Cameron Crowe celebrates #59 today. Not a musician, he has still made rock and roll his life, at least until he switched to making movies. Even then, though, the soundtracks of his films provided the rock backdrop that made his stories real and evocative.

Crowe is a real brainiac born in Palm Springs, CA. He started school in the 3rd grade, and was writing rock reviews in his early teens. At 15, he graduated from high school and on a trip to LA met Ben Fong-Torres, an editor at Rolling Stone, and was hired as writer. Over the years, Cameron got all the big interviews and covers with legends like Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, the Eagles, Poco, Steely Dan, Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Eagles, King Crimson, Linda Ronstadt, Rory Gallagher, Todd Rundgren, and others.

Fong-Torres remarked, "He was the guy we sent out after some difficult customers. He covered the bands that hated Rolling Stone."

With Jimmy Page

Part of his success was no doubt due to his youthful enthusiasm, if not outright idolatry toward the artists. His columns were short on the nitty-gritty of life on the road, especially sex and drugs, and long on platitudes. He could be trusted to portray them in the best light.

Cameron moved into the movie business when Rolling Stone moved its offices from the West Coast to NYC and he stayed in CA. He was 22 when he decided to pose as a high school kid and write a book about the real lives of modern teenagers. Fast Times at Ridgemont High: A True Story was the book. and the basis for the film that resulted. Rock and roll provided the soundtrack, of course. As it would in Cameron's later films: Say Anything, Singles, Jerry McGuire, Almost Famous, Elizabethtown, and others.

Almost Famous is Cameron's autobiographical film about his early days with Rolling Stone. The story of young reporter William Miller traveling with the band is supposedly based on his days with the Allman Brothers and Led Zeppelin.

Cameron also directed and produced a documentary The Union, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Elton John and Leon Russell collaboration, and the documentary Pearl Jam Twenty, which he also wrote. He is currently working on a SHO series called Roadies that is about, well, roadies.

Cameron was married to Nancy Wilson, of Heart, for 14 years. They have twin boys.

Post and have a listen to your favorite music from Cameron Crowe's films, or from artists he's covered, or anything else, for that matter.

Happy Birthday Cameron Crowe!