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Zac Brown Band paid tribute to late legendary musician Jimmy Buffett by releasing their new song "Pirates & Parrots," featuring singer-songwriter and Coral Reefer Band member Mac McAnally.

"Pirates & Parrots blends Zac Brown Band's signature sound with the laid-back, island-inspired vibes synonymous with Buffett's iconic repertoire, capturing the shared passion for storytelling through song," Zac Brown Band said in a press release.

"I'm so excited for you to hear this song and to pay tribute to Jimmy Buffett," frontman Zac Brown said. "It hit me hard when we found out he was exiting the stage, he was an incredible human being. This is a celebration of his life and all of the people that will remember him through his songs."

Brown premiered the song at a tribute show held at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles earlier this month. An all-star lineup turned up for the music concert, titled "Keep The Party Going: A Tribute to Jimmy Buffett."

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Hardy recently released a "country" version of Snoop Dogg & Dr. Dre's 1994 hit single "Gin and Juice."

Hardy recorded the cover after Snoop, Dre and Jimmy Iovine tapped him to cut his version of "Gin and Juice" for the launch of their new beverage line of the same name.

"A while back, I got a phone call saying that Jimmy Iovine, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg would like for me to record my own version of 'Gin and Juice' for the launch of their new drink, Gin&Juice," Hardy said. "I'm still in disbelief, but I am so stoked that I'm dropping my version of 'Gin and Juice' with the blessing of Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg themselves. Thankful for the opportunity."

Hardy also shared a photo on Instagram that showed him, Snoop, and Dre dressed in suits, hinting that a short film will also be coming soon.

Hardy announced that he will release a music video for the song next month.

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Country superstar Morgan Wallen recently took to social media to address the incident that took place earlier in the month at a Nashville bar where he allegedly threw a chair off the roof and got arrested for the act.

"I didn't feel right publicly checking in until I made amends with some folks," Wallen said. "I've touched base with Nashville law enforcement, my family, and the good people at Chief's. I'm not proud of my behavior, and I accept responsibility."

"I have the utmost respect for the officers working every day to keep us all safe," he added. "Regarding my tour, there will be no change."

Wallen was briefly jailed after allegedly throwing the chair off the sixth-floor roof of Eric Church's newly opened bar Chief's, located on Nashville's Lower Broadway. According to reports, the chair landed just feet away from two Metro Nashville police officers.

Wallen, who was arrested and charged with three felony counts of reckless endangerment and one misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct, posted a $15,250 bond to secure his release after a few hours.

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Cody Johnson recently released a very special music video for "The Painter," a song from his 12-track studio album, Leather.

Cody's label Warner Music Nashville created the video in collaboration with an AI artist.

The visual for the ACM Song of the Year nominated single features a painting by Katie McCormick, a young woman with right-sided weakness and a learning delay disability due to a series of surgeries she underwent in her life.

"On Friday, August 11, 2023, I had just dropped Katie off at school and headed to work listening to our favorite radio duo Nate and Traci from US 96.3," said Katie's mother Teresa McCormick, who connected with the local radio station after hearing the song's lyrics. "I was very much in my head that morning with a thousand swirling thoughts, half listening to the conversation because Katie was turning 18 the next day."

"'The Painter' started playing while my thoughts were still somewhere else," Teresa continued. But then a particular lyric - "I don't remember my life before she came into the picture" - struck her like a bolt of lightning. "With every new verse, I had visions of Katie."

"Katie has overcome so many obstacles. Every new verse, I could picture a different phase of life, story or image of her. Through a blur of tears, I reached for my phone and sent a text message to the radio station thanking them for playing that song right at that moment. She is the color to MY life."

The visual for the song answers the question - "how can we take Katie inside one of her own paintings?"

"While this song is written about a man's love for his wife and how she colors his world, it allows everyone who hears it to drift away in thought to that person who adds beauty and color to their own life. Be that a child, a parent, spouse, or friend," Teresa said.

Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins, and Ryan Larkins wrote "The Painter." Trent Willmon produced track.

