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Singer/Songwriter Wendy Irvine Urges Us To “Make Time” For Love, Connection And Community

Eric Alper
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Singer/Songwriter Wendy Irvine Urges Us To “Make Time” For Love, Connection And Community

Canadian singer/songwriter and composer Wendy Irvine urges humanity to reach out to each other and “Make Time” with the release of her newly unveiled single.

The first to land from the song’s namesake album, Make Time, set for release this Spring 2022, the title reflects two words that hold deeply personal and perspective-shifting meaning in the Toronto-based artist’s day-to-day outlook.

“‘Make Time’ has become a mantra in my life,” the Toronto-based artist reveals. “I cannot control other people and their actions but, in order to make a difference in the world, I believe it starts with me.

“I need to put forth more light,” she continues. “I need to reach out and show love to other people, and I need to plant the seeds of acceptance, balance, love, and communication each and every day.”

The passion woven within the song’s message reflects the passion Wendy holds for music overall. Singing and performing since the age of three, the gifted artist was accepted into the Royal Conservatory of Music at age five and attended York University on a vocal scholarship.

She has recorded and performed with the likes of Nick Blagona (Alexisonfire, Protest the Hero, Green Day), Jay Douglas, Matt Dusk, Dan Hill, Russ Little, the ‘La Jeunesse’ choir, Ian Thomas, and more. Wendy has worked extensively as a sought-after voice-over artist and in musical theatre.

Her extensive career has seen her release numerous offerings, both as a solo artist and with the group Sixteen Different Minds. The forthcoming Make Time marks Irvine’s newest full-length release — and one she describes as a true labour of love.

“It has been a beautiful, and yet sometimes very difficult journey for my soul,” she shares. “I see it now as a reflection on how I see life’s wild adventure.”

“Make Time — Radio Edit” is available now. The album, Make Time, is set for release this Spring 2022.

Chris Sunfield Explores Adversity & Existentialism In Feel-Good “Tomorrow’s Here (Far Away Objects Mix)”

Eric Alper
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Chris Sunfield Explores Adversity & Existentialism In Feel-Good “Tomorrow’s Here (Far Away Objects Mix)”

Canadian progressive-pop artist Chris Sunfield rises through adversity and wrangles existentialism in his new and empowering feel-good anthem, “Tomorrow’s Here (Far Away Objects Mix).”

Featuring lush, symphonic suites embedded in deeply human messages, the inventively reimagined take on his 2021 single “Tomorrow’s Here” appears on singer/songwriter’s 2022 four-track EP, Far Away Objects.

“Lyrically, the new release is a clarion call to live authentically, and realize one’s full potential before it’s too late — all while accepting that life’s achievements are sometimes gained at the expense of intimacy,” he explains. His ability to convey kind, yet transcendent messages through a medium like music gives “Tomorrow’s Here (Far Away Objects Mix)” a unique edge in its genre.

Tackling lyrics in such a way is par for the course for the Toronto-based artist who has always held a connection with music; Sunfield had initially pursued a career in psychology and management consulting, despite his ambition to become a recording artist.

As the years passed, he came to realize he had hundreds of half-written songs on fading scraps of paper and deteriorating tapes.

“If I had died suddenly, that big box of music would have ended up in a landfill.”

Then came a perfect storm, he shares.

“Close friends died. Bad career decisions. A move to a remote area isolated me from friends… And finally, an accident hospitalized me. It felt like rock bottom. I was a behavioral scientist facing my own dark night of the soul.”

In facing the waves of adversity, Sunfield found himself drawn to his childhood ambition. He reveals that dusting off old music gear gave him a therapeutic outlet to cope, and led to the creation of his first completed song in years.

Fast forward a few years and Sunfield presents a dynamically crafted pallet of sonic experiences and introspective messaging — including “Tomorrow’s Here (Far Away Objects Mix).”

The exciting compilation of enthusiastic brass breakdowns and pop-rock riffs delivers a bubbly, feel-good melody entwined with progressive messaging for Sunfield’s growing fanbase.

