 Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, and Columbia Records will celebrate the 80th birthday of legendary crooner Johnny Mathis with the release of ‘Johnny Mathis: The Singles’, a definitive four disc anthology, on September 25, 2015.
Born September 30, 1935, a then-teenaged Johnny Mathis signed with Columbia Records in 1956, first entering the Pop charts with his inaugural Columbia single, ‘Wonderful! Wonderful!’ the following year. Peaking at #14, ‘Wonderful! Wonderful!’ laid the foundation, and predicted the future, for one of the most remarkable careers in pop music history, leading to a string of singles successes which includes perennials like ‘It's Not For Me To Say’, ‘Chances Are’, ‘The Twelfth Of Never’ and many others. ‘Johnny Mathis: The Singles’ brings together, for the first time in one anthology, every Johnny Mathis recording which was first issued for the singles market, as well as tracks released exclusively on compilations (1958's ‘Johnny's Greatest Hits’, considered the first "greatest hits" collection ever created by the music industry, 1959's ‘More Johnny's Greatest Hits’ and 1981's ‘The First 25 Years--The Silver Anniversary Album’). 31 of the 87 tracks on ‘Johnny Mathis: The Singles’, are being released on CD for the very first time. The four-disc anthology compiles, for the very first time, every non-LP single side released for the label between 1956 and 1981. "When over the course of a career you record as many songs as I have recorded, you tend to forget a few," said Johnny Mathis. "Revisiting this music was a complete surprise. I was thrilled beyond belief that some of the songs that I recorded specifically for single records, some of which had simply disappeared once they had been released, are now going to be heard again. Listening to this collection, not only was I amazed at how great it sounds, but I was being reminded of some songs I had totally forgotten. It is my greatest hope that my fans will share my enthusiasm." Johnny Mathis is one of the longest-running artists on the Columbia Records label, with 17 million RIAA certified album and singles sales in the US alone. A sublime vocalist whose approach to pop music transcends passing fads and trends, Johnny Mathis has performed songs in an incredible variety of styles and categories -- from music composed for stage and film to golden era jazz standards, contemporary pop hits, and holiday music both sacred and secular -- assuring his reputation as one of the most enduring traditional pop vocalists in music history. Perhaps best-known for his landmark singles (three of his recordings—‘Chances Are’, ‘It's Not For Me To Say’, and ‘Misty’--have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame) Mathis was one of the very first musical artists to embrace the album concept and record fully-realized thematically and sonically coherent collections of songs. His 1958 release, ‘Johnny’s Greatest Hits’ inaugurated the ongoing "greatest hits" anthology phenomenon becoming one of the most popular albums of all time after spending an unprecedented 490 continuous weeks (almost ten years) on the BILLBOARD Top Albums Chart; 1959's ‘Heavenly’ spent 295 consecutive weeks on the same chart. Johnny Mathis was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in 2003. Mathis had 18 Top 40 hits between 1957 and 1963 and 19 Top 40 albums between 1957 and 1978. He has earned 10 gold, 4 platinum and 2 multi-platinum awards from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) Mathis was a star student athlete in San Francisco who sang weekends at a local jazz club. Columbia Records’ George Avakian was in attendance during one performance, and famously wired back to the label office: “Have found phenomenal 19-year old boy who could go all the way. Send blank contracts.” After his jazzy debut LP was largely ignored upon its release in 1956, Mathis began working closely with Columbia’s vice-president and producer Mitch Miller to develop an unbeatable lush pop style, picking romantic ballads that made extensive use of his recognizable, vibrato-heavy croon. During his time on Columbia, Mathis was essentially recording for two markets: the singles market and the albums market. While he would enjoy success in both realms, it was his non-LP singles that first introduced the world to his distinct gifts: in 1957, his first Columbia single ‘Wonderful! Wonderful!’ peaked at No. 14; follow-up ‘It’s Not For Me To Say’ rose to No. 5, and ‘Chances Are’ topped the charts. Altogether, Mathis logged 18 singles on Billboard’s Top 40 between 1957 and 1963 (and has seen 43 of his singles chart on Billboard Hot 100 from 1957 to 1981). After a tenure on his own Global label from 1963 to 1967 (initially distributed by Mercury and chronicled by Legacy in The Complete Global Albums Collection box set), Johnny returned to Columbia, where he records to this day. (Bron: Soultracks.com)
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 Mariah Carey reaches another milestone in her illustrious career. The music legend will be honored with the 2,556th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
"Finally, all questions regarding when Mariah Carey will be honored with a star are answered! Fans have repeatedly asked us when their favorite singer would be honored, and now is the time," Ana Martinez, Martinez, producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremonies, said in a statement. "We are thrilled that we can add one of the world’s biggest talents to our Walk of Fame." Carey will receive the prestigious honor during a special ceremony on August 4, 2015. Several of Carey's closet friends will speak at the ceremony, including L.A. Reid, Lee Daniels, and Brett Ratner. According to Martinez, Carey was selected back in 2007, and she "is now able to do the ceremony." (Bron: Singersroom.com) CHRIS BRAIDE, ASH SOAN & LEE POMEROY LAUNCH THIS OECANIC FEELING WITH DEBUT ALBUM 'UNIVERSAL MIND'.25/7/2015  New exciting three-piece This Oceanic Feeling, fronted by prominent singer/songwriter and producer Chris Braide, has announced the release of their debut album Universal Mind on 17th July 2015 through Cherry Red Records.