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Eric Church is set to headline this year's Sugar Bowl Country Kickoff show.

The second Sugar Bowl Country Kickoff is scheduled to take place on Saturday, August 31st at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The lineup also includes Thomas Rhett, Jon Pardi and Ashley McBryde.

Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Thursday, April 25th at 10:00 am at Ticketmaster.com. There will be a pre-sale on Tuesday, April 23rd starting at 10:00 am and running through Wednesday, April 24th at 10:00 am.

Proceeds from the event will contribute to supporting various community programs facilitated by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, including youth events, scholarship initiatives, and teacher recruitment, recognition, and retention.

Garth Brooks, Lainey Wilson, and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band headlined the inaugural concert last September.

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A new documentary, Call Me Country: Beyonce & Nashville's Renaissance will stream on Max in the U.S beginning on April 26.

As Beyonce recently became the first Black woman to ever top Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, a larger conversation about what defines country music has exploded into the zeitgeist.

Produced by the CNN FlashDocs unit, Call Me Country: Beyonce & Nashville's Renaissance examines the impact of how high-profile artists like Lil Nas X and Beyonce are challenging the country music status quo and how Black artists in Nashville have been laying the foundation for this transformation for some time.

The documentary features interviews with banjo player Rhiannon Giddens, John and T.J. Osborne of Brothers Osborne, Rissi Palmer, Aaron Vance, and Denitia.

It also includes analysis from culture and country music experts including Toure, Larisha Paul, Chris Molanphy, Kyle Coroneos, Keith Hill, and Co-Directors of the Black Opry Holly G. and Tanner D.

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Grammy-winning artist Maren Morris has added dates to her 2024 "RSVP Redux" North American tour.

Morris has announced 15 additional dates for her "2024 RSVP Redux Tour" across North America. The now 32-date run includes new shows in Chesterfield, MO, Kansas City, MO, Raleigh, NC, Savannah, GA, Hollywood, FL and more. The tour also includes several festival performances, including at Sommo Festival, Bourbon & Beyond, All Things Go Music Festival, and more.

Tickets for the new dates will be available starting with an artist presale beginning Tuesday, April 23rd at 10 am local time. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale beginning Friday, April 26th at 10 am local time.

Previously, announcing the tour on Instagram, Morris said, "RSVP Redux Tour - the tour that never was, gets a 2024 redux. playing the fan club shows last year made me realize how much I missed the intimate venues and having fun dusting off some deep cuts."

"I didn't want to stop, so we are carrying the spirit of those shows to slightly bigger rooms where more people can join us," she continued. "With the GIRL 5 year anniversary last week, it just made sense to give life back to the tour that covid took from us. this tour is going to be so much fun with different sets every night."

The title of her latest tour - RSVP Redux Tour - serves as a revival and reunion for the 2020 RSVP Tour.

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Paramount+ has announced new episodes of the groundbreaking docuseries '"Behind The Music" will premiere exclusively on the service in the U.S. and Canada on May 1 and in the U.K., Australia, Latin America, Brazil, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria on May 2.

The new episodes profile Bell Biv DeVoe, Trace Adkins and Wolfgang Van Halen, while remastered episodes feature 50 Cent, Bobby Brown, Ice-T, Milli Vanilli, The Notorious B.I.G. and Sinead O'Connor.

Official loglines for new episodes are as follows:

When New Edition dissolved in the late '80s, Ronnie DeVoe, Ricky Bell and Michael Bivins were counted out by critics and record executives. However, they defied expectations and became a multi-platinum group with their album Poison. The trio created some of the greatest party anthems of the 1990s, but infighting, financial pitfalls, addiction and mental health struggles almost led to the group's demise. Four decades later, Bell Biv DeVoe still is performing for multiple generations of adoring global fans.

