April 20, 2014 by Amy Gold
During the week of April 13, 2014, Glen Campbell's documentary about his recent farewell tour, titled "Glen Campbell ... I'll Be Me," premiered at the 2014 Nashville Film Festival. It was also announced that the legendary country singer, who has been battling Alzheimer's since 2011, moved to a special care facility.
Also that week, Armando Peraza, a highly acclaimed percussionist who was a longtime member of Santana, passed away in San Francisco in his late 80s. He had played with the band from 1972-1990 and had also performed and recorded with Mongo Santamaria, Dave Brubeck, Charlie Parker, and many other jazz and pop greats.
Starting this month, Gregg Allman will be giving a series of solo shows, first in Australia and then in the U.S. This May, Meat Loaf is set to begin his third residency in Las Vegas at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Crosby, Stills & Nash will be touring the U.S. starting this July. Steely Dan will be embarking on an extended North American summer tour, dubbed "Jamalot Ever After," which also begins this July. Also, Johnny and Edgar Winter, Vanilla Fudge, and Peter Rivera of Rare Earth are among the featured performers at this year's Rock 'n' Blues Fest tour which takes place this August.
Jack Bruce of Cream recently released a new solo album titled "Silver Rails." The Who is slated to release a video and album this June of the band's last show from its recent "Quadrophenia And More" tour. Also, Chicago will be releasing a new album this July titled "NOW" (a.k.a. "Chicago 36").
Super Duper Alice Cooper," a new documentary about the legendary shock rocker, premiered at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival and will be shown this spring in theaters across the country and throughout the world. Paul Stanley of KISS recently published an autobiography, "Paul Stanley: Face the Music: A Life Exposed," which made its debut at #2 on the New York Times Best Seller list. Philip Bailey of Earth, Wind & Fire also published a memoir titled " Shining Star: Braving the Elements Of Earth, Wind & Fire."
Finally, below is a video clip of a newly-revised version of the Aerosmith classic, "Dream On," which pays homage to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. This haunting yet powerful arrangement, performed by Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry with the Southern California Children's Chorus, was specifically created for the ESPN special, "E:60 Presents Dream On: Stories from Boston's Strongest," which aired on April 15, 2014, one year after the bombings took place.
April 14, 2014: Crosby, Stills & Nash Add More Show Dates
Crosby, Stills & Nash have added more shows to their 2014 summer tour which kicks off July 2, 2014 in Bethlehem, PA and wraps up on October 4 in Los Angeles. For more info and tickets, go to CrosbyStillsNash.com. Stephen Stills, David Crosby, and Graham Nash also have solo shows which will take place before the beginning of their summer tour.
Source: Crosby, Stills & Nash Extend North American Tour into Fall - Music News - ABC News Radio
April 14, 2014: Steely Dan Adds More Show Dates
Steely Dan announced that the band has added 53 more show dates to its North American summer tour, dubbed "Jamalot Ever After." This tour, which will cover 47 cities in the U.S. and Canada, kicks off on July 2, 2014 in Portland, OR and ends on September 17 in Baltimore, MD. For more info and tickets, go to steelyDan.com.
Source: Steely Dan Reveals 47-City Jamalot Ever After Tour Dates - Music News
April 15, 2014: Johnny & Edgar Winter, Vanilla Fudge Featured At This Year's Rock 'N' Blues Fest Tour
Johnny and Edgar Winter, Vanilla Fudge, and Rare Earth's founding member Peter Rivera are among the featured performers at this year's Rock 'n' Blues Fest tour. This tour kicks off on August 1, 2014 in Westbury, NY, and ends on August 24 in Snoqualmie, WA, with a total of 15 show dates confirmed so far.
April 15, 2014: Philip Bailey Of Earth, Wind & Fire Publishes Memoir
Philip Bailey, a longtime member of Earth, Wind & Fire, just released a new memoir that covers the rise to fame of this multi-award winning R&B band during the 1970s as well as Bailey's own solo musical career. Titled " Shining Star: Braving the Elements Of Earth, Wind & Fire," this book was co-written with Kent and Keith Zimmerman and is available in both ebook and hardcover forms.
April 15, 2014: Gregg Allman To Embark On Solo Tour
Gregg Allman will be giving a series of solo shows this year, first in Australia and then in the U.S. The Australian shows are set to take place April 18-23, 2014. The U.S. shows will begin on May 3 in New Orleans and end on August 8 in Hyannis, MA. Allman will also take a break from his solo touring to perform with the Allman Brothers Band on June 8 in Hunter, NY at the 2014 Mountain Jam festival.
Source: Gregg Allman Set to Play Series of US Solo Shows - Music News - ABC News Radio
April 16, 2014: Glen Campbell Documentary Premieres, Singer Moves To Alzheimer's Care Facility
On April 18, 2014, Glen Campbell's documentary about his recent farewell tour, titled "Glen Campbell ... I'll Be Me," is set to premiere at the 2014 Nashville Film Festival. It was also announced that the legendary country singer, who has been battling Alzheimer's since 2011, moved to a special care facility. As to whether or not this move will be long term, more will be known next week, according to a friend of the family.
