September 14, 2014 by Amy Gold
During the week of September 7, 2014, oldies music fans bade a final farewell to famed singer, songwriter, and producer Bob Crewe who co-wrote many of the Four Seasons top hits as well as such pop classics as "Silhouettes" and "Lady Marmalade."
Also that week, Bob Marley's "Legend," a compilation album of his greatest hits, reached #5 on the Billboard 200.
This month, John Mayall begins a U.S. tour in support of his latest album, "A Special Life." Art Garfunkel has added a series of new show dates to his North American tour leg which begins later this month. This November, Stevie Wonder will be launching a U.S. tour in which he will perform all the songs from "Songs In The Key Of Life." Paul Simon and Sting will be touring the U.K. starting next April. Also, Cher has been forced to reschedule a series of shows originally scheduled for the rest of this month and early October due to illness.
This October, Neil Diamond is set to release a new album titled "Melody Road" (see preview below). Also that month, Dave Davies will be releasing a new solo album titled "Rippin Up Time," and he will be launching a U.S. tour in November in support of this album. An album of covers of Paul McCartney's songs by Bob Dylan, Barry Gibb, Smokey Robinson, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, B.B. King, and other top performers is slated to be released this November. Also that month, the soundtrack to "Forrest Gump" will be released on a patriotically-themed vinyl recording with red, white, and blue-colored LPs.
Also that week, it was announced that "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical" hits the road next year starting in London. Later this month, a new museum celebrating the life and career of Tina Turner will be opening in Brownsville, TN near her hometown of Nutbush. Also, Mick Fleetwood will be releasing his autobiography, "Play On: Now, Then And Fleetwood Mac" this October.
Finally, Gladys Knight will be co-starring in the upcoming Lifetime TV movie, "Seasons of Love," which airs this November.
(For more information about the above-listed news items, please see below for a list of sources with links and article summaries.)
Neil Diamond, "The Art Of Love" (from his soon-to-be released album, "Melody Road"):
September 8, 2014: Mick Fleetwood Publishes Autobiography
On October 28, 2014, Fleetwood Mac co-founder Mick Fleetwood will be releasing his autobiography titled "Play On: Now, Then And Fleetwood Mac." Fleetwood tells about his days with Fleetwood Mac since its founding in 1967 and its rise to fame as one of the top pop-rock bands of all time. He also relays many stories about the ups and downs of this band and its various members.
Source: Mick Fleetwood Autobiography, "Play On," to Be Published Next Month
September 8, 2014: Carole King Broadway Musical Hits The Road
"Beautiful: The Carole King Musical," the Broadway musical about the life and music of Carole King, hits the road starting next year. It is scheduled to open in February 2015 in London before returning to the U.S. in September.
Source: Carole King Broadway Musical "Beautiful" to Open in London, Tour the US in 2015
September 8, 2014: Paul Simon And Sting Announce Joint Tour Dates In U.K.
Paul Simon and Sting will soon be launching the U.K. leg of their joint tour and have announced a series of show dates that start on April 10, 2015 in Glasgow, Scotland. Later shows will take place in Birmingham, Manchester, and London, England.
Source: Sting And Paul Simon Announce Joint U.K. Tour Dates
September 9, 2014: Gladys Knight To Appear In Lifetime TV Movie, Releases New Album
This November, Gladys Knight will be co-starring in the upcoming Lifetime TV movie, "Seasons of Love." Knight has also just released a new album, "Where My Heart Belongs."
Source: At 70, Gladys Knight is still 'guided by the spirit'
September 9, 2014: Neil Diamond To Release New Album
On October 21, 2014, Neil Diamond will be releasing a new album titled "Melody Road." This 12-song collection, which includes a booklet with chords and lyrics, can be pre-ordered at Amazon and iTunes. (Those who do so may receive a code that allows for early access to tickets for Diamond's 2015 tour.) A preview of one of his songs, "The Art of Love," can be heard in the video above.
Source: Neil Diamond to Release New Studio Album, "Melody Road," Next Month
September 9, 2014: John Mayall Launches U.S. Tour
On September 9, 2014, famed British bluesman John Mayall is starting a U.S. tour in support of his latest album, "A Special Life." This 16-show tour, which kicks off in Ogunquit, ME, covers various states in the Northeast and ends on September 25 in Phoenixville, PA.
Source: British Blues Great John Mayall Launches September US Tour
September 9, 2014: New Album Of Paul McCartney Covers To Be Released
On November 18, 2014, an album of covers of songs spanning Paul McCartney's career from the Beatles through the Wings is scheduled for release. The featured artists on this collection, titled "The Art of Paul McCartney," include such greats as Bob Dylan, Barry Gibb, Smokey Robinson, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, and B.B. King.