Despite a near-fatal shooting, Trace Adkins worked his way to the top of the country music charts with his platinum-selling debut album Dreamin' Out Loud. But a sophomore slump and a struggle with alcoholism nearly destroyed his career. With help from family, musicians and mentors alike, Trace pushed forward with even more hits, a flourishing acting career and a new lease on life. Wolfgang Van Halen reveals his story that's wrought with trauma, perseverance and immense talent. Born to guitar god Eddie Van Halen and actress Valerie Bertinelli, Wolfgang instantly became bound to music. As he developed his own sound, Wolfgang turned to his solo project, Mammoth WVH, before tragedy struck. Eddie's death rocked his son's world, but Wolfgang solidified his music career with a sound all of his own while continuing to honor his father's legacy.

These artists join the star-studded lineup of original "Behind The Music" episodes on Paramount+, featuring Boy George, Bret Michaels, Busta Rhymes, Duran Duran, Jennifer Lopez, LL Cool J, New Kids on the Block, Remy Ma and Ricky Martin.

The docuseries is executive produced by Bruce Gillmer and Michael Maniaci for MTV Entertainment Studios.

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First Lady Jill Biden is set to deliver opening remarks at tribute to Patsy Cline at the Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium.

Biden is scheduled to land in Nashville on Monday evening, April 22, for an appearance at the "Walkin' After Midnight: The Music of Patsy Cline" event at the Ryman Auditorium. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. and Dr. Biden will deliver opening remarks.

Other big names slated for the show include Wynonna Judd, Ashley McBryde, Kellie Pickler, Kristin Chenoweth, Mickey Guyton, Rita Wilson, Pat Benatar and more.

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Multi-platinum global entertainer Chris Young will headline Nashville's July 4th Let Freedom Sing! event, the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp has announced.

Nashville-area native and Grammy-nominated Young, who has 13 career No. 1 singles, will be joined on the Jack Daniel's Broadway Stage by a multi-genre lineup that includes Yola; Girl Named Tom, sibling trio - Bekah, Joshua, and Caleb Liechty, who won NBC's "The Voice"; and Blessing Offor, a two-time Grammy Award nominee.

One of the country's largest July 4th fireworks shows for the first time will include drone light elements - synchronized to live music from the Grammy-winning Nashville Symphony.

The concert and fireworks show are free and open to the public.

Let Freedom Sing! is partnering with PENCIL, which links community resources with students and teachers at Metro Nashville Public Schools, and will raise funds and collect school supplies to support PENCIL.

"Chris Young is going to deliver an unforgettable performance as the headliner for yet another spectacular Fourth of July celebration, and we are truly excited about the exceptionally diverse lineup, which features talents like Yola, Girl Named Tom, and Blessing Offor," said Ken Levitan, Chairman of the NCVC Board of Directors and Co-President of Vector Management.

Book for lodging facility at reservations.visitmusiccity.com/19670.

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Garth Brooks, Carrie Underwood and Alabama have been announced as headliners of inaugural the Kickoff Jam.

The Kickoff Jam is scheduled to take place over Labor Day weekend, August 30 through September 1 in Panama City Beach, Florida.

The three-day passes ranging from $299 to $1399 will be available beginning at 10 am CT on Wednesday, April 24th at KickoffJamPCB.com.

"I've been doing this for 40 years, and without question, this is the biggest show we've ever put on," states Executive Producer Rendy Lovelady. "We're excited to celebrate five decades of Country music in Panama City Beach!"

Alabama will headline on Friday, August 30, with a special appearance by Randy Travis. Other artists on that day's lineup also include Jamey Johnson, Tyler Farr, Gavin Adcock, Pam Tillis and Catie Offerman.

The Saturday, August 31, lineup will be headlined by Underwood. Other performers are NEEDTOBREATHE, Lauren Alaina, Restless Road, Carter Faith and Kayley Green.

Brooks will headline the final day along with The Oak Ridge Boys, Randy Houser, Rhett Akins, Mackenzie Carpenter and Allie Colleen.

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UMe is set to bring out some of the most classic albums by Jimmy Buffett on vinyl.

According to UMe, 10 albums by Buffett, released in 70s, 80s and 90s, will be reissued every month this summer, and all these will be available on standard black vinyl and limited edition colored vinyl.