“I thought I was going to write a ska tune with some breezy lyrics but, on the day I started writing, I found out that a long-term mentor of mine had passed away,” he recalls. “Soon after that, I lost a beloved pet. The only thing I could do to distract myself from the grief that night was to finish writing and recording the demo; the sun was rising the next morning as I finished it.

“‘Tomorrow’s Here’ is about moving beyond losses and challenges, and continuing to grow as a person.”

Willie Nelson‘s Outlaw Music Festival Tour Announced With Special Guests ZZ Top, Jason Isbell and More

Eric Alper
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Willie Nelson‘s Outlaw Music Festival Tour Announced With Special Guests ZZ Top, Jason Isbell and More

The initial dates and lineups have been announced for the 2022 edition of Willie Nelson‘s Outlaw Music Festival Tour, which will feature ZZ Top at select events.

The trek is confirmed to visit 19 cities this year so far, beginning with a June 24 event in the St. Louis suburb of Maryland Heights, Missouri, and scheduled through a September 23 performance in Philadelphia.

ZZ Top will be part of the lineup at six stops — in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, on July 29; Cincinnati on July 30; Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, on July 31; Gilford, New Hampshire, on August 12; Bethel, New York, on August 13; and Darien, New York, on August 14.

Gov’t Mule, the band fronted by former Allman Brothers Band singer/guitarist Warren Haynes, also will be performing on July 29, 30 and 31.

As usual, Nelson and his family band will headline all of the shows. Other artists on the various lineups include Chris Stapleton, The Avett Brothers, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Billy Strings, Brothers Osborne, Steve Earle & the Dukes, Larkin Poe and more.

Tickets go on sale to the general public this Friday, March 25, at 10 a.m. local time. VIP packages also will be available. Citi card members will be able to purchase presale tickets starting this Tuesday, March 22, at 10 a.m. local time; visit CitiEntertainment.com for more details.

“The Outlaw Music Festival Tour has always been about family and friends coming together for a great day of music and fun, and with the amazing group of artists joining us, this year promises to be our most special Outlaw Tour to date,” Willie says. “I just can’t wait to get back on the road again.”

Willie Nelson and Family Outlaw Music Festival Tour 2022
June 24 – St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Willie Nelson & Family
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Charley Crockett
Brittney Spencer

June 25 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Van Andel Arena
Willie Nelson & Family
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Charley Crockett
Brittney Spencer

June 26 – Indianapolis, IN @ Ruoff Music Center
Willie Nelson & Family
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Charley Crockett
Brittney Spencer

July 1 – Rogers, AR @ Walmart AMP
Willie Nelson & Family
Brothers Osborne
Steve Earle & the Dukes
Allison Russell

July 2 – Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion
Willie Nelson & Family
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Brothers Osborne
Charley Crockett
Steve Earle & the Dukes
Allison Russell

July 29 – Cleveland, OH @ Blossom Music Center
Willie Nelson & Family
ZZ Top
Gov’t Mule
Larkin Poe

July 30 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
Willie Nelson & Family
ZZ Top
Gov’t Mule
Larkin Poe

July 31 – Pittsburgh, PA @ The Pavilion at Star Lake
Willie Nelson & Family
ZZ Top
Gov’t Mule
Larkin Poe

August 12: Gilford, NH – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
Willie Nelson & Family
ZZ Top
Zach Bryan
Charley Crockett
The War and Treaty

August 13 – Bethel, NY @ Bethel Woods Center
Willie Nelson & Family
ZZ Top
Zach Bryan
Charley Crockett
The War and Treaty

August 14 – Darien, NY @ Darien Lake Amphitheater
Willie Nelson & Family
ZZ Top
Zach Bryan
Charley Crockett
The War and Treaty

September 9 – Atlanta, GA @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
Willie Nelson & Family
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Billy Strings
Charley Crockett
Larkin Poe

September 10 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion
Willie Nelson & Family
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats
Billy Strings
Charley Crockett
Larkin Poe

September 11 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Veteran’s United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach
Willie Nelson & Family
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Billy Strings
Larkin Poe
Brittney Spencer

