Tony Bellamy, one of the original members of the Native American rock band Redbone has died.

In keeping with the band's tongue-in-cheek name (a Cajun expression meaning half-breed) Bellamy was a Mexican-American Yaqui Indian. He was a fixture on the San Francisco rock scene in 1969 when, at the urging of Jimi Hendrix, he joined Pat and Lolly Vegas, and Peter DePoe to form Redbone. Bellamy left the band in 1977.

Redbone released seven studio albums between 1970 and 1977. They are best known for the single "Come And Get Your Love" from their 1973 album Wovoka. They have performed and recorded sporadically in recent years, releasing Redbone Live in 1994 and One World in 2005.

Bellamy was 69 when he died of liver failure at a Las Vegas hospital on Christmas Day.

^{Album cover image courtesy Epic Records}

So, which is the bigger news: the fact that Rolling Stones were the fifth highest grossing tour act of the decade, or that they have squelched talk about a possible 2010 tour? Probably a toss-up.

The band issued a statement last night (1/4) in which they announced that they have "no plans at the moment" to tour in 2010. (Note that this wording gives them an out in case they do subsequently announce a tour.) It's a bit unusual for a band to announce it is NOT touring, but the statement was prompted by "recent UK media speculation" about their plans for the new year. Interesting speculation in Daily Mail about the effect on Ronnie Wood's bank account.

As for the top touring acts of the decade (as compiled by Pollstar): Dave Matthews Band was #1, and Bruce Springsteen was just ahead of the Stones at #4.

2009 was U2's year, according to Pollstar's figures, with Springsteen, Elton John/Billy Joel and AC/DC also making the top five of the year.

Other classic rockers who made both lists: Fleetwood Mac, Eagles, Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan.

^{Rolling Stones photo by Dave Hogan / Getty Images}

You'll notice I didn't put the word "new" in front of "releases" in the headline. Hey, it's January, okay? You just can't expect all that much new product this time of year. But if you're willing to settle for a slew of remasters, remixes and reissues, then this is your month! Here's what classic rock fans can expect in January 2010.

They say one picture is worth a whole lotta words, and every picture tells a story. Here are stories that were told in pictures in 2009:

• Halftime at the Super Bowl - Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
For 12 minutes, the Super Bowl was a ballad-free zone

• Rock Hall Class of 2009
Induction ceremony performances in Cleveland

• Glastonbury '09
Celebrating 39 years of outdoor rock

• Woodstock, Then and Now
Side by side, the '69 festival and the '09 anniversary concerts

• Rock Hall 25th Anniversary Concerts
Celebrating the celebration of rock

^{Bruce Springsteen at the Super Bowl photo by Jamie Squire / Getty Images
Jeff Beck at Rock Hall Anniversary photo by Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images}

His name may not be instantly familiar to you, but his band (Big Brother and the Holding Company) and his innovative guitar work on some of their best known Janis Joplin era songs ("Summertime," "Piece Of My Heart," "Ball And Chain") are instantly recognizable to classic rock fans.

James Gurley, whose penchant for musical experimentation and "let it all hang out" lifestyle (he had a very public affair with Joplin while married to someone else) put him in the forefront of the late '60s San Francisco psychedelic scene, died of a heart attack last week (12/20/09) just two days shy of his 70th birthday.

A tribute on the band's website describes Gurley as "a pioneer, a real original, a very funny man, and truly alive with an energy that not many people have."

Self-taught, he was one of the few rock guitarists of the day who preferred finger picks over flat picks, and was noted for experimenting with effects such as playing slide guitar using an electric vibrator.

Gurley left BBHC in 1997 to pursue solo projects and work with other bands. His solo album, Pipe Dreams was released in 2000.

Oh, those British. They're so polite and proper. And apparently they don't consider beating and choking somebody to be particularly serious.

Ronnie Wood (he of the Rolling Stones and, soon, reunited Faces) spent a night in jail a few weeks following a drunken brawl with his former girlfriend, Ekaterina Ivanova. Witnesses said he was slapping and choking her in the street outside a restaurant. In response, police have now issued what is politely termed a "caution" (a veddy British way of saying "you did a bad thing, and we hereby punish you by telling you not to do it anymore.")

Might the Faces reunion be Wood's only gig in 2010? It is being whispered here and there that the Stones are becoming concerned that his health (he was treated for alcoholism last year) may make it impossible to insure him, which would eliminate him from an expected Stones tour. We'll see. If he can get away with assault, don't you imagine he could manage an insurance policy, his "health" notwithstanding?

