James Darren, the former teen idol and pop singer who played the dreamy surfer Moondoggie in three Gidget movies before starring on television on The Time Tunnel and T.J. Hooker, died Monday. He was 88.
Darren died in his sleep at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, his son Jim Moret, a correspondent for Inside Edition, told The Hollywood Reporter. He had entered the hospital for an aortic valve replacement but was deemed too weak to have the surgery; he went home but had to return.
“I always thought he would pull through,” Moret said, “because he was so cool. He was always cool.”
Early in his career, the dark-haired Darren received excellent notices for starring in Let No Man Write My Epitaph (1960) — portraying the son of a hoodlum defended by Humphrey Bogart’s character in 1949’s Knock on Any Door — and for playing the Greek soldier Spyros Pappadimos in The Guns of Navarone...
Darren died in his sleep at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, his son Jim Moret, a correspondent for Inside Edition, told The Hollywood Reporter. He had entered the hospital for an aortic valve replacement but was deemed too weak to have the surgery; he went home but had to return.
“I always thought he would pull through,” Moret said, “because he was so cool. He was always cool.”
Early in his career, the dark-haired Darren received excellent notices for starring in Let No Man Write My Epitaph (1960) — portraying the son of a hoodlum defended by Humphrey Bogart’s character in 1949’s Knock on Any Door — and for playing the Greek soldier Spyros Pappadimos in The Guns of Navarone...
- 9/2/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In a new episode of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs, Carole King discussed her multiple entries on the list, both her solo hits and ones she co-penned with ex-husband and creative partner Gerry Goffin. Among them is the Shirelles’ “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” the 1960 girl group classic that came to define the era.
King describes in detail how writing with Goffin worked. In this case, Goffin had penned the first verse, which then made the music pour out of King almost immediately. She notes that the song sounded quite country at first,...
King describes in detail how writing with Goffin worked. In this case, Goffin had penned the first verse, which then made the music pour out of King almost immediately. She notes that the song sounded quite country at first,...
- 7/14/2024
- by Brittany Spanos
- Rollingstone.com
There are all other songwriters, and then there is Carole King. Nobody’s ever had an epic career quite like the Brooklyn girl who spent the Sixties writing classic hits for other artists—then spent the Seventies writing her own. With her 1971 solo classic Tapestry, she set the standards that all young singer-songwriters still aspire to reach. She’s always gone her own way as a performer, a composer, an environmental activist. When Taylor Swift inducted King into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023, she simply called her...
- 7/10/2024
- by Rob Sheffield
- Rollingstone.com
It is a plight common to most professional songwriters: Everyone knows their songs, but few people know who they are.
And it’s hard to think of a more vivid example of that syndrome than Gerry Goffin, Carole King’s late ex-husband and longtime writing partner, who was responsible for the lyrics of such timeless songs as “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?,” “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman,” “Up on the Roof,” “The Loco-Motion,” “One Fine Day” and dozens more — he wrote the lyrics for a total of 114 Billboard Hot 100 hits for artists including Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Rod Stewart, Natalie Cole, James Taylor, Ray Charles, Whitney Houston, Kylie Minogue and of course, King.
Goffin’s story will finally be told in “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?,” a documentary — named after his and King’s first-ever No. 1 hit, written in 1960 when he was 20 and...
And it’s hard to think of a more vivid example of that syndrome than Gerry Goffin, Carole King’s late ex-husband and longtime writing partner, who was responsible for the lyrics of such timeless songs as “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?,” “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman,” “Up on the Roof,” “The Loco-Motion,” “One Fine Day” and dozens more — he wrote the lyrics for a total of 114 Billboard Hot 100 hits for artists including Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Rod Stewart, Natalie Cole, James Taylor, Ray Charles, Whitney Houston, Kylie Minogue and of course, King.
Goffin’s story will finally be told in “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?,” a documentary — named after his and King’s first-ever No. 1 hit, written in 1960 when he was 20 and...
- 6/25/2024
- by Jem Aswad
- Variety Film + TV
Because they managed to dip their toes into so many different genres, The Beatles covered Tony Orlando’s doo-wop version of an old song. That was part of a long history of Orlando finding his way into classic rock history. After several decades, The Beatles’ song eventually appeared on one of their albums.
The Beatles covered a Tony Orlando song based on the work of a classic writer
The Beatles covered Orlando’s “Beautiful Dreamer.” Orlando’s song was a doo-wop version of an old standard. During a 2016 interview with the Vancouver Sun, Orlando discussed his song. “It was an extension of a Stephen Foster song, ‘Beautiful Dreamer.’ The Beatles did cover it.” Foster was the famous writer behind tunes such as “My Old Kentucky Home,” “Oh! Susanna,” and “Camptown Ladies.”
Orlando shared an interesting Fab Four anecdote. “What’s interesting about that, if you read The Beatles’ liner notes,...
The Beatles covered a Tony Orlando song based on the work of a classic writer
The Beatles covered Orlando’s “Beautiful Dreamer.” Orlando’s song was a doo-wop version of an old standard. During a 2016 interview with the Vancouver Sun, Orlando discussed his song. “It was an extension of a Stephen Foster song, ‘Beautiful Dreamer.’ The Beatles did cover it.” Foster was the famous writer behind tunes such as “My Old Kentucky Home,” “Oh! Susanna,” and “Camptown Ladies.”
Orlando shared an interesting Fab Four anecdote. “What’s interesting about that, if you read The Beatles’ liner notes,...
- 12/18/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tl;Dr:
The Monkees’ Micky Dolenz discussed how the band’s supervisor, Don Kirshner, helped them. Dolenz dumped ice on Kirshner and that became an “urban legend.” Kirhsner was later dismissed.
The Monkees‘ Micky Dolenz said the band often improvised on TV. Subsequently, he dumped ice on The Monkees’ supervisor, Don Kirshner, in the studio. Kirshner then told Dolenz how he expected to be treated.
Micky Dolenz dumped ice on The Monkees’ supervisor because he said something silly
Don Kirshner was The Monkees’ music supervisor. During a 2020 interview with Forbes, Dolenz discussed a famous anecdote about Kirshner. “Donnie Kirshner was responsible to some degree in picking The Monkees songs because he was head of Screen Gems Columbia Music in the famous Brill Building in New York,” he said. “He was the Brill Building during that period, along with those incredible writers like Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, Carole King and Gerry Goffin,...
The Monkees’ Micky Dolenz discussed how the band’s supervisor, Don Kirshner, helped them. Dolenz dumped ice on Kirshner and that became an “urban legend.” Kirhsner was later dismissed.
The Monkees‘ Micky Dolenz said the band often improvised on TV. Subsequently, he dumped ice on The Monkees’ supervisor, Don Kirshner, in the studio. Kirshner then told Dolenz how he expected to be treated.
Micky Dolenz dumped ice on The Monkees’ supervisor because he said something silly
Don Kirshner was The Monkees’ music supervisor. During a 2020 interview with Forbes, Dolenz discussed a famous anecdote about Kirshner. “Donnie Kirshner was responsible to some degree in picking The Monkees songs because he was head of Screen Gems Columbia Music in the famous Brill Building in New York,” he said. “He was the Brill Building during that period, along with those incredible writers like Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, Carole King and Gerry Goffin,...
