'Play On: A Raspberries Tribute' coming Sept. 12; Rick Springfield, Lou Gramm, John Waite, Marshall Crenshaw & more featured!

A stellar lineup of top-tier musicians are slated to appear on a forthcoming two-disc tribute to Raspberries. The news of the upcoming release of Play On: A Raspberries Tribute comes on a particularly notable day; today (Aug. 11, 2025) would have been Raspberries lead singer/keyboardist/guitarist Eric Carmen's 79th birthday....Robert Kinsler

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – PLAY ON: A RASPBERRIES TRIBUTE

ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAMER LOU GRAMM (FOREIGNER), RICK SPRINGFIELD, JOHN WAITE, VICKI & DEBBI PETERSON (BANGLES), MARSHALL CRENSHAW, BIRD STREETS AND THE LEMON TWIGS ARE AMONG THE ARTISTS FEATURED ON “PLAY ON: A RASPBERRIES TRIBUTE.”

"Raspberries is the sound of love at first sight."

Slated for release on September 12^th, 2025, Play On: A Raspberries Tribute (Think Like A Key) is a new tribute album celebrating power pop icons, Raspberries with a blockbuster 37 tracks covering almost the entirety of the group's four-album catalog.

Assembling chart-topping legends (four of whom scored # 1 records), indie favorites, and rising stars, the 2-CD set features Lou Gramm (Foreigner), Rick Springfield, John Waite, Vicki and Debbi Peterson (Bangles), The Lemon Twigs, Marshall Crenshaw, Kasim Sulton and Willie Wilcox (Utopia), Cherie Currie (The Runaways), The Chefs (featuring Stan Lynch from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Dan Baird of Georgia Satellites,) The Hudson Brothers, Shoes, and Karla DeVito (Meat Loaf), among those paying homage to the '70s power pop heroes.

Rick Springfield headlining a night of fun-filled melodic rock at
Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa, CA on Aug. 2, 2018. 
Photo: Robert Kinsler

"I loved the Raspberries and how they blended pop with the darker Small Faces screaming and always loved Eric's writing, not just the power pop, but the ballads too. His voice could kick ass on both!"–Rick Springfield

The project has received the blessing of the band, with Raspberries founding member Jim Bonfanti providing drums on four tracks

("I Wanna Be With You," "Tonight," "If You Change Your Mind," and "I Don't Know What I Want") and Eric Carmen who contributed the classic count-in on "Tonight."

Ken Sharp and Fernando Perdomo produced the compilation. Housed in a deluxe 6-panel digipak with a 20-page booklet featuring liner notes by renowned music journalist Howie Edelson, offering his spirited take on the band's enduring legacy, Play On: A Raspberries Tribute proves that great pop-rock is truly eternal.

   Strictly limited to 200 copies, the Play On exclusive bundle—available only through the label’s website                                       (tlak.rocks/playon)—includes:

• 2 collectible Raspberries postcards signed by band members Dave Smalley and Scott McCarl
• An exclusive 7" 45 RPM vinyl single with picture sleeve featuring “Go All The Way” by Rick Springfield b/w “Tonight” by Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Lou Gramm (Foreigner)

All profits from the 7” will benefit the Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation animal rescue (www.lindablairworldheart.org).

Alongside Badfinger and Big Star, Raspberries are hailed as the architects of power pop. Tallying the smash hits "Go All The Way," "I Wanna Be With You," "Let's Pretend," and "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)," the group's electrifying sound was a thrilling combination of Beatlesque and Beach Boys melodicism hot-wired to the slashing power chord dynamite of The Who and Small Faces in one incredible package. Unabashed fans of the band include John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Stanley (KISS), Tom Petty, Rick Nielsen (Cheap Trick), and Axl Rose (Guns N' Roses). Springsteen cited the band as a pivotal inspiration when writing and recording 1980's The River. Decades later, he penned the liner notes for the Raspberries Live On Sunset Strip CD/DVD, sharing his love for the band.

