Pearl Jam lead singer and lyricist Eddie Vedder (1964–) was born on this day in Evanston, Illinois. As a teenager he saved for his first guitar—two presents combined into one—then carried that spark forward with heart.

With a distinctive, powerful voice and authentic honesty, Vedder helped launch Pearl Jam’s breakthrough album Ten in 1991. Their live shows, raw and unpredictable, became legendary, praised by rock journalists and cherished by fans around the world.

Protecting the music’s integrity, Pearl Jam challenged Ticketmaster’s surcharges and forged a path that valued freedom over formula. “You can’t save someone from drowning if you’re treading water yourself,” Vedder reflected, honoring privacy as a form of presence.

Time on Maui deepened his bond with the quiet rhythms he loves, surf mornings and a sense of aloha that is lived rather than spoken. In that gentler light he reached for the ukulele, an island-born instrument that welcomed softness. His solo album Ukulele Songs carried that spirit forward, played on a custom piece crafted in Lahaina by luthier Eric DeVine. In those four humble strings he found another way to offer his heart with music.

Through collaborations with heroes like Neil Young and kinship with artists from Phish to Bruce Springsteen, Vedder has kept his compass set to community and his craft. Small oceans, yes, still making big, big waves.