- 8/1/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Cynthia Weil, a Grammy-winning lyricist of notable range and endurance who enjoyed a decades-long partnership with husband Barry Mann and helped write “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling”, “On Broadway”, “Walking in the Rain” and dozens of other hits, has died at age 82.
Weil’s daughter, Dr. Jenn Mann, said that the songwriter died Thursday at her home in Beverly Hills, California, “surrounded by her family.” Mann, the couple’s only child, declined to cite a specific cause of death.
Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, married in 1961, were one of popular music’s most successful teams, part of a remarkable ensemble recruited by impresarios Don Kirshner and Al Nevins and based in Manhattan’s Brill Building neighborhood, a few blocks from Times Square. With such hit-making combinations as Carole King and Gerry Goffin and Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, the Brill Building song factory turned out many of the biggest...
Weil’s daughter, Dr. Jenn Mann, said that the songwriter died Thursday at her home in Beverly Hills, California, “surrounded by her family.” Mann, the couple’s only child, declined to cite a specific cause of death.
Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, married in 1961, were one of popular music’s most successful teams, part of a remarkable ensemble recruited by impresarios Don Kirshner and Al Nevins and based in Manhattan’s Brill Building neighborhood, a few blocks from Times Square. With such hit-making combinations as Carole King and Gerry Goffin and Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, the Brill Building song factory turned out many of the biggest...
- 6/3/2023
- by Melissa Romualdi
- ET Canada
Cynthia Weil, who teamed with husband Barry Mann to write such pop classics as “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” “On Broadway,” “We Gotta Get Out of This Place” and dozens of other hits for the likes of the Drifters, the Ronettes, Dolly Parton and B.J. Thomas, died Thursday. She was 82.
Weil’s daughter, Dr. Jenn Mann, said via publicist Sarah Schlief: “My mother, Cynthia Weil, was the greatest mother, grandmother and wife our family could ever ask for. She was my best friend, confidante and my partner in crime and an idol and trailblazer for women in music.”
Weil and Mann, who were married for 62 years, were among the most important songwriters in the early days of rock ‘n’ roll. They won a pair of Grammys and were Oscar-nominated for Best Song for “Somewhere Out There,” the Linda Ronstadt-James Ingram duet from An American Tail. The couple would share...
Weil’s daughter, Dr. Jenn Mann, said via publicist Sarah Schlief: “My mother, Cynthia Weil, was the greatest mother, grandmother and wife our family could ever ask for. She was my best friend, confidante and my partner in crime and an idol and trailblazer for women in music.”
Weil and Mann, who were married for 62 years, were among the most important songwriters in the early days of rock ‘n’ roll. They won a pair of Grammys and were Oscar-nominated for Best Song for “Somewhere Out There,” the Linda Ronstadt-James Ingram duet from An American Tail. The couple would share...
- 6/2/2023
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Tl;Dr:
All members of The Monkees wrote a jazz song called “Goin’ Down” with help from another songwriter. Micky Dolenz initially sang the song a lot slower than it appeared on record. “Goin’ Down” was the B-side to The Monkees’ classic No. 1 single “Daydream Believer.” All members of The Monkees | James Jackson / Stringer
The members of The Monkees usually didn’t write their own songs. Despite this, all Monkees members came together to write a jazz song. Notably, the song in question was inspired by an earlier classic jazz track.
Micky Dolenz said members of The Monkees deserved credit along with their songwriters
During a 2019 interview with Wonderlust, Dolenz discussed how The Monkees made their music. “I was blessed to be part of it,” he said. “The Monkees was not just the four of us.
“It was songwriters [an all-star lineup of Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Neil Sedaka, Neil Diamond],” he added. “It was producers.
All members of The Monkees wrote a jazz song called “Goin’ Down” with help from another songwriter. Micky Dolenz initially sang the song a lot slower than it appeared on record. “Goin’ Down” was the B-side to The Monkees’ classic No. 1 single “Daydream Believer.” All members of The Monkees | James Jackson / Stringer
The members of The Monkees usually didn’t write their own songs. Despite this, all Monkees members came together to write a jazz song. Notably, the song in question was inspired by an earlier classic jazz track.
Micky Dolenz said members of The Monkees deserved credit along with their songwriters
During a 2019 interview with Wonderlust, Dolenz discussed how The Monkees made their music. “I was blessed to be part of it,” he said. “The Monkees was not just the four of us.
“It was songwriters [an all-star lineup of Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Neil Sedaka, Neil Diamond],” he added. “It was producers.
- 4/17/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The 1960s was the peak of many trends in classic rock. For example, ’60s psychedelic rock songs are probably better than the psychedelic rock songs of any other era. Notably, John Lennon said The Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever” wasn’t very psychedelic at first.
The Beatles | Bettmann / Contributor 5. The Beatles’ ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’
“Strawberry Fields Forever” might be the defining psychedelic rock song of the ’60s. In a 1980 interview from the book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, John discussed its origin.
“Dick Lester offered me the part in this movie [How I Won the War], which gave me time to think without going home,” he recalled. “We were in Almería, and it took me six weeks to write the song. I was writing it all the time I was making the film. And as anybody knows about film work, there’s a lot of hanging around.
The Beatles | Bettmann / Contributor 5. The Beatles’ ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’
“Strawberry Fields Forever” might be the defining psychedelic rock song of the ’60s. In a 1980 interview from the book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, John discussed its origin.
“Dick Lester offered me the part in this movie [How I Won the War], which gave me time to think without going home,” he recalled. “We were in Almería, and it took me six weeks to write the song. I was writing it all the time I was making the film. And as anybody knows about film work, there’s a lot of hanging around.
- 4/15/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
By the time The Monkees began production of their first and only feature film, Head, they had undergone a metamorphosis as both performers and a music group. Mike Nesmith, Peter Tork, Davy Jones, and Micky Dolenz evolved from hired actors to pop music phenomena over the course of three years. Therefore, to depict this, the music for Head was just as pivotal as the script itself. Subsequently, Monkees producer Bob Rafelson said one song was “critical” to the soundtrack. Here are all the details.
Mike Nesmith, Peter Tork, Davy Jones, and Mike Nesmith of The Monkees | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images How did The Monkees get involved with ‘Head’?
The last episode of The Monkees Emmy-winning television show aired in March 1968, during its second and final filming season. Moreover, the world’s cultural climate appeared to be in upheaval. The series seemed out of step with the times.
The Monkees...
Mike Nesmith, Peter Tork, Davy Jones, and Mike Nesmith of The Monkees | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images How did The Monkees get involved with ‘Head’?
The last episode of The Monkees Emmy-winning television show aired in March 1968, during its second and final filming season. Moreover, the world’s cultural climate appeared to be in upheaval. The series seemed out of step with the times.
The Monkees...
- 4/5/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Monkees were lucky enough to have prolific songwriters working behind the scenes to craft songs for their music catalog. Many came from New York’s Brill Building, where they worked for the show’s music producer, Don Kirshner. One of these songwriters was Carole King, who, along with her husband Gerry Goffin, wrote tunes on almost every Monkees album except one, perhaps the most important of the band’s career.
