April 28, 2013 by Amy Gold
During the week of April 21, 2013, the world mourned the passing of folk singer-songwriter and Woodstock icon Ritchie Havens, famed country singer George Jones, and long-time Parliament-Funkadelic bassist Cordell "Boogie" Mosson.
Also this week, the multi-talented Barbra Streisand was honored by the Film Society of Lincoln Center with the Chaplin Award for her work in the movies. Other oldies music bands and artists who received honors included Bruce Springsteen and Pete Seeger who were among this year's newly-elected members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Black Sabbath just kicked off their world tour in New Zealand, and more shows are slated for Australia, Japan, Europe, and North America. Bob Dylan and the Allman Brothers have both announced summer tours, and Paul McCartney added three new tour dates in Canada. Also, the Rolling Stones changed their "50 And Counting" tour opener date in Los Angeles from May 3, 2013 to May 2 to avoid a possible scheduling conflict with the NBA.
Glen Campbell will be releasing an album this July which will include new versions of his biggest hits from the 1960s-1970s. Also, Lynyrd Skynyrd will soon be releasing a new song that will be used as the theme for the History Channel show, "Pawn Stars."
Various humanitarian efforts are underway to aid victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. REO Speedwagon, Styx and Ted Nugent, who are currently on tour, are banding together to raise money through their shows. Neil Diamond has donated the week's sales from "Sweet Caroline" to charity, and he is also working on a new song inspired by this tragedy.
April 21, 2013: Black Sabbath's Kicks Off World Tour In New Zealand
Ozzy Osbourne and former Black Sabbath band mates, bassist Geezer Butler and guitarist Tony Iommi, kicked off this band's world tour on April 20, 2013, at the Vector Arena in Auckland, New Zealand. Black Sabbath is also scheduled to give more shows in Australia and Japan this month. Another tour leg in Europe will begin on November 20, 2013 in Finland and end on December 20 in Birmingham, England.
Source: W.E.N.N » Ozzy Osbourne Kicks Off Black Sabbath Tour
April 21, 2013: Bob Dylan To Tour This Summer
Bob Dylan will be touring this summer along with WILCO, My Morning Jacket, Bob Weir, and other bands and artists. This tour, dubbed AmericanaramA Festival of Music, will consist of 26 shows in the U.S. and Canada that start on June 26, 2013 at the Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, FL and end on August 4 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA.
Source: AmericanaramA Festival of Music On Tour This Summer | The Official Bob Dylan Site
April 22, 2013: Folk Singer-Songwriter Richie Havens Passes Away
Richie Havens, 1974
Famed folk singer-songwriter Richie Havens died at his home in Jersey City, NJ on April 22, 2013 at age 72 from a heart attack. Havens became famous for opening the Woodstock festival with a riveting show that lasted nearly three hours because many of the bands and artists scheduled to perform after him got stuck in traffic. His set included the spiritual, "Motherless Child," that he improvised into his own song, "Freedom," and he received many encores.
Havens got his start in music at an early age singing doo-wop on street corners with neighborhood friends, and at 20, he left his native Brooklyn for Greenwich Village. He recorded two albums for Douglas Records before signing on with Albert Grossman, Bob Dylan's manager, who got Havens a record deal with Verve Forecast. Over the years, he toured actively, wrote music for movies, TV, and commercials, and recorded many albums and singles that included his Top 40 hit with the George Harrison-penned "Here Comes The Sun." He also started his own record label and acted in a number of productions that included the original 1972 stage presentation of The Who's rock opera, "Tommy." In 1993, Havens performed at President Clinton's inauguration, and in 2000, he published an autobiography.
Havens is survived by three daughters, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Source: Richie Havens, Folk and Woodstock Legend, Dead at 72 | Billboard
April 22, 2013: Glen Campbell To Release New Album
On July 30, 2013, Glen Campbell will be releasing a new album, "See You There." It will include new versions of many of his biggest hits from the 1960s-1970s such as "Wichita Lineman," "Hey Little One," and "Rhinestone Cowboy." Campbell wrapped up his Goodbye Tour last year, and due to failing health, it is not expected that he will be touring again.
Source: Campbell ends touring career, to release new album
April 23, 2013: Neil Diamond Writing Song Inspired By Boston Marathon Bombings
Neil Diamond is currently working on a song about the Boston Marathon bombings. This song may also touch on other recent tragedies, such as those that took place in Aurora, CO and Newtown, CN. Diamond made a surprise visit to Fenway Park last weekend to give a live performance of "Sweet Caroline" to an emotional and enthusiastic crowd.
Source: Neil Diamond writing a song inspired by Boston Marathon tragedy - Boston.com
April 23, 2013: Barbra Streisand Honored By Film Society Of Lincoln Center
Barbra Streisand was honored for her work in the movies by the Film Society of Lincoln Center with this year's Chaplin Award. The Clintons, Liza Minnelli, Omar Sharif, Kris Kristofferson, and many others gathered at the Lincoln center on April 22, 2013 to pay tribute.
