Tributes on "This Day in Music History"

Sonny Landreth, #1 in Guitar Maniacs' "Top 10 Slide Guitarists"

First off, a belated Happy 61st Birthday to Canton, Mississippi slide guitar legend, SONNY LANDRETH. Now based in Lafayette, Louisiana, he is very much in demand as a session player. He has played with many different artists including: Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Clifton Chenier, John Hiatt,  Dr. John, Mark Knopfler, Kenny Loggins, John Mayall, Maria Muldaur, Dolly Parton, Zachary Richard and Junior Wells just to name a few. He uses a unique style in that his slide is on his little finger, freeing up his other three to finger pick, palm and slap the guitar neck. Some of Sonny's best performances have been at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival in 2004, 2007, and 2010.

Graham Nash with David Crosby and Stephen Stills

Acoustic," Teach Your Children" Live

Happy 70th birthday to Graham Nash, ex-member of The Hollies and current guitarist and vocalist for Crosby Stills Nash & Young. After 29 singles and 7 albums with the Hollies, Nash met David Crosby during a Hollies US Tour. In 1968, he left the band to form Crosby, Stills & Nash. He moved to California and became politically active in the anti-war movement. After launching their career at Woodstock with platinum CNY debut album in 1969, Neil Young was added. Nash has also done six solo LPs along with six CSNY albums and two w/ David Crosby. In 1979, Nash co-founded Musicians United for Safe Energy and played both the 1979 & 2004 M.U.S.E. concerts. Graham was inducted to the Rock HOF as a member of CSN in 1997 and The Hollies in 2010. 

Exodus with Paul Baloff, "Bonded by Blood",  Another Lesson In Violence 

We honor the memory of Paul Baloff who suffered a stroke, went into a coma and whose life support was terminated 10 years ago today at the toung age of 41. Paul was the 1981 founder and vocalist for the thrash metal band. He also worked with Heathen, Hirax and Piranha but reunited with Exodus in 1997 until he was hospitalized in 2002. This rare footage of "Metal Command" and "Strike of the Beast" is from a 1985 gig at the Dynamo Club in Eindhoven, Netherlands, with the lineup of Gary Hold, Guitar; Rick Hunolt, Guitar; Tom Hunting, Drums; Rob Mckillop, Bass and Paul as frontman as usual. RIP, Paul.

 

The Spinners "Games People Play", "Then Came You", "Mighty Love", 1997 

Today we remember the loss five years ago of Billy Henderson, original member and founder of THE SPINNERS, that soulful Motown vocal group of the 70's and 80's. We list Billy at age 67 to diabetes in 2007, though some of the group still tours on the oldies tours. The Spinners were formed in 1954 by five friends in High School while growing up in Royal Oak. Mi. Nominated for 6 Grammys, their big hits were "I'll Be Around", "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love", "Then Came You", "The Rubberband Man" and this one, RIP, Billy.