MUSIC NEWS

Johnny in the Basement, North Mississippi All Stars 

Will Bart and his Long Island, New York based blues, funk, jam, rock group Johnny in the Basement are the closing Saturday act at the "Fools Ball Fest (1911 Wall Hill Rd, Byhalia, MS 38611-8529) on April 1st and playing Proud Larry's in Oxford, Mississippi on Tuesday April 4th! Look for new music from Johnny in the Basement recorded at the Zebra Ranch Studios with Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi All-Stars, Black Crowes, etc.)... Photo: Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson and Wil Bart @Brooklyn Bowl Dec. 2018: Jayne Tansey-Patron

“Daisy Jones and the Six”, produced by Reese Witherspoon, is now streaming on Amazon Prime. Claudia Lennear's connection to the series is as a “consultant”. Nabiyah Be (who gained major film credit as the villain "Linda" in Black Panther) portrays "Simone Jackson" --a character loosely based on Lennear...

Grand Funk Railroad celebrates the 50th anniversary of their 1973 “We’re An American Band” platinum single and album with 2023’s “The American Band Tour,” performing multiple shows across the country and dynamically underlining their trademark “Rock and Soul” classics. Original founding member Don Brewer (vocals and drums) is the writer and singer of “We’re An American Band,” from the band’s seventh album. One of rock’s definitive anthems, the platinum-certified single went all the way to #1 on the Billboard “Hot 100” chart. Says Don: “‘We’re An American Band’ came to me when we were flying from town to town on our “Phoenix Tour” in 1972. We were being sued by our former manager Terry Knight and he was trying to stop us from performing. The line “We’re comin’ to your town, we’ll help you party it down” came to me first and I wrote the song around that line. Taking snippets of things going on during the tour at that time, like staying up all night with Freddy King playing poker, four young chiquitas in Omaha, sweet sweet Connie in Little Rock, and finally the declaration, ‘We’re An American Band,’ because it sounds great and sings well. I feel lucky and blessed every time we play it live.”

On May 16th, the world will see Rock and Classical royalty unite on 'Drastic Symphonies' - a brand-new euphoric album featuring Def Leppard’s greatest produced tracks dramatically reimagined, and sounding more exhilarating than ever before, via the band teaming with London’s iconic The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

This album represents a bold new approach to Def Leppard's most loved songs. Def Leppard have deconstructed and rebuilt not only some of their most well-known tracks, but also some of their hidden gems as well. By and large, they have intertwined the audio from the original tapes and performed them alongside The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, consistently ranked as one of the world's leading orchestras. The album additionally includes new vocals and guitars that culminate in stunningly beautiful symphonic arrangements, which at different points you can hear Joe Elliott duetting with his younger self.

Vocalist Joe Elliott says, "Def Leppard has always enjoyed veering off the expected path - working with the likes of Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift & Alison Krauss for example. So, when the offer to revisit some of our back catalogue with the Royal Philharmonic was presented to us, we all jumped at it. Although we're far from the first band to ever do this, working directly with an orchestra at Abbey Road on some of our more orchestrated songs seemed too good of an opportunity to pass up."

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss headline the Beale Street Music Festival in beautiful crime-free Memphis, Tennessee on Sunday, May 7, 2023. Jason D Williams is scheduled to appear Saturday, May 6, 2023...

Consummate entertainer Ann-Margret has announced her first new studio album in over a decade, Born To Be Wild, due out April 14 on Cleopatra Records. It’s a collection of brand-new recordings of her favorite rock n roll and pop gems from the ‘50s through the ‘70s, featuring an all-star group of friends and fans including The Who’s Pete Townshend, Aerosmith’s Joe Perry, Paul Shaffer, Pat Boone, country legends Mickey Gilley (on one of his final recordings), The Oak Ridge Boys, and T.G. Sheppard, Stax guitarist Steve Cropper, Linda Gail Lewis, Robben Ford, and many more. Featuring golden-era favorites like “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” “Son Of A Preacher Man,” “Volare” and “Why Do Fools Fall In Love,” Ann-Margret remains at the top of her game (and still rides her purple Harley Davidson) while possessing a voice that's enchanting as ever.

