Tuesday, December 8: Rock n Roll Birthdays and Remembrances

Today (Dec. 8) marks what would have been Jim Morrison’s birthday. The Doors frontman would have been 72. Other rockers celebrating birthdays today include Gregg Allman (68), Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen (58), and former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman (53).

Jim Morrison was one of the most iconic and influential frontmen in rock history, ranking number 47 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the ‘100 Greatest Singers of All Time’. Morrison died at the age of 27 in Paris. The exact cause of death is still disputed as no autopsy was performed, but it is believed to have been an accidental heroin overdose. The Doors were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.

In Remembrance: John Lennon died on this day in 1980 at the age of 40 and Pantera guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott died on this day in 2004. He was 38.