May 18, 2014 by Amy Gold
During the week of May 11, 2014, Neil Young appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and performed a song from his latest album, "A Letter Home," in a 1940s era Voice-o-Graph recording booth where he recorded this album. (See video below.)
Also that week, Santana's latest album, "Corazon," debuted on the Billboard 200 at #9 and topped the Latin Billboard charts.
This Memorial Day (May 26, 2014), AXS TV will be honoring the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's most influential inductees with a marathon concert featuring AC/DC, Fleetwood Mac, KISS, the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, and Led Zeppelin. Cher has added more show dates for this September and October to her ongoing "Dressed to Kill" tour. Most of the surviving original members of the Beach Boys (except for Brian Wilson) will be reuniting for a show on July 5, 2014 in Wantagh, NY. Traffic co-founder Dave Mason has just released a new album titled "Future's Past" and has also launched a North American tour. The Steve Miller Band also just released a new album, "The Joker Live," and has launched a joint tour in North America with Journey. Also, Chicago will be releasing a new album ("Now" Chicago XXXVI) this July and will be touring the U.S. and Europe this year in support of this album.
Smokey Robinson is currently recording a new duets album titled "Smokey & Friends" which is expected out this September. Stevie Nicks is also working on a new solo album titled "24 Karat Gold: Songs From the Vault" of re-recordings of some of her songs that have not yet been released on an album.
"Super Duper Alice Cooper," the latest documentary about the famous shock rocker, will be coming out on DVD and Blu-ray this June. Also, Elton John's popular Las Vegas show, "The Million Dollar Piano," is scheduled for release this July.
Cilla Black, who had hits on both the U.S. and U.K. charts during the 1960s, will be receiving honors this month from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. An online museum of some 300 items of Bruce Springsteen memorabilia (BlindedByTheLight.com) will be making its premiere this June. Also, Billy Joel will be featured in an ad campaign this summer for tourism in the State of New York.
(For more information about the above-listed news items, please see below for a list of sources with links and article summaries.)
Neil Young On "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" (May 12, 2014):
May 12, 2014: Online Bruce Springsteen Museum To Be Launched
An online museum of Bruce Springsteen memorabilia, BlindedByTheLight.com, is scheduled to makes its premiere this June. This website will feature some 300 items such as concert posters, handwritten lyrics, and various personal documents.
Source: 300 Bruce Springsteen Artifacts Coming to New Online Museum
May 12, 2014: Cilla Black To Be Honored By British Academy Of Film And Television Arts
Cilla Black will be receiving an award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts for her outstanding contribution to entertainment. The award ceremonies are set to take place on May 18, 2014 in London. Black was a popular recording artist in Britain during the 1960s and had hits on both the UK and US charts. She was also a regular on British TV and had her own variety show.
Source: Cilla Black, Friend of The Beatles and an Early Contemporary, to Receive Career Honor in London
May 13, 2014: Billy Joel To Appear In New York State Summer Tourism Ad
This summer, famed singer-songwriter and native New Yorker Billy Joel will be featured in an ad campaign for tourism in the State of New York. The ads will feature Joel performing, appropriately enough, "New York State Of Mind" at Madison Square Garden.
Source: Billy Joel boosts Long Island in New York State summer tourism ad campaign - Newsday
May 13, 2014: Dave Mason Releases New Album And Prepares To Go On Tour
Dave Mason, one of the co-founders of the late 1960s-early 1970s rock band Traffic, has just released a new album titled "Future's Past" which includes new versions of classic hits by Traffic plus songs he had recorded solo. Mason will also be touring North America starting May 16 in Woonsocket, RI and ending November 29 in Collingswood, NJ.
Source: Dave Mason Revisits Classic Songs "with a Slight Twist" on New Album
May 13, 2014: Chicago To Release New Album This July And Prepares To Go On Tour
On July 8, 2014, Chicago is set to release "Now" Chicago XXXVI, the band's 36th studio album since its founding in 1967. Chicago will also tour the U.S. through June in support of this new album and will begin touring Europe on June 26, 2014 in Paris. The band will then be returning to the U.S. this August for shows in Los Angeles, New York, and New Jersey.
Source: Chicago to Release 36th Album in July
May 13, 2014: AXS TV Honors Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductees On Memorial Day
This Memorial Day (May 26, 2014), AXS TV will be honoring the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's most influential inductees with a marathon concert that starts at 1:00PM ET that day. Featured bands and artists during this 15 hour program will include AC/DC, Fleetwood Mac, KISS, the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, and Led Zeppelin. The marathon will begin and end, respectively, with a film documenting the MusiCares Person of the Year 2013 event honoring Springsteen and a video of a 2005 performance by Ringo Starr.
