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Blue Monkey Shines in “Gleaming” Video Ahead of Debut Album ‘Ageless’

Eric Alper
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Blue Monkey Shines in “Gleaming” Video Ahead of Debut Album ‘Ageless’

Today, indie-pop artist Blue Monkey unveils the official music video for “Gleaming,” the seventh and final single from their forthcoming 11-track debut album Ageless, set for release on Friday, June 6. As the sonic alter ego of Charlee Remitz who’s been lauded by LA Weekly, American Songwriter, and Alternative Press, Blue Monkey has long crafted music that defies boundaries, with poignant lyrics and ethereal vocals leading the charge.

The music video shows Blue Monkey in a high school cheerleader uniform, bouncing across the football field with playful dance moves and a generous dose of glitter. It’s a nod to the outsiders — the ones who never quite fit in — and a reminder to stay true to yourself, no matter the pressure to blend in. “Gleaming” (released Friday, May 2) continues Blue Monkey’s vision to promote letting go of things that are not meant to be. The track leans into emotional clarity — urging listeners to release relationships that dim their light. The track blends soft, ambient textures with lyrics that hit where it hurts. It’s an introspective, slow-burn shimmer that challenges the idea of clinging to the comfort of toxicity. Think indie-pop with raw edges and zero pretense.

A sweeping exploration of patience, freedom, and purpose, Ageless blends intricate lyrics, mesmerizing production, and evocative vocals into a genre-blurring journey. Blue Monkey thrives in the in-between — indie without a script, ambient pop without gloss — crafting a sound that embraces beauty over labels. More than artistry, Ageless is a homecoming, urging a life led by joy, not obligation.

Blue Monkey shares, “Over the years, I’ve experienced an intentional softening. I was, at one time, deeply unaffected by my own life. I was harsh and cold, and I felt like things were happening to me without my consent. In time, I wandered into whimsy. I became gentle and soft, and it was all owing to an intuition that everything I’d been through, and every choice I’d made, whether divined, careless, impulsive, backwards, intentional, or reckless was meant for me and could be rebranded as such. That the best thing I could do for myself was to try things out and tangle with the world. That it was all giving me necessary information about my life, information I needed to be the truest expression of who I am.”

In Blue Monkey’s universe, the boundaries between creator and creation dissolve, enabling art to flourish in its most genuine and primal form. Blue Monkey shares, “The moniker, in a way, removes the presence of impact, returning the art to its most primitive stages — creation, or else.” This signifies a break from rigid identities, inviting listeners to step beyond the limits of the self and delve into the essence of retaining childlike imagination, encouraging us to fully embrace our potential without the constraints imposed by society.

Blue Monkey (Chuen), the 11th sign of the Mayan Zodiac, symbolizes creativity’s birth, bridging past, present, and future. This persona emerged with “Pylons” (Aug. 16) followed by “Pretty Things” (Sept. 13),  “Common Enemies” (Nov. 22), “Dive Bar Christmas” (Dec. 6), “Golden Rule” (Jan. 31), and “Everything You Do Is Meant for You” (Mar. 7).

“Golden Rule” earned praise from Under the Radar, which noted: “‘Golden Rule’ sees Blue Monkey leaning into gentle, soft-focus folk pop, accompanying her lilting vocals with plaintive acoustic tones and feather-light harmonies.” The track also secured a spot on Apple Music’s “New in Alternative” playlist upon release.

The poetic music video for “Everything You Do Is Meant For You” — an anthem for dreamers who stumble, whether they feel behind, ahead, or perfectly on time — continues Blue Monkey’s tradition of spotlighting unexpected gems: from buying blue bananas at Nashville’s Produce Place to leaving them at the memorial for Miss Baker, the space-traveling squirrel monkey, in Huntsville, AL. The journey wraps up with martinis and a game of pool at Steve’s Cue and Grill, offering a comforting reminder that every moment, whether soaring to space or savoring life’s simple pleasures, unfolds exactly as it’s meant to.

Blue Monkey defies categorization, blending indie-pop with banjo riffs and airy synths in a sound that feels inevitable. Their music is a release — an invitation to strip down identity, reinvent, and embrace freedom. With vivid lyrics that provoke reflection and self-discovery, Blue Monkey carves out a space beyond boundaries, inspiring others to explore, play, and live without labels.

AGELESS TRACKLIST:
“The Earthquake That Shook California”
“Young in Hollywood”
“Gleaming”
“Common Enemies”
“Pylons”
“Dive Bar Christmas”
“Memories on the Bleachers”
“Golden Rule”
“Pretty Things”
“Everything You Do Is Meant For You”
“Ageless”

Avery Anna Turns Fans’ Letters Into Music With New Album ‘let go letters’

Eric Alper
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Avery Anna Turns Fans’ Letters Into Music With New Album ‘let go letters’

This Friday, singer-songwriter Avery Anna will release her sophomore album, let go letters. Inspired by personal stories from her fans, let go letters is Avery’s latest manifestation of a lifelong devotion to making music that feeds the soul. 

Last week, the Arizona native debuted a new track from the project, “what are friends for?,” an introspective ballad about friend breakups. “Girl drama is a real thing, and I love how that song captures the experience of feeling frustrated and betrayed and guilty all at the same time,” Avery says.

