Hi, everyone. Welcome to this week’s edition of Music Monday.

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Today marks birthday #80 for Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone. Born July 6, 1946 in New York City, “Sly”-as he is affectionately known-is still going strong in his current Paramount series, “Tulsa King” (which features his daughter, Scarlet Rose Stallone as Spencer). This after a career of epic movie franchises like “Rocky”, “Rambo” and “The Expendables”, not to mention so many other films in his 50+ year career. I adore “Rocky” & “Rocky II”, but I also love Sly’s performance in the 1997 film, “Cop Land” followed very closely by 1981’s “Nighthawks”.

And speaking of “Rocky”, this year also marks the 50th anniversary of the movie. It was released nationwide on December 3, 1976. Stallone wrote it himself a year earlier & refused to sell the rights without a guarantee that he could star in the film himself. When the movie came out, it was a massive success and catapulted him to fame. In 1977 it was nominated for 10 Oscars and won three: Best Picture, Best Director and Best Editing.

The movie’s theme song became iconic as well, used most famously in the scene where Rocky is training by running through the streets of his hometown & ends with him climbing the 72 steps at the entrance to The Philadelphia Museum of Art.

That film also led to six sequels over 30 years: Rocky II (1979), Rocky III (1982), Rocky IV, Rocky V (1985) & Rocky Balboa (2006). In 2015, the franchise changed focus to the “Creed” movies-Creed, Creed II & Creed III-featuring the son of Rocky’s original contender, Apollo Creed in the title role, coached by Rocky Balboa. Thank you, Sylvester Stallone, for over half a century of entertainment.

The 1976 movie poster. (Image found online. Original source unknown.)

Sylvester Stallone and Talia Shire in a 1976 promotional picture for “Rocky”. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Shire (L) and Stallone (R) circa 2024. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

David Clayton-Thomas died June 24, 2026 at age 84. The man with the booming tenor voice with its blue-eyed soul feel was the lead singer for Blood, Sweat & Tears from 1968 until 1972. Born September 13, 1941 in the United Kingdom and raised in Toronto, Canada, his website credits his mother with giving him a love of music (she was a British music student) while describing him as a “homeless street kid” due to a turbulent relationship with his father.

The first album he released with the band was their self-titled sophmore record, released in December 1968. It reached the #1 spot on the Billboard 200 on March 29, 1969 & stayed there for seven consecutive weeks. It remained on the chart for 109 weeks & won Album of the Year at the 12th annual Grammy Awards in 1970. Three of the songs reached #2 in 1969 including “Spinning Wheel” (which he also wrote) & “And When I Die”. My favorite track by the group was the first to chart that high in April 1969. And in the “you-learn-something-new-every-day” category, I just discovered that my favorite song by this band was co-written by Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. and released as a single in 1967 by another of the song’s co-writers, Brenda Holloway.

David Clayton-Thomas in an undated photo. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Jim Morrison died 55 years ago on July 3, 1971. I have said many times I do not like to dwell on the end of an artist’s life, but for someone like me who continues to adore the enigmatic & provocative lead singer of The Doors, it is impossible to overlook such a significant loss. I consider them to be America’s greatest band and after nearly six decades since they released their debut album, I still hold that to be absolutely true.

What three unbelievably talented musicians & one exquisite lead singer accomplished in just four & a half years-the time between the release of their first record in January 1967 until Morrison’s death in July 1971-is a phenomenal legacy. The poetry of Morrison’s words guide many of The Doors’ songs and his mesmerizing stage presence brought their concerts to a level of performance art that left the crowds entranced by his mere presence alone.

This year marks several milestones for the band. January 8th marked guitarist Robby Krieger’s 80th birthday. That same month The Doors’ track, “Riders On The Storm”, was featured as the Song Around The World by Playing For Change with both Krieger and drummer John Densmore contributing to the new recording. The album that song appeared on-which was the last Doors album recorded in Morrison’s lifetime-L.A. Woman, was released 55 years ago in April 1971. And 60 years ago, The Doors became the house band at the Whisky a Go Go in West Hollywood from May 23 to August 21, 1966. Hard to fathom that only five impossibly short years later, Morrison would be gone.

The Doors on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in September 1967 (L-R): John Densmore on drums, Robby Krieger on guitar, Ray Manzarek on the organ & Jim Morrison-center-on vocals. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Here is the post I wrote five years ago in 2021 on Day 474 of my Lockdown Countdown:

“Jim Morrison left this world on July 3, 1971. His death devastated his band, the music industry and those who he reached with his words. They affect me in the same profound way Marvin Gaye’s voice does. Gaye has my soul, Springsteen has my heart, Morrison has my mind. And music is my life.

James Douglas Morrison was born December 8, 1943 in Melbourne, Florida and died less than three decades later. But his years with The Doors revolutionized music & helped put the focus back on American bands after three years of The British Invasion. From 1967 to 1971-five unimaginably short years-The Doors conquered the world & left an indelible mark on it.

But I do not wonder “what if” after their story ended with Morrison’s death. I realized a long time ago that as much as I may hate it, some people were not meant to have long lives in this world. And he was one of them. But five decades later, his music, his words, his legacy & his presence are still so incredibly powerful. That is the stuff legends are made of. And to me, he was one in every sense of the word. And probably the best front man to ever swagger on to a stage. Jim Morrison was everything.“

James Douglas Morrison: December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971.

Morrison circa 1970. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Three days after one great American band lost their frontman, another great American band introduced a double album of their first live recording. At Fillmore East by The Allman Brothers Band was released 55 years ago July 6, 1971. It was their third record & proved to be a commercial breakthrough. It showcased the magic of their live shows-the extended jams of their songs-with two clocking in just under & over the 20 minute mark. The band appeared at the NYC venue for several performances three months earlier in March 1971 and two of those shows were used for the album. It started their intense loyal following & countless sold out shows which continued for the band even after the devastating loss of guitarist & founding member Duane Allman less than four months later on October 29, 1971. At Fillmore East remains as one of the greatest live recordings in rock history.

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Bill Conti: “Gonna Fly Now (Theme From “Rocky”) (1976, written by Bill Conti).

Blood, Sweat & Tears: “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” (1969, written by Berry Gordy Jr., Brenda Holloway, Patrice Holloway and Frank Wilson).

The Doors: “The End” (1967, written by The Doors: John Densmore, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek and Jim Morrison).

The Doors: “Roadhouse Blues” (1970, written by The Doors: John Densmore, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek and Jim Morrison).

The Doors: “Back Door Man” (Live performance on PBS’s Critique Show filmed in April 1969. Originally released in 1967, written by Willie Dixon).

The Doors: “Little Red Rooster (Live)” (Recorded January 17, 1970 at The Felt Forum (1st show) in New York City. Released in 1983 on the album, Alive, She Cried. Written by Willie Dixon).

The Allman Brothers Band: “Whipping Post” (1971, written by Gregg Allman).

Stay safe & well.