In late December 1968 and the summer of 1969, up-and-coming British blues-rockers Led Zeppelin appeared at a handful of multi-band music festivals with the American psychedelic band Spirit. Spirit was riding high on the success of their self-titled debut album and its breakout track, the Jay Ferguson-penned “Fresh Garbage.” (Yes, the same Jay Ferguson who …
Susan Tyrrell was born of the fringe of show business. Through her father’s connections as a talent agent for the mighty William Morris Agency, young Susan was able to land auditions and roles in Broadway and off-Broadway productions. She appeared in a wide range of plays from broad comedy to Shakespeare to period pieces to …
A talent scout discovered 15-year-old Miho Nakayama in Harajuku, Tokyo’s well-known center for youth culture. She released her debut single “C” and was given a starring role in the film Be-Bop High School, based on the manga series of the same name. It was the beginning of a successful career that produced 22 albums and …
Jim Feezel joined the US Army in 1944 and became a tech sergeant in the 12th Armored Division. He was given the assignment of driver, operating a Sherman tank for the division. One year into his service, on April 29, 1945, Jim’s division pulled up to the front gate of Dachau, the notorious Nazi concentration …
Pennsylvania-born Felicity Colby enrolled in ballet and other dance classes as a child. She had dreams of becoming a professional dancer. She was lucky enough to be cast in several musicals before trying her hand at dancing on the London scene in the 1960s. In late 1966, Felicity — now going by “Flick” — founded …
Debra DeSanto was born in Pierre, South Dakota in 1955. However, there may never have been a “Debra DeSanto” born in Pierre, South Dakota in 1955. In 1978, producer-director-entrepreneur Jim Clark (sometimes known as “Jim Buckley”) released the pornographic film Debbie Does Dallas. The film, a loose account of the trials and tribulations of an …
Colorado-born Randy VanWarmer moved to England with his family just after the sudden death of his father. The musical Randy, a teenager at the time, wrote several songs. He was signed by Albert Grossman’s Bearsville Records. In 1978, Randy released his debut album Warmer. The disc spawned the hit single Just When I Needed You …
