July 27

 

Victory came for John Lennon on this day in 1976 when he was finally awarded his Green Card, granting the former Beatle permanent residence in the US after years of legal battles with immigration authorities…

 

Southern rock mourned another loss today in 2001 when Lynyrd Skynyrd bassist Leon Wilkeson was found dead in a Florida hotel room at 49, ending the life of the musician who helped anchor the band's legendary rhythm section…

 

Country storytelling was born on this day in 1944 when Bobbie Gentry entered the world as Roberta Lee Streeter in Chickasaw County, Mississippi, destined to captivate audiences with mysterious tales like "Ode to Billie Joe."…

 

The "Morning After" songbird Maureen McGovern celebrates her 76th birthday today, the vocalist who soared to fame with disaster movie theme songs and later conquered Broadway stages…

 

The digital music wars reached a settlement today in 2006 when file-sharing service Kazaa agreed to pay record labels over $115 million in damages for piracy, marking a major victory for the music industry…

 

History was made today in 1986 when Queen became the first Western rock act since 1964 to perform in Eastern Europe, breaking down the Iron Curtain with their electrifying show in Budapest, Hungary…

 

Pop culture shifted forever on this day in 1983 when Madonna released her self-titled debut album, launching the career of the woman who would become the undisputed Queen of Pop…

 

Fleetwood Mac's golden goddess went solo today in 1981 with the release of Stevie Nicks' 'Bella Donna,' proving she could captivate audiences just as powerfully on her own as with the band.