Welp, we’ve survived through October. It’s been a bit of a brutal slog of a year. But there’s postseason baseball. Hockey season just started. Basketball season will start in a few weeks.
October is also a busy month in music history.
- The legendary Donny Hathaway was born 81 years ago on October 1
- The Human League‘s Philip Oakey celebrated his 71st birthday on October 2
- Sting celebrated his 75th birthday on October 2
- Motley Crüe co-founder and drummer Tommy Lee celebrated his 64th birthday on October 3
- Chubby Checker, one of the pioneers of rock ‘n’ roll and R&B celebrated his 85th on October 3
- One of the greatest guitarists and bluesmen ever, Stevie Ray Vaughan was born 72 years ago on October 3
- The Roots‘ Black Thought, arguably one of the greatest living emcees celebrated his 53rd birthday on October 3
- AC/DC‘s Brian Johnson celebrated his 79th birthday on October 5
- Singer/songwriter, actor and television personality Toni Braxton celebrated her 59th birthday today
- Radiohead and The Smile frontman Thom Yorke celebrated his 58th birthday on October 7
- One of this country’s finest and somewhat under-appreciated, underrated singer/songwriters, and one of my personal favorites, John Mellencamp celebrated his 75th birthday on October 7
- Kool and the Gang founder Robert “Kool” Bell celebrated his 76th birthday on October 8
- PJ Harvey celebrates her 57th birthday today
- The Who bassist John Entwistle was born 82 years ago on October 9
- The legendary John Lennon was born 86 years ago on October 9
- David Lee Roth, one of the greatest rock/metal frontman to ever live, and a member of the most beloved Van Halen lineup, ever, celebrated his 72nd birthday on October 10
- Thelonious Monk was one of the most dynamic and eccentric figures in jazz was born 109 years ago on October 10
- Hall & Oates‘ Daryl Hall celebrates his 80th birthday today
The legendary Art Blakey, was born on this day 107 years ago. Blakey initially made a name for himself playing in the big bands of Fletcher Henderson and Billy Eckstine. He then went on to work with bebop legends Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. But he might be best known for co-founding The Jazz Messengers with the equally legendary Horace Silver in the mid 1950s.
Blakey went on to lead the Jazz Messengers for the next 35 years. Originally formed as collective of contemporaries, the band became known incubating young talents, including the likes of Wayne Shorter, Donald Byrd, Chuck Mangione, Chick Correa, Keith Jarrett, Terrance Blanchard and Wynton Marsalis, among a lengthy list of others.
His influence on jazz and on contemporary music has been towering. So let’s celebrate the man’s life and music. Happy birthday, Mr. Blakey! Happy birthday, wherever you are!
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