September 13 – Bridgeport, CT @ Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
Willie Nelson & Family
Billy Strings
Larkin Poe
Brittney Spencer

My Next Read: “Bet My Soul on Rock ‘n’ Roll: Diary of a Black Punk Icon” by Jean Beauvoir and John Ostrosky

Eric Alper
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My Next Read: “Bet My Soul on Rock ‘n’ Roll: Diary of a Black Punk Icon” by Jean Beauvoir and John Ostrosky

Jean Beauvoir joined the Plasmatics in 1979, playing bass and keyboards for the most notorious band to emerge out of the New York City punk scene. By 1982, he was a member of Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, a retro-rock revival act headed by Steven Van Zandt. The Disciples of Soul videos played on MTV during the network’s earliest years, making Beauvoir one of the first Black recording artists to cross the start-up music channel’s “color line.”

Beauvoir went on to become a multi-platinum artist, producer, and songwriter. Bet My Soul on Rock ‘n’ Roll follows his ride through the American music industry, detailing his encounters with rock stars such as Bruce Springsteen, Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and Lita Ford, as well as the actor Sylvester Stallone, the billionaire executive Richard Branson, and even Donald Trump. Beauvoir also considers the manner in which his Haitian heritage has shaped his public image, his music, and his role as an activist for the dispossessed and the poor.

SXSW Live Studio: Oleksandra “Sasha” Zaritska of Kazka

Eric Alper
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SXSW Live Studio: Oleksandra “Sasha” Zaritska of Kazka

Ukrainian musician Oleksandra “Sasha” Zaritska of Kazka joins SXSW in the studio to speak on her experiences of what is happening in her home country.

My Next Read: “How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question” by Michael Schur

Eric Alper
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My Next Read: “How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question” by Michael Schur

From the creator of The Good Place and the cocreator of Parks and Recreation, a hilarious, thought-provoking guide to living an ethical life, drawing on 2,400 years of deep thinking from around the world.

Most people think of themselves as “good,” but it’s not always easy to determine what’s “good” or “bad”—especially in a world filled with complicated choices and pitfalls and booby traps and bad advice. Fortunately, many smart philosophers have been pondering this conundrum for millennia and they have guidance for us. With bright wit and deep insight, How to Be Perfect explains concepts like deontology, utilitarianism, existentialism, ubuntu, and more so we can sound cool at parties and become better people.

Schur starts off with easy ethical questions like “Should I punch my friend in the face for no reason?” (No.) and works his way up to the most complex moral issues we all face. Such as: Can I still enjoy great art if it was created by terrible people? How much money should I give to charity? Why bother being good at all when there are no consequences for being bad? And much more. By the time the book is done, we’ll know exactly how to act in every conceivable situation, so as to produce a verifiably maximal amount of moral good. We will be perfect, and all our friends will be jealous. OK, not quite. Instead, we’ll gain fresh, funny, inspiring wisdom on the toughest issues we face every day.

My Next Read: “Feels Like Home: A Song for the Sonoran Borderlands” by Linda Ronstadt

Eric Alper
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My Next Read: “Feels Like Home: A Song for the Sonoran Borderlands” by Linda Ronstadt

Linda Ronstadt is writing a new book that has been acquired by Heyday and is set to release in Fall 2022.

In Feels Like Home, Grammy award-winning singer Linda Ronstadt effortlessly evokes the magical panorama of the high desert, a landscape etched by sunlight and carved by wind, offering a personal tour built around meals and memories of the place where she came of age. Growing up the granddaughter of Mexican immigrants and a descendant of Spanish settlers near northern Sonora, Ronstadt’s intimate new memoir celebrates the marvelous flavors and indomitable people on both sides of what was once a porous border whose denizens were happy to exchange recipes and gather around campfires to sing the ballads that shaped Ronstadt’s musical heritage. Following her best-selling musical memoir, Simple Dreams, this book seamlessly braids together Ronstadt’s recollections of people and their passions in a region little understood in the rest of the United States. This road trip through the desert, written in collaboration with former New York Times writer Lawrence Downes and illustrated throughout with beautiful photographs by Bill Steen, features recipes for traditional Sonoran dishes and a bevy of revelations for Ronstadt’s admirers. If this book were a radio signal, you might first pick it up on an Arizona highway, well south of Phoenix, coming into the glow of Ronstadt’s hometown of Tucson. It would be playing something old and Mexican, from a time when the border was a place not of peril but of possibility.

