Deluxe Reissues and Box Sets Roundup: The Beatles, The Beach Boys, David Bowie, GNR, John Mellencamp, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Vince Guaraldi

This fall will see the release of a slew of highly-anticipated deluxe reissues, box sets and special collections including titles from The Beatles, The Beach Boys, David Bowie, John Cougar Mellencamp, Guns N' Roses, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Vince Guaraldi.

Artist: The Beach Boys

Title: Sail On Sailor (Capitol)

You might like if you enjoy: The Beach Boys, classic rock

Tell me more: The Beach Boys' 60th Anniversary celebration continues with the forthcoming release of Sail On Sailor, a collection that revisits the landmark 1972 albums Carl And The Passions and Holland. This 6CD set — set for release Nov. 18 — features a 48-page book with extensive liner notes, rare photos and more. The expansive collection includes remastered versions of the original albums along with outtakes and session highlights from the original "Mount Vernon and Fairway" EP from Holland, plus a previously unreleased 1972 concert from Carnegie Hall. What's more, the title includes dozens of studio and live additional tracks, sessions and alternate versions. Information: TheBeachBoys.com.

The 5CD super deluxe edition of 'Revolver' is one of 2022's
most highly anticipated reissues.

Artist: The Beatles

Title: Revolver (Capitol)

You might like if you enjoy: The Beatles

Tell me more: On Oct. 28, 2022, The Beatles' 1966 masterwork Revolver will be released worldwide in a range of newly-mixed and expanded Special Edition configurations. There will be six physical formats in the mix, including a 5CD super deluxe edition and a 4LP+7-inch super deluxe edition. The good news is that all the aforementioned formats will offer a new stereo mix of the album by Giles Martin and Sam Okell, sourced "directly from the original four-track master tapes" and utilizing the now-famous Peter Jackson WingNut Films' "de-mixing" technology used to enhance the audio on the 2021 "Get Back" Beatles documentary series. I plan to purchase the 5CD edition that offers the stereo mix, two discs of 'Sessions' (outtakes, rehearsals and demo versions), an audio CD featuring the original mono mix from the original master tape, and a four-track EP which features new stereo mixes of the non-album single "Paperback Writer"/"Rain" along with the original mono versions. Information: TheBeatles.com.

'A Divine Symmetry: The Journey to Hunky Dory' is set for release on Nov. 25, 2022. 

Artist: David Bowie

Title: A Divine Symmetry: The Journey to Hunky Dory (Parlopone)

You might like if you enjoy: David Bowie

Tell me more: A Divine Symmetry: The Journey to Hunky Dory is a 4CD+blu-ray boxset that chronicles the 12 months running up to the release of the December 1971 David Bowie album Hunky Dory via a mix of home demos, BBC radio sessions as well as live and studio recordings. Along with its wealth of 48 previously unreleased tracks/demos from the period, Divine Symmetry also features new alternative mixes of Hunky Dory tracks by original album co-producer Ken Scott. Two books accompany Divine Symmetry; a 100-page hardback book featuring exclusive memorabilia and photos alongside a 60-page replica composite of Bowie's notebooks from the era featuring handwritten lyrics, costume drawings, recording notes and even set lists. Information: DavidBowie.com.

Artist: Vince Guaraldi

Title: Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus (Craft Recordings)

You might like if you enjoy: Vince Guaraldi, jazz

Tell me more: Beloved for his timeless work scoring more than a dozen classic PEANUTS animated television specials in the 1960s and 1970s, jazz pianist-composer Vince Guaraldi's breakthrough album Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus will receive a deluxe reissue in celebration of its 60th anniversary on Nov. 18. The remastered collection (which includes the GRAMMY Award-winning instrumental hit "Cast Your Fate to the Wind") will include a treasure trove of 16 bonus tracks including a dozen never-before-heard alternate takes and outtakes. While the 2CD and digital formats will be released on Nov. 18, 2022, a 3LP version will follow on Feb. 24, 2023; also available on that date is the original 1962 album which is being released as part of Craft Recordings' "Small Batch" one-step lacquer process series featuring all-analog mastering and offering the highest quality listening experience. Information: CraftRecordings.com.

Artist: Guns N' Roses

Title: Guns N’ Roses — Use Your Illusion I & II Super Deluxes (UME/Geffen)

You might like if you enjoy: Guns N' Roses

Tell me more:  Set to land on Nov. 11, 2022, Guns N’ Roses — Use Your Illusion I & II Super Deluxes promise to be the comprehensive celebration of Guns N' Roses' ambitious 1991 multi-platinum releases Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II. Available in a number of configurations, the 97-track collection will feature 63 previously unreleased songs as well as newly remastered (for the first time ever) versions of both albums. With their release on Sept. 17, 1991, Use Your Illusion I reached No. 2 and Use Your Illusion II took stood in the No. 1 position on the Billboard 200 chart concurrently, selling more than 500,000 copies in the first two hours of release! The version of the epic rock ballad "November Rain" on the upcoming reissue will now include a real 50-piece orchestra conducted by Grammy Award winning composer Christopher Lennertz. Information: gunsnroses.com.

