The Gap Band founder Ronnie Wilson dies at age 73
Ronnie Wilson, multi-instrumentalist and founder of the popular R&B and funk group The Gap Band, has died. He was 73. His wife, Linda Boulware-Wilson, posted on Facebook that her husband died on Tuesday. “Ronnie Wilson was a genius with creating, producing, and playing the flugelhorn, trumpet, keyboards, and singing music,...
City Theatre/Pittsburgh CLO premiere invokes pop superstar Justin Timberlake
The play title invokes the name of Justin Timberlake — but will the pop superstar actually be there on stage? Playwright Matt Schatz isn’t telling. Audiences will find out as City Theatre premieres Schatz’s “An Untitled New Play by Justin Timberlake,” in a co-production with Pittsburgh CLO. The piece will...
Latshaw Pops Orchestra to ring in holidays with concerts in Oakmont, Greensburg, Irwin, Zelienople
The Latshaw Pops Orchestra will continue its long tradition of annual Christmas concerts with a Dec. 9 performance in The Oaks Theater in Oakmont. The 22-piece orchestra will be joined by singers and dancers for the 7:30 show in the theater at 310 Allegheny River Blvd. Bruce Lauffer will conduct...
Jon Bon Jovi cancels Miami Beach concert after testing positive for covid-19
MIAMI — A positive test for covid-19 forced rocker Jon Bon Jovi to cancel his Miami Beach show Saturday night as crowds were already beginning to fill the South Beach venue. Audience members were told that Bon Jovi would be unable to perform, WSVN 7 News reported, and that the...
Obituary: Pittsburgh jazz musician Hill Jordan ‘made everyone feel like family’
The Pittsburgh jazz family is somber today. One of its own, Hill Jordan, 50, died Wednesday of unknown causes. Jordan, known to many as “Hilly,” was a trombonist and leader of Hill Jordan & Slide Worldwide. He regularly played clubs and festivals throughout Pittsburgh and the region. Many knew him...
Mac Miller’s drug supplier pleads guilty to Fentanyl charge, faces 20 years in prison
Mac Miller’s drug supplier, Stephen Walter, pleaded guilty to the distribution of fentanyl to the late rapper. According to TMZ and court docs, Walter’s other drug charge, which was “conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance,” was dropped. Walter reportedly gave Cameron James Pettit, Miller’s alleged dealer, the Percocet tablets that...
Tony Award-winning ‘Band’s Visit’ returns to Benedum Center
The band visited once before, and now it’s coming back again. “The Band’s Visit,” a Tony Award-winning musical, was in the midst of a PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh run when the pandemic shut down the entertainment industry in March 2020. “We had done three performances when we left on March...
First steps made in Congress to honor pop superstar Prince
NEW YORK — Minnesota’s Congressional delegation on Monday is introducing a resolution to posthumously award the Congressional Gold Medal to pop superstar Prince, citing his “indelible mark on Minnesota and American culture,” the Associated Press has learned. The medal is one of the nation’s highest civilian honors and past recipients...
Ed Sheeran has covid, will do performances from home
British pop star Ed Sheeran said Sunday he has tested positive for covid-19 and will do interviews and performances from his house while he self-isolates. Sheeran, 30, broke the news on social media days before his new studio album is due out. “Quick note to tell you that I’ve sadly...
After slamming covid-19 rules, Travis Tritt sings anthem at NLCS
ATLANTA (AP) — Country musician Travis Tritt, who canceled shows at venues that required a covid-19 vaccine or mask-wearing, sang the national anthem before Game 6 of the NL Championship Series on Saturday night. Wearing a Braves jersey, Tritt received a smattering of applause when he was announced as a...
Christian supergroup Newsboys ‘Step Into the Light’ with Pittsburgh dateVideo
Christian music supergroup Newsboys will “Step Into the Light” on Oct. 28 in Pittsburgh, as its 17-city tour by that name comes to the University of Pittsburgh’s Petersen Events Center. The show begins at 7 p.m. and also features special guests Mandisa, We Are Messengers, Cade Thompson and Adam Agee....
A Flock of Seagulls bringing its space age sound back to PittsburghVideo
Once upon a time there was a rock and roll band from Liverpool, England, that had really cool hair and a fresh, electrifying signature sound. And that band was known as — A Flock of Seagulls. Led by a talented young singer/songwriter named Mike Score, A Flock of Seagulls dropkicked...
Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil breaks ribs in fall off stage
PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. — Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil suffered broken ribs after falling off the stage at a concert Friday in Tennessee, his guitarist told the crowd in a video circulated widely on social media. In video footage from the performance, Neil can be seen clapping at the edge...
Rolling Stones drop ‘Brown Sugar’ from tour setlist as times change
Maybe call it the “Some Filter” tour. The Rolling Stones have not played their controversial 1971 mega-hit “Brown Sugar” on their current “No Filter” tour and fans may not hear it live again. Guitarist Keith Richards somewhat addressed the omission, indicating there was a reason behind its absence on the...
Brian Wilson, special guests bring Beach Boys catalog to The Palace
Some things just never get old. For original Beach Boy Al Jardine, that includes singing the songs that made the group famous 60 years ago. Jardine will perform hits and deep cuts from the group’s vast catalog with co-founder Brian Wilson on Oct. 19 at The Palace Theatre in Greensburg....
Girl power: Women Who Rock event plays on at Stage AE
These females rock, literally. The annual Women Who Rock concert features Rita Wilson, Sheila E, Orianthi, Lauren Monroe (with special guest Rick Allen of Def Leppard), Jackie Popovec with the Vindys and DJ Femi. They will perform starting at 7 p.m. Saturday at Stage AE on Pittsburgh’s North Shore. The...
Country singer Neal McCoy promises Greensburg audience: ‘Try us, you’ll like us’
Country singer Neal McCoy is making a pretty bold claim prior to his Oct. 17 show at The Palace Theatre in Greensburg. “I challenge people who may not know much about me, or even heard of me before, to give us your time,” he said. “When the show’s over, you’ll...
Little River Band brings 40 years of hits to Greensburg’s Palace TheatreVideo
Friday night, it was late, I was walking you home … after seeing the Little River Band at The Palace Theatre. You’ll be able to say that if you take your sweetie to the band’s show Friday in Greensburg. And then you’ll really have something to reminisce about. Hits like...
Paul McCartney: John Lennon responsible for Beatles breakup
LONDON — Paul McCartney has revisited the breakup of The Beatles, flatly disputing the suggestion that he was responsible for the group’s demise. Speaking on an episode of BBC Radio 4’s “This Cultural Life” scheduled to air Oct. 23, McCartney said it was John Lennon who wanted to disband The...
Country star Eric Church to perform without his band due to members catching covid
Country star Eric Church will be performing tonight at PPG Paints Arena without his band due to players having covid. The singer announced the change via his Facebook page. “Despite thorough safety protocols, a limited number of breakthrough covid-19 cases have occurred within the Eric Church Band,” the post reads....
‘Hamilton’ tickets on sale soon for return Pittsburgh engagement
The multi-Tony Award-winning musical “Hamilton” returns to Pittsburgh’s Benedum Center for a 24-performance run beginning Feb. 22. Single tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Oct. 18 at trustarts.org. A maximum of nine tickets can be purchased per account for the engagement, which runs through March 13. Tickets will range...
Dave Grohl’s ‘Storyteller’ book reveals long list of famous friends
It’s hard to think of a current musician so universally accepted into the rock ‘n’ roll fraternity as Dave Grohl. The Foo Fighters frontman dines regularly with Paul McCartney. He wrote and recorded a pandemic-era song with Mick Jagger. Joan Jett read bedtime stories to his daughters. He formed a...
The Rolling Stones rock Pittsburgh with plenty of hits, energyVideo
The extension of the pandemic has kept several bands away from Pittsburgh this year. But it was going to take a lot more than the threat of covid-19 variants to prevent The Rolling Stones from coming to Pittsburgh, the latest stop on the group’s “No Filter Tour.” The show had...
Westmoreland Symphony taps former Penguins voice Paul Steigerwald as gala auctioneer
Former longtime Pittsburgh Penguins sportscaster Paul Steigerwald will lend his vocal talents to the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra, as auctioneer at the organization’s upcoming Autumn Rhapsody fundraiser. “We were working some of our connections and reached out to him,” said WSO Executive Director Endy Reindl. “He said, ‘I don’t know if...
Rain could impact fans plans for the Rolling Stones concert at Heinz Field
Tailgating could be a problem for fans attending Monday’s Rolling Stones concert at Heinz Field. Those hot dogs, hamburgers and kielbasa might be a little soggy. Lee Hendricks, meteorologist for The National Weather Service in Moon, said there is a 50% chance of rain between 3 and 6 p.m. “That...