Carole King wrote some of The Monkees’ most beloved hits but was excluded from one album | Michael Ochs Archives/Jim McCrary/Getty Images/ The Monkees’ biggest hits came from the songwriting team of Carole King and Gerry Goffin
Don Kirshner handpicked husband and wife songwriters Carole King and Gerry Goffin to write songs for The Monkees. King’s music and Goffin’s lyrics perfectly captured the pop sensibilities of the 1960s.
Together and separately, King and Goffin wrote songs...
Carole King wrote some of The Monkees’ most beloved hits but was excluded from one album | Michael Ochs Archives/Jim McCrary/Getty Images/ The Monkees’ biggest hits came from the songwriting team of Carole King and Gerry Goffin
Don Kirshner handpicked husband and wife songwriters Carole King and Gerry Goffin to write songs for The Monkees. King’s music and Goffin’s lyrics perfectly captured the pop sensibilities of the 1960s.
Together and separately, King and Goffin wrote songs...
- 4/3/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
One of The Monkees‘ most prolific singalong hits, “Pleasant Valley Sunday,” appeared on their classic album Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, and Jones Ltd. Written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, the song was inspired by a street near the couple’s suburban New Jersey home. However, the song’s lyrics had a darker edge than fans realized.
Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, and Mike Nesmith are the cast of ‘The Monkees’ | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images ‘Pleasant Valley Sunday’ was a Monkees smash
The single peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1967. At the number one position was Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode to Billie Joe,” followed by The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”
The Monkees held steady at number three. In addition, rounding out the top five in the first week of August 1967 was The Doors’ “Light My Fire” and Aretha Franklin’s “Baby I Love You.
Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, and Mike Nesmith are the cast of ‘The Monkees’ | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images ‘Pleasant Valley Sunday’ was a Monkees smash
The single peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1967. At the number one position was Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode to Billie Joe,” followed by The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”
The Monkees held steady at number three. In addition, rounding out the top five in the first week of August 1967 was The Doors’ “Light My Fire” and Aretha Franklin’s “Baby I Love You.
- 3/30/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Monkees may have started their music careers as a television show band. However, the prefab four quickly morphed into one of the most beloved groups of musicians of the 1960s. Micky Dolenz, Mike Nesmith, Peter Tork, and Davy Jones broke records and became radio mainstays during that decade. However, some of their best songs never made the Billboard top 10. Here are 5 Monkees songs that should have been hits.
Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork, and Mike Nesmith cranked out dozens of hits, but some fan favorites never topped the charts | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images 1. ‘Porpoise Song’ (1968)
In the late 1960s, The Monkees were on a downturn. Their eponymous television show ended. Peter Tork was exiting the band.
However, one bright song crafted for the band appeared in their feature film Head. Written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, “Porpoise Song” is a beloved tune that occurs at the...
Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork, and Mike Nesmith cranked out dozens of hits, but some fan favorites never topped the charts | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images 1. ‘Porpoise Song’ (1968)
In the late 1960s, The Monkees were on a downturn. Their eponymous television show ended. Peter Tork was exiting the band.
However, one bright song crafted for the band appeared in their feature film Head. Written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, “Porpoise Song” is a beloved tune that occurs at the...
- 3/29/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Beatles achieved many extraordinary feats as recording artists through their years in the music industry. However, none was more stunning than the day they dominated the top four slots of the Billboard singles charts on Mar. 28, 1964.
Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison photographed in 1964 | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images The Beatles’ debut album dropped in 1963 in Great Britain and 1964 in the US
The Beatles’ debut album, Please Please Me, debuted in 1963. It recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of its release.
Before the release of Please Please Me, The Beatles released two singles. “Love Me Do” hit the charts on Oct. 5, 1962, and “Please Please Me” debuted on Jan. 11, 1963.
The Please Please Me album was not released in America and was a UK hit. Instead, the group’s debut album was rebranded Introducing The Beatles, and debuted in the United States on Jan. 10, 1964, with a different tracklisting. Americans...
Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison photographed in 1964 | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images The Beatles’ debut album dropped in 1963 in Great Britain and 1964 in the US
The Beatles’ debut album, Please Please Me, debuted in 1963. It recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of its release.
Before the release of Please Please Me, The Beatles released two singles. “Love Me Do” hit the charts on Oct. 5, 1962, and “Please Please Me” debuted on Jan. 11, 1963.
The Please Please Me album was not released in America and was a UK hit. Instead, the group’s debut album was rebranded Introducing The Beatles, and debuted in the United States on Jan. 10, 1964, with a different tracklisting. Americans...
- 3/28/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Monkees‘ Mike Nesmith couldn’t make sense of his band’s success. Subsequently, he discussed what he thought about them potentially entering the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Notably, the group was a hit from the beginning.
The Monkees’ Mike Nesmith | Michael Ochs Archives / Stringer Why Mike Nesmith turned down a chance to write with Carole King
Numerous famous songwriters wrote tunes for The Monkees, including Neil Diamond, Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Neil Sedaka, and Harry Nilsson. During a 2014 interview with App, Nesmith was asked if he learned anything from the work of these songwriters.
“Actually, a lot of what they did was lost on me,” he said. “I had no real understanding of the pop song — or even the pop culture — which is to say pop art. That understanding developed much later for me.”
Nesmith said King asked to write a song with him. He was intimidated...
The Monkees’ Mike Nesmith | Michael Ochs Archives / Stringer Why Mike Nesmith turned down a chance to write with Carole King
Numerous famous songwriters wrote tunes for The Monkees, including Neil Diamond, Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Neil Sedaka, and Harry Nilsson. During a 2014 interview with App, Nesmith was asked if he learned anything from the work of these songwriters.
“Actually, a lot of what they did was lost on me,” he said. “I had no real understanding of the pop song — or even the pop culture — which is to say pop art. That understanding developed much later for me.”
Nesmith said King asked to write a song with him. He was intimidated...
- 3/28/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tl;Dr:
Carole King and Gerry Goffin co-wrote some of The Monkees’ songs that are essential classics. One of the tracks was the theme song for The Monkees’ only feature film, Head. The song in question features the sound of a dolphin or a porpoise in its mix. The Monkees | James Jackson / Stringer
Carole King wrote some of The Monkees‘ songs with her songwriting partner, Gerry Goffin. Notably, one of the songs they wrote for The Monkees became a huge hit. In addition, a Goffin-King song was recorded by The Byrds and later The Monkees.
4. ‘Pleasant Valley Sunday’
Goffin and King wrote several songs for The Monkees, but the most famous is “Pleasant Valley Sunday,” which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed on the chart for 10 weeks. It’s a memorable look at suburbia and debatably the Prefab Four’s most socially conscious track. It’s also one...
