Music History Chronology

First ballet de cour at Catherine de' Medici's court in France entitled "Le Ballet comique de la Reine."

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1600

Ottario Rinuccini/Giulio Caccini's opera "Euridice" published.

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1607

Claudio Monteverdi's opera "Orfeo" premieres in Mantua.

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1609

The song "Three Blind Mice" is published in London by teenage songwriter Thomas Ravenscroft, believed to be the earliest printed secular song.

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1649

Francesco Cavalli's opera "Giasone" premieres in Venice.

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1680

Amsterdam opera at Leidsegracht opens.

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1686

Jean Baptiste Lully's opera "Armide" premieres in Paris.

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1689

Henry Purcell & Tates opera "Dido & Aeneas" premieres in Chesea.

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1690

Clarinet is invented, in Nüremberg, Germany.

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1705

Georg F Händels first opera "Almira" premieres in Hamburg.

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1711

Händels opera Rinaldo, premieres.

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Handel's opera "Rinaldo" premieres, London.

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1717

As King George I sails on Thames, George Frideric Handel first performs his Water Music.

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1721

In Germany, the supremely talented Johann Sebastian Bach publishes the Six Brandenburg Concertos.

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1723

Handel's opera "Ottone" premieres, London.

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1724

Johann S Bach's "John Passion" premieres in Leipzig.

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1725

Georg F Händels opera "Giulio Cesare in Egitto" premieres in London.

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1726

Marie de Camargo (16) premieres at Opéra of Paris France.

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1728

John Gays' "Beggar's Opera" premieres in London.

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Georg F Händels opera "Siroe, re di Persia" premieres in London.

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Georg F Händels opera "Tolomeo, re di Egitto" premieres in London.

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1729

Johann S Bachs "Matthäus Passion" premieres in Leipzig.

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1731

First US music concert (Peter Pelham's great room in Boston).

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Boston News-letter becomes first publication to report news of a concert event.

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1735

The first opera performed in America, known as either "Flora" or "Hob in the Well", was presented in Charleston, SC.

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1739

Methodist hymnwriter Charles Wesley, 31, on the first anniversary of his religious conversion, penned the hymn, "O For a Thousand Tongues".

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1741

George Frederick Handel completed his The Messiah. It took the composer just 23 days to complete the timeless musical treasure which is still very popular during the Christmas holiday season.

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1742

George Frideric Händel's "Messiah" performed for first time (Dublin, Ireland).

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1743

It was the first London performance of Handel’s Messiah, and King King George II was in the audience. In the middle of the Hallelujah Chorus, the King rose to his feet in appreciation of the great piece! The entire audience followed suit out of respect for the King. And so began the custom of standing during the singing of the Hallelujah Chorus.

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1753

Joseph Haydn's "Krumme Teufel" premieres.

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1759

First music store in America opens (Philadelphia).

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1762

The opera "Orfeo Ed Euridice" is produced (Vienna).

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1763

An instrument named the spinet was mentioned in The Boston Gazette newspaper on this day. John Harris made the spinet, a small upright piano with a three to four octave range. There is no verifiable evidence to support the rumor that a man named Spinetti made the first spinet.

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1764

Eight-year old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart plays for the Royal Family at Versailles in France.

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1767

Mozart's opera "Apollo et Hyacinthus" premieres in Salzburg.

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Van Ritter von Glucks opera "Alceste" premieres.

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1769

First piano, a spinet, produced in America by John Harris of Boston.

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1774

CW Glucks opera "Iphigenia in Aulis", premieres in Paris France.

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1778

Piccinni's opera "Roland" premieres, Paris.

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The La Scala Opera House in Milan Italy opens with Salieri's "L'Europa Riconosciuta". (The Smithsonian, p 17, Aug/2003)

1780

Danish national anthem "Kong Kristian", first sung.

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1781

Mozart's opera "Idomeneo" premieres, Munich.

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Premiere of Mozart's violin sonata K379.

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1784

"Marriage of Figaro" first performed in Vienna, later transformed by Mozart into opera.

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Apr 29

Premiere of Mozart's Sonata in B flat, K454 (Vienna).

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1785

Mozart completes "Dissonantenkwartet" (opus 10).

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Mozarts string quartet opus 10 premieres.

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1786

Mozart's opera "The Marriage of Figaro" premieres in Wien (Vienna).

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1787

Mozert's opera "Don Giovanni" opens in Prague.

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1790

Mozart's opera "Cosi Fan Tutte" premieres in Vienna.

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1791

Mozart's opera "The Magic Flute" at Theater-auf-der-Wieden premiers in Vienna, Austria.

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1792

D Cimarosa's opera "Il Matrimonio Segreto" premieres in Vienna.

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In Vienna, Ludwig van Beethoven (21) receives first lesson in music composition from Franz Joseph Haydn. The fee was 19¢.

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1794

Joseph Haydn's 99th Symphony in E, premieres.

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First performance of Joseph Haydn's 101st Symphony in D.

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1795

Joseph Haydns 102nd Symphony in B, premieres.

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Mar 29

Beethoven (24) debuts as pianist in Vienna

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1796

Johann Wolfgang von Goethes "Egmont" premieres in Weimar.

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The Archers, the first opera written by an American composer, was performed in New York City. Benjamin Carr wrote the work.

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1797

Franz Haydn's AUSTRIAN HYMN was first performed for the Emperor Francis II's fifth birthday in Vienna. Today, AUSTRIAN HYMN is the most common melody to which we sing the popular hymn, "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken."

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Cherubini's opera "Medée" premieres in Paris France.

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1799

Joseph Haydn's "Die Schöpfung" premieres in Vienna.

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1800

First performance of Ludwig von Beethoven's 1st Symphony in C.

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1801

First performance of Joseph Haydn's oratorio "Die Jahreszeiten".

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1802

"Moonlight Sonata" by Ludwig van Beethovan published.

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1803

First performance of Beethoven's 2nd Symphony in D.

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1805

Premiere of Beethoven's "Eroica" (conducted by himself).

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Beethoven's opera "Fidelio" is produced (Vienna).

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1807

First performance of Ludwig von Beethoven's 4th Symphony in B.

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1808

Joseph Haydns oratorio "Die Schöpfung" premieres in Vienna.

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Beethoven and others in all-star gala concert in Vienna honoring Joseph Haydn's 76th birthday.

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William Henry Lane ("Juda") perfects the tap dance.

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First performance of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony in Vienna.

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1810

"Converse", first US opera, premieres in New York.

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1812

Waltz introduced into English ballrooms Most observers consider it disgusting & immoral. No wonder it caught on!.

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1813

First concerto of Royal Philharmonic.

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Ludwig von Beethoven's 7th Symphony in A, premieres.

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1814

Ludwig von Beethovens 8th Symphony in F, premieres.

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1815

Rossini gets assignment for Il barbiere di Siviglia.

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1816

Rossini's Opera "Barber of Seville" premieres in Rome.

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Rossini's opera "The Barber of Seville" premieres in Rome.

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1817

Rossini's opera "La Cenerentola" premieres in Rome.

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1818

Franz Gruber of Oberndorf, Germany composes the music for Silent Night to words written by Josef Mohr. The traditional song was sung for the first time during Midnight Mass this night.

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First US performance of Handel's Messiah, Boston.

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First known Christmas carol ("Silent Night, Holy Night" by Franz Joseph Gruber & Joseph Mohr) is performed for the first time, at the Church of St. Nikolaus in Oberndorff, Austria.

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1819

Anglican bishop Reginald Heber, 36, penned the words to the missionary hymn, "From Greenland's Icy Mountains."

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1820

The opera "Die Jäearsbraut" is completed.

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1821

Jun 18

The opera "Der Freischotz" is produced (Berlin).

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1822

Franz Liszt, age 11, makes piano debut in Vienna.

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1823

Rossini's opera "Semiramide" premieres in Venice.

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The opera "Semiramide" is produced (Venice).

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May 08

Song "Home Sweet Home,"popular song by American John H. Paine first performed in London.

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Franz Schuberts "Ballet-Musik aus Rosamunde" premieres in Vienna.

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1824

Meyerbeers opera "Il Crociati in Egitto" premieres in Venice.

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First performance of Beethoven's "Missa Solemnis".

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Beethoven's Ninth Symphony ("The Choral”) with famous tune "Ode to Joy" premieres in Vienna

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1825

First grand opera in US sung in English, New York NY.

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Rossini’s Barber of Seville was presented in NY City. It was the first Italian opera to be presented in the United States.

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1826

Beethoven's Quartet #13 in B flat major (Op 130) premieres in Vienna.

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Weber's opera "Oberon", premieres in London.

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1830

The opera "Fra Diavolo" is produced (Paris).

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V Bellini's opera "I Capuleti e i Montecchi" premieres in Venice.

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Robert Schumann attends piano concerto by Paganini.

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Hector Berlioz's "Symphony Fantastic" premieres.

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Gaetano Donizetti's opera "Anna Bolena" premieres in Milan.

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1831

Vincenzo Bellini's opera "La Sonnambula" premieres in Milan.

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The opera "Robert Le Diable" is produced (Paris).

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Vincenzo Bellini's opera "Norma" premieres in Milan.

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1832

Gaetano Donizetti's opera "L'Elisir D'amore" premieres in Milan.

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It was on this day that America was sung in public for the first time -- at the Park Street Church in Boston, MA. Dr. Samuel Francis Smith wrote the words, borrowing the tune from a German songbook. Ironically, and unknown to Dr. Smith at the time, the melody is the same as the British national anthem.

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1833

Felix Mendelssohn's "Die erste Walpurgisnacht" premieres in Berlin.

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Gaetano Donizetti's opera "Lucrezia Borgia" premieres in Milan.

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1835

Vincenzo Bellini's opera "I Puritani" premieres in Paris.

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Frédéric Chopin's "Grand Polonaise Brillante", premieres in Paris France.

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The opera "Lucia di Lammermoor" is produced (Naples).

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1836

Giacomo Meyerbeer's (Jakob Liebmann Beer) opera "Les Huguenots" premieres in Paris (Théâtre de l'Opéra, Paris).

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Nikolai Gogol's "Revisor", premieres in St Petersburg.

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Felix Mendelssohn's oratorium "St Paul" premieres in Düsseldorf.

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1838

Soprano Jenny Lind ("the Swedish Nightingale") makes her debut in Weber's opera Der Freischultz.

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1840

Gaetano Donizetti's Opera "La Fille du Regiment" premieres in Paris.

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Gaetano Donizetti's opera "La Favorita" premieres in Paris.

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1841

First performance of Robert Schumann's 1st Symphony in B.

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Robert Schumann's 4th Symphony in D, premieres.

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1842

Gioacchino Rossini's opera "Stabat Mater" premieres in Paris.

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First performance of Felix Mendelssohn's 3rd "Scottish" Symphony.

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Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Nabucco" premieres in Milan.

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The opera "Linda di Chamounix" is produced (London).

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1843

Wagner's opera "Der Fliegende Holländer" premieres, Dresden.

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Gaetano Donizetti's opera "Don Pasquale" premieres in Paris.

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Giuseppe Verdi's Opera "I Lombardi" premieres in Milan.

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The opera "The Bohemian Girl" is produced (London).

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1844

The saxophone first played in public in Paris by Adolphe Sax.

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Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Hernani" premieres in Venice.

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The opera "Stradella" is produced (Hamburg) after being rewritten.

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1845

The French Army introduced the saxophone to its military band. The musical instrument was the invention of Adolphe Sax of Belgium.

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Jul 31

The French Army introduced the saxophone to its military band. The musical instrument was the invention of Adolphe Sax of Belgium.

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Wagner's opera "Tanhauser" first performed in Dresden Opera House.

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The opera "Maritana" is produced (London).

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1846

Hector Berlioz's "La Damnation de Faust" premieres in Paris.

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1847

Mar 17

Dmitri Shostakovich's opera "Macbeth" is produced (Florence).

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The opera "Die Fledermaus" is produced (Vienna)

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Stephen Foster performed his "Oh! Susanna" for the very first time. The performance, for a crowd at the Eagle Saloon in Pittsburgh, PA, earned Foster a bottle of whiskey.

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In New York, the Astor Place Opera House, the city's first operatic theater, opens.

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The opera "Marta" is produced (Vienna).

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1848

Ballet "Faust" premieres, Milan.

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1849

Carl Nikolais opera "Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor" premieres.

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Giacomo Meyerbeer's opera "Le Prophète", premieres in Paris France.

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The opera "Il Profeta" premieres (Paris France).

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Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Luisa Miller" premieres in Naples.

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First chamber music group in US gives their 1st concert (Boston).

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The Christmas hymn by Edmund Sears, "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear," was first published in "The Christian Register." Sears' carol features the American emphasis in Christian living, that is, the social message of "peace on earth, good will toward men."

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1850

Weimar, Germany: Wagner's Lohengrin performed (Wagner still in hiding in Switzerland after German revolution fails)

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Soprano opera singer Jenny Lind, the "Swedish Nightingale," makes her American debut at New York's Castle Garden Theater.

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1851

Robert Schumann's 3rd Symphony "Rhenisch" premieres in Düsseldorf.

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Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Rigoletto" premieres in Venice.

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The opera "La Perle Du Brasil" is produced (Paris).

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1852

Anton Rubinsteins opera "Dmitri Donskoi", premieres in St Petersburg.

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1853

Verdi's opera "Il Trovatore" premiered in Rome.

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Steinway Piano Factory opens in New York.

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Giuseppe Verdi's Opera "La Traviata" premieres in Venice, Italy.

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1854

Franz Liszts symphony "Orpheus" premieres.

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Franz Liszt's "Mazeppa", premieres.

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1855

The opera "Les Vˆpres Sicilenne" is produced (Paris).

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1857

Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Simon Boccanegra" premieres in Venice.

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Franz Liszt's "Die Hunnenschlacht" premieres in Weimar.

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1858

Mendelssohn’s "Wedding March" was presented for the first time, as the daughter of Queen Victoria marries the Crown Prince of Prussia.

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Charles Hallé founds Hallé Orchestra in Manchester.

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Leoncavallo's opera "I Pagliacci" is produced (Naples).

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1859

Brahms' first piano concerto (in D minor) premieres, Hanover.

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Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Un Ballo in maschera" premieres at the Apollo Theatre in Rome.

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The opera "Faust" by Charles Gounod premiered in Paris.

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First performance of John Brahms' 1st Serenade for orchestra.

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The opera "Dinorah" is produced (Paris).

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Madame Caroline Miolan-Carvalho sang Charles Gounod’s "Ave Maria" in its first public performance.

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1860

John Brahms' 2nd Serenade in A, premieres.

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1861

Julia Ward Howe writes "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" while visiting Union troops near Washington.

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1862

Dion Boucicault's opera "The Lily of Killarney" is produced (London).

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The opera "La Reine de Saba" premieres (Paris).

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1863

The opera "Pescatori di Perle", more properly known as "Les Pêcheurs de Perles", is produced (Paris).

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1864

Charles Francois Gounod's opera "Mireille" is produced (Paris France).

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1865

English clergyman Sabine Baring-Gould, 31, first published the hymn, "Now the Day is Over." It was based on the text of Prov 3:24: 'When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid...and thy sleep shall be sweet.'.

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Giacomo Meyerbeer's opera "L'Africaine", premieres in Paris France.

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Jun 10

The Richard Wagner opera "Tristan und Isolde" premiers in Munich, Germany. (XDG, p 4A, 6/10/2000)

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Franz Schubert's "Unvolendete Symphony" premieres.

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1866

Bedrich Smetana's opera "Branibori vs Cechach" premieres in Prague.

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The opera "Die Verkaufte Braut" premieres (Prague).

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The opera "Mignon" is produced (Paris).

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English devotional writer Katherine Hankey, 32, penned the verses that we sing today as the hymn, "I Love to Tell the Story."

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1867

Johann Strauss’ magnificent Blue Danube Waltz was played for the first time at a public concert in Vienna, Austria.

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Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Don Carlos" premieres in Paris France.

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The opera "Roméo et Juliette" is produced (Paris France).

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1868

Arrigo Boito's opera "Mefistofele" premieres in Milan.

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The opera "Hamlet" premieres in Paris France.

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First performance of John Brahms' "Ein german Requiem".

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Anton Bruckner's first Symphony in C, premieres.

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Bedrich Smetana's opera "Dalibor" premieres in Prague.

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1869

Connecticut Congregational clergyman Samuel Wolcott, 56, upon returning home from a YMCA evangelistic service, penned the words to the missionary hymn, "Christ for the World We Sing."

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The Folies-Bergere opens in Paris.

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The opera "Die Meistersinger" is produced (Munich).

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The opera "Das Rheingold" is produced (Munich).

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1870

Tchaikovsky's overture-fantasy Romeo and Juliet first performed in Moscow.

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Antonio Carlos Gomes's opera "Il Guarany" premieres in Milan Italy.

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The opera "Die Walkere" is produced (Munich).

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1871

Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Aida" is produced (Cairo).

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First Gilbert & Sullivan collaboration, Thespis

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Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Aida" had its world premiere in Cairo, Egypt, to celebrate the opening of the Suez Canal.

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1872

The hymn penned by Annie Sherwood Hawks, 36,"I Need Thee Every Hour", was first sung at a National Baptist Sunday School Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio.

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1873

Leo Delibes' opera "Le Roi l'a Dit" premieres in Paris France.

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1874

Johann Strauss Sr's opera "Die Fledermaus", premieres in Vienna.

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1875

Charles Garnier's new Opera opens in Paris.

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The Georges Bizet opera "Carmen" premiered in Paris.

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Smetana's "Vysehrad" premieres.

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1876

The saxophone was played by Etta Morgan at New York City’s Olympic Theatre. The instrument was little known at the time in the United States.

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Amiliare Ponchielli's opera "La Gioconda", premieres in Milan.

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Tchaikovsky completes his "Swan Lake" ballet.

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Richard Wagner’s Centennial Inaugural March was heard for the first time at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, PA. Wagner did just fine for creating the magnificent work. He received a paycheck of $5,000.

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Premiere of Wagner's "Der Ring des Nibelungen" in its entirety at Bayreuth.

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Aug 16

The opera "Siegfried" is produced (Bayreuth).

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1877

Tchaikovsky's ballet "Swan Lake' premieres in Moscow.

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The Russian Imperial Ballet stages the first performance of Tsjaikovski's incomplete ballet "Swan Lake" ("Zwanenmeer") in Moscow.

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The opera "Les Cloches de Corneville" is produced (Paris France).

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The opera "Le Roi de Lahore" is produced (Paris France).

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The first production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s opera, The Sorcerer, was presented -- in London.

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Camille Saint-Saëns' opera "Samson et Dalila" premieres in Weimar.

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Anton Bruckner's 3rd Symphony in D, premiers.

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Johnannes Brahms' 2nd Symphony in D, premieres in Vienna.

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1878

Peter Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony in F, premieres.

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Phonograph shown for first time at Grand Opera House.

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Gilbert & Sullivans opera "HMS Pinafore" premieres in London.

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1879

John Brahms' Violin Concerto in D major premieres in Leipzig.

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NY’s Madison Square Garden displayed a real floating ship in a gigantic water tank as Gilbert & Sullivan’s operetta, H.M.S. Pinafore, was performed.

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Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta, H.M.S. Pinafore, opened. Arthur Sullivan conducted the orchestra while William Gilbert played the role of a sailor in the chorus and in the Queen’s Nay-vee.

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John Brahms' "Tragic Ouverture" premieres.

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Gilbert & Sullivan's "Pirates of Penzance" premieres.

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1880

Oct 01

A new director of the United States Marine Corps Band was named. John Philip Sousa became the band’s 17th leader.

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1881

Camille Saint-Saëns' 3rd Concerto in B, premieres.

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Johannes Brahms' "Academic Festival Overture" premieres, Breslau.

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Jacques Offenbach's opera "Les Contes d'Hoffman" premieres in Paris.

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Gilbert & Sullivan's opera "Patience or Bunthorne's Bride" produced in London.

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Bedrich Smetana's opera "Libusa" premieres in Prague.

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The player piano was patented by John McTammany, Jr. of Cambridge, MA. It was patent number 242,786.

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Jules Massenet's opera "Hérodiade" is produced (Brussels).

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1882

Richard Wagner completes his opera "Parsifal".

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Rimski-Korsakovs opera "Snyegurochka" premieres in St Petersburg.

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Blind Scottish Presbyterian clergyman George Matheson penned the words to the hymn, 'O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go.'

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Richard Wagner's "Parsifal,"his last musical drama, premieres at Bayreuth.

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The opera "Parsifal" is produced (Bayreuth).

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Premiere of Tchaikovsky's ‘1812 Overture' in Moscow.

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1883

Leo Delibes' opera "Lakmé", premieres in Paris France.

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The original Metropolitan Opera House in NY held its grand opening with a performance of Gounod's "Faust."

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Johannes Brahms' 3rd Symphony in F, premieres.

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1884

Jules Massenet's opera "Manon" premieres in Paris.

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First Dutch Wagner version of Elizabeth aria.

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First performance of Edward MacDowell's 2nd Piano suite.

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Anton Bruckner's 7th Symphony in E, premieres in Leipzig.

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1885

Gilbert & Sullivan's opera "Mikado" premieres in London.

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Yiddish theater opens in New York with Golldfaden operetta.

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Boston Pops Orchestra forms.

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The opera "Lakm‚" is produced (Paris).

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The Mikado, by Gilbert and Sullivan, opened at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City.

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Nov 09

The opera "Ermine" is produced (London).

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The opera "Le Cid" is produced (Paris).

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The opera "Regina di Saba" is produced (Vienna).

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1886

Feb 23

Tsjaikovski's symphony "Manfred" premieres.

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Camille Saint-Saëns' 3rd Symphony in C, premieres.

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Nineteen-year-old Arturo Toscanini moved from the cello section to the conductor’s stand of the Rio de Janeiro Orchestra. The maestro conducted Aida this day.

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74 year-old piano virtuoso Franz Liszt gives last performance in Luxemburg.

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Musical fantasy "Night on Bald Mountain," performed in Russia.

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The Folies Bergere opens for the first time.

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1887

Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Otello" premieres at La Scala in Italy.

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Emmanuel Chabriers opera "Le Roi Malgré Luis" premieres in Paris France.

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The opera "The Trumpeter of Suckingen" first American production (NYC).

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1888

Edouard Lalo's opera "Le roi d'Ys" premieres in Paris France.

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Jun 29

World's first musical recording made in Britain at Crystal Palace Handel Festival.

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Fritz Kreisler, a 13-year-old violinist from Vienna, made his American debut in NY City.

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1889

César Francks Symphony in D, premieres.

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Jules Massenets opera "Esclarmonde" premieres in Paris France.

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The first ‘Nickel-in-a-Slot’ (jukebox) was placed in service on this day in 1889 in the Palais Royal Saloon in San Francisco, California. Juke, at the time, was a slang word for a a disorderly house, or house of ill repute.

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1890

Pietro Costanzi's opera "Rustic Chivalry" premieres in Rome.

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Oh Promise Me was sung by Jessie Bartlett Davis in the premiere of the operetta, Robin Hood, which opened at the Grand Opera House in Chicago, IL.

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The opera "Prince Igor" is produced (St Petersburg).

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1891

First jazz concert was held at Carnegie Hall.

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Jules Massenets opera "Griselde" premieres in Paris France.

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Poland’s premier and premier ivory tickler, Ignace Jan Paderewski, made his American debut at Carnegie Hall in NY City. In later years, Paderewski, who suffered from arthritis, settled in Paso Robles, CA. The hot mineral baths located there eased his pain. He played only Steinway grand pianos custom-built to his specifications. In fact, five were made just for his use.

Ref: 4

1892

The opera "Werther" is produced (Vienna).

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First performance of Antonin Dvorák's overture "Carneval".

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Ruggiero Leoncavallo's opera "I Pagliacci" premieres in Milan.

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Comedienne Marie Dressler made her New York City singing debut in the comic opera, The Robber of the Rhine.

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The ‘March King’ was introduced to the general public. John Philip Sousa and his band played the Liberty Bell March in Plainfield, New Jersey.

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Tsjaikovski's ballet "Casse-noisette" premieres in St Petersburg.

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Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker Suite" publicly premiered in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Ref: 70

Anton Bruckner's 8th Symphony, premieres.

Ref: 5

The opera "Cristoforo Colombo" is produced (La Scala).

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1893

Richard Drigo's ballet "The Magic Flute" premieres, St Petersburg.

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The opera "Manon Lescaut," by Giacomo Puccini, premiered in Turin, Italy.

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Giuseppe Verdi's last opera, "Falstaff," was first performed, in Milan, Italy.

Ref: 5

The opera "Falstaff" is produced (Berlin).

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Song which later would become "Happy Birthday to You" first published by Hill Sisters in Kentucky.

Ref: 10

Anton Dvorak attended the first performance of his New World Symphony at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

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The Engelbert Humperdinck opera "Haensel und Gretel" was first performed, in Weimar, Germany.

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1894

First performance of Anton Bruckner's 5th Symphony in B in Graz.

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Debussy's ballet "L'apr‚s-midi d'un faune" premieres in Paris.

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1895

Tchaikovsky's ballet "Swan Lake" premieres, St Petersburg.

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Tchaikovsky/Petipa's "Swan Lake" premieres in Petersburg.

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Gustav Mahler's 2nd Symphony, premieres in Berlin.

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First performance of Gustav Mahler's (incomplete) 2nd Symphony.

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America the Beautiful, the famous song often touted as the true US national anthem, was originally a poem written by Katherine Lee Bates. The Wellesley College professor’s poem was first published this day in the Congregationalist, a church newspaper.

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First complete execution of Gustav Mahlers 2nd Symphony.

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1896

Isaac Albeniz' opera "Pepita Jiminez" premieres in Barcelona.

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Giacomo Puccini's Opera "La Boheme" premieres in Turin.

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Gilbert & Sullivan's last operette "Grand Duke" premieres in London.

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Umberto Giordano's opera "Andrea Chénier" premieres in Milan.

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The opera "Andrea Chenier" is produced (Milan).

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John Philip Sousa's "El Capitan", premieres (NYC).

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Sidney Jones & Harry Greenbacks musical premieres in London.

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John Philip Sousa led band's first performance (Plainfield, NJ).

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Gerhart Hauptmann's "Die versunkene Glocke" premieres in Berlin.

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John Philip Sousa writes the melody to "The Stars and Stripes Forever".

Ref: 4

1897

Premiere of (parts of) Gustav Mahler's 3rd Symphony (Berlin).

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Vincent d'Indy's opera "Fervaal" premieres in Brussel.

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Irish Music Festival first held (Dublin).

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1898

The opera "Iris" is produced (Rome).

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1899

First performance of Edward MacDowell's 2nd Concerto in D.

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1900

E Verlinger begins manufacturing 7" single-sided records (Montréal).

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Gustave Charpentiers opera "Louise" premieres in Paris.

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Giuseppe Verdi's "Aida" makes U.S. debut in New York.

Ref: 10

Puccini's opera "Tosca" received a mixed reception at its world premiere in Rome.

Ref: 17

Gustave Charpentiers opera "Louise" premieres in Paris.

Ref: 5

National Negro Anthem, "Lift Every Voice & Sing" is composed.

Ref: 5

1901

Puccini's opera "Tosca"makes U.S. debut at Metropolital Opera House, New York.

Ref: 10

George Cohan's musical "Governor's Son" premieres in New York NY.

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First performance of Anton Bruckner's 6th Symphony in A.

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The opera "Gris‚lidis" is produced (Paris).

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1902

Aleksandr Skriabin's 2nd Symphony in C premieres in St Petersburg.

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The opera "Le Jongleur (Hunchback) de Notre Dame" is produced (Monte Carlo).

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Jules Massenets opera premieres in Monte Carlo.

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First performance of Jean Sibelius' 2nd Symphony.

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Enrico Caruso records 10 arias for the Gramophone Company. The recording session took place in Milan, Italy and Caruso walked away with $500 for his effort. He is the first well-known performer to make a record.

Ref: 4

Debussy's opera "Pelléas et Mélissande", premieres in Paris France.

Ref: 5

Gustav Mahler conducts the first complete performance of his Third Symphony.

Ref: 17

1903

Vincent d'Indy's opera "L'etranger" premieres in Brussel.

Ref: 5

Anton Bruckner's 9th Symfonie premieres in Vienna.

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Victor Records made its first Red Seal recording this day. The premiere disk featured Ada Crossley, an opera contralto.

Ref: 4

Enrico Caruso, famed Italian tenor, made his debut in the United States at the Metropolitan Opera House in NY City. He sang in the role of the Duke in Rigoletto.

Ref: 4

The opera "Die Heugierigen Frauen" is produced (Munich).

Ref: 5

The barbershop quartet favorite, Sweet Adeline, was sung for the first time -- in NY City. The song was composed by Henry Armstrong with the words of Richard Gerard. The title of the song came from a theatre marquee that promoted the great operatic soprano, Adelina Patti. Now female barbershop quartets call themselves Sweet Adelines.

Ref: 4

1904

Leos Janacek's opera "Jenufa" premieres in Brno Czechoslovakia.

Ref: 5

Enrico Caruso signed his first contract with Victor Records. He had debuted at the Metropolitan Opera just two months before.

Ref: 4

Béla Bartók's symphony "Kossuth" premieres.

Ref: 5

Enrico Caruso makes first U.S. recording for Victor Company "La Donna e Mobile" from "Rigoletto”. He did ten songs in the session … for $4,000.

Ref: 17

Giacomo Puccini's opera "Madama Butterfly" was poorly received at its world premiere at La Scala.

Ref: 70

Vincent d'Indy's 2nd Symphony in B, premieres.

Ref: 5

First concert of the London Symphony Orchestra.

Ref: 17

1905

First published blues composition goes on sale, WC Handy Memphis Blues.

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Richard Strauss' opera "Salome" premieres in Dresden.

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1906

Arthur Rubinstein made his debut at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The concert received only a few favorable reviews.

Ref: 4

First outlining of Gustav Mahler's 6th symphony, in Essen.

Ref: 5

Canadian physicist Reginald A Fessenden became the first person to broadcast music over radio, from Brant Rock, MA.

Ref: 5

1907

The Richard Strauss opera, Salome, was featured with the Dance of the Seven Veils. It was copied by vaudeville performers and, um, strip-tease performers, as well. Soon, performances of the opera were banned at the Metropolitan Opera House.

Ref: 4

Arnold Schönberg's first string quartet premieres in Vienna.

Ref: 5

Paul Dukas' opera "Ariane et Barbe Bleue" premieres in Paris France.

Ref: 5

The Merry Widow opened in NY. The play starred Ethel Jackson and Donald Brian. The operetta had been introduced in Europe two years before.

Ref: 4

George Cohan's musical "Talk of the Town" premieres in NY NY.

Ref: 5

G Mahler conducts the Metropolitan Opera.

Ref: 5

1908

Austrian composer Gustav Mahler makes U.S. conducting debut in "Tristan und Isolde" at Met. Opera.

Ref: 17

Conductor Arturo Toscanini made his debut in the United States this day. He appeared at the Metropolitan Opera House in NY, conducting Aida.

Ref: 4

Edward Elgar's first Symphony in A, premieres.

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1909

Gustav Mahler conducts New York Philharmonic for his first time.

Ref: 5

The opera "Il Segreto di Susanna" is produced (Munich).

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1910

Enrico Caruso and Emmy Destinn were heard via a telephone transmitter; rigged by DeForest Radio-Telephone Company to broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.

Ref: 4

The opera "Germania" is first performed in New York City NY.

Ref: 5

Hold on to your hats! The opera, Pipe of Desire, was first performed this day at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. Frederick Sheperd Converse wrote the work that turned out to be the first opera by an American composer to be performed at the Met.

Ref: 4

Igor Stravinsky's ballet score for "The Firebird"first performed at Paris Opera.

Ref: 10

Victor Herbert's sixth operetta, "Naughty Marietta"a triumph in U.S. opening.

Ref: 10

Tenor Enrico Caruso and conductor Arturo Toscanini were featured at the Metropolitan Opera House in NY City for the world premiere of Puccini’s The Girl of the Golden West.

Ref: 4

Luisa Tetrazzini sings to 250,000 people at Lotta's Fountain.

Ref: 5

1911

The Richard Strauss opera "Der Rosenkavalier" premiered in Dresden, Germany.

Ref: 17

Society of Dutch Composers forms in Amsterdam.

Ref: 5

Victor Herbert's opera "Natoma" premieres in New York NY.

Ref: 5

William P. Merrill, 44, first published his hymn, "Rise Up, O Men of God," in the Presbyterian periodical, "The Continent."

Ref: 5

Gustav Mahler conducts his last concerto (Berceuse élégique).

Ref: 5

The opera "Natoma" is produced (Philadelphia).

Ref: 5

Hermann Jadlowker became the first opera singer to perform two major roles in the same day at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.

Ref: 4

Hermann Jadlowker became the first opera singer to perform two major roles in the same day at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.

Ref: 4

First performance by Diaghilev's Ballets Russes of "Le Spectre de la Rose"in Russia.

Ref: 10

The opera "Lobetanz" first American performance.

Ref: 5

Dec 07

Leslie J Stuart's musical "Betsy" premieres in New York NY.

Ref: 5

The opera "I Giojelli Della Madonna" is produced (Berlin).

Ref: 5

Frank Wedekind's "Oaha, die Satire der Satire" premieres in Munich.

Ref: 5

1912

First unofficial gold record (Al Jolson's "Ragging The Baby To Sleep") for Victor Records.

Ref: 5

Sep 28

W.C. Handy's "Memphis Blues" is published.

Ref: 2

1913

Gabriel Fauré's opera "Pénélope" premieres in Monte Carlo.

Ref: 5

The word ‘jazz' first used in article in San Francisco Bulletin,

Ref: 10

Mussorgsky's "Boris Gudunov"opens at Metropolitan Opera, NY-39 years after Russian premiere.

Ref: 10

The premier of the Stravinsky/Najinsky ballet Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring) in Paris causes rioting in the theater.

Ref: 2

Billboard publishes earliest known "Last Week's 10 Best Sellers among Popular Songs" Malinda's Wedding Day is #1.

Ref: 5

1914

The opera "Madeleine" is produced (New York City NY).

Ref: 5

James Royce Shannon's musical "Shameen Dhu" premieres in New York NY.

Ref: 5

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, known as ASCAP, is founded in NY City by Victor Herbert & friends.

Ref: 39

Riccardo Zandonai's opera "Francesco da Rimini" premieres in Turin.

Ref: 5

Henri Rabauds opera "Marouf, Savetier de Caire" premieres in Paris France.

Ref: 5

Foxtrot first danced at New Amsterdam Roof Garden (NYC, by Harry Fox).

Ref: 5

ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers) founded.

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"Watch Your Step," the first musical revue to feature a score composed entirely by Irving Berlin, opened in NY.

Ref: 5

1915

Giordano, Sardou & Moreau's opera "Madame Sans Gêne" premieres in New York City NY.

Ref: 5

Manuel de Falla's ballet "El Amor Brujo", premieres in Madrid.

Ref: 5

Jean Sibelius' 5th Symphony in E, premieres.

Ref: 5

1916

The opera "Goyescas" is first performed (New York City NY).

Ref: 5

Enrico Caruso recorded "O Solo Mio" for the Victor Talking Machine Company, which eventually became Victor Records, then RCA Victor.

Ref: 4

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra presented its first concert. The symphony was the first by a municipal orchestra to be supported by taxes.

Ref: 4

Romberg/Hanley/Atteridge/Smith' musical premieres in New York NY.

Ref: 5

First published reference to "jazz" appears (Variety).

Ref: 5

1917

The Original Dixieland Jazz Band recorded a classic for Columbia Records titled, The Darktown Strutters’ Ball. It was one of the first jazz compositions recorded.

Ref: 4

Kern, Bolton & Wodehouse's musical "Oh, Boy!" premieres in New York NY.

Ref: 5

The first jazz recording for Victor Records was released. The Original Dixieland ‘Jass’ Band performed on the tune The Dixie Jass Band One Step. The word ‘Jass’ was later changed to ‘Jazz’ because it sounded, uh, jazzier.

Ref: 4

The 1st 78 rpm jazz record issued is "Dixie Jazz Band One Step", recorded by Nick LaRocca Original Dixieland Jazz Band, released by RCA Victor in Camden NJ.

