Happy Birthday Pete Townshend: The Who Performing Live Spotify Playlist
By Andy Kahn May 19, 2018 • 6:50 am PDT

Photo by Rick Diamond
Pete Townshend was born near London, England on this date in 1945. The 73-year-old musician, composer, producer and author is best known for his work as lead guitarist of the seminal rock band The Who.
The legendary Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inducted group featuring Townshend, vocalist Roger Daltrey and the late rhythm section of drummer Keith Moon and bassist John Entwistle were part of the globally popular British wave of bands that came out of England in the late-1960s. Townshend is largely responsible for writing many of The Who’s most well-known hits and their groundbreaking rock operas Tommy and Quadrophenia.
While Daltrey and Townshend are the only surviving original members of The Who, the pair has continued on over the subsequent years since Moon passed away in 1978 and Entwistle in 2002. This edition of Saturday Stream presents a Spotify Playlist capturing Townshend and The Who performing live in the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, ’00s and current decade.
Townshend’s brother, guitarist Simon Townshend is among the musicians appearing on more recent recordings. Others who have regularly supported Pete and Roger include drummers Kenney Jones and Zak Starkey bassist Pino Palladino and keyboardist John Bundrick.
Along with cuts from The Who’s landmark 1970 Live At Leeds album, stream a generation-spanning live playlist of Townshend performing in concert below: