Thursday, September 08, 2016

Sights and Sounds: ZZ Top, The Beatles, 10th Annual ACM Honors, Charlie Rich

Here is a pretty lengthy roundup to catch everyone up on a number of exciting new releases and events set to land soon...


'ZZ TOP LIVE - GREATEST HITS FROM AROUND THE WORLD'


New collection to be released tomorrow (Friday, September 9, 2016)



For the very first time in more than 46 years, ZZ Top is releasing a full-length live album.  Live - Greatest Hits From Around The Worldthe new release is exactly as its title suggests: a collection of the band’s best known repertoire recorded at venues on three continents.  The album, available on CD, as a 2 LP vinyl set and digitally, is set for release on Friday, September 9 from Suretone Records through ADA, the independent music and film distribution arm of Warner Music Group. Recorded over the course of several tours in cities ranging from New York to Berlin to São Paolo, the album picks the greatest moments and biggest hits from ZZ Top’s illustrious catalog, captured with all the phenomenal energy and exuberance of their legendary live shows.  The band is, in fact, now on tour in North America, having recently returned from their latest run of dates in Europe.  ZZ Top has a number of upcoming tour dates set, including an appearance at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on Oct. 6, and at Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage on Oct. 8. 

Greatest Hits From Around The World covers everything from their breakthrough hit "La Grange,” and “Tush” through their huge crossover hits – "Gimme All Your Lovin’,” "Sharp Dressed Man,” “Legs" – and then to the present day.  In point of fact, the album includes a recent London collaboration with Jeff Beck on the Tennessee Ernie Ford / Merle Travis standard "Sixteen Tons,” the first time that the song has been included on any ZZ Top album release.
Billy F Gibbons, the band’s resident guitar god, calls the collection  “the true document of life de la ZZ.  In an abstract surrealism style, this collection is a definitive chronicle of the band hangin' together for four plus deluxe decades, getting down to do what we get to do. Enjoy and listen to loudness!”

ZZ Top’s live performances have long been the subject of critical laudation. The New York Times suggested, “If you are the kind of person who likes to use a suspect and imprecise and maybe impossible term about music, then go ahead, because this was, more or less, a perfect concert.”  The Guardian (UK) noted, “The band sound both timely and timeless… It’s an unexpectedly wonderful return from an undervalued band.”  
  
The album will be on released on CD, gatefold LP*, and digitally through all streaming and download stores. 
Pre-orders are open at Amazon (CD: http://smarturl.it/CD_LGHFATW, vinyl: http://smarturl.it/LP_LGHFATW) and iTunes (http://smarturl.it/iT-LGHFATW). 

Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard formed ZZ Top in Houston late in 1969. Their third album, 1973’s Tres Hombres, catapulted them to national attention with the hit "La Grange,”  which is still one of the band’s signature songs today. The band’s momentum and success built during its first decade, culminating in the legendary World Wide Texas Tour, a production that included a longhorn steer, a buffalo, buzzards, rattlesnakes and a Texas-shaped stage.
1983’s Eliminator album mixed their fiery blues roots with tech-age trappings that soon found a visual outlet with the nascent MTV. The trio became music video icons throughout the album’s three smash singles, "Gimme All Your Lovin’,” "Sharp Dressed Man" and “Legs." The melding of grungy guitar-based blues with synth-pop was seamless and continued with the follow-up album Afterburner as they continued their chart juggernaut.
ZZ Top had accomplished the impossible; they had moved with the times while simultaneously bucking ephemeral trends that crossed their path. They had become more popular and more iconic without ever having to be flavour of the week. They had become a certified rock institution, contemporary in every way, yet still completely connected to the founding fathers of the genre.
Along the way, they performed in front of millions of fans through North America on numerous landmark tours as well as overseas where they’ve enthralled audiences from Slovenia to Argentina, from Australia to Sweden, from Russia to Japan and most places in-between. The band’s discography continued to grow throughout, most recently with 2012’s fifteenth studio album La Futura, co-produced by Rick Rubin and Billy Gibbons. 