Every song on let go letters is inspired by real-life situations that her fans shared with her in a letter series, which has long been a safe place for her listener community to ‘let go’ of experiences that may be troubling them by writing them down and sending them off. Avery read these letters and took the general themes—anything from depression, abuse, addiction, body dysmorphia, and fractured family relationships—and turned them into songs, making her fans’ experiences the center of the project to let them know they’re heard, seen, and not alone.

“I started asking people for their letters because I wanted to give them some kind of emotional outlet, but they ended up shifting my whole perspective on so many things in life,” says Avery. “After a while, it felt almost impossible not to write about the letters, and over time, this album became a way to thank everyone for being so vulnerable and sharing their lives with me.”

Looking back on the emotional whirlwind of creating let go letters, Avery reveals that the album profoundly strengthened her sense of purpose. “There was a period of time where I felt so sad from reading all the letters; some were so tragic that I memorized them,” she says. “But I kept coming back to the fact that it’s my duty as an artist to help people cope with their feelings, which really eased my mind. I think it’s a beautiful thing to connect with a stranger on a level where you can truly see them for who they are, and hold the door open for them to hopefully find some peace. So as heavy as this whole process was, in the end it was just as uplifting.”

Thanks to her boundless empathy—as well as the subtle force and spellbinding power of her vocal work—Avery inhabits the album with a depth of emotion that makes every lyric feel undeniably lived-in. Featuring 14 tracks all penned or co-penned by Avery and produced by David Fanning, let go letters follows the singer-songwriter’s celebrated 2024 debut album, Breakup Over Breakfast. The new project includes her recently released “danny don’t,” which Billboard praised her “sterling, gripping vocal that she wraps around this response to a letter from a fan who was battling internal struggles and contemplating giving up on life.” Country Central called the song “empathetically comforting,” noting that it “makes a strong statement for Anna’s songwriting talent.” “Mr. Predictable,” another previously released track on the highly anticipated project, has quickly become a fan favorite. Holler lauded that the track “doubles down on the powerful, deeply vulnerable and conversational ambiance the country prodigy has always laced into her music…that feels like she’s drawing straight from her journal.”

let go letters Track List:

1.   Love, Avery (Avery Anna)

2.   Mr. Predictable (Avery Anna, David Fanning, Ben Williams)

3.   GRAVE (Avery Anna, David Fanning, Andy Sheridan, Ben Williams)

4.   what are friends for? (Avery Anna)

5.   Self Esteem 4 Sale (Avery Anna, David Fanning, Andy Sheridan, Ben Williams)

6.   my mother lies (voice memo) (Avery Anna)

7.   skinny (Avery Anna, David Fanning, Andy Sheridan, Ben Williams)

8.   depresion (Avery Anna, David Fanning, Travis Heidelman)

9.   Giddy Up! (feat. Maggie Antone) (Avery Anna, Margaret Antone Scott)

10. cheerios (Avery Anna, David Fanning, Andy Sheridan, Ben Williams)

11. danny don’t (Avery Anna)

12. there’s no you (voice memo) (Avery Anna, David Fanning, Ben Williams, Andy Sheridan)

13. butterfly project (Avery Anna)

14. Wish You Well (Avery Anna, David Fanning, Jon Hume)

A member of the Opry NextStage class of 2025, Avery took the stage at the Opry NextStage Live From Texas event last week ahead of the ACM Awards. She is currently climbing the radio charts with Sam Barber on their viral duet, “Indigo.” The pair shared a performance of the track on The Kelly Clarkson Show earlier this year.

With more than 450 million global streams to date, the songstress has quickly become an in-demand touring artist. Earlier this year, Avery brought her electric live show to the main stage at C2C festival across London, Belfast, and Glasgow, and last month, she returned to Stagecoach. Billboard named her Stagecoach set as one of the ‘best moments’ of the day, lauding the “impressive amount of fans singing to her own originals,” and the way she “twirled around on stage, like she was leading her very own Fearless World Tour.” This summer, she’ll join Luke Bryan’s Country Song Came On Tour and Brad Paisley’s Truck Still Works World Tour for select dates.

Phil Vassar Ushers in the Season With Feel-Good Anthem “All American Summer”

Eric Alper
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Phil Vassar Ushers in the Season With Feel-Good Anthem “All American Summer”

Phil Vassar cranks up the heat with his brand-new anthem “All American Summer,” out today. Having premiered exclusively with Storme Warren on Garth Brooks’ The Big 615, the feel-good track was co-written by Vassar — the multi-award-winning singer-songwriter and piano-pounding hitmaker — alongside longtime collaborator Tony Mullins.

Vassar shares, “‘All American Summer’ is a song I wrote with my good friend Tony Mullins, who’s not only a great guy and incredible songwriter but also a fellow Virginian. We actually grew up just down the road from each other, so we share a lot of the same memories — the lakes, the long summer days, all that good stuff. I’ve always loved summertime songs — like ‘Six-Pack Summer’ and others — and when Tony and I came up with the idea for ‘All American Summer,’ I really feel like we knocked it out of the park. It’s just a lot of fun, and really kicks off the season the right way!”

