U2 frontman Bono has been nominated for an Audie Award.
The rocker is nominated in the Audio Book of the Year category for his memoir, Surrender, which he released in November 2022 and narrated himself.
Other big names nominated for Audies include Michelle Williams, Michelle Obama, Dolly Parton, Ethan Hawke, Lake Bell, Patrick Stewart, Alfrie Woodard and Meryl Streep.
Surrender followed Bono, born Paul Hewson, from his childhood in Dublin to the formation of U2 and its journey to superstardom. The printed copies featured 40 original drawings by the rocker.
Audie Award winners will be announced March 4 during a ceremony in Los Angeles.
As part of the ongoing celebration of their 40th anniversary, the New Jersey rockers just launched what they’re calling Backstage with Bon Jovi, an online archive of the band’s history.
“This is a labor of love, meticulously curated to bring you the very best of Bon Jovi’s history,” reads a post on the band’s Instagram. “More than just a collection of memories. It’s a place for us to connect and celebrate together.”
Jon Bon Jovi says in a video that the band has been working on the online archive for the past two years. “We have archived every notebook, every cassette, every video, guitars, clothes, press clippings, things we didn’t know we had and it’s all there for you,” he shares. “Enjoy it”
Jon is set to be honored this weekend as the Recording Academy’s 2024 MusiCares Person of the Year. The band will perform at the gala, which takes place at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Friday, February 2, two nights before the Grammy Awards. Artists set to celebrate Jon are Bruce Springsteen, Melissa Etheridge, Goo Goo Dolls and more.
Red Hot Chili Peppers are headlining the inaugural Minnesota Yacht Club Festival, held July 19-20 in St. Paul.
The bill also includes The Offspring, The Black Crowes, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, The Head and the Heart, Gary Clark Jr., Wilderado and Soul Asylum, among others. Gwen Stefani and Alanis Morissette will headline as well.
If you’re wondering where the “Yacht Club” part comes in, attendees over 21 can sign up for the Riverboat VIP experience, which includes a 60-minute cruise on the Mississippi River.
Tickets will go on presale beginning Friday, February 2, at 10 a.m. CT. For the full lineup and all ticket info, visit MinnesotaYachtClubFestival.com.
Joni Mitchell has announced yet another live performance.
The 80-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer will headline a special Joni Jam at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on October 19, marking her first live show in California since 2000.
Brandi Carlile will once again be joining Joni onstage. Previous Joni Jams at the Newport Folk Festival and in Gorge, Washington, featured special guest appearances by such artists as Annie Lennox, Sarah McLachlan, Marcus Mumford and more.
A Joni presale begins Wednesday, January 31, with tickets going on sale to the general public Friday, February 2.
News of the Hollywood Bowl show comes days after Joni was confirmed as a performer on the 66th Grammy Awards, taking place Sunday, February 4. It will mark her first-ever Grammy performance. She is also nominated this year in the Best Folk Album category for Joni Mitchell at Newport (Live).
James Taylor continues to add shows to his 2024 schedule.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer just added three dates at the Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia, September 12, 14 and 15.
An artist presale kicks off Tuesday, February 13, at 10 a.m. at jamestaylor.com; tickets go on sale to the general public starting February 16 at 10 a.m.
This is the second year in a row Taylor has played the Wolf Trap. He headlined a trio of shows at the venue last September as well, and previously played there in 2008.
The Vienna dates are just a handful of U.S. shows Taylor has on his 2024 schedule. He’s also playing Honolulu and Maui, Hawaii, in May, and then will return to Tanglewood in Lenox, Massachusetts, for two shows on July 3 and 4. A complete list of dates can be found at jamestaylor.com.
The music of prog rockers Emerson, Lake & Powell is being celebrated with a new CD set.
Emerson, Lake & Powell: The Complete Collection, dropping April 12, is a three-CD set featuring a remastered edition of the trio’s self-titled album, which was their only studio release, along with three bonus tracks. There’s also a live album and a previously released bootleg of rehearsal recordings called The Sprocket Sessions.
