Happy birthday, D.J. Fontana & Phil & Mike & Sly & Ry

[ChicoHarris]

Happy 80th birthday D.J. Fontana!
He was Elvis Presley's first drummer and backed up the guy from Tupelo for many years.
Here he is on the George Klein television show Memphis Sounds, interviewed. The clips shown are very nice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyHEWk56Wow
Here he is playing with Keith Richards, Scotty Moore and The Band:
"Deuce And A Quarter"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0jpqF1uolk
(The photographs of Keith and D.J.at the end are excellent.)
Jeff Beck, Ron Wood, Scotty Moore and D.J. Fontana:
"Unsung Heroes"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2upOnqyK7s
I don't know who is playing bass, but it's not Bill Black.


And hey, while we're at it...
Happy 71st birthday to Phil Lesh.
Here he is with his band, the Grateful Dead, performing "Mexicali Blues" in 1981.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P0_KuDjrdU



Mike Love is 70 today. Here he is with his band, the Beach Boys, sometime in the 1960s:
"Wouldn't It Be Nice"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L--cqAI3IUI



The great Sly Stone turns 68 today. Here he is with the Family Stone performing
"Everyday People" and "Dance To The Music":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G861C3J9ms
Sly on the Dick Cavett show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM_Pf7JhKWo



Howard Scott played with War and that makes him one of my favorite musicians.
Here he is with War performing "Low Rider":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rrsj_auEKs



And Ry Cooder! This great American turns 64 today and here he is performing "Down In Mississippi" at the great Santa Cruz, California, club The Catalyst (1987). This video is part of a Les Blank film.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXKQlCQKtIg
I've only seen one show at The Catalyst, John Hammond in 1990. That show was great, but I'd trade it for this Cooder show.


Oh yeah, today is also the birthday of Dee Snider and Brett Michaels.