News

After serving nearly a decade in Dead and Co. and sharing the stage with everyone from Eric Clapton to the Rolling Stones, B.B. King, and Jeff Beck, there are not many situations likely to overwhelm John Mayer. But when he came onstage for “Rockin’ In The Free World” at the end of a scorching Neil Young and Stephen Stills set at the Harvest Moon – A Gathering charity show in Lake Hughes, California, the longest they’d played together since Buffalo Springfield’s short-lived 2011 reunion tour, the look on Mayer’s face clearly read,...

Green Lantern has had a rough history on film. In 2011, Warner Bros. bet on the hero being their Iron Man; a B-lister underdog who could kick off a blockbuster franchise. "Green Lantern" starring Ryan Reynolds did not fly high so the character was almost completely absent from the DC Extended Universe. (None of the major Green Lanterns show up in either cut of "Justice League.")

Now, James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC Studios is again looking to make the Green Lantern Corps an early fixture of their DC Films. Nathan Fillion is playing Guy Gardner in 2025's "Superman" and a "Lanterns" TV series is currently in development at HBO. A "True Detective" style murder mystery, "Lanterns" will star the two most famous comic Green Lanterns: Hal Jordan and John Stewart (not the one from "The Daily Show").

Kyle Chandler has recently been cast as Hal Jordan, so what about John?...

When the Jacksons wound up their 1975 tour with a show in Mexico City, the group delivered everything anyone would have expected: the hits (from “I Want You Back” and “ABC” through Michael’s “Ben”), newer material like “Dancing Machine,” and ace choreography. But during a segment when each member of their backup band stepped out for an extended solo, fans were also reminded of one of the group’s secret musical weapons — brother Tito’s guitar.

Tito Jackson, who died Sept. 15 at 70 of an undisclosed cause, was never the focus...

Will Jennings, the two-time Oscar and Grammy-winning co-writer of the beloved Titanic theme, Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On,” has died at 80 in his Texan home, according to multiple reports. Though a cause of death was not identified, those close to the composer said he had been in declining health for a number of years.

The prolific lyricist was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for the tunes “People Alone” from The Competition (1980) and “Up Where We Belong” from An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), the latter of which he won. In 2006, Jennings was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

In addition to his two Oscars, Jennings won three Grammys: “My Heart Will Go On” and “Tears in Heaven” (Song of the Year), from 1992’s Jennifer Jason Leigh-starring cop drama Rush,...

Will Jennings, an Oscar winner for “My Heart Will Go On” and “Up Where We Belong” and one of the best known lyricists in the contemporary songwriting community, has died, his longtime publisher confirms to Variety. No cause of death was announced, although he had been ill for some time; he was 80.

Although the themes he co-wrote for “Titanic” (recorded by Celine Dion) and “An Officer and a Gentleman” (sung by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes) won him his two Academy Awards, Jennings was equally renowned for a third film song, “Tears in Heaven” (performed by Eric Clapton), from the movie “Rush,” which won him a Golden Globe for best original song as well as Grammys for record of the year and song of the year. He also won three Grammy Awards.

Jennings also had major hits with songs recorded by Whitney Houston, Steve Winwood, Dionne Warwick, Barry Manilow and Tim McGraw,...

The ventriloquist act that opens for Adam Sandler in his new special Love You is working hard to win over the crowd. “How’s he doing?” Sandler asks a world-weary guy operating the theater audio board.

“He’s doing good,” the guy croaks in unconvincing fashion.

A stray dog passes through the worn-down theater halls. Sandler looks to his entourage: “Who booked this place?”

As Sandler prepares to take the stage, he crosses paths with the ventriloquist and his dummy, wearing a cap with “Lester” bedazzled across the front. “Great audience,” says the puppetmaster.

“They made me feel real,” agrees Lester, the bespectacled puppet.

“Willie and Lester, you guys,” says Sandler. “This means a lot to me. The crowd loves you.”

While Willie Tyler and Lester might be unknowns to younger viewers of Sandler’s special, his admiration for the comic duo is genuine. The veteran ventriloquist act has been...

As the birthplace of Texas weirdness, Austin has long been a nail that refuses to be hammered down. Despite its recent growth, unflappable Austinites like Jackie Venson know their city to be steadfast in its identity. “I just always want people to recognize the unbreakable spirit of Austin,” she says, smiling.

