Tommy’s Coffee Break Calendar for September 26th

Today we celebrate three of the coolest ever. There's no doubt about it.

9/26/1964 (55 years ago today) - Roy Orbison starts three weeks at No. 1 with the it's-actually-a-real-classic-single "Oh Pretty Woman" -- The title was inspired by Roy's wife Claudette interrupting a conversation to announce she was going out; when Orbison asked if she needed any cash, his co-writer Bill Dees interjected "A pretty woman never needs any money." Bingo!!!

9/26/2003 (16 years ago today) - Gone too soon: British singer-songwriter-producer-arranger-fashion-icon Robert Palmer died at the age of 54 from a heart attack while staying at a Paris, France hotel. One of the very few of his era who never tried to bulls---t you, he just stayed true to the music he wanted to make, and he never, not once, ever gave in to formulaic expectation. Robert's career work easily ranks as one of the most erratic and intriguing and flat-out funky catalogs anyone has ever produced; way, way, way overdue for re-assessment...

9/26/1945 - Born on this day, Bryan Ferry, near the very top of the most influential British artists of all time list, 74 years old today -- Along with David Bowie, Bryan defined the glam art rock scene and rose to prominence as lead vocalist and singer-songwriter for Roxy Music (three number one albums and ten Top 10 singles in the U.K. between 1972 and '82) -- "Avalon" was (maybe) the pinnacle, but Ferry's solo career has been nothing short of astounding: how you can get away with covering both Dylan and Cole Porter without sounding ridiculous is sheer genius -- The solo catalog alone reverberates with a kind of other-worldly integrity that most of his "peers" will never, ever come near. More revered in Europe, perhaps, but he sells out theaters in America when he gets here -- Add the Roxy albums and the solo stuff together and Bryan's sold over 30 million worldwide. Still making excellent records, still going strong, still sounds like he's been beamed in from the future.

"Now the party's over/I'm so tired...", xoxo!

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