More Classic Rockers have stepped forward to comment on the passing of Michael Jackson. Paul McCartney, who lost The Beatles music publishing in a bidding war with Jackson said, "I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy-man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever and my memories of our time together will be happy ones. I send my deepest sympathy to his mother and the whole family and to his countless fans all around the world."

Others to comment included Alice Cooper, who said, "Michael Jackson was easily as influential as James Brown, and that's saying a lot. He was the Fred Astaire of his time. We had Vincent Price in common -- I used him first on Welcome to My Nightmare in 1975, and he later used him on Thriller. Nobody moved like Michael, he was truly the King of Pop."

Tommy Shaw of Styx said, "It is an unbelievably shocking and sad day for our generation. The knockout combination of Michael Jackson's music and his unique ability to entertain us made him a global artist without peers. This is what will endure. What an incredible body of work it is."

Bad Company has been on a 10-city reunion tour this summer, and singer Paul Rodgers says his wife Cynthia was responsible for The Doobie Brothers becoming the opening act. Rodgers says, "My wife has been friends with them for many years, and I met them a couple of years ago. We had a jam session, you know, we got on just so great. And we've kept in touch and it just seemed like it would be a really cool vibe to, you know, put us together. So I invited them and they said, 'Yep, we'd love to,' which is great, because, I mean, it's gonna be a powerful two sets of music really."

Michael Jackson died of cardiac arrest Thursday, June 25th, at the age of 50, and there's been an outpouring of celebrity response. Eddie Van Halen said, "I am really shocked, as I'm sure the world is, to hear the news. I had the pleasure of working with Michael on Beat It back in '83 -- one of my fondest memories in my career. Michael will be missed and may he rest in peace."

Slash, who played guitar on two Jackson singles Black or White and Give In to Me said, "Really sad news about Michael. He was a talent from on high."

Queen guitarist Brian May remembered Michael Jackson on his website. He wrote, "He used to come and see us play when we were on tour in the States, and he and [the late Queen singer] Freddie [Mercury] became close friends -- close enough to record a couple of tracks together at Michael's house...tracks which have never seen the light of day. It was Michael who heard our track Another One Bites the Dust when he came to see us on The Game tour and told us we were mad if we didn't release it as a single. I think the world is a more colorful place thanks to Michael's work. He was a truly wonderful performer at his peak... I think he qualifies as a great artist; he devoted his whole body and soul to his art. It's as if, with all the changes he introduced to his body, his art actually became his body and his persona. Yes, I only hope he passed away in happiness, in great hopes and anticipation of his glorious comeback tour. Rest in peace Michael."

Elton John was performing at his annual White Tie and Tiara Ball when he got the news. He then dedicated Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me to Jackson.

Z-Z Top's episode of V-H-1's Storytellers premiered on Cox Cable Saturday night, June 27th. Filmed in Chicago in March, the trio tells stories about some of its classic songs, including La Grange and Sharp Dressed Man, and also answers questions from the audience. Singer-guitarist Billy Gibbons, who is also a reverend, even renews a couple's wedding vows. If you missed it June 27th, it will begin airing on V-H-1 Classic and the Palladia channel on Cox Cable on July 4th.

Crosby Stills and Nash headed the class being inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame during ceremonies June 18th in New York. They were inducted by James Taylor, who was enshrined in the Songwriters Hall in 2000. Graham Nash, pointing out that there are but 12 notes with which to make music, said that what songwriters over the years have done "with those 12 notes is astonishing." Stephen Stills noted tongue-in-cheek that his inspiration came from "the great women that dumped me and all the dumb politicians that caused me to write songs." David Crosby said, "Without a good song to start with, you really don't really have anything -- you can polish it for days and all you got it a bucket of polish."

After playing the first three shows of their summer tour on their own, Aerosmith welcomed ZZ Top to the lineup as of Sunday, June 21st in Bristow, Virginia. Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry says they were looking at a "dismal" list of opening acts when their manager called and suggested ZZ Top, to which he replied, "Did you even have to call?" ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill says, "It's gonna be very, very rock and roll. It's gonna be a great night." The tour is scheduled through September 16th in suburban Detroit, and Star 103.3 welcomes the two bands to Tulsa's BOK Center on Thursday, July 30th.

