May 25, 2014 by Amy Gold
During the week of May 18, 2014, oldies fans mourned the passing of famed crooner Jerry Vale who had a long string of hits during the 1950s and 1960s.
Also that week, Michael Jackson made Billboard chart history as the first artist to have at least one hit that made the Top 10 in each decade since the 1970s. The late King of Pop also appeared as a hologram on the 2014 Billboard Music Awards which aired on ABC May 18, 2014 (see video below).
John Fogerty will be launching a North American tour starting this June in the U.S., with shows in Canada slated for this November. Both Yes and ZZ Top will be launching U.S. tours and releasing new albums this July. Also, the Eagles announced that they will be touring Australia and New Zealand starting February, 2015.
This June, the concert film, "Blue Wild Angel: Jimi Hendrix Live At The Isle Of Wight," is set to be released on Blu-ray. This July, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young will be releasing "CSNY 1974," a collection of songs from the group's 1974 reunion tour. Also, Marianne Faithfull is currently working on a new album which will be coming out this September. She will also be releasing a photo book this October.
Also that week, Frankie Valli was honored with this year's Caron Artist Award. Valli, who will soon be launching a North American tour, is set to perform at this year's "A Capitol Fourth" PBS Independence Day special which will air live on PBS.
(For more information about the above-listed news items, please see below for a list of sources with links and article summaries.)
Michael Jackson Hologram Performs On Billboard Music Awards (May 18, 2014):
May 18, 2014: John Fogerty To Add Canada Shows To Upcoming Tour
John Fogerty will be expanding his upcoming U.S. tour, which kicks off June 18, 2014 in Odessa, TX, to include shows in Canada scheduled for this November. Fogerty's shows will feature mainly songs from three of CCR's 1969 albums plus other CCR songs and solo material. Tickets for the shows in Canada are available at LiveNation.com and JohnFogerty.com.
Source: John Fogerty to Celebrate CCR's 1969 Releases During Fall Tour of Canada
May 19, 2014: Famed Crooner Jerry Vale Passes Away
Famed crooner Jerry Vale died on May 18, 2014 at age 83 at his home in Palm Desert, CA. He had a long string of hits on the pop charts during the 1950s and 1960s and was known for his smooth, high tenor voice.
He was born Genaro Louis Vitaliano in the Bronx, NY and began singing in local supper clubs as a teenager. He was discovered by Paul Insetta, a manager and a hit songwriter, who signed him to a management contract and changed his name. Vale then signed on to Columbia where he recorded many albums throughout his long career. In 1953, he debuted on the pop charts with "You Can Never Give Me Back My Heart" which was followed by a long string of hits that also included "Two Purple Shadows" (1954), "You Don't Know Me" (1956), and "Have You Looked Into Your Heart" (1964). For many years, Vale was a beloved presence at sporting events where his rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" has been a longtime favorite. More recently, he played himself in two Martin Scorsese movies, "Goodfellas" (1990) and "Casino" (1995), and also appeared in the TV series, "The Sopranos."
Vale's survivors include his wife Rita, a son, a daughter, and three grandchildren.
Source: Jerry Vale, Who Crooned Smoothly of Love, Is Dead at 83 - NYTimes.com
May 19, 2014: Frankie Valli Honored At NYC Benefit
On May 18, 2014, Frankie Valli was honored with the Caron Artist Award at Caron New York's 20th Annual Gala Fundraiser for his musical contributions and his humanitarian efforts in the area of drug and alcohol rehabilitation. Past Caron Artist Award winners include Roseanne Cash, Judy Collins, Art Garfunkel, and Patti LaBelle.
Source: Frankie Valli Honored for His Musical and Advocacy-Related Contributions at NYC Benefit
May 20, 2014: Yes To Release New Album
On July 8, 2014, Yes will be releasing a new album titled "Heaven & Earth." This is the first album by Yes to be recorded with Jon Davison, the band's new frontman. The legendary progressive rock band is currently on tour in Europe and will be touring the U.S. starting July 5 in Nichols, NY.
