STEVE SMITH: Classic pop, rock and country

STEVE SMITH: Classic pop, rock and country Image

THE BEATLES AT THE BOWL? in 1964 and 1965, The Beatles played legendary 35-minute shows at the Hollywood Bowl. Forty-five years later, Britain's Daily Star is reporting that surviving Beatles Paul McCartney, 68, and Ringo Starr, 70, will reunite on Aug. 27 at the world famous venue for a one-time concert chock full of Fab Four music. The show would reportedly benefit breast cancer charities and promote world peace. Included in the performance would be on-screen footage and images of John Lennon and George Harrison. If true, it makes sense that they would use McCartney long time band.

Neither McCartney, Starr nor Apple Records have commented.

KENNEDY CENTER HONORS FOR McCARTNEY & HAGGARD Beatle Paul McCartney, country icon Merle Haggard, and Broadway composer Jerry Herman received the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, DC, reports AP. Others honored, first by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton earlier at a dinner at the State Department and then by President Barack Obama at the center, were dancer-choreographer bill T. Jones and Fab Four fan Oprah Winfrey, who had a big Beatles poster on her wall as a teenager. Hostess Clinton, who admitted to "several waves of teen girl hysteria" during the mid-'60 s Beatlemania craze, said that throughout his entire life McCartney had connected people around the world.

At the gala, Haggard was honored via performances by Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Kid Rock, Vince Gill and Brad Paisley. Herman, who is most famous for his musicals "Hello, Dolly!," "Mame," and "La Cage aux Folles," saw his Tony-winning tunes performed by, among others, 85-year-old five-time Tony-winner Angela Lansbury, who originated the character "Mame" in 1966; and 89-year-old "Hello, Dolly!" star Carol Channing, who sang, "Hello, Jerry!" because she knew it would make him cry.

McCartney was feted by Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl and Norah Jones, and Gwen Stefani and her reunited band no Doubt, all dressed as 1964 Fab Four Beatles. Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler sang what may be a first-ever medley of songs from The Beatles 1970 album, "Abbey Road."

Other attendees and participants included Diana Ross, radio host and Winfrey's best friend Gayle King, opera diva Jessye Norman, Sidney Poitier, and Julia Roberts. The Kennedy Center Honors airs on CBS on Dec. 28.

U2 ON OPRAH U2 is reportedly set to appear on one of two Australian Oprah Winfrey specials to be filmed at the Sydney Opera House on Dec. 14 at 10 am and 5 pm, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. The Irish rockers will perform later that night at Sydney's ANZ Stadium. other musical guests will include Bon Jovi, former Boomtown Rats singer and Live Aid/Band Aid founder Bob Geldof and Aussie country singer Keith Urban and his wife Nicole Kidman.

NEW RELEASES New releases this week include former Gap Band leader Charlie Wilson's "Just Charlie" and Fairport Convention's "Dirty Linen: Live at the Marlowe Theatre." For "Original Sins," INXS re-recorded their hits while backing different guest singers including Ben Harper and Rob Thomas. New DVD's include a documentary, "Lennon NYC," that examines the former Beatles' final decade in the Big Apple and his so-called "lost weekend" in L.A.; "Graham Parker & the Figgs: Live at the FTC"; and Rainbow's "Rockin' Night – Live in Japan 1984."

Recent holiday releases include Mariah Carey's "Merry Christmas II You"; country gal Shelby Lynne's "Merry Christmas"; and "Now That's What I Call Christmas 4," a 2-CD, 36-song collection from classic and contemporary artists. The contemporary CD includes songs from Carey, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Michael Buble, jazz singer Diana Krall (aka mrs. Elvis Costello), former Destiny's Child singer Kelly Rowland, Sheryl Crow and country singers Toby Keith, Martina McBride, Carrie Underwood and Hootie & The Blowfish singer Darius Rucker. The second CD features such classic artists performing beloved standards as Bing Crosby ("White Christmas," and also "Little Drummer Boy" with David Bowie), Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams, Dean Martin, Burl Ives ('A Holly Jolly Christmas"), Sting, The Beach Boys, James Taylor, Band Aid, Manheim Steamroller, Celtic Women, and yes, Alvin And The Chipmunks.

Herman's Hermits frontman Peter Noone and his daughter Natalie have recorded a version of the traditional English Christmas carol, "The Holly & The Ivy," that is available for download on iTunes. in addition, a free download of Noone's new version of "Do you Hear What I Hear" is available at esnips.com.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE? in the current issue of Rolling Stone, 50 recording artists were asked to create song sets by some of their favorite artists. among the artists asked were Ozzy Osbourne, who created a set by The Beatles, beginning it with "She Loves you." Brian Wilson also selected The Beatles but he opted to open his set with "Hey Jude." U2 singer Bono picked David Bowie and his opener, "Space Oddity."

