September 1

 

Margaritaville lost its mayor today in 2023 when Jimmy Buffett died at 76, ending the life of the laid-back troubadour whose island-inspired songs and Parrothead following created a musical lifestyle brand that celebrated escapism and good times…

 

Music industry drama turned dangerous today in 1976 when legendary producer Lou Adler was kidnapped in Los Angeles and held for $25,000 ransom, highlighting the darker side of the glamorous music business before his safe release…

 

Rock royalty tied the knot today in 1978 when Aerosmith's Steven Tyler married model and actress Cyrinda Foxe, beginning a tumultuous union that would play out against the backdrop of the band's rise to superstardom…

 

Scandal reached new heights today in 2006 when Phil Spector married his fourth wife Rachelle Short in the midst of his murder trial for Lana Clarkson's death, displaying the eccentric producer's defiance even as his legal troubles mounted…

 

Rock and roll's wild man made his fateful debut today in 1956 when 19-year-old Jerry Lee Lewis arrived at Sun Records hoping for an audition, though Sam Phillips was out of town - a delay that would soon give way to "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On."…

 

Soul's party starter Archie Bell of Archie Bell and the Drells celebrates his 81st birthday today, the Houston singer whose "Tighten Up" and other dance floor classics kept the groove alive during the late 1960s…

 

Latin pop's queen Gloria Estefan marks her 68th birthday today, the Cuban-American superstar whose crossover success with the Miami Sound Machine opened doors for countless Latino artists in mainstream American music…

 

We remember jazz alto sax master Art Pepper on his birthday today in 1925, the West Coast jazz pioneer whose emotional intensity and technical brilliance influenced generations of musicians before his death in 1982…

 

The last surviving Bee Gee, Barry Gibb, celebrates his 79th birthday today, the falsetto voice and primary songwriter behind the trio's disco dominance who continues to carry the family musical legacy after his brothers' deaths…

 

Songwriting's most elegant voice was silenced in 2012 when Hal David passed away in Los Angeles at 91, ending the career of the lyricist whose partnership with Burt Bacharach produced timeless classics like "What the World Needs Now Is Love.".