On This Date: Rolling Stones Pay Tribute to Brian Jones [VIDEO]

It was on this date in 1969 that the Rolling Stones paid tribute to Brian Jones who joined the 27 Club two days before.

It was on this date in 1969 that the Rolling Stones threw a free concert in London's Hyde Park as a tribute to Brian Jones who died two days earlier at the age of 27.

Brian, one of the original members of the band is credited with naming the band. He was on the phone with a club owner who asked their name, and according to Keith Richards, they didn't have a name, but the album, The Best of Muddy Waters was lying on the floor. He searched the back cover of the album and saw track five, Rollin' Stone and blurted out, "Rollin' Stones" and it stuck.

Once the center of the band, Brian slowly began his estrangement from the group when manager and producer Andrew Loog Oldham arrived and the focus shifted from Brian to Mick and Keith and in June of 1969, Brian issued a statement saying that he was no longer seeing eye to eye with his band mates and would be leaving the group. Brian was then replaced by Mick Taylor and on July 3, Mick was found motionless in the bottom of his swimming pool and was pronounced dead later that day.

Pete Townshend of The Who, Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison all published songs and poems as a tribute to Brian. Mick Jagger wrote the song Shine a Light for Brian and it's one of my favorites.