Singer-songwriter Jackie Venson’s version of the blues – with its R’n’B, psychedelic rock – has invigorated Austin’s music scene with its refreshingly electric sound. She became the first Black woman to be named “Best Guitarist” at the Austin Music Awards,...

The major record labels have filed lawsuits against the prominent AI music generation companies Suno and Udio on Monday, accusing the companies of training their AI tech on the unlicensed works of some of the world’s biggest artists.

The suits — filed in Massachusetts and New York — were filed by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) which represents the industry’s “Big Three” record companies Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group. The three labels collectively represent most of the biggest artists in pop music history.

Even the most casual students of American music will be quick to tell you that it’s almost impossible to find a musical tradition that can’t be traced back to the blues.

From the lyrical repetition and call-and-response structure of countless pop songs to the 12-bar guitar lines that formed the foundation of jazz and rock ‘n roll (which in turn created many of the samples that fueled the genesis of hip-hop), America’s first art form produced many of the creative traditions and stylistic flourishes that we now take for granted.

As the blues artists of the early 20th-century continue to influence a new generation of musicians in both direct and indirect ways, a forgotten documentary featuring many of the genre’s most influential voices is returning to theaters this summer. Roviros Manthoulis’ 1973 film “The Blues Under the Skin” saw the music documentarian traveling through the deep south...

Hear Blues Royalty celebrate excellence during the biggest night of the year on B.B. King’s Bluesville (Ch. 75), powered by The Blues Foundation, and on the SiriusXM app.

2024 Blues Music AwardsListen on the App

Listen on the App

The four-hour extravaganza is hosted by Tavis Smiley and features live performances from Selwyn Birchwood, Mr. Sipp, Eg Kight, The Cashbox Kings, Matthias Lattin, The Nick Moss Band, Blackburn Brothers, and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram — plus appearances by Dylan Triplett, Kevin Burt, Dexter Allen, and Eric Nolan Grant.

2024 Blues Music Awards How to listen

Tune in to channel 75 starting May 24 at 6pm Et to hear the 2024 Blues Music Awards captured live in Memphis, or stream it after its premiere on the SiriusXM app.

Broadcast Schedule:

May 24 at 6pm Et

May 25 at 8am Et

May 26 at 3pm Et

May 27 at 12pm Et

About the Awards

The Blues Music Awards brings together Blues performers, industry representatives,...

Under a fingernail moon, surrounded by the silhouettes of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Highlands, North Carolina, JJ Grey & Mofro took a moment to soak in the beauty of this year’s Bear Shadow music festival.

“This song is about my love affair with the ocean,” Grey noted of his native Jacksonville, Florida, before launching into “The Sea,” the first tune from his latest album, Olustee. “And I know y’all got a love affair with these mountains.”

In its fourth installment, Bear Shadow has established itself as one of...

At A Down-home Eatery near his waterfront home on Florida’s west coast in 2017, Dickey Betts, stout and white-haired but still evoking his youthful intensity, was asked about his imposing reputation. “People are a little bit standoffish because they think if they say something wrong, I’ll be aggressive or something with them,” he told Rolling Stone, adding with his drawl, “But I’m not like that at all. Unless you start saying shit that’s really demeaning, and then I won’t hesitate to …” Betts didn’t finish the sentence,...

The only person who believed in David Bowie’s vision of “Young Americans” more than Bowie himself was David Sanborn. The saxophonist, who was trained in jazz, had broken into the pop world as a member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and by guesting on Stevie Wonder’s Talking Book. Sanborn, who died Sunday, was in his late 20s when he linked up with Bowie for the Diamond Dogs Tour — he’s featured on the David Live double-album — and joined him in the studio for the recording of Bowie...

David Sanborn, the multi-genre saxophonist who performed with David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Carly Simon, James Taylor, and many more, has died. He was 78 years old.

Sanborn’s passing was confirmed on Monday via a post on his social media. “It is with sad and heavy hearts that we convey to you the loss of internationally renowned, six-time Grammy Award-winning, saxophonist, David Sanborn,” the post read. “Mr. Sanborn passed Sunday afternoon, May 12th, after an extended battle with prostate cancer with complications.”

Born in 1945, Sanbron was introduced to the saxophone during his childhood as a means of recovering from polio. By the time he was 14, he had the opportunity to perform with blues legends like Albert King and Little Milton, the first of his many, many collaborations.

In 1967, he joined The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, whom he played with at Woodstock two years later. In the early ‘70s, he began performing with more artists,...

