Happy Birthday, Mr. Ali! 

latimes:

And check out these great photos of Muhammad Ali on Framework. Yep, that’s him with the Beatles in 1964.

Photo credit: Associated Press

Happy Birthday Muddy!

“Don’t thank God or the Devil for Rock and Roll…Thank Muddy Waters.”

McKinley Morganfield a.k.a Muddy Waters was born on this day in 1913 in Issaquena County, Mississippi. By electrifying the Delta blues, Waters was one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Often considered the father of Chicago Blues, Waters began his musical life playing harmonica but picked up the guitar around the age of 17. Strongly impressed by Robert Johnson and Son House, Waters developed a unique guitar playing technique that incorporated microtones and has been described as impossible to correctly emulate. Waters, along with Howlin’ Wolf, were the undisputed kings of Chicago’s blues scene and directly ignited the British blues boom of the 1960’s and by extension the golden era of rock and roll. The Rolling Stones took their name from one of Waters’ songs. Waters died of heart failure in his sleep on April 30th,1983 in Westmont, Illinois. (via East Village Radio -> News -> Happy Birthday to Muddy Waters