January 26

 

Fleetwood Mac's troubled genius hit rock bottom today in 1977 when Peter Green was committed to a mental hospital after threatening his accountant with an air rifle, the incident highlighting the schizophrenia that had destroyed the brilliant guitarist's career since he left the band he founded…

 

Jazz violin found its swinging voice when Stéphane Grappelli was born today in 1908, the French musician whose hot club collaborations with Django Reinhardt established the violin as a lead instrument in jazz before his death in 1997 at 89…

 

Guitar innovation was born on this day in 1955 when Eddie Van Halen entered the world in Amsterdam, destined to revolutionize rock guitar with his finger-tapping technique and homemade "Frankenstrat" before his death from cancer in 2020 ended one of music's most joyful careers…

 

Pop's handsomest half Andrew Ridgeley of Wham! turns 63 today, the guitarist-songwriter who provided George Michael's perfect foil in the duo that defined 1980s British pop before stepping aside to let his partner's solo genius flourish…

 

Hard rock's most powerful drummer Corky Laing celebrates his 78th birthday today, the Mountain timekeeper whose thunderous playing with Leslie West created some of the heaviest blues-rock of the early 1970s on songs like "Mississippi Queen."…

 

Pop perfection was achieved on this day in 1970 with the release of Simon & Garfunkel's 'Bridge Over Troubled Water,' the album whose title track showcased Art Garfunkel's soaring vocals on Paul Simon's most generous composition before their partnership dissolved at its commercial peak.