September 21

 

Poetry and song found their perfect union today in 1934 when Leonard Cohen was born in Montreal, the deep-voiced troubadour whose literary lyrics and spiritual explorations on songs like "Hallelujah" and "Suzanne" made him one of music's most revered artists before his death in 2016…

 

Jazz lost one of its most revolutionary bassists on this day in 1987 when Jaco Pastorius died from injuries sustained in a nightclub fight at just 35, ending the tragically short life of the fretless bass innovator who had transformed the instrument's possibilities…

 

Music became a healing force today in 2001 when the concert "America: A Tribute to Heroes" aired on most major TV networks, bringing together artists like Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, and U2 to help the nation process the grief and unity following the September 11th attacks…

 

The Eagles soared on the guitar wings of Don Felder, born today in 1947, the lead guitarist whose dual guitar attack with Joe Walsh and iconic "Hotel California" solo helped define the band's most successful period before his controversial departure…

 

Country music's crossover queen Faith Hill celebrates her 58th birthday today, the Mississippi-born singer whose powerful voice and pop sensibilities made her one of the most successful country artists of the 1990s and 2000s…

 

Britpop's bratty prince Liam Gallagher turns 53 today, the Oasis frontman whose sneering vocals and confrontational attitude helped make the Manchester band both beloved and notorious during their meteoric rise and dramatic fall…

 

Security concerns met artistic expression today in 2004 when Cat Stevens, known as Yusuf Islam since his conversion in the late 1970s, was prevented from entering the United States, highlighting post-9/11 tensions between government security measures and cultural freedom.