Cheap Trick will perform The Beatles' Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band over nine nights at the Las Vegas Hilton in September. They'll be backed by an orchestra and joined by special guests at the shows on September 13th, 14th, 15th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd. Tickets will be available at Vegas-dot-com, Ticketmaster-dot-com or L-V Hilton-dot-com, or by calling 800-222-5361. Cheap Trick has performed the album a few times, most notably the past two summers at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. They also recorded it in the studio with Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick, but that along with any of the live performances have yet to be released. According to Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen, "We actually went in the studio with Geoff Emerick and recorded in three days the whole Sgt. Pepper album with no orchestra, just us live. And then we recorded when we did Sgt. Pepper for [financier] Michael Milken at the Waldorf Astoria [hotel in New York]."

Billy Joel is displaying some of his large collection of motorcycles in a new exhibit called Billy Joel's Motorcycle as Art and Icon, which is open through June 20th at the Christy Building in Sag Harbor, New York. Joel tells New York's Newsday that the collection is of "motorcycles that I've designed [that] are essentially new bikes that I've made look like old bikes. They're kind of retro-styled. I've become used to all the conveniences of modern technology, but I still like how the old things look."

Joel adds that he is very safe when he rides, especially after his serious accident in 1982. "I try to be pretty careful on a motorcycle. They're not the safest things in the world, and it's mostly the cars that cause the problems. Of course, I shouldn't talk with my accident record. You know, I could be one of the problems."

It's a war of words in the press between bassist Michael Anthony, and guitarist Eddie Van Halen. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Eddie claimed that Michael quit Van Halen when Sammy Hagar left a second time, adding, "Then when we get back together with Dave [Lee Roth], and all of a sudden, he wants back in. It's like, 'No, dude, you quit the band.'" Michael has disputed Eddie's claims, telling Music Radar, "I never 'quit.' I never once said, 'I'm out of here.' It never happened." He adds, "I just find it odd that I'm put into a situation where I'm forced to defend myself. Everything is great in my world and I couldn't be happier with [Chickenfoot]. But I don't want people to think I quit Van Halen, because I didn't. It never happened."

The musical based on Eddie Money's life, Two Tickets to Paradise, premiered June 4th at the Dix Hills Performing Arts Center on Long Island, New York. The show follows his life from his days as a young policeman to rock and roll fame, and heartache as drugs nearly snuffed out his life. In addition to writing several new songs for the production, Eddie serves as its narrator, while young actor Jesse Kinch plays him as a teenager. Other songs of the period such as Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit and The Animals' We Gotta Get Out of This Place are incorporated into the score. Money says the story begins by "capturing the essence of the late-'60s."

Steely Dan is hitting the road for a summer tour of the U.S., and at select shows, they will be performing some of their biggest albums in their entirety. In addition to stops around the country in which they will perform a variety of their material, Steely Dan has scheduled a special series of shows set for New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston during their summer Rent Party '09 tour. They will do multiple-night stands, performing a different album each night, with the last show's set consisting of songs voted for online. The albums they will do are Aja, Gaucho and Royal Scam.

As reported here a few months ago, Elton John says his next album will be a collaboration with producer T-bone Burnett and one of Elton's long-time heroes, pianist and singer Leon Russell. He says the plan sprang from the premiere episode of his new chat show, Spectacle, hosted by friend Elvis Costello, in which Elton discussed his admiration for Russell. "That was a complete result of Spectacle, by me talking about Leon, playing Leon, seeing him (on video) and then phoning him up, saying, `Listen, I haven't seen you for so long, I just want to tell you how much I loved you,' And he loved the show, and then I said `Let's do something together.' I'm so excited about that."

Elton says casting the spotlight on lesser-known but influential artists like Russell is part of why he decided to get behind Spectacle as executive producer. He also bemoans a dearth of in-depth music shows on North American television. He commented, "There's a gaping hole here for an intelligent program to be made about musicians – what they're passionate about, their background, who they loved." Spectacle can be seen on the Sundance channel on Cox Cable.

