Neil Young lied.
The 'Southern Man' and rock icon once assured us "rock 'n' roll will never die."
Neil, I edit a newspaper for a living. Part of my job is to note the deaths of the famous and celebrities.
Rock 'n' Roll will never die, but its stars are slowly falling silent.
I think this all started when David Bowie passed away. Last year was an especially tough year for Boomers who saw one icon after another die off.
Bowie, Prince, Glenn Frey. This year we lost Chuck Berry, one of the pioneers of rock music.
Today we lose a somewhat lesser name, but at the same time a famous name in rock music.
J. Geils died. He was 71.
Geils was the guitarist and founder of the J. Geils Band.
Raise your hand if you immediately think of the harmonica every time you think of the J. Geils Band.
It was the moment in every J. Geils Band performance you waited for.
"Whammer Jammer, can you hear me, Dicky."
That's when a gentleman named Richard Salwitz would wail away on his mouth organ. Of course we all simply knew him as Magic Dick.
It's a good thing we have the music. Indeed, it will never die.
Even if the rest of us get a little older every day. And the glory of our youth gets a little farther away in the rear-view mirror.
Rest well, J. Geils.
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