Classic Rock News

Toni Cornell, the daughter of late Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell, has premiered a new song called “Sunset of Your Love.”

Toni sings in the chorus, “‘Til you find me/ I’ll be waiting/ in the sunset of your love.” 

“There’s a lot more where this came from,” Toni says. “My new song ‘Sunset of Your Love’ is out on all streaming platforms. Love u guys.”

Toni previously described “Sunset of Your Love” as “my first song,” though she did put out a track called “Far Away Places” in 2019.

Over the years, Toni’s performed during several TV appearances, including in 2017 when she covered Leonard Cohen‘s “Hallelujah” on Good Morning America in honor of her father and late Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington, who died within months of each other that year. She also covered Sinéad O’Connor‘s “Nothing Compares 2 U” on The Tonight Show and The Late Late Show.

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Elton John could be in the running for another Oscar this year.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the movies that qualified for consideration in the Documentary Feature Film category, and the rocker’s upcoming doc, Elton John: Never Too Late, is one of 169 films to qualify. The film debuts Dec. 13 on Disney+.

Elton previously won two other Oscars, both for Best Original Song, in 1994 for The Lion King track “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” and in 2019 for the Rocketman song “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again.”

Other music docs eligible for consideration include Eno, about music producer Brian Eno; The Greatest Night in Pop, about the making of “We Are the World”; Luther: Never Too Much, about Luther Vandross; I Am Celine Dion and Indigo Girls: It’s Only Life After All.

Also eligible is Kiss the Future, the Matt Damon/Ben Affleck-produced documentary about the siege of Sarajevo, which features U2.

The 97th Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, March 2, live from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ABC. It will be broadcast in over 200 territories worldwide.

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Pat Benatar and husband Neil Giraldo have announced a new non-musical collaboration. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers will release the new children’s picture book My Grandma and Grandpa Rock! next fall.

According to the book’s description, it’s “a lyrical read-aloud that celebrates all kinds of grandparents from all walks of life―from plumbers to yoga instructors to … rock stars!” 

“Everything they said about having grandchildren is true,” Benatar and Giraldo, who have three grandchildren, Stevie, 6, Lola, 4, and Cash, 2, tell People. “When we met in 1979, having children was one of our dreams. We were blessed with two beautiful daughters and now have three darling grandchildren ― our dream on steroids!”

The rock star couple has been married since 1982 and have two daughters, Haley, 39, and Hana, 30.

As the description notes, the book, which features illustrations by Tiffany Everett, is about more than just rock star grandparents.

“We believe diversity is a superpower!” the couple says. “We love that My Grandma and Grandpa Rock! embodies that ideal.”

My Grandma and Grandpa Rock!, dropping Sept. 9, is available for preorder now.

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Former Journey frontman Steve Perry has shared a new video for the song “Call Me Irresponsible,” which features his late father, Ray Perry. 

“My father, Ray Perry, was a singer and when I was a child he would sing to me at bedtime,” Perry shares on Instagram. “I recently found a karaoke cassette of my dad singing that he sent me back in 1993 for Christmas.”

He adds, “The one song that touched me the most was, ‘Call Me Irresponsible’. His voice was lovely.”

“Call Me Irresponsible” appears on The Season 3, which dropped in early November. It’s an updated version of Perry’s 2021 Christmas album, originally titled The Season, and features a total of 16 holiday tunes.

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James Taylor is helping ring in the Christmas season in Washington, D.C.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer is one of the performers on the National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony, to air Dec. 20 on CBS and stream on Paramount+.

Presented by the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation, the special will include the official national Christmas tree lighting ceremony, taking place Dec. 5 on the Ellipse at the White House and President’s Park in Washington, D.C.

Country star Mickey Guyton will host and perform on the special, with The War and Treaty, Trisha Yearwood, Trombone Shorty, Adam Blackstone, Muni Long and Stephen Sanchez also part of the holiday-themed entertainment.

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Paul Simon has revealed that in the wake of his hearing loss he’ll no longer be playing one of his biggest hits.

In an interview with CBS Mornings, Simon opens up about the hearing loss he experienced four years ago during the making of his 2023 album, Seven Psalms, sharing, “It was incredibly frustrating. I was very angry at first that this had happened.”

Not surprisingly, he says that when it happened he worried about not being able to make music anymore, saying he was concerned that “I can’t hear well enough to really enjoy the act of making music.”

But Simon has learned to adapt and has found a way to still perform, although he says he can’t play all the songs he used to play.

“I’m going through my repertoire and reducing a lot of the choices that I make to acoustic version,” he explains. “It’s all much quieter. It’s not ‘You Can Call Me Al.’ That’s gone. I can’t do that one,” referring to the 1986 Graceland track.

His hearing loss hasn’t stopped him from writing music either.

