeche Mode: SPIRITS in the Forest, Oasis Knebworth 1996) and contemporary music sensations (BLACKPINK THE MOVIE, Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams), including four global events with K-pop sensations BTS (Burn The Stage: The Movie, Bring The Soul: The Movie, Break The Silence: The Movie, and the live concert broadcast Permission To Dance On Stage - Seoul: Live Viewing).
 
More information about Trafalgar Releasing can be found at www.trafalgar-releasing.com

The Annual BOWL FOR RONNIE Celebrity Bowling Party, benefiting the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund (www.diocancerfund.org), is set to return on Thursday, November 17, 2022 after a three-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. The event, to be held at PINZ Bowling Center in Studio City, California, will once again be hosted by television and radio personality Eddie Trunk, who is heard on SiriusXM’s Volume channel. The BOWL FOR RONNIE will feature a celebrity bowling tournament and a raffle drawing for prizes and memorabilia. The 2019 event sold out in advance and raised more than $50,000 for the cancer charity, which is now in its 13th year of raising awareness and much-needed funding for cancer research.

The evening of fun, food, and, of course, bowling with rockers and celebrities competing for trophies kicks off at 6:30 PM with open bowling and a VIP pre-party for lane sponsors, celebrities and their guests.  Previous BOWL FOR RONNIE events have brought together entertainers and artists such as Steven Adler (Guns N’ Roses, Adler’s Appetite), Jack Black & Kyle Gass (Tenacious D), Phil Buckman (Fuel, Petty Cash), Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath), Gilby Clarke (Guns N’ Roses), Fred Coury (Cinderella), Art Cruz (Lamb of God), Phil Demmel (Violence, Machine Head), Marc Ferrari (Keel, Cold Sweat), David “Rock” Feinstein (Elf, The Rods), Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters), Terry Ilous (XYZ, Great White), Richie Kotzen (Winery Dogs), Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine), Rob “Blasko” Nicholson (Ozzy Osbourne), Richie Sambora, Brett Scallions (Fuel), Brian Tichy (Whitesnake), Joey Vera (Armored Saint, Fates Warning) and comedy stars including Bill Burr, Jeff Ross and Whitney Cummings.

Also joining the festivities in 2019 was the #1 bowler in the world—Professional Bowling Association world champion Jason Belmonte, who bowled a ceremonial strike to open the celebrity competition and show the crowd “how it’s done. That year’s celebrity competition was the scene of fierce competition, ending with both of 2018’s top teams--captained by Eddie Trunk and Marc Ferrari respectively--defeated by a team led by Phil Buckman. This year’s celebrity bowlers will be announced shortly.

100% of the net proceeds from the BOWL FOR RONNIE will go to the Dio Cancer Fund (www.diocancerfund.org). Individual tickets and lane sponsorships are now on sale, and participants are encouraged to gather friends, family and co-workers for the ultimate bowling team. The Pinz Bowling Center is located at 12655 Ventura Blvd in Studio City, California.

Tickets are now on sale at:  

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bowl-for-ronnie-2022-tickets-423751140067

•     Individual Spectator: $75 per person (includes pizza and general admission)

·       Individual Bowler: $100 (Join other rock 'n bowlers for open bowling from 6:30-9PM, includes pizza, shoe rental and bowling)

·       Team/Corporate Lane Sponsorship: $2100 “Early Bird”* package: private lane for 6 bowlers (includes team or corporate logo displayed on lane and throughout event on flat screens, 6 VIP party passes for access to Artist/VIP lounge, 2 drink tickets per team member, 6 “Bowl For Ronnie” T-shirts, pizza and shoe rental).

*$2500 per lane after 10/15/22.

WHO:     The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer                       Fund

WHAT:   BOWL FOR RONNIE Celebrity Charity Bowling                               Tournament

WHERE: Pinz Bowling Center, 12655 Ventura Blvd, Studio City,                   California

WHEN:   Thursday, November 17, 2022 - 6:30-11:00pm /

                VIP Pre-Party 6:30-8:30pm

WHY:      To raise funds for cancer research

The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund was formed in memory of the legendary rock singer Ronnie James Dio, who lost his life to gastric cancer in 2010.  A privately funded 501(c)(3) charity organization dedicated to cancer prevention, research and education, the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund has already raised over $2 million in its history. Monies raised have been committed to the cancer research work of the T. J. Martell Foundation for Cancer, AIDS and Leukemia Research, the gastric cancer research unit of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where Ronnie was treated for gastric cancer during the last six months of his life, and other cancer research projects. The Dio Cancer Fund has committed funds to support the research of Dr. David Wong and his team at the UCLA School of Dentistry in developing a simple, non-invasive saliva test for the early detection of cancer, which is in keeping with the Fund’s mission of cancer prevention, research and education.

Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund:

www.diocancerfund.org

www.facebook.com/RJDSUASCF

https://twitter.com/DioCancerFund

https://www.instagram.com/diocancerfund/

When singer Eva Cassidy wandered into producer Chris Biondo's studio in Glenn Dale, Maryland to make extra money by singing on a band’s demo, she began an unprecedented journey that would lead to more than 12 million albums sold worldwide, largely posthumously. When she passed away in 1996 from melanoma at the age of 33, she left behind a small catalogue of recorded material that has been painstakingly curated into more than a dozen individual collections that showcase her extraordinarily versatile voice and her wide-ranging, but unerringly tasteful, sense of material.

To commemorate what would have been her 60th birthday (on February 2), Blix Street Records will release a landmark new album, which pairs Cassidy’s impeccable voice with the backing of the legendary London Symphony Orchestra. I CAN ONLY BE ME, the album’s title track, is a radical reworking of a little-known song by Eva Cassidy’s musical hero, Stevie Wonder, while the album’s eight other tracks receive their own special reimagining. The album arrives on February 3, 2023.

I CAN ONLY BE ME by Eva Cassidy with the London Symphony Orchestra is a new work that employs the groundbreaking machine learning audio restoration technology developed by filmmaker Peter Jackson for his 2021 The Beatles: Get Back film. Cassidy's vocal parts were painstakingly restored and enhanced to reveal previously unheard levels of clarity and depth, resulting in an emotive, atmospheric album with lush arrangements created by award-winning composer/arranger Christopher Willis (Schmigadoon!, Veep, Death of Stalin, The Personal History of David Copperfield) accompanying now pristine vocals.

“Songbird,” the first track on the new album, will be released by Blix Street Records as a digital single today (November 17) and will be available from iTunes, Spotify and other digital outlets. The release will coincide with the song’s debut airing on BBC Radio2 in England. Back in 2001, it was the BBC playing Cassidy’s version of “Over the Rainbow” that introduced her to British audiences and ignited a media storm on both sides of the Atlantic.

Of the "Songbird" track, Christopher Willis commented: “The wonderful, resonant truth about this song is that Eva is the Songbird, singing naturally from the heart. No ego. The goal with the orchestral version was to complement her pure vocal essence with a simple, yet broader instrumental arrangement – a lush musical landscape with Eva's voice at the center.”

The BOWL FOR RONNIE Celebrity Bowling Party, benefiting the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund (www.diocancerfund.org), made a splashy post-pandemic return by attracting a sell-out crowd well in advance and bringing in over $72,000 for the music-based cancer charity. The November 17 event at PINZ Bowling Center in Studio City, California was the charity’s first public fund-raising event in three years.

Some 300 rockers, bowling enthusiasts, DIO fans and Dio Cancer Fund supporters made up the capacity crowd at the event, hosted by broadcast personality Eddie Trunk, who is heard on SiriusXM’s 103 Faction Talk channel.

This year’s attendees included Doug Aldrich (The Dead Daisies); record producers Joe Barresi and Jay Ruston; singer Em Beihold; Jack Black (Tenacious D); Ann Boleyn (Hellion), Mark Chaussee (Danzig), Tyler Connolly (Theory of a Deadman); actors Al Coronel (The Last Ship) and Star Fields (Sons of Anarchy); Matt Duncan (DC4); Shawn Duncan (LA Guns, DC4); Lita Ford; Abby Gennet (Slunt); DJ Will (KNAC); Jesse Hughes and Jennie Vee of Eagles of Death Metal; Ari Kamin (Adler's Appetite); guitarist Bobby Keller; Richie Kotzen (Winery Dogs); Julia Lage (Vixen); Ministry members Roy Mayorga, Cesar Soto, Monte Pittman and John Bechdel; actor/musician Sean McNabb (Lynch Mob); Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine); Dave "Chili" Moreno, Jason Cornwell, Chas West, Roy Z and Jimmy Burkhard of West Bound; Rob “Blasko” Nicholson (Ozzy Osbourne); Marty O'Brien (Daughtry); Tim "Ripper" Owens, Harry Conklin and Sean Peck of The Three Tremors featuring Tim “Ripper” Owens; Slim Jim Phantom (Stray Cats); Rowan Robertson (Dio, DC4); Brett Scallions (Fuel); Howie Simon (Winger); Zak St. John (Black Star Riders); Dio band members Bjorn Englen, Scott Warren and Simon Wright; Ricky Warwick (Black Star Riders); Brent Woods (Sebastian Bach, Chevy Metal); entrepreneur Ahmet Zappa and his sister actress Diva Zappa.