John Cougar Mellencamp's 'Scarecrow Deluxe' is set for release on Nov. 4, 2022.

Artist: John Cougar Mellencamp

Title: Scarecrow Deluxe (Mercury)

You might like if you enjoy: John Mellencamp, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Ubaldini

Tell me more: Coming Nov. 4 is Scarecrow Deluxe, a newly remixed and remastered edition of John Cougar Mellencamp's eighth studio album Scarecrow. The collection features the original 1985 album, a full disc of rare and previously unreleased cuts, an ATMOS and new high resolution stereo mix of the album and bonus tracks on Blu-ray Disc, a 180-gram LP cut at alf-speed, a 7-inch single of "Small Town" with original picture sleeve, lithographs, a poster, and booklet with a new essay by Anthony DeCurtis. One of the Indiana singer-songwriter's most celebrated albums, Scarecrow includes three bona fide hits — "R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A. (A Salute To 60's Rock)," "Lonely Ol' Night" and "Small Town." Information: Mellencamp.com.

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' 'Live at the Fillmore (1997)' will be issued via five different formats, including the 4CD configuration pictured here.

Artist: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Title: Live at the Fillmore (1997) (Warner Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Tell me more: Oct. 2, 2022 marked the fifth anniversary of the passing of Tom Petty, who died at the age of 66. Fans of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer can revisit his incredible legacy via Live at the Fillmore (1977), the troupe's first live album release in 13 years. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' 20-show run at the Fillmore 25 years ago ended up being some of the most joyful, honest, inspirational and prolific experiences of the band’s career, creating a unique bond between the group and their fans. This album features more covers than originals, paying tribute to the artists and songs that shaped Petty’s love of music as he was growing up. Highlights include Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door,” J.J. Cale’s “Crazy Mama,” The Rolling Stones’ “Time is On My Side” and more from The Kinks, Everly Brothers, Bill Withers, The Byrds, Chuck Berry and Booker T. & the M.G.’s. The collection also features special performances with The Byrds’ front man Roger McGuinn and blues legend John Lee Hooker. Other standouts include extended versions of original tracks “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” and “It’s Good To Be King.” Due Nov. 25, the album will be available in five formats ranging from  2CD or 3LP versions to a 6LP Uber Deluxe edition (featuring more than four hours of music) available exclusively on the Tom Petty webstore. Information: TomPetty.com.

Robert Kinsler

Chris Hillman's memoir, 'Time Between: My Life as a Byrd, Burrito Brother and Beyond,' coming from BMG Books on Nov. 17

'Time Between: My Life as a Byrd, Burrito Brother and Beyond' memoir from Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Chris Hillman coming Nov. 17, 2020 via BMG Books

"Chris Hillman has been a well-kept secret in the history of rock. Yeah, we all know how great he was in the Byrds, but his contributions go well beyond that. Chris was a true innovator — the man who invented country rock. Every time the Eagles board their private jet Chris at least paid for the fuel." — Tom Petty

"Chris Hillman is a bona fide pioneering godfather to generations of musical souls who've sought inspiration at that divine crossroads where rock & roll, country, bluegrass, folk, honky tonk, and gospel music intersect and harmonize. He's a national treasure, truly a statesman." — Marty Stuart

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Chris Hillman is arguably the primary architect of what’s come to be known as country rock. After playing the Southern California folk and bluegrass circuit, he joined Roger McGuinn, David Crosby, Gene Clark and Michael Clarke as an original member of The Byrds. He went on to partner with Gram Parsons to launch The Flying Burrito Brothers, recording a handful of albums that have become touchstones of the Americana genre.

The Byrds in the studio / Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Hillman then embarked on a prolific recording career as a member of Stephen Stills’ Manassas, as a solo artist, and as a member of several groups that he insists sound more like law firms than bands: Souther-Hillman-Furay with acclaimed songwriter J.D. Souther and former Buffalo Springfield and Poco member Richie Furay; McGuinn, Clark & Hillman with two of his fellow former Byrds; and Rice, Rice, Hillman & Pedersen with Tony Rice, Larry Rice, and longtime collaborator and duo partner Herb Pedersen. As a songwriter, he appeared on the Billboard singles charts in four consecutive decades, and his songs have been recorded by a diverse range of artists, from Steve Earle to Patti Smith to Roy Rogers. 

