Today would have been George Harrison’s 67th birthday.  On (my favorite George Harrison tune) “The Art of Dying,”  soon-to-be Genesis drummer/singer Phil Collins plays congas.  As a kid, Collins was an extra in the Beatles movie A Hard Day’s Night. While Collins...

51 years ago today was "the day the music died." On February 3, 1959, a small-plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa killed three American musicians: Buddy Holly Ritchie Valens and"The Big Bopper", J. P. Richardson...

Happy 61st Birthday to former Journey frontman Steve Perry!!!  His first solo hit, “Oh Sherrie” is about his real life girlfriend at the time, Sherrie Swafford, who also appeared in the video. Anyone else hoping for a Journey reunion tour?...

Happy 49th Birthday to Michael Stipe of REM! Listen to the song “Driver 8″ and see if it sounds familiar. There’s a series of minor chords that guitarist Peter Buck would use again on “The One I Love,” “Losing My Religion,” and “Bang and...

Dennis Wilson died on this day in 1983.  As a founding member of the Beach Boys, he was the only actual surfer in the band. Share Tweet

“You Got the Silver”  (1969) was the first Rolling Stones song to feature Keith Richards on lead vocals.  It was also the last song to feature a usable contribution by Brian Jones. Bonus:  Happy 66th (?!?) Birthday to Keith Richards … Share Tweet

Today marks the 29th anniversary of John Lennon’s passing.  War is over – if you want it… Share Tweet

On this day in 1993, Frank Zappa died. Back in ’73, Frank released “Over-Nite Sensation.” He used Tina Turner and the Ikettes to sing backup on three tracks, “Montana,” “I’m the Slime,” and “Dirty Love.” Share Tweet

Queen frontman Freddie Mercury died on this day in 1991.  :: sigh ::   One of their lesser known (but incredible) songs “Dragon Attack” features a melody eerily similar to another better known track, “We Will Rock You.”  Most of the track evolved out of a drunken...

Johnny Mathis released the very first Greatest Hits album in 1958.  Multiple artists and labels soon followed including (ironically…) Britney Spears in 2004. Share Tweet

SS Edmund Fitzgerald was an American Great Lakes freighter launched on June 8, 1958. Until 1971 she was the largest ship on the Great Lakes. Although she had reported having some difficulties during a gale on Lake Superior, the Fitzgerald sank suddenly on November 10, 1975 in 530 feet...

On this day in 1871, Henry Morton Stanley locates missing explorer and missionary, Dr. David Livingstone in Ujiji, near Lake Tanganyika, allegedly greeting him with the words, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” Share Tweet

Today would have been Ike Turner’s 78th birthday.   Credited with writing the first rock ‘n’ roll song ever (Rocket 88), he also denied having ever been legally married to Tina Turner.   Upon his death, and after years of obvious estrangement, Turner issued a brief...

“So when people ask me what “American Pie” means, I tell them it means I don’t ever have to work again …” –Don McLean Share Tweet

Born on this day (we think…) in 1944, Peter Tosh became an accomplished unicyclist after his departure from Bob Marley and the Wailers.  He would often start his shows by riding his unicycle right onto the stage. Had he not met a tragic end, Tosh would’ve been 65 today… Share

David Lee Roth is one of the few men in his family that isn’t a doctor. Roth’s uncle Dave is a brain surgeon, and his uncle Marty is an orthopedic surgeon. Diamond Dave’s grandfather who was a surgeon. And later on, for a brief time in the late ’90s, Dave was an EMT...

Prior to directing “American Idol,” Bruce Gowers was best known for directing the video for Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” in 1975. Share Tweet

Before he was a musician, George Clinton ran a barbershop in Plainfield,...

“Whatever Get’s You Thru the Night” was John Lennon’s only #1 U.S. solo hit during his lifetime.  For those who’ll check, “Imagine” only got to #3… Share Tweet

Today would’ve been John and Yoko’s 40th Anniversary. Peter Brown called to say, “You can make it O.K., You can get married in Gibraltar, near...

Meatloaf’s “Bat Out of Hell” has outsold The Beatles “Sgt Pepper.” 37 Million for Mr Loaf, 32 million for the Fab Four… Reference:  http://www.timefm.co.uk/bestselling-albums/ Share Tweet

The first artist to sell a million copies on CD was Dire Straits in 1985 with Brothers in Arms. Bonus:  In 1986, Queen became the first artist to have its entire catalogue released on compact...

Motown Records was founded by Berry Gordy as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959.  That makes Motown 50 years old today!  Not too shabby … and here’re a few reasons why … The Jackson 5/Michael Jackson – Medley/Billie Jean (From Motown 25) The Temptations –...

The piano used by Freddie Mercury in the “Bohemian Rhapsody” video was also used by Paul McCartney to record “Hey Jude.” Share Tweet

On this day in 1966, “96 Tears” by ? and the Mysterians hit #1.  ? claimed (and still claims) to be a Martian who lived with dinosaurs in a past life, and he never appears in public without...