MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2017
OBIT- SONNY BURGESS
Sonny Burgess never had the hits that his label mates at Sun Records had, but his stage show blew many of them out of the water. Bands were reluctant to follow Burgess onstage in the 1950s because his performances were so wild. Burgess was considered one of the pioneers of rockabilly and was performing well into his 80s. He was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in 2002. Burgess died Friday in Little Rock, Arkansas, at the age of 88.
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CAGE THE ELEPHANT - ``UNPEELED''
Cage The Elephant tried not to think about the fact that they were recording themselves while performing live for their ``Unpeeled'' album. Guitarist Brad Shultz says that can stifle creativity. He says the challenge was to treat it as if they were making a studio record, just with an audience. Shultz says it was a nostalgia trip to strip down those songs, because that's how most of them were written. They couldn't strip down too far, though. He says they rejected a version of their song ``Hypocrite'' because without the horn section, it was missing too much.
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FOLSOM PRISON - JOHNNY CASH TRAIL
The second leg of the Johnny Cash Trail will open in Folsom, California, on October 14th. The first pat of the trail was opened in 2014. The new part adds another mile and a quarter to it. The trail is part of a project that will include a three-acre park honouring Cash's memory. Cash made the Folsom State Prison famous when he released ``Folsom Prison Blues'' in 1968.
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PENNYWISE - PENNYWISER BEER
Pennywise are the latest band to create their own beer. They teamed up with Lost Coast Brewery to make Pennywiser.
It's described as an easy-drinking India pale ale with a citrus aroma and hoppy flavour. It will have a limited release next month in Southern California stores, bars and restaurants, with expanded distribution in the coming months.
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RADIOHEAD-STAGE COLLAPSE
Lawyers for an entertainment company and an engineer accused in a deadly 2012 stage collapse at an outdoor Radiohead concert in Toronto are asking an Ontario court to stay the charges against them. Live Nation and engineer Domenic Cugliari argued yesterday that the case has seen unreasonable delays that violate their right to a timely trial. A British drum technician who was touring with Radiohead was killed and three other workers were hurt after part of a massive outdoor structure came crashing down during setup for the June 2012 concert at Downsview Park.
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HERB ALPERT - NEW HOLIDAY ALBUM
It took Herb Alpert nearly 50 years to release a second Christmas album, yet it will be his sixth album in five years. Alpert will release ``The Christmas Wish'' on September 29th.
He put out his ``Christmas Album'' in 1968, featuring a version of ``Sleigh Ride'' that's still a standard on the radio during the holidays. ``The Christmas Wish'' will feature holiday classics like ``Silent Night,'' ''Winter Wonderland`` and ''Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.`` Alpert hit the top of the jazz charts in July with ''Music Volume 1.``
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PEARL JAM - FILM - SOUNDTRACK
Pearl Jam will release a documentary based on their two concerts last year at Chicago's Wrigley Field. ``Let's Play Two'' was recorded August 20th and 22nd of last year. Given that frontman Eddie Vedder is a rabid Cubs fan, the documentary also traces the team's World Series run last year. The film will have a limited theatrical release at the end of September. The soundtrack comes out September 29th, and the documentary will be out on home video on November 17th.
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(The Associated Press)