September 24

Musical birthdays today include jazz singer Herb Jeffries (100), percussionist Jack Costanzo (94), bluesman Chick Wiilis (79), Crusaders trombonist Wayne Henderson (74), Gerry & the Pacemakers frontman Gerry Marsden (71), choral composer John Rutter (68), ex-Fairport Convention guitarist Jerry Donahue (67), jazz guitarist Bill Connors (64), Dokken bassist Sean McNabb (48), former Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss (48), Slipknot percussionist Shawn 'Clown' Crahan (44), and Verve drummer Peter Salisbury (42). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for Blind Lemon Jefferson, born on this date in 1893... for songwriter and film score composer Ben Oakland, born in 1907... for jazz trumpeter Fats Navarro, born in 1923... for Ventures drummer Mel Taylor, who would have been 80 today... L.A. session saxophonist Steve Douglas [played on Pet Sounds and Bob Dylan's Street Legal, among many other albums], who would have been 75... for Linda McCartney, who would have been 72... and for singer-songwriter Matthew Jay [collaborated with the Doves, the Stereophonics and Dido] who fell to his death from a 7th storey window in London at the age of 24 today in 2003. 

Also on September 24: Elvis Presley releases 'Jailhouse Rock' (1957)... Elvis receives an invitation to appear at the Royal Variety Command Performance in London, but Colonel Tom Parker graciously declines, citing motion picture commitments. The real reason for his refusal, however, is that the Colonel is a Dutch immigrant residing in the US illegally, and fears that he might not be allowed to return if he leaves the country (1962)... Jimi Hendrix arrives in England for the first time with manager Chas Chandler. The guitarist has with him only the clothes he is wearing, having sold all of his other belongings to pay his hotel bill in New York. One of the first things he does in London is to legally change his name from James to Jimi (1966)... The no. 1 single in the US is 'Cherish' by The Association (1966)... Traffic make their live debut, at the Saville Theatre in London (1967)... Filming of the Magical Mystery Tour continues, in a hangar at the RAF West Malling Air Station in Maidstone, Kent. The cavernous indoor space is needed to shoot the 'Your Mother Should Know' ballroom finale. With the Beatles dressed in white suits and shoes, they glide down a glittery staircase as 160 members of the Peggy Spencer Dance Company swirl round about (1967)... John and Yoko move the mixing of the Double Fantasy album from the Hit Factory in NYC to the Record Plant East. After the session, Lennon gives one of his final recorded interviews, to Lisa Robinson of 97-FM in Buffalo, NY (1980)... Culture Club score their second UK no. 1 hit with 'Karma Chameleon', the biggest selling single of the year (1983)... Bobby McFerrin's 'Don't Worry' Be Happy' becomes the first a capella song to reach no.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (1988)... Nirvana's album Nevermind is released in the US, entering the chart at no. 144 (1991). 

September 23

Musical birthdays today include jazz singer Norma Winstone (72), Julio Iglesias (70), Iron Butterfly drummer Ron Bushy (68), original Alice Cooper drummer Neal Smith (66), Bruce Springsteen (64), former Lemon Kitten and experimental musician Danielle Dax (55), session bassist and songwriter Martin Page (54), industrial metal rocker Lucia Cifarelli (43), Ani DiFranco (43), and rapper Layzie Bone (38). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for folk song collector and ethnomusicologist John Lomax, born on this day in 1870... for early R&B singer Tiny Bradshaw, born on this day in 1907... for John Coltrane, who would have been 87 today... for bluesman Mighty Joe Young, who would have been 86... for Ray Charles, who would have been 83...  for choreographer Bob Fosse, who died today in 1987... and for blueswoman Etta Baker, who left us today in 2006. 

Also on September 23: Wagner's opera Das Rheingold has its world premiere in Frankfurt (1869)... Buddy Holly & the Crickets hit no.1 in the US with 'That'll Be the Day' (1957)... The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts opens in NYC (1962)... The Beatles record 'Happiness is a Warm Gun' at Abbey Road. John Lennon took the title for the song from an American gun magazine that George Martin showed him. Jim Morrison drops by the studio and watches the Fab Four at work for just over an hour (1968)... Mick Jagger meets Bianca Macias for the first time, backstage after a Stones concert at L'Olympia in Paris (1970)... Against his doctors' advice, Bob Marley goes on with a scheduled concert at the Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh two days after collapsing in Central Park in NYC. The singer passes out in mid-performance and is rushed to the University of Pittsburgh Hospital. It is Marley's last public show before his death from cancer the following May (1980)... Neil Young is named artist of the year at the annual Americana Honors and Awards in Nashville (2006).