Source: AXS TV Honors Rock Hall of Fame Inductees with Memorial Day Marathon
May 14, 2014: Smokey Robinson To Release Duets Album
Smokey Robinson is currently recording a new duets album of "Tracks of My Tears," "Ain’t That Peculiar," and other Robinson-penned classics that became hits for Robinson, the Miracles, Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, and other Motown bands and artists. Elton John and James Taylor will be among the featured artists on this upcoming album, titled "Smokey & Friends," which is expected out this September.
Source: Smokey Robinson Duets Album: 'Smokey & Friends' to Feature Elton John, James Taylor | Billboard
May 14, 2014: Stevie Nicks To Record New Solo Album
Stevie Nicks is currently working on a new solo album that will consist mainly of re-recordings of some of her songs that have not yet made it to an album. Some of these songs in Nicks upcoming collection, tentatively titled "24 Karat Gold: Songs From the Vault," date back as far as 1969, and many have been performed live by Nicks.
Source: Stevie Nicks Preps New '24 Karat Gold' Album | Billboard
May 14, 2014: Santana’s Latest Album Debuts At #9 On Billboard 200
Carlos Santana’s latest album, "Corazon," made its debut this week on the Billboard 200 at #9 and also topped the Billboard Latin charts. "Corazon" is the first album for Santana to consist solely of Latin music. He performed many of the songs on this album last December at a concert in Mexico which was shown earlier this month on HBO.
Source: "Corazon," Santana's First Latin Music Album, Debuts at #9
May 14, 2014: Cher Adds More Show Dates To 'Dressed to Kill' Tour
Cher, who is currently on tour, has added more shows to her itinerary. These new shows, which will take place mainly in the Northeast and Ontario, Canada, begin on September 11, 2014 in Albany, NY and run through October 5 in Toronto, Ontario. Tickets sales for U.S. and Canada shows start on sale May 19 and May 23, respectively.
Source: Cher Adds More Dates to Dressed to Kill Tour
May 15, 2014: Steve Miller Band Releases 'The Joker Live'
In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Steve Miller Band's classic album and title song, "The Joker," the band has just released a newly-recorded live version of this album. Titled "The Joker Live," this album is available on iTunes and Amazon. The Steve Miller Band is also launching a joint tour with Journey and Tower Of Power.
Source: Steve Miller Band Releases 'The Joker Live' for 40th Anniversary
May 15, 2014: Elton John's 'Million Dollar Piano' Show To Be Released
Since 2011, Elton John has been in residency at Las Vegas' Caesars Palace performing his popular show, "The Million Dollar Piano," which features many of his classic hits. On July 1, 2014, this show, along with "The Making Of The Million Dollar Piano" documentary, will be released on both DVD and Blu-ray.
Source: Elton John's "Million Dollar Piano" Vegas Show Coming to DVD
May 16, 2014: Steve Miller Band And Journey Launch Joint North American Tour
On May 15, 2014, the Steve Miller Band and Journey launched a joint North American tour in Chula Vista, CA. Over 40 shows have been scheduled in various parts of the U.S. and Canada, and Tower of Power will also be joining the two rock bands as a special guest.
Source: Journey Members, Steve Miller Expect New Co-Headlining Tour to Be "Very Fun" and "Joyous"
May 16, 2014: Beach Boys Original Members To Perform At July Concert
Most of the surviving original members of the Beach Boys, including David Marks and Al Jardine (but not Brian Wilson), will be reuniting for one of the group's upcoming shows that is scheduled to take place July 5, 2014 in Wantagh, NY. The Beach Boys, whose current lineup includes Mike Love, Bruce Johnston, and Jeff Foskett, will be touring the U.S. this year starting May 5 in Louisville, KY.
Source: Beach Boys to Perform with Al Jardine and David Marks at July Concert in New York
May 17, 2014: 'Super Duper Alice Cooper' Documentary To Be Released
On June 3, 2014, "Super Duper Alice Cooper," the latest documentary about the famous shock rocker, will be coming out on both DVD and Blu-ray. A limited-edition boxed set will also be available that includes this documentary in both formats plus another DVD of footage from a 1972 concert at Montreal University and a CD of Cooper performing at the 2009 Montreux Jazz Festival.
Source: "Super Duper Alice Cooper" Documentary Coming to Home Video in June
