The inaugural Farm Aid concert took place on this day in 1985 in Champagne, Illinois.  The idea of staging a benefit concert to help family farms facing tough times was said to have been something Willie Nelson enlisted John Mellencamp and Neil Young to help him put on because Bob Dylan had remarked that he hoped some of the money raised at the Live Aid concert staged earlier that summer could be used to help farmers at risk for foreclosure. Ironically, Dylan's last name was misspelled on the poster for the event, which took place at the University of Illinois Memorial Stadium with a crowd of 80,000 on hand to hear performances by the hosts, Dylan, Tom Petty, Billy Joel, Jimmy Buffett, John Fogerty, Charlie Daniels, Foreigner, Sammy Hagar, Don Henley, Joni Mitchell, Lou Reed, Bonnie Raitt, Eddie Van Halen, B.B. King, and dozens more.  The 12 hour concert raised more than $9 million.

Other Noteworthy Classic Rock events on September 22 include...

1951 Deep Purple & Whitesnake's David Coverdale born. 

1960 Joan Jett born.

1962 Bob Dylan plays at a Hootenanny concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

1965 Grace Slick and The Great Society do their first live performance in North Beach, California.

1965 Roger Daltrey slugs Keith Moon during a Who concert in Scandinavia.

1969 Story in University Of Illinois student newspaper starts Paul McCartney is dead rumors. 

1972 David Bowie opens US Ziggy Stardust tour in Cleveland.  

1975 George Harrison releases Extra Texture.   

1979 Joe Walsh announces presidential candidacy. 

1989 Bob Dylan releases Oh Mercy.   

1990 Creedence Clearwater Revival's Tom Fogerty dies of TB.

1999 Bono meets with the Pope.

2005 Jimmy Page's work aiding homeless children in Rio de Janeiro earns him honorary citizenship there.

2009 Pearl Jam releases Backspacer.

2014 Aaron Lewis escapes injury when chartered jet skids off runway of Texas airport.

2017 Van Morrison releases Roll With The Punch.

2015 Bruce Springsteen joins Jackson Browne on two songs during Red Bank, NJ concert.

October releases to listen forward to include...

Northeast Corridor: Steely Dan Live (10/1).

Yes - The Quest (10/1).

Grateful Dead - Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO 12/10/1970 (10/1).

Doobie Brothers - Liberte (10/1).

Santana - Blessings and Miracles (10/15).

Tom Morello - The Atlas Underground Fire (10/15).

Dream Theater - A View From The Top Of The World (10/22).

Rolling Stones =- Tattoo You - Expanded Anniversary reissue (10/22).

Joe Bonamassa - Time Clocks (10/29).

Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Out of this World Live 1970-1997. (10/29).

Pink Floyd A Momentary Lapse of Reason - Updated Remix (10/29).

Sammy Hagar and his band The Circle will do a rooftop concert at the Las Vegas Paris resort on September 22. A couple of hundred guests will witness it up close on the roof's party deck, but the set will be and clear to the ear on much of the Strip. He'll follow that one-off concert with a short residency later in the fall at The Strat in Vegas that will include several special guests during its run. The 800 seat venue is being decked out in the style of the Red Rocker's Cabo Wabo Cantina in Cabo San Lucas, the scene of many wild Sammy Hagar birthday bashes in years past.

Eric Clapton will revisit a collection of songs from his considerable catalog he re-recorded in stripped down form during the pandemic. The Lady in the Balcony: Lockdown Sessions will feature new versions of Layla, After Midnight, Bell Bottom Blues, Tears in Heaven as well as songs from others, including the early era Fleetwood Mac songs Black Magic Woman and Man of the World. Joining Eric for the sessions were Chris Stainton on keyboards, drummer Steve Gadd and bassist Nathan East. Look for the release in November.

Lindsey Buckingham is still riled up over the reason he got ousted from Fleetwood Mac. When Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac, the then couple had a pact... either both joined or neither would. These days the former couple is light years away from being allied. Lindsey blames his 2018 axing from the group on Nicks and group manager Irving Azoff. The parting of ways came after Buckingham requested the band delay its tour that year so he could do a solo tour in support of his new album. When band members resisted the idea, Buckingham blamed his former partner and Azoff for Mick Fleetwood's decision to replace Buckingham in the group. Stevie Nicks released a statement through her publicist that called Buckingham's account "factually inaccurate" and added, "I did not have him fired. I did not ask for him to be fired, I did not demand he be fired." Azoff called Stevie's account "factual and truthful".

