1955 - The UN's commission on narcotics released a report stating that there is a "definite connection between increased marijuana smoking and that form of entertainment known as bebop and rebop." Dig that crazy beat, man. And pass that over to me...
1979 - Rock & Roll High School, a film featuring the Ramones, made its debut. The film is set in 1980. Vince Lombardi High School keeps losing principals to nervous breakdowns because of the students' love of rock 'n' roll and their disregard for education. Roger Corman, executive producer of the film, originally wanted Cheap Trick or Todd Rundgren to play the band, but due to a conflict of schedules, he was forced to find an alternative. The Ramones were suggested by Paul Bartel, one of the actors in the film.
1994 - The Eagles played the first of two shows where they recorded their 'Hell Freezes Over' album. They first got back together the previous December for the making of a Travis Tritt video of their song, 'Take It Easy' The name of the album was taken from an earlier quote by Glen Frey, who responded to the question "When will the Eagles get back together?" (Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images)
2014 -Spotify removed a album of silence by American funk band Vulfpeck from its streaming site. The band's fourth record, Sleepify, was made up of 10 tracks of silence which they encouraged fans to stream on repeat overnight. The idea was aimed at generating money so that the band could go on tour and not charge admission fees.
Birthdays:
Ella Fitzgerald was born on this day in 1917. One of the most renowned jazz singers in history, thanks to her warm, sweet voice and signature scatting technique. Fitzgerald also appeared in TV commercials, her most memorable being an ad for Memorex. In the commercials, she sang a note that shattered a glass while being recorded on a Memorex cassette tape. The tape was played back and the recording also broke another glass, asking: "Is it live, or is it Memorex?
Blues guitarist and singer Albert King was born today in 1923. King made his first guitar out of a cigar box, a branch from a shrub, and a strand of broom wire. One of the "Three Kings of the Blues Guitar" (along with B.B. King and Freddie King), best known for his song "Born Under A Bad Sign."
Bjorn Ulvaeus of ABBA is 77.
Stu Cook, bassist with Creedence Clearwater Revival, is 77.
Steve Ferrone, former drummer with the Average White Band and Tom Petty's Heartbreakers, is 72.
Andy Bell, lead singer of Erasure, is 58.
Eric Avery, co-founder of Jane's Addiction, is 57.
On this Day In Music History is sourced from This Day in Music, Song Facts and Wikipedia.