Tommy’s Coffee Break Calendar for August 19th

Well, today "It's a wrap" for a classic rock TV show, some neat  jukebox history, and a psycho-drummer's birthday, so look out...

8/19/1968 (47 years ago today) - After 58 episodes, the final Monkees TV show airs on NBC. In 1967, The Monkees won two Emmy awards including Outstanding Comedy Series and at the time, it was considered a major upset as it was going up against fellow nominees "The Andy Griffith Show", "Bewitched", "Get Smart" and "Hogan's Heroes". Almost frightening, really...

8/19/1988 (27 years ago today) - It's official (drum roll please....): the stats are in, and it turns out that the two most played jukebox songs of the machine's first hundred years are "Crazy" by Patsy Cline and Elvis' "Hound Dog". Gimme another dime, man.

8/19/1940 - Happy Birthday to temperamental percussionist extraordinaire, the one and only (definitely) legendary Ginger Baker, 75 years old today. Besides forming Cream (with Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce), Ginger also co-founded Blind Faith (with Clapton and Steve Winwood) and was a huge influence on getting World music out to the public long before anyone else, especially his use of African influences in rock which no one else was really doing back in the day; has also recorded with Gary Moore, Hawkwind, Public Image Ltd. and is famous for being...unpredictable. Amazing catalog of recordings to be sure; great to listen to, but no need to meet him.

Thoughts and comments on The Calendar? Leave 'em here on our web site and on the WBLM Facebook and Twitter pages with the hashtag #TommysCoffeeBreak.

"Just look over your shoulder/Guess who'll be standing there...", xoxo!