In addition to all of the celebrities who continuously participate in our events, the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund would like to thank:

--the sponsors who generously donated to purchase a lane: BMG, Clair Global, Danny Zelisko Presents, Eyellusion, Global Merchandising Services, Goldenvoice, HHO Sin City, I Like You, Kapoor Medical, LiegeLord, Magica Tarot, McBride Wealth Management, Metal Blade Records, Nederlander Concerts, Niji Entertainment Group, PRG, Rainbow Bar & Grill, Rhino Records, Rick Sales Entertainment, Spectacle Entertainment Group, The Strength Code, TKO, Upstaging Inc, W3 Public Relations and X-Ray Touring;

--the volunteers who generously gave of their time: Lauren Aloy, Kia Anderson, PG Brunelli, Maria Ferrero, Delilah Gimenez, Jeff Gray, Scot Kaufman, Ann Kirkland, Gene Kirkland, Alex Kluft, Jessica Kusnier, Rebecca Kusnier, Sabrina Ment, Craig Newman, Paula Newman, Olivia Pilson, Teresa Schachtel, Kyle Smith, Sarah Weiss, and Sharon Weisz;

--and California Love Drop for serving Yogurtland Frozen Yogurt to our players and guests!

The acclaimed documentary, “DIO: Dreamers Never Die,” will have its television premiere on SHOWTIME today, December 1st. It will also be available to stream via the SHOWTIME app. Visit: https://www.sho.com/titles/3519882/dio-dreamers-never-die

The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund was formed in memory of the legendary rock singer Ronnie James Dio, who lost his life to gastric cancer in 2010.  A privately funded 501(c)(3) charity organization dedicated to cancer prevention, research and education, the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund has already raised over $2 million in its history. Monies raised have been committed to the cancer research work of the T. J. Martell Foundation for Cancer, AIDS and Leukemia Research, the gastric cancer research unit of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where Ronnie was treated for gastric cancer during the last six months of his life, and other cancer research projects. The Dio Cancer Fund has committed funds to support the research of Dr. David Wong and his team at the UCLA School of Dentistry in developing a simple, non-invasive saliva test for the early detection of cancer, which is in keeping with the Fund’s mission of cancer prevention, research and education.

Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund:

www.diocancerfund.org

www.facebook.com/RJDSUASCF

https://twitter.com/DioCancerFund

https://www.instagram.com/diocancerfund/

SPIDER WEBB UNTANGLED: The Life & Times of Legendary Drummer Kenneth Rice, a documentary recounting the musician’s storied life, will be available January 24, 2023 on multiple platforms from Megawave via MVD Entertainment Group distributors.

Spider Webb, the common denominator on hit records like “Cloud Nine” and “Runaway Child Running Wild” (The Temptations), “Keep On Truckin’” (Eddie Kendricks), “(You Can) Leave Your Hat One” (Etta James), “Band of Gold” (Freda Payne), “Home to You” (Martha Reeves) and “Mango, Coconut, Sugar Cane (Harry Belafonte), was an in-demand session and touring drummer who played with artists such as Aretha Franklin, The Commodores, Roberta Flack, Grover Washington, Jr. and Robert Palmer, among others, during his career spanning five decades.

SPIDER WEBB UNTANGLED is a story of survival. Based in part on his 2009 published autobiography, the film details the rags to riches and back again story of Spider’s life, rising from poverty and child abuse at the hands of his mother to sought after session and touring musician. Born in Detroit, where he once again lives, Kenneth Rice realized early in life that music was his ticket out. His only formal training was playing with the junior high school drill team and a high school drum and bugle corps. He joined with fellow classmates to form a band while still in his teens, begging his parents for a real set of drums.

