July 19th, 2002, “Movin’ Out” a stage msuical using all of Billy Joel’s music opens in Chicago. It does really well and ends up moving on to Broadway. It stays there for years and does well, and in the end it wins Billy Joel a Tony Award.
Today in 1985 Joan Jett ends up speaking on the phone with a then up and coming boxer, Mike Tyson, before he fights Larry Sims. Mike wins that fight pretty easily and being very superstitious, he decides that before all his future fights, he wants to talk on the phone to Joan Jett. He does that up until 1990 when they break with tradition just before he fights Buster Douglas, who he then loses to after having not spoken on the phone to Joan Jett.
On this date in 1980, David Bowie makes his debut as “The Elephant Man” on stage in Denver. He does great in the role. So much so that when the production moves to Broadway later in the year, they invite David to come to Broadway and still stay in the lead role.
We find a few Rock birthdays on the calendar today. The late Allen Collins of Lynyrd Skynyrd was born today in 1952. Born on this date in 1947, Dr Brian May, not just an astrophysicist but also the guitarist from Queen. Also born today in 1947, Bernie Leadon, guitarist and part of The Eagles original lineup.