Chris and drummer Ash Soan had developed a strong musical connection as founder members of The Producers with Trevor Horn, before Braide moved to the US in 2009. When they linked up again, the old chemistry was still there and the idea of forming a new band immediately took shape. The muse was swiftly awakened and an album’s worth of new songs came to life, the lyrics facing the unresolved dualism between fake and real self and their eternal fight for dominance. “It's a positive album, one that I'm proud of and one that I had to make” - says Braide enthusiastically. Outstanding bassist Lee Pomeroy was called to join Chris and Ash in their distinctive creative venture and This Oceanic Feeling was born. Braide compares the album’s sound to ‘The Police or YES 90125 era, big shiny new wave pop music with rock trousers on and occasionally prog sandals!’ The 12 songs on Universal Mind feature some of the most rich, dynamic musicianship of 2015. In times of self-obsession, virtual personas and overpowering ego, the thought-provoking lyrics are bound to strike a chord with the more conscious listener. For all those liking their melody with a meaningful aftertaste, this is possibly your album of the year; take the journey across its cinematic landscape, from darkness to light, to escape the person you were and embrace the person you really are. Tracklist as follows: 1. Lie Detector 2. Put Down The Gun 3. Radio 4. Logotherapy 5. Universal Mind 6. Intensive Care 7. Wake Up 8. I Play Debussy 9. Johnny Tragic 10. Karma Camera 11. Season of Light 12. Finale About This Oceanic Feeling Chris Braide’s prestigious curriculum includes producing and writing songs for Beyonce, Lana del Rey, Paloma Faith, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, David Guetta and Sia amongst others. He recently produced and co-wrote Marc Almond’s new album The Velvet Trail. As well as performing in the band for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Concert (Tom Jones, Robbie Williams etc) and for the return of ELO in Hyde Park last year, bass and guitar specialist Lee Pomeroy has worked in the past with Rick Wakeman, It Bites and James Morrison; more recently was busy performing with Steve Hackett on the 2014 Genesis Revisited Tour and is currently working with Take That. British drummer Ash Soan has played with the likes of Adele, Lily Allen, Rumer, Mark Owen, Cher, Dido, The Wanted, Nelly Furtado and on Billy Idol’s latest album Kings And Queens of the Underground. Amazon CD edition: http://geni.us/3Zmo CD Pre-order link: http://shop.cherryred.co.uk/shopexd.asp?id=5104 Vinyl pre-order: http://www.planegroovy.com/planegroovystore.html EAGLES TO RECEIVE 38th ANNUAL KENNEDY CENTER HONORS / don henley first new solo album in 15 years25/7/2015  The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced that the Eagles will be among 6 honorees who will receive the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors. The Honors Gala will be recorded for broadcast on the CBS Network for the 38th consecutive year as a two-hour primetime special on Tuesday, December 29 at 9:00 p.m. "We are deeply grateful to have been named a Kennedy Center honoree. The members of the Eagles hail from different regions of this great nation and we feel very fortunate that our music has been embraced by people from all walks of life, all over the world. Popular music is one of America's greatest exports – a bridge that spans geographical and cultural boundaries. We are truly humbled to have been able to be a part of this global connection. DON HENLEY’S FIRST SOLO ALBUM IN 15 YEARS ‘CASS COUNTY’ TO BE RELEASED SEPTEMBER 25, 2015
Visit Don Henley’s official Online Store and pre-order the Cass County Deluxe CD, Deluxe Vinyl and Super Deluxe Vinyl Book, including a 50 -page booklet with exclusive photos, collector postcards, deluxe CD album, and deluxe Vinyl (2-Disc 180 Gram). A limited number of bundles are also available, including a Cass County T-shirt and 12X12 lithograph. The first one hundred Cass County Super Deluxe Vinyl Books ordered will be signed by Don Henley.
