Tommy’s Coffee Break Calendar for May 29th

Today we got to give some proper shout-outs to a pair of really under-appreciated talents, and be careful what you drink at your next show...

5/29/1961 (54 years ago today) - This classic song started out as the B-side to Gene Pitney's version of "Hello Mary Lou"; shortly thereafter it was offered to Sam Cooke but the soul legend gave it two thumbs down. Ricky Nelson had better luck with "Travelin' Man" -- his version goes to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart for two weeks in a row. Ricky's initial "teen idol" status kept him from being taken seriously, but later on (in the early '70's) he found himself a niche with his Stone Canyon Band and became a bit of a critics fave; turns out he makes really good albums after all.

5/29/1971 (44 years ago today) - At a performance at San Francisco's Winterland, over three dozen Grateful Dead fans are treated for LSD-induced hallucinations; they unknowingly gulped down what they thought was healthy apple juice which was super-spiked with the drug. Not fun.

5/29/1945 - Happy Birthday Gary Brooker, 70 years old today. Best known for his lethally great lead vocals as singer-songwriter for Procol Harum, a band that he and longtime guitarist friend Robin Trower started in 1962 as The Paramounts. Has played on albums by and toured with Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Kate Bush, The Alan Parsons Project, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings, even appeared in Madonna's film version of "Evita!". Highly regarded in his British homeland for a long list of charity work for the poor, victims of famine and weather tragedies, historical preservation causes (churches and schools) and being a really cool, generous guy. Any of Gary Brooker's now-hard-to-find solo albums are definitely worth having!

Feedback on the Calendar is quite welcome -- let us know what you think right here on our web site and on the WBLM Facebook and Twitter pages with the hashtag #TommysCoffeeBreak.