Phil Collins opens up about health issues in new BBC interview

January 22, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Phil Collins has given fans an update about his health in a new interview for the BBC.

Collins has been dealing with nerve damage from a spinal injury in 2007. His condition was so bad he had to perform shows seated during Genesis’ 2022 The Last Domino farewell tour, and he’s said it has left him unable to play drums.

In recent years, Collin has been dealing with even more health problems. During the interview with Zoe Ball, Collins described his health issues as “an ongoing thing,” noting, “You know, I have a 24-hour live-in nurse to make sure I take my medication as I should do.”

“I’ve had challenges with my knee, I had everything that could go wrong with me, did go wrong with me,” he continued. “I got COVID in hospital – my kidneys started to back up, you know, everything that started that could, all seemed to converge at the same time.”

When it comes to his knee, he said he’s had five surgeries before getting one “that works,” revealing “I can walk, albeit with assistance, you know, crutches or whatever.”

As for his kidney issues, he said, “I’d probably been drinking too much,” although he said he was
“never drunk, although I fell over a couple of times.” He added, “It is just one of those things that happened and it all caught up with me and I spent months in hospital.”

Collins’ interview will debut as part of the fifth and final installment of the Eras: Phil Collins podcast, which debuts Jan. 26. Parts one to four are available now. The interview will also be broadcast on TV on BBC Two and iPlayer as a special, Phil Collins Eras: In Conversation, debuting Jan. 31.

Michael Shannon & Jason Narducy add fall dates to tour celebrating R.E.M.’s ‘Lifes Rich Pageant’

January 22, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Actor Michael Shannon and his musical partner Jason Narducy have added some fall U.S. dates to their tour celebrating the 40th anniversary of R.E.M.’s fourth studio album, Lifes Rich Pageant.

The duo has added three news shows to their schedule: Sept. 24 in Maquoketa, Iowa; Sept. 25 in Chicago; and Sept. 26 in Detroit.

Tickets for all shows go on sale Friday.

The first leg of the tour is set to kick off Feb. 11 in Denver and wrap March 16 in Bloomington, Indiana. The duo plan to play the album in full, along with select R.E.M. classics. They will also bring the trek to the U.K. starting Sept. 1.

Shannon and Narducy have been celebrating the music of R.E.M. for years now. They previously toured in celebration of the 40th anniversaries of R.E.M.’s Murmur and Fables of the Reconstruction.

Their 2025 Fables of the Reconstruction tour included an onstage reunion of all four members of R.E.M. — Michael Stipe, Mike Mills, Peter Buck and Bill Berry — during their stop in Athens, Georgia, birthplace of the band. Their upcoming tour hits Athens on Feb. 26 and 27.

Released in July 1986, Lifes Rich Pageant peaked at #21 on the Billboard album chart. It featured such songs as “Fall on Me,” “Begin the Begin” and a cover of “Superman,” which was sung by Mills.

The Doors’ John Densmore teams with Chuck D for doPE Record Store Day release

January 21, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

The Doors drummer John Densmore has teamed with Public Enemy rapper Chuck D for a new album that will be released for Record Store Day on April 18.

The album, no country for old men, is being released under the moniker doPE, a combination of the two bands’ names. It is described in a press release as a blend of “spoken word, rhythm and raw social commentary” that “brings together generations of rebellion and reflection.” It features the track “every tick tick tick,” which has been chosen as RSD’s 2026 Song of the Year.

“It’s been an honor working with Chuck D on this project,” Densmore says. “He’s got the rhymes and I’ve got the beats … and we made doPE!”

“John Densmore’s beat isn’t just rhythm, it’s history talking,” adds Chuck D. “He’s been scoring moments of our culture for decades, and that wisdom hits different when it meets the now. This collaboration is about locking generations together and pushing sound forward.”

Interestingly, Densmore and Chuck D first met at a Record Store Day event at Amoeba Music Hollywood in 2014. That led to Chuck D reaching out to Densmore via email a year later.

DoPE’s no country for old men will be available at independent record stores on Record Store Day. Participating stores can be found at recordstoreday.com. A full list of Record Store Day releases has yet to be announced.

See the trailer for the Billy Preston doc ‘Billy Preston: That’s The Way God Planned It’

January 21, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

We are getting our first look at the upcoming documentary about legendary musician Billy Preston.

A trailer for Billy Preston: That’s The Way God Planned It has just been released, featuring archival footage of Preston performing, including clips of him with The Beatles.