Linda Ronstadt, the great-granddaughter of Friedrich and Margarita Ronstadt of Sonora, Mexico, is one of the world’s most acclaimed singers. Her six-decade career encompassed rock, folk, country, light opera, Mexican songs and American standards. She has sold more than 100 million records, won 12 Grammy awards and is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice, directed by Rob Epstein, just won a Grammy for best musical film at the 63rd Grammy Awards on March 14, 2021.

“Invincible” by Eddie Vedder, featuring NASA’s Artemis I Moon Mission

Eric Alper
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“Invincible” by Eddie Vedder, featuring NASA’s Artemis I Moon Mission

Grammy-award winning artist Eddie Vedder’s “Invincible” video collaboration with NASA is inspired by their Artemis I Moon mission.

The Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft – the only human-rated spacecraft in the world capable of deep-space travel – are planned to lift off from Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center for the uncrewed Artemis I mission around the Moon. Through the Artemis missions, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence, and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars. This video includes footage of various prelaunch tests, along with animations of launch, the orbit around the Moon, and the return to Earth.

Neil Young Announces Official Release Series Volume 4 Box Set On April 29

Eric Alper
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Neil Young Announces Official Release Series Volume 4 Box Set On April 29

Today, Neil Young announces the release of the fourth installment in his Official Release Series (ORS): a box set that includes his classic ‘80s records Hawks & Doves, Re•ac•tor, and This Note’s for You, as well as his Eldorado EP, previously released only in Japan and Australia. Both vinyl and CD box sets will be available for pre-order today and out on April 29th. Fans can purchase the ORS Vol 4 CD box set through all retailers; the vinyl box set will be available at indie stores and The Greedy Hand Store at Neil Young Archives (NYA). All Greedy Hand Store purchases of ORS Vol 4 box sets come with free hi-res digital audio downloads from the Xstream Store at NYA.

The ORS Vol 4 collects an eclectic set of decade-spanning sounds. Hawks & Doves (1980) revisits his folk roots and explores some of his most country-leaning offerings; the blistering Re•ac•tor (1981) showcases a stomping set of heavy, overdriven rock with Crazy Horse; and This Note’s for You (1988) casts Young as a big band leader, belting out intricately arranged blues. The Eldorado EP (1989) is full of feral distortion and earthy crunch featuring Young backed by The Restless (Chad Cromwell and Rick Rosas). It includes two thundering tracks — “Cocaine Eyes” and “Heavy Love”— not available on any other album. Eldorado will launch on most major DSPs upon the release of the box sets. Those who pre-order ORS Vol 4 now will receive an instant download of “Cocaine Eyes.”

The other three albums included in the ORS Vol 4 box sets are currently available digitally at Neil Young Archives and most major DSPs.

Only at NYA can you find Young’s music in the highest possible digital audio resolution alongside a seemingly infinite store of archival files. It’s also the home of Young’s virtual daily newspaper, The Times Contrarian, and The Hearse Theater, where you can see rare footage and stream live shows. NYA is a fittingly sprawling repository for Young; few artists—perhaps none—have explored such a vast spectrum of sounds and styles over more than half a century. ORS Vol 4 collects a large swath of his diverse and compelling ‘80s work, testifying to the legendary songwriter’s gift for sonic shape-shifting.

