Sir Ringo Starr Celebrated the 10th Anniversary of His "Peace & Love" Birthday Event at Hard Rock Cafe Nice

It's nice to share a bit of nice news on a Monday!

Sir Ringo Starr celebrated the 10^TH ANNIVERSARY of his “PEACE & LOVE” BIRTHDAY EVENT at Hard Rock Cafe Nice on Saturday, July 7, 2018 

 

Global “Peace & Love” Celebration Took Place in More Than 60 Countries

Barbara Starkey, left, with Ringo Starr on July 7.

Ringo Starr celebrated his birthday on Saturday, July 7, 2018, in Nice, France, where he joined friends and fans in front of Hard Rock Cafe Nice to share a "Peace & Love" salute at noon. Ringo was accompanied by friends and family including his wife, Lady Barbara Starkey, his brother-in-law Joe Walsh with wife Marjorie Walsh, and his All Starrs (including Graham Gouldman, Colin Hay, Steve Lukather, Gregg Rolie, Gregg Bissonette and Warren Ham) with "honorary" All Starr for the day Matt Sorum. The now traditional “Peace & Love” moment invited fans from around the world to say, think or do “Peace & Love” at noon their time. This year’s tribute included celebrations in more than 60 countries.

 

At the event, The Deputy Mayor of the City of Nice, Rudy Salles, welcomed the crowd, and spoke to the importance of “Peace & Love” day. Mr. Salles introduced a musical tribute, which was performed by Ringo’s current All Starr band and Joe Walsh. They played “Act Naturally” and “With A Little Help From My Friends,” and “Funk 49”. Joe then introduced the birthday boy - Ringo - who had already darted out to join the band for a few bits. Ringo thanked the Hard Rock, and event sponsors David Lynch Foundation and Modern Drummer and of course all the fans and friends worldwide who made this 10th Anniversary the biggest yet. The group did a countdown to a noon “Peace & Love” cheer, tossing out “Peace & Love” wristbands and Peace cookies to fans.

 

Starr began the tradition of celebrating a “Peace & Love” birthday with Hard Rock 10 years ago, when he and his wife Barbara joined throngs of fans on the streets of Chicago. The next celebration was a traffic-stopping event in front of Hard Rock Cafe New York in Times Square, with additional birthday stops in subsequent years at Hard Rock Cafe locations in Hamburg, Germany and Nashville, Tennessee, and three years at the Capitol Tower in Los Angeles.

On a related note, check out the video tribute to Ringo Starr's annual birthday celebration that MUSIC WORTH BUYING co-hosts TJR and Robert Kinsler filmed on Saturday, July 7 here:




For additional information on Ringo Starr please visit www.ringostarr.com. 

Summertime Heats Up Via New Releases

A wide range of outstanding releases are helping heat up the summer, including a surprise stunner from Gorillaz, an outstanding sophomore album from the Rails, the third LP from New York-based artist Vincent Poag and a historic live release from guitar great Dennis Coffey.

Artist: Gorillaz
Title: The Now Now (Warner Bros./Parlophone)
You might like if you enjoy: Gorillaz, Damon Albarn's "Everyday Robots"
Tell me more: On the brilliant new Gorillaz release The Now Now, singer-songwriter Damon Albarn has essentially followed up his 2014 release Everyday Robots with a sequel of sorts; the new disc is intoxicating musically even while offering a lyrically-impactful search for finding one's self in a world - America in particular — where people seem to be more alone than ever. Whereas 2017's Gorillaz return Humanz was packed with all-star guests ranging from Mavis Staples and Grace Jones to Popcaan across the track list, The Now Now is a decidedly more intimate and stronger affair. A soundscape paved with cool beats, retro synths and grooves surrounding Albarn's signature vocals, the 11-track disc includes the breezy "Humility" (featuring jazz guitarist George Benson's shining fretwork), the '80s-mining "Tranz," infectious "Lake Zurich," distant "Magic City" (complete with Blur guitarist Graham Coxon's flourishes) and the enthralling "One Percent." Information: gorillaz.com.