Ringo Starr says of Preston in the trailer, “He was so great, he never put his hands in the wrong place.”

The film is directed by Emmy winner Paris Barclay. It will give fans insight into the six-decade career of the legendary singer and keyboardist, as well as the struggles he faced in his life.

Preston was known for such hits as “Nothing From Nothing,” “Will It Go Round in Circles” and “Space Race.” He also co-wrote and recorded the classic “You Are So Beautiful,” which became a hit for Joe Cocker. Preston appeared on The Beatles’ Let It Be and Abbey Road albums, and he joined them for their legendary Rooftop concert, which was The Beatles’ last live performance.

Billy Preston: That’s The Way God Planned It is set to open Feb. 20 at the Film Forum in New York City, with plans to release it in select theaters in North America sometime in 2026.

The music of Neil Young to be celebrated at Americanafest pre-Grammy concert

January 21, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

The music of Neil Young will be celebrated at a concert in Los Angeles ahead of the Grammy Awards.

The Americanafest Pre-Grammy Salute to the Songs of Neil Young, put on by the Americana Music Association and the Americana Music Foundation, will be held Jan. 31 at the Troubadour and will feature a lineup of artists performing songs from Young’s catalog. Artists participating this year include Margo Price, Rhiannon Giddens, Molly Tuttle, Maggie Rose, Sierra Hull, I’m With Here, Jesse Welles and Young the Giant.

“We are proud to continue our longstanding pre-Grammy salute tradition, and I can’t wait to see our extraordinary performers honor Neil and his incredible songs,” said Jed Hilly, executive director of the Americana Music Association. “Our organization prides itself on community. We hope this evening helps bring everyone together, as we pay it forward with a donation to MusiCares and their charitable efforts.”

Last year, the Americanafest Pre-Grammy Salute concert celebrated the music of John Haitt. Previous concerts honored the works of Paul Simon, Willie Nelson, John Prine, Loretta Lynn and others.

The concert raises money for the Americana Music Association and Americana Music Foundation, plus a portion of the night’s proceeds will benefit the Recording Academy’s charitable initiative, MusiCares.

Tickets for the concert are now available on the Troubadour’s website.

Talking Heads to release expanded ‘Tentative Decisions: Demos and Live’

January 21, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

In November, Talking Heads released Tentative Decisions: Demos and Live for Record Store Day Black Friday, featuring early band recordings. Now they are expanding the release.

The original Tentative Decisions: Demos and Live collection included 11 songs that showed the evolution of the band. The new release, dropping March 6, has been expanded to three CDs with the addition of 15 unreleased demos the band made for CBS in September 1975, along with live recordings from their early days in New York City.

As a preview of the release, an early CBS demo of the song “Love Goes to a Building Fire” has been released via digital outlets.

In addition, the Record Store Day version of the album, previously available on clear vinyl, will be released on black vinyl, also on March 6. In addition to 10 early demos and a live track, it comes with a 7-inch single of the Talking Heads classic “Psycho Killer” and “Warning Sign,” a track that appeared on the band’s album More Songs about Buildings and Food. They were both recorded when band members David Byrne and Tina Weymouth performed under the name The Artistics.

Tentative Decisions: Demos and Live is available for preorder now.

New box set explores The Beach Boys’ mid-’70s era

January 21, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

The Beach Boys‘ mid-1970s era is being explored in a new box set.

We Gotta Groove: The Brother Studio Years, dropping Feb. 13, is a three-CD, three-LP box set highlighting music recorded between 1976 and 1977. It’s made up of 73 tracks, 35 of which are previously unreleased, along with 22 newly mixed tracks. All were recorded at Brother Studio in Santa Monica, California.

According to the press release, the set “reframes 1976–77 as one of the most revealing and creatively restless chapters of the band’s evolution — a moment when all five Beach Boys were navigating change, rediscovering their creative identities, and shaping a deeply human turning point in the continuing story of The Beach Boys.”

We Gotta Groove includes a newly remastered version of the band’s 1977 album The Beach Boys Love You, plus 10 session outtakes, as well as the first-ever official release of the shelved album Adult/Child, which was recorded in 1977, and previously only available through collector’s tapes and bootlegs. The set also includes outtakes and alternative recordings from the sessions for their 1976 album 15 Big Ones.

One of those Love You outtakes is “We Gotta Groove,” which is out now.

Along with the music, there’s a 40-page booklet with extensive liner notes, plus rare photos and more.

