1860 - An anonymous vocalist sang "Au Claire De La Lune" to Parisian inventor Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinville, who made the first known and oldest surviving recording of the human voice.
1969 - Bob Dylan released Nashville Skyline, which embraced country music. With liner notes by Johnny Cash, (who also appeared on the record), at the time of release it was dismissed by some critics as lightweight, but included 'Lay, Lady, Lay', a major hit for Dylan. And there's no discounting that Nashville Skyline, established country-rock as a vital force in pop music, as well as a commercially viable genre.
1983 - David Bowie was at No. 1 on the U.K. singles chart with the title track from his latest album Let's Dance, his fourth U.K. No. 1 and featuring Stevie Ray Vaughan. The song introduced Bowie to a new, younger audience oblivious to his former career in the 1970s. "Let's Dance" was a U.S. No. 1 hit as well, making it Bowie's first single to reach number one on both sides of the Atlantic.
1984 - R.E.M. release Reckoning (alternatively titled File Under Water). Peter Buck recalled, "We were going through this streak where we were writing two good songs a week, we just wanted to do it; whenever we had a new batch of songs, it was time to record". Because of the many new songs the band had, Buck unsuccessfully tried convincing everyone to make it a double album. Opening with the ringing "Harborcoat," Reckoning runs through a set of ten jangle pop songs that are different not only in sound but in style from the debut, Murmur. But the record's influence on underground American rock in the '80s was just as strong. (Photo credit Odd Andersen/AFP via Getty Images)
1997 - Amidst personal tensions between its band members, Soundgarden announced their break up, which lasted for 13 years until they decided to reunite.
2016 - Fleetwood Mac announced that Lindsey Buckingham had been fired from the band and would be replaced by Crowded House's Neil Finn and Mike Campbell, former lead guitarist of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers on their upcoming tour. Describing Lindsey's departure as bittersweet, Stevie Nicks stated: "Our relationship has always been volatile."
Birthdays:
1932 - Carl Perkins who had the 1956 hit 'Blue Suede Shoes.' Perkins' songs were recorded by Elvis Presley, The Beatles and Johnny Cash. Paul McCartney claimed that "if there were no Carl Perkins, there would be no Beatles."
Albert Hammond Jr., Strokes guitarist, is 41. He is the son of singer-songwriter Albert Hammond, best known for his 1972 hit single "It Never Rains in Southern California."
On This Day In Music History is sourced from This Day in Music, Paul Shaffer's Day in Rock, Song Facts and Wikipedia.