Tomorrow's Almanac

Rock 'n' Roll Almanac for Friday, January 23, 2026

76 years ago 1950Patrick Simmons of the Doobie Brothers and Danny Federici, keyboardist with the E Street Band are born.
74 years ago 1952Robin Zander, vocalist with Cheap Trick, is born.
69 years ago 1957On tour in Australia, Bill Haley & the Comets attend the world premiere of Don't Knock the Rock, in which Haley and the group make cameo appearances.
68 years ago 1958Brunswick Records releases Maybe Baby b/w Tell Me How by The Crickets.
62 years ago 1964The Rolling Stones fly back to the U.K. upon completion of their first U.S. tour.
56 years ago 1970Folk singer Judy Collins is denied permission by the court to sing as part of her testimony at the trial of the Chicago Seven; others denied the same privilege are Pete Seeger, Phil Ochs, Arlo Guthrie and Country Joe McDonald.
54 years ago 1972Maybelle Smith, also known as Big Maybelle, dies in Cleveland. Her career crested as a jazz singer in the late 40's and early 50's recording some best selling records such as Candy and 96 Tear Drops. She was 47.
53 years ago 1973Neil Young interrupts a New York concert to read a message handed to him. “Peace has come,” he announces, sending the audience into a joyful ten-minute fit of hugging and kissing. Young then goes into a powerful version of Southern Man.
48 years ago 1978Terry Kath, guitarist and vocalist with Chicago, dies after accidentally shooting himself in the head with a pistol he reportedly didn't know was loaded. He was 32 years old.
40 years ago 1986The members of the inaugural Rock & Roll Hall of Fame are inducted during ceremonies at New York's Waldorf Astoria. And the winners are: Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, the Everly Brothers, disc jockey Alan Freed, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Sun Records founder Sam Phillips, and Elvis Presley.
37 years ago 1989James Brown is sentenced in Georgia to another 6 years in jail in connection with a police chase through two states.
36 years ago 1990Former Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Allen Collins dies of complications from pneumonia in Jacksonville, FL. He was only 37.
30 years ago 1996The City Council in Johnson City, Tennessee, withdraws permission for White Zombie to hold a show there. Several town residents had complained that the band advocated Satan worship.
29 years ago 199763-year-old Richard Berry, who wrote The Kingsmen's Louie Louie, dies from an aneurysm while sleeping at his home in South Central Los Angeles.
26 years ago 2000Heart's Nancy Wilson and her husband Cameron Crowe become the parents of twins -- William James Crowe and Curtis Wilson Crowe.
21 years ago 2005Ex-Tonight Show host Johnny Carson dies in his Malibu home of emphysema at age 79. His Tonight Show reign was from 1962 to 1992.

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