who owns the band journey

Journey keyboardist wins ongoing legal battle with band’s founding member

• Published: Aug. 29, 2024, 11:32 a.m.

Jonathan Cain of the band Journey performs on day three of the Lollapalooza music festival on Saturday, July 31, 2021, at Grant Park in Chicago. (Photo by Rob Grabowski/Invision/AP) Rob Grabowski/Invision/AP

• Kaylyn Greene | [email protected]

The ongoing legal battle between Journey members Jonathan Cain and Neal Schon has ended as the Delaware Chancery Court has ruled in favor of Cain.

On Aug. 28, the Delaware Chancery Court appointed former Vice Chancellor Joseph Sites as the custodian. According to an email statement from Cain’s representatives, “Mr. Schon ceded to Mr. Cain’s demand and stipulated to the Court of Chancery’s appointment of a third director of the Company.”

“The order aligns with Mr. Cain’s requested relief in the lawsuit,” the statement reads. “Mr. Schon is prohibited from unilaterally acting on behalf of the Company, and all future deadlock between Mr. Cain and Mr. Schon will be broken by the vote of the Custodian.”

Freedom 2020, a company made to help manage the band’s finances, was previously owned by both Schon and Cain, with the two men sharing ownership 50/50. The idea for a third party was to help dispute claims of Schon overspending on the band’s AMEX card and resolve the band’s financial deadlock .

This news comes after reports accused Schon of backtracking out of the agreement for a third party alongside a legal battle that kicked off in July when Cain accused Schon of overspending. Cain had sued his bandmate, alleging that Schon “has blown past a $1,500-per-night hotel fee cap, maxed out an American Express card with a $1 million limit, unilaterally chartered private jets, hired a close friend as unnecessary extra security, and blocked efforts to pay the band’s debts” as reported by BloombergLaw.

The Chancery Court granted Mr. Cain’s motion to expedite the litigation, and a trial date was scheduled for early September 2024.

“Mr. Cain is elated with the outcome and looks forward to moving beyond this matter so that Journey can continue the band’s 50th Anniversary Freedom Tour ,” the statement said.

Stories by Kaylyn Greene

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Legendary classic rock bandmates tangled in lawsuit just shared a big update

• Published: Aug. 24, 2024, 5:00 a.m.

Journey founder Neal Schon took to social media to give an update on the ongoing legal feud between himself and bandmate Jonathan Cain. (Photo by Gems/Redferns via Getty Images)

• Christopher Burch | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Bandmates of the iconic rock band Journey , who have been at odds for months, recently shared an update to their ongoing legal dispute.

Neal Schon, co-founder and lead guitarist for the band, took to social media Thursday to address a lawsuit that Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain filed against Schon in July.

“Anyone who follows Journey will know that Jon Cain and I don’t always see eye-to-eye on everything Or, sometimes, on pretty much anything,” Schon said. “Recently, Jon Cain made a number of claims and slanderous accusations about me and my wife – and I can’t stress enough how much it upset me and how wrong they are. I am determined to take the high road and push all this aside for the moment to focus on our fans, the tour and all who give so much to make things happen.”

Cain, 74, filed a lawsuit last month alleging Schon and his wife Michaele had been misusing the band’s funds, leading to issues paying the band’s production team and crew. The group’s tour dates in the U.K. and Ireland were then abruptly canceled later that week. Cain accused Schon of spending up to $10,000 a night on tour and paying for private jets with the company card.

Schon, 70, said in the post he would now be on board with bringing in a third party to neutrally mediate the situation, as he and Cain are the business entity’s only board members. Schon also asked the judge to restructure the company that manages Journey’s touring operations.

”I am determined to take the high road and push all this aside for the moment to focus on our fans, the tour and all who give so much to make things happen,” Schon wrote. “That’s why I’m so glad that Jon now agrees with me that the current dynamic can’t continue and it’s also why I’m pleased that we’re going to bring in someone impartial to help us resolve our disputes, bring clarity to what we’re doing and allow us, as a band, to get back to what we should all focus on – making music and performing for our fans.”

The legendary band is currently co-headlining “The Summer Stadium Tour” with Def Leppard, the Steve Miller band and Cheap Trick.

Journey was formed in San Francisco in 1973 by Schon, Ross Valory, George Tickner and Prairie Prince. Gregg Rollie joined the band shortly after its formation. Cain joined the band in 1980. Journey’s current lineup includes Schon, Cain, Deen Castronovo, Arnel Pineda, Jason Derlatka and Todd Jensen.

The classic rock band is best known for hits like “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Any Way You Want It,” “Separate Ways” and “Faithfully.” Forbes crowned “Don’t Stop Believin’” as the biggest song of all time .

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Journey Reaches 'Amicable Settlement' In Lawsuit Over Band Name

By Andrew Magnotta @AndrewMagnotta

April 1, 2021

Journey has reached an "amicable settlement" with two former band members fired last winter amid accusations of a corporate coup d'état to take over rights to the band name.

In March of 2020, Journey founder Neal Schon and longtime keyboardist Jonathan Cain fired longtime bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith from the band after the rhythm section allegedly launched an attempt to wrest control of the band's trademarks.

Lawyers for Schon and Cain said at the time that Valory and Smith were angling to fund their retirements with the action.

The four Rock and Roll Hall of Famers exchanged a flurry of lawsuits and countersuits last year, and now 13 months later the foursome has reached an agreement, Rolling Stone reports . The terms have not been disclosed.

“The members of the band Journey who were parties to a recent lawsuit (Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain, Steve Smith, and Ross Valory) are pleased to announce that they have resolved their differences and reached an amicable settlement agreement,” the band told Rolling Stone in a statement. “Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain acknowledge the valuable contributions that both Ross Valory and Steve Smith have made to the music and the legacy of Journey. Ross Valory and Steve Smith wish their former bandmates well and much success in the future. Journey looks forward to continuing to tour and make new music for their dedicated fans around the world.”

After Valory and Smith were ousted last year, Journey announced a new lineup featuring keyboardist Jason Derlatka , Grammy-winning drummer Narada Michael Walden and the return of one-time bassist/producer Randy Jackson , who was previously in the band from 1985-'87 following Valory's first departure.

With the new lineup in place behind frontman Arnel Pineda , Journey began work on what will be the band's 15th studio album , expected to arrive later this year.

Journey has had plenty of personnel issues boil over publicly in recent years, but those have primarily been between Schon and Cain . Both men said they patched up their most critical differences by the end of the last Journey tour.

While classic-era singer Steve Perry was not involved in the litigation, he initially supported Smith and Valory's attempt to expand the board membership of Journey's Nightmare Productions company to include the both of them, Journey's former manager Herbie Herbert and himself.

Asked about the lawsuit last fall by Rolling Stone , Perry said he was unsurprised at the drama between his former bandmates . "There was never any 'Kumbaya' with [Journey]," he said.

Photo: Getty Images

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Journey’s ‘Messy’ Feud Fueled by Trademark Fight, Contracts (2)

By Kyle Jahner

The trademark feud embroiling the rock band Journey is in many ways a familiar story of bands struggling to untangle valuable rights when they split or disagree, spurred by big egos and even bigger piles of money.

Millions are at stake for the classic lineup of Journey, whose 1981 hit “Don’t Stop Believin’” is the most downloaded song from the 20th century. The dispute is complicated by an allegedly fraudulent corporate takeover and an unusual structure of entities owning and operating the trademark on the band’s name.

The squabble offers lessons on the importance of forming companies with clear governance ...

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Journey Members Reach ‘Amicable Settlement’ in Battle Over Band Name

• By Daniel Kreps

Daniel Kreps

Journey has reached an “amicable settlement” with a pair of former members that were previously accused of plotting an “ill-conceived” attempt to take over the band’s name.

In March 2020, Journey’s Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain fired longtime bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith after the latter two allegedly tried to fund their retirement by wresting control of the band’s name.

Both Schon and Cain and Valory exchanged lawsuits in the legal battle; Skip Miller, a lawyer for Schon and Cain, said at the time of Valory’s countersuit, “The cross-complaint has no merit whatsoever. Valory is out of the band. When the pandemic is over, Journey will go out on tour without him. Life will go on.”

Thirteen months later, the two sides have reached an agreement, the terms of which were not revealed.

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“The members of the band Journey who were parties to a recent lawsuit (Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain, Steve Smith, and Ross Valory) are pleased to announce that they have resolved their differences and reached an amicable settlement agreement,” the band said in a statement to Rolling Stone . “Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain acknowledge the valuable contributions that both Ross Valory and Steve Smith have made to the music and the legacy of Journey. Ross Valory and Steve Smith wish their former bandmates well and much success in the future. Journey looks forward to continuing to tour and make new music for their dedicated fans around the world.”

As the statement confirms, Valory and Smith remain no longer in Journey; in May 2020, Journey announced they were bringing back their former bassist and  American Idol  judge Randy Jackson for the first time since the mid-Eighties — coincidentally, Jackson also replaced co-founding bassist Valory after his first dismissal from the band in 1985 — as well as welcoming Grammy-winning drummer Narada Michael Walden to the band.

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Why Journey Are Paying Steve Perry Not to Sing

Court filings in a blockbuster lawsuit shed new light on Journey 's split with Steve Perry .

The case actually pits guitarist Neal Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain against the group's rhythm section, which they claim tried to steal the band's name . But in asserting ownership of that mark, Cain and Schon go in depth on the agreements they made to move forward without Perry.

The three of them licensed the Journey mark from Nightmare Productions through a 1986 agreement with the band's original manager Walter "Herbie" Herbert. That contract was amended in 1997, when Perry split with Journey, court documents show. Cain and Schon were allowed take over the license, but at a notable cost.

Court documents show that Journey were required to pay their former singer a sum total of 50 percent of the net income due Schon or Cain, whichever is higher, from the first two post-Perry Journey albums. Perry was then to receive 25 percent of the same net income from their third studio project without him, and 12.5 percent from every Journey album that follows. All of those figures were calculated after expenses.

Journey have released four albums and an EP since Perry left. The first two studio LPs and EP featured initial replacement Steve Augeri;  Arnel Pineda sings on the most recent pair of albums.

Perry made a similar deal on revenue from Journey's live dates. He was to receive 50 percent of net income from their first two tours after their split, 25 percent from the third tour and then 12.5 percent from every subsequent tour. Net income, the document reminds, again "shall mean Schon or Cain's share, whichever is greater, of all revenues earned" – including "tour merchandise, tour sponsorship income and any tour support payments." Expenses can again be deducted, "excluding any salaries paid to Schon, Cain or any other member of the new Journey."

Perry is also entitled to the same percentages of "miscellaneous income" not specifically covered by the album and touring agreements. In all cases, there was a floor on how little Journey could claim as net income. "Notwithstanding anything contained in the foregoing," the filing says, "in no event shall the net income be less than 20 percent of the total amount earned." At the same time, "Perry shall not be responsible for any losses in connection with the new Journey entity."

The agreement called for Sony to affix "appropriate stickering indicating that there is a new lead singer, and the name of that lead singer in a clear manner. If the first new Journey album sells less than 1 million units, the second new Journey album shall include a similar sticker on its initial release." If the record went platinum, a "good-faith" conversation about another sticker was requested.

Journey's Pineda-led studio projects have both reached the Billboard Top 20, but 2008's Revelation is the only post-Perry album to have gone platinum. Generations , their last with Augeri, stalled at No. 170 in 2005.

The Best Song on Every Journey Album

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Ex-Journey frontman Steve Perry files to block former bandmates from trademarking song titles

The band's former singer has accused former bandmates Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain of committing "fraud on the trademark office"

Steve Perry, who fronted American classic rock stalwarts Journey from 1977 to 1998 and sang on many of their most well-known hits, is attempting to stop his former bandmates from owning trademarks to the names of some of the band’s biggest songs.

As Billboard reports, Journey’s two biggest mainstays – guitarist Neal Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain – hold the trademarks to many of the band’s hits, including ‘Anyway You Want It’, ‘Wheel In The Sky’ and ‘Open Arms’, through their Freedom JN LLC company,

The trademarks covers the use of those titles on merchandise such as T-shirts, hoodies and other apparel, making it easier for Schon and Cain to sue anyone infringing the trademark by selling items bearing those titles.

However, in a petition filed by Perry to the US Patent and Trademark Office on September 11, the singer argued that Schon and Cain’s trademark goes against a partnership agreement the trio signed requiring unanimous consent for any business relating to the trademarked songs, and that he had not provided that consent. As such, he has asked the agency to invalidate 20 of the pair’s trademark registrations.

According to the agreement, which Perry quoting in his filing: “No Partner may authorize, approve or disapprove any use or exploitation, or grant or license any rights in or to any Group Compositions, in whole or in part, (including, without limitation, the titles thereof) in connection with any Product or otherwise, without the prior, written, unanimous consent of all of the partners.”

Perry went on in the filling to accuse Cain and Schon of committing “fraud on the trademark office” by providing inaccurate information about the ownership rights of the song titles in question.

Schon has since responded in a lengthy Facebook comment, where he refers to the lawsuit as “a bunch of total crap” and referenced the alleged attempted “corporate coup d’état” by former members Ross Valory and Steve Smith, which led to their firing from the band in 2020.

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“They all knew at this time I’d been investigating our [trademarks] for years trying to get to the bottom of all corruption as we found (my wife and I) that nothing had ever been [trademarked] besides our music,” Schon wrote. “They all went for a take over and it didn’t work. Quite simple.”