Tuesday's Falcon Heights, Minnesota Doobie Brothers concert went on, but without Michael McDonald. Wednesday the group announced that the next four dates on the tour that reunited the core founding members were being postponed due to "a member of the touring personnel" testing positive for COVID-19. Although the announcement did not specify it was McDonald that tested positive, Patrick Simmons made it evident that was the case when he told the Star Tribune that the keyboard player is "...recuperating and isolating. We hope to have him back in a week or so." We add our rapid recovery wishes for Michael.

A Sotheby's fall auction offers an array of unique collectables of interest to Grateful Dead Fans. Included in the October 7-14, 2021 From the Vault: Property from the Grateful Dead and Friends online auction are a Jerry Garcia 12 string Guild Starfire guitar expected to attract a top bid between $50k and $75k, his favorite McIntosh 2300 Amp with a "Budman" sticker on it and pair of of his skull embroidered jeans. Also up for bids in the auction are equipment head honcho, roadie and Grateful Dead Production's President Lawrance "Ram Rod" Shurtliff's psychedelic jumpsuit, some of the band's equipment cases, stage used amps and equipment and select pieces from the group's massive mid 70's Wall of Sound tour sound system and stage cabinets used by Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir and Mickey Hart.  

Photos courtesy of Sotheby's

Guitar great Joe Bonamassa will release a new studio album on October 29th. Joe calls the album titled Time Clocks, "probably my most adventurous and involved record to date." Producer Kevin Shirley teamed with legendary sound man Bob Clearmountain on the project. Clearmountain credits the upcoming release as being "...one of the best albums I've mixed in years".

Thursday's (8/26) KISS concert in Burgettstown, PA was cancelled after a test confirmed that Paul Stanley contracted a breakthrough case of Covid-19. The date was just the fourth on the group's farewell tour. All members of the band and its traveling crew are fully vaccinated and most people that get the virus despite being vaccinated have mild symptoms and are only contagious for a brief time after becoming sick, but more dates on the tour are apt to get rescheduled. We pass along rapid recovery wishes to Paul.

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will release their first album together in fourteen years on November 19th.
Raise the Roof will feature a dozen tracks and include songs by The Everly Brothers, Allen Toussaint, Merle Haggard, Bert Jansch.  The pair's last album, 2007's Rising Sand collected six Grammy Awards. A 2022 tour is also in the planning.

Those more interested in Plant's musical past than his more recent projects will be more interested in the upcoming 50th anniversary Led Zeppelin documentary.  The as yet untitled doc is the first officially authorized one on the legendary group and will include recent interviews with Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones and archival interview segments with drummer John Bonham. Even Plant, who seldom expresses much enthusiasm about retrospective Zep related things, seems excited about this film being made by American Epic PBS docuseries director Bernard MacMahon, saying that viewing that "...inspired me to contribute to a very interesting and exciting story".  The film is expected to have film festival preview screenings before getting its public release.

The tributes to Charlie Watts are pouring in. This from Pete Townshend struck home for us, as Charlie was such an unassuming and sweet man who loved making music but had little time or interest in the trappings of being a famous musician in one of the world's biggest bands.

“Full Moon. Rainbow. Always a sign. Charlie Watts wept at Keith Moon’s funeral. I wish I was capable of such tears today. Instead, I just want to say goodbye. Not a rock drummer, a jazz drummer really, and that’s why the Stones swung like the Basie band!! Such a lovely man. God bless his wife and daughter, and I’ll bet the horses will miss him too.”

R.I.P. Charlie Watts. The publicist of the Rolling Stones drummer announced that Watts died peacefully in a London hospital today surrounded by his family. The 80 year old mainstay of the band had announced that he would not participate in the group's upcoming resumption of its Covid delayed No Filter tour so he could get medical treatments for throat cancer, which he was diagnosed with in 2004.  Watts had been with the band since January 1963 when he left Blues Incorporated to become the Rolling Stones drummer.  Since he also had trained as a graphic designer, Watts also had a hand in the layout and design of the group's early album covers.  Charlie's 58 years behind the kit on every Stones album and tour earned him universal admiration and respect.  His early passion for jazz remained strong throughout his life and he made regular appearances at jazz clubs during breaks between Stones albums and tours.

