1964 - The Beatles' "I Want To Hold Your Hand" became the fastest-breaking and the fastest-selling single in Capitol Records' history when it entered the singles chart at No. 45. It went on to spend seven weeks at the No.1 position.
1965 - Paul Simon drops out of law school to pursue music full-time. In late 1965, while still overseas, Simon got word that a song that he and Garfunkel had previously recorded, "The Sound of Silence," had begun receiving major radio airplay in the States. He returned to New York immediately, reacquainting with Art Garfunkel. Together, the duo recorded five albums together.
1989 - At just 38 years old, Stevie Wonder became the youngest living person to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. "A melody writer of such virtuosity" is how Paul Simon described him in his induction speech. At a ceremony held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, other inductees include The Rolling Stones, The Temptations, Otis Redding and Dion DiMucci.
2016 - Eagles guitarist Glenn Frey died at the age of 67. The Associated Press reported that Frey died complications from rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis and pneumonia. “He would blame in part his years of ‘burgers and beer and blow and broads’ and later became a fitness advocate,” the AP reported. Frey co-founded the Eagles in 1971. After the breakup of the Eagles in 1980, Frey embarked on a successful solo career. He also guest starred on Miami Vice and had a role as the general manager of the Arizona Cardinals in Jerry Maguire. Glenn was a long time resident in the Aspen area. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Birthdays:
David Ruffin of The Temptations was born today in 1941.
Luther Dickinson of North Mississippi Allstars and The Black Crowes is 49.
On this Day In Music History is sourced from Shmoop, Aspen Daily News, This Day in Music, Song Facts and Wikipedia.