Chris Hillman on stage with the Byrds in the mid-'60s.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images

In the 1980s, Hillman launched a successful mainstream country group when he formed The Desert Rose Band with Pedersen and John Jorgenson, scoring eight Billboard Top 10 country hits. In the midst of his country success he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame along with the other original members of the Byrds. He has since released a number of solo efforts, including 2017’s highly-acclaimed Bidin’ My Time, which was the final album produced by Tom Petty with executive producer Pedersen.

In Time Between: My Life as a Byrd, Burrito Brother and Beyond, due out November 17, 2020 via BMG Books, Hillman takes readers behind the curtain of his quintessentially Southern Californian experience. Raised in San Diego County’s then-rural Rancho Santa Fe, Chris grew up in an idyllic 1950s environment that was filled with TV cowboys, horseback riding, exploring the outdoors, surfing, discovering girls, and falling in love with music. When his older sister came home from college with a stack of records by folk artists such as Woody Guthrie and Lead Belly, Chris was hooked. He soon fell in love with the bluegrass music of Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, and The Stanley Brothers, spending hours mastering the guitar and mandolin. Once the Beatles invaded America, the various aspects of his musical DNA came together that would eventually lead to him become a pioneering founding father of country-rock.

Written in an honest and unadorned style, Hillman’s memoir recounts his early experience in bands like The Scottsville Squirrel Barkers and The Golden State Boys, which included future country music legend Vern Gosdin. He shares the story of getting his hands on a borrowed bass — an instrument he’d never played — to try out for the Byrds, and offers up details on why Miles Davis was responsible for their success. He shares about the moment the Byrds were nearly axed from The Ed Sullivan Showfollowing an explosive showdown with the producers, and reveals how participating in a recording session with South African trumpet player Hugh Masekela inspired him to write his very first song, “Time Between,” which then became the first true country rock record. “To me,” Tom Petty once revealed in an interview, “Chris invented country rock, more than anyone I can think of. As far as taking country music and trying to nurture it into a new form, he is absolutely the first guy that really did that.”

Additionally, Chris sheds new light on his productive but sometimes-complicated relationship with Gram Parsons and offers insight into the real man behind the ever-growing myth. He tells us what really happened on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry when the Byrds made their controversial appearance during the recording of the Sweetheart of the Rodeo sessions, and offers up the details on the band’s disastrous trip to South Africa. From becoming one of the first musicians to move to the artistic enclave of Laurel Canyon, to the historic moment he quit the Byrds, to breaking new “outlaw country” ground with the Flying Burrito Brothers, to recording with Manassas, to making the connections that launched the careers of Buffalo Springfield and Emmylou Harris, to his vastly different experiences as a performer at both Monterey and Altamont, Hillman opens up the fascinating pages of his life and career with engaging detail.   

While giving insight into the recording of classics like “Mr. Tambourine Man,” “Turn, Turn, Turn,” and “Eight Miles High,” the musical details of Time Between are only half the story. Pulling back the curtain like never before, Chris reveals the details of his personal life with candor and vulnerability. He writes honestly about his father’s suicide, his subsequent struggles with anger, and how his spiritual journey led him to a place of deep faith that allowed him to extend forgiveness and experience wholeness. He writes of overcoming his overwhelming shyness, building a family with his beloved wife Connie, earning a second degree blackbelt in karate, battling a life-threatening disease, and escaping three (!) house fires.

Featuring a foreword by Dwight Yoakam and dozens of photos from Chris’s personal collection, Time Betweenis filled with Hillman’s encounters with characters such as Lenny Bruce, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bo Diddley, Otis Redding, Chuck Berry, and Buck Owens, as well as his musical collaborations with Clarence White, Bernie Leadon, Stephen Stills, Dan Fogelberg, Herb Pedersen, John Jorgenson, Al Perkins, Jay Dee Maness,Tom Brumley, and more. From tales of hanging out at the famed Ash Grove club in Los Angeles as a teenager to Hillman’s 2018 Sweetheart of the Rodeo anniversary tour with Roger McGuinn and Marty Stuart, this engaging memoir always comes back around to Hillman’s first love. “I never thought about the money, the future, or chasing down stardom,” he writes. “It was always allabout the music.” 

Though he’s a four-time Grammy nominee, three-time CMA nominee, three-time ACM Award winner, and recipient of both the Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award and Mojo magazine’s Roots Award, Hillman remains a disarmingly humble man. Though he would never say it about himself, as his story unfolds in the pages of Time Between it becomes clear that Chris Hillman is much more than a rock star. He is truly one of the architects of American music.

“I’ve had a great life,” says Hillman. “And it’s not over — we’re not done.”  With that affirmation, it is safe to say, moreof the best is yet to come. 

“This book brought back a lot of great memories, the humorous origins of the Byrds and subsequent adventures.”

