🎸CLASSIC ROCK🎸 Turtles Co-Founder Dies | Secret Bowie Project | Gilmour Saves Hendrix Show...

Good Morning Classic Rock Fans!,

In today's Classic Rock Newsletter, we've got heartbreaking news from the Turtles family, a shocking discovery from David Bowie's final days, and explosive courtroom drama surrounding Elvis and Priscilla Presley. Plus David Gilmour reveals his jaw-dropping first encounter with Jimi Hendrix, and we celebrate how The Rolling Stones rediscovered their swagger on A Bigger Bang. It's a day packed with legends, secrets, and rock 'n' roll history that'll blow your mind!

🤔 Trivia Question:

Mark Volman of The Turtles famously insured what part of his body for $100,000 in 1968 against fire, theft, and loss due to illness?

📰 Classic Rock News:

💿 The Turtles co-founder Mark Volman has died at age 78 after a brief illness in Nashville. The curly-haired vocalist behind "Happy Together" and "Elenore" had been battling Lewy body dementia since 2020 but continued touring until the end. Volman and partner Howard Kaylan also rocked as Flo & Eddie with Frank Zappa and provided backing vocals for everyone from T. Rex to Bruce Springsteen.
Discover the incredible legacy this rock icon left behind

💿 David Bowie's secret final project has been revealed! Archivists discovered notes for an 18th-century musical called "The Spectator" locked in his New York study, complete with stories about criminal gangs and the notorious thief "Honest" Jack Sheppard. The Starman was still dreaming up theatrical magic right until the end, proving his creative fire never dimmed.
Uncover Bowie's hidden masterpiece that nobody knew existed

💿 David Gilmour reveals the jaw-dropping moment he first witnessed Jimi Hendrix perform at London's Blaises Club in 1966. The future Pink Floyd guitarist was broke and unknown when Hendrix took the stage "the wrong way round" and absolutely destroyed the room full of Beatles and Rolling Stones members. Gilmour rushed out the next day trying to buy Hendrix records, but they barely existed yet!
Hear Gilmour's incredible first-hand account of rock history in the making

💿 SiriusXM is letting fans vote for their favorite Beatles songs featuring John Lennon on lead vocals in their "8 Songs A Week" series. With Lennon's birthday approaching, it's the perfect time to celebrate the voice behind classics like "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "A Day in the Life." The top eight vote-getters will air on The Beatles Channel this Friday.
Cast your vote and help crown the ultimate Lennon classics

💿 A explosive $50 million lawsuit claims Priscilla Presley "pressured Elvis to his death" by placing a lien on Graceland just months before The King died in 1977. Her former business partners also accuse her of pulling the plug on Lisa Marie after her cardiac arrest. Priscilla's lawyer calls the claims "absurd and ridiculous," but the courtroom drama is just heating up.
Get the shocking details of this family feud that's rocking the Presley legacy

💿 Twenty years ago today, The Rolling Stones released A Bigger Bang and proved they could still rock harder than bands half their age. After eight years of silence, Mick and Keith stripped away the gloss and delivered their grittiest album since the '70s. The back-to-basics approach worked like magic, giving us gems like "Rough Justice" and reminding everyone why they're the world's greatest rock 'n' roll band.
Relive how the Stones got their swagger back with their comeback masterpiece

📺 Today’s Classic Rock TV

Spinal Tap Rate Modern Music - David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel, and Derek Smalls visit Pitchfork to weigh in on everything from Auto-Tune to Ozzy Osbourne.

John Lennon Power Collection Unboxing - Full music review and unboxing of the 9CD + 3 Blu Ray John Lennon "Power to the People" collection.

Chrissie Hynde's Rock Resilience Story - Professor of Rock tells how The Pretenders frontwoman overcame tragedy to create "Back on the Chain Gang."

60s Garage Bands That Invented Everything - Discover the 10 garage bands from the '60s that pioneered metal, punk, and grunge before anyone knew what those genres were.

Why Slade Failed in America - The incredible story of how Britain's loudest band struggled to crack the US market despite dominating the UK charts.

Supertramp Vinyl Collection Showcase - Unwrapping some lovely new Supertramp 180g vinyl reissues including the black swirly pressings.

Ozzy and Sharon's Power Story - The untold story of how Sharon Osbourne became the force behind one of rock's most unpredictable careers.

The Clash's Rise Documentary - Rare footage documenting The Clash's five-year journey from punk rebellion to rock legends.

