On This Date: Sterling Morrison (The Velvet Underground) Born in 1942

August 29, 1942 – Holmes Sterling Morrison Jr., guitarist and founding member of The Velvet Underground, was born in East Meadow, New York. He passed away on August 30, 1995, from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma at age 53.

Notable Albums:

• The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)

• White Light/White Heat (1968)

• The Velvet Underground (1969)

• Loaded (1970)

Morrison’s versatile guitar playing — both lead and rhythm — gave the Velvet Underground their distinctive blend of raw energy and melodic precision. His contributions to songs like “Sweet Jane” and “Rock & Roll” remain influential in shaping punk, alternative, and art rock.

After the band disbanded in 1970, Morrison pursued academia, earning a Ph.D. in medieval literature, and later worked as a tugboat captain in Houston. He occasionally returned to music, joining Lou Reed and John Cale during the Velvet Underground’s 1993 reunion tour.

In 1996, Morrison was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Velvet Underground.