Natalie Cole shares the story of the medical crises that led to her kidney transplant -- and the woman who became her donor -- in her new book Love Brought Me Back. The nine-time Grammy winner is revealing and candid as she explains how a reckless lifestyle, including heroin abuse, helped bring on a near-fatal case of Hepatitis C. It becomes a story of gratitude amidst grief. While telling her story, which coincides with the death of Natalie's beloved sister, we also learn about the woman who became her donor -- through the words of a sister.

Cole compares the twin tales to the movie Crash -- with strangers brought together by circumstance and a poignant ending with survivors losing dear ones.

Paul McCartney is back in stores today with yet another reissue of his 1975 album, Band on the Run. Taking full advantage of the digital marketplace, the acclaimed album -- which originally sold seven-million vinyl copies -- is available in several configurations with bonus audio and video content.

Along with the nine-track "standard edition," the other choices include:

• A three-disc "special edition," adding the separate single release "Helen Wheels," and a DVD with footage of the McCartneys in Nigeria during the recording session, the famous album cover shoot, original Band on the Run promotional videos, and the One Hand Clapping TV special (with studio performances shot at Abbey Road in 1974).
• The four-disc (three-CD, plus DVD) "deluxe edition" adds a 120-page hard bound book containing many unseen and unpublished photos by Linda McCartney and Clive Arrowsmith, album and single artwork, downloadable hi-res audio versions of the re-mastered album and bonus audio tracks, a new interview with Paul and expanded track-by-track information for all four discs. The deluxe edition also includes the Band on the Run audio documentary first produced for its 25th anniversary.
• Both the standard and deluxe versions of Band on the Run will be available digitally worldwide.

The Tokens are celebrating the first of a pair of 50th anniversaries coming over the next year. In 1960, the Brooklyn, New York group recorded "Tonight, I Fell in Love." Co-founder Phil Margo still recalls his delight in seeing a first pressing of the 45 -- but then worrying if the song would be successful. Following that breakthrough, they moved to RCA in 1961, where they put a pop spin on a South African folk song, re-inventing it as "The Lion Sleeps Tonight."

Having recorded one of the most recognized number-ones of the '60s, Phil admits "there's talk" about reuniting all three surviving Tokens. But there are also hard feelings -- as they compete with Jay Siegel's Tokens, featuring the group's original lead tenor.

The Doobie Brothers' new album, World Gone Crazy, is also available in a deluxe edition that comes with two bonus tracks and documentary DVD. Guitarist John McFee tells us, "It's got some cool old footage and new stuff and footage of us in the recording process from the new album."

The Doobies are on a European tour with a show in Denmark tonight. They start a run of U.S. dates on November 11th in Florida.

Eric Clapton will release the DVD of this year's Crossroads Festival on November 9th. Filmed in high def, it's a two-disc set with four hours of highlights from the all-day festival outside Chicago this past June. And if you buy it at Best Buy, you'll get a bonus disc of 30 minutes of additional material, including an interview with Clapton and more performances, including Clapton and Steve Winwood doing "Glad."

Other artists who performed at this year's festival included Jeff Beck, ZZ Top, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, John Mayer, Sheryl Crow, Vince Gill, Ron Wood and Jonny Lang.

Elton John is not a fan of today's songwriters and talent shows like American Idol. He tells Britain's Radio Times magazine, "It's important [that pop stars] write their own songs, so they're not at the mercy of anyone... Songwriters today are pretty awful, which is why everything sounds the same."

And about talent shows, he says, "I probably wouldn't have lasted if I'd gone on one. I was asked to judge American Idol. I couldn't do it because I won't slag anyone off. Also I don't want to be on television. It's become boring, arse-paralysingly brain crippling."

Yesterday, Elton released The Union, his album with Leon Russell. They' appeared on ABC's Good Morning America this morning.

Chicago will tour Australia later this month and into November with Peter Frampton and America. They've also announced their first string of dates for next year -- in January in the Midwest and May in the Northeast.

The Beatles are back in stores today with re-mastered versions of their 1973 compilations -- 1962--1966 ("Red") and 1967-1970 ("Blue"). Both double-CD sets contain expanded booklets with a new essay and rare photos.

On November 9th, EMI/Apple will release four collectible Beatles tins. Each contains a single from the "Red" and "Blue" collections -- "Can't Buy Me Love," "Yesterday," "The Long and Winding Road" and "A Hard Day's Night" -- and comes with a T-shirt, a die-cast miniature taxi and a single sleeve wall plaque with the single's artwork.