Capitol/EMI has announced that George Harrison's first-ever career-spanning solo hits collection, Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison will be released June 16th. The CD's special packaging includes a 28-page booklet featuring previously unseen and rare photos. The collection's 19 tracks have been digitally remastered by Giles Martin, son of Beatles Producer George Martin at EMI's Abbey Road Studios, and will be available in CD and digital formats. The collection is the first to span Harrison's entire solo recording career, including the #1 songs My Sweet Lord, Isn't It A Pity, Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth), and Got My Mind Set On You. Let It Roll also features live recordings of three timeless Harrison-penned Beatles songs, Something, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, and Here Comes The Sun, from his 1971 Concert For Bangladesh benefit at Madison Square Garden, featuring a star-studded lineup including Leon Russell.

Genesis is looking for photos taken of the group on tour from 1972 to 1992 for a planned box set of live material. Log onto GenesisMusic.com if you have anything from the following tours -- 1972-73's Foxtrot, 1973-74's Selling England by the Pound, 1974-75's Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, 1977's Wind and Wuthering, 1982's Three Sides Live, 1983-84's Mama, 1986-87's Invisible Touch or 1992's We Can't Dance.

Following Fleetwood Mac's concert at Tulsa's BOK Center Sunday, May 3rd, several concert-goers called Star 103.3 to say that they thoroughly enjoyed the show, but that Stevie Nicks appeared to be "tired". Well, she probably was. According to Stevie, the schedule for the first leg of Fleetwood Mac's Unleashed tour gave the band members only a few days off. "The schedule was horrific and nearly killed all four of us," Nicks said. "So they've actually gone back in and changed a few things around so we could have two days off every once in a while. Because it was two on one off, two on one off, one on one off, two on one off...it's like, 'Are you trying to kill us?'" Promoter Live Nation has worked more off-days into the second leg, which now runs through late June.

When Bob Dylan played Liverpool in late April, he reportedly stopped by the childhood home of John Lennon. He got there late in the day and commented to the guide how Lennon's unheated room reminded him of his childhood home in Minnesota. Last year, Dylan toured Neil Young's childhood home in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

At his show in Liverpool, Dylan remembered his late friend George Harrison by playing "Something." In the new issue of Rolling Stone, the one with Dylan on the cover, he talks about how he'd like to collaborate with Paul McCartney. Dylan says, "That'd be exciting. But ya know, your paths have to cross for something like that to make sense."

This past February, Kansas did their 35th anniversary show in Topeka, Kansas backed by an orchestra. The show was filmed for a D-V-D that will be released on August 4th. There's Know Place Like Home also features appearances by former members Kerry Livgren and Steve Morse. Kansas will support the release with a summer tour. Kansas drummer Phil Ehart said this about the band being together 35 years, "We don't sit down and consciously go, 'Well let's head for 40 or 45.' It's just the next year everybody goes, 'Everybody feel ok?' 'Yeah.' 'Everybody want to do this again?' 'Yeah.' 'Okay, let's go do it.' It doesn't suck, you know. It's not the worst thing in the world to be doing."

Pete Townshend is working on a stage production of The Who's 1973 album, Quadrophenia. In an interview with the U-K's Times Online, Townshend says, "I have been involved until recently only as the original creator... I am now involved in the production of the show, the casting, the way the band works and will do some work during rehearsals... 'Austin Powers' has done a lot of damage to the image of swinging London, parodying what had already been parodied by lazy American newsreels over the years. So in a sense my mission is to bring back some of the grayness, the bleakness of those years, and demonstrate to the cast that what happened simply had to happen, otherwise we would all have gone nuts. It wasn't an optional outing of boys playing on scooters -- it was a vital rebellion." Quadrophenia will open in Plymouth, England on May 9th and will tour the U-K until October.

The Beatles will re-release their entire catalog. The re-mastered discs will be available worldwide on September 9th, the same day that The Beatles Rock Band game hits stores. Each C-D contains the original U-K album art, including expanded booklets containing original and newly written liner notes and rare photos. For a limited period, each C-D will be embedded with a brief documentary film about the album. The documentaries contain archival footage, rare photographs and never-before-heard studio chat from The Beatles, offering a unique insight into the studio atmosphere. On the same date, two new Beatles boxed C-D collections will also be released.

