| 76 | years ago | 1949 | Steven Gaines, guitarist for Lynyrd Skynyrd, is born. He dies in 1977. |
| 62 | years ago | 1963 | The Beach Boys' Surfer Girl peaks at #7 on the pop singles chart. |
| 62 | years ago | 1963 | Due to pressure from folksingers boycotting television's Hootenanny program, ABC invites Pete Seeger to appear on the show-only if he'll sign an oath of loyalty to the U.S. He doesn't and ABC extends its ban on the outspoken leftist musician. |
| 57 | years ago | 1968 | In a interview published in Rolling Stone, Pete Townshend says he plans to come up with a rock opera about a boy who is deaf, dumb, and blind. |
| 57 | years ago | 1968 | Forty oversea officials of the United States Information Agency are required to attend a concert in D.C. by Blood, Sweat & Tears. It's part of the USIA's program to acquaint its overseas staff with cultural developments in the homeland. |
| 57 | years ago | 1968 | The mastermind behind The Monkees, Don Kirshner, premieres his latest idea on CBS, The Archies, a Saturday morning cartoon show based on the comic book series. |
| 57 | years ago | 1968 | The Jeff Beck Group's debut album, which features vocalist Rod Stewart and bassist Ronnie Wood, enters the LP chart. |
| 57 | years ago | 1968 | Big Brother and the Holding Company's LP, Cheap Thrills enters the LP chart -- where it will stay for 29 weeks, including eight at #1. |
| 56 | years ago | 1969 | Genesis, which consists of Peter Gabriels, Mike Rutherford, Tony Banks, Anthony Phillips, and John Mahew, plays its first paid gig at a cottage in Surrey, England owned by Gabriels' former Sunday school teacher. |
| 51 | years ago | 1974 | Eric Clapton's version of Bob Marley's I Shot The Sheriff hits #1 on the singles chart. |
| 51 | years ago | 1974 | Bachman-Turner Overdrive's Not Fragile enters the album chart, where it goes straight to #1. The LP features the #1 single, You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet. |
| 51 | years ago | 1974 | ELP's Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends - Ladies and Gentlemen enters the album chart. |
| 49 | years ago | 1976 | Jeff Beck's second jazz-rock-fusion album, Wired, goes gold. |
| 44 | years ago | 1981 | The Rolling Stones' Tattoo You enters the LP chart, where it will stay for 30 weeks, including nine at #1. |
| 44 | years ago | 1981 | Pink Floyd's movie The Wall begins production. |
| 41 | years ago | 1984 | The first annual MTV Video Music Awards take place at New York's Radio City Music Hall. Herbie Hancock takes top honors. Dan Ackroyd and Bette Midler host. |
| 40 | years ago | 1985 | John Mellencamp's Scarecrow hits the LP chart. The multi-platinum album includes the hits Lonely 'Ol Night, Small Town and R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. |
| 40 | years ago | 1985 | Pat Benatar's Invincible peaks at #10 on the singles chart, while Tina Turner's We Don't Need Another Hero peaks at #2. |
| 34 | years ago | 1991 | Bob Seger's LP The Fire Inside enters the chart. |
| 34 | years ago | 1991 | David Bowie's band Tin Machine releases its second album, II, and kicks off its first and only tour. |
| 30 | years ago | 1995 | David Bowie kicks off his Outside tour in Hartford, Connecticut. His opening act is Nine Inch Nails. |
| 30 | years ago | 1995 | Paul McCartney's hand-written lyrics for Getting Better sell for $249,000 at a Sotheby's auction. |
| 27 | years ago | 1998 | Sean Lennon, son of John, appears with his band on the 200th episode of the drama, Melrose Place. He plays three songs. |
| 26 | years ago | 1999 | The free Sheryl Crow and Friends concert is held in New York's Central Park. She is joined on stage at different times by Keith Richards, Stevie Nicks, The Dixie Chicks, Eric Clapton, Chrissie Hynde, and Sarah McLachlan. The second hour of the concert is broadcast live on Fox. |
| 14 | years ago | 2011 | Amy Winehouse's final recording and video debuts on what would have been her 28th birthday. It's a duet with Tony Bennett called Body and Soul, one of 17 on Bennett's Duets II which will be released six days later. Lady Gaga, Michael Buble, Queen Latifah, Carrie Underwood, and John Mayer are also featured. |