From the Desk of CLASSICKONG
Before we talk about music today, we need to remember.
September 11, 2001 began like an ordinary Tuesday morning.
For me, I had just gotten off working third shift. I came home, grabbed a cup of coffee and turned on the news.
At first there was confusion. A plane had struck one of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, and nobody seemed to understand exactly what had happened.
Then, while I watched live television, a second plane struck the other tower.
The confusion was gone.
Our country was under attack.
Twenty-five years later, those of us who witnessed that morning have not forgotten. We remember the 2,977 innocent people who were killed. We remember the firefighters, police officers, EMTs and other first responders who ran toward danger while thousands of others desperately tried to escape it.
We remember those killed at the Pentagon.
We remember the passengers and crew of Flight 93.
We remember the members of our Armed Forces who answered the call in the years that followed.
And we remember countless ordinary people who, when somebody needed help, did extraordinary things.
September 11 is observed as Patriot Day and the National Day of Service and Remembrance—a fitting reminder that remembrance means more than looking backward. It can also mean helping somebody today.
To our veterans, active-duty military personnel, first responders and their families: thank you for your service.
Today we remember.
And then, as we always do here at WTSG Digital Broadcasting, we let the music play.
Tommy Shaw — The Renegade Was Born
Tommy Roland Shaw — born September 11, 1953, Montgomery, Alabama
Happy birthday to one of the voices and guitarists who helped define an extraordinary period in American rock music.
Tommy Shaw.
Around here, Styx isn’t simply another classic-rock band. Their records are attached to memories.
The Grand Illusion.
Pieces of Eight.
Those albums belong to a time, a sound and a generation.
Tommy received his first guitar at age 10 and was already playing professionally by 14. His life changed dramatically when he joined Styx in the mid-1970s. His guitar playing, songwriting and unmistakable high-register voice became essential pieces of the band’s sound.
Think about the Tommy Shaw songbook:
“Crystal Ball.”
“Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man).”
“Blue Collar Man (Long Nights).”
“Renegade.”
“Too Much Time on My Hands.”
That’s some serious rock-and-roll real estate.
The Styx Must-Haves
If you’re exploring the Tommy Shaw era, start here:
- Crystal Ball — 1976, A&M
- The Grand Illusion — 1977, A&M
- Pieces of Eight — 1978, A&M
- Cornerstone — 1979, A&M
- Paradise Theatre — 1981, A&M
- Kilroy Was Here — 1983, A&M
- The Mission — 2017, Alpha Dog 2T/UMe
- Crash of the Crown — 2021, Alpha Dog 2T/UMe
And don’t overlook Tommy’s solo work, including:
- Girls with Guns — 1984
- What If — 1985
- Ambition — 1987
- 7 Deadly Zens — 1998
But Tommy wasn’t finished.
Damn Yankees — Tommy Meets Uncle Ted
In 1989, Tommy joined forces with Ted Nugent, former Night Ranger singer and bassist Jack Blades, and drummer Michael Cartellone.
The result was Damn Yankees.
Now THAT was a hard-rock lineup.
Tommy brought the melodies, guitar and unmistakable vocals. Jack Blades brought another powerful singer, songwriter and musician. Michael Cartellone supplied the engine room.
And then there was Uncle Ted—Ted Nugent bringing that fiery, aggressive guitar personality.
Their self-titled Damn Yankees arrived in 1990 and gave us “Coming of Age,” “Come Again” and the monster power ballad “High Enough.”
Their second album, Don’t Tread, followed in 1992.
And here’s another WTSG connection: Michael Cartellone eventually became the longtime drummer for one of my favorite bands on the planet:
Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Funny how these musical family trees keep crossing paths.
Tommy Shaw and September 11
There’s another reason Tommy belongs prominently in today’s edition.
Following the September 11 attacks, Tommy helped organize benefit concerts for victims’ families and the families of fallen officers. His official biography records that those efforts resulted in a $500,000 check for the Port Authority Police Benevolent Fund, with additional proceeds benefiting other victims’ families.
That’s worth remembering alongside the platinum albums and sold-out concerts.
Sometimes the measure of the musician isn’t what happens underneath the stage lights.
It’s what happens when the lights are off and somebody needs help.
Tommy Shaw—happy birthday from all of us at WTSG-DB.