He added that he was later successful in attaining trademarks for the band’s songs “to protect everything we built”, as the band had been “getting ripped off since the beginning until I shut it down”.

“It was a giant corrupted ring of people… hired to work for us cashing in on all our merchandise till now. At this point I decided to go for all album titles as well as song titles. The more we got educated on how [songwriting] and [copyrights] have NOTHING to do with [trademarks]. You haven’t heard the last of this friends. We are going to peel back the onion.”

Journey released ‘Freedom’, their first album since 2011, earlier this year, with a line-up consisting of Schon, Cain, vocalist Arnel Pineda, bassist Randy Jackson and drummer Narada Walden.

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Journey Band Members Agree to Settle $10 Million Lawsuit and Go ‘Separate Ways’

Journey's Neal Schon and Jon Cain agreed to settle their $10 million lawsuit accusing the band’s former drummer and bassist of improperly using Journey's name.

By Claudia Rosenbaum

Claudia Rosenbaum

Journey principal members Neal Schon and Jon Cain agreed to settle their $10 million trademark infringement lawsuit accusing the band’s former drummer Steven Smith and former bassist Ross Valory of engaging in an “attempted corporate coup d’état” to improperly use the Journey name.

“The members of the band Journey who were parties to a recent lawsuit (Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain, Steve Smith and Ross Valory) are pleased to announce that they have resolved their differences and reached an amicable settlement agreement,” read a statement released by Journey’s management company Q Prime. (Cain is being represented by Fox Rothschild.) “Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain acknowledge the valuable contributions that both Ross Valory and Steve Smith have made to the music and the legacy of Journey. Ross Valory and Steve Smith wish their former bandmates well and much success in the future. Journey looks forward to continuing to tour and make new music for their dedicated fans around the world.”

Schon and Cain sued their former bandmates on March 3, 2020 in California Superior Court, maintaining that they owned the sole rights to use the band’s name, according to the lawsuit filed by the Miller Barondess law firm. They claimed that they secured the exclusive irrevocable license to use the Journey name since a trademark license agreement in 1985 through Nightmare Productions, Inc., one of the band’s corporate entities. Per the agreement, the license would continue “until the date upon which none of Stephen Perry, Neal Joseph Schon, or Jonathan Cain is actively engaged in a professional music career utilizing the name “‘JOURNEY,’” according to the complaint.

Trending on Billboard

Journey Fire Steven Smith & Ross Valory Over Alleged 'Coup,' File $10M Lawsuit

When Perry left the band in 1997, he entered into an agreement giving Schon and Cain the sole, exclusive, irrevocable right to control the Journey Mark, including the Journey name, according to the lawsuit.

The dispute started on February 13, 2020, when Smith and Valory reportedly held shareholder and Board of Directors meetings of Nightmare Productions and voted to oust Cain and Schon from their board positions and take control of the board, according to the complaint.

Despite this board vote, Schon and Cain maintained that they held the exclusive license to use the Journey name and that Smith and Valory had no right to perform as Journey. At the time of the filing of the lawsuit, the attorney representing Schon and Cain said the dispute severely impacted relationships between the artists.

“With their actions, Smith and Valory have destroyed the chemistry, cohesion and rapport necessary for the band to play together,” read a press statement from the Miller Barondess law firm, which initially represented Schon and Cain. “Journey can only tour successfully and succeed creatively if it is united and the band members trust one another. The actions taken by Smith and Valory shattered that trust.”

Correction April 7: An earlier version of this story said that former Journey lead singer Steve Perry was a party to this lawsuit. Perry was not involved with this litigation nor was he represented by the Miller Barondess law firm. Perry is represented by Manatt Phelps & Phillips.

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Steve Perry Suing Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain Over Journey Trademarks

Steve Perry has filed a petition against former Journey bandmates Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain over trademark registrations of 20 popular Journey songs.

According to the paperwork filed with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the United States Patent and Trademark Office , the trademark registrations of the 20 Journey songs were for the use of creating clothing merchandise. Some of the merchandise types listed include t-shirts, hats, jackets, hoodies, socks and more. Some of Journey’s most popular songs were part of these trademark registrations including “Open Arms,” “Separate Ways,” “Anyway You Want It,” “Wheel In The Sky” and more.

Perry’s petition claims Schon and Cain did not consult him about these trademark registrations. Perry claims he should have been notified of the registrations per a previous legal agreement they had relating to various Journey compositions that were created when Perry was still in the band. (It should be noted that all 20 songs submitted for trademark registrations are from the era when Perry fronted Journey. A number of those songs were either written or co-written by Perry.)

RELATED: Neal Schon Still Has Hope of Steve Perry Appearing with Journey Again

Furthermore, Perry asserts in his petition that since Schon and Cain both transferred their various interests in Journey to a third party under a joint LLC, they relinquished certain rights, thus, making their trademark filings illegal. Perry, meanwhile, noted in the petition that he has not transferred his interests in Journey and is still the sole owner of them. Additionally, Schon and Cain sold their Journey song ownership rights to Hipgnosis in recent years. Perry has not.

Perry hopes to cancel the trademark registrations with his petition. As of publishing, Schon and Cain have yet to comment on Perry’s actions and his claims in his petition.

50 Best Power Ballads of All Time

50. ‘love song’ - tesla.

Soaring vocals from Jeff Keith? Check. Massive guitar solo from Frank Hannon? Check. Excellent use of “Du du du-du-du”? Big ol’ check right there! It’s no wonder this was one of Tesla’s biggest hits.

49. ‘The Ballad of Jayne’ - L.A. Guns

While the history of L.A. Guns is intertwined with Guns N’ Roses due to Axl Rose’s brief stint in the band in 1984, L.A. Guns only managed one hit with 1989’s “The Ballad of Jayne,” but they sure did make it count. And no, the song isn’t an ode to late actress Jayne Mansfield. Singer Phil Lewis said in a 2011 interview , “It’s not about [Jayne Mansfield] at all. It’s about a fictitious character, but I based it on so many of these young girls who leave their small towns and go out to LA to become a star.”

48. ‘Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now’ - Starship

All due respect to Andrew McCarthy and Kim Cattrall, but “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” was the best thing about the 1987 film Mannequin. The track features Mickey Thomas sharing vocal duties with Grace Slick, who just two decades prior was wailing “Feed Your Head!” on “White Rabbit.” (Honestly, that’s still jarring years later.) Penned by songwriting giants Diane Warren and Albert Hammond, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” would go on to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song .

47. ‘Black Velvet’ - Alannah Myles

An ode to Elvis Presley, Alannah Myles’ “Black Velvet” was included on the three-track demo that eventually led to her being signed by Atlantic Records. The track, oozing with swagger and that giant chorus, would top the Billboard Hot 100 charts for two weeks and would earn Myles the Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance in 1991.

46. ‘I Miss You’ - blink-182

“Where are you? And I’m so sorry!” Sure, “I Miss You” feels more like a meme than a song in recent years, but it remains one of blink-182’s most enduring and endearing tracks in their catalog. And never forget when belting the chorus, it’s “yead,” not “head.” 

45. ‘High Enough’ - Damn Yankees

When the world was introduced to Ted Nugent, the last thing anyone thought — and this likely includes Uncle Ted, himself — was that a massive power ballad was in his future. But that’s what happened when the Motor City Mad Man joined forces with Styx’s Tommy Shaw, Night Ranger’s Jack Blades and future Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Michael Cartellone to form Damn Yankees. The band’s self-titled 1990 debut would go on to sell two million copies, and it was thanks to this massive power ballad, which peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 3. 

44. ‘When I See You Smile’ - Bad English

Yet another song written by Diane Warren! (BTW: She pops up another time later in this list.) Bad English – the supergroup made up of The Babys’ John Waite and Ricky Phillips and Journey’s Neal Schon, Deen Castronovo and Jonathan Cain, who was in The Babys and Journey – was only around for two albums. “When I See You Smile” was the second single released from their self-tited 1989 debut, and it was their biggest hit topping the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1989.

43. ‘Silent Lucidity’ - Queensryche

“It’s a place where you will learn/To face your fears, retrace the years/And ride the whims of your mind/Commanding in another world/Suddenly you hear and see/This magic new dimension.” This power ballad is as tender as it is beautifully haunting. We have Geoff Tates’ stunning vocals and guitarist Chris DeGarmo’s songwriting to thank for that.

42. ‘It Must Have Been Love’ - Roxette

Fun fact: This Roxette hit was first released in 1987 as “It Must Have Been Love (Christmas for the Broken Hearted).” (Yeah, it was originally a Christmas song!) It was only released in the duo’s native Sweden but would be edited and re-released internationally in 1990 as part of the soundtrack for the hit film Pretty Woman . Singer Marie Fredriksson would die in December 2019 from a brain tumor, but songs like “It Must Have Been Love” will live on forever as examples of her dynamic voice.

41. ‘Fly To The Angels’ - Slaughter

By the time Slaughter released their 1990 debut Stick It to Ya , there was already a popular formula in place for many rock bands releasing a new LP: First single is the rocker, and the second single is the power ballad. While the formula was successful, you still need quality songs for it to work. Slaughter definitely had them, especially with their second single “Fly To The Angels.” Just thinking about the notes Mark Slaughter hits during the chorus makes my throat hurt.

40. ‘Heaven’ - Bryan Adams

“Heaven” was a massive hit for Bryan Adams and was his first number-one single in the U.S. If you think the song is reminiscent of Journey’s “Faithfully,” you’re not wrong; Adams toured with Journey while they supported their Frontiers LP, and then-Journey drummer Steve Smith plays on “Heaven.” The song is so dreamy, it lent itself to a particularly swoon-worthy scene from Magic Mike XXL .

39. ‘We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)’ - Tina Turner

After Tina Turner’s smash comeback album Private Dancer, many were likely wondering what her next move was. It turns out it was starring alongside Mel Gibson in 1985’s Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and singing the film’s theme “We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome).” And by singing, we mean absolutely belting the hell out of it. It’s one of Turner’s best songs, which is saying something considering her incredible catalog of work.

38. ‘Iris’ - Goo Goo Dolls

A number of songs on this list are featured on soundtracks. It makes sense due to the bombastic, dramatic nature of power ballads. In the case of Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris,” it was written for the 1998 film City of Angels starring Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan. It went on to become a massive crossover international hit. And that booming chorus…wow! It still blows us away to this day.

37. ‘Close My Eyes Forever’ - Lita Ford & Ozzy Osbourne

A number of the songs on this power ballad ranking have something interesting in common: They’re often the artist’s biggest hits in their entire catalog. This duet of Lita Ford and Ozzy Osbourne is no exception. The third single from Ford’s self-titled 1988 studio album, “Close My Eyes Forever” who peak on the Billboard Hot 100 at #8.

36. ‘Don’t Know What You Got (Til It’s Gone)' - Cinderella

“I can’t tell ya baby what went wrong…”There’s something very poetic about this power ballad from Cinderella. Who hasn’t been in a relationship – romantic or not – that went sour, and you just couldn’t figure out why? It might be one of the most realistic and relatable songs on this entire list.

35. ‘Eternal Flame’ - The Bangles

“Eternal Flame” may have burned bright for The Bangles, but it ended up being the band’s last huge hit before their breakup in 1989. They would reunite about a decade later, but if a band is going to break up, there’s nothing like going out with a number one hit song. Talk about sun shining through the rain, right?

34. ‘Fall To Pieces’ - Velvet Revolver

Velvet Revolver was one of a number of supergroups to emerge in the early aughts. They were together for only six years, but that time produced some great tunes, including this power ballad from their 2004 debut LP Contraband . Scott Weiland’s unique vocals truly open up on the song’s sing-a-long chorus, and the track serves as yet another example of how a Slash guitar solo can take a song to another level.

33. ‘To Be With You’ - Mr. Big

When you’re waiting on a line just to be the next to be with someone, you got it bad . Turns out Mr. Big’s frontman Eric Martin did have it bad for someone he knew years before the song became a hit. Martin would say in an interview in 2011 , “T his girl had a lot of boyfriends who treated her like sh-t. I wanted to be the knight in shining armor, wanted to be with her. She wasn’t having it. It never came to play.” It’s too bad for her because Martin clearly had strong feelings for this woman. At least a great tune came out of it.

32. ‘More Than Words’ - Extreme

Brilliantly described by Max (Adam Pally) on the cult sitcom Happy Endings as “two men playing acoustic guitar at each other,” “More Than Words” sounded nothing like any of Extreme’s metal music. Regardless, the tender tune featuring the beautiful harmony vocals of Gary Cherone and Nuno Bettencourt would go on to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

31. ‘Why Can’t This Be Love’ - Van Halen

The first single of the “Van Hagar” era of Van Halen was this keyboard-happy power ballad. What a statement! Of course, “Why Can’t This Be Love” definitely had what it takes. It helped Van Halen’s seventh studio album, 5150, sell over six million copies.

30. ‘The Flame’ - Cheap Trick

“You were the first, you’ll be the last.” SWOON! Before “The Flame,” Cheap Trick hadn’t had a top 40 hit since 1979. At the request of Epic Records, they had their choice of two songs the label was certain were going to be number one hits. Cheap Trick chose “The Flame,” and as predicted, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100. (For what it’s worth: The other songs was “Look Away,” which was released by Chicago in September 1988, and it also topped the charts.)

