Classic Rock 93.9

The late Robbie Robertson was honored with the Icon Award at the Guild of Music Supervisors Awards, which took place Saturday, March 3, at The Wiltern in Los Angeles. 

Robertson, who passed away in August, was celebrated for his contribution to both music and film. 

According to Billboard, Margo Price was joined by Robert Randolph and Jairus Mozee for a tribute to  Robertson, performing “Evangeline,” while Rocco DeLuca and Johnny Sheppard performed “They Don’t Live Long” from Martin Scorsese‘s Killers of the Flower Moon.

Robertson is nominated for an Oscar this year for his score for Killers of the Flower Moon. The score is one of several projects he and Scorsese worked on together, including movies like Gangs of New York, Raging Bull, Casino and The Color of Money as well as the concert documentary The Last Waltz, featuring Robbie’s group The Band.

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Paul McCartney’s photography exhibit is hitting another U.S. city this year.

It was just announced that Paul McCartney Photographs 1963–64: Eyes of the Storm will debut at the Portland Art Museum on September 14 and run until January 19.

Eyes of the Storm features more than 250 photographs taken by McCartney between November 1963 and February 1964, giving fans insight into his point of view as The Beatles were becoming international superstars. 

The exhibit first debuted in June at London’s National Portrait Gallery and is currently at Virginia’s Chrysler Museum of Art, where it is set to run until April 7. It will then move to New York’s Brooklyn Museum from May 3- August 18. 

Tickets for the Portland Art Museum run are on sale now.

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Dave Grohl has joined the lineup for the 2024 Love Rocks NYC benefit concert.

The show takes place Thursday, March 7, at New York City’s Beacon Theatre. Previously announced performers include The Black Keys, Tom Morello, Hozier, ex-Eagles guitarist Don Felder, The Struts‘ Luke Spiller, Nile Rodgers, Joss Stone, Lucius, Allison Russell and Trombone Shorty.

Comedians Conan O’Brien, Tracy Morgan and Jim Gaffigan will host, and Martin Short will be making an appearance.

The annual Love Rocks NYC concert supports God’s Love We Deliver, which “prepare[s] and deliver[s] nutritious, high-quality meals to people who, because of their illness, are unable to provide or prepare meals for themselves.”

If you can’t make this year’s show, you can watch it live via the platform Veeps. The stream begins Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. For more info, visit Veeps.com.

In other Grohl happenings, the Foo Fighters frontman just had an eventful weekend in Las Vegas. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Grohl was in attendance at the Netflix Slam tennis match at Vegas’ Michelob Ultra Arena on Sunday, March 3. Additionally, fan-shot footage caught Grohl dancing and singing along to U2 during the final night of their residency at the high-tech Sphere venue on Saturday, March 2.

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On This Day, March 4, 1967…

The Rolling Stones landed their fourth #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with “Ruby Tuesday.”

The tune, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, was released as the B side to the single with “Let’s Spend the Night Together,” although in the U.K., where it went to #3, the two tracks were released as a double A-sided single.

“Ruby Tuesday,” which was later included on the U.S. version of their album Between the Buttons, went on to be one of the band’s classic tunes and is often played at their live shows.

The track was certified Gold by the RIAA.

In total, The Rolling Stones have had eight #1 hits in the U.S., their last being “Miss You” in August 1978.

The band is set to hit the road this year, with their Hackney Diamonds tour kicking off April 28 in Houston, Texas. A complete list of dates can be found at rollingstones.com.

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The Rolling Stones are giving fans a chance to win a VIP experience to their upcoming Hackney Diamonds tour.

The trek is sponsored by AARP, and the Stones are teaming up with the organization for the over-50 crowd on a new sweepstakes in which winners will be flown to Las Vegas and set up with premium tickets to the band’s May 11 concert at Allegiant Stadium.

Three grand prize winners will be chosen, with the prize also including a two-night hotel accommodation and a backstage meet and greet with the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers.

The sweepstakes is only open to U.S. residents 18 or older, but all folks have to do is register for a chance to win. More info can be found at aarp.org/rockout.

The Rolling Stones will kick off their Hackney Diamonds tour on April 28 in Houston, Texas, with dates confirmed through July 17 in Santa Clara, California. A complete schedule can be found at rollingstones.com.

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U2 wrapped their Las Vegas residency, U2: UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere, this weekend with two special shows — and a couple of special guests.

Rumors had suggested that U2 drummer Larry Mullen, Jr., who sat out the residency as he recovered from surgery, would join them for the last two shows, and he did — but as a spectator.  Fan shot footage posted to YouTube showing Bono shouting out  Larry in the audience during the March 1 show.

“That is the man who pinned the note on the notice board at Mount Temple Comprehensive School all those years ago. And we are very grateful that he did and that he’s here with us tonight,” Bono said. “We wish him a speedy, speedy, speedy recovery. We love you, Larry Mullen Jr.” The band then launched into “Beautiful Day.”

