News

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.

The Brothers haven’t rocked the stage at Madison Square Garden since 2020, just before the pandemic, but tonight the band including Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, Oteil Burbridge, Jaimoe, and Marc Quiñones will pay tribute to the Allman Brothers Band for the group’s 55th anniversary. The Brothers play back-to-back shows on April 15 and April 16, and fans can watch the special tribute shows online from home on Nugs.net.

At...

Standing in front of a raucous sold-out audience at the Macon City Auditorium in Georgia on Friday night, guitarist Duane Betts paid tribute to his late father, Allman Brothers six-string ace Dickey Betts, with a soaring cover of “Ramblin’ Man.”

“And when it’s time for leavin’, I’ll hope you’ll understand,” Betts howled. “That I was born a ramblin’ man.”

“This means everything. It’s my father’s legacy,” Betts tells Rolling Stone backstage. “Everybody’s here for the right reasons — to celebrate a great man, a great visionary of music.

With the passing last year of Dickey Betts, combined with the deaths in the last decade of Gregg Allman and Butch Trucks, tributes to the Allman Brothers Band have taken on a new poignancy. And one of the most highly regarded of those will return to New York’s Madison Square Garden next month.

On April 15 and 16, the Brothers, comprised of former Allmans band members and associates, will play a return engagement five years after their first (and only) show at that venue. The band includes original Allmans drummer Jaimoe...

Updated: Jimmy Carter passed the century mark today, the first president to do so, with Joe Biden and other former presidents honoring the Nobel Prize winner and human rights advocate.

On his 100th birthday, Carter is in hospice care and confined to his modest Plains, Ga home, but in recent months, “he’s really gotten re-engaged with the world,” his grandson, Jason Carter, told The New York Times. His grandson has said that Carter wanted to live long enough to vote for Kamala Harris in this year’s presidential election.

The former president did make an appearance outdoors today, surrounded by family, to watch a military flyover to make his birthday.

Former President Jimmy Carter celebrated his 100th birthday surrounded by family and friends in his backyard in Plains, Georgia. CBS News was there as he was wheeled outside, beneath the shade of his trees, to witness a military flyover with four fighter jets.

Jimmy Carter loves music, and on Tuesday night at Atlanta’s historic Fox Theatre an unlikely cast of admirers let the “rock and roll president” know they love him too.

Carter, who turns 100 on Oct. 1., was at home in Plains, Ga., but that didn’t stop Angelique Kidjo, the B-52s, BeBe Winans, Carlene Carter, Chuck Leavell, D-Nice, Drive-By Truckers, Duane Betts, Eric Church, Grouplove, India Arie, Lalah Hathaway, the War And Treaty, the Rickey Minor Band, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chamber Chorus from celebrating what Carter’s life and presidency means to them.

Former President Jimmy Carter is turning 100 this year, and the Carter Center is celebrating his birthday with a special tribute concert taking place at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia.

The celebration, titled “Jimmy Carter 100: A Celebration in Song,” goes down on September 17th, and will feature performances from Chuck Leavell, D-Nice, Drive-By Truckers, Eric Church, Grouplove, Maren Morris, The War And Treaty, and The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chamber Chorus.

The event will also feature appearances from, Sean Penn, Dale Murphy, and Atlanta native Killer Mike, with music directed by Rickey Minor. More appearances are set to come and will be announced closer to the show. Tickets for the concert are (fittingly) $100, and go on-sale on Monday, August 5th at 10:00 a.m. Est via the venue’s website.

“Whether it was on his record player, on the campaign trail, or on the White House lawn, music has been...

From his love of the Allman Brothers Band to the time he quoted Bob Dylan lyrics at the 1976 Democratic convention, Jimmy Carter’s bond with music was undeniable and part of his counter-culture appeal. That connection will be further cemented with “Jimmy Carter 100: A Celebration in Song,” a multi-act concert, which brings together country, pop, and hip-hop artists to honor the former president, who turns 100 on Oct. 1.

Scheduled for Sept. 17 at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre, the show is slated to include performances by Eric Church, Maren Morris, Drive-By Truckers,...