29. ‘Wind of Change’ - Scorpions

Not every power ballad is about romantic love; sometimes, they’re an agent of peace. Such was the case of “Wind of Change” from Scorpions. Klaus Meine was inspired to write the song after Scorpions took part in the Moscow Music Peace Festival in August 1989. Shortly there after, Meine would write this epic tune that, to this day, is historically tied to the end of the Cold War and the Soviet Union. Of course, there’s also the conspiracy theory that the CIA actually wrote “Wind of Change,” but we’ll let you dive into that on your own via the podcast of the same name .

28. ‘Free Bird’ - Lynyrd Skynyrd

“Free Bird” isn’t typically in the power ballad conversation, but when you examine the classic tune per the aforementioned definition from the Cambridge University Press, it totally is! “Constant escalation and an expressive formula that combines the euphoric uplift created by rousing music with sentimental themes and ploys”? Um, yeah…”Free Bird” has that and then some! The guitar work from Allen Collins and Gary Rossington alone should be enough.

27. ‘Against All Odds’ - Phil Collins

Ever have a drunk cry to this Phil Collins classic after a brutal breakup? No? Just me? Oh, well…it’s quite therapeutic, as is belting out the anthemic chorus. Collins wrote the tune for the 1984 film of the same name that starred Rachel Ward, Jeff Bridges and James Woods. The film wasn’t a big hit, but the song sure was! It was even nominated for Best Original Song at the 1985 Academy Awards. It lost out to Stevie Wonder’s “I Just Called to Say I Love You” from The Woman in Red , which is really one of Wonder’s most pedestrian tunes, but that’s a rant for another day.

26. ‘It’s All Coming Back To Me Now’ - Celine Dion

Okay…now at this point, some of you might be mad to see Celine Dion on this list, but do yourself a favor and just revisit this epic from the singer’s 1996 hit album Falling into You. BTW: If you’re thinking that “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now” sounds a lot like a Meat Loaf song, it’s because it was written by composer Jim Steinman. He’s best known for writing Meat Loaf’s Bat Out of Hell and Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell.

25. ‘Bringin’ on the Heartbreak’ - Def Leppard

Many people were introduced to Def Leppard’s trademark group vocal via “Bringin’ on the Heartbreak” from their 1981 LP High ‘n’ Dry. A number of power ballads from Def Leppard could’ve made this list, but there’s something special about how this track builds into the chorus while also giving Joe Elliott plenty of time to shine on his own.

24. ‘Keep On Loving You’ - REO Speedwagon

The lead single from REO Speedwagon’s ninth studio album Hi Infidelity , “Keep On Loving You” was a massive power ballad that helped the Illinois-based band achieve a new level of stardom. Hi Infidelity would go on to be the biggest-selling album of 1981. This power ballad definitely helped make that happen.

23. ‘Shadows of the Night - Pat Benatar

Pat Benatar could be (and still is) an utter badass, but she also has a number of hits that showed off her sensitive side. “Shadows of the Night” finds Benatar walking the line between toughness and sweetness, and she walks that line brilliantly. (“You can cry, tough baby, it’s alright/You can let me down easy, but not tonight.”) Her powerful vocals certainly don’t hurt matters either.

22. ‘Blaze of Glory’ - Jon Bon Jovi

“Blaze of Glory” was Jon Bon Jovi’s first solo single, and out the gate, the track topped the Billboard Hot 100. Written for the 1990 film Young Guns II, the song came to be after Emilio Estevez wanted Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive” for his movie. JBJ declined and ended up writing this song and a whole soundtrack. (Jon even makes an uncredited cameo in the film, which was his first appearance in any film .) While there are theme similarities between “Blaze of Glory” and “Wanted Dead or Alive,” the former was certainly a better fit for a film about Billy the Kid and truly evokes that spirit of the Wild West.

21. ‘Heaven’ - Warrant

If you ever questioned what a great power ballad could do for a band, look no further than Warrant. The second single from their 1989 debut album Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich, “Heaven” would help propel the album to being certified double platinum and would peak on the Billboard Hot 100 at number two . The song that prevented Warrant from topping the chart? Milli Vanilli’s “Girl I’m Gonna Miss You.”

20. ‘Sister Christian’ - Night Ranger

Fine, let’s just say it: Who knew such a sweet song about a younger sister growing up would end up soundtracking such a bizarre film scene like in 1997’s Boogie Nights ? That movie moment aside, “Sister Christian” remains one of the most memorable power ballads thanks in small part to that ridiculously catchy “Motoring!” chorus.

19. ‘Mama I’m Coming Home’ - Ozzy Osbourne

Inspired by wife/manager, Sharon, “Mama I’m Coming Home” somehow increases in wholesomeness when you learn Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister wrote the lyrics to this beautiful power ballad. Sure, that doesn’t make sense in theory, but after just one listen, it just sort of clicks. Listen below if you’re still having doubts!

18. ‘Lady’ - Styx

If you weren’t sold by the wholesomeness of the previous song, get ready for this. Originally released in 1973, Dennis DeYoung wrote “Lady” for his wife, Suzanne. They were married in 1970 and are still married to this day! This was also Styx’s first top-ten hit, too. How wonderful is that?! 

17. ‘I Found Someone’ - Cher

When Cher released “I Found Someone,” it was her first new piece of music in five years. (Cher opted to focus on her acting career for most of the mid-80s.) This time around, Cher embraced more rock elements, and it certainly paid off with the track becoming Cher’s first top-ten hit in nine years.

Fun fact: “I Found Someone” was written by Michael Bolton and Mark Mangold and originally recorded and released by Laura Branigan about a year-and-a half before Cher released her version. Bolton would serve as producer on Cher’s version, as well.

16. ‘Is This Love’ - Whitesnake

“Is This Love” was a monster hit for Whitesnake, but it almost wasn’t their song. In an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock , David Coverdale said, “‘Is This Love’ was for Tina Turner originally. EMI had asked me, and then David Geffen said, “You’re f—in’ keeping it!” And thankfully so! Arrogantly, I scream at the beginning of it, ‘This is a chorus that will take over the world’ — and it f—ing did! I am at least a man of my word.”

15. ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ - Bonnie Tyler

The late Jim Steinman will be best remembered for his work with Meat Loaf, but he also contributed some incredible tunes to other artists, as evident from number 26 on this list and “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” Bonnie Tyler absolutely belted the hell out of this ballad. The album version of this track was nearly seven minutes long, because Jim is gonna Steinman. The single version would be edited down to 4:30 so…you know…it would get played on the radio. (Note: One more composition from Steinman will appear on this list.)

14. ‘I Remember You’ - Skid Row

Believe it or not, Rachel Bolan and Snake Sabo – who wrote “I Remember You,” it should be noted – lobbied to keep the obvious hit off Skid Row’s 1989 self-titled debut album. Why? As Bolan put it in an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock , “We don’t want to be a chick band – We want to be a hard-rock band.” Clearly, Bolan and Sabo changed their minds, and thankfully they did. Who else but Sebastian Bach can you imagine hitting those high notes? Exactly.

13. ‘Kiss From A Rose’ - Seal

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is lovely and all, and it’s done wonders for classic rock with the soundtracks for Iron Man 2 and the Guardians of the Galaxy films, but when’s the last time it helped spawn a hit like this? While “Kiss From A Rose” was originally released as a single in July 1994, its inclusion in 1995’s Batman Forever and its subsequent soundtrack made Seal a star. The track also cleaned up at the 1996 Grammy Awards winning Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

12. ‘The Show Must Go On’ - Queen

“Inside my heart is breaking/My makeup may be flaking/But my smile, still, stays on.” Without question, “The Show Must Go On” is the most devastating song on this list but one of the most beautiful. The track was released as a single just six weeks before Freddie Mercury died from complications related to HIV/AIDS. Brian May was the lead writer on the track, but it’s almost as if the entire group banded together in order to give their dear friend a grand, dramatic send-off fit for royalty.

11. ‘I Want to Know What Love Is’ - Foreigner

Most power ballads have big, booming choruses, but few of them make you scream-sing them in your car quite like Foreigner’s “I Want to Know What Love Is.” Foreigner had plenty of hits before “I Want to Know What Love Is,” but this one managed to top all of them, literally. It went to number one in the United States and ten other countries and remains Foreigner’s most successful single in their catalog.

10. ‘Always’ - Bon Jovi

If power ballads are an art, then Bon Jovi is Picasso or Van Gogh or whichever *really* famous artist you prefer. Bon Jovi is one of the reasons why this list limited artists to one entry, because Bon Jovi could easily dominate this entire list. One of two new songs on their 1994 greatest hits LP Cross Road , “Always” was a smash hit all around the world. How could it not with dreamy lyrics like, “When he holds you close, when he pulls you near/When he says the words you’ve been needing to hear/I’ll wish I was him ’cause those words are mine/To say to you ’till the end of time/Yeah, I will love you, baby, always/And I’ll be there forever and a day, always.” The song is so over-the-top delightful, it allows you to forgive the band for its weird music video with the plotline that makes no sense! 

9. ‘Every Rose Has Its Thorn’ - Poison

It’s a tale as old as time: Bret Michaels phones his girlfriend at the time while out on tour, and when she answered, he heard some other guy in the background. Thus, an iconic power ballad that’s a little bit country, a little bit rock and roll ballad was born! Oh, and like many other songs on this list, “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” would become Poison’s lone number-one hit.

8. ‘Nothing Else Matters’ - Metallica

“Nothing Else Matters” is at a particular status now where it’s almost like a standard. It’s hard to imagine a time when it could have been deemed controversial. (Unless you’re the type of metalhead that absolutely hates “The Black Album,” and if so, frankly, it’s baffling you’re reading this list in the first place.)

Anyway, James Hetfield said in an interview in June 2012 with The Village Voice , “It was a song for myself in my room on tour when I was bumming out about being away from home. It’s quite amazing, it’s a true testament to honesty and exposing yourself, putting your real self out there, and taking the risk, taking a gamble that someone’s either going to step on your heart with spikes on or they’re going to put their heart right next to it, and you never know until you try. That solidified, I think, that we were doing the right thing, writing from the heart about what we felt, and you can’t go wrong that way.”

7. ‘November Rain’ - Guns N’ Roses

“November Rain” is both a sonic and visual epic. Axl and his piano and Slash and his two massive guitar solos are the stars of this nearly nine-minute power ballad. Of course, even when listening to “November Rain,” you can’t help but think of its decadent music video. From Slash walking out of the church to Stephanie Seymour’s mullet wedding dress, some of the scenes are the most-memorable in music video history.

Fun fact: “November Rain” was the first music video released before the invention of YouTube to reach 1 billion views.

6. ‘Home Sweet Home’ - Motley Crue

In the realm of power ballads, “Home Sweet Home” is among the most quintessential. Even when listening to it in your car, you’re almost tempted to lift up your lighter or phone and just sway. Tommy Lee’s piano intro is instantly recognizable, and his little drum fill at the end of the track is the perfect cherry atop one epic tune. Add Mick Mars’ guitar solo and the way Vince Neil wails “Tonight, tonight!” during the chorus, it’s no wonder this tune penned by Nikki Sixx made our top ten.

5. ‘Alone’ - Heart

Written and recorded originally by songwriting duo Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, Heart would take “Alone” to new heights when they covered the tune for their 1987 album Bad Animals . If at this point you weren’t sold on Ann Wilson being one of rock’s strongest voices, just listen to “Alone” a few times on repeat. And, once again, this stunning power ballad would go on to be Heart’s biggest hit of their career topping the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks in July 1987.

4. ‘I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)’ - Meat Loaf

This delightfully over-the-top classic resurfaced following the untimely death of Meat Loaf, which sadly happened just nine months after the death of songwriter Jim Steinman. If the deaths of Meat Loaf and Steinman brought anything to the forefront it’s the importance of theatrics in rock and roll and how they’re incredibly missed.

“I’d Do Anything For Love” would resurrect Meat Loaf’s career, give him a number one hit in nearly 30 countries and net him a Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Solo.

Oh, and the thing he won’t do for love is cheat on his partner. He says so at the very end of the epic tune, in case this was somehow a mystery to anyone reading this.

3. ‘Open Arms’ - Journey

“Open Arms” truly took power ballads to a new level upon its release on Escape in 1981. The entire ‘80s decade saw a massive boom in the release of power ballads, and one could argue that Journey had a lot to do with that considering the success of “Open Arms.” Journey had plenty of other power ballads they would later introduce, but “Open Arms” was their best and grandest thanks to the sweet, sincere and soaring vocals of Steve Perry.

2. ‘Purple Rain’ - Prince

Similar to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird,” Prince’s “Purple Rain” isn’t typically in the power ballad conversation, because the idea of a power ballad is traditionally reserved for metal bands. However, Prince was never one for musical boundaries or limitations.

Upon the briefest of examinations, it totally is a power ballad. Prince once said of the meaning behind the classic track , “When there’s blood in the sky – red and blue = purple…’Purple Rain’ pertains to the end of the world and being with the one you love and letting your faith/God guide you through the purple rain.” It’s truly appropriate that a heavy song has such a heavy meaning.

1. ‘I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing’ - Aerosmith

Power ballads are traditionally based around grandness. With that considered, being the theme to 1998’s Armageddon — a film about an asteroid threatening to destroy Earth — is about as over-the-top as it gets. “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” wasn’t Aerosmith’s first power ballad, but it’s the band’s biggest both sonically and commercially. Written by Diane Warren, the track boasts a string section and one of Steven Tyler’s greatest screams ever recorded.