The re-issue campaign comprises all 12 Beatles albums in stereo, and Magical Mystery Tour, which became part of The Beatles' core catalog when the C-Ds were first released in 1987. In addition, the collections Past Masters Volume One and Two are now combined as one title, for a total of 14 titles over 16 discs. This will mark the first time that the first four Beatles albums will be available in stereo in their entirety on compact disc. These 14 albums, along with a D-V-D collection of the documentaries, will also be available for purchase together in a stereo boxed set.

The second boxed set contains all the albums that were mixed for a mono release. It will contain 10 of the albums with their original mono mixes, plus two further discs of mono masters. As an added bonus, the mono Help and Rubber Soul discs also include the original 1965 stereo mixes, which have not been previously released on C-D. These albums will be packaged in mini-vinyl C-D replicas of the original sleeves with all original inserts and label designs retained.

Aerosmith's original plans for 2009 included a brand new album, which they had hoped to produce and release before going on tour. Now, those plans have changed. Guitarist Joe Perry says Aerosmith halted their sessions with producer Brendan O'Brien until after their tour with Z-Z Top, which could run through the fall. The sessions were initially pushed back because Perry underwent knee surgery, but then singer Steven Tyler came down with pneumonia last month and Perry says Tyler "wasn't able to record for the next few weeks so we put it on hold. So I'm day-to-day working on my solo record." Aerosmith's last album of original material was 2001's Just Push Play.

Frontman John Kay has decided that after taking a sabbatical following their 40th anniversary tour in 2007, Steppenwolf will be back performing this summer. Heavily involved in charitable and global environmental causes through his Maue Kay Foundation, Kay feels it's time to get involved in fundraising work here at home -- with part of the proceeds from the tour going to food banks, clinics and other community organizations. As he notes on Steppenwolf-dot-com, "Few are lucky enough to say what's on their mind in song and then get handsomely rewarded for playing with their musical pals, to their loyal friends around the world. Why not make the most of one's good fortune and spread some of it around, seems like a no-brainer."

The Rolling Stones are re-mastering and re-releasing all of their albums recorded since 1971. Universal Music Group will start reissuing the discs in May starting with Sticky Fingers, Goats Head Soup, It's Only Rock n' Roll and Black and Blue. These will be followed in June by Some Girls, Emotional Rescue, Tattoo You and Undercover, with the final batch in July -- A Bigger Bang, Dirty Work, Steel Wheels, Voodoo Lounge and Bridges to Babylon. Exile on Main Street will be released later this year as wider plans are being prepared to celebrate its release. In addition to being re-mastered, each Rolling Stones album will retain the original track listings and sleeve design and you'll have the option of purchasing a collector's box in which to house all 14 studio albums. The catalog will also be available digitally.

Police guitarist Andy Summers has published another book of his photos. This one is called Desirer Walks the Streets and contains photos he took between 1983 and last year. Many of the shots were taken at night in such places as Bolivia and Tokyo. Summers says his picture-taking became more difficult with the Police's increasing popularity, "As we became more and more high profile, let's say, it would have been more difficult to get out in the street and shoot because we were too recognizable. So, thank God, you know, I got these early years where we were really down and dirty, you know, in the clubs, and the roadside cafes, the horrible motels we stayed in, and I managed to shoot all of these things as well. And then obviously life got more deluxe as we made a lot more money and became more famous."

Elton John wants to record an album with Tulsa legend Leon Russell. On the heels of his show in Tulsa with Billy Joel, Elton tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "I'm talking to Leon and [producer] T-Bone Burnett... I've always loved Leon, and I think it's terrible that he's been almost forgotten about now. He's been such an influence on my playing, and his music has been such a big part of my life. It will be a duets record... I'm hoping it will all come together, maybe the beginning of next year."

Rod Stewart's son Sean recently taped an episode of a television court show on which he called his dad a cheapskate -- because Rod didn't pay for the lad's personal trainer! The unemployed 28-year-old went on Judge Jeanine Pirro to face off with the trainer over a five-thousand-dollar debt. Sean insisted that Rod had picked up some of the tab, then complained, "Actually, the money he gave, the check he sent to Xavier, I had to pay back. I don't know why. My dad's very cheap." Sean, whose last T-V appearance was on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, didn't fare very well on this go-round -- Judge Pirro ruled in favor of the trainer.