Ref: 5

George M. Cohan writes famous song, "Over There.”

Ref: 10

Domenico Scarlatti & Jean Cocteau's ballet premieres in Rome.

Ref: 5

May 03

First performance of Ernest Bloch's symphony "Israel".

Ref: 5

Satie/Massine/Picasso's ballet "Parade" premieres in Paris France.

Ref: 5

First jazz record released (Dark Town Strutters Ball).

Ref: 5

A new word cropped up in the American lexicon: Jazz. The Literary Digest described jazz as music that caused people to, “shake, jump and writhe in ways to suggest a return to the medieval jumping mania.”

Ref: 4

Leopold Stokowski led the Philadelphia Orchestra in its first recording session -- for Victor Records.

Ref: 4

Jascha Heifetz made his debut at Carnegie Hall in NY City. Heifetz was a 16-year-old sensation who had played the violin since age 5.

Ref: 4

1918

Franz Lehárs opera "Wo die Lerche singt" premieres in Budapest.

Ref: 5

Geoffrey O'Hara's "K-K-K-Katy" song published.

Ref: 5

Giacomo Puccini's opera "Il Trittico" premieres in New York NY.

Ref: 5

1919

Louis Hirsch & Harold Atteridge's musical premieres in New York NY.

Ref: 5

André Messager 's opera "Monsieur Beaucaire" is produced (London).

Ref: 5

1920

Darius Milhaud & Jean Cocteau's ballet, "Le Train Bleu" premieres in Paris.

Ref: 5

The Symphony Society of New York presented a concert at the Paris Opera House. It was the first American orchestra to make a European tour.

Ref: 4

Enrico Caruso made his last recording for Victor Records in Camden, NJ.

Ref: 4

Conductor Arturo Toscanini made his first recording for Victor Records in Camden, New Jersey.

Ref: 4

Enrico Caruso gave his last public performance, singing in Jacques Halevy's "La Juive" at the Metropolitan Opera in NY.

Ref: 70

1921

Wagner's "Die Walkyrie" opens in Paris. This is the first German opera performed in Paris since the beginning of World War I.

Ref: 2

The first opera presented in its entirety over the radio was broadcast by 9ZAF in Denver, CO. The opera, "Martha", aired from the Denver Auditorium.

Ref: 4

Amelita Galli-Curci makes N.Y. debut in "La Traviata"at the Metropolitan opera.

Ref: 70

KYW radio, Chicago, IL broadcast the first opera by a professional company. Listeners heard Samson Et Dilila as it was being performed at the Chicago Auditorium.

Ref: 4

1922

Arthur Honegger's ballet "Skating Rink" premieres, Paris.

Ref: 5

Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Pastoral Symphony" premieres in London.

Ref: 5

"April Showers" by Al Jolson hits #1.

Ref: 5

Otto Krueger conducted the Detroit News Orchestra, the first known radio orchestra, which was heard on WWJ Radio in Detroit, MI. The Detroit News owned the radio station at the time.

Ref: 4

‘Smilin’ Ed McConnell debuted on radio, smiling and playing his banjo. McConnell quickly became a legend in the medium.

Ref: 4

Aug 30

The New Orleans Rhythm Kings recorded Tiger Rag, one of the most familiar ragtime jazz tunes ever. It was released on the General record label.

Ref: 4

1923

Bessie Smith makes her first recording "Down Hearted Blues."

Ref: 2

Jean Sibelius' 6th Symphony, premieres.

Ref: 5

André Charlot's musical "Rats" premieres in London.

Ref: 5

The Audubon Ballroom in New York City was the scene of the first dance marathon. Alma Cummings danced the fox trot, one-step and waltz with half a dozen partners, sets record of 27 hours.

Ref: 4

The first U.S. dance marathon, held in New York City, ended with Alma Cummings setting a world record of 27 hours on her feet.

Ref: 70

Howard Hanson's first Symphony "Nordic" premieres.

Ref: 5

It was the beginning of the country music recording industry. Ralph Peer of Okeh Records recorded Fiddlin’ John Carson doing The Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane -- and the first country music recording was in the can.

Ref: 4

Benny Goodman was 14 years old as he began his professional career as a clarinet player. He took a job in a band on a Chicago-based excursion boat on Lake Michigan.

Ref: 4

Jan Savitt and his orchestra recorded 720 in the Books on Decca Records.

Ref: 4

1924

George Gershwin's groundbreaking symphonic jazz composition Rhapsody in Blue premieres with Gershwin himself playing the piano with Paul Whiteman's orchestra.

Ref: 2

Bandleader Paul Whiteman presented his unique symphonic jazz at the Aeolian Hall in New York City. The concert marked the first public performance of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody In Blue. The composer, himself, was at the piano this night. Distinguished guests included John Philip Sousa and Jascha Heifetz.

Ref: 4

"Happy Birthday To You" published by Claydon Sunny.

Ref: 5

Jelly-Roll Blues was recorded by blues great Jelly Roll Morton and his band for Gennett Records.

Ref: 4

The first country music record to sell one million copies reached that point on this day. It was "The Prisoner’s Song", recorded by Vernon Dalhart. "The Prisoner’s Song" and songs like "Molly Darling", "Death of Floyd Collins" and "New River Train" helped Dalhart outsell all others during his era (about 75 million records). He became a Country Music Hall of Famer in 1981.

Ref: 4

It was a big night for a big band in New York’s Cinderella Ballroom. The crowd loved the Wolverine Orchestra from Chicago and the guy on the cornet, Bix Beiderbecke, the ‘young man with a horn’.

Ref: 4

Vincent Lopez and some 40 jazz musicians presented a concert of upbeat music at the Metropolitan Opera House in NYC.

Ref: 4

Respighi's symphony "Pini di Roma" premieres in Paris.

Ref: 5

1925

Lucrezia Bori and John McCormack of the famous Metropolitan Opera in New York City made their singing debuts on radio this day. The broadcast over what was WEAF Radio (now WABC) encouraged others to sing on radio. People like: Hootie and the Blowfish, Fat Head Todd and Toad the Wet Sprocket, to name a few. Oh, and Barry Manilow.

Ref: 4

Russian composer, Igor Stravinsky, appears in his first American concert, as he conducts the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in a program of his own compositions.

Ref: 4

Alban Berg's atonale opera "Wozzeck" premieres in Berlin.

Ref: 5

"Tea For Two" by Marion Harris hit #1.

Ref: 5

Eddie Cantor recorded the standard, If You Knew Susie, for Columbia Records.

Ref: 4

First London performance of operetta "Fasquita" staged.

Ref: 5

Louis Armstrong recorded My Heart, starting a career that brought him worldwide fame.

Ref: 4

The forerunner of the Grand Ole Opry, called the WSM Barn Dance, opens in Nashville TN, making its radio debut on WSM-Radio.

Ref: 2

The first jazz concerto for piano and orchestra was presented at Carnegie Hall in NYC. Commissioned by Walter Damrosch, American composer George Gershwin presented his "Concerto In F", and was also the featured soloist playing a flugelhorn in a slow, bluesy style as one of his numbers.

Ref: 4

1926

First performance of Jean Sibelius' 7th Symphony in C.

Ref: 5

Giacomo Puccini's opera "Turandot", premieres at La Scala in Milan with Arturo Toscanini conducting.

Ref: 5

Dmitri Shostakovich's first Symphony, premieres in Leningrad.

Ref: 5

"Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue" by Gene Austin hits #1.

Ref: 5

Louis ‘Satchmo’ Armstrong recorded You Made Me Love You on Okeh Records.

Ref: 4

Benny Goodman’s first recording session was this day. He played clarinet with the Ben Pollack and His CAns on a tune titled When I First Met Mary on Victor Records. Goodman was 17 years old.

Ref: 4

Darius Milhaud's opera "Le Pauvre Matelot" premieres in Paris

Ref: 5

Benny Goodman played a clarinet solo. This was not unusual for Benny except that it was his first time playing solo within a group recording session. Goodman was featured with Ben Pollack and His Californians on He’s the Last Word.

Ref: 2

1927

Jan 09

Dmitri Shostakovich's Octet opus 11, premieres in Moscow.

Ref: 5

The first opera to be broadcast over a national radio network was presented in Chicago, IL. Listeners heard selections from Faust.

Ref: 4

Ten year-old violin prodigy Yehudi Menuhim a sensation in Paris debut;is paid $5,000 per concert.

Ref: 10

Dmitri Shostakovich's Octet opus 11, premieres in Moscow.

Ref: 5

Franz Lehr's opera "Zarewitsch" premieres.

Ref: 5

Ballet Macanique was presented for the first time at Carnegie Hall in New York City. This was the first symphonic work that called for an airplane propeller and other mechanical contraptions not normally associated with the ballet.

Ref: 4

Serge Koussevitsky directed the Boston Symphony in the first performance of Frederick Converse’s symphony, Flivver Ten Million, a salute to the ‘Tin Lizzie’ automobile.

Ref: 4

First performance of Roger Sessions' Symphony in E.

Ref: 5

Dmitri Shostakovich's first Symphony, premieres in Berlin.

Ref: 5

"Ain't She Sweet?" hits #1 on the pop singles chart by Ben Bernie.

Ref: 5

Jun 08

Paul Whiteman and his orchestra recorded When Day is Done on Victor Records.

Ref: 4

Christopher Stone becomes the first British 'disc jockey' when he plays records for the BBC.

Ref: 2

Sophie Tucker recorded her signature song, Some of These Days, for Columbia Records.

Ref: 4

Gene Austin waxed one of the first million sellers. He recorded his composition, My Blue Heaven, for Victor Records.

Ref: 4

Duke Ellington’s big band opened the famed Cotton Club in Harlem. It was the first appearance of the Duke’s new and larger group. He played the club until 1932.

Ref: 5

Dmitri Shostakovich's 2nd Symphony, premieres in Moscow.

Ref: 5

For the first time, famed radio announcer George Hay introduced the WSM Barn Dance as The Grand Ole Opry. The show’s title may have changed but it remained the home of country music.

Ref: 4

1928

Ol’ Man River was recorded on Victor Records this day by Paul Whiteman and his orchestra. Bing Crosby crooned as the song’s featured vocalist. The tune came from the Broadway musical, Showboat.

Ref: 4

Vladimir Horowitz debuted as a soloist with the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall in New York City. It was the very same night that Sir Thomas Beecham gave his first public performance in the United States.

Ref: 4

Paul Whiteman and his orchestra recorded Ol’ Man River for Victor Records. The featured vocalist on the track was 29-year-old Paul Robeson. The song became an American classic.

Ref: 4

Noël Coward's musical "This Year of Grace" premieres in London.

Ref: 5

Apr 01

First automatic changer for record players introduced.

Ref: 10

King Oliver and his band recorded Tin Roof Blues for Vocalion Records.

Ref: 4

Aug 31

Threepenny Opera by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht first performed in Berlin.

Ref: 2

Sep 04

Wingy Manone recorded Downright Disgusted for Vocalion Records. Playing drums for Wingy was a young sideman named Gene Krupa.

Ref: 4

The second talkie (the opposite of a silent movie) for Al Jolson was released. It was titled The Singing Fool, which he certainly was not.

Ref: 4

Sep 28

Glen Gray’s orchestra recorded Under a Blanket of Blue, with Kenny Sargeant on vocals.

Ref: 4

Oct 01

Duke Ellington recorded The Mooche on the Okeh label.

Ref: 4

This was a busy day at Victor Records Studios in Nashville, TN. DeFord Bailey cut eight masters. Three songs were issued, marking the first studio recording sessions in the place now known as Music City, USA.

Ref: 4

"Bolero" by Maurice Ravel made its debut in Paris. (XDG, p 4A, 11/22/2003)

Ref: 83

George Gershwin's musical work "An American in Paris" had its premiere, at Carnegie Hall in NY.

Ref: 7

Last recording of Ma Rainey, "Mother of the Blues" is made.

Ref: 5

Louis Armstrong makes 78rpm recording of "West End Blues".

Ref: 5

1929

Rudy Vallee and his orchestra recorded Deep Night (Victor disc #21868). It says in the fine print, under the artist’s name, that the tune was written by Vallee, himself.

Ref: 4

Red Nichols and his Five Pennies recorded the Glenn Miller arrangement of Indiana for Brunswick Records. Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa and Jack Teagarden were all part of the recording session that took place in New York City.

Ref: 4

Paul Whiteman and his orchestra backed Bing Crosby for the tune, Sposin’, which ‘Der Bingle’ recorded for Columbia Records.

Ref: 4

Sergei Prokoviev's ballet "Prodigal Son" premieres in Paris France.

Ref: 5

McKinney’s Cotton Pickers picked and fiddled their way to the Victor studios to record Plain Dirt. Among those pickin’ and grinnin’ were luminaries such as Fats Waller (on piano), Benny Carter and Coleman Hawkins.

Ref: 4

Nov 11

Andy Kirk and His Twelve Clouds of Joy recorded Froggy Bottom -- in Kansas City.

Ref: 4

Leo Reisman and his orchestra recorded Happy Days are Here Again for Victor Records. The classic was recorded just three weeks after the stock market crash that plunged the nation into the Great Depression. Some people have a unique sense of timing, don’t they?

Ref: 4

George Gershwin first conducts "An American in Paris"at Carnegie Hall.

Ref: 10

Hoagy Carmichael recorded with Louis Armstrong. They did Rockin’ Chair on Columbia records and cylinders.

Ref: 4

Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians play Auld Lang Syne as a New Year’s Eve song for the first time.

Ref: 4

1930

Dmitri Shostakovich's opera "The Nose" premieres in Leningrad.

Ref: 5

Arnold Schönbergs opera premieres in Frankfurt.

Ref: 5

"Happy Days Are Here Again" by Benny Mereoff hits #1.

Ref: 5

Ted Lewis and his orchestra recorded On the Sunny Side of the Street for Columbia Records on this day. Mr. Lewis was heard as the featured vocalist as well, on the tune that has been recorded hundreds of times and is an American music standard.

Ref: 4

First performance of Walter Piston's Suite for orchestra (Boston).

Ref: 5

Guy Lombardo and his orchestra put to wax "Go Home and Tell Your Mother", on Columbia Records.

Ref: 4

Hoagy Carmichael recorded Georgia on My Mind on the Victor label. Georgia on My Mind has been the official state song of Georgia since 1922. The song has been recorded by many artists over the years.

Ref: 4

The NY Philharmonic Orchestra was first heard on the air over CBS radio from Carnegie Hall. The Sunday afternoon concerts set CBS back $15,000. Not per week, but for the entire season!

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The tune, It Must Be True, was recorded on Victor by Bing Crosby, who sang with Gus Arnheim and his orchestra.

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In a rare recording, William ‘Count’ Basie sang with Bennie Moten’s orchestra, Somebody Stole My Gal, on Victor.

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The Waltz You Save for Me, by ‘The Waltz King’ himself, Wayne King, was recorded on Victor. It became King’s theme.

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Richard Rodgers/L Hart's musical "Evergreen" premieres in London.

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Duke Ellington and his orchestra recorded the haunting Mood Indigo on Victor Records. It became one of the Duke’s most famous standards.

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1931

Clyde McCoy and his orchestra recorded Sugar Blues on this day. The tune became McCoy’s theme song, thanks to its popularity on Columbia Records, and later on Decca, selling over a million copies. (McCoy was said to be related to the feudin’ and a-fightin’ McCoys of Hatfield and McCoy fame.)

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The American opera, Peter Ibbetson, by Deems Taylor, premiered at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.

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Maurice Chevalier recorded Walkin’ My Baby Back Home for Victor Records in New York City. The same tune was recorded 21 years later by Nat ‘King’ Cole and Johnny Ray. It became a major hit for both artists.

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Cab Calloway and his orchestra record "Minnie the Moocher" on Brunswick Records.

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Without a Song was recorded by Lawrence Tibbett for Victor Records. This wonderful melody came from the film, The Southerner and has been a hit for many, including Willie Nelson, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett.

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Hal Kemp and his orchestra recorded Whistles, with Skinnay Ennis, for Brunswick Records. Both Kemp and Ennis sang in the Dorsey Brothers Concert Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Eugene Ormandy (later, conductor of the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra). The pair were part of the orchestra vocal quartet that also featured Nye Mayhew and Saxey Dowell in 1928.

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Dmitri Shostakovich's ballet "The Arrow", premieres.

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Louis Armstrong recorded the classic, When It’s Sleepy Time Down South, for Okeh Records. Satchmo would use the tune as his theme song for decades. The song was waxed in Chicago, IL.

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Singer Kate Smith begins her long and illustrious radio career with CBS on this, her birthday. The 22-year-old Smith started out with no sponsors and a paycheck of just $10 a week for the nationally broadcast daily program. However, within 30 days, her salary increased to a more respectable $1,500 a week!

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May 08

Operette "Land of Smiles" premieres in London.

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You Rascal You was recorded by Henry Allen, with the Luis Russell Band, for the Victor label.

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The radio show 15 Minutes with Bing Crosby debuted on CBS. The singer became a super-hot property after the debut.

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RCA Victor began demonstrating a very early version of the long-playing (LP), 33-1/3 RPM phonograph record. It would be another 17 years before RCA rival Columbia would begin mass production of the LP.

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Oct 09

Russ Columbo’s Prisoner of Love was recorded -- on Victor Records.

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NY's Metropolitan Opera broadcast an entire opera over radio for the first time: "Hansel and Gretel" by Engelbert Humperdinck.

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1932

Freddy Martin formed a new band and was hired to play the Roosevelt Grill in NY City. Martin became one of the big names in the music business. Merv Griffin later became Martin’s lead vocalist.

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Annunzio Paolo Mantovani gave a memorable concert at Queen’s Hall in England to ‘glowing notices’. This was the beginning of the musician’s successful recording career that provided beautiful music to radio stations for nearly five decades. Better known as just, Mantovani, his music still entertains us with hits like, Red Sails in the Sunset, Serenade in the Night, Song from Moulin Rouge and Charmaine.

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Bing Crosby and the Mills Brothers teamed up to record Shine for Brunswick Records.

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First stereo recording made at the Academy of Music in Philly; Stokowski conducts Poem of Fire.

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Emmanuel Chabriers & Balanchines ballet premieres in Monte Carlo.

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Aug 09

Helen Morgan joined the Victor Young orchestra to record Bill, a popular tune from Broadway’s Showboat.

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Al Jolson recorded April Showers on Brunswick Records.

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1933

Louis Gruenberg's opera, "The Emporer Jones", is produced at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.

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Kroll Opera in Berlin opens.

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Country singer Jimmie Rodgers began to record a series of 24 songs for RCA Victor Records on this day. Rodgers was in failing health at the beginning of the session, but persevered to complete the job at hand. The singing star died nine days later (he was 35). Jimmie Rodgers was born in 1897 and was known as the Blue Yodeler and the Singing Brakeman. Rodgers was the first member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, elected in 1961 (along with Fred Rose and Hank Williams). His recording career began in 1927. His yodel became a trademark of his music. Jimmie Rodgers recorded over 100 songs and sold millions of 78 RPM records. His songs were about the Depression and many were about trains. Brakeman’s Blues, Blue Yodel, Tuck Away My Lonesome Blues and his famous ‘T’ for Texas are all classics. He died of tuberculosis.

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Sally Rand made a name for herself as she introduced her exotic and erotic fan dance to audiences at Chicago’s Century of Progress Exposition. Twisting and turning behind two huge fans, one might wonder just how exciting the fan dance could possibly be. It is important to realize that Ms. Rand was, um, naked during the performance.

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Jul 22

Caterina Jarboro became the first black prima donna of an opera company. The singer performed Aida with the Chicago Opera Company at the Hippodrome in New York City.

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The singing telegram was introduced on this day. The first person to receive a singing telegram was singer Rudy Vallee, in honor of his 32nd birthday.

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NBC radio debuted Waltz Time, featuring the orchestra of Abe Lymon. The program continued on the network until 1948.

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The theme song was Hail, Hail, the Gang’s All Here and it opened the National Barn Dance. The half-hour country music and comedy show, originally heard on WLS, Chicago since 1924, moved to the NBC Blue network this night. National Barn Dance was broadcast from the Eighth Street Theater in Chicago, where the stage was transformed into a hayloft every Saturday night. The host was Joe Kelly. Uncle Ezra was played by Pat Barrett who was known to say, “Give me a toot on the tooter, Tommy,” as he started dancing. A few of the other Barn Dance characters were Arkie, the Arkansas Woodchopper; Pokey Martin; the Hoosier Hotshots; the Prairie Ramblers; cowgirl, Patsy Montana; Pat Buttram; Lulu Belle and the Cumberland Road Runners. Gene Autry and Red Foley were heard early in their careers on National Barn Dance. Although there were plenty of sponsors (Alka Seltzer, One-A-Day vitamins, Phillips Milk of Magnesia), the National Barn Dance was one of the few radio shows to charge admission!

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Josephine Baker performs in Amsterdam.

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1934

Dmitri Shostakovich's opera "Lady MacBeth" premieres in Leningrad.

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Thomson/Gertrude Stein's opera "Four Saints in Three Acts" premieres in New York NY.

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Virgil Thomson's opera "4 Saints in 3 Acts" opens in New York NY.

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"Cocktails For Two" by Duke Ellington hits #1.

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The Dorsey Brothers, Tommy and Jimmy, recorded Annie’s Cousin Fanny on the Brunswick label. The track featured trombonist Glenn Miller, who also vocalized on the tune.

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Jul 05

"Love in Bloom", sung by Bing Crosby with Irving Aaronson’s orchestra, was recorded for Brunswick Records in Los Angeles. The song was fairly popular, but became a much bigger success when comedian Jack Benny made it a popular standard.

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Bing Crosby became the first singer to record for the newly created Decca Records.

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First 33 1/3 rpm recording released (Beethoven's 5th).

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Sep 25

Hot Lips was recorded by Henry Busse and his orchestra in Chicago, IL.

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Cole Porter recorded his own composition titled, You’re the Top, from the show Anything Goes, on Victor.

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Ethel Merman recorded I Get a Kick Out of You, from Cole Porter’s musical, Anything Goes. She was backed by the Johnny Green Orchestra. The tune was recorded for Brunswick Records.

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Willie Smith sang with Jimmy Lunceford and his orchestra on Rhythm is Our Business on Decca Records (serial number 369).

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1935

Bert Ambrose and his orchestra recorded the song that became the group’s theme song. It was titled, Hors d’oeuvres and was cut in London for Decca Records.

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We proudly remind you that Phil Spitalny’s All-Girl Orchestra was featured on CBS radio this day on the program, The Hour of Charm.

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Mar 10

Nelson Eddy recorded Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life for Victor Records. The song came from the film, Naughty Marietta. Later, Eddy recorded the classic tune with Jeanette MacDonald.

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Bartóks 5th String quartet premieres in Washington DC.

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Vaughan Williams' 4th Symphony premieres in London.

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"Your Hit Parade", debuts on radio.

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Jun 12

Ella Fitzgerald recorded her first sides for Brunswick Records. The tunes were Love and Kisses and I’ll Chase the Blues Away. She was featured with Chick Webb and his band. Ella was 17 at the time and conducted the Webb band for three years following his death in 1939.

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Jul 01

Benny Goodman and his band recorded the King Porter Stomp for Victor Records on this day. Many people considered this Goodman classic the beginning of the swing era.

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The Hoboken Four, featuring Frank Sinatra as lead singer, appeared on Major Bowes Amateur Hour on WOR radio. The group won the competition held at the Capitol Theatre in NY City.

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Victor record #25236 was recorded by Tommy Dorsey and orchestra. It would become one of the most familiar big band themes of all time, I’m Getting Sentimental Over You.

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A talented twelve-year-old, Judy Garland (Frances Gumm), sang on Wallace Beery’s NBC radio show on NBC.

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Ethel Leginska became the first woman to write an opera -- and conduct it. Her original work, titled Gale, opened at the Chicago City Opera Company.

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Eeny Meeny Miney Mo was recorded by Ginger Rogers and Johnny Mercer. The tune was recorded at Decca Records in Los Angeles.

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Stalin views Dmitri Shostakovich's opera "Lady Macbeth".

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1936

The first pop music chart based on national sales is published by Billboard magazine.

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Benny Goodman and his orchestra recorded one of the all-time greats, Stompin’ at the Savoy, on Victor Records. The song became such a standard, that, literally, hundreds of artists have recorded it, including a vocal version by Barry Manilow; believe it or not. The ‘King of Swing’ recorded the song in a session at the Congress Hotel in Chicago.

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Pravda criticizes Shostakovich's "Lady Macbeth" opera.

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Pravda criticizes Shostakovich's ballet "Clear Brook".

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Benny Goodman and his orchestra recorded Christopher Columbus on Victor Records in, where else, Chicago, IL.

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Benny Goodman and his trio recorded China Boy for Victor Records. Gene Krupa, Teddy Wilson and Goodman recorded the session in Chicago.

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Dmitri Shostakovitch completes his 4th Symphony.

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Peter and the Wolf, a symphonic tale for children by Sergei Prokofiev, had its world premier in Moscow. (XDG, p 4A, 5/02/2002)

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Jul 10

Billie Holiday recorded Billie’s Blues for Okeh Records in New York. Bunny Berigan, Artie Shaw and Cozy Cole supported Holiday, instrumentally, on the track.

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The classic, Indian Love Call, was recorded by Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald, on Victor Records.

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This was the day that big band icon Woody Herman played in his first recording session. He waxed Wintertime Dreams (Decca disc #1056).

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Bing Crosby took over as host of The Kraft Music Hall. Jimmy Dorsey (who would later be host, himself) led the Kraft Orchestra.

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Israel Philharmonic Orchestra forms.

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1937

Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra waxed the famous Song of India on Victor Records.

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Guy Lombardo and his orchestra recorded one of Guy’s most famous tunes. Boo Hoo was waxed on Victor Records and became one of the group’s all-time great hits.

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Glen Gray and his Casa Loma Orchestra recorded A Study in Brown, on Decca Records.

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Feb 23

Bing Crosby sang with Lani McIntyre and his band, as Sweet Leilani was recorded on Decca Records. The Academy Award-winning song was featured in the movie Waikiki Wedding.

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Mar 10

An audience of 21,000 jitterbuggers jammed the Paramount Theatre in New York City to see a young clarinetist whom they would crown, ‘King of Swing’ on this night. The popular musician was Benny Goodman.

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Phil Harris recorded one of his best-known songs in Los Angeles, CA. That’s What I Like About the South was recorded on a 78 RPM disk. Harris would move to TV stardom and continue as a popular vocalist during the 1950s with such hit songs as The Thing.

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Duke Ellington and his band recorded the classic, Caravan, for Brunswick Records.

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Lionel Hampton and his band recorded the classic, Flying Home, for Decca Records.

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Jul 06

The big band classic, Sing, Sing, Sing was recorded by Benny Goodman and his band. Sitting in on this famous Victor Records session was Gene Krupa, Ziggy Elman and Harry James.

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Jul 22

Hal Kemp and his orchestra recorded the now-standard tune, Got a Date with an Angel, for Victor Records in Hollywood, California. The distinctive vocal on the tune is provided by Skinnay Ennis.

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Aug 02

Benny Goodman and his quartet recorded Smiles for Victor Records. Playing with Goodman’s clarinet on the famous song were Lionel Hampton, Teddy Wilson and Gene Krupa.

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Bunny Berigan and his orchestra recorded I Can’t Get Started for Victor Records. The song became Berigan’s longtime theme song.

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Benny Goodman and his orchestra recorded Sugar Foot Stomp on Victor Records. The tune was a Fletcher Henderson arrangement.

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Red Norvo and his orchestra recorded the Russian Lullaby on the Brunswick label. Norvo did more famous work at a later date, recording with a singer named Dinah Shore.

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NBC forms first full-sized symphony orchestra exclusively for radio.

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Bob Crosby and his orchestra recorded South Rampart Street Parade -- on Decca Records.

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Following Carnegie Hall performances in both 1906 and 1919, Artur Rubinstein presented another historic and highly acclaimed performance at the arts center this day.

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Three lovely ladies, known as The Andrews Sisters, recorded Decca record number 1562 this day. It became one of their biggest hits: Bei Mir Bist Du Schön.

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Music from the Raymor Ballroom in Boston, Massachusetts was beamed coast to coast on NBC radio. The special guests during this broadcast were Glenn Miller and his orchestra.

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Arturo Toscanini conducts first Symphony of the Air over NBC Radio.

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1938

Trummy Young played trombone and sang with the Jimmy Lunceford Orchestra in New York City as Margie became Decca record number 1617.

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Eduard van Beinum becomes world's first conductor at Concert Hall.

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Singer Allan Jones recorded The Donkey Serenade for Victor Records. The song became the one most often associated with the singer. Allan sang and acted in several Marx Brothers films: A Night at the Opera, A Day at the Races; but the film that catapulted him to stardom was the operetta, Firefly, with Jeanette MacDonald. Singer Jack Jones is the son of Allan and wife, actress, Irene Hervey (The Count of Monte Cristo, Play Misty for Me).

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Benny Goodman refuses to play Carnegie Hall when black members of his band were barred from performing.

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Larry Clinton and his Orchestra recorded Martha on Victor Records. Bea Wain was heard warbling the vocals on the tune.

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Noël Coward's musical "Operette" premieres in London.

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NBC radio performance of Howard Hanson's 3rd Symphony.

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Founding of Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in U.S.

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Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra recorded I Hadn’t Anyone ’til You for Victor Records. Jack Leonard was featured as vocalist.

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Ella Fitzgerald recorded one of her biggest hits, A-Tisket, A-Tasket, with Chick Webb’s band. Following Webb’s death, Fitzgerald took over the band for some three years.

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Louis Armstrong and his orchestra recorded the New Orleans jazz standard, When the Saints Go Marching In, on Decca Records.

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Guy Lombardo and his orchestra recorded Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride, the group’s last side for Victor Records. Lombardo took disc number 25861 and moved the Royal Canadians over to Decca Records to make “the sweetest sound this side of heaven.”

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Art Kassel’s orchestra recorded a song for Bluebird Records that may not have been a smash hit, but had a title to die for: "So You Left Me for the Leader of a Swing Band".

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Hindemiths opera "Mathis der Maler" premieres in Zürich.

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Jul 24

Clarinet virtuoso and big band leader Artie Shaw recorded his now-classic, Begin the Beguine, for Bluebird Records in NY City. Shaw was married to Ava Gardner at the time.

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Aug 21

A classic recording was made this day. Fats Waller waxed Ain’t Misbehavin.

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Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers appear, dancing, on the cover of LIFE magazine, published on this day.

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Count Basie recorded the classic swing tune, Jumpin’ at the Woodside, for Decca Records.

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Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra recorded the swing classic Boogie Woogie for Victor Records.

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Thanks for the Memory was heard for the first time on The Bob Hope Show -- on the NBC Red radio network.

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Clarinet virtuoso Artie Shaw recorded the song that would become his theme song. Nightmare was waxed on the Bluebird Jazz label.

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Oct 14

One of the great songs of the big band era was recorded by Bob Crosby (Bing’s brother) and The Bob Cats. Big Noise from Winnetka on Decca Records featured Bob Haggart and Ray Bauduc. Haggart whistled and played bass, while Bauduc played the skins.

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The Bob Crosby Orchestra recorded I’m Free for Decca. Billy Butterfield was featured on trumpet. A few years later, the song would be retitled, What’s New.

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Quaker City Jazz was recorded on the Bluebird label by Jan Savitt’s orchestra. The tune would become the theme of the band. It was not, however, recorded in the Quaker City of Philadelphia. The song was waxed in New York City.

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You’re a Sweet Little Headache, from the movie Paris Honeymoon, was recorded by Bing Crosby -- on Decca.

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Orchestra leader Kay Kyser, speaking to an audience at the College of the City of NY (CCNY) told of the “inner workings and artistic features of swing music.” It marked the first of a series of lectures on swing music presented by Kyser, who went on to present The Kollege of Musical Knowledge on radio.

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Bunny Berigan and his orchestra waxed Jelly Roll Blues on Victor Records. The tune became a standard for the band.

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Bob Hope and Shirley Ross recorded a song for the film, The Big Broadcast of 1938. Thanks for the Memory became Decca record number 2219. It also became Hope’s theme song.

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Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra waxed Hawaiian War Chant for Victor Records.

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1939

The Ink Spots gained national attention after five years together as they recorded, If I Didn’t Care, Decca record number 2286. Many other standards by the group soon followed.

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Louis Armstrong and his orchestra recorded Jeepers Creepers on Decca Records. Satchmo lent his vocal talents to this classic jump tune.

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Charles Ives' first sonata "Concord" premieres.

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Benny Goodman and his orchestra recorded And the Angels Sing, on Victor Records. The vocalist on that number, who went on to find considerable fame at Capitol Records, was Martha Tilton.

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Roy Harris' 3rd Symphony, premieres in Boston.

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Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians recorded one of the most popular songs of the century. The standard, Auld Lang Syne, was recorded for Decca Records ... about two months and a week late, we’d say.

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Artie Shaw and his band recorded the standard, Deep Purple, in New York for the Bluebird label. Listening carefully after the first minute or so, one can hear Helen Forrest sing the vocal refrain. Larry Clinton and his orchestra had a number one song with a similar arrangement of the same tune that same year. It later was a hit for saxophonist, Nino Tempo and his sister, April Stevens in 1963. Hundreds of versions of this song have been recorded through the years, making it one of the most popular standards of all time.

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Mar 17

Artie Shaw featured sidemen Tony Pastor and Buddy Rich on two classics. One Night Stand and One Foot in the Groove were recorded for Bluebird Records.

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Singer Kate Smith records "God Bless America" for Victor Records. Singer Kate Smith records "God Bless America" for Victor Records.

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Billboard Magazine introduces hillbilly (country) music chart.

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Hal Kemp and his orchestra recorded Three Little Fishies for Victor Records.

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Glenn Miller recorded his theme song, Moonlight Serenade, for Bluebird Records. Previously, the Miller theme had been Gone with the Dawn and, before then, Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.

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Singer Marian Anderson performed a concert at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC after she was denied the use of Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution.

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One of the classic theme songs of the Big Band era was recorded for Decca. Woody Herman’s orchestra recorded Woodchopper’s Ball.

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First performance of Béla Bartók's 2nd Concerto for violin.

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Tropicana ballet of Havana Cuba, forms.

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The two-part Sy Oliver arrangement of Lonesome Road was recorded by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. Listening carefully, one might note that the lead trombone is not that of Tommy Dorsey, but of Dave Jacobs, instead.

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May 03

Belly up to the bar for this one. Beer Barrel Polka, one of the standards of American music, was recorded by The Andrews Sisters for Decca Records. Patti, Maxine and LaVerne turned this song into a giant hit.

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Ray Eberle recorded Stairway to the Stars with the Glenn Miller Orchestra for Bluebird records.

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The Glen Island Casino in New Rochelle, NY was the scene of a memorable dual-network radio broadcast of Glenn Miller and his orchestra. Both NBC and Mutual carried the event, which was attended by 1,800 people in the casino ballroom.

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"3 Little Fishies" by Kay Kyser hits #1.

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An audience of 18,000 people waited patiently at Madison Square Garden in New York City to hear the piano virtuoso Ignace Jan Paderewski begin a much-anticipated piano recital. However, the 78-year-old former premier of Poland was unable to perform for the enormous crowd. Paderewski suffered from ‘chilled fingers’, a severe arthritic condition that made it impossible for him to play the piano.

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"When a Girl Marries" was first heard on CBS. The serial continued for eighteen years on radio.

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Larry Clinton and his orchestra recorded In a Persian Market on Victor Records.

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Lionel Hampton and his band recorded Memories of You for Victor Records.

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Bing Crosby and Connee Boswell joined in song to perform An Apple for the Teacher, on Decca Records.

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Frank Sinatra made his recording debut with the Harry James band. Frankie sang Melancholy Mood and From the Bottom of My Heart.

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Charlie Barnet and his orchestra recorded Cherokee for Bluebird Records. Listen carefully and you’ll hear the horn of Billy May on the piece.

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Jack Teagarden and his orchestra recorded Aunt Hagar’s Blues for Columbia Records. Teagarden provided the vocal on the session recorded in Chicago, IL.

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Sixteen-year-old singer Kay Starr got a big break. She recorded Baby Me with Glenn Miller and his orchestra on Victor Records. Starr was filling in for Marion Hutton who, at the last minute, was unable to attend the recording session.