In 1998, there was truly no escaping this song. “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” was seemingly everywhere . It would top the Billboard Hot 100 chart for four weeks and is Aerosmith’s lone number-one hit in the United States. As if that weren’t enough, the song was a number-one song in nine other countries. And if the Bad Boys from Boston care about superlatives, “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” tops this Best Power Ballads list. While assembling this entire list was very difficult, putting this blockbuster at number one was the easiest part of the process.

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Steve Perry Walked Away From Journey. A Promise Finally Ended His Silence.

By Alex Pappademas

• Sept. 5, 2018

MALIBU, Calif. — On the back patio of a Greek restaurant, a white-haired man making his way to the exit paused for a second look at one of his fellow diners, a man with a prominent nose who wore his dark hair in a modest pompadour.

“You look a lot like Steve Perry,” the white-haired man said.

“I used to be Steve Perry,” Steve Perry said.

This is how it goes when you are Steve Perry. Everyone is excited to see you, and no one can quite believe it. Everyone wants to know where you’ve been.

In 1977, an ambitious but middlingly successful San Francisco jazz-rock band called Journey went looking for a new lead singer and found Mr. Perry, then a 28-year-old veteran of many unsigned bands. Mr. Perry and the band’s lead guitarist and co-founder, Neal Schon, began writing concise, uplifting hard rock songs that showcased Mr. Perry’s clean, powerful alto, as operatic an instrument as pop has ever seen. This new incarnation of Journey produced a string of hit singles, released eight multiplatinum albums and toured relentlessly — so relentlessly that in 1987, a road-worn Mr. Perry took a hiatus, effectively dissolving the band he’d helped make famous.

He did not disappear completely — there was a solo album in 1994, followed in 1996 by a Journey reunion album, “Trial by Fire.” But it wasn’t long before Mr. Perry walked away again, from Journey and from the spotlight. With his forthcoming album, “Traces,” due in early October, he’s breaking 20 years of radio silence.

Over the course of a long midafternoon lunch — well-done souvlaki, hold all the starches — Mr. Perry, now 69, explained why he left, and why he’s returned. He spoke of loving, and losing and opening himself to being loved again, including by people he’s never met, who know him only as a voice from the Top 40 past.

And when he detailed the personal tragedy that moved him to make music again, he talked about it in language as earnest and emotional as any Journey song:

“I thought I had a pretty good heart,” he said, “but a heart isn’t really complete until it’s completely broken.”

IN ITS ’80S heyday, Journey was a commercial powerhouse and a critical piñata. With Mr. Perry up front, slinging high notes like Frisbees into the stratosphere, Journey quickly became not just big but huge . When few public figures aside from Pac-Man and Donkey Kong had their own video game, Journey had two. The offices of the group’s management company received 600 pieces of Journey fan mail per day.

The group toured hard for nine years. Gradually, that punishing schedule began to take a toll on Journey’s lead singer.

“I never had any nodules or anything, and I never had polyps,” Mr. Perry said, referring to the state of his vocal cords. He looked around for some wood to knock, then settled for his own skull. The pain, he said, was more spiritual than physical.

[ Never miss a pop music story: Sign up for our weekly newsletter, Louder. ]

As a vocalist, Mr. Perry explained, “your instrument is you. It’s not just your throat, it’s you . If you’re burnt out, if you’re depressed, if you’re feeling weary and lost and paranoid, you’re a mess.”

“Frankly,” Mr. Schon said in a phone interview, “I don’t know how he lasted as long as he did without feeling burned out. He was so good, doing things that nobody else could do.”

On Feb. 1, 1987, Mr. Perry performed one last show with Journey, in Anchorage. Then he went home.

Mr. Perry was born in Hanford, Calif., in the San Joaquin Valley, about 45 minutes south of Fresno. His parents, who were both Portuguese immigrants, divorced when he was 8, and Mr. Perry and his mother moved in next door to her parents’. “I became invisible, emotionally,” Mr. Perry said. “And there were places I used to hide, to feel comfortable, to protect myself.”

Sometimes he’d crawl into a corner of his grandparents’ garage with a blanket and a flashlight. But he also found refuge in music. “I could get lost in these 45s that I had,” Mr. Perry said. “It turned on a passion for music in me that saved my life.”

As a teen, Mr. Perry moved to Lemoore, Calif., where he enjoyed an archetypally idyllic West Coast adolescence: “A lot of my writing, to this day, is based on my emotional attachment to Lemoore High School.”

There he discovered the Beatles and the Beach Boys, went on parked-car dates by the San Joaquin Valley’s many irrigation canals, and experienced a feeling of “freedom and teenage emotion and contact with the world” that he’s never forgotten. Even a song like “No Erasin’,” the buoyant lead single from his new LP has that down-by-the-old-canal spirit, Mr. Perry said.

And after he left Journey, it was Lemoore that Mr. Perry returned to, hoping to rediscover the person he’d been before subsuming his identity within an internationally famous rock band. In the beginning, he couldn’t even bear to listen to music on the radio: “A little PTSD, I think.”

Eventually, in 1994, he made that solo album, “For the Love of Strange Medicine,” and sported a windblown near-mullet and a dazed expression on the cover. The reviews were respectful, and the album wasn’t a flop. With alternative rock at its cultural peak, Mr. Perry was a man without a context — which suited him just fine.

“I was glad,” he said, “that I was just allowed to step back and go, O.K. — this is a good time to go ride my Harley.”

JOURNEY STAYED REUNITED after Mr. Perry left for the second time in 1997. Since December 2007, its frontman has been Arnel Pineda, a former cover-band vocalist from Manila, Philippines, who Mr. Schon discovered via YouTube . When Journey was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last April, Mr. Pineda sang the 1981 anthem “Don’t Stop Believin’,” not Mr. Perry. “I’m not in the band,” he said flatly, adding, “It’s Arnel’s gig — singers have to stick together.”

Around the time Mr. Pineda joined the band, something strange had happened — after being radioactively unhip for decades, Journey had crept back into the zeitgeist. David Chase used “Don’t Stop Believin’” to nerve-racking effect in the last scene of the 2007 series finale of “The Sopranos” ; when Mr. Perry refused to sign off on the show’s use of the song until he was told how it would be used, he briefly became one of the few people in America who knew in advance how the show ended.

“Don’t Stop Believin’” became a kind of pop standard, covered by everyone from the cast of “Glee” to the avant-shred guitarist Marnie Stern . Decades after they’d gone their separate ways, Journey and Mr. Perry found themselves discovering fans they never knew they had.

Mark Oliver Everett, the Los Angeles singer-songwriter who performs with his band Eels under the stage name E, was not one of them, at first.

“When I was young, living in Virginia,” Mr. Everett said, “Journey was always on the radio, and I wasn’t into it.”

So although Mr. Perry became a regular at Eels shows beginning around 2003, it took Mr. Everett five years to invite him backstage. He’d become acquainted with Patty Jenkins, the film director, who’d befriended Mr. Perry after contacting him for permission to use “Don’t Stop Believin’” in her 2003 film “Monster.” (“When he literally showed up on the mixing stage the next day and pulled up a chair next to me, saying, ‘Hey I really love your movie. How can I help you?’ it was the beginning of one of the greatest friendships of my life,” Ms. Jenkins wrote in an email.) Over lunch, Ms. Jenkins lobbied Mr. Everett to meet Mr. Perry.

They hit it off immediately. “At that time,” Mr. Everett said, “we had a very serious Eels croquet game in my backyard every Sunday.” He invited Mr. Perry to attend that week. Before long, Mr. Perry began showing up — uninvited and unannounced, but not unwelcome — at Eels rehearsals.

“They’d always bust my chops,” Mr. Perry said. “Like, ‘Well? Is this the year you come on and sing a couple songs with us?’”

At one point, the Eels guitarist Jeff Lyster managed to bait Mr. Perry into singing Journey’s “Lights” at one of these rehearsals, which Mr. Everett remembers as “this great moment — a guy who’s become like Howard Hughes, and just walked away from it all 25 years ago, and he’s finally doing it again.”

Eventually Mr. Perry decided to sing a few numbers at an Eels show, which would be his first public performance in decades. He made this decision known to the band, Mr. Everett said, not via phone or email but by showing up to tour rehearsals one day carrying his own microphone. “He moves in mysterious ways,” Mr. Everett observed.

For mysterious Steve Perry reasons, Mr. Perry chose to make his long-awaited return to the stage at a 2014 Eels show at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minn. During a surprise encore, he sang three songs, including one of his favorite Eels tunes, whose profane title is rendered on an edited album as “It’s a Monstertrucker.”

“I walked out with no anticipation and they knew me and they responded, and it was really a thrill,” Mr. Perry said. “I missed it so much. I couldn’t believe it’d been so long.”

“It’s a Monstertrucker” is a spare song about struggling to get through a lonely Sunday in someone’s absence. For Mr. Perry, it was not an out-of-nowhere choice.

In 2011, Ms. Jenkins directed one segment of “Five,” a Lifetime anthology film about women and breast cancer. Mr. Perry visited her one day in the cutting room while she was at work on a scene featuring real cancer patients as extras. A woman named Kellie Nash caught Mr. Perry’s eye. Instantly smitten, he asked Ms. Jenkins if she would introduce them by email.

“And she says ‘O.K., I’ll send the email,’ ” Mr. Perry said, “but there’s one thing I should tell you first. She was in remission, but it came back, and it’s in her bones and her lungs. She’s fighting for her life.”

“My head said, ‘I don’t know,’ ” Mr. Perry remembered, “but my heart said, ‘Send the email.’”

“That was extremely unlike Steve, as he is just not that guy,” Ms. Jenkins said. “I have never seen him hit on, or even show interest in anyone before. He was always so conservative about opening up to anyone.”

A few weeks later, Ms. Nash and Mr. Perry connected by phone and ended up talking for nearly five hours. Their friendship soon blossomed into romance. Mr. Perry described Ms. Nash as the greatest thing that ever happened to him.

“I was loved by a lot of people, but I didn’t really feel it as much as I did when Kellie said it,” he said. “Because she’s got better things to do than waste her time with those words.”

They were together for a year and a half. They made each other laugh and talked each other to sleep at night.

In the fall of 2012, Ms. Nash began experiencing headaches. An MRI revealed that the cancer had spread to her brain. One night not long afterward, Ms. Nash asked Mr. Perry to make her a promise.

“She said, ‘If something were to happen to me, promise me you won’t go back into isolation,’ ” Mr. Perry said, “because that would make this all for naught.”

At this point in the story, Mr. Perry asked for a moment and began to cry.

Ms. Nash died on Dec. 14, 2012, at 40. Two years later, Mr. Perry showed up to Eels rehearsal with his own microphone, ready to make good on a promise.

TIME HAS ADDED a husky edge to Mr. Perry’s angelic voice; on “Traces,” he hits some trembling high notes that bring to mind the otherworldly jazz countertenor “Little” Jimmy Scott. The tone suits the songs, which occasionally rock, but mostly feel close to their origins as solo demos Mr. Perry cut with only loops and click tracks backing him up.

The idea that the album might kick-start a comeback for Mr. Perry is one that its maker inevitably has to hem and haw about.

“I don’t even know if ‘coming back’ is a good word,” he said. “I’m in touch with the honest emotion, the love of the music I’ve just made. And all the neurosis that used to come with it, too. All the fears and joys. I had to put my arms around all of it. And walking back into it has been an experience, of all of the above.”

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Journey’s Jonathan Cain Accuses Neal Schon of ‘Malicious Lies’ and ‘Extravagant Spending’ After Guitarist Files Lawsuit Over Credit Card Access

By Chris Willman

Chris Willman

Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic

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It may not stop Journey from continuing to tour — and what a frosty green room that may be — but the two remaining original members of the band’s classic lineup, guitarist Neal Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain , are squaring off in the court of public opinion as well as in real court, both airing their contentious sides of a lawsuit that Schon filed against Cain.

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Cain continued, “Neal has always had access to the credit card statements; what he lacks — and what he is really seeking — is the ability to increase his spending limits. Since Neal decided to publicize what is going on, I can tell you we will present the evidence to the court that shows that Neal has been under tremendous financial pressure as a result of his excessive spending and extravagant lifestyle, which led to him running up enormous personal charges on the band’s credit card account.

“When efforts were made to limit his use of the card to legitimate band expenses, Neal unfortunately decided to attack me rather than trying to get his reckless spending under control,” Cain’s statement concludes. “I am saddened by the situation — for Neal and for our fans — but since Neal filed a lawsuit, I suspect he will not be able to ignore the court like he has ignored the countless financial advisors and accountants he has fired over the past several years who have tried in vain to help him.”

Cain’s contention is that Schon already has access to the American Express card records but has really been looking to get his spending limit raised.

On his social media Monday, Schon wrote, “The only comment I’ll make at this time is it’s all very unfortunate and (I) tried for over a year to attain all our corporate records for Nomota with many personal e-mails to Jon as well as many legal letter(s) stating it’s my legal right to see all but I was left with no choice but to take it legal. … There’s much more … since I filed I’ll be following my attorneys advice and not speak until we are in court where I’ll not have a problem at all. It is what it is.” (Nomota is a company the two founding members started in 1998, after singer Steve Perry had left the band in ’97, establishing 50/50 ownership.)

