June 1, 1975 – Ronnie Wood performs his first official gig as a Rolling Stones guitarist on his 28th birthday. June 1, 2008 – A massive fire at the 22,320-square-foot warehouse on the lot of Universal Studios Hollywood destroys thousands of master tapes including recordings by Aerosmith, Don Henley, the Eagles, Eric Clapton Joni Mitchell, Elton John, … Continue reading CDJ Today: June 1 in Classic Rock →

In the spring of 1973, the Grateful Dead was universally praised for delivering a consistently spectacular series of performances. The band was dialed in for the season’s final five shows, including back-to-back nights at RFK Stadium, co-headlining with the Allman Brothers Band. Without a doubt, the June 10 finale belongs on the shortlist of must-hear … Continue reading Grateful Dead ‘Here Comes the Sunshine 1973’ Due Out June 30 →

May 1, 1967 – Elvis Presley (32) marries Priscilla Beaulieu (21) at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas. This was the first marriage for them both and the only time Elvis was officially married.  The cake cost $3200, which at the time was more than the price of an average car.  The only celebrity guest was comedian Redd … Continue reading CDJ Today: May 1 in Classic Rock →

December 3, 1979 – Eleven fans are trampled to death at a Who concert at the Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati.  Another 26 fans are injured.  At 7:05, after the Who had finished their sound check, a paltry 5 of the Coliseum’s 134 doors were opened, because only nine ticket takers had been hired.  The Coliseum said enlisting ushers would be … Continue reading CDJ Today: December 3 in Classic Rock →

Jerry Lee Lewis has died at the age of 87, according to a statement on his official website. Jerry Lee Lewis was a rock and roll pioneer, beginning his career at the age of 14 and going on to influence generations of artists who followed. He recorded 40 studio albums in his lifetime, and was … Continue reading Jerry Lee Lewis Dies at Age 87 →

Call him Sir Paul, call him “the cute one,” call him Percy Thrillington… Whatever you call him, there’s no denying that Paul McCartney is a living legend. And today (June 18, 2022), that living legend turns 80. There are few (if any) people in rock and roll history whose careers have rivaled McCartney’s — in … Continue reading 25 Most Essential Paul McCartney Songs →

When it comes to the holidays, older really is better.  Aside from Twisted Sister’s 2006 version of “Oh Come All Ye Faithful,” all of the songs on of list of the top 15 classic rock Christmas songs have been out for at least two decades, and in the case of Chuck Berry, six decades!  But … Continue reading Top 15 Classic Rock Christmas Songs →

Watching the “In Memoriam” segment of this year’s Grammy Awards show really shook me.  Not only because we’ve lost so many great artists in the last year, but also because of how many of those artists had touched my life.  Somehow, I was lucky enough to meet and/or work with many of the people listed.  … Continue reading In Memoriam: Personal Stories with Five Greats Who Passed This Year →

In the wake of the recent Grammy scandal (if you’re not up on it, keep reading), we must ask ourselves… how did it happen? And what does a Grammy even mean anymore? In 1969 when I first started in the music business, the two big award shows were the Oscars and the Grammy Awards.  As … Continue reading Grammy Scandal: What Happened to Music’s Biggest Night? →

The Rolling Stones may release their new studio album next year, Ronnie Wood told The Sun in a recent interview. The 72-year-old guitarist revealed to the UK publication’s Bizarre column that the band still has to “put the missing pieces together” but “hope to release it in 2020”. Wood also said that the band will … Continue reading Rolling Stones Hope to Release New Album in 2020, Says Ronnie Wood →

I’ve just seen the most remarkable rock documentary, which I think may be my favorite so far.  Bill Wyman’s, The Quiet One, available on Amazon and a few other streaming services. I am actually writing this review on an airplane flying home from visiting family in southern California for Thanksgiving, and I’ve literally just seen … Continue reading Bill Wyman The Quiet One – An Extraordinary Film With A Remarkable Perspective →

Paul McCartney dropped two new songs today – “Home Tonight” and “In a Hurry” – in advance of their release as a double A-side picture disc single for Record Store Day’s Black Friday on November 29, 2019. Both songs were recorded with producer Greg Kurstin for the chart-topping Egypt Station in 2018 but were ultimately … Continue reading Listen: Paul McCartney Releases Two New Songs →