Living and Dying in 3/4 Time (1973), One Particular Harbour (1983), and Fruitcakes (1994) will be launched in the first batch on June 7th.

The second trio of vinyl releases that will be arrive on July 12 will be A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean (1973), Havana Daydreamin' (1976), and Banana Wind (1996).

On August 16th, the third batch, consisting of Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Altitudes (1977), Son of a Son of a Sailor (1978), Volcano (1979), and Barometer Soup (1995), will be out on vinyl.

Buffett, who sold over 40 million albums in his lifetime, passed away in September 2023 at age 76.

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Sawyer Brown have announced the Canadian leg of their 40th anniversary Tour with Grammy-winning 90s country band Shenandoah.

This October, the two bands will tour across Canada for 12 dates. Tickets are on sale now at sawyerbrown.com/tour

In addition to the tour, Sawyer Brown celebrated their 40th anniversary with the premiere of its career-spanning documentary, Get Me To The Stage On Time and their Blake Shelton-produced album Desperado Troubadours.

Last month, Sawyer Brown lead singer Mark Miller and keyboardist Gregg "Hobie" Hubbard performed for the Country Music Hall of Fame's Songwriter Sessions series alongside songwriting titan Mac McAnally, who helped co-write some of the band's biggest hits, including "Some Girls Do," "The Walk," "Thank God For You" and more.

Fans can watch Sawyer Brown all across the United States throughout the year, including shows at CMA Fest, Faster Horses Festival and more.

The U.S. leg of Sawyer Brown's 40th Anniversary Tour kicked off in Big Spring, Texas, on Thursday.

Sawyer Brown Tour Canada Dates:

Thurs., Oct. 17 | Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium | Edmonton, AB, CA

Fri., Oct. 18 | Peavey Mart Centrium | Red Deer, AB, CA

Sat., Oct. 19 | Sasktel Centre | Saskatoon, SK, CA

Mon., Oct. 21 | CN Centre | Prince George, BC, CA

Tues., Oct. 22 | Prospera Place | Kelowna, BC, CA

Thurs., Oct. 24 | Winsport Event Centre | Calgary, AB, CA

Fri., Oct. 25 | Enmax Centre | Lethbridge, AB, CA

Sat., Oct. 26 | Moose Jaw Events Centre | Moose Jaw, SK, CA

Fri., Oct. 27 | Keystone Centre | Brandon, MB, CA

Mon., Oct. 30 | Peterborough Memorial Centre | Peterborough, ON, CA

Weds., Nov. 1 | The Colosseum | Windsor, ON, CA

Thurs., Nov. 2 | Centre In The Square | Kitchener, ON, CA

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"American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest and judge Lionel Richie are set to announce the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2024 inductees during upcoming Rock Hall-themed episode of "American Idol" on Sunday (April 21).

Gene Simmons, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame with KISS in 2014, will serve as a guest mentor on the upcoming episode that will see all the competitors perform songs from Hall of Fame inductees.

Among the nominees this year are Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Eric B. & Rakim, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Jane's Addiction, Kool & the Gang, Lenny Kravitz, Oasis, Sinéad O'Connor, Ozzy Osbourne and A Tribe Called Quest.

The episode will air 8-10:01 p.m. ET and 5-7:01 p.m. PT on ABC with a repeat scheduled for 8-10:01 p.m. PT on the West Coast.

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Country singer Colt Ford has canceled his summer tour dates after suffering a heart attack.

Ford remains in the Intensive Care Unit at a Scottsdale, Arizona, hospital following a heart attack after his show in Gilbert, Arizona, at Dierks Bentley's Whiskey Row on April 4th.

In the past week, Ford has made significant progress in his recovery and his condition is slowly but steadily improving.

Ford completed his show earlier this month, but sirens were heard blaring shortly after he left the stage. It was later revealed the response was due to Ford's heart attack.

Ford's scheduled tour dates through August 30th have been canceled. Refunds are available at the point of purchase for any canceled dates. Previously purchased tickets will be honored for any rescheduled dates.

