Allbutforgottenoldies.net Music News Digest: Week Of July 31, 2016

August 8, 2016 by Amy Gold

During the week of July 31, 2016, Tony Bennett turned 90, and in celebration, NBC announced an all-star concert in honor of the pop legend which will air on December 20, 2016. Featured performers will include Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, and Bennett's duets partner, Lady Gaga.

KC & The Sunshine Band recently launched a tour that will take the band to various parts of North America for the remainder of 2016. Later this month, Don McLean will launch a U.S. tour with shows scheduled to April 2017. Folk-rock legend Donovan will begin his 50th anniversary North American tour at the end of this month.

Don McLean's 1971 album, "American Pie," was recently reissued on vinyl. KC and the Sunshine Band released a video for their latest single, "We Belong Together." Ian Hunter of Mott The Hoople released a new song titled "Dandy" from his upcoming album, "Fingers Crossed," which is due out in September. Kansas released a new song titled "With This Heart" from the band's upcoming album, "The Prelude Implicit," which is also due out that month. Rhino announced a series of limited-edition vinyl reissues of albums by Alice Cooper, Deep Purple, Faces, Foreigner, Iron Butterfly, T. Rex, and ZZ Top which are due out in October. A new Otis Redding box set titled "Live At The Whisky A Go Go: The Complete Recordings" featuring the late soul legend's shows from April 1966 at this famous venue will also be coming out that month.

Also that week, it was announced that a new Everly Brothers documentary titled "Harmonies from Heaven" will be coming out in September. Also due out that month is a new documentary titled "George Harrison -- A Beatle In Benton, Illinois" which covers a trip Harrison made to Benton, Illinois to see his sister a few months before The Fab Four made their historic first visit to the U.S.

(For more information about the above-listed news items, please see below for a list of sources with links and article summaries.)


Below are excerpts from The Beatles' "Revolver" which turned 50 on August 5, 2016, with commentary from band members about the making of this classic album.


July 31, 2016: Donovan Adds New Show Dates To 59th Anniversary Tour

Folk-rock legend Donovan announced several new show dates for his 50th anniversary North American tour which begins on August 30, 2016. This trek, which has 22 shows confirmed so far, will cover various cities in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Washington State, plus Toronto, Canada.

Source: Donovan Adds Dates to 50th Anniversary "Sunshine Superman" Tour

August 1, 2016: Rhino To Reissue Albums By Alice Cooper, ZZ Top & More

As part of a new campaign dubbed "Rocktober," Rhino announced the release of a series of limited-edition reissues on vinyl of albums by Alice Cooper, Deep Purple, Faces, Foreigner, Iron Butterfly, T. Rex, and ZZ Top. Foreigner's "4" (1981) and Deep Purple's "Machine Head" (1972) will be coming out on October 4, 2016, followed by ZZ Top's "Eliminator" (1983) and Iron Butterfly's "Heavy" (1968) on October 11, Alice Cooper's "Billion Dollar Babies" (1973) and Faces' "First Step" (1970) on October 18, and T. Rex's self-titled 1970 album on October 25.

Source: Rocktober Campaign to Feature Cool Vinyl Reissues from Foreigner, Alice Cooper, ZZ Top & More

August 2, 2016: Ian Hunter Releases New Song In Tribute To David Bowie And Box Set

Ian Hunter of Mott The Hoople recently released a new single titled "Dandy" that pays tribute to the late David Bowie. This song will appear on Hunter's upcoming solo album, "Fingers Crossed," which is due out on September 16, 2016. A 30-disc box set of his solo works from 1975-2015 titled "Stranded In Reality" will also be coming out on September 2.

Source: Carry the News! Ian Hunter Has Released a New Song Paying Tribute to David Bowie

August 2, 2016: NBC To Air Tony Bennett 90th Birthday Tribute Concert

Tony Bennett celebrates his 90th birthday on August 3, 2016, and in celebration of this milestone, NBC will honor the pop music legend with a tribute concert which airs December 20, 2016. "Tony Bennett Celebrates 90: The Best Is Yet To Come" will feature performances by such top artists as Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder, plus Bennett's duets partner, Lady Gaga. NBC had previously aired a similar 80th birthday tribute concert for Bennett.

Source: Elton, Stevie, Aretha, Billy Joel to Perform on NBC Special Celebrating Tony Bennett's 90th Birthday

August 2, 2016: New Everly Brothers Documentary To Be Released

A new Everly Brothers documentary titled "Harmonies from Heaven" will be coming out on September 9, 2016 in various formats. This film covers the story of the famed sibling duo's rise to stardom from their childhood through their period as pop idols from the late 1950s-early 1960s and beyond.

Source: New Everly Brothers Documentary, "Harmonies from Heaven," Being Released as Home Video Next Month

August 3, 2016: Documentary About George Harrison's 1963 US Visit To Be Released

A new documentary titled "George Harrison -- A Beatle In Benton, Illinois" will be coming out on September 16, 2016 as a two-DVD set. This film covers Harrison's September 1963 trip to Benton, Illinois where he and his brother Peter visited their sister Louise a few months before The Fab Four made their historic first visit to the U.S.

Source: Two-DVD Version of Documentary About George Harrison's 1963 US Visit Due Out Next Month

August 5, 2016: Don McLean Reissues 'American Pie' Album And Launches Tour

Don McLean's 1971 album, "American Pie," was recently reissued on vinyl for the first time since its original release. McLean will also begin a U.S. tour which kicks off on August 13, 2016 in Nashville, TN. This 22-date trek, which ends on April 7, 2017, will cover various cities in California, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia.

Source: Don McLean Reissues "American Pie" Album on Vinyl, Set to Launch US Tour Next Week

August 5, 2016: KC & The Sunshine Band Release New Single And Launch Tour

KC and the Sunshine Band recently released a video for their latest single, "We Belong Together." The band also has a series of North American show dates lined up for the rest of this year that began on August 3, 2016 in El Cajon, CA and run through December 31 in Durant, OK, with stops in Louisiana, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Texas, plus Ontario, Canada. For more info, visit HeyKCSB.com.

Source: Watch Lyric Video for KC and the Sunshine Band's New Electronic-Dance Single "We Belong Together"

August 5, 2016: Kansas Releases New Song From Upcoming Album

Kansas recently released a new song titled "With This Heart" from the band's upcoming album, "The Prelude Implicit," which is due out on September 23, 2016. Click here for a preview of this album.

Source: Kansas Releases New Song 'With This Heart'

August 5, 2016: Otis Redding Live Album Of 1966 Whisky A Go Go Shows To Be Released

A new Otis Redding box set titled "Live At The Whisky A Go Go: The Complete Recordings" will be coming out on October 21, 2016. This collection includes Redding's seven shows from his three day residency in April 1966 at the famous Sunset Strip venue. Highlights include "Mr. Pitiful," "I've Been Loving You Too Long," "Respect," and "Satisfaction."

Source: Hear Otis Redding's Impassioned Live 'Mr. Pitiful' From 1966 - Rolling Stone - August 5, 2016