October 16

 

Grateful Dead's rhythm guitarist Bob Weir celebrates his 78th birthday today, the band's youngest founding member whose rhythm work and occasional lead vocals provided essential balance to Jerry Garcia's improvisational flights across three decades of cosmic Americana…

 

Punk rock lost its most sacred shrine today in 2006 when CBGB, the legendary New York club credited with launching Patti Smith, The Ramones, and countless others, closed its doors for good, ending an era as gentrification claimed another piece of rock history…

 

We remember the enigmatic Nico on her birthday today in 1938, the Velvet Underground's haunting vocalist and Andy Warhol muse whose deep voice and avant-garde solo work influenced goth and art rock before her death in 1988 from a bicycle accident…

 

Bachman-Turner Overdrive's rumbling bass voice Fred Turner was born on this day in 1943, the Canadian rocker whose lead vocals on "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" helped make the band's blue-collar boogie unstoppable on 1970s rock radio…

 

Blues-rock's modern master John Mayer was born on this day in 1977, the guitar virtuoso whose blend of pop songwriting and traditional blues credentials has made him one of the 21st century's most respected players despite tabloid attention to his love life…

 

Hard bop lost its driving force today in 1990 when jazz drummer Art Blakey died of lung cancer in Manhattan at 71, ending the career of the bandleader whose Jazz Messengers served as the ultimate finishing school for generations of jazz talent…

 

Funk-punk's most melodic bassist Flea, born Michael Peter Balzary, celebrates his 63rd birthday today, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' slapping virtuoso whose Australian accent and boundless energy helped define alternative rock's funkiest moments…

 

Blues history lost a pillar today in 1969 when Leonard Chess, co-founder of Chess Records, died at 52, taking with him the visionary who had recorded Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and Chuck Berry, preserving and popularizing Chicago blues…

 

The Doors delved deeper into darkness today in 1967 with the release of 'Strange Days,' the sophomore album featuring "People Are Strange" and "Love Me Two Times" that proved Jim Morrison's poetic visions could sustain beyond their debut's shock value.