Today is the birthday
… of Bart Starr. The hall-of-fame quarterback is 74.
… of Dick Enberg. The sportscaster is 73 (oh, my!).
… of Joan Baez. The singer is 67.
… of Jimmy Page. The Led Zeppelin rocker is 64.
Combining the visceral power and intensity of hard rock with the finesse and delicacy of British folk music, Led Zeppelin redefined rock in the Seventies and for all time. They were as influential in that decade as the Beatles were in the prior one. Their impact extends to classic and alternative rockers alike. Then and now, Led Zeppelin looms larger than life on the rock landscape as a band for the ages with an almost mystical power to evoke primal passions. The combination of Jimmy Page’s powerful, layered guitar work, Robert Plant’s keening, upper-timbre vocals, John Paul Jones’ melodic bass playing and keyboard work, and John Bonham’s thunderous drumming made for a band whose alchemy proved enchanting and irresistible. “The motto of the group is definitely, ‘Ever onward,’” Page said in 1977, perfectly summing up Led Zeppelin’s forward-thinking philosophy. (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)
… of Brenda Gayle Webb. Loretta Lynn’s little sister Crystal Gayle is 57.
… of Dave Matthews. He’s 41.
Gilligan (and Maynard Krebs) was born on this date in 1935. Bob Denver died in 2005.
Richard Nixon was born in Yorba Linda, California, on this date in 1913.
Toyota made its first appearance in the U.S. at the Los Angeles Auto Show 50 years ago today. Datsun (Nissan), too.