Tommy’s Coffee Break Calendar for February 9th

Bet you didn't know this old rock-and-roller sold as many records as he did... -- A check for charity finally gets to where it was meant to be, many, many years later... -- A truly legendary songwriter celebrates a birthday (she wrote alot more than just a couple of classics)...

2/09/1981 (35 years ago today) - Classic 1950's superstar rocker Bill Haley was found dead, fully clothed on his bed at his home in Harlingen, Texas. Did you know....? Haley had sold an astounding 60 million records over the course of his career, including the 1950's rock and roll blue prints "Rock Around The Clock", "See You Later, Alligator", "Shake, Rattle and Roll", "Rocket 88", "Skinny Minnie" and more. Haley was blinded in his left eye as a child due to a botched operation -- he adopted that distinctive spit-curl hairstyle to distract attention from his blind eye. Bill was 55 years old when he passed away from a heart attack, leaving behind loads of great swingin' country/rock singles to groove on, totally worth checking out...

2/09/1982 (34 years ago today) - It took years of legal wrangling and maneuvering through the courts, but it finally really did happen: George Harrison presented a check for $9 million to UNICEF, ten years after the fundraising Concert For Bangladesh. Deep exhales all around...

2/09/1942 - Happy Birthday to one of the all-time great songwriters, Carole King, 74 years old today. Before her 1970 No. 1 album "Tapestry" sold over 15 million copies -- it held the top spot for 15 weeks-in-a-row and remained in the charts for more than six years -- Carole churned out hit after hit after hit with songwriting partner Gerry Coffin: "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" (The Shirelles), "Chains" (covered by the Beatles), "The Loco-motion" (Little Eva; Grand Funk Railroad), "Take Good Care Of My Baby" (Bobby Vee), "Up On The Roof" (The Drifters), "Pleasant Valley Sunday" (The Monkees), "I'm Into Something Good" (Herman's Hermits), "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (Aretha Franklin); little wonder that Carole was the first woman to be honored with the U.S. Library of Congress Prize for Popular Song. Kennedy Center Honoree, in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, four Grammys; also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame as well. Carole turned out alright, then...

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"Is this a lasting treasure/Or just a moment's pleasure...", xoxo!