In the right town during the birth of local groundbreaker Motown Records, Webb played on sessions for noted songwriters/producers Holland-Dozier-Holland and was recruited into the famed King Curtis and the King Pins band. From there, he joined the music ensemble assembled by international superstar Harry Belafonte and toured the world. An A-list session player in both New York and Los Angeles and several places in between, he was record producers’ go-to drummer for funk, jazz, R&B and pop tracks. Blues and Soul Magazine wrote: “Spider knows everyone who’s anybody and beyond, and he’s worked with the best.” Respected music educator and bassist Marion Hayden said, “Spider has been there on the ground floor of where jazz and popular music forms have come together,” while in his “Cruise Ship Drummer” blog, Todd Bishop lauded Webb’s playing on Grover Washington Jr.'s “Feels So Good” as “a textbook on how to play a funk arrangement.” Also a member of The Funk Brothers, the uncredited and largely unheralded studio musicians who were Motown’s house band, Webb has since rejoined them now that he is again living in his native Detroit.

The film includes interviews with musicians and producers with whom Spider has worked during his lengthy career. A notable clip features Spider playing drums in the house band that backed singer Kim Weston and many other artists at the iconic 1972 Wattstax Festival in Los Angeles, which spawned the award-winning 1973 documentary film. Weston, David Clayton-Thomas (who Spider toured and recorded with) and Martha Reeves are among those interviewed in SPIDER WEBB UNTANGLED.

SPIDER WEBB UNTANGLED was conceived, directed and filmed by Michigan native John S. Palmer, Jr., who read Rice’s autobiography and approached him about creating the documentary. Webb serves as executive producer.  Palmer owns Lansing-based Megawave Corporation, an art gallery and record label, and through his Andro-Media video production company has made numerous music videos and long-form music documentaries showcasing his label’s artists. Palmer’s audio production contributions helped garner Grammy™ nominations in 2007 and 2010 for the late reggae legend Lee "Scratch" Perry, as well as a number of regional music awards and nominations for other artists.

SPIDER WEBB UNTANGLED will be available Vimeo and DVD on January 24, 2023. For more information, visit: www.spiderwebbuntangled.com

When singer Eva Cassidy wandered into producer Chris Biondo's studio in Glenn Dale, Maryland to make extra money by singing on a band’s demo, she began an unprecedented journey that would lead to more than 12 million albums sold worldwide, largely posthumously. When she passed away in 1996 from melanoma at the age of 33, she left behind a small catalogue of recorded material that has been painstakingly curated into more than a dozen individual collections that showcase her extraordinarily versatile voice and her wide-ranging, but unerringly tasteful, sense of material.

To celebrate what would have been her 60th birthday (on February 2), Blix Street Records will release a landmark new album, which pairs Cassidy’s impeccable voice with the backing of the legendary London Symphony Orchestra. I CAN ONLY BE ME, the album’s title track, is a radical reworking of a little-known song by Eva Cassidy’s musical hero, Stevie Wonder, while the album’s eight other tracks receive their own special reimagining.  The album arrives on March 3, 2023.

I CAN ONLY BE ME by Eva Cassidy with the London Symphony Orchestra is a new work that employs the groundbreaking machine learning audio restoration technology developed by filmmaker Peter Jackson for his 2021 The Beatles: Get Back film and used more recently for the re-issue of The Beatles classic album, REVOLVER. The process allows for splitting mono tracks into their separate vocal and instrumental parts. Hence, Cassidy's vocal parts were painstakingly separated, restored and enhanced to reveal previously unheard levels of clarity and depth, resulting in an emotive, atmospheric album with lush arrangements created by award-winning composer/arranger Christopher Willis (Schmigadoon!, Veep, Death of Stalin, The Personal History of David Copperfield) accompanying now pristine vocals.

“Songbird,” the first track on the new album, was released by Blix Street Records as a digital single in November, followed last week by Buffy Sainte-Marie’s emotive tale of love and loss, “Tall Trees in Georgia.” Both are now available from iTunes, Spotify and other digital outlets.

"Tall Trees in Georgia" is one of Eva's most haunting performances,” explains arranger Christopher Willis.  “In the original live recording, the only accompaniment is Eva herself playing the guitar, lightly brushing the strings in a continuous tremolo. For the orchestral version, strings replace the guitar, and the overlapping sustains and tremolos become a texture of forest murmurs. To complete this picture, in between Eva's verses, I imagined two birds, represented by two high penny whistles up above the strings.  While the narrator looks back on her life and laments the fact that ‘the sweetest love I ever had I left aside,’ the whistles/birds are heard calling to each other in the distance.”