The 2014 film Guardians of the Galaxy spotlighted the band's biggest hit, "Go All The Way," introducing Raspberries to a new generation of music fans. 2025 saw the publication of a new super-sized 820+ page edition of Overnight Sensation: The Story of Raspberries by New York Times best-selling author Ken Sharp. 

Pre-sale: 8/12 (tlak.rocks/playon)

Street date: 9/12

AUDIO TEASER:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2KUH3d_ZIc

TRACKLISTING

DISC ONE

1.  “Go All The Way” - Rick Springfield

2.   “I Wanna Be With You” - Vicki and Debbi Peterson (The Bangles)

3.   “Let’s Pretend” - The Lemon Twigs

4.   “Come Around And See Me” - Katie Ferrara

5.   “Goin’ Nowhere Tonight” - The Caulfields

6.   “Don’t Want To Say Goodbye” - Robin Taylor Zander

7.   “Might As Well” - Jesse Bryson feat. The Kennedys

8.   “It Seemed So Easy” - The Spongetones

9.   "I Saw The Light" - Adelaide Estep

10 “Ecstacy” - Eric Dover (Jellyfish/Imperial Drag) feat. Eric Singer of KISS on drums

11 “On The Beach” - Darian Sahanaja (Brian Wilson band)

12 “If You Change Your Mind” - Ken Sharp

13 “Nobody Knows” - Chris Price

14 “I Reach For The Light” - Bird Streets

15 “Drivin’ Around” – Popdudes

16 “Hard To Get Over A Heartbreak” - P-Hux

17 “Waiting” - Olivia Rubini

18 “I Can Remember” - Karla DeVito (Meatloaf)

DISC TWO

1.   “Tonight” - Lou Gramm (Foreigner)

2.   “Play On” - The Lemon Twigs

3.   “I Don’t Know What I Want” - John Waite

4.   “Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)” – Shoes

5.   “All Through The Night” - The Hudson Brothers

6.   “Should I Wait” - Marshall Crenshaw

7.   “Cry” - Kasim Sulton (Utopia)

8.   “Making It Easy” – Brasko

9.   “Last Dance” - Evan Stanley

10 “I Can Hardly Believe You’re Mine” - John Powhida

11 “Rose Colored Glasses” - Rob Bonfiglio (Brian Wilson band)

12  “I’m A Rocker” - Ken Sharp (feat. Wally Stocker of The Babys)

13  “Party’s Over” - The Chefs (feat. Stan Lynch from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Dan Baird of Georgia Satellites)

14  “Cruisin’ Music” - Ronnie D’Addario

15  “Starting Over” - Tori Holub

16  “Hands On You” - Cherie Currie (The Runaways)

17  “Every Way I Can” - The Toms

18  “With You In My Life” - Willie Wilcox (Utopia)

19  “Please Let Me Come Back Home" - Bambi Kino (feat. members of Nada Surf and Guided by Voices)

Ken Sharp's 'Overnight Sensation: The Story of Raspberries' returns via expanded edition

Fans of power pop band Raspberries are in luck!

Celebrated author Ken Sharp has completed a new super-sized edition of his long-out-of-print book Overnight Sensation: The Story of Raspberries. Sold out for more than 30 years, the expanded 2025 hardcover edition of Overnight Sensation is 820 pages (the original edition was 350 pages) and features a brand new front/back cover, reimagined interior book design and a wealth of essential new content.

Formed in 1970 in Cleveland, Ohio, the Raspberries released four albums between early 1972 and late 1974 that saw the groundbreaking quartet create and champion the so called "power pop" sound via strong songcraft, memorable melodies and sumptuous vocal harmonies. The group's classic lineup included Eric Carmen (vocals, guitars, bass, piano), Wally Bryson (guitars), Dave Smalley (guitars, bass) and Jim Bonfanti (drums). Although the band disbanded in 1975, the original lineup reunited three decades later and completed a well-received reunion tour in 2005. 