David Sanborn, beloved jazz saxophonist who is credited on songs for Stevie Wonder, David Bowie and many more, died Sunday. He was 78.

A message posted to the musician’s social media page confirmed the news, noting that Sanborn had been battling prostate cancer for the past few years. “Mr. Sanborn had been dealing with prostate cancer since 2018, but had been able to maintain his normal schedule of concerts until just recently. Indeed he already had concerts scheduled into 2025,” the message reads. “David Sanborn was a seminal figure in contemporary pop and jazz music. It has been said that he ‘put the saxophone back into Rock ’n Roll.’”

It is with sad and heavy hearts that we convey to you the loss of internationally renowned, 6 time Grammy Award-winning, saxophonist, David Sanborn. Mr. Sanborn passed Sunday afternoon, May 12th, after an extended battle with prostate cancer with complications. pic.twitter.com/VyW...

Smooth jazz saxophonist David Sanborn, who played on recordings by Stevie Wonder, James Brown, and Carly Simon and performed live with David Bowie and the Rolling Stones, died in Tarrytown, New York, on Sunday afternoon. A rep confirmed the news to Rolling Stone. A message on Sanborn’s social media cited complications after an extended battle with prostate cancer. He was 78.

“Mr. Sanborn had been dealing with prostate cancer since 2018 but had been able to maintain his normal schedule of concerts until just recently,” the message said. “Indeed he already...

G. Love & Special Sauce’s self-titled debut album was an out-of-left-field record upon its release in May 1994. An innovative concoction of rock, hip-hop, blues, and jazz music, its lead single “Cold Beverages” quickly overtook radio stations coast-to-coast that summer, but the band was none the wiser of its unusual, unexpected success.

“It was getting played on MTV, played on Beavis and Butt-Head,” G. Love tells Rolling Stone. “It was a hit record, but we didn’t know it was blowing up ‘cause we were doing 250 shows a year in a...

Any photographer who shoots what’s happening in the gleaming, raw, people-packed carnival of New York City — the stores and walls and towers and alleyways, the celebrities, the endless cross-section of humanity — already has an artistic leg up. But the other leg is what he or she does with it. Weegee shot the violent night world of sin and crime. Diane Arbus captured the hidden freak show and showed us its humanity. Alfred Eisenstaedt and William Klein caught the hurly-burly of the everyday. But as you watch “Uncropped,” an addictive look at the life and work of the magazine and newspaper photographer James Hamilton, you may think: He’s the greatest New York photographer of them all.

Hamilton’s black-and-white images — in the documentary, we see hundreds of them — have a burnished tactility, and a psychology so effortless that every one of them tells a story. The photographs are gallery beautiful,...

Ron Weiner, a Daytime Emmy-winning director for Donahue who also worked at WGN Chicago for 25 years, has died. He was 93.

He died in Baltimore on March 18, where he was living in a nursing home, Howard Weiner told The Hollywood Reporter. His cause of death was not immediately available.

Born in 1930 in Chicago, Weiner was the first in his family to attend college. He completed a two-year undergraduate program at the University of Illinois at Navy Pier before enrolling at Columbia College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in speech.

After attending the Navy’s Officer Candidate School and spending three years at Naval Station Argentia as a communications officer, Weiner began his career in television in 1956 with Chicago Tribune-owned WGN-tv. Starting as a prop man, he eventually worked his way up to staff director by 1960, directing several different WGN programs.

Then in 1974, when Phil Donahue moved his talk show to WGN,...

U.K. distribution powerhouse Dcd Rights is announcing strong pre-sales for its musical legend laden slate at MipTV.

The remastered release of “David Bowie: Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders from Mars” in stunning 4K leads the pack with a pre-sale to Nhk Japan already in place. Premiering to market at MipTV is “Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision.” The doc lifts the lid on the creation of the legendary studio, a former nightclub which had played host to Chuck Berry and Bb King before its reincarnation into the recording home of the heir apparent to the guitar god throne. Pre-sold to Sky in the U.K., it will air on Sky Arts later in 2024., James Anderson, sales manager at Dcd Rights, told Variety.

Recent years have seen the Beatles, Bob Dylan, and Leonard Cohen all given the high end doc treatment, nostalgia seeming a powerful draw. Dcd Rights’ slate...

Exclusive: Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Waves) has been set to lead a new, untitled Universal feature project from director Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) and producer Pharrell Williams (Hidden Figures), according to multiple sources, who also tell us that 2024 Academy Award winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers) is in talks.