The release of the “Songbird” track coincided with the song’s debut airing on BBC Radio2 in England. Back in 2001, it was the BBC playing Cassidy’s rendition of “Over the Rainbow” that introduced her to British audiences and ignited a media storm on both sides of the Atlantic.  Of the "Songbird" track, Willis commented: “The wonderful, resonant truth about this song is that Eva is the Songbird, singing naturally from the heart.  No ego. The goal with the orchestral version was to complement her pure vocal essence with a simple, yet broader instrumental arrangement – a lush musical landscape with Eva's voice at the center.”

View "Songbird" EPK here:

https://youtu.be/4jF3TcpW-oU

Listen to "Tall Trees in Georgia" by Eva Cassidy with

The London Symphony Orchestra:

https://EvaCassidy.lnk.to/talltreesingeorgia

The I CAN ONLY BE ME album was largely recorded in December of 2021 at LSO St. Lukes, the 18th century former Anglican London church that currently serves as the London Symphony Orchestra's home, conducted by Chris Egan. “Like everyone who listens to Eva's voice, I've felt like I've gotten to know her as I've worked on the album,” explains Willis. “It’s been a voyage of discovery for everyone involved. So many of Eva's existing recordings are admired for their simplicity. But as I went deeper into Eva’s life story and catalogue, I came to understand the extent to which she herself had experimented in the studio and had been for new ways to record her songs. The most important thing has always been to listen closely to what she's doing and respond authentically.”

Engineer Dan Weinberg, who handled the audio restoration, adds: “Eva’s original vocals stem are basic live recordings with limited audio data for restoration, so we used a multi-stage process of machine learning, with delicate, almost forensic, editing of sounds—from cymbal bleed to the crockery noise of people eating dinner a few feet away from Eva (at the Blues Alley nightclub in Washington, DC where many of Cassidy’s live performances were recorded).  Many hours of rendering retained the quality and character of her performance, losing none of the magic.”

I CAN ONLY BE ME, the landmark new album, which pairs the late Eva Cassidy’s impeccable voice with the backing of the legendary London Symphony Orchestra, debuts this week at #1 on Billboard’s Classical Crossover chart.  Released digitally worldwide on March 3 to celebrate what would have been Cassidy’s 60th birthday (February 2), this new release from Blix Street Records pairs the singer’s original vocals with lush arrangements created by award-winning composer/arranger Christopher Willis (Schmigadoon!, Veep, Death of Stalin, The Personal History of David Copperfield).

I CAN ONLY BE ME by Eva Cassidy with the London Symphony Orchestra is a new work that employs the groundbreaking machine learning audio restoration technology developed by filmmaker Peter Jackson for his 2021 The Beatles: Get Back film and used more recently for the re-issue of The Beatles classic album, REVOLVER. The process allows for splitting mono tracks into their separate vocal and instrumental parts. Hence, Cassidy's vocal parts were painstakingly separated, restored and enhanced to reveal previously unheard levels of clarity and depth.

The I CAN ONLY BE ME album was largely recorded in December of 2021 at LSO St. Lukes, the 18th century former Anglican London church that currently serves as the London Symphony Orchestra's home, conducted by Chris Egan. “Like everyone who listens to Eva's voice, I've felt like I've gotten to know her as I've worked on the album,” explains Christopher Willis. “It’s been a voyage of discovery for everyone involved. So many of Eva's existing recordings are admired for their simplicity.  But as I went deeper into Eva’s life story and catalogue, I came to understand the extent to which she herself had experimented in the studio and had been looking for new ways to record her songs. The most important thing has always been to listen closely to what she's doing and respond authentically.”

Engineer Dan Weinberg, who handled the audio restoration, adds: “Eva’s original vocals are basic live recordings with limited audio data for restoration, so we used a multi-stage process of machine learning, with delicate, almost forensic, editing of sounds—from cymbal bleed to the crockery noise of people eating dinner a few feet away from Eva (at the Blues Alley Jazz Club in Washington, DC where many of Cassidy’s live performances were recorded). Many hours of rendering retained the quality and character of her performance, losing none of the magic.”

The media concurs.  “Unforgettable, the “new” Eva Cassidy album, I Can Only Be Me, represents a kind of séance in song,” said The Independent.  “Eva herself will not hear this. But she’d smile if she could,” wrote Americana Highways.  

Perhaps her hometown paper, the Washington Post, summed it up best with “Eva Cassidy could have sung the phone book and brought you to tears.”  

I CAN ONLY BE ME will be available in CD, deluxe CD and both 33rpm and 45rpm vinyl configurations. All album tracks are available in hi-res 48kHz/24bit stereo along with Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 immersive audio formats, a first for Eva Cassidy recordings.

