In 1929, three weeks after the stock market crash, Leo Reisman & His Orchestra, featuring vocalist Lou Levin, recorded "Happy Days Are Here Again."
In 1944, Les Brown & His Orchestra, featuring vocalist Doris Day, recorded "Sentimental Journey." It was one of their two #1 records, after "My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time," that spent a combined total of 16 weeks atop the charts during the spring of 1945.
In 1954, the bartenders' union in Hammond, IN, asked a local radio station, WJOB-AM, to stop playing the song "The Drunken Driver" by Ferlin Husky — about a drunken driver who kills two children — because it was hurting business.
In 1955, the song that changed popular music history "Rock Around The Clock" by Bill Haley & His Comets went to #1 on the UK singles chart. The song was used under the opening credits of the film Blackboard Jungle. The song entered the charts a further six times until 1974.
In 1955, Bo Diddley appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show television show. The show had requested that he sing his version of "Sixteen Tons," but, when he appeared on stage, he sang his own song "Bo Diddley," resulting in him being banned from further appearances on the show. The singer later recalled, "Ed Sullivan said that I was one of the first colored boys to ever double-cross him. Said that I wouldn't last six months." Diddley would prove Sullivan wrong, as he released 11 albums between 1958 and 1963.
In 1955, at Webster Hall in New York City, Kay Starr recorded "The Rock And Roll Waltz."
In 1957, Rusty Draper was the guest performer on ABC-TV's "American Bandstand."
On this day in 1958, "It's Only Make Believe" by Conway Twitty was the #1 song.
In 1959, Alan Freed, refusing to say he never accepted payola, was fired from WABC television in New York.
In 1960, at Audio Recorders of Arizona in Phoenix, Duane Eddy recorded "Pepe."
In 1961, Billboard reported on the global Twist Craze: WOR-TV, New York, has shot a series of one and five minute "Twist Lessons" with Chubby Checker to be shown hourly every day. Checker has also been inked for a British-American film production; Joey Dee & the Starlighters, whose album, "Doin' the Twist at the Peppermint Lounge" was released this week, have signed for the Paramount film, "Hey, Let's Twist"; Dion has signed to star in Columbia's "Twist Around the Clock"; and in France there are 45 different "Twist" records on the the market. Let's all twist!
In 1961, at the Columbia 30th Street Studio in New York City, Bob Dylan began recording his self-titled debut album. All the tracks were completed by November 22.
In 1961, at the RCA Victor Studios in New York City, Paul Anka recorded "Love Me Warm And Tender."
In 1965, "I Hear A Symphony" becomes the Supremes' sixth US number one single. The trio had their streak of five chart toppers in a row interrupted by "Nothing But Heartaches," which stalled at #11.
In 1965, the Who released the single "My Generation" in the US, three weeks after it was issued in the UK.
In 1966, the Dave Clark Five and Bobby Vinton appeared on CBS-TV's "The Ed Sullivan Show."
In 1967, Time Magazine, reviewing the Doors second album, 'Strange Days,' reported that the group's music "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 night worlds filled with throbbing rhythms, shivery metallic tones, unsettling images."
In 1967, Strawberry Alarm Clock were at #1 on the US singles chart with "Incense And Peppermints."
In 1967, 19 year old Arlo Guthrie released an album called "Alice's Restaurant". When the eighteen minute long title song premiered at the Newport Folk Festival, it helped foster a new commitment among the '60s generation to social consciousness and activism. Arlo went on to star in the 1969 Hollywood film version of Alice's Restaurant, directed by Arthur Penn.
In 1968, Albert Grossman, Janis Joplin's manager, approached Nick Gravenites and Mike Bloomfield about creating a new backup group for Joplin, which later became known as the Kozmic Blues Band.
In 1970, for the second time, Kinks singer Ray Davies flew to London to re-record one word in a new Kinks' single. Back in June it was to change "Coca-Cola" to "Cherry Cola" in the song "Lola." This time, Ray has to change a line from "Apeman,""The air pollution is a-foggin' up" which sounds too much like "a-fuckin."
In 1971, "Inner City Blues" became the third R&B #1 single from Marvin Gaye's, 'What's Goin' On' album. The others are the title track and "Mercy, Mercy Me." The LP represents the first time a major Motown artist has taken a public stand on controversial social issues.
Also in 1971: Led Zeppelin played the first of two "Electric Magic" shows at London's Wembley Empire Pool. The shows incorporated trapeze artists, performing pigs, and vaudeville performers with Bronco, Stone the Crows, and the headliners. Tickets for the shows sold out in four minutes.
In 1972, Elton John released the single "Crocodile Rock" in North America. It became his first US #1 single, reaching the top spot on February 3, 1973, and stayed there for three weeks.