*2 LP set available September 16 

Greatest Hits From Around The World tracklisting with location of each track’s recording


1. Got Me Under Pressure                  New York 
2. Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers          Las Vegas
3. Cheap Sunglasses                          Paris
4. Waitin’ For The Bus                         Nashville
5. Jesus Just Left Chicago                  Nashville
6. Legs                                                São Paolo
7. Sharp Dressed Man                        Los Angeles
8. Rough Boy (with Jeff Beck)             London
9. Pincushion                                       Berlin
10. La Grange                                     Dallas
11. I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide                Vancouver
12. Tube Snake Boogie                       Rome
13. Gimme All Your Lovin’                   Houston           
14. Tush                                               Chicago
15. Sixteen Tons (with Jeff Beck)        London


In Celebration of the Film Premiere of


 The Beatles: Eight Days A Week - The Touring Years 

By Ron Howard

Morrison Hotel Gallery Presents
Eight Days A Week: The Beatles in Photographs
1962-1966

September 12th - 20th




The Beatles / Photograph: Curt Gunther



By Noted Photographers: Lynn Goldsmith, Curt Gunther, Emilio Lari,Terry O'Neill,Ken Regan, Rowland Scherman, Charles Trainor

Robert Whitaker and renowned archivist and collector Vincent Vigil


Without a doubt, the Beatles are one of the most iconic bands in rock and roll history. Over the years, much has been said and written about them, and the mythology behind their legendary status inspired director Ron Howard to begin work on The Beatles: Eight Days A Week - The Touring Years, a film that focuses on the Beatles' touring years from 1962 - 1966. Following them from their time as fledglings performing in the Cavern Club all the way through their final, monumental concert in San Francisco's Candlestick Park, The Beatles: Eight Days A Week - The Touring Years gives Fab Four fans a peek behind the scenes, as well as a front row seat to their most memorable shows. The film will premier in theaters on September 15th before being released on the streaming service Hulu on September 17th.
Morrison Hotel Gallery will celebrate the film release with Eight Days A Week: The Beatles in Photographs, an exhibit and sale of images September 12-20, 2016 featuring photographers who worked closely with the Beatles over the touring years. Many of these images are also included in the film. At Morrison Hotel Gallery locations inSoHo and West Hollywood, fans can experience these photographs in person, providing a look at the Beatles in the middle of electric performances in packed arenas to images of them happily goofing off in front of the camera or relaxing at the hotel.
To celebrate the film's release, Morrison Hotel Gallery buyers and email subscribers will be treated to eight days of Beatles photographs from September 12th thru the 20th.  To join this email list, subscribe at: www.morrisonhotelgallery.com
All images are available for purchase at each gallery and through the Morrison Hotel Gallery website, click on "catalog" to see all photographs.