Artist Superhero Skills Card — Tommy Shaw
HERO: Tommy “The Renegade” Shaw
ORIGIN: Montgomery, Alabama
SUPERPOWER: High-Voltage Harmony
PRIMARY WEAPON: Six-String Lightning
VOCAL POWER: Arena-Piercing High Register
SPECIAL ATTACK: THE RENEGADE
SECONDARY ATTACK: BLUE COLLAR BLAST
TEAM AFFILIATIONS: Styx / Damn Yankees / Shaw Blades
POWER SOURCE: Marshall stacks, melody, harmony and several decades of great songs
KNOWN ALLIES: James “J.Y.” Young, Jack Blades, Ted Nugent and an army of Styx fans
CLASSICKONG POWER RATING: ★★★★★
STATUS: LEGENDARY
CLASSICKONG’s verdict:
This superhero doesn’t need a cape. Give the man a guitar.
Mickey Hart — Two Drummers, One Mighty Groove
Mickey Hart — born September 11, 1943
Big ups today to drummer and percussionist Mickey Hart.
For much of the Grateful Dead’s history, Hart shared percussion duties with Bill Kreutzmann, creating one of rock’s most recognizable two-drummer combinations.
And there’s one Dead song my wife and I both absolutely love:
“Touch of Grey.”
Released on In the Dark in 1987, it became the Grateful Dead’s biggest mainstream hit. Both Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann are part of that wonderful rhythmic foundation.
But reducing Mickey Hart to “drummer for the Grateful Dead” misses a huge part of the story.
Hart developed a lifelong fascination with percussion traditions from around the world. His work outside the Dead explored rhythm as culture, communication and even science.
Mickey Hart Listening List
Start with:
- Grateful Dead — Workingman’s Dead — 1970
- Grateful Dead — American Beauty — 1970
- Grateful Dead — Blues for Allah — 1975
- Grateful Dead — In the Dark — 1987
- Mickey Hart — Planet Drum — 1991
- Mickey Hart — Supralingua — 1998
- Mickey Hart Band — Mysterium Tremendum — 2012
And yes, when you see Supralingua, think roughly “SOO-pruh-LING-wuh.”
For the drummers out there, Mickey Hart is another reminder that percussion doesn’t have to merely keep time.
Sometimes rhythm becomes the entire landscape.
And sweetheart, if you’re reading this one:
“Touch of Grey.” ❤️
You know.
Harry Connick Jr. — The Real Deal
Harry Connick Jr. — born September 11, 1967, New Orleans, Louisiana
Singer.
Pianist.
Composer.
Arranger.
Bandleader.
Actor.
And one seriously talented musician.
And before anything else, big love and thanks to my daughter, who bought my wife and me tickets to see Harry Connick Jr. here in Evansville a handful of years ago.
What a gift that turned out to be.
Harry was absolutely fantastic.
There are performers whose records you enjoy—and then there are musicians you see onstage and walk away thinking, That guy really is the real deal.
Harry is the real deal.
His musical roots run deep into New Orleans. He began performing as a pianist and vocalist at only five years old and learned from New Orleans keyboard giants James Booker and Ellis Marsalis.
Over the years Harry has demonstrated that calling him simply a “singer” doesn’t come close to describing him.
Harry Connick Jr. Must-Haves
Start with:
- Harry Connick Jr. — 1987
- When Harry Met Sally… — 1989
- We Are in Love — 1990
- Blue Light, Red Light — 1991
- When My Heart Finds Christmas — 1993
- Come by Me — 1999
- Only You — 2004
- Oh, My NOLA — 2007
- True Love: A Celebration of Cole Porter — 2019
- Alone with My Faith — 2021
And Alone with My Faith demonstrates just how deep Harry’s talent runs.
He wrote new material, arranged the songs, played every instrument and sang every vocal part.
That’s a musician.
Harry has spent a lifetime demonstrating that jazz musicianship, popular entertainment and showmanship don’t have to live in separate rooms.
Sometimes one extraordinarily talented guy can carry all three keys.
Happy birthday, Harry.
And thanks for one fantastic evening here in Evansville.
