May 27 2026
On May 27, 1957, Brunswick Records released a single credited to a young Texas group called the Crickets. The title was “That’ll Be the Day,” and although the musicians could not have known it at the time, the record would become one of the foundational recordings of early rock and roll. At the microphone was …
May 26 2026
Born on this day, May 26, 1920, in Jamestown, North Dakota, Peggy Lee became one of the most distinctive voices in American popular music. She could sing so quietly that listeners instinctively leaned closer, transforming restraint into something far more compelling than sheer volume. Her voice was intimate, smoky, cool, and extraordinarily controlled. She could …
May 25 2026
Born on this day, May 25, 1947, in Brooklyn, New York, Mitch Margo was barely into his teens when he became part of one of the most recognizable vocal groups of the early 1960s. As a member of the Tokens, he helped create the soaring harmonies behind “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” a record whose unforgettable …
May 21 2026
On May 21, 1955, Chuck Berry entered the Chess Records studio in Chicago and recorded a fast, guitar-driven song about romance, jealousy, Cadillacs, Fords, and a desperate chase down an open highway. The record was called “Maybellene,” and in a little more than two minutes, Berry introduced many of the elements that would become fundamental …
May 14 2026
Born on this day, May 14, 1936, Bobby Darin seemed to live with the knowledge that time might be shorter for him than for everyone else. Born Walden Robert Cassotto in the Bronx, he suffered rheumatic fever as a child, permanently damaging his heart. His family doctor reportedly warned that he might not survive into …
May 04 2026
Born on this day, May 4, 1937, Dick Dale did more than provide a soundtrack for surfers. He helped change what an electric guitar was expected to sound like. Born Richard Anthony Monsour in Boston, Dale brought together influences that did not normally occupy the same corner of American popular music in the early 1960s. …
May 03 2026
Born on this day, May 3, 1919, Pete Seeger became one of the most influential figures in American folk music, not because he possessed the biggest voice or wrote the most complicated songs, but because he understood something fundamental about music: a song becomes more powerful when other people begin singing it too. For more …
Apr 30 2026
Every April 30, musicians, students, educators, jazz clubs, cultural organizations, radio stations, concert halls, and communities around the world celebrate International Jazz Day. The annual observance was proclaimed by UNESCO in 2011 and first celebrated the following year, with jazz pianist Herbie Hancock playing a central role in developing the initiative. The idea was larger …
Apr 25 2026
Ella Fitzgerald could make a melody sound effortless. Her voice was clear, warm, precise, and seemingly capable of floating through even the most complicated song without strain. She could turn a familiar standard into an intimate conversation, swing with a big band, trade musical ideas with instrumentalists, or abandon words entirely and launch into a …
Apr 16 2026
A few notes from a tenor saxophone begin to creep forward. The rhythm is quiet, cool, and slightly suspicious. Within seconds, there is no mistaking the tune: somewhere nearby, the Pink Panther must be sneaking into trouble. Another melody creates an entirely different world. “Moon River” drifts gently along, romantic and wistful, sounding almost impossibly …