Highlights of Overnight Sensation: The Story of Raspberries includes:

• New and expanded interviews with members of Raspberries, producer Jimmy lenner (who produced all of the band's 1970s studio albums) and many others
• A plethora of rare photographs (many previously unseen), handwritten lyrics, archival articles./concert reviews, memorabilia, a massive updated discography and much more
• Essays and remembrances by musical colleagues, road crew, friends, family and band insiders
• In-depth coverage/interviews with pre-Raspberries bands (The Choir, Cyrus Erie, The Quick)
• Extensive post-Raspberries coverage of band member projects
• Expanded section on the Raspberries reunion

Raspberries in 1972.

Over the years, used copies of Overnight Sensation: The Story of Raspberries have sold for ridiculous amounts on the collector's market; a copy on Amazon now lists for $4,401! 

Now fans can get a new copy of the essential book for $75; each copy will include a special bonus of a Raspberries bookmark. 

For information how to get a copy of this special book, email sharpk@aol.com.

Robert Kinsler

New music: Walter Trout, Lenny Williams, Raspberries

In this column I feature the latest album from modern blues-rock great Walter Trout, an important reissue from soul singer Lenny Williams and revisit an essential Raspberries title. 

Artist: Walter Trout

Title: Broken (Provogue Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Joe Bonamassa, Paul Rodgers, Beth Hart

Tell me more: Over the past few years a myriad of domestic and international challenges ranging from inflation, economic uncertainty and increasing violent crime at home to raging wars in Europe and the Middle East as well as rising tension between the U.S. and China bring a sobering reality to life in 2024. In Walter Trout's poignant liner notes on his new album Broken the blues great notes despite the darkness of modern life there is still hope. "These days it seems easy to get discouraged. It's easy to feel powerless. It's easy to feel broken," Trout writes, in part. "I still believe that music is a powerful force that can bring people together." Indeed, there is a life-affirming power across Broken that celebrates the power of the human spirit delivered via dynamic blues rock from one of the genre's greatest-ever proponents. The 12 songs on the Eric Corne-produced album resonate with an energy and urgency that taps into blues and classic rock with an authenticity sure to thrill discerning music lovers. From the heartfelt opener "Broken" featuring guest vocals from Beth Hart and the rootsy "Turn and Walk Away" (the latter featuring Trout's great harmonica work), to the nostalgia-filled "No Magic (On The Street), nuanced instrumental "Love Of My Life" and riveting closer "Falls Apart," the album is rife with highlights. This writer's favorite track is the bewitching "Talkin' To Myself," the song's mesmerizing grace enhanced by Trout's reflective lyrics and strengths as singer, guitarist and electric sitar player. Information: Waltertrout.com.

Artist: Lenny Williams

Title: Chill (Omnivore Recordings)

You might like if you enjoy: James Ingram, Peabo Bryson, Tower of Power

Tell me more: Available on audio CD for the first time in 30 years, singer-songwriter Lenny Williams' Chill proves to be a timeless listen. The one-time Tower of Power singer and lead vocalist on Kenny G's 1986 hit "Don't Make Me Wait For Love" was in full command of his incredible powers as a vocalist when he recorded Chill in 1994. Armed with a wonderfully soulful voice, Williams delivers a mix of enticing originals and artful covers on the 12-track disc. Among the notable tracks on the collection are the dance-minded "Baby, You Caught Me Eye," the tender ballad "Driftin', a grooving cover of the McFadden & Whitehead signature track "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now," and lovely "Has Anybody Seen My Heart." Williams' artistic reading of the Daryl Hall & John Oates 1975 hit single "Sara Smile" is a delight. Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com.

