Today marks the beginning of Memorial Day weekend 2016, when we honor the millions of Americans who have served their country and sacrificed so much.
50 years ago Boomers were just becoming familiar with names like Saigon, Hanoi and Da Nang and just starting to watch our brothers, sisters, classmates and friends leave for battle in Southeast Asia.
For all of them, and also for those who remained Stateside, it was the music that comforted us through those turbulent times.
50 years ago this week Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman,” one of the greatest R&B and Pop ballads of all time, reached number one.
The younger generations know the song from a memorable episode on “The Wonder Years,” a cover version by Michael Bolton and most recently “The Voice” contestant Hannah Huston.
But there is nothing like the original. It’s ingrained into every Boomers Summer of ’66 soundtrack.
Percy Sledge passed away last April at the age of 74.