VANCOUVER, Canada (Top40 Charts/
Heart Official Website) - This year continues to be the one where the formidable legacy of the rock band
Heart coalesces into multi-generational recognition of their legendary stature and considerable and enduring influence. And bringing further power to the process is the publication by ECW Press this month of the book "Heart: In The Studio" by Jake Brown.
Heart's Ann and Nancy Wilson contributed exclusive interviews to the book, which as its title implies concentrates on the creation of their 30 million selling catalog of classic albums and such timeless hits as "Crazy on You," "Magic Man," "Barracuda," "Straight On," "These Dreams," "Alone" and others. The author also spoke with longtime Heart guitarist Howard Leese as well as producers Mike Flicker, Ron Nevison, Keith Olsen and Ritchie Zito to grant readers a genuine behind-the-scenes look at the artistry, creativity and craft that results in a musical legacy with eternal appeal and fostered Heart's status as groundbreaking rock music icons.
"Heart: In The Studio" also provides a key to understanding why Heart remains "a vital and creative rock'n'roll unit and a force to be reckoned with," as All Music Guide said of their last studio album in 2004, Jupiter's Darling, whose re-release this month coincides with the publication of the biography. Readers of the book will be able to also enjoy the landmark music whose creation it documents with the May release by Epic/Legacy of a two-fer package of the band's multimillion selling albums Little Queen (1977) and Dog & Butterfly (1979) as part of the debut of the X2 series and on July 8 another Heart package that contains 14 of their biggest and most beloved songs in the bow of Epic/Legacy's Playlist line.
This year has also seen high-profile evidence of Heart's continuing appeal to and inspiration for new generations of music fans and performers. Ann & Nancy Wilson's performance of "Barracuda" with contemporary superstar Fergie on the recent "Idol Gives Back" charity TV special was one of the hit segments of the event, and their songs remain favorites with "American Idol" competitors like last season's finalist Carly Smithson, who names the band as her top influence. And Ann Wilson has recently been writing songs for the red-hot pop star and actress duo Ally & AJ, who have often been compared in the media to the Wilson sisters.
As Heart hit the road on a three-month national tour with Journey and Cheap Trick to demonstrate the band's continuing potency in live performance, their biographer Jake Brown recently noted what many of Heart's fans and followers have also been feeling: "Heart has had its due coming for a long time now, and hopefully the next year will see their much-deserved induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame."
Heart 2008 Tour Dates:
July 9 Denver, CO Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre
July 11 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre
July 12 Lake Tahoe, NV Harvey's Lake Resort
July 15 San Diego, CA Coors Amphitheatre
July 16 Los Angeles, CA Verizon Amphitheatre
July 18 Las Vegas, NV Mandalay Bay Arena
July 20 Altoona, IA Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino
July 22 Council Bluffs, IA Mid American Center
July 23 Oklahoma City, OK Zoo Amphitheatre
July 25 San Antonio, TX Verizon Amphitheatre
July 26 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
July 27 Dallas, TX Superpages.com Amphitheatre
July 30 Tampa, FL Ford Amphitheatre
July 31 West Palm Beach, FL Sound Advice Amphitheatre
August 2 Charlotte, NC Verizon Amphitheatre
August 3 & 4 Atlanta, GA Chastain
August 6 Orange Beach, FL The Amphitheare @The Wharf
August 7 New Orleans, LA House of Blues (Heart solo show)
August 9 Nashville, TN Wild Horse Saloon (Heart solo show)
August 10 Raleigh, NC Walnut Creek
August 12 Virginia Beach, VA Verizon Amphitheatre
August 14 Wantagh, NY Nikon at Jones Beach
August 16 Scranton, PA Toyota Amphitheater
August 17 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun
August 19 Boston. MA Tweeter Center
August 21 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
August 23 Syracuse, NY New York State Fair
August 24 Saratoga, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center
August 26 Camden, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center
August 27 Washington, DC Nissan Pavilion
August 28 Hershey, PA Hersheypark Pavilion
August 30 Bethel Woods, NY Bethel Woods
September 3 Manchester, NH Verizon Theatre
September 5 Toronto, ONT Molsen Amphitheatre
September 6 Cleveland, OH Blossom Amphitheatre
September 7 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
September 9 Detroit, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre
September 10 Indianapolis, IN Verizon Amphitheatre
September 12 Chicago, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
September 13 St. Louis, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre St. Louis
September 19 Seattle, WA White River Amphitheatre
September 21 Portland, OR Clark County Amphitheare
September 24 Concord, CA Sleep Train Pavilion at Concord
September 26 Sacramento, CA Sleep Train Pavilion at Sacramento
September 27 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
September 30 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre
