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The Queen of Disco Donna Summer died on Thursday (May 17th) of lung cancer. She was 63 years old. According to TMZ.com, Donna's family said in a statement, "Early this morning, we lost Donna Summer Sudano, a woman of many gifts, the greatest being her faith. While we grieve her passing, we are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy. Words truly can't express how much we appreciate your prayers and love for our family at this sensitive time."
She was reportedly in Florida at the time of her death. Sources say that the singer was trying to keep the extent of her illness quiet. The source added that she was actually focused on completing a new album and was in good spirits.
Donna's longtime attorney Gerry Rosenblatt said that the disco icon didn't let people know how sick she was. He told RadarOnline.com, "Donna was a very private person, and I suspected there was an issue because she had turned down very lucrative work over the past year, but she never talked to me about being sick and it was never confirmed. She turned down all the interviews and all scheduled work. You knew that something was up and I suspected a serious illness."
He continued, "I am very shaken up, I have been her attorney since 1980, and I know her whole family. This is not a good day. "
Donna became a superstar in the 1970's with hits like "Last Dance," "Hot Stuff" and "Bad Girls" and "Love To Love You Baby". Throughout the 80's, the five time Grammy winner also had huge hits like "She Works Hard for the Money" and "This Time I Know It's for Real."
Donna leaves behind her husband of 31 years, Bruce Sudano and three daughters, Mimi Sommer, Brooklyn Sudano and Amanda Sudano.
CELEBRITY REACTIONS
Celebrities took to Twitter to mourn the death of Donna Summer. Quincy Jones tweeted, "Rest in Peace dear Donna Summer. Your voice was the heartbeat and soundtrack of a decade." Ellen DeGeneres wrote, "I'm so sad about the news that Donna Summer died this morning. I was a big fan. I even used one of her songs in my show that airs today."
- Mary J Blige: "RIP Donna Summer! You were truly a game changer!"
- Rihanna: "Donna Summer??"
- Keri Hilson: "I may be an 80's baby, but I loved the disco era. Donna Summer & Diana Ross were the inspiration for my 70's scene in Pretty Girl Rock vid!"
- Ryan Seacrest: "I remember sitting in the front seat of my mom's toyota while she sang Donna Summer's "she works hard for the money" songs were just classic"
- Timbaland: "this cant be true. I can't believe this RIP Donna Summer. At a loss for words"
- Robin Roberts: "Heard about the passing of #DonnaSummer - fond memories of singing and dancing to her music. Blessings to her family.?
- Holly Robinson Peete: "#IJUSTCANT. Donna Summer..."The VOICE"... Well Done Diva. #RIPDonna *long tears*
- Jackee Harry wrote, "Life Is A Dash - But Donna Summer's Was Beautifully Punctuated! #LoveToLove Her. RIP Donna."
- Niecy Nash: "Whitney. Tina Marie. Vesta. Now Donna Summer. The choir in heaven has a new member. They will be singing up a beautiful storm:) RIP DonnaSummer #discodiva #sadtweet"
- Rupaul: "Donna Summer, your last dance with remain in our hearts forever."
- The Roots' ?uestlove wrote, "Donna Summer. Man I can't believe this--- like 'My Baby Understands' was on my workout playlist this morning! This MORNING! God...I just..."
BIO
LaDonna Adrian Gaines was born on December 31, 1941 in Boston, Massachusetts. She was a groundbreaking artist who merged the sounds of R&B, pop, funk, rock, disco and electronica. As a young girl, Donna sang in church choirs and city-wide choruses. By her early twenties, she launched her music career on stage in Munich, Germany, in productions of Hair and Porgy & Bess. While in Germany, she hooked up with producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellote who produced her first single "Hostage," which became a hit in The Netherlands, France and Belgium.
In 1972, she married Austrian actor Helmuth Sommer and gave birth to their daughter Mimi Sommer in 1973. The two divorced after she had an alleged affair but she kept his last name, but changed it to Summer.
In 1975, Moroder and Bellotte produced "Love To Love You Baby" -- which rose to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. She also released hits like "MacArthur Park," "Bad Girls," "Hot Stuff," "Dim All The Lights," "On The Radio" and Enough Is Enough" as well as the Grammy and Academy award winning theme song "Last Dance" from the Thank God It's Friday film.
