Tropical Jon

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Billy Preston in Tropical Jon's Evolution of Rock 'n Roll...

William Everett " Billy" Preston

(September 2, 1946 – June 6, 2006)

Billy Preston, sometimes referred to as the "Fifth Beatle", played keyboards on "Get Back" and appeared with them on keyboards during their famous "rooftop concert" in 1969 (John Lennon even suggested at one point inviting Preston to become the fifth Beatle, to which Paul McCartney responded, "We have enough trouble with four")...

During the 1970s, Preston scored solo No. 1 hits with "Nothing From Nothing"
and "Will It Go Round in Circles"

But what about prior to his fame with The Beatles and Solo Career?

Check out 11-Year-Old Billy Preston on the Nat King Cole show…

Billy was also a big Stones fan as is demonstrated here on a 1965 Shindig gig…

Check out Billy’s “process” and dance steps—and great musicianship doing “Midnight Hour” on another Shindig gig…

And he KILLS on Maggie’s Farm on yet another Shindig gig (July 21, 1965)…

Billy got down with Dee Dee Sharpe Mashin’ Some Potatoes and doin’ some SLOW TWISTIN’ too!

Dig how Billy and Dee Dee teach “The Shindogs” (including Bobby Sherman) a bit about Rockin’ Soul…

Check out TV One's documentary on one of the best but underrated keyboardists in the history of music - Mr Billy Preston

Welcome To Billy Preston.Net

R.I.P. Billy, You Gave More Than You Got, That's For Sure!!!

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Monday, June 4, 2012

Tropical Jon's Evolution of Rock 'n Roll: Little Walter Rocks The Hines Farm Blues Club...

June 5, 1959:

Little Walter Plays at The Hines Farm Blues Club, Swanton, Ohio

The date was in support of his 1959 releases:

AND HIS 1958 SIGNATURE HIT:

A LOT OF GREAT MUSIC HAPPENED AT THE HINES FARM BLUES CLUB!!!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE ABOUT HINES FARM

Sunday, June 3, 2012

June 3: Josephine Baker, Curtis Mayfield, Michael Clarke (The Byrds), Eddie Holman, Ian Hunter (Mott The Hoople), Dave Alexander (Stooges), “Suzi" Quatro, Deniece Williams and "Billy" Powell (Lynard Skynard) all share a birthday…

MUSIC ICONS BORN ON JUNE 3, 1906 ~ 1952:

Josephine Baker
(June 3, 1906 – April 12, 1975)

Josephine Baker, The First Black Superstar...

Check out this BBC documentary...

AND:

Her famous Banana Dance…

Curtis Lee Mayfield
(June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999)

Mayfield was a prolific composer. In addition to writing or co-writing almost all of the hit singles he had as a member of The Impressions and as a solo artist, Mayfield also wrote (and sometimes produced) numerous hits for other artists, sixty-seven of which were charted hits…

Curtis Mayfield is a winner of both the Grammy Legend Award (in 1994) and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (in 1995), and was a double inductee into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted as a member of The Impressions into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, and again in 1999 as a solo artist. He is also a two-time Grammy Hall of Fame inductee…

Michael Clarke (born Michael James Dick, June 3, 1946 – December 19, 1993) was the drummer for The Byrds from 1964 to 1967…

Eddie Holman (born June 3, 1946) is best known for his 1970 hit song "Hey There Lonely Girl"…

My favorite is this monster from a bit earlier…

Ian Hunter Patterson (born 3 June 1939) is an English singer-songwriter. He was the lead singer of the English rock band Mott the Hoople from its inception in 1969 to its dissolution in 1974...

David Michael Alexander
(June 3, 1947 – February 10, 1975)

The original bassist for The Stooges…

The Motorcity Sweetheart:
Susan Kay "Suzi" Quatro (born 3 June 1950)

Suzi played the bass guitar in the all-female bands The Pleasure Seekers and Cradle with her sisters Patti, Nancy, and Arlene…

She did a few gigs on Happy Days…

Suzi moved to England in 1971 after being discovered in Detroit by the record producer Mickie Most, who produced The Animals, Jeff Beck, Lulu, and Donovan…

In September 2011, the BBC stated on their website that Quatro had sold "over 50 million records" and continues to perform live, "doing over 100 shows worldwide a year"

June Deniece Chandler (born June 3, 1950) known by her stage name Deniece Williams is an American Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and record producer who achieved success in the 1970s and 1980s…

William Norris "Billy" Powell
(June 3, 1952 – January 28, 2009) played keyboards with Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1970 until his death in 2009…