November 6, 2017 by Amy Gold
During the week of October 29, 2017, fans bade a final farewell to Keith Wilder of Heatwave famous for "Boogie Nights" and other late 1970s disco classics.
"All Day Thumbsucker Revisited," a long out-of-print compilation of songs by Captain Beefheart, The Pointer Sisters, Leon Russell, and other artists who recorded for Blue Thumb Records, was recently reissued on CD to commemorate this label's upcoming 50th anniversary. A new Johnny Mathis box set titled "The Voice Of Romance: The Columbia Original Album Collection" will be coming out in December. Also due out that month are a new Neil Young album titled "The Visitor" and a new vinyl box set by The Beatles titled "The Christmas Records," a compilation of holiday messages by the Fab Four sent to members of their fan club from 1963-1969.
Rod Stewart announced plans to extend his Las Vegas residency to June 2018. Also, a preliminary lineup has been announced for the upcoming 2019 Rock Legends Cruise which will set sail in February 2019. Among those to take part are Dave Davies, Foghat, Kansas, and The Outlaws.
Also that week, it was announced that REO Speedwagon will be the featured artist in the November 8, 2017 episode of the new AXS TV Concerts series. A new Barbra Streisand concert film titled "Barbra: The Music...The Mem'ries..The Magic!" will premiere November 22, 2017 on Netflix. Smokey Robinson will join the lineup for this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade which airs November 23, 2017 on NBC. Also, "Eric Clapton: Life In 12 Bars" will be screened in select theaters in NYC and Los Angeles prior to its TV premiere February 10, 2018 on Showtime.
(For more information about the above-listed news items, please see below for a list of sources with links and article summaries.)
Aretha Franklin performs "Respect" with backing by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (from the upcoming album, "A Brand New Me: Aretha Franklin With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra," due out on November 10, 2017).
October 30, 2017: Blue Thumb Records Compilation Reissued
"All Day Thumbsucker Revisited," a long out-of-print compilation of songs by artists who recorded for Blue Thumb Records, was recently reissued as a two-CD set to commemorate the upcoming 50th anniversary of this now-discontinued label. In addition, a digital version will be coming out on November 10, 2017. This eclectic 32-track collection includes songs by such top acts as Captain Beefheart, Love, Hugh Masekela, Dave Mason, The Pointer Sisters, Leon Russell, Ike & Tina Turner, and Philip Upchurch.
October 31, 2017: Keith Wilder Of Heatwave Passes Away
Famed R&B singer and songwriter Keith Wilder died on October 29, 2017 at age 65. He was one of the lead singers of Heatwave, a late 1970s funk-disco band famous for the Pop/Rock crossover dance classics, "Boogie Nights" (1977), "The Groove Line" (1978), and "Always And Forever" (1978), plus several other hits that continued on the R&B charts through 1982. He was also the brother of the band's founder, Johnnie Wilder (July 3, 1949 - May 13, 2006), an American serviceman who formed Heatwave in 1975 while stationed in Germany.
Source: Keith Wilder, Singer of Acclaimed Funk Outfit Heatwave, Dead at 65
October 31, 2017: Preliminary Lineup Announced For 2019 Rock Legends Cruise
A number of featured artists have been announced for the upcoming 2019 Rock Legends Cruise which will set sail February 14-18, 2019. Among those who have been confirmed to take part so far are Dave Davies, Foghat, Kansas, and The Outlaws, with other performers to be announced later. For more info, visit RLC7.RockLegendsCruise.com.
Source: Kansas, Foghat, Dave Davies part of lineup for 2019 Rock Legends Cruise
October 31, 2017: REO Speedwagon To Be Featured On AXS TV
REO Speedwagon is among those to be featured on a new weekly concert series that will air on AXS TV. The band will appear in the November 8, 2017 episode which captures a show from August 2017 in which the rockers performed such classics as "Can't Fight This Feeling," "Take It On The Run," and "Keep On Loving You."
Source: Steve Winwood and REO Speedwagon featured on upcoming AXS TV concert series
November 1, 2017: Rod Stewart To Extend Las Vegas Residency To June 2018
Rod Stewart announced plans to extend his Las Vegas residency into 2018. He confirmed a new six-date run of his "Rod Stewart: The Hits" show, to take place June 12, 15, 16, 19, 22 and 23. Stewart's 2018 itinerary will also include a concert in Choctaw, Oklahoma (February 9) and a spring tour in Canada (March 22-April 10).
Source: Rod Stewart returning to Las Vegas for new residency in June 2018
November 1, 2017: Smokey Robinson To Join 2017 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Smokey Robinson is among those to join the lineup for this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. This event will air November 23, 2017 on NBC.
Source: Smokey Robinson part of lineup of performers at 2017 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
November 1, 2017: Johnny Mathis To Release Massive 'Voice Of Romance" Box Set
A new Johnny Mathis box set titled "The Voice Of Romance: The Columbia Original Album Collection" will be coming out on December 8, 2017. This massive 68-disc/62 album collection includes all of Mathis' recordings with Columbia Records beginning with his self-titled 1956 debut album. Highlights include many first-time releases such as the LPs, "I Love My Love" (1981, with Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of Chic) and "The Island" (1989, with Sergio Mendes). Also included are two discs of unreleased recordings plus the recently-released "Johnny Mathis Sings The Great New American Songbook."
Source: Johnny Mathis Plans Comprehensive 68-Disc 'Voice of Romance' Box Set
November 2, 2017: Barbra Streisand To Release New Concert Film
Barbra Streisand recently made a new concert film titled "Barbra: The Music...The Mem'ries..The Magic!" which will premiere November 22, 2017 on Netflix. Co-directed by Streisand, this movie features excerpts from her sold-out December 2016 Miami concert plus footage of her recording her 2016 album, "ENCORE: Movie Partners Sing Broadway."
November 2, 2017: New Box Set Featuring The Beatles' Fan Club Christmas Greetings To Be Released
A new vinyl box set by The Beatles titled "The Christmas Records" will be coming out on December 15, 2017. This collection gathers together annual holiday messages, both musical and spoken, by the Fab Four mailed to members of their fan club from 1963-1969. The seven messages are all pressed on separate vinyl discs, with each one in a different color.
Source: New vinyl box set featuring The Beatles' fan-club Christmas greetings due out in December
November 3, 2017: Neil Young To Release New Album
A new Neil Young album titled "The Visitor" will be coming out December 1, 2017 on CD and as a digital down and on January 5, 2018 as a vinyl LP. This album is Young's third one to date recorded with his latest backing band, Promise Of The Real. Highlights of this upcoming 10-song collection include the lead track, "Already Great," which Young recently released on his official YouTube channel. Other songs include the patriotic protest anthem, "Children Of Destiny," which made its premiere earlier this year.
Source: Neil Young join forces with Promise of the Real on new album, "The Visitor," due out next month
November 3, 2017: New Eric Clapton Documentary To Be Screened In Select Theaters
A new Eric Clapton documentary titled "Eric Clapton: Life In 12 Bars" will be screened in select theaters prior to its TV premiere February 10, 2018 on Showtime. The theater showings are set to take place on November 16, 2017 at the DOC NYC film festival in New York City, and on November 24 in New York and Los Angeles at several locations to be announced. "Eric Clapton: Life In 12 Bars" made its world premiere on September 8 at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival.
Source: New Eric Clapton documentary to get theatrical screenings this month in advance of Showtime premiere
