John Oates (from Daryl Hall & John Oates) has started recording some material in Nashville, Tennessee for a new solo album. The theme of this recording is "the songs I loved when I was a kid " told John Oates... So some stuff by Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Curtis Mayfield, Ray Charles, Mississippi John Hurt and  so on... with a few original songs.

John Oates is coproducing this LP with Big Mike Henderson. Guest musicians include John Gardiner (bass), Michael Rhodes (bass) Dennis Crouch, Sam Bush and Peter Huttlinger.

The legendary Jimmy Webb is producing Carly Simon next album that will be released in 2008 (no tentative release date yet announced). 4 songs are penned by Carly Simon and his son Ben Taylor (his father is James Taylor!). According to different sources, Carly Simon new CD will be influenced by South America and Brazilian music styles like Bossa Nova.

Carly Simon and Jimmy Webb (producer, arranger, songwriter, piano player and singer) have already worked together in the past. Jimmy Webb sung an original duet with Carly Simon "Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year" on her "Film Noir" album back in 1997.

In 2007, Jimmy Webb has released his own CD in concert (19 sequences) : "Live and at Large: Jimmy Webb Live in the U.K." singing and playing greatly some of his classic stuff more known by interpretations of artists like Richard Harris, Art Garfunkel, Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney. This album can be ordered at CDBaby.

Steely Dan is setting its sights on a new album, followed by a summer 2008 tour. Donald Fagen told Reuters that he's "back into songwriting mode" -- both solo material and with Steely Dan. Donald Fagen revealed that he is "talking with" co-founder Walter Becker "about a Steely Dan album."

Donald Fagen added, "We are planning to go out with Steely Dan in the summer (playing live) and maybe next fall (2008) I'm hoping to go out with my band ...We are having a lot of fun in our old age."

Donald Fagen recently released a boxed set of his three solo albums called Nightfly Trilogy. It includes the albums -- "The Nightfly," "Kamakiriad" and "Morph the Cat". The last Steely Dan album, "Everything Must Go" has been released in 2003.

Without the songwriting talent of John David Souther, The Eagles aren't really The Eagles. JD Souther has cowritten some incredible great hits for The Eagles: "New Kid in Town", "Best of My Love", "Heartache Tonight", "Victim of Love" among others and "How Long" the first single from The Eagles new album "Long Road Out Of Eden". John David Souther is one of the great guys in Classic Rock.

On October 15, 2007, Salvo Records UK has released a 18 tracks CD from John David Souther: "Border Town: The Very Best of J.D. Souther" on which you can find two lovely duets with longtime friend Linda Ronstadt : "Say You Will" and "If You Have Crying Eyes". Also in this Best Of CD, the original version of "How Long".

During his surprising tour in UK in September and October 2007, John David Souther sold a 1000 EP limited edition CD of 4 tracks: "Possible Weather" (JWD Music) in a Blues / Jazz vein:
In my arms tonight
One more night (killing spree)
The Border guard
Journey down the Nile Cool

Two of these tunes can be listened to on his MySpace official page.

Lastly, a very important piece of news: John David Souther now works on a new studio album, his first LP since "Home By Dawn" back in 1984!

Sheryl Crow has been busy working on her new album "Detours" that will be released on February 5, 2008 (A&M / Universal). The first single "Shine Over Babylon" is already available since October 30, 2007. Sheryl Crow "Detours" will be produced by Bill Bottrell who had already produced her debut "Tuesday Night Music Club" LP.

"This is the most honest record I've ever made. It's about being forced to wake up. When Bill and I got together again to work on this record.....it was such a cathartic and comforting moment. As you will see here on my first webisode "post" we love working together! He is one of my most dearest friends and I'm thrilled that we are back in each others lives! " Sheryl Crow wrote in her blog.

Sheryl Crow has already won 9 Grammies during her career and "Detours" will be her sixth album.

FM Rock / Melodic Hard Rock supergroup Crown Of Thorns is working in Los Angeles on their new album with great producer Bob Clearmountain. Frontman Jean Beauvoir says: "Yes, we are very excited to make a new record. It's been quite a while so we've had to chance to recharge our batteries and build up our creativity." A release of the new Crown Of Thorns album is due in the first half of 2008 via Frontiers Records (Italy).

