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Flying Rocks [the book]
Aviation & Music Adventures…
by Michael J Lofton
Backstage and production insights about the high-flying episodes of some of the biggest rock n’ roll stars in the world, traveling and touring on the road in private airplanes!
Music and private air transportation experiences.
(ok, it’s a memoir!)
A scrapbook/dossier primarily for my family, my kids and grand-children, to provide further insights into what the heck I did for a good portion of my life on this planet.
If you’re an individual who enjoys music and/or airplanes, this book could be a read that you might find of interest.
Michael J Lofton
Writer/Publisher
Stories from the Air, Flying Some of the Biggest Rock N’ Roll Stars of the World…
These example chapters are a work in progress. Completed in the published book.
Note: Comment section below each chapter is reserved for future input.. You are an early (re)viewer of this work. Any edit suggestions or inputs regarding existing chapter content are greatly welcomed and appreciated by forwarding your ideas directly to my email: michael@customercounts.com
Some Chapters
In 1989 I flew (as their personal private aircraft transportation consultant) the Rolling Stones… Had the opportunity to fly the boys for their Steel Wheels North America tour in this Boeing 707-128 (remember this aircraft?) model ship… Read More Here…
https://michaellofton.com/flying-rocks-book/rolling-stones-steel-wheels-tour/
In 1980 I had the opportunity and arranged tour use of a Boeing (707) for Fleetwood Mac as a part of their Tusk Tour. The ship had a forward suite-style arrangement with couches, club tables, galley/bar, etc… Read More Here…
https://michaellofton.com/flying-rocks-book/fleetwood-mac-tusk-tour/
October of 1991, Richard Marx’s management got a hold of me with the request to assist with a private aircraft, which would provide a means of moving their band, sound & lights members, and management across the country (USA) to achieve a world record of the most concerts in one day… Read More Here…
https://michaellofton.com/flying-rocks-book/richard-marx/
I worked with the entertainment group, the Osmonds (the Brothers, not Donnie and Marie) to secure their private jet ownership… I even arranged for their financing of such Westwind 1123 aircraft… Read More Here…
https://michaellofton.com/flying-rocks-book/the-osmond-brothers/
The tour manager goes… “Michael, we’ve got a problem on the road tonight and we’ll need some brilliant ideas to get out of dodge (St. Louis) without hassles.” Perplexed, I further learned what happened… Read More Here…
https://michaellofton.com/flying-rocks-book/guns-n-roses-riot-tour/
I personally operated and flew for Jimmy’s… Son of a Son of A Sailor and Cheeseburger in Paradise tours… (note: JB insert inside aircraft). I’m even mentioned on the liner notes on his “You had to be there!” double live album... Read More Here…
https://michaellofton.com/flying-rocks-book/jimmy-buffett-tours
For 13 years (in their hay-days from the early 80s thru the 90s) I arranged and managed all of the private flight (air) transportation for the band, ‘Heart’... Read More Here…
https://michaellofton.com/flying-rocks-book/heart-the-band
Yep, back in the day Grateful Dead was a client of mine… actually for about 18 years I handled all of their private air transportation consultation. And no, they didn’t take VW buses around the country to play their gigs.... Read More Here…
https://michaellofton.com/flying-rocks-book/grateful-dead-tours/
I flew the band called, Nazareth, with my hired Captain (I flew first officer) on a modified interior (sub-contracted) Viscount 700 series aircraft from Toronto, Canada to Oakland, CA, as they ended their (Nazareth) World Music Festival… Lightening struck… Read More Here…
https://michaellofton.com/flying-rocks-book/nazareth-the-band/
I had arranged for all the private aircraft transportation in private planes and flew the ‘Van Halen’ band for the Balance Tours (and) for 7-years, starting from the mid-nineties… Read More Here…
https://michaellofton.com/flying-rocks-book/van-halen-tours/
Lionel Richie and the Commodores
Brick House Woman Aircraft Tour
In the mid-seventies, another band I had the pleasure of flying was… the Commodores. With Lionel Richie as their lead singer. It was their ‘Brick House (woman)’ tour and interesting times, indeed!… Read More Here…
https://michaellofton.com/flying-rocks-book/lionel-richie-and-the-commodores/