Official Release Series Vol 4 Track Listing:

Hawks & Doves:
1. Little Wing
2. The Old Homestead
3. Lost in Space
4. Captain Kennedy
5. Stayin’ Power
6. Coastline
7. Union Man
8. Comin’ Apart at Every Nail
9. Hawks & Doves

Re•ac•tor
1. Opera Star
2. Surfer Joe and Moe the Sleaze
3. T-Bone
4. Get Back on It
5. Southern Pacific
6. Motor City
7. Rapid Transit
8. Shots

This Note’s For You
1. Ten Men Workin’
2. This Note’s for You
3. Coupe de Ville
4. Life In The City
5. Twilight
6. Married Man
7. Sunny Inside
8. Can’t Believe Your Lyin’
9. Hey Hey
10. One Thing

Eldorado
1. Cocaine Eyes
2. Don’t Cry
3. Heavy Love
4. On Broadway
5. Eldorado

Jackson Browne Announces 2022 Tour

Eric Alper
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Jackson Browne Announces 2022 Tour

Jackson Browne announces his “Evening With” full band 2022 tour with dates running from June through September. The tour supports his GRAMMY-nominated album Downhill From Everywhere. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 18 at 10 AM local time.  Presale ticket information is available at jacksonbrowne.com.

Browne and his band will also join James Taylor & his All Star Band for a run of dates across Canada this Spring. See full list of tour dates below.

Jackson Browne Tour:
June 3 – Maryland Heights, MO @ Saint Louis Music Park
June 4 – Camdenton, MO @ Lake Ozarks Amphitheater
June 6 – Salina, KS @ Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts
June 7 – Kansas City, MO @ Kansas City Music Hall
June 10 – Rochester Hills, MI @ Oakland University – Meadow Brook Amphitheatre
June 11 – Huber Heights, OH @ Rose Music Center at The Heights
June 14 – Waite Park, MN @ The Ledge Waite Park Amphitheater
June 15 – Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theater
June 17 – Highland Park, IL @ Ravinia Festival
June 18 – Appleton, WI @ Fox Cities Performing Arts Center
June 21 – Fort Wayne, IN @ Foellinger Theater
June 22 – Indianapolis, IN @ TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park
June 24 – Cincinnati, OH @ Andrew J Brady ICON Music Center
June 25 – Northfield, OH @ MGM Northfield Park – Center Stage
July 13 – Bridgeport, CT @ Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
July 14 – Boston, MA @ Leader Bank Pavilion
July 16 – Canandaigua, NY @ Constellation Brands – Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center
July 17 – Philadelphia, PA @ TD Pavilion at the Mann
July 19 – Richmond, VA @ Altria Theater
July 20 – Vienna, VA @ Filene Center at Wolf Trap
July 22 – Baltimore, MD @ MECU Pavilion
July 23 – Selbyville, DE @ The Freeman Stage at Bayside
July 26 – New York, NY @ The Beacon Theater
July 27 – New York, NY @ The Beacon Theater
July 29 – New York, NY @ The Beacon Theater
July 30 – New York, NY @ The Beacon Theater
August 31 – San Diego, CA @ Humphrey’s
September 1 – San Diego, CA @ Humphrey’s
September 3 – Costa Mesa, CA @ Pacific Amphitheatre
September 4 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
September 7 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl
September 9 – Berkeley, CA @ The Greek Theatre
September 10 – Stateline, NV @ Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys (rescheduled)
September 13 – Eugene, OR @ Cuthbert Amphitheatre
September 14 – Troutdale, OR @ McMenamins Edgefield
September 16 – Seattle, WA @ Venue TBD
September 17– Seattle, WA @ Venue TBD
September 20 – Walla Walla, WA @ Wine Country Amphitheater
September 21 – Boise, ID @ Outlaw Field at the Idaho Botanical Garden
September 23 – Sandy, UT @ Sandy City Amphitheater
September 25 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Jackson Browne with James Taylor Canada Tour:
April 21 – St. John’s, NL @ Mile One Centre
April 24 – Halifax, NS @ Scotiabank Centre
April 25 – Moncton, NB @ Avenir Centre
April 27 – Ottawa, ON @ Canadian Tire Center
April 28 – Montreal, QC @ Centre Bell
April 30 – London, ON @ Budweiser Gardens
May 1 – Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
May 5 – Winnipeg, MB @ Canada Life Centre
May 7 – Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome
May 9 – Edmonton, AB @ Rogers Place
May 11 – Victoria, BC @ Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre
May 12 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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