Music and culture history milestones on October 12

October 12 marks several significant anniversaries in music and business history. Rick Parfitt, the British guitarist and singer for the rock band Status Quo, would have turned 78 this year. He was a key figure in the group since its founding in the mid-1960s.

Other notable musical figures born on this day include the renowned Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti, who would have been 91, and Israeli singer and actress Daliah Lavi. In the realm of business, Jean Nidetch, the founder of Weight Watchers, was born on this date in 1923.

Historical musical milestones on this day also include the 1981 release of U2’s second studio album, ‘October’, and the 2008 chart-topping success of Oasis with ‘Dig Out Your Soul’. The date also marks the passing of rock and roll pioneer Gene Vincent in 1971, B-52’s founder Ricky Wilson in 1985, and singer John Denver in 1997.