September 22

   Musical birthdays today include traditional pop singer Joni James (83), jazz singer Marlena Shaw (71), Lighthouse co-founder Paul Hoffert (70), King Sunny Adé (67), David Coverdale (62), Right Said Fred frontmen Fred & Richard Fairbrass (60), Debby Boone (57), Nick Cave (56), Joan Jett (55), ex-Weezer bassist Matt Sharp (44), Rilo Kiley lead guitarist Blake Sennett (37), violinist Emilie Autumn (34), and Cribs drummer Ross Jarman (29). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for American composer and bandleader Arthur Pryor, born on this date in 1870... for songwriter Harry Warren ['That's Amore', 'Chatanooga Choo Choo'], who died on this day in 1981... for Irving Berlin, who died in 1989 at the age of 101... and for violin virtuoso Isaac Stern, who left us today in 2001. 

Also on September 22: Elvis Presley gives a final press conference at the Military Ocean Terminal in Brooklyn, NY before shipping out to Germany with the US 3rd Armored Division on the USS General Randall (1958)... Herman's Hermits have their first and only UK no.1 with 'I'm into Something Good' (1964)... San Francisco band The Great Society, with then husband and wife Jerry and Grace Slick on drums and lead vocals, respectively, make their live debut at The Coffee Gallery in North Beach (1965)... The Doors perform 'Light My Fire' and 'People Are Strange' on The Murray the K Show on WPIX-TV in New York (1967)... The Band release their eponymous second album, which will yield the hit singles 'Up on on Cripple Creek', 'Rag Mama Rag' and 'The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down' (1969)... David Bowie kicks off the North American leg of the Ziggy Stardust world tour at The Music Hall in Cleveland, OH (1972)... The Rolling Stones have the no. 1 album in Britain today with Goats Head Soup (1973)... Def Leppard receive their first major press notice when Melody Maker reviews a gig the band had recently played in Wolverhampton (1979)... Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Willie Nelson, Joni Mitchell and Tom Petty headline the first Farm Aid concert at the stadium of the University of Illinois-Champaign  (1985)... Nirvana play their largest gig to date, at Seattle's Motor Sports International Garage. Dave Grohl, who will audition for the band two days from now, is in the audience of 15,000 (1990)... Bryan Adams makes British chart history when '(Everything I Do) I Do It for You' comes in at no.1 for the 12th consecutive week (1991)... Diana Ross is arrested on the Concorde after an incident at Heathrow Airport. The singer claimed that a female security guard had fondled her breasts when frisking her; Ross retaliated by grabbing the guard's genital area (1999)... 'A Tribute to Heroes' is aired commercial-free on most of the major US TV networks. The live program was organized to raise money for 9/11 charities. Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, U2, Billy Joel, Pearl Jam and Limp Bizkit all perform (2001)... Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, is escorted off a diverted transatlantic flight and refused entry into the US by FBI agents. His name showed up on a State Department watch list after the plane had taken off from London. The flight lands in Portland, ME, where Islam, travelling with his 21-year-old-daughter, is detained and questioned (2004)... Jimmy Page is made an honorary citizen of Rio de Janeiro for his work raising money to help the city's street children (2005)... Research conducted by UK car maker SEAT shows that 'Bohemian Rhapsody' is the song most likely to be found on British iPods, with 40% of owners of the device having the Queen hit on their playlists (2011). 

September 21

Musical birthdays today include jazz vocalist Ward Swingle (86), saxophonist and Mingus sideman Shafi Hadi (84), Leonard Cohen (79), free jazz drummer Sunny Murray (77), rock guitarist Bobby Tench (69), Spinners lead singer G.C. Cameron (68), ex-Eagles lead guitarist Don Felder (66), former XTC lead guitarist Dave Gregory (61), ex-Motörhead drummer Phil 'Philthy Animal' Taylor (59), Swing Out Sister lead singer Corinne Drewery (54), Faith Hill (46), Barenaked Ladies drummer Tyler Stewart (46), De La Soul's David Jude Jolicoeur AKA Dave (45), Liam Gallagher (41) former Korn drummer David Silveria (41), Glasvegas frontman James Allan 34), and Horrors lead singer Faris Badwan (27). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for composer Gustav Holst, born on this day in 1874... for classical pianist György Sándor, born in 1912... for jazz bassist Leroy 'Slam' Stewart, born in 1914... for Liverpool band leader Rory Storm, who would have been 74 today... for jazz bassist Jaco Pastorious, who died today in 1987 at the age of 36... and for ex-King Crimson singer and Bad Company founding member Boz Burrell, who left us today in 2006. 

