39 years ago today The Rolling Stones gave a free concert in London’s Hyde Park as a tribute to former band member Brian Jones who had died just two days earlier at the age of 27, making him one of the first members of a very sad “club” of famous musicians who died at age 27 (including Robert Johnson, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison & Kurt Cobain.)

Jones was found at the bottom of a pool on July 3, 1969.

Jones had been asked to leave the band earlier in the year. His last formal appearance with the band was in December of ’68 for “The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus.”

Jones had been instrumental in the formation of the band (he also named the band) and had played a very large part in most of their earlier recordings.

Mick Jagger read from Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “Adonais” and released 3,500 butterflies in remembrance of Jones. The concert was also the first Stones performance with new guitarist Mick Taylor.

“Honky Tonk Woman”