Tommy’s Coffee Break Calendar for February 2nd

A last ever gig -- A new lead singer for an old band -- A birthday for a somewhat underrated Brit singer/songwriter...

2/02/1959 (57 years ago today) - Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and The Big Bopper all appeared at The Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. It turns out to be the final concert performance for all three acts -- the tragic plane crash that takes their lives happens the following day.

2/02/1976 (40 years ago today) - Has it been that long? Genesis release their seventh studio album "A Trick Of The Tail"; it's the first to feature drummer Phil Collins as full-time lead vocalist after the departure of original front man Peter Gabriel. The band notoriously auditioned over 400(!) singers to replace Gabriel -- it was Collins who had to teach the bands songs to these potential new lead vocalists, and in the process it became evident to the rest of the group that, yes indeed, it was Phil himself who should take over the job.

2/02/1942 - Happy Birthday to Graham Nash, 74 years old today -- Was originally part of the first British Invasion of the Sixties as a vocalist-songwriter with The Hollies -- later on, hit super-stardom in the Seventies as part of Crosby, Stills & Nash (& Young). His compositions "Marrakesh Express" and "Teach Your Children" were both rejected by his former band The Hollies, though they ended up working out just fine for his new project with Stephen Stills and David Crosby. Graham's an OBE in England (Officer of the Order of the British Empire), a critically acclaimed photographer, and is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice (inducted with CSNY in 1997, and with The Hollies in 2010). I interviewed Graham years ago, and he was very easy going and charming, a most intelligent and polite "celebrity". His solo albums "Songs For Beginners" (1971) and "Wild Tales" (1974) are ridiculously under appreciated, well worth checking out.

Share your thoughts, etc... on the Calendar right here on our web site and on the WBLM Facebook and Twitter pages with the hashtag #TommysCoffeeBreak.

"And so become yourself/Because the past is just a goodbye...", xoxo!