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Judy Garland sang one of the most famous songs of the century with the Victor Young Orchestra. The tune became her signature song and will forever be associated with the singer-actress. Garland recorded Over the Rainbow for Decca Records. It was the musical highlight of the film, The Wizard of Oz.

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The MGM musical "The Wizard of Oz" premiered at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

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Aug 19

The Dick Jurgens Orchestra recorded Day Dreams Come True at Night on Okeh Records. Eddy Howard was the vocalist on the piece. It became Jurgens’ theme song.

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Orrin Tucker’s orchestra recorded Oh, Johnny, Oh, Johnny, Oh!, on Columbia Records.

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Aug 26

The radio program Arch Oboler’s Plays presented the NBC Symphony, for the first time, as the musical backdrop for the drama, This Lonely Heart.

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Aug 27

Singer Allan Jones recorded I’m Falling in Love with Someone on Victor Records.

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Aug 31

Frank Sinatra recorded All or Nothing at All with the Harry James Band. The tune failed to become a hit until four years later -- after Ol’ Blue Eyes had joined the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra.

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Flying Home was recorded by Benny Goodman and his six-man-band -- for Columbia Records. A chap named Fletcher Henderson tickled the ivories on this classic. It later became a big hit and a signature song for Lionel Hampton, who also played on this original version of the tune.

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Oct 04

A barber from Canonsburg (near Pittsburgh), PA, who had quite a singing voice, recorded That Old Gang of Mine with the Ted Weems Orchestra. That singer was the feature of the Weems band for many years before going solo as a radio, TV and stage star. You know him as ‘The Incomparable Mr. C.’, Perry Como. His string of hits for RCA Victor spans four decades. He was an NBC mainstay for years and years.

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As long as Ted Weems’ orchestra recorded on Decca Records, so did the featured vocalist in his band, the barber from Canonsburg, PA, Perry Como. Before becoming a star in his own right, and making the move to RCA Records and NBC, ‘Mr. C.’ recorded I Wonder Who’s Kissing Her Now with Weems on Decca.

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Oct 11

One of the classics was recorded this day. Body and Soul, by jazz great Coleman Hawkins, was waxed on Bluebird Records. It’s still around on CD compilations.

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Harry James and his band recorded On a Little Street in Singapore for Columbia Records. A kid singer named Frank Sinatra was the featured vocalist on what was his seventh recording.

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Oct 14

Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) was organized on this day -- to compete with ASCAP (American Society of Composers and Publishers). The two music licensing organizations’ goal is to ensure that composers, artists and publishers are properly paid for the use of their works.

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All the Things You Are was recorded by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra -- for the Victor label. Jack Leonard was the featured vocalist.

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Oct 24

Let’s Dance was recorded on Columbia Records. It became the theme song for the band that recorded it, the Benny Goodman Band.

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This day marked Frank Sinatra’s last recording session with the Harry James Band. Sides recorded were Every Day of My Life and Ciribiribin.

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Muggsy Spanier and his band recorded Dipper Mouth Blues on Bluebird Records.

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Harry James and his big band recorded Concerto for Trumpet -- on Columbia 78s.

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Dmitri Shostakovich's 6th Symphony, premieres.

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Cole Porter's musical "Du Barry was a Lady" premieres in NY NY.

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Marlene Dietrich recorded Falling In Love Again -- on the Decca label.

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W.C. Handy of Memphis, TN one of the legendary blues composers of all time, recorded the classic St. Louis Blues. W.C. and his band recorded in New York for Varsity Records. Handy was one of the first to use the flat third and seventh notes in his compositions, known in the music world as `blue' notes.

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The Glenn Miller Show, also known as Music that Satisfies, started on CBS radio. The 15-minute, twice-a-week show was sponsored by Chesterfield cigarettes and was heard for nearly three years.

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1940

The Southland Shuffle was recorded on Bluebird Records by Charlie Barnet and his orchestra. A young trumpet player named Billy May was featured.

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The gate to Gene Autry’s Melody Ranch opened. The ‘singing cowboy’ would entertain on CBS radio for the next 16 years.

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Vincent Lopez and his orchestra recorded the third version of Lopez’ theme song titled Nola. This version, recorded in Hollywood on Bluebird Records, is recognized as his best rendition of the classic song.

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Sergei Prokofiev's ballet Romeo & Juliet premieres in Leningrad.

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Mary Martin recorded My Heart Belongs to Daddy -- for Decca Records. The song was her signature song until she starred in South Pacific in 1949. Then, Larry Hagman’s mother had a new trademark: “I’m gonna wash that man right out of my hair...”

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Frank Sinatra sang Too Romantic and The Sky Fell Down in his first recording session with the Tommy Dorsey Band. The session was in Chicago, IL. Frankie replaced Jack Leonard as lead singer with the band.

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One of the great classic songs of the Big Band era was recorded. Glenn Miller and his band played Tuxedo Junction at the RCA Victor studios in Manhattan. The flip side of the record (released on the Bluebird label) was Danny Boy.

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"In The Mood" by Glenn Miller hits #1.

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NBC radio presented The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street for the first time. The famous Blue network series included several distinguished alumni -- among them, Dinah Shore and Zero Mostel. The chairman, or host, of The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street was Milton Cross. He would say things like, “A Bostonian looks like he’s smelling something. A New Yorker looks like he’s found it.” The show combined satire, blues and jazz and was built around what were called the three Bs of music: Barrelhouse, Boogie Woogie and Blues.

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Earl ‘Fatha’ Hines and his orchestra recorded the classic Boogie Woogie on St. Louis Blues. The tune was waxed on the famous Bluebird record label.

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Larry Clinton and his orchestra recorded Limehouse Blues on Victor Records.

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Artie Shaw records "Frenesi" on RCA Victor label.

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Glen Gray and his orchestra recorded No Name Jive on Decca Records.

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Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra, along with singer Helen O’Connell, recorded Six Lessons from Madame La Zonga for Decca Records.

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Heitor Villa-Lobos' opera "Izaht", premieres in Rio de Janeiro.

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Pennsylvania 6-5000, the classic Glenn Miller signature song, was recorded on Bluebird Records. Looking at the original label on the old 78-RPM disk, we find record number 10754, in fact.

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Jimmy Dorsey and his band recorded the bandleader’s signature song, Contrasts, for Decca Records. The song went on to become one of the most familiar big band themes of the era.

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Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra recorded the classic, Perfidia, for Decca Records. The song would later be a hit for The Ventures (1960).

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Will Bradley and his orchestra recorded one of the best of the Big Band era. Ray McKinley played drums and did the vocal for the boogie-woogie tune, Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar. The song, on Columbia Records, was so long it took up both sides of the 78 rpm platter.

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Frank Sinatra, The Pied Pipers (with Jo Stafford) and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra recorded the sentimental classic, I’ll Never Smile Again, for Victor Records. The tune remains one of Sinatra’s best-remembered performances.

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The Ink Spots recorded Maybe on Decca Records. By September, 1940, the song had climbed to the number two position on the nation’s pop music charts.

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Singles record charts first published by Billboard-Tommy Dorsey #1.

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Will Bradley and his trio record "Down the Road Apiece" on Columbia Records.

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Aug 16

Marching Along Together, by Frankie Masters and his orchestra, was recorded for Okeh Records.

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Sep 03

Artie Shaw and the Gramercy Five recorded Summit Ridge Drive for Victor Records.

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Sep 07

Artie Shaw and his orchestra recorded Temptation on the Victor label.

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Sep 12

Johnny Long’s orchestra recorded the classic A Shanty in Old Shanty Town for Decca Records.

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Sep 24

Flinging a Wing-Ding was recorded by Bob Chester.

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Oct 07

Artie Shaw and his Orchestra recorded Hoagy Carmichael's "Stardust" for RCA Victor.

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Oct 10

Moonlight and Roses, by Lanny Ross, was recorded on the Victor label.

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Oct 11

Glenn Miller recorded Make Believe Ballroom Time for Bluebird Records -- at the Victor studios in New York City. It would become the theme song for Make Believe Ballroom on WNEW, New York, with host Martin Block. Block created the aura of doing a ‘live’ radio program, complete with performers (on records) like Harry James or Frank Sinatra, from the ‘Crystal Studios’ at WNEW. His daily program was known to everyone who grew up in the NYC/NJ/Philadelphia area in the 1940s and 1950s. Miller had been so taken with the show’s concept that he actually paid for the Make Believe Ballroom Time recording session himself and hired the Modernaires to join in.

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Oct 17

One year before recording that memorable song, Fry Me Cookie, with a Can of Lard, Will Bradley’s orchestra recorded Five O’Clock Whistle, also on Columbia Records.

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Cabin in the Sky opened for the first of 156 shows. Taking a Chance on Love is the one big hit that came from the musical.

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Guy Lombardo and the Royal Canadians recorded one of their lesser-known songs for Decca. The Moon Fell in the River is no Stars Fell on Alabama, and it sure isn’t Auld Lang Syne, we’ll tell ya.

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Nov 26

Xavier Cugat and his orchestra recorded Orchids in the Moonlight on the Columbia label.

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Glenn Miller got a call from ASCAP (American Society of Composers and Publishers). He was informed that he couldn’t use his Moonlight Serenade as his band’s theme song. He had to use "Slumber Song" instead because of an ASCAP ban.

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The two-sided jump tune, The Anvil Chorus, was recorded by Glenn Miller and his orchestra for Bluebird Records in New York. The 10-inch, 78 rpm record ran six minutes (including flipping).

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Bob Crosby and his Bobcats backed up brother Bing as New San Antonio Rose was recorded on Decca Records.

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As a result of a dispute between the radio networks and ASCAP (the American Society of Composers and Publishers), the radio industry was prevented from playing any ASCAP-licensed music. The ban lasted for ten months. An ASCAP competitor, BMI (Broadcast Music Incorporated) made giant strides, expanding to include 36,000 copyrights. Many radio stations had to resort to playing public domain songs, such as marches and operas, to keep their stations on the air. Even kids songs were played over and over again until the ban was lifted. One of the most popular songs to be played was Happy Birthday to You; which was performed in many different languages just to get past the ban. The original song is now, in fact, a copyrighted piece of music, though it wasn’t at the time.

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1941

The Andrews Sisters recorded Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy on Decca Records. LaVerne, Maxene and Patti Andrews recorded in Los Angeles and the song was heard in the movie, Buck Privates, starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello.

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Sergei Rachmaninov's "Symphonic Dances" premieres in Philadelphia.

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Sergey Rachmaninov's "Symphonie Dances" premieres in Philadelphia.

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Decca record #23210 was recorded. The title: Chica Chica Boom Chic, by the lovely Carmen Miranda. It seems she sang the song in the film, That Night in Rio.

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Good-for-Nothin’-Joe was recorded by the sultry Lena Horne. She sang the classic song with Charlie Barnet and his orchestra on Bluebird Records.

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Jan 09

Sammy Kaye and his orchestra recorded Until Tomorrow on Victor Records. This song became the sign-off melody for Kaye and other big bands.

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The four Modernaires joined to sing with the Glenn Miller Band on a permanent basis beginning this day. They had a ‘solo’ hit in 1946 with To Each His Own.

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Béla Bartók's 6th string quartet, premieres in New York City NY.

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Artie Shaw and his orchestra recorded Moonglow on Victor Records. In the band were such sidemen as Johnny Guarnieri, Jack Jenney, Billy Butterfield and Ray Conniff (on trombone).

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Downbeat magazine reported this day that Glenn Miller had inked a new three-year contract with RCA Victor Records. The pact guaranteed Miller $750 a side, the fattest record contract signed to that time.

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Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra recorded the classic, Amapola, on Decca Records. Helen O’Connell and Bob Eberly joined in a vocal duet on this very famous and popular song of the Big Band era.

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Frank Sinatra & Tommy Dorsey Orchestra record "Everything Happens to Me".

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1st Gold record presented (Glenn Miller-Chattanooga Choo Choo).

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Duke Ellington and his orchestra recorded one of big band’s all time classics on this day. Take the "A" Train was recorded at Victor’s Hollywood studio and became the Duke’s signature song.

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Paul Creston's first Symphony, premieres.

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Roy Harris' "Ballad of a Railroad Man" premieres.

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Downbeat magazine scooped the entertainment world with news that Glenn Miller’s renewed contract with Chesterfield Cigarettes was worth $4,850 a week (for three 15-minute programs).

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Photoplay magazine urged readers to forget the fox trot and learn the lindy hop. A diagram of the new dance step was featured.

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Les Hite and his orchestra recorded The World is Waiting for the Sunrise on Bluebird Records. The instrumental became Hite’s most popular work. A decade later, Les Paul and Mary Ford added a vocal to the tune, making it one of their biggest-selling hit songs.

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Horace Heidt and his orchestra recorded G’bye Now for the nice folks at Columbia Records. The vocal on the piece was done by Ronnie Kemper.

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Years before Desi Arnaz would make the song Babalu popular on the I Love Lucy TV show, Xavier Cugat and his orchestra recorded it with Miguelito Valdes doing the vocal. The song was on Columbia Records, as was the Arnaz version years later.

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Jimmy Dorsey & his Orchestraestra record "Green Eyes" & "Maria Elena".

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Singer Paula Kelly joined Glenn Miller's band. Her husband, also a part of the Miller organization, was one of the four singing Modernaires.

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Glenn Miller began work on his first motion picture for 20th Century Fox. The film was Sun Valley Serenade.

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Jimmie Lunceford and his orchestra recorded the tune, Battle Axe, for Decca Records. Lunceford began with the Chickasaw Syncopaters, a 10-piece band, in the late 1920s. By 1934, he would add names like Sy Oliver, Willie Smith, Earl Caruthers, Joe Thomas, Al Norris, Moses Allen, and James Crawford to form orchestras that would entertain through the mid-1940s.

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Waltons overture "Scapino", premieres in Chicago.

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Hildegarde recorded the standard Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup on Decca Records. Hildegarde was the elegant singer with the long white gloves who was accompanied by the Harry Sosnik Orchestra. It took another 14 years, but Nat ‘King’ Cole turned the song into an even bigger hit, landing at number 7 on the pop music charts.

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Glenn Miller and His Orchestra recorded "Chattanooga Choo Choo" for RCA Victor.

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May 08

Anita O’Day recorded Let Me Off Uptown on Okeh Records with Gene Krupa and his band.

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Willy Lewis' US jazz band performs in Switzerland.

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First US/radio performance of Bennett's "Symphony in D for the Dodgers".

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The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra backed the popular singing duo of Bob Eberly and Helen O’Connell as Decca record number 3859 turned out to be Time Was -- a classic.

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Harry James and his orchestra recorded the classic You Made Me Love You for Columbia Records.

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Frank Sinatra joined Tommy Dorsey’s orchestra in recording This Love of Mine for Victor Records.

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Jun 05

Roy Eldridge was featured on trumpet and vocal as drummer Gene Krupa and his band recorded After You’ve Gone for Okeh Records.

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Wayne King and his orchestra recorded Time Was, with Buddy Clark providing the vocal accompaniment, for Victor Records.

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Jun 23

Lena Horne recorded St. Louis Blues for Victor Records and launched an illustrious singing career in the process. She was 23 years old at the time. Horne continued performing well into her 60s.

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Cab Calloway and his orchestra recorded the standard, St. James Infirmary, for Okeh Records.

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Sonny Dunham and his orchestra recorded the tune that was to become Mr. Dunham’s theme song. Memories of You was Bluebird record #11239.

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Aug 11

Glenn Miller and his Orchestra recorded Elmer’s Tune on Bluebird Records.

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"Au Revoir, Pleasant Dreams" was recorded by Ben Bernie and his orchestra.

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Skinnay Ennis and his orchestra recorded the tune Don’t Let Julia Fool Ya.

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Harry James and his orchestra recorded Miserlou for Columbia Records.

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The Larry Clinton Orchestra recorded their version of That Solid Old Man, on Bluebird Records.

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Claude Thornhill and his orchestra recorded Autumn Nocturne on Columbia Records.

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Oct 08

The Benny Goodman Orchestra recorded Buckle Down Winsocki, with Tom Dix as featured vocalist, on the Columbia label.

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Fry Me Cookie, with a Can of Lard was recorded by the Will Bradley Orchestra on Columbia. Ray McKinley was featured.

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Clarinet a la King was recorded by Benny Goodman and his orchestra -- on Okeh Records.

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Everything I Love, by Buddy Clark, was recorded this day -- on the Okeh label (number 6469).

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The song that would become the theme of bandleader Tony Pastor was recorded. It was Blossoms on the Bluebird label. If you don’t remember Blossoms, maybe you remember this one by Pastor: Dance with a Dolly (With a Hole in Her Stocking).

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The classic Jerry Gray arrangement of "String of Pearls" was recorded by the Glenn Miller Orchestra - on Bluebird 78s. The recording featured the trumpet of Bobby Hackett.

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Hot Lips Page performed the vocal for Artie Shaw's very long and very slow version of St. James Infirmary on RCA Victor.

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Ray Eberle and The Modernaires teamed with the Glenn Miller Orchestra to record Moonlight Cocktail on Bluebird Records. By April 1942, the song was a solid hit.

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A musical standard was recorded this day on Victor Records. Lena Horne sang the torch classic that became her signature: Stormy Weather. “Don’t know why there’s no sun up in the sky. Stormy weather...”

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David Diamond's first Symphony, premieres.

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Jimmie Lunceford and his orchestra recorded Blues in the Night on Decca. The song became one of Lunceford’s biggest hits. Between 1934 and 1946 Jimmy Lunceford had more hits (22) than any other black jazz band (except Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway).

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Siberia: Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 7th Symphony.

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Siberia: Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 7th Symphony.

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1942

Kenny Sargent, “one of the handsomest singers ever to grace a bandstand,” vocalized with the Glen Gray Orchestra on Decca Records’ It’s the Talk of the Town.

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Kay Kyser and the band recorded A Zoot Suit (For My Sunday Gal) for Columbia Records. The tune is about the problems associated with wearing the garish, exaggerated ‘hep’ fashion.

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Harry Babbitt sang as Kay Kyser and his orchestra recorded, Who Wouldn’t Love You, on Columbia Records. The record went on to be a big hit for Kyser.

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Count Basie and His Orchestra recorded "One O'Clock Jump" in New York City for Okeh Records.

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First "Gold" Record awarded to Glenn Miller by RCA Victor for his ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo'. (XDG, p 4A, 2/10/2004)

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Ted Fio Rito’s orchestra recorded Rio Rita for Decca Records in Los Angeles. Bob Carroll sang on the disc that became the group’s theme song. Ole!

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Mildred Bailey recorded More Than You Know on Decca Records.

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Shep Fields and his orchestra recorded Jersey Bounce on Bluebird Records.

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The Mills Brothers waxed one of their three greatest hits. Paper Doll became Decca record #18318. In addition to Paper Doll, the other two classics by the Mills Brothers are: You Always Hurt The One You Love (1944) and Glow Worm (1952).

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If there was ever such a thing as a jam session, surely, this one was it: Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra recorded "I’ll Take Tallulah" (Victor Records). Some other musical heavyweights were in the studio too, including Frank Sinatra, Jo Stafford and the Pied Pipers, Ziggy Elman and drummer extraordinaire, Buddy Rich.

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Dick Jurgen’s orchestra recorded One Dozen Roses on Okeh Records in Chicago.

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Dmitri Shostakovich's 7th Symphony, premieres in Siberia.

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Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra recorded Well, Git It! for Victor Records. Ziggy Elman was featured on the session which was recorded in Hollywood. Sy Oliver arranged the Dorsey classic.

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Vaughn Monroe and his orchestra recorded the classic, Sleepy Lagoon. It was the last song Monroe would record for Bluebird Records. Vaughn sang on the track while Ray Conniff played trombone. Both later moved to different record companies. Monroe went with RCA and Conniff to Columbia. The big-voiced baritone of Monroe was regularly heard on radio and he was featured in several movies in the 1950s. He died in May, 1973. Racing With the Moon and Ghost Riders in the Sky were two of his greatest contributions to popular music.

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Bing Crosby and Mary Martin were heard having a bit of fun as they joined together to record Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie for Decca Records.

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Fats Waller recorded The Jitterbug Waltz in New York for Bluebird Records.

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Glenn Miller and his orchestra recorded American Patrol for Victor Records. The jitterbug tune became one of Miller’s most requested hits.

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Aaron Copland's "Lincoln Portrait" was first performed by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

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The biggest selling record of all time was recorded. A little out of season, perhaps, but White Christmas, the Irving Berlin classic, was recorded by Bing Crosby for Decca Records. The song was written for the film Holiday Inn. More than 30-million copies of Crosby’s most famous hit song have been sold and a total of nearly 70-million copies, including all versions of the standard, have been sold.

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The movie "Yankee Doodle Dandy" starring James Cagney, premiers at a war bonds benefit in New York. (XDG, p 4A, 5/29/2002)

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Capitol Record Co opens for business.

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Glenn Wallichs did what was called ‘promotion’ for Capitol Records in Hollywood. He came up with the idea that he could send copies of Capitol’s new records to influential radio announcers all around the US and, maybe, add to the chances that stations would play the records. The practice would soon become common among most record labels.

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Jun 05

Sammy Kaye and his orchestra recorded the classic "I Left My Heart at the Stage Door Canteen" for Victor Records.

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Jun 12

Paul Whiteman and his orchestra recorded Travelin’ Light on Capitol Records of Hollywood, California. On the track with Whiteman’s orchestra was the vocal talent of ‘Lady Day’, Billie Holiday.

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Jo Stafford joined Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra for Manhattan Serenade, which was recorded for Victor Records. The recording session, you may have guessed, took place in Manhattan.

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The Irving Berlin musical, This is the Army, opened at New York’s Broadway Theatre. Net profits of the show were $780,000.

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Jul 14

Helen O’Connell and Bob Eberly sang their last duet together as they recorded the famous Brazil with the Jimmy Dorsey band.

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Glenn Miller and his band recorded the classic Jukebox Saturday Night for Victor Records.

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The Seventh Symphony, by Shastakovich, was performed for the first time in the United States by Arturo Toscanini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra.

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Capitol Records first number one hit made it to the top this day. It was one of their first six records released on July 1. The new company’s hit was Cow Cow Boogie, by Ella Mae Morse and Freddy Slack.

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Judy Garland joined Gene Kelly to record For Me and My Gal for Decca Records. The song is featured in the movie of the same name.

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Peggy Lee recorded her first hit record -- in New York City. With the backing of the Benny Goodman band, Miss Lee sang Why Don’t You Do Right for Columbia Records.

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Frank Sinatra recorded the last of 90 recordings with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra on Victor Records. His last side was There are Such Things, which became number one in January of 1943. Sinatra moved on to Columbia Records (1943-1952) as a solo singing sensation.

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Jul 31

Harry James and his band recorded the classic I’ve Heard that Song Before, for Columbia Records. Helen Forrest sang on the million-seller.

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Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra recorded Charleston Alley, on Decca Records.

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Sep 03

Frank Sinatra bid adieu to the Tommy Dorsey Band as he started his solo singing career.

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Sep 24

Glenn Miller ended his CBS radio broadcasts for Chesterfield Cigarettes. It was time for Miller to go to war. The show had aired three times a week for three years.

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Just after leaving CBS radio, Glenn Miller led his civilian band for the last time at the Central Theatre in beautiful Passaic, NJ. Miller had volunteered for wartime duty.

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The Aram Khachaturian ballet "Gayane," featuring the surging "Saber Dance," was first performed by the Kirov Ballet. (XDG, p 4A, 12/09/2003)

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Frank Sinatra opened at New York’s Paramount Theatre for what was scheduled to be a 4-week engagement (his shows turned out to be so popular that he was booked for an additional 4 weeks). An estimated 400 policemen were called out to help curb the excitement. It is said that some of the teenage girls were hired to scream, but many more screamed for free. Sinatra was dubbed ‘The Sultan of Swoon’, ‘The Voice that Thrills Millions’, and just ‘The Voice’. Whatever he was, it was at this Paramount Theatre engagement that modern pop hysteria was born.

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1943

Duke Ellington and the band played for a black-tie crowd at Carnegie Hall in New York City. It was the first of what was to become an annual series of concerts featuring the the Duke.

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"The Million Dollar Band" was heard for the first time on NBC radio. Charlie Spivak was the first leader of the band that featured Barry Wood as vocalist. The unusual feature of the show was the awarding each week of five diamond rings!

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The Rhythm Boys, Bing Crosby, Al Rinker and Harry Barris, were reunited for the first time since the 1930s on Paul Whiteman Presents on NBC radio.

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Benny Carter and his orchestra recorded Poinciana on the Capitol label. The real title, incidentally, is Poinciana (Song of the Tree).

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Leonard Bernstein replaced an indisposed Bruno Walter as conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.

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Leonard Bernstein replaced an indisposed Bruno Walter as conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Thus began a legendary career and worldwide appreciation for Bernstein?s many compositions with the orchestra.

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Stan Kenton and his orchestra recorded Artistry in Rhythm, the song that later become the Kenton theme. It was Capitol record number 159. The other side of the disk was titled, Eager Beaver.

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Nat ‘King’ Cole and his trio recorded Straighten Up and Fly Right on Capitol Records. It was the first recording for the King Cole trio.

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Howard Hanson's 4th Symphony, premieres.

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The film "The Song of Bernadette" was released by 20th Century Fox. It told the true story of 14 year_old French Catholic peasant girl Bernadette Soubirous, who experienced 18 visions of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes, France in 1858.

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San Fernando Valley was recorded by Bing Crosby. He chose the tune because he felt it would be a ba-ba-ba-big hit. Guess what? He was right. Within a week after its release, the song became a popular favorite everywhere, including the San Fernando Valley in California.

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1944

The first jazz concert was held at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. The stars of the concert were Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Artie Shaw, Roy Eldridge and Jack Teagarden.

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Bing Crosby records "Swinging on a Star" for Decca Records.

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First performance of corporal Samuel Barber's 2nd Symphony.

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First performance of Walter Piston's 2nd Symphony.

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Dmitri Shostakovitch's 8th Symphony, premieres in New York.

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Leonard Bernstein & Jerome Robbins' ballet "Fancy Free" premieres in NYC.

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Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters recorded Cole Porter's "Don't Fence Me In" in Los Angeles for Decca Records.

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Who could forget the picture of a huge crowd of swooning bobbysoxers stopping traffic in NY’s Times Square as Frank Sinatra made his triumphant return to the famed Paramount Theatre (he had played there for eight weeks starting on December 30, 1942). In what was called the ‘Columbus Day Riot’, 25,000 teenagers, mostly young women, blocked the streets, screaming and swooning for Frankie. Sinatra later explained, “It was the war years, and there was a great loneliness. And I was the boy in every corner drug store ... who’d gone off, drafted to the war. That was all.”

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The Martha Graham ballet "Appalachian Spring," with music by Aaron Copland, premiered at the Library of Congress, with Graham in a leading role.

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Nov 11

Frank Sinatra began a long and successful career with Columbia Records.

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An outstanding array of musicians gathered in Hollywood to record a classic. Tommy Dorsey and orchestra made Opus No. 1, Victor record number 20-1608. Buddy Rich was the drummer in the session, Al Klink and Buddy DeFranco blew sax and Nelson Riddle played trombone on the Sy Oliver arrangement.

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The Roy Rogers Show was first heard on the Mutual Broadcasting System. Singing along with Roy (‘The King of the Cowboys’), were the Whippoorwills and The Sons of the Pioneers.

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I'm Beginning to See the Light, the song that would become the theme song for Harry James and his orchestra, was recorded this day. The song featured the lovely voice of Kitty Kallen (Little Things Mean a Lot).

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The MGM movie musical "Meet Me in St. Louis," starring Judy Garland, opened in NY. (XDG, p 4A, 11/28/2002)

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Béla Bartòk's Concerto for orchestra, premieres.

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Prokofjev's 8th Piano sonata, premieres.

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Frank Sinatra was in the Columbia Records studio recording Old Man River.

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Red Bank Boogie, Count Basie’s salute to his hometown, was recorded on Columbia Records. The tune is a tribute to Red Bank, New Jersey.

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Major Glenn Miller disappears crossing the English Channel.

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1945

Erskine Hawkins waxed a classic for Victor Records. The tune, with the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra, was titled Tippin’ In.

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Prokofchev's 5th Symphony premieres in Moscow.

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Richard Tucker debuted at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City in the production of La Gioconda.

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"Rum & Coca Cola" by Andrews Sisters hits #1.

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Mar 15

Billboard publishes its 1st album chart (King Cole Trio is #1).

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Ella Fitzgerald & Delta Rhythm Boys record "It's Only a Paper Moon"

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William Schuman & Antony Tudors ballet "Undertow" premieres in NYC.

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Richard Strauss completes his "Metamorphosis".

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June Christy sang with the Stan Kenton band on one of the most famous of all big band hits, Tampico. The tune was waxed as Capitol record number 202.

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Victor Borge was first heard on NBC radio. The network gave the comedian/pianist the summer replacement slot for Fibber McGee and Molly.

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Ernest Tubb recorded It Just Doesn’t Matter Now and Love Turns to Hate on the Decca label. Tubb became the second recording artist to have made a commercial record in Nashville, TN.

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Oct 03

Stan Kenton and his orchestra recorded Painted Rhythm for Capitol Records.

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A spoof of the Gilbert and Sullivan classic, H.M.S. Pinafore, was broadcast on radio on The Fred Allen Show. The spoof was titled, The Brooklyn Pinafore. Joining actress Shirley Booth in the skit was baseball great Leo ‘The Lip’ Durocher.

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Burl Ives made his concert debut. He appeared at NY’s Town Hall.

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Sheb Wooley recorded the first commercial record made in Nashville, TN. The song was recorded on the Bullet label; but it was 13 years before Wooley would finally score with a big hit (The Purple People Eater was #1 for six weeks in June and July, 1958). Wooley (whose first name is Shelby) played the part of Pete Nolan on TV's Rawhide, recorded novelty tunes under the name, Ben Colder, and acted in High Noon, Rocky Mountain, Giant and Hoosiers. The Country Music Association honored him with the title of Comedian of the Year in 1968. If you remember the TV show Hee Haw, with Buck Owens and Roy Clark, it was Sheb Wooley who wrote the theme song.

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1946

Béla Bartòks 3rd Concert for piano/orchestra premieres in Philadelphia PA.

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First performance of Igor Stravinsky's "Ebony Concerto".

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First performance of Charles Ives' 3rd Symphony.

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The popular Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra records Cement Mixer for Majestic records.

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Darius Milhauds 3rd Concert for piano/orchestra premieres in Prague.

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Aug 29

Ella Fitzgerald and The Delta Rhythm Boys recorded It’s a Pity to Say Goodnight on Decca Records. The song turned out to be one of Lady Ella’s most popular.

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Hank Williams begins to record on Sterling label.

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Darius Milhaud's 2nd Symphony, premieres.

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1947

Arthur Honegger's 4th Symphony premieres in Basel.

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Gian Carlo Menotti's opera "Telephone" premieres in New York NY.

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"Bless the Bride" musical opens in London.

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Country singers Ernest Tubb and Roy Acuff perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City. It was the first country show for the NYC venue.

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Dizzy Gillespie presented his first Carnegie Hall concert in NY, adding a sophisticated jazz touch to the famous concert emporium. Diz would become one of the jazz greats of all time. His trademark: Two cheeks pushed out until it looked like his face would explode. But, as the hepcats said, “Man, that guy can blow!”

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A small Northern California company got a major boost from Bing Crosby. The first show recorded on tape was broadcast on ABC radio. ‘Der Bingle’ was so popular, that his taped show promoted wide distribution of the new magnetic tape recorders that would become broadcast classics -- the venerable Ampex 200.

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Nov 01

Eddy Arnold began a 21-week run at #1 on U.S. country music charts with I’ll Hold You in My Heart (Till I Can Hold You in My Arms). It was the biggest hit of Arnold’s illustrious career.

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Billboard magazine began listing the top 15 popular records. Only 10 songs had been featured previously.

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Louis Armstrong and his sextet lit up Carnegie Hall in New York City with a night of jazz -- and more.

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1948

Benjamin Brittens "Beggar's Opera" premieres in Cambridge.

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One of the most popular singing groups of the 1950s got their professional start on this day. The Four Freshmen did their first gig in Fort Wayne, IN and went on to major success with Capitol Records. Hits included It’s a Blue World, Charmaine and Love is Just Around the Corner.

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The first opera to be televised was broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera House in NY City. Othello, by Verdi, was presented over WJZ-TV in NY.

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1949

RCA introduces the 45 RPM record.

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Due to an impending lawsuit that stemmed from Milton Berle’s TV show, comedienne Cathy Mastice held the first musical press conference. She sang her way into announcing the court action. Due to the publicity she received, Ms. Mastice became an overnight success.

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Hank Williams sang a show-stopper on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. He sang the classic Lovesick Blues, one of his most beloved songs.

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Ralph Flanagan and his orchestra recorded their first tune on wax, You’re Breaking My Heart.

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Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer appeared on the music charts and became THE musical hit of the Christmas season. Although Gene Autry’s rendition is the most popular, 80 different versions of the song have been recorded, with nearly 20,000,000 copies sold.

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Fats Domino recorded his first sides for Imperial Records. The legend from New Orleans recorded The Fat Man, one of the earliest rock and roll records. The title also turned into Domino’s nickname and stayed with him through his years of success. For those with a burning desire to know, Fats’ real name is Antoine. The Fat Man, incidentally, is thought to have been a million-seller, but that can’t be verified.

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Harry Belafonte had his second session with Capitol Records. Included in the session were Whispering and Farewell to Arms. With eight tunes then recorded and little enthusiasm from record buyers, Capitol decided to part company with Belafonte by not renewing the singer’s contract. He went to RCA Victor in April, 1952 and the rest is musical history. Day-O!

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Maurice Ravel/John Cranko's ballet "Beauty & the Beast" premieres.

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1950

RCA Victor announced that it would manufacture long-playing (LP) records. This news came two years after Columbia Records debuted the ‘album’.

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Ernest Tubb and Hank Snow make their first appearances at The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN.

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Ed, Gene, Joe and Vic, The Ames Brothers, reached the #1 spot on the pop music charts for the first time, as Rag Mop became the most favorite song in the U.S. The brothers enjoyed many successes with their recording efforts: You You You [1953], The Man with the Banjo and The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane [1954], Tammy and Melody d’Amour [1957]. Ed Ames had been with the Russ Morgan Band and, after the brothers split in the late 1950s, went on to enjoy a lucrative television and recording career. He recorded My Cup Runneth Over and Who Will Answer, both hits in the 1960s. He also played Mingo on the Daniel Boone TV series. Ed is fondly remembered for one of the funniest moments of The Tonight Show on NBC when he competed with host Johnny Carson in a hand axe-tossing contest. Mingo won, with hilarious results that are still shown in every celebration of The Tonight Show.

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"Rag Mop" by The Ames Brothers hit #1.

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Leonard Bernstein's "Age of Anxiety" premieres in New York NY.

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Jazz pianist Erroll Garner became one of the first jazz instrumentalists to give a solo concert. He played the Music Hall in Cleveland, OH. In 1954, Garner would gain international applause for writing and recording a standard that has been presented many times since: Misty. Johnny Mathis and Sarah Vaughan are but two of many recording artists to offer vocal renditions of this renowned Garner composition. Play Misty for me.

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Darius Milhauds opera "Bolivar" premieres in Paris France.

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Richard Strauss' "4 Last Songs" (4 letzte Lieder) premieres in London.

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Jul 10

"Your Hit Parade" premiers on NBC (later CBS) TV

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Roberta Peters filled in for the lead in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, making her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in NY City. She would become one of the Met’s most famous stars.

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Hindemiths Concerto for clarinet, premieres.

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1951

"John & Marsha" by Stan Freberg peaks at #21.

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Frank Sinatra recorded "I'm a Fool to Want You"

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Frank Sinatra teamed with Axel Stordahl’s orchestra and Mitch Miller on Columbia Records. He sang with Dagmar, It’s a Long Way (From Your House to My House), and the equally forgettable, Mama Will Bark. Yes, friends, Mama Will Bark, by Frank Sinatra with vocal impressions of a dog by Donald Bain! This sure wasn’t a session like the ones that produced In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning, That’s Life, My Way or hundreds of other great tunes from Ol’ Blue Eyes.