It wasn’t the first time Schon had publicly expounded on his lawsuit… and in an earlier case, band wives were involved or invoked. In a social media account Schon shares with his wife, he brought up Cain’s wife, evangelist Paula White, saying she had become a party to the band’s banking interests as they “went behind” Schon’s back.

“Thankful for American Express and the Bank for telling Neal Schön the truth about Jonathan Cain and Paula White going behind Neal’s back. Adding Paula White to Journey corporate Banking in 2020 is unethical and unlawful to Neal, he said never do it, they did it anyway. Good for the honest bank rep.”

Cain’s attorney, Alan Gutman of Gutman Law, released his own statement Tuesday, saying: ”The evidence will establish that Schon’s financial crisis has nothing to do with his professed ‘unfettered access to Nomota’s records.’ Our investigation has established that Schon’s personal financial problems resulted solely from his reckless spending, including what preliminarily appears to be charging more than $1 million of improper personal expenses on the band’s corporate Nomota AMEX card. Schon’s complaint is the classic example of desperate people doing desperate things. It’s very unfortunate that Neal — and Neal alone — has created such difficulties for himself and his family through his profligate spending.”

It’s the biggest blowup directly between Cain and Schon since 2017, when Schon went public on social media with complaints that Cain, singer Arnel Pineda and Ross Valory, who was then the group’s bassist, participated in a photo op at the White House with Donald Trump. (Cain’s wife, Paula White, acted as a spiritual advisor to the then-president and delivered the invocation at his inauguration.)

But there have been other issues in the meantime. In 2020 and 2021, the group’s drummer and bassist were severed from the band after a dispute over trademark claims and lawsuits that ended in a settlement. 

Meanwhile, Journey is scheduled to hit the road again, schisms and all, starting Jan. 27. The tour goes all the way to a date at the Palm Springs area’s new Acrisure Arena on April 25.

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Former JOURNEY Singer STEVE PERRY Signs Deal With UNIVERSAL Publishing

Steve Perry , the legendary singer/songwriter, has signed an exclusive publishing administration agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group ( UMPG ),for the world outside of the U.S. and Canada, it was announced by Zach Horowitz , Chairman & CEO of UMPG . The deal includes all songs written or co-written by Steve Perry throughout his career, including as lead singer of JOURNEY and his solo work.

"One of the greatest voices in the history of rock also wrote or co-wrote some of rocks greatest songs. We couldn't be prouder that he has chosen to bring those songs to UMPG . We look forward to working with him on both his iconic catalog and his new songs", said Zach Horowitz , Chairman & CEO, Universal Music Publishing Group .

Steve Perry said, "I so look forward to being a part of the Universal Music Publishing Group . I know they really get what songs are about and they still believe in the magic of music".

As the lead singer of JOURNEY and in his solo career, Steve Perry is responsible for writing or co-writing such enduring standards as "Don't Stop Believin'" , "Oh Sherrie" , "Any Way You Want It" , "Foolish Heart" , "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" , "Open Arms" , "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" , "Who's Crying Now" , "Lights" , "Stone In Love" and more. His songs are a staple on radio playlists and have been featured on television shows such as "Glee" and "American Idol" , and in Broadway plays like "Rock Of Ages" and films like "Monster" , "Money Ball" and many animated features. The wide appeal of his music is reflected in the diverse array of artists who have recorded cover versions of his songs, including Mary J. Blige , Mariah Carey , Barry Manilow , Martina McBride and RISE AGAINST .

A testament to the timelessness of Perry 's music is the phenomenal recent success of "Don't Stop Believin'" in the United Kingdom. Almost three decades after the song was initially a hit, the "Glee" cast version of the tune went to #2 on the U.K. singles chart, spending 29 weeks there, spurring a re-entry on the charts of JOURNEY 's original version, which peaked at #6 and spent 59 weeks there.

Steve Perry became the front man for JOURNEY in 1977, providing lead vocals and songwriting on nine albums, including "Infinity" , "Evolution" , "Departure" , "Dream After Dream" , "Captured" , "Escape" , "Frontiers" , "Raised On Radio" , and "Trial By Fire" . "Infinity" , Perry 's first album with JOURNEY , has sold more than 3 million copies while 1981's "Escape" has sold more than 12.4 million worldwide. The band's "Greatest Hits" album, with most songs written or co-written by Steve Perry , has sold over 25 million albums worldwide, and continues to chart year after year. JOURNEY 's catalog has now sold over 60 million albums, placing them as one of the best selling rock bands of all time.

Steve Perry has also enjoyed huge success as a solo artist. His album "Street Talk" , also featuring songs he wrote or co-wrote, has sold over 4 million albums and spawned the chart topping hits "Oh Sherrie" , "Foolish Heart" , "She's Mine" and "Strung Out" .

Rolling Stone ranked Steve Perry as one of the "Greatest Singers Of All Time."

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Complete List Of All Journey Current And Former Band Members

Feature Photo: Bruce Alan Bennett / Shutterstock.com

I first fell in love with the band Journey when I was in high school and brought the band’s album Infinity when it was first released. Their record company Columbia Records at the time heavily promoted the album. It was Steve Perry’s first recording with the band and Columbia knew they had a hit on their hands. I was blown away by Steve Perry’s voice and completely floored by how great the songs were on the record. Journey became one of the biggest bands of the seventies. They helped define the term “Stadium Rock.” The band has gone through multiple lineup changes over the years.  This article takes a look at the revolving door of musicians who have come and gone as members of the band Journey .

The Orginal Journey Band Members

Neal Schon, born on February 27, 1954, in Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist for Journey. He was one of the founding members of the band in 1973. Over the years, Schon played a significant role in shaping the band’s sound and has appeared on every Journey album to date, from their self-titled debut album “Journey” (1975) to their most recent releases. He primarily plays the electric guitar but has been known to play acoustic guitar and perform backing vocals as well. Schon co-wrote some of the band’s most iconic songs like “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Wheel in the Sky,” and “Any Way You Want It.” Besides his work with Journey, Neal Schon has had a rich solo career and has also been a part of other bands like Santana and Bad English .

Ross Valory

Ross Valory, born on February 2, 1949, in San Francisco, California, is an American musician renowned for being Journey’s original bass guitarist. He joined the band at its inception in 1973 and contributed to albums like “Journey” (1975), “Infinity” (1978), “Escape” (1981), and many more. Valory played both the bass guitar and occasionally provided backing vocals. He was a part of Journey until he was fired from the band in 2020. Apart from Journey, Valory was involved in the Steve Miller Band and also had a side project called “The Vu.”

Gregg Rolie

Gregg Rolie was born on June 17, 1947, in Seattle, Washington, and is an American keyboardist and singer. He was a founding member of Journey and joined the band in 1973. Rolie played keyboards and was the lead vocalist on the band’s first three albums: “Journey” (1975), “Look into the Future” (1976), and “Next” (1977). He left Journey in 1980 to pursue other musical endeavors. Notably, he was a member of Santana before joining Journey and co-wrote and sang lead vocals on classics like “Black Magic Woman” and “Evil Ways.” After leaving Journey, he went on to form The Gregg Rolie Band and also joined Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band .

George Tickner

George Tickner, born on September 8, 1946, in Syracuse, New York, is an American musician who played rhythm guitar for Journey. He was among the original members when the band was founded in 1973 but left shortly after the release of the band’s self-titled debut album in 1975. Tickner contributed to the writing of some early songs but didn’t stay with the band long enough to participate in the more commercial phases of Journey’s career. After leaving Journey, Tickner largely retired from professional music to pursue a career in medicine.

Charles “Prairie” Prince

Charles “Prairie” Prince, born on May 7, 1950, in Charlotte, North Carolina, was the original drummer for Journey when the band was formed in 1973. However, he never officially recorded with the band and left before their debut album was made. He is best known for his work with The Tubes , a San Francisco-based rock band. Though his time with Journey was short-lived, Prince has had a significant career in music, working with artists like Todd Rundgren, and Jefferson Starship, and as a session musician for various other artists.

The Next Phase and Beyond

Aynsley dunbar.

Aynsley Dunbar, born on January 10, 1946, in Liverpool, England, is a British drummer known for his work with various rock and blues bands. He joined Journey in 1974, shortly after the band’s formation, and played on the albums “Journey” (1975), “Look into the Future” (1976), and “Next” (1977). Dunbar’s jazz-influenced drumming style added a unique element to Journey’s early sound. He left the band in 1978 before the band shifted to a more mainstream, commercial sound. Apart from Journey, Dunbar has had an extensive career, playing with artists like Frank Zappa, David Bowie, and Whitesnake.

Robert Fleischman

Robert Fleischman, born on March 11, 1953, in Los Angeles, California, is an American musician who briefly served as Journey’s lead vocalist in 1977. Though he never appeared on any studio albums with Journey, he contributed to songwriting and is credited with co-writing songs like “Wheel in the Sky.” Fleischman was replaced by Steve Perry later in the same year he joined. Outside of Journey, Fleischman had a solo career and was a member of other rock bands like Vinnie Vincent Invasion.

Steve Perry

Steve Perry , born on January 22, 1949, in Hanford, California, is an American singer known for his soaring vocals. He joined Journey in 1977 and quickly became the band’s iconic lead vocalist. Steve Perry played a significant role in Journey’s commercial success and was a key contributor to albums like “Infinity” (1978), “Evolution” (1979), “Escape” (1981), among others. He co-wrote and sang some of Journey’s most famous songs, including “Don’t Stop Believin'” and “Open Arms.” Perry left the band in 1998 due to health issues and to pursue a solo career, which itself has been highly successful, featuring hits like “Oh Sherrie.”

Steve Smith

Steve Smith, born on August 21, 1954, in Whitman, Massachusetts, is an American drummer. He joined Journey in 1978, replacing Aynsley Dunbar, and played on some of their most successful albums like “Evolution,” “Escape,” and “Frontiers.” Known for his technical skill, Smith left the band in 1985 but returned for various stints, the latest being from 2015 to 2020. Outside of Journey, Smith has had a rich career in jazz and has been part of his own jazz fusion band, Vital Information.

Randy Jackson

Randy Jackson, born on June 23, 1956, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is an American musician, best known as a judge on the television show “American Idol.” He joined Journey as a bass player for a short stint during the mid-1980s and played on the 1986 album “Raised on Radio.” Jackson was part of the band’s transition towards a more pop-oriented sound during that period. Besides Journey, he has been an in-demand session musician and has produced and performed with a wide array of artists across genres.

Steve Augeri

Steve Augeri, born on January 30, 1959, in Brooklyn, New York, is an American rock singer best known for his work as the lead vocalist for Journey from 1998 to 2006. He was brought in as a replacement for Steve Perry and featured on albums like “Arrival” (2001) and “Generations” (2005). Augeri co-wrote songs for the band but had to leave in 2006 due to vocal issues. Outside of Journey, he has been involved in other bands like Tyketto and has also embarked on a solo career.

Jeff Scott Soto

Jeff Scott Soto, born on November 4, 1965, in Brooklyn, New York, is an American singer who served as Journey’s lead vocalist for a brief period from 2006 to 2007. He stepped in following Steve Augeri’s departure due to vocal issues but was in the band for less than a year. Though his time with Journey was short-lived, he did perform live with the band during that period. Outside of Journey, Soto has a prolific career, having been a part of bands like Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force and Talisman, as well as a successful solo career.

Deen Castronovo

Deen Castronovo, born on August 17, 1964, in Westminster, California, is an American drummer and vocalist. He joined Journey in 1998, replacing Steve Smith, and contributed to albums like “Arrival” (2001), “Generations” (2005), and “Eclipse” (2011). Besides playing drums, Castronovo also performed backing and some lead vocals during his time with the band. He left Journey in 2015 amidst personal issues. Beyond Journey, he has played with bands like Bad English and Hardline and is known for his work in various other musical projects.

Narada Michael Walden

Narada Michael Walden, born on April 23, 1952, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, is an American musician, producer, and songwriter. He joined Journey as a drummer in 2020, replacing Steve Smith. Known for his diverse skill set across genres, Walden has a rich career outside of his time with Journey. He’s a multi-Grammy Award-winning producer and has worked with a myriad of artists including Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Aretha Franklin.

Arnel Pineda

Arnel Pineda, born on September 5, 1967, in Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines, is a Filipino singer and songwriter. He became the lead vocalist for Journey in 2007, discovered by Neal Schon through YouTube videos of Pineda covering Journey songs. He made his studio debut with the band on the 2008 album “Revelation” and has remained with the band since. Outside of Journey, Pineda had been a part of several bands in the Philippines and has a solo career as well.

Jason Derlatka

Jason Derlatka, born on September 8, 1972, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is an American keyboardist, vocalist, and composer. He joined Journey in 2020 as a touring keyboardist and background vocalist. Though he hasn’t been featured on any studio albums with the band yet, he brings a wide range of musical experience to Journey. Derlatka has worked extensively in television, composing music for series like “House” and “Parenthood.”

Todd Jensen

Todd Jensen, born on October 19, 1965, in Portland, Oregon, is an American bassist. Though he never officially recorded with Journey, Jensen was involved as a touring member following Ross Valory’s departure in 2020. Known for his versatility, he has played with various artists and bands spanning multiple genres, including David Lee Roth, Ozzy Osbourne, and Alice Cooper.

Complete List Of All Journey Current And Former Band Members article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023

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About the author.

