Tommy’s Coffee Break Calendar for February 23rd

Priscilla Presley got how much money...? -- Two classic rock guitarists share a birthday today...

2/23/1972 (44 years ago today) - Priscilla Presley finally moves out of the California home Elvis had purchased when they got married five years earlier. She hunkers down in a two bedroom apartment not far from the Pacific ocean, but the two were not formally divorced until October of 1973 -- she receives an outright cash settlement of $725,000, as well as child support, a percentage of The King's various "entertainment companies" and half the income from the sale of their Beverly Hills home. Interestingly, Priscilla's the one who comes to the rescue of the Presley estate (and more) after Elvis' passing -- it is she who turns Graceland into one of the most sought after tourist destinations in the world!

2/23/1944 - Born on this date, John Dawson Winter III, one of the greatest blues artists of all time, the legendary Johnny Winter. Best known for his blues-rock albums and live performances in the late 1960's and '70's, as well as producing three Grammy Award winning LP's for Muddy Waters; comes in at No. 63 in Rolling Stone magazine's "100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time". The early Seventies stuff on the Columbia label especially still sounds epic, fiery and fierce. Johnny died on July 16th, 2014, a couple of days after performing at a blues festival in Austria; he was 70 years old.

2/23/1952 - Happy Birthday to Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford, an original-and-still-with-the-band member whose hard driving rhythm guitar is often taken for granted behind Joe Perry's infamous lead licks; Brad turns 64 today. Underrated, but ultimately not overshadowed we like to think. With Steven Tyler, co-wrote the classics "Last Child", "Round And Round" and "Kings And Queens". Woof!

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"Gotta get back to the real nitty gritty...", xoxo!