Best Classic Bands

1 month ago | 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.

1 month ago | 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.

1 month ago | 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.

1 month ago | bestclassicbands.com | Greg Brodsky

Roberta Flack, the first recording artist to win the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in consecutive years, died today (February 24, 2025). In 2022, the singer revealed that she had been diagnosed with ALS and was no longer able to sing. The beloved singer scored with a pair of #1 singles, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and “Killing Me Softly With His Song” in 1972 and 1973. Both went on to win Record of the Year honors.

2 months ago | bestclassicbands.com | Jeff Tamarkin

Jerry Butler, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted R&B singer who began his career with the Impressions, then scored numerous hits as a solo act, before going on to a successful political career, died Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025. Going by the nickname “The Iceman,” Butler was 85. Butler died in his hometown of Chicago; the cause was unspecified but Butler was known to have Parkinson’s disease. Butler’s death was confirmed in a social media post by the Chicago Sun-Times.