The Oldies Music Board » Oldies Acts Still Performing

GrimsbyFan · March 13, 2019 3:30 pm

Diana Ross still going strong. Appearing in Vegas June 5 - 15.

StereoTom · March 15, 2019 12:11 pm

The Irish Rovers are winding down their farewell tour. My wife and I saw them just over 5 years ago, just prior to our wedding (today is our 5th anniversary), when their farewell tour began, and it was one of the best concerts I've ever been to.

memorymaster · March 16, 2019 3:18 pm

The Fireflies (You Were Mine)

gopher · March 17, 2019 3:45 am

while he may not be an oldies act, per se, as i believe he strives to make each song and performance new and original to that night's show, phil lesh, formerly with the grateful dead, celebrated his 79th birthday onstage at the capitol theater in port chester, ny, day or so ago. he also plays regularly with various combos at his own terrapin crossroads venue in northern california. as well, lesh also maintains a fairly busy schedule of benefit and festival appearances.

in any case he's an oldie, and he's still out there doin' it.

GrimsbyFan · March 21, 2019 6:59 am

Noticed that Chip Taylor will be performing in Buffalo in April. Best known as the writer of "Wild Thing" and "Angel of the Morning", he released a few songs in the 60's (none of which made the charts), and then turned to country rock in the 70's. He has been back performing since the mid 90's, doing mainly folk/acoustic music.

Flo · March 21, 2019 11:35 am

And I just read it's his birthday today. Happy Birthday, Chip. A real cool guy.

GrimsbyFan · March 26, 2019 5:29 pm

Does anyone know if Brenda Lee is still performing?

Little Rich · March 27, 2019 12:43 pm

She's in the Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN, tonight @ 7 PM CDST. Yes, she's still performing.

GrimsbyFan · March 27, 2019 12:54 pm

Thanks for the info, Little Rich.

GrimsbyFan · April 2, 2019 6:19 pm

This June in Pittsburgh, The Knockouts will be on the bill of a big oldies show at the Benedum Theater. Original member and lead singer Bobby D'andrea is in his mid 80's and still performing. Darling Lorraine was a big hit in the New York/New Jersey area in 1959.

GrimsbyFan · April 19, 2019 12:51 pm

The Happy Together Tour 2019 is set to get started at the end of May for another summer of oldies concerts. Originally the brain child of Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan back in the mid 80's, this traveling tour has been amazingly successful, summer after summer. They do about 50-60 dates each year, from late May to late August/early September. Travel from venue to venue every day, much like the old Dick Clark tours. This year's lineup is: The Turtles featuring Flo and Eddie, Chuck Negron, Gary Pucket and the Union Gap, the Buckinghams, the Classics IV, and the Cowsills.

I've been looking to see if Howard Kaylan will be back on tour this summer - he wasn't on last year's tour due to health issues. If anyone knows if he is a part of the 2019 HTT, please respond here.

Just a word of warning to anyone planning to attend the show. Beware of casino shows. A couple of years ago we trekked almost 2 hours to a casino north of Toronto to see the show. Each group/performer sang only 3 songs. Found out later through performers' web sites that the casino told them to shorten each set so they could get the show in under 90 minutes. Needed to get those people back in to the casinos to spend more money after the show. Apparently you might see as few as 3 songs or as many as 5-6 per group, depending on the venue.

StereoTom · April 19, 2019 8:55 pm

Ron Dante is filling in for Howard Kaylan again this year on the Happy Together tour. They're billing it as the 10th anniversary.

GrimsbyFan · April 20, 2019 7:41 am

I assume they will remove "featuring Flo and Eddie" from their promotional materials.

GrimsbyFan · April 26, 2019 6:00 pm

Just bought tickets to what looks like a great evening of Doo Wop on October 26th in Pittsburgh at Heinz Hall (home to the Pittsburgh Symphony). The show features Kenny Vance and The Planotones, Jimmy Gallagher and the Passions, The Chantels, Jimmy Clanton, Cleveland Still and the Dubs, and The Mystics. Each of the doo-wop groups have 1,2 or 3 original members, with some Jimmy Clanton pop thrown in as a bonus.

