Year In Review - March & April

Audio By Carbonatix

MARCH

• In an interview with “Rolling Stone” Mick Fleetwood revealed he had reconciled with bandmate Lindsey Buckingham, who split with the group in 2018 over touring issues.
• Bunny Wailer, founding member of reggae band the Wailers, passed away in Kingston, Jamaica at the age of 73.
• David Crosby sold rights to his catalog to music bigwig Irving Azoff’s new Iconic Artist Group.
• Procol Harem bassist Alan Cartwright died. The performer was with the band from 1971 to 1976.
• Patti Smith performed a socially-distant concert as part of the NY PopsUp series, a series of over 300 impromptu performances across the state over 100 days, meant to revitalize New York’s arts and entertainment industries impacted by coronavirus shutdowns.
• Matthew McConaughey recruited a whole host of A-list musicians, including Don Henley, Lyle Lovett and more, for his “We’re Texas” virtual concert to raise money for those affected by the deadly storms in Texas.
• Sally Grossman, known to many as the woman from the iconic cover of Bob Dylan’s album “Bringing It All Back Home,” died at 81.
• Diane Warren received her 12^th Oscar nomination for Best Original Song. She was nominated for "Sì (Seen)” from the Sophia Loren movie “The Life Ahead.” She lost yet again.
• Dolly Parton and Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream teamed for a new ice cream, with proceeds going to the singer’s Imagination Library. The flavor, Strawberry Pretzel Pie, featured, “layers of salty pretzel streusel, subtly sweet and effortlessly tangy cream cheese ice cream and lipstick red strawberry sauce.”
• A new documentary about Tina Turner debuted on HBO and HBO Max, which Tina said was a goodbye to her fans.
• Nathan Apodaca, who had a viral TikTok hit skateboarding to Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” while drinking Ocean Spray, tried to cash in on the newest cryptocurrency craze by selling the video as an NFT. The clip he sold didn’t contain the Fleetwood Mac hit because he doesn’t own the rights to it, and Stevie Nicks is the person who got in the way of the sale.
• Linda Ronstadt sold her catalog to Irving Azoff’s Iconic Artists Group. The deal didn’t include her name and likeness, or her publishing.
• The Library of Congress announced this year’s recordings that will be preserved as part of the National Recording Registry, including “Lady Marmalade” by LaBelle, “The Rainbow Connection,” performed by Kermit The Frog, “Celebration” by Kool & The Gang, Jackson Browne’s “Late For The Sky” and more.
• The Village People classic “Y.M.C.A.” was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame, but the group rejected the honor. Founder Victor Willis told TMZ they declined the induction because the HOF is “lacking" and "not taken seriously by the recording academy."
• Four decades after its release, Queen’s anthem “Bohemian Rhapsody” was certified Diamond by the RIAA. 
• Bob Dylan’s lawyers sought to have a lawsuit brought by Claudia Levy, the widow of songwriter and theatre director Jacques Levy, who co-wrote seven songs on Dylan’s 1976 album “Desire,” thrown out. She claimed she was owed money from Dylan’s catalog sale to Universal but they say she isn’t owed any money because her husband’s work was part of a work-for-hire deal, and is only eligible for royalties, not a share of the copyrights.

APRIL

• Paul Simon sold his publishing rights to Sony Music. Under the deal, Sony owns classic tracks from both his Simon and Garfunkel days and his solo career.
• A new John Lennon and Yoko Ono video for “Look At Me” was released featuring never-before-seen 8mm film footage of the couple at home in 1968.
• A little over a year since the battle began, Journey members Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain came to an “amicable settlement,” with fired bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith.
• Morris "B.B." Dickerson, bassist, vocalist and founding member of the funk rock band War, passed away after a long undisclosed illness. He was 71.
• Cheap Trick bassist Tom Petersson revealed that he had recently undergone heart surgery.
• Quincy Jones was honored with the Icon Award at the 11^th Annual Guild of Music Supervisors Awards.
• Mick Jagger dropped a new pandemic-inspired song, “Eazy Sleazy,” featuring Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl. An NFT, which was released along with the single, sold for $50,000 to Brock Pierce, entrepreneur and former child actor known for his role in “The Mighty Ducks.” The NFT benefited independent music venues impacted by coronavirus.
• Poco’s Rusty Young passed away after suffering a heart attack at his home in Davisville, Missouri. He was 75. 
• Producer & songwriter Jim Steinman, best known for his work on Meat Loaf’s classic album “Bat Out Of Hell” and its follow-up “Bat Out Of Hell II Back Into Hell,” died in Connecticut. He was 73.
• Bay City Rollers frontman Les McKeown passed away at the age of 65. No cause of death was announced.
• Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood revealed he’d gotten the all clear from doctors after being diagnosed with cancer for a second time during lockdowns.