Gary Rossington has confronted health challenges frequent and severe enough that no one would have begrudge him deciding to abandon his role as the lone remaining long-term member in Lynyrd Skynyrd. Rossington had a triple bypass heart surgery nearly 20 years ago and survived a heart attack 4 years ago. Two weeks ago, he had another operation to address a faulty heart valve. Recovery from that has forced him to move a couple of August Lynyrd Skynyrd Farewell Tour dates into October. Rapid recovery wishes and a salute to Gary on behalf of Skynyrd fans his remarkable determination and endurance.

Paul Simon and Bob Weir first met in 1967 when Simon stopped by the Dead's Haight Ashbury house in San Francisco to invite the group to play at the Monterey Pop Festival, but the two had never performed together until last night when Weir joined Paul during his set at the Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival in Golden Gate Park.  Given that Paul had already announced his retirement for live performing, it's a pairing unlikely to ever happen again.

Rapid recovery wishes going out to Willie Nelson and ZZ Top's Frank Beard. Willie has canceled several tour dates while he contends with some breathing problems. ZZ Top's drummer contracted a case of pneumonia and the Top has put some PacNW dates on hold while he recovers.

Bruce Springsteen joined Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes on stage at the Jersey seashore city's Convention Center Wednesday night (8/7) after the Paramount Theatre's red-carpet premiere of Blinded By The Light, the film featuring a number of Springsteen songs as the soundtrack of a young man's life. Bruce, Johnny and the Jukes did renditions of Talk To Me, 634-5789, Sherry Darling and We're Having a Party.

MORE BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN INSIGHTS

Three Georgia musicians are staging a short tour performing the music of several of the Peach State's best known music makers. R.E.M. bass player Mike Mills, Rolling Stones, and Allman Brothers Band keyboard great Chuck Leavell and violinist Robert McDuffie plan to feature songs from Ray Charles, Gregg Allman, the Allman Brothers, Gram Parsons, the B-52s, Gladys Knight and more during dates in Atlanta (9/29), Birmingham, Alabama (10/2), Savannah, GA (10/4) and Agusta, GA (10/5).?

Locals at the Tick-Tock Diner in Clifton, NJ know good eats (it's rated as one of the best diners in America), but they're not up to par on recognizing Rockers. NJ.com interviewed the waitress that served ham and egg sandwiches and the Tick-Tock's famous Disco Fries to several of the most famous people to ever eat there the day of their north Jersey tour says none of the other customers realized they were dining with the Rolling Stones. The one hostess that had an inkling that one of them looked like Mick Jagger kept it to herself.

MORE ROLLIING STONES INSIGHTS

Filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker  passed away Thursday (8/1) at 94. The pioneering director of concert films and rock documentaries was responsible for Monterey Pop, the early Bob Dylan doc Don't Look Back and movies that took fans behind the scenes with John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, the Talking Heads, Alice Cooper and more.

Widespread Panic rewarded fans that waited out a stormy day and endured a sweltering night Friday (8/2) in northeast Florida to catch their concert at the great St. Augustine Amphitheatre. John Bell and the band worked in covers from Neil Young (Don't be Denied and Walk On), Curtis Mayfield (Pusherman), J.J. Cale (Travelin' Light) and the Talking Heads (Heaven), along with a couple of early deep tracks from the Grateful Dead - Cream Puff War and New Speedway Boogie.

Gainesville, Florida will soon gain a historical marker honoring Tom Petty. The double sided marker will get placed in the neighborhood he grew up in. One side will cover the native son's early years, the other his career. It's about time! This honor comes after a state senate member's proposal to rename a portion of US Highway 441, a road Tom included in the lyrics to American Girl, named in his honor failed to pass. The city has renamed a park in Petty's honor.

MORE TOM PETTY INSIGHTS