And once again—to my daughter:
Thank you for giving us that memory. ❤️
Lionel Hampton — Yesterday’s Vibraphone Finds Its Way Into Today
Lionel Hampton — April 20, 1908 – September 30, 2002
Yesterday, our musical rabbit hole took us into Henry Mancini’s beautiful “Lujon.”
We talked about percussionist and great jazz drummer Shelly Manne, the unusual lujon instrument, and that gorgeous vibraphone color surrounding Mancini’s music.
Today the vibraphone follows us into another story.
And this time we’re standing beside one of the giants.
Lionel Hampton.
Hampton began his musical career behind a drum kit. He eventually took up the vibraphone and became one of the pioneering musicians responsible for establishing the instrument as a serious voice in jazz.
He recorded with Louis Armstrong, later joined Benny Goodman, and eventually led his own celebrated bands.
Then we arrive at September 11.
September 11, 1939 — When the Lights Were Low and the Talent Was Sky-High
On September 11, 1939, Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra recorded “When Lights Are Low” in New York.
Now look at this room:
Lionel Hampton — vibraphone
Dizzy Gillespie — trumpet
Benny Carter — alto saxophone and arranger
Coleman Hawkins — tenor saxophone
Ben Webster — tenor saxophone
Chu Berry — tenor saxophone
Charlie Christian — guitar
Clyde Hart — piano
Milt Hinton — bass
Cozy Cole — drums
Good grief.
That’s not a recording session.
That’s a jazz history convention.
And that’s the connection I love.
Yesterday, Henry Mancini and Shelly Manne led us toward the world of unusual percussion and that beautiful vibraphone sound.
Today Lionel Hampton picks up the mallets and keeps the story moving.
Lionel Hampton Must-Haves
Start exploring with:
- The Complete Lionel Hampton — classic Victor/Bluebird-era recordings
- Hamp: The Legendary Decca Recordings
- Hamp and Getz — 1956
- Reunion at Newport — 1967
- Made in Japan — 1982
And don’t miss “Flying Home.”
If yesterday’s “Lujon” made you stop and listen to the sound of the vibraphone, spend a little time with Lionel Hampton today.
The rabbit hole continues.
The Beatles — “Love Me Do” and the Drummer America Heard
On September 11, 1962, the Beatles returned to EMI Studios in London and recorded another version of “Love Me Do.”
And here’s where this story gets really interesting.
The Beatles recorded “Love Me Do” at EMI on three different dates—with three different drummers.
June 6, 1962 — Pete Best on drums
September 4, 1962 — Ringo Starr on drums
September 11, 1962 — session drummer Andy White on drums, with Ringo playing tambourine
The original British single, released October 5, 1962, initially featured Ringo Starr on drums.
So naturally you might assume that’s the famous recording Americans grew up hearing.
Not so fast.
So Which Drummer Did America Hear?
When “Love Me Do” was officially released as an American single on Tollie Records on April 27, 1964, the version used was the September 11 recording.
That means:
Andy White was playing drums.
Ringo Starr was playing tambourine.
And that recording went all the way to No. 1 in America.
The Andy White performance also appeared on Please Please Me and became the version heard on numerous subsequent albums and compilations.
The Ringo-on-drums version didn’t receive an official U.S. LP release until Rarities in 1980, although imported Canadian singles containing Ringo’s version had made their way into the United States earlier.
So for generations of American listeners, the familiar “Love Me Do” was very often:
Andy White behind the kit.
Here’s the fun part.
Want to tell the versions apart?
Listen for the tambourine.
If you hear tambourine, you’re hearing the September 11 recording:
Andy White — drums
Ringo Starr — tambourine
If there’s no tambourine, you’ve got the September 4 version:
Ringo Starr — drums
How’s that for a Beatles rabbit hole?
Sometimes you’ve heard a record hundreds of times and there’s still something hiding inside it.
Jimi Hendrix — One Final Conversation
James Marshall Hendrix — November 27, 1942 – September 18, 1970
On September 11, 1970, journalist Keith Altham interviewed Jimi Hendrix in England.
It became Hendrix’s final interview.
Seven days later, Jimi was gone at only 27 years old.
What makes that final conversation interesting isn’t some prediction of what was about to happen.
It’s almost the opposite.
Hendrix was still thinking about where his music might go next.
That’s what makes losing a musician young especially difficult.
We know what they created.
We’ll never know what they might have created next.
