When The Ventures played surf rock with an Air Force four star general

The Ventures are an interesting band. They're the most successful rock band in Japanese history (and that's not shabby, as Japan has bought more records than any country but the USA).  They're in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame.  They have a Grammy.  Sadly, a lot of them are dead.  Interestingly for a rock band, the cause of death was mostly old age.

But their first drummer was when they were in High School.  George Babbitt was a drummer in the marching band, and joined them when they recorded this song, their very first hit.  Then he graduated and joined the Air Force.  Thirty-odd years later, he was a four star general.  When they played a gig for the Air Force, they asked him to sit in on drums.  He obliged, in full uniform.

This was 38 or 39 years after his days in the band, when he was Commander, Air Force Material Command (COMAFMC).  GEN Babbitt retired two years after this concert.  He seems to still be alive at the ripe old age of 80.

This post was inspired by one over at American Digest, which has a different (and more surf) song by the band.