Hot producer mark Ronson chose Stevie Wonder and his 1972 cut, "Big Brother." Others were Alice Cooper (The Who's Pete Townshend and "My Generation"), producer Rick Rubin (Led Zeppelin and "Your Time is Gonna Come"), My Morning Jacket leader Jim James (Curtis Mayfield and "Move on Up"), Jack Johnson (Bob Marley and "Mellow Mood"), Rod Stewart (Sam Cooke and "Cupid"), Black Crowes singer Chris Robinson (The Rolling Stones and "Midnight Rambler"), Jackson Browne (Bruce Springsteen and "Rosalita (Come out Tonight)"), Yoko Ono (John Lennon and "Oh My Love"), the Queen of Rockabilly Wanda Jackson (Elvis Presley and "Are you Lonesome Tonight"), and Canadian rapper Drake, who went with Jimi Hendrix and his ferocious "Voodoo Child."

When asked to list songs he wishes he'd written, legendary songwriter Jimmy Webb (MacArthur Park," "Wichita Lineman," "Up, Up and away," many more) listed first "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil and Phil Spector that became and all-time classic for The Righteous Brothers.

ALMOST A FULL FLOYD REUNION Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason initially said that he would join fellow surviving Floyd members Roger Waters and Dave Gilmour for their mini-set at an intimate charity event in July in Oxfordshire, England. it would have marked only the second time in 30 years that the trio has performed together. Their only reunion since the end of the brief tour for "The Wall" in 1980 was at the Live 8 concert in 2005. However, he ended up changing his mind. "That particular event wasn't right for a re-formation of Pink Floyd. it was a charity event for 'suits,' Mason told England's Daily Telegraph.

THEY'RE PLANNING EARLY Pop stars and rockers are announcing their 2011 tours early. according to Pollstar, Lionel Richie will tour Australia and New Zealand in March. Coldplay is playing a New Year's Eve concert with Jay-Z at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. After that show, the band will be off the stage until June when they'll perform at two major rock fests in Germany. also in June, the producers of the massive three-day Isle of Wight festival in June announced that Jeff Beck and Tom Jones will join the dozens of as-yet unannounced artists performing. Finally, Yes announced a series of dates throughout the U.K. next November, 11 months from now.

NO SUNSHINE Former KC and The Sunshine Band bassist and multi-Grammy-winner Richard Finch, 56, was sentenced in Ohio to seven years in prison for unlawful sexual conduct with teenage boys and other crimes, according to AP. Finch apologized to the judge and the teenagers, blaming alcohol abuse.

CLASSIC STARS NOMINATED Classic artists dominated the nominations in two categories at the 53 rd annual Grammy Awards. Nominees for Best Rock Album are former Yardbirds guitarist Jeff Beck for "Emotion & Commotion," Pearl Jam for "Backspacer," Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers for "Mojo," Neil Young for "Le Noise," and Muse for "The Resistance." Best Americana Album nominees are Rosanne Cash for "The List," Los Lobos for "Tin can Trust," Willie Nelson for "Country Music," Robert Plant for "Band of Joy," and Mavis Staples for "You Are Not alone." Winners will be announced on Feb. 13.

AUCTIONS NET CASH Items owned by Johnny Cash, who died in 2003, brought in $700,000 at an auction held in Los Angeles, Reports CMT. The auction netted twice what was originally estimated. A guitar Cash used to write "I Walk the Line" and a blue denim jumpsuit Cash wore during rehearsals for his now-legendary concerts at San Quentin Prison in 1969 each went for $50,000.

Two other guitars and other clothes each netted $30,000.

Two days before the Cash auction, another auction was held in Los Angeles where a large number of items belonging to John Lennon, Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley brought in big bucks, notes Vintage Vinyl News. A Jackson glove worn on the "Bad" tour in 1987 brought in $330,000, and a Lennon "Sgt. Pepper"-type old fashioned marching band jacket went for $240,000. A red velour pullover jacket owned by Presley brought in $90,000. Jackson's MTV Video Award for "We Are The World" sold for $72,000. also, a custom Gibson Les Paul guitar signed and played by Gregg Allman brought in $50,000, while a Frank Sinatra-monogrammed Fedora was auctioned for $25,000.

JULIE ANDREWS OUT Julie Andrews has bowed out as hostess of the annual televised New Year's Day concert in Vienna featuring the Vienna Philharmonic, according to Broadway World. she will be replaced by veteran newswoman Paula Zahn. The concert is the largest annual world-wide classical music telecast viewed and heard by more than one billion on radio and television in 72 countries. The 75-year-old "Sound of Music" explained, "My husband is having some health issues and my obligation is to stay in L.A. at this time." Andrews has been married to 88-year-old director Black Edwards ("Peter Gunn," "The Pink Panther," "Victor/Victoria") for 41 years.

CORRECTION The McCallum Theatre is located in Palm Desert, not Escondido as reported. Upcoming shows include Willie Nelson, Dave Koz and Candy Dulfer, The Contours, John Davidson and Debbie Boone, The Kingston Trio, Jack Jones, Steve Tyrell, Michael Feinstein, The Lettermen, Engelbert Humperdinck, Peter Yarrow and Paul Stookey or Peter, Paul and Mary, Lorna Luft, Linda Eder, Restless Heart, The Manhattan Transfer, Steven Curtis Chapman, and bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers.

Readers, email your comments or questions to Steve Smith at classicpopmusicnews@gmail.com.