Allman Brothers Band singer, songwriter, and guitarist Dickey Betts passed away on Thursday morning at the age of 80. His band’s signature songs, piercing solos, and hell-raising spirit defined the group and Southern rock in general. The late legend was reportedly suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and two cancers.

As word spread that Betts had died from cancer complications, the music world mourned the loss of a guitar virtuoso and founding member of the iconic Allman Brothers Band. Known for his electrifying guitar skills and distinct Southern rock sound, he leaves a lasting legacy that has influenced future generations of musicians.

Dickey Betts (Image via YouTube/Screenshot) ‘Larger than Life’ Dickey Betts Died at 80

Dickey Betts was raised in Florida and developed an early appreciation for music, learning to play the ukulele at age five and then moving on to the mandolin, banjo, and guitar as his hands got bigger.

The crowd of celebrities, music industry insiders, and media folks that crammed into the New York City club Racket on Thursday evening had every reason to believe they were there to witness a Rolling Stones concert, but it was impossible to be sure at first. The invitation billed the event merely an “album release party” timed to the release of Hackney Diamonds. We were told all phones and smart watches would be placed in pouches, and “armed guards” and “personal security” wouldn’t be allowed in. “Dress cool,” read the invite.

Lynyrd Skynyrd’s music will continue to be a live attraction following the March death of the band’s last original member Gary Rossington. The remaining members of Lynyrd Skynyrd and family estates released a statement on Monday announcing the group’s plans to continue as a touring outfit, including a summer trek with Zz Top this year.

Rossington’s widow and longtime Skynyrd backing singer Dale Rossington offered a statement on coming to grips with his loss and his considerable body of work with the band.

“It’s been...

Lynyrd Skynyrd was honored at the 2023 CMT Music Awards on Sunday night with a tribute performance from the combined forces of Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, Zz Top frontman Billy Gibbons, Bad Company vocalist Paul Rodgers, and more. They performed a medley of “Simple Man” and “Sweet Home Alabama.”

The all-star rock lineup was filled out by Gov’t Mule frontman Warren Haynes, keyboardist Chuck Leavell of The Allman Brothers Band, country singer Cody Johnson, and veteran Nashville session musicians Ethan Pilzer and Rich Redmond on bass and drums, respectively. Meanwhile, LeAnn Rimes and Wynonna Judd assumed the vocal duties of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s classic back-up singers, “The Honkettes.”

The performance celebrated the 50th anniversary of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s 1973 debut LP, (pronounced ‘lĕh-‘nérd ‘skin-‘nérd), which set the southern rock standard with hits like “Free Bird,” “Simple Man,” “Gimme Three Steps,” and “Tuesday’s Gone.” The tribute also doubled as...

It was a big night for Lainey Wilson and Jelly Roll at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday (April 2), but co-host Kelsea Ballerini stole the show when she performed on stage with four drag queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race. The singer’s bold choice came amid moves in her home state of Tennessee to ban drag shows. Nashville’s biggest stars had decamped to Austin, Texas, for the annual awards show, where country fans vote for the winners. Bellerini hosted the event with Kane Brown, which included performances from the likes of Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, Carrie Underwood, Alanis Morisette, Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll, Keith Urban, the Black Crowes and Darius Rucker. The show was broadcast live on CBS with streaming and on demand on Paramount+. Veteran rock star Peter Frampton introduced a special tribute to legendary band Lynyrd Skynyrd which featured Chuck Leavell, Billy Gibbons, Cody Johnson, Paul Rodgers,...

Guitarist Peter Frampton made a rare appearance onstage at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday. Frampton stopped performing in 2022 amid a rare muscle disease diagnosis.

Frampton walked out onstage with a cane and told the crowd, “I am here tonight to honour a friend and tour mate of mine, Gary Rossington, who was a southern rock icon. He was an original founding member of the beloved group Lynyrd Skynyrd, alongside Ronnie van Zant and Alan Collins.”

Frampton paused for the crowd to cheer, and then continued: “Gary not only helped define the band’s sound, he inspired millions of fans and musicians. He has now joined his fellow Skynyrd bandmates in rock and roll heaven, but we will all enjoy their music forever.”

