December 29

 

British rock's most enduring muse Marianne Faithfull was born on this date in 1946, the singer-actress whose relationship with Mick Jagger inspired "Wild Horses" and whose subsequent heroin addiction and comeback as a gravelly-voiced chanteuse made her story of survival as compelling as her music…

 

Folk music's most fragile voice was silenced today in 1980 when Tim Hardin died of a heroin overdose at 39, ending the life of the singer-songwriter whose "If I Were a Carpenter" and "Reason to Believe" became standards despite his inability to escape addiction's grip…

 

We remember The Band's soulful bassist Rick Danko on his birthday today in 1942, the Canadian musician whose high tenor on "The Weight" and solid playing anchored the group's Americana sound before his death in 1999 from heart failure at 56…

 

Jazz lost one of its most powerful voices today in 2008 when trumpeter Freddie Hubbard died at 70 from complications of a heart attack, ending the career of the hard bop master whose tone and technique influenced generations of brass players…

 

Alternative rock royalty united today in 1997 when Aimee Mann married Michael Penn, the older brother of actors Sean and Chris Penn, creating one of indie music's most respected creative partnerships that has endured over two decades…

 

Hard rock's most technically gifted drummer Cozy Powell was born today in 1947 in Cirencester, England, the session legend whose work with Rainbow, Whitesnake, and Black Sabbath showcased his thunderous power before his death in a car crash in 1998.