More details about Michael McDonald new LP that would be available on stores in February 2008 on Universal Music Group. It is a kind of "intimist Best Of" according to the words of Michael McDonald himself given recently to a French journalist in Nashville.

This CD will have some cover versions: Van Morrison "Into the Mystic" ; Stevie Wonder "For Once in My Life" ; Ray Charles "You Don't Know Me" ; Leonard Cohen "Hallelujah" but also new songs from Michael McDonald.

Some songs of this new LP of Michael McDonald have been recorded in Los Angeles with Simon Climie as a producer. Some musicians are already announced: Michael Thompson (guitars), Abraham Laboriel Jr (drums), Vinnie Colaiuta (percussions) and a very special appearance of Stevie Wonder on harmonica.

Although, we eagerly wait for this new album, Michael McDonald is one of the singer of a new song written, composed and recorded by Willie Nelson: "Whatever Happened To Peace On Earth" released November 21 on Lost Highway Records that will benefit to the National Veterans Foundation, a peace song on which appear such great names as Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, Michael McDonald, Patrick Simmons (Doobie Brothers), Lukas and Micah Nelson, Willie Nelson's sons.

The Doobie Brothers now look at songwriting and recording a new album for everyone's enjoyment! Also, Pat Simmons and Bruce Cohn are working on a DVD retrospective project of the The Doobie Brothers' wild and crazy history from 1970 to the present.

The Doobie Brothers performed over 80 concerts, co-headlining with Lynyrd Skynyrd, Steve Miller and Peter Frampton. They are also planning some co-headlining tours for the summer of 2008 with some great artists, and will be announcing those dates in the near future.

Th latest release of the band is The Very Best Of The Doobie Brothers released on Rhino Records in early February 2007: 2 CDs featuring 33 tracks!

You can obtain more news and more features at the official Doobie Brothers website.

Rosanne Cash is planning very soon a brain surgery and so, four remaining dates on "Black Cadillac: In Concert" tour were cancelled and her recording sessions are postponed. Currently touring in support of her critically-acclaimed and Grammy-nominated "Black Cadillac" album (on Capitol Records), singer/songwriter/author Rosanne Cash has announced that she will cancel her four remaining concerts this year in order to undergo brain surgery at New York Presbyterian Hospital for a rare but benign condition.

Rosanne Cash is expected to make a full recovery and will return to the studio to complete the recording of her debut album for Manhattan Records. Rosanne Cash will also resume her live performance schedule in the spring and will complete a new book to be published by Viking in early 2009.

Christopher Cross new album on the way

This is a great piece of news that Christopher Cross longtime music partner Rob Meurer (keyboards, dulcimer, percussion...) sent us a few hours ago:

"Christopher Cross and I have already written a few songs for his new (non-seasonal) album, and we have the beginnings of at least ten others. Two early titles are "November" and "Leave It To Me." More details at the top of 2008."

"Walking In Avalon," was Christopher' Cross seventh album and last release back in 1998, a double album with one studio CD (coproduced by Rob Meurer) and a live CD containing a 74-minute live concert (on CMC International).

Rob Meurer new stuff

Let's also discover Rob Meurer latest stuff. He have several tracks available from an upcoming album that you can listen to at Rob's MySpace page. His music is quite different from what he does with others artists. He goes by the name of Alvah (my actual middle name). A very pleasant music and inspiration with a incredible sense of humor and fun. This is mostly Pop Rock and very soft music.

Some players on Rob album on the way: Johnny Lee Schell is a great guitarist and bass player who played with Bonnie Raitt for many years. He is also the recording engineer. Berton Averre is the lead guitarist of The Knack (and co-writer of "My Sharona" and their other hits). On a side note, Berton and Rob Meurer have been writing musical theatre together since 1994. Joe Sublett is an old Texas friend and a killer tenor sax man. Joe has played with Stevie Ray Vaughn, Taj Mahal, Little Feat, The Band, Bonnie Raitt, and dozens of other greats. Larry Tuttle is featured on bass but is also one of the very few masters of the Chapman Stick. So, very interesting stuff and we are eager to know more about Rob's stuff!