The original members of Bad Company -- singer Paul Rodgers, guitarist Mick Ralphs and drummer Simon Kirke (bassist Boz Burrell died in 2006) -- will reunite for a spring and summer tour. This reunion follows last year's one-off show in Florida, which was scheduled to protect the members' copyright on the band name and to produce a live concert DVD. Two members from Rodgers' band, former Heart guitarist Howard Leese and bassist Lynn Sorenson will round out the lineup. This will be the original Bad Company's first tour since 1999. The tour will include dates with The Doobie Brothers in June and July. Singer Paul Rodgers has no more plans to work with Queen this year following last year's release of their Cosmos Rocks album and European tour.

The Beatles have announced that their Rock Band game will be in stores worldwide on September 9th -- 09/09/09. It will be offered as stand-alone software and hardware, and as a limited-edition bundle. The game will be compatible with all Rock Band instrument controllers and other current music-based video game peripherals. It can be used on the X-Box 360, PlayStation Three and Wii. Paul McCartney says The Beatles' version of Rock Band is "very cool." He told Entertainment Weekly that what he likes about the Rock Band series is that it "introduces kids to music. It's a great thing to be immersed in... The guys from Rock Band said, 'We'd like to do just a special Beatles edition, we'd like to do different periods -- you know, you get early days, Liverpool, then psychedelic, and on from there.'"

Van Halen is reportedly the next band to have its own Guitar Hero game, following Metallica's version, which comes out on March 29th. A source says that Van Halen filmed their parts for the game during last year's reunion tour with David Lee Roth.

If you were asked to name a recording star with a deep passion for mementos of The Alamo, your thoughts might turn to such Texas musical legends as Don Henley or Z-Z Top. But the answer is "none of the above." Phil Collins tells The San Antonio Express-News his "main thing" is The Alamo. His interest was ignited by the Davy Crockett T-V show, which he watched while growing up in Britain. Over the years, Collins has collected hundreds of items associated with The Alamo, ranging from old cannonballs to rare documents, and is eager to pass along his passion to his youngest sons, who are now four and seven. Tourists visiting the site in Austin will hear his British accent narrating a 13-minute film that plays at the attraction's gift shop.

Heart's Ann and Nancy Wilson will receive the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers' Founders Award, a lifetime achievement honor, during the performing rights organization's annual pop music awards in Hollywood on April 22nd. Past recipients include Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello and Joni Mitchell.

ASCAP President and Chairman Marilyn Bergman said, "Ann and Nancy Wilson have made an indelible mark on rock music history. Their success and influence helped pave the way for other female artists, and they continue to build their musical legacy with an artistic energy that remains as strong today as when they first started out over 35 years ago. They are true musical trailblazers and ASCAP is extremely proud to honor them with the Founders Award."

A-C/D-C is the latest group to get their own line of Converse sneakers. Available in the fall, the A-C/D-C sneaks will come in several different styles, featuring the Back in Black motif, Angus Young's mug and the cover of their Highway to Hell album. Converse previously released a line featuring The Who and Ozzy Osbourne, and a Pink Floyd line will be out in March.

Lynyrd Skynyrd will continue on despite the death of piano player Billy Powell. Though the band hasn't named a replacement, concert promoter Live Nation confirms that the band's European tour, scheduled for May, will go ahead as planned. A spokesman for the band was unavailable for comment. Powell died on January 28th at his home in suburban Jacksonville, Florida, from what appears to have been a heart attack. He was 56.

During the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 8th, the Recording Academy failed to acknowledge the death of Lynyrd Skynyrd's piano player during a segment on recently-departed industry professionals, but Kid Rock did mention Powell before performing a snippet of "All Summer Long," which samples Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama."

A-C/D-C's Black Ice tour, which played Tulsa's BOK Center on Monday, January 26th, was the winner of the Major Tour of the Year at the Pollstar Concert Industry Awards Friday night, January 30th, in Los Angeles. Among the acts they were up against were Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss won Most Creative Tour Package, a category which also included last year's Journey/Heart/Cheap Trick tour. Eagles manager Irving Azoff won Personal Manager of the Year.

