September 29th

Musical birthdays today include Jerry Lee Lewis (83), bluegrass flatpicker Dan Crary (79), jazz-rock violinist Jean-Luc Ponty (76), television theme composer Mike Post [best remembered for 'The Rockford Files' and 'Law & Order'] (74), ex-Grand Funk Railroad frontman Mark Farner (70), Suzzy Roche (62), record label owner & impresario Alan McGee [manager of Oasis and The Jesus and Mary Chain, among others] (58), Primus lead singer & bassist Les Claypool (55), Suede lead singer Brett Anderson (51), jazz and metal guitarist Alex Skolnick (50), rapper AMG [né Jason Lewis] (48), and former Much the Same frontman Chris 'Gunner' McGrath (40). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for Gene Autry, born on this date in 1907... for Czech conductor and violinist Václav Neumann, born in 1920... for Tommy Boyce [of the songwriting duo Boyce & Hart), who would have been 79 today... for session drummer and former King Crimson member Ian Wallace, who would have been 72... and for songwriter Paul Jabara [Donna Summer's 'Last Dance' and 'It's Raining Men' for the Weather Girls), who left us today in 1992.  

Also on September 29: Handel finished his Concerto Grosso in G, Op. 6, no. 1 (1739)... Gustav Holst's The Planets has its premiere at Queen's Hall, London. It was noted that during rehearsals, custodians would stop work and listen in awe to the work that would bring Holst lasting fame (1918)... Berry Gordy's new label Motown Records release their first single, 'Bad Girl' by The Miracles (1959)... Robert Shelton's glowing review of Bob Dylan's support slot at Gerde's Folk City is published in the New York Times. On the same day, Dylan has his first audition with legendary CBS Records scout John Hammond (1961)... At Abbey Road Studios, the Beatles do the final mix of 'I Am the Walrus', which includes the sound of a radio being tuned through numerous stations and coming to rest on a BBC production of King Lear. John Lennon composed the song by combining three separate fragments that he had been working on, and reportedly made the words as nonsensical as possible when he learnt that a former English teacher of his was giving students Beatles lyrics to analyse... The Rolling Stones officially part ways with their manager Andrew Loog Oldham (1967)... Capitol Records releases Merle Haggard's 'Okie from Muskogee' (1969)... Led Zeppelin close their triumphant first Japanese tour with a show at Osaka's Festival Hall (1971)... Celebrating his birthday somewhat excessively, Jerry Lee Lewis nearly lives up to his nickname of 'the Killer' when he accidentally shoots his bass player Norman Owens in the chest. The piano-pounder was using an office door for target practice. Owens survives, but sues his boss (1976)... Prince has his second US № 1 with 'Let's Go Crazy' (1984)... The Smiths release Strangeways, Here We Come, their final studio album (1987)... While travelling cross country on his motorbike from Los Angeles, Bruce Springsteen calls in at Matt's Saloon in Prescott, AZ and jams with the house band. He also writes a cheque for $10,000 to pay the medical expenses of one of the barmaids who has just returned to work after a long stay in hospital (1989)... Keith Moon's five-piece drum kit, custom made for him in 1968, sells for £125,000 at auction in London to an American collector (1992)... Alanis Morissette plays the final show of her first US tour in Houston, TX (1996)... Ozzy Osbourne announces that he is writing a Broadway musical based on the life of Rasputin (2003).