FLASHBACK: 'MOTOWN 25' AIRS ON NBC

 

It was 25 years ago tonight (May 16th, 1983) that the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever TV special aired on NBC. Apart from Motown's greatest acts from the 1960's reuniting onstage for the first time in years, Motown 25 has earned a place in pop culture as the night that millions of viewers watched Michael Jackson moonwalk to his then-current single "Billie Jean" from his recently released album Thriller. Earlier that night Jackson had reunited with the original Jackson Five -- Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon Jackson, along with younger brother Randy -- for a medley of their early Motown hits, including "I Want You Back," "ABC," "The Love You Save," and "I'll Be There." The Temptations -- including former vocalist Eddie Kendricks -- and the Four Tops squared off during a battle of the bands trading off their legendary Motown hits. Other acts included Stevie Wonder, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, and Marvin Gaye, who was fresh off his recent hit "Sexual Healing," and sat at the piano and performed an emotional version of his 1971 classic "What's Going On." Smokey Robinson reunited with the Miracles for a medley of their hits, and teamed up with Linda Ronstadt for renditions of the group's "Ooh Baby Baby" and "Tracks Of My Tears." The evening's only sour note came during the reunion between the Supremes, when Diana Ross, in an effort to position herself between Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong, was seen shoving Wilson to the side, feeding rumors that the feud between Ross and Wilson which had been brewing since the late-'60s was still running high.

 

 

 

 

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FLASHBACK: THE BEACH BOYS RELEASE 'PET SOUNDS'

 

It was 42 years ago today (May 16th, 1966), that the Beach Boys released their legendary Pet Sounds album. The album, which included the group's classic hits "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "Sloop John B.," and "God Only Knows," was like most of the group's early work the brainchild of their leader and producer Brian Wilson. Wilson had retired from the road in 1964 to write and produce material while the other members -- brothers Dennis and Carl Wilson, cousin Mike Love, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston -- spent up to 150 days a year on the road. Pet Sounds is the first complete Beach Boys album to mainly feature session backing musicians, and is considered rock's first symphonic album. Although the album was considered something of a chart failure in the U.S., where it peaked at Number Ten, in Britain the album was hailed an instant classic, inspiring major works from rock's greatest songwriters, including John Lennon and Paul McCartney and the Who's Pete Townshend. The album has often battled the Beatles' Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club albums on "Greatest Albums" lists. Over the years, Paul McCartney has called "God Only Knows" his favorite song of all time. Due to record company red tape, Pet Sounds wasn't certified Gold -- marking 500,000 copies shipped to stores -- until February 2000. Two months later, it was certified Platinum for 1 million copies shipped. That spring, Brian Wilson and his band performed the entire Pet Sounds album as part of his solo shows. A live album, titled Pet Sounds Live In London, was released in 2002. In 2006 and 2007, Wilson and Al Jardine performed the Pet Sounds album in its entirety at a handful of shows.

 

 

 

 

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TINA TURNER ADDS FIVE ADDITIONAL DATES TO NORTH AMERICAN TOUR

 

Tina Turner has added five additional dates to her upcoming North American tour, including a new date in Hartford, Connecticut and additional dates in Boston, Chicago, Toronto and Kansas City, Missouri. The Tina Turner Live North American Tour kicks off on October 1st in Kansas City, Missouri and will hit 17 cities before wrapping on December 8th in Montreal. The newly added Tina Turner tour dates are (subject to change):
October 4 - Chicago, IL - United Center
October 8 - Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center
November 17 - Boston, MA - TD Banknorth Garden
December 6 - Hartford, CT - XL Center
December 12 - Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre
For Tina Turner's full itinerary, log on to pollstar.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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