June 29, 2014 by Amy Gold
During the week of June 22, 2014, oldies music fans bade a sad farewell to soul legend Bobby Womack and R&B songwriter-guitarist Mabon "Teenie" Hodges. Womack had a long string of hits beginning in the late 1960s that included "Fly Me To The Moon," "That's The Way I Feel About 'Cha," and "Lookin' For A Love." Hodges was a member of the house band for the Hi Records label and co-wrote many of Al Green's greatest hits.
Also that week, Frankie Valli and the 4 Seasons made a splash on the Billboard 200 with "The Very Best Of Frankie Valli And The 4 Seasons" and "Jersey Boys," the soundtrack for the hugely popular musical about the 4 Seasons and its recently released movie adaptation.
It was announced that the Beach Boys will be joining the Boston Pops for this year's 4th of July concert which will air locally on WBZ-TV. Gregg Allman will be performing at the Music Midtown Festival in Atlanta, GA, to be held this September. Also, Paul McCartney, who recently recovered from an illness, has added some new show dates to his itinerary.
Todd Rundgren recently released a new album, "Live At The Electric Ballroom," which features songs performed live by Rundgren and his band, Utopia, in 1978 at the Electric Ballroom in Milwaukee, WI. Robert Plant will soon be releasing a new album titled "lullaby and... The Ceaseless Roar," and he recently premiered one of this album's songs on npr.org. This August, Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues will be releasing an album and video of a solo concert from last August titled "Spirits ... Live -- Live at the Buckhead Theatre, Atlanta." Also, Jerry Lee Lewis will be releasing a new album and a memoir, both of which are due out this October.
Also that week, a handwritten draft of Bob Dylan's rock classic, "Like A Rolling Stone," sold at auction for a whopping $2.045 million.
(For more information about the above-listed news items, please see below for a list of sources with links and article summaries.)
June 23, 2014: Robert Plant Releases New Album, Premieres Song
On June 23, 2014, "Rainbow," a song from Robert Plant's upcoming album, "lullaby and... The Ceaseless Roar," made its premiere on npr.org. (The lowercase L in the album tile is not a typo but is intentional on Plant's part.) In this album, which is due out on September 9, the former lead singer of Led Zeppelin, who has also had a solo career since 1982, performs all tracks with his current band, the Sensational Space Shifters.
Source: Song Premiere: Robert Plant's Bold New Band : All Songs Considered : NPR
June 24, 2014: Todd Rundgren Album Released
A 2-disc set of songs by Todd Rundgren, "Live At The Electric Ballroom," has recently been released. This collection features songs performed live by Rundgren and his band, Utopia, on October 23, 1978 at the Electric Ballroom in Milwaukee, WI.
Source: Todd Rundgren And Utopia Release Live At The Electric Ballroom
June 24, 2014: Jerry Lee Lewis To Release New Album And Memoir
On October 28, 2014, Jerry Lee Lewis will be releasing a new album and a memoir. Titled "Rock & Roll Time," his upcoming album covers a variety of rock genres and features a slew of top guest artists that include Keith Richards, Ron Wood, Neil Young, and Nils Lofgren. His upcoming memoir, "Jerry Lee Lewis: His Own Story," was written by Pulitzer Prize winner Rick Bragg after two years of interviewing the rock and roll legend.
Source: Jerry Lee Lewis Readies Star-Studded New Album 'Rock & Roll Time'
June 24, 2014: Bob Dylan's 'Like A Rolling Stone' Lyrics Sell At Auction For $2 Million
On June 24, 2014, an early handwritten draft of Bob Dylan's 1965 song, "Like A Rolling Stone," sold at Sotheby's for a whopping $2.045 million. The auction house indicated that this draft, which was written in pencil on hotel stationary, is the only known surviving one for this rock classic.
Source: Bob Dylan's 'Like a Rolling Stone' Lyrics Sell for $2 Million
June 24, 2014: The Moody Blues' Justin Hayward To Release Solo Concert Video and Album
On August 17, 2014, Moody Blues frontman Justin Hayward will be releasing a video and album of a solo concert from last August. Titled "Spirits ... Live -- Live at the Buckhead Theatre, Atlanta," this collection, which includes some classic Moody Blues songs such as "Nights In White Satin," "Tuesday Afternoon," and "Question," will be available on DVD, Blu-ray, and CD, and as digital downloads. Hayward will also be touring with the Moody Blues in North America later this summer starting August 1 in Syracuse, NY.
Source: The Moody Blues' Justin Hayward Unveils Details About Upcoming Solo Concert Video and Album
June 24, 2014: Paul McCartney Adds More Shows
Paul McCartney, who recently recovered from a viral infection and says he is feeling great,
has added a show to the U.S. leg of his ongoing Out There tour which will take place on October 30, 2014 in Greensboro, NC. Tickets to the general public go on sale June 29.