Frampton added that Gary’s wife, Dale, and daughter, Mary, were in attendance, along with Rickey Medlocke,Ronny Van Zant’s widow, Judy, and his granddaughter, Arayah.

The CMT Music Awards 2023 proved to be a big night for Jelly Roll who topped the night as the most-awarded artist taking home three trophies.

The “Son of a Sinner” hitmaker took the awards in the categories Male Video of the Year, Breakthrough Male Video of the Year and CMT Digital-First Performance of the Year. Taking two trophies was Lainey Wilson who won Female Video of the Year for “Heart Like a Truck” and Collaborative Video of the Year for “Wait in the Truck” in a duet with Hardy.

Video of the Year was awarded to Kane Brown and Katelyn Brown for “Thank God.”

Related Story CMT Music Awards Photo Gallery: The Best Of The Red Carpet Related Story CMT Music Awards 2023 Nominations: Lainey Wilson Leads Roster – Complete List Related Story Kelsea Ballerini Returning As Co-Host For 2023 CMT Music Awards; Date And First Performer Set

The fans have spoken and...

Kane Brown and Katelyn Brown’s touching duet about finding the one won over the hearts of the CMT Music Awards.

The married couple’s hit, “Thank God,” was named video of the year Sunday and broke Carrie Underwood’s four-year winning streak to collect the top prize.

“This is all so new to me and when we recorded this song a year ago, I never in my life would ever think that this was going to happen,” Katelyn Brown said onstage, kissing Kane Brown afterward.

“I want to say thank you so much to my amazing husband. I love you. This is so special that we get to share this together every night.”

“Thank God,” which they performed during the three-hour show, reached No. 1 on country radio and has peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, Kane Brown’s highest placement on the all-genre chart. The song has also...

An all-star group of rock and country artists closed out the 2023 CMT Music Awards with a rousing tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd. The Southern rock outfit’s founding guitarist Gary Rossington, who was its last original member, died in March.

The CMT Awards performance was introduced by guitar hero Peter Frampton, who called Rossington a “Southern rock icon” and said “he has now joined his Skynyrd bandmates in rock & roll heaven, but we will all enjoy their music forever.”

The tribute featured a medley two of Skynyrd’s all-time biggest hits,...

The CMT Music Awards 2023 took over the Moody Center in Austin, Texas to celebrate the best in country music. Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown were the hosts of the award ceremony that aired on CBS and streamed on Paramount+.

Lainey Wilson was the most nominated artist of the nite with nods in categories like Video of the Year and Female Video of the Year.

Related: CMT Music Awards 2023 Complete Winners List

Presenters for the night included Travis Kelce, Shania Twain, Carrie Underwood, Carly Pearce, Charles Esten, Dixie D’Amelio, Dustin Lynch, hardy, LeAnn Rimes, Madison Bailey, Stranger Things actor Noah Schnapp, Parker McCollum, Steve Howey, Peter Frampton, Jon Pardi, Ian Bohen and Megan Thee Stallion.

It was Megan that introduced Twain with the Equal Play Award, the award that “recognizes an artist who is a visible and vocal advocate for elevating diverse and underrepresented voices in country music.”

In a tribute...

The CMT Music Awards is saddling up and heading west this year to that beloved musical and cultural mecca of Austin, Texas. But while the scenery may be different, much will remain the same: two of the CMT Music Awards’ previous hosts will be leading the proceedings, the performance lineup will still run the gamut from new faces to superstars plus legends from outside the genre, and, as always, the winners will be chosen by the fans.

CMT Awards Livestream on Paramount+

Here’s all you need to know to watch the 2023 CMT Music Awards.

The night country music fans have been waiting for is finally here! This weekend, the 2023 CMT Music Awards air on CBS, highlighting the top artists and albums of the genre. Hosted by Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown for the third consecutive year, the evening is filled with performances by the best of the best. The two hosts will also take the stage for one-of-a-kind performances. Don’t miss the exciting awards ceremony, which airs live from Austin, Texas’ Moody Center on Sunday, April 2 at 8 p.m. Et You can watch CBS with a 5-Day Free Trial of Directv Stream. You can also watch with Hulu Live TV, Fubo, Paramount Plus, or YouTube TV.