Lynyrd Skynyrd has lost another member. Piano player Billy Powell died shortly after midnight on Wednesday, January 28th, at his home in a suburb of Jacksonville, Florida. He was 56. A survivor of the band's plane crash in 1977, Powell called 9-1-1, saying he was having trouble breathing. After rescue crews arrived and performed C-P-R, he was pronounced dead. Powell reportedly had an appointment with a heart specialist on Monday, but never showed up.

Singer Johnny Van Zant tells the Florida Times-Union, "You know, they say they've got one hell of a band up in heaven. My brother Ronnie up in heaven is probably saying, 'Billy, what took you so long?' I'm sure they're catching up on things..." As for the future of the band, Van Zant says, "That's really the last thought in my head. I've given 22 years to the band and hope to do it for another 22."

Powell's death leaves guitarist Gary Rossington as the only surviving member of the original lineup still in the band. Rossington has not issued a statement, but Van Zant says, "He's hurting. He was very sad and wondering why all us brothers are leaving him; why he's still here."

Powell joined Skynyrd in 1972 after first working as a roadie. Original singer Ronnie Van Zant heard him playing the piano one day and asked him to join.

Former Grand Funk Railroad singer and guitarist Mark Farner says he's now open to reuniting with the original members of the group after years of wanting to go at it as a solo artist. He says he's been trying to get drummer Don Brewer and bassist Mel Schacher to agree, but there has been no interest. Brewer says, "We really haven't gotten into any talks about doing anything in that direction, you know, so I really don't know until I look at it. You know, right now this is what we do, this is what the configuration of the band is, and so we really haven't explored that situation. You know I would think if there was a huge dollar figure there for somebody by, you know, going that way I would think they'd come knocking on the door." Brewer and Schacher have been leading a new Grand Funk line-up since 2000 with former 38 Special singer Max Carl, former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick and keyboardist Tim Cashion. Star 103.3 presented that line-up in concert at the Tulsa State Fair a few years ago. The original trio last worked together for in the mid-'90s before Farner left to pursue his solo career.

Ringo Starr and his longtime friend Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh are now brothers-in-law. Walsh married Marjorie Bach -- the sister of Ringo's wife, actress Barbara Bach -- Friday, December 12, at a star-studded affair at The Edison in Los Angeles. Guests included Walsh's Eagles bandmates -- Glenn Frey and Timothy B. Schmit -- Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins from the Foo Fighters, Jeff Lynne, Drew Carey, Slash, Jimmy Fox and Dale Peters from The James Gang, Waddy Wachtel, Ed Begley Junior, Eagles manager Irving Azoff and many others. Robert Randolph and the Family Band and D-J Samantha Ronson, also known as Lindsey Lohan's girlfriend, provided the entertainment.

The Moody Blues appeared at Tulsa’s Brady Theatre Thursday, December 11th, and in an exclusive interview with Star 103.3 Morning Host Mel Myers, singer/guitarist Justin Hayward revealed that he joined The Moody Blues as the result of sending a demo tape to The Animals front man Eric Burdon.

“I actually sent some songs to Eric Burdon, because I knew somebody in that office,” Hayward explained. “I didn’t care; I was just firing off my songs to lots of people, hoping that somebody would record them. Because they were a demo of me, or of a guitar player and singer, Eric met Mike Pinder of The Moodys in a club sometime after that, and he said, ‘Oh this guy, you know, sent these demos in, and you’re looking for a guy, you know, like a singer-songwriter-guitarist guy.’ And he gave them all to Mike, and that’s how he came to call me.”

Hayward also revealed that The Moody Blues’ first big album Days of Future Passed, was originally given the go-ahead by the record label as a demonstration record. He said, “They wanted us to do this demonstration album, to demonstrate their stereo systems. Two weeks after it came out, Nights in White Satin and Tuesday Afternoon started to take off, and they sort of turned it into a proper album, instead of a kind of demonstration stereo album. It was a series of fortunate events.”

To hear Mel's entire interview with Justin Hayward, click here.