GrimsbyFan · May 17, 2019 9:48 am

Noticed that The Del Satins are included on a show slated for September 22nd at the Patchogue Theater for the Performing Arts. Original members Stan Zizka, Les Caucci, and Tommy Ferrara still perform with the group.

Les Caucci does double duty on the oldies circuit as he also also performs as an original member of the Brooklyn Bridge.

GrimsbyFan · May 24, 2019 8:31 am

I don't know if she still does shows (haven't seen her name listed as part of an oldies show for a long time) but DeeDee Sharp recently (last November) celebrated 55 years in the business with a concert in Philidalphia.

GrimsbyFan · June 7, 2019 8:03 am

Brian Wilson postpones June tour.

https://www.brianwilson.com/tour-2019-summer

Bruce NZ · June 7, 2019 4:31 pm

What a brave and raw statement by Brian Wilson. I hope things come right

GrimsbyFan · June 7, 2019 5:38 pm

How eerily reminiscent of 1964.

You're right, Bruce. Pretty courageous to address his issues in that manner. He's faced many obstacles along the way - some of his own doing, others not. Here's hoping he manages to overcome this one.

GrimsbyFan · June 15, 2019 9:22 am

Update on The Fifth Dimension:

While Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. continue to tour as a duo, (concerts scheduled in Ohio and Pennsylvania in August), Florence LaRue and her Fifth Dimension group also perform regularly (in Los Angeles at the end of June).

GrimsbyFan · June 19, 2019 6:56 am

Ringo and his All Starr Band are out on tour this summer celebrating the 30th anniversary of the band/tour that began in 1989. They will do 22 dates from August 1st to September 1st. Ringo turns 79 on July 7th and is obviously still going strong.

GrimsbyFan · June 19, 2019 8:49 am

On March 31st, The Searchers performed their final concert, as original member John McNally and Frank Allen (with the group since 1964) announced their retirement after 57 years of touring and recording. Right to the end they had been performing well over a hundred gigs every year, mostly in the U.K. I got to see them about ten years ago at a local casino, and the classy stage presence as well as the strong harmonies were still there. Interesting comment on their web page regarding the group name. Not sure if it's aimed at Mike Pender, who continues to tour with his own group, Mike Pender's Searchers, or others who might try to misrepresent themselves as The Searchers (as has happened with many phony Platters and Drifters groups).

I recognize that this news is in contradiction to the theme of this thread, but since they have not shut the door to some performances in the future, I thought it was appropriate to place it here.

http://www.the-searchers.co.uk/

Lorne · June 25, 2019 10:08 am

We have three such performers (at least) at this week's Toronto Jazz Festival: Tower of Power, Diana Ross, and Downchild Blues Band (a local band that helped inspire Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi to create The Blues Brothers).

GrimsbyFan · June 27, 2019 3:21 pm

The Malt Shop Memories Cruise is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and is already sold out for this year's event which happens from November 2 - 9. The lineup for the cruise includes: Smokey Robinson, The Beach Boys, The Lettermen, Shirley Alston Reeves, The Chiffons, The Crystals, Gary U.S. Bonds, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Lou Christie, Chris Montez, The Happenings, Brooklynn Bridge, Lenny Welch, Mel Carter, Eddie Holman, Joey Dee and several tribute artists. Quite the lineup.

RobN · June 27, 2019 3:53 pm

Wow! What a lineup! Wish there was a way, but as always, November is a busy month.

Lorne · July 3, 2019 5:58 pm

Here's an event that was to feature some 1970s-era acts.
https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8518638/roxodus-festival-ontario-canceled-rain-weather-toronto

Lorne · July 5, 2019 10:33 am

Here's another one.
https://hughsroomlive.com/tag/melanie/

Lorne · July 5, 2019 4:52 pm

And two more.
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/santana-doobie-brothers-tour-2019/

GrimsbyFan · July 5, 2019 5:08 pm

Watched a couple of live performance You Tube videos by Melanie from the past year or so. Unfortunately her voice seems to be gone and she talks rather than singing many of the lyrics.

GrimsbyFan · July 16, 2019 6:50 am

While Diana Ross has maintained a fairly high concert profile, Mary Wilson has also continued to perform regularly. She will be appearing at the Bear's Den in the Seneca Casino (a very nice, intimate 400 sear venue) on September 30th.