By 1977, the pressures of fame and past mistakes had begun to take a toll on her. Donna had began suffering from depression and anxiety attacks and had attempted suicide several times. She was also addicted to prescription medicine. Following a nervous breakdown in 1979, Summer became a born again Christian.
On her suicide attempt, she once reportedly said, "It sorta snuck up on me, and I think it because I had my daughter, and during that period, my marriage broke up, and I was alone, and I was staying up at night, and I would go out and work and then, I would be getting 2 to 3 hours a sleep a day. It was scary, and so I couldn't deal another minute of it, and I was on my way out the window . . ."
She continued, "I was sticking my foot out, I was shifting my weight, and I got caught in a curtain and the maid opened the door, exactly that time . . . and I thought, 'Oh, my God!,' It really kind of shook me, it woke me up and then I let her in, and I got on the phone, and I think I called somebody said, 'I need help,' and thank God that lady came, because I'd be gone today."
In 1980, Donna became the first artist to sign to David Geffen's new label Geffen Records. She released three albums on the label, The Wanderer, 1982's Donna Summer and She Works Hard for the Money. She went on to collaborate with writers and producers like Quincy Jones, Michael Omartian, and England's dance-pop production compound Stock Aitken Waterman and produced hits like "State of Independence," featuring Michael Jackson on backing vocals, and "She Works Hard For The Money," one of the most-played songs of all-time, and "This Time I Know It's For Real."
By the mid 1980's Donna Summer was embroiled in controversy. She allegedly made anti-gay comments regarding the-then relatively new disease AIDS. Her comments had a negative impact on her career and saw thousands of her records being returned to her record company by angry fans. Donna allegedly said that AIDS was a punishment from God for the immoral lifestyles of homosexual. She later apologized and denied making the comments.
She went on the release the albums Cats Without Claws (1984), All Systems Go (1987), Another Place And Time (1989). In the 90's she released albums such as Mistaken Identity, The Donna Summer Anthology, Christmas Spirit, and Endless Summer: Greatest Hits -- which spawned the #1 hit, "Melody of Love", and Live & More Encore. She continued to tour to sold out audiences worldwide and also made guest appearances on the hit TV sitcom Family Matters.
In 1999, Sony/Epic Records released VH1 Presents Donna Summer: Live & More - Encore! an album and DVD of Donna's acclaimed VH1 broadcast taped at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom. The show premiered on VH1 as one of the network's highest rated shows to date and featured live performances of Summer's top hits.
In 2003, she released The Journey: The Very Best of Donna Summer. She also released her autobiography Ordinary Girl.
In 2008, celebrating four decades of milestones, Donna Summer released a new album in 17 years entitled Crayons. The album debuted at #17 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart making it Summer's highest debuting album ever. It also debuted at #5 on the Billboard R&B chart. "
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Career Achievements
The five-time Grammy winner was the first female artist to have back-to-back multiplatinum double albums and the first female artist to incorporate synthesizers as well as the first artist to create and extended play song. She was also first female to have four #1 singles in a 12 month period; 3 as a solo artist and one as a duo with Barbra Streisand.
Donna Summer was the first artist to win the Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female (1979, "Hot Stuff") as well as the first-ever recipient of the Grammy for Best Dance Recording (1997, "Carry On").
In 2004, she became one of the first inductees, as both an Artist Inductee and a Record Inductee (for 1977's "I Feel Love") into the Dance Music Hall of Fame in New York City.
Donna Summer earned five Grammy Awards, six American Music Awards, three consecutive #1 platinum double albums (she's the only artist, male or female, ever to accomplish this), 11 gold albums, four #1 singles, 2 platinum singles, and 12 gold singles.
Donna was also the first female artist to have a #1 single and #1 album on the Billboard charts simultaneously ("Live & More;" "MacArthur Park" 1978) a feat she also repeated six months later ("Bad Girls" & "Hot Stuff" in 1979). She charted 22 #1 hits on the Billboard Disco/Dance charts, over a period of 25 years a milestone solidifying her as The Queen of Dance.
In addition to her recording and performing career, Summer was an accomplished visual artist whose work had been shown at exhibitions worldwide. Since 1989, she had sold over 1.2 million dollars in original art - with her highest piece going for $150,000.
Donna has sold more than 130 million records worldwide.
