Bluesman Chick Willis Dies Aged 79

Influential American blues artist JOHN HAMMOND, whose six-decade career preserved and reinterpreted traditional blues for modern audiences, has died at the age of 83.

B.B. King's Blues Summit 100 Brings Together 40+ Artists in a 32-Track Celebration, Curated by Joe Bonamassa

A previously unreleased recording from the late Mike Finnigan has emerged, offering a powerful preview of a long awaited final statement from one of American music's most respected behind the scenes figures. My Credit Didn't Go Through is the first track released from Mike Finnigan, a posthumous, self titled album due on March 20 via Forty Below Records.

Peter McFarlane, the versatile drummer who anchored Finch, later known as Contraband, and who spent decades playing across genres and continents, has died on the Gold Coast following a recent stroke. He was a musician whose career moved from brass bands and orchestras, to pub rock stages and international festivals. He leaves a legacy of technical skill, adaptability, and quiet mentorship.

Vikki Thorn spent three decades shaping Australian folk-rock as one-third of The Waifs, and her solo project ThornBird confirms that her voice remains one of the most distinct in modern roots music. ThornBird will return to Victoria in February 2026 for a short run of Big Girl Pants shows.

Robert Plant stepped into the Tiny Desk space on a windy Halloween afternoon and immediately commented on the minimalist setup, telling the room that it reminded him of Live Aid, adding that he could not hear himself there either, because the format avoids amplified vocals and personal monitors. The limitation did nothing to unsettle him, because Plant has long embraced reinvention, moving from the power of Led Zeppelin to the refined folk, blues and roots recordings he has championed over recent decades.

Robert Finley will tour Australia for the first time in May 2026, marking a major chapter in a career that has grown across decades of hard work, steady reinvention and spiritual fire. The run is presented by Love Police, who have long championed artists who build their craft on soul, truth and lived experience. Finley, now 71, steps into Australia with the force of his new album Hallelujah! Don't Let The Devil Fool Ya, his fourth for Easy Eye Sound and a work that stands as his most personal statement.