Tony Mullins is one of Nashville’s most accomplished GRAMMY Award-winning songwriters, known for crafting chart-topping hits across country music. His credits include the 2000 ASCAP Song of the Year, “How Forever Feels,” recorded by Kenny Chesney, along with standout songs for artists like Ricky Skaggs, Rascal Flatts, LeAnn Rimes, Tim McGraw, and Craig Morgan.

It’s ‘Just Another Day in Paradise’ for Vassar as he gears up to bring his fiery keys and signature sound to stages across the nation for the “25 Years of Paradise” Tour. The 15-date (and counting) trek, kicking off May 30 at Freedom Country Fest, marks a milestone moment — celebrating the 25th anniversary of his era-defining smash “Just Another Day in Paradise.”

“25 YEARS OF PARADISE” TOUR DATES:

Tickets are available for purchase now via www.philvassar.com, with exclusive fan club and VIP packages available.

Phil Vassar is a two-time ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year (1999, 2001) and ACM Top New Male Vocalist whose celebrated career includes 10 No. 1 hits and 27 Top 40 singles. As a prolific songwriter, he has penned chart-toppers for artists such as Tim McGraw (“My Next Thirty Years,” “For a Little While”), Alan Jackson (“Right on the Money”), Jo Dee Messina (“Bye Bye,” “Alright”), Collin Raye (“Little Red Rodeo”), and Blackhawk (“Postmarked Birmingham”). He’s released nine albums and toured internationally, with performances spanning Europe, Australia, and even the White House. Vassar’s enduring impact on country music is marked by fan-favorite singles like “Carlene,” “Six-Pack Summer,” “American Child,” and the iconic “Just Another Day in Paradise,” which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2025. Whether behind a grand piano or on a festival stage, he remains one of country music’s most engaging and enduring entertainers.

Dan Pallotta Honors His Father With Poignant New Folk Single “Working Man’s Son”

Eric Alper
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Dan Pallotta Honors His Father With Poignant New Folk Single “Working Man’s Son”

New England folk songwriter Dan Pallotta has a new single out entitled, “Working Man’s Son,” a powerful, upbeat and introspective folk track that captures the emotional tension of gratitude and guilt in a son’s relationship with his father.

The inspiration for the song came from Pallotta’s relationship with his father, who passed away three years ago. Pallotta reflects on the complex feelings that come with being the son of a working-class father.” Pallotta explains.

Speaking of the song’s title, Pallotta states, “It’s lenticular. It means at once intense pride on one hand, and a heavy burden and sorrow on the other.”

The song’s production reflects the emotional depth of the lyrics, with Pallotta opting for a more upbeat arrangement after initially considering a slow, intimate piano ballad. “We tried that ten different ways and it was dragging. Once I decided to pick up the tempo and raise the key to about the top of my voice, the existing arrangement came together,” he explains.

The track’s mood is both melancholic and inspiring, with a powerful sense of tribute and loss interwoven into the music. Pallotta’s poignant lyrics and thoughtful storytelling are complemented by his collaborators, including multi-instrumentalist Peter Davis, who contributed a variety of elements, including djembe, cajon, shruti box, electric guitar, and bass to the recording.

I’ve got medals and trophies

I’ve got ribbons of blue,

I didn’t win them for me, Dad

I won them for you

Dan Pallotta has been writing songs for forty years, but took about a thirty-year break in the middle to create the AIDSRides, the Breast Cancer 3-Day walks, and the Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention walks. 182,000 people took part in one of these epic, heroic journeys, which raised nearly $600 million in nine years—more money raised more quickly for those causes than any events in history, and were the subject of a Harvard Business School case study.

In September 2023, the Stephen Gyllenhaal-directed documentary film adaption of Pallotta’s book, Uncharitable, was released, which advocates for liberating the nonprofit sector to its true potential. It features Edward Norton, and the heads of TED, the Ford Foundation, the Nature Conservancy, Charity:Water and many other organizations. Pallotta’s TED talk on charity is the 16th most commented TED talk of all time. He has written five books, served on two school boards, sang the national anthem at a Los Angeles Rams game, and did not forget the words!

Pallotta’s music and his commitment to making a difference in the world are inseparable. He writes songs about the human condition— as experienced across all manners of circumstance— in an effort to connect people through a recognition that we are not alone in the strange things we observe and feel in this mystery we call life.

Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Charlap Announce Duo Album ‘Elemental,’ Out June 13

Eric Alper
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Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Charlap Announce Duo Album ‘Elemental,’ Out June 13

Today, acclaimed vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater and pianist Bill Charlap, two of the most highly respected figures in the world of jazz, announced their collaborative new recording, Elemental, to be released on June 13 through Mack Avenue Records. On the album Bridgewater and Charlap curate a repertoire that only they can present: exploring a deep understanding of jazz tradition alongside impeccable phrasing and a once-in-a-generation dynamic range.

Along with the announcement Bridgewater and Charlap shared lead single, “Honeysuckle Rose,” the perfect introduction to this unique pairing, showcasing their natural chemistry as Bridgwater’s gravity-defying vocal leaps dance atop Charlap’s jaunty, percolating piano lines.

“Fats Waller was a playful musician and wrote lyrics that reflected this characteristic,” explains Bridgewater. “Bill and I wanted to emulate this quality on ‘Honeysuckle Rose,’ hence our approach. We’re skipping, holding musical hands, whistling, playing hide and seek, taking gentle jabs at each other like children on a playground, all in the moment, unrehearsed, improvised in real time.”