Mercury/UMe has released a digital-only 40th-anniversary Deluxe Edition of Donna Summer's all-time classic solo album, She Works Hard For The Money. Originally released June 13, 1983, when musical tastes were changing by the minute, She Works Hard For The Money sealed Summer as a creative multi-genre force to be reckoned with following her amazing string of chart-topping disco and dance hits that helped define the sound of the 1970s. The 13-track Deluxe Edition features the original 9-song She Works Hard For The Money album plus four bonus tracks consisting of two club mixes and two instrumental tracks. These bonus tracks have not previously been available for digital download or streaming.

Blues Image rides again with a new album “Next Voyage” and forthcoming tour. The release features original guitarist and vocalist Mike Pinera and includes the greatest songs from his history with Blues Image and Iron Butterfly, revisited with an orchestra and a horn section.

Produced by Michael Franklin (who produced Jon Anderson's “1000 Hands Part One” and Robby Steinhardt's “Not in Kansas Anymore”), the new collection includes Franklin’s tradition of special guests featuring Pat Travers, Jonathan Cain from Journey, Charlie DeChant and others. Michael and Tim Franklin have toured as members of Blues Image for 30 years.

Legendary GRAMMY Award-winner Van Morrison has announced a three-night run of shows at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on September 6, 8 and 9, 2023. The shows are scheduled to begin at 8 p.m.

Warner Music Group's (Nasdaq: WMG) Global Catalog Division has announced the acquisition of the recorded music rights and income streams from YES' Atlantic Records era catalog. More than 50 years after the British group's debut, YES remains one of the most successful, respected, and influential rock bands of all time, with more than 30 million albums sold worldwide.

This acquisition continues a longstanding relationship between the band and Warner Music that now spans over a half-century, beginning with YES' self-titled 1969 Atlantic debut album. The deal encompasses landmark works such as Fragile, Close to the Edge, and 90125. The full purchase includes 12 studio albums, as well as live recordings and compilations.

The band added in a joint statement: "The entire YES family came together and worked enthusiastically with Warner Music Group to secure this historic deal, ensuring that these iconic recordings will continue to be curated in the optimum manner to delight their fans across more than five decades, while also finding and developing new audiences for this timeless music."

British classic rock legends Ten Years After’s “A Space In Time” new 50th Anniversary Remix will be available on 2CD and 2LP Half-Speed Master 180g Vinyl on March 17, 2023! “A Space In Time” is Ten Years After’s sixth, and best selling album, and was originally released in August 1971. Featuring their most well-known track “I’d Love To Change The World,” which regularly features in movies and TV shows, saw the band taking a more melodic direction from previous releases and showcased the band at their peak.

Grammy-award honouree, Songwriters Hall of Fame member, and BBC Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Don McLean will be bringing his American Pie 50th Anniversary Tour to Australia and New Zealand in 2023. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of one of the most iconic songs and albums ever this year, McLean will entertain fans across the two countries, proving that “bye-bye, Miss American Pie” will forever remain a classic staple in music. He will be supported by one of Australia’s most revered singer/songwriters, Andrew Farriss.

"I am thrilled to be getting back to Australia with my band,” says Don McLean. “2022 marks the 50th anniversary of when American Pie landed at the No. 1 spot on the Billboard chart, and we will be celebrating. We’ll be performing songs from the American Pie album plus many of the other hits that fans will be expecting to hear.”

