US music legend in talks to play Glastonbury for first time 17 years after previous appearance at festival fell through
THE clock is ticking for Glastonbury’s organisers after they were forced to go back to the drawing board on their final headliner.
Now I can reveal that the scramble to replace him is over, with festival boss Emily Eavis preparing to drop the line-up in the coming days.
Some legends have been dropping out of the reckoning, but there are more big names being tapped up to join the bill — with Motown legend Smokey Robinson among those on the list.
During an exclusive interview with Bizarre’s Howell Davies at Elton John‘s Oscars party in Los Angeles on Sunday, the soul veteran was quizzed on when he will next perform here.
Smokey, who turned 84 last month, said: “We’ve been talking about that for the past two weeks — probably soon.”
Pushed on whether an appearance at Glastonbury could be on the cards, he continued: “That’s one of the things we’ve been talking about.”
Smokey, who said he would “absolutely” love to take to the stage there, added: “I love the UK, man. We’ve had some of our greatest times in the UK.”
Despite a career spanning seven decades, Smokey has never played at Somerset’s Worthy Farm.
In 2007, organiser Michael Eavis said he was “set to confirm an appearance,” but it didn’t end up happening.
Smokey started his career as a Motown songwriter and went on to have huge success with The Miracles on songs such as The Tears Of A Clown and The Tracks Of My Tears, before launching a solo career.
He still performs regularly across North America but if he does sign up, it will be his first UK performance since Radio 2 Live In Hyde Park in 2013.
Glastonbury usually has the best line-up and atmosphere of any festival around the world bar none.
As we have revealed, Coldplay and Dua Lipa are topping the bill on two days while country-pop star Shania Twain is booked for the Sunday afternoon legends’ slot.
Someone needs to pass Emily a very large glass of wine, and make sure she goes for a long lie down, when she gets the final line-up nailed.