How to Watch 2023 CMT Music Awards When: Sunday, April 2, 2023 at 8:00 Pm Edt TV: CBS Stream: Watch with a 5-Day Free Trial of Directv Stream. 5-Day Free Trial$74.99+ / month directv.com/stream

Get $30 Off Your First Three Months of Directv Stream.

An all-star cast of guitar heroes, vocalists, and sidemen will pay tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd at the 2023 CMT Music Awards.

Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, Zz Top’s Billy Gibbons, and Gov’t Mule’s Warren Haynes will all plug in their axes for a performance of two yet-to-be-named Skynyrd hits, while Texas country star Cody Johnson and Bad Company’s Paul Rodgers turn up the vocals. Chuck Leavell, the longtime Rolling Stones keyboardist, is also in the band, along with bassist Ethan Pilzer and drummer Rich Redmond.

It’s a...

Over the past five decades, Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band have set the bar for live rock’n’roll shows. Their epic performances regularly steam past the three-hour mark, with their longest ever set, a 2012 gig in Helsinki, Finland, clocking in at a staggering four hours and six minutes. Earlier this month, Sir Paul McCartney was asked why his own solo shows have grown ever longer in recent years. “I blame Bruce Springsteen,” the former Beatle told the Fly on the Wall podcast. “I know him and I said to him, ‘It’s your fault, man’… the rest of us look measly if we do an hour.”

Springsteen’s stellar live reputation doesn’t just come from quantity, of course, but sheer crowd-pleasing quality. In a 2011 poll, Rolling Stone readers voted Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band the greatest live act of all time. To witness Springsteen...

Bootsy Collins has tapped G-funk super-producer FredWreck for a new remix of his Power of One track, “Bewise.”

FredWreck’s remix offers a streamlined take on the original, boosting the bubbling bass and letting the slick drums cruise beneath verses delivered by Robert “Bewise” Harding. “I called on one of my West Coast G-Funk Dog FredWreck to ensure that G-Funk would be infused with P-Funk so that we could continue to Funk Up the World with a Purpose,” Bootsy said in a statement.

Along with dropping the “Bewise” remix, Bootsy...

On March 10, 2020, surviving and alumni members of the Allman Brothers Band came together to celebrate the band’s 50th anniversary.

Given that the coronavirus was beginning to bear down on the country, as well as the world, the timing was dicey at best; live shows were effectively shut down two days later. “It was just starting to dawn on everyone that day that this isn’t something to fuck around with,” guitarist Derek Trucks told Rolling Stone soon after the show. “But it also felt like one of the last...

In today’s TV news roundup, Oprah will interview former president Barack Obama on Nov. 17 for “The Oprah Conversation,” and Netflix released a trailer for “We Are the Champions,” narrated by Rainn Wilson.

Dates

A new episode of “The Oprah Conversation,” scheduled to premiere on Apple TV Plus on Nov. 17 at 9 a.m. Et, will feature former president Barack Obama. During the conversation surrounding his new memoir “A Promised Land,” host Oprah Winfrey leads Obama through a reflection on the years and accomplishments leading up to his presidency and the expectations people had for him going into office. Each episode of the conversation series explores stories and relevant topics that impact the world through influential people. Obama’s book is available on Apple Books and is also offered as an audiobook.

CNN has announced a Jan. 3 air date for “Jimmy Carter, Rock & Roll President,” which will premiere at at 9 p.

Famed keyboard player Chuck Leavell is — as a native Georgian — all about living amid the moss, even if the group he’s most associated with, the Rolling Stones, are by definition averse to it. A new documentary opening this weekend, “Chuck Leavell: The Tree Man,” charts his double life, as one of the most renowned session musicians and touring sidemen in rock ‘n’ roll on one hand, and a celebrated environmentalist with a fixation on Southern forestry on the other.

The film, a three-year labor of love for director Allen Farst, nabbed dozens of the stars the keyboard player has worked with for interviews, including all four current Rolling Stones (Leavell has been their touring musical director since the 1980s), Dickey Betts (that’s Leavell’s work you hear on the Allman Brothers Band’s “Jessica”), Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, John Mayer, Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, Bonnie Raitt and others.