Lynyrd Skynyrd and Queen are among the newest additions to The Grammy Hall of Fame. Lynyrd Skynyrd is being recognized for "Sweet Home Alabama." Queen is being honored for their 1977 single, "We Are the Champions/We Will Rock You." Also being honored are Jimi Hendrix for his version of "The Star Spangled Banner," Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young for "Ohio," and The Police for their Synchronicity album. The Grammy Hall of Fame, which was created in 1973 to honor recordings of lasting significance, will be a featured part of the Grammy Museum at L-A Live in downtown Los Angeles.

Earlier this year, for his birthday, Ringo Starr requested "peace and love". (See story below.) Now Ringo wants peace and love from autograph hounds...for the rest of his life. The Beatle drummer has posted a video on his website announcing that he wants his fans to stop sending him letters requesting autographs. He says, "After the 20th of October please do not send fan mail to any address that you have. Nothing will be signed after the 20th of October. If that has a date on the envelope, it's gonna be tossed. I'm warning you with peace and love I have too much to do. So no more fan mail and no objects to be signed. Nothing. Anyway, peace and love, peace and love." You can see the video at RingoStarr.com.

Update 10/16/08: Ringo Starr has issued a statement about that video he posted on his website saying he's no longer honoring mail-in requests for autographs. The release reads, "This was in direct response to an inordinate amount of items which have recently appeared for sale on E-Bay, and to those [people] that repeatedly send cards and items to be signed. This message was not aimed at 'real fans,' and after over 45 years of signing, he feels they will understand. Ringo has always signed items and is in fact the only Beatle to have been doing so. He also feels strongly that it is a waste of paper and we all should be mindful of our carbon footprint."

38 Special rocked into the night Thursday, October 2nd, at the Tulsa State Fair. Star 103.3 presented the concert at 8pm on the Oklahoma Stage. According to Fair authorities, the concert seating area is twice the size of previous years. In spite of the extra seating, 38 Special took the stage before a standing-room-only crowd. Star 103.3 Morning Host Mel Myers greeted the assembly, while Evening Host Bobby Butler put his fine pitching arm to work throwing t-shirts and koozies into the crowd. Here are a couple of photos Mel snapped of the show.

Pink Floyd keyboardist and founding member Richard Wright has died at the age of 65. According to a Pink Floyd spokesperson, Wright died Monday (09-15) at his home in Britain, after "a short battle with cancer."

Wright met Floyd members Roger Waters and Nick Mason at the Regent Street Polytechnic College of Architecture. His keyboard work was a central part of the Floyd sound, and two of his songs -- "The Great Gig in the Sky" and "Us and Them" -- are among Floyd's classics. But in the late '70s, during the recording of The Wall, he had a falling out with Waters and was forced to resign, only to be hired back as a paid employee. He was reinstated as a full-time member when David Gilmour and Mason resurrected the band in 1994 for The Division Bell album and tour.

Gilmour has issued a statement saying, "He was such a lovely, gentle, genuine man, and will be missed terribly by so many who loved him. And that's a lot of people. Did he not get the loudest, longest round of applause at the end of every show in 2006?"

There have been more Paul McCartney sightings as he makes his way across Route 66 with his girlfriend, Nancy Shevell, in a 1989 Ford Bronco. In Amarillo, Texas, he played his harmonica for a four-month-old boy named Jude after "Hey Jude." Also in Amarillo, the couple visited a T-G-I-Fridays (they ate a vegetarian meal); hit a Mexican restaurant for margaritas, chips and salsa; an antique shop; and reportedly the famous Cadillac Ranch outside of town. In Santa Fe, New Mexico, it was art museums and galleries; and in Gallup, the Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial. In Flagstaff, Arizona, they ate at a hotel restaurant, which was closed for them. There are reports that while in Arizona McCartney stopped by his ranch, where his first wife Linda died in 1998. He had reportedly not been there since then.

