August 30

 

The Mamas and the Papas' creative force John Phillips was born on this day in 1935, the songwriter and arranger whose California harmonies on classics like "California Dreamin'" and "Monday Monday" defined the folk-rock sound of the 1960s before his death in 2001…

 

The Boss's personal life hit the headlines today in 1988 when Bruce Springsteen's wife Julianne filed for divorce, ending their marriage as the rock star's career continued to soar and setting the stage for his eventual union with E Street Band member Patti Scialfa…

 

Peace and charity took center stage today in 1972 when John Lennon and Yoko Ono performed at Madison Square Garden to benefit the One to One charity, showcasing the former Beatle's commitment to social causes through music activism…

 

Rock diplomacy reached its peak today in 1980 when British progressive rockers Barclay James Harvest performed "A Concert for the People" next to the Berlin Wall, drawing 250,000 fans in an unprecedented display of music bridging Cold War divisions…

 

Family business turned ugly today in 1989 when Billy Joel fired his brother-in-law manager and sued him for $90 million for embezzlement, exposing the dark side of mixing personal relationships with music industry finances…

 

Bob Dylan's electric revolution reached its pinnacle today in 1965 with the release of 'Highway 61 Revisited,' the album featuring "Like a Rolling Stone" that completed his transformation from folk troubadour to rock prophet and changed popular music forever.