After writing "From Turtle to Zappa"...and discovering that Frank Zappa's father worked for the U.S. military at a chemical warfare installation ( he was a chemist and mathematician ) And reading the disturbing fact that young Frank's sinusitis was treated by placing pellets of radium up his nose !!!! ....
I decided to go hunting for other rock and rollers that had military dads.
The most obvious one for me was Jim Morrison of the Doors. Oddly, before they hit it big in their native Los Angeles....the Doors were the opening act for The Turtles....anyways, I digress.
Jim and his dad didn't see eye to eye on Jim's lifestyle, music, lyrics and whatever else there was to argue over.
Jim went on to immense fame and fortune, mixed with immense alcohol and drug problems, blended with being ever so slightly unhinged to begin with. Jim died right on cue at 27 yrs old....the age when a lot of rockers seem to hit the check out button.
Jim's dad went on to become Rear Admiral George Stephen Morrison, and decades after Jim's death, he finally admitted that his wayward rock-star son had made a great contribution to the world of music.
The List ..
All three founding members of the band "America" Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell, Dan Peek...all had American dads and British mothers.
John Denver ( real name Deutschendorf )
Kris Kristofferson ...his dad was an Air Force Major General and his granddad was an officer in the Swedish Army
Annie Leibovitz ..rock and roll photographer. Father Lieutenant Colonel, US Air Force
Stephen Stills ( Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young ) His dad was posted to such places as Costa Rica, Panama Canal Zone and El Salvador when Stephen was kid.
Christina Aguilera...apparently the dad/daughter relationship wasn't so good
Jackson Browne...singer/songwriter Jackson was born in Heidelberg, Germany ...where his father was stationed.
Newt Gingrich...not a rocker...but a legendary dipshit
Timothy Leary "Acid guru" of the 60's...his dad was a dentist...but pressured Timothy into attending West Point Military Academy. Do you want me to tell you how that worked out?
Julianne Moore is not a rocker...but who really cares? She's hot. Her dad was a military lawyer, judge and helicopter pilot ( slacker )
Dee Dee Ramone ( born Colvin ) bassist and song writer for the Ramones
Lionel Ritchie...got through school on a tennis scholarship and majored in Economics
Michael Stipe of R.E.M.
Bruce Willis ....Actor ( hangs out with rock stars ) his dad left the military in 1957. Bruce worked as a security guard at a nuclear plant and later as a private detective. He had a bad stutter in high school.
Emmylou Harris...country girl...her dad was a prisoner of war in Korea for ten months.
Heather Locklear...major babe...has given comfort to many rock and rollers including Richie Sambora and Tommy Lee ( Robo-penis )
Papa John Phillips of the Mamas and Papas....his dad was a Marine corps officer and his mom was a Cherokee.
Anne and Nancy Wilson of Heart...dad was a Marine.
Hoyt Axton his dad was in the Navy. His mom co-wrote the Elvis Presley hit "Heartbreak Hotel" Hoyt was in the Navy himself...after he got out he wrote "Never Been to Spain" and "Joy to the World" for Three Dog Night. He also wrote for Steppenwolf and Ringo Starr.
Bill Cosby....Comedy rocker...his dad was a Navy man...WW2.
Robert Duvall...what is more rock and roll than "I love the smell of napalm in the morning" His mother was related to General Robert E Lee and his dad was a U.S. Navy Admiral
Lou Diamond Phillips ...played Ritchie Valens in the movie La Bamba...he was named after Lou Diamond...a famous Marine
Michael J Fox....his dad was a police officer and also in the Military. Michael actually learned how to play Johnny B Goode after having Parkinsons for years.
Bob Marley...of all people!! his pop was a Captain in the British Royal Marines...put that in your pipe and smoke it.
Elton John...his dad was in the Royal Air Force
Rick Springfield...his dad was in the Australian military
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