Van Halen's Balance Album Stories - Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony share behind-the-scenes stories from recording Van Halen's "Balance" album.

Fun Lovin' Criminals Origin Story - The outrageous true story of the NYC band that turned mafia culture into genre-bending musical gold.

📅 On This Day in Rock History

1970: Jimi Hendrix played his final live concert at the Love & Peace Festival on the German island of Fehmarn, delivering a stormy performance that ended with "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" and the prophetic words "If I don't see you no more in this world, I'll meet you in the next one." The weather-plagued festival saw Hendrix take the stage at noon after being delayed 16 hours by torrential rain. Just 12 days later, the guitar god would be gone forever, making this chaotic performance on German soil his last official farewell to the stage.
Watch rare footage of Hendrix's final concert that almost didn't happen

1974: Heavy metal was officially born when Judas Priest released their debut album Rocka Rolla on Gull Records. Produced by Rodger Bain (who also helmed Black Sabbath's first three albums), this blues-heavy record featured a very different Priest than we'd later know - complete with hippie-style clothing and no leather studs in sight. Though it barely made a commercial dent, Rocka Rolla planted the seeds for what would become one of metal's most influential bands.
Experience the birth of metal with Judas Priest's groundbreaking debut

1975: Jefferson Starship reached the summit of rock success when their album Red Octopus hit number one on the Billboard 200. Driven by the massive hit "Miracles" and featuring the return of founding member Marty Balin, this double-platinum masterpiece became the best-selling album by any incarnation of Jefferson Airplane and its spin-off groups. The album would hold the top spot for four non-consecutive weeks, proving that psychedelic survivors could still capture America's heart.
Dive into the album that brought Jefferson Starship to their commercial peak

1997: Elton John recorded his heart-wrenching tribute "Candle in the Wind 1997" for Princess Diana, transforming his 1973 Marilyn Monroe tribute into one of the most powerful farewells in music history. Changing "Goodbye Norma Jean" to "Goodbye England's Rose," Sir Elton and Bernie Taupin created what would become the best-selling single in Billboard history. The song debuted at number one after just one day of sales and stayed there for 14 weeks, with all proceeds going to Diana's charities.
Witness Elton John's unforgettable performance at Diana's funeral

2005: The Rolling Stones proved they still had it with the release of A Bigger Bang, their first album of new material in eight years. Returning to their roots with a stripped-down, back-to-basics approach, Mick and Keith wrote and recorded rough demos alone before bringing in the full band. The resulting album crackled with the energy of their classic '70s work, reaching number three in the US and spawning a tour that would become the highest-grossing of all time.
Rock out to the Stones' triumphant return to form

Roger Waters (born September 6, 1943) - The mastermind behind Pink Floyd's greatest concept albums turns 82 today! Waters co-founded the legendary band in 1965 and became their primary lyricist and creative force after Syd Barrett's departure. From The Dark Side of the Moon to The Wall, Waters crafted some of rock's most ambitious and thought-provoking works. Here's a fascinating fact: Waters father died in World War II when Roger was just a few months old, and this loss deeply influenced the anti-war themes that would define much of Pink Floyd's music.
Celebrate Waters' birthday with rare Pink Floyd reunion footage

Dave Bargeron (born September 6, 1942, died January 18, 2025) - The versatile trombonist and tuba player who brought jazz sophistication to rock was born on this day. Bargeron joined Blood, Sweat & Tears in 1970 and recorded eleven albums with the pioneering jazz-rock fusion group. His most famous moment came when he delivered that incredible tuba solo on "And When I Die/One Room Country Shack" on their live album. After leaving BS&T, he became a sought-after session musician, working with everyone from Billy Joel to Eric Clapton.
Discover Bargeron's incredible jazz-rock fusion legacy

Dolores O'Riordan (born September 6, 1971, died January 15, 2018) - The Cranberries' ethereal-voiced frontwoman would have turned 54 today. Born in County Limerick, Ireland, O'Riordan joined The Cranberries in 1990 and helped create some of the '90s most distinctive alternative rock anthems. Her lilting mezzo-soprano voice and signature yodel made songs like "Linger" and "Zombie" instantly recognizable worldwide. Here's a touching detail: O'Riordan was singing before she could properly talk, and by age eight, she was already performing as a liturgical soloist in her local church choir.
Remember the voice that defined a generation

Have a Rockin' Day!
Hippy Pete