April 16, 2014: Chicago To Release New Album
Chicago announced that the band will be releasing a new album this summer. Titled "NOW" (a.k.a. "Chicago 36"), this latest album, which is set to be released on July 4, 2014, includes 11 tracks of all-new material. "NOW" can be preordered at Chicago's official website.
Source: Chicago to Unveil Innovative New Album This Summer - Music News - ABC News Radio
April 16, 2014: Jack Bruce Of Cream Releases Solo Album
Jack Bruce of the 1960s supergroup Cream recently released a new solo album. Titled "Silver Rails," this latest album features songs co-written by Bruce and his longtime collaborator, Pete Brown, plus one he wrote with his wife, Margrit Seyffer. "Silver Rails" is available on both vinyl and CD, and as part of a 2-disc DVD set that also includes a documentary about the making of this album.
Source: Cream's Jack Bruce Releases Diverse New Solo Album, "Silver Rails" - Music News - ABC News Radio
April 16, 2014: Meat Loaf To Begin Third Las Vegas Residency
Meat Loaf is slated to begin a third series of shows in Las Vegas at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. This new series begins on May 6, 2014 and ends on June 21, with shows scheduled for every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Meat Loaf will perform many of his classic hits against a multimedia display and will also share many stories from his long career.
Source: Meat Loaf Schedules Third Series of Dates for Las Vegas Residency - Music News - ABC News Radio
April 17, 2014: Alice Cooper Documentary Makes Its Premiere
"Super Duper Alice Cooper," a new documentary about the legendary shock rocker, is set to premiere on April 17, 2014 at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival at New York City's Bow Tie Cinemas Chelsea 7. This movie chronicles the life of Alice Cooper (born Vincent Furnier) and his rise to fame as one of rock's most enduring performers. Interspersed throughout the film are clips from the 1920s classic, "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," which are used to great effect to illustrate the veteran rocker's conflicts between his on-stage persona and true off-stage personality. "Super Duper Alice Cooper" will be shown this spring in theaters across the country and also throughout the world. For more info and tickets, go to superduperalicecooper.com.
April 17, 2014: The Who To Release 'Quadrophenia: Live in London'
A video and album of The Who giving its final show from its recent "Quadrophenia And More" tour is due out on June 10, 2014. During this show, which took place at London's Wembley Arena on July 8, 2103, The Who performed the 1973 "Quadrophenia" album in its entirely plus a set of classic hits. "Quadrophenia: Live in London" will be available as a deluxe box set that will include Blu-ray and DVD versions of the concert film, a 2-CD soundtrack, a Blu-ray audio disc with surround sound, and various memorabilia. The concert video, soundtrack, and Blu-ray audio disc will also be sold separately, and digital versions of the video and album will be available as well.
Source: The Who Releasing Quadrophenia Tour Video & Album in June - Music News - ABC News Radio
April 18, 2014: Santana Percussionist Armando Peraza Passes Away
Armando Peraza, a highly acclaimed percussionist who was a longtime member of Santana, died on April 14, 2014 at a hospital in San Francisco from pneumonia. His exact age is not known, but he is believed to have been 89 at the time of his passing. Peraza, who played with Santana from 1972-1990, can be heard on most of the band's albums through "Spirits Dancing in the Flesh" (1990).
Born in Havana, Cuba, Peraza was orphaned as a child and lived on the streets as a teenager. He made a living selling vegetables and also worked as a boxing coach. Despite his difficult circumstances, he taught himself the conga, timbales, bongo drums, and other Latin percussion instruments and eventually made a name for himself within the local music scene. In the late 1940s, he left Cuba to join famed conga drummer Mongo Santamaria in Mexico. In 1949, the two arrived in New York City, and over the years, Peraza performed and recorded with many top jazz and pop musicians that included Dave Brubeck, Perez Prado, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Charles Mingus before joining Santana in 1972. Peraza was also an accomplished dancer and composer whose works included 21 songs written for George Shearing that became a large part of the mambo craze of the 1950s.
Peraza is survived by his wife, a daughter and three grandchildren.
Source: Ex-Santana Percussionist Armando Peraza Passes Away - Music News - ABC News Radio
April 20, 2014: Paul Stanley Autobiography Debuts At #2 On New York Times Best Seller List
Longtime KISS band member Paul Stanley recently published an autobiography, "Paul Stanley: Face the Music: A Life Exposed," which made its debut on the New York Times Best Seller list at #2 in the hardcover nonfiction category. Stanley's book discusses his tough childhood, the difficulties he faced being born without a right ear, and his rise to fame as a member of one of the world's top rock bands.
