Bill "The Drummer" Kreutzmann that is !
5/7/46, 65 today !
have a happy birthday!

Willie Mays turned 80 today so Billy K is in good company.
They had a big party for Willie at the ballpark tonight and I hope Billy got to feel the love too. Billy and Willie!!!

Two profoundly influential Americans. Good to have them both still with us.

There was a bay area touch to the national anthem that Billy would appreciate and I'd guess Willie may not have caught...A rare non-catch for Willie if that was the case.

Check it out, for the national anthem tonight they had a Tower of Power horn player, solo. He went through most of the brass intruments, in succesion without losing a beat 4-5 of them, lowest to highest, ending in the trumpet.

When he got to the "rockets red glare" section he threw in the opening riff to TOP's classic "You're Still a Young Man" which was so damn perfect for the occasion and happened to fit perfectly....that was one of Bill Graham's favorite songs too, btw. Damn, I love those moments. Magic.


I bet Billy is at Jazzfest right now living it up, drumming at some late night show with an endless amount of crawfish to munch on when he's done

Yes, he hardly ever missed a catch.

I saw TOP back in the 70s. Absolutely outstanding. Not well remembered outside of the Bay Area, which is a crime.

I wish I was at JazzFest. Used to go every year in the 90s. That city, of course, is vastly changed now and the lineup leans far more towards the mainstream as opposed to the regional and old school R&B acts that once defined it. Still miss it though.

bump for billy

Funny story about that moment "the toast" and Billy K.
As the band walked off the stage that night after the last tune of the 2nd set and before the encore, BGP employees started rapidly passing out stacks of plastic cups and huge gallon mugs full of champagne to everyone in the crowd. There was no shortage, we had LOTS in the middle of the balcony. It was the last night of the '80 Warfield run.

A BGP guy quickly places a table onstage with a bucket of ice and a bottle of champagne in it, glasses for the band. Bill Graham was pranking the boys and saluting them, us and a great run at the same time.

Jerry comes out, sees the setup, goes to his guitar and does the turned back I'm tuning routine, ignores the whole deal. Weirs next. He's surprised, sees Jerry and does the same, straps on the guitar and tunes. Billy comes out and goes immediatey to the table, pops the bottle, pours the glasses full and we did the toast.

To many more Billy K.