Today in rock history, on this date in 1966. Jimmy Page made his live debut as a member of British blues influenced rock band, The Yardbirds. While guitar wizard Jeff Beck handled the lead axe work, Page served as bassist for the band at the time. Jimmy would soon take over guitar duties for the band and later would go on to form legendary hard rock band, Led Zeppelin.
\\<\/iframe\>Today in rock history, on this date in 2001. Legendary blues singer and guitarist John Lee Hooker died in his sleep at the age of 88. Hooker is credited with creating his own unique style of electric guitar driven Delta blues and for being an undisputed influence on a great number of rock and roll artists. Some of Hooker’s best known songs include “Boogie Chillen’,” “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” and “Boom Boom” which he is seen performing in a famous sequence in the 1980 film, The Blues Brothers.
\\<\/iframe\>Born on this date in 1944 in London, England. Raymond Douglas Davies, better known as Ray Davies, lead singer and chief songwriter for the one of the greatest rock bands to ever emerge from the UK, The Kinks. Often referred to as one of the wittiest and most clever lyric writers of the rock era, Davies, with his band that includes his brother, lead guitarist Dave Davies, had been a part of some of the most memorable and enduring rock and roll records of all time. From the infectious hard rock of 1964’s “You Really Got Me” right up to his most recent release, his superb 2017 solo release Americana, Ray Davies has helped define rock and roll music for more than fifty years.
Today in rock history, on this date in 1965. California folk rock band The Byrds released its debut album, Mr. Tambourine Man. The album served as the introduction to a band that, although going through lineup and stylistic changes, would score a great number of hits throughout the 1960s. The title track, penned and previously recorded by Bob Dylan, would rise to the no. 1 spot on the Billboard singles chart and the album would climb as high as no. 7. The record also contained three other Dylan compositions as well several other tracks penned by band members Roger McGuinn and Gene Clark.
\\<\/iframe\>