Ask any true jazz fan to draw up a list of the greatest vocalists of the modern era and the name Dee Dee Bridgewater will inevitably appear at the top. Repeat the exercise for contemporary pianists and you’ll just as assuredly see Bill Charlap on the short list. Draw a line between the two however, and the most dedicated aficionado would have no chance of predicting the outcome. The prospect of a collaboration proved daunting even to Bridgewater and Charlap themselves, who had never worked together prior to their first meeting live on stage in 2019.

The initial idea for the collaboration was Bridgewater’s, and appropriately for a project that has taken on such a mystical aura, it arrived like a bolt out of the blue. “I hear voices,” the singer explains. “I woke one morning and a voice said, ‘Bill Charlap.’ I was really quite dumbfounded because it seemed like such an unlikely pairing for me.”

But one thing that Bridgewater has learned over the course of her remarkable, nearly six-decade career is to trust in that voice. Her broad-ranging successes speak for themselves: three GRAMMY Awards, a Tony Award, NEA Jazz Master honors, a Doris Duke Performing Artist Award, and the 2024 Bruce Lundvall Visionary Award, to name a few of her myriad accolades.

“I have always been and continue to be a huge fan of Dee Dee Bridgewater,” Charlap says. “I was delighted at the prospect of us working together, but I assumed she would be guesting with my trio. When I was told no, Dee Dee wanted to do this as a duo, all of a sudden a bunch of lights went on.”

Charlap of course is no stranger to working with incredible singers. He won a GRAMMY Award in 2016 for The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern, his acclaimed album with one of the all-time greats, Tony Bennett. He’s also recorded with Barbra Streisand, Diana Krall, Ann Hampton Callaway, Freddy Cole, Carol Sloane, and two beloved albums with his mother, cabaret and jazz singer Sandy Stewart.

The pair scheduled a few exploratory concerts to determine whether they in fact did possess that ever-elusive chemistry. The results were more exhilarating than the two had dared hope.

“My perception and my understanding of Bill changed completely after we got together,” Bridgewater explains. “I knew that he was steeped in the American songbook, but I did not know the degree of his extreme knowledge. I was blown away by Bill’s sensitivity as a pianist, his wealth of knowledge and the references that he can call upon when he’s playing. I mean, he’s an encyclopedia. I have never before in all of my years worked with a musician with whom I could so completely relax and be myself.”

Charlap is quick to return the compliments. “Dee Dee Bridgewater is a giant of a musician,” he says. “A brilliant vocalist, but just as much an actor, just as much a storyteller, just as much a risk taker. All of that is together in equal parts, with each piece stepping out into the following spot at different moments. That makes her unlike anybody else historically.”

Elemental hints at the profound virtually subatomic level on which these two brilliant GRAMMY Award-winning artists connect. In a relatively short but fruitful period of time – interrupted but not derailed by the pandemic – they have forged a camaraderie that soars past the chemical to the alchemical.

“The two of us have discovered a kind of musical melding that is completely inexplicable to the untrained ear,” says Bridgewater. “We’ve become a gentle force of nature, and people are astounded when they encounter it.”

That force was on full display at the duo’s recent performance at the New Orleans Jazz Festival, where they captivated audiences and critics alike. Bridgewater and Charlap have a few more performances lined up in Washington, D.C., New York City, and Los Angeles before Bridgewater heads out on her We Exist! Tour across Europe. See full list of tour dates below, which also includes a duo performance at the Charlie Parker Festival in New York City on August 24.

Elemental Tracklist:
1. Beginning to See the Light
2. Mood Indigo
3. Honeysuckle Rose
4. Here’s That Rainy Day
5. Love for Sale
6. ‘S Wonderful
7. In the Still of the Night
8. Caravan

Dee Dee Bridgewater US Tour Dates:
May 9-11 – Washington, DC – Mary Lou Williams Jazz Festival *
May 19 – New York, NY – 92nd St Y
June 12 – Des Moines, IA – Hoyt Sherman Place *
June 14 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl * – ALBUM RELEASE SHOW
August 24 – New York, NY – Charlie Parker Festival *

* = duo performances with Bill Charlap

Dee Dee Bridgewater’s We Exist! Tour:
July 1 – Vienne, France – Jazz à Vienne
July 3 – Toulouse, France – Toulouse Festival
July 4 – Santa Cruz, Canary Islands, Spain – Tenerife Auditorium
July 5 – Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain – Jameos del Agua Auditorium
July 6 – Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain – Pérez Galdós Theatre
July 8 – Oestrich-Winkel, Germany – Seebühne Schloss Vollrads
July 9 – Vannes, France – Vannes Echos Jazz
July 11 – Merano, Italy – KIMM + Master Class
July 12 – Marseille, France – Marseille Jazz Des Cinq Continents
July 16 – Weimar, Germany – Schallkultur Festival
July 19 – Wiesbaden, Germany – Kurpark Wiesbaden
July 20 – Freiburg, Germany – Zelt Musik Festival
July 23 – Vilnius, Lithuania – Midsummer Vilnius Fest
July 25 – San Sebastian, Spain – San Sebastien
July 26 – Barcelona, Spain – Palau de la Musica Catalana
July 27 – Gdynia, Poland – Ladies Festival
July 29 – Fano, Italy – Jazz by the Sea