Universal declined comment. But the film is said to be a coming-of-age musical, set in 1977 Virginia Beach, which draws inspiration from Williams’ childhood growing up in the city’s Atlantis Apartments.

Martin Hynes (Toy Story 4) and Steven Levenson penned the script. Williams and Mimi Valdés will produce through i am Other, alongside Gil Netter for Gil Netter Productions.

Known for roles in Trey Edward Shults’ Waves, Joe Wright’s Cyrano, Nat Geo’s Genius: MLK/X, which had him playing Martin Luther King Jr., and Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, which had him portraying B.B. King,...

Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.

And the Razzie Goes to . . .

As much as we hate to give Razzies any sort of promotion, The Criterion Channel has a new series to show just how wrong the execrable organization has been over the past decades. Launching today, they are spotlighting comedic gems like Tom Green’s Freddy Got Fingered, Elaine May’s Ishtar, and Neil Labute’s The Wicker Man, alongside Cruising, Heaven’s Gate, Xanadu, Querelle, Under the Cherry Moon, Cocktail, Showgirls, Barb Wire, The Blair Witch Project, Swept Away and Gigli.

Where to Stream: The Criterion Channel

BlackBerry (Matt Johnson)

In BlackBerry, the rise of a blue-chip tech company sets the stage for the dissolution of a longstanding friendship. Sound familiar? Just wait ‘til you hear the score.

Elvis Presley‘s “Viva Las Vegas” was one one of several songs by the same musical genius that the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll recorded. Bob Dylan had a lot to say about the songwriter in question in his most recent book. Dylan said the songwriter left the world of professional gambling after two of his fellow musicians gave him a wake-up call.

Elvis Presley’s ‘Viva Las Vegas’ was written by an artist who grew sick of songwriting

“Viva Las Vegas” was co-written by Mort Shuman and Doc Pomus. Pomus was known for writing Elvis’ “Kiss Me Quick,” “Little Sister,” “Surrender,” “Suspicion,” “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame,” and “She’s Not You.” Dylan dedicated his 2022 book The Philosophy of Modern Song to Pomus.

In the book, the “Lay Lady Lay” singer compared the hustle of the entertainment industry to the world of faith healers. “Doc Pomus, though also wheelchair-bound,...

The Beach Boys‘ Pet Sounds famously inspired The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The influence is most prominent in one of Sgt. Pepper‘s most chaotic songs. Paul McCartney and John Lennon both gave fans insight into the American artists who inspired Sgt. Pepper.

A song from The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ uses pet sounds like The Beach Boys

Pet Sounds includes … pet sounds. The song “Caroline, No” features barking dogs near the end of the track. The use of animal noises in the album was one of Brian Wilson’s most innovative moves. To this day, it inspires musicians to use unusual noises in their work.

One Sgt. Pepper track, “Good Morning Good Morning,” uses animal noises as well. They seem to represent how the song’s protagonists feel overwhelmed. “Good Morning Good Morning” isn’t one of the more acclaimed songs from Sgt. Pepper but it...

The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds famously inspired The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The influence is most prominent in one of Sgt’ Pepper’s most chaotic songs. Paul McCartney and John Lennon both gave fans insight into the American artists who inspired Sgt. Pepper.

Pet Sounds is known for including … pet sounds. The song “Caroline, No” features barking dogs near the end of the track. The use of animal noises in the album was one of Brian Wilson’s most innovative moves. To this day, it inspires musicians to use unusual noises in their work.

One Sgt. Pepper track, “Good Morning Good Morning,” uses animal noises as well. They seem to represent how the song’s protagonists feel overwhelmed. “Good Morning Good Morning” isn’t one of the more acclaimed songs from Sgt. Pepper but it’s arguably one of the more experimental.

The Beatles partly recorded the album in character.

One of the ghostwriter’s most valuable skills is getting their subjects to talk. So, when I gathered L.A.’s most successful ghostwriters at the Formosa Cafe to gossip, they knew all my tricks. In desperation, I went with the most transparent of all reporting techniques — buying them all fruity cocktails.

A reputation for discretion is not only how they get work, but how they avoid getting sued; they sign nondisclosure agreements for every memoir they write. But even if they revealed nothing scandalous about their famous clients — or at least nothing that couldn’t be discovered with a Google search — I learned a lot about the curious craft of ghostwriting and the types of personalities drawn to help famous people tell their life stories. Also, I learned why I am far too egotistical to do their job.

