Paul Simon to receive honorary doctorate from Juilliard

April 21, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Paul Simon is set to receive an honorary doctorate from Juilliard.

According to a press release, the honorary doctorates are handed out to “distinguished artists whose work has shaped and expanded the fields of opera, music, dance, film and theater.”

This year’s other honorary doctorate recipients include ballerina Misty Copeland, mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves and actor Oscar Isaac.

“Each of this year’s remarkable honorary doctorate recipients has left an indelible mark on their field,” said Juilliard President Damian Woetzel. “As we celebrate Juilliard’s class of 2026, we acknowledge these artists who stand as shining examples of extraordinary achievement and impact on the world.”

The honorary doctorates will be handed out at the school’s 121st commencement on May 22. This year’s recipients will be celebrated with performances from Juilliard students.

Simon is currently on the European leg of his A Quiet Celebration tour and will begin a three-night stand in Amsterdam on Wednesday. He brings the tour back to North America June 4 in Palo Alto, California.

A complete list of dates can be found at PaulSimon.com.

Joan Jett and The Blackhearts announce first UK headlining tour in 16 years

April 20, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Joan Jett and The Blackhearts are heading to the U.K. this summer for their first headlining tour in 16 years.

The tour is made up of four shows, starting July 2 in Glasgow. The tour will then head to Manchester on July 4 and Leeds on July 5, before wrapping July 7 in Wolverhampton.

“We can’t wait to be back on stage in the UK this Summer!” Jett says. “I wrote and recorded ‘Bad Reputation,’ my first solo LP in London. It’s been too long since we’ve been in the UK and we’re excited to see everyone!”

Tickets for all shows go on sale Friday.

Joan Jett and The Blackhearts are also set to open for My Chemical Romance at Wembley Stadium in London on July 10.

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts are set to play several U.S. festivals this year, including Beachlife Festival in Redondo Beach, California, on May 2; BottleRock Napa Valley in Napa, California, on May 23 and Bourbon & Beyond in Louisville, Kentucky, on Sept. 24.

A complete list of dates can be found at JoanJett.com.

Billy Corgan announces new TV deal for NWA wrestling league

April 20, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

The Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan has announced a new TV deal for his National Wrestling Alliance wrestling league, or NWA.

The NWA flagship program, NWA Powerrr, will air on Comet TV beginning May 1.

“Wrestling was meant to bring fans closer to the action,” Corgan says in a statement. “The NWA has always been about storytelling, personality, and passion. This partnership with Sinclair’s Comet TV is the first step in NWA’s push into free television and allows us to reconnect with audiences the way I experienced wrestling growing up, when it was accessible to everyone.”

Corgan, an avid wrestling fan, purchased NWA in 2017. His work with the company was the subject of the 2024 reality show Billy Corgan’s Adventures in Carnyland, which aired via The CW app and CWTV.com.

As for Corgan’s music career, you can catch him and the Pumpkins play the upcoming Lollapalooza and Darker Waves festivals.

Steve Albini’s Indonesia ‘In Utero’ Gold record going up for auction

April 20, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

A Gold record award given to the late Steve Albini for his work on Nirvana’s 1993 album In Utero is going up for auction.

Notably, the certification is not from the RIAA, but in recognition of In Utero going Gold in Indonesia.

“Basic story is that when Steve was sent his RIAA Gold Record Award for In Utero, he returned it to the band’s management, as part of his philosophical stance against major labels and how they operate,” reads a description of the item. “Later, perhaps at the behest of others, he requested that the award be returned. Alas, it was no longer available, although what exactly happened to it is unclear.”

“In its stead, and presumably as a slap-back of sorts, Steve was sent this INDONESIAN Gold Record Award for In Utero,” the description reads. “That was the sole souvenir of the multi-platinum record in his archives. So, no, it is not the RIAA version, whose current whereabouts are unknown, but it IS the one Steve had and kept. Now, it could be a key piece for any world-class Nirvana collection out there.”

The Gold record award is being auctioned by the site SteveAlbinisCloset.com, which launched following the engineer’s death in 2024. It will be sold via a blind auction; anyone interested can email auction@stevealbiniscloset.com with the word “NIRVANA” and the bid amount in the subject line.

The auction ends on May 3 at 4:30 p.m. ET, after which the winning bidder will be notified. The minimum bid is $5,000.

Bruce Springsteen performs The Doors’ ‘Light My Fire’ with John Densmore at American Music Honors

April 20, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

The fourth annual American Music Honors, put on by the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music, took place Saturday at the Pollak Theatre Monmouth, New Jersey. Patti Smith, The E Street Band, The Doors, Dionne Warwick and Dr. Dre were this year’s honorees.

The night featured some unique performances, including Springsteen and The Doors’ John Densmore, backed by the Disciples of Soul, performing the Doors’ classic “Light My Fire.”

Fan-shot footage posted to YouTube shows Springsteen warning the audience not to expect too much from the performances, joking, “There’s no one in the room in danger of filling Jim Morrison’s leather pants,” referring to the late Doors frontman. Steve Earle later came out to pay tribute to The Doors with a performance of “Roadhouse Blues.”

For their song, Springsteen and The E Street Band treated the crowd to “Thunder Road,” which they haven’t been playing on their current Land of Hope and Dreams American tour.

The night also featured a posthumous tribute to The Band, with Springsteen, Earle, Darlene Love and others performing “The Weight.” Warwick performed “Walk on By” and was joined by Love for “That’s What Friends are For.”