The legendary photographers featured in this exhibit are:
Lynn Goldsmith's multi-award winning work has appeared between the covers of Life, Newsweek, Time, Rolling Stone, Interview and People magazines among others. She has released numerous books and her iconic images have graced hundreds of album covers. Her work has been shown in museums and galleries worldwide. Goldsmith first photographed the Beatles two days after her 16th birthday when they arrived at the Deauville Hotel in Miami on February 13th, 1964, to perform on the Ed Sullivan show.
Curt Gunther first met the Beatles while they were touring in Europe and was invited to accompany them to the US as their official tour photographer. During this time, he traveled with them, lived with them, and was able to document their lives in the glare and frenzy of the spotlights and screams, as well as in candid moments behind the scenes.  
Emilio Lari specializes in set photography, which is what led the Italian photographer to work with American director Richard Lester on the set of the Beatles' film Help! He has shot over 140 films.
Terry O'Neill has had his work displayed in galleries throughout the world and has photographed political icons such as presidents and prime ministers, as well as pop culture legends. He photographed the Beatles before their meteoric rise to stardom. O'Neill's work has been featured on movie posters, as well as album covers and fashion plates for top designers.
Ken Regan was born in New York City and used the city as backdrop and subject as he honed his skills as a photojournalist. He shot the Beatles during their very first trip to NYC. Regan's work has appeared in a long list of publications, among them Time, Sports Illustrated, Rolling Stone and Newsweek.
Rowland Scherman has made photography his life's work for over fifty years. Traveling the world, he was the first photographer for the Peace Corps starting in 1961. He photographed the Beatles on their first US tour in 1964. Over the years, his work has been published in Life, Time, National Geographic and Playboy, among other noteworthy magazines. He received a Grammy Award in 1968 for Best Album Cover for Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits. That same year, he also won the Washington DC Art Director's Award for Photographer of the Year.
Charles Trainor worked in Miami during the 1950's and on through the 1970's. He photographed icons such as John F. Kennedy, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali, and the Beatles. His photographs became iconic in and of themselves, and his work has been published in Life and LookSports Illustrated and Rolling Stone.
Robert Whitaker happened to meet the Beatles on their 1964 Australian tour when he accompanied one of his journalist friends to an interview with the band's manager, Brian Epstein. The photo he took during that meeting resulted in Epstein offering him the position of staff photographer at NEMS, where he worked with all of the artists. During his time working with the Beatles, Whitaker became extremely close with the band, photographing them onstage, as well as in quiet moments at home.  
In addition, this exhibition and sale includes photographs from renowned photographer collector and Beatles photographic archive specialist, Vincent VigilAmong his incredible collection of Beatles photography are two signed prints from Linda McCartney, which started his immense collection, as well as 30 transparencies from the film, Help! Many modern prints, taken from their original source, now reside in the permanent collection of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and MuseumThese images have also appeared in several books, magazine articles and exhibits.



About Morrison Hotel® Gallery
Morrison Hotel® Gallery was founded in 2001 by former record company executive Peter Blachley, music retail industry professional Richard Horowitz, and legendary music photographer Henry Diltz. In 2012, author, director and photographer Timothy White joined the team, launching an additional West Coast gallery at The Sunset Marquis Hotel in West Hollywood. The partners just launched a new location at Mick Fleetwood's General Store in Maui, Hawaii.
Morrison Hotel Gallery is the world's leading brand in fine art music photography representing over 100 of the world's finest music photographers and their archives. The vast catalog of photography encompasses jazz, blues, and rock imagery spanning several generations through to today's contemporary music artists and now includes iconic photographs in the world of sports as well. Morrison Hotel Gallery has a robust online presence, featuring over 100,000 images searchable by photographer, music artist, band or concert.
Morrison Hotel Gallery
116 Prince Street || New York, NY 10012
Morrison Hotel Gallery
Sunset Marquis
1200 Alta Loma Road || West Hollywood, CA 90069
Morrison Hotel Gallery
Fleetwood's General Store
744 Front Street || Lahaina, Hawaii 96761
808.669.6425 (MICK)



10TH ANNUAL ACM HONORS™ TO MAKE ITS TELEVISION DEBUT

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 AT 9PM ET/PT ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

Photo L-R: Shannon Campbell, Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, Dierks Bentley and Toby Keith performing at the 10th Annual ACM Honors in tribute to Glen Campbell. Photo Credit: John Shearer/Getty Images for ACM/Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music)
Tune-in Friday, September 9, 2016 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CBS for the television debut of the 10th Annual ACM Honors™. Hosted by multi-ACM Award-winning group Lady Antebellum, the two-hour special is dedicated to celebrating honorees and off-camera category winners from the 51st Academy of Country Music Awards.

