Allbutforgottenoldies.net Music News Digest: Week Of December 9, 2018

December 17, 2018 by Amy Gold

During the week of December 9, 2018, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced its inductees for 2019. Among the honorees are Stevie Nicks, Roxy Music, and The Zombies. The awards ceremonies will take place March 29, 2019 at Brooklyn's Barclays Center.

Also that week, two holiday oldies classics debuted on the Billboard Hot 100. Late country legend Gene Autry scored his first-ever entry on this chart with "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer," which debuted at #36. This song was originally released in 1949, nine years before the Billboard Hot 100 was established. After almost 50 years, the late Dean Martin made a return to the Billboard Hot 100 with his rendition of the holiday standard, "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow," which debuted at #41. In addition, "The Dean Martin Christmas Album" rose to #72 on the Billboard 200, and "Christmas With Dino" re-entered this chart at #156.

Jethro Tull announced a continuation of the band's 50th anniversary tour into 2019 with a series of new U.S. concert dates beginning March 9 in Atlantic City, NJ, also covering California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, and New York. Daryl Hall & John Oates will play a limited engagement next March at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Billy Joel will celebrate his 70th birthday in concert on May 9, 2019 at New York City's Madison Square Garden where he has had a monthly residency since 2014. Also, Jackson Browne announced four concerts for next June at New York City's Beacon Theatre.

Linda Ronstadt announced her first-ever concert album, "Live In Hollywood," which is due out on February 1, 2019. This upcoming recording captures performances from April 24, 1980 at Television Center Studios in Hollywood that were recorded for an HBO special. Also, the hit soundtrack to the recent Queen biopic, "Bohemian Rhapsody," will be coming out on February 8 as a two-LP vinyl set.

Also that week, it was announced that Peter Frampton will be honored with the Les Paul Innovation Award at the 34rd annual NAMM Technical Excellence & Creativity (TEC) Awards scheduled for January 26, 2019 in Anaheim, CA. Also, Stephen Stills will receive an honorary doctorate of music from the University of Florida during the school's fall commencement, to take place December 15, 2018. Stills will be one of the speakers at the ceremony.

The Library of Congress announced that D.A. Pennebaker's 1968 concert film, "Monterey Pop," will be added to its National Film Registry. This documentary of the historic Monterey Pop Festival of 1967 features performances by such top bands and artists as Big Brother & The Holding Company with Janis Joplin, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Jefferson Airplane, The Mamas & The Papas, Hugh Masekela, Otis Redding, Ravi Shankar, and The Who.

Also, Diana Ross announced a yearlong celebration of her 75th birthday which will kick off on March 26, 2019 with special screenings of the movie, "Diana Ross: Her Life, Love And Legacy," at select theaters worldwide. Additional theatrical screenings will also take place on March 28.

Finally, fans bade a final farewell to famed jazz, R&B, and pop singer, Nancy Wilson (February 20, 1937 - December 13, 2018), a Grammy award-winning artist whose many hits included "(You Don't Know) How Glad I Am" (1964) and "Face It Girl, It's Over" (1968).

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

Darlene Love gives a rousing performance of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" with Bryan Adams on ABC"s "The View" (December 14, 2019).