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Joseph Haydn's opera "Orfeo et Euridice" premiers in Florence Italy, 160 years after it was written.

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1952

Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 5th string quartet.

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Paul Creston's 4th Symphony, premieres.

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The complete choreographic score of Cole Porter’s Kiss Me Kate became the first musical choreography score given a copyright. The work was the effort of Hanya Holm.

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Alan Freed presents Moondog Coronation Ball at old Cleveland Arena, 25,000 attend first rock & roll concert ever.

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Sun Records of Memphis begins releasing records.

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Harry Belafonte recorded his first songs for RCA Victor at Manhattan Center in New York City. Hugo Winterhalter backed up the singer with an 18-piece orchestra. Among the sides recorded were A-Roving and Chimney Smoke.

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The move "Singing In The Rain" with Gene Kelly, is first released. (XDG, p 4A, 4/10/2002)

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First performance of John Cage's "Water Music".

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Frank Sinatra recorded the classic Birth of the Blues for Columbia Records.

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Frank Sinatra sang at his final session with Mitch Miller and Columbia Records.

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Jimmy Boyd reached the #1 spot on the record charts with the Christmas song of the year, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus".

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1953

Eddie Fisher was discharged from the Army and arrived home to a nice paycheck of $330,000 in record royalties. Fisher sold 7 million records for RCA Victor while on furloughs.

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Frank Sinatra and Nelson Riddle became a team this day at Capitol Records in Hollywood. Sinatra’s new musical style, under Riddle’s direction, brought the crooner to the top of the record world for the second time in his illustrious career.

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"Can Can" opens at Shubert Theater NYC for 892 performances.

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Bill Haley and His Comets made it to the Billboard music charts for the first time with Crazy Man Crazy. The tune went to number six and became the first rock 'n' roll record to make the pop music chart.

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Sep 25

Following in the footlights of musical greats like Ignace Paderewski and Victor Borge, a piano player named Liberace made his debut at Carnegie Hall. Liberace performed before a sellout audience. His candelabra and concert grand piano were instant trademarks that lasted throughout his career.

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Oct 17

The first concert of contemporary Canadian music presented in the U.S. was performed by conductor Leopold Stokowski at Carnegie Hall in NY City.

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Julius LaRosa, popular singer of the time, is unceremoniously fired on the air by Arthur Godfrey. “Julie lacks humility,” Godfrey told the stunned audience, while putting his arm around LaRosa. He said, “So, Julie, to teach you a lesson, you’re fired!”

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Premier of Dmitri Shostakovich's 5th String Quartet.

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Frank Sinatra recorded Young at Heart. The song was turned down by Nat ‘King’ Cole and other artists, believe it or not. It became a top hit in the U.S. in March of 1954.

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Dmitri Shostakovich's 10th Symphony, premieres in Leningrad.

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1954

Sandy Wilson's musical "Boyfriend" premieres in London.

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Dmitri Shostakovich's "Concertino opus 94" premieres.

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Doris Day’s single, Secret Love, became the #1 tune in the U.S. The song, from the motion picture, Calamity Jane, stayed at the top of the music charts for three weeks.

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Michigan Representative Ruth Thompson (R) introduces legislation to ban mailing "obscene, lewd, lascivious or filthy" phonograph (rock & roll) records.

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Maestro Arturo Toscanini conducted his last concert with the NBC Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Toscanini ended a 17-year association with the orchestra.

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Gee, by The Crows, became the first rhythm and blues single to gain attention on pop music charts. Gee, written by William Davis, the baritone of The Crows, made it to #17 on the pop music chart and stayed for one week. This was also one of the first songs by a black group to be played on white radio stations. The Crows came together in the late 1940s in New York City, singing on street corners. Daniel ‘Sonny’ Norton (lead singer), Harold Major (tenor), Gerald Hamilton (bass) and Davis entered a talent contest at the Apollo Theatre and that was the beginning of their recording career. The group split up in the late 1950s.

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Joe Turner releases "Shake, Rattle & Roll".

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Bill Haley & the Comets record "Rock Around the Clock".

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Billboard magazine, the music industry trade publication, headlined a change to come about in the music biz. The headline read, "Teenagers Demand Music with a Beat -- Spur Rhythm and Blues" ... a sign of times to come. Within a year, R&B music by both black and white artists caught the public’s fancy.

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Darius Milhauds 4th Concert for piano/orchestra premieres in Haifa.

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Bolshoi-ballet does not appear in Paris France.

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The first Newport Jazz Festival was held on the grass tennis courts of the Newport Casino in Newport RI. Eddie Condon and his band played Muskrat Ramble as the opening number of the world's first jazz fest.

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Aug 17

The Newport Jazz Festival opened at the Newport Casino in Rhode Island. It featured jazz legends Dizzy Gillespie, Gerry Mulligan and Ella Fitzgerald.

William Walton's opera "Troilus & Cressida" premieres in London.

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1955

A tune used in a Studio One production became the #1 song on the pop music charts this day. Joan Weber’s song, Let Me Go, Lover, rode the hit parade as the most popular record in U.S. for four weeks straight. Before being aired on television, the song had only been heard on a limited basis. In fact, the title was even different. It used to be known as Let Me Go, Devil.

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The first black singer at the Metropolitan Opera was Marian Anderson (in her debut), who appeared as Ulrica in Verdi’s The Masked Ball.

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Heitor Villa-Lobos' 8th Symphony, premieres in Philadelphia.

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RCA demonstrates first music synthesizer.

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McGuire Sisters' "Sincerely" single goes to #1 & stays #1 for 10 weeks.

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Dot Records launched Two Hearts, Two Kisses, One Love, the first single by Pat Boone.

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Billboard announced that seven-inch, 45-rpm, singles were outselling 78-rpm singles for the first time in the U.S.

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One of the great groups of jazz appeared for the first time at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The Dave Brubeck Quartet presented a magnificent concert for jazz fans. Joining with Brubeck, in what would become one of the most popular concert draws on college campuses, were names that would become legends in their own right, including Paul Desmond on alto sax, Joe Morello on drums and Eugene Wright on bass.

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Perez Prado's "Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White" goes #1 for 10 weeks.

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The age of rock 'n roll begins as Little Richard records ‘Tutti Frutti' in New Orleans.

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Capitol Records released Magic Melody, Part Two. The tune consists only of the last two notes of the musical phrase, “Shave and a haircut, two bits,” making it the shortest tune ever to be released.

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“Day-O. Day-ay-ay-ay-o!” One of the most popular of the Harry Belafonte hits was recorded -- for RCA Victor. Day-O didn’t make it to the pop charts for over a year (January 1957), however, after its name had been changed to The Banana Boat Song (Day-O).

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The first pop song by Julie London appeared on the charts. London’s smoky and sultry rendition of Cry Me a River stayed on the pop chart for five months, reaching as high as #9. Julie was Mrs. Jack Webb (Dragnet) and Mrs. Bobby Troup (songwriter, trumpeter).

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The Vienna State Opera House in Austria formally opened, celebrating the end of 17 years of foreign occupation.

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Nov 09

Harry Belafonte recorded Jamaica Farewell and Come Back Liza for RCA Victor. The two tunes completed the Calypso album which led to Belafonte's nickname, "Calypso King".

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"Sixteen Tons", by ‘TN’ Ernie Ford, hit #1 on the music charts.

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Following a summer at the top of the American pop charts, Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley and His Comets became the #1 song in Great Britain.

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The Lennon Sisters debut as featured vocalists on The Lawrence Welk Show on ABC-TV.

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Barbra Streisand's first recording, "You'll Never Know" at age 13.

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1956

Little Richard releases "Tutti Frutti".

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Buddy Holly records "Blue Days Black Night" in Nashville.

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Buddy Holly had his first of three 1956 recording sessions for Decca Records and producer, Owen Bradley, in Nashville. Nothing much came out of those sessions. He formed the group, The Three Tunes (changed later to The Crickets), and went on to find fame and fortune when he hooked up with producer Norman Petty in New Mexico. Holly died in a plane crash near Mason City, IA, February 3, 1959 (“the day the music died”). He was 22. Holly was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

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Coasters sign with Atlantic Records.

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Capitol Tower, the home of Capitol Records in Hollywood, CA, was dedicated. The building was the first circular office tower designed in America. It is 13 stories tall and 92 feet in diameter. At night, a light at the tip of the tower blinks the letters "H-O-L-L-Y-W-O-O-D" in Morse Code.

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Gene Vincent and his group, The Blue Caps, recorded Be-Bop-A Lula for Capitol Records in Los Angeles. Interesting note: Vincent had written the tune only three days before he auditioned in a record company talent search that won him first place. The record was rush-released just two days later and became a rock and roll classic. Vincent recorded two other charted songs in 1957 and 1958: Lotta Lovin’ and Dance to the Bop.

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Gogi Grant (born Audrey Brown) reached the top spot on the Billboard singles chart for the first and only time in her career. Her hit, The Wayward Wind, stayed at the top of the top-tune tabulation for eight weeks and on the music charts for 22 weeks. It was her second record release. The first, in October, 1955, was Suddenly There’s a Valley which climbed to number nine.

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Jun 16

Be-Bop-A-Lula, by Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps, was released on Capitol Records. Vincent was called Capitol’s answer to Elvis Presley. The tune became Vincent Eugene Craddock’s biggest hit of three (Lotta Lovin’, Dance to the Bop) to make the pop music charts. Vincent died in 1971.

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Johnny Cash hit the record running with I Walk the Line. Cash’s debut hit song climbed to #17 on the pop music charts.

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Harry Belafonte's album "Calypso," goes to #1 & stays #1 for 31 weeks.

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Holding the #1 spot on the music charts: Guy Mitchell singing Singing the Blues. The song remained at the top of the Hit Parade for 10 weeks. Here’s a bit of trivia: Ray Conniff whistled the intro to Singing the Blues.

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Guy Mitchell's "Singing the Blues" single goes #1 for 10 weeks.

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1957

Benjamin Britten's ballet "Prince & the Pauper" premieres in London.

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Bernanos & Poulenc's opera "Dialogue des Carmelites" premieres.

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Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 2nd Piano Concert.

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Lionel Hampton’s only major musical work, King David, made its debut at New York’s Town Hall. The four-part symphony jazz suite was conducted by Dimitri Mitropoulos.

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Buddy Holly and The Crickets traveled to Clovis, NM, to record That’ll Be the Day (one of the classics of rock ’n’ roll) and I’m Looking for Someone to Love. Both songs were released on Brunswick Records in May of that year.

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Teenage heartthrob Tab Hunter’s song Young Love was number one in the U.S.

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Corry Brokken wins Eurovision Song festival with "Just as then".

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First performance of David Diamond's 6th Symphony in Boston.

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First performance of Walter Piston's 4th Symphony.

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Heitor Villa-Lobos' 10th Symphony, premieres in Paris France.

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Howard Hanson's "Song of Democracy", premieres in Washington DC.

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Alan Freed hosts "Rock n' Roll Show" first prime-time network rock show.

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Dmitri Sjostakovitsch 2nd Piano concert, premieres in Moscow.

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That’ll be the Day, by The Crickets and featuring Buddy Holly, was released by Brunswick Records. On September 14th, the tune became the most popular record in the U.S. It was the first hit for Holly and his group after two previous releases went nowhere on Decca Records in 1956.

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"American Bandstand," hosted by Dick Clark, made its network debut on ABC-TV.

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Sam Phillips, owner of legendary Sun Records in Memphis, TN, releases Great Balls of Fire, by Jerry Lee Lewis. Looking carefully at the original label, one will find credit to Lewis and “his pumping piano.”

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The Miles Davis Quintet debuted with a jazz concert at Carnegie Hall in NY.

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Sam Cooke and Buddy Holly and Crickets debut on Ed Sullivan Show.

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Sam Cooke's "You Send Me" reaches #1.

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Pat Boone was at the top of the pop charts for the first of six weeks with April Love. His other number one hits included Ain’t That a Shame, I Almost Lost My Mind, Don’t Forbid Me and Love Letters in the Sand. See what wearing white buck shoes and drinking lots of milk can do for you?

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Roger Sessions' 3rd Symphony premieres in London.

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At the Hop, by Danny and The Juniors, hit #1 on the music charts. It stayed at the top spot for seven weeks. The title of the tune was originally Do the Bop, but was changed at the suggestion of ‘America’s Oldest Living Teenager’ Dick Clark. Trivia: Danny and The Juniors filled in for a group that failed to appear on Clark’s American Bandstand show in Philadelphia. He called The Juniors to come into the studio immediately. They did and lip-synced At The Hop (written by Junior, Dave White and a friend, John Medora). It took off like a rocket to number one. (A few years later, Danny and The Juniors handed stardom to Chubby Checker when they failed to appear on Clark’s show.)

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1958

Dmitri Shostakovich's 2nd Piano concert, premieres in NY.

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Gibson patents the Flying V Guitar.

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Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire" reaches #1 on the country and r&b charts, #2 on the pop chart.

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The rock ’n’ roll classic, Get a Job, by The Silhouettes, was released.

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Royal Teens' "Short Shorts" enters Top 40 chart & peaks at #3.

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Get A Job, by The Silhouettes, reached the top spot on the music Tunedex. It remained at #1 for two weeks. Talk about sudden change in American popular music! One week earlier, the number one song was Sugartime, by The McGuire Sisters, a song that definitely was not classified as rock ’n’ roll. Get A Job was replaced by Tequila, an instrumental by a studio group known as The Champs.

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Motown released first Miracles single, Got a Job b/w My Mama Done Told Me.

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Carl Perkins leaves Sun Records for Columbia Records.

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Roy Hamilton’s record, Don’t Let Go, became #13 in its first week on the record charts. The song was the first stereo record to make the pop music charts. 1958 was the year for several stereo recordings, including Hang Up My Rock and Roll Shoes by Chuck Willis, Yakety Yak by the Coasters, Born Too Late by The Poni-Tails, It’s All in the Game by Tommy Edwards and What Am I Living For by Chuck Willis. Remember: If we were supposed to hear music in mono, we’d only have one ear! Thank you.

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The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certifies the first gold record. It was Perry Como’s "Catch A Falling Star" on RCA Victor Records.

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Johnny Mathis’ album, Johnny’s Greatest Hits, on Columbia Records, made it to the pop music charts for the first time. The LP remained on the charts for a record 490 weeks (nearly 9-1/2 years!) The record began its stay at number one (three weeks) on June 9, 1958. Mathis studied opera from age 13 and earned a track and field scholarship at San Francisco State College. He was invited to Olympic try-outs and chose a singing career instead. He was originally a jazz-style singer when Mitch Miller of Columbia switched Mathis to singing pop ballads. Johnny would chart over 60 albums in 30 years.

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The twenty-three year old Van Cliburn of Kilgore, Texas becomes the first American to win the Tchaikovsky International Piano Contest in Moscow.

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Laurie London reached the top spot on the music charts with He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands, knocking Perry Como’s Catch a Falling Star down a peg or two.

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May 03

WINS suspends Alan Freed for causing a riot in Boston, he quits.

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Pianist Van Cliburn signed an artist’s contract with RCA Victor Records.

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"Nee Nee Na Na Na Na Nu Nu" by Dicky Doo & The Dont's hits #40.

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Bobby Darin's single, Splish Splash, was released as the first eight-track master recording pressed to a plastic 45 RPM disc.

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"South Pacific" soundtrack album goes to #1 & stays #1 for 31 weeks.

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Wedding vows were taken by rock ’n’ roll star, Jerry Lee Lewis and his thirteen-year-old cousin, Myra.

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Dick Dale invents "surf music" with "Let's Go Trippin".

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Splish Splash was recorded by Bobby Darin. It was his first hit and it took Darin only ten minutes to write the song.

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Jul 08

The first gold record album presented by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) was awarded. It went to the soundtrack LP, OK!. The honor signified that the album had reached one million dollars in sales. The first gold single issued by the RIAA was Catch a Falling Star, by Perry Como, in March of 1958.

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Jul 12

Yakety Yak, by The Coasters, became the number one song in the U.S.A., according to Billboard magazine. It was the first stereo record to reach the top of the chart.

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Three years after his Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White reached number one, Cuban-born bandleader Perez Prado captured the top spot again, with Patricia. Prado was known as the Mambo King for his popular, Latin-flavored instrumentals.

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Perez Prado, the ‘Mambo King’, received one of the first gold records awarded by the Record Industry Association of America (RIAA). The single, Patricia, was certified as having sold over one million copies.

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Aug 23

Marie Ashton completes playing piano a female record 133 hours.

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This day was musically memorable as Warren Covington conducted the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra for what would be the last big band tune to climb the pop charts. Tea for Two Cha Cha, made it into the Top 10, peaking at #7. And that was the end of the Big Band Era. Rock ’n’ roll was here to stay.

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Orchestral strings were used for the first time in a rock and roll tune. Buddy Holly recorded It Doesn’t Matter Anymore, written by Paul Anka. Sadly, it would be Holly’s last studio session. The song wasn’t released until after his death in February of 1959.

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Billboard magazine introduced a new chart. It ranked the top singles in order, from number 1 to 100. Previously, only 30 records had been on the weekly hit list. It would take Casey Kasem to count ’em down backwards from #40 to #1 years later.

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Harold Jenkins, who changed his name to Conway Twitty, got his first #1 hit on this day. It’s Only Make Believe was the most popular song in the U.S. for one week.

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Jackie Wilson's Lonely Teardrops was released, as was a disk by Richie Valens featuring Donna on one side and La Bamba on the other.

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The Chipmunks were at the #1 position on the music charts. Alvin, Simon, and Theodore sang with David Seville. "The Chipmunk Song", the novelty tune that topped the charts for a month, is still a Christmas favorite today.

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Alan Freed's Christmas Rock & Roll Spectacular opens.

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Chipmunks (Alvin, Simon & Theodore with David Seville) hit #1.

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1959

Buddy Holly releases his last record "It Doesn't Matter".

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The Kingston Trio (Bob Shane, Nick Reynolds and Dave Guard) received a gold record for Tom Dooley. The single could be considered an early folk-form of rap music, considering its less than wholesome message about a guy named Tom Dooley who was going to be hanged - “Poor boy, you’re bound to, die.” The Kingston Trio recorded many hits, including: Greenback Dollar, M.T.A., Reverend Mr. Black, Tijuana Jail, and the war protest song, Where Have All the Flowers Gone?.

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Paul Hindemith's symphony "Pittsburgh" premieres.

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Buddy Holly's last performance.

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The Coasters tune, Charlie Brown, was released. The tune went to #2 and stayed there for three weeks, but didn’t make it to the top spot of the charts. A catchy song (“Fee fee fi fi fo fo fum. I smell smoke in the auditorium...”), it was on the charts for a total of 12 weeks. And what song was at number one, preventing Charlie Brown from reaching the top, you ask? Venus, by Frankie Avalon.

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Coasters's "Charlie Brown" peaks at #2.

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Cash Box magazine, a trade publication for the music/radio industry, began using a red ‘bullet’ on its record charts to indicate those records that have the strongest upward movement each week. The phrase, “Number one with a bullet” designates those hits that have reached the pinnacle of statistical chartdom. To be so means to be at the top of the list and still climbing higher.

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Teddy Scholten wins Eurovision Song festival with "A Little Bit".

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Singer Harry Belafonte appeared in the first of two benefit concerts for charity at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

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Netherlands Dance Theater opens (Rudi of Dantzig & Cut Flier).

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Lloyd Price’s song, Personality, was released. Price had 10 songs that made it on the nation’s pop music charts in the 1950s through early 1960s.

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"Kookie, Kookie Lend Me Your Comb" by Byrnes & Connie Stevens hits #4.

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"Castin' My Spell" by Johnny Otis Show hits #52.

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"Judy" by David Seville hits #86.

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"Russian Band Stand" by Spencer & Spencer hits #91.

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Johnson & Bart's musical "Lock Up Your Daughters" premieres in London.

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Celebrating a solid year at the top of the album charts was Johnny’s Greatest Hits on Columbia Records. The LP stayed for several more years at or near the top of the album charts. It became the all-time album leader at 490 weeks.

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The Battle of New Orleans, by Johnny Horton, started week number four at the top of the nation’s music Tunedex. The song was number one for a total of six weeks. It was Horton’s only number one record and million-seller. He had big hits, however, with movie music: Sink the Bismarck and North to Alaska (from the film by the same title, starring John Wayne) -- both in 1960. Horton, from Tyler, TX, married Billie Jean Jones, Hank Williams’ widow. Tragically, Johnny Horton was killed in a car crash on November 5, 1960.

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Dedicated to the One I Love, by The Shirelles, was released. The tune went to number 83 on the Top 100 chart of "Billboard" magazine. The song was re-released in 1961 and made it to number three on the charts. That’s just one case for being in the right place at the right time.

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Brothers, Santo and Johnny (Farina) of Brooklyn, NY saw their one and only hit record, the instrumental Sleepwalk released. Sleepwalk was number one for two weeks. Their next song, Tear Drop, only made it to number 23 on the pop charts. Such is life in the pop music biz.

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Sep 04

Mack the Knife was banned from radio -- at least from WCBS Radio in NY City. Teenage stabbings in the city had people pretty uptight; therefore, the ban.

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One of America’s great rock jocks is fired from WABC radio in New York. The ‘Moondoggy’ himself, Alan Freed, was axed in the midst of the payola music scandal.

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Everly Brothers record "Let It Be Me".

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1960

Johnny Cash plays first of many free concerts behind bars.

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The US Federal Trade Commission charges seven record companies and eight distribution firms with paying disc-jockeys to play certain songs. (Payola Incident)

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Roger Sessions' 4th Symphony premieres.

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The Moscow State Symphony performs in New York City, becoming the first Russian orchestra to perform in the US.

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Marty Robbins’ hit tune, El Paso, held the record for the longest #1 song to that time. The song ran 5 minutes and 19 seconds, giving many radio station Program Directors fits; because the average record length at that time was around 2 minutes, and formats didn’t allow for records much longer than that, (e.g., 2-minute record, 3 minutes for commercials, 60 seconds for promo, 2-minute record, etc.).

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Lionel Bart's musical "Fings ain't wot they used t'be" premieres.

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U.S. Congressional investigators began exploring the influence of payola in the radio and record industries. Alan Freed and American Bandstand host, Dick Clark, among others, were called to testify.

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Mar 29

Darius Milhaud's 9th Symphony, premieres.

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Apr 29

Dick Clark told a House of Representatives investigating committee looking into the payola scandal that he, the host of American Bandstand, never took payola for records featured on his daily TV show. Clark would, however, relinquish rights to music publishing that he owned. The value of those rights, Clark indicated 30 years later, amounted to about $80 million.

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House investigating committee, looking into payola questions.

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Harry Belafonte presented his second Carnegie Hall concert in New York City.

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Dmitri Shostakovich's 7th String quartet, premieres in Leningrad.

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Alan Freed & eight other DJs accused of taking radio payola.

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Don and Phil, the Everly Brothers, enjoyed the day as their recording of Cathy’s Clown made it to number one on the hit music charts. The song stayed at number one for 5 weeks -- a big hit for the duo.

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"Got A Girl" by The Four Preps hits #24.

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Everly Brothers "Cathy's Clown" hits #1.

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Roy Orbison releases "Only the Lonely".

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Chubby Checker’s The Twist was released. The song inspired the dance craze of the 1960s.

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Tell Laura I Love Her, by Ray Peterson, wasn’t a big hit in Great Britain. Decca Records in England said the song was “too tasteless and vulgar for the English sensibility.” They destroyed 25,000 of the platters this day.

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Sep 13

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission banned payola. A scandal, investigated by a Congressional committee, involved some of the biggest names in radio, including popular NY DJ Alan Freed. He lost his job at WABC for allegedly accepting gifts and money for playing certain records. There was substantial evidence to prove that the practice was quite widespread.

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Steve Lawrence and partner, Eydie Gorme, starred at the new Lotus Club in Washington, DC.

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Oct 24

Brenda Lee hit #1 for the second time in the year with I Want to Be Wanted. 1960 was a very good year for the young (age 15) songstress. In addition to her first #1 smash, I’m Sorry (July 18), Lee had two other songs on the charts: Sweet Nothin’s (#4, April 18) and That’s All You Gotta Do (#6, July 4).

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Eileen Farrell debuted at the Metropolitan Opera House in NYC in the title role of Gluck’s Alcestis.

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Frank Sinatra recorded his first session with his very own record company. Frank did Ring-A-Ding-Ding and Let's Fall in Love for Reprise Records.

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Neil Sedaka’s Calendar Girl was released on RCA Victor Records. The song became Sedaka’s fourth record to make the charts. Other hits from the guy who made money off of a love song for Carole King (Oh, Carol) include The Diary, Stairway to Heaven, Bad Girl, Next Door to an Angel, Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen, Laughter in the Rain and Breaking Up is Hard to Do.

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After playing California nightclubs as The Pendletones, Kenny and the Cadets, and Carl and the Passions, a new group emerged this day: The Beach Boys. The group’s first national hit, Surfin’ Safari, was soon to be. They recorded for local (Los Angeles) Colpix Records and at the height of their popularity, Capitol Records. The Beach Boys also recorded under the Reprise Records banner. The revitalized group still tours and Capitol continues to reissue various greatest hits packages. The Beach Boys were inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. Surf’s (still) up!

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1961

Supremes signed with Motown Records.

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Leontyne Price made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. She sang in the role of Leonora in Il Trovatore. Price was only the seventh black singer to make a debut at the Met. Marian Anderson was the first (1955).

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Bobby Darin is youngest performer to headline a TV special on NBC.

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The Shirelles were winding up their first week at #1 on the music charts with Will You Love Me Tomorrow. The song was at the top for two weeks. It was the group’s first #1 tune and the first #1 tune from the pen of a New York Brill Building songwriter who worked right down the hall from Neil Sedaka. She became a huge star in her own right with several #1 singles and albums in the 1970s. Her name: Carole King.

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Walter Piston's 7th Symphony, premieres.

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Frank Sinatra launches Reprise label under Warner Brothers Records.

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Cellist Jacqueline du Prés debut in Wigmore Hall.

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Supremes release "I Want A Guy" & "Never Again".

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Folk singer Bob Dylan performs in Greenwich Village, New York City for the first time, opening for John Lee Hooker. He sang Blowin’ in the Wind.

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"Bonanza" by Al Caiola Orchestra hits #19.

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Henzes opera "Elegy for Young Lovers" premieres in Schwetzingen.

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Ernie K-Doe, aka Ernest Kador Jr., joined the growing list of one hit wonders (recording artists who had only one hit song). Mother-In-Law was Ernie’s one hit, and a number one tune on US pop music charts.

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"Touchables In Brooklyn" by Dickie Goodman hits #42.

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Ricky Nelson reached the top spot on the Billboard singles chart with Travelin’ Man. It was was Nelson’s second chart-topping hit. Poor Little Fool made it to the top in August of 1958.

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Rock ’n’ roll fans were ready for a good old-fashioned summertime as Chuck Berry’s amusement park, Berryland, opened near St. Louis, MO.

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Roy Orbison was wrapping up a week at number one on the Billboard record chart with Running Scared, his first number one hit. Orbison recorded 23 hits for the pop charts, but only one other song made it to number one: Oh Pretty Woman in 1964. He came close with a number two effort, Crying, number four with Dream Baby and number five with Mean Woman Blues. Orbison was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987; but suffered a fatal heart attack just one year later.

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Pat Boone spent this day at number one for one last time with Moody River. Boone, a teen heart-throb in the 1950s, had previously walked his way up the music charts, wearing white buck shoes, of course, with these other hits: Ain’t That a Shame, I Almost Lost My Mind, Don’t Forbid Me, Love Letters in the Sand and April Love.

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Bob Dylan gave one of his first performances at the Gaslight Cafe in Greenwich Village. The Gaslight was originally a ‘basket house’, where performers were paid from the contents of a basket that had been passed around.

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Bob Dylan's first NY performance.

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Nineteen-year-old Bob Dylan makes his NY singing debut at Gerde's Folk City.

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Bob Dylan signed to CBS recording contract by legendary Columbia Records exec. John Hammond.

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Bob Dylan records his first album in a single day at a cost of $400.

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Dion’s Runaround Sue was the #1 U.S. single. It remained at the top for two weeks until being knocked off by Jimmy Dean’s Big Bad John.

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The top, pop song on the charts belonged to Dion (DiMucci). Runaround Sue was in its second week at the tiptop of the top-tune tabulation (it was in the top 40 for three months).

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A year after Chubby Checker reached the #1 spot with The Twist, the singer appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show to sing the song again. The Twist became the first record to reach #1 a second time around -- on January 13, 1962.

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Surfin’, The Beach Boys first record, was released on Candix Records.

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"Please, Mr. Postman" by Marvelettes, released.

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Jimmy Dean's Big Bad John album is country music's first million $ seller.

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Jimmy Dean's "Big Bad John" is first country song to get a gold record.

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Moscow: premier of Dmitri Shostakovich's 4th Symphony (out 1936).

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Beach Boys play their debut gig under that name.

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1962

"The Twist", by Chubby Checker, becomes the first record to reach #1 a second time around.

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Roy Harris' 8th Symphony, premieres in San Francisco.

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Bishop Burke of Buffalo Catholic dioceses declares Chubby Checker's "Twist" is impure & bans it from all Catholic schools.

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David Diamond's 7th Symphony, premieres in Philadelphia.

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Darius Milhaud's 12th Symphony, premieres.

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The Beach Boys started making waves with their first Southern California hit, Surfin’. Their new musical style swept the U.S. like a tidal wave when they hit nationally with Surfin’ Safari in August of this same year.

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Gene Chandler hit #1 with Duke of Earl on this day. The song stayed at the tippy-top for three weeks. It hit #1 on the rhythm & blues charts, as well. Duke of Earl was Chandler’s biggest hit out of a half-dozen he recorded. His only other million seller came with Groovy Situation in 1970. Curtis Mayfield wrote several hits for Chandler, including Just Be True, What Now and Nothing Can Stop Me. Chandler’s real name is Eugene Dixon. He owned his own record label, Mr. Chand, from 1969 to 1973, though "Groovy Situation" was recorded in 1970 for Mercury.

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Frank Sinatra recorded his final session for Capitol Records in Hollywood. Sinatra had been recording for his own record label, Reprise, for two years. His final side on Capitol was I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues, with Skip Martin’s orchestra.

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Bob Dylan's self-titled debut album was released.

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Mick Jagger & Keith Richards perform as Little Boy Blue & Blue Boys.

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"West Side Story" soundtrack album goes to #1 & stays #1 for 54 weeks which is more than 20 weeks longer than any other album.

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"John Birch Society" by Chad Mitchell Trio hits #99.

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Isley Brothers release "Twist & Shout".

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The King of Swing, Benny Goodman, turned 53 and led the first American jazz band to play in the Soviet Union. Goodman and his band played six concerts in the USSR.

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Two albums of melancholy music by Jackie Gleason received gold record honors. Music, Martinis and Memories and Music for Lovers Only got the gold. Both were issued by Capitol Records in Hollywood.

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Island Records begins.

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Orchestra leader David Rose reached the top spot on the popular music charts. The Stripper stayed at the pinnacle of musicdom for one week. Rose’s previous musical success on the charts was in 1944 with Holiday for Strings.

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Jul 12

Rolling Stones first performance (Marquee Club, London).

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Jul 14

Bobby Vinton’s Roses are Red became the top song in the U.S. The song stayed at the top for four weeks and was the first of four #1 hits for Vinton. The others were: Blue Velvet, There! I’ve Said It Again and Mr. Lonely. Roses are Red was also Vinton’s first million-seller. He had two others: I Love How You Love Me (which made it to #9 in 1968) and My Melody of Love (which hit #3 in 1974.)

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Aug 11

Beach Boys release "Surfin' Safari".

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Peter, Paul & Mary release their 1st hit "If I Had a Hammer".

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Tony Sheridan & the Beat Brothers record "Ya Ya (Parts 1 + 2)".

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It was a hootenanny of a good time in, of all places, NY’s famed Carnegie Hall. The cast included newcomer Bob Dylan making his first appearance at Carnegie Hall.

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Detroit secretary Martha Reeves cut a side with a group called The Vandellas and the result was I’ll Have to Let Him Go. Soon thereafter, the hits of Martha and The Vandellas just kept on comin’.

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After a concert that featured folk music at Carnegie Hall, The NY Times gave a glowing review in a story about “Bob Dylan: A Distinctive Folk Song Stylist.”

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Tony Sheridan & the Beat Brothers record "Let's Dance".

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Bobby “Boris” Picket and the Crypt Kickers reached the top of the charts this day (for two weeks) with "The Monster Mash".

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Billboard magazine dropped the “Western” from its chart title. The list has been known as Hot Country Singles ever since.

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Bob Dylan gave his first major concert outside of Greenwich Village. The Carnegie Hall solo appearance was not well attended.

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The 4 Seasons, with Frankie Valli as lead singer, began a five-week run at the top of the tunedex with Big Girls Don't Cry.

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Dmitri Shostakovich's 13th Symphony, premieres in Moscow.

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The Osmond brothers debut on the Andy Williams Show.

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1963

Songwriter Bob Dylan sang Blowin’ In the Wind on the BBC radio presentation of The Madhouse on Castle Street. The song soon became one of the classics of the 1960s protest movement.

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"Go Away Little Girl" by Steve Lawrence peaks at #1.

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Tony Sheridan & the Beat Brothers record "What'd I Say" & "Ruby Baby".

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Feb 23

The Chiffons recording of He’s So Fine was released. It later rose to the #1 position (March 30th) for a four-week stay. The song later became the center of one of the most publicized lawsuits in music history. The estate of songwriter Ronnie Marks won the suit against former Beatle George Harrison, saying that the song My Sweet Lord, was a note-for-note copy of He’s So Fine. The Chiffons also scored big with One Fine Day, Sweet Talkin’ Guy and others.

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Peter, Paul and Mary released the single, Puff The Magic Dragon. Through the years, controversy continually surrounded the song. It was banned by several radio stations whose management figured that the song was about the elicit joys of smoking marijuana. The group denied this startling assumption.

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David Hendon & Douglas Cross' musical premieres in London.

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The Chiffons began a four-week stay at the top of the pop music charts as their hit single, He’s So Fine, became number one. The song stayed at the top of the top tune tabulation until Little Peggy March came along with I Will Follow Him on April 27th.

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Bob Dylan appeared in his first solo concert at Town Hall in New York City.

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The Rolling Stones produced their very first recordings this day. The session included Come On and I Wanna Be Loved. The Stones would make it to the American pop music charts in August, 1964.

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"Puff (The Magic Dragon)" by Peter, Paul & Mary hits #2.

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Bob Dylan walks off Ed Sullivan Show.

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"If You Wanna Be Happy" by Jimmy Soul hits #1.

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The album "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan," which featured the song "Blowin' in the Wind," was released.

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First Rolling Stones TV appearance (Thank Your Lucky Stars) & release 1st single, "Come on".

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Jun 15

Kyu Sakamoto from Kawasaki, Japan, reached the number one spot on the pop music charts with Sukiyaki. The popular song captivated American music buyers and was at the top of the Billboard pop chart for three weeks. In Japan, where Sakamoto was enormously popular, Sukiyaki was known as Ue O Muite Aruko (I Look Up When I Walk). The entertainer met an untimely fate in 1985. Kyu (cue) Sakamoto was one of 520 people who perished in the crash of a Japan Air Lines flight near Tokyo. He was 43 years old.

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Fingertips - Pt 2, by Little Stevie Wonder, was released. It became Wonder’s first number one single on August 10th. Wonder had 46 hits on the pop and R&B music charts between 1963 and 1987. Eight of those hits made it to number one.

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Brenda Lee inked a new recording contract with Decca Records. She was guaranteed one million dollars over the next 20 years.

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Ray Conniff received two gold-record awards -- for the albums, Concert in Rhythm and Memories are Made of This -- on Columbia Records. Conniff recorded dozens of albums of easy listening music for the label. He had been a trombonist and arranger with Bunny Berigan, Bob Crosby, Harry James, Vaughn Monroe and Artie Shaw.

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The Beach Boys’ Surfer Girl, was released on Capitol Records. It became one of their biggest hits. Surfer Girl made it to number seven on the hit music charts.