She was ranked at #24 in Billboard Magazine's 50th anniversary issue featuring Hot 100 Artists of All Time.
DONNA SUMMER DISCOGRAPHY
TWITTER: #donnasummer
MICK JAGGER SET FOR 'SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE' THIS WEEKEND
Mick Jagger will host tomorrow night's (May 19th) season finale of NBC's Saturday Night Live. Rumors began swirling earlier this month that the Stones would be joining Jagger on the show when news leaked that he group had been rehearsing in Manhattan and Weehawken, New Jersey. Strangely, it was Keith Richards who revealed to Rolling Stone that Jagger would be playing without the band. Jagger will perform three times on Saturday, being backed by Foo Fighters, Arcade Fire, and Jeff Beck and his band, respectively. Jagger reportedly signed on to close out the show's 37th season at the personal request of executive producer Lorne Michaels.
Jagger has appeared on SNL a total of five times over the years, performing as a musical guest once with the Stones on October 7th, 1978; twice as a solo act on February 6th, 1993 and again on December 8th, 2001; and made two cameos on the show -- on December 16th, 1978, singing with Peter Tosh and on February 6th, 1986 with a walk-on part with then-wife -- and that week's host -- Jerry Hall. Although Jagger appeared in various sketches during four of his five appearances, Saturday's show marks the first time he's hosted and performed since the Stones' 1978 debut.
CHECK IT OUT: Jagger and Jimmy Fallon on SNL in 2001
GLEN CAMPBELL FIGHTS ALZHEIMER'S ON CAPITOL HILL
Glen Campbell visited Capitol Hill on Tuesday (May 15th) to promote awareness of Alzheimer's. The legendary singer was joined by his wife, Kim, and his children Ashley, Cal and Shannon, as well as Harry Johns, the CEO of the Alzheimer's Association.
Alzheimer's Awareness advocates and Glen's friends, actress Jane Seymour and her husband, James Keach, were also in attendance.
Glen's daughter, Ashley, gave a reportedly tearful speech at the conference, during which she reminisced about going fishing with her dad. She added that soon, he "won't recognize who I am."
On Wednesday (May 16th) night, Glen performed for a full house at the Library of Congress.
Glen continues on his Goodbye tour tonight (Friday, May 18th) in Paducah, Kentucky. The trek runs through July.
FAST FACTS
- Glen released his last career studio album, Ghost On The Canvas, in 2011.
- He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's earlier that year.
Thursday's Music News...
JOHN LENNON'S MURDERER MOVED TO NEW PRISON
John Lennon's murderer, Mark David Chapman, has been transferred to a new prison after spending over 30 years at New York's Attica Correctional Facility. The Associated Press reported that Chapman, now 57, was moved on Tuesday (May 15th) to Alden, New York's Wende Correctional Facility, 20 miles east of Buffalo. A spokesman for the state prison system went on record as saying "the agency doesn't disclose why inmates are transferred to a new facility."
Chapman, who shot Lennon to death outside his Manhattan apartment building on December 8th, 1980 plead guilty to the murder in June 1981 and is currently serving a 20 years to life sentence. He's been denied parole six times and is up for review again in August.
James Taylor, who was originally signed to the Beatles' Apple Records, and maintained a relationship with Lennon up to the time of his death, eerily bumped into Chapman in the subway near the Dakota the day before the shooting. In 2010, he recalled his meeting with Chapman, telling AOL.news, "His assassin had buttonholed me in the tube station. The guy had sort of pinned me to the wall, he was glistening with maniacal sweat and trying to talk in some freak speech with me about what he was gonna do, and his stuff. . . how John was interested and he was gonna get in touch with John Lennon. It was surreal to actually have contact with the guy 24 hours before he shot John."
FAST FACTS
- Mark David Chapman murdered John Lennon on December 8th, 1980 in front of his New York City apartment building, the Dakota. Chapman, who had been stalking Lennon for several days and had received an autograph from Lennon earlier that evening, lay in wait for his return from a recording session.
- Chapman, who was living in Honolulu at the time, had made an unsuccessful trip to New York the previous October with the intent of killing Lennon, but couldn't find him.
- In June 1981, Chapman pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, and is currently serving a 20-years-to-life sentence.