Carole King and Gerry Goffin co-wrote some of The Monkees’ songs that are essential classics. One of the tracks was the theme song for The Monkees’ only feature film, Head. The song in question features the sound of a dolphin or a porpoise in its mix. The Monkees | James Jackson / Stringer
Carole King wrote some of The Monkees‘ songs with her songwriting partner, Gerry Goffin. Notably, one of the songs they wrote for The Monkees became a huge hit. In addition, a Goffin-King song was recorded by The Byrds and later The Monkees.
4. ‘Pleasant Valley Sunday’
Goffin and King wrote several songs for The Monkees, but the most famous is “Pleasant Valley Sunday,” which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed on the chart for 10 weeks. It’s a memorable look at suburbia and debatably the Prefab Four’s most socially conscious track. It’s also one...
- 3/21/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Mike Nesmith was a songwriter ahead of his success with The Monkees. Therefore, he felt a kinship with other like-minded people who also found creative release in this job. He was lucky enough to work alongside some of the greatest writers in the industry for The Monkees. Carole King was one of these songwriters. However, for as much as he “loved” King, Nesmith claimed, “I just can’t stand her records.”
Mike Nesmith and Carole King collaborated on Monkees hits | Fox Photos/Jim McCrary/Redferns/Getty Images How many songs did Carole King write for The Monkees?
Carole King was one of the dozen or more songwriters enlisted to write music for The Monkees’ television series. King was among the many songwriters associated with Don Kirshner of New York’s The Brill Building.
King and her husband Gerry Goffin wrote for The Monkees. So did Tommy Boyce, Neil Diamond, Bobby Hart,...
Mike Nesmith and Carole King collaborated on Monkees hits | Fox Photos/Jim McCrary/Redferns/Getty Images How many songs did Carole King write for The Monkees?
Carole King was one of the dozen or more songwriters enlisted to write music for The Monkees’ television series. King was among the many songwriters associated with Don Kirshner of New York’s The Brill Building.
King and her husband Gerry Goffin wrote for The Monkees. So did Tommy Boyce, Neil Diamond, Bobby Hart,...
- 3/15/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Carole King wrote classic rock songs for many artists. For example, she co-wrote the first girl group song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Subsequently, King discussed why she felt the song’s lyrics were so brilliant.
Carole King | Michael Putland / Contributor Carole King felt her most famous girl group song had great lyrics (which she didn’t write)
King wrote many songs with Gerry Goffin. She wrote the melodies while he wrote the lyrics. According to The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits, they co-wrote The Shirelles’ “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” also known as “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” It was the first girl group song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
During a 2012 interview with NPR, King was asked when she knew Goffin was going to be her lyricist. “And what made him so extraordinary as a lyricist was his ability to say in really simple words big ideas,...
Carole King | Michael Putland / Contributor Carole King felt her most famous girl group song had great lyrics (which she didn’t write)
King wrote many songs with Gerry Goffin. She wrote the melodies while he wrote the lyrics. According to The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits, they co-wrote The Shirelles’ “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” also known as “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” It was the first girl group song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
During a 2012 interview with NPR, King was asked when she knew Goffin was going to be her lyricist. “And what made him so extraordinary as a lyricist was his ability to say in really simple words big ideas,...
- 3/12/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
As a member of The Monkees, Mike Nesmith was responsible for writing some of the band’s most unforgettable songs. Although behind-the-scenes of The Monkees television show, the powers-that-be relied on a stable of prolific songwriters to pen many of the band’s tunes, Nesmith muscled his way into their league with a series of songs that remain fan favorites to this day. However, he could not shake one song in particular, which appeared on deluxe editions of two Monkees albums and two of his solo recordings.
The Monkees’ Mike Nesmith, Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, and Peter Tork | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Mike Nesmith was a songwriter before The Monkees
Before being cast as one-fourth of The Monkees, Mike Nesmith was a songwriter. Per TCM, in 1963, Nesmith performed at various folk venues, including The Troubadour. He met Randy Sparks of the New Christy Minstrels there and earned a songwriting publishing deal.
The Monkees’ Mike Nesmith, Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, and Peter Tork | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Mike Nesmith was a songwriter before The Monkees
Before being cast as one-fourth of The Monkees, Mike Nesmith was a songwriter. Per TCM, in 1963, Nesmith performed at various folk venues, including The Troubadour. He met Randy Sparks of the New Christy Minstrels there and earned a songwriting publishing deal.
- 3/11/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Naomi Ackie gives audiences a glimpse into the life of Whitney Houston in director Kasi Lemmons’ new biopic “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” and the new film is packed with a number of Houston’s hits.
Working with movement coach Polly Bennett and vocal coaches Tangela Large, Bridgette Jackson and Denise Woods, Ackie also underwent physical transformation with the help of numerous wigs and false teeth to cover the natural gap in her two front teeth.
Ackie doesn’t sing most songs in the film — she lip syncs to Houston’s perfect tracks instead — but she mimics Houston’s style of singing with great detail. She steps in for performances by Houston that were not recorded, such as “Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah” and “Jesus Loves Me” from her choir-singing days. Ackie also portrays a nervous Whitney who is thrust onstage by her mother, who knows Clive Davis is in attendance,...
Working with movement coach Polly Bennett and vocal coaches Tangela Large, Bridgette Jackson and Denise Woods, Ackie also underwent physical transformation with the help of numerous wigs and false teeth to cover the natural gap in her two front teeth.
Ackie doesn’t sing most songs in the film — she lip syncs to Houston’s perfect tracks instead — but she mimics Houston’s style of singing with great detail. She steps in for performances by Houston that were not recorded, such as “Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah” and “Jesus Loves Me” from her choir-singing days. Ackie also portrays a nervous Whitney who is thrust onstage by her mother, who knows Clive Davis is in attendance,...
- 12/28/2022
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
Prior to the December 23 film release of “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” Sony Music has made available the Whitney Houston biopic soundtrack. Featuring 35 cuts, the album clocks in at 2 hours 26 minutes. Scattered amongst some of her greatest hits are various remixes, live performances and never-before-heard gems straight from the vaults.
See Whitney Houston songs ranked: Her 35 best hits we will always love [Photos]
One heartbreaking revelation is “Don’t Cry For Me,” a prophetic song Houston performed at the Commitment to Life AIDS benefit in 1994. Written by BeBe Winans and Brian Keith Thomas, the song was originally recorded by Winans and his sister, CeCe Winans, for their chart-topping 1988 gospel album “Heaven.” Houston was also featured on that release, collaborating with the sibling duo on “Celebrate New Life” and “Hold Up the Light.”
For the soundtrack, Houston’s live vocals were isolated and placed over a new track produced by Rodney Jerkins.
See Whitney Houston songs ranked: Her 35 best hits we will always love [Photos]
One heartbreaking revelation is “Don’t Cry For Me,” a prophetic song Houston performed at the Commitment to Life AIDS benefit in 1994. Written by BeBe Winans and Brian Keith Thomas, the song was originally recorded by Winans and his sister, CeCe Winans, for their chart-topping 1988 gospel album “Heaven.” Houston was also featured on that release, collaborating with the sibling duo on “Celebrate New Life” and “Hold Up the Light.”
For the soundtrack, Houston’s live vocals were isolated and placed over a new track produced by Rodney Jerkins.
