October 20

 

Southern rock suffered its most devastating blow today in 1977 when a plane crash in Gillsburg, Mississippi killed three members of Lynyrd Skynyrd including frontman Ronnie Van Zant, effectively ending the band's original run at the peak of their powers just three days after releasing 'Street Survivors.'…

 

Jazz piano's first great composer Jelly Roll Morton was born on this day in 1890, the New Orleans innovator who claimed to have invented jazz itself while his compositions like "King Porter Stomp" and braggadocious personality helped establish the music's early character before his death in 1941…

 

We remember the late great Tom Petty on his birthday today in 1950, the Gainesville rocker whose honest songwriting and defiant independence made him one of America's most beloved artists before his accidental overdose death in 2017 ended four decades of heartland rock excellence…

 

Hootie & the Blowfish's rhythmic backbone Jim Sonefeld celebrates his 61st birthday today, the drummer whose steady beats anchored the band's multi-platinum 1990s success before finding a second calling as a Christian music artist…

 

Hip-hop's smoothest gangster Snoop Dogg turns 54 today, the Long Beach rapper whose laid-back flow and Dr. Dre collaborations made him one of rap's most enduring and versatile personalities across three decades of cultural relevance…

 

Irish rock's most earnest statement arrived today in 1980 with the release of U2's debut album 'Boy,' introducing Bono's passionate vocals and The Edge's chiming guitar on songs that would launch the band's journey from Dublin clubs to stadium dominance.