Today in Rock History – 19th SEPTEMBER:

BIRTHDAYS
1934: Brian Epstein
1941: Lee Dorman (Iron Butterfly)
1943: Cass Elliott (The Mamas & The Papas)
1946: John Coghlan (Status Quo)
1947: Laurence “Lol” Creme (10CC)
1951: Daniel Lanois
1952: Nile Rodgers (Chic)
1958: Lita Ford (The Runaways)
1963: Jarvis Cocker (Pulp)
1969: Candy Dulfer

EVENTS
1973: Death of Gram Parsons [aged 26].
1981: The Rolling Stones album ‘Tattoo You’ started a 9-week run at No.1 on the US chart.
1985: Frank Zappa testified at a congressional hearing against P.M.R.C. censorship. The Parents Music Resource Center were a group of U.S. senator’s wives, who decided a rating system for records was necessary for those they deemed offensive. Frank (and others, such as Dee Snider of Twisted Sister) strongly opposed the group’s desire to censor artists.

1999: Yes released their album ‘The Ladder’.
2003: Yes played a concert at Vodafone Arena, Melbourne — I was there & met them after the show!
2019: Death of guitarist, Larry Wallis of Motorhead & Pink Fairies [aged 70].
2020: Death of drummer / singer / songwriter, Lee Kerslake of Uriah Heep & Blizzard Of Ozz [aged 73].

Gram Parsons was only 26 when he od’d 51 years ago. A true original, Gram was a key influence on The Stones in the early 70s, and many other artists since.