- 12/18/2022
- by Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
Daisy Edgar-Jones is set to star in Sony’s upcoming film adaptation of the stage musical ‘Beautiful.’
Edgar-Jones will play the role of American singer-songwriter Carole King, on which the broadway musical is based.
The stage musical is a jukebox musical with a book by Douglas McGrath that tells the story of the early life and career of Carole King, using songs that she wrote, often together with Gerry Goffin, and other contemporary songs by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Phil Spector and others.
Also in news – John Cena, Jason Momoa to team on comedy ‘Killer Vacation’
Lisa Cholodenko will direct. Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman of Playtone will produce the film with Paul Blake, who also produced the stage show. Sherry Kondor, Christine Russell, Steven Shareshian, and Mike Bosner will serve as executive producers.
The stage show ‘Beautiful: The Carole King Musical’ ran on Broadway for five years and earned...
Edgar-Jones will play the role of American singer-songwriter Carole King, on which the broadway musical is based.
The stage musical is a jukebox musical with a book by Douglas McGrath that tells the story of the early life and career of Carole King, using songs that she wrote, often together with Gerry Goffin, and other contemporary songs by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Phil Spector and others.
Also in news – John Cena, Jason Momoa to team on comedy ‘Killer Vacation’
Lisa Cholodenko will direct. Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman of Playtone will produce the film with Paul Blake, who also produced the stage show. Sherry Kondor, Christine Russell, Steven Shareshian, and Mike Bosner will serve as executive producers.
The stage show ‘Beautiful: The Carole King Musical’ ran on Broadway for five years and earned...
- 12/16/2022
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
The actress who’ll play Carole King in an upcoming biopic based on Broadway musical Beautiful has been selected: On Thursday, Sony announced that Where the Crawdads Sing actress Daisy Edgar-Jones will play King in the upcoming film.
“Daisy has a spirit and energy that I recognized as myself when I was younger,” Carole King told Variety about the casting. “She’s a tremendous talent and I know...
The actress who’ll play Carole King in an upcoming biopic based on Broadway musical Beautiful has been selected: On Thursday, Sony announced that Where the Crawdads Sing actress Daisy Edgar-Jones will play King in the upcoming film.
“Daisy has a spirit and energy that I recognized as myself when I was younger,” Carole King told Variety about the casting. “She’s a tremendous talent and I know...
- 12/15/2022
- by Tomás Mier
- Rollingstone.com
This story about Diane Warren first appeared in the Race Begins issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.
When she got a phone call in June from Academy president David Rubin, Diane Warren was in the studio with singer Sofia Carson, working on a song called “Applause.” The song, written for the movie “Tell It Like a Woman,” urges women to appreciate themselves: “Give yourself some applause, you deserve it.” And when Rubin greeted Warren, the song suddenly took on a whole new meaning.
“He was like, ‘I’m so happy to be able to do this. Congratulations!’” said Warren, thinking back on the moment four months later. “I go, ‘What?’ He said, ‘You’re getting an Oscar!’ And I was like, ‘No. This has to be a joke.’”
It wasn’t a joke. At the Governors Awards on Nov. 19, Diane Warren will become the first songwriter to ever be voted...
When she got a phone call in June from Academy president David Rubin, Diane Warren was in the studio with singer Sofia Carson, working on a song called “Applause.” The song, written for the movie “Tell It Like a Woman,” urges women to appreciate themselves: “Give yourself some applause, you deserve it.” And when Rubin greeted Warren, the song suddenly took on a whole new meaning.
“He was like, ‘I’m so happy to be able to do this. Congratulations!’” said Warren, thinking back on the moment four months later. “I go, ‘What?’ He said, ‘You’re getting an Oscar!’ And I was like, ‘No. This has to be a joke.’”
It wasn’t a joke. At the Governors Awards on Nov. 19, Diane Warren will become the first songwriter to ever be voted...
- 11/16/2022
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
A TV show introducing some fresh faces is nothing new. Casting turnover is one of the ways that the medium is able to stay fresh, year after year. Still, there are normal casting tweaks and then there is what The Umbrella Academy is set to do in season 3.
Fans of the series will recall that, at the end of season 2, the Hargreeves children’s time-meddling came back to bite them once again – this time in a particularly spectacular fashion. When Luther, Diego, Allison, and company arrived back to the “present” from their journey in 1963 Dallas, they discovered that a whole new team crime-fighting team was occupying The Umbrella Academy mansion.
Their former father Reginald Hargreeves announced this new team as the Sparrow Academy, and it featured five human silhouettes, one ominous looking cube, and the resurrection of the Umbrellas’ own dearly-departed brother Ben. Suffice it to say, the Sparrow Academy...
Fans of the series will recall that, at the end of season 2, the Hargreeves children’s time-meddling came back to bite them once again – this time in a particularly spectacular fashion. When Luther, Diego, Allison, and company arrived back to the “present” from their journey in 1963 Dallas, they discovered that a whole new team crime-fighting team was occupying The Umbrella Academy mansion.
Their former father Reginald Hargreeves announced this new team as the Sparrow Academy, and it featured five human silhouettes, one ominous looking cube, and the resurrection of the Umbrellas’ own dearly-departed brother Ben. Suffice it to say, the Sparrow Academy...
- 6/21/2022
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Looking back 50 years at anything that isn’t related to geology, evolution or astronomy feels like a glimpse at a long-bygone age. That’s especially so for the 14th annual Grammy Awards, which took place on March 14, 1972 at the Felt Forum in New York’s Madison Square Garden and were broadcast on ABC.
The show was hosted by virtuoso easy-listening singer Andy Williams; presenters included Ed Sullivan, the Fifth Dimension, the Carpenters and “Brady Bunch” star Florence Henderson. Carly Simon won Best New Artist; Kris Kristofferson won Best Country & Western Song for “Help Me Make It Through the Night”; and in a horrifying-in-retrospect accolade, best children’s album went to “Bill Cosby Talks to Kids About Drugs.”
However, in uncharacteristically hip moves, Isaac Hayes’ “Shaft” won Best Original Score for a Motion Picture; Aretha Franklin, Bill Withers and Ike & Tina Turner won R&b categories; Cheech and Chong, nominated for Best Comedy Album,...
The show was hosted by virtuoso easy-listening singer Andy Williams; presenters included Ed Sullivan, the Fifth Dimension, the Carpenters and “Brady Bunch” star Florence Henderson. Carly Simon won Best New Artist; Kris Kristofferson won Best Country & Western Song for “Help Me Make It Through the Night”; and in a horrifying-in-retrospect accolade, best children’s album went to “Bill Cosby Talks to Kids About Drugs.”
However, in uncharacteristically hip moves, Isaac Hayes’ “Shaft” won Best Original Score for a Motion Picture; Aretha Franklin, Bill Withers and Ike & Tina Turner won R&b categories; Cheech and Chong, nominated for Best Comedy Album,...
