October 1

 

America's deadliest mass shooting shattered music's sanctuary on this night in 2017 when gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas, killing 58 concertgoers and wounding over 800 before taking his own life, forever changing security at outdoor music events…

 

Folk-rock history was made today in 1965 when Bob Dylan introduced his new backing group at Carnegie Hall - the Hawks, who would soon transform into The Band and become legends in their own right alongside Dylan's electric revolution…

 

We remember actor Richard Harris on his birthday today in 1930, the Irish theatrical force whose dramatic interpretation of "MacArthur Park" became an unlikely 1968 hit before his death in 2002, proving actors could occasionally conquer the pop charts…

 

Musical theater's most beloved voice Dame Julie Andrews celebrates her 90th birthday today, the actress-singer whose pure soprano in "The Sound of Music" and "Mary Poppins" made her one of cinema's most cherished performers across generations…

 

Soul music lost one of its most sensitive voices when we remember Donny Hathaway on his birthday today in 1945, the singer-songwriter whose duets with Roberta Flack and solo hits like "A Song for You" showcased his vulnerable artistry before his tragic death in 1979…

 

Memphis soul was violently silenced today in 1975 when 39-year-old Al Jackson, Booker T. and The MG's drummer, was fatally shot by a burglar at his home, taking with him the timekeeper behind countless Stax Records classics and Al Green hits…

 

Music consumption was revolutionized on this day in 1982 when Sony launched its first CD player, the CDP-101, introducing the digital audio format that would dominate the industry for the next three decades and eventually lead to streaming…

 

Texas blues found its coolest master when Albert Collins was born on this day in 1932, "The Master of the Telecaster" whose icy guitar tone and energetic performances influenced generations of blues players before his death in 1993…

 

Buffalo Springfield lost another founding member today in 2004 when bassist Bruce Palmer died of a heart attack at 58, ending the troubled life of the Canadian musician whose visa problems had plagued the legendary folk-rock band…

 

World music's most elegant ambassador Youssou N'Dour celebrates his 66th birthday today, the Senegalese singer whose collaborations with Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, and Sting brought African music to global audiences while maintaining his artistic integrity.