Leslie Grace, Muni Long, Susanna Hoffs, and Andy Vargas Join Star-Studded 2025 GRAMMY Hall of Fame Gala Lineup

Eric Alper
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Leslie Grace, Muni Long, Susanna Hoffs, and Andy Vargas Join Star-Studded 2025 GRAMMY Hall of Fame Gala Lineup

Singer-songwriter, actor and Latin GRAMMY nominee Leslie Grace, GRAMMY Award-winning R&B singer-songwriter Muni Long, musician and author Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles, as well as longtime Santana band member Andy Vargas have been added to the lineup for the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum’s 2025 GRAMMY Hall Of Fame Gala taking place May 16 at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. Previously announced performers include celebrated percussionist Cindy Blackman; soul legend Eddie Floyd; 13-time GRAMMY winner Emmylou Harris with producer Daniel Lanois and acclaimed multi-GRAMMY Award-winning jazz drummer Brian Blade; drummer of iconic power-pop band Big Star; multi-GRAMMY Award-winning composer and bandleader Jon Batiste; powerhouse vocalist and GRAMMY-winner Ledisi; GRAMMY-winning actor and singer Leslie Odom Jr.; and guitar virtuoso Orianthi. Notably, Harris, Floyd and Stephens have recordings being inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame.

Performances will pay tribute to the 2025 GRAMMY Hall Of Fame inducted recordings: Blackman and Orianthi, joined by Vargas, will perform Santana’s “Smooth”; Floyd and Stephens will perform “Knock On Wood”; Harris, Lanois, and Blade will present selections from Wrecking Ball; Ledisi will perform Clara Ward’s “How I Got Over”; Leslie Grace will deliver Gloria Estefan’s “Conga”; Odom Jr. will interpret Luther Vandross’ “Never Too Much”; and Susanna Hoffs will take on Cat Stevens’ “Wild World.” Additional performances include a set by Ray Charles Architect of Sound Award recipient Jon Batiste, along with Conan Gray, John Mellencamp and Muni Long, who will perform as part of a tribute to this year’s label honoree, Republic Records.

An online auction is currently underway, featuring a vast collection of guitars signed by an array of major artists including Chappell Roan, Charli xcx, Chris Martin, Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, Sabrina Carpenter, Platinum tickets to the 68th GRAMMY Awards, and more. Proceeds will benefit the GRAMMY Museum’s education programs. Click HERE for more info.

Returning as host is esteemed CBS News journalist Anthony Mason. The show will be produced by former GRAMMY Awards Executive Producer Ken Ehrlich, alongside Ron Basile, Lindsay Saunders Carl and Lynne Sheridan, with musical direction by GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY Award-winning composer, producer and conductor Cheche Alara.

Rilo Kiley Expands Reunion Tour With New Dates and Special Guests Including Waxahatchee and Ben Gibbard

Eric Alper
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Rilo Kiley Expands Reunion Tour With New Dates and Special Guests Including Waxahatchee and Ben Gibbard

Fresh off their triumphant performance at Just Like Heaven Music Festival and the release of That’s How We Choose To Remember It ––a  band-curated, career-spanning collection of songs released May 9th via Saddle Creek––Rilo Kiley is pleased to announce a new round of dates just added to the highly anticipated Sometimes When You’re On You’re Really F***king On Tour.

These latest additions include stops in Asbury Park, NJ (The Stone Pony), Port Chester, NY (Capitol Theatre), Northampton, MA (The Pines Theater), Berkeley, CA (The Greek Theatre), San Diego, CA (Gallagher Square), and Los Angeles, CA (The Greek Theatre).

Tickets go on sale this Friday, May 16th, at 10am local time…grab them HERE  and be sure not to miss this once-in-a-lifetime experience live, described by Rolling Stone as “magic and energy was palpable throughout the evening…It was chill-inducing to hear those opening notes in total darkness as they entered the stage, ready to start this new era.” 

Additionally, the band has added special guests throughout the tour including Waxahatchee, The Faint, Dean Johnson, Natalie Bergman, Benjamin Gibbard and more. See below for further details and the full tour itinerary.

Rilo Kiley recently made a show-stopping appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! as they performed a “faithful and jubilant” (CONSEQUENCE) rendition of “Silver Lining”, with Stereogum praising the band as: “total pros, as if they haven’t been apart for the better part of two decades…sharp and clean…This looks like a band that’s in it for the long haul.” 

