March 23, 2026 - 70 views
Written by Tina Houser
The hair is shorter, the jeans a little more lived-in, and the stages swapped from mirrored platforms to wide-open festivals. But the sound? The sound still hits like glam thunder.
Patrick Stone and Richie Onari of Sweet joined The Don and Dean Baldwin in a candid Press Play interview that quickly transformed from a chat into a mission statement. At the center of the conversation? The new single, “Little Miracle.” And from the moment Dean dropped the needle, one thing was clear — Sweet isn’t clinging to nostalgia. They’re evolving the DNA of one of rock’s most underrated juggernauts.
“We wanted to show Sweet thinking in the future,” Richie said, explaining the sonic direction. “This is the 21st-century Sweet.” With a lineup forged under the blessing — and dying wish — of original bassist and co-founder Steve Priest, this version of Sweet isn’t about tribute. It’s about continuation. “We’re out here doing it for him,” Patrick added. “How can you sleep at night without fulfilling that request?”
The song itself — rich with harmonies, power-chord precision, and a touch of punky defiance — feels less like a comeback and more like a rightful reclamation. “That’s what was so amazing about the original Sweet,” Richie continued. “There were no limits. Horns? Synths? Grit? Do it all.” And they are. But make no mistake: this is not a nostalgia act. This is a band embracing its legacy while refusing to be confined by it.
Dean lit a fuse under the conversation when he brought up the firestorm surrounding legacy acts — particularly when old members aren’t part of the picture. Patrick didn’t flinch. “If it hadn’t been for Steve’s wishes, we wouldn’t be doing it,” he said. “This version is the one he launched. We were his partners, not his side guys.”
The band talked openly about the other iteration of Sweet — the UK version fronted by original guitarist Andy Scott — with respect, but with a clear focus on their own path. “We hail Andy Scott,” Patrick offered. “But we’re carrying on what Steve started in America.”
And that American story? It’s loud. It’s proud. It’s real rock and roll. From South America with Journey to the Canadian provinces and on down through Nashville and the Dells, Sweet is touring like a band with something to prove — and a legacy to preserve. Upcoming shows include dates with April Wine, UB40, Bachman Turner Overdrive, and Missing Persons. They’ll hit Toronto’s Sotheby’s Stadium and play the Unity Peace and Freedom Festival before circling back to California and the Midwest.
The guys lit up when talking harmonies — the not-so-secret sauce behind songs like “Fox on the Run.” “We’ve got four lead vocalists up there every night,” Patrick said. “We were coached to do it properly by Steve himself.” Richie added, “When Dave Schultz laid down the high part on ‘Little Miracle,’ it was magic. He’s part of this band, and fans hear that Sweet signature harmony instantly.”
And they don’t shy away from those original songs. In fact, they treat them like holy scripture. “We know people associate memories with those songs,” Dean said, “and for a lot of us, Sweet was the gateway drug to rock and roll.” Patrick shared his own, childhood memory of flipping through his sister’s record collection — Desolation Boulevard, Tattoo You, Supertramp — and waking up to “some more Sweet” only to discover it was Queen. That lineage? It’s real. And Sweet helped write the blueprint.
Richie even shared the surreal moment of representing the band at the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 red carpet — standing alone in the Kodak Theatre when the entire cast took the stage… to “Fox on the Run.” “It could’ve been any song,” he said. “But they chose that one. And in that moment, Sweet was back on top.”
For the skeptics clinging to the past? Dean summed it up best: “Let bands carry the torch. Let fans decide.” And if “Little Miracle” is any indicator, fans are deciding loud and clear.
Watch the full interview at: Steve Priest’s Final Blessing… The Sweet’s Emotional Comeback Will Leave You Speechless - Press Play Radio
Learn more about Sweet’s music, tour dates, and more — at: https://mosaic.pressplay.me/profiles/the-sweet
Listen for “Little Miracle” now spinning on Press Play Radio.
Write a letter to The Sweet: https://pressplay.me/artist-letter/the-sweet
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