1967 - The Monkees' TV show scored an Emmy for outstanding comedy series.
1976 - The Sex Pistols play a show at Lesser Free Trade Hall in Manchester. Inspired by the gig, many in the audience form bands, propelling the nascent punk rock scene. The venue holds about 40 people, but hundreds later claim they were there. Confirmed audience members include Steven Patrick Morrissey, who forms The Smiths; Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto, who form the Buzzcocks; Mark E. Smith, who forms The Fall. Members of Joy Division may also have been there. Steve Diggle of the Buzzcocks says, "If Jesus was born in Bethlehem, British punk was born in Manchester at that gig."
1979 - Fleetwood Mac recorded the USC Trojan Marching Band at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles for use in their song "Tusk," the title track to their first album since Rumours. A film crew captured the action (including Stevie Nicks deftly twirling a baton) which was made into the video for the song.
1984 - Bruce Springsteen released the album Born In The USA, which became the best-selling album of 1985 in the United States (and also Springsteen's most successful album ever). Born in the U.S.A. marked the first time that Springsteen's characters really seemed to relish the fight and to have something to fight for. They were not defeated and they had friendship and family to defend. That the witless wonders of the Reagan regime attempted to co-opt the title track as an election-year campaign song wasn't so surprising: the verses described the disenfranchisement of a lower-class Vietnam vet, and the chorus was intended to be angry, but it came off as anthemic. The album's iconic cover was shot by Annie Liebovitz. Springsteen was forced to deny rumors that the image showed him urinating on the flag. "We took a lot of different types of pictures," he said, "and in the end, the picture of my (butt) looked better than the picture of my face, that's what went on the cover." (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
1993 - Police in Seattle arrested Kurt Cobain at his home after an argument with his wife, Courtney Love, over his collection of firearms.
1997 - Jeff Buckley's body was discovered in the Mississippi River. Buckley had disappeared when swimming on May 29 in Wolf River Harbor in Memphis, while wearing boots, all of his clothing, and singing the chorus of "Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zeppelin. An autopsy ruled Buckley's death an accidental drowning.
Birthday:
Freddy Fender was born on this day in 1937.
Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & The Papas is 77.
Gordon Waller of Peter and Gordon was born today in 1945.
Reeves Gabrels (guitarist, songwriter and record producer who worked with David Bowie from 1987 to 2000 and a member of The Cure since 2012) is 65.
Stefan Lessard, bassist from Dave Matthews Band, is 47.
On This Day In Music History is sourced from This Day in Music, Allmusic, Song Facts and Wikipedia.