At this time, Ford's family is requesting privacy and appreciates fans' continued thoughts and prayers.

Dates affected:

Apr 18 - Woodford, Va. @ The Groove Music HallApr 19 - Ashland, Ky. @ Rock The CountryApr 20 - Valdosta, Ga. @ Wild Adventures Live!Apr 27 - Saint Michael, N.D. @ Spirit Lake CasinoMay 10 - Conroe, Texas @ Big As Texas FestMay 11 - Rome, Ga. @ Rock The CountryMay 14 - Murrells Inlet, S.C. @ Suck Bang BlowMay 16 - Hurricane Mills, Tenn. @ Tennessee Motorcycles & Music RevivalMay 17 - Lorain, Ohio @ Lorain Palace Theater (rescheduled to 9/27)May 18 - Franklin, Ohio @ JD LegendsMay 25 - Placida, Fla. @ Boca H2O FestMay 31 - Roxboro, N.C. @ Bullpen Backyard (rescheduled to 9/20)June 1 - Farmington, Pa. @ Timber Rock AmphitheaterJune 6 - Myrtle Beach, S.C. @ Carolina Country Music FestivalJune 7 - Elizabethtown, N.C. @ Cape Fear Vineyard and Winery (rescheduled to 10/11)June 8 - Reddick, Fla. @ Rock The CountryJune 12 - Marion, Mich. @ Marion FairJune 15 - Shelbyville, Ky. @ Jeptha Creed DistilleryJune 20 - Wildwood, N.J. @ Barefoot Country Music FestJune 28 - Columbus, Ohio @ Buckeye Motorcycle and Music RallyJune 29 - Poplar Bluff, Mo. @ Rock The CountryJuly 11 - Knoxville, Ill. @ Knox County FairJuly 12 - Princeton, Ind. @ Gibson County FairgroundsJuly 13 - Fort Loramie, Ohio @ Country Concert 2024July 27 - Anderson Village, S.C. @ Rock The CountryJuly 31 - Virginia Beach, Va. @ Oceanfront Concert SeriesAug 2 - Black Mountain, N.C. @ SilveradosAug 3 - LaGrange, Ga. @ Sweetland Amphitheatre (rescheduled to 9/14)Aug 9 - Roseburg, Ore. @ Douglas County FairAug 23 - Stroudsburg, Pa. @ Sherman TheaterAug 24 - Lyndon, Vt. @ Caledonia County Fair

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Taylor Swift has dropped her highly anticipated The Tortured Poets Department as surprise double album via Republic Records.

After the conventional midnight release of the standard volume of The Tortured Poets Department, consisting of sixteen songs, Swift surprise-released the second volume, subtitled The Anthology, two hours later.

"It's a 2am surprise: The Tortured Poets Department is a secret DOUBLE album," Swift wrote on Instagram, surprising her fans. "I'd written so much tortured poetry in the past 2 years and wanted to share it all with you, so here's the second installment of TTPD: The Anthology. 15 extra songs. And now the story isn't mine anymore. it's all yours."

While the first volume features collaborations with Post Malone and the English indie rock band Florence and the Machine, the second volume contains 15 additional songs, four of which are previously announced physical bonus tracks. "Fortnight," featuring Malone, was named the album's lead single.

Written and produced by Swift, Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner, the 31-track double album has more than two hours of playing time in total.

Swift announced the album at the Grammy Awards in February.

The Tortured Poets Department is the eleventh studio album by the singer-songwriter, and her fifth studio album in less than five years.

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The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson teamed up with the late Glen Campbell for a posthumous duet of Campbell's song, "Strong."

"Strong (with Brian Wilson)" marks the latest entry in the upcoming duet collection Glen Campbell Duets - Ghost on the Canvas Sessions, which arrives on April 19th.

"Strong," which originally appeared on Campbell's 2011 "farewell" album Ghost on the Canvas, describes Campbell's onset of Alzheimer's Disease. Campbell co-wrote "Strong" with producer Julian Raymond.

Campbell vows to his wife to maintain his resilience in the face of the disease, confessing, "All I want to be for you is strong."