WHEN YOU’RE ON YOU’RE REALLY F**KING ON TOUR DATES

New dates in bold

5/12/25 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren *sold out
5/14/25 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre ^
5/16/25 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Block Party
5/17/25 – Boise, ID – Treefort Music Hall *sold out !
5/19/25 – Jackson, WY – Center for the Arts *sold out !
5/21/25 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom *sold out !
5/23/25 – Forest Grove, OR – McMenamins Grand Lodge *sold out !
5/24/25 – Seattle, WA – Chateau Ste. Michelle *sold out !
8/30/25 – Asbury Park, NJ – The Stone Pony &
8/31/25 – Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre &
9/01/25 – Northampton, MA – The Pines Theater &
9/03/25 – New Haven, CT – College Street Music Hall *sold out &
9/04/25 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met Philadelphia *sold out &
9/05/25 – New York, NY – The Rooftop at Pier 17 *sold out &
9/07/25 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway *sold out &
9/08/25 – New York, NY – SummerStage @ Central Park *sold out “
9/10/25 – Washington, DC – The Anthem “
9/11/25 – Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian Theatre *sold out “
9/13/25 – Louisville, KY – Bourbon & Beyond
9/14/25 – Grand Rapids, MI – Meijer Gardens Summer Series *sold out “
9/16/25 – Saint Paul, MN – Palace Theatre *sold out “
9/17/25 – La Vista, NE – The Astro “
9/19/25 – Chicago, IL – Riot Fest 2025
9/21/25 – St. Augustine, FL – Sing Out Loud Festival
9/23/25 – Nashville, TN – The Pinnacle %
9/24/25 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater +
9/26/25 – Atlanta, GA – The Eastern *sold out  %
9/27/25 – Asheville, NC – Asheville Yards %
9/28/25 – Birmingham, AL – Avondale Brewing Company %
10/10/25 – Austin, TX – Austin City Limits Music Festival
10/10-12/25 – Las Vegas, NV – Best Friends Forever 2025
10/16/25 – Berkeley, CA – The Greek Theatre #
10/17/25 – San Diego, CA – Gallagher Square #
10/18/25 – Los Angeles, CA – The Greek Theatre #

^ w/ Ben Gibbard
! w/ Morgan Nagler
& w/ Natalie Bergman
“ w/ Dean Johnson
% w/ The Faint
+ w/ The Mountain Goats
# w/ Waxahatchee

Michael Bublé, Tate McRae, Anne Murray and More Shine at the 54th Annual JUNO Awards in Vancouver

Eric Alper
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Michael Bublé, Tate McRae, Anne Murray and More Shine at the 54th Annual JUNO Awards in Vancouver

The 54th Annual JUNO Awards lit up Vancouver and the country with a Canadian celebration like no other. A dazzling showcase of Canadian music, culture and star power that captivated audiences from coast-to-coast-to-coast and beyond on all CBC linear, digital, and social platforms. From host Michael Bublé’s star-studded opening performance with Jonita Gandhi, Elisapie, Maestro Fresh Wes and Roxane Bruneau, to his stirring opening monologue, to the moving MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award presented by Anthem Entertainment, to Ottawa educator Jeannie Hunter, the night was electric, filled with unforgettable acceptance speeches, powerful performances, and a palpable sense of pride that united fans under the flag of Canadian music. The breadth of our music was underscored in the Album of the Year category presented by Music Canada which featured projects in four different languages: English, French, Punjabi, and Inuktitut. Calgary’s Tate McRae, who was nominated alongside Elisapie, Josh Ross, Roxane Bruneau, and Sukha, took the win. This year’s Broadcast wasn’t just a show, it was a statement: Canadian music and culture is having its moment, and the world is watching.

The Awards were streamed more than 825,000 times in Canada and around the world, an increase of more than 400 percent over last year’s Awards. Viewership for the evening on CBC reached over 2.8M viewers, spiking with 1.1M viewers of Michael Bublé’s opening monologue and 800K viewers during Anne Murray’s acceptance speech*. Show clips generated strong social engagement at more than 9.16M views with TikTok JUNO Fan Choice winner bbno$ (2.08M), Breakthrough Artist/Group of the Year presented by FACTOR and the Government of Canada winner, Nemahsis (1.48M), Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the National Arts Centre recipient Anne Murray (1.21M), host Michael Bublé (1.12M), and International Achievement Award recipient Boi-1da (810K) moments leading the pack.

More than an awards show, this year’s JUNO Awards cycle celebrated Canada’s diverse musical culture through an unforgettable slate of over 220 performers across more than 50 live experiences. Marquee events like the 2025 JUNO Awards Gala presented by Music Canada where more than 40 Awards were handed out also reached record digital engagement with more than 4.57M social views. Other events like The Road To The JUNOS series and the JUNO Songwriters’ Circle presented by FACTOR & SOCAN in association with Music Publishers Canada created memorable experiences for emerging artists and fans alike. The road to The JUNOS for Canadian artists starts with their nomination, and this year’s Awards celebrated 208 Nominees across 46 categories. New voices were front and centre with 67 first-time nominees including 17 winners. Each nominee has a unique story and this year’s JUNO cycle generated over 7100 media stories (potential impressions: 4.19B).

The story continues on from The JUNOS as CARAS is also home of The Canadian Music Hall of Fame (CMHF) and Canada’s national music education charity, MusiCounts. 2025 CMHF inductees Dan Hill, Ginette Reno, Glass Tiger, and Loreena McKennitt will be honoured at a forthcoming ceremony at Calgary’s Studio Bell, Home of the National Music Centre, alongside 2025 JUNO Broadcast CMHF inductee, SUM 41. Access to music education is key for youth and our culture at large, but remains at risk. It is why MusiCounts invested over $1.6M into schools and community-based music programs across the country during the year leading up to March 31, 2025.

