Podcast Summary: takin' a walk – "This Week in Music History for the Week of 9-15"

Host: Buzz Knight
Guest/Co-host: Harry Jacobs
Date: September 14, 2025
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts

Overview

In this episode, Buzz Knight and recurring guest Harry Jacobs take listeners through notable events from music history that occurred during the week of September 15th to the 21st. The duo discuss the enduring legacies, untimely losses, and influential moments of artists including Marc Bolan of T. Rex, the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, and Jim Croce. The conversation is informal yet insightful, peppered with personal anecdotes, deep dives into specific artists’ impacts, and reflections on the culture surrounding these musicians.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Marc Bolan and T. Rex (02:32–04:15)

• Remembering Marc Bolan: On September 16, 1977, Marc Bolan of T. Rex died in a car accident.
  • The band's original name was "Tyrannosaurus Rex" before truncating it.
  • Signature Tracks: “Get It On (Bang a Gong)” recognized as T. Rex’s hallmark hit. Other songs like "Jeepster," "Hot Love," "Telegram Sam," and "Metal Guru" are mentioned, though not all were as familiar to the hosts.
• Light-Hearted Banter: Buzz and Harry joke about their lack of knowledge on certain T. Rex tracks and reminisce about their own musical backgrounds.
  • Buzz Knight (03:31): “If I played it for you, you would know it. We’d be like Garth and Wayne, pop into the music.”

The Grateful Dead – Legacy and Culture (04:15–10:58)

• Landmark Event: On September 17, 1978, the Grateful Dead performed in Egypt after a year-long hiatus, highlighting the band’s international appeal.

• Discussion on Appeal and Community:

  • Harry admits he respects the Dead’s prominence, but doesn’t personally connect with the jam band style.
    • Harry Jacobs (04:41): “Fish and the Dead and that music for me wasn’t ever anything that did anything for me… but I don’t have the patience to listen to a 20-minute jam.”
  • Buzz pushes back, emphasizing the Dead’s innovation in fostering community and pioneering fan-recorded live shows.
    • Buzz Knight (06:04): “I think the thing with the Grateful Dead is they created the biggest sense of community ever… weren’t they the first band you ever heard of that allowed for people to tape the concerts?”
  • Both hosts reflect on how the Grateful Dead’s branding, openness with fans, and merchandising created a template followed by bands like Phish and the Allman Brothers.
    • Harry Jacobs (07:15): “That brand, that red, white and blue symbol, that’s their logo, is epic.”

• Jerry Garcia’s Bluegrass Influence:

  • Buzz discusses Garcia’s role in making bluegrass more mainstream with his project Old & In the Way, calling it a bluegrass "supergroup."
    • Buzz Knight (08:24): “He did something that to this day has an enduring legacy… with the Old and In the Way project… just a bigger audience in general… it’s brilliant to this day.”
    • Members listed: Peter Rowan, Vassar Clements, Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, John Kahn (10:27).

• Behind-the-Scenes Anecdotes:

  • Harry relays stories from New York promoter John Scher, highlighting the practical challenges of managing Jerry Garcia, including his addictions, and the larger-than-life presence Garcia had in places like Burlington, Vermont at the time of his passing.

Remembering Jimi Hendrix (11:05–14:21)

• Anniversary: September 18, 1970 marks the passing of Jimi Hendrix, a charter member of the tragic “27 Club.”

  • The hosts reflect on Hendrix’s larger-than-life stage persona contrasted with his gentle offstage demeanor.
    • Buzz Knight (11:37): “Just not only an unbelievable player, but a sweetheart.”
    • Harry Jacobs (11:53): “Just a low key, mellow, very gentle [guy].”
  • Harry shares his first exposure to Hendrix’s music via his father’s copy of "Are You Experienced."
    • Harry Jacobs (12:14): “My first exposure… was Fire and Purple Haze. And I thought if I had heard then that he was this gentle guy. It doesn’t go with the music.”

• Musicians Influenced:

  • Discussion on the song "Little Wing" becoming a blues standard.
    • Harry recalls guitarists like Duke Levine and Stevie Ray Vaughan continuing Hendrix’s legacy through their covers.
      • Harry Jacobs (13:49): “When you hear that lick today, you go, oh, that’s immediately recognizable, certainly as a guitar player.”

• The “27 Club” Members:

  • Hendrix is remembered alongside Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, John Belushi, and Amy Winehouse.

Jim Croce’s Sudden Loss (14:29–16:55)

• Anniversary: September 20, 1973 – Jim Croce died in a plane crash.
  • Noted for a string of hits, including “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” “Operator,” and “Time in a Bottle,” the latter of which was Harry’s high school prom theme.
    • Harry Jacobs (14:43): “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown… was just a great pop song.”
  • Buzz notes interviewing Croce’s son, A.J. Croce, and discusses the phenomenon of children and grandchildren of legendary artists making music.
    • Buzz Knight (15:10): “Immensely influenced by his dad, even though he doesn’t really sound like him per se, but you could just sense the love.”
    • Also mentioned: Julian Lennon (son of John Lennon), Thomas Gabriel (Johnny Cash’s grandson), and Tommy Prine (John Prine’s son).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Fandom & Community:
  • Buzz Knight (06:45): “They’re a model for building a community, really, when you think about it—the merchandise aspect, the free spirit of the taping, and, you know, the enduring legacy of their brand.”
• On Artistic Legacies:
  • Harry Jacobs (13:49): “When you hear that lick today, you go, oh, that's immediately recognizable, certainly as a guitar player.”
• Running Gag:
  • The hosts coin Buzz as the “king of the rabbit holes,” poking fun at the depth of their tangents.
    • Harry Jacobs (17:33): “You invented the rabbit hole. It should be trademarked Buzz Knight 1965.”

Episode Timeline / Timestamps

• [02:02] Episode begins / Introduction of the theme
• [02:32] Marc Bolan & T. Rex discussion
• [04:15] Grateful Dead in Egypt, band’s community legacy
• [08:24] Jerry Garcia’s bluegrass contributions
• [10:27] Old & In the Way group members
• [11:05] Death of Jimi Hendrix, his influence and persona
• [12:14] Harry’s personal Hendrix introduction
• [13:49] “Little Wing” as a blues standard, impact on musicians
• [14:29] Remembering Jim Croce, musical legacy, musical families
• [16:55] The phenomenon of musical “offspring” and legacies
• [17:14] Recap and episode wrap-up

Tone and Style

Friendly, knowledgeable, and casual, this episode thrives on rapport between Buzz and Harry—balancing deep appreciation for music history with playful self-deprecation. Their rabbit-hole approach delivers context, storytelling, and warmth for both diehard fans and newer listeners.

Summary

This episode is an affectionate, conversational stroll through significant moments in music history that shaped the week of September 15th–21st. Buzz Knight and Harry Jacobs combine fun reminiscences with music industry insight, spotlighting the ways artists from Marc Bolan and Jerry Garcia to Jimi Hendrix and Jim Croce changed the soundscape forever—both through their music and through the broader cultures they inspired.

Listeners come away not just with a litany of anniversaries, but with richer stories about fandom, legacy, and the personal connections forged through music across generations.