Today In History
In 1956
Fats Domino hit number one on the soul charts with "Blueberry Hill."
In 1960
Elvis Presley hit number one on the pop singles chart with "Are You Lonesome Tonight."
In 1963
The Beatles hit number one on the UK pop singles chart with "She Loves You."
In 1964
The Shangri-Las hit number one on the pop singles chart with "Leader Of The Pack."
The Kinks "You Really Got Me" peaked at number seven on the pop singles chart.
In 1965
Marvin Gaye hit number one on the Billboard R&B chart with "Ain't That Peculiar."
In 1968
John Lennon plead guilty to a charge of cannabis possession in a British court. He was fined 375-dollars.
In 1969
The Rolling Stones released the album "Let It Bleed."
In 1970
George Harrison released the single "My Sweet Lord."
Dave Edmunds hit number one on the UK singles chart with "I Hear You Knocking."
Elvis Presley's "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" peaked at number eleven on the pop singles chart.
The Who's "See Me, Feel Me" peaked at number 12 on the pop singles chart.
In 1974
John Lennon joined Elton John for a concert in New York's Madison Square Garden. They performed Lennon's "Whatever Gets You Through The Night" along with Beatles songs "I Saw Her Standing There" and "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds." It was Lennon's last stage appearance.
In 1975
Paul McCartney & Wings release the single "Venus & Mars/Rock Show" medley.
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons performed "Who Loves You" and "My Eyes Adored You" on "The Midnight Special."
In 1977
The musical "Elvis," starring P.J. Proby, Shakin' Stevens, and Timothy Whitnall, opened in London.
In 1979
Ringo Starr's Los Angeles home burned down.
In 1983
Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Paul Rodgers, Rolling Stones Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman, and Faces Kenny Jones and Ronnie Laine performed a concert to raise money for research into multiple sclerosis.
In 1997
Paul McCartney told interviewer David Frost that he believed the world would have been, quote, "very different" without the Beatles.
In 2000
Highlights from Government Mule guitarist Warren Haynes' annual holiday benefit "Christmas Jam" were released as the CD "Wintertime Blues - The Benefit Concert." Money raised from the album went to Habitat for Humanity.
In 2001
The Ace Frehley Band was among the performers at the "New York Steel: A Hard Rock Benefit Show for the NYPD/FDNY," which raised money for the families of the police and fire department victims of the World Trade Center collapse. Other performers included Twisted Sister, Anthrax, Sebastian Bach, and Overkill.
The Beatles earned three nominations for the 2001 Billboard Music Awards on the strength of their best-of collection, "1."
The "American Masters" salute to Sun Records made its debut on PBS. Elton John, The Who, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and Bob Dylan were among the artists who took part in the all-star program event.
Elton John set a new record for hosting the most concerts at New York's Madison Square Garden with his 53rd show at the arena. The accomplishment breaks the previous record -- of 52 shows -- set by the Grateful Dead.
In 2002
The show "Elvis Lives!" debuted on NBC. Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, and Cher were among those who took part in the all-star salute.
In 2005
Black Sabbath, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Miles Davis were named as inductees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Class of 2006.
Elton John's musical "Billy Elliot" won the award for Best Musical at the British Evening Standard Theatre Awards.
In 2007
Former Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artemus Pyle was arrested again in Florida because state records indicated he still hadn't adequately registered as a sex offender. The law allowed authorities to arrest the rocker every 48 hours until he registers. He had been arrested a week earlier for not registering. At that time Pyle denied the allegations against him, claiming the police, quote, "got it wrong." Pyle's sex offender status stemmed from a guilty plea in 1993 to charges relating to sexual misconduct with a minor.
James Taylor and Carole King launched a three-night stand at The Troubadour to help the Los Angeles nightclub celebrate its 50th anniversary. Taylor made his solo debut at the club in July 1969. A few months later King used the famed stage to launch her solo career -- with a performance with Taylor.
Barry Manilow was among those on hand for the 75th tree-lighting ceremony in New York's Rockefeller Center.< |