Paul McCartney and girlfriend Nancy Shevell travelled along legendary Route 66 and passed through Tulsa. They were first spotted Saturday, August 2nd, in Springfield, Illinois, Macca sightings have been reported in Joliet, Illinois, where he reportedly almost had his 1989 Ford Bronco towed; St. Louis & Lebanon, Missouri; and Oklahoma. On Tuesday, August 5th, McCartney and his travelling companion stayed in Oklahoma City. According to local workers who had encounters with the couple, they spent the evening at the Skirvin Hotel and dined in Bricktown. Route 66 wends through seven states and ends in Santa Monica, California.

Charlie Daniels Has Tulsa Ties

Charlie Daniels brought his Volunteer Jam Tour to Oklahoma, with 38 Special and Shooter Jennings at the 1st anniversary party for Bartlesville's Osage Million Dollar Elm Casino on Thursday, April 24th.

Star 103.3 Morning Host Mel Myers obtained an exclusive interview with Charlie Daniels, and learned about Charlie's time in Tulsa. His wife is from Tulsa, and his son was born at Hillcrest Hospital. They also discussed the fact that the first public appearance of Lynyrd Skynyrd after the plane crash was at a Charlie Daniels Volunteer Jam.

To hear the interview, click this link: Charlie Daniels interview

Tulsa Boy Joins Another Tulsa Boy on the Road

"It's actually the coolest thing I've ever done. To be on the big red bus, to travel with a legend, to travel with the guy that made me want to play rock & roll and blues piano...to actually play with that guy!" That's Tulsa native Brian Lee talking about his new on-the-road gig in Leon Russell's band.

Brian is well-known to Tulsa area music fans for his long run in the fantastic funk band Freakshow and his many nights with Tom Basler in the dueling pianos show at the Full Moon on Cherry Street. Several years ago, Brian was introduced to his idol Leon Russell while on a trip to Nashville with Star 103.3 Morning Host Mel Myers.

Mel says, "I was going over to catch up with my friend and former Sand Springs resident Matt Harris, who was Leon Russell's son-in-law. I found out Brian had no shows booked at the time, so I invited him to make the trip with me. While we were in Nashville, Matt took us over to see Leon at the studio in his home. Leon immediately became enamored with Brian's talent and sense of humor. By the time that long night was over, Leon and Brian had written three songs together!"

The two stayed in contact, with Brian making another songwriting trip to Leon's in Nashville, and whenever Leon was near Tulsa, Brian made sure to drop by the tour bus and say hello.

In September, 2007, Brian had traveled from Tulsa to Tacoma, Washington, for a weekend of performances at a piano bar. It just so happened that Leon Russell was in Tacoma early for a concert the next night in the venue right next door and decided to check out Brian's show. Afterwards, Leon invited Brian to sit and talk for awhile on his tour bus.

Brian says, "Leon plans his words. He doesn't talk to hear the sound of his voice. There's a lot of quiet with Leon. He's like the wizard; he's very thoughtful. He starts talking to me, 'Well, I lost my female singer. There's just two guys doing harmonies, and we really need three.' And I was like, 'Well, you know, I can sing a harmony part!'

"And he was talking about adding some B3 [organ] to his stuff. A little more serious this time, I said, 'Well, you know, I could play the B3 if you wanted me to do something.' And he's like, 'Really?'...which required another 2 or 3 minutes of quiet, then he says, 'I didn't even think you'd be interested in doing something like that.' And my words were, 'Are you blanking kidding me?'

"He asked Jackie Wessell, bass player [who's been in Leon's band longer than anyone], 'What do you think if Brian started coming along with us?' and Jackie's response was something like, 'Hell yes!'

"The first thing I did was I called my wife, keep in mind recently married, too, within 3 weeks. I said, 'There's a chance that I'm going to be playing with Leon,' and she says, 'Yeah, whatever!' "

The next day, Brian met Leon on the tour bus once again, and Leon popped the question, "When can you go on the road?"

Brian says he was surprised, but realized, "He's really serious! And then he told his sound guy, 'Make a recording of the show tonight so he can learn it.' I called my wife, and I said, 'Lisa, love of my life, he hired me!', and she was like, 'No!' I was freakin' out!"

Brian's first performance in Leon's band was October 11, 2007, in Denton, Texas, at Dan's Silverleaf. Brian says, "I've never felt anything like it before in my life. I've played millions of gigs, and there was nothing like the way that felt. I was playing with Leon Russell!"