{"id":137687,"date":"2026-07-27T12:52:21","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T17:52:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=137687"},"modified":"2026-07-27T12:52:43","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T17:52:43","slug":"new-crack-the-sky-album-blessed-to-receive-physical-release-worldwide-august-21-2026-breaking-music-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=137687","title":{"rendered":"New Crack The Sky Album &#8220;Blessed&#8221; To Receive Physical Release Worldwide August 21, 2026 &#8211; Breaking Music News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1545664804358300\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block; text-align: center;\" data-ad-layout=\"in-article\" data-ad-format=\"fluid\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1545664804358300\" data-ad-slot=\"8616314829\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=137687\" rel=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=137687\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-137688 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mail-11-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mail-11-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mail-11-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mail-11.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>20TH STUDIO ALBUM BY THE PROGRESSIVE ROCK BAND<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;KISS THE DOG&#8221; MUSIC VIDEO PREMIERES AUGUST 3<\/p>\n<p>CRACK THE SKY PLAYED THIS YEAR&#8217;S CRUISE TO THE EDGE<\/p>\n<p>UPCOMING APPEARANCE AT PROGSTOCK 2026<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;There are some of us out here who live in fear and pain. Others, in peace and calm. Those others are the truly blessed.&#8221; \u2013 John Palumbo<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>Crack The Sky&#8217;s 20th studio album, Blessed, carries their unmistakable sound: intelligent lyrics, inventive arrangements, dueling lead guitars, stop-start rhythms, melodies that linger long after the album ends, and a sense of humor that never undercuts emotional impact. Blessed has thus far only been available on streaming services and as a limited-edition CD-R. Blessed is now receiving a full worldwide retail release on CD from Iconoclassic Records on August 21, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>The band celebrates its 50th anniversary with four of its five original members intact: songwriter and frontman John Palumbo \u2013 whose unmistakable creative vision has made Crack The Sky one of rock&#8217;s most enduring treasures \u2013 guitarist Rick Witkowski, and the locked rhythm section of Joe Macre (bass) and Joey D&#8217;Amico (drums). Guitarist Bobby Hird&#8217;s Crack The Sky tenure spans 40+ years, and debuting keyboardist Bill Hubauer (of the Neal Morse Band) adds another dimension with his virtuosic solos. &#8220;I don&#8217;t think that this record could be titled any better than simply Blessed,&#8221; asserts Hird. &#8220;We really got to dig in and being in the same room, recording live, and bouncing ideas off each other was just wonderful. Just a great experience and we feel that the end product speaks for itself.&#8221; Blessed plays as the work of artists who continue to challenge themselves creatively while never losing sight of their history. &#8220;To be able to release a new and relevant album 50 years from our original debut is nothing less than \u2018Blessed,'&#8221; believes Witkowski, who also produced the album.<\/p>\n<p>2026 is a particularly busy year for Crack The Sky. Headline dates are bookended with an acclaimed performance on Cruise To The Edge in March and upcoming appearance at ProgStock 2026 in October. John Palumbo&#8217;s socially conscious solo album (and Iconoclassic Records debut), R U SCIENCE? was released this May; Crack The Sky&#8217;s Bobby Hird and Joe Macre perform throughout the record. Simultaneously, Palumbo published his book, Swimming the Cleveland Ocean, a work of absurdist fiction. CRACK THE SKY: 50th Anniversary Documentary (A Film by Duane Tudahl) was successfully funded through Kickstarter and is in production.