Allbutforgottenoldies.net Music News Digest: Week Of April 8, 2018

April 16, 2018 by Amy Gold

During the week of April 8, 2018, The Cars, The Moody Blues, Nina Simone, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe were among this year's inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The awards ceremonies will be televised May 5 on HBO.

Yes Featuring Anderson, Rabin & Wakeman announced an upcoming trek dubbed "Quintessential Yes: The 50th Anniversary Tour" that will cover Europe, North America, South America, Japan, and the Far East. So far, 10 U.S. shows have been confirmed beginning August 26, 2018 in West Hollywood, CA, with stops in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Nevada, Ohio, and Wisconsin, plus various other cities in California. Also, Alice Cooper added 13 shows to his previously announced "A Paranormal Evening with Alice Cooper" tour for this October, covering many states across the country.

The Temptations announced a new album titled "All The Time" which is due out on May 4, 2018. This upcoming recording features both old classics and newer songs that include a recently-released cover of The Weeknd's "Earned It." A new archival Jerry Garcia box set titled "Before The Dead" featuring many previously unreleased early recordings will be coming out on May 11. A new dance remix version of the 1986 Paul Simon album, "Graceland," is due out on June 1. Also coming out that day is a new ZZ Top vinyl box set titled "Cinco No. 2: The Second Five LPs." This new collection gathers together remastered versions of "Deguello" (1979), "El Loco" (1981), "Eliminator" (1983), "Afterburner" (1985), and "Recycler" (1990).

A series of DVDs featuring upgraded high-definition footage of classic Ed Sullivan Show performances by Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Supremes, and The Temptations will be coming out on May 25, 2018. Also, the recent documentary, "Eric Clapton: Life In 12 Bars," will be coming out June 8 on DVD and Blu-ray, along with a companion soundtrack album.

Also that week, a May 8, 2018 publication date was announced for the new and long-awaited Robert Hilburn-penned biography, "Paul Simon - The Life."

Finally, fans bade a last farewell to Yvonne Staples of The Staple Singers who passed away on April 10, 2018 at age 80. She can be heard on such hits as "Respect Yourself," "I'll Take You There," and "Heavy Makes You Happy." She was inducted along with The Staple Singers into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.

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

Director Thom Thom Zimny and Executive Producer Priscilla Presley discuss the making of the new 2-part documentary, "Elvis Presley: The Searcher," which made its TV premiere April 14, 2018 on HBO.