Sitting around the table were Neil Strauss (who has written memoirs for Rick Rubin,...

Elvis Presley‘s “Viva Las Vegas” is one of the most infectious rock songs of the 1960s. According to Bob Dylan, it’s also an advertisement. Dylan had a lot to say about the co-writer of the song. “Viva Las Vegas” went on to have a significant impact on the titular city.

Bob Dylan wrote that Elvis Presley’s ‘Viva Las Vegas’ is a ‘bright and breezy love song’

In his 2022 book The Philosophy of Modern Music, Dylan had plenty of positive things to say about “Viva Las Vegas.” “‘Viva Las Vegas’ is also a commercial,” he opined. Notably, “Viva Las Vegas” was co-written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, the same duo behind other Elvis hits such as “Surrender,” “Little Sister,” and “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame.”

“Of course, when Elvis first recorded this Doc Pomus–Mort Shuman composition in 1963 and released it in 1964, he didn’t know that five years later,...

Los Angeles, Jan 6 (Ians) Grammy winner Michael Bolton has revealed that he has been diagnosed with brain tumour and will be taking a temporary break from performing.

The 70-year-old singer took to Facebook to make the announcement about his health, reports deadline.com.

“Just before the holidays, it was discovered that I had a brain tumor, which required immediate surgery. Thanks to my incredible medical team, the surgery was a success,” Bolton wrote.

“I am now recuperating at home and surrounded by the tremendous love and support of my family.”

He told fans he will be taking the “next couple of months” to his recovery and taking a “temporary break” from touring.

“It is always the hardest thing for me to ever disappoint my fans or postpone a show, but have no doubt I am working hard to accelerate my recovery and get back to performing soon,” wrote Bolton.

“Know...

Exclusive: Veteran entertainment lawyer and business strategist Jason Beekman has exited his role as VP and Head of Business & Legal Strategy at RadicalMedia to join director and former Imagine Documentaries showrunner Ryan Miller in co-founding new production company, Wise Child Studios.

Intended to marry the robust legal and business acumen of a larger studio with the distinguished creative vision and filmmaker-centric attention of a boutique shop, Wise Child will work with the industry’s best, from award winners to emerging talent, in the telling of thought-provoking and character-driven stories. The company is developing most of its projects from the ground up and will also handle post-production and sales for its titles.

Having already built a robust slate across scripted and non-fiction series, features, and podcasts, Wise Child’s projects in development include an investigative series with AMC; the feature doc Up the River about a 1972 concert at Sing Sing Prison,...

In retrospect, it might look inevitable, the sticky-sweet commercial marriage between soda pop and pop music. (Catchy jingles worked. Why shouldn’t catchy hit songs work even better?) But in actuality, it was far from a sure bet back when Pepsi started formulating their strategic play to become the drink of a “new generation.”

The storied Pepsi pop pivot dates back roughly to 1960 — read: pre-bikini America, still largely an Eisenhower-drab sea of crew cuts, including Elvis, who’d been unceremoniously shorn and shipped off to the army. It was an...

Austin Butler and Kaia Gerber have been dating since December 2021, but for the most part, they prefer to keep their romance away from the spotlight. Other than their casual outings, their red carpet debut as a couple at the 2022 Met Gala, and their loved-up appearance at last year's Cannes Film Festival, neither Butler nor Gerber has publicly revealed much about their relationship.

And they prefer to keep it that way. When Butler was previously asked to comment on his relationship with Gerber in an interview with GQ, he responded, "I don't think there's anything I want to share about that. But thank you for providing the space." However, he did briefly comment on being recently photographed with Gerber. "I go, 'If I don't see the picture, then it doesn't really exist to me,'" he said. "I don't want to be really negative, but there's hardly any job I despise more than paparazzi.

Elvis Presley‘s “That’s All Right” caused a stir when it was first released in 1954. A contemporary rock ‘n’ roll singer was less impressed with the song. Regardless, it went on to become a standard for later generations of rockers.

Elvis Presley’s ‘That’s All Right’ was born out of a spontaneous moment during a break

According to a 2022 video from the Elvis YouTube channel, record executive Sam Phillips of Sun Records booked a session with Elvis when the singer was trying to break into the industry. Phillips wanted to find the right song for Elvis to sing, but nothing seemed to fit.

During a break, Elvis started singing an uptempo cover of Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup’s blues song “That’s All Right.” Phillips sent the cover to the radio program Red Hot & Blue. The song received an overwhelmingly positive reception and the radio station received 40 phone calls.

