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Noteworthy Then

5/19/1945 Pete Townshend born

 

On this day in 1945, Peter Dennis Blanford Townshend was born in West London. Townshend met future band mate John Entwistle in his early school years and the two future Who members were in a band known as the Confederates. Pete enrolled in art school in 1961 and was a class mate with Ronnie Wood at Ealing Art College.  Toward the end of that year, Townshend met Roger Daltrey and joined him in a band dubbed the Detours. A group already using that name led to the band Townshend and Daltrey had formed changing its name to the Who.

 

May 19 has proven to be a momentous day for Classic Rock birthdays and album releases.  Other Noteworthy births on this day include...

 

1949 ZZ Top's Dusty Hill      

1952 Joey Ramone    

1954 AC/DC's Phil Rudd

 

May 19 album releases include

 

Elton John - Honky Chateau (1972)   

 

Elton John - Captain Fantastic (1975)

 

Billy Joel - Turnstiles (1976)     

 

Peter Gabriel - So (1986)

 

Other things that went down on this date include... 

 

1967 Keith Richards falls asleep at the wheel and is charged with marijuana and cocaine possession after crashing his car. 

 

1979 Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney. George Harrison, Ringo Star and Ginger Baker play together at Eric's wedding reception.

 

1997 Billy Joel delivers commencement address at Hofstra, gets honorary degree.

 

2001 Eddie Van Halen reveals he is undergoing cancer treatment.

 

2007 U2 does unannounced red carpet performance at Cannes Film Festival. 

   

2009 Drummer Liberty DeVito sues Billy Joel over royalties claim.

 

2009 Mike McCready of Pearl Jam does National Anthem Hendrix style before Angels-Mariners game at SafeCo Field. 

 

2012 Mick Jagger hosts and is musical guest on Saturday Night Live.

 

2013 A guitar George Harrison and John Lennon both played is auctioned for $408,000.