Brian Kachejian

Brian Kachejian was born in Manhattan and raised in the Bronx. He is the founder and Editor in Chief of ClassicRockHistory.com. He has spent thirty years in the music business often working with many of the people who have appeared on this site. Brian Kachejian also holds B.A. and M.A. degrees from Stony Brook University along with New York State Public School Education Certifications in Music and Social Studies. Brian Kachejian is also an active member of the New York Press.

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11 Mar The Journey Ends Here: Classic Rock Group in Conflict Over Who Owns the Band’s Name

We all know Journey’s classic hit, “Don’t Stop Believin’” from weddings, graduations, and karaoke fame. Although the band’s famous tunes are instantly recognizable, how many of us actually know what’s going on behind the scenes? I certainly didn’t. That is until the band broke an unusual kind of news for a popular rock group — trademark news.

This week, news broke that two of the band’s members, guitarist Neal Schon and pianist Jonathan Cain, kicked two other members, bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith, out of the band for good. They stated in legal documents that Schon and Cain no longer feel that they can perform with or trust Valory and Smith, after what they called a “corporate coup d’etat.”

With an allegation like that, who wouldn’t want to dig in a little deeper? I started to do some research about Journey and what led to this epic breakdown of the band’s members. Journey (although it wasn’t called that at the time) was formed in California in 1973 and has gone through many iterations since then. Over its near-fifty-year history, the band has changed composition a number of times. Lead singers have changed, band members have come and gone, and the music has evolved.

Neal Schon and Ross Valory were two of the original members of the group back at its inception. Steve Smith joined the band a few years later in 1978, and Jonathan Cain came soon after in 1980. Without getting too much into the detailed history of the band, it is clear that these four have been playing together a long time. So what could cause them to throw that all away now, in 2020?

As usual, it comes down to money.

This “corporate coup d’etat,” allegedly organized by Smith and Valory, was an attempt to take ownership of the band’s name and associated trademark by way of one of its corporate entities, Nightmare Productions. Apparently, Smith and Valory started holding improper meetings with the corporation’s shareholders and board of directors. In court filings, attorneys for the remaining band members, Neil Schon and Jonathan Cain, allege that Smith and Valory believed that, if they controlled Nightmare Productions, they could “hold the Journey name hostage” and continue to receive payments in their retirement. However, Schon and Cain claim that Nightmare Productions does not actually hold the Journey name. Instead, the trademark is solely held by an entity called, Elmo Partners, that they own. Trademark registration numbers and a license agreement from 1985 are used to support Cain and Schon’s position. In the lawsuit, Cain and Schon have claimed damages of $10 million.

So, what can we learn as a result of this very public band meltdown? Clarify trademark ownership with your business partners long before any dispute arises. Sure, it may seem premature to have conversations like these when your business is just starting to gain traction, but it is the easiest time to do so. Have a conversation with your partners about who owns the trademark and how profits on that trademark will be distributed through any licensing, royalties, or sale of the mark. Doing this now can avoid public, embarrassing, and legally-costly conflicts down the road.

As a result of the legal dispute, Schon and Cain have stated that they are no longer willing to perform with Smith and Valory, effectively fracturing the band in half on March 3, 2020. Journey does have a tour this summer already booked, although it is yet unclear if and how the band will perform.

In other rock and roll and trademark news, did you miss the recent lawsuit between legendary rock band Guns N’ Roses and Colorado brewery Oskar Blues? Check out this Rolling Stone article about the recent conflict over “Guns ‘N’ Rosé” beer.

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Journey Should Probably Go Their Separate Ways

Maybe, just sometimes, not believing in things any longer can be the best idea. Journey have reached an unbelievably dysfunctional point of their lineage as a band, Billboard reports , which stems from a slow burn of issues ranging from the legal to the petty. The main source of strife is allegedly coming from founding member Neal Schon and longtime keyboardist Jonathan Cain, both of whom are still actively touring with the band as of this month. According to Billboard, the duo’s mutual animosity began during Donald Trump’s presidency, when Cain, who is married to Trump’s “spiritual adviser,” performed a private set at Mar-a-Lago — a move that Schon declared in a cease-and-desist letter to be “deleterious to the Journey brand as it polarizes the band’s fans and outreach.” In 2021, Schon went on to sue Cain for “improperly” not allowing him access to the band’s American Express credit card; Cain fired back in January 2022, saying Schon had a pathological spending problem and charged $1 million of personal expenses for himself and his wife, a former Real Housewives of D.C. star who crashed a White House state dinner in 2009. Schon v. Cain is now currently pending in a California court.

The duo’s Journey infighting crescendoed that same year during an arena tour. Schon allegedly hired off-duty police officers to guard his dressing room during performances and, at one tour stop, had an assistant snoop around Cain’s room. Cain caught the assistant and retaliated by hiring off-duty police officers as his own guards. “That’s just the level of pettiness and control and conspiracy they came to believe in,” a source explained.

In an interview with Vulture last year, Schon briefly discussed a Journey legal issue that related to the ongoing saga of gaining control of the band’s official trademark. “We’ve never owned our own trademark. All these years, many people lied to us. My wife and I finally got to the bottom of it after investigating for years,” he said . “We were fought hard by everybody, but we managed to obtain the trademark.” A silver lining to the problem, Schon said, was that it allowed him to open up a discourse with former member Steve Perry, who left the band in the mid-’90s. “We’re talking and getting to know each other again,” he told us, “though not trying to get together musically again, but he’s learning who I am now, through a portion of our business that I’m kind of controlling now.” But is he doing it … faithfully?

• respect the classics
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Journey – The Fusion Roots and Changing Line Up of the 80’s Biggest Group

• By: Guest Contributor
• March 11, 2020

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Long-running American favorite band Journey was created in the San Francisco Bay Area and led to multiple instantly recognizable hit songs throughout the country. With seven multi-platinum albums and one diamond, despite polarizing opinions within the music press, Journey was one of the most successful bands of the 1980s. They have maintained this in the modern day, as Don’t Stop Believing become the best selling 20th century track on iTunes and showed, despite their long history the band has been able to translate their success into the modern world.

Visit Song List for more information about Journey music.

Early Years

In their early years, Journey went through multiple different forms. Initially started as a backing band set up by the former manager of Santana, Herbie Herbert, they intended to provide instrumentals for established artists. This idea was soon abandoned as the members practiced jazz fusion and became an act in their own right, although 1975’s Journey album and 1976’s Look into the Future were not commercial successes. 

This led the band to change their style and venture into pop rock after a third unsuccessful album, Next . Robert Fleischman joined as a vocalist, but only stayed for a year. In that time, Journey managed to have a hit song with Wheel in the Sky , but several other lineup changes took place before their biggest commercial success, Escape , in 1981. These included replacement of drummer Aynesley Dunbar with Steve Smith, and vocalist Steve Perry filled the gap left by Fleischman. However, this turbulent period saw the band’s first platinum album, Infinity , on which Wheel in the Sky was the single, and from this they gained a substantial new fanbase. 

Commercial Success

Escape saw even greater success with the singles Don’t Stop Believin’, Who’s Cryin’ Now, and Open Arms all reaching the top ten. Follow up album Frontiers in 1983 also did well with four top 40 hits and one top ten, Separate Ways (Worlds Apart). However, at this point the music press had begun to criticise Journey for their radio-friendly, commercial sound- although this didn’t stop their millions of fans seeing them in concert, and their tours at this period quickly made them one of the highest earning bands in the world. Journey capitalised on this by allowing the release of an arcade game using their images as well as another video game by Data Age.

Line-Up Changes and Present Day

Following this, Journey had another turbulent period and more line-up changes as Steve Perry pursued a solo career, as did guitarist Neil Schon. After a three-year hiatus both bass player and drummer were fired and new members Bob Glaub, Randy Jackson and Larrie Londin filled their spots. Journey took a longer hiatus from 1987-1995 as the individual members pursued solo projects and other collaborations, however, Journey as an outfit were still earning considerably with their record label Columbia releasing three compilation albums, and the single Don’t Stop Believin’ still remained a major part of popular culture. It was famously covered by Glee and was the highest earning rock song in history until 2014, when it was overtaken by Imagine Dragons’ radioactive. 

Currently, Journey tour with Neil Schon on lead guitar, Johnathan Cain on keys, and Arnel Pineda on vocals, the latter having been discovered on YouTube. A recent lawsuit in March 2020 saw bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith fired, but the band remains active to this day and boasts an impressive discography of 15 albums, as well as having Don’t Stop Believin’ used as the unofficial anthem of two sports teams and the end number to musical Rock of Ages .

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Music and Concerts | Def Leppard, Journey, Steve Miller Band: 15…

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Music and concerts | def leppard, journey, steve miller band: 15 things to know if you are going to friday’s petco park concert, the three bands, all rock & roll hall of fame inductees, will provide hits aplenty when they perform on the home field of the san diego padres.

All three bands have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (Miller in 2016, Journey in 2017 and Def Leppard in 2019). Between them, they will perform nearly 50 songs (12 by Miller and his band, 16 by Journey, and 18 by Def Leppard, which headlines).

Miller will perform for an hour, while Journey and Def Leppard will each do 90-minute sets. How many of the songs that will be performed were Top 40, Top 10 or chart-topping hits? You may want to use the calculator on your phone to tally up the total.

At last count, the combined number of guitars owned by Miller, Journey’s Neal Schon and Def Leppard’s Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell exceeds 1,000. Schon currently owns 750, give or take, including the 150 he bought during the pandemic shutdown. At last count, Miller owned more than 400.

Of course, a majority of these guitars stay in high-security storage when their owners are embarked on concert tours, but attendees at Friday night’s concert will likely still see enough different guitars played on stage to stock the wing of a museum.

Until then, here’s what you’ll need to know if you are going to the show.

15 Things to Know

1. The concert’s scheduled starting time is 6 p.m. Friday. The Steve Miller Band will open, followed by Journey. Def Leppard will headline.

2. All gates at Petco Park will open at 4:30 p.m. Friday and early arrival is encouraged. No re-entry will be allowed.

3. Padres parking lots will open at noon Friday for concertgoers with pre-purchased passes. Limited day-of parking will be subject to availability. Its name to the contrary, no tailgating will be permitted in Tailgate Park for this concert.

4. Use of public transportation is strongly encouraged.

Prior to the concert there will be regular San Diego Trolley service on the Green and Blue Lines every 15 minutes, or sooner, to the 12th Street & Imperial Avenue Transit Center. The center is located just  steps away from Petco Park. Green Line riders can de-board at the nearby Gaslamp Quarter Station.

Post-concert trolleys from the 12th Street & Imperial Avenue Transit Center will continue every 15 minutes until at least 45 minutes after the concert’s scheduled 10 p.m. conclusion, then every 30 minutes until the last scheduled trips of the night. Additional trips will be provided as needed, according to a Metropolitan Transit Service representative.

• The last Green Line trolley to SDSU and Santee leaves at 11:36 p.m.

• The last Blue Line trolley to UTC leaves at 11:38 p.m.

• The last Blue Line trolley to San Ysidro leaves at 12:07 a.m. Saturday.

• The last Coaster ride from the Santa Fe depot in downtown San Diego to Oceanside departs Friday at 11:40 p.m.

5. All tickets for the concert are digital and can be found in either the MLB Ballpark app or the Ticketmaster app. Details on how to access or transfer your tickets are available online at mlb.com/padres/tickets/mobile/guide

6. Concertgoers with non-field level “seating bowl” tickets may enter at the following gates:

• The Gaslamp Gate, located at the intersection of K Street. and 7th Avenue.

• The East Village Gate, located at the intersection of K Street and 10th Avenue.

• The Park Blvd. Gate, located at the intersection of Park Boulevard and 10th Avenue.

• The Home Plate Gate, located at the corner of Park Boulevard and Tony Gwynn Drive.

7. Concertgoers with tickets for seats on the field — designated as sections A1-A7 and B2-B6 — must enter at the Gaslamp Breezeway, located at the intersection of 7th Avenue and K Street for field access. Those ticket-holders must obtain a specific field-access wristband before they can gain entry to the field level. Field wristbands are available at the Gaslamp Breezeway. Each ticket must be scanned in order for you to receive a wristband for floor access.

Concertgoers with general admission pit tickets — designated as PITSR or PITSL — must enter at the Park Boulevard Gate located on Park Boulevard and 10th Avenue for pit access. Guests with general admission pit tickets will need a specific pit access wristband before entry. Pit wristbands are available upon entry at the Park Boulevard Gate entrance.  Each ticket must be scanned in order to receive a pit wristband.

8. Concertgoers who purchased a suite can enter, starting at 4:30 p.m. Friday, through any of the non-field level “seating bowl” entrances.

9. No outside food or beverages are permitted, including factory-sealed water bottles and reusable water bottles.

10. Petco Park prohibits backpacks and bags, with the exception of single-compartment clear plastic bags not exceeding 12 inches by six inches by 12 inches, infant and medical bags, and clutches and purses no larger than 5 inches by 7 inches.

11. Petco Park offers mobile lockers, located at the Premier Lot near the pedestrian bridge across from the Home Plate Gate. Locker rentals cost $12 and are cashless. The lockers area will remain open for 30 minutes after the conclusion of the concert.

12. Petco Park is a cashless venue. Credit cards, Padres Pay, Google Pay and Apple Pay are accepted at all concessions locations within the ballpark.

13. No professional cameras or selfie sticks are allowed.

14. Petco Park is a smoke-free facility. Use of tobacco, vaping and e-cigarettes is not allowed inside the stadium. Designated smoking areas will be available at each main gate.

