Allbutforgottenoldies.net Music News Digest: Week Of June 24, 2018

July 2, 2018 by Amy Gold

During the week of June 24, 2018, Barry Gibb of The Bee Gees was knighted by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace for his "services to music and charity."

Also that week, The Kinks announced that they will reunite after 20 years, with plans to record a new album as well as perform. The Beach Boys topped both the Billboard Classical Albums and Classical Crossover Albums charts with their latest release, "The Beach Boys With The Royal Philharmonic," which features symphonic remakes of many of the band's top hits. It was also announced that Emmylou Harris, The Lettermen, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and late soul legend Jackie Wilson are among those to be honored in 2019 with stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Jackson Browne will headline the first day of the 2018 Grand Point North festival to take place September 15 and 16, 2018 at Waterfront Park in Burlington, VT. The 2018 Farm Aid festival will take place on September 22 at the XFINITY Theatre in Hartford, CT. As in previous years, this event will be headlined by Neil Young, Willie Nelson, and other Farm Aid board members. Also, Graham Nash announced a fall tour in support of his latest album, "Over The Years." This upcoming 15-date trek will begin on September 19 in Austin, TX and end on October 13 in San Diego, CA, also covering Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington State. He has also lined up the first two shows for his 2019 North American tour leg which will take place March 10 and March 22 in Easton, MD and Carmel, IN, respectively.

July 1, 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the release of The Band's debut album, "Music From Big Pink," and in commemoration, expanded reissues will be coming out on August 31. This landmark recording includes The Band's best known song, "The Weight." Yes Featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin & Rick Wakeman announced a new album, "50th Anniversary: Live At The Apollo," to be released September 7. Highlights of this recording, which captures a concert from March 2017 at the O2 Apollo Manchester, include performances of such Yes classics as "Roundabout," "I've Seen All Good People," and "Owner Of A Lonely Heart." The Doors announced the latest installment of their 50th anniversary reissue campaign: an expanded and remastered edition of "Waiting For The Sun" which is due out on September 14. Highlights of this classic album, which topped the Billboard 200 in 1968, include the band's chart-topping hit, "Hello, I Love You." Also coming out in September is a new album by Rod Stewart titled "Blood Red Roses," a follow-up to his 2015 album, "Another Country."

Also that week, AXS TV announced an early holiday special, "Christmas In July," to air July 28, 2018. On that day, 11 holiday concerts will be shown featuring such performers as Heart, Stevie Nicks, Carly Simon, Rod Stewart, and Brian Setzer of The Stray Cats.

Finally, fans bade a final farewell to George Cameron (October 16, 1947 - June 24, 2018) and Joe Jackson (July 26, 1928 - June 27, 2018). Cameron was a founding member of The Left Banke and served as a drummer and background vocalist for the band. Jackson was the patriarch and manager of the famed Jackson musical dynasty that began as The Jackson 5 (later the Jacksons), and he helped launch the solo careers of a number of his children, including Michael and Janet Jackson. He was inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2014.

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

Below is the first official video of Creedence Clearwater Revival's classic 1969 protest anthem, "Fortune Son," which commemorates the band's 50th anniversary.