Birthday's & Tragedy's On This Day In Music History

You’re In Depth Look At Rock History’s Greatest Moments On This Day!

Happy Birthday goes out to...

1963 - Joey Tempest

Joey Tempest, Europe, (1986 UK No.1 single ‘The Final Countdown’).

1951 - John Deacon

John Deacon, bass, Queen. He was the last to join the band and also the youngest, being only 19 years old. Deacon wrote a number of Queen’s hit singles, including ‘You’re My Best Friend’, ‘Spread Your Wings’, ‘I Want to Break Free’, and the band’s biggest selling single in the United States, ‘Another One Bites the Dust’.

1945 - Ian Gillan

English singer and songwriter Ian Gillan from Deep Purple, who had the 1970 UK No.2 single ‘Black Night’ and the 1973 US No. 4 single ‘Smoke On The Water’. Gillan has also been a member of Episode Six, Ian Gillan Band, Gillan, Black Sabbath, Gillan & Glover and WhoCares.

1939 - Ginger Baker

Ginger Baker, drummer with Cream who had the 1966 UK No.11 single ‘I Feel Free’. Baker was also a member of the Graham Bond Organisation, Blind Faith, and Ginger Bakers Airforce and is also known for his numerous associations with World music, mainly the use of African influences. He has also had other collaborations such as with Gary Moore, Hawkwind and Public Image Ltd. Baker died on 6 October at the age of 80.

And on this day in Music History....

1967 - Marianne Faithfull

The Beatles scored their 14th US No.1 single with ‘All You Need Is Love’. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Keith Moon, Graham Nash, Marianne Faithfull and Walker Brother Gary Leeds all sang backing vocals on the track.

1969 - Dick Cavett Show Joni Mitchell, David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Jefferson Airplane all appeared on the ABC TV Dick Cavett Show from Television C

1971 - Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin kicked off a North American tour at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, Canada. The band played to a sold out crowd of over 17,000 fans, another 3,000 fans outside the venue who didn’t have tickets started a battle with local police.enter in New York City.

1972 - David Bowie

David Bowie played the first of two nights at the Rainbow Theatre in England on his current 182-date Ziggy Stardust world tour.

1977 - Sex Pistols

The Sex Pistols started an undercover UK tour as The Spots, (an acronym for Sex Pistols on tour secretly).

2005 - Phil Lynott

A life-size bronze statue designed by Paul Daly of Phil Lynott was unveiled on Harry Street in Dublin. The ceremony was attended by his former Thin Lizzy band members Gary Moore, Brian Robertson and Scott Gorham. Lynott who died in 1986 aged 36 had a string of hits including ‘Whiskey in the Jar’, ‘The Boys are Back in Town’, ‘Jailbreak’ and ‘Waiting for an Alibi’.

2008 - The Dave Matthews Band

Saxophonist LeRoi Moore, a founding member of the Dave Matthews Band, died aged 46. Publicist Ambrosia Healy said he died from injuries sustained in a vehicle accident in June on his Virginia farm.

2019 - Duane Allman

The guitar Duane Allman played on the classic Derek and the Dominos song ‘Layla’ sold for $1million (£820,000) at auction. The 1957 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop was Allman’s main guitar during the first two years of the Allman Brothers Band and was played on their 1969 self-titled debut album and 1970 follow-up Idlewild South. ‘Layla’ was one of the final recordings that featured Allman playing that guitar as soon after, the guitarist swapped it for a 1959 Les Paul.