November 21

 

Rock's most notorious lothario Mick Jagger married supermodel Jerry Hall on this day in 1990 in Bali, beginning what appeared to be a permanent union that would later be annulled on grounds that the ceremony was not legally binding, allowing Jagger to escape without a costly divorce settlement…

 

Rock management lost its most formidable figure today in 1995 when Peter Grant died from a heart attack at 60, ending the life of Led Zeppelin's legendary manager whose intimidating presence and fierce protection of his band revolutionized artist representation and touring deals…

 

We remember New Orleans' voodoo prince Dr. John on his birthday today in 1940, born Malcolm John Rebennack, the piano master whose gris-gris grooves and Night Tripper persona brought Crescent City mysticism to rock audiences before his death in 2019 ended six decades of musical magic…

 

Jazz saxophone found its first great voice when Coleman Hawkins was born on this day in 1904, the tenor player whose 1939 recording of "Body and Soul" established the instrument as jazz's premier solo voice and influenced every saxophonist who followed before his death in 1969…

 

Musical talent ran in the family when Livingston Taylor was born today in 1950, the younger brother of James Taylor who carved out his own respected singer-songwriter career while never quite escaping the shadow of his more famous sibling's megastardom…

 

Copyright clash erupted today in 2007 when the Red Hot Chili Peppers sued Showtime Network over the title of their series "Californication," arguing the cable channel had stolen the name of their 1999 album and hit song without permission…

 

Rock opera reached its bombastic peak today in 1975 with the release of Queen's 'A Night at the Opera,' the album featuring the six-minute masterpiece "Bohemian Rhapsody" that proved Freddie Mercury's theatrical vision could conquer both critics and the charts simultaneously.