- Chapman was denied parole for the sixth time on September 7th, 2010. The New York State Division of Parole issued the denial after interviewing Chapman by teleconference at Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York.
- The Parole Board said in its ruling: "The disregard you displayed for the norms of our society and the sanctity of human life when, after careful planning, you traveled to New York for the sole purpose of killing John Lennon. Release remains inappropriate at this time and incompatible with the welfare of the community."
- Until this week, Chapman had been housed in protective custody at Attica Correctional Facility, which is about 30 miles east of Buffalo, New York, where he worked as a law clerk and in the prison's kitchen.
- Since 1992 Chapman has been receiving conjugal visits with his wife Gloria Abe Chapman, through a state program called "family reunion" which allows prisoners to spend up to 44 hours at a time in an unsupervised home setting on prison property.
- Chapman, a devout born-again Christian who is allowed conjugal visits, has refused all offers of psychotherapy since the murder.
CHECK IT OUT: John Lennon's "Watching The Wheels"
RON WOOD SAYS STONES REGROUPING IN OCTOBER
Although he's recently gotten his wrists slapped by Mick Jagger for talking about the Rolling Stones' plans to the press, Ron Wood says that the Stones reunion is definitely happening. Wood told The Sun, "It looks like we are going to be doing more stuff. I am keeping October (and) November free, that's what I've been told. I'm just awaiting more information." The Stones have reportedly been rehearsing in Manhattan and Weehawken, New Jersey -- although Keith Richards came out publicly to announce that contrary to rumors -- the band would not be backing Jagger this weekend on Saturday Night Live.
DID YOU KNOW???
- The Rolling Stones last performed live on October 6th, 2006 when they wrapped their massive A Bigger Bang Tour in Regina, Saskatchewan's Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field.
- 2011 saw the release of the first new Stones track in six years, a cover of Bob Dylan's 1971 classic "Watching The River Flow."
- The song is featured on the tribute album, Boogie 4 Stu, in commemoration of late-Stones keyboardist Ian Stewart, and features Mick Jagger on vocals and harmonica, Keith Richards on guitar, Charlie Watts on drums, Ron Wood on guitar, and Bill Wyman on bass.
- Although all musicians recorded their respective tracks at different times and locations, this song marks the first time Wyman has recorded with his former bandmates since 1990.
SIDE NOTES
Out now on DVD is the Rolling Stones' Some Girls - Live in Texas 1978. The legendary show from July 18th, 1978 was filmed in Forth Worth, Texas at the Will Rogers Memorial Center on 16mm film, and now boasts color corrected visuals with the show's audio remixed and remastered by Bob Clearmountain from the original multi-track tapes.
The tracklisting to the Rolling Stones' Some Girls - Live in Texas 1978 is: "Let It Rock," "All Down The Line," "Honky Tonk Women," "Star Star," "When The Whip Comes Down," "Beast Of Burden," "Miss You," "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)," "Shattered," "Respectable," "Far Away Eyes," "Love In Vain," "Tumbling Dice," "Happy," "Sweet Little Sixteen," "Brown Sugar," and "Jumpin' Jack Flash."
CHECK IT OUT: The Stones performing "Shattered" from the Live In Texas 1978 DVD
BEACH BOYS SELL OVER 15,000 COPIES OF NEW ALBUM ON QVC
The Beach Boys racked up some major sales last night (May 16th) during their one-hour appearance on QVC plugging their upcoming album, That's Why God Made The Radio, coming on June 5th. The band -- which includes co-founders Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, and David Marks -- along with longtime member Bruce Johnston -- sold over 15,000 copies of the album, generating over $300,000 in sales. In addition to the new studio set, customers received a special 11-track CD of the band's greatest hits. Over the course of the hour, the band performed "Do It Again," "Catch A Wave," "Surfer Girl," "Dance, Dance, Dance," "409," "That's Why God Made The Radio," "California Girls," and "Wouldn't It Be Nice."