Don Henley will also launch a solo tour of North America in October 2015. Each ticket ordered for any of the tour dates will receive a Cass County deluxe CD. Full tour details will be announced shortly.  Tells Tales Of Four Cities On ‘Fast Forward’ His First Album Of Original Songs In Seven Years
The ever-restless songwriter Joe Jackson travelled the world to record ‘Fast Forward,’ his first collection of original songs in seven years, set for October 2, 2015 release on earMUSIC/V2 in Europe. Originally conceived to be released as a series of EPs, the album was produced and arranged by Jackson, and features four sets of four songs recorded in four different cities – New York, New Orleans, Berlin and Amsterdam – each with a different set of first-call supporting musicians. The results rank among the richest and most rewarding music of his storied career. NEW YORK Jackson has called New York home for many years. He recorded these tracks with Bill Frisell on guitar, Brian Blade on drums, his long-time bassist Graham Maby, and jazz violin star Regina Carter. Along with three originals including the album’s title track, these sessions feature a scorching take on a New York classic, Television’s “See No Evil.” AMSTERDAM Distinguished by the most diverse instrumentation of the four sessions, Jackson is joined on these songs by frequent collaborators Stefan Kruger and Stefan Schmid from the band Zuco 103, the Concertgebouw orchestra, and the project's only guest vocalist, 14-year-old Mitchell Sink. BERLIN Berlin is Jackson’s second home, and he recorded here with two expatriate American musicians: acoustic bass master Greg Cohen (Tom Waits, Ornette Coleman, Bob Dylan) and Tindersticks´ drummer Earl Harvin. These sessions produced the album’s second cover, Jackson's modern English take on the 1930s German 'Kabarett' song “Good Bye Jonny.” NEW ORLEANS Jackson travelled to one of his favourite cities, New Orleans, to record with an all-local cast including three members of the funk band Galactic - drummer Stanton Moore, bassist Robert Mercurio, and guitarist Jeff Raines – and a horn section led by saxophonist Donald Harrison. Details for the “Fast Forward” European tour will be announced shortly. These career-spanning shows will feature Jackson “as my own opening act,” playing a short solo/piano set before bringing out a full band which will include Maby on bass, guitarist Teddy Kumpel (Rickie Lee Jones, Feist), and drummer Doug Yowell (Suzanne Vega, Ari Hest). Joe Jackson’s last release, 2012’s ‘The Duke,’ was an ambitious, horn-free tribute to a “fellow music pioneer” (NPR) Duke Ellington, which Rolling Stone hailed as “movingly subtle.” ‘Fast Forward’ tracklist (all songs written by Joe Jackson unless noted) New York 1. Fast Forward 2. If It Wasn’t For You 3. See No Evil (Tom Verlaine) 4. Kings Of The City Amsterdam 5. A Little Smile 6. Far Away 7. So You Say 8. Poor Thing Berlin 9. Junkie Diva 10. If I Could See Your Face 11. The Blue Time 12. Good Bye Jonny (Peter Kreuder and Hans Fritz Beckmann) New Orleans 13. Neon Rain 14. Satellite 15. Keep On Dreaming 16. Ode To Joy www.joejackson.com
Rolling Stones guitarist's record follows 1992's 'Main Offender', coming in September