The television special features an all-star lineup of live performances as well as award presentations celebrating honorees including Special Awards recipients Glen CampbellCrystal GayleEddie Rabbitt (awarded posthumously), Tanya TuckerCarrie UnderwoodKeith UrbanJeff Walker (awarded posthumously), Jimmy Webb, Little Big Town and The Statler Brothers. Additionally, Jason Aldean was honored with the ACM Triple Crown Award and Miranda Lambert was presented with the inaugural ACM Merle Haggard Spirit Award. Ross Copperman was also honored as Songwriter of the Year.

Artists who performed in tribute to the honorees include:
  • Kelsea Ballerini performed “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” in tribute to Crystal Gayle.
  • Dierks Bentley performed “Freedom” in tribute to Ross Copperman, joined onstage by participants of the ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp.
  • Luke Bryan and Cole Swindell performed “I Love A Rainy Night” in tribute to Eddie Rabbitt.
  • Alicia Keys and Cam performed a special duet of “Girl Crush” in tribute to Little Big Town.
  • Maren Morris performed “Delta Dawn” in tribute to Tanya Tucker.
  • Chris Young and Dan + Shay performed “Flowers on the Wall” in tribute to The Statler Brothers.
  • The Band Perry performed “MacArthur Park” in tribute to Jimmy Webb.
  • Blake SheltonToby KeithKeith Urban and Dierks Bentley performed an all-star medley in a special tribute to Glen Campbell. The medley consisted of Campbell’s hits “Southern Nights,” “Gentle On My Mind,” “Wichita Linemen,” “By The Time I Get To Phoenix” and the iconic “Rhinestone Cowboy.”

The Academy’s Studio Recording Award winners were celebrated in a pre-televised ceremony, and many served as the house band for the night under the direction of music director Frank Liddell. Backing up artists during performances on the telecast were ACM Guitarist of the Year Derek Wells, ACM Bass Player of the Year Michael Rhodes, ACM Specialty Instruments Player of the Year Danny Rader and ACM Piano/Keyboards Player of the Year Jim “Moose” Brown, who also served as bandleader.  Other Studio Recording Award honorees included Producer of the Year Dave Cobb, Audio Engineer of the Year Justin Niebank, Drummer of the Year Shannon Forrest and Steel Guitar Player of the Year Paul Franklin.

The ceremony presenters included Blake SheltonCole SwindellDierks BentleyEmmylou HarrisKelsea BalleriniLittle Big TownLuke Bryan, Maren MorrisMartina McBrideMike FisherThomas Rhett, and Toby Keith. The event was taped at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN, and sponsored by City National Bank and Kendra Scott.

About ACM Honors™
ACM Honors™ is an evening dedicated to recognizing the special honorees and off-camera category winners from the Academy of Country Music Awards, including the Special Awards, Studio Recording Awards and Songwriter of the Year Award winners. The 10th Annual ACM Honors was taped on Tuesday, August 30, 2016 at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium and – for the first time ever – was produced for television by dick clark productions to be broadcast on Friday, September 9 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Allen Shapiro, Mike Mahan, R.A. Clark, Barry Adelman and Mark Bracco are executive producers. Tiffany Moon is executive producer for the Academy of Country Music. For more information, visit www.ACMcountry.com.


Memphis International sets October 14, 2016 release for Charlie Rich Tribute album 'Feel Like Going Home'

JIM LAUDERDALE, SHOOTER JENNINGS, PRESTON SHANNON, WILL KIMBROUGH, KEITH SYKES, CHARLIE RICH, JR,  OTHERS


“I don't mean to take anything away from Elvis or Jerry Lee, but I don't think I ever recorded anybody that was better as a singer, writer, and player than Charlie Rich.” - Sam Phillps



Feel Like Going Home/The Songs of Charlie Rich, the first new album release from Memphis International Records since the imprint’s acquisition by Jeff Phillips, a third generation member of the Memphis music’s storied family, is set for release October 14th.  It’s a 13-track album produced by Michael  Dinallo with Johnny and Jeff Phillips serving as Executive Producers and highlights the eclectic artistry of one of Sam Phillips most significant discoveries as interpreted by a broad spectrum of contemporary performers.   The album will simultaneously be available on CD, LP and digitally. 

