Happy Birthday to the splendiferous Marty Balin!

Marty is the silky smooth vocalist who co-founded of the Jefferson Airplane and helped to define the San Francisco sound. I fell in love with Marty’s voice the first time I heard him sing “Today” from Surrealistic Pillow, the Airplane’s second album. In the seventies there were a ton of hits as the Jefferson Starship that featured his beautiful voice. My personal favorites from that era include “Caroline,” “Miracles” and “Tumblin.’”

I was a little too young and never got to see the Airplane, but my most memorable Jefferson Starship concert was a grand event in 1978 at Milwaukee County Stadium right after they released the album Earth. The opening act was Bob Welch, the year after he released his terrific solo album French Kiss…and he was outstanding. Starship was absitively  phenomenal that night, opening with a kick-ass “Ride the Tiger.”

Feels like yesterday…sorta.

Happy birthday to Rod Stewart!

Here he is performing a couple years back with the Jeff Beck Group.

One more video to celebrate David Bowie’s birthday. Here’s a splendiferous live version of “Dancing in the Streets” by Bowie and Mick Jagger.

Check out the cat who introduces them…

Happy Birthday, Keef!

No one in their right mind would have bet you’d live to see your 68th birthday, but we’re thrilled you made it.

Here’s Keith with his other band, The X-pensive Winos, rockin’ “Before They Make Me Run.”

Enjoy the video and have fun!

With all of this nonsensical talk about “Black Friday” here in the United States, here’s a rockin’ video of the Gruesome Twosome playing it live.

If I had to choose only one Tom Petty song to listen to for all of eternity, it would most likely be “American Girl.” I’ve seen Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers open with this one a handful of times and also deliver it as an encore, and it just never gets old.

So in celebration of Petty’s birthday, let’s watch them rock it from way back on the Midnight Special.

Happy 61st birthday to the very groovy Tom Petty.

I love Tom Petty. I love his work with the Heartbreakers, the Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch, as well as his solo stuff.

I remember vividly when he exploded onto the scene with Damn the Torpedos 31 years ago. Although the Heartbreakers already had two excellent albums out, this is the one that catapulted them to superstardom. I’ve always felt this one was almost a greatest hits, with a slew of classic tunes including “Refugee,” “Here Comes My Girl,” “Don’t Do Me Like That” and “Even the Losers.”

Petty is one of those cats that I’ve seen a slew of times, and it has always been a stone groove.

Happy Rock & Roll birthday to Justin Hayward, the massively talented guitarist, singer and composer for The Moody Blues.

Sweet Loretta, I love me some Moody Blues. They are one of my Desert Island Bands. The majority of their albums qualify in my world as Desert Island Discs, and I’ll continue to see them every chance I get for as long as they keep touring. Their musicianship,  harmonies and phenomenal songs have been a constant in my life for as long as I can remember.

Justin’s songwriting chops were evidenced early on, as he penned the beautiful “Nights in White Satin” and “Tuesday Afternoon” from 1967’s classic Days of Future Passed album.

A couple of the best concerts I have ever experienced involved this amazing band performing with symphonies.

I am truly grateful for Justin Hayward and The Moody Blues. Few bands have provided as much joy in my life as these classic rockers.

Let’s celebrate Steve Miller’s birthday by watching him rock “Serenade” in concert.

Have fun and enjoy the video!

It’s Levon Helm’s birthday, so let’s celebrate it with The Band rockin’ “Don’t Do It.”