December 13

 

Studio virtuoso Jeff "Skunk" Baxter was born today in 1948, the guitarist whose precise playing graced both the Doobie Brothers' hits and Steely Dan's meticulous recordings before his second career as a defense consultant proved that technical mastery could translate across wildly different fields…

 

Songwriting royalty received America's highest musical honor today in 2012 when Carole King won the Gershwin Prize, becoming the first woman to receive the lifetime achievement recognition for her catalog of classics from "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" to "Natural Woman."…

 

Rock's most visionary producer and impresario Lou Adler was born on this day in 1933, the music industry legend who managed the Mamas & the Papas, produced Carole King's 'Tapestry,' organized the Monterey Pop Festival, and brought 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' to American theaters.

 

 

We remember punk's art-rock poet Tom Verlaine on his birthday today in 1949, the Television frontman born in Morristown, New Jersey whose angular guitar work and literary lyrics on 'Marquee Moon' helped establish New York's CBGB scene before his death in 2023…

 

Rock's most polarizing guitarist Ted Nugent was born today in 1948, the Motor City Madman whose blazing fretwork and hits like "Cat Scratch Fever" have been overshadowed by his increasingly controversial right-wing politics and outspoken support of gun rights…

 

Pop's most strategic songwriter Taylor Swift celebrates her 36th birthday today, the Pennsylvania native whose evolution from country ingénue to global superstar has been marked by her ability to control her narrative, re-record her catalog, and dominate the cultural conversation…

 

Punk poetry was born today in 1975 with the release of Patti Smith's 'Horses,' the debut album produced by John Cale that fused rock and roll energy with beat generation consciousness, establishing Smith as the godmother of punk while proving poetry and three chords could revolutionize music.