—Roger McGuinn

“Without Chris Hillman acting as the connective tissue between West Coast country music traditions and the rock ’n’ roll generation, from Buck Owens to the Byrds, there would be no modern country music.”

—Dwight Yoakam

For more information about Chris Hillman, visit:
www.chrishillman.com
www.rounder.com (label)www.skylineonline.com (for booking)

RIP John Prine - the music world mourns the legend

Bonnie Raitt, left, with John Prine at the 2020 Grammys' Lifetime
Achievement Awards on January 26, 2020.
Photo courtesy of the Recording Academy.

Post by Robert Kinsler

A week after the world lost Adam Schlesinger, now comes the terrible news that COVID-19 has also taken John Prine. The two-time Grammy winner was 73. He died earlier today (April 7, 2020) at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Earlier this year the legendary artist was recognized with one of the Grammys' Lifetime Achievement awards. He was paid tribute by the great Bonnie Raitt, who performed an acoustic version of Prine's classic "Angel From Montgomery" in homage.

"My friend John Prine, who is sitting right over there, wrote 'Angel From Montgomery' and so many other songs that changed my life," Raitt rhapsodized following the performance, while Prine was given a standing ovation in the audience. "I love you, John."

I loved Prine's set when I last caught him at the Stagecoach Festival in Indio, CA in spring 2014. 

Noted long-time Los Angeles Times music writer Robert Hilburn just tweeted out, speaking for many: "It's a heartbreaking night for all of us who've loved John Prine's music for all these years. RIP. He was 73. On the very top shelf of American songwriters."

The band Dawes also responded to his passing: "RIP John Prine. Thanks for being so much more than we could ever deserve." 

John Prine performing at the Stagecoach Festival.

Songstress Whitney Rose also reacted: "Thank you, John. You raised the bar in every way. Rest in power knowing that you changed the world for the better." 

Roger McGuinn wrote: "Peace John Prine. He was a major influence in my life and a fellow student at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. His storytelling ability was amazing!" 


Tweeted Peter Holsapple: "We have lost a giant. Rest In Peace." 

The official account for the Stagecoach Festival spoke for many this evening: "One of the best there ever was. Love you forever John." 

John Fogerty acknowledged the tremendous loss: "Rest In Peace, John Prine. You're in paradise now." 

Bruce Springsteen wrote: "Over here on E Street, we are crushed by the loss of John Prine. John and I were "New Dylans" together in the early 70s and he was never anything but the loveliest guy in the world. A true national treasure and a songwriter for the ages. We send our love and prayers to his family." 

Bonnie Raitt tweeted following the loss of her good friend: "Words can't even come close. I'm crushed by the loss of my dear friend, John. My heart and love go out to Fiona and all the family. For all of us whose hearts are breaking, we will keep singing his songs and holding him near." 

