Wednesday, May 10, 2023

It's A What's Up Wednesday!!!


Dolly Parton makes good on her promise (threat?) to record her first rock and roll album ...

Yesterday, she released the official track list for what will now be a two CD set, featuring a virtual Who's Who of notable rock acts helping Dolly acclimate to this new genre.  (Something tells me she's going to do just fine!!!  I've already pre-ordered my copy ... it'll be released on November 17th.)

Conspicuously missing is the "duet" she had hoped to do with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards on The Rolling Stones classic "Satisfaction" ... scheduling conflicts prevented that from ever happening ... but she went ahead and cut the tune anyway with Pink and Brandi Carlisle.  (She DID manage to reunite the surviving half of The Beatles, however ... both Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr take part in Dolly's remake of "Let It Be" ... which also features guest appearances by Mick Fleetwood and Peter Frampton!  (Frampton also appears on a remake duet of "Baby, I Love Your Way.")

Also onboard ... Steve Perry for a remake of Journey's "Open Arms," Elton John for (yet another) duet of "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me," Sting ("Every Breath You Take"), Joan Jett and the Blackhearts ("I Hate Myself For Loving You"), "Heartbreaker" with Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, "Heart Of Glass," featuring Debbie Harry, "Magic Man" with Ann Wilson, Michael McDonald ("Bittersweet"), Kid Rock ("Either Or"), John Fogerty ("Long As I Can See The Light"), REO Speedwagon's Kevin Cronin ("Keep On Loving You"), and a tribute to her "Trio" costar Linda Ronstadt ("You're No Good," featuring Emmylou Harris and Sheryl Crow.)

Dolly also officially records Led Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven" (but without the hoped-for reunited Robert Plant and Jimmy Page ... you'll have to make due with Lizzo and Sasha Flute) as well as Queen's "We Are The Champions," Bob Seger's "Night Moves" with Christ Stapleton, "Wrecking Ball," featuring her God-Daughter Miley Cyrus and Dolly's version of the Lynyrd Skynyrd classic "Free Bird," which features Ronnie Van Zandt, Gary Rossington, Artimus Pyle and The Artimus Pyle Band.)

Thirty tracks in all ... and you can pre-order your copy now, too, thru Amazon.

The double LP (actually, it'll be FOUR LP's if you buy the vinyl version!), titled "Rockstar" (which features Richie Sambora on the title track) also features a few Dolly originals to go along with this wide array of Classic Rock Gold.

The complete track list is below:

  1. Rockstar (special guest Richie Sambora)
  2. World on Fire
  3. Every Breath You Take (feat. Sting)
  4. Open Arms (feat. Steve Perry)
  5. Magic Man (feat. Ann Wilson with special guest Howard Leese)
  6. Long As I Can See The Light (feat. John Fogerty)
  7. Either Or (feat. Kid Rock)
  8. I Want You Back (feat. Steven Tyler with special guest Warren Haynes)
  9. What Has Rock And Roll Ever Done For You (feat. Stevie Nicks with special guest Waddy Wachtel)
  10. Purple Rain
  11. Baby, I Love Your Way (feat. Peter Frampton)
  12. I Hate Myself For Loving You (feat. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts)
  13. Night Moves (feat. Chris Stapleton)
  14. Wrecking Ball (feat. Miley Cyrus)
  15. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (feat. P!nk & Brandi Carlile)
  16. Keep On Loving You (feat. Kevin Cronin)
  17. Heart Of Glass (feat. Debbie Harry)
  18. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me (feat. Elton John)
  19. Tried To Rock And Roll Me (feat. Melissa Etheridge)
  20. Stairway To Heaven (feat. Lizzo & Sasha Flute)
  21. We Are The Champions
  22. Bygones (feat. Rob Halford with special guests Nikki Sixx & John 5)
  23. My Blue Tears (feat. Simon Le Bon)
  24. What's Up? (feat. Linda Perry)
  25. You're No Good (feat. Emmylou Harris & Sheryl Crow)
  26. Heartbreaker (feat. Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo)
  27. Bittersweet (feat. Michael McDonald)
  28. I Dreamed About Elvis (feat. Ronnie McDowell with special guest The Jordanaires)
  29. Let It Be (feat. Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr with special guests Peter Frampton & Mick Fleetwood)
  30. Free Bird (feat. Ronnie Van Zant with special guests Gary Rossington, Artimus Pyle and The Artimus Pyle Band)​ 

 

You can own a piece of The Killer, thanks to the upcoming Jerry Lee Lewis auction, designed to raise funds to build and erect a statue of the rock and roll legend.

Jerry Lee Lewis Monument Benefit Concert & Silent Auction To Be Held on June 24 at Jerry Lee Lewis’ Cafe & Honky Tonk

Mrs. Jerry Lee (Judith) Lewis is pleased to announce the Jerry Lee Lewis Monument Benefit Concert and Silent Auction, which will be held at Jerry Lee Lewis’ Cafe & Honky Tonk in Memphis, Tennessee on June 24, 2023, from 6 pm to 11 pm. The event is being held to fulfill her late husband’s wish for a monument on his grave.

The concert will feature Jerry Lee’s touring band, the Memphis Beats, which includes bandleader and guitarist Kenny Lovelace, bassist Ray Gann, and drummer Kenny Aronoff. In addition, attendees can expect to see performances by Jacob Tolliver, Jared Freiburg, a surprise special guest, and other renowned pianists. It will be a night filled with great music and entertainment, all for a historical cause.

In addition to the concert, there will be a silent auction of rare and unique memorabilia from Lewis’ personal collection with all proceeds going towards the Jerry Lee Lewis Monument Fund. The fund is dedicated to creating a lasting tribute to the rock and roll icon, who has inspired generations of musicians and music lovers around the world. Premier auction items include Lewis’ favorite vehicle – his “Big Red” Ford F-150, his iconic show jackets, his original 1957 contract with Sun Records, his Baldwin baby grand piano, his record collection, his mink coat and scarf, and more! Tickets will be required for entry into the auction house.

The monument, hand-selected by Lewis himself from the Natchez Monument Company, will have a grand piano etched onto it and feature a button-enabled recording of him singing his virtuosic “(Don’t Put) No Headstone on My Grave.” Judith, widely regarded by the fans as “Mrs. Killer” said, “Our ‘Killer’ gave his all to his fans. Now we need to give our all and get him the monument he wanted!”

“We are thrilled to host this special event to honor Jerry Lee Lewis and his incredible legacy, and hope that the concert and silent auction will bring fans together to raise funds for the creation of a monument that will pay tribute to one of the greatest musicians of all time,” said Aidan Hart, director of the event.

Mrs. Jerry Lee Lewis invites all fans and supporters of Jerry Lee’s legacy to join her in honoring his memory and fulfilling his final wish. Tickets for the event will be available for purchase online at www.jerryleelewismemphis.com/benefit beginning May 15th for 24-hour presale pricing (starting at $125 for galley seating) and at the door on the night of the event.

 
One of my favorite authors and biographers, Joel Selvin, is putting together a bio on rock drummer Jim Gordon, who died recently in prison after a serious bout with mental illness.
 
Gordon played with some of the biggest names in rock and roll history ... and the book is being put together with the full cooperation of his family.  His story should be both fascinating and tragic (Jim ended up murdering his mother
 
"Drums And Demons:  The Tragic Journey of Jim Gordon" is due to be published on February 27th, 2024.  This, too, is available for pre-order now.