<\/p>\n<p>Emerging from the industrial town of Weirton, West Virginia, in the early 1970s, Crack The Sky burst onto the progressive rock scene with a unique blend of power-pop hooks, hard-rock guitar riffs, and quirky lyrics. Their debut album, released in 1975, was hailed by Rolling Stone as the &#8220;debut album of the year,&#8221; cementing their status as a rising star in the genre.<\/p>\n<p>Led by the songwriting prowess of John Palumbo and the guitar virtuosity of Rick Witkowski and Bobby Hird, Crack The Sky quickly established themselves as innovators within the progressive rock landscape. Their music drew inspiration from a diverse range of influences, including the Beatles, Yes, King Crimson, Genesis, and James Brown, resulting in a sound that was both familiar and groundbreaking.<\/p>\n<p>Crack The Sky&#8217;s first three albums charted on the Billboard 200, and they toured extensively with prominent acts like Frank Zappa, ELO, Rush, Kansas, and Supertramp. Their live performances were renowned for their energy and precision, earning them a reputation as one of the most dynamic and exciting bands on the circuit.<\/p>\n<p>Despite challenges and setbacks over the decades, Crack The Sky has remained a consistent force. Their enduring appeal lies in their ability to combine technical proficiency with catchy melodies and thought-provoking lyrics. Today, they continue experimenting with new sounds and styles, proving their creative spirit remains as vibrant as ever.<\/p>\n<p>BLESSED (Iconoclassic Records ICON 1097)<br \/>\nImagination<br \/>\nKiss The Dog<br \/>\nBlessed<br \/>\nStare<br \/>\nMojo Man<br \/>\nBrain Police<br \/>\nI Can&#8217;t Walk On Water<br \/>\nHow Can You Sleep?<br \/>\nLittle Men With Big Guitars<br \/>\nThe Dance<br \/>\nArtificial Man<br \/>\nIt&#8217;s All In My Head<br \/>\nAir Strike<br \/>\nCrack The Sky is:<br \/>\nJohn Palumbo &#8211; Lead Vocals and Guitar<br \/>\nRick Witkowski &#8211; Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar and Backing Vocals<br \/>\nBobby Hird &#8211; Lead Guitar, Acoustic, Slide, Dobro and Backing Vocals<br \/>\nJoe D&#8217;Amico &#8211; Drums<br \/>\nJoe Macre &#8211; Basses<br \/>\nBill Hubauer &#8211; Piano, Keyboards and Backing Vocals<\/p>\n<p>Pre-order &#8220;Blessed&#8221;:<\/p>\n<p>Amazon preorder: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Blessed-Crack-Sky\/dp\/B0GX7N4379\">https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Blessed-Crack-Sky\/dp\/B0GX7N4379<\/a><br \/>\nLabel preorder: <a href=\"https:\/\/iconoclassicrecords.com\/album\/blessed\/\">https:\/\/iconoclassicrecords.com\/album\/blessed\/<\/a><br \/>\nIndependent retail preorder: <a href=\"https:\/\/recordstoreday.com\/UPC\/990481103478\">https:\/\/recordstoreday.com\/UPC\/990481103478<\/a><\/p>\n<p>For more information:<\/p>\n<p>YouTube: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/cracktheskychannel\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/cracktheskychannel<\/a><br \/>\nX: <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CrackTheSky1975\">https:\/\/x.com\/CrackTheSky1975<\/a><br \/>\nInstagram: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/cracktheskyofficial\/\">https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/cracktheskyofficial\/<\/a><br \/>\nWebsite:<a href=\"https:\/\/crackthesky.com\/\"> https:\/\/crackthesky.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Iconoclassic Records:<br \/>\nFacebook: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/iconoclassicrecords\">https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/iconoclassicrecords<\/a><br \/>\nInstagram:<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/iconoclassicrecords\"> https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/iconoclassicrecords<\/a><br \/>\nX: <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/iconoclassicCDs\">https:\/\/x.com\/iconoclassicCDs<\/a><br \/>\nYouTube: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@iconoclassicrecords\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@iconoclassicrecords<\/a><br \/>\nWebsite: <a href=\"https:\/\/iconoclassicrecords.com\">https:\/\/iconoclassicrecords.