Ritchie Blackmore spoke with Jungleroom.com about recruiting Jimi Jamison to sing for Deep Purple in 1989--"I had seen Jimi in Survivor and was very impressed. I remember going down to Tennessee to meet him and I really liked him as a person. He then came up to try out with Deep Purple. We did 1 song, I think it was "Going Down" and he was so good I immediately stopped playing and just said "Youre in!" He said "Dont you want to do more songs?" I said "No, You are so damn good, I know that you are perfect for the job." We went out and celebrated at a restaurant. I was full of ideas due to his melodic soulful voice and he could improvise much better than a lot of singers I knew so he had every aspect I was looking for in a singer. Very, very nice guy. Very humble. Unfortunately, 2 weeks later, we were told he couldn't join the band. We never found out why. I think it had something to do with the management. I was surprised and saddened by what happened and it was a mystery to me what had gone down. It was a bad moment for me. I rated him as one of the top singers in the country. "

The stars will align to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts in Oxford, Mississippi on March 25, 2023. It will be a thrilling evening hosted by Oscar winner Morgan Freeman and starring eight-time Grammy Award winners Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. The Gala evening will honor Sam and Mary Haskell with the prestigious Concerto Award, presented by the Ford Center, for their extraordinary patronage...

Steve Fossen, the original bassist in Heart shares some insight into the early days of the band with Jungleroom.com. "Heart started out as The Army in 1967 (October 1968 we became Whiteheart ... October 1969 we shortened the name to Heart). Roger (Fisher) and I met Ann in August of of 1971 ... we all played in a band called Hocus Pocus until December 1971. On April 21, 1972, we changed our band name back to Heart. Nancy joined us in 1974. "Dreamboat Annie" was recorded in 1975 released in America February 1976.

Young guitarist Chandler Smithers (known as the "Flamingo Kid") is all the talk of Memphis musical circles. Check out his band Memphis Mojo that includes Nate Matlock, Graham Whitworth and George Smithers...

Barnes Crossing Mall customers and staff were shocked when Alice Cooper made a suprise afternoon shopping visit to JC Penny before his concert at the Bankcorp South Arena in Tupelo. Opening act Ace Frehley left town with a new pair of "Elvis" socks thrown onstage from a fan...

Brian May spoke to Jungleroom.com about his contribution to 'Going Down: the songs of Don Nix': "Oh yes, I'd completely forgotten. I played on this track many months ago. It was a "quickie"-i've always liked the song and of course, Jeff Beck made it his own, and still enjoys playing it. The whole Don Nix track (in fact, the whole album) is recorded very real and live and informal, so I was pleased to be invited to have a blast on it and help."

Andy Black and David Beaver have released Can You Feel It?, their new album utilizing the finest musicians in Memphis. The unmatched skills of Joel Williams, Josh Haynes, Greg Reading, Evan Leake, Jimmy Tarbutton, Gene Ninez and Jaime Roberts are featured...read more

Memphis musician Robert Johnson (Isaac Hayes, John Entwistle's band Ox, the Staple Singers, etc.) received a huge thank-you from Greg Gutfeld on his show "The Five"...

I asked Bob Tait if he remembered playing at Peaches Records with a group named Wyzard. "You are the you the first person I've heard mention that band in years," he said. "Wyzard was Debra Preston (who later became Debra Dejean) on vocals, Delmar Preston on guitar, myself on bass and Chuck Bratton on drums. We opened for Meatloaf at the Ritz on Madison avenue the first time he appeared in Memphis on the "Bat out of Hell" tour. We opened for alot of bands coming thru memphis and bigger bands from here. Today, Bob plays bass in 5 O'Clock Shadow with Gary Hagar and Bill Parsley.

Sartoris Literary Group announces the release of Chips Moman: The Record Producer Whose Genius Changed American Music, available wherever fine books are sold. It will also be available online in various eBook editions. "I think the Chips Moman story has provided me with the best book I have written since Colonel Tom Parker, which was purchased by Warner Bros. for its Elvis film starring Tom Hanks," says author James L. Dickerson. "I anticipate great interest in a movie based on Moman's story. Small wonder. He has been called the "Steve McQueen of the music business."

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