Clockwise from top left: Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (Emi); Stop Making Sense (Palm Pictures); Prince: Sign O The Times (Cineplex Odeon Films); Madonna: Truth Or Dare (DVD: Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment); Homecoming: A Film By Beyonce (Netflix); U2: Rattle And Hum (Paramount Pictures)Graphic: Libby...

As Priscilla Beaulieu got to know Elvis Presley, she realized he rarely used people’s first names when addressing them. He invented nicknames for a select few people, but he also relied on a person’s proper title when speaking with them. Priscilla explained that Elvis only used first names for people in his immediate circle. Otherwise, he felt it was impolite and disrespectful, even when he’d known someone for years. Here’s why.

Elvis didn’t often use people’s first names

When Priscilla took Elvis to meet her parents, she was nervous. They didn’t approve of the 10-year age gap between Elvis and 14-year-old Priscilla, and they were unimpressed by his level of celebrity. Elvis’ politeness won them over, though.

“[E]lvis was the perfect gentleman,” Priscilla wrote in her book Elvis and Me. “My father was visibly impressed, and from that moment on, Elvis always addressed...

Exclusive: Abramorama founder Richard Abramowitz has elevated longtime business partner Karol Martesko-Fenster to CEO and Co-Chairman of the indie distribution company. Evan Saxon has been promoted to President, Head of International Distribution, in a move meant to double down on their continued emphasis on social impact and music-driven content for theatrical and event releases globally.

Abramowitz continues as Co-Chairman atop the company he founded in 2002.

“Karol, Evan and I have worked closely together for years, with their partnership driving unparalleled results in the event-cinema world,” Abramowitz said. “Their decades-long experience in the music and social impact film genres makes me confident that they will take the company to the next level and continue to dominate, innovate and lead the way as the industry continues to evolve.”

Martesko-Fenster will lead the company in expanding its footprint and partnerships in the filmed entertainment sector while bolstering the strategic services to filmmakers and IP owners across all platforms.

Rockstar and composer Gary Wright, known for composing songs, such as ‘Dream Weaver’ and ‘Love is Alive’, has passed away at the age of 80. Confirming the news of his passing, his son Justin, revealed that the singer and songwriter had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia for a longtime, and died in his house on Monday morning.

Following news of his death, fellow singer and songwriter Stephen Bishop shared a tribute in honour of Wright, giving his condolences and posting old pictures of himself and Wright.

“It is with great sadness that I received the news of my dear friend Gary Wright’s passing,” Bishop posted on X (formerly Twitter).

“The attached photos hold precious memories from the very first and last time we shared the stage together, alongside our mutual musical pal John Ford Coley.”

Bishop continued: “Gary’s vibrant personality and exceptional talent made every moment together truly enjoyable.

Classic rockers Foghat have announced their first album in seven years. The 12-song LP, Sonic Mojo, will be released November 10th, and features the first single, “Drivin’ On.”

The new album includes three songs co-written by late Savoy Brown singer-guitarist Kim Simmonds, who passed away in December 2022. One of those songs is the aforementioned single, “Drivin’ On.”

“A song like ‘Drivin’ On’ celebrates the swamp funk blues of Slim Harpo and the cosmic boogie of John Lee Hooker,” said Foghat singer-guitarist Scott Holt in a press release.

Drummer Roger Earl, the lone original member left in Foghat, spoke of recording with the band’s current lineup, declaring, “I love playing and working with this band. During my almost 60-year music career, I have had the honor of playing with some really great musicians. Lonesome Dave, Rod Price, Craig MacGregor, Erik Cartwright, Nick Jameson, Tony Stevens and Jeff Howell to name...

B.B. King was one of many classic rock stars who paved the way for Elvis Presley. King thought Elvis was different from several of his contemporaries. Despite this, King did not fully buy into the mythology surrounding the “Heartbreak Hotel” singer.

B.B. King said Elvis Presley didn’t give him the chill that Johnny Cash did

According to the 2021 book King of Blues: The Rise and Reign of B.B. King, King met Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash. Each artist was a member of The Million Dollar Quartet, a group of famous musicians who were each signed to Sun Records at one point.

King discussed the performers. “I saw all of them, but they didn’t have much to say,” he said. “It wasn’t anything personal, but I might feel a little chill between them and me.” He didn’t reveal why he felt this “chill,...