15. Bullhorns, gum, frisbees, drones, hover boards, hula hoops, bubble-making devices and Chapstick are among the numerous items that are prohibited at Petco Park concerts. A complete list is available at: mlb.com/padres/tickets/concerts/prohibited-items

Def Leppard, Journey and the Steve Miller Band

When: 6 p.m. Friday

Where: Petco Park, downtown

Tickets: $105.80-$316.75

Online: ticketmaster.com

Due to incorrect information from Petco Park about Friday's concert by Def Leppard, Journey and the Steve Miller Band, the location for stadium field seat tickets and stage pit tickets was incorrectly listed in the original version of this article. Field ticket sections are A1-A7 and B2-B6; pit ticket sections are PITSR and PITSL.

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August 22, 2024 7:37 PM

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The NPR Network will be reporting live from Chicago throughout the week bringing you  the latest on the Democratic National Convention .

DJ Cassidy and the Democrats played special tracks for each state and territory during Tuesday night's roll call.

WATCH: The full Democratic National Convention celebratory roll call

But what song — or songs, in some cases — repped your state? We found them all so you don't have to. Better yet, we offer some reasons behind the choices.

Alabama : Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd

While Lynyrd Skynyrd's ode to Alabama might seem like an obvious choice, the band was formed in Jacksonville, Fla.

Alaska : Feel It Still - Portugal. The Man

The rock band is from Wasilla, Alaska, where two of its members met in high school and began playing music together.

American Samoa : Edge of Glory - Lady Gaga

The song choice is a tongue-in-cheek nod to the territory's position as the southernmost territory in the United States.

Arizona : Edge of Seventeen - Stevie Nicks

Singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks, known for both her solo career and her work in the band Fleetwood Mac, is from Phoenix.

Arkansas : Don't Stop - Fleetwood Mac

Speaking of Nicks, her band's track "Don't Stop" became the official song of Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign, with the band even uniting to perform at the former president's first inaugural ball. Clinton is famously from Hope, Arkansas, and served as the state's governor from 1979 to 1981 and again from 1983 to 1992.

California : The Next Episode - Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg, California Love - Tupac Shakur, featuring Dr. Dre, Alright - Kendrick Lamar, Not Like Us - Kendrick Lamar

Nearly all of the above artists are legendary California musicians, with Dr. Dre and Kendrick Lamar born in Compton, and Snoop Dogg born in Long Beach. Only Tupac stands out among the native Californians, having been born in New York City.

Colorado : September - Earth, Wind & Fire

Philip James Bailey, one of two lead singers of Earth, Wind & Fire was born in Denver. What's more, he turned to Denver East High School friends Larry Dunn and Andrew Woolfolk to shore up the band after some original members left, according to the Colorado Music Hall of Fame .

Connecticut : Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) - Stevie Wonder

It’s “kind of a perfect campaign song,” as Chris Willman, the chief music critic at Variety , notes on Morning Edition . Wonder is from Michigan, but that didn’t stop Barack Obama from making “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” a hallmark of his two presidential campaigns.

Delaware : Higher Love - Kygo & Whitney Houston

Higher Love has been a staple of President Biden's campaign, with the track playing at the end of his 2020 acceptance speech.

Democrats abroad: Love Train - The O'Jays

Washington, D.C. : Let Me Clear My Throat - DJ Kool

The legendary rapper was born and raised in our nation's capital.

Florida : I Won't Back Down - Tom Petty

Tom Petty was born in Gainesville, Fla. His “American Girl” was also used by Hillary Clinton’s campaign.

Georgia : Turn Down For What - DJ Snake and Lil Jon

Lil Jon made a surprise convention appearance to express his support for Kamala Harris. The rapper is from Atlanta, while DJ Snake, his counterpart on the track, is from Guam : Espresso - Sabrina Carpenter

The summer hit, which has over a billion streams on Spotify, is one of several songs that may have been chosen simply for their mass appeal — and understandably so. In June, Carpenter became the first artist since The Beatles to have two songs debut within the top three spots on the Billboard Hot 100.

Hawai’i : 24K Magic - Bruno Mars

R&B and funk musician Mars is from Honolulu, Hawai'i.

Idaho : Private Idaho - The B-52's

"Private Idaho" was a single off the Georgia band's second album, though they didn't play a show in the state of Idaho until 2011.

Illinois : Sirius - The Alan Parsons Project

"Sirius" was the walk-on music for the Chicago's NBA team, the Bulls.

Indiana - Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough - Michael Jackson

Jackson was born in Gary, Ind. — the eighth of 10 children.

Iowa : Celebration - Kool & The Gang

A classic party anthem, Kool & The Gang actually hail from New Jersey. Meanwhile, Iowa passed on their hometown heroes of the band Slipknot.

Kansas : Carry On Wayward Son - Kansas

The band Kansas was formed in the state in 1973, hailing from its capital city of Topeka.

Kentucky : First Class - Jack Harlow

Rapper and singer Harlow was born in Louisville, Ky., and raised in Shelbyville.

Louisiana : All I Do Is Win - DJ Khaled

Rapper and producer DJ Khaled is from New Orleans.

Maine : Shut Up and Dance - WALK THE MOON

It’s a universally adored pop hit, even if the state did borrow it from a Cincinnati, Ohio, band.

Maryland : Respect - Aretha Franklin

Using an anthem by the queen of soul — with roots in Tennessee and Michigan — is the only reason we can think of to pass on Billie Holiday, Toni Braxton and David Byrne, who are among other talent with Maryland ties.

Massachusetts : I’m Shipping Up to Boston - Dropkick Murphys

The American Celtic band was formed in Quincy, Mass. The song itself describes a sailor with a missing leg, who is going to Boston in search of a wooden prosthetic.

Michigan : Lose Yourself - Eminem

The rapper famously grew up in Detroit and his 2002 movie 8 Mile is set in the Motor City.

Minnesota : Kiss - Prince & The Revolution, 1999 - Prince & The Revolution

The celebrated musician was born in Minneapolis, Minn., in 1958. The singer also died in his home state in Paisley Park in 2016 at the age of 57.

Mississippi : Twistin' the Night Away - Sam Cooke

One of the most influential soul singers of all time, Cooke was born in Clarksdale, Miss.

Missouri : Good Luck, Babe! - Chappell Roan

The 26-year-old from Willard, Mo., has found herself on a meteoric rise to stardom following the release of her 2023 album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.

Montana : American Woman - Lenny Kravitz

Several of the songs remaining in the DNC roll call playlist veer towards simply keeping the party going, with no obvious ties between the tracks and their assigned states. But these hits are on-brand for a party building momentum around the goal of putting a woman in the White House.

Nebraska : Firework - Katy Perry

Nevada : Mr. Brightside - The Killers

The rock band was formed in Las Vegas in 2001 by Brandon Flowers and Dave Keuning.

New Hampshire : Don’t Stop Believin' - Journey

New Jersey : Born in the U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen

"The Boss" is famously from Long Branch, N.J.

New Mexico : Confident - Demi Lovato

The singer-songwriter was born in Albuquerque, N.M.

New York : Empire State of Mind - Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys

The song serves as an ode to New York City by the two artists, who are from Brooklyn and Manhattan respectively.

North Carolina : Raise Up - Petey Pablo

The rapper and record producer is from Greenville, N.C.

North Dakota : Girl on Fire - Alicia Keys

Northern Mariana Islands : Ain’t No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

Ohio : Green Light - John Legend featuring André 3000

Legend was born in Springfield, Ohio, while André 3000 hails from Atlanta.

Oklahoma:  Garth Brooks - Ain't Goin' Down ('til the Sun Comes Up)

Country singer Brooks was born in Tulsa, Okla., but raised in Yukon.

Oregon : Float On - Modest Mouse

The rock band was formed in Issaquah, Wash., in 1993, but is now based in Portland, Ore.

Pennsylvania : Motownphilly - Boyz II Men, Black and Yellow - Wiz Khalifa

Vocal group Boyz II Men is from Philadelphia, with the music video for "Motownphilly" filmed across locations in their home city. Wiz Khalifa's "Black and Yellow" is about growing up in Pittsburgh, Pa. The colors represent that city's NFL team, the Steelers.

During their 2011 Super Bowl match-up against the Green Bay Packers, the team used the track as their fight song, while their opponents used a remix, "Green and Yellow," as their own.

Puerto Rico : Despacito - Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee

Both Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee hail from San Juan, Puerto Rico. A remix of the hit track featuring Justin Bieber was released in 2017.

Rhode Island : Shake it Off - Taylor Swift

Swift owns the single most expensive home in the state of Rhode Island — an entire estate called High Watch, which she purchased in 2013.

South Carolina : Get Up I Feel Like Being A Sex Machine - James Brown

James Brown was born on May 3, 1933, in Barnwell, S.C.

South Dakota : What I Like About You - The Romantics

Tennessee : 9 to 5 - Dolly Parton

Country music star Dolly Parton was born in Pittman Center, Tenn., and currently lives just outside of Nashville. Her Dollywood theme park and resorts are located in Pigeon Forge.

Texas : TEXAS HOLD EM' - Beyoncé

This one's a little self-explanatory.

Utah : Animal - Neon Trees

The rock band formed in Provo, Utah, in 2005.

Vermont : Stick Season - Noah Kahan

The 27-year-old is from Stratfford, Vt.

Virgin Islands : VI to the Bone - Mic Love

The rapper hails from the Virgin Islands.

Virginia : The Way I Are - Timbaland featuring Keri Hilson and D.O.E.

Timbaland is from Norfolk, Va., while Keri Hilson is from Decatur, Georgia, and D.O.E. is from New York.

Washington : Can’t Hold Us - Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

The rapper is from Seattle, while Ryan Lewis is from Spokane, Wash.

West Virginia : Take Me Home, Country Roads - John Denver

While Denver is from New Mexico, his hit song describes the natural beauty of West Virginia, including the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah River.

Wisconsin : Jump Around - House of Pain

The 1992 hit is played at University of Wisconsin home football games as students and fans jump and cheer, becoming synonymous with the state's flagship university.

Wyoming : I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas

The DNC also released a playlist of all the included songs you can find here.

A previous version of this story misspelled Bruce Springsteen’s birthplace. It is Long Branch, New Jersey. It also incorrectly identified when The Killers formed, which was in 2001, and misspelled Noah Kahan's hometown, Strafford. We have also corrected Macklemore's birthplace to Seattle and James Brown's to Barnwell, S.C.

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When The Chicks perform the National Anthem tonight at the DNC, they’ll bring a complicated history

The Chicks — formerly known as The Dixie Chicks — will sing “The Star Spangled Banner” at the Democratic National Convention Thursday night. That performance, and the group’s presence, will provide the latest chapter in The Chicks’ long and complicated political history.

• Stephen Thompson

Here's who has performed at the third night of the Democratic National Convention

In between impassioned speeches by political VIPs --- including former President Bill Clinton, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and 2024 Vice President candidate Tim Walz --- the heavy hitters of the music world lit up Chicago’s United Center arena. Night 3 was host to performances by Stevie Wonder, John Legend with Sheila E. and Maren Morris.

• Sidney Madden

She’s in his town: Bon Iver to perform at Harris rally in hometown of Eau Claire, Wis.

The folk singer is set to play a rally for Vice President Harris and her yet-to-be-named running mate. They'll be in Wisconsin for a barnstorm tour of swing states.

• Eric McDaniel

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Marty Stuart's 22,000-artifact collection added to Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

The country music hall of fame and museum added marty stuart's collection of 22,000 items to its permanent holdings. the event was feted by a celebration featuring chris stapleton, vince gill, more..

Country Music Hall of Famer Marty Stuart often holds a "Late Night Jam Session" concert at the Ryman Auditorium before CMA Fest's opening morning. On Tuesday afternoon, the "Hillbilly Rock" vocalist held a miniature version of the event at the Hall of Fame and Museum's Ford Theater in downtown Nashville.

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has added Stuart's collection of 22,000 items related to the country music industry and its iconic performers to its permanent holdings. The artist's collection is the world's largest private assemblage of country music artifacts. The museum now owns the collection, holding it in the public trust and providing what a press release calls "the highest level of artifact care and collection management."

The event was highlighted by an incredible set of performances highlighting country's history and Stuart's collection's still resonant power. Those included the following:

• Poplarville, Mississippi-born country trio Chapel Hart covering The Carter Family's "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," accompanied by recording artist and songwriter Charlie Worsham playing a 1970 Fender Telecaster once owned by Pops Staples, the legendary family gospel and R&B act the Staple Singers, who recorded the song.
• Country Music Hall of Fame member Vince Gill performed "Marty & Me," a newly written song by Gill and Stuart. Gill played a 1958 Martin D-28 guitar once owned by George Jones, featuring mother-of-pearl inlays and Jones' name on the fingerboard.
• Grammy-winner Chris Stapleton performed a take on the Kris Kristofferson-penned "Why Me Lord," while playing a Martin D-45 acoustic guitar once owned by Johnny Cash and Hank Williams.
• Stuart closed the ceremony with a performance of Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs' "Don't Let Your Deal Go Down," backed by members of bluegrass favorites the Earls of Leicester, including Mike Bub (bass), Shawn Camp (acoustic guitar), Charlie Cushman (banjo), Jimmy Stewart (dobro), Johnny Warren (fiddle) and Jeff White (mandolin). Camp played Flatt's Martin D-28 guitar from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's permanent collection.

