Christmas: the holiday most responsible for draining bank accounts.

Christmas morning: a time when kids both young and old sit in front of a dead tree and eat candy out of their socks.

December 18, 1943: Keith Richards was born.

Who out there would have been willing to bet Keef would live to see his 65th birthday? I think the Vegas oddsmakers called it a million to one longshot.

I’m certainly glad he’s still kicking. The Glimmer Twins did some of the greatest shows I’ve ever seen, and they are still electric onstage together.

Here’s a flashback moment. Do you remember your first Stones concert?

The lineup for the 40th New Orleans Jazz Festival just came out and, as usual, it’s a stellar list of superstars.

Weekend one (April 24-26) highlights include Dave Matthews Band, James Taylor, Joe Cocker, Earth Wind & Fire, Wilco, Johnny Winter, Pete Seeger, Hugh Masekela, Allen Toussaint, Robert Cray, Booker T. Jones, Wynton Marsalis, Etta James, Mavis Staples and a whole lot more.

Weekend two (April 30-May 3) features Aretha Franklin, Ben Harper, Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, Dr. John, Buddy Guy, Los Lobos, Toots & the Maytals, John Mayall, Solomon Burke, Jakob Dylan and the Neville Brothers…among many, many others.

Sounds like one helluva party’s gonna erupt in New Orleans this spring!

Since it was 42 years ago yesterday that the song was released, here’s a video of Jimi doing “Hey Joe,” followed by a spectacular instrumental version of Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love.”

December 16, 1950: Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top was born.

A legendary guitar player, Billy wrote and played some of the most memorable guitar riffs of all time (think “La Grange” and “Sharp Dressed Man.”)

An he has the best beard in Rock & Roll.

December 16, 1960: While in the country performing with The Beatles, George Harrison was deported from Germany as he was underage and working illegally.

This struck me as a reminder that the Fab Four were really just a bunch of kids when they created the amazing body of work that I love so much.

December 16, 1966: The Jimi Hendrix Experience released the song “Hey Joe.”

A couple people I know typically greet me by singing the opening of the song. It’s a great song and my name is Joe, so I’m cool with that.

December 15, 1942: Dave Clark (of the Dave Clark Five) was born.

Hopefully, this post will get my friend Dave off my back. He’s obsessed (in an almost scary kinda way) with the Dave Clark Five and he’s been reminding me about this particular birthday for weeks.

Dave, hope you’re feeling Glad All Over.

December 15, 1921: Alan Freed was born.

Disc jockey Alan Freed is widely regarded as the person who coined the term “Rock & Roll.” He also did a great job of popularizing both the term and the music.

Without Freed, we’d probably just call it “all that far out music we groove to.”