1969 - The Rolling Stones fire founding member Brian Jones, whose relationship with his bandmates has deteriorated beyond repair. Personal and physical problems made it more difficult for him to carry his weight on-stage and in the studio. And although he did not go to jail for drug busts, because of his police record it was feared that he (and, thus, the band) would be unable to tour the United States. Brian Jones tells the press he is leaving to "play my kind of music." Less than a month later, he is found dead at his home.
1974 - Paul McCartney and Wings went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Band On The Run". McCartney wrote this song in response to drug laws that criminalized him and his friends. "We're not criminals," he explained. "We just would rather do this than hit the booze - which had been a traditional way to do it. We felt that this was a better move."
George Harrison unwittingly contributed the first line of one part of the song: "If we ever get out of here" when he said it during one of the many Beatles' business meetings.
(Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images)
1974 - Dolly Parton was at No. 1 on the U.S. country charts with "I Will Always Love You".
Elvis Presley indicated that he wanted to cover the song. Parton was interested until Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, told her that it was standard procedure for the songwriter to sign over half of the publishing rights to any song Elvis recorded. Parton refused.
The song later became a worldwide No. 1 hit for Whitney Houston in 1992 when featured in The Bodyguard. It was co-star Kevin Costner's idea for Whitney to cover the song for the soundtrack.
2008 - Rolling Stone magazine published a list of the Top 50 guitar songs of all time. No. 5 was 'Brown Sugar' by The Rolling Stones, No. 4 'You Really Got Me' by The Kinks, No. 3 'Crossroads', by Cream, No. 2 'Purple Haze', by Jimi Hendrix and No. 1 'Johnny B Goode', Chuck Berry.
Birthdays:
Nancy Sinatra is 82.
Clarence Haskins of Parliament-Funkadelic is 81.
Boz Scaggs is 78.
Bonnie Tyler is 71.
Greg Ginn, leader of Black Flag, is 68.
Mick Hucknall, of Simply Red, is 62.
Duran Duran keyboardist Nick Rhodes is 60.
Kanye West is 45.
Derek Trucks is 43.
On This Day in Music History is sourced from This Day in Music, Song Facts and Wikipedia.