1956 - Johnny Cash released his classic song, 'I Walk the Line', a pledge of fidelity to his first wife, which became his first No.1 Billboard country hit and remained on the charts for over 43 weeks, selling over 2 million copies. The unique chord progression for the song was inspired by backwards playback of guitar runs on Cash's tape recorder while he was in the Air Force stationed in Germany.(Photo credit should read DANIEL JANIN/AFP via Getty Images)
1969 - Bob Dylan recorded an appearance for The Johnny Cash Show at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. After two solo numbers from Dylan, Johnny Cash joined him for a rendition of 'Girl From The North Country'. In this primetime show, Cash enjoyed booking contemporary performers as guests; Neil Young, James Taylor, Ray Charles and Eric Clapton were all booked to appear on forthcoming shows.
1969 - Neil Young releases his second solo album, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere. It marked the beginning of Young's recording association with Crazy Horse. With them, Young quickly cut a set of loose, guitar-heavy rock songs -- "Cinnamon Girl," "Down by the River," and "Cowgirl in the Sand" -- that redefined him as a rock & roll artist.
1971 - Who remembers this one? A Pennsylvania based group called The Buoys saw their biggest hit record, "Timothy", peak at #17 on the Hot 100. The Rupert Holmes (Pina Colada dude) written tune stayed in the Top 40 for eight weeks, and may very well be the only hit song ever written about cannibalism.
1979 - Elton John became the first pop star to perform in Israel. In three weeks time he also became the first Western solo pop performer to tour Russia.
1984 - Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood filed for bankruptcy. It was reported that the drummer had spent thousands of dollars of cocaine a month, and had refused to listen to financial advisers, buying up several homes, a $400,000 spread in Hawaii and a $1.8 million farm outside Sydney, Australia.
2000 - David Gray's album White Ladder, which has been available in Europe for over a year, is finally issued in America as the first release on Dave Matthews' new label, ATO Records. They met outside Albums On The Hill where David was playing on the street during a radio convention. Contained the song "Babylon".
Birthdays:
Little Walter was born on this day in 1930. Walter was to the harmonica what Jimi Hendrix was to the electric guitar. He was the first harp player to amplify his harmonica, giving it a distorted echoing sound. His virtuosity and musical innovations fundamentally altered many listeners' expectations of what was possible on blues harmonica.
Judy Collins is 84. Collins moved with her family to Denver in her mid-teens. Her early musical background was in classical piano. Her influence in music and politics has spanned decades.
Stephen Stills wrote Suite: Judy Blues Eyes about Collins on the eve of their breakup. Stephen played it for her in a hotel room. Collins: Afterwards, we both cried – and then I said: "Oh, Stephen, it’s such a beautiful song. But it’s not winning me back."
Glen Ballard, best-known for co-writing and producing Alanis Morissette's album Jagged Little Pill is 70. He was involved in the recording and writing of Michael Jackson's Thriller and Bad
Ray Parker Jr., the man behind the Ghostbusters song, is 69. He was also a founding member of Raydio, who had hits with "Jack and Jill," "You Can't Change That". Also an in demand session guitarist for Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, Gladys Knight and the Pips.
Funny story: In 1972, Wonder called Parker to ask him to play behind him on a tour that he was doing with the Rolling Stones. Parker thought it was a crank call and hung up the phone. Wonder called back and convinced Parker that he was the real deal by singing "Superstition" to him.
On This Day In Music History was sourced from This Day in Music, Yahoo, Allmusic, Song Facts and Wikipedia.