Ringo Starr had a solid relationship with all of his Beatles bandmates, but he was incredibly close to John Lennon. Even after Lennon’s murder, the drummer showed respect by refusing to record a song of his that became a hit. The song we really want to hear, though, is the extended jam Ringo and John played on that Yoko Ono interrupted.

An impatient Yoko Ono broke up a lively jam with Ringo Starr, John Lennon, and Eric Clapton

Members of the Fab Four didn’t stop working together even though the band broke up. Ringo drummed on albums by each of his former bandmates. That included the simultaneous John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band projects in 1970.

The drummer was an early member of the rotating supergroup that orbited around John and Yoko.

Ringo, Eric Clapton, and longtime Beatles friend Klaus Voormann joined Lennon and...

In the early months of the pandemic, Nils Lofgren didn’t know what to do with himself. The guitarist had been on the road since the Sixties, when his band Grin took off, and in the years that followed he’d launched many solo tours between stints with Bruce Springsteen in the E Street Band, Ringo Starr in the All Starr Band, and Neil Young in the Santa Monica Flyers, the Trans Band, and Crazy Horse.

“Covid threw me for a loop,” he tells Rolling Stone via Zoom from a...

“Carlos” has one of the best openings I’ve ever seen — or heard — in a music documentary. We hear Carlos Santana, waxing philosophical and wise (as he’s prone to do). Intercut with his words, at throbbing intervals of about 20 seconds (and at top volume), are the iconic organ-and-bass notes — Bom Bom!…Bom Bom! — that open “Oye Como Va,” the 1971 hit by Santana. I’ll confess that “Oye Como Va” is one of those classic-rock radio staples I feel like I’ve heard more times in my life than I ever need to. (Sort of like “Moondance” and “Tempted” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”) Yet “Carlos,” instead of assaulting you with the song, severs those four notes from it (Bom Bom!…Bom Bom!) and blows them up into a piece of pop art, like a Warhol sound painting. It asks us to hear the magic of what Carlos Santana...

There is a reason for the Carlos Santana documentary, “Carlos,” to take its title not from the guitar legend’s last name and that of his eponymous band. The film, which received a gala world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, focuses more on Santana’s biographical details recounted previously in his 2014 memoir, “The Universal Tone,” than his illustrious career. Of course, music is inseparable from the life of a Rock & Roll Hall of Famer born into a musical family, but the documentary is more about wrestling with success, spirituality, addiction and childhood trauma from sexual abuse.

Filmmaker Rudy Valdez unfurls a chronological narrative, from Santana’s formative years in Tijuana, Mexico, to his triumphant 1999 “Supernatural” album, employing archives of photos, concert footage, talk-show appearances, home videos and a few newly conducted interviews, including a roundtable of Santana’s immediate family members. But amid the narrative progression Valdez has occasionally...

Tina Turner, the singer and actress known as the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll, has died at the age of 83.

Turner passed away following a long illness, her representatives announced on Wednesday, May 24th. “There will be a private funeral ceremony attended by close friends and family,” the statement added. “Please respect the privacy of her family at this difficult time.”

Turner was born Anna Mae Bullock on November 26th, 1939 in Brownsville, Tennessee. Growing up during World War II, she had a strained relationship with her parents, and spent the majority of her childhood and teenage years living with her grandparents. A self-described tomboy, she sang in her church choir as a young girl, and went on to join both the cheerleading squad and girls’ basketball team in high school. After graduating in 1958, she worked as a nurse’s aide.

In the mid-1950s, Turner and her sister began regularly...

Keith Richards shot to fame as the hard-living guitarist for The Rolling Stones. That’s been his main gig for more than 60 years, the band for whom he wrote what might be his favorite song. Still, Richards’ first solo album proved to be a hit even though he had to be pressured into making it.

Keith Richards | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Keith Richards felt ‘like a turncoat’ making his first solo album

Richards was a rock star and a musical trendsetter with The Rolling Stones. He was also late to the party among members of his band — Richards was the last to go solo.

The guitarist focused his energy on the Stones for decades. For better or worse, Richards gave everything he had to the band. He never really considered going it alone until the late 1980s.

While working on the 1987 movie Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock ‘n’ Roll...

Tl;Dr:

Paul McCartney wanted the solo on a song from The Beatles’ Revolver to sound like Eric Clapton. Paul put a lot of feedback on his solo. He said he played the guitar differently from how George Harrison would have done it. Eric Clapton | Michael Ochs Archives / Stringer

Paul McCartney put an Eric Clapton-inspired guitar solo in a song from The Beatles’ Revolver. Subsequently, some fans mistakenly thought George Harrison played the solo. Paul said George didn’t want to admit he didn’t play the riff.

