Imagine being a fly on the wall at Sun Studios in Memphis today in 1956, and listening to the Million Dollar Jam Session with Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins.

The number one single today in 1965:

The number one British album today in 1971 was Led Zeppelin’s ” “, alternatively known as “Four Symbols” or “IV” …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW_7XBrDBAA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7joxOe76vCE

… while here it was T Rex’s “Electric Warrior”:

That day, the Montreux Casino in Switzerland caught fire during a Frank Zappa concert.

 

The fire, during Deep Purple’s recording of its album “Machine Head,” was memorialized two years later by …

The number one British album today in 1982 was “The John Lennon Collection”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqP3wT5lpa4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvFeU9hQjVA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dHUfy_YBps

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xB4dbdNSXY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4_ghOG9JQM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-x1FsvOAz4

Today in 1988, Roy Orbison played his final concert, in Cleveland.

Birthdays begin with Freddy “Boom Boom” Cannon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frhTy44dckg

Chris Hillman of the aforementioned Byrds:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J74ttSR8lEg

Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys:

Gary Rossington played guitar for Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Rossington–Collins Band:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDKx9zWINqM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjhEsbVCOZw

One death of note, today in 1993: Frank Zappa, who was survived by his wife Adelaide and their four children, Moon Unit, Dweezil, Ahmet Emuuhkha Rodan and Diva Thin Muffin Pegeen.