Johnny was thrilled to participate (as lead vocalist no less!) on Alex Call’s ‘Peace and Happiness Project’. If you’re not familiar with him, Alex was not just lead vocalist for his and Huey’s band, Clover, back in the seventies, but also responsible for penning many hits in the eighties we know and love, including “Livin’ In A Perfect World” for Huey and The News! Alex did a wonderful remake for all the right reasons, and the hope is it goes all the way to Playing for Change, another extraordinarily worthwhile cause! Watch video.

The HALL Cabernet Cookoff returns on Saturday, April 22, 2023!

Known as Napa’s most competitive and exciting food and wine pairing competition, the Cabernet Cookoff invites chef teams from all over the country to create a dish that pairs with a HALL Cabernet Sauvignon to benefit a charity of their choice. Each year, a panel of celebrity judges and hundreds of food and wine lovers vote for the best pairing. 100% of event proceeds benefit non-profit 501c3 organizations that the winning chef teams compete for. With two ticket options offered, VIP Ticket & Main Event Ticket, guests are invited to indulge, imbibe and enjoy a diverse menu of culinary delights with many surprises in store. Purchase tickets.

It’s time to change musical theatre history as Back to the Future the Musical arrives at the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway!

Welcome to Hill Valley! When Marty McFly finds himself transported back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, he accidentally changes the course of history. Now he’s in a race against time to fix the present, escape the past and send himself… back to the future.

Back to the Future the Musical won the Olivier Award for Best New Musical, four WhatsOnStage Awards, including Best New Musical, and the Broadway World Award for Best New Musical. The productions in London and Manchester have so far been seen by half a million people and the musical has broken box office records at the Adelphi Theatre.

Based on the Universal Pictures/Amblin Entertainment film, Back to the Future the Musical has a book by Bob Gale and new music and lyrics by Emmy and Grammy Award-winning Alan Silvestri and six-time Grammy Award-winning Glen Ballard, with additional songs from the film including “The Power of Love” and “Johnny B. Goode”.

Johnny ran one in the end zone this past Sunday, performing our National Anthem in front of 65,000-plus San Francisco 49ers fans. Word has it he wore his original ‘News’ jacket, and crammed his feet into his HLN ‘beatle boots’ for the first time in over four years!!!!!

Huey: “Our long-time substitute sound mixer, Jimmy Mathews, died Wednesday.
He worked with us when our regular beloved sound mixer, and first ever hire, Jim Bugsy Moran, couldn’t make the gig. Jimmy was a pro, and mixed sound for many other great artists. He was proficient, pleasant, extremely capable, deferent, and a great mixer. He will be remembered. Heaven just got more kick drum.”

HLN’s own “Johnny Colla and The Sports Section Horns” had the  honor of performing our National Anthem at Oracle Park in SF this past Saturday, retiring Will ‘The Thrill’ Clark’s # 22. Huey was also in attendance to announce The Giants starting line-up, and who knows? Maybe next time around he’ll conduct the section! watch video

Former Suisun City resident Johnny Colla and the rest of Huey Lewis and the News jammed with the Grateful Dead on March 12, 1988, at the San Francisco Civic Auditorium. The occasion was the Bay Area Music Awards, also known as the Bammies.

The Grateful Dead’s 1987 album “In The Dark” cleaned up at the Bammies that year. The awards they collected included Best Album, Best Bassist (Phil Lesh), Best Drummer (Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann), and Best Guitarist (Jerry Garcia). Garcia also took home the Musician of the Year award.

The all-star jam session included two tunes the Dead had covered on studio/live albums, Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl” and Bobby “Blue” Bland’s “Turn on Your Love Light.” The two bands were also joined by John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival for the encore, rock ‘n’ roll legend Little Richard’s “Long Tall Sally.” It featured Colla adding a wailing sax solo.

Johnny Colla: I remember having mixed feelings about jamming with the Grateful Dead. On the one hand, at the time their cult status was increasing exponentially, so I figured this meeting would most likely end up being one for the history books. On the other, I wasn’t really a Dead fan myself. I think what convinced me to do it was how important it was for Huey’s mom, who was an original Deadhead, plus the fact that we were going to play “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl,” stepping way back in time when Pigpen was still an integral part of the band (and when I actually was a fan of the band!). Huey absolutely knocked that tune out of the park, channeling both Pigpen and Sonny Boy Williamson! read full article

The film is called “Wings Over Water,” and it carries a conservation message about the importance of prairie wetlands in conserving bird populations. It will debut Friday at the Rangos Giant Cinema at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Lewis thought so much of the film that he came to Pittsburgh to promote it. He explained to the Tribune-Review on Thursday that he is a conservationist at heart. That’s what led to his involvement with “Wings Over Water” and his decision to let the producers use “The Power of Love” in the documentary. read more

On Sunday in London, Back To The Future Musical won ‘Best New Musical’ at the Olivier Awards. That’s great news since both HLN songs are included in the show, “Power of Love” and “Back In Time.” The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognize excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. See the trailer here.

Huey discusses music, growing up in Marin and helping those less furtunate in this interview in Marin Living magazine. Read the full article.