We Gotta Groove: The Brother Studio Years is available for preorder now.

To mark the release of We Gotta Groove, the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles is hosting a special evening on Feb. 12 featuring the set’s producer James Saez and Beach Boys historian Howie Edelson, along with Brother Studio engineers Stephen Moffitt, Earle Mankey and John Hanlon, reuniting for the first time since the Beach Boys sessions 50 years ago.

On This Day, Jan. 21, 2025: The Band’s Garth Hudson died at age 87

January 21, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

On This Day, Jan. 21, 2025…

Keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist Garth Hudson, who was the last surviving member of Rock & Roll Hall of Famers The Band, died at age 87.

He passed away in his sleep in a nursing home near Woodstock, New York.

The oldest and only classically trained member of The Band, Hudson was best known for his distinctive Lowrey organ work on songs like “Chest Fever” and its dramatic live improvised intro, which is known as “The Genetic Method.” He also played saxophones, woodwinds, synthesizers, accordion and other instruments on the group’s acclaimed albums.

Hudson and The Band were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and received the Grammy Lifetime of Achievement Award in 2008.

KISS’ Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons among 2026 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees

January 21, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

KISS’ Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons are among the artists chosen for induction into the 2026 Songwriters Hall of Fame.

The pair will be inducted into the 2026 class in the performers category, along with Kenny Loggins, Alanis Morissette and Taylor Swift.

Non-performing songwriters set for induction this year include Walter Afanasieff, who wrote Mariah Carey tunes like “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and “Hero;” Terry Britten and Graham Lyle, who penned Tina Turner’s ”What’s Love Got To Do With It” and “We Don’t Need Another Hero;” and Christopher “Tricky” Stewart, songwriter on Rihanna’s “Umbrella” and Beyoncé‘s “Single Ladies.”

“The music industry is built upon the incredible talent of songwriters who create unforgettable songs. Without their artistry, there would be no recorded music, concert experiences, or engaged fans. Everything originates from the song and its creator,” SHOF chairman Nile Rodgers said in a statement. “We take great pride in our ongoing commitment to recognizing some of the most culturally significant composers in history.”

He added, “This year’s lineup not only showcases iconic songs but also celebrates unity across various genres. These songwriters have profoundly impacted the lives of billions of listeners worldwide, and it is our privilege to honor their contributions.”

Artists who were nominated, but not chosen this year, include Talking Heads frontman David Byrne, The Guess Who’s Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings, The Go-Go’s Charlotte Caffey, Kathy Valentine and Jane M. Wiedlin, America’s Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell, Sarah McLachlan, Pink, LL Cool J, The Carpenters’ Richard Carpenter, Harry Wayne Casey aka KC of KC and the Sunshine Band, and Boz Scaggs.

The 2026 class will be celebrated at the annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala, taking place June 11 in New York City.

Bonnie Raitt to play Brandi Carlile’s Echoes Through the Canyon concerts

January 21, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Bonnie Raitt is set to join Brandi Carlie for one of her Echoes Through the Canyon concerts, which will take place May 29 and 30 at the Gorge Amphitheatre in Gorge, Washington, outside of Seattle.

Raitt, who Carlile called her “red headed hero,” is booked to play May 30. It will feature a headlining set by Carlile, along with a performance by Sara Bareilles. The May 29 lineup features the Indigo Girls and I’m With Her, plus both nights promise “very special guests.”

“I am so excited to be joining @brandicarlile and @sarabareilles, two of my favorite artists on what will surely be a legendary blast of a gathering,” Bonnie wrote on Instagram. “I’ve loved playing The Gorge, one of the most spectacular venues anywhere. Can’t wait to celebrate what will surely be a highlight of our summer. Thanks so much to Brandi for inviting me and hope to see you all there!”

Various presales are happening Wednesday and Thursday, with tickets going on sale to the general public Friday at 10 a.m. PT.

The first Echoes Through the Canyon festival took place in 2023, with one of the shows headlined by Joni Mitchell and one of her all-star “Joni Jams.”

Raitt’s Echoes Through the Canyon appearance will take place just two days after she launches her 2026 tour. It kicks off May 28 in Spokane, Washington, and wraps in the U.S. on June 13 in Bellingham, Washington. The tour heads to Canada starting June 16 in Vancouver, wrapping June 27 in Winnipeg. Raitt’s also booked to play Las Vegas’ Big Blues Bender on Sept. 10.

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

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