RECORDING ACADEMY® STATEMENT REGARDING JOHN PRINE TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2020

We join the world in mourning the passing of revered country and folk singer/songwriter John Prine. John earned 11 GRAMMY® nominations and received two GRAMMY Awards® for Best Contemporary Folk Album, one for The Missing Years at the 34th GRAMMYs® and another for Fair & Square at the 48th GRAMMYs. His self-titled debut album was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame® in 2015, and just recently he was announced as a 2020 Recording Academy® Lifetime Achievement Award recipient for his contributions to music during his nearly five-decade career. Widely lauded as one of the most influential songwriters of his generation, John’s impact will continue to inspire musicians for years to come. We send our deepest condolences to his loved ones. Harvey Mason jr. Interim President/CEO Recording Academy “We were saddened to learn of John Prine’s passing, the loss of a true American treasure. He was admired both for his art and for his sheer humanity.  He had a nobility that radiated liked a million watt radio station just across the border. We last crossed paths at the Memphis Music Hall of Fame ceremony where he inducted Cowboy Jack Clement and we got to do the honors for Roy Orbison.  We greeted each other warmly and I vividly recall passing a most pleasant time with the genuine article.  Never to be forgotten.”  - Billy F Gibbons “In the summer of 1973, days after I’d seen my first rock concert (Grand Funk Railroad), Steve Leder, my friend and band mate, took me downstairs to his teen lair and played me John Prine’s “Dear Abby.” “Whaddya think,” he asked. ‘Country’ I thought. ‘I hate country.’ Steve picked up the needle and played the song again. And once more after that. I started to hear something in those lyrics; John Prine was speaking to me. He was wry, he made me smile, he was doing something different. It wasn’t Grand Funk. It wasn’t Alice Cooper or The Rolling Stones either. With just his acoustic guitar and a ragged voice it became clear that you didn’t need stacks of Marshall amps to blow people away. You needed only to mine the minutiae of living and take careful notes to make people feel the weight of their humanity.” - Peter Himmelman "My world, the world of songwriters and guitar pickers, is reeling from the death of John Prine yesterday. We labor at our craft in hopes we can attain some vague approximation of the easy genius of his songs. John Lennon said the artist’s role is as “a reflection of us all,” and no one did that with as much facility as Prine, in my opinion. From Mr. Peabody’s coal train to a poster of an old rodeo to hammering nails in planks to hair so unnaturally curled, any listener could relate to his characters and his takes on love and life. There was a plain generality to it, but it was filled with so many tiny bejeweled details that addressed the specific as well. And oh, the emotion from that road-worn beat-up voice. The real thing in every respect. We are left with a catalog of his songs, a phalanx of his albums and minds full of memories to assuage this loss as best we can. It’s so vast, yet I think we all hoped for even more from John, had his life not been cut short. We will have to learn to be satisfied with what we have and to revel in all of it. We hoped for a miracle that did not come for John; and when it didn’t happen, he accidentally became someone in one of his own songs." - The dB's Peter Holsapple “More than once, I saw Prine get so tickled with himself he couldn’t keep his teeth in his mouth, the grin would overtake him, but he’d keep talking anyway. I remember him pointing at the TV screen one night in the early nineties. The news was showing clips of the crowd at a folk festival that had taken place that afternoon and the people looked like they were trying to re-create Woodstock, headbands, tie dye, the usual. Prine said, ‘Look at them out there trying to be hippies. There’s not a cavity in that whole crowd. I never met a hippie chick didn’t have a mouth full of rotten teeth.’ John Prine was a realist.” —James McMurtry "My first ever live concert at the esteemed ‘mother church’  The Ryman Auditorium was John Prine...and I sat there like a school kid waiting for the spring break bell, I was so excited...he did all his greatest hits, but at that time (around 1995)...he was especially pushing his newest body of work, Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings. I believe I had a spiritual awakening when I heard him and his full band do 'Lake Marie' for the first time, in THAT venue. I mean, my soul shook. Funny thing is, I still feel that way EVERY time I hear it now, long after....just like I do when I hear Ain’t Hurtin Nobody. All the Way with You. We Are the Lonely.   I Love you So Much It Hurts and This Love is Real. There’s not a weak song on the whole damn record, but then....that was John. He was one of those lyrical untouchables, but every word, every single word, reached out and touched you. He was the apidimi of real. All those great songs, all those great records, such a lovely man...such a gentle soul. Good God!!!  We cried in our kitchen tonight when we found out he’d passed away. Matt and I both realized we’d only met him once each, but both experiences equally important enough to remember for life. John remembered your name. He made such tender-hearted eye contact,  he shook your hand and made you feel like you were long lost family. He wasn’t a show-boater or a grand-stander and he didn’t seem like he had much use for those that were.  He wrote simple songs with fairly simple chords about real life things, but NOBODY could do em like he could. You could tell he had a mind that was deep as the deepest well and that’s why writing simple songs is so complex. It’s flat out hard to say the same ol’ thing and make it sound new, fresh, genuine, and poetic. John Prine was one of my all time favorite poets. The world will be one less honorable and talented man going forward. One less legend. Selfishly, I’d just wished I’d have gotten to sit and share lunch with him at his favorite meat and three where we met once, and visit a spell....or sing a duet with him....and watch him do his thing from a few feet away, I’ll always be a little extra sad about that. I wish love and support to his wife Fiona and his family during this confusing time in our universe. Bless you all.  One of the all time favorite quotes from the movie Daddy and Them was a line John so perfectly and timely delivered “Don’t never let it be too late...” John Prine, you were right on time, and you touched the hearts of every set of ears that got to hear you. Until we meet again, I look forward to that lunch." - Heidi Newfield  “John Prine was one of the most introspective songwriters of our time.  I was introduced to John Prine’s songs while on Navy leave in a small club in Charleston, SC. many years ago. Songs like “Dear Abbey” and “Sam Stone” drew me in as a fan of great lyrics. But “Hello In There” and “Angel From Montgomery” stole my heart and became my favorites. John Prine not only inspired me to be a songwriter, but to want to be a better songwriter. I’m still working on that...  Rest In Peace John.” - Ruthie Foster Read an outstanding remembrance of Prine's life and art just published in American Songwriter here. Finally, watch a moving October 1, 2019 performance of Prine performing "Summer's End" backstage at the John Anson Ford Theater:

'Sweetheart of the Rodeo' to be celebrated by Byrds co-founders Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman on 50th Anniversary tour

Lead goes here....


