In 1939, nearly 1800 fans crowded into the Glen Island Casino in New Rochelle, New York to attend a dual-network radio broadcast of Glenn Miller and His Orchestra that was heard on both NBC and Mutual.
In 1952, Johnny Horton debuted on "The Louisiana Hayride," an influential radio country music show broadcast from the Municipal Memorial Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana. Later he was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry but declined for "personal reasons." Horton was married to Hank Williams' widow, Billie Jean, who hated the Opry because they had fired Hank.
In 1958, Connie Francis topped the UK chart for the first of six weeks with "Who's Sorry Now," a song that was first recorded by Isham Jones And His Orchestra in 1923. It also reached #4 on the Billboard charts and earned a Gold record for sales of one million copies.
In 1960, at the Capitol Tower Recording Studio in Hollywood, Dean Martin recorded "Just In Time."
In 1962, at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, Frank Ifield recorded "I Remember You."
In 1963, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, The Weavers and Peter, Paul And Mary were the featured acts at the very first Monterey Folk Festival in Monterey, California.
In 1964, Bob Dylan made his first major concert UK appearance when he played at the Royal Festival Hall in London with an afternoon show listed as a ‘Folksong Concert’. Dylan's 18-song set included the live debut of "Mr. Tambourine Man" and took place on a Sunday afternoon.
In 1964, Buck Owens, Ernest Tubb, Bill Monroe, Webb Pierce, Bill Anderson, Stonewall Jackson, Skeeter Davis, Porter Wagoner, and Leon McAuliffe performed in four shows at New York's Madison Square Garden. WSM-Nashville's Ralph Emery was the emcee.
In 1966, during a UK tour, Bob Dylan appeared at The Free Trade Hall in Manchester. This was the concert where a member of the audience shouted out ‘Judas’ at Dylan unhappy with the singers move from acoustic to rock. Dylan replied with ‘You’re a liar’, the entire concert was eventually officially released in The Bootleg Series by Sony Music in 1999.
In 1967, working at Abbey Road studios The Beatles began recording a new John Lennon song ‘You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)’. The song was not finished until November 1969, and was not released until March 1970 (as the B-side of the ‘Let it Be’ single).
In 1968, the Monkees played the Valley Music Hall in Salt Lake City.
In 1969, it was reported that for the first time ever album sales had overtaken single sales in the UK. 49,184,000 albums were produced during 1968 compared with 49,161,000 singles.
In 1969, a group calling themselves The Chicago Transit Authority releases their self-titled debut double album. The band was later sued by the real Chicago Transit Authority and was forced to shorten their name to Chicago.
In 1969, Britain's music magazine, The New Musical Express announces that for the first time ever, LP sales and production have outstripped those of singles in Great Britain.
In 1969, for just 35 cents, you could pick up a copy of this month's Rolling Stone magazine with Joni Mitchell on the cover.
In 1970, at the Malaco Studios in Jackson, Mississippi, on the same afternoon, with the same band, and at the same session, Jean Knight recorded "Mr. Big Stuff" and King Floyd recorded "Groove Me."
In 1971, at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Elvis Presley recorded "Until It's Time For You To Go."
In 1971, Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney released 'Ram,' in the US, the only album credited to the pair. Three singles were released from Ram: the American #1 hit "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey," the minor British hit "The Back Seat of My Car," and "Eat at Home," which appeared in Europe, Japan and Australia.
In 1973, the Yes albums "Yessongs" and "The Yes Album" were certified Gold.
In 1974, ABC aired the Elton John TV special "Say Goodbye To Norma Jean And Other Things."
In 1974, NBC-TV's "The Midnight Special" presented another retro tribute, with Frankie Avalon as host and performances by Sam & Dave, Lou Christie, the Fleetwoods, Shirley & Lee, Frankie Ford, and Fabian.
In 1975, Elton John was awarded a Platinum record for his album 'Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy.' It was the first LP to sell one million copies on its first day of release.
In 1975, Mick Jagger tripped and in an attempt to break his fall, put his fist through the window of a restaurant in Long Island, New York. Jagger required 20 stitches but the Rolling Stones' North American tour proceeded in two weeks as planned.
In 1975, Led Zeppelin played the first of five sold-out nights to 17,000 fans at Earls Court Arena, London England. The set list included: Rock And Roll, The Song Remains The Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, No Quarter, Going To California, Dazed And Confused, Stairway To Heaven, Whole Lotta Love, and Black Dog. Tickets cost £1 ($1.70) - £2.50 ($4.25).