Artist: The Rails
Title: Other People (Thirty Tigers)
You might like if you enjoy: Carbon Leaf, Bright Blue Gorilla
Tell me more: It's so clear; the Rails get it. Other People, the latest release from the London-based duo comprised of Kami Thompson (daughter of Linda and Richard Thompson) and James Walbourne (his performance credits include the celebrated likes of the Pretenders, Son Volt and Ray Davies) is a disc that will impress on a single listen even while revealing ever-growing lyrical and sonic layers with subsequent listens. There are tracks rooted in traditional Irish folk sounds ("The Cally," "Other People"), indie roots rockers ("Late Surrender," "Brick And Mortar") and Americana folk ("Drowned in Blue," "Mansion Of Happiness") — all lushly arranged and emotionally truthful. Beyond their talents as top-tier musicians, the duo's secret weapon may well be that Thompson and Walbourne each have amazing and distinctive voices and are able to create a magical third voice when they sing together (just listen to the affecting "Dark Times," wistful "Leaving The Land" and tender "I Wish, I Wish"). Information: TheRailsOfficial.com.

Artist: Vincent Poag
Title: Heroes and Demons (Danal Music)
You might like if you enjoy: Tom Waits, John Prine, Bob Dylan
Tell me more: Based in New York City, singer-songwriter-guitarist Vincent Poag uses his rich baritone to deliver original material that taps into his observations inspired by both a look inward as well as studies directed outward toward the big world around him. On his newly-issued third album Heroes and Demons, there is a straightforward lyrical approach enhanced by creative songwriting in the tradition of American favorites including Randy Newman, Bob Dylan and John Prine. Whether delivering a front-and-center appreciation of life itself ("Beautiful Day") in uncertain times like theses, or tapping into the jangly pop rock of Tom Petty ("Young Again") and utilizing a retro jazzy backdrop on the winning "One Step Ahead of Gloom," Poag's style allows him to weave a number of genres into a singular sound. The Waterboys-flavored "Piper Play" is this writer's favorite; the nugget recalls some of Mike Scott's most Celtic-drenched treasures with a luxurious moodscape enhanced by Irish flute, mandolin, fiddle and accordion. Information: VincentPoag.com.

Artist: Dennis Coffey
Title: One Night at Morey's: 1968 (Omnivore Recordings)
You might like if you enjoy: Dennis Coffey

Tell me more: Listening to the power and inventiveness of Dennis Coffey's One Night at Morey's, it's hard to believe the live performance featuring Coffey on guitar, organist Lyman Woodard and drummer Melvin Davis was recorded 50 years ago. The power and range of the trio is breathtaking; the three musicians blend jazz, funk, R&B and rock via a freewheeling approach that showcases the trio's virtuoso chops and creative chemistry. The instrumental reworking of The Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby" plays out over a fast-moving 13+ minutes! The Meters' "Cissy Strut" is buoyant, with the rhythmic groove a launching pad for flat-out masterful lead guitar work courtesy of Coffey. Those looking for some flat-out killer lead guitar work from Coffey can check out "Burning Spear," where the speed of his runs thrills. A version of the Young Rascals' "Groovin' " certainly serves as the perfect groove for the trio, with all three musicians offering up some outstanding musicianship — all of it nuanced and presented in the service of the piece itself. The originals featured here — "Big City Lights," "Mindbender," and "Union Station" — and they are equally potent. Information: omnivorerecordings.com.

Robert Kinsler

Bird Streets (featuring John Brodeur & Jason Falkner) preview Omnivore Recordings album at Hotel Cafe, August 25

Here is breaking news on an exciting new release from Bird Streets, a project teaming artists John Brodeur and Jason Falkner...

Look what’s flying in from Brooklyn…the new band from John Brodeur and Jason Falkner

With new self-titled Omnivore debut album out August 10th.

BIRD STREETS

Sat. Aug. 25 • LOS ANGELES • Hotel Café, Second Stage

1623 North Cahuenga Blvd., Showtime: 9:00p.m.; Tickets: $10 pre sale

https://www.hotelcafe.com/tickets/?s=events_view&id=7987

Bird Streets' Jason Falkner, left, with John Brodeur.