Source: Yes Unveils Cover Art, Track List for Upcoming Studio Album, "Heaven & Earth"
May 20, 2014: Frankie Valli To Perform At 'A Capitol Fourth' PBS Independence Day Special
Frankie Valli is among the bands and artists who will be performing at this year's "A Capitol Fourth" PBS Independence Day special. This event, which takes place on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., will be shown live on PBS July 4 starting at 8:00 PM ET. Valli will also be touring North America starting May 24 in Primm, NV.
Source: Frankie Valli to Celebrate Independence Day with Performance on PBS' "A Capitol Fourth" Special
May 21, 2014: Jimi Hendrix Historic Concert Film To Be Released
The movie, "Blue Wild Angel: Jimi Hendrix Live At The Isle Of Wight," is set to be released on Blu-ray June 17, 2014. First released on DVD in 2002, this concert film covers Hendrix's historic performance at the Isle of Wight rock festival which took place August 26-30, 1970, less than one month before the guitar legend's untimely death.
Source: Jimi Hendrix Concert Film "Blue Wild Angel" to Be Released on Blu-ray in June
May 21, 2014: Michael Jackson Sets Billboard Chart Record
This week, Michael Jackson's latest posthumous album, "Xscape," made its debut on the Billboard 200 at #2. Also, the lead single from this album, "Love Never Felt So Good," climbed from #22 to #9 on the Billboard Hot 100, making the late King of Pop to be the first artist to have Top 10 hits in all five decades since the 1970s. Jackson had his first solo Top 10 hit in 1971 with "Got To Be There," which peaked at #4.
Source: Michael Jackson, Coldplay Hit Hot 100 Top 10; John Legend Still No. 1 | Billboard
May 22, 2014: Marianne Faithfull To Record New Album, Publish Photo Book, And Tour
Marianne Faithfull is currently working on a new album in collaboration with a number of artists that include Roger Waters of Pink Floyd. Titled "Give My Love to London," this upcoming album will be coming out this September. Faithfull is also set to publish a photo book titled "Marianne Faithfull: A Life on Record," which will be coming out this October. She is also planning a world tour for this fall.
Source: Marianne Faithfull Teams With Roger Waters, Nick Cave for New Album
May 22, 2014: ZZ Top To Release Compilation Album And Launch U.S. And European Tours
On July 22, 2014, ZZ Top is set to release a compilation album titled "The Very Baddest of ZZ Top" which will include both classic hits and lesser known songs. ZZ Top also has a full touring schedule planned out for this year. First on the band's itinerary is a set of European tour dates that begins on June 11 in Bergen, Norway. Starting July 26 in West Bend, WI, the band will be touring the U.S, and afterwards, ZZ Top and Jeff Beck will be launching a joint tour on August 8 in Woodinville, WA.
Source: ZZ Top to Release "The Very Baddest" Compilation in July
May 22, 2014: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Box Set To Be Released
The long-awaited "CSNY 1974" box set will be released on July 8, 2014 in various formats. This collection includes 40 tracks taken from various shows performed by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young while on their 1974 reunion tour plus concert footage. Both classic hits and various lesser known songs are included in the mix.
Source: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Box Set Featuring Performances from 1974 Tour Due Out in July
May 22, 2014: Eagles To Tour Australia, New Zealand In 2015
The Eagles will be starting a new Australia/New Zealand leg of their ongoing "History of the Eagles" world tour on February 18, 2015 in Perth, Australia. The shows will include classic Eagles hits plus other songs which have never been previously performed live. Ticket sales to the general public begin on June 10, 2014. American Express card holders and Frontier members can purchase tickets starting May 27 and June 4, respectively.
Source: The Eagles To Tour Australia, New Zealand In 2015 | Billboard