In 1975, Earth Wind And Fire started a three-week run at the top of the Billboard Hot 200 album chart with the soundtrack to That's The Way Of The World, a motion picture which featured several of the band members in cameo roles.
In 1978, ABC-TV aired two music specials, "The Carpenters: Space Encounters," with their guests John Davidson and Charlie Callas, and "Olivia," hosted by Olivia Newton-John, with guests ABBA and Andy Gibb.
In 1979, the Police performed at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California.
In 1980, Paul McCartney appeared with wife Linda as the musical guests on NBC-TV's "Saturday Night Live." They performed their latest single, "Coming Up."
In 1980, Peter Criss dropped out of Kiss and was replaced by drummer Eric Carr. Carr was first heard on the concept album, "The Elder" in 1981. Both Ace Frehley and Criss had been opposed to the idea of "The Elder" and when it bombed, Frehley also quit the band. Criss had co-written Kiss' biggest hit single, "Beth," and the band had to wait until 1990 to return to the US Top 10 when "Forever" made it to #8.
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In 1986, Whitney Houston started a three week run at #1 on the US singles chart with "Greatest Love Of All," the singers third US #1, a #8 hit in the UK.In 1987, a fire destroys Tom Petty's Los Angeles home and causes $800,000 worth of damage. It was later discovered to be the work of an arsonist.
In 1989, promoters in Montreal announced the cancellation of a July 5th reunion concert by The Who because of poor ticket sales. There was heavy demand for tickets for the other 25 dates on the tour.
In 1989, the first night of a 12-date UK tour for R.E.M. starting at Leicester De Montfort Hall. (Promoting the new single, 'Orange Crush').
In 1990, Nirvana played the last date of a North American tour at the Zoo in Boise, Idaho. This was Chad Channing's final gig with the band, drummer Dave Grohl replaced him in Sept of this year after his band Scream had split-up.
On this day in 1990, "Vogue" by Madonna was the #1 song.
In 1992, champagne music maker Lawrence Welk died at his home in Santa Monica, California at the age of 89. Our generation laughed at his corny music, but The Lawrence Welk Show was on TV for 30 years.
In 1993, Johnny Cash began recording sessions for his 81st album, 'Def American.'
In 1995, after all these years, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino and Little Richard appear together for the first time at a concert in Sheffield, England.
In 1996, blues guitarist Johnny Guitar Watson died of a heart attack while on tour in Yokohama, Japan. According to eyewitness reports, he collapsed mid guitar solo. His last words were "ain't that a bitch."
In 1999, record producer (Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Van Halen, Loverboy, Poison, KISS, the Scorpions, Yes)/trumpeter/Canadian Music Hall of Famer Bruce Fairbairn died at the age of 49.
In 2001, music publishers Helios Music Corporation sues the band Garbage for plagiarism, saying the song "I Think I'm Paranoid" too closely resembles "Bend Me, Shape Me", a 1968, number 5 hit for The American Breed.
In 2001, R.E.M. gave a free outdoor concert for an estimated 20,000 fans in downtown Toronto.
In 2002, songwriter Sharon Sheeley died in a Los Angeles hospital from complications following a cerebral hemorrhage. She was 62. Sheeley wrote "Poor Little Fool" for Ricky Nelson as well as "Dum Dum," a hit for Brenda Lee. Sharon was the girlfriend of Eddie Cochran and was in the London car accident that took Eddie's life on April 17th, 1960.
In 2002, the Barry Manilow special, Ultimate Manilow aired on CBS-TV.
In 2002, blues and soul singer Little Johnny Taylor died at the age of 59.
In 2006, Paul McCartney and his wife Heather Mills admitted that they had given up the fight to save their marriage, saying that after four years together, they were going their separate ways.
In 2008, Madonna was at #1 on the US album chart with her eleventh studio album 'Hard Candy.' The album reached number one in thirty-seven other countries.
In 2010, ZZ Top made a cameo appearance on the CBS-TV sitcom "Two And A Half Men."
On May 17, 2012, Donna Summer, often called The Queen Of Disco, died of cancer at the age of 63. During a career that peaked in the '70s, she won five Grammys and sold more than 130 million records worldwide.
birthdays today include (among others): Taj Mahal (71), Bill Bruford (Yes, King Crimson) (67), Paul Di'Anno (Iron Maiden) (55), Page McConnell (Phish) (50), Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) (48), Dave Abbruzzese (Pearl Jam) (45), Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age, Them Crooked Vultures) (40) and Andrea Corr (Corrs) (39)