Artist: Raspberries

Title: Live on Sunset Strip (Rykodisc)

You might like if you enjoy: Badfinger, Eric Carmen, Raspberries, Matthew Sweet

Tell me more: With the death of beloved singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Eric Carmen earlier this month, the music world understandably began to revisit and reassess his outstanding work recorded with the groundbreaking 1970s power pop quartet Raspberries and as a solo artist. Now is the perfect time to celebrate Carmen's work via the wonderful Raspberries concert recording Live on Sunset Strip, a 2007 three-disc title that features a complete 21-track live set captured at the House Of Blues, Los Angeles during the quartet's reunion tour in 2005. The Raspberries original lineup of Carmen, guitarist Wally Bryson, drummer Jim Bonfanti and bassist Dave Smalley are all in top form across the unlikely return. Among the incredible tracks on the marathon-length live set are the earworm opener "I Wanna Be With You," killer cover of The Who's "I Can't Explain," rocking "Tonight," wistful folk rock nuggets "Should I Wait" and "Come Around And See Me," ambitious "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)," and crunchy aptly-titled "I'm A Rocker." The band closes with their soaring anthem "Go All The Way," one of this writer's all-time favorite rock songs (the track gained renewed attention when it was featured in the 2014 film "Guardians of the Galaxy"). The title includes a bonus DVD with the filmed performances of five of the key tracks featured on the audio recording. Information: amazon.com.

Robert Kinsler

R.I.P. Eric Carmen

I am in shock. It has just been announced that Eric Carmen passed away over the weekend. I was a tremendous fan of singer-songwriter Carmen, and especially of his work with the Raspberries. In particular, I consider that band's "Go All the Way" one of my all-time favorite songs; in fact I discussed the song on a video episode of "Top 100 Songs of All Time" on TJR's popular YouTube channel you can view HERE. Other gems from that power pop band included "Overnight Sensation," "Tonight" and "Let's Pretend." His solo hits included "All By Myself" and "Hungry Eyes." Only 74, Carmen's death has been announced by his wife Amy Carmen. Read a wonderful appreciation of the artist written by John M. Borack HERE. Learn more about Carmen's life and passing HERE...Robert Kinler

TJR and Robert Kinsler discuss their favorite Love Songs of all time

Check out a new episode where TJR and Robert Kinsler discuss their favorite Love Songs of all time! Watch the episode HERE.

Favorite 100 Songs Of All Time - Part 4: Songs 16-20

On the latest episode of our "Favorite 100 Songs of All Time," TJR and Robert Kinsler weigh in on songs 16-20. Among the artists whose songs make the list are the Raspberries, Big Star, Blur, the Police, the Jayhawks and Earth, Wind & Fire.

Essential New Music on Display

The legacy of some of rock's boldest groundbreaking architects as well as a new "poli-rock" Los Angeles-based trio shine bright on newly-available releases.

Artist: Raspberries
Title: Pop Art Live (Omnivore)
You might like if you enjoy: The Beatles, Badfinger, the Hollies
Tell me more: Anyone who wants to get fully immersed in shimmering songcraft that exudes undeniable melodies, catchy choruses and stellar songs that get stuck in your head should check out the Raspberries' glorious 2004 reunion that has just been released as a must-have 2 CD audio set. Pop Art Live (also available digitally) boasts a pristine recording of the rock quartet's reunion concert captured at House of Blues in Cleveland, Ohio on Nov. 26, 2004. The material here is delivered with power pop precision and heft by the original lineup of singer-guitarist Eric Carmen, lead guitarist-vocalist Wally Bryson, bassist-vocalist David Smalley and drummer Jim Bonfanti. Highlights on disc one include a driving "I Wanna Be With You," a spirited take on the Who's "I Can't Explain," baroque pop-styled "Don't Wanna Say Goodbye" and harmonies-filled prize "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)." The second disc features just as many essentials, with the lush "I Saw The Light," wistful folk rocker When You Were With Me" and anthemic "Go All The Way" sure to impress. Beatles fans (and who isn't?) take note; the Raspberries kill it with incredible takes on the John Lennon/Paul McCartney classics "Baby's In Black," "No Reply" and "Ticket To Ride." As if all that great music wasn't enough, the booklet includes reflections and notes from filmmaker/rock critic Cameron Crowe, author James Rosen and other high-profile fans of the Raspberries. Pop Art Live will be released on Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. Information: raspberriesonline.com or omnivorerecordings.com.