As the world seems like it is aflame with a pandemic, divisive rhetoric from an oppressive administration and the unjust killing of Black lives at the hands of police officers, hope seems dim. However, there are voices and role models in the world that are fighting for change and on the frontlines fighting against 45, his henchmen and ardent supporters. Enter Stacey Abrams who is essentially the star of the Liz Garbus and Lisa Cortés documentary All In: The Fight For Democracy, which debuts in theaters on September 9 and then on September 18 on Amazon Prime Video — just four days before National Voter Registration Day.

The docu comes as the 2020 presidential is just around the corner and puts a glaring spotlight on the wildly overlooked issue of voter suppression in the country. Through personal experiences, activism and historical All In rips the band-aid off of a problem that has corrupted our democracy...

Bob Dylan, Bono, Gregg Allman and Willie Nelson appear in the new trailer for Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President, out September 9th.

Directed by Mary Wharton, the trailer opens with Carter listening to Dylan’s Bringing It All Back Home on vinyl. “All right!” he says giddily as “Mr. Tambourine Man” plays. “Sounds familiar.” Paul Simon dedicates a performance to the president, while Carter introduces the Allman Brothers onstage.

“He was cool,” the late Allman recalls in the trailer. “He enjoyed our music and he became our friend.” Adds...

Greenwich Entertainment has acquired the North American theatrical and home entertainment rights to the documentary “Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President.”

CNN Films acquired the Na broadcast rights to the film earlier this month. It was supposed to be the opening night film at the Tribeca Film Festival in April before the coronavirus pandemic shut down festivals. It closed out the AFI Docs Festival last week.

“Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President” showcases the role music played in propelling Jimmy Carter from Georgia to the White House, and how his love for music gave him an unexpected edge in the presidential race. Willie Nelson, Bono, Bob Dylan, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Jimmy Buffett, Roseanne Cash, Chuck Leavell, Paul Simon, Andrew Young, and Madeleine Albright are just a few of the contributors giving interviews in the documentary. Rare, archival footage from live performances by Buffett, Nelson, etc. are also included in the documentary.

Exclusive: Greenwich Entertainment has taken North American theatrical and home ent rights to feature documentary Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President.

The film chronicles the role of popular music in propelling the relatively unknown candidate from Georgia to the White House, and the significant role music has played in Carter’s life and work. The film combines interviews with the former President and contributors and performances from the likes of Willie Nelson, Bono, Bob Dylan, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Jimmy Buffett, Roseanne Cash, Chuck Leavell, Paul Simon, Aretha Franklin, Dizzy Gillespie, Andrew Young, and Madeleine Albright.

The documentary, which heralds from director Mary Wharton, producer Chris Farrell, and writer Bill Flanagan, closed the recent AFI Docs Fest (where Carter sent his virtual congratulations), after originally being scheduled to open Tribeca. Greenwich will release the film in theaters this September.

The deal was negotiated by Ed Arentz and Andy Bohn at Greenwich...

CNN Films has acquired broadcasting rights to “Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President.” The look at the bond between the 39th president and pop and country musicians is slated to be the closing film for AFI Docs film festival on June 21.

The documentary was originally scheduled to open the 19th annual Tribeca Film Festival, which was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. “Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President” chronicles the Georgian candidate’s relationship with music as a defining part of his campaign for the White House and his presidency. His embrace of music helped the small-town peanut farmer reach out across racial and generational divides.

“Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President” will feature rare, archival footage and interviews with Willie Nelson, Jimmy Buffett, Paul Simon and Bob Dylan along with segments from Bono, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Roseanne Cash, Chuck Leavell, Andrew Young and Madeleine Albright. The film was was produced by Chris Farrell,...

CNN Films has acquired the North American broadcast rights to the documentary “Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President,” which was supposed to be the opening night film at the Tribeca Film Festival in April.

The documentary will now close out the AFI Docs Festival on June 21.

“Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President” showcases the role music played in propelling Jimmy Carter from Georgia to the White House, and how his love for music gave him an unexpected edge in the presidential race. Willie Nelson, Bono, Bob Dylan, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Jimmy Buffett, Roseanne Cash, Chuck Leavell, Paul Simon, Andrew Young, and Madeleine Albright are just a few of the contributors giving interviews in the documentary. Rare, archival footage from live performances by Buffett, Nelson, etc. are also included in the documentary.

Also Read: Jimmy Carter Praises Fox News Host 'for Your Good Work on Television'

“When Chris and Mary came to...

CNN Films has acquired North American broadcast rights to the Mary Wharton-directed documentary Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President. The film was produced by Chris Farrell and written by Bill Flanagan. The docu was originally set to open the Tribeca Film Festival in April. It has now been set as the closing film for AFI Docs on June 21.

The feature docu chronicles the role of popular music in propelling a relatively unknown candidate from Georgia to the White House, and the significant role that music has played in President Carter’s life and work. The film shows how Carter’s life-long passion for music gave him an unexpected edge as a presidential candidate, as he tapped into a force that transcended racial and generational divides, and often party lines.

From Bob Dylan to Johnny Cash to Willie Nelson, Carter developed friendships with icons and his appreciation for music helped define his administration.

At Madison Square Garden last night, Al and Mitch from Saratoga Springs, New York, came prepared. Both longtime Allman Brothers Band fans who had first seen the group in the Seventies, they had their tickets in hand for “The Brothers: Celebrating 50 Years of the Allman Brothers Band.” Yet like everyone around them, they knew this would not be a normal night for music. Al, a Labor Department employee, pulled out a baggie his wife had stuffed with wipes, which he was planning to use to dab his seat.

“Gregg was...

In 2014 — when the Allman Brothers Band decided the time had come to stop touring — the band briefly discussed a show at New York’s Madison Square Garden. In the end, the group opted for a series of farewell performances at another Manhattan venue, the Beacon Theatre, where they had long done residences.

But on March 10, about six years after the band’s goodbye, that dream of a Garden event will become a reality. To pay tribute to the band’s 50th anniversary year, the surviving members of the last Allmans lineup — drummer Jaimoe Johanson,...

Wandering the hallways in the depths of the Macon City Auditorium, Chuck Leavell was just moments away from taking the stage for the Capricorn Revival concert at the historic Georgia venue.

“To see all of this come back to life is nothing short of a miracle,” Leavell told Rolling Stone before sitting behind his keyboards as the musical director of the showcase, the official relaunch of the former Capricorn Records studio and the groundbreaking label that’s been dormant for years, its original Macon studio abandoned for decades.

“This is...

R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills and the Rolling Stones keyboardist/musical director Chuck Leavell will join violinist Robert McDuffie this fall for a tour honoring iconic musicians from Georgia. The trio will perform songs from artists like Ray Charles, the Allman Brothers Band, R.E.M., Outkast, Gram Parsons, James Brown, Gregg Allman, Gladys Knight and the Pips, the B-52s, Brook Benton and more, along with the Mills-composed Concerto for Violin, Rock Band and String Orchestra.

The four-date trek, dubbed “A Night of Georgia Music,” kicks off September 29th in Atlanta,...

During the last few months of his life, Gregg Allman would often talk with his manager, Michael Lehman, about his legacy. “If you can imagine, Gregg thought, ‘Will people forget me?’” Lehman says. “He never saw himself as a ‘rock star.’ I said, ‘People will never forget you and your voice and what you meant to so many people.’ It was a heartbreaking question to hear from him, but I always reassured him that I wasn’t going to let that happen.”

The first step in shoring up Allman’s legacy,...

On Sunday night, Mick Jagger paused his band’s show at Massachusetts’ Gillette Stadium to take in the perfect New England summer evening. He said he hoped everyone had a great July 4th weekend — and added that the Fourth had always been a “touchy holiday for us Brits.” “In fact, the President made a very good point in his speech the other night,” Jagger deadpanned. “He said, ‘If only the British had held on to the airports, the whole thing might have gone differently for us.’”

It’s a great...

“The first night is always slightly wobbly,” Mick Jagger quipped as the Rolling Stones kicked off their 2019 No Filter tour at Chicago’s Soldier Field. But there’s “wobbly” and then there’s Stones wobbly—and stakes were high tonight. It was the Stones’ first show in nearly a year—their first since Jagger underwent surgery in April to replace a heart valve. So Mick was extra Mick tonight, as if maybe somewhere deep in that surgically reconstructed heart of stone, he felt he had something to prove. If so,...

The Rolling Stones have a system for planning what songs they’re going to play at every show. On concert days, the band usually soundchecks in the afternoon. Then Mick Jagger gets to work with keyboardist Chuck Leavell on making the set list. They take a few things into account: They look at what songs they played the last time they were in the area to make sure they don’t repeat themselves, and Jagger thinks about his voice and what he’s comfortable singing. Sometimes, the band makes song...

Could Mick Jagger — singer of “Satisfaction,” “Paint It Black,” “Start Me Up” and dozens more songs you know by heart — be underrated as a lyricist? That’s the theory Rolling Stones backup singer Bernard Fowler was working with when he recorded his newest album, Inside Out. “I think that a lot of people who know and love the Rolling Stones miss a lot of important things that are being said,” Fowler tells Rolling Stone. “So I didn’t want to do a cover record; I wanted to do something radically different.

The Allman Brothers Band recorded “Blue Sky” in September 1971, one month before guitarist Duane Allman took a joyride through the streets of Macon, Georgia, and suffered a fatal crash on his motorcycle.

Nearly 50 years later, solo artists Devon Allman and Duane Betts — the sons of fellow Allman Brothers co-founders Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts — resurrect the song’s guitar-driven swagger during this live performance. Filmed during Charlie Daniels’ 20th Volunteer Jam in Nashville, the all-hands-on-deck version of “Blue Sky” features contributions from a handful of Southern rock OGs and roots-music torchbearers,...

Washington — The White House Correspondents Dinner has for years been about much more than the event itself: News organizations, internet firms and Washington power players have for years held their own fetes on days and nights surrounding the dinner.

This year is no exception. The arrival of Donald Trump’s administration to Washington also marked the end of some long-time parties, like a New Yorker bash and a Time-People party, but others have started. This year, Playboy is sponsoring an after-dinner “No Tie” party, hosted by Cooper Hefner, at a downtown D.C. location. The media outlet said it will mark its commitment to the First Amendment and a free press.

Other highlights of the weekend:

Thursday:

Bytes and Bylines — Allen Gannett, Eric Kuhn, John McCarthy, Susanna Quinn and Jon Steinberg host their annual event, along with Cheddar, this year at the residence of Ireland’s ambassador to the U.

The annual pilgrimage to the Beacon Theatre became a winter event that my friends and I relished each and every March, something to brighten up the dull blues of winter. The Allman Brothers Band were more than just a "jam" band. And while they defined the Southern Rock ethos and kick-started the whole jam band movement, they were more than that. Yes, they were improvisational monsters, but they also wrote and played highly melodic music, music that stands the test of time; and they owned the covers they performed as well. Only The Grateful Dead could rival them as a live act with staying power, albeit cast in a different Americana psychedlic haze.

Yes, they had weathered the storm of plenty of internal band drama during the '70s, '80s and most of the '90s. They lost their lead guitarist guru Brother Duane Allman in a motorcycle accident...

[Press Release] SpectiCast is pleased to announce the theatrical release of The Rolling Stones ‘Sweet Summer Sun – Hyde Park Live’ premiering worldwide (excluding the UK, Canada, and Japan) on 6 November 2013. ‘Sweet Summer Sun – Hyde Park Live’ chronicles The Rolling Stones’ historic and triumphant return to London’s Hyde Park with a 2-hour live concert film. In July 2013, over 100,000 ecstatic fans packed into Hyde Park for two spectacular outdoor concerts to see Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood do what they do best. Augmenting the line-up were long-term live touring band members Lisa Fischer, Darryl Jones, Chuck Leavell, Bernard Fowler, Bobby Keys and Tim Ries, who all added their inimitable flair and finesse. The Stones delivered a five star performance that...