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Comedian Allan Sherman’s summer camp parody, Hello Mudduh, Hello Fadduh! (A Letter from Camp) was released on Warner Brothers Records. It went to number two on the pop charts.

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Kingsmen release "Louie, Louie," radio stations label it obscene.

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Sep 03

Reprise Records, owned by Frank Sinatra, became part of Warner Brothers Records. The ‘Chairman of the Board’ continued to record for the label.

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The Crystals: Then He Kissed Me debuted on U.K. charts this day. It had hit U.S. charts on Aug 17, and made it to #6 for three weeks (Sep 14, 21, 28) before fading away.

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Rolling Stones first tour (opening act for Bo Diddley & Everly Bros).

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Barbra Streisand appears on "The Judy Garland Show".

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Buck Owens started a 16-week run at top of the U.S. Country chart with Love’s Gonna Live Here. It eventually became the biggest of all the Buck Owens hits.

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Peter, Paul and Mary were sitting pretty at #1 and #2 on the U.S. album chart with Peter, Paul and Mary and In the Wind.

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After giving benefit performances for years, singer Kate Smith presented her first full concert performance to a paying crowd -- at Carnegie Hall in NY City.

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Merle Haggard's first appearance on country chart with "Sing a Sad Song".

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Jerry Garcia & Bob Weir played music together for the first time.

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1964

Rolling Stones' 1st tour as headline act (with Ronettes).

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The soundtrack album of the musical, The King and I, starring Yul Brynner, earned a gold record.

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Indiana Governor Mathew Walsh tries to ban "Louie Louie" for obscenity.

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Roger Sessions' 5th Symphony, premieres.

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Singer Judy Collins makes her debut at Carnegie Hall in New York City and establishes herself in the front rank of American balladeers.? She would first hit the Top 40 in 1968 with Both Sides Now, a Joni Mitchell song. Her versions of Amazing Grace and Send In the Clowns also became classics.

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Barbra Striesand appears on the cover of NY Times Magazine section.

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"The Rolling Stones (England's Newest Hitmakers)," the band's debut album, was released.

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Rolling Stones first album (self-titled) released in England.

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Hello Dolly! became the nation’s top pop record. The milestone put Louis Armstrong on the Billboard music chart in the top spot for the first time in his 41-year music career. Later, ‘Satchmo’ was cast in the movie version of Hello Dolly!.

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Peter & Gordon release "World Without Love".

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The Smothers Brothers, Dick and Tom, gave their first concert in Carnegie Hall in NY City.

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Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 9th String quartet.

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Jun 02

The Hollywood Palace on ABC-TV hosted the first appearance of the first US concert tour of The Rolling Stones in Lynn MA. Dean Martin emceed the show. One critic called the Stones “dirtier and streakier and more disheveled than The Beatles.”

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Jun 02

The original cast album of Hello Dolly! went gold -- having sold a million copies. It was quite a feat for a Broadway musical.

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The Hollywood Palace on ABC-TV hosted the first appearance of the first U.S. concert tour of The Rolling Stones. Dean Martin emceed the show. One critic called the Stones “dirtier and streakier and more disheveled than The Beatles.”

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Rolling Stones begin first US tour (with Bobby Goldsboro & Bobby Vee).

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Jun 05

Davie Jones & King Bees debut "I Can't Help Thinking About Me", group disbands but Davie Jones goes on to success as David Bowie.

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18-year-old Millie Small was riding high on the pop music charts with My Boy Lollipop (#2, 7/04/64). Listen carefully to the tune and you’ll hear Rod Stewart playing harmonica. Millie Small was known as the ’Blue Beat Girl’ in Jamaica, her homeland.

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The 4 Seasons reached the top spot on the record charts with Rag Doll, the group's fourth hit to climb to the #1 position. The song stayed on top for two weeks. Other #1 hits by Frankie Valli and company include, Big Girls Don't Cry, Walk Like a Man, and December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night).

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First surfin' record to go #1-Jan & Dean's "Surf City".

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Aug 29

Roy Orbison’s Oh, Pretty Woman was released. It hit number one (for 3 weeks) on September 26th and became the biggest of his career. Oh, Pretty Woman was Orbison’s second #1 hit. The other was Running Scared (6/05/61).

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The Animal’s House of the Rising Sun made it to #1. It stayed at the top until it was replaced three weeks later by Roy Orbison’s Oh, Pretty Woman. Orbison’s smash was just entering the pop charts on this day, for a 14-week run.

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Sep 10

Rod Stewart recorded his first tune, titled Good Morning Little Schoolgirl, for Decca. It was not one of his more successful recordings.

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Supremes release "Baby Love".

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Riot at Rolling Stones show in Paris (150 arrested).

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The Rolling Stones were introduced to American audiences on The Ed Sullivan Show on CBS-TV.

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Rolling Stones appear on the Ed Sullivan Show.

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Roy Orbison went gold with his hit single, "Oh, Pretty Woman".

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The Supremes Baby Love was the number one single (for four weeks), while Barbra Streisand’s People was #1 on U.S. album charts (for five weeks).

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Michael Brown meets Rene Fladen, then writes "Walk Away Rene".

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1965

Rock group The Who releases first album "I Can't Explain".

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Searchers' "Love Potion #9" peaks at #3.

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The Byrds record "Mr Tambourine Man".

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"The Name Game" by Shirley Ellis hits #3.

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Righteous Brothers "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" hits #1.

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Supremes release "Stop In the Name of Love".

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Rod Stewart and his group The Soul Agents played their first major gig at a club in the London Borough of Harrow.

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Temptations' "My Girl" reaches #1.

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First performance of Walter Piston's 8th Symphony.

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Jeff Beck replaces Eric Clapton of the Yardbirds.

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Bob Dylan's album "Bringing It All Back Home" his first featuring electric guitar - was released.

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Bob Dylan appeared on the pop music charts for the first time. Subterranean Homesick Blues entered the Top 40 at number 39. The song stayed on the charts for eight weeks. Dylan would chart a total of 12 singles on the pop charts between 1965 and 1979. He appeared in the films Don’t Look Back, Eat the Document and Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. He made the film Renaldo and Clara in 1978. Dylan co-starred in the film Hearts of Fire in 1987. He became a member of the Traveling Wilburys and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. Dylan won the Grammy’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 1991.

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Game of Love, by Wayne Fontana and The Mindbenders, made it to the top spot on the Billboard music chart. Game of Love stayed for a short visit of one week, before Peter Noone and Herman’s Hermits took over the top spot with Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter.

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Ives' 4th Symphony premieres.

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Vladimir Horowitz played his first public concert in 12 years at Carnegie Hall in NY City. The audience applauded the piano virtuoso with a standing ovation that lasted for 30 minutes.

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Roger Miller received a gold record for the hit, King of the Road. The song was Miller's biggest hit record. It got to number four (3/20/65) on the pop charts and stayed on for 12 weeks. It was a number one country music hit (3/27/65) as well. Miller, a country singer, humorist, guitarist and composer from Fort Worth, TX and raised in OK, went to Nashville, TN in the mid-1950s to begin a songwriting career. He wrote songs and played drums for Faron Young in 1962, then won what was an unprecedented six Grammy Awards in 1965, had his own TV show in 1966; wrote Little Green Apples, a huge hit for O.C. Smith and had five tunes in the top ten in 1968.

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"Super-cali-fragil-istic-expi-ali-docious" hits #66.

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Kinks arrive in NYC beginning their first US tour.

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Jun 19

I Can’t Help Myself, by The Four Tops, topped the pop and R&B charts. The Motown group got their second and only other number one hit with Reach Out I’ll Be There in 1966. Their other hits include: It’s the Same Old Song, Standing in the Shadows of Love, Bernadette and Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got) (their only million seller). The group called Motown (Detroit, MI) home and got their start in 1953 as the Four Aims. Levi Stubbs, Renaldo ‘Obie’ Benson, Lawrence Payton and Abdul ‘Duke’ Fakir placed 24 hits on the charts from 1964 to 1988. They first recorded as The Four Tops for Leonard Chess and Chess Records in 1956; then went to Red Top and Columbia before signing with Berry Gordy’s Motown label in 1963. The Tops, who had no personnel changes in their more than 35 years together were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.

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Mr. Tambourine Man, by The Byrds, reached the number one spot on the pop music charts. The song was considered by many to be the first folk-rock hit. The tune was written by Bob Dylan, as were two other hits for the group: All I Really Want to Do and My Back Pages. The group of James Roger McGinn, David Crosby, Gene Clark, Chris Hillman and Mike Clarke charted seven hits. The Byrds were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.

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Jul 06

Rock group "Jefferson Airplane" forms.

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Otis Redding records "Respect".

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Jul 10

Rolling Stones score their first #1, "I Can't Get No Satisfaction".

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Jul 24

Bob Dylan releases "Like a Rolling Stone".

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Bob Dylan appeared on stage at the Newport Jazz Festival with an electric guitar. He was not well received, even with the classic folk song, Blowin’ in the Wind. The electrified “poet laureate of a generation” was booed and hissed by the audience for being amplified. He was, in fact, booed right off the stage.

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Rock group Jefferson Airplane was formed

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Rolling Stones release "Satisfaction" (their 1st #1 US hit).

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San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral became the site of the first concert of sacred music presented by Duke Ellington.

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The McCoys’ Hang on Sloopy hit #1 in the U.S. The song snuck in at number one for one week, between Eve of Destruction, by Barry McGuire and Yesterday, by The Beatles.

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Adding to his many credits, accolades and honors, Henry Mancini received a gold record for the soundtrack LP from the movie, The Pink Panther.

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Supremes release "I Hear a Symphony".

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Rolling Stones release "Get Off of My Cloud".

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Jefferson Airplane headline first Bill Graham show, SF

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The Grateful Dead played their first concert, at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco.

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Astrodome opens, first event is Judy Garland & Supremes concert.

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Supremes release "My World is Empty Without You".

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1966

Simon & Garfunkel's "Sounds of Silence" reaches #1.

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Duke Ellington’s concert of sacred music, recorded at 5th Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City, was broadcast on CBS-TV.

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David Bowie releases his first record (Can't Help Thinking About Me).

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Neil Simon, Coleman & Fields' musical "Sweet Charity" premieres.

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Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 11th string quartet.

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Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler received a gold record from RCA Victor, for both the album and the single of The Ballad of the Green Berets. Sadler, who recorded one other single (The "A" Team) for the label, had served in Vietnam until injuring a leg in a Viet Cong booby trap. Tragically, Sadler was shot in the head during a 1988 robbery attempt at his Guatemala home. He suffered irreparable brain damage and died of heart failure in November, 1989 in Tennessee. He was 49 years old.

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Nancy Sinatra was high-stepping this day with a gold record award for the hit, These Boots are Made for Walkin’. When she cracked open the wooden-framed award to check out the gold disk inside, she heard Pink Shoe Laces by Dodie Stevens. Nancy was reported to have been incensed.

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Rock group Buffalo Springfield forms in Los Angeles. (Steven Stills, Neil Young, et al).

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Barry Sadlers' "Ballad of the Green Berets" becomes #1 (13 weeks).

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Love's first album released "Love".

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The Rolling Stones release "Aftermath".

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Metropolitan Opera House at B‘way & 39th St. closes doors with 444th production of "La Boheme.”

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Dmitri Shostakovitch completes his 2nd cello concert.

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The Mamas & The Papas made the climb to the top of the Billboard pop music chart with Monday, Monday. For three weeks Monday, Monday stayed at the top of the pop music world.

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Rolling Stones release "Paint it Black".

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"A Lover's Concerto" by Mrs Miller hits #95.

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The album "Pet Sounds" by the Beach Boys was released.

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The album "Blonde on Blonde" by Bob Dylan was released.

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Country music came to New York’s Carnegie Hall this night. Eddy Arnold debuted with an array of popular country artists in the Big Apple.

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"Downtown" by Mrs Miller hits #82.

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"Louie Louie" by The Kingsmen reentered the chart & hits #97.

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Bruce Springsteen recorded his very first song, along with his band, The Castilles. It was titled, That’s What You’ll Get. The song was never released. Bruce was just practicing. He was just sixteen.

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Percy Sledge hit number one with his first -- and what turned out to be his biggest -- hit. When a Man Loves a Woman would stay at the top of the pop music charts for two weeks. It was the singer’s only hit to make the top ten and was a million seller.

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Dmitri Shostakovich's 11th String quartet, premieres in Leningrad.

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"Ballad Of Irving" by Frank Gallop hits #34.

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Jun 10

Janis Joplins first live concert (Avalon Ballroom in SF).

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Janis Joplin made her first onstage appearance -- at the Avalon ballroom in San Francisco. She began her professional career at the age of 23 with Big Brother and The Holding Company. The group was a sensation at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. Piece of My Heart was the only hit to chart for the group in 1968. Big Brother and The Holding Company disbanded in 1972, though Joplin continued in a solo career with hits such as Down on Me and Me and Bobby McGee. Janis ‘Pearl’ Joplin died of a heroin overdose in Hollywood in October, 1970. The movie The Rose, starring Bette Midler, was inspired by the life of the rock star.

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Singer Percy Sledge earned a gold record for When a Man Loves A Woman. It was his only song to make it to number one (5/28/66) and the only one of five to break into the top ten.

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Frank Sinatra hit the top of the pop album chart with his Strangers in the Night. It was the first #1 Sinatra LP since 1960. The album’s title song had made it to number one on the pop singles chart on July 2nd.

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Napoleon XIV releases "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha! Ha!".

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Supremes release "You Can't Hurry Love".

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The Metropolitan Opera opened its new opera house at New York's Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

Ref: 70

Herb Alpert’s European tour culminated in a performance before Princess Grace and the royal family in Monaco. From Washington to the Riviera, it seemed that no place was out of place for Alpert’s ‘Ameriachi’ sound.

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Jefferson Airplane/Muddy Waters headline first Winterland dance, SF

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Oct 01

I Love My Dog was released by Cat Stevens. He was 19 years old. Five years later, he recorded such hits as Wild World, Morning Has Broken, Peace Train and Oh Very Young. By 1979, Cat Stevens [born, Steven Demitri Georgiou], disenchanted with the music business, converted to the Islamic religion and changed his name to Yusef Islam. He may not have liked the music biz anymore but Cat still loves his dog.

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The Supremes rocketed to the top of the pop-album charts with Supremes A’ Go-Go. They were the first all-female vocal group to hit the top of the LP chart.

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“Oh fodie oh doe...” The New Vaudeville Band received a gold record for Winchester Cathedral this day.

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Love, Moby Grape & Lee Michaels perform at Fillmore East.

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The Beach Boys made a one-week stop at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 as Good Vibrations made it to #1. It was the third #1 hit the group scored. The others were I Get Around and Help Me, Rhonda.

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Jimi Hendrix Experience releases its first single, "Hey Joe", in the

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The Beach Boys received a gold record for the single, "Good Vibrations". A-one, and a-two and... “...I’m pickin’ up good vibrations. She’s givin’ me excitations...”

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Monkee's "I'm a Believer" hits #1 & stays there for 7 weeks.

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1967

Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys is indicted for draft evasion.

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Sonny & Cher release "The Beat Goes On".

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Ed Sullivan tells the Rolling Stones to change the lyrics AND the title to the song, Let’s Spend the Night Together. The Stones gave in... changing the tune to Let’s Spend Some Time Together.

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Rolling Stones release "Let's Spend the Night Together".

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"Purple Haze" recorded by Jimi Hendrix.

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"Wild Thing" hits #20 on the pop singles chart by Senator Bobby.

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Peter (Asher) & Gordon (Waller) discontinue their singing partnership.

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Aretha Franklin records "Respect".

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Pink Floyd recorded Arnold Layne, their first single (released Mar 11, 1967).

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Pink Floyd release their first single "Arnold Layne" (recorded Feb 27, 1967).

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Supremes release "The Happening".

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The Turtles' "Happy Together" goes #1.

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Who & Cream make US debut at Murray the K's Easter Show.

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Jimi Hendrix begins his tradition of burning his guitar.

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Herman’s Hermits, featuring lead singer Peter Noone, went gold with the single, There’s a Kind of Hush. It was a two-sided hit, with the flip-side, No Milk Today, also receiving considerable play. Hush, however, was a top five song, while the ‘B’ side just made it into the top 40 at number 35.

Ref: 4

Nancy Sinatra and her dad, Frank, found a gold record award in the mailbox, for their collaboration on the hit single, Something Stupid.

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Apr 29

Aretha Franklin releases "Respect".

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Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 2nd Violin concerto.

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The Monkees appear at the Hollywood Bowl.

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Jun 10

15,000 attend Fantasy Faire & Magic Mountain Music Festival, Calif.

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Jun 16

The Monterey Pop Festival got underway at the Monterey Fairgrounds in Northern CA. Fifty thousand spectators migrated to the site that featured Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Mamas and the Papas and The Who.

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Barbra Striesand: A Happening in Central Park performed.

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Jun 19

First Monterey Pop Festival; 50,000 hippies converge; Byrds, Jefferson Airplane perform.

Ref: 10

Kenny Rogers formed The First Edition just one day after he and members Thelma Camacho, Mike Settle and Terry Williams left The New Christy Minstrels. The First Edition hosted a syndicated TV variety show in 1972. Hits made popular by the group include: Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In), But You Know I Love You, Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town, Ruben James, and Something’s Burning.

Ref: 4

Monkees perform at Forest Hills NY, Jimi Hendrix is opening act.

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Jul 22

The Billboard singles chart showed that Windy, by The Association, was the most popular record in the U.S. for the fourth straight week. The Los Angeles-based sextet would make way for Jim Morrison and The Doors a week later when Light My Fire became the hottest record of the mid-summer.

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Bobby Gentry releases her only hit "Ode to Billy Joe".

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Fleetwood Mac makes their stage debut at the National Blues and Jazz Festival in Great Britain.

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Rolling Stones release "We Love You".

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The Box Tops from Memphis hit #1 with The Letter. Though the song was #1 for four weeks and remained on the charts for 13 weeks. The Box Tops reorganized right after that first hit and never made it to #1 again.

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Grateful Dead members arrested by narcotic agents

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Nov 09

The first issue of Rolling Stone was published. John Lennon was on the cover. The magazine said it was not simply a music magazine but was also about “...the things and attitudes that music embraces.”

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The Monkees received a gold record for Daydream Believer.

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Lulu's To Sir with Love, from the movie of the same name, started its fifth and final week at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Lulu was born Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie (November 3, 1948). She changed her name to Lulu (and The Luvvers) in Scotland, early in her career.

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The Association, a California group, earned a gold record for the hit Never My Love, on Warner Bros. Records. The group also earned worldwide fame for other hits including Windy, Cherish and Along Comes Mary.

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Dec 07

Otis Rescue records "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay".

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Jim Morrison, arrested on stage for disturbing the peace.

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The Lemon Pipers released Green Tambourine on an unsuspecting psychedelic world this day. The tune made #1 on February 3, 1968. Far out, man!

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Ian Anderson & Glenn Cornick form rock group Jethro Tull.

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The Rolling Stones LP, Their Satanic Majesties Request, was released. It cost $50,000 to produce and came complete with a 3-D photograph of the Stones on the cover.

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A sad day for jazz fans, as the Dave Brubeck Quartet formally disbanded after sax man Paul Desmond left the group. Desmond was a fixture with the quartet for 16 years and can be heard on all the immortal Brubeck standards, including Take Five.

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1968

A group known as The Blue Velvets decided to change its name this day and it’s a good thing they did. The new name soon became a national pop music favorite as Creedence Clearwater Revival climbed to stardom.

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The Bee Gees played their first American concert, as a group. They earned $50,000 to entertain at the Anaheim Convention Center in California. This is identical to what the Beatles were paid to perform at the Hollywood Bowl a few years earlier.

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Otis Redding’s (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay was released on this day, seven weeks after the singer’s death. It became #1 on March 16, 1968 and remained at the top spot for a month. Redding began his recording career in 1960 with Johnny Jenkins and The Pinetoppers (on Confederate Records). He sang duet with Carla Thomas and had 11 chart hits. Redding of Dawson, GA was killed in a plane crash at Lake Monona near Madison, WI. Four members of the Bar-Kays were also killed in the crash. The Dock of the Bay, his only number one song, was recorded just three days before his death.

Ref: 4

Bobby Goldsboro records his biggest hit, "Honey".

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"Spooky" by Classics IV hits #3.

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Singer and famed guitarist, Jimi Hendrix, received an honorary high school diploma from Garfield High School in Seattle, WA, where he had dropped out at the age of 14.

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David Gilmour joins rock group Pink Floyd.

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Rock group Genesis release their first record "The Silent Sun".

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Howard Hanson's 6th Symphony, premieres.

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Elton John’s first record, I’ve Been Loving You, was released by Philips Records in England. Philips, not realizing the potential of the soon-to-be superstar, released him in 1969, just prior to his teaming with lyricist Bernie Taupin. Elton then signed a contract with Uni Records and began to turn out what would become a string of more than 50 hits over the next 25 years.

Ref: 4

Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 12nd string quartet.

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Otis Redding posthumously receives gold record for "(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay".

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The Byrds received a gold record for the album, Greatest Hits, which featured Turn! Turn! Turn!, written by Pete Seeger (excerpted from the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible); Eight Miles High; Mr. Spaceman; Mr. Tambourine Man; All I Really Want To Do; and My Back Pages. The group consisted of Jim McGuinn, David Crosby, Gene Clark, Chris Hillman and Mike Clarke. Kevin Kelly, Gram Parsons, Clarence White, John York and Gene Parsons were also members of the group through the years. The Byrds were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.

Ref: 4

Mar 15

LIFE magazine calls Jimi Hendrix "most spectacular guitarist in the world".

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Dean Martin received a gold record for the album, Houston. Martin charted 17 hits on the pop music charts in the 1950s and 1960s. Houston was his 12th.

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Hill, Hawkins & Coghill's musical premieres in London.

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Bobby Goldsboro received a gold record for the single, Honey. The poignantly sad song charted for 13 weeks -- spending five weeks at number one. Goldsboro produced a total of 11 hits on the pop charts in the 1960s and 1970s. Honey was his only million seller and only number one hit.

Ref: 4

First performance of Roger Sessions' 8th Symphony.

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Richard Harris releases "MacArthur Park".

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Tiny Tim's warbly Tiptoe through the Tulips was released. An eventual top twenty hit, Tiptoe was a remake of a number one hit for Nick Lucas in 1929. Grab your banjo and sing along. "Ohhhhh, Tiptoe through the Tuuuuulips...."

Ref: 4

Piano stylist and vocalist Bobby Short gained national attention as he presented a concert with Mabel Mercer at New York’s Town Hall. He had been the featured artist at the intimate Hotel Carlisle for years.

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Rolling Stones release "Jumping Jack Flash".

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"Unicorn" by The Irish Rovers hits #7.

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Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs Robinson" hits #1.

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Jun 08

Gary Puckett & The Union Gap release "Lady Will Power".

Ref: 5

Jun 08

Rolling Stones release "Jumpin' Jack Flash".

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Herb Alpert used his voice and his trumpet to run to the top of the pop music charts. This Guy’s in Love with You became the most popular song in the nation this day. It would rule the top of the pop music world for four weeks. It was the only vocal by Alpert to make the charts, though his solo instrumentals with The Tijuana Brass scored lots of hits. Alpert performed on 19 charted hits through 1987.

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Rock group "The Yardbirds" disband.

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Hugh Masekela struck gold with the breezy, latin-soul instrumental Grazing in the Grass, while Gary Puckett and The Union Gap received a similar honor for the hit, Lady Willpower. Masekela, a trumpeter since age 14, saw Grazing in the Grass go to number one for two weeks (July 20/27). Grazing was his only entry on the pop music charts. The Union Gap scored three more million-sellers in the late 1960s: Woman, Woman, Young Girl and Over You. The Union Gap was formed in 1967 and named after the town of Union Gap, Washington.

Ref: 4

Iron Butterfly's "In-a-gadda-da-vida" becomes the first heavy metal song to hit the charts, it comes in at #117.

Ref: 5

Aug 04

100,000 attend Newport Pop Festival, Costa Mesa, Calif.

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"Barbra Streisand: A Happening in Central Park" Show on CBS TV.

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Sep 24

The Vogues received a gold record for Turn Around Look at Me on the Reprise label.

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Supremes release "Love Child".

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Cheap Thrills, the album by Big Brother and the Holding Company, started an eight-week run as number one in the U.S. It was the first and only album (for a major label) Janis Joplin made with Big Brother and the Holding Company. The album’s tracks: Combination of the Two, I Need a Man to Love, Summertime, Piece of My Heart, Turtle Blues, Oh, Sweet Mary, Ball and Chain.

Ref: 4

Another biggie for Stevie Wonder went on sale. For Once in My Life reached #2 on the pop charts on December 28, 1968.

Ref: 4

Supremes & Temptations release "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me".

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Diana Ross and The Supremes hit the #1 spot on the music charts with Love Child. The somewhat controversial tune (for the times) stayed at the top for two weeks.

Ref: 4

The O’Kaysions received a gold record for Girl Watcher. The song had a promotional reprise in the 1990s as a theme for Merv Griffin’s Wheel of Fortune -- with the revamped lyrics, “I’m a Wheel Watcher...”

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Rolling Stones release "Beggar's Banquet" LP.

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Rolling Stones film TV show "Rock 'n Roll Circus" it never airs.

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Marvin Gaye was number one in the U.S. with I Heard It Through the Grapevine. The smash was stuck at the top of the charts all the way through Jan 1969. It turned out to be Gaye’s biggest hit.

Ref: 4

David Crosby, Stephen Stills & Graham Nash premiere together in California.

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Led Zeppelin's concert debut in Boston as opener for Vanilla Fudge.

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100,000 attend Miami Pop Festival.

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1969

George "Grandpa" Jones and Dolly Parton join the Grand Ol' Opry. (XDG, p 4A, 1/4/2001)

Ref: 83

Supremes release "I'm Livin' In Shame".

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Jethro Tull's This Was Jethro Tull album debuts.

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"Hooked on a Feeling" by BJ Thomas peaks at #5.

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Lady Samantha, one of the very first recordings by Reginald Kenneth Dwight (aka Elton John), was released in England on Philips Records. The song floundered, then bombed. The rock group, Three Dog Night, however, thought Elton’s tune was nifty and recorded it for an album.

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Debut album of Led Zeppelin released in US.

Ref: 5

Cream releases their last album "Goodbye".

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Jimi Hendrix & Peter Townshend wage a battle of guitars.

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Bob Dylan & Johnny Cash record an album (never released).

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Johnny Cash recorded his second live prison performance. It followed a concert the previous year at Folsom Prison. The LP Johnny Cash at San Quentin, with the hit single A Boy Named Sue, was recorded live as part of a British TV.

Ref: 4

Jim Morrison arrested for exposing himself at Dinner Key Auditorium.

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Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 14th Symphony.

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The rock magazine, Creem, was published for the first time this day.

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Sly and the Family Stone were starting their fourth (and final) week at number one on the pop music charts (also #1 on the soul charts) with Everyday People. When presented with the coveted gold record for this achievement, Sly ripped it out of its case, threw it on the platter player and heard, People, by Barbra Streisand. He was heard to utter a few words that are not printable here (this being a family feature).

Ref: 4

Bob Dylan released the album "Nashville Skyline."

Ref: 70

Simon & Garfunkel release "The Boxer".

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The Band (formerly The Hawks), perform their first concert.

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The singing family, The Cowsills, received a gold record for their hit single, Hair, from the Broadway show of the same name.

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Turtles play the White House, Mark Volman falls off stage 5 times

Ref: 2

The Who release the rock opera "Tommy".

Ref: 5

"Gitarzan" by Ray Stevens peaks at #8.

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Stevie Wonder’s My Cherie Amour was released by Tamla Records. The song made it to number four on the pop music charts on July 26 and stayed on the nation’s radios for eleven weeks.

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Bob Dylan & Johnny Cash combine on a Grand Ole Opry TV special.

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Tommy James & the Shondells release "Crystal Blue Persuasion".

Ref: 5

David Bowie releases "Space Oddity".

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Mick Taylor leaves John Mayall Band & joins the Rolling Stones

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Jazz musician Charles Mingus came out of a two-year, self-imposed retirement to make a concert appearance at the Village Vanguard in NY City.

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Jun 20

Guitarist Jimi Hendrix earned the biggest paycheck ever paid (to that time) for a single concert appearance. Hendrix was paid $125,000 to appear for a single set at the Newport Jazz Festival.

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Zager & Evans release "In the Year 2525".

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The Guess Who from Canada received a gold record for their hit single, These Eyes.

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50,000 attend Denver Pop Festival.

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Leslie West & Felix Pappalardi form the rock group Mountain.

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78,000 attend Newport Jazz Festival, Newport, RI.

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140,000 attend Atlanta Pop Festival featuring Led Zep & Janis Joplin.

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Jul 05

Rolling Stones give free performance in Hyde Park for 350,000 two days after Brian Jones's death.

Ref: 10

Rolling Stones release "Honky Tonk Woman".

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Just one day after Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, Duke Ellington and a portion of his band performed a 10-minute composition on ABC-TV titled Moon Maiden. The work featured piano, drums, bass and vocals.

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Three Dog Night received a gold record for the single, One. It was the first of seven million-sellers for the pop-rock group.

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70,000 attend Seattle Pop Festival.

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Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones, celebrated his 26th birthday with the release of the album, Beggar’s Banquet. It was the first time that Jagger’s guitar playing had been featured on any of the Stone’s records.

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Barbra Striesand opens for Liberace at International Hotel, Las Vegas.

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110,000 attend Atlantic City Pop Festival.

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Aug 09

Hot Fun in The Summertime, by Sly and the Family Stone, and Easy to Be Hard, from the Broadway production Hair, were released on this day. Hot Fun made it to number two on the music charts (10/18/69) and Easy to Be Hard climbed to number four (9/27/69).

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The Woodstock Music and Art Fair starts its three-day run at Max Yasgur's Dairy Farm in Bethel NY with 500,000 in attendence.

Ref: 70

Three Dog Night (Danny Hutton, Cory Wells and Chuck Negron) were awarded a gold record for the album Three Dog Night.

Ref: 4

Aug 17

The Woodstock Music and Art Fair concluded near Bethel, N.Y.

Ref: 70

Two concert goers die at the Woodstock Music and Art Fair in Bethel, New York, one from an overdose of heroin, the other from a burst appendix.

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Andy Williams received a gold record for the album Happy Heart on Columbia Records.

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Aug 24

Arlo Guthrie’s "Alice’s Restaurant" premiers in both New York and Los Angeles.

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Aug 30

120,000 attend Texas Intl Pop Festival.

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Singer, songwriter David Bowie debuted on U.K. charts with Space Oddity. You remember, “Ground Control to Major Tom, Ground Control to Major Tom ... Check igition and may God’s love be with you, Three, Two, One, Liftoff...” Space Oddity peaked at #5 in the U.K. The song’s release was timed for the U.S. moon landing, but didn’t make the U.S. charts until its rerelease in 1973 (it reached #15).

Ref: 4

Sugar, Sugar, by the the Archies, hit number one in Billboard. The Archies sat at the top of the hit heap for four weeks.

Ref: 4

Oct 07

Put on your headband, love beads, surfer’s cross and give the peace sign. It was on this day that The Youngbloods hit, Get Together, passed the million-selling mark to achieve gold record status.

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Oct 09

Supremes release "Someday We'll Be Together".

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Michael Thomas, the 25-year-old assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, took over for ailing conductor William Steinberg in the symphony’s appearance in NY City.

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Canada’s The Guess Who got a gold record for the single, Laughing.

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On this day, twenty years after the first release of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Gene Autry received a gold record for the single.

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Janis Joplin is accused of vulgar & indecent language in Tampa, FL.

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The first album featuring Karen and Richard Carpenter was released by A&M Records. Offering would not be a big seller, but a single from the disc, a remake of The Beatles’ Ticket to Ride, would gain national attention. Their next album, however, would establish them as major international stars (Close to You).

Ref: 4

Nov 26

The Band received a gold record for the album, "The Band".

Ref: 4

The Rolling Stones used portions of their stint at NY’s Madison Square Garden this day for their live album Get Yer Ya-Yas Out (released in 1970). Tracks on the album: Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Carol, Stray Cat Blues, Love in Vain, Midnight Rambler, Sympathy for the Devil, Live with Me, Little Queenie, Honky Tonk Women and Street Fighting Man.

Ref: 4

A free concert by the Rolling Stones at Altamont Speedway in Livermore, CA., was marred by the death of a man who was stabbed by a Hell's Angel.

Ref: 70

Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye, by Steam, reached the #1 spot on the top 40. It stayed at the top for two weeks and was the only major hit for the group that later ran out of ... steam.

Ref: 4

"Hello Dolly" with Barbra Streisand premieres.

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Arlo Guthrie releases "Alice's Restaurant".

Ref: 5

Jackson Five made their first appearance on "Ed Sullivan Show".

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Chicago Transit Authority became a gold record for the group of the same name (they later changed their name to Chicago). When the album was released by Columbia Records, it marked the first time an artist’s debut LP was a double record.

Ref: 2

Peter, Paul & Mary's "Leaving on a Jet Plane" reaches #1.

Ref: 5

Diana Ross final TV appearance as a Supreme (Ed Sullivan Show).

Ref: 5

B.J. Thomas received a gold record for the single, Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head -- from the motion picture, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Raindrops hit number one on the pop charts on January 3, 1970 and stayed there for 4 weeks.

Ref: 4

Elton John met with arranger Paul Buckmaster, writer Bernie Taupin and producer Gus Dudgeon. The collaboration marked the start of one of the most successful milestones of music in the 1970s. Together, they created Your Song, Friends, Levon, Tiny Dancer, Rocket Man and many more.

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Peter, Paul and Mary received a gold record for the single, Leaving On a Jet Plane. The song had hit #1 on December 20.

Ref: 70

1970

Dutch premiere of musical "Hair" in Amsterdam.

Ref: 5

Neighbors of New York landowner Max Yasgur sued him for $35,000 for property damage caused by ‘flower children’ who attended the August 1969 Woodstock Festival. More than 450,000 people attended the three-day event.

Ref: 4

Diana Ross and the Supremes performed their last concert together, at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas.

Ref: 70

The soundtrack of the film, Easy Rider, the movie that made a star of Peter Fonda, became a gold record. It was the first pop-culture, film soundtrack to earn the gold award.

Ref: 4

Andrew Moog invents the Moog synthesizer. (XDG, p. 4A, 1/24/2001)

Ref: 83

Grateful Dead members busted on LSD charges.

Ref: 5

"Jingle Jangle" hits #10 on the pop singles chart by Archies.

Ref: 5

Sly and The Family Stone received a gold record for the single, Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin). Sly (Sylvester) Stewart was a DJ in Oakland, CA.

Ref: 4

Joni Mitchell's final concert (Royal Albert Hall).

Ref: 5

Jackson 5 make TV debut on "American Bandstand".

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Simon and Garfunkel received a gold record for the single, Bridge Over Troubled Water.

Ref: 4

Mar 10

Barbra Streisand records "The Singer" & "I Can Do It".

Ref: 5

Brook Benton received a gold record for the hit single, Rainy Night in Georgia. It was Benton's first hit since 1963's Hotel Happiness.

Ref: 4

Brook Benton received a gold record for the hit single, Rainy Night in Georgia. It was Benton’s first hit since 1963’s Hotel Happiness.

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Joe Cocker played his first American concert. He entertained fans at Bill Graham’s Fillmore East in New York City.

Ref: 4

Miles Davis Bitches Brew released.

Ref: 5

DJs around the U.S. played the new number one song, ABC, quite often, as The Jackson 5 reached the number one spot in pop music for two weeks. ABC was the second of four number one songs in a row for the group from Gary, IN. I Want You Back was their first. ABC was one of 23 hits for Michael, Tito, Jackie, Jermaine and Marlon. ABC was knocked out of first place by The Guess Who and their hit, American Woman.

Ref: 4

Freda Payne releases "Band of Gold".

Ref: 5

Melanie releases "Lay Down".

Ref: 5

Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin combined for the first time on Elton’s first American album simply titled, Elton John. The LP contained Elton’s first hit, Your Song, which made it to the top ten on the music charts in December.

Ref: 4

The Chairmen of the Board received a gold record for the hit, Give Me Just a Little More Time. The Detroit group recorded three other songs in 1970, with moderate success.

