On This Day in Rock History: July 4
Happy 4th of July from THIS DAY IN ROCK! — Happy 4th of July from THIS DAY IN ROCK! Stu Sweatman and John Myers! http://www.stusweatman.com http://www.myspace.com/stusweatman
2006 - Target is the exclusive U.S. retailer for Z… — 2006 - Target is the exclusive U.S. retailer for Ziggy Marley’s second solo album, “Love Is My Religion,” via Tuff Gong Worldwide. The deal marks Marley’s first independent release without [...]
2006 - India.Arie tops the album charts with Testimony: Vol. 1… — 2006 - India.Arie tops the album charts with Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship, which gives emo hunk Dashboard Confessional something else to cry about. His third album Dusk and [...]
2003 - Ja Rule becomes the first high-profile inte… — 2003 - Ja Rule becomes the first high-profile international artist to tour South Africa. Jeffrey Atkins (born February 29, 1976), better known by his stage name Ja Rule, is an American [...]
2003 -Metallica, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, the Deftones and Mudvayn… — 2003 -Metallica, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, the Deftones and Mudvayne kick off the Summer Sanitarium tour in Pontiac, Michigan.
2000 - A man dies after plunging 80 feet from the top of Ravens Stadium… — 2000 - A man dies after plunging 80 feet from the top of Ravens Stadium in Baltimore shortly before a Metallica concert. A 21-year-old man fell to his death on Tuesday [...]
1999 - Trisha Yearwood is the featured performer f… — 1999 - Trisha Yearwood is the featured performer for the Boston Pops’ annual Independence Day concert, Pops Goes the 4th.
1999 - Sir Elton John, 52, collapses. Tests show t… — 1999 - Sir Elton John, 52, collapses. Tests show that he has an irregular heartbeat. John soon has a pacemaker fitted at a London hospital.
1995 - The Ramones release “Adios Amigos.” It’s … — 1995 - The Ramones release “Adios Amigos.’‘ It’s speculated to be the band’s last album ever. ¡Adios Amigos! is the Ramones’ last studio album. It was released in 1995. It features [...]
1995 - At Lollapalooza in George, Wash., Courtney … — 1995 - At Lollapalooza in George, Wash., Courtney Love belts Bikini Kill singer Kathleen Hanna. Charged with assault, Love receives a suspended one-year sentence and is required to take courses [...]
1992 - The Mamas & the Papas Papa John Phillips has a liver… — 1992 - The Mamas & the Papas Papa John Phillips has a liver transplant in Los Angeles. In 1992 he received a liver transplant, and a few years later, underwent [...]
1990 - The rap group 2 Live Crew releases the sing… — 1990 - The rap group 2 Live Crew releases the single “Banned in the U.S.A.” with the blessing of “Born in the U.S.A.” creator Bruce Springsteen. The song, which racks [...]
1990 - 2 Live Crew release their “Banned in the U.S.A.” single… — 1990 - 2 Live Crew release their “Banned in the U.S.A.” single. Bruce Springsteen approved the sample of his “Born in the U.S.A.”
1987 - “The July Fourth Disarmament Festival” in… — 1987 - “The July Fourth Disarmament Festival” in the Soviet Union features the Doobie Brothers, Santana, Bonnie Raitt and Soviet music groups.
1987 - Pet Shop Boys go to No. 1 in England with “It’s a Sin.” — 1987 - Pet Shop Boys go to No. 1 in England with “It’s a Sin.”
1987 - In New York, Keith Richards finishes the mixing for the Chuck… — 1987 - In New York, Keith Richards finishes the mixing for the Chuck Berry documentary Hail! Hail! Rock ‘n’ Roll.
1987 - Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead kick off a short tour together… — 1987 - Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead kick off a short tour together in Foxboro, Mass. The Dead encourage Dylan to reach deep into his back catalog and adopt [...]
1986 - Farm Aid II features appearances by Willie Nelson, the Beach Boy… — 1986 - Farm Aid II features appearances by Willie Nelson, the Beach Boys, and Julio Iglesias. The Austin concert raises $1.3 million for financially strapped farmers.
1985 - The Beach Boys finally hold their July 4 bash in Washington… — 1985 - The Beach Boys finally hold their July 4 bash in Washington, D.C., where they’re joined by Jimmy Page on “Lucille.” Fun, Fun, Fun With Jimmy Page Beach Boys Sugarcane Records, SC [...]
1984 - Ringo Starr joins the Beach Boys at their free July 4 concert in Miami. — 1984 - Ringo Starr joins the Beach Boys at their free July 4 concert in Miami.