- 4/1/2022
- by Jem Aswad
- Variety Film + TV
Update (11/1): Le Tigre’s Kathleen Hanna and Johanna Fateman have settled their lawsuit against Barry Mann, Pitchfork reports. Mann had previously filed a cease-and-desist complaint claiming Le Tigre’s “Deceptacon” infringed on the copyright for the 1961 hit Mann cowrote, “Who Put the Bomp (in the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp).” The parties reached a confidential settlement agreement without any public admission of liability. The suit was subsequently dismissed without prejudice.
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Le Tigre issued a statement Thursday regarding the legal action they recently took against singer Barry Mann, who previously filed a...
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Le Tigre issued a statement Thursday regarding the legal action they recently took against singer Barry Mann, who previously filed a...
- 11/2/2021
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Taylor Swift had the first word at the 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony Saturday night in Cleveland.
After opening remarks by Rock Hall CEO Greg Harris and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation President John Sykes, Swift took the stage at Rockey Mortgage Fieldhouse in a glittering, form-fitting outfit to sing a vibey, electronic-flavored rendition of Rock Hall inductee Carole King’s “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” the 1960 Shirelles No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit King wrote with her first husband, Gerry Goffin, and also recorded for her own Billboard 200 chart-topping Tapestry album ...
After opening remarks by Rock Hall CEO Greg Harris and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation President John Sykes, Swift took the stage at Rockey Mortgage Fieldhouse in a glittering, form-fitting outfit to sing a vibey, electronic-flavored rendition of Rock Hall inductee Carole King’s “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” the 1960 Shirelles No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit King wrote with her first husband, Gerry Goffin, and also recorded for her own Billboard 200 chart-topping Tapestry album ...
- 10/30/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Taylor Swift had the first word at the 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony Saturday night in Cleveland.
After opening remarks by Rock Hall CEO Greg Harris and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation President John Sykes, Swift took the stage at Rockey Mortgage Fieldhouse in a glittering, form-fitting outfit to sing a vibey, electronic-flavored rendition of Rock Hall inductee Carole King’s “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” the 1960 Shirelles No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit King wrote with her first husband, Gerry Goffin, and also recorded for her own Billboard 200 chart-topping Tapestry album ...
After opening remarks by Rock Hall CEO Greg Harris and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation President John Sykes, Swift took the stage at Rockey Mortgage Fieldhouse in a glittering, form-fitting outfit to sing a vibey, electronic-flavored rendition of Rock Hall inductee Carole King’s “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” the 1960 Shirelles No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit King wrote with her first husband, Gerry Goffin, and also recorded for her own Billboard 200 chart-topping Tapestry album ...
- 10/30/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
The North American tour of the Tony and Grammy Award-winning hit musical Beautiful- The Carole King Musical,which has played 1,586 performances in 160 cities over 204 weeks to nearly 2.7 million patrons,is getting ready to hit the road again. Ahead of the reopening, BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge spoke to the show's four leading playersSara Sheperd Carole King, James D. Gish Gerry Goffin, Sara King Cynthia Weil, andRyan Farnsworth Barry Mann about getting the show ready for audience across America.
- 10/13/2021
- by Backstage With Richard Ridge
- BroadwayWorld.com
Jennifer Hudson has dropped her version of “(You Make Me Feel Like a) Natural Woman” for the soundtrack for the upcoming Aretha Franklin biopic, Respect.
“Natural Woman” was penned by Carole King and Gerry Goffin (with some help from Atlantic Records’ Jerry Wexler), and featured on Franklin’s 1968 album, Lady Soul. Hudson’s version of the soul standard is presented as if it were a live performance, with a crowd roaring in the back as she belts the famous refrain over a rich horn fanfare.
The Respect soundtrack is set...
“Natural Woman” was penned by Carole King and Gerry Goffin (with some help from Atlantic Records’ Jerry Wexler), and featured on Franklin’s 1968 album, Lady Soul. Hudson’s version of the soul standard is presented as if it were a live performance, with a crowd roaring in the back as she belts the famous refrain over a rich horn fanfare.
The Respect soundtrack is set...
- 7/16/2021
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
It doesn’t matter how pure a sound is when it catches the ear’s attention, someone in the music industry will find a way to infect it. Pop music is infectious by design, and Netflix’s This Is Pop, reveals the delivery system. The eight-part docuseries focuses on some of the less unexamined moments of the most scrutinized genre in music. It is as depressing as it is exhilarating, and it barely skips a beat.
Much like the recent Apple TV+ series 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything, This is Pop shows how pop music reflects and influences culture. Music has always been a great unifier, both for listeners and musicians. Regardless of race, faith, or sexual preference, everyone has a favorite song, and people are drawn to the art of music from every background. What starts as a neighborhood sound moves beyond the streets, and for every Boyz II Men,...
Much like the recent Apple TV+ series 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything, This is Pop shows how pop music reflects and influences culture. Music has always been a great unifier, both for listeners and musicians. Regardless of race, faith, or sexual preference, everyone has a favorite song, and people are drawn to the art of music from every background. What starts as a neighborhood sound moves beyond the streets, and for every Boyz II Men,...
- 6/22/2021
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Exclusive: Tl Thompson (Straight White Men), Cory Jeacoma (Power Book II: Ghost), Ireon Roach (School Girls; or the African Mean Girls Play), Derrick A. King (Call Your Mother) and newcomer Autumn Best are set as series regulars in 4400 (formerly known as The 4400), the CW’s reimagining of the 2004 USA Network sci-fi drama series.
4400 hails from Riverdale co-executive producer Ariana Jackson and Anna Fricke, who successfully rebooted Walker, Texas Ranger for the CW.
In the new version, 4400 overlooked, undervalued or otherwise marginalized people who vanished without a trace over the last hundred years are all returned in an instant, having not aged a day and with no memory of what happened to them. As the government races to analyze the potential threat and contain the story, the 4400 themselves must grapple with the fact that they’ve been returned with a few…upgrades, and the increasing likelihood that...
4400 hails from Riverdale co-executive producer Ariana Jackson and Anna Fricke, who successfully rebooted Walker, Texas Ranger for the CW.
In the new version, 4400 overlooked, undervalued or otherwise marginalized people who vanished without a trace over the last hundred years are all returned in an instant, having not aged a day and with no memory of what happened to them. As the government races to analyze the potential threat and contain the story, the 4400 themselves must grapple with the fact that they’ve been returned with a few…upgrades, and the increasing likelihood that...
- 5/24/2021
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Back in 1990, Carole King entered the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer along with her former husband and songwriting partner, Gerry Goffin. It’s taken 31 years, but she’ll finally join the Hall of Fame this year as a performer. She’s not only the third double female inductee after Stevie Nicks in 2019 and Tina Turner this year, but the first woman to join as both a performer and non-performer.
Just two hours after she learned the news, King called up Rolling Stone from her home in Idaho to talk about the honor,...
Just two hours after she learned the news, King called up Rolling Stone from her home in Idaho to talk about the honor,...
- 5/12/2021
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
Tina Turner, Carole King and The Go-Go’s are heading to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, along with Jay-Z, Foo Fighters and Todd Rundgren.
The Hall announced its 2021 Inductees today, saying the new arrivals represent “the most diverse list of Inductees in the history of the organization.”