Artist: The Rolling Stones
Title: Some Girls: Live In Texas '78 (Eagle Rock Entertainment)
You might like if you enjoy: The Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry, Mick Jagger
Tell me more: Although The Rolling Stones' Live In Texas '78 was released on DVD back in 2011, the audio-only recording has only recently been released and is available on both CD and vinyl. Recorded at Will Rogers Auditorium in Ft. Worth, Texas on July 18, 1978, the concert recording features the British band tearing through more than a dozen originals as well as a few choice covers (including two great Chuck Berry cuts, "Let It Rock" and "Sweet Little Sixteen"). In 1978 the Rolling Stones were still considered a cutting-edge rock act and the group's undeniable swagger shows through the rowdy and rocking performance. Among the fiery performances caught here are a number of nuggets from the band's then-new album "Some Girls" including the rapid-fire rockers "When the Whip Comes Down" and "Respectable," the R&B-tinged "Beast of Burden" as well as on the dance-minded "Miss You" and country ballad "Far Away Eyes." Additionally, the band kills it on the blues rocker "Star Star," and one-two close of "Brown Sugar" and "Jumping' Jack Flash." Singer Mick Jagger, guitarists Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood (whose dueling licks delight everywhere), bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts are joined by keyboardists Ian 'Stu' Stewart and Ian McLagan for the powerful concert featured here. Information: eagle-rock.com.

Artist: Alex Chilton
Title: A Man Called Destruction (Omnivore)
You might like if you enjoy: Big Star, Fats Domino, the Box Tops
Tell me more: Alex Chilton's 1995 album A Man Called Destruction featured both originals and covers, with the project clearly building on his legacy as the young lead singer of the Box Tops in the 1960s and co-founder of alt-rock pioneers Big Star in the early 1970s. Now Chilton's legendary A Man Called Destruction has been reissued as a deluxe edition with seven bonus tracks. But more than the sheer number of cuts is the wide range of styles, quality of material and Chilton's mesmerizing musical personality that impress across the collection. Chilton's distinctive baritone and equally particular skills as a guitarist deliver New Orleans rhythm & blues ("Sick & Tired"), rowdy garage rock ("Lies," "You're Lookin' Good"), blues (Jimmy Reed's "You Don't Have to Go" and his own "Don't Know Anymore"), indie rock ("Don't Stop") and old-time rock 'n' roll (the rollicking original instrumental "Boplexity" and Beach Boys-styled "New Girl in School"). Information: omnivorerecordings.com.

Artist: The Nasty Housewives
Title: RESisters (HoLoGRAM Recordings)
You might like if you enjoy: Joan Baez, the Indigo Girls, Kerry Getz
Tell me more: To be clear, the Nasty Housewives are no fans of President Donald Trump and have released an album (RESisters) full of melodic, sharp-witted attacks against the president. Using Trump's actions and mannerisms to help construct the lyrics of their original songs, Marcy Levy, Hope Juber and Roberta Freeman know they are preaching to the left-leaning choir with this disc (in the liner notes they rhetorically ask fans of Trump: "...why are you listening to this album?"). The trio's folk rock sensibilities recall a long line of activist singers ranging from Joan Baez to the Indigo Girls, and witty uptempo tunes ("Overrated"), intelligent pop ("Not My President") and more introspective acoustic ballads ("The Legend Of Narcissus," "Mar-a-Lago") provide a nuanced and far-flung balance on the timely so-called "poli-rock" collection. Information: HologramRecordings.com or thenastyhousewives.com.


Robert Kinsler