1983 - Interior Secretary James Watt bans the Beach Boys… — 1983 - Interior Secretary James Watt bans the Beach Boys from playing on Washington, D.C.’s Mall because, he says, the music attracts a “bad element.”
1982 - Ozzy Osbourne marries his manager, Sharon A… — 1982 - Ozzy Osbourne marries his manager, Sharon Arden.
1982 - Diana Ross opens her latest solo tour at New Jersey’s… — 1982 - Diana Ross opens her latest solo tour at New Jersey’s Giants Stadium. Support comes from jazz trumpeter Miles Davis.
1982 - In a year that has seen him bite the head off a bat and watch… — 1982 - In a year that has seen him bite the head off a bat and watch his guitarist Randy Rhoads die in a plane crash… metal madman Ozzy Osbourne [...]
1980 - The Beach Boys give a free outdoor performa… — 1980 - The Beach Boys give a free outdoor performance to an estimated 500,000 people in Washington.
1977 - Nigel Harrison steps into Gary Valentine’s boots as Blondie’s bassist. — 1977 - Nigel Harrison steps into Gary Valentine’s boots as Blondie’s bassist.
1976 - Paul Revere (”Kicks”) gets married at the King’s Island… — 1976 - Paul Revere (”Kicks”) gets married at the King’s Island amusement park in Cincinnati.
1976 - Elton John and Kiki Dee release their No. 1 duet… — 1976 - Elton John and Kiki Dee release their No. 1 duet, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.” Kiki Dee (born Pauline Matthews, 6 March 1947, Little Horton, Bradford, West Yorkshire, England) [...]
1972 - Willie Nelson inaugurates his annual “Four… — 1972 - Willie Nelson inaugurates his annual “Fourth of July Picnic.” Dripping Springs, Texas.
1971 - Donald McPherson of the Main Ingredient die… — 1971 - Donald McPherson of the Main Ingredient dies of leukemia. Age 29. The group’s biggest hit is the million-selling No. 3 song “Everybody Plays the Fool.” by Aaron Neville. Much [...]
1969 - The Kinks’ Ray Davies is in Hollywood mixing the Turtles… — 1969 - The Kinks’ Ray Davies is in Hollywood mixing the Turtles’ final album, Turtle Soup.
1969 - Grand Funk Railroad play the Atlanta Pop Festival… — 1969 - Grand Funk Railroad play the Atlanta Pop Festival, which is held in Hampton, Ga. A&R reps from Capitol Records like what they see and sign the band.
1967 - Tom Jones appears on the first telecast of … — 1967 - Tom Jones appears on the first telecast of CBS-TV’s “Spotlight” summer musical variety series. Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE (born 7 June 1940), known by his stage name Tom [...]
1966 - In the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos… — 1966 - In the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos pulls the Beatles’ police protection after his wife claims the band snubbed her by not attending one of her parties. Later, an [...]
1964 - The Rolling Stones appear on Juke Box Jury. The Britis… — 1964 - The Rolling Stones appear on Juke Box Jury. The British TV program stretches its rules to accommodate the five judges - rather than the traditional four. However, the [...]
1964 - According to today’s issue of Billboard, the Beatles… — 1964 - According to today’s issue of Billboard, the Beatles’ summer North American tour is going to be a sellout.
1962 - Chris Blackwell starts up Island Records, which… — 1962 - Chris Blackwell starts up Island Records, which would become the home of Bob Marley and U2, among others.
1956 - Elvis Presley returns via train to Memphis from New York… — 1956 - Elvis Presley returns via train to Memphis from New York, where he appeared on The Steve Allen Show. He performs tonight at a charity concert for the Memphis [...]
1951 - Ralph Johnson - drummer for Earth, Wind and Fire (”Shining Star”) — 1951 - Ralph Johnson - drummer for Earth, Wind and Fire (”Shining Star”) Person Ralph Johnson Right click for SmartMenu shortcuts
1948 - Guitarist Jeremy Spencer, who played with Fleetwood Mac… — 1948 - Guitarist Jeremy Spencer, who played with Fleetwood Mac before they moved to California, is born in Lancashire, England.
1943 - Guitarist Alan Wilson of Canned Heat is born in Boston. — 1943 - Guitarist Alan Wilson of Canned Heat is born in Boston.
1938 - Singer/songwriter Bill Withers is born in S… — 1938 - Singer/songwriter Bill Withers is born in Slab Fork, W.Va. Bill Withers (born July 4, 1938 in Slab Fork, West Virginia) is an American singer-songwriter who performed and recorded [...]
1900 - Although jazz legend Louis Armstrong always… — 1900 - Although jazz legend Louis Armstrong always claimed to have been born on this date, later scholarship established that his birthday was on August 4, 1901. Louis Armstrong (4 August [...]