BYRDS CO-FOUNDERS ROGER MCGUINN AND CHRIS HILLMAN CELEBRATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF "SWEETHEART OF THE RODEO" WITH SPECIAL TOUR  FEATURING MARTY STUART AND HIS FABULOUS SUPERLATIVES

DEBUT APPEARANCE CONFIRMED FOR MARTY STUART'S LATE NIGHT JAM IN NASHVILLE ON JUNE 6th  AT THE RYMAN AUDITORIUM 

On the 50th anniversary of their groundbreaking album, Sweetheart of the Rodeo, Byrds co-founders, Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman will perform the album in its entirety and tell the stories that brought the album to life. They will also sing some other favorites from their long recording careers. The tour will stop in cities across the country including Los Angeles, Albany, and Akron (dates below, with more to be announced soon) and will kick off with a short performance of a few songs from Sweetheart of the Rodeo at Marty Stuart’s Late Night Jam on June 6^th at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. McGuinn and Hillman will be joined on stage for the tour by country legends Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives. Stuart himself plays the famous 1954 Fender Telecaster originally owned by legendary country-rock pioneer Clarence White, a performer on Sweetheart of the Rodeo. For tickets and more details, see venue information below.

Sweetheart of the Rodeo is widely considered to be one of the most influential country rock albums of all time, and credited with giving rise to the genre. In 2003, the album was ranked #117 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Albums.

“On March 9, 1968, Roger McGuinn and I along with many fantastic musicians began recording the Sweetheart of the Rodeo album at Columbia Studios in Nashville,” says Chris Hillman. ”It was truly a pivotal moment in our lives taking a turn toward the music we always felt a strong kinship with. We are honored that it has left a strong, long lasting impression on country and rock music. To celebrate this special time with Roger, Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives is such a blessing on this, the 50th anniversary of Sweetheart of the Rodeo.”

Roger McGuinn adds: "Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Sweetheart of the Rodeo with a group  of my favorite musicians is an honor. I can't wait to be on stage with Chris Hillman, Marty Stuart and those Fabulous Superlatives! We're all looking forward to taking the fans through the back pages of the recording. The concert will include songs that led up to that ground breaking trip to Nashville and all the songs from the album."

Marty Stuart said about the influence the album had on him: “The Bryds' Sweetheart of the Rodeorecording stands as a milestone in American music. I bought my first copy of the record in 1972. Upon my first listen, I was mesmerized at the effect of the combined power Country music, Rock & Roll, Bluegrass, Gospel and Folk music had on me. From that day forward, I considered  Sweetheart of the Rodeo a blueprint as to how I should live my musical life. It is truly an honor for me and the Superlatives to get to go out and play music from Sweetheart with Roger and Chris. We love and greatly admire both of them and I have to believe this is a show not to be missed.”

About Roger McGuinn:
Born in Chicago, Roger McGuinn began his professional musical career at age seventeen when the Limelighters drafted him after an evening of jamming with them at the Gate of Horn. They invited him to record on their first RCA album in Los Angeles. The Chad Mitchell Trio heard about his guitar and banjo talent and hired him as an accompanist. He toured with them for two years before Bobby Darin saw him playing and offered him a place in his show. After touring with singer Bobby Darin, McGuinn moved to New York where he worked in the fabled Brill Building, as a song writer. It was at the Brill Building where he first heard the Beatles and decided to add their rock beat to traditional folk songs. An invitation to open for Hoyt Axton at the Los Angeles club, The Troubadour, lead to the meeting with Gene Clark. The rest of the story is the history of the Byrds. The Byrds have been given credit for being in the forefront of  Folk Rock, Psychedelic Rock and the ground breaking genre of Country Rock. McGuinn is a three time Grammy nominee and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with the Byrds.

About Chris Hillman:
A third generation native Californian, Chris Hillman launched his musical career in 1962 at age 18 with Bluegrass outfit the Scottsville Squirrel Barkers, followed by a stint with The Hillmen (with Vern and Rex Gosdin and Don Parmley). Over the course of the next three decades, he was a founding member of the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Manassas, Souther Hillman Furay, McGuinn Clark Hillman, and the Desert Rose Band.  He has recorded more than 65 albums over the last five decades. His most recent solo recording, last year’s Bidin’ My Time, was  produced by Tom Petty. He is widely acknowledged as a seminal figure in the creation of country rock and an architect of American popular music. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; a three-time Academy of Country Music Award winner, four-time Grammy nominee, four-time Country Music Association nominee, and has been honored with lifetime achievement awards from the Americana Music Association and the San Diego Music Awards, a Mojo Roots Awards, and received BMI’s One Million Broadcast Radio Awards for “One Step Forward” and “Love Reunited.”
 
