Allbutforgottenoldies.net Music News Digest: Week Of October 27, 2019

November 3, 2019 by Amy Gold

During the week of October 27, 2019, 13 Halloween oldies classics made YouTube's list of 31 songs with daily global views that peaked on October 31. "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker Jr. took the top spot, followed by "Thriller" by Michael Jackson (no. 2), "Monster Mash" by Bobby Pickett (no. 3), "Werewolves Of London" by Warren Zevon (no. 8), "Halloween" by John Carpenter (no. 10), "Day O (Banana Boat Song)" by Harry Belafonte (no. 11), "Abracadabra" by Steve Miller Band (no. 14), "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult (no. 15), "I'm Your Boogie Man" by KC & The Sunshine Band (no. 16), "The Time Warp" by The Rocky Horror Picture Show (no. 18), "Love Potion No. 9" by The Searchers (no. 19), "I Put A Spell On You" by Screamin' Jay Hawkins (no. 25), and "Runnin' With The Devil" by Van Halen (no. 29). Veteran shock rocker Alice Copper also had an entry in this list with "Feed My Frankenstein," a track from his 1991 album, "Hey Stoopid."

"Cash Fest," a tribute concert for late country star Johnny Cash, will take place November 10, 2019 in Nashville, TN at the city's War Memorial Auditorium. John Oates of Hall & Oates will be among the many featured performers at this upcoming event to be held in conjunction with the November 11 YouTube premiere of the new documentary, "The Gift: The Journey Of Johnny Cash."

Chicago is among those to take part in the upcoming 93rd Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade which will air November 28, 2019 on NBC. The band previously performed in this parade in 2003.

Graham Nash announced a new series of concerts with eight dates confirmed so far beginning March 4, 2020 in York, PA and ending March 19 in Clearwater, FL, covering several other states along the East Coast. Santana announced the first dates of a global trek dubbed the Miraculous 2020 World Tour that start on March 13 in Bologna, Italy and are currently mapped out through April 5 in Helsinki, Finland. Also, Yes will launch a European tour in 2020 in which the famed progressive rock band will perform its 1974 album, "Relayer," in its entirety. This trek will begin on April 24 in Lisbon, Portugal, with 32 show dates confirmed so far.

A 50th anniversary edition of Peggy Lee's "Is That All There Is?" album will be released by Capitol/UMe on November 15, 2019 as a digital download. The remastered set will include previously unreleased versions of the 1969 smash hit title song and an alternate version of "Me And My Shadow."

Also that week, legendary R&B multi-instrumentalist Booker T. Jones announced a new autobiography, "Time Is Tight: My Life Note By Note," coming out on October 27, 2019. This memoir covers his childhood and early musical development, the formation of Booker T & The MGs, his work as a solo artist, and Stax Records during its heyday.

Finally, fans bade a final farewell to famed singer and guitarist Paul Barrere (July 3, 1948 - October 26, 2019). He was a longtime member of Little Feat and co-wrote many of the band's songs. He also released several solo albums and performed as a duo with fellow Little Feat guitarist Fred Tackett.

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