As the band's 50th anniversary tour progresses, the Beach Boys are digging deep into their catalogue performing both classics and deep album cuts spanning their entire career. As the band constantly changes it's setlist, fans are grooving on such early surf-era and pre-Pet Sounds era classics as "Hawaii" featuring David Marks, "Don't Back Down," "Kiss Me Baby," "Please Let Me Wonder," "You're So Good To Me," Brian Wilson's spotlights on the Pet Sounds standard "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times," Sunflower's "This Whole World," Carl & The Passions - So Tough's "Marcella," Holland's "Sail On Sailor," along with Al Jardine's take on "Cottonfields," Bruce Johnston's Surf's Up classic, "Disney Girls," and Mike Love's takes on "All This Is That" and 15 Big Ones' "It's O.K. -- as well as the group's rendition of the Sunflower standout, "Add Some Music To Your Day."
CHECK IT OUT: The Beach Boys in 2012 performing "Marcella"
Wednesday's Music News....
JULIAN LENNON GUESTING ON NEW AEROSMITH ALBUM
Julian Lennon posted a photo of him and Steven Tyler on his Facebook page, with the caption: "Mr Tyler & 'The Other' Mr Lennon, singing background vocals, on the Amazing New 'Aerosmith' Album last night. Such a pleasure... More to come." A source close to Julian told The Daily Express, "Julian is a big Aerosmith fan and has been asked to sing backing vocals on the new album by Steven, who loves Julian's voice as it's reminiscent of John's. Julian's been in his element. It's hoped he'll be joining them on tour too."There's been no release date or title announced for the new Aerosmith set, which will be the band's follow-up to 2004's Honkin' On Bobo. A single is expected to be released before summer, with it's live debut set for May 23rd on Fox's American Idol.
FAST FACTS
Julian Lennon is the first-born Beatles offspring, born to John and Cynthia Lennon on April 8th, 1963.
He helped inspire two of John Lennon and Paul McCartney's most popular Beatles songs -- Lennon's "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds," which was the title of one of his drawings done in kindergarten; and McCartney's "Hey Jude," which was originally called "Hey Jules" and written to cheer up Julian after his parents' separation.
John Lennon had one other son, Sean, from his marriage to Yoko Ono.
In the late '90s Julian Lennon received a multi-million dollar financial settlement from Yoko and the Lennon estate.
Julian has released six albums -- Valotte (1984); The Secret Value Of Daydreaming (1986); Mr. Jordan (1989); Help Yourself (1991); Photograph Smile (1998); and Everything Changes (2011).
He's scored four Top 40 hits -- including the Top Tens "Valotte" and "Too Late For Goodbyes."
CHECK IT OUT: Julian Lennon in 1986 performing the Beatles' "It Won't Be Long" live in Japan
PETER FRAMPTON PREPPING LIVE TOUR COMPILATION
In addition to the upcoming DVD chronicling his 2011-2012 Frampton Comes Alive 35 tour, Peter Frampton has a new live DVD in the works featuring the best of the material from thoughout the anniversary trek. Frampton posted his plans on Facebook, saying, ""We filmed 2 shows for the FCA35 tour DVD. One in NYC and the other in Milwaukee. Those two shows will make up the content of the final DVD. No release date yet but I will update ASAP. The audio from the tour was recorded each night (apart from a handful of shows where the union cost made it prohibitive to record). After I have mixed the audio for the DVD, I will, at some point, choose and mix what myself and the band feel are the best individual performances of each song or piece."
Frampton went on to write: "These chosen tracks will then be made available on CD or download as The Best Of The FCA35 Tour audio only. Again as soon as I know when this will be available you'll be the first to know. Thanks again everyone for an unbelievable year on the road."
CHECK IT OUT: Frampton performing "Do You Feel Like We Do," live on February 18th, 2012 at NYC's Beacon Theater
FLASHBACK: 'MOTOWN 25' AIRS ON NBC
It was 29 years ago tonight (May 16th, 1983) that the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever TV special aired on NBC. Apart from Motown's greatest acts from the 1960's reuniting onstage for the first time in years, Motown 25 has earned a place in pop culture as the night that millions of viewers watched Michael Jackson moonwalk to his then-current single "Billie Jean" from his recently released album Thriller.
Earlier that night Jackson had reunited with the original Jackson Five -- Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon Jackson, along with younger brother Randy -- for a medley of their early Motown hits, including "I Want You Back," "ABC," "The Love You Save," "Never Can Say Goodbye," and "I'll Be There."
The Temptations -- including former vocalist Eddie Kendricks -- and the Four Tops squared off during a battle of the bands trading off their legendary Motown hits.