About Marty Stuart:
Marty Stuart is a five time GRAMMY-winner, platinum recording artist, lifetime crusader for American roots music, Grand Ole Opry star, country music archivist, photographer, musician, and songwriter. Since starting out singing gospel as a child, Stuart has spent over four decades celebrating American roots music. His teenage years on tour with bluegrass legend Lester Flatt in the ’70s were followed by six years in Johnny Cash’s band in the ’80s, and a chart-topping tenure as a solo artist in the ’90s. Stuart hosts a Late Night Jam at The Ryman, a yearly tradition which kicks off the CMA Music Festival, with recent guests including Dolly Parton, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ashley McBryde, Eric Church, Chris Stapleton, Maren Morris and many more

Sweetheart Of The Rodeo Tour Dates 
(click through each date for tickets) 
July 24 /// Los Angeles, CA ///Ace Hotel
July 29 /// Saratoga, CA /// Mountain Winery
Sep 18 /// Albany, NY /// Hart Theater @ The Egg
Sep 20 /// Hopewell, VA /// Beacon Theatre
Oct 3 /// Akron, OH /// Akron Civic
More dates to be announced soon.

Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Famer Roger McGuinn Coming to Soka Performing Arts Center on September 30

This is big news. I can't recall the last time that legendary Roger McGuinn came to Orange County, CA to perform. I got to see the legendary artist when he performed a solo show at the Stagecoach Festival in April 2013 and he was truly outstanding. You can see my review of that concert here

Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Famer, Roger McGuinn of the Byrds, Performs New Folk Music at Soka Performing Arts Center

Singer-songwriter-guitarist Roger McGuinn will perform at Soka Performing Arts Center on Friday, September 30, 2017. Photo credit: John Chiasson Aliso Viejo, CA – The Byrds founder Roger McGuinn performs at Soka Performing Arts Center on Saturday, September 30, 2017, at 8:00 p.m. as part of the Pop Classics Series. Single-concert tickets are $45 for adults; $37 for students, seniors, and active military families; and $33 each for groups of 10 or more. Purchase tickets and packages online at PerformingArts.Soka.edu or by calling 949-480-4ART (4278). “Music would be a very different place if it hadn’t been for Roger McGuinn” (Rolling Stone). With his signature 12-string Rickenbacker sound, and his instantly recognizable vocals he created hits like “Turn,Turn,Turn,” “Eight Miles High,” and “Mr. Tambourine Man.” McGuinn is known to guide his audience along a journey of story and song; expect to hear some new folk music that he so passionately embraces. Roger McGuinn performing at the Stagecoach Festival in April 2013. Photo: Robert Kinsler McGuinn has been spearheading his acclaimed Folk Den Project, touring with country superstar Marty Stuart and his band, appearing at the Corona Theatre to open the Montreal Folk Festival, playing at Stagecoach, and appearing as a “Very Special Guest” on selected dates of Peter Frampton’s Guitar Circus Tour. McGuinn disbanded the Byrds in 1973 to pursue his dream of a solo career. He made five solo albums on Columbia Records. He later rejoined Gene Clark and Chris Hillman in 1978 on Capitol Records for three albums. However, in 1981 he decided it was time to return to his folk roots and began touring solo acoustic. Arista records released Back From Rio in 1991, a rock album that included his friends Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Elvis Costello, Chris Hillman, David Crosby, Michael Penn, and John Jorgensen. Prior to forming The Byrds, McGuinn toured and performed folk music with the Limeliters, Chad Mitchell Trio, and Bobby Darin as a guitarist and banjo player. McGuinn moved to New York at Darin’s request to work for his publishing company, TM Music. His experiments in merging folk and rock didn’t please the folk purists, so he moved to Los Angeles to work at the Troubadour. It was after an opening set for Hoyt Axton that Clark approached him with appreciation for his new musical blend. They started writing songs together in the folk den of the Troubadour. It wasn’t long before David Crosby joined them and added his unique concepts of harmony to the duo, thereby completing the underpinnings for one of the most influential bands of the 1960s.

For more details and ticket information, see www.performingarts.soka.edu. Event Info: An Evening with Roger McGuinn  Friday, September 30, 2017, at 8:00 p.m. Soka Performing Arts Center Soka University of America 1 University Drive Aliso Viejo, CA 92656 Tickets: $45/$37 Event URL: http://tinyurl.com/SokaRogerMcGuinn ### Soka Performing Arts Center is located at 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo on the campus of Soka University of America. The 1,000-seat concert hall features world-class acoustics designed by Yasuhisa Toyota, acoustic designer of noted performance venues like Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and Suntory Hall in Tokyo. Designed to truly reflect the university’s commitment to sustainability, the concert hall and adjacent Maathai Hall (featuring a black box theatre and dance studio) have been built to Gold LEED standards and feature vegetated green roofs. Photo voltaic cells on the Soka Performing Arts Center roof generate approximately 15% of the facility's electrical needs. Soka University of America is a private, non-profit, four-year liberal arts college and graduate program. The campus was rated in the Top 50 National Liberal Arts Colleges in US News and World Report’s “Best Colleges 2017.” The university is open to top students of all nationalities and beliefs and was founded upon the Buddhist principles of peace, human rights and the sanctity of life. For more information: www.soka.edu.