Ref: 4

Close to You, the Carpenter’s second album and the one that launched them to meteoric fame, was released by A&M Records. The title song, (They Long to Be) Close to You, became a pop music standard and the first of six million-sellers in a row for Karen and Richard. In all, The Carpenters would have 10 gold records for singles and a dozen top ten hits to their credit. The duo won Best New Artist honors at the Grammy Awards in 1970.

Ref: 4

"Grover Henson Feels Forgotten" by Bill Cosby hits #70.

Ref: 5

The Guess Who from the Winnipeg, Canada area earned a gold record for both the album and single, American Woman. It would be one of three million-seller awards for the group. The group, which dates back to 1963, disbanded in 1975, with several reunions since then.

Ref: 4

Grateful Dead's first perfomance outside of the US (England).

Ref: 5

The Who's Tommy is performed at NY's Lincoln Center.

Ref: 5

The song Make It with You, by David Gates and Bread, was released. It turned out to be a number-one hit (8/22/70). Though Bread had a dozen hits, including one other million-seller (Baby I’m-A Want You, 1971); Make It with You was the soft-pop group’s only number one tune.

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The Jackson 5: Marlon, Tito, Jackie, Randy and Michael, jumped to number one on the music charts with The Love You Save. The song stayed at the top of the charts for two weeks. It was the third of four number one hits in a row for the group. The other three were I Want You Back, ABC and I’ll Be There. In 15 years (from 1969 to 1984), The Jackson 5/Jacksons had 23 hits, scored two platinum singles (Enjoy Yourself and Shake Your Body [Down to the Ground]) and one gold record (State of Shock).

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200,000 attend Atlanta Pop Festival.

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Casey Kasem hosted radio’s American Top 40 for the first time this day.

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30,000 attend Randall's Island Rock Festival, NYC.

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30,000 attend Powder Ridge Rock Festival, Middlefield Ct.

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British singer and pianist Elton John made his US concert debut at the Troubadour in West Hollywood. Some of his opening night numbers: Your Song, Country Comfort, Take Me to the Pilot, Honky Tonk Women and Bad Side of The Moon.

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Aug 26

Jimi Hendrix opened his recording studio in New York City. Because of its state-of-the-art 36-track recording capability, it attracted many top rock groups.

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Aug 27

Elton John makes his first US concert appearance at The Troubadour in Los Angeles, CA.

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Sep 12

James Taylor’s first single, Fire and Rain, was released.

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Decca awards Bing Crosby a 2nd platinum disc for selling 300 million.

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Oct 10

Neil Diamond reached the #1 spot on the pop music charts for the first time with Cracklin’ Rosie. In 1972, Diamond would reach a similar pinnacle with Song Sung Blue.

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Neil Diamond received a nice package: a gold record for the hit, Cracklin’ Rosie.

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Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? was released by Columbia. It became the third tune by Chicago to hit the pop music charts. Make Me Smile and 25 or 6 to 4 were previous hits. Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? made it to #7 on the charts (January 7, 1971).

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Anne Murray received a gold record for Snowbird. She was the first Canadian recording artist to receive a gold record.

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Elton John recorded an album live, on what was WABC-FM in NY City. It marked the first time that a concert was aired live and recorded for release as aired. The LP was titled, 11/17/70.

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Tippetts Opera "Knot Garden" premieres in London.

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The Beach Boys played to royalty at Royal Albert Hall in London. Princess Margaret was in attendance and shook the royal jewelry to such classics as Good Vibrations, I Get Around and Help Me, Rhonda.

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1971

The soundtrack album from the movie, Love Story, starring Ryan O’Neal and Ali McGraw, with music by Frances Lai, was certified as a gold record on this day.

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Lynn Anderson received a gold record for the single, Rose Garden. The Grand Forks, ND country singer was raised in Sacramento, CA. In addition to being a singer, she was an accomplished equestrian and California Horse Show Queen in 1966.

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Royal Albert Hall bans scheduled concert featuring Frank Zappa.

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The Osmonds, a family singing group from Ogden, Utah, began a five-week stay at the top of the pop music charts with the hit, One Bad Apple. The song, featuring the voice of little Donny Osmond, also showcased the talent of Alan, Wayne, Merrill and Jay Osmond. The brothers were regulars on Andy Williams’ TV show from 1962 to 1967. The group began as a religious and barbershop quartet in 1959. Together, the Osmonds scored with 10 singles in four years -- four of them were top ten hits.

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Allmana Brothers record a live album at Fillmore East.

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The Rolling Stones leave England for France to escape taxes.

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Tom Jones' "She's a Lady" goes gold.

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Emerson, Lake, & Palmer record "Pictures at an Exhibition" live.

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Janis Joplin started her second (and final) week at the top of the pop music charts with the hit, Me and Bobby McGee, written by Kris Kristofferson.

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The Bee Gees received a gold record for the single, Lonely Days.

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Rolling Stones Records was formed to promote the hits of The Rolling Stones. The famous Stones trademark, the lips logo, became widely used. Brown Sugar was the first hit by the Rolling Stones on the new label, followed by Wild Horses, Tumbling Dice and Bill Gates’ favorite song, Start Me Up.

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Chicago became the first rock group to play Carnegie Hall in New York City. Through the 1970s and 1980s, Chicago scored big with these hits: Make Me Smile, 25 or 6 to 4, Saturday in the Park, Old Days, Baby, What a Big Surprise, Hard to Say I’m Sorry and many others.

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Joy to the World, by Three Dog Night, made it to the top of the pop music charts on this day. The song was number one for six weeks. Now that’s a hit!

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Barbra Streisand records "We've Only Just Begun".

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The Rolling Stones' album "Sticky Fingers" was released.

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Rolling Stones release "Brown Sugar".

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Aretha Franklin, the ‘Queen of Soul’, received a gold record for her version of Bridge over Troubled Water, originally a Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel tune.

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The Honey Cone received a gold record for the single, Want Ads. The female soul trio was formed in Los Angeles in 1969 and scored two million-sellers, Want Ads and Stick Up. The trio had a total of four songs on the charts that were moderate hits. Only Want Ads, however, made it to the number one position.

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Benjamin Britten's opera "Owen Wingrave" premieres in Aldwych.

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The album "What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye was released.

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Rock group Iron Butterfly disbands.

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"Court Room" by Clarence Carter hits #61.

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36 hospitalized during Grateful Dead concert; after drinking LSD apple juice.

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Singer Francis Albert Sinatra made an attempt to retire from show business following a performance this night at the Music Center in Los Angeles, CA. ‘Ol’ Blue Eyes’ got a bit restless in retirement, however, and was back in Sinatra The Main Event at Madison Square Garden in November 1973.

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50,000 attend Celebration of Life, rock concert, McCrea Louisana.

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The Newport Jazz Festival’s reputation was tarnished as gate crashers stormed the stage. The unruly mob forced the show to leave Newport, Rhode Island and move to NY City. Oh, and the artist the crowd got unruly over? Not Bob Dylan, not Miles Davis, but Dionne Warwick! She was singing What the World Needs Now is Love at the time of the incident.

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Aug 14

Elton John put the finishing touches to his "Madman Across the Water" LP at Trident Studios, London. He recorded "Indian Sunset", "Rotten Peaches" and the title song, "Madman Across the Water". "Tiny Dancer", "Levon", "Razor Face", "Holiday Inn", "All the Nasties" and "Goodbye" had been recorded earlier. Since the album’s release on Feb 2, 1972, it has sold over two million copies in the U.S. alone.

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The Honey Cone scored their second gold record with Stick-Up on the Hot Wax label. It was a follow-up to their #1 smash, Want Ads (June 12, 1971).

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This was a very good day for singer Rod Stewart. His Every Picture Tells a Story album hit number one in both the U.S. and the U.K. And, to add a little icing to this day’s cake, his single with two back-to-back hits from the album -- Maggie May and Reason to Believe -- rose to #1 on the Billboard singles chart.

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‘Little’ Donny Osmond received a shiny gold record for his rendition of the Steve Lawrence hit, Go Away Little Girl. He went on to garner million-seller success with Hey Girl and Puppy Love too. Donny was quite popular with the bubblegum set, as well he should have been. Donny was only 13 years old.

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Rick Nelson was booed off the stage when he didn’t stick to all oldies at the seventh Annual Rock ’n’ Roll Revival show at Madison Square Garden, NY. He tried to slip in some of his new material and the crowd did not approve. The negative reaction to his performance inspired Nelson to write his last top-40 hit, Garden Party, which hit the top-ten about a year after the Madison Square Garden debacle. Garden Party, ironically, was Nelson’s biggest hit in years, “...If you gotta play at garden parties, I wish you a lotta luck; But if memories were all I sang, I rather drive a truck.”

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Folk singer Joan Baez received a gold record for her hit, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. It turned out to be her biggest hit, peaking at #3 on the charts (October 2, 1971).

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Memphis minister Al Green received a gold record for his single, Tired of Being Alone.

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Isaac Hayes of Memphis, TN got his first #1 hit as the Theme from Shaft began a two-week stay at the top of the charts.

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John & Yoko release "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" in US.

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Don McLean’s eight-minute-plus (8:32) version of American Pie was released. It became one of the longest songs with some of the most confusing (pick your favorite interpretation) lyrics to ever hit the pop charts. It was a disc jockey favorite since there were few songs long enough for potty breaks at the time. American Pie hit #1 on January 15, 1972.

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Melanie (Safka) received a gold record for the single, Brand New Key, about roller skates and love and stuff like that. This one made it to #1 on Christmas Day, 1971.

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1972

Don McLean received a gold record for his 8-minute-plus (8:32) hit, American Pie.

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Dmitri Shostakovich's 15th Symphony, premieres in Moscow.

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Triple album set "Concert for Bangladesh" released in UK.

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Aretha Franklin sings at Mahalia Jackson's funeral.

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"Another Puff" by Jerry Reed peaks at #65.

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Al Green’s Let’s Stay Together knocked American Pie out of the top spot on the music charts. The record stayed at the top for one week, before giving way to Nilsson’s Without You. Green returned to his gospel roots in 1980 and is a minister in Memphis, TN. Green recorded 14 hit songs with six of them making it to the Top 10.

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The group known as Climax received a gold record for their one and only hit, Precious and Few. The LA-based group was led by Sonny Geraci, formerly of the The Outsiders (of Time Won’t Let Me fame).

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Harry Nilsson started his second week at number one with that toe-tapping ditty, Without You. The whiny love song stayed at the top for a total of four weeks.

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Karen and Richard Carpenter of Downey, CA received a gold record for the hit single Hurting Each Other. When they tore the golden platter from its protective frame and plunked it on the player, they heard, Hurt So Bad, by Little Anthony and the Imperials. They were so upset by this that they ran out to the back yard and used the record as a Frisbee for the rest of the day. (Some of the preceding is based upon actual fact.)

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The group, America, rode to the top of the pop music charts with their LP, America, and the single (included on the LP), A Horse with No Name. A Horse With No Name would be the group’s only gold record and one of two number one songs (the other was Sister Golden Hair, 6/14/75). America placed 11 tunes on the pop music charts between 1972 and 1983. George Martin, the producer of The Beatles, was behind five America tunes, including Tin Man, Lonely People, Sister Golden Hair, Daisy Jane and Today’s the Day. Dan Peek, Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell were the original lineup of the trio that won the Best New Artist Grammy in 1972.

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Apr 01

30,000 attend Mar Y Sol rock concert, Vega Baja, Puerto Rico.

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Betcha by Golly, Wow, by The Stylistics from Philadelphia, earned a gold record for the group. The Stylistics also scored million sellers with You are Everything, I’m Stone in Love with You, Break Up to Make Up and You Make Me Feel Brand New.

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The album "Exile on Main St." by the Rolling Stones was released.

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"Jimmy Castor Bunch's Troglodyte" (Cave Man) hits #6.

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The Osmonds received a gold record for the album, Phase III.

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Jun 02

Dion & the Belmonts reunion concert at Madison Square Garden.

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David Bowie releases "Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust".

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Bruce Springsteen signs a record deal with Columbia.

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Jun 16

The only museum devoted exclusively to jazz music opened. The NY Jazz Museum welcomed visitors for the first time.

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Looking Glass releases "Brandy"

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Billy Preston received a gold record for the instrumental hit, Outa-Space. Preston, who played for gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, back in 1956, was also in the film St. Louis Blues as a piano player. He was a regular on the Shindig TV show in the 1960s; and recorded with The Beatles on the hits Get Back and Let It Be. Preston also performed at The Concert for Bangladesh in 1969. Many well-known artists have utilized his keyboard talents, including Sly & The Family Stone and the Rolling Stones.

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Jun 24

I Am Woman, by Helen Reddy, was released by Capitol Records. The number one tune (December 9, 1972) became an anthem for the feminist movement. Reddy, from Australia, made her stage debut when she was only four years old. She had her own TV program in the early 1960s. Reddy came to NY in 1966 and has appeared in the films Airport 1975, Pete’s Dragon and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Reddy also had four million-sellers: I Am Woman, Delta Dawn, Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress) and Angie Baby. She had a total of 14 hits on the pop music charts.

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Elton John landed at the top spot on the Billboard album chart for the first time as Honky Chateau made it to the top for a five-week stay.

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200,000 attend Mt Pocono rock festival in Penns.

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Moody Blues release "Nights in White Satin".

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Sep 01

The O’Jays received a gold record for Back Stabbers. It was the first hit for the group from Canton, OH. The O’Jays would place nine more hits on the pop and R&B charts. Five of them were gold record winners: Love Train, I Love Music, Use ta Be My Girl, For the Love of Money and Put Your Hands Together.

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Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway won a gold record for their duet, Where is the Love. The song got to number five on the pop music charts and was one of two songs that earned gold for the duo. The other was The Closer I Get To You (1978).

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Sep 07

Curtis Mayfield earned a gold record for his Superfly album, from the movie of the same name. The LP contained the hits, Freddie’s Dead and Superfly. Both songs were also million sellers.

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John C. Fogerty and Creedence Clearwater Revival called it a career ... and the group disbanded. Fogerty would continue in a solo career with big hits including, Centerfield and The Old Man Down the Road.

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Chuck Berry’s My Ding-a-Ling hit #1 in the U.S. It was number one for two weeks.

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A command performance is given for the Queen of England by Elton John.

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Curtis Mayfield received a gold record for Freddie’s Dead from the flick, Superfly.

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Motown’s Temptations reached the #1 spot on the top 40 charts with Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone. It was the fourth #1 hit for the Temptations, joining My Girl (1965), I Can’t Get Next to You (1969) and Just My Imagination (1971).

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Billy Paul from Philadelphia received a gold record for his smash hit, Me and Mrs. Jones.

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Keith Moon, Rod Stewart and Roger Daltrey opened the rock opera Tommy in london. The show featuring Tommy, Pinball Wizard and other tunes, was so hot that tickets sold for $50 and up.

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Helen Reddy received a gold record for the song that became an anthem for women’s liberation, I Am Woman. The song had reached number one on December 9, 1972.

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Folk singer Joni Mitchell received a gold record for the album, "For the Roses". The album included the song, "You Turn Me on, I’m a Radio".

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1973

Carly Simon received a gold record for the single, You’re So Vain.

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Carly Simon’s No Secrets was the #1 album in the U.S. for the first of five weeks. The tracks: The Right Thing to Do, The Carter Family, You’re So Vain, His Friends are More Than Fond of Robin, (We Have) No Secrets, Embrace Me You Child, Waited So Long, It Was So Easy, Night Owl and When You Close Your Eyes.

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Grateful Dead bass player, Phil Lesh, busted for drugs in California.

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Tap dancer Ray Castle measured at 1440 taps/minutes on BBC TV.

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Pink Floyd began recording Dark Side of the Moon, which would become the longest-charting record in Billboard magazine’s history. It remained on the album chart for more than 14 years - until mid-1988 - selling over five-million copies.

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‘Little’ Donny Osmond, of the famed Osmond Brothers/Family, received a gold record for his album, Too Young. When he played the gold-plated disc on his Mickey Mouse phonograph, all he heard was Ben by ‘little’ Michael Jackson, a competitor in the ‘Kids Who Sing Really High Awards’ battle.

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Johnny Rivers received a gold record for the hit single, Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu. As is tradition, Rivers removed the fragile gold disk from the wooden frame and, as he was putting it on his stereo, had a ferocious sneezing fit and never did find out how his song sounded in solid gold.

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(Long Island) KISS plays their first show (Coventry Club in Queens NY).

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Dr Hook's "Cover of "Rolling Stone"" enters Top 40 & peaks at #6.

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The King Biscuit Flower Hour debuted in the U.S. with a live (nationally syndicated) broadcast of Blood Sweat & Tears and the Mahavisnu Orchestra. The program also featured a then unknown Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

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Roberta Flack’s Killing Me Softly with His Song hit #1 in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100. The ballad remained at the top for four weeks: “...Killing me softly with his song; Killing me softly with his song; Telling my whole life with his words; Killing me softly with his song...”

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The Robert Joffrey Dance Company opened with a unique presentation in New York City. The show featured music of the Beach Boys in Deuce Coupe Ballet. A clever show, even if it didn’t do much to bring the masses to ballet.

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Roberta Flack, riding at #1 on the pop music charts with, Killing Me Softly with His Song, could hardly wait to rip into the fancy frame containing her brand new gold record. She flew to the stereo machine and set the needle down on the shiny surface, only to hear Come Softly to Me. She was so impressed by this unexpected turn of the table that she wound up humming the old Fleetwoods song for three days.

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Mar 29

After recording On the Cover of ‘Rolling Stone’, Dr. Hook finally got a group shot on the cover of Jann Wenner’s popular rock magazine. Inside, a Rolling Stone writer confirmed that members of the group (Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show) bought five copies of the mag for their moms -- just like in the song’s lyrics!

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The Stylistics received a gold record for their ballad hit, Break Up to Make Up. The Philadelphia soul group placed 10 hits on the pop charts in the 1970s. More of their gold record winners include: You Are Everything, Betcha By Golly Wow, I’m Stone in Love With You and You Make Me Feel Brand New.

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Vicki Lawrence got her number one single as The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia made it to the top of the pop charts on this day. Lawrence had become well known as the comedienne who played Eunice’s mother on The Carol Burnett Show and Mama’s Family.

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Barbra Streisand records "Between Yesterday & Tomorrow".

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The group, The Sweet, received a gold record for the hit Little Willy. The English rocker band recorded four hits in addition to their first million-seller, Ballroom Blitz, Fox on the Run, Action and Love is like Oxygen. Little Willy was a top-three hit, while the group’s other gold record winner, Fox on the Run made it to the top five.

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"2 Gentlemen of Verona", musical opens in London.

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56,800 fans paid $309,000 to see Led Zeppelin at Tampa Stadium. This was the largest, paid crowd ever assembled in the US to see a single musical act. The concert topped The Beatles 55,000-person audience at Shea Stadium in NY ($301,000).

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"Dueling Tubas" by Martin Mull hits #92.

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Stevie Wonder releases "You are the Sunshine of my Life".

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Stevie Wonder moved to the number one position on the Billboard pop music chart with You are the Sunshine of My Life. It was the third number one song for Wonder, following earlier successes with Fingertips - Pt 2 (8/10/63) and Superstition (1/27/73). He would have seven more number one hits between 1973 and 1987: You Haven’t Done Nothin’, I Wish, Sir Duke, Ebony & Ivory (with Paul McCartney), I Just Called to Say I Love You, Part-Time Lover and That’s What Friends are For.

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"Daisy" A Day by Jud Strunk hits #14.

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The sensual Pillow Talk, by Sylvia (Sylvia Vanderpool), earned a gold record. The artist first recorded with Hot Lips Page for Columbia Records back in 1950 and was known as Little Sylvia. She was half of the singing duo Mickey & Sylvia, who recorded Love is Strange in 1957. Pillow Talk was her only major solo hit and made it to number three on the pop music charts.

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Tippett's 3rd Piano sonata, premieres.

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"Funky Worm" by Ohio Players hits #15.

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"Super Fly Meets Shaft" by John & Ernest hits #31.

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Columbia Records fires president Clive Davis for misappropriating $100,000 in funds, Davis will start Arista records.

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Barry White was awarded a gold record for I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby. It was his first hit and his first of five number one million-sellers. White began recording in 1960. He formed the group, Love Unlimited, in 1969 and married one of the group’s singers, Glodean James. He also formed the 40-piece Love Unlimited Orchestra which had the number-one hit, Love’s Theme in 1973.

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Clint Holmes received a gold record for his hit single, Playground in My Mind.

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The Everly Brothers called it quits during a concert at the John Wayne Theatre in Buena Park, CA. Phil Everly walked off the stage in the middle of the show and brother Don said, “The Everly Brothers died ten years ago.” The duo reunited a decade later for a short time.

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Bad, Bad Leroy Brown reached the top spot on the Billboard pop-singles chart, becoming Jim Croce’s first big hit. Croce died in a plane crash two months later (September 20, 1973).

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Aug 06

Stevie Wonder came close to losing his life, following a freak auto accident. Wonder, one of Motown’s most popular recording artists, was in a coma for 10 days. Miraculously, he recovered and was back in the recording studio in less than eight weeks.

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Jazz drummer and legend Gene Krupa played for the final time with members of the original Benny Goodman Quartet.

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Donny Osmond received a gold record for his hit single, The Twelfth of Never. The song, released in March of 1973, was one of five which turned gold for the young Osmond.

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The in place for radio and record types to see, and be seen, opened in Los Angeles -- to a sold-out crowd. On the opening bill at the Roxy Theatre: Elton John, Carole King and Jackson Browne.

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Oct 09

Speaking of riches, Paul Simon got a gold record this day for his hit, Loves Me like a Rock.

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The Rolling Stones’ Goat’s Head Soup was number one album in the U.S. With the exception of Angie, the album’s tracks were only semi-memorable: Dancing With Mr. D, 100 Years Ago, Coming Down Again, Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker), Silver Train, Hide Your Love, Winter, Can You Hear the Music, Star Star.

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Keith Moon, Rod Stewart and Roger Daltrey opened the rock opera Tommy in london. The show featuring Tommy, Pinball Wizard and other tunes, was so hot that tickets sold for $50 and up.

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Karen and Richard Carpenter received a gold record for their single, Top of the World.

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Charlie Rich’s hit, The Most Beautiful Girl, hit #1 (for two weeks) in the U.S. “Hey, if you happen to see the most beautiful girl that walked out on me ... Tell her, "I'm sorry." Tell her, "I need my baby." Won't you tell her that I love her.”

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1974

Following eight years of inactivity, Bob Dylan toured for 39 dates in 25 cities. His first stop was in Chicago, IL. The tour was recorded and later released as a double-LP set titled, Before the Flood.

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"Joker" by Steve Miller Band peaks at #1.

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After an auto accident that had almost taken his life five months earlier, Stevie Wonder was back at work, playing a gig at the Rainbow Theatre in London.

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Barbra Streisand's first #1 hit, "The Way We Were".

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Barry White’s Love Unlimited Orchestra received a gold record for the disco hit, Love’s Theme.

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"Daddy What If" by Bobby Bare peaks at #41.

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"The Americans (A Canadian's Opinion)" by Gordon Sinclair peaks at #24.

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Rhino Store gives people 5¢ to take home Danny Bonaduce's Album.

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First performance at new Grand Ole Opry House at Opryland in Nashville.

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Jefferson Starship begins their first tour.

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Cher reached the top of the music charts as Dark Lady reached the #1 spot for a one-week stay. Other artists who shared the pop music spotlight during that time included: Terry Jacks, John Denver, Blue Swede, Elton John and MFSB.

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Barbra Streisand records the album "Butterfly".

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David Essex received a gold record for the hit, Rock On. Though a million seller, Rock On never made it to number one on the pop-rock charts -- stalling at number five. It was on the charts for a total of 14 weeks. Essex (real name: David Cook) portrayed the role of Christ in the London production of Godspell. He starred in several British films in 1970.

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Rock group Raspberries break up.

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The group, Blue Swede, received a gold record for the single, Hooked on a Feeling. As payback for tormenting listeners worldwide with the introduction of “ooga-chocka, ooga-chocka,” when the group played their gold record, they heard the original B.J. Thomas version of Hooked on a Feeling. They were so excited by this development, they ooga-chocka’d all night long.

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John Denver reached the top spot on the music charts with his hit, Sunshine on My Shoulders.

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James Brown, the ‘Godfather of Soul’, received a gold record this day for the single, The Payback. Of the 44 hits that Brown would put on the charts over three decades, he received only one other gold record -- for Get on the Good Foot - Part 1 in 1972. His biggest pop hits include: I Got You (I Feel Good) at number three in 1965, Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag at number eight in 1965, It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World at number eight in 1966, I Got The Feelin’ at number six in 1968 and Living in America at number four in 1986. This song was featured in the Sylvester Stallone film, Rocky IV.

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Redbone won a gold record for the single, Come and Get Your Love. The group, playing American Indian ‘swamp rock’, formed in Los Angeles in 1968. Lolly and Pat Vegas, brothers, had been session musicians and worked on the Shindig TV show. Anthony Bellamy and Peter De Poe were also members of the group. Redbone had one other hit, The Witch Queen of New Orleans. The top five hit, Come and Get Your Love, was the group’s second and final chart success.

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Bruce Springsteen performed a concert in Cambridge, Mass., that prompted rock critic Jon Landau to write, "I saw rock and roll's future and it's name is Bruce Springsteen."

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Just Don’t Want to Be Lonely earned a gold record for the group, The Main Ingredient. The trio began as the Poets in 1964. Cuba Gooding is heard singing lead. (Gooding’s son, Cuba Jr., starred in the 1991 film Boyz N The Hood.) The Main Ingredient’s biggest hit, Everybody Plays the Fool, made it to number three on the pop charts (1972).

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"Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" by Frank Sinatra hits #83.

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"Tubular Bells" by Mike Oldfield hits #7.

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Steely Dan releases "Rikki Don't Lose that Number".

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Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 15th String quartet.

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The Streak started a 3-week run at number one on the Billboard pop music chart. The novelty tune, by Ray Stevens, was about people running nekkid where they shouldn’t be nekkid, like, in public. It was the second number one hit for the comedian who made numerous appearances on Andy Williams’ TV show in the late 1960s, as well as his own show in the summer of 1970. His first number one hit, just prior to The Streak, was Everything is Beautiful. Both songs won gold records, as did his comedic Gitarzan, a top ten hit in 1969. “Booga-da, booga, da!”

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During a David Cassidy concert in London a 14 year old is trampled.

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William DeVaughn, a soul singer, songwriter and guitarist from Washington, DC, received a gold record for his only hit, Be Thankful for What You Got. The tune made it to number four on the pop music charts (6/29/74). Ever hear the phrase, "Don’t give up the day job?" This was quite applicable to DeVaughn, who was never heard musically again. His day job was working for the federal government.

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The Entertainer, the original music from the motion picture The Sting, earned a gold record for pianist and conductor, Marvin Hamlisch.

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Supergroup Blind Faith's (Clapton, Windwood, Baker) first concert

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First quadrophinic studio in UK is open by the Moody Blues.

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David Bowie's Diamond Dog tour ends in NYC

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John Denver’s biggest hit song reached the top of the Billboard singles chart. Annie’s Song, written for his wife, became the most popular song in the U.S. Denver had three other #1 songs: Sunshine on My Shoulders, Thank God I’m a Country Boy and I’m Sorry.

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Joan Jett forms her rock group the Runaways.

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Roberta Flack received a gold record for the single, Feel Like Makin’ Love. Flack, born in Asheville, NC and raised in Arlington, VA, was awarded a music scholarship to Howard University in Washington, DC -- at the age of 15. One of her classmates became a singing partner on several hit songs. Donny Hathaway joined Flack on You’ve Got a Friend, Where is the Love and The Closer I Get to You. She had 10 hits on the pop charts in the 1970s and 1980s.

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Eric Clapton received a gold record for I Shot the Sheriff. The song reached #1 on the pop charts on September 14th.

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The Beach Boys’ Endless Summer was the #1 album in the U.S. The lovely Olivia Newton-John had the number-one single. I Honestly Love You was #1 for two weeks. The album that single was taken from, If You Love Me, Let Me Know, hit number one the following week after the one-week run by the Beach Boys.

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Oct 08

Then Came You, by Dionne Warwicke and The Spinners, went solid gold this day. While the editors are poring over the proper spelling of her name, might we add that due to some superstitious feeling having to do with astrology, the former Ms. Warwick changed her name for good luck to Warwicke. It apparently worked. That is, until she went solo again upon meeting Barry Manilow in the early 1980s. Tunes like, I’ll Never Love This Way Again, Deja Vu and hits with Johnny Mathis, Luther Vandross and some friends made it OK to be just Dionne Warwick again.

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The single, Skin Tight, by The Ohio Players, went gold on this day.

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So Far, the album by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, rose to #1 in the U.S. The tracks: Deja Vu, Helplessly Hoping, Wooden Ships, Teach Your Children, Ohio, Find the Cost of Freedom, Woodstock, Our House, Helpless, Guinnevere and Suite: Judy Blue Eyes.

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The most expensive 2-record album was released -- on Casablanca Records. It was a comedy disc titled, Here’s Johnny Magic Moments from the Tonight Show.

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The group, Faces, released their tune with the longest title. You Can Make Me Dance, Sing or Anything (Even Take the Dog for a Walk, Mend a Fuse, Fold Away the Ironing Board, Or Any Other Domestic Shortcomings).

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Frank Sinatra emerged from retirement to do a TV special with dancer Gene Kelly. The show was a smash hit and revived Sinatra’s career.

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Billy Swan reached the #1 spot on the singles charts for the first and only time. I Can Help was the most popular song in the U.S. for two weeks.

Ref: 4

The Eagles hit, Best of My Love, was released. It would take until March 1, 1975 for it to reach the #1 spot on the top 40 charts.

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Kung Fu Fighting, by Carl Douglas, reached the #1 position on the pop charts. It stayed there for two weeks.

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"Joker" by Steve Miller Band peaks at #1.

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Lindsey Buckingham & Stevie Nicks join Fleetwood Mac.

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1975

Led Zeppelin fans riot before Boston concert, causing $30,000 damage.

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Barry Manilow's "Mandy" goes gold.

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"Hoppy, Gene & Me" by Roy Rogers peaks at #65.

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Eagles' "Best of My Love" reaches #1.

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Olivia Newton-John reached the top spot on the pop charts with Have You Never Been Mellow. In addition to Mellow, Olivia also reached the peak of pop stardom with I Honestly Love You, You’re the One That I Want (with John Travolta), Magic and Physical.

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Linda Ronstadt releases "When Will I Be Loved".

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On top of the Billboard popular music chart was B.J. Thomas, with the longest title ever for a number one song. (Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song was number one for one week, though it took that long just to say the title.

Ref: 4

Elton John’s Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy album was released and certified a platinum record on the very same day. It was the first album to be certified a million seller (in this case, a two-million seller) on the first day of release.

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"Funky Gibbon" by The Goodies hits #79.

Ref: 5

10cc releases "I'm Not in Love".

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Singer B.J. Thomas received a gold record for the single with the extremely long title, (Hey, Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song.

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The Doobie Brothers went gold with the album, Stampede. The group, formed in San Jose, CA, recorded 16 charted hits. Two made it to number one, becoming million-selling, gold record winners: Black Water [March, 1975] and What a Fool Believes [April, 1979].

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Alice Cooper received a gold record for the romantic album, Welcome to My Nightmare. Alice’s real name was Vincent Furnier. He changed his name to Alice Cooper in 1966 and was known primarily for his bizarre stage antics. He appeared in the film Prince of Darkness in 1987 and had 11 hits on the pop/rock charts in the 1970s and 1980s, including a pair of million-selling singles: I Never Cry and Poison.

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Ron Woods replaces Mick Taylor as Rolling Stone guitarist.

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Tony Orlando and Dawn received a gold record for their hit song, He Don’t Love You (Like I Love You). The million-seller was number one for three weeks (May 3-17, 1975) and one of five million-sellers for the trio. (He Don’t Love You was originally a hit for Jerry Butler in 1960.)

Ref: 4

America reached the top spot on the "Billboard" pop music chart with "Sister Golden Hair". The group had previously (March, 1972) taken "A Horse With No Name" to the number one spot. The trio of Dan Peek, Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell had received the Best New Artist Grammy in 1972. America recorded a dozen hits that made it to the popular music charts in the 1970s and 1980s. Though number one, "Sister Golden Hair" did not qualify for gold record (million-seller) status.

Ref: 4

Janis Ian releases "At 17".

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Jun 28

David Bowie releases "Fame".

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Van McCoy and The Soul City Symphony reached the top spot on the Billboard record chart for the first -- and only -- time. The disco hit The Hustle became the top record in the U.S. The instrumental remained in the reflection of the disco mirror ball for only one week ... though plenty of other disco hits followed. back!

Ref: 4

Singer Stevie Wonder signed the recording industry’s largest contract: $13 million over a seven-year period. Wonder stayed with his original label, Tamla/Motown, while other major Motown artists, including Diana Ross, Gladys Knight and The Four Tops had left the label over creative differences and financial accounting disputes.

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The Rolling Stones received a gold album for Made in the Shade.

Ref: 4

Sep 07

Steve Anderson set a record for picking a guitar. Anderson, 22, picked for 114 hours, 7 minutes, breaking the old record by over four hours.

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David Bowie's "Fame," single goes #1 for 2 weeks.

Ref: 5

Elton John’s Los Angeles concert was sold out at Dodger Stadium. It was the finale to his concert tour of the western U.S.

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Nov 01

Elton John’s Island Girl hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song parked itself at the top of the hit heap for 3 weeks.

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First appearance of the Sex Pistols.

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Elton John’s album, Rock of the Westies, debuted at #1 on US album charts. It was his second album to jump on the chart at number one. "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy had debuted at #1 six months earlier. Tracks on Rock of the Westies: Medley (Yell Help, Wednesday Night, Ugly), Dan Dare (Pilot of the Future), Island Girl, Grow Some Funk Of Your Own, I Feel Like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford), Street Kids, Hard Luck Story, Feed Me, Billy Bones and the White Bird.

Ref: 4

Sex Pistols' first concert (lasts 10 minutes). Ref

“Whoa Whoa Whoa, Feeeelings.” One of the great lounge-lizard songs of all time, Feelings by Morris Albert, went gold.

Ref: 4

They Just Can't Stop It (The Games People Play) became a gold record for the Spinners. Their other hits include Then Came You (with Dionne Warwicke), Could It Be I'm Falling in Love, The Rubberband Man, Working My Way Back to You, Cupid, It's a Shame and I'll Be Around -- for Motown.

Ref: 4

John Denver received a gold record for I'm Sorry.

Ref: 4

Paul Simon’s album, Still Crazy After All These Years, was number one in the U.S. It was Simon’s first #1 solo album and it contained his first recording with Art Garfunkel since their 1969 breakup (My Little Town, which was also included on Garfunkel’s Breakaway album).

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Rod Stewart announced that he was leaving the group, Faces, and was going solo in a deal with Warner Brothers.

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Ron Wood joined the Rolling Stones.

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Paul Simon’s 50 Ways to leave Your Lover jumped on U.S. singles charts. It hit number one (for three weeks) Feb 7, 1976. For you trivia fans out there, this is Paul Simon’s only #1 single (so far). “Just slip out the back, Jack; Make a new plan, Stan; You don't need to be coy, Roy; Just get yourself free...”

Ref: 4

Joe Walsh recruited to join Eagles.

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The Staple Singers reached the top spot on the pop music charts for the second time in their career. This time with Let’s Do It Again. The song, the theme from the movie soundtrack of the same name, was the last hit the group would have. I’ll Take You There was The Staple Singers’ first number one hit (June 3, 1972).

Ref: 4

First broadcast of radio Hilversum IV (classic music).

Ref: 5

1976

Jan 09

"Convoy", recorded by CW McCall, hits number one on the country music charts. (XDG, p 4A, 1/9/2001)

Ref: 83

C.W. McCall’s Convoy was the #1 single in the U.S. -- on both pop and country charts. “Ah, breaker one-nine, this here’s the Rubber Duck ... You gotta copy on me, Pig Pen, c’mon? Ah, yeah, 10-4, Pig Pen, fer shure, fer shure. By golly, it’s clean clear to Flag Town, c'mon. Yeah, that’s a big 10-4 there, Pig Pen, yeah, we definitely got the front door, good buddy. Mercy sakes alive, looks like we got us a convoy...”