Other acts included Stevie Wonder, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, and Marvin Gaye, who was fresh off his recent hit "Sexual Healing," and sat at the piano and performed an emotional version of his 1971 classic "What's Going On." Smokey Robinson reunited with the Miracles for a medley of their hits, and teamed up with Linda Ronstadt for renditions of the group's "Ooh Baby Baby" and "Tracks Of My Tears."
The evening's only sour note came during the reunion between the Supremes, when Diana Ross, in an effort to position herself between Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong, was seen shoving Wilson to the side, feeding rumors that the feud between Ross and Wilson which had been brewing since the late-'60s was still running high.
Ironically, the Supremes performed their final single "Someday We'll Be Together" -- the recording of which neither Wilson or Birdsong appeared on.
Tuesday's Music News....
KEITH RICHARDS: THE ROLLING STONES NOT BACKING MICK JAGGER ON 'SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE'
Keith Richards ended speculation as to whether the Rolling Stones would make their first performance since 2006 this weekend on NBC's Saturday Night Live. Jagger, who'll be hosting the May 19th season closer, has announced that he'll be backed three times during the program by Foo Fighters, Arcade Fire, and Jeff Beck -- and presumably Beck's backing band. Richards, who along with Jagger and the Stones, have reportedly been rehearsing in Manhattan and New Jersey, told Rolling Stone: "I spoke to Mick and he said it's something that he said yes to many months ago, so he's just doing it. He's on his own."
When asked if he'd be tuning to watch his partner perform, he laughed and said: "Probably."
RINGO STARR MISSING HIS PRIVATE BEATLES PHOTOS
Ringo Starr has lost his priceless personal photos of the Beatles. Ringo revealed to Rolling Stone, "I don't know where they are. I wish I did. There's been several moves and things happen." It's no wonder that Ringo can't find the shots -- some taken during the height of Beatlemania -- he's moved well over a dozen times over the years and in 1979 saw many personal items destroyed in a Los Angeles fire in the house he was renting from his good friend, the late Harry Nilsson.
Ringo's not giving up hope though, a few years back he stumbled upon his long-lost postcards from his Beatles bandmates John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison, which served as the basis of his fascinating 2004 book, Postcards From The Boys: "I found a box on my shelf and was like, 'What the hell is that?' And it was full of the postcards. At the time we were moving house yet again, and the secretary I had at the time decided to put them all in envelopes and put them in a shoebox. That's how I found out I still had them. So you never know -- one day I may find another box with all my photos."
CHECK IT OUT: Ringo with Harry Nilsson in the 1974 promo for "Only You"
AEROSMITH'S NEW ALBUM IS ALMOST COMPLETED
Joe Perry has confirmed that Aerosmith's upcoming album is almost finished. He told Rolling Stone, that the band is working on mixing the tracks sometime this week.He said, "It's really close. We've started to mix. We've mixed a couple of the songs already, but I guess this week we're really kind of rolling into mix mode. We have a couple of tracks left to finish up, just to put some overdubs on, but we're kind of going from the final, final recording tracks to mixing this week."
Aerosmith will reportedly release a new single in a month. This will be the first release from their fifteenth studio album.
Aerosmith fans will reportedly be in for a treat with this album. Perry has said that the record will sound modern but maintain the energy that past records have had.
SIDE NOTES:
Aerosmith will appear on the May 23rd season finale of American Idol to perform the first single from the band's upcoming new album. Asked if his feelings about the show have softened since singer Steven Tyler first became a judge, guitarist Joe Perry said, "It wasn't about the show -- it was about how we found out about it. I was pissed off about that whole thing, but I've played on it before and the band is gonna play on it in the last episode of the season to debut the new single. So it's not about the show, it's about how we found out about it. It was a bit of a shock and it took us off balance."
Monday's Music News....
STAX LEGEND DONALD 'DUCK' DUNN DEAD AT 70
Legendary Stax Records bassist, Donald "Duck" Dunn, who was responsible for playing on some of the greatest R&B tracks of all time, died on Sunday, May 13th in his sleep at age 70 while in Tokyo. His best friend and frequent collaborator through the years, fellow Booker T. & The MG's bandmate, guitarist Steve Cropper -- who was performing with Dunn -- broke the news on his Facebook page, stating: "Today I lost my best friend, the World has lost the best guy and bass player to ever live. Duck Dunn died in his sleep Sunday morning May 13 in Tokyo Japan after finishing 2 shows at the Blue Note Night Club."
