Today in rock history: on this date in 1939, Grace Slick was born in Highland Park, Illinois. The former model became a key player in the San Francisco music scene in the 1960s when she landed the job of co-lead singer, alongside counterpart Marty Balin, for leading psychedelic rock band, Jefferson Airplane. Slick instantly became a magnetic, integral part of the band thanks to the unforgettable vocal performances she delivered on classic rock tracks like “Somebody To Love” and “White Rabbit.” Slick became a key songwriter within the band and rose to prominence thanks to her onstage charisma and her role as strong, forceful, commanding female performer in a mostly male-dominated genre and time period. Slick remained with the band for many years as it withstood several lineup and name changes including Jefferson Starship and then just Starship all the while making her one of the most significant and important female figures in the history of rock music.

Today in rock history: on this date in 1982, gut-wrenching news was delivered when lead singer and songwriter Paul Weller publicly announced that the band he’d founded, The Jam, were calling it quits. From its rise to fame dating back to 1977, the year its debut album was released, the mod-revivalist/rock and roll band had slowly but surely built a loyal, rabid cult following around the globe but none as fervent as in its home country of England. With each passing album and tour, the three-piece band’s popularity rose dramatically and in 1982, with the release of its sixth (and final) studio album, The Gift, The Jam looked poised to become the most popular band in England at the time. Wanting to go out on top, Weller announced the breakup, much to the surprise of fans who were heartbroken by the news. The band announced a string of shows across England that would wind up being its last live dates, ending in mid-December, 1982 in Brighton, England.

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Remembering George Michael: He grew up, and left us, right before our eyes

Today in rock history: on this date in 1987, ex-Wham! lead singer George Michael released his very first solo album, the blockbuster, worldwide smash, Faith. On the record, Michael got the chance to show off his incredible songwriting abilities and his musical versatility in tackling genres like dance music, jazz, soul, rock and roll and pop. The record was an unprecedented success and instantly made George Michael a superstar. The record featured six singles that all reached the top five on U.S. Billboard singles charts and earned Michael a slew of accolades and awards including Grammys, American Music Awards, MTV Awards and Brit Awards in England. The record is notable in that it was one of the few albums recorded by a white artist to top not only the U.S. pop albums chart but to go to No. 1 on the R&B album chart as well. Selling over 25 million copies worldwide, this amazing album is without a doubt one of the strongest and best-selling albums of the 1980s. Celebrating its 30th anniversary on this date, the record still sound fresh and timeless and is one of the defining moments of the late George Michael, one of the most talented and successful artists to emerge in the 80s.

Today in rock history: on this date in 1970, British piano player, singer and songwriter Elton John released his third studio album, Tumbleweed Connection. Heavily influenced by themes of Americana, John’s co-writer and lyricist Bernie Taupin later stated that his compositions were heavily influenced by the work of The Band, the rock band that once served as Bob Dylan’s backing group stepped out on its own and released its own highly influential albums dating back to their 1968 debut, Music From Big Pink. Elton’s album received favorable reviews and paved the way for his total dominance of music charts all over the world that would begin not long after the release of this well-loved record. The single that came from this album, “Country Comfort,” became better known by the version John’s friend and contemporary Rod Stewart had recorded and released on his album from the same year, Gasoline Alley. Tumbleweed Connection contains Elton John classics like “Burn Down The Mission” and “Ballad of a Well-Known Gun” and remains a favorite among Elton John’s massive following.