Participating artists, including Jim Lauderdale, Keith Sykes, Charlie Rich, Jr., Preston Shannon, Shooter Jennings, Will Kimbrough and others recorded at Sam Phillips Recording in Memphis where Charlie Rich originally recorded most of the tracks heard on Feel Like Going Home.  In fact, the same piano that Charlie Rich played on his original recording of “Break Up” is still in the studio and was employed by Charlie Rich, Jr. when he recorded the song for the new collection.  

In the late 1950s, Charlie Rich was signed by Sam Phillips. His grandnephew, Jeff Phillips, now helms Memphis International Records.  Sam Phillips’ Sun Records changed the course of music and cultural history with ground breaking artists like Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Howlin’ Wolf, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Ike Turner, Little Milton, Harmonica Frank and many others.  It’s worth noting that Charlie Rich recorded for Sam’s Phillips International Records imprint.  Not so coincidentally, the Memphis International logo was inspired by Phillips International’s and was, in fact, sanctioned by Sam Phillips back in 2001. 

Producer Michael Dinallo is a veteran musician whose Boston-based band the Radio Kings have a strong following.  As a producer, he’s been involved with releases by Stax veteran Eddie Floyd, bluesman Jerry Portnoy, platinum selling Norwegian pop star William Hut as well as projects with Feel Like Going Home participants Kevin Connolly, Johnny Hoy and Juliet Simmons Dinallo.  He noted of the project, “I’ve wanted to do this for 10 years, ever since I read Peter Guralnick’s Feel Like Going Home and Lost Highway.  I love all the music he wrote about but what he wrote about Charlie Rich really stuck with me.  I went out and bought every Charlie Rich record I could find.  He just grabbed me; it was something very powerful. I was absolutely floored when I first heard the song “Feel Like Going Home.”   

After some false starts, Dinallo put the idea on the back burner but it came to the fore with the Phillips’s purchase of Memphis International. “Johnny Phillips had signed me to my first record deal and to do this at Sam Phillips Recording Studio completed the picture,” he noted.  The album’s basic tracks were all cut there by Dinallo and Tim Carroll on guitar, Preston Rumbaugh on bass and drummer Tom Hambridge.

Dinallo’s passion for the project is self-evident:  “You do things for yourself but you do them because you just have to.  Charlie Rich’s music has become so important to me over the years so I wanted to take what he did and bring it out and have people hear it because, as popular as he was, few really know him.  He struck a chord in me to the extent that this just had to happen. I’m a guitarist and he was a piano player but he’s, by far, my favorite musician.  I wanted people to hear the music; I think we made a record that he and Sam Phillips, both great innovators, would be proud of.”

Feel Like Going Home/The Songs of Charlie Rich
Artists and Songs

 “Lonely Weekends” / Jim Lauderdale – Released in 1959, this was Rich’s second Phillips International single.  It spent 22 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #22 in May of 1960. Over the course of his career, Jim Lauderdale has released 23 albums and has collaborated with scores of artists with his songs having been recorded by such notables as George Strait, Elvis Costello, Blake Shelton, Dixie Chicks, Vince Gill and Patty Loveless.  He has been an enduring presence in the Americana music movement for the past 30 years. 

“Caught In The Middle” / The Malpass Brothers – The original version was released in 1961 as the B-side of “Who Will The Next Fool Be.” The Malpass Brothers have toured with the late Don Helms, former steel player for Hank Williams, as well as numerous times with Merle Haggard.  Their most recent album, released last year, was produced by bluegrass legend Doyle Lawson.

“Whirlwind” / Juliet Simmons Dinallo – This was Charlie Rich’s debut single for Phillips International in 1958 and featured on his 1960 debut album for the label, Lonely Weekends With Charlie Rich. Country singer-songwriter Juliet Simmons Dinallo’s debut album with her band Juliet and the Lonesome Romeos is titled No Regrets and was produced by her husband and songwriting partner Michael Dinallo.

