Today is the birthday
… of Judith Krantz, 81. She published her first novel at age 50.
… of Bart Starr. The hall-of-fame quarterback is 75.
… of Dick Enberg. The sportscaster is 74 (oh, my!).
… of Joan Baez. The singer is 68.
… of Jimmy Page. The Led Zeppelin rocker is 65.
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 58.
… of J.K. Simmons. He’s 54. He’s seen on The Closer and Law & Order as Dr. Skoda, and was terrific, I thought, as Juno’s dad.
… New York Times Pulitizer Prize winning book critic Michiko Kakutani is 54 today.
… of Dave Matthews. He’s 42.
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.
The stripper Gypsy Rose Lee was born Rose Louise Hovick on this date in 1914, or January 8, 1911, or February 9, 1911.
Toyota made its first appearance in the U.S. at the Los Angeles Auto Show 50 years ago today. Datsun (Nissan), too.