Today in 1956, Elvis Presley signed a seven-year contract with Paramount Studios.

The movies won no Academy Awards, but sold a lot of tickets and a lot of records.

The number one album today in 1968 was the soundtrack to “The Graduate”:

The number one single today in 1974:

Today in 1974 was the first California Jam:

Today in 1976, the first quadraphonic movie soundtrack hit the ears of listeners:

Birthdays begin with Merle Haggard:

Tony Conner of Hot Chocolate:

Two deaths of note today in 1998: Wendy O.  Williams of the Plasmatics …

… and Tammy Wynette:

Another in 2004: Niki Sullivan of Buddy Holly’s Crickets:

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