Still wanting to relive the magic of this year’s JUNOS? Rewatch every performance and moment from the 54th Annual JUNO Awards Broadcast and JUNO Awards Gala on CBC Gem, on CBC Music’s YouTube page, JUNO Awards social channels. The official 2025 JUNO Awards Aftermovie is also available to view on The JUNO Awards YouTube channel, highlighting the best moments from 2025 JUNO Week in Vancouver.

Tommy Lee Depp Reimagines “The Sound of Silence” With Mesmerizing Solo Bass Performance

Eric Alper
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Tommy Lee Depp Reimagines “The Sound of Silence” With Mesmerizing Solo Bass Performance

You’ve heard “The Sound of Silence” before — but never like this. German musician Tommy Lee Depp turns the Simon & Garfunkel classic into a hypnotic, haunting masterpiece, performed entirely on the brightly colored strings of a vivid blue bass. Turn the volume up.

Little Feat Release 17th Album ‘Strike Up The Band’ Featuring Molly Tuttle, Robert Hunter, and More

Eric Alper
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Little Feat Release 17th Album ‘Strike Up The Band’ Featuring Molly Tuttle, Robert Hunter, and More

Today, Little Feat – criminally underrated pioneering rock band – released their 17th studio album, Strike Up The Band, out now, via Hot Tomato. LISTEN HERE

Accompany release was a video for very much non-bluegrass song “Bluegrass Pines,” which features Molly Tuttle on guitar and Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams on backing vocals and was co-written with Grateful Dead’s lyricist, Robert Hunter and Relix Magazine stated “establishes a big band sound, with the quick trill of instruments and a mood of Romani folk that begs for a skirt-twirling embrace far from the title’s suggested bluegrass lean.”

This song, which was from a batch band co-founder and keyboardist, Bill Payne co-wrote with Hunter, like the best Little Feat songs, combines complicated music ideas and takes people on a sonic journey with many twists and turns.

“When Robert Hunter and I began writing, he usually sent me the lyrics first,” recalls Payne. “After several times of doing it this way, he suggested I send him the music first. I had a short instrumental entitled “Banjo Wanderings.” I was amazed at how this small clip inspired the expansive and wonderful lyrics he called “Bluegrass Pines.” The music I gave him essentially covered only the chorus. Everything else was the result of his imagination and my mining of the melody and chords from the scenery he painted. He asked at one point through e-mail—the only way we ever communicated—if I knew who Lash LaRue was, and I told him yes, he used a whip to go after the desperados rather than use a gun.”

Payne continues, “I love this song and its influence on those who performed it. I love the intelligence and spirit that Molly Tuttle, with grace and beauty, created, through her legato acoustic guitar lines with Scott’s soaring slide, a dance of kinetic magic. Larry Campbell and Teresa William’s vocals, powerful, and at times angelic, provided the perfect tapestry for me to sing against. I thank Robert Hunter for his gift.”

Little Feat tour the US with shows including Montclair, NJ this evening and culminating in a three-day festival in Woodstock, New York for August 30 through September 1 with plans to record performances for a new live album. Tickets go on sale via littlefeat.net.

At this point in its illustrious, nearly 60-year career, rock legends Little Feat could be excused if they wanted to take its proverbial foot off the gas. However, that wouldn’t be in Little Feat’s DNA. From the very first note of Strike Up The Band, you will hear Little Feat–who have been rocking and rolling since 1969– mean business.

Little Feat built a cult following in the late 60s and 70s for their pioneering gumbo of New Orleans rhythm-and-blues, country, hard-rock, funk, and jazz. Celebrated as a key influence by icons from Bonnie Raitt to The Rolling Stones (and more recently current stars like 1975’s Matt Healy), yet, commercial success remained at arms length. Songs like “Dixie Chicken,” “Spanish Moon,” “Fat Man in the Bathtub,” and “Rock and Roll Doctor” are legends in the rock and roll songbook. They have released a total of 16 studio albums and 10 live albums to date. Through the ups and downs, love and loss, the lineup shifts, and endless touring they have remained together and the closest of friends.

Their wilderness years, when the band was on periods of hiatus, individual members collaborated with a laundry list of legends including Bob Dylan, Boz Scaggs, J. J. Cale, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Buffett, Doobie Brothers, Emmylou Harris, Bryan Adams, Pink Floyd, Bob Seger, Toto, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Carly Simon, James Taylor, Stevie Nicks, Robert Palmer, Bob Weir, Mick Fleetwood, Phil Lesh – you name a musician from the classic rock era, they have likely played with them!

Their elastic lineup has included the late great Lowell George, founding drummer, Richie Hayward,  and guitarist Paul Barrere, and to this day features founding member Bill Payne on keys, alongside the classic lineup of Fred Tackett on guitars/vocals, Kenny Gradney on bass, and Sam Clayton on percussion/vocals. They recently enlisted younger members Scott Sharrard on lead/vocal and Tony Leone on drums/vox which reinvigorated their creative spirits and live show.

The seeds for Strike Up the Band may have been initially planted in 2019, but the current iteration of the band coalesced it in 2021. Following a year of zapping files back and forth due to the pandemic, that November was when the band first started jamming with guitarist/vocalist Scott Sharrard, who joined in 2019, and drummer Tony Leone, who joined in 2020.

