Happy Birthday, Robin! [VIDEO]

Robin Zander turns 59 today, born on January 23, 1953 in Beloit, Wisconsin.

The lead singer and rhythm guitarist for Cheap Trick has influenced a host of rock vocalists, including Joe Elliott, Axl Rose and Scott Weiland.

There's something else he and his band might well influence for the good.

Back on July 17, 2011, at The Bluesfest in Ottawa, just 20 minutes into Cheap Trick's set, a thunderstorm hit the area and the 40-ton roof fell while the band was on stage.  Luckily, it landed on the band's truck, allowing them to escape unharmed, although two crew members and several other people were injured (no one died, thankfully).

Ottawa wasn't the only place stages were brought down by violent weather last summer--they also collapsed in Tulsa, Oklahoma, The Indiana State Fair, and Belgium, some with deadly results.

Since that disaster, the band and their manager, Dave Frey, have urged congress to regulate temporary stages so incidents like that don't happen again.

Here's a great tune from the Dream Police album as we wish Robin a wonderful day and many more years of bringing us fantastic music: