September 27

 

Psychedelic rock lost one of its founding voices on this date in 2018 when Jefferson Airplane co-founder Marty Balin passed away at 76, ending the life of the singer whose ethereal vocals on "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit" helped define the San Francisco sound of the 1960s…

 

Wings suffered a tragic blow today in 1979 when Scottish guitarist Jimmy McCullough died from a heroin overdose at just 26, cutting short the career of the talented musician who had brought his rock edge to Paul McCartney's post-Beatles band…

 

Rock theater's most bombastic performer Marvin Lee Aday, better known as Meat Loaf, was born on this day in 1947, the larger-than-life singer whose operatic "Bat Out of Hell" became one of the best-selling albums of all time before his death in 2022…

 

Canadian rock's architect Randy Bachman celebrates his 82nd birthday today, the guitarist whose driving riffs powered both The Guess Who's "American Woman" and Bachman-Turner Overdrive's "Takin' Care of Business" across two decades of arena rock success…

 

Folk met faith today in 1997 when Bob Dylan performed "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" and "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" for Pope John Paul II at a Vatican youth rally, creating one of music's most unlikely but moving spiritual encounters…

 

Studio royalty was born today in 1948 when Russ Kunkel entered the world, the session drummer whose steady beats anchored countless classic recordings by James Taylor, Carole King, and the entire 1970s singer-songwriter movement…

 

Jazz piano's bebop revolutionary Bud Powell was born on this day in 1924, the virtuoso whose lightning-fast runs and harmonic innovations influenced generations of pianists before mental illness and substance abuse cut short his brilliant career…

 

Reggae's rhythmic foundation was established when bassist Robbie Shakespeare was born on this day in 1953, the Jamaican musician whose partnership with drummer Sly Dunbar created the most in-demand rhythm section in reggae and pop music before his death in 2021…

 

Pop-punk's bratty princess Avril Lavigne celebrates her 41st birthday today, the Canadian singer whose necktie-and-tank-top rebellion and hits like "Complicated" helped define early 2000s alternative rock for a generation of young fans.