February 7, 2021 by Amy Gold
Primary Wave Music, an independent music company, has acquired Sun Records' assets, including its recordings, logo and brand, from Sun Entertainment Corporation, the family-run company that bought it from Sam Phillips, Sun's founder, in 1969. https://t.co/qNDgURAA4m
— New York Times Music (@nytimesmusic) January 30, 2021
During the week of January 31, 2021, the historic Sun record label was acquired by Primary Wave Music from Sun Entertainment Corporation. Founded by famed producer Sam Phillips in 1952, Sun Records was the first label to record Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, and Charlie Rich. Sun's assets include over 6,000 song masters, with such classics as Perkins' "Blue Suede Shoes," Lewis' "Great Balls Of Fire," Cash's "I Walk The Line," and Orbison's "Ooby Dooby." The deal does not include Sun recordings by Presley, which are owned by Sony.
Also that week, Hall & Oates announced new show dates for their North American tour originally scheduled for the summer of 2020. This upcoming trek will kick off on April 17 in Indio, CA and wrap up on October 7 in Portland, OR, with 28 additional shows taking place throughout the U.S. and parts of Canada. For more info, visit hallandoates.com.
Lynyrd Skynyrd also announced plans to return to performing in 2021, with several scheduled shows beginning March 13 in Durant, OK. For more info, visit lynyrdskynyrd.com.
Finally, Warner Bros. announced that a new (and as yet untitled) Elvis Presley biopic, originally slated for November 5, 2021 and currently still in production, will make its theatrical premiere on June 3, 2022. This upcoming movie stars Austin Butler as the late King with Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker, Presley's manager.
In Memoriam:
Danny Ray (1935-2021): James Brown's personal valet, longtime onstage "Cape Man," and emcee
Jim Weatherly (March 17, 1943 - February 3, 2021): Singer-songwriter who wrote "Midnight Train To Georgia" and other Gladys Knight & The Pips hits
Anne Feeney (July 1, 1951 - February 3, 2021): Folk singer-songwriter, activist, and attorney who wrote "Have You Been To Jail For Justice?" as covered by Peter, Paul & Mary and others
New & Upcoming Releases:
(Band/Artist - Title - Format - Release Date)
Kenny Loggins - The Great Adventure (single) - digital download, streaming - February 5, 2021
Paul Stanley of KISS - Could It Be I'm Falling In Love (single from "Now And Then") - digital download, streaming - February 5, 2021
The Band - The Weight (single from "Stage Fright") - digital download, streaming - February 5, 2021
The Band - Stage Fright - CD, vinyl, digital download, streaming - February 12, 2021
Tower Of Power - 50 Years Of Funk & Soul: Live At The Fox Theater - digital download, streaming - February 26, 2021
Paul Stanley of KISS - Now And Then - CD, vinyl, digital download, streaming - March 19, 2021
Tower Of Power - 50 Years Of Funk & Soul: Live At The Fox Theater - CD/DVD, vinyl - March 26, 2021
Al Stewart - Year Of The Cat (1976 limited-edition box set re-release) - CD/DVD - March 26, 2021
Neil Young - Johnny's Island (1982 archival album) - CD, vinyl, digital download, streaming - ca. spring of 2021
(For more information about the above news items, please see below for a list of sources with links.)
.@PaulStanleyLive's Soul Station hits the stage in the official video for "O-O-H Child" – streaming now on @YouTubeMusic! https://t.co/YdkyOU0J1z pic.twitter.com/KUb5xQwpkZ
— UMe (@UME) January 29, 2021
Hall & Oates confirmed their upcoming 2021 tour schedule, rerouting the remaining dates that were previously postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic: https://t.co/enrQ9OoPOY
— UltimateClassicRock (@UltClassicRock) January 29, 2021
Summer 2022 it is! https://t.co/DerjwvQQID
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) January 30, 2021
Primary Wave Music, an independent music company, has acquired Sun Records' assets, including its recordings, logo and brand, from Sun Entertainment Corporation, the family-run company that bought it from Sam Phillips, Sun's founder, in 1969. https://t.co/qNDgURAA4m
— New York Times Music (@nytimesmusic) January 30, 2021
"It's a beautiful record coming to you soon," #NeilYoung wrote about his previously unheard 1982 album, "Johnny's Island." https://t.co/ybIoF8q0CL
— billboard (@billboard) January 31, 2021
Lynyrd Skynyrd's Johnny Van Zant reveals band's tentative plans to return to performing in 2021 - https://t.co/gQAoCfZ4u8 pic.twitter.com/K9RIWCaNXQ
— AM 880 KIXI (@AM880KIXI) February 1, 2021
Al Stewart's 1976 breakthrough album 'Year of the Cat' being reissued as expanded box set in March - https://t.co/OGGw8uhQiq pic.twitter.com/8KS22hjO5X
— AM 880 KIXI (@AM880KIXI) February 1, 2021
Danny Ray, who for more than 40 years served as James Brown's emcee and "cape man," has died at age 85. https://t.co/smX1Roly0f
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) February 3, 2021
Jim Weatherly, the country music singer-songwriter who wrote Gladys Knight's hit "Midnight Train To Georgia," has died at 77. https://t.co/dYlvaBsyJI
— billboard (@billboard) February 5, 2021
Anne Feeney, influential folk musician and activist, has died at age 69 https://t.co/igDq4S5xlI pic.twitter.com/WOBMRNPLZA
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) February 5, 2021
Tower of Power (@OfficialTOPBand) Announce New Live Record '50 Years of Funk & Soul: Live at the Fox Theater'
— Relix (@RelixMag) February 5, 2021
Read more: https://t.co/LMgnXJ4dB6
From the new 50th anniversary edition of The Band's "Stage Fright" (due next week 2/12), listen to a previously unheard performance of "The Weight," from Royal Albert Hall circa 1971. https://t.co/MhQ1clrIQv pic.twitter.com/obPEnq28VO
— Rock Cellar Magazine (@RockCellarMag) February 6, 2021
Music News: Hear new Kenny Loggins song "The Great Adventure" now https://t.co/8JAaxjkows More @ https://t.co/u9twSRpzVO pic.twitter.com/F1N6ZIyqt7
— X101 - wxhc 101.5 fm (@X101_wxhc) February 6, 2021