“Once again, we’re introducing something that we’re going to call Little Feat to people who would be accepting and some who would not,” Payne says. “The ramp to believing in ourselves was in the songs we wrote. And the minute we had this new band, we wanted to be realistic and that was to make a record.”

To solidify the writing, Payne left his home in the West and headed to New York. In just four days, he wrote three songs with Sharrard and Leone. That window spawned one of the album’s finest tracks, “4 Days of Heaven, 3 Days of Work.”

“Bill brought this title to Tony and I, and I knew immediately that we were going to cook something up that would be special,” Sharrard says. “The lyrics and music embrace what I call ‘Gonzo Funk,’ Little Feat’s unique brand where you combine a slinky groove with some far-out lyrical imagery.”

Together with producer Vance Powell (Phish, Chris Stapleton, Jack White), and collaborators including Blackberry Smoke’s Charlie Starr and Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter, they created their new album in Nashville, and Strike Up The Band is destined to be considered their later year magnum opus. Songs like funk-fueled “Too High To Cut My Hair,” which tastemaker PASTE MAGAZINE described as sounding, “as good as ever, cutting a funk track with the fire of a wicked blues tempo,” as well as “Shipwrecks,” are as dexterous, considered, and creative as any song Little Feat has created to date.

Their lyrics are inventive, transportive, abstract, and emotive in their pursuit of celebrating the good times and holding you close in the bad. Guitars scream and slide, pianos rock and boogie, and drums shuffle you down the road in a way that only Little Feat can. This is the album Little Feat fans have been waiting for and is an undeniable statement from a band who in many ways are just getting started in their 56th year.

With buzz off the back of their GRAMMY nomination for their recent album Sam’s Place, their own festival, a newly announced national tour, and much more in the works, Little Feat are not weathered statues in the hall of rock fame. They remain the collective and creative force they have always been. The beauty of Little Feat perhaps lies in the band’s ability to continuously evolve yet keep the spirit of what we all know and love about them, constant and alive. At this stage in a band’s career, few, if any would be willing to evolve at the level Little Feat does. That in itself, is quite the feat.

TRACKLIST:

4 Days of Heaven 3 Days of Work
Bayou Mama
Shipwrecks
Midnight Flight
Too High To Cut My HairWhen Hearts Fall  Strike Up The Band (feat. Larkin Poe)
Bluegrass Pines (feat. Molly Tuttle, Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams)
Disappearing Ink
Love and Life (Never Fear)
Dance a Little
Running Out of Time with the Blues
New Orleans Cries When She Sings

TOUR DATES:
May 9 Fri – Montclair, NJ – Wellmont Theater *
May 10 Sat – Ithaca, NY – State Theatre
May 12 Mon – Akron, OH – Goodyear Theater *
May 13 Tue – Shipshewana, IN – Blue Gate Performing Arts Center *
May 15 Thu – Nashville, IN – Brown County Music Center *
May 16 Fri – Davenport, IA – Capitol Theatre *
May 17 Sat – Des Plaines, IL – Rivers Casino Des Plaines *
May 19 Mon – Peoria, IL – Prairie Home Alliance Theater *
May 23 Fri – Chandler, AZ – Gila River Resorts & Casinos Wild Horse Pass *
Jun 13 Fri – Santa Cruz, CA – Rio Theatre *
Jun 14 Sat – Napa, CA – Blue Note Napa Summer Sessions at Meritage Resort*
Jun 15 Sun – Reno, NV – Grand Theatre at Grand Sierra Resort *
Jun 18 Wed – Eugene, OR – McDonald Theatre *
Jun 19 Thu – Boise, ID – The Egyptian Theatre *
Jun 21 Sat – Airway Heights, WA – Spokane Live at the Spokane Tribe Resort & Casino #
Jun 22 Sun – Redmond, VA – Marymoor Live #
Jun 24 Tue – Bonner, MT – Kettlehouse Amphitheater #
Jun 25 Wed – Pocatello, ID – Portneuf Health Trust Amphitheatre #
Jun 26 Thu – Salt Lake City, UT – Red Butte Garden #
Jun 28 Sat – Winter Park, CO – Blues From The Top
Aug 29 – Charlestown, RI – Rhythm & Roots 2025
Aug 30 – Sep 1 – Woodstock, NY – Feat Fest at Bearsville Theater
Sep 15-21 – Ketchikan, AK – Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea – Alaska 2025
Oct 14 Tue – Birmingham, AL – Alabama Theatre *
Oct 15 Wed – Franklin, TN – Firstbank Amphitheater <
Oct 17 Fri – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater <
Oct 18 Sat – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion <
Oct 19 Sun – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Symphony Hall *
Oct 21 Tue – Richmond, VA – Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront <
Oct 22 Wed – Wilmington, NC – Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park <
Oct 24 Fri – Baltimore, MD – The Lyric Baltimore *
Oct 25 Sat – Huntington, NY – The Paramount *
Oct 26 Sun – Red Bank, NJ – Count Basie Center for the Arts *

2026
Jan 11-18 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Sandy Beaches Cruise 2026
Jan 18-25 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – The Big Easy Cruise 2026

* Strike Up The Band Tour
# Little Feat & Nitty Gritty Band: Dirty Feat Tour
< With Tedeschi Trucks Band (Live in 25 Tour)

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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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