SIMON KIRKE of BAD COMPANY Releases New Album, All Because of You, Out Now!

The End Records and BMG are pleased to release Simon Kirke’s studio album All Because Of You, out now (as of Febr 10) in North America. The full album premiered recently with Ultimate Classic Rock! Listen to the title track, below.

Simon Kirke recorded All Because Of You , his third solo album, with The Empty Pockets over the course of four studio sessions at Chicago, IL’s The Empty Pockets Studios. With Simon Kirke on lead vocals, drums, guitar, keyboards, and ukulele, his cohesion with The Empty Pockets (Josh Solomon, Erika Brett, Nate Bellon, Danny Rosenthal) would make you think they’ve been recording together for years.

Says Simon Kirke, “I finally got a chance to record some of my best songs with a superb band - The Empty Pockets. This CD has become one of the highlights of my career."

Fans of Bad Company will note that Track 3 on All Because Of You is a ukulele version of the 1975 Bad Company classic “Feel Like Making Love" (named the 78th Best Hard Rock Song Of All Time by VH1!). The album also features guitarist Warren Haynes (ex-Allman Brothers, Gov't Mule), who guest stars on Track 10, “Trouble Road.”

To accompany the release, Kirke is hitting the road with The Empty Pockets, March 15 - April 1. In addition, he performed recently with Bad Company show at the Vine Theater in Waterloo, NY. Tickets are on sale now, with more dates to be announced!

Simon Kirke All Because Of You U.S. Dates

03/15 - Kent Stage; Kent, OH
03/16 - Arcada Theatre; St. Charles, IL
03/19 - Shank Hall; Milwaukee, WI
03/30 - StageOne; Fairfield, CT
04/01 - Tupelo Music Hall; Londonderry, NH

Rare Studio Sessions From Legendary DOORS Guitarist ROBBY KRIEGER Featured On A Superb New CD!

He is undoubtedly one of the boldest rock guitarists of all-time, a pioneering songwriter who fused classic blues with California psychedelia to create some of rock music’s greatest songs including “Love Me Two Times,” “Touch Me,” “Love Her Madly” and more.

And, of course, he was a founding member of one of the most critically and commercially adored bands in history, The Doors. But in the time since his tenure with that iconic outfit, Robby Krieger has not simply rested on his laurels. Instead, he has gone on to release a series of solo albums that found Krieger and his trademark Gibson SG adventuring into the outer reaches of space rock, jazz, classical music and more! Krieger has also collaborated on several studio recordings that reinterpreted classic songs by The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Supertramp and others.

Now, a new collection of these studio sessions, including two exclusive, never-before-released mixes and a bonus live recording available on CD for the first time. In Session features an incredible roster of guest appearances including Jackson Browne, Hawkwind’s Nik Turner, Asia’s John Wetton, Styx’s Tommy Shaw, and even the Star Trek captain himself, William Shatner! Don’t miss this incredible collection available February 17 from Purple Pyramid Records.


Track List:
1. Across The Universe feat. Jackson Browne
2. Hypernova feat. Nik Turner (Inner Space Mix)
3. Empty Spaces feat. Billy Sherwood
4. Where We Belong (Prism Mix) feat. Tony Kaye
5. Don’t Leave Me Now feat. Tommy Shaw
6. Brain Damage feat. Geoff Downes
7. School feat. Rod Argent
8. Deep Down feat. William Shatner
9. Little Drummer Boy
10. All You Need Is Love feat. John Wetton
BONUS TRACK
11. Back Door Man (Live)

Celebrate Harry Belafonte's 90th, with "When Colors Come Together..."

Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, is celebrating the 90th Harry Belafonte (born March 1, 1927) with the release of When Colors Come Together... The Legacy of Harry Belafonte on Friday, February 24, 2017. Preorder via Baker & Taylor.
birthday of the iconic American singer/songwriter/actor/social activist/cultural ambassador

Harry Belafonte broke into both mainstream success and musical immortality in 1956 when his breakout LP--Calypso--became the first album ever, by any artist of any race or gender, to sell more than a million copies while his signature "Day-O" (from "Banana Boat") became one of the most instantly recognized melodic phrases in the world. Belafonte's sound signified an international island dance party, Belafonte was an inspirational and motivating force in the American Civil Rights movement. Throughout his career, Belafonte has brought a high degree of social consciousness to everything he does, merging the activist with the artist in the flow of his music.

An essential single-disc anthology of Belafonte's biggest hits and timeless classics, When Colors Come Together... The Legacy of Harry Belafonte premieres a new recording of "When Colors Come Together (Our Island In The Sun)," performed by a children's choir. The original recording of the song (co-written by Belafonte and Irving Burgie) served as the title music for the highly successful and at-the-time controversial 1957 film, "Island In The Sun," which starred Belafonte, James Mason, Joan Fontaine, Joan Collins and Dorothy Dandridge. One of the great pop standards in the Belafonte catalog, "Island In The Sun" has been covered more than 40 times since becoming a hit in the 1950s and was referenced in the 1992 film "The Muppet Christmas Carol."

Rhiannon Giddens Drops "At the Purchaser's Option" from Freedom Highway - LISTEN

"Rhiannon Giddens, whose new album, Freedom Highway, is releasing February 24, has unveiled a new song from the album called "At the Purchaser's Option," which you can hear in a lyric video below. The song is one of nine original songs Giddens wrote or co-wrote on the album, which also includes a traditional tune and two civil rights–era songs, "Birmingham Sunday" and Staple Singers' "Freedom Highway." That last track and "At the Purchaser's Option" come as instant downloads with pre-orders of the album.

