Today in Rock History – 3rd JULY:

BIRTHDAYS
1930: Thomas Tedesco (Session guitarist on thousands of recordings, from Elvis to Zappa)
1940: Fontella Bass
1946: Victor Unitt (Edgar Broughton Band)
1948: Paul Barerre (Little Feat)
1952: Andy Fraser (Free / Sharks)
1952: Laura Branigan
1955: Mike Corby (The Babys)
1955: Neil Clark (Lloyd Cole & The Commotions)
1975: Javier Weyler (Stereophonics)

EVENTS
1969: The 4-day Newport Jazz Festival began, featuring Led Zeppelin, James Brown, Jethro Tull, Sly & the Family Stone, Jeff Beck, Johnny Winter, Buddy Guy, Mothers of Invention & Ten Years After.
1969: Death of guitarist / multi-instrumentalist / singer / songwriter, Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones [aged 27].
1971: Death of singer / songwriter / poet, Jim Morrison of The Doors [aged 27]. Rest in Paris, Jim.

1972: Death of blues singer / songwriter / guitarist “Mississippi” Fred McDowell [aged 68].
1973: Death of Laurens Hammond, inventor of the Hammond organ [aged 73].
1973: On the last night of a 60-date tour, David Bowie announced he was retiring from live performance. It transpired that he was speaking of stage persona, “Ziggy Stardust” and band, The Spiders From Mars ~ not himself.
1986: Death of Greg Carroll, NZ roadie for U2 [aged 26].
1994: Rickie Lee Jones played a concert at Auckland Town Hall ~ I was there!
1999: Death of bassist / singer / songwriter, Mark Sandman of Morphine [aged 46].
2018: Death of multi-instrumentalist, Richard Swift [aged 41]. He had played with The Black Keys, The Shins & The Arcs.
2023: Death of bassist / musician / composer, Michael “Mo” Foster [aged 78]. Mo played on countless sessions and tours with many artists, including Jeff Beck, Gary Moore, Trevor Rabin, Peter Green, Michael Schenker, Phil Collins, Gerry Rafferty, Ringo Starr, Cher, Joan Armatrading, Meat Loaf, Nigel Kennedy, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Sting, Hank Marvin & More!

Man, so many rock related deaths on 3rd of July ~ I’m gonna go with a tribute to the original leader of The Rolling Stones, Mr. Brian Jones. He died on this day in 1969, just a few weeks after being dismissed from The Stones. Brian was found, drowned, at his home at Cotchford Farm, amid mysterious circumstances. He was an amazing musician! Brian contributes mellotron, guitar, percussion, and backing vocals to this Stones classic from 1967…