Brooklyn-based musician John Brodeur is the New York songwriter and musician behind Bird Streets.  He will be live in Los Angeles at the Hotel Café Second Stage on Saturday, August 25.  He will be joined by Los Angeles-based friend, collaborator and producer Jason Falkner for this special show. 

Bird Streets will be released on August 10 via Los Angeles record label Omnivore Recordings.  The label is known primarily as a reissues label so when it releases something new, it’s always tuneful and noteworthy. 

In need of a creative rebirth after years on the music-industry margins, Brodeur reached out to his friend, the producer and multi-instrumentalist Jason Falkner, to suggest they record together. The album yielded by this pairing is both fresh and familiar — a dynamic collection of introspective indie-rock and power-pop that draws liberally on the music of decades past without being bluntly nostalgic, with Brodeur’s voice like an old friend you’re meeting for the first time.

Over a career that’s spanned nearly 20 years, Brodeur has independently produced and released several solo albums, including 2013’s Little Hopes; fronted rock trios the Suggestions and Maggie Mayday; and worked as a touring and studio musician for scores of acts, including the Morning After Girls, Freedy Johnston, and White Hills. Falkner is a widely respected performer and producer whose studio credits include Paul McCartney, Noel Gallagher, and Daniel Johnston. He’s a founding member of power-pop legends Jellyfish, and is the one-man band behind a string of critically lauded solo records, including 1996’s Author Unknown; and a longstanding associate of Beck, currently serving as the lead guitarist in his live band.

The name Bird Streets springs from a tony real-estate enclave in the Hollywood Hills, which Brodeur first discovered when the recording sessions were first getting underway — but also references Brodeur’s one-time hometown of Albany, N.Y., which provided the characters and inspiration for some of the album’s 11 songs.

Brodeur and Falkner were introduced some years ago by mutual friend and fellow one-man-band type Luther Russell (The Freewheelers, Those Pretty Wrongs). Russell appears on Bird Streets via one of the three battling guitar solos that close the track “Stop to Breathe.” Other guests include Miranda Lee Richards and Maesa Pullman, whose voices form the “choir of angels” that gives wings to “Spaceship.”

Lyrically, these songs draw heavily on internal conflict — self-doubt, anxiety, depression — with an overarching feeling of wistful resignation rather than blind optimism. Periodically difficult themes are delivered via unshakable melodies, a dichotomy that recalls the tightrope walked by artists like Elliott Smith and David Bazan/Pedro the Lion. In album opener “Carry Me,” Brodeur celebrates “new beginnings and bitter ends” over a bright, bristling bed of electric guitars, then laments the end of a friendship that was once “tighter than Steely Dan” in the eminently catchy “Betting on the Sun.” From there the album jumps between epic power-ballads (“Stop to Breathe”) and British Invasion-flavored power-pop (“Thanks for Calling”), the George Harrison-via-Radiohead melancholy of “Heal” and the grungy jangle of “Until the Crown.”

Now, after years in the making — and decades on the outside looking in — Bird Streets is giving Brodeur a renewed creative energy, and a shot at reaching a larger audience.

Ann Wilson releases "I Am the Highway" off forthcoming album 'Immortal' today

If you are planning to hit the highly-anticipated "Stars Align Tour" with Jeff Beck, Paul Rodgers and Ann Wilson this summer, make sure to catch up on Ann Wilson's new solo work, including the first single from her forthcoming LP Immortal...

ANN WILSON OF HEART

TODAY RELEASES "I AM THE HIGHWAY"

AS FIRST TRACK FROM HER NEW ALBUM

'IMMORTAL'

DUE OUT SEPTEMBER 14 ON BMG

ANN'S HEADLINING DATES START TONIGHT,

AFTER WHICH SHE JOINS THE SUMMER-LONG 

"STARS ALIGN TOUR"

WITH JEFF BECK AND PAUL RODGERS BEGINNING JULY 18

Photo Credit: Kimberly Adamis

Ann Wilson of HEART, one of rock's most distinctive and powerful vocalists, has released "I Am the Highway" as the first track from her new album that's due out September 14 on BMG. Fittingly titled Immortal, the album features 10 musically diverse tracks that pay tribute to some of Wilson's influences and friends who've recently passed and whose music poignantly lives on.