Rhiannon Giddens Joins CMT's "Nashville" Cast

Rhiannon Giddens, whose new album, Freedom Highway, is out February 24 on Nonesuch Records, joins the cast of the television show Nashville as it returns for its fifth season on CMT.  Giddens made her own acting debut playing the role of Hanna Lee "Hallie" Jordan, a young social worker with "the voice of an angel," when CMT gave an hour-long sneak peek of the two-hour episode last month, leaving many a fan looking forward all the more to tonight's premiere. Nashville airs Thursday nights on CMT.

Freedom Highway, Giddens' follow-up to her highly praised solo debut album, Tomorrow Is My Turn, includes nine original songs she wrote or co-wrote; a traditional tune; and two civil rights–era songs, "Birmingham Sunday" and Staple Singers' "Freedom Highway." She co-produced the album with multi-instrumentalist Dirk Powell in his Louisiana studio, with the bulk of recording done in wooden rooms built prior to the Civil War, over an intense eight-day period. The result is an album that is rawer and more personal than its predecessor.

Listen to the album's title track, below.

Ryan Adams Returns with "Prisoner" on Febr 17

In an exclusive interview with the world’s foremost feline talk show host Lil BUB, pinball, comic book, black metal and hardcore enthusiast and multiple-Grammy-nominee-and-zero-winner Ryan Adams confirmed details of his first album of all new original material since 2014’s Ryan Adams.

During the intimate and revealing interview – which can be seen below – Adams divulged that the album, titled Prisoner, will be released February 17 on Pax-Am/Blue Note, and previewed and discussed snippets (or “sniplets”) of new tracks including first single “Do You Still Love Me?”.

“I was reflecting on the different states of desire and what it means to be a prisoner of your own desire,” Adams told BUB of the new record’s title, later adding, “I felt like I had been robbed of… the most valuable thing in a person’s life… Time.”

The twelve tracks that make up Prisoner came to Adams over a prolific period stretching back as far as the week his 2014 self-titled album entered the U.S. album chart at a career high of #4. During that run, Adams toured the world, recorded and released both his Live at Carnegie Hall collection and full-album cover of Taylor Swift’s 1989, and saw the aforementioned Ryan Adams garner two Grammy nominations – Best Rock Song for “Gimme Something Good” and Best Rock Album – while “Gimme Something Good” became the first vinyl single to go #1 at the Amazon music store.

Michael Bolton Announces His 27th Release - "Songs of Cinema"

Michael Bolton has announced plans to release his 27th album, Songs of Cinema a tribute to beloved songs from the world’s most iconic films on Febuarary 10, 2017 on the Frontiers Music Srl Label.

“I’ve always been a huge fan of the movies, says Bolton.” “I love all the classics from Casablanca to The Wizard of Oz.” Most are familiar with Bolton’s feature in The Lonely Island Emmy-nominated viral video Jack Sparrow, but the ballad version created for this album will be a pleasant surprise.

Bolton has a track record of stepping up to render his own versions of classics, like Grammy-winning hit “When a Man Loves a Woman,” presented here with yet a new interpretation. As a singer, he has a unique passion and gift for exploring new repertoires, from rock and pop to R&B. And as a true artist, he always keeps pushing the boundaries across genres.

Netflix recently announced Bolton’s first special with the network Michael Bolton’s Big Sexy Valentine’s Day Special (premiering February 7, 2017) directed by Akiva Schaffer (The Lonely Island) and Scott Aukerman (Comedy Bang! Bang!), follows Michael Bolton as he creates a sexy variety special that serves one very important purpose: to get people in the mood to make love. In the midst of the special’s absurdist adventures, Bolton performs an array of love songs made up of both classic hits and all-new original love-making music. Special guests joining Bolton include Andy Samberg, Casey Wilson, Chris Parnell, Eric Andre, Jorma Taccone, Fred Armisen, Maya Rudolph, Michael Sheen, Randall Park and Sarah Silverman. Michael Bolton’s Big, Sexy Valentine’s Day Special is executive-produced by Michael Bolton, Christina Kline, David Jargowsky, Scott Aukerman and Akiva Schaffer.

Reba McEntire Announces February Gospel Album Release

Reba McEntire announced via Facebook Live yesterday that she will release a gospel album with BMLG/Cumulus’ Nash Icon and Capitol Christian Music Group on February 3, 2017.

Timed with the release will be McEntire’s first full show at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, on February 15. The program is set to feature some of the new gospel music, as well as her greatest hits and concert-goers will receive a copy of the new album with ticket purchases.

Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope is the title of the double album, featuring 10 hymns, 10 brand new songs and a hidden track. The announcement was made at East Nashville’s Tulip Street United Methodist Church, where McEntire was shooting the video for the project’s new single, “Back To God.”

"Best of Raffi" on CD in February

Rounder Records has announced the forthcoming release of Best Of Raffi, a career-spanning

collection, celebrating 40 years of hits from the legendary, beloved children’s entertainer. Releasing February 10, 2017, Best Of Raffi will mark the first, curated collection of Raffi’s music to be released outside of his native Canada. Best Of Raffi will include such classics as “Down By The Bay” (1976), “Bananaphone” (1994), and, perhaps his most iconic hit, “Baby Beluga” (1980).

Having released nearly 30 children’s albums, beginning with 1976’s Singable Songs For The Very Young, pioneering troubadour Raffi Cavoukian (better known simply as “Raffi”) is one of the world's best-selling and most influential children's entertainers, having brought joy to successive generations of kids—and their parents—with his playful, exuberant personality and his irresistibly infectious songs. Along the way, he has performed countless sold-out shows at concert halls across North America and beyond, and has received a string of Platinum and Gold certifications by the RIAA.