Los Angeles — For one night only, the Rolling Stones were an up-and-coming band again.

The legendary group rocked a small club in Los Angeles on Saturday night for a minuscule crowd compared to the thousands set to see them launch their "50 and Counting" anniversary tour a week later on May 3 at the Staples Center.

The band kicked off Saturday's hush-hush 90-minute concert at the Echoplex in the hip Echo Park neighborhood with "You Got Me Rocking" before catapulting into a mix of new and old material, as well as their bluesy covers of classics from Otis Redding ("That's How Strong My Love Is"), Chuck Berry ("Little Queenie") and The Temptations ("Just My Imagination").

"Welcome to Echo Park, a neighborhood that's always coming up – and I'm glad you're here to welcome an up-and-coming band," lead singer Mick Jagger joked after the second song of the evening, "Respectable."

Despite clocking in several decades as a band,...

Los Angeles — For one night only, the Rolling Stones were an up-and-coming band again.

The legendary group rocked a small club in Los Angeles on Saturday night for a minuscule crowd compared to the thousands set to see them launch their "50 and Counting" anniversary tour a week later on May 3 at the Staples Center.

The band kicked off Saturday's hush-hush 90-minute concert at the Echoplex in the hip Echo Park neighborhood with "You Got Me Rocking" before catapulting into a mix of new and old material, as well as their bluesy covers of classics from Otis Redding ("That's How Strong My Love Is"), Chuck Berry ("Little Queenie") and The Temptations ("Just My Imagination").

"Welcome to Echo Park, a neighborhood that's always coming up – and I'm glad you're here to welcome an up-and-coming band," lead singer Mick Jagger joked after the second song of the evening, "Respectable."

Despite clocking in several decades as a band,...

Band thought to be working on greatest hits album as 50th anniversary approaches

The Rolling Stones are recording in France, according to a tweet by Mick Jagger.

"Had fun in the Paris studio this week!" Jagger wrote on Thursday. The accompanying photograph shows the singer holding a guitar in a studio crowded with instruments.

Last week, the Stones were photographed leaving a French studio. An enterprising fan identified the location as Studio Guillaume Tell in Paris.

According to Stones expert and archivist Nico Zentgraf, the session was produced with long-time collaborator Don Was, with Chuck Leavell on keyboards and Darryl Jones on bass.

The relatively short studio time suggests the band are not recording an album – it is more likely they have laid down new songs for inclusion on a greatest hits set due this autumn.

Although the group spent time together earlier this summer, they were reportedly practising old material,...

Fifty years after the Rolling Stones’ first-ever live performance on July 12, 1962 at the Marquee Club London, the band gathered today at the iconic venue to celebrate their 50-year anniversary as a band.

Related: Q&A with Rolling Stones Keyboard Player Chuck Leavell

The then-unknown band performed at the club in a segment on BBC Radio’s Jazz Club program. This marked the band’s first show of a prolific music career. To celebrate their momentous occasion, famed photographer Rankin snapped Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood back at the location where it all started decades ago.

Celebrating the band’s historic career and longevity, the Rolling Stones are releasing their official book, 50, which highlights previously unseen photos and material from the past 50 years, on July 12.

A brand-new Rolling Stones documentary film, directed by Brett Morgan, will be released in November.

With tour plans already set to kick off this April, after the trek ends on May 6, John Mayer will drop his highly-anticipated Born and Raised. He announced that the album will be released May 22.

The first single, the upbeat cowboy-influenced tune "Shadow Days," will hit radio on March 6, according to The Hollywood Reporter. In addition to a release date, the guitar-slinging singer released a track listing for the album, which includes some very, very interesting song titles.

The songs include “Queen of California,” “The Age of Worry,” “Shadow Days,” “Speak for Me,” “Something Like Olivia” (we must know who this Olivia is and how she managed to get John to write a song about her!), “Born & Raised,” “If I Ever Get Around To Living,” “Love is a Verb,” “Walt Grace's Submarine Test, January 1967” (a perplexing title, indeed!), “Whiskey, Whiskey, Whiskey, “A Face To Call Home” and “Born & Raised (Reprise).”

Previously,...