"I Am The Highway"--originally an Audioslave song that was sung by the late Chris Cornell and written with his bandmates--was released today (July 6) across all digital platform safter its premiere yesterday at RollingStone.com. The song is also available as an instant-grat track with album pre-orders, starting today; click here to access.

"The song is strong, confident, spiritual," says the iconic Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee of "I Am The Highway." "It's about a person who refuses to be tied down to the mundane, who is constantly looking for freedom and independence on a more universal scale, not just ordinary everyday reality. It was the cry of a soul, and it's a beautiful song. Chris and I were friends; we had a lot in common, we were both outsiders in a way. He left us with amazing music."

For Immortal, which marks her debut for BMG, Wilson has teamed with original Heart producer Mike Flicker (Dreamboat Annie, Magazine, Little Queen, Dog and Butterfly and Bebe Le Strange, among others). "Mike was the first producer to believe in me," Wilson says. "He was my first teacher in the studio and knows how to provide that special support needed to bring out my soul in the recording process. It is exciting to work with him for the first time since 1980. I have traveled many, many miles since then but the old feeling is still there and fresh on Immortal. He has fearlessly helped me bring my ideas to life once again and it's been a great collaboration."

ANN chose the album title Immortal after revealing some working titles early on in the project. "The original working titles evolved as the concept for the album evolved; a little bit at a time," explains ANN. "As my understanding of what I had undertaken grew and clarified, I realized a larger truth; that the souls may have departed but the songs will forever be their resonances. These are the poets of our time and their expressions must be handed down. Poetry is lasting and elemental like carvings in rock."

The finely etched tracks that comprise Immortal cover a lot of musical ground, with many highlights including songs by Leonard Cohen ("A Thousand Kisses Deep"),Amy Winehouse ("Back to Black"), David Bowie ("I'm Afraid of Americans"),Lesley Gore ("You Don't Own Me") and Tom Petty ("Luna"). ANN says the criteria for choosing this collection of songs was easy. "First of all, I had to LOVE them! They had to be songs I could get inside of authentically as a singer. Lyrics are important to me but the most important thing is always the marriage of words and melody that makes the song magic!"

With sexism at the forefront of the national conversation, ANN says this did factor into the inclusion of "You Don't Own Me" by Lesley Gore. "'You Don't Own Me' was originally an early feminist anthem in the 1960's and '70's. Since then the idea of self possession has grown to be more universal...This song is about refusing to be objectified and owned. By anyone."

Immortal includes some very special guests as well. "Warren Haynes plays on Tom Petty's 'Luna' and 'You Don't Own Me,'" Wilson reveals. "Ben Mink is featured on Leonard Cohen's 'A Thousand Kisses Deep' and Amy Winehouse's 'Back to Black.' They are both musicians and great people whom I admire. It's always a pleasure and an honor to work with them. Their souls shine through on these songs!"

The full IMMORTAL track listing is as follows:

"You Don't Own Me" (Lesley Gore)

"I Am the Highway" (Chris Cornell, Audioslave)

"Luna" (Tom Petty)

"I'm Afraid of Americans" (David Bowie)

"Politician" (Cream) in honor of Jack Bruce

"A Thousand Kisses Deep" (Leonard Cohen)

"Life in the Fast Lane" (Joe Walsh, The Eagles) in honor of Glenn Frey

"Back to Black" (Amy Winehouse)

"A Different Corner" (George Michael)

"Baker Street" (Gerry Rafferty)

ANN's headlining solo dates start tonight (July 6) in Snoqualmie, WA and run through July 15 in Aspen, CO. Then, she joins the much-anticipated "Stars Align Tour" with Jeff Beck and Paul Rodgers, which kicks off July 18 in West Valley City, Utah and stops in over 20 cities across the U.S. and Canada including Dallas, St. Louis, Chicago, Toronto and Nashville, before wrapping August 26 in Tampa.ANN's set list this summer will include songs from IMMORTAL. The songs will also be featured in ANN's first-ever solo television special (details TBA), taped this past Aprilat the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, IL, to coincide with the album's release.

