09.16: On this day in 1925, B.B. King was born. Lucille (look it up) would never be the same. Master of the blues, virtuoso improviser on the guitar, and influencer of everyone from Clapton to Hendrix to Stevie Ray Vaughn, B.B. King’s reach around the globe can never be underestimated. He is the Ambassador of the Blues. Long live the King.
09.17: On this day in 1923, Hank Williams Sr. was born. What a glorious entry into this world. Holy moly, this man was a giant during and after his very short life. His music is country music. We wouldn’t have country music as it is today without Hank Williams, Sr. Believe it.
09.17: Banned from the Ed Sullivan Show on this day in 1967 for including the original lyrics (how dare they) to their song “Light My Fire” (that go like this: “Girl, we couldn’t get much higher) when they’d performed on said show, The Doors laughed and laughed because they really couldn’t have cared less. [more]
09.18: On this day in 1970, Jimi Hendrix died in a London hotel room. His exact cause of death has never been confirmed, but it is believed he was intoxicated and asphyxiated on his own vomit. An ignominious end to such an amazing career did nothing, however, to undo the ginormous facts and myths surrounding his virtuosity and life. Hendrix’s influence on rock is a mountain unto itself. So many guitar players site his work as their inspiration that it would be counterproductive to attempt a list of such players. Suffice it to say that Hendrix is, was, and forever shall be the greatest guitar player of all time.
09.18: On this day in 1983, KISS made their first appearance without makeup. It wasn’t pretty.
09.19: On this day in 1981, Simon and Garfunkel reunited for a concert in New York’s Central Park. It was their first appearance together on stage in 11 years. Just in case you weren’t there, don’t remember, or have no clue as to exactly how popular these guys were, 750,000 people attended this concert. Three quarters of a million people! Listening to “Mrs. Robinson,” “Slip Slidin’ Away,” and “The Sounds of Silence”! What a strange, strange world we do inhabit.
09.20: On this day in 1973, Jim Croce died in a plane crash, another young casualty on the road of fallen musicians. Croce’s working man storyteller style hit a chord in the early ’70s, along with his smooth, honest voice, driving “Bad Bad Leroy Brown” and, posthumously, “Time In A Bottle” to the top of the charts. [more]
09.21: Liam Gallagher, the somewhat snotty, extremely opinionated, and oft-drunken lead singer for Oasis, came to officially be on this day in 1972.
09.22: On this day in 1951, David “Mrs. Tawny Kitaen” Coverdale was born. It began his journey down the only road he’s ever known. Oh, glorious hair metal, how we miss the ’80s. (Yes, we didn’t mean that, but we actually really do love, love, love “Here I Go Again.”)
09.22: On this day in 1960, Joan Jett was born. In case you don’t know, she loves rock ‘n’ roll, has a bad reputation, and hates herself for loving you. And she’s totally awesome and would kick your ass in a back alley fight any day of the week. Then she’d sing “Bad Reputation” quietly, yet forcefully, into your ear and everything would be alright. Believe it.