After the success of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, the prog super group took a break in 1979, and Keith Emerson and Greg Lake explored solo careers before deciding to work together again. They teamed with drummer Cozy Powell in 1984 to take the place of Carl Palmer, who was busy with the band Asia.
The Beatles gave their final public performance on Apple Records’ rooftop in London. The band, who was joined by guest keyboardist Billy Preston, did nine takes of five songs— “Get Back,” “Don’t Let Me Down,” “I’ve Got A Feeling,” “One After 909” and “Dig A Pony” — with the police pulling the plug after 42 minutes.
The concert happened while The Beatles were recording what would become their album Let It Be. It was released May 8, 1970, almost a month after the band’s breakup.
Footage from the concert was used in the 1970 documentary Let It Be. In 2021, the entire performance was featured in the eight-hour Disney+ docuseries The Beatles: Get Back, directed by Peter Jackson.The full rooftop concert was then released to streaming services as a standalone album, Get Back- The Rooftop Performance, in January 2022.
The Beatles: Get Back went on to win five Emmys, including Best Limited Documentary Series.
Bernie Taupin and Elton John, the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song 2024 honorees; Photo Credit: Gavin Bond
Elton John just became an EGOT, and his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin was just inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Now, they’re both getting another prestigious award.
On March 20, the duo will receive the Library of Congress’ Gershwin Prize for Popular Song in Washington, D.C., as part of an all-star concert, which will premiere April 8 on PBS. The Gershwin Prize, established in 2007, recognizes artists “whose career reflects the influence, impact and achievement in promoting song as a vehicle of musical expression and cultural understanding.”
Elton and Bernie will be the third duo to receive the award, following Burt Bacharach and Hal David,and Gloria and Emilio Estefan. Past recipients include Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Lionel Richie and Carole King.
“I’ve been writing songs with Bernie for 56 years, and we never thought that that one day this might be bestowed upon us,” Elton said in a statement. “It’s an incredible honor for two British guys to be recognized like this. I’m so honored.”
Bernie added, “To be in a house along with the great American songwriters, to even be in the same avenue, is humbling, and I am absolutely thrilled to accept.”
In a statement, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said, “Elton John and Bernie Taupin have written some of the most memorable songs of our lives. Their careers stand out for the quality and broad appeal of their music and their influence on their fellow artists.”
Elton John is Billboard’s top solo male artist of all time: He’s placed 59 songs in the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100.
Paul McCartney is ready to share some more insights into the writing of his most famous works. The second season of the legendary singer’s podcast, McCartney: A Life in Lyrics, is set to debut February 7.
The podcast has The Beatles legend and his The Lyrics collaborator Paul Muldoon chatting about the creative process, with each episode focusing on a specific song from the two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s more than 60-year career. The audio is taken from the interviews the pair conducted for McCartney’s book The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present.
After delving into songs like “Let It Be,” “Eleanor Rigby” and “Penny Lane” in season 1, season 2 promises insights into classics like “Yesterday,” “Band on the Run,” “Here, There and Everywhere” and more.
McCartney: A Life in Lyrics will drop weekly wherever podcasts are available.
Former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley is giving fans a chance to meet him in person. The rocker will promote the release of his upcoming solo album, 10,000 Volts, with a record signing in New York City.
Frehley is releasing a special limited-edition bubblegum vinyl of 10,000 Volts for the music store Sam Ash in New York, and fans who preorder it will be able to attend a special in-store autograph signing on Saturday, February 24.
The event takes place at Sam Ash on 34th Street in Manhattan from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
10,000 Volts, Frehley’s first solo album since 2020’s Origins Vol. 2, drops February 23. He kicked off a new solo tour in support of the record on January 25, with the next show happening March 28 in New York. A complete list of dates can be found at acefrehley.com.
