Happy birthday to Rick Nielson, guitarist of Cheap Trick. That band released three studio albums before the “Live at Budokan” album made them a worldwide smash. Can you name those albums?

Answer: Cheap Trick, In Color and In Black and White and Heaven Tonight

Here’s the rest of today’s Rock N’ Roll Diary!

• Happy birthday to: Cheap Trick axe-man and serious guitar collector Rick Neilson.
• 1967: Syd Barrett, the founding guitarist of Pink Floyd, plays his last gig with the band. His affinity for LSD loosened his grip on reality just a bit too much. David Gilmour is tapped as Barrett’s replacement.
• 1978: Faces drummer Kenny Jones joins The Who as replacement for the legendary Keith Moon, who had died two months previously.
• 1979: The Charity Concert for the People of Kampuchea is held at London’s Hammersmith Odean and featured The Who with their new drummer, Paul McCartney, The Clash, Robert Plant and others.
• 1991: Gregg Allman makes his acting debut as a drug kingpin in the movie “Rush” which opened in theaters nationwide. The film also stars Sam Elliot, Jason Patric, and Jennifer Jason Leigh.
• 2002: Former Clash frontman Joe Strummer dies at his home in England from heart failure. He was 50.