December 25, 1981 – The J. Geils Band play two Christmas concerts for prisoners at Boston’s Norfolk Correctional facility. Lead singer Peter Wolf tells his captive audience, “We wanna be the first to buy you all a free drink on the outside.”

Classic Rock Birthdays

December 25, 1940 – Pete Brown, musician and songwriter (Cream) (d. 2023)
December 25, 1944 – Henry Vestine, guitar (Canned Heat) (d. 1997)
December 25, 1945 – Noel Redding (born David Noel Redding), bass (The Jimi Hendrix Experience) (d. 2003)
December 25, 1946 – Jimmy Buffet, vocals, guitar (d. 2023)
December 25, 1954 – Robin Campbell, vocals, guitar (UB40)
December 25, 1958 – Alannah Myles, vocals

Rock Remembrances

December 25, 2011 – Jim “Motorhead” Sherwood (born Euclid James Sherwood), saxophonist and vocalist for Frank Zappa’s Mothers Of Invention, dies from a brain tumor. He was 69. Jim was given the nickname “Motorhead” because of his talent in repairing cars and motorcycles.

December 25, 2006 – James Brown, the “Godfather of Soul”, dies from congestive heart failure in Atlanta, GA.  He was 73. Brown was known for his raucous live performances and had so many songs on the charts that he was  ranked #1 of the Top 500 R&B Artists for the years 1942-2010. He was also one of the first ten inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. Brown led quite a turbulent life – he was in and out of jail numerous times, fathered at least 12 children, was married four times, and was repeatedly arrested for domestic violence assaults – but continued his grueling performance schedule through it all.