Norah Jones and the late Bobby Keys feature on Crosseyed Heart. Keith Richards will release his eagerly anticipated CROSSEYED HEART, his third solo album and his first in over 20 years, September 18th on Virgin EMI. CROSSEYED HEART, a fifteen track masterclass encompassing everything that makes Keith Richards one of the 20th century’s most celebrated talents, is a 5* musical journey that takes in reggae, rock, country and the blues. The first taste of CROSSEYED HEART will be unveiled on July 17th with the explosive first single, “Trouble,” a taut guitar based slice of heaven featuring Richards on electric and acoustic guitars, bass, lead and backup vocals. He is richly supported by old friends, drummer Steve Jordan, guitarist Waddy Wachtel and Bernard Fowler on backup vocals. The song was written by and produced by Keith and Steve Jordan. “I had a ball making this new record and working with Steve Jordan and Waddy Wachtel again,” Keith Richards said. “There’s nothing like walking into a studio and having absolutely no idea what you’re going to come out with on the other end. If you're looking for ‘Trouble,’ you've come to the right place.” Keith wrote or co-wrote the majority of the tracks on CROSSEYED HEART, many with co-producer Steve Jordan. Highlights include the country tinged ache of “Robbed Blind”, the reggae flavored “Love Overdue,” and the aptly named “Blues In The Morning.” Richards collaborates with several artists including a captivating duet with Norah Jones on the soulful ballad “Illusion” which she co-wrote. Keith Richards, who plays electric and acoustic guitars, bass, piano and vocals on the album, is also joined by guitarist Waddy Wachtel, keyboardist Ivan Neville and background singer Sarah Dash, part of the X-Pensive Winos, who accompanied Richards on his previous solo records. Steve Jordan plays drums and vocals and other artists accompany Richards’ on individual tracks, including Stax songwriter and keyboardist Spooner Oldham on “Lovers Plea,” pedal steel by Larry Campbell on “Robbed Blind,” Aaron Neville on backup vocals on “Nothing On Me,” and dear friend Bobby Keys on saxophone on “Amnesia” and “Blues In The Morning.” Keith has released two other solo studio albums, Talk Is Cheap in 1988 and Main Offender in 1992 as well as a live album entitled, Live at the Hollywood Palladium, December 15, 1988.
 Grace Jones schrijft haar autobiografie. De 67-jarige zangeres, actrice en model brengt haar memoires in september uit volgens The Hollywood Reporter. Jones schreef lang geleden de song 'Art Groupie'. De eerste zin in de tekst was 'I'll never write my memoirs' (Ik zal nooit mijn memoires schrijven). "Vanaf dat moment" zegt de popdiva, "dacht ik, als ik het niet doe, doet iemand anders het." In 'I'll never write my memoirs' kijkt Jones terug op haar carriere als model en zangeres, haar samenwerking met Andy Warhol en haar rol naast Roger Moore in de James Bondfilm 'A View to a Kill' . De 67-jarige baarde vorige maand nog opzien door op te treden in een weinig verhullend corset en met witte bodypainting.
© Photo Credits: Alfons Maes
 Kelly Rowland wil graag een nieuwe muzikale groep ontdekken. Het voormalig Destiny's Child-lid vertelt dat ze graag een nieuwe groep wil samenstellen. Dat meldt Entertainment Weekly.
Rowland maakte jaren deel uit van Destiny's Child, waar ze samen met Beyoncé en Michelle Williams de ene hit na de andere mee scoorde. Later ging ze solo aan de slag en momenteel zetelt ze in de jury van de Amerikaanse versie van X Factor. "Ik denk dat elke generatie beter is dan de vorige en ik wil daarom graag een groep samenstellen. Ik voel dat er ergens een groep wacht om ontdekt te worden en ik wil degene zijn die dat doet. Je had The Surpremes, toen kwam En Vogue en daarna Destiny's Child. Elke generatie had een eigen groep om mee op te groeien en ik wil dat ook voor deze generatie", besluit ze. (Bron: Belga)  The oldest jeans company in the world has a plan to battle in the competitive denim world. Levi's is looking to sell more jeans to women, and the company has called on Alicia Keys as their new brand ambassador.