Source: Streisand feted by Clinton, Minnelli and friends - People - MiamiHerald.com
April 24, 2013: Parliament-Funkadelic Bassist Cordell 'Boogie' Mosson Passes Away
Bassist Cordell "Boogie" Mosson died on April 18, 2013 at age 60. He was a long-time member of Parliament-Funkadelic and served as this group's bassist since the early 1970s. Over the years, Mosson toured and recorded with Parliament-Funkadelic (with both original and reunited versions of the group) up to 2011. In 1997, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with Parliament-Funkadelic.
Source: Parliament-Funkadelic Bassist Cordell 'Boogie' Mosson Dead at 60 | Billboard
April 24, 2013: Rolling Stones Postpone Tour Opener In Los Angeles
The Rolling Stones have changed the date of their "50 And Counting" tour opener at Los Angeles' Staples Center from May 3, 2013 to May 2 because of the NBA playoff schedule. May 2 would have coincided with Game Six of a first-round playoff matchup between the L.A. Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs in case the best of seven series should go that far.
Source: Rolling Stones Postpone L.A. Tour Opener | Music News | Rolling Stone
April 24, 2013: REO Speedwagon, Styx And Ted Nugent Raising Money For Boston Victims
REO Speedwagon, Styx and Ted Nugent are banding together through their current tour shows to raise money for the victims of the Boston bombings. They will also raffling off signed guitars at each of their tour stops, with 75% of the proceeds to go to a charity in Boston dedicated to Boston bombing victims, and the remaining funds to go to other charities.
Source: REO Speedwagon, Styx And Nugent Raising Money For Boston Victims
April 24, 2013: Bruce Springsteen And Pete Seeger Elected To American Academy Of Arts And Sciences
Bruce Springsteen And Pete Seeger were elected to the American Academy Of Arts And Sciences. Springsteen and Seeger are among this year's 198 newly-elected members that also include scientists, artists, scholars, writers, and civic, corporate, and philanthropic leaders. The induction ceremonies will take place on October 12, 2013, in Cambridge, MA at the Academy’s headquarters.
Source: Press Releases
April 25, 2013: Neil Diamond To Donate This Week's Sales From 'Sweet Caroline'
"Sweet Caroline" is a well-known theme song for the Boston Red Sox, and after the Boston bombings, sales from this Neil Diamond-penned song shot up by 597%. Diamond will be donating this week's sales from this song to charity.
Source: Neil Diamond donating 'Caroline' sales after bombings
April 25, 2013: Black Sabbath To Tour North America
Black Sabbath will be embarking on a 20-city tour of North America. The first stop will be on July 25, 2013 in Houston, TX, and the last stop will be on September 3 at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. The band is slated to release an album this June, entitled "13."
Source: Black Sabbath to tour North America, play L.A. on Sept. 3 - latimes.com
April 25, 2013: Allman Brothers Band Announce Summer Tour
The Allman Brothers will be launching a tour late this summer, and some of their shows will be opened by Steve Winwood and Grace Potter & the Nocturnals. The tour will begin on August 16, 2013 in Scranton, PA and end on September 7 in Wantaugh, NY.
Source: Allman Brothers Band Announce Summer Tour Dates
April 26, 2013: Country Legend George Jones Passes Away
George Jones, 2002
Country legend George Jones died on April 26, 2013 at age 81 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN after being hospitalized for fever and irregular blood pressure. In his nearly seven decades-long career, he had over 150 hits on the Country charts from 1955-2011 that included the chart topping "White Lightening" (1959), "Tender Years" (1961), "She Thinks I Still Care" (1962), and "He Stopped Loving Her Today" (1980), the latter of which won the CMT Single Of The Year Award. His hits included many duets with Tammy Wynette to whom he was married from 1969-1975. They topped the charts with "We're Gonna Hold On" (1973), "Golden Ring" (1976), and "Near You" (1977).
Since 1956, George Jones had been a member of the Grand Ole Opry, and over the years, he received numerous other honors and accolades that included being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992.
He is survived by his wife Nancy, a sister, and his children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Source: George Jones, Country Music Icon, Dead at 81 | Billboard
April 26, 2013: Lynyrd Skynyrd Releases New Theme Song For History Channel Show
A new song by Lynyrd Skynyrd, "Winning Isn't Everything," will be used as the theme song for the History Channel's program, "Pawn Stars." This song will premier on TV on May 30, 2013 during the opening of this program. It will also be available on iTunes on April 30.
Source: Lynyrd Skynyrd Releases New Theme Song For Pawn Stars
April 26, 2013: Paul McCartney Adds Three Canadian Dates To Upcoming Tour
Paul McCartney announced three additional dates in Canada for his upcoming North American tour, which starts on May 18, 2013 at the Amway Center in Orlando, FL He will be performing at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Ontario on July 7, at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg, Manitoba on August 12, and at Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field in Regina, Saskatchewan on August 14.
Source: Paul McCartney Adds Three Canadian Dates To Out There Tour