Visit: www.blixstreet.com

          http://evacassidy.org/

https://EvaCassidy.lnk.to/ICanOnlyBeMe

The Lou Bredlow Pavilion at Warner Center Park in Woodland Hills, CA is the new site of this year’s ROCK FOR RONNIE Concert in the Park fund-raising event, benefiting the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund (www.diocancerfund.org). Set for Sunday afternoon, May 19, 2024, 11AM to 6PM, the cancer charity is designating this year’s event as a “Year of the Dragon” Celebration, a symbol closely associated with the late singer who succumbed to gastric cancer in 2010.

Although the concert will be open to the public, a limited number of VIP seats in front of the stage are on sale now for $60 each at https://diocancerfund.org/events/ and will only be available in advance. The advance VIP tickets will also include access to the VIP bar for attendees who are over 21.

To make full use of the abundant space afforded by this new location, the family-oriented event will be open to all, with on site donations to the 501c3 charity welcomed. To RSVP and make a donation, visit www.diocancerfund.org/events/.

Radio and television personality Eddie Trunk, who is heard on SiriusXM’s 103 Faction Talk channel, will once again host. Headlining the ROCK FOR RONNIE event will be heavy metal veterans Quiet Riot. Also on the bill will be rocker Lita Ford, Dio Disciples, southern rock band Jason Charles Miller and a surprise-filled jam by Eddie Trunk’s All-Star Band, which in the past has included noted musicians such as Doug Aldrich, Steven Adler, Chris Broderick, Phil Demmel, Dave Grohl, Adrian Vandenberg, Ricky Warwick, Jesse Hughes and Brian Tichy, among many others.

“This is the ‘Year of the Dragon,’ which only comes around every 12 years, and anyone who knew Ronnie knows how much he loved dragons,” explains Dio Cancer Fund founder Wendy Dio. “Because of our wonderful sponsors and supporters, we are able to open up this year’s event at this wonderful, new event location to everyone who wants to attend, while also offering a limited number of VIP seats for purchase in advance. It is our hope that this ‘Year of the Dragon’ special event will be supported by donations that will further our charity’s initiatives in cancer education and research for a cure for this terrible disease that has taken so many of our loved ones.”

There will be ample opportunities to support to the Dio Cancer Fund at the ROCK FOR RONNIE via a silent auction and raffle, beverage, food and merchandise sales, artist meet and greets, a specially-created Garden of Hope and, of course, direct contributions on site. There will also be food trucks and assorted vendor booths selling unusual crafts and other items to round out an afternoon of live music and fun for the entire family and open to everyone.

ROCK FOR RONNIE Year of the Dragon Celebration

Concert in the Park

Lou Bredlow Pavilion at Warner Center Park

21820 Califa Street, Woodland Hills CA 91367

11:00AM - 6:00PM

VIP Preferred Seating Tickets are available now at: www.diocancerfund.org/events/

$60 in advance only  

Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund:

www.diocancerfund.org

www.facebook.com/RJDSUASCF

https://twitter.com/DioCancerFund

https://www.instagram.com/diocancerfund/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpIsd0Sa3IXQY2t33G3oEEg

Legendary rock singer Ronnie James Dio, who lost his life to gastric cancer in 2010, is the subject of the acclaimed documentary film DIO: DREAMERS NEVER DIE, which is streaming on SHOWTIME and on the SHOWTIME app at: https://www.sho.com/titles/3519882/dio-dreamers-never-die  It is also available on DVD and Blu-Ray+4K and can be ordered at: https://shop.bandwear.com/dio

The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund (www.diocancerfund.org) was founded in memory of the late singer. A privately funded 501(c)(3) public charity, the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund has already raised over $2 million since its inception. Monies raised have been committed to the cancer research work of the T. J. Martell Foundation for Cancer, AIDS and Leukemia Research, the gastric cancer research unit of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where Ronnie was treated for gastric cancer during the last six months of his life, and other cancer research projects. Since 2016, the Dio Cancer Fund has committed funds to support the research of Dr. David Wong and his team at the UCLA School of Dentistry in developing a simple, non-invasive saliva test for the early detection of cancer

100% of the net proceeds from the ROCK FOR RONNIE will go to the Dio Cancer Fund, which is now in its 14th year of raising awareness and much-needed funding for cancer prevention, education and research for a cure.  The organization also hosts the annual Bowl for Ronnie Celebrity Bowling Party, which will be held on November 14.