Best Classic Bands

1 month ago | bestclassicbands.com | Jeff Tamarkin

James Lowe, the lead singer of the 1960s American psychedelic band the Electric Prunes, died on May 22, 2025, according to a social media post from his children on May 29. Lowe, 82, died of natural causes; the place of death was not reported. Lowe sang on the Prunes’ best-known hit, 1966’s “I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night,” which peaked in Billboard at #11, and its followup, “Get Me to the World on Time,” which made it to #27 the same year.

1 month ago | bestclassicbands.com | Greg Brodsky

Rick Derringer, who enjoyed a #1 hit, “Hang On Sloopy,” in 1965 with his band the McCoys while still a teenager, died yesterday (May 26, 2025). The news of the prominent guitarist-vocalist-songwriter-producer’s passing at age 77 at an ICU in Ormond Beach, Fla., was announced by his close friend, Tony Wilson, on May 27. The musician’s wife, Jenda Derringer, told TMZ that her husband died peacefully after being taken off life support Monday night.

Mar 21, 2025 | bestclassicbands.com | Greg Brodsky

Since Opening Day in 1998, moments after the final out is recorded in a Boston Red Sox win at Fenway Park, the loudspeakers blare “Dirty Water,” a 1966 hit single, the only one, in fact, from a garage band called the Standells. The Fenway Faithful sing along to the lyrics from songwriter Ed Cobb.

Mar 5, 2025 | bestclassicbands.com | Jeff Tamarkin

Herb Greene, a photographer best known for chronicling the nascent San Francisco rock scene of the ’60s and early ’70s, died at his home in Maynard, Mass., on March 3, 2025, following a long illness. He was 82. Greene’s subjects included bands such as Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead and, later, Santana, Led Zeppelin, Sly Stone, Bob Dylan and others. He often photographed his subjects in front of a wall sporting hieroglyphic-like figures, which stood at his Baker Street home in San Francisco.

Mar 1, 2025 | bestclassicbands.com | Greg Brodsky

Some of the stories making headlines in 1981: A minor league baseball game was finally suspended after the 32nd inning, tied at 2-2, at 4:07 a.m. Among the players were future Hall of Famers, Cal Ripken, Jr. and Wade Boggs. Bob Marley died of cancer on May 11 at age 36. There were assassination attempts on President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II. Raiders of the Lost Ark arrived in theaters on June 12. Charles, the Prince of Wales, married Lady Diana Spencer on July 29.