It is generally not considered a good career move to be indicted for drug trafficking, as Jonathan “Chico” and Robert DeBarge were today in 1988:
Birthdays begin with Jaimoe “Johnny” Johanson, drummer for the Allman Brothers:
Today in 1967, the Beatles released “All You Need Is Love” …
… which proved insufficient for the Yardbirds, which disbanded one year later:
Can one wish a happy birthday to an entire band? If so, wish Jefferson Airplane a happy birthday:
Today is the anniversary of the Beatles’ first song to reach the U.S. charts, “From Me to You.” Except it wasn’t recorded by the Beatles, it was recorded by Del Shannon:
Five years later, John Lennon sold his Rolls–Royce:
Sharing my daughter’s birthday are Smiley Lewis, who first did …
This seems appropriate to begin Independence Day:
And Independence Day being a Saturday, this is therefore appropriate today:
This being Independence Day, you wouldn’t think there would be many music anniversaries today. There is a broadcasting anniversary, though: WOWO radio in Fort Wayne, Ind., celebrated the nation’s 153rd birthday by burning its transmitter to the ground.
Independence Day 1970 was not a holiday for Casey Kasem, who premiered “America’s Top 40,” though it likely was on tape instead of live:
An interesting anniversary considering what tomorrow is: Today in 1978, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Federal Communications Commission ruling punishing WBAI radio in New York City for broadcasting George Carlin’s Seven Dirty Words. (If you click on the link, remember, you’ve been warned.)
Birthdays begin with Fontella Bass:
Damon Harris of the Temptations:
Today in 1969, Leslie West and Felix Pappalardi created Mountain:
Birthdays today start with Paul Williams of the Temptations:
Today in 1963, the Beatles recorded “She Loves You,” yeah, yeah, yeah:
Four years later, the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” reached number one, and stayed there for 15 weeks:
America’s first and only sports car, the Corvette, began production today in 1953. Therefore, some Corvette music is in order:
Today in 1957, Iran banned rock music, proclaiming that rock dancing was “harmful to health.” The ban stayed until the 1990s, which is surprising … that it was ever lifted. (I’m guessing it remains a de facto ban.)
Proving that there is no accounting for taste, here is the number 17 song today in 1968:
Today in 1967, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were sentenced on drug charges. Jagger was sentenced to one year in jail and Richards to three months after marijuana residue was found in Richards’ apartment. After a public outcry that included a London Times column, Richards’ charges were dropped and Jagger’s sentence was reduced to probation.
Of course, you could replace “1967” with any year and Jagger’ and Richards’ names with practically any rock musician’s name of those days.
Or other people: Today in 2000, Eminem’s mother sued her son for defamation from the line “My mother smokes more dope than I do” from his “My Name Is.”
Birthdays start with LeRoy Anderson, whose first work was the theme music for many afternoon movies, but who is best known for his second work (with which I point out that Christmas is less than six months away):
Steve Prestegard.com: The Presteblog 