Smith teamed with Springsteen for “Because the Night,” a song co-penned by The Boss, with the night also including an all-star jam on Smith’s classic “People Have the Power.”

Sammy Hagar revises itinerary for UK tour, moves shows to more intimate venues

April 20, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Sammy Hagar is making some changes to the upcoming U.K. leg of his The Best of All Worlds tour, his first time playing the U.K. since 1996.

The rocker announced that he’s revising his itinerary in order to move his shows to more “intimate, tech-forward performing arts venues.” He’s also changed his one night at London’s O2 arena, to a three-night stand at a new yet-to-be opened venue in the city.

“After waiting 30 years to come back, we really wanted to get this right,” says Sammy in a statement. “Several factors pushed us toward revising this tour but after wrapping our Las Vegas residency last month at Dolby Live where the sound, the technology, and the more intimate size really lets us connect with the audiences, it was clear that we wanted to deliver an experience like that for our fans in England.”

He adds, “When I heard our promoter was opening a similar tech-forward venue in London that really sealed the deal for me. Three nights, a fresh set every night, and I get to stay in London, one of my favorite cities in the world, for a week. That’s the Best of All Worlds!”

The tour, which has Sammy playing songs from throughout his career, including his days with Van Halen, was originally supposed to launch on July 4 in Manchester, but will now begin July 6 in Wolverhampton, followed by a July 7 show in Manchester and three shows, on July 9, 11 and 12, at the new British Airways ARC in London.

Those who previously purchased tickets to the tour will receive a priority presale code for the new shows, plus 10% off merchandise. Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. local time.

Scorpions cancel tour of India due to ‘unforeseen medical circumstances’

April 20, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Scorpions have canceled their upcoming tour of India due to medical reasons.

The four-city Coming Home tour was supposed to begin Tuesday in Shillong, but the band announced on social media that it will no longer go on as planned “due to unforeseen medical circumstances affecting the band members.”

“We apologise for the inconvenience and disappointment caused to fans,” they wrote. “The band are very keen to perform in India when possible and within their schedule.”

Fans with tickets will receive automatic refunds within seven to 10 days.

Scorpions’ next scheduled tour date is May 3 in Abu Dhabi. They launch a European tour on June 16 in Malta, and will headline a new Las Vegas residency at the PH Live at Planet Hollywood starting Sept. 17.

A complete list of dates can be found at the-scorpions.com.

Eagles’ Joe Walsh returns to Sphere to catch Phish’s residency

April 20, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Eagles wrapped their Sphere Las Vegas residency on April 11, but apparently, guitarist Joe Walsh couldn’t get enough of the venue.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer revealed on Instagram that he returned to the state-of-the-art venue Saturday night to catch Phish’s residency.

“Taking a night off with my amazing wife Marjorie to enjoy @phish at @spherevegas – gonna feel different on this side of the stage!” Walsh wrote.

He later posted a photo of him meeting Phish frontman Trey Anastasio, along with video of Phish performing “Walk Away,” a song from Walsh’s band the James Gang.

“@phish played the hell out of my song. I wasn’t expecting that,” he wrote. “A serious honor. What great jobs we have. What great guys.”

While the Eagles don’t have any more Sphere dates booked for 2026, they still have shows on the schedule. They will play New Orleans’ Jazzfest on May 2, followed by shows in Atlanta; Nashville; Arlington, Texas; and Hollywood, Florida. A complete list of dates can be found at Eagles.com.

Guns N’ Roses perform ‘”The Spaghetti Incident?”‘ cover of ‘Black Leather’ for first time live

April 20, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Guns N’ Roses performed the live debut of their cover of The Runaways song “Black Leather” during a show in Brazil over the weekend.

The rendition, which featured bassist Duff McKagan on lead vocals, comes 33 years after GN’R originally released “Black Leather” for their 1993 covers album, “The Spaghetti Incident?”

“Black Leather” was originally written by Steve Jones and Paul Cook of the Sex Pistols, before The Runaways recorded the song for their 1978 album, And Now… The Runaways.

“The Spaghetti Incident?” marked the final Guns N’ Roses album to feature McKagan and Slash, who left the band in 1997 and 1996, respectively. They later reunited with Axl Rose in 2016, and GN’R has since put out a number of one-off singles, including 2025’s “Nothin'” and “Atlas.”

Guns N’ Roses will play two more shows in Brazil before returning to the U.S. for a show in Hollywood, Florida, on April 30. They’ll launch a full U.S. stadium tour in July.

Billy Idol joins Sombr for surprise Coachella appearance

April 20, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Newly announced Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Billy Idol made a surprise appearance during weekend two of the Coachella festival in Indio, California.

The rocker and his longtime guitarist and collaborator Steve Stevens were the surprise guests during Sombr’s set Saturday night, joining the alt-pop singer for his Idol’s hit song “Eyes Without A Face.”

“Thanks to the legends @billyidol & @stevestevens for joining me,” Sombr wrote on Instagram. “Thank you for having @stevestevens and I,” Billy wrote in the comments.

Both Idol and Stevens are set to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame during a ceremony happening Nov. 14 in Los Angeles and airing in December on ABC and Disney+.

Idol is heading out on the road this summer for a new leg of his It’s A Nice Day To … Tour Again! tour, which kicks off Aug. 7 in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He will also headline the weeklong Hot in the City Las Vegas residency at the Fontainebleau from Aug. 28 to Sept. 5.

A complete list of Billy Idol dates can be found at BillyIdol.net.

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