“What an incredible night at Sphere-So Grateful to Bono Edge and Adam and of course Bram for an amazing job-very emotional night for me personally,” Larry later wrote on Instagram, praising Bram van den Berg, who filled in for him during the residency.

But Larry wasn’t the only special guest in the house. According to setlist.fm, for the final show on March 2, U2 brought out Achtung Baby producer Daniel Lanois during their performance of “One.” 

And for that 40th and final night, U2 added a song to the final encore that was appropriate for the occasion: “40.” It was the first time they’ve performed the tune during the residency and the first time they’ve played it since 2016.

While U2 is vacating the Sphere, other acts are already booked to take their place. Phish will play the venue from April 18-21, followed by Dead & Company, who’ll headline 18 shows from May 16 to June 22.

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Don McClean is getting ready to share some new music. The “American Pie” singer will release his new studio album, American Boys, on May 17.

McClean has enlisted the a cappella group Home Free for two songs on the album, including the just released title track, which he describes as a “tribute to his rock and roll heroes.”

“This is an album of all new songs,” he shares. “The title track, ‘American Boys,’ which features the guys from Home Free, is a fun song about the boys who invented rock and roll. America invented this music. Only America invented this music.”

You can listen to “American Boys” now via digital outlets and on YouTube.

American Boys is available for preorder now. Here is the track list for the album:

“American Boys” (Feat. Home Free)
“Thunderstorm Girl”
“Stone Cold Gangster”
“Truth And Fame”
“The Gypsy Road”
“I Shall Find My Way”
“Mexicali Gal”
“Vacant Luxury”
“The Ballad Of George Floyd”
“The Meanest Girl”
“Marley’s Song (Save Yourself)”
“Resurrection Man”
“Gotta Make You Mine” (Bonus Track)

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Roger Daltrey turned 80 on Friday, March 1, and he celebrated with a nice cold beer. But it wasn’t just any old can of suds.

The Who frontman showed off his birthday beverage of choice on social media: Rogers Pale Ale, a beer specially brewed for him by Lakedown Brewing company that featured a classic photo of Roger on the can.

“What better way to mark your 80th birthday than having your own beer made by your family brewery!” read the post. “A very happy birthday Roger!” 

Unfortunately, Who fans won’t be able to sample Roger’s birthday brew. It was made only for him and it’s not for sale.

Roger’s big day was also celebrated by plenty of fans who took to social media to wish the rocker a happy 80th. He also got a message from the cancer charity Teenage Cancer Trust. 

Daltrey has curated the organization’s charity concerts for the past 24 years but is stepping down after this year’s shows, which are happening at the end of March.

“Happy 80th Birthday to our incredible Honorary Patron,” Teenage Cancer Trust wrote. “There’s not long to go until this year’s @RoyalAlbertHall shows, marking Roger’s final year as curator. So to celebrate his big day, here’s a throwback to Roger’s performance at the hall last year.” The post was accompanied by photos from last year’s concerts.

The Who will headline Teenage Cancer Trust shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall on March 18 and 20. Daltrey’s time as curator will be celebrated at the same venue on March 24 with a special concert featuring guests Robert Plant with Saving Grace, Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, Stereophonics’ Kelly Jones and Paul Weller.

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Deep Purple has shared a new video for their classic track “Smoke On The Water.” 

The animated clip recounts recounts the story of the song’s origin. It was inspired by the events that surrounded the recording of Deep Purple’s 1972 album, Machine Head. In 1971 the band planned to record at Montreux Casino, but the venue caught fire during a concert by Frank Zappa when someone in the audience fired a flare gun.

The title of the song is a reference to smoke from the fire spreading over Lake Geneva.

“It’s been an honor to put visuals to this song, undeniably one of the greatest rock tracks of all time. The fact that the song is itself a story meant we had no shortage of inspiration for the scenes that accompany the music,” co-directors Dan Gibling and Luke McDonnell share. “The writing of the album was an adventure summed up in the lyrics, and we hope we have created an accompanying adventure that existing and new fans will enjoy.”

The new clip is for a 2024 remix of the track that will be featured on the new Machine Head: Super Deluxe Edition, which will be released as a three-CD/LP/Blu-ray set on March 29. It features new stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes of the 1972 original album, courtesy of Dweezil Zappa. There’s also the 1974 quadrophonic mix, and a new 2024 remaster of the original album and two live concerts.

It is available for preorder now.

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A new book of mystery stories inspired by the music of AC/DC is set for release this summer.

Black in Black, named after the band’s seventh studio album, is an anthology featuring 10 mysteries each named after a song on the album, one of which is a new Jack Reacher tale by Andrew Child.

Other authors contributing short stories to the anthology include Reed Farrel Coleman, Heather Graham, Tori Eldridge and Ward Larsen.

The book is the third installment in Blackstone Publishing’s Music and Murder Mystery Series. Previous books were inspired by the Eagles’ Hotel California and Michael Jackson’s Thriller.

Back in Black: An Anthology of New Mystery Short Stories will be released July 16 and is available for preorder now.

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