Hendrix Must-Haves
- Are You Experienced — 1967, Track/Reprise
- Axis: Bold as Love — 1967, Track/Reprise
- Electric Ladyland — 1968, Track/Reprise
- Band of Gypsys — 1970, Capitol
And as we’ve said before at WTSG-DB, there’s another part of Jimi Hendrix’s story we will always respect:
Before becoming a guitar icon, Jimi Hendrix served in the United States Army.
Rest easy, Jimi. 🇺🇸
Bing Crosby and David Bowie — A Christmas Pairing Nobody Expected
Bing Crosby — May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977
David Bowie — January 8, 1947 – January 10, 2016
Here’s one I actually remember seeing on television.
On September 11, 1977, Bing Crosby and David Bowie recorded their now-famous Christmas performance for Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas.
Talk about two different musical worlds.
Bing Crosby represented an earlier era of popular singing.
David Bowie represented constant reinvention.
Yet somehow it worked.
Bing sang “The Little Drummer Boy,” while Bowie sang the newly written counter-melody “Peace on Earth.”
The television special aired during the 1977 Christmas season after Crosby’s death that October. Their performance was eventually released commercially and became an enduring Christmas favorite.
And on September 11 of all dates, the words “Peace on Earth” carry an entirely different weight today.
Funny how music can acquire meanings its creators never could have imagined.
Patriot Day and the National Day of Service and Remembrance
September 11 is Patriot Day and the National Day of Service and Remembrance.
Maybe the best way to honor somebody isn’t merely to say we remember them.
Maybe it’s to do something good because we remember them.
Help somebody.
Check on a neighbor.
Thank a firefighter.
Thank a police officer.
Thank an EMT.
Thank a veteran.
Volunteer.
Give somebody a hand who needs one.
Twenty-five years later, service remains one of the most meaningful answers to hatred.
Final Spin
As I worked on today’s page, ABBA’s “I Have a Dream” came across the speakers.
And I found myself thinking about September 11, 2001.
I have a dream, too.
I dream that someday we can learn to live together with more love and more peace.
Because when I remember September 11, I don’t want the terrorists to receive the final word.
I want to remember the firefighters climbing those stairs.
I want to remember the police officers and EMTs who ran toward danger.
I want to remember the military personnel and civilians at the Pentagon.
I want to remember the passengers and crew of Flight 93.
I want to remember the rescue workers, volunteers and ordinary citizens who helped strangers simply because another human being needed them.
And above all, I want to remember the innocent people who went to work, boarded an airplane or started what should have been another ordinary Tuesday morning—and never came home.
For those of us who witnessed September 11, 2001, we will never forget.
For the generations who came afterward, we will make sure the stories of courage, sacrifice and compassion are never forgotten.
And for all of us—we can continue to dream of a world with more love, more understanding and more peace.
That seems like a dream worth holding onto.
God bless those we lost.
God bless those who ran toward danger.
God bless those who still carry the wounds.
And God bless the United States of America. ❤️🇺🇸
Listen to Today’s Broadcast
Hear today’s spoken-word edition of This Day in Music History right here on WTSG Digital Broadcasting.
And if you’re enjoying our daily journey through the records, musicians, memories and stories that shaped our lives, come back tomorrow.
Great Music. Great Radio. Great Community.
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References
Tommy Shaw — Official Biography
https://tommyshaw.net/wp/index.php/biography/
Harry Connick Jr. — Official Biography and Discography
https://www.harryconnickjr.com/about/music
Mickey Hart / Planet Drum — Biography and Projects
https://planetdrum.com/about-mickey-hart/
Planet Drum — History and Supralingua
https://planetdrum.com/about-us/
National Endowment for the Arts — Lionel Hampton
https://www.arts.gov/honors/jazz/lionel-hampton
The Beatles — “Love Me Do”
https://www.thebeatles.com/love-me-do
About the Beatles — “Love Me Do” Recording History
https://aboutthebeatles.com/love-me-do
Guitar World — Jimi Hendrix’s Final Interview
https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/hear-jimi-hendrixs-final-interview-september-11-1970
National Park Service — September 11: A Day of Remembrance and Service
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/september-11.htm
AmeriCorps — September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance
https://www.americorps.gov/serve/volunteer/911-day