^{Ronnie Wood, Ekaterina Ivanova photo by Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images}

There have been those (including some of his Aerosmith bandmates) who have attributed Steven Tyler's most recent bizarre behavior to his on-again off-again drug problems. Indeed, they are on-again, as Tyler has checked himself into rehab for treatment of addiction to painkillers.

Tyler tells Rolling Stone, "With the help of my family and team of medical professionals I am taking responsibility for the management of my pain." Tyler attributes the pain to ten years of performance-related injuries, like the broken shoulder and head injury resulting from his tumble off of a South Dakota stage in August that led to early termination of Aerosmith's North American tour.

Tyler once again sought to clarify the confusion that he created when he stopped talking to his band mates, hired his own manager, and said he wanted to spend some time on an autobiography and solo performance work. "I will enthusiastically be writing, recording and performing with Aerosmith as soon as things are handled."

Maybe it's because of the holidays that instead of my usual snide remarks, I'll just say that I'm glad he's getting help, and wish him all the best in a difficult, ongoing struggle.

^{Photo by Ethan Miller / Getty Images}

I've been meaning to join the Procrastinator's Club but I keep putting it off.

If this rings a (silver) bell with you, that bell is your wakeup call. The "last minute" is now here as regards those yet to be acquired gifts for family and friends who have latent classic rock tendencies.

Here are the latest finds in our quest for last minute classic rock gift ideas.

Okay, show of hands. Anybody here think that a tour pairing consisting of Eagles and Fleetwood Mac on the same bill wouldn't fill a bunch of stadiums and arenas?

Talk of just such a scenario has gained momentum this week. Shortly after Eagles announced three shows in April at possibly the only major venue in the known universe that they haven't ever played (Hollywood Bowl) word began to spread (first at LiveDaily, then, with independent confirmation, Pollstar) that Eagles and The Mac are quietly lining up stadium and arena dates throughout the U.S. in 2010. Nothing has been officially announced, but I couldn't help noticing that there were no hands raised.

KISS Put Safety First, Postpone Gig
With all of this year's news about concert postponements and cancelations due to illness or injury, it's actually kind of nice to report that KISS postponed a Canadian date this week (12/15) because of bad weather. Citing unsafe driving conditions, band and concert promoters wisely decided it would be better to shift Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario to their 2010 summer tour, rather than to risk life and limb on slick roads. Good call, guys.

^{Eagles 2003 tour photo courtesy Eagles Recording Co. II; Fleetwood Mac photo by Neal Preston, courtesy Warner Bros}

Before I get all snarky like I do every year when these announcements are made, let me say up front that there are some things to like about the latest choices for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

First, there's the fact that three of the five inductees (Genesis, The Stooges, The Hollies) are rock bands. This should be a given, but since so many inductees represent other genres, it's worthy of note that a slim majority of the inductees represent rock. (This year's non-rock inductees are pop's ABBA and reggae's Jimmy Cliff. As always, I acknowledge these inductees' positive impact on their respective genres, but have to shrug helplessly when asked what they're doing in a hall of fame ostensibly for rock artists.)

It's not just me. Even ABBA were surprised to be nominated. "I didn't think this would happen, because we were a pop band, not a rock band," one of the band's founders, Benny Andersson, tells Rolling Stone.

And could it be that the induction of Genesis signals a crack in the wall that has historically blocked progressive rockers? Being a glass-half-full kind of guy, I'm going to take this as a hopeful sign for other prog rock bands who have consistently gotten a cold shoulder from the people who nominate and select the Rock Hall inductees.

It's also nice to ponder the possibilities of inductee performances that could bring Graham Nash together with his former Hollies bandmates (which hasn't happened since the early '80s) or Genesis with both Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins (who is currently unable to play drums due to a neck injury and surgery, but who recently proclaimed, "I can still sing!") Mind you, neither of these scenarios has been announced, but unless and until they are ruled out, they're fun to contemplate.

After adjourning to Cleveland (home of the Rock Hall Museum) for last year's induction ceremony, the 2010 affair will return to its longtime venue, New York City's Waldorf Astoria on March 15.

Okay, it's your turn. I look forward to your comments (snarky or otherwise) on the latest Rock Hall inductees.