Guitarist Rickey Medlocke has contracted Covid-19. This development comes just a couple of weeks after Gary Rossington had to leave the group's your to undergo emergency heart surgery. Alabama's guitarist is filling in for Rossington and Medlocke's symptoms have this far been mild. He is resting at home and expects to be ready to rejoin the tour soon. Four Skynyrd dates have been postponed. We wish both members rapid and full recoveries.

The Doobie Brothers will serve-up their 15th album with the October 1 release of Liberté. The group will also hit the road for an extensive 50th anniversary and Rock Hall of Fame induction year tour that will include Michael McDonald. That tour kicks-off at the Iowa State Fair on August 22 and runs through an October 29th date in Allentown, PA. The band has 2022 dates starting in Tampa on June 2nd and ending in London, Ontario on the 30th of that month. Full itinerary at thedoobiebrothers.com/events

The long delayed resumption of the Rolling Stones U.S. No Filter tour will take place without Charlie Watts. A statement from the band says the veteran drummer will sit out the tour to recuperate from an unspecified medical procedure. Watts will be replaced on the tour by Steve Jordan, drummer in Keith Richard's X-Pensive Winos band.

Some years back, Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood set out to present a series of albums paying tribute to musicians that had a big influence on him. He also staged some concerts with the same theme. The one he did at Royal Albert Hall in the fall of 2013 to honor Jimmy featured Wood with Bobby Womack, Paul Weller, Mick Hucknall and Mick Taylor, the Stones guitarist Woody replaced in 1974. Mr. Luck - A Tribute to Jimmy Reed features 18 songs recorded on November 13, 2013. It gets released on September 17th. Wood's tribute to Chuck Berry titled Mad Lad got released in 2019.

ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill died in his sleep at his Houston home last night. The passing of Hill, who had left the group's tour late last week due to a hip problem, was confirmed in an announcement issued by Billy Gibbons and Frank Beard who wrote, "We are saddened by the news today that our Compadre, Dusty Hill, has passed away in his sleep at home in Houston, TX. We, along with legions of ZZ Top fans around the world, will miss your steadfast presence, your good nature and enduring commitment to providing that monumental bottom to the 'Top'. We will forever be connected to that "Blues Shuffle in C." You will be missed greatly, amigo".  R.I.P., Dusty.

What's better than a great guitar tech? A great one that also has the chops to fill-in when you can't do a concert. That was the case for ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill Friday night (7/23). The Texas trio had a date in New Lennox, Illinois but Dusty was out of contention due to a hip injury. Billy Gibbons and Frank Beard called on the band's longtime guitar tech Elwood Francis to pinch hit on bass and slide guitar, and he even played harmonica during the set.

Mick Jagger's decade long curse on England's national soccer team came to an end with the team's recent victory, the first with the Stones Front man in attendance in 10 years, and Jagger broke the law to witness it in person. Mick flew home from France and went to the game in violation of a mandatory quarantine period before going out. He was fined a pittance more than $15,000 for his indiscretion - pocket change to him.

Jim Morrison's estate has authorized a yet to be titled biopic that will focus on the creative aspects of the late Doors front man's music, poetry and art. A production spokesman for the film company says the documentary will delve into recently discovered diaries and notes and will include footage and information about the charismatic singer that has never been revealed. A director hasn't been selected for the project, but the producers are looking for one that will take a much more nuanced approach to Morrison as an artist than Oliver Stone did in his over-the-top 1991 movie that cast Val Kilmer as the singer.

The Immediate Family, a band that includes an all-star lineup of studio greats, will release a self-titled album August 27 and the group will venture out on its first tour beyond California this fall.  Danny Kortchmar (guitar), Waddy Wachtel (guitar), Russ Kunkel (drums), Leland Sklar (bass) have earned legend status in the minds of the more familiar named stars whose albums and tours they have played on. Collectively, that list includes Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Keith Richards, Phil Collins, Warren Zevon, Don Henley and dozens more.  They are joined by guitarist Steve Postell on the album and tour.