Ref: 4

Sarah Caldwell is first woman to conduct at NY's Metropolitan Opera House as she led orchestra in a performance of "La Traviata".

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Peter Frampton released platinum live album "Frampton Comes Alive".

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The album, Frampton Comes Alive, was released by Herb Alpert’s A&M Records. The double LP soon reached the top spot of the album charts and stayed perched there for 17 weeks. It sold 19 million copies in its first year in the record racks.

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"I Write the Songs" by Barry Manilow hits #1.

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"Love Rollercoaster" by Ohio Players hits #1.

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Larry Groce's "Junk Food Junkie" peaks at #9.

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CW McCall CB song "Convoy" hit #1 on the country music charts.

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The Eagles album Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) was released. It would eventually sell more than 25 million copies in the US, second only to Michael Jackson’s Thriller.

Ref: 4

The Eagles Greatest Hits became the first LP in the US to be certified platinum - two-million copies sold. It rose to number one in the U.S. on March 13, 1976.

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Holgate, Kemp & Lopez' musical premieres in New York NY.

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The Waylon & Willie (Jennings and Nelson) song, Good Hearted Woman, started the last of three weeks at the top of the country music charts. Waylon and Willie wrote the song in 1969 during a poker game in Ft. Worth, TX. According to Jennings, “I’d been reading an ad for Ike and Tina Turner and it said, ‘Tina Turner singing songs about good-hearted women loving good-timing men.’ I thought, ‘What a great country song title that is!’” He was mighty correct, y’all.

Ref: 4

The Four Seasons, featuring the falsetto voice of Frankie Valli, returned to the pop charts after a 10-year absence. The group scored with December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night), which became the top song in the country. Valli’s real name is Castelluccio and with him were Bob Gaudio, Nick Massi and Tommy DeVito. Joe Long and Charlie Callelo were made members in the 1960s, when Gaudio concentrated on producing for the group and DeVito left. Bob Crewe was the group’s original producer. The name, The Four Seasons was taken from a New Jersey bowling alley. In all, the group charted 30 songs plus Valli had nine solo hits. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.

Ref: 4

Maxine Nightingale received a gold record for the single, Right Back Where We Started From. Nightingale was in the productions of Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Godspell and Savages in the early ’70s. Right Back Where We Started From was a number two hit for two weeks in 1976.

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"Fonz Song" by Heyettes hits #91.

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"Kentucky Moonrunner" by Cledus Maggard hits #85.

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"One Piece At A Time" by Johnny Cash hits #29.

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Ear doctors didn’t have to drum up business this day. There were plenty of walk-ins as The Who put out a total of 76,000 watts of power at 120 decibels. They played the loudest concert anyone had ever heard, making it into The Guinness Book of World Records.

Ref: 4

Queen's Bhoemian Rhapsody goes gold.

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Brian Wilson rejoined The Beach Boys, who were appearing at Angels Stadium in Anaheim, CA (before 74,000 fans). Wilson had been out of the group’s road tour schedule for 12 years.

Ref: 4

Rock group Deep Purple disbands

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Memphis, TN disc jockey Rick Dees and his ‘Cast of Idiots’ made it all the way to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 with the immortal Disco Duck (Part 1). Dees is still around, but not as a recording artist. He’s a DJ in Los Angeles and is hosting several varieties of the Weekly Top 40 show, syndicated around the world.

Ref: 4

Stevie Wonder’s album, Songs in the Key of Life wound up at number one in the U.S. It turned out to be no fluke. With greats, such as Sir Duke, Isn’t She Lovely and I Wish, the double-album stayed at #1 for 14 weeks. Other tracks: Love’s in Need of Love Today, Have a Talk with God, Village Ghetto Land, Contusion, Knocks Me Off My Feet, Pastime Paradise, Summer Soft, Ordinary Pain, Saturn, Ebony Eyes, Joy Inside My Tears, Black Man, Ngiculela - Es Una Historia/I Am S inging, If It’s Magic, As, Another Star, All Day Sucker, Easy Goin’ Evening (My Mama’s Call).

Ref: 4

The group, Chicago, started its second (and final) week at number one on the pop singles charts with, If You Leave Me Now. The hottest LP was Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life. The album was number one for a total of 14 weeks.

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The Band, appearing at the Winterland in San Francisco, announced that this was to be the group's last public performance.

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Sex Pistols using profanity on TV, gets them branded as "rotten punks".

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Al Stewart debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 with Year of the Cat. It peaked at #8, but not until March 1977.

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"A Star is Born", with Barbra Streisand, premieres.

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German Democratic Republic banishes singer Nina Hagen.

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The Cars play their first gig.

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1977

EMI records drop punk rock group Sex Pistols.

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Carole King’s landmark album, Tapestry, became the longest-running album to hit the charts, as it reached its 302nd week on the album lists.

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Rose Royce earned the #1 spot on the music charts with Car Wash, from the movie of the same name.

Ref: 4

Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" released.

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"CB Savage" by Rod Hart peaks at #67.

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"Dis-Gorilla (part 1)" by Rick Dees peaks at #56.

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"In The Mood" by Henhouse 5 Plus Too (Ray Stevens) peaks at #40.

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"Turn Loose On My Leg" by Jim Stafford peaks at #98.

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"Up Your Nose" by Gabriel Kaplan peaks at #91.

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Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" album released.

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The Eagles’ New Kid in Town landed in the top spot on the pop music charts for one week beginning this day.

Ref: 4

Clash releases their first recording "White Riot".

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Elvis Costello releases his first record "Less Than Zero".

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Fleetwood Mac's "Rumors," album goes to #1 & stays #1 for 31 weeks

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Stevie Wonder’s tribute to Duke Ellington, Sir Duke, was released.

Ref: 4

The Swedish pop group Abba made its debut at number one on the American pop charts, as Dancing Queen became the most popular record in the U.S.

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The Eagles earned a gold record for the hit, Hotel California. The award was the second of three gold record singles for the group. The other million sellers were New Kid in Town and Heartache Tonight. Two number one songs by The Eagles -- Best of My Love and One of These Nights -- didn’t quite make the million-seller mark.

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First quadraphonic concert (Pink Floyd in London).

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Doobie Brothers sponser a Golf Classic & Concert for United Way.

Ref: 5

ELO releases "Telephone Line".

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Jun 18

Fleetwood Mac worked Dreams to the number one spot on the pop music charts this day. It would be the group’s only single to reach number one. Fleetwood Mac placed 18 hits on the charts in the 1970s and 1980s. Nine were top-ten tunes.

Ref: 4

Nigel Harrison replaces Gary Valentine as bassist of Blondie

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Jul 08

Sabra Starr finishes longest recorded belly dance (100 hrs).

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Best of My Love, by the Emotions, topped the pop charts. It had a number one run of four weeks.

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Sep 01

Singer Debbie Harry (of Blondie) signed a recording deal with Chrysalis Records. Chrysalis bought the group’s private stock label for $500,000. With the high visibility of the former Playboy Bunny, it was difficult to think of Blondie as a band, and not just Debbie Harry.

Ref: 4

Dolly Parton's band uniform number 39 was retired by the Sevier County High School. She played the snare drum

Ref: 62

Debbie Boone's "You Light Up My Life," goes #1 & stays #1 for 10 weeks.

Ref: 5

Oct 24

Gary Busey began filming The Buddy Holly Story. The star was a ringer for the rock idol.

Ref: 4

Tony Orlando returned to the concert stage after a self-imposed, three-month retirement following the suicide death of his good friend, Freddie Prinze. Orlando appeared in concert in San Carlos, CA.

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After 29 weeks in the #1 position on the album charts (a record, literally...), Rumours, by Fleetwood Mac, was replaced at the top spot by the album Simple Dreams, sung by Linda Ronstadt.

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"Saturday Night Fever", starring John Travolta, premieres in NY NY.

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The Bee Gees spent Christmas and New Year’s Eve at the top of the music charts. How Deep is Your Love became #1 this day and stayed that way for three weeks.

Ref: 4

1978

Rhino Records releases their first album "Wildmania".

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Sex Pistols' final concert (Winterland, San Francisco).

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Bee Gees' "Saturday Night Fever" album goes #1 for 24 weeks.

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Bob Dylan plays second "Hurricane" benefit (Astrodome)

Ref: 62

Coleman, Comden & Green's musical premieres in New York NY.

Ref: 5

Andy Gibb reached the top of the music charts as (Love is) Thicker Than Water reached #1 for a two-week stay. The Bee Gees also set a record on this day as their single, How Deep Is Your Love, from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack stayed in the top 10 for an unprecedented 17 weeks. (Gibb died on March 10, 1988 of an inflammatory heart virus in Oxford, England. He was 30 years old.)

Ref: 4

Mar 17

Ligeti's opera "Le Grand Macabre" premieres in Stockholm.

Ref: 5

250,000 attend rock concert California Jam II in Ontario CA.

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Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams combined their singing talents to reach the number one spot on the nation’s pop music charts with Too Much, Too Little, Too Late.

Ref: 4

Shadow Dancing, by Andy Gibb, reached the number one spot on the pop music charts for the first of seven weeks. Gibb had two other number one hits: I Just Want to Be Your Everything and (Love is) Thicker than Water. Gibb, the youngest of the Gibb brothers who made up the Bee Gees, hosted TV’s Solid Gold in 1981-82. Andy scored nine hits on the pop music charts in the 1970s and 1980s. He died of an inflammatory heart virus in Oxford, England in 1988.

Ref: 4

BBC bans Sex Pistols "No One is Innocent".

Ref: 5

Bob Dylan performed before the largest open-air concert audience (for a single artist). Some 200,000 fans turned out to hear Dylan at Blackbushe Airport in England.

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Neil Diamond & Barbra Streisand's "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" hits #1.

Ref: 5

Kenny Jones becomes The Who's new drummer.

Ref: 5

1979

Sid Vicious' trial for murder of girlfriend Nancy Spingen begins.

Ref: 5

John Travolta probably remembers that the soundtrack LP of Saturday Night Fever reached $25 million in sales.

Ref: 4

Barbra Streisand’s Greatest Hits, Volume 2 was the #1 album in the U.S. The album was at the top of the charts for three weeks with these greatest hits: Love Theme From 'A Star Is Born' (Evergreen}, Love Theme From 'Eyes of Laura Mars' (Prisoner}, My Heart Belongs to Me, Songbird, You Don’t Bring Me Flowers, The Way We Were, Sweet Inspiration/Where You Lead, All in Love is Fair, Superman, and Stoney End.

Ref: 4

YMCA files libel suit against Village People's YMCA song.

Ref: 5

Charlie Daniels hosts the Volunteer Jam.

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The Gizmo guitar synthesizer was first demonstrated.

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Music Center Vredenburg opens in Utrecht Netherlands.

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Emerson, Lake & Palmer disband after 10 years together.

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"YMCA" by Village People peaks at #2 on pop singles chart.

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Steven Stills makes first digitally recorded rock album

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Pink Floyd premiered their live version of "The Wall" in Los Angeles.

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K-Mart pulls Steve Martin's "Let's Get Small" for being in "bad taste".

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"Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" by Rod Stewart peaks at #1.

Ref: 5

Keith Richards and The New Barbarians give a concert to benefit the Canadian National Institute for the Blind in Ottawa Canada.

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"In The Navy" by Village People hits #3.

Ref: 5

Elton John becomes first western rocker to perform live in the USSR.

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"Dancin' Fool" by Frank Zappa hits #45.

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Rock group "Little Feat" disbands

Ref: 5

Jun 23

The Charlie Daniels Band releases "Devil Went Down to Georgia".

Ref: 5

Aug 23

Soviet dancer Alexander Godunov defected while the Bolshoi Ballet was on tour in New York.

Ref: 70

Michael Jackson went to “#1 ... 1 ... 1” for the second time with Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough. His first number one (Oct. 14, 1972 - age 14) was a ratty little number about Ben.

Ref: 4

Herb Alpert’s Rise, from the album, Rise, rose to number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

Ref: 4

The Eagles had the number-one album in the U.S. The Long Run started a nine-week run at the top these tracks to remember: The Long Run, I Can’t Tell You Why, In the City, The Disco Strangler, King Of Hollywood, Heartache Tonight, Those Shoes, Teenage Jail, The Greeks Don't Want No Freaks and The Sad Cafe.

Ref: 4

Eleven are dead and eight injured in a mad rush to see a rock band (The Who) at a concert in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Ref: 2

Rock group, Emerson Lake & Palmer break up.

Ref: 5

Winterland Rock Concert Hall in San Francisco closes after 556 concerts.

Ref: 5

1980

Rupert Holmes was at the top of the pop music charts, with Escape (The Pina Colada Song).

Ref: 4

Cambodian Boat People's benefit, Oakland Col. w/ Joan Baez

Ref: 62

Pink Floyd's "The Wall" hits #1.

Ref: 5

175,000 pay to hear Frank Sinatra sing in Rio de Janeiro!.

Ref: 5

Billy Wyman said he will leave the Rolling Stones in 1983 (Sure!).

Ref: 5

Pink Floyd started a 4-week run in the #1 slot on the pop charts with their smash, Another Brick in the Wall. When the boys popped open their gold record and threw it on the stereo, they heard Flowers on the Wall by the Statler Brothers. Legend has it that they ordered a pizza and played it over and over for hours (the record, not the pizza).

Ref: 4

Bombay gets its first rock concert in 10 years (The Police).

Ref: 5

Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in Wall (Part II)" is banned in South Africa.

Ref: 5

"Rock Lobster" by B-52's hits #56.

Ref: 5

"Love Stinks" by J Geils Band peaks at #38.

Ref: 5

Billy Joel's Glass Houses album tops charts.

Ref: 5

Billy Joel earned his first gold record with It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me, which reached the top of the Billboard pop music chart. He would score additional million-sellers with Just the Way You Are, My Life, Uptown Girl (for girlfriend and later, wife and supermodel Christie Brinkley) and We Didn’t Start the Fire. Joel reached the top only one other time, with Tell Her About It in 1983.

Ref: 4

Oct 03

‘The Boss’, Bruce Springsteen, forgot some of the words to Born to Run before an enthusiastic opening night crowd in Ann Arbor, MI.

Ref: 4

Oct 14

Bob Marley's last concert.

Ref: 5

Barbra Streisand's "Guilty," album goes #1 for 3 weeks & her single "Woman In Love," goes #1 for 3 weeks.

Ref: 5

Opera star Beverly Sills gave her last performance

Ref: 62

Bruce Springsteen’s album, The River, hit #1 for four weeks in the U.S. Tracks on the album: The Ties that Bind, Sherry Darling, Jackson Cage, Two Hearts, Independence Day, Hungry Heart, Out in the Street, Crush on You, You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch), I Wanna Marry You, The River, Point Blank, Cadillac Ranch, I’m a Rocker, Fade Away, Stolen Car, Ramrod, The Price You Pay, Drive All Night, Wreck on the Highway.

Ref: 4

After years of success on the music charts with the New Christy Minstrels and the First Edition, Kenny Rogers got his first #1 song. Lady, written by Lionel Richie, stayed at the top for six weeks.

Ref: 4

2 months after death of drummer John Bonham, Led Zeppelin breaks up.

Ref: 5

Bruce Sprinsteen's concert at Madison Square Garden.

Ref: 5

1981

Creedence Clearwater Revival releases "Proud Mary". (XDG, p 4A, 1/25/2001)

Ref: 83

"The Tide Is High" by Blondie hits #1.

Ref: 5

Dolly Parton reached the top spot on the pop music charts with 9 to 5, from the movie of the same name, in which Dolly starred with Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda. The hit song stayed at #1 for a week, gave way to Eddie Rabbitt’s I Love a Rainy Night and bounced back two weeks later for another week at number one.

Ref: 4

REO Speedwagon’s Hi Infidelity was the #1 U.S. album. Hi-Infidelity spent a total of fifteen weeks at number one. The tracks: Don’t Let Him Go, Keep on Loving You, Follow My Heart, In Your Letter, Take It on the Run, Tough Guys, Out of Season, Shakin’ It Loose, Someone Tonight, I Wish You Were There.

Ref: 4

The group, Blondie, featuring Debbie Harry, received a gold record for the tune, Rapture. At the time, the pop-rock hit was perched at the top of the pop music charts. Blondie had eight charted hits. Four of them were million sellers, beginning with their first release, Heart of Glass in 1979. Four of the eight hits were number one on the charts, as well.

Ref: 4

Scottish singer Sheena Easton made it to the top spot on the pop music charts for her first -- and only -- time. Morning Train (Nine to Five) knocked Kiss on My List, by Daryl Hall and John Oates, out of the top of the music charts.

Ref: 4

Kim Carnes' "Bette Davis Eyes" hits #1, stay there 9 weeks.

Ref: 5

Bette Davis Eyes, by Kim Carnes, climbed to the top spot of the pop music chart and stayed there for five straight weeks, took a week off (replaced by Stars on 45 Medley by Stars on 45) and came back to number one for four more weeks! It was, obviously, a gold record winner and was played over and over and over for 20 weeks before becoming an instant oldie but goodie. Bette Davis Eyes, incidentally, was written in part by Jackie DeShannon, who had two top ten hits in the 1960s: What the World Needs Now is Love in 1965 and the million-seller, Put a Little Love in Your Heart, in 1969.

Ref: 4

Jun 23

Amanda Maccaro becomes first American to win Russian Ballet Competition.

Ref: 5

Jul 09

The Jacksons begin a 36-city tour.

Ref: 5

MTV - Music Television begins broadcasting at 12:01 am with the music video "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles.

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Aug 06

Stevie Nicks’ first solo album, Bella Donna, was released. The lead singer for Fleetwood Mac scored a top-three hit with Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around (9/05/81) from the album. Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers were featured on the track. Nicks went on to record a total of 11 hits for the pop-rock charts through 1988.

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Aug 14

The BBC recording of the Royal Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana reached number one on the album charts in Britain.

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Lionel Richie and Diana Ross hit number one on the pop music charts with their beautiful duet, Endless Love.

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For their first concert in years, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel reunited for a free concert to benefit New York City parks. The concert attracted a crowd of 500,000 people in Central Park and was broadcast to a TV audience in the millions.

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Sep 25

Rolling Stones begin their 6th US tour (JFK Stadium, Phila).

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Oct 11

Unknown rocker Prince opens for Rolling Stones at LA Coliseum.

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Barbara Mandrell walked away with the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year honor for the second year in a row.

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Loretta Lynn received a gold record for her album, Greatest Hits, Vol. 2.

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For the second week in a row, Daryl Hall and John Oates owned the top spot on the pop music charts with Private Eyes.

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Olivia Newton-John started the first of 10 weeks at the top of the pop music charts when Physical became the music world’s top tune.

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More Rod Stewart news: Stewart gave a concert at the Los Angeles Forum, which was televised to 23 countries and carried by FM radio stations in the US -- an audience of about 35 million.

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AC/DC’s album, For Those About to Rock We Salute You was #1 in the U.S. for the first of three weeks. The tracks on the album were: For Those About To Rock (We Salute You), Put the Finger on You, Let’s Get It Up, Inject the Venom, Snowballed, Evil Walks, C.O.D., Breaking the Rules, Night of the Long Knives and Spellbound.

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WEA Records (Warner-Elektra-Atlantic) raised the price of its 45 rpm records from $1.68 to $1.98 this day. The company was the leader of the pack with other labels soon boosting their prices. Within a few years, the 45 rpm record was boosted right out of existence.

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1982

"Centerfold" by J Geils Band hit #1 on pop chart.

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Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" is on the charts for 402nd week.

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Joan Jett & Blackhearts' "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" goes #1 for 7 weeks.

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Rock group Doobie Brothers split up

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I Love Rock ’N Roll, by Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, appeared at the top of the pop music charts for the seventh, and final, week. The rocker stayed on the charts for 16 weeks. Jett from Philadelphia, PA played guitar and formed the all-female rock band, The Runaways in the mid-’70s. The Blackhearts were founded in 1980. Jett starred in the film, Light of Day, playing the role of leader of a rock band called The Barbusters. The movie also starred Michael J. Fox and Michael McKean. The title song, Light of Day, was written by Jett and Bruce Springsteen. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts had nine hits on the charts into 1990, but I Love Rock ’N Roll was the group’s only million-plus selling record.

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The group, Fleetwood Mac, receives a gold record for the album Mirage.

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Sep 04

After six weeks, Eye of the Tiger, by Survivor, dropped out of the top spot on the music charts. The song, from the movie, Rocky III, dropped all the way to number 2 (for two weeks), then to number 3 for one week and to number 4 for two weeks before starting to fade. That’s what we call a hit, folks! It was the group’s biggest, earning them a platinum record.

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Business as Usual, the smash album by Men at Work, started a fifteen-week run at number one in the U.S. The tracks: Who Can It Be Now?, I Can See It in Your Eyes, Down Under, Underground, Helpless Automation, People Just Love to Play with Words, Be Good Johnny, Touching the Untouchables, Catch a Star, Down by the Sea.

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The #1 song in the U.S. was former Commodore Lionel Richie’s Truly. The love song stayed at the top of the charts for two weeks. The song was his first solo hit and followed Endless Love, a duet with Diana Ross (1981).

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Michael Jackson releases "Thriller".

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Toni Basil reached the #1 one position on the pop music charts for the first time, with her single, Mickey. The chorus: “Hey Mickey, you’re so fine, you’re so fine, you blow my mind, hey Mickey, hey Mickey.” Romantic, huh?

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Daryl Hall and John Oates reached the #1 spot on the music charts for the fifth time with Maneater. The song stayed in the top spot for four weeks, making it Hall and Oates’ most popular hit.

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1983

"Down Under" by Men At Work hit #1 on UK pop chart.

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"Weird Al" Yankovic records "Ricky" & "Buckingham Blues" debut LP.

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Charley Pride’s Why Baby Why topped the country charts. The song was written by George Jones (who found national fame with his own version in 1955) and Darrell Edwards. Legend has it that inspiration for the song came when Edwards overheard a couple squabbling in their car in Orange, TX.

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Michael Jackson's "Thriller" album goes to #1 & stays #1 for 37 weeks.

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Interior Secretary James Watt banned the Beach Boys from the 4th of July celebration on the Washington Mall, saying rock 'n' roll bands attract the "wrong element."

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"She Blinded Me with Science" by Thomas Dolby hits #5.

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David Bowie's "Let's Dance" single goes #1.

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"Bang The Drum All Day" by Todd Rundgren hits #63.

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"Ricky" by Weird Al Yankovic hits #63.

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Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel took to the road to begin a 19-city tour beginning in Akron, OH. It was the first tour by the popular singing duo since their success in the 1960s.

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Storm cuts short Diana Ross' free concert in NY's Central Park.

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Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton received some gold to add to their collections -- for their smash, Islands in the Stream.

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Celebrating its 100th anniversary, NY’s Metropolitan Opera featured a daylong concert with some of the world’s greatest opera stars. On stage at the Met were Joan Sutherland, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti.

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After four weeks at #1 on the pop music charts, Bonnie Tyler’s Total Eclipse of the Heart slipped to #2 -- replaced by Islands in the Stream by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton.

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Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon became the longest-charting album of all time when it logged its 491st week on the Billboard Top 200 album chart. The previous champ had been Johnny’s Greatest Hits, by Johnny Mathis (490 weeks: April 1958-July 1968). Dark Side of the Moon stayed on the chart for 724 consecutive weeks (740 weeks altogether) and didn’t drop off until July 13, 1988. Michael Jackson’s Thriller sold the most copies ever -- 40 million -- but it spent ‘only’ 122 weeks on the album chart.

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Lionel Richie began the first of four consecutive weeks at the top of the music charts as All Night Long (All Night) became the most popular song in the U.S.

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Spokesperson for The Who announces the group is disbanding

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1984

The group, The Police, planned a farewell concert for March 2 in Australia. After nine years together, band members decided to go their separate ways.

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Cyndi Lauper became the first female recording artist since Bobbie Gentry [1967] to be nominated for five Grammy Awards: Album of the Year, Best New Artist, Best Pop Vocal Performance (Female), Record of the Year and Song of the Year. She went one better for copping the award for Worst Hair Coloring by a Woman on the Planet.

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Thriller, the album by Michael Jackson, became the all-time best-selling LP. Thriller, with ten-million copies sold, surpassed the previous bestseller, the soundtrack from Saturday Night Fever. Among its precedent-shattering achievements, Thriller spent 37 weeks at number one on the Billboard album chart (longer than any contemporary rock or pop album -- only the cast album of South Pacific at 69 weeks and the West Side Story soundtrack at 54 weeks had longer runs at the top). And Thriller produced seven top-10 singles, ahead of Fleetwood Mac, Cyndi Lauper and Bruce Springsteen, who have each taken four top-10 singles off one LP. As of early 2002, Thriller was still the biggest-selling record ever, having sold more than 40-million copies.

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Madonna first sings "Holiday" on American Bandstand.

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Michael Jackson awarded a 4-foot-high platinum disc by CBS.

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Farewell concert of "Doe Maar" in Den Bosch Netherlands.

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Apr 21

Michael Jackson’s Thriller album slipped a couple of notches from number 1 to number 3 on the pop album charts. Michael needn’t have been too upset. Thriller was number one for 37 weeks, setting a record in music history for the longest run at the top.

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Mick Fleetwood (of Fleetwood Mac) files for bankruptcy.

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"White Horse" by Laid Back hits #26.

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"King Of Suede" by Weird Al Yankovic hits #62.

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Bruce Springsteen releases "Born in the USA"

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Polygram's Hanover Germany plant produces its 10 millionth CD.

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Cyndi Lauper's first #1 "Time After Times".

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Barbra Striesand records "Here We Are at Last".

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Jun 29

Singer Bruce Springsteen kicked off his first U.S. tour in three years, before 17,700 fans at the Civic Center in St. Paul, MN. Music critics called the Boss “...the most exciting performer in rock.”

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Epic Records set a record as two million copies of the Jacksons’ new album, Victory, were shipped to stores. It was the first time that such a large shipment had been initially sent to retailers. The LP arrived just days before Michael and his brothers started their hugely successful Victory Tour.

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Jul 06

Michael Jackson and his brothers started their Victory Tour in KS City, Missouri’s Arrowhead Stadium. The tour turned out to be a victory for the Jacksons when the nationwide concert tour concluded months later.

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England's MusicBox begins satellite transmission to Europe.

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Aug 04

Prince's "Purple Rain," album goes to #1 & stays #1 for 24 weeks.

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Aug 17

On this, the first night of his Breaking Hearts Tour, Elton John announced that he was retiring from touring.

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Ghostbusters, by Ray Parker, Jr., started week #3 at the top of the pop music charts. The hit song was from the movie of the same name starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Rick Moranis and Harold Ramis.

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The Jacksons’ Victory Tour broke the record for concert ticket sales. The group surpassed the 1.1 million mark in only two months.

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Bruce Springsteen broke the attendance record at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. The Boss entertained 16,800 fans for the first of six sold-out shows. Springsteen broke his own record; one he set during a visit to Philly in.

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History was made at the Metropolitan Opera House in NY City. Neil Shicoff, lead tenor in the The Tales of Hoffmann, was unable to perform due to illness. His understudy, a chap named William Lewis, was a bit under the weather as well, and his voice began to falter during the performance. So, Kenneth Riegel was called in to sing the part from the orchestra pit while Mr. Lewis lip-synced the part on stage.

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John Cougar Mellencamp reached the two-million-dollar sales mark with his album, Uh-Huh. Also, country group Alabama went to the three-million-dollar mark with two albums this day: Feels So Right and Mountain Music.

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Barbra Streisand won multiplatinum certification for three albums that reached the four-million-dollar sales mark. Greatest Hits, Vol. II, Guilty, and A Star is Born (with Kris Kristofferson) were honored.

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Barry Manilow opened at Radio City Music Hall, New York. His concerts sold out to the tune of $1.9 million, besting (by $100,000) the record set by Diana Ross.

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Caribbean Queen became a gold record for Billy Ocean. It was Ocean’s second hit song and the only one of his 11 hits to become a million-seller. He would have two other #1 songs and a pair of #2 hits, but none as big as Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run). Billy’s from Trinidad, you know. His real name: Leslie Sebastian Charles.

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The Artist Formerly Known as Prince kicked off his fall tour in Detroit. He broke the record for sold-out performances at the 20,000-seat Joe Louis Arena. The previous record-holder was The Artist Still Known as Neil Diamond (in 1983).

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The largest crowd to see the unveiling of a Hollywood Walk-of-Fame star turned out as Michael Jackson got his piece of the sidewalk right in front of Mann’s Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. ‘The Gloved One’ became star number 1,793 on the famed walk.

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Dec 07

Michael Jackson was in Chicago to testify that the song, The Girl is Mine, was exclusively his and he didn’t swipe the song, Please Love Me Now. It was a copyright infringement case worth five million dollars. He won.

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The Jackson’s Victory Tour came to a close at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles after 55 performances in 19 cities. The production was reported to be the world’s greatest rock extravaganza and one of the most problematic. The Jackson brothers received about $50 million during the five-month tour of the U.S. -- before some 2.5 million fans.

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The group known as Band Aid -- 38 of Britain's top rock musicians -- recorded Do They Know It's Christmas? for Ethiopian famine victims. Despite best of intentions, much of food raised never got to starving Ethiopians. In fact, much of it was found rotting docks, not fit human consumption.

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33 unknown Bach keyboard works found in the Yale library.

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Madonna's "Like a Virgin" single goes #1 for 6 weeks.

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CBS Records announced plans for the release of Mick Jagger’s first solo album, set for February, 1985. The Rolling Stone went solo after a 20-year career with the self-proclaimed “greatest rock ’n’ roll band in the world.” The album: "She’s the Boss".

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1985

Soprano Leontyne Price bid adieu to the Metropolitan Opera in New York. She sang the title role of Aida. Price had been part of the Met since 1961.

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After a record 24 weeks as the #1 album in the nation, Prince (now known as The Artist Previously Known as Prince) slipped to the #2 spot with Purple Rain. Replacing Prince at the top spot: ‘The Boss’ Bruce Springsteen’s Born In the USA, which spent 24 weeks waiting for Purple Rain to fall.

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"Born In The USA" by Bruce Springsteen peaked at #9.

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45 of the world’s top recording artists were invited to an all-night recording session at the A&M studios in Los Angeles. As each of the artists walked through the studio door, they were greeted by a hand-lettered sign -- put there by Lionel Richie. It simply said, “Check your ego at the door.” The session started at 10 p.m. with producer Quincy Jones conducting. At 8 o’clock the following morning, the project, USA for Africa, spearheaded by promoter, Ken Kragen, was recorded and mixed. The resulting song, We Are the World, featuring Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Sting, Harry Belafonte, Diana Ross, Paul Simon and many others became the top song in the U.S. on April 13, 1985.

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John Fogerty, former leader of Creedence Clearwater Revival, returned to the A&M recording studios in Hollywood, CA to give his first ‘live’ performance in 14 years. Actually, Fogerty performed in a video called Rock and Roll Girls.

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Madonna's "Like a Virgin" album goes #1 for 3 weeks.

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Country singer Gary Morris hit #1 on the country charts for the first time with Baby Bye Bye, from his album, Faded Blue.

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The song We Are the World, from the album of the same name, was played on the radio for the first time. Forty-five of pop music’s top stars had gathered together to combine their talents to record the music of Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson. Richie and Jackson sang, too, while Quincy Jones did the producing of the USA for Africa record. The proceeds of the multimillion-selling recording went to aid African famine victims. The project, coordinated by Ken Kragen, was deemed a huge success.

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DJs around the U.S. began questioning listeners to see which ones could name the 46 pop music stars who appeared on the hit, We Are the World. The song, airing first on this day as a single, contains a “Who’s Who” of contemporary pop music.

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We Are the World, by USA for Africa, a group of 46 pop stars, entered the music charts for the first time at number 21.

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Roger Waters of Pink Floyd made radio history. His Radio City Music Hall concert in New York was broadcast live using a new high-tech sound system called ‘holophonics’. It is said to have recreated the stage experience in amazing detail.

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Apr 01

The long-awaited album, "We Are the World", was finally released.

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A day after its release, the album, "We are the World", is certified gold with sales in excess of 500,000 copies.

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Broadcasters banded together to play the single, We Are the World, at 10:50 a.m. E.S.T. Stations in the United States were joined by hundreds of others around the world in a sign of unification for the African relief cause. Even Muzak made the song only the second vocal selection it has ever played in elevators and offices since its inception.

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The country group, Alabama, went five-for-five as the album 40 Hour Week grabbed the top spot on the Billboard country chart. The group had a number one album for each of the previous five years. The popularity of the quartet (three are cousins from Fort Payne, AL) continues today.

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Prince ended his 32-city tour and said that he was withdrawing from live performances for “an indeterminate number of years.” The last city on the tour was Miami, FL. He meant it so much, he even changed his a symbol and the name TAFKAP (The Artist Formerly Known As Prince).

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The Grand Ole Opry, a radio staple from Nashville for 60 years, came to TV. The Nashville Network presented the country music jamboree to some 22-million homes across the U.S.

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The sequined ‘King of Show Business’, Liberace, broke his own record for ticket sales at Radio City Music Hall. Liberace grossed more than $2,000,000 for his engagement in the historic New York City venue. His previous record was set in 1984 ($1.6 million in tickets sold).

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The British pop music group Wham!, featuring George Michael, became the first to release cassettes in the People’s Republic of China. Selections from two of the group’s albums were packaged and sold on the tape.

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Madonna's "Crazy For You" single goes #1.

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Lionel Richie receives an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Tuskegee Institute in AL (his alma mater).

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"One Night In Bangkok" by Murray Head hits #3.

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Marvin Gaye’s last album was released. Dream of a Lifetime featured songs that critics considered too offensive, such as the controversial, pop version of The Lord’s Prayer. Three of the songs from the album were completed after Gaye’s death. Marvin Gaye was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

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The pop/rock group, Wham!, featuring George Michael, became the first group since the Bee Gees in 1979 to place three consecutive singles in the number one spot on the music charts. Everything She Wants started a 2-week run at number one on this day. The other Wham! number one-ers were Careless Whisper (2/16/85 - 3 weeks) and Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go (11/17/84 - 3 weeks).

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Ron Howard directed his first music video. The TV star of The Andy Griffith Show and Happy Days also directed the film Cocoon, which included Gravity, the song used in the video. Michael Sembello, a guitarist who played on Stevie Wonder’s hits between 1974 and 1979 was responsible for Gravity.

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Big River, later to be a Tony Award-winning cast album, became the first cast soundtrack LP to be recorded in Nashville, TN. The celebrated album was released on MCA Records and tapes.

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Duran Duran took A View to a Kill, from the James Bond movie of the same name, to the top of the record charts this day. The song stayed on top for two weeks. Live and Let Die by Wings and Nobody Does It Better by Carly Simon -- both James Bond themes -- got only as high as number two on the record charts.

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Live Aid, an international rock concert in London, Philadelphia, Moscow and Sydney, Australia, was held to raise money for Africa's starving people.

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Barbra Streisand records "The Broadway Album".

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Aug 10

Madonna’s album Like a Virgin became the first solo album by a female artist to be certified for sales of five million copies.

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Aug 24

Huey Lewis and The News reached the top. The Power of Love was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks.

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The poor of America’s Heartland ... the financially troubled farmers of Middle America ... got help from their friends in the music biz. Singing stars Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Cougar Mellencamp held a benefit concert to raise funds. The stars came out and so did the money. The Farm Aid concert raised ten million dollars.

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Take on Me, by a-ha, reached number one on the pop music charts. MTV was playing a-ha’s nifty Take on Me video regularly, too.

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For only the second time, a TV soundtrack LP topped the album charts. Miami Vice (title track by Jan Hammer) enjoyed a run of eleven weeks. The only other TV soundtrack LP to chart at #1 was Henry Mancini’s Peter Gunn in 1959. The remainder of the top-five albums of the week: 2)-Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits; 3)-Whitney Houston by Whitney Houston; 4)-Scarecrow by John Cougar Mellencamp; 5)-Songs from the Big Chair by Tears For Fears.

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John Cougar Mellencamp promised 24,000 people at a NY City concert that he would refund their $17.50 tickets. A power outage had caused a 20-minute interruption during this, his debut concert.

