Articles — music history

The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com. Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history! JAN 27: Today at #1 in 1972 on the Billboard Hot 100: “American Pie,” by Don McLean! Released in 1971, it is one of the most iconic and enigmatic songs in American popular music. Inspired in part by the 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson—an event McLean famously called “the day the music died”—the song expands into a sweeping reflection on the loss of innocence in American culture. Spanning over eight...

The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com. Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history! JAN 19: Happy 80th birthday to Dolly Parton one of the most beloved and influential figures in American music and popular culture! Born on January 19, 1946, in rural Tennessee, she grew up in a poor but close-knit family, where music and storytelling were central to daily life. Her early experiences in the Smoky Mountains deeply shaped her songwriting, giving her music its emotional honesty and vivid detail. Parton rose to fame in the late 1960s as a regular performer...

The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com. Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history! JAN 10: Sadly, Bob Weir has passed today away at age 78 after a battle with cancer. Bob Weir was a musician, singer, and songwriter best known as a founding member of the Grateful Dead, one of the most influential bands in rock history. Born on October 16, 1947, in San Francisco, Weir grew up with an early exposure to folk, blues, and rock music. His life changed in 1963 when, as a teenager, he met guitarist Jerry Garcia in Palo...

The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com. Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history! DEC 22: Happy birthday to Rick Nielsen! The guitarist, songwriter, and producer best known as the creative engine behind the rock band Cheap Trick was born on December 22, 1948, in Rockford, Illinois. Nielsen grew up in a deeply musical family—both of his parents were opera singers—giving him a broad musical foundation that later shaped his eclectic songwriting style. Before forming Cheap Trick in 1974, he played in several local bands, including the Grim Reapers and Fuse, honing his skills...

The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com. Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history! DEC 11: Happy birthday to Brenda Lee! Born on December 11, 1944 in Atlanta, Georgia, Lee is one of the most remarkable and versatile vocalists in American music history. Standing just 4’9”, she earned the nickname “Little Miss Dynamite” for her explosive voice and emotive power, which captivated audiences from an early age. Lee first rose to fame in the late 1950s and early 1960s with a string of pop and rockabilly hits, showcasing a rare ability to deliver both...