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In 1973, a 19-year-old drummer named Scot Halpin was invited onstage by the Who to play the last three songs of their set at San Francisco's Cow Palace because Keith Moon had passed out on his drum kit (after ingesting seven horse tranquilizers, although the concert audience was told it was due to the effects of jet lag). Halpin performed "Smokestack Lightning,""Spoonful," and "Naked Eye" with the group, then took a bow with them. Later, Rolling Stone awarded Halpin their "Pick-Up Player of the Year Award."
In 1975, the Who began a month-long tour with a concert at the Summit in Houston. At a party after the show, drummer Keith Moon was arrested for disorderly conduct and spent the night in jail.
In 1976, on NBC-TV's "Saturday Night Live," George Harrison and Paul Simon dueted on "Homeward Bound" and "Here Comes The Sun." Harrison also did an opening sketch where he asked for his quarter of the $3000 famously offered by show producer Lorne Michaels earlier in the year for a Beatles reunion. Paul McCartney was currently staying with John Lennon at the Dakota and both see Michaels' plea, but they don't take him up on the jesting offer.
Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer were at #1 on the US singles chart in 1979 with "No More Tears, Enough Is Enough."
In 1981, at the Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh, Prince played the first night of his 56-date Controversy tour.
In 1981, Ringo Starr released his eighth studio album, 'Stop And Smell The Roses,' featuring a little songwriting and production help from his friends Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Harry Nilsson, Ronnie Wood and Stephen Stills.
Prince's third movie, "Sign 'O' The Times" opened in 1987.
In 1991, the Rolling Stones signed a $45 million deal with Virgin Records, making them rock's highest paid group thus far.
In 1994, David Crosby received a liver transplant in a seven-hour operation at the Dumont-UCLA Liver Transplant Center in Los Angeles.
On November 20, 1995, a 60 track album called 'Beatles Anthology I' was released in the US and sets a first-day sales record of 450,000 units. It contains "Free as a Bird," billed as the first new Beatles song in 25 years. The album topped the Billboard 200 album chart and was certified 8x Platinum by the RIAA.
In 1997, Paul McCartney taped an interview and live performance of "Young Boy" and "Flaming Pie" for Oprah Winfrey's syndicated TV show.
In 1998, Alanis Morissette did an in store performance for the opening of a Tower records store in Buenos Aires. The proceeds from the sale of her album for the day were donated to a local children's hospital.
In 2001, the Kiss Deluxe Edition 5 disc box set was released. The set included 92 tracks.
In 2001, Madonna's childhood home in Oakland County Michigan, sold at an auction, in just 12 minutes. The house, along with a few items of rock memorabilia was purchased for $331,000.
In 2003, Michael Jackson was booked on suspicion of child molestation in Santa Barbara, California. The singer was immediately released after posting $3 million bail and later flew back to Las Vegas to continue working on a music video he was filming when the arrest warrant was served.
In 2003, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced their new inductees would be Prince, George Harrison, Traffic, Bob Seger, Jackson Browne, ZZ Top, and the Dells.
In 2003, record producer Phil Spector was formally charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson at his Los Angeles home in February 2003. At his arraignment in Alhambra Superior Court, Spector pleaded not guilty.
In 2005, blues-rock singer/songwriter Chris Whitely died of lung cancer at 45.
In 2005, Robbie Williams smashed a Guinness World Record by selling more than 1.6 million tickets for his 2006 World Tour in one day.
U2 were profiled on CBS' 60 Minutes in 2005.
Also in 2005, the Foo Fighters released a six-track EP that's only available at Best Buy retailers. There's a live rendition of "Best of You," a demo version of "D.O.A." and a cover of Cream's "I Feel Free."
In 2007, Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke admitted he was among the thousands of people who paid nothing to download the band's latest album In Rainbows. Speaking to BBC 6 Music's Steve Lamacq, Yorke said: "There wasn't any point. I just move some money from one pocket to the other." According to one survey, three in five people paid nothing at all for it. Yorke added that no one was allowed to have copies of the master recording in case it was leaked beforehand.
In 2007, soul singer Bobby Relf, of Bob & Earl, died at the age of 70.
In 2009, novelty record artist/singer/songwriter Linda Laurie died of cancer at age 68.
birthdays today include (among others): Norman Greenbaum (71), Mike Vernon (producer) (69), Joe Walsh (66), George Grantham (Poco) (66), Gary Green (Gentle Giant) (63), Frank Marino (Mahogany Rush) (59) ,Todd Nance (Widespread Panic) (51), Mike D (born Michael Diamond) (Beastie Boys) (49), Sen Dog (born Senen Reyes) (Cyprus Hill) (48), Q-Tip (born Kamaal Fareed) (43), Dierks Bentley (38), Davey Havok (born David Marchand) (AFI) (38), Jared Followill (Kings of Leon) (27) and Oli Sykes (Bring Me the Horizon) (27)