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"360 Conversation With Singer &amp; Songwriter Russ Ballard: Music, 1960&#039;s, Miami Vice, Humanity &amp; More\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6pEli_4F6wo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; color: #808000;\"><a style=\"color: #808000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.authorhouse.com\/en\/bookstore\/bookdetails\/232300-BOXING-INTERVIEWS-OF-A-LIFETIME\">Click Here to Order Boxing Interviews Of A Lifetime By &#8220;Bad&#8221; Brad Berkwitt<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"wpforms-container wpforms-container-full\" id=\"wpforms-126533\"><form id=\"wpforms-form-126533\" class=\"wpforms-validate wpforms-form wpforms-ajax-form\" data-formid=\"126533\" method=\"post\" enctype=\"multipart\/form-data\" action=\"\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F137687\" data-token=\"56ffaab4a5fe9b82009762e1fcd46887\" data-token-time=\"1785183794\"><noscript class=\"wpforms-error-noscript\">Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.<\/noscript><div class=\"wpforms-field-container\"><div id=\"wpforms-126533-field_1-container\" class=\"wpforms-field wpforms-field-name\" data-field-id=\"1\"><label class=\"wpforms-field-label\">Name <span class=\"wpforms-required-label\">*<\/span><\/label><div class=\"wpforms-field-row wpforms-field-medium\"><div class=\"wpforms-field-row-block wpforms-first wpforms-one-half\"><input type=\"text\" id=\"wpforms-126533-field_1\" class=\"wpforms-field-name-first wpforms-field-required\" name=\"wpforms[fields][1][first]\" required><label for=\"wpforms-126533-field_1\" class=\"wpforms-field-sublabel after\">First<\/label><\/div><div class=\"wpforms-field-row-block wpforms-one-half\"><input type=\"text\" id=\"wpforms-126533-field_1-last\" class=\"wpforms-field-name-last wpforms-field-required\" name=\"wpforms[fields][1][last]\" required><label for=\"wpforms-126533-field_1-last\" class=\"wpforms-field-sublabel after\">Last<\/label><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"wpforms-126533-field_2-container\" class=\"wpforms-field wpforms-field-email\" data-field-id=\"2\"><label class=\"wpforms-field-label\" for=\"wpforms-126533-field_2\">Email <span class=\"wpforms-required-label\">*<\/span><\/label><input type=\"email\" id=\"wpforms-126533-field_2\" class=\"wpforms-field-medium wpforms-field-required\" name=\"wpforms[fields][2]\" spellcheck=\"false\" required><\/div>\t\t<div id=\"wpforms-126533-field_4-container\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"wpforms-field wpforms-field-text\"\n\t\t\tdata-field-type=\"text\"\n\t\t\tdata-field-id=\"4\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<label class=\"wpforms-field-label\" for=\"wpforms-126533-field_4\" >Name Email Message<\/label>\n\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" id=\"wpforms-126533-field_4\" class=\"wpforms-field-medium\" name=\"wpforms[fields][4]\" >\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div id=\"wpforms-126533-field_3-container\" class=\"wpforms-field wpforms-field-textarea\" data-field-id=\"3\"><label class=\"wpforms-field-label\" for=\"wpforms-126533-field_3\">Comment or Message<\/label><textarea id=\"wpforms-126533-field_3\" class=\"wpforms-field-medium\" name=\"wpforms[fields][3]\" ><\/textarea><\/div><script>\n\t\t\t\t( function() {\n\t\t\t\t\tconst style = document.createElement( 'style' );\n\t\t\t\t\tstyle.appendChild( document.createTextNode( '#wpforms-126533-field_4-container { position: absolute !important; 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MUSIC VIDEO PREMIERES AUGUST 3 CRACK THE SKY PLAYED THIS YEAR&#8217;S CRUISE TO THE EDGE UPCOMING APPEARANCE AT PROGSTOCK 2026 &#8220;There are some of us out here who live in fear and pain. Others, in peace and calm. Those others are the truly blessed.&#8221; [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":137688,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":2,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17984],"tags":[35507,35630],"class_list":["post-137687","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment-news","tag-2026-breaking-music-news","tag-new-crack-the-sky-album-blessed-to-receive-physical-release-worldwide-august-21"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/137687","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=137687"}],"version-history":[{"count":-3,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/137687\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/137688"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=137687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=137687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=137687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}