1940s- Oogie is born in Denver. As a child, he lives next door to Judy Collins. Collins moved from Seattle in 1949 - preceding the grunge movement by almost forty years - but the pictures of the two icons riding bikes together remain.
2/2/59- Visiting his grandparents in Iowa, a young Oogie sees Buddy Holly’s last-ever show in Clear Lake.
4/1/63- Oogie moves to New York and drops his last name, becoming one of the earliest mononymous artists (along with Donovan and Gigantor). When pressed on his name change, Oogie replies, “What other name do I need? I’m Oogie. Oogie says it all. Oogie is the Alpha and Omega. You dig? Seriously though, how long does it take to get a drink around here?”
1/2/65- January- Oogie’s first appearance on Shindig!, alongside Sam Cooke, to promote his first album, “Meet Oogie”.
11/27/65- While opening for the Isley Brothers on tour to support his second album, “Oogie Too”, Oogie advises their backing guitarist, Jimi Hendrix, to move to the U.K. and go solo.
11/9/66- At the Indica Gallery in London for the release party of “Aloha! Oogie”, Oogie loses his glasses and asks John Lennon to go back inside and find them. It leads to John meeting Yoko Ono, which Oogie will later deny any part in.
1/23/67 Belgrade Gitarijada Music Festival - Kicks off European Tour with appearance at Yugoslavia's first rock festival. Organizers later estimate at least 100 children born following the festival are named Oogie, including Oogie Crimery, leading goal scorer in Russian Hockey in 1991-92, and Oogie Cookikov, PM of the Czech Republic 2011-2014.
7/14/68- Performs at first-ever Summerfest Festival in Milwaukee to support latest album, “Make Room For Oogie”. Although not seen as a major influence at the time, convinces the Steve Miller Blues Band to do less blues and more pop.
12/22/68 LA Pop Festival- Oogie shows his virtuosity by sitting in on bass with The Turtles, guitar with Three Dog Night, percussion with Righteous Brothers, woodwind with Canned Heat, tambourine for Ron & Marci, and helping Jose Feliciano get around backstage.
6/27/69 Denver Pop Festival- Agrees to perform at hometown event. The three-day music festival bring in an attendance that was estimated at 50,000, to which Oogie exclaimed, “this will be the event of the year!” Six weeks later Woodstock takes place and no one remembers this event.
6/8/69- Performs and appears in two skits on the final episode of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour to publicize his new album, “Oogie Live at the the Felt Forum”.
6/21/70- Sits in for an ailing Tony Orlando as the halftime entertainment at the 1970 FIFA World Cup final in Mexico City. It’s the only-ever “Oogie & Dawn” show.
10/20/71- Days before an appearance on the Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour in Miami, FL, tragedy strikes when drummer Brian Sachs is eaten by an alligator. Levon Helm agrees to sit in and the band performs “Simple Mess”, which becomes a #1 hit.
7/22/72- In support of his album, “Exile On Cheddar Avenue”, performs at Seattle Bumbershoot Festival, where Oogie is pictured giving his guitar pick to 5-year old after his set. The young child is later identified as Kurt Cobain.
Fall 1974- Oogie causes confusion with audiences on a Far East tour by having the Unknown Comic as a non-musical, opening act. Most of the crowds don’t speak English and miss the jokes. Those that get it don’t think it’s funny.
12/6/75- Saturday Night Live appearance to support the release of “Oogie Live At Budokan” goes awry when an inebriated Oogie tumbles onto the stage and knocks over Lorraine Newman and Garrett Morris during a skit.
10/30/76- a year before David Bowie and Bing Crosby create holiday magic with “The Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth”, Oogie infamously duets with Lou Reed on a Halloween-inspired song, “Ghouls and Ghouls”, on “The Sonny and Cher Show”. It’s a rare though hideous flop for the singer. As a result the follow-up recorded at the same time, “Ghouls and Ghouls Some More”, is never released.
11/13/76- Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert appearance with 10cc, Leo Sayer, Omni. Oogie performs “Sunshine”, at the time the #1 song in the country.
7/4/77- During his 1977 North American Tour, Oogie tells John Denver that this will be his last tour and he’s thinking of retiring to the Colorado mountains to work on his cooking.
11/11/78- Appears on the Midnight Special for the fourth and final time of his career and, a week later, the parody version on SCTV, “Lee Iococca’s Rock Concert”.
12/30/78- Oogie announces his retirement from music the same week his song “4 Small B&W Pictures of You” supplants “Le Freak” as the top song in the US, making it the 12th and final #1 of his career (tied with The Supremes for third-most #1s singles).
11/2/04: Played by Adam Lieberman in the 2004 Hallmark biopic and holiday movie, “An Oogie Christmas”.
3/10/14: Makes unannounced appearance on the new CD release by Dec3
1/1/18: After a forty-year absence, Oogie resurfaces- not with new music but with food: as proprietor of healthy, better-for-you snacks bearing his name. He says he’s happier than he’s ever been.