This Day in Music History...

1976:  The Who and The Grateful Dead co-headline a concert at Oakland-Alameda County Stadium.

1980:  John Lennon celebrates his 40th birthday by releasing Starting Over, his first record in five years.  Yoko Ono hires a skywriter to draw "Happy Birthday John and Sean - Love Yoko" over New York City.

1999:  The inaugural Coachella Festival takes place in Indio, California.  Over two days, it features dozens of rock, hop-hop and techno acts, including Beck, Rage Against the Machine, Ben Harper, Moby and Chemical Brothers.  Maynard James Kennan's two groups - A Perfect Circle and Tool - open and close the festival.

2007:  Ringo Starr and George Harrison's widow, Olivia, attend the unveiling of Yoko Ono's Imagine Peace Tower on Videy Island, off the coast of Reykjavik, Iceland.

Celebrity Birthday: John Lennon

The former Beatle often infused his solo work with his socio-political views.  While married to Yoko Ono, he spent five years as a house-husband following the birth of their son, Sean, also born on this day.  Living in New York, the pair re-emerged with the album Double Fantasy only weeks before John was murdered on December 8th, 1980 by Mark David Chapman.  His other solo highlights include "Imagine," "Mind Games" and "Whatever Gets You Through The Night" with Elton John.  He and Paul McCartney remain the most successful writing duo in the history of popular music.