Also on September 21: Bessie Smith records 'Jailhouse Blues' (1923)... The no. 1 song in the US today is Bobby Vinton's 'Blue Velvet' (1963)... Madame Tussaud's Waxworks gives the Beatles their fifth image change of clothes and hair in 4 years (1968)... The BBC TV music show The Old Grey Whistle Test premieres. In addition to live acts, clips of Jimi Hendrix performing at Monterey and Bob Dylan singing 'Maggie's Farm' at Newport in 1965 are show on television for the first time. According to presenter Bob Harris, the program [which will run until 1987] derived its name from an old Tin Pan Alley expression ~ when a music publishing company received the first test pressing of a record, they would play it for the people they called 'the old greys', i.e. uniformed doormen. The songs they could remember and whistle after the first hearing were said to have 'passed the old grey whistle test' (1971)... Barry White has his only US no. 1 with 'Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Baby' (1974)... During a North American tour, Bob Marley collapses while jogging in NYC's Central Park. Hospital tests will show that the singer is suffering from cancer in an advanced stage (1980)...  The National Enquirer runs a cover photo of Michael Jackson in an oxygen chamber for a story claiming that the singer has a 'bizarre plan' to live until he is 150 years old (1986)... Status Quo put themselves in the Guinness Book of World Record by playing 4 gigs in 4 cities [Sheffield, Glasgow, Birmingham and London] within a 12-hour period (1991)... A contract revealing that the Beatles refused to perform for a segregated audience at the Cow Palace in San Francisco on August 31, 1965 sells for $23,033 at an auction in L.A. (2011). 

September 20

Musical birthdays today include jazz drummer Chico Hamilton (92), pop singer Gogi Grant (89), Styx bassist Chuck Panozzo (65), jazzman Steve Coleman (57), Thompson Twins co-founder Alannah Currie (56), former Housemartins and Beautiful South lead singer Dave Hemingway (53), Soundgarden bassist Ben Shepherd (45), The Feeling frontman Dan Gillespie Sells (34), and Québécoise pop singer Marilou (23). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for jazz guitarist John Collins, born 100 years ago today... for classical pianist William Kappell, born in 1922... for jazz singer & guitarist Jackie Paris, who would have been 89 today... for original Coasters member Bobby Nunn, who would have been 88... for former Styx drummer John Panozzo, who would have been 65... for Spanish violin virtuoso Pablo de Sarasate, who died today in 1908... for singer-songwriter Jim Croce, who was killed in an airplane crash today in 1973 at the age of 30... and for Leonard Skinner, the high school gym teacher who was the namesake of the band Lynyrd Skynyrd, who left us today in 2010. 

Also on September 20: Dimitri Shostakovich's Suite for Jazz Orchestra premieres in Leningrad (1938)... Led Zeppelin, still under the name The New Yardbirds, enter Olympic Studios in London to begin recording their first album. The album will take only 36 hours to complete, at a reported cost of £1,780. Almost all of the tracks are recorded live off the floor with no overdubs (1968)... During a group meeting at Abbey Road Studios, John Lennon tells the other Beatles "I want  divorce" and announces that he is leaving the band (1969)... 'Sugar Sugar' by the Archies starts a 4-week run at no.1 in the US. It's 8-week stay at the top in Britain will set a longevity record in the spot for a one-hit wonder (1969)... Jim Morrison is acquitted on charges of lewd and lascivious behaviour, but is found guilty of exposing himself during a concert at the Dinner Key Auditorium in Coconut Grove, FL 18 months earlier. After his trial at the Dade County Courthouse in Miami, Judge Henry Goodman sentences the Doors vocalist to six months plus sixty days hard labour for public self-exposure and profanity, and a $500 fine. The sentence will still be on appeal when Morrison dies in Paris the following summer (1970)... Paul and Linda McCartney are arrested for possession of cannabis for the second time this month, this time at their farmhouse in Campbeltown, Scotland (1972)... David Bowie has his first US no.1 single with 'Fame', which he co-wrote with John Lennon (1975)... The four former Beatles turn down a £230 million offer from promoter Sid Bernstein to do a one-off reunion concert for charity (1976)... AC/DC release 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap' (1976)... Kate Bush becomes the first female solo artist to have a no.1 album in Britain, with Never For Ever. Meanwhile, Queen score their only US no. 1 album with The Game (1980)... The musical Miss Saigon has its world premiere in the West End in London (1989)... The Dave Matthews Band release the album Under the Table and Dreaming, which features their first widely heard singles including 'What Would You Say' and 'Ants Marching' (1994)... Pearl Jam's video for 'Jeremy' is cited as one of the reasons that school shooter Barry Loukaitis snapped and killed his algebra teacher and two fellow students in Washington state. The defendant's attorneys take the unprecedented step of playing the video in the courtroom (1997)... The former north London home of the original members of Pink Floyd is bought by a Singaporean developer named Sham Masterman. The businessman, who admits that he is not a fan of the group, purchases the Highgate house and the one next door for £1.2 million. Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Rick Wright and Nick Mason all lived in the house in the late '60s. The previous owner, lighting technician Mike Leonard, was landlord and friend to the musicians, and even inspired their group's first name, 'Leonard's Lodgers' (2012). 

September 19

Musical birthdays today include Bill Medley (73), Sylvia Tyson (73), Freda Payne (71), David Bromberg (68), ex-10cc lead singer Lol Creme (66), Daniel Lanois (62), free jazz guitarist Henry Kaiser (61), Nile Rogers (61), Rex Smith (58), former Runaways lead guitarist Lita Ford (55), Jarvis Cocker (50), Trisha Yearwood (49), heavy metal guitarist & drummer Jimmy Bower (45), Amil (35), Tegan and Sara Quinn (33), and Eamon (30). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for Brian Epstein, who would have been 79 today... for former Chieftains fiddler Martin Fay, who would have been 77... for Cass Elliot, who would have been 72... for country rock pioneer Gram Parsons, who died today in 1973 at the age of 26... and for session drummer Earl Palmer [played on the original studio recordings of 'Tutti Frutti', 'You've Lost that Lovin' Feelin' and 'River Deep, Mountain High' among many others], who left us today in 2008. 

Also on September 19: 16-year-old English singer Cliff Richard joins his first band, The Dick Teague Skiffle Group (1957)... Chubby Checker hits no.1 on the Billboard chart with 'The Twist' (1960)... Creedence Clearwater Revival score their only British no.1 singled with 'Bad Moon Rising' (1969)... The first Glastonbury Festival opens with T Rex and Jethro Tull among the headliners (1970)... The no. 1 album in the US today is the Rolling Stones' Tattoo You ~ it will stay atop the charts for the next two months (1981)... Tipper Gore and other US political wives form the PMRC [Parents Music Resource Center] as Frank Zappa, Dee Snider and other musicians testify at Congressional hearings on obscenity in popular music (1985)... Pearl Jam release their second album, Vs. It sets a record for most copies sold in its first week in shops that will stand for 5 years, despite the group's refusal to produce any videos for the album's singles (1993)... James Brown is sued by his own daughters for nearly one million dollars of song royalties they say they are owed. The suit brought by Deanna Brown Thomas and Dr. Yamma Brown Lummar, a Houston physician, alleges that Brown is withholding the money because of family grudges (2002).  

September 18

Musical birthdays today include Frankie Avalon (74), singer-songwriter P.F. Sloan (68), former Kansas frontman Kerry Livgren (64), ex-Black Flag lead singer Keith Morris (58), Jayhawks frontman Mark Olson (52), Cutting Crew drummer Martin Beedle (52), Human League vocalist Joanne Catherall (51), legendary college DJ and all-around musical trendsetter Sharon 'Sherri' Wallach (45), Wu-Tang Clan rapper Darryl 'Cappadonna' Hill (44), operatic soprano Anna Netrebko (42), and Mobb Deep rapper Albert 'Prodigy' Johnson (39). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for Dee Dee Ramone, who would have been 62 today... for jazz guitarist Emily Remler, who would have been 56... for bluesman Blind Willie Johnson, who died on this date in 1945... and for Jimi Hendrix, who left us today in 1970. 

Also on September 18: The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden opens for the first time (1809)... The Beatles continue work on the White Album, recording 'Birthday' today. Mal Evans, Yoko Ono and Pattie Harrison contribute backing vocals and handclaps (1968)... The Who score their first and only UK no. 1 album with Who's Next. The cover photo, taken at Easington Colliery, Co. Durham, shows the members of the band having apparently just relieved themselves on a large concrete piling. According to photographer Ethan Russell, only Pete Townshend was actually able to urinate on cue, so rainwater was tipped from an empty film canister to achieve the desired affect (1971)... The no. 1 single in the US today is 'Play That Funky Music' by one-hit wonders Wild Cherry (1976)... Gary Numan takes off on a round the world trip in a single-engine Cessna aircraft. The attempt ends after he is forced down by the Indian air force over Mumbai and arrested when he lands (1981)... Kiss appear for the first time in public without their famous make-up, in an interview with MTV to promote their latest album, Lick It Up (1983)... At Sotheby's in London, Julian Lennon is the top bidder for Paul McCartney's recording notes for 'Hey Jude', as well as for a copy of his father's handwritten lyrics to 'Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite'. The two purchases will cost the younger Lennon £21,000 and £57,500 respectively (1996)... Britney Spears marries Kevin Federline in a private ceremony in Los Angeles (2004)... 73-year-old Willie Nelson and four members of his band are charged with drug possession after cannabis and magic mushrooms are found by Louisiana state troopers after the singer's tour bus is pulled over outside Lafayette (2006)... Leonard Cohen collapses on stage while singing his song 'Bird on a Wire' during a concert in Valencia, Spain and is taken to hospital. The 75-year-old tunesmith will be found to be suffering from food poisoning (2009).