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Bruce Springsteen’s album, Born in the USA, passed Michael Jackson’s Thriller to become the second longest-lasting LP in the top 10. It stayed there for 79 weeks. Only The Sound of Music, with Julie Andrews, lasted longer: 109 weeks.

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James Vance (20) & Raymond Belknap (18) commit suicide, sparking their families to sue rock group Judas Priest for subliminal messages.

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Over 54,500 people played kazoos in downtown Rochester, NY. The assembled multitude played, A Bicycle Built for Two. Any idea why? Well, they felt it was appropriate for the last day of the year -- and it got the crowd listed in the Guiness Book of World Records for ‘Most Kazoo-ers’.

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1986

Dionne Warwick’s single for AID’s research, "That’s What Friends Are For", became her second #1 song on the music charts. Although Dionne had many hits in the 1960s, singing Burt Bacharach tunes like, I Say a Little Prayer and Do You Know the Way to San Jose; she first hit the top spot when she added an ‘e’ to Warwick and joined the Spinners in the 1974 hit, Then Came You. She changed her name back to Warwick (without the ‘e’) after making a couple of hits produced by Barry Manilow in the early ’80s. That’ll do it. Remember, I’ll Never Love This Way Again?

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Bruce Springsteen makes an unannounced appearance at a benefit concert for laid-off factory workers in Asbury, NJ. (XDG, p 4A, 1/19/01)

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First induction of Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame (Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Domino, Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis & Elvis Presley).

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Whitney Houston reached the #1 spot on the music charts. Her single, How Will I Know, replaced a song recorded by her first cousin, Dionne Warwick (That’s What Friends Are For). Whitney is the daughter of singer Cissy Houston. This day also saw Sade’s album Promise hit #1 in the U.S.

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Mr. Mister’s Kyrie rose to #1 on in the U.S. The single was a track from the album Welcome to the Real World, which became the #1 album in the U.S. this day.

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Heart's "These Dreams" single goes #1.

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Geffen records signs Guns & Roses.

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More than 6,000 radio stations of all format varieties (even Muzak) played We are the World simultaneously at 10:15 a.m. EST. The promotion became part of the biggest participatory event in history by linking a human chain of millions of people from sea to sea. Ken Kragen was the promotion genius behind the plan that raised millions of dollars and created awareness for the African famine relief project.

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Vladimir Horowitz performs in his Russian homeland.

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"Rock Me Amadeus" by Falco hit #1 on UK pop chart.

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"Chicken Song" by Spitting Image hit #1 on the UK pop chart.

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Madonna's "Live to Tell," single goes #1.

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Jul 05

Janet Jackson finally took "Control" and got all the way to the top of U.S. LP charts. She was the youngest (19 years old) to hit number one with an LP since Little Steve Wonder ("The 12 Year Old Genius") in 1963. Produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, "Control" was her third album, but her first to hit number one. Tracks from the LP, "What Have You Done for Me Lately" became Jackson’s first top-five single and "Nasty" made it to number three.

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Jul 16

Columbia Records announced that after 28 years with the label, the contract of country star Johnny Cash would not be renewed. Cash recorded 13 hits on the pop music charts from 1956 to 1976 -- all but four on Columbia. The others were on Sam Phillips’ Memphis-based label, Sun. Cash’s biggest hit for Columbia was "A Boy Named Sue" in 1969.

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Aug 16

Madonna's "True Blue," album goes #1 for 5 weeks & her single "Papa Don't Preach," goes #1 for 2 weeks.

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Barbra Streisand's first live concert in 20 years

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Bananarama hit the top spot on the pop music charts with Venus. The tune had also been a number one hit for the Dutch group, The Shocking Blue (2/07/70).

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"Captain EO" with Michael Jackson permieres

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The number one pop hit in the U.S. was Stuck With You, by Huey Lewis & The News. The song, from the multi-platinum album Fore!, was stuck at #1 for three weeks.

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Lionel Richie’s Dancing on the Ceiling was the #1 U.S. LP. The tracks: Dancing on the Ceiling, Se La, Ballerina Girl, Don’t Stop, Deep River Woman, Love Will Conquer All, Tonight Will Be Alright, Say You, Say Me and Night Train (Smooth Alligator). Dancing on the Ceiling was the number one album for two weeks.

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Chuck Berry celebrated his 60th birthday with a concert in his home town of St. Louis, Missouri (at the Fox Theatre). The show was organized by Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones) and the concert was used in a documentary titled, Hail! Hail! Rock ’N’ Roll, an overview of Berry’s career.

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Huey Lewis and The News had the number one album in the U.S. Fore was perched at the pinacle of popdom for one week. Fore featured these tracks: Jacob’s Ladder, Stuck with You, Whole Lotta Lovin’, Doing It All for My Baby, Hip to Be Square, I Know What I Like, I Never Walk Alone, Forest for the Trees, Naturally and Simple as That.

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New Jersey-based rock band Bon Jovi rose to number one in the U.S. with their Slippery When Wet album. It was the number one album for eight -- count ’em -- eight weeks. Track listing: Let It Rock, You Give Love a Bad Name, Livin’ on a Prayer, Social Disease, Wanted Dead or Alive, Raise Your Hands, Without Love, I’d Die for You, Never Say Goodbye, Wild in the Streets.

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Nov 01

Boston’s Third Stage album hit the big time this day as it became the number one album in the U.S. Memorable (and not so memorable) tracks on the album: Amanda, We’re Ready, The Launch, Cool the Engines, My Destination, A New World, To Be a Man, I Think I Like It, Can’tcha Say, Still in Love, Hollyann.

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Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Live/1975-85, the long-anticipated album by "The Boss", hit record stores this day. Fans made the LP a one-day sellout, buying over a million copies and generating more first-day dollars than any record in 30 years. It's a five-disc, 40-song set.

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The first major operetta written by Gian Carlo Menotti in over 20 years was presented at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Starring tenor Placido Domingo, Goya was said by critics to be only “intermittently good.”

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The blockbuster five-record set, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Live/1975-85, debuted at #1 on the album charts this day. No five-record set had made the top 25 until then. No five-record set had ever gone platinum until then. The price tag? $25.

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The Way it Is, by Bruce Hornsby and the Range, hit #1 for a week in the U.S.: “That’s just the way it is; Some things will never change. That’s just the way it is; Aw, but don’t you believe them.”

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Violinist Isaac Stern arrived in a horse-drawn carriage to cut the ribbon for the renovated Carnegie Hall in NY City.

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Carnegie Hall reopens after a $50 million facelift.

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The Bangles’ "Walk like an Egyptian" moved to the top of the "Billboard" "Hot 100". It was #1 for three weeks. “Foreign types with the hookah pipes say; Ay oh whey oh, ay oh whey oh; Walk like an Egyptian...”

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1987

The first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was ‘Lady Soul’: Aretha Franklin. Bill Haley was among the 14 others inducted on this date.

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Rhino Records first #1-Billy Vera & the Beaters' "At This Moment".

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Thirty years after its release, Jackie Wilson’s single, Reet Petite (written by Motown founder Berry Gordy), ended a month at the top of England’s music charts. Three years earlier, on this same date, Jackie Wilson died after being in a coma (following a heart attack) for eight and a half years.

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Madonna’s record, Open Your Heart, moved to the #2 spot on the pop charts (right behind At This Moment by Billy Vera and The Beaters). A week later, Open Your Heart became Madonna’s fifth #1 hit since 1983. She had 11 consecutive singles in the Top 10 -- the most for any female artist of the rock era.

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Madonna’s Open Your Heart hit #1 in the U.S. It was the third straight number-one single from her True Blue album.

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"Ronnies Rap" by Ron & DC Crew peaks at #93.

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For the first time, a compact disc of an album was released before its vinyl counterpart. The Art of Excellence by Tony Bennett, his first recorded work in a decade, went on sale.

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Jun 19

Geffen records sign their first artist (Donna Summer).

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Jun 20

Whitney Houston’s album, Whitney, debuted on Billboard magazine’s album chart at number one. Houston became the first female to have an LP debut at the top. The singer, daughter of Cissy Houston and cousin of Dionne Warwick, began her singing career at age 11 with the New Hope Baptist Junior Choir in New Jersey. Houston first worked as a backup vocalist for Chaka Khan and Lou Rawls; entered modeling in 1981, appearing in Glamour magazine and on the cover of Seventeen. Whitney married soul singer, Bobby Brown, in the late 1980s.

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Madonna’s single Who’s that Girl hit #1 in the U.S for a short and sweet one-week stay at the top.

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Aug 31

This day saw the largest preorder of albums in the history of CBS Records. 2.25 million copies of Michael Jackson’s Bad album were shipped to record stores. The LP followed in the tracks of the Jackson album, Thriller, the biggest Jackson-seller of all time (35 million copies sold). The Bad album was successful -- but sold only 13 million copies.

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Michael Jackson's I Just Can't Stop Loving You rose to #1 in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100. The single, from Jackson's "Bad" LP, stayed at the top of the hit heap for one week.

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Whitney Houston’s fifth consecutive #1 U.S. single hit the top. Didn’t We Almost Have It All was a cut from her LP, Whitney, which was number one on the album charts from June 27 to Sep 11 that year.

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Oct 10

Bruce Springsteen releases his 9th album "Tunnel of Love".

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Bruce Springsteen’s Tunnel of Love was the #1 album in the U.S. The rest of the top-five for the week: 2)-Bad (Michael Jackson); 3)-Dirty Dancing (soundtrack); 4)-Whitesnake (Whitesnake); 5)-A Memory Lapse of Reason (Pink Floyd).

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The Dirty Dancing movie soundtrack was the number one album in the U.S. It was number one for a total of eighteen weeks. The remainder of the top-five that week: 2)-Tunnel of Love (Bruce Springsteen); 3)-Bad (Michael Jackson); 4)-Whitesnake (Whitesnake); 5)-A Momentary Lapse of Reason (Pink Floyd).

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1988

George Michael’s Faith started a sixteen-week run as the number-one album in the U.S. The tracks: Faith, Father Figure, I Want Your Sex, One More Try, Hard Day, Hand To Mouth, Look at Your Hands, Monkey and Kissing a Fool.

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Bruce Springsteen "Tunnel of Love Tour" begins in Worcester MA.

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Herschel Walker performs the Fort Worth Ballet.

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Royal Concert building in Amsterdam reopens.

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Barbra Streisand records "Warm All Over".

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Apr 21

Barbra Streisand records "You'll Never Know".

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"Da'Butt" by EU hits #35.

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"Fat" by Weird Al Yankovic hits #99.

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Jun 28

Founder Berry Gordy Jr. sold Motown Records to MC A Records and Boston Ventures, an investment firm, for $61 million.

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Michael Jackson became the first artist to have five number one singles from one album when Dirty Diana went to the top of the Billboard Hot 100. The other four chart-toppers from Bad were I Just Can’t Stop Loving You, Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel and Man in the Mirror.

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Aug 29

Macy's Tap-o-Mania sets Guiness record.

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Red Red Wine, by UB40, was the first reggae hit to make it to number one in the U.S. From the album Labour of Love, Red Red Wine was #1 for only one week, but turned out to be UB40’s signature song.

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Amnesty International's Global Concert Tour ends in Buenos Aires.

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Oct 17

Traveling Wilbury's first release "Handle With Care".

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Roxette releases "Roxette Look Sharp!" album.

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Elton John sells out MSG for a record 26th time.

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Phil Collins’ remake of the Mindbenders’ Groovy Kind of Love was the number one U.S. single. It was parked at the peak of the pops for two weeks.

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The Beach Boys hit #1 in US with Kokomo. They set two music-chart records with this event. It was the longest span of #1 hits (24 years, 4 months since I Get Around) and the longest gap between #1 hits (21 years, 10 months since Good Vibrations).

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The Loco-Motion, by Kylie Minogue hit #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 this day, the song became the first to reach the top-5 in the U.S. for three different artists (Little Eva in 1962, Grand Funk in 1974).

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Rattle and Hum, the album by U2, started a six-week run at the top of the U.S. album charts. Hum along now, as we list the tracks on the Rattle and Hum: Helter Skelter, Van Diemen?s Land, Desire, Hawkmoon 269, All Along the Watchtower, I Still Haven?t Found What I?m Looking For, Freedom for My People, Silver and Gold, Pride (In the Name of Love), Angel of Harlem, Love Rescue Me, When Love Comes to Town, Heartland, God Part II, The Star Spangled Banner, Bullet the Blue Sky, All I Want is You.

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Chicago’s Look Away was the #1 single in the U.S. It was one of three top-ten hits from the Chicago 19 album (the others were I Don’t Wanna Live Without Your Love and You’re Not Alone).

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1989

Singer Madonna and actor Sean Penn divorce.

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Otis Redding, Dion, Rolling Stones, Temptations & Stevie Wonder inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

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Madonna's "Like a Prayer" premieres on worldwide Pepsi commercial.

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Massachusetts declares today "New Kids on the Block Day".

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Weird Al Yankovic records "She Drives Like Crazy".

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Aug 27

Chuck Berry performs his tune "Johnny B. Goode" for NASA staff in celebration of Voyager II's encounter with the planet Neptune.

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1990

International opera star Kiri Te Kanawa drew the largest concert audience in the history of her native New Zealand. About 140,000 people gathered in Auckland’s Domain Park for the open-air concert. Some fans arrived 18 hours before the concert to grab the best positions.

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Who, Simon & Garfunkel, 4 Seasons, 4 Tops, Hank Ballard, Platters & Kinks inducted into Cleveland's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

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Eric Clapton kicked off an unprecedented string of 18 concerts at London’s Royal Albert Hall in support of his solo album, Journeyman.

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Opposites Attract, by Paula Abdul with The Wild Pair, was #1 in the U.S. for the second of of three weeks. On the Country chart, On Second Thought, by Eddie Rabbitt, was #1 for the first of two weeks.

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Farm Aid IV concert.

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James Brown moves to a work-release center after serving 15 months.

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50th annual barbershop quartet singing convention held (Michigan).

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16 page music manuscript by Ludwig van Beethoven of Sonata sold for record $892,000 in London.

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A federal judge in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., ruled that the 2 Live Crew album "As Nasty As They Wanna Be" was obscene. The decision was overturned on appeal.

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Billy Joel performs a concert at Yankee Stadium.

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Jun 30

New Kids on the Block (Donnie Wahlberg, Jordan Knight, Jon Knight, Danny Wood, Joe McIntyre) stepped to number one in the U.S. with their Step by Step single, just as their Step by Step LP was stepping to #1 in the U.S. and the U.K.

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2 Live Crew release "Banned in the USA" the lyrics quote Star Spangled Banner & Gettysburg Address.

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As reported by This Week in Musical History and Rock Date Diary: The Radio One apologized to listeners after Madonna repeatedly cursed during a live concert broadcast from Wembley Stadium.

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Woodstock '99 opens in Rome NY. (XDG, p 4A, 7/23/2000)

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12th annual Macy's Tap-o-mania.

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Jon Bon Jovi’s Blaze of Glory hit number one on Billboard magazine’s Hot 100 singles list. The song, from the album of the same name, was the theme song from the movie Young Guns II and earned Jon Bon Jovi an Academy Award nomination for Best Song.

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Oct 03

Florida record store owner Charles Freeman is found guilty of obscenity, for selling 2 Live Crew rap records.

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3 members of 2 Live Crew acquitted on obscenity charges in Florida.

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Janet Jackson’s Black Cat popped up to #1 for a week in the U.S. The single was one of the tracks on her number-one album of a year earlier, Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814.

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Vanilla Ice was number one in the U.S. with the single Ice Ice Baby, from the album To the Extreme. “Ice Ice Baby Vanilla, Ice Ice Baby Vanilla...”

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Milli Vanilli's producer confirms rumors that the duo had not done any of the singing on their debut album "Girl You Know It's True". (XDG, p 4A, 11/15/2000)

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The pop duo Milli Vanilli are stripped of their Grammy Award because other singers lent their voices to the "Girl You Know It's True" album. (XDG, p 4A, 11/19/2000)

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1991

Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814 became the first album to generate seven top-five singles on the Billboard Hot 100 (four went to number one). Love Will Never Do (Without You) reached #4 this day and it hit #1 the following week.

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Janet Jackson’s single, Love Will Never Do (Without You), hit #1 (for one week) in the U.S.: “I feel better when I have you near me; Cause no other love around; Has quite the same ooh ooh (ha ha ha!); Like you do do do do babe.”

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"This Is Ponderous" by 2nu peaks at #46.

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Janet Jackson signs $40M three album deal with Virgin records.

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Michael Jackson signs $65M six album deal with Sony records.

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"Michael Jackson: The Magic & the Madness" goes on sale.

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"People Are Still Having Sex" by LaTour hits #35.

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Jun 30

Frank Zappa performed with Hungarian musicians as Hungary celebrated the withdrawal of Soviet troops after some 46 years of occupation. Zappa headlined the Taban Jazzfestival this day in Budapest.

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Bryan Adams’ (Everything I Do) I Do It For You hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It topped the pop chart for 7 straight weeks.

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750,000 attend Paul Simon's free concert in Central Park.

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"La Toya: Growing Up in the Jackson Family" goes on sale.

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Billy (Richard) Vaughn musician, orchestra leader: Melody of Love, The Shifting, Whispering Sands, Sail along Silver Moon; baritone singer with The Hilltoppers; music director: Dot Records; dies.

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Sep 28

Garth Brooks, big ol’ black hat and all, hit number one with his album Ropin’ the Wind. He was the first country artist to debut an album at #1 on both the Billboard album chart and country album chart.

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Jermaine Jackson releases "Word to the Badd!!" anti Michael song.

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Karyn White’s Romantic hit #1 for one week on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

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PM Dawn’s Set Adrift on Memory Bliss hit #1 in the U.S. The rappers folded another song -- Spandau Ballet’s True -- into theirs, making for a very nice musical effect.

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Judds final concert (Nashville).

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IM Pei receives $5 million for design of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

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Alan Freed, the disc jockey credited with giving ‘Rock and Roll’ its name, was posthumously awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. (Freed died Jan 20, 1965.)

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1992

Paul Simon opens a tour in South Africa.

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The single by R*S*F (Right Said Fred), I’m Too Sexy, was #1 in the U.S. It was a smash, staying at number one for three weeks, then dropping to number two for three more. “I’m too sexy for my car; too sexy for my car; Too sexy by far; And I’m too sexy for my hat; Too sexy for my hat; what do you think about that...”

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Fastest yodeler-22 tones/15 falsetto in 1 second by Thomas School of Germany.

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Mr. Big hit it big this day, moving to #1 with To Be with You. It was the biggest hit in the U.S. for three big weeks.

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Farm Aid V.

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Bruce Springsteen releases "Human Touch" & "Lucky Town"

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All star concert in memory of Freddie Mercury held at Wembley Stadium London.

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Rap singer raps 597 syllables in 55.12 seconds.

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Michael Jackson kicked off the Dangerous tour in Munich, Germany. 70,000 fans saw Jackson, with a helmet on and a fake rocket pack on his back, appear to fly off stage (or, maybe he really did). The tour would continue through November 11 stopping in some 42 cities.

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An appeals court in NY ruled that Jett Williams, the secret daughter of Hank Williams Senior, was entitled to share the royalties from his songs. In 1984, Jett had hired investigator Keith Adkinson, who found that Jett had been deliberately defrauded out of her father’s estate and his copyright royalties. Adkinson sued on her behalf. On October 26, 1987 the AL Circuit Court ruled that Hank Williams was Jett’s father. On July 5, 1989 the AL Supreme Court ruled that Jett had been defrauded, and awarded her half of her father’s estate. And on July 13, 1992 the federal court in NY awarded Jett her proportionate share of her father's copyright renewal royalties.

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The rappers known as Ice Cube hit it big as their The Predator became the #1 album in the U.S. The tracks: The First Day of School (Intro), When Will They Shoot?, I’m Scared (Insert), Wicked, Now I Gotta Wet’ Cha, The Predator, It Was a Good Day, We Had to Tear This ________ Up, ________ ’Em (Instert), Dirty Mack, Don’t Trust ’Em, Gangsta’s Farytale 2, Check Yo Self (Featuring DAS EFX), Who Got the Camera?, Intergration (Insert), Say Hi to the Bad Guy.

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The soundtrack from the movie The Bodyguard was the #1 album in the U.S. A smash, as they say, it was number one for twenty weeks. The track listing: I Will Always Love You, I Have Nothing, I’m Every Woman, Run to You, Queen of the Night, Jesus Loves Me, all by Whitney Houston; Even If My Heart Would Break, by Kenny G & Aaron Neville; Someday (I’m Coming Back), by Lisa Stansfield; It’s Gonna Be a Lovely Day, by The S.O.U.L S.Y.S.T.E.M.; Peace, Love And Understanding (What's So Funny ’Bout), by Curtis Stigers; Theme from The Bodyguard, by Alan Silvestri; and Trust in Me, by Joe Cocker featuring Sass Jordan.

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1993

Bill Wyman announces he will leave Rolling Stones.

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Rod Stewart surprised the crowd at the annual Brit Awards in London. He invited his former band, The Faces, on stage to perform with him. They were accompanied by former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman. Stewart was also honored with a lifetime achievement award.

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Boston Ventures sold Motown Records to the Dutch recording and entertainment company, Polygram, for $325 million. Boston Ventures and MCA Records had picked up Motown from founder Berry Gordy for a mere $61 million in 1988.

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The rap trio Cypress Hill saw their Black Sunday hit #1 on U.S. LP charts. The group, which brought a Latin flavor to hip-hop, was made up of Sen Dog (real name Senen Reyes), B-Real (real name Louis Freese) and D.J. Muggs (real name Larry Muggerud). A sampling of the cuts: I Wanna Get High, Legalize It, Hits from the Bong, Cock the Hammer, Hand on the Glock and the single smash Insane in the Brain. Said B-Real, “I never dreamed it would be number one.” Surprised us too.

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Billy Joel’s album River of Dreams hit #1 in the U.S. It was his first album to debut at #1 and stayed at top for three weeks. The album tracks were sequenced in the order they were written: No Man’s Land, The Great Wall of China, Blonde Over Blue, A Minor Variation, Shades of Grey, All About Soul, Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel), The River of Dreams, Two Thousand Years, Famous Last Words.

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Mariah Carey’s album Music Box reached #1 on U.K. album charts, while a single from that album, Dreamlover, was hitting #1 on US singles charts.

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Garth Brooks' In Pieces debuted at #1 in the U.S. on both the Billboard Hot 200 and Country LP charts. The album has sold over 8 million copies.

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Pearl Jam’s album Vs. rose to #1 in the U.S. The tracks on the smash (number one for five weeks) album: Go, Animal, Daughter, Glorified G, Dissident, WMA, Blood, Rearviewmirror, Rats, Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town, Leash and Indifference.

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A Websters musical "Sunset Promenade" premieres in Los Angeles.

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Snoop Doggy Dogg’s Doggy Style was number one on U.S. album charts. The rest of the top five: 2-Vs., Pearl Jam; 3-Music Box, Mariah Carey; 4-The Spaghetti Incident?, Guns N' Roses; 5-The Beavis & Butt-Head Experience, Various artists.

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John Williams final appearance as conductor of Boston Pops.

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Entertainer Barbra Streisand performed her first paid concert in 22 years, singing to a sellout crowd at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas.

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1994

Accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy, Michael Jackson settles a civil lawsuit out of court.

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Paul Anka was honored at the French music industry’s annual awards in Paris for his song My Way. In 1968 Anka wrote new lyrics to the melody of a French pop hit Comme d’habitude, which means As Usual. Anka called his version My Way, and it became Frank Sinatra’s signature song.

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Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee charge with possession of loaded firearm.

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20th century premiere of 6 restored Haydn-sonatas in Boston.

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Celine Dion’s The Power of Love was the #1 single in the U.S. It ruled the musical roost for four weeks: “We're heading for something; Somewhere I've never been; Sometimes I am frightened; But I'm ready to learn; Of the power of love.”

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Michael Bolton found to have plagiarized Isley Brothers "Love is Wonderful Thing".

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Barbra Streisand's begins first concert tour in 30 years

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Jul 12

The Rolling Stones’ Voodoo Lounge album was released. Their Voodoo Lounge Tour started in Toronto, July 19, 1994 and ended in Rotterdam on August 30, 1995 -- and holds the all-time North America tour ticket-sale record of $121.2 million.

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Jul 16

Tenors Pavarotti, Carreras and Domingo in largest concert in history-1.3 billion home viewers.

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Woodstock ’94 began in Saugerties, New York (it ran thru August 14). 235,000-350,000 rockers attended the show, which featured 30+ bands, included Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sheryl Crow, Areosmith, Metallica and Nine Inch Nails.

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II, by Boyz II Men, debuted at number one on the Billboard U.S. album chart. Cuts on the LP: Thank You, All Around the World, U Know, Vibin’, I Sit Away, Jezzebel, Khalil [Interlude], Trying Times, I’ll Make Love to You, On Bended Knee, 50 Candles, Water Runs Dry, Yesterday. II was #I for IV weeks.

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Murder Was the Case, the soundtrack album from the motion picture of the same name, was the number-one album in the U.S. The album ran 73 minutes. The Snoop Doggy Dogg/Dr. Dre movie which inspired it ran 18 minutes.

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Nirvana's album, MTV Unplugged in New York, was number one in the U.S. for the week. The album featured these tracks: About a Girl, Come as You Are, Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam, The Man Who Sold the World, Pennyroyal Tea, Dumb, Polly, On a Plain, Something in the Way, Plateau, Oh, Me, Lake of Fire, All Apologies and Where Did You Sleep Last Night.

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Nov 26

The Eagles’ Hell Freezes Over, signaling the band’s reunion (after fourteen years), hit #1 (for two weeks) on U.S. album charts. The tracks: Get Over It, Love Will Keep Us Alive, The Girl from Yesterday, Learn to Be Still, Tequila Sunrise, Hotel California, Wasted Time Pretty Maids All in a Row, I Can’t Tell You Why, New York Minute, The Last Resort, Take It Easy, In the City ,Life in the Fast Lane and Desperado.

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Rober Schumanns 2nd Symphony premieres in London.

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On Bended Knee, by Boyz II Men, hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The smash was #1, off and on, thru January 1995.

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Kenny G’s Miracles: The Holiday Album was number one in the U.S. It became the best selling Christmas album in history, selling over 8 million albums as of 2000. The tracks: Winter Wonderland, White Christmas, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Silent Night, Greensleeves, Miracles, Little Drummer Boy, The Chanukah Song, Silver Bells, Away in a Manger and Brahms Lullaby.

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Ini Kamoze’s Here Comes the Hotstepper was the #1. It was the biggest single in the U.S. for two weeks: “Hit it. Nah, na na na nah, na na na nah, Na na nah, na na nah, na na na nah...”

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1995

TLC’s Creep hit number one on the "Billboard" "Hot 100". The smash held down the top spot for four weeks : “So I creep yeah; Just keep it on the down low; Said nobody is supposed 2 know; So I creep yeah; 'Cause he doesn't know; What I do and no attention; Goes to show oh so I creep.”

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Madonna’s Take a Bow became the #1 single in the U.S. The smash hit was number one for seven weeks: “Take a bow, the night is over; This masquerade is getting older; Lights are low, the curtains down; There’s no one here.”

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Jul 09

The Grateful Dead played their last concert, at Soldier Field in Chicago.

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Aug 30

James Taylor and former wife Carly Simon got back together for their first concert together in 16 years. Livestock ’95 was a benefit performance on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusettes to raise funds for a new barn for the island’s agricultural society.

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The soundtrack album from the Michelle Pfeiffer movie, Dangerous Minds, hit number one on Billboard. Tracks like Gangsta’s Paradise by Coolio, Gin & Juice by DeVante and True O.G. by Mr. Dalvin + Static kept the Dangerous Minds album at the top for three weeks.

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The Concert for the Hall of Fame was presented at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. It was the grand-opening celebration for the $92-million, I.M. Pei-designed Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Appearing at the concert were such Rock and Roll notables as Bruce Springsteen, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Martha and the Vandellas, John Mellencamp, etc. etc. etc. The museum’s official public dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony had been held the previous day.

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Oct 07

Alanis Morrissette’s Jagged Little Pill album made it to number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The album, in its fifteenth week on the chart, featured these tracks: All I Really Want, You Oughta Know, Perfect, Hand in My Pocket, Right Through You, Forgiven, You Learn, Head Over Feet, Mary Jane, Ironic, Not the Doctor, Wake Up. Jagged Little Pill was #1 for two weeks.

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Mariah Carey’s Daydream was the number one album in the U.S. The album featured the smash hits Fantasy and One Sweet Day (both debuted on the singles chart at #1).

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Michael Jackson merged his ATV Music Publishing Company, and its catalog of Beatles songs, with Sony Music Publishing, creating Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Jackson retained 50% ownership of the new company and received at some $110 million dollars from Sony in the deal.

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Nov 11

Smashing Pumpkins' album Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness hit #1 on the U.S. album chart. The Smashing Pumpkins (Billy Corgan, James Iha, D'arcy and Jimmy Chamberlin) band was formed in 1988.

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At the top of U.S. pop-music charts were Whitney Houston's single, Exhale (Shoop Shoop) and Alice in Chains' album, Alice in Chains.

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R. Kelly’s R. Kelly was the #1 album in the U.S for one week. The tracks: Intro--The Sermon, Hump Bounce, Not Gonna Hold On, You Remind Me of Something, Step in My Room, Baby, Baby, Baby, Baby, Be Happy, Down Low, I Can’t Sleep Baby, Thank God It’s Friday, Love is on the Way, Heaven If You Hear Me, Religious Love, Tempo Slow, As I Look Into My Life and Trade in My Life.

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The Grateful Dead announced it was breaking up after 30 years of making music. The news came four months after the death of lead guitarist Jerry Garcia.

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1996

One Sweet Day, by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men, was number one for the 12th of 16 weeks. Now that’s what we call a smash! Bigger Than The Beatles, by Joe Diffie was beginnning a 2-week run at #1 on the Country music chart.

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Jun 29

A really big shew this day at London's Hyde Park. Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Alanis Morrissette, Ron Woods and The Who performed at the charity event for Prince Charles’ Prince’s Trust charity. 150,000 people showed up and brought about a million bucks with them for the good cause.

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“Give your body happiness, Macarena...” Macarena (bayside boys mix), by Los Del Rio, hit #1 on Billboard. It stayed and stayed at the top -- for 14 smash weeks -- as dancers swayed and swayed. “Ehhhhhh, Macarena!”

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A federal appeals court in NY ruled that two former members of Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers waited too long to claim that they were cowriters of the group’s legendary 1955 hit Why Do Fools Fall in Love. A previous court ruling had cleared the way for royalties to go to Jimmy Merchant and Herman Santiago for writing the song with lead singer Frankie Lymon (he died of a overdose of heroin on Feb 28, 1968).

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Sep 01

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. (XDG, p 4A, 9/01/2003)

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Sep 12

Barbra Streisand, the Eagles, Chicago and the Neville Brothers performed at a Los Angeles fundraiser for U.S. President Bill Clinton. How much for tickets? $2,500 -- to Bill’s reelection campaign.

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Toni Braxton’s Unbreak My Heart was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The hit, from her Secrets album, stayed at number one half-way thru Feb 1997.

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1997

Trinity Broadcasting Network, a U.S. Christian TV net, cancelled Pat Boone’s weekly gospel music show after he appeared in black leather and fake tattoos on the American Music Awards show. The network said it received thousands of protest phone calls and letters from its ‘prayer partners’. Boone explained that his garb was designed to promote his album In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy.

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May 06

Michael Jackson & Bee Gees inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

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The Rolling Stones launched their Bridges to Babylon album/tour package with a news conference -- and a full production number -- under the Brooklyn Bridge. Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts, Ron Wood and Keith Richards cruised in from Manhattan in a cherry-red 1955 Cadillac convertible with a police escort leading the way.

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Sep 13

“I like that ooh, ooh; Come on, come on MC, MC ooh, ooh...” Mariah Carey’s Honey debuted on the Hot 100 at number one -- her third single to do so. The others were Fantasy (Sep 30, 1995) and One Sweet Day (Dec 2, 1995). Carey was the first artist to have three singles debut at #1.

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Elton John’s Candle in the Wind 1997 sold more than 600,000 copies in its first day in British stores. At one Tower Records in London, 1,000 copies of the Princess Diana tribute were snatched up in less than 90 minutes. The single was released in the U.S. on Sep 23 and hit #1 Oct 11.

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Elton John’s tribute to Princess Diana, Candle in the Wind 1997, was declared by The Guinness Book of Records to be the biggest-selling single record of all time. In 37 days, the single reached 31.8 million copies sold, eclipsing the previous record held by Bing Crosby’s White Christmas. The Crosby song sold an estimated 30 million copies worldwide -- in 55 years.

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Diana, Princess of Wales: Tribute double album was released. The collection included songs from Sinead O’Connor, Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton, Mariah Carey, Queen, George Michael, U2, Paul McCartney, REM, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and many others.

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1998

Savage Garden’s Truly, Madly, Deeply was the number-one single in the U.S. for the first of two weeks. “I want to stand with you on a mountain; I want to bathe with you in the sea; I want to lay like this forever; Until the sky falls down on me.”

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Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducts Mama & Papas, Eagles.

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Usher’s Nice and Slow was number one in the U.S. The single stayed at the top for four weeks: “Let me take you to a place nice and quiet; There ain’t no one there to interrupt; Ain’t gotta rush; I just wanna take it nice and slow; (Now baby tell me what you want to do wit me)... ”

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Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On hit #1 in the U.S. It was the tippy-top chart-topper for two weeks.

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The Boy is Mine, by Brandy and Monica, zoomed to number 1 on the Billboard pop chart. It ruled the Hot 100 roost for 13 weeks -- putting it in the top ten of longest-running #1 singles in the modern rock era.

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For the first time, all of the top five songs of the week were new entries: 1) Cher, Believe; 2) George Michael, Outside; 3) U2, Sweetest Thing; 4) Culture Club, I Just Wanna Be Loved; 5) Alanis Morissette, Thank U.

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R. Kelly & Celine Dion were number one in the U.S with their single, I’m Your Angel.

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1999

Brandy’s single, Have You Ever, was #1 (for the first of two weeks) on the Billboard Hot 100.

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Monica’s Angel of Mine was the #1 top-40 hit in the U.S.: “I look at you, lookin' at me; Now I know why they say the best things are free; I'm gonna love you boy you are so fine; Angel of Mine.”

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13 year-old singer Charlotte Church becomes youngest artist to enter American top 30 album chart.

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2000

Eric Clapton is inducted into the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame. (XDG, p 4A, 3/6/2001)

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2001

Michael Jackson is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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2002

The off-Broadway musical "The Fantasticks" was performed for the last time, ending a nearly 42-year run. (XDG, p 4A, 1/13/2003)

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Rapper C-Murder (Corey Miller) is charged with first degree murder and fraud for the shooting death of 16-year-old Steve Thomas at the Platinum Club in Harvey, LA on January 12, 2002.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports it has anonymously received and turned over to Chicago police a videotape of R&B singer R Kelly having sex with an underage girl. The 27-minute tape will soon turn up on the internet. (USA Today, p 11D, 1/24/2003)

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"Best of Both Worlds" a joint album with R&B singer R Kelly and rapper Jay-Z is released, but sell far less than expected. (USA Today, p 11D, 1/24/2003)

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R&B singer R Kelly is arrested on an Illinois warrant at a rented home in Davenport FL and released on $750,000 bond. Kelly faces 21 counts of child pornography. (USA Today, p 11D, 1/24/2003)

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Jun 20

R&B singer R Kelly recently released "Heaven, I Need A Hug" begins getting airplay in Chicago and spreads sporadically. (USA Today, p 11D, 1/24/2003)

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R&B singer R Kelly pleads not guilty to criminal charges associated with child pornography. (USA Today, p 11D, 1/24/2003)

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2003

R&B singer R Kelly plays his first major concert since June 2002 at a multi-act, radio-promoted event at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, NY. (USA Today, p 11D, 1/24/2003)

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R&B singer R Kelly is arrested on new (child pornography?) charges om Florida and released on $12,000 bond. (USA Today, p 11D, 1/24/2003)

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R&B singer R Kelly court hearing date in Chicago. (USA Today, p 11D, 1/24/2003)

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Fire broke out during a rock concert at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I., killing 100 people and injuring about 200 others.

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