Roger Daltrey at 70

If you want to hear the history of rock ‘n’ roll from the mid-1960s through the early 1980s embodied in one band, British band The Who might be your best bet (pun intended).  Their early hits, such as “I Can’t Explain” and “My Generation,” fall squarely into the British Invasion sound.  By the closing years of the 1960s, their sound had morphed into the psychedelic sound of “I Can See For Miles” and the free-love feel of “Magic Bus.”  Entering the 1970s, they led the rock opera movement, starting with 1969’s Tommy.  Songs such as “Baba O’Riley” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again” exemplified that style.  By the late 1970s, The Who reflected the wave of synthesizer use in songs such as “Who Are You.”  They continued in the early 1980s with the throwback rock sound of songs such as “You Better You Bet.”  And, finally, their final Hot 100 hit, “Eminence Front” in late 1982/early 1983, represented a move to funk rock.

Through all of this, the band was co-led by London-born lead singer Roger Daltrey, who began to release solo work as well amid The Who’s success in the early 1970s and continuing through the early 1990s.  Today marks Daltrey’s 70th birthday.