Many dreams fulfilled

Notably, the merging of artifacts allows the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to have both the most extensive private collection (Stuart's) and the world's most comprehensive public collection held by the museum.

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In total, that now equates to 40,000 moving images in film, video and digital formats, 500,000 photographs, 300,000 sound recordings, 650 oral history interviews, over 3,000 stage costumes, 600 musical instruments, 75,000 posters and 5,000 linear feet of print materials, plus 50 original song manuscripts and Stuart's vaunted collection of museum-exhibited and print-published photographs.

The acquisition was made possible through the generosity of Stuart, a lead preservation gift from the Willard & Pat Walker Charitable Foundation and support from Loretta and Jeff Clarke.

Delighted by the power of the moment, Stuart offered that he was overwhelmed by how the moment forever aligned his hometown of Philadelphia, Mississippi and a 500-mile stretch of Interstate 55 has evolved from country music's "Old Testament" land where songs and themes are handed down from "heaven" to the "hillbillies." The length of interstate encapsulates the lives and careers of everyone from Jimmie Rodgers and B.B. King to Chapel Hart and HARDY.

To the singer-songwriter, the moment now represents something more in line with an allusion he later made to the first two verses of the 12th chapter of the Holy Bible's New Testament Book of Hebrews. That section reads:

"Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely and let us run with perseverance the race set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith."

Dial the moment even further back to another piece of Stuart's collection, an essay he wrote in the sixth grade about his career aspirations, and the profoundness of the afternoon gains added heft:

"A musician is what I have been wanting to be. That is my true goal for life, and I hope to accomplish this goal and do it well because music will be my love forever.""Marty Stuart has fulfilled those childhood dreams many times over," added Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young.

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Congress of Country Music, forever partnered

The acquisition agreement also allows the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to collaborate with Stuart's forthcoming Philadelphia, Mississippi-based Congress of Country Music . Alongside showcasing many of Stuart's artifacts, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will loan additional pieces from its permanent collection for display. The museum will also provide preservation, education and administrative consultation and support to the Congress.

"This is a top-of-the-world moment for me," added Stuart. "To have my collection live alongside the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's is monumental, to be a part of a ceremony and witness the Congress of Country Music and its people formally welcomed into the family of country music is a spiritual high. And, to share such a gathering with family and friends from both Nashville, as well as Mississippi, is just the best. Such a day only comes along once in a lifetime."

It's the culmination of sorts of five decades of collection and curation of an incredible array of country music's folklore and truths relinquished to him as a keeper of a century-long faith-hood.

During a 2021 trip to Meridian, Mississippi, that yielded him Merle Haggard’s Fender Telecaster and Ralph Mooney’s Sho-Bud steel guitar, he offered the following about his journey and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's broader purpose alongside his own:

"The beauty of country music is that there’s something in it for everybody. Whether that’s the old-time classics, country-pop, bluegrass, rockabilly, Western swing, folk music, or countrypolitan music, it’s all somehow still one church under one roof," he said. "The Country Music Hall of Fame- and Museum is a cathedral where we can all share common ground, and when we leave its doors, we leave there unified by the sound. Truly, country music casts a profound shadow and is far bigger than any of us, as country artists, will ever be."

What's included in Stuart's collection?

Stuart's collection recently arrived in Nashville from Mississippi via two climate-controlled tractor-trailer truckloads. The pieces carry stories as epic as their former owners were legendary.

Of the 22,000 pieces, the following dozen are included:

• Jimmie Rodgers’ leather satchel containing manuscripts from his final RCA Victor recording session — the satchel was claimed from Rodgers’ casket after his 1933 funeral in Meridian, Mississippi.
• Hank Williams’ song manuscript (with his corrections) for his 1947 recording “I Saw the Light.”
• Dolly Parton’s rhinestone-embellished dress — made by Nashville seamstress Lucy Adams, who began designing exclusively for Parton in the late 1960s — worn on a 1970 episode of “The Porter Wagoner Show.”
• Johnny Cash’s first black stage suit, c. 1955.
• Patsy Cline’s two-piece cowgirl outfit, designed and sewed by her mother, Hilda Hensley
• The 1963 sunburst Fender Jaguar electric guitar Luther Perkins — a founding member of Johnny Cash’s backing band the Tennessee Two (later the Tennessee Three) — played on Cash’s classic recording of “Ring of Fire.”
• Marty Stuart’s rhinestone-covered and Manuel Cuevas-designed jacket — further enhanced with embroidered western scenes and playing cards — worn in the 1991 music video for his country hit “Tempted.”
• Charley Pride’s 1967 Fender Coronado II hollow-body electric guitar, with its distinctive “Antigua” sunburst finish.
• Glen Campbell’s 1966 Mosrite Dobro D-100 Californian acoustic-electric resonator guitar used at recording sessions with the famed “Wrecking Crew" of Los Angeles studio musicians that was hand-built for him by guitar maker Semie Mosley.
• Bob Dylan’s wide-brimmed —and Manuel Cuevas designed and embellished — fedora hat worn during his Rolling Thunder Revue concert tour in 1975.
• George Jones’ 1969-era Nudie’s Rodeo Tailors-made boots given by Jones to Stuart in 1987. As Stuart offers in a press statement, "When (George) gave me the boots, they were in perfect condition" and were "the nicest boots I’d ever owned.” By the end of 1987, which Stuart called "the roughest year of his life," the boots “were a perfect reflection of me, worn out."

For more information about Marty Stuart's Congress of Country Music, visit http://www.congressofcountrymusic.org .

For more information on Stuart's collection at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, visit http://www.countrymusichalloffame.org .

Following the Opening Ceremony on Wednesday, Aug. 28, the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games will feature 11 days of high-stakes competition between some of the world's most incredible athletes. The Paralympics will be broadcast on NBC, USA Network, and CNBC, and streamed live and on-demand on NBCOlympics.com , NBC.com, the NBC Sports app and on Peacock.

Here are some standouts from the U.S. Paralympic team to watch.

Sarah Adam, Wheelchair Rugby

Adam became the first-ever woman to win a gold medal with USA Wheelchair Rugby during the Parapan American Games in 2023. Ready to make history in Paris, she will be the first American woman to ever compete in wheelchair rugby at the Paralympics. Adam was first introduced to the sport nicknamed “murderball” while working as an able-bodied volunteer for a wheelchair rugby team in St.Louis. In 2016, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

“It’s important to show that females can compete in adaptive sports,” Adam said , “even the ones that are typically thought as male-dominated and really physical.”

Olivia Chambers, Para Swimming

Set to make her Paralympic debut in Paris, Chambers won six medals at the 2023 World Championships (four silver, two bronze). She broke five American records during her first season of para swimming, including the record for the S13 400m individual medley. In 2023, she set her first world record in the S13 1500m freestyle.

Chambers started swimming at age 4 and broke her first state record at age 7. She began to lose her ability to see at age 16, and doctors told Chambers she would not regain her eyesight.

“Everyone’s gonna have hard times in life, have hard experiences,” Chambers said. “It’s not about what happens to you, it’s about how you take what happens to you and how you deal with it.”

Dennis Connors, Para Cycling

Connors is a reigning world champion, reigning Parapan American Games gold medalist, and five-time international World Cup winner. The only male tricycle rider on this year's U.S. para cycling team, he is set to make his Paralympic debut in Paris.

Connors, a combat veteran and traumatic brain injury and stroke survivor, is still pushing his physical and mental limits. Originally from California, he served nine years in the U.S. Marine Corps, completing three deployments to Iraq. He began cycling in 2016 with Project Hero and attended his first para cycling event in 2019. In 2020, he moved to the trike after having a second stroke.

Ezra Frech, Para Track & Field

Frech recently earned a silver medal at the 2024 Para Athletics World Championships in the men’s T63 high jump. He also broke his own high jump world record at the 2024 U.S. Paralympic Trials. Now, Frech has big plans to take home the gold in Paris.

Frech was born with congenital limb differences — he's missing his left knee and left fibula and a few fingers on his left hand — which resulted in his left leg being amputated. At age 8, he fell in love with track and field. Frech went on to compete at the Tokyo Games as the youngest man on the U.S. Paralympic team across all sports.

Blake Haxton, Para Canoe

Haxton made his Paralympic debut at the Rio Games in 2016. That year he was named the U.S. Rowing Male Athlete of the Year, becoming the first-ever para athlete to win the award.

At the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021, Haxton earned silver in the canoe single VL2 200m. He is gearing up for his third Paralympic appearance and renewing his focus on canoeing.

Haxton contracted necrotizing fasciitis, more commonly known as “the flesh-eating disease,” in the spring of his senior year of high school in Columbus, Ohio. He lost both of his legs below the waist, had major organ failure, and underwent over 20 surgeries. He was kept on a machine to keep him alive so his brother could come home from college to say goodbye, but Haxton kept living.

Jamal Hill, Para Swimming

Hill, who earned a bronze medal during the Tokyo Paralympic Games in 2021, became paralyzed as a young boy when he got the flu. At age 10, he was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a hereditary neurological condition that affects his peripheral nerves, making simple tasks like walking and running challenging. 

With dreams of making it to the Olympics, it was suggested by a friend that he think about Paralympic swimming. Hill realized his disability doesn’t define him; it empowers him. He then went on to become an advocate, mentor, and coach for others living with similar challenges. 

“My journey has shown me that acknowledging our challenges and confronting our fears can lead to a life beyond our wildest dreams,” Hill said.

Trevon Jenifer, Wheelchair Basketball

Already a three-time Paralympic medalist — he earned bronze at London 2012 followed by gold at both Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 — Paris will be Jenifer’s fourth Games.   Born with congenital phocomelia, which caused him to be born without legs, he started playing wheelchair basketball at age 4. In high school, he competed against non-disabled athletes as a wrestler and finished third in his weight class at the Maryland state tournament his senior year.

In college at Edinboro University, Jenifer was a three-year captain and two-time All American for the men’s wheelchair basketball team. He had a large pyramid of goals beside his bed, with the top goal on that pyramid reading “Win gold for Team USA.”

Now Jenifer works for the U.S. Secret Service as a personnel security specialist. He is the author of the inspirational autobiography "From the Ground Up." 

Kaleo Kanahele Maclay, Sitting Volleyball

Maclay had just arrived in Tokyo for the Paralympic Games in 2021 when she found out she was pregnant with her second child. The women’s sitting volleyball team went on to take home the gold that summer, defeating rival China . For Maclay it was her third Paralympic medal, having also led her team to silver at London 2012 and gold at Rio 2016.

Her mom, Charla, raised her as though she did not have a disability, not wanting her to focus on her limitations. Instead, Maclay — who was born with a club foot and had surgery at only eight months old — was exposed to a variety of sports. She began training with the U.S. Paralympic sitting volleyball team in 2009 at just 12 years old. 

Now Maclay owns two small businesses. She runs Flower & Flour with her husband and also designs custom cookies through her business Cookies x Kaleo while raising her two kids. 

Derek Loccident, Para Track & Field

In May 2023, Loccident made his stellar international debut at the World Para Athletics Championships, earning a silver medal in the men’s long jump T64 final. In July 2024, he qualified for the 2024 Paris Paralympics, where he will make his Paralympic debut.

Loccident grew up playing football and running track in Oklahoma City. After playing two games as a defensive back at the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) during his redshirt sophomore season, his left foot and part of his left leg were severed in a train car accident in September 2018. In 2021, he returned to the field and continued playing football for UCO as a below-the-knee-amputee. 

Shortly after his football career ended, Loccident shifted his focus to track and field. He was also the subject of the short film “STEPS” created by the Oklahoma City Thunder about his athletic journey which premiered at the deadCenter Film Festival in June 2023.

Jessica Long, Para Swimming

At only 12 years old, Long was the youngest athlete on the U.S. Paralympic swim team when she made her Paralympic debut at the 2004 Athens Games. She's now a six-time Paralympian and 29-time Paralympic medalist, with 16 of those medals being gold. She most recently won gold at the 2023 World Para Swimming Championships in both the women’s 100m butterfly S8 and the women’s 200m individual medley SM8, upping her career total to 37 world titles.

At 18 months old, Long’s legs were amputated below the knees. Throughout her life she has been involved in many sports and first joined a competitive swim team at 10 years old. She is a three-time recipient of the Best Female Athlete with a Disability ESPY Award. Long was also named to Sports Illustrated’s “World’s Best Female Athletes” list and was twice named “Disabled Swimmer of the Year” by Swimming World Magazine.

Grace Norman, Para Triathlon

A two-time Paralympian and three-time Paralympic medalist, Norman won silver at Tokyo 2020 plus a gold and a bronze at Rio 2016 as the youngest member of the para triathlon team. She made history in Rio as the first U.S. athlete to win gold during triathlon’s Paralympic debut. Norman later went on to become a four-time world champion (2016, 2017, 2022, 2023).

Born with congenital constriction band syndrome, Norman had her left leg amputated below the knee as a child. She competed in track and field and cross country in high school, where she became the first female amputee to finish on the podium at a high school track and field state championship.

Justin Phongsavanh, Para Track & Field

Phongsavanh made his debut at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021, earning himself a bronze medal in javelin throw F54.

In October 2015, Phongsavanh’s life changed when he and his friend were gunned down in a fast food parking lot, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. Originally involved in football, track and field, wrestling, and rugby in high school, he reached out to Adaptive Sports in Iowa and got involved in para track and field. Shortly after, he made the national team and has been representing Team USA ever since.

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