Lou Reed and Kris Kristofferson - The Bottom Line Archive Series to featuring once-in-a-lifetime pairing of legends

Great songwriting will undoubtedly be on display on this highly-anticipated release coming out later this summer...

New from THE BOTTOM LINE ARCHIVE SERIES... The Once-in-a-Lifetime Pairing of Two Songwriting Legends Lou Reed and Kris Kristofferson Performing Their Classic Songs and Talking About Songwriting In Their Own Words with Vin Scelsa Recorded LIVE at The Bottom Line Cabaret (1994)

New York, NY, July 31, 2017 -- The Bottom Line Archive Series presents its next release: the once-in-a-lifetime live performance by Lou Reed and Kris Kristofferson at the height of their craft, set for release September 15, 2017. Recorded at the legendary Bottom Line club in Greenwich Village, the album presents an evening of music, songwriting and storytelling - intimate, acoustic, historic. The Bottom Line Archive label is distributed via BFD/Red; BFD is a division of Bob Frank Entertainment. Lou Reed and Kris Kristofferson: In Their Own Words with Vin Scelsa is the only time these two master songwriters performed together. Over the course of one night (2/2/94) with noted radio personality Vin Scelsa leading the conversation, Reed and Kristofferson swap stories and songs. The evening and two-disc set includes Reed performing eight songs including Sweet Jane, Romeo Had Juliet, Legendary Hearts; Kristofferson's seven include Me and Bobby McGee, Sunday Morning Coming Down, Help Me Make it Through the Night; and each performing a cover (Kristofferson does Bird On A Wire, Reed performs Tracks of My Tears). This singular meeting - Reed from the jungles of New York City and Kristofferson from the heart of the South - made music history, says Bottom Line co-founder/curator Allan Pepper. "It was very rare that we could present two giants on the same stage on the same night, especially artists of this caliber and impact. With this release, people who weren't there that night can experience that special night with these true music legends talking about their process and craft, cracking a few jokes along the way." According to the liner notes penned by series producer Gregg Bendian, who performed frequently at The Bottom Line with his band, The Mahavishnu Project, "both artists were much-beloved Bottom Line regulars. Kris played a total of 42 shows at the club, while Lou played no less than 54 shows there. Many will recall that Lou recorded his famous Take No Prisoners live album over the course of five nights at club, in May of 1978. That level of relaxed comfort and spontaneity so evident on this recording is no accident. It's the sound of artists who indeed feel quite comfortable and at home on the stage of what was clearly their New York venue of choice. The playful banter of camaraderie and mutual admiration between Kris, Lou and Vin heard on this document bears this out beautifully, and the Bottom Line audience can be heard laughing, gasping, chiming in, and hanging on every note." This release is the 12th in a planned rollout of titles over the next few years, including classic live performances by Jack Bruce, Ralph Stanley, the Brecker Brothers, Pete Seeger & Roger McGuinn, Harry Chapin and Kenny Rankin, among others. Bottom Line co-founder/curator Allan Pepper has recordings of more than 1,000 shows from Greenwich Village nightclub, which always booked an eclectic mix of rock, jazz, blues, folk and other forms of music during its 30-year run. Pepper and the label are currently in conversation with representatives from many of the acts.   All music from The Bottom Line Archive has been mixed and mastered at The Magic Shop, an award-winning state-of-the-art studio in New York. The Bottom Line Archive can be pre-ordered on Amazon and iTunes; and available on all digital providers. Previous editions of the BLA series are also available on Amazon and iTunes.  About The Bottom Line: The Bottom Line was a legendary music venue at 15 West 4th Street in Greenwich Village. Owned by Allan Pepper and Stanley Snadowsky, the Bottom Line opened February 12, 1974 and enjoyed a 30-year run.  Bruce Springsteen played showcase gigs at the club and Lou Reed recorded the album Live: Take No Prisoners there.  Harry Chapin held his 2000th concert at the Bottom Line in 1981.  The Bottom Line hosted an extremely wide variety of music. Among the thousands who performed on its stage were: Eric Clapton, Linda Ronstadt, The Police, Billy Joel, Patti Smith, Hall & Oates, Prince, Van Morrison, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Betty Carter, Ravi Shankar, Ramones, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Charles Mingus, Neil Sedaka, Al Kooper, Tom Waits, Peter Gabriel, Cheech & Chong, Sam & Dave, Southside Johnny, John Cale, Laura Nyro and many more.