“Sittin’ and Thinkin’” / Will Kimbrough – Charlie Rich’s 10th single was released in 1962 on Phillips International, shortly before he was signed to RCA’s Groove Records subsidiary.  Will Kimbrough is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter who has produced albums by Rodney Crowell, Todd Snider, Kim Richey and others.  His songs have been recorded by Jimmy Buffett, Little Feat and Todd Snider, among many others. The Americana Music Association named him 2004 Instrumentalist of the Year.

“Time and Again” / Susan Marshall – The song was recorded in January of 1962 and would later be included on Sun and Bear Family Charlie Rich compilation sets. Susan Marshall has been a background singer for Lynyrd Skynyrd, Lenny Kravitz, Afghan Whigs, Primal Scream, North Mississippi Allstars, Lucinda Williams and has released three solo albums.

“Break Up” / Charlie Rich, Jr. – The song was written by Charlie Rich but first recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis for Sun in 1958.  The son of Charlie Rich and songwriter Margaret Ann Rich, Charlie Rich, Jr. has been a professional musician, singer-songwriter for the entirety of his professional life.  He represented his late father when he was inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame.

“Who Will The Next Fool Be” / Holli Mosley – Originally released in 1961, it was Charlie Rich’s 7th single and later covered by Jerry Lee Lewis and blues great Bobby Blue Bland. Alabama native Holli Mosley was the youngest winner of the Mississippi state title of the Colgate Country Showdown, the largest talent search for country artists in the nation. While this track, like the others on the album,  was recorded at Sam Phillips Recording Services in Memphis, it was produced by Halley Phillips, granddaughter of Sam Phillips and Rodney Hall, son of FAME Studios founder Rick Hall, and mixed at FAME in Muscle Shoals.

“Rebound” / Shooter Jennings – This was Charlie Rich’s third single, written by the singer with Bill Justis and originally released in 1959.  Singer-songwriter Shooter Jennings has recorded 10 studio albums over the course of the past 10 years and has worked within the outlaw country, southern rock and psychedelic rock genres.  He is the only child of Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter. 

“Midnight Blues” / Anita Suhanin – Written by Rich and released in 1962, the song was re-recorded several times. Boston-based Anita Suhanin, a Berklee College of Music graduate was formerly with Groovasaurus and is now a solo artist.

“Easy Money” / Preston Shannon – The song is another Charlie Rich original and was the flip side of “Midnight Blues.”  Mississippi-born Preston Shannon a celebrated electric blues and soul singer, guitarist and songwriter who has recorded six solo albums to date. 

“Don’t Put No Headstone On My Grave” / Johnny Hoy – Charlie Rich wrote the song which was soon covered by Jerry Lee Lewis and Esther Phillips.  Johnny Hoy & The Bluefish have released three albums on Tone-Cool Records playing Chicago blues with dashes of zydeco, jump/swing, New Orleans funk and rockabilly. 

“Everything I Do Is Wrong” / Keith Sykes with Grace Askew – The song was the 1959 B-side to “Lonely Weekends” and something of a novelty.  Keith Sykes is a singer-songwriter who has been at it for more than 40 years.  He has written songs recorded by Rosanne Cash, George Thorogood, John Prine and Jimmy Buffett.  Grace Askew is Memphis born and raised and came to national attention when she performed “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’” on The Voice a few years ago.

“Feel Like Going Home” / Kevin Connolly – Is the only song in the collection that is from the later period of Rich’s career. Still, it is very appropriate to the spirit of the album and connects directly to the Peter Guralnick book that so inspired Michael Dinallo.  The author titled his book Feel Like Going Home, after the Muddy Waters song of the same name. Years later, the book inspired Charlie Rich, a friend of Gurlanick’s, to write a song with that same title.  Kevin Connolly is a singer-songwriter who has released ten solo albums, the latest of which is Ice Fishing, released last year.



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