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Click on a date below to find out what happened on that day in music history... |
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Pathologists confirm that the late R&B singer Aaliyah ("Are You That Somebody?") died from severe burns and a blow to the head after her overloaded Cessna crashed in Marsh Harbour.
Aaliyah
"Wall of Sound" producer Phil Spector pleads not guilty to the murder of actress Lana Clarkson after he is formally charged by a California court.
Phil Spector
Michael Jackson is formally charged in Santa Barbara, Calif., on suspicion of child molestation. The self-styled King of Pop is released withn an hour of being booked after posting a $3 million bail.
Michael Jackson
50 Cent turns up the first annual Vibe Awards to pick up prizes for Artist of the Year, Dopest Album (Get Rich or Die Tryin') and Hottest Hook ("In Da Club").
50 Cent
In New York, Paul McCartney tapes a performance for The Oprah Winfrey Show.
Paul McCartney
George Harrison performs on Saturday Night Live. During the show, producer Lorne Michaels makes an appeal for the Beatles to re-form, saying he will pay them the union minimum to play on his show. Paul McCartney is currently staying with John Lennon at the Dakota and both see Michaels' plea, but they don't take him up on the jesting offer.
George Harrison
Paul McCartney
John Lennon
The Beatles
Undaunted by their disastrous concerts, the Who kick off yet another American tour at Houston's Summit. During the after-show party, bassist John Entwistle is arrested on charges of disorderly conduct.
John Entwistle
The Who
The Who's Keith Moon collapses during a performance at San Francisco's Cow Palace after someone spikes his drink with horse tranquilizer. A 19-year-old member of the audience ends up filling in on drums for three songs.
Keith Moon
The Who
Led Zeppelin play the first of two "Electric Magic" shows at London's Wembley Empire Pool. The shows incorporate trapeze artists, performing pigs, and vaudeville performers with Bronco, Stone the Crows, and the headliners. Tickets for the shows sold out in four minutes.
Bronco
Stone the Crows
Led Zeppelin
At the top of the American pop chart is Isaac Hayes with "Theme From Shaft." Topping the R&B chart is Marvin Gaye with "Inner City Blues."
Marvin Gaye
Isaac Hayes
Ray Davies flies to London to re-record a lyric to "Apeman" and make it acceptable for radio airplay. Programmers object to the line "The air pollution is a-foggin' me," because it sounds too much like "a-f*ckin'."
Ray Davies
Mike Bloomfield and Nick Gravenites are approached by Albert Grossman to help the newly solo Janis Joplin put together her own band.
Nick Gravenites
Janis Joplin
The Beach Boys release their own album of throbbing tones, Smiley Smile. The follow-up to Pet Sounds fails to chart despite boasting the singles "Heroes and Villains" and "Good Vibrations."
The Beach Boys
Today's issue of Time delivers the verdict on the Doors' second album, Strange Days. The magazine's rock writer decides the LP "takes its listeners not only past such familiar landmarks of the youth odyssey as alienation and sex but into symbolic realms of the unconscious - eerie nights world filled with throbbing rhythms, shivery metallic tones, unsettling images." Henry Luce would never let that garbage be printed if he were still alive.
The Doors
Michael Diamond, better known to Beastie Boys fans as Mike D, is born in New York. .
Beastie Boys
John Lennon films a comic sketch for the British TV series Not Only but Also with Dudley Moore on Wimbledon Common.
Dudley Moore
John Lennon
Marvin Gaye arrives in Britain to promote his single "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)."
Marvin Gaye
On the British music show Ready Steady Go tonight, the Rolling Stones lip-sync their songs "Off the Hook," "Around and Around," and "Little Red Rooster." The latter enters the chart at No. 21, prompting Paul McCartney to remark, "It sounds pretty good to me."
Paul McCartney
The Rolling Stones
Bob Dylan begins recording his self-titled debut in New York's Columbia Studio A. John Hammond is producer.
Bob Dylan
Today's issue of Billboard measures the extent of the Twist craze. Chubby Checker, Joey Dee & the Starlighters, and Dion have all signed to appear in Twist-related films. In France, more than 45 Twist records are competing for chart placings. And New York's WOR-TV is airing Twist lessons with Checker every hour.
Joey Dee
Starlighters
Dion
Chubby Checker
WABC-TV in New York fires DJ Alan Freed after he refuses to deny that he accepted payola.
Alan Freed
Ever wondered what the hell happened to indie noisemakers Band of Susans? Singer/guitarist Richard Poss has a birthday today. Crank your copy of Hope Against Hope.
Band of Susans
Gentle Giant's guitar midget, Gary Green is born.
Gentle Giant
Ordinary average guy - if you consider carrying a chainsaw around in a suitcase ordinary - Joe Walsh is born in Wichita, Kan.
Joe Walsh
Poco drummer George Grantham is born in Cordell, Okla.
Poco
Southern guitar god Duane Allman is born in Nashville. He was responsible for everything great about "Layla," by the way.
Duane Allman
Mud bassist Roy Stiles is born in Carshalton, England.
Mud
Norman Greenbaum, who scored a No. 3 hit with "Spirit in the Sky," is born in Malden, Mass.
Norman Greenbaum
 
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