ANN WILSON's upcoming tour dates are as follows:

DATE		CITY	VENUE
Headlining Dates:
Fri	7/6	Snoqualmie, WA	Snoqualmie Casino
Sat	7/7	Bremerton, WA	Admiral Theatre
Mon	7/9	Salem, OR	Elsinore Theatre
Wed	7/11	Jacksonville, OR	Britt Pavilion
Thu	7/12	Lemoore, CA	Tachi Palace
Sat	7/14	Albuquerque, NM	Route 66 Casino
Sun	7/15	Aspen, CO	Belly Up
Stars Align Tour with Jeff Beck and Paul Rodgers:
Wed	7/18	West Valley City, UT	USANA Amphitheatre
Fri	7/20	Irvine, CA	FivePoint Amphitheatre
Sun	7/22	Chula Vista, CA	Mattress Firm Amphitheatre
Tue	7/24	Houston, TX	Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
Wed	7/25	Dallas, TX	The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Sat	7/28	St. Louis, MO	Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Sun	7/29	Chicago, IL	Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
Tue	7/31	Detroit, MI	DTE Energy Music Theatre
Wed	8/1	Toronto, ON	Budweiser Stage
Fri	8/3	Boston, MA	Blue Hills Bank Pavilion
Sat	8/4	Camden, NJ	BB&T Pavilion
^Tue	8/7	Lewiston, NY	Artpark Amphitheatre
Wed	8/8	Cincinnati, OH	Riverbend Music Center
Fri	8/10	Indianapolis, IN	Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
^Sat	8/11	Pittsburgh, PA	Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts
Sun	8/12	Holmdel, NJ	PNC Bank Arts Center
Tue	8/14	Wantagh, NY	Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
Fri	8/17	Nashville, TN	Nashville Municipal Auditorium
Sun	8/19	Charlotte, NC	PNC Music Pavilion
^Mon	8/20	Vienna, VA	Wolf Trap
Thu	8/23	Jacksonville, FL	Daily's Place
Sat	8/25	West Palm Beach, FL	Coral Sky Amphitheatre
Sun	8/26	Tampa, FL	MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
^with Jeff Beck only
with Cheap Trick
Fri	9/21	Lincoln, CA	Thunder Valley Casino Resort

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Trio of Top-Tier Artists Return With Stellar Titles

Tommy Shaw performing with the Contemporary Youth Orchestra.

Fans of classic rock, modern art rock and first-rate Americana will want to discover exciting new releases available now.

Artist: Tommy Shaw and Contemporary Youth Orchestra 
Title: Sing for the Day! (Eagle Rock Entertainment)
You might like if you enjoy: Styx, the Moody Blues
Tell me more: Filmed before a fervent audience at the Waetjen Auditorium in Cleveland in May 2016, Sing for the Day! was a unique concert featuring singer-songwriter/guitarist Tommy Shaw and the Contemporary Youth Orchestra (CYO) that truly celebrates and expands the legacy of Shaw as well as the power of music to bridge generations. Under the direction of CYO founder Liza Grossman, the large group of young musicians and singers are joined by guitarist/music director Will Evankovich; together with Shaw they revisit and rework many of his best-known hits from Styx and Damned Yankees. The versions here are mostly acoustic with a heavy dose of symphonic coloring that enhances many of the selections. This writer's favorite performance on the title is a deeply affecting version of "Crystal Ball," which also serves as the first commercially-available recording with a lost verse that was never heard until this performance. Other standouts include an ambitious take of "Man in the Wilderness," and a rousing version of "Renegade" — the latter with the audience's impromptu clapping and a duel between Shaw on electric guitar and CYO alum violinist Lavinia Pavlish taking full advantage of the orchestra's range. Sing for the Day! is available as a 13-track audio CD, as well as expansive blu-ray and Digital Audio/Video versions that include the 2016 concert. On the Blu-ray version (reviewed here), there is bonus audio of four tracks offered to a slide show with images captured during rehearsals and the actual performance.  Information: eagle-rock.com.

