The Beach Boys brought the West Coast sound to the East Coast last night with the first of two shows at New York’s Beacon Theater.
Al Jardine tells us, “Every time we step out on the stage is like a homecoming.” Bruce Johnston is not only enjoying performing in the shows — but listening at very special moments. He’s so blown away by Brian Wilson‘s solo on “Please Let Me Wonder” that he doesn’t join in the chorus since “it’s just too magnificent listening to Brian.”
Stevie Wonder will receive the 2012 Billboard Icon Award. The honor is in recognition of his prolific career, which includes 49 Top 40 singles (with 32 number-ones), 25 Grammys, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a Golden Globe and an Academy Award. Add to that his humanitarian efforts and leadership in having the Martin Luther King holiday enacted.
The presentation and an all-star tribute to Wonder will be part of the Billboard Music Awards, which will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 20th on ABC.
Paul Simon and cellist Yo-Yo Ma have been named the winners of this year’s Polar Music Prize, Sweden’s top honor for musicians. The award, established by the late ABBA manager Stig Anderson in 1992, is typically shared by a pop artist and a classical musician, with each receiving $166,000. This year’s ceremony will be held on August 28th in Stockholm.
John Fogerty wants you to suggest who else he should duet with on his forthcoming album, Wrote a Song for Everyone. He Tweets, “What other artists would you like to see on [the new album]?” Among his guests are Bob Seger on “Who’ll Stop the Rain” andFoo Fighters on “Fortunate Son,” as well as My Morning Jacket, Dawes and country acts Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Miranda Lambert and Alan Jackson.
