On May 23, 1970 Paul McCartney’s first solo album began a three week run atop the Billboard album chart.  Apart from a few additions by Linda McCartney on vocals, Paul performed the entire album solo – instruments and vocals, in a makeshift home studio. The album features the song ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’, which would become a top 10 hit in 1977 when a live version from the ‘Wings Over America’ album was released.

Across the pond on that same day, The Beatles 12th (and final) studio album ‘Let It Be’ started its own three week run at #1 on the British album chart.  Unlike McCartney’s first solo album which contained no single releases,  ‘Let It Be’ included the title track, ‘Get Back’, and ‘Don’t Bring Me Down’, which were all top 40 hits for the group.

Which of the two albums did you prefer:

McCartney – Paul McCartney

Let It Be – The Beatles

Now Richie has decided to come out and talk about Jon, saying “My opinion is Jon wants to see if he can pull off stadiums by himself.  He is making it very difficult for me to come back.”

So now who do we believe?  Richie went on to say “Enough of the trash talking!  John needs to stop talking about me publicly.”  Well, I must say that I wish the two would just kiss and make up because I think the band is bigger than both of them!  I would love to see them on stage working together again!  How about you?

“The Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration” kicks off June 18 in Pittsburgh, where Haynes will be joined by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The tour will continue with two bursts of dates throughout the summer, with Haynes being accompanied by local orchestras in each of the eight cities. (Full list of performances here.)

Haynes, of course, has a history with the Grateful Dead. He played in bassist Phil Lesh’s band, Phil Lesh & Friends, for years, and produced Lesh’s 2002 album There And Back Again. He also did some time in The Dead, which featured Grateful Dead members Lesh, guitarist/singer Bob Weir, and drummers Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann.

Haynes organizes some annual musical events — the Mountain Jam festival every summer and the Christmas jam in December — but he says this tour wasn’t his idea.

“We got a call from the people representing the Garcia Estate, saying they wanted to do a series of symphony shows doing Jerry’s music, and that they were going to have a few guest performers, and they wanted to know if I wanted to be the first guest artist,” he told Radio.com. “I was very honored.”

It turns out, Haynes had wanted to go the orchestral route for some time, but never had the right concept, until now.

“I’ve always wanted to do something with a symphony, but I never have, so it’s a really great challenge for me, and I was really psyched. I think it’s gonna be really amazing.”

Of course, a hallmark of both Garcia’s and Haynes’ music is improvisation. But how much can you improvise with an orchestra, particularly when you are performing with a different one every night?

“I felt like it was very important that we take the Grateful Dead spirit and to approach the symphonic production in a way that is different from the norm,” he explained. “I didn’t want it to be just like a symphony playing that music. We’re starting to figure out that there are ways to make it work. There are going to be certain windows that allow for improvisation. Other times, I have to keep my solos more part of the structure.”

Read more at Radio.com

– Brian Ives, Radio.com 

Apparently, they have no idea what they want to play…at least part of the time!  Lindsey Buckingham say when the band puts together the set list, only 75% of the list is done.  So they have added some of their new material that they have just released on their “Extended Play” EP including “Sad Angel” and “Without You”.

Here is Lindsey talking about what they do…

She plays a stripper who poses as Sudeikis’s wife while Emma Roberts and Will Poulter play their kids.  The goal, to use the fake family farce as a cover to ship drugs from Mexico across the border.

Check out the trailer below and let us know, are you going to see “We’re the Millers”?

My mother passed away very unexpectedly a few years ago, and I’m not sure I have fully dealt with losing her yet.  I see signs of her so many times.  I can “smell” her presence at times.  I think it is her way of letting me know she is still with me.

For no reason, Mom is on my mind.  I wish she was here.  I wish she could have seen her grand-daughter walk the line at graduation from 8th grade, or see her other grand-daughter finally do a back hand-spring with no help.

Strange feelings today.  I smile as I hold back tears right now.  Van Morrison “Into The Mystic” was one of her favorites.  I can still remember her asking me, “Can you get me that Van Morrison song, I just love that song”.

I share her favorite with you.  Maybe this was her “request”.

Do me a favor, call your Mom today…

Check out the video below.

“Every generation has guys that do that, none of that is new.” says Bon Jovi “Do it once, you can be forgiven. Do it enough times and shame on you. They won’t have you back. Then it just becomes a cliché. It’s really not cool — you’re an a**hole. Go to f***in’ work!”

Read the interview Bon Jovi (one of the hardest-working men in music) here.

The blueprint of this event began in 1962, and the effects of that beginning are still being felt today.  I was one of over 50,000,000 viewers tuned in on that night.

If you weren’t one of those who tuned in, here’s a clip…..

…..of  Johnny Carson’s last Tonight Show which aired 21 years ago today

According to Variety (via OMG) Ms Jackson (or Janet if you’re Nasty) is one of the best-selling artist of all time.  She’s reported to be bringing in over $450 million in concert tours alone.  Add in the cash she earned for rolls in movies like “For Colored Girls” and “The Nutty Professor” as well as her album sales and licensing fees.

Janet joins, Oprah, Steven Spielberg and JK Rowling in the Big B Club.

Get the details from OMG