Artist: Florence + the Machine
Title: High As Hope (Republic Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, Bat for Lashes
Tell me more: Since the release of Florence + the Machine's debut Lungs in 2009, songstress Florence Welch and company have mined art rock, soul and baroque pop to create something that is truly their own. Fast forward to 2018 and Welch's passionate and powerful vocals continue to shine on the troupe's fourth full-length LP, High As Hope. In concert — notably a massive setting such as Coachella where Florence + the Machine have thrilled — the near-bombastic approach taken in favorites such as "Shake It Out," "Only If for a Night" and "Dog Days Are Over" can thrill. But what Florence + the Machine have done on the 10-track High As Hope is craft a more nuanced and emotionally intimate journey via Welch's sweeping impressions of love, loss, hope and faith. Sure there are big choruses where Welch can lift her wonderful soprano to the heavens, but the emotional quiet provides a masterful counterpoint across the disc. The lovely "Grace" and intoxicating "Patricia" are bolstered by this two-sided approach; earlier the lead-off cut "June" is anchored mostly by Welch's voice until the song's climatic finale. The Neo-classical ascent of "The End of Love" and confessional closer "No Choir" provide other rich forays on the disc. Those looking for the signature soulful rock need listen no further than the dramatic "Hunger," an undeniable song that demands repeated listens. Information: florenceandthemachine.net.

Artist: I See Hawks in L.A.
Title: Live and Never Learn (Western Seeds Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Gram Parsons, Kris Kristofferson, Merle Haggard
Tell me more: Discerning music fans from Southern California know some of the region's greatest artists of the '80s, '90s and '00s somehow never got their due. Psychic Rain, Altered State, dada, August Burning, Vinnie James, and Walter Clevenger & the Dairy Kings immediately come to mind. Sadly, Americana troupe I See Hawks in L.A. — whose eponymous debut was released on Sept. 11, 2001 — has been the recipient of critical praise even while being largely ignored by commercial radio. But fans should rush out and grab the band's newly-released Live and Never Learn, an LP of remarkable depth and beauty. I See Hawks in L.A.'s first full-length release since 2013's Mystery Drug, the 14-track masterwork bristles with authenticity and welcome grit. No wonder considering the backdrop in the lives of the members; lead vocalist-guitarist Rob Waller lost his mother to pancreatic cancer in March 2015; guitarist/album producer Paul Lacques recently lost both of his parents. Many of the songs were written and recorded while bandmates were dealing with adversity. Whether performing a traditional country ballad (the lovely "Poour Me," acoustic "Singing in the Wind"), harmonies-adorned folk rock ("Live and Never Learn," "My Parka Saved Me," "Spinning") or vintage-styled rock 'n' roll ("The Last Man in Tujunga," "King of the Rosemead Boogie"), Waller's resonant baritone and the band's masterful playing enriches the winning range of original roots material. Information: Iseehawks.com.


Robert Kinsler

Watch Neil Diamond perform "America" from his forthcoming 'Hot August Night III' concert DVD/Blu-ray/CD multi-disc set

With tomorrow being Independence Day, this seemed like the perfect music-minded media release to share. Have a great 4th of July everybody!

WATCH NEIL DIAMOND PERFORM “AMERICA” FROM HIS FORTHCOMING HOT AUGUST NIGHT III CONCERT DVD BLU-RAY, CD MULTI DISC SET HERE

Hot August Night III Concert DVD Blu-Ray, CD Multi Disc Set for release on August 17, 2018

Preorder Neil Diamond’s Hot August Night III here

On August 17, Capitol/UMe will celebrate one of the century's most electrifying live albums, with the release of Neil Diamond's Hot August Night Ill, a live concert DVD/CD Blu-Ray multi-disc set. Hot August Night Ill chronicles Diamond's triumphant return to the legendary Greek Theatre in Los Angeles in August 2012.The magical evening was Diamond's 40th anniversary celebration of the original multiplatinum-selling Hot August Night collection that was recorded at the very same venue in 1972.