Source: Bob Dylan, Kiss and More Cover Paul McCartney
September 9, 2014: Soundtrack To 'Forrest Gump' To Be Released on Red, White, And Blue-Colored Vinyl
On November 4, 2014, the soundtrack to the 1994 film, "Forrest Gump," which features a bevy of beloved classic oldies that span the 1950s through 1980s, is set to be released on vinyl for the first time. The 32 songs on this limited-edition, patriotically-themed pressing will be divided across three LPs, each one with a different color: red, white, and blue.
Source: 'Forrest Gump' Soundtrack to Get Patriotic Vinyl Edition
September 10, 2014: Dave Davies To Release New Album And Launch Tour
On October 28, 2014, Dave Davies will be releasing a new solo album titled "Rippin Up Time." The former Kinks guitarist will also be launching a U.S. tour in support of this album on November 11 in Milwaukee, WI. So far, 13 show dates have been scheduled that will take place in various cities in the Northeast.
Source: Dave Davies to Release New Studio Album Called "Rippin Up Time" Next Month
September 10, 2014: Bob Marley Scores Highest-Charting Album With 'Legend' Compilation
This week, the late and great Bob Marley's famous 1984 "Legend" compilation album reached #5 on the Billboard 200, making this his highest-charting album to date. This highly popular album, which includes such classics as "I Shot the Sheriff," "No Woman, No Cry," and "Get Up, Stand Up," has been a fixture on the Billboard 200 since 1988.
Source: Bob Marley Scores Highest-Charting Album with 1984's "Legend" Compilation
September 10, 2014: Stevie Wonder To Launch U.S. Tour
On November 6, 2014, Stevie Wonder will be launching a U.S. tour in which he will perform all the songs from his classic 1976 album, "Songs In The Key Of Life." This 11-date tour will kick off at New York's Madison Square Garden and end on December 5 in Oakland, CA. Tickets go on sale September 22.
Source: Stevie Wonder to Take 'Songs in the Key of Life' on the Road | Rolling Stone
September 11, 2014: Tina Turner Museum To Open Near Her Hometown
On September 26, 2014, a new museum celebrating the life and career of Tina Turner is set to open in Brownsville, TN near her hometown of Nutbush. This museum will display various memorabilia donated by Turner and will be housed in the restored one-room schoolhouse she attended as a child. Its opening will coincide with this year's Tina Turner Heritage Days which is celebrated annually in the Brownsville area.
Source: Tina Turner Museum to Open Near Singer's Hometown Later This Month
September 12, 2014: Bob Crewe Passes Away
Famed singer, songwriter and producer Bob Crewe died on September 11, 2014 at age 83 in Scarborough, ME. He became famous for the many hits that he co-wrote and produced for Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.
He was born Stanley Robert Crewe in Newark, NJ. He began his career as a singer and songwriter in the early 1950s and in 1957, he co-wrote with Frank Slay the doo-wop classic, "Silhouettes," which became a hit for the Rays and later Herman's Hermits.
In the early 1960s, Crewe began his long and fruitful collaboration with Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Crewe co-wrote and produced many of this group's biggest hits, including "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Rag Doll," "Silence Is Golden," and "Walk Like A Man." Among Crewe's best known songs is "Can't Take My Eyes Off You," a beloved pop standard which became a smash hit for Frankie Valli in 1967. Crewe also wrote and produced for other performers that included Freddy Cannon, Mitch Ryder, Lesley Gore, and Diane Renay. In 1965, he founded DynoVoice Records which released songs by various bands and artists including the Toys and Mitch Ryder. In 1967, Crewe had a hit with "Music To Watch Girls By," an easy listening instrumental he recorded as the Bob Crewe Generation. He continued penning hit-making songs in the 1970s that included the salacious "Lady Marmalade" which topped the charts for both Patti LaBelle (in 1974) and Christina Aguilera (in 2001).
Crewe's many honors and accolades over his long career include being inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame. He is survived by his brother, Dan Crewe.
Source: Bob Crewe, Songwriter for Frankie Valli and Four Seasons, Dies at 83 - NYTimes.com
September 12, 2014: Art Garfunkel Adds Show Dates
Art Garfunkel has added a series of new show dates to his North American tour leg which runs from September 18 through November 16, 2014. He is also slated to tour Japan this December and will launch a tour in Europe next March.
Source: Art Garfunkel Fleshes Out US Fall Tour, Adds Series of California Shows
September 12, 2014: Cher Postpones Shows Due To Illness
Cher, who launched her "Dressed To Kill" tour last March, has been forced to reschedule a series of shows originally scheduled for the rest of this month and early October due to illness. These shows have been moved up to late October-December, and fans can obtain a refund in case they cannot make the new shows. The second leg of Cher's tour is now set to begin on October 4 in Toronto.
Source: Cher Forced to Postpone Eight More Shows on Dressed to Kill