Three of the inductees were already Hall of Famers in other categories: Turner for her musical partnership with then-husband Ike as Ike and Tina Turner; King for songwriting partnership with Gerry Goffin; and Foo Fighters’ leader Dave Grohl for drumming with Nirvana.
“This diverse class of talented Inductees reflects the Rock Hall’s ongoing commitment to honor artists whose music created the sound of youth culture”, said John Sykes, Chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. “It will make for an unforgettable live celebration of music in October at this year’s Induction Ceremony in Cleveland.”
Left to try...
The Hall announced its 2021 Inductees today, saying the new arrivals represent “the most diverse list of Inductees in the history of the organization.”
Three of the inductees were already Hall of Famers in other categories: Turner for her musical partnership with then-husband Ike as Ike and Tina Turner; King for songwriting partnership with Gerry Goffin; and Foo Fighters’ leader Dave Grohl for drumming with Nirvana.
“This diverse class of talented Inductees reflects the Rock Hall’s ongoing commitment to honor artists whose music created the sound of youth culture”, said John Sykes, Chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. “It will make for an unforgettable live celebration of music in October at this year’s Induction Ceremony in Cleveland.”
Left to try...
- 5/12/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has officially announced this year’s inductees: Foo Fighters, The Go-Go’s, Jay-Z, Carole King, Todd Rundgren, and Tina Turner will join the class of 2021 in the Performers category.
Additionally, LL Cool J, Billy Preston, and Randy Rhoads will receive the Musical Excellence Award. Kraftwerk, Gil Scott Heron and Charley Patton will get the Early Influence Award, and Sussex Records founder Clarence Avant will be given the Ahmet Ertegun Award.
The induction ceremony will be held at Cleveland, Ohio’s Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on October 30th.
Additionally, LL Cool J, Billy Preston, and Randy Rhoads will receive the Musical Excellence Award. Kraftwerk, Gil Scott Heron and Charley Patton will get the Early Influence Award, and Sussex Records founder Clarence Avant will be given the Ahmet Ertegun Award.
The induction ceremony will be held at Cleveland, Ohio’s Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on October 30th.
- 5/12/2021
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
Ralph Schuckett, a keyboard player best known as a member of Todd Rundgren’s Utopia as well as an in-demand session player and producer and, later, composer for “Pokemon” and other animation projects, died Sunday at 73.
No cause of death was immediately given, although he was known to have been ill. When a Utopia reunion tour was announced in early 2018, Schuckett was announced as part of the lineup and even met with other members for a publicity photo, but he was forced to withdraw shortly before rehearsals began.
Among his early studio credits prior to joining Utopia were Carole King’s first three albums, including the landmark “Tapestry.”
“Ralph Schuckett was a sweet guy, a great friend, and a very talented cat,” King said in a statement Wednesday morning. “That’s his sparkling piano on ‘Smackwater Jack.’ Rest In Peace and love.”
#RalphSchuckett was a sweet guy, a great friend,...
No cause of death was immediately given, although he was known to have been ill. When a Utopia reunion tour was announced in early 2018, Schuckett was announced as part of the lineup and even met with other members for a publicity photo, but he was forced to withdraw shortly before rehearsals began.
Among his early studio credits prior to joining Utopia were Carole King’s first three albums, including the landmark “Tapestry.”
“Ralph Schuckett was a sweet guy, a great friend, and a very talented cat,” King said in a statement Wednesday morning. “That’s his sparkling piano on ‘Smackwater Jack.’ Rest In Peace and love.”
#RalphSchuckett was a sweet guy, a great friend,...
- 4/7/2021
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
The nominations for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s class of 2021 are in and the list features Jay-Z, Foo Fighters, Mary J. Blige, Iron Maiden, Tina Turner, the Go-Go’s, Rage Against the Machine, Kate Bush, Devo, Chaka Khan, Carole King, Fela Kuti, LL Cool J, New York Dolls, Todd Rundgren, and Dionne Warwick. The top vote-getters will be announced in May and inducted in a Cleveland, Ohio, ceremony in the fall.
To be eligible for this year’s ballot, each nominee’s first single or album had to...
To be eligible for this year’s ballot, each nominee’s first single or album had to...
- 2/10/2021
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
All these decades later, it’s easy to take Tapestry for granted. Like other 1971 staples, from Led Zeppelin IV to Joni Mitchell’s Blue, Carole King’s second solo LP — released 50 years ago today, and recently named the 25th greatest album of all time by Rolling Stone — has always seemed to be there. After its release, it was the Number One album in the country for an astonishing 15 weeks straight, a feat that seems unimaginable now. (Adele’s 21 topped it, at 24 weeks, but that’s the recent exception.) And subsequent...
- 2/10/2021
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
Rhett Miller plays diverse selections from the American music catalog — from “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” to “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” — in the latest installment of the Mighty Song Writers web series.
The Old 97’s frontman kicks off his 20-minute set with “Big River,” a song written by Johnny Cash in 1958. Miller says it was Cash’s favorite song he ever wrote. Miller’s is a traditional performance, with the singer offering a few emphatic whoops and hollers as he backs himself up on acoustic guitar.
The stunner,...
The Old 97’s frontman kicks off his 20-minute set with “Big River,” a song written by Johnny Cash in 1958. Miller says it was Cash’s favorite song he ever wrote. Miller’s is a traditional performance, with the singer offering a few emphatic whoops and hollers as he backs himself up on acoustic guitar.
The stunner,...
- 9/9/2020
- by Joseph Hudak
- Rollingstone.com
Yo La Tengo have shared a rendition of the Byrds’ “Wasn’t Born to Follow.” The cover is set to appear on Sleepless Night, a new EP out October 9th via Matador.
Featuring Dave Schramm on lead guitar, the cover stays fairly close to the folk-tinged original. “No I’d rather go and journey/Where the diamond crescent’s glowing,” they sing. “And run across the valley/Beneath the sacred mountain.”
Written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, “Wasn’t Born to Follow” originally appeared on the Byrds’ 1968 album The...
Featuring Dave Schramm on lead guitar, the cover stays fairly close to the folk-tinged original. “No I’d rather go and journey/Where the diamond crescent’s glowing,” they sing. “And run across the valley/Beneath the sacred mountain.”
Written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, “Wasn’t Born to Follow” originally appeared on the Byrds’ 1968 album The...
- 8/26/2020
- by Angie Martoccio
- Rollingstone.com
There are songs you need to know, and there are songs you need to hear to believe they existed in the first place. Such is the case with this newly reissued cover of the Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” by the long-defunct Hour Glass, the short-lived band featuring Duane and Gregg Allman before they formed the Allman Brothers Band.
On the original version, from Rubber Soul, the Beatles took all sorts of risks — from introducing their fans to the sitar (the Indian stringed instrument played by George Harrison...
On the original version, from Rubber Soul, the Beatles took all sorts of risks — from introducing their fans to the sitar (the Indian stringed instrument played by George Harrison...