“You know Matisse, when he was suffering at the end of his life, when he was in bed, he envisioned all these cut-outs and had a great creative period,” Simon said. “So I don’t think creativity stops with disability. So far, I haven’t experienced that. And I hope not to.”

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Elton John was one of the winners at the 2024 Hollywood Music in Media Awards, which took place Wednesday in Hollywood.

The HMMAs recognize musical achievements in the movies in multiple categories, including documentaries, features, songs and on-screen performances.

Elton took home the award for Song – Documentary Film for “Never Too Late,” the song from his upcoming  documentary Elton John Never Too Late. He shared the award with his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, Brandie Carlile, who co-wrote and recorded the song with Elton, and producer Andrew Watt.

This is Elton’s first Hollywood Music in Media Awards win, although he was previously nominated in 2019 for Rocketman.

Meanwhile, Taupin took home two honors. In addition to winning for “Never Too Late,” the lyricist was honored with the Outstanding Career Achievement Award.

Elton John Never Too Late debuts Dec. 13 on Disney+. 

Other Hollywood Music in Media Award winners include Diane Warren, Nine Inch Nails’ Atticus Ross, Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo and Maren Morris.

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On This Day, Nov. 21, 1991 …

Aerosmith made their debut on The Simpsons, becoming the first rock band to appear on the Fox animated series.

The episode, Flaming Moe’s, revolved around Homer creating a new drink, the Flaming Homer, which bar owner Moe then steals and renames the Flaming Moe. The drink is so popular that Moe’s Tavern becomes a hot spot, and a hangout for Aerosmith.

While Aerosmith was the first band to appear on The Simpsons, they weren’t the last. Other bands to turn up on the show include U2, R.E.M., Red Hot Chili Peppers, Smashing Pumpkins and White Stripes.

Earlier this year, Aerosmith canceled their Peace Out farewell tour and retired from the road due to frontman Steven Tyler’s continued vocal problems. He fractured his larynx when the tour first launched in September 2023, forcing its postponement after only a few shows.

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One of George Harrison‘s early guitars sold for big bucks at Julien’s Auctions’ Played, Worn & Torn II auction, which took place Wednesday in Nashville.

The legendary Beatle’s Resonet Futurama, a Czechoslovakian-made electric guitar, sold for $1.27 million, a world record for a Harrison guitar sold at auction. The guitar was one he played during the early days of the band.

“George Harrison’s iconic Futurama guitar, one of the most important guitars in rock and roll history and formative to The Beatles’ sound, has made history at today’s auction,” said Martin Nolan, executive director of Julien’s Auctions. “We’re beyond thrilled to add this Harrison guitar to the Julien’s Auctions’ million-dollar club, which already includes guitars from John Lennon, Eric Clapton, and Kurt Cobain.”

This was the first day of the Played, Worn & Torn II auction, which also saw Clapton’s stage-played and signed Fender Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster sell for $65,000; Paul McCartney’s signed handwritten Q magazine letter to Lennon sell for nine times over the estimate at $28,575; and a 1962 Fender Jazzmaster “Jenny” and 1961 Bandmaster Piggyback amp played by Lennon and Jacky Spelter sell for $63,500.

In addition, an autographed Epiphone ’79 Flying V electric guitar that belonged to Metallica’s Kirk Hammett sold for $26,000, with the money benefiting Gibson Gives. Plus, Mark Knopfler’s signed Fender American Vintage II ’61 Stratocaster electric guitar sold for $16,250 and Keith Richards’ signed Fender American Vintage II 1951 telecaster sold for $7,800, with the proceeds from both guitars going to the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.

Day two of Julien’s Auctions’ Played, Worn & Torn II auction is taking place Thursday.

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A new book dedicated to Dead & Company is out just in time for the holidays.

Dead & Company: Rainbow Full of Sound is a coffee-table book by famed rock photographer Jay Blakesberg, who also happens to be a lifelong Deadhead.

The book features hundreds of Blakesberg’s photos, chronicling the band – Grateful Dead members Mickey Hart, Bobby Weir and Bill Kreutzmann, along with John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge, Jeff Chimenti and Jay Lane – and their touring years from 2015 to 2023.

“To be honest, I always thought the Grateful Dead was forever and I realize now that in many ways, it will be,” Hart writes in the forward to the book. “Through the dance of light within Jay’s lens, we are given the ability to return to those special and often highly meaningful moments. We are given the gift of preservation and the gift of connecting with ourselves and others through those memories.” 

He adds, “While a good photographer captures the moment, a great photographer captures the ethos.”

According to a press release, the book “is more than a tribute to the music; it’s a visual celebration of the connection between the band and their loyal fanbase.” It adds, “Each page captures the spirit of the Dead’s legendary improvisational style, evoking the raw emotion, joy, and spontaneity that made each concert a one-of-a-kind experience.”

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