Today in 1964 — one year to the day after recording their first album — the Beatles made their first U.S. concert appearance at the Washington Coliseum in D.C.:
The number one album today in 1969, “More of the Monkees,” jumped 121 positions in one week:
Today in 1972, Pink Floyd appeared at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester, England, during their Dark Side of the Moon tour.
The concert lasted 25 minutes until the power went out, leaving the hall as bright as the dark side of the moon.
Birthdays begin with Vincent Eugene Craddock, better known as Gene Vincent:
Songwriter Gerry Goffin, ex-husband of Carole King:
Bobby “Boris” Pickett:
Sheryl Crow:
One death of note today in 2009: Estelle Bennett of the Ronettes:
The first gold record — which was only a record spray-painted gold because the criteria for a gold record hadn’t been devised yet — was “awarded” today in 1942:
The number one British album today in 1968 was the Four Tops’ “Greatest Hits”:
The number one British album today in 1973 was Elton John’s “Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player”:
Today in 1976, the Memphis Police Department named its newest reserve officer:
Today’s number one single from the number one album, “Blondes Have More Fun,” in 1979 asked this question:
The number one British single today in 1984:
The number one single today in 1990:
Today in 2005, Amy Winehouse won a Grammy, though due to visa problems she couldn’t get to Los Angeles to get her award:
Birthdays begin with TV and movie soundtrack composer Jerry Goldsmith:
Don Wilson, who played guitar for the Ventures …
… was born the same day as Roberta Flack:
Jimmy Merchant sang with Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers:
Nigel Olsson played drums for Elton John:
Producer Norman Harris worked with the Delfonics, the Trampps and MFSB:
One death of note today in 1997: Brian Connolly of Sweet:
Today in 1964, three years to the day from their first appearance as the Beatles, the Beatles made their first appearance on CBS-TV’s Ed Sullivan Shew:
The number one single today in 1974:
The number one single today in 1991:
Birthdays start with songwriter Barry Mann, who wants to know …
Today in 1959, one night after their concert at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson got on a Beechcraft Bonanza in Mason City, Iowa, to fly to Fargo, N.D., for a concert in Moorhead, Minn.
The trio, along with Dion and the Belmonts, were part of the Winter Dance Party Tour, a 24-city tour over three weeks, with its ridiculously scheduled tour dates connected by bus.
Said bus, whose heater broke early in the tour, froze in below-zero temperatures two nights earlier between the scheduled concert in the Duluth, Minn., National Guard Armory, and the next scheduled location, the Riverside Ballroom in Green Bay.
Holly’s drummer had to be hospitalized with frostbite in his feet, and Valens also became ill. The tour got to Green Bay, but its scheduled concert in Appleton that evening was canceled.
After the concert in Clear Lake, Holly decided to rent an airplane. Holly’s bass player, Waylon Jennings, gave his seat to the Big Bopper because he was sick, and Valens won a coin flip with Holly’s guitarist, Tommy Allsup. Dion DiMucci chose not to take a seat because the $36 cost equaled his parents’ monthly rent.
As he was leaving, Holly told Jennings, “I hope your ol’ bus freezes up,” to which Jennings replied, “Well, I hope your ol’ plane crashes!”
Shortly after the 12:55 a.m. takeoff, the plane crashed, instantly killing Holly, Valens, the Big Bopper and the pilot.
The scheduled concert that evening went on, with organizers recruiting a 15-year-old, Robert Velline, and his band the Shadows. Bobby Vee went on to have a good career.
The number one single today in 1968:
The number one single today in 1973:
The number one album today in 1979 was the Blues Brothers’ “Briefcase Full of Blues”:
Birthdays begin with one of Dion’s Belmonts, Angelo D’Aleo:
Steve Prestegard.com: The Presteblog 