Levi's have updated their female line to match the "comfort factor." The update also includes larger back pockets and new branding. According to NYT, the new Levi's Lot 711 to 721 is 20 to 40 percent stretch, and the new 710s are 50 to 90 percent stretch. Keys was an avid Levi's rocker while growing up in New York City. She admits to experimenting with a lot of other brands but declares, "I always found my way back." "It's so much better because the stretch is really comfortable," she said about the new Levi's jeans. "You don't have to lie on the bed to get them up. You know, I'm a very shapely woman, and often a lot of fashion does not seem to celebrate a shapely woman. But that courtesy should be present in everything we wear." Keys will appear in a video made for TV and movie theaters as well as digital, which features a song entitled ‘28,000’ (the number of days in an average life) from her coming album. Print ads will also feature emerging indie musicians like Ryn Weaver and the French-Cuban sisters the Ibeyi twins. (Bron: Singersroom.com)  Janet Jackson is back with her 40th single: ‘No Sleeep’ from her upcoming album ‘Unbreakable’.
She recently accepted the Ultimate Icon Award at the BET Awards, where she wore jewelry from her new line, Janet Jackson Unbreakable Diamonds available through www.paulrapsny.com. Visit www.janetjackson.com for all the latest news on her album, tour, and jewelry line. (Bron: Thesmoothjazznetwork.com)  Richard Starkey, vooral gekend als Ringo Starr, de drummer van The Beatles, viert vandaag zijn 75ste verjaardag…
The Beatles hadden Ringo in Hamburg leren kennen (*), waar hij drumde bij Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, terwijl zijzelf nog een beroep deden op Pete Best. The Beatles moesten op dat moment eigenlijk alles nog bewijzen, terwijl Rory Storm (eigenlijk Alan Caldwell) een stevige reputatie had door zijn acrobatische shows én zijn feeling voor de pers, want toen hij bij één van zijn stunts een been brak, wenste hij slechts verzorgd te worden nàdat een fotograaf het ongeluk op de gevoelige plaat had vastgelegd (**). Pete Best had wel zijn eigen schare fans, maar toch nam Brian Epstein, voornamelijk in overleg met Lennon, Ringo Starr in dienst voor een paar demo-opnamen, zeker na het débâcle van de demo-sessie bij Decca. Al dient gezegd dat Pete Best daar zeker niet de enige schuldige voor was. Zelfs Har van Fulpen, de voorzitter van de Nederlandse Beatles-fanclub, schrijft in zijn “Beatles Dagboek” (uitgeverij Loeb, 1982) dat de gitaarsolo’s van George “te voorzichtig” zijn, de stem van Paul “onvast”, de drums van Pete Best “monotoon” en John klinkt duidelijk “ongeïnteresseerd (…) met name in de songs die hij duidelijk niet graag zingt.” (p.29) (bron: http://ronnydeschepper.com/2015/07/07/ringo-starr-wordt-75/)  Billy Joel is gisteren getrouwd met zijn 33-jarige vriendin Alexis Roderick, die zwanger is. De Amerikaanse zanger stapte daarmee voor de vierde keer in het huwelijksbootje. Eerder was hij getrouwd met Elizabeth Weber, Christie Brinkley en Katie Lee.
Het huwelijk werd in het grootste geheim op gehouden het landgoed van Joel op Long Island. Vrienden en familieleden waren uitgenodigd maar wisten niet voor welk feest. Pas op het laatste moment werd hen verteld dat het om een huwelijk ging. Andrew Cuomo, gouverneur van New York, voltrok het huwelijk. Onder de genodigden was ook Christie Brinkley, de ex van Billy Joel, met wie hij nog steeds een goede band heeft. "gefeliciteerd aan de prachtige bruid en bruidegom. En ook aan mijn dochter Alexa, die een prachtige vriend zal hebben aan Alexis. Ik wens het nieuwe gezin alle succes toe!" Billy Joel heeft al sinds 2009 een relatie met Alexis Roderick. (Bron: Belga)  "Can't f***ing wait for the 4th!!! See you at home, DC." De fans van Foo Fighters zaten al een tijdje te wachten op de tweet die de band gisteren de wereld in stuurde.
Begin juni tuimelde frontman Dave Grohl in Zweden van het podium. Met een beenbreuk en een paar weken inactiviteit tot gevolg. Hun show op Rock Werchter en nog een rits andere Europese optredens moesten ze annuleren. Maar op vier juli maakt Grohl, intussen zes roestvrij stalen bouten rijker, zijn comeback. Met het optreden zaterdag in Washington trapt de band zijn Amerikaanse tour, op gang. Goed voor meer dan veertig concerten op vaderlandse bodem. Dit najaar komt de band dan in Europa langs. (Bron: De Morgen) |