Source: Paul McCartney Says He Feels Great, Adds North Carolina Show to Upcoming US Tour
June 24, 2014: Mabon 'Teenie' Hodges Passes Away
Famed soul songwriter and guitarist Mabon "Teenie" Hodges died in Dallas, TX on June 22, 2014 at age 68 from complications of emphysema. He is best known as the lead guitarist and co-songwriter of many hit songs by Al Green that include "L-O-V-E (Love)," "Take Me To The River," "Here I Am (Come And Take Me)," and "Love And Happiness."
Born in Germantown, TN, he began his music career at age 12 playing guitar with his brothers in his father's band. In the mid 1960s, he joined the Hi Rhythm Section, the house band for the Memphis-based Hi Records label, whose members also included two other Hodges brothers, Charles and Leroy. Hodges can be heard on numerous Hi Records recordings by such artists as Al Green, Ann Peebles, and Syl Johnson. With his brothers and other Hi Rhythm Section members, Hodges recorded the 1976 album, "On The Loose," under the name, Hi Rhythm, and in 1994, they recorded "Perfect Gentlemen." Later recordings by Hodges include comeback albums with Syl Johnson and Al Green, and an album from 2005 with Cat Power.
Source: Mabon 'Teenie' Hodges, Memphis Soul Songwriter & Guitar Great, Dead at 68 | Billboard
June 25, 2014: Gregg Allman To Perform At Atlanta's 2014 Music Midtown Festival
Gregg Allman is among the many bands and artists who will be performing at this year's Music Midtown Festival in Atlanta, GA. This event will be held in Piedmont Park on September 19 and 20, 2014. For more info and tickets, go to MusicMidtown.com.
Source: Gregg Allman to Perform at Atlanta's 2014 Music Midtown Festival
June 27, 2014: Soul Legend Bobby Womack Passes Away
Soul legend Bobby Womack died on June 27, 2014 at age 70 after battling multiple diseases that included diabetes and colon cancer. He had a string of hits from the late 1960s-early 1990s that included "Fly Me To The Moon" (1968), "That's The Way I Feel About 'Cha" (1971), "Harry Hippie" (1972), and "Lookin' For A Love" (1974).
He was born Robert Dwayne Womack in Cleveland, OH to a musical family and began playing guitar as a young child. With his brothers, they formed a group, The Womack Brothers (a.k.a. Curtis Womack And The Womack Brothers), and by the time Bobby was 10, they issued their first single, "Buffalo Bill," on the Pennant label. In 1956, Sam Cooke discovered the group and, four years later, they were signed onto Cooke's newly-established label, SAR Records. The brothers changed their group name to The Valentinos and had their first hit in 1962 with "Lookin' For A Love," which later also became a hit for Bobby Womack. This was followed by "It's All Over Now," a song he co-wrote with sister-in-law Shirley Womack and made famous by the Rolling Stones.
In 1968, Womack recorded his first solo album, "Fly Me to the Moon," and made his debut on the pop charts with that album's title song. This song was followed by a long string of hits on the R&B and pop charts through the early 1990s. He also recorded many albums throughout his long career that included "Understanding" (1972), "Across 110th Street" (1972), "Facts of Life" (1973), and "Lookin' For A Love Again" (1974). Womack's last completed album, "The Bravest Man In The Universe" was released in 2012. During early 2014, he was in the midst of recording his next album, "The Best Is Yet To Come," with contributions from Stevie Wonder, Rod Stewart, and other guest artists.
Womack's numerous accolades and honors include being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009. His nearly seven decades-long career was the subject of a 2012 episode of the TV One documentary series, "Unsung."
Source: Soul Legend Bobby Womack Dead at 70
June 27, 2014: Beach Boys To Join Boston Pops For July 4th Concert
This year, the Beach Boys will be joining the Boston Pops for this orchestra's annual 4th of July concert. This event, which takes place on the Esplanade, will air locally on WBZ-TV. As always, this concert will conclude with a rousing performance of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture and a spectacular fireworks show.
Source: Beach Boys To Join Boston Pops For July Fourth Concert
June 27, 2014: Two Albums Featuring Music By Frankie Valli & 4 Seasons Make A Splash On Billboard 200
For the week ending June 22, 2014, "The Very Best Of Frankie Valli And The 4 Seasons" made its debut at #41 on the Billboard 200, making it the highest ranking album for the 4 Seasons and Frankie Valli since 1976 and 1967, respectively. That same week, "Jersey Boys," the soundtrack for the hugely popular musical and movie remake about the 4 Seasons, re-entered the Billboard 200 at #149 and also made a big splash on the Cast Albums and SoundScan charts.
Source: Jersey Boys,' Frankie Valli Surge On Billboard 200 | Billboard