Diamond's noted concert performance and onstage musical prowess is in full evidence on Hot August Night Ill, which features 33 songs including 31 greatest hits. Clocking in at over 2 hours and 20 minutes in length, Hot August Night Ill will be released in multiple audio/video configurations, including 2CD, 2CD + 1DVD, and 2CD + 1Blu-ray, as well as digital and download options. The multidisc set's accompanying video content contains rare behind-the scenes footage with both the band and the crew, showcasing the undeniably palpable energy surrounding Diamond's return to this most historic venue.

Following the 2012 shows at The Greek, Billboard Magazine said of Diamond's performance, "His voice remains powerful and accurate; he reaches towards the baritone register for emphasis, just as he did in the 70's. ...he never falters in delivering every line with conviction."

From the fine acoustic twang of "Forever in Blue Jeans" to the pure Americana swing of "Kentucky Woman" to the eternal sing-along sunshine of "Sweet Caroline” to the raw emotionality of "I Am…I Said" to the welcoming arms of "America,'' Hot August Night Ill cements Diamond's mastery of the live stage and his unique connection with audiences the world over.

Released in December 1972, the original Hot August Night - the title of which was culled from the opening line to one of Diamond's most celebrated tracks, 1969's "Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show" - captures a magical performance on the evening of one of his ten sold-out shows at the Greek that August. Of these nights, Robert Hilburn of The Los Angeles Times declared, "His 1972 Hot August Night stand at the Greek remains among the most celebrated series of shows by a mainstream pop-rock performer ever in LosAngeles.”

Throughout his illustrious and wide-ranging career, Neil Diamond has sold over 130 million albums worldwide and has dominated the charts for more than five decades with 38 Top 40 singles and 16 Top 10 albums. He has achieved record sales with 40 Gold albums,21 Platinum albums and 11 Multi-Platinum albums.

A Grammy Award-winning artist, Diamond is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall Of Fame, and has recently received The Johnny Mercer Award and the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award, two of the highest honors bestowed upon songwriters. Diamond's many other achievements include a Golden Globe Award, 13 Grammy nominations, ASCAP Film and Television Award, Billboard Icon Award, American Music Award and 2009’s NARAS’s MusiCares Person of the Year Award. In 2011, Diamond received the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor for his lifetime of contributions to American culture.

And now, with the endless dynamic enthusiasm that’s apparent all throughout Hot August Night III, Neil Diamond once again sweetly proves that good times never seemed so good.

Preorder Neil Diamond’s Hot August Night III here: https://neildiamond.lnk.to/HAN3

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Neil Diamond HOT AUGUST NIGHT III [2CD, 2CD+1DVD, 2CD+1BD, Digital Download]

Disc 1  
1.  OVERTURE

2. SOOLAIMON

3. BEAUTIFUL NOISE

4. FOREVER IN BLUE JEANS

5. LOVE ON THE ROCKS

6. HELLO AGAIN

7. SEPTEMBER MORN

8. PLAY ME

9. SHILO

10. RED, RED WINE

11. YOU GOT TO ME

12. GIRL, YOU’LL BE A WOMAN SOON

13. THANK THE LORD FOR THE NIGHT TIME

14. CHERRY, CHERRY

15. KENTUCKY WOMAN

16. SOLITARY MAN

17. GLORY ROAD

18. CHELSEA MORNING

19. I’M A BELIEVER

20. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROSE

21. CRACKLIN’ ROSIE

Disc 2
1. AND THE GRASS WON’T PAY NO MIND

2. PRETTY AMAZING GRACE

3. WE 

4. STONES

5. YOU DON’T BRING ME FLOWERS

6. HOLLY HOLY

7. MORNINGSIDE 

8. CRUNCHY GRANOLA SUITE

9. SWEET CAROLINE

10. SWEET CAROLINE – REPRISE

11. I AM…I SAID

12. WALK OFF

13. AMERICA

14. BROTHER LOVE’S TRAVELLING SALVATION SHOW

15. I’VE BEEN THIS WAY BEFORE

16. WALK OFF 

17. BAND BOWS

18. AUDIENCE EXIT