It was a slow week for news what with Christmas and the start of Hanukkah, unless you count celebrity deaths, in which case it was … sigh … busy. We’re fresh into mourning for Carrie Fisher and George Michael this week, but if that doesn’t bring you down enough, be sure to check out this full list of musician deaths from throughout 2016, from longtime ND contributor Hyperbolium. In happier news, though …
The Bear Family record label announced it will release a six-disc collection of George Jones early recordings on the Starday and Mercury labels. George Jones: Birth of a Legend – The Truly Complete Starday and Mercury Recordings 1954-1961, coming Feb. 24, will include a hardcover book and 200 tracks, more than 20 of them never-before-released, with a total running time of over 7 1/2 hours. [Rolling Stone]
The future of the iconic Cheatham Street Warehouse venue in San Marcos, Texas, was uncertain after Kent Finlay, the original owner, died last year. But now country musician Randy Rogers owns the place, and he’s pledging to continue its nurturing of songwriters and musicians. Here’s more about the deal and the history of the venue. [The Boot]
Who were the highest paid musicians of 2016? You know Forbes has the 411 on that. [Forbes]
Speaking of highly paid musicians, U2 announced in a Christmas message to fans that it has a new album in the works and hinted at a major tour honoring the 30th anniversary of Joshua Tree. [Rolling Stone]
