Notable Births
- 1930: Mable John, the pioneering blues and soul vocalist who became the first female artist signed by Berry Gordy to Motown’s Tamla label, was born in Bastrop, Louisiana.
- 1933: John Barry, the renowned English conductor and composer who defined the sound of cinematic espionage by scoring 11 James Bond films, was born in Yorkshire, England.
- 1973: Mick Thomson, the heavy metal guitarist best known as “#7” in the masked, aggressive rock band Slipknot, was born in Des Moines, Iowa.
- 1987: Courtney Barnett, the highly acclaimed Australian indie rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, was born in Sydney, Australia.
🎵 Major Events & Releases
- 1972: James Taylor and Carly Simon were married following a show at New York’s Radio City Music Hall, forming one of the biggest singer-songwriter power couples of the 1970s.
- 1990: Vanilla Ice hit No. 1 on the US Billboard charts with “Ice Ice Baby,” making history as the very first time a rap single topped the Hot 100.
- 1992: Bon Jovi officially released their fifth studio album, Keep the Faith, marking a distinct shift away from their 1980s glam-metal sound.
- 2024: Quincy Jones, the towering musical visionary who produced Michael Jackson’s Thriller and fundamentally reshaped pop, jazz, and R&B production, passed away at the age of 91.
Bio-Musik Feature: Austin’s Live Music Pioneers
Continuing the focus on the venues that sustain the Texas music ecosystem, today we head down South Lamar to spotlight the undisputed king of Austin honky-tonks.
- The Broken Spoke: Located at 3201 S Lamar Blvd, The Broken Spoke is a true Texas institution that has fiercely resisted modern gentrification. Opened in 1964 by the late James White, this legendary dancehall is the ultimate destination for authentic two-stepping, cold beer, and chicken-fried steak. Having hosted absolute titans of country music like Willie Nelson, George Strait, and Dolly Parton, its low ceilings and dirt parking lot have barely changed in sixty years. It stands proudly on the MusicWayATX calendar as the definitive, boots-on-the-ground headquarters to experience traditional Texas Sonidos Frescos.