Paul McCartney listened to Eric Clapton and B. B. King during The Beatles’ ‘Revolver’ era

During a 1990 interview with Guitar Player, Paul discussed how a friend of his indirectly influenced The Beatles’ “Taxman.” “I had this friend in London, John Mayall of the Bluesbreakers, who used to play me a lot of records late at night,” Paul said. “He was a kind of DJ-type guy.

Willie Nelson celebrated his 90th birthday last weekend with some of his talented friends and admirers — from Keith Richards to Billy Strings — at the Hollywood Bowl in L.A. Just a few days later, the iconic singer-songwriter also added to his accolades by becoming a newly elected member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. From covering rock and pop classics to collaborating with non-country acts both live and on record, here are 10 of the mercurial master’s best rock-influenced performances.

“All Things Must Pass” (with Lukas Nelson)

Ex-Beatle George Harrison...

NBC’s The Voice Season 23 spoilers are here regarding the upcoming Playoffs. The Playoffs begin on Monday, May 1, 2023, and fans get to see 10 competitors from Team Blake Shelton and Team Chance the Rapper take the stage in the hopes of moving forward. Unfortunately, only four competitors on the first episode of the Playoffs will move on. Here are the competitors who wow Shelton and Chance.

[Spoiler alert: The Voice Season 23 spoilers ahead regarding the Playoffs.]

Chance the Rapper on ‘The Voice’ Season 23 | Trae Patton/NBC ‘The Voice’ Season 23 spoilers: The 4 singers to move on after the Playoffs on Monday, May 1, 2023

The Voice Season 23 spoilers for the Playoffs are here, and fans might be surprised by who moves on after the performances on Monday, May 1, 2023. The first night of the Playoffs features Team Chance the Rapper and Team Blake Shelton.

For Team Chance, Jamar Langley takes the stage with “The Thrill is Gone” by B.B. King,...

NBC’s The Voice Season 23 Playoffs are officially here, and fans can’t wait to see how the top 20 contestants do. The singers worked hard in the Knockouts and Battles to make it all the way here, and they have plenty of stellar songs lined up during the Knockout rounds. Here are the songs fans can expect to hear in the Knockouts, according to The Voice Season 23 spoilers.

[Spoiler alert: The Voice Season 23 spoilers ahead regarding the songs in the Playoffs.]

Blake Shelton’s team on ‘The Voice’ Season 23 | Trae Patton/NBC ‘The Voice’ Season 23 spoilers: Every song in the Playoffs

The Voice Season 23 spoilers are here regarding what songs fans will hear during the Playoffs. Heading into the Playoffs, here are the teams:

Team Chance the Rapper:

Jamar Langley

Manasseh Samone

Kala Banham

Ray Uriel

Sorelle

Team Kelly Clarkson:

Cait Martin

D. Smooth

Neil Salsich

Ali

Holly Brand

Team Niall Horan:

Ross Clayton

Gina Miles

Tasha Jessen

Michael B....

When Marty Stuart was growing up in Philadelphia, Mississippi, the Ellis Theater downtown could practically qualify as his second home. He watched the 1969 film Johnny Cash! The Man, His World, His Music in the old movie house, and lived to tell the Man in Black about it after joining his band in 1980.

But today, with decades of success in Nashville to his credit — first as a sideman to bluegrass legend Lester Flatt, then Cash, and finally as a bandleader in his own right — Stuart has reclaimed the 500-seat venue in...

Image Source: Getty / Axelle/Bauer-Griffin

Kelvin Harrison Jr. is currently making music magic as the talented violinist Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges in the film "Chevalier." The 28-year-old actor has been steadily building his résumé for a while now, appearing in hit titles like "Elvis" and "The Trial of the Chicago 7," but "Chevalier" - which released in theaters on April 21 - is poised to be his biggest star turn yet.

Bologne was a French violinist and composer who worked to take leadership of the Paris Opera during the onset of the French Revolution. Harrison Jr. himself is a talented musician and plays violin, jazz and gospel piano, and trumpet, in addition to being a vocalist. For his role in "Chevalier," though, he had to take his violin skills to a new level. A violinist named Ronald Long was originally brought on to be Harrison Jr.'s hand double -...