After forming the Royal Spades in 1960 with Cropper in Memphis, the band renamed itself the Mar-Kays in time for it's 1961 hit "Last Night." Dunn and Cropper briefly parted ways, with Dunn joining Ben Branch's big band and Cropper joining forces with organist Booker T. Jones. Although Dunn re-joined Cropper in Booker T. & The MG's with Jones and drummer Alan Jackson in 1964, he missed out on playing on their the signature hit, 1962's "Green Onions." Dunn was on hand for such legendary cuts as "Hang 'Em High" and "Time Is Tight."
Along with the MG's Dunn served as the Stax house band and were featured on countless tracks by Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Albert King, Johnnie Taylor, Eddie Floyd, the Staple Singers, Wilson Pickett, Delaney & Bonnie, Isaac Hayes, and many others. Dunn's work can be hears on such timeless hits as Otis Redding's "Respect," "Dock Of The Bay, " Try A Little Tenderness," Sam & Dave's "Hold On (I'm Coming)," and "Soul Man," and many more from Memphis' Stax era.
In June 1967 the MG's backed Otis Redding during his groundbreaking set at the Monterey International Pop Festival.
Booker T. & The MG's split in 1971 and reformed in 1973 and 1975 -- the same year Alan Jackson, who was on board for the reunion, was murdered. Dunn and Cropper joined Levon Helm's RCO All-Stars in 1977.
In 1978, Dunn and Steve Cropper became the foundation of the Blues Brothers Band, led by John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. In addition to touring with the group -- which resulted in their debut chart-topper, A Briefcase Of Blues -- they appeared in the film and soundtrack to 1980's classic movie, The Blues Brothers, along with the band's final album, another live set, 1980's Made In America.
WILL PAUL McCARTNEY FINISH UNRELEASED GEORGE HARRISON TRACK???
George Harrison's widow, Olivia Harrison, might offer Paul McCartney one of George's unfinished songs to complete and record. Olivia, who's publicizing the new Early Takes, Vol. 1 One disc of Harrison demos and outtakes, told Spinner, "There is some more material. There may be a minute of something he was writing and it will never be finished. I had an idea of giving unfinished songs to different people -- giving one to Paul, maybe, or giving one to somebody else and saying: 'Here are the bones of a song, would you like to finished it?' I think that would be a nice idea."
She went on to shed some light on George's writing process: "It was an amazing thing to witness. It was just being born right then and there. I'd try not to interrupt -- I'd put a pencil and paper by him, just to make sure he had something if he wanted to write something down. I'd get the tape player and put it there."
On whether George's early songwriting attempts were blocked by the dominance of John Lennon and Paul McCartney as the Beatles' principle writers, she explained, "Nobody can stifle you as a writer. You can just keep writing. You might not get your song on an album. It seems to be history that he was suppressed or something -- but really, he developed later as a songwriter."
In May 1995 as part of The Beatles Anthology project, McCartney, Harrison, and Ringo Starr, allegedly started work an all-new McCartney-Harrison collaboration called "All For Love," which also remains unreleased.
FOO FIGHTERS TO BACK MICK JAGGER ON 'SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE'
Foo Fighters will perform as one of two backing bands for legendary Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger on the 37th season finale of Saturday Night Live, which is scheduled to air on May 19th. According to Entertainment Weekly, Jagger -- who will also serve as host along with musical guest -- will also be backed by Canadian alternative rockers Arcade Fire. There's no word yet on what songs he intends to play.
Rumors have been circulating for days that the rest of the Rolling Stones themselves would be joining Jagger on the show, with sources saying that the band was rehearsing in either Manhattan or New Jersey. Those reports have yet to be officially confirmed.
The May 19th show will be Foo Fighters main man Dave Grohl's 11th appearance on Saturday Night Live, including performances with Nirvana, the Foos, Them Crooked Vultures and one time behind the drums for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
Playing with classic rock legends is nothing new for the Foos as a group either. The band has been joined onstage in the past by members of Queen, Rush and Led Zeppelin, and recently backed Pink Floyd's Roger Waters during a performance on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.
CHECK IT OUT: Watch Foo Fighters perform "Walk" on SNL last year
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