Chapter 01 — Today in music
On a day like today August 27
1990
Stevie Ray Vaughan dies: the blues loses its savior in a helicopter
In the early hours of August 27, 1990, after a glorious concert with Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy in Wisconsin, Stevie Ray Vaughan died when the helicopter carrying him crashed. He was 35 and four years sober, playing better than ever. The Texan who had resurrected electric blues at the height of the synthetic era left at his absolute peak. It still hurts.
Stevie Ray Vaughan
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1941
Cesária Évora is born: the barefoot diva who sang Cape Verde’s morna
On August 27, 1941, Cesária Évora was born in Mindelo, Cape Verde. She sang for forty years in the port's bars for food and rum before recording her first album at forty-seven, and only then did the world discover the morna, that creole lament mixing Portuguese fado with Africa and Brazil. She walked on stage barefoot, in tribute to the poor women of her island. She died as the voice of an entire country.
Cesária Évora
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1965
The Bel Air summit: the only night the Beatles met Elvis
On August 27, 1965, rock's two primal forces collided for the first and only time: the Beatles visited Elvis Presley at his Bel Air mansion in California. The meeting, orchestrated by Brian Epstein and Colonel Tom Parker, was held under strict rules — no photos, no recordings. Between initial shyness and some jamming at the piano, the four Liverpudlians spent an evening with the idol who had inspired them to pick up guitars. It remains rock history's most mythologized, and least documented, summit.
The Beatles
Elvis Presley
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1967
Brian Epstein dies, the man who invented the Beatles as a phenomenon
On August 27, 1967, Brian Epstein was found dead at his London home from an accidental overdose of sleeping pills, at 32. The Liverpool record-shop manager who dressed, disciplined and sold the Beatles to the world left just as the band stopped touring and needed him least. Lennon said it plainly: that's when we knew we were in trouble.
Brian Epstein
The Beatles
1909
Lester Young is born: the saxophonist who invented playing quietly
On August 27, 1909, Lester Young was born in Mississippi. When every tenor player was imitating Coleman Hawkins' big vibrato, he chose a light weightless sound, closer to speaking than shouting, and founded a whole school on it. Billie Holiday christened him Prez and he gave her the name Lady Day; their recordings together are among the most intimate the century produced. He also invented a good part of jazz slang.
Lester Young
Billie Holiday
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1953
Alex Lifeson is born: the guitar architect of the Rush universe
On August 27, 1953, Aleksandar Zivojinovic — son of Serbian immigrants, known to the world as Alex Lifeson — was born in Fernie, British Columbia. Co-founder of Rush in a Toronto suburban basement, he built one of progressive rock's most virtuosic trios alongside Geddy Lee and Neil Peart. His open arpeggios and orchestral textures on albums like 2112 and Moving Pictures proved three musicians could sound like a symphony. Generations of guitarists still study his impossible chords.
Alex Lifeson
Rush
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1956
Glen Matlock is born: the Pistol who wrote the songs and left before the glory
On August 27, 1956, Glen Matlock was born in London — the original Sex Pistols bassist and co-writer of most of Never Mind the Bollocks, including God Save the Queen and Pretty Vacant. His melodic ear, schooled on the Beatles and the Faces, gave musical shape to Rotten and Jones's rage. He left the band in early 1977, replaced by Sid Vicious, just before the final explosion. History vindicated him: without his songs, British punk would have had no anthems.
Glen Matlock
Sex Pistols
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