Throwback: Happy 122nd Birthday, Son House!

2025 is rushing by. It’s March. And March is a very busy month in music history. 

• The Who frontman  Roger Daltrey celebrated his 81st birthday on March 1
• Karen Carpenter was born 75 years on March 2
• Lou Reed one of the most influential figures of the past 75 years or so, was born 83 years ago on March 2
• Tone Lōc celebrated his 59th birthday on March 3
• The legendary soul artist Bobby Womack was born on this day 81 years ago
• Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted celebrated his 62nd birthday on March 4
• Pink Floyd‘s David Gilmour celebrated his 79th birthday on March 6
• The Monkees‘ Mickey Dolenz celebrated his 80th — yes, 80th! — birthday on March 8
• The pioneering Ornette Coleman was born 95 years ago on March 9
• U2‘s Adam Clayton celebrates his 65th — yes, 65th! — birthday on March 13
• Roy Haynes was born 100 years ago on March 13
• The legendary Lightnin’ Hopkins was born 113 years ago on March 15
• Sly and the Family Stone frontman Sly Stone celebrated his 82nd birthday on March 15
• Public Enemy‘s Flavor Flav celebrated his 66th birthday on March 16
• Smashing Pumpkins founder and frontman Billy Corgan celebrated his 58th on March 17
• The legendary Wilson Pickett, one of the major figures in the development and popularization of soul music was born on this day 84 years ago on March 18
• The wildly talented and breathtakingly beautiful Vanessa Williams celebrated her 62nd birthday on March 18
• Queen Latifah, one of the most regal, powerful and defiantly feminist artists in hip-hop history celebrated her 55th — yes, 55th! — birthday on March 18
• The legendary Lee “Scratch” Perry was born 89 years ago on March 20 

The legendary bluesman Edward James “Son” House was born 122 years ago today. You can Google this but House’s work and life are fascinating: His career started in the 30s, when he along with collaborators like Charley Patton and others innovated the Delta blues style. And although during the first part of his career, he didn’t attain national prominence, his work, which saw him bounce between deep, gritty and aching blues and yearning acapella spirituals was a major inspiration for two guys you may have heard of before — Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson.

Just watch these performances and tell me that Son House wasn’t the greatest bluesman to ever do it. I dare you. 

Happy birthday, wherever you are, sir.