Welcome to Thursday! Glad you could join us. Today’s jaunt through time takes us to an old festival in Newport and shows us a man who missed his big break right after he made it. We’ll see a few phenoms celebrate birthdays and a couple legends leave us too soon. It’s musical #tbt, June 20.

1969

Today marks the beginning of a three day festival on the second anniversary of the Newport Pop Fest. Acts included Marvin Gaye, Janis Joplin, Ike and Tina Turner, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Steppenwolf, and The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Jimi Hendrix raked in a record $125,000 for the performance. A ticket cost $15, a tag which the more than 200,000 attendees gladly paid.

2000

Ronnie Spector and The Ronettes were awarded $2.6 million in back earnings from ex-husband, songwriter, producer and label owner, Phil Spector. Though Phil wrote and produced many of their songs, a New York Judge ruled that he also cheated the women out of substantial royalties. Something about cake.

2006

Kool & the Gang lead guitarist and co-founder Claydes Charles Smith passed away at 57. Smith was a crucial member of the band from its inception and roots in Jazz to its rise into Funk and R&B lore.

2017

Prodigy, legendary Queensbridge rapper and Mobb Deep co-founder, passed away in Las Vegas while on tour with Ice-T, KRS-One and Onyx. The 42 year-old rapper died in the hospital after being admitted for problems related to his battle with sickle-cell anemia. Some sources reported that Prodigy died choking on an egg, and his family has since filed a wrongful death suit against the hospital, Spring Valley Medical Center.