News Segment
VH1 CLASSIC ASKS JOE LYNN TURNER TO BE GUEST DJ:
January 19, 2004
VH1 Classic Invites Former Deep Purple & Rainbow Vocalist as “Guest VJ” Weekend of January 31, 2004
NEW YORK, Jan 19, 2004—Singer Joe Lynn Turner (Deep Purple/Rainbow/Yngwie Malmsteen’s RisingForce) will be sharing compelling anecdotes and introducing classic pop and rock videos on cablechannel, VH1 Classic, starting at 6am January 31. When MTV first became popular back in the 80s,the “VJs” (“video jockeys”) often injected music news and interviews with artists between thevideos. On VH1 Classic, this tradition continues.
Turner’s guest VJ shift will appear in segments throughout the weekend. He’ll be joined by veteranVH1 personality, Amy Scott. Joe and Amy will talk about the vast variety of artists Joe hasrecorded with. Turner will reveal never-before-aired stories about his work with Ritchie Blackmore,Billy Joel, Cher, Lita Ford and Leslie West (Mountain) among others. Joe Lynn will give viewersinsight into the making of some of the videos he was in as a member of Rainbow, Deep Purple andYngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force. Fans will also be treated to vintage video clips from artists thatJoe has worked with. Scott and other VH1 staffers said that Joe’s stint was one of the best theyhave ever taped. Joe’s candidness, quick sense of humor and lack of typical “rock star ego” comesthrough in all the segments.
JLT first gained national attention as guitarist and singer with Fandango—a band with acritically-acclaimed eclectic sound that released several albums on RCA prior to 1981. As frontmanfor Rainbow and Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force during their most commercially successful years,Joe’s voice was heard on the AOR classics “Stone Cold,” “Street of Dreams,” and “Heaven Tonight.” Asa familiar face on MTV throughout the 80s, JLT provided the perfect foil both onstage and in thestudio for guitarists Ritchie Blackmore and Malmsteen. His 1985 solo album, “Rescue You” spawnedthe MTV video & CHR/AOR hit “Endlessly.” In the early 90s, Turner and Blackmore reunited in DeepPurple.
Turner has continued to record as a solo artist and with other acts, such as The Hughes TurnerProject (“HTP,” featuring former Deep Purple and Black Sabbath singer/bassist Glenn Hughes),Mother’s Army and Brazen Abbot. His CDs have topped the Airplay/Sales Charts in Japan and Europe.JLT is also one of the most in-demand, versatile session singers in the world. His resume includesappearances on albums by over 30 artists and numerous radio and TV commercials/promos. He and HTPcohort, Glenn Hughes, will hit the road soon for a tour of Japan and Europe to promote theirlatest “HTP2” release. Turner also has a new solo CD out—his 8th to date—simply titled, “JLT.”
Launched in May 2000, VH1 Classic is a 24-hour network that presents music videos, concerts andmusic specials featuring classic rock, soul and pop artists from the 60s, 70s and 80s. It’s oftendescribed as being close in format to the “old MTV” of the 80s.
Lisa Eichholzer-Walker courtesy of tothemax1.com