In the duet, Wilson shares Campbell's verses quite convincingly and with great clarity. His signature harmonies add a lovely feel.

"Glen was a great singer and a great guy. Our intention in doing 'Strong' was to echo back to 'Guess I'm Dumb' and the times that Glen and I worked together. It's kinda got that vibe to it and I dig the sound of it," Wilson said of the posthumous collaboration.

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The Library of Congress has revealed the latest National Recording Registry inductees.

ABBA's "Dancing Queen," Blondie's era-defining Parallel Lines, The Notorious B.I.G.'s landmark Ready to Die, Green Day's Dookie, The Chicks' "Wide Open Spaces" and Lily Tomlin's comedy are among the inductees.

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden named 25 recordings as audio treasures worthy of preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation's recorded sound heritage. The 2024 class of inductees also includes Gene Autry's "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer," The Cars' debut album, Perry Como's "Catch a Falling Star" / "Magic Moments," Juan Gabriel's heartbreaking "Amor Eterno," Hector Lavoe's salsa hit "El Cantante," Kronos Quartet's "Pieces of Africa," Johnny Mathis' "Chances Are," Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy," Patti Page's "Tennessee Waltz," and Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine."

The recordings selected for the National Recording Registry bring the number of titles on the registry to 650, representing a small portion of the national library's vast recorded sound collection of nearly 4 million items.

The latest selections named to the registry span from 1919 to 1998. They range from the recordings of the all-Black 369th U.S. Infantry Band led by James Reese Europe after World War I, to defining sounds of jazz and bluegrass, and iconic recordings from pop, dance, country, rock, rap, Latin and classical music.

To listen to many of the recordings, the Digital Media Association compiled a list of some streaming services with National Recording Registry playlists, available at https://dima.org/national-recording-registry-class-of-2024/.

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In a recent interview with The Standard promoting her BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Sounds series, "Courtney Love's Women," Courtney Love slammed Taylor Swift, saying "she's not important" and "not interesting as an artist."

"Taylor is not important," Love said. "She might be a safe space for girls, and she's probably the Madonna of now, but she's not interesting as an artist."

It's not known why Love has a contrarian view about Swift now after having wished her a happy birthday in December 2021 via Facebook. She called Swift an "aspirational huge role model for many young women" at the time. The post also featured a photo of Love and her "occasional hair twin/neighbor."

Courtney also spoke about Lana Del Rey and Madonna during the recent interview with The Standard.

"I haven't liked Lana since she covered a John Denver song, and I think she should really take seven years off," she said. "Up until 'Take Me Home Country Roads' I thought she was great. When I was recording my new album, I had to stop listening to her as she was influencing me too much."

About Madonna, Love said, "I don't like her and she doesn't like me. I loved Desperately Seeking Susan, but for the city of New York as much as her."

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Dicky Betts, a co-founder the Allman Brothers Band, died Thursday in Osprey, Florida, at the age of 80.

In an Instagram post, the Betts family wrote, "It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that the Betts family announce the peaceful passing of Forrest Richard 'Dickey' Betts (December 12, 1943 - April 18, 2024) at the age of 80 years old."

"The legendary performer, songwriter, bandleader and family patriarch passed away earlier today at his home in Osprey, FL., surrounded by his family. Dickey was larger than life, and his loss will be felt world-wide," they added.

Betts was a co-founding member of The Allman Brothers band alongside brothers Duane and Gregg Allman, Butch Trucks, Jaimoe Johanson, and Berry Oakley.

When Duane Allman was killed in a motorcycle crash in 1971, Betts assumed the role of the group's lead guitarist and also took over more of a singing role.

Betts was the writer and singer on the Allmans' hit single "Ramblin' Man." He also gained renown for composing instrumentals, with one appearing on most of the group's albums, including "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" and "Jessica" (which was later used as the theme to Top Gear).

The band went through a hiatus in the late 1970s, during which time Betts, like many of the other band members, pursued a solo career and side projects under such names as Great Southern and The Dickey Betts Band.

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