A remix of the landmark original album plus 3 discs of previously unreleased material that include demos. alternate takes, jam sessions and studio conversations involving George and Peter Frampton, Eric Clapton, Dave Mason and others.
The remix extracts restores the recording to a clarity that Harrison felt was lost in the dense, reverb filled mix that Phil Spector produced for the original release.
The release date is August 6, 2021, but pre-orders are available now here

Bruce Springsteen has 2022 plans for the E Street Band but will spend the remainder of this year with new series of Springsteen on Broadway performances. His first run was extended three times and racked-up a total of 236 shows. The 2021 production is being booked into a much larger theater, but will be essentially the same show as the previous one.

Bruce has also done collaborations with some other artists now that it's safe to be together in studios. He worked on single track with Brandon Flowers and the Killers that will be released this coming week and recorded three songs with John Mellencamp in his Indiana studio for John's album due in the fall. Springsteen is also planning a new release on his own and prepping some archival material for release before the year is out.

Eric Clapton's 1970 self-titled solo debut album gets a 4 CD expanded re-release on August 21st that features the UK release mix of the original album by Tom Dowd plus additional remixes done by Delaney Bramlett and EC himself. The 4th CD includes alternate takes of tracks on the original release and studio outtakes.

Along with having his life disrupted by the pandemic, Lindesy Buckingham has experienced additional turbulence since losing his place in Fleetwood Mac in 2018.  This week, his wife of 21 years filed for divorce. But Buckingham is focused on the future.  He will release his first solo album in a decade on September 17th and has an extensive set of US solo tour dates set to start in early September that will run through December 20th.  The 10 track self-titled album will be Buckingham's first since 1981's Law and Order.

One of the very few and far between silver lining aspects of a pandemic is that creative people realized people being deprived of the ability to travel would be hungry for virtual travel experiences. Several online companies offer them and most are rather typical tourist tours, but there are some to be found that are of particular interest to music fans. One of the best that we've found and enjoyed is this one about the Rolling Stones early stomping grounds in the Richmond section of London hosted by Paul Endicott.

Paul's personable nature and his impressive volume of knowledge about the UK music scene make this and the other virtual tours he conducts in real time outstandingly informative and entertaining. Tagging along is free, with a tips option, and Paul fields and answers questions along the way.

No need to pack, no TSA hassles, jetlag... just login, check for his tours and enjoy!  Check his schedule here. If you don't see one listed,check back.

Billy Gibbons' new solo album rolled out today and he is hosting a listening party for it on Tuesday, June 8th starting at 3pm eastern. Access to that session being streamed on Spotify and Apple Music can be arranged at hardware.tunecast.com.

Billy and the musicians the ZZ Top mainstay lined up to play on the album will field some questions during the event that he promises is, "gonna be a good time and we're looking forward to checking out the grooves everybody in the world, known or otherwise, who wants to join us."

MORE ZZ TOP INSIGHTS

Some weeks ago, we passed along word that this original painting done by future Pink Floyd member Syd Barrett when he was just 15 was heading to auction. At the time, we expressed some surprise that the expected sale value for still life watercolor and pastel painting titled Orange Dahlias in a vase was pegged at just $7,000. With good reason, it turns out. When the gavel fell, the winning bid was just over $42,000 - a figure much more in line with what we figured a well heeled, art collecting Pink Floyd fan might pay for such a rare item.

MORE PINK FLOYD INSIGHTS

A dispute between Roger Waters and David Gilmour over the liner notes is holding-up the release of a remastered 5.1 mix of Pink Floyd's Animals album. Waters escalated the issue by posting the description written by Mark Blake on his website and commenting that his former band mate doesn't contest the validity of Blake's notes but prefers "...that history to remain secret". Waters apparently contends that Gilmour wants more credit than he is due for the concept, songwriting and album cover of the original 1977 release, while Gilmour evidently feels Blake's take on those things shortchanges him.

Waters claims that Gilmour is blocking the release of the album over this issue and also blocking Roger from posting anything about it on the Pink Floyd Facebook page that has more than 30 million followers.

It's unfortunate that the bickering of the two stands in the way of Floyd fans being able to enjoy the remastered masterpiece in surround sound.

MORE PINK FLOYD INSIGHTS