Tommy’s Coffee Break Calendar for July 3rd

We want to be at this party!!! -- Props for a real blues legend... -- Bowie "retires"...

7/3/1967 (53 years ago today) - Okay, so tonight's the night you wish you were the bartender...: At The Speakeasy Club in London, a private party is held for The Monkees -- No big deal until you check out the guest list: John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Dusty Springfield, Eric Clapton, Lulu and all the members of Procol Harum, Manfred Mann and The Who! Make mine a double...

7/3/1972 (48 years ago today) - Legendary blues guitarist-singer-songwriter Mississippi Fred McDowell died of cancer, age 66 -- Although his classic 1969 LP was titled "I Do Not Play No Rock 'N Roll", he did have some rather notable rock connections: The Rolling Stones covered Fred's "You Gotta Move" on their masterpiece LP "Sticky Fingers" (which he glowingly approved of, by the way), and it was Fred himself who coached Bonnie Raitt on slide guitar technique! A toast to Fred is long overdue...

7/3/1973 (47 years ago today) - After 182 concerts as Ziggy Stardust, David Bowie announced he was going to retire from live performances -- Strategy and timing were key to Bowie's longevity and discipline: the announcement came as a complete shock to both the audience as well as Bowie's band and crew (although it later came to light that only guitarist Mick Ronson was aware of David's scheme). Even if it occasionally appeared that he was hap-hazard, David always knew exactly what he was doing, leaving interpretations of his career path up to the rest of the world. Still miss him very much; some killer rare footage for ya, then...:

Share your "What The's?" with the Calendar here on our web site and on the WBLM Facebook and Twitter pages with the hashtag #TommysCoffeeBreak.

"Oh, when the Lord get ready/You got to move...", xoxo!