- 3/5/2020
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
Bob Geldof has organized some of the most incredible all-star shows in rock history, including the original Live Aid in 1985 and its follow-up, Live 8, in 2005. But even the man that reunited Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and the Who seemed stunned by what he was seeing near the end of the 30th-anniversary celebration of Sting and Trudie Styler’s Rainforest Fund benefit at New York’s Beacon Theater on Monday evening. The Eurthymics had just wrapped up an extremely rare reunion set when Bruce Springsteen came onto the stage and called...
- 12/10/2019
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
In a year full of major 50th anniversary commemorations — from Woodstock to the moon landing — why not one for “Easy Rider,” Dennis Hopper’s hippie-biker flick that was released on July 14, 1969?
That was the idea when a rep for Peter Fonda, who starred in the film as the laid-back Captain America, reached out to New York impresario Peter Shapiro and Live Nation earlier this year about staging an event where the movie would be screened with the soundtrack performed live by some of the legendary musicians who appeared on it.
When Friday night’s “Easy Rider Live” show at Radio City Hall Music in New York was announced in late July, Fonda had not yet passed away from lung cancer. Before his death at age 79 on August 16, Fonda encouraged fans to come, saying, “Enjoy the new print. Sing along with the songs. Laugh with the humor! Remember the spirit! Find the love.
That was the idea when a rep for Peter Fonda, who starred in the film as the laid-back Captain America, reached out to New York impresario Peter Shapiro and Live Nation earlier this year about staging an event where the movie would be screened with the soundtrack performed live by some of the legendary musicians who appeared on it.
When Friday night’s “Easy Rider Live” show at Radio City Hall Music in New York was announced in late July, Fonda had not yet passed away from lung cancer. Before his death at age 79 on August 16, Fonda encouraged fans to come, saying, “Enjoy the new print. Sing along with the songs. Laugh with the humor! Remember the spirit! Find the love.
- 9/21/2019
- by Steve Bloom
- Variety Film + TV
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, one of the most popular Broadway shows in recent seasons and the rare jukebox musical as beloved by critics as by audiences, will end its nearly six-year Broadway run on October 27, producers announced tonight.
Based on the songs of its titular pop legend and her inner circle, Beautiful earned seven Tony nominations in 2014 and won a pair, including one for lead actress Jessie Mueller. The musical will close having played 2,418 regular performances and 60 previews. It’s Broadway’s second-longest-running bio-musical and the longest-running and highest-grossing show in the Stephen Sondheim Theatre’s history.
The production recouped its $13 million capitalization within nine months, but even it wasn’t immune to a generally tough summer for Broadway. In recent weeks, Beautiful has been grossing at about half, or just above half, of its $994,804 weekly potential. Although the summer has been hard on newer shows — with recent or...
Based on the songs of its titular pop legend and her inner circle, Beautiful earned seven Tony nominations in 2014 and won a pair, including one for lead actress Jessie Mueller. The musical will close having played 2,418 regular performances and 60 previews. It’s Broadway’s second-longest-running bio-musical and the longest-running and highest-grossing show in the Stephen Sondheim Theatre’s history.
The production recouped its $13 million capitalization within nine months, but even it wasn’t immune to a generally tough summer for Broadway. In recent weeks, Beautiful has been grossing at about half, or just above half, of its $994,804 weekly potential. Although the summer has been hard on newer shows — with recent or...
- 7/18/2019
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
“Turn everything up!” declared Jakob Dylan, standing with a band of journeyman players at the Cinerama Dome movie theater in Los Angeles on Thursday. The occasion was the premiere of Echo in the Canyon, a documentary on the jangly, perceptive folk-rock of mid-Sixties Laurel Canyon that inspired him and generations of musicians.
The eight-song performance followed the 90-minute film, and included songs performed by pioneering Laurel Canyon players Stephen Stills (Buffalo Springfield) and Roger McGuinn (the Byrds). For the Mamas and Papas’ “Go Where You Wanna Go,” the singer Jade...
The eight-song performance followed the 90-minute film, and included songs performed by pioneering Laurel Canyon players Stephen Stills (Buffalo Springfield) and Roger McGuinn (the Byrds). For the Mamas and Papas’ “Go Where You Wanna Go,” the singer Jade...
- 5/24/2019
- by Steve Appleford
- Rollingstone.com
Chicago – Hey, hey, he (was) a Monkee, and Peter Tork liked Monkee-ing around. The eternally optimistic-but-doofus character of the “Pre-Fab Four” 1960s pop group The Monkees was also a consummate musician, and was one the first members of the made-for-tv band that protested the false backing tracks to their playing and singing. Tork died on February 21st, 2019. He was 77.
Peter Halsten Thorkelson was born in Washington, D.C., and was cast perfectly into the era of the baby boomer 1960s, when he moved to New York City after a stint in college to join the burgeoning folk scene in Greenwich Village. He became a Monkee accidentally, when his friend Stephen Stills suggested that Tork could fulfill the look that the producers wanted for the TV show. He got the gig, and along with fellow band mates Mike Nesmith, Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones, romped on the TV series, released several...
Peter Halsten Thorkelson was born in Washington, D.C., and was cast perfectly into the era of the baby boomer 1960s, when he moved to New York City after a stint in college to join the burgeoning folk scene in Greenwich Village. He became a Monkee accidentally, when his friend Stephen Stills suggested that Tork could fulfill the look that the producers wanted for the TV show. He got the gig, and along with fellow band mates Mike Nesmith, Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones, romped on the TV series, released several...
- 2/25/2019
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
The Warren Miller Performing Arts Center Executive Director John Zirkle in Big Sky Montana announced today it will present a limited engagement of Jason Robert Brown's award-winning musical The Last Five Years, directed by Jason McDowell-Green and starring Abby Mueller as Cathy and Ben Jacoby as Jamie. Mueller and Jacoby were recently seen together on Broadway in Beautiful The Carole King Musical, where the pair starred as Carole and Gerry Goffin, King's first husband.
- 1/30/2019
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Carole King surprised the Broadway audience at last night’s fifth-anniversary performance of Beautiful, the musical about her journey through the music business, performing the title song that caps the show.
The moment, which recreates King’s triumphant 1971 Carnegie Hall concert, brought audience members to their feet. (See video below.)
After the finale, King joined the cast during the curtain call, appearing alongside Chilina Kennedy, who currently plays the lead role. After King and the cast performed the encore (“I Feel The Earth Move”), she reflected on the phenomenon the show has become.
“What a night!” King said. “It was amazing to be a part of this. This musical has been such a magical experience. To be here and celebrate our fifth anniversary with so much joy and love is amazing.”
In a press release, producers Paul Blake and Mike Bosner described the show as “an experience unlike any other.
The moment, which recreates King’s triumphant 1971 Carnegie Hall concert, brought audience members to their feet. (See video below.)
After the finale, King joined the cast during the curtain call, appearing alongside Chilina Kennedy, who currently plays the lead role. After King and the cast performed the encore (“I Feel The Earth Move”), she reflected on the phenomenon the show has become.
“What a night!” King said. “It was amazing to be a part of this. This musical has been such a magical experience. To be here and celebrate our fifth anniversary with so much joy and love is amazing.”
In a press release, producers Paul Blake and Mike Bosner described the show as “an experience unlike any other.
- 1/13/2019
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
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