Dennis Gray - Sound Support

09/23/2026

On this day, September 23rd, in 2019, Robert Hunter, lyricist for the Grateful Dead died at the age of 78.

Born Robert Burns on June 23, 1941 the American lyricist, singer-songwriter, translator and poet provided the Grateful Dead with many of their vivid and enduring lyrics for the band's signature songs, including 'Uncle John’s Band', 'Scarlet Begonias', 'Dark Star', and "Touch of Grey." More than 30 other "Dead" songs also contain his lyrics.

When the Grateful Dead were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, Hunter was included as a member of the band. He is the only non-performer to be inducted as a member of a band, any band, in the Hall of Fame's history.

Upon his death at his home in San Rafael, California , Rolling Stone described him as "one of rock's most ambitious and dazzling lyricists".

You're watching the official music video remastered in HD for 'Touc...

09/22/2026

On this date, September 22nd, in 2015, U.S. District Judge George H. King ruled the original copyright to 'Happy Birthday' was invalid and the song would now be entirely in the public domain.

For decades, the music publishing giant Warner/Chappell Music claimed ownership of the song's lyrics. They rigorously enforced the copyright, generating an estimated $2 million US per year in licensing fees. This is why older movies and TV shows often used alternative songs like "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" or invented legally distinct melodies avoiding steep fines if they sang the real song without paying.

After an appeal in 2016, the case concluded when Warner/Chappell agreed to pay back $14 million US to individuals and companies who had been wrongfully charged licensing fees over the years.

Marilyn footage singing to JFK on his gala birthday bash on May 19t...

09/21/2026

On this date, September 21st, in 1980, World renowned reggae artist Bob Marley, collapsed while jogging in Central Park and was taken to the hospital, where it was found that his cancer, which had first appeared in 1977, had spread to his liver, lungs, and brain. Marley's last concert took place two days later at the Stanley Theater (now The Benedum Center For The Performing Arts) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The rest of that North American tour was cancelled.

After eight months of failing to effectively treat his advancing cancer, Marley boarded a plane for his home in Jamaica. During the flight, his vital functions worsened. The flight was diverted to Miami, Florida, where he was taken to Cedars of Lebanon Hospital (now the University of Miami Hospital). He died there on May 11, 1981, at the age of 36.

Marley's final words to his son Ziggy were: "On your way up, take me up. On your way down, don't let me down."

Bob Marley "Is This Love" official video from Bob Marley & The Wail...

09/19/2026

On this day, September 19, in 2008, American master session drummer Earl Cyril Palmer passed away after a long illness.

Widely considered one of the primary inventors of the rock and roll backbeat, it is all but impossible to tally up all the albums, singles, movie scores, and TV theme songs he has played on. He was a core member of both the New Orleans R&B scene and later Los Angeles' legendary studio ensemble The Wrecking Crew.

His talent can be found on tracks by The Beach Boys, Little Richard (‘Tutti Frutti’), Frank Sinatra, Ike and Tina Turner (‘River Deep, Mountain High’), The Monkees, Fats Domino (‘I'm Walkin’), Neil Young, The Righteous Brothers (‘You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin’), and Randy Newman, Tom Waits, Bonnie Raitt, Tim Buckley, Little Feat and Elvis Costello, just to name a few.

In Hollywood, Palmer's sight-reading skills made him a first-call musician for visual media. He performed on the themes and soundtracks for major titles like The Flintstones (unmistakably driving its famous theme song), The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Pretty Woman, and Cry-Baby.

In 2000, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural "Sideman" category.

09/19/2026

09/18/2026

On this day, September 18, in 1899 Scott Joplin is granted copyright for his "Maple Leaf Rag" by the US Copyright Office.

"Maple Leaf Rag" was one of Joplin's early works, becoming the model for ragtime compositions by subsequent composers. One of the most famous ragtime pieces of all time, its success led to Joplin being dubbed the "King of Ragtime" by his contemporaries. The piece gave Joplin a steady, modest income for the rest of his life.

Despite ragtime's decline after Joplin's death in 1917, the "Maple Leaf Rag" continued to be recorded by many artists. The ragtime revival of the 1970s brought it back to mainstream public notice once again.

09/16/2026

On this day, September 16th, in 1965, David Robert Jones, of the band "Lower Third" changed his stage name to "David Bowie" after the 19th-century American pioneer James Bowie and the knife he had popularized. The change was made in order to avoid confusion with singer Davy Jones of "The Monkees".

His first release under the name was the January 1966 single "Can't Help Thinking About Me", recorded with the "Lower Third" which was interestingly, his third band after the King Bees and the Manish Boys.

Bowie's first commercially successful single under the new name was "Space Oddity" released July 11, 1969 just 5 days ahead of the launch of Apollo 11.

The official music video for David Bowie - Space Oddity from Bowie'...

09/15/2026

On this day, September 15th, in 1965 The Ford Motor Company became the first automaker to offer an 8-track tape player as an option for their entire line of vehicles on sale in the US.

This move coincided with RCA Records launching the format that same day by simultaneously releasing an initial batch of 175 different Stereo-8 cartridge titles from its RCA Victor and RCA Camden catalogs. Tapes were initially only available at auto parts stores, as home 8-track equipment was still a year away.

The launch leaned heavily on easy-listening and classical artists, and several of the albums were major hits on the Billboard charts at the time or historically significant. The most commercially successful release was The Sound of Music (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).

09/12/2026

On this date, September 12, 2003 singer songwriter Johnny Cash died of respiratory failure aged 71.

His music contains themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his career. Cash was known for his deep, calm, bass-baritone voice, coupled with an increasingly somber and humble demeanor. Cash wore a trademark all-black stage wardrobe, which symbolized his deep empathy for the poor, the imprisoned, and those suffering from societal injustices, and earned him the nickname "Man in Black".

He released nearly 100 albums and more than 150 singles, winning many awards and Cash was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in 1999,[the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (1977), the Country Music Hall of Fame (1980), the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1992), GMA's Gospel Music Hall of Fame (2010), and the Memphis Music Hall of Fame (2013).

Cash experienced a late-career renaissance, thanks to his minimal and moving covers of songs like Nine Inch Nails’ 'Hurt' and Soundgarden’s 'Rusty Cage.' Of "Hurt", Trent Reznor, who wrote the song in 1994 said, “that song isn't mine anymore.”

REMASTERED IN HD! UP TO 4K!Official Music Video for Hurt performe...

09/10/2026

If you see this on your